CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Monday Sports News Update, 03/17/2014.

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:

"Great effort springs naturally from a great attitude." ~ Pat Riley, Legendary NBA Coach and General Manager

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks 4, Red Wings 1.

 

By Jerry Bonkowski, The Sports Xchange

Blackhawks Captain Jonathan Toews celebrating...

 

After being sidelined for the last two weeks because of an upper-body injury, forward Marian Hossa returned to the Chicago Blackhawks lineup in a big way on Sunday night, scoring the clinching goal in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

 

Hossa logged his 25th goal of the season at 6:33 of the third period, putting Chicago ahead 3-1. It was his first game since being injured on March 1 during the Stadium Series game at Chicago's Soldier Field.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Blackhawks (39-15-14). Detroit (30-24-13) lost its third game in the last four and watched its meek playoff hopes fade even more.

Chicago goalie Corey Crawford shined in the net, stopping 19 of Detroit's 20 shots.

Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard did not fare as well. He was able to stop just 26 of Chicago's 30 shots.

Neither team scored for nearly the first half of the game until Blackhawks defenseman Nick Leddy, on the power play, produced his seventh goal of the season at 8:44 of the second period.

Detroit tied the score at 15:10 of the second period. Red Wings center Gustav Nyquist scored his 17th goal of the season on the power play.

Nyquist's goal was far from a thing of beauty. He took a weak slap shot from between the circles and the puck caromed off the skate of Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook and into the net past a screened Crawford.

 

The Blackhawks regained the lead at 2-1 with 14 seconds left in the second period on right winger Ben Smith's ninth goal of the season.

Chicago's defense was significantly better than in the last two games against Colorado and Nashville, which were both losses.

Detroit managed seven shots on goal in the first period and only five in the second for a total of 12 through the first two periods (Chicago managed 25 shots in the first two periods).

After his own goal, Hossa, who was named the No. 1 star of the game, also factored in Chicago's final score.

Blackhawks center and team captain Jonathan Toews added his 27th goal of the season at 17:50 of the third period with an assist by Hossa. The short-handed effort was Toews' eighth goal in his last seven games.

"Having Marian Hossa back for us was huge," Smith, who was selected the No. 2 star of the game, said over the United Center public address system at the conclusion of the game. "He's so strong with the puck, is a great role model for all us young guys. We needed him back and he came up big for us tonight."

Details are still sketchy, but the Blackhawks announced early in the third period that left winger Brandon Saad would not return for the rest of the game.

 

It was the second and last game between the former division rivals. The NHL shifted Detroit to the Eastern Conference this season. While the two teams ultimately split their two meetings this season, Detroit still holds a commanding series lead.

NOTES: Attendance was 22,128. ... Chicago welcomed RW Marian Hossa back to the lineup. Hossa missed the past two weeks after suffering an upper-body injury in the March 1 Stadium Series game against Pittsburgh at Chicago's Soldier Field. ... Chicago plays Tuesday at Philadelphia before returning home on Wednesday for a crucial matchup with the Central Division-leading St. Louis Blues, who are the Blackhawks' chief rival. Detroit, meanwhile, returns home to play Toronto on Tuesday and Pittsburgh on Thursday. ... Chicago coach Joel Quenneville came into the game two wins from 700 in his career. ... Injuries have absolutely hammered the Red Wings, who have lost 303 man-games this season. If they fail to make the playoffs, it would be the first time the Red Wings have missed the postseason in 23 seasons -- and injuries will be the primary reason. To further illustrate those woes, Chicago had three healthy scratches for Sunday's game and Detroit had eight (seven of which have some type of injury). ... Detroit assistant coach Bill Peters coached five current Blackhawks when he was head coach of the Hawks' Rockford IceHogs affiliate in the AHL: G Corey Crawford, LW Bryan Bickell, D Niklas Hjalmarsson, RW Ben Smith and LF Brandon Bollig.

 

Here are three 'major changes' the NHL should consider.

 

By Jason Brough

 

Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner (Getty Images)

 

There will be no “major changes” to the NHL’s rulebook, according to commissioner Gary Bettman.

 

“There will be some recommendations, some things people will look at, there will be some more homework done, but you should continue to enjoy the game principally the way it’s being played.”

 

And for most hockey fans, that’s fine. The NHL is in a good spot right now. There’s labor peace. More and more people are watching — in rinks, on TV, and on the internet. And hockey fans are traditionally averse to change anyway. They wonder why people are always trying to mess with their game.

 

Which I guess puts me in the minority. Because here are three fairly major changes I’d like to see the NHL consider:

 

1. A revamped points system

 

Something that gives teams an incentive to win in regulation time, not play for a tie and hope for the best in overtime or the shootout. In the Olympics, it was three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime or shootout win, one for an overtime or shootout defeat, and none for a regulation defeat. A system like that could be especially effective down the stretch, when there’s desperation to make the playoffs and the difference between winning in regulation and winning in extra time could be the difference between making and missing.
 

Granted, lots of people have suggested this, so here’s a more dramatic idea to consider: a bonus point for scoring a certain amount of goals in a game.

 

Before some of you faint at the mere suggestion, they already do this in rugby, as Wikipedia explains:

 

It was implemented in order to encourage attacking play throughout a match, to discourage repetitive goal-kicking, and to reward teams for “coming close” in losing efforts. Under the standard system, points are awarded as follows:

—- 4 points for a win.
—- 2 points for a draw.
—- 1 “bonus” point for scoring 4 tries (or more).
—- 1 “bonus” point for losing by 7 points (or fewer).
No team can get more than 5 points in a match.

 

The “encourage attacking play” is the big part for me.  It’s not so much I need goals, but I at least need the attempt to score goals.

 

Look, obviously there are drawbacks to a system like this. It would penalize teams whose best players are goalies or defensive-minded skaters. I appreciate defense. It takes a total team commitment. Frankly, at the end of the day, I probably wouldn’t even want this system. But it does make me laugh thinking about an idea like this even being broached by the NHL, and what the response would be. People would go ballistic. Why is that?

 

All I know is the NFL has never been more popular. Just a coincidence that the league has also seen a dramatic rise in scoring in the last two decades? Why are hockey fans who want to see more goals treated with such disdain? Were people who watched hockey in the ’80s wrong to like what they saw? Can you not want to see more attacking hockey, on average, and still appreciate the occasional 1-0 game?

 

2. Bigger nets

 

Before you rip the stupid blogger in the comments section, you should know that you’d also be ripping Mike Babcock.

 

“If the goalies [are] getting bigger, then the net is getting smaller,” Babcock said last year. “By refusing to change you are changing. Purists would say you can’t do it because you’re changing the game but by not changing you are changing the game.”

 

I’m old enough to remember the time when, if you were a small kid, they’d throw you in goal. Hence, the diminutive retired goalies we see working in TV today, like Darren Pang and John Garrett.

 

The small kids don’t become NHL goalies anymore. And let’s not even get into the size of pads those big, tall goalies wear now compared to back in the day.

 

At the very least, I’d like to see what bigger nets would look like in a real-game situation. I mean, wouldn’t you? Play a few exhibition games with them. What would be the harm in trying? Green eggs and ham, etc.

 

3. No more icing allowed during penalty kills

 

For as long as I’ve been a hockey fan, I’ve always wondered why a team that’s been penalized suddenly gets to do something it normally wouldn’t be allowed to do. Does that make any sense? It’s like being thrown in jail for assault, but because you’re in jail and being in jail is hard, you’re allowed to — I don’t know — engage in tax fraud or something.

 

Again, I’d just like to see how this looks. I’m not saying put this rule in right now. There are always unintended consequences. But I think the new icing rule where the offending team’s players have to stay on the ice has been fairly received. This would be an extension of that, because tired players don’t make for very good defenders, and if you can’t ice the puck on the PK, you’re going to see a lot of trapped, tired defenders on the ice.

