Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica
"America's Finest Sports Fan Travel Club, May We Plan An Event Or Sports Travel For You?"
Sports Quote of the Day:
"We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort." ~ Jesse Owens, Legendary Olympic Track Star
Medal Count.
CS&T/AA Graphics
Updated: 2/16 10:57 AM
| # | Country | G | S | B | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 5 | 5 | 7 | 17 |
| 2 | Russia | 4 | 7 | 5 | 16 |
| 3 | United States | 4 | 4 | 8 | 16 |
| 4 | Norway | 5 | 3 | 6 | 14 |
| 5 | Canada | 4 | 6 | 4 | 14 |
| 6 | Germany | 7 | 3 | 2 | 12 |
| 7 | Sweden | 2 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| 8 | Switzerland | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 9 | Austria | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 10 | France | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| 11 | China | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 12 | Japan | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 13 | Slovenia | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 14 | Italy | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 15 | Poland | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 16 | Belarus | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 17 | Czech Republic | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 18 | South Korea | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 19 | Latvia | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 20 | Britain | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 21 | Finland | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 22 | Australia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 23 | Slovakia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 24 | Croatia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 25 | Kazakhstan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 26 | Ukraine | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Olympic shootout heroics bring T.J. Oshie a lot of media, Twitter followers, texts – and makeup.
By Nicholas J. Cotsonika
T.J. Oshie returned to his room in the Olympic Village about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, and the first thing he did was take a shower. It wasn’t to wash off the sweat from the United States’ epic 3-2 victory over Russia. It was to wash off the makeup.
Oshie was embarrassed by the attention he was getting for going 4-for-6 in the shootout – for having the guts and skill to skate alone in the middle of that raucous arena, to do it again and again and again and again and again, to beat Russia in Russia with Vladimir Putin looking down on him.
His teammates had been teasing him already. Can you imagine if they knew NBC had been powdering his nose for TV interviews?
“He’s like, ‘I think they’re blowing this a little out of proportion,’ ” said David Backes, his roommate. “He jumped right into the shower. I don’t think he wanted anyone to see it.”This is how stars are born. This is what the Olympics can do.
The game was only a prelim. But it was USA vs. Russia. Every meeting recalls memories of the “Miracle on Ice.” And not only did the level of play match the hype for three periods and an overtime, the eight-round shootout was made-for-TV drama.
Oshie was the star of the show. So he went through the Olympic media machine usually reserved for medal winners. He was even compared to the captain of the 1980 team who scored the winning goal in the semifinals against the Soviets.
“He’s the new Mike Eruzione, right?” cracked defenseman Ryan Suter, whose father, Bob, played on the 1980 team. “Now he can talk about that shootout for the next 30 years. We’re giving him a hard time. I even told my dad that. He’s like, ‘Yeah, we can finally quit talking about that for a while.’ ”
The funny part is, no one wanted to talk to T.J. Oshie before this. He was a good player for the St. Louis Blues, but not a great one. He was a member of Team USA, but a fourth-liner. After the Americans’ 7-1 victory over Slovakia on Thursday, he walked right through the mixed zone, the area where reporters wait alongside a barrier and grab players for interviews as they go by. He wasn’t stopped. When he survived the gauntlet unscathed, he put up his hands in victory.
After the game Saturday, he was stopped several times, of course. He was called an American hero, which made him uncomfortable. He said the real American heroes were “wearing camo,” and he meant it. He has grandparents who were in the military. He has a cousin, a close friend.
“When I heard the word ‘hero,’ it didn’t really seem like that’s what I am, what hockey players are,” Oshie said. “Those guys sacrifice a lot more than a couple hours in the gym and practice every day. Those guys sacrifice their lives.”
When he finally got back to the dressing room, the teasing started. His teammates know he has received a tweet from President Barack Obama: “Congrats to T.J. Oshie and the U.S. men’s hockey team on a huge win! Never stop believing in miracles.” They know his Twitter followers have gone from about 88,000 to more than 217,000. They know what happens to athletes on Twitter.
“Obviously there’s a little grief when the White House is tweeting you,” Backes said. “Who knows what else is sent his way?”
Captain Zach Parise has come up with a new nickname. Eruzioshie? T.J. Sochi? Oshie won’t say. He wants Parise to stop it. If it leaks into the media, good luck.
USA Hockey officials whisked Oshie to the Main Media Center, a massive complex in which the media of the world is based during the Olympics. Oshie visited NBC. He did a live hit with Dan Patrick. He taped one with Al Michaels.
Michaels is the man who made the call in 1980: “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” But Oshie was born in 1986. He played high school football back in Minnesota – “I was terrible,” he said – and he plays fantasy football now. He knows Michaels from “Monday Night Football,” and that’s why he was thrilled to meet him and Cris Collinsworth.
“I don’t really remember much of the talks that we had,” Oshie said. “I was shaking a little bit.”
Oshie said he was calm when he got back to the village. But then he took his shower, and then he called his family. “That kind of got the heart going,” he said.
His fiancee, Lauren Cosgrove, is 33 weeks pregnant and back in St. Louis. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, he told her about the interviews, about how they were surreal, about how he was going to make a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich and go to bed.
Sleep was easier said than done, though. “Didn’t work too well,” Oshie said. He listened to some music. The last time he looked at his phone, it was 12:30 a.m.
He had another game in 14 hours.
After the shootout against Russia, coach Dan Bylsma jokingly reminded Oshie:
“You’re going to have to play again tomorrow.” He wouldn’t be able to go out on that high. He needed to refocus quickly. But playing again right away might have helped.
“You’re going to have to play again tomorrow.” He wouldn’t be able to go out on that high. He needed to refocus quickly. But playing again right away might have helped.
Oshie woke up and went through the same routine, and he said he stopped shaking when he got to the rink. His mind was on Slovenia, not Russia.
Oshie didn’t score Sunday, and there was no shootout. But he drew a penalty, and he had an assist. His line had one of the best shifts of the Americans’ 5-1 victory. If this was the first day of the rest of his life, Bylsma said it was “not bad.” Bylsma said Oshie responded with all his energy, speed and skill.
“He’s back at work doing all the dirty things today,” Backes said. “He’s not turning into Prince Charming out there by any means.”
No, but he sure didn't walk right through the mixed zone this time, and the whirlwind isn’t over yet.
The team has the day off on Monday, and media requests have poured in. The “Today” show wants him. “Good Morning America” wants him. CNN wants him.
That’s a lot of makeup.
