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"Sports Quote of the Day"
“Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A world of optimism and hope. A 'you can do it' when things are tough.” ~ Richard M. DeVos, Businessman
TRENDING: PFF ranks the Chicago Bears' roster 18th in the NFL. (See the football section for Bears news and NFL updates).
TRENDING: Antti Raanta and Scott Darling paved the way, Is Anton Forsberg next? (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: NBA offseason gone wild as league executives go into overdrive to compete with Golden State. What's Your Take? (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).
TRENDING: Cubs have what Nationals desperately need and Wade Davis has no doubts: ‘We’ll be there’. Melky Cabrera's defense boosts White Sox in win over Yankees. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: Lingmerth (65) takes 1-shot lead in Quicken Loans National. Yang, Choi lead halted KPMG Women's PGA. Triplett's record-tying 62 leads U.S. Senior Open. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: NASCAR weekend schedule for Cup and Xfinity at Daytona. Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants one final Daytona win for himself and his father. (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR news and racing updates).
TRENDING: How will the Fire respond after first setback in nearly two months? (See the soccer section for Fire news and worldwide soccer updates).
TRENDING: NCAA considering changing transfer rules. (See the NCAAFB and NCAABKB sections for collegiate sports news and trending updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Can Leonard Floyd break out in 2017? The Bears like the early signs.
TRENDING: Antti Raanta and Scott Darling paved the way, Is Anton Forsberg next? (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: NBA offseason gone wild as league executives go into overdrive to compete with Golden State. What's Your Take? (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).
TRENDING: Cubs have what Nationals desperately need and Wade Davis has no doubts: ‘We’ll be there’. Melky Cabrera's defense boosts White Sox in win over Yankees. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: Lingmerth (65) takes 1-shot lead in Quicken Loans National. Yang, Choi lead halted KPMG Women's PGA. Triplett's record-tying 62 leads U.S. Senior Open. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: NASCAR weekend schedule for Cup and Xfinity at Daytona. Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants one final Daytona win for himself and his father. (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR news and racing updates).
TRENDING: How will the Fire respond after first setback in nearly two months? (See the soccer section for Fire news and worldwide soccer updates).
TRENDING: NCAA considering changing transfer rules. (See the NCAAFB and NCAABKB sections for collegiate sports news and trending updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Can Leonard Floyd break out in 2017? The Bears like the early signs.
(Photo/USA TODAY Sports Images)
The Bears in 2016 totaled 37 sacks —12th in the NFL — despite dealing with a rash of injuries and not having a standout player in terms of getting to the quarterback. Willie Young led the team with 7 1/2 sacks, which tied him for 31st in the league last year, while Floyd and Akiem Hicks each had seven.
Sixteen players recorded double-digit sacks last year. That’s not the end-all benchmark for Floyd in 2017, but for a former top-10 pick with elite skills and, as his coaches and teammate said, the right mentality, it’s not out of the question.
“With most players, you go from your freshman year to sophomore or rookie to second year, … it slows down, they understand it, they're not thinking, they're reacting,” coach John Fox said. “And so I'd expect that and I've seen that already even in the off-season.”
Floyd, earlier this month, talked about how much more comfortable he feels after a full year of practicing and playing at the NFL level.
“Everything was just fast when I got here last year,” Floyd said. “This year’s it’s way slower and I feel like I’m doing pretty good this year.”
There are two issues with Floyd that won’t go away until he proves they’re not problems in the regular season, though: His weight and his concussions.
The weight issue is one Floyd has heard for a while, joking with reporters during veteran minicamp that he was surprised it wasn’t the first thing he was asked during his session with the media. He said he “definitely gained some weight” without revealing how much he’s put on, only saying he feels like he’s in much better shape now than he was as a rookie.
“It’s like night and day compared to last year,” Floyd said.
The concessions are a far more serious — and scary — issue given it took Floyd two months to fully recover from the second concussion he suffered in 2016.
The Bears believe Floyd’s concussion issues are correctable, though, given they were the product of poor tackling form made worse by collisions with Hicks. The crown of Floyd’s helmet was too low, so he and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio worked with tackling dummies and sled machines in an effort to fix that issue.
The hope is that Floyd can stay healthy and marry his skills with a better knowledge of the game to put together a breakout year in 2017. His teammates sounded confident during the offseason program that everything was falling into place for the former ninth overall pick.
“He’s a great competitor,” Hicks said. “Great energy, fast, athletic, he’s everything you want in an outside linebacker, right? Nonstop motor — I can give you all the cliche terms, but I just feel like as far as the defensive line or an outside linebacker, another year under his belt is only going to make him better.”
Added linebacker Jerrell Freeman: “That guy is going to be good for a while.”
Bears Talk Podcast: Breaking down camp competition at wide receiver.
By #BearsTalk
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
On this week’s Bears Talk Podcast, we hear from Markus Wheaton as Chris Boden and JJ Stankevitz discuss the training camp competition at slot receiver.
Boden and Stankevitz also weigh in on PFF ranking the Bears’ starting lineup 18th in the NFL, answer listener questions and add another layer of Aaron Rodgers envy.
Boden and Stankevitz also weigh in on PFF ranking the Bears’ starting lineup 18th in the NFL, answer listener questions and add another layer of Aaron Rodgers envy.
Listen to the latest Bears Talk Podcast right here.
By Lester A Wiltfong Jr.
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(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Yesterday we dropped the surprising nugget that Pro Football Focus has the Chicago Bears’ offensive line rated as the 5th best in the NFL. According to them, Chicago’s outstanding interior makes up for less than stellar play at the tackles.
Back in May, our sister site that covers the Minnesota Vikings, The Daily Norsemen, used the PFF grades to determine which of the four NFC North teams have the best starting lineups, and again, very surprising, but they found that it was the Bears.
I’m not sure what changed between May and now, but PFF just released their rankings of the 32 teams in the NFL, and now they show that the Bears are ranked third in the NFC North at 18th overall. The Green Bay Packers are 4th overall, the Minnesota Vikings check in at 12th, and the Detroit Lions are 28th.
The 3-13 Bears ranked higher than a couple playoff teams from a year ago, the Houston Texans and the Miami Dolphins, so at least they got that going for them.
Here’s some of what PFF had to say (via ESPN Insider).
Biggest strength: Jerrell Freeman was the top-graded linebacker (93.8) in the league in 2016, but he missed four games due to suspension. He has been an elite playmaker over the past two seasons, notching 59 defensive stops last season and 51 the season before.
Before last year, Freeman had only missed seven games since 2012. Hopefully that suspension was just one of those “oops, my bad” things and it never happens again.
Biggest weakness: The Bears have several major question marks among their starters with no clear standout at receiver or in the secondary. Plus, free-agent signee Dion Sims was one of the lowest-graded tight ends in the league last season, particularly as a blocker.
Granted, I didn’t watch every single play from Sims last year in Miami, but the bit I sought out, he looked like an adequate blocker. The Dolphins had the 9th most rushing yards per game last year, and their 4.5 yards per carry tied for 7th in the league. Sims was on the field for 73.9% of their offensive plays, so was their success running the ball in spite of him?
Maybe the 26 year old Sims is still ascending as a player, and the Bears will get a more polished player.
By the numbers: The interior of the offensive line -- guards Josh Sitton and Kyle Long and center Cody Whitehair -- combined to surrender only 30 total pressures in 2016, but tackles Charles Leno and Bobby Massie gave up a combined 73.
The sack numbers were really skewed last year with Jay Cutler under center (11.0 sack percentage). Maybe they were calling a different style of game with Cutler in there, or maybe Cutler tried to keep more plays alive. Regardless, I think the offense will be a bit more conservative and play action based with Mike Glennon in at quarterback. My guess is their sack percentage is closer to what they did under Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley (around 2.5%).
Now a few more nuggets from the starting lineup PFF has for the Bears.
- They list Kyle Fuller (no grade) at a starting corner with Prince Amukamara (76.6).
- Adrian Amos checks in with a Good/High Quality grade of 81.7.
- After Freeman, the next highest defensive grade goes to safety Quintin Demps (85.3).
- Leonard Floyd, who missed four games last year, graded out at a Below Average 65.1.
- Zach Miller is listed as the TE#2, and they have his grade at 81.7.
- Kendall Wright’s 74.6, is the highest grade among the three starting wide outs.
What are your thoughts on the Bears coming in with the 18th graded lineup according to PFF?
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Antti Raanta and Scott Darling paved the way, Is Anton Forsberg next?
By Tracey Myers
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/USA TODAY)
You won’t find a lot regarding Anton Forsberg’s NHL playing experience, because there isn’t much there.
The goaltender the Blackhawks acquired as part of the Brandon Saad trade on Friday has just 10 NHL regular-season games to his credit and he admits, “the numbers aren’t great when I played.” Forsberg had a 4.02 goals-against average in those 10 games, which he played from 2014-17 with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The goaltender the Blackhawks acquired as part of the Brandon Saad trade on Friday has just 10 NHL regular-season games to his credit and he admits, “the numbers aren’t great when I played.” Forsberg had a 4.02 goals-against average in those 10 games, which he played from 2014-17 with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
But little NHL experience isn’t necessarily a problem for a backup goalie, especially one recruited by the Blackhawks. Their last two backups, Antti Raanta and Scott Darling, had no experience entering their time in Chicago. Both did great here and are now getting opportunities elsewhere.