 

“The overwhelming sense of the group is you don’t make change for the sake of change,” Bettman said after the general managers’ meetings. And he’s right in saying that.

 

But he’s also making a bit of a straw-man argument, because nobody’s suggesting change for the sake of change. People who want change are trying to make the game better, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! The Chicago Bears Will Eye Two Positions In NFL Draft.

 

By Erik Lambert

Narrowing the focus is always paramount for teams heading into the NFL draft.  For the Chicago Bears that was their goal, and it seems they are set up perfectly.

Chris Conte and Ryan Mundy aren’t ideal safety options

The retention of Charles Tillman alters the board for the Bears heading into the draft stretch.  Chicago now has both their veteran corners with him and Tim Jennings back in place for another year.  That means the corner position should be relatively stable in 2014 barring another catastrophic string of injuries.  Instead the focus should be on the safety position.  GM Phil Emery made a couple of additions through free agency and one of them was Ryan Mundy.  Primarily a reserve most of his career, 29-year old learned from some of the best in the business such as Antrel Rolle and Troy Polamalu.  He’s athletic with good range and very tough.  The other was M.D. Jennings who should compete with current starter Chris Conte but more likely is a special teams addition.  At present logic says a combination of Conte and Mundy would start opening day in September.  That isn’t a horrific tandem, but if the intention of the Chicago Bears is to get more dynamic on defense, that is not the ideal pairing they’ll want which is why it’s very likely both of them could see a rookie join the competition in the first round.  The 2014 class is rich with safeties and have some very intriguing options on Day One.

Likely Pick:  Calvin Pryor (Louisville)

Assistant defensive line coach Clint Hurtt came up from Louisville during the early part of the off-season where he was defensive coordinator.  He has inside knowledge of top prospects coming from that program and should have detailed memory of free safety Calvin Pryor.  The young man is already a physical player, showing the scrappiness to come downhill and tackle or deliver a fierce hit.  What is pushing him up draft boards is his growing range and potential in coverage.  Experts compare him to former Pro Bowler Bob Sanders.  If that is true, then Pryor fits the exact profile Emery and the Bears want in their defensive backs:  tough and athletic.

Jeremiah Ratliff and Stephen Paea are not dynamic interior men

With the primary focus of the free agency period being upgrading the defensive end position, the NFL draft has become about fortifying the probable loss of former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Henry Melton.  The Chicago Bears front office worked quickly to keep the position relatively stable by retaining veterans Jeremiah Ratliff and Nate Collins on one-year deals.  Together with nose tackle Stephen Paea they form a serviceable group but certainly not a dynamic one.  Ratliff is 33-years old.  Collins is coming off a torn ACL and Paea battled turf toe all year in 2013.  Put simply the group is on shaky ground in terms of durability.  That is why the Bears have to seriously consider adding another body to the depth chart, somebody who can force defenses to commit extra blockers their way and take heat off their newly acquired defensive ends.

Likely Pick:  Aaron Donald (Pittsburgh)

This kid has set himself up perfectly.  No matter how much the scouts hold back their admiration for him due to his being undersized for the tackle position, he has constantly killed their doubts in one way or another.  He dominated most of 2013 for his team, showcasing some of the best explosion and quickness a defensive tackle has had in years.  That was soon followed by a near flawless Senior Bowl in which he often humiliated some of the best guards in the country.  It all then came together at the scouting combine where he posted top numbers among all the tackles including an incredible 4.65 40-yard dash at 285 lbs.  Aaron Donald is unquestionably a first round pick and a perfect fit at the three-technique position to replace Melton.

DE Peppers signs with Packers.

 

The Sports Xchange

 

The Green Bay Packers signed eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers on Saturday.

 

The team did not disclose financial terms of the deal, but ESPN reported that the 34-year-old Peppers agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal. Peppers' agent, Carl Carey, told ESPN that he will be paid a salary of $8.5 million per year, and $7.5 million is guaranteed.

Carey wrote on Twitter that Peppers "is officially a Packer!"

The Chicago Bears made Peppers available when they released him on Tuesday.

Packers defensive line coach Mike Trgovac coached Peppers from 2002 to 2008 when they were with the Carolina Panthers. Trgovac was defensive line coach in 2002 and defensive coordinator from 2003 to 2008.

Peppers spent the last four years with the Bears. He had 7 1/2 sacks last season, the fewest since joining them. He started every game in those four years, had 37 1/2 sacks and made the Pro Bowl in the first three years.

During his 12-year career, Peppers ranks second in the NFL with 118 1/2 sacks.

 

Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls grind out win vs. Kings.

The Sports Xchange

Plenty of things did not look good on the stat sheet, but the Sacramento Kings were able to stay with the Chicago Bulls in a physical contest on Saturday night at the United Center by building a big edge in rebounds.

 

Eventually, it was not enough. Chicago center Joakim Noah piled up 23 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and five blocked shots, leading the Bulls to a tough 94-87 victory over Sacramento.

Forward Taj Gibson added 19 points and nine rebounds, and forward Mike Dunleavy scored 16 points and guard D.J. Augustin had 12 for Chicago.

"They're tough. They are physical, tough down low," Noah said. "Overall, I'm just happy we won because I think a lot of things didn't go our way tonight. We just found a way and sometimes you've got to do that."

Guard Isaiah Thomas led the Kings with 26 points. Center DeMarcus Cousins added 25 points and 14 rebounds, and forward Rudy Gay scored 13. Sacramento built a 55-40 advantage in rebounds and 20-10 in second-chance points.

The Bulls (37-29) won 13 of their last 17 games and own 25 victories since Jan. 1, tops in the Eastern Conference.

Chicago hosted Miami, San Antonio and Houston in the past week, with Oklahoma City playing at the United Center on Monday. So Sacramento, with one of the worst records in the Western Conference, was an opponent the Bulls did not want to overlook. Chicago lost 99-70 at Sacramento on Feb. 3.

Based on the stat sheet, plenty of things did not go well for the Kings. They shot 36.5 percent from the field, made just 2 of 14 from 3-point range and had 12 assists compared with 18 turnovers.

"The turnovers were disappointing," Sacramento coach Mike Malone said. "This is a team that does not score a lot of transition points and they got 25 fast-break points tonight. That was not part of our game plan."

Still, the Kings battled all night. Sacramento took a 65-64 lead early in the fourth quarter on a lay-in by forward Quincy Acy. From there, the score was tied four times before the Bulls took the lead for good at 75-72 on a 3-pointer by Dunleavy with 6:15 remaining.

About a minute later, Noah picked up a loose ball on the Sacramento end and went all the way for a lay-in and foul. He could not complete the three-point play but put Chicago ahead 79-74 with 5:10 left.

A couple of nice passes by Noah allowed the Bulls to pull away briefly. First, he threw a lob to guard Jimmy Butler for a short bank shot. Then when the Kings were slow getting back after a rebound went out of bounds, Noah heaved a length-of-the-court pass to Gibson for a layup and three-point play. That gave Chicago its biggest lead of the night at 86-78 with 2:02 remaining.

The Kings (23-43) did not go away. A Cousins bank shot, Thomas 3-pointer and Cousins drive kept Sacramento within 88-85 with 1:01 on the clock.

"Tonight, we needed all five on the boards," Gibson said. "DeMarcus is a handful, Reggie is a handful. Any kind of chippy thing you can do in a rough game like that with a physical team like that, it's going to go a long ways."

Gibson buried a corner jumper off a drive and dish from Noah to make it 90-85 with 42.2 seconds left. Thomas answered with a jumper before Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich hit one from the line with 27.5 seconds remaining to keep the lead at four.

Kings guard Ben McLemore and Thomas missed jumpers on the next two trip, and two Dunleavy free throws ended the scoring.

"We had a chance," Thomas said. "That's all we want to do, especially against a great team like Chicago. A few things could have been different and we might have pulled it out."

