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How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Quenneville says outdoor game is 'as good as it gets'.
By Nina Falcone
Ten Blackhawks boarded a plane in Sochi on Sunday — six with medals around their necks — to fly back to Chicago following the closing ceremonies at the Winter Olympics. During their flight, the remaining Blackhawks took the ice in their first practice since the start of the Olympic break.
Now it's back to business for the NHL.
The defending champions will face off against the New York Rangers on Thursday before hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins in the highly-anticipated Stadium Series game at Soldier Field.
With the rink at Soldier Field already well under construction, plenty of hockey fans are anxiously awaiting the March 1 matchup. Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville is one of them.
"It's as good as it gets," he said. "I mean, this is what you live for, it's a great stage, a great event, nothing better than playing hockey outside. You did it everyday as a kid and now you get to do it on a big stage. For the guys that get to play, it's a thrill of a lifetime. It'll be one of your most memorable games or events you'll have ever been at. So [I'm] looking forward to it.
"You're playing a game, it's a game you want to win. It'll be a fun game playing against the top guys in the league in Pittsburgh. It's another top team as well so it'll be a great test in that regard. So it will be a very memorable game but at the end of the day, it'll be fun to participate in such a game but let's make sure we're playing the right way and have some intensity."
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Free agency may decide whether Bears draft DE over DT.
By John Mullin
Bears GM Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman had positive things to say last week about the rehab status of defensive tackle Henry Melton’s torn ACL. While encouraging reports are far from the same thing as contract negotiations, the sentiments suggested that the kind of base good feelings exist that are paramount to re-signing the injured Pro Bowl lineman.
Why Melton’s health and the Bears’ attitude about it are significant is that what the Bears do in the 2014 draft is potentially connected. Not Melton specifically, but rather what the Bears have at defensive tackle vs. defensive end when their turn comes in the first round of the draft.
Julius Peppers is a supreme longshot to remain a Bear without a substantial pay cut, which is unlikely to work out. Corey Wootton is on the to-do list, but he has been primarily a left end and a complementary pass rusher, not the defense-defining edge disrupter. And Shea McClellin is no longer in that hand-on-the-ground part of the Bears’ 4-3 scheme.
Seattle Seahawks end/tackle Michael Bennett is headed for at least the talking stages of free agency but is coming off an 8.5-sack season and a $5 million contract. The free-market price for pass rushers is always high, even with the salary cap likely to rise $4-6 million.
With the defense expected to diversify, the true offseason priority is a pass rusher with capabilities for multiple uses. One of the top prospects in this draft class is raising his hand if the Bears are looking for “volunteers:”
"I'm hybrid," said Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy at the current NFL Scouting Combine. "I'm an athlete. I've been able to move around. Fortunately Coach Steck [Dave Steckel] at Missouri, the defensive coordinator, put me in good positions to do so, and I think I did a good job of showing my athleticism."
College pedigree makes Ealy worth listening to, besides the fact that he is 6-4, 273 pounds, the same as Michael Bennett. Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson was AFC defensive rookie of the year last season as the New York Jets’ No. 1 pick (No. 1). Aldon Smith was the San Francisco 49ers’ pick at No. 7 of the 2011 draft and has helped the 49ers to the NFC Championship game and one Super Bowl in his three seasons.
“I compare myself to Aldon,” Ealy said. “He's a freak athlete. He gets off the ball. He probably had a little more sacks than me in college in my career. And to J.J. Watt when it comes to pass deflections.”
Ealy did not help his stock with a mediocre 4.92-sec. time in his Combine 40. But he is heavier than Smith and offers more of an anchor on the edge of a 4-3.
Bears fit
Peppers has been a freak from the standpoint of having right-end speed at 285 pounds. The typical ends in single-gap schemes are not that big, and Wootton has proved to be a solid defender against both run and pass. The need is for speed, period.
“I think he's a 4‑3 defensive end,” said NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock. “I don't really think he's an outside linebacker. I think to compare him to, say, [Aldon] Smith who came out a couple years ago. He's not quite as athletic as Aldon Smith, but he's a little more physical, a little better against the run.”
Mayock initially projected Ealy further down in the first round than the Bears’ current spot at No. 14. But “I don't think [14] too high because when you're looking at the pure 4‑3 ends in this draft, they are few and far between.
“[South Carolina’s Jadeveon] Clowney is going to be gone, and Ealy is there at 14, and if he's there, he's a good pick.”
NFL Draft 101.
By Jerry Angelo
The draft has taken on a life of it own with the fans and media. Its popularity has risen so much that the networks are now dedicating three days of coverage to the annual selection show.
The National Football League has done a great job of marketing the draft and the media does an equally great job of educating fans on the college prospects. Give credit to Joel Buchsbaum and Mel Kiper, the two people who were most instrumental in the original schooling and enlightening of fans from the media side. They were pioneers who passionately believed in what they did (and, in Kiper’s case, still do) and educated their audiences with behind the scenes insight that draftniks fed on.