Phil Kessel scores 3 to help US rout Slovenia 5-1.
By LARRY LAGE (AP Hockey Writer)
Phil Kessel is the first American in more than a decade to score a hat trick in an Olympic hockey tournament.
He's more interested in something no American has accomplished on Olympic ice since 1980 - winning a gold medal. Kessel scored two of his three goals within the opening five minutes to lead the U.S. to a 5-1 win against Slovenia on Sunday. The U.S. is undefeated through three games and if it can win three more, the nation will celebrate its first Olympic championship in hockey since the ''Miracle on Ice'' at the Lake Placid Games.
''It's about the wins, right?'' Kessel asked, rhetorically. ''We just want to win games.''
No members of Team USA were alive when the U.S. beat the Soviet Union in 1980 in one of the biggest upsets in sports history. But if they end up with gold around their neck on Sunday, this title won't be regarded as a miracle.
Kessel and his teammates earned an automatic spot in the quarterfinals of the 12-team tournament by routing Slovenia and Slovakia, and outlasting Russia in a shootout, to finish atop their group. They've scored 15 and allowed only four goals so far.
The U.S. won't play again until Wednesday, when they'll face the winner of the Czech Republic's qualification-round game against Slovakia for a spot in the semifinals and the chance to play for medals.
Kessel scored 1:04 after the puck dropped, removing any thought the Americans would have a hangover after their much hyped victory against the host Russians on Saturday.
''I was certainly concerned after the emotional game,'' said coach Dan Bylsma. ''We were fortunate that we got right out of the gate with a couple great plays.''
Kessel's third goal midway through the second period made him the first U.S. player to score a hat trick at the Olympics since John LeClair did it on Feb. 15, 2002, against Finland.
''I was saying right before the game, I hope somebody does something pretty cool, so that some of the focus gets off of me and onto someone else,'' said T.J. Oshie, who scored on four of six attempts in an eight-round shootout against Russia. ''He didn't need six shots in the shootout to do it. He did it in regular time.''
Slovenia's Marcel Rodman scored with 17.6 seconds left in the game, denying U.S. goalie Ryan Miller a shutout. Miller made 17 saves in his Sochi debut.
''Yeah, I definitely had some nerves,'' Miller said. ''It was an important game to ensure that we're at the top of our pool.''
With plenty of support at the other end of the rink, the 2010 silver medal winner didn't need to worry.
''They were stronger on the puck,'' Slovenia coach Matjaz Kopitar said. ''They're strong. They're fast.''
Ryan McDonagh scored about a minute after Kessel's third goal to put the Americans up 4-0. David Backes gave them a five-goal cushion early in the third.
Kessel is the first American to score four goals in the three-game preliminary round of the Olympic tournament since Bill Cleary and Roger Christian in 1960. Fittingly, the native of Madison, Wis., and his teammates were sporting throwback jerseys in the style Cleary and Christian wore at the games in Squaw Valley - ''USA'' from right shoulder to left hip.
''We've got grit and determination throughout the lineup, but that's the type of speed and skill we need,'' Bylsma said.
The U.S. also has two goalies, Quick and Miller, who are potentially great, and a good one in Jimmy Howard. Who will be in net for the quarterfinals, when it's win-or-go-home?
''I'm not going to tell you that now,'' Bylsma said after Sunday's game.
Luka Gracnar made 23 saves for Slovenia, who will face Austria in the qualification playoff round Tuesday after beating Slovakia and losing to the U.S. and Russia in preliminary play.
Even if Slovenia doesn't win another game, it has been a successful appearance for a country that earned a surprising spot in the Olympic hockey tournament for the first time.
Slovenia has just one NHL player, Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings, and he didn't play in the third period of Sunday's game because of flu-like symptoms, according to his father and coach.
Anze Kopitar later announced he was feeling much better and looking forward to Slovenia's next game.
''He don't feel good, because he has something with the stomach,'' Matjaz Kopitar said. ''He didn't feel well. He was without the power. Hopefully, he's going to be better.''
Slovenia was also without another key player, forward Sabahudin Kovacevic, who was suspended for one game for swinging his left elbow and landing it on the head of Slovakia's Tomas Kopecky.
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Many questions facing NFL after bullying report.
By ARNIE STAPLETON (AP Pro Football Writer)
Now that the NFL knows the scope of the racially charged Miami Dolphins bullying scandal, the league has been left to grapple with what its next steps should be.
A report released Friday on the Miami case concluded with a one-paragraph call to action:
''As all must surely recognize, the NFL is not an ordinary workplace. Professional football is a rough, contact sport played by men of exceptional size, speed, strength and athleticism. But even the largest, strongest and fleetest person may be driven to despair by bullying, taunting and constant insults. We encourage the creation of new workplace conduct rules and guidelines that will help ensure that players respect each other as professionals and people.''
League executives agree steps need to be taken, and have vowed to take action. But it may be difficult to regulate locker room behavior by determining when something a player considers to be harmless locker room nonsense crosses the line. Players are part of a team, but they are also individuals with different levels of sensitivity.
And as the report's call to action points out, the NFL is not an ordinary workplace - and locker rooms are sanctuaries within those workplaces where even without the kinds of vicious taunts and racist insults cited in the report, behavior that would not be accepted in society is tolerated, and even condoned or encouraged.
Still, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross wants his organization to lead the way to change the culture.
''I have made it clear to everyone within our organization that this situation must never happen again,'' Ross said in a statement released through the team after the report was released. ''We are committed to address this issue forcefully and to take a leadership role in establishing a standard that will be a benchmark in all of sports.''
Before the Super Bowl, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had said he'd be out in front on the issue of hazing.
''Our No. 1 priority has to make sure that we have a workplace environment that's professional, recognizing that we have some unique circumstances. But we have to make sure that our players, (and) other employees, have that kind of professional workplace environment,'' Goodell said then.
After the report was released, the NFL did not mention any possible punishment stemming from the case in a statement emailed by a league spokesman.
The NFL Players Association said it will review the findings closely, confer with players and all relevant parties involved.
The report by lawyer Ted Wells said ''the behavior that occurred here was harmful to the players, the team and the league,'' but he noted the investigators weren't asked to recommend discipline or determine legal liability for the bullying.
Wells concluded that offensive linemen John Jerry and Mike Pouncey joined Richie Incognito in harassing Jonathan Martin, who left the team in October, and position coach Jim Turner participated in the taunting of a second player. That player is Andrew McDonald, now with the Carolina Panthers.
