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:
“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.” ~ Colin Powell, U.S. Secretary of State and Retired General
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Crosby's two goals help Pens put away Blackhawks.
By John Perrotto, The Sports Xchange
The Pittsburgh Penguins seem to be over their funk, but the Chicago Blackhawks can't get out of theirs.
The Metropolitan Division-leading Penguins won their second game in three nights Sunday as center Sidney Crosby scored two goals in the final 4:41 to seal a 4-1 victory over the Blackhawks.
Crosby raised his NHL-leading point total to 99 by collecting his 35th and 36th goals.
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 25 shots for the Penguins, who went 2-5-1 in their previous eight games before beating the Columbus Blue Jackets on the road Friday night. Pittsburgh (48-22-5) also avenged a 5-1 loss to the Blackhawks on March 1 at Soldier Field in Chicago that was part of the NHL Stadium Series.
"I like the compete level of our team. The game level has been high," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. "You don't expect the Chicago Blackhawks to come in and play a heavy game, but I thought it was one of the most physical and hard-fought games we played all year.
"We remember that snowy night in Chicago when they took it to us. We wanted to respond, and we did."
The defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks (42-19-15) lost a third game in a row in regulation for the first time since Feb. 23-26, 2012. They have scored just eight goals in their past five games despite leading the league in scoring, and they are 1-6-1 in their past eight road games.
Already without star right winger Patrick Kane, who is out through at the least the end of the regular season with a lower-body injury, the Blackhawks lost center and captain Jonathan Toews to a lower-body injury late in the second period. Toews went to the locker room after taking a hard check from Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik along the boards.
There was no immediate word about the severity of the injury.
Meanwhile, Blackhawks left winger Bryan Bickell (upper body) sat out his eighth straight game and defenseman Michal Rozsival (lower body) missed his sixth game in a row.
"It's never easy when you lose a leader like (Toews)," Blackhawks right winger Marian Hossa said. "Obviously, we've got some big guys hurt, Patrick Kane and we'll see how bad it's going to be with Johnny. Hopefully, it's nothing big. We'll have to figure out how to play without some top guys."
Wingers James Neal (24th) and Lee Stempniak (11th) scored goals 21 seconds apart midway through the first period to put the Penguins ahead 2-0.
Fluery made the goals stand up as he won his second start in a row after snapping a personal three-game losing streak Friday.
Penguins left winger Chris Kunitz had two assists.
Defenseman Sheldon Brookbank scored the Blackhawks' lone goal, his second, at 11:10 of the second period to cut the deficit to 2-1. However, Crosby put the game away late.
"It feels good to get that two-goal cushion," Crosby said. "They put a lot of pressure on us. I thought we did a good job, they got a couple of good chances but we blocked a lot of shots. You have to be really patient and wait for your chances. They started to take a few more risks themselves, and we were able to capitalize."
Meanwhile, the frustration level is starting to rise with the Blackhawks.
"Every night there's a different reason to why pucks are going in our net," right winger Patrick Sharp said, "but at the end of the day, we believe in each other, believe in our team and we'll find a way to get out of it."
NOTES: Penguins C Evgeni Malkin (foot), C Joe Vitale (upper body) and C Marcel Goc (ankle) were scratched. While Malkin and Goc won't be back until the playoffs, Vitale missed his sixth straight game but is skating at practice and could return before the end of the regular season. ... Penguins rookie D Olli Maatta was back in the lineup after being rested Friday night in a win at Columbus. ... Blackhawks LW Brandon Saad, a Pittsburgh native, played in a regular-season game in his hometown for the first time as Chicago made its first visit to Consol Energy Center since Dec. 20, 2011. ... Penguins LW Taylor Pyatt and Blackhawks LW Brandon Bollig each were credited with six hits, and Pittsburgh D Rob Scuderi and Chicago D Niklas Hjalmarsson both blocked four shots. ... The Penguins host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. The Blackhawks are off until Thursday night, when they host the Minnesota Wild.
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Brandon Marshall has no intention to leave Chicago.
By Darin Gantt
Brandon Marshall (Getty Images)
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler got his long-term deal, then restructured it to make room for more help.
But those cap proceeds turned into defensive end Jared Allen, rather than an extension for wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
But Marshall’s not sweating, happy to enter the final year of his contract, with no plans to leave Chicago.
“I have another year left on my contract. If it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t, I’m glad to be a Bear for another year and I’m going to force them to sign me after next year,” Marshall told ESPN Chicago 1000. “One way or another, they’re going to get the deal done.
“But if it comes down to next year, I’ll be picketing outside of Halas Hall for a new deal, a new contract, because I’m not going anyplace.”
As well as he’s performed, he’s not looking for leverage, however, as he said repeatedly he didn’t want to leave.
“I’m not going anywhere, man,” Marshall said. “The guys that are out there now like Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald they’re making $16 million, $15 million a year, and I’m not looking for anything like that. A lot of that money goes to the quarterback position and rightfully so.