If the truth were known, Buchsbaum and Kiper probably opened the NFL’s eyes on just how marketable the draft could be.
Looking now and seeing what the event it has turned into, I credit much of the success for its popularity to Joel and Mel. Joel passed away and he is sorely missed. I don’t know a guy in football who didn’t have great respect for the work he did. He was a true icon, not only as a sports writer, but also as a fan. His heart bled the NFL and nobody knew it better.
Why has today’s draft become even more important to teams?
All organizations want to build through the draft. You are getting young, fast, talented, healthy players, entering into the prime of their careers, and you’re getting them cheaper than ever under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
What are the consequences of drafting poorly?
Teams have to go into the veteran free agent market and pay handsomely for older players to fill the voids they failed to address with younger players during the draft. Their payroll skyrockets with no real assurance of winning.
There is nothing wrong with signing veteran players in free agency. We had very good success with the veteran players we signed in Chicago and Tampa, particularly on the offensive line, where we had some injuries and younger players who failed to meet expectations. The key here, however, is to not enter the marketplace as a hostage to a number of positions that require upgrades.
My goal for each draft was to find at least four players we could win with. Between seven draft picks and a dozen or so college free agents acquired after the draft, that’s a bigger challenge than you may think. Why? Because while drafting talent is easy, drafting a talented player with solid character and a good medical is a difficult task. The fact that approximately 70 percent of players drafted in any given offseason will be out of the league in three to four years tells you how difficult it is to identify great players.
How do we grade players?
I’ll give you an example of how the grading system for some teams generally looks. This is an abbreviated scale, but this will give you a good idea of the criteria that distinguishes between elite and lesser talent.
A typical grade on a player would have a two-digit number. That number reflects how the team projects the prospect will play when he gets into the league.
8.0 grade: Special player, will impact a game and dominate at his position
7.0 grade: A potential pro bowler, a player you win because of
6.5 grade: A solid rank and file starter you could win with
6.0 grade: A solid backup who could start, but limited
5.5 grade: A role player but not a starter. A specialist
5.0 grade: A talented player, but not draftable. Developmental
You would also see a + or - next to the number grade indicating whether or not the player fits the scheme. In addition, there are letter grades that would indicate a player’s character, his intelligence and his medical status. These are subjective grades based on the team’s research and evaluations. These grades would vary from team to team.
The letter system would be a simple A, B, C, D, F.
CHARACTER
A: No concerns, an exemplary person, top intangibles, a leader
B: Good person, not great, but a guy you want on your team, dependable
C: Some issues, need to work with him, can’t trust 100 percent, but can live with him
D: Some character flaws, can’t trust him, really don’t want him, but would consider late
F: Character reject, don’t want him under any circumstances
MEDICAL
A: Clean, no major surgeries, no missing of practices or games
B: Overall good, missed some practice time and games with small injuries
C: Had major surgery but came back from it, no real missed time
D: Multiple surgeries, missed practice time and games throughout career, risk
F: Too many medical issues and concerns, won’t hold up and hasn’t in college
MENTAL
A: Very bright, picks it up quickly, can coach other players, no mental errors
B: Smart, no mental errors, can make game day adjustments with, can trust
C: Needs reps but will get it, listens well, must stay on him to make sure he has it
D: Poor retention, drifts, will have it down by game day, but must rep him every day
F: Can’t trust to get it, has too many mental errors, limited in what you can ask of him
The mental grade is based on what the prospect will be asked to do given his position.
Obviously, a quarterback or offensive lineman has more tasks to perform mentally on game day than most of the other positions. So you want brighter players at those spots.
A typical grade would look like this: 7.0+ B, C, and C
Breakdown: 7.0+ (talent level and scheme fit) B (character) C (intelligence) C (durability)
So without watching or knowing the player and just by looking at the grade, you would say that this is a very talented prospect who fits the scheme, possesses very good character, will need some repetition learning, had surgery, but came back and played and should be fine.
If there were another player who was rated a 7.0+ with A, B, B grades, you would rank him ahead of the first player.
You can see how players get juggled around on a draft board when you take into account all the circumstances that teams must consider. A player could have an F medical grade, yet a team may still draft him. Some teams would never draft an F medical. Some teams are less concerned about a player’s character or mental makeup than others.
There is a significant gray area from team to team and organizations have to make their own decisions and stick with them. It’s a risk/reward business and it’s up to each team to determine their own risk tolerances.
Breaking down the rounds
In most drafts, after the first two rounds, the highly talented players with production and good play history are gone. The third round still provides a solid opportunity to get a quality starter, but there is a big drop-off once you get near the middle of the round.
Obviously, a quarterback or offensive lineman has more tasks to perform mentally on game day than most of the other positions. So you want brighter players at those spots.
