CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Wednesday Sports News Update, 10/11/2017.

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"Sports Quote of the Day"

"Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. It may not be difficult to store up in the mind a vast quantity of facts within a comparatively short time, but the ability to form judgments requires the severe discipline of hard work and the tempering heat of experience and maturity." ~ Calvin Coolidge, The 30th President of the United States of America

TRENDING: Game 4 postponed to Wednesday: Could postseason rain go against the Cubs this time around? (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).

TRENDING: Bears feeling something different even in MNF loss to Vikings.

 (See the football section for Bears news and NFL updates).

TRENDING: DeBrincat scores first NHL goal in Blackhawks' win. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).

TRENDING: Dwyane Wade's strong words last season were necessary for young Bulls, who hold no hard feelings. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).

TRENDING: How Rick Hahn and the White Sox could end up the biggest difference-makers in the MLB playoffs. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).

TRENDING: CIMB Classic: Tee times, TV schedule, stats. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).

TRENDING: Chase Elliott has one goal for Talledega: 'Keep all four (tires) on the ground'. (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR news and racing updates).

TRENDING: International embarrassment: USMNT out of World Cup. (See the soccer section for Fire news and worldwide soccer updates).

TRENDING: Goodell looks for resolution in anthem controversy; owners to decide on rules next week. (See the last article on this blog for the latest news on the NFL - National Anthem issue).

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears-Vikings grades: Why Mitchell Trubisky passed his first test in the NFL.

By JJ Stankevitz

(Photo/USA TODAY)

QUARTERBACKS: B-

Mitchell Trubisky’s final stat line wasn’t particularly good: 12/25, 128 yards, one touchdown, one interception — with that pick coming deep in Bears territory late in the fourth quarter of a tie game. Trubisky’s accuracy escaped him at times, too. But Trubisky went through his progressions well and played aggressively, and more importantly, the intangibles he brought to the Bears’ game plan up his grade here. There was a different energy on the field and genuine excitement in the Bears’ locker room about Trubisky’s debut and where he can go from Monday night. 

Running backs: C+

Jordan Howard attacked the edge well and finished with 76 yards on 19 carries, which are solid numbers given he faced eight or more defenders in the box on 52.6 percent of his runs, according to NFL Next Gen stats. But Tarik Cohen was rendered ineffective (six carries, 13 yards, one catch, minus-six yards) and danced too much instead of planting and cutting up field, which drags this grade down. 

WIDE RECEIVERS: D+

Kendall Wright was effective when targeted (five targets, four receptions, 46 yards) but the rest of this group struggled to make an impact (five targets, two receptions, 27 yards). Questionable penalties on Markus Wheaton (holding) and Tre McBride (offensive pass interference) put the Bears in some tough positions. 

TIGHT ENDS: D+

Dion Sims dropped a pass and was inconsistent as blocker — he whiffed on blocking Harrison Smith and Anthony Barr on a pair of plays that led to lost yardage, but did well blocking for Howard on the edge on a couple of runs. Zach Miller caught three passes for 39 yards and was the recipient of Trubisky’s first career touchdown (that deflected off the hand of Vikings safety Anthony Sender). Adam Shaheen only played 11 snaps, 18 percent of the Bears’ offensive total.

OFFENSIVE LINE: D+

Charles Leno and Bobby Massie were flagged for false starts while Cody Whitehair’s holding penalty erased what could've been Trubisky’s first red zone possession in the first half (McBride’s spectacular catch might’ve been reviewed had flag not been thrown). Leno was beat by speedy Vikings edge rusher Everson Griffen for a sack-strip of Trubisky that led to Minnesota’s first points of the game, and Whitehair had two high snaps to Trubisky out of the shotgun. This group did relatively well in the run game, though, given how frequently the Vikings loaded the box. 

DEFENSIVE LINE: B

Akiem Hicks was once again a menace, notching two sacks while consistently finding a way to be disruptive in the run game. Eddie Goldman had some issues in the run game early — he was on his back for an eight-yard run by Jerrick McKinnon in the first quarter — while Mitch Unrein showed up late to help keep the score tied for a stretch.

LINEBACKERS: C+

This was a tough grade. Leonard Floyd was outstanding, recording a safety and two sacks, while Pernell McPhee made a few disruptive plays. John Timu played well before suffering an injury, and Christian Jones had a nice pass break-up. But after Timu’s injury, the Vikings were able to attack Jones (who took over defensive play-calling duties for Timu) and Jonathan Anderson (who hadn’t played a defensive snap since Week 2). Most notably: The Vikings went up-tempo on McKinnon’s 58-yard touchdown, with Jones and Anderson not getting the front seven in the right look, allowing the Minnesota running back to blast through the defense for a critical score. 

SECONDARY: D+

The Bears’ turnover margin was minus-two on Monday night, and while the offense deserves blame for a fumble and an interception, this defense still hasn’t picked off a pass this year. Their best chance on Monday came when Sam Bradford threw into double coverage, but neither Kyle Fuller nor Adrian Amos could come up with a play on a poor decision by the banged-up Vikings quarterback. Minnesota gained just 38 yards with Bradford at quarterback; Case Keenum came off the bench and led the Vikings to 272 yards in just over two quarters. A couple positives, though: Good coverage downfield allowed Floyd to chase down Bradford for a safety, and Eddie Jackson made a solid play to break up a pass in the fourth quarter. 

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

A number of people deserve kudos for the Bears’ touchdown on a fake punt: Special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers for noticing on film that the play could be possible; punter Pat O’Donnell and running back Benny Cunningham for putting in extra practice work on the play; safety Adrian Amos for making the check to the fake pass; the entire front for blocking on the play; O’Donnell for cooly lofting the ball to an open Cunningham; and Cunningham for making two Vikings miss to get in the end zone. That play changed momentum in the game and, had the Bears won, would've rightly been viewed as the turning point in the game. Some other notes: While Cohen struggled on most of his punt returns, he did have a 14-yarder (when he immediately accelerated upfield) that set up a short field for the offense. DeAndre Houston-Carson forced a fumble on a kick return that bounced out of bounds too.

COACHING: C-

Credit offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains for that unique game-tying two-point conversion that ended with Miller optioning a pitch to Trubisky — and for having the guts to call it and trust his players to execute it in such a critical situation. But the whole delay of game mishap on fourth and two in the first half, which came after a timeout, didn’t reflect well on John Fox. While Fox argued that the officials didn’t have the ball in place, he sent the offense on the field with about 12 seconds left on the play clock. Whatever went wrong there wasn’t on Trubisky. Fox also burned a timeout at the start of the fourth quarter — after the Vikings called a timeout — that wound up hurting late in the game after Minnesota took the lead on a field goal. 

View from the Moon: Bears feeling something different even in MNF loss to Vikings.

By John Mullin

(Photo/USA TODAY)

The tectonic plates of the Chicago Bears offense shifted Monday night in Soldier Field. They didn’t move far enough – the Bears fell to 1-4 with a 20-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings – but they moved. And everyone in the building felt it.

“I felt it,” said wide receiver Kendall Wright. “I think everybody felt it.”

The “it” was largely the energy/buzz/whatever that accompanied the NFL debut of Mitch Trubisky, the quarterback for whom GM Ryan Pace traded up to No. 2 in the 2017 draft to be sure he didn’t lose Trubisky to someone else.

But there was more than Trubisky happening, even as he threw an interception late in the fourth quarter that turned into Minnesota’s three winning points instead of the rookie leading his new team to a game-winning score of its own. Best guess is that storybook endings will be coming in the Trubisky Era, just not quite yet while he’s learning to read defenses and playbooks, not storybooks.

“He gives us a chance to win,” said one member of the offense, leaving unsaid the unfortunate reality that Mike Glennon had reached the point where he didn’t.

Maybe that was the big point, the main takeaway even from a defeat – a 1-4 team genuinely believing it can be a winner. That belief was nowhere to be found after the Tampa Bay and Green Bay games and was in danger of being extinguished.

The game-killing late interception Monday may have been vintage Jay Cutler. And the production was very Glennon-esque, even sub-Glennon-esque: 12-for-25 passing (48 percent), 128 yards, a TD pass, the interception and a passer rating (60.1) lower than any of Glennon’s four.

But this was different.

“I think our guys feel it,” said coach John Fox. “They feel his presence… . He’s got what it takes. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

What is different that the Bears do believe they have a quarterback with whom they can win, even win with because of. It has been quite some time since he Bears truly believed in their quarterback. Believed in much of anything, really.

Coaches clearly believed, and that in itself seemed to be something different. Special teams scored a touchdown of a fake punt when punter Pat O’Donnell threw the first pass of his football life. Not to be outdone for panache’, the offense used a double-reverse followed by a pitchout from tight end Zach Miller to Trubisky, who’d started the play handing off to running back Jordan Howard.

Desperate teams try gimmicky things. Monday night didn’t have any “desperate” to it. Even Trubisky’s interception was a correct read, to a single-covered receiver with a step on safety Harrison Smith, just not thrown quite far enough. “He was trying to make a play,” said Miller, the intended target on the play. “You gotta love everything about it.”

A critical point: Trubisky established himself as a quarterback who can run, but isn’t a running quarterback. He was drafted for his arm more than his legs, and when Trubisky broke contain evading the rush – he appeared to bail out too early on several occasions – he was looking to throw and for the big play, not to demonstrate his rushing prowess.

Coordinator Dowell Loggains called 29 pass plays and 26 running plays, trusting in his offensive line to do enough against a good Vikings front to establish the play action the Bears want as a linchpin of their offensive structure. It didn’t happen sufficiently – Bears running backs averaged a paltry 3.6 yards per carry, the third time in five games the offense has fallen short of 4 yards per carry.

The offense had six possessions in the first half and managed at least one penalty or a fumble on five of them. The fumble was Trubisky’s on a strip-sack when Minnesota defensive end Everson Griffen beat left tackle Charles Leno to the outside. The Vikings netted all of 55 first-half yards; the Bears gave them 45 in penalty walkoffs.

Meaning: Much more (or less) was happening on offense than the Mitch Trubisky Experience.

But “I believe in this team,” said linebacker Leonard Floyd, who himself contributed two sacks, four tackles for loss and an additional quarterback hit. “Once we get that first win, we’ll start stacking them.”

