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Sports Quote of the Day:
"I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious." ~ Vince Lombardi, Legendary NFL and two time Super Bowl winning Coach
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks: Toews out until playoffs.
AP Sports
Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will miss the rest of the regular season with an upper-body injury.
The team said Wednesday that coach Joel Quenneville expects Toews to be ''100 percent'' for the playoffs.
Toews was injured after a hit by Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik on Sunday night. Toews got up slowly and was seen holding his left arm on the bench before heading to the locker room.
The Blackhawks, who have clinched a playoff berth, are already without star forward Patrick Kane, who is out for the rest of the regular season with a lower-body injury. Toews has 28 goals and 68 points this season.
Quenneville said Andrew Shaw will get some of Toews' ''quality ice time,'' but the team has also recalled forward Joakim Nordstrom from Rockford.
Blackhawks Game Summary Blackhawks 3, Wild 2 (SO).
By Jerry Bonkowski, The Sports Xchange
The Chicago Blackhawks celebrate after a 3-2 shootout victory over the Minnesota Wild, Thursday, April 3, 2014, at the United Center in Chicago, IL.
Although Chicago Blackhawks fans are crying in their beer that center Jonathan Toews and left winger Patrick Kane are sidelined due to injuries for the rest of the regular season, they seem to have forgotten one thing:
Veteran right winger Marian Hossa.
When his team needed him the most, Hossa came through with the only goal in a shootout Thursday night as Chicago snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild at the United Center.
Hossa was the only one of six players to score in the shootout. Failing to do so for Chicago were right wingers Patrick Sharp and Ben Smith, while attempts by Minnesota left winger Zach Parise, center Mikko Koivu and right winger Jason Pominville all were stopped by Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford.
Chicago (43-19-15) finally got over the 100-point mark with the win (now 101 points). Even with the loss, Minnesota (39-26-12) still won the regular-season series from the Blackhawks, 3-2.
Chicago took a 2-1 lead early in the third period on left winger Bryan Bickell's 11th goal of the season at 2:45.
It appeared as Bickell's goal would hold up as the game's deciding factor until 1:54 remained in regulation. Minnesota left winger Erik Haula scored his third goal of the season to tie the score at 2.
Crawford can't really be blamed on Haula's goal, as his vision was screened by a couple of players, one from each team, who were standing between him and Haula.
Minnesota scored the only goal of the first period when center Charlie Coyle pushed his 11th of the season past Crawford at 14:19.
It was pretty clear how much the Blackhawks are missing Toews and Kane. In the first period, Chicago managed to take just five shots (Minnesota had nine).
Finally at 2:29 of the second period, Chicago tied the game on Smith's 11th goal of the season.
Crawford (30-15-10) wound up stopping 25 shots, while Minnesota goalie Ilya Bryzgalov (9-8-8) made 24 saves.
The Blackhawks came into the night three points behind Colorado in the race for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Avalanche hosted the New York Rangers on Thursday night.
NOTES: The Blackhawks announced in the opening minute of the game that D Johnny Oduya was out due to a lower-body injury. He was joined on the scratch list by C Jonathan Toews (out for the remainder of the regular season with an upper-body injury), LW Matt Carey and LW Teuvo Teravainen. Minnesota listed nine players as scratches, including D Keith Ballard, D Clayton Stoner, C Cody McCormick, LW Mike Rupp, G Niklas Backstrom and G Darcy Kuemper. ... The attendance was 21,791. ... LW Patrick Sharp was one of Chicago's hottest goal-scorers before the Olympic break. However, in March, Sharp scored just three goals, though he still led the team with goals entering play Thursday. ... Mike Yeo earned his 100th win as the Wild's head coach Monday in Los Angeles. ... Chicago plays the Blue Jackets on Friday in Columbus. Minnesota hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.
Blackhawks-Blue Jackets Preview.
By JEFF MEZYDLO (STATS Senior Writer)
If the Columbus Blue Jackets are to win consecutive games for the first time in a little more than three weeks, they must find a way to end their prolonged struggles against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Blue Jackets' pursuit of their second-ever playoff appearance continues Friday night when they try to avoid a 13th straight defeat to the visiting Blackhawks and extend the defending Stanley Cup champions' season-high road skid to six games.
Columbus (39-30-7) maintained its hold on the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a 2-0 victory at Philadelphia on Thursday. Sergei Bobrovsky made 37 saves for this fourth shutout of the season for the Blue Jackets, who lead ninth-place Toronto by one point but moved within two of the Flyers for third in the Metropolitan Division.
"We're in a good position," said forward Brandon Dubinsky, who scored his 16th of the season. "It's not like where we were last year when we had to continue to watch and hope and chase teams. We're right where we want to be."
Though the Blue Jackets are in the midst of a 2-0-1 stretch, they haven't won two in a row since March 8-11 and have totaled 12 goals while dropping five of six at home.
"Our eyes have got to stay on the prize," Dubinsky said. "It's Chicago (on Friday) and we've got to focus on that and be ready to go."
The Blue Jackets don't expect things to be easy against Chicago (43-19-15), which owns a 51-20 goal advantage during its 12-game series winning streak. The Blackhawks have won eight straight at Columbus since an 8-3 loss March 25, 2010. The Blue Jackets have managed five goals in the last four versus Chicago at home.
