Chicago Sports & Travel/ AllsportsAmerica Monday Sports News Update, 11/07/2016.

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"Sports Quote of the Day"

"I've been a diehard Chicago sports fan since I moved to Chicago, April 16, 1976. The teams are the original sports teams from every league and association. At times all Chicagoans get angry and frustrated with their professional teams but they never forsake them. We know that teams have ups and downs and that championship teams run in cycles but we never give up on them. One hundred and eight years for the Cubs, 1908-2016, and the fan base was larger and stronger than ever. My kinda town, my kinda teams. Arguably the greatest sports city in the world and our best is just gonna get better!!!!!" ~ Marion P. Jelks, Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica Sports Blog Editor    

Trending: How Cubs are a World Series winner that’s built to last. (See the Cubs section for team news and World Series updates).

Trending: Jonathan Toews hitting stride offensively for Blackhawks. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).

Trending: Bears at season's halftime:Defense already better than 2015 and looking up. (See the football section for Bears news and NFL updates).

Trending: Toothless, lifeless Bulls dominated by Pacers. (Saturday night's game, 11/05/2016). (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).

Trending: NCAAFB: 2016 NCAA Associated Press Football Rankings, 11/06/2016. (See the college football section for NCAA news and team updates).

NFL SCORES, Sunday 11/06/2016.

Atlanta Falcons 43
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28

Pittsburgh Steelers 14
Baltimore Ravens 21

Dallas Cowboys 35
Cleveland Browns 10

Jacksonville Jaguars 14
Kansas City Chiefs 19

New York Jets 23
Miami Dolphins 27

Philadelphia Eagles 23
New York Giants 28

Detroit Lions 22
Minnesota Vikings 16

Carolina Panthers 13
Los Angeles Rams 10

New Orleans Saints 41
San Francisco 49ers 23

Tennessee Titans 35
San Diego Chargers 43

Indianapolis Colts 31
Green Bay Packers 26

Denver Broncos 20
Oakland Raiders 30

Buffalo Bills              Monday night game
Seattle Seahawks     11/07/2016

Cubs: How Cubs are a World Series winner that’s built to last.

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Cubs still feel like they’re at the beginning of a very long runway, even after an unforgettable parade down Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue, that Grant Park rally and one of the biggest gatherings in the history of, uh, civilization.

In terms of elation and astonishment, nothing will top the estimated 5 million people who jammed into the streets of Chicago on Friday to celebrate the end of the 108-year drought. But the Cubs didn’t tear down and rebuild their franchise hoping to win one World Series title.

Chairman Tom Ricketts and the three-headed top of baseball operations – Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod – laid out their vision like this to scouts, coaches, the media and season-ticket holders: It could not be about taking one shot or selling out one winter or hoping for one magical season.

Collect enough talent to get into the playoffs, say, seven times in 10 years and eventually you will stay healthy enough, run into the right matchups and have the baseball gods smile upon you. Like getting a perfectly timed rain delay against the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the World Series.

That explains why the San Francisco Giants won titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. More than even-year hocus-pocus, it’s having synergy between the baseball and business sides of the franchise and a coherent strategy for scouting and player development.

In that sense, the Cubs really only just finished Year 2 of that window, 200 regular-season wins combined, last season’s surprise joyride into the National League Championship Series and the 2016 World Series title that will be remembered forever.

“This team is built to be good for a while,” said bench coach Dave Martinez, who was originally drafted by the Cubs in 1983 but appeared in his only playoff games with the 2001 Atlanta Braves. “We got so many young players and we still got kids that are coming up through the system. Theo and Jed and Mr. Ricketts put things together (in a way where) we’re going to be able to compete for a long time.”

Nothing is guaranteed in this game. The rotation has stayed remarkably healthy across the last two years – and where the pitching will come from remains the organization’s biggest question. It will be interesting to see how these Cubs respond to an entire offseason of everyone telling them how they’re legends – if they will remain as hungry and as focused in 2017 and beyond.

But if you were going to invest in a team for the next five years, it would be this one, with Epstein, Hoyer and McLeod all signed through the 2021 season, a timeframe that includes club control over leading MVP candidate Kris Bryant, All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo, All-Star shortstop Addison Russell, NLCS co-MVP Javier Baez, October legend Kyle Schwarber and catcher Willson Contreras.

Joe Maddon – a three-time Manager of the Year – wrote out a World Series Game 7 lineup that featured seven players between the ages of 22 and 27, plus Kyle Hendricks (26), this year’s ERA leader, as the starting pitcher. 

“The growth and development from guys like Addie and Javier Baez and Contreras – you just can’t make this stuff up,” said Jake Arrieta, the Cy Young Award winner who has one more season until striking it rich in free agency. “You don’t expect to see the maturity from guys at such a young age. 

“And you combine that with guys like Jon Lester and (John) Lackey coming in here and bringing some veteran leadership. And Kyle Hendricks, I mean, what more can you say about that guy?

“It’s been a storybook year. Everybody’s contributed, from the top to the bottom.”

Russell has played in five playoff series before his 23rd birthday. Bryant has already accumulated 112 plate appearances in the postseason. Schwarber still hasn’t spent a full season in the big leagues yet, something Baez did for the first time this year (after a short stint on the disabled list). Albert Almora Jr. became a rookie contributor to a World Series winner and showed he could take over in center field once Dexter Fowler declines the qualifying offer.

“I don’t think it’s an accident,” said Kerry Wood, the special assistant who knows the pressure that comes with bursting onto the scene and playing at Wrigley Field as well as anyone. “It speaks to the job these guys did in putting this team together and putting these personalities in the same clubhouse. And it’s not just this group here. We got a bunch more coming. It kind of changed the way of life in the organization.

“These guys are living the dream. They’re having the time of their life. They’re in their peak (window). We’re going to have the infield for another four or five years. These guys are just going to get better.”

This is what everyone says on stage after the World Series parade, but this time the Cubs actually mean it. Does anyone doubt Schwarber after he recovered from major knee surgery in mid-April in time to change the entire complexion of the World Series?

“I love you guys,” Schwarber said. “We’re world champs. Let’s do it again next year.”

Anthony Rizzo makes his mark on Chicago that will last forever.

By Tony Andracki

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Anthony Rizzo started from the bottom, now he's here — the pinnacle of American sports glory.

This isn't even just about the Cubs. It's bigger than one team.

Rizzo's teammates call him the heart and soul of the Cubs, but for one day at least, the 27-year-old MVP candidate was the heart and soul of an entire city.

He lifted up all of Cubs Nation every time he raised that World Series trophy above his head Friday morning/afternoon.

As if to show that it truly was Rizzo's day, his estimation of five million people at the Cubs Grant Park rally actually became the official estimation, marking the seventh largest gathering in human history.

"It happened, baby!" he shouted to the endless sea of blue before him to begin his speech. "It happened."

You could see what this accomplishment meant to Rizzo. He wore the weight of the world on his shoulders when he was struggling to perform at the plate early in the postseason.

He spoke for an entire city when he was caught during a tense Game 7 talking to a mic'd-up David Ross and saying he was "in a glass case of emotion."

Rizzo has been around since the beginning of "The Plan," enduring seasons of 101, 96 and 89 losses from 2012-14.

Now, he will forever be known as the face of a team that will live on in infamy. 

As long as baseball, the Cubs or even sports in general are around, people will remember the end of the 108-year drought and the men that brought the ultimate glory to the North Side of Chicago.

"I was here in the bad times," Rizzo said. "I got so much of the culture of the Cubs. Every single person who has worn this jersey I feel like won the World Series with us the other day."

Rizzo threw out names like Kerry Wood, Ryan Dempster, Ernie Banks, Ron Santo and Billy Williams. 

"Every single player that is still living has been a big part of this and we thank them, too."

Rizzo absolutely nailed his speech to the world, hitting all the right notes and acting as the perfect spokesperson for all the suffering the Cubs fanbase has endured.

He thanked everybody in the organization, from the those in the Dominican Republic to the Ricketts family.

He singled out traveling secretary Vijay Tekchandani and strength coach Tim Buss as two vital pieces to the Cubs' success behind the scenes.

Rizzo was all class as he presented the ball from the final out of the World Series - valued at a reported $3 million as of Friday morning - to Tom Ricketts as gratitude for building this special moment.

And of course, Rizzo introduced David Ross in an emotional tribute that hit all of Chicago right in the feels.

"Lastly, before I introduce him, I wanna say a few words about him - the Grandpa," Rizzo said, pausing for cheers from the Five Million. "Gramps and I sat down a few years ago in the offseason before his last year with Boston and he was a free agent.

"We had the same agency and we're talking and I say to my agent, 'Man, this is exactly what the Chicago Cubs need. He is exactly what we need to bring everything together.' And obviously a lot of pieces came through with that, but he taught me how to be a real winner."

Rizzo's voice cut off there and it took him a good 30 seconds to fight back tears and regain his composure.

"He's like a brother to me," Rizzo said shakily. "He's taught me a lot in life - on the field, off the field, how to be a better person. 

"I'm forever grateful for him. And he's going out a champion forever. For the rest of his life, he can say the last game he played in, he's a World Champion."

Millions flood Chicago streets for Cubs parade 108 years in the making.

Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Joe Maddon – an old hippie with a scraggly white beard who’s become rich and famous beyond even his wildest dreams – looked out at Grant Park through his designer sunglasses.

“Welcome to Cubstock 2016,” Maddon said, standing on stage next to the World Series trophy. “I wasn’t there in ’69. But I wish Richie Havens was here today, man. That would be outstanding.”

An estimated five million people flooded the streets of Chicago on Friday to watch a championship parade that had been 108 years in the making. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity reminded you of another Cubs manager, Lee Elia’s classic rant about how “85 percent of the f------ world’s working. The other 15 come out here.”

The parade route began at Wrigley Field on a crisp, sunny, beautiful November day, the perimeter of the ancient stadium fenced off, helicopters buzzing overhead and the flashing blue lights atop police vehicles dotting Clark Street.   

The barricades lined Addison Street, Cubs fans waiting outside storefronts to cheer, hold up their phones to take pictures and wave at strangers as dozens of trolleys rolled past on the way toward Lake Shore Drive.

“Did anybody go to work today?” Pat Hughes, the smooth radio voice of the Cubs, said at the beginning of the Grant Park rally. “Did anybody go to school today?

“No worries, because your teachers and your bosses are here, too.”

Chicago Public Schools students – who might be wondering why the Chicago River had to be dyed a Cubbie color to look blue – already had a scheduled day off. But this would have been an open-air carnival no matter what.

