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Sports Quote of the Day:
"Failures are expected by losers, ignored by winners." ~ Joe Gibbs, Super Bowl Winning NFL Head Coach and NASCAR Race Car Team Owner
2014 Sochi Olympics Winter Games Medal Count.
CS&T/AA Graphics
Updated: 2/9 2:29 PM
| # | Country | G | S | B | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 2 | Netherlands | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | United States | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Canada | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | Russia | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 6 | Austria | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | Sweden | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Italy | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Czech Republic | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 | Switzerland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Slovakia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Poland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | Germany | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Finland | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | Slovenia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Britain | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | Ukraine | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? A lot to like about first part for Blackhawks.
By JAY COHEN (AP Sports Writer)
The Chicago Blackhawks head into the NHL's Olympic break in prime position to defend their Stanley Cup title.
''It was really important before getting the two weeks off. You always want to go into the trip with a little momentum and gain some points before you have a long break like that,'' goaltender Corey Crawford said after the loss to the Coyotes.
But there are some concerns for the last part of the season. Here are five things to watch for the Blackhawks with just 22 games left in the season:
Now comes the part that really matters.
The Blackhawks (35-11-14) were shut out for the first time this season when they lost 2-0 at Phoenix on Friday night.
But their six-game trip leading up to the break included impressive wins at Los Angeles and Anaheim that helped them move within one point of the NHL-leading Ducks.
''It was really important before getting the two weeks off. You always want to go into the trip with a little momentum and gain some points before you have a long break like that,'' goaltender Corey Crawford said after the loss to the Coyotes.
Led by high-scoring Patrick Kane, the Blackhawks lead the league with 207 goals. They have shown the ability to win all kinds of games and have played their best against some of the NHL's top teams.
But there are some concerns for the last part of the season. Here are five things to watch for the Blackhawks with just 22 games left in the season:
OLYMPIC EFFECT: The Blackhawks have 10 players headed to Sochi, matching Detroit and St. Louis for the NHL lead. The list includes five of the team's biggest stars: forwards Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa, to go along with defenseman Duncan Keith.
It's more high-intensity minutes for a group of players who shouldered much of the load during Chicago's run to the title last year. How they come out of those Olympic games could have a dramatic effect on the rest of the season.
''We are happy for the guys and it is a great accomplishment and we will be rooting for them,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''I just think the concern is how are they going to come and how are they going to feel when they get back to the team and the lineup. We will keep an eye on that going through the stretch.''
''We are happy for the guys and it is a great accomplishment and we will be rooting for them,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''I just think the concern is how are they going to come and how are they going to feel when they get back to the team and the lineup. We will keep an eye on that going through the stretch.''
In the days after the league successfully staged its first Super Bowl in the New York-New Jersey area, owners of other NFL teams in cold-weather climates continued their lobbying efforts to land the sport's biggest game.
And for Chicago mayor Rahm Emmanuel, it's about more than the Super Bowl. He would like to see other NFL-related events in the Windy City.
And for Chicago mayor Rahm Emmanuel, it's about more than the Super Bowl. He would like to see other NFL-related events in the Windy City.
"I would say that there are two things in pro football I would love to see in Chicago, either one of them or both: the NFL Draft and the Super Bowl," Emanuel told the Chicago Tribune recently. "They have different advantages for the city given that we have neither one, both would be great attractions for the city to bring national attention. We'll work on both. There's something to the draft and there's something to the Super Bowl. I compliment the NFL for deciding to change to cold-weather cities."
The Super Bowl is one thing -- there are the tourism dollars and regional economic impact that come with hosting it -- but the draft doesn't have much upside beyond saying, "Hey, we hosted that thing once." It's a mostly made-for-television spectacle that involves watching the commissioner read names off a card.
That said, beyond finding a venue, there is little overhead to hosting the event and commissioner Roger Goodell said last May that the draft could eventually move to cities other than New York.
The 2014 NFL Draft will be held in May at Radio City Music Hall (it has typically been the last week of April), but for 2015 and beyond, Goodell suggested that "we will begin the process" of scouting other cities and venues to hold the three-day draft. And if Emmanuel has his way, Chicago would be on the short list.
Missouri All-American DE Michael Sam: “I’m Gay”.
By Chris Huston
According to the Times, Sam told his teammates of his sexual orientation in preseason camp last summer.
Coaches at the University of Missouri divided players into small groups at a preseason football practice last year for a team-building exercise. One by one, players were asked to talk about themselves — where they grew up, why they chose Missouri and what others might not know about them.
As Michael Sam, a defensive lineman, began to speak, he balled up a piece of paper in his hands. “I’m gay,” he said. With that, Mr. Sam set himself on a path to become the first publicly gay player in the National Football League.
“I looked in their eyes, and they just started shaking their heads — like, finally, he came out,” Mr. Sam said Sunday in an interview with The New York Times, the first time he spoke publicly about his sexual orientation.Sam had 48 tackles with 19 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks as he helped Missouri to a 12-2 record this past season. The 6-foot-2, 255-pounder is projected to go in the first three rounds of the NFL draft.
Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel was strongly supportive of Sam in a statement released on Sunday.
“We’re really happy for Michael that he’s made the decision to announce this, and we’re proud of him and how he represents Mizzou,” Pinkel said. “We look forward to following his career, and the success he’s going to have.”
Sam appeared on ESPN later on Sunday to talk about his announcement. There will no doubt be more discussion on the matter in the days to come.
Inside Slant: Developmental league fodder.
By Kevin Seifert
Two recent developments could bolster the argument of those who believe the NFL needs to affiliate itself with a, or create its own, developmental league -- a topic we discussed in depth last November as concerns emerged about the league's quality of play.
In order:
In order:
- A record 102 underclassmen declared for the 2014 draft, all clamoring to join a league that has never had less time to develop them.
- A movement to unionize college players, which if successful could place new limitations on the NFL's current feeder system.
Some background: The NFL's 2011 collective bargaining agreement pulled back the frequency, timing and in some cases content of offseason training. It also limited training camp practices, resulting in many teams eliminating the traditional two-a-day practice schedule.
Some prominent football people, most notably New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, have blamed the reduced training time for injuries. But former NFL general manager Bill Polian, now an ESPN analyst, is among those who believe the true impact is not injured players but the minimal coaching for backup players who ultimately replace them.
That work traditionally has been done in the offseason, but there is now less time to accomplish it. Meanwhile, practice squads -- presumably a place where promising young players are stashed for developmental purposes -- are more typically used to ensure that coaches have a balanced roster to field scout teams during practice.
