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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"We were all born with a certain degree of power. The key to success is discovering this innate power and using it daily to deal with whatever challenges come our way." ~ Les Brown, Motivational Speaker, Author, Radio DJ, Former Television Host, and Former Politician.
TRENDING: Drafting first round QB's despite starters in place something of a Bears tradition. (See the football section for Bears news and NFL updates).
TRENDING: How many cooks will determine Kitchen's replacement? (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: NBA Buzz: Don't expect a roster overhaul from the Bulls this summer. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).
TRENDING: Albert Almora Jr. keys Cubs' extra-inning win against Phillies. (Thursday's Game, 05/04/2017). Derek Holland, White Sox down Royals to salvage series split. (Thursday's Game, 05/04/2017). (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: Rules Update: Many players in favor of banning green-reading books. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: NASCAR at Talladega: TV Schedule, dates, times, qualifying drivers for Geico 500. (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR news and racing updates).
TRENDING: The long shot that will win this year’s Kentucky Derby. (See the last article on this blog for Thoroughbred Racing News and Kentucky Derby updates).
TRENDING: NASCAR at Talladega: TV Schedule, dates, times, qualifying drivers for Geico 500. (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR news and racing updates).
TRENDING: The long shot that will win this year’s Kentucky Derby. (See the last article on this blog for Thoroughbred Racing News and Kentucky Derby updates).
(Photo/Garry Jones/Associated Press)
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Drafting first round QB's despite starters in place something of a Bears tradition.
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The good thing about a draft scenario like the Bears’ selecting Mitch Trubisky on top of having signed Mike Glennon for starter-grade money is that it provides an almost inexhaustible quiver of talking and writing points. To wit...
... the 2017 draft is far from the first time that the Bears have invested a lofty pick in a player at a position that had been staffed not all that long before with a pricey free agent or still had a distinguished veteran. Don’tcha kind of wonder how Sid Luckman, 32, All-Pro as recently as 1947, felt seeing George Halas use the No. 3 pick of the 1948 draft on Bobby Layne?
The Bears had Jim McMahon in harness (literally and figuratively) in 1987 when they used their first-round pick on Jim Harbaugh. They went QB at No. 12 overall (Cade McNown) in 1999 despite the coaching staff believing they could make something out of Shane Matthews. The San Francisco 49ers had Joe Montana in place when they dealt for Steve Young. Montana didn’t like it but 49ers history was obviously the better for it. Not that Montana ever wanted for motivation, but he earned the first of his three All-Pro designations in — take a guess — 1987.
GM Jerry Angelo dramatically out-bid the market for running back Thomas Jones in 2004. Jones was OK that season, but the Bears came back in 2005 to use the No. 4 pick of that draft on Cedric Benson because, as former Bear and longtime NFL analyst Dan Jiggetts said at the time, Jones still had questions after the first season in which he’d started more than nine games.
Jones didn’t like it, and didn’t like Benson, who exacerbated his overall situation with a long holdout that didn’t sit well with veterans. Jones eventually forced a trade after the 2006 season and Benson wound up a three-time 1,000-yard rusher, albeit for the Cincinnati Bengals. Jones appeared to get the situation; after never rushing for 1,000 yards in his career, he piled up five straight of 1,100 yards or more after the Benson pick. Just sayin’ ...
... any assessment of Ryan Pace’s competence or lack of same is beyond silly at this point. The object of his affections hasn’t even put on a Bears jersey yet, just held one up for cameras. The obvious tack here is that if Trubisky is franchise-grade as the Bears project, then the acquisition was the right one.
But the deeper perspective, on whether Pace was bidding against himself in the absence of known real offers, gets increasingly debunked. On top of Pace’s own experience of getting multiple calls from teams looking to trade up to No. 3 for a quarterback, and Pace knowing that when he didn’t want to deal that the next speed-dial by those callers would be to 49ers GM John Lynch, Tennessee Titans GM Jon Robinson suggested that Pace not only had reason for fear poachers, but also that multiple other teams shared Pace’s conclusion that Trubisky was the best quarterback in this draft.
Robinson said via SiriusXM NFL Radio that the Titans had gotten calls inquiring about acquiring their pick at No. 5. Those calls stopped when the Bears dealt up and grabbed Trubisky. Because Pat Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer and every other quarterback was still on the board, the conclusion was that those other teams also had targeted Trubisky, as Pace had ...
... the 2017 draft is far from the first time that the Bears have invested a lofty pick in a player at a position that had been staffed not all that long before with a pricey free agent or still had a distinguished veteran. Don’tcha kind of wonder how Sid Luckman, 32, All-Pro as recently as 1947, felt seeing George Halas use the No. 3 pick of the 1948 draft on Bobby Layne?
The Bears had Jim McMahon in harness (literally and figuratively) in 1987 when they used their first-round pick on Jim Harbaugh. They went QB at No. 12 overall (Cade McNown) in 1999 despite the coaching staff believing they could make something out of Shane Matthews. The San Francisco 49ers had Joe Montana in place when they dealt for Steve Young. Montana didn’t like it but 49ers history was obviously the better for it. Not that Montana ever wanted for motivation, but he earned the first of his three All-Pro designations in — take a guess — 1987.
GM Jerry Angelo dramatically out-bid the market for running back Thomas Jones in 2004. Jones was OK that season, but the Bears came back in 2005 to use the No. 4 pick of that draft on Cedric Benson because, as former Bear and longtime NFL analyst Dan Jiggetts said at the time, Jones still had questions after the first season in which he’d started more than nine games.
Jones didn’t like it, and didn’t like Benson, who exacerbated his overall situation with a long holdout that didn’t sit well with veterans. Jones eventually forced a trade after the 2006 season and Benson wound up a three-time 1,000-yard rusher, albeit for the Cincinnati Bengals. Jones appeared to get the situation; after never rushing for 1,000 yards in his career, he piled up five straight of 1,100 yards or more after the Benson pick. Just sayin’ ...
... any assessment of Ryan Pace’s competence or lack of same is beyond silly at this point. The object of his affections hasn’t even put on a Bears jersey yet, just held one up for cameras. The obvious tack here is that if Trubisky is franchise-grade as the Bears project, then the acquisition was the right one.
But the deeper perspective, on whether Pace was bidding against himself in the absence of known real offers, gets increasingly debunked. On top of Pace’s own experience of getting multiple calls from teams looking to trade up to No. 3 for a quarterback, and Pace knowing that when he didn’t want to deal that the next speed-dial by those callers would be to 49ers GM John Lynch, Tennessee Titans GM Jon Robinson suggested that Pace not only had reason for fear poachers, but also that multiple other teams shared Pace’s conclusion that Trubisky was the best quarterback in this draft.
Robinson said via SiriusXM NFL Radio that the Titans had gotten calls inquiring about acquiring their pick at No. 5. Those calls stopped when the Bears dealt up and grabbed Trubisky. Because Pat Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer and every other quarterback was still on the board, the conclusion was that those other teams also had targeted Trubisky, as Pace had ...
,,,the brouhaha over whether Glennon felt betrayed/bemused/befuddled/belittled over the Trubisky selection borders on the comical. (No comments directly from Glennon about his reaction, but never mind that.) But If Glennon purports to know some of the history of the NFL’s charter franchise (and others), he should not only have known this was a possibility, but also should have expected it. And he’s a big reason why — specifically, if it were clear that Glennon was a 27-year-old No. 1 quarterback, the Bears can be more casual in filling out the QB depth chart. The Green Bay Packers didn’t use anything higher than a fourth-round pick on a quarterback until Brett Favre was 36 because they knew they didn’t need to. The Bears are far from in that spot. Had they traded for Kirk Cousins, maybe; they didn’t.
To even link the Glennon signing to the Trubisky drafting is failing to grasp how teams try to staff the most important spot in their game.
Cases in point: the Seattle Seahawks signing Matt Flynn away from the Packers in 2012 for $20.5 million over three years, $9 million guaranteed. Flynn had all of two NFL starts at the time. The Seahawks rightly hedged their bet: They drafted Russell Wilson in the third round. Flynn then lost his job to Wilson by Week 1.
Glennon has 18 starts so maybe that’s why he got $18 million over two years. In any case, the Bears weren’t going to hang the future solely on a twice-replaced quarterback (by Josh McCown and Jameis Winston with Tampa Buccaneers) any more than Seattle was going Flynn-only.
Another in point: the Washington Redskins traded massively up in 2012 to draft Robert Griffin III. Then Washington turned around and invested a fourth-rounder in Cousins.
To even link the Glennon signing to the Trubisky drafting is failing to grasp how teams try to staff the most important spot in their game.
Cases in point: the Seattle Seahawks signing Matt Flynn away from the Packers in 2012 for $20.5 million over three years, $9 million guaranteed. Flynn had all of two NFL starts at the time. The Seahawks rightly hedged their bet: They drafted Russell Wilson in the third round. Flynn then lost his job to Wilson by Week 1.
Glennon has 18 starts so maybe that’s why he got $18 million over two years. In any case, the Bears weren’t going to hang the future solely on a twice-replaced quarterback (by Josh McCown and Jameis Winston with Tampa Buccaneers) any more than Seattle was going Flynn-only.
Another in point: the Washington Redskins traded massively up in 2012 to draft Robert Griffin III. Then Washington turned around and invested a fourth-rounder in Cousins.
What Bears scouts said about their 2017 NFL Draft class. Still talking about the Bears draft. I guarantee you that there are a couple of diamonds in the rough in this group. What's Your Take?
By Lorin Cox
The Chicago Bears’ scouting department often acts as a nameless force behind the scenes that does its evaluation, passes that information on to Ryan Pace and returns to the shadows, not to be seen or heard along the way.
The NFL Draft is the one time each year that Pace lets them come out of hiding and reveal their thoughts on the group of prospects they helped the team draft.
The Bears scouts gave their perspective on each of the team’s five picks in 2017, which is especially valuable this year after Chicago addressed the quarterback position before taking three small-school prospects that largely flew under the radar in the draft process.
Let’s take a look at what the Bears scouts said about the players drafted by the team.
Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
Adam Shaheen, TE, Ashland
Eddie Jackson, S, Alabama
Tarik Cohen, RB, North Carolina A&T
Jordan Morgan, OL, Kutztown
Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: There you have it, the 2017 Chicago Bears draft class. Please watch the reviews and go to the comment section below and let us know, what's your take? As stated in the title, we know that there are some diamonds in the rough in this class and we believe that they will brought around and taught to win instead of rushing them in and programming them to lose!!!
We can't wait to hear from you as we truly value your comments and opinions. As always, we thank you in advance for your time and consideration with regards to your responses.
Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
By Larry Mayer
There’s been a lot of debate about whether the Bears gave up too much to trade up for quarterback Mitch Trubisky. But I haven’t seen any reference to what the chart that assigns values to every pick in the draft indicates about the trade. Please enlighten us.
Ross K., Wheaton, Illinois
According to a chart that I usually reference when discussing trades, the value is just about equal. The No. 2 pick the Bears acquired is worth 2,600 points, while the three picks they sent to the 49ers—Nos. 3 (2,200), 67 (255) and 111 (72)—equal a total of 2,527. The Bears also traded a third-round pick in next year’s draft. Generally speaking, the way teams figure future picks into the equation is by dropping their value by one round. So the average of a fourth-round pick is about 25 points. So according to the chart, the Bears actually got the better value in the trade by a very narrow margin of 2,600-2,552. Of course, the ultimate winner of the trade will be determined solely by how quarterback Mitch Trubisky performs during his career in Chicago. If you’re interested, here’s a link to the trade value chart.
I kept hearing that this year’s draft was very deep on the defensive side of the ball. So my question is why did the Bears only pick one defensive player?
Walt D., Marion, Illinois
According to general manager Ryan Pace, the Bears didn’t make a concerted effort to draft mostly offensive players; it’s just the way the board fell. “The drafts unfold different every year,” Pace said. “Last year it leaned more heavily defense. It’s just kind of how it unfolds and this year’s draft that’s just the way it worked out. We’re taking best player available and that’s the way the draft fell and we’re just happy to get good football players.” If it’s any consolation to you, the Bears picked six defensive players last year they’re still in the process of grooming in outside linebacker
I know the Bears intend to groom quarterback Mitch Trubisky. But it concerns me to read that second-round pick
Phillip A., Louisville, Kentucky
The Bears do not consider big tight end Adam Shaheen a project, even though he played at Division II Ashland University. When general manager Ryan Pace was asked about Shaheen taking a year to adjust to the NFL before contributing, he said: “I would disagree with that. Adam’s projected to play early. I like his skill set and we spent a lot of time on that. Just because he’s a small-school player, it’s a big jump but I think he has the physical skill set to make that and we’re confident in that. That’s part of our thorough evaluation so I wouldn’t say [he won’t contribute as a rookie]. We’re excited about what he can add to our team right now.”
