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Sports Quote of the Day:
"The key to a winning season is focusing on one opponent at a time. Winning one week at a time. Never look back and never look ahead." ~ Chuck Noll, Super Bowl winning head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers (Won four Super Bowls in six years.)
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Avalanche 3, Blackhawks 2 (OT). (I know you hate to hear this as much as I hate to say it but we got a point!!!)
By Jerry Bonkowski, The Sports Xchange
Center Matt Duchene's 17th goal of the season with 51 seconds remaining in overtime powered the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday at the United Center.
Duchene's goal came on the power play after Chicago center and team captain Jonathan Toews was whistled for hooking at 3:34 of the extra period, setting the stage for Duchene's game-winner 35 seconds later.
Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford has now lost all five of his starts since returning from nearly a month off with a lower-body injury. In addition, Chicago (30-8-11) has now lost seven of its last 12 games, including five in either overtime or the shootout.
Crawford (now 17-7-7) stopped 23 of Colorado's 26 shots in regulation time, while winning Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov (22-8-5) stopped 42 of 44 shots.
The Avalanche (29-12-5), who have now won six of their last eight games, came into the game as the fifth-best team in the Western Conference, while the Blackhawks were second. Colorado now leads the best-of-five season series between both teams 2-1.
The Avalanche got off on the right foot with a pair of first-period goals. First, defenseman Tyson Barrie sank a slap shot past Crawford from the top of the right circle at 14:58. It was Barrie's fourth goal of the season. Colorado is now 23-1-3 when it has scored first this season.
Then, just 10 seconds after Chicago forward Kris Versteeg was sent to the penalty box for hooking, Avalanche center Ryan O'Reilly took advantage of the power-play situation by scoring his 17th goal of the season at 16:00.
O'Reilly and Duchene both lead the Avalanche with 17 goals apiece.
Chicago finally got on the board at 8:12 of the second period when defenseman Johnny Oduya scored his third goal of the season. The goal had originally been awarded to left winger Brandon Saad, but was reversed upon video review of the tally.
The Blackhawks tied the game on a strange goal at 7:27 of the third period. A shot by Saad bounced off the body of Varlamov and into the air. Chicago center Andrew Shaw, who has struggled of late offensively, pounced on the wayward puck and lifted it over Varlamov's right shoulder for his 13th goal, tying the game at 2-all.
NOTES: The Avalanche were without C Paul Stastny, who is suffering from a leg injury, as well as backup G J.S. Giguere (back spasms) and D Cory Sarich (healthy scratch). Chicago sat Ds Michael Kostka and Sheldon Brookbank (both healthy scratches). ... Chicago continues its four-game homestand Friday against the visiting Anaheim Ducks and Sunday vs. the Boston Bruins. ... Colorado hosts the New Jersey Devils on Thursday before playing eight of its next 11 games on the road prior to the Olympic break. ... Chicago coach Joel Quenneville came into the game just two wins away from tying Dick Irvin for third-most wins by an NHL coach. Once Coach Q passes Irvin, he'll need 90 more wins to tie second-ranked Al Arbour (782). Blackhawks special assistant Scotty Bowman leads all NHL coaches with 1,244 career wins. ... Colorado came into the game with the third-best record (28-12-5) after 45 games in team history. ... Attendance was 21,412.
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Chicago Bears Made the Right Decision Keeping Mel Tucker as Defensive Coordinator.
By Billy Grayson
Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator Mel Tucker
COMMENTARY | To most fans and onlookers, it seemed like a no-brainer: with the Chicago Bears experiencing their worst defensive season in as long as anyone can remember, they should absolutely fire defensive coordinator Mel Tucker.
Despite all of the injuries and inexperience they put on the field as a result, it was the coach's fault. After all, if the Bears could survive the loss of Brian Urlacher to a season-ending injury in 2009 and still be better than this year's edition, major changes were needed to turn this thing around. The offense, for once, carried the Bears to eight wins, and that number would have been much higher had it not been for the porous display on defense.
But then Bears' GM Phil Emery and head coach Marc Trestman appeared to offer support for Tucker during their end-of-season press conference on January 2. Emery said no decision was made at that time, and that it was his job to "take emotion out of the decisions" that he makes.