Jonathan Toews and Andrew Shaw each scored twice during Chicago's 6-1 home rout of Columbus on March 6.
Already without star forward Patrick Kane (knee) for the remainder of the regular season, the Blackhawks lost Toews for the same amount of time to an upper-body injury suffered during a 4-1 loss at Pittsburgh on Sunday. However, they got back on track without their captain and snapped a three-game slide with a 3-2 shootout win over Minnesota on Thursday.
"We played the way we had to play," coach Joel Quenneville said. "Playing it simple, advancing the puck, a check-first mentality.
"It was important we did things the right way."
Chicago has already clinched a playoff berth, but it's totaled eight goals during an 0-4-1 road slide that is the team's longest such skid since going 0-9-2 in 2011-12.
"For us, we just need to simplify things with the guys out," said forward Bryan Bickell, who scored his 11th of the season in his return Thursday after missing six games with an upper-body injury. "We need to play smart, not cute."
Though Bickell is back, Chicago is expected to be without defenseman Johnny Oduya for a second straight contest after he was a last-minute scratch against the Wild with a lower-body injury.
Bickell has scored three of his five goals versus Columbus in his last five meetings.
Ryan Johansen scored one of his career-high 30 goals at Chicago last month for his second in three games against the Blackhawks.
Updated NHL odds to win the Stanley Cup.
By Nina Falcone
With less than two weeks to go in the regular season, betting website Bovada has released its latest Stanley Cup odds, with the Boston Bruins leading the pack after putting on a stellar performance throughout March:
| Team | Odds on April 2 |
| Boston Bruins | 9/2 |
| St. Louis Blues | 5/1 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 13/2 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 7/1 |
| San Jose Sharks | 8/1 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 10/1 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 12/1 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 14/1 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 20/1 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 22/1 |
| New York Rangers | 22/1 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 25/1 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 33/1 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 40/1 |
| Minnesota Wild | 40/1 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 50/1 |
| Dallas Stars | 66/1 |
| Phoenix Coyotes | 66/1 |
| Washington Capitals | 66/1 |
| New Jersey Devils | 150/1 |
Prior to their latest release, Bovada had the Blackhawks favored to repeat. But with injuries to Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and others, their odds have fallen to 13/2.
The Central Division rival St. Louis Blues currently lead the way for the Western Conference at 5/1 odds.
The NHL playoffs are set to begin on April 16.
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! NFL offseason workout program dates announced.
NFL.com
Each offseason, all 32 NFL teams hold a series of voluntary offseason workout programs.
These nine-week programs are conducted in three phases, per the collective bargaining agreement:
Phase One consists of the first two weeks of the program, with activities limited to strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation.
Phase Two consists of the next three weeks of the program. On-field workouts may include individual player instruction and drills as well as team practice conducted on a "separates" basis. No live contact or team offense versus team defense drills are permitted.
Phase Three consists of the next four weeks of the program. Teams may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team practice activity, or OTAs. No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills are permitted.
Additionally, clubs may hold one mandatory minicamp for veteran players. This minicamp must occur during Phase Three of the offseason program.
Below is the comprehensive schedule for each team's offseason workout programs:
Team
|
First Day
|
OTA Offseason Workouts
|
Voluntary Minicamp
|
Mandatory Minicamp
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
April 21
|
May 20-22, May 27-29, June 2-5
|
June 10-12
| |||
April 21
|
May 27-29, June 2-4, June 10-13
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
May 28-30, June 3-5, June 9-10, June 12-13
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 22
|
May 28-30, June 2, June 4-5, June 9-12
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
May 27-29, June 3-5, June 9-12
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 22
|
May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-12
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
May 27-29, June 3-5, June 16-18
|
June 10-12
| |||
April 7
|
May 20-21, May 23, May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5-6
|
April 29-May 1
|
June 10-12
| ||
April 21
|
May 27-29, June 2, June 4-5, June 9-12
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
May 28-30, June 2-4, June 16-19
|
June 10-12
| |||
April 7
|
May 20-22, May 27-29, June 2-5
|
April 22-24
|
June 10-12
| ||
April 22
|
May 28-30, June 3-5, June 10-13
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 7
|
May 27-29, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-10, June 12-13
|
May 6-8
|
June 17-19
| ||
April 21
|
May 27-29, June 2-4, June 9-12
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
May 27-29, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-10, June 12-13
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
May 27-29, June 3-5, June 10-13
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-12
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 7
|
May 28-30, June 3-5, June 9-12
|
April 29-May 1
|
June 17-19
| ||
April 21
|
May 27, May 29-30, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-10, June 12-13
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
May 27-29, June 3-5, June 16-19
|
June 10-12
| |||
April 21
|
May 28-30, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-10, June 12-13
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
May 27-28, May 30, June 2, June 4-5, June 9-12
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 22
|
May 27-28, May 30, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-12
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
May 27-29, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-12
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 22
|
May 27-29, June 3-5, June 9-12
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
June 3, June 5-6, June 9-10, June 12, June 16-17, June 19-20
|
None
| |||
April 22
|
May 27-29, June 2-4, June 9-12
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
May 27-29, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-10, June 12-13
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 21
|
May 27-29, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-12
|
June 17-19
| |||
April 7
|
May 20-22, May 27-29, June 2-5
|
April 22-24
|
June 10-12
| ||
April 7
|
May 27-29, June 2-3, June 5, June 9-12
|
April 29-May 1
|
June 17-19
| ||
April 7
|
May 27-29, June 2-4, June 9-12
|
April 29-May
|
June 17-19
|
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls 105, Hawks 92.