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Around the System: Three prospects in championship series.
By Emerald Gao
(Photo/chicagoblackhawks.com)
The first step to getting there, of course, is winning one of the three league titles, and three Blackhawks prospects are still in the hunt with their teams:
- In the OHL, 2016 second-round pick Alex DeBrincat has led the Erie Otters all the way to the championship series with a league-best 22 assists and 31 points. The 19-year-old has been held without a point just twice in 17 playoff games and will be expected to lead the charge once more in the finals against Mississauga. Game 1 takes place on Thursday at 6 p.m. CT.
- In the QMJHL, 2016 fourth-round pick Nathan Noel and free-agent signing Matthew Highmore will try to win the championship with the Saint John Sea Dogs. Noel, 19, has eight points (1G, 7A) in 14 playoff games so far, while Highmore, 21, ranks third among team forwards with 16 points (3G, 13A). Game 1 between Saint John and Blainville-Broisbriand will take place Friday at 5 p.m. CT.
- A fourth Blackhawks prospect, 2015 second-round pick Graham Knott, will also participate in the Memorial Cup with the host club -- Windsor Spitfires. The 20-year-old finished his best major-junior campaign to date with 52 points (15G, 37A) split between Windsor and the Niagara IceDogs in the regular season, then added four points in seven first-round tilts with the Spitfires.
Blackhawks Talk Podcast: How many cooks will determine Kitchen's replacement?
By #HawksTalk
(Photo/USA TODAY)
On the latest Hawks Talk Podcast, Pat Boyle sits down with Tracey Myers and Charlie Roumeliotis to discuss the latest on the Blackhawks.
The trio discuss the trade of Scott Darling, and give their favorite Darling moment and how this puts an end to any Corey Crawford trade rumors.
They also discuss the puzzling story from Artemi Panarin in which he told a Russian reporter that he was fatigued going into the playoffs, and how the team did the Breadman a solid by allowing him to go after his performance bonus.
Lastly, the crew weighs in on what might be missing from the roster and how the decision process may go to replace Mike Kitchen.
Listen to the Hawks Talk Podcast below.
The trio discuss the trade of Scott Darling, and give their favorite Darling moment and how this puts an end to any Corey Crawford trade rumors.
They also discuss the puzzling story from Artemi Panarin in which he told a Russian reporter that he was fatigued going into the playoffs, and how the team did the Breadman a solid by allowing him to go after his performance bonus.
Lastly, the crew weighs in on what might be missing from the roster and how the decision process may go to replace Mike Kitchen.
Listen to the Hawks Talk Podcast below.
By #By Mark Schanowski
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson and general manager Gar Forman didn't provide a whole lot of clarity on the team's future during their 40-minute end-of-the-season meeting with reporters on Wednesday.
We learned Fred Hoiberg will definitely be back for a third season as head coach, and Paxson said there's a "really good chance" the Bulls will pick up their $13.4 million team option on Rajon Rondo's services for next season. Forman also indicated the Bulls would like to keep restricted free agent Nikola Mirotic.
But beyond that, there's a lot of unknowns, starting with Dwyane Wade's $23.8 million player option for next season. Wade has already met once with the front office, and Paxson said they'll meet again in the coming weeks to talk about the direction of the roster and the franchise. But given Wade's recent history of taking his time to make decisions about his future, the Bulls might not have anything concrete until the June 30 deadline.
Both Paxson and Forman talked about the importance of player development this summer, saying the Bulls are counting on all of their young players to spend meaningful time at the Advocate Center working with the coaching and training staffs. Forman said the Bulls still have high hopes for a number of their under-25 crew, including Bobby Portis, Denzel Valentine, Cris Felicio, Paul Zipser and Cameron Payne.
With the expected return of Rondo next season, look for Payne to be the back-up at point guard, with Jerian Grant a possible trade candidate. Grant fell completely out of the rotation at the end of the playoff series against Boston, and it's unlikely the Bulls would want to bring him back as the third string point guard, with little hope of consistent playing time. Don't expect to see restricted free agent Michael Carter-Williams return either. MCW will probably be joining his fourth team when the new season opens in October.
Obviously, the biggest decision for the front office involves the future of All-Star Jimmy Butler. While conceding Butler is the best player on the team and an All-NBA talent, Paxson stopped short of saying Butler was untouchable in trade talks. Like Wade, Butler is also planning to have a no-holds barred sit-down with the front office in the coming weeks, seeking some assurance about whether the team has a plan in place to become a contender in the Eastern Conference again.
Paxson said the Bulls aren't shopping Butler, and that's something Jimmy will appreciate hearing in person when their meeting takes place. He'll also want to hear what the Bulls plan to do with their available cap room (roughly $20 million if Wade and Rondo return) to add a consistent shooter off the bench.
At this point, it looks like the plan for the summer is to bring back the "Three Alphas", make the 2 draft picks on June 22nd, and possibly add a solid veteran bench player in free agency. But the upcoming meetings with Butler and Wade could force the front office to pivot to a completely new direction. Stay tuned.
AROUND THE ASSOCIATION
The Bulls aren't the only team contemplating an uncertain future this summer. L.A. Clippers coach and president of basketball operations Doc Rivers has to decide whether to take the franchise into unprecedented luxury tax territory by resigning upcoming free agents Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, J.J. Redick and Luc Mbah a Moute.
Resigning Paul and Griffin alone could cost the Clippers around $375 million over the next five years. Rivers has indicated he'd like to have everyone back, and to this point he hasn't been given any payroll limitations by deep-pockets owner Steve Ballmer.
Still, you have to wonder if bringing back the same crew is the best strategy for a team that routinely wins 50+ games during the regular season, then flames out early in the playoffs. Since the Clippers will be capped out by retaining Paul alone, their best strategy is probably to also bring Griffin back to preserve trade options down the line. They could explore sign-and-trade scenarios, including a previously discussed deal with the Knicks for Carmelo Anthony. But again, Rivers will have to get the green light from his owner to take the payroll to a level we haven't seen before in the NBA.
Are there roster changes coming in Atlanta? Head coach Mike Budenholzer relinquished his front office role after a first round playoff exit, and the Hawks best player, Paul Millsap, will be looking for a max deal in free agency. Are the Hawks willing to commit five years, and over $150 million to a very good, but not great 32-year-old power forward? Especially considering their core group of Millsap, Dwight Howard, Kent Bazemore and Dennis Schroder really isn't good enough to challenge Cleveland for Eastern Conference supremacy. Don't be surprised if the next head of basketball operations decides to take a different approach with the roster.
And, what might happen in Toronto if the Cavaliers complete a semifinals demolition of the Raptors? The Cavs' trapping defense has taken All-Star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan out of their comfort zones, and the addition of frontline defenders Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker has done nothing to slow down LeBron James and Kevin Love. Lowry, Ibaka and Tucker are all headed to free agency at season's end, and it seems unlikely the Raptors will be able to afford to keep all three players.
Ibaka would look good as a starting power forward in the Bulls' lineup with his ability to defend and knock down shots from 3-point range. Problem is, the Bulls probably won't have the cap room to add a max player, and the 27-year-old Ibaka will be looking to break the bank this summer.
Other power forward options in free agency include Danilo Gallinari, Rudy Gay, James Johnson, Ersan Ilyasova, Derrick Williams, Marreese Speights, Donatas Motiejunas and Patrick Patterson. But if Mirotic is brought back along with Bobby Portis and Paul Zipser, the Bulls won't have a major need at that positon.
We learned Fred Hoiberg will definitely be back for a third season as head coach, and Paxson said there's a "really good chance" the Bulls will pick up their $13.4 million team option on Rajon Rondo's services for next season. Forman also indicated the Bulls would like to keep restricted free agent Nikola Mirotic.
But beyond that, there's a lot of unknowns, starting with Dwyane Wade's $23.8 million player option for next season. Wade has already met once with the front office, and Paxson said they'll meet again in the coming weeks to talk about the direction of the roster and the franchise. But given Wade's recent history of taking his time to make decisions about his future, the Bulls might not have anything concrete until the June 30 deadline.
Both Paxson and Forman talked about the importance of player development this summer, saying the Bulls are counting on all of their young players to spend meaningful time at the Advocate Center working with the coaching and training staffs. Forman said the Bulls still have high hopes for a number of their under-25 crew, including Bobby Portis, Denzel Valentine, Cris Felicio, Paul Zipser and Cameron Payne.
With the expected return of Rondo next season, look for Payne to be the back-up at point guard, with Jerian Grant a possible trade candidate. Grant fell completely out of the rotation at the end of the playoff series against Boston, and it's unlikely the Bulls would want to bring him back as the third string point guard, with little hope of consistent playing time. Don't expect to see restricted free agent Michael Carter-Williams return either. MCW will probably be joining his fourth team when the new season opens in October.
Obviously, the biggest decision for the front office involves the future of All-Star Jimmy Butler. While conceding Butler is the best player on the team and an All-NBA talent, Paxson stopped short of saying Butler was untouchable in trade talks. Like Wade, Butler is also planning to have a no-holds barred sit-down with the front office in the coming weeks, seeking some assurance about whether the team has a plan in place to become a contender in the Eastern Conference again.
Paxson said the Bulls aren't shopping Butler, and that's something Jimmy will appreciate hearing in person when their meeting takes place. He'll also want to hear what the Bulls plan to do with their available cap room (roughly $20 million if Wade and Rondo return) to add a consistent shooter off the bench.
At this point, it looks like the plan for the summer is to bring back the "Three Alphas", make the 2 draft picks on June 22nd, and possibly add a solid veteran bench player in free agency. But the upcoming meetings with Butler and Wade could force the front office to pivot to a completely new direction. Stay tuned.
AROUND THE ASSOCIATION
The Bulls aren't the only team contemplating an uncertain future this summer. L.A. Clippers coach and president of basketball operations Doc Rivers has to decide whether to take the franchise into unprecedented luxury tax territory by resigning upcoming free agents Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, J.J. Redick and Luc Mbah a Moute.
Resigning Paul and Griffin alone could cost the Clippers around $375 million over the next five years. Rivers has indicated he'd like to have everyone back, and to this point he hasn't been given any payroll limitations by deep-pockets owner Steve Ballmer.
Still, you have to wonder if bringing back the same crew is the best strategy for a team that routinely wins 50+ games during the regular season, then flames out early in the playoffs. Since the Clippers will be capped out by retaining Paul alone, their best strategy is probably to also bring Griffin back to preserve trade options down the line. They could explore sign-and-trade scenarios, including a previously discussed deal with the Knicks for Carmelo Anthony. But again, Rivers will have to get the green light from his owner to take the payroll to a level we haven't seen before in the NBA.
Are there roster changes coming in Atlanta? Head coach Mike Budenholzer relinquished his front office role after a first round playoff exit, and the Hawks best player, Paul Millsap, will be looking for a max deal in free agency. Are the Hawks willing to commit five years, and over $150 million to a very good, but not great 32-year-old power forward? Especially considering their core group of Millsap, Dwight Howard, Kent Bazemore and Dennis Schroder really isn't good enough to challenge Cleveland for Eastern Conference supremacy. Don't be surprised if the next head of basketball operations decides to take a different approach with the roster.
And, what might happen in Toronto if the Cavaliers complete a semifinals demolition of the Raptors? The Cavs' trapping defense has taken All-Star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan out of their comfort zones, and the addition of frontline defenders Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker has done nothing to slow down LeBron James and Kevin Love. Lowry, Ibaka and Tucker are all headed to free agency at season's end, and it seems unlikely the Raptors will be able to afford to keep all three players.
Ibaka would look good as a starting power forward in the Bulls' lineup with his ability to defend and knock down shots from 3-point range. Problem is, the Bulls probably won't have the cap room to add a max player, and the 27-year-old Ibaka will be looking to break the bank this summer.
Other power forward options in free agency include Danilo Gallinari, Rudy Gay, James Johnson, Ersan Ilyasova, Derrick Williams, Marreese Speights, Donatas Motiejunas and Patrick Patterson. But if Mirotic is brought back along with Bobby Portis and Paul Zipser, the Bulls won't have a major need at that positon.
If Mirotic does not return to the Bulls, finding a consistent shooter at the stretch-4 positon could jump to the top of the list of offseason priorities. The Bulls should be able to pick from a large number of college and international power forwards in the June 22 draft with their 16th and 38th selections.
