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"Sports Quote of the Day"

“The remarkable thing is, we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.” ~ Charles R. Swindoll, Pastor, Author and Educator

Trending: Next Game: Winnipeg Jets Vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Tuesday, 12/27/2016 at the United Center, Chicago, Illinois at 7:30 (CT). (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news). 

Trending: Bears collapse at QB, in multiple areas during beatdown by Redskins.
(Christmas Eve game, Saturday, 12/24/2016). (See the football section for Bears News an NFL updates).

Trending: Wade, Bulls thumped on Christmas Day by Spurs. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).

Trending: Cubs going full speed ahead to defend World Series title. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).

Trending: Pirates — owners of two top-10 prospects — trying to trade for Jose Quintana. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).

Trending: Tiger's next steps, Spieth to face Augusta demons - golf's big talking points in 2017. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).

NFL SCORES, Sunday 12/25/2016.

New York Giants 19

Philadelphia Eagles 24

Miami Dolphins 34

Buffalo Bills 31

New York Jets 3

New England Patriots 41

Tennessee Titians 17

Jacksonville Jaguars 38

Minnesota Vikings 25

Green Bay Packers 38

San Diego Chargers 17

Cleveland Browns 20

Washington Redskins 41

Chicago Bears 21

Atlanta Falcons 33

Carolina Panthers

Indianapolis Colts 25

Oakland Raiders 33

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24

 New Orleans Saints 31

Arizona Cardinals 34

Seattle Seahawks 31

San Francisco 49ers 22

Los Angeles Rams 21

Cincinnati Bengals 10

Houston Texans 12

Baltimore Ravens 27

Pittsburgh Steelers 31

Denver Broncos 10

Kansas City Chiefs 33

Detroit Lions          Monday night's game

Dallas Cowboys    12/26/2016

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Next Game: Winnipeg Jets Vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Tuesday, 12/27/2016 at the United Center, Chicago, Illinois at 7:30 (CT).

Jordin Tootoo celebrates the day he was 'gifted a new life'.

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Numbers and dates. We all have those we celebrate, be it birthdays or holidays or anniversaries. For Jordin Tootoo, Dec. 19, 2010 will always hold a special place.

On that day Tootoo stopped drinking and, as he tweeted on Monday, he “was gifted a new life.” Now happy and healthy, a married man with a 7 ½-month-old daughter, Tootoo, who signed with the Blackhawks last summer, is grateful and humbled at how he’s turned his life around.

“Well, it’s obviously a huge accomplishment,” Tootoo said earlier this week. “The first few years are pretty tough. But when you have a great support system, by that I mean the guys in the dressing room respecting your personal decision to go that route, it always makes you feel a lot more comfortable around the guys. For me, it was a personal issue I wanted to figure out and get a grasp on it. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my teammates.”

For Tootoo, things had just added up over the years. It started with a family tragedy, when Jordin’s brother Terence committed suicide in 2002. By December of 2010, when Tootoo was playing for the Nashville Predators, he knew he had to change. He entered the NHL/NHLPA’s substance abuse program a few days prior to 2011. Now, if Tootoo can try to help others avoid the rough path he took, he’ll do it.

“You try and hide, thinking you have control of it. For me, it was a number of different things that happened and, obviously, 14 years ago when I lost my brother it kind of started from back then. But for me, I’m grateful for every experience I’ve been through,” Tootoo said. "Growing up as a kid, you go through a lot of different situations and everyone has their own story. For me to share mine, hopefully I can help one or two kids.”

Tootoo is open about what he’s overcome; his autobiography, “All the Way: My Life on Ice,” came out in 2014. Teammate Scott Darling, who fought and won his own battle with alcohol, can appreciate the journey.

“You know, numbers and dates like that, they’re great to celebrate. For him it’s just great to see the way he lives his life,” said Darling, who bought Tootoo’s book on Friday. “I didn’t know him before but I can imagine things weren’t great, otherwise he wouldn’t have wanted to make the change. Just to see how he lives his life today and see how happy he is to come to the rink, he’s always positive and excited.

“Numbers and dates are great to acknowledge but for me, he’s an example to anyone,” Darling continued. “He’s just a positive, happy person, and it’s great to see.”

Tootoo said he’s talked to plenty of others about turning his life around. To him, the conversations aren’t always easy, but they’re important.

“Throughout the league, a lot of guys have similar stories. everyone’s fighting a fight you know nothing about. For me, it’s about being open and honest and being comfortable in your own skin,” Tootoo said. “To have those experiences and to share them among the guys in the room and say, ‘Hey, if you’re going through a tough time it’s OK to talk.’ And that’s what’s great about having a group of guys who are open and honest. It just goes to show you that there’s a lot of trust in each other.

The support continues for Tootoo with the Blackhawks.

“I said to him the next day, that’s not easy to go through that. I’ve never been in that situation but he’s put a lot of hard work into it,” said Brian Campbell. “He still has a good time. We go out for dinner and, that’s the thing, he’s still hilarious. Sometimes people associate being funny with drinking but he’s a lot of fun, has a great personality and he deserves everything like that that he gets.”

Numbers and dates: we all have those which are important to us. For Tootoo, Dec. 19 was the date he got a second chance, and he’s been grateful for every day since.

“You grow as a person and you see life from a different perspective. I couldn’t have imagined being married and having a baby six or seven years ago. It’s brought a lot of joy in my life away from the rink,” Tootoo said. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of my teammates. It was the best gift that given to me, bar none, and the past six years have been pretty amazing.”

Jonathan Toews gets rewarded, scores 'ugly one' to snap goal drought.

By Charlie Roumeliotis

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Jonathan Toews has seemingly been through it all during his 10-year NHL career.

He wasn't going to let a 13-game goal drought prevent him from playing any differently, but even the greats can squeeze their sticks a little bit too hard when things aren't going their way offensively.

The Blackhawks captain got back on the scoresheet for the first time since Nov. 6 thanks to some puck luck, when he tapped home what appeared to be a shot from Artemi Panarin. The goal extended Panarin's point streak to a career-long seven games with the assist and gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead on the power play midway through the second period.

It took a while for the goal to be announced to the United Center crowd of 21,918 because it was unclear whether Panarin's shot hit an Avalanche defender and ricocheted in.

But it was Toews who was ultimately credited with the goal even though it may have gone in without his help.

"Like I've been saying it was a matter of time," Toews said following a 2-1 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night. "It was an ugly one. I probably stole that one from Bread Man but I think he's had his fair share of one-timers on the power play. It was nice to feel one and see it go in. It always helps the confidence no matter what.

"Unfortunately we couldn't feed off it and get some more the way we needed it tonight. It sucks we came up short."

It was only Toews' third point in his last 11 games, but perhaps the puck bouncing in your favor is a sign of good things to come.

He helped create his luck, too, after registering a team-high seven shots on goal. The Blackhawks also controlled 53.1 percent of the even-strength shot attempts, according to naturalstattrick.com, when he was on the ice.

"(He was) around the net, Jonny scored a goal so that'll help him going forward," Quenneville said of Toews' game. "He had the puck a lot. Some of those shots, traffic or not, the shots around the net are a little more dangerous. But usually he's around the net, kind of like (Artem Anisimov).

"The other guys are usually feeding him in that area. Toews is probably more effective around the net and getting those greasy goals like he got tonight."

Toews has now scored a goal in each of his last four games against Colorado, dating back to the 2015-16 season. In their first meeting this season, he scored the first goal that turned out to be the game-winner, and followed that up by lighting the lamp in his next two games.

Perhaps the flood gates will open up after the Blackhawks return from a three-day Christmas break.

In Tuesday's game against the Ottawa Senators, Toews had a prime opportunity to bat the puck in on a wide-open net but it sailed high. He stared at the heavens for a second or two after it happened while play around him continued on.

On Friday, the hockey gods rewarded him for sticking with it.

Corey Crawford shines but Blackhawks lose to Avalanche in OT. (Friday night's game, 12/23/2016). 

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Coach Joel Quenneville wondered how Corey Crawford would look coming off a three-week injury hiatus.

Sure, Crawford’s had several practices over the past week, and faced shots from teammates the last few days. But game timing and situations are always different than practice, so the curiosity was there.

Crawford answered any doubt. Unfortunately, he didn’t get enough help from his teammates.

Crawford stopped 32 of 34 shots but took the loss when the Colorado Avalanche came back to beat the Blackhawks in overtime, 2-1, on Friday night. The Blackhawks head into the Christmas break atop the Western Conference with 50 points. Their lead, however, will be a tight one when they return to post-Christmas play. The Minnesota Wild, which have won 10 in a row, are just four points behind them.

Jonathan Toews scored his first goal since Nov. 6, a power-play goal that gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at the time. Artemi Panarin had the primary assist on that goal, running his point streak to seven consecutive games.

Crawford, who’s been sidelined since Dec. 3, when he had an appendectomy, looked strong and agile in his return. As the Blackhawks got off to another slow start, he didn’t, stopping eight shots before the Blackhawks recorded their second shot at the other end. Crawford made several big stops, including a lunging stick save on Nikita Zadorov in the second period. But an Avalanche 2-on-1, led and finished by Nathan MacKinnon, cost him the potential victory in overtime.