A typical grade would look like this: 7.0+ B, C, and C
Breakdown: 7.0+ (talent level and scheme fit) B (character) C (intelligence) C (durability)
So without watching or knowing the player and just by looking at the grade, you would say that this is a very talented prospect who fits the scheme, possesses very good character, will need some repetition learning, had surgery, but came back and played and should be fine.
If there were another player who was rated a 7.0+ with A, B, B grades, you would rank him ahead of the first player.
You can see how players get juggled around on a draft board when you take into account all the circumstances that teams must consider. A player could have an F medical grade, yet a team may still draft him. Some teams would never draft an F medical. Some teams are less concerned about a player’s character or mental makeup than others.
There is a significant gray area from team to team and organizations have to make their own decisions and stick with them. It’s a risk/reward business and it’s up to each team to determine their own risk tolerances.
Breaking down the rounds
In most drafts, after the first two rounds, the highly talented players with production and good play history are gone. The third round still provides a solid opportunity to get a quality starter, but there is a big drop-off once you get near the middle of the round.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Dunleavy has 22, Bulls hold off Hawks, 107-103.
By CHARLES ODUM (AP Sports Writer)
Kirk Hinrich made all the right moves for the Chicago Bulls in the final minute of the game.
Hinrich buried six big free throws down the stretch and Teague had a couple of costly turnovers as the Bulls held on for a 107-103 victory at Atlanta on Tuesday night.
Mike Dunleavy scored 22 points for the Bulls, who have won six of seven. Joakim Noah had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Carlos Boozer finished with 17 points and 11 boards.
Dunleavy also had eight rebounds and four assists. He was covered in ice bags as he sat slumped at his locker after playing all but nine seconds in the game.
''I appreciate (coach Tom Thibodeau) giving me that nine-second breather at the end of the half,'' Dunleavy said with a laugh. ''That made a big difference.''
The Bulls won after trailing by 14 points in the first quarter.
''They put us in a hole; we fought out of it,'' Dunleavy said. ''We just had to battle the whole game.''
Since Jan. 1, Chicago is 12-1 when holding its opponent under 90 points. No other team in the league has kept as many opponents under 90 in that span.
Teague had 26 points for the short-handed Hawks, who have lost nine of 10. Shelvin Mack scored 17.
The Bulls led most of the second half but never pushed the advantage to double figures.
''I think they really wanted that game today,'' Noah said of the Hawks. ''We really wanted that game, too. It wasn't pretty at times. I'm just happy we were able to come out with the win.''
DeMarre Carroll's fast-break basket gave Atlanta a 100-99 lead, but Dunleavy answered with a layup. With 1:03 remaining, Carroll sank a 3-pointer to give Atlanta a 103-101 lead.
With 43.2 seconds remaining, officials reviewed and confirmed a questionable foul called on Carroll on Hinrich's 3-point attempt. Hinrich made the three free throws to put Chicago in front again.
Noah's steal from Teague got the ball back for the Bulls with 20 seconds remaining. Atlanta's Kyle Korver stole the inbounds pass, giving the Hawks a chance to take the lead, but Teague stepped out of bounds behind the basket. Hinrich then made two free throws.
Noah stripped Mike Scott of the ball on Atlanta's next possession, setting up another foul shot by Hinrich. Coach Mike Budenholzer and the Hawks argued that Noah fouled Scott.
''Do I think he was fouled?'' Budenholzer asked after the game. ''I just looked at it, and yes I do.''
Scott said Noah hit his arm but added ''Can't do nothing about it now.''
Budenholzer also protested Carroll's foul on Hinrich but said after watching the replay he agreed with that call.
Hawks All-Star forward Paul Millsap missed his second straight game with a right knee contusion and also will be held out on Thursday at Boston.
The Hawks also were without centers Pero Antic (stress fracture, right ankle) and Gustavo Ayon (right shoulder), who had filled in following Al Horford's season-ending torn pectoral muscle.
Budenholzer said morale isn't a problem.
''I thought our group competed at a very high level for 48 minutes tonight,'' Budenholzer said. ''That's what we're looking for, and that's what is most important to us.''
Korver hit 3-pointers on Atlanta's first two possessions, extending his NBA record to 125 straight games with a 3. Korver added a third trey a couple minutes later, and his strong start seemed to spark the Hawks, who jumped to a 26-12 lead.
Chicago closed the deficit with a 13-2 run in the final minutes of the opening period and start of the second quarter. The Bulls led 54-51 at halftime.
Mack sank a short jumper with about 2 seconds remaining in the third period. D.J. Augustin, who had 10 points, then banked in a half-court shot for Chicago, lifting the Bulls to an 80-75 lead heading to the final period.
NOTES: Glenn Frey of the Eagles, who played at Philips Arena on Monday night, had a second-row seat near midcourt. ... NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving had a front-row seat and tipped his cap when called out by the P.A. announcer and cheered by fans. ... Bulls guard Jimmy Butler missed his second straight game with bruised ribs. ... Korver had 16 points and Carroll had 13.