Included among that group are Cal's Ivan Rabb, UCLA's TJ Leaf, Wake Forest's John Collins, Duke's Harry Giles, Kentucky's Bam Adebayo, Syracuse's Tyler Lydon, Baylor's Johnathan Motley, Purdue's Caleb Swanigan, Utah's Kyle Kuzma, Oregon's Jordan Bell Valpo's Alec Peters and SMU's Semi Ojeleye.
Based on what we heard from Paxson and Forman on Wednesday, as many as 11 of the 15 players on the roster for the Celtics playoff series could be back in Bulls' uniforms when training camp starts in September.
It looks like the marketing department already has it's slogan for the 2017-'18 season, "Let's Run It Back."
Included among that group are Cal's Ivan Rabb, UCLA's TJ Leaf, Wake Forest's John Collins, Duke's Harry Giles, Kentucky's Bam Adebayo, Syracuse's Tyler Lydon, Baylor's Johnathan Motley, Purdue's Caleb Swanigan, Utah's Kyle Kuzma, Oregon's Jordan Bell Valpo's Alec Peters and SMU's Semi Ojeleye.
Based on what we heard from Paxson and Forman on Wednesday, as many as 11 of the 15 players on the roster for the Celtics playoff series could be back in Bulls' uniforms when training camp starts in September.
It looks like the marketing department already has it's slogan for the 2017-'18 season, "Let's Run It Back."
The 4 biggest takeaways from the Bulls' season-ending press conference.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The four biggest takeaways from the Bulls’ season-ending news conference where Executive Vice President John Paxson and General Manager Gar Forman addressed the media:
Run it back
The inconsistency with the playing rotation and the young players on the roster hasn’t dissuaded the Bulls’ brain trust from the path they began last season — sort of. The “10 players with three years or fewer experience” we’ve heard repeatedly from General Manager Gar Forman wasn’t spoken but it was in the air. They’re still very high on Cameron Payne, the centerpiece of the midseason trade that sent Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott to Oklahoma City. And with Bobby Portis, Nikola Mirotic, Denzel Valentine and more on the roster, they’re not ready to cut bait on inexpensive talent in the near future.
“We know change is a part of this, but we don’t want to change without knowing exactly what we have,” Paxson said. “And I don’t feel that we’ve given our young kids a chance to see. Again, we know we’re on the line for that. Players develop, don’t develop. We scout them. We drafted them. We traded for them. That’s part of the job. But we have to give them an opportunity.”
Some would say they’ve seen enough for the Bulls to decide who can play and who won’t, but it’s clear they don’t feel like the young players have been given enough of an opportunity to show how they fit going into the future. Internal improvement seems to be the biggest factor for the summer as opposed to wholesale roster turnover.
“They've each committed to being in here all summer and putting in the work,” Forman said. “Being with our strength and conditioning coaches, being with our coaches on skill development and those are decisions we have to make.
“We certainly feel we have a young core of players that have a chance to get better and we're gonna need to add to it. Are we good enough, are we where we want to be? Obviously not. We're 41-41, a 500 team.”
With Nikola Mirotic, they sound like a front office ready to commit to a restricted free agent who’s only showed small glimpses but nothing sustainable. Before his usual March bloom, the Bulls couldn’t get as much as a future second-round pick for Mirotic on the trade market.
Perhaps that’s why they feel it would be best to hold onto him in the meantime, giving him yet another chance to prove himself. Dwyane Wade has a player option for $23.8 million, and the Bulls sounded like they’re expecting him to take it going into next season, where he’ll turn 36 in the middle of the 2017-18 campaign.
They’d probably be better served bringing in another veteran to lessen the dependency on Wade, but that doesn’t seem to be a main focus with the cap space they hope to maintain for the future.
Non-committal about Jimmy Butler, again
Butler completed another season where he made massive improvements statistically and with his skill set, becoming more of a playmaker with the ball in his hands.
He’s entering the third year of a five-year, $92 million deal and he’ll soon be eligible for a much larger payday if the Bulls would want to commit to him after his contract expires following the 2019-20 season, but the trade rumors have dogged Butler and the Bulls since the middle of last season.
Given the chance to firmly commit to Butler as a franchise player they’ll build around, Paxson and Forman again hedged their bets, as a loaded draft is around the corner and they know Butler will be sought after by more than a few teams.
“Jimmy is far and away our best player. He’s an all-NBA type guy,” Paxson said. “We talked about last year, look our job, you always have to keep things open.”
The Bulls resisted trade offers for Butler at the trade deadline last season and then last June on draft night, the day after they traded Derrick Rose to the Knicks. The longer it goes on with Butler, especially if the Bulls are focusing less on bringing in proven talent and more on the current course, one wonders if this is a frustrating situation waiting to blow as Butler doesn’t want to waste his prime years on a team that isn’t anywhere near ready to truly compete in the Eastern Conference — a conference that aside from LeBron James, doesn’t have many teams that would scare a player like Butler if he had sufficient talent around him.
“We’re going to sit down with Jimmy again. It’s going to happen,” Paxson said. “We’re going to talk to him and we’re going to define to him, with him our thoughts, those types of things. That’s not for today. But we respect Jimmy, we respect his opinion and we will sit down and talk with him.”
Same with Fred Hoiberg, kinda
The boos and chants of “Fire Hoiberg” from a disapproving United Center fan base was the last image in anyone’s head of the Bulls’ second-year coach as they were unceremoniously wiped out of the first round against the Boston Celtics.
Paxson and Forman have said Hoiberg has improved but still left the impression they’re expecting more from him as time goes on. He’s entering the third year of a five-year contract where he’s making $5 million annually, but there’s still questions about his command of the locker room and his ability to make the best of whatever roster he’s given.
“I think Fred’s challenge this offseason is to find ways to be a better leader,” Paxson said. “I think he showed progress in that area. The team did rally around him at times. But again, that’s part of the process, too. We made the commitment to him. We support him.”
Wade said he felt Hoiberg showed improvement through the year, but one wonders if that was Wade throwing Hoiberg a life preserver after a finish to a season where he clearly wasn’t the only problem or question mark headed into the offseason.
“Dwyane said some positive things about Fred, that he saw growth in Fred. I mentioned to you last year that I view young coaches in this league as like young players,” Paxson said. “They have to develop and grow, too. I’m not gonna get into the specifics about things we’ve seen. We have a lot of discussions throughout the year about issues we have, things with him, but that’s for us internally to have and to talk about.”
Endorsement of Rondo
If it was one thing that was crystal clear about the front office, it was their wholesale support of Rajon Rondo and the likelihood he’ll be back next season for the second year of a team option, as Paxson said “there’s a good chance or a really good chance that we bring Rajon back”, citing his influence in the locker room as a main factor.
In fact, it seems almost as if they were a bigger fan of Rondo as a voice and guiding force than Hoiberg.
The biggest event of the season was clearly following a January loss to the Hawks, where Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler called out the young players, followed by Rondo unleashing on Instagram the next afternoon in defense of the young players, criticizing the leadership of Wade and Butler.
“To be candid with you, when we had that incident where Dwyane and Jimmy spoke up in January, when he stood up for our young guys, that empowered them a little bit,” Paxson said. “It might be small but there was some growth with our young guys. Because they felt they had a voice as a young player and for us that was important.”
Considering the Bulls nearly exiled Rondo in January to him becoming the most important player as the Bulls looked ready to upset the Celtics in the first round just two weeks ago, it’s a turn of events not many saw coming.
“To a man, our young people loved Rajon. He was great in the locker room,” Paxson said. “He was great off the court with these guys. He took them under his wing in a lot of ways, and he was responsible for a lot of the good things that came from them. We have a lot of respect for Rajon, especially how he believes in the game. He used to drag guys into the weight room, and he held them accountable in a lot of ways.”
CUBS: Albert Almora Jr. keys Cubs' extra-inning win against Phillies. (Thursday's Game, 05/04/2017).
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/AP)
Javier Baez ran out to the middle of Wrigley Field with a neon-colored water gun, spraying Albert Almora Jr. and the camera capturing the celebration after Thursday’s 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Cubs are a loose group that might have felt a little delirious after 13 innings, a walk-off win setting the stage for this weekend’s showdown against the New York Yankees.
Almora, who showed so much poise as a rookie during last year’s playoff run, led off the 13th by running hard out of the batter’s box after driving a ball into left field, sliding headfirst into second base for a double. Almora kept hustling when Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis threw away a potential inning-ending double-play ball, taking advantage of that error to score the winning run and wipe away some of the mistakes the Cubs made during a game that lasted four hours and 22 minutes.
There was John Lackey with a five-inning start where his ERA crept up to 5.14. There was Ben Zobrist getting picked off second base in the ninth inning and Kris Bryant lining a harmless single into left field moments later. There was Willson Contreras hitting into a 6-9-3 double play against Philadelphia’s five-man infield to waste a bases-loaded opportunity, ending the 12th inning.
The defending World Series champs are still in first place with a 16-12 record and Wrigley Field positioned to become the center of the baseball universe this weekend with the Yankees in town.
Cubs will welcome Aroldis Chapman back to Wrigley Field with World Series ring.
By Patrick Mooney
The Cubs are a loose group that might have felt a little delirious after 13 innings, a walk-off win setting the stage for this weekend’s showdown against the New York Yankees.
Almora, who showed so much poise as a rookie during last year’s playoff run, led off the 13th by running hard out of the batter’s box after driving a ball into left field, sliding headfirst into second base for a double. Almora kept hustling when Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis threw away a potential inning-ending double-play ball, taking advantage of that error to score the winning run and wipe away some of the mistakes the Cubs made during a game that lasted four hours and 22 minutes.
There was John Lackey with a five-inning start where his ERA crept up to 5.14. There was Ben Zobrist getting picked off second base in the ninth inning and Kris Bryant lining a harmless single into left field moments later. There was Willson Contreras hitting into a 6-9-3 double play against Philadelphia’s five-man infield to waste a bases-loaded opportunity, ending the 12th inning.
The defending World Series champs are still in first place with a 16-12 record and Wrigley Field positioned to become the center of the baseball universe this weekend with the Yankees in town.
Cubs will welcome Aroldis Chapman back to Wrigley Field with World Series ring.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Cubs had a great team, a championship drought that lasted more than a century, a robust farm system and a delirious fan base. President of baseball operations Theo Epstein framed the question like this: If not now, when?
The Cubs had World Series rings in mind when they made the blockbuster Aroldis Chapman trade last summer, and the superstar closer for the New York Yankees will get his during Friday’s pregame ceremony at Wrigley Field.
“I’m looking forward to it,” said manager Joe Maddon, who will be part of the presentation.
The Cubs always viewed Chapman as a rental player and never had any interest in the kind of five-year, $86 million megadeal the Yankees put together. During the December conference call to formally announce that record-setting contract for a closer, Chapman said through a translator that Maddon misused him during the World Series, when he threw 97 pitches in Games 5, 6 and 7 combined.
Maddon and Chapman did reconnect during the team’s January visit to the White House, and the manager has taken the high road whenever asked about those comments. Hearing Rage Against the Machine’s “Wake Up” and looking up at the video board for the triple-digit velocity readings became part of the Wrigleyville experience during that playoff push.
In what will likely be a private ceremony, the Cubs will also give a championship ring to Adam Warren, the swingman who got packaged with elite prospect Gleyber Torres in that 4-for-1 trade for Chapman last summer. Warren — who got lost in the shuffle after the Starlin Castro trade — has posted a 0.63 ERA through 14-plus innings out of a Yankee bullpen that revolves around Chapman.
Without that 100-mph fastball, it’s hard to see the Cubs surviving three playoff rounds last year.
“I couldn’t have come away after that World Series more impressed with an individual because of what he brought to us,” pitching coach Chris Bosio said. “Being able to go out there and do that is a testament to his conditioning. This guy posted up, and he came up with some big outs.”
The Cubs had World Series rings in mind when they made the blockbuster Aroldis Chapman trade last summer, and the superstar closer for the New York Yankees will get his during Friday’s pregame ceremony at Wrigley Field.
“I’m looking forward to it,” said manager Joe Maddon, who will be part of the presentation.
The Cubs always viewed Chapman as a rental player and never had any interest in the kind of five-year, $86 million megadeal the Yankees put together. During the December conference call to formally announce that record-setting contract for a closer, Chapman said through a translator that Maddon misused him during the World Series, when he threw 97 pitches in Games 5, 6 and 7 combined.
Maddon and Chapman did reconnect during the team’s January visit to the White House, and the manager has taken the high road whenever asked about those comments. Hearing Rage Against the Machine’s “Wake Up” and looking up at the video board for the triple-digit velocity readings became part of the Wrigleyville experience during that playoff push.
