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"The game of life is a lot like football. You have to tackle your problems, block your fears, and score your points when you get the opportunity." ~ Lewis Grizzard, American Writer
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Flying high: Jets win again, edging Chicago.
James O'Brien
The Winnipeg Jets keep doing things that people don’t expect from them, though admittedly in a very small sample size, under Paul Maurice. On Sunday, they overcame the team that, in many ways, feels like the “grown up” version of the Jets, as they beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1.
The Jets feature some significant former Blackhawks (especially Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd) and a former Chicago executive in their GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. Before tonight, they had lost three games to Chicago this season by a combined score of 15-5.
With this win, Winnipeg is now 6-1-0 with Paul Maurice behind the bench.
That’s impressive work, but that promise might wear off if their goaltending sags.
Ondrej Pavelec has been producing outstanding work with a new head coach, yet it was Al Montoya who was standing on his head tonight. Chicago generated a ridiculous 18-2 shot advantage in the first period, yet Brandon Bollig was the only person to beat Montoya. And he was perfect for the rest of Sunday night.
Naturally with a team that just sacked their coach seven games ago, Winnipeg still needs to keep things going to have a real shot at the playoffs. According to Sports Club Stats, this win bumped their playoff odds up 3.1 percent to just 8.3. Still, it’s just late-January, and stranger things have happened.
While Maurice is putting more wins in Winnipeg, the Blackhawks face a rare mini-rut, with three straight losses. After the game, captain Jonathan Toews didn’t provide a positive spin to CSNChicago.com’s Tracey Myers.
“We threw away another two points,” Toews said. “I don’t have an explanation without saying anything negative.”
Perhaps the explanation is simple enough: they ran into a team with soaring confidence and red-hot goaltending?
NHL is pulling off ambitious six-game outdoor series, and that's a good thing.
By Nicholas J. Cotsonika
Preparations are being made for an outdoor hockey practice for the NHL Stadium Series Saturday, January 25, 2014, at Yankee Stadium in New York. The New Jersey devils take on the New York Rangers on Sunday. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
It was 60-something degrees Fahrenheit, and from where John Collins was standing in the middle of a major-league baseball stadium, you could see palm trees and a beach volleyball court and a rock-concert stage and a roller-hockey rink and an NHL-caliber ice-hockey rink, with real-live NHL players practicing on it.
“I think you always want to do something that you think is beyond anyone’s wildest dreams,” said Collins, the NHL’s chief operating officer.
The NHL played its first regular-season outdoor game at a warm-weather venue Saturday, when the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks met at Dodger Stadium. There is ice where there isn’t supposed to be ice. There were stars in the stands and in the sky. Cool.
But it goes beyond that. It’s even wilder. The NHL has dreamed so big that it has pushed the limits of sales and logistics to levels we have never seen before – and won’t see again, at least in the near future. So far, for the most part, it appears to be pulling it off.
Consider that the NHL has never held more than two outdoor games in one season.
The NHL has already held one this season, the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day. It sold 105,491 tickets for the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings at Michigan Stadium, shattering its record by more than 30,000. It drew an average of 8.234 million TV viewers in North America, shattering its regular-season record by more than 1.6 million.
And now?
The NHL held two more outdoor games in 18 hours this weekend – on opposite ends of the continent, in opposite conditions. The puck was dropped at Dodger Stadium at 9:30 p.m. ET Saturday, when the temperature was supposed have cooled from a high of 77 degrees Fahrenheit to about 63. It dropped at New York’s Yankee Stadium at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday for New York Rangers-New Jersey Devils. The forecast called for a high of 19.
And then?
The NHL will hold its third outdoor game in five days – its second in four days in the same city. The Rangers will play the New York Islanders at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night.
And after that?
The NHL will hold two more outdoor games – on back-to-back days, half a continent apart. The Chicago Blackhawks will host the Pittsburgh Penguins at Soldier Field on March 1. The Vancouver Canucks will host the Ottawa Senators at B.C. Place on March 2.
And after all that?
Well, Collins said the NHL will “definitely not” have six outdoor games next season.
This was always going to be a special case. After a lockout wiped out almost half the 2012-13 season, the NHL came back strong with a frantic 48-game schedule and its usual compelling playoff. It wanted to continue the momentum and boost revenue in 2013-14.
It wanted to take advantage of the Super Bowl in the New York area. That’s why there are two outdoor games in the biggest city in North America right before the biggest sporting event in North America.
It also wanted to lead into the Sochi Olympics – and lead out of them. NHL owners don’t like interrupting their season and sending their stars to someone else’s event half-a-world away. This way, TV networks NBC and CBC have something extra to promote during the Olympics – the outdoor games in Chicago and Vancouver.
“The Olympics will do monster ratings in both countries,” Collins said. “We want to make sure they’re pointing toward the restart of the NHL season and then obviously get ready for the Stanley Cup run, which for us is the biggest event of all.”
This is not easy. The NHL does not just flood a field, freeze it, throw out a puck and open the gates. So much goes into holding each and every one of these games – from rink-building to staging to marketing and coordinating everything in between.
For the first time, ice guru Dan Craig did not personally oversee the construction of one of the outdoor rinks. Mike Craig, his son, handled Yankee Stadium and will also handle B.C. Place. The operations staff had to be split between cities and will have to be split again in late February and early March.
“These are big events,” Collins said. “There’s always operational issues. But we have guys who have done big events before, and they know how to handle it.”
This hasn’t been perfect. The NHL cannot control the weather, and cold and snow complicated travel to Michigan Stadium. That apparently cost the league the Guinness world record for hockey attendance because of late arrivals, no-shows and ticket-scanning issues.
The league priced some tickets too high. Many have gone or are going for less than face value on the secondary market, and some haven’t been sold at all. The NHL gave each of its employees in New York four tickets for Wednesday’s game, which has seemed a particularly hard sell.
It remains to be seen how the final five games go. If there are too many empty seats anywhere for any reason, it will look bad.
But Collins said as of Friday night only 100 tickets remained for Saturday night and only a couple hundred remained for Wednesday night. The first New York game is sold out. The Chicago game is sold out.
Vancouver? “We have tickets left, but we’ve got some time left,” Collins said.
In the end, the NHL will have sold far more tickets to these games than it would have had they been routine games in regular arenas. The league will have sold more merchandise, drawn more TV viewers and activated more corporate sponsors than it would have otherwise. It will have made more money than it would have otherwise, and in the process, people will have had more fun – from the fans to the players themselves.
Think about it: These aren’t playoff games. These are regular-season games. And the NHL has turned them into spectacles, creating three distinct brands – the Winter Classic, a national game on New Year’s Day; the Heritage Classic, a Canadian game; and the Stadium Series, basically more games in stadiums.
If some of these games make more of an impact locally than nationally, fine. “L.A. doesn’t care that there’s two games in New York,” Collins said. “This is their game. They’re embracing it, and they love it, and it’s going to be special. Hopefully it’s not going to be the only one that they’re going to get, but right now it’s the only one they’ve ever had.”
Other markets don’t care that there will have been six games this season, either. “Every market wants this,” Collins said. “Every non-NHL market who has a stadium or a great venue wants it. So we want to fill that demand.”
Washington will host its long-awaited Winter Classic next season, likely at Nationals Park, and some other markets will get their shot, too. “We have ideas – the markets that everybody kind of points to that we all know would be great,” Collins said. “We already announced Washington. Everybody knows Minnesota would be great. Colorado would be great. If this goes well, San Jose would be great.”
Six games won’t be too much if this is unique and it works. This won’t be too much of a good thing, just a good thing. The NHL is showing what it can do, how far it can go. Could it go too far? Sure. But it’s not there yet.
“If there’s anything to prove,” Collins said, “it’s to prove that hockey can be a lot bigger. The business of hockey and the brand of hockey can be a lot bigger.”
(CS&T/AA editing by M.P. Jelks)
By OSKAR GARCIA (Associated Press)
Jerry Rice has fresh bragging rights on Deion Sanders nearly a decade after both players retired from the NFL.
Dallas running back DeMarco Murray caught a 20-yard touchdown pass with 41 seconds left and Carolina running back Mike Tolbert plunged into the end zone for a 2-point conversion to give Rice a 22-21 win over Sanders in the first schoolyard-style Pro Bowl on Sunday.
''They called my number the whole way,'' Tolbert said on the field after the game. ''Philip (Rivers) told them to give it to me. My old teammate, he told them to give it to me.''
Baltimore's Justin Tucker missed a 67-yard field goal on the game's final play after missing a 66-yarder earlier in the game.
The touchdown and conversion gave Rice a comeback after Philadelphia quarterback Nick Foles threw a 12-yard touchdown to Cleveland tight end Jordan Cameron with less than 5 minutes to play to give Sanders a 21-14 lead.
The touchdowns by Cameron and Murray were the only scores of the second half in a game that had eight turnovers - including six interceptions - and nine sacks.
''It was definitely sloppy. There was a lot of turnovers because of the weather,'' said Houston defensive end J.J. Watt, who was a captain on Sanders' team. ''There was a lot of rain, so obviously that factored into it.''
The game was played in consistent rain, but little wind and warm temperatures in the high 70s.
Foles was the only quarterback of six in the game to not throw an interception. He was named offensive MVP, finishing with seven completions for 89 yards.
Philadelphia wide receiver DeSean Jackson and Carolina quarterback Cam Newton also had touchdowns for Team Sanders. New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham and Cleveland wide receiver Josh Gordon caught touchdowns for Team Rice. Gordon led Team Rice with six catches for 66 yards, while Washington running back Alfred Morris had four catches for 69 yards.
The Pro Bowlers were split up by the NFL greats in a new draft format meant to improve the game.
The picks made earlier in the week created matchups that pitted usual teammates against each other and challenged Rice and Sanders to compare the all-stars against one another. That led to plenty of trash talk between Rice and Sanders and some bruised egos among players used to being on top of their sport.
''Great Job Goat!!!!'' Sanders tweeted toward Rice after the game. ''Enjoy this moment cause u know I'm hot right now.''
The result Sunday was a game that appeared more competitive than in years past, with some big hits - even between teammates - and fewer shenanigans.
''It was crazy, but we had fun with it,'' Gordon said. ''I loved it and enjoyed it.''
Gordon was flipped by teammate T.J. Ward on one of the biggest hits in the game.
''I don't think he knew what he was doing but I'll give him the benefit of a doubt on that one,'' Gordon said. ''I'll get him back in Cleveland.''
Jackson caught the game's first touchdown pass from Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck. Luck threw the ball 36 yards into double coverage in the end zone on a flea flicker, where Jackson wrestled it away from Titans cornerback Alterraun Verner.
Graham caught an 8-yard fade in the second quarter from teammate Drew Brees, turning around Brees' slow start. Graham dunked the ball over the crossbar in celebration, but San Diego safety Eric Weddle jokingly defended the attempt.
Newton scored on 1-yard run up the middle for a touchdown, making up for an earlier interception on a ball Cleveland cornerback Joe Haden wrestled away from Jackson.
Kansas City linebacker Derrick Johnson - who had a big hit in the first half on Chiefs teammate Jamaal Charles - was selected as the game's defensive MVP for Team Rice.
''I didn't expect it, but he's out there doing his thing,'' said Charles, who was knocked out of Kansas City's playoff loss to Indianapolis with a concussion. ''I can't get mad at him - it's just about football and you've just got to be ready.''
''If you stand back, he's going to make you look pretty bad, so I had to go out and really give it to him,'' Johnson said. ''I would never try to hurt my teammate at all, but compete a little bit.''
Johnson had nine tackles, including eight solo tackles. Carolina linebacker Luke Kuechly had 12 tackles, including 11 solo tackles.
AP-GfK Poll: 49 percent are pro football fans.
By DENNIS JUNIUS AND RALPH D. RUSSO (Associated Press)
About half of Americans say they are fans of pro football, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll, and nearly a third of those fans say they would not consider attending a Super Bowl - even though few have any idea how much it costs.
The NFL is still the most popular sports league in the United States, drawing the highest TV ratings by far. Its revenues climbed above $9 billion last year and the Super Bowl between Seattle and Denver in New Jersey will be the most watched television program of the year.
The AP-GfK poll was released Saturday.
Last year, 56 percent of people polled said they were NFL fans, and that number dropped slightly to 49 percent this year. Even among those who said they were NFL fans, 31 percent said they had no interest in attending a Super Bowl, even if they could afford it.
Fans have complained about high ticket prices, with very few available to the general public at face value, and most fans having to go through resellers to get into the game.
Fans had a wide-range of guesses as to what a face value Super Bowl ticket costs, though 41 percent chose an amount between $251 and $500. The median estimate was $500. The median estimate from fans on what it would cost to buy a Super Bowl ticket on the secondary market rose to $1,000.Ticket prices for the Super Bowl range from $500 to $2,600, though only 1,000 tickets are available for $500. Forbes reported Saturday that the average price for a ticket to next week's game from a ticket broker or secondary seller such as TiqIQ was $2,505, according to SeatGeek, which tracks prices. Prices change daily.
Nearly half of fans (48 percent) would be willing to pay $250 or less for a Super Bowl ticket if their team was playing in the game and 8 percent said they wouldn't be willing to pay anything to attend the game, even if their team was playing. Overall, the median price fans say they'd pay to attend the Super Bowl to see their team play is $200.
One percent of fans say they'd pay $10,000 to see their team play, the highest response received in the poll.
Fans were about evenly split on expansion of the playoffs. Twenty-six percent favor allowing more teams into the playoffs, an idea being considered by the NFL. Twenty-eight percent oppose it and 45 percent are neither in favor nor opposed.
A broad majority of adults (83 percent) say the Washington Redskins should not change their nickname. Among football fans, 87 percent say keep the name.
Since the last AP-GfK poll on the topic in April 2013, several prominent figures, notably President Barack Obama, have said it's time for the team to change. But public opinion is still about the same.
College graduates are more likely to say Washington should change its name now than they were in April. Back then, 14 percent of college graduates said it was time for a change, now 23 percent say it should change. Men are also now slightly more apt to say the team should change, 16 percent say so in the new poll, compared with 9 percent in April. Among women, opinions have held steady with 13 percent in favor of a change.
The Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots tied for most responses when fans were asked what is their favorite team. Each received seven percent of the responses. The Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers were each the favorite team of 6 percent of the fans polled. Since the last AP-GfK poll on the topic in April 2013, several prominent figures, notably President Barack Obama, have said it's time for the team to change. But public opinion is still about the same.
College graduates are more likely to say Washington should change its name now than they were in April. Back then, 14 percent of college graduates said it was time for a change, now 23 percent say it should change. Men are also now slightly more apt to say the team should change, 16 percent say so in the new poll, compared with 9 percent in April. Among women, opinions have held steady with 13 percent in favor of a change.
The AP-GfK Poll was conducted Jan. 17-21 using KnowledgePanel, GfK's probability-based online panel designed to be representative of the U.S. population. It involved online interviews with 1,060 adults, and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points for the full sample.
Respondents were first selected randomly using phone or mail survey methods, and were later interviewed online. People selected for KnowledgePanel who didn't otherwise have access to the Internet were provided with the ability to access the Internet at no cost to them.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Augustin's effort carries Bulls past Bobcats.By John Delong, The Sports Xchange
When the Chicago Bulls put out an SOS for help at point guard, D.J. Augustin was there to answer the call.
Now, Augustin is playing some of the best basketball of his career.
Augustin continued his torrid play with 28 points, including 15 in the decisive fourth quarter, as the Bulls beat the Charlotte Bobcats 89-87 on Saturday night.
It came against the team that made him their first-round pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and capped a week in which he also scored 27 points each in wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Augustin spent four seasons with the Bobcats.
"It was just fun to go out there and win tonight," Augustin said. "We go out there every night and fight as a team and just to get a win on the road against a tough team, it feels good. It's always fun playing against your own team, so I'm just happy to come away with a win."
Augustin was claimed off waivers from Toronto on Dec. 13 after point guard Derrick Rose was shelved with a knee injury. He has started the last six games while point guard Kirk Hinrich has been out with hamstring problems.
"He was a huge pickup for us because we had a need obviously with Derrick going down and then Kirk going down," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "And he had a need as well. So it was good for him and it's been great for us. And he's played better and better.
"The one thing that we knew because of the way he played here (in Charlotte), he was more than capable. For whatever reason, he wasn't playing in Toronto, and it worked out for us. To his credit, he was ready when this opportunity came around. He hit the ground running. And it's not just what he's doing statistically, he's also running our team very well."
Augustin finished 9 of 19 from the field and 6 of 12 from 3-point range.
Three of the 3-pointers came in the fourth quarter. The Bulls led 57-55 going into the fourth and opened the quarter with a 10-2 run to push the lead to 10. They then kept the lead in double figures much of the quarter and still led by nine with 13.8 seconds left.
The Bobcats hit three 3-pointers in the final seven seconds, including one at the buzzer by center Al Jefferson, but Augustin's two free throws with 2.7 seconds left made the shot at the buzzer meaningless.
"I just let the game come to me in the fourth quarter," Augustin said. "We didn't change anything. We just kept playing. We just kept running our pick-and-roll stuff and kept playing on defense, and it came out well."
The Bulls also got 13 points from forward Taj Gibson and 12 points from forward Mike Dunleavy. Center Joakim Noah finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, just two assists from his fourth career triple-double.
Thibodeau was particularly pleased that the Bulls (22-21) bounced back from a 17-point home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.
"This team is great," Thibodeau said. "We talked about what happened last night and what we had to do today. That's the best part about this team. They have great pride. They're going to bounce back. They're going to give you everything they have. For us, we've just got to keep scratching out wins and we can never lose sight of how hard we have to play in order to have a chance to win, particularly when you're short-handed."
For the Bobcats (19-27), it was another familiar script -- a close loss that negated another outstanding effort by Jefferson.
Jefferson finished with 32 points and 13 rebounds, marking the ninth straight game in which he has scored 20 or more.
"For these last eight or nine games, nobody's been better than him," Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said. "He's rebounding, scoring, he's efficient, and he's making the right plays."
Jefferson, who missed nine games early in the season with an ankle injury, said he is now feeling fully healthy.
"I've been in the league a long time and I know when I'm healthy I play at this level," he said. "At the beginning of the season, I wasn't healthy. But I'm feeling really good, my ankle's feeling really good, and this is what I can do when I'm 100 percent."
The Bobcats also got 15 points from guard Jannero Pargo and 11 points from guard Gerald Henderson.
NOTES: This was the third game between the teams this season. The Bulls won the previous two, 86-81 on Nov. 18 and 103-97 on Jan. 11 in Chicago. ... The Bobcats are without G Kemba Walker (sprained left ankle), F Jeffery Taylor (ruptured Achilles) and C Brendan Haywood (stress fracture left foot). ... The Bobcats head out on a four-game West Coast trip starting Wednesday at Denver. They also play the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors on the trip. ... The Bulls return home to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, then head out on a six-game trip with games at San Antonio, New Orleans, Sacramento, Phoenix, Golden State and the Lakers.
Timberwolves-Bulls Preview.
By NOEY KUPCHAN (STATS Writer)
While many thought the Chicago Bulls would fall apart after trading away their leading scorer, that's hardly been the case.
D.J. Augustin is a big reason why.
Coming off another huge game, Augustin tries to lead the surging Bulls to an eighth consecutive win over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.
Tied for the NBA lead in wins this month, Chicago (22-21) has compiled a 10-3 record to open 2014, including an 8-3 mark since sending Luol Deng to Cleveland on Jan. 6. Though he's only been with the team for six weeks since signing as a free agent, Augustin has been carrying the load, posting 20.4 points per game while shooting 51.6 percent over the last seven.
"D.J. was a huge pick up for us," coach Tom Thibodeau told the team's official website. "We had a need with Derrick (Rose) and Kirk (Hinrich) going down and obviously he had a need as well. It was good for him and it has been great for us.
"He was ready when this opportunity came around and he hit the ground running. It's not just his individual talents but it is also what he is doing for our team. He is running our team well."
After falling 112-95 to the Clippers on Friday, Chicago bounced back with an 89-87 win at Charlotte the following night.
Augustin, who has scored at least 27 points in three of the last four games, led the way with a season-high 28 against his former club.
"I'm just out there playing freely and doing what I can," said Augustin, who scored 15 in the fourth quarter. "All I think about is playing hard and whatever play Thibs runs I do my best."
Joakim Noah also came up big with 11 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. He has averaged 14.0 boards while stringing together 16 consecutive double-digit efforts, the team's longest such run since Dennis Rodman's streak of 43 in 1996-97.
The Bulls haven't dropped back-to-back contests since a season worst-tying four-game skid Dec. 14-19.
"This team, they know," Thibodeau said. "That's the best part about this team. They've got great pride, they're going to bounce back, they're going to give you everything they have. For us, we've got to keep scratching out wins. We can never lose sight of how hard we have to play to give ourselves a chance to win, particularly when we're short-handed."
Chicago has had its way with Minnesota (21-22) of late, taking seven straight meetings by an average of 13.3 points. Timberwolves All-Star Kevin Love has missed the last two due to injury, though.
Love was limited by a sore knee in Saturday's 115-104 loss at Portland, Minnesota's first defeat in four games. Love, who had 26 points, 14 boards and eight assists the night before in a 121-120 win at Golden State, scored just 15 while shooting 4 of 12.
"It was tough. This morning, it was one of those times where you jump out of bed and think, I don't know how I'm going to play tonight," he said. "We're happy to have a day off and head to Chicago."
Kevin Martin scored 30 points while making a season-high six 3s, and Nikola Pekovic stayed hot with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Pekovic is averaging 22.5 and 12.0 boards while shooting 58.2 percent over a four-game stretch.
Minnesota is 1-11 on the road when scoring fewer than 109 points. Chicago is giving up 92.9 per game to rank second in the NBA.
Kaplan: Will the Cubs' business plan ever work?
By David Kaplan
Ever since Oct. 30, 2009 — the day the Ricketts family was introduced as the new owners of the Chicago Cubs — we have all been waiting patiently for signs of progress that the team is moving towards a championship level both on and off of the field.
However, in the four-and-a-half years since the family purchased the team from the Tribune Company, we have seen a substandard on-field product and heard about revenue streams and rooftops ad nauseam.
We are also still waiting on the first shovel to hit the ground for a much-ballyhooed $500 million renovation of the stadium and surrounding area. So when will we see the business plan start to provide the resources Theo Epstein and his front office need to make an impact in the free agent market?
The Ricketts family has had some wins on the business side since they took over. Landing Epstein when many didn't believe he could be persuaded to leave Boston for Chicago was a huge win. Adding Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod to Epstein's team was a great victory. Adding millions to the scouting and player development budgets and landing highly-regarded prospects such as Jorge Soler and Eloy Jimenez took the Cubs farm system to a place it has never been before and should pay dividends down the road.
A new Dominican academy and a state-of-the-art spring training facility are all great additions to the franchise. However, it will not mean much if the Cubs cannot land a big-time TV deal and finish a highly-profitable Wrigley Field renovation plan that has been in the works for years.
But there are major obstacles facing the organization. What other team in professional sports has rooftop owners blocking a several hundred million dollar renovation plan? What other team in sports has the handcuffs on it that the Cubs do? Add in a very constraining financing plan necessitated by the sale process and you have a team that has serious financial limitations when it comes to competing with the top teams in the game.
However when he signed on as the owner, Ricketts knew what he was buying — a team that had a contract with the rooftops negotiated by the Cubs and the previous administration themselves. He also inherited a stadium that needed extensive work and he was buying a team that had a very weak minor league system that needed several strong drafts, some big trades and an international presence to produce impact players.
He also knew he had a subpar TV deal in comparison with the rest of the heavyweights in Major League Baseball and he also knew the state of the game was changing with TV dollars driving major player acquisitions. The Cubs are currently negotiating with WGN TV but are in a cable exclusive deal through the 2019 season with Comcast SportsNet, so they are not able to land the type of deal that several teams — including the Yankees, Dodgers and Rangers — have all landed over the past few years.
Add in the second smallest stadium in baseball, the fewest sky boxes in the game and the aforementioned financing deal as required by the purchase and you have a tough situation to repair. Again, these are all things the Ricketts family knew when they purchased the Cubs, so the issues should come as no surprise to them.
How much longer can a fanbase be expected to show patience when you have an ownership group that is unwilling to flex their muscles and stop taking what is being handed to them in the Wrigley renovation discussions? You can't blame the rooftops, who are not stealing anything from the Cubs (despite what some would have you believe). Instead, they are working under a contract that was negotiated by the Cubs. You can call it a bad deal, a stupid deal or anything else you want, but it is a deal that the Cubs entered into with their eyes open.
Perhaps Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel can ride in to the rescue and find a suitable location in the city that the Cubs can build a new stadium on. Why not somewhere near the lake to take advantage of the greatest skyline in the United States? Combined with Lake Michigan, it would provide a view that no stadium in America could match.
If not, why won't Tom Ricketts begin talks immediately with any and all interested suburbs who would like to help build a new home for the Cubs. Sources tell me that there are multiple members of the Ricketts family that are tired of the renovation negotiations and are ready to explore options outside of Wrigley. However, Tom Ricketts has never indicated a willingness to look at any option other than the current ballpark. Until he tires of a process that has bordered on the ridiculous, he is forced to take what is being shoveled his way.
To take the Cubs where they promised to go when they bought the team, the Ricketts family and the Cubs business operations team must start delivering at the level that we expect Epstein and Hoyer to perform at to deliver a championship team.
There are a million reasons that the Cubs renovation plan is stuck in the mud, but if we are still here in another year with no discernible progress towards a renovation plan, then it may be time to admit that it may never get done.
By Bryan Kilpatrick
National Baseball Hall of Fame cap logo waffling will be rampant in coming years. We look at players who will have a dilemma on their hands and their heads.
Greg Maddux will not have a logo on his cap when he's inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, becoming the first player not to represent a team upon enshrinement. Most of Maddux's dominant years came with the Braves, but he broke into the big leagues -- and had his first taste of success at the highest level -- with the Cubs.
It's a situation that is sure to come up again, with many current and future candidates having spent significant time and having accomplished significant things with more than one team. Here's a look at a few notable retired stars who fit that category:
(Photo: Getty Images)
Mike Piazza
BBWAA ballot: 2015 will be third year
The case for the Dodgers: Piazza was drafted by and broke into the majors with Los Angeles, and took the baseball world by storm by becoming the most prolific offensive catcher the game had ever seen. Piazza hit .331/.394/.572 and averaged 33 home runs and 105 RBI during his five full seasons with the Dodgers after winning the 1993 NL Rookie of the Year award. He also was selected to five consecutive All-Star teams and won five straight Silver Slugger awards.
The case for the Mets: Piazza hit .296/.373/.542 with 220 home runs in parts of eight seasons in New York. He also appeared in his only World Series during that time. Those accomplishments are likely a big part of why Piazza has already proclaimed that he'll wear a Mets hat when he one day gets enshrined in Cooperstown.
A team he definitely won't represent: The Marlins. Piazza made only 19 plate appearances for the Fish in 1998 after being acquired from the Dodgers in May. The Marlins flipped him to New York eight days later.
Randy Johnson
First year on BBWAA ballot: 2015
(Photo: Getty Images)
The case for the Mariners: The Big Unit won 130 games and racked up more than 2,100 strikeouts in 10 seasons in Seattle. He also won a Cy Young award and was selected to five All-Star teams as an integral part of the team that generated enough excitement to keep baseball in the Emerald City at a time when the team's very future existence in Seattle was in doubt.
The case for the Diamondbacks: Ordinarily, that kind of resume with one team would make this kind of decision a no-brainer, but Johnson went on to win four consecutive Cy Young Awards and a World Series championship with the D-Backs, with whom he served two stints spanning eight seasons.
A team he definitely won't represent: The Astros. But that's not for lack of performance. In his 11 starts in Houston after being traded by the Mariners at the 1998 trade deadline, Johnson went 10-1 with a 1.28 ERA and 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
Gary Sheffield
First year on BBWAA ballot: 2015
The case for the Marlins: Sheffield was a World Series champion with Florida in 1997 and spent more years there (six) than he did with any other club. His numbers there were great, too. Sheff hit .288/.426/.543 with 122 home runs in 558 games played.
The case for the Dodgers: Though he was only in L.A. for parts of four seasons, Sheffield hit 129 home runs and compiled a .312/.424/.573 line. However, the Dodgers missed the playoffs in each of those seasons and Sheffield became frustrated toward the end of his tenure with the team. He wound up publicly criticizing teammates and coaches prior to being shipped to Atlanta.
A team he definitely won't represent: The Brewers. The team that drafted and developed Sheffield didn't really reap any benefits from the potential future Hall-of-Famer, as he hit just .259/.319/.376 in parts of four seasons in Milwaukee.
Vladimir Guerrero
First year on BBWAA ballot: 2017
The case for the Expos: Guerrero was an absolute monster in Montreal, hitting .323/.390/.588 with 234 home runs. He was also impactful on the bases, swiping 123 bags — including 40 in a huge 2002 season in which he fell a homer short of a 40/40 campaign — for the Expos. Vlad compiled 84 of his 126 career outfield assists while manning right field at Olympic Stadium.
The case for the Angels: The 2004 AL MVP award was given to Guerrero, who had just completed his first year in Anaheim with a .337/.391/.598 line and 39 home runs. He never appeared in a postseason game while in Montreal but played in 29 of them with the Halos, finishing with a .365 on-base percentage and 14 RBI in those contests.
A team he definitely won't represent: The Orioles. Vlad wrapped up a terrific MLB career by posting career full-season lows in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage with the O's in 2011.
Stallings rallies from 3 behind to win at Torrey.
By DOUG FERGUSON (AP Golf Writer)
Scott Stallings was in the 18th fairway at Torrey Pines, 222 yards from the front of the green, needing a birdie to give himself a shot at outright victory Sunday in the Farmers Insurance Open. That's when his caddie told him, ''Let's see what you've got.''
Above all, he had experience.
One year and one week ago, Stallings was in a similar situation at the Humana Challenge. He hit a 6-iron from 220 yards, forgetting to account for a hanging lie until the ball sailed left and bounded into the water, the final mistake on a day he blew a five-shot lead.
He didn't make the same mistake twice.
Stallings hammered a 4-iron that narrowly cleared the water and set up two putts from 40 feet for a birdie. It gave him a 4-under 68 and a one-shot lead that turned into a victory when no one could catch him.
''I don't think one would happen without the other,'' Stallings said. ''I actually thought about 18 at Humana the whole time on 18 today. Not that I was like, 'Oh, don't hit it in the water.' But it was, 'Just make sure you pay attention to everything that's going on.'''
His final birdie capped off a wild day at Torrey Pines, one that didn't include Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson for the first time in two decades. Nine players had a share of the lead at one point. Eight players still had a reasonable chance in the final hour.
Stallings emerged the winner with one big shot, and now he's headed back to the Masters.
K.J. Choi had the best score of the week on the South Course with a 66 and was among five players who tied for second. The pins were set up in favorable positions for birdies, making the course play the easiest it had all week.
But that didn't make it easy - not for Gary Woodland, Jordan Spieth, Pat Perez and so many others who squandered a good chance to win.
Woodland appeared to have the best chance to catch Stallings. He was one shot behind - with plenty of length to reach the 18th in two - until he chose fairway metal off the tee on No. 17 and hooked it into the canyon. He felt he had to make his 45-foot par putt to have any chance, and three-putted for double bogey. Woodland, who had a one-shot lead going into the final round, missed an easy birdie attempt on the 18th and closed with a 74.
''This will be hard to swallow,'' Woodland said. ''I felt like I kind of gave one away today.''
Marc Leishman of Australia had the last chance to force a playoff, but his drive on the 18th went well right and bounced off the cart path and a fan. He had no chance to even consider going for the green in two. His wedge for an eagle stopped a few feet to the side of the hole, and a tap-in birdie gave him a 71.
Stallings finished at 9-under 279.
Jason Day (68) and Graham DeLaet of Canada (68) each made birdie on the last hole to tie for second. So did Perez, the San Diego native who grew up at Torrey Pines and whose father is the longtime starter on the first tee at the Farmers Insurance Open. Perez missed a 10-foot birdie chance on the 17th. He closed with a 70.
''It's great and bad,'' Perez said about his runner-up finish. ''This is the one I want to win more than anything in the world, and I came up short. ... I thought today would have been my day. I would like to be in that position again.''
Spieth didn't make a birdie over the last 15 holes, and he fell back with back-to-back birdies late in the round. The 20-year-old Texan made a meaningless bogey on the last hole that only cost him a spot in the top 10. By then, his day was over. He closed with a 75.
''I just lost control of the golf ball,'' Spieth said.
He also revealed that he tweaked his ankle Friday and felt it kept him from getting into the right position on his back swing.
Stallings, who started the final round three shots behind, won for the third time in his career. Two of those were tournaments that Woods played, yet Woods wasn't around on Sunday either time. He missed the cut in the Greenbrier Classic and did not make the 54-hole cut at Torrey Pines.
Stallings made six birdies over his last 11 holes, along with a pair of bogeys. Most remarkable is that he managed to hit only four fairways in the final round. But one that he did was important - the 537-yard closing hole, giving him a chance to get home in two for a birdie at worst.
He never considered laying up and trying to make birdie with a wedge in his hand.
''You don't get very many opportunities to win golf tournaments on this tour,'' he said. ''I didn't necessarily understand the situation I was in as far as the score, but I did know I had an opportunity. ... I was playing to win.''
Charley Hoffman, another San Diego native, made a hole-in-one on the third hole and closed with a 67 to tie for seventh, along with Ryo Ishikawa of Japan and Will MacKenzie, who each had a 70.
Joao Barbosa drives No. 5 Action Express car to Prototype win in Rolex 24.
By Nick Bromberg
Joao Barbosa pulled away from Max Angelelli in the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing car after a late caution to win Sunday's Rolex 24 sports car race at Daytona International Speedway.
The yellow flag flew with approximately 20 minutes to go with Barbosa in the No. 5 Action Express car in the lead. After a 12 minute cleanup, the race went green with eight minutes to go and Angelelli had a shot to close in on Barbosa and make a run at the lead.
It didn't happen. Barbosa pulled away and scored Action Express's second win in the Rolex 24. The team won the Rolex 24 in its first-ever race in 2010.
Barbosa split time in the No. 5 with Christian Fittipaldi, Sebastien Bourdais and Burt Frisselle. The No. 10 was driven by Angelelli, Taylor, and Taylor's sons Ricky and Jordan.
Three Prototype cars finished on the lead lap. The race was the first under the Tudor United SportsCar Championship banner. The series is a unification of the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am Series, which previously ran the Rolex 24.
Markus Winkelhock and the No. 45 Audi were initially declared the winners in the GTD class after a time penalty for avoidable contact was assessed to the No. 555 car and Alessandro Pier Guidi. But Pier Guidi didn't make contact with Winkelhock. The Audi was to the Ferrari's outside and as Pier Guidi moved towards the outside lane to get a better angle for the corner -- and perhaps push Winkelhock off the track -- the Audi went off into the grass.
Sunday evening, IMSA issued a statement saying that the penalty to the No. 555 had been overturned and the team would be declared the class winners.
"A full post-race review of the incident on the last lap of the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona was completed by IMSA Supervisory Officials, IMSA vice president for competition and technical regulations Scot Elkins said in a statement. "The decision has been made to reverse the decision by the race director, rescind the penalty against the No. 555 Level 5 Motorsports Ferrari 458 Italia team, and reinstate drivers Scott Tucker, Bill Sweedler, Townsend Bell, Jeff Segal and Alessandro Pier Giuidi as the GT Daytona class winners. We regret the confusion following the race, and appreciate the patience by our fans, drivers, teams and the media so we could properly review and subsequently report this decision."
Colin Braun drove the No. 54 car to the win in the PC Class. Patrick Pilet and the No. 911 Porsche won the GTLM class.
Sunday morning, IMSA, the sanctioning body for the TUSC, said that Memo Gidley suffered a broken back and had surgeries for injuries to his left arm and left leg after a very hard crash on Saturday afternoon. As he was passing another car in his No. 99 Prototype, Gidley slammed into Matteo Malucelli's slowing Ferrari. The race was red-flagged and both drivers were taken immediately to Halifax Health Medical Center. IMSA said that Malucelli was held overnight for observation and was resting comfortably.
Soccer-Places up for grabs in Klinsmann's U.S. World Cup squad.
By Andrew Downie
United States coach Juergen Klinsmann said places were still up for grabs in his 23-man squad for the 2014 World Cup following a 12-day training camp in Brazil aimed at helping players adjust to the draining conditions expected at the tournament.
Klinsmann's side face an imposing group, tropical temperatures and plenty of travel, and he said the two weeks spent south of the equator were vital in helping them prepare for the challenge.
Klinsmann, who took over as U.S. coach in July 2011, took a young squad to Sao Paulo, their base for the tournament, with only 10 players involved in the qualification campaign included in the 26-strong squad.
The trip served to give him a closer look at those with potential to squeeze their way into final contention.
"We still have quite a lot of competition, and we saw in these last two weeks a group of players - many of them younger guys - who are very hungry and eager to kick the guys out ahead of them," the 49-year-old told Reuters.
"We always tell the players that it doesn't matter what you have done in the past, what matters is how you are performing now. There are going to be some very tough decisions in May."
Klinsmann's team have drawn a difficult group which includes the coach's home nation Germany, a Portugal side featuring Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, and Ghana, who made the last-eight in 2010.
They have also been handed one of the toughest travel schedules, with all three group matches in the north of the country.
AIR MILES
Klinsmann's decision to base the team in Sao Paulo means they will rack up more than 14,000km in air miles going to and from matches in the tropical north, where temperatures are expected to be above 30 degrees Celsius.
"It will be a World Cup of adjusting, adjusting to whatever the circumstance and conditions are and you have to come in and kind of take things the way they are and that is exactly what we do," the former Stuttgart, Inter Milan and Spurs striker said.
"We accomplished a lot of things and for us it was a great opportunity to kind of get an idea what to expect this summer.
"Things went really, really well."
The trip was based at the training site of Sao Paulo FC, one of Brazil's biggest and richest clubs.
The U.S. played two friendlies against their hosts, winning one and losing the other, an experience the young Americans found thrilling.
"When you play against a team like that it helps you prepare for what you might face in the World Cup," said 26-year old midfielder Dax McCarty.
"They give you a taste of what it's going to be like against some of the better teams."
The facilities also drew praise.
"Some of the facilities in the United States are amazing but here it is gorgeous," striker Chris Wondolowski said, just moments before one of club's resident peacocks walked out behind him.
"To be honest I wasn't quite sure what to expect but it blew my mind. It's been amazing."
Chelsea 1-0 Stoke City: Oscar shines as Blues start life after Mata with narrow win.
Goal.com
Chelsea progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup with a slender 1-0 victory over Stoke City at Stamford Bridge courtesy of a stunning first half free kick from Oscar.
The hosts looked comfortable throughout as the Potters struggled to find a way through the home defense, but the Blues had to wait almost half an hour to open the scoring.
Samuel Eto'o went down under the challenge of Erik Pieters to win a free kick 20 yards out, from which Oscar found the net with a superb curling strike.
The Brazilian and Andre Schurrle were both denied by the woodwork, and Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic also produced several fine saves as Chelsea went in search of a second.
The result sees Mourinho - who won this competition in 2006-07 - maintain his record of having never failed to make it beyond the fourth round of the FA Cup during his two stints as Chelsea manager.
Chelsea handed a second full debut to Nemanja Matic, who returned to the club from Benfica earlier this month, while Stoke included Begovic following a month on the sidelines with a broken finger.
Mourinho's men made a bright start to the tie and Eto'o almost broke the deadlock in the opening minutes, sending the ball just wide of the right-hand post and missing out on what would have been his ninth goal at Stamford Bridge this season.
Peter Crouch got the better of David Luiz at the other end moments later but directed his eventual header wide of the target.
Referee Chris Foy waved play on as Eden Hazard went down under the challenge of Wilson Palacios in the Stoke penalty area in the 14th minute, with replays suggesting he made the right call.
Chelsea dominated possession as the half progressed, although both sides were struggling to carve out any clear-cut goalscoring opportunities.
However, it only took one shot on target for the hosts to go ahead – Oscar curling a wonderful 20-yard free-kick into the top left-hand corner of the net in the 28th minute.
Chelsea should have extended its lead in the closing stages of the half, with Frank Lampard failing to get enough purchase on a sliding effort inside the six-yard box and Oscar powering a shot against the right-hand upright moments later.
Stoke's hadn't scored during its last five trips to Stamford Bridge and didn't look likely to change that as it chased the match with the Blues getting the majority of opportunities in the second half.
Oscar, who was among Chelsea's top performers, sent the ball just wide following a well-worked move in the 53rd minute before Jonathan Walters blasted wide at the other end.
Ramires and Eto'o both squandered chances to convert from close range after a Hazard cut back as Chelsea looked to put the result beyond doubt.
With time ticking away, former Chelsea striker Mark Hughes decided to throw on Oussama Assaidi, who netted the winner when these sides met in the Premier League last month, but the Moroccan could not inspire a comeback during his 18 minutes of action.
Begovic was forced to push over his crossbar from a thunderous Luiz free-kick in the closing stages, but Stoke were unable to avoid succumbing to their seventh consecutive defeat at Chelsea.
Late rally gives Michigan its third straight top 10 win and first place in the Big Ten.
By Jeff Eisenberg
Nik Stauskas couldn't resist one final jab at his team's biggest rival.
As he jogged off the floor following Michigan's 80-75 road victory at Michigan State on Saturday night, the sophomore guard theatrically blew kisses in the direction of the Spartans student section
It's probably not the wisest decision for Stauskas to taunt an opponent Michigan will see again in less than a month, but if ever there were a victory worthy of extra celebration, this was probably it. Stauskas and freshman guard Derrick Walton Jr. both scored 19 points and fellow guard Caris Levert had 17 as the Wolverines stormed back from an eight-point second-half deficit to win their third straight game against a top 10 opponent and seize first place in the Big Ten.
When preseason All-American Mitch McGary announced last month he was undergoing season-ending back surgery, many questioned whether Michigan would even make the NCAA tournament this March. The Wolverines (15-4, 7-0) have since won nine straight to move two or more games clear of every Big Ten team besides second-place Michigan State, a stretch that includes victories over Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Stanford and now the Spartans.
It's worth noting that Michigan State didn't have two of its top players Saturday night as Adreian Payne missed his fifth straight game with a right foot injury and Branden Dawson sat out with a broken left hand. Gary Harris kept the Spartans out in front most of the game, scoring 27 points on 9 of 15 shooting, burying four threes and playing aggressive defense on Stauskas to deny him the ball as much as possible.
Harris' performance seemed like it would carry injury-plagued Michigan State (18-2, 7-1) to yet another shorthanded victory, but eventually Michigan's bevy of talented guards brought the Wolverines back.
Levert had a game-tying 3-pointer with 7:45 remaining to cap a 12-4 run after Michigan State had opened an eight-point lead minutes earlier. Stauskas then launched Michigan's game-sealing 8-0 run with a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:12 remaining.
It had to be disappointing for Michigan State to lose to its biggest rival at home, but this loss shouldn't alter the perception of the Spartans. Despite the absence of their two top forwards and a sub-par 3 of 11 shooting night from standout point guard Keith Appling, the Spartans still almost beat a team that has emerged as their biggest competition to win the Big Ten.
Don't let Michigan State's injuries diminish the significance, however, of Michigan going to the Breslin Center and leaving with a win.
It was encouraging for Michigan when it won at Minnesota to open Big Ten play. It was eye-opening when the Wolverines followed that up with a rare victory at Wisconsin a few weeks later. And now that Michigan is 7-0 in the Big Ten with victories over the four teams closest to them in the standings, it's impossible not to take the Wolverines seriously as a league title contender.
US-Russia tensions flare over Winter Olympics security.
By Nicolas Revise
The Sochi Winter Olympics have opened up a new front of distrust between the United States and Russia, with tensions simmering over security preparations amid fears the games could be targeted by extremist militants.
Analysts say the former Cold War rivals are unlikely to risk a full-blown confrontation over security in Sochi, the first Olympics held on Russian soil since the US-boycotted 1980 Moscow Games.
Nevertheless, some experts say the failure of the United States and Russia to engage fully over a range of issues could ultimately compromise security at the Olympics.
Micah Zenko, an expert on national security at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank, argued that the "safety and security of everyone attending the Winter Olympics is being put at further unnecessary risk because of the reciprocal distrust between Russia and US counterterrorism and intelligence agencies."