“How ‘bout this s---?” ace pitcher Jon Lester said when he stepped up to the microphone. “Sorry, kids.”

People watched from the balconies of a Gold Coast apartment building. Construction workers in hard hats and neon vests stood atop scaffolding to see the motorcade, which kept moving south on Michigan Avenue past Fourth Presbyterian Church, where the Cubs organization mourned Ernie Banks in the winter of 2015.  
     
“I was here during the bad times,” said Anthony Rizzo, the current face-of-the-franchise player who had attended Mr. Cub’s funeral. “I got so much into the culture of the Chicago Cubs that I feel like every single person that has worn this jersey won the World Series with us.”

Rizzo choked up at the podium. So did David Ross, the retiring catcher/clubhouse sage/social-media sensation (Grandpa Rossy) who kept it short after being among the league leaders in media sessions at his locker. 

President of baseball operations Theo Epstein – who took a momentary break from the bender he promised after the Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 – gulped a sip or two from a blue Solo cup before addressing the crowd. 

“We’ve asked a lot of you,” Epstein said. “We put you through a lot over the last five years – 101 losses, trading players you’ve come to know and love for guys you’ve never heard of. Trading 40 percent of the rotation three years in a row, asking you guys to follow the draft and follow the minor leagues.

“Let’s be honest, for a while there, we forgot the ‘Not’ in ‘Try Not To Suck.’”

Epstein still engineered a stunningly quick turnaround that has the Cubs positioned as Major League Baseball’s premier franchise for the next five years, with young stars like Kris Bryant (who wore a professional wrestling championship belt) and Addison Russell (who moonwalked across the stage like Michael Jackson).

By the age of 42, Epstein has already busted 194 combined years of curses between the Cubs and his hometown Boston Red Sox, epic achievements that will someday get him inducted into the Hall of Fame.

“In the first year, I remember running into an elderly woman outside Wrigley one day leaving the game,” Epstein said. “She introduced herself: ‘I’m 83 years old. I really want to live to see a World Series. Is it gonna happen?’ 

“And we had just lost like 10-1. We’re on a five-game losing streak. It was pretty bad. I looked at her and all I could think to say was: ‘Take your vitamins.’

“But deep down, I know she made it. She’s out there somewhere. And you guys made it. Thank you for everything that you’ve given us. All the support, all the patience, it means the world to us.

“Really, that’s what’s made it such an emotional month. Our players felt it, felt how badly you guys wanted it, driving around town, seeing all the W flags, seeing you guys sharing this with your parents and your grandparents, all those who didn’t quite make it all the way here.”

To catch a glimpse of this, people were standing on rooftops in Wrigleyville and literally hanging from trees on Columbus Drive. The Cubs took their medicine during those rebuilding years, but this core group will now be viewed as World Series favorites – a good bet to repeat – when pitchers and catchers report to Arizona in about three months.  

That may or may not be enough time to shake off the hangover. Free-agent reliever Travis Wood carried around a bottle of Crown Royal. And then took off his camouflage vest. And then stood shirtless on the stage that Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Gov. Bruce Rauner had crashed and held the World Series trophy above his head. 

Ben Zobrist brought along his World Series MVP trophy and deflected all the credit to God, his teammates and a “city of MVPs.” Rizzo gave the final-out ball from Game 7 to chairman Tom Ricketts. Country musician Brett Eldredge led a “Go Cubs Go” sing-along. Ross and his teammates turned their backs to the crowd: “How ‘bout a quick selfie?”

Exactly eight years ago, Barack Obama celebrated his Election Night victory here with a Grant Park rally, and now the Cubs will be invited to the White House. 

“This is an incredible moment for all of us,” Maddon said. “I’ve been around baseball for a bit. Never have I experienced anything like Wrigley Field on a nightly basis. Never have I experienced anything like the conversation among all of you when I run into you on the street. It’s different. It’s spectacular. It’s comfortable. It’s warm. And it’s the way it should be.

“Thank you for being so patient. Let’s hope that it’s not another 108 years. Let’s see if we can repeat this and come back next year.”

Cubs decline Jason Hammel’s option and begin working on team that will defend World Series title.

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Jason Hammel – a 15-game winner who couldn’t make a playoff roster on this loaded World Series team – will now become one of the best starting pitchers on the open market after the Cubs declined their $12 million option for next season.

Hammel will receive a $2 million buyout as the Cubs bet on lefty Mike Montgomery and their ability to find more creative pitching solutions. After a playoff run into early November, Theo Epstein’s front office is now focusing on 2017.

Even as fans lined up outside Wrigleyville Sports on Sunday morning to buy championship gear and wrote messages in chalk on Wrigley Field’s bricks walls facing Sheffield and Waveland (“We Did Not Suck 2016”).

Just before his “Saturday Night Live” appearance with Anthony Rizzo, David Ross and Bill Murray, the Major League Baseball Players Association sent out a press release adding Dexter Fowler to the list of free agents who are about to hit the open market. By Monday afternoon, the Cubs will have formally made Fowler the $17.2 million qualifying offer, the “he gone” ending for the “you go, we go” leadoff guy.

Ben Zobrist, Addison Russell and Javier Baez already went to Disney World. Even Epstein will have to slow down his bender with the general manager meetings taking place this week in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“We would not have been in a position to win the World Series without Jason’s terrific performance during the regular season,” Epstein said in a statement the team released Sunday. “While Jason is healthy and primed to have another effective season in 2017, we have decided to consider other internal and external options for our starting rotation next year.

“Our hope is that by giving a starting opportunity to some younger pitchers under multiple years of club control, we can unearth a starter who will help us not only in 2017 but also in 2018 and beyond.”

If not Montgomery, who saved that Game 7 World Series win over the Cleveland Indians, the Cubs could take a longer look at Rob Zastryzny and hope he lives up to the left-handed Kyle Hendricks comparison one National League scout made this year. Or reinvest Hammel’s money elsewhere and lean on the pitching infrastructure that helped Hendricks win the ERA title and transform Jake Arrieta into a Cy Young Award winner.

Hammel more than lived up to his end of the bargain as a Cub (33-22, 3.59 ERA, 1.143 WHIP). He first delivered as a sign-and-flip guy packaged with Jeff Samardzija in the 2014 Fourth of July blockbuster trade that yielded a future All-Star shortstop (Russell) from the Oakland A’s.

Hammel took a discount to return and play where he felt he would be most successful. And for $20 million across the last two years, he made 61 starts and accounted for more than 335 innings, performing at an All-Star level in the first half of each season.

All those attributes could have made Hammel an attractive trade chip.

“When we agreed with Jason on this two-year contract back at the 2014 winter meetings,” Epstein said, “the option was included with the intent that it would be exercised if Jason was going to be a Cub in 2017. The intent was never to exercise the option and then trade Jason, so we will not consider that path.

“Instead, Jason will have the opportunity to enter free agency coming off an outstanding season and the ability to choose his next club. Meanwhile, the organization gains some flexibility and the opportunity to use a rotation spot to develop a younger, long-term starting pitcher.

“We would certainly be open to Jason rejoining the organization in the future. But even if that never happens, we will always consider him a Cub and be thankful for his role in delivering a World Series championship to the people of Chicago.”

There is no more “Wait Until Next Year” after the franchise won its first World Series in 108 years. It is time for Epstein’s group to finishing building the team that will defend that title. 

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Scott Darling, Blackhawks thwart Stars in OT.

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Scott Darling was probably never so happy to be 6-foot-6.

The Blackhawks backup goaltender was already having a good game but that height, and his ability to get over quickly, kept Dallas Stars forward Patrick Eaves from scoring an overtime winner.

Not long after, Marian Hossa made Darling’s stretch worth the effort.

Darling stopped 32 of 35 shots and Hossa scored the winner with 28.7 seconds remaining in overtime as the Blackhawks beat the Stars 4-3 on Sunday night. The Blackhawks, who were down 2-0 nine minutes into the second period, won their sixth game in a row and seventh of their last eight.

The Blackhawks may be without forward Tyler Motte for a little bit, however. Motte suffered a lower-body injury in the second period. Coach Joel Quenneville said the Blackhawks will know more about Motte’s status in the next day or two.

“He might miss some games,” Quenneville said.

Jonathan Toews scored a goal and added two assists. Artem Anisimov scored what was the go-ahead goal at the time, extending his point streak to a career-best 11 consecutive games.

It was one more game where the start was sluggish but the finish was there. And Darling’s lunge helped the Blackhawks get there.

“It took every inch of me to get that one,” Darling said. “Whoever passed that, I think it was [Jamie] Benn, he had a good fake. I thought he was going to shoot it; he passed it across and I just tried to get something over there. Lucky it hit me.”

Maybe, but the Blackhawks goaltending has been strong throughout this season. And the team, slow starts be damned, just gets better as the games progress.

“We’re showing a lot of positives in all areas,” said Toews, who now has three goals in his last five games. “No one seems to be focused on the win streak we’re on right now. We’re just focused on every game and that’s a good thing we’ve got going.”

The win streak looked like it was ending on Sunday night, as the injury-decimated Stars jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Tyler Seguin had a power-play goal and rookie Gemel Smith scored a short-handed goal, the first goal of his NHL career. Patrick Kane’s fifth of the season cut the Stars’ lead to 2-1 at the end of two.

Then the Blackhawks’ third-period return commenced. Toews tied the game 3:39 into the period and, just 56 seconds later, he fed Anisimov for his team-leading eighth goal of the season and a 3-2 edge. Smith’s second goal of the night, however, forced overtime.

A few minutes after Darling’s stop on Eaves, Hossa, with Anisimov screening Kari Lehtonen in front, scored the winner. It was a relief for Hossa, who had a turnover on the previous sequence that almost led to another Stars scoring opportunity.

“I had two or three giveaways,” Hossa said. “I was a little frustrated. Nice way to end it that way.”

The Blackhawks keep finding ways to win. On Saturday it was their penalty kill. That was a big part of it again on Sunday, thanks to the big stop by their big backup goaltender.

“When you kill a 4-on-3 it’s big. You don’t get too many opportunities to do it and guys did a good job of doing what they had to do,” Quenneville said. “We’ve had some big PKs over the last little while, particularly tonight in overtime. Timing was good.”

Jonathan Toews hitting stride offensively for Blackhawks.

By Charlie Roumeliotis

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

It was only a matter of time before he got going, but Jonathan Toews has hit his stride offensively.

After compiling just two points in the first seven games of the season, the Blackhawks captain has registered three goals and five assists in his last six games, and has picked up at least a point in five of them. Two of those goals turned out to be the game-winner.