Maybe Floyd was forgetting that the Bears already do have a first win this season. Or maybe Monday was the “start” of the season. He would not be alone in that point of view.

Why the Bears are so confident in Mitchell Trubisky after his NFL debut.

By JJ Stankevitz

(Photo/USA TODAY)

The Bears expect Mitchell Trubisky’s future stat lines to look a lot better than the one he put up Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings: 12/25, 128 yards, one touchdown, one interception. 

Trubisky struggled against a solid Vikings defense in a 20-17 loss at Soldier Field, but how he struggled is important: It wasn’t because the moment was too big for him, or because he had decision-making issues while going through his progressions. His accuracy waned at times, and his fourth quarter interception — which handed the Vikings the win — stemmed from an aggressive attempt to make a play. These weren’t the same mistakes Mike Glennon made in September. 

After the game, Trubisky’s teammates shouldered the blame for the Bears' fourth loss in five games and praised how he played in his NFL debut. The Bears committed eight penalties and too frequently put the No. 2 overall pick in some difficult situations. 

“You can’t have a young quarterback, first game out there on Monday night football, you just can’t put him in positions like that,” wide receiver Kendall Wright said. “We gotta play football how we know how to play. We can’t have penalties. Penalties beat you every time.”

Beyond the penalties, there was a lack of execution on first down that had a negative ripple effect. Of the Bears’ 20 second down plays, 11 came with seven or more yards to gain; half of their 12 third down snaps came with 10 or more yards to go. 

“We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot,” Long said. “We need to stay ahead of the sticks, put ourselves in second and manageable, and when we do get third down, (have) conversions and explosive plays, touchdowns.”

Trubisky shouldn’t be absolved of blame, of course. He started the game strong, completing seven of his first nine passes in the first quarter, but only completed five of 16 passes over the final 45 minutes. Trubisky said he should’ve checked down before bolting the pocket or thrown the ball away on that pass Harrison Smith picked off and took ownership of his mistake. 

“I just forced one,” Trubisky said. “Can’t do that, can’t put my team in that situation.”

Trubisky’s teammates, though, had his back even on his most egregious mishap of the night. 

“He was telling everybody it was his fault, but we can’t put him in those positions,” Wright said. “We had plenty of opportunities to win that game before that last minute or however long it was. We had plenty of chances in that game to win it early on.”  

Added tight end Zach Miller, the intended target on Trubisky’s interception: “That’s Mitch being a baller and trying to make a play.”

Trubisky’s playmaking ability has been clear to his teammates since he stepped foot on to the practice fields at Halas Hall and Olivet Nazarene University. These players know what he’s capable of doing, even if it didn’t always show up on Monday. The way they talked in such positive terms about a quarterback who completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes in a loss was telling. 

So while Trubisky wasn’t a “magic wand” who could erase the imperfections that plague this team, he was — to use a different metaphor — a spark for the Bears. And the guys around him are confident he'll continue to be that spark going forward. 

“He carries himself as a leader,” Wright said. “I definitely think he’ll bounce back. He’s the type of guy, if he could, he’ll go try to do something extra right now, but unfortunately he can’t. But just gotta go watch the film and be better. Everybody has to be better. It’s not one person, it’s not one person on the team. Everybody has to be better in every position.”

And we’ll give Miller the last word: “I think he did everything he could for us to win that game. I’m excited for his future because he’s a baller.”

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? DeBrincat scores first NHL goal in Blackhawks' win.

By Sean Farrell

(Photo/nhl.com)

Alex DeBrincat scored his first NHL goal in the first period, Brandon Saad scored 19 seconds later, and the Chicago Blackhawks spoiled the Montreal Canadiens' home opener with a 3-1 win at Bell Centre on Tuesday.

Artem Anisimov scored in the second period and Corey Crawford made 41 saves for Chicago (3-0-1), which lost 4-3 in overtime at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.

"We're lucky it was 1-0 for as long as it was," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "That gave us some hope, knowing if we could come out of that period, and then we scored two quick ones. So we were fortunate, with the score being the way it is, I thought things settled down in the second and third."

Tomas Plekanec scored and Carey Price made 22 saves for Montreal (1-3-0), which lost its third in a row despite outshooting the Blackhawks 42-25, including 16-7 in the first period.

"Obviously things aren't going perfect right now," Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty said. "It's been three games now where we can't figure a way to put it in the net, but that's hockey and the only thing we can work on is our attitude and our approach to scoring goals on Saturday [against Toronto]."

DeBrincat tied it at 1-1 at 17:53.

"Obviously you want to score your first goal but I knew it wasn't going to be easy," DeBrincat said. "So I was just trying to keep it out of my mind and it had to come sooner or later, so that's kind of the way I went about it."

Saad finished off a passing play with linemates Richard Panik and Jonathan Toews for his fifth goal in four games to give Chicago a 2-1 lead at 18:12.

Saad (five goals, two assists), Panik (three goals, three assists) and Toews (two goals, three assists) each have four-game point streaks.

DeBrincat got his second point of the game with an assist on Anisimov's power-play goal, which put the Blackhawks ahead 3-1 at 10:44 of the second.

Plekanec gave the Canadiens their first lead in four games at 1:15 of the first period. He intercepted a backhand pass by Blackhawks right wing Ryan Hartman and scored unassisted for his first goal on Montreal's first of 14 straight shots.

"They came out flying and we didn't get rattled and scored some big goals, some nice plays offensively on our goals, a couple of tic-tac-toes there," Crawford said. "We just showed poise and we just kept making plays."

Goal of the game

Patrick Sharp recovered the puck after Montreal defenseman Jordie Benn's clearing attempt struck a linesman and passed to DeBrincat, who one-timed a slapshot past Price from the left side of the high slot. "It's pretty cool," DeBrincat said. "He's a great goalie, obviously, and I was lucky enough to get one past him."

Save of the game

Crawford made a pad save on Paul Byron's shot on a shorthanded breakaway at 10:19 of the second period keep Chicago ahead 2-1.

Highlight of the game

Blackhawks defenseman Cody Franson made a cross-ice pass from the left point to DeBrincat, who immediately set up Anisimov to score from the goalmouth with a quick pass from the right faceoff circle.

They said it

"He's always talking to me, always trying to give me advice on where to be and how to play at this level, so he's been a big help to me." -- DeBrincat about playing with Sharp

"It was awesome. Obviously, we'd love to get the win and feel better, but it was special to be a part of. For me, to be from around this area and to live this as a player, it was very cool and something I'll remember for a while." -- Center Jonathan Drouin, making his Canadiens home debut, about the pregame ceremony

Need to know

The Canadiens went 0-for-5 on the power play and have yet to score through their first 14 opportunities. ... Chicago has scored 21 goals in its first four games.

What's next?

Blackhawks: Host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCH, FS-N, NHL.TV)

Canadiens: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVA Sports, NHLN-US, NHL.TV)

Five takeaways from Blackhawks' 3-1 bounce-back win over Canadiens. 

By Charlie Roumeliotis

(Photo/USA TODAY)

Here are five takeaways from the Blackhawks' 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night:

1. Salvaging a slow start.

The Blackhawks have dominated the first period through three games this season, having outscored their opponents 9-0 in the opening frame entering Tuesday's game. They got off to their worst start of the year in this one though, allowing the Canadiens to strike first just 1:15 into the contest and were outshot 14-2 halfway through the period.

But the Blackhawks salvaged their slow start by scoring two goals in 19 seconds towards the latter stages of the period, and took a lead into the second for the fourth straight game.

2. Alex DeBrincat scores his first of many goals in the NHL.

We teased the possibility of it in our Three Things to Watch, but the Blackhawks' top prospect is officially on the board. The 19-year-old winger snapped a three-game goal drought to open the season by blasting one past arguably the league's best goaltender in Carey Price for his first career tally.

On the play, DeBrincat received a short pass from Patrick Sharp, adjusted his body quickly to get into a shooting position and slapped it home from one of his main sweet spots. He also registered an assist later in the game for his first multi-point effort of his career.

Side note: DeBrincat committed a third-period turnover that led to a breakaway, but his strong backcheck helped disrupt the shot. That's something coaches will certainly appreciate when looking back at the tape.

3. Corey Crawford continues domination against hometown team.

For the second straight game, the Blackhawks perhaps got bailed out by great goaltendering. The Montreal native was outstanding in his hometown return, and he had to be from the very beginning.

The Canadiens peppered the Blackhawks with 14 shots on goal in the first 10 minutes of the game, and finished the contest with a season-high 42 of them. Crawford stopped all but one of them in the win, and improved to 8-0-2 with a 1.49 goals against average and .954 save percentage in 10 career games against Montreal.

The most important save of the game came on a shorthanded breakaway in the second period, which happened shortly before the Blackhawks scored on the power play to take a 3-1 lead. The score wouldn't change the rest of the way.

Crawford has now allowed only one goal in each of his first three games, and increased his season save percentage to .971. A darkhorse Vezina Trophy candidate? 

4. Penalty kill steps up.

Crawford was the biggest reason the Blackhawks won, but the penalty kill unit is a close second. They were a perfect 5-for-5 in that department against a team still searching for its first power play goal of the season.

Early in the first, the Blackhawks killed off a 5-on-3 penalty that could've changed the complexion of the game but their unit stood tall.

Tanner Kero and Tommy Wingels were very noticeable in their own ends, combining for four blocked shots and breaking up a handful of plays with active sticks. It was an all around great effort.

5. Cody Franson's debut could've been better.

Connor Murphy was a health scratch in only his fourth game with the Blackhawks, but it was likely more about getting another defenseman some reps on the second of a back-to-back rather than his on-ice play. And with the Gustav Forsling-Jan Rutta pairing shining and Franson being a right-handed shot, it makes sense why Murphy was taken out instead of the left-handed shot Michal Kempny.

As far of Franson's debut went, it wasn't bad but it wasn't great. He committed a pair of penalties (tripping and slashing) but it didn't cost his team thanks to the penalty kill coming through in the clutch, as we mentioned above.

Franson finished the game with 16:41 of ice time, recorded an assist on Anisimov's goal, and had four shot attempts (two on goal).