Warriors-Bulls Preview.
By NOEY KUPCHAN (STATS Writer)
While they haven't been as efficient as usual, the Golden State Warriors are finding ways to get it done.
Grinding out another win, though, could prove difficult in Chicago, where the Bulls have controlled the series of late.
Hoping to get David Lee back, the Warriors try to make it five in a row when they visit the surging Bulls on Wednesday night.
Golden State (35-22) is on the verge of its second-longest winning streak of the season after opening a six-game trip with Monday's 104-96 victory at Detroit. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson scored 19 points apiece and Jermaine O'Neal had 16 and 10 rebounds.
The Warriors were outscored 54-26 in the paint, but they held the Pistons to 40.4 percent shooting and outscored them 23-13 in the fourth quarter.
"It's not necessarily going to be flash and fun every night," said O'Neal, who had season highs of 23 points and 13 boards two nights earlier against Brooklyn. "If we're going to have a chance to really compete for a championship, these are the types of games you're going to have to win in the playoffs. We have a fairly young team and these games like this build the character and the image of the team."
Golden State is shooting 43.6 percent and 32.0 percent from 3-point range during its run, down from its season marks of 45.7 and 37.9. Curry, leading the team with 24.2 points per game, has averaged 18.5 in the four since the All-Star break.
"There's definitely a lot more to be accomplished," said Curry, whose team has won 11 of 14 on the road after opening 6-9. "Our expectations are high and this is a good checkpoint for us to keep that up. It's nice to know in my five years this is the best it's been, so that's a good feeling, but we want more."
Curry was at his best in a 102-87 win over the Bulls on Feb. 6, posting 34 points and nine assists while shooting 13 of 19. A repeat performance could be hard to come by in Chicago, where Golden State has dropped 20 of 24, including four straight by an average of 18.3 points.
Golden State is shooting 43.6 percent and 32.0 percent from 3-point range during its run, down from its season marks of 45.7 and 37.9. Curry, leading the team with 24.2 points per game, has averaged 18.5 in the four since the All-Star break.
"There's definitely a lot more to be accomplished," said Curry, whose team has won 11 of 14 on the road after opening 6-9. "Our expectations are high and this is a good checkpoint for us to keep that up. It's nice to know in my five years this is the best it's been, so that's a good feeling, but we want more."
Curry was at his best in a 102-87 win over the Bulls on Feb. 6, posting 34 points and nine assists while shooting 13 of 19. A repeat performance could be hard to come by in Chicago, where Golden State has dropped 20 of 24, including four straight by an average of 18.3 points.
Chicago (30-26) has won six of seven after pulling out a 107-103 victory at Atlanta on Tuesday. Former Warrior Mike Dunleavy led seven Bulls in double figures with 22 points and Joakim Noah added 20 and 12 rebounds as Chicago battled back from 14 down in the first quarter.
"They put us in a hole; we fought out of it," Dunleavy said. "We just had to battle the whole game."
Carlos Boozer also came up big with 17 points and 11 boards and Kirk Hinrich scored 14, including six free throws in the final 41 seconds. Chicago went 25 of 29 from the foul line while the Hawks were 13 of 16.
"I think they really wanted that game," Noah said of Atlanta. "We really wanted that game, too. It wasn't pretty at times. I'm just happy we were able to come out with the win."
Noah is averaging 18.0 points and 12.7 boards while shooting 66.7 percent in the last three contests.
Bulls guard Jimmy Butler is uncertain to play after sitting out back-to-back games with bruised ribs.
The Warriors are hoping to see Lee return after missing the last two games due to the stomach flu. He was averaging 24.0 points and 12.0 rebounds during a three-game stretch before getting sick.
Posey: Rule eliminates 'malicious' collisions.
By DON KETCHUM (Associated Press)
San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, whose 2011 season was cut short after the Marlins' Scott Cousins crashed into him at the plate, said Tuesday that a home plate collision rule adopted by Major League Baseball and its players does a good thing by eliminating ''malicious collisions.''
''I've always said that the main thing is for everybody to be comfortable with it, that the catchers and runners are protected,'' said Posey, addressing the rule change for the first time.
Posey, an All-Star catcher, sustained a broken bone in his lower left leg and three torn ligaments in his ankle in the May 2011 collision, an injury that helped intensify debate over plate collisions. Posey returned in 2012 to win the National League MVP award.
The new rule, in what both sides said was a one-year experiment, allows collisions if the catcher has the ball and is blocking the runner's direct path to home plate, and if the catcher goes into the basepath to field a throw to the plate.
The rule states that ''a runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate).'' A runner violating the rule will be declared out, even if the fielder drops the ball.
The umpire crew chief can use the new video-review system to determine whether the rule was violated.
''I have always set up in front of the plate, where the runner can have part of the plate,'' Posey said.
