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How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Rinne, Predators shut out Blackhawks.
By Jerry Bonkowski, The Sports Xchange
Choose your adjective or phrase: deja vu, instant replay, rerun, or hockey's version of the movie Groundhog Day.
Any way you describe it, the Nashville Predators played virtually the same type of game on Sunday that they did the last time they met the Chicago Blackhawks, just nine days ago and also at the United Center.
And fortunately for the Predators and not so much for the Blackhawks, with the same outcome.
Center Mike Fisher and left winger Gabriel Borque scored goals to lead the Predators to a 2-0 win over the Blackhawks this time.
"They didn't get those second and third looks that sometimes they can," Predators coach Barry Trotz said of the Blackhawks. "I thought really our defense, especially (Shea) Weber, was an absolute monster out there today. He was worth every penny, watching him. To me, that was the best performance by a defenseman all year."
While the score was slightly different than the Preds' 3-2 win on March 14, Nashville's effort, play, determination and the outcome were all the same.
As a result, Nashville (31-31-10, 72 points) was able to cling to hope that it still might make the playoffs, even though the Predators are currently 12th in the Western Conference with 10 games remaining in the regular season.
Just like he did in the March 14 win, Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (7-9-1) shined in net, stopping all 29 of Chicago's shots.
"It was a good bounce-back game for (Rinne, who had lost two of his last three starts)," Trotz said. "You saw tonight exactly what Pekka Rinne can do for you."
Added Rinne, "We seem to match up against them pretty well. We have to play defensive-style hockey against them. They have a lot of individuals who can change the momentum and the game, but that team always seems to get the best out of us."
As good as the Predators felt after beating the Blackhawks for the third time in four meetings this season, there was also bad news: star defenseman Seth Jones left the game at the end of the first period and did not return.
The team announced that he had suffered an upper-body injury, but there is no word yet on how severe and if he may potentially miss any upcoming games.
For whatever reason, the Blackhawks (41-16-15, 97 points) have had trouble with the Predators this season -- probably more trouble than they should when you consider Nashville is last in the Central Division and had lost six of its previous 10 games prior to Sunday's meeting.
Still, the facts are the facts and the final outcome is what it is.
"We want to keep getting those points and we left two on the table tonight," Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith said. "For whatever reason, we've had trouble against these guys. I can't pinpoint what it is."
Sunday's outing was a far cry from the Blackhawks' inspiring performances in their last two games, a 3-2 win over Carolina on Friday and a 4-0 shutout of the arch-rival St. Louis Blues last Wednesday.
"We had a good start and we had a couple of great looks at the net (but) missed the net, missed the opportunities there and they scored first," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "What happened after was exactly what happened the other day (against Nashville). They get the lead and they go into a check-fest and they check well."
Just like the last meeting nine days ago, the Predators jumped out to a 2-0 lead.
Fisher connected on his 18th goal of the season at 18:38 of the first period.
Nashville went ahead 2-0 on Chicago at 17:35 on Borque's seventh goal of the season.
Although Chicago outshot Nashville 20-11 through the first two periods, Nashville played an inspired game, almost as if it was still fighting for a playoff spot, a possibility that is dim at best.
Losing Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (28-13-10) stopped 15 of Nashville's 17 shots.
NOTES: There has been little word out of Chicago's camp since Friday's announcement that RW Patrick Kane will be out for at least the remainder of the regular season. The team is hopeful that Kane, who was placed on the Long Term Injured list, will be able to return for the first round of the playoffs, but that's an optimistic view at best, considering he has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee and is on crutches. ... Chicago hosts Dallas on Tuesday before a three-game road trip to Boston (March 27), Ottawa (March 28) and Pittsburgh (March 30). The Blackhawks return to the United Center to host the Minnesota Wild on April 3. ... Chicago still leads the all-time series (45-33-4-8). ... What a difference a year makes: Even in last year's lockout-shortened season, the Blackhawks still managed to win all five meetings with the Predators. ... Chicago came into the game still leading the NHL in goals per game (3.31) and total goals (235). ... After scoring a goal and two assists Friday and becoming the sixth draftee in team history to surpass 200 points in his NHL career, Predators RW Patrick Hornqvist was given the night off. Other scratches were D Michael Del Zotto, RW Patrick Eaves and C Paul Gaustad. Chicago listed five scratches: D David Rundblad, D Michal Rozsival, and LWs Matt Carey, Bryan Bickell and Teuvo Teravainen. ... Attendance was 21,727.
By BARRY WILNER (AP Pro Football Writer)
As further proof the NFL never is far from the headlines, owners could make plenty of news this week at their spring meetings.
They will consider 13 playing rules proposals and seven bylaws. They will discuss expanding the playoff field from 12 to 14 teams, although a vote on such a move is uncertain.
Some changes would seem to be slam dunks: extending the height of the goal posts 5 feet to help determine if kicks are good; eliminating overtime in preseason games; placing fixed TV cameras on the goal lines, end lines and sidelines to help with replay reviews.
Others seem almost sidebars to the real action, such as from where to enforce defensive penalties when they occur behind the line of scrimmage, or extending pass interference calls to within a yard of the line.
Perhaps the juiciest suggestions came from the Patriots. They want to move the line of scrimmage to the 25 for extra points, and to allow coaches to challenge any calls except on scoring plays, which are automatically reviewed.
Passing those proposals would make for a major change in how NFL games are played.
