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Sports Quote of the Day:
"I've observed that if individuals who prevail in a highly competitive environment have any one thing in common besides success, it is failure--and their ability to overcome it." ~ Bill Walsh, NFL Coach of the San Francisco 49ers (Won the Super Bowl three times.)
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks-Red Wings Preview.
By JEFF MEZYDLO (STATS Senior Writer)
After ending the Detroit Red Wings' stay in the Western Conference with an impressive playoff comeback in 2013, the Chicago Blackhawks hope to continue their regular-season series success in the next chapter of this Original Six rivalry.
Coming off victories over two of the league's top teams, the visiting Blackhawks look for an eighth straight regular-season win over a banged-up Red Wings club that will be without its top goaltender Wednesday night.
For more than 30 years, the rivals played in the same conference, first as part of the Campbell Conference and then as members of the renamed Western Conference starting in 1993-94. It was fitting that before Detroit headed to the East, the teams would meet in the conference semifinals, with the Blackhawks rallying from a 3-1 series deficit and capping the comeback with a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 7.
Second in the West, Chicago (32-8-11) has earned a point in 19 of 21 games. It's followed a 1-1-3 stretch with a 4-2 victory over NHL-leading Anaheim on Friday and a 3-2 shootout win over Boston in Sunday's Stanley Cup finals rematch.
"Our team plays better when (there are) huge games," forward Marian Hossa told the Blackhawks' official website. "We look forward to it."
The Blackhawks own a 21-9 goal advantage during their seven-game regular-season winning streak against the Red Wings (21-18-10), and they've earned at least one point in the last 10 such meetings.
Chicago has allowed five goals while winning four straight during a 9-0-1 regular-season stretch at Joe Louis Arena. However, four of those victories came in overtime or a shootout and another by one goal in regulation.
Hossa, who has five goals and two assists in his last five games, recorded one with three assists while the Blackhawks won the final three of last season's playoff matchup.
Teammate Patrick Kane has three assists in 10 games, though he scored the shootout winner against Boston. He has four goals and seven assists in his last 10 regular-season contests at Joe Louis.
Corey Crawford, who stopped 53 of 57 shots against the Ducks and Bruins, is 6-1-1 with a 1.70 goals-against average during the regular season at Detroit.
Jimmy Howard won't be in net for this one after suffering a knee injury in Monday's 4-1 loss to St. Louis that will keep him out at least a week. Slated to represent the United States at next month's Olympics, the injury is to the same knee that forced Howard to miss eight games in December.
"It's a big loss," backup goalie Petr Mrazek told the Red Wings' official website. "We have to think of the positive and play the same game."
Coach Mike Babcock says Jonas Gustavsson will start Wednesday in his first action since Dec. 28.
Howard's situation is another health setback in a season full of them for Detroit, which is likely to be without Pavel Datsyuk for an eighth straight game and Daniel Alfredsson a sixth consecutive contest.
Johan Franzen has been out since mid-December with a concussion, though defenseman Jonathan Ericsson could return Wednesday after missing the last 10 with a rib injury.
Detroit has lost 13 of 19, and it's recorded three non-shootout goals and been shut out twice while dropping three of the last four.
"With the group we have, we've just got to work hard and out-compete the team across from us because we do have a lot of young guys filling in, but we can still get it done with this group," said forward Justin Abdelkader, who has been held without a point in six straight games.
Henrik Zetterberg has a goal with two assists in two games, but has managed one assist in his last seven regular-season and playoff home contests in this series.
Marian Hossa showing Blackhawks age is just a number.
Tracey Myers
Chicago Blackhawks Marian Hossa (Getty Images)
Hossa was flying that night, as he would again on Sunday against the Boston Bruins. Not bad for a guy who just turned 35 earlier this month. Not feeling that age at all, right?
“Some games I do, some games I don’t,” Hossa said with a laugh.
Thirty-five certainly isn’t old. Hossa’s 35 years, however, come with a lot of hockey — including four Stanley Cup Final appearances in his last six seasons — and several bad injuries from knees to shoulders to his back. But with the proper maintenance, a revamped routine and a few more rest days, Hossa’s playing like a guy 10 years younger.
“I don’t think 35 is that old; maybe I’m saying that because I’m 30 now. But he’s the same player, with the same speed, same skill as when he was 25,” Keith said. “It’s a credit to him, his ability and his work ethic. We all know him as a guy who’s in great shape, a great skater. He’s done that his whole career.”
Hossa is once again putting up strong performances and numbers. He scored his 20th goal of the season on Sunday and has five goals in as many games. Hossa has 42 points in 46 games, and his plus-25 rating is his best since he finished a plus-27 in 2008-09 with the Detroit Red Wings.
Teammates are still in awe of what Hossa can do.
“That’s why he’s a future hall of famer,” Kris Versteeg said. “Even if it’s a game when you don’t recognize him much, you still recognize some things he does, which all the great players do. They find a way in every game to make their presence felt. He seems to score a goal or make a great back-check or play every game. Growing up, he was one of my favorites to watch. Now getting to play with him, it’s an honor as well, seeing him up close and the God-given talent and ability he has.”
For Hossa, it’s all about gauging what he needs when he needs it.