By Stan Awtrey, The Sports Xchange
Guard DJ Augustin came off the bench to produce his second 20-point effort in three games to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 105-92 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
The fifth-year player scored 23 points on 8-for-15 shooting from the field and added five assists. The 6-foot guard, who scored a career-high 33 points two games ago against Boston, has scored 57 points as a reserve in the four games against the Hawks this season.
Augustin had four 3-pointers, the last with 3:20 remaining that ended any hopes of Atlanta comeback.
It was the third straight win for Chicago (43-32), which swept the four-game season series against Atlanta and has now beaten the Hawks six straight times. Atlanta (32-42) has lost seven of its last eight games.
The Bulls are 28-2 when they score at least 86 points.
Chicago also got 17 points from guard Jimmy Butler, 17 points and six assists from guard Kirk Hinrich, 12 points and six rebounds from forward Carlos Boozer and 10 points, 19 rebounds and six assists from center Joakim Noah.
Atlanta was led by forward Paul Millsap with 22 points and 11 rebounds, his 25th double-double of the season, and point guard Jeff Teague, who had 21 points and eight assists. Guard Kyle Korver scored 12 points, all on 3-pointers.
The entertaining first quarter, which finished in a 31-31 tie, was highlighted by 3-pointers. Korver made three and Teague had two. Chicago guard Tony Snell knocked down two 3-pointers.
Atlanta led by as many as six points, but Chicago tied the score at 28 thanks to a 12-6 run late in the quarter.
The Bulls took command in the second quarter on the strength of a 10-0 run that gave them a 48-42 lead. Chicago stretched the lead to nine when Augustin's uncontested layup made it 54-45 with 2:38 left in the half. The Bulls led 57-49 at the break after Augustin scored all of his 14 first-half points in the second quarter.
Atlanta cut the lead to 60-57 on Teague's layup with 8:04 left, but Chicago answered by scoring six straight points to the return the lead to nine. The Hawks gamely used their defense to prevent the Bulls from putting the game away and drew within two points at 66-64 on Teague's 3-pointer. But Chicago kept the momentum and led 78-72 after third quarters.
The Bulls opened the fourth quarter by outscoring Atlanta 9-1 to stretch their lead to 87-73, with Noah adding two baskets and an assist during the run. Atlanta never got closer than seven points.
NOTES: Chicago C Joakim Noah had six assists and needs 19 to become only the ninth player in NBA history to reach 400 assists and 100 blocks in a season. ... Atlanta G Kyle Korver is one of five nominees for the J. Walter Kennedy Award that is presented each year to the NBA player, coach or trainer who shows outstanding service and dedication to the community. Korver is involved in multiple charitable ventures. The Kennedy Award winner will be announced later this month. ... After he was benched for seven games last month, Hawks G Lou Williams averaged 15.4 points and scored in double figures five times in seven games. ... Atlanta plays again at home on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Chicago returns home to host the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. The Bulls are 11-4 in their past 15 home games.
Bucks-Bulls Preview
By MATT BECKER (STATS Editor)
The Chicago Bulls have put themselves in excellent position to host a first-round playoff series.
Finishing third in the Eastern Conference is also a distinct possibility, but to snag that spot they certainly can't afford a letdown against the league's worst team.
The Bulls look to win a fourth in a row and hand the Milwaukee Bucks a franchise record-tying 62nd loss Friday night at the United Center.
Chicago (43-32) took a 2 1/2-game lead over fifth-place Brooklyn with Wednesday's 105-92 win over free-falling Atlanta coupled with the Nets' loss to New York. The Bulls have seven games to play while the Nets have eight.
Chicago is also tied with Atlantic Division-leading Toronto for third place, and neither team closes the season with a daunting schedule. The combined winning percentage of the Bulls' remaining opponents is .396 while the Raptors' is .360.
"We just want to finish the rest of the season strong," point guard D.J. Augustin said.
Augustin had 23 points against the Hawks to lead six Bulls in double figures. Chicago made 12 of 25 3-pointers, and the league's lowest-scoring team (93.2 points per game) is averaging 102.0 during a three-game win streak while shooting 50.4 percent. The Bulls are 40-10 when scoring at least 89.
The Bucks (14-61) have allowed an average of 108.3 points in losing 11 of 12. The only two games they didn't surrender 100 came in losses to Miami, which both times didn't play Dwyane Wade or Ray Allen and jumped out to such big leads early it was able to give LeBron James and Chris Bosh extended rest.
Milwaukee lost to the Heat 88-67 on Saturday and fell 96-77 in Wednesday's rematch. It marked the 11th game this season the Bucks never led.
One more loss and Milwaukee will tie the franchise record for most defeats in a season, set by the 1993-94 team.
"As we wind this thing down with seven games to go, the thing I want is see them compete," coach Larry Drew said. "We're dealing with adverse times. This is really a good time to see what guys are truly made of."