Five takeaways from Blackhawks' 4-3 overtime loss to Maple Leafs.

By Charlie Roumeliotis

(Photo/USA TODAY)

Here are five takeaways from the Blackhawks' 4-3 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night:

1. Anton Forsberg stands on his head.

Due to Corey Crawford's remarkable numbers against Montreal, Joel Quenneville elected to go with Forsberg between the pipes in Toronto and it turned out to be a solid decision despite the overall result.

He stopped 39 of 43 shots (.906 save percentage) in his official team debut, and essentially stole a point for the Blackhawks, who were outshot 43-21. The only blemish was a soft goal he allowed on Toronto's first goal of the game, when Nikita Zaitsev slipped a shot past Forsberg's five-hole.

Other than that, he picked up exactly where he left off in preseason.

2. Saad-Toews-Panik line continues to impress.

We're already running out of things to say about this trio. They've been one of the best lines in hockey to open the season, and they were far and away the best line for the Blackhawks in this one again.

Jonathan Toews scored his second goal in as many games, which was assisted by linemates Richard Panik and Brandon Saad, that gave the Blackhawks a 2-0 lead in the first period. Panik added a power play goal in the third, giving the three of them a combined nine goals and six assists through three games.

They were also the only three players on the Blackhawks to finish with positive even-strength possession numbers against a Maple Leafs club that absolutely dominated in that area.

3. Nick Schmaltz's absence felt.

The Blackhawks got away with not having their second-line center in Saturday's game against Columbus, but they couldn't overcome it Monday.

Patrick Kane (minus-25 Corsi), Ryan Hartman (minus-20) and Artem Anisimov (minus-18) had the worst even-strength possession numbers among all skaters, and were all held pointless.

Schmaltz is a huge part of this Blackhawks team. His speed changes the way that line plays, and his absence is magnified when he's not in there because it puts more offensive responsibility on the bottom six centers who have a defense-first mentality and are pushed up into the lineup.

4. Forsling-Rutta pairing strong again.

The Blackhawks spent a lot of time in their own end, but Gustav Forsling and Jan Rutta had to be the best pairing in the loss.

Rutta scored a goal for the second straight game, and added an assist later on for his first multi-point game in the NHL. He now has two goals and two assists during his three-game point streak.

Forsling has also recorded a point in three consecutive games, all of which have been assists. He slapshotted a perfect pass off the end boards that ricocheted right to Panik, who buried home Chicago's third goal. Forsling finished with five shot attempts, tied for the team lead with a pair of blocked shots and logged 16:23 of ice time, 3:26 of which came on the penalty kill.

5. Busy evening for special teams.

There were 13 penalties committed between the two teams, leading to plenty of whistles and man advantages.

The Blackhawks had six power-play opportunities and cashed in on one of them, while the Maple Leafs also converted on one of their eight chances. Toronto has scored a power play goal in each of its first three games, and lead the league with a 37.5 percent success rate.

And it probably could've added one or two more if it weren't for Forsberg's strong play in net.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Dwyane Wade's strong words last season were necessary for young Bulls, who hold no hard feelings.

By Vincent Goodwill

(Photo/USA TODAY)

A frustrated Dwyane Wade had seen enough after a regular season loss to Atlanta in January and questioned his team’s commitment to winning, jumpstarting a few uncomfortable days on Madison Street.

Feelings were hurt after Wade and Jimmy Butler went scorched earth, followed by Rajon Rondo’s Instagram post questioning their leadership in return.

It seems like so long ago considering the direction the Bulls have gone since, but the players insist there’s no hard feelings toward Wade, as the Bulls will see Wade in a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey tomorrow night in Cleveland for the first time since his buyout two weeks ago.

“We never had any conflict with Dwyane. Just after that game, they had some tough declaration, Jimmy and D-Wade,” said Nikola Mirotic, a player who one could argue was a target of Wade’s ire that night. “But that was all. It’s a part of the game. They were hot. There was disappointment about the game.”

The players were fined by the Bulls for making their feelings public, but it pulled behind a necessary curtain and revealed some warts the franchise tried to conceal—even though it was clear for all the observers to see Wade and Butler’s urgency didn’t mesh as well with an underdeveloped and inexperienced group, along with Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg trying to corral differing factions.

“It forced everyone to get in a room and be honest with each other,” Hoiberg said. “Really, it got us in my opinion playing better. It happened, it got us in that room for a long session, we hashed a lot of things out, and we were better because of it.”

Hoiberg’s leadership was questioned for the second time in two seasons as head coach, especially having to coach a player in Wade who still desperately wanted to be in a contending situation.

It took a while, especially after the Bulls traded veteran Taj Gibson to Oklahoma City in what amounted to a salary dump, but they rebounded and could have advanced to the second round if not for Rondo’s wrist injury in Boston.

But then again, the Bulls made their decision to change direction after the season so perhaps the fireworks were more for entertainment than true long-term effect.

“Sometimes those things have to happen,” Hoiberg said. “I talked to a couple of coaches about it that said, at least your guys are in there talking about it. Our guys won't say anything to each other. Maybe it needed to happen, and again, I thought we were better because of it and finished the season playing our best basketball of the year.”

Wade, up until 24 hours before media day, was still a member of the Bulls and whatever feelings from that evening in January had long dissipated. After he and the Bulls reached an agreement on a buyout, he sent young players like Denzel Valentine and Bobby Portis text messages of encouragement.

Portis chalked the incident up to things that happen during the course of a basketball season.

“I don’t feel like we had a problem with him,” Portis said. “We just had a little mishap during the season last year. I feel like all the teams have a little trouble during the season, but ours was boosted a little more. But we don’t have any problems with him.

“He was a great leader for us. He came in every day, came into work. When I came in at nighttime, I’d see him here at nighttime, he and Jimmy, so I feel like he was a great leader. He showed us hard work and things like that, especially in the playoffs. He even revved it up even more, and when our team gets back to playoff mode that’s something I will take from him and it will help some of the other guys.”

CUBS: Game 4 postponed to Wednesday: Could postseason rain go against the Cubs this time around?

By Vinnie Duber

(Photo/USA TODAY)

It’s no longer “if the rain comes,” as the Beatles sang. The rain is here.

What is supposed to be a lengthy downpour throughout the Chicagoland area started Tuesday evening and postponed Game 4 of the NLDS, pushing things back to 3:08 p.m. Wednesday at Wrigley Field. So the Cubs, just a win away from advancing to their third straight NLCS, will have to wait another day to go for a clinch.

But while last fall’s postseason rainstorm was a welcome sight for the Cubs, this time around the inclement weather could wind up going the opposite way for the North Siders.

They seemingly dodged a bullet when Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker announced that Tanner Roark will still be his team’s starting pitcher for the now-rescheduled Game 4, a surprising move considering Stephen Strasburg — who no-hit the Cubs into the sixth inning in Game 1 of this series — would figure to be ready to go on regular rest.

But with Baker making some comments about Strasburg — and much of his team — being “under the weather” due to changing temperatures inside and outside of their Chicago hotel, apparently the guy who struck out 10 Cubs batters this past Friday isn’t as ready as he seems. That means the Cubs get another crack at a pitcher who while still good isn’t the elite arm that Strasburg is.

Still, the nearly 24-hour shift in Game 4’s start time could have drastic effects on the remainder of the series.

The Cubs had seemingly all the momentum after winning Game 3 in thrilling fashion on Tuesday, momentum that now comes to a screeching halt, not all that dissimilar from the ceasing of the Cleveland Indians’ roll during last fall’s World Series. After Rajai Davis’ home run threw a wrench into Game 7, Jason Heyward’s clubhouse speech became a legendary moment in Cubs lore. This time, it’s the Cubs who have to sit and cool off while waiting for weather to pass.

The Nationals, meanwhile, get time to try and warm up their bats. Joe Maddon, like his counterpart in the opposite dugout, is sticking with his scheduled starter and will throw Jake Arrieta in Game 4 on Wednesday as he planned to do Tuesday. An argument could be made that the Cubs could have turned to their Game 1 starter after how magnificent Kyle Hendricks was in Washington. But the Cubs are equally confident in Arrieta to go out and get the job done as he battles back from his hamstring issue.

“Listen, Jake's really primed for this opportunity,” Maddon said before the rains came Tuesday. “He's done a great job of rehabbing his leg. He feels very good arm- and leg-wise right now. I'm real eager to watch him play.

“I just feel good about where Jake is right now physically and mentally, because he is. He's mentioned how great his arm feels, also, based on the rest, too. So you have the combination of resting his arm, resting his leg.”

But if the slowed momentum means the Cubs don’t win Game 4 on Wednesday, this series could dramatically swing, not just because Strasburg would await in Game 5 but because the Cubs could see another unfriendly pitcher on the mound in Max Scherzer. Scherzer took a no-hitter into the seventh in Monday’s Game 3, and he vowed to be available to pitch out of the bullpen in Game 5. So if the Cubs drop Game 4, then Game 5 becomes a tall task with the Nationals’ top two pitchers waiting.

So while rain worked in the Cubs’ favor last postseason, this time around, rain could make things a lot tougher.

The rain has come. And we only have to wait a day to find out what kind of effect it will have.

Clinch squad? Here's the Cubs' starting lineup for Game 4 of the NLDS. 

By Vinnie Duber

(Photo/USA TODAY)

Will this be the group that fuels a Game 4 clincher and kicks off a clubhouse celebration Tuesday night at Wrigley Field?

The Cubs announced Joe Maddon's starting lineup for Game 4 of the NLDS, where a win would advance the North Siders to their third straight NLCS and bring an end to the Washington Nationals' season.

Here's how it stacks up:

1. Jon Jay, CF
2. Kris Bryant, 3B
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
4. Willson Contreras, C
5. Ben Zobrist, RF
6. Kyle Schwarber, LF
7. Addison Russell, SS
8. Javy Baez, 2B
9. Jake Arrieta, P

The lineup looks much like it did for Game 3, with the exception of Baez's reinsertion. Baez is 0-for-6 with a walk in this series.