Noah and Gibson controlled the first half, combining to score 29 points and hit 11 of 14 shots from the field. But the Bulls could not move beyond a seven-point lead. Chicago was up 48-41 late in the second quarter, but a steal and dunk by McLemore just before the horn trimmed the deficit to five at halftime.

Sacramento forward Reggie Evans received a technical foul late in the first quarter.

The Kings wrap up a seven-game road trip on Sunday at Minnesota.

NOTES: Reggie Evans got the start at power forward for Sacramento on Saturday. Kings coach Mike Malone has been rotating players at that spot, using Evans against physical teams and Derrick Williams against athletic forwards. ... Chicago F Jimmy Butler has been playing with sore ribs since taking a shot from Miami's LeBron James last Sunday. It is not slowing him down too much: Butler helped limit Houston's James Harden to eight points on Thursday. "It hurt like heck, too, right into the ribs," Butler said of the hit from James. ... The Kings are the only team in the league with three players averaging 20 points per game -- C DeMarcus Cousins, F Rudy Gay and G Isaiah Thomas. Chicago's top scorer is F Carlos Boozer at 14.2 ppg. ... This was the fifth date of a six-game homestand for the Bulls. Sacramento is the only team of the six that has a losing record. The homestand ends Monday against Oklahoma City.

 

Thunder-Bulls Preview.

By ALAN FERGUSON (STATS Writer)

Even with a red-hot Joakim Noah, the Chicago Bulls might have a considerable challenge as they attempt to end their longest homestand of the season with a third consecutive win.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, though, have also struggled to win most of their recent road games despite Kevin Durant's high-scoring efforts and are heading into Monday night's game at the United Center after a lopsided home defeat.

Chicago (37-29) has registered back-to-back wins on its six-game homestand after losing two of the first three contests, and Noah has nearly recorded triple-doubles in each victory. He finished one assist shy in a 111-87 rout of Houston on Thursday and two short in a 94-87 win over Sacramento on Saturday.

"First thing is his game is through the roof right now. His confidence is through the roof," forward Taj Gibson said after Noah had 23 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and five blocks.

Noah's efforts have helped the Bulls get within a half-game of Toronto for third place in the Eastern Conference. A win Monday would put Chicago percentage points behind the idle Raptors.

The Bulls, winners in 13 of 17, will face a Thunder team that's second in the West, but has lost four of six on the road and is on the verge of matching its three-game skid there Jan. 7-14. They also had a two-game overall win streak snapped with a 109-86 drubbing to Dallas on Sunday.

Oklahoma City (48-18) had one of its worst shooting performance this season in that defeat (36.7 percent) and also wasn't helped by Russell Westbrook's absence. The point guard was sitting out to rest his surgically repaired knee but is expected to return Monday.

The Thunder have also played this month with two other starters missing, former Bulls guard Thabo Sefolosha (calf) and center Kendrick Perkins (groin).

"There is no excuse," Durant said. "We've got to figure it out. We've each got to do it. We're pros. ... We've got to act like we care. It will be all right. We've got another (game) tomorrow."

Westbrook, averaging 27.3 points in his last four games, had 20 points and 10 assists in a 107-95 home win over Chicago on Dec. 19. Durant scored a game-best 32 in that victory and had 30 in Sunday's loss, his 31st consecutive game with 25 points or more.

That streak is the longest since Bulls legend Michael Jordan had a 40-game run in 1986-87. Durant has scored 25 or more points in three of his last four games in Chicago and just missed in the most recent visit on Nov. 8, 2012, with 24 points.

"This homestand doesn't get any easier," Gibson said. "We've just got to be prepared with whatever comes our way."

Noah had a team-high 23 points and 12 rebounds in Chicago's fourth consecutive loss to Oklahoma City in December. The Bulls have dropped three of the last four home meetings.

Chicago has shot a combined 35.2 percent in its last four matchups while the Thunder have shot 48.7 percent. They made 51.2 percent of their shots in the win in December, and the Bulls converted at just a 37.7 percent clip.

 

Mike Ditka likes direction White Sox are headed. 

By Dan Hayes

Da Coach didn’t feel the White Sox needed any coaching up on Saturday night.

Hall of Fame tight end and ex-Bears coach Mike Ditka threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Saturday’s night game against the Los Angeles Dodgers but didn’t address White Sox players as planned. Ditka was in town to visit his newly opened restaurant at a nearby casino.

“They don’t need me talking to them,” Ditka said. “They know what they’ve got to do. They’re paid to play baseball, they’ll play it, they’ll do a good job and it would be great for the city of Chicago. ... It’ll be good to see them win again. They’ve got a good franchise, they’ve got a great manager, good owner. They’ve got all the pieces.”

Ditka said he watches plenty of baseball, but rarely attends games.

The man who led the Bears to a Super Bowl XX title in January 1986 prefers the comforts of home where he can avoid crowds and smoke a cigar. Ditka thinks the White Sox made some necessary changes this offseason when they overhauled their roster.

“The whole thing is, if you’re an organization, you have to understand where you’re at, where you’re trying to go to and how you’re going to do it,” Ditka said. “If you don’t have the people to do it you better make moves and you’ve gotta change. There’s one constant in life: its change if you have don’t pieces of the puzzle. Evidently they thought they didn’t have all the pieces of the puzzle so they went out and made some changes. I think they’re good changes. I think they’ll be good.”

But Ditka believes the Sox have some challenges ahead as they try to rebound from a 99-loss campaign.

“Again, it’s not easy to win in baseball,” Ditka said. “You play a lot of games and a lot of good teams and if you look at some of these teams like Kansas City, they’re coming up. There’s a lot of good teams out there now. It’s not like you only have to beat the Yankees or the Red Sox. You have to beat everybody.”

Golf-Australian John Senden wins at Tampa Bay with late birdies.

Reuters; Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina, editing by Gene Cherry

Veteran Australian John Senden emerged last man standing with two late birdies to win the $5.7 million Tampa Bay Championship by one stroke on Sunday.

Senden may be noted for his stellar long game, but it was his short game that enabled him to clinch the victory as he pitched in from 70 feet at the 16th and then holed a 20-foot putt at the 17th to break clear of a logjam.

He parred the last to shoot a 70 and finish at seven-under-par 277, one ahead of American Kevin Na at the Copperhead course at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor, Florida.

"This is the biggest win over here I've ever had," Senden told Golf Channel.

"My first PGA Tour win (at the 2006 John Deere Classic) was special but this you've got stronger players in the field and it's a real feather in the cap to know you've beaten a quality field."

Six players were within one stroke of the lead late in the final round before Senden emerged for his second PGA Tour victory and his first anywhere since the 2006 Australian Open.

The 42-year-old earned $1.026 million and a Masters invitation.

Senden, twice a runner-up at Innisbrook, looked destined for another near-miss when he made three bogeys in four holes from the 12th as a combination of nerves and demanding conditions conspired to cause a series of uncharacteristic poor shots.

But he gave himself a pep talk as he approached his ball in the rough short of the 16th green.

"I said something special's got to happen here if you're going to get it done," he said. "I've been working really hard on that particular shot out of the long grass and (it was) lucky enough to go in the hole.

"Then I made a couple of really solid swings the last two holes. I'm just so happy to come out on top."

Na birdied the par-three 17th after almost making a hole-in-one but could only par the last in gusty winds.

The American plunged off the leaderboard after dropping four shots in three holes before the turn, but showed resilience to battle all the way back to finish runner-up with a 72.

"It was a bad string of holes but I settled down, got back right in it," Na said. "It was playing tough and I made two great birdies coming in but it wasn't good enough."

Left-handed Scott Langley, who held a share of the lead with three holes left, had a 70 to finish third, two shots behind.

Overnight leader Robert Garrigus was another shot back, equal fourth. He dropped five shots in the first six holes before steadying.