In what will likely be a private ceremony, the Cubs will also give a championship ring to Adam Warren, the swingman who got packaged with elite prospect Gleyber Torres in that 4-for-1 trade for Chapman last summer. Warren — who got lost in the shuffle after the Starlin Castro trade — has posted a 0.63 ERA through 14-plus innings out of a Yankee bullpen that revolves around Chapman.
Without that 100-mph fastball, it’s hard to see the Cubs surviving three playoff rounds last year.
“I couldn’t have come away after that World Series more impressed with an individual because of what he brought to us,” pitching coach Chris Bosio said. “Being able to go out there and do that is a testament to his conditioning. This guy posted up, and he came up with some big outs.”
What Starlin Castro’s return to Wrigley Field means for Cubs and Yankees.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Once upon a time, the Cubs put Starlin Castro on a billboard opposite Derek Jeter, using the New York Yankees to sell tickets to Wrigley Field during the 2011 season that would lead to a franchise reckoning.
In this upside-down world, the Cubs are now the rock-star team, box-office attraction and TV draw wherever they go, while the Yankees are now trying to copy elements from the defending World Series champs, getting younger, more athletic and building toward the future instead of throwing money at every problem.
Deep down on some level, this bothered Castro, who felt like he missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity after taking a lot of heat for five fifth-place teams on the North Side. Trading Castro to the Yankees during the 2015 winter meetings allowed the Cubs to sign World Series MVP Ben Zobrist and “Embrace The Target.”
But at some point on Friday, the Wrigley Field sound system will blast “Ando En La Versace,” Castro’s walk-up song during that leap forward in 2015, when the Cubs won 97 games and two playoff rounds and the fans started rhythmically clapping for a lightning-rod player.
Still only 27 years old, a streaky hitter with great hand-eye coordination might finally be putting it all together. Castro is batting .362 with five homers and a .945 OPS and on pace for his fourth All-Star selection, helping lift the Yankees back into first place in the American League East and maybe accelerate their rebuilding plan.
“He was a great teammate here,” manager Joe Maddon said. “He was not an excuse-maker. When anything went poorly, he stood tall, I thought. You got to like everything about him, so I’m very happy for his success. I’m looking forward to saying hello to him.”
Maddon remembered Castro sitting across from him in the manager’s office in the old Wrigley Field clubhouse when the Cubs decided to move Addison Russell to shortstop in August 2015. Instead of an awkward conversation that could have disrupted the team, Castro reacted to the news like a professional, transitioned to second base and finally experienced playoff baseball in Chicago.
“He didn’t blanch,” Maddon said. “He didn’t make an excuse. He didn’t cry. He didn’t scream: ‘What are you doing?’ Nothing. I said, ‘Listen, you’re not going to play for a couple days. I’m not quite sure how we’re going to get this working again. I want you to start working out at second base.’ Not a whimper.
“It was outstanding on his part. And he’s taken it and he’s run with it – literally – to the point now where he’s in a really good position with a very good ball club. I know he can handle the big lights in New York.”
Castro might be one of the few players who could find The Bronx to be a less-intense environment, or at least a place where he could blend into the background more. Friday’s tribute to Castro will be a reminder of how good this generation of young Cubs has it – and why a stable big-market franchise can think about a Yankee-level dynasty.
Between his age-20 debut in 2010 and the 2015 National League Championship Series, Castro played for Lou Piniella, Mike Quade, Dale Sveum, Rick Renteria and Maddon. During that time, Castro worked with at least seven hitting coaches – Rudy Jaramillo, James Rowson, Rob Deer, Bill Mueller, Mike Brumley, John Mallee and Eric Hinske – plus a manager with a strong offensive philosophy (Sveum) and Theo Epstein’s front office trying to implement a Cubs Way approach.
“It’s difficult for an organization – period – when you’re constantly changing things over like that,” Maddon said. “When you do the philosophy changes annually, it’s really a lot of mixed messages that occur. So a young guy like that, probably his best resource there was that he was so good that he was kind of immune to all this in some ways.
“I know the perception. Different people view things differently and maybe some of it was deserved. I’m not sure. But they had gotten on Starlin a little bit about different items.
“Again, my experience was that he was outstanding when we were together here. But it’s not easy, man, when you’re constantly changing coaches, managers. That kind of stuff is very unsettling for the group.”
WHITE SOX: Matt Davidson takes advantage as Todd Frazier sits with back stiffness.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Matt Davidson took advantage of a last-minute start created by Todd Frazier's back spasms on Thursday.
Playing in Frazier's stead, Davidson blasted a 452-foot solo home run and reached base in three of four trips to the plate as the White Sox clobbered the Kansas City Royals 8-3 at Kauffman Stadium. Frazier said he's day-to-day after his back stiffened up on him late in Wednesday's loss to the Royals.
"In the sixth inning back tightened up yesterday," Frazier said. "I was hoping it would go away this morning and nothing really got better so we've been doing a lot of stuff with it today. It's day to day and hopefully I'll be back out there tomorrow.
"I think it's one of those things, maybe a slide or something like that. You have to protect your whole body. Some precautions you take, but it comes up once a year it seems like. Then you actually build your cardio up again and you'll be fine."
Davidson said he had plenty of time to respond to the news even though he expected to be out of Thursday's lineup with hard-throwing right-hander Ian Kennedy on the mound. Even when he knows he's not starting, Davidson said he comes to the park prepared for a pinch hit or late-game substitution in case he's needed. If that's the case, Davidson normally warms up around the middle of the contest. Davidson learned about an hour before first pitch Thursday of Frazier's absence and started to prepare.
After taking several close pitches for balls in the second inning, Davidson belted a 2-2 changeup from Kennedy into the waterfall in left-center field. Two innings later, Davidson singled to center before he drew an eighth-inning walk against Travis Wood.
"You've got to come to the park ready to play every day," Davidson said. "I do. But usually if I'm not starting I'll get ready around the fourth or fifth. Just had to move it up, but they gave me enough time to know I was playing. Just got ready and did the same thing."
Cody Asche bounces back from benching in White Sox victory.
Playing in Frazier's stead, Davidson blasted a 452-foot solo home run and reached base in three of four trips to the plate as the White Sox clobbered the Kansas City Royals 8-3 at Kauffman Stadium. Frazier said he's day-to-day after his back stiffened up on him late in Wednesday's loss to the Royals.
"In the sixth inning back tightened up yesterday," Frazier said. "I was hoping it would go away this morning and nothing really got better so we've been doing a lot of stuff with it today. It's day to day and hopefully I'll be back out there tomorrow.
"I think it's one of those things, maybe a slide or something like that. You have to protect your whole body. Some precautions you take, but it comes up once a year it seems like. Then you actually build your cardio up again and you'll be fine."
Davidson said he had plenty of time to respond to the news even though he expected to be out of Thursday's lineup with hard-throwing right-hander Ian Kennedy on the mound. Even when he knows he's not starting, Davidson said he comes to the park prepared for a pinch hit or late-game substitution in case he's needed. If that's the case, Davidson normally warms up around the middle of the contest. Davidson learned about an hour before first pitch Thursday of Frazier's absence and started to prepare.
After taking several close pitches for balls in the second inning, Davidson belted a 2-2 changeup from Kennedy into the waterfall in left-center field. Two innings later, Davidson singled to center before he drew an eighth-inning walk against Travis Wood.
"You've got to come to the park ready to play every day," Davidson said. "I do. But usually if I'm not starting I'll get ready around the fourth or fifth. Just had to move it up, but they gave me enough time to know I was playing. Just got ready and did the same thing."
Cody Asche bounces back from benching in White Sox victory.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Cody Asche has mostly wanted to contribute in some form to the early winning ways for the White Sox.
It just so happened that Thursday afternoon's big contribution arrived a day after he was benched for not living up to White Sox standards, ie: a lack of hustle. Asche's two-run double in the fourth inning helped the White Sox pull away from the Kansas City Royals as they salvaged a series split with an 8-3 victory in front of 36,525 at Kauffman Stadium.
"It feels good honestly just to add to the team and be a contributing part of the lineup," Asche said. "It hasn't been the best go so far. But in a DH role you have to keep taking your at-bats, try to execute and today got one past (Eric) Hosmer and built us a lead and (Derek Holland) went to work."
The bouncing double off Ian Kennedy was a nice bit of redemption for Asche, who inexplicably exited Wednesday's loss after only one at-bat. Manager Rick Renteria said afterward that Asche hadn't injured himself when he struck out during a third-inning at-bat against Kansas City starting pitcher Nate Karns on Wednesday. Even so, Matt Davidson pinch hit for Asche the next time through the order.
On Thursday, Asche revealed his absence was the result of a failure to live up to the team's standards. The struggling designated hitter swung and missed at a 2-2 pitch from Karns that bounced in the dirt and made no effort to run to first base, almost immediately heading for the dugout. While neither he nor Renteria confirmed the exact reason for his benching, Asche made it clear he knew he was in the wrong.
"There's standards that need to be set if you're going to be a White Sox player," Asche said. "If you don't meet the standards, sometimes the manager has to take action. Last night was the case. I don't foresee it being a problem today or moving forward or ever again."
Following the game, Asche said the incident is "water under the bridge" and he was pleased to find his name penciled into Renteria's starting lineup. Though Asche has struggled -- he's 5-for-49 with 18 strikeouts -- Renteria plans to continue to give him every chance to rebound.
The manager also said he was satisfied with Asche's reaction to Wednesday's decision.
"We just have certain things we want to follow through with and he understood," Renteria said before the game. "And I'll leave it at that.
"Hopefully he'll give us what we need, a little shot in the arm. Again, you've seen, we're trying to give us the best opportunity with all the guys we have. Hopefully he'll give us something as a left-handed bat in that lineup."
Derek Holland, White Sox down Royals to salvage series split. (Thursday's Game, 05/04/2017).
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
He finally received it on Thursday afternoon.
Following a dominant outing well supported by his offense, Holland proudly bore a championship wrestling belt during his postgame interview. Holland delivered 6 2/3 sharp innings and Jose Abreu and Matt Davidson both homered as the White Sox pounded the Kansas City Royals 8-3 in front of 36,525 at Kauffman Stadium. Holland allowed two runs and struck out seven to help the White Sox split a four-game series with the Royals.
"Definitely (earned it)," Holland said. "I thought I had really good command of everything. For the most part, it's always going to be the defense. If I'm keeping them on their toes, they are going to make the plays. I attacked the zone big time today. My pitch count was fairly low for the most part. My offense did a great job putting runs on the board."
After every victory, White Sox players hold a ceremony to determine the player of the game. Said player then receives the WWE belt that Holland brought with him to the White Sox when he signed a one-year deal for $6 million in December.
Since joining the club, Holland has suggested he's as healthy as ever after three years of dealing with injuries. The veteran lefty said all spring he was excited to work with pitching coach Don Cooper -- that being here had Holland best positioned to regain the form to produce 8.6 f-Wins Above Replacement from 2011-13.
He provided another demonstration of how good he can be against the struggling Royals. Working quickly and mixing all five pitches against an aggressive Royals lineup, Holland soared through the early innings. He made fast work of Kansas City, getting his offense back into the dugout at an expedited rate through each of the first four innings. Holland needed only 41 pitches to complete those first four and his offense rewarded him with five early runs.
"Especially against a team that's kind of struggling right now, you don't want to let them get any momentum," third baseman Matt Davidson said. "We did a good job. We scored our runs, he went out and put up a zero and that's all you want."
"As a defender, he's working quick, he's throwing strikes -- it's everything you ask for."
Holland could have asked for a little better luck in the fourth when Mike Moustakas ended his streak of 10 straight batters retired with an opposite-field double just inside the line. Otherwise, Holland didn't find trouble until the seventh, when he already possessed a seven-run lead.
Holland struck out two batters in the first and fifth innings and one each in the third, fourth and sixth. He allowed one earned run, three hits and walked one.
The effort raised Holland's K-rate to 20.2 percent, his highest mark since he finished the 2013 campaign at 21.1. Last season, Holland finished with a career-low 14.5-percent strikeout rate.
He also lowered his ERA to 2.02 in 35 2/3 innings.
"I think he's doing exactly what everybody expected of him to be honest," manager Rick Renteria said. "He's been around, he's a veteran presence. He came in wanting to have success. He's been doing a really nice job, throwing a lot of strikes, mixing in secondary pitches very well.
"He's very poised out there and continues to give us innings and keeps us in the game and fortunately we score a few runs and stay there."
Holland didn't have to be half as good as he was the way the White Sox hit Ian Kennedy.