The issue manifested itself most notably at quarterback this season, when 10 preferred starters missed at least one game because of injury. Seven teams endured injuries to at least two quarterbacks during the season. But anecdotally, at least, there are shortages of properly trained depth at offensive line and cornerback, as well. Theoretically, the surge of underclassmen into the league -- motivated largely to start the clocks on their presumptive second contracts -- will add to the number of developmental players that NFL coaches already don't have enough time to train.
The connection between college unionization and an NFL developmental league is less clear, but it's one that Green Bay Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy made in a recent interview with the team's website. "If the college players unionize, there will be more pressure on the NFL to establish a developmental league," Murphy said.
The Packers declined my request to interview Murphy and flesh out that statement, so we can only make educated guesses about what he meant. In a worst-case scenario for the NFL, I suppose, unionized college players might achieve "benefits" such as shorter practice periods, stricter enforcement of unofficial workouts and perhaps even a legal victory that could force draft eligibility for players who are less than three years removed from high school. Any of those benefits could set back their development as NFL-ready players.
Regardless, Murphy has previously endorsed a domestic developmental league that would replace and enhance the work done in NFL Europe, which folded in 2007. Speaking in a June 2010 conference call, Murphy acknowledged the topic arose during conversations about an 18-game regular season, which would reduce the preseason to two games.
"A lot of people had a really positive experience with NFL Europe," Murphy said at the time. "It helped us develop younger players so one of the thoughts is the possibility of a developmental league to maybe have some games in the spring as well as some games in the fall with a real focus on developing younger players. I think that would be a positive for us as a league. You talk to coaches and they want to be able to develop young players. Also, it would be a way to develop coaches and officials. I think there would be some real positives with a developmental league.
"If you look across most professional sports, we're the only league without some type of minor league or developmental system to develop players."
On top of developing players, coaches and officials, I'll add this: A developmental league could also be a Petri dish for potential rule changes and other on-field adjustments. What better way to test out theories, and provide unique entertainment to fans, than in games that don't really count but are still competitive?
I doubt this topic is on the tip of many owners' tongues. No one wants to spend start-up money, despite Polian's suggestion that a Southern-based developmental league could be profitable within three years, as long as the NCAA fills that role. The question, however, is whether colleges are doing that (unintended) job adequately and if the NFL is positioned to compensate for any shortcomings. At the moment, the answer to both questions is heading toward "no."
That work traditionally has been done in the offseason, but there is now less time to accomplish it. Meanwhile, practice squads -- presumably a place where promising young players are stashed for developmental purposes -- are more typically used to ensure that coaches have a balanced roster to field scout teams during practice.
The issue manifested itself most notably at quarterback this season, when 10 preferred starters missed at least one game because of injury. Seven teams endured injuries to at least two quarterbacks during the season. But anecdotally, at least, there are shortages of properly trained depth at offensive line and cornerback, as well. Theoretically, the surge of underclassmen into the league -- motivated largely to start the clocks on their presumptive second contracts -- will add to the number of developmental players that NFL coaches already don't have enough time to train.
The connection between college unionization and an NFL developmental league is less clear, but it's one that Green Bay Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy made in a recent interview with the team's website. "If the college players unionize, there will be more pressure on the NFL to establish a developmental league," Murphy said.
The Packers declined my request to interview Murphy and flesh out that statement, so we can only make educated guesses about what he meant. In a worst-case scenario for the NFL, I suppose, unionized college players might achieve "benefits" such as shorter practice periods, stricter enforcement of unofficial workouts and perhaps even a legal victory that could force draft eligibility for players who are less than three years removed from high school. Any of those benefits could set back their development as NFL-ready players.
Regardless, Murphy has previously endorsed a domestic developmental league that would replace and enhance the work done in NFL Europe, which folded in 2007. Speaking in a June 2010 conference call, Murphy acknowledged the topic arose during conversations about an 18-game regular season, which would reduce the preseason to two games.
"A lot of people had a really positive experience with NFL Europe," Murphy said at the time. "It helped us develop younger players so one of the thoughts is the possibility of a developmental league to maybe have some games in the spring as well as some games in the fall with a real focus on developing younger players. I think that would be a positive for us as a league. You talk to coaches and they want to be able to develop young players. Also, it would be a way to develop coaches and officials. I think there would be some real positives with a developmental league.
"If you look across most professional sports, we're the only league without some type of minor league or developmental system to develop players."
On top of developing players, coaches and officials, I'll add this: A developmental league could also be a Petri dish for potential rule changes and other on-field adjustments. What better way to test out theories, and provide unique entertainment to fans, than in games that don't really count but are still competitive?
I doubt this topic is on the tip of many owners' tongues. No one wants to spend start-up money, despite Polian's suggestion that a Southern-based developmental league could be profitable within three years, as long as the NCAA fills that role. The question, however, is whether colleges are doing that (unintended) job adequately and if the NFL is positioned to compensate for any shortcomings. At the moment, the answer to both questions is heading toward "no."
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Noah and Gibson key win over L.A.
By Nick Friedell
Among his many merits in Sunday's win, Joakim Noah singled out a late jump shot as his harbinger of success. (Photo/Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports)
The most important decision Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau made during Sunday afternoon's 92-86 triumph over the Los Angeles Lakers came with 6:52 left in regulation. That's when Joakim Noah, the anchor of Thibodeau's defense, picked up his fifth foul and turned toward the bench waving a Dikembe Mutombo-esque finger in Thibodeau's direction. Although Thibodeau would say later that Noah has no power when it comes to lineup decisions, the veteran coach acquiesced after seeing his center pleading with him to stay in the game.
"I thought [the game] was too tight," Thibodeau said of the decision to leave Noah in. "Either we were going to win it with him or that was going to be it. At that point, I didn't think we could afford two or three minutes [without him]. We rolled the dice, and we were fortunate."
Thibodeau, as he has done so often during the past month, bet on Noah -- and won. The emotional center proceeded to score four more points down the stretch. He finished the game with 20, but it was his jumper in the final 12 minutes that he was most proud of.
"I thought [the game] was too tight," Thibodeau said of the decision to leave Noah in. "Either we were going to win it with him or that was going to be it. At that point, I didn't think we could afford two or three minutes [without him]. We rolled the dice, and we were fortunate."
Thibodeau, as he has done so often during the past month, bet on Noah -- and won. The emotional center proceeded to score four more points down the stretch. He finished the game with 20, but it was his jumper in the final 12 minutes that he was most proud of.