Tony Clark, the new executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, asked for Posey's input in helping both sides shape the rule. ''They got a lot of different input,'' Posey said.
''The way I look at it, I don't see that drastic of a change,'' he added. ''The hardest part will be for umpires to make a judgment, although having the replay might help.''
Manager Bruce Bochy, himself a former major-league catcher, was pleased with the change.
''I've been for it. It's time for a change,'' he said. ''You want to protect the catcher, not just in the majors but the minors. Guys (baserunners) are getting bigger and stronger all the time.''
NOTES: Bochy said Posey and 2B Marco Scutaro would not play in Wednesday's spring opener against Oakland. Scutaro has had back/abdominal issues and likely won't see game action until around March 7. Bochy said there is no health issue with Posey. He just wants to use Posey a bit more conservatively this spring to give him some rest going into the regular season. ... RHP
Yusmeiro Petit will start Wednesday's game.
Text of MLB's rule 7.13, collisions at home plate.
By The Associated Press
(1) A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate). If, in the judgment of the Umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the Umpire shall declare the runner out (even if the player covering home plate loses possession of the ball). In such circumstances, the Umpire shall call the ball dead, and all other base runners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the collision.
Rule 7.13 Comment: The failure by the runner to make an effort to touch the plate, the runner's lowering of the shoulder, or the runner's pushing through with his hands, elbows or arms, would support a determination that the runner deviated from the pathway in order to initiate contact with the catcher in violation of Rule 7.13. If the runner slides into the plate in an appropriate manner, he shall not be adjudged to have violated Rule 7.13. A slide shall be deemed appropriate, in the case of a feet first slide, if the runner's buttocks and legs should hit the ground before contact with the catcher. In the case of a head first slide, a runner shall be deemed to have slid appropriately if his body should hit the ground before contact with the catcher.
(2) Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. If, in the judgment of the Umpire, the catcher without possession of the ball blocks the pathway of the runner, the Umpire shall call or signal the runner safe.
Notwithstanding the above, it shall not be considered a violation of this Rule 7.13 if the catcher blocks the pathway of the runner in order to field a throw, and the Umpire determines that the catcher could not have fielded the ball without blocking the pathway of the runner and that contact with the runner was unavoidable.
Golf glance.
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange
COMING UP
PGA TOUR: Honda Classic on the Champion Course at PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Thursday through Sunday.
TV: Thursday and Friday, 3-6 p.m. EST, on the Golf Channel; Saturday and Sunday, 1-3 p.m. EST on the Golf Channel and 3-6 p.m. EST on NBC.
LAST YEAR: Michael Thompson capped his first PGA Tour victory by getting up and down from a greenside bunker for a closing birdie to shoot 1-under-par 69 in cold, windy weather and beat Geoff Ogilvy of Australia by two strokes. Thompson, coming off two missed cuts in his previous three outings, holed a 50-foot eagle putt on the third hole while building a four-stroke lead. He held off Ogilvy, the 2006 U.S. Open champion, who made birdies on two of the last three holes and also shot 69. Luke Guthrie, who was tied with Thompson for the 54-hole lead, dropped back with a bogey on the second hole en route to a final-round 73 and wound up third, four shots behind.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach Country Club in Newport Beach, Calif., March 14-16.
TV: Friday, 6:30-9 p.m. EST; Saturday and Sunday, 6:30-9:30 p.m. EST, on the Golf Channel each day.
LAST YEAR: David Frost of South Africa opened with an 8-under-par 63 and led virtually all the way in claiming a five-stroke victory over Fred Couples. Frost, who played the weekend in 66-65, earned his fourth victory on the Champions Tour, adding the Regions Tradition later in the year, after winning 10 times on the PGA Tour. Couples birdied the first hole of the final round to pull even with Frost, who regained control with birdies on the next two holes and finished things off with Couples still in contention by carding four birdies on the last five holes.
LPGA TOUR: HSBC Women's Champions on the Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore.
TV: Wednesday through Saturday (in the United States), 10:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. EST, on the Golf Channel each day.
LAST YEAR: Stacy Lewis overcame two bogeys on the back nine, making a short putt for par on the final hole to complete a 1-under-par 71 that gave her a one-stroke victory over Na Yeon Choi of South Korea. Lewis, who claimed her sixth victory on the LPGA Tour, took the lead for good on the par-5 seventh hole when she hit her approach shot from 200 yards to within five inches to make an eagle. Choi, who closed with a 72, was runner-up in the tournament for the second consecutive year after losing to Angela Stanford in playoff in 2011. Paula Creamer, hampered by a shoulder injury from a car accident a week earlier in Thailand, held a share of the lead early in the final round and finished third after a 71.