''There are lines - even in a football locker room - that should not be crossed, as they were here,'' the report said. ''We leave the determination of precisely where to draw those lines to those who spend their lives playing, coaching and managing the game of professional football.''
Players would like to police themselves. It is, after all, their locker room.
Teams want a big say in setting those parameters. Like any other employer, they are responsible for maintaining a safe and respectful work environment that adheres to both the league's policies and federal law.
The league is taking a hard look at the report, which details homophobic invective directed at McDonald.
That element in particular is a hot button issue in light of SEC co-defensive player of the year Michael Sam's recent revelation that he's homosexual, putting him in line to become the league's first openly gay player.
Being at the center of this scandal puts the Dolphins at the forefront of any bolstering of policies protecting players from bullying.
The report said that in 2013, Dolphins players acknowledged receiving and understanding the personal conduct code and the workplace harassment and discrimination policies, both taken from the NFL handbook.
The latter policy states that ''harassment can include, but is not limited to: unwelcome contact; jokes, comments and antics; generalizations and put-downs; pornographic or suggestive literature and language. In addition, harassment and discrimination are not limited to the workplace: they example (sic), through calls, texts or emails, on a plane or team bus; at a team event; or at the team hotel.''
The policy encourages reporting discrimination or harassment to the players' union, a coach, human resources or NFL security.
The report touches on a code against snitching that exists in NFL locker rooms, however, and Martin never did report the abuse before walking away from the team when he'd had enough.
The Dolphins have already pledged to improve the team's workplace conduct policies, which Wells called commendable. The team has formed an independent advisory group that includes Don Shula and Tony Dungy, along with several prominent retired players, to review the organization's conduct policies and suggest improvements.
''We must work together towards a culture of civility and mutual respect for one another,'' the Dolphins owner said.
''We encourage these efforts,'' the report said. ''The behavior that occurred here was harmful to the players, the team and the league. It was inconsistent with a civilized workplace - even in a professional football league and even among tough football players whose very profession is defined by physical and mental domination of players across the line of scrimmage.''
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… NBA All-Star Game: East 163, West 155.
By Peter Finney Jr., The Sports Xchange
Defense in an NBA All-Star Game is such a missing commodity it probably belongs on a milk carton, but this was video-game scoring gone wild.
Behind 31 points and 14 assists by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving and 30 points by New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, the East All-Stars obliterated a flurry of scoring records on their way to a 163-155 victory over the West in the 63rd All-Star Game on Sunday night at the Smoothie King Center.
"I was just going out there trying to compete," Irving said after hoisting the All-Star MVP trophy. "It's been an honor. I'm just happy to be the most valuable player."
The 163 points broke the all-time scoring record for points in a game -- 155 by the West in a double-overtime victory in 2003. The previous high score in a regulation game was 153 points, accomplished in 1961, 1992 and 2007.
The teams combined for 318 points, breaking the record of 303 set in 1987.
The East trailed by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, but it used an 18-3 run in the final 4 1/2 minutes of the period to close the deficit to 126-123. Irving led the comeback with nine third-quarter points, and he finished with 24 points in an 87-point second half.
When Irving used a crossover dribble and drove down the lane to loft a tear drop, the East trailed 132-131 with 9:27 left. A dunk by Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah gave the East a 142-140 lead with 6:20 left, but Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant responded with a 3-pointer to put the West up 143-142.
Irving's 3-pointer from the left wing with 2:18 left gave the East the lead for good.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin and Durant led the West with 38 points each.
In a high-octane start, the Western Conference broke the one-half All-Star Game scoring record while building an 89-76 lead at the break.
The West's total eclipsed the 88 points posted by the West in the first half last year.
Griffin led the way, scoring 18 first-quarter points, with eight of his nine baskets coming either dunks or layups. Griffin had 20 points in the half on 10-of-13 shooting.
"Guys were just looking for me," Griffin said. "It's an All-Star Game, and not a whole lot of defense is being played. I tried to take advantage of it. It's a lot of fun. This game is for the fans to put on a show and just have fun with it."
Durant led all scorers with 22 first-half points, including a deep 3-pointer from the left wing that capped a 16-4 West run for a 72-60 lead. Durant made nine of 14 shots before intermission.
The East stayed within striking distance behind the outside gunning of Anthony, who had 20 first-half points. He made four of six shots from 3-point range before the break. Miami Heat forward LeBron James added 12 first-half points, and Irving registered seven points and seven assists in the first two quarters.
NOTES: Los Angeles Lakers G Kobe Bryant, 35, said he is not sure if his body is finally giving out, which is why the rehab process from his knee injury is so intriguing even for him. "Part of the excitement -- of the challenge -- is that level of uncertainty," Bryant said. "It's (an) 'Are my best days behind me' sort of thing. To have those conversations with yourself and not be intimidated by that and not succumb to that is part of the challenge." ... Bryant said he was "optimistic coming out of the (All-Star) break that I will have some improvements." ... Asked to name his "Mt. Rushmore" of all-time NBA greats, Bryant tabbed Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Bill Russell. "That's impossible to do four, though," he said. "That's crazy."
White Sox open camp looking to shake off misery.
By ANDREW SELIGMAN (AP Sports Writer)
The stark reminder of how far the Chicago White Sox fell last season was on a wall behind Chris Sale as he fielded questions in a hallway at the team's spring training complex.
There was a large photo from the team's championship rally in 2005. Last season, they looked as though they were light years from a title.
Pitchers and catchers reported and conducted their first workouts on Saturday, hoping to put aside last year's 99-loss nightmare and make a jump in the AL Central after going from second to the bottom of the division.
''I thought we were going to be much better last year, too,'' Sale said. ''But numbers on paper don't mean anything. You've got to put it on the field. Unfortunately we weren't able to do that. But in 2014 our sights are back on that, and we've got to keep rolling with it. Hopefully things bounce our way this year.''
Between their poor hitting and poor fielding, little went right for the White Sox. The 99 losses were their most since the 1970 team dropped 106.
As bad as things were, Chicago believes it is poised for a relatively quick rebound thanks to a rotation led by Sale and a series of moves that began last summer.
The White Sox acquired Avisail Garcia from Detroit in the deal that sent Jake Peavy to Boston and continued to retool in the offseason. Cuban slugger Jose Abreu is in the fold after signing a six-year, $68-million deal, and his development will be one of the biggest stories this season.
There is also Paul Konerko taking a victory lap, serving as sort of a player-coach after agreeing to return on a one-year deal rather than retire or play elsewhere.