It's no coincidence the Blackhawks owned a 3-3-1 record in their first seven contests and have won six in a row since he started producing on a consistent basis, accumulating three more points in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over the Dallas Stars.

"(Toews) had the puck a lot tonight," coach Joel Quenneville said after the victory. "I thought he was dangerous. He was hitting holes, had speed, protected pucks, had the production to show it as well. He's been getting better every game. When he starts scoring, knowing that he does everything else right, just adds (to his game)."

The Blackhawks go as he goes.

On a night the Blackhawks honored the Chicago Cubs as World Series champions, Toews reminded everyone what he's capable of when every facet of his game is clicking which has been a large factor in helping bring Chicago three Stanley Cups of its own.

The Blackhawks struggled out of the gates again, falling behind 2-0 by allowing a late first-period goal and another midway through the second. But they responded less than two minutes later when Toews found Patrick Kane driving hard to the net, which resulted in a beautiful back-hand goal to get the Blackhawks on the board.

It wasn't until the third period when the Blackhawks started buzzing.

Early in the final frame, Toews buried one of the nicest passes you'll see through two defenders from Marian Hossa, who scored the game-winning goal in overtime, which ignited a United Center crowd of 21,901.

Fifty-six seconds later, Toews retrieved a pass in the neutral zone, entered the offensive zone with momentum, skated hard to the net while trying to stave off a Stars defender and fired a shot on goal which was stopped by netminder Kari Lehtonen but rebounded home by Artem Anisimov, who extended his career-high point streak to 11 games.

Hossa knows what's it's like to go through a lengthy scoring drought after dealing with it all of last year. Puck luck isn't always on your side and it's even more difficult to break through offensively when you pride yourself on playing just as well, if not better, in your own zone.

"With a player of his status you don't usually worry about that," Hossa said. "I think he is playing really well right now. There were a number of times when he got on the board offensively. He's doing all the right things, the points are going to come easy for him now."

When Toews was on the ice at even strength, the Blackhawks controlled 53.57 of the even-strength shot attempts. His possession numbers continue to climb, and perhaps that has something to do with having Kane on his line, but he's certainly the driving force after recording a team-high seven shots on goal and logging 23:07 of ice time, most among Blackhawk forwards.

Toews producing on the scoresheet takes pressure off everyone else and it's shown during their six-game winning streak. 

"We're showing a lot of positives in all areas and it's nice to see," Toews said. "I think nobody seems to be focused on the win streak that we're on right now, we're just focused on every game and I think that's a thing that we got going as well."

Blackhawks hang on to beat Stars for fifth straight win. (Saturday night's game, 11/05/2016)

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

In the Blackhawks’ first few games of the season, the penalty kill was clearly their Achilles’ heel. It gave up goals, it lost momentum and it lost them games.

On Saturday, it was a big reason why they won.

Corey Crawford stopped 31 of 33 shots and the Blackhawks killed off 1:49 of power-play time at the end of regulation to beat the Dallas Stars 3-2. The Blackhawks have now won five in a row and six of their last seven.

Patrick Kane had the game-winning goal, on a second-period power play, and an assist. Artem Anisimov recorded the primary assist on Kane’s goal, pushing his point streak to a career-best 10 games. Richard Panik scored his seventh goal of the season 11 seconds into the game.

But in the end, the Blackhawks’ kill was crucial. Marcus Kruger was whistled for a four-minute high-sticking penalty with 1:49 remaining in regulation. The Blackhawks would only have to kill off the first part of that minor but the Stars pulled Antti Niemi on that final 1:49 to gain a 6-on-4 advantage. The Blackhawks, led by Crawford, held off the threat; they have now killed off 15 consecutive penalties.

“Yeah, you don’t want to be in that situation at the end but our guys played it really well,” Crawford said. “We stayed patient, especially with the extra man on for them. Our PK’s been really confident as of late. Another solid win for us against a really strong team.”

Jonathan Toews, who assisted on Panik’s goal, said the Blackhawks are gaining confidence with the kill again.

“So it started out as just not doing anything close to what we were supposed to do in tight situations like that, whether it was the kill of 5-on-5. We committed to working hard, moving our feet and keeping our shifts short and helping each other do our job instead of trying to do it all ourselves,” he said. “I think your confidence builds after a few games of doing things the right way and now it’s in a spot where we can protect a lead, a one-goal lead for an entire period against a really offensive team like them.”

The Blackhawks wasted no time taking the lead in this one, but nevertheless trailed the Stars at the end of the first period. They got a boost early in the second from Ryan Hartman, whose second goal of the season tied it at 2-2 just 2:59 into the period.

“I thought Hartman had an unbelievable game tonight. He was special in every aspect, as far as producing offense, hitting guys, being engaged,” Kane said. “He was fun to watch out there, had a huge goal and we were able to come away with a big one.”

Kane had the biggest goal, however, on the power play 7:40 into the second period. But it was that kill at the end that sealed it.

The Blackhawks are at their best when they have the team mentality. As Toews said, that goes in every situation, including the penalty kill. The first few games were not memorable for the Blackhawks’ kill. It cost them games. Now it’s back to helping the Blackhawks win them.

“Big kill at the end, big kills throughout the game as well. They’ve been doing better things, be it off the entry or in-zone pressuring and getting in lanes of shots,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Big saves, big clears and working together.”

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears at season's halftime:Defense already better than 2015 and looking up.

By John Mullin

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The 2015 Bears allowed an unacceptable 24.8 points (20th) and 345 yards (14th) per game. Accordingly, that side of the football was a focus, with personnel additions via free agency and the draft. The Bears have improved statistically in just about all areas and done it in spite of some costly lost playing time to central figures, particularly in the front-seven.

Prominent among those were rush-linebackers Leonard Floyd, the team’s No. 1 draft choice, and Pernell McPhee, recovering from offseason knee surgery and unable to play before the Green Bay game. Both had sacks in the win over the Minnesota Vikings and signaled a possible beginning of the kind of pass rush needed to help a young secondary that has struggled with three different starters at cornerback in eight games opposite Tracy Porter.

“[We] went through a stretch where we had different guys,” said coach John Fox. “Losing Lamarr [Houston] was a setback earlier in the season but getting those two guys [Floyd and McPhee] back out there increases our depth and really kind of keeps us fresher as far as guys we're rolling through there, in what we call a wave. The more they're out there and the more experience they get, the more things they can handle.”

The numbers

Yds/game	9th
Scoring	16th
Sack/pp	12th
Rush avg.	9th

What’s gone wrong?

Defensive statistics are in fact respectable – even more than respectable given some of the hurdles faced by the bedrock phase of the Fox philosophy. The offseason additions of linebackers Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan behind massive lineman Akiem Hicks, plus the trade up to snag rush-linebacker Floyd and the overall unit entering its second season under coordinator Vic Fangio – all flowed together into forecasts that the Bears could be fielding a top-10 defense in 2016.

The numbers say the defense is at least close to that. But the ankle injury to nose tackle Eddie Goldman and season-ending knee injury to linebacker Houston left gaping wounds, added to by Floyd and Trevathan each losing two entire games with physical issues of their own.

Opponents have outscored the Bears in the aggregate in every quarter this season. The totals for the fourth quarter, however, are ominous: 79 of the 179 points allowed this season – more than 44 percent – have been given up in fourth quarters. The Bears have lost two of the three games in which they led at halftime. The Bears led the Packers in the third quarter, and lost. The Packers scored 13 points in the fourth quarter; the Jaguars, 17; the Colts, 10, the Texans 10.

If there’s a positive it lies in that the Vikings did score in the fourth quarter last Monday but it came with less than six minutes remaining in a game in which the Bears held a 20-3 lead.

“I think that you’ve seen as the season has gone along, that’s something that’s hindered us throughout this entire season, just being able to put two halves together, playing 60 minutes of great football,” Hicks said. “We’re watching some of our earlier-season tape and watching how dominant we’ve been for 30 minutes of the games, 35 minutes of the game. we need to make that the whole 60 minutes. It’s as simple as that.”

What needs to happen?

Hicks’ assessment of the need for 60 good minutes is in fact as simple as that. Or as simple as the NFL can be, where individual matchups can be tipping points. The Bears badly need McPhee’s recovery to allow him increased playing time (19 snaps at Green Bay, 25 vs. Minnesota), Floyd’s development to accelerate (three sacks, five tackles past two games) and takeaways to increase (seven; only three teams have fewer through eight games).

The forgotten man has been Goldman, who is the anchor of the defense but was lost with an ankle injury in the Philadelphia game. Goldman is the key to the run defense and an underrated force as a pocket-pusher.

Players have stated that only the Dallas Cowboys (31 points, 447 yards) physically blew out the defense, that being the game after Goldman went down and in which Dallas ran 41 times for a total of 199 yards. With the return of pieces already on the roster, that kind of game is expected to become a decidedly less likely occurrence.

“I think we’ve had some pretty decent performances early on,” said defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. “We got beat up pretty good in Dallas, but it seems like everyone has been lately.

“I think we’re progressing. It’d be nice to get everybody back and get guys playing and contributing in the roles you have envisioned for them and not be having wholesale changes before and during the game. The ones during the game are even a little bit harder to deal with. But I think there’s progress being made.”

Offensive coaches share their thoughts.

By Larry Mayer

Jordan Howard was voted the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after his performance in last Monday night's win over the Vikings. (Photo/csnchicago.com)

With the Bears off this week, their position coaches spoke to the media for the first time since training camp. Here are six things we learned from the offensive assistants:

(1) Running backs coach Stay Drayton isn't surprised by Jordan Howard's success because of the rookie's work ethic and thinks Howard will only get better.

A fifth-round pick from Indiana, Howard was voted the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a career-high 153 yards and one touchdown on 26 carries and catching four passes for 49 yards in last Monday night's win over the Vikings.

"He's working his butt off every day," Drayton said. "At some point these guys have got to get a little small victory along the way and I think these are just stepping stones for him as to what he can be in the near future here. I'm definitely proud of how far he's progressed at this point. But I wouldn't say I'm surprised. He showed this type of production coming out of college. He doesn't flinch on the big stage, so I'm excited for him."

(2) The Bears like to employ a backfield-by-committee, but Howard has clearly assumed the top spot on the depth chart and will continue to receive the bulk of the carries if he keeps excelling.

Jeremy Langford returned against the Vikings after missing four games with an ankle injury and touched the ball only once—catching a pass for 11 yards. Ka'Deem Carey, who has been battling a hamstring injury, had two carries for three yards versus Minnesota.