Jason Heyward, who is a startling 0-for-18 in his career against Nationals starter Tanner Roark, does not start. Schwarber is back in left field after his defensive disaster in Game 3, but his .497 slugging percentage against right-handed pitching during the regular season means his bat is too valuable to sit. Zobrist also remains firmly planted in the No. 5 spot in the batting order, where he was Monday. Despite plenty of calls for his postseason benching, Zobrist came up with a huge hit to end Max Scherzer's no-hit bid in Game 3.

The Cubs haven't had too much success against Roark in the past. Only two Cubs have more than one career hit against Roark: Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant. Rizzo has four hits in 18 plate appearances, two of those being home runs. Bryant has been great against Roark, 5-for-11 with a homer.

Unsurprisingly, there will be a big focus on Arrieta, who will make his first start since a brief three-inning outing against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sept. 26. Arrieta, like Nationals ace and Game 3 starter Max Scherzer, is battling a hamstring issue. He logged just 10.1 innings of work during the month of September while bothered by the injury.

Arrieta's lone start against the Nationals this season was the now-infamous 6-1 loss in which the Nationals stole seven bases — four alone from Trea Turner — prompting the postgame comments from Miguel Montero, who was off the team the following day.

Arrieta is looking to take the baton and continue what has been a trend of fantastic starting pitching for the Cubs in this series. The Cubs are the first team ever to have three consecutive starts of five-plus innings with one or zero runs allowed and two or fewer hits allowed in the same postseason series. Kyle Hendricks allowed no runs and two hits in Game 1, Jon Lester allowed one earned run and two hits in Game 2, and Jose Quintana allowed zero earned runs and two hits in Game 3.

Former Cubs skipper Dusty Baker will send this starting lineup out against Arrieta:

1. Trea Turner, SS
2. Jayson Werth, LF
3. Bryce Harper, RF
4. Ryan Zimmerman, 1B
5. Daniel Murphy, 2B
6. Anthony Rendon, 3B
7. Matt Wieters, C
8. Michael Taylor, CF
9. Tanner Roark, P

While the starting eight position players are the same as Games 1, 2 and 3, Baker has moved around where those guys are batting. Werth gets moved up to the No. 2 spot, while Harper, Zimmerman, Murphy and Rendon get bumped down, Rendon is moved down from third to sixth.

The Nationals have had a ton of trouble hitting Cubs pitching, as chronicled above. They're just 11-for-91 in the series, and three players — Zimmerman, Harper and Taylor — account for seven of those hits. Zimmerman and Taylor are the only players with NLDS batting averages above .200.

Harper, Murphy and Rendon have had success against Arrieta during their careers, with a combined 14 hits in 53 plate appearances. Murphy, Werth and Adam Lind are the three Nationals with home runs against Arrieta.

Obviously, it's worth keeping an eye on Turner, who stole four of the seven bases in that game against Arrieta back in June. He's 0-for-12 in the series so far, but should he get on base, he could change things immediately with his speed.

Roark is an Illinois native, from Wilmington, and a University of Illinois alum. A former Cubs fan, he's had success pitching at Wrigley Field: 3-1 with a 3.52 ERA in five games (four starts).

Cubs have seen just about everything from Nationals and reacted like this: ‘So what? Now what?’

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/USA TODAY)

Dusty Baker is a former Marine, a Renaissance man and a borderline Hall of Famer, but at Wrigley Field he will always be identified on some level for how the 2003 Cubs completely collapsed, five outs away from the World Series.

Less than three months after Steve Bartman got a championship ring, this is the how the Cubs have reacted to everything the Washington Nationals have done in this National League Division Series: “So what? Now what?”

It didn’t matter that Stephen Strasburg took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of Game 1, and the bullpen imploded in a Game 2 loss, and the defense committed four errors in Game 3 while Max Scherzer pitched a no-hitter into the seventh inning on a bad right hamstring.

After a 2-1 loss on Monday night, Baker still had to explain why he pulled Scherzer after 98 pitches and led his team into an elimination game without using top setup guy Ryan Madson or closer Sean Doolittle. This team is just wired differently – physically, mentally and emotionally – than the ones that tortured Cubs fans for generations.

“There was no panic in the dugout,” said Ben Zobrist, who ended Scherzer’s no-hitter with a double into the left-center field gap and knocked out the two-time Cy Young Award winner. “There was no thought that it wasn’t going to happen. It was just: When is it going to happen?

“When we make mistakes, as a team, the mantra is: So what? Now what?”

Like when the Cubs sacrifice left-field defense for middle-of-the-order offense and hope Kyle Schwarber can change the game with one thunderous left-handed swing against Scherzer. Only to watch Schwarber misjudge Daniel Murphy’s flyball in left field and then knock it away as he tried to pick it up, that double error leading to Washington’s first run in the sixth inning.

“That’s just the way we’re built,” said Albert Almora Jr., standing at his locker after delivering the pinch-hit single that scored Zobrist and tied the game in the seventh inning. “It starts before the game. When we’re in here, we’re family. And then once the game starts, we’re never out of it until the last out’s recorded.

“‘We never quit.’ It was on our World Series ring last year. That motto doesn't change.”

The Cubs listen to Jason Heyward, the Gold Glove outfielder with the $184 million contract who became a part-time player during last year’s postseason and still had enough juice to give the Game 7 Rain Delay Speech.

Heyward and center fielder Jon Jay spoke with Schwarber during the Jose Quintana/Pedro Strop pitching change that blew up on Maddon in the sixth inning.

“Just keep going,” Heyward said. “(Schwarber) was trying to make the play. That’s that. Just got to go onto the next thing. Just relax and (remember) the game is not over. Just give him some love there. It’s a tough spot and you know he wants to come through. We all do.”

Heyward had already wiped away errors by Quintana and Zobrist when he stared into the sun and made a running catch on the warning track to rob No. 3 hitter Anthony Rendon, ending the third inning.

Heyward needed to follow his own advice after killing that seventh-inning rally, making a rare miscalculation on the ball Addison Russell drove into center field, committing to trying to score from first base and thinking it would fade away from Michael A. Taylor. Wrong.

After that 8-4-3 double play, Heyward said, “Guys were telling me: ‘Hey, so what? Now what?’ Tie game, got some baseball left to play. That’s the only mindset that we have.”

Here’s how Kris Bryant summed up the mood in the dugout while Scherzer stomped on and off the mound: “He’ll break. ‘Q’ was doing his thing, too. I didn’t think there was a sense of urgency or anything. I think we were all pretty fine.”

Whether it’s homegrown players like Bryant and Almora who only know winning in Chicago – or big-ticket free agents like Heyward and Zobrist who were signed to change the culture in Wrigleyville – the Cubs don’t really care how good the Nationals are or worry about what might go wrong. That’s what makes the defending champs so dangerous this October.

“So what? Now what? What are we going to do?” Zobrist said. “That’s the thing around here: Everybody’s going to make mistakes at times, but we got to pick each other up. And that’s what we do.

“We proved that we have that kind of mettle in our system last year. And there’s more to it.”

WHITE SOX: How Rick Hahn and the White Sox could end up the biggest difference-makers in the MLB playoffs.

By Vinnie Duber

(Photo/USA TODAY)

Without the White Sox, this year's MLB postseason would look a lot different.

Already, just one game in, former White Sox players are starring, and with all the talent traded away from the South Side in the past year, it's not unreasonable to suggest that one of the biggest difference-makers in the 2017 playoffs could be Rick Hahn.

Tuesday night's AL wild card game was a good one, the New York Yankees topping the Minnesota Twins by an 8-4 score to advance to the ALDS. And while the Yankees' trio of homers — smacked by Aaron Judge, Didi Gregorius and Brett Gardner — had nothing to do with the White Sox, former South Side relief pitchers David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle combined to throw 5.2 innings of scoreless ball. Those innings were crucial after Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino was lifted after recording just one out in the first inning. Severino coughed up three first-inning runs and earned a quick hook in the winner-take-all game. Fortunately for the Yankees, the offense responded with three runs of its own in the bottom of the first and the bullpen stopped the bleeding. Robertson and Kahnle did the majority of that work.

That deadline deal involving the White Sox and Yankees, which also included third baseman Todd Frazier, was tremendously beneficial for both sides as the two franchises are at vastly different places when it comes to competing for a championship. The Yankees made that deal for exactly this kind of scenario, and without it, maybe the Twins would have advanced on Tuesday night.

But the AL wild card game won't be the only place the White Sox recent flurry of deals will be felt this postseason. Obviously the Yankees now move on to face off against the Cleveland Indians, and Robertson, Kahnle and Frazier figure to all continue to play big roles for the Bronx Bombers. But look elsewhere on the bracket, too. The two guys who just a year ago topped the White Sox rotation are now pitching in the playoffs with new teams.

Chris Sale will get the ball in Game 1 of the ALDS between his Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros. Sale, who struck out 308 hitters this season and is a candidate to win the AL Cy Young, could have a monumental impact on the playoffs for as long as the Red Sox stay alive. He's the kind of top-of-the-line starting pitcher who the Red Sox could throw twice in a best-of-five series and three times, perhaps, in a best-of-seven series. As we've seen in recent years with pitchers like Madison Bumgarner, Corey Kluber and Cole Hamels and further back with guys like Josh Beckett, one starting pitcher can dominate a postseason. Is Sale that guy this year? That would be some instant gratification for the Red Sox after the offseason trade that sent Sale to Boston and brought back Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech to the White Sox.

Jose Quintana, meanwhile, might not be the ace of the Cubs' starting staff, but he'll make his first career postseason start in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Washington Nationals. Quintana was one of the Cubs' most reliable starting pitchers down the stretch, posting a 2.52 ERA in five September starts, and he figures to make a big difference every time he grabs the ball. Obviously, the longer the Cubs remain in the playoffs, the greater an impact he will make.

It's well known the prospects that Hahn acquired in the deals that sent these impact guys out of town, and that's gone a long way toward building what he hopes is a championship team of the future. Don't be surprised, though, if one of these deals ends up making a big difference on whatever team is the championship squad of the present.