The closer spot is open after Addison Reed got traded to Arizona for third-base prospect Matt Davidson. Nate Jones is the early front-runner, although general manager Rick Hahn said he has a mild to moderate strain in one of his glute muscles and will be sidelined a few days.
There are also competitions at catcher between Tyler Flowers and Josh Phegley, and at third with Davidson in a crowd that includes Jeff Keppinger and Conor Gillaspie.
''It makes camp more interesting and gives you guys a little bit more to write,'' Hahn said. ''It makes the games a little bit more meaningful than in a normal spring when things are already set. It prepares guys for whether they make the club at the start or get called up midway through the year, they are used to playing under a little bit more pressure with a little bit more at stake.
''As a result, for the long term, everyone will be better served from that.''
How it all comes together remains to be seen, particularly in the wake of one of the most dreadful seasons in club history. The White Sox are counting on Garcia to build on the promise he has shown, and for Abreu to inject some pop into a lineup that struggled in a big way a year ago.
They also need to hang onto the ball after experiencing a deep drop on defense, going from first to 29th in the majors in fielding percentage.
John Danks' performance is also something else to watch.
A 15-game winner in 2010, Danks got a late start coming off shoulder surgery and never really regained his full arm strength. The result was a 4.75 ERA in 22 starts.
''It's a fresh start,'' he said.
For him and the team.
''Here's the thing,'' Hahn said. ''It's already a different approach and an attitude, not just here today, which was a short day but a good day. But over the last several weeks running up to camp, talking to players about the opportunities that lie ahead and talking to staff about opportunity, we have to build something as a group that's ideally leading to an extended run of success at the big league level.''
NOTES: Hahn said Jones' problem cropped up about seven to 10 days earlier. ... Hahn also said reliever Ronald Belisario was having visa issues getting out of Venezuela. The White Sox expect to have a better idea by Wednesday or Thursday about when he will arrive.
Cubs: Kris Bryant will be a center of attention.
By Patrick Mooney
There will be plenty of eye-rolling this spring as the Chicago media descends upon the hyped prospects standing at their lockers.
Kris Bryant got a few looks from teammates when reporters surrounded him on Sunday morning inside the Cubs Park clubhouse. But it’s not his fault the entire organization’s business/baseball plans are betting everything on the kids. And this is what happens when you’re a No. 2 overall draft pick.
“I guess it is a little different, but I’ve never been the type to, you know, like all the attention,” Bryant said. “There’s a lot of guys in here that have been here for awhile and the focus should be on them.
Because they’re the ones that have been here and I haven’t proven myself yet. So I’m out here trying to get better. And I will do that.”
Bryant mentioned “get better” 10 times during a group interview that lasted almost six minutes. He used some variation of “learning from the guys” five different times. He is a polished Scott Boras client, a baseball junkie and a finance major who was invited to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship during his time at the University of San Diego.
Bryant — whose athletic 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame has drawn comparisons to Jayson Werth — gave another diplomatic answer when asked about his long-term position.
“Right now, I am (a third baseman),” Bryant said. “I’ve been playing third my whole life. But growing up, I’ve also played some outfield, so it’s not completely foreign to me. I’ll played wherever coach tells me to play.”
At this time last year, Bryant was playing San Diego State University during the opening weekend of what turned out to be a spectacular junior season. At that point, he was projected as a potential first-rounder, but not a top-two pick.
Bryant led the nation in home runs (31), runs scored (80), walks (66) and slugging percentage (.820), winning the Golden Spikes Award, college baseball’s Heisman Trophy. By June, at least one American League general manager said Bryant had risen to the top of his draft board.
Bryant then hit .336 with nine homers, 32 RBI and a 1.078 OPS in 36 games at three different minor-league affiliates before becoming the Arizona Fall League’s MVP.
“He’s an extraordinary talent,” Boras said. “(It) usually takes two or three years in the minors to compete at that level. He was the MVP of it. So you can see when you’re doing that, you’re obviously very, very close.”
Staying in character, the 22-year-old Bryant won’t set any sort of timelines for reaching the big leagues.
“It’s crazy that a year has passed by,” Bryant said. “It’s been the best year of my life. It was a special one and I’m ready to make 2014 a memorable one, too.”
Bryant will likely begin the year at Double-A Tennessee and he won’t be expected at Wrigley Field until sometime during the 2015 season, so Cubs fans can looked forward to another season of checking minor-league box scores.
When the interview ended, Albert Almora, the first player drafted here by the Theo Epstein administration, walked over to Bryant’s locker, ready for the early workout.
Together they are supposed to be part of The Core. But until then, Bryant just wants to keep his head down and go to work.
“That would be cool, but there’s a lot of good guys in this room right now,” Bryant said. “You can’t take (away) the fact that they’ve been here for awhile. So we’re here just trying to get better learning from them. And, hopefully, we’ll be able to make an impact someday.”
Watson ends a 2-year winless drought at Riviera.
By DOUG FERGUSON (AP Golf Writer)
Bubba Watson lost track of time. He didn't realize it had been nearly two years and 41 tournaments since his last victory.
A reminder came Sunday afternoon, after he birdied the 18th hole to win the Northern Trust Open by two shots. Walking up the steps to the clubhouse he saw his son, Caleb, who was adopted shortly before Watson won the 2012 Masters.
Watson was alone in his green jacket that day. This time, wife and son were at Riviera to watch a masterpiece.
He played the final 39 holes without a bogey. He had a 64-64 weekend. He made up a four-shot deficit in six holes, and closed with the lowest round by a winner of this tournament in 28 years.
This wasn't ''Bubba'' golf. It simply was great golf. And he couldn't wait to celebrate.
''When I won the Masters, it was just me,'' Watson said. ''Family members were there, but not my wife and not my son, who was just adopted at that point, and now is two weeks away from being 2 years old. What a thrill. We'll have some pictures with him and my wife and the trophy, so it's nice.''
Watson won by two shots over Dustin Johnson, who closed with a 66 for the second straight week and got the same result - second place. Johnson finished one shot behind Jimmy Walker last week at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
''When you shoot 14 under on the weekend, it's tough to beat that,'' Johnson said.
Watson, who started the final round four shots behind William McGirt, made up ground so quickly that he broke out of a four-way tie for the lead with a birdie on the eighth hole and made the turn in 30. Equally critical were a pair of par saves with 7-foot putts on the 12th and 13th holes.