Emery added that numerous players may move positions and even that the team may switch to a 3-4 defense for the first time in team history. With Emery having already locked up quarterback Jay Cutler, the major question for the Bears this offseason was who would be calling the defense in 2014.
On Sunday, Chicago finally gave an answer, announcing that two defensive coaches would not be returning in 2014: defensive line coach Mike Phair and linebackers coach Tim Tibesar. In that announcement, they also revealed Tucker would be returning as defensive coordinator.
"Our team evaluation remains ongoing. We believe Mel is the right person to lead our defensive unit. He fully understands where we need to improve, has the skill set and leadership to oversee the changes that need to be made and to execute our plan to get the results we know are necessary," Trestman said in a statement.
You can bet that Trestman, a dedicated coach, did his due diligence in deciding whether or not to retain Tucker. With all that he and Emery have accomplished so far in building the offense to what it was last year, how can one not trust that they will do the same this season and in the future?
The Bears made the right decision in retaining Mel Tucker because he is a good coach with a proven track record. In 2011, Tucker took over the play-calling duties for the Jacksonville Jaguars and led them to being the #4 rated defense.
Tucker also has a track record coaching defensive backs at a high level. While coaching the Cleveland Browns defensive backs from 2005-07 and serving as the defensive coordinator in 2008, the Browns recorded 73 interceptions, fifth most in the league during that span. Everyone knows the Bears safeties struggled during the 2013 season despite starters Chris Conte and Major Wright being healthy for almost the entire season.
Safety, however, was really the only position that enjoyed any semblance of health during the season. During the course of the season, six defensive players who started multiple games also missed a significant portion of the season: Stephen Paea, Henry Melton, Nate Collins, Lance Briggs, D.J. Williams, and Charles Tillman. This group doesn't include Kelvin Hayden, who was lost for the season in training camp and supposed to be the teams' nickleback on defense.
Injuries usually shouldn't qualify as an excuse, but when you consider how the Bears had such an inexperienced group of backups, they clearly played a factor in the decline of the defense's play. Before Williams was lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle October 10 against the New York Giants, the Bears ranked eighth in the NFL against the run.
Emery still has numerous key decisions to make involving free agents and players under contract, and the defense is sure to look different in 2014. But in this case, he decided that continuity could only help improve those that will return, especially when you consider all of the positive support he has received in the weeks following the end of the season.
Tucker has had success with every team he has coached for since coming to the NFL, and the Bears should be no different. Tucker has proven he knows how to coach in this league, his players just didn't show it last season. Bears fans can only hope that next year they do.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls' win streak ends at hands of Wall, Wizards.
By Aggrey Sam
Monday night’s attempt to get back to a .500 record on the season and remain undefeated in 2014 proved unsuccessful for the Bulls (17-19), as they fell to the Wizards (17-19), 102-88, at the United Center, ending their five-game winning streak in a game they never once led.
After the Wizards jumped out to an 8-0 start—all five Washington starters got on the board in the early going—Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau halted the proceedings, in the hopes that his team would finally show some signs of resistance.
They did, fighting back to make the opening period competitive, with rookie swingman Tony Snell (12 points) providing a spark off the bench. But it was enough to get out of the early hole and after both allowing 63.2 percent shooting from the field and being outrebounded 11-5 in the first quarter, the Bulls faced a 26-19 deficit.
Newly-acquired swingman Cartier Martin saw some action early in the second quarter, but even his knowledge of his former team couldn’t stop the Wizards from extending their lead to double digits, as Washington’s balanced attack—talented young shooting guard Bradley Beal (13 points) and reserve sharpshooter Martell Webster (12 points) were particularly effective—continued to be efficient on offense.
The Bulls used a 12-3 run to climb back into the contest, as Martin’s rugged all-around game, Carlos Boozer’s (19 points, seven rebounds) scoring and the playmaking of backup point guard D.J. Augustin gave them a boost, but behind point guard John Wall (19 points, seven assists, four steals), a potential first-time All-Star this season, and veteran wing Trevor Ariza (16 points, nine rebounds), the visitors maintained a comfortable margin of separation. At the intermission, the Bulls trailed, 56-43, having conceded 59 percent first-half shooting to their guests.