Just for fun, here are all the former White Sox (and some former White Sox farmhands) on the 40-man rosters of this year's playoff teams:

— Cleveland Indians: Austin Jackson

— Houston Astros: Tyler Clippard, Chris Devenski, Francisco Liriano

— Boston Red Sox: Chris Sale, Addison Reed, Chris Young

— New York Yankees: Tommy Kahnle, David Robertson, Todd Frazier

— Minnesota Twins: Eduardo Escobar

— Los Angeles Dodgers: Brandon McCarthy, Trayce Thompson

— Washington Nationals: Matt Albers, Gio Gonzalez, Edwin Jackson, Alejandro De Aza, Adam Eaton

— Chicago Cubs: Jose Quintana, Alex Avila

Golf: I got a club for that..... CIMB Classic: Tee times, TV schedule, stats.

By Golf Channel Digital

The PGA Tour heads to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this week for the CIMB Classic. Here is the key information for the second event of the 2017-18 season.

Golf course: TPC Kuala Lumpur is the first TPC network facility to be located in Southeast Asia. It was known as Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club until August 2016. This event is being played on the facility's West Course (7,005 yards, par 72).

Purse: The total purse is $7 million, with $1.26 million going to the winner.

TV schedule (all times Eastern): Golf Channel, Wednesday and Thursday, 10:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 p.m.-3 a.m. 

Live streaming: www.golfchannel.com/pgastream. Wednesday and Thursday, 10:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 p.m.-3 a.m. 

Notable tee times: (all times ET) 8:40 p.m. Wednesday, 9:40 p.m. Thursday: Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Gavin Kyle Green; 8:50 p.m. Wednesday, 9:50 p.m.
Thursday: Brendan Steele, Jhonattan Vegas, Charl Schwartzel; 9:40 p.m. Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. Thursday: Paul Casey, Si Woo Kim, Davis Love III; 9:50 p.m. Wednesday, 8:40 p.m. Thursday: Hideki Matsuyama, Pat Perez, Branden Grace.

Defending champion: Justin Thomas is the two-time defending champion, having won in 2015 and '16.

Notables in the field: Thomas, Casey, Matsuyama, Schwartzel

Key stats:

• TPC Kuala Lumpur is not a long course. The final three par-4s (the 14th, 16th, and 17th) all measure less than 360 yards. It ranked as the seventh-easiest course to par on the 2016-2017 PGA Tour (out of 50 courses) as the field averaged 70.30 (-1.70) per round.

• The East Course at TPC Kuala Lumpur has hosted the LPGA’s Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia in each of the last seven years and will host for the eighth consecutive time in two weeks (Oct. 26-29).

• This is the eighth CIMB Classic, which is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour, Asian Tour and PGA of Malaysia.

• Ben Crane won the inaugural event in 2010 at The Mines Golf & Country Club by one stroke over Brian Davis. It was the first event in Southeast Asia to be co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour.

• The field features 78 players for a fifth consecutive year: 60 players from the 2016-2017 FedExCup points list, the top 10 players available from the 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit and eight sponsor exemptions (two players from Malaysia and six PGA Tour members).

Stats and information provided by the Golf Channel editorial research unit

Euro Tour to use 40-second shot clock at '18 event.

By Will Gray

(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)

The European Tour will take another crack at curbing slow play next summer when they implement a 40-second shot clock on every hole at the Austrian Open.

As first reported by the U.K.'s Daily Mail, the June 7-10 event outside Vienna will feature referees walking with every group, timer in hand. Players will be given a warning the equivalent of a yellow card in soccer for their first offense, while every subsequent shot that takes longer than 40 seconds will incur a one-shot penalty.

The report cites an unnamed official who estimates that the measure could help speed up rounds by as much as 45 minutes. It reportedly received "unanimous support" at a players' meeting during last week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, including that of 2016 Ryder Cup participants Lee Westwood and Andy Sullivan.

"It underlines how long 40 seconds is to play a shot, and how ridiculous it is that rounds take so long," Sullivan said. "The sooner it's introduced on tour, the better."

It's the second time in as many years that the European Tour has introduced an innovation designed to speed up play. The inaugural edition of Golf Sixes in May featured a digital, 40-second shot clock behind players on one hole, where American Paul Peterson received the only slow-play penalty of the week.

This year also saw the first slow play penalty on the PGA Tour since 1995, when the team of Miguel Angel Carballo and Brian Campbell were docked a shot during the alternate-shot portion of the two-man Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Despite tensions, LPGA has strong field in Korea.

By Randall Mell

(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)

The growing tension and saber rattling between North Korea and the United States isn’t deterring the LPGA’s best this week.

A strong field is poised to tee it up in Thursday’s start to the KEB Hana Bank Championship in Incheon, South Korea.

Fifteen of the top 16 players in the Rolex Women’s World Rankings are scheduled to compete, with only Inbee Park missing, due to injury. While it’s a limited field with 78 players, the tournament ranks as one of the strongest of the year at the top of the world rankings.

As for tensions along the border, LPGA officials addressed player security concerns heading into the event.

“As a matter of course, we share safety and security information with our players and caddies for many of the tournaments on our schedule,” Heather Daly-Donofrio, the LPGA's chief communications and tour operations officer, said in response to a GolfChannel.com inquiry.

“Regarding Korea, specifically, we have had regular contact with our security teams in the U.S. and Korea, with the U.S. Department of State, as well as the PGA Tour, regarding their event in Korea this fall.

“Based on information and counsel received from all parties, we are comfortable with the event in Incheon, and with all safety precautions that are in place as they relate to our players, caddies, staff and partners.”

Notably, Oct. 10 is the founding anniversary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, a day North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has marked in the past with missile or nuclear tests. CNBC reported that North Korea is “widely expected” to conduct another missile test sometime over the next 10 days.

“They are preparing for new tests of a long-range missile,” Russian lawmaker Anton Morozov told Russia’s RIA news agency in a quote cited by CNBC on Monday.

Reuters reported Monday that Mozorov said the North Koreans “gave us mathematical calculations that they believe prove that their missile can hit the West Coast of the United States.”

The LPGA’s strong turnout is a testament to the tour’s communication with players.

“We consistently tell our players that their personal comfort level should be the driving force in a decision to play a particular event,” Daly-Donofrio said. “Should any player choose not to compete in an event, due to the political climate of a particular region, we would fully support that decision.”

This week’s event will feature the top three players in the world rankings, with No. 1 So Yeon Ryu, No. 2 Sung Hyun Park and No. 3 Lexi Thompson grouped together in the first round.

South Koreans have dominated this season, and there’s pride in that success, with the nation embracing its LPGA event. South Koreans have won nearly half the events played this year (13 of 27) and three of the five majors. This week’s field includes 12 Korean LPGA Tour players. Ryu, Sung Hyun Park and Thompson are in a heightened battle for Rolex Player of the Year, money-winning list, Vare Trophy and Race to the CME Globe honors with just six events left in the season.

“I’m sure that a lot of players, we say that we’re not going to focus on these titles, but I would really like to win the Player the Year,” Ryu said. “Not because I need that recognition to really feel how well I did this year, but, rather, I think it would be kind of like a medal for myself, to really just pat myself on the back on a really great year done. But I have to say, for the past 10 years as a pro golfer, the biggest lesson I learned is I do far better when I don’t look too far, and when I focus on what’s ahead of me right now.”

Ryu leads the Rolex Player of the Year standings by a mere three points over Lexi Thompson. The winner of this week’s event earns 30 points.

Wie returns to action following appendectomy.

By Randall Mell

(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)

Michelle Wie is back in action six weeks after undergoing emergency surgery to remove her appendix following her withdrawal from the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

She’s scheduled to tee it up Thursday at the KEB Hana Bank Championship in Incheon, South Korea.

“I’m extremely excited to be back, and I’m healthy,” Wie said.

While Wie said she only began hitting full shots three days before leaving the United States for South Korea, she said she feels ready to compete.

“Unfortunately, I couldn't really do much,” Wie said of her recuperation. “For the last four or five weeks, I couldn't lift anything heavier than 10 pounds. So, I've just been putting and chipping a little bit, from four weeks on.

“I'm not expecting to be rusty. I might be a little bit. I'm just going to try and be patient with myself and take it easy out there and just try to manage how I feel and what not.”

Wie’s appendicitis put the brakes on the terrific momentum she built in this resurgent year. She climbed from No. 186 in the world in early February to No. 31 this week. While she hasn’t won this year, Wie has played her way into contention regularly, with six finishes of T-4 or better this year.

Looking to finish off what she started, Wie plans to play each of the final six events on this year’s LPGA schedule.

“Hopefully, I can build some momentum,” Wie said.

NASCAR: Chase Elliott has one goal for Talledega: 'Keep all four (tires) on the ground'.

By Dustin Long

(Photo/Getty Images)

Kyle Larson relates to what Chase Elliott is going through with so many runner-up finishes while seeking his first career Cup win. Larson also knows what is likely in Elliott’s future.

“He will win,’’ Larson said after Elliott finished second last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. “When he wins one, he is going to win a lot, similar to kind of what I did this year.’’

After scoring four runner-up finishes in his first 99 Cup starts, Larson won at Michigan in August 2016, triggering a run that has seen Larson become one of the sport’s dominant drivers. In the 41 starts since, Larson won four times, scored 10 runner-up finishes and had 19 top-five results.

Elliott already has six runner-up finishes in 71 career Cup starts, including three in the opening four playoff races. A win in the next two weeks would advance him to the Round of 8 and move him closer to his first Cup title. 

“I certainly appreciate the kind words,’’ Elliott said of Larson’s comments. “We’ve been able to start the playoffs strong. It’s been refreshing to come to the track and have the kind of runs that we’ve been having and to come down pit road and have the stops that we’re having. We just have to make sure we carry that stuff forward. We have all the ingredients to do so.’’

Elliott said there’s not been one major change that has led to his team’s turnaround — he has not finished worse than 11th in the last six races — but notes that his cars and pit crew have improved and that’s played a key role.

“A big thing is coming down pit road and having some really good pit stops,’’ Elliott said during a break in testing Tuesday at Martinsville Speedway. “It’s hard to put a price tag on that. Our guys are doing their homework, they’re doing their jobs.

“When you can have your car balanced well … you’re going to get to a point where it is going to be harder and harder to pass guys. When you come down pit road and have solid pit stops, hopefully gain a spot or two here or there throughout a day, we’ve been able to stay in front of some of those guys that we jumped. That is really the kind of things you have to do to have success.’’

