CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Friday Sports News Update and What's Your Take? 11/18/2016.

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"Sports Quote of the Day"

"I can't imagine a person becoming a success who doesn't give this game of life everything he's got." ~ Walter Cronkite, American Broadcast Journalist (CBS News Anchorman for 19 Years

Trending: Exclusive: Virginia McCaskey talks Bears, Ditka, concussions in rare interview. (A must read). (See the football section for Bears News an NFL updates).

(Photo/sportsmockery.com)

Trending: Blackhawks finish season series vs. Calgary on Friday. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).

Trending: Bulls grind one out vs. Jazz for third straight road win. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).

Trending: Kris Bryant follows up Cubs' World Series win with National League MVP award. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).

Trending: Follow-up: Bell: Time for NFL to move ball on marijuana? What's Your Take? (See the last section on this blog for our take. We'd love to hear your thoughts and your take.)

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks finish season series vs. Calgary on Friday.

By Emerald Gao

(Photo/chicagoblackhawks.com)

With two days in between games, the Blackhawks should be well-rested ahead of Friday's tilt in Calgary, which will be the last of three meetings between the clubs this season. The Flames won 3-2 in a shootout on Oct. 24, and Chicago collected a 5-1 win on Nov. 1, with both tilts taking place at the United Center.

The Blackhawks dropped the opening tilt of the Circus Trip, a 4-0 loss in Winnipeg on Tuesday that snapped their 11-game point streak. It was the first time all season that the team failed to put at least two goals past their opponent, although they did put 27 pucks on target and 58 shot attempts overall. Chicago now faces a Flames team that ranks 26th in goals allowed per game (3.28), although they've been able to limit shots against (28.2 per game, 9th NHL).

Calgary has strung together two straight wins, snapping a four-game losing streak in the process. Backup goaltender Chad Johnson has done most of the legwork, stopping 48 of 49 shots in a 1-0 win over Minnesota on Tuesday and a 2-1 overtime victory against Arizona on Wednesday. Head Coach Glen Gulutzan may opt to go with the hot hand in Friday's tilt, but if not, the Blackhawks will face longtime Blues netminder Brian Elliott, who hasn't won in five starts dating back to Oct. 28.

The Flames might be on a small winning streak, but their firepower has been limited by an injury to Johnny Gaudreau, who was the team's leading scorer when he fractured his finger on Tuesday in Minnesota. The loss of one of the league's best playmakers certainly won't help Calgary climb back into a playoff spot-they sit two points out of the wild card-but the hope is that one of the team's many other young forwards can step up in Gaudreau's absence.

TO AND FRO

Winger Michael Frolik has been one of the Flames' most consistent skaters this season, and with a goal (the overtime winner) and an assist in Wednesday's win against Arizona, he now leads the team with six goals and 12 points in 18 games this season. The former Blackhawk also shares the league lead with two shorthanded goals, including Calgary's lone tally in their Nov. 1 loss to Chicago. With the injuries to Gaudreau and Kris Versteeg, Frolik has moved into a top 6 role; on Wednesday he skated with Mikael Backlund-his penalty-killing partner-and rookie Matthew Tkachuk, who also scored in the outing.

GET THE DEFENSES UP

One way the Flames may try to mitigate their flagging offensive numbers is by getting their defensemen consistently involved in the offensive zone, especially at even strength. Last season Calgary got career years from their captain Mark Giordano (21 goals and 56 points), T.J. Brodie (39 assists and 45 points) and former first-round pick Dougie Hamilton (12 goals, 43 points), even as the team missed the playoffs. So far this year, Giordano and Hamilton each have just six points in 18 games, while Brodie is sitting on three assists all season. Hamilton's suppressed numbers aren't for lack of trying, though, as he has a team-high 47 shots on goal, and Giordano's 42 SOG are fourth-best on the team.

HEALTH IS WEALTH

The Blackhawks got some good news on their own injury front on Thursday. Head Coach Joel Quenneville confirmed that rookie Tyler Motte was close to re-joining the team, perhaps as early as Saturday, while defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk is targeting next week's California leg for a return date. As for Vinnie Hinostroza, who left Tuesday's game in Winnipeg after being shaken up on a hit along the boards, Quenneville said he could be available against Calgary. The Blackhawks haven't been 100 percent healthy all season, so one thing to keep an eye on is any potential moves due to the 23-man restriction, as the team would be at 24 when van Riemsdyk returns.

NOTABLE ABSENCES

CHI: Tyler Motte (upper body), Vinnie Hinostroza (upper body, day-to-day), Trevor van Riemsdyk (upper body)

CGY: Johnny Gaudreau (finger), Kris Versteeg (groin, day-to-day), Lance Bouma (upper body)

Blackhawks’ power play struggling to capitalize on opportunities.

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Everything has its ebbs and flows in a hockey season.

For a while earlier this season the Blackhawks’ penalty kill was a great source of rancor. That’s gotten much better. Now it’s the power play, which was cashing in on a good clip through the early games has gone quiet.

Over their last seven games the Blackhawks have scored just two power-play goals on 23 opportunities. Through their first 10 games they scored 10 power-play goals on 39 chances. The culprits that have stymied the Blackhawks during past power-play woes seem to be getting them again now: more passing than shooting and not enough second-chance opportunities.

As Patrick Kane pointed out, there are a few times the Blackhawks scored goals soon after power plays ended. Nevertheless, the advantage has been quieter.

“You look at [Marian] Hossa’s goal against Montreal, I think that was a second or two after the power play was over. I know [Artemi] Panarin’s was the same in overtime in St. Louis. You had a couple of goals, maybe it changes things the way you look at it,” Kane said. “We’ve had some looks, had some chances. I still think it comes down to getting the shots through. We’ve been doing a good job at that but we haven’t been recovering the next shot. It seems like we get the first shot and it’s one and done down the ice and breaking out again. So that’s a little frustrating.”

The Blackhawks went 0-for-2 against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night. That doesn’t sound so bad on its own, but for 67 seconds of that the Blackhawks were on a 5-on-3. Not only did it come up empty, but it generated little to nothing.

“We’ve missed a couple of opportunities on 5-on-3s,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “As a group, it’s like the penalty kill. You’ll have some hot and ordinary or good moments. We’ve had zone time. We’re looking for a better look instead of shooting it right now when it’s not going in, and improvising off shots.”

There are always parts of a game that are hit and miss at various times of the season. Right now the Blackhawks’ isn’t hitting but getting back to what worked earlier this season should change that.

“I think teams are playing us hard, playing us well. We have to continue to generate opportunities, get pucks around the net and opportunities for the guys who are going there. Whether that’s us shooting from the point or really whatever it is, try to keep getting pucks there,” Brent Seabrook said. “Nowadays, everyone knows what you’re doing and they’ve watched enough video on you. You have to try to score some ugly goals and bang something in.”

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Bulls grind one out vs. Jazz for third straight road win.

By Vincent Goodwill

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Bulls saw a game for the taking, and took it.

They improved to 2-0 on their last Circus Trip, picking up a win against a Utah Jazz team that’s vastly improved over the years, a team that on paper presents nothing but matchup problems for them.

But in the Bulls’ 85-77 win at Vivint Smart Home Arena Thursday night, it was a defensive clinic in which they dragged the Jazz into the ugly muck road wins are made of and climbed out of it quicker to pull off their third straight road win.

The leader of the muck was Jimmy Butler, who put 25-point scorer Gordon Hayward on punishment for the night. Butler didn’t have the greatest offensive game himself, but his 7-for-19 looked a lot better than Hayward’s 3-for-15 considering the results. Butler smothered Hayward, not allowing him any clean looks.

And with the Jazz missing point guard George Hill, it was more pronounced as the Bulls took a 17-point lead at 77-60 with nine minutes remaining in the fourth. The Jazz made a comeback, but Butler and Dwyane Wade each made shots to keep the Jazz from seriously threatening.

Butler scored 20 with 12 rebounds, while Wade shook off a slow start to score 18.

It was Halloween in the worst way for 24 minutes, with a first half so horrendous offensively it had to be a bad movie. Shooting under 30 percent, the Bulls were aided by Robin Lopez’ thankless work on the glass against Rudy Gobert, perhaps the league’s most underrated center.

Lopez tipped, tipped and tipped some more, as six of his seven offensive rebounds came in the first half, and he generally kept Gobert from doing too much damage inside. Gobert’s presence was a chief reason why the Bulls struggled so much for large portions of the game, since they simply couldn’t get inside, and without Rajon Rondo to set the table, good shots were hard to come by.

The Bulls woke up to start the third, taking a nine-point lead by attacking the rim smartly and forcing the tempo.

And once it was established, the Bulls tightened the screws to win the first two games of the Circus Trip since November 1996.

Jimmy Butler’s battle cry: 'I’m the best (bleeping) player in the world'.

By Vincent Goodwill 

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Jimmy Butler came into this season firmly planted amongst the Top 25 players in the NBA and depending on who you ask, maybe he was a bit higher.

With his play taking yet another leap after so many massive ones already, perhaps it’s time he be mentioned in a higher context.

Since he called himself out to be more aggressive following a blowout loss to the Pacers on the second half of a back-to-back, Butler’s numbers have risen. Averaging 28.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists represents one of the best stretches of his career to date.

He was asked about being ranked in the Top 10 of NBA players this season, and wasn’t shy about it.

“Do I dispute it? No. Do I believe it? Of course,” said Butler to CSNChicago.com following a morning practice at the University of Portland Wednesday. “I think you can ask people we have on this team, I walk around and say certain things I really mean.”

Things like?

“I’m not gonna tell you exactly what I say but I think you know what I’m talking about,” Butler said. “I don’t talk about it in public. But between these guys, they know how I feel, they know the way I go about the game and how I love it and how I love being better. I place myself where I place it and I hope my game continues to speak.”

The quote Butler didn’t want to say but one that has been heard by teammates more than a few times: “I’m the best (bleeping) player in the world.”

Butler’s never been one to say anyone’s better than him, and certainly his confidence is warranted. He was drenched in sweat after staying longer than anybody to get up extra shots following Wednesday’s practice and it’s no secret he considers himself a true franchise player.

If performances like these can stay to some level of consistency, it’ll be harder to deny that he belongs in the same conversation as the one-name superstars like LeBron (James), Steph (Curry), Kevin (Durant), Russell (Westbrook) and 2015-16 MVP runner-up Kawhi Leonard, the player widely regarded as the best two-way player in basketball.

“I think you look at this last stretch, averaging 29 over the last six games. He’s just doing it so many different ways,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “We’re using him in the post, we’re using him as a facilitator. I love the 12 rebounds (Monday against the Blazers) where he’s pushing the ball down the floor without an outlet. We’re isolating him a lot. Just his overall game, you gotta give him all the credit in the world for the work ethic and everything he’s put in to make himself the complete player he is.”

His teammates are following him, probably the most understated part of this season compared to last. Butler doesn’t have to convince them he can lead them to a top spot in the Eastern Conference anymore; they see it and so far, he’s been a better teammate and the resistance this season compared to last has been nil.

“I'm surprised at how mature he is,” said Bulls forward Taj Gibson, who worked out with Butler over the summer. “He's a lot more mature than he was, as far as being how he's been with the guys, how he's communicating. He's always critiquing the game, but he's always positive. Last year, he had his times when he was questioning things, and he didn't know how to let it out. But this year, having D-Wade I think helps him a lot. And then you can learn from it and understand it. And (Team) USA helped him out big time.”

Butler doesn’t doubt the production is sustainable, as it seems like he’s found easier ways to score without being so taxed — almost like finding some secret only a few guys know and refuse to share.

“I think so. I work at that,” Butler said. “I work to catch what those guys are doing, to perform at the highest level like those guys. I take notice. I watch, I learn from those guys as much as I learn from players from the past. So I put myself in that category.”

The same category as multiple-time MVP’s and first-ballot Hall of Famers? Butler doesn’t flinch.