''We discussed a lot of different scenarios that have been raised,'' Rams coach Jeff Fisher, co-chairman of the influential competition committee, said of longer extra-point kicks. ''I will point out ... last year we had five tries missed (out of 1,267). I think four were blocked, one was missed. It's still a competitive play.
''We are going to propose ... to the membership during one of the preseason weeks that we move the extra point back to the 20-yard line and see how that goes. It's on our radar.''
New England's idea on coaches' challenges in some ways echoes college football, in which every play can be reviewed. Falcons President Rich McKay, the other co-chairman of the competition committee, said reviews or challenges on defensive pass interference calls have been considered before.
''We've always shied away, as a committee, from penalties and the review of penalties for the most basic reason,'' McKay said. ''We didn't want to put the referee in the position of using his subjective judgment on a play in place of the on-field official. We always thought the intent of replay, when it was put back in in 1998, was to deal with plays where there was an objective standard.''
Washington has proposed making personal foul penalties reviewable.
How replay reviews are conducted overall will be discussed after the committee has proposed allowing the referee to consult with members of the NFL officiating department. The process won't change, but the command center in New York headed by director of officiating Dean Blandino will already be reviewing the play when the referee gets to the replay monitor.
''At the end of the day, what's going to happen is we're going to make sure that every single review is correct and we feel like this will speed up the instant replay process and timing,'' Fisher said.
The Redskins want kickoffs moved to the 40 yard-line for ''safety and historic consistency,'' although doing so might totally eliminate returns. But some coaches hint it could lead to more pooch kicks, which wouldn't make the kickoff any safer.
Another suggestion is to eliminate stopping the clock on a sack. That no longer is done in the final two minutes of each half, and if passed it will be totally eliminated.
The Redskins also proposed raising the number of active players on game day from 46 to 49 for games on any day but Sunday or Monday - not including opening weekend. Washington seeks an increase in the practice squad limit from eight to 10 players; allowing trades after the Super Bowl until when the league year begins in March; eliminating the first preseason roster cut to 75 and having just one cut to 53 at the end of the preseason; and allowing more than one player to return from injured reserve during the season after six weeks on the list.
Mark Cuban predicts NFL's implosion: 'pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered'.
Tadd Haislop Sporting News
Mark Cuban is at it again.
Although this time the outspoken Mavericks owner's unfiltered shots are aimed at the National Football League, not the National Basketball Association.
During his routine pre-game conversation with the media Sunday, Cuban (when asked about the NFL's television expansion) predicted the nation's most popular league will eventually burn itself out.
"I think the NFL is 10 years away from an implosion," Cuban said according to ESPNDallas.com. "I'm just telling you, pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. And they're getting hoggy. Just watch. Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. When you try to take it too far, people turn the other way.
"I'm just telling you, when you've got a good thing and you get greedy, it always, always, always, always, always turns on you. That's rule number one of business."
And Cuban, a highly successful businessman and investor, knows a thing or two about business.
The NFL in February announced a new TV deal that, with additional coverage on CBS, will expand the league's capacity for Thursday Night Football and even add a couple Saturday games late in the season.
Cuban joins the NFL's coaches and players who, generally speaking, hate the idea of mid-week regular-season games. The largest and most obvious concern from teams is the fact that players can't adequately recover from the previous week. And coaches don't have enough time to study opponents' film and prepare a solid game plan.
Players and coaches understandably don't like the idea. But commissioner Roger Goodell and the league seem to love it for obvious reasons: more nationally televised games equate to more mulah — for everybody.
NFL fans, for the most part, love the idea, too. More football is a beautiful thing, right? Wrong, Cuban says.
"They're trying to take over every night of TV," Cuban said. "Initially, it'll be, 'Yeah, they're the biggest-rating thing that there is.' OK, Thursday, that's great, regardless of whether it impacts [the NBA] during that period when we cross over. Then if it gets Saturday, now you're impacting colleges. Now it's on four days a week. ...
"It's all football. At some point, the people get sick of it."
Is Cuban concerned about the NFL television ratings' affect on the NBA's? Maybe. But his opinion on the NFL's seemingly uncontrollable popularity is interesting. Cuban's comments — combined with the public's exponentially growing safety concerns about the sport of football — present legitimate questions regarding the league's future.
Think of it this way: People love to eat food, so a smart individual invented the buffet.
But one can only eat so much. Steak is delicious, but if you eat it every day it eventually becomes intolerable.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls 91, 76ers 81.
By The Sports Xchange
Center Joakim Noah did more scoring than passing for a change and the Chicago Bulls handed the Philadelphia 76ers their 24th consecutive loss with a 91-81 victory Saturday night at the United Center.
With the loss, Philadelphia moved into sole possession of second place on the list of longest losing streaks within a single season. Cleveland set the record of 26 straight in 2010-11. Three other teams lost 23 in a row -- Vancouver in 1995-96, Denver in 1997-98 and Charlotte in 2011-12.
Noah, who scored 20 points, had led the Bulls in assists during the previous nine games, but that streak came to an end. He finished with eight rebounds and four assists. Guard Jimmy Butler added 17 points for Chicago (39-31), while forward Taj Gibson and guard D.J. Augustin scored 16 each.
Forward Thaddeus Young led Philadelphia (15-55) with 28 points, while center Henry Sims finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds. The 76ers shot 34.5 percent from the field as a team.
The 76ers battled all night, but missed their first 18 attempts from 3-point range. Center Byron Mullens finally ended that streak with 9:47 left in the fourth quarter and they ended the night 1-for-20 from long range.