“Yeah, I was just trying to feel good right from the start. I was reading plays pretty good. That’s the most important thing is seeing the puck well, obviously is the first thing, but reading plays and reacting after that,” Crawford said. “I felt pretty good.”

Brian Campbell figured Crawford, who heard the “Corey, Corey” chant a few times on Friday, would snap back quickly.

“I think Corey knows how to get himself ready and he had time to practice this week. Yeah, I don’t think there’s any question with us,” Campbell said. “He made the crowd roar a little bit tonight so it was pretty cool to see that display.”

The rest of the Blackhawks, though, were a bit lackluster. They didn’t get enough sustained traffic around Calvin Pickard, who had a strong night, too, in stopping 38 of 39 shots. The lack of traffic was frustrating for Quenneville.

“Not enough, not enough,” Quenneville said. “We had the puck a lot in the offensive zone but not too much inside.”

As Quenneville said, some Blackhawks played well, some didn’t. One who definitely played well was Toews, who finished with a game-high seven shots on goal and also won 20 of 28 faceoffs. He broke his lengthy goal-less streak in the second period, swatting home Panarin’s shot for a power-play goal.

The Blackhawks wrap up a very busy portion of their schedule. They’ve done pretty well up to this point, despite injuries and slow starts. A big part of their success has been goaltending. Crawford, even after a lengthy injury break, was once again giving the Blackhawks a chance on Friday.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears collapse at QB, in multiple areas during beatdown by Redskins. (Christmas Eve game, Saturday, 12/24/2016).

By John Mullin

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Some bad things happened to the Bears Saturday afternoon in their 41-21 pasting in Soldier Field at the hands of the Washington Redskins, which shouldn’t be altogether surprising for a 3-12 football team.

(Theoretically some good things happened, too, if you count losing this game as holding steady on course for a top-five draft pick, for which the Bears remain in contention, if that’s the right word for it).

But the Bears, who had taken some positive steps forward at the quarterback position and in their cultural reformation, staggered backwards in both areas against Washington (8-6-1).

Quantitatively the Bears were done in by the two things that have defined their on-field problems and the reasons they are 3-12: failure of the defense to take footballs away from opponents, and failure to generate sufficient firepower out of the quarterback position, a problem of some long standing, far beyond just this season.

The Bears lost the football five times on interceptions to a Washington defense that have only eight total picks in the previous 14 games. As they have in five of the last six and six of the last eight games, the Bears did not have a single takeaway, and are now a minus-16 in turnover ratio for the year.

Couple that with Matt Barkley’s five interceptions, including ones on each of the Bears’ first four possessions of the second half, and the outcome was inevitable, only the matter of score to be arrived at.

But for the first time in quite a few games the Bears appeared to be going through motions, something out of what had been taking shape as the Bears’ football character. Coach John Fox took issue with any notion that the Bears lacked effort.

“I thought they were just as competitive as we’ve always been,” Fox said. “The kind of game we kind of saw was [Washington is] a very high-octane offense, and we were going to try to keep them off the field.

“Five giveaways to none, kind of spoiled that plan. I think it had nothing to do with effort for those kinds of things.”

Maybe. But even when a late first-half score on a Barkley-to-Cam Meredith set the halftime margin at 24-14, any sense that the Bears were going to stage the kind of closing effort they had against Tennessee, Detroit and Green Bay was illusory. The fire was missing early and never appeared as Barkley’s interceptions killed.

A 61-yard touchdown run for the final Washington points, with running back Mack Brown being virtually untouched by any member of the dispirited defense somehow was an appropriate summary statement in a game that saw the No. 3 sack-percentage team never take down quarterback Kirk Cousins and only even hit him three times on 29 dropbacks – none of the hits credited to the Bears’ supposed sack threats Leonard Floyd, Pernell McPhee or Willie Young.

The game in one respect set up as something of a matchup of fourth-round draft picks, the Bears behind Barkley, Washington led by Cousins. The similarities largely began and ended there.

Cousins took advantage of the non-existent Bears pass rush to pile up 31 points and 377 yards in three quarters, while Barkley threw into coverage and was intercepted continuously, three times in Washington’s end to squelch scoring chances, once inside his own 30, and never ignited any of the late-game spark.

The results fueled Cousins’ case for a long-term contract coming out of his franchise tag. Barkley’s performance cooled some of the buzz for what he might offer in the way of a future in Chicago, which had been spiraling upward into notions that he was on pace to move in as Bears starter.

With his four turnovers against Green Bay, Barkley turned the football over nine times in 16 possessions over his last seven quarters of football.

“On some plays I just tried to win the game on that play,” Barkley said Saturday. “I just tried to do too much.”

Notably, it was not only the quantity of Barkley’s interceptions, but also the quality.

The disturbing aspect of the plays, besides the obvious loss of possession, was where Barkley’s mistakes occurred. There is never a good place for an interception but some are worse than others, and Barkley’s were in areas where better quarterbacks exercise more, not less, care with the football.

Four of Barkley’s interceptions occurred with the Bears moving in Washington’s end, effectively taking potential points off the scoreboard. The fifth involved underthrowing Alshon Jeffery at the goal line in the fourth quarter, denying Jeffery a chance to compete for the football in the kind of one-on-one battle that favors the Bears’ receiver.

Barkley this week had allowed as nothing was really holding him back from becoming perhaps what he was once regard as, which was a No. 1 NFL quarterback. This day there was one thing, one big thing.

“I think I was standing in my way today,” Barkley said, inadvertently speaking for more than just the quarterback position this time.

Bears Grades: Matt Barkley interceptions doom Bears in 20-point loss to Redskins.

By John Mullin 

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Matt Barkley began the game as a subject of discussion with respect to how far up the Bears’ 2017 depth chart the young quarterback might rise. He finished it the day with five interceptions, meaning nine turnovers in his last 16 possessions, and not quite as ripe a prospect as quite a few had hoped.

“Everyone wants to look at the quarterback, which he sometimes deserves, sometimes not,” said coach John Fox.

The offense generated 458 total yards and 21 points, with Barkley passing for 323 yards. It marked the third time in five starts that Barkley has topped 300 yards (all losses, all with at least two interceptions) and the fifth time this season the offense has netted more than 400 yards and the fourth time in five starts that that the Bears have scored 21 or more points behind Barkley.

Quarterback: F-

Matt Barkley’s pattern of calming down and putting the pedal down in second halves of games came to an appalling end Saturday. He threw an interception on each of the Bears’ four possessions of the second half, and his five interceptions matched the total put up by Jay Cutler at San Francisco in 2009.

Barkley’s throw into triple coverage toward Josh Bellamy on the first play of the second quarter was a disaster, intercepted to end a promising drive by turning football over unnecessarily. He was nearly intercepted a series later when he locked onto Alshon Jeffery on a quick throw that was telegraphed.

The Barkley mistakes continued in the third quarter when he tried to get off a throw as he was going down to a sack. But the throw had nothing on it and was intercepted by cornerback Josh Norman in Washington territory to squander a potential scoring opportunity. Barkley began the fourth quarter by badly overthrowing Jeffery and being intercepted by Washington safety Will Blackmon and returned 75 yards to set up a score.

Barkley showed some pocket awareness early, sensing pressure but not panicking deep into plays. But his play deteriorated and his fundamentals broke down as he forced throws and appeared rattled at times despite being under only moderate pressure, sacked once and hit one other time.

“It’s a tough one to swallow,” Barkley said. “It’s kind of one you want to forget. ... It’s just that the glaring mistakes stand out and those are the ones that hurt.”

Barkley finished with 24-of-40 passing, two touchdown passes but five interceptions and a 62.8 passer rating, his lowest among his five starts.

Running back: B

Jordan Howard put up his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the year (119), albeit with some garbage-time rushing yards after the Bears were down three scores in the second half. With his nine receiving yards, Howard’s 128 yards from scrimmage marked the 10th time in 12 NFL starts that Howard has netted more than 100 total yards.

Howard did deliver repeated runs getting to the second level for double-digit yardage gains and averaged 6.6 yards on his 18 carries. Howard had four runs of 10 yards or longer.

“As a team we don’t care what our record is,” Howard said. “We might be losing but we’re going to come back and fight and give it our best shot.”

Jeremy Langford punched in from a yard out for the Bears’ first touchdown.

Receivers: C

Wideouts and tight ends accounted for 22 receptions, led by Cam Meredith’s nine for 135 yards. But receivers in multiple situations appeared to be lackadaisical in chances to break up balls that were intercepted and cut short on routes.

Alshon Jeffery gave the offense a spark with a leaping grab over Washington cornerback Josh Norman for 67 yards late in the second quarter, which was followed by Meredith working free in the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown.

Meredith delivered a tough catch for a 21-yard gain after a hold negated a first-down run in the first quarter. He later took a slant 32 yards with yards after the catch and had the 21-yard catch for the Bears’ first TD.

“I think for the most part we were moving the ball, making plays,” said Meredith, whose game was his second straight and fourth this season with 100 receiving yards. “We were just shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Josh Bellamy had little chance to catch the first Barkley pass in the second quarter but failed to do the No. 2 thing of making sure an opponent didn’t. Bellamy did not break the pass up and Washington intercepted it to end a scoring chance.

