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"Sports Quote of the Day"
TRENDING: What has to happen for Bears to escape cellar? (See the football section for Bears news and NFL updates).
TRENDING: 2017 Prospect Camp Roster and Schedule. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: 2017 Prospect Camp Roster and Schedule. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: Should Bulls fans be concerned? With tanking all around, Gar Forman not turning back on rebuild. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).
TRENDING: 2017 John Deere Classic Preview (Video); U.S. Women's Open: Round 1, Round 2 tee times. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: NASCAR Power Rankings: Martin Truex Jr. surges to the top; Who's hot, who's not heading into New Hampshire? (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR news and racing updates).
TRENDING: Fire reportedly trying to add Colombian World Cup goal scorer. USMNT-Martinique preview: Win with style, now. (See the soccer section for Fire news and worldwide soccer updates).
Bears Down Chicago Bears!!!!! What has to happen for Bears to escape cellar?
By CSN Staff
(Photo/USA TODAY)
In Episode 55 of our BearsTalk Podcast, Chris Boden and JJ Stankevitz break down ways in which the Bears can escape last place.
They also discuss the contract numbers for Mitch Trubisky and check in on the Packers offseason.
Later, they go "Off the Grid" with some quick entertainment suggestions.
Listen to the Bears Talk Podcast here.
3 burning questions for the linebackers.
By Chris Boden
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
With training camp starting later this month, CSN Chicago’s Chris Boden and JJ Stankevitz are looking at three burning questions for each of the Bears’ units heading into Bourbonnais. Today’s group: The linebacking corps.
1. Can Floyd be Beasley 2.0?
At this time a year ago, Falcons fans were anxious that picking Vic Beasley eighth overall in 2015 was a mistake after a four-sack rookie season. Fifteen-and-a-half sacks later on Dan Quinn’s young, fast defense that improved as the season went on, they’re claiming they believed in him all along. There seems to be less doubt about the ninth overall pick from 2016 among Bears fans, but the anxiousness now revolves around Leonard Floyd’s ability to stay healthy for a full season after various aches and pains, topped off by two concussions in five weeks, from which he didn’t fully recover until February.
With approximately eight to 10 additional pounds on his frame, the first step is getting through Bourbonnais and three preseason games. If he can pull it off and miss minimal time, Beasley’s year two numbers might be a bit much, but there’s no reason to think Floyd can’t at least approach it.
“It’s like night and day compared to last season,” said Floyd. “I’m doing a much better job this year with my weight compared to last year. I came in way, way lighter than I did this year.”
“It slows down, they understand it, they’re not thinking, they’re reacting,” said John Fox about the difference between a player’s rookie and sophomore season. “I expect that, and I’ve seen it already, even in the offseason. He’s a really good talent. I’d rather understate and let him over-produce, but both mentally and physically, he’s gonna take a step.”
2. How much Pernell pacing in practice?
“Dominate and destroy,” were the words that only McPhee can come up with when asked about the pass rush ceiling for the outside linebackers. “Every opponent that we face, and showing the world why we’ve got these guys in the room. That’s my focus. That’s what I wanna do and I think what we’re gonna do.”
3. “Kwit” a quick study?
It would be shocking if inside linebacker Danny Trevathan doesn’t begin the season on the same Physically Unable to Perform list McPhee started on a year ago after tearing the patellar tendon in his knee in November. Nick Kwiatkowski missed almost all of his rookie preseason with a hamstring pull, but started the last six weeks between Trevathan’s injury and Jerrell Freeman’s suspension. And he didn’t look overwhelmed. Now, potentially alongside Freeman’s standout play and guidance, Kwiatkowski must be ready to slide in and take the next step in a way Fox expressed confidence in all the second-year players.
“He’s trying to absorb a lot of things, trying to get his footwork better, his pass rush better, just like all of us strive to every day,” said Freeman.
3 burning questions for the defensive line.
By JJ Stankevitz
(Photo/USA Today Sports Images)
With training camp starting later this month, CSN Chicago’s Chris Boden and JJ Stankevitz are looking at three burning questions for each of the Bears’ units heading into Bourbonnais. Today’s group: The defensive line.
1. Will Eddie Goldman stay healthy?
When healthy, the 6-foot-4, 320 pound Goldman has been a run-stopping menace in the defensive interior. But “when healthy” is critical here: An ankle injury limited Goldman to only six games and a total of 198 snaps last year. It’s not a coincidence, then, that with Goldman largely absent, Football Outsiders’ DVOA ranked the Bears’ run defense 28th out of 32 teams in 2016. John Jenkins was signed to back up Goldman, but the Bears need the former Florida State Seminole to be as healthy as possible in 2017.
“We missed him and he was, I think, primed to have a good season,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said in May. “So if we can get him back to where he was, and a little bit better, I think we'll have a good player there.”
2. What kind of a player will Jaye Howard be?
The versatile Howard broke out in 2015 with 5 1/2 sacks, which earned him a two-year, $12 million deal from Kansas City. A hip injury limited him to only eight games last year, though he wasn’t particularly effective when healthy, notching just one sack and 24 tackles. The Bears signed Howard after Kansas City released him in the spring, hoping to add someone who could be a starter in Fangio’s base 3-4 and provide flexibility in nickel packages. If Howard is healthy and re-captures the form he had two years ago, then his one-year contract is a steal; if not, he at least can provide some depth at a cheap price.
"I'm definitely coming out here with a chip on my shoulder," Howard said during OTAs. "Me and (Akiem) Hicks are already pushing each other. We're looking to have a big year and hopefully we can stay here together. Just watching him on film last year and what Jay Rodgers was able to do with him (career-high seven sacks), I'm hoping I can take my game to that next level as well."
3. Can Jonathan Bullard put a disappointing rookie year behind him?
Howard, Bullard and Mitch Unrein will compete to start alongside Hicks and Goldman, and ideally for Rodgers and Fangio, it’ll be a close competition. But that’ll only happen if Bullard can flush a meek rookie season (one sack in 296 plays) and prove he was worth 2016’s 72nd overall pick. Whiffing on a third-round pick isn’t a disaster, but for a Bears team trying to build through youth, getting something out of Bullard would certainly be nice.
“He understands more of what’s expected of him playing in the NFL, in the trenches,” Fangio said. “I don’t think he was quite ready for that last year, both physically or mentally. Emotionally I think he’s more ready. We’re hopeful that he does well.”
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? 2017 Prospect Camp Roster and Schedule.
wwwchicagoblackhawks.com
The Chicago Blackhawks today announced the invitees to their 2017 Prospect Camp at Johnny's IceHouse West in Chicago (2550 W. Madison St.) from Monday, July 17, to Friday, July 21.
A total of 45 players are scheduled to report to this year's camp (click here for the full roster). The roster is highlighted by 33 Blackhawks' draft picks, featuring eight of Chicago's 2017 NHL Draft choices, including Henri Jokiharju (29th overall), Ian Mitchell (57th overall), Evan Barratt (90th overall), Tim Soderlund (112th overall), Roope Laavainen (119th overall), Parker Foo (144th overall), Jakub Galvas (150th overall) and Joshua Ess (215th overall).
On-ice sessions will begin on Monday, July 17, and will run from approximately 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. at Johnny's IceHouse West. Practices will be conducted Monday-Thursday and the group will hold one scrimmage on Friday beginning at approximately 9:30 a.m.
Group A
Player
|
Pos
|
Ht
|
Wt
|
Birthday
|
Birthplace
|
2016-17 (Last Team)
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucas Carlsson | D | 6'1" | 187 | July 5, 1997 | Gavle, Sweden | Brynas (SHL) |
| Liam Coughlin | F | 6'2" | 202 | Sept. 19, 1994 | South Boston, Mass. | Vermont (NCAA) |
| John Dahlstrom | F | 6'1" | 187 | Jan. 22, 1997 | Kungsbacka, Sweden | Medicine Hat (WHL) |
| Joshua Ess | D | 5'11" | 180 | April 3, 1999 | Burnsville, Minn. | Lakeville South (MN-HS) |
| Parker Foo | F | 6'1" | 170 | Sept. 12, 1998 | Edmonton, Alberta | Brooks (AJHL) |
| Mathias From | F | 6'1" | 161 | Dec. 16, 1997 | Frederikshavn, Denmark | Rogle (SHL) |
| * Jakub Galvas | D | 5'11" | 162 | June 15, 1999 | Ostrava, Czech Rep. | Olomouc (CZE) |
| Dennis Gilbert | D | 6'2" | 195 | Oct. 30, 1996 | Buffalo, N.Y. | Notre Dame (NCAA) |
| Matheson Iacopelli | F | 6'3" | 206 | May 15, 1994 | Woodhaven, Mich. | Rockford (AHL) |
| Luke Johnson | F | 6'0" | 194 | Sept. 19, 1994 | Grand Forks, N.D. | Rockford (AHL) |
| Henri Jokiharju | D | 6'0" | 188 | June 17, 1999 | Oulu, Finland | Portland (WHL) |
| Kyle Keyser | G | 6'2" | 182 | March 8, 1999 | Coral Springs, Fla. | Oshawa (OHL) |
| Roope Laavainen | D | 6'2" | 187 | Aug. 23, 1998 | Helsinki, Finland | Jokerit Jr. (FIN Jr.) |
| Hayden Lavigne | G | 6'3" | 200 | April 7, 1996 | Brampton, Ontario | Michigan (NCAA) |
| Anthony Louis | F | 5'8" | 158 | Feb. 10, 1995 | Winfield, Ill. | Rockford (AHL) |
| Jake Massie | D | 6'1" | 177 | Jan. 21, 1997 | Montreal, Quebec | Vermont (NCAA) |
| * Fredrik Olofsson | F | 6'2" | 200 | May 27, 1996 | Helsingborg, Sweden | Nebraska-Omaha (NCAA) |
| Wouter Peeters | G | 6'5" | 215 | July 31, 1998 | Turnhout, Belgium | Jokerit Jr. (FIN Jr.) |
| Will Pelletier | F | 5'8" | 160 | Dec. 14, 1992 | St-Jean-Chrysostome, Quebec | Rockford (AHL) |
| Vincent Praplan | F | 6'0" | 191 | June 10, 1994 | Sierre, Switzerland | Kloten (NLA) |
| Robin Press | D | 6'4" | 205 | Dec. 21, 1994 | Uppsala, Sweden | Rockford (AHL) |
| Darren Raddysh | D | 6'1" | 187 | Feb. 28, 1996 | Caledon, Ontario | Erie (OHL) |
| Beau Starrett | F | 6'5" | 223 | Nov. 1, 1995 | Framingham, Mass. | Cornell (NCAA) |
Group B
Player
|
Position
|
Height
|
Weight
|
Birthday
|
Birthplace
|
2016-17 (Last
Team)
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evan Barratt | F | 6'0" | 182 | Feb. 18, 1999 | Bristol, Pa. | USNTDP |
| Radovan Bondra | F | 6'5" | 220 | Jan. 27, 1997 | Trebisov, Slovakia | Prince George (WHL) |
| Alex DeBrincat | F | 5'7" | 165 | Dec. 18, 1997 | Farmington Hills, Mich. | Erie (OHL) |
| Collin Delia | G | 6'2" | 190 | June 20, 1994 | Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. | Merrimack (NCAA) |
| * Alexandre Fortin | F | 6'0" | 180 | Feb. 25, 1997 | Blainville, Quebec | Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) |
| Matthew Highmore | F | 5'10" | 186 | Feb. 27, 1996 | Halifax, Nova Scotia | Saint John (QMJHL) |
| Blake Hillman | D | 6'1" | 180 | Jan. 26, 1996 | Elk River, Minn. | Denver (NCAA) |
| Joey Keane | D | 6'0" | 180 | July 2, 1999 | Homer Glen, Ill. | Barrie (OHL) |
| Graham Knott | F | 6'4" | 195 | Jan. 13, 1997 | Etobicoke, Ontario | Windsor (OHL) |
| Chad Krys | D | 5'11" | 185 | April 10, 1998 | Philadelphia, Pa. | Boston Univ. (NCAA) |
| Ian Mitchell | D | 5'11" | 173 | Jan. 18, 1999 | St. Albert, Alberta | Spruce Grove (AJHL) |
| Nathan Noel | F | 5'11" | 179 | June 21, 1997 | St. John's, Newfoundland | Saint John (QMJHL) |
| Roy Radke | F | 6'3" | 204 | Dec. 10, 1996 | Chicago, Ill. | Barrie (OHL) |
| Brogan Rafferty | D | 6'1" | 191 | May 28, 1995 | Dundee, Ill. | Quinnipiac (NCAA) |
| Jack Ramsey | F | 6'3" | 191 | Nov. 2, 1995 | Farmington, Minn. | Minnesota (NCAA) |
| Ryan Shea | D | 6'1" | 175 | Feb. 11, 1997 | Milton, Mass. | Northeastern (NCAA) |
| Dylan Sikura | F | 5'11" | 160 | June 1, 1995 | Aurora, Ontario | Northeastern (NCAA) |
| Luc Snuggerud | D | 6'0" | 187 | Sept. 18, 1995 | Edina, Minn. | Rockford (AHL) |
| Andreas Soderberg | D | 6'4" | 200 | June 16, 1996 | Skelleftea, Sweden | Pantern IK (SWE-2) |
| Tim Soderlund | F | 5'9" | 163 | Jan. 23, 1998 | Skelleftea, Sweden | Skelleftea (SHL) |
| Matt Tomkins | G | 6'3" | 194 | June 19, 1994 | Edmonton, Alberta | Ohio State (NCAA) |
| Joni Tuulola | D | 6'3" | 180 | Jan. 1, 1996 | Hameenlinna, Finland | HPK (FIN) |
Monday, July 17
1:30-3:00 p.m. - Team B practice
3:35-5:05 p.m. - Team A practice
Tuesday, July 18
1:30-3:00 p.m. - Team A practice
3:35-5:05 p.m. - Team B practice
Wednesday, July 19
1:30-3:00 p.m. - Team B practice
3:35-5:05 p.m. - Team A practice
Thursday, July 20
1:30-3:00 p.m. - Team A practice
3:35-5:05 p.m. - Team B practice
Friday, July 21
9:30-11:30 a.m. - Team A vs. Team B scrimmage
The Rockford IceHogs should be a lot more fun next season, so here’s a lineup projection.