"I'm just happy it went down," Noah said. "Because I know that my jump shot is so ugly that when I knock it down it's demoralizing to the other team. It was a big jump shot for me."
Aside from Noah's jump-shooting technique, what has to be most demoralizing for any team these days is the way that he and Taj Gibson can take over games on either end of the floor at times. With Carlos Boozer (left calf strain) out of the lineup again, Noah and Gibson have become even more of a dynamic force. They combined for 38 points, 19 rebounds and six assists against a depleted Lakers squad.
"They're huge," Thibodeau said of the pair. "They're huge because they're tough on both sides of the ball. The way Taj now is going in the post. Jo and Taj are elite defenders, so that gets you established there, but, offensively, that's where their growth has really come and Jo's getting comfortable putting it on the floor. He's always been a very good playmaker. His energy's been terrific."
Aside from Noah's jump-shooting technique, what has to be most demoralizing for any team these days is the way that he and Taj Gibson can take over games on either end of the floor at times. With Carlos Boozer (left calf strain) out of the lineup again, Noah and Gibson have become even more of a dynamic force. They combined for 38 points, 19 rebounds and six assists against a depleted Lakers squad.
"They're huge," Thibodeau said of the pair. "They're huge because they're tough on both sides of the ball. The way Taj now is going in the post. Jo and Taj are elite defenders, so that gets you established there, but, offensively, that's where their growth has really come and Jo's getting comfortable putting it on the floor. He's always been a very good playmaker. His energy's been terrific."
As much as Noah continues to shine -- he's headed to his second straight All-Star Game later this week -- it's Gibson's continued improvement that makes him beam with pride. He knows that Gibson put in the work this summer to get even better, and it's easy to see how much that work is paying off.
"I think Taj is playing great basketball," Noah said. "And I think that the more he plays the better he's going to get, too. I think he still has -- the sky's the limit for Taj. I think that once he gets his playmaking down, I think it's going to get really ugly because he can really score the ball in a lot of different ways for us right now and I think he's just getting better."
The close friends trust each other on the floor and seem to know exactly where they will be on either end. It's a partnership that has buoyed the Bulls all season, but especially after Derrick Rose went down and Luol Deng was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Thibodeau might get contributions from other players on different nights, but it's Noah and Gibson he relies on the most.
"Taj has been terrific," Thibodeau said. "The things that he's doing -- making plays out of the post, showing great patience, even the ones he missed tonight I thought he was getting a good shot up. He didn't get calls, but he didn't allow that to fluster him. He just kept going on."
That seems to be his mindset with everything these days. The happy-go-lucky big man has improved his game to a point at which Thibodeau said recently that he should be considered for the sixth man of the year award, the most improved player award and the All-Defensive team at the end of the season.
Gibson is just trying to take it all in stride and enjoy the ride with Noah.
"The chemistry there is just fun," he said. "I'm just having fun, man. That's the main thing. With the ups and downs, you've got so many negatives going against you. Sometimes, like Coach Mike [Wilhelm], he's been one of the strong suits in helping me and getting my game right. He's just been telling me to smile, happy shots, happy thoughts. Don't worry about that [other stuff]. Just have fun. And you look at it, how we're playing and how Jo and everybody's been playing. We're just having fun."
"I think Taj is playing great basketball," Noah said. "And I think that the more he plays the better he's going to get, too. I think he still has -- the sky's the limit for Taj. I think that once he gets his playmaking down, I think it's going to get really ugly because he can really score the ball in a lot of different ways for us right now and I think he's just getting better."
The close friends trust each other on the floor and seem to know exactly where they will be on either end. It's a partnership that has buoyed the Bulls all season, but especially after Derrick Rose went down and Luol Deng was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Thibodeau might get contributions from other players on different nights, but it's Noah and Gibson he relies on the most.
"Taj has been terrific," Thibodeau said. "The things that he's doing -- making plays out of the post, showing great patience, even the ones he missed tonight I thought he was getting a good shot up. He didn't get calls, but he didn't allow that to fluster him. He just kept going on."
That seems to be his mindset with everything these days. The happy-go-lucky big man has improved his game to a point at which Thibodeau said recently that he should be considered for the sixth man of the year award, the most improved player award and the All-Defensive team at the end of the season.
Gibson is just trying to take it all in stride and enjoy the ride with Noah.
"The chemistry there is just fun," he said. "I'm just having fun, man. That's the main thing. With the ups and downs, you've got so many negatives going against you. Sometimes, like Coach Mike [Wilhelm], he's been one of the strong suits in helping me and getting my game right. He's just been telling me to smile, happy shots, happy thoughts. Don't worry about that [other stuff]. Just have fun. And you look at it, how we're playing and how Jo and everybody's been playing. We're just having fun."
Pressing Questions: The Chicago Cubs.
By Andy Behrens
When the Chicago Cubs last won the World Series, the U.S. had only 46 states. Russia was ruled by a czar. No human had yet reached the north pole. Or the south pole. Frank "Home Run" Baker had not yet hit his first home run. The list of major league mascots back then included the Doves, Naps, Highlanders, Browns and Superbas. Harry Caray had not yet been born, nor had Mel Allen, Ernie Harwell or Jack Brickhouse.
Ultimately, the biggest offseason additions were Justin Ruggiano and a pantsless bear. Sigh.
Let's simply try to focus on the positives. Again, Chicago's farm system is terrific, massively improved. Full of upside and intrigue. Shortstop Javier Baez and third baseman Kris Bryant will rank as top-20 prospects on pretty much every board, while outfielders Albert Almora and Jorge Soler won't be far behind. Second baseman Arismendy Alcantara is coming off a 15/31 season at Double-A, plus he homered in the Futures Game. First baseman Dan Vogelbach seemed to hit a missile in every Midwest League at-bat last season (or at least that's what happened when I was in the park). Right-handed starter Pierce Johnson delivered excellent numbers at Single-A last season, Kyle Hendricks was awfully good in the high minors, and CJ Edwards was ... well, he was just silly. Edwards whiffed 155 batters in just 116.1 Single-A innings, posting an ERA of 1.86.
And this, at last, brings us to the only Cubs question that's truly pressing...
Hendricks is a good bet to arrive this season, perhaps early. The 24-year-old righty went 13-4 across two levels last season, finishing at Triple-A Iowa. His ratios were solid — 2.00 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 6.9 K/9 — and he issued just 34 walks in 166.1 innings, allowing only five home runs. Hendricks isn't projected as a top-of-rotation sort of starter, however, and he's not a particularly hard-thrower (89/90-ish). Thus, he's not yet a pitcher of interest for mixed league players. Arodys Vizcaino, 23, is a flame-thrower who's had a few elbow repairs over the past two years, but he's reportedly thrown well in recent months. He's a darkhorse saves candidate, a guy with a closing-quality arm. It's not as if the Cubs' bullpen is full of lights-out relievers. (Details below.)