Privately, he chafed at the notion he couldn’t be a franchise player or that he somehow plateaued because of where he started. He simply thinks everybody else is late to the party of the Butler takeover.

“Yeah, if I go at the game with the same mentality, like Dwyane (Wade) told me, every time you step on the floor, you gotta have the mentality that you’re the best player out there,” Butler said. “You gotta be out there to prove that point every single night, every single day in practice. That’s what I’m working to be. I want to be the first guy in the gym, the last game to leave, studying film and having a killer mentality.”

Bulls' film study paying off in the form of strong defense.

By Vincent Goodwill

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The buy-in from the Bulls is evident in the early stages of this season, with the remnants of the players buying into each other on display the last five games.

Whether it’s fighting over the top of screens on Portland’s Damian Lillard or keeping Atlanta’s Dwght Howard from unleashing holy terror on the interior by keeping him moving on defense, the Bulls are following their gameplans to the letter.

Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg employs a different defensive system than his predecessor, Tom Thibodeau, and it was one that took major adjustments last season.

Going away from Thibodeau’s overloading style, where the Bulls would exhaust themselves bringing help to the strong side of the floor, took time to accept, let alone embrace.

“Big time,” said Bulls forward Taj Gibson on the notion there was resistance last season. “It was crazy, because at the same time, you've got guys who spent almost seven years with one style of defense, and then just changed it a little bit for different play calls, whatever you want to name it.

“But the main thing is, when you win games and it shows on film that what he's telling you to do actually works, you can't really question it. So right now, we can't question it.”

And it starts in film session, a daily ritual Hoiberg seems to swear by with this group. He bemoans not having ample practice time during the season to reinforce habits, and the difference is easy to see when the players are locked in.

Gibson said it starts with the veterans, or more specifically, Dwyane Wade.

“We pay attention to detail. D-Wade is a serious guy, he comes in with a serious mentality,” Gibson said following the Bulls' team practice at the University of Portland Wednesday. “He's always critiquing and giving his opinion on things. And I think guys tune in to that, the coaches, how we want to run certain plays. But we've got a great group of guys that want to win.”

Gibson compared it favorably to Thibodeau’s days in one way: He said the vibe is like it was in 2010-11, Thibodeau’s first season with the Bulls. The Bulls won over 60 games, advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals and Derrick Rose won Most Valuable Player.

“Guys are willing to do whatever it takes to win, and they don't complain and understand that you've got to listen to the coaching staff and buy in,” Gibson said.

Hoiberg believes it’s about a mindset on a nightly basis. In the last four wins, the Bulls have just surrendered an average of 89.5 points per game, and Hoiberg is impressed with the commitment.

“I think the big thing with what our guys is the energy they put in the game,” Hoiberg said. “You can say all you want how you’re gonna play certain actions but it’s the energy, more than you do with your schemes, and the effort. Our guys have been really good with that. The last three games, Miami was really good as far as how we wanted to play. Washington, I thought we were a little tired but we executed.”

They executed supremely against the Blazers, jumping on them early and never looking back. It was clear attention was paid, something that wasn’t always the case last year.

“As a team, we want to do well, we're correcting ourselves,” Butler said. “We're buying into the process, everybody's working on their games. We're actually paying attention to the scouting reports and doing what we're supposed to do on the defensive end. When you guard, the game looks really easy.”

As for the first game of a long road trip being a tone setter and Wade’s assertion that the Bulls need to finish 3-3 on the six-game trip to make it a successful one, Hoiberg wouldn’t bite.

“To get better every game,” said Hoiberg about any benchmarks. “I know what he (Wade) said but for me it’s about the process, growing as a basketball team win or lose. And we took a big step in the right direction in the Portland game.”

Obama names Michael Jordan among Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients.
 

By Tony Andracki

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Michael Jordan's trophy case is getting a new addition.

Before he leaves office in a couple months, President Barack Obama named 21 new recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom Wednesday afternoon, with the Bulls legend among the headliners.

In a release, Obama said:

"The Presidential Medal of Freedom is not just our nation's highest civilian honor - it's a tribute to the idea that all of us, no matter where we come from, have the opportunity to change this country for the better. From scientists, philanthropists, and public servants to activists, athletes, and artists, these 21 individuals have helped push America forward, inspiring millions of people around the world along the way."

Jordan - maybe the most iconic athlete ever - joins the likes of Ellen DeGeneres, Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks and Vin Scully among the 2016 recipients.

Here is the entire list of the recipients:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Elouise Cobell (Posthumous)
Ellen DeGeneres
Robert De Niro
Richard Garwin
Bill and Melinda Gates
Frank Gehry
Margaret H. Hamilton
Tom Hanks
Grace Hopper (Posthumous)
Michael Jordan
Maya Lin
Lorne Michaels
Newt Minow
Eduardo Padron
Robert Redford
Diana Ross
Vin Scully
Bruce Springsteen
Cicely Tyson

The awards will be presented at the White House on Nov. 22.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Chicago Bears - New York Giants Preview. Beckham sets big goal as Giants prepare to face Bears.

By washingtonpost.com/sports

Bears Quarterback Jay Cutler (L), Giants Quarterback Eli Manning (R). (Photo/diarionnfl.zip.net) 

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is keeping his schedule clear for the first week of February.

The confident 24-year-old has a hunch that he might need to go on a business trip during that time.

"We're really looking forward to Feb. 5 in Houston," Beckham said to ESPN this week. "That's the goal, obviously. I feel real confident in this team. This defense is a Super Bowl defense. The offense, we're working to get better each and every day."

All of that could spell bad news for the Chicago Bears this weekend when the teams meet at MetLife Stadium.

The Giants (6-3) have won four games in a row -- with each victory coming by single digits -- and are aiming for their first five-game winning streak since 2011. Under first-year coach Ben McAdoo, the team is 4-1 at home and already has matched its six-win total from a season ago.

The outlook is not nearly as bright for the reeling Bears (2-7). Chicago has dropped four of its past five games and is 0-5 on the road this season as the team prepares to head east.

To make matters worse, the Bears will not have two of their best players on offense. Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long was placed on injured reserve this week after being carted off the field with a right ankle injury against Tampa Bay, and Pro Bowl wide receiver Alshon Jeffery will serve the first game of a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Even at full strength, the Giants defense would have been a tough test for Chicago.

New York has a plus-11 turnover ratio, which is the best in the NFL. The Giants have a top-10 rushing defense (92.1 yards allowed per game) and have held opponents to 20.4 points per game, which is No. 11 in the league.

Second-year safety Landon Collins has emerged as the best player on a strong defensive unit. Collins has racked up four interceptions, three sacks and 74 tackles in his first nine games of the season.

On paper, the Bears' offense does not match up well against the Giants' defense. Chicago has managed only 15.7 points per game, which is second-to-last in the NFL. Meanwhile, mercurial quarterback Jay Cutler is coming off his worst outing of the season as he threw two interceptions and fumbled twice against the Buccaneers.

Rookie running back Jordan Howard dinged up an ankle in Week 10 but returned to practice this week. If Howard regresses, look for the tandem of Jeremy Langford and Ka'Deem Carey to carry the ball for the Bears.

But who will catch Cutler's passes -- assuming they are on target?

With Jeffery suspended and Kevin White injured, the top receiving option for the Bears is tight end Zach Miller (44 receptions, 425 yards, 3 TDs). Meanwhile, wide receivers Cam Meredith and Marquess Wilson likely will see more action on the outside.

Meredith, 23, joined the team in 2015 as an undrafted free agent out of Illinois State. The 6-foot-3, 207-pound flanker has impressed coach John Fox this season as he has caught 29 passes for 381 yards and two touchdowns.

"He's got good length," Fox said. "He has a good feel for pass coverage as far as getting on a (defensive back's) feet, the kind of things it takes to get open. He's a young guy that continues to work very hard to improve, and he's getting rewarded for that with playing time."

When the Giants have the ball, look for Beckham to stretch the field and try to create havoc against the Bears' young secondary. Beckham leads New York with 54 catches for 773 yards and six touchdowns, including three scores in his past two games.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning has benefited from Beckham's brilliance, but the 35-year-old also has made some careless mistakes in recent weeks. He has thrown two interceptions in three of his last four games.

In the backfield, Giants running back Rashad Jennings is averaging only 3.2 yards per carry. However, Jennings showed flashes last week as he rushed 15 times for 87 yards (5.8 yards per carry) in a win over Cincinnati.

So could the Giants be a Super Bowl squad? Maybe, maybe not.

But the coach does not mind his star player's public confidence.

"That's our goal," McAdoo told the New York Daily News. "That's why we come to work every day. We want to make sure we get here and put our work in, put our time in.

"But we have a lot of work to do until we get to that point. It's good to have aspirations."

Chicago Bears NFL draft needs starting to take shape.

By Bryan Perez

(Photo/BEARSWIRE.COM)

With seven games left in the Bears’ atrocious 2016 season, the time is now to start looking ahead to April’s 2017 NFL draft.  There are several obvious needs on Chicago’s roster that have plagued the club through the first nine games, three of which will be addressed in the early rounds.

Offensive tackle

Arguably the team’s biggest need, the Bears cannot go another offseason without making a serious investment in the most important position on the offensive line.  The interior spots are set with Cody Whitehair, Kyle Long and Josh Sitton, but both Charles Leno and Bobby Massie are replaceable players who have hurt the Bears at times this season.

Cornerback

Veteran cover man Tracy Porter is a good player, but he’s not a shutdown corner.  Kyle Fuller’s future with the Bears is cloudy at best, as he still hasn’t played a snap this season while recovering from knee surgery.  Bryce Callahan has flashed his upside at points during the year, but he too has failed to stay healthy.  The Bears need to get better in the back end so their pass rush has some help getting home.

Quarterback

Jay Cutler is entering the most unpredictable offseason of his career as a Bear.  The team can walk away from him without much of a cap hit.  The last two weeks illustrated the Cutler-era in Chicago with the highs involved in the Week 8 win over the Vikings and the lows witnessed in the Week 10 blowout loss to the Buccaneers.  Cutler was directly responsible for the good and the bad in both games, something that explains his 51-50 career record as a Bear.  Naturally, Chicago will be looking for a young arm in the draft, but without a clear first-round prospect in the class, they’re likely to address the position on day two.

Exclusive: Virginia McCaskey talks Bears, Ditka, concussions in rare interview.

By Don Pompei

Virginia Halas McCaskey, daughter of Bears founder George Halas, sits with the George Halas NFC Championship Trophy during a pool interview Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2007. (AP Photo)

At 5 o’clock in the morning, an alarm sounds in a modest home in a modest suburb of Chicago. Virginia McCaskey, the 93-year-old owner of the Chicago Bears, arises and follows the same routine she has had for more than three decades. She gets ready for church.

After a short drive, she takes her regular seat in the front pew for a 6:15 Catholic mass. It is an appropriate place for her to sit, because for her entire life, she has had a front row seat to watch the National Football League unfold.

To the daughter of George Halas, it was unquestionably the will of God that in 1925, she went along on the Red Grange Barnstorming Tour and subsequently witnessed every significant event in Bears history. From the T-formation to games being streamed on Twitter, McCaskey has seen it all.

The Bears matriarch has never talked much publicly. After years of requests, she finally acquiesced to her first extensive interview.

She was not even three years old for the Grange tour, which she took in with her mother Minnie, her baby brother Mugs and her aunt Lil.

“We went from Chicago to the East Coast on the train, then down to Florida,” she said. “Then they were going on to California. My mother said, ‘We’re going home.’ She had enough of that. But it was an amazing thing, so many people coming out to watch one player.”

Grange signed an autograph or two during that tour, and he signed one for little Virginia. She still has it.

About a decade ago, Bears coach Lovie Smith asked her to share some of her stories with his rookies. The first time McCaskey spoke, she said she was “scared to death” because she had never done anything like that. But she thought it was important for them to know about the team’s beginnings and its founder. She has come to enjoy what has since become an annual session.