By Satchel Price
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(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
DeBrincat or no DeBrincat, the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate looks much-improved after a rough 2016-17 season.
Being the farm team for an NHL organization isn’t always easy. Outside of a few fringe guys who might be signed to minor league deals, most of your players are technically signed to an NHL team that ultimately makes the big decisions.
The Rockford IceHogs have seen the pros and cons of this arrangement over the years. Sometimes, the IceHogs get to host a first-round talent like Teuvo Teravainen or Nick Schmaltz for a few months, giving the fine people of northern Illinois something to get excited about other than the No. 1 Mexican restaurant in town. (Sorry Rockford friends I’m sure you have way better places to eat, as several of you have pointed out to me.)
But then there are seasons like 2016-17, where outside of the brief appearances by the likes of Schmaltz and Gustav Forsling, the IceHogs were devoid of exciting young talent. They ended up finishing last in the AHL’s Central Division with a 25-39-9-3 record and the lowest goals for average (2.3 per game) of any team in the league.
It was enough to get head coach Ted Dent fired amid reports that he had clashed Blackhawks management.
The IceHogs now have a fresh, new head coach in 32-year-old Jeremy Colliton, and they’re also set to give him a much more interesting roster than the one Dent was handed a year ago. With an influx of recently signed prospects to the organization, Rockford looks to be a much more entertaining team next season.
Alex DeBrincat could give them a superstar
We’ve seen what DeBrincat, a 2016 second-round pick, can do in the OHL, where he was league MVP last season. There’s a decent chance that the forward will be able to earn a spot on the Blackhawks for opening night, but if he falls short, the IceHogs will be the benefactors as they get one of the most exciting young scorers in hockey.
DeBrincat would immediately give a charge of energy to BMO Harris Bank Center. He’s produced at a level unlike any other Blackhawks prospect in recent memory, and could push for 35-plus goals if given extended time in the AHL. If the 19-year-old ends up in Rockford next season, it’s a guarantee that the IceHogs don’t finish dead last in scoring again.
Other new forwards will help, too
Last season’s IceHogs just didn’t have enough scoring talent to stay competitive. Their best forwards midway through the season were Spencer Abbott, Sam Carrick, and Mark McNeill, who all got traded away at the deadline. Apparently these deals fueled the discord between Dent and Hawks management last season.
Abbott ended up leading Rockford with 35 points last season despite playing in only 53 games. Next up were Kyle Baun (34 points in 74 games) and Brandon Mashinter (30 points in 61 games), then Carrick, McNeill, Michael Latta, and Martin Lundberg. The only one of those players set to return to the IceHogs next season is Baun.
That might actually be good news considering the influx of talent coming in to replace them. DeBrincat is the big name at the top, but even if he doesn’t come, other players will be ready to fill spots. That’s particularly true if the Blackhawks stick with veterans like Tommy Wingels, Lance Bouma, and Jordin Tootoo at the bottom of the roster.
The list of potential new forwards for Rockford under that scenario is impressive: John Hayden, Vinnie Hinostroza, Anthony Louis, Nathan Noel, Laurent Dauphin, Alexandre Fortin, David Kampf, Matthew Highmore, Matheson Iacopelli, and Graham Knott are among guys who could play key roles in the AHL next season.
Compared to the group that was used a year ago, full of uninteresting journeymen like Abbott, Carrick, and Mashinter, this Rockford team will be younger with more upside and potential entertainment value.
Defense will see fewer changes
Part of the variable here is that we don’t quite know how the Blackhawks’ defense will look next season yet. Presumably Forsling will get a permanent NHL spot, but on the right side, it’s unclear who will get the third spot behind Connor Murphy and Brent Seabrook.
The top candidates are Pokka and offseason signing Jan Rutta, although there’s also the (very extreme) long shot possibility that minor league signing Darren Raddysh impresses to the point that the Blackhawks give him an NHL deal. Pokka is no longer waiver-exempt, so that may give him an advantage toward earning an NHL opportunity, as the Hawks would likely lose him through waivers if they try to reassign him to the AHL.
The defense will also see one intriguing addition in 2014 fifth-round pick Luc Snuggerud, who got into 13 games with Rockford during a brief stint last season. He put up big numbers (11 goals, 20 assists) in 39 games with Nebraska-Omaha as a junior to earn an entry-level contract from the Blackhawks. He may be needed to help replace Pokka’s offensive production, or he could add another skilled option lower in the lineup.
One problem for the IceHogs will be handedness. Pokka, Rutta, Robin Norell, and Raddysh, an AHL signee, are right-handed, but Carl Dahlstrom, Jordan Oesterle, Luc Snuggerud, Viktor Svedberg, and Robin Norell are all lefties. There’s also unsigned RFA Erik Gustafsson, who is another lefty. So it’ll be one area for Colliton to tackle as he figures out how to build his defense.
2017-18 IceHogs projected lineup
| F1 | Alex DeBrincat - Laurent Dauphin - Vinnie Hinostroza |
| F2 | David Kampf - Matthew Highmore - John Hayden |
| F3 | Alexandre Fortin - Nathan Noel - Matheson Iacopelli |
| F4 | Anthony Louis - Luke Johnson - Kyle Baun |
| D1 | Carl Dahlstrom - Jan Rutta |
| D2 | Luc Snuggerud - Jordan Oesterle |
| D3 | Viktor Svedberg - Darren Raddysh |
| Goaltender | Jean-Francois Berube - Jeff Glass |
| Bench | Graham Knott, Tommy Olczek, William Pelletier, Robin Press, Robin Norell, Matt Tomkins |
Obviously this is just a rough sketch given how many moving pieces there will be in the coming months. Here are a few quick thoughts on this lineup:
- We’re projecting DeBrincat in the AHL here, but that’s not a slam dunk at this point. If he makes the NHL right out of the gate, then Rockford will have Knott (or whoever becomes the odd man out) to step into a steady role.
- The scoring ability up and down this lineup blows away what the IceHogs had a year ago. Even if you take away one or two from the DeBrincat-Hinostroza-Dauphin-Hayden group of potential NHLers, there are still intriguing scoring options like Fortin, Iacopelli, and Louis. This beats the hell out of Abbott, Carrick, Mashinter, etc.
- Rutta might be a better player than Pokka, but that would create a challenging decision for Chicago: Do you take the risk of placing Pokka on waivers to lose him for nothing, or try to trade him soon? It seems like the Hawks are waiting until they get a longer look at these two in camp before choosing a route. But given Pokka’s lack of waiver-exempt status, he may have a leg up on the competition to get a look early on.
- The defense is definitely not coming together as well as the forward group, but you figure a guy like Dahlstrom will improve in his second full AHL season. We’re also not factoring in Gustafsson here, and assuming he re-signs, there’s another skilled blue liner to add to the mix. He’s another lefty, though, so Colliton will likely be cornered into playing at least one guy on his offside.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Should Bulls fans be concerned?
By CSN Staff
(Photo/USA TODAY)
On this edition of the Bulls Talk podcast, Nick Friedell joins Will Perdue, Kevin Anderson and Justin O’Neil to talk about the Bulls poor start in summer league and just how concerned fans should be.
Will explains why he thinks next year is a pivotal one for Fred Hoiberg, and what has to happen for next season to be considered a ‘success.’ Also hear Mark Schanowski’s interview with top draft pick Lauri Markkanen and find out the best place to get a burger while in Las Vegas from burger expert Nick Friedell.
Listen to the full episode at this link.
With tanking all around, Gar Forman not turning back on rebuild.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/USA TODAY)
Rebuilding is painful and never pretty, even if the steady stream of clanked jumpers and disorganized play from the Chicago Bulls Monday was only indicative of the hazards of Summer League as opposed to a Tuesday night in Philadelphia.
But even with the recent developments of an Eastern Conference that’s now following in the Bulls’ footsteps, making next season sure to be a Tank Tour of epic proportions, Bulls general manager Gar Forman isn’t having any second thoughts about trading Jimmy Butler on draft night to start this long and arduous process.
The Indiana Pacers traded Paul George to Oklahoma City and will take a step back this season, along with the Atlanta Hawks looking like a franchise headed in that direction after some of their personnel moves under new management.
The Bulls could’ve positioned themselves with minor moves to stay afloat in the East with Butler, Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo then went after it next offseason, as one of the few teams with a star east of Minneapolis.
“We look at it as far as what we need to do, what we feel we need to do in a rebuild,” Forman said following the Bulls’ 75-55 loss to the Hawks at Cox Pavilion Monday, in a game where the score didn’t indicate how ugly the contest was. “You never know until you’re in somebody else’s shoes as far as what’s going on, but I do know that we feel really good as far as taking a step back, the direction we can now head as far as rebuilding around these young guys, and continuing to add to that.”