Now Forsberg hopes to be the latest backup goalie success story for the Blackhawks. Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said on Friday, a few hours after completing the deal with Columbus, that Forsberg, “has earned the right to be an NHL goalie.”
“We’re optimistic about Anton’s potential,” Bowman said on Friday. “We like his profile as a goalie. He’s a big guy, takes up a lot of net, has that mobility and makes good positional saves as well as athletic saves. A year ago, led his team to the Calder Cup championships, so he knows what it’s like to put a team on his back. It was the AHL, but he’s had a lot of success there.”
Forsberg has done well in the AHL, leading the Lake Erie (now Cleveland) Monsters to the 2016 Calder Cup title. In that postseason Forsberg had 10 appearances, going 9-0 with a 1.34 GAA and .949 save percentage. The 24-year-old said the entire season, from start to championship finish, was a learning experience.
“It felt like the team, the whole time, grew. We had some tough parts during the season, too, but once we got everything together we started winning and gained confidence. Same for me. I had a tough start, grew during the season and got better and better,” Forsberg said. “Once I got the chance in the playoffs, I felt good about myself and learned with experience. It’s a different type of game in the playoffs. It’s tougher, faster and harder. Just the whole experience with the games and the atmosphere, it was a fun time.”
So let’s get back to the Blackhawks’ recent successful track record on backup goaltenders. Raanta had no experience playing in North America before the Blackhawks signed him entering the 2013-14 season. While he had his ups and downs on the road he was stellar at the United Center (in his career, he’s 15-0-3 with a .945 save percentage there). The Blackhawks took a gamble on Darling, who went from journeyman minor-league goaltender to Stanley Cup winner with them. Darling’s first NHL game didn’t come until he signed with the Blackhawks (October 2014); despite the lack of NHL experience, he and Corey Crawford formed a tremendous tandem.
Now the Blackhawks’ depth, especially at defense, was stronger during Raanta and Darling’s time here. But both had their share of goaltending victories and the lack of experience didn’t hurt either of them.
Forsberg didn’t have much of a chance to win the backup role while with the Blue Jackets. He’ll get that chance now that he’s in Chicago. Experience? No, there’s not much of it at this level. But the Blackhawks have done a good job lately in finding those guys who made the most of the NHL backup goalie opportunity once they did get it. Forsberg hopes to be the next to do that.
“I feel I put up some good things [in the AHL] and with the Calder Cup two years ago and I feel I gained a lot of experience,” Forsberg said. “I’m ready to take the next step.”
So let’s get back to the Blackhawks’ recent successful track record on backup goaltenders. Raanta had no experience playing in North America before the Blackhawks signed him entering the 2013-14 season. While he had his ups and downs on the road he was stellar at the United Center (in his career, he’s 15-0-3 with a .945 save percentage there). The Blackhawks took a gamble on Darling, who went from journeyman minor-league goaltender to Stanley Cup winner with them. Darling’s first NHL game didn’t come until he signed with the Blackhawks (October 2014); despite the lack of NHL experience, he and Corey Crawford formed a tremendous tandem.
Now the Blackhawks’ depth, especially at defense, was stronger during Raanta and Darling’s time here. But both had their share of goaltending victories and the lack of experience didn’t hurt either of them.
Forsberg didn’t have much of a chance to win the backup role while with the Blue Jackets. He’ll get that chance now that he’s in Chicago. Experience? No, there’s not much of it at this level. But the Blackhawks have done a good job lately in finding those guys who made the most of the NHL backup goalie opportunity once they did get it. Forsberg hopes to be the next to do that.
“I feel I put up some good things [in the AHL] and with the Calder Cup two years ago and I feel I gained a lot of experience,” Forsberg said. “I’m ready to take the next step.”
Blackhawks Talk Podcast: What's next for Blackhawks as free agency looms?
(Photo/AP)
On the latest edition of the Hawks Talk Podcast, Pat Boyle, Tracey Myers and Charlie Roumeliotis discuss what's next for the Blackhawks after a trade-filled weekend.
They also weigh in on whether the Blackhawks are done trading, preview free agency, and toy with the idea of a potential Patrick Sharp reunion.
Listen to the latest episode of the Hawks Talk Podcast here.
Blackhawks rumors 2017: Sam Gagner, Chicago have 'mutual interest,' per report.
By Brandon M. Cain
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(Photo/Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
The Chicago Blackhawks and forward Sam Gagner, a pending unrestricted free agent, have “mutual interest” in each other, reports The Athletic’s Scott Powers.
Gagner, 27, scored 18 goals and 50 points in 81 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season. He played a key role on Columbus’ power play with six goals and 15 points.
Gagner, 27, scored 18 goals and 50 points in 81 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season. He played a key role on Columbus’ power play with six goals and 15 points.
Gagner played on a one-year, $650,000 contract last season with Columbus. He’s also suited up for Edmonton, Arizona and Philadelphia in his career.
Adding Gagner to the lineup would give the Hawks great depth. Currently, Jonathan Toews, Artem Anisimov and Tanner Kero are expected to be Chicago’s top three centers. With Gagner in the mix, Kero would move down to the fourth line.
Chicago’s fourth-line center role could currently be occupied by a number of players including, John Hayden, Vinnie Hinostroza or recently-acquired Laurent Dauphin, who played with the Arizona Coyotes and their AHL affiliate in Tucson last season. Hinostroza is the most experienced of the trio having played 49 games in Chicago. The 23-year-old recorded six goals and 14 points in that span. Hayden, however, joined Chicago after his senior season at Yale. Hayden had one goal and three assists in 12 games. Both Hinostroza and Hayden played in one playoff game.
Matthew Highmore, who signed a three-year entry-level deal with Chicago in March, could also be in the hunt for a roster spot. The 21-year-old helped lead the Saint John Sea Dogs to a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League title last season with 89 points (34 goals, 55 assists). He added 24 points (six goals, 18 assists) in 18 postseason contests.
Chicago is reportedly trying to trade Marcus Kruger, also 27, who has won two Stanley Cups with the Hawks. Kruger carries a $3.08 million salary cap hit, which if traded would free up some cash for the Hawks to sign Gagner.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... NBA offseason gone wild as league executives go into overdrive to compete with Golden State. What's Your Take?
By Mark Schanowski
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
NBA free agency doesn't officially begin until 11 p.m. Chicago time on Friday, but league executives have already gone into overdrive in their race to create the next super-team to compete with the Golden State Warriors.
Rockets GM Daryl Morey hinted he had a big move up his sleeve last week, suggesting the Warriors "aren't unbeatable." Well, Morey unveiled that big move on Wednesday, rounding up a bunch of non-guaranteed contracts from all over the league to help him acquire Clippers' All-Star point guard Chris Paul before free agency even begins.
Paul met with Clippers officials on Tuesday, and basically told Doc Rivers he was going to sign with Houston as a free agent, so if the Clippers wanted to get anything for him, they better work out a trade right away. The return L.A. got in the 7-for-1 deal was hardly overwhelming, headlined by Chicago native Patrick Beverley and super-sub Lou Williams, and it showed once again how league executives are powerless if a star player decides he wants a chance of scenery.
Paul and James Harden wanted to play together, and Morey and his staff came up with a creative way to get it done. And, by all reports, Morey isn't done yet. The Rockets are hoping to swing a deal for either Paul George or Carmelo Anthony as a third star in the frontcourt, giving them a shooter's chance against the champion Warriors.
George is one of the biggest chess pieces being moved around boards in executive offices all around the league. Ever since George informed Pacers management he isn't interested in re-signing with the team, GM Kevin Pritchard has been searching for the best possible deal.
The Cavaliers would love to add George as the new third star on their super-team with LeBron and Kyrie Irving and send Kevin Love to the Pacers or to a third team that would provide Indiana with young players and/or draft picks.
Boston is hoping to trade some of Danny Ainge's treasure-trove of draft picks to bring George in, but only after they make a free agent run at Utah All-Star swingman Gordon Hayward, who played his college ball for Celtics coach Brad Stevens at Butler. Remember, making a trade for George carries a lot of risk, since he's eligible to become a free agent next summer and could wind up being a one-year rental.
George has told anyone who will listen he plans to sign on with the Lakers in the summer of 2018, but will new Lakers President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson get antsy with all the trade interest in George and try to bring him in now? Is it worth it for Magic to give up young players like Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson if he can just wait a year and sign George without giving up any assets?
We're already hearing reports of George trying to recruit Warriors sharp-shooter Klay Thompson to join him on the Lakers when Klay becomes a free agent in 2019. And, speculation continues about LeBron heading west to join the Lakers if the Cavs come up short of a championship again next season.
So many questions as we approach the start of free agency. Where will Derrick Rose end up after a fourth knee surgery? Will the Clippers be interested in bringing Rose in to play with Blake Griffin and keep Lob City going? And what about veterans like Kyle Lowry, Paul Millsap, Serge Ibaka, Danilo Gallinari, Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver, J.J. Redick, Pau Gasol, Taj Gibson, George Hill, Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague? What kind of market will they find with fewer teams having the kind of cap space we saw last summer?