“It all depends on how my body feels,” Hossa said. “I think at this stage of my career, I have to manage my body, especially off the ice. You have to make sure you’re smart with what you do. You have to manage the body, because there are so many games.”
Coach Joel Quenneville said he’ll continue to monitor what Hossa needs, especially coming out of the Olympics next month when Hossa will play for the Slovakian team in Sochi.
“We’ll see how they handle it, whether they’re fresh or if they need more days away than the ones we already give them,” Quenneville said of his veterans going to the Olympics. “Hossa, he’s at that stage of his career, if he doesn’t feel good or feel like practicing, sometimes we just tell him to stay away.”
Mark Twain once said, “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” Hossa doesn’t mind tweaking a few things to keep his game productive and no matter his age, the results just keep coming.
“He doesn’t act like 35; it’s almost like he’s 25 the way he moves around the ice, his burst of speed,” Bryan Bickell said. “He’s unbelievable. That’s why he’s Marian Hossa.”
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Goodell suggests ditching the PAT kick.
By BARRY WILNER (AP Pro Football Writer)
Roger Goodell doesn't want to stand pat with the PAT. He's suggesting potential changes in the extra point that, well, might have some legs.
The NFL commissioner says the extra point kick after touchdowns, which had a success rate of nearly 100 percent, is too automatic. Sure is.
And with few teams attempting 2-point conversion plays until desperation hits late in games, the old 1-pointer from 20 yards is the way coaches go. All that does is draw yawns.
So Goodell wonders if the league can add excitement by making some major adjustments to the extra point, suggesting perhaps making a touchdown worth seven points instead of six, with teams having the option to run a play for another point.
But failing on that play would cost them a point.
Gimmicky, for sure. But if Goodell likes the idea ...
A look at how changes to the extra point would affect football:
HOW AND WHO?
Passing any changes to the playing rules in the NFL is, unlike the extra point kick, no snap.
The competition committee meets with the players' union at the NFL combine in February, where any new proposals or ideas are discussed. It's not unusual for the players to have input in potential adjustments, as they did recently on defenseless player penalties.
The powerful committee, chaired by Atlanta Falcons President Rich McKay, meets for about a week in early March and comes up with any proposals, whether from the teams or union or, yes, the big boss.
At the league meetings later in March, the committee presents potential changes for discussion by all 32 owners, who can either vote on them or table them.
McKay said Tuesday: ''We do anticipate the topic being discussed.''
KICKING AROUND?
The idea of toying with the extra point is not entirely new. John Mara, owner of the New York Giants and among the most influential members of the competition committee, says ''it came up for brief discussion in past meetings, but no action was taken.''
It took the NFL years to come around on the 2-point conversion, which can be a pass or run play from the 2-yard line - and under Goodell's apparent preference, could be worth one point if the kick is eliminated. The 2-pointer existed in the old AFL from 1960-69, and college football has had it since 1958.
But it was defeated several times in NFL owners' votes before it passed in 1994 as part of a package of changes to help the offenses.
YEA AND NAY
Coaches will hate any changes, particularly ones that would mean more decisions for them to make. They so rarely go for the 2-pointers until the fourth quarter, and are reluctant to do so then because, well, there's nothing automatic about those attempts. Indeed, less than half (33 of 69) worked in 2013.
''I will say this: Since 2000, I believe, over 99 percent of the extra points are made,'' Falcons coach Mike Smith said. ''It's almost a given that it is going to be made. I'm sure that the competition committee will address it. As a coach you have to play how the rules are.''
Short-yardage backs such as All-Pro fullback Mike Tolbert of Carolina shouldn't mind the elimination of PAT kicks. Nor should running quarterbacks such as Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick and Cam Newton, whose improvisational skills would be a huge advantage.
Kickers? They probably will shrug and practice their field goals - which is what they normally do regarding extra points anyway.
WHO STAYS, AND WHY
Rosters would get slight revamping, with teams likely keeping at least one power back active every week and having two on the roster. Often, those guys also play on special teams, so their presence wouldn't throw a lineup out of whack.
PRACTICE WON'T MAKE PERFECT
Teams would work even more on their short-yardage packages, beginning in training camp. They would use their PAT offenses in other situations on the field in games, too.
While going for a fourth-and-2 near midfield is less rare than it once was, it might become all the more common when coaches know the more times they attempt such plays, the more seasoned their players will be when trying for the extra points.
WILL IT HAPPEN?
It's impossible to gauge the owners' thinking, and a three-quarters majority is needed to pass any rules changes.
''I know a lot of times when we're at owner meetings, those things are brought up, and it's great when you're in those meetings because you hear all the different opinions that are brought up with that,'' Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said. ''I'm sure there will be discussions about that. I'm excited about hearing all those.''
Goodell doesn't get a vote.
Then again, it sounds like he already has cast his.
Bears' Jennings, Long picked for Pro Bowl.
AP Sports
Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. Jennings replaced Seattle's Richard Sherman. Long takes the place of San Francisco's Mike Iupati, who is injured and unable to participate.
Jennings led the Bears with four interceptions, returning two for touchdowns. He also tied for the team lead with three forced fumbles and had one opponent fumble recovery. Jennings has 13 interceptions over the past two seasons, second to Sherman's 16.