Of course, Forman would probably gain nothing from admitting a level of regret even if he felt it, considering how he spoke of rebuilding being a six-to-seven year process he didn’t want to take the franchise down as recently as a year ago.
“We understand that it’s always hard when you have had a level of success, and then you’ve got to take a step back and go in a new direction as far as a rebuild is concerned,” Forman said. “And we know that it’s going to be a process and there’s going to be ups and downs within that process, but we think the trade kind of gave us a step in the right direction as far as heading that way, where we got three young players who we really like.”
One of those players is rookie Lauri Markkanen, who went through the rigors of what it’s like to be a rookie in the NBA as he struggled in his second game like the rest of his teammates.
Markkanen missed 12 of his 13 shots and all 10 of his 3-point attempts, scoring eight points with nine rebounds and four blocks in 31 minutes. Nobody will remember a meaningless Summer League performance come November, especially when he’ll have plenty of chances to create his own impressions.
Forman, of course, is undeterred in his confidence in the seventh pick. And other league executives were raving about Markkanen’s potential at Summer League.
“I like him a lot,” said a high-ranking western conference official for a playoff team. “He’s very skilled and he was high on our boards.”
Markkanen had an impressive opener so this is just the ups and downs of a start.
“I think it’s good. I thought he played really well the other night,” Forman said. “And then when he struggles to make shots, the first month is a learning process. Knowing what kind of kid he is, he’ll take that hard and continue to work and grow. We’ve all seen it in summer league.”
Forman pointed out the debuts of Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon that weren’t so special, so getting Markkanen in the Advocate Center over the summer will be important, especially since he wasn’t brought in for a workout in the pre-draft process.
“The big thing is just getting the process started, being with our coaching staff, learning what’s expected and this being the first step of a long summer,” Forman said. “He’ll be in the gym with our athletic performance people getting stronger and coaches working on his skill development. It’s just getting adjusted to this being a full-time job.”
And a rebuild is even more of a full-time job that cannot allow for mistakes, so Forman thinking the free-agent money drying up is something that will work to their advantage in the long run.
“I think we’re seeing the market suppress some this summer,” Forman said. “And I think as we go into next summer as the cap is flattening, the ability to have young players, develop those young players, have flexibility in order to add assets, and then draft picks will get us a step up in trying to go forward.”
But assets and draft picks are only as good as the people picking them, and the Bulls have a hefty task ahead in the next few years—as time will tell if they’re truly up to it.
Gar Forman optimistic that Nikola Mirotic will return.
By CSN Staff
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Bulls have been relatively quiet since dropping their Draft Day bomb.
The front office hasn't spent big in free agency or indicated a Dwyane Wade buyout was imminent, instead opting for low-cost moves and commitment to the future.
Whether Nikola Mirotic is in those future plans remains to be seen, but general manager Gar Forman projected optimism when asked on Monday if he sees the Bulls agreeing to terms with the 26-year-old forward.
"We want Niko back, and we think Niko wants to be in Chicago," Forman said. "When you have those two things at the end of the day, there's usually a way to get something done."
The market on the three-year vet remains a mystery, with no NBA teams stepping up to make a serious run. Whether that ultimately helps Gar/Pax in negotiations is also a question mark, but it's certainly looking more and more likely that Mirotic will end up on Fred Hoiberg's roster.
Last season, Mirotic shot 41 percent from the field and 34 percent from behind the 3-point line. He averaged 11 points and five rebounds over 24 minutes per game.
While the Bulls expected - and frankly needed - more from their stretch-four, Mirotic did show flashes. In March, he shot over 40 percent from deep, scoring 15 points per contest.
Mirotic-Markkanen frontcourt?
Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica Opinion: Let it be known, this is strictly our opinion. Gar/Pax are totally lost, excited, dazed and confused. They don't have a clue as to what they're doing. It will be at least three years before the Bulls make it to the playoffs again. The diehard, loyal Bulls fans deserve better. We're at a loss as to what else to say. This nothing personal against Gar/Pax, this is strictly business. If you think we're frustrated, wait until the season starts. Good luck with this..........
MLB All-Star Game 2017 score: Cano's extra-inning homer powers AL over NL.
By CBS Sports Staff
The American League has won the last five meetings.
On Tuesday night, Major League Baseball played its 88th All-Star Game at Marlins Park, appropriately located in Miami, Florida. The American League defeated the National League by a 2-1 final, celebrating an extra-innings win thanks to a 10th-inning homer by Robinson Cano of the Mariners.
Cano's home run was the first extra-inning blast in exactly 50 years -- Tony Perez, who, coincidentally, threw out one of the game's first pitches, was the last to do it.
The AL took the lead in the fifth when a Miguel Sano blooper landed in right field and plated Jonathan Schoop. The NL later tied it up on a sixth-inning home run from Yadier Molina.
The American League has won the last five meetings. Since 1997, the National League has only three wins in the Midsummer Classic.
CUBS: How can Cubs turn it around in second half?
By CSN Staff
(Photo/USA TODAY)
Jay Cohen, Teddy Greenstein and Ben Finfer join David Kaplan to talk Cubs' second-half scenarios and Jose Quintana trade rumors. Later, Scott Paddock joins the show to preview the back-end of the NASCAR season.
Listen to the SportsTalk Live Podcast here.
All-Star or not, Cubs expect Kris Bryant to be their Derek Jeter in second-half push to October and beyond.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/USA TODAY)
Derek Jeter is the headliner trying to corral enough heavy hitters to close a billion-dollar deal for the Miami Marlins, the sale of a dysfunctional franchise hanging over the All-Star Game this week in South Florida.
Kris Bryant is the National League’s reigning MVP, not invited to Major League Baseball’s showcase event, an awkward symbol for an underachieving Cubs team that won’t have a single player from last year’s World Series winner there on Tuesday night at Marlins Park.
But the glass-half-full look at the rest of this season begins with Bryant, whose relative downturn includes 18 homers, a .928 OPS that’s only 11 points from where he finished his MVP campaign and a WAR rating that still makes him a top-15 player in the NL.
Bryant also possesses the inner drive, natural calm and sense of responsibility that draws comparisons to Jeter, a player he publicly patterned himself after while being anointed as the franchise savior, trying to deflect credit and attention and defuse controversy.
“I think there’s a lot of similarities there between KB and Derek,” catching/strategy coach Mike Borzello said on this week’s upcoming Cubs Talk podcast, remembering his time as a Yankee staffer on championship teams in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000. “Derek’s focus, No. 1, was on the score. You never really heard about any personal achievements with him.
“It was about coming here to beat the other team, day in and day out, whether it be with a great play or a bunt or a smart base-running play. He was always looking for some way to change the game in a positive manner for our team.
“That’s the mark of a winner. They have to find some part of their game that’s going to effect the score in a positive way, whether it is defense or base running. Obviously, when (KB’s) swinging the bat, he’s a game-changer. But when those guys aren’t swinging the bat as well as they want, or getting the hits, they find a way to still effect the game and help the team win.
“I see KB that way. When KB’s hot, he’s hot, great. But what about when you’re not? And how does that affect you mentally? You watch Kris and he may be the best base runner on our team and his decision-making is always on point.”
Jeter is a far more complicated figure behind the scenes, but his brand became synonymous with winning, a baseball shorthand for how to handle yourself in the media spotlight, in the corporate world and in October.
For Joe Maddon, it starts with the manager’s only rule about running hard to first base. As much as anyone, Bryant represents an idealized version of The Cubs Way, one of their best hopes that this 43-45 start is a fixable glitch and not a system-wide breakdown of a one-and-done team.
“It’s hard to throw him out on a routine groundball,” Maddon said. “How about his effort to first base? I mean, he’s a Rookie of the Year, MVP, (25 years old). Um, I don’t want to say he doesn’t have to do that. But he doesn’t have to do that.
“He does it, every day, and he sets a wonderful example for this entire organization. Not just this club. I’m talking like everybody in A-ball, Double-A, Triple-A. When they tune in the game and they see KB turning a routine groundball to shortstop into a bang-bang play, what does that mean?
“So when you go to spring training or guys come up and you talk about ‘Respecting 90,’ here’s the poster child right here, man. He does it as well as anybody. I always thought that about Derek Jeter. I see (Mike) Trout do that a lot. I’ve seen Jeter in the past hurt – bad foot, bad ankle – do that. And then he’d limp out to shortstop. The real guys do that kind of stuff and he sets a great example.”
Bryant obviously has years and years to go before coming anywhere close to matching Jeter’s five World Series rings, 3,465 hits, 14 All-Star selections and no-doubt Hall of Fame credentials. But Bryant already understands his role as an ambassador, saying “yes” over and over again to media requests and signing autographs in a mostly empty complex around 5 p.m. on the day pitchers and catchers reported to spring training in Arizona.
“What you’re talking about is franchise players have instincts,” super-agent Scott Boras said. “There are few of them. And certainly it’s not something Kris tries to do. It’s something that Kris instinctively knows to do.”
Where Jeter dated models and actresses and enjoyed the New York nightlife, Bryant married his girlfriend from high school and likes to order in food and watch Netflix at home. Where this season already dented Kyle Schwarber’s legendary status and Addison Russell’s off-the-field reputation, Bryant is hitting .213 with runners in scoring position.
Bryant’s ability to ride the waves without crashing is exactly what the Cubs need now if they are going to make up those 5.5 games, catch the Milwaukee Brewers and chase that kind of Yankee dynasty.
“I just feel very determined,” Bryant said. “When things aren’t going my way, there’s just a switch in me that makes me want it even more. And sometimes when you want it even more, you end up going the opposite way, so it’s a fine line there.
“But it’s just a matter of showing up and competing. You are the player who you are and things usually work out in the end. I think that goes for everybody in this clubhouse.”
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred: Changes imminent for 2018.
By Gabe Lacques
![Slide 23 of 75: Pirates’ Francisco Cervelli tags out sliding Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber as they collide at home plate on July 7 in Chicago, IL. Cubs won 6-1.]({"default":{"load":"wait","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBDZew1.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}} "Collision Course - Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters")
Pirates’ Francisco Cervelli tags out sliding Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber as they collide at home plate on July 7 in Chicago, IL. Cubs won 6-1. (Photo/Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters)
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred indicated Tuesday changes to the game are imminent for 2018 as he and players’ association executive director Tony Clark continue negotiations on tweaks to the on-field product.
Speaking to the Baseball Writers’ Association before Tuesday night’s All-Star Game, Manfred and Clark noted in separate sessions that dialogue between both sides and that, without citing specifics, more tweaks will occur just one year after the sides hammered out a new collective bargaining agreement.
Speaking to the Baseball Writers’ Association before Tuesday night’s All-Star Game, Manfred and Clark noted in separate sessions that dialogue between both sides and that, without citing specifics, more tweaks will occur just one year after the sides hammered out a new collective bargaining agreement.
“I remain of the view that a deal will be made,” Manfred said, noting he desires that MLB “take a more aggressive posture” in managing the evolution of the game. “Only the players are between the lines; not us. So hopefully we will get an agreement, and I won’t get much past that.”
Said Clark: “It’s a delicate balance to not change the game so much that the current fan wouldn’t recognize the game. It’s a discussion of how to move the industry forward together.”
With both home run rates and time of game at an all-time high, it seems far likelier the sides will move on the latter far more than the former. At 3 hours, 5 minutes, the average nine-inning game has not decreased in length. While Manfred and Clark avoided specifics such as a pitch clock, it appeared likely they would agree to changes and avoid a “nuclear option” of sorts that Manfred suggested in March – that he would unilaterally implement changes.