Q: So Mike Olt doesn't even rate a mention?
The big concern here — and this is no small thing — is that Rizzo has been consistently terrible against left-handed pitching at the major league level. For his career, he's hitting .194/.270/.347 against lefties and .257/.346/.439 versus right-handers. Last year, the split was .189/.282/.342 vs. LHPs and .252/.342/.454 vs. RHPs. If you invest in Rizzo in fantasy (in any format), you have to consider finding a platoon partner.
A responsible projection for Castro would be something like this: 70-12-60-12-.275. If you're expecting more, then you're just wishing.
Q: Who's the closer for this team? Is it really Jose Veras?
What I'm saying is this: It's been a long damn time since the Chicago National League Ball Club won a title. And when the team last claimed a championship, in 1908, the final game of the Series drew a record-low 6,210 fans. So there were remarkably few witnesses to an event that now exists outside living memory.
But hey, the present-day Cubs front office has a plan. Fans may not be thrilled with the timeline of the current plan, but it exists. Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein have built a stellar farm system atop the smoking ruins of Jim Hendry's former empire. At every level of this organization, we find high-quality talent. Chicago spent next to nothin' on the major league roster this offseason, avoiding the big-name domestic free agents (Cano, Ellsbury, Choo, Granderson, et al) — a reasonable course of action, because those guys are all 30-somethings. The team pursued 25-year-old Masahiro Tanaka, but the Yankees pursued harder.
But hey, the present-day Cubs front office has a plan. Fans may not be thrilled with the timeline of the current plan, but it exists. Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein have built a stellar farm system atop the smoking ruins of Jim Hendry's former empire. At every level of this organization, we find high-quality talent. Chicago spent next to nothin' on the major league roster this offseason, avoiding the big-name domestic free agents (Cano, Ellsbury, Choo, Granderson, et al) — a reasonable course of action, because those guys are all 30-somethings. The team pursued 25-year-old Masahiro Tanaka, but the Yankees pursued harder.
Ultimately, the biggest offseason additions were Justin Ruggiano and a pantsless bear. Sigh.
Let's simply try to focus on the positives. Again, Chicago's farm system is terrific, massively improved. Full of upside and intrigue. Shortstop Javier Baez and third baseman Kris Bryant will rank as top-20 prospects on pretty much every board, while outfielders Albert Almora and Jorge Soler won't be far behind. Second baseman Arismendy Alcantara is coming off a 15/31 season at Double-A, plus he homered in the Futures Game. First baseman Dan Vogelbach seemed to hit a missile in every Midwest League at-bat last season (or at least that's what happened when I was in the park). Right-handed starter Pierce Johnson delivered excellent numbers at Single-A last season, Kyle Hendricks was awfully good in the high minors, and CJ Edwards was ... well, he was just silly. Edwards whiffed 155 batters in just 116.1 Single-A innings, posting an ERA of 1.86.
And this, at last, brings us to the only Cubs question that's truly pressing...
Q: When will any of these kids arrive in the big leagues? Are any of them draft-worthy in mixed fantasy leagues this season?
A: There it is, the big one. The zillion-dollar question. It's the only topic worth discussing if you plan to actually attend a game at Wrigley over the next two seasons. Because really, this franchise's major league roster is weapons-grade boring. Just look at that mess over on the right.
Hendricks is a good bet to arrive this season, perhaps early. The 24-year-old righty went 13-4 across two levels last season, finishing at Triple-A Iowa. His ratios were solid — 2.00 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 6.9 K/9 — and he issued just 34 walks in 166.1 innings, allowing only five home runs. Hendricks isn't projected as a top-of-rotation sort of starter, however, and he's not a particularly hard-thrower (89/90-ish). Thus, he's not yet a pitcher of interest for mixed league players. Arodys Vizcaino, 23, is a flame-thrower who's had a few elbow repairs over the past two years, but he's reportedly thrown well in recent months. He's a darkhorse saves candidate, a guy with a closing-quality arm. It's not as if the Cubs' bullpen is full of lights-out relievers. (Details below.)
Of all the notable prospects in this system, Baez and Bryant are the two who should be of greatest interest to the fantasy community in the season ahead (and beyond). Baez was simply a monster last year, hitting 17 bombs in half a season at Daytona, then another 20 in 54 games at Double-A. His final stat line across two levels was eye-popping: 98 R, 37 HR, 111 RBIs, 20 SB, .282/.341/.578. He actually improved after making the leap to the Southern League, too. Strikeouts are a concern with Baez (147 Ks, 40 BBs last season), but his power is elite. His bat-speed is unnatural. He had a four-homer game for Daytona, and you might recall that he homered three times on three consecutive swings last spring. He's legit. Barring injury or unexpected collapse, we'll almost certainly see Baez in the majors by the end of the season. It's reasonable to hope for a mid-year arrival if he continues to produce at or near his 2013 pace. It's no lock that he'll stick at short, but his bat will play anywhere.
Bryant destroyed pitching at every stop in 2013, winning both the Golden Spikes Award for his collegiate work (31 HR, .820 SLG) and the Arizona Fall League MVP. Like Baez, he's an exceptional power-hitting prospect, a player who may not be forced to make any significant adjustments until he reaches Wrigley Field. The hope here is that we'll see him in September. He's certainly not blocked by anything interesting.
Q: So Mike Olt doesn't even rate a mention?
A: Well, Olt is not in Bryant's class in terms of potential, and this system is so stacked with hitters that it's easy to overlook him. But yeah, the 25-year-old Olt is still in the mix, hoping to rebound from a miserable season. (Last year's troubles were the result of vision problems, now presumably behind him.) It's worth noting that Olt is just a season removed from a 28-homer campaign at Double-A Frisco. If he has a strong spring, he has a clear shot to claim a big league job.
Q: While we're discussing bounce-back candidates, what's the forecast for Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo? Those two were surprisingly not helpful last year.
A: The short answer is that I'm substantially more interested in Rizzo, fantasy-wise. He was a disappointment last season, no doubt, hitting just .233/.323/.419, with a relatively modest 23 home runs. Those numbers really don't pay the fantasy bills, not at first base. But there were a few encouraging signs for Rizzo, including improvements in his BB-rate and his swinging-strike percentage. He also had little luck on balls-in-play, posting a .258 BABIP.