After the break, yet another 8-0 run was in order to start the half, this time in the Bulls’ favor, as the Boozer and Jimmy Butler (12 points)—showing no ill effects from a one-game absence due to a left-thigh injury—carried the scoring load, while veteran floor general Kirk Hinrich (eight points, eight assists) handled playmaking duties and All-Star center Joakim Noah (eight points, 16 rebounds) was his usual self on the glass.
It didn’t hurt that Washington began having issues finishing layups, but the Bulls’ positive momentum all but ground to a halt when Boozer missed a bunny with 4:10 to go in the third quarter. The game quickly went from 65-61 in the Wizards’ favor to the Bulls’ facing a 12-point deficit in little over a minute.
Heading into the final stanza, the Bulls were down, 78-68, after a Taj Gibson (eight points, seven rebounds) tip-in with 3.9 seconds left in the period was immediately followed by Wizards reserve guard Garrett Temple’s (10 points) buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the frame.
The Bulls made little headway in the early portion of the fourth quarter, but fortunately for them, the Wizards weren’t able to muster up much scoring either, keeping the gap between the two teams in roughly the same neighborhood. Snell sparked the Bulls by making hustle plays and enabled the gap to be narrowed into single digits midway through the period, then a two-possession contest.
But just as it seemed as if the Bulls would be able to make a comeback and extend their 2014 winning streak to six consecutive games, the backcourt of Wall and Beal made clutch shots to stem the tide, while Nene (19 points)ncontrolled the interior, ensuring that it wasn’t to be and the two teams, in a battle for fifth place in the woeful Eastern Conference, would end the evening with identical records.
Bulls-Magic Preview.
By JEFF MEZYDLO (STATS Senior Writer)
The Orlando Magic believe they are making strides despite being in the midst of their worst stretch of the season.
Whether they've progressed enough to end an eight-game skid and avoid a seventh consecutive home loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night remains to be seen.
On a five-game western trip that ended Monday, Orlando (10-28) averaged 88.0 points on 39.5 percent shooting while losing by an average margin of 20.2 points.
Looking for anything positive to take from a trek that concluded with a 107-88 loss at Dallas, the Magic have shot 44.4 percent in the last two games after making 37.8 percent in the previous six.
Looking for anything positive to take from a trek that concluded with a 107-88 loss at Dallas, the Magic have shot 44.4 percent in the last two games after making 37.8 percent in the previous six.
They also showed some life during a 21-5 run to get within six of the Mavericks in the third quarter.
"It was a good response from the group after halftime," coach Jacque Vaughn told the team's official website. "Overall, it was a great response by our group."
Jameer Nelson matched a season high with 21 points and Glen Davis scored 12 of his 19 during the run for Orlando, which had three losing streaks of at least eight games last season.
"It's a process to winning and this is part of the process," Nelson said. "This is a stepping stone and we're not going to learn this stuff overnight.
"Over the last few weeks we've gotten better in some areas. Now, we just have to put a full game together."
Leading scorer Arron Afflalo (20.8 points per game) hopes to return after missing the last two games with a foot injury, but starting center Nikola Vucevic (concussion) is likely to miss a fifth straight as Orlando opens a three-game homestand.
"I'm disappointed that (the trip) didn't go the way we felt it should have went or could have went, but at the same time we get the opportunity to go home, see our families, sleep in our bed," Nelson said.
The Magic have lost their last six home games against Chicago (17-19) while averaging 83.3 points, but they did end a five-game series skid in the first meeting this season. Afflalo scored 23, Davis and Vucevic combined for 24 points and 22 rebounds, and Orlando allowed its fewest points of the season in an 83-82 win Dec. 16 for its second victory in the past 11 meetings.
Luol Deng missed an easy layup in the final seconds that would have tied that game. The Bulls traded him to Cleveland three weeks later and went unbeaten in the first three games after dealing their leading scorer before falling 102-88 to Washington on Monday, snapping a five-game winning streak.
Chicago allowed an average of 85.4 points and 40.1 percent shooting while winning six of seven before the Wizards shot 52.0 percent.
"Games like this humble you," forward Taj Gibson said. "Right when you're feeling too good about yourself, you're feeling invincible, a team comes in there and smacks you, wakes you up to reality."
Visiting Orlando might provide the Bulls a good opportunity to extend a three-game road winning streak after they had opened 3-11 away from home.