Offensive line: B+

Washington committed early to stopping the run and the O-line was able to provide adequate pass protection for the most part in addition to opening enough creases for 138 rushing yards by backs.

Josh Sitton was flagged for holding to nullify a successful screen pass in the third quarter. The setback put the Bears in a passing situation, with Barkley being intercepted on the next play.

But Matt Barkley was sacked only once and hit one other play. The problems at quarterback were not protection-induced.

Coaching: D

The energy level of the team is open to debate, although hard to measure. The Bears did not appear to be playing with the same urgency and intensity as previous games, but had a chance to pull within one score on the first possession of the third quarter and didn’t when a Matt Barkley pass was intercepted.

Mistakes ultimately are made by players on the field but coaching decisions continue to be puzzling, particularly for an offense that is using a first-time starter with little NFL experience. The Bears remain a pass-heavy offense, including passing twice inside the Washington 5-yard line in the first quarter, after reaching that point on two Jordan Howard runs totaling 28 yards. The Bears then settled for a field-goal try, which was blocked.

“It wasn’t frustrating to me,” Howard said. “I just go with whatever the coach calls. I’m always going to have faith in whatever he calls is going to work.”

The failed throws did not mean poor planning, in John Fox’s opinion. “Hindsight is 20/20, let’s make that totally clear,” Fox said. “I think we did the same on a later drive and scored a touchdown. Sometimes it’s what the defense is doing and what we are capable of in our matchups. It comes down to execution, not just what play it is.”

Bears Grades: Defense shredded in second straight 400-yard mauling.

By John Mullin

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Last week it was Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers piling up 451 yards and 30 points on the Bears, with the secondary in particular being unable to make a play at pivotal moments. This week it was the Washington Redskins, going one better than the Packers and amassing 478 yards and 41 points, albeit with help from a Chicago offense that twice gave Washington the football on interceptions inside the Chicago 30.

But the Redskins didn’t necessarily need the largesse of the Chicago offense to do what it did to the Bears. The defense that came in ranked No. 3 in sacks per pass play and fourth in total sacks with 37, at times looked to be playing a seven-on-seven drill, in which no rush is permitted. The lack of pressure exposed the lack of speed in the Bears secondary, with Washington averaging 15 yards per pass reception.

Washington had 318 offensive yards in the first half, 224 of those on passing by a defense that has been giving up just an average of 251 per game.

The situation was exacerbated by and somewhat the result of another rash of injuries to key defensive personnel involved in work against the pass: Leonard Floyd left in the first half with a concussion and Pernell McPhee injured a shoulder just before halftime, while safety Deon Bush was down with an ankle problem in the second quarter.

Defensive line: F

Washington rushed for 208 yards and quarterback Kirk Cousins was never sacked and took exactly one hit from a Bears defensive lineman – Akiem Hicks, who finished with 6 tackles, one for loss. Jonathan Bullard and Mitch Unrein each were credited with 2 tackles but pressure from down-linemen was lacking.

Linebacker: F

The pass rush on Kirk Cousins was virtually non-existent from the outset from the group expected to do the most at quarterback disruption.

Inside linebackers generated tackle totals but too many too deep in the secondary. Jerrell Freeman collected a game-high 9 tackles, including 8 solo and one for loss, in his return from a four-game suspension. Nick Kwiatkoski finished with 8 tackles but was ineffective in pass coverage.

Leonard Floyd, lost to a possible concussion in the first half, failed to close down on Chris Thompson’s 7-yard TD run in the first quarter, allowing Thompson a pass to the second level in short red-zone situation.

Pernell McPhee lost contain and was out-run by Cousins for a nine-yard TD run in the second quarter. McPhee was credited with 3 tackles while Willie Young failed to get to the quarterback as well, credited with 2 assisted tackles.

Secondary: F-

Kirk Cousins completed 18 of 29 passes for 270 yards and the Redskins converted on 8 of 13 third downs. The secondary was credited with just one pass defensed and again failed to come up with any desperately needed takeaways, and the breakdowns were throughout the secondary.

“We just didn’t cover,” said safety Adrian Amos. “The corners were by themselves. We just have to execute better, the safeties. The plays were there to be made; we just didn’t make enough of them.”

Cornerback Tracy Porter had perhaps his worst game as a pro. “I embarrassed myself,” he told reporters afterward. Porter was a step behind DeSean Jackson on what would turn into a 57-yard catch-and run, and behind Pierre Garcon on a 25-yarder in the second quarter. Porter then let Garcon get behind him for a 46-yard catch. Porter drew a 28-yard interference penalty for contact with Jackson late in the second quarter. Those plays represented a total of 156 yards for Washington in the first half.

Porter avoided further ignominy late in the third quarter when a Cousins pass went through the hands of Vernon Davis after the veteran tight end had gotten 10 yards separation from Porter in the Chicago end zone.

Deon Bush took a poor angle to close on a catch-and-run by DeSean Jackson, contributing to a 57-yard gainer in the first quarter after Jackson gained separation vs. Porter.

With Cre’Von LeBlanc inactive, recently acquired Johnathan Banks started at right cornerback, with Bryce Callahan at nickel. At one point in the second half rookie fourth-rounder Deiondre’ Hall was in for Porter (shoulder).

Hall appeared to need some instruction in correct behavior. He drew a flag for a hit to the face that injured Jackson in the third quarter, then drew a second hands-to-the-face flag well away from a play later in the drive that eventually ended with a Washington touchdown.

Special teams: C

The punt team executed a fake punt with up-man Chris Prosinski in the third quarter to sustain their opening possession in the half. The offense turned the ball over via interception two plays later but special teams gave the Bears an opportunity.

Deonte Thompson returned Washington’s first kickoff just 14 yards, for a starting point of the Chicago 15. The field-goal unit allowed too much middle penetration and got a 22-yard attempt be blocked in the first quarter.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Five Things to Watch: Bulls square off against Pacers Tonight.

By #Bulls Talk

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

1. Yet another three-game losing streak. The Bulls have lost three in a row for the fourth time this season. That's bad news, considering the Bulls have played just 30 games this season. If there's a silver lining, it's that the Bulls are 3-0 in games following those such losing streaks. Perhaps a good omen for Monday evening against the Pacers.

2. Slowing down Jeff Teague. Rajon Rondo's struggles against opposing point guards have been well documented, and Jeff Teague could present another problem Monday night. In his last five games, Teague has averaged 22.2 points, 9.6 assists and 1.2 steals in more than 35 minutes. Paul George is the man in Indiana, but the Pacers go as Teague goes.

3. A back-to-back for Wade. Fred Hoiberg said he expects Dwyane Wade to play Monday against the Pacers after scoring 24 points against the Spurs. Wade has played in four back-to-backs for the Bulls this season, but the results have been anything but great. In 28.0 minutes he's averaging 12.0 points on 30 percent shooting to go along with 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists. The Bulls will need more from him Monday to break their skid.

4. Jimmy Butler vs. Paul George. In a battle of two-way stars, the battle between All-Stars in Paul George and Jimmy Butler will be a fun one. It will be interesting to see what Butler has left in the tank after chasing around Kawhi Leonard all Christmas. But the Bulls will need him at their best to slow down George, who has played great of late.

5. Needing Doug McDermott back. After three straight games with double-digit scoring, Doug McDermott struggled with just five points against the Spurs. As we all know, the Bulls bench needs all the help it can get. That starts with McDermott, even with Nikola Mirotic playing well of late. Look for McBuckets to get back on track in what should be a high-scoring game.

Wade, Bulls thumped on Christmas Day by Spurs.

By Associated Press

(Photo/USA TODAY)

LaMarcus Aldridge had a season-high 33 points and the San Antonio Spurs held on to beat the Chicago Bulls 119-100 on Sunday after nearly blowing a hot start.

Kawhi Leonard added 25 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Tony Parker had 13 points and eight assists.

Chicago rallied from a 20-point deficit to lead by three points midway through the third quarter but could not sustain the push, taking its third straight loss.

Parker had nine points in the final quarter while San Antonio improved to 9-4 at home after losing three of its first four at the AT&T Center.

Dwyane Wade led the Bulls with 24 points, including 10 in the final quarter. Jimmy Butler added 19 points, and every Chicago starter except Rajon Rondo scored in double figures. Rondo was held to six points and two assists in 30 minutes.

Robin Lopez, Taj Gibson ejected as Bulls fall below .500 after loss to Hornets. (Friday night's game, 12/23/2016). 

By Associated Press

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Triple-doubles, flying elbows, two ejections and a revved-up crowd cheering until the end.

Even Michael Jordan was there sitting courtside.

It may only be December, but Friday night's game between the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls had all of the intensity of a postseason game.

Nic Batum had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his first triple-double of the season, and the Hornets beat the Bulls 103-91 for their third straight victory.

"That was like a playoff game tonight," Batum said. "The crowd was into it and it was a good team in front of us. That's a great game for us to get a win against."

It didn't come easily.

Charlotte had to hold off the Bulls in the fourth quarter in a game that ended with Robin Lopez and Taj Gibson getting ejected.