And, where will Carmelo Anthony wind up now that Phil Jackson is out as Knicks President? Jackson might be the greatest coach in NBA history after winning 11 championships with the Bulls and Lakers, but it was clear the Zen Master was overmatched as a front office executive. Phil didn't want to travel to scout top college prospects, didn't stay on top of day to day roster moves around the league, and insisted on saddling his coaches with running an offense that didn't translate in today's game.
Maybe now Jeff Hornacek will be able to run his up-tempo offense that had some success in Phoenix instead of Phil's beloved triangle. But don't count on Anthony being a part of next season's Knicks team. Reports out of New York suggest the organization is still intent on dealing Melo, problem is that nasty no-trade clause that Phil gave Anthony on top of a $127 million contract back in 2014.
In the coming weeks, you can count on hearing all kinds of Anthony-related rumors. Maybe a trade to Houston, Boston or even Philadelphia. And, if Melo is able to convince the Knicks to buy out the remainder of his contract, look for him to join forces with LeBron in Cleveland for a shot at that elusive championship ring.
The Knicks may have rid themselves of Phil’s front office mismanagement, but their roster is still a mess with no easy solutions in sight.
The great thing for NBA fans is the buzz created by all the speculation. NBA off-seasons are the most impactful of any sport since the acquisition of a star player can cause a major shift in any team's fortunes. Unfortunately here in Chicago, don't expect any free agent buzz this year, unless you're excited about the possibility of a Dwyane Wade buyout.
Bulls Executive VP of Basketball Operations John Paxson made it clear the Bulls are going in a new direction and will be patient and disciplined in their rebuild. That means no spending on veterans this summer as the front office keeps its power dry for some time in the future when the Bulls are closer to being a playoff contender again.
Player development will be the focus of the next couple seasons as Fred Hoiberg and his staff try to find out exactly what they have in young players like Lauri Markkanen, Kris Dunn, Denzel Valentine, Bobby Portis, Cameron Payne, Paul Zipser, Jerian Grant, Cris Felicio and Niko Mirotic.
Ideally, the Bulls will lose enough games next season to put themselves into position to land a top-3 pick in next year's top-heavy draft. Paxson talked about building a contending team through the draft, and that will require a lot of patience from everyone involved. Adding a Michael Porter, Jr. or Luka Doncic to a young backcourt of Dunn and Zach LaVine and a promising "stretch 4" in Markkanen could be the foundation of the next Bulls playoff team.
So, while the league's top teams engage in a massive arms race to try to close the gap on the Warriors over the next few weeks, all will be quiet in the city of Chicago. The buzzword for Bulls fans for the foreseeable future is PATIENCE.
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: PATIENCE, I don't know what Gar/Pax thinks the Bulls fans have had the last seven years!!! We've supported the Bulls without any demands or questions asked. We've paid for the ticket increases, food increases, merchandise increases, etc.; And what have we gotten back in return? The Bulls have made the playoffs 7 of the last 8 years but that's not enough, we want a championship. Paxton should understand that. While we loved him as a player, he's a horrible front office person. Gar Foreman, What has he done? How has he helped improve this team? We just don't see it. They draft decent talent at times but they don't seem to have the proper personnel to develop the talent. Coach Thibodeau seems to have had a degree of success but there was a breakdown between the coaching staff and front office. That was evident when the front office fired his top assistant.
The front office needs to set the plan and team policy and let the head coach that they hire do his job. If they want a puppet coach, hire a yes man and be done with it. They probably feel that they've done a great job because they've been to the playoffs seven years but the answer to that is NOT. The fans in Chicago want and deserve a winner for their loyalty. The Blackhawks and Cubs have proven it can be done. The Chicago Fire soccer club has had a complete turn-a-round from last year and is very competitive. I don't know what to say or what I can say about the future outlook for the Bulls. How much longer do we have to be patient as Gar/Pax continue to tinker with the Bulls team and hope that they catch Lightning in a bottle?
The fans are starting to get a little frustrated and if something doesn't happen soon, maybe some front office changes will be made and hope will be restored for the Bulls storied franchise. We don't want to sound negative but it is what it is. Honestly, we can't foresee the Bulls even making the playoffs this year, sorry.
You can probably tell we're very disappointed and frustrated with the Bulls organization at this time, however that's the way we feel and that's what the future outlook lies ahead as we see it. If you have a different prospective, please go to the comment section at the bottom of this blog and share your thoughts with us. Enlighten us, what do you see that we don't? We anxiously await your response and can't wait to hear, what's your take? Thanks in advance for you time, consideration and intelligent comments.
The Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
Bulls Talk Podcast: An NBA gone wild and Zach LaVine sit down interview.
By #BullsTalk
(Photo/USA TODAY)
On the latest BullsTalk Podcast, Mark Schanowski, Kendall Gill and Vincent Goodwill delve into the blockbuster news of Chris Paul being traded to the Rockets. Will any other teams try to go all-in?
With Phil Jackson parting ways with the Knicks, Goodwill shares the behind-the-scenes story of how James Dolan hired Jackson to run his franchise.
Then, Schanowski sits down with the newest Bull Zach LaVine to discuss recovering from his ACL tear, his love of Space Jam and moving to Chicago.
Plus, the guys break down their first impressions of LaVine and his potential in a Bulls uniform, and how the new CBA is actually leading to teams getting rid of their stars rather than keeping them.
Finally, what will the Bulls do with Dwyane Wade, and where will Derrick Rose end up?
Check out the latest Bulls Talk Podcast right here.
What will Bulls do with Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade?
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/USA TODAY)
The Bulls have made their biggest decision of the offseason but the future of Rajon Rondo and to a lesser extent, Dwyane Wade, is still in the air.
Due to the trade for Kris Dunn and the Bulls having acquired Cameron Payne at the trade deadline last season, it doesn’t appear to be much room for Rondo. Even moreso, considering Dunn and Payne’s lack of production, one would think the Bulls would easily guarantee Rondo’s $13.3 million for next season.
But with the June 30th deadline approaching, it seems more and more like the Bulls will buy Rondo out for $3 million and go with a total youth movement, despite Rondo’s success with guiding some of the young players on the roster.
If not for Rondo’s wrist injury in Game 2 of the Bulls’ first-round series against the Boston Celtics, the Bulls could’ve advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Instead, they’re embarking on what could be a long process that may take years to recover from.
“He’s always been a great teammate and nurturer of the young guys,” said Bill Duffy, Rondo’s agent. Duffy also serves as Zach LaVine’s agent, so he was in attendance for LaVine’s introduction at the United Center.
The handling of Rondo’s benching, re-emergence and subsequent importance to the Bulls this past season has helped Rondo, in a sense. Rondo proved to be a galvanizing force to a degree after being shuffled in and out of the starting lineup.
“I think it’s fair to say he definitely showed a different persona that what had existed but like I said, he’s always been that way, I think it’s more publicized,” Duffy said. “I think he just loves to develop people, always managing and directing. So I think that’s always the case with the younger guys.”
If Rondo is released—and it certainly appears matters are trending in that direction, the 31-year old could have suitors in the New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers, sources tell CSNChicago.com. One would think the Bulls could use Rondo’s type of straightforward but encouraging brand of leadership in the locker room, but the Bulls have yet to guarantee his contract for next season.
“That’s still to be determined,” Bulls Executive Vice President John Paxson said. “We’re going to sit down with Bill and talk it through. We do understand that veterans are important for a young basketball team, the right veterans – guys that are good teammates, are supportive of the young guys and can continue to teach them how to be pros. Those are things we’ll be addressing.”
“The proof’s always in the pudding and I think if you talk to the front office and coaches, they really love what he brought and how he handled the challenges last year,” Duffy said. “I think we all mature over time and he’s been in the league a long time. He wants to win but he loves the game. I think he appreciates it more, he’s kinda of in his twilight years or approaching it.”
As for Wade, he exercised his $23.8 million option for next season as he was expected to, but that was before the Jimmy Butler trade that ushered in a new day of change.
There’s been speculation Wade would seek a buyout from the Bulls at the start of free agency but so far, those conversations haven’t been held and Paxson intimated Wade would have to give back a significant amount of that money to become a free agent.
There’s been speculation of Wade joining LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers, as well as Carmelo Anthony getting a buyout from the Knicks and following suit.
But the Cavaliers will have very little to offer in the way of cap space, so it’s tough to see Wade giving back a large sum then going to Cleveland for the veterans’ minimum—which would not make up the difference of a “significant” amount.
“I know Gar has spoken with Leon Rose, Dwyane’s agent, As far as the buyout, that has not been broached,” Paxson said. “I would say this: In this type of scenario, it would have to benefit us. It would have to benefit us. Dwyane was a great pro last year, and he’s been around a lot of different situations.”
But with Wade’s history of giving up large sums of money in the name of team, it’s harder to predict his moves. As strong as his relationship with Butler is, the possibility of Butler being moved didn’t affect him picking up his option, so his desire to play competitive or at least meaningful basketball could be weighed against wanting to keep his family comfortable after relocating to Chicago last year and collecting every dollar of his deal.
“He was in Miami when they had a couple rebuilding years as well,” Paxson said. “So right now we’re operating under assumption that he’ll be here. But like I said, if that subject is ever broached by them, it would have to be advantageous for us."