It was quite a turnaround from his last event, the Phoenix Open, where Watson made two late bogeys and finished one shot behind Kevin Stadler.
Presented another chance, he wasn't about to let this one get away.
Watson finished at 15-under 269, and he wasn't the only big winner.
Jason Allred, who went to college up the coast at Pepperdine, played bogey-free for a 68 and tied for third with Brian Harman, who also had a 68. Allred was a Monday qualifier, and this was his first regular PGA Tour event since he last had his card in 2008.
The tie for third was a career-best for the 33-year-old Allred. He earned $388,600, which is more than he had made in his entire career, which included two full seasons on the PGA Tour. He now is exempt into the Honda Classic, which starts in two weeks - about the time his wife is due with their third child.
''We'll have fun figuring out what that looks like,'' Allred said.
Watson won for the fifth time in his career, and he had to earn it. With no margin for error over the closing holes, he managed to get out of a deep fairway bunker on the 15th hole to the front edge of the green. He smartly played to the middle of the green on the par-3 16th hole for a par. Facing the uphill tee shot on the 18th, he blasted his drive down the middle of the fairway and hit wedge into 15 feet to the right of the pin.
Johnson, meanwhile, now has finished among the top six in all four tournaments this season - including a win in Shanghai and consecutive runner-up finishes. His other start was at Kapalua, where he tied for sixth.
''I had a chance there on the back nine, I just didn't have good looks on 16, 17 and 18 to give myself a chance,'' he said. ''I was still right there. That's all you can ask for.''
McGirt, who had a two-shot lead to start the final round as he tried to win for the first time, opened with a birdie and stalled after that. And on yet another gorgeous day at Riviera, this was not a day to stall.
The pack behind took aim and made birdies, particularly Watson.
Watson hit a perfect tee shot on the par-3 fourth that rode the slope to 15 feet for birdie. He holed a bunker shot from left of the sixth green for birdie. And a 15-footer on the eighth gave Watson his fifth birdie of the round, and the outright lead. He never gave it back.
McGirt closed with a 73 and tied for sixth.
Jordan Spieth, one shot out of the lead through seven holes, had four bogeys on the back nine and shot 71 to tie for 12th. Jimmy Walker, a three-time winner this season, closed with a 73 and tied for 20th.
''My first win since the Masters,'' Watson said. ''You never know when your last win is going to be.
My last win could have been the Masters, which would have been a great way to go out. But winning here at Northern Trust is nice. I never felt down that I haven't won yet, but just kept plugging along. And somehow, it fell in my lap today.''
Augusta National loses Eisenhower Tree.
By John Kim
Really sad news out of Augusta.
The recent ice storms (two in two weeks!), not to mention an earthquake that shook the area this past weekend, has taken a toll on one of golf's most famous landmarks. The iconic Eisenhower Tree has suffered major damage and was removed over the weekend. That's right, golf's most famous pine tree - for decades guarding the left side of the 17th hole - is no more.
Read more here at the Augusta Chronicle
The Eisenhower Tree got its name because the former President and Augusta National member had a famous disdain for it. Apparently, he used to hit it quite often (it sits about 200 yards off the tee boxes) and he famously lobbied to have it removed. The limits of presidential lobbying stop at the gates apparently as club chairman Clifford Roberts overruled his efforts, thus linking the president and the tree forever.
--- Scott Michaux (@ScottMichaux) February 17, 2014
Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne released this statement about the tree:
Billy Payne, chairman of Augusta National and the Masters, released a statement Sunday:
"Like so many of our family, friends and neighbors in this community, Augusta National Golf Club has been busy cleaning up after the historic ice storm last week. Everyone affected remains in our hearts and prayers, and we likewise hope for a speedy and complete recovery for all.
"The loss of the Eisenhower Tree is difficult news to accept. We obtained opinions from the best arborists available and, unfortunately, were advised that no recovery was possible.
"We have begun deliberations of the best way to address the future of the 17th hole and to pay tribute to this iconic symbol of our history -- rest assured, we will do both appropriately.
"I can report that the golf course sustained no major damage otherwise. We are now open for Member play and we will be unaffected in our preparations for the 2014 Masters Tournament."
Austin Dillon takes the pole in the first Daytona 500 for the No. 3 car since Dale Earnhardt’s death in 2001.
By Nick Bromberg
The No. 3 car is up front in the Sprint Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway again.
Austin Dillon will start on the pole for Sunday's Daytona 500 in the No. 3 car after a lap of 196.019 MPH. It's the first time the No. 3 has been driven in the Cup Series since Dale Earnhardt died on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.
Dillon, 23, is the grandson of Richard Childress, Earnhardt's long-time car owner. Dillon, who has driven for his grandfather in his entire NASCAR career, started driving the No. 3 in 2009 when he made his Camping World Truck Series debut. For the past two seasons, he's driven the No. 3 in the Nationwide Series and won the 2013 Nationwide Series championship.
However, in what will be his 14th start in the Cup Series, it's his first in Earnhardt's famed No. 3.
The number became synonymous with Earnhardt, who won 67 of his 76 Cup wins with the number as well as six of his seven championships. And Daytona became synonymous with Earnhardt, who was exceptional at the track despite a 19 race winless streak in the 500, NASCAR's biggest race.
In 1990, Earnhardt led 155 of the race's 200 laps and was leading on the final lap when he cut a tire in turn four. He finished fifth as Derrike Cope won. In 1993, he was passed by Dale Jarrett on the final corner. He was second again in 1995 and 1996.
He finally won the Daytona 500 in his 20th attempt in 1998, his only 500 win. In addition to two wins in the July Daytona race, Earnhardt won 12 Daytona 500 qualifying races (known now as the Budweiser Duels) and six Busch Clash events (now known as the Sprint Unlimited). He also won the pole for the 500 in 1996.
Dillon, 23, is the grandson of Richard Childress, Earnhardt's long-time car owner. Dillon, who has driven for his grandfather in his entire NASCAR career, started driving the No. 3 in 2009 when he made his Camping World Truck Series debut. For the past two seasons, he's driven the No. 3 in the Nationwide Series and won the 2013 Nationwide Series championship.
However, in what will be his 14th start in the Cup Series, it's his first in Earnhardt's famed No. 3.
The number became synonymous with Earnhardt, who won 67 of his 76 Cup wins with the number as well as six of his seven championships. And Daytona became synonymous with Earnhardt, who was exceptional at the track despite a 19 race winless streak in the 500, NASCAR's biggest race.