The normally mild-mannered Lopez could face a suspension from the league after he simultaneously elbowed Cody Zeller and Marvin Williams in the face — using both elbows — with 38 seconds left and the outcome already decided. Gibson, who had picked up a technical foul for arguing a call earlier in the fourth quarter, got his second and was ejected when he debated the call.

After watching the replay, referees sent Lopez to the locker room with a flagrant 2 foul.

Lopez wouldn't say exactly what set him off.

"It was pretty contentious out there. We had tempers flare," Lopez said. "Basketball is a passionate game and I play with passion."

Gibson was more outspoken.

"They can't let the game get out of hand like that," Gibson said of the referees. "Guys are throwing elbows and throwing cheap shots. That's what I said, 'They got to do a better job.'"

Kemba Walker chipped in with 20 points, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots for Charlotte (17-13).

The Hornets had a crucial four-point swing go their way with 3 minutes left when Batum hustled down the floor to block the 7-foot Lopez's layup off a fast break. Walker then converted a reverse layup on the other end.

Despite the efforts of Jimmy Butler, who drained back-to-back jumpers, the Bulls could never quite claw back in it after that.

CUBS: Behind the scenes at Wrigley: Cubs going full speed ahead to defend World Series title.

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Jake Ciarrachi moved around the trolley, pointing his iPhone at the sea of people, documenting the championship parade so he could show the videos to his kids someday. The Grant Park rally ended on a Friday afternoon, and by Monday morning Ciarrachi would be leaving his Bucktown home again and flying to Phoenix to scout the Arizona Fall League.

“Back to work for 2017, baby,” Ciarrachi said. “Get right back at it.”

The Cubs pushed City Hall for a Nov. 4 parade, lobbying to start it the morning after the team landed in Chicago following an epic World Series Game 7 in Cleveland. Cubs executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer had to be at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa by the night of Nov. 6 for the general manager meetings.

There the Cubs began to lay the groundwork for a one-year, $8 million deal with outfielder Jon Jay, who earned a World Series ring with the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals and should help fill some of the leadership void in a Grandpa Rossy-less clubhouse.

During a relatively quiet winter meetings at National Harbor in Maryland — at least compared to their grand-scale celebrations — the Cubs closed in on Wade Davis and Koji Uehara, adding two relievers to their bullpen who’ve already notched the final out of a World Series with the 2015 Kansas City Royals and 2013 Boston Red Sox.

Tyson Ross is said to be making a deliberate decision, going through a comprehensive review of his options as he tries to reboot his career after surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome, but the talented pitcher could be an X-factor for the 2017 rotation. The Major League Baseball calendar never stops.

“Every year, you watch the World Series,” Ciarrachi said. “You always say to yourself: Man, to be on that side and walk out as the team last standing, there could be no better feeling.”

Recently promoted to major-league scout, Ciarrachi, 36, has an understanding wife, Brooke, who works around her own busy travel schedule as a consultant with Accenture. Ciarrachi also knows what it’s like to dream about working for the Cubs — and how rare these jobs are — because he grew up in Lombard, graduated from Montini Catholic High School and played baseball at Northern Illinois University.

Ciarrachi then played and coached independent ball in the Frontier League, worked in the Arizona Fall League and went to MLB’s scout school. He sent three letters to all 30 MLB front offices — addressed to each team’s farm director, scouting director and director of baseball operations — before finally landing a one-year internship with the Cubs for the 2006 season.

Ciarrachi laughed at the memory of one of his first tasks for Jim Hendry: Flying with the former general manager’s school-age children to ensure they made it down to spring training safely.

“I just worked my ass off,” Ciarrachi said, “and then hopefully something came of it.”

Whether by design — to emphasize closer collaboration and a tighter inner circle — or simply a product of Tribune Co. belt-tightening and the office-space squeeze at Wrigley Field, the smaller front-office structure Andy MacPhail and Hendry built allowed someone like Ciarrachi to gain wider exposure to the draft, the minor-league affiliates and the administrative side of the game.

As chairman Tom Ricketts invested in infrastructure and Epstein’s group overhauled baseball operations, Ciarrachi hit the road as a pro scout and covered the Baltimore Orioles in 2013, becoming one of the sources of information vouching for Jake Arrieta, an up-and-down, borderline Triple-A pitcher.

“Stuff-wise, it was off the charts,” Ciarrachi said. “I know numbers-wise, he wasn’t that great. But he was still young, a really strong kid. I heard really good things makeup-wise about him, because I had some friends with Baltimore.

“You say to yourself, man, when that light turns on, he’s a guy that I’ll take my chances with.

"If he could be a buy-low kind of guy — when he figures it out — he’s going to be really good.

“You can’t walk away from that kind of stuff, because you don’t see that kind of stuff. It wasn’t only just his fastball — breaking ball, his hybrid slider/cutter, changeup — he had it.

“This is the kind of guy you would want to have on your club. Like with any player, there’s no guarantee. Guys will get hurt or what have you, but he was a guy that I was going to bet on.”

The pitching infrastructure the Cubs can sell Ross helped transform Arrieta into the National League’s Cy Young Award winner in 2015 and the World Series starter who beat the Indians in Games 2 and 6 at Progressive Field.

In late September, Ciarrachi started doing advance work on Cleveland, tracking the Indians throughout the playoffs (plus jumping over to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Washington Nationals and move on to the NL Championship Series). The Cubs typically assigned five scouts to a playoff series, two for each team and a floater to cross-check what they were seeing.

“We were a young team — and we made the adjustments,” Ciarrachi said. “(Coming back) shows what our players are made of. They didn’t succumb to pressure. It was kind of like: ‘Hey, we know we’re the best team in baseball. Don’t be afraid that you’re down in the series.’

“Our guys were just (calm throughout). I don’t know if it was the youth. This is a huge credit to Theo and Jed and those guys — the makeup of our (players). They’re just quality human beings that jelled together to win.

“We struggled against Cleveland offensively. (Corey) Kluber handled us well. (Trevor) Bauer was tough, same as (Josh) Tomlin. I (remember) talking to (hitting coach John) Mallee (and saying): ‘I feel comfortable with our guys facing them again a second time, because I think our guys will adjust, like we did against L.A.’

“That was something that really stuck out for me with our guys, making the adjustments and then executing (while) being on the biggest stage (for) a franchise that hasn’t won in a long time.

“It was awesome to see. They didn’t really care about the past. I’m not saying they didn’t care, but that wasn’t on their minds. It was the present. With Joe (Maddon) at the helm leading our guys, you couldn’t have a better guy to do it. He kind of kept them grounded: Take every day as just one game and go from there.”

Embrace The Target? The Cubs will need a fresh message from their star manager — plus the New England Patriots-style game plans and the composure and baseball IQ they showed throughout October — to defend their World Series title.

While the Cubs kept showing up on “Saturday Night Live,” “The Tonight Show,” “Conan,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “Live with Kelly,” Epstein declined requests to do the national morning shows and late-night talk-show circuit.

“I turned down all the, you know, extracurricular stuff, trips to New York and things like that,” Epstein said. “For a few different reasons, among them we had to get back to work right away. But I also think it’s kind of the players’ time to enjoy stuff like that.

“Being around Chicago was wonderful, so many people coming up and saying thank you. I think David Ross was the first one to sort of point out that everyone was saying ‘thank you,’ not ‘congratulations,’ which, I think, reflects this tremendous gratitude that everyone has and how personally they feel the championship impacted their lives.

“It was great to see everyone in a good mood — and connected with each other (through) the ballclub and with different family members and generations — all because of one team that came together to play great baseball.

“It’s been awesome to be in the middle of that and observe it and see how rewarded all our fans feel. And all the front-office guys who pull the all-nighters and all our players who grew up in the middle of a pennant race.

“It’s been fun to see the positive impact it’s had on so many people, and the city as a whole, really. I mean, what more could you want than to be able to feel that just walking around town? It’s been wonderful.”

And the Jed’s-in-charge, wake-me-up-for-the-winter-meetings bender?

“I pulled that one off pretty good,” Epstein said.

WHITE SOX: Report: Pirates — owners of two top-10 prospects — trying to trade for Jose Quintana.

By CSN Staff

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Add another team to the list.

It's no surprise that White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana is drawing interest from multiple clubs. The New York Yankees are reportedly one of them, an intriguing possibility considering their loaded farm system.

But so too are the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to ESPN's Buster Olney, who reported this week that the Bucs are trying to pull off a deal for the All-Star lefty.

Much like the Yankees, the Pirates have a number of players ranked among baseball's top prospects, which should make them an appealing trade partner for a White Sox team trying to load up on young talent like they did in trades with the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals.

The Pirates have two of the top-10 prospects in baseball, per MLB.com's rankings: pitcher Tyler Glasnow (No. 8) and outfielder Austin Meadows (No. 9). First baseman Josh Bell is ranked 20th, and he logged 45 games with the big league club last season. Shortstop Kevin Newman (No. 42) and pitcher Mitch Keller (No. 72) are also ranked in the top 100.