But with the June 30th deadline approaching, it seems more and more like the Bulls will buy Rondo out for $3 million and go with a total youth movement, despite Rondo’s success with guiding some of the young players on the roster.
If not for Rondo’s wrist injury in Game 2 of the Bulls’ first-round series against the Boston Celtics, the Bulls could’ve advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Instead, they’re embarking on what could be a long process that may take years to recover from.
“He’s always been a great teammate and nurturer of the young guys,” said Bill Duffy, Rondo’s agent. Duffy also serves as Zach LaVine’s agent, so he was in attendance for LaVine’s introduction at the United Center.
The handling of Rondo’s benching, re-emergence and subsequent importance to the Bulls this past season has helped Rondo, in a sense. Rondo proved to be a galvanizing force to a degree after being shuffled in and out of the starting lineup.
“I think it’s fair to say he definitely showed a different persona that what had existed but like I said, he’s always been that way, I think it’s more publicized,” Duffy said. “I think he just loves to develop people, always managing and directing. So I think that’s always the case with the younger guys.”
If Rondo is released—and it certainly appears matters are trending in that direction, the 31-year old could have suitors in the New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers, sources tell CSNChicago.com. One would think the Bulls could use Rondo’s type of straightforward but encouraging brand of leadership in the locker room, but the Bulls have yet to guarantee his contract for next season.
“That’s still to be determined,” Bulls Executive Vice President John Paxson said. “We’re going to sit down with Bill and talk it through. We do understand that veterans are important for a young basketball team, the right veterans – guys that are good teammates, are supportive of the young guys and can continue to teach them how to be pros. Those are things we’ll be addressing.”
“The proof’s always in the pudding and I think if you talk to the front office and coaches, they really love what he brought and how he handled the challenges last year,” Duffy said. “I think we all mature over time and he’s been in the league a long time. He wants to win but he loves the game. I think he appreciates it more, he’s kinda of in his twilight years or approaching it.”
As for Wade, he exercised his $23.8 million option for next season as he was expected to, but that was before the Jimmy Butler trade that ushered in a new day of change.
There’s been speculation Wade would seek a buyout from the Bulls at the start of free agency but so far, those conversations haven’t been held and Paxson intimated Wade would have to give back a significant amount of that money to become a free agent.
There’s been speculation of Wade joining LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers, as well as Carmelo Anthony getting a buyout from the Knicks and following suit.
But the Cavaliers will have very little to offer in the way of cap space, so it’s tough to see Wade giving back a large sum then going to Cleveland for the veterans’ minimum—which would not make up the difference of a “significant” amount.
“I know Gar has spoken with Leon Rose, Dwyane’s agent, As far as the buyout, that has not been broached,” Paxson said. “I would say this: In this type of scenario, it would have to benefit us. It would have to benefit us. Dwyane was a great pro last year, and he’s been around a lot of different situations.”
But with Wade’s history of giving up large sums of money in the name of team, it’s harder to predict his moves. As strong as his relationship with Butler is, the possibility of Butler being moved didn’t affect him picking up his option, so his desire to play competitive or at least meaningful basketball could be weighed against wanting to keep his family comfortable after relocating to Chicago last year and collecting every dollar of his deal.
“He was in Miami when they had a couple rebuilding years as well,” Paxson said. “So right now we’re operating under assumption that he’ll be here. But like I said, if that subject is ever broached by them, it would have to be advantageous for us."
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/AP)
Wade Davis scanned the clubhouse near the end of spring training and called the Cubs “a crazy talented group,” counting 10 or 12 players among the best in Major League Baseball.
Davis has been as good as advertised, the All-Star closer the Cubs would have for an entire season instead of a rental like Aroldis Chapman, fueling optimism/delusions the defending champs could actually be better than last year’s World Series team.
But all that on-paper talent has translated into a 40-39 record and a high-water mark of four games over .500 (in late May). The Cubs are running a half-game behind a first-place Milwaukee Brewers team with a $56 million Opening Day payroll.
Board member Todd Ricketts – who once told a “Screw you, Matt Harvey!” story at the 2016 Cubs Convention – still called out the Washington Nationals during this week’s White House visit and told Donald Trump: “We’re going to run into these guys in the playoffs. You’ll see them crumble.”
The reality check for the Cubs is that it has become a matter of getting there. But Thursday’s 5-4 ninth-inning comeback victory –and the scattered boos at Nationals Park after another bullpen meltdown – showed how Washington could be this year’s San Francisco Giants.
That would be the team with great starting pitchers, a strong everyday lineup and the nowhere-to-turn bullpen the Cubs exploited in last year’s first-round series. That makes Davis – 16-for-16 in save chances and 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA after finishing off both wins in this four-game series – such a difference-maker if the Cubs get to October.
“I’ve been on teams before where you know their confidence is lacking,” Davis said, “and people don’t necessarily believe this year they’re that good. I don’t think you see that here on any of our guys.
“I think we’ll be there. We know what to do.”
The Nationals (47-32) will have to do something to fix a bullpen with a 4.98 ERA and 13 blown saves or else risk wasting another season of Bryce Harper and Max Scherzer’s brilliance. Not that anyone else around the Cubs would talk trash and back up Ricketts’ prediction.
“I’m not into billboard-material quotes,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “We got to worry about our own house right now, in my opinion. We’re one game over .500.
That’s exactly where we deserve to be. We haven’t played well enough beyond that.
“(The Nationals) have taken care of business. These guys look great. They’ve run away with the division. They’ve lived up to their potential. And we should be looking up to them right now. They’ve played this season so far the way we should play this season.
“Hopefully, we’ll play that way the rest of the year. But right now, they’re in a much better position than we are.”
Davis – a calming presence in the bullpen and playoff-tested after getting the final out of the 2015 World Series for the Kansas City Royals – doesn’t believe in hangovers or overreactions.
“Baseball’s going to be different every year,” Davis said. “I don’t care how good you are or what you win. (This is) what the flow of the season is – how we’re playing, what we’re executing, the breaks we’re getting or not getting. It’s where we are right now, but we feel we’re in a good spot.
“I think we’ll end up being where we need to be. Everything is like a building block. You get better at certain things. And at some point, you hope you’re right where you want to be and then you take off.”
Kris Bryant’s attitude with Cubs at low point: ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Kris Bryant called it the “lowest point” of his charmed career as a Cub after a 9-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field dropped the defending champs to 30-31 on June 10.
Since then, Kyle Hendricks (right hand tendinitis) experienced a setback that will likely delay his return to the rotation until after the All-Star break. World Series MVP Ben Zobrist (left wrist inflammation) and Gold Glove outfielder Jason Heyward (left hand abrasion) went on the disabled list.
All-Star shortstop Addison Russell had to answer questions about divorce proceedings and a Major League Baseball investigation. Playoff legend Kyle Schwarber got demoted to Triple-A Iowa. Veteran catcher Miguel Montero torched Jake Arrieta in an epic postgame rant and got designated for assignment. The Cubs won nine of their next 17 games.
Almost forgot: Bryant heard his right ankle pop on Wednesday night at Nationals Park when he awkwardly landed on third base while catching a pop-up. The reigning National League MVP walked through the visiting clubhouse on Thursday afternoon carrying a book recommended by mental skills program coordinator Darnell McDonald: “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F---.”
“I don’t know if it’s any different,” said Bryant, who felt “relieved” and “a ton better,” doubting that the sprain would force him onto the disabled list. “It’s still kind of just – you win a game, you lose a game, you win a game. It’s OK, you’re keeping your head above water, but it’s just different than what I’ve experienced.
“There’s going to be times like that. But I just think it’s important that we learn from all the things that we’re going through now, so that it makes us better in the future. I definitely do think that this point – and being as low as we are right now – is still going to make us better.”
Where Anthony Rizzo had been part of Cubs teams that lost 286 games between 2012 and 2014, Bryant helped the franchise win 97 games and two playoff rounds during his Rookie of the Year campaign – and then deliver its first World Series title since the Theodore Roosevelt administration.
What the Cubs need now are the qualities that separate Bryant beyond just his sweet swing and athleticism – mental toughness, emotional intelligence and the ability to process failure.
This is someone who – as the No. 2 overall pick in the draft – went 0-for-5 with five strikeouts in his Class-A Boise debut in the summer of 2013. And whiffed three times and went 0-for-4 when he made it to The Show in April 2015. Bryant joked about Los Angeles Dodgers sensation Cody Bellinger.
“He’s starting off way too hot,” Bryant said. “I didn’t hit a home run for my first 20 games or something. But that stuff does go a long way and help you (when you realize): I’ve been through this before. I’ve hit under .200 for a month. You just fall back on those things. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
CubsTalk Podcast: Groundhog Day for Cubs and why Bryce Harper wants to play in a market like Chicago.
By #CubsTalk
(Photo/USA TODAY)
CSNChicago’s Tony Andracki and Jeff Nelson also break down the “Groundhog Day” type feeling that surrounds the Cubs this year, between a Cubbie Occurrence like Kris Bryant’s ankle roll to Miguel Montero’s candid comments and subsequent departure.
Check out the entire podcast here.