Long helped solidify a line with four new starters after Chicago had struggled to protect Jay Cutler in recent years.
The son of Hall of Famer Howie Long, he started all 16 games at right guard after being drafted with the 20th pick and was part of a team that set a franchise record for total net yards (6,109), while finishing second in club history in points (445). Kyle Long is the Bears' first offensive lineman to make the Pro Bowl since guard Ruben Brown and center Olin Kreutz for the 2006 season.
The Bears have five Pro Bowlers, with Jennings and Long joining running back Matt Forte and receivers Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls -Cavaliers Preview.
By NOEY KUPCHAN (STATS Writer)
While the Cleveland Cavaliers were hoping to make a push after acquiring Luol Deng earlier this month, they have only played .500 basketball with him on board.
Deng tries to lead the Cavaliers to a rare win over Chicago as he faces his former club for the first time Wednesday night in Cleveland.
After spending the first nine-plus seasons of his career with the Bulls, Deng was shipped to the Cavaliers on Jan. 6 in exchange for Andrew Bynum - who was waved the following day - and a package of draft picks.
"It will be a little weird, but it's a big game for us that we want to get," Deng said of Wednesday's showdown. "It will be good to see the guys and everything, (but) honestly it's another game."
An All-Star the past two years, Deng has averaged 22.5 points in the last four games, but his new team has only managed to alternate wins and losses in six games since he joined Cleveland (15-26).
"We're still learning ourselves," said coach Mike Brown, whose team is two games out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. "We're not sitting where we want to sit record-wise but even after all the ups and downs and adding Luol, you like the direction that we're going."
Despite losing their top scorer, the Bulls do, too. They've gone 8-2 this month, including 6-2 since the trade.
The Bulls (20-20) got back to .500 for the first time since they were 7-7 on Nov. 27 with Monday's 102-100 overtime win over the Lakers. D.J. Augustin stayed hot with a season-high 27 points off the bench, Joakim Noah added 17 and a season-best 21 rebounds, and Taj Gibson hit the game-winning layup as time expired.
"I know a lot of people talk about us and wanting us to tank and all that," Gibson told the team's official website. "We've got too much pride in this locker room.
"We've got guys who came from being a No. 1 seed, who went deep into the playoffs despite numerous things going against us. We have guys with high character. (Coach Tom Thibodeau) always says it's all about what's in the locker room and we believe that. We believe we can beat anybody."
Augustin, who signed with the team Dec. 13, has posted 20.3 points per game over the last four. Noah has averaged 18.3 over that stretch, well above his season mark of 11.8.
Noah has also pulled down at least 10 rebounds in a career-best 13 straight contests. The last Bulls player to post double figures in 14 consecutive games was Dennis Rodman in 1997-98.
"I just want to help this team win," said Noah, averaging 16.8 boards in the last five.
Noah grabbed 18 rebounds while Augustin had 18 points and 10 assists in a 110-84 win over Cleveland on Dec. 21, the Bulls' 13th in the last 15 meetings.
Cavs star Kyrie Irving has been held to 30.4 percent from the field in three matchups this season.
Irving scored 26 in his latest game, but Cleveland lost 102-97 to Dallas on Monday. Deng scored 20 and Anderson Varejao finished with a season high-tying 18 and 21 rebounds.
After falling behind by as many as 24 in the first half, the Cavaliers had a chance to tie things up with 2.8 seconds left but were called for a five-second violation when Jarrett Jack failed to inbound the ball.
"We all hopefully realize the way we played in the second half, with a lot more energy, that's who we have to be," Deng said. "We have to come together and realize who we want to be."
What makes Joakim Noah a good 'All-Star center?'
CSN Staff
Chicago Bulls Center Joakim Noah
Joakim Noah has plenty of support for being an All Star.
But outside of the "does he deserve it" conversation, there's another point to consider: Noah would make a good "All-Star center."
That's to say the skills that make him so valuable to the Bulls would make him a joy to play with on an All-Star team. After describing what makes Noah a worthy All Star, NBA.com's Steve Aschburner explained that thought on SportsTalk Live.
"He's done everything they've asked of him. He's had even less help now, the emotional roller coaster with Derrick (Rose)'s second injury and Luol Deng being gone. To me, where he's opened eyes has been as a facilitator of the offense," Aschburner said. "He releases the pressure in the midst of possessions, he's able to find guys, very good passer. He'd actually be an effective All-Star center because of his ability to work with the other players on offense."
So one more aspect of Noah's game that boosts his All-Star case is the ability he'd show off to get the ball to fellow Eastern Conference All Stars such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Paul George.
The Curious Case of the Wrong Hall of Famer.
By Rob Neyer
In a highly entertaining guest column for Old Time Family Baseball, Emma Span points out that Bowie Kuhn -- Hall of Famer Bowie Kuhn -- was basically wrong about everything. Really, this list is long: free agency, women in the locker room, Mantle and Mays, Ball Four ... and yet, somehow baseball survived. In fact, Span writes,
Baseball is lucky that Kuhn was largely incompetent — had he gotten his way on any of this he could have done a lot of damage. But fortunately, where labor relations were concerned, Marvin Miller was around to best him at every turn. (Miller, of course, is infamously not in Cooperstown. "That’s like putting Wile E. Coyote in the Hall of Fame instead of the Road Runner," Bouton once said.)