Elliott’s runner-up finish at Charlotte puts him 16 points ahead of the first car outside of a transfer spot to the next round, but Elliott is not conformable with that advantage heading into the unknown that is Talladega.

In May’s race at Talladega, Elliott was turned by AJ Allmendinger and got on his side down the backstretch while Allmendinger ended up sliding on his roof in a crash that damaged 18 of the 40 cars.

“You go cross your fingers,’’ Elliott said of Sunday’s race. “The stage points are very valuable, and I think everybody knows that. So everybody is going to want to go and get stage points. There’s also a price tag with wrecking that early in the race. Hopefully, we’re not in it and we can get out of there and just keep all four on the ground this time, I’d be happy.’’

As for Tuesday, Elliott was taking part in an organizational test at Martinsville Speedway. The test continues Wednesday. Other playoff drivers taking part in the test include Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson. Also testing were Austin and Ty Dillon and Landon Cassill (Ford), Alex Bowman (Chevrolet) and Drew Herring (Toyota ).

“Just trying to find some consistency and what I’m doing behind the wheel and really some of the things I did here in the spring, I thought was my best race here,’’ said Elliott, who finished third in the spring race and had nine-time Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon at the test Tuesday helping him. “Trying to find that rhythm.’’

If he advances through this round, the Oct. 29 Cup race at Martinsville could be the one that helps him advance to the championship finale next month in Miami.

Keep track of NASCAR Silly Season with this scorecard.

By Dustin Long

(Photo/Getty ImagesLan)

Landon Cassill became the next driver to become a part of Silly Season when Front Row Motorsports informed him that he will not be back after this season in the No. 34 car.

Cassill said he’s exploring his options, joining a number of drivers who are looking for rides for next season.

Here’s a look at where Silly Season stands as Cup teams head to Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday’s playoff race.

ANNOUNCED RIDES FOR 2018

— Kasey Kahne will join Leavine Family Racing and drive the No. 95 car. (announcement made Sept. 19)

— Ty Dillon signs a multi-year contract to remain at Germain Racing and drive the No. 13 car. Sponsor Geico also extends its deal with the team (announcement made Sept. 5)

— Chris Buescher signs a multi-year contract to remain at JTG Daugherty and drive the No. 37 car. (announcement made Aug. 18)

— Matt DiBenedetto will remain with Go Fas Racing in the team’s No. 32 car (announcement made Aug. 12)

— William Byron will drive the No. 24 at Hendrick Motorsports, replacing Kasey Kahne (announcement made Aug. 9)

— Paul Menard moves to Wood Brothers Racing to drive the No. 21 car (announcement made July 26)

— Ryan Blaney moves to Team Penske to drive the No. 12 car and signs a multi-year contract extension (announcement made July 26)

— Brad Keselowski agrees to contract extension to drive the No. 2 car for Team Penske (announcement made July 25) 

— Alex Bowman will drive the No. 88 at Hendrick Motorsports, replacing Dale Earnhardt Jr. (announcement made July 20)

— Erik Jones will drive the No. 20 at Joe Gibbs Racing, replacing Matt Kenseth (announcement made July 11)

OPEN/POSSIBLY OPEN RIDES

— No. 10: Danica Patrick is out after this season at Stewart-Haas Racing. No replacement has been announced. 

— No. 27: Richard Childress Racing states it will announce plans for a third Cup team at a later date with Paul Menard joining the Wood Brothers for next season.

— No. 34: Front Row Motorsports informed Landon Cassill on Oct. 9 that he would not be returning to the team next season. The team has not announced its driver lineup for next season. 

— No. 41: Stewart-Haas Racing declined to pick up the option on Kurt Busch’s contract for next year on Aug. 1. Even so, the team tweeted that it expected Busch back with sponsor Monster Energy for next year. Busch told reporters Aug. 5 at Watkins Glen that “there are a couple of offers already, so we’ll see how things work out.’’  

— No. 43: Richard Petty Motorsports announced Sept. 12 that Aric Almirola will not return to the team. Smithfield also is not returning. Smithfield and Richard Petty Motorsports exchanged terse statements about their parting. RPM is selling Darrell Wallace Jr. to prospective sponsors.  

— No. 77: Furniture Row Racing has sold the charter to this team. Although the team is still looking for sponsorship for the team, Joe Garone, team president, said the chances of the organization running only one car next year is “high.’’

AVAILABLE DRIVERS

Matt Kenseth: Out of the No. 20 after this season. Doesn’t have anything announced for next year. At Bristol, Kenseth was asked about his plans for 2018. He said: “I’m not worried about (2018) even really one percent anymore to be honest with you. I’m just not concerned about it.’’  

Kurt Busch: With Stewart-Haas Racing declining to pick up his option for next year, Busch is a free agent. Even with Stewart-Haas Racing’s action, there’s still a good chance Busch signs a deal to remain with the organization.

Danica Patrick: She will not return to Stewart-Haas Racing after this season. Patrick has not announced any plans for next season. She’s not looking for a ride in the Xfinity Series. “Cup only,’’ she said. 

Aric Almirola: Won’t return to Richard Petty Motorsports, team announced Sept. 12.

Michael McDowell: Will not return to Leavine Family Racing with Kasey Kahne joining the team next season.

Darrell Wallace Jr.: Richard Petty Motorsports is selling Wallace to prospective sponsors for the No. 43 car for next season. He gained interest from RPM after driving in four races for the team while Aric Almirola was injured.

Landon Cassill: Searching for a ride after being informed he will not be back at Front Row Motorsports. He said Oct. 10 that he did not have sponsorship to bring with him at the time.

2018 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to be held Jan. 19.

By NBC Sports

(Photo/Getty Images)

The NASCAR Hall of Fame will induct its 2018 Class on Jan. 19 at the Crown Ballroom at the Charlotte Convention Center. Tickets are on sale now.

The 2018 Class includes:

• Red Byron won NASCAR’s first race in 1948 on the Daytona Beach Road Course. He went on in 1948 to win NASCAR’s first season championship—in the NASCAR Modified Division. The following year, he won NASCAR’s first Strictly Stock Division title—the precursor to today’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series—driving for NASCAR Hall of Fame car owner Raymond Parks.

• Ray Evernham guided Jeff Gordon and the No. 24 team to three championships in four seasons (1995, ’97 and ’98) and a series-leading 47 wins in the 1990s. Among their triumphs were two Daytona 500s (1997 and ’99) and two Brickyard 400s (1994 and ’98).

• Ron Hornaday Jr. boasts a record four championships and 51 wins in what is today the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Hornaday also holds the Truck Series record for top fives (158) and top 10s (234).

• Ken Squier co-founded the Motor Racing Network in 1970. He called the 1979 Daytona 500 on CBS, a milestone moment for the entire sport, as his voice welcomed millions to the first live flag-to-flag coverage of “The Great American Race”—a moniker he coined. He is the inaugural winner/namesake of the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence.

• Robert Yates won NASCAR premier series championships as both an engine builder and an owner. He provided the power behind NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough, later leading Allison to a series championship in 1983 with DiGard Racing. In the late 1980s, Yates tried his hand at ownership, and success quickly followed to the tune of three Daytona 500s and the 1999 NASCAR premier series championship.

Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

SOCCER: International embarrassment: USMNT out of World Cup.

By Nicholas Mendola

(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwel)

Needing just a point to get a place in the 2018 World Cup, the United States suffered one of the most embarrassing losses in men’s national team history on Tuesday at Trinidad and Tobago.

A pair of first half goals put Bruce Arena’s unchanged XI behind the 8-ball, and only Christian Pulisic could muster a goal in the second half as the Yanks lost 2-1 at Ato Boldon Stadium.

Panama and Honduras both won, sending the United States out of the World Cup.

An early offside was spotted by the linesman and deprived Trinidad and Tobago a shock opener from Shahdon Winchester.

Paul Arriola was fouled, but advantage was played as DeAndre Yedlin raced onto the ball and cued up Jozy Altidore for a shot that cleared the cross bar by a few feet.

The U.S. went behind when Tim Howard fooled by Alvin Jones’ cross that Gonzalez turned into his own goal.

And Jones got a goal of his own, and my was it a beautiful one. Joevin’s little brother found himself in a backyard or two’s worth of space and tore into a shot that rocketed side netting to make it 2-0.

When the U.S. needed a strong first half the most, it puked.

Pulisic then opened the door for the U.S., curling a beauty inside the side netting from 20 yards in the 47th minute.

But the Yanks, led by a Michael Bradley stab tackle, let T&T race to the doorstep. Tim Howard made a save and DeAndre Yedlin blocked a rebound effort.

A Bradley free kick from his office on the flank was headed over the frame by Altidore.

Bradley played his next free kick square to substitute Clint Dempsey, but Adrian Foncette pushed his shot out for a corner which came to nothing.

Dempsey hit the far post with a 20-yard shot in the 77th minute. Nagbe won a corner in the 81st, but it came to nothing.

Another sub, Benny Feilhaber, nearly headed home an equalizer off Pulisic’s cross, but Foncette’s pushed it away for a corner.

Three things from the USMNT’s historic failure in Trinidad.

By Nicholas Mendola

(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

The United States failed in a major way on Tuesday, and that’s still somehow sugarcoating its 2-1 loss in Trinidad and Tobago.

For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Americans will not be plying their trade at a World Cup.

Bruce Arena, you played yourself

The USMNT manager preached squad rotation last month in an embarrassing two-match stretch that saw the Americans take just one point.

So what does he do following an exceptionally emotional 4-0 home win over Panama? Puts the same exact lineup out there.

The Yanks looked dazed and listless for the most part, aside from Jozy Altidore dropping deep into the midfield to help, well, whoever else was supposed to be there with Michael Bradley and some hard running from Paul Arriola and DeAndre Yedlin (I believe Jorge Villafana had a tackle in there, too).

Arena then doubled down on his domestic philosophy bringing on Clint Dempsey, Kellyn Acosta, and Benny Feilhaber as substitutes. Premier League mainstay Geoff Cameron was left on the bench for 180 minutes. Nevermind leaving international caliber players like Fabian Johnson, Timmy Chandler, and even Danny Williams in the wilderness.