Jake Arrieta doesn’t see fractures forming in Cubs clubhouse.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
An erratic, distracted, disconnected Cubs team got a pregame Moment of Zen at Donald Trump’s White House on Wednesday afternoon, a smaller group of players, staffers and executives going back to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. for the second time in less than six months to celebrate their World Series championship.
The Cubs showed up at Nationals Park and of course had new Joe Maddon T-shirts folded all over the chairs in the visiting clubhouse: “Embrace the Suck” superimposed on the Captain America shield. Miguel Montero’s locker was completely empty after injecting some truth serum into the group media sessions where the Cubs almost always insist that everything is fine and will be all right in the end.
But the Cubs are at an awkward, sensitive point here, 39-39 after an 8-4 loss to a first-place Washington team that saw reigning National League MVP Kris Bryant leave the game with a sprained right ankle and veteran pitcher John Lackey give up all eight runs as his ERA ballooned to 5.24.
Paying $7 million to make Montero go away won’t magically solve the problems. Even the guy who Montero targeted late Tuesday night after the Nationals stole seven bases didn’t really have a problem with the message or the messenger.
“I’m sad to see him go,” Jake Arrieta said. “I love Miggy. As you guys know, he’ll say some things from the heart, the way he feels. He’s open and honest. That’s the way Miggy is. He regretted what he said. He felt bad about it. I told him that I’m not upset or mad at him. I didn’t even really see the comments, and I don’t care what they were.
“I know what it was about – and there was a lot of honesty there. I didn’t do him any favors. I was slow to the plate and (Trea) Turner’s one of the fastest guys in baseball, so it just makes it look worse than it was. It’s unfortunate it had to happen that way, but it is what it is.”
Arrieta took his teammates along for the ride when he transformed into a Cy Young Award winner in 2015. Montero had trouble hiding his frustrations with Maddon and diminished playing time, not exactly pumped about the idea of wearing a onesie on an overnight flight from the West Coast. Montero wound up catching Arrieta’s no-hitter that unforgettable night at Dodger Stadium.
The clubhouse vibes now aren’t necessarily awful – to use a Maddon term to downplay the injuries that have decimated the roster – but something is clearly off here.
“It’s been slightly different, honestly, just because we’ve been up and down so frequently this season,” Arrieta said. “As soon as we get on a roll, we kind of hit the skid. We win two, lose two, win one, lose one. It’s just been this back and forth sort of rollercoaster that we’ve been dealing with.
“As far as the guys in here, everybody gets along great. We got good relationships. Sometimes, there can be a lull in the dugout from time to time. That’s just kind of the nature of the back and forth that we’ve had, ups and downs.
“But we’re all on the same page. We know that we need to tighten some things up. And it’s not just in one area. We’ve pitched well at times. We’ve swung the bats well at times.
“Obviously, last season we were able to kind of collectively do all of that at the same time. That’s what we’re searching for. We’re trying to find that consistency on both sides of the ball.”
The ironic part is that Montero clung to the idea of being Arrieta’s personal catcher last season, hoping that connection would prevent him from getting bumped off the playoff roster, and now it got him designated for assignment.
“I don’t think either way it would have fractured the clubhouse,” Arrieta said. “There are certain things that are handled behind closed doors, but Miggy wears his heart on his sleeve. That’s one of the main reasons we all liked him. But we’re going to move forward from this and embrace the guys that are here.”
WHITE SOX: Melky Cabrera's defense boosts White Sox in win over Yankees.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/USA TODAY)
James Shields experienced the gamut of emotions when Aaron Judge’s fifth-inning fly ball to deep left field temporarily disappeared on Thursday night.
The veteran pitcher went from pop out to close call to no way to sweet relief before he even had time to take a breath. Shields owes it all to the latest round of theatrics on the diamond by White Sox teammate Melky Cabrera. The catch was one of several banner plays turned in by the White Sox defense in a 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Thursday night, including two by Cabrera, who also threw out a runner to end the fourth inning.
“When I threw it Judge kind of slammed his bat a little bit so I figured it was a pop fly,” Shields said. “And I looked back and (Cabrera) caught it and I actually thought it was a home run because he didn’t show the ball quite right away.”
“When I threw it Judge kind of slammed his bat a little bit so I figured it was a pop fly,” Shields said. “And I looked back and (Cabrera) caught it and I actually thought it was a home run because he didn’t show the ball quite right away.”
“It was a great catch.”
It also was a great gag.
Shields initially saw the reaction of America’s hottest slugger and was ready to move on to the next batter. Based upon the reaction, Shields believed Judge didn’t get enough of the ball for his 28th home run. Then Shields realized that Judge’s fly ball wasn’t as much of a pop up as he first thought. To top it off, Cabrera leapt near the left-field fence and then landed as if he hadn’t caught the ball. Cabrera’s theatric turn took it a step further as he turned to look at the fence and fans in the bleachers as if he didn’t have a clue where the ball was.
But much to the delight of White Sox relievers in the bullpen below and Shields on the mound, Cabrera suddenly revealed he had the ball.
“I know he held onto it a little bit and kind of played it for a little while until he showed it,” manager Rick Renteria said.
Cabrera’s theatrics have become par for the course in the White Sox clubhouse. The veteran is one of the team’s most popular players because of the entertainment value he provides on the field and off it. Whether routine or spectacular, you never know what you’ll get when Cabrera catches a fly ball. But his comic timing proved even more astute on Thursday night given it was Judge at the plate in a tight ballgame.
“That was just the way that it goes,” Cabrera said through an interpreter. “I wasn’t planning to do it. It was just the reaction in that moment.”
Cabrera also had another spectacular moment to end the fourth inning. He quickly retrieved Ronald Torreyes’ drive to deep left field with two aboard and two outs and fired a perfect strike to second base in time to throw out Torreyes. While the tying run scored on Torreyes’ hit, Shields escaped a potentially damaging rally.
Shields, who earned the win and allowed three runs (two earned) and five hits with three walks, credited his defense for playing a big part as he pitched a season-best 6 1/3 innings.
So even though Cabrera temporarily messed with his emotions in the fifth, Shields chuckled about it afterward.
“That’s Melky, man,” Shields said. “He likes to have fun in this game, but he plays the game hard. It was a great catch.”
White Sox are taking over the All-Star Futures Game.
(Photo/USA TODAY)
Yoan Moncada stole the show at last year's All-Star Futures Game by winning the MVP award.
This time around he'll try to do the same thing, but donning a different uniform.
MLB's No. 1 prospect who was the key piece that came over to the White Sox from the Red Sox in last off-season's blockbuster Chris Sale trade, was one of three White Sox prospects named to the 2017 Futures Game which takes place in Miami on July 9.
Moncada will play for the World Team, while pitcher Michael Kopech (another player in the Sale deal) and catcher Zack Collins are on the United States roster.
Moncada, who was also named to the International League All-Star Team earlier Thursday morning, is third in the IL in runs (50), and tied for fourth in stolen bases (15). He is slashing .280/.377/.455 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI in his first season in the White Sox organization.
The 21-year-old Kopech has started 14 games with the Birmingham Barons this season and has a 3.38 ERA with 94 strikeouts in 72 innings.
Collins, the No. 10 overall pick out of Miami in the 2016 MLB Draft, has belted 10 home runs and has 29 RBI in 69 games with Winston-Salem in 2017. Collins also leads the Carolina League with 56 walks this season.
The White Sox are tied with the Milwaukee Brewers and Houston Astros for having the most representatives (3) in this year's Futures Game.
How Rick Renteria has tried to help White Sox players combat travel fatigue.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
They’re finally at home and Rick Renteria has implored White Sox players to relax a little.
Take a nap. Go see a movie. Run some errands.
Basically, the White Sox manager has ordered his players to do anything but arrive early to Guaranteed Rate Field the past two games. For the third time already on the 10-game home-stand, White Sox players were instructed to check into the clubhouse later than normal. Renteria is attempting to help his players catch up after a trying schedule that began with 44 road dates in the team’s first 71 games.
Though it won’t be a routine practice, Renteria is aware his players have to be feeling some of the effects of a schedule that has had them mostly away from Chicago before this week and wanted to correct it.
“We have been traveling a lot,” Renteria said. “The reality is the body's fatigued, you're getting up early, you're packing every three days. I just thought (Tuesday) would be an appropriate time to give them a little breath. And then after the victory last night, going in they were talking a little bit about maybe doing it again today. Honestly, they're the ones that are playing the game. It's not something I'll probably do every single day, that would be impossible. We still have to get our work in. But I thought it kind of fit the moment and we allowed them to do it again (Wednesday).”
Though he’s unaccustomed to the practice, Todd Frazier doesn’t mind it. White Sox players have been allowed to arrive at the park on consecutive days at 5 p.m. for the 7:10 p.m. starts.
Even so, many players were already in the building by the time media access to the clubhouse began at 4:30 p.m. Frazier said players simply have to be a little more efficient in preparing for the game.
“It’s good,” Frazier said. “You get to spend more time with the family. If you can get a nap in there, that helps too. Getting to the ballpark, you feel like you have more time than you really have, but you work in the cage, get warmed up and away you go. It’s like high school. You get to the field an hour before the game, get a quick stretch, talked to the guys about what did you do last night, how’s what’s her name doing, hang around and then we go to work.”
Golf: I got a club for that..... Lingmerth (65) takes 1-shot lead in Quicken Loans National.