That’s why I’m not sure he is the absolute least deserving person in the Hall of Fame; that distinction probably belongs to Tom Yawkey and his virulent racism.
There is a bright side. Kuhn inadvertently proved that the game of baseball is so resilient that it can not only survive, but even thrive under the direction of a man with terrible judgment on virtually every pertinent issue. Keep that in mind when someone worries about baseball’s future; if Bowie Kuhn couldn’t hurt it, not much can.
Yes, Yawkey's a questionable choice. On the plus side, he did create the Fenway Park that's served the franchise for so long and so well, and he did own the Red Sox for 43 years. On the minus, his Red Sox weren't particularly successful during Yawkey's reign, and he did his best to resist integration (those two facts are not, by the way, completely unrelated). Yawkey served on the Hall of Fame's board of directors for some years, and was also a financial supporter. It's not unreasonable to suspect his involvement with the Hall played a role in his election.
Then again, Yawkey did own a storied franchise for 44 years. And as Mark Armour points out in his biographical article about Yawkey, he was beloved by most of his players and employees, and Yawkey's great wealth has done a great deal of good since his death.
These things are complicated. Yawkey certainly had his flaws, but I'm not at all sure he was some sort of monster. I don't know that I would have voted for him ... but I don't know that I wouldn't have, either.
We were talking about Bowie Kuhn, though. He was wrong about everything, or almost everything. I will say this, though: Kuhn's autobiography is extensive and indexed, and serves as a key document for anyone studying baseball in the turbulent 1970s and early '80s. I'll say this, too: I believe that Kuhn genuinely cared about baseball, which does (or should) count for something. I probably would have supported Kuhn's election to the Hall of Fame, because he played a key historical role for many years, and just about every Commissioner had already been elected.
One thing Emma left off the list ... In 1976, A's owner Charlie Finley decided that he wasn't going to let his stars escape via free agency, and get nothing in return; instead he sold Rollie Fingers and Joe Rudi to the Red Sox for $2 million, and Vida Blue to the Yankees for $1.5 million. Kuhn invoked his "best interests of baseball" prerogative and disallowed both transactions. Was he wrong? I don't know. I think his motives were right. It was actually somewhat heroic, as most of Kuhn's employers -- that is, the men who owned the 24 franchises -- were not on his side.
Again, I'm not saying he was right. I do believe he thought he was doing the best thing for the fans. Bowie Kuhn was a product of his time and his place. He could have been a lot better, but he probably could have been even worse. Yes, Kuhn was really, really, really wrong about a lot of things. But it was the 1970s and he was far, far, far from alone.
Golf glance.
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange
PGA TOUR: Farmers Insurance Open on the North and South Courses at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, Calif., Thursday through Sunday.
TV: Thursday and Friday, 3-7 p.m. EST, on the Golf Channel; Saturday, 1-2:30 p.m. EST on the Golf Channel and 3-6 p.m. EST on CBS; and Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. EST on the Golf Channel and 3-6:30 p.m. EST on CBS.
LAST YEAR: Tiger Woods built an eight-stroke lead with four holes to play, and despite a finish that included two bogeys and a double bogey, he won by four over Brandt Snedeker and Josh Teater, who both shot 3-under-par 69. Woods, who started with 68-65-69 before closing with a 72, won the tournament for a record seventh time, in addition to claiming the 2008 U.S. Open title on the South Course at Torrey Pines. Woods set a PGA Tour record by winning for the eighth time on one course; he tied the mark later in the year by winning for the eighth time at Bay Hill and Firestone. The La Jolla win was the first of his five victories in 2013, and he earned his 14th title in his native California, including 11 in San Diego County.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Allianz Championship on the Old Course at Broken Sound in Boca Raton, Fla., Feb. 7-9.
TV: Friday, 6:30-8:30 EST; Saturday, 6:30-9:30 p.m. EST; and Sunday, 7-9:30 p.m., on the Golf Channel each day.
LAST YEAR: Rocco Mediate, making his debut on the Champions Tour, holed a four-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win by two strokes over Tom Pernice Jr. and Bernhard Langer, who won the title in 2010. Mediate, who won six times on the PGA Tour, took the lead by shooting 11-under-par 61 in the second round. He closed with a 71 and became the 16th player to win his first event on the senior circuit. Pernice, who closed with a 70, missed a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have put pressure on Mediate to make his and avoid a playoff, while Langer wound up with a 68. Before Mediate, Pernice was the last player to win in his first Champions Tour event, the 2009 SAS Championship, but he did not win again until the 3M Championship late last season.
LPGA TOUR: Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic at the Ocean Club Golf Course in Paradise Island, Bahamas, Thursday through Sunday.
TV: Thursday and Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 3-5 p.m., on the Golf Channel each day.
LAST YEAR: Ilhee Lee of South Korea holed a clutch par putt and made a two-putt birdie on the final two holes to claim her first LPGA Tour victory in the rain-plagued season opener. She won by two strokes over Irene Cho. With the course flooded and some holes unplayable, the tournament was limited to 36 holes, three rounds of 12 holes each. Lee, who captured the 2004 Asia-Pacific Junior Championship, holed a 30-foot birdie putt from off the green on her first hole of the final round, chipped in from 60 feet for birdie on the next hole and holed a 10-foot putt for another birdie on her third hole en route to a 5-under-par 42. Cho, who played at USC, also was seeking her first victory. She holed out with a 9-iron from 118 yards for an eagle on the 11th hole and birdied three of the last five holes to shoot 40.