"The beauty of having a committee like that is that competition is always the major component," Drayton said. "So every day they're bringing it. You're getting the best out of them for the most part every single day. They all know, though, that whoever gets the hot [hand]—and I'm able to see that very early in the course of the game—I'll keep in the game. I won't take you out when you're hot. I don't do that, for the sake of putting another back in."

(3) Receivers coach Curtis Johnson has been impressed with receiver Alshon Jeffery's all-around ability, especially when it comes to catching "50/50" jump balls.

Jeffery displayed those skills against the Vikings when he outleaped cornerback Xavier Rhodes to haul in a 34-yard pass from Jay Cutler. Jeffery has 36 receptions for a team-leading 583 yards and one touchdown this season.

"He's the best high-ball-catching player that I've ever been around," Johnson said. "He's an extremely hard worker. I like him a lot, really good athlete, better athleticism than I thought he had. Just a great catching radius, can body-up guys, can go up and pluck the ball out of the air. I hadn't been around a guy that could do those types of things."

(4) Johnson felt that second-year receiver Kevin White was just starting to come into his own when he suffered a fractured fibula and sprained ankle in a Week 4 win over the Lions.

"It was difficult because if you remember he was on the cusp of being pretty good," Johnson said. "He began to run the routes right, he started to understand our offense. I thought he was getting really accustomed to Jay and then Brian [Hoyer]. He was just starting to feel his groove … It was tough for him to go down and I can't wait to get him back."

White was placed on injured reserve but could return to action this year because NFL teams are permitted to reinstate one player from injured reserve to the active roster.

Asked about the possibility of seeing White play again this year, Johnson said: "I definitely think we will just because of how the kid is and how determined he is. You watch guys get carted off the field. He just limped off and he thought he was getting back in the game. He's one of those guys that wants to play and he loves to play the game. He's a team guy and he doesn't want to let his teammates down."

(5) Offensive line coach Dave Magazu is very pleased with how rookie center Cody Whitehair has adapted to a brand new position.

The second-round pick never played center at Kansas State, and he wasn't switched there until after the Bears signed left guard Josh Sitton a week before the regular season opener after the three-time Pro Bowler was released by the Packers in a surprise move.

Asked to name a lineman who has impressed him, Magazu said: "The first guy is obvious; it's Cody. Being a rookie and then spending all his time in camp and all that playing guard and then making that transition to center, every day is a new learning experience for him and he just keeps gathering information and putting it in the bank and it's going to pay off."

(6) Magazu likes another young lineman who has quietly done a good job in left tackle Charles Leno Jr., a third-year pro was selected by the Bears in the seventh round of the 2014 draft out of Boise State.

"He comes in with a great workman attitude," Magazu said. "He brings his lunch pail every day, doesn't complain, just goes out and tries to improve his own technical aspects of his game and continues to work on the details and he does that every single day. He always has a plan, he's always prepared and I've been happy with his work ethic."

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Orlando Magic - Chicago Bulls Preview.

By www.scoresandstats.com

The Chicago Bulls looked ready to challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers for Eastern Conference supremacy the first three games but resembled a lottery team in the next three. The Bulls will continue trying to figure out what type of team they have when they host the Orlando Magic on Monday.

Chicago averaged 113.7 points and outscored its opponents by 17.7 points in the first three games but is falling on hard times while scoring 99.3 points and being outscored by 12.3 points in the last three contests, capped by a 111-94 loss at Indiana on Saturday. Dwyane Wade suffered through his worst game of the young season at Indiana, scoring four points on 1-of-9 shooting in 22 minutes. The Magic are trending in the opposite direction with three straight wins following three losses to begin the campaign. "That just shows progression and it’s big toward what we’re trying to do here," Small forward Jeff Green told the team's website. "It shows that we have the ability to bounce back from where we started. It shows growth and improvement. We have to keep building from this, grow and right the wrongs. We have to be prepared for what’s to come and grow."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), WGN (Chicago)

ABOUT THE MAGIC (3-3): Orlando's 88-86 win over Washington on Saturday featured a big night from the reserves as Green scored 18 points and Bismack Biyombo added nine points and 12 rebounds. "With that second unit, we moved the ball and the communication was really good," Biyombo told the team's website. "We were moving the ball side to side and finding the open man and that’s who was going to take the shot. We didn’t force anything." Biyombo is picking up some of the slack for starting center Nikola Vucevic, who slumped to a total of 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting in the last two games.

ABOUT THE BULLS (3-3): Chicago is trying to figure out where its offensive production is coming from on a nightly basis and was outscored 31-15 in the first quarter on Saturday and never recovered. Wade, who scored 35 points against New York in a loss on Friday, was the most obvious starter struggling, but Rajon Rondo and Jimmy Butler were slow out of the gate as well and finished with a combined 10 turnovers. "Teams are starting fast against us," Wade told reporters. "We have to do a better job of communicating and paying attention to detail. We are not moving the ball early on and that is hurting us."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Magic PG Elfrid Payton is 5-of-21 from the field, including 1-of-8 from 3-point range, in the last two games.

2. Bulls F Bobby Portis scored 16 points on Saturday after totaling 12 in the first five games.

3. Orlando took two of the three meetings last season but fell in its lone trip to Chicago.

PREDICTION: Bulls 103, Magic 95

Toothless, lifeless Bulls dominated by Pacers. (Saturday night's game, 11/05/2016)

By Vincent Goodwill 

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Bulls had the look of confusion on defense, again.

They failed to get back after misses and allowed wide-open 3-point shots, again.

Too many times they tried getting in the passing lane and compromised their defense for guard penetration or easy opportunities, again.

So it should be no surprise, again, to see the Bulls lose their third straight game, this time at the hands of the Indiana Pacers, a team they beat at home one week ago by a decisive margin.

The payback was served cold at Bankers Life Fieldhouse with a 111-94 Pacers win, making it three straight defeats for the Bulls, bringing them back to a .500 mark after they were one of the biggest surprises in the NBA with a 3-0 mark.

Not even Paul George’s ejection late in the third quarter would be nearly enough to spark a team playing in quicksand on the second day of a back-to-back, coming off the heels of Friday’s emotion-filled loss to the New York Knicks.

“I thought tonight we looked like a tired basketball team right out of the gate,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “They opened up with a 16-point lead and that’s a tough hole to dig yourself out of.”

George lightly booted a ball into the stands after being called for a foul against Jimmy Butler near the basket stanchion. The ball found its way to the face of an unsuspecting fan with less than two minutes left in the third quarter with George immediately walking over to the fan to apologize. The two hugged and exchanged pleasantries but the damage was done as the officials sent George to the locker room with two technical fouls.

Before that even took place, Saturday looked like an instant replay of Friday in terms of the slow start. The turnovers piled up along with the defensive miscues that are either gameplan mistakes or a matter of effort, although it’s probably more of the former than latter.

Switching on defense seems to throw them out of whack, leading to too many opportunities for other teams to exploit. The Pacers racked up 31 points and had a 17-point lead as they shot 58 percent.

“I think we do. Some guys switch who aren’t supposed to switch,” Butler said. “That’s not in the gameplan, I can tell you that. I know who’s supposed to switching and who’s not supposed to be switching.”

A bigger issue has been the lack of execution on offense, which could possibly lead to the ineffectiveness on the other end. In the first three games, the Bulls jumped on their opponents early. Now, the tables have turned and it puts the responsibility squarely on the starters.

“We do have to play better, start better,” said Dwyane Wade, who missed his first eight shots after a 35-point night Friday. “The starters have to do a better job, the onus is on us individually. Once you get down like that versus teams in this league, it’s hard. You give guys confidence and it’s a wrap.”

Wade finished with four points in 21 minutes. Butler and Bobby Portis scored 16 each, although Portis’ production came essentially in garbage time.

Butler believes he has to take more of an aggressive role to prevent the Bulls from taking the first punch. He had his hands full with George, who made all four of his shots in the first for 10 points — most of them in transition.

“It comes to me leading the charge when it comes to coming out with the right energy, making sure we’re doing what we’re supposed to do on both ends,” Butler said. “I can’t come out lackadaisical.

“I don’t think I’ve started out as aggressive as I should. I should be the most aggressive one coming out the gate. That’s what I was the first two games.”

The damage was done with the Bulls playing catch up the rest of the way, not making the Pacers sweat even when George was tossed after scoring 13. And the player who took his place on the floor continued having a banner night. CJ Miles hit a couple more triples before the end of the quarter, and hit a couple more for good measure, giving himself 20 points on the night.

Second-year center Myles Turner scored 16 and former Bull Aaron Brooks scored 10 off the bench.

“It starts with turning the ball over,” Hoiberg said. “It’s going out there and imposing your will as that ball is thrown up for the opening tip and we’re obviously capable of doing it.”

Jeff Teague had a miserable night when the two met a week ago, and he made up for it in spades, dominating his matchup with Rajon Rondo. Teague helped control the pace, as the Pacers hit 11 triples and shot over 50 percent for the entire night.

The ball movement wasn’t as prevalent as even Friday night against the Knicks, as the turnovers kept coming from everywhere and the smoothness with which the Bulls played has disappeared.

“It’s kind of what happens when you get down, it’s a will game that we play,” Wade said. “It’s the nature of us, to will it. When you’re moving the ball it becomes contagious and when you’re down early on, you wanna make the play instead of trusting the game. We’re all guilty of that, not just this team but other teams I’ve been on. The ball stops. The blueprint’s there, we just gotta get to it.”

In the first 10 minutes of the game, the Bulls committed seven turnovers and were never really competitive throughout, missing on defensive gambles and showing very little in the way of actual fundamentals.

If last Saturday was the best played game of the Fred Hoiberg era, chalk this one up amongst the look of last season as the Bulls go back to the drawing board, back at .500.

Bulls' stagnant offense leads to season-low assists in loss to Knicks. (Friday night's game, 11/04/2016).

By Mark Strotman

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

One of the expected benefits of dealing Derrick Rose this offseason was that it would help free up a Bulls offense that stagnated too often on their way to missing the playoffs last season for the first time in eight years. Rose returned to the United Center on Friday night for the first time in a visiting uniform, but it was his Knicks that looked like the sharper, crisper offense, while the Bulls stumbled to their second consecutive loss.