The big concern here — and this is no small thing — is that Rizzo has been consistently terrible against left-handed pitching at the major league level. For his career, he's hitting .194/.270/.347 against lefties and .257/.346/.439 versus right-handers. Last year, the split was .189/.282/.342 vs. LHPs and .252/.342/.454 vs. RHPs. If you invest in Rizzo in fantasy (in any format), you have to consider finding a platoon partner.
Still, Rizzo's power potential is clear enough, and his home park tends to favor hitters (although it's really two different parks, depending on wind and temps. But you already knew that.) He should be available at a discount this year. I'm definitely interested.
As for Castro, well ... meh. Even if his batting average jumps back into the neighborhood of .300 — which, for the record, would be a 55-point leap — he's given us no reason to believe that he'll hit for significant power. We know he possesses 20-steal potential, but his speed isn't exceptional by the standards of his position. He's nothing special in the field, either. And he's prone to bouts of boneheadedness.
A responsible projection for Castro would be something like this: 70-12-60-12-.275. If you're expecting more, then you're just wishing.
Q: Who's the closer for this team? Is it really Jose Veras?
A: Looks that way, yup. And yes, he's a dice roll. Nothing special. No magic here. Veras is a guy with a career 1.31 WHIP and an ERA of 3.84. He'll be one of the last closers taken in fantasy drafts, because he's a sketchy pitcher on a team that may only win 65-70 games. But this is a bullpen full of bad ideas, so the job appears to be his, at least initially. Pedro Strop and the aforementioned Vizcaino will enter the discussion when Veras stumbles. And he will stumble, because c'mon.
Pinehurst continues prep for US Open doubleheader.
By JOEDY McCREARY (AP Sports Writer)
Pinehurst's No. 2 course will be set up the same way for both U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open this year.
U.S. Golf Association Executive Director Mike Davis said Saturday that the par-70 course will play at about 7,500 yards for the men's and about 6,700 yards for the women.
''On a given hole, if the men are hitting drivers, we want to see the women hit drivers,'' he said during the USGA's annual meeting. ''If the men are hitting 6- to 8-irons for approach shots, that's what we want to see the women do.''
The USGA is roughly four months away from its first-of-its-kind doubleheader: The men's event is June 12-15 with the women's tournament the following week.
''While we want to test the same things for both championships, there are differences in how men and women play the game,'' Davis said.
Davis says the USGA's reason for going back-to-back was to bring more attention to the women's game.
''This was never about trying to make it operationally easier or save money,'' Davis said.
''This was all about comparing the world's best men with the world's best women.''
He says the women are playing the second week - and not the first - because of agronomics.
''We had a much better chance of getting the golf course right for both championships'' with the women playing second, he said.
''It really gets down to the putting greens. The first week, if Mother Nature is cooperative, they're going to be slightly firmer. ... Very firm greens to slightly - underscore, slightly - less firm greens that second week. And agronomically, it was much easier to do the second week than the first.''
The 107-year-old, Donald Ross-designed course underwent a $2.5 million renovation in 2010-11. The face-lift, led by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, was designed to restore some of its original elements in plenty of time for the two opens - including removing all traces of rough.
With so much foot traffic expected on the course during the doubleheader, divots are inevitable - especially during the second week. But Davis says the Bermuda grass isn't as divot-prone as bent grass, and says they will be filled with sand.
''I think our view is (divots are) just part of the game,'' he said.
Davis says the USGA wants to blend the two opens together, in a way - perhaps by having some women's players show up in the TV booth on the 18th green to break down the men's play.
''While they're clearly two different championships, we're looking at it as one big event,'' Davis said. ''This is really a chance, on the same golf course, to test the world's best.''
With so much foot traffic expected on the course during the doubleheader, divots are inevitable - especially during the second week. But Davis says the Bermuda grass isn't as divot-prone as bent grass, and says they will be filled with sand.
''I think our view is (divots are) just part of the game,'' he said.
Davis says the USGA wants to blend the two opens together, in a way - perhaps by having some women's players show up in the TV booth on the 18th green to break down the men's play.
''While they're clearly two different championships, we're looking at it as one big event,'' Davis said. ''This is really a chance, on the same golf course, to test the world's best.''
Also, Thomas J. O'Toole Jr. was elected as USGA's 63rd president. The 56-year-old O'Toole, from St. Louis, will serve a one-year term.
''It is an honor and a privilege to lead such a noble organization,'' O'Toole said. ''I am excited and energized to continue my service to the association and keenly aware of the magnitude of the profound responsibilities that accompany this role.''
''It is an honor and a privilege to lead such a noble organization,'' O'Toole said. ''I am excited and energized to continue my service to the association and keenly aware of the magnitude of the profound responsibilities that accompany this role.''
Ray Evernham’s decision should be the start of a conflict-free NASCAR broadcast trend.
Nick Bromberg
Now that he's taken on a new role with Hendrick Motorsports, Ray Evernham felt it was necessary to step down from his role at ESPN.
“Now not doing the ESPN thing will allow me to be involved in some of the management and some of the things that they’re doing at (Hendrick) Motorsports,’’ Evernham told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (via MRN.com). “The best way to avoid a conflict of interest is to choose one or the other. I’m excited about being able to go and being involved in the management team on the motorsports side.’’
“Now not doing the ESPN thing will allow me to be involved in some of the management and some of the things that they’re doing at (Hendrick) Motorsports,’’ Evernham told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (via MRN.com). “The best way to avoid a conflict of interest is to choose one or the other. I’m excited about being able to go and being involved in the management team on the motorsports side.’’
Evernham, Jeff Gordon's former crew chief and a former team owner, will be a consultant for Hendrick and work with the competition department. And please, hold the thoughts of his return to crew chiefing with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2015 to replace Steve Letarte. It's not going to happen.
Anyway, his decision to leave ESPN is noble, and one that would be considered a normal endeavor in other sports. You don't see team employees as regular members of studio shows and game broadcasts too often.
Except in NASCAR. Hopefully Evernham's choice is the beginning of a new normal.
With the second half of the Sprint Cup Series schedule going to NBC Sports in 2015, it's the perfect time to stop the trend of using people with obvious conflicts of interest in NASCAR broadcast roles. So far, NBC has done just that. Jeff Burton's deal with Michael Waltrip Racing is for a season and Letarte's Hendrick departure has been well-discussed.
The situation is a little different with Fox. The network just re-upped and Michael Waltrip has become entrenched in its broadcasts despite his team ownership. Waltrip and ESPN's Brad Daugherty are everything networks want in analysts. They're connected, have a broad knowledge base, and talk well in front of a camera. But by being owners, they happen to have a stronger conflict of interest than Evernham would have.