Manfred insisted that the baseball remains within industry standards, and assigned a variety of reasons to the record home run spike – from training methods and superior conditioning, to the propensity for pitchers to throw hard and the willingness of hitters to absorb strikeouts – also on pace for a new record.
“Will we ever know the whole answer? Probably not,” says Manfred.
Clark indicated the baseball was a “health issue” for his membership; several pitchers have struggled with blisters this season and noted the seams on the baseball are lower, which could be a culprit.
Of course, both commissioner and union chief indicated that the overall health of the game – and the home run’s part in that – means they don’t want to overthink tweaks too much.
Said Manfred: “Our research shows the home run is a popular play in baseball.”
WHITE SOX: Why Jose Quintana may have thrown final pitch in Chicago.
By CSN Staff
(Photo/USA TODAY)
With the Jose Quintana trade rumors heating up, the White Sox Talk Podcast crew tackles the story from many angles.
In Miami covering the All-Star Game, CSNChicago.com's Dan Hayes speaks with Yahoo Sports MLB columnist Jeff Passan, who says that a Quintana trade could happen very soon. They also talk about the growing market for Todd Frazier and the White Sox bullpen arms. Will the Washington Nationals ever fix their bullpen? Hint, hint: David Robertson?
Later, Hayes talks with Jamal Collier who covers the Nationals for MLB.com. Chuck Garfien and Ryan McGuffey discuss the possible destinations for Quintana, Michael Kopech and Yoan Moncada in the MLB Future's Game, Zack Collins walk-off grand slam in his return to Winston-Salem and a whole lot more.
Listen to the latest White Sox Talk Podcast here.
Cooper: Sox starters haven't done enough.
By Scott Merkin
Pitching Coach Don Cooper (Photo/chicagowhitesox.com)
The words "subpar" and "pitching" rarely have found their way together during Don Cooper's highly successful 15-year-tenure as White Sox pitching coach.
This 2017 campaign has been the anomaly, struggles Cooper quite possibly envisioned with the team beginning a full-fledged rebuild. But he probably didn't budget for the problems faced by the starting pitchers through the first half.
Chicago's rotation entered Sunday's first-half finale in Colorado with the second-most losses in all of the Majors at 40, trailing only the Giants' 43. Its 4.89 ERA over 86 starts placed them 26th, while the one-time quality-start machine entered Sunday having produced 10 over the past 44 games and sitting 28th in the Majors with 29.
There are some legitimate excuses for these issues. Carlos Rodon made start No. 3 of 2017 to close out the first half Sunday, missing most of the first three months due to biceps bursitis. James Shields and Miguel Gonzalez missed time on the disabled list, and replacements such as Mike Pelfrey and David Holmberg, who performed admirably, had to be built up on the fly to get deeper into games.
Cooper acknowledges those reasons but won't hide from the struggles.
"Starting pitching is not close to being good enough, not close to what we are used to," Cooper said. "Putting a lot of pressure on the bullpen to go a lot.
"We've had too many games where our starters are not giving us length, either through poor performance or unable to be stretched out. It's all part of the building process, and the building process can be trying. Some of the games we've had have been miserable. [Friday] night was a miserable game."
Tommy Kahnle, Anthony Swarzak and closer David Robertson top a strong bullpen unit that entered Sunday ranked fifth in the AL in ERA (3.86), opponents' average (.228) and WHIP (1.24). But as Cooper knows, a good staff begins with quality starting pitching.
"Everybody says you have to have a good bullpen. Well this is a perfect example why they are wrong," Cooper said. "You have to have a good bullpen, a couple of guys out there. I always thought a starting staff, a good one, leaves little or nothing to the bullpen.
"But again, some of it is poor performance for sure. Some of it is injuries and some is we are stretching guys out at the Major League level with Holmberg, who was pitching one inning an outing or two in relief and now we have to get him up to five. That's not easy. Pelfrey, who basically came from his house after one or two starts in Triple-A.
"It used to be a challenge to say we are up by a lot here or ... down by a lot in the game, piece a game together," Cooper said. "We are doing this a lot of times, and that's due to what I said. The starting pitchers' performances have not been nearly enough."
Golf: I got a club for that..... 2017 John Deere Classic Preview (Video).
2017 John Deere Classic preview
The PGA TOUR rolls into the Quad Cities where 6 winners from the 2016-17 season will be in the field at TPC Deere Run. With six events left until the FedExCup Playoffs begin, big names like Zach Johnson and Bubba Watson will look to make a push this week in Iowa.
Ask any tournament setup staff how it wants a golf course to play and two goals will command the response: fair and consistent.
No matter the level of difficulty, fairness is universal. Consistency, on the other hand, factors in only the 18 holes presented. Variables such as the speed of the greens, both for practice and across the course, as well as the height of the rough, are baseline expectations for a singular host. This says nothing of a course's evolution over time, however. It can be consistent exclusive of how it scores year to year.
Yet, even if a host track for a PGA TOUR event tried, it would have a hard time replicating what TPC Deere Run has accomplished for the John Deere Classic. Since 2009, the field scoring average hasn't varied more than one-half stroke from the highest to the lowest. Last year's clip of 69.896 on the par 71 marked the toughest the course has played during any of the last eight years.
2017 John Deere Classic Round 1 Tee Times
The John Deere Classic 2017 round 1 tee times and player pairings. All tee times are displayed local time. Groups starting on the 1st tee are listed first, followed by groups starting from the 10th tee.
Tee Times
|
Players
|
Players
|
Players
|
|---|---|---|---|
1st Tee
| |||
| 7:10 AM | Rory Sabbatini | Patton Kizzire | Kevin Tway |
| 7:20 AM | Morgan Hoffmann | Steve Wheatcroft | Andrew Loupe |
| 7:30 AM | Kevin Streelman | Bill Lunde | Ryo Ishikawa |
| 7:40 AM | Greg Chalmers | Billy Hurley III | J.J. Henry |
| 7:50 AM | Nick Taylor | Ben Martin | Sean O'Hair |
| 8:00 AM | Steven Bowditch | Chris Kirk | Hunter Mahan |
| 8:10 AM | Geoff Ogilvy | Kyle Reifers | Mark Hubbard |
| 8:20 AM | Eric Axley | Patrick Rodgers | |
| 8:30 AM | Brendon de Jonge | Cameron Tringale | Kelly Kraft |
| 8:40 AM | George McNeill | Stuart Appleby | Troy Matteson |
| 8:50 AM | Brandon Hagy | Max Homa | Dylan Meyer |
| 9:00 AM | Sam Saunders | Richy Werenski | Nick Hardy |
| 9:10 AM | Bobby Gates | Brett Drewitt | Darin Fisher |
| 12:20 PM | Dicky Pride | Chad Collins | J.T. Poston |
| 12:30 PM | Jason Bohn | Ryan Palmer | Ryan Blaum |
| 12:40 PM | Chesson Hadley | Derek Fathauer | Trey Mullinax |
| 12:50 PM | Charley Hoffman | Davis Love III | Troy Merritt |
| 1:00 PM | Kyle Stanley | Ryan Moore | William McGirt |
| 1:10 PM | Kevin Kisner | Bubba Watson | Steve Stricker |
| 1:20 PM | Angel Cabrera | Chad Campbell | Shane Bertsch |
| 1:30 PM | Brendon Todd | Scott Stallings | Mark Wilson |
| 1:40 PM | David Hearn | Roberto Castro | Martin Flores |
| 1:50 PM | Lucas Glover | Cameron Percy | Andres Gonzales |
| 2:00 PM | Hiroshi Iwata | Tyler Aldridge | Curtis Luck |
| 2:10 PM | Tom Hoge | Seamus Power | Sam Horsfield |
| 2:20 PM | Julian Etulain | Ryan Brehm | Matt Lee |
10th Tee
| |||
| 7:10 AM | Daniel Summerhays | Ricky Barnes | Gonzalo Fdez-Castano |
| 7:20 AM | Ken Duke | Kevin Na | Dominic Bozzelli |
| 7:30 AM | John Rollins | Tim Herron | Grayson Murray |
| 7:40 AM | Peter Malnati | Danny Lee | Robert Streb |
| 7:50 AM | Brian Harman | Wesley Bryan | Cody Gribble |
| 8:00 AM | Daniel Berger | Zach Johnson | Charles Howell III |
| 8:10 AM | Robert Garrigus | Jamie Lovemark | Brett Stegmaier |
| 8:20 AM | Spencer Levin | Greg Owen | Harold Varner III |
| 8:30 AM | Camilo Villegas | Andres Romero | Tag Ridings |
| 8:40 AM | Scott Brown | Chez Reavie | Michael Kim |
| 8:50 AM | Jonathan Randolph | Steven Alker | Brian Campbell |
| 9:00 AM | Mark Anderson | Miguel Angel Carballo | Cliff Kresge |
| 9:10 AM | Willy Wilcox | Ryan Armour | Maverick McNealy |
| 12:20 PM | Jonathan Byrd | Chris Stroud | Zac Blair |
| 12:30 PM | John Huh | Johnson Wagner | Ollie Schniederjans |
| 12:40 PM | John Merrick | Bryce Molder | Charlie Wi |
| 12:50 PM | Smylie Kaufman | Brian Gay | K.J. Choi |
| 1:00 PM | D.A. Points | Vaughn Taylor | Alex Cejka |
| 1:10 PM | Brian Stuard | Matt Every | Nick Watney |
| 1:20 PM | Boo Weekley | Bud Cauley | Tyrone Van Aswegen |
| 1:30 PM | Bob Estes | Shawn Stefani | Luke List |
| 1:40 PM | Y.E. Yang | Tim Wilkinson | J.J. Spaun |
| 1:50 PM | Ben Crane | Matt Jones | Carl Pettersson |
| 2:00 PM | Bobby Wyatt | Rick Lamb | Wyndham Clark |
| 2:10 PM | Brad Fritsch | Joel Dahmen | David Lawrence |
| 2:20 PM | Sebastian Munoz | Nicholas Lindheim | Kurt Slattery |
Thompson's mom back supporting Lexi after radiation.
By Randall Mell
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
Lexi Thompson had an extra bounce in her step in Tuesday’s practice round at the U.S. Women’s Open.
Her best friend was back along the ropes watching.
That would be her mother, Judy.
“She had her last radiation treatment last Wednesday,” Lexi said. “She's here supporting me. Happy to have her here.”
Judy Thompson missed Lexi’s last four starts while undergoing treatment for uterine cancer. Lexi spent the week before the KPMG Women’s PGA helping her mother through radiation treatments. Judy sent Lexi off to the Women’s PGA with the aim of rejoining Lexi this week.
“It's definitely been tough,” Lexi said. “We've known kind of since Kingsmill and definitely been a hard hit. Just finding out that news and trying to play golf at the same time . . . My mom and I are so close. We're best friends. We always tell each other everything. We're always hanging out every time I go home, and the few events that she does get to come to, it's always the best.”
Lexi won the Kingsmill Championship in May and is Ladbrokes’ favorite to win this week. She said playing without her mother on the road with her has been difficult.
“I was trying to focus as much as I could on the golf course but it was tough inside,” Thompson said. “It was hard not to show that.”
U.S. Women's Open: Round 1, Round 2 tee times.
Her best friend was back along the ropes watching.
That would be her mother, Judy.
“She had her last radiation treatment last Wednesday,” Lexi said. “She's here supporting me. Happy to have her here.”