Chicago led for the entire second half, but was never able to put much distance on the 76ers.
Philadelphia pulled within 86-79 with 3:50 remaining on Young's three-point play.
The Bulls responded with a jumper by Gibson and a 3-pointer by Augustin, which gave them the biggest lead of the night at 91-79 with 2:29 remaining.
The two teams had trouble converting inside. The box score had the Bulls hitting just 13 of 32 shots in the paint. The 76ers were not much better at 20-for-43. Gibson recorded a game-high four blocked shots.
Both teams were coming off tough losses Friday. Philadelphia nearly ended the losing streak with a late comeback against New York, but Carter-Williams' potential tying 3-pointer rimmed out just before the buzzer.
The 76ers controlled the first quarter Saturday, building a 25-20 lead, while limiting Chicago to 25 percent shooting (4-for-16). The Bulls did not take their first lead of the game until Augustin hit a 3-pointer to make it 39-38 with 1:28 left in the second quarter.
NOTES: Philadelphia will be without G Tony Wroten indefinitely due to a sprained right ankle. He's the Sixers' fourth-leading scorer at 13.4 points per game. Coach Brett Brown said he expects Wroten to miss all three games on the current road trip and perhaps more. "It's just another opportunity to see maybe more minutes of all of our young guys," Brown said. ... Heading into Saturday, Chicago C Joakim Noah had led the team in assists for nine straight games. ... Brown on getting the Sixers to play hard during the long losing streak: "It's been my greatest fear, but probably the single area where I'm most proud of and it hasn't been as hard as I thought." ... Philadelphia G Michael Carter-Williams is on pace to become the third player since 1950-51 to lead all rookies in points, rebounds and assists. The others were Oscar Robertson in 1960-61 and Alvan Adams in 1975-76.
Pacers-Bulls Preview.
By CHRIS ALTRUDA (STATS Editor)
The Indiana Pacers already took the first step of clinching a playoff berth. The second could come Monday night by clinching the Central Division title with a victory over the Chicago Bulls.
Indiana (51-19) was the first team in the East to secure a postseason spot and leads Miami for the best record in the conference by three games with 12 remaining. The Pacers also own a 12-game lead over the Bulls, whom they beat 91-79 on Friday night, and are on the verge of clinching back-to-back division titles for just the second time in franchise history.
With the quick turnaround in facing a division rival for the second time in four days, Pacers coach Frank Vogel thinks his team will regroup and forget about its 82-71 loss at Memphis on Saturday in which Indiana was held to a season low in points.
"When you're playing in the playoffs, you play a team and you got to make adjustments two days later and that's what these two games are going to feel like," the coach told the Pacers' official website. "From that standpoint, it'll be good for our guys to dial in to adjustments."
Those adjustments need to come on the offensive end after Indiana shot 36.5 percent and had only 14 assists versus the Grizzlies. On Friday, Indiana had 27 assists on its 34 baskets and also balanced scoring as Luis Scola came off the bench to score 19 points - joining five starters in double figures.
"We have to create opportunities for teammates to move the ball," Paul George said after Friday's defeat. "It's only so much ball movement you can do when you're not moving yourself. We got to do a better job of moving with the ball and do a better job of screening. We're screening poorly right now as a team."
George has struggled with his shot lately, going 9 of 40 (22.5 percent) in his last three games, and he's had similar issues against Chicago. The two-time All-Star has shot 12 for 46 (26.1 percent) and averaged 14.3 points in three games against the Bulls this season.
George did have a triple-double (10 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) in Friday's win.
Chicago (39-31) trails Toronto by a half-game for third in the East. The Bulls have alternated wins and losses in their last five, but the last two victories have come at the expense of the woebegone Philadelphia 76ers, who are in the throes of a 24-game losing streak.
D.J. Augustin and Taj Gibson provided a spark off the bench Saturday night, combining for 32 points and two key baskets late as the Bulls won 91-81. Joakim Noah had 20 points and eight rebounds for Chicago, but the center is fully aware his team must raise its play against a higher caliber of opponent.
"We could play better than we are playing now," he told the Bulls' official website. "Indiana was a tough game for us. We wish we could have played better. We'll have a chance to see them again soon."
Noah had 12 points and 13 rebounds Friday but was 5 for 15 from the field. That type of shooting has been a microcosm of the Bulls' two losses to Indiana - they shot 35.6 percent in a 97-80 loss Nov. 6 and 36.4 percent Friday.
That's a stark contrast to Chicago's 110-94 home win Nov. 16, when it shot 50.6 percent and had seven players in double figures.
By Dan Hayes
The White Sox have opted to rip the Band-Aid off early.
Knowing they had a series of tough decisions ahead, the White Sox reshuffled their roster on Sunday morning with five days left before they break camp.
Among Sunday’s five moves, the White Sox released reliever Mitchell Boggs and optioned Matt Davidson and Jordan Danks to Triple-A Charlotte. The team also reassigned pitcher Dylan Axelrod to minor-league camp and optioned reliever Jacob Petricka to Charlotte.
Left in camp are 33 players for 25 spots, including nine relievers for seven roles in the bullpen, though that battle appears to be down to three pitchers for one position. Though each transaction was difficult general manager Rick Hahn suggested the choice to option Danks was perhaps the hardest decision he has made this spring.