Carl Edwards stays out and drives away for win at Bristol as caution lights malfunction.

By Nick Bromberg

There was drama at the end of Sunday's twice-rain-delayed Food City 500, but it wasn't caused by anyone on the track. It was from malfunctioning caution lights.

Race-winner Carl Edwards had a comfortable two-second lead over Aric Almirola and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and was picking his way through lapped traffic comfortably. Then, with three laps to go, suddenly some of the yellow caution lights on the side of the track started blinking. A caution was out, potentially setting up a green-white-checkered finish.

Or was it? No initial reason was given for the caution. Teams were confused. Fans were confused. Television was confused. As Edwards crossed the line for two laps to go, the yellow caution lights in the camera frame were blinking, but the flag man was displaying the blue flag with the yellow stripe. That's for lap down cars to move over for the leader. Not for the caution flag. Something was amiss.

 

Cautions that have set up green-white-checkered finishes aren't all that uncommon. But with two laps to go and no obvious reason in sight? Oh, you could hear the black helicopters unnecessarily struggling to take off from being overloaded with conspiracy theories.

But there wasn't a green-white-checker finish. Shortly after the caution was out and NASCAR attempted to sort out the running order, the skies opened up. The race was soon declared over, and Edwards was in victory lane.

Following the race, NASCAR said the caution was caused by a malfunction with the caution light system and as the operation of the track lights had become compromised, the sanctioning body put the yellow flag out. And let's be real, with how strong Edwards' car was, the decision to end the race was clearly the right call and he deserved to be in victory lane. Sure, there was no guarantee he was going to make it through the last two laps unscathed, but ending the race is a much more just decision than the potential chaos that could ensue over a two-lap restart(s) for a caution flag that wasn't real.

After assuming the lead via not pitting with 75 laps to go, Edwards held it the rest of the way. He and crew chief Jimmy Fennig made the decision to stay out for track position, fearing that they wouldn't be able to win being in traffic with fresh tires.

"I don't know," Edwards said when asked if he could have pitted and won. "Aric and those guys were really fast, I don't know if I could have gotten by them. That's a gutsy call with all the tire trouble.

Goodyear makes great tires, we didn't have trouble at the end, it just was a bad matchup with the track."

The tire trouble Edwards mentions plagued Jimmie Johnson earlier in the race. At the end of the race's first stage, a 124-lap segment that started over 90 minutes late because of rain and was run almost 3 hours and 20 minutes before the final 376 laps because of even more rain, Johnson's right-side tire simply unraveled on him. The six-time champion had led for 44 laps -- partially because his team had changed just left-side tires on a previous pit stop -- and went multiple laps down as rain ended the daytime portion of the race.

Edwards is NASCAR's fourth different winner in the first four races and is now all but qualified for the Chase. Brad Keselowski is the new points leader, 10 points ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and 11 points ahead of Edwards.

Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool: Gerrard hits twice from the spot to send Reds second.

By Kyle Bonn

Liverpool: calm, structured, lethal.

Manchester United: disjointed, frantic, out of control.

With NBC guest commentator Tim Howard dubbing this match the “biggest fixture in English football,” Liverpool proved the far superior squad at Old Trafford.

As one side jumped to within four points of the Premier League’s top spot, another fell to uncharted depths in seventh.

Steven Gerrard hit twice from the penalty spot and Luis Suarez added a third as the Reds made no mistake in their late charge towards the Premier League title.

Both teams proved bold yet nervy in the opening 20 minutes.

Each end saw action, but neither team had a serious effort on goal.  With either defense solid in their shape, Liverpool had more of the attack during match’s opening quarter, but the trio of Reds at the attack found it difficult to find any bit of space.

With both teams probing, Liverpool were gifted a chance to go ahead in the 34th minute, and they didn’t disappoint. Daniel Sturridge on the right touch floated a ball across the pitch to Luis Suarez, and he looked to work it into the box with Rafael guarding.

Suarez attempted to chip around the United defender, and with Rafael off balance, the ball clipped his outstretched arm.  Suarez immediately popped up shouting for handball, and referee Mark Clattenberg pointed to the spot.

Liverpool pleaded with Clattenberg for a yellow card for the offense, which would have been Rafael’s second already, but the referee refused.  There was no surprise as Gerrard stepped up to the ball for Liverpool, and he poked it past a wrong-footed De Gea for the first-half lead.

Manchester United did produce one moment to hang their hat on, but just minutes before halftime Simon Mignolet countered with a spectacular diving save to keep out Wayne Rooney‘s shot from the center of the box.

Looking to bring it back level after the break, things instead got much worse for Manchester United directly out of the tunnel.

Suarez found Jordan Henderson in all kinds of space at the top of the box, and the youngster finds fellow midfielder Joe Allen cutting laterally across the box and tracked by Phil Jones.

 With Jones beat, the big center back lowered his shoulder and bowled over Allen from behind, and Clattenberg again awarded Liverpool a penalty.  Gerrard converted for a second time, again firing right but this time harder and lower past de Gea.

The penalty marked the first time in Premier League history that opposition were given two penalties at Old Trafford.

The deficit caused the hosts to press harder, but they were panicked much too frantic, and they appeared more likely to get a man sent off than score a goal.

However, as United settled down and began to built, they produced two chances, but Clattenberg denied them twice.  Wayne Rooney looked for a foul outside the box as Martin Skrtel clattered him to the ground, and it appeared Glen Johnson slightly handed the ball, but both were waved off.

Things only got worse for Manchester United.  David Moyes waited all the way until the 76th minute to make his first substitution, a double change bringing on Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck, but it would be at the back where they would soon see a blow.

Daniel Sturridge rocketed past Nemanja Vidic, and the Manchester United captain went body-to-body looking to recover.  Sturridge hit a heavy touch, and instead of shooting a tight angle he went down softly, an obvious dive, but Clattenberg bought it giving Liverpool a third penalty and sending Vidic off with his second yellow card.

Gerrard stepped up with an opportunity to bag the first-ever Premier League penalty hat-trick, but he clanged the left post for a miss.

With United a man down, it was all Reds from here to the final whistle. Sturridge probably had a shout for yet another penalty when he checked back with the ball in the box and was felled by Michael Carrick, but Clattenberg waved it off.

Suarez then beat the defense and went one-on-one with David de Gea on 80 minutes but the Spaniard made a fantastic save.

But he couldn’t keep out Suarez with five minutes to go, as Sturridge found him just onsides through the United back line and he touched far post for a 3-0 lead.

LINEUPS:

Manchester United - De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Vidic, Evra; Mata (Ferdinand 87′), Fellaini (Cleverley 76′), Carrick, Januzaj (Welbeck 76′); Rooney, van Persie.

Liverpool – Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Flanagan; Gerrard (Lucas 87′), Allen, Henderson, Sterling (Coutinho 72′); Suarez, Sturridge (Aspas 90′).

Goals: Gerrard 34′, 46′; Suarez 84′

Brazilian legend Rivaldo formally calls time on a wondrous career. 

By Nicholas Mendola

Forgive yourself if you didn’t know he was still playing competitive professional soccer, but Brazilian legend Rivaldo retired from playing today.

A wizard in the midfield, the Brazil, Barcelona and Milan legend retires with a laundry list of accomplishments that would make all but a select group of footballers blush. Consider his achievements:

- 2002 World Cup winner
- Eight World Cup goals
- UEFA Champions League win with Milan
- 1999 FIFA World Player of the Year
- 1999 Ballon d’Or
- UEFA Super Cup winners with Milan and Barcelona
- Copa America and Confederations Cup winner
- League titles in La Liga, Greece, Brazil
- Cup titles in La Liga, Serie A, Greece
- Thirty-four international goals in 74 caps
- 380 goals in 813 club appearances

After playing a handful of matches alongside his son Rivaldinho for Mogi Mirim this season in Brazil’s Série C — they were in Serie A as a 20-year-old in 1992 — he’s decided to step away.