Chicago's Carlos Boozer, who had 19 points Monday for the second time in three games after missing two with a sore knee, has averaged 24.3 with 10.8 boards in the last four at Orlando.
White Sox creatively attempting to rebuild the right way.
By Jeff Passan
2013 record: 63-99
Finish: Fifth place, AL Central
2013 final payroll: $116.7 million (12th of 30)
Estimated 2014 opening day payroll: $88 million (T-16th of 30)
Yahoo Sports offseason rank: 26th
White Sox in six words: Rebuild is off to solid start
OFFSEASON ACTION
One of the beauties of a teardown is the ability to renovate it any way the imagination dares. Take these Chicago White Sox, in the midst of baseball's deconstruction. With upcoming financial flexibility, a creative mind at the head of the baseball-operations department and a desperate need for impact talent due to a farm system bereft of it, the White Sox decided to do something that sounds more absurd than it actually is.
Guarantee $68 million to a player who never has taken a single swing in the United States.
Jose Abreu, of course, is not your ordinary millionaire 68 times over. He is 26 years old, 6-foot-3, 250 pounds and in possession of what some scouts believe is among the best right-handed-hitting power bats in the world. And after defecting from Cuba last fall, his price kept climbing and climbing, teams desperate to spend money with limited budgets for the draft and international free agency, even more desperate to do so on someone in his prime with a rare skill.
This is no ordinary risk for the White Sox. It is an out-and-out gamble, though it's the sort general manager Rick Hahn counterbalanced with intuitive, purposeful trades throughout the rest of the offseason. When you drop a six-year contract for more than $11 million a year because of the success of others – no way Abreu gets anything close to that if Yasiel Puig and Yoenis Cespedes aren't such monsters – it begs for prudence in other endeavors.
So in selling high on left-hander Hector Santiago, a maybe-starter whose walk rate was the fifth highest among pitchers with at least 149 innings last season, Hahn acquired center fielder Adam Eaton, a high-on-base, high-energy sort who will fit wonderfully atop the lineup.
And in dropping closer Addison Reed and his soon-to-be-ballooning salary on Arizona, Hahn fetched third baseman Matt Davidson, a 22-year-old with a history of minor league success who should plug a weakness.
Hahn's other moves are of the smart and under-the-radar variety. Bringing in ground-ball impresario Ronald Belisario and left-handed specialist Scott Downs on low-risk, solid-reward one-year deals. Picking up starter Felipe Paulino on the cheap in hopes that 20 months after Tommy John surgery his arm still pumps out 95-mph fastballs. Trying to find a long-term solution at catcher by taking Adrian Nieto in the Rule 5 draft. Re-signing Paul Konerko to a one-final-hurrah deal, allowing fans angry with the misery of last season a nice bit of nostalgia.
Whereas other rebuilding teams often tread water waiting for their prospects to develop, the White Sox's farm system leaves a lot to be desired. And by a lot, we mean everything. So for now, Hahn wields a measure of aggressiveness because he must. It's the sort of mandate that makes GMs work harder; it's also the kind that without success gets them fired.
REALITY CHECK
For all of the chatter this offseason about the White Sox potentially trading Chris Sale, that wasn't happening, not when Sale is arguably the most valuable player in all of baseball.
That's not hyperbole, either. It's fair to call Sale one of the 10 best starters in baseball. Let's consider the pitchers with whom he compares favorably: Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez, Max Scherzer, Adam Wainwright, Cliff Lee, Yu Darvish, David Price and Cole Hamels. Kershaw is going to cost roughly $5 billion as a free agent next offseason.
Verlander signed a $180 million deal, King Felix one for $175 million, Scherzer will join them in that neighborhood as a free agent alongside Kershaw, Wainwright gets $97.5 million, Lee $120 million, Darvish $111 million including posting fee, Price about $30 million for the next two seasons and then the free-agent bounty after, and Hamels $144 million.
Sale is in the second year of a five-year deal that includes a pair of club options. If both are exercised, Sale will make $56.65 million through 2019.
It is an incredible deal, the sort that allows Hahn to tap into his big-market revenue streams and take risks in supplementing his core – one with great potential but a frightening amount of bustability, too.