Adding to the embarrassment were Arena’s postgame comments, in which he seemed to imply he had better players he would’ve used in the future.

“If we had qualified for the World Cup, there needed to be a number of changes for the World Cup roster.”

In its hour of need, U.S. Soccer turned to its domestic heroes. And they failed.

But so did the players

Find a player who stood out on Tuesday.

I’m still waiting.

Yes, Pulisic scored a great goal. And both DeAndre Yedlin, Jozy Altidore, and Bobby Wood ran their socks off. Clint Dempsey provided an injection of fury and hit the post as a substitute.

But they needed far more than that and, as they had in every road Hex match and several home ones, showed an entitlement and lack of urgency that belied their status as the third- and later fifth-place team in CONCACAF.

Michael Bradley will probably not play at another World Cup. USMNT legends Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, and Geoff Cameron almost certainly will not.

And the guys Arena did use?

“Our center backs were not confident with the ball, and really we were playing eight against 10 in the first half. Our forwards were not able to hold the ball. We didn’t get Pulisic into the game. We played poorly.”

To be fair, it wasn’t both center backs, rather Omar Gonzalez. Arena’s former LA Galaxy charge scored an own goal and nearly gave a penalty kick away moments later.

Overhaul or nothing

This one is short and sweet: Arena was almost certainly not going to manage beyond the World Cup in Russia, but powerful president Sunil Gulati was almost certain to go onward.

I’m not sure there are enough American Outlaws and moneymen on Earth to back that move now.

Watch the 20th anniversary celebration of the Fire.

By Dan Santaromita

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

October 8 is the day of the Great Chicago Fire and also the day that the city's soccer club by the same name was founded.

Sunday marked the 20th anniversary of Peter Wilt and Major League Soccer unveiling Chicago Fire Soccer Club. A group of fans volunteered their time and effort to put together a celebration of 20 years of Fire soccer.

The party was held at the Chicago Cultural Center. Dozens of former players reunited and about 450 fans paid their way to join in on the fun.

Bob Bradley, coach of the original Fire team in 1998 that won both MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup, was joined by other members of that original team like Piotr Nowak, Jerzy Podbrozny, Lubos Kubik and Frank Klopas among others. More recent players like Chris Rolfe and 2013 MLS MVP Mike Magee were also in attendance along with most of the current squad.

Watch the video attached to the story to see what the 20th anniversary meant to some of the former players. The video that follows has perspectives from both fans who helped organize the event and those who were simply in attendance.

U-17 World Cup wrap: Iran shocks Germany; Brazil wins.

By Nicholas Mendola

(Photo/@TelemundoDeportes)

Tuesday’s U-17 World Cup action in India featured one of the bigger upsets imaginable, as Iran shocked Germany with a blowout win.

Iran had already beaten Guinea to open the group stage, and now looks set to claim Group C. Meanwhile, Brazil got a goal from Paulinho (no, not that one, he’s 29) to clinch a spot in the knockout rounds.

Group C

Iran 4-0 Germany

Younes Delfi scored twice in the first half as Iran claimed a second win of the tournament. Allahyar Sayyad and Vahid Namdari also recorded goals, while Germany remains on three points.

Look at this clinical work and poor defending leading up to Iran’s fourth goal, which came courtesy of Namdari.

Costa Rica 2-2 Guinea

CRC tossed away 1-0 and 2-1 leads provided by Andres Gomez and Yecxy Jarquin to snare its first point of the tournament.

Group D

Spain 4-0 Niger

Barcelona prospect Abel Ruiz bagged a brace, with Barca’s Sergio Gomez Martin and Real Madrid’s Cesar Gelabert also nabbing markers as Spain rebounded well from a 2-1 loss to Brazil.

North Korea 0-2 Brazil

Lincoln and Paulinho scored as Brazil moved to 2-0. North Korea did have it chances, though, and Brazil goalkeeper Gabriel Brazao was wise to them.

UEFA World Cup qualifying: Who’s in, and who’s in the playoffs?

By Nicholas Mendola

(Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

UEFA World Cup qualifying enters its second round with an Oct. 17 draw, and there’s one big name the rest want to avoid in the two-legged playoffs.

Italy couldn’t top Spain in a qualifying group that drew two of the last three World Cup winners together, and now will meet one of seven other second-placed teams between November 9-14.

Slovakia was the unlucky ninth second-place team, finishing with the least amount of points of its brethren.

As it stands, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, and Croatia will be seeded, which avoids the juicy nightmare that would be Italy vs. Croatia with one missing out.

It also means Northern Ireland cannot face Republic of Ireland.

Clinched berths in Russia: France, Portugal, Germany, Serbia, Poland, England, Spain, Belgium, Iceland.

Playoff participants: Sweden, Switzerland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Denmark, Italy, Greece, Croatia.

Premier League club Power Rankings.

By Joe Prince-Wright

(Photo/nbcsports.com)

Who’s hot and who’s not?

With seven weeks of the season gone, the dust settling from the end of the transfer window and an international break to digest everything so far, we now have a pretty good idea about how things will go for each Premier League team this season.

In the video above we take a closer look at the three in-form teams in the Premier League (one of them is not like the others) and also a look at the three teams struggling the most.

Below is the power rankings list in full.

#1 Manchester City
#2 Manchester United
#3 Burnley
#4 Watford
#5 Tottenham Hotspur
#6 Newcastle United
#7 Arsenal
#8 Chelsea
#9 Huddersfield Town
#10 Stoke City
#11 Brighton & Hove Albion
#12 Liverpool
#13 West Bromwich Albion
#14 Southampton
#15 West Ham United
#16 Swansea City
#17 Bournemouth
#18 Leicester City
#19 Everton
#20 Crystal Palace

NCAAFB: Notre Dame’s Opponents: Second half of schedule continues to look even more impressive.

By Douglas Farmer

(Photo/Getty Images)

The back half of Notre Dame’s schedule toughened its outlook over the weekend, suffering only one loss, and that came on the road against the No. 2 team in the country. Overall, Irish foes went 8-3 (not counting Notre Dame’s win at North Carolina) and are predicted to do so again this weekend, with Wake Forest joining the Irish in taking the week off.

Temple (3-3): The Owls may be buoyed by a 34-10 win at East Carolina, led by junior quarterback Logan Marchi’s 321 yards and two touchdowns, but the score is more a commentary on the Pirates’ defense than anything else. East Carolina ranks last in the country in yards allowed per game, making Marchi’s first career 300-yard game and Temple’s 523 total yards effects rather than causes.

Marchi did cut down on his turnover tendencies. After throwing seven interceptions over the past two weeks, he threw only one in the conference victory.

The Owls may make it two in a row, favored by 9.5 points against Connecticut this weekend (12 p.m. ET, ESPNews). A combined point total over/under of 62 hints at a 36-26 conclusion.

Georgia (6-0): The Bulldogs defense stifled Vanderbilt, holding the Commodores to 64 rushing yards while the Georgia rushing attack powered the offense with 423 yards en route to a 45-14 victory.

Senior running backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb led the way, as usual, with 288 combined yards on 28 total carries. Freshman quarterback Jake Fromm had an efficient day, as well, completing 7-of-11 passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Jacob Eason returned from injury during mop-up time to complete all three of his pass attempts, gaining 24 yards.

It will continue to be a breeze for the Bulldogs, now hosting Missouri (7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network). Favored by a whopping 30.5 points, Georgia very well may prevail by more than a 43-13 margin.

Boston College (2-4): The Eagles continue to play the ACC’s elite close and physically, but they just cannot come out on top. Despite not turning over the ball and committing only five penalties, Boston College fell to Virginia Tech 23-10.

Another of the ACC’s best welcomes the Eagles this week, with Louisville favored by 21.5 points (12:20 p.m. ET, ACC Network). The over/under of 57 indicates an unorthodox score of 39-18. Frankly, Boston College has played everyone relatively close so far — there is no reason to think that stops now.

Michigan State (4-1): When Notre Dame routed the Spartans a few weeks ago, it looked like nothing more than an easy evening against a rebuilding opponent. Michigan State may have rewritten that narrative with its 14-10 victory at Michigan on Saturday.

The Spartans got out to a 14-3 lead at halftime, an important note as the second half was marred by a miserable rainstorm. Junior quarterback Brian Lewerke led Michigan State both through the air and on the ground, gaining 61 yards and a score on 15 carries.

The Spartans now head to Minnesota (8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network) to risk their undefeated Big Ten record. A 4.5-point favorite in a likely low-scoring night, Michigan State should come out on the right side of a 22-18 theoretical final.

Miami (OH) (2-4): The RedHawks season took a turn for the worse this weekend. Bowling Green is a MAC doormat, yet Miami lost to them 37-29. The RedHawks looked poised to escape with a close win before fumbling on the plus seven-yard line with less than two minutes left. A Falcons defender picked up the loose ball, and 93 yards later it was an eight-point margin with only 1:21 left.

The season is not yet lost, though, and Miami can right the ship at Kent State (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3). Favored by 9.5 points, the RedHawks will undoubtedly be plenty motivated this weekend. Combining the over/under with the spread leads to a 26-17 final.

North Carolina (1-5): Notre Dame knocked the Tar Heels another step down a spiral staircase. The 33-10 Irish victory will likely be a larger margin of defeat than North Carolina experiences this weekend, but even a slim loss could be crippling for the Tar Heels. Hosting Virginia (3:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network) just may be their last best chance at an FBS-level victory this year.

Bookmakers do not expect them to manage that. North Carolina is a four-point home underdog against a lower-level ACC opponent. That should give a very clear idea of how far this season might sink. A 55.5-point over/under makes for a 30-25 ending.

USC (5-1): The Trojans cruised past Oregon State 38-10 in Beavers’ head coach Gary Andersen’s final game before resigning. USC junior quarterback Sam Darnold threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns on 23-of-35 passing.

This week will be much tougher on the Trojans. They host Utah (8 p.m. ET, ABC), likely the toughest competition for the Pac 12 South Division title. USC should not have too much trouble, favored by 13 points with a 54.5-point over/under, rounding to a 34-20 result.

North Carolina State (5-1): The Wolfpack has definitively arrived, topping Louisville 39-25 on Thursday to add a second victory over the ACC’s top teams, only awaiting a Nov. 4 matchup vs. Clemson.