Abreu gave the southpaw an early cushion when he obliterated a 2-2 fastball for a two-run homer to left center. Abreu's fourth round-tripper had an exit velocity of 113 mph.
An inning later, Davidson hit a 452-foot homer into the waterfall in left center made it 3-0. A last-minute addition after Todd Frazier was scratched with a sore back, Davidson also singled and walked in four trips.
Asche added some padding to the lead in the fourth inning with a bouncing, two-run double down the right-field line. Avisail Garcia put the game out of reach in the eighth inning when he followed a single by Melky Cabrera (2-for-5, two runs) and an Abreu double with a two-run seeing-eye single to right.
Yolmer Sanchez also had a sac fly for the White Sox, who improved to 14-10 against American League Central opponents. Last season, the White Sox finished 32-44 in the AL Central.
"My job once they do that is to make sure I shut the other team down," Holland said. "I thought we did a good job of establishing in and out, up and down as well. The defense is right there making those plays."
"Once they put up runs on the board I still have to treat it like a 0-0 game. I can't get caught up whatever they do. I have to get out there and do my job."
He did once again and it finally resulted in a championship belt.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Molinari takes early lead at Wells Fargo.
By Will Gray
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
It's a new venue this week for the Wells Fargo Championship, but players still managed to find plenty of birdies in the opening round. Here's how things stand after the first day in Wilmington, where a former Ryder Cupper holds a slim advantage:
Leaderboard: Francesco Molinari (-6), Grayson Murray (-5), Brian Campbell (-5), Alex Noren (-5), J.B. Holmes (-5), Seamus Power (-4)
What it means: Molinari set the early pace, but he was briefly caught by Campbell and then passed by Murray. When the two Americans dropped shots down the stretch, it left Molinari atop the leaderboard as he looks for his first official PGA Tour win. Among those one shot off the pace are Campbell, who earned the Tour's first slow-play penalty in 22 years last week, and Holmes, who won this event at Quail Hollow in 2014.
Round of the day: Molinari has been a consistent presence on worldwide leaderboards since his win at the Italian Open in the fall, and that trend continued with an opening-round 66. Molinari made just two bogeys while rolling in eight birdies, including five in a seven-hole stretch from Nos. 3-9 to distance himself from the rest of the early wave.
Best of the rest: Murray has received more attention for his Twitter presence than his on-course game in recent weeks, having endured a run of five straight missed cuts. But he finished T-14 last week at the Zurich and then poured in nine birdies en route to an opening 67. Murray birdied three of his first four holes and was the only player to reach 7 under before closing with bogeys on his final two holes.
Biggest disappointment: Carl Pettersson was one of few players with some experience at Eagle Point, but it didn't help him during the opening round. Pettersson is a member at this week's venue and currently holds the course record with a 62, but he was 17 shots higher Thursday during a 7-ovver 79 that included no birdies and left him ahead of only two players in the 156-man field.
Main storyline heading into Friday: Molinari's consistent ball-striking makes him a clear player to watch, but he'll also receive plenty of heat from the chase pack. Among those to watch are Jon Rahm, who opened with a 3-under 69, and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, who showed no signs of injury while signing for a 2-under 70 in his first round since March.
Shot of the day: Molinari was left of the 18th green with his approach, but he managed to hole the subsequent 25-foot chip shot for a closing birdie, his eighth of the day.
Leaderboard: Francesco Molinari (-6), Grayson Murray (-5), Brian Campbell (-5), Alex Noren (-5), J.B. Holmes (-5), Seamus Power (-4)
What it means: Molinari set the early pace, but he was briefly caught by Campbell and then passed by Murray. When the two Americans dropped shots down the stretch, it left Molinari atop the leaderboard as he looks for his first official PGA Tour win. Among those one shot off the pace are Campbell, who earned the Tour's first slow-play penalty in 22 years last week, and Holmes, who won this event at Quail Hollow in 2014.
Round of the day: Molinari has been a consistent presence on worldwide leaderboards since his win at the Italian Open in the fall, and that trend continued with an opening-round 66. Molinari made just two bogeys while rolling in eight birdies, including five in a seven-hole stretch from Nos. 3-9 to distance himself from the rest of the early wave.
Best of the rest: Murray has received more attention for his Twitter presence than his on-course game in recent weeks, having endured a run of five straight missed cuts. But he finished T-14 last week at the Zurich and then poured in nine birdies en route to an opening 67. Murray birdied three of his first four holes and was the only player to reach 7 under before closing with bogeys on his final two holes.
Biggest disappointment: Carl Pettersson was one of few players with some experience at Eagle Point, but it didn't help him during the opening round. Pettersson is a member at this week's venue and currently holds the course record with a 62, but he was 17 shots higher Thursday during a 7-ovver 79 that included no birdies and left him ahead of only two players in the 156-man field.
Main storyline heading into Friday: Molinari's consistent ball-striking makes him a clear player to watch, but he'll also receive plenty of heat from the chase pack. Among those to watch are Jon Rahm, who opened with a 3-under 69, and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, who showed no signs of injury while signing for a 2-under 70 in his first round since March.
Shot of the day: Molinari was left of the 18th green with his approach, but he managed to hole the subsequent 25-foot chip shot for a closing birdie, his eighth of the day.
Quote of the day: "As far as physically, no issues. That's a good thing. I just need to get some rounds in." - Johnson
Rules Update: Many players in favor of banning green-reading books.
By Rex Hoggard
Rules Update: Many players in favor of banning green-reading books.
By Rex Hoggard
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
In what has become a busy cycle for the rule makers, the USGA and R&A announced on Monday that they are reviewing the use of green-reading materials “to assess whether any actions need to be taken to protect this important part of the game.”
“We expect to address this matter further in the coming months,” the joint statement read.
Although green-reading books are becoming more common on the PGA Tour, most players asked on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Championship were in favor of any rule that would outlaw its use.
“I think probably we should ban the book,” Adam Scott said. “If they feel that reading the green needs to be more of an art and it's an advantage to a player who's a creative, great green reader, then I wouldn't have a problem with that.”
Some have suggested that banning green-reading material would help speed up play, but Scott said it was only a “small contributing factor to slow play.”
“I don’t know that pace is the issue with those things,” Lucas Glover said. “It’s more the powers that be see it as a possibility of losing the art of the game. It’s just like judging the wind or reading a lie, there’s got to be art to it. Science has already taken over enough.”
Glover also suggested the use of distance measuring devices (DMDs) are similar and shouldn’t be allowed during tournament rounds. Earlier this year the USGA and R&A proposed a list of possible changes to the Rules of Golf as part of a modernization, which included the use of DMDs.
“There’s an art to figuring out distances and having a good, solid caddie you trust,” Glover said. “If you allow range finders it takes a little bit of that out of the game which I hate to see.”
2019 Presidents Cup returning to Royal Melbourne.
By Associated Press
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
The Presidents Cup is returning to Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 2019 for the third time.
The PGA Tour previously had said the 2019 matches would be in Australia. The announcement Thursday was that Royal Melbourne would hold the event for the third time since this event first starting going around the world in 1998.
Royal Melbourne remains the site of International team's only victory, a nine-point rout in 1998 against the Americans. The Presidents Cup returned to Royal Melbourne in 2011 with Tiger Woods, a wild-card pick by U.S. captain Fred Couples, making the clinching putt in a 19-15 victory.
Since the Presidents Cup began in 1994, only the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia has hosted the matches more times - 1994, 1996, 2000 and 2005.
The PGA Tour previously had said the 2019 matches would be in Australia. The announcement Thursday was that Royal Melbourne would hold the event for the third time since this event first starting going around the world in 1998.
Royal Melbourne remains the site of International team's only victory, a nine-point rout in 1998 against the Americans. The Presidents Cup returned to Royal Melbourne in 2011 with Tiger Woods, a wild-card pick by U.S. captain Fred Couples, making the clinching putt in a 19-15 victory.
Since the Presidents Cup began in 1994, only the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia has hosted the matches more times - 1994, 1996, 2000 and 2005.
NASCAR at Talladega: TV Schedule, dates, times, qualifying drivers for Geico 500.
By Joe Rodgers
By Joe Rodgers
(Photo/Getty Images)
Talladega Superspeedway is Earnhardt country and you can expect the debauchery to be running at all-time highs as Dale Earnhardt Jr. makes his second-to-last appearance as a driver at the 2.66-mile Alabama track.
Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Junior (six) are responsible for 16 wins at NASCAR's longest track but the only thing to expect at Talladega on Sunday is the unexpected.
This has been true at restrictor-plate tracks where surprise winners sometimes emerge from the field in the crash-filled races. With the advent of the win-and-you're-in playoff format, a surprise Talladega winner would get more than just the thrill of winning, he/she would likely earn a spot in the playoffs.
This weekend the Xfinity Series joins the Cup Series at the second restrictor-plate track, a rules package dominated by Fords in recent years (13 wins in the last 25 races).
Here's the weekend schedule.
NASCAR at Talladega schedule, TV channel info
(All times ET)
Friday, May 5
11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: Xfinity Series practice, FS1
1:30-2:25 p.m.: Xfinity Series final practice, FS1
2:30-3:25 p.m.: Cup Series practice, FS1
4:30-5:25 p.m.: Cup Series final practice, FS1
Saturday, May 6
10:30 a.m.: Xfinity Series qualifying, FS1
1 p.m.: Xfinity Series Sparks Energy 300 (113 laps, 300.58 miles), Fox
4 p.m.: Cup Series qualifying, Fox
What TV channel is the NASCAR race at Talladega on?
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Geico 500 begins Sunday at 2 p.m. ET and can be seen on Fox and the Fox Sports Go app.
What are the stage lengths for NASCAR at Talladega?
The Geico 500, which is 188 laps and 500.08 miles, will be broken into three stages. Stage 1 ends on Lap 55, Stage 2 ends on Lap 110 and the final stage ends on Lap 188.
The Xfinity Series race at Talladega will be broken into three stages: Lap 25, Lap 50 and Lap 113.
Which NASCAR drivers are racing at Talladega?
There are 42 Cup drivers entered in the Geico 500, meaning two drivers will fail to qualify on Friday for Sunday's race. Here is the list of participating Cup drivers in alphabetical order:
AJ Allmendinger
Aric Almirola
Austin Dillon
Brad Keselowski
Brendan Gaughan
Austin Dillon
Brad Keselowski
Brendan Gaughan
Chase Elliott
Chris Buescher
Clint Bowyer
Cole Whitt
Corey LaJoie
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Danica Patrick
Daniel Suarez
David Ragan
Denny Hamlin
D.J. Kennington
Elliott Sadler
Erik Jones
Gray Gaulding
Jamie McMurray
Jeffrey Earnhardt
Jimmie Johnson
Joey Gase
Joey Logano
Kasey Kahne
Kevin Harvick
Kurt Busch
Kyle Busch
Kyle Larson
Landon Cassill
Martin Truex Jr.
Matt DiBenedetto
Matt Kenseth
Michael McDowell
Paul Menard
Reed Sorenson
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Ryan Blaney
Ryan Newman
Timmy Hill
NASCAR’s troubles aren’t over yet, but there is finally reason for optimism.
By Jordan Bianchi
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(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
With retiring stars as well as declining attendance and TV ratings, the opening months of the 2017 season have been a struggle.
All the makings for a transformative race were in place, one that would give NASCAR a much-needed boost following a week where the sport’s most popular figure announced his pending retirement and a string of races produced uninspiring television ratings.
And on the track, Richmond International Raceway delivered last Sunday, hosting one of the better Monster Energy Cup Series races of the season. A classic short track battle with no shortage of passing, three- and sometimes four-wide action, plenty of dramatic twists, a host of notable names in contention, and a finish in doubt until the very end.
So why then were the grandstands sparse and the television ratings disappointing?
Why did only an estimated 30,000 show up to watch, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch? Why did the Toyota Owners 400 equal the least-watched spring Richmond race since 2001, according to Sports Media Watch? Why did one team executive tell SB Nation he spent Monday and Tuesday calling sponsors to assuage concerns that the sky wasn’t falling and NASCAR was still a worthwhile investment?
Throughout the week there have been no shortage of theories volleyed on social media and talk radio as to why Richmond was a bust at the ticket office and a dud on television. The list of reasons includes:
- An unseasonably warm Virginia afternoon with the temperature in the low 90s for a race that before 2016 had annually been conducted on Saturday night. “I mean, it's 90 degrees and coverage on TV is pretty excellent,” third-place finisher Denny Hamlin said. “It's tough to sit in the bleachers when it's 90.”