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
David Lingmerth is one of a few players in the Quicken Loans National field with any memories to draw on at TPC Potomac - and they're the best kind of memories.
The 29-year-old Swede, who doesn't have a top 10-finish on the PGA Tour this season, hit 12 of 14 fairways, which tied for best in the field. Starting on the back nine in the afternoon, he made five birdies in a seven-hole stretch beginning at the 13th hole, three of them from inside 7 feet.
''I feel like that's kind of one of my strengths, a thing I pride myself in, hitting a lot of fairways,'' Lingmerth said. ''I like this type of golf course when you can see the definition, you can zone in on your targets. You've really got to stay committed off the tee.''
He won the 2015 Memorial Tournament for his lone PGA Tour title.
Troy Merritt, the winner two years ago at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, was a stroke back along with Marc Leishman, Johnson Wagner, Sung Kang, Nick Taylor and Daniel Summerhays.
TPC Potomac is hosting the event for the first time and has been extensively redesigned since it last welcomed the PGA Tour in 2006. It presented a stern test amid sunny, breezy conditions Thursday. Slight misses off the tee were punished severely and, as the weather heated up, even wedge shots were bouncing and releasing on the greens.
Leishman, the big-hitting Australian who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational this year, welcomed the challenge.
''It's getting pretty baked, which is great. It feels a lot like Melbourne, actually,'' Leishman said. ''You can hear that real, you know, the hard sound when the ball hits the green. You've got that purplish color, especially by the end of the day. It's great. I'm enjoying it.''
On the 626-yard, par-5 second hole, Leishman's 355-yard drive left him with a decision that few players had to confront. He watched his playing partners lay up and waited for the green to clear. He pulled out a 3-wood and then put it back in the bag. He also considered laying up with a 9-iron.
Ultimately, he settled on a 3-iron that he pulled slightly into a massive bunker in front of the green. No worries, though: He blasted out to 12 feet and made the putt for birdie.
The Quicken Loans is a home game of sorts for Leishman, who lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He drove his own car to the Washington area Tuesday and is staying with friends. His wife, Audrey, is home with their two sons. She's also expecting their third child, due next week. Two years ago, Audrey nearly died from toxic shock syndrome.
''We were just hoping she would survive and she survived, and we were hoping she would get somewhere back to full strength and she's done that,'' Leishman said. ''Yeah, pretty exciting time for the Leishmans. Hopefully, she'll hold out until next week and we can finish this tournament and go home and be a dad for a couple weeks.''
Leishman played alongside Rickie Fowler, the top draw at a tournament that is missing most of golf's stars. Fowler was 3 over through two holes but rallied with four birdies to get back to even par after his first nine. He saved par from 8 feet on the sixth hole and 14 feet on the eighth to shoot 70.
Wagner reaped the rewards of a four-hour practice session Wednesday. At one point he was hitting mid-iron shots from the short-game area through a gap in the trees to the driving range while caddie Matt Hauser watched. They'd come up with a swing thought that was working and he wanted to hit a few more balls.
"I've just been struggling with really striking the golf ball the last few months,'' Wagner said. ''Finally we hit something that really, I could repeat in my head out there today.''
The former Virginia Tech player was back on the putting green Thursday afternoon, grinding over 75-footers. At 140th in the FedEx Cup standings, he could use a big week to lock up his PGA Tour card for next season.
''I've been in this situation a bunch,'' Wagner said, ''and I'm not overly stressed about it.''
The intensity of his practice suggested otherwise.
Yang, Choi lead halted KPMG Women's PGA.
By Randall Mell
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
South Korea’s Amy Yang and Chella Choi took early command of the rain-suspended KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Thursday at Olympia Fields Country Club.
At 5 under, they share the lead, but Yang will be looking to separate herself early Friday morning.
While Choi finished with a 5-under-par 66, Yang was in the 18th fairway when rain halted play at 8:01 p.m. ET.
Yang is among 30 players who will have to return at 7:45 a.m. ET Friday to finish their rounds. The second round will actually begin before the first round is finished, with second-round play beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET.
Yang and Choi hold a one-shot lead on Brittany Altomare and Joanna Klatten, who has two holes to finish.
Defending champion Brooke Henderson and Michelle Wie are among six players are two shots back.
Rolex world No. 1 So Yeon Ryu opened with a 69 and No. 3 Lydia Ko with a 70.
Olympia Fields played tough with winds coming up early. World No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn struggled to a 76.
Triplett's record-tying 62 leads U.S. Senior Open.
By Associated Press
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Kirk Triplett shot an 8-under 62 on Thursday in the first round of the U.S. Senior Open to match the lowest round in a PGA Tour Champions major.
Loren Roberts is the only other player to shoot a 62 in the tournament, setting the record in 2006 at Prairie Dunes in Kansas.
Triplett started on No. 10 on the 6,815-yard Salem Country Club course and played his first nine holes in 4 under. After making the turn, he birdied two of the first three holes, and then holed out a 9-iron from 120 yards to eagle the 341-yard, par-4 fourth hole.
He closed with five pars for a one-stroke lead over Olin Browne, who left himself short on a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole.
''Even though there are some red numbers on the board, if you messed up on the wrong side, you were cooked,'' said Browne, the 2011 Senior Open champion. ''The greens were receptive and the wind was down. So the ball was going where we started it. But if you didn't hit good shots, you were going to pay the price.''
Doug Garwood was another stroke back at 64. Paul Goydos, who made the turn at 5 under to take an early lead but bogeyed his final hole, was at 65 along with Tom Lehman, Kenny Perry, Jerry Smith, Barry Lane and Duffy Waldorf.
Ten players have shot 62 in major tournaments on the Champions Tour, including Browne in the 2012 Senior Players Championship.
Goydos and Browne each shot 30 on the back nine.
''Thirty is usually a six- or seven-hole score for me this year,'' said Goydos, who shot 59 in 2010 in the John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour. ''You're going to think about the last hole for a few minutes. ... It might put a little taint on my sandwich, yeah, but that's the mentality of who we are.''
Smith birdied the first hole but followed that with a pair of bogeys that got him off to a bad start.
''I just had to settle down,'' Smith said. ''I think I've been getting a little too emotional at times when things aren't going my way in tournaments. ... My caddie actually told me before we started this tournament to not let things get to you.''
NASCAR weekend schedule for Cup and Xfinity at Daytona.
By Jerry Bonkowski
(Photo/Getty Images)
NASCAR kicks off the final 20 races of the 2017 NASCAR Cup season with this weekend’s racing action at Daytona International Speedway.
It also marks the return of NASCAR to NBC Sports and NBCSN for that 20-race stretch, which includes the 10 races leading up to the playoffs and the playoffs.
The main event this weekend is Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400. Brad Keselowski is the defending race winner. It will also be Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s final Cup start.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series also will be at Daytona with the Coca-Cola Firecracker 400 on Friday. Aric Almirola won last year’s race. Almirola will not defend that win because he continues to heal from injuries sustained in a wreck during the May 13 Cup race at Kansas.
Here’s the full race weekend schedule at Daytona (all times Eastern):
Friday, June 30
9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Cup garage open
12 p.m. – Xfinity garage opens
2:10 p.m. – Xfinity qualifying (single vehicle/two rounds) (NBCSN)
3:45 p.m. – Xfinity driver/crew chief meeting
4:10 p.m. – Cup qualifying impound (single vehicle/two rounds) (NBCSN, MRN)
7 p.m. – Xfinity driver introductions
7:30 p.m. – Xfinity Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 race (100 laps, 250 miles) (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday, July 1
3 p.m. – Cup garage opens
5:45 p.m. – Cup driver/crew chief meeting
6:50 p.m. – Cup driver introductions
7:30 p.m. – NASCAR Cup Coke Zero 400 race (160 laps, 400 miles) (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes big step toward one last Daytona win, leads final practice.
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he wants to add one more NASCAR Cup win at Daytona International Speedway to the Earnhardt family legacy there.
He took a big step towards that in Thursday’s second and final Cup practice session for Saturday’s Coke Zero 400, pulling the fastest lap (193.328 mph).
Michael McDowell was second-fastest (193.249), followed by Jimmie Johnson (193.228), Brendan Gaughan (193.224) and Kasey Kahne (193.220).
Sixth through 10th were Clint Bowyer (193.216), Chase Elliott (189.946), Trevor Bayne (189.665), Erik Jones (189.326) and Joey Logano (189.326).
Only 19 drivers took part in the final practice.
Click here for the full practice rundown.
Also, NASCAR Cup driver Aric Almirola, who has been sidelined since a serious crash at Kansas May 13, was in the Cup garage and looking like his recovery is coming along well. Check out the following video interview with Almirola.
NASCAR America: Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants one final Daytona win for himself and his father.
By Jerry Bonkowski
(Photo/Pinterest.com)
Daytona International Speedway has been a bittersweet place for Dale Earnhardt Jr.
It’s been the place of his biggest NASCAR Cup career wins, including the Daytona 500 in 2004 and 2014.
But it’s also the same place where he lost his father in a last-lap wreck in the 2001 Daytona 500.
Now, Earnhardt returns to the “World Center of Speed” for what will be the final time in his 18-year NASCAR Cup career.