Imagine for a second if Fox had the broadcast rights to September's Richmond race and during the final caution the broadcast cuts to Chris Myers and Waltrip in the infield studio. Kind of awkward, don't you think? We either would have found out immediately that something was up, or the ensuing days would have been much more uncomfortable for all parties involved.
What was once a crazy hypothetical isn't much of one any longer and a perfect example of why blatant conflicts of interest should be slowly phased out.
Waltrip likely isn't going anywhere, nor should he be removed from his duties. Many NASCAR fans are aware of his dual-role and, right or wrong, may view his takes differently in 2014 and beyond. It's the flipside of the multiple obligations.
But just because something has become the status quo doesn't mean it shouldn't be changed. Evernham is proof of it. He likely could have made it work for both ESPN and Hendrick, but instead chose one or the other.
And one or the other is what NASCAR viewers deserve. There are plenty of deserving candidates for television jobs who aren't directly connected to NASCAR teams. If other network sports broadcasts can do it, NASCAR broadcasts can as well.
Anyway, his decision to leave ESPN is noble, and one that would be considered a normal endeavor in other sports. You don't see team employees as regular members of studio shows and game broadcasts too often.
Except in NASCAR. Hopefully Evernham's choice is the beginning of a new normal.
With the second half of the Sprint Cup Series schedule going to NBC Sports in 2015, it's the perfect time to stop the trend of using people with obvious conflicts of interest in NASCAR broadcast roles. So far, NBC has done just that. Jeff Burton's deal with Michael Waltrip Racing is for a season and Letarte's Hendrick departure has been well-discussed.
The situation is a little different with Fox. The network just re-upped and Michael Waltrip has become entrenched in its broadcasts despite his team ownership. Waltrip and ESPN's Brad Daugherty are everything networks want in analysts. They're connected, have a broad knowledge base, and talk well in front of a camera. But by being owners, they happen to have a stronger conflict of interest than Evernham would have.
Imagine for a second if Fox had the broadcast rights to September's Richmond race and during the final caution the broadcast cuts to Chris Myers and Waltrip in the infield studio. Kind of awkward, don't you think? We either would have found out immediately that something was up, or the ensuing days would have been much more uncomfortable for all parties involved.
What was once a crazy hypothetical isn't much of one any longer and a perfect example of why blatant conflicts of interest should be slowly phased out.
Waltrip likely isn't going anywhere, nor should he be removed from his duties. Many NASCAR fans are aware of his dual-role and, right or wrong, may view his takes differently in 2014 and beyond. It's the flipside of the multiple obligations.
But just because something has become the status quo doesn't mean it shouldn't be changed. Evernham is proof of it. He likely could have made it work for both ESPN and Hendrick, but instead chose one or the other.
And one or the other is what NASCAR viewers deserve. There are plenty of deserving candidates for television jobs who aren't directly connected to NASCAR teams. If other network sports broadcasts can do it, NASCAR broadcasts can as well.
Manchester United 2-2 Fulham: Darren Bent Old Trafford comeback as United continue to falter.
By Kyle Bonn
Fulham got an early goal, parked the bus, and withstood a furious assault from Manchester United. They broke with 10 minutes to go, but Darren Bent scored at the death as Fulham picked up a vital point in their quest against relegation.
The attacking numbers are staggering. With the visitors attempting to salvage all three points after Steve Sidwell gave them a 19th minute lead, Manchester United unleashed an assault that is sure to rewrite the statistics record books.
At the end of it all, United had attempted 82 crosses, of which 18 they completed, and attempted 31 shots. That crossing total is the most by any team in the five major European leagues this year.
United outpassed Fulham 598-136. They forced the visitors into a staggering 89 clearances, of which ALL were successful. Standing out in defense was 6’5″ 21-year-old Dan Burn, who managed 22 clearances and halting crosses whenever they came near.
While Fulham were busy on the defensive end, they made the most of their few chances. Venturing into the attacking third for what seemed like the first time all match, a curling ball from Lewis Holtby found Steve Sidwell and the Englishman slid and poked the ball into the bottom corner for a 19th minute Fulham lead.
The goal’s buildup saw both Wayne Rooney and Darren Fletcher both fail to track Sidwell’s run, with the latter certainly the one to shoulder most of the blame.
The goal, Sidwell’s sixth of the season, stunned the Old Trafford faithful and came entirely against the run of play.
The home side would, however, prove wasteful. Robin van Persie produced a stunning miss just minutes after the opener, blasting well over from just two yards out on the end of a great cross from Rafael.
Fulham had a big miss of their own. Young Muamer Tankovic broke well on a three-on-two situation, and he found Kieran Richardson, but the angle was too tight for the winger who blasted over.
United continued to pummel Fulham’s penalty area, as pretty much everyone in the Red Devil attack had a good pop at goal. A furious moment on 39 minutes saw two saves from Maarten Stekelenburg as well as two blocks kept a ridiculous flurry of shots from Michael Carrick and Patrice Evra somehow out of the Fulham net.
It was more of the same in the second half, and United’s pressure forced a world-class save from Stekelenburg on 55 minutes to keep Wayne Rooney out.
As Fulham parked the bus to keep United out, the pressure mounted. United threw the kitchen sink at Fulham out of frustration, but they maintained their quality. Key passes came from Wayne Rooney, sub Adnan Januzaj, and the rest of the attacking midfield.
United finally got their goal, and when they did the floodgates opened. As Manchester United peppered the Fulham goalmouth, Juan Mata lashed across the face of goal to Robin van Persie, who touched home, and immediately called his teammates to return to the center spot.
They weren’t done. Michael Carrick unleashed a shot that was deflected and found the top corner past Stekelenburg for the lead, and just like that it was 2-1.
With Fulham offering nothing in the attack, it appeared that the double had sunk them, but in stoppage time they pressed one more time, and four minutes into the extra time, Kieran Richardson forced a spectacular save from David De Gea before Darren Bent pounced on the rebound.
The share of spoils allows Fulham to stay three points from safety, just a point back in 20th. For Manchester United, they had a chance to draw within two of Everton, but instead they remain four back in seventh.
GOALS:
Manchester United – van Persie 78′; Carrick 80′
Fulham – Sidwell 19′; Bent 90+4′
LINEUPS:
Manchester United – De Gea; Rafael (Valencia 69′), Smalling, Vidic, Evra; Mata, Carrick, Fletcher (Januzaj 62′), Young (Hernandez 69′); Rooney, van Persie.