“For me, we do want to sign guys like Jared Allen and Lamarr Houston and we got Martellus [Bennett] last year and have Matt Forte. I do want to be in a good position, but at the same time I definitely am not trying to be in the $15 million range. I get a year to deal with that, and right now I’m focusing on how to be a better teammate. How can I grow as a receiver, as a man, as a leader on this team and also in the community. How can our foundation do bigger things? That stuff is going to take care of itself. We have all year to figure that out and I believe we’ll get it done before the end of the season and I’m going to be happy when we do. “
That sounds good to Bears fans, for sure, and Cutler. In fact, the only person that probably doesn’t want to hear it is his agent.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Augustin scores 33 as Bulls trip Celtics.
By Mike Shalin, The Sports Xchange
Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau wasn't thrilled with the way his team played defense Sunday night.
He didn't think his players rebounded well, either, but they managed to beat the Boston Celtics 107-102.
They emerged victorious, a trademark of a team that is about to make the playoffs for the second consecutive year without star guard Derrick Rose.
"We always find a way to win -- (Thibodeau) always writes it on the board before the game, 'Find a way,'" guard D.J. Augustin said after his career-high 33 points, including nine straight for his team in the final 1:19, led the way. "Even though we didn't play great defense tonight, we pulled it out. We know what we have to fix tomorrow night to get another win."
Sunday's win, Chicago's third in four games, came in the first half of a home-and-home against the Celtics, who will play Monday night without Rajon Rondo. The star guard sits out the back ends of back-to-backs after knee surgery.
The Bulls (41-32) know all about playing without a star guard, and they again are postseason-bound -- even after also trading away forward Luol Deng. They won for the 18th time in 26 games, and they sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, keeping pace with the two teams around them Sunday.
The Toronto Raptors, a game ahead of the Bulls in third place, won beat the Magic in Orlando, and the Brooklyn Nets, 1 1/2 games behind Chicago in fifth, won at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Bulls evened their road record at 18-18 with the tight win over the Celtics, losers of four straight and nine of 10.
"That is how we have to win," Thibodeau said. "Our margin for error is not great. We've got to play with great intensity each and every night to give ourself a chance to win.
"We know we're short-handed every night, so whatever way we can get them, that's what we have to do. We just have to find different ways to win, and I thought we did that tonight."
Augustin, who did his damage in 31 minutes off the bench, snapped a 96-96 tie with a 3-pointer with 1:19 left. He then went 6-for-6 from the foul line to hold off Boston, which stayed alive on two consecutive 3-pointers by forward Jared Sullinger.
"I was just trying to stay aggressive," said Augustin, whose previous high was 31 when he was a Charlotte Bobcat. He said his teammates informed him of his new high after the game.
Boston forward Jeff Green hit back-to-back 3-pointers to tie the game at 96-96.
Chicago center Joakim Noah scored 13 points, dished out 13 assists and had eight rebounds. Swingman Jimmy Butler scored 15 points, and forward Carlos Boozer 14.
Rondo led six Celtics in double figures with 17 points, and he also handed out 11 assists. Sullinger finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Green had 16 points. Forward Kris Humphries had 14 points and eight boards for Boston (23-50).
Asked for the umpteenth time this season if he takes any solace in losing close, Celtics coach Brad Stevens said, "Nope. Zero.
"I just talked about it in the locker room -- we can sugarcoat it, we can talk about it, we can say, 'It's nice to be close,' and we have all year; and at the end of the day, it is what it is from a record standpoint."
There were 19 ties, 16 lead changes and neither team led by more than seven points.
In the first quarter, Boozer was called for a clear-path foul as Humphries broke away after a steal. Boozer also gave Humphries an extra push at the end of the play to earn a technical foul. Chicago forward Mike Dunleavy was called for a clear-path foul in the third quarter, but the call was overturned upon review.
Later in the third, Humphries was called for a foul on a rebound and hit with a technical.
NOTES: Celtics PG Rajon Rondo will do television work for the first half of Monday's rematch with the Bulls as he sits out to rest his surgically repaired knee. ... Bulls PG Derrick Rose, out for the season with a knee injury, is working out with the team, and coach Tom Thibodeau believes the star contributes without playing. ... Celtics coach Brad Stevens on Chicago C Joakim Noah: "How often do you have a guy that's even mentioned as an MVP candidate that averages what he averages points-wise. I think that tells you what Noah's meant to this team since Rose has been out and (Luol) Deng got traded. They haven't skipped a beat." ... The Celtics took the floor for warmups wearing Boston Fire Department T-shirts, honoring the two firefighters killed in last week's fire not far from TD Garden. The coaches wore BFD patches on their jackets.
Celtics-Bulls Preview.
By JEFF BARTL (STATS Writer)
All the Chicago Bulls needed to get their offense going was a date with the struggling Boston Celtics and a little help from their backup point guard.
Chicago looks to build on that performance while dealing Boston a 10th straight road loss as the clubs complete a home-and-home set Monday night.
The Bulls (41-32) entered Sunday's contest against the Celtics averaging just 83.3 points over their last four games and shot 39.3 percent in Friday's 91-74 home loss to Portland.
The Bulls (41-32) entered Sunday's contest against the Celtics averaging just 83.3 points over their last four games and shot 39.3 percent in Friday's 91-74 home loss to Portland.
Chicago put a resounding end to their scoring slump, though, as D.J. Augustin came off the bench and scored a career-high 33 points while hitting 10 of 14 from the field and all 10 of his free-throw attempts in a 107-102 victory. The league's lowest-scoring team (93.0 points per game) shot 52.9 percent from the field after hitting at a 39.8-percent clip over its previous seven.