Quintana, just 27 years old and on a team-friendly contract, would figure to fetch a big return. And with Rick Hahn already sending Chris Sale to the Red Sox and Adam Eaton to the Nationals this offseason in a pair of deals that gave the White Sox two of the three top prospects in baseball — infielder Yoan Moncada and pitcher Lucas Giolito — it wouldn't be a surprise to see the general manager try to further bolster the farm system.

Golf: I got a club for that..... Tiger's next steps, Spieth to face Augusta demons - golf's big talking points in 2017.

Omnisport

Can Tiger Woods get back to his best? Will Jordan Spieth overcome his Augusta nightmare? We look at the big golfing questions of 2017. (Photo/Omnisport/yahoo.com)

There was no shortage of drama for golf fans in 2016, with Jordan Spieth's sensational Masters collapse, a titanic tussle at Troon that saw Henrik Stenson win The Open ahead of Phil Mickelson and the United States' success in the Ryder Cup proving particularly memorable.

But what do the next 12 months have in store?

Omnisport's Chris Devine looks at the burning questions set to be answered in 2017.

CAN TIGER ROAR AGAIN?

The level of intrigue that surrounded Tiger Woods' return to competitive action after a 16-month absence, at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, merely highlighted the 40-year-old's enduring box-office status.

It was back in 2008 when Woods claimed his 14th and most recent major title, but he undoubtedly remains the biggest draw in his sport - and there were plenty of positives to take from his comeback, even if consistency proved an issue.

A clean bill of health for 2017 would surely represent the ideal Christmas present for Woods, who has been plagued by back trouble in recent years.

Just imagine the excitement if he stays fit and finds himself in contention with nine holes to play in a major.

HOW WILL SPIETH FARE ON AUGUSTA RETURN?

It is easy to overlook just how close Jordan Spieth came to completing a phenomenal achievement at Augusta in April.

Twelve months on from winning the Masters in the most composed and controlled manner imaginable, Spieth appeared certain to complete an even more impressive defense as he began Sunday's back nine leading by five strokes.

What followed was hard to comprehend. Bogeys at 10 and 11 stunted his momentum, but few could have anticipated the young Texan's collapse on the short 12th, where he dumped his tee shot into Rae's Creek before sensationally finding water again with a chunked pitch on his way to a shocking seven.

Danny Willett capitalized to secure his first major crown, while Spieth offered up some brutal honesty in a post-tournament media briefing, revealing he had said to his caddie, Michael Greller, "Buddy, it seems like we're collapsing."

Given that he has finished no lower than tied-second in three outings at Augusta, it seems fair to suggest Spieth has as good a chance as anyone of being in the running when next year's opening major draws towards a conclusion. If that proves to be the case when he gets to the 12th on Sunday, Spieth will face arguably the biggest mental challenge of his career to date.

WHO WILL BE NEXT TO BREAK THEIR MAJOR DUCK?

All four majors in 2016 delivered first-time champions, Dustin Johnson and Jimmy Walker also triumphing along with Willett and Stenson.

Much can change between now and April 6, when 2017's major action gets under way, but it would be no surprise if there were further breakthrough successes next year.

Hideki Matsuyama's victory at the Hero World Challenge represented a fourth win in five starts for the talented Japanese, who may well have prevailed instead of Walker at the US PGA Championship in July had his putter not run ice-cold during the final round.

Matsuyama would appear to head a list of potential new major champions, along with the likes of Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler, while this writer has often felt it is only a matter of time before Branden Grace takes out one of golf's biggest tournaments.

MCILROY TO RETAKE TOP SPOT?

Few would be surprised to see Rory McIlroy return to the top of the world rankings over the coming months.

Jason Day has held the number-one slot since his victory at the WGC-Dell Match Play in March, but the Australian's troublesome back flared up at the end of the 2016 PGA Tour season, just as McIlroy hit top form to claim FedEx Cup glory.

A four-time major winner, McIlroy is now close to another stint as golf's top dog. A long-awaited first win at Augusta in April would be some way to achieve the feat.

Mickelson commits to Farmers Insurance Open.

By Golf Channel Digital

(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)

Phil Mickelson is still recovering from two surgeries to fix a sports hernia, but the five-time major champion plans to return at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in late January.

Mickelson underwent the first procedure on Oct. 19, shortly after he competed in the Safeway Open. But Lefty needed another operation in December, and in statement he said there was no timetable for his return.

Mickelson could possibly tee it up at the CareerBuilder Challenge the week before the Farmers since he is the tournament ambassador. But it seems at the very least, the three-time Farmers winner will be at Torrey Pines.

Rickie Fowler, Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and Justin Rose are among the notable players who have also committed.

Tiger Woods, President-elect Trump enjoying Friday round of golf.

By Ryan Ballengee

President-elect Donald Trump is getting in a pre-Christmas round of golf, and he’s doing it on Friday with 14-time major winner Tiger Woods.

Trump is playing with Woods in a morning round at Trump International in West Palm Beach, Fla., located within driving distance of Woods’ Jupiter Island mansion.

Golf Digest got a look at the twosome Friday:

This is Trump’s first round since Election Day, Nov. 8. Trump’s staff maintains the 70-year-old has almost completely avoided golf since throwing his name in the fray for the Republican presidential nomination in June 2015.

Woods won the 2013 WGC-Cadillac Championship on Trump’s Doral resort, with Trump awarding the trophy to the former world No. 1 and naming a villa at the resort after Woods.

Woods, who turns 41 on Dec. 30, has also designed Trump World Golf Club, which Trump’s management company will run in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates when it opens in 2018. It will be the second Trump-managed course in Dubai, with Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, now having finished construction.

Trump showed support for Woods in his comeback to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge earlier in December.

However, it was reportedly Woods who asked to play with the President-elect, according to Fox News.

Woods is no stranger to playing with sitting and former Commanders-in-Chief, though this appears the first time he has played with a President-elect. Trump will be inaugurated in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20.

NASCAR: The 2017 Daytona 500 is scheduled for Feb. 26.

By Daniel McFadin

Thanks in part to the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, we know when the 2017 Daytona 500 will be held.

A schedule on the Thunderbirds’ website lists the Air Demonstration Squadron as conducting a flyover of the 59th Daytona 500 on Feb. 26, 2017.

Daytona International Speedway spokesperson Andrew Booth confirmed the date of the 2017 race to NASCAR Talk, noting that the Great American Race currently falls on the Sunday after Presidents’ Day. The Thunderbirds also will be conducting the flyover for the 2016 Daytona 500, which is on Feb. 21.

The Thunderbirds’ site also lists a March 5, 2017 flyover at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but track spokesman Jeff Motley said it doesn’t have any firm plans for a 2017 flyover.

SOCCER: FIFA’s 5 options for a 2026 World Cup of 48, 40 or 32 teams.

Associated Press

(Photo/Harold Cunningham/Getty Images)

FIFA has detailed how it could expand the World Cup in a 64-page analysis of five options for the future of its signature tournament.

The document, seen by the Associated Press, was sent this week to FIFA Council members who on Jan. 10 should decide the shape of the 2026 World Cup.

Though retaining the 32-team format is on the table, FIFA and president Gianni Infantino are clearly committed to change.

Infantino believes a 48- or 40-team tournament would increase World Cup fervor in relatively new markets – many of whom voted for him February.

“The FIFA World Cup as a pull factor for development, offering a reward to increased investment and focus on football development locally, is significant,” the research document says.

More teams and more matches also mean higher commercial sales to help FIFA fund itself and its 211 member federations.

Here are some of FIFA’s arguments for and against the five options:

48 TEAMS – 16 GROUPS OF 3

The preferred option, announced by Infantino just this month.

The 16×3 format “offers the certainty of at least two matches per team, avoids any post-play-off let-down periods and, importantly, achieves all of this while retaining the authenticity of the current 32-team format by staying true to the traditional, purist football knockout format,” the document said.

Each of the 80 matches in 32 days has an exclusive time slot – a rise on the current 56 live slots, where the last round of games in each group kicks off at the same time to guard against collusion.

Purists, however, are unlikely to enjoy the idea of penalty shootouts to decide drawn group-stage games. That is to protect against teams colluding on a favorable result that would let both advance to the new Round of 32.

So, fewer “dead rubber” group-stage matches and extra knockout games.

“Direct elimination of the last 32 teams would create drama and this `life-or-death’ format should therefore have a positive impact on audiences,” FIFA suggests.

Audiences also get four daily matches in an intense first 16 days. The first rest day arrives only when the quarterfinals lineup is set.

Compared to $5.5 billion for the next World Cup in Russia, FIFA projects this format would earn the equivalent of $6.5 billion – the most lucrative option.

Organizing costs would also rise, from $2 billion to $2.3 billion, though at least $128 million of that is basic prize money to the 16 extra teams.

Hosts would still be required to provide a maximum of 12 stadiums, as Russia has chosen.

FIFA projects more revenue, happier commercial partners and more engaged fan bases worldwide.

“The most tangible and intangible value,” FIFA’s document said.

48 TEAMS – OPENING 32-TEAM PLAYOFF ROUND

Infantino’s big idea of three months ago to get to 48 teams has probably found too much opposition to succeed.

It also has 80 matches, plus a round of 32 of undoubted high drama- just not where teams, fans and broadcasters want it.