The final box score numbers don’t tell the entire story. The Bulls – in the 117-104 loss – still topped the century mark for the fifth straight time to begin the year. Dwyane Wade scored a season-high 35 points on 12-for-20 shooting, and Jimmy Butler also managed a season-high with 26 points – he made all 11 of his free throw attempts. Even Nikola Mirotic was impressive again, tallying 14 points – though just two after halftime – while Taj Gibson grabbed four offensive rebounds that helped the Bulls to 20 second-chance points.

Those positives masked the main issue that plagued the Bulls against a below-average Knicks team. The Bulls, which entered Friday’s action with the third most efficient offense, handed out a season-low 15 assists, and just two in the decisive fourth quarter; the Bulls’ second-to-last assist came at the 8:48 mark. It was the second consecutive night the Bulls had a season-low in helpers, as Wednesday night’s 21 assists against the Celtics also resulted in a loss.

“It wasn’t nearly as good," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "You look at the assists, 15 (assists) and 13 turnovers. They have 32 assists and five turnovers. That tells you all you need to know.”

Rajon Rondo continued his slide after two brilliant performances to open the season. The Bulls’ point guard missed nine of his first 10 shots as the Knicks defense sagged in and dared him to shoot outside shots in the opening period. When he didn’t, New York’s 26th-ranked defense was waiting for him in the lane. Rondo tallied just five assists, marking the third straight game he’s tallied five or fewer. Last year he led the NBA with 11.7 helpers per game, but has only reached double-digits once this year.

Michael Carter-Williams’ absence hasn’t helped matters, as Isaiah Canaan and Jerian Grant combined for two assists in 19 combined minutes.

Butler was aggressive, driving to the basket at will, and his 11 trips to the line admittedly lowered what that assist total could have been. Wade, the brightest spot on the Bulls offense Friday night, tallied just one assist. He did his damage in the scoring department, topping the 30-point threshold for the first time with the Bulls. When he and Mirotic were at their best, scoring 20 of the Bulls’ 34 points in the second quarter, the offense was moving the ball its best. The Bulls tallied six assists, 40 percent of their total for the game, in the only quarter they won (34-24).

But it stalled again in the second half. The Bulls managed to get into the paint early in the third quarter, and were helped out by five offense rebounds that turned into eight points. But in the fourth quarter a 10-0 Knicks run sent the Bulls into an iso panic, with Wade and Butler perhaps forcing the issue in an attempt to slow down their opponent. Butler and Wade made nine field goals in the second half, and only one was assisted.

The Bulls entered Friday’s action averaging 329.5 passes per game, which ranked fourth in the NBA. Their 26.5 assists per game were fifth in the NBA, and despite the season being just four games old it was clear from watching them that the ball was moving well thanks to Wade, Rondo and Butler. That wasn’t the case against the Knicks and Rose, a player who caught criticism in Chicago for looking too often to score as well as careless turnovers.

Instead, Rose and the Knicks tallied a season-high 32 assists. Rose had 11 of those, the first time he had reached double-figures this season. Playing with a chip on his shoulder in his return to his hometown, he was a step quicker than the Bulls defense, and though he committed three turnovers, his corner pass to Carmelo Anthony for 3 with 31 seconds left in the fourth quarter put the game away.

Even Joakim Noah, who twice led the Bulls in assists per game before leaving this summer via free agency, was sharp on his passes. He finished with four assists, while adding 16 points and nine rebounds.

The Bulls offense doesn’t appear to be bending. But the ball isn’t moving as well as it had the first week of the season. Wade said after the game he’d have to look at the film to determine exactly what went wrong with moving the ball, but that not matching the Knicks’ intensity in the opening 12 minutes was a factor in them playing from behind much of the night.

The good news, as Gibson said after the game, is that the Bulls will get a chance to turn around and right their wrongs. They’ll square off Saturday on the road against the Pacers, a team that they handed out a season-best 34 assists on in a 118-101 win last week.

But for one night, the Bulls’ new additions who had made them one of the best passing teams in the early season, struggled to find open passing lanes and shooters against a defense that two days earlier had allowed 25 assists to the Rockets.

 “It’s been very strong,” Hoiberg said of his team’s ball movement. “Again, we were looking to come into this game, third in the league in passes per game and assists per game. It wasn’t moving like it needed to, obviously.”

White Sox '17 lineup steady, staff uncertain.

By Scott Merkin

(Photo/mlb.com/White Sox)

Anderson poised for dynamic sophomore season amid possible rotation rebuild.

Predicting the look of the 2017 White Sox at this point stands as a nearly impossible task for even the most prescient of minds.

After two straight seasons of disappointing finishes, bench coach Rick Renteria replaced Robin Ventura as the South Siders' manager. That fact is certain. It remains to be seen whether the White Sox will go full rebuild, partial rebuild or simply add on to a solid core.

The team could have five-time All-Star Chris Sale and first-time All-Star Jose Quintana at the front of a top-line starting rotation. It also could move both Cy Young candidates and explore a much younger crew. The upcoming offseason should be an interesting one for general manager Rick Hahn and his staff.

Opponent: The White Sox open the season on April 3 at Guaranteed Rate Field against the Tigers. Detroit had a 12-7 record against the White Sox in '16, with an 8-1 mark in Detroit. Justin Verlander figures to get the start for Brad Ausmus' crew, which was in contention for a playoff spot down to the season's final week. But it's uncertain if the Tigers will continue full force down that postseason path or take a step back in '17.

Opening Day starter: If Sale is healthy, he is the White Sox Opening Day starter. If the White Sox somehow move Sale, then Quintana would get the nod. If a rebuild leads to both hurlers getting traded, then the honor would fall to Carlos Rodon in his second full season as part of the rotation.

Opening Day lineup:

1. Adam Eaton, RF
2. Tim Anderson, SS
3. Melky Cabrera, LF
4. Jose Abreu, 1B
5. Todd Frazier, 3B
6. Brett Lawrie, 2B
7. Matt Davidson, DH
8. Omar Narvaez, C
9. Charlie Tilson, CF

Going all-in for a run at the postseason means the White Sox need to go after a center fielder, a catcher and another left-handed bat. Narvaez and a healthy Tilson and Davidson will be part of the plan regardless of the direction. In the case of a full rebuild, pretty much anyone but Anderson is in play, trade-wise.

Three reasons to be excited:

1. The bullpen will be healthy. Playoff baseball throughout October has reinforced the importance of a strong and versatile relief crew. Having Zach Putnam (bone chips in right elbow) and Jake Petricka (hip labrum) back gives the White Sox closers in the middle innings who are capable of also pitching two or three. And don't forget the projected arrival of Zack Burdi, the hard-throwing, 26th overall pick in the 2016 Draft.

2. Anderson will have a full season. The 410 at-bats for Anderson during his rookie campaign were a generous sample of the dynamic presence he provides in the White Sox lineup. Anderson should only get better, plate-discipline-wise, and in regard to base-stealing as he gets more experience. His defense at shortstop was also a first-year plus.

3. Sale, Quintana and Rodon. There may be a front three as good as what the White Sox have, but none who are absolutely better. If Sale and Quintana are moved in a rebuild, then fans can look forward to the arrival of a plethora of high-end prospects.

Golf: I got a club for that..... Pampling adds to strong Aussie year with Vegas win.

By Will Gray

(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)

It's been a banner year on the PGA Tour for the men from Down Under.

Led by world No. 1 Jason Day, Australians have combined for eight victories this year on Tour, the latest coming when grizzled veteran Rod Pampling held off a pair of challengers to snag the trophy at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

When we look back on the year that was for the island nation, Day's elite play will stand out, as will Adam Scott returning to the winner's circle twice in successive weeks back in March. But the other three winners from Oz proved that the game goes deeper than just a handful of household names, and that sometimes good things can come to those who wait.

At age 47, Pampling now has his third PGA Tour title but first since the 2006 Arnold Palmer Invitational. That's a span of 220 starts between victories, which seems hefty until compared to the plight of Pampling's countryman Greg Chalmers. Chalmers was 0-for his career until the Barracuda Championship in July, where he earned win No. 1 in his 386th career start.

Just two weeks after Chalmers' breakthrough, Aussie Aaron Baddeley ended a victory drought of his own at the Barbasol Championship, racing around the final green to celebrate his first win in nearly six years.

Now it's Pampling's turn, who like Chalmers and Baddeley before him has turned one week at an event without much fanfare into a watershed moment and a two-year Tour exemption.

"It's kind of like a big wheel. It seems to be the Australians are starting to kick it in again," Pampling said. "We were dormant for a little while there, but Jason, Scotty and those guys have just kicked it on. Just glad to grab one of those spokes and be a part of that big wheel."

That wheel has been turning a bit slowly in recent years for Pampling. Back in 2013 he went an entire season without a top-25 finish for the first time since 2001, resulting in a demotion to the Web.com Tour. There he toiled for two years, unable to return to the main circuit while spending his mid-40s competing against players half his age.

But Pampling returned to the winner's circle in May 2015 on the Web.com Tour, and this fall regained his card with a trio of top-25 finishes in the abbreviated Web.com Tour Finals. Now he has an exemption that will nearly stretch to his 50th birthday in Sept. 2019, when he'll become eligible for the PGA Tour Champions.

"It's just the self-belief that I know it's still in there. The body feels healthy. I know I have the game for out here," Pampling said. "It was just being patient and grinding out there on the Web Tour. It's extremely hard out there, but it certainly gives you the confidence that you can compete against the younger guys and come out here."

Often times, the "opposite" events and fall tournaments are seen as a young man's prize. It's a chance for rising prospects to catch their big break and quickly vault up a few levels, as Cody Gribble did last week at the Sanderson Farms Championship.

But Pampling, Chalmers and Baddeley are proof that these events can also provide a huge lift to players who are sometimes well past their prime. It's a recent trend that also includes another Aussie, Geoff Ogilvy, who used a win at the 2013 Barracuda Championship to reinstate his status and made a run all the way to the Tour Championship a few weeks later.

Day and Scott are Australia's most notable major champions, the two names with which fans most easily identify. But they aren't the only Aussies to look back on 2016 with a smile, as Pampling is the latest example that out on Tour, one good week can translate into years of job security.

"It's extremely rewarding," Pampling said. "Coming back from what we had the last few years, to get a win under the belt, it's phenomenal. It's just amazing."

Olesen cashes in on big lead to win in Turkey.

By Associated Press

(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)

Thorbjorn Olesen won the Turkish Airlines Open on Sunday, securing the biggest payday of his career after nearly throwing away the seven-shot lead he took into the final round.

The 92nd-ranked Dane's lead was reduced to a single shot at one stage thanks to a brilliant scoring burst from David Horsey of England.