Joakim Noah finished with 13 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds for the Bulls, who will be looking to win for the fourth time in five games. They also can earn their first season sweep of the Celtics since 2006-07.
''That is how we have to win. Our margin of error is not great,'' coach Tom Thibodeau said. ''We've got to play with great intensity each and every night.''
All five Chicago starters scored in double figures, and Augustin had 15 points in the fourth quarter to help put the game away. His scoring night marked the third-highest for a reserve this season.
Augustin chose not to bask in his career performance, rather viewing the Bulls' defensive effort as an issue. Chicago had allowed an average of 88.1 points over its last eight and ranks second in the league to Indiana in scoring defense at 92.0 per game.
Chicago, which has clinched a playoff spot, leads Brooklyn by two games for fourth place in the Eastern Conference and home-court advantage in a potential first-round rematch from last postseason.
''Even though we didn't play great defense, we pulled it out and we know what we have to fix,'' said Augustin, whose previous career high was 31 points against Philadelphia in 2011 while with Charlotte. ''I really don't follow that. Some of my teammates told me. It's a great accomplishment, but I'm glad we got the win.''
Sunday marked another tough defeat for Boston (23-50), which allowed a late bucket in a 105-103 loss to Toronto on Friday and never trailed by more than seven against Chicago.
Rajon Rondo finished with 17 points and 11 assists for the Celtics, who have dropped four straight and nine of 10. They haven't won on the road since beating league-worst Milwaukee on Feb. 10.
''You can look at it a couple of different ways, but we hate losing,'' Rondo said. ''We've got to find a way eventually to win some of these games. They're very winnable. We're just not closing the games the right way.''
Boston has dropped seven of the last eight meetings at the United Center, including a 94-82 defeat Jan. 2 as Noah led the Bulls with 17 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.
Noah has a double-double in six straight meetings with the Celtics, averaging 13.7 points, 12.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists in that stretch.
White Sox: Breaking down the Opening Day roster.
By Dan Hayes
Here's how the White Sox roster will look when they open the 2014 season at U.S. Cellular Field Monday:
Catchers
No. 21 Tyler Flowers
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 245
Age: 28 | Service Time: 2.148
Needs to make most of second chance, especially on defensive side. Pitchers love to throw to him. Has 20-homer potential.
No. 32 Adrian Nieto
Bats: S | Throws: R
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 200
Age: 24 | Service Time: 0.000
Rule 5 pick was one of surprises of camp as he didn’t look lost despite making big leap. Bat is better than team expected.
Infielders
No. 14 Paul Konerko
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 220
Age: 38 | Service Time: 15.141
Captain has entirely new role with an emphasis on mentoring; is expected to play on part-time basis in final season.
No. 44 Adam Dunn
Bats: L | Throws: R
Ht: 6-6 | Wt: 285
Age: 34 | Service Time: 12.074
Will see fewer at-bats with Jose Abreu’s addition but still is team’s best left-handed power hitter. Led Sox in HRs, RBIs in 2013.
No. 10 Alexei Ramirez
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 180
Age: 32 | Service Time: 6.00
Must be better defensively for team to succeed. Power has disappeared but adjusted and stole career high 30 bases in 2013.
No. 12 Conor Gillaspie
Bats: L | Throws: R
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 195
Age: 26 | Service Time: 1.069
White Sox love his short, compact stroke at plate. Has ability to hit 15-20 homers and is nice complementary piece in lineup.
No. 79 Jose Abreu
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 255
Age: 27 | Service Time: 0.00
He’s expected to be centerpiece of lineup for next six years; has great approach, pure strength, disciplined approach.
No. 5 Marcus Semien
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 195
Age: 23 | Service Time: 0.027
Great athlete who can play multiple infield spots, glove is solid. Discerning eye with decent power and good speed.
No. 28 Leury Garcia
Bats: S | Throws: R
Ht: 5-8 | Wt: 170
Age: 23 | Service Time: 0.077
Arm strength, range and foot speed are ridiculously good. If hit tool ever develops he could be an All-Star.
Outfielders
No. 30 Alejandro De Aza
Bats: L | Throws: L
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 195
Age: 29 | Service Time: 4.139
Streak hitter who is capable of good things at plate. Made too many base running mistakes in 2013. Will platoon with Dayan Viciedo.
No. 24 Dayan Viciedo
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 240
Age: 25 | Service Time: 2.123
Massive power threat needs to show improved discipline at plate. Not a good defender but has an outstanding arm.
No. 26 Avisail Garcia
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 240
Age: 22 | Service Time: 0.167
A true five-tool talent, Sox think they have a gem in the former Detroit Tiger. Could be future 20/20 player at minimum.
No. 1 Adam Eaton
Bats: L | Throws: L
Ht: 5-8 | Wt: 185
Age: 25 | Service Time: 1.030
An energetic on-base machine, Sox hope he’s their long-term leadoff hitter. Solid defender in CF with good base-running skills.
Starting Pitchers
No. 49 Chris Sale
Bats: L | Throws: L
Ht: 6-6 | Wt: 180
Age: 25 | Service Time: 3.061
Has a rare combo for his age of, at times, dominating stuff along with pitchability. Showed his durability in second year starting.