The opening playoff round – of 32 teams playing a “one-and-done” match to join 16 seeded teams – has been viewed as not part of the real World Cup.

FIFA points to “post playoff let-down” and seems against taking that risk.

“The 48-team (16×3) format with a 2-match guarantee per team makes it the most attractive option,” FIFA suggested.

The 4-day playoff round, plus three rest days ahead of a typical 32-teamm group stage would mean a 39-day tournament.

Teams and fans of some teams would either be making travel and ticket plans at short notice or leaving as others arrive for the main event

There is also uncertainty about how many teams from each continent would survive to the groups.

Even the promise of $6.32 billion revenue is likely not enough.

40 TEAMS – 10 GROUPS OF 4

The numbers don’t add up.

Fewer matches, at 76, and a lop-sided bracket where only six of the 10 group runners-up would advance to a Round of 32.

“Any expanded format would present some issues which need to be addressed regarding sporting balance,” FIFA said, with this flawed format in mind.

Unbeaten second-place teams in tough groups could be going home through no fault of their own, if their goal difference was inferior to runner-up from a weaker group.

Also, FIFA projects an increased profit of less than $200 million relative to the 2018 budget. The favored 16×3 format cashes in at $640 million increased profit.

40 TEAMS – 8 GROUPS OF FIVE

The flabbiest option.

The most matches, 88, but too few of them are meaningful.

In the 10,000 tournament simulations FIFA performed, it scored worst in terms of the pure quality of well-matched good teams playing each other.

“Both 48-team formats outperform the 40-team formats, with the 40-team (8×5) clearly the weakest format in this respect,” FIFA said.

Also, the eight-match program required to win, or even reach the semifinals, is a nonstarter.

It is unacceptable to European clubs to release their salaried players for a longer stint of national-team duty.

32 TEAMS

If not perfect, certainly a proven and popular success since it was introduced at the 1998 World Cup in France.

The 64-match bracket is perfect: Two teams advance from each group into a Round of 16.

“The format with the highest absolute quality (of play) would be achieved under the current format,” FIFA acknowledged.

But change has been promised to FIFA members in two separate votes last Feb. 26 in Zurich.

They elected a president who campaigned on offering more invitations to the World Cup party, and they approved anti-corruption FIFA reforms sweetened by the promise of more, and lucrative, World Cup places.

That reform panel which suggested that included Infantino and the now-FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani of Canada – a potential co-host in 2026 with the United States and Mexico.

Why Boxing Day is a sacred day in the Premier League.

By Joe Prince-Wright

(Photo/Getty Images)

Boxing Day is one of the most sacred days in the Premier League calendar.

It is my favorite.

There’s a special buzz around the stadiums, towns and in homes across the UK as the entire festive schedule centers around December 26 each year.

When I speak to most Americans about the Premier League, one of the topics which often comes up is “hey, how crazy is Boxing Day?” It is crazy, especially with so many matchdays bunched together around Christmas and New Year’s.

But Brits wouldn’t have it any other way as eight games take place on Dec. 26 and you can sit back and watch them all via NBC Sports by clicking on the link above.

Boxing Day is, of course, a national holiday in the UK and in case you didn’t know the history behind the day, it dates back centuries with the etymology being linked to a day where Christmas boxes were given to trade workers in the week after Christmas to thank them for their work all year.

It is also a day where the sporting calendar thrives as cricket, horse racing and rugby all compete with soccer to be the sport to watch on Dec. 26. When it comes down to it, it’s all about soccer with a full day of games across the professional, semi-professional and often amateur leagues across the UK. Across the rest of Europe, they’re on a break and enjoying the holidays with their families and friends.

In the UK soccer takes center stage on Boxing Day.

With some calling for a winter break in England to give the English national team a better chance of advancing to the latter stages of a World Cup or European Championship, many soccer fans in the UK would rather have the Boxing Day schedule such is the connection to the day. They’d rather have that warm moment around the holidays to connect with their team than see England get to the semifinals of a tournament and then get knocked out on penalty kicks…

Coming the day after Christmas Day, it is also the perfect time to head out of the house after a few days of feasting and sharing gifts with the family. It’s a chance to get some fresh air, catch up with friends over a pint or at the bookies about their holiday stories and then cheer on your team while you wear your new scarf of jacket.

There’s no other day like it.

In the past teams used to play back-to-back games on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (the last time they did this was 1957) and that seems a little too much. Boxing Day has survived the test of time and with stadiums packed due to everyone heading home for the holidays, it’s a special time to watch a game and usually special games spring up with goals galore. Due to squad rotation and some teams adapting to the festive schedule better than others, you never quite know what will happen.

Opposition fans are friendlier (minutely) with their chants, stadium staff and supporters get along and even the players seem to be enjoying themselves a little more despite having a game to play.

The energy and vibe is different and, much like opening day, it is one of the best days in the Premier League season. Plus, you’re approaching the midway point of the campaign so plenty of teams are still optimistic about what lies ahead and even if your team is struggling, there’s still time to turn things around.

Full of festive cheer, crazy games and history, Boxing Day is ingrained in the British soccer psyche.

Like opening day in MLB, Thanksgiving games in the NFL and the Sunday of a Masters week at Augusta, it is a sacred day in the sporting calendar where the action often encapsulates the overall mood.

Fire sign three-time MLS All-Star midfielder Juninho on loan.

By Dan Santaromita

(Photo/USA TODAY)

There is still a long way to go, but the pieces are beginning to come together for the 2017 Chicago Fire.

Just days after acquiring striker Nemanja Nikolic, the Fire added another accomplished player to the roster in the form of Brazilian midfielder Juninho. The Fire acquired the former LA Galaxy midfielder on a one-year loan from Mexican club Tijuana with an option to buy.

Juninho, a three-time MLS All-Star, was subject to the league's allocation order. Atlanta has the top spot in that list, but passed and is reportedly holding out to get goalkeeper Brad Guzan. The Fire had to trade up to the No. 2 spot, which Minnesota had, in order to nab Juninho. The Fire sent a second round pick in the upcoming draft in January (No. 23 overall) and general allocation money to Minnesota to move up in the allocation order. The Fire swapped spots in the allocation order, meaning Minnesota moves back to No. 2 while the Fire head to the back of the line after using the allocation spot to acquire Juninho.

Juninho, who turns 28 in January, is a six-year MLS veteran. He won three MLS Cups with the Galaxy in 2011, 2012 and 2014 and was an All-Star in 2011, 2013 and 2015. 

“Going into this offseason, we set our intentions on identifying game-changing players with championship experience along the spine of our line-up,” Fire general manager Nelson Rodríguez said in the club's press release. “Including the signing of Nemanja Nikolic, we’ve acquired two players whom attracted significant interest from other clubs worldwide."

Juninho left the Galaxy after the 2015 season to join Tijuana in Liga MX. He scored two goals and had two assists in 24 appearances with Tijuana.

Rodriguez spoke about getting "a boss" in the midfield after the club signed Nikolic. Juninho fits that profile as a player who could line up next to Matt Polster in coach Veljko Paunovic's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation. The Fire likely still need more creative ability in midfield, but Juninho should help a team that was last in the league in possession in 2016.

Juninho's salary will be above MLS' Designated Player threshold, but his cap hit can be bought down with Targeted Allocation Money. That means the Fire still have an available DP slot if they are able to land another big money signing. Nikolic and David Accam are the Fire's two DPs currently.

Juninho has a green card which means he will not take up an international spot on the Fire's roster. The Fire currently have six of the available eight international spots filled.

NCAAFB: Nick Saban and Urban Meyer are at war over Florida.

By Jim Baird

(Photo/Getty Images)

Nick Saban and Urban Meyer have made a habit of signing elite recruiting classes — and the championships that follow. But when it comes to recruiting there is only one king: Nick Saban.

Saban is undefeated in the past six years. He has, according to 247 Sports, never lost when it comes to pulling in the nation’s top recruiting class during that time period. The last coach to unseat Saban from the top recruiting class was Urban Meyer in 2010, then at Florida. 

Meyer's now at Ohio State, and he and Saban both have their teams in the College Football Playoff, with a potential rendezvous in the national championship game. But that's not all they're competing for. With a little more than a month until National Signing Day, the two are squaring off in a battle for the top 2017 class with Saban again No. 1 and Meyer No. 2. 

Mirroring its electoral importance, the state of Florida may decide who walks away with this season's recruiting crown.

Buckeye Sunshine pipeline

Recruiting Florida is not new for Ohio State. But when Urban Meyer joined the Buckeyes in 2012, he kept the pipeline from his Gator coaching days open. Excluding this year's class that has yet to sign, from 2012-16 Meyer's biggest recruiting pipeline states are Ohio (72 commitments), followed by Florida (11 commitments). While Georgia, Illinois and New Jersey are tied for the third biggest pipeline states — Meyer plucked five recruits from each.

Meyer has cemented Florida as Ohio's go-to out of state pipeline. The list of commitments include last year’s No. 1 draft pick defensive end Joey Bosa and his five-star true freshman brother, Nick. It also includes depth at the skill positions, with three four-star wide receivers — Binjimen Victor (2016), James Clark (2013), and Johnnie Dixon (2014).