The Bucks have lost 11 straight road games and are 1-21 away from Milwaukee in 2014, but did win 78-74 in Chicago on Dec. 10 in the season's first meeting.
At that time, the Bulls, who won 91-90 in Milwaukee three days later, were struggling to find their way without Derrick Rose. They're now surging to the playoffs thanks to the play of Augustin and Joakim Noah.
Augustin is averaging 17.2 points in his last 17 games, and Chicago is 16-3 when he scores at least 18.
"He's saved our season," coach Tom Thibodeau said of Augustin, who signed with the Bulls on Dec. 13. "D.J. can beat you a lot of different ways."
Noah had 10 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday for his 40th double-double, and the All-Star center has averaged 7.4 assists since the beginning of March. He also leads a defense that ranks second in points allowed at 91.9 per game.
The Bulls have limited the Bucks to an average of 80.0 points in their three meetings and held Milwaukee to a season-low 31.8 percent shooting in an 81-72 win Jan. 10.
Noah sat out the loss to Milwaukee due to a thigh bruise and has totaled 29 points and 28 rebounds in the other two matchups.
Brandon Knight, who leads the Bucks with 17.5 points per game, averaged 11.5 on 26.7 percent shooting in the losses to Chicago. He is averaging 12.8 points on 29.7 percent shooting in Milwaukee's last five defeats.
By Adam Rubin
Second baseman Daniel Murphy missed the Mets' first two games of the season to be in Florida with his wife, Tori, for the birth of their first child. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy on Thursday calmly deflected talk-radio criticism of his decision to miss the first two games of the season for the birth of his first child.
"It's going to be tough for her to get up to New York for a month. I can only speak from my experience -- a father seeing his wife -- she was completely finished. I mean, she was done. She had surgery and she was wiped. Having me there helped a lot, and vice versa, to take some of the load off. ... It felt, for us, like the right decision to make."
After receiving word about 11:30 p.m. Sunday that his wife's water had broken, Murphy traveled from New York to Florida and arrived in time for the birth of 8-pound, 2-ounce son Noah at 12:02 p.m. Monday -- about an hour before the first pitch of the Mets' opener against the Washington Nationals.
The Mets had Tuesday off before resuming the series Wednesday. Murphy remained with his family through Wednesday, as he was placed on paternity leave, and rejoined the Mets in time for Thursday's afternoon game against the Nats.
"You're a major league baseball player. You can hire a nurse,'' Mike Francesa reportedly said of Murphy on WFAN Radio during Wednesday's show. "What are you gonna do, sit there and look at your wife in the hospital bed for two days?"
Murphy said his wife delivered their son by C-section. On another WFAN show, host Boomer Esiason said, in part, that Murphy's wife should have had a "C-section before the season starts."
Mets manager Terry Collins said the criticism was unfair.
"I'm sure there might be some guy along the way that said, 'Hey, listen, it's too far to go. It's too far to travel. I'll see you in a few days,'" Collins said. "But you know what? I certainly feel it's very unfair to criticize Dan Murphy."
The collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the players' association allows for up to a three-day absence after being placed on paternity leave.
Asked if he was surprised about parental-rights criticism in this day and age, Murphy said: "Again, that's the choice of parents that they get to make. That's the greatness of it. You discuss it with your spouse and you find out what you think works best for your family."
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins also went on paternity leave Wednesday.
"We had a really cool occasion yesterday morning, about 3 o'clock. We had our first panic session," Murphy said. "It was dark. She tried to change a diaper -- couldn't do it. I came in. It was just the three of us at 3 o'clock in the morning, all freaking out. He was the only one screaming. I wanted to. I wanted to scream and cry, but I don't think that's publicly acceptable, so I let him do it."
The name Noah, by the way, was selected for the biblical significance, not for flame-throwing Mets prospect Noah Syndergaard, Murphy joked.
"I told Syndergaard he's the 'other Noah' in my life in spring training," Murphy said. "The first thing when we decided to do it, I was like, 'People are going to think I named him after the monstrosity that throws like 1,000 miles per hour.' We didn't."
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: We don't understand what the uproar is about. Dan Murphy took paternity leave for the first two days of the baseball season to be with his wife for the birth of their first child. Some sportscasters and announcers have been very critical of him for doing this. That's what makes this country great, the 1st amendment, freedom of speech and thought, however, we don't agree with their criticism. We think it's admirable that he took the time off to be with his wife and child. One of the major problems in America today is the breakdown of the American family structure and here's a guy that wants to secure the bonding of his family and he gets attacked for it. We don't get it. We're glad he did it and we cannot applaud him enough. All we can say is, "job well done." Once the American family dynamics are rescued, You will see crime, hopelessness, despair and insecurity start to dissipate. Education, religious faith, parental guidance and a work ethic are the keys to success. That's what made our country great. So in conclusion, we say, "family first." It doesn't get any better than that. Now you know where we stand. What do you think and what's your take?
Ten reasons why the Masters will still be awesome even without Tiger Woods.
By Shane Bacon
With the news that Tiger Woods had back surgery and will be missing his first Masters since 1994, fans started to freak out that this opening major just wouldn't be the same. While it will take a hit without the biggest attraction in the game competing for a 15th major, it will still be an incredible Masters and here are 10 reasons why.
1. It's the most wide open Masters ever -- Yep, ever. Did you know that only two of the top-10 current players in the world have won a PGA Tour event this season? Did you know that Phil Mickelson hasn't had a single top-10 in 2014 and Rory McIlroy, the favorite, hasn't won on the PGA Tour since 2012? This season has been dominated by the no-names of the PGA Tour, and while some might hate that, I see it as a good thing because it means for the first time in a long time this is really anybody's Masters.
2. The early weather report looks very, very promising -- Of all the traditions at Augusta National, bad weather seems like the one that is the most consistent. We've had so many rain delays, tee times pushed back and rounds forced to be made up the next day that it takes a little away from the tournament. It's very early to check the forecast, but there is a zero percent chance of rain on both Thursday and Friday, and if that's the case it will be hard, fast and will allow us to get those opening rounds in on time which is very important to the flow of the tournament.
3. We haven't had a boring final round at Augusta National in five straight years -- If this was roulette I might think this stat could point to a bore on Sunday, but this is Augusta and couple the fact that it has been exciting for five straight seasons with our initial reason this will be an awesome event and I think fireworks should be expected on Sunday. Also, we've had two playoffs in a row and three over the last five seasons, meaning extra Augusta golf could be in the equation.
4. Rory McIlroy looks to finally be in the form to win a green jacket -- He's the odds-on favorite next week at Augusta and he should be, because the kid is finally swinging like the champion he is. Rory had a tough 2013 but golfers have ups and downs, and it seems this season, despite a fairly disappointing week at Bay Hill, he will be ready for Augusta and is hitting his driver so high and so far that he will have a serious advantage over a lot of the field when the Masters tees off.
5. No Tiger, but we still get Jack, Arnie and Gary -- It is the coolest part of the entire year in my opinion, with three of the greatest golfers to ever tee it up getting to hit the ceremonial first tee shots and kick off the major championship season. If you are headed to Augusta on Thursday and don't get there early enough to see this they should tear up your ticket at the gate.
6. The Par-3 Tournament will still be the same -- See, Tiger doesn't even play in this anyway!
7. The past two Masters champions will be a factor again -- At this point, Adam Scott has become a poor man's Tiger, a guy that doesn't have the putting stroke that Woods had in his prime but is hitting the ball as good, if not better, than Woods was back when he was collecting majors.
As for the 2012 champ, in three straight tournaments before Bay Hill, Bubba Watson won, finished T-9 and T-2, so as long as the azaleas don't fire up his allergies he should be another guy to circle as a favorite heading into Thursday.
8. One of these first-time winners could really rock up the major championship scene -- Sergio Garcia, Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Matt Kuchar, Jordan Spieth, Steve Stricker, Ian Poulter, Brandt Snedeker, Patrick Reed ... the list just extends of huge names without a major and without Tiger around it opens the door for these players to continue the recent trend on tour of first time major winners emerging and adding something huge to their resume.
9. The Stadlers will be playing a first and last Masters -- The U.S. Open might be the major that ends on Father's Day, but this Masters will be very, very special to one father-son combination. Kevin Stadler qualified for Augusta National for the first time thanks to his Waste Management Open win, meaning he will be joining his father, Craig Stadler, in their first Masters together. When Kevin won his dad immediately announced that this would be his final Masters at the age of 60, and he was simply waiting until Kevin got the invite before the 1982 Masters champion would call it a career at Augusta.
10. It's still the Masters -- It's the best week of the year in golf and the best tournament of the entire calendar, so no matter if the top name is there or not it's will survive just fine and be four days of incredible competition on the most famous golf course on the planet.
10. It's still the Masters -- It's the best week of the year in golf and the best tournament of the entire calendar, so no matter if the top name is there or not it's will survive just fine and be four days of incredible competition on the most famous golf course on the planet.
Fan vote opens for 2015 Hall of Fame class.
By NASCAR Official Release
They've helped Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and David Pearson reach the pinnacle of their NASCAR career, and today fans can once again aid in ushering in a new group of legends into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Fan voting for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2015 opens today on NASCAR.com (www.nascar.com/halloffame) and runs through Tuesday, May 20 at noon ET. The five nominees receiving the highest percentage of votes will comprise the Fan Vote ballot. This ballot will be included among the 54 submitted by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel to determine the Class of 2015. Voting Day for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2015 is Wednesday, May 21, 2014.
"The NASCAR Hall of Fame is the only hall of its kind where fans have had a voice in the induction process since its inception," said Brett Jewkes, NASCAR chief communications officer. "And the reason is simple. NASCAR fans are extremely passionate and knowledgeable about the sport and its history, and have demonstrated that with their selections for the first five classes."
Last year, Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Dale Jarrett, Benny Parsons and Fireball Roberts were on the Fan Vote ballot. Jarrett and Roberts were enshrined as part of the Class of 2014.
The following 20 nominees were voted upon by the 22-person Nominating Committee at its first-ever in-person meeting Feb. 21, and will appear on the Fan Vote ballot on NASCAR.com.
Buddy Baker, won 19 times in NASCAR's premier (now Sprint Cup) series, including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500
Red Byron, first NASCAR premier series champion, in 1949
Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
Jerry Cook, six-time NASCAR Modified champion
Bill Elliott, 1988 premier series champion, two-time Daytona 500 winner and 16-time Most Popular Driver
Ray Fox, legendary engine builder and owner of cars driven by Buck Baker, Junior Johnson and others
Rick Hendrick, 14-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
Bobby Isaac, 1970 NASCAR premier series champion
Terry Labonte, Two-time NASCAR premier series champion
Fred Lorenzen, 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600
Raymond Parks, NASCAR's first champion car owner
Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR premier series champion
Larry Phillips, only five-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion
Wendell Scott, NASCAR trailblazer was the first African-American NASCAR premier series race winner, and first to be nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame
O. Bruton Smith, builder of Charlotte Motor Speedway and architect of Speedway Motorsports Inc.
Mike Stefanik, winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships
Curtis Turner, early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing"
Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR premier series champion
Rex White, 1960 NASCAR premier series champion
Robert Yates, won NASCAR premier series championship as both an engine builder and owner
Omar Gonzalez's disappointing display raises concern over U.S. going into World Cup.
By Martin Rogers
Hopefully for Omar Gonzalez, he didn't pay too much attention to social media on Wednesday night because the United States central defender wouldn't have liked the story it told.
Gonzalez was singled out for some acerbic abuse following his performance in the U.S.' 2-2 friendly draw with Mexico at the University of Phoenix Stadium on an evening that was one of his most disappointing in a national team uniform.
And with just two-and-a-half months remaining before the U.S. kicks off its World Cup campaign, the 25-year-old's display raised the age-old soccer question of how much form, especially in friendlies, matters leading into a major championship.
Fans – and often head coaches too – tend to fall into two categories on the issue. You could define them as the "Tried and Trusted" camp and the "What Have You Done For Me Lately" brigade.
For some of the Twitterati, Gonzalez's struggles in Arizona were an ominous portent of future struggles. After all, a Mexican attack that scored just seven times in 10 games over CONCACAF's final qualifying round was able to expose him twice during its second half comeback.
Gonzalez could not pick up the fast advancing Rafa Marquez on a corner kick in the 49th minute, as the Mexican captain went unmarked to launch a powerful header into the corner of the net. Later, Gonzalez looked to have been caught out of position as Alan Pulido pounced quickest when a low strike rebounded off the post.
For others, Gonzalez's body of work over the past two years will have been enough to allay any panic over this performance. After all, during World Cup qualifiers, the Los Angeles Galaxy man established his place on the side, then formed a solid partnership with fellow central defender Matt Besler and was, at least until Wednesday, almost unanimously seen as one of the steadiest spots on the team.
In his defense, the Major League Soccer season is in its infancy – the Galaxy have only played twice in league action – so a little ring rust can be forgiven, but it needs to be eliminated quickly if the doubters are to be silenced.Gonzalez could not pick up the fast advancing Rafa Marquez on a corner kick in the 49th minute, as the Mexican captain went unmarked to launch a powerful header into the corner of the net. Later, Gonzalez looked to have been caught out of position as Alan Pulido pounced quickest when a low strike rebounded off the post.
For others, Gonzalez's body of work over the past two years will have been enough to allay any panic over this performance. After all, during World Cup qualifiers, the Los Angeles Galaxy man established his place on the side, then formed a solid partnership with fellow central defender Matt Besler and was, at least until Wednesday, almost unanimously seen as one of the steadiest spots on the team.
Klinsmann's pre-World Cup training camp starts in six weeks and after that, the greatest show in soccer begins. That is no place to still be searching for form.
Klinsmann occupied the middle ground in the Gonzalez debate, which is probably right where he should be. He did not overreact to the player's uncharacteristic troubles against Mexico but did point out that the team made "defensive mistakes that … you just can't make."
The coach has some tough decisions to make before the plane to Brazil is boarded, both in terms of who is on it as part of the final squad of 23 and who is sat, metaphorically, in first class for the starting eleven against Ghana on June 16. Gonzalez looked to be ticketed for a first-sting seat, but Geoff Cameron and Clarence Goodson might now feel they have a shot.
Cameron, like the rest of the U.S.' European-based players, did not come back for the Mexico game, but he has a chance to catch Klinsmann's eye with his English Premier League team Stoke City taking on Chelsea this weekend.
"Naturally, it is open," said Klinsmann, when pressed on the likely starting central defensive pairing.
The coach has some tough decisions to make before the plane to Brazil is boarded, both in terms of who is on it as part of the final squad of 23 and who is sat, metaphorically, in first class for the starting eleven against Ghana on June 16. Gonzalez looked to be ticketed for a first-sting seat, but Geoff Cameron and Clarence Goodson might now feel they have a shot.
Cameron, like the rest of the U.S.' European-based players, did not come back for the Mexico game, but he has a chance to catch Klinsmann's eye with his English Premier League team Stoke City taking on Chelsea this weekend.
"Naturally, it is open," said Klinsmann, when pressed on the likely starting central defensive pairing.
The split personality of the U.S. talent pool – as many as 10 of Klinsmann's final squad could come from MLS – makes the coach's job that much harder.
For example, how can you compare like for like when Jozy Altidore's Sunderland has its next four games all against teams in the top six of the Premier League, one of the strongest competitions in the world? At the same time, forward Chris Wondolowski, who scored the U.S.'s second goal on Wednesday and is likely on the bubble of the World Cup squad, takes on Columbus, Colorado, Chivas USA and Vancouver. Of those clubs, only Colorado made the MLS playoffs last season, and it lost in the first round.
If it seems concerning that Klinsmann is still figuring things out in regards to his squad, the good news is that he is not the only one. The reduced international schedule means that more than ever World Cup-bound coaches will rely on what they see in final training camps to make their critical selections.
Klinsmann admitted that, despite three years of preparation, he "still has a lot of homework to do."
So too, do some of his players.
SEC could extend Big Ten's national title drought in college basketball.
By Pat Forde
Jim Delany rides or dies here with the Wisconsin Badgers.
While that's better than having no teams in the Final Four, the Big Ten commissioner is no longer operating from the position of strength he enjoyed as recently as last week. When Michigan and Michigan State both flamed out in regional finals, the quest for the league's first national title in men's basketball since 2000 suddenly shifted from strong odds to slim.
That's tough to take. But the presence of Southeastern Conference teams on both sides of the Final Four bracket makes the Big Ten predicament almost intolerable.
That's tough to take. But the presence of Southeastern Conference teams on both sides of the Final Four bracket makes the Big Ten predicament almost intolerable.
If the Badgers are going to win this thing, they will have to beat Kentucky Saturday and then quite likely Florida Monday. If they pull that off, it's a phenomenal accomplishment and one of the happiest Big Ten moments in many years. But if they lose to either SEC team, it's one more spoonful of castor oil down the throat for Delany.
He already has had to cede the foundation sport of football to his fierce rival Mike Slive. Delany's league has not been able to win a national title in that since 2002, while the SEC won them all from 2006-12 and came very close to an eighth straight in January. Slive eventually won the football playoff turf battle, too, wearing down the old-guard bowl adherents that were led by Delany.
So the fascinating power struggle between the two men with the most clout in college athletics has swung heavily to the South. If Slive struts into North Texas and leaves with the basketball hardware for the fourth time in the last eight tourneys, that might be the last straw.
Because the SEC was a laughingstock of a league in comparison to the Big Ten this season.To their credit, SEC honchos admitted after last season they had a basketball problem and set about fixing it – they hired former NCAA tournament czar Greg Shaheen as a scheduling consultant, and they made longtime staffer Mark Whitworth the associate commissioner in charge of basketball. The hiring of Bruce Pearl at Auburn will help as well.
But in 2013-14, there was a mile of quality distance between the Big Ten and SEC.
One had depth, the other did not. One had four teams in the final AP Top 25, the other had one. One had six teams in the field of 68, the other had three.
That's six out of 12 Big Ten teams in the field. Compared to three out of 14 SEC teams.
The Big Ten won the NIT Thursday with Minnesota beating SMU in the final. The SEC's four NIT teams all failed to win more than one game, impugning any argument that the league deserved more than the three NCAA bids it got.
The Big Ten is the No. 1 league in the nation, per Ken Pomeroy's ratings. The SEC is fifth. But the Big Ten really, really needs Wisconsin to salvage what had been a very good season for the entire league.
Michigan State's regional final loss to Connecticut was a blow to the Big Ten. After an injury-riddled season, the Spartans looked like national title contenders while winning the Big Ten tournament and advancing to the Sweet 16. After taking down No. 1 seed Virginia in that round, all that stood between them and the Final Four were the No. 7-seeded Huskies. But UConn played with far more poise and moxie, as the Spartans surprisingly unraveled in the second half.
Michigan's loss to Kentucky was less regrettable but still painful for the Big Ten office. The Wolverines played a very good game and simply were outshot late by a massively talented Kentucky team that is riding a remarkable wave of momentum and confidence.
Combine those defeats with first-game losses by Ohio State, Iowa and Nebraska, and the Big Ten crowd has thinned to one.
It's down to Wisconsin. A team that at one point was 4-5 in the league.
The Badgers have had a great tourney run, capped off with a blowout of Baylor in the round of 16 and a dramatic, one-point, overtime upset of Arizona to get here. But like everyone else who has encountered Kentucky, they will be at a height disadvantage and a talent deficit Saturday.
The Wildcats could have seven players drafted this June, none of them older than sophomores. The NBA scouts are considerably less enamored of the Badgers.
They don't do one-and-done players at Wisconsin, a point Bo Ryan wryly made Thursday.
"When somebody asks me about one and done, all I remember is when my mom would give me a pork chop or a piece of meat loaf," Ryan said. "And I would ask for another piece and she would say, 'No, one and done.' "
Wisconsin executes its swing offense at a high rate of efficiency, and it's not the most conventional approach – which will challenge the young Wildcats' ability to absorb a scouting report and prepare. But the Badgers' perennial ability to guard without fouling will be severely tested by a Kentucky team that assaults the rim and enjoys a huge free-throw disparity on the season. This is Ryan's best offensive team at Wisconsin and probably one of his worst defensively – we'll see how that disparity plays out against a group that has figured out the game in the past month.
The Badgers are up against it Saturday – and by extension so is the Big Ten. If this Final Four becomes an all-SEC final, somebody needs to check on Jim Delany and make sure he's OK.
Agency sets date for Northwestern vote.