On Wednesday’s edition of NASCAR America, Earnhardt reflected upon all the good and bad Daytona has meant to him and his family.
On his first time back to Daytona after his father’s death nearly five months earlier: “Once we got to Daytona, we drove by the racetrack, pulled in, parked in Turn 3, got out and walked around. The track was empty, quiet and I’d never been to the crash site. That’s where dad, in my mind, lost his life. That was where we all remember him last.”
Returning to Daytona for the first time after his father’s death there: “I felt like that was a place I wanted to visit. And every time I go to Daytona, even today, I go around that racetrack, I look at that spot, I look at that knoll of grass before the exit of Turn 4. I wanted to go there and see how I felt and see what kind of emotions happened so that I could get whatever was going to be out of the way.
“I told myself what I was going through is the same sadness that some guy somewhere in the Midwest is dealing with right now. Who am I to go on and on about how hard it was, because somebody, somewhere right now is dealing with a loss.”
How he wishes his father was still here to see the man and driver he’s become: “I’d have loved it if he’d stuck around a lot longer, but that’s not the way it was supposed to be. And we figured out how to make it (when he won the 2001 Coke Zero 400 in his father’s honor).”
On wanting to win one last time at Daytona in a Cup car this Saturday night: “I’d love to win at Daytona and add another win to the Earnhardt column. Every time I win there, I think it’s another win for me and dad because his success there stretches far beyond the Daytona 400 and July 400. But any time I win there, that’s one more stake in the ground that we claim this track as a place we dominate.”
SOCCER: How will the Fire respond after first setback in nearly two months?
By Dan Santaromita
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/USA TODAY)
The dejection was all over the faces of the Chicago Fire players and coaches after Wednesday’s loss in penalty kicks to FC Cincinnati.
Dejection is something many of them could be used to after how last year went. The Fire suffered many defeats last year en route to a second consecutive last place finish in MLS, but there was something different about this defeat.
This time there was disappointment because this team had gotten used to not losing. The Fire hadn’t lost in almost two months, a stretch of 10 games.
Coach Veljko Paunovic has talked ad nauseum about how he wants the team to forge a winning mentality. While that sounds like coach speak, perhaps in defeat the Fire showed that the mentality is here. A team that hadn’t lost in nearly two months was still crushed to see a defeat as well as losing out on one of the trophies available to win this season.
“Of course now what we have to do is adjust our goals,” Paunovic said after the match. “Now we have to move forward and we have to think about playoffs.”
The Fire had so many chances to score against FC Cincinnati, but couldn’t do so against wizard/goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt. That, plus 120 minutes of play added up to why the team was so physically and emotionally drained after the defeat.
“We all learn from this kind of loss,” midfielder Juninho said. “It’s tough to come here and say something, but our boys, I’m very proud of them. They did everything they could to get a result and tonight was not our night. Let’s focus on the next one.”
Paunovic was asked after the match what he learned about the team from that match. Initially he didn’t have much of an answer and said, “I’ll think about it and let you know.”
Thursday over the phone he did.
“We learned that the importance of that one play that we needed in the game, just one pass, one cross, one shot to be accurate in order to win the game,” Paunovic said. "Later it was just that. I can tell, yes, we lack of this, but if you think about the game, then you see that we had the opportunity here, we had the opportunity there. We missed just one play to be done from the start until the end with no interruption or mistakes.”
Paunovic said at halftime in Cincinnati, he and the team compared the match to the 0-0 tie at Orlando in early June when the Fire had a two-man advantage by the end of the match, but couldn’t break down a team focused on defending as its only objective.
“More and more teams will play the way Cincinnati played and the way Orlando played and we will have to learn together to break them down,” Paunovic said. “It all again goes to that one play.
“If we score that goal it would have been a completely different game. The crowd would shut down, we would shut down their defense, they would have to respond and then that’s the case that we were looking for.”
While the Fire will look for answers on how to break down teams that decide to bunker in defensively, the real interesting part will be how a team which was so hot can recover in just a few days. The Fire will get to return home and take on Vancouver on Saturday. The short rest after going to penalty kicks, coupled with the continued absences of David Accam and Dax McCarty, will test the Fire both physically and emotionally again.
Former Fire coach Bob Bradley was recently interviewed on the Beyond the Pitch podcast and had complimentary things to say about the Fire this year, but said this team needs tough tests.
“I do think they need to be tested more in more competitive games,” Bradley said. “I think that’s where you really find out how good they are.”
The Fire are on course to make the playoffs and have a good chance to make a deep run once there. Wednesday’s game was still fairly early in the U.S. Open Cup, but because of how big the game was to the hosts, it felt like a big game regardless.
The Fire’s next big game may not be played in front of more than 30,000 fans, but when it comes, maybe this loss in Cincinnati will be looked back at as one of those tests Bradley was referring to.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
We’re down to the Final Eight for the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, though the paths to the final don’t make this a simple power rankings.
The two remaining Division II sides face each other in the quarters, meaning a non-MLS team will make the USOC semifinal for the first time since the 2011 Richmond Kickers.
Meanwhile, two of Major League Soccer’s best will tangle in a match that ensures either 2016 champs FC Dallas or 2015 winners Sporting KC will exit the tournament. And the winner of the Red Bulls and New England Revolution will face either FC Cincinnati or Miami FC and be heavily-favored to advance to the final.
Here’s how we rate ’em:
8. New England Revolution — The Revs may have the opportunity to face a non-MLS side in the semis, but they’ll first have to get by the Red Bulls in a Gold Cup window which sees New England without Juan Agudelo, Kelyn Rowe, and Je-Vaughn Watson (RBNY is without Kemar Lawrence).
7. FC Cincinnati (USL) — It doesn’t matter whether you rate the USL or NASL higher, traveling down to Florida will put FCC at a significant disadvantage.
6. Miami FC (NASL) — As fine as MFC has looked in its last two USOC outings, Alessandro Nesta’s bunch has to complete two more MLS upsets to win it all.
5. San Jose Earthquakes — Face the same problems as New England, missing a trio of players for the Gold Cup as a Cali Clasico date awaits with the LA Galaxy.
4. LA Galaxy — A slight advantage over San Jose, but then will stare down one of the deepest teams in MLS whether it faces FCD or SKC in the semis.
3. Sporting KC — Both SKC and FCD will miss significant players for the quarterfinal, but SKC’s losses — Matt Besler, Dom Dwyer, and Graham Zusi — sting the slightest bit more.
2. FC Dallas — Depth is there to help Dallas become the first back-to-back winners since Seattle clinched a trio of titles in 2011.
1. New York Red Bulls — The path is clear to the final: Beat a New England team missing a trio of stars and then handle a second-tier side.
Germany pops Mexico 4-1 to reach Confederations Cup Final.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
No El Tri supporters are going to be calling him San Goretzka any time soon.
Leon Goretzka cut through Mexico’s defense like the proverbial hot knife through butter to give Germany a 4-1 win at Thursday’s Confederations Cup semifinal in Russia.
The 22-year-old Schalke midfielder scored 109 seconds apart in the first eight minutes at Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, putting the midfielder in front of the Golden Boot race with his second and third goals of the tournament. Werner joined him on three when he made it 3-0, and Amin Younes also scored for Germany.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen made a terrific save on Miguel Layun as the match hit the 70th minute.
Unlike its Copa America Centenario against Chile, Mexico did not fall apart. El Tri kept pressing and produced several chances. Fabian tore into a clever quick restart to beat Ter Stegen with a knuckling effort from 40 yards away.
But Ajax winger Younes scored in the first minute of stoppage to restore the three-goal lead.
Germany moves on to face Chile in Sunday’s Final. Mexico fails in its bid to win its second Confederations Cup, and to become the first CONCACAF side to make a final since the USMNT’s loss to Brazil in 2009.
Jesse Gonzalez completes one-time switch from Mexico to USA.
By Joe Prince-Wright
(Photo/Getty Images)
The U.S. national team has a new goalkeeper: Jesse Gonzalez.
U.S. Soccer confirmed Gonzalez, 22, has had his change of association approved by FIFA as the FC Dallas stopper has switched his international allegiance from Mexico to the U.S.
Born in North Carolina, Gonzalez grew up in Dallas but played for Mexico’s U-20 side in an official competition, meaning he needed a one-time switch from Mexico to the U.S. which was granted. Now, he cannot switch back and he will only be able to represent the U.S. at international level moving forward.
Other players to do this include Jermaine Jones who played for the German national team but switched to the U.S. in 2010, while just last week Gent midfielder Kenny Saief had his one-time switch from Israel to the U.S. approved by FIFA and he will feature in the upcoming Gold Cup tournament.
Gonzalez was on the preliminary U.S. roster for the 2017 Gold Cup which kicks off on July 7 but wasn’t included on the final roster, but he’s still seen as a leading contender to mind the net for the USMNT in the future. Bruce Arena wants added competition for veteran goalkeepers Tim Howard and Brad Guzan, with Nick Rimando, Sean Johnson, Bill Hamid and Ethan Horvath the main contenders as things stand.
Given Gonzalez’s rapid rise from the FCD academy to starting goalkeeper in 2017, he could well be the USA’s future star with Howard likely to retire after the USMNT’s potential World Cup bid in Russia next summer and Guzan 32 years old.
NCAAFB: NCAA considering changing transfer rules.