Top 10 NASCAR moments in the Rolex 24.
By Holly Cain
NASCAR's best stock car drivers have always maintained a strong presence in sports car racing's season-opening, star-studded Rolex 24 at Daytona. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions from Bill Elliott and Dale Earnhardt to Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and six-time champ Jimmie Johnson have made the twice around-the-clock event a priority on their bucket list.
It's an eclectic list of NASCAR competitors who have tried to earn a Rolex watch by testing their skills against the best road racers on the planet. However, the list of those stock car stars that actually earned a watch or hoisted a trophy may surprise fans.
It's an eclectic list of NASCAR competitors who have tried to earn a Rolex watch by testing their skills against the best road racers on the planet. However, the list of those stock car stars that actually earned a watch or hoisted a trophy may surprise fans.
Three Cup drivers -- 2010 Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray, rookie Kyle Larson and veteran AJ Allmendinger -- will give it a try this weekend, competing on the challenging 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway course made up of the speedway's high-banks and infield's winding road course when Daytona Speedweeks' first official green flag drops Saturday afternoon.
Here are the top 10 NASCAR moments in the Rolex 24:
10. A pair of NASCAR champions from the 1980s -- future NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott (1988 Sprint Cup champ) and recently inducted Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace (1989 Cup champ) -- each added the renowned sports car race to their book of achievements. Their outcomes, however, differed greatly. Elliott won the GTO class in 1987, while Wallace -- who teamed with then-IndyCar driver Danica Patrick and sports car legends Allan McNish and Jan Lammers -- had to retire early in his only race entry in 2006 when his car overheated while running third overall.
9. When it comes to racing, there seems nothing that Kurt Busch won't try. So it was of little wonder that Busch, who has competed in an NHRA Pro Stock car, wanted to give sports cars a try in the sport's biggest race. He ran the 2005 Rolex 24, months after accepting the 2004 Sprint Cup Series trophy, finishing 15th in the DP class during his debut. He answered that showing with an impressive third place overall with the Penske Taylor Racing joint effort in 2008 teaming with three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe.
8. Four-time Cup champ Jeff Gordon is batting a thousand when it comes to Rolex 24 trophies. He teamed with sports car championship-winner Wayne Taylor Racing in 2007, co-driving with team owner Wayne Taylor, as well as sports car talents Max Angelelli and Jan Magnussen. The team finished on the podium (third place overall), giving Gordon a trophy in his only start.
7. Fans may not realize it, but six-time Sprint Cup Series champ Jimmie Johnson is a seven-time starter in the Rolex 24, with two runner-up finishes (in 2005 and 2008) driving a Pontiac. Perhaps the most newsworthy Rolex outing for Johnson had less to do with his driving talent than a freak accident, however. In 2009 he had to get stitches on the middle finger of his left hand after he cut himself trying to modify his driver's suit with a knife. He had healed by the time the Sprint Cup season started two weeks later, and went on to win his fourth NASCAR championship.
6. Three-time Cup champ Tony Stewart competed in five Rolex 24 races and twice finished in the top five, but the race that stands out for him -- and for fans -- occurred in 2004 when he teamed up with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and sports car champion Andy Wallace. In the 24th and final hour, with Stewart behind the wheel and the field solidly behind the car for the previous 17 hours, the left rear tire suddenly came off the rim nearly spinning Stewart into the wall with 17 minutes remaining. Because the car had held such a big lead, the trio still earned a podium position in third place in their group. Stewart equaled the finish the next year, though in less dramatic fashion.
5. Hall-of-Famer Dale Earnhardt only competed in the Rolex 24 one time, but his 2001 debut was worth his while. Teaming up with his son Dale Jr. and sports car veterans Andy Pilgrim and Kerry Collins, the group's No. 3 factory Corvette finished runner-up in the GTS category. Heavy and frequent rain tormented the competitors throughout the two days of racing, but Pilgrim insisted that the seven-time champ Earnhardt was as quick as his experienced teammates after only a couple stints on the challenging track. Pilgrim fondly recalls a moment on the podium while the drivers were awaiting their trophy, when Earnhardt leaned over to him and whispered, "Second sucks, don't it, son?"
4. Fan favorite Mark Martin has come heartbreakingly close to winning the Daytona 500, but the certain NASCAR Hall-of-Famer owned Daytona International Speedway's Victory Lane in the 1990s, winning four GT class titles for Ford Racing in the Rolex 24. Perhaps the most memorable victory came in 1995 when he co-drove with Academy Award-winning actor Paul Newman and sports car veterans Tommy Kendall and Michael Brockman. The Ford Mustang wore No. 70 in honor of Newman's age and he became the oldest winner in the event's history, taking the title for the GTS-1 class.
3. In 2012, only weeks before he would make his debut as driver of Penske Racing's famed No. 2 Dodge in the Sprint Cup Series, AJ Allmendinger helped underdog Michael Shank Racing pull one of the biggest upsets in Rolex 24 history, beating factory-backed teams to earn first place overall in the 50th anniversary of the event.
2. One-time Sprint Cup winner Casey Mears wisely joined sports car's mighty Ganassi Racing team for the 2006 Rolex 24 and promptly made history as the first full-time NASCAR driver to win overall.
1. A year after Mears' win with the team, Juan Pablo Montoya helped Ganassi continue the historic theme through the following two years (2007-08). Not only did the former Cup Rookie of the Year Montoya become the first NASCAR driver to win multiple Rolex 24 titles, but Ganassi's stellar driver lineup made the team the first -- and only -- to win three consecutive Rolex 24 titles.
League Cup semifinal: Three goals see Manchester City to 9-0, two-legged romp past West Ham.
By Richard Farley
The drama was left in Manchester, where City built a 6-0 lead two weeks ago. Today at Upton Park, any hope the Hammers had of saving face dried up in the third minute, with Álvaro Negredo’s early opener paving the way for the Citizens’ 3-0, second leg victory in England’s League Cup semifinals.
Scoring the first of his two on the night, Negredo headed home from seven yards out in the third minute after being left unmarked on a Marcos Lopes cross. Sergio Agüero, making his first start since returning from a calf injury, doubled City’s lead in the 24th minute, giving the visitors the 2-0 lead they would carry into halftime. When Negredo dribbled through the Hammers’ defense to put City up three in the 59th minute, the Spanish international had his fifth goal of the tie, one that gave the visitors their final margin of victory.
Though City now moves on to face the winner of Wednesday’s Manchester United-Sunderland semifinal, the focus will be on West Ham’s failures. Though the team improved on a first leg performance that saw them out-shot 32-3, the Hammers’ inability to do more against a City team clearly in cruise control only underscores the club’s recent slump. Despite resting six of their regular starters, the Citizens still eased to a three-goal win, leaving West Ham with one win in their last eight matches.
In their last four outing, West Ham has been outscored 17-3, including an embarrassing 5-0 loss at second-tier Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup. With only one win in league play since Nov. 30, the East London club find themselves in the Premiership’s relegation zone, with their lopsided exits from both cup competitions only increasing pressure on Allardyce. Trying desperately to add talent in the transfer window, the West Ham boss may not get a chance to save his team from a Championship return.
Manchester City, on the other hand, move one step closer to their first piece of silverware under Manuel Pellegrini. Whether it’s rival Manchester United or an improving Sunderland they face in early March, City will be heavy favorites to claim their first trophy in two years – the first of what Pellegrini hopes will be four titles this season.
How a perfect NCAA tournament bracket will win you a billion dollars.
By Rob Dauster
Warren Buffett wants to give you a billion dollars.
With a ‘B’.
And he wants to do it if you manage to fill out a perfect bracket for the NCAA tournament.
Seriously. Quicken Loans is sponsoring the Billion Dollar Bracket Challenge, and Buffett is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, the company insuring the grand prize.
“We’ve seen a lot of contests offering a million dollars for putting together a good bracket, which got us thinking, what is the perfect bracket worth? We decided a billion dollars seems right for such an impressive feat,” said Jay Farner, President and Chief Marketing Officer of Quicken Loans. “It is our mission to create amazing experiences for our clients. This contest, with the possibility of creating a billionaire, definitely fits that bill.”
Anyone with a perfect bracket will win either $500 million up front or $25 million a year for the next 40 years. If no one wins, the top 20 brackets will receive $100,000.
“Millions of people play brackets every March, so why not take a shot at becoming $1 billion richer for doing so,” said Buffett. “While there is no simple path to success, it sure doesn’t get much easier than filling out a bracket online. To quote a commercial from one of my companies, I’d dare say it’s so easy to enter that even a caveman can do it.”
List of athletes nominated to U.S. Olympic Team.
By Nick Zaccardi
The 2014 U.S. Olympic Team is expected to be its largest in Winter Games history with more than 200 athletes.