“I like to remind them that it hasn’t always been charter flights and very good hotels, millions of dollars and bonuses and high salaries,” she said. “I like to give them a little thought to what the original players did to help all of this get started.”

She points out that the Bears’ first training camp, in 1934, was held as part of the Chicago Tribune college all-star game, which was part of the Chicago World’s Fair.  

“It’s a good thing the Tribune paid the expenses for training camp or we probably wouldn’t have had it,” she said.

Camp was held at St. John’s Military Academy in Delafield, Wis. in those days. Then, during World War II the country was rationing meat, and the Bears couldn’t get their nutritional requirements at St. John’s. Training camp was moved to St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Ind., because St. Joseph’s had its own farm animals to feed the players, she said.

Halas might not recognize today’s NFL, but McCaskey marvels at the reach of the league, the size of the Bears staff and the accommodations at Halas Hall. But she said for all the growth and change, the game at its roots remains very similar to the game her father helped popularize.  

“It’s still amazing to me, but George Halas was 25 years old when he went to Canton, Ohio for that first official league meeting,” she said of the formation of the NFL in the Hupmobile auto showroom.

Halas probably would have had a hard time dealing with some aspects of the league today, she acknowledged.

“When I hear guaranteed bonuses, I don’t know how he would have dealt with that kind of thing,” she said. “He was a great believer in rewarding for things you have done, not for potential. To have something like that guaranteed? No.”

She remembers sitting in her mother’s box at Wrigley Field as a child. The box was near the baseball dugout and close to the field. So close, in fact, that her mother and father could communicate during games.  

“Once in awhile, he’d have to look over at my mom because she was trying to direct the officials,” McCaskey said with a laugh.

Those were good days. She blinked, and then it was 1940. She was a sophomore at Drexel in Philadelphia at the time, and when the Bears played the Redskins, she took a train to D.C. for the game. The Bears lost 7-3. Less than a month later, she took another train to Washington for the championship game. This time, the Bears rolled out the T-formation and triumphed 73-0.  

“I was there,” she said. “Very enjoyable.”

It was one of nine Bears championships she witnessed. The 1963 championship also was a special one, because it meant so much to her father in the twilight of his coaching days.  

She remembers her father more as a coach than a player or an owner. She said he had an “all-consuming interest” in the players and personnel.

“His complete focus as far as I was concerned was on coaching the team, the ownership part never seemed as important as the results on the field.” 

In the history of the game, there really has not been anyone else quite like Halas — player, coach, owner, innovator and founding father. But McCaskey did allow that Mike Ditka reminds her of her father in some ways. She watched Ditka grow from a kid to a man to an icon.

“They were alike in their passion for the game and for winning,” she said. “That’s what he cared about, that’s what they both cared about. But do you remember when he was rollerblading in Halas Hall? My father wouldn’t have done that.”

She laughs, tilting her head back like a school girl.

McCaskey has treasured her associations with some of the greatest players and characters in the history of the franchise. She has been witness to the careers of 27 Hall of Famers, including dear old dad.  

She shared her recollections of some of the most memorable players in Bears history.
On the legendary Bronko Nagurski: “Believe it or not, he was very gentle, very quiet, and very large.”

On Hall of Famer Link Lyman: “He was one of my favorites because my mother and his wife Dolly were best friends, and I grew up with his daughters Jo Ann and Artis. We would go to practices and play our own games under the stands.”

On Dick Plasman, the last NFL player to not wear a helmet: “I had a crush on him. He was so tall and handsome. The day he got hurt in the south end zone I thought he had died. They covered his face and carried him off the field on a stretcher. After that, they began the helmet rule — everyone had to wear a helmet. He wasn’t wearing a helmet.”

On Sid Luckman, the greatest quarterback in Bears history: “He was Mr. Everything. He and my dad had a very special relationship. For awhile, I thought that’s just the way coaches are with quarterbacks. Then I realized that was very unusual.”

On Bill George, the first middle linebacker in history and one of the best ever: “He was more than just a player as far as our family was concerned. He and [her husband] Ed were good friends. Part of that is both were from Pennsylvania. We were involved in his family and he was involved in our family. There were Fourth of July barbeques at his home that were always a big deal to attend…. His mother made an afghan for me in Bears colors. He and his boys used to come to our home in Des Plaines and cultivate the garden for Ed so he wouldn’t have to do all the heavy work at the beginning of each growing season. It was a very personal and wonderful relationship.”

On 6-foot-8 wild man Doug Atkins: “I always thought of my dad as a big person physically as well as every other way. Shortly after Doug came to the Bears, I saw a picture of dad standing with Doug Atkins. I just couldn’t believe the difference in height. We had never had a player of that size. It was kind of overwhelming to me, as it turned out to be overwhelming for the teams we played against. Dad never mentioned it, but I wonder if he didn’t take a little personal satisfaction in the fact that Doug Atkins came to the Bears on a trade from Paul Brown because Paul did not want to deal with someone of Doug’s attitude, and Doug wound up in the Hall of Fame. There was a rivalry between Dad and Paul, and also a great deal of respect.”

On Dick Butkus, perhaps the best defensive player in NFL history: “Do you remember all of the contract disputes he had with dad? When he spoke at the unveiling of the George Halas statue at Soldier Field, he admitted he would have played for free. But he and dad were so alike. Looking back, you realized how special that relationship was.”

On the incandescent Gale Sayers: “Well, they called him Magic for good reason. When you watch the films, it’s amazing what he was able to do — especially on that muddy field in Wrigley Field.”

On Brian Piccolo, who died at 26 from testicular cancer: “It’s the only time in my life I ever questioned God’s will,” she said, getting emotional. “He was such a good person and he was doing so much good in his own special way. To lose someone like that, I just didn’t understand. He just cared about everybody. Now when you look at what has been done in his name, it brings you some comfort. Somebody years ago wrote about him being the million-dollar back because that was the amount of money that was raised in his name for cancer research.”

On the great Walter Payton: “He was Sweetness. His smile stood out in a personal way. On the field, I loved the way he’d score a touchdown and just hand the ball off to the official. That’s my kind of player.”

On the one-of-a-kind Mike Ditka: “I remember hearing on the radio early morning that he was in the hospital with a heart attack because he had been exercising beyond anybody’s rules of exercising. I remember going up to Lake Forest Hospital and trying to tell him, ‘Please take care of yourself, we need you and don’t want you coming back to the sidelines too soon.’ He said, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah.’ Of course, he did it his own way. He was back with the doctor beside him. And he’s still here.”

Ditka was fortunate. McCaskey has seen many Bears take hard falls. She sometimes struggles with the ruthless nature of the game.

“My least favorite expression is next man up,” she said. “It sounds so cold. It isn’t that. It’s caring about the injured player, getting the proper treatment and rehab, whatever is best for him.”

She also said the concussion issue is “very troubling” to her. She feels she understands it in a way some might not because her grandson Conor, George’s son, suffered a concussion playing high school football.

“We were involved in a very personal way with that,” she said. “It helped me to realize things really needed to change as far as the league is concerned. I know there have been a lot of changes in recent years. I think we still have a long way to go, but I think we are on the right track. We certainly need to lead in this instance because what we do in the National Football League is going to trickle down and affect college football, high school football and grammar school football. I think it’s a matter of education all the way around as well as taking the proper steps.”

As for her own health, she has a remarkable memory, and is able to function independently. She has some balance problems, and uses a walker. It takes her longer to get places than it used to. Passing her annual driving test is a victory that might rank with any NFC North win.

“I’m slow, but I’m grateful for what I’m able to do,” she said. “People are very kind to me.”

She attends every regular season game, home and away. The joke on team road trips is, “The buses wait for no man — and only one woman.” But McCaskey never keeps them waiting.

She keeps busy through the day. After getting home from church, she turns on Relevant Radio, a Catholic radio network, and often says the rosary. She gives away rosaries with orange and navy blue beads. Her personal rosary used to be orange and navy blue, but all the Hail Marys have worn away the navy blue coating. Now it’s orange and white.

One of her pet projects has been populating lawns in the city and suburbs with nativity scenes. She has given away hundreds and hundreds.

Hers has been an extraordinary but simple life, very different from the lives of Jerry Jones, Paul Allen or any other NFL owner. She has a strong sense of priority and not a bit of pretense.

One of the enduring lessons from her father was the league comes first. It is a lesson that has been lost on many team owners today.

She told a story from 1956: “I remember dad was telling us one night he was driving up the next day to Green Bay to speak at a political meeting so the people of Green Bay would pass the vote on a bond issue for the stadium. My mother and I were saying, ‘Why do you want to do that?’ Looking back on it now, I realize it was dad’s vision that a team in Green Bay was a good thing, and if he could do something to help that team, he felt obliged to do that. Now they have a bigger and better stadium than we do.”

She tries to channel her father’s spirit by taking his grandchildren and great grandchildren to the yearly NFL meetings. To her way of thinking, it is important for them to hear the commissioner’s reports and understand the issues facing the league.

“I want our family to attend so they get some idea that it isn’t just our interest in the Chicago Bears,” she said. “We are part of a much larger picture and we have a great deal of responsibility. The best things people have said to me were dad and Mugs did what was best for the good of the league rather than what was best for the Chicago Bears.”

She bid farewell to her dear husband of 60 years in 2003, but she remains surrounded and enriched by family. There are 21 grandkids and 26 great-grandkids. Every other year, she hosts an all-generations gathering at a nearby resort.

With 10 children, (Tim, her second oldest, passed away in 2011 at the age of 66), McCaskey said she is confident the Bears will be owned by her heirs long after she is gone. In fact, she quotes her son Pat and says the team will remain in the family “until the second coming.”

For now though, she is the queen of the Bears. She has been since her father passed away in 1983. Her brother Mugs was supposed to take over the team, but he died unexpectedly in 1979.

“After dad died, at age 60 I started a whole new life,” said McCaskey, who owns 80 percent of the team. “It was pretty scary. A lot of people were saying we should sell. It never occurred to me to do that. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing.

“I still hope we can do better than we’ve doing. We have to. People are so good. The Bears fans are so good. I’m very grateful.”

Faith, as any long-time Bears fan can tell you, is a requirement for investment in this team. Her investment is emotional as well as financial.  

When her son George announced that he was firing Phil Emery and Marc Trestman in Dec. 2014, he said his mother was “pissed off.” She still is not very happy about the state of the Bears, who dropped to 2-7 with a 36-10 loss at Tampa Bay on Sunday.

“Losing is hard,” she said. “It’s hard on all of us.”

When times are especially trying, she still calls upon her father.  

“I think of him as a very strong presence, someone I always felt knew all the answers whether I was having problems with algebra or relationships or learning how to ride a two-wheel bike without training wheels,” she said. “I often think of him when there are decisions to be made now, and pray that he’s with me and will help me.  Whatever we do as far as the Bears are concerned, we want to do in the way he would be doing things.”

George Halas has been gone 33 years now. But as long Virginia McCaskey has a prayer, his hand remains on the Chicago Bears.

CUBS: Kris Bryant follows up Cubs' World Series win with National League MVP award.

By CSN Staff

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Kris Bryant is the 2016 National League Most Valuable Player.

The Cubs' third baseman was declared the winner on Thursday night, receiving 29 of 30 first-place votes and finishing ahead of fellow semifinalists Daniel Murphy and Corey Seager.

Bryant totaled 415 points in the voting, besting second-place finisher Murphy, who had 245 points.

Bryant is the 11th winner in Cubs history and the first in 18 years. Sammy Sosa was the most-recent winner in 1998.

In just his second season in the majors, Bryant captured the MVP a year after he was the NL Rookie of the Year.

Bryant posted a .292/.385/.554 slash line with 39 home runs, 35 doubles, 102 RBIs and 121 runs scored. He led the NL in runs scored and ranked in the top six in the NL in homers, OPS, slugging percentage and RBIs.

How Kris Bryant became the fast-track MVP for Cubs.