No. 62 Jose Quintana
Bats: L | Throws: L
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 220
Age: 25 | Service Time: 1.133
Once a project, has transformed into one of their guys in a little under two years. Smart pitcher who is only getting better.
No. 50 John Danks
Bats: L | Throws: L
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 210
Age: 28 | Service Time: 7.00
Stronger than in 2013 when he came off shoulder surgery, he’s optimistic about his chances with improved life on cutter.
No. 55 Felipe Paulino
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 270
Age: 30 | Service Time: 5.163
Hard-thrower has good stuff and nice mix of pitches. Key will be refining command as he comes back from two surgeries.
No. 45 Erik Johnson
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 230
Age: 24 | Service Time: 0.027
Rookie has a deceptive delivery and is coming off a great 2013 season. Is vulnerable when he falls behind in count, puts runners on.
Relief Pitchers
No. 27 Matt Lindstrom
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 215
Age: 34 | Service Time: 7.000
Ground-ball specialist became one of Robin Ventura’s go-to guys and could be leaned upon even more with key vets gone.
No. 65 Nate Jones
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 220
Age: 28 | Service Time: 2.000
Consistency with throwing strikes hurt him first two months. But he rebounded and is a top contender to be the team’s new closer.
No. 46 Donnie Veal
Bats: L | Throws: L
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 235
Age: 29 | Service Time: 2.000
Prince Fielder can attest: the lefty specialist is outstanding when he commands his curveball. Needs to be more consistent.
No. 39 Maikel Cleto
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 250
Age: 24 | Service Time: 0.069
May have discovered how to tame his outstanding arsenal this spring. Improved command would make him a weapon for years.
No. 37 Scott Downs
Bats: L | Throws: L
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 220
Age: 38 | Service Time: 11.121
The veteran will act as a lefty specialist while giving the relief corps an experienced voice to rely on.
No. 40 Daniel Webb
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 215
Age: 24 | Service Time: 0.027
Part of his appeal is his closer-like mentality and a slider that can put hitters away. Could evolve into a closer in near future.
No. 51 Ronald Belisario
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 240
Age: 31 | Service Time: 3.151
Yet another hard thrower for Ventura to turn to. He had issues in the past but Sox love the talent he possesses.
Disabled List
No. 15 Gordon Beckham
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 185
Age: 27 | Service Time: 4.123
Needs to take the next step after becoming more consistent at plate the past few seasons. One of team’s best all-around defenders.
No. 7 Jeff Keppinger
Bats: R | Throws: R
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 185
Age: 33 | Service Time: 7.052
Veteran infielder’s surgically repaired shoulder hasn’t recovered, which means he’ll start 2014 season on the disabled list.
Chicago Cubs set 2014 Opening Day roster.
Cubs Press Release
The Chicago Cubs have set their Opening Day 25-man roster in advance of their 2014 season opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
The Cubs have selected the contracts of right-handed pitcher Brian Schlitter, infielder Emilio Bonifacio, outfielder Ryan Kalish and catcher John Baker.
Left-handed pitcher Chris Rusin has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa. Right-handed pitcher Alberto Cabrera has been designated for assignment.
Right-handed pitcher Kyuji Fujikawa has been placed on the 15-day disabled list as he continues to recover from Tommy John ligament replacement surgery. Right-handed pitcher Jake Arrieta has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder tightness. Right-handed pitcher James McDonald has been placed on the 60-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. Fujikawa and Arrieta are retroactive to March 21.
The club's 40-man roster now stands at 40 players.
Here is a look at the Cubs 2014 Opening Day roster:
PITCHERS (12 + 3 DL)
11-Kyuji Fujikawa, RHP (15-Day DL)
29-Jeff Samardzija, RHP
33-Carlos Villanueva, RHP
36-Edwin Jackson, RHP
37-Travis Wood, LHP
39-Jason Hammel, RHP
40-James Russell, LHP
41-Jose Veras, RHP
46-Pedro Strop, RHP
49-Jake Arrieta, RHP (15-Day DL)
52-Justin Grimm, RHP
53-Wesley Wright, LHP
55-James McDonald, RHP (60-Day DL)
56-Hector Rondon, RHP
63-Brian Schlitter, RHP
CATCHERS (2)
12-John Baker
53-Welington Castillo
INFIELDERS (6)
13-Starlin Castro
15-Darwin Barney
24-Luis Valbuena
30-Mike Olt
44-Anthony Rizzo
64-Emilio Bonifacio
OUTFIELDERS (5)
6-Ryan Sweeney
19-Nate Schierholtz
20-Justin Ruggiano
21-Junior Lake
51-Ryan Kalish
Opening day denied national holiday status.
By Mark Townsend
Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith and Budweiser recently teamed together to create a White House petition to make opening day a recognized national holiday in the United States.
To the surprise of few, the petition surpassed its 100,000 signature goal before the deadline last week and moved on to Washington D.C.. Unfortunately, to the surprise of even fewer, it doesn't look like the campaign will receive serious consideration.
Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest, an admitted lifelong fan of the Kansas City Royals, sent out the following e-mail response on Friday to those who signed the petition. In it, Earnest dismisses the movement in the kindest and most gentle manner imaginable.