This list of athletes nominated to the 2014 U.S. Olympic Team will be updated as national governing bodies announce their teams:
Aerials
Mac Bohonnon — @macbohonnon
Ashley Caldwell — @ashleyskis
Emily Cook — @emilycook
Biathlon
Lowell Bailey — @lowellcbailey
Tim Burke — @tb_burke
Russell Currier — @russellcurrier
Sean Doherty
Leif Nordgren — @lcnordgren
Lanny Barnes
Annelies Cook
Hannah Dreissigacker
Susan Dunklee — @susandunklee
Sara Studebaker — @sarastudebaker
Bobsled
Cory Butner — @corybutner
Nick Cunningham — @bobsledr
Chris Fogt — @christopherfogt
Steven Holcomb — @stevenholcomb
Steve Langton — @stevenlangton
Justin Olsen — @justinbolsen
Johnny Quinn — @johnnyquinnusa
Dallas Robinson — @drobusa
Curt Tomasevicz — @ctomasevicz
Aja Evans — @ajalevans
Jazmine Fenlator — @jazminefenlator
Jamie Greubel — @jamiegreubel
Lolo Jones — @lolojones
Elana Meyers — @eamslider24
Lauryn Williams — @lauryncwilliams
Curling
Craig Brown
Jeff Isaacson
John Landsteiner — @jlandsteiner
John Shuster — @shoostie2010
Jared Zezel — @jaredzezel04
Erika Brown — @ebrowncurls
Debbie McCormick — @deb_mccormick
Allison Pottinger — @apottinger
Jessica Schultz — @jess_curls
Ann Swisshelm — @curlannie
Figure Skating
Polina Edmunds — @polinaedmunds
Gracie Gold — @graceegold
Ashley Wagner — @ashwagner2010
Jeremy Abbott — @jeremyabbottpcf
Jason Brown — @jasonbskates
Madison Chock — @chockolate02
Evan Bates — @evan_bates
Meryl Davis — @meryl_davis
Charlie White — @charlieawhite
Maia Shibutani – @maiashibutani
Alex Shibutani — @alexshibutani
Marissa Castelli — @marissacastelli
Simon Shnapir — @simonshnapir
Felicia Zhang — @felicia_zhang
Nathan Bartholomay — @natebartholomay
Hockey
David Backes — @dbackes42
Dustin Brown — @dustinbrown23
Ryan Callahan — @ryancallahan24
John Carlson — @johncarlson74
Justin Faulk — @justinfaulk27
Cam Fowler — @c_fowler4
Jimmy Howard
Patrick Kane — @88pkane
Ryan Kesler — @ryan_kesler
Phil Kessel — @pkessel81
Paul Martin
Ryan McDonagh — @rmcdonagh27
Ryan Miller — @ryanmiller3039
Brooks Orpik
T.J. Oshie — @osh74
Max Pacioretty
Zach Parise
Joe Pavelski
Jonathan Quick — @jonathanquick32
Kevin Shattenkirk — @shattdeuces
Paul Stastny — @paulywalnuts26
Derek Stepan — @derekstepan21
Ryan Suter — @rsuter20
James van Riemsdyk — @jvreemer21
Blake Wheeler — @biggiefunke
Kacey Bellamy — @kbells22
Megan Bozek — @meganebozek
Alex Carpenter — @carpy05
Julie Chu — @juliechu13
Kendall Coyne — @kendallcoyne
Brianna Decker — @bdecker1814
Meghan Duggan — @mduggan10
Lyndsey Fry — @fry_x_cycle
Amanda Kessel — @amandakessel8
Hilary Knight — @hilary_knight
Jocelyne Lamoureux — @jocelyneusa17
Monique Lamoureux — @moniquelam7
Gigi Marvin — @gigimarvin
Brianne McLaughlin — @briannemcl
Michelle Picard — @shellfish20
Josephine Pucci — @josephinepucci
Molly Schaus — @schaus729
Anne Schleper — @_aschlep
Kelli Stack — @kstack16
Lee Stecklein — @leesteck2
Jessie Vetter — @vetter31
Luge
Aidan Kelly — @aidankellyusa
Chris Mazdzer — @mazdzer
Tucker West — @tuckerwest1
Summer Britcher — @summerbritcher
Erin Hamlin – @erinhamlin
Kate Hansen — @k8ertotz
Preston Griffall — @prestongriffall
Matt Mortensen — @mattmortensen_
Christian Niccum
Jayson Terdiman — @jterdimanusa
Moguls
Patrick Deneen — @patrick_deneen
Brad Wilson — @wilsfreestyle
Hannah Kearney — @hk_ski
Heidi Kloser — @heidikloser
Heather McPhie — @heathermcphie
Eliza Outtrim
Nordic Combined
Todd Lodwick — @lodwicktodd
Short Track Speed Skating
Eddy Alvarez — @eddyalvarez90
Kyle Carr — @ckylecarr
J.R. Celski — @jrcelski
Chris Creveling — @tophcrev
Jordan Malone — @j2k111
Alyson Dudek — @alydudek
Emily Scott — @emscott89
Jessica Smith — @thejessicasmith
Skeleton
Matt Antoine — @mattantoine
John Daly — @johndalyusa
Kyle Tress — @kyletress
Noelle Pikus-Pace — @noellepikuspace
Katie Uhlaender — @katieu11
Ski Cross
John Teller — @john_teller
Ski Halfpipe
Aaron Blunck — @aaron_blunck
Lyman Currier — @urmotherlovesme
Torin Yater-Wallace — @torinwallace
David Wise — @mrdavidwise
Maddie Bowman — @maddiebowman
Annalisa Drew — @anna_drew_
Brita Sigourney — @britasig
Angeli VanLaanen — @angeli_v
Ski Jumping
Nick Fairall — @nick_fairall
Jessica Jerome — @jessicajerome
Ski Slopestyle
Bobby Brown — @bobby_brown1
Joss Christensen — @josschristensen
Nick Goepper — @nickgoepper
Gus Kenworthy — @guskenworthy
Keri Herman — @keriherman
Julia Krass — @juliakrass15
Devin Logan — @dlogan
Maggie Voisin — @skimagg123
Snowboard Alpine
Justin Reiter — @justin_reiter
Snowboard Halfpipe
Greg Bretz — @gregbretzz
Danny Davis — @theddeadshow
Taylor Gold — @taylor_gold
Shaun White – @shaun_white
Kelly Clark — @kellyclarkfdn
Kaitlyn Farrington — @kaitlynfarr
Arielle Gold — @arielletgold
Hannah Teter — @hannahteter
Snowboard Slopestyle
Chas Guldemond – @chasguldemond
Sage Kotsenburg – @sagekotsenburg
Ryan Stassel
Shaun White – @shaun_white
Jamie Anderson – @jme_anderson
Jessika Jenson
Karly Shorr — @karlyshorr
Ty Walker – @ty_walker_
Speed Skating
Shani Davis — @shanidavis
Tucker Fredricks — @tuckerfredricks
Jonathan Garcia — @jagarcia23
Brian Hansen — @brianthansen
Jonathan Kuck — @jdkuck
Emery Lehman — @mry_the_eman
Joey Mantia — @jrmantia
Patrick Meek — @patjmeek
Mitch Whitmore — @whitmoreusa
Brittany Bowe – @brittanybowe
Lauren Cholewinski – @lmcholewinski
Kelly Gunther — @kellyagunther
Maria Lamb — @mariatlamb
Heather Richardson — @hlynnrichardson
Anna Ringsred — @rings_rad
Jilleanne Rookard — @jmrookard
Sugar Todd — @sugarmotion
Chicago Bulls: Proposed Derrick Rose Trade Makes Bulls Title Favorites in 2015.