“With tears in my eyes today I would like to thank God, my family and all the support, the affection that I received during those 24 years as a player,” he said in a statement on social networking site Instagram.  

“I have to thank the lovely career I have built over these years. There were many obstacles, challenges, waivers, longings, disappointments, but there were much greater joys, achievements, growth, change.”

His rags-to-riches story has been an inspiration to many, escaping a malnourished childhood to achieve, well, all listed above.

He’s also part of one of the best commercials of all-time.
 

NCAA "March Madness"; Forde Minutes: Big Dance Edition.

By Pat Forde

Florida, Arizona, Wichita State and Virginia are the No. 1 seeds this NCAA tournament. (Yahoo Sports illustration)

Forty names, games, teams and minutiae making news in college basketball – Big Dance Edition, supersized to 68 for the NCAA tournament:

Happy Selection Sunday, and welcome to the most wonderful time of the year. The Minutes hopes all of you stay in the running for a billion dollars as long as you can – but in reality, your bracket is far more likely to start being busted by mid-afternoon Thursday. The predictable unpredictability of the tourney is what makes it magical and maddening at the same time.

Before we provide withering insight that will allow you to dominate your office pool and talk trash to family members at the dinner table, a few recognitions are in order.

It's been a good year for chickens: the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (1) are in the Big Dance for the first time since 1993; the Delaware Blue Hens (2) for the first time since 1999; and Kentucky coach John Calipari (3) for the first time since he refused to continue playing Indiana home-and-home in 2012.

Even with the demise of Butler, it's been a good year for canines: the Albany Great Danes (4) pulled a succession of upsets to win the America East tournament; the Wofford Terriers (5) benefitted from a bracket collapse to win the SoCon; the Gonzaga Bulldogs (6) did what they normally do in dominating the West Coast Conference; and Glen Robinson III (7), son of former Purdue great Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson, is a key part of Michigan's Big Ten title team.

It's been a good year for the clergy: the Providence Friars (8) make their first tournament appearance in a decade; so do the Manhattan Jaspers (9), whose nickname is derived from Brother Jasper of Mary, a prominent figure at the school in the 19th century.

It's also been a good year for 1980s player icons, two of whom will face each other as coaches. UCLA coach Steve Alford (10) was the Most Outstanding Player of the 1987 Final Four. Tulsa coach Danny Manning (11) was the MOP of the '88 Final Four.

And it's been a very good year for the states of New Mexico (12) and Kansas (13), which put all of their Division I schools – New Mexico, New Mexico State, Kansas, Kansas State and Wichita State – in the field of 68. A good year in Oklahoma (14) as well, which put three out of four D-I schools – Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Tulsa, everyone but Oral Roberts – in the Dance. Not such a good year for the basketball bedrock state of Indiana (15), which somehow has none of its 10 D-I schools in the tourney. (Compounding the misery for the Indiana Hoosiers is the fact that Mike Davis (16), the coach they ran off in 2006, is back in the tourney as the coach at Texas Southern.)

THE ELITE EIGHT

The national champion should come from the following group of heavyweights. But let's try to apply a little science to the art of picking who wins it all.

The Minutes is a devotee of Ken Pomeroy's advanced stats and acquired all of his rankings from the past 11 Selection Sundays. Pomeroy cautioned against manufacturing any hard-and-fast "rules" related to his rankings, which is wise. But there are some generalities to be drawn:

None of the past 11 national champions ranked outside the top 20 in adjusted offensive efficiency heading into the tournament, or outside the top 50 in adjusted defensive efficiency. (Interestingly, the best offensive teams have tended to fare better than the best defensive teams in the tournament. Pomeroy's top offensive unit has won three national titles and been to six Final Fours in 11 years, while his top defensive unit has won one national title and been to two Final Fours.) Of those 11 champions, all but three were in Pomeroy's Top 10 in either offensive or defensive efficiency going into the tourney – in other words, they were all elite in at least one of the two facets of the game.

The ones who were not also happened to be the three most surprising winners: Syracuse in 2003; Florida in 2006; and Connecticut in 2011. All of them were No. 3 seeds led by NBA-level talents, and all appreciably raised their games in March – especially defensively. Syracuse rose 25 spots defensively during the tourney, Florida 12 spots and UConn 16. Defense is certainly more effort-based than offense, and despite the old coaching bromides, it is possible to "flip a switch" to a degree and improve dramatically in that area come tournament time. The best example: North Carolina's dominant 2009 team was No. 49 nationally in defense when the tourney began and No. 21 when it ended.

Using Pomeroy's metrics through Saturday night as a guide, here are your prime contenders:

Florida (17). Pomeroy offensive rank: 15. Pomeroy defensive rank: 5. Strengths: The Gators are among the most experienced teams in the tourney, with a cast of veterans who have reached the Elite Eight three years in a row. This is a team with the pieces to win it all. There is sufficient size, athleticism, depth and shooting, and Billy Donovan already has two championship rings. (Keep in mind: 13 of the last 14 champion coaches had been to the Final Four at least once already, including the last five.) Florida is undefeated with its full roster intact. Concerns: There is no go-to star who can carry the Gators in a crisis point. Was the Southeastern Conference too soft to produce a national champion?

Wichita State (18). Pomeroy offensive rank: 8. Pomeroy defensive rank: 10. Strengths: Fifteen teams have ranked in the Pomeroy Top 10 in both offense and defense, with four winning the national title, nine making the Final Four and 12 making the Elite Eight. This is the same core group that went to the Final Four a year ago and had eventual champion Louisville on the ropes before relenting – except the Shockers are better this time around. They are more unselfish with the ball, less foul-prone and have developed a remarkable group confidence. Marshall got the vital Final Four experience last season. Anyone dismissing the Shockers based on strength of schedule is making a mistake. Concerns: As the first undefeated team in the tourney since 1991, the spotlight will be blinding and the bull's-eye on their backs is immense – neither of which are the preferred status for a chip-on-the-shoulder program from a mid-major conference. Are the Shockers good enough at center and offensively from behind the 3-point arc?

Louisville (19). Pomeroy offensive rank: 10. Pomeroy defensive rank: 6. Strengths: See above stats on teams in the top 10 in both offense and defense. Rick Pitino has crafted so many coaching masterpieces during his career that it's hard to keep them all straight, but this is one of his best – remember, Louisville lost key power forward Chane Behanan and backup guard Kevin Ware in December. Despite that, the Cardinals are on a roll similar to last season. They are explosive and disruptive in the backcourt, and Montrezl Harrell is elevating his game in the frontcourt. This core group has won 12 straight postseason games, and 20 of its last 21. They are the definition of a tough out. Concerns: Susceptible to being dominated inside by a big opponent. Execution in close games has been a significant weakness, as has foul shooting.

Michigan State (20). Pomeroy offensive rank: 12. Pomeroy defensive rank: 45. Strengths: The Spartans do not fit the pre-tourney statistical rubric of a champion, but they have a very good excuse for that – an absolute injury plague. Now healthy, they were fantastic in Indianapolis at the Big Ten tournament. This is a team with every necessary piece, including an elite coach, and it is peaking at the right time. Concerns: Michigan State hasn't played up to its usual defensive standard, though that may change now. The Spartans made the last two Sweet Sixteens but were beaten handily there and were a clear cut below the elite teams. Have they closed that gap?

Michigan (21). Pomeroy offensive rank: 3. Pomeroy defensive rank: 103. Strengths: Few teams can shoot from the perimeter like the Wolverines, who have up to six dangerous 3-point bombers. They have also been excellent in late-game execution, which is essential at tournament time. John Beilein has done masterful work remodeling this team after the early loss of center Mitch McGary, and a return Final Four trip would not be a surprise. Concerns: That defensive ranking is glaring – but Michigan was similarly ranked last year and made the title game. Few teams are as battle-tested as the Big Ten regular-season champions.