North Carolina State gained 520 total yards and averaged 11.5 yards per pass attempt. For a team led by its defense, the offensive explosion was quite noticeable. Junior quarterback Ryan Finley led the way, completing 20-of-31 passes for 367 yards, connecting with three different receivers for at least 99 yards.

The momentum should continue at Pittsburgh (12 p.m. ET, ACC Network), where the Wolfpack is favored by a likely-too-slim 12 points with an over/under of 56. A 34-22 final sounds both too close and too generous for the Panthers.

Wake Forest (4-2): The Demon Deacons could not recover from going down 14-0 in the first quarter to Clemson, eventually falling behind 28-0 before closing the gap to 28-14. The Tigers clearly controlled the contest throughout, holding the time of possession edge 35:05 to 24:55 and rushing for 190 yards on a whopping 48 carries.

Gary Andersen, Oregon State part ways.

By Zach Barnett

(Photo/Getty Images)

Gary Andersen and Oregon State have mutually decided to part ways, the school announced Monday.

“I thank Gary for his many contributions to our student-athletes, OSU Athletics and Oregon State University,” AD Scott Barnes said in a statement. “OSU football has advanced significantly in many ways during Gary’s tenure here, including in our facilities and student-athlete academic performance. This program is poised for success on and off the field.”

The verbiage here is important. By “parting ways” with Oregon State, Andersen has walked away from a contract that was guaranteed to pay him upwards of $2.5 million through 2021. Andersen congratulated himself for that decision in his own statement.

“After many discussions with Scott, waiving my contract is the correct decision and enables the young men and the program to move forward and concentrate on the rest of this season,” Andersen said. “Coaching is not about the mighty dollar. It is about teaching and putting young men in a position to succeed on and off the field. Success comes when all parties involved are moving in the same direction.”

Andersen leaving Wisconsin for Oregon State was a weird move from the start, which was proceeded by a weird move of its own when Mike Riley left Corvallis for Nebraska. (Cue those rumors.)

Oregon State was bad — really bad — this season, winning one of their first six games. The one win came 35-32 over FCS Portland State, and the five losses came by an average of 31.4 points, including a 38-10 loss to No. 13 USC on Saturday. The Beavers went 2-10 and 4-8 in Andersen’s two full seasons, brining his total record to 7-23.

Cornerbacks coach Cory Hall will serve as interim head coach. His first game as head coach will come Saturday at home against Colorado.

With punter injured, Baylor may turn to 285-pound defensive tackle.

By Zach Barnett

(Photo/Getty Images)

This season has been a comedy of errors for Baylor. But one of those errors could turn into genuine comedy.

Baylor will have to navigate the rest of the season without punter Drew Galitz, who tore his ACL in the Bears’ 32-20 loss to Kansas State. And among the candidates to replace him is James Lynch. Lynch plays defensive line. He stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 285 pounds.

Lynch averaged more than 43 yards per punt as a senior at Round Rock High School, according to Max Preps.

And though he isn’t the immediate choice to serve as Baylor’s punter moving forward — that would be kicker Connor Martin and walk-on kicker Peter Webster — head coach Matt Rhule told Big 12 Die Hards the Bears are preparing Lynch for punting duties, just in case.

No offense toward Martin, Webster or anyone else at Baylor, but let’s hope “just in case” comes to pass.

NCAABKB: Three coaches arrested in college basketball corruption scandal appear in court.

By Rob Dauster

(Photo/Getty Images)

Five of the ten men that were arrested two weeks ago as the result of an FBI investigation into corruption in college basketball were arraigned in a courthouse in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday morning and released on $100,000 bond.

Merl Code, an Adidas executive that previously worked for Nike’s grassroots circuit, and three assistant coaches – USC’s Tony Bland, Arizona’s Emmanuel ‘Book’ Richardson and Auburn’s Chuck Person – appeared before Judge Katherine Parker, according to ZagsBlog. Rashan Michel, a clothier from Atlanta, was arraigned separately.

Oklahoma State assistant coach Lamont Evans and another Adidas executive, Jim Gatto, are expected to appear in court on Thursday.

The five men that were arraigned on Tuesday now await a Nov. 9th preliminary hearing, where a trial will be scheduled if it is determined that there is enough evidence.

Gatto and Code are accused of helping to funnel $100,000 to the family of former Louisville freshman Brian Bowen to get the player to attend Louisville. Evans, Bland and Person are alleged to have taken bribes to steer players under their influence to specific financial advisors. Richardson is accused of doing the same, while also allegedly funneling $15,000 to the family of Jahvon Quinerly, a point guard committed to Arizona.

This weekend, Quinerly told reporters at a Team USA training camp in Colorado Springs that his family has hired a lawyer. He did not comment on whether or not his family had received money from Richardson.

Goodell looks for resolution in anthem controversy; owners to decide on rules next week.

By Charles Robinson

The Lions stand at attention for the playing of the national anthem before Sunday’s game against the Panthers in Detroit. (Photo/AP)

President Donald Trump put the NFL on the spot.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones backed the NFL into a corner.

Now league commissioner Roger Goodell is moving to solve the problem permanently.

After weeks of being consumed by a maelstrom of politics and controversy, league owners will meet next week to rule – maybe once and for all – what freedoms can or can’t be expressed during the playing of the national anthem on NFL game days.

NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart said Tuesday that owners will discuss anthem rules in the league’s fall meetings in New York next week, all in hopes of getting “back to football” and bringing some closure to a political Pandora’s box that has devoured headlines in the 2017 season.

“They will have a chance to – all of them – discuss this issue, to look at the policy and look at ideas if there is a need to change the policies,” Lockhart said. “I fully expect this to be front and center on the agenda.”

In a memo circulated among all 32 teams, Goodell expressed a strong desire to move past the controversy. He also advocated that players stand during the anthem, saying, “Like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem. It is an important moment in our game. We want to honor our flag and our country, and our fans expect that of us. We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues. The controversy over the Anthem is a barrier to having honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues. We need to move past this controversy, and we want to do that together with our players.”

This all comes in the wake of Trump continuing to bang the drum about protests in the NFL, and the staged walkout at an Indianapolis Colts game by Vice President Mike Pence this past weekend. But it was Jones who provided the latest flashpoint in the fire, stating on Sunday night that his players would “not play” if they “disrespected” the flag during the pregame anthem.

“If there’s anything that is disrespectful to the flag, then we will not play,” Jones said Sunday night. “OK? Understand? If we are disrespecting the flag, then we won’t play. Period. … There is no room here – if it comes between looking non-supportive of our players and of each other or creating the impression that you’re disrespecting the flag, we will be non-supportive of each other. We will not disrespect the flag.”

During his comments, Jones also cited a portion of the NFL’s game operations manual, which is considered the “bible” by teams when it comes to game day procedures. Specifically, a line in the manual that dictates players “should” stand during the anthem. That word has raised a debate over whether “should” means “must,” and thus becomes a directive that can result in discipline if broken.

The manual states, “During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking.”

Lockhart declined to say whether the league’s stance on anthem protests is aligned with Trump and Jones, but he indicated that as the rule is written, the NFL believes there is latitude for some retribution for protests during the playing of the anthem amid the display of the American flag.

“The manual is clear when it says the players should stand for the anthem,” Lockhart said. “That manual governs the issues around the anthem for the entire league – for the 32 clubs. To date, there hasn’t been discipline for those who have chosen not to stand.”

Despite this assertion, Lockhart would not definitively declare that NFL teams can punish players for pregame protests. Instead, he pointed to the owners’ meetings in New York, scheduled for Oct. 17-18,  and the hope that resounding clarity will be reached on an issue that has defined this season.

“I think everyone at this point is frustrated by this situation,” Lockhart said. “The commissioner and the owners do want the players to stand. The commissioner has said that from the beginning, over the last year. I think owners have said that. Because we think it’s an important part of the game. I think the players are frustrated, because the issues that they’re trying to raise awareness about and try to enact progress have been distorted in a game of political football.

The online survey, conducted Sept. 26 and 27 by YouGov in association with Yahoo Sports, comprised 1,146 adults, and were weighted to represent the entire American population over 18.(Photo/Amber Matsumoto/Yahoo Sports)

“I think each and every one of [the players] have made clear that they are patriotic. They do have respect for the flag. But they have important issues here and they’re trying to raise them. And I think our fans are frustrated. Football is traditionally a unifying event – a unifying thing for people – and it’s an escape from the divisive politics that face this country right now. I think there’s a strong feeling across the league at every level that we ought to get back to football.”

When the meetings convene, there will be no shortage of questions the owners will have to dissect. Among them: Is it legal to prohibit NFL players to take a knee during the playing of the national anthem; will the player’s union seek legal recourse if it believes players’ workplace freedoms are being violated; and should the league revert to the pre-2009 game day routine of keeping teams in the locker room during the anthem and flag presentation.

As Lockhart seemed to suggest on Tuesday with the NFL’s current lack of definitive answers, all of those questions may be impossible to navigate without furthering the current public relations spiral. But the league is in its toughest position to date – spotlighted by Trump and placed at a crossroads by Jerry Jones.

This all leaves Goodell and his bosses to meet in New York in an attempt to find a way out.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, October 11, 2017.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1924 - The Boston Bruins and the Montreal Maroons were granted NHL franchises.

1925 - The New York Giants played their first NFL game. The Giants lost 14-0 to Providence.

1975 - New York Islander Bryan Trottier got his first hat trick.

1980 - The Dallas Mavericks won their first game at Reunion Arena when they beat San Antonio 103-92.

1984 - Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) made his debut in the National Hockey League (NHL) against the Boston Bruins. He scored a goal on his first shot on his first NHL shift.

1998 - Steve Young (San Francisco 49ers) became the 20th player in NFL history to throw for 30,000 yards.

2004 - The Houston Astros won a postseason series for the first time in their 43 year history. They defeated the Atlanta Braves 12-3 in Game 5. The Astros had lost 7 playoff series previously, three of them to Atlanta.

2006 - In New York, Cory Lidle (New York Yankees) and his flight instructor were killed when Lidle's plane crashed into a high-rise apartment building.

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