Alongside Sale is Jose Quintana, another left-hander with dazzling numbers over the last two seasons, and they more than make up for the mediocrity of post-shoulder-surgery John Danks (who is still owed nearly $50 million for the next three years) and inexperience of two other potential rotation mates, the favorite, Erik Johnson, and Andre Rienzo, a hard-throwing Brazilian who flashed promise in September.
The lineup is one giant wild card, replete with potential – and potential messes. Best-case scenario, Abreu crushes for the sort of power he showed in Cuba and can stick at first base instead of an eventual move to designated hitter. Dayan Viciedo, another Cuban, overcomes his desire to swing away by balancing a walk or two with his big raw power. A third Cuban, Alexei Ramirez, plays well enough to draw a good trade and open up shortstop to prospect Marcus Semien. Either, or both, of the Garcias – right fielder Avisail, acquired in the Jake Peavy deal, and infielder Leury, the return for Alex Rios – takes ample tools and turns them into something special. And someone among the Nieto-Josh Phegley-Tyler Flowers triumvirate establishes himself as a consistent presence. Say what you will about A.J. Pierzynski, but stability at catcher matters to a pitching staff.
Other matters will work themselves out, as they often do with bad teams. Whether it's Nate Jones, the favorite, or someone else, a closer will emerge. Should Belisario or Downs thrive, each can procure a nice return via trade. This is where the White Sox are today: future open-ended, minds always wondering how to get better and, for the time being, succeeding at the latter on account of the former.
SAVIOR
Rick Hahn might have the perfect pedigree. He earned a law degree from Harvard and an MBA from Northwestern. He spent two years as an agent under Jeff Moorad and another decade ascending the baseball-operations ladder with the White Sox. And when Kenny Williams got bumped up to the president's office, the day-to-day decision-making fell on Hahn. His trades so far: solid. His first draft: scouts liked it. Now comes the difficult part: Rescuing a bedraggled farm system and building upon the good start.
HAIKU
Chicago's summer:
190 losses
Between north and south
Captain's Blog: Ryder Cup year is upon us.
PGA.com; By Tom Watson 2014 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain
The New Year means the Ryder Cup is starting to get close.
It seems it was just a few months ago that the last Ryder Cup ended. Everything has gone by fast and a lot of things have passed under the bridge since 2012. We're very close now. The loss in 2012 at Medinah is still on everybody's mind. This will be a great impetus for our team to win the Cup back this coming September.
The players are playing tournaments and getting Ryder Cup points outside of the majors now. Of course, that started in the fall with the new wraparound schedule, so we've already got eight point-getting opportunities -- 12 counting the 2013 majors -- in the books.
WHERE THEY STAND: Latest U.S. Ryder Cup points standings | Qualifying process
I've been actively watching the players and how they're playing. I've been impressed by a number of the players, especially Zach Johnson.
Zach's the kind of player who has a big heart. You can't underestimate the value of a big heart from a standpoint of winning and how that plays in a Ryder Cup. I've said it many times -- heart is the No. 1 quality I'm looking for in these players.
It's too early to look at the standings and think, "this is the team that will be at Gleneagles," but there certainly are trends. And right now, the team is really shaping up similar to the one we had in 2012. Guys from that 2012 U.S. team are playing well and getting significant points.
Now that we're officially in the Ryder Cup year, the media will start talking a lot about it. I'll be out at the L.A. Open on February 11 to make an announcement of importance, so people can be on the lookout for that. While I'm out there, I'm going to make it a point to talk and watch the players, as I want to get to know them better. I'm going to do this consistently throughout the year before the Ryder Cup.
Regarding my own playing schedule, I'm going to play in four events on the PGA Tour for certain in 2014. They are the Masters, the Greenbrier Classic, the British Open and the PGA Championship. I'll also play my normal schedule on the Champions Tour, which, for me, is right around eight events.
Behind the scenes, things have been active planning-wise. We're nearly finished in our selections of the men's and women's clothing. We're using Ralph Lauren Polo, who I've had a tie-in with for many years. This is one big item to check off our list.
We're working hard to ensure that everybody has the right clothes for the climate we're going to be in. The clothes will be both comfortable and fashionable.