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Amid the celebration after the Cubs won their first National League pennant in 71 years, Kris Bryant’s father, Mike, walked out to third base and got into a defensive crouch, because he wanted to view Wrigley Field through his son’s eyes.

Did you see this coming?

“You know, I’d be lying to you if I said ‘no,’” Mike said with a laugh. “(But) to envision this, boy, I don’t know, it’s madness.”

It’s only just beginning, with the Cubs still enjoying their World Series victory lap and Bryant winning the NL MVP race in a landslide, getting 29 of 30 first-place votes as the Baseball Writers’ Association of America revealed the voting on Thursday night, confirming what everyone already knew.  

But Bryant is always the calm in the middle of the storm, a quality he gets from his mother, Sue, who has politely declined interview requests over the years, staying in the background and letting her chatty, energetic husband handle the media attention.

It’s been nonstop from the moment the Cubs chose Bryant with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 draft and immediately made him a face of their franchise. The corporate sponsors followed, with Adidas putting a “Worth The Wait” billboard up near the Wrigley Field marquee while the Cubs stashed him at Triple-A Iowa for seven games last year. During that April service-time drama, Bryant shot his “Down on the Farm” commercial for Red Bull, petting a goat as he was about to board a bus headed for Chicago.

“That was incredible,” Mike said. “That kind of worried me a little bit – all this pressure.”

If Bryant ever felt that constant weight on his shoulders, he never really showed it, following up a unanimous Rookie of the Year campaign with 39 homers, 102 RBI and 121 runs scored. He adjusted his swing, cutting his strikeouts from 199 to 154 while boosting his batting average (.292) by 17 points and his OPS (.939) by 81 points.

An All-Star third baseman with a 6-foot-5-and-a-half frame, Bryant also played all over the outfield, filled in at first base, played an inning at shortstop and shifted across the infield for the team that led the majors in defensive efficiency.

“He’s been as steady as anybody’s been all year in his entire game,” manager Joe Maddon said during the NL Championship Series, after Bryant stood at his locker inside Dodger Stadium and took all questions, insisting there would be no panic with the Cubs down 2-1 in a best-of-seven matchup. “Every day, he shows up.

“Last year was a great learning experience for him, being so young playing this deeply into the season. He’s in better shape mentally and physically right now going into this moment than he was last year at the same time. He learned from his experience. And that’s why I think when we have a bad moment, he knows: ‘Let’s just move it to the next 24 hours.’ He’s learned that very quickly.”

Bryant is a baseball gym rat, a low-maintenance superstar who absorbed the lessons his father once learned from Ted Williams as a minor-league outfielder with the Boston Red Sox. Bryant grew up in Las Vegas, playing with and against Bryce Harper, last year’s MVP winner for the Washington Nationals, before going to the University of San Diego, where he became a candidate for a Rhodes Scholarship.

Cubs executives Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod met with Bryant in a hotel lobby in Stockton, California, during the West Coast Conference tournament and came away convinced that he had the right stuff to handle the scrutiny and temptations that would come with playing in Chicago. The Cubs lucked out when the Houston Astros took Stanford University pitcher Mark Appel with the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft. 

“It’s such a rare combination of athleticism, skill and makeup,” said Matt Dorey, a West Coast crosschecker during Bryant’s junior season and now the team’s amateur scouting director. “It just felt so right. These guys are typically the best bets in the draft at the top.

“And then when you get to know the player on that level, it gave us so much comfort that he was going to have the ability to come in and be really good instantly.

“But his developmental path was still crazy, because I thought there would be more of a learning curve defensively at third than there has been, and that I think just goes to athleticism and makeup. He so wanted to prove to everybody that he could play third base, because he heard and was aware of what people said.”

In the 10th inning of Game 7 against the Cleveland Indians, Bryant charged the ball Michael Martinez chopped past the Progressive Field mound, throwing across the diamond to first baseman Anthony Rizzo for the final out of the World Series, ending the 108-year drought.

Rizzo finished fourth in MVP voting with 202 points, behind Washington second baseman Daniel Murphy (245 points) and Los Angeles shortstop Corey Seager (240 points). “Bryzzo” will remain under club control through the 2021 season, making Cubs fans think they could be watching a potential dynasty.

Since earning the Golden Spikes Award, college baseball’s Heisman Trophy, Bryant has been the 2013 Arizona Fall League MVP, the 2014 consensus minor league player of the year and a Hank Aaron Award winner this year. Only three other players in big-league history have won the MVP a season after winning Rookie of the Year honors: Boston’s Dustin Pedroia (2007 and 2008), Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard (2005 and 2006) and Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. (1982 and 1983).

Bryant is still less than two months away from his 25th birthday.

“I’m so flipping proud of him,” Mike said. “It’s unbelievable, just to watch my son grow as a baseball player and as a man.”

Cubs moved up to national spotlight on ESPN to begin 2017 title defense.

By Tony Andracki

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Don't expect the Cubs World Series party to stop just because the calendar flips to 2017.

Major League Baseball moved the Cubs' 2017 season opener against the Cardinals to Sunday, April 2 as part of a primetime game on ESPN beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

ESPN also hooked the Cubs for their home opener on April 10, which will also include the championship ceremony. 

The Cubs will host National League Manager of the Year Dave Roberts and the Los Angeles Dodgers at the first game at Wrigley Field since ending the 108-year championship drought.

Cubs-Cardinals will be the third game as part of MLB's Opening Day festivties on April 2, with two afternoon games in Tampa Bay (Yankees-Rays at 1 p.m. ET) and Arizona (Giants-Diamondbacks at 4 p.m. ET) prior to the NL Central showdown under the arch.

With the Cubs' season opener moving up a day, they will now have an off day on Monday, April 3. From there, Joe Maddon and Co. will finish their series with the Cardinals with a night game on April 4 (7:15 p.m. first pitch) and then a matinee at 12:45 on April 5.

The Cubs will be off on Thursday, April 6 before heading to Milwaukee for a three-game series over 2017's first full weekend of action.

Tom Ricketts on Steve Bartman: 'I’m sure we’ll reach out to him at the right time'.

By CSN Staff 

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

There's been a bunch of people who have bandied about the idea of the Cubs — now curse-free after winning their first World Series championship since 1908 — bringing Steve Bartman back to Wrigley Field.

And Tom Ricketts seems to like that idea.

In an interview with USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Cubs' chairman said that the team will probably reach out to the fan so infamously involved in Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series.

“I’m sure we’ll reach out to him at the right time,’’ Ricketts said, “and I’m sure we’ll figure something out that provides closure for everybody. Hopefully, we can make it work.

“But you know, I never focused on ghosts or curses or Bartmans or any of that stuff. It’s always been about needing a better team on the field. We wanted to eventually get to that point where we can pick out rings, like we did (Tuesday), and here we are.’’

White Sox name player development staff.

By Dan Hayes 

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The White Sox promoted Kirk Champion, Richard Dotson and Mike Gellinger as part of a slew of player development moves on Wednesday.

Champion, who served as fielding coordinator from 2012-16, takes over as the director of minor-league instruction.

“He’s a guy who has experienced a lot of different roles,” player development director Chris Getz said. “He’s got a lot of knowledge. He’s got a lot of feel for the organization. In the position he’s in now, he’s going to be very helpful for me, from a selfish standpoint, because he kind of knows the lay of the land.”

After nine seasons as pitching coach for Triple-A Charlotte, Dotson replaces Curt Hasler as the organization’s new pitching coordinator. Hasler was promoted to White Sox bullpen coach last month.

“He’s a very intelligent person, a person that relates very well to players,” Getz said. “I’ve never met a player that does not like Richard Dotson, and it’s really because of his people skills and his ability to teach and get players better.”

Gellinger, who has spent 29 years in the organization, has been named the organization’s hitting coordinator. He previously managed the team’s Arizona Rookie League team.

“He’s got a great temperament about him, a great understanding of hitting,” Getz said. “Also has a great ability to relate to the player and get the point across and teach him the skills to have success now and have a long and successful career.”

The White Sox also officially announced the hire of Mark Grudzielanek as Triple-A Charlotte manager. Steve McCatty, who was the Washington Nationals’ pitching coach from 2009-15, will replace Dotson as the Knights’ pitching coach.

The hitting coach at Rookie Great Falls last season, Willie Harris has been named manager at Single-A Winston-Salem. Justin Jirschele takes over as manager at Single-A Kannapolis while Julio Vinas returns to manage at Double-A Birmingham, a role he also held from 2013-15.

Earlier this offseason the White Sox named Getz as their new player development director following the promotion of Nick Capra to third-base coach. 

White Sox pitchers Chris Sale, Jose Quintana finish in top 10 in AL Cy Young voting.

By Dan Hayes

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

White Sox starter Chris Sale finished fifth in the American League Cy Young Award vote, and teammate Jose Quintana tied for 10th.

The announcement Wednesday means a fourth straight top-five finish in the AL Cy vote for Sale, who went 17-10 with a 3.34 ERA in 32 starts.

Boston’s Rick Porcello narrowly edged Detroit’s Justin Verlander with 137 points to 132 for his first-ever Cy Young Award. Verlander received more first-place votes (14 to Porcello’s eight) but was left off two ballots.

Cleveland’s Corey Kluber finished third overall (98 points), and Baltimore’s Zach Britton was fourth with 72 points. Sale, who also earned a sixth-place finish in 2012, finished with 40 points.

Quintana went 13-12 with a 3.20 ERA in 32 starts and received one fifth-place vote to tie with Detroit’s Michael Fulmer, who was named the AL Rookie of the Year on Monday.

Golf: I got a club for that..... Rookie Hughes shoots 61, leads RSM by 1.

By Will Gray

The final official PGA Tour event of 2016 is off and running, and a rookie clings to the top spot in the early going. Here's how things look after the first round of the RSM Classic, where Mackenzie Hughes holds a one-shot lead:

Leaderboard: Mackenzie Hughes (-9), Stewart Cink (-8), Jonathan Byrd (-8), Cameron Tringale (-7), Blayne Barber (-7), Kyle Stanley (-7), Hiroshi Iwata (-7)

What it means: Hughes is making just his fifth start as a Tour member, but he now finds himself atop the standings after briefly challenging the sub-60 barrier on the Seaside Course. Chasing him is a group that includes veterans like Byrd and Stanley as well as Cink, who has played sparingly in recent months and hasn't won since the 2009 Open Championship.

Round of the day: Hughes got off to a blistering start, making the turn in 5-under 30 before adding birdies on Nos. 10 and 11 to play his first 11 holes in 7 under. The Canadian added two more birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 and finished with three pars to close out a 9-under 61 after finding every fairway and 15 of 18 greens in regulation.

Best of the rest: Cink took time away from competition earlier this year to be with his wife as she battles breast cancer. But the veteran is back to competing this week and got off to a strong start with an 8-under 62 that featured four straight birdies on Nos. 4-7 of the Seaside Course and a lone dropped shot on No. 9, his final hole of the day.

Biggest disappointment: Zach Johnson is one of several local residents enjoying a home game this week, but he wasn't able to capitalize during an even-par 70 Thursday on the Seaside Course. Johnson made the turn in 1 over and didn't make a birdie until No. 14. He closed with a bogey on No. 18 and now sits nine shots back and in danger of missing the cut.

Main storyline heading into Friday: It remains to be seen how Hughes will hold up under the pressure of his first lead on Tour, but the biggest story remains Cink. At age 43 and more than seven years removed from his last win, Cink has hardly thought of competitive golf since his wife's cancer diagnosis. Should he contend, and even perhaps win, it would easily be one of the biggest stories of the year.

Quote of the day: "I found a good thought on the range this morning, and it just kind of clicked from there." - Hughes

Westwood upstages RTD contenders in Round 1.

Associated Press

The four players in contention for the Race to Dubai title were upstaged by Lee Westwood in the first round of the DP World Tour Championship on Thursday.

Westwood shot a 6-under 66 in swirling winds to take a one-stroke lead at the European Tour's season-ending event in Dubai.