Four from Florida have committed to the Buckeyes' No. 2 ranked class for 2017. Those four pledges tie Florida with Ohio for the most commitments from any single state for the Buckeye's 2017 class. 2017 Sunshine State pledges include two of Ohio State’s six five-stars: the No. 22 player in the nation cornerback Shaun Wade and the No. 29 player in the country wide receiver Trevon Grimes.

Saban's Florida
 
Like Meyer, Saban's recruiting pipeline has focused on locking in top in-state talent. Saban has also tapped top talent from around the South. Looking at the same 2012-16 time period since Meyer has been at OSU, Saban's biggest recruiting pipeline states are Alabama (32 commitments), Georgia (17 commitments), Louisiana (11 commitments), Florida (10 commitments), and Texas (10 commitments).

The Sunshine state remains one of the major talent hotbeds for Saban, and includes pledges from eventual NFL Draft first rounder wide receiver Amari Cooper (2012), and safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (2011).

For their top-ranked 2017 class, the Tide have eight pledges from the Sunshine state, the most commitments of any state in the class. That includes three of their four five-star commitments: the No. 6 player in the nation offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood, the No. 8 player in the nation outside linebacker Dylan Moses, and the No. 25 player in the country wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.

The battle for the top class

True to form with his approach to recruiting the South, Saban is targeting a slew of southern pipeline states to finish off another top class. They are in a battle with the Gators for four-star Florida defensive end Jarez Parks. They are also in the hunt for Georgia five-star defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon and four-star safety Deangelo Gibbs, as well as state of Alabama four-stars defensive end LaBryan Ray and wide receiver Henry Ruggs III. Keep an eye too on Louisiana four-star wide receiver Devonta Smith, considered a heavy Alabama lean.

Meanwhile, the pathway for Ohio State’s strongest recruiting finish lies in the Lone Star State. The Buckeyes are in the hunt for a Texas trio: five-star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson, five-star safety Jeffrey Okudah and four-star cornerback Kendall Sheffield, who transferred from Alabama.

With two mammoth recruiting classes shaping up — and two coaches in Saban and Meyer at the height of their recruiting powers, this is a fight that won't end on National Signing Day. Particularly in the all important recruiting battleground of Florida. After all, the Sunshine State is home to 44 of the nation's top 300 prospects in 2018. The battle for Florida is only just heating up.

Lovie Smith, Illinois get Christmas Day commitment from Miami defensive end.

By Chicago Tribune Staff Reporter

(Photo/Bradley Leeb)

Coach Lovie Smith landed the 17th commitment in his first Illinois recruiting class — and the third in four days — when three-star defensive end Owen Carney committed Sunday.

Carney chose the Illini over second choice Maryland, Miami and Kansas State, according to 247Sports.com. He is a classmate at Miami Central High School of Illinois wide receiver commitment Carmoni Green. Both players plan to enroll at Illinois next month and take part in spring practice.

The Illini got commitments Thursday from three-star defensive tackle Kendrick Green of Peoria and Friday from two-star cornerback Nate Hobbs of Louisville, Ky.

Bahamas Bowl score: Old Dominion wins first bowl game, celebrates accordingly.

By Chip Patterson

ODU appeared in its first bowl, beating an Eastern Michigan team that hadn't been since 1987.

Old Dominion topped Eastern Michigan for the third year in a row, this time taking the Bahamas Bowl title in the process in a 24-20 win in Nassau on Friday. For the Monarchs, it's the biggest moment imaginable: winning the program's first bowl game on its first bowl trip, and spending a few nights in the Bahamas to boot.

Coach Bobby Wilder was joyous on the sideline as his fans rushed the field after the game, telling ESPN that this program-defining win was the "best moment of his life." Wilder has been the program's only coach since it was brought back to competition in 2009, and only recently did ODU become bowl-eligible as a full member of Conference USA. They came a long way this season and have now posted a 10-win campaign due in large part to the reliable legs of Ray Lawry.

ODU came into the game with the matchup edge after winning both sides of a home-and-home agreement in 2014 and 2015, edging out EMU for a 38-34 win last season behind a 223-yard, four-touchdown performance by Lawry.

Lawry was the Offensive MVP of the bowl game after burning up the EMU defense again, totaling 133 yards on 23 carries. It was an unusually low-scoring version of the Bahamas Bowl -- also new to the bowl season at the young age of three -- with that ODU rushing attack making a difference in the fourth quarter.

Everything about the Bahamas Bowl is unique. Put yourself in the shoes of the players and you've got to think the game is no better than the third most exciting thing they're going to do on this trip to Nassau. The first two editions of the Bahamas Bowl, in 2014 and 2015, featured an average of 86.5 points per game as well as a Central Michigan last-minute Hail Mary hook-and-ladder attempt for the ages.

The halftime show is top-notch as well.

According to ESPN's Kaylee Hartung, there's also this: Eastern Michigan, making its first bowl appearance since 1987, got blasted by the sun due to its location on the sideline. The rays were impacting the team's gameplay and forcing increased efforts to hydrate in the roasting heat from the sky above. Meanwhile, on the other side, Old Dominion was much more comfortable in the shade.

Only in the Bahamas Bowl.

NCAABKB: Kentucky's report card looks good even though the Wildcats got an 'F' in shooting.

By Gary Parrish

Kentucky's Bam Adebayo could be ready for a breakout performance, (Photo/USATSI)

Freshmen: A

Kentucky's first-year players, even the five-star recruits, don't always immediately adjust well to college basketball. But this group has been great. Monk (21.4 points per game) and Fox (16.3 points per game) are the team's top two scorers. (Monk has a 47-point game already. Fox has a triple-double already.) And then there's Bam Adebayo, who is averaging 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 25.6 minutes per game. Those three -- Monk, Fox and Adebayo -- were Kentucky's three most heralded prospects and the ones expected to play big roles this season. So far, so good. They've been terrific -- especially Fox.

Veterans: C

Only three non-freshmen -- Isaiah Briscoe, Derek Willis and Dominique Hawkins -- are averaging more than 12.0 minutes per game, which is among the reasons Kentucky ranks 347th in the "experience" category, according to KenPom. Briscoe, a sophomore guard, is averaging 15.1 points while shooting 52.9 percent from the field. That's good. But Willis and Hawkins haven't made any real statistical improvements. Willis took 3.8 3-pointers in 18.6 minutes per game last season and made 44.2 percent of them. Now he's taking 2.9 3-pointers in 19.1 minutes per game but making just 34.3 percent of them. So the senior forward is playing more but shooting less and way worse from 3-point range. Meantime, Hawkins, a senior guard, is shooting 31.4 percent from the field and 27.8 percent from 3-point range. Bottom line, if Kentucky wins the SEC and anything beyond, it won't be because of the upperclassmen. It'll be freshmen-driven for sure.

Defense: B

This grade, in the big picture, is low because UK actually ranks sixth in defensive efficiency. But it's hard to ignore that the Wildcats have only played two good offensive teams -- UCLA and North Carolina -- and allowed both to shoot exactly 53.0 percent from the field. UCLA put 97 points on the Wildcats. UNC put 100 on them. That Kentucky managed to split those games is a testament to its offense.

Overall: B

Kentucky has been favored in every game but lost twice -- at home to UCLA and on the road to Louisville. So it's impossible to pretend things have gone as planned because, by definition, they have not. But, that said, everything is cool. Everything is fine. The UCLA game got away from the Wildcats and provided a surprising result, if only because A) Kentucky was favored by 11 points at home, and B) most didn't realize how good UCLA was at the time. But UK remains the only sensible pick to win the SEC. And the Wildcats can still secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and, yes, win Calipari's second national championship.

They're not the favorites to cut nets in April.

That's still Duke followed by UCLA.

But everything that was on the preseason table remains on the table.

UK's next game is Thursday at Ole Miss.

Grayson Allen drama aside, here's how Duke's pre-conference report card looks.

By Matt Norlander

Five categories, five grades, and an overall grade for performance so far relative to expectations.

Duke's presence on a national level took a meteoric rise -- and that's saying something -- this week with the latest operatic episode involving Grayson Allen's tripping habit.

But for all who are sick and tired of "Graymond" already, I have good news for you: We're not here to talk about that. Not one bit. Let's look at what Duke's done on the floor through 13 games of non-conference play. This is a fun, promising, potentially all-time-talented team. The Blue Devils have wrapped up their non-league schedule, and their current 12-1 record is what the computers predicted in the preseason. So, in that way, Duke has matched the hype; hit expectations on the nose.

Of course, the path to 12-1 was not what Mike Krzyzewski was anticipating.

Let's look closer and see where this team has done well and in what areas there's still plenty of room for growth.

Offense: B+

The Blue Devils rank third in the country in offensive efficiency at KenPom.com, trailing only undefeated Villanova and undefeated UCLA. That's great. They are averaging 83.5 points, which is 36th in America. That's pretty good. Beyond that, Duke's offense still has room for growth. It's getting a B+ for being so good despite having roster issues for almost the entirety of the preseason and into mid-December.