By Zach Barnett
(By Getty Images)
The NCAA’s Division I Council Transfer Working Group on Wednesday unleashed a set of suggestions that could either radically change or slightly tweak the way transfers are handled in college sports’ highest level.
Let’s start with the (possible) radical changes. The working group is considering a suggestion that would make all transfers immediately eligible, provided they hit certain academic benchmarks:
Establishing uniform transfer rules — which would require everyone to follow the same rules regardless of the sport they play — was a topic that the group agrees will likely take longer to resolve. While most members agreed the concept of uniformity would be positive, what the specific rules would be is less clear.
Members discussed two models: One model would require every transfer student to sit out a year to acclimate to a new school; the other would allow all transfers to play immediately provided they present academic credentials that predict graduation at the new institution.Walking back from that, the working group did recommend changing the transfer process to where players seeking new destinations would no longer need their former school’s approval. Considering the NCAA formally argues its athletes are merely students, and there is no limit on normal students receiving financial aid upon transferring to a new institution, this change should pass without a word to the contrary. But, you know, the NCAA is the NCAA.
Group members believe financial aid should not be tied to whether a school grants permission to contact. They want to know if others in the membership feel the same way. The group also agreed that enhancements should be made to the formal process students use to notify a school of their desire to transfer. The group will seek input from the membership on appropriate enhancements.To curb a possible spike in transfers, the working group suggested upping penalties for coaches caught tampering with scholarship athletes at other schools.
The group expressed interest in increasing the consequences for coaches who break recruiting rules to seek out undergraduate and potential graduate students. The working group will ask the Committee on Infractions and enforcement staff to review the concept and provide feedback.Finally, the working group suggested adding academic accountability to the graduate transfer market by either making graduate transfers count against the 85-man scholarship limit for two years or tweaking the APR formula to up the impact graduate transfers’ academic progress has in the system.
One potential approach could be to require that the financial aid provided to graduate students count against a team’s scholarship limit for two years, regardless of whether the graduate student stays for two years or leaves when their eligibility is complete.
Another concept for increasing that accountability is through the Academic Progress Rate calculation, specifically the eligibility and retention points for which a student would be held accountable as they pursue a graduate degree. The Committee on Academics discussed the calculation and the working group plans to continue conversations on the topic.“I am thrilled with the great progress made this week, and I’m confident we can move forward with some initial concepts for consideration in this year’s legislative cycle,” South Dakota State AD and working group chair Justin Sell said in a statement. “We are working toward academics-based, data-driven decisions that benefit student-athletes, teams and schools.”
Any changes proposed by the working group are merely suggestions. The earliest any proposals could be voted on would be April 2018.
Notre Dame to travel to Northwestern for first time in 40 years in 2018.
By Kevin McGuire
(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Northwestern is scheduled to host Notre Dame on November 3, 2018, as locked in and confirmed by Northwestern’s 2018 schedule today. the last time Notre Dame played at Northwestern was in 1976. There have been five meetings between the two schools since, including two games played in Chicago. Notre Dame’s last win against Northwestern was in 1994, in Chicago.
For the Wildcats, it should be a loaded home schedule in 2018 that also includes home games against Duke from the ACC, division foes Wisconsin and Nebraska, in-state rival Illinois, and Michigan.
Northwestern has a two-game winning streak in the series with Notre Dame, including a 43-40 overtime victory in South Bend, Indiana in 2014.
NCAABKB: (Basketball Transfer Rule Follow-UP): NCAA working group weighing changes to blocking transfers and grad transfers.
By Rob Dauster
(Photo/Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
It’s an annual occurrence by now.
At some point during every offseason there is a player whose transfer to another institution is blocked by his previous school. That player goes public with the story. That story becomes a national talking point for a week or two. Eventually, the previous school relents, and that player can transfer without punishment.
On the basketball side, it happened this summer with Cameron Johnson, who eventually found his way from Pitt to North Carolina. In football, it happened with Kansas State’s Corey Sutton.
And it may be legislated out of the NCAA’s rulebooks.
The Division I Council Transfer Working Group is considering legislation that would modify permission to contact rules. The way the rules are currently structured, if a player wants to transfer he or she must receive permission from the current school to be contacted by the schools that he is interested in transferring to. If that doesn’t happen — if a school is ‘blocked’ — then the player will not be allowed to receive athletic aid if he or she makes the decision to enroll at that school.
The change, as proposed, would allow those athletes to receive scholarships after transferring regardless of whether or not they receive permission to contact, and that “it will be important to prevent any national policy related to the transfer environment from being undercut through conference regulations.”
The other change that was discussed by the working group has to do with graduate transfers. The rule, as written, allows any player that has completed their undergraduate degree to transfer to a different institution to enroll in a graduate program without sitting out a year. This has become a difficult issue in the college basketball world, as players that graduate with eligibility remaining, particularly at the mid-major level, transfer up to a bigger program solely for one year of basketball; in other words, the spirit of the rule — to allow student-athletes to have a graduate degree paid for by their scholarship — is being abused.
The group made two suggestions that would help hold the schools receiving these graduate transfers accountable for the progress of those players towards their graduate degrees:
One potential approach could be to require that the financial aid provided to graduate students count against a team’s scholarship limit for two years, regardless of whether the graduate student stays for two years or leaves when their eligibility is complete. Another concept for increasing that accountability is through the Academic Progress Rate calculation, specifically the eligibility and retention points for which a student would be held accountable as they pursue a graduate degree.Both of those options would be better than forcing those athletes to sit out a season but receive a sixth-year of eligibility or to eliminate the graduate transfer rule all together.
IUPUI to become Horizon League’s 10th member.
By Rob Dauster
(Photo/Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
The Horizon League officially announced this week that IUPUI will be replacing Valparaiso as the league’s 10th member. Valpo left to replace Wichita State in the Missouri Valley.
“We are excited to welcome IUPUI to the Horizon League family,” Horizon League commissioner Jon LeCrone said. “The Jaguars bring us tremendous competitive potential, particularly in men’s basketball, along with an engaged and energized city. Their addition solidifies our broad community partnerships in Indianapolis and is the right school at the right time.”
IUPUI — which stands for Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis — has been a member of the Summit League, which will be left with eight teams now that the Jaguars have departed. They’ve made it to one NCAA tournament, back in 2003, and have been a full-fledged member of Division I for 19 years. That was the year before NBA point guard George Hill enrolled. Current head coach Jason Gardner has been there for three years but has yet to record a winning season; IUPUI has not been over .500 since 2011, when Ron Hunter was still the head coach.
“We are excited about engaging with the other Horizon League member institutions to enhance the overall competitiveness of the league,” said IUPUI Director of Athletics Dr. Roderick Perry. “As an institution and athletics department, our mission, vision, and core values align closely with the Horizon League. This is an important step forward in the life of our athletics department.”
Redskins win trademark fight over name as Justice Department gives up.
Posted by Charean Williams
(Photo/Getty Images)
The Redskins will remain the Redskins.
The NFL club officially won after the Justice Department, in a letter to a federal appeals court, abandoned its legal fight over the Redskins name, according to the Associated Press.
The department conceded last week’s Supreme Court decision in Matal v. Tam in favor of
an Asian-American band calling itself the Slants means the NFL team will prevail. There are no more legal battles for the Redskins, allowing them to keep the name some allege disparages Native Americans.
Redskins Owner Dan Snyder said last week he was “thrilled” by the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Per the Associated Press, the Redskins case had been on hold in the federal appeals court while the Slants decision was rendered. The Supreme Court found that Simon Tam could trademark the Slants as the name of his Asian-American rock band because it would be unconstitutional for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to discriminate against it, citing the First Amendment’s free speech protection. The justices were unanimous in saying the 71-year-old trademark law barring disparaging terms infringes free speech rights.
“Consistent with Tam, the Court should reverse the judgment of the district court and remand the case with instructions to enter judgment in favor of Pro-Football,” Mark Freeman, an attorney for the Justice Department’s civil division, wrote to the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, June 30, 2017.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1962 - Los Angeles Dodger Sandy Koufax pitched his first no-hitter in a game with the New York Mets.
1970 - The Cincinnati Reds moved to their new home at Riverfront Stadium.
1978 - Willie McCovey hit his 500th career home run.
1984 - The longest professional football game took place in the United States Football League (USFL). The Los Angeles Express beat the Michigan Panthers 27-21 after 93 minutes and 33 seconds.
1994 - The U.S. Figure Skating Association stripped Tonya Harding of the 1994 national championship and banned her from the organization for life for an attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan.
Please let us hear your opinion on the above articles and pass them on to any other diehard fans that you think might be interested. But most of all, remember, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica wants you.
1970 - The Cincinnati Reds moved to their new home at Riverfront Stadium.
1978 - Willie McCovey hit his 500th career home run.
1984 - The longest professional football game took place in the United States Football League (USFL). The Los Angeles Express beat the Michigan Panthers 27-21 after 93 minutes and 33 seconds.
1994 - The U.S. Figure Skating Association stripped Tonya Harding of the 1994 national championship and banned her from the organization for life for an attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan.
*****************************************************************
Please let us hear your opinion on the above articles and pass them on to any other diehard fans that you think might be interested. But most of all, remember, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica wants you.
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