"Some days you feel like there's a lot of birdies out there but today I think was a pretty stiff test," Westwood said.

Danny Willett and Alex Noren were best-placed of the players bidding to finish the season as Europe's No. 1 after shooting 71s on the Earth course of Jumeirah Golf Estates, while Henrik Stenson - the leader in the Race to Dubai standings - shot 72.

Rory McIlroy started the week as the big outsider to win the Race to Dubai and his chances are even slimmer after shooting 75, ending a run of 28 straight rounds of par or lower at the World Tour Championship.

Should Stenson win, he will be Europe's No. 1 for the second time in four years. He could even finish atop the standings with a top-eight finish, provided Willett doesn't win or finish second and Noren doesn't win.

The 43-year-old Westwood, who was the winner of the inaugural edition of World Tour Championship in 2009, made just one bogey - on No. 12 - on a day when winds made scoring difficult. He had three birdies on the front nine and four on the back nine.

"It was all good, really. I played lovely," said Westwood, playing without his regular caddie Billy Foster who is out with a knee injury. "Hit a lot of fairways, a lot of good iron shots, putted nicely and, you know, didn't make too many mistakes out there."

France's Julien Quesne and Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts were tied for second place after 67s, while No. 12 Spaniard Sergio Garcia was tied fourth after a 68, along with Italian Francesco Molinari and Dutchman Joost Luiten.

Stenson made just one birdie and one bogey, being denied a closing birdie on the 18th after his putt from six feet lipped out.

"It wasn't my best day. I played very average," Stenson said. "I'd say the good putts I hit didn't go in, and the bad ones certainly didn’t.”

Agent: Tiger Woods on track for Hero World Challenge return.

By Ryan Ballengee

Tiger Woods is planning on a comeback in a few weeks. (Photo/Getty Images)

Tiger Woods bailed out at the last minute on his first crack at a return from a pair of 2015 back surgeries. Now, as the days tick down to his next potential return date, Woods’ agent insists the 14-time major champion is well on his way back to competition.

After pulling out of the Safeway Open in October, saying his game wasn’t quite ready for public consumption, Woods said he was targeting a return at his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, played December 1-4.

Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent, told ESPN’s Bob Harig that Woods is “getting after it a bit more, continuing to work toward that goal (of returning at Hero) and excited to get back out there and compete, see the guys and be in the locker room instead of being a (Ryder Cup) assistant captain.”

Woods hasn’t teed it up competitively since finishing tied for 10th at the 2015 Wyndham Championship. A pair of back surgeries, including a second microdiscectomy as a follow to a March 2014 procedure, has kept him sidelined in an extended recovery and rehabilitation.

Later in December, Woods will turn 41. While it’s hard to imagine Woods returning to his early 2000s form, the former world No. 1 has been going at it on the range, testing new equipment and preparing for the long process back to competitive relevance.

“The determination is still there,” Steinberg added. “We’ve still got two weeks to go, but he is doing the things necessary to get himself as ready as he can be, but it’s going to be 15 months since the last time he played competitively.”

How much rust Woods will show when he returns is anyone’s guess, including Woods’.

Davis Love III: 'Tiger Was Just Amazing' as Ryder Cup Vice Captain.

Golf Wire

Davis Love III: "Tiger Was Just Amazing" as Ryder Cup Vice Captain. (Photo/Golf Wire)

There's A Lot to Learn About the New Tiger Woods From his Ryder Cup vice captaincy to his Safeway Open WD, we've learned quite a bit lately about Tiger Woods. Davis Love III delivered high praise of Tiger Woods ahead of the RSM Classic Wednesday, showering the 14-time major winner with compliments for his role as a vice captain at the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine.

"Tiger was just amazing," Love said during Wednesday's press conference. "He had a great system. It really helped us on Sunday. We had already talked about Sunday pairings so many times that when the crunch time came, we knew what we were doing."

Woods was announced as one of Love's vice captains at the 2015 RSM Classic, and was brought on as the team's 'tactician.' But Woods' communication with the team seems to have been what made the differenc; Love credits Woods with inspiring Patrick Reed to victory over Rory McIlroy in one of the event's most epic matches, as well as checking in with team members months ahead of the competition for long chats.

"We were a team," Woods said following the Americans' first Ryder Cup win in eight years. "Whether I was playing or not I was a part of a team. Our team won... My role was to help the team however possible, and I hope I've done that."

NASCAR’s weekend schedule for Homestead-Miami Speedway.

By Daniel McFadin

(Photo/Getty Images)

All three of NASCAR’s national series will hold their season finales at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend, ending a season that began in February at Daytona International Speedway.

Here is the weekend schedule, ending with Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 for the Sprint Cup Series.

All times are Eastern.

Friday, Nov. 18

7 a.m. – Truck Series garage opens

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Truck series practice (Fox Sports 1)

9:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. – Sprint Cup garage open

10:30 a.m. – 11:25 a.m. – Final Truck Series practice (Fox Sports 1)

11 a.m. – 9 p.m. – Xfinity garage open

12:30 – 1:55 p.m. – Sprint Cup practice (NBCN, MRN Radio)

2 – 3:25 p.m. – Xfinity practice (NBCSN)

3:45 p.m. – Truck qualifying; single vehicle/two rounds (Fox Sports 1)

5 – 5:55 p.m. – Final Xfinity practice (NBCSN)

6 p.m. – Truck Series driver-crew chief meeting

6:15 p.m. – Sprint Cup qualifying; multi-car/three rounds (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

7:30 p.m. – Truck driver introductions

8 p.m. – Ford EcoBoost 200; 134 laps/201 miles (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Saturday, Nov. 19

7 a.m. – Xfinity garage opens

8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Sprint Cup garage open

10-10:55 a.m. – Sprint Cup practice (NBCSN, MRN)

11:15 a.m. – Xfinity qualifying; multi-car/three rounds (CNBC)

12:45 p.m. – Xfinity driver-crew chief meeting

1 – 1:50 p.m. – Final Sprint Cup practice (NBCSN, MRN)

3 p.m. – Xfinity driver introductions

3:30 p.m. – Ford EcoBoost 300; 200 laps/300 miles (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Sunday, Nov. 20

8:30 a.m. – Cup garage opens

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

2 p.m. – Driver introductions

2:30 p.m. – Ford EcoBoost 400; 267 laps/400.5 miles (NBC, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Chase Analytics: Kyle Busch slight favorite to win Sprint Cup title.

By Eric Chemi

(Photo/nbcsports.com)

The model turned out to just scrape by with accurate guesses at Phoenix. We had predicted Kyle Busch and Joey Logano as our two best bets to fill the last two spots, but we said it was a really close call.

And that’s exactly what happened. They made it, but man it was really a close call.

So here we are: four drivers for the title. The last two drivers who made it are actually the heavier favorites than Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards, who were locked in before Phoenix.

“I’d say it’s a toss-up,” said Josh Browne, a former Sprint Cup crew chief and now co-founder at Pit Rho. “Edwards won at Texas, but Logano led the most laps.”

Kyle Busch won this race last year to win the title. Our forecast likes him a little bit more than everybody else, but it’s very tough to declare a clear favorite. Johnson has recent momentum, but Busch has been strong all year. Logano has also been consistent all season, but just not as good as Busch. And Carl Edwards, probably the least likely winner, still has a decent shot of taking this in the unique one-race format.

This is the problem with calling a winner. It’s just one race, not an entire season. There’s no chance to “average things out” or “balance the ups and downs” – one mistake and that’s it.

Something else to watch out for, Busch’s ability late in the race to catch up. “Of these four, he’s the best driver at squeezing a good finish from a less-than-perfect car,” Browne said. “When it comes time to perform, there is no better driver at finishing strong.”

The data backs that up too. Busch has gained an average of 0.81 positions in the final 20 percent of a race, according to Pit Rho’s lap-by-lap data. That beats Edwards (+0.71) and Johnson (+0.63). And it certainly beats Logano, who loses 0.58 spots in that final chunk of the race. Think Homestead 2014.

PS: Matt Kenseth has a 73 percent chance of finishing fifth in the standings, the best of the rest. Kasey Kahne has a 95 percent chance of finishing 17^th – the best non-chaser.

HOW THE PREDICTIONS WORK

With the help of Andrew Maness from racing analytics firm Pit Rho, we ran the numbers to show every driver’s shot of moving through each round of the Chase. The mathematical model was designed by both Maness and me, using past driver performance to predict future results. By running 100,000 simulations of how the rest of the season might play out, we see the most likely outcomes.

Toyota can claim manufacturer’s championship in all three NASCAR series.

By Kelly Crandall

(Photo/Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)

Toyota Racing is looking for its own version of the triple crown this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

After clinching the manufacturer’s championship in the Camping World Truk Series last Friday, Toyota can win the title in both the Xfinity and Sprint Cup Series this weekend.

Daniel Suarez won the Truck race at Phoenix International Raceway, sealing the manufacturer’s championship for Toyota for the fourth consecutive season. It is their eighth overall manufacturer’s title.

Entering Homestead, Toyota leads the manufacturer’s championship by 21 points in the Xfinity Series and 30 points in the Sprint Cup Series.

A finish of 17th or better by a Toyota driver in Saturday’s Ford EcoBoost 300 would clinch the manufacturer’s championship. It would be the fourth overall manufacturer’s championship for Toyota, who also claimed the honors in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

In the Sprint Cup Series, a finish of 26th or better by a Toyota driver in Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 would clinch the manufacturer’s championship. It would be the first for Toyota in the Cup Series.

A Toyota manufacturer’s championship in the Cup Series would also mark the first time in 13 seasons that Chevrolet has not earned the honors.

Toyota also has driver’s represented in the Championship 4 at Homestead in all three NASCAR national series.

SOCCER: Top Premier League storylines ahead of Week 12.

By Joe Prince-Wright

The Premier League is back after the international break. I can hear you celebrating…

With that in mind, let’s dig a little deeper and look at the top storylines in the 10 matches this weekend.

Will Manchester United vs. Arsenal be an epic encounter on and off the pitch? Can Spurs and West Ham delivery a London derby for the ages in their last encounter at the original White Hart Lane? Can Liverpool keep rolling against a talented Southampton outfit?

Here’s a look at all that and more.

Mourinho vs. Wenger takes center stage

We are promised there will be a handshake this time. That’s likely where the cordiality will end.

Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger don’t get along and that will once again be the case as Manchester United host Arsenal at Old Trafford on Saturday (Watch live, 7:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN and online via NBC Sports.com). It’s been brewing for years but has intensified since Mourinho returned to the Premier League in 2013. From Mourinho branding Wenger as a “specialist in failure” to Wenger pushing Mourinho on the sideline and then refusing to shake his hand after the Community Shield final at Wembley last season, this has become very personal.

For many fans of United and Arsenal it conjures up memories of the rivalry between Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson over the past two decades. With Mourinho under pressure after winning just two of his last eight Premier League games, his United side beat Swansea City 3-1 before the break with Paul Pogba scoring a screamer and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (he’s suspended for Saturday’s game) bagging a brace. There are promising signs but then Mourinho called out Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling and seemed to question the toughness of his players before reportedly ordering a review of the clubs medical staff.

Wenger and Arsenal is 10 games unbeaten and sit two points off the top of the table, but injuries are starting to stack up as they usually do in November for the Gunners. Hector Bellerin and Santi Cazorla are out, while Alexis Sanchez’s status remains unknown after playing with an injured hamstring for Chile while on international duty.

The fact Wenger has never beaten Mourinho in the Premier League adds to the intrigue.

London derby at White Hart Lane

“That is always a big game against Spurs and maybe the biggest derby for West Ham,” Bilic told whufc.com. “It is a start of five major games. It is important to start after the international break with a good performance.”

West Ham’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday (Watch live, 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC and online via NBC Sports.com) is doubly important given the incredibly tough stretch of games coming up for the Hammers. They face Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United after Spurs in the Premier League, plus head to United in the EFL Cup too. Bilic knows his side need to start off that tough stretch in the right way to try and build some momentum after failing to beat Stoke City at home before the break.