- Three Cup races in the same region within a five-week span was asking too much of fans and spread them out among Richmond, Martinsville Speedway (April 2), and Bristol Motor Speedway (April 24).
- The current schedule featuring 38 races over 41 weeks (36 point races, plus two exhibitions) is simply too robust with too many races having distances that exceed three hours; a less than ideal combination in an age of instant gratification.
- Consumers have more options than ever before, and with America no longer considered a car culture hub, they are tuning in or watching a race on television of any kind isn’t appealing. Evidence supported by roughly 7,000 spectators attending an IndyCar race Saturday night at Phoenix International Raceway, according to the Associated Press.
Each offers varying degrees of justification, yet outside of the weather, none could be considered unforeseen. Which leads to the question: What further steps can NASCAR take to combat what is now a decade-plus slide?
Hamlin tweeted his list of the three most important things he would like to see changed within the sport, while Brad Keselowski stressed it was time for the industry to collaborate and come up with fresh concepts to spur a turnaround.
“The sport is bigger than one person and their specific ideas,” Keselowski tweeted. “My answer: 1) Industry must work together, 2) Be bold, [and] 3) Take nothing for granted.”
As if it wasn’t already apparent, any and all ideas should be on the table.
As if it wasn’t already apparent, any and all ideas should be on the table.
But what makes the situation exasperating is that NASCAR made a concentrated effort to seek outside council on ways to improve. Soliciting feedback and being open to change is something the sanctioning body has made considerable strides in, polar opposite of the iron mentality it had for years and years.
Last summer, pushed by drivers, NASCAR went with a lower downforce aerodynamic rules package for this season that better allows drivers to showcase their skills. Most pronounced, this past offseason saw NASCAR executives, drivers, car owners, network executives, and track promoters unite in an unprecedented showing of collaboration to combat the growing list of issues within the sport.
From that came the implementation of a three-stage format that incentivizes drivers with bonus points that apply toward the championship so that they push hard from green flag to checkered flag in every regular season race.
Across the board, both changes created the intended effect. Stage racing has stimulated the middle portions of races that before often saw drivers prefer a conservative approach, and the new rules package is a large contributor as to why the on-track product is improved with increased passing. At Richmond, there were 2,495 green-flag passes, compared to 2,083 green-flag passes in the same race the year previous, and 1,688 green-flag passes in 2015.
And yet, while none of the decision-makers expected an immediate bounceback and stressed time was needed to cultivate new fans and demonstrate that NASCAR was a sport on the upswing, concrete evidence is lacking to suggest such a rejuvenation is afoot.
In fact, conventional wisdom suggests the downturn will continue.
Nine races into the season, ratings and attendance have not only not improved — or at a minimum, flattened out — they’ve continued to dip. Six of eight Cup races (not including the one-day postponement at Bristol) have suffered viewership declines. Last week, Speedway Motorsports Inc., the operator of eight tracks that host a combined 13 Cup races (including the non-points All-Star Race), reported a first-quarter profit loss where revenue from ticket sales dropped by 4.5 percent from the same quarter a year ago.
ft attendance will likely continue into next year with Dale Earnhardt Jr. announcing last week he will retire from full-time competition at the end of the current season. NASCAR’s 14-time most popular driver joins Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, and Tony Stewart as superstars who’ve all walked away within the past two years, and tracks have already cited the retirements of Gordon and Stewart as reasons for fewer people buying tickets.
NASCAR CEO and chairman Brian France spoke confidently at Richmond that the sport he oversees is experiencing the same trials and tribulations other professional leagues are facing. Consumers have more options than ever before, sports no longer remain atop the priority list of many — especially for millennials — and while there are new avenues to view games and races, that doesn’t counteract all those who’ve cut the cord.
"We're not isolated here," France said. "Every sport is trying to unlock the new consumption levels and fan interest by a younger demographic. Of course we love our core fan and everyone does, but every sport is thinking carefully about how to reach the millennial fan to get them excited about their sport."
All fair points and a sound, levelheaded mindset to have amidst a search for tangible solutions.
The optimism is not unfounded, but Monster Energy is the key.
Along with the enhanced racing brought about by the three-stage format and updated aero package, NASCAR has an impressive crop of young drivers that it can build around for years to come. Many times over, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott have demonstrated they are outwardly talented, much in the fashion Stewart and Gordon did before them.
Within the industry the hope is Monster Energy, the new entitlement Cup Series sponsor, will be the bridge that brings NASCAR to a fresh, younger audience that may not have familiarity with stock car racing. The energy drink company is expected to be the conduit that effectively markets the 24-year-old Larson and the 21-year-old Elliott into the crossover stars that NASCAR is lacking, following the departures of Gordon, Edwards, Stewart, and soon, Earnhardt.
Being NASCAR’s biggest partner is a role Monster has grown increasingly comfortable with, after an initial ramp-up period brought about by the deal between the two parties not being finalized until December. Monster’s fan zone display at various tracks has included an appearance by Rob Gronkowski at the season-opening Daytona 500, a stunt motorcycle shows, MMA fights at the upcoming All-Star Race.
It’s these initiatives NASCAR is banking on to draw new and younger fans to the track, while also offering longtime fans more bang for their buck when attending a race. That Monster signed only a two-year contract (with options) raises concern about the long-term viability of the partnership, though any boost even in the short-term is welcomed.
Whether NASCAR ultimately emerges from its current descent to become a major sports property again will be determined not so much on the track, but off it. Competitive racing can only go so far, and just as Gordon and Earnhardt carried NASCAR to unprecedented heights on their megawatt personalities, Larson and Elliott will need to do the same.
The harsh reality, however, is Larson and Elliott are still not close to being the next mainstream breakout stars that NASCAR desperately needs. They may each be brilliant behind the wheel, but they have a long way to go in the charisma department that compels the casual observer to watch them race on Sundays. And if neither can assume that mantle, then the television ratings and attendance figures seen at Richmond will become the norm. A standard no one within the industry is prepared to deal with.
Time for ‘encumbered’ to exit . . . and maybe take wins? Thoughts on Joey Logano penalty.
By Nate Ryan
(Photo/Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
A few thoughts on the massive penalty Thursday morning to Richmond International Raceway winner Joey Logano.
–Time to eradicate encumbered: Euphemisms are a detriment to our society that generally preclude getting to the root of a matter by speaking bluntly.
When people say they are having “issues,” what they actually mean are “problems.” Yes, you might think you are “reaching out” … but what you really are doing is calling or emailing.
In NASCAR, when drivers talk about their teams having or lacking “resources,” they actually mean “money.” And when team executives talk about “sponsorship inventory,” that’s code for “we need more money.”
Which brings us to “encumbered.” Why should anyone be using this word, asked a highly influential member of the NASCAR community?
In its era of transparency, NASCAR would do itself some favors if it used franker language. An “encumbered” win is a “tainted” win – full stop.
Understandably, teams would resist such language because it leaves them sideways with corporate sponsors that want to avoid the optics of being associated with rule-breakers.
But NASCAR lets teams – and itself – off the hook by avoiding the most direct description of what’s at stake. There already is too much impenetrable nomenclature in explaining Logano’s penalty (“mating surfaces”, “planar” and “spacer/pinion angle” were some of my favorites). Sorry about the aspersions being cast at Team Penske, but inadvertently throwing shade shouldn’t be high on the priority list for NASCAR when it doles out punishments.
—Time to take away wins? It’s debate that reignites whenever a race winner runs afoul of the rulebook in a major way.
Two months ago on NASCAR America, analyst Jeff Burton made an impassioned and sensible case that stripping race victories should be considered.
The refrain long was that NASCAR didn’t want to invalidate wins because it wanted fans to know who the winner was when they left the track. In 21st century America, it is very possible – if not probable – that fans could learn via social media of a win being stripped before the affected driver.
It would be a shame to have the storyline spoiled of Logano winning in his 300th career start. But if the penalty was severe enough to disqualify its playoff eligibility and sit crew chief Todd Gordon for two races, then it seems right to award the win to teammate Brad Keselowski (hey, there’s some Penske consolation, and he did seem to have the strongest car Sunday).
It always could be restored if Penske appealed and won.
–An unfortunate narrative: In its latest of umpteenth crackdowns on inspection, NASCAR officials said they wanted to issue penalties closer to when the infractions were committed.
The preponderance of practice holds, loss of pit selection, etc., stems from this new approach. It’s a noble goal that prevents the empty space of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (and an ensuing race weekend) from being swallowed whole by talking about penalties, which candidly are unremarkable as a storyline. (You might have heard stock-car racing started with outlaws.)
Despite this push, Team Penske has illustrated it hasn’t worked as NASCAR hoped, between Logano’s punishment and the never-ending saga of Keselowski’s Phoenix penalty ordeal.
You can debate whether it’s the fault of NASCAR or the teams for the endless war in the Laser Inspection Stations, but there is no doubt about this: None of this nonsense helps attract new fans.
–Caught on tape? Keselowski’s No. 2 Ford was approved after its post-race teardown at the R&D Center, begging the question of how two cars equally built and prepared under the same roof could differ in compliance. Making the rounds on social media Thursday morning was video of Keselowski swerving on the cool-down lap while congratulating Logano.
Did Logano lack the time and discretion to execute a similar maneuver and ensure legality because he won the race (NASCAR has policed swerving because it helps reset suspensions to pass the post-race laser inspection)?
Or was this (regardless of swerving) a case of the setups of Logano and Keselowski being SO divergent that one of their cars (the slower of the two, oddly) could be out of compliance despite originating in the same building?
Regardless, it certainly puts the comments of Dale Earnhardt Jr. after Texas in a new light.
SOCCER: Fire winger David Accam trying to 'be more of a creative player'.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
David Accam has been most known for his speed since joining the Chicago Fire before the 2015 season.
The 26-year-old is one of the fastest players in Major League Soccer and has made some impressive highlights with that speed.
However, his game has come under fire for being somewhat one-dimensional. While the Ghanaian can still dribble by players, his touch hasn’t been as crisp this season and he has had trouble staying healthy since joining the Fire. In each of his first two seasons he missed 10 regular season games. A hip injury that Accam said is the same one he had last season has forced him to come off the bench twice in eight games in 2017.
Entering this season there was a question of how Accam would perform when the Fire’s attack wasn’t going to revolve around him. The addition of Nemanja Nikolic at forward, and a revamped midfield, meant the Fire would likely rely less on hitting long balls for Accam to use his speed to chase after.
Accam scored a goal in the season opener at Columbus that was a vintage Accam goal, using his quickness to create a chance. Since then he hasn’t been as dangerous in front of goal, both due to missed opportunities on his part and Nikolic (who has five goals) becoming the focal point in the penalty box.
“I think we have Niko and Michael de Leeuw who are really good finishers,” Accam said. “For me, at the moment it is good for me to just take it easy and try and create more chances for them.
“I want to score more goals, but I think I’m doing really well at trying to create more chances for them.”
Accam has a pair of assists this season and both have come from quality passes. He set up Bastian Schweinsteiger’s debut goal with a well-hit cross following a short corner and hit a perfectly weighted centering pass to Nikolic two weeks later.
Last Saturday at the New York Red Bulls, Accam was credited with five key passes, a statistic for passes that set up a scoring opportunity. That was more than any other player on the field and one fewer than the Red Bulls had as a team. On another day with better finishing, Accam could have had another assist or two.
After having two assists all season in 2015 and five last year, it appears Accam’s value as a creator has improved this year. Is this something he has put more emphasis on this season?
“I’m a forward player. I want to score goals, but I think at the moment the best thing is for me to just be more of a creative player and let the two players lead and just be behind them,” Accam said.
Accam said this isn’t a directive from the coaching staff.
“I think for me as a professional I know what is good for the team,” he said. “I’m trying to play more for the team so I just decided myself to do that more often.”
Coach Veljko Paunovic said this is nothing new from Accam’s game, but did say he has improved his work rate defensively, something that has been another knock on Accam's game in the past.
Premier League permutations: What can be sealed this weekend?
By Joe Prince-Wright
(Photo/Getty Images)
With the title race rumbling on between Chelsea and Tottenham, plus the top four race intensifying and only one team definitely relegated, there are plenty of permutations to look out for in the Premier League in Week 36.
LIVE: Stream every PL game live
Below is a handy list of what can be locked up this weekend around the PL with just three games to go for the majority of teams.
We will update this list each week during the run-in as things can change drastically game-to-game.
Tottenham will seal a place in the Champions League group stage IF
- They beat West Ham United on Friday
- They beat Crystal Palace on Saturday
- They beat Arsenal on Sunday
- They lose to Chelsea on Monday and Hull City get at least one point against Sunderland on Saturday
- Swansea City lose to Everton on Saturday
- They get a point or more against Manchester City AND Swansea City lose against Everton
PL Power Rankings: Blues back where they belong.