In 1990, Earnhardt led 155 of the race's 200 laps and was leading on the final lap when he cut a tire in turn four. He finished fifth as Derrike Cope won. In 1993, he was passed by Dale Jarrett on the final corner. He was second again in 1995 and 1996.
He finally won the Daytona 500 in his 20th attempt in 1998, his only 500 win. In addition to two wins in the July Daytona race, Earnhardt won 12 Daytona 500 qualifying races (known now as the Budweiser Duels) and six Busch Clash events (now known as the Sprint Unlimited). He also won the pole for the 500 in 1996.
In 2001, Earnhardt was third on the final lap, trailing the cars of Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who were driving for Earnhardt's team, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. However, he and Ken Schrader crashed in the middle of turns three and four and Earnhardt's car hit head-on with the outside wall. He was pronounced dead just after 5 p.m. ET from a basilar he sustained in the crash. In October of that year, NASCAR made head and neck restraints mandatory for all drivers. Earnhardt was not wearing one in February.
When Kevin Harvick replaced Earnhardt the next week, the car's number was switched to the No. 29, the number Harvick drove at RCR through 2013. After the season, Harvick left for Stewart-Haas Racing, giving Dillon and Childress the opportunity to bring the No. 3 back in 2014.
Dillon will start next to Martin Truex Jr., who qualified second for Furniture Row Racing.
Only Dillon and Truex have their starting positions guaranteed for Sunday's race. The remaining 47 drivers entered will fill out the 41 spots left in the race on Thursday evening in the Duels.
Danica Patrick, last year's pole qualifier, wound up 25th. Her engine expired during practice Saturday, so she must start at the rear of the field for both her Budweiser Duel and the Daytona 500.
Champions League in the courtroom: How Europe’s biggest clubs are set to go to war on Financial Fair Play.
By Kris Voakes
Jose Mourinho may have hit the headlines for his recent claims that some of the world's biggest clubs are not taking UEFA's Financial Fair Play laws seriously, but finger-pointing may become the norm when new rules come into full effect this summer.
“Some clubs are feeling the Financial Fair Play as a fair Financial Fair Play, and others are feeling Financial Fair Play as a dodgy Financial Fair Play,” said Mourinho ahead of his side’s clash with Manchester City, one of the clubs widely scrutinized by soccer figures because of the new avenues from which the club has sought additional revenue ahead of FFP’s introduction.
And with new regulations having been passed by UEFA to allow directly affected parties to attend appeal hearings against those clubs ruled to have fallen outside of the parameters of the FFP laws, more clubs will be encouraged to point the finger at their European rivals.
City’s actions have been thrown under the spotlight of late, with a huge 475 million euro 10-year sponsorship deal with Etihad being called into question, as has Paris Saint-Germain’s 200 million euro a year agreement with the Qatar Tourism Authority.
Both deals are set to be heavily vetted by UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) in a bid to discover whether there is a conflict of interest between the sponsors and their respective club’s owners. Elsewhere, questions have been asked as to how Monaco — with its modest crowds — pulls off big-money transfers and salaries for stars like of Radamel Falcao, Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez without overstepping UEFA’s 45 million euro deficit limit.
"For some it is fair Financial Fair Play, for some it is dodgy Financial Fair Play"- Jose Mourinho
|
Meanwhile, City may draw further questions due to its financial role in the establishment of New York City FC and part-takeover of Melbourne Heart.
While Mourinho and others may cry foul play, the new UEFA regulations at least allow rival clubs to have their arguments heard should they see an issue with such practices.
Former Chelsea and Everton chief executive Trevor Birch, now a partner at the UK-based BDO accountancy firm, believes that new regulation could lead to the highly competitive Champions League atmosphere regularly mirrored in the courtroom.
“If you look at those new procedural rules governing the CFCB, it is going to be very interesting since they talk about a directly affected club but they don’t actually define what that is,” Birch told Goal. “Presumably, in the case of a Man City you’re going to have Liverpool, Tottenham and potentially Manchester United all turning up and wanting to be represented at any hearing against Man City. So it’s going to be lively, potentially.
“And in France [with PSG and Monaco first and second], you then start to think that this could become unwieldy if they are allowing all and sundry to be represented in these adjudication hearings.”
When questioned by Goal, UEFA moved to clear up the issue over what constitutes a directly affected party, saying the body will take its lead from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“There is some significant CAS jurisprudence on the meaning of ‘directly affected party’ [such as the Porto case, 2008]. However, to qualify as a ‘directly affected’ party it would, in general, be necessary for the club concerned to demonstrate that the decision in question has a direct [and not abstract or theoretical] impact on its position and/or legal rights,” a UEFA representative told Goal.
That dispute in 2008 eventually saw Vitoria Guimaraes and Benfica’s case against UEFA and Porto dismissed by CAS, but where the hearing was successful was in its clarification of a “directly affected party.” CAS decided that such a party was one whose own qualification is affected by the outcome of a hearing.
It means any team finishing one place off a more elevated standing within the European qualification process has the right to attend the appeal hearing of a club deemed to have fallen foul of the FFP regulations, but clubs finishing lower down a national league with nothing to gain from a guilty verdict cannot. Still, that could mean clubs finishing fourth, fifth and sixth in the leading national leagues could challenge the appeal of a team placed higher than them in the championship, meaning as many as four parties attending a single hearing.
| WHAT IS FFP? |
|
It all points toward a fascinating series of courtroom battles between some of the world’s biggest clubs, with the ethical crusade of FFP becoming a potential political and legal minefield, according to Birch.
“Potentially it might be, as there’s so much to lose. I suppose it depends on how many clubs are going to be in that position where they are charging UEFA,” he said. “That then starts to become very interesting and it will be pretty tricky to be policing the clubs if you have got too many who are railing against it.
“It’s also then about the timing of all these things. Do you take sanctions against them in midseason when you’re still mid-competition, or do you wait until the end of the season? So there are so many practical issues that they are also going to have to contend with. That’s where it all starts to become unwieldy.”
But above and beyond the inclusion of extra clubs in appeal hearings, UEFA could well find it difficult to implement its new regulations when faced with high-powered lawyers representing the game’s biggest names.
Any intervention by the governing body in cases in which clubs have agreed to huge commercial deals may lead to them treading dangerous legal ground.
“It’s a difficult scenario to judge really without knowing all the circumstances,” Birch explained. “Presumably, Manchester City and PSG are being very well advised. They have taken a view that this stuff is appropriate and will stand up to scrutiny by the Fair Play panel.