“None of these conversations are really easy when you get to this point in camp but Jordan obviously had an outstanding spring,” Hahn said. “Has really done everything we have asked of him over the last couple of years in terms of coming up and being prepared when the opportunity does arise in Chicago. We told him it was a tough decision but one that was affected by numbers and the rest of the roster and that he needs to go down there and keep doing what he’s doing and be ready when the opportunity inevitably arises at the big leagues.”
Danks has known since the offseason he might not make the team no matter how he performed because of a crowded White Sox roster. With four outfielders ahead of him on the depth chart and a shortage of spots, Danks thought there was a chance he could start in Charlotte. But Danks decided to not worry about the big picture and focus on giving the White Sox a difficult decision.
White Sox manager Robin Ventura has called Danks the most improved player in camp this spring. In 45 plate appearances, Danks has a .333/.378/.738 slash line with five home runs and 10 RBIs in 45 plate appearances.
Danks knows he accomplished his goal.
“They’ve just got too many outfielders, but one thing they did say was not to be discouraged about it, that I’m definitely one of the guys that could be helping them on this team, so go down there and continue to hit and like they said, just be ready,” Danks said.
Ventura agrees with Hahn’s assessment that Danks and Davidson are close to, or at, major league ready. But because the club has few spots available Ventura had to have discussions with players that are never easy.
“That’s the tough part,” Ventura said. “If you had extra room or the rosters were bigger you’d probably have them. It’s tough. It’s never easy having that conversation with those guys. But it’s part of our business and you keep going and they have to learn how to deal with it and keep playing and improve and be ready when they’re called upon.”
Both Ventura and Hahn said they requested release waivers on Boggs because they didn’t think the right-hander would be prepared in time. Boggs’ departure along with Petricka and Axelrod heading to the minors clarifies the bullpen situation some. It appears Maikel Cleto, who can touch 100 mph and is out of options, will grab a spot in the bullpen. With Matt Lindstrom, Ronald Belisario, Nate Jones, Donnie Veal and Scott Downs pretty much assured, that leaves rookie Daniel Webb and non-roster invitees Zach Putnam and David Purcey.
“He just ran out of time of getting full strength back of him throwing,” Ventura said. “We don’t have the luxury of staying with it and seeing that all the way through without making this move. Would love to have him back if it pans out.”
The rest of the White Sox opening day roster appears to be contingent on the health of Gordon Beckham, who has only begun to lightly test his left oblique strain as of Sunday. Both Hahn and Ventura have said they’re not certain about Beckham’s status with eight days until the March 31 opener. But they also think they don’t have to rush him back because of the play of Marcus Semien, Leury Garcia and prospect Micah Johnson, who is still in camp but likely to begin the season in the minors.
Adam Scott's collapse opens door for Matt Every's first PGA Tour win.
By Brian Murphy
Matt Every won his first PGA Tour tournament in 93 career starts. (AP)
The Florida Swing is over, and the moral of the story is: Every man can win.
That's a joke, folks. Matt Every won the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday, and while we doff our caps for the 30-year-old Floridian's first career win in 93 PGA Tour starts, we also marvel at the revolution taking place.
The Sunshine State golf this year started with young'n Russell Henley toppling Rory McIlroy (who shot a Sunday 74) at the Honda Classic. It moved on to see Patrick (Top Five, Whether You Like It Or Not) Reed stun the world's top-50 at Doral. We watched John Senden remind us that the 40-plus crowd can still dust off the skills once in a while at Innisbrook.
And then just when it seemed royalty was ready to restore order, Adam Scott prepped for his Masters defense by blowing a seven-shot lead in front of the King, right down to a Sunday 76. Not to say that'll spoil Scott's green-jacketed homecoming in a couple of weeks, but if I were the valet on Magnolia Lane, I'd avoid eye contact with the Aussie.
All that reinventing of Scott's image, major winner, all grown up, cashed in on potential, blah, blah, blah doesn't look so hot when Arnold Palmer himself has to hand the big check to Matt Every, and not the guy who shot 62 on Thursday and had the field in a choke hold. Oh, did I say "choke" out loud?
So Every keeps the theme alive. In the post-Tiger landscape, it's anybody's game, it's everybody's game. Sort of fittingly, Every's path to victory was choppy, and not that pretty. No white steed up the 18th fairway, nothing like that. Playing like you might expect the 94th-ranked player in the world to play – that is to say, jittery – Every bogeyed two of his last three holes and had to sweat out a Keegan Bradley birdie attempt on the 72nd hole before he had his Steve Sands moment on NBC's post-round coverage. Even Johnny Miller noted in the booth that Every was so bummed by his final-hole bogey, his post-green handshake with Arnie didn't even allow him to walk tall.
But in the end, he had scoreboard, and a final-round 70, and his first win, and that made for a nice hometown story. He choked up thinking about it, winning in his home state, at a tournament he used to attend as a kid. He putted like a dream, for the most part. His birdies on 10 and 13 fueled his win, and both involved lovely strokes, a 19-footer on 10, a 13-footer on 13. He shot 66 on Saturday, so a 66-70 weekend is the stuff, and takes him to next month's Masters for his very first trip to Amen Corner.
It's unfortunate that when you Google "Matt Every," one of the first things you see is a mug shot from a 2010 marijuana bust in Iowa. The Internet is cruel that way. He was suspended 90 days from the Tour, and in his defense, let history show that Every's transgression is now legal in several states in our great country. That's in the past, as is his winless streak. The four-time All-American Florida Gator was cooler than Scott under pressure, and had enough gas in the tank to outlast the wild stallion that is Bradley.