Arizona (22). Pomeroy offensive rank: 35. Pomeroy defensive rank: 1. Strengths: In terms of overall soundness and tenacity, this is the best defensive team in the tournament. Few points will come easy for opponents against the length and athleticism of the Wildcats. Nick Johnson is a high-level scorer, and freshman Aaron Gordon is an NBA talent who is probably ready to raise his game another level in this tourney. Sean Miller is ready for his March breakthrough. Concerns: The offensive efficiency number is higher than the champion's profile. Arizona has done a nice job overcoming the season-ending injury to forward Brandon Ashley, but still isn't as good as the team that started 21-0. Miller hasn't been to the Final Four, which as noted has become a precursor to winning it all.

Virginia (23). Pomeroy offensive rank: 28. Pomeroy defensive rank: 3. Strengths: The Minutes was a slow convert to the Cavaliers, but there is reason to believe. They are airtight defensively and adept at controlling tempo. In 2014, their only two losses were on the road in the final seconds or overtime. Balanced scoring keeps defenses from a simple gameplan to stop one guy. Tony Bennett is a rising coaching star. Concerns: Like Arizona, the offensive efficiency ranking is not ideal. Balanced scoring is nice, but who gets the hard baskets when the Cavaliers have to have them? Bennett has no Final Four experience, and the players have had no previous NCAA tourney success.

Villanova (24). Pomeroy offensive rank: 17. Pomeroy defensive rank: 15. Strengths: In Pomeroy We Trust. The Wildcats fit the statistical profile of a championship team, even if they lack sexy conference wins or big-time players. They've lost just four times all season and just once in the last month, on a buzzer beater in the conference tournament. Jay Wright has Final Four experience (2009). Concerns: The only high-caliber teams 'Nova has played since December were Syracuse and Creighton, which beat the Wildcats three times by a total of 65 points. Pack-it-in defensive philosophy can leave them susceptible to being shot out of the tournament by a team that is hot from the outside.

THE DANGEROUS TWO

Keep an eye on these talented teams that underachieved in the regular season but have gotten it together late:

Kentucky (25). Pomeroy offensive rank: 19. Pomeroy defensive rank: 41. Whether it was The Tweak of the offense or simply some masterful mind games from Calipari, he has made everyone remember how talented this once-dysfunctional group truly is. Suddenly their immense potential seems within reach. Huge and imposing, don't be surprised to see the Wildcats radically improve that defensive ranking and make a serious run at the Final Four. With a coach who knows how to win in March, Kentucky will be a daunting opponent in the Midwest region.

Baylor (26). Pomeroy offensive rank: 7. Pomeroy defensive rank: 114. Another huge team that slumbered through long stretches of the season, playing an indifferent zone defense and at one point losing eight out of 10 games. But those same Bears now have won 10 of their past 12 and will be a formidable opponent physically (we'll see how they do with the mental approach). Scott Drew has never been to the Final Four without a ticket, though.

THE WOUNDED ONE

Kansas (27) was a potential Minutes pick to win it all until center Joel Embiid injured his back. Now, with Embiid expected to miss at least the first week of the tournament, the Jayhawks must be viewed very differently. They still do not lack for talent, but their 3-2 record without Embiid – including giving up more than 90 points in both losses – indicates the 7-footer's importance to the Kansas defense. A key injury alters a team's script every year, and it is Kansas' turn this time.

THE BRACKET WRECKERS

Five teams seeded outside the top 16 that could pull an upset or two:

Tennessee (28). The Volunteers barely got in, but they have the interior muscle to make life miserable. Jarnell Stokes and Jeronne Maymon, each 260-pound post punishers, are a challenge to box out and move off the block. And Jordan McRae is a skilled scorer. Cuonzo Martin must prove he can coach his way through close-game situations, but the Vols will be a tough matchup.

VCU (29). Who wants to handle the Rams' havoc style? No one. VCU sometimes can beat itself with haywire offensive execution, but the defensive pressure is difficult to handle and coach Shaka Smart has done some memorable March damage. There are a couple key holdovers (Rob Brandenburg and Juvonte Reddic) from that 2011 Final Four run.

Providence (30). This is a team with firepower. The Friars have four players averaging double figures, four who can shoot the 3, and two senior leaders (Bryce Cotton and Kadeem Batts) motivated to leave their mark. Ed Cooley has done a great job coaching the Big East tourney champions.

Manhattan (31). Veteran team that has won 11 of its past 12 games, with the lone loss by four points on the road. Jaspers coach Steve Masiello is the latest hot commodity off the Pitino coaching tree and will have his team primed for a first-round ambush.

North Dakota State (32). Disciplined Bison take care of the ball and take good shots. If a team isn't ready to hunker down and guard on every possession, Saul Phillips' veteran group will make it look bad.

THE FRAUDULENT FIVE

Five teams staggering at the end and ripe for an early exit:

Saint Louis (33). Billikens (26-6) have lost four of their last five. They're a very good defensive team but prone to bogging down offensively. Can they hit shots from the perimeter when they have to?

Memphis (34). Nobody questions the Tigers' talent. Everybody questions their focus and attention to detail. Nineteen-point loss on home floor in conference tournament was enough to scare most folks off the bandwagon.

Kansas State (35). Yes, the Big 12 is a tough league. But the Wildcats lost their last three games and eight of their past 14. They have done precious little outside of their home arena all year.

Cincinnati (36). The Bearcats are 5-4 over their last nine, with the only quality victory over Memphis – and since Memphis is also on this list, you know what The Minutes thinks of that win. The question is always the same with Mick Cronin's team: can it score enough points?

Texas (37). Longhorns have had an overachieving season, but also a season that was far better in Austin than out of it. Last victory over an NCAA tournament team away from home? Jan. 25 at Baylor, where the Bears were in their dysfunctional phase. There also was a win in Chapel Hill, but that was mid-December. Rick Barnes has one NCAA tournament win since 2009.

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE OLD GUYS …

This was supposed to be the Year of the Freshman, but a group of seniors stole the spotlight. That's right, those four-year players who are often scoffed at these days as deficient players because they haven't turned pro and are actually on schedule to graduate – yeah, those guys. The elder statesmen who will be the leading men of March Madness:

Doug McDermott (38), Creighton. He's the landslide national player of the year, a career 3,000-point scorer who has helped catapult Creighton from Midwest mid-major to Big East glamour team. Averaged 34.8 points in his last four games. Can McDermott pull a Jimmer Fredette, a Gordon Hayward or a Steph Curry and take his program to new heights?

Russ Smith (39), Louisville. The most exciting player in the nation. The 6-foot-1 Smith dunked over 6-9 Julius Randle earlier in the year. He nailed six 3-pointers in less than nine minutes at SMU. He scored 42 in the American Athletic tournament semifinals. He is part showman and part mad man, capable of just about anything at just about any time. Can he put a third Final Four and second national title on his college resume?

The Florida Four (40). The quartet of Scottie Wilbekin, Patric Young, Casey Prather and Will Yeguete have had careers that cover just about every facet of the college athletic experience: overhyped and unprepared; slow maturing; in the doghouse; out of the doghouse; gradually improving; learning new roles; accepting the reality of being four-year players; embracing the reality of being four-year players; and leading the nation's No. 1 team. Now they try to surmount the Final Four hurdle that has proven impassable the previous three seasons.

Sean Kilpatrick (41), Cincinnati. On a team lacking firepower, the fifth-year senior is the offense. It's routinely up to Kilpatrick at the end of the shot clock and at the end of games, and he routinely has come through in leading the Bearcats to a surprising 27-6 season and American Athletic co-championship. Perhaps only McDermott is more indispensable to his team.

Adreian Payne (42), Michigan State. Staying in school has allowed Payne to go from a maddeningly inconsistent talent to a reliable leader of a team that could possibly win it all. The 6-foot-10 Payne shot three 3-pointers in his first two seasons at Michigan State, making one. Last year, he went 16 of 42. This year he is 33 of 77, while maintaining his ability to score in the post. He has made himself into an NBA player.

… AND THE YOUNG GUYS

That's not to say the freshman class hasn't been good – it just hasn't quite lived up to the massive early hype. Nevertheless, here are the first-year players who could heavily impact the tourney:

Jabari Parker (43), Duke. The Minutes would take him first in the NBA draft, and he may end up being the best player in this tournament. Beyond Parker's immense talent, he is a fierce competitor who has enthusiastically played out of position to shore up the Blue Devils' lackluster interior. If you're a casual college hoops fan, you'll be watching him for the next 15 years in the pros – so beat the rush and start now.

Andrew Wiggins (44), Kansas. Offensive game has started to lift off: he averaged 31 ppg over the last three games, shooting 39 free throws (and making 31) in the process. He's the best athlete in the field, and the length of the Jayhawks' stay in Bracketville will rest in no small part on his sculpted shoulders.

Aaron Gordon (45), Arizona. Low-maintenance five-star who is a key piece of the nation's best defense. Nearly had a triple-double in the Pac-12 title game (11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists). The only glaring weakness is foul shooting (44 percent).

Tyler Ennis (46), Syracuse. As the Orange have staggered down the stretch, the unflappable point guard has taken on more of an offensive burden in trying to right the ship. The result has been more points and more missed shots and turnovers as well. But that's just a byproduct of trying to win, and Ennis is a winner. He's averaging 12.7 points and 5.6 assists, and will be vital to any run Syracuse can muster.

Randle/Young/Harrison/Harrison (47), Kentucky. They've all had their trials and tribulations, and at various points looked like lost causes (especially the Harrison twins). But all four are future pros – perhaps the near future – and will be difficult to deal with when playing with a fresh coat of confidence.

FIVE ON A SALARY DRIVE

Players who are performing at a high level and improving their NBA draft stock:

Kyle Anderson (48), UCLA. The 6-9 sophomore is the nation's most versatile player, capable of doing just about anything on the court. He's the Bruins' No. 2 scorer (14.9), leading rebounder (8.8) and leader in assists (6.6). Averaged a double-double (14.7 points, 10.3 rebounds) in the Pac-12 tourney title run.

Montrezl Harrell (49), Louisville. Spectacular dunker who is diversifying his offensive game to include hook shots and turnaround jumpers. Averaging 19.1 points and 8.5 rebounds over the last eight games. The sophomore's only major weakness is the foul line, where he shoots less than 50 percent.

Bryce Cotton (50), Providence. Quick, fearless iron man is averaging 39.9 minutes per game, and his more team-oriented play over the last seven games is the biggest reason why the Friars are in the Big Dance. Cotton has shot less in that time (98 field goal attempts, down from 117 the previous seven games) and Providence has won more (6-1 as opposed to 2-5).

Nick Johnson (51), Arizona. Deluxe athlete who excels in the open floor and can attack in a variety of ways. Junior wingman can have some clunker shooting games but seems to have rediscovered his 3-point stroke at the right time (14-of-33, 42 percent, over the last seven games).

Cleanthony Early (52), Wichita State. The most talented of the Shockers' four-man core group can score inside or outside. Driving or back to the basket. Shooting the 3 or battling in the paint. Senior forward wore out Louisville last year in the Final Four, posting 24 points and 10 rebounds.

HOOSIER EXPATRIATES

There are no Indiana teams in the Big Dance, but there are plenty of players from the state:

Half the Michigan rotation (53). Forward Glenn Robinson III is from St. John. Guard Zak Irvin is from Fishers. Guard Spike Albrecht is from Crown Point. Then there are bench jockeys Sean Lonergan (Fishers) and Andrew Dakich (Zionsville) and injured center Mitch McGary (Chesterton). No wonder Tom Crean was so mad at Michigan assistant Jeff Meyer last year.

Gary Harris and Branden Dawson (54), Michigan State. Harris (Fishers) is the Spartans' leading scorer. Dawson (Gary) is their leading rebounder. Russell Byrd (Fort Wayne) will occasionally come off the bench to shoot a 3.

Justin Martin and Dee Davis (55), Xavier. Martin (Indianapolis) is second in scoring for the Musketeers. Davis (Bloomington) leads the team in assists.

Marshall Plumlee (56) of Warsaw, the third and final Duke Plumlee, is a backup center.

Stephan Van Treese (57), Louisville. Fifth-year senior center from Indy has hustled and muscled his way into the starting lineup as a rebounder (5.7), screen setter and defensive presence.

PRESSURE GAUGE

Five coaches who may be feeling a bigger burden than their peers:

Gregg Marshall (58), Wichita State. Merely trying to become the first team since Indiana in 1976 to go undefeated all season, and the first ever to go 40-0. And roughly half the nation thinks the Shockers are overrated impostors. Is that enough pressure? The Minutes thinks so.

Sean Miller (59), Arizona. Probably the first name on the list of Best Coaches Without a Final Four. He clearly has the team to get there in his 10th season as a head coach. Wildcats haven't been since 2001, and the fan base is hungry for a return to past glory.

Bo Ryan (60), Wisconsin. If anyone's name is above Millers' on the above list, it's Ryan's. Bo isn't getting any younger and may have his best shot to get there, since his team has more offensive firepower than ever. The style of play is effective, but can it win the toughest of NCAA tournament games? We shall see.

Greg McDermott (61), Creighton. Has a once-in-a-lifetime player who also happens to be his son. This opportunity will never come around again. Bluejays haven't been to the Sweet 16 since 1974 – and back then you only had to win one game to get there. Now or never?

Tom Izzo (62), Michigan State. In 18 seasons as a head coach, Izzo has never had a four-year player fail to reach a Final Four. That streak is on the line for the current senior class. With a season that began in the top five and then was sidetracked by injury, can the Spartans put it back together in time to play in Dallas in April?

FOR YOUR VIEWING DISPLEASURE

Things we will see and hear entirely too much of over the next three weeks:

Endless end-of-game situations (63). Basketball games are far less of a time suck than football – except for the end of a close game. Then the final minutes can drag like a weekend visit to the in-laws. Fouling, timeouts, replay reviews all add up to test the patience of even the most committed fans. The Minutes would love to see timeouts reduced to three per team from the current five, and to reduce by half the one minute a coach gets to select a substitute when a player fouls out. But those rule changes aren't happening anytime soon – certainly not soon enough for this NCAA tournament. So prepare yourself for some really drawn-out endings.

Coaches trespassing onto the court (64). It's been a season-long epidemic – coaches straying outside the box to yell at their team and yell at the officials. The coaching box exists for a reason, refs. Enforce it.

The high ball screen at the end of the shot clock (65). This doesn't seem quite as cliché this year as it has been in the recent past, but it is still the default play call for just about everyone when the shot clock is winding down. Big man sets screen at top of key, guard dithers around and then plays off of it. In addition to the utter lack of creativity, this play also leads to more collisions in the paint, and thus more block-charge calls. The world is a better place with fewer block-charge calls, not more.

Officials going to the monitor (66). More situations are under replay review now than ever, especially in the last two minutes. While the desire to get the calls right is laudable, replay can become a crutch for uncertain officials. Games that are held up for extended periods while high elbows, out-of-bounds calls and clock malfunctions are pored over can become exercises in frustration. (Speaking of which: there have been way too many clock malfunctions this year.)

Griping over officiating (67). You'll hear it from coaches, media members and fans. Keep in mind that officiating is an inexact non-science, and errors do occur. And keep in mind the old Minutes axiom: if you blame the refs when your team loses, you are a loser.

BUZZER BEATER

When hungry in the Final Four town of Dallas, The Minutes recommends a pilgrimage to upscale barbecue joint Smoke (68). While running counter to the hole-in-the-wall barbecue ethos of the state, it's worth a try. Order the smoked sausage, the coffee-cured brisket and a locally brewed beer, and thank The Minutes later.

Bulls' Joakim Noah roots on alma mater Florida from afar.

By Mark Strotman

It seems as though everything Joakim Noah gets invested in turns to gold.

So it's no surprise that his Florida Gators, ranked No. 1 in the country, are playing some of their best basketball as Selection Sunday rolls around.

Noah said he watched Florida take down Tennessee in the SEC semifinals just hours before he dropped 23 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in a 94-87 win over the Sacramento Kings.

"I watched the game today and I was really impressed. They played against a tough Tennessee team, came ready to play," he said, "and I think they're a team that's also gone through a lot of adversity early in the year."

Noah referred to point guard Scottie Wilbekin's five-game suspension to begin the season. Wilbekin returned to a Gators team that started 6-2, and he eventually won SEC Player of the Year after averaging 13.0 points, 3.8 assists and 1.9 3-pointers on 40 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

"The defense, Pat Young looks so much more comfortable playing good basketball, (Michael) Frazier's my guy, I love the way he plays. Everybody, proud of those guys. I think they're playing with great poise out there, they're defending and when you defend like that you're going to have a shot to do something special." 

The Gators currently rank fifth in the nation in defensive efficiency, per KenPom.com, and have allowed just two teams to score more than 70 points. Noah, a two-time champion under Billy Donovan, led top-20 defenses in both championship seasons and certainly has carried that over into his NBA career.

Speaking as an alum and sounding like his current head coach, Tom Thibodeau, Noah said he's proud of the way the Gators, who play Kentucky in the SEC Championship Sunday afternoon, play hard each possession -- much like his current Bulls.

"It's exciting as an alum, as a proud Gator to watch a team that's playing like that. That's all you can ask for. That's the only thing that matters," he said. "It's exciting that they're going to have a shot in any game because of how hard they play. So I'm proud of that."

High school coaches say Texas A&M the best in Texas; Texas third.

By Kevin McGuire

 

(Reuters)

Two seasons have been put in the books since Texas A&M made the decision to leave the Big 12 for the SEC. The move was ridiculed by many and few suspected the Aggies would thrive on the field to the level Texas A&M has since making the move. I’ll throw myself under the bus. I was one of the doubters. Off the field was always a different story. The move to the SEC had many benefits that were easy to see, and with the Aggies more than holding their own on the field, the move seems to be scored as a success in the early years.

Texas A&M is the top college football program in the state of Texas right now. So what does the pecking order after that look like? Not quite as orange as you might suspect.

Longhorn Digest asked four anonymous high school football caches recently to get their take on how the college football powers stack up right now, in addition to some more specific questions regarding Texas and new head coach Charlie Strong. Texas A&M was the unanimous number one choice of the four coaches. Defending Big 12 champion Baylor was a consensus number two. Just behind the Bears came the Texas Longhorns. Yes, Texas has slipped to number three not just in the eyes of the college football world, but also the high school coaches in a state that is incredibly rich with respect for the high school game.

“Because they are Texas it is an easy gap to close if there is any,” said one of the high school coaches polled. “I think there is a bigger gap between Texas and Texas A&M. But that can close in a number of ways.”

“A&M has the momentum right now,” said another coach. “As you know, one winning season at Texas will change everything.”

“They could come back right now and take over A&M if they want to,” another coach said. “That’s how powerful they are. They can do anything they want. They are the Texas freaking Longhorns.”

So, how bad to the Texas freaking Longhorns want to be back on top?

SMU headlines this year's list of biggest NCAA tournament snubs.

By Jeff Eisenberg

Hall of fame coach Larry Brown's first NCAA tournament game since winning the 1988 national title with Kansas will have to wait at least another year. 

SMU was expected to receive one of the final at-large bids on Sunday, but Brown's team instead became the most surprising omission from the field of 68. NC State, BYU, Tennessee and Xavier were among the bubble teams the selection committee decided were more worthy even though the Mustangs were ranked 25th in the edition of the AP poll released last Monday. 

Committee chairman Ron Wellman told CBS that SMU's modest strength of schedule outweighed its 23-9 record and four victories against NCAA tournament-bound teams from its league. 

"SMU had an outstanding resume but their non-conference strength of schedule was in the 300s, which is not very good obviously," Wellman said. "Their overall strength of schedule was 129. The next lowest strength of schedule in the field is 91, so there was quite a bit of difference between their strength of schedule and the other teams in the field.

"It still remained a very difficult decision because when you give them the eye test, they're very good and they're very impressive to the committee. But when you start comparing the team sheets of those teams they were fighting to get into the tournament with, we sided with the other teams and the strength of schedule was a very big factor."

 

SMU was certainly not the only disappointed bubble team Sunday evening. Here's a look at Sunday's biggest snubs starting with the Mustangs.

SMU (23-9, 12-6): Considered a near-certain NCAA tournament team throughout February and early March, SMU opened itself up to further scrutiny by losing its final three games of the season including an league tournament quarterfinal to middling Houston on Thursday. What the committee found was a profile boosted by two wins over UConn and one apiece against Memphis and Cincinnati but weighed down by a poor strength of schedule and a trio of losses to teams 140 and worse in the RPI. The committee has repeatedly reminded teams to challenge themselves out of conference if they want at-large bids. With SMU's strength of schedule of 137 and non-league strength of schedule of 303, consider this another message sent. 

Green Bay (24-6, 14-2): The Phoenix were the most deserving small-conference regular season champion not to get a bid. Their season unraveled when stars Keifer Sykes and Alec Brown both sustained injuries in Horizon League semifinals against Milwaukee, contributing to a surprising loss that dashed Green Bay's hopes of an automatic bid and ultimately excluded it from the NCAA tournament. Green Bay coach Brian Wardle had hoped the committee would consider the injury factor as well as that his team dominated the Horizon League and beat ACC champion Virginia in November. Alas, it wasn't enough to outweigh a resume lacking other quality wins.

Florida State (19-13, 9-9): Had Florida State finished off upset bids against either Michigan or Florida during non-league play, the Seminoles might be in the NCAA tournament. Instead they suffered a pair of narrow losses that ultimately proved costly. Florida State had only three wins against RPI top 50 teams -- VCU, Pittsburgh and UMass -- and it was 6-12 against the RPI top 100. There were no bad losses aside from a stumble against Miami in league play, but still it's hard to feel too bad for the Seminoles considering how many opportunities for quality wins they let slip away. 

Arkansas (21-11, 10-8): No bubble team left a worse final impression on the committee than the Razorbacks, who fell at woeful Alabama by 25 in their regular season finale and then somehow managed to follow that by losing to South Carolina in the first round of the SEC tournament. That cost Arkansas a crack at Tennessee in the quarterfinals and undid much of the good the Razorbacks did in winning six straight prior to that to reenter the bubble conversation. A pair of victories over Kentucky and two others over SMU and Minnesota boosted Arkansas' chances, but the committee ultimately decided that didn't offset a bloated No. 68 RPI, a poor strength of schedule and three league losses to teams outside the top 100.

Cal (19-13, 10-8): It would have been hard to imagine Cal in the NIT when it started 5-0 in Pac-12 play or upset Arizona on Feb. 1, but the Bears failed to maintain that momentum. They dropped nine of their final 14 games, leaving them with a resume uninspiring besides the Arizona win. Solid victories over Oregon, Stanford and Colorado also helped, but the Bears had a mediocre No. 59 RPI, bad losses to UC Santa Barbara and USC and a 4-10 record against the RPI top 50. That's a resume that made it easy for the committee to justify excluding them. 

*********************************************

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!!!!!