“On the face of it, it sounds feasible for them to have set up franchises in Australia and America, and for them to buy intellectual property there. But it will come down to the fine detail, and the accountants at City will have to sign off on it. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating in that once these start being adjudicated upon, these clubs will be represented by some very clever lawyers.”
| "Presumably, Manchester City and PSG are being well advised. They have taken a view that this stuff is appropriate and will stand up to scrutiny by the Fair Play panel"
- Ex-Chelsea chief exec Trevor Birch
|
City, PSG and Monaco did not respond to questions from Goalas to their fair standing regarding FFP, but Birch believes only time will tell if their spending will be curtailed by UEFA president Michel Platini's attempt to level the playing field.
"UEFA have set their rules and stated that that’s how they want to proceed," he said. "They believe they are doing the right thing by football, but it remains to be seen. If they are successful in one or two early cases then that is going to set the precedent for everybody else and they won’t be easily chargeable. But they have set their stall out that they are going to police it strongly.
"UEFA have set their rules and stated that that’s how they want to proceed," he said. "They believe they are doing the right thing by football, but it remains to be seen. If they are successful in one or two early cases then that is going to set the precedent for everybody else and they won’t be easily chargeable. But they have set their stall out that they are going to police it strongly.
"We won’t know basically until the first couple of cases that eventually go to CAS. Once we’ve seen a couple go that far, then we will start to get an idea of where the potential loopholes are and where UEFA are weak in terms of the regulations. At the moment it’s all supposition because everybody’s taken a little bit of fact and extrapolated. You don’t know what the permitted exceptions are, for example, in terms of somebody’s figures because all we are seeing is the results of the financial accounts and of course they can be adjusted for the purposes of the FFP."
What we can predict, though, is that however successful FFP is, some of the world’s biggest clubs are going to be unhappy. Will that be Manchester City, PSG and Co., or will it be the clubs they are fighting to topple? It promises to be a lot of fun finding out.
POLL: Should soccer penalty-kick shootouts follow Olympic hockey's lead and showcase specialists?
Unless you've been hiding under a rock on Saturday, you've heard the name T.J. Oshie -- the USA men's hockey hero, who doesn't want to be called a hero, despite scoring four times in the victorious shootout that decided the preliminary round match vs. Russia.
What's that? Four goals by one player in a shootout tiebreaker?
For soccer fans used to penalty-kick shootouts, where all 11 players who finish a match are each required to take turns at the spot kicks before getting another crack, the concept will sound strange. Even NHL fans are accustomed to seeing each player take a turn.
But the Olympic hockey rule book allows for the same player to take consecutive shootout attempts after the first three rounds. The US hockey team put its faith in the St. Louis Blues' Oshie, who took a total of six of the eight US shootout attempts, converting on four of them.
Is this a rule that soccer should entertain? Indulge in this hypothetical: After the first five penalty kicks in a soccer shootout, you can assign any one player to kick as many times as necessary.
Would you be in favor of it? Who would be the T.J. Oshie of your team -- the PK specialist? We'd love to hear your thoughts!!!
No. 1 Syracuse authors second great escape in a week to remain undefeated.
By Kyle Ringo
It's going to take something or someone special to beat Syracuse this season. That much is clear after the Orange pulled out another stunning victory in the final seconds Saturday -- its second of the week -- just when it seemed to be headed for its first loss of the season.
North Carolina State committed two turnovers in the final 21 seconds while nursing a one-point advantage. The second miscue was stolen by Syracuse forward Rakeem Christmas who started a fast break that ended in C.J. Fair's layup being counted after goaltending was called on the Wolfpack with less than 7 seconds remaining.
North Carolina State sophomore T.J. Warren attempted a long jumper that missed with 2 seconds remaining and Syracuse escaped with a 56-55 triumph to remain one of two undefeated teams in the nation. The other perfect team is Wichita State, which plays Sunday at Evansville.
Syracuse freshman guard Tyler Ennis was the hero Wednesday when he hit a near-half-court jumper at the buzzer to shock Pitt on its home court. Ennis nearly became the goat Saturday when he was called for charging as he drove into the lane and pushed off with his forearm with 14 seconds remaining.
But the Orange proved resilient enough to overcome even a crucial mistake in the waning moments from a player who has made few of them in a stellar debut season at the college level. It didn't hurt that Syracuse still had fouls to give down the stretch and didn't automatically send the Wolfpack to the foul line when the whistles blew.
It allowed coach Jim Boeheim's team to continue to play aggressive pressure defense and NC State didn't handle it well with the game on the line. Christmas' steal capped one of his best performances of the season. He scored 14 points with 12 rebounds and seven blocked shots.
Give the Wolfpack credit for playing the nation's top team so well on its home court after a rough travel day. The start of the game was delayed by four hours because of a winter storm that prevented NC State from arriving until Saturday afternoon.
Even at 25-0 overall and 12-0 in the ACC and the Orange proving to handle late-game pressure well, it still seems unlikely Syracuse will survive the regular season undefeated.
The Orange finish the season with four of the final five games on the road, the first of which is next Saturday at Duke.
Syracuse survived its first meeting with the Blue Devils earlier this month but needed overtime to do so in what might have been the most entertaining college basketball game of the season to date.
Perhaps confronting Duke and the Cameron Crazies will be that special combination that finally topples the Orange this season. After the past week, there won't be many eager to bet on it.
Manziel, Sam to draw spotlight at NFL combine.
By MICHAEL MAROT (AP Sports Writer)
Johnny Manziel and Michael Sam will be the headliners at the NFL's scouting combine.
Workouts for the league's pre-draft event begin Saturday.
The most important aspects of the combine are often the ones that get the least publicity - players measuring in, going through the medical checks and the team interviews that could put many questions to rest or raise an entirely new set of concerns. So with more than 300 NFL draft hopefuls attending the second biggest offseason event on the NFL calendar - and the only that draws team owners, team executives, league officials, coaches, agents and potential future stars to the same venue- this week will be far more than just a two-man show.
Here are five things to watch this week in Indianapolis.
JOHNNY BE GOOD: Manziel is a dynamic player who may have more on the line this week than anybody else in town. After two sensational years at Texas A&M, he's trying to position himself to be considered the first overall pick by the Houston Texans. While the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner has said he will not work out next weekend, scouts will be looking at Manziel's height and weight to determine if he can hold up against the NFL's bigger, faster, stronger defenders. Coaches and team executives also will be eager to see how he handles the private interviews - the one part of the combine outsiders never see - to determine whether he's the guy they want as the face of their franchise for the next decade.