The process now is to fit the players. We'll have a number of potential players and caddies get measured during the week of the Memorial Tournament. The clothing will be made well in advance. We'll have them try on the clothes, see what they like and see what they don't like. It's not a headache, but it's one issue you want to make sure you get right. They need to be comfortable in different weather.
As far as other things involving planning, we've had discussions on the hotel and the rooms the players will live in; the meeting rooms that will be used -- what we'll have in there in terms of comfort levels and entertainment.
We've also spent a lot of time going over the logistics of the site itself, how the players will be transported in the easiest possible way; food issues -- we'll learn about that as we get closer to filling out the team and we'll make sure everyone will be fed properly. That's what you do behind the scenes.
I need to give credit to Susan Martin, Kerry Haigh and the rest of the PGA's team. They know what works. They've done this many times before. They have a great template. We've made minor adjustments, but everyone is on the same page as far as all the logistics are concerned.
My two most important jobs are these: 1. To make my three Captain's Picks; 2. Put together the strongest pairings as possible.
To inspire is part of my job too, but I don't think they have to be inspired too much. I know they'll be motivated without a question from our last Ryder Cup experience.
We will forever remember you, tandem drafting.
By Nick Bromberg
Can we please have a moment of silence for the tandem draft?
On Sunday, NASCAR announced that tandem drafting would be outlawed in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series on restrictor plate tracks this season. If two cars or trucks try the tandem draft, they'll be subject to a penalty. That could be anything from a black flag to being dropped in the scoring order if it happens very late in a race.
"Well, we have the ability to just not score the lap or time penalty post-race," NASCAR VP of Competition Robin Pemberton said Sunday. "That's been there all along. I think you can remember far enough back, I believe a time penalty was imposed on maybe Ricky Rudd or somebody at Sears Point a long time ago, and so we have that ability.
"You know, the rule that -- the unwritten rule that you get three laps from getting a black flag, it really doesn't hold water. I mean, we only give them that, and that started back in the day when people a lot of times didn't even have radios. So that's just kind of -- it's the unwritten rule.
"But we expect teams that get the black flag to immediately obey the order from the tower, and we do have the ability to fix the scoring when it's over with."
Tandem drafting is the maneuver when two cars lined up bumper-to-bumper and the second car pushed the first car for increased speed. With the new Sprint Cup Series car the tandem draft was almost impossible to do with its uneven front and rear bumpers. But the practice was still possible in NASCAR's other two series, especially in the Nationwide Series.
Tandem drafting is the maneuver when two cars lined up bumper-to-bumper and the second car pushed the first car for increased speed. With the new Sprint Cup Series car the tandem draft was almost impossible to do with its uneven front and rear bumpers. But the practice was still possible in NASCAR's other two series, especially in the Nationwide Series.
Last year's Nationwide races turned into duels between groups of two at the front of the field. But three of the series' last four races at Daytona ended with crashes on the final lap including in last February's race. 33 fans were injured in that crash when Kyle Larson's car went flying into the catchfence.
And last fall's truck race at Talladega featured a nasty crash too. (Though we should also remember the inexplicable absence of SAFER barriers)The danger of those crashes plays a big role in the abolition of the practice. But that abolition is something that's going to be incredibly hard to enforce.
Bump drafting will still be allowed. But what's going to be the difference between a bump and a push? Multiple seconds? Thousands of feet? With the need to watch the entire field every lap and the high speeds of the cars, an ironclad time or distance rule is almost impossible.
That means there will be a lot of gray area in the new rule. That's not a great idea for NASCAR. With a finicky fanbase, rulings like this on a case-by-case basis can be extremely tricky.
Ideally, the sanctioning body hopes that the simple existence of this new rule is enough to deter drivers from finding where the line is. But we're all realists, right? Someone at some time is going to attempt to find where that line is. Others are going to follow suit. And even then, we may still not know where the line has been drawn.
US gets early taste of Brazil ahead of World Cup.
By TALES AZZONI (AP Sports Writer)
Jurgen Klinsmann is giving American players an early chance to get to know Brazil ahead of the World Cup.
The U.S. began a 12-day training camp Tuesday in Sao Paulo, where the team will be based during the tournament in June. The Americans, with a roster of 26 players mostly from Major League Soccer, are the first of the 32 World Cup nations to arrive in Brazil this year in an effort to get acquainted to the host country.
