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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"When the year starts the objective is to win it all with the team, personal records are secondary." ~ Lionel Messi, Well Known International Professional Footballer (Soccer Player)
TRENDING: 4 ways Dowell Loggains can improve Bears offense in 2017. (See the football section for Bears news and NFL updates).
TRENDING: Verdict: Blackhawks make big changes in latest salary cap test. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: Still point guard of the future? Fred Hoiberg confident in Cameron Payne. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).
TRENDING: Jake Arrieta says it might be the only way for Cubs to reach playoffs; White Sox come two outs away from getting no-hit by Colorado's Kyle Freeland. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: Schauffele rallies for first win at Greenbrier; Rahm cruises to six-shot win at Irish Open; Rahm cruises to six-shot win at Irish Open. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: Schauffele rallies for first win at Greenbrier; Rahm cruises to six-shot win at Irish Open; Rahm cruises to six-shot win at Irish Open. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: Martin Truex Jr. dominates Kentucky field to score third win of the year; Kyle Larson remains points leader but lead shrinks dramatically. (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR news and racing updates).
TRENDING: Dax McCarty getting a chance in the Gold Cup. USMNT underwhelms in Gold Cup opening draw. (See the soccer section for Fire news and worldwide soccer updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! 4 ways Dowell Loggains can improve Bears offense in 2017.
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! 4 ways Dowell Loggains can improve Bears offense in 2017.
By Lorin Cox
(Photo/bearswire.com)
The Chicago Bears offense had every reason to go off of the rails last season with so many injuries at key positions and a third-string quarterback starting almost half of the season.
Getting so many players back healthy will be a reason for improvement in 2017, but if Dowell Loggains wants his offense to really thrive, he needs to take time this offseason to self-scout and find the things he and the coaching staff can do better to put their players in the best position for success.
Obviously, new faces at quarterback and the skill positions mean that change will be coming regardless, but this coaching staff needs to look at what worked well last year and what didn’t as they prepares to take the new-look offense into 2017.
NFL defensive coordinators will be looking at the Bears’ offense from 2016 to try and prepare for the unit in 2017, and it’s up to Loggains to stay one step ahead and get this group clicking.
Here are four ways he can improve the Bears’ offense this season.
1. Keep the pressure off of Mike Glennon
It’s common sense in the NFL that quarterbacks perform worse when they’re under pressure, but that has been especially true for Mike Glennon in his career.
Over the 2013-2014 seasons he started in Tampa Bay, Glennon’s NFL passer rating was 45.2 points higher when he threw from a clean pocket than when he was under pressure, according to Pro Football Focus.
Keeping pass-rushers away from Glennon takes more than just having good pass-blocking from the offensive linemen. Loggains can help his linemen and Glennon as a play-caller by making everyone’s job less difficult.
That would mean instituting more quick throws at times to get the ball out of Glennon’s hands before pass-rushers even have a chance to get near him. That doesn’t mean Loggains should turn the Bears’ offense into even more of a dink-and-dunk attack than it already was, but it’s about knowing when and how to implement the quick game to his advantage.
Utilizing Jordan Howard will also be a big part of keeping the pressure off of Glennon. When defenses have to respect the running game, it makes play action that much more effective.
Plus, if Loggains commits more to the run on first and second down, it will leave Glennon in fewer third-and-long situations that are money for opposing pass-rushers.
A Glennon who avoids pressure is a successful Glennon, and a successful Glennon is the key to a successful Bears offense in 2017.
2. Stick with Jordan Howard through ups and downs
It took far too long for Jordan Howard to become the focal point of the Bears’ offense last season. Even once he became the starter, his workload seemed to fluctuate week-to-week, and it never really felt like the offense committed to him as their bread and butter.
Howard finished the season averaging 16.8 carries per game, which ranked 11th among NFL running backs. For comparison, the 31-year-old Matt Forte had 15.6 carries per game last season and 30-year-old LeGarrette Blount had 18.7 in the New England Patriots’ backfield “rotation.”
(Photo from Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)When the offense has a running back averaging over five yards-per-carry through a whole season, there’s no reason that runner shouldn’t be getting 20 carries a game until defenses figure out how to slow him down.
It’s going to be hard to expect Howard to average 5.2 yards-per-carry once again in 2017, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be the catalyst to the offense.
This team should run through their former fifth-round pick this season, and there’s no reason to get pass-happy or give away carries to other running backs unless one of them proves they can bring more to the offense or Howard runs out of gas.
3. Utilize all three tight ends
Ryan Pace invested significant resources in upgrading the tight end position this offseason, and it’s up to Loggains to use them to his advantage. That means putting all three of their top players at the position in the best spot to succeed with their specific skill sets.
Assuming Zach Miller doesn’t wind up as a surprise cut, it’s imperative to use his skills as a receiver to the offense’s advantage, getting him mismatches in coverage against smaller cornerbacks or slower linebackers. The addition of Dion Sims to more of that in-line blocking role allows for more flexibility.
Adding in rookie Adam Shaheen is the wildcard here, a physically dominant player that opposing defenses won’t know much about. If he can translate his all-around effectiveness from the Division-II level to the NFL, he could be a secret weapon that breaks out in the rotation as a major threat.
With three talented players at the top of the position, Loggains needs to find new ways to use them, even if that means putting all three on the field at the same time. Glennon should have no shortage of security blankets over the middle to dump off to if necessary.
4. Don't make wide receivers try to do too much
The wide receiver position in Chicago last year got messy with Alshon Jeffery suspended, Kevin White in and back out, and the injury bug spread around to everyone not named Cameron Meredith.
As a result, new faces were constantly in the starting lineup and receivers were being moved around and asked to take on different roles in the offense from week-to-week.
Meredith went from backup receiver to thriving on the outside to working primarily in the slot by the end of the season. Entering 2017 as the team’s number one receiver, Loggains should define his role clearly, early on, and let him master it.
This was the issue for Victor Cruz and Kendall Wright at times in their previous offenses. Both saw their roles change with varying degrees of success, and for either to be successful in Chicago, Loggains needs to put them where they’re going to be at their best and leave them there.
Similarly for White, when he was healthy for those four games, the Bears tried to really force him the ball to get him involved in the offense, but that might have been too much for the young receiver. Finding a niche for White within the offense could help him get acclimated to the NFL game early on here.
Pace did a good job of acquiring plenty of depth at this position this offseason. It’s Loggains’ job to figure out how they all fit together best and carve out roles for each one to be as successful as possible.
Injuries certainly can throw the balance off, but a solid plan from the start is the best way to prepare for uncertainty.
Bears RB Jordan Howard underwent offseason eye surgery to improve as a receiver.
By Bryan Perez
(Photo/bearswire.com)
The Chicago Bears offense will revolve around running back Jordan Howard in 2017. After finishing second in the NFL in rushing as a rookie, Howard is poised to challenge once again for the league’s rushing crown.
While Howard was one of the few Bears to avoid the injury bug in 2016, he decided to take measures this offseason on one physical ailment that plagued him during his first year as a pro.
While Howard was one of the few Bears to avoid the injury bug in 2016, he decided to take measures this offseason on one physical ailment that plagued him during his first year as a pro.
His eyes.
Howard had more than one ugly drop in the passing game after he became Chicago’s starting running back. Whether or not his vision was so bad that it’s the direct cause of the drops is up for debate, as Howard was not known as a polished receiver as a college prospect.
Howard claims he now has 20/20 vision, an enhancement that should help his focus on the ball as a pass-catcher.
At only 22 years old, Howard is already considered one of the NFL’s most talented running backs. He set a Bears rookie record in 2016 with 1,313 yards rushing and finished behind only fellow rookie Ezekiel Elliott’s 1,631 rushing yards for the Dallas Cowboys.
Howard, who only had 12 total carries after the first three games of the season, finished the year with a better yards-per-carry average than Elliott.
The sky’s the limit for Howard in 2017, especially if his eyesight is no longer a hindrance to his overall game.
Adrian Amos: The Bears' secret superstar?
By Lorin Cox
(Photo/bearswire.com)
Chicago Bears safety Adrian Amos has quietly been a consistent contributor in the secondary since joining the team as a fifth-round pick just two years ago.
He only missed one game in his career so far, out for one contest with a foot injury last season, and his effort on the field never seemed to let up even in the face of 13 difficult losses in 2016.
He only missed one game in his career so far, out for one contest with a foot injury last season, and his effort on the field never seemed to let up even in the face of 13 difficult losses in 2016.
Pro Football Focus named Amos the Bears’ “secret superstar” this offseason for his work as one of the league’s “players who have performed well but have yet to receive the recognition their play deserves.”‘
S Adrian Amos
Key stat: Has recorded exactly 20 defensive stops and 10 missed tackles in each of his first two seasons of play.
Despite being a fifth-round pick, Amos has started the past two seasons for the Bears and performed well in those snaps. He has been flagged just twice across two years, and has recorded 39 run stops in those seasons. Amos has been a force against the run and improved his coverage grade to 78.4 last season.
One of the area’s holding back Amos’ reputation is his play-making ability. When people think of great safeties, they think of turnovers, and Amos has yet to record an interception in his career, although he did force his first fumble this past season.
The underrated aspect of his game that PFF highlighted was his lack of penalties. He’s only had one defensive pass interference flag in each of his first two seasons, and no other penalties called on him.
Amos hasn’t been flashy, but he has been consistent at the safety position, and that’s something the Bears have lacked there for nearly a decade. With plenty of experience entering his third season, the former fifth-round pick is in position to step his game up with a more improved defense around him.
Amos hasn’t been flashy, but he has been consistent at the safety position, and that’s something the Bears have lacked there for nearly a decade. With plenty of experience entering his third season, the former fifth-round pick is in position to step his game up with a more improved defense around him.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Verdict: Blackhawks make big changes in latest salary cap test.
By Bob Verdi
(Photo/www.chicagoblackhawks.com)
One cannot live by Bread Man alone, and Artemi Panarin surely will be missed.
But with the most rigid salary cap in professional sports, change is imperative throughout the National Hockey League. Thus the Blackhawks, who have been there and done that, will look quite different when the 2017-18 schedule commences this October.
But with the most rigid salary cap in professional sports, change is imperative throughout the National Hockey League. Thus the Blackhawks, who have been there and done that, will look quite different when the 2017-18 schedule commences this October.
After a couple of significant trades followed by a spate of free agent signings, the Blackhawks intend to be younger, bigger, faster, deeper and, with the return of popular Patrick Sharp, even handsomer. Will they be as good or better than the team that won the Western Conference last season with 109 points, the second-highest total in franchise history?
Time will tell, and time is not a commodity wasted by Senior Vice President/General Manager Stan Bowman. He was visibly annoyed after the Blackhawks were swept in the First Round of the playoffs, but averred that his master plan was not entirely based on one week of torpor against the Nashville Predators.
Impulsive acts are not the foundation of sound roster revisions, and Bowman has overseen his share. The Blackhawks have won three Stanley Cups in eight years, despite being forced to shed more talent than any other organization. That salary cap, alas, is not impressed by success. It doesn't ask for autographs, receive a ring or care about parades. Only numbers matter.