Judy Thompson missed Lexi’s last four starts while undergoing treatment for uterine cancer. Lexi spent the week before the KPMG Women’s PGA helping her mother through radiation treatments. Judy sent Lexi off to the Women’s PGA with the aim of rejoining Lexi this week.
“It's definitely been tough,” Lexi said. “We've known kind of since Kingsmill and definitely been a hard hit. Just finding out that news and trying to play golf at the same time . . . My mom and I are so close. We're best friends. We always tell each other everything. We're always hanging out every time I go home, and the few events that she does get to come to, it's always the best.”
Lexi won the Kingsmill Championship in May and is Ladbrokes’ favorite to win this week. She said playing without her mother on the road with her has been difficult.
“I was trying to focus as much as I could on the golf course but it was tough inside,” Thompson said. “It was hard not to show that.”
U.S. Women's Open: Round 1, Round 2 tee times.
By Golf Channel Digital
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
A look at first- and second-round tee times for the U.S. Women's Open on the 6,732-yard, par-72 Old Course at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J.
All Times EDT (a=amateur)
Thursday (July 13), Hole No. 1 / Friday (July 14), Hole No. 10
6:45 a.m. / 12:30 p.m. – Casey Danielson, Osceola, Wis.; Jessica Welch, Thomasville, Ga.; (a) SoWhi Kang, Republic of Korea
6:56 a.m. / 12:41 p.m. – Elin Arvidsson, Sweden; (a) Brooke Seay, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; TBD
7:07 a.m. / 12:52 p.m. – Jenny Shin, Republic of Korea; I.K. Kim, Republic of Korea; Minjee Lee, Australia
7:18 a.m. / 1:03 p.m. – Seon Woo Bae, Republic of Korea; Lizette Salas, Azusa, Calif.; Austin Ernst, Seneca, S.C.
7:29 a.m. / 1:14 p.m. – Sung Hyun Park, Republic of Korea; Cristie Kerr, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Mi Jung Hur, Republic of Korea
7:40 a.m. / 1:25 p.m. – Charley Hull, England; Alison Lee, Valencia, Calif.; Jessica Korda, Bradenton, Fla.
7:51 a.m. / 1:36 p.m. – Anna Nordqvist, Sweden; Haru Nomura, Japan; Amy Yang, Republic of Korea
8:02 a.m. / 1:47 p.m. – Mika Miyazato, Japan; (a) Virginia Elena Carta, Italy; Beatriz Recari, Spain
8:13 a.m. / 1:58 p.m. – Caroline Hedwall, Sweden; (a) Hye-Jin Choi, Republic of Korea; Haruka Morita, Japan
8:24 a.m. / 2:09 p.m. – Mariajo Uribe, Colombia; TBD; Pernilla Lindberg, Sweden
8:35 a.m. / 2:20 p.m. – (a) Mariel Galdiano, Pearl City, Hawaii; Stephanie Meadow, Northern Ireland; Ally McDonald, Fulton, Miss.
8:46 a.m. / 2:31 p.m. – Hee Young Park, Republic of Korea; Ayaka Watanabe, Japan; Megan Khang; Rockland, Mass.
8:57 a.m. / 2:42 p.m. – (a) Dana Williams, Boca Raton, Fla.; August Kim, St. Augustine, Fla.; TBD
Thursday (July 13), Hole No. 10 / Friday (July 14), Hole No. 1
6:45 a.m. / 12:30 p.m. – Ashleigh Ann Simon, South Africa; Pei-Ying Tsai, Chinese Taipei; (a) Emma Bradley, Naples, Fla.
6:56 a.m. / 12:41 p.m. – Weiwei Zhang, People’s Republic of China; TBD; (a) Lauren Stephenson, Columbia, S.C.
7:07 a.m. / 12:52 p.m. – Lexi Thompson, Coral Springs, Fla.; Stacy Lewis, The Woodlands, Texas; Brooke Henderson, Canada
7:18 a.m. / 1:03 p.m. – Inbee Park, Republic of Korea; Lydia Ko, New Zealand; Shanshan Feng, People’s Republic of China
7:29 a.m. / 1:14 p.m. – Ariya Jutanugarn, Thailand; So Yeon Ryu, Republic of Korea; (a) Leona Maguire, Republic of Ireland
7:40 a.m. / 1:25 p.m. – Brittany Lang, McKinney, Texas; In Gee Chun, Republic of Korea; (a) Eun Jeong Seong, Republic of Korea
7:51 a.m. / 1:36 p.m. – Sei Young Kim, Republic of Korea; Moriya Jutanugarn, Thailand; Mirim Lee, Republic of Korea
8:02 a.m. / 1:47 p.m. – Ai Miyazato, Japan; Christina Kim, San Jose, Calif.; Kris Tamulis, Naples, Fla.
8:13 a.m. / 1:58 p.m. – Belen Mozo, Spain; Brianna Do, Lakewood, Calif.; Tiffany Joh, San Diego, Calif.
8:24 a.m. / 2:09 p.m. – Paula Reto, South Africa; Kelly Shon, Port Washington, N.Y.; Bronte Law, England
8:35 a.m. / 2:20 p.m. – Isabelle Boineau, France; Katie Burnett, Brunswick, Ga.; Xiyu Lin, People’s Republic of China
8:46 a.m. / 2:31 p.m. – Supamas Sangchan, Thailand; Jing Yan, People’s Republic of China; Sakura Yokomine, Japan
8:57 a.m. / 2:42 p.m. – TBD; (a) Ty Akabane, Danville, Calif.; Samantha Wagner, Orlando, Fla.
Thursday (July 13), Hole No. 1 / Friday (July 14), Hole No. 10
12:30 p.m. / 6:45 a.m. – (a) Bailey Tardy, Peachtree Corners, Ga.; Cheyenne Woods, Phoenix, Ariz.; Thidapa Suwannapura, Thailand
12:41 p.m. / 6:56 a.m. – Kelsey MacDonald, Scotland; Nanna Koertz Madsen, Denmark; (a) Paphangkorn Tavatanakit, Thailand
12:52 p.m. / 7:07 a.m. – Suzann Pettersen, Norway; Michelle Wie, Jupiter, Fla.; Brittany Lincicome, Seminole, Fla.
1:03 p.m. / 7:18 a.m. – Gerina Piller, Roswell, N.M.; Hyo Joo Kim, Republic of Korea; Angela Stanford, Fort Worth, Texas
1:14 p.m. / 7:29 a.m. – Minyoung Lee, Republic of Korea; Jodi Ewart Shadoff, England; Jiyai Shin, Republic of Korea
1:25 p.m. / 7:40 a.m. – Azahara Munoz, Spain; Mi Hyang Lee, Republic of Korea; Morgan Pressel, Boca Raton, Fla.
1:36 p.m. / 7:51 a.m. – Mo Martin, Naples, Fla.; Carlota Ciganda, Spain; Jin Young Ko, Republic of Korea
1:47 p.m. / 8:02 a.m. – Aditi Ashok, India; Sandra Gal, Germany; Georgia Hall, England
1:58 p.m. / 8:13 a.m. – Jeong Eun Lee, Republic of Korea; (a) Anne Chen, Sugar Land, Texas; Gaby Lopez, Mexico
2:09 p.m. / 8:24 a.m. – Meghan Maclaren, England; Kyung Kim, Chandler, Ariz.; (a) Robyn Choi, Australia
2:20 p.m. / 8:35 a.m. – Yan Liu, People’s Republic of China; (a) Dylan Kim, Plano, Texas; Valdis Thora Jonsdottir, Iceland
2:31 p.m. / 8:46 a.m. – TBD; Becky Morgan, Wales; (a) Jennifer Kupcho, Denver, Colo.
2:42 p.m. / 8:57 a.m. – Marissa Steen, West Chester, Ohio; Carly Booth, Scotland; (a) Morgane Metraux, Switzerland
Thursday (July 13), Hole No. 10 / Friday (July 14), Hole No. 1
12:30 p.m. / 6:45 a.m. – Beth Allen, Ojai, Calif.; Candie Kung, Chinese Taipei; Seung Hyun Lee, Republic of Korea
12:41 p.m. / 6:56 a.m. – Jeongeun6 Lee, Republic of Korea; Ryann O’Toole, San Clemente, Calif.; Florentyna Parker, England
12:52 p.m. / 7:07 a.m. – Danielle Kang, Las Vegas, Nev.; Jane Park, Woodstock, Ga.; Jennifer Song, Davenport, Fla.
1:03 p.m. / 7:18 a.m. – Eun Hee Ji, Republic of Korea; Paula Creamer, Pleasanton, Calif.; Na Yeon Choi, Republic of Korea
1:14 p.m. / 7:29 a.m. – Alena Sharp, Canada; Min Sun Kim, Republic of Korea; Caroline Masson, Germany
1:25 p.m. / 7:40 a.m. – Karrie Webb, Australia; Sarah Jane Smith, Australia; Su-Hyun Oh, Australia
1:36 p.m. / 7:51 a.m. – Karine Icher, France; Haneul Kim, Republic of Korea; Ai Suzuki, Japan
1:47 p.m. / 8:02 a.m. – Lee-Anne Pace, South Africa; Jacqui Concolino, Orlando, Fla.; Chella Choi, Republic of Korea
1:58 p.m. / 8:13 a.m. – Catriona Matthew, Scotland; Suyeon Jang, Republic of Korea; Kim Kaufman, Fort Worth, Texas
2:09 p.m. / 8:24 a.m. – Pornanong Phatlum, Thailand; Fumika Kawagishi, Japan; Marina Alex, Wayne, N.J.
2:20 p.m. / 8:35 a.m. – Emma Henrikson, Sweden; Laura Gonzalez Escallon, Belgium; (a) Natalie Srinivasan, Spartanburg, S.C.
2:31 p.m. / 8:46 a.m. – Rumi Yoshiba, Japan; Wei-Ling Hsu, Chinese Taipei; Pei Yun Chien, Chinese Taipei
2:42 p.m. / 8:57 a.m. – Emily Childs, Alameda, Calif.; (a) Rachel Heck, Memphis, Tenn.; TBD
McIlroy grouped with Fowler, Stenson at Scottish.
By Will Gray
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
Rory McIlroy will look to bounce back from a surprising missed cut alongside a pair of top-ranked players this week at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. Here's a look at a few marquee, early-round groupings as Dundonald hosts the final European Tour event before The Open (all times ET):
McIlroy was quite visible last week at Portstewart, but over the weekend he served only as tournament host. The Ulsterman will look to rebound this week alongside Stenson, who has two top-10 finishes in his last three starts in Europe and will defend the claret jug next week.
Fowler rounds out the popular trio following three top-5 finishes in his last four starts, including the U.S. Open.
8:10 a.m. Thursday, 3:10 a.m. Friday: Patrick Reed, Martin Kaymer, Rafael Cabrera-Bello
Reed is one of a handful of Americans in the field and has been quietly on a bit of a tear, with four straight top-20 finishes including last week at The Greenbrier. Kaymer is in search of his first worldwide top-10 finish since the Honda Classic in February, while Cabrera-Bello looks to improve upon a missed cut last week in Northern Ireland.
8:20 a.m. Thursday, 3:20 a.m. Friday: Alex Noren, Tyrrell Hatton, Adam Scott
Noren's late-season tear last year included a victory at Castle Stuart, and he returns to Scotland to defend his title after a T-10 finish at the French Open. Joining him will be Hatton, who has missed each of his last three cuts after a strong spring, and Scott, who is making his first start since an early exit from Erin Hills.