For Spurs, their momentum has stalled a little in recent weeks but they’re still the only unbeaten team in the Premier League with five wins and six draws from their 11 games so far. That killer instinct has been missing for Spurs but with Harry Kane returning against Arsenal before the break and looking sharper as the game went on, another 10 days of recovery after not being risked by England over the international break is welcome news for Mauricio Pochettino. Toby Alderweireld, Erik Lamela and Ben Davies are all out and Dele Alli could be missing. That’s not good news for Pochettino, especially as the next few weeks are season-defining for Spurs. Five points off the top and a do-or-die UCL game away at AS Monaco next week, Pochettino’s youngsters will be hungry to silence the doubters.

In this final London derby between Spurs and West Ham at the original White Hart Lane before it is rebuilt, you can expect an intense atmosphere under the floodlights on a chilly November night. On the pitch this is a game which Spurs should win but derbies are always a leveler.

Liverpool’s band of ex-Saints return

Adam Lallana. Sadio Mane. Dejan Lovren. Nathaniel Clyne. If fit (Lallana is a doubt after hobbling off for England against Spain on Tuesday) all four will start for Liverpool at Southampton on Saturday (Watch live, 10 a.m. ET on NBCSN and online via NBC Sports.com) and return to the club which turned them into household names in the Premier League.

Lallana and Lovren haven’t got kind welcome’s when playing back at St Mary’s, while this will be Mane’s first game against the Saints since leaving for $42 million this summer. The Senegalese flyer can expect slightly less animosity than Lallana and Lovren who left in the summer of 2014 amid rumors of them requesting moves. There’s been an extra spice in this fixture in recent years but given Liverpool’s deserved ascension to the top of the Premier League table after 11 games of this season, it is clear they are now pulling away from the likes of Southampton and West Ham, both of whom finished above them in the Premier League last season.

Under Jurgen Klopp there’s been much talk about the offensive fluidity and with Liverpool leading the league in scoring (30 goals) then it’s easier to subscribe to that hype with Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Mane and Lallana in the form of their lives. However, playing away at teams who have strong offensive weapons of their own could be their downfall. Just as it was under Brendan Rodgers as they came agonizingly close to winning the title in the 2013-14 season but their woeful defensive record eventually caught up with them. There are striking similarities with this swashbuckling Liverpool side under Klopp.

Saints will be sweating on the fitness of playmaker Dusan Tadic who broke his nose playing for Serbia against Wales and will wear a protective mask. Nathan Redmond and Charlie Austin will start in attack, plus Sofiane Boufal is almost fully fit and Shane Long is ready after recovering from a hamstring injury. Saints have options in attack and Klopp will be wary after his side were 2-0 up at half time at St Mary’s in this fixture last season but somehow lost 3-2. Of course, Mane scored twice for Southampton today, so at least he doesn’t have to worry about his threat. Yet jokes about whoever scores for Saints on Saturday being lined up by Liverpool for the next transfer window will continue. When you consider who the last three Saints players to score at Anfield are (Lovren, Clyne, Mane) it makes sense. Will Saints prove to Liverpool, and the watching world, that they are sick of the jokes about them being a feeder club for the Reds?

Relegation scrap in the north east

This is not the biggest game of the weekend in the Premier League but it has the potential to be the most important.

Sunderland host Hull City on Saturday (Watch live, 10 a.m. ET online via NBC Sports.com) with both teams knowing they’ll be embroiled in a season-long battle for Premier League survival.

David Moyes‘ Sunderland won for the first time this season before the international break, securing a 2-1 win at Bournemouth to win in the PL at the eleventh attempt this season. Hull also won before the break, beating Southampton 2-1 to secure their first victory since August. Mike Phelan was a relieved man. For the Black Cats and Tigers, this battle in the north east represents a chance to grab three valuable points.

Hull have won on each of their last two trips to Sunderland in the Premier League but it seems like Moyes’ side may have turned a corner in the win away at Bournemouth after going down to 10-men. Sunderland are perennial slow starters but belief and confidence mean a lot. After both teams got back to winning ways last time out, that also means they’ll both be confident of securing another precious three points to aid their relegation battle.

Who would replace Jurgen Klinsmann if he was fired?

By Joe Prince--Wright

(Photo/Getty Images)

Klinsmann took the majority of the flak as the U.S. lost to Mexico and Costa Rica to leave them bottom of the Hexagonal after the opening two games of the final round of 2018 World Cup qualifying in the CONCACAF region. The latter defeat was the more disappointing result as the USMNT lost 4-0 in San Jose and some players seemed to down tools in the second half with shambolic defending ruthlessly exploited by Los Ticos.

Now that Klinsmann has had five years in the job, the calls for him to be fired are louder and clearer than ever. Many suggest that U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati (who stated last week that Klinsmann will be in charge throughout the Hex campaign) doesn’t need to have a ready-made replacement lined up with the U.S. not having another World Cup qualifier until March 2017.

What if Gulati is on the lookout for a new man to take charge of the USMNT? Who would be a good fit?

Here’s a look at the contenders…

Bruce Arena

With Arena out of contract at the LA Galaxy, the former U.S. national team head coach from 1998-2006 expects to sign a new deal and be in charge of LA next season. That said, with his vast experience and knowledge of the U.S. player pool, could Arena help steady the ship and sign a two-year contract to lead the USMNT to World Cup qualification and then in Russia in 2018?

He is no nonsense and although some may question his tactics, his success in LA over the past eight years (three MLS Cups) suggests he knows exactly what he’s doing with a group of talented individuals. Arena has a knack of getting extremely talented players to buy into a team-first ethos. The U.S. needs that in abundance. He wouldn’t be a long-term option but if U.S. Soccer cares about solely making the World Cup (from a financial and prestige standpoint it should be at the front of the queue) then hiring Arena makes sense. He has that quarterfinal appearance at the 2002 World Cup on his resume too. Very handy.

Guus Hiddink

Similar to Arena, Hiddink would be a short-term solution but he’s shown he can re-energize squads lacking in confidence. The veteran Dutch coach has done that twice successfully at Chelsea, most recently last season, and he’s had success in the international game with South Korea, Australia and with Russia (well, if you look at EURO 2008 at least). He would again be someone who wouldn’t change the infrastructure but would instead focus solely on coaching the team. His lack of CONCACAF knowledge could be an issue but his vast experience at club and international level prove he’s no stranger to adapting to new situations.

Peter Vermes

Highly regarded in MLS circles, the former U.S. national team player has developed a winning culture and strong identity at Sporting Kansas City. He is seen by many as in a cluster of more experienced MLS coaches who could make the step up to the national team job. Vermes has criticized Jurgen Klinsmann at times, especially for the way he’s handled Sporting KC’s skipper Matt Besler, and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. He has previously been involved with the U.S. as a U-20 coach but with SKC ticking along nicely but failing to truly compete for MLS Cup in each of the last three seasons since winning it in 2013, perhaps now is a good time for Vermes to step up and move on.

Sigi Schmid

Out of work following his firing from the Seattle Sounders, Schmid is a vastly experienced and respected coach in U.S. soccer circles. He has helped nurture so many talented young players from his days with UCLA and then with the U.S. youth national teams and as an assistant of the USMNT. The identity he built at the Seattle Sounders when they entered MLS in 2008 and over the past eight years is to be admired. Could he replicate that direct, incisive style with the U.S.?

Bob Bradley

There’s a sense that there’s unfinished business for Bradley and U.S. Soccer. The former has of course only just taken over at Swansea City in the Premier League but the New Jersey native is not happy with the way he and his coaching staff were treated back in 2011 when Gulati replaced them with Klinsmann and his staff. Many fans of USMNT are now hankering for a return to the Bradley era, one which almost delivered the Confederations Cup in 2009 and was steady and dependable. The USMNT is anything but that right now.

Jason Kreis

Again, another candidate who has just taken on a new job, Kreis will be busy trying to turn Orlando City into a force in Major League Soccer. An impressively calm individual who has past experience of shaping the entire philosophy and culture of a club when he started off the Real Salt Lake project. Kreis turned RSL into MLS Cup champs and their playing style was admired across North America. It didn’t work out for him at New York City FC for many reasons out of his control (DP players, lofty expectations from the hierarchy etc.) but he still has one of the most thoughtful soccer brains among American coaches. Maybe not his time yet, but in the future he’ll be in the discussion as long he can turn Orlando into a regular playoff contender in MLS.

Premier League Preview: Southampton vs. Liverpool.

By Nicholas Mendola

(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Liverpool defends first place for the first time when it hits St. Mary’s for a date with Southampton on Saturday (Watch live at 10 a.m. EDT on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com).

Saints manager Claude Puel swears his club can try to match Liverpool’s pace and mentality, despite their 12 goals on the season being a bit behind the Reds’ 30.

There are a bevy of ex-Saints making a return to St. Mary’s, with Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, and Sadio Mane all with Liverpool now.

What they’re saying

Jay Rodriguez on matching up with former Saints: “It’s normal to come up against old teammates. You just need to be as professional as possible. During the game you are very focused on the match itself.”

Reds goalkeeper Loris Karius on the match: “We are at the top now and we don’t want to give it away after just one game. That’s the biggest aim we have – to stay there. That’s motivation enough. That’s our big goal, to stay up there.”

Prediction

Since it’s natural to expect finishing from both sides, might we see a surprise defensive showdown. Between Virgil Van Dijk and Jose Fonte, Saints have the skills to help slow Liverpool. We’ll call it 1-1 at St. Mary’s.

NCAAFB: How the College Football Playoff could end up with two non-division winners.

By Kevin McGuire

(Photo/Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

I have been batting around this chaotic idea in my head all day since doing a live video this morning about the latest College Football Playoff rankings. It sure seems as though we could be heading to an interesting College Football Playoff lineup, in which the third year proves there is no year-to-year formula for putting the playoff together. Each year will be different, like a snowflake. This one just so happens to be one of the oddest snowflakes ever.

The latest College Football Playoff rankings released on Tuesday night bumped Ohio State up to second place, behind No. 1 Alabama. That seems to have the Buckeyes in a very comfortable position to make the playoff, assuming it takes care of rival Michigan in the final game of the regular season. Of course, as has been discussed from multiple angles by now, we have a real possibility of Ohio State going 11-1, beating Michigan and still being locked out from playing for the Big Ten championship. That is because Penn State will represent the Big Ten East in Indianapolis if — and this is a big “if” — the Nittany Lions win their final two games (at Rutgers, vs. Michigan State) and Ohio State defeats Michigan. If you are Ohio State, this seems pretty frustrating as a Big Ten title would sure be nice. On the flip side, however, Ohio State could still be pretty comfy in that second spot in the rankings without having to risk playing in a championship game. It’s like old times in the Big Ten!

Ohio State could very well put the selection committee to the test this season, because they could be a top two team without a division championship. How are you going to leave out an 11-1 Ohio State at the end of the year when they are second in your ranking in the middle of November and will have a win against your third-best team? The simple answer, I think, is they won’t. Ohio State, despite not winning its division, is on course to become the first team in the playoff era to be selected to play in the four-team playoff despite not winning (or playing for) a conference title.

And the bets part yet, Louisville could potentially do the same.

The latest College Football Playoff ranking put Louisville in the “First Team Out” spot at No. 5, right behind Clemson. Louisville is in a similar position as Ohio State, in that they could finish the season with an 11-1 record and be locked out of playing for the ACC championship. Right now, Clemson stands in the way, thanks to a head-to-head tiebreaker from September. It looks as though Clemson is going to go on to play for the ACC Championship as they need a win against Wake Forest to clinch the ACC Atlantic Division this weekend. But what if Clemson were to lose to Virginia Tech (or North Carolina) in the ACC Championship Game? Oh my, we’d have some chaos on our hands.