The U.S. coach calls the dry run for the World Cup a great chance to know more about what to expect.
''This is a wonderful opportunity for us,'' Klinsmann said after the team's first practice session at the training center of Sao Paulo Futebol Clube.
''It gives us the opportunity to be already at the facility we are going to stay in the World Cup, to get to know the hotel we are going to stay at and to get a feeling for the country,'' Klinsmann said. ''What we want to get out of it is that the players experience all those things. In the technical side there is a lot that we can achieve, on the organizational, logistical side there is a lot we can experience.''
Klinsmann even wants his staff to start learning Portuguese in order to know some basic words by the time the team returns.
The Americans will stay in Brazil until Jan. 25 before heading home for an exhibition against South Korea on Feb. 1 at Carson, Calif., where it began its 11th annual January training camp last week.
Klinsmann is using mostly U.S.-based players, including 10 who helped the Americans qualify for their seventh straight World Cup. Among them are midfielder Graham Zusi, defender Omar Gonzalez and forward Eddie Johnson. Star midfielder Landon Donovan also is in Brazil, but new Toronto FC signing Michael Bradley is among the absences.
''We can bring more players because the European-based players are not coming in, obviously,'' Klinsmann said. ''So it gives more spots to young players who want to show how good they are. Maybe they can still jump on the train for the World Cup. They all have a point to prove. They all want to prove to me that they deserve to be back during the World Cup.''
Klinsmann originally intended to bring only 23 players to Sao Paulo but after watching last week's training was pleased and decided not to trim his roster.
He never considered moving the team's World Cup training base from Sao Paulo after last month's draw gave the U.S. first-round matches in the northern cities of Manaus, Natal and Recife.
''We have probably the worst travel schedule of all teams, but we will take it as a challenge,'' he said.
The U.S. opens against Ghana on June 16, plays Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal six days later and closes the group stage against Germany on June 26. Klinsmann said the Americans may stay up north between their second and third matches rather than return to Sao Paulo, which would cut a group-stage itinerary currently at about 9,000 miles.
NCAA AP Basketball Top 25
AP Sports
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
| 1 | Arizona (60) | 13-0 | 1,620 |
| 2 | Syracuse (5) | 12-0 | 1,550 |
| 3 | Ohio State | 13-0 | 1,462 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | 13-0 | 1,408 |
| 5 | Michigan State | 11-1 | 1,364 |
| 6 | Oklahoma State | 11-1 | 1,278 |
| 7 | Duke | 10-2 | 1,144 |
| 8 | Wichita State | 13-0 | 1,067 |
| 9 | Baylor | 10-1 | 1,013 |
| 10 | Oregon | 12-0 | 987 |
| 11 | Villanova | 11-1 | 943 |
| 12 | Florida | 10-2 | 915 |
| 13 | Iowa State | 11-0 | 869 |
| 14 | Louisville | 11-2 | 812 |
| 15 | Kentucky | 10-3 | 753 |
| 16 | Kansas | 8-3 | 666 |
| 17 | Connecticut | 11-1 | 647 |
| 18 | Memphis | 9-2 | 625 |
| 19 | North Carolina | 9-3 | 413 |
| 20 | Colorado | 11-2 | 373 |
| 21 | San Diego State | 10-1 | 371 |
| 22 | Iowa | 11-2 | 258 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | 11-1 | 160 |
| 24 | Gonzaga | 11-2 | 78 |
| 25 | Missouri | 11-1 | 76 |
Others receiving votes: Illinois 57, Texas 40, George Washington 37, Oklahoma 36, Toledo 32, Florida State 24, UCLA 19, Harvard 10, Michigan 7, Creighton 5, Kansas State 3, Pittsburgh 2, LSU 1
The coaches poll will continue in 2014; crystal football trophy will be replaced by new College Football Playoff trophy.
By Sam Cooper
A new trophy will be awarded to the winner of the College Football Playoff. (USA Today Sports)
The BCS may have reached its end, but the coaches’ poll will live on.
According to a report from CBSSports’ Dennis Dodd, American Football Coaches Executive Director Grant Teaff said on Monday at the AFCA convention that the poll will continue as the transition to the College Football Playoff takes place next season.