But Olesen responded with vital birdies on the 12th, 14th and 15th on his way to a closing 69 to finish 20 under par and claim the first prize of nearly $1.2 million.

Olesen's form in Turkey is surprising, given he made the cut at just four of his last 13 events. His last win was at the Dunhill Links Championship in October 2015.

Horsey and China's Li Haotong shared second place on 17 under after matching rounds of 65, with Austria's Bernd Wiesberger two shots further back in fourth.

No player has ever squandered a seven-shot lead after 54 holes on the European Tour, with Martin Kaymer the most recent to lose a six-shot advantage at last year's Abu Dhabi Championship.

But that looked a distinct possibility once Horsey fired five birdies to race to the turn in 29 and Olesen three-putted the ninth to card just his fourth bogey of the week.

The gap was briefly down to one when Horsey two-putted from long range for a birdie on the par-five 12th, with Olesen finding a greenside bunker with his approach to the same hole.

Olesen came up eight feet short with his recovery from the sand but crucially holed the putt to restore his two-shot lead and then produced a superb tee shot on the par-three 14th to set up a tap-in birdie.

Horsey closed the gap to two shots once more with a birdie on the 15th, only for Olesen to do likewise in the group behind after pitching to four feet.

And when Horsey three-putted the 16th after leaving himself with a severely breaking birdie putt, Olesen could afford to drop a shot at the same hole on his way to a hard-fought fourth European Tour title.

Euro Tour to players: Yell 'fore' or face discipline.

By Will Gray

The European Tour put pen to paper this weekend to remind its members that on-course safety is of great importance - especially the safety of those attending the event.

The Tour circulated a memo at the Turkish Airlines Open informing players that incidents of spectator injury are on the rise, and that players are expected to increase their use of "fore" as a verbal warning whenever a shot goes awry:

(Photo/Twitter)

The stakes were raised at the memo's conclusion, where players were informed that they could face disciplinary action in the event that their lack of warning leads to an on-course injury.

The details of any such punishment remain a mystery, but expect to hear from plenty of vocal competitors next week when the circuit heads to South Africa for the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

NASCAR: Carl Edwards wins at Texas, advances to championship round.

By Jerry Bonkowski

(Photo/nbcsports.com)

Thanks to help from the weatherman, Carl Edwards punched his ticket into the Sprint Cup championship race in Miami, winning Sunday’s rain-shortened AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Edwards led when rain began to fall, prompting NASCAR to wave the caution flag on Lap 290. Cars continued around the track under caution until Lap 294 when NASCAR summoned cars to pit road.

A few moments later, NASCAR officials ruled the event official — 40 laps shy of its scheduled 334-lap distance — and awarded the win to Edwards, his fourth career Sprint Cup victory at TMS.

“I actually enjoyed it,” Edwards said of the pressure he faced, coming into the race 32 points behind the points leaders, last in the standings. “The pressure was really mounting and obviously this was what we had to do. … We have a shot at the championship, and that’s all we wanted. I can’t wait to go to Homestead. We’re going to have a blast.”

The key to Edwards’ win was an outstanding pit stop on Lap 258. Edwards’ crew made a four-tire and fuel stop in 11.8 seconds, while Truex, who came onto pit road in the lead, had a 12.5-second stop, allowing Edwards to take the lead.

“If we wouldn’t have beat him off pit road, we probably wouldn’t see this,” Edwards said.

This will be Edwards’ first title chance since he lost the 2011 crown to Tony Stewart in a tiebreaker.

Edwards joins Jimmie Johnson, who won last week at Martinsville, in the championship round.  Two more spots will be filled after next weekend’s race at Phoenix.

Chase driver Joey Logano finished second. He led 178 of the first 188 laps.

“Second stinks,” Logano told NBCSN after the race. “The rain came a little sooner than I wanted to. It would be interesting if we would have had another 10-15 laps, what would have happened, but is what it is.”

Martin Truex Jr., who took over the lead from Logano on Lap 189 after a series of green-flag pit stops, finished third.

Chase Elliott and Chase driver Kyle Busch finished fifth.

Other Chase drivers and where they finished were: Kevin Harvick (6th), Matt Kenseth (7th), Denny Hamlin (9th), Johnson (11th) and Kurt Busch (20th).

As for the Chase standings, Johnson and Edwards are tied, Logano and Kyle Busch are both one point behind. Below the Chase cutoff are Matt Kenseth (-1), Denny Hamlin (-2), Kevin Harvick (-18) and Kurt Busch (-34).

HOW EDWARDS WON: An outstanding pit stop on Lap 258 won it for Edwards, allowing him to overtake Martin Truex Jr. Another key was Edwards maintained consistency and patience throughout the race, hanging around the top-five the majority of the time, until what proved to be his race-winning pit stop.

WHO ELSE HAD A GOOD RACE: While disappointed that he did not win, which would have earned him a spot in the Chase championship race, Joey Logano dominated the first half of the race.

WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Kurt Busch (20th) is last in the Chase grid, 34 points out of first place and 33 points short of the cutoff. He’s essentially in a must-win situation next Sunday at Phoenix. … Pole-sitter Austin Dillon, who was involved in a late-race multi-car crash, finished 37th. Casey Mears was also in the wreck and finished 39th.

NOTABLE: Because of the rain, Edwards did not perform his trademark post-win flip off his race car. “I think I’m going to keep the backflip for Homestead. It’s probably the safe thing to do.” … Harvick, who won the first edition of the new Chase format in 2014 and reached the final round last year, is in jeopardy of not advancing this year. But he’s going to Phoenix – where he has won six of the last eight races.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “That’s all we said we needed was a shot. And now we’re going to go to Homestead and do what we need to do … and I really believe we can do it at Homestead.” – Carl Edwards.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Can-Am 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, Nov. 13 (2:30 p.m. ET).

Results from Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway.

By Nate Ryan

(Photo/nbcsports.com)

Carl Edwards secured a berth in the championship round of the 2016 playoffs, winning the rain-shortened AAA 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Edwards was leading when the race was stopped by rain after 293 of a scheduled 334 laps.

It was the fourth victory at the 1.5-mile oval for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver but his first since 2008.

Joey Logano led a race-high 178 laps and finished second, bolstering his chances of claiming one of the other two spots for title contenders.

Martin Truex Jr., Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five.

Click here to see the results from the AAA 500.

Sprint Cup points, playoff standings after Texas.

By Nate Ryan

The AAA 500 ended in a three-way tie atop the Sprint Cup points standings.

Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch each have 4,074 points, one point ahead of Matt Kenseth and two ahead of Denny Hamlin.

Johnson and Carl Edwards have secured berths in the championship round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

The final two spots will be determined at Phoenix, and at least one will be awarded on points.

The rest of the playoff drivers in the standings:

6. Kevin Harvick 4,056 (18 points behind the lead); 7. Edwards (-25); 8. Kurt Busch (-34).

Click here for the points standings after Texas.

SOCCER: Klinsmann picks roster for USA-Mexico, Costa Rica WCQs.

By Andy Edwards

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Michael Bradley, Christian Pulisic, Jozy Altidore and Sacha Kljestan headline Jurgen Klinsmann’s 26-man roster for upcoming 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Mexico (Columbus, Ohio — Friday, Nov. 11) and Costa Rica (San Jose, Costa Rica — Tuesday, Nov. 15).

With three strikers — Altidore, Jordan Morris and Bobby Wood — in unprecedented goalscoring form in the weeks leading up to Friday’s “Hexagonal” opener, Klinsmann’s toughest lineup decision could revolve around the man (men?) selected to lead the line against a loaded El Tri squad. Most notably and consequentially absent from the roster is Geoff Cameron, who misses out through injury.

Juan Carlos Osorio named his star-studded roster for the first round of the Hex, including USA-Mexico, earlier in the week.

FULL USMNT ROSTER

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough), Ethan Horvath (Molde), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), William Yarbrough (Club Leon)

Defenders: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Monchengladbach), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United)

Midfielders: Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), Caleb Stanko (FC Vaduz), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Aron Johannsson (Werder Bremen), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC), Bobby Wood (Hamburg)

PL Scoreboard, Sunday, November 6, 2016.

NBCSports.com

Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur 
Liverpool 6-1 Walford
Hull City 2-1 Southampton
Swansea City 1-3 Manchester United
Leicester City 1-2 West Bromwich Albion

La Liga & Serie A: Sociedad drops Atletico; Napoli, Lazio finish level.

By Matt Reed

(Photo/David Ramos/Getty Images)

A roundup of Saturday’s action in Spain and Italy’s top flights…

Real Sociedad 2-0 Atletico Madrid

Atletico could lose some ground in La Liga’s title race after suffering defeat against Sociedad at the Estadio Anoeta. Carlos Vela and Willian Jose each scored from the penalty spot for the hosts, sinking Diego Simeone’s chances of returning to the top of Spain’s top flight. Sociedad managed to keep Atletico’s dangerous attack in check for much of the match, limiting Simeone’s group to just two shots on target.

However, Kevin Gameiro had the best opportunity to break the deadlock in the opening stanza after hitting the post in the 28th minute. Atletico currently sits third in La Liga, while the victory for Sociedad brings the club up to sixth place.

Elsewhere in La Liga

Granada 1-1 Deportivo La Coruna
Osasuna 0-1 Alaves
Las Palmas 1-0 Eibar

Torino 5-1 Cagliari

Andrea Belotti scored on both sides of halftime to pace Torino to a big win over Cagliari on Saturday. It took the Torino man just two minutes to put the hosts in front, before capping off the team’s scoring from the penalty spot in the 59th minute. Cagliari earned a consolation inside of five minutes before halftime, but it wasn’t enough as the ninth place side was overwhelming by Torino, who moves up to seventh in the Serie A table.

Napoli 1-1 Lazio

Marek Hamsik and Keita Balde Diao scored two minutes apart to give their sides a share of the points at Stadio San Paolo. The Slovakian got things going for Napoli in the 52nd minute after Hamsik put home a powerful left-footed effort. Diao then responded soon after with an equally impressive finish. Lazio moves into third place in Italy’s top flight with the draw, while Napoli remains fifth on 21 points.

PL Saturday Roundup: Chelsea top league, Sunderland earns first win.

By Matt Reed

(Photo/Clive Rose/Getty Images)

While one of the league’s most dominant sides continued its brilliant form on Saturday, the Premier League’s final winless side broke that trend on the road.

Chelsea completely outclassed Everton to kept its superb league form intact at Stamford Bridge, while Sunderland picked up its first victory of the 2016/17 campaign with a gutsy performance away from home.