By Nick Bromberg
Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins the Daytona 500
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Gotta give the guy who won the Daytona 500 some love. But had Junior not won the 500 and simply finished second for the fourth time in five years, he wasn't going to be far from the top. The No. 88 bunch was on top of its game during Speedweeks; the only bad spot was the crash with Marcos Ambrose in the Sprint Unlimited. And that wasn't weakness, that was a fluke. Anyway, Junior is now on Twitter. But if you're on Twitter, you probably already knew that. And if you're not on Twitter, does it really matter to you?
2. Denny Hamlin: If this is based off of the Daytona 500 alone, Hamlin's a worthy second. If this is based off of the entirety of Speedweeks, Hamlin is also a worthy second. And even has an outside argument for first. Hamlin made a great move on the backstretch on the penultimate lap to get to second, but couldn't get any further. Had he been closer to the front when the restart happened, he might have been the only driver to challenge Junior for the win. Instead, Hamlin had a second-place finish and some emotional confusion.
3. Brad Keselowski: Was the White Deuce the third-best car of the weekend? Kes had both single-car and drafting speed, and once his Duel went south on Thursday, he had very good reason to sit back and simply finish the race and save the car. It was bad fast. Plus, the Duel brought us the "High Life' and "Miller Lite" pit strategies, though we're still not sure what they both mean. And now we think every team needs to base pit calls off of their sponsors.
4. Jimmie Johnson: After getting his rear-view mirror issues sorted out before the monstrous red flag for rain, Johnson was up near the front of the field at the end of the race and a contender for the win while also pushing Dale Earnhardt Jr. And the latter is a prime example of why "team orders" and the like will never really leave NASCAR. Johnson was in a situation where he could go for the win given a strong opportunity for the pass and also play defense for his teammate. As the defending champion of the Daytona 500, we'd all do the same thing in that situation, right?
5. Jeff Gordon: Here's our third Hendrick car in the top five. Gordon was strong on both Thursday and Sunday, sneakily finishing third in his Duel and fourth in the 500. But for as good as he was in both races, he really never felt like a threat for the win even as he pushed Junior on the restart, did he? That's kind of a metaphor for the last few seasons. If he wants title No. 5, it better not be a metaphor for 2014 either.
6. Matt Kenseth: If you're going to mess up and crash, do it when it really doesn't matter. Kenseth mentioned multiple times how badly he felt after causing contact that led to crashes in the Sprint Unlimited and in Daytona 500 practice. But neither affected anything for the Daytona 500 -- well, because Kenseth's car survived that practice crash intact -- and he won his Duel race and finished sixth in the 500.
7. Austin Dillon: Are we weighting the pole run and first-crash save too heavily here and not weighting the contact that caused two other crashes enough? Dillon got shuffled to the back of the pack after the rain delay, but steadily made his way back forward and had an incredible save in the wreck that took out Danica Patrick. He got tagged in the right-rear quarterpanel and somehow got the car pointed in the right direction after he did a 360. However, he then made contact with Kyle Larson and the No. 42 and his teammate Ryan Newman checked up in front of him and went spinning off Dillon's bumper.
8. Greg Biffle: There wasn't a more aggressive driver in the Daytona 500 than Biffle. Well, if there was, it wasn't very obvious from the press box. Biffle had a very fast car and wanted to use it as much as he could to maintain his position at the front, swapping between lanes and making moves whenever he could. Though one of his best power moves -- a sweeping lane change in the trioval to go for the lead in the last half of the race -- didn't amount to anything as he couldn't hold the lead down the backstretch.
9. Landon Cassill: After qualifying for the Daytona 500 via his Duel race, Cassill preached sanity and safety regarding his team's approach to the Daytona 500. His small Hillman Racing team has one speedway car, and Cassill said that it was in their best interests to run a smart race and bring the car home intact. As the Daytona 500 went on, that smart race was one run at the front of the field. Cassill was a mainstay in the top 15 for most of the evening and his 12th place finish was no fluke.
10. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Stenhouse gets more bonus points for his stone-faced pre-Nationwide race demeanor than his top-10 in the Daytona 500. During the interesting national anthem before Saturday's race, TV cameras showed Stenhouse standing next to girlfriend Danica Patrick. Patrick had a big grin and a "what is going on?" look on her face. Stenhouse was either zoned out or doing a really good job of not cracking up.
11. Kevin Harvick: Strong runs on Thursday and Sunday both ended in disappointment. Harvick was feet from a Duel win and subsequently failed post-race inspection and had to start 38th in the Daytona 500. He ran strongly Sunday, but then was in the middle of the crash off the final corner and slid across the finish line with a battered car and a 13th place finish. But hey, he was the highest-finishing Stewart-Haas car.
12. Reed Sorenson: The kids were so close to eating free! Much like Cassill, Sorenson's run in the top 20 wasn't a fluke either. He may not have had the best car -- a line with Sorenson at the front probably wasn't going to make a run at the lead -- but he hung well in the draft and made the right decisions. He just ended up lodged in the infield as the checkered flag was waving.