Fulham – Stekelenburg; Riise, Burn, Heitinga, Riether, Richardson; Kvist (Cole 80′), Sidwell, Tunnicliffe (Parker 65′), Holtby; Tankovic (Bent 45′).
The attacking numbers are staggering. With the visitors attempting to salvage all three points after Steve Sidwell gave them a 19th minute lead, Manchester United unleashed an assault that is sure to rewrite the statistics record books.
At the end of it all, United had attempted 82 crosses, of which 18 they completed, and attempted 31 shots. That crossing total is the most by any team in the five major European leagues this year.
United outpassed Fulham 598-136. They forced the visitors into a staggering 89 clearances, of which ALL were successful. Standing out in defense was 6’5″ 21-year-old Dan Burn, who managed 22 clearances and halting crosses whenever they came near.
While Fulham were busy on the defensive end, they made the most of their few chances. Venturing into the attacking third for what seemed like the first time all match, a curling ball from Lewis Holtby found Steve Sidwell and the Englishman slid and poked the ball into the bottom corner for a 19th minute Fulham lead.
The goal’s buildup saw both Wayne Rooney and Darren Fletcher both fail to track Sidwell’s run, with the latter certainly the one to shoulder most of the blame.
The goal, Sidwell’s sixth of the season, stunned the Old Trafford faithful and came entirely against the run of play.
The home side would, however, prove wasteful. Robin van Persie produced a stunning miss just minutes after the opener, blasting well over from just two yards out on the end of a great cross from Rafael.
Fulham had a big miss of their own. Young Muamer Tankovic broke well on a three-on-two situation, and he found Kieran Richardson, but the angle was too tight for the winger who blasted over.
United continued to pummel Fulham’s penalty area, as pretty much everyone in the Red Devil attack had a good pop at goal. A furious moment on 39 minutes saw two saves from Maarten Stekelenburg as well as two blocks kept a ridiculous flurry of shots from Michael Carrick and Patrice Evra somehow out of the Fulham net.
It was more of the same in the second half, and United’s pressure forced a world-class save from Stekelenburg on 55 minutes to keep Wayne Rooney out.
As Fulham parked the bus to keep United out, the pressure mounted. United threw the kitchen sink at Fulham out of frustration, but they maintained their quality. Key passes came from Wayne Rooney, sub Adnan Januzaj, and the rest of the attacking midfield.
United finally got their goal, and when they did the floodgates opened. As Manchester United peppered the Fulham goalmouth, Juan Mata lashed across the face of goal to Robin van Persie, who touched home, and immediately called his teammates to return to the center spot.
They weren’t done. Michael Carrick unleashed a shot that was deflected and found the top corner past Stekelenburg for the lead, and just like that it was 2-1.
With Fulham offering nothing in the attack, it appeared that the double had sunk them, but in stoppage time they pressed one more time, and four minutes into the extra time, Kieran Richardson forced a spectacular save from David De Gea before Darren Bent pounced on the rebound.
The share of spoils allows Fulham to stay three points from safety, just a point back in 20th. For Manchester United, they had a chance to draw within two of Everton, but instead they remain four back in seventh.
GOALS:
Manchester United – van Persie 78′; Carrick 80′
Fulham – Sidwell 19′; Bent 90+4′
LINEUPS:
Manchester United – De Gea; Rafael (Valencia 69′), Smalling, Vidic, Evra; Mata, Carrick, Fletcher (Januzaj 62′), Young (Hernandez 69′); Rooney, van Persie.
Fulham – Stekelenburg; Riise, Burn, Heitinga, Riether, Richardson; Kvist (Cole 80′), Sidwell, Tunnicliffe (Parker 65′), Holtby; Tankovic (Bent 45′).
Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart suspended three games for shoving fan.
By Raphielle Johnson
With 6.2 seconds remaining in Oklahoma State’s 65-61 loss at Texas Tech on Saturday night, sophomore guard Marcus Smart shoved Texas Tech fan Jeff Orr after being taunted by Orr. Smart, who wound up close to the stands as a result of his challenging a Texas Tech layup attempt, was assessed a technical foul and removed from the game by head coach Travis Ford.
Smart apologized for his actions during a press conference on Sunday evening, and the Big 12 announced that he will be suspended for the Cowboys’ next three games. The first game Smart will miss is on Tuesday night, when the Cowboys visit No. 15 Texas.
“Mr. Smart’s actions were a clear violation of the Big 12 Conference’s Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Policy,” Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in the release. “Such behavior has no place in athletics, and will not be tolerated. I appreciate the efforts of Oklahoma State University athletics director Mike Holder in addressing this matter, and believe this is an appropriate response to an inappropriate action.”
Smart will also miss games against Oklahoma and Baylor, with the first game he can play upon his return being the Cowboys’ home game against Texas Tech on February 22.
There’s never a good time for a situation like this, and the fact that Oklahoma State is already down one guard (Stevie Clark, who was dismissed from the program) makes the loss of Smart even bigger.
Without Smart in the fold for the next three games it’s likely that fellow sophomore Phil Forte III moves into the starting lineup. However the next best playmaker for the Cowboys has been Markel Brown, who’s second on the team with an average of 2.6 assists per game. Forte’s averaging just 1.1 assists per game, with much of his work being done off the ball prior to this point.
Any way you slice it, this is a major personnel loss for a team that’s lost four in a row and five of its last six games. And without their best playmaker, Oklahoma State’s in serious danger of going from being ranked in the Top 10 to not even making the NCAA tournament. How well the Cowboys perform in Smart’s absence will determine their fate.
Smart apologized for his actions during a press conference on Sunday evening, and the Big 12 announced that he will be suspended for the Cowboys’ next three games. The first game Smart will miss is on Tuesday night, when the Cowboys visit No. 15 Texas.
“Mr. Smart’s actions were a clear violation of the Big 12 Conference’s Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Policy,” Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in the release. “Such behavior has no place in athletics, and will not be tolerated. I appreciate the efforts of Oklahoma State University athletics director Mike Holder in addressing this matter, and believe this is an appropriate response to an inappropriate action.”
Smart will also miss games against Oklahoma and Baylor, with the first game he can play upon his return being the Cowboys’ home game against Texas Tech on February 22.
There’s never a good time for a situation like this, and the fact that Oklahoma State is already down one guard (Stevie Clark, who was dismissed from the program) makes the loss of Smart even bigger.