8:30 a.m. Thursday, 3:30 a.m. Friday: Matt Kuchar, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Richie Ramsay
Kuchar is another player with some momentum on his side, as he capped a run of four straight top-20 finishes with a T-16 result at the U.S. Open in his most recent start. Fitzpatrick was a runner-up last month at the Nordea Masters while Ramsay finished second last week at Portstewart to punch his ticket to The Open.
NASCAR Power Rankings: Martin Truex Jr. surges to the top.
By Nick Bromberg
1. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 5): As of right now, Truex would have at least a 15-point lead on everyone else who makes the NASCAR playoffs. That lead would only get larger if he moves into first in the points standings ahead of Kyle Larson … who is ahead of Truex by a single point.
All three of Truex’s wins this season have come on 1.5-mile tracks. While we understand that it may be grating for members of the No. 78 team to hear people say the team is only good on intermediate tracks. But if you’re going to be great on a subset of NASCAR tracks, the best option by far is intermediates.
Five of the 10 playoff races are made up of 1.5-mile tracks, including the season finale at Homestead. If Truex can jump to a 20-point or more lead on the rest of the field in the playoffs, watch out.
2. Kyle Larson (LW: 2): The duel between Truex and Larson for the top spot in the points standings is one of the best things NASCAR has going for it. Sure, the sports would probably like a five-driver fight for the regular season points leader bonus, but the excellence the two drivers have shown this season is staggering.
While Larson and Truex are separated by a point, third-place Kyle Busch is 100 points behind Truex. That’s nearly the maximum points available in two full races.
3. Kyle Busch (LW: 1): Given that Busch was passed for second on the penultimate lap by Larson and ended up finishing fourth, it’s easy to paint Kentucky as yet another failure to win by Busch. He restarted as the first driver with fresh tires behind Truex and didn’t get it done.
But Truex’s car was by far the best of anyone else’s Saturday night and tires really weren’t worth much because of the fresh Kentucky pavement. And while Busch had a top-five car, it’s probably fair to say Larson’s car was better than his was — especially when you consider that Larson made 90 passes.
4. Chase Elliott (LW: 4): Elliott passed the second-most cars of anyone (66) and he finished third ahead of Denny Hamlin and Busch, who finished fifth.
Per the transcript after the race, Elliott’s post-race news conference lasted all of one question and was very characteristically Chase.
“I would say it wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t phenomenal, but it was a well-executed night on pit road and on that last restart, I thought, so that was nice and came home with a solid top 5.”
Elliott’s first win is coming sooner rather than later. Hopefully he doesn’t say it wasn’t a perfect day when he hits victory lane.
5. Kevin Harvick (LW: 3): Harvick scrapped for a top 10 and finished ninth. He also sped on pit road and had to cut his way back through the field after doing so.
Harvick has scored the fourth-most stage points of any driver this season and is fourth in the points standings. He’s 10 points behind Busch and thus has a great shot at being the best regular-season driver not named Larson or Truex.
6. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (LW: 7): Stenhouse finished 14th, which is an acceptable finish given the way Roush is having to fix intermediate track struggles.
But it’s not a finish that’s going to win a championship. And as he noted at Daytona after winning for the second time this season, Stenhouse realizes that. Don’t be surprised if Stenhouse has a top-10 car at New Hampshire this weekend though.
7. Clint Bowyer (LW: 9): Bowyer finished a spot ahead of Stenhouse and given that he was involved in the early stage 2 accident with Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski, that’s a pretty good rebound.
Bowyer was lucky and sustained the least damage of the three cars because he didn’t slam into a wall. But the car wasn’t perfect afterward, and that can be a huge hindrance at such an aero-sensitive track like Kentucky.
And thanks to Matt Kenseth’s late accident, Bowyer is now 17 points ahead of Kenseth for what’s the provisional final spot in the playoffs.
8. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 6): Johnson was simply wrong place, wrong time when Keselowski got loose underneath Bowyer.
“I saw it all happening and was trying to get slowed down, but in a low air situation I was in I could only push the brakes so hard,” Johnson said. “I honestly thought I had it missed and just caught [Keselowski’s] car with my right front. Pushed the fender in or broke the suspension, something happened where the car was pulling real hard to the right and took me up into the fence and finished her off there.”
9. Denny Hamlin (LW: 12): Hamlin was very unhappy with Jamie McMurray early in Saturday night’s race after McMurray made an aggressive move.
He ended up finishing three spots ahead of McMurray in fourth. Hamlin now has three top-five finishes in the past four races and they’ve all been fourths.
10. Jamie McMurray (LW: 10): McMurray finished seventh and moved up from eighth to sixth in the points standings. He’s seven points ahead of Hamlin, which is a perfect way to end their entries in Power Rankings this week.
11. Ryan Blaney (LW: 11): Blaney also sped on pit road and he finished 10th. Blaney’s nine top-20 finishes are the fewest of any driver inside the top 20 in points, yet he’s 13th in the standings thanks to his 124 stage points. If Blaney is going to be a factor in the playoffs, he’s going to have to avoid bad finishes on a much better basis.
12. Brad Keselowski (LW: 8): Keselowski has not had a summer to remember so far. He finished third at Sonoma and fifth at Pocono. But in his other races since the last weekend in May, Keselowski has finishes of 39th, 38th, 16th, 31st and 39th. Woof.
A few of those have simply been wrong place, wrong time (like Johnson being collateral damage in Keselowski’s Kentucky incident), so it’s not incredibly concerning at this stage for the No. 2 team. But that doesn’t mean the team can be happy about its summer performance.
The Lucky Dog: Erik Jones finished sixth and is now 14th in the points standings. He could be a sleeper candidate to get a win before the playoffs begin.
The DNF: Kasey Kahne and Trevor Bayne wrecked right after Keselowski’s crash.
Dropped out: No one
Dropped out: No one
Who's hot, who's not heading into New Hampshire?
By Jerry Bonkowski
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
NASCAR begins the second half of the 36-race 2017 season with Sunday’s Overton’s 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
But while 18 more races seem like a lot of time for teams that have struggled this season, that’s not truly accurate. Rather, we’re at a point in the season where teams have reached a sense of urgency: There are only eight races left to qualify for this year’s playoffs.
But while 18 more races seem like a lot of time for teams that have struggled this season, that’s not truly accurate. Rather, we’re at a point in the season where teams have reached a sense of urgency: There are only eight races left to qualify for this year’s playoffs.
New Hampshire is also the last playoff track that teams will be able to gather data for the upcoming 10-race playoffs. Nine weeks later, New Hampshire will host the second race of the playoffs on Sept. 24.
Sunday’s race will be the 45th time the Cup series has raced at the one-mile short track. NHMS hosted one race per year from 1993 to 1996 and two races from 1997 through this season.
It will revert back to hosting just one race per season in 2018, as its annual second race date will move to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Here is a look at some of the drivers who are hot and those who are not heading into Sunday’s Overton’s 301, to be televised on NBCSN.
WHO IS HOT:
Won at Kentucky, sweeping both stages
Finished in the top-10 12 times this season, most of all drivers
Won 13 stages this season
Wins at Las Vegas, Kansas, and Kentucky
Has led a series high 1,115 laps in 2017, including over 100 in four of the last eight
Best New Hampshire finish is third in 2007
Only one finish outside the top 12 at New Hampshire since joining Furniture Row Racing (six races)
Led 264 of the 601 laps raced at New Hampshire in 2016 (44 percent) finished 16th and 7th
Finished 2nd at Kentucky, sixth runner up finish this season
Two wins this season, ACS and Michigan, leads the points by one
Finished top 2 eight times this season
Finished top 3 in his first two starts at New Hampshire in 2014, best finish since is 10th last September
Finished 39th at Kentucky, accident; has had DNFs in four of last seven races this season due to accidents (five total in 2017)
Has not had back-to-back top 10 finishes since Talladega and Kansas
Nine top-fives in 2017, the most of all drivers
Won this race in 2014
Worst finish in the last 11 races at NH is 15th with eight top 10 finishes
Led at least one lap in the last 11 NH races
Finished 5th at Kentucky; top 10 finishes in seven of the last nine races this season
Been passed for the win five times this season
Led the most laps four times this season but is still winless
858 laps led in 2017, second most
Had three wins at this point in 2016
Two time winner at New Hampshire, this race in 2006 and 2015
Finished top 3 five of the last eight races at New Hampshire including a win
Finished 9th at Kentucky, top 10 finishes in six of the last eight races
Won at Sonoma
Two New Hampshire wins, Fall race in 2006 and Fall race in 2016
Led only eight laps in NH win last year
Finished top five in both NH races last year
WHO IS NOT:
Finished 8th at Kentucky, only his second finish better than 12th in the last nine races
Six top five finishes in the first nine races this season, only one in the last nine
Finished better than 12th only twice in the last nine races of 2017
Won at Richmond but was encumbered
Two time winner at New Hampshire including his first career win in 2009
Finished top five in four of the last five New Hampshire races
Finished 28th at Daytona, accident and 30th at Kentucky (engine), the last time he had back-to-back DNFs was April 2014
Just eight top 10 finishes this season, had 15 after 18 races in 2016
Has not had back-to-back top 10 finishes since Richmond and Talladega
Three New Hampshire wins but last was in 2008
Finished fifth at New Hampshire last Fall, only his second top 10 in the last 11 races
Finished 19th at Kentucky, best finish since his Charlotte win (six races) is 13th
Won on fuel mileage at Charlotte
Only two top 10 finishes this season, had eight at this point last year
One top 10 finish in six starts at New Hampshire, eighth in 2015
Won truck race at New Hampshire in 2015
Finished 38th at Kentucky, accident
DNF accident in five of the last seven races this season
Only one top 10 finish in the last 16 races
Won this race in 2012 at New Hampshire, it was his second of five wins while driving for HMS
Two top 10 finishes in the last eight NH races
Finished 20th at Kentucky; only one finish better than 18th in the last 12 races
Only one top 10 finish at New Hampshire, 10th in 2010 driving the #43
Here’s your Silly Season scorecard for 2018.
Here’s your Silly Season scorecard for 2018.
By NBC Sports
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
Tuesday’s announcement of Erik Jones as the replacement for Matt Kenseth in the No. 20 Toyota by Joe Gibbs Racing could be the first in a multitude of driver moves for the 2018 Cup season.
There are many drivers, sponsors and teams whose plans for next year have yet to be revealed, as was discussed on Tuesday’s NASCAR America with Carolyn Manno, Steve Letarte and Slugger Labbe.
Here is a rundown of who could be headed where and with whom:
ANNOUNCED RIDES
—Erik Jones will be in the No. 20 Toyota (pushing out Matt Kenseth).
OPEN/POSSIBLY OPEN RIDES
—No. 88: Team owner Rick Hendrick hasn’t tipped his hand on a direction for the ride, telling reporters at Daytona there was no timetable for naming Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s replacement.
–No. 5: This car virtually has no sponsorship announced for next season, and Kasey Kahne’s status is uncertain. Hendrick Motorsports seems committed to remaining a four-car team next year.
—No. 77: Jones is returning to Joe Gibbs Racing after one season in Furniture Row Racing’s new car. Team owner Barney Visser said after Kentucky that “we have nothing concrete. … Our hope is to have two cars.” 5-hour Energy has an option to return in 2018 and can’t leave for another team. There is speculation Furniture Row Racing might move 5-hour Energy to the 78 with Martin Truex Jr., which would seem to leave the ride’s future in doubt.
—No. 10: Sponsorship has yet to be announced for next season, and Danica Patrick’s contract is in its last year with the team.
—No. 41: Monster is mulling whether to return as a team sponsor in addition to its series title sponsorship. Monster must inform NASCAR within the next few months if it’s picking up the option on its series title sponsorship (which is a two-year deal with a two-year option). Co-owner Gene Haas has indicated Stewart-Haas Racing wants to stay at four cars. But if sponsorship isn’t there, contraction could become an option for the team.
—No. 2: Still awaiting Brad Keselowski to be re-signed … if he were to leave, Miller Lite is expected to stay and is said to like Ryan Blaney (whose social media persona and youth would seem a good fit for a beer company).
AVAILABLE DRIVERS
—Brad Keselowski: Still hasn’t re-signed with Team Penske. There are conflicting reports on whether the deal is virtually done or negotiations are at an impasse. The sticking point is believed to be more support from Ford for his Brad Keselowski Racing truck team, similar to the way in which Toyota Racing Development helps subsidize Kyle Busch Motorsports’ trucks. (Keselowski sparked an interesting discussion last week by saying that NASCAR needs more manufacturers.)
—Matt Kenseth: Is out at Joe Gibbs Racing but wants to remain in a championship-caliber ride. Hendrick’s Nos. 88 or 5 seems the most likely landing spots, and he has a good friend in Dale Earnhardt Jr. to lobby on his behalf. Stewart-Haas Racing seems as if could be a possibility.
—William Byron: Hendrick Motorsports has gauged the 19-year-old’s comfort level about a promotion to Cup. Rick Hendrick and Axalta (which has sponsored Byron in Xfinity races and likes his personality and potential) would like to move him up.
—Kurt Busch: The 2017 Daytona 500 winner said at Daytona he is waiting for Stewart-Haas Racing to pick up his contract option and was optimistic that it would because “I deliver for the team.” Also mentioned there were many “moving parts” involving Monster and NASCAR.
—Kasey Kahne: Has a deal through next season, but the team controls the option to keep him, and it’s widely thought it could be his last year at Hendrick.
—Ryan Blaney: Roger Penske said recently he wants to bring Blaney into the fold as early as next season, possibly in a third full-time car (or perhaps in the No. 2 if Keselowski were to leave).
—Danica Patrick: In her final year with Stewart-Haas Racing. She said last month she intends to drive next season, but the sponsorship uncertainty leaves her status murky for next year.
—Alex Bowman: If Hendrick goes young, he possibly could be in play for the No. 5 if the team puts Byron in the No. 88. Also in play for the No. 9 at JR Motorsports if Byron goes to Cup
—Paul Menard: Hasn’t been announced as returning to Richard Childress Racing, and the Menards sponsorship could be on the move (it already sponsors Team Penske in the IndyCar Series).
—Aric Almirola: Hasn’t been announced yet as returning to RPM next season. Has been tied closely to sponsor Smithfield, which also had been mulling a move in its contract year but which just had a key decision-maker leave.
—GMS Racing/Spencer Gallagher: The team is mulling a move next season to Cup from the Xfinity Series. At Kentucky, Gallagher told SiriusXM that racing in Cup “definitely is a subject that has been broached, and we’ve put a lot of thought into it. We’ve always known that is our long-term goal to be racing in Cup. We’re looking at different ways we might do it and different times in which it would be best. It’s still in the formative stages.”
Rule change hasn’t kept Cup drivers from dominating Xfinity Series – yet.
By Dustin Long
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
A rule change intended to help Xfinity Series drivers compete for more wins, particularly in the playoffs, has not diminished the domination of Cup drivers so far this season.
Twelve of the first 16 Xfinity races have been won by Cup regulars — the most since 2011 when they won 13 of the first 16 races.
But they aren’t just taking the checkered flag.
Full-time Cup drivers have collected 48 top-five finishes this season — a 25 percent increase from this point last year and a 33 percent increase from this point in 2015. The top six finishers in the Kentucky Xfinity race were all full-time Cup drivers.
A key reason for the sharp increase is NASCAR’s rule limiting Cup driver participation.
NASCAR announced last year that Cup drivers with more than five full-time seasons in that series would be limited to 10 Xfinity races this year.
NASCAR stated that those drivers— Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, among others — cannot compete in the final eight Xfinity races of the season and the four Dash 4 Cash races.
That means of the 33 Xfinity races, veteran Cup drivers are not allowed to compete in 12 events. That leaves 21 races for them to compete in up to 10.
With fewer opportunities, veteran Cup drivers have been running — and excelling — in more of the same Xfinity races this season. That’s left Xfinity drivers with limited chances to score a top-five finish.
That trend likely will continue.
Logano (six Xfinity starts this year) and Busch (five) both are scheduled to run 10 series races each. Keselowski (six starts) is scheduled to run three more races. Kevin Harvick (four starts) is set to run two more races.
They cannot compete in the Xfinity Series after the Sept. 8 race at Richmond International Raceway, giving Xfinity regulars a better chance to win in the playoffs. But those Xfintiy drivers still will have to beat some Cup competitors.
Cup drivers with less than five full-time seasons in that series are allowed to race in the Xfinity playoffs. That means that Kyle Larson (three wins this year), Erik Jones (two), Ryan Blaney (one), Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, and Daniel Suarez will be able to race until the finale in Miami.
The Xfinity Rule Book states that any driver who scores points in the Cup series is not eligible to run in the Xfinity championship race in Miami.
Even with the Cup veterans limited, Xfinity rookies William Byron and Cole Custer say they are learning when they race them.
“We have a great opportunities to go out there and succeed,’’ Byron said. “I’ve got good race cars, everyone is in good equipment, so when you have that you have to make the most of it and be around some veteran guys and not make mistakes and make a fool out of yourself. Just try to do the most and … learn from all the guys out there.’’
Byron has won two races, scoring victories at Iowa Speedway, a standalone race that did not have any Cup drivers in the field, and at Daytona International Speedway, which had four Cup regulars in the field.
Custer seeks his first win but has finished 11th or better in five of the last seven races.
“We all have really unbelievable opportunities to try to run good and make a name for ourselves,’’ he said. “You’re just trying to learn every single weekend, learn from the veteran guys.’’
Those lessons should prove helpful in the Xfinity playoffs, which begin Sept. 23 at Kentucky Speedway.
With Busch, (two wins this year), Logano (one), Keselowski (one), Denny Hamlin (one) and Aric Almirola (one) all among those ineligible to run in the playoffs, there could be more chances for Xfinity regulars to win.
Suarez won the season finale and the championship last year with many Cup drivers ineligible to compete.
“We talked about it for a long time,’’ NASCAR Chairman Brian France said last year of limiting Cup drivers in Xfinity races. “I’m glad we did it. It got a very worthy champion in Daniel Suarez.’’
SOCCER: Fire reportedly trying to add Colombian World Cup goal scorer.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/USA TODAY)
The summer transfer window in Major League Soccer opened just a day ago and the Chicago Fire are already being linked to a potentially big move.
Following up on a pair of previous reports, ESPN's Jeffrey Carlisle reported that the Fire are in line to sign Colombian playmaker Juan Quintero. Quintero, 24, has been under contract with Portuguese club FC Porto, but has been on loan the past two years after struggling to break into Porto’s lineup.
Following up on a pair of previous reports, ESPN's Jeffrey Carlisle reported that the Fire are in line to sign Colombian playmaker Juan Quintero. Quintero, 24, has been under contract with Portuguese club FC Porto, but has been on loan the past two years after struggling to break into Porto’s lineup.
He has a World Cup goal on his resume (in 2014 against Ivory Coast), but won’t come cheap. His age, and the fact that Porto paid $10 million for him would make him an expensive addition.
ESPN's Taylor Twellman first reported the Fire were in the mix to add Quintero.
Paul Tenorio reported that the Fire have Quintero’s MLS discovery rights, which means the Fire could flip his rights to another MLS team to get some form of MLS assets (likely allocation money) if they aren’t the ones to seal the deal. Orlando had also been connected to Quintero, but Carlisle's latest report said Orlando has dropped out of the running.
If it happens, the move won't be simple for multiple reasons that don't even include the negotiations with Quintero and Porto. First, the Fire already have the league maximum three designated players (David Accam, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Nemanja Nikolic). That means the Fire will have to buy down Accam's salary against the cap using of the newer league mechanisms, targeted allocation money, to open up a DP spot. Accam has the lowest salary of the three Fire DPs.
On top of that, the Fire will have to do some maneuvering to either acquire or free up another international spot. The Fire currently have all eight spots filled and that doesn't include midfielder John Goossens, who is currently not counted because he is on the disabled list since getting hurt in the season opener. If Goossens remains out all year the Fire will still have to trade for an international spot, trade away or cut loose a player currently taking up a spot or have a player receive a green card to count as a domestic player. Fire general manager Nelson Rodriguez said in May that one player may receive his green card by the end of the summer window, which closes Aug. 9.
Quintero would be a high-profile addition to both MLS and the Fire in a very different way from Schweinsteiger. Schweinsteiger was a world famous international name with a proven track record. Quintero is a player entering his prime who has played, and scored in, a World Cup for a strong national team in Colombia. Plenty of teams around Europe would take him so it would be a notable get from that perspective for MLS, which is trying to change its reputation from some as a league where former stars finish their careers.
USMNT-Martinique preview: Win with style, now.
By Nicholas Mendola
By Nicholas Mendola
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
That the United States men’s national team should win against Martinique in Wednesday’s Gold Cup match in Tampa is a near certainty, but American fans will be aiming higher than a win.
Entertainment and power will be expected from the Yanks against Les Matinino, even after CONCACAF minnows handled Nicaragua 2-0 in Nashville.
With respect to former Seattle Sounders striker Kevin Parsemain, who saw a promising MLS career stopped by injury before it began, the Americans are heavy favorites for a multiple goal win on Wednesday (even with a B team roster).
It’s no given; The last Gold Cup saw the Yanks with a B Team in a much trickier group and they still flubbed their only “easy” match-up when they needed a Clint Dempsey goal to beat Haiti 1-0. Klinsmann’s men conducted their business properly in the 2013 edition, but Bob Bradley‘s bunch only beat Guadeloupe 1-0 in 2011.
So enter Bruce Arena, no stranger to the Gold Cup but certainly not too familiar with watching any team look as disjointed and uninspired as his Yanks did in a 1-1 draw with Panama on Saturday. The formation didn’t flow, the subs were largely ineffective, and the Americans will probably need to win a goal differential with Panama to win Group B.
How will Arena line up his men on Wednesday? Anything is possible. He could roll out the same unit that struggled to control the midfield against Panama, knowing that Dax McCarty and Kellyn Acosta both had off games. He could also change 7-8 starters just to make sure everyone gets a look on the Gold Cup stage, or go with an attack-heavy unit to chase goal differential.
The change from Jurgen Klinsmann was the right move, and Arena has had relative success in World Cup qualifying. But looking adequate, even with a B team, won’t be enough to inspire confidence in fans hoping for another knockout round run at the 2018 World Cup.
The U.S. wants to feel like it lives in Mexico’s neighborhood, which it should be, given its size and wealth. The Yanks should be able to be a convincing Gold Cup group winner whether it sends its Top 23 or men Nos. 15-38. It’s their move again Wednesday. Impress your backers.
Canada 1-1 Costa Rica: MLS scorers lead to draw.
By Nicholas Mendola
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Canucks have four points through two games thanks to another goal from Vancouver Whitecaps 16-year-old Alphonso Davies, who gave Canada an early lead in a 1-1 draw with Los Ticos in Houston on Tuesday.