Lucky Dog: We'll give it to Kurt Busch who was in the proverbial Lucky Dog spot after his spin out that didn't cause a caution with nine laps to go. We understand NASCAR's desire to keep the race green in that circumstance, but we do wonder how often an incident like that is a caution on, say, lap 10. Busch's radio reaction was pricelessly predictable, however. And rated NC-17.
The DNF: Clint Bowyer delivered the quote of the night after his car blew up Sunday night. Think he was a little jealous of Martin Truex Jr., whose car went kaput before the rain came?
“It’s just a frustrating day first from the rain -- if it was going to blow up, I wish it would have blown up four hours ago. I could have been home watching. Just disappointing -- the guys work so hard for this race. Everybody is out there having fun and we broke our toy.”
Man United loses 2-0 to Olympiakos.
AP
Manchester United's troubled season took another turn for the worse on Tuesday as David Moyes' side slumped to a 2-0 first leg defeat to Olympiakos in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Argentine striker Alejandro Dominguez broke the deadlock at Karaiskaki Stadium when he got his foot to a shot from Yiannis Maniatis in the 38th minute and turned the ball past goalkeeper David de Gea.
First-half composure from the visitors soon turned to complacency after the break when striker Joel Campbell, on loan from United's Premier League rival Arsenal, caught De Gea off guard with a well-placed shot in the 55th minute.
Wayne Rooney produced no threat up front and strike partner Robin van Persie missed the visitors' only clear chance — a shot over the crossbar in the 82nd minute — as United slipped to its first defeat in the Champions League this season.
"This was a great victory against a massive club like Manchester. We were told to hold the midfield and we did," Maniatis said.
"The fans were amazing and we made them happy. It's fantastic."
Runaway leaders in the Greek league, Olympiakos fielded its untested strikers after the sale last month of Kostas Mitroglou. But the hosts threatened early with Dominguez nearly grabbing a goal in the eighth minute, stopped only by a last-ditch tackle from Nemanja Vidic.
Despite the defeat, United midfielder Michael Carrick insisted that the three-time European champions could turn the result around in the second leg on March 19 at Old Trafford.
"We just haven't been getting the right results," Carrick said. "As players we have to stand up ... that's the business we're in."
Premier League champions last season under Alex Ferguson, United is currently sixth in the domestic standings — 15 points adrift of leader Chelsea. It also made an early exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Swansea.
The AP NCAA Men's Basketball Top 25 Poll.
The Associated Press
| 1 |  |
Florida (47)
Record: 25-2
|
PV Rank
2
Points
1,606 |
| 2 |  |
Wichita State (14)
Record: 29-0
|
3
1,549
|
| 3 |  |
Arizona (4)
Record: 25-2
|
4
1,494
|
| 4 |  |
Record: 26-2
|
1
1,410
|
| 5 |  |
Record: 22-6
|
8
1,310
|
| 6 |  |
Record: 22-6
|
5
1,286
|
| 7 |  |
Record: 23-4
|
11
1,152
|
| 8 |  |
Record: 24-3
|
9
1,113
|
| 9 |  |
Record: 23-4
|
11
1,103
|
| 10 |  |
Record: 25-2
|
10
1,047
|
| 11 |  |
Record: 24-4
|
7
921
|
| 12 |  |
Record: 23-5
|
14
909
|
| 13 |  |
Record: 23-3
|
6
886
|
| 14 |  |
Record: 22-5
|
16
818
|
| 15 |  |
Record: 21-5
|
17
709
|
| 16 |  |
Record: 19-7
|
20
653
|
| 17 |  |
Record: 21-6
|
18
629
|
| 18 |  |
Record: 22-6
|
13
552
|
| 19 |  |
Record: 20-7
|
26
440
|
| 20 |  |
Record: 19-7
|
15
418
|
| 21 |  |
Record: 21-6
|
22
288
|
| 22 |  |
Record: 22-6
|
24
253
|
| 23 |  |
Record: 22-6
|
28
155
|
| 24 |  |
Record: 20-7
|
19
129
|
| 25 |  |
Record: 21-5
|
32
113
|
Barry Switzer credits strength of football programs for allowing him, Pete Carroll and Jimmy Johnson to win Super Bowl and national title.
Nick Bromberg
With the Seattle Seahawks' win in Super Bowl XLVIII on Feb. 6, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll became the third coach to win a college football national title and a Super Bowl in his career, joining Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer.
In an interview with Grantland, Switzer said that circumstances had a lot to do with the three coaches' national titles and had they been at schools with lesser pedigrees, they may not be the only three to have both types of titles.
He continued:"Well, all of three of us inherited a great [college] program. When Jimmy went to Miami, they had just won a national championship. He went there, had a chance to win two or three, and he won one in his short span there. So we had great programs. I inherited a great program at Oklahoma. Bud Wilkinson created a great monster here, and I had something to sell. And we did a good job of selling it, and we won greatly, and we were the best in college football for that period of time, 16 years, still today."