For starters, Clemson would drop out of the top four in the playoff ranking, and given the current rankings, that could give Louisville one last chance to sneak in. Of course, staying ahead of a one-loss Pac-12 champion might be difficult (but who says Washington is guaranteed to win the Pac-12 anyway?), and nobody knows what kind of surge a two-loss Big Ten champion (Wisconsin or Penn State) might receive from the committee.

Could we see two non-division winners in the College Football Playoff? It probably remains a bit of a long shot, but it is most certainly not out of the question. The committee is tasked to field the four best teams in the country. Ohio State and Louisville, each with 11-1 records, would be more than strong enough candidates given a little bit of chaos down the stretch.

Bowl Projections: Will USC jump into a New Year's Six bowl game?

By Nick Bromberg

Will the Big Ten and the Pac-12 each get three teams into New Year’s Six bowl games?

Welcome to Dr. Saturday’s first installment of our 2016 bowl projections. Expect things to change over the next two weeks, but we’re thinking each conference is strong enough to net three teams in Big Bowl games. We like the Big Ten’s chances a bit more given the likelihood of a Penn State conference title. But the committee clearly likes USC. If the Trojans keep impressing over the next two weeks, they could head back to Dallas.

New Mexico Bowl, Dec. 17

Middle Tennessee State vs. Colorado State

Las Vegas Bowl, Dec. 17

Arizona State vs. Boise State

Camellia Bowl, Dec. 17

Miami, Ohio vs. Arkansas State

Cure Bowl, Dec. 17

South Alabama vs. SMU

New Orleans Bowl, Dec. 17

Louisiana Tech vs. Troy

Miami Beach Bowl, Dec. 19

South Florida vs. Central Michigan

Boca Raton Bowl, Dec. 20

Central Florida vs. Western Kentucky

Poinsettia Bowl, Dec. 21

BYU vs. San Diego State

Potato Bowl, Dec. 22

Ohio vs. Wyoming

Bahamas Bowl, Dec. 23

Houston vs. Toledo

Armed Forces Bowl, Dec. 23

Kansas State vs. Memphis

Dollar General Bowl, Dec. 23

Eastern Michigan vs. App State

Hawaii Bowl, Dec. 24

Old Dominion vs. Air Force

St. Petersburg Bowl, Dec. 26

Temple vs. Georgia Tech

QuickLane Bowl, Dec. 26

Akron vs. Georgia Southern

Independence Bowl, Dec. 26

NC State vs. Ole Miss

Heart of Dallas Bowl, Dec. 27

Northwestern vs. UTSA

Military Bowl, Dec. 27

Wake Forest vs. Navy

Holiday Bowl, Dec. 27

Iowa vs. Utah

Cactus Bowl, Dec. 27

Texas vs. Southern Miss

Pinstripe Bowl, Dec. 28

Maryland vs. Miami

Russell Athletic Bowl, Dec. 28

Oklahoma vs. Florida State

Foster Farms Bowl, Dec. 28

Indiana vs. Cal

Texas Bowl, Dec. 28

TCU vs. South Carolina

Birmingham Bowl, Dec. 29

Kentucky vs. Tulsa

Belk Bowl, Dec. 29

Virginia Tech vs. Auburn

Alamo Bowl, Dec. 29

Oklahoma State vs. Washington State

Arizona Bowl, Dec. 30

New Mexico vs. Idaho

Liberty Bowl, Dec. 30

Baylor vs. Florida

Sun Bowl, Dec. 30

North Carolina vs. Stanford

Music City Bowl, Dec. 30

Pitt vs. Arkansas

Orange Bowl, Dec. 30

Michigan vs. Louisville

Peach Bowl, Dec. 31 (Playoff semifinal)

Alabama vs. Washington

Fiesta Bowl, Dec. 31 (Playoff semifinal)

Ohio State vs. Clemson

TaxSlayer Bowl, Dec. 31

Minnesota vs. Georgia

Citrus Bowl, Dec. 31

Texas A&M vs. Wisconsin

Outback Bowl, Jan. 2

Nebraska vs. Tennessee

Cotton Bowl, Jan. 2

Western Michigan vs. USC

Rose Bowl, Jan. 2

Penn State vs. Colorado

Sugar Bowl, Jan. 2

West Virginia vs. LSU

Stanford’s band banned from Big Game.

By Kevin McGuire

(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Stanford’s non-traditional marching band has never shied away from going against the grain and ruffling feathers with their opponents. Because of their non-sense act, they will not be allowed to attend The Big Game this weekend at California.

A report from NBC Bay Area says the ongoing suspension from attending road games will remain in effect this weekend because the organization has not taken the appropriate measures to satisfy the problems outlined by the university to deserve making the trip. The band was issued a travel ban in March 2015 for “violations from complaints by band members for sexually explicit and offensive acts, hazing and violations of alcohol and controlled substances.”

And you thought the awful halftime shows were the worst part about the Stanford band.

The Stanford band is quite an acquired taste, but the less of the band that is shown off in public, the better. The band will still support the Cardinal though. NBC Bay area reports the band is turning over transportation money to pay for five busloads of students to make the trip to Berkley for the game against Cal.

NCAABKB: No. 1 Duke’s loss to No. 7 Kansas cemented their status as title favorite.

By Rob Dauster

(Photo/Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Just give them the damn title.

It sounds weird saying that when the No. 1 team in the country lost, 77-75, on a neutral floor to a team that was already 0-1 on the season, but I just don’t understand how you could have watched Duke erase a double-digit second half deficit to force Frank Mason’s heroics and come away feeling any other way.

Duke was playing without Harry Giles III, who likely won’t be available until ACC play, if at all. They were without Jayson Tatum. They were without Marques Bolden. That’s two of the five most talented players in the country and, in total, three likely lottery picks come June’s NBA Draft.

But there’s more.

Duke played just six guys on Tuesday night in the Garden, and the best player that’s actually able to suit up for the Blue Devils – Grayson Allen, who was the most popular pick for Preseason National Player of the Year – was bad. He finished with 12 points on 4-for-15 shooting and never really seemed to get into the game until the final minutes.

“Grayson had a frustrating game,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “You can’t expect to get fouled. I think he’s going to a point where he makes a move and it’s a good move and he expects a foul.”

“He’s playing hard when he gets the ball, but he needs to play harder when he doesn’t have the ball, which is what he did in the last few minutes.”

And despite all of that, Duke still led Kansas heading into halftime and still managed to scrap back from a 67-57 deficit with less than five minutes left on the clock.

“We’re a good team otherwise we’d get blown out of here tonight,” Coach K said. “But we’re a limited team right now. We’re not who we imagined ourselves to be. That’s not an excuse, it’s just the way it is. We’ll see what happens when we get guys back.”

It is still unclear when that is going to be. Duke is going to be in no hurry to bring Giles back, not when his earning power could disintegrate if he suffered another knee injury this year.

Neither Tatum nor Bolden are dealing with serious injuries – Tatum has a sprained foot and Bolden has what Duke terms a “lower leg injury” – but initial reports said both of them should have been available on Tuesday night.

But ironically enough, having those three sidelined for the Champions Classic may have been the best thing for the Blue Devils, because Coach K now knows what he has in Luke Kennard, Frank Jackson and, frankly, Chase Jeter.

Kennard was the best player on the floor for the Blue Devils. He finished with 22 points, five boards and five assists and was responsible for 15 of Duke’s points – three buckets and three threes that he assisted on – in a 20-10 run that tied the game at 75 with 30 seconds left.

“He had a really good game tonight,” Coach K said. “He’s played really well. He’s played well in every practice. He’s a really good player. We expected him to be really good. I wouldn’t say he’s overachieved because he’s a big time player, and big time players show up in these environments.”

Jackson also stepped up and made two huge shots in the final minutes after what was overall a pretty disappointing game for him. His four-point play with three minutes left kept Duke within one possession of the Jayhawks, and he followed that up by hitting the three that tied the game with 22 seconds left, setting up Mason’s game-winner.

Through the season’s first two games, Jackson was arguably Duke’s best player, averaging 19.5 points off the bench. He looked somewhat overmatched for the first 35 minutes on Tuesday night, but that happens to freshmen playing their first game with this kind of spotlight and pressure. The fact that he stepped up and made two critical shots that gave the Blue Devils a chance to win the game is far more important than the off-night that he had.

The same can be said for Jeter, whose stat-line – seven points, four boards and three blocks but three turnovers, four fouls and a 5-for-10 night from the line after missing a couple layups – isn’t as impressive as the impression he made on Coach K.

“I thought this was a big game for Chase,” he said. “There were a couple times he didn’t finish, but I thought he played hard and well.”

“You learn a lot from being in this level of a game,” Coach K added, and that’s what really matters here.

Assuming Duke finds a way to get back to 100 percent health, Kennard and Jackson will probably end up being Duke’s fifth and sixth scoring options. They’ll likely split minutes and find themselves in a similar position to where Allen found himself as a freshman. And when Allen was a freshman, he spent the majority of the year on the bench before exploding in the Final Four to average 13.5 points and spark the title-game run that eventually won the Blue Devils the 2015 national title.

“I thought overall it was a great experience for us,” Coach K said. “They’re going to be one of the best teams in the country throughout the whole year. To play that way when a couple of our veterans didn’t have a good game tonight? It was good for us.”

After Tuesday night, not only does Coach K know that he has those two weapons in his back pocket, but he knows that both Kennard and Jackson have the confidence to be able to succeed in the biggest moments.

If they can lead a short-handed, struggling Duke team back from 10 points down in MSG against a top five team that some – Hi! – have picked to win the national, then what can’t they be trusted to do?

Michigan State is a team going through growing pains.

By Rob Dauster

(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

This year’s iteration of the Champions Classic was weird, to say the least.

The No. 1 team in the country, Duke, lost in a thriller to a team that was already 0-1 on the season, and not only did the performance assert why that 0-1 team – No. 7 Kansas – is a national title contender – because #BIFM – but it also was proof positive that the Blue Devils are the best team in the country. That’s what happens when you take a team like Kansas to the wire, erasing a 10-point deficit in the final five minutes, without Harry Giles III, Jayson Tatum and Marques Bolden.

And then there is Kentucky.

The No. 2 Wildcats played their best game of the season, dominating No. 13 Michigan for 40 minutes, beating Tom Izzo’s team by 21 points and doing so while their front line failed to look anything close to dominant. The Wildcats all-but ensured that they will be the No. 1 team in college basketball come Monday morning, and yet, it seems like it’s something that we’re all glossing over.

And, frankly, there’s a reason for that: Michigan State just isn’t very good right now.

There are a lot of reasons for this, but by far the biggest issue is on the offensive end of the floor. The Spartans managed all of 48 points against Kentucky after they struggled to find any kind of offensive rhythm after the opening minutes against Arizona. They shot 32 percent from the floor. They were 5-for-26 from three. they had nine assists and 19 turnovers.

“I think this is one of John (Calipari’s) best defensive teams,” head coach Tom Izzo said. I’d quibble with that assessment – three times in his Kentucky tenure Coach Cal has fielded a team that finished first or second in KenPom.com’s defensive efficiency metric – but this is a very good Kentucky defense. De’Aaron Fox may be the nation’s best on-ball defender, Isaiah Briscoe has transformed himself into a stopper and there is enough size, length and athleticism on this roster that effort is the only thing that would keep this version of the Wildcats from being very good on that end of the floor.

Putting that kind of defensive back court on the floor against a team whose point guard play is very much a work in progress is going to cause problems, but more on that in a second.

To me, the biggest issue that this Michigan State team has is that they don’t really have a star on the offensive end of the floor. Miles Bridges was supposed to be the guy that carried the load, but he’s just not ready for that at this point in his development. He’s a role player in the same way that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was a role player on Kentucky 2012 national title team. Bridges is an other-worldly athlete that plays hard, defends, rebounds and does all the things on a basketball court that you cannot teach. In the first ten minutes on Tuesday night, he blocked two layups seemingly out of nowhere and broke up another alley-oop, essentially erasing six points that Kentucky would’ve scored against any other team in the country.

But that’s what he does best right now.

At this level right now, he is a glue guy. But given the youth on Michigan State’s roster, the Spartans need him to be the guy, and he’s not that guy, at least not against this level of competition. He finished 2-for-11 from the floor with nine turnovers against Michigan State.

“I’m really embarrassed,” Bridges said, adding that he felt added pressure to try and make something happen when the offense started struggling. “But that’s what I can’t do. I have to get my teammates involved and do something else.”

“In high school, I was getting wherever I wanted, bullying guys,” Bridges added. “You can’t do that here.”

Izzo’s known as one of the best x’s-and-o’s coaches in college hoops, but without a commanding voice at the point guard spot, their offense devolved into too much one-on-one. Instead of running their lanes in transition and running through their sets, Michigan State was trying to break the defense down on their own. That’s not going to work against a team that can defend the way that Kentucky can defend. That’s not going to work if Michigan State is going to beat the teams that they expect to beat.

The good news?

Much of what ails Michigan State is fixable. They’ll get better as Cassius Winston gets more comfortable running the show. They’ll get better as Nick Ward learns how to be a guy that offense runs through in the post. They’ll get better as Josh Langford gets more comfortable being a go-to guy on the offensive end of the floor. They’ll get better as Izzo continues to work with them on how he wants his offensive to run and his team to play. Veteran teams can overcome subpar point guard play. Great point guards can help ‘coach up’ a young team early in the season.

The Spartans, right now, have neither, and the result wasn’t exactly unexpected.

“The good news is the mistakes we’re making are fixable mistakes. [Coach] is not telling us to jump higher or run faster, it’s cutting and the x’s-and-o’s,” Nick Goins said, adding that the loss of Ben Carter and Gavin Schilling, a pair of senior bigs, is taking a toll as well. “Having that leadership and the people that know our coaches and how they want the program run, it’s where we’re struggling, to get people to fit into those roles.”

“When you have 18 or 20 turnovers, defensive mistakes, that you know you can’t make, that’s stuff you can control,” said Langford. “When you look at yourself in the mirror, it’s frustrating, but you have to live and learn.”

That’s what life is going to be like at this level. Michigan State will have to learn how to adjust.

As Izzo put it, “welcome to the real world.”

Georgetown dropped by Arkansas State.

By Terrence Payne

(Photo/nbcsports.com)

Last season, the non-conference portion of Georgetown’s schedule was plagued with losses to inferior opponents on its home floor.

The Hoyas opened the 2015-16 campaign with a double overtime loss to Radford before being upset by Monmouth and UNC Asheville, in consecutive games, the next month.

Less than 48 hours after coughing up what would have been a marquee win over regional rival Maryland at the Verizon Center, Arkansas State, a team picked to finish 10th in the Sun Belt, landed a 78-72 wire-to-wire win over Georgetown at the historic McDonough Gymnasium. The Red Wolves led by as many as 20 in the first half.

L.J. Peak, who scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half, attempted to mount a late comeback. Arkansas State helped the Hoyas out too. The Red Wolves missed three of four free throws in the final minutes to keep Georgetown in a one-possession game, at 75-72, with 17 seconds remaining. But like in Tuesday night’s loss to the Terrapins, critical errors down the stretch were the deciding factor. Peak’s inbound pass, from just in front of the team’s bench, was easily intercepted by Devin Simms. He would then ice the win after a pair of free throws.

As fans exited, “Fire Thompson!” chants could be heard through the broadcast.

Arkansas State deserves credit. This is a team, down three starters from a season ago, playing under a first-year head coach, Grant McCasland, who spent the previous five years as an assistant at Baylor. Devon Carter and Donte Thomas, two returning starters, set the tone early. Carter had a game-high 25 points, while Thomas, the D.C. native, posted 12.

The Red Wolves spaced the floor and read the high-ball screens well, knowing when to use it or slip it. It also helped that when they kicked out shooters, like Carter and Rashad Lindsey, were capable of knocking down threes.

Once again the Hoyas struggled shooting, especially from Isaac Copeland who is 6-of-22 from the field over the last two games. Rodney Pryor, who dropped 32 points in his Georgetown debut, was limited to seven points while he missed time due to foul trouble. Marcus Derrickson was not in uniform and no reason was given for his absence.

You can argue that this was a hangover from the shocking Maryland finish. If that’s the excuse you want to go with, then I don’t think you want to see the end result four days from now when Georgetown travels to participate in the Maui Invitational. The Hoyas’ first game will be against Oregon, a team that will either: a. Have Dillon Brooks in the lineup, or b. be playing with a sense or urgency, knowing they can’t lose many more games if they want to secure a No. 1 seed after the Ducks lost at Baylor on Tuesday.

On paper, Georgetown has the look of a top-5 team in the Big East. But it has not looked the part this week.

LeBron James donates $2.5 million to Muhammad Ali Smithsonian exhibit.

Associated Press

(Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for TAG Heuer)

LeBron James is giving back to a champion who shaped his life.

The Cavaliers star is donating $2.5 million to support an exhibit honoring Muhammad Ali exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.

“Muhammad Ali: A Force for Change” opened in September to honor the legacy of the boxing champ, social activist and world ambassador whose contributions transcended the sports world.

“Every professional athlete, regardless of race and gender, owes a huge debt of gratitude to Muhammad Ali,” James said. “His legacy deserves to be studied and revered by every generation. I am honored to partner with the Smithsonian to celebrate one of the most influential figures in our nation’s history who, along with Jackie Robinson and Jesse Owens, used the power of sports to advance our civil rights.”

James’ business partner, Maverick Carter, also is contributing to the donation.

“I am overwhelmed by the incredible generosity LeBron James has shown,” Ali’s wife, Lonnie, said. “This exhibit will enable children visiting the Smithsonian to learn more about Muhammad’s work outside of the ring, particularly his humanitarian work and stance on social justice for all people.”

The exhibit includes artifacts such as Ali’s headgear and the training robe worn at Dundee’s Fifth Street Gym. It celebrates the late champion’s achievements in community activism, resistance, politics, spirituality and culture.

Ali died in June at age 74.

Bell: Time for NFL to move ball on marijuana? What's Your Take? 

By Jarrett Bell

(Photo/www.marijuanapackaging.com)

Damned if they do, damned if they don’t.

That’s the yin and yang of the marijuana issue as it pertains to the NFL drug policy.

Voters in seven states last week approved cannabis — either for recreational or medicinal use — and, by extension, advanced the argument that league's ban on it (officially) is like something out of the Stone Age.

If you’re keeping score, that’s 28 states plus the District of Columbia that legally allow weed in one form or another.

The NFL Players Association is in the process of forming a committee that will study and presumably make recommendations about the potential use of marijuana and other alternatives for managing pain.

“The movement is happening,” former defensive end Marvin Washington told USA TODAY Sports.

Washington, 51, who played 11 seasons, mostly with the New York Jets, has been on something of a crusade by calling for the league to rethink its existing position.

“They can’t ignore this, when 60% of the country has access to recreational or medical cannabis,” added Washington, co-founder Isodiol Performance, which has produced a line of cannabidiol-infused products that address pain.

Listening to him and pondering the election reminds me of a chat from training camp with Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II. I’ve wondered how the evolution of societal attitudes about marijuana resonate among owners, particularly given the suspensions of several high-profile players.

“The culture in our country has changed,” Rooney told USA TODAY Sports. “It’s legalized here and there, decriminalized in a lot of places. They may not take it as seriously. But our rules haven’t changed.

“Maybe someday,” he added, “but not anytime soon.”

Someday. The image-conscious NFL surely wants no part of fueling the perception that its players are riding around like Cheech and Chong.

But we’re talking about medical marijuana, with a key distinction that may make it plausible as a pain-management alternative: it doesn’t contain THC, the ingredient that gets a person high.

As the drug policy stands now, it’s more of a wink-wink situation — and not just for medical marijuana. If players avoid positive tests that would expose them to unlimited random drug tests, they are tested just once a year — on an undisclosed date between April 20 and Aug. 9 — which would conceivably allow them to earn a pass to use marijuana during the season. For some users, that would mean staying clean for a few weeks before April 20, then resuming use after their test.

Yet when high-profile talents such as Cleveland Browns receiver Josh Gordon, Steelers receiver Martavis Bryant and Oakland Raiders linebacker Aldon Smith are suspended for a full year or indefinitely, due to multiple failed tests, reportedly for marijuana use, it strikes me as maybe more of an addiction issue than a pain-management solution.

Still, if marijuana can help ease pain that every player endures while engaging in their violent and physical occupation, why deny them? A survey of 229 players by ESPN The Magazine this year came back with 71% approving of the use of medical marijuana.

Marijuana is widely perceived as less dangerous than alcohol, although risks that include being a gateway to other drugs and the impact on brain function and coordination skills can’t be dismissed. But there’s also the notion that in an environment when participants may choose something to deal with pain, cannabis is highly preferable to opioids.

“Players want an alternative to traditional Western medicine, which is prescribing pills that can be so toxic and addictive,” Washington said.

The results from the election did little to move the needle at NFL headquarters, a person with knowledge of the thinking of the league’s highest-ranking officials told USA TODAY Sports. The NFL’s boilerplate statement expressed the same sentiment it has for months, maybe even years: It will follow the science.

There are doctors to be found on both sides of the debate about the benefits of medical marijuana, but the science the NFL references is limited to that which is advised by the four-member panel that administer the drug policy and is jointly approved by the league and union. This is not an easy or quick fix, but there is room to advance the ball.

If the NFL wants to be progressive, it can make a strong commitment to funding some of the research being conducted to study the effects of marijuana usage. After all, in pledging to the long-term wellness of players, benefits could improve the quality of lives.

Washington believes products that contain cannabidiol but are not smoked — including balms, oils and vaporous mist that can be inhaled — may be the eventual solution.

“Cannabis and CBD can do the same thing as anti-inflammatories,” he said, “but not be as hard on your liver and kidneys.”

That’s reason enough to search for viable alternatives.

Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: We initiated this conversation with our readers last week after voters in several states had approved the use of marijuana for recreational purposes. The pros and cons are strong on both sides of this issue. The resolution for this matter is going to be long and drawn out and whatever the outcome is, this issue will continue to be a lightning rod. You will never be able to come up with a solution that is mutually acceptable for everyone. We'll continue to monitor the progress on this situation and follow any breaking news that merits sharing. It should be noted that times are changing and today's society views things differently than it did when I was growing up. A lot of the changes that I've seen in my lifetime have been for the better and some have not, however, in the end things work out. Again, always not for the better but that is the nature of the beast. You can trick, fool or convince some of the public sometimes but you'll never trick, fool or convince all of the public anytime. People overwhelmingly are pretty much positive and want to do the right thing and I'm sure that the outcome of this issue will be no different. We'll just have to wait and see how it turns out but how long it will take is the $64,000.00 question. The outcome of this issue will not just affect sports but a cross section of all aspects of society. Let the debate continue..........

We're still waiting to hear what our readers think..... Please go to the comment section at the bottom of this blog and share your thoughts with us and let us know, what's you take? We love hearing your opinions and respect your positions.

As always, thanks in advance for your time and consideration.

The Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, November 18, 2016.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1943 - Philadelphia Phillies President William Cox was banned from baseball for betting on his team.

1949 - Jackie Robinson (Brooklyn Dodgers) was named the National Leagues Most Valuable Player.

1951 - Chuck Connors (Los Angeles Angels) became the first player to oppose the major league draft. Connors later became the star of the television show "The Rifleman."

1966 - Sandy Koufax (Los Angeles Dodgers) announced his retirement from major league baseball.

1985 - Joe Theismann (Washington Redskins) broke his leg after being hit by Lawrence Taylor (New York Giants). The injury ended Theismann's 12 year NFL career.

1996 - Chris Boniol (Dallas Cowboys) tied an NFL record when he kicked seven field goals against the Green Bay Packers.

1997 - The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays participated in their initial expansion draft.

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