The White House has expressed "concern" about an uptick in reported threats by violent extremists relating to the Sochi Games.
Security fears have been exacerbated by two suicide bombings in the southern city of Volgograd last month -- Russia's deadliest in three years -- that killed 34 people.
Other senior US officials meanwhile have complained that Russia has "not been forthcoming in sharing specific threat information."
The US Olympic Committee has advised athletes heading to Sochi to avoid wearing their team uniforms or Team USA logos outside of Olympic venues during the February 7 to 23 multi-sport event to avoid being targeted.
According to Temuri Yakobashvili, the former deputy prime minister of Georgia and ex-ambassador to the United States, the American concerns are "are very legitimate."
"The US government obviously should be very cautious and should be very concerned because of the anti-American sentiment," said Yakobashvili, an expert with the German Marshall Fund of the United States, a public policy think tank.
In a video released earlier this month, militants from the Caucasus region threatened to mount attacks on the Olympics, vowing to deliver a "present" to President Vladimir Putin as well as overseas tourists visiting the games.
"We have been talking to the Russians about the regional security concerns we have. These are longstanding concerns about the North Caucasus," a senior official in President Barack Obama's administration told journalists Friday.
The official acknowledged the administration's "frustration" over a level of intelligence sharing by Russia deemed to be insufficient.
"This is a tough issue because it's an issue of intelligence," the official said. "We have good relations, we have good conversations, but we always want to know more.
"So what you're hearing is frustration that we don't know everything."
Russia countered the criticism through Moscow's ambassador to Washington, insisting the cooperation was satisfactory.
"It's good enough," Sergei Kislyak told CNN's "State of the Union" program. "And you need to remember, it's Olympic Games that are being held in Russia. And we have pretty solid capabilities to deal with it on our own.
"I don't see any tension. I didn't feel any tension," he added, predicting a "secure, peaceful and successful" Olympics.
Nevertheless, Zenko of the Council on Foreign Relations said the US and Russia remain locked in a stand-off of mutual distrust.
"Russia does not want to provide information that could reveal the sources and methods of how it collects human and signals intelligence, while the United States will not share jamming technology that could defeat radio-signal car bombs, because Russia could share or use that information to develop countermeasures that overcome those jammers," Zenko said.
Republican US lawmaker Peter King said the United States was wary of sharing technology with Russia.
"I can understand why people in our government would be reluctant to share a very sophisticated piece of technology, which could be used against us in the future," he told ABC television's "This Week."
Yakobashvili said he did not expect the US and Russia to "clash" over the issue of security.
"I don't think that the United States is trying by any means to confront the Russian federation and its leadership," he said.
In fact, Washington has repeatedly offered security assistance to Moscow.
Obama and Putin engaged in telephone diplomacy last week, while the Pentagon has said it is ready to deploy air and naval assets, including moving two warships into the Black Sea. Russia has rejected the offers.
Frozen Big Apple on menu for Broncos, Seahawks.
By BARRY WILNER (AP Pro Football Writer)
An icy wind made its way through the Meadowlands, cut across the Hudson River and into frigid Manhattan. Looks like Mother Nature is taking seriously the NFL's slogan for the upcoming Super Bowl: Best Served Cold.
One week before kickoff, on the day the Broncos and Seahawks arrived in the frozen Big Apple, Sunday brought a bit of a thaw. Temperatures actually reached the low 20s.
Hardly balmy.
Not that the guys who will take the field at MetLife Stadium have any complaints or concerns. They'd play this one on the New Jersey tundra or in Death Valley.
''My team is excited,'' Peyton Manning said after the Broncos' flight landed in New Jersey. ''We worked hard to earn this opportunity. We couldn't be more excited.
''We were excited getting on that plane and excited getting off that plane.''
More media, for sure. A glaring spotlight on everything. Spending a week away from home.
Practicing in another team's facility: the Seahawks at the Giants' complex across the parking lots from MetLife Stadium, the Broncos at the Jets' place in Florham Park, about 30 minutes from the Meadowlands.
Both coaches, Denver's John Fox and Seattle's Pete Carroll, expressed concern about the outdoor practice fields being covered with snow or frozen. Neither sounded eager about working indoors the entire week.
Just another inconvenience that goes along with the Super Bowl, although the NFL said the outdoor fields will be available for practices.
''Our mentality is strong,'' Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. ''I think we know how to play in games like this. Hopefully we will be able to maintain that mentality that allows us to do the things we do.''
Not one regular Seahawks player has been this far, giving Denver something of an edge in experience. The Broncos have four: receiver Wes Welker, tight end Jacob Tamme, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and some quarterback named Peyton.
Manning, of course, is the only current Bronco to have won a ring, with Indianapolis in 2007. He also lost the Super Bowl in 2010 with the Colts.
''The Super Bowl is a big deal,'' he said. ''I know how hard it is to get here. I know the sacrifice the team made.''
That they will sacrifice the comfort of playing in a dome, or in a warm climate, in this Super Bowl doesn't seem to be fazing them a bit. Instead, the Broncos want to embrace the cold, the winds, the snow - and everything else that comes along this week in the first Super Bowl ever played outdoors in a cold-weather city.
''We'd love to play in 70-degree weather,'' said Denver 15-year veteran cornerback Champ Bailey, who has reached his first title game. ''But if you tell me it's 20 degrees and I am playing in the Super Bowl, I'm going to take it.''
Welker, who lost both of his trips to the Super Bowl with the Patriots before joining the Broncos this season as a free agent, fully understands the issues that can arise this week. He and Manning, in particular, have counseled teammates on those pitfalls.
''It's knowing what to expect, trying to get rid of all the nonsense that goes with the Super Bowl,'' Welker said.
The Seahawks certainly didn't find their send-off in Seattle to be nonsensical, even if it got a little ''extraordinary,'' as Carroll dubbed it.
''At the airport, what usually takes us about one minute to get through took 20 minutes,'' defensive end Cliff Avril said about the ''thousands and thousands'' of fans lining the bus route. ''They were pretty close and we were hitting the windows inside. It was a blast.''
That's a lot of 12th Men saluting their team.
''The 12s were out there in full force,'' Carroll said. ''The bus could go 2 miles per hour because they kind of scurried into the streets. They were not just waving, but jumping up and down and going crazy. It was kind of collegiate-like.''
On Monday, with the long travel out of the way and the introductory news conferences behind them, each team gets down to the main strokes. They can't wait.
''I don't believe in such a thing called distractions,'' Broncos linebacker Wesley Woodyard said. ''This is the moment we have got to be in. It's what you wanted your whole life.''
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