Thanks for your petition and your participation in We the People.
For more than a century, American presidents have celebrated Opening Day -- from President William Taft's 1910 first pitch from the stands, to President Obama toeing the rubber at Nationals Park in 2010.
Opening Day signals a new beginning, not only for the 30 Major League Baseball teams playing for their shot at a title, but for the millions of fans who will follow the 162-game journey -- from "Play ball!" through the last out. That includes President Obama, who will be rooting for his White Sox to go all the way.
While we are sympathetic to your pitch to make Opening Day a national holiday, it's a little outside our strike zone: creating permanent federal holidays is traditionally the purview of Congress. So, it's up to the men and women on Capitol Hill to decide whether to swing at this pitch.
To celebrate Opening Day, we'll be honoring the 2013 World Series champions, the Boston Red Sox, here at the White House on Tuesday.
It was a long shot, but it never hurts to try, right? At the very least baseball fans who got behind the movement can say they received an email from the Principal Deputy Press Secretary. That counts for something.Meanwhile, I'll spend that day visualizing what it would be like to welcome my 2014 World Series Champion Kansas City Royals to the White House. That is, after all, the best part of Opening Day: every team is tied for first place and poised to make a run at the Fall Classic.
And hey, it's not going to temper our enthusiasm or change how we go about our business on Monday and every season that follows. Opening day is opening day, whether we're skipping work and school on our own accord or we have written permission from Congress.
Long live baseball. And long live the great national tradition of telling our boss we should be feeling much better by Tuesday.
Aussie Bowditch holds on to capture Texas Open.
AFP
Australia's Steven Bowditch claimed his maiden win on the US PGA tour on Sunday, carding a four-over 76 for a one-shot victory in the Texas Open.
The 30-year-old Bowditch tapped in a short bogey putt on the par-five 18th to seal the win over runners-up Will MacKenzie and Daniel Summerhays.
The victory earns him a trip to the Masters where his Aussie compatriot Adam Scott is the defending champion.
Bowditch, who is ranked 339th in the world, had a roller-coaster round Sunday that included that bogey on 18 as he finished with an eight-under 280 total at the TPC San Antonio.
The Newcastle native needed all of it as his Sunday round included two birdies, four bogeys and one double bogey.
MacKenzie (70) and Summerhays (71) shared second place at seven-under 282, while Kuchar and Loupe shot matching three-over 75s to share fourth on six-under 282.
Zach Johnson (72), Jim Furyk (71), Jerry Kelly (71) and Brendon Todd (68) shared sixth at five-under.
Kurt Busch recovers from early incident to pass Jimmie Johnson for Martinsville win.
By Nick Bromberg
Sunday summed up Kurt Busch.
He ran into Brad Keselowski on pit road in the very early stages of the race and subsequently exclaimed over his in-car radio that his race was ruined and he'd fight Keselowski afterwards when the two made contact on the track.
He ran into Brad Keselowski on pit road in the very early stages of the race and subsequently exclaimed over his in-car radio that his race was ruined and he'd fight Keselowski afterwards when the two made contact on the track.
There was no fight and no ruined race. Why? Because Busch worked his way back to the front and passed Jimmie Johnson for the lead with 10 laps to go to win the STP 500 at Martinsville.
Radio overreaction? Check. Feud with another driver? Check. Proof that he's got some of the best raw driving talent in NASCAR? Check.
"I didn't know if we'd be able to do it," Busch said. "(Johnson) is king here. Him and (Jeff Gordon). And this is that old theory 'If you can't beat them, join them.' And I have a Hendrick chassis prepared by Stewart-Haas Racing, a Hendrick motor ... I've been on this journey for a while."
"And every time you come to Martinsville you just kind of draw a line through it. 'There's no way I'll be able to challenge those Hendrick guys or be up in that top 10.' This Stewart-Haas team gave me a car to do it."
Busch, who joined SHR before the 2014 season, was a previous Martinsville winner. He won with Roush Racing in 2002. But he hadn't finished in the top five since 2005.
Johnson, the six-time Sprint Cup champion, has a ridiculously good record at Martinsville with eight wins and an average finish of fifth. When he passed Busch for the lead with 17 laps to go, win number nine looked imminent. But his car kept getting looser and looser and Busch pounced back.
Busch collided with Keselowski on pit road when Keselowski stomped the brakes and ran into the back of Kaey Kahne. The left side of Busch's car mangled the front chassis of Keselowski's car as Busch attempted to skirt by, and the impact triggered the exclamation from Busch that his day was done.
While Busch was mad at the damage to his car, Keselowski was furious with Busch, wishing that Busch would have been patient and slowed down and saying Busch needed to curb his recklessness.
After Keselowski's team fixed the damage to his car in the garage he found himself near Busch on track and gave him a middle-finger salute before the two banged sheet-metal with each other. That triggered those threats of a post-race confrontation from Busch's radio, but when asked about it in victory lane, he didn't want to think (or talk) about it.
"We won and we're not worried about any of that nonsense right now," Busch said.
If the race did give us a microcosm of Busch's career, it wasn't an exact replica. In previous years, it wouldn't have been at all surprising if Busch's anger from the incident would have boiled over and led to another issue or two.