Elsewhere, Manchester City was held to a draw behind a late equalizer from Middlesbrough.

Here, we take a look back at Saturday’s action from around England’s top flight.

Chelsea 5-0 Everton — RECAP

Five in a row for the Blues, and Antonio Conte‘s side now sits at the top of the PL for the time being. While the Toffees were a bit unlucky to concede one Eden Hazard‘s opener (which had a hint of offsides from Pedro‘s run), Everton was on the back foot for most of the match. Goals from Marcos Alonso and Diego Costa capped off a brilliant first half for Chelsea, before Hazard and Pedro netted after the break to cap off an utterly dominating performance.

Bournemouth 1-2 Sunderland — RECAP

It took 11 tries but Sunderland is no longer winless in PL action. Despite being reduced to 10 men just before the hour mark, the Black Cats picked up its first win of the season after Jermain Defoe converted from the penalty spot in the 74th minute. Dan Gosling had given the Cherries the lead after just 11 minutes, however, Victor Anichebe leveled things up before the halftime break.

Burnley 3-2 Crystal Palace — RECAP

Despite battling back from a two-goal deficit after halftime, Crystal Palace fell short at Burnley following some late-match heroics from Ashley Barnes. The hosts earned a 2-0 lead inside the opening quarter hour after Sam Vokes and Johann Gudmundsson each netted at the Turf Moor. Palace valiantly fought back though in the second stanza, leveling the match with under 10 minutes to play when Christian Benteke converted from the PK spot. Burnley now move up to ninth in the table, while Palace falls to 15th place.

Manchester City 1-1 Middlesbrough — RECAP

Sergio Aguero netted his 150th goal for City on the day, but his momentous feat was cancelled out by Marten De Roon‘s second-half stoppage time equalizer. Following the Citizens’ impressive midweek victory over Barcelona, the hosts left the door open for Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea to all surpass the PL leaders (heading into the weekend).

West Ham 1-1 Stoke City — RECAP

Stoke extended its unbeaten streak to six matches on Saturday as Bojan Krkic capitalized on a critical mistake by Hammers keeper Adrian in the 75th minute. West Ham had taken the lead 10 minutes prior when Glenn Whelan put the ball into his own net, giving the hosts the 1-0 advantage. The two sides sit a mere two points apart in the table, however, Stoke lands 11th through as many matches while West Ham is 16th.

NCAAFB: 2016 NCAA Associated Press Football Rankings, 11/06/2016.

AP

RANK	SCHOOL	POINTS	RECORD	PREVIOUS
1	Alabama	1524	9-0	1
2	Michigan	1432	9-0	2
3	Clemson	1408	9-0	3
4	Washington	1364	9-0	4
5	Louisville	1255	8-1	5
6	Ohio State	1245	8-1	6
7	Wisconsin	1159	7-2	8
8	Auburn	1081	7-2	11
9	Oklahoma	996	7-2	12
10	Texas A&M	820	7-2	7
11	West Virginia	805	7-1	14
12	Penn State	752	7-2	20
13	Utah	686	7-2	16
14	Western Michigan	583	9-0	17
15	North Carolina	559	7-2	18
16	Colorado	550	7-2	21
17	Oklahoma State	516	7-2	22
18	Virginia Tech	479	7-2	23
19	LSU	454	5-3	15
20	Florida State	450	6-3	19
21	Nebraska	434	7-2	9
22	Florida	390	6-2	10
23	Washington State	305	7-2	25
24	Boise State	226	8-1	24
25	Baylor	90	6-2	13

Others receiving votes: USC 76, Arkansas 74, San Diego State 38, Troy 28, Houston 25, Tennessee 9, Tulsa 3, South Florida 3, Minnesota 2, Navy 2, Wyoming 2

Forde's Fab Four: Washington makes its case after CFP slight.

By Pat Forde

Jake Browning threw for six touchdowns in Washington’s victory over Cal. (Photo/Getty)

Each week of the season, I will be a one-man College Football Playoff selection committee, picking the four teams that should be in the bracket if Selection Sunday were today. Call it Forde’s Fab Four, and call it an invitation to debate and discuss. Feel free to disagree.

Looking at the big picture, we basically have whittled down the playoff field in record speed. There are six teams ranked in the AP Top 10 with zero or one losses – last year at this time the entire top 14 was comprised of teams with zero or one loss. In 2014, the top 11 all fit that category.

So with all the losses, we have a pretty orderly outlook – if things proceed as expected, which usually is not the case. But as of now it’s pretty well stratified: four unbeatens from four different leagues (Alabama, Michigan, Clemson, Washington), and two pursuers with a single loss (Louisville, Ohio State).

Where it could get interesting is if two-loss Wisconsin or Auburn wins out, including a league championship. To do so, either would have to go through one of the six teams mentioned above, which would be a major quality win to add to the résumé.

But all that will have to wait for further developments. The current bracket stays rock-solid after a series of dominant victories by the top teams:

PEACH BOWL: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Washington

The Crimson Tide (9-0) suffocated LSU in Tiger Stadium Saturday night, in the process snuffing out Leonard Fournette’s long-shot Heisman Trophy campaign and Ed Orgeron’s hopes of being something more than interim coach of the Tigers. The nation’s No. 1 rushing defense once again dominated the line of scrimmage, limiting LSU to 33 yards on 27 carries, and not a single double-digit yardage play on the ground. Alabama also leads the nation in sacks, putting Danny Etling on the ground five times one game after also sacking Texas A&M’s Trevor Knight five times. Nobody can want to play quarterback against these guys. Offensively, Alabama got a third straight productive running game from quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has rushed for 339 yards and five touchdowns on 53 carries during that time. After throwing the ball more than 30 times in three of his first six college games, freshman Hurts hasn’t thrown it more 27 times in the past four. Next for Alabama: Mississippi State (4-5), the first of three home games to end the regular season.

Washington (9-0) looked highly motivated after being ranked a disrespectful fifth by the College Football Playoff selection committee last week. The Huskies demolished California 66-27 in Berkeley, a place where the Golden Bears hadn’t lost yet this year. The Huskies led for the final 50 minutes and 11 seconds of the game, and led by 15 or more for the final 31:15. Jake Browning riddled a weak Cal defense for 378 passing yards and six touchdowns, giving him a season-high efficiency rating of 251.98 – he leads the nation in that category at 202.79. And with three interceptions of Cal quarterback Davis Webb, the Huskies pushed their nation-leading turnover margin to plus-15. Next for Washington: USC (6-3), which will bring a five-game winning streak to Seattle.

FIESTA BOWL: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Clemson

The Wolverines (9-0) pounced on Maryland and former Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin with ruthless efficiency, taking a 35-0 lead in the first half and cruising the rest of the way for a 59-3 victory. Against four straight overmatched opponents – the Terrapins, Michigan State, Illinois and Rutgers – Michigan has won the first half by a terrorizing score of 136-10. The Wolverines lead the nation in scoring defense (10.7 points per game) and total defense (246.3 yards per game) – but they have given up 5.7 and 5.6 yards per play to their past two opponents, the most they have allowed this season. Next for Michigan: at Iowa (5-4), which is coming off a dispiriting beatdown against Penn State.

Clemson (9-0) rebounded from consecutive narrow escapes against North Carolina State and Florida State to obliterate Syracuse, 54-0. The only worrisome development was star quarterback Deshaun Watson missing most of the game with a bruised throwing shoulder, but coach Dabo Swinney said Watson could have played in the second half if needed. The previously sloppy Tigers did not commit a turnover and were a plus-three in that department against the Orange, getting themselves on the plus side in turnover margin for the season. It marked the first time Syracuse coach Dino Babers has been shut out in 37 games as a college head coach, and the Orange’s 277 yards of total offense was a season low. That’s one more layer of evidence that Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables knows his stuff, and is probably overdue for a head-coaching job. Next for Clemson: Pittsburgh (5-4) visits Death Valley Saturday, and the Tigers’ offense will like the look of a Panthers D that has given up 34 or more points seven times this season.

Dropped out: Nobody.

Also considered: Louisville, Ohio State.

NCAABKB: Coaches now allowed to call timeout on inbound plays.

By Associated Press

(Photo/nbcsports.com)

The NCAA altered its timeout rules before the 2015-16 season, making it so coaches could no longer call one in live-ball situations.

The rule was designed to help speed up play and shift the emphasis of the game to the players.

This season, the NCAA has tweaked the rule, allowing coaches to call timeouts in live-ball situations, but only when the team is inbounding the ball.

Most coaches treat timeouts like gold medallions, so getting one back at a time when players are under their most duress is a decision that has gone over well.

“If there’s one we’re going to have one back, that’s the one to have because there are always situations that lend itself where you need to bail your guy out,” Fresno State coach Rodney Terry said.

The rule last year made it so coaches had to signal to the players and get them to call timeout in live-ball situations. Coaches were still allowed to call timeouts after made baskets and dead-ball situations.

The change was put in place essentially to prevent coaches from yelling “Timeout!” whenever there was a scrum for a loose ball.

It turned out to be a big adjustment for coaches and players, particularly late in games, when players’ minds are racing.

Teams practiced late-game timeout situations, but the adrenaline of playing in a close game was not something that could be replicated.

“Obviously, when you’re in a game the young men have a thousand things going on in their mind and you’re on the bench, you can have that forethought and help them out,” Northern Arizona coach Jack Murphy said. “I would never want a game coming to whether a kid called a timeout or not. I’d rather that be on use or least have the ability to do that.”

The tweak to the rule should help ease some of that.

Coaches will still have to flag their players down when the ball is live, which can be problematic with the crowd noise and the players so focused on what they’re doing.

But being able to call a timeout to prevent a 5-second in-bounds violation late in a game could make the difference between winning and losing.

“I like that because I think the kids are so caught up in trying to play and do the right things, I don’t know if they’re in tuned to do that,” New Mexico coach Craig Neal said. “You can practice it all you want, but until you’re in that situation where they have to call it, it’s not comfortable for them because they’ve not done it.”

Where the rule might be a hindrance is to teams that like to press.

Part of what they want is to get opposing players out of their comfort zone, speed them up mentally and physically.

Allowing a coach to call a timeout before a 5-second call or bad decision is made might take some of that advantage away. The coach has the benefit of perspective standing on the sideline and can often see trouble developing when a player might not be able to in the heat of a game.

“I’m happy they did that. It’s nice to have that piece back,” Wyoming coach Allen Edwards said. “But to me, that’s even more motivating. Even when I was a player, I always thought that when you did that and a coach had to call timeout, that was still a plus for you because they’re having to use one and the pressure is getting to them.”