You never know who will be the last man standing these days on Tour. Tiger's out with a bad back, Rory is a cipher, Phil seems to be biding time until the majors and Scott is firing off 76s with Arnie standing greenside. Anything and Every-thing goes.
SCORECARD OF THE WEEK
71-67-66-72 – 12-under 276, Keegan Bradley, 2nd place, Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bay Hill Club, Orlando, Fla.
Here comes Keegan! Lock the doors!
Nobody does "crazed golfer" like Bradley, whom Johnny Miller surmised "must have twice the adrenaline of every other player out here." All the Bradley trademarks were on display Sunday; the stalking of the line, the twitchiness over the ball, the energized golf swing, the fidgety body language and, yes, the wild eye staring down putts. Like I said, Keegan Bradley golf.
It was fun to see again. This was Bradley's 40th start since his last win, the 2012 WGC-Bridgestone, and while that's not a Dust Bowl drought, and while he is still a top-30 ranked player in the world, with seven top-10 finishes last year, I'm sure Bradley burned to make the Arnold Palmer Invitational his fourth career win. Then again, Bradley burns to get his Dunkin' Donuts coffee every morning, too, so it's all relative.
He darn near did – get the win, not the coffee – and in Bradley-esque fashion, too. That means he was picking up speed as the round went on, like a car in a Soap Box Derby.
After bogeys on Nos. 10 and 11 put him 3-over for the day, you began to wonder if he was letting the pressure get to him. Then, here came Keegan. He birdied the two par-5s on the back, then stuffed his difficult tee shot on No. 17 to nine feet, and sank the putt. He was one shot back and all fired up. I mean, all fired up. Like, Keegan fired up.
He hit a good drive on 18, watched from the fairway as Every bogeyed the hole. Bradley knew he had a chance, and rifled his approach to … 29 feet away. He'd have liked it closer, obviously. He made a hell of a run at the birdie, missing by a foot, and settled for the silver medal.
The bigger picture is, Bradley reminded us that majors season is in the offing, and here's a guy who has one in his quiver already. The way he charged on the weekend at Bay Hill, with a Saturday 66 and those three birdies down the stretch Sunday, it would be foolish to ignore his warning signs. Besides, if you ignore them, Bradley will pop up on your TV screen, all wild-eyed, to remind you.
MULLIGAN OF THE WEEK
A blown four-foot putt on 16 for birdie, part of his unraveling, is something you'd think Adam Scott will see in his bad dreams. Except it has so much competition in his memory reel of botched putts, it may have to take a number. That's not meant to be a cheap shot at Scott, but instead a marvel at how devastating a player the world's No. 2 would be if he ever figured out how to roll it consistently.
To think the greatest moment of Scott's career was a beautifully read and perfectly struck putt. His 20-footer at Augusta National last spring in the playoff with Angel Cabrera was as uncharacteristic as it was dramatic. It'd be like if Barry Bonds' greatest at-bat ever was a sacrifice bunt, so incongruous is the thought of Scott sinking a huge putt for a major. At no point in the past seven seasons has Scott even cracked the top 100 in the Strokes Gained-Putting statistic on the PGA Tour.
And there he was on 16, on the par-5 in two strokes, with a chance to close within one stroke of Every and surely make Every's sweat pores flip into hyperdrive. His eagle putt from 25 feet looked good for a while, but slid four feet past. Surely, even Scott would make the comebacker for bird and put the heat on Every.
Except, he didn't. He made that weak, unconfident, jerky-pass at the golf ball, and tugged it left. No birdie. No pressure on Every. More woes for Scott, whose poor putting cost him the Australian Open last December. Johnny Miller noted in the booth that blowing a seven-shot lead heading into Augusta National is "not good for his confidence, not good at all." And Scott himself said after the round he was "annoyed" his short game didn't hold up under pressure, and admitted he was looking to build his confidence, only to fall short.
I'd worry more about Scott's psyche, but he's proven to us before that his amnesia skills are pretty decent. After all, nothing was worse than his 2012 British Open collapse, bogeying the final four holes and handing Ernie Els the Claret Jug. Scott answered that with a green jacket only nine months later.
Still, let's go back out to 16, remind Scott that he owns the green jacket, that they're currently in the kitchen preparing the Champion's Dinner for next month, give him that 4-footer all over again, remind him to breathe and … give that man a mulligan!
BROADCAST MOMENT OF THE WEEK
"I saw Padraig Harrington after his pro-am Wednesday, and I asked him who he thought was the best player in the world right now. He said: 'Patrick Reed.' " – Steve Sands, The Golf Channel, in Sunday's morning coverage.
The Pat Reed legend grows. This Harrington tidbit was passed along as Reed played early on Sunday, nowhere near the lead but with another made cut. He continues to mostly play good golf, and continues to remain an intriguing name for April's Masters.
And there he was again, wearing the red shirt and black slacks on Sunday. So, this is a thing for Reed. He's working a look. Unfortunately, he played more like Tiger of 2014 than Tiger of 2000. Reed was 6-over on his final 10 holes for a Sunday 77, tumbling 34 shots down the leader board for a tie-52rd. Insert top-52-in-the-world joke here, please.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Now it feels like the countdown is on. The Florida Swing is over, and the Tour takes its relatively new "Texas Detour" before we all kneel in the pews that make up the cathedral of pines two weeks from Thursday.
