CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Friday Sports News Update and What's Your Take? 04/25/2014.

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How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Kane's OT goal helps 'Hawks even series with Blues.

By Jerry Bonkowski, The Sports Xchange

Chicago Blackhawks Bryan Bickell celebrates after scoring the tying goal in Wednesday night's game against the St. Louis Blues at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, April 23, 2014.

 

Wednesday's Game 4 of the first round Western Conference playoff series between the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks was not over until forward Patrick Kane emphatically said it was over.

Kane's second goal of the night and third of the series at 11:17 of overtime was the game-winning score, lifting Chicago to a 4-3 victory at the United Center, evening the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.

Both teams have won two games at home in the series. Coupled with Monday's 2-0 shutout of St. Louis, the Blackhawks now have a two-game winning streak heading into what is now a best-of-three series.

"I thought we got a little bit more comfortable as the game progressed," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "But you can't say enough about how competitive it's been for four games: the battles, the resiliency and the will.

"It was a huge win for us and it got us back to even. We've got the momentum. Let's go in there and look to sustain it."

It was the third overtime game in the first four meetings of series and guarantees at least a six-game series now. Had Chicago lost, the Blues could have wrapped things up at home on Friday in Game 5.

Instead, the series will return to Chicago for a Game 6 afternoon matinee on Sunday. If necessary, Game 7 would be played Tuesday in St. Louis.

"There's no surprise, you're playing the Stanley Cup champions," said St. Louis forward Maxim Lapierre, who scored one of the Blues' goals. "Obviously you're going to have a tight battle.

"You're not going to just take the wins and go home. It's fun. You want to be part of that. It's a tight series and it's physical. Three overtimes. It's fun to be part of."

Even worse for St. Louis, the Blues are now 4-8-0 in April (regular season and playoff games), while Chicago is 6-4-0 in the month, including a 3-2 record solely against the Blues.

Chicago looked like it was en route to an easy win Wednesday, taking a 2-0 lead in the second period. But St. Louis rallied to tie the score with two goals just 65 seconds apart in the final 69 seconds of the same period.

The teams exchanged goals in the third period, setting up Kane's winner in overtime.

"Where the game was lost was when we took it over and were up 3-2 and we missed those four chances," St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We could've been up 4- or 5-2.

"(We) left it out there and got caught in our zone. Then in the overtime, we had chances to shoot the puck three times in the zone and didn't put it on the net -- (his players) wanted to stick handle it one more time."

Chicago goalie Corey Crawford stopped 30 of St. Louis' 33 shots and St. Louis goalie Ryan Miller stopped 30 of Chicago's 34 shots.

"It's a hard-fought game right now," Crawford said. "Both teams are playing well. Our top guys -- top guys on both sides -- are really bringing it and bringing their best, so it's going to be a fun next game."

After a scoreless first period, Chicago scored twice in the second period. Blackhawks center Andrew Shaw juggled the puck on his stick and then flicked a quick wrist shot past Miller to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at 8:40.

Chicago made it 2-0 at 16:09 when defenseman Johnny Oduya skated up the left side of the ice and sent a cross-ice pass through the Blues' goal crease, right to the waiting stick of Kane, who flicked a wrist shot above Miller's left shoulder for the goal.

Kane also figured in St. Louis' first goal, having been sent to the penalty box at 18:44. Seven seconds later, the Blues avoided a second straight shutout when right winger Vladimir Tarasenko pushed a power-play slap shot past Crawford.

Tarasenko's goal seemed to invigorate the Blues as Lapierre scored 65 seconds later -- and with just four seconds remaining in the period -- to tie the score at 2.

Tarasenko scored his second goal of the game at 12:26 of the third period, giving the Blues a 3-2 lead.

Chicago rallied to tie at 16:08 when forward Bryan Bickell tipped in a shot from defenseman Michal Rozsival. It was Bickell's first goal of the playoffs.

NOTES: For the second straight game, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville started his two biggest stars on the first line, team captain C Jonathan Toews and RW Patrick Kane. Also starting on the first line: LW Bryan Bickell. ... The Blues were forced to scratch RW David Backes, injured in Game 2 by Blackhawks D Brent Seabrook, who still has one more game remaining on his three-game suspension for the high hit on Backes. ... Fans gave a big round of applause for former Blackhawks great and NHL Hall of Famer Tony Esposito, celebrating his 71st birthday at the United Center. ... Attendance was 22,123. ... Quenneville now has 90 career playoff wins, most among active NHL coaches. St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock was looking for his 75th playoff win, third most among active NHL coaches.

Blackhawks-Blues Preview

By R.B. FALLSTROM (AP Sports Writer)

One more game, and the Chicago Blackhawks will have linchpin defenseman Brent Seabrook back in the lineup.

The St. Louis Blues aren't certain when captain David Backes, the player on the receiving end of the head-jarring hit that landed Seabrook a three-game suspension, will be ready.

Coach Ken Hitchcock said from a selfish standpoint it would be unfair if Seabrook returned before Backes to a white-knuckle first-round playoff series tied at two games apiece heading into Game 5 Friday night. Backes was not among a handful on the ice for an optional practice Thursday and Hitchcock was tight-lipped about his status.

''He's not skating today so read what you want from that,'' Hitchcock said. ''He's not around, he's not skating, so we'll see tomorrow.

''Hopefully, he's able to get back before Seabrook or by Seabrook's time, so it doesn't turn into a little bit of an advantage for Chicago.''

The Blackhawks have won two straight, mounting their bid for a repeat Stanley Cup. They took the day off for travel, confident they can beat the Blues on the road.

''I think the odds are in our favor right now,'' forward Andrew Shaw said. ''The last two games have been huge for us. We had a good push, the push we needed.''

The Blues still have home-ice advantage in a series that couldn't be closer. Three games were decided in overtime and Game 3 was a one-goal affair before the Blackhawks added an empty-netter.

''Nobody's panicking,'' Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester said. ''We're not in a bad spot.''

Both teams have gotten solid goaltending and shown an ability to push back when the opponent appears to have momentum. The Blues came from behind late to win twice, capitalizing on Seabrook's major and game misconduct in Game 2 and the Blackhawks rebounded after squandering a 2-0 lead in Game 4.

Hitchcock and Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville, two of the most experienced hands in the NHL, seem to be enjoying themselves while matching wits.

''It's fun to be a part of it and it's fun to be coaching it because every shift matters and every line change matters,'' Hitchcock said.

''I think when you don't like the way things are going, you don't mind mixing it up a little bit,'' Quenneville said. ''This series has been so close, so tight, last night may have been the first time we really tweaked the lines a little bit more.''

The Blues have had little success containing Patrick Kane, who scored twice in Game 4 including the deciding goal after hitting the crossbar earlier in overtime.

''It's huge. You saw what he could do last year when he got hot in the playoffs,'' Shaw said.

Captain Jonathan Toews, named a Selke Trophy finalist Thursday, also has had a strong series. Both seem refreshed coming off lengthy injury layoffs heading into the playoffs.

''I was playing a lot of minutes and I think just having those few weeks off has definitely helped me get my body ready for this series,'' Toews said.

More surprisingly, Vladimir Tarasenko has emerged as a force for the Blues, returning with no rust from a broken thumb that sidelined him the last 15 regular-season games. The 22-year-old Tarasenko has an NHL-high four goals in the playoffs, tying Game 2 with 6.4 seconds remaining and his second goal in Game 4 gave St. Louis its first lead.

''He has patience where most people panic,'' Hitchcock said. ''When he gets the opportunity to fire away he knows exactly where it's going, he knows which way the goalie's leaning.''

The Blues have gotten other key injured players back, just as Hitchcock promised. But they've yet to get T.J. Oshie, scoreless in two games, and Patrik Berglund, minus-3 in Game 4, up to speed.

Oshie said Thursday he might have come back one game too soon from a blow to the head ''because I didn't really do much to help the team.''

Given all the extra minutes, fatigue could be a factor going forward. Two defensemen on each team played more than 28 minutes in Game 4.

''We take those days off during the year, we take those opportunities to rest during the year for these situations,'' defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. ''Rest, hydration, nutrition - all that stuff is coming into play right now because you might have to go into three overtimes. You never know.''

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Chicago Bears 2014 NFL Regular Season Game Schedule.

 

NFL.com

Week Day/Date Time Away Home Notes

1 Sun/Sep 7 Noon Buffalo Bills Vs. *Chicago Bears, Season Opener - CBS

2 Sun/Sep 14 SNF Chicago Bears Vs. *San Francisco 49ers, Open new SF stadium - NBC

3 Mon/Sep 22 MNF Chicago Bears Vs. *New York Jets, Gruden likes all of the things. - ESPN

4 Sun/Sep 28 Noon Green Bay Packers Vs. *Chicago Bears, Fox

5 Sun/Oct 5 Noon Chicago Bears Vs. *Carolina Panthers, Fox

6 Sun/Oct 12 Noon Chicago Bears Vs. *Atlanta Falcons, Fox

7 Sun/Oct 19 Noon Miami Dolphins Vs. *Chicago Bears, CBS

8 Sun/Oct 26 Noon Chicago Bears Vs. *New England Patriots, Fox

9 BYE

10 Sun/Nov 9 SNF Chicago Bears Vs. *Green Bay Packers, NBC

11 Sun/Nov 16 Noon Minnesota Vikings Vs. *Chicago Bears, Fox

12 Sun/Nov 23 Noon Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vs. *Chicago Bears, Fox

13 Thu/Nov 27 Noon Chicago Bears Vs. *Detroit Lions, Thanksgiving

14 Thu/Dec 4 TNF Dallas Cowboys Vs. *Chicago Bears, NFLN

15 Mon/Dec 15 MNF New Orleans Saints Vs. *Chicago Bears, Gruden likes all of the things. - ESPN

16 Sun/Dec 21 Noon Detroit Lions Vs. *Chicago Bears, Fox

17 Sun/Dec 28 Noon Chicago Bears Vs. *Minnesota Vikings, Fox

* Indicates Home Team

2014 NFL schedule: Packers-Seahawks 'Fail Mary' reunion kicks off season.

By Eric Edholm

The NFL isn't messing around with its 2014 schedule.

The world champion Seattle Seahawks will kick off the season with a game not against their archrivals, the San Francisco 49ers, or the team they beat in the Super Bowl, the Denver Broncos, but rather with a foe that created controversy two years ago.
 

Remember the replacement referee fiasco game — aka, The Fail Mary — in Seattle in 2012? Yep, the NFL powers-that-be have orchestrated a rematch in Week 1 on Thursday, Sept. 4 on NBC in prime time.

The league announced all 256 games for the regular season, and it features some interesting highlights:

 

• Three Thanksgiving games that feature all NFC teams for the first time.
 

• A new Thursday slate of games, split through the season by CBS and NFL Network, that kicks off in Week 2 with a rivalry game of the Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens.
 

• Flex scheduling that can begin as early as Week 5, which is a change from years past, when it typically began starting in Week 11.

• Other key prime-time Week 1 games — Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos (NBC) on Sunday, September 7, and the Monday night doubleheader (both games on ESPN): New York Giants at Detroit Lions for the early game and San Diego Chargers at Arizona Cardinals for the late game. 

 

• A Super Bowl rematch of those Seahawks hosting the Broncos in Week 3.
 

• Three international games this year, up from two in 2013, all at London's Wembley Stadium. They are: Week 4, Sunday, Sept. 28, the Oakland Raiders vs. the Miami Dolphins (1 PM ET, CBS); Week 8, Sunday, Oct. 26, the Atlanta Falcons vs. the Lions at (9:30 AM ET, Fox — the first-ever nationally televised 9:30 AM kickoff); and Week 10, Sunday, Nov. 9, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. the Dallas Cowboys (1 PM ET, Fox).
 

15 worth the price of admission.

By Joe Fortenbaugh

The NFL’s annual release of its regular season schedule is a beautiful thing. Wedged in between the commencement of the Major League Baseball season and start of both the Stanley Cup and NBA playoffs, our country’s most popular sport is capable of generating a ratings bonanza simply by announcing a bunch of dates. That’s it. Nothing has been won or lost this fine Wednesday evening, no players have switched teams, no franchises have moved cities. The only thing that has happened is that we now know Team A is playing Team B on this specific day at this predetermined time.

And, for good reason, we can’t get enough of it.

In essence, the National Football League has turned an administrative scheduling task—like that 1:00pm power lunch you have with Cliff from accounting—into a feeding frenzy of fandom complete with a televised primetime special. Juice like that simply isn’t available for purchase.

 We all have our favorite teams, most intriguing rivalries and preferred primetime matchups. Here are 15 I can’t wait to watch after the base tan fades away and the leaves fall from the trees.

Note: We’re all going to be stoked for the Green Bay-Seattle Thursday night season-opener, so I left it off the list.

15. Kansas Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (Week 7, Sunday, 4:05pm eastern): The Andy Reid-Mike McCoy rivalry didn’t disappoint in its inaugural campaign, as McCoy’s Bolts squeaked by Reid’s Chiefs in both showdowns last season via a 26-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds remaining on November 24 and a 36-yard overtime field goal on December 29. Four of the last six meetings between Kansas City and San Diego have been decided by a field goal or less.
 

Will Andrew Luck and his fabulous beard defeat Peyton Manning in Denver?

14. Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos (Week 1, Sunday, 8:30pm eastern): The first installment of “The Forehead” vs. “The Amish Beard” resulted in a 39-33 upset win in favor of Andrew Luck and the boys from Naptown, marking Denver’s only defeat during the first ten games of the 2013 campaign. Peyton Manning failed to stick it to his old club in his first attempt since departing from Indy. Will Round 2 be any different?

 

13. Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins (Week 17, Sunday, 1:00pm eastern): If for no other reason than to laugh at the Cowboys when this inevitably becomes the fourth time in as many years that Dallas loses a postseason play-in game. Romo takes the heat while Jerry Jones brings Jason Garrett back for another spin.

 

12. Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers (Week 9, Sunday, 8:30pm eastern): You want high scoring? Don’t worry, this list has plenty of shootouts to quench your thirst. As for the sadists walking among us, note that nine of the last 11 title fights between Baltimore and Pittsburgh have been decided by a field goal or less.

 

11. New England Patriots at Green Bay Packers (Week 13, Sunday, 4:25pm eastern): It’s the first time Super Bowl MVPs Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers will face each other as starting quarterbacks.

 

10. San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos (Week 7, Sunday, 8:30pm eastern): The cheapest pair of khaki pants this side of the Atlantic Ocean gets its first crack at Peyton Manning since these two went head-to-head as starting quarterbacks back in 1998 and 1999. Jim Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens defeated a rookie Manning in ’98, 38-31, only to see the up-and-comer from Tennessee exact his revenge the following season on Harbaugh’s Chargers by way of a 27-19 victory.

 

9. Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints (Week 8, Sunday, 8:30pm eastern): Three career meetings between Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers have resulted in a grand total of 2,067 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and 211 points scored. I wasn’t bullshitting you when I said this list had some surefire shootouts contained within. For the record, Rodgers owns a 2-1 edge over Brees in the series.

Lovie Smith returns to Chicago looking to stick it to his former team.

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Chicago Bears (Week 12, Sunday, 1:00pm eastern): Can you imagine the Windy City headlines if Chicago castoffs Lovie Smith and Josh McCown saunter off Soldier Field with a win over Marc Trestman and Jay Cutler? Highly unlikely anybody questions J-Cut’s $126.7 million contract in that scenario.

 

7. Carolina Panthers at Baltimore Ravens (Week 4, Sunday, 1:00pm eastern): “I want to make sure that whatever team I go to, they’re going to get the best, in shape 35-year-old guy they can get. If that happens to run through Bank of America Stadium, put your goggles on cause there’s going to be blood and guts everywhere.”

 

--Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith, shortly after his release from the Carolina Panthers

 

In case you were wondering, yes, that’s the same Steve Smith who got booted from Carolina’s training camp back in 2008 after flooring cornerback Ken Lucas with a punch to the dome.

 

6. Denver Broncos at New England Patriots (Week 9, Sunday, 4:25pm eastern): Because it’s the 15th installment of the Brady-Manning rivalry. Because their legacies will be linked together until the end of time. And because none of us has any idea how many of these epic showdowns we have left.

 

5. Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (Week 13, Thursday, 8:30pm eastern): There’s no more denying it: Pete Carroll owns Jim Harbaugh. Carroll got him in college (two championships to zero) and now he’s done it at the professional ranks. What makes this matchup so damn mouth-watering is that both guys know it. Carroll knows he owns Harbaugh and Harbaugh knows he answers to Carroll. This, in turn, is why both men hate each other, even if neither will admit it. It’s also why their respective teams want to dismantle each other and why their fan bases despise one another. Simply put, it’s the best rivalry in football and we get to witness this installment of it Thanksgiving evening.

 

4. New York Jets at New England Patriots (Week 7, Thursday, 8:25pm eastern): Because of that moment we all know is coming, when newly acquired Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis intercepts Jets quarterback Michael Vick and takes it 95 yards to the house. Because Belichick will play coy with the media after while laughing on the inside. Because it will drive Rex’s fist through a wall.

 

3. San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints (Week 10, Sunday, 1:00pm eastern): That 23-20 Saints victory over San Fran last November left a bad taste in the mouths of many due to a highly controversial fourth quarter call made in New Orleans’ favor. This matchup gives both teams the opportunity to settle the score in one of the most hostile venues in the National Football League. These are the games for which safety Jairus Byrd was signed.

No longer an Eagle, DeSean Jackson will look to bury the Birds twice this season.

2. Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles (Week 3, Sunday, 1:00pm eastern): This is going to be the NFC East’s most ferocious rivalry for the next five years. New head coach Jay Gruden, a 100 percent healthy Robert Griffin III and wide receiver DeSean Jackson—complete with his copy of Philadelphia’s playbook—travel north on I-95 to challenge Chip Kelly’s fast-rising Eagles. Keeping with traditional South Philly fashion, Jackson will be booed every time he touches the football. The question is whether or not he can make the big play to break Philadelphia’s back. Remember, it was Washington who was supposed to take control of the NFC East with the arrival of RG3, but the Birds stole the ‘Skins thunder with the hiring of Kelly.

 

1. Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks (Week 3, Sunday, 4:25pm eastern): It’s the rematch of one of the most lethal ass-kickings quarterback Peyton Manning has ever been forced to endure. Except that this time it’s taking place in the supersonic jet engine known as CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks hosted two primetime games in the Pacific Northwest last season (San Francisco and New Orleans), winning both by the combined score of 63-10.

Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls-Wizards Game 3 Playoff Preview.

By JOSEPH WHITE (AP Sports Writer)

If empty seats are any indication, the Washington Wizards are just as big of a surprise in their own city as they are to the rest of the NBA.

After winning their first two games on the road in one of the most intimidating arenas in the league - the United Center - the Wizards are curious to see what it'll be like when they host their first playoff game in six years. Usually it's the crowd that spurs on the players in the postseason, but in this case there's hope that the team's performance will generate a spirited turnout Friday night for Game 3 against the Chicago Bulls.

''Come on out and enjoy playoff basketball. Be ready to join the show and get in at tip-off or before,'' owner Ted Leonsis wrote Thursday on his blog. ''Don't be too cool for school and stroll in at end of first period - I never understood that about some NBA crowds. You pay for a full game of basketball; get in the mix with your friends and family at tip-off, please.''

Washington ranked 18th among 30 NBA teams in attendance this season, averaging 17,026. But that figure is misleading because D.C. crowds are notoriously late-arriving - the NFL Redskins have been known to practically beg fans to show up for the opening kickoff - and the tip-off atmosphere for Wizards games at the Verizon Center is sometimes nonexistent.

''You definitely notice it,'' guard Bradley Beal said. ''Especially when you first run onto the floor and there's nobody there. You look up in the third quarter and everybody's there. So we definitely need that crowd to be loud for us in the beginning and get us going.''

The Wizards were 22-19 at home this season, worst among the 16 teams that made the playoffs. However, they won all four of their sellouts: two against the Miami Heat, and once each against the Brooklyn Nets and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The transient nature of the area means D.C. fans are often cheering the opponent. During one Heat game the Wizards playfully mocked those wearing Miami colors by featuring them on a ''Bandwagon Cam'' on the video scoreboard.

Of course, the home team hadn't been cheer-worthy until recently. The Wizards went through a long bad spell after their previous playoff appearance in 2008, and they opened their home slate this season by laying an egg against the going-nowhere Philadelphia 76ers.

''We had a good record on the road,'' forward Nene said. ''But at home we need to pay attention a little bit more.''

Now that the playoffs are here, coach Randy Wittman expects the volume to be up. The Wizards will add color to the occasion - literally - by going red, white and blue, leaving red T-shirts for fans sitting in the lower bowl, white for those in the middle and blue for the ones near the rafters.

''We've got some really great loyal people that's been here through some tough times, that stuck with us,'' Wittman said. ''Chicago was electric, and I don't anticipate anything different here.''

It's worth noting that all the noise in the world didn't help the Bulls. Chicago blew double-digit leads in the second halves of the first two games, and the Bulls lacked a reliable go-to scoring option down the stretch.

The Bulls didn't practice Thursday, but the message from coach Tom Thibodeau and his players this week has been consistent: The games have been close, so it's not time to reinvent the wheel or shake up a rotation that doesn't have much depth.

''You've got to rock with what you've got,'' Bulls forward Taj Gibson said. ''You've got to play with whoever's out there on the court. The room for error is short.''

The Wizards, meanwhile, are trying to guard against overconfidence. Leonsis pointed out that his NHL Capitals - who play in the same building - have lost a seven-game series after winning the first two on the road, in 2003 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

''That lesson can't be lost on any one,'' Leonsis wrote. ''It isn't lost on me.''

Point guard John Wall was asked if the Wizards were thinking sweep. He said he was only thinking of Game 3.

''If you're thinking sweep and you lose Game 3,'' Wall said, ''now you're in a bind.''

Farrell on Pineda's pine tar: 'When it's obvious, something has to be said'. What's your take?

On the right side of Pineda's neck was another very obvious hunk of pine tar.

By NBC Sports

The Red Sox had already been through this once before with New York Yankees starter Michael Pineda. Surely it couldn't be happening again.

But, undeniably, it was. Right there, on the right side of the pitcher's neck, was another hunk of pine tar, the same foreign substance Pineda seemed to have caked on his right hand when he beat the Red Sox on April 10 in New York.

In the second inning, John Farrell called time and walked to home plate to report his suspicion to home plate umpire Gerry Davis.

Sure enough, after Davis went to the mound and checked the ball and Pineda's neck, the umpire discovered the pine tar and ejected Pineda from the game.

"In the second inning,'' said Farrell, "it looked from the dugout that there was a substance on his neck. You could see it, I could see it from the dugout. It was confirmed by a number of camera angles and given the last time we faced him, I felt like it was (necessary) to say something.

"I fully respect, on a cold night, you're trying to get a little bit of a grip...but when it's that obvious, something has got to be said.''

Before the game, when Farrell was asked about expectations with Pineda, he answered that he hoped the pitcher would be, if nothing else, more discreet this time around.

"Our awareness was heightened,'' said Farrell, "given what we've seen in the past and it was confirmed today.''

The Sox didn't see anything on Pineda in the first inning, when he gave up four hits and two runs. When he returned for the second, it was clearly on his neck.

John Lackey, the Red Sox starter, stayed mostly clear of the controversy but noted: "I guess considering his last start against us, it was probably a little blatant.''

"I think grip is very important,'' said pitching coach Juan Nieves, "because it's cold. But you cannot be that blatant about it.''

Farrell knew that by calling the umpires' attention to the issue, he's opening the door for the Yankees to do the same with Red Sox starters -- Thursday night and for the rest of the season.

"We'll see what tomorrow brings,'' shrugged Farrell. "I don't know that. As obvious as this was, I felt like he needed to be checked. Well aware of what the thought across the field might be, that there might be more of a willingness to have our guys checked. But again, I think there's an accepted level of some additive used to gain a grip. I just felt like the two starts we've had against Pineda, that's been a little bit above that.''

"We're safe in that aspect,'' said Nieves. "We certainly use a lot of rosin. But I don't expect that (to be caught with anything).''

Indeed, the Sox -- privately and publicly -- have acknowledged that it's common practice. But the blatant way Pineda did so was too much to ignore.

"In conditions like tonight and last time when we faced him,'' said Farrell, "I think hitters will say, 'We want a pitcher to have a grip,' where a pitch doesn't get away from a guy. But when it's that obvious, I think there's better ways to maybe conceal it and that hasn't been the case.''

Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: We just don't get it. In this day when everyone's trying to bring sports back to pure competition without Performance Enhancing Drugs, Human Growth Hormones, Corked Bats and other various and assorted shortcuts to gain a competitive edge, why would this pitcher glob pine tar on to his neck to gain an advantage over the opposing batter? Everyone in the stadium could see it even the fans watching the televisions in the concession lines. What's really amazing is that he was spotted doing the same exact thing thirteen days earlier against the same team but was not challenged on it. I'd love to know what was he thinking? Obviously, he has talent or he wouldn't have made it to the major league level. He really need to check himself, does he want to ruin his reputation and always be known as a cheater? Sammy Sosa was a very good player and along with Mark McGuire, they brought baseball back from one of it's low points with their home run competition. However, his corked bat incident and his testimony at the U.S. Congressional hearings have tainted his reputation and has branded him as a cheater. It's unfortunate because in his day and time, he was very good for baseball. We hope Mr. Pineda will think this situation out and use his God given talent to advance his career in a positive way. That's what we think, we'd love to know, what's your take? Marion P. Jelks, CS&T/AA Blog Editor

Record number sign up for US Open.

AP Sports

More people than ever have signed up for a chance to play in the U.S. Open.

The USGA said Thursday it received a record 10,127 entrants for the U.S. Open, which will be played June 12-15 at Pinehurst No. 2. That breaks the previous mark of 9,860 who entered a year ago.

Among the entries were 51 players exempt from qualifying. That includes 12 former U.S. Open champions, such as defending champion Justin Rose and Tiger Woods.

Woods is recovering from back surgery and has said only that he hopes to return to golf this summer.

Local qualifying (18 holes) starts May 2 at 111 sites across the country, and 36-hole sectional qualifying will be June 2. There will be two sectional qualifiers May 26 in England and Japan.

Tiger Woods' agent expects a summer return for Woods.

By Shane Bacon

While the PGA Tour continues to roll on with golf tournaments and new champions, a lot of the focus still sits with a man that is recovering from a back surgery.

Tiger Woods, the No. 1 player in the world, missed the Masters because of a surgery on a pinched nerve in his back, but his agent, Mark Steinberg, believes we could see Tiger return as early as the summer.

Steinberg talked with ESPN's Bob Harig this week and said that Woods has already started some chipping and putting, and he expects a return to the PGA Tour by this summer.

"He's doing a little bit more and more each day," Steinberg told ESPN.com. "He's getting to the point of light chipping and putting and the doctors and trainers seem to be pleased with where he is. He is on schedule but we don't know what that schedule means. I don't know when he intends to be playing competitively.

"But I expect it to be this summer. I know that's a wide range, but as the weeks go by we'll be able to pinpoint an approximate time. It's still a little early for that. Nothing that has gone on from the day of the surgery until today gives me any pause to amend what I said then. I know that's broad and vague but we can't pinpoint a specific time until we're further along."

I've said from the start that I think Woods will return before the British Open, but I don't see him making the trip to Pinehurst for the U.S. Open in June. The British is the tournament that Woods has to be circling on his calendar, as the return date makes a lot of sense and the event is being played on a golf course that Woods dominated the last time the Open Championship was held there.

Still, the news that Woods will hopefully be back by summer has to have the golf world excited. While plenty of stuff has gone on since Tiger announced he would be missing significant time with the surgery, it will be nice to have Woods back to give golf that bump it needs over the next three major championships.

Also, a summer return means there is a lot better chance that Woods would be in good enough form to possibly play in the Ryder Cup, as he sits well outside the top-10 in points and will need some tournaments to either jump up the rankings or show captain Tom Watson that he is in form good enough to compete at this event.

Brad Keselowski proposes dramatic overhaul of NASCAR schedule.

By Jay Busbee

Brad Keselowski is a past champion who's always got one eye on where NASCAR is headed, and over the Easter weekend, he put together a manifesto for change that's well worth consideration.

Noting that virtually every element of the NASCAR experience has changed in recent years except the schedule, Keselowski rolled up his sleeves and went to work shuffling the calendar.

Let's throw it right up here, and then analyze below:

Brad Keselowski's dream schedule.

A few things jump right out at you:

New tracks: Keselowski brings in two new tracks, Iowa and Road Atlanta. This brings the total number of races to 38, but the season is actually shorter. This is because of the ...

Doubleheaders: This is the most intriguing element of Keselowski's proposal, two races per week for 10 weeks of the year. The races would be run on Wednesday night and Sunday afternoon.
 

Reshuffled dates: Keselowski has created a "West Coast Swing" that keeps the teams out west for several weeks right after Daytona, helping on logistical fronts.

Shortened season: The doubleheaders shorten the season to the point that it wraps up in mid-October, and Keselowski offers up an idea that's been floated elsewhere: Las Vegas for the finale.

Revamped All-Star Race: Keselowski swipes a move from football here, moving the All-Star Race to the week before the championship. He offers added incentive: winner gets the pole in the season finale.

This is an outstanding thought experiment. Logistically, it would be difficult to implement because of a thousand different competing concerns, but not impossible. The greatest hurdle would almost certainly be entrenched thinking. The major problem appears to  be weather: what if a Wednesday race gets rained out? That throws the entire tight schedule into disarray.

Beyond that, though, this makes some real sense. What are your thoughts, friends? Good ideas or madness?

Soccer is becoming a major draw in U.S. despite poll proving otherwise.

Goal.com

Most Americans do not care about the biggest sporting event on the planet. This is the news served up Monday morning by the Reuters agency, which may cause you to believe you’ve flashed back to 1982. Except you’re reading about it on the Internet, so that clearly is not the case.

Reuters and Ipsos conducted a poll regarding U.S. interest in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and determined that two in three Americans do not plan to follow the World Cup, with only 7 percent indicating they plan to follow the event closely.

The article discusses the growth of Major League Soccer in recent years, then states:  “But soccer still has a long way to go before its marquee event can stake a claim alongside football's Super Bowl, the National Basketball Association finals, and baseball's World Series in American minds, the poll shows.”

Here’s the thing about that declaration:

No, it doesn’t.

OK, it’s true that everything in American sports has a long way to go to be compared to the Super Bowl. No one would stipulate otherwise. But let’s take a look at how the most recent World Cup performed in comparison to the other major sporting events.

In 2010, the World Cup final contested between Spain and the Netherlands drew an American audience of 15.5 million for ABC and another 8.8 million on Univision. That combined audience of 24.3 million far surpassed the combined 19.5 million Fox and Fox Deportes drew for the Game 6 victory by the Boston Red Sox over the St. Louis Cardinals to clinch the 2013 World Series. It was not far off the 26.6 million drawn on ABC and ESPN Deportes by the decisive game of the Miami Heat’s 2013 NBA Finals victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

The combined English and Spanish broadcasts of the entire 2010 World Cup – all 64 games – in the U.S. totaled 5.89 million viewers. By comparison, the English broadcasts of the full NBA playoffs in 2013 averaged 5.3 million. Spanish broadcasts numbers were not available for the entire NBA playoffs, but even if the Game 7 number of 269,000 viewers were extrapolated throughout it still would fall short of the World Cup audience.

Soccer has continued to advance its audience in the U.S. at a time when other sports are stagnant or declining. The 2010 World Cup ratings for ESPN/ABC represented an increase of 41 percent over its 2006 numbers.

Although the U.S. team's hopes for success at the 2014 World Cup have been diminished by being drawn into the “Group of Death” along with Germany, Portugal and Ghana, it is hard to imagine American fans not wanting to see how their team fares against such established world stars as Thomas Muller of Germany and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal.

Soccer interest continues to escalate here as more young Americans embrace the game and as the demographics change, with a greater influence from Hispanics who long have embraced the sport. How Reuters could not see something amiss in the methodology of its poll is hard to figure; how the reporter assigned to analyze the results could be so obtuse as to employ this quote in support of the article’s thesis is mystifying:
 

"It's just not a sport that has a lot of following," said Kelli Cousineau of Phoenix in declaring she won’t follow the World Cup. "The other sports like basketball, baseball and football are considered all-American."
 

Yes, someone really tried to make that case in 2014.
 

It'd be almost humorous if it weren't so tired.

Klinsmann close to finalizing pre-World Cup roster.

By KURT VOIGT (AP Sports Writer)

Just three weeks remain before the start of the United States' pre-World Cup training camp, and coach Jurgen Klinsmann is close to finalizing the players he'll invite.

Preliminary 30-man rosters are due to FIFA by May 13, the day before the Americans start to arrive for the camp at Stanford University.

They can have up to 30 players, and must submit their final 23-man roster to FIFA by June 2.
 

Klinsmann says the last 2 1/2 years of evaluations will count equally with a player's current form in determining the preliminary roster.
 

Klinsmann said in an interview posted on the U.S. Soccer Federation website that he doesn't think someone could play his way off the training camp list at this point.
 

''If it was tomorrow, I'd give you the 30 names,'' Klinsmann said. ''But, obviously, we want to see a couple of more things over the next couple weeks. But we are close, very close to have a really clear idea about those 30 guys.''

The Americans play three exhibition games leading into the World Cup: Azerbaijan on May 27 at San Francisco; Turkey on June at Harrison, N.J.; and Nigeria on June 7 at Jacksonville, Fla.

ALTIDORE RISING: One player whose 23-man roster spot is almost certainly secure, despite intense scrutiny this season, is forward Jozy Altidore.

Altidore has just two goals in 35 games with Sunderland this season, but in his first appearance since March 26 he drew an 81st minute penalty kick that led to the tiebreaking goal in the Black Cats' 2-1 upset at Chelsea last weekend.

In a controversial decision, referee Mike Dean ruled Cesar Azpilicueta clipped the left leg of the 24-year-old Altidore in the penalty area, and Fabio Borini converted the kick. Sunderland is last in the Premier League with four games left and likely needs at least three wins to avoid relegation.
 

''He's a very, very important part of our team, Jozy, going into this summer's World Cup, and so I'm convinced that he's going to do well there,'' Klinsmann said.

BOYD'S BREAKOUT: One American in need of a push to ensure his roster spot helped himself last weekend.

Forward Terrence Boyd scored twice for Rapid Vienna against Groedig in the Austrian Bundesliga.

 

The goals were for the first in seven games for the 23-year-old, who now has 16 goals in all competitions for Vienna this season.
 

Boyd has 12 international appearances and was on the roster but didn't play for the Americans' loss against Ukraine last month. Other forwards competing for roster spots include Aron Johannsson, Eddie Johnson, Chris Wondolowski, Herculez Gomez and Juan Agudelo.

NCAA board endorses more power for big schools

By MICHAEL MAROT (AP Sports Writer)

The NCAA's board of directors took the first step toward shifting power to the five largest football conferences on Thursday, endorsing a 57-page plan that calls for giving 65 of the nation's biggest schools more autonomy in how to fund scholarships, handle health care and decide other increasingly hot-button issues involving their athletes.

If approved later this year, schools in the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC could implement some rules on their own and would get more voting power over legislation that would affect every NCAA member school.

A formal vote on the recommendations is tentatively scheduled for the board's August meeting, and if it passes then, the transition could begin this fall.
 

Supporters insist the changes are long overdue.
 

''We (the big schools) have some issues we've got to deal with, but you've got to get a way to get the issues into the process,'' Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke said. ''We've got enough flashpoints out there that we need to build some credibility with the fan base. We've just got work to do and if the governance system is impeding these issues, we've got to overhaul the governance system.''
 

The endorsement came one day before Northwestern football players were scheduled to vote on whether to create what would be the first union for college athletes in U.S. history.
 

NCAA President Mark Emmert this week suggested the changes within the NCAA will address some of the issues raised by those backing the unionization effort.

Burke and Missouri athletic director Mike Alden spent months before reaching a consensus on the plan among the roughly 350 Division I athletic directors.

Even lower-profile conferences believe in the general outline, though they acknowledge some additional details still need to be worked out.

''Do I think it can work? Probably,'' Horizon League commissioner Jon LeCrone said. ''Is it perfect? Probably not. But I think it's going to work better than what we've got now.''

If approved, the 65 schools in the five big conferences would be granted autonomy to implement some of the most dramatic changes in college sports - though it would require a two-thirds majority for approval.

While the list of autonomous items has not been finalized, it is likely to include issues such as providing money to students that goes uncovered by traditional scholarships; expanded insurance, including coverage for pro prospects; more resources for academic and career counseling; and funding to help athletes' families travel to NCAA tournaments. Other components that could be added include creating mandatory break times from sports, a change that would allow athletes to pursue careers away from the playing field and still maintain their eligibility and even transfer rules.

Critics contend the NCAA is only starting to move on these issues now because players are threatening to unionize.

But Burke, Emmert and others have repeatedly noted these issues have been on the agenda for months or years and had gotten bogged down in the NCAA's cumbersome approval process.

''I only wish the association could move that fast,'' Emmert said when asked if this was a response to the union movement. ''It's taken longer than anybody wanted, but we got it done and that's a good thing.''

What's still unclear is how well this plan will work.

Still to be determined is how, or if, the other 27 Division I conferences might apply measures approved through the autonomy rules.

''If it's approved by the five conferences, the Horizon League should decide if it wants to adopt that approach,'' said LeCrone, whose league approved providing the full cost-of-attendance for its athletes after the measure initially passed in October 2011.

Board Chairman Nathan Hatch, the president at Wake Forest, said even if the new governing structure does pass in August, the current committees will remain in place until the NCAA's annual convention in January to ensure a smooth transition.

In other moves Thursday, the board approved a measure to give a small group of students who receive ''hardship waivers'' to transfer to a new school one additional year to complete their eligibility and to provide unlimited meals and snacks year-round to all athletes - an issue that drew national attention when men's basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player Shabazz Napier of Connecticut said he sometimes went to bed ''starving.''

But the bigger focus Thursday was finding a way to make the NCAA work more efficiently.

''To do nothing is absolutely wrong and to make a good faith effort is the absolute right thing to do,'' Burke said. ''So let's put the best minds around it, give it time and let it work.''

Northwestern Football Union Vote Is A Winner, Even If It Fails.

Darren Heitner

Northwestern football players may not obtain the requisite support to create a union when they vote on April 25 concerning whether or not it is in their best interests to unionize.  It does not matter.  The fact that a vote to unionize will be conducted at some point on April 25 is a win in itself.

College athletes across the country have been given a voice, which has been written and spoken about for weeks by politicians, journalists and fans of sport.  They are all now well aware of the plight of the college athlete.  Items of concern such as working conditions, safety, medical care and due process are being discussed and people from all walks of life are demanding change across college campuses.  This is the real win of the Northwestern players’ unionization effort.

There may be unintended consequences that surround the actual creation of a union containing college athletes.  First of all, what is the applicable bargaining unit?  Will it be deemed to be solely Northwestern college football players performing with the aid of a scholarship?  Does that mean that the scholarship, as a form of wages, can be deemed to be a taxable instrument and that members of the bargaining unit will have to actually pay money to the Internal Revenue Service based on the receipt of compensation?  What about the Title IX implications of potentially providing a benefit to one class of male-oriented college athletes that those in non-revenue generating women's sports may not receive?  In some respects, it may be less favorable for college athletes to unionize than the alternative.

Unintended consequences aside, April 25 is a monumental day in collegiate athletics. College football players at Northwestern University have a voice.  It is a voice that has been drowned by NCAA and athletic department rhetoric that has somehow prevailed despite a lack of rationale.  It is a voice that has been silenced when athletes are told that they have violated a rule and not had a fair opportunity to respond in an impartial setting whereby they may have the chance to present their versions of events and be vindicated.  Set aside the voice.  These are human bodies taking a beating on a daily basis that now have the world paying attention to them as they try to institute change.  This is a win no matter how the Northwestern football players vote on the issue of unionization.

76 Northwestern football players are eligible to vote on whether to unionize, and all that is needed is a simple majority in order for the unionization effort to push forward. Northwestern offensive lineman Adam DePietro has already said he will not vote in favor of unionization.  ”Once I really started to think about the reality of a union, I realized it wasn’t the unions against the NCAA.  It was the union against Northwestern, and I don’t think we need any changes at Northwestern.  We get everything we need and everything we want.”  DePietro is entitled to his opinion, and that opinion may be shared by a majority of his teammates.  Again, it does not matter.

On April 25, reporters will not be allowed on campus at Northwestern’s Welsh-Ryan Arena (the site of the vote).  Northwestern has already distributed a 21-page, 75 question-and-answer document to players that includes a statement that they can “get back to being students” by voting “No.”  The NCAA rushed to disseminate out a press release expressing disappointment in the National Labor Relation Board (NLRB) Regional Director’s initial decision allowing the Northwestern football team to vote on unionization.  These are clear signs of scared actors.

Northwestern football players may indeed vote “No” on April 25.  It may also take months for those votes to be counted, since the NLRB in Washington D.C. must still review the Regional Office’s decision, which is a process that typically takes some time.  Finally, as mentioned, there may be many unintended consequences that arise if the Board in D.C. affirms the Regional Director’s decision and enough Northwestern football players vote “Yes.”  In the end, it does not really matter. College athletes have won over the court of public opinion by a unanimous vote.  The time for change is now, and you will not find much support for the status quo outside of the NCAA’s and universities’ athletic department offices.

Michael Phelps wins his first preliminary race since London Olympics.

Nick Zaccardi, NBC Sports

Michael Phelps won a 100m butterfly preliminary heat in his first competitive swim since the London Olympics and was the fastest qualifier into Thursday night’s A final at the Arena Grand Prix at Mesa, Ariz.

Phelps clocked 52.84 seconds to beat a field that included Olympic 100m backstroke champion Matt Grevers and two Americans who swam butterfly at the 2013 World Championships, Eugene Godsoe and Tom Luchsinger. Ryan Lochte swam in the heat before Phelps and posted 52.94.

“I felt like a kid, being able to race again and be back at a meet,” Phelps said on Universal Sports. “I literally feel like a 10-year-old kid, just enjoying it. I was excited to get in the water yesterday. I probably came up to the blocks a little early, a little too excited. A new experience again for me, but I like it.”

Phelps’ time is the second fastest for a U.S. man this year, .12 behind Tom Shields from an earlier meet, according to FINA.

Phelps wore a white swim cap, a dark jammer waist-to-knees suit and took his customary condor arm flaps on the starting block. He was second at the 50m mark, .01 behind, according to the race announcer.

Phelps last swam a 100m butterfly at the 2012 Olympics, where he won gold in 51.21. The fastest time in the world so far this year is 51.84, according to SwimVortex.com. South African Chad le Clos won the 2013 World Championship in 51.06.

The 100m butterfly final in Mesa will take place during the night session that begins at 8 p.m. Eastern.

“It sets up, hopefully, a good race tonight,” Phelps said. “I know what I want to do tonight. We’ll see if it happens.”

Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 career medals, retired after winning six medals at the London Olympics but re-entered the drug testing pool last year, allowing him to enter meets this year.

It was announced he signed up for the Mesa Grand Prix on April 14, and he made his first comments since entering the meet on Wednesday, saying he’s back swimming “for fun” and not yet committing to a run to the Rio Olympics.

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