The upside for fans is this: Given this decorated decade, the Blackhawks front office could have dismissed that Nashville comeuppance as just one of those things. Or four of those things. But Bowman has proven to be nimble and proactive, a proponent both of trying to run the table now and building toward the future.
Panarin was a terrific find who evolved into a certified sniper over two seasons. But he was dealt to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Brandon Saad who, in an ironic twist, reappears and affords cost certainty (or costly certainty, if you will) two years after the Blackhawks reluctantly parted ways because they couldn't afford him-precisely a dilemma the Blackhawks envisioned with Panarin two years hence.
Saad is slightly younger than Panarin, packs more heft and should be as comfortable with the Blackhawks as he was before. He figures to skate again with Jonathan Toews, who has often looked to his left and found a "vacancy" sign posted. In addition, the Blackhawks secured a potential backup goalie, Anton Forsberg, who backstopped the Lake Eric Monsters to the Calder Cup championship in the American Hockey League. He will have big skates to fill. Scott Darling was a gem behind Corey Crawford, but there was no way the Blackhawks could compensate him. This is a recorded announcement.
Niklas Hjalmarsson, a shutdown defenseman who would rather stick his face in front of a puck than a camera, was hailed by Bowman as the "ultimate warrior." But he also cited the "big picture"-which might be synonymous with the payroll spreadsheet-as a factor in trading Hjalmarsson, 30, to the Arizona Coyotes for Connor Murphy, 24. He brings size, much promise, and also has an affinity for blocking shots.
There are job openings on the Blackhawks' blue line, which was further depleted when Trevor van Riemsdyk was claimed in the expansion draft by the Las Vegas Golden Knights, who then sent him to the Carolina Hurricanes. So, the competition is open to several candidates, not the least of whom (when his time comes) is Henri Jokiharju, an 18-year-old Finn who shoots right and was the Blackhawks' first-round selection at the NHL Draft, so impressive that the league took out full-page newspaper ads thanking Chicago, the United Center and the record 47,514 who attended.
It's a new world in hockey. The No. 1 overall selection by the New Jersey Devils was Nico Hischier, a center from Switzerland! He can walk across the street and open a Swiss bank account. But there is also room in the NHL brotherhood for an accomplished veteran such as Sharp, who logged many a shift with Patrick Kane. He made magic with the Bread Man, but Sharp won three Cups with the Blackhawks. Like Saad, it will feel as though Sharp never left as another cap casualty.
As with Saad, Bowman mentioned that the curtain call is not specifically intended to replicate a formula that once clicked. Ditto pertaining to Sharp, who did not absorb a severe financial dent to take a stroll down memory lane or because he likes the restaurants in Chicago. It's home to him and his family, it's where he played his best hockey, and his mission is to contribute in any role. He's 35, perhaps has lost a step but not his scent for the net.
Worth a mention: The Pittsburgh Penguins earned the Stanley Cup in 2009, the fourth full season for Sidney Crosby and third for Evgeni Malkin. Both superstars were rewarded with appropriate contracts, but for years thereafter, it was posited that the Penguins' payroll was top-heavy and the championship window was closed. In 2014, Jim Rutherford took over as general manager and gathered talent, much of it young.
His acumen resulted in consecutive Cups in 2016 and 2017, with Crosby and Malkin still in leading roles. Whether the Penguins followed the Blackhawks' blueprint around Toews and Kane is immaterial. Fact is, Bowman's strategy to complement the core has not changed, although some names comprising it have.
Marcus Kruger, Darling, Hjalmarsson, Panarin and van Riemsdyk join a long list of individuals mandated to leave the destination hockey address that Chicago has become, but as the Blackhawks and Penguins have proven, the system is not so restrictive that it obviates championships. It only tests organizations, top to bottom, as never before. You can't keep everybody you want to keep, and to ponder what might have been if you could is folly.
As for Marian Hossa, a professional and future Hall of Famer who will miss this season because of a medical condition, you do not replace him. You just wish him good health.
Are the Blackhawks done making moves for the summer?
By Satchel Price
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(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Chicago Blackhawks weren’t kidding around when they said changes would be coming after a second straight first-round exit. The moves came quickly in late June and early July, as GM Stan Bowman shuffled around key pieces to try to create a speedier, feistier version of the Hawks.
Out of the mix are Niklas Hjalmarsson, Artemi Panarin, Marcus Kruger, Scott Darling, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Brian Campbell, Dennis Rasmussen, Tyler Motte, Johnny Oduya, and a host of other minor players. In their place we got Connor Murphy, Brandon Saad, Patrick Sharp, Jan Rutta, Tommy Wingels, Lance Bouma, Anton Forsberg, and some new fringe pieces.
Overall, it’s fair to wonder whether this team is any better. That’s a question deserving of a lot more than a couple paragraphs here, but if Goals Above Replacement is any indication, the answer is a firm no.
Now, GAR is not perfect, and this doesn’t account for changes in the Blackhawks’ on-ice strategy. But Hjalmarsson, Panarin, and Campbell were three of Chicago’s best players last season in the statistic, and bringing back Saad, Sharp, and Murphy could only do so much to offset those losses.
Even if you think GAR overestimates the step back that the Blackhawks will take next season, it’s one strong indicator that the team didn’t necessarily improve at all despite all the commotion.
And yet, most likely, this is the roster that the Blackhawks will have on opening night, give or take the potential emergence of a prospect like Alex DeBrincat. At this point, the prospects feel like the biggest variable remaining in the construction of the roster.
The salary cap is the main reason for that. The Blackhawks are currently over the cap by roughly $34,000, per Cap Friendly, with a roster of 14 forwards, five defensemen, and a goaltender. Most likely, they will do some cap tricks for opening day to get below the $75 million upper limit with enough players to play the first game, then place Marian Hossa on long-term injured reserve on the second day of the season.
That would allow the Blackhawks to use the opened up LTIR cap space to refill their roster after spending opening day on a limited budget.
But assuming that’s the plan, there’s not much flexibility left for the Blackhawks to make moves until mid-O. They’ve assembled the group that’ll be competing for spots in September, and now it’s just a matter of seeing which players rise to the occasion.
The only potential way this could be shaken up is a Hossa trade, which would allow the Blackhawks to free up that $5.275 million in cap space without getting into the weeds of LTIR. There’s one rumor that the Hawks could trade Hossa, a pick, and a good prospect to the Hurricanes in a deal that’d bring back a defenseman, possibly van Riemsdyk.
But Carolina will need its cap flexibility over the next two years in order to retain its many talented young players, so it begs the question of why it would do that deal. Presumably the pick and prospect from Chicago would need to be quite compelling, akin to the Teravainen/Bryan Bickell deal that happened two years ago.
Would you be cool if the Hawks traded Hossa, any prospect but Nick Schmaltz, Ryan Hartman, or DeBrincat, and a second-round pick for van Riemsdyk? Keep in mind that the Hurricanes would need to keep Hossa on LTIR or play him, lest the NHL try to implement salary cap recapture penalties on the Hawks for his retirement.
That kind of deal could make sense, but there’s presumably a line both sides have drawn in terms of value. At a certain point, it won’t be worth the cost for the Hawks to move Hossa when he can just be placed on LTIR. For the Hurricanes, it’d be a hassle of their own making, so obviously they’d need a dang good reason to go through with it.
All of that makes a Hossa trade seem unlikely, even if the Blackhawks are putting in the work to see if it’s possible. The Hurricanes have become a reliable trade partner for the team, and Hossa’s low salaries make his deal more palatable, but that kind of move still feels like a long shot.
The same goes for any other kind of major trade that could be made, especially now that the Hawks’ top remaining names all have complete no-movement clauses except for Corey Crawford, whose place was solidified with the Darling trade. Trading Brent Seabrook or Artem Anisimov is not inconceivable, but it would’ve been a lot easier a few weeks ago when more teams were wheeling and dealing. Toss in that either player would need to give his approval for a trade, and we’re back at square one.
All of this is merely to say that the Blackhawks’ summer of big changes is likely over. For better or worse, they’ve made the big moves that’ll define what next season looks like. Maybe they can pull a Hossa out of the hat, but outside of a possible PTO or two at training camp, what you’re looking at is what you’ll get.
All of this is merely to say that the Blackhawks’ summer of big changes is likely over. For better or worse, they’ve made the big moves that’ll define what next season looks like. Maybe they can pull a Hossa out of the hat, but outside of a possible PTO or two at training camp, what you’re looking at is what you’ll get.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Still point guard of the future? Fred Hoiberg confident in Cameron Payne.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/USA TODAY)
Since trading Derrick Rose, the Bulls’ relationship with the point guard spot has been “complicated”, if it were a Facebook status.
Payne and Dunn played together in the backcourt in the Bulls’ Summer League opener Saturday and although the Bulls went to a two-point guard front, they looked disorganized and out of sorts for most of the game.
Not the best sign considering Payne was called the “point guard of the future” when he was acquired from Oklahoma City as the Bulls dumped Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott.
Considering the Bulls renounced the rights of Joffrey Lauvergne, making him an unrestricted free agent, Payne is the lone body remaining from the deal. And although the setting of Summer League is hardly the best ground to show what a player will do when the games really matter, going two for nine and missing all five 3-point attempts won’t do much to inspire confidence in Payne from the outside.
“I would agree with that. We watched a lot of clips on that this morning with Cam. He walked into a very difficult situation (in February),” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said following Sunday morning’s practice at UNLV’s Mendenhall Center.
Hoiberg said Payne was a positive in the playoff prep for Boston’s Isaiah Thomas, where he played the role of Thomas for the scout team. Considering the way Thomas played in the series after Rajon Rondo was hurt, perhaps it was more the defense that was easily manipulated compared to the actual performance.
But the Bulls have confidence in Payne and will continue to express it outwardly, as evidenced by Payne being more on the ball than Dunn in the opener. Dunn expects to play more point guard Monday afternoon, though.
“Cam is a good basketball player. He’s a competitive kid,” Hoiberg said. “He was really disappointed last night. It’s all about bouncing back, watching film, getting better from it. Hopefully he finishes summer league strong.”
More than the statistics, it didn’t appear Payne had a strong feel for the game and its rhythm, requirement number one at that position. At times he rushes the offense while looking for his shot and even more, his cadence often gives away when he’ll forsake the offense to look for his own shot.
And considering the lack of positive experiences Payne has had since being acquired, one has to wonder about his confidence level being affected before it can actually be built.
“We talked a lot about going out there and just making the right basketball play, making simple plays,” Hoiberg said. “We had a lot of examples in our three-day minicamp that we had of making solid plays. When Dallas went on a run last night, it looked like it became my-turn basketball. We just came down and jacked up bad shots.”
On the criticism Payne has received, Hoiberg keeps pumping Payne up: “You can’t let negative comments affect the way you play. Hopefully he’ll be better tomorrow and throughout these last four or five games,” he said.
Payne has spent most of the offseason in Chicago, a must after Bulls VP John Paxson said Payne needs to work on his body and conditioning before next season.
“Yeah, I feel like I began to improve. I’ve still got a ways to go, but I mean it’s a process,” Payne said. “I’ve been feeling pretty good. I’ve been in Chicago. That’s been my summer. Just trying to get bigger, stronger. Pick my conditioning up, improve my stamina on the court.’’
Stating pointedly that there’s no time for summer vacation, Payne hopes this experience is a building block for himself personally as he hopes to rewrite a narrative that hasn’t gone his way thus far.
“I mean of course. I mean Summer League is definitely a big task for us,” Payne said. "We've got to build a good chemistry and it starts here. That’s going to translate into the regular season.”
Bulls drop first Summer League game to Mavericks, 91-75.
By Sam Smith
(Photo/chicagobulls.com)
Lauri Markkanen lead with 14 points and 8 rebounds in his first game as a Chicago Bull.
The difference for the Bulls this season is not going to be just who, but how, which was evident in the first possession of Saturday’s opening Summer League game, which the Bulls lost 91-75 to the Dallas Mavericks.
Kris Dunn dribbled up court after the Bulls won the jump ball. He passed to seven foot Lauri Markkanen on top of the floor. Markkanen passed along the left wing to Denzel Valentine, and then Markkanen and Paul Zipser combined for a double screen along the right side to free Dunn for a lob pass from Valentine.
That Valentine made the play, which wasn’t completed, was perhaps symbolic of this dawning Bulls era. There’s going to be failures, but along the way innovations that perhaps eventually will transcend the learning curve.
“With the personnel we have, the type of coach Fred is and the offense we have I think there will be more opportunities for me to have the ball in my hands and make plays, be more comfortable out on the floor,” said Valentine, who had 12 points to support Markannen’s team high 14. Both shot five of 11 to lead the starters.
“Last year also gave me a good opportunity to play without the ball,” Valentine noted of his erratic rookie season. “I’m used to playing with the ball in my hands. I think this year I’ll have more opportunity to do that. I’ll have opportunities to make plays for others. I’ll have more scoring opportunities as well with the personnel we have.”
That’s still to be determined, especially with high scoring guard Zach LaVine out after ACL surgery last February.
This new Bulls group, with all five Summer League starters expected to be high in the regular season rotation, came out looking to push the ball with multiple ball handlers, including Valentine and Zipser. Cameron Payne started at point guard with Dunn at shooting guard, and both looked to throw ahead whenever they had the ball after missed shots.
The movement and defense were laudable in the first half when the Bulls led 43-38 with a strong start from Markkanen with a long three pointer and back to back dunks, one on a nice seal and spin move in the post. Markkanen scored nine of the Bulls first 18 points and had nine points and six rebounds in a lively first half.
He seemed to tire in the second half with five points and two rebounds as the guards reverted to more standing and shooting threes, especially Payne, who was one of eight on threes. Zipser was one of six and the team nine of 33 on threes overall.
“I liked our energy, especially to start the game,” said Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg, who watched from the stands with assistant Randy Brown coaching. “We wanted to get our roster players some good minutes and get them playing together, which I thought we did a good job of. I thought Lauri did a very good job of asserting himself, especially early, and you can already see how diversified his game is. We got away from our defensive principles in the second half, especially in transition. But I thought our guys competed and we got some valuable five on five situations for our guys that we can teach and grow from.”
It’s apparent the Bulls, especially without LaVine, are going to have difficulty scoring. Markkanen led six players in double figures, including burly big man Nikola Jovanovic from USC with 11 points on five of five shooting from in close coming off the bench.
Dunn had 11 points, four rebounds and three assists and was three of 12 shooting, one of three on threes. He played a more physical style of point guard with more force than finesse. He was rugged on defense, drawing six fouls, though in Summer League players are allowed 10. Dunn competed well against lottery pick Dennis Smith, but played more like a smaller version of Jimmy Butler, not so much smooth as forceful.
Zipser, who supposedly excelled in the Chicago mini camp last week, again reverted to isolation plays. Payne spent way too much time firing threes, missing his first seven. He shot five of 15 overall.
Payne has an odd shot in which instead of squaring up he seems to shoot from the side, as if he’s aiming a rifle. He needs to penetrate more. The Mavericks began playing well off him as he missed shots.
The Bulls let the game get away to open the second half with Payne and Dunn taking quick, long threes. Brown called a quick timeout to remind them there were other players on the floor. The Mavs pulled away after the Bulls trailed 66-62 early in the fourth quarter as the Bulls went stagnant and were missing shots and hesitant to get back. Which seemed a lot like last season, which Valentine would like to forget.
It appears the way the Summer League started for he and the Bulls he will get the chance.
Valentine also had four rebounds and two steals, and again looked like the college player of the year the Bulls drafted last year instead the lonely shooter standing in the corner waiting, waiting.
“I’m trying not to look at the negatives from last year,” Valentine acknowledged. “What happened is what happened; I can’t change the past. I’m just looking at the positive things I learned from Jimmy, Rondo, D-Wade, all our vets. I try not to look at negative things because they can drive you down; just try to be positive about it. It’s a clean slate and I have a great opportunity, so it’s up to me what I want to do with it. I’m going to get in here and work hard and try to get this thing rolling.”
This Bulls group of young players, like most kids, appears eager and anxious to please, if not particularly experienced. They did exhibit control much of the game, competed defensively early and attempted to open the game and push the ball. Making shots would help things. It’s a game, however, in which Valentine again feels more adept and comfortable. The Bulls hope it will enable him to break out this season.
“Everybody is unselfish, guards, bigs, sharing the ball, playing with each other,” Valentine said of this group. “Of course we all want to do well, score and make plays. But that trust factor with us all being the same age and pretty much the front office to say they have confidence in us, it will be a big plus because we’ll feel more comfortable being unselfish and making the right plays. I think we have a great chance of making the playoffs and making some noise. I think the sky is the limit. I think we have the personnel, the talent; it’s just can we put it together? We don’t have a big name, a superstar. But we have guys who work like superstars, have superstar intentions for this year.”
I did joke with Valentine that talking that way, playoffs, could get him released. Which is a problem for any team undertaking a reboot like the Bulls. The players don’t want a high draft pick. They want to win. They’ve won their entire lives. You don’t get to the NBA without being a competitor at some level. And most now are relatively high first round draft picks, Dunn at five, Markkanen at seven, Payne and Valentine at 14. Their basketball DNA is to succeed.
“Unless you’re LeBron, KD, one of those big name guys, not everybody came in the league as a superstar,” reminded Valentine. “Steph (Curry at pick seven) worked himself to a superstar, Kawhi (Leonard at pick 15); a lot of these superstars now worked themselves to superstars. So who’s to say we can’t work ourselves to be superstars or better players on the floor this year? We all got to the NBA for a reason. We all can play, so it’s up to us to put the work in, listen to our coaches, make something happen this year. I think we can depending on what we want to do with it.”
It’s certainly what Bulls managements wants to hear because the Bulls best chances are if these players improve. They showed plenty of ability to in college.
“Of course,” agreed Valentine, “we’re not going to have the hype of Jimmy, D-Wade and Rondo, making noise in the league. D-Wade’s a Hall of Famer, Rondo; maybe Jimmy one day. There isn’t going to be the talk this year, but the reality of it is if you take a step back and look at it we have a lot of great players. I feel the city should really be excited about the young core we have and the type of people we have, unselfish, willing to work hard, not willing to back down from anyone. I think that’s an important culture for this city and organization. We’ve got a lot of guys who want to play unselfish, a lot of multi dimensional players who can guard different positions; we’re going to be a run and gun team. We can play different ways. I think we have a great future.”
There just was a glimpse of that Saturday as, after all, they’ve basically been working together a few days. There were encouraging signs with Valentine, Zipser and Markkanen all able to handle the ball and make plays. But it’s unclear if anyone can get hot until LaVine returns. Valentine never was a big scorer in college, not averaging more than 15 points until his senior year. But it’s a new look for the Bulls with so many players potentially able to set up others.
"I see myself handling the ball more this year. I have to make sure I can guard
those point guards and a lot of the twos. That’s going to be a big priority for me this year, defense, because that’s what wins, gets you on the floor and gets
your offense going."
Denzel Valentine
It effectively will be Year 1 for Valentine, who admits as it went on it only got more discouraging. Which makes him that much more motivated.
“The lowest point was after All-Star break,” he admitted about last season. “I had a good stretch and was playing well and D-Wade came back (from injury) and I didn’t play at all and throughout the playoffs. That bummed me out because I didn’t get a chance to play in the playoffs. I’ve been watching the playoffs all my life and really wanted to play. But it’s all OK.
“I kept working hard, just trying to be a positive teammate,” said Valentine. “I could sit around and mope and be negative about it or I could put that in my back pocket and add another chip on my shoulder for this season. I’ve been working all summer with a big chip on my shoulder because of what happened at the end of the year, not playing in the playoffs. I don’t know why I got injured (early and mid season ankle sprains) or the reason why our lineups were the way they were. So if that puts a bigger chip on my shoulder to help this team, so be it. I’m on a mission to make a statement this year, that I belong. And not only belong. I want to be great and make some noise.”
The Bulls can only hope.
Tom Thibodeau enjoying having Jimmy Butler as a recruiter.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/USA TODAY)
Wearing a Cheshire grin while making his way through the Cox Pavilion was one Tom Thibodeau, still wearing the newlywed glow of a man who pulled off quite the heist.
And it probably gave him a little satisfaction to send his former franchise into a rebuild that could take years to get out of. Still, he insists it was a “good deal for both teams”.
“I think, here’s the thing. Having been there, they had a great run and you have to make a decision, where you are with your window. You know they had been thinking about it (trading Butler),” Thibodeau said. “Both of our windows matched up, what they wanted to do and what we wanted to do. I think it was a good deal for both teams. They got quality players, we obviously got an elite player and thrilled to get Justin Patton also.”
In adding to a core that includes talented youngsters Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, the Timberwolves agreed to terms with former Bull Taj Gibson in the opening days of free agency and Saturday evening, added free agent guard Jamal Crawford as a scorer off the bench.
The Timberwolves also acquired Jeff Teague to replace Ricky Rubio at point guard, giving them a bonafide starting lineup that should be interesting in the West. For a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2004 and owns the longest streak of futility in the NBA, legitimacy has been added in the last two seasons with handing Thibodeau the keys to the franchise and now, acquiring the likes of a top-15 player in Butler.
It’s safe to say Butler was instrumental in the signings, necessary acquisitions in a stacked Western Conference. Butler was supportive of Gibson when Gibson was traded at the deadline from Chicago to Oklahoma City, telling him to “go get the bag (of money).”
Apparently, Butler did his part in making sure his new team brought another familiar face — albeit with a substantial bag of money.
“I think it’s critical. I think anytime you can add an elite player to your team most players are aware,” Thibodeau said. “When they’re looking around, when they become free agents, they’re going to look at the first part is obviously the financial part. And then the second part is going to be who are they playing with and how do they fit into the group?”
Butler’s relationship and recruiting of Dwyane Wade was instrumental in Wade’s signing last summer, but Thibodeau plans on using his players even more as time goes on. One could say the Bulls have been reticent in that department, not taking much input from players in personnel matters.
“And I think when you add in a guy like Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, I think it makes it that more attractive,” Thibodeau said. “And of course Jimmy has relationships with a lot of guys in the league because of his experience in All-Star Games, with Team USA, so that all factors into it.”
Thibodeau’s fondness of Gibson was well-known, and he fawned over Gibson Saturday, calling him the most versatile defender in the NBA and more than anything, he’ll be an advocate for Thibodeau’s culture next season as the expectations will rise exponentially.
“I don’t think there’s a better defender switching to two’s (shooting guards), 3’s (small forwards), point guards, and his ability to finish,” Thibodeau said. “You have 3-point shooting (on the roster). Defensively we’re a better team. Next to Karl you have a big time multiple effort guy. I think that goes a long way to being a good defensive team. As they learned, multiple effort is necessary and required.”
CUBS: Jon Lester just had the worst start of his MLB career.
By Mark Strotman
(Photo/AP)
Jon Lester has had better days on the bump.
The Cubs starter didn't end the first half of the season how he wanted, allowing 10 - yes, 10 - runs in the top of the first inning against the Pirates on Sunday.
Lester didn't make it out of the first inning, something the future Hall of Famer had never done in his previous 334 career starts.
Here's how the inning went for Lester:
Josh Harrison singled.
Fransisco Cervelli grounded out to third, advancing Harrison to second.
Andrew McCutchen walked.
David Freese reached on a Kris Bryant error that loaded the bases.
Josh Bell singled to right, scoring Harrison. (1-0)
Jose Osuna doubled down the left field line, scoring McCutchen and Freese. (3-0)
Jordy Mercer singled to left, scoring Bell and Osuna. (5-0)
Max Moroff walked.
Chad Kuhl's sacrifice bunt moved Mercer to third and Moroff to second.
Josh Harrison walked to load the bases.
Francisco Cervelli hit a grand slam into the left-field basket. (9-0)
Andrew McCutchen homered to left-center. (10-0)
Take a deep breath after reading that. Lester was pulled after 53 pitches, and the Pirates threatened again against reliever Mike Montgomery, as Freese walked and Bell singled. Finally, after nearly 40 minutes, Osuna flied out to center and the damage was finally done in the first.
The Cubs hadn't allowed 10 in an inning in nearly two decades.
It also marked more first-inning troubles for the Cubs pitchers and defense. They lead the majors in first-inning runs allowed and have already surpassed last year's and 2015's totals.
The Cubs lost to the Pirates 14-3.
Not great, Bob.
There is 'Nobody quitting or giving up' in Joe Maddon's clubhouse.
By CSN Staff
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Approximately half of the Cubs 2017 campaign has been played and it can be perfectly encapsulated in a quote by pitcher Jon Lester Sunday night following their 14-3 loss, “It’s embarrassing.”
Yes, 14-3, you read that right and no that is not a Bears score. The veteran left-hander conceded 10 runs in the top of the first inning and was pulled after just 53 pitches and two outs. This made him the fourth pitcher in MLB history to allow 10 runs and fail to make it out of the first.
Yes, 14-3, you read that right and no that is not a Bears score. The veteran left-hander conceded 10 runs in the top of the first inning and was pulled after just 53 pitches and two outs. This made him the fourth pitcher in MLB history to allow 10 runs and fail to make it out of the first.
To put that astronomically bad performance into better perspective 10 runs is two more than Lester gave up in the months of August AND September during the 2016 run. Embarrassing.
Sitting at 43-45 the Cubs are certainly underperforming compared to their 2016 All-Star break record of 53–35, but that is not necessarily a fair metric to measure this year's team. The 2016 World Series champion Cubs had arguably one of the most impressive regular seasons that Wrigley Field has ever seen. We will likely never again experience something quite like that.
However, even the heroes of 2016 had their struggles. The Northsiders lost 15 of their last 21 games heading into the All-Star break. How quickly people forget.
The 2017 post All-Star break Cubs need one thing: a heavy dose of optimism. Skipper Joe Maddon said in an interview following Sunday's loss to the Pirates (42-47) that in the Cubs locker room there’s “nobody quitting or giving up.”
That type of morale is a great start to a strong second half. In addition to that, the boys in blue will hopefully get back their Ivy League stud, Kyle Hendricks. Hendricks, who finished third in 2016 Cy Young voting, has been dealing with a right hand injury for a good chunk of this season. He will certainly bring a boost to the mound where the Cubs are seemingly lacking this year.
Young talent like Ian Happ is grounds for optimism as well, hitting 12 home runs in this first half of the season at just 22 years old, Happ has made a name for himself.
Most importantly Cubs fans should remain optimistic that the second half of the season will awaken the sleeping giant from Middleton, Ohio. Kyle Schwarber, whose presence in the batter's box could help the Cubs offense and possibly spark something more as it did in the 2016 postseason.
If the Cubs aren’t “quitting or giving up,” then neither should Cubs fans. Let’s all take this four-day All-Star break to calm down, take a deep breath, and watch Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge trade-off launching baseballs into lunar orbit from Miami.
Division title or bust? Jake Arrieta says it might be the only way for Cubs to reach playoffs.
By Vinnie Duber
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Is winning the National League Central the only way for the Cubs to make the playoffs?
With a pair of wild card spots up for grabs and just about three months’ worth of baseball left to play, it might seem a tad early to pigeonhole the Cubs into a do-or-die scenario when it comes to their postseason chances. But Jake Arrieta suggested that might be the case after Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, the second-to-last game before the All-Star break.
“That’s the primary objective,” Arrieta said of the Cubs getting on top of the NL Central standings. “With where we’re at, we’ll probably have to win the division versus potentially getting a wild card spot with regards to where the other teams are around the league. That’s the goal at hand, and I think we’re still in a good position to get to where we want to go.”
The first half has been a mighty disappointing one for a Cubs team that entered the follow-up season to their curse-smashing World Series championship with expectations of starting a dynasty on the North Side. Instead, with one game remaining before the All-Star break, the Cubs are a game below .500 and 4.5 games back of the first-place Milwaukee Brewers.
The heretofore fruitless search for consistency continued Saturday night, with Arrieta — perhaps the most conspicuous of the underachieving Cubs — allowing four runs and failing to get out of the sixth inning. The Cubs haven’t been able to string wins together with any sort of regularity. You have to go back to June 20 for their last set of back-to-back victories.
It still seems a little early to say “division or bust,” even if that’s the scenario Arrieta laid out Saturday night. Obviously, though, Arrieta is looking at the NL West, which houses thee 50-win teams and three of the four best records in the NL. If the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies do in the second half what they did in the first, then yeah those two wild card slots would be spoken for.
The Central crown does seem more realistic as things stand right this second. The Brewers, for as many headaches as they’ve given the Cubs in the early going, haven’t been able to pull away from the pack. The division's mediocrity from top to bottom is plain to see, with the Cubs and their middling play still good for second place in the standings.
There is a lot of baseball to be played, and a lot of things could change with any and all of the teams in the National League. But that’s the thing: The Cubs will have to change, too. They’ll have to flip the switch in a way everyone’s waited for them to do but hasn’t happened to this point.
“We’ve battled all year. We’ve been up and down. We haven’t been able to sustain a streak for as long as we would like. But we’re a five- or six-game winning streak away from being right there,” Arrieta said. “We’re still right there. We’re a couple sweeps away or a good winning streak away from being back in this thing.
“As poorly as we feel we’ve played as a team at times, we’re still right there. Remaining positive is the only way to go at this point. There’s still a significant amount of games left to be played, and we’re going to do our best to get to the top.
“It’s frustrating because we’ll play very well for a short period of time and then kind of have a lull. That’s been the story of the season, and there’s no excuses, there’s no complaining. It’s the situation we’re in. We’re all going to handle it as professionals and be there for the other guys in the clubhouse or in the dugout and do our best to rally together and try and put something together to get on top of the division.”
It’s a long way to October. But already the Cubs have watched as the Dodgers, D-backs, Rockies and Washington Nationals have flown past them to the forefront of the NL. Catching the Brewers currently looks and might end up being easier than catching the other teams in wild card contention.
But can the Cubs do it? The only alternative might be missing the postseason a year after winning the World Series.
White Sox come two outs away from getting no-hit by Colorado's Kyle Freeland.
By CSN Staff
(Photo/USA TODAY)
Colorado rookie Kyle Freeland nearly made history on Sunday.
Cabrera had a sharp single to left field. No controversy, no questionable fielding, just a solid hit.
Freeland was making just the 18th start of his MLB career. He finished with 8 1/3 innings pitched, nine strikeouts, three walks and the one hit allowed on 126 pitches.
Freeland got a big defensive play, a requisite of any no-hitter, in the eighth inning in the form of a diving catch by Gerardo Parra.
He entered the ninth with a high pitch count at 116 and was going up against the top of the White Sox order. He struck out Adam Engel, but Cabrera drove a 2-2 pitch for a single to break up the no-hitter. He was taken out of the game after that hit.
The White Sox hadn't been no-hit since May 3, 2011, when Francisco Liriano got a no-hitter for the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field in a 1-0 game. The White Sox have been no-hit 13 times in club history.
The only no-hitter in Coors Field history was Hideo Nomo against the Rockies when he was with the Dodgers on Sept. 17, 1996. Ubaldo Jimenez has the only no-hitter for the Rockies, which was on April 17, 2010, at the Braves.
07/09/2017 Chicago MLB Summary Update: Chicago baseball teams show how real Sunday Scaries are.
By Tim Goldrick
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Sunday sucked for Chicago baseball teams. Like, really sucked.
The putrid began on the North Side, as Jon Lester was tagged for 10 (four earned) runs in the first inning against the Pirates.
Not ideal.
According to ESPN, Lester was the fourth pitcher in the last 100 years to allow 10-plus runs and not make it out of the first frame. Four players in a century.
The Cubs, of course, didn't come back from the planet-sized crater Lester put them in and eventually fell 14-3. At least he gave the effort, though.
Out at Coors Field, it seemed as if the White Sox may have had one too many Coors the night before.
Rockies rookie pitcher Kyle Freeland shut down the South Sider's bats. Literally shut them down. For 8 1/3, Freeland did not allow a hit. But as we've learned time and time again, Ricky's boys don't quit.
Down 10-0, Melky Cabrera singled to spoil the 24-year-old's bid at history. Exciting, until, you know, you realize the Sox still lost by double digits.
We digress for a quick second to bring you Freeland's mom's amazing reaction to the Melk Man's hit:
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Back to the Sunday Scaries, though. Here are some numbers that may make you blanch:
24 - The combined number of runs Chicago's teams allowed.
21 - The combined margin of the losses.
9.00 - The ERA of Cubs and White Sox pitchers. It would have been a lot worse if six of Lester's runs hadn't been unearned.
2 - How many outs Jon Lester recorded.
16 - How many runs both starters allowed.
18 - The number of career starts it took for Freeland to almost complete a no-hitter.
At a loss for words? Let the great Chris Kamka summarize with numbers and dates:
"#Cubs & #WhiteSox both lose by 10+ runs on same day for first time since Sept 12, 2004."
Have a good rest of your Sunday!
Golf: I got a club for that..... Schauffele rallies for first win at Greenbrier.
By Will Gray
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
After bursting onto the scene with a T-5 finish at Erin Hills, Xander Schauffele is now a winner on the PGA Tour. Here's how things ended at The Greenbrier Classic, where Schauffele birdied the final hole to notch his first career victory:
Leaderboard: Xander Schauffele (-14), Robert Streb (-13), Jamie Lovemark (-12), Sebastian Munoz (-12)
What it means: Schauffele started the day three shots behind Munoz, but the 54-hole leader stumbled which allowed several other players to vie for the title. The top four players were separated by a single shot at one point on the back nine, but Schauffele hit the decisive shot when his approach on the par-3 18th nestled within 4 feet of the hole. The subsequent birdie lifted him one shot clear of Streb, who was unable to birdie either 17 or 18 and again falls short on The Old White TPC after losing a playoff at this event in 2015.
Round of the day: Ryan Blaum fired a bogey-free 64 to race up the standings into a tie for seventh at 10 under, recording his best career finish on Tour. Blaum made the turn in 2-under 32 before adding four birdies over an eight-hole stretch from Nos. 10-17 that briefly gave him the clubhouse lead.
Best of the rest: Phil Mickelson started the day 14 shots off the lead, but he built some momentum with a closing 64 that featured five back-nine birdies. Lefty made the cut for the first time in four trips to The Greenbrier, and his final round was his lowest score on Tour since an opening 63 at The Open last year at Royal Troon.
Biggest disappointment: Munoz shot an opening-round 61 and led after each of the first three rounds, but he couldn't keep it on track during a final-round 72 that included five bogeys. Munoz bounced back from a tough front nine to actually regain a share of the lead down the stretch, but he was unable to overcome a costly bogey on the 16th hole and was ultimately denied a breakthrough win.
Shot of the day: Schauffele was tied for the lead with Streb when he stepped to the 72nd tee and stuffed it from 161 yards. With the win he went from Tour rookie to exempt through 2019 and into the next three major championships, including the Masters.
Quote of the day: "I think it honestly just changed my life, really. I need a little bit of time to take it all in." - Schauffele
Rahm cruises to six-shot win at Irish Open.
By Will Gray
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
What began as a close affair turned into a rout for Jon Rahm at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
The Spaniard bent Portstewart Golf Club to his will Sunday, firing a 7-under 65 to blow past an elite field. After starting the day with a share of the lead, Rahm ended up with a six shot victory and his 24-under total broke the tournament scoring record by three shots.
"If you had told me at the beginning of the week that I was going to win, I would have believed you because I always compete to win," Rahm said. "But if you had told me I was going to shoot 24 under in this weather, and win by six, I would have probably said, 'You're crazy. Absolutely crazy.' I would not have bet on myself doing that in a million years."
It's the second worldwide victory of the year for Rahm, 22, who burst onto the scene with his win at the Farmers Insurance Open in January. After missed cuts at the Memorial and U.S. Open, he tied for 10th last week at the French Open before shooting four straight rounds of 67 or better in Northern Ireland.
Rahm grabbed hold of the tournament with a hole-out eagle on the par-5 fourth hole, and he played his first eight holes in 4 under to build a sizeable advantage. He added another eagle on No. 14, and his eye-popping total came despite two bogeys over his final three holes. Matthew Southgate and Richie Ramsay tied for second at 18 under par.
The only hiccup for Rahm came on the sixth hole, where he appeared to replace his ball in a slightly different place after marking his ball. But both Rahm and playing partner Daniel Im stated that his intent was to replace the ball in the same spot, and after a consultation European Tour rules officials decided that Rahm would not receive the type of penalty that derailed Lexi Thompson at the ANA Inspiration.
Rahm, who started the week ranked No. 11 in the world, is expected to jump to No. 8 after his victory.
Kirk wins Thornberry, earns Women's Open berth.
By Associated Press
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
Katherine Kirk won the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic on Sunday, matching Ashleigh Buhai with a birdie on the final hole for a one-stroke victory.
Four strokes ahead of Buhai entering the round, Kirk made a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th for a 2-under 70. She finished at 22-under 266 in the first year event at Thornberry Creek - the Oneida Nation-owned resort near Green Bay.
Four strokes ahead of Buhai entering the round, Kirk made a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th for a 2-under 70. She finished at 22-under 266 in the first year event at Thornberry Creek - the Oneida Nation-owned resort near Green Bay.
''Ashleigh played great all day,'' Kirk said. ''I put the pressure on her. Pretty fun finish there. I knew I had to make it. She played great, so all credit to her.''
The 35-year-old Australian won her third LPGA title and first in 152 starts since the 2010 Navistar LPGA Classic. She also won the 2008 Canadian Women's Open.
''So much hard work and patience,'' Kirk said. ''I had a rough couple years like 2015 and 2016, and just an amazing team behind me. My husband has been 100 percent supportive the whole time. I can't put it into words. It's just a great feeling.''
Kirk earned $300,000 and secured a spot next week in the U.S. Women's Open. She had six birdies and four bogeys Sunday after opening with rounds of 68, 63 and 65.
Buhai, from South Africa, shot a 67.
''We both played great this week,'' Buhai said about Kirk. ''Today, 5 under, no bogeys. I had three lip-outs on the back nine, but I hit the putts and the shots that I had to just keep hitting. Finally on 18, it was just a little close, and enough to think maybe I could hole the putt, but the two shots Katherine hit on 16 and 18 to work it around trees were fantastic, so all good to her.''
South Korea's Sei Young Kim was third at 20 under after a 63.
''I have good momentum,'' Kim said. ''I'm very looking forward to next week, so exciting. I can't wait for next week.''
Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum shot a career-best 62 - also the best round of the week - to finish fourth at 19 under.
''Tee shot pretty good and also putting very good,'' Phatlum said. ''Like no three-putt, and then can make eight birdies and one eagle. Really fantastic.''
NASCAR: Martin Truex Jr. dominates Kentucky field to score third win of the year.
By Dustin Long
(Photo/www.lemonwire.com)
Once Martin Truex Jr. took control of Saturday night’s Cup race at Kentucky Speedway, no one else had a chance.
Truex swept both stages and won — the second time this season he’s performed that trick, having done it at Las Vegas.
The only drama late came when Kurt Busch‘s blown engine sent the race into overtime. Truex did not pit, while the other seven cars on the lead lap stopped for tires, giving them fresher tires than Truex.
Didn’t matter.
Truex pulled away on the overtime restart and won it when Matt Kenseth spun off Turn 4 and collected Daniel Suarez and Austin Dillon.
“This is completely unbelievable,” Truex told NBCSN on the track after his burnout. “That was a whole lot of fun.”
Kyle Larson finished second. Chase Elliott was third and followed by Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.
Didn’t matter.
Truex pulled away on the overtime restart and won it when Matt Kenseth spun off Turn 4 and collected Daniel Suarez and Austin Dillon.
“This is completely unbelievable,” Truex told NBCSN on the track after his burnout. “That was a whole lot of fun.”
Kyle Larson finished second. Chase Elliott was third and followed by Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.
Saturday’s victory is the third of the season for Truex and gives him 28 playoffs points with eight races left until NASCAR’s postseason. No one else has more than 16 playoff points.
No one was close to Truex. He had a 14-second lead on second place with 50 laps left. Only 12 cars were on the lead lap with 28 laps left in the race.
All three of Truex’s wins have come at 1.5-mile tracks this season: Las Vegas, Kansas and Kentucky.
STAGE 1 WINNER: Martin Truex Jr.
STAGE 2 WINNER: Martin Truex Jr.
HOW MARTIN TRUEX JR. WON: Simply put, the field couldn’t keep up with him once he got the lead. He had the best car, took advantage of the clean air and had no issues on pit road on the way to his 10th career series victory and first at Kentucky.
WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Kyle Larson finished second after starting at the rear. He worked his way into the top five and then had to go back to the back when he was caught for speeding on pit road. He motored back though the field to finish second. … Chase Elliott charged to third in overtime to score his fifth top-10 finish in the last six races. … Denny Hamlin overcame a speeding penalty to finish fourth, his third fourth-place finish in the last four races.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson had their race end on a Lap 88 accident when Keselowski spun, got into Clint Bowyer and came across Johnson’s car. Johnson finished 40th, Keselowski placed 39th. … Kasey Kahne had contact with Trevor and both wrecked on the ensuring restart. Bayne returned but had an incident a few laps later and was done for the race. Kahne finished 38th. Bayne placed 37th.
NOTABLE: Kasey Kahne has failed to finish five of the last seven races because of an accident.
LUG NUT INFRACTION: NASCAR announced after the race that Kyle Busch’s car had an unsecured lug nut after the race. That would be a $10,000 fine.
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT: “It is time for the sport to design a new car that is worthy of where this sport deserves to be and the show it deserves to put on for its fans.”
NEXT: The series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Overton’s 301 at 3 p.m. ET on July 16 on NBCSN.
Kyle Larson remains points leader but lead shrinks dramatically.
By Dustin Long
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
Martin Truex Jr. closed to within one point of series leader Kyle Larson after Saturday night’s Cup race at Kentucky Speedway.
Larson has 710 points; Truex has 709.
Truex entered the race 18 points behind Larson but won both stages and the race to close on Larson. Kyle Busch is third in the standings, 101 points behind Larson. Kevin Harvick is fourth (111 points behind Larson) and Chase Elliott is fifth (150 points behind Larson).
Click here for points report
Kyle Busch wins Xfinity race at Kentucky.
By Dustin Long
(Photo/www.follownews.com)
Kyle Busch used pit strategy to take the lead and pulled away from the field to score his record-extending 88th career Xfinity race Saturday afternoon at Kentucky Speedway.
The 200-lap race was postponed a day by rain.
Busch started on the pole before earning his second win of the season.
Ryan Blaney finished second. Erik Jones placed third. He was followed by Kevin Harvick and Ty Dillon. William Byron was the top-finishing series regular, placing seventh.
Blaney’s chances of winning ended on a pit stop on Lap 168. He was second when he pitted but penalized for having his right front tire on the outside half of the pit box. He restarted 21st.
STAGES: Erik Jones won Stage 1. Ryan Blaney won Stage 2
HOW DID KYLE BUSCH WIN: Pit strategy. The key was a pit stop on Lap 132. Busch’s team changed four tires while many took two tires. That allowed Busch to stay out and take the lead on Lap 168 after a spin by Ray Black Jr. Busch pulled away, taking advantage of track position.
WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Ryan Blaney left disappointed after a pit road penalty dropped him to 21st with less than 35 laps left, but he rallied to finish second — his sixth top-two finish of the year. … Ty Dillon’s fifth-place finish was his first top-five result of the season.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Richard Childress Racing. Brandon Jones was eliminated on the crash at the start and finished 40th. Brendan Gaughan, who was involved in a crash at the start, crashed a few laps later after a tire rub sent him into the wall. He finished 39th. Paul Menard spun while running on the high side in the corner and crashed. Menard placed 34th.
NOTABLE: William Byron was the top-finishing Xfinity regular for the fourth consecutive race. He placed seventh.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It is a disappointing day of not getting the win with what I thought was the fastest car,’’ runner-up Ryan Blaney said.
WHAT’S NEXT: Overton’s 200, 4 p.m. ET July 15 on NBCSN, New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Elliott Sadler remains Xfinity points leader.
By Dustin Long
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
Elliott Sadler remains the Xfinity points leader despite finishing 12th in Saturday’s Alsco 300 at Kentucky Speedway.
Sadler leads William Byron by 45 points. Byron finished seventh Saturday. Justin Allgaier is third in the season standings, trailing Sadler by 58 points. No other driver is within 180 points of the lead.
Click here for points report
Sterling Marlin wins Tennessee late model race.
By Daniel McFadin
Sadler leads William Byron by 45 points. Byron finished seventh Saturday. Justin Allgaier is third in the season standings, trailing Sadler by 58 points. No other driver is within 180 points of the lead.
Click here for points report
Sterling Marlin wins Tennessee late model race.
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo/Getty Images)
It’s been eight years since Sterling Marlin last graced the field of a NASCAR Cup race, but the two-time Daytona 500 winner is still taking racers to school.
The 60-year-old driver from Columbia, Tennessee, visited victory lane Saturday night in a late model race. Marlin drove to victory in a race at Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, a track celebrating its 60th anniversary.
Wearing a Coors Light firesuit from the later half of his nearly 35-year Cup career, Marlin received a $5,000 check for his win.
The old firesuit was appropriate attire for the track’s Throwback & Past Champions night.
Marlin was a 10-time winner on the Cup circuit, with two of his victories coming in the 1994 and 1995 Daytona 500.
SOCCER: Dax McCarty getting a chance in the Gold Cup.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/USA TODAY)
Dax McCarty has been a key cog for the Chicago Fire this season and now he's trying to prove he can be a key player for the U.S. national team.
After being virtually frozen out by manager Jurgen Klinsmann, McCarty has been getting regular call-ups under Bruce Arena.
The Gold Cup represents a golden opportunity for McCarty. He has been called in for World Cup qualifiers, but hasn't seen the field. Arena is using the Gold Cup to see some of the reserve and fringe players and find out if anyone deserves more of a look with the World Cup just under a year away.
As a result, McCarty is now expected to get regular minutes and Saturday's game makes it seem that he will. Saturday was his first appearance in a competitive match. It was his eighth cap, but the previous seven were all in friendlies for the 30-year-old.
McCarty said "there was a level of frustration" regarding his lack of call-ups under Klinsmann in a Washington Post story that came out before the tournament began.
“I felt like I deserved more of a chance than I had got, but this is how sports work," McCarty told Steven Goff of the Post. "Some coaches just have preferences for other guys. That’s how it goes. There’s no secret formula where a coach plugs information into a computer and spits out a name. Maybe Jurgen thinks I’m a really good player, and maybe Jurgen thinks I’m a great player in MLS but just doesn’t see it translate to another level.”
McCarty is getting that chance under Arena, and if he wants to push for more playing time, or at least a spot on the World Cup roster, the Gold Cup is an important tournament for him. The same goes for most of the rest of the Gold Cup roster.
Saturday's game wasn't a strong start for the team, but the U.S. will be heavily favored to beat the two remaining opponents in group play, Martinique and Nicaragua, and advance to the quarterfinals.
"Tough game. Didn't play well, but the good news is we have 2 games to get better and improve. Thanks for the incredible support Nashville."
Dax McCarty
@DaxMcCarty11
USMNT underwhelms in Gold Cup opening draw.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
Dom Dwyer recorded his second USMNT cap with his second USMNT goal, as the U.S. began its 2017 Gold Cup with a 1-1- draw with Panama in Nashville on Saturday.
The match was the first opening match of a Gold Cup not won by the Americans.
It’s far too early in the tournament to say the United States saw its depth exposed, but it’s hard to find too many strong performances short of Matt Besler, Brad Guzan, and Kelyn Rowe.
Guzan rescued an early bit of danger in the U.S. 18, while Panama’s Jose Calderon parried a long but hard strike from Kelyn Rowe.
Panama’s Luis Ovalle slipped while trying to clear a ball, and the U.S. won a corner when Alejandro Bedoya opted for a hard tight-angled cross instead of cutting the ball back into the heart of the 18.
While Kellyn Acosta was lively in attack, he gave away the ball in the midfield in the 21st minute. That allowed Anibal Godoy to play a dangerous through ball that Omar Gonzalez handled well.
The Yanks produced a solid chance off a really good stretch of possession when Jorge Villafana cued up Rowe for a shot, but the New England player had to settle a bouncing ball and that allowed Calderon to get into position for a stop.
Play went the other way, and Guzan had to stretch to paw away a curling effort from Camargo when Zusi allowed the Panamanian attacker a bit of space and time.
Largely, however, the first half was disjointed, perhaps to be expected given the unit’s lack of game time together.
The U.S. went ahead in the 50th minute when Rowe’s left-footed cross was turned home by Dwyer on the half turn.
Guzan made a terrific save when Torres just won a battle with Zusi at the far post, but Ismael DÃaz somehow shot over the bar from inside the six.
Guzan then bailed Zusi out again in the 60th minute, but Camargo put the rebound inside the far post.
The Yanks were out of sorts at the back, and made a sub at the front with Juan Agudelo entering for Joe Corona.
A few minutes later, it was Arena’s not-so-old Galaxy pal Gyasi Zardes into the fray for the injured Rowe. Zardes hadn’t scored for LA in 12 games, and both club and country were hoping for a quick fix via the international pitch.
Lukaku: “Who could say no” to United?
By Kyle Bonn
(Photo/Getty Images)
Romelu Lukaku has confirmed he will join Manchester United.
“Who would say no to the biggest club in the world?” Lukaku asked. “Best stadium in England. The best fans. This is the perfect opportunity. I always said I wanted to play for a team that’s challenging for every trophy that there is.
“I think Manchester United, at the minute, wants to be the dominant team, that dominant force. If you look at their history, it says enough. To become part of a club like them is something that I really wanted. I’m thankful for the opportunity that they gave me.”
Lukaku agreed to the switch, which will cost his new club a whopping $97 million transfer fee. His now-former club Everton has been spending furiously all summer, suggesting they were confident of securing such a large source of income.
There were reports of a late Chelsea offer, attempting to woo him back to his former club one last time, but he turned them down. “My mind was already set,” Lukaku said. “I gave my word, and I don’t look back … I was already mentally preparing to be part of the team.”
The Belgian also talked about his friendship with Manchester United teammate Paul Pogba, saying that they live down the street from each other in Manchester and that they have been friends for “seven or eight years.” Lukaku confirmed that Pogba helped woo him to the Red Devils.
Lukaku has joined Manchester United’s pre-season training in California and will begin officially training with the club on Monday. “Now it’s time to work hard, work harder than I ever did before,” Lukaku said. “I’m willing to do it. Hopefully, it will come a good way.”
Manchester United releases squad for preseason U.S. tour.
By Kyle Bonn
(Photo/Getty Images)
Manchester United has released its squad for the preseason tour of the United States, and it’s chock full of first-team players with a few youngsters sprinkled in.
In typical Jose Mourinho fashion, almost half the entire squad is made up of defenders. The Portuguese defender is no doubt hoping to parse out where his group of young defenders stands along with the senior squad. New signing Victor Lindelof is part of the group, with the defender having completed his move from Benfica in early June. Youngsters Demetri Mitchell, Axel Tuanzebe, and Timothy Fosu-Mensah are on the trip hoping to break into the crowded defensive unit.
The midfield features stars Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera, but also 20-year-old United youth product Scott McTominay who made his senior team debut back in early May. 21-year-old Andreas Pereira is also part of the group, included with a chance to earn his place after a successful loan spell at Granada last season.
United is set for friendlies against MLS clubs LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake, plus International Champions Cup games against Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester City.
MANCHESTER UNITED SQUAD
GK: David De Gea, Sergio Romero, Joel Castro Pereira
DEF: Matteo Darmian, Eric Bailly, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Victor Lindelof, Phil Jones, Daley Blind, Antonio Valencia, Marcus Rojo, Chris Smalling, Axel Tuanzebe, Demetri Mitchell, Luke Shaw.
MF: Marouane Fellaini, Ander Herrera, Michael Carrick, Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, Juan Mata, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Andreas Pereira, Ashley Young.
FWD: Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial.
Gold Cup roundup: Mexico cruises, Jamaica knocks off Curacao.
By Matt Reed
(Photo/Twitter/@GoalUSA)
Even with a group of many irregulars, Mexico cruised to a 3-1 victory on Sunday against El Salvador.
Goals from Elias Hernandez and OrbelÃn Pineda gave Mexico the lead to take early control of Group C.
Meanwhile, a pair of second-half finishes from Romario Williams and Darren Mattocks helped pace the Reggae Boyz to their first victory in the group stage.
Group C action continues on Thursday when El Salvador takes on Curacao and Mexico meets Jamaica.
Jamaica 2-0 Curacao
Mexico 3-1 El Salvador
NCAAFB: What's right and wrong with the SEC as it looks to make a major comeback in 2017.
The SEC was more sizzle than steak in 2016, but that's going to change this season.
The 2016 season served as a minor setback for SEC, which vaulted into conference supremacy with seven straight national titles between 2006-12. Sure, Alabama came within one second of winning its second straight national title before Clemson and Deshaun Watson broke every Crimson heart in the Yellowhammer State.
But the rest of the SEC was just broken.
Auburn made the Sugar Bowl -- a game reserved for the best non-playoff team in the conference -- with four losses, no team outside of Tuscaloosa managed double-digit wins, and the league was marred by inconsistent and inept offenses that looked "old school" in all of the worst ways.
But the 2017 season might be the SEC's major comeback. Even if it's not, the landscape of the conference should make it wildly entertaining for college football fans around the country and here's why.
Year of the quarterback
Many of those inept offenses (and some that weren't) were led by young quarterbacks on the brink of superstardom.
Alabama went undefeated in the SEC and then-freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts scored a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship before Watson's heroics. The Tide did this all while easing Hurts into the offense without stretching the field deep, and playing to Hurts' strength -- his ability to operate a zone-read, quick strike offense like a seasoned veteran.
With new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll in town fresh from his stint on the staff of the New England Patriots and a full offseason as the unquestioned starter, just a little bit more consistency deep downfield should go a long way for the reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
Mississippi State's Nick Fitzgerald didn't become a set-in-stone starter till the season began, and finished third all-time in the SEC for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season (1,375 yards), behind Cam Newton and Johnny Manziel. Arkansas' Austin Allen topped the 3,000-yard mark through the air despite his offensive line giving up the second-most sacks in the conference (35). Missouri's Drew Lock did as well, while developing quite a connection with 1,000-yard receiver J'Mon Moore -- both of whom will be back for coach Barry Odom's Tigers.
Georgia's Jacob Eason (16 touchdowns, eight interceptions), South Carolina's Jake Bentley (nine touchdowns, four interceptions) and Ole Miss' Shea Patterson (six touchdowns, three interceptions) all evolved into starting quarterbacks as true freshmen as the season progressed, and had moments of brilliance.
The lumps taken by those young quarterbacks, combined with the departure of defensive studs like Alabama's Jonathan Allen, Ryan Anderson and Tim Williams; Auburn's Carl Lawson; Tennessee's Derek Barnett; Florida's Caleb Brantley; Texas A&M's Myles Garrett and many other defensive studs should light a few more fuses in a conference in desperate need of offensive fireworks.
Toss in the arrival of former Baylor quarterback and hot-shot recruit Jarrett Stidham at Auburn, former Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire at Florida and Kentucky's Stephen Johnson getting a full offseason to learn the Wildcat offense, and the SEC has its best crop of quarterbacks since 2013 when Manziel, Aaron Murray, A.J. McCarron, Zach Mettenberger and Connor Shaw were the headliners.
Coaching talent meets desperation
There's a prevailing thought that the SEC is down in the coaching department.
The real problem isn't coaching talent, it's coaching sustainability.
Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin, Auburn's Gus Malzahn and Ole Miss' Hugh Freeze have all enjoyed variable amounts of success early in their coaching careers. But they're all still relatively new at this, unlike the 900-pound gorilla in the room known as Alabama coach Nick Saban.
Sumlin veered a little too much towards exotic offenses in the post-Manziel era and has been struggling to find the right mix of creativity and physicality over the last two seasons. Malzahn has bounced from hands-off to hands-on the Tiger offense like a pendulum ever since Auburn was within 13 seconds of a national title after the 2013 season. Freeze led Ole Miss to consecutive New Year's Six bowl games despite massive offensive line issues -- including a seven-game suspension to star left tackle Laremy Tunsil in 2015 -- and a rushing attack that couldn't gain traction between the tackles.
There's pressure on those coaches for a variety of reasons. But it's clear that they're all dedicated to picking a lane and staying in it.
For Sumlin, it's a further dedication to power rushing under backs Trayveon Williams and Keith Ford. Williams became the first true freshman in program history to rush for 1,000 yards last year, but tailed off dramatically during the course of the season. Not coincidentally, so did the Aggies.
Sumlin knows, considering his uncertain quarterback situation, that he has to dedicate to the run this year. "We're not going to neglect those guys [Williams and Ford], particularly with an inexperienced quarterback, but we have the tools to really help whoever's behind center," Sumlin said according to the Dallas Morning News.
In Malzahn's case, that means keeping his hands off new coordinator Chip Lindsey's offense. For the first time as a head coach, Malzahn let his quarterbacks receive private coaching during breaks in the offseason.
"I talked to Chip, and that was something that was important to him," Malzahn said at SEC spring meetings in May. "He really spun it from the value of being able to work with some guys when they were away. He was for it and talked me into it. I support it, and think it's a good thing. I've got a lot of trust in Chip. We have the same philosophy and all that. I have a lot of confidence in him."
For Freeze, it's all about steering the ship in the right direction through the perils of the ongoing NCAA investigation. After all, he has already proven that he can win at a reasonably high level in the SEC West despite a roster that -- contrary to popular belief -- wasn't as loaded as some of its division mates.
"I'm doing a lot of talking to people in football and out of football who have had to lead companies and groups through times such as this," Freeze said at SEC spring meetings. "It'll be a great opportunity for me to develop even more, and I look forward to it."
Fed up
The SEC has been the king of "just OK" recently.
An SEC East team hasn't won the SEC Championship Game since 2008 (Florida), and the annual December event in Atlanta has become more of a victory lap for the West champion than an actual football game. More times than not, the team making that lap is Alabama.
Auburn had a couple of moments (2010, 2013), LSU had a brief one (2011) up until it met the Alabama buzz-saw in the BCS Championship Game. But for the most part, the SEC has been spinning its wheels under the shadow of the mighty Crimson Tide for the better part of a decade.
Something has to give.
Either the Tide will get knocked off or administrations in championship-starved programs are going to get fed up and make moves to find better ways to do it. Whatever happens, you, the fan, will win this year. The SEC sizzled (or, perhaps "fizzled") last year. This year, you'll get steak. We just don't know what kind quite yet. That's why they play the games.
Group of Five college football teams that could make the New Year's Six.
By Tom Fornelli
These five teams could crash the New Year's Eve party and earn the major bowl bid later this year.
In this week's Friday Five, we're breaking out an old favorite with a new twist. In each of the last two offseasons, I've done a Friday Five listing the Group of Five teams I believe have the best chance to crash the New Year's Six party.
As you know, there's one at-large berth reserved for the highest-ranked G5 team in the College Football Playoff poll. Last year, it was Western Michigan earning a bid to the Cotton Bowl where it lost to Wisconsin. The year before that, Houston beat Florida State in the Peach Bowl, and the Cougars victory came a year after Boise State beat Arizona in the Fiesta Bowl.
Who will be the team looking to improve the Group of Five's record to 3-1 this year? That's what I'm trying to figure out this week, but as I mentioned, there's a twist.
I'm not going to take Houston, Boise State or Western Michigan into consideration for this list. I don't expect Western Michigan to compete for a spot again this year, but Boise State and Houston very well could -- and probably should -- be in the hunt, but putting them on the list would be too easy.
Instead, I'm looking for some new blood in our list of dark horse possibilities. Some darker horses, if you will.
G5 Teams That Could Grab The NY6 Spot
NCAABKB: Why John Calipari isn't solely to blame for the U.S.'s failure to win U-19 gold.
By Jeff Eisenberg
But the rest of the SEC was just broken.
Auburn made the Sugar Bowl -- a game reserved for the best non-playoff team in the conference -- with four losses, no team outside of Tuscaloosa managed double-digit wins, and the league was marred by inconsistent and inept offenses that looked "old school" in all of the worst ways.
But the 2017 season might be the SEC's major comeback. Even if it's not, the landscape of the conference should make it wildly entertaining for college football fans around the country and here's why.
Year of the quarterback
Many of those inept offenses (and some that weren't) were led by young quarterbacks on the brink of superstardom.
Alabama went undefeated in the SEC and then-freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts scored a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship before Watson's heroics. The Tide did this all while easing Hurts into the offense without stretching the field deep, and playing to Hurts' strength -- his ability to operate a zone-read, quick strike offense like a seasoned veteran.
With new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll in town fresh from his stint on the staff of the New England Patriots and a full offseason as the unquestioned starter, just a little bit more consistency deep downfield should go a long way for the reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
Mississippi State's Nick Fitzgerald didn't become a set-in-stone starter till the season began, and finished third all-time in the SEC for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season (1,375 yards), behind Cam Newton and Johnny Manziel. Arkansas' Austin Allen topped the 3,000-yard mark through the air despite his offensive line giving up the second-most sacks in the conference (35). Missouri's Drew Lock did as well, while developing quite a connection with 1,000-yard receiver J'Mon Moore -- both of whom will be back for coach Barry Odom's Tigers.
Georgia's Jacob Eason (16 touchdowns, eight interceptions), South Carolina's Jake Bentley (nine touchdowns, four interceptions) and Ole Miss' Shea Patterson (six touchdowns, three interceptions) all evolved into starting quarterbacks as true freshmen as the season progressed, and had moments of brilliance.
The lumps taken by those young quarterbacks, combined with the departure of defensive studs like Alabama's Jonathan Allen, Ryan Anderson and Tim Williams; Auburn's Carl Lawson; Tennessee's Derek Barnett; Florida's Caleb Brantley; Texas A&M's Myles Garrett and many other defensive studs should light a few more fuses in a conference in desperate need of offensive fireworks.
Toss in the arrival of former Baylor quarterback and hot-shot recruit Jarrett Stidham at Auburn, former Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire at Florida and Kentucky's Stephen Johnson getting a full offseason to learn the Wildcat offense, and the SEC has its best crop of quarterbacks since 2013 when Manziel, Aaron Murray, A.J. McCarron, Zach Mettenberger and Connor Shaw were the headliners.
Coaching talent meets desperation
There's a prevailing thought that the SEC is down in the coaching department.
The real problem isn't coaching talent, it's coaching sustainability.
Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin, Auburn's Gus Malzahn and Ole Miss' Hugh Freeze have all enjoyed variable amounts of success early in their coaching careers. But they're all still relatively new at this, unlike the 900-pound gorilla in the room known as Alabama coach Nick Saban.
Sumlin veered a little too much towards exotic offenses in the post-Manziel era and has been struggling to find the right mix of creativity and physicality over the last two seasons. Malzahn has bounced from hands-off to hands-on the Tiger offense like a pendulum ever since Auburn was within 13 seconds of a national title after the 2013 season. Freeze led Ole Miss to consecutive New Year's Six bowl games despite massive offensive line issues -- including a seven-game suspension to star left tackle Laremy Tunsil in 2015 -- and a rushing attack that couldn't gain traction between the tackles.
There's pressure on those coaches for a variety of reasons. But it's clear that they're all dedicated to picking a lane and staying in it.
For Sumlin, it's a further dedication to power rushing under backs Trayveon Williams and Keith Ford. Williams became the first true freshman in program history to rush for 1,000 yards last year, but tailed off dramatically during the course of the season. Not coincidentally, so did the Aggies.
| Month | Texas A&M team yards per carry | Trayveon Williams yards per carry |
|---|---|---|
| August/September | 7.04 | 9.73 |
| October | 5.52 | 6.56 |
| November/December | 4.61 | 4.93 |
Sumlin knows, considering his uncertain quarterback situation, that he has to dedicate to the run this year. "We're not going to neglect those guys [Williams and Ford], particularly with an inexperienced quarterback, but we have the tools to really help whoever's behind center," Sumlin said according to the Dallas Morning News.
In Malzahn's case, that means keeping his hands off new coordinator Chip Lindsey's offense. For the first time as a head coach, Malzahn let his quarterbacks receive private coaching during breaks in the offseason.
"I talked to Chip, and that was something that was important to him," Malzahn said at SEC spring meetings in May. "He really spun it from the value of being able to work with some guys when they were away. He was for it and talked me into it. I support it, and think it's a good thing. I've got a lot of trust in Chip. We have the same philosophy and all that. I have a lot of confidence in him."
For Freeze, it's all about steering the ship in the right direction through the perils of the ongoing NCAA investigation. After all, he has already proven that he can win at a reasonably high level in the SEC West despite a roster that -- contrary to popular belief -- wasn't as loaded as some of its division mates.
"I'm doing a lot of talking to people in football and out of football who have had to lead companies and groups through times such as this," Freeze said at SEC spring meetings. "It'll be a great opportunity for me to develop even more, and I look forward to it."
Fed up
The SEC has been the king of "just OK" recently.
An SEC East team hasn't won the SEC Championship Game since 2008 (Florida), and the annual December event in Atlanta has become more of a victory lap for the West champion than an actual football game. More times than not, the team making that lap is Alabama.
Auburn had a couple of moments (2010, 2013), LSU had a brief one (2011) up until it met the Alabama buzz-saw in the BCS Championship Game. But for the most part, the SEC has been spinning its wheels under the shadow of the mighty Crimson Tide for the better part of a decade.
Something has to give.
Either the Tide will get knocked off or administrations in championship-starved programs are going to get fed up and make moves to find better ways to do it. Whatever happens, you, the fan, will win this year. The SEC sizzled (or, perhaps "fizzled") last year. This year, you'll get steak. We just don't know what kind quite yet. That's why they play the games.
Group of Five college football teams that could make the New Year's Six.
By Tom Fornelli
These five teams could crash the New Year's Eve party and earn the major bowl bid later this year.
In this week's Friday Five, we're breaking out an old favorite with a new twist. In each of the last two offseasons, I've done a Friday Five listing the Group of Five teams I believe have the best chance to crash the New Year's Six party.
As you know, there's one at-large berth reserved for the highest-ranked G5 team in the College Football Playoff poll. Last year, it was Western Michigan earning a bid to the Cotton Bowl where it lost to Wisconsin. The year before that, Houston beat Florida State in the Peach Bowl, and the Cougars victory came a year after Boise State beat Arizona in the Fiesta Bowl.