AP Sports
A federal agency says a date has been set for Northwestern football players to vote on authorizing a union to represent them in collective bargaining with the university.
A spokesman for the National Labor Relations Board confirmed Wednesday that the vote is scheduled for April 25.
The players will cast ballots on whether to organize under the College Athletes Players Association, known as CAPA. CAPA took the lead in pushing for the right to form the nation's first college athletes' union at Northwestern.
In a decision that rocked college sports, the regional director of the agency ruled last week that the Northwestern players were employees and so could unionize. The Evanston, Ill.-based university has said it will appeal the ruling to the agency's national board in Washington, D.C.
The Battle of Washington.
By Jenny Vrentas with special reporting by Emily Kaplan
Daniel Snyder says it honors the heritage of Native Americans; critics consider it nothing less than a racist slur. We set out to gauge the real sentiment regarding the name ‘Redskins’ among Native American leaders and in grass-roots tribal communities around the country. The short answer: It’s complicated.
The dusty roads behind the San Carlos Apache tribal headquarters lead to a place where the debate surrounding the NFL team in the nation’s capital does not feel 2,000 miles away. This reservation, a 1.8 million-acre trust of land two hours east of Phoenix, has an air of isolation. Cell phone service is spotty, and many businesses don’t have the technology to swipe credit cards. The dwellings of the 10,000 plus residents are scattered across the semi-arid terrain.
But the issue of the Washington NFL team’s name—the Redskins—drives the work of one artist on a daily basis. Propped up outside the white trailer that serves as his studio are paintings of Apache men and women on mixed media such as skateboards and household doors. Douglas Miles’ work portrays his subjects in traditional dress of cloth headbands and high-topped moccasins; wielding revolvers in a modern twist on their warrior ancestors; celebrating the tribe’s matrilineal heritage.
About a year and a half ago, Miles, who has lived on the reservation for nearly three decades, started an art campaign called “What Tribe,” with the intent of dismantling racial stereotypes such as the ones he sees in that team name and logo. Instead of a protest or a picket sign, he decided to weigh in by presenting his culture in a way many Native Americans feel is not recognized by the larger American populace. “We’re either seen as this extreme noble savage,” Miles says, “or this extreme poverty case that needs help.”
Indeed, these are the two visages often evoked and juxtaposed in discussions about the Washington team name. The push for a change in the name is pitted against Native Americans’ less-abstract needs—job creation, health care, land rights. But in many Native American communities, and to many Native American leaders, the mascot issue is about more than a football team.
That’s what we saw and heard during the past month, when The MMQB visited three Native American communities—the San Carlos Apache Reservation, Onondaga Nation in upstate New York and the Seminole Tribe’s Big Cypress Indian Reservation in South Florida—and spoke to dozens of other Native Americans living across the U.S. We spoke to leaders and to everyday people in the community like Miles, whom we met at the local café in San Carlos where his daughter works.
The recent groundswell around the team name produced some movement earlier this month, when the franchise announced the launch of the Original Americans Foundation, which pledges to work with tribal communities to provide resources and opportunities. Team owner Daniel Snyder and his staff visited 26 Native American communities to gather information and assess needs, and their initiative has already had a positive and tangible impact—one project has been to distribute more than 3,000 coats to tribes in the Great Plains this winter.
But the issue of the name remains. There is a loud call from many Native Americans, one that did not ask for money or assistance from the team. It asked for a name change. In a four-page letter outlining the new foundation’s goals, Snyder did not directly address this call, but wrote, “It’s plain to see [Native Americans] need action, not words.”
“I would say we do need action,” says Jacqueline Pata, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). “And one of those actions is treating Indian country respectfully. One of those actions, Dan Snyder, is changing the name. Respect Indian country, do what is right, and don’t cloak it with something else.”
At least a dozen members of Congress want the name changed, as do some civil rights groups and vocal members of the national media. The people at the heart of the debate, though, are those at the grass-roots level among the more than 500 recognized tribes in the U.S. The MMQB took the temperature of Native Americans from coast to coast—representing 18 tribes in 10 states—and found a complicated and nuanced issue. What we did not find: the “overwhelming majority” that Snyder and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell have claimed support the name “Redskins.”
We found opponents of the name in 18 tribes: veterans of the U.S. military, lawyers, college students, cultural center employees, school volunteers and restaurant servers. Their viewpoints align with official statements from dozens of tribes or inter-tribal councils and from the NCAI, which represents more than 250 tribal governments at the Embassy of Tribal Nations. Many of these people wondered how, or if, their voices are being counted.
By no means is there a consensus. We met a man in San Carlos who grew up rooting for Joe Theismann. Others pointed out how the Florida State Seminoles and Central Michigan Chippewas use Native American mascots with the approval and input of the tribes. Some whom we spoke to on the San Carlos and Big Cypress reservations said they had no opinion, and members of about a dozen other tribes or communities we reached out to did not respond or declined to be interviewed.
But team officials and the NFL paint a nearly uniform picture of support for the name, typically citing the results of a 2004 survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, that 90 percent of the 768 self-identified Native Americans polled said the team name “Redskins” did not bother them. (The question: “The professional football team in Washington calls itself the Washington Redskins. As a Native American, do you find that name offensive or doesn’t it bother you?”). That survey is 10 years old. Can the same opinion be applied today?
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