By Dalton Russell
COMMENTARY | The Chicago Bulls deciding to trade Derrick Rose is not going to happen, but it should.
What if the Orlando Magic would have traded Anfernee Hardaway in 1997 for one of the top picks in the draft?
At the time, Hardaway was a young superstar battling back from injury, but those injuries ultimately denigrated his abilities to the point that this once perennial MVP candidate spent more time in a suit than in a uniform. Had the Magic made the tough decision to trade Hardaway early, they could have had the opportunity to rebuild their franchise around Tim Duncan, Chauncey Billups or Tracy McGrady.
Chicago finds itself in a similar position as superstar point guard Derrick Rose has suddenly begun following in the footsteps of the Hardaways and Grant Hills of the game. Injuries to both knees in corresponding seasons have allowed Rose to see the court in only 49 total games over the last two years.
It may be hard for most fans to even allow themselves to consider the idea of moving the Chicago native, but, if the Bulls could get back one of the top picks for a draft class expected to rival that of 2003, should Chicago trade Rose and start over?
The Rose You Remember
I can see the indignation creeping into your thought bubbles as you read this article. I can only imagine your first reaction would be something along the lines of, "This writer is stupid. Why would they trade the most explosive point guard in the league who averaged 25 and 7 the year he won MVP?"
And you are exactly right. A team would have to be out of its mind to trade a player that productive for an unproven rookie. But is that really what the Bulls would be doing?
The Same Rose after Two Knee Injuries?
Rose was never a great shooter. The thing that made him a difference-maker was his quickness and his explosive jumping ability that allowed him to drive the lane and play among the trees near the rim. If Rose goes up to dunk and finds his explosion is not longer there, is he really worth $20 million per year to be a jump-shooter?
After Hardaway's first injury cost him 23 games in 1997, he came back and only averaged 35 games per season over his final two years in Orlando. Penny was only 25 years old at the time of his first injury, which happens to be exactly how old Rose is right now.
And the most troubling aspect of Rose's injuries is that they each occurred on non-contact plays. These were not freak accidents that happened during the course of a game, instead, these injuries could be signs of chronic problems that will plague Rose the rest of his career.
Chicago's Outlook Without Rose
Trading Luol Deng to the Cleveland Cavaliers allowed the Bulls some financial flexibility. Chicago is also expected to clear Carlos Boozer's money from its balance sheet after it pulls the trigger on the amnesty clause this offseason. If the Bulls were also able to remove Rose's money from the ledger, they could suddenly become a hot team-up destination for two high-profile free agents this summer.
Imagine if the Bulls could sign Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh and add them to a team that already has Joakim Noah, Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson. Add in the fact that their high draft pick could turn into Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Marcus Smart, Julius Randle or Joel Embiid, and the Bulls could really start building something special.
But the good news would not stop there. Chicago would also be sitting with two additional first-round draft picks in the middle of the draft that it could use or trade for additional pieces, and its highly touted 6-foot-10-inch international sharp shooter, Nikola Mirotic, is expected to finally come over to begin his reign as the next Dirk Nowitzki in 2015.
A Potential Chicago Roster Without Rose
Joakim Noah
Chris Bosh
Carmelo Anthony
Jimmy Butler
D.J. Augustine
Andrew Wiggins
Nikola Mirotic
Taj Gibson
Mike Dunleavy
Tony Snell
*Additional First-Round Draft Pick
* Additional First-Round Draft Pick
Obviously, this roster would be wishful thinking and denotes a best-case scenario, but trading Rose would give the Bulls the resources it would need to assemble a roster similar to this one.
There would always be the chance Rose could become the NBA's version of Peyton Manning and come back stronger than ever and make the Bulls regret dealing him, but I think Chicago would have to take that gamble.
Rose's $20 million salary eats up too much cap space for a player who suddenly cannot be counted on stay healthy. There is a very small window for the Bulls to make the moves needed to immediately evolve into a championship contender, and one major step could be allowing themselves to part ways with Derrick Rose.
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