Instead, Busch climbed through the field in the laps after his team fixed the damage to his car, and it wasn't long to when he was back in the top 20. And then the top 10. And then the top five. And then in victory lane for the first time in 83 races.
A year after making the Chase with Furniture Row Racing, Busch is now virtually guaranteed to be there again. To do that, he not only joined them but also beat them. Is it the start of a potent combination?
Liverpool 4-0 Tottenham: Blistering Reds attack engulfs Spurs again.
Kyle Bonn
50 years ago to the day, Liverpool defeated Tottenham at Anfield to move from 2nd to 1st in the table, and went on to win the league.
Things were no different today, and with six matches to go Liverpool are in command of the title race.
Sturridge and Suarez commanded the first half, and Philippe Coutinho picked up a third as the Reds sent a noisy Kop home beaming with the title race firmly in Liverpool’s hands.
As Anfield rocked, the home side went ahead just over two minutes into the match, and they never looked back. A streaking Glen Johnson put the ball across the face of goal for Sturridge, and with Younes Kaboul off balance the Spurs defender bungled the ball, ending with a backheel into his own net.
The goal was only the beginning for Liverpool, as they pummeled Spurs in the opening 20 minutes with endless pressure. A high line for the hosts earned them nearly all the meaningful possession, and Spurs spent all their energy keeping the ball away from the feet of Suarez and Sturridge in the box.
Strap in, Spurs fans, it doesn’t get any better.
On 25 minutes, with Liverpool punishing Spurs for every mistake, they got a second. Michael Dawson, just on for an injured Vertonghen, tried to touch to Kaboul at the back on a clear by Jon Flanagan, but the ball ended up at the feet of Suarez who charged down 1-on-1, beating Kaboul and Hugo Lloris for Liverpool’s deserved second.
The goal put Suarez level with Didier Drogba in Premier League goal-scoring history on 29 goals for the season, two behind the record 31 by Cristiano Ronaldo and Alan Shearer.
Liverpool’s top striker nearly had a second four minutes before halftime, but his open header was impressively saved by Lloris via the post, leaving Suarez with his hands on his head. Not surprisingly, the chance came when Kaboul was again dispossessed in defense.
Spurs settled a bit in the second half, but eight minutes after the break it could have been worse had Jordan Henderson not lifted the ball into row Z with the net gaping.
But Philippe Coutinho would pick his teammate up, dribbling through the midfield before a low drive found the corner for his fourth goal of the season and a dominating 3-0 lead.
Jordan Henderson would add a fourth with 15 minutes to go on a free kick that evaded the feet of everyone in the box, including Suarez who pointed to Henderson in celebration to indicate the midfielder would get credit.
Steven Gerrard was smartly substituted off with 20 minutes to go, with Rodgers not wanting to risk him receiving his 10th yellow card. If he can make it one more match without a booking, he would avoid the 2-match suspension that comes with 10 domestic yellows.
The win puts the Reds top of the league, passing Chelsea and becoming the first club to reach 70 points on the season with six matches to go. Liverpool control their own destiny in the title race, and would complete their first Premier League championship should they win out.
They also closed the goal differential gap on Manchester City, something that could prove important. City’s early-season flurry of goals see them at +52, while today’s four goals at Anfield have Liverpool creeping closer to +49.
Spurs, meanwhile, drop their two matches to Liverpool this season by a total of 9 goals to none, with the first matchup at White Hart Lane seeing Andre Villas-Boas fired soon after. They now remain just two points above Manchester United in sixth, owning a game in hand on the Red Devils.
LINEUPS:
Liverpool – Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Flanagan; Gerrard (Lucas 70′), Henderson, Coutinho (Allen 64′), Sterling (Moses 83′); Sturridge, Suarez.
Goals – Kaboul (og) 3′, Suarez 25′, Coutinho 55′, Henderson 75′
Tottenham – Lloris; Naughton, Kaboul, Vertonghen (Dawson 24′), Rose; Bentaleb (Dembele 60′), Sigurdsson, Lennon (Townsend 66′), Chadli, Eriksen; Soldado.
Final Four lookahead: Can anybody keep the SEC from this title?
By Gary Parrish
The Final Four is set.
The storylines are obvious:
- Billy Donovan trying for his third national title in nine years.
- Shabazz Napier continuing the best Kemba Walker impression ever.
- Bo Ryan coaching in his first Final Four.
- John Calipari's Fab Five attempting to do what the Fab Five couldn't do.
Needless to say, this is not the Final Four I predicted, and I doubt it's the Final Four anybody predicted considering it features a No. 7 seed and a No. 8 seed -- specifically a Connecticut team that finished three games back of Louisville and Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference, and a Kentucky team that finished six games back of Florida in the SEC.
Pretty wild, right?
I can't wait to get to AT&T Stadium.
Let's get ready with a Final Four Look Ahead.
Saturday's national semifinals
Florida (36-2) vs. Connecticut (30-8)
Tip: 6:09 p.m. ET
TV: TBS
Line: Florida -6.5
Florida is favored because ... the Gators are ranked No. 1 and the winners of 30 consecutive games. Duh! But it should be noted that the last time Florida lost, way back on Dec. 2, the team that dealt the Gators that loss was UConn, and the player who did them at the buzzer was Shabazz Napier, who might now be on the verge of stacking National Player of the Year awards if not for that dude named Doug McDermott. That said, it should also be noted that Florida's Kasey Hill did not play in that December game, that Scottie Wilbekin was injured with 3:01 remaining, and that Chris Walker wasn't even eligible. So these Gators are different than those Gators. But whatever. Napier-Wilbekin Round 2 should be terrific.
Kentucky (28-10) vs. Wisconsin (30-7)
Tip: 8:49 p.m. ET
TV: TBS
Line: Kentucky -2.0
Kentucky is favored because ... the Wildcats just beat, in order, Wichita State, Louisville and Michigan to become the first school in history to eliminate three programs that made the previous season's Final Four. Finally, after all of the ups and downs, John Calipari's Wildcats look like the team most folks ranked No. 1 in the preseason -- and they've won the last two without the services of their lottery pick center, Willie Cauley-Stein, who spent Sunday's win over Michigan either on crutches or seated. Barring a surprise, UK won't have Cauley-Stein at the Final Four because of an ankle injury, and that's too bad; he's an interesting guy dealing with bad luck. But Kentucky has shown that it's capable of beating pretty much anybody with or without him, and that's why UK's fan can head to Texas optimistic about their chances of winning a second national title in a span of three years.
Four observations about this Final Four
1. Everybody but Florida was pretty average at some point this season: UConn went through a stretch where it lost to Houston and SMU in consecutive games, and the Huskies actually lost to SMU twice before losing to Louisville by 33 points three weeks ago. Meantime, Wisconsin lost five of seven games (to Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern and Ohio State) from Jan. 14 to Feb. 1, and Kentucky, man, do I even need to explain Kentucky? The Wildcats were swept by Arkansas, beaten by South Carolina and unranked at the end of the regular season after finishing tied with Georgia in the SEC. So what's the lesson here? Same lesson as always, actually. And that lesson is that college basketball's season is long, and that a single-elimination tournament of 40-minute games with a short 3-point line can lead to some pretty unpredictable results. Speaking of ...
2. Kentucky is here, in part, because of that 3-point line: The Wildcats are not a good 3-point shooting team, proof being that they rank in the 200s nationally and shot 31.9 percent from behind the arc in SEC games. But they made 8 of 18 (44.4 percent) 3-point attempts in a 78-76 win over Wichita State in the Round of 32, and 7 of 11 (63.6 percent) 3-point attempts in a 75-72 win over Michigan in the Elite Eight. Add it up, and the Wildcats have made 15 of 29 (51.7 percent) 3-point attempts in the nail-biters, point being that without those uncharacteristically great shooting performances the Wildcats might not be alive.
3. This is neither what KenPom nor the RPI expected: KenPom had these four schools ranked No. 3 (Florida), No. 13 (Wisconsin), No. 17 (Kentucky) and No. 25 (Connecticut) when this tournament started while the RPI had them ranked No. 1 (Florida), No. 6 (Wisconsin), No. 17 (Kentucky) and No. 22 (Connecticut). So, as I'm compelled to remind you almost every year, don't feel too bad about your human thoughts leading you down a bad path. The computers weren't that good, either.
4. But the preseason Top 25 (and one) wasn't too bad: These four schools were ranked No. 1 (Kentucky), No. 7 (Florida), No. 14 (Wisconsin) and No. 20 (Connecticut) in preseason Top 25 (and one), which means it's possible I knew more in November than I know right now. That's usually the way it works, I think.
Final thought: SEC schools will make up half of the Final Four, which has led some fans to argue that this proves the SEC was underrated all year. If you're one of those fans, please, just stop. I explained this in a column last week. Click here and read it if you missed it.
Or just understand this ...
Florida and Kentucky making the Final Four doesn't mean the SEC was great or even good; it merely means that Florida has always been great and Kentucky is suddenly playing really, really well. That's it. That's all it means. Trying to draw any conclusion larger than that from this is an exercise in silliness, and there's no reason for anybody to be silly.
Do you think the Eastern Conference is good because the Heat and Pacers are good?
Of course not.
Same logic applies here.
So apply it, please. Seriously, just apply it so we can all move on.
Source: Ed O'Bannon-NCAA mediation sessions have gone nowhere.
By Dan Wetzel
Two court-ordered mediation sessions this month between the NCAA and lawyers representing former UCLA player Ed O’Bannon have gone nowhere, a source familiar with the discussions told Yahoo Sports.
That increases the likelihood O’Bannon’s potentially ground breaking class action lawsuit will go to trial this summer just as the NCAA is under assault from a variety of entities.
O’Bannon v. NCAA challenges how the NCAA compensates current and former players and how it controls and can sell a player's likeness in perpetuity. It is currently scheduled to begin June 9 in United States District Court, Northern District of California.
Earlier this month, Judge Claudia Wilken ordered both sides to mediate their differences over how the college sports business model works or risk a court decision that could leave one, or both, sides unhappy as a legal solution is found for what is essentially the operation of a complex multi-billion dollar business.
Lawyers for both sides met each of the last two Mondays in San Francisco with a mediator, yet little was accomplished and almost nothing substantive was even discussed, the source said. Not surprisingly, the NCAA appears unwilling to bend on its stance of defending amateurism and its current business practices. It has taken a hardline approach throughout this case.