The poll goes back to 1952 and Cincinnati coach Tommy Tuberville told Dodd that part of the reason to keep the poll around is to “influence the playoff selection committee.”“We’re not going to be able to sway them, but we might mentally be able to [say] ‘Hey, here’s what the coaches think: Michigan ought to be three and Ohio State ought to be five,'” Tuberville said.
Additionally, the well-known crystal football trophy given to the national champion “will now be presented on campus to the nation’s No. 1.” There will be a new trophy for the College Football Playoff given out at the championship game.
Teaff added that the coaches’ year-end No. 1 team will probably go to the playoff winner, although it has not been definitively decided yet.
Teaff added that the coaches’ year-end No. 1 team will probably go to the playoff winner, although it has not been definitively decided yet.
“I haven’t talked to our coaches about it but common sense will tell you if you’re going to have four teams selected, the winner of that is going to be considered the best in the nation,” Teaff said.
The coaches poll ordinarily hasn’t been looked at as closely as the AP poll, but it will be interesting to see if the year-end coaches poll ends up differing from the teams selected for the College Football Playoff by the selection committee.
Judge: $765M might not cover NFL concussion claims.
By MARYCLAIRE DALE (Associated Press)
A federal judge is slowing down the proposed $765 million settlement of NFL concussion claims, questioning if there's enough money to cover 20,000 retired players.
U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody denied preliminary approval of the plan on Tuesday because she's worried the money could run out sooner than expected. She also raised concerns that anyone who gets concussion damages from the NFL would be barred from suing the NCAA or other amateur football leagues.
''I am primarily concerned that not all retired NFL football players who ultimately receive a qualifying diagnosis or their (families) ... will be paid,'' the judge wrote.
The proposed settlement, negotiated over several months, is designed to last at least 65 years.
The awards would vary based on an ex-player's age and diagnosis. A younger retiree with Lou Gehrig's disease would get $5 million, those with serious dementia cases would get $3 million and an 80-year-old with early dementia would get $25,000. Retirees without symptoms would get baseline screening and follow-up care if needed.
''Even if only 10 percent of retired NFL football players eventually receive a qualifying diagnosis,'' the judge wrote, ''it is difficult to see how the Monetary Award Fund would have the funds available over its lifespan to pay all claimants at these significant award levels.''
She asked for more raw financial data before scheduling a fairness hearing this year, when objectors can question the plan. The objectors could later decide to opt out of it.
Law professor Gabe Feldman, who directs the sports law program at the Tulane University Law School, called the ruling a setback but said ''there's no reason to panic.''
''The question remains whether this gives pause to some of the retired players and makes them question whether this is a settlement they want to be a part of,'' he said.
Some critics said the NFL, with more than $9 billion in annual revenue, was getting away lightly. But the players' lawyers said they would face huge challenges just to get the case to trial. They would have to prove the injuries were linked to the players' NFL service and should not be handled through league arbitration. They could end up with nothing.
Sol Weiss, a lead lawyer for the ex-players, remained confident the class action settlement will ultimately be approved. He said he was confident ''that there will be enough money to cover these claims for 65 years.''
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said league officials were ''confident that the settlement is fair and adequate and look forward to demonstrating that to the court.''
More than 4,500 former players have filed suit, some accusing the league of fraud for its handling of concussions. They include former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett and Super Bowl-winning Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon, who suffers from dementia.
The judge's hand-picked mediator, former federal judge Layn R. Phillips, led several months of negotiations last year and has called the deal fair to both sides.
The settlement would include $675 million for compensatory claims for players with neurological symptoms, $75 million for baseline testing for asymptomatic men and $10 million for medical research and education. The NFL also would pay an additional $112 million to the players' lawyers for their fees and expenses, for a total payout of nearly $900 million.
The NCAA clause is apparently designed to prevent plaintiffs from double dipping. Feldman said he was unsure why the NFL would insist on that.
Given the judge's ruling, the two sides could offer more evidence the fund would be stable, change the payout formula or perhaps have the NFL add more money to the pot. Otherwise, they may be left to start over.
''I think it's a pretty efficient way of doing things, rather than bring it up for the first time at the fairness hearing,'' Matt Mitten, who directs the National Sports Law Institute at the Marquette University Law School, said of the judge's opinion. ''Some of these guys need the money right now.''
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