Transfer epidemic in college hoops has coaches concerned.

By Dave Skretta

Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Andrew White (3) dunks against the Samford Bulldogs in Lincoln, NE on Dec.20, 2015. (Photo/Steven Branscombe/USA TODAY Sports)

Andrew White III began his career at Kansas, then transferred to Nebraska and redshirted a year before playing another, only to wind up at Syracuse to finish off his unique college basketball odyssey.

All that moving around hardly makes him unique, though.

It's more like the new norm.

More than 700 players on Division I rosters swapped schools last season, many taking advantage of fifth-year transfer rules that allow them to play immediately. The number could swell to more than 800 by the time this season begins next week. And that has coaches and administrators at every level concerned about the long-term effect on the health and popularity of the sport.

''I do think it's a big-time problem in college basketball. It's a problem in college athletics,'' said Kansas coach Bill Self, who has three transfers from four-year schools on his current roster. ''But I also think it's a societal problem because how many kids now, if you don't play on your high school team, what's the first thing you do? You switch schools. It happens in football and other sports, too.

''I mean, we'd like for it to be tightened up,'' Self added, ''where there's less transfers and hopefully that will be the case. But I don't know what the answer is for that.''

That's the biggest problem: Nobody seems to know.

In interviews with more nearly two dozen coaches and officials, including four conference commissioners, the only consensus was that the transfer epidemic is a problem striking college basketball to its core.

''The numbers concern me. But within those numbers, you have to understand there are sometimes very good reasons to transfer that are beyond just playing time,'' ACC commissioner John Swofford said. ''Some of it is societal in nature, in which it's instant-gratification syndrome of, `If I'm not playing immediately and not playing a big role, I'm going somewhere else. That's indicative of a larger issue beyond basketball.''

Swofford said the days of kids ''waiting their turn'' are a quaint construct of yesteryear. Now, everybody wants to get on the floor right away, and they're willing to uproot if that's what it takes.

''My concern is more about the academic part of it as much as anything, and how much can you bounce around and truly receive the kind of education that you'd want,'' Swofford said. ''But again, it's hard to lump that all into one bag. There is a lot going on.''

Transfers are more pervasive in college basketball for a number of reasons.

First, the game is largely the same regardless of where you go. Teams run different offenses, coaches utilize different systems and defenses vary from school to school. But it's not like football, where a player who transfers has to learn hundreds of complicated plays in a condensed time period.

That makes it easy for a player to get up to speed quickly.

Another reason is numbers: There are only five guys on the floor at a time, and only 200 minutes to go around per game. Compare that to football, where an offense will run about 80 plays and there are 11 guys on the field at a time, not to mention opportunities to play on special teams.

''We need coaches to be frank on the front end, what their program is about,'' Belmont coach Rick Byrd said, ''and then we need kids when they make their decision to stay there and not hop around looking for the next best thing because they didn't play 38 minutes a game as a freshman.''

The NCAA is continually examining the issue through its committee on academics, but has so far stood pat. And that is particularly troubling for mid-major coaches like Byrd when it comes to the fifth-year transfer rule, which allows athletes who have graduated to play immediately somewhere else.

That rule has turned some mid-major programs into de-factor minor leagues.

Most coaches are in favor of eliminating the rule, which would mean those players would have to redshirt a year just like any other transfer. Other ideas to curb the number of transfers include a cap on the number of schools where an athlete can play, and rules that limit where an athlete transferring can go.

''I'm heartened by the fact that the NCAA continues to look at transfer issues,'' Ohio Valley commissioner Beth DeBauche said, ''because they're very complex.''

Now, there are cases where transfers are best for everybody involved: coaching changes, players deciding they want to play closer to home, academics and a myriad other issues that can pop up over the years.

Then there are the benefits to playing in different places.

''Making two moves, it's kind of kept me on my toes,'' White said. ''I've seen different staffs, different leagues. I've experienced a lot of basketball up to this point and it's helped me with my overall confidence.

''As far as my Kansas experience, got to see a blue-blood, elite-level program. Got to win a couple of rings. Then Nebraska, obviously a sports town, Big Ten is a great basketball league. I got to play a big role and do some big things and learned a lot from that staff. And then you come here and you learn from one of the greatest coaches (at Syracuse),'' White said. ''It's been good for my well-being as a man and as a player.''

Indeed, the Orange may best encapsulate the trend. Jim Boeheim had a handful of transfers in his first 40 years as their coach. He'll have three in the lineup this year.

''Transfers that we've taken have been very impactful to our program,'' Boeheim said. ''We haven't taken that many, but the guys that we have taken are very impactful.''

As for the transfer outlook for college basketball?

''It's here to stay now,'' Boeheim said. ''So if you need a guy you can't get a freshman to help you, if you can get a guy that has started for two or three years, that would bring something to enhance recruiting.''

Ghirmay Ghebreslassie youngest man to win NYC Marathon; U.S. ends drought.

By Nick Zaccardi

(Photo/Getty Images)

Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, a 20-year-old from Eritrea, became the youngest man to win the New York City Marathon, while Americans made both the men’s and women’s podiums for the first time since 1994.

In the women’s race, Kenyan Mary Keitany became the first runner in 30 years to win three straight New York City Marathons.

U.S. Olympians Abdi Abdirahman and Molly Huddle each finished third on Sunday.

New York City Marathon results are here. A record 52,049 people started the 46th running of the five-borough race.

Ghebreslassie won in 2 hours, 7 minutes, 51 seconds, adding to a résumé that includes the 2015 World title and a fourth-place finish at the Rio Olympics just 11 weeks earlier.

He beat Kenyan Lucas Rotich by 1:02, becoming the first Eritrean to win a World Marathon Major title and the first non-Kenyan man or woman to win New York City since 2011.

Ghebreslassie, Rotich and Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa broke away in the 14th mile. Desisa dropped back six miles later (and eventually dropped out of the race altogether, along with defending champion Stanley Biwott and top pre-race American hope Dathan Ritzenhein).

Ghebreslassie inched away from Rotich over the final six miles in sunny, upper-50s weather, finishing comfortably enough to turn around, run back and high-five Rotich before the Kenyan crossed.

After, Ghebreslassie exuded self-assurance rather than any sense of astonishment when told of the history he made. When asked about his short turnaround from the Olympics. And when pressed about difficulties faced before or during the race.

“Only the wind,” said Ghebreslassie, the second-oldest of eight children who took a short break from training one month ago to get married. “If you lose your confidence means you are hopeless. If you lose your hope, you can’t do anything.”

Many had lost hope in Abdirahman long before Sunday’s race.

The four-time Olympian had finished just one marathon since the 2012 Olympic Trials (an unimpressive 2:16:06 at Boston 2014) and turns 40 years old on New Year’s Day. He pulled out before the Olympic Trials marathon in February with a calf injury.

“I didn’t run the Olympic trials, so I told my manager, this is going to be my Olympic trials,” Abdirahman said.

At the 19-mile mark, Abdirahman and five relatively unaccomplished men were 2 minutes, 20 seconds behind the three-man lead group.

When Desisa dropped out in the 22nd mile, Abdirahman suddenly was in the podium mix.

“I thought I might finish fifth, sixth, or seventh,” said Abdirahman, Somalian born and nicknamed the Black Cactus. “When I passed Lelisa, that’s when my eyes just — I don’t know what hit me, but I just get another wind.”

Abdirahman became the first U.S. man to make the New York City podium since Meb Keflezighi won in 2009, a simply stunning result. Keflezighi announced his final marathon Sunday.

“I was telling these guys I was in the Olympics in 2000, and they were looking at me, really?” Abdirahman said. “And I say yes.”

Keitany, a mother of two and the second-fastest female marathoner ever, crossed the Central Park finish line in 2:24:26. Her margin of victory over countrywoman Sally Kipyego, 3:34, was the largest since 1984.

The last runner to win three straight New York City titles was Norwegian Grete Waitz, who won five of her nine total from 1982 through 1986.

Huddle, a two-time U.S. Olympian on the track making her marathon debut, was third, the best finish by a U.S. women’s runner since Shalane Flanagan was second in 2010.

Gwen Jorgensen, the Olympic triathlon champion in her marathon debut, finished 14th in 2:41:01.

Earlier, Tatyana McFadden, a 17-time Paralympic medalist, completed her fourth straight sweep the Boston, Chicago, London and New York City Marathons each of the last four years.

McFadden, born in Russia paralyzed from the waist down and adopted from a St. Petersburg orphanage at age 6 by an American, completed her New York City four-peat on Sunday in 1 hour, 47 minutes, 43 seconds. She won by more than one minute after 26.2 miles.

The 27-year-old became the first women’s wheelchair racer to win four straight New York City Marathons, taking her fifth overall crown. She has won 20 combined World Marathon Major titles.

She’s the only marathoner, able-bodied or wheelchair, to sweep Boston, Chicago, London and New York City in one year, let alone four.

McFadden shockingly lost the Rio Paralympic marathon in a photo finish (video here). The woman who beat McFadden there, China’s Zou Lihong, made her New York City Marathon debut Sunday.

McFadden went to Rio with a shot at seven gold medals in September. She won the 400m, 800m, 1500m and 5000m and earned silver in the 100m and the marathon. She and the U.S. were disqualified from the 4x400m relay.

Also Sunday, Marcel Hug of Switzerland won the New York City Marathon men’s wheelchair race in a photo finish over Australian Kurt Fearnley. Hug swept the Berlin, Boston and Chicago Marathons this year, plus the Paralympics.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, November 07, 2016.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1936 - The New York Americans beat Toronto in the first coast-to-coast radio broadcast of a hockey game in Canada.

1962 - Glenn Hall set an NHL record when he played in his 503rd consecutive game as a goalie.

1963 - Elston Howard, of the New York Yankees, became the first black player to be named the American League's Most Valuable Player. 

1965 - Bart Starr (Green Bay Packers) was sacked 11 times by the Detroit Lions.

1968 - Red Berenson (St. Louis Blues) scored 6 goals in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Blues won the game 8-0.

1973 - New Jersey became the first U.S. state to permit girls to play on Little League baseball teams.  

1983 - Ali Haji-Sheikh (New York Giants) kicked his second 56 yard field goal. 1988 - Sugar Ray Leonard knocked out Donnie LaLonde.

1991 - Magic Johnson (NBA) announced that he had tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS, and that he was retiring from basketball.  

1992 - The Phoenix Suns played their first game at American West Arena.

1999 - Tiger Woods became the first golfer since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win four straight tournaments.

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