Frustration is rising that further mediation, if it occurs, would be nothing but a waste of time. The court has asked the NCAA to submit by Friday afternoon whether it would like to continue the mediation.
The NCAA confirmed the sessions occurred but denied further comment.
O’Bannon’s lead attorney, Michael Hausfeld, also acknowledged the sessions to Yahoo Sports but offered no details.
O’Bannon, the 1995 Final Four MVP, is the lead plaintiff in a now four-year-old suit. It is both the most prominent and furthest along in the legal process of a slew of current or planned legal challenges to the NCAA.
Earlier this week, a national labor relation’s board defined Northwestern football players as "employees" of the university (a key distinction) and said they could vote on whether to form a union. Northwestern promised to appeal the ruling.
Two current major athletic directors told Yahoo Sports this week they believe it would be best for the future of college athletics if schools, through the NCAA central organization, reformed things itself and attempted to meet at least some of the demands of current and former players.
“Who knows what a judge would come up with?” one AD said. “Going to trial and just hoping to win makes no sense. There is going to be college sports, we should set the best path possible.”
That is easier said then done, however. Current NCAA president Mark Emmert prioritized getting a fairly simple $2,000 per year stipend for athletes to help meet cost-of-living concerns passed only to have it rejected by smaller schools who saw it as too great of a financial burden.
The NCAA has then spent nearly a year reworking the proposed legislation to provide the option for wealthier athletic programs to provide the stipend. That has yet to be even voted on.
Serena Williams beats Li Na for Sony Open title.
Serena Williams beats Li Na for Sony Open title.
By STEVEN WINE (AP Sports Writer)
The celebration began with a series of happy hops that propelled Serena Williams across the court. Soon she was twirling, waving, laughing and mugging for the cameras - a familiar ritual by a perennial champion.
Williams won a record seventh Key Biscayne title Saturday when she overcame a slow start and a set point to beat Li Na 7-5, 6-1 at the Sony Open. She surpassed the tournament record of six titles she shared with Andre Agassi.
''I was actually super excited at the end,'' Williams said, ''because I remember sitting here last year trying to get to six, thinking, 'OK, obviously I want seven, but I don't want to put the pressure on myself to get to seven.' Obviously I wanted to have the most titles here.''
The No. 1-ranked Williams looked tense at the outset and served poorly, and she was broken twice to fall behind 5-2.
''At that moment I felt like I had nothing to lose,'' Williams said. ''I just was able to relax. Whenever I relax, I enjoy myself.''
Li held a set point serving at 5-4, but Williams erased it with a backhand winner.
Williams needed another 21 minutes to pull out the set. The final game of the set went to deuce six times, but she finally won it with a booming backhand that Li couldn't handle.
Williams ran to her chair with a satisfied scream, her left fist leading the way. She dominated from there, sweeping the final five games.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion has more titles at Key Biscayne than at any other tournament. She's the fourth woman in the Open era to win an event at least seven times.
''I think we're going to have to rename this tournament,'' former top-five player Mary Joe Fernandez said during the trophy ceremony.
Both finalists are 32, and they shared lots of smiles while holding their trophies. Li explained: ''We were talking about, 'For sure before the match they say, ''Oh, two old women.'''''
They're close in age, but it's a commentary on the yawning gap between Williams and the rest of the women's tour that, even while at less than her best, she won in straight sets against the No. 2-ranked player. She made only 44 percent of her first serves and converted just five of 17 break-point chances.
Even so, Williams extended her winning streak against top-10 opponents to 15 matches. She beat Li for the 10th time in a row since 2009.
''When you're going up against the top players, for me, I have to be ready because they are the best in the world, the whole planet,'' Williams said. ''I enjoy playing people that are ranked like that, because I feel like I can eventually bring out the best in me.''
The top-ranked men will meet in Sunday's final, when No. 1 Rafael Nadal tries for his first Key Biscayne title against No. 2 Novak Djokovic, a three-time champion.
No. 1-ranked Mike and Bob Bryan won the men's doubles title for the first time since 2008 by beating Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 7-6 (8), 6-4.
Williams lives 90 minutes up I-95 from Key Biscayne and considers it her home event. She said the fans provided a boost when she fell behind.
''It was like, 'Oh my gosh, if I can just hang in here and just try to enjoy myself,''' she said. ''Honestly the crowd pulled me through. I heard some fans go, 'Go Serena.'''
Williams has played in the tournament 14 times and also won the final in 2002-04, 2007-08 and 2013. She has celebrated so many titles she couldn't remember the first one.
''Who was it against?'' she said. ''Venus?''
Actually, she lost finals to her sister Venus in 1999, and to Victoria Azarenka in 2009. She beat Jennifer Capiati for her first two Key Biscayne titles, and the others came against Elena Dementieva, Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic and Maria Sharapova.
Li, who won the Australian Open in January, was at the top of her game for most of the first set. Even so, she couldn't close it out.
''Only one mistake: I think I should go party last night,'' Li said with a smile.
Williams committed six unforced errors in the opening game, and it took her 16 minutes to win a game. She double-faulted to fall behind 5-2, but then won 11 of the final 12 games, a surge worthy of a champion.
*****************************************************
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