It's on to TPC San Antonio for the Texas Open, or as it's known in Kevin Na's household "Nightmare on Texas Brush Street." Yeah, that's where Na chopped his way to a "16" in the shrubbery a few years back.
Phil Mickelson is playing the Texas Open for the first time in 22 years, because that's the kind of thing Phil does – play the Texas Open when we least expect it. Young Texan Jordan Spieth is there, as is Patrick Reed, and he'll be wearing red on Sunday, and for his sake, hopefully not posting a pair of hockey sticks on the Sabbath.
Kyle Busch seizes lead on final lap of GWC restart to win second straight at Auto Club Speedway.
By Nick Bromberg
After climbing from his car in victory lane, Kyle Busch was quick to break out a Days of Thunder reference.
Yeah, it was a wild final two laps at Auto Club Speedway. After a spate of tire issues jumbled up the field as the race's final long green flag run wound down, Busch took the lead off turn two on the final lap of a green-white-checker restart and held off Kyle Larson for the win.
It's Busch's second straight Cup win at Auto Club Speedway. On Saturday, Larson beat Busch for the victory in the Nationwide Series race.
"What do you expect when you get a green-white-checker finish and everyone's got to come down pit road and put four tires on?" Busch asked before channeling Harry Hogge, Robert Duvall's character in the 1990 film. "That's a 'Days of Thunder' thing right there. It's - 'What do you mean? there's two laps to go, everybody's going to pit, Cole.'"
After Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Marcos Ambrose and finally Clint Bowyer had tire issues in the final 10 laps of the race, the caution flag flew for Bowyer's spin as then-leader Jeff Gordon had two laps to go until the scheduled end of the race.
The race then became about tire strategy. While Landon Cassill stayed out in a Hail Mary attempt for his low-budget team to snatch an improbable win or top 10, everyone else hit pit road. Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart and Paul Menard took two tires. Everyone else, including Busch, took four.
Stewart and Kurt Busch battled for the lead through turn two that final lap and when Stewart slid high, that opened the door for Kyle Busch, who came through the middle with Larson right behind him. Larson made a dive into turn three for a way around Kyle Busch, but unlike Saturday's race, he wasn't able to power ahead of him for the win.
Because of the finish and the overall quality of racing at Auto Club Speedway last year, when Busch powered past Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin as the latter two drivers crashed off of turn four on the final lap, the standards for Sunday's race at ACS were very high. And typically, the NASCAR hype machine tends to devour anything and everything in its path, leaving little to live up to the lofty expectations that are created.
And you know what? The race lived up to them, even if there wouldn't have been a final two-lap wild dash. Yes, many teams had tire issues, but it's the same tire that produced such dramatic racing last year. There was still plenty of passing and multi-groove racing as drivers with good cars were able to cut their way through the field if necessary.
After finishing 10th, Carl Edwards is the new points leader by a single point over Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gordon is third, two points behind Edwards.
Lionel Messi reminds soccer world of his greatness in Barcelona's El Clasico win.
By Martin Rogers
Lionel Messi trumped Cristiano Ronaldo, Barcelona one-upped Real Madrid and the award for the most electrifying game of the European soccer season is now decided.
Barcelona's 4-3 victory at the home of its hated rival on Sunday had everything and enough controversy – in the form of three disputed penalty kick calls – to fuel debate and speculation until the end of the campaign and beyond.
And amid all of it was the timeliest of reminders that Messi is as potent of a force as ever, even if Ronaldo's more consistent body of recent work means that many believe he is now the best soccer player on the planet.
This storied rivalry between the most iconic clubs in the Spanish league can never be about just one man, or two. It is about history and tradition and an eternal struggle for power and prestige. Yet over the course of 90 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu, Messi was the decisive factor – an oasis of calm in a clash that often got heated – and central to everything that went right for Barcelona.
The Argentinian superstar set up one goal and scored three more, as he simply refused to be beaten on a night where the narrative always seemed ready to shift in a new unpredictable direction.
Messi has been somewhat short of his best in this injury-marred season, but it is the kind of "poor" campaign that most players would die for. When he is at 80 percent, he is still destructive. When he is at his peak, as he was on Sunday, there is no one to match him, Ronaldo included.
It took just seven minutes for him to set up Barca's opening goal with a perfect pass to Andres Iniesta to run onto and then smash into the top corner, a clinical finish to a clinical move. But Real, hungry to secure the La Liga championship after being title favorites since the turn of the year, bounced back. Karim Benzema struck twice within four minutes midway through the first half, capitalizing on jitters in the Madrid defense and, for his first, a goalkeeping error from Victor Valdes.
Messi made sure things were evenly poised by the break, though, skipping through a congested penalty area to fire home a left-footed equalizer. Ronaldo could not conjure the kind of dominant display he has managed so often this season, but his penalty after being tripped by Dani Alves in the 54th minute put the hosts back in front. Replays showed that the infraction actually occurred just outside the box, but without the benefit of video assistance it was hard to blame the referee entirely.
At that point, Real Madrid had to like its chances of hanging on and effectively bumping Barcelona out of title contention. But Messi had not yet had his final say. The game effectively turned on his beautiful pass into the path of Neymar, who was pulled down by Sergio Ramos to draw the Spanish international defender a red card and allow Messi to level things from the penalty spot.
Short-handed, Real could not stop the Barca attacking juggernaut. With six minutes left, the visitors earned another penalty when Iniesta was blocked by Xabi Alonso. Sure enough, Messi dispatched another perfect spot kick, and the victory was secure.
The diminutive star now has a record 20 career goals in El Clasicos and his efforts on Sunday have left the scrap for the title delicately poised. This season features the rarest of things in Spanish soccer: a three-way battle for the top spot with Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid on 70 points and Barcelona now just one point back and with all the momentum.
For all his genius, Messi is still questioned about his position among the all-time greats of the game. Given that soccer has never been more physically demanding and that its players have never been better schooled and prepared, his ability to dominate should be enough to make such claims appear utterly foolish.
If he can ride this fresh wave of confidence all the way through the summer and finally deliver his best at Brazil 2014 to help win the World Cup for Argentina, there may not even be a discussion any more.
Wildcats end Wichita State's perfect run at 35; Kentucky, Wichita State both make statements in thrilling game.
By Pat Forde
Wichita State guard Fred VanVleet missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. (AP)
The final play call was "Havlicek." An undefeated season was riding on its execution.
Wichita State was trailing Kentucky 78-76, with 3.2 seconds left in the best game of this NCAA tournament so far – and perhaps it will still be the best game of the tourney when the whole thing is over with. Elimination was at hand if the final play did not end in a basket. After months of achievement and external argument, it came down to three seconds and one play.
The first option was Cleanthony Early curling backdoor off a screen at the top of the key, looking for a lob pass at the basket. Early had been transcendent Sunday – "the best player on the floor," Shockers assistant Steve Forbes said, knowing that several Wildcats will be lottery picks – scoring 31 points. But Kentucky knew Early would be the initial option, and he saw two blue jerseys go with him as he cut to the basket. It would be a long, risky pass against a long, athletic team, so Cotton did not go there.
The second option was guard Ron Baker, who had 20 points, coming off a screen in the middle of the floor to the near wing. Baker, too, was covered by the switching Wildcats. Cotton did not go there.
The third option was point guard Fred VanVleet, popping free at the top of the key. Cotton went there.
The Missouri Valley Player of the Year took one dribble left, another dribble right, and rose from 3-point range. Kentucky guard Aaron Harrison lunged at him from his left. Center Willie Cauley-Stein loomed in front. The shot was up. For the win.
And then a game of magnificent basketball artistry ended with an inartistic thud of the ball off the rim. It wasn't close.
Game over. Big Blue explosion underway. Shocker dejection right along with it.
"I heard a lot of Kentucky fans cheering," Baker said. "And it kind of burnt my heart a little bit."
A perfect season ended imperfectly.
The first 35-0 record in college basketball history goes into the final ledger at 35-1.
Kentucky triumphed, playing by far its best game of the year to take down the No. 1 seed Shockers.
And now the Wildcats advance to Bluegrass Armageddon Part II, the second NCAA tournament meeting with archrival Louisville in three seasons.
But before proceeding to the hyperventilation over a matchup of the past two national champions, this is the appropriate time to pay our last respects to the Shockers.
They became the lightning rods of the college basketball season – undefeated but far from undoubted.
Elitists lined up to take shots at their conference and their schedule, insisting Wichita State wasn't as good as its record or its ranking. Populists came to the Shockers' defense.
The tournament would be their ultimate proving ground.
And they proved themselves. Even in defeat. Even in the round of 32.
"For us to end like this is kind of depressing," Baker said. "But I think we proved a point."
The point is this: Wichita State is legit. Worth its seeding. With a roster of guys who were largely uncelebrated by the recruiting analysts, they formed a team that belonged with the bluebloods.
There will be an offseason's worth of what-ifs for the Shockers and their fans to stew over. What if Early hadn't surprisingly missed an alley-oop dunk with eight minutes to play? What if backup Evan Wessel hadn't missed a bunny layup while being fouled – and then missed both free throws? What if Nick Wiggins hadn't missed two free throws with about five minutes to play? What it VanVleet didn't get into foul trouble, allowing Andrew and Aaron Harrison to drive the ball with impunity?
But those questions miss the point. Wichita State and Kentucky gave us college basketball at its finest Sunday. The Shockers had greatness in them, and it took a Kentucky team with as many as seven NBA players finding its own greatness to eliminate the Shockers.
"I know what's in my heart, I know what I saw," Marshall said. "I thought I saw a very high-level basketball game between two incredibly gifted teams, that one team won by one play, one basket, two points. And to take anything away from what these young men have done all season long – and more importantly, how they've done it – if they want to do that, so be it. Good for them."
The last time Wichita State lost was last April, to the eventual national champions. This loss might have been to the eventual national champions, too.
This team bears scant resemblance to the shaky, disjointed group that was beaten by 14-20 South Carolina 22 days ago. John Calipari has worked an extreme – and extremely effective – makeover.
Where there was no confidence, it now overflows. Where there was no chemistry, it now thrives.
Where there was no consistency, it now can be found in 40-minute supplies.
A 39-point performance from the Harrison twins against an elite team seemed impossible three weeks ago. Yet there they were, making 10 of 13 free throws and 12 of 22 field goals. In the final minutes, they lowered their heads and bulled to the basket, repeatedly drawing fouls and then making their foul shots.
Multiple clutch plays by James Young also seemed unlikely at times this season. Yet there he was, hitting a 3-pointer with 97 seconds left that gave Kentucky the lead for good and grabbing a pair of huge rebounds late.
A 13-point, 10-rebound, six-assist game from Julius Randle? Maybe the first two-thirds of that stat line, but not the last part. Randle forced nothing today, letting everything come to him and serving as an adept passer. His 5-of-6 foul shooting was a departure from early season form as well.
The loosely affiliated collection of talent seen at times in Kentucky uniforms came together as a unit. And the result was an exalted performance.
"It's so hard trying to figure out roles for guys when you got all these young guys here," Calipari said. "And that means each guy has to sacrifice, each guy has to play the way he needs to play for the team."
And as strange as it may sound, it was a statement loss for a Wichita State team that hadn't lost all year. Paradoxically, the Shockers probably gained more respect in defeat than they had in any of their 35 victories.
They were legit all along. The doubt is removed in defeat.
2014 NCAA March Madness Sweet Sixteen Schedule
NCAA
Thursday, March 27, 2014
| CBS | Kevin Harlan, Len Elmore, Reggie Miller, Rachel Nichols |
| TBS | Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, Craig Sager |
| CBS | Kevin Harlan, Len Elmore, Reggie Miller, Rachel Nichols |
| TBS | Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, Craig Sager |
11 Tennessee 7:15 pm, Indianapolis
| CBS | Jim Nantz, Greg Anthony, Tracy Wolfson |
| TNT | Verne Lundquist, Bill Raftery, Allie LaForce |
| CBS | Jim Nantz, Greg Anthony, Tracy Wolfson |
| TBS | Verne Lundquist, Bill Raftery, Allie LaForce |
NCAA: Investing where it matters.
NCAA
By the numbers, Here’s a look at how we spent NCAA revenues in the 2012-13 fiscal year:
$188.3 Million
Sports Sponsorship and Grants in Aid Funds
This fund assists Division I schools with the continuation of the sports they sponsor at the varsity level and scholarships for student-athletes. With the exception of 23 schools, most schools lose money on sports each year, and these funds enable campuses to provide athletic and academic opportunities to student-athletes. Each school’s distribution is determined based on how many sports it sponsors and how many scholarships it provides.
$188.3 Million
Basketball Fund
The basketball fund payments are made to conference offices and independent schools based upon a rolling six-year average of performance in the Division I men’s basketball tournament. One unit is awarded to each school participating in each game, except the championship game, over the same six-year period. The conferences distribute the funds among their members based on their specific revenue-sharing programs.
$97.4 Million
Division I Championships
The NCAA is committed to providing a fair, safe and exciting atmosphere for student-athletes to ensure the best possible championship experience. The resources allocated to Division I championships include support for team travel, food and lodging for the student-athletes participating, and ancillary events at championships (for example, Bracket Town and Salute at the Men’s Final Four).
$73.5 Million
Student Assistance Fund
The Student Assistance Fund combines the former Student-Athlete Opportunity and Special Assistance Funds. This money is intended to help Division I student-athletes with essential needs that arise during their time in college. These funds are available to pay for costs associated with family emergencies; clothing and other essentials; academic supplies; and medical and dental costs not covered by another insurance program. It can also be used for educational purposes, such as enrolling in summer school.
$25.1 Million
Academic Enhancement Fund
A companion to the Student Assistance Fund, the academic enhancement fund is intended to enhance academic-support programs for student-athletes at Division I schools. Among the common uses by member institutions are tutoring services, equipment (such as laptops or tablets) and supplies.
$63.2 Million
Division II and III allocations
The NCAA allocates funds to Division II and Division III to support grants, student-athlete services and programs. It also funds championships including game expenses, meal allowances and team transportation, and supports other initiatives including grants, student-athlete services, and programs.
$43.7 Million
Other Division I Distributions
The NCAA Division I Board of Directors and Executive Committee approved a supplemental $43.7 million distribution to Division I schools, which was available due to revenues exceeding expenses for the Association’s 2011-12 fiscal year. Like the basketball, sports sponsorship and scholarship funds, this distribution provides campuses with additional dollars to support student-athletes.
$8.5 Million
Conference Grants
These grants are used to implement conference-level programs in five specific categories of focus. These include officiating programs, compliance and enforcement, enhancement of opportunities for ethnic minorities, and heightening awareness of drug and gambling education programs.
$57.8 Million
Student-Athlete Services
The NCAA invests this money each year in a variety of student-athlete-focused areas. These include health and safety, catastrophic injury insurance, drug testing, and leadership development. This money also funds several NCAA scholarships, including postgraduate scholarships for former student-athletes pursuing master’s degrees, doctorates or other advanced degrees. In addition, money from this fund supports the NCAA Honors Ceremony and the Woman of the Year award.
$27.7 Million
Membership Support Services
As the governing body for collegiate athletics, the NCAA is tasked with ensuring fairness and integrity across all three divisions. While NCAA rules are proposed and approved by NCAA member schools, those same campuses often turn to the NCAA to help interpret and enforce the rules fairly across the Association. To assist with this work, the NCAA dedicates significant resources to the governance process, including committees and the NCAA Convention, in addition to training for campuses and national office support.
$4.7 Million
Educational Services
The NCAA offers training and educational services to members and student-athletes on a regular basis. These funds support various programs, including the Women’s Coaches Academy, the Pathway Program, Emerging Leaders Seminar, and the annual NCAA Convention.
$27.9 Million
Other Association-Wide Expenses
A portion of the NCAA budget is allocated to other association-wide expenses that support member institutions and the overall association, including legal services, communications and business insurance coverage.
$40.7 Million
General and Administration Expenses
To fund the day-to-day administration of the NCAA and its national office, these expenses cover the cost of central services and initiatives at the national office, including administrative and financial services, operations, information technology, facilities management and executive.
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