By Kyle Bonn
By Kyle Bonn
(Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
It’s no surprise that, as the season draws to a close, the Power Rankings slowly begin to reflect the Premier League table positions more and more. Eventually, you are what the table says you are.
Teams like Stoke City and West Brom, who benefitted from great starts to the year, are stumbling down the stretch. Teams like Manchester United, Southampton, and Manchester City appear better than their position at times, but can’t secure the points to prove it. We can move them appropriately in the Power Rankings, but only for so long.
So, where do we stand? Is the title race over? Can Hull City avoid relegation? Maybe the Power Rankings can be of some assistance…
TEAM
|
RANKING
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | 20 (20) | Sunderland: With the Black Cats officially relegated, David Moyes is now managing not just for his job, but for his career. | |
 | 19 (19) | Middlesbrough: There’s still hope. Barely. Chelsea’s up next, and that could spell doom. | |
 | 18 (18) | Swansea City: With Hull City matched up against Sunderland, the upcoming game against Everton feels like a must-win. | |
 | 17 (17) | Hull City: The Tigers seem to get points at all the right times. It’ll still be a scrap to the finish, but so far they’ve successfully warded off every effort by Swansea to outmaneuver them. | |
 | 16 (11) | Stoke City: Over their last five, they’ve lost to teams in 14th, 18th, and 3rd. Drew with the team in 15th. Needed a goal of the season candidate to beat the team in 17th. | |
 | 15 (16) | West Ham United: Sure, they’re unbeaten in four. They beat Swansea by 1, and drew 0-0 with Sunderland and Stoke. The Hammers are still limping over the finish line. A season to forget for Slaven Bilic. | |
 | 14 (11) | West Bromwich Albion: That faint sound you hear is West Brom’s fabulous first half of the season fading into nothing more than a distant memory. | |
 | 13 (14) | Burnley: Beating Crystal Palace was a huge, huge boost against a team that was in good form. Little to worry about now. | |
 | 12 (15) | Bournemouth: Back in the win column, proved they’re 5 goals better than | |
 | 11 (11) | Crystal Palace: The 1-0 loss to Spurs was nothing to be ashamed of. The 2-0 loss to Burnley is. Didn’t see that one coming. Back down to Earth it is. Still seem quite safe. | |
 | 10 (8) | Watford: 1 goal in their last four is not going to earn any style points. Or actual points. | |
 | 9 (9) | Southampton: Every time we want to push this team up the rankings, they go and draw 0-0 with Hull. | |
 | 8 (10) | Leicester City: Tough to get this team figured out, but they’re not getting relegated, and that’s a significant upgrade from a few months ago. | |
 | 7 (7) | Arsenal: Thoroughly beaten by their arch-rivals, the FA Cup is all Arsene Wenger has to hold onto. It might not be enough. | |
 | 6 (6) | Everton: All season long they’ve hovered in this purgatory. Smoked the bottom teams, smoked by the top teams. Top 4 hopes are gone. | |
 | 5 (2) | Manchester United: A point back of wishy-washy Manchester City for 4th, and Jose Mourinho says he’s giving up on the league. Does anyone actually believe him? | |
 | 4 (4) | Manchester City: Just when we thought Pep Guardiola would finish the season strong, they go and drop points to Manchester United and Middlesbrough. A good team that struggles in crucial moments. | |
| 3 (3) | Liverpool: They lost to Crystal Palace like so many other top teams, but | |
 | 2 (1) | Tottenham Hotspur: Sure, they’re in fabulous league form (9 straight wins). Maybe we shouldn’t drop them based on a game outside Premier League competition, but after being soundly beaten by Chelsea at Wembley, it’s tough to put them #1. | |
 | 1 (2) | Chelsea: Since losing to Manchester United, the Blues have scored 11 goals in three games. The defense has looked surprisingly shaky to finish the year, but given their soft stretch run, they should be fine. |
Lionel Messi appeals 4-match World Cup ban at FIFA.
By Associated Press
(Photo/Getty Images)
Lionel Messi’s appeal against a four-match ban in World Cup qualifying for insulting a referee’s assistant was being heard by FIFA on Thursday.
Messi, who was to testify by video, is not expected to get an immediate verdict.
The FIFA appeals panel typically gives a detailed verdict within weeks in non-urgent cases. Argentina’s next World Cup qualifier is at Uruguay on Aug. 31.
Messi already served one match of the ban that was imposed when the FIFA disciplinary committee gave its ruling hours before Argentina’s 2-0 loss in Bolivia in March.
FIFA was able to ban Messi after match officials did not report the Argentina captain for verbally abusing a linesman late in a 1-0 win over Chile on March 23.
FIFA disciplinary rules require a sanction “at least four matches for unsporting conduct toward a match official.”
Previous FIFA verdicts have resulted in a player getting at least one match of the ban suspended on probation.
In a similar case from a South American qualifying game last September, FIFA also banned Chile midfielder Gary Medel for four matches after he was shown a red card for verbally abusing a referee. However, FIFA deferred one game of the sanction for a two-year probationary period.
A 2014 World Cup case ruling also offers hope for Messi and his lawyers.
Fernando Santos, then coaching Greece, was initially banned for eight matches for verbally using officials during a last 16 loss against Costa Rica in Brazil. When Santos, by then coaching Portugal, appealed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the ban was reduced to four games. Two of those games were deferred for six months of probation.
Messi is currently banned also for home games against Venezuela on Sept. 5 and Peru on Oct. 5.
Argentina is fifth in the 10-team South American group with four games left. The 2014 World Cup runners-up are currently in line to advance to a November playoff against a team from Oceania, likely to be New Zealand.
Jose Mourinho confirms intent to rest players against Arsenal.
By Kyle Bonn
(Photo/Getty Images)
Jose Mourinho hinted at it earlier today, and now he’s confirmed it.
Manchester United is just a single point behind rivals Manchester City in the Premier League table with three matches remaining, but the Red Devils boss is giving up on the league to focus on European glory.
After Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Celta Vigo in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal matchup in Spain, Mourinho confirmed he will rest his most important players against Arsenal in Premier League play this weekend.
“The players that have accumulated lots of minutes are not going to play next weekend,” said Mourinho. “It’s what I have to do, so I’m going to do it.”
The outfield players with the most minutes this season for Manchester United who are currently fit include Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera, and Antonio Valencia, who have all accumulated over 3,500 minutes across all competitions. Daley Blind and Eric Bailly have each played just under 3,000 minutes, but they are less likely to be rested with Manchester United thin at defense. Marcus Rashford could sit as he was withdrawn in the final 10 minutes of the Celta Vigo game with a pained look on his face.
“He started the game with a little problem,” Mourinho told BT Sport when asked about Rashford’s withdrawal. “And obviously with the running and continuity he was feeling and [Anthony] Martial was fresh and he had to give us the last 10 or 15 minutes where we thought we could still score because of plenty of space to play.”
Expect players like Martial or Jesse Lingard to see time against Arsenal, along with Henrikh Mkhitaryan who has impressed in European action but has seen less time in Premier League play of late. Marouane Fellaini‘s red card suspension lasts two more games, limiting the midfield depth available to rest players such as Pogba.
Manchester United is just a single point behind rivals Manchester City in the Premier League table with three matches remaining, but the Red Devils boss is giving up on the league to focus on European glory.
After Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Celta Vigo in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal matchup in Spain, Mourinho confirmed he will rest his most important players against Arsenal in Premier League play this weekend.
“The players that have accumulated lots of minutes are not going to play next weekend,” said Mourinho. “It’s what I have to do, so I’m going to do it.”
The outfield players with the most minutes this season for Manchester United who are currently fit include Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera, and Antonio Valencia, who have all accumulated over 3,500 minutes across all competitions. Daley Blind and Eric Bailly have each played just under 3,000 minutes, but they are less likely to be rested with Manchester United thin at defense. Marcus Rashford could sit as he was withdrawn in the final 10 minutes of the Celta Vigo game with a pained look on his face.
“He started the game with a little problem,” Mourinho told BT Sport when asked about Rashford’s withdrawal. “And obviously with the running and continuity he was feeling and [Anthony] Martial was fresh and he had to give us the last 10 or 15 minutes where we thought we could still score because of plenty of space to play.”
Expect players like Martial or Jesse Lingard to see time against Arsenal, along with Henrikh Mkhitaryan who has impressed in European action but has seen less time in Premier League play of late. Marouane Fellaini‘s red card suspension lasts two more games, limiting the midfield depth available to rest players such as Pogba.
NCAAFB: Michigan adds future home games vs. Western Michigan, Middle Tennessee, and Army.
By Kevin McGuire
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Michigan put the finishing touches on the football schedules for 2018 and 2019 with the additions of Western Michigan, Middle Tennessee, and Army. Both Western Michigan and Middle Tennessee will accept a healthy check for their appearances in Ann Arbor as well.
Michigan will host Western Michigan of the MAC on September 8, 2018 and pay the Broncos $1.2 million for the game. A year later, Michigan will start the season with back-to-back home games against Middle Tennessee (August 31, 2019) and Army (September 7, 2019). Michigan will pay Middle Tennessee $1.6 million, according to a press release from Middle Tennessee. It is unknown how much Army will receive for their trip to Michigan.
Michigan owns a 6-0 all-time record against Western Michigan and trails Army 5-4 in their all-time series history, although Michigan owns a four-game winning streak in the series. Michigan and Army last played each other in 1962. Michigan and Middle Tennessee State have never faced each other before.
The Big Ten scheduling requirement of playing a power conference opponent, or the equivalent of one as determined by the Big Ten office, was already satisfied with Michigan’s future scheduling efforts. The Wolverines play at Notre Dame to open the 2018 season and host the Irish in late October in 2019. Michigan will begin the 2017 season in Arlington, Texas against Florida and has future power conference opponents lined up in 2020 (at Washington, Virgina Tech), 2021 (at Virginia Tech, Washington), 2022 (UCLA), 2023 (at UCLA), 2024 (Texas), 2025 (at Oklahoma), 2026 (Oklahoma), and 2027 (at Texas).
Middle Tennessee State’s non-conference schedule in 2019 is jammed with power conference opponents. The Blue Raiders will also play a game at Iowa and will get a home game against Duke in addition to their trip to Michigan. The program also faces three power conference opponents this fall with games against Vanderbilt, Syracuse, and Minnesota. The same is true in 2019 with a SEC East sampler of games against Vanderbilt, Georgia, and Kentucky (all on the road).
After Dawuane Smoot goes in NFL Draft's third round, six Illini get NFL shots as free agents, camp invitees.
By Vinnie Duber
(Photo/AP)
Illinois' incredible track record of sending defensive linemen to the NFL continued this past weekend, as Dawuane Smoot was picked in the third round of the NFL Draft.
Smoot, going to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round, became the sixth Illini defensive lineman drafted since 2011, joining Corey Liuget, Whitney Mercilus, Akeem Spence, Michael Buchanan and Jihad Ward. Four of those guys, including Smoot, are defensive ends.
But there could be more Illinois rookies in the league this fall, as five of Smoot's former teammates were signed as undrafted free agents in the wake of the final selection on Saturday and a sixth got an invite to rookie mini-camp.
Wide receiver Justin Hardee signed with the Houston Texans, quarterback Wes Lunt signed with the Minnesota Vikings, linebacker Hardy Nickerson signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, pass-rusher Carroll Phillips signed with the Jaguars, and pass-rusher Gimel President signed with the Texans. Defensive tackle Rob Bain got an invite to the New York Jets' rookie mini-camp.
For those keeping score, that's three more Illinois defensive linemen getting shots with NFL teams.
Phillips, Lunt and Nickerson will be the most recognizable names on that list to Illinois fans.
Phillips had 20 tackles for loss and nine sacks last season, getting him on the All-Big Ten First Team, and he was expected by many to be selected this past weekend. Instead, he'll re-team with Smoot in Jacksonville.
Lunt was not expected to be drafted, but the classically pro-style quarterback, who was the starter for three seasons even if he had trouble staying healthy and staying on the field, will get his NFL shot in the Twin Cities. Despite those injuries, though, Lunt wrapped his time at Illinois ranking in the top 10 in program history in passing yards, completions and touchdown passes.
Nickerson, the son of a former All-Pro linebacker and Illinois' current defensive coordinator, was the Illini's leading tackler last season.
Hardee has battled his own injury issues and missed the entire 2015 campaign. President had 12.5 tackles for loss after transferring in from Auburn for one season. Bain could find an NFL job on special teams after blocking four kicks at Illinois.