Who will be the team looking to improve the Group of Five's record to 3-1 this year? That's what I'm trying to figure out this week, but as I mentioned, there's a twist.
I'm not going to take Houston, Boise State or Western Michigan into consideration for this list. I don't expect Western Michigan to compete for a spot again this year, but Boise State and Houston very well could -- and probably should -- be in the hunt, but putting them on the list would be too easy.
Instead, I'm looking for some new blood in our list of dark horse possibilities. Some darker horses, if you will.
G5 Teams That Could Grab The NY6 Spot
| 5 |  | ||||||||||||||||
I included the Mountaineers on this list because they're probably going to be the best team in the Sun Belt in 2017. The problem for Appalachian State is that they're in the Sun Belt. Even if the Mountaineers go undefeated this season, I don't believe the selection committee would rank them ahead of a one-loss champion from the other Group of Five conferences. Of course, considering they'll be playing Georgia to start the season, maybe going 12-0 would be enough. Still, I would guess that the Mountaineers would need a lot of help elsewhere to get the spot.
| |||||||||||||||||
By Jeff Eisenberg
John Calipari’s U.S. U-19 team fell to Canada in the semifinals on Saturday. (Photo/AP)
The knee-jerk reaction to USA Basketball’s stunning failure to win gold at the U-19 World Cup is to blame its head coach for once again squandering superior talent.
In reality, Saturday’s 99-87 semifinal loss to Canada isn’t as embarrassing for Calipari as it may seem, nor is it fair to saddle him with the reputation for doing less with more.
The Americans undeniably boasted the strongest roster of the 16 nations who participated in this year’s tournament, but there’s a reason the U-19 World Cup is traditionally the toughest FIBA championship for USA Basketball to win. The talent gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world is more narrow at this age group than at any other level.
Whether it’s Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball or Jayson Tatum, the best American basketball players 19 years old or younger are all playing for their NBA teams in the Summer League rather than for their country in Egypt. Michael Porter Jr. and other elite incoming college freshmen also declined the chance to try out because they preferred to spend the summer acclimating to their new campus, getting to know their new teammates and preparing for the season ahead.
Many of the other countries participating in the U-19 World Championships either don’t face this problem or aren’t hit as hard by player absences as USA Basketball is. Those countries also often benefit from superior continuity gained from selecting players with years of youth national team experience, a luxury the U.S. doesn’t have at the U-19 level.
Those disadvantages help explain why the U.S. only won one of the six U-19 World Cups held from 1995 to 2011. Billy Donovan and Sean Miller overcame those obstacles to lead the U.S. to gold in 2013 and 2015, but Calipari could not deliver a threepeat this year.
While the Americans coasted to an unbeaten 5-0 record entering the semifinals, they had no answer for Canadian guard R.J. Barrett on Saturday. The top prospect in the 2019 Class drew a series of ill-advised fouls on Hamidou Diallo and demolished a parade of other U.S. defenders, scoring 38 points, grabbing 13 rebounds and dishing out 5 assists.
Insufficient ball movement, chemistry and outside shooting also hurt the Americans against Canada’s zone defense. The U.S. misfired on all but six of the 23 threes it attempted, missed 18 foul shots and consistently failed to convert at the rim despite grabbing an impressive 30 offensive rebounds.
By the time Barrett fouled out of the game with a few minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the U.S. already trailed by double figures. The Americans surrendered 17 points during the final 5 minutes as they tried in vain claw back into striking distance.
“We scored enough points to win, but then it came down to some breakdowns defensively,” Calipari said. “The other thing was, R.J. had it going. I told the team after the game, I needed to try some different things — go zone, trap pick and roll, trap him. I kind of rode it because I thought we would figure out something, and that is my mistake. That’s not these kids’ mistake.”
Credit Calipari for appropriately shouldering some responsibility for Saturday’s demoralizing loss. It couldn’t have been easy to stomach an upset that will probably damage his chances of someday succeeding Gregg Popovich as head coach of the U.S. Senior National team.
Failing to win gold also provides ammunition for Calipari’s critics who are quick to label him an underachiever for only delivering one national title at Kentucky. That notion is laughable, of course, given the Wildcats’ achievements during his tenure.
In eight years as coach at Kentucky, Calipari has won more than 80 percent of his games, finished no worse than second in the SEC and reached the Elite Eight six times and the Final Four on four occasions. Even more impressive, he has achieved that level of consistency with teams laden with freshmen and sophomores, a feat that speaks to his ability to motivate NBA-bound prospects to band together in pursuit of a common goal.
You can argue that success is more a product of his recruiting than his tactical acumen. You can argue his talent-laden 2010 and 2014 teams should also boast championship rings. But the single-elimination NCAA tournament is notoriously unforgiving, and college basketball history is littered with elite teams that failed to cut down the nets.
Ultimately, whatever damage Calipari did to his reputation with Saturday’s loss, Kentucky will benefit from his stint as the USA Basketball’s U-19 head coach.
Ultimately, whatever damage Calipari did to his reputation with Saturday’s loss, Kentucky will benefit from his stint as the USA Basketball’s U-19 head coach.
Diallo and Kentucky signee P.J. Washington both got acclimated to Calipari’s coaching style the past few weeks. Calipari also had a chance to form a bond with four promising high school seniors, point guard Immanuel Quickley, shooting guard Romeo Langford and forwards Cameron Reddish and Louis King.
A commitment from a couple members of that quartet might ease Calipari’s disappointment at failing to win gold and render the uninformed criticism less frustrating.
A commitment from a couple members of that quartet might ease Calipari’s disappointment at failing to win gold and render the uninformed criticism less frustrating.
Federer, Djokovic, Nadal, Murray head to Week 2 at Wimbledon.
By Howard Fendrich
By Howard Fendrich
As usual, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray are playing well at Wimbledon, leading the way into Week 2.
''It's their turf,'' said Ernests Gulbis, who stood in Djokovic's way in the third round but failed to present too much of an obstacle. ''It's their home court.''
''It's their turf,'' said Ernests Gulbis, who stood in Djokovic's way in the third round but failed to present too much of an obstacle. ''It's their home court.''
Indeed, it is.
Not since Lleyton Hewitt won the championship 15 years ago has someone other than Federer (a record-equaling seven titles in that span), Djokovic (three), Nadal (two) or Murray (two) left Wimbledon with the men's singles title. In addition, that so-called Big 4 accounts for eight runner-up finishes during that stretch.
Count Federer among those shrugging at the quartet's success so far this fortnight, with only one set dropped among the lot.
''I thought that everybody this week was going to find their form, especially speaking about Andy and Novak. ... With me, I hoped I was going to be there. Whereas with Rafa's confidence, I thought he was also going to be there,'' said Federer, who has a cold. ''So I'm not that surprised. But it's great.''
This Grand Slam season has been just like old times.
Following a period in which Djokovic, then current No. 1 Murray overtook Federer and Nadal in the rankings, and started regularly appearing in - and winning - major finals, the latter two have reasserted themselves.
First, Federer returned from missing the last half of 2016 while letting his surgically repaired left knee heal and has been as impressive as he's been in quite some time. He won his first Grand Slam title in 4+ years at the Australian Open, beating long-time rival Nadal in the final.
If that was the first indication that Nadal, too, was truly back after his own health issues, another one came at the French Open, where he won his record 10th trophy in fantastic fashion, not dropping a set. He's now run his consecutive sets streak at majors to 28, tying his personal best and, in the Open era, sitting behind only Federer's run of 36 from 2006-07, and John McEnroe's of 35 in 1984.
''Against Rafa,'' said the man he defeated in the third round, 30th-seeded Karen Khachanov, ''if you give him time, he can destroy you.''
As Federer alluded to, it's been Djokovic and Murray who arrived at the All England Club having been less than their best this season.
But with Andre Agassi and Mario Ancic in his coaching corner, Djokovic seems rejuvenated. Defending champion Murray is the only member of the foursome who hasn't won every set he's played in the tournament: Against Fabio Fognini in the third round, he ceded one and saved five set points to barely avoid losing another.
The men's fourth-round matchups on the top half of the draw Monday are Murray vs. Benoit Paire, Nadal vs. No. 16 Gilles Muller, No. 7 Marin Cilic vs. No. 18 Roberto Bautista Agut, and No. 24 Sam Querrey vs. Kevin Anderson. On the bottom half, it's Djokovic vs. Adrian Mannarino, Federer vs. No. 13 Grigor Dimitrov, 2016 runner-up Milos Raonic vs. No. 10 Alexander Zverev; and 2010 runner-up Tomas Berdych vs. No. 8 Dominic Thiem.
Wimbledon is the lone Grand Slam tournament that schedules all 16 remaining singles matches on the same day.
The top-half women's fourth-rounders: No. 1 Angelique Kerber vs. No. 14 Garbine Muguruza in a meeting of the past two runners-up, two-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. 2012 runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska, No. 5 Caroline Wozniacki vs. No. 24 CoCo Vandeweghe, and Magdalena Rybarikova vs. Petra Martic. In the bottom half, it's five-time champion Venus Williams vs. No. 27 Ana Konjuh, No. 2 Simona Halep vs. two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko vs. No. 4 Elina Svitolina, and No. 6 Johanna Konta vs. No. 21 Caroline Garcia.
At 37, Williams is the oldest woman left. At 19, Konjuh is the youngest.
There is an interesting age dynamic in the men's event, too: The seven players 30 or older in the round of 16 represent the most to get that far in the 50 Wimbledons of the Open era.
Federer turns 36 in a month, Nadal is 31, and Djokovic and Murray are both 30. They're joined by Muller (34), Anderson (31) and Berdych (31).
''I came through the juniors with all these guys. It's nice to see them still hanging on, still enjoying the tour, still being tough out there, making it difficult for the youngsters to break through,'' Federer said. ''There is a bit of that clash right now - the young ones trying to push out, especially, the 35-plus guys. But then there's a strong, strong team, as well, around the generation of Rafa and Murray and Djokovic, obviously.''
2017 Stage 8 Tour de France Summary
2017 Stage 8 Tour de France Summary
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On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, July 10, 2017.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1943 - Arthur Ashe, the first African-American inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, was born. He had won 33 career titles.
1951 - Sugar Ray Robinson was defeated for only the second time in 133 fights as Randy Turpin took the middleweight crown.
1984 - Dwight ‘Doc’ Gooden (New York Mets) became the youngest player to appear in an All-Star Game as a pitcher. He was 19 years, 7 months, and 24 days old.
1993 - Kenyan runner Yobes Ondieki became the first man to run 10,000 meters in less than 27 minutes.
1999 - The U.S. Women's soccer team defeated China to win the 1999 World Cup tournament.
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.
1951 - Sugar Ray Robinson was defeated for only the second time in 133 fights as Randy Turpin took the middleweight crown.
1984 - Dwight ‘Doc’ Gooden (New York Mets) became the youngest player to appear in an All-Star Game as a pitcher. He was 19 years, 7 months, and 24 days old.
1993 - Kenyan runner Yobes Ondieki became the first man to run 10,000 meters in less than 27 minutes.
1999 - The U.S. Women's soccer team defeated China to win the 1999 World Cup tournament.
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