Davies goal is here, and was canceled out by another MLS player. Francisco Calvo netted before halftime, but Costa Rica could not find a way past Milan Borjan for a second time in the match.
The means a loser between French Guiana and Honduras would not be eligible to finish Top Two in the group, and only two of three third-place teams advance to the knockout rounds.
5,442 miles for a league game. The longest away day ever?
By Joe Prince-Wright
(Photo/Getty Images)
When the new Russian Premier League season kicks off this Sunday, there will be one heck of a journey for Zenit St. Petersburg and their new manager Roberto Mancini.
They are heading east.
They are heading east.
Zenit will play newly-promoted FC-SKA Khabarovsk (who have never played in the Russian Premier League before) and the new boys hail from the eastern Russian city of Khabarovsk, which is nestled close to the border with China and both Seoul, South Korea and Tokyo, Japan are just a quick flight away.
Zenit, based in the far west of Russia, will take a seven-and-a-half hour flight to Khabarovsk for the game, but if any fans wanted a true away day experience then it would take 111 hours to drive the 5,442 miles journey, while a train ride would take five days and 17 hours according to Google.
Of course, Zenit won’t be the only team to have this journey this season as the train ride from Moscow to Khabarovsk (it’s on the Trans-Siberian Railway line, which is handy…) is 5,296 miles, and 10 of the Russian Premier League’s 16 teams are located in the east of the country, so there will be plenty of trips out to the far east of Russia this season.
Now, we all know Seattle to New York or LA to Boston is a long trip for Major League Soccer teams, but Seattle to NYC is a mere (!) six-hour flight and just 2,838 mile drive. MLS fans, what have you been complaining about when it comes to following your team across the country…
With my tongue now firmly out of my cheek, Zenit to FC-SKA Khabarovsk, and vice versa, must be the longest journey for a league game in soccer history.
Carrick named new captain of Manchester United.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Michael Carrick has a one-year extension at Manchester United, and now will take the arm band on top of it.
Wayne Rooney‘s Everton move opened up the captain’s role, and the 35-year-old Newcastle-born midfielder has been handed the strap by Jose Mourinho.
Carrick has served under United captains Rooney, Nemanja Vidic, and Gary Neville, making a remarkable 459 appearances and winning double-digit trophies for the Old Trafford club.
He began his professional career at West Ham before moving to Spurs for two seasons. Now he’s the captain of one of the biggest clubs in the world. From ManUtd.com:
“It feels great and it is such a huge honor to captain such a great club,” Michael told us. “It is my 12th year now and I came as a 25 year old. I never thought I could be here for so long and achieve so much.
“Now, to lead the boys and look after the young boys, to guide them in some ways, it is a nice thing and a real pleasure. I came to this club as a footballer and I am now a huge fan. I have grown to love the club over the years and to be in this position is very special for me.”As new players flood into Old Trafford, it’s no mistake that Mourinho has tabbed a man who will be very clear about the traditions and expectations around United.
NCAAFB: SEC commish puts kibosh on divisional realignment talk.
By John Taylor
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
At least for now, there’s seemingly nothing to see when it comes to changing the current makeup of the SEC.
Earlier this offseason, Auburn’s athletic director, Jay Jacobs, continued to bang the drum for a divisional shift in the conference — his football program to the East, Missouri to the West. Not long after, Jacobs’ Mizzou counterpart, Jim Sterk, let it be known publicly that he’s fine with the Tigers being right where they’re at.
During his annual State of the Conference address as the SEC kicked off its media days Monday, Greg Sankey succinctly nipped any league divisional realignment square in the bud. Again, for now.
“Has not been an agenda item in the meeting,” the commissioner said. “It is a conversation in most large press conferences in which I appear, and that’s the extent of the conversation.”
In other words, when it comes to the SEC tweaking its East-West divisions…
Vandy’s Derek Mason: “Nobody’s doing it better than Nick Saban… but I don’t fear anybody.”
By Bryan Fischer
(Photo/Getty Images)
It’s talking season in Hoover as SEC Media Days continues in earnest and one of the bigger storylines around the league this year is which team or teams can possibly pose a problem to the big kids on the block: Alabama and Nick Saban.
Naturally just about every coach has been asked about it and have given a wide range of answers, from LSU’s Ed Orgeron noting the Tigers played the Tide closest last year to Georgia’s Kirby Smart remarking that talent and development will continue to help bring the Bulldogs closer to that level. Vanderbilt’s Derek Mason was also asked about Alabama given that they are the Commodores’ conference opener and provided a bit of a unique spin to the question while speaking at the podium.
“In speaking about Coach Saban and his football team, there’s nobody right now that’s doing it better, you know, when you look at longevity of his program, what he’s done, how he’s built it. He’s built it around who he is and how he sees football, and that’s extremely important,” said Mason. “But here’s what I tell you. I don’t fear anybody, and our team as well. So when we line up to play Alabama, we got to line up to play Alabama. We have three other opponents, starting with MTSU. That’s where we sit today, and that’s where we’ll be. When we face Alabama, we’re going to be ready to play.”
The ‘Dores return as many as 17 starters from last year’s squad and have become somewhat of a dark horse in the SEC East given how wide open the division has become.
The tone of their season figures to be set with how they play the defending conference champions in Nashville in late September and judging by the talk of their head coach, Vandy doesn’t appear to be backing down one bit despite the league heavyweight coming to town.
NCAABKB: You'll be hearing from the player who led a big upset of John Calipari's U-19 USA team.
By Matt Norlander
The star of the event is a name you're likely to hear a ton about before he ever gets to college.
The biggest news over the weekend connected to college basketball was the failure of Kentucky coach John Calipari's Under-19 USA Basketball team. The Americans lost to Canada 99-87 in the FIBA World Cup semifinals Saturday, ending a 23-game winning streak for the U-19 team. It meant no gold medal in Egypt and marked the first loss for an amateur USA Basketball team in six years.
The Canadian national team, led by 2019 talent R.J. Barrett (video below) beat Italy 79-60 for the gold Sunday. The United States won the bronze by beating Spain 96-72 in the consolation game -- an undeniable a disappointment.
Any time Team USA doesn't finish on top, it sparks headlines. With Calipari involved, there's more talk. The roster (which Calipari did not pick; it's voted on by a separate board) was comprised of current college players (Kentucky's Hamidou Diallo, Oregon's Payton Pritchard, Purdue's Carsen Edwards) and five-star high school recruits (some courted by Calipari, like Cameron Reddish and Immanuel Quickley).
"I wish I had that game over from yesterday, again," Calipari said following the bronze-medal win. "Maybe Canada will redo that, but I don't think they will. But, I've learned. I've learned about myself as a coach and I watched other coaches coach and I learned some great stuff. This game, I'm proud of our guys. It's a hard game. You lose that game yesterday and really got outplayed, out-coached, everything, and you come back and play like we played. This guy here, Immanuel [Quickley], played out of his mind. He came like, OK, that's done, bounce back, let's play. This is a very hard game to play in, the third-place game. I thought our kids fought and played from the beginning. From the tip, they played well."
The loss fuels critics of Calipari's coaching acumen. But winding up on the wrong end of USA Basketball's first loss in six years results in disparagement -- particularly because Team USA's roster was viewed as the deepest and most talented in the 16-team field.
Calipari was not afforded some players who likely would have assured the United States blowouts en route to gold. All those no-longer-freshmen just taken in the NBA Draft? Had any -- even one or two -- stayed in college, they would have been eligible. So no Lonzo Ball, Jayson Tatum, De'Aaron Fox, Dennis Smith Jr. While still talented, the U.S. is different from other countries because the best U-19 American players get drafted while those in other countries are practicing with their national teams.
Then you've got freshmen-to-be who opted out, like Missouri's Michael Porter Jr., Arizona's DeAndre Ayton and Texas' Mohamed Bamba. Meanwhile, Canada essentially put its strongest roster possible on the floor -- players who are used to playing together. Speaking of Canada, Barrett's play was special. He is the next "next" player and naturally a recruiting target for Calipari -- and basically every program. The 2019 prospect had an eye-opening international moment of arrival, a 38-point barrage in burying the U.S. on his way to being named tournament MVP. And Barrett was that productive despite fouling out vs. the Americans. Going up against players two and three years older, he looked ready for start for a blueblood program now. (Note: See the video above).
Derek Jeter and . . . Michael Jordan are closing in on purchasing the Miami Marlins.
By Craig Calcaterra
(Photo/Getty Images)
We’ve long heard that Derek Jeter and his group of investors was the lead horse in the Miami Marlins Derby. Now the New York Post says that Jeter’s group is in the home stretch, having collected $1.2 billion which should enable it to purchase the franchise.
The Post also reports that one of Jeter’s minority investors is, well, a person you’ve heard of:
Interestingly, NBA great Michael Jordan is among a group of about 15 investors in the Jeter camp, sources said — although the ex-hoopster is said to be kicking in very little cash.
Jeter sees Jordan as a role model in how to become a successful sports executive, a source who knows Jeter said.Hey, if Jordan can help Jeter do for the Marlins what Jordan has done for the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets then . . . well, actually, that may be an improvement on the Marlins recent track record, so never mind.
Venus Williams into Wimbledon semis with impressive win over Jelena Ostapenko.
By Zach Pereles
Venus Williams has booked her ticket to the semifinal. (Photo/Getty)
Venus Williams is into the semifinals at Wimbledon for the second straight year after an impressive 6-3, 7-5 win over Jelena Ostapenko.
Williams, the 10 seed, made quick work of the young Latvian, needing just 1:13 to beat the 13th-seeded Ostapenko. Williams used her service advantage to keep in control of the match, registering eight aces and being broken just once. The 37-year-old American was also opportunistic, converting all three break opportunities she had.
Williams, the 10 seed, made quick work of the young Latvian, needing just 1:13 to beat the 13th-seeded Ostapenko. Williams used her service advantage to keep in control of the match, registering eight aces and being broken just once. The 37-year-old American was also opportunistic, converting all three break opportunities she had.
This Wimbledon run is proving to be a special one for Williams, who is chasing her first title since winning at the All England Club in 2008. Her sister Serena has dominated the years since, but with Serena out for the tournament while pregnant, Venus has played outstanding tennis. She has dropped just one set the entire tournament, and that came way back in the second round. Ostapenko, who won the French Open, had her months-long dream run come to an end. The 20-year-old was never truly in the match. Her best chance was after breaking Williams in the first game of the second set. Williams came right back, though, breaking Ostapenko in back-to-back service games to regain control.
Williams will face the winner of Johanna Konta and Simona Halep in the semifinal on Thursday.
2017 Stage 11 Tour de France Summary
Williams will face the winner of Johanna Konta and Simona Halep in the semifinal on Thursday.
2017 Stage 11 Tour de France Summary
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On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, July 12, 2017.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1901 - Cy Young (Boston Red Sox) got his 300th career victory. He ended his career with 511 wins.
1901 - Cy Young (Boston Red Sox) got his 300th career victory. He ended his career with 511 wins.
1931 - A major league baseball record for doubles was set as the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs combined for a total of 23.
1979 - At Comiskey Park in Chicago, "Disco Demolition Night" led to fans taking the field after a box of disco records was blown up. The White Sox forfeited the 2nd game of a doubleheader to the Detroit Tigers due to the condition of the field.
1984 - Steve Carlton (Philadelphia Phillies) recorded his 100th strikeout for the 18th consecutive season.
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