NCAABKB: John Calipari will have his youngest Kentucky team ever -- and still likely be good.
By Gary Parrish
Smoot, going to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round, became the sixth Illini defensive lineman drafted since 2011, joining Corey Liuget, Whitney Mercilus, Akeem Spence, Michael Buchanan and Jihad Ward. Four of those guys, including Smoot, are defensive ends.
But there could be more Illinois rookies in the league this fall, as five of Smoot's former teammates were signed as undrafted free agents in the wake of the final selection on Saturday and a sixth got an invite to rookie mini-camp.
Wide receiver Justin Hardee signed with the Houston Texans, quarterback Wes Lunt signed with the Minnesota Vikings, linebacker Hardy Nickerson signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, pass-rusher Carroll Phillips signed with the Jaguars, and pass-rusher Gimel President signed with the Texans. Defensive tackle Rob Bain got an invite to the New York Jets' rookie mini-camp.
For those keeping score, that's three more Illinois defensive linemen getting shots with NFL teams.
Phillips, Lunt and Nickerson will be the most recognizable names on that list to Illinois fans.
Phillips had 20 tackles for loss and nine sacks last season, getting him on the All-Big Ten First Team, and he was expected by many to be selected this past weekend. Instead, he'll re-team with Smoot in Jacksonville.
Lunt was not expected to be drafted, but the classically pro-style quarterback, who was the starter for three seasons even if he had trouble staying healthy and staying on the field, will get his NFL shot in the Twin Cities. Despite those injuries, though, Lunt wrapped his time at Illinois ranking in the top 10 in program history in passing yards, completions and touchdown passes.
Nickerson, the son of a former All-Pro linebacker and Illinois' current defensive coordinator, was the Illini's leading tackler last season.
Hardee has battled his own injury issues and missed the entire 2015 campaign. President had 12.5 tackles for loss after transferring in from Auburn for one season. Bain could find an NFL job on special teams after blocking four kicks at Illinois.
NCAABKB: John Calipari will have his youngest Kentucky team ever -- and still likely be good.
By Gary Parrish
Eight of the top nine scorers from this season's team are not returning, but UK will be fine.
Kentucky will be good again next season because Kentucky is always good.
Let's make that clear up front.
But with Monday's news that Bam Adebayo is staying in the NBA Draft, we now know for sure that John Calipari will have his most inexperienced roster ever in 2017-18 because eight of the top nine scorers from this season's team that won the SEC regular-season title, SEC tournament title and played in the Elite Eight are officially gone. That's 80.8 points per game out the door. Which means UK is losing more points per game than 324 teams even averaged this past season.
The leading returning scorer?
It's Wenyen Gabriel -- a 6-foot-9 forward who averaged 4.6 points in 17.8 minutes per game. He's the only returning Wildcat who averaged at least seven minutes per game. He scored exactly one point in Kentucky's four NCAA Tournament contests.
Simply put, this is new territory -- even for Calipari.
Yes, he's used to coaching young teams.
But he's never been this young
Here's proof:
In other words, this will be the first time Calipari has coached a UK team without a returning player who averaged at least 5.0 points in the previous season. And it'll be just the second time he's coached a team without a returning player who averaged at least 18.0 minutes in the previous season -- the only other time being in 2013, when his Wildcats finished 21-12 and lost to Robert Morris in the NIT.
Like I explained in February, Calipari's best teams have always had a decent balance of freshmen and non-freshmen. They might've been led by first-year players like John Wall (2010), Anthony Davis (2012) and Karl-Anthony Towns (2015). But they were supported by veterans like Patrick Patterson (2010), Doron Lamb (2012) and Willie Cauley-Stein (2015).
Meantime, like I also explained in that February column, Kentucky teams built similarly to the way next season's Kentucky team will be built have usually struggled in the SEC. But it's all relative. And here's what I mean: Calipari's four teams that have relied on freshmen to score more than 60.0 percent of their points were the 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2017 teams -- and three of those freshmen-heavy teams (2011, 2013, 2014) lost six SEC games, which isn't good. But let the record show that three of those four teams (2011, 2014, 2017) still made the Elite Eight. And two of those four teams (2011, 2014) still advanced to the Final Four.
My point: Even when UK's young teams "struggle" they tend to finish impressively.
So the bottom line is this: Kentucky will be younger and more inexperienced than ever next season. And history suggests that'll lead to a rough stretch here or there where everybody starts to question whether Calipari is maximizing his top-ranked recruiting class. Then, more than likely, the Wildcats will grow into a team that guards well and overwhelms most opponents with talent and athleticism. And that's when they'll start again being discussed as a serious Final Four threat, which is what they've been in seven of the past eight years under Calipari almost regardless of which players are coming or going.
Like I explained in February, Calipari's best teams have always had a decent balance of freshmen and non-freshmen. They might've been led by first-year players like John Wall (2010), Anthony Davis (2012) and Karl-Anthony Towns (2015). But they were supported by veterans like Patrick Patterson (2010), Doron Lamb (2012) and Willie Cauley-Stein (2015).
Meantime, like I also explained in that February column, Kentucky teams built similarly to the way next season's Kentucky team will be built have usually struggled in the SEC. But it's all relative. And here's what I mean: Calipari's four teams that have relied on freshmen to score more than 60.0 percent of their points were the 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2017 teams -- and three of those freshmen-heavy teams (2011, 2013, 2014) lost six SEC games, which isn't good. But let the record show that three of those four teams (2011, 2014, 2017) still made the Elite Eight. And two of those four teams (2011, 2014) still advanced to the Final Four.
My point: Even when UK's young teams "struggle" they tend to finish impressively.
So the bottom line is this: Kentucky will be younger and more inexperienced than ever next season. And history suggests that'll lead to a rough stretch here or there where everybody starts to question whether Calipari is maximizing his top-ranked recruiting class. Then, more than likely, the Wildcats will grow into a team that guards well and overwhelms most opponents with talent and athleticism. And that's when they'll start again being discussed as a serious Final Four threat, which is what they've been in seven of the past eight years under Calipari almost regardless of which players are coming or going.
The long shot that will win this year’s Kentucky Derby. Just another opinion. Don't forget to make your wager!!!
By Neil Greenberg
Classic Empire secured a starting spot as the favorite in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. That might seem like enough to pick him to win: Since the Road to the Kentucky Derby points system was established in 2013, four straight favorites have won on the first Saturday in May. Then again, you have to go all the way back to the Benjamin Harrison and Grover Cleveland administrations (1891-95) to find the last time five straight favorites won the Derby.
Classic Empire became the favorite by recovering from an underwhelming third-place finish behind Irish War Cry and Gunnevera in the Holy Bull Stakes in February to storm past Conquest MoMoney in the stretch in the Arkansas Derby. The son of Pioneer of the Nile seeks to join Nyquist (2016) and Street Sense (2007) as the only horses to complete the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile-Kentucky Derby double since the inception of the Breeders’ Cup in 1984. Classic Empire could also become the sixth 2-year-old champion in the last 40 years to win both the Eclipse Award as top juvenile and the first leg of the Triple Crown as a 3-year-old.
“I’ve always said good horses win when everything goes their way; great horses win when nothing goes their way,” Classic Empire’s trainer Mark Casse told John Clay of the Herald-Leader on Wednesday after the draw. “And I think he’s a great horse. But I guess we’ll determine that” on Saturday.
Classic Empire was 2 for 2 under the spires as a 2-year-old but he isn’t the only contender with enough speed and stamina to win the first leg of this year’s Triple Crown. But first, let’s eliminate some pretenders.
All winners since 1998 raced as 2-year-olds. Only two of the last 48 Derby winners — Fusaichi Pegasus (2000) and Monarchos (2001) — did not win as 2-year-olds. Always Dreaming came close to hitting the wire in 2016, losing by a neck in his second career start, but didn’t get to the winner’s circle until he broke his maiden at the age of 3. Same for Hence, a chestnut colt bred by Calumet Farm.
It’s been 83 years since a maiden won the Derby (Brokers Tip in 1933). With zero wins in 10 starts, Sonneteer is unlikely to break that streak.
The last time a horse won from the rail (post position No. 1) was Ferdinand in 1986. Before that it was Chateaugay in 1963, allowing you to confidently cross Lookin at Lee off your contender list. Next to him is Thunder Snow, the winner of the UAE Derby. No Derby horse has finished in the money after winning in Dubai, and horses coming out of the No. 2 gate have won just seven times in 87 tries since 1930 — none since Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978.
State of Honor is an early speed horse who has been first at the second call in six of his 10 lifetime starts, winning once with that running style as a two-year-old maiden. Chances are slim he joins the only other front-running colt to win the Derby wire-to-wire this century: War Emblem in 2002.
Forty of the last 41 winners were sharp in their last prep race (top-three finish or within four lengths of the victor) leading up to the Derby, with the past 66 winners having all raced at 1 1/8 miles before trying the classic 1 1/4-mile distance at Churchill Downs. That eliminates Untrapped (sixth in the Arkansas Derby), J Boys Echo (fourth in Blue Grass Stakes), Tapwrit (fifth in Blue Grass Stakes) and Fast and Accurate (longest race on dirt is one mile).
No Blue Grass Stakes winner has won the Derby since Strike the Gold in 1991, and the last horse to compete in the Blue Grass and win the Derby was Street Sense in 2007. That’s bad news for Practical Joke, Irap and McCraken.
Since 2003, only two horses — Empire Maker and Funny Cide — finished in the top three of the Wood Memorial before doing the same in the Derby, making it difficult to back Irish War Cry.
No horse since 1970 has won the Kentucky Derby when the Louisiana Derby has been their final prep. Girvin and Patch each had their final race at Fair Grounds leading up to the 143rd Run for the Roses.
And how a horse finishes in its final prep is important, especially over the last three-eighths of a mile. Each of the last five Kentucky Derby winners — and 15 of the last 20 — ran the last three-eighths of its final Derby prep race in less than 38 seconds. Gormley and Battle of Midway ran that stretch in 39.74 and 40.37 seconds, respectively.
That leaves us with two contenders: Gunnevera and the favorite, Classic Empire.
Gunnevera overcame a bad post and speed-favoring track in his third-place Florida Derby finish, running the final three-eighths of a mile in 36.59 seconds, the third-fastest time among the Derby field. He is also an off-the-pace runner who fits the mold of prior winners in the last decade — since 2010, only Orb (2013) was more than five lengths back at the mile mark.
But most importantly, Gunnevera is running his best as a 3-year-old: His 97 Beyer speed figure at Gulfstream in the Fountain of Youth Stakes a career high.
Classic Empire, meanwhile, had his best Beyer as a 2-year-old (102) in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile. Since 1998, every Derby winner except for one, Street Sense in 2007, has run faster at 3 than at 2.
At 15-to-1 opening odds, Gunnevera is set to hit the board at a monster price.
Corrections: Nyquist won the Derby in 2016 and War Emblem won wire to wire in 2002.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, May 05, 2017.
emoriesofhistory.com
1904 - The third perfect game of the major leagues was thrown by Cy Young (Boston Red Sox) against the Philadelphia Athletics. It was the first perfect game under modern rules.
1922 - A contract was awarded to New York's White Construction Co. for the construction of Yankee Stadium I.
1925 - Everett Scott (New York Yankees) ended his game playing streak of 1,307 games.
1956 - Jim Bailey became the first runner to break the four-minute mile in the U.S. He was clocked at 3 minutes, 58.5 seconds.
1966 - Willie Mays broke the National League record for home runs when he hit his 512th.
1978 - Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds registered his 3,000th major league hit.
1989 - In Albany, NY, Mike Tyson got his second speeding ticket for drag racing.
1995 - The last game was played at Boston Gardens. The Orlando Magic beat the Boston Celtics.
2004 - It was announced that "Spider-Man 2" ads would appear on bases in major league games during games from June 11-13. The plan was canceled the next day.
1922 - A contract was awarded to New York's White Construction Co. for the construction of Yankee Stadium I.
1925 - Everett Scott (New York Yankees) ended his game playing streak of 1,307 games.
1956 - Jim Bailey became the first runner to break the four-minute mile in the U.S. He was clocked at 3 minutes, 58.5 seconds.
1966 - Willie Mays broke the National League record for home runs when he hit his 512th.
1978 - Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds registered his 3,000th major league hit.
1989 - In Albany, NY, Mike Tyson got his second speeding ticket for drag racing.
1995 - The last game was played at Boston Gardens. The Orlando Magic beat the Boston Celtics.
2004 - It was announced that "Spider-Man 2" ads would appear on bases in major league games during games from June 11-13. The plan was canceled the next day.
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