Duke is shooting 35.7 percent from 3-point range. Only once in the past 15 years, in 2008-09, did Krzyzewski have a team finish the season under 36 percent from deep. So keep an eye on that (I do think Duke will finish out around 38 percent by the time we get to March). From 2-point range, Duke is at 55.6 percent, which is very good but not elite (27th in the sport).

The Blue Devils don't play fast, they don't play slow. Their tempo is consistent. They aren't getting to the line as much as they should given their talent (they have a 40.7-percent free throw rate, meaning 40 percent of the total shots they take are foul shots, which is about average for a Coach K team), but I think the best is still to come with this team's offense.

Overcoming injuries: A

No doubt about it. Duke started the season without freshmen Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles and Marques Bolden. All have been projected lottery picks. Bolden's having some growing pains, but Tatum (15.4 points, 7.6 rebounds through five games) is immediately adapting. He's been great. Look at this smoothness. This is a fadeaway move ready for the league right now.

Giles only came back this week. He'll need another three or four games before he's really comfortable, I think, and even then we'll see. I wouldn't be surprised if he averages less than 20 minutes per game for the season. We're talking about a power forward who had three knee procedures before ever playing a college game. His talent is undeniable. Krzyzewski isn't going to put him in harm's way if he can help it.

Prior to all these players coming back, Duke was able to go 7-1 and lose only to Kansas at the last second at Madison Square Garden on a shot from Frank Mason III, who could become the Player of the Year.

So, yeah, Duke's been able to move past the injury issue. Even Allen had a lingering toe problem, but that's subsided as well.

The schedule hasn't been top-notch, but Duke does have wins over Rhode Island, Florida and Michigan State. I think all three of those teams will be in the NCAA Tournament.

Producing a POY candidate: A

Not one, but two!

Here's how I'd frame this topic. If you finish as a First Team All-American selectee at the end of the year, you can say you were legitimately in the national player of the year conversation. A top-five player is worthy of inclusion. A top-10 player? Hey, that's really good too.

And right now, Duke has two guys, Luke Kennard and Amile Jefferson, both with cases to be top-10 players of value.

Duke doesn't have that every year, but here's who's been a top-10 player in the past decade.

2015: Jahlil Okafor (First Team)

2014: Jabari Parker (First Team)

2013: Mason Plumlee (Second Team)

2011: Nolan Smith (First Team)

2010: Jon Scheyer (Second Team)

Scheyer's now an assistant at Duke, and Smith is also on the team bench in a support role.

This year, Kennard's in the mix (20.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 43 percent from 3) with Frank Mason III, Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball and anyone else you want to throw at the top of the POY chase (Read our latest POY Rankings). Jefferson (14.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 65 percent from the field) is more in the 10-12 range, but that's still really good.

Defense: A-

The Blue Devils rank eighth in America in per-possession defense (a 90.9 DRtg at KenPom) and are allowing 61.8 points per game, which ranks 23rd in the country. Because of that, Duke is sixth in America in scoring margin (21.7 points) and has become more reliable on D than O, to this point, I think.

A lot of this is due to Krzyzewski's Hall of Fame-level coaching. But the team has tremendous athleticism, really good length, and it's very principled in its man-to-man style. Matt Jones, who almost never gets discussed, is a vital veteran and also someone I'd rank as one of the 20 best man-on-man defenders in the sport.

Wait until Giles is healthy and limber and protecting the rim. Tatum's a two-way player. Teams are shooting just 28.3 percent from 3-point range against Duke; there's debate over whether teams truly have the ability to affect opponents' 3-point percentage, but I believe they do, though it's a nuanced discussion. Given Duke's size, length, athleticism and ability to put almost anyone 18 feet out as a defender, I think that 28.3 number correlates to defensive scheme.

Role play: A-

I'm looking at Frank Jackson and seeing a guy who was asked to do more than initially expected and came through in a big way. Duke doesn't have a true point guard. It also, apparently, doesn't need one. Jackson, who is a 2 much more than a 1, has been able to step in and provide pivotal play throughout November and December.

I'll be interested to see how his minutes and/or role are reduced with a full lineup, but he'll have another chance here with the Allen suspension. Jackson is averaging 12.3 points in 26.8 minutes and shooting 39.1 percent from the field. He made big strides in preseason development and became the exact type of spot-up/role player Duke needed to remain a top-five team throughout the first six weeks of the season.

Overall grade: A-

When you consider who Duke has played, the injuries that have happened, the fact that the development is still ongoing and how Duke's looked in some of those games (the Florida win was an impressive romp), I think an A- is fair.

If we're grading on a curve, you could say B or B+, because Duke's ceiling is so high. But remember, it's going to be playing in a competitive ACC. I wonder how high Duke flies in January and February. It's undoubtedly going to roll some teams at home. It's also going to take losses on the road. If Tatum and Giles tap into their top-three draft potential, then things get fun really fast. UCLA, to me, is the most watchable team in the country right now. But at its best, I think Duke can be the most dominating and captivating team the sport has. The Blue Devils have only flirted with that so far. Will we see it sooner than later?

USC remains unbeaten thanks to McLaughlin's driving layup.

By ADAM SOBOLESKI

Southern California guard Jordan McLaughlin (11) shoots against Wyoming during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Dec. 23, 2016, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Southern California coach Andy Enfield hopes this isn't the only time his team wins a tournament championship in Las Vegas this season.

The undefeated Trojans took their last non-conference test Friday night and it turned out to be an extremely difficult one against a stubborn Wyoming team.

With 30 seconds left in overtime, USC had the ball in a tie game.

Jordan McLaughlin dribbled down the clock, drove through traffic in the lane and made a left-handed layup with 4.5 seconds left that gave No. 23 USC a 94-92 win in the title game of the Las Vegas Classic at the Orleans Arena.

''It wasn't a set play. It was a clear-out,'' Enfield said. ''We said make a play and if you do, shoot or pass it to someone open. He made a spectacular move to the basket.''

Wyoming's Jeremy Lieberman missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer from the top of the key at the buzzer, and USC (13-0) remained one of six unbeaten teams in Division I. The Trojans finished without a blemish during the non-conference portion of their schedule.

McLaughlin, the Classic's MVP, had 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Jonah Matthews led the Trojans with 26 points and six steals, and De'Anthony Melton added 16 points and eight rebounds.

Haydon Dalton, who had 18 points and 18 rebounds for Wyoming, forced overtime by hitting an improbable 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds left after Melton missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 15 seconds left and USC leading 90-87.

Jason McManamen and Justin James led Wyoming (10-3) with 23 points apiece. McManamen was 6 of 14 from 3-point range.

''USC is a good team and they deserved to be ranked in the country,'' Wyoming coach Allen Edwards said. ''We got guys that came off the bench that played well. It was a good challenge. We've been playing well.''

This was the final non-conference game for Wyoming as well. Both teams are scheduled to play their conference tournaments in Las Vegas in March.

After Wyoming trailed 50-44 at halftime, the Cowboys grabbed a 52-51 lead and later extended it to 68-62. But USC responded and took an 82-78 lead. The Cowboys answered with four straight points to tie it with 1:40 remaining.

''Wyoming is a tough team,'' Enfield said. ''They have shooters all over the place. We almost gave it away with missing our free throws down the stretch.''

The Trojans took the lead on a layup by Elijah Stewart with 1:22 left and seemingly had the game in hand until the final seconds of regulation.

USC outscored Wyoming in the paint, 50-28.

ALL OFFENSE

Both teams had their offense clicking in the first half. From 3-point range, the Cowboys were 8 of 16, while the Trojans were 5 of 9, and overall from the field, Wyoming was 14 of 31 (45 percent), and USC 17 of 34 (50 percent).

The Trojans will return to Las Vegas in March and compete in the Pac-12 Conference tournament down the street at the new T-Mobile Arena.

UP NEXT

USC: The Trojans open Pac-12 Conference play at Oregon State on Wednesday.

Wyoming: The Cowboys start Mountain West Conference play by hosting Air Force on Wednesday. Wyoming will be right back in Las Vegas next Saturday against UNLV.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, December 26, 2016.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1908 - Texan boxer "Galveston Jack" Johnson knocked out Tommy Burns in Sydney, Australia, to become the first black boxer to win the world heavyweight title.

1917 - Harry Cameron (Toronto Maple Leafs) became the first defenseman to score four goals in a game.

1927 - The East-West Shrine football game featured numbers on both the front and back of players’ jerseys.

1928 - Johnny Weissmuller announced his retirement from amateur swimming. At the time he held all world swimming records for free-style swimming from 50 to 880 yards.

1941 - Booby Riggs won his first pro tennis game.

1968 - Ted Green (Boston Bruins) set a National League Hockey (NHL) penalty record when he recorded 3 minors, 2 majors and 2 game misconducts.

1974 - The Washington Capitals achieved their first NHL sellout.

1986 - Doug Jarvis, age 31, set a National Hockey League (NHL) record as he skated in his 916th consecutive game. Jarvis eventually set the individual record for most consecutive games played with 964.

2001 - "Ali," starring Will Smith, opened in the U.S.

2001 - Patrick Roy (Colorado Avalanche) became the first goalie to win 500 NHL games.

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