"Let me say this: If we had all been at a lot of other schools with lesser pedigrees and lesser tradition, I don’t think any of us would have won a national championship. You know what I mean? I don’t care how good of a coach we are. There are a lot of good coaches coaching those schools, you understand? [Coaches] that don’t have what Pete had, what I had, and what Jimmy had. So that was the first reason we were successful, all three of us. OK? We could get good players."
Both Johnson and Switzer won Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys. Carroll won his national title at USC following the 2004 season. Switzer won national titles in 1974, 1975 and 1985 while Johnson won in 1987.
And you know what? Switzer is right. The difference between coaches at the top levels can be very minute at times, and one break can make a ton of difference. If Carroll had success as coach of the New York Jets and New England Patriots, he likely wouldn't have returned to the college ranks.
Plus, Switzer's Super Bowl was pretty circumstantial too. He inherited a very good Cowboys team after Johnson departed as coach (and admitted as much in the interview). If it wasn't for Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, he may never have gotten an opportunity to coach in the NFL.
Plus, Switzer's Super Bowl was pretty circumstantial too. He inherited a very good Cowboys team after Johnson departed as coach (and admitted as much in the interview). If it wasn't for Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, he may never have gotten an opportunity to coach in the NFL.
How the Sochi Games changed figure skating forever.
By Lawrence Yee
1. The re-emergence of Russia
Whether or not there was home cooking, Team Russia dominated figure skating, winning the team event and gold in two of the four disciplines.
It's hard to believe that just a year ago, Russia struggled at the world championships, qualifying only one man and two women (out of a possible three) for the Olympics.
While Evgeni Plushenko's heir has yet to come forward, Julia Lipniskaia and Adelina Sotnikova have a slew of up-and-comers nipping at their bladed heels. Don't be surprised if one or both women don't return for the 2018 Pyeongchang Games – four of the top six ladies on the junior circuit are Russian.
While Evgeni Plushenko's heir has yet to come forward, Julia Lipniskaia and Adelina Sotnikova have a slew of up-and-comers nipping at their bladed heels. Don't be surprised if one or both women don't return for the 2018 Pyeongchang Games – four of the top six ladies on the junior circuit are Russian.
The pairs and dance programs are in good hands too, with Ksenia Stoblova and Fedor Klimov (pairs silver medalists) and Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov (dance bronze medalists) unexpectedly winning medals. Both couples are young – and good enough – to dominate for the next quadrennial.
Of course, there were the old allegations of corrupt judging, which will hopefully lead to greater scrutiny of results in the future.
2. Team event triumphs
The general consensus among the athletes who competed in the inaugural figure skating team event was that it was a success.
"'We were looking forward to this event,'' ice dancer and Team USA captain Charlie White said. "We feel like we were out there for each other and with each other."
White and his partner Meryl Davis were one of a handful of athletes who competed in both phases of the team competition and their own individual event. The extra programs didn't seem to affect Davis and White, who won the gold in ice dance. But for others – notably Evgeni Plushenko and Julia Lipnitskaia – skating in the team competition before their individual event took a physical toll.
The team event will hopefully encourage countries like Japan and China – which are traditionally weaker in ice dancing – to develop that discipline and field competitive squads against powerhouses Russia, Canada and the United States.
"'We were looking forward to this event,'' ice dancer and Team USA captain Charlie White said. "We feel like we were out there for each other and with each other."
White and his partner Meryl Davis were one of a handful of athletes who competed in both phases of the team competition and their own individual event. The extra programs didn't seem to affect Davis and White, who won the gold in ice dance. But for others – notably Evgeni Plushenko and Julia Lipnitskaia – skating in the team competition before their individual event took a physical toll.
The team event will hopefully encourage countries like Japan and China – which are traditionally weaker in ice dancing – to develop that discipline and field competitive squads against powerhouses Russia, Canada and the United States.
3. The quad is here to stay
Evan Lysacek won the gold in 2010 without a four-revolution jump, but eight of the top 10 men in Sochi landed at least one clean quad. The point value of the quad was increased after Vancouver to encourage more attempts; greater risk equals greater reward. But watching after skater after skater fall on it in Sochi – including gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu – begs the question if much emphasis is put on a jump.
4. Less dancing in 'ice dancing'
Davis and White were deserving gold medal winners, but critics would say their style is more acrobatic than ballroom – which is what ice dancing is based on. More "traditional" teams like Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada and Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat of France fell short of their medal goals, getting lower marks on their skating skills and transitions marks. Ice dancing experts would say those are actually the areas where they excel.
5. Retirements will create a void in talent
For many years, skaters like Evgeni Plushenko and Yuna Kim carried the skating mantle for their countries. Their retirements will leave a gap that may take years to fill.
That being said, kudos to them and the likes of Carolina Kostner, Mao Asada, Brian Joubert, and Qing Pang and Jian Tong, who all skated final performances they can be proud of in Sochi.
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