Without Smart in the fold for the next three games it’s likely that fellow sophomore Phil Forte III moves into the starting lineup. However the next best playmaker for the Cowboys has been Markel Brown, who’s second on the team with an average of 2.6 assists per game. Forte’s averaging just 1.1 assists per game, with much of his work being done off the ball prior to this point.
Any way you slice it, this is a major personnel loss for a team that’s lost four in a row and five of its last six games. And without their best playmaker, Oklahoma State’s in serious danger of going from being ranked in the Top 10 to not even making the NCAA tournament. How well the Cowboys perform in Smart’s absence will determine their fate.
Report: ACC officials have discussed a possible series with SEC teams.
By Nick Bromberg
The ACC is discussing an alternative to a nine-game conference schedule and it could include the SEC.
Citing sources, ESPN reports ACC officials have discussed the idea. There are four ACC schools – Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Louisville – who already have a rivalry game scheduled with a team from the SEC.
Citing sources, ESPN reports ACC officials have discussed the idea. There are four ACC schools – Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Louisville – who already have a rivalry game scheduled with a team from the SEC.
It's a great idea for more games between big conference schools. However, it's far from a reality right now.
From ESPN:
An SEC source told ESPN.com that the ACC's idea of an "8+1 model" was merely a concept that had been discussed only once and was a long way from being a reality. It was so premature, he said, that most athletic directors in the SEC hadn't even been briefed on it.
A spokesperson for SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said that the conference was looking at many options for its future scheduling format. The SEC has also considered a nine-game schedule and has its conference schedule only set for the next two seasons. The report also cited the SEC source saying that there wasn't a likely scenario where all the SEC schools would agree to the arrangement if it progressed.
Both schools currently have 14 teams, but haven't decided on a nine-game schedule for the future. The Big 12 and Pac-12 already have a nine-game conference slate, and the Big Ten will in 2014.
Let's have a Friday hypothetical, shall we? What would be the most intriguing ACC/SEC matchups possible? The four rivalries intact are Florida-Florida State, Clemson-South Carolina, Georgia-Georgia Tech and Louisville-Kentucky. Those aren't going anywhere.
That leaves 10 teams from each conference looking for a dance partner.
Matching up the teams based off divisions would seem logical, but all four of the aforementioned SEC teams are in the East. It wouldn't work. And there really aren't any rivalries to rekindle, from the SEC and ACC. South Carolina left the ACC in 1971, but has the Clemson matchup.
Both schools currently have 14 teams, but haven't decided on a nine-game schedule for the future. The Big 12 and Pac-12 already have a nine-game conference slate, and the Big Ten will in 2014.
Let's have a Friday hypothetical, shall we? What would be the most intriguing ACC/SEC matchups possible? The four rivalries intact are Florida-Florida State, Clemson-South Carolina, Georgia-Georgia Tech and Louisville-Kentucky. Those aren't going anywhere.
That leaves 10 teams from each conference looking for a dance partner.
Matching up the teams based off divisions would seem logical, but all four of the aforementioned SEC teams are in the East. It wouldn't work. And there really aren't any rivalries to rekindle, from the SEC and ACC. South Carolina left the ACC in 1971, but has the Clemson matchup.
Though any possible ACC-SEC matchups wouldn't take place until 2016, the conferences could continue matchups that have happened in recent years. Wake Forest and Vanderbilt have a game scheduled for 2015. Texas A&M-Duke was a thriller in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. Missouri played Syracuse last season. Virginia Tech played Alabama to open 2013. (Hokie fans probably wouldn't enjoy that game).
We'd also be open to rotating the eight teams amongst each other if the scenario was to play out. That way, any potential long-term mismatches could be avoided.
The SEC is also reportedly considering more regular matchups with Big 12 teams. If that happens, it's a great idea under one condition: Texas A&M has to play Texas and Missouri has to play Kansas. No SEC-Big 12 arrangement could be considered complete without those two games. It's unlikely that the conference would agree to games with both the ACC and Big 12, so one will probably be picked over the other.
So what's with all the discussions? Simply put, it's the new College Football Playoff. As teams scramble to figure out how much schedule strength will be a factor in the committee's decision-making process, a tough schedule isn't going to be a detraction, especially with four teams having a chance at the national title instead of two. A tough schedule could be a decisive tiebreaker.
What do you think? If the SEC wants to match up with another power conference, who should it choose? Would an agreement with the SEC work out for the ACC? What do you think?
Here are the taxes Team USA medalists can expect on their prize money.
By Eric Freeman
The Olympics are often spoken of as the purest athletic competition in the world, an event based on participants' honor, love of country, and sheer respect for their chosen sports. In practice, though, every Olympic Games, including the one currently taking place in Sochi, is driven by a whole lot of money. Hosts spend a lot of money to make them work, official sponsors pay large sums for advertisements and associations with athletes, and many others find a way turn the results into profit-making ventures, too. It's all pretty unavoidable — anything this popular is going to involve people trying to make a buck.
On the other hand, Americans should expect to hand over a portion of their medal prizes to Uncle Sam. As noted by the group Americans for Tax Reform (via FoxNews.com), headed by anti-tax zealot Grover Norquist, the United States taxes earned income abroad, which means that all medalists will be taxed for their prizes. According to ATR, those in the top tax bracket (39.6 percent) — like, say, Shaun White or any Team USA hockey player — will pay $9,900 on a gold medal — while those in the bottom tax bracket (10 percent) will pay $2,500 for a gold. Many developed nations do not tax Olympians for their medal prizes. On the other hand, others such as Great Britain don't give their medalists cash prizes at all.
On Tuesday, Rep. Blake Farenthold (R - Texas) introduced the Tax Exemptions for American Medalists (TEAM) Act, which, as you can probably guess from the name, would waive these taxes for Olympic medalists. Similar proposals were supported by both President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney during the 2012 election.
Despite this argument playing out as an Olympic issue, it appears to have much more to do with long-held political debates over the role of taxes in government. Arguments from ATR, Rep. Farenthold, and Senator Marco Rubio in favor of waiving this tax cover the same ground as familiar conservative arguments about taxes punishing success and limiting the most talented Americans. While liberals haven't been quoted much on this issue, it's easy to imagine an argument that taxing Olympians is plenty ethical considering that they were helped by the infrastructure of the nation and the United States Olympic Committee. Yet these rules only affect a few dozen medalists per year, to the point where politicians must have ulterior motives in focusing on this issue.
It's a proxy war for a much more controversial political argument. Feel free to use this issue to score political points, but don't expect to hear any medalists gripe about their tax rate in interviews with NBC correspondents. The cash prize matters, but it's not the reason these athletes traveled to Sochi.
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