MICHAEL SAM: Last week, Sam became the first NFL draft prospect to acknowledge he is gay. This week, he'll face a media circus in Indy. He also has some questions about his physical ability to answer. The SEC's defensive player of the year was listed last season at 6-foot-2, 255 pounds, meaning Sam must demonstrate he has the speed and the agility to change directions to make it in the NFL. The heavy shift to 3-4 defenses has put a premium on heavier defensive ends, forcing lighter players to make the move to linebacker. If Sam demonstrates he's quick enough to be a pass-rushing end in a 4-3 front or athletic enough to move to rush linebacker in a 3-4 front, his draft stock should improve.
THE NO. 1 QUESTION: Manziel is only one part of the equation at the top of the draft. And if Manziel doesn't go No. 1, who will? That answer probably won't be settled after this weekend, though most analysts believe a quarterback will once again be taken with the first pick. If the choice is not Manziel, it could be Blake Bortles or Teddy Bridgewater. The Texans recently hired Central Florida's former college quarterback coach, and Bridgewater was considered the front-runner to be No. 1 throughout most of the college season. A year ago, at this point the odds-on favorite to go No. 1 was Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei. So a lot can change between now and May's draft, and don't rule out a possible resurgence by South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
JUNIOR JAM: A record number of college players (102) have given up their remaining college eligibility to jump into this year's NFL draft. While the first-round is sure to include plenty of underclassmen draftees, led by the likes of Manziel and Clowney, dozens of other early-entry draft hopefuls must show they're worthy of being drafted. If the underclassmen do well and go high, the trend of seeing more and more underclassmen enter the draft could continue in future years.
CHARACTER COUNTS: The toughest job this week goes to any of the players having to answer questions about their character. The list of indiscretions includes everything from arrests to drug-related suspensions to the use, or misuse, of Twitter. What scouts and team execs will try to do is sort fact from fiction as they attempt to figure out whether these were simple youthful missteps or a pattern of behavior that could continue to cause problems in the future.
No miracle needed: U.S. can win hockey gold.
By Dan Wetzel
USA forward Phil Kessel celebrates his goal against Slovenia during the 2014 Winter Olympics men's ice hockey game at Shayba Arena Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Phil Kessel blew through the Slovenia defense and scored just 1:04 into the game. A couple minutes later he did it again, brilliantly batting the puck out of the air and into the net, en route to a hat trick on the day.
By that point, less than five minutes into Sunday's game, Slovenia was essentially done, any fear of a Russian-game hangover was dashed and the United States men's hockey team was on its way to a 5-1 victory, a sweep of the preliminary round and a bye into the quarterfinals.
Which makes one thing clear about these Sochi Games.
It's time to go win this thing.
There is still a notion among many non-hardcore fans back in America that Team USA remains some kind of underdog. Maybe it's the lingering memories of Lake Placid. These aren't college kids, though.
The U.S. has won silver in two of the last three Olympics. In Vancouver, it lost in overtime to the home team Canada, which it previously defeated. It is a world power just waiting to break through.
And here in Sochi, through three games, no one has been more impressive than the Americans. You can argue the Canadians look equally as good, but they also didn't face the same competition – namely beating Russia in Russia.
There are no guarantees in a one-and-done tournament. Anything can and does happen. But thus far, pretty much everything the U.S. wanted has happened.
"I still think there is room for improvement, but for the first three games I don't think you can argue with the results," captain Zach Parise, the Minneapolis native, said.
The concept of bringing a fully formed team here – counting on a mix of stars and role players – has delivered. The young defense, almost all under 25 years old, has proven up to the task. Jonathan Quick was brilliant in net the first two games and backup Ryan Miller stepped in against the Slovenians and merely pitched a shut out for 59-plus minutes.
There is improved speed. Everyone is healthy. The special teams have been good. Coach Dan Bylsma said he actually wished the penalty kill unit got more time to gel, which is essentially an embarrassment of good fortune.
And, of course the idea of choosing a player such as T.J. Oshie for a specific skill set – a willingness to block shots and a world-class ability to convert penalty shots – worked famously.
This is just an excellent hockey team – a gold medal team.
"They are a medal contender for sure for me," Slovenia coach Matjaz Kopitar said.
Canada may have more talent, but there also is a challenge in managing it all. That's not the case here. Everyone has a role, everyone knows the role and everyone has accepted the role.
"This is a hard-working team that has some grit and determination," Bylsma said.
Everyone around this team is here to win the gold. Everyone who knows international hockey knows the U.S. takes a back seat to no one anymore. A slew of Canadian stars, including Sidney Crosby, took in Saturday's game against Russia from Row 10 of Section 117 for a reason, and it wasn't just to watch as fans.
"I've said before, in 1980, we might have opened the door, but today's players have knocked it down," said Mike Eruzione, the captain of the Miracle on Ice team. "An Olympic team since the pros went into the Games … we're a favorite. We have a chance to win."
The preliminary rounds here have done nothing to quell that belief. If anything, this has been a team that has shown great focus, taking each day on its own and realizing that this is a brief, quick tournament, a desperate tournament, and any kind of bobble can cause it to end in a hurry.
That silver medal in Vancouver only sharpened the resolve, especially the holdovers that tasted the bitter defeat. They aren't here for second place.
"I think as a group we have that hunger to win," Parise said.
"I don't know how you quantify 'want' but … this much?" said forward Dave Backes of Minneapolis, stretching his arms as wide as possible. "This is a chance for us to have a moment, this generation of players … we feel like we have an opportunity to do something special here."
Because they needed overtime to defeat the Russians (earning two points rather than three), the Americans are seeded second behind only Sweden. But Sweden didn't play a single opponent of such caliber, though.
Either way, this offers a bye through the first round with no games until Wednesday and sets up a rematch of the 2010 gold-medal game against Canada in the semifinals.
From here on out, it's win or go home, but through three games – two blowouts and an emotional challenge against the Russians – this team has shown itself as the most accomplished of this tournament.
No, it won't be easy, but the chance for hockey immortality, to go up there with 1960 and 1980, to show that U.S. players of this era are as good as anywhere in the world, is right in front of them.
The Americans are plenty good and plenty motivated enough.
Now it's time to finish.
*******************************************************
Please let us hear your opinion on the above articles and pass them on to any other diehard fans that you think might be interested. But most of all, remember, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica wants you!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment