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How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks win 4th straight to eliminate Blues.
By Jerry Bonkowski, The Sports Xchange
Chicago Blackhawks Andrew Shaw (L, 65), Jonathan Toews (C, 19) and St. Louis Blues goalie, Ryan Miller (R, 39) observe the Blackhawks series winning action at he United Center in Chicago, Illinois, Sunday, April 27, 2014.
One series down, three more potentially to go.
That's the formula the Chicago Blackhawks face to successfully defend last season's Stanley Cup championship.
Chicago took the first step towards doing so -- and potentially go on to win its third NHL title in five seasons -- with Sunday's 5-1 blowout of the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 of the Western Conference quarterfinal series.
Perhaps a better way to put it: Chicago needs just 12 more wins in the playoffs to remain kings of the NHL.
Any way you put it, Sunday's game was one Blackhawks fans will remember for a long time, while also one Blues fans can't wait to forget.
"The puck was bouncing along the goal line, but you have to score. You have to finish and we didn't finish," St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We played with a real high level of intensity, we didn't have any panic in our game at all.
"We were in a great spot, but we made big errors. ... We can't do that stuff if you're going to win at the end. We cracked a little bit there and that's something we don't want to do."
After losing the first two games of the best-of-seven series, Chicago rallied to win four straight games to eliminate the Blues and to move Chicago into the conference semifinals.
"It feels good, it was a tough series," said Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith, who had one goal and three assists in the game. "Every game was close. Even tonight ... it was a close game for 50 minutes and then we were able to separate some distance there. It felt good to get that momentum and I think we did a good job just holding onto it."
Chicago will face the winner of the Minnesota-Colorado series in the conference semifinals. Colorado leads Minnesota 3-2 with Game 6 Monday night in Minnesota.
A four-goal barrage in the third period by team captain and center Jonathan Toews, left winger Patrick Sharp, center Andrew Shaw and Keith sealed things up for Chicago.
Even though St. Louis outshot the Blackhawks 36-27 in the game -- including a lopsided 17-3 margin in the second period and an overall 28-11 mismatch through the first two periods -- Chicago's defense and especially goalie Corey Crawford were nothing short of stellar.
Crawford stopped all but one of St. Louis' 36 shots, while Blues goalie Ryan Miller was only able to stop 22 of the Blackhawks' 27 shots.
Chicago's defense particularly focused on St. Louis right winger Vladimir Tarasenko, who came into the game tied for the NHL lead in goals in the opening round of this season's playoffs (four), and it paid off as Tarasenko was scoreless in Sunday's series-deciding game.
Another reason for Chicago's success: it went 27-for-29 in penalty-killing situations in the entire series. However, the Blackhawks will need to improve their power play in the next round -- they were just 3-of-20 vs. the Blues.
"We had the good battle with us," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "As the series progressed you had to really raise the level of battling and perseverance almost every shift that you needed to get through this team because (the Blues) play the right way. They're heavy and they're strong and they're relentless. Every game seemed to get more challenging. I thought they played their best game here today. We were fortunate to come out of it the way it ended up."
Chicago opened the scoring early in the first period when left winger Bryan Bickell scored his second goal of the series, sinking the puck past St. Louis goalie Ryan Miller at 4:12.
Bickell's goal was particularly noteworthy in that Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook, who had sat out the previous three games on suspension for his hit on Blues center David Backes in Game 2, earned the assist (along with fellow defenseman Duncan Keith) by feeding Bickell the goal-scoring setup pass.
St. Louis tied things up at 16:28 of the opening period when left winger Alexander Steen circled around behind the Blackhawks' net and fed a waiting right winger T.J. Oshie, who was standing right in front of -- and slipped a shot past -- Crawford for the tally. It was Oshie's second goal of the series and the second in as many games.
And then came the third period.
With St. Louis' center Jay Bouwmeester still serving the final 1:05 of his late second period penalty for tripping, Toews took advantage of the power-play situation by scoring his third goal of the playoffs just 44 seconds into the period, putting Chicago ahead to stay 2-1.
"We're going into the third with a 1-1 game in a Game 6 where it's lay it all on the line, they get a power-play goal and it seemed to have more of an effect on us than it probably should've," St. Louis right winger and captain David Backes said. "It's still 20 minutes to play in a series that's been near tied up the whole time. We start pressing a little bit, they get a few chances and they have plenty of guys that can bury the puck and got to display it there in the third. All that stuff aside, we didn't get the job done."
After essentially being missing in action for the first five games of the series with no goals or assists, Sharp finally was heard from with his first goal since April 9 at 2:01.
Sharp's goal complemented team captain Jonathan Toews' third goal of the playoffs at :44 of the final period, while broke a 1-1 tie and put Chicago ahead to stay.
Shaw tallied his second goal of the series at 7:30, and Keith scored his second goal of the series at 17:05. Keith was the Blackhawks' workhorse, playing a game-high 25 minutes, 16 seconds.
NOTES: After serving a three-game suspension for a flagrant hit on St. Louis team captain and C David Backes in Game 2, D Brent Seabrook was back on the ice in Game 6 and had two assists. ... Attendance was 22,144, the 270th consecutive sellout of the United Center (229 regular season, 41 playoff games). ... Chicago team captain and C Jonathan Toews, who turns 26 on Tuesday, leads the Blackhawks in points with seven (three goals, four assists). He also was the only player in the league to have three game-winning goals during the current playoffs, including Sunday's. ... Chicago is now 11-2 in potential playoff series-clinching games since 2009. ... Sunday was the Blues' 347th all-time meeting vs. the Blackhawks (291 regular season games, 56 playoff games).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Random thoughts on the Bears' schedule.
Chicago Tribune
Here's analysis of the Bears' 2014 schedule from members of the Tribune's Bears coverage team.
There are some interesting twists, including consecutive Thursday games late in the season and a trip to Santa Clara, Calif., for the first game at the 49ers' new Levi's Stadium.
It's difficult to read too much into a 16-game slate at this time of year because we don't know how rosters will be shaped during the draft, how teams will come together over the summer and what kind of injuries will strike. But it's fun to prognosticate months in advance and — on paper (or on the web) — it looks like the second half of the schedule sets up nicely for Marc Trestman's team.
There's no disputing the first half of the schedule will be challenging with four road games in a span of five weeks against the 49ers, Jets, Panthers and Falcons. But the Bears are at home for five of their final seven games (and three of the last four). Of the final seven opponents, only the Saints in Week 15 had a winning record last year.
One thing I wonder about is if the Bears have a rough start to the season, will the defense hold up down the stretch when it looks like the schedule will lighten up a little? It's still a veteran unit and likely will be one of the oldest in the league. In recent seasons, the Bears have dipped some defensively in the second half. The Bears might need to be on top of their game to make up ground in November and December with an eye toward playing into January.
Rich Campbell
With five games in prime time and a Thanksgiving showcase, it's clear the NFL senses the Bears are an ascending team after a two-victory regression in 2013. That's justifiable. The size of Chicago's media market has something to do with that, but so does the Bears' free-agent defensive additions and one of the NFL's best offenses.
Based on how the Bears' opponents fared last season, the Week 3 Monday night road game against the Jets appears pivotal. Lose that, and they could be staring at a 1-4 start with a four-game skid that would include losses visiting the 49ers to open their new stadium, home against the Packers and visiting the Panthers. Oh, and the Jets were 6-2 at home last season.
I dislike how the league back-loaded the schedule with NFC North opponents. The division title should be determined on a full 16-game body of work. Instead, with five of the Bears' six divisional games in the final eight weeks, the importance of injuries down the stretch is magnified. That doesn't bode well for a Bears defense on which several players older than 30 are projected to have key roles. Perhaps the league tried to offset that obstacle with the favorable placement Week 9 as their off week.
Not playing the Vikings or Lions until Week 11 is disadvantageous. Those two teams will have time to get comfortable with their new coaches. I hope Josh McCown and Jay Cutler are still healthy and starting by the time their Nov. 23 reunion at Soldier Field comes around. What a letdown if they aren't. Sign me up for Jared Allen's return to Minneapolis in the cold Dec. 28 at TCF Bank Stadium. With a playoff berth at stake, that should be fun.
In any case, the schedule won't be the determining factor in whether or not the Bears make the playoffs. That will be decided by their acquisition of defensive talent in the draft, their collective health and whether this group of coaches — on the defensive side, in particular — can raise players' level of play. Anything short of the playoffs would be a colossal disappointment.
David Haugh
If you're going to play the 49ers on their home field, you want it to be on a night when the passion and pageantry threaten to divert the focus of one of the NFC's best teams. In that way, the schedule begins chock full of opportunity for the Bears, who open 2014 at Soldier Field against the beatable Bills before embarking to the Bay Area for the opening of Levi's Stadium against the 49ers.
Much will be made about the Bears having to travel cross-country a week later to play the Jets on the East Coast, but if this team has proven one thing under Marc Trestman, it is that going to the air often results in good things.
Overall the schedule offers plenty of reunions — Ron Rivera, Devin Hester, Lovie Smith top the list — and a navigable path to the NFC playoffs given that five of the final seven games will be played along the Chicago lakefront. Keep that first weekend in January free, Bears fans — unless your team becomes good enough to earn a postseason bye.
Dan Wiederer
The early-season adventure to play the 49ers in the grand opening of their new stadium will be a telling measuring stick for an upstart offense in a charged environment against an outstanding defense.
An October with only one home game and trips to Carolina, Atlanta and New England could be a torture chamber.
The five appearances in prime time and four non-Sunday games will heighten the pressure and the need for focus as routines consistently get flipped upside down and reshuffled.
The off week is timed perfectly, smack dab in the middle of the season. And a finishing stretch with five home games over the final seven weeks sets the Bears up for a late-surge.
The most fun game during that stretch could be a Week 12 tilt against the Buccaneers, a potential Jay Cutler vs. Josh McCown duel that will turn Chicago conversation into a breathless and heated 10-day debate before and after the game — assuming, of course, that both quarterbacks are still healthy and starting that deep into the season.
Finally, the season finale outdoors in Minneapolis in the final week of December has a chance to be Arctic. (Whose idea was that whole "Vikings play outdoors for two seasons" thing anyway?) The Bears should feel good about the pieces they have in place for a playoff run. But the schedule has plenty of major demands.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Wizards 98, Bulls 89. Let's go Bulls!!!!!
By Benjamin Standig, The Sports Xchange
Forward Trevor Ariza scored a playoff-high 30 points with six 3-pointers and guard Bradley Beal had 18 points as the Washington Wizards defeated the Chicago Bulls 98-89 on Sunday afternoon to take a 3-1 series lead.
Center Marcin Gortat added 17 points and guard John Wall had 15 points for the Wizards, who scored the game's first 14 points, led 55-40 at halftime and by 23 in the fourth quarter. Washington played without Nene after the NBA suspended the power forward for one game following a tussle with Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler during the fourth quarter of Game 3.
Beal's 3-pointer opening the fourth quarter gave Washington the largest lead for either team in the series at 85-62.
Taj Gibson set a career-playoff high with 32 points for the Bulls. The reserve forward made his first nine attempts from the field and finished 13 of 16 while his teammates went 22 of 62. Butler had 16 points and center Joakim Noah had 10 points and 15 rebounds.
Wall also had 10 assists and spearheaded Washington's up-tempo designs in front of the raucous and towel waving sellout crowd. The Wizards finished with a 16-2 advantage in fast break points and had 22 assists with only six turnovers.
Chicago committed 16 turnovers leading to 29 points for Washington.
The Bulls rallied in the final period and pulled within eight points at 91-83 on Gibson's jumper with 2:03 remaining, but would get no closer. The Wizards countered with consecutive dunks by Gortat and Ariza.
Ariza had eight rebounds and made 10 of 17 shots from the field including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc.
Chicago won the two previous matchups in Washington, including Game 3's 100-97 victory on Friday. Washington won the opening two games of the series in Chicago.
Forward Mike Dunleavy, who scored 35 points in Game 3, went scoreless in the first half and finished with six points.
Foul trouble hampered any comeback hopes for the Bulls in the third quarter. Forward Carlos Boozer picked up five in the period including a flagrant. The Wizards made 20 of 25 free throws.
Washington scored at least 97 points in all four games this series. The Bulls led the NBA in scoring defense during the regular season.
Washington opened with a football-like score lead and pushed the margin to 15 on Ariza's third 3-pointer in the opening six minutes. His buzzer-beating 3-pointer sent the Wizards into halftime leading 55-40 and his shot from beyond the arc opening the second half extended the lead to 18.
Ariza's six 3's matched a franchise record held by Gilbert Arenas.
Trevor Booker replaced Nene in the starting lineup and had eight points and a team-high nine rebounds before fouling out.
NOTES: Booker and Gibson received simultaneous technical fouls in the second quarter with Booker on the bench. Players on both teams have combined for 10 technical fouls in the series. ... The home playoff victory was the Wizards' first since April 24, 2008, against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. ... The Wizards shot exactly 50 percent from the field and from 3-point arc in the first half. ... Gibson made all eight of his FG attempts before halftime. The rest of the Bulls went 7 of 32. ... Members of both teams were asked for comment pregame about the racist comments allegedly made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling. "It's unfortunate," Wizards coach Randy Wittman said. "Anything whether it's our situation or society in general, come on, we've come a long way. Whether it's NBA basketball or any walks of society, there is no place for that. It's unfortunate to see something like that." ... The series returns to Chicago for Game 5 on Tuesday.
Silver's 1st crisis as NBA commissioner has arrived.
By TIM REYNOLDS (AP Basketball Writer)
Adam Silver's first crisis of his short tenure as NBA commissioner has arrived, a race-tinged scandal leaving those associated with the game wondering how strongly and swiftly the league will respond.
Allegations that Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was caught on tape making racist comments rapidly overshadowed perhaps the most entertaining opening playoff round in league history. The recording was first released by TMZ, and there still has been no official confirmation that Sterling is on the tape. Another tape was released Sunday by Deadspin.
Silver's first priority is verifying Sterling's voice is in the recording. From there, Silver's next move remains unclear. He works for the owners - and so far that group seems to have no sympathy for Sterling's latest controversy.
''I'm obviously disgusted that a fellow team owner could hold such sickening and offensive views,'' said Michael Jordan, the six-time NBA champion player who owns the Charlotte Bobcats. ''I'm confident that Adam Silver will make a full investigation and take appropriate action quickly.''
Miami owner Micky Arison called the comments ''offensive, appalling and very sad.''
Silver started as commissioner Feb. 1, replacing the retired David Stern, who once famously said that the league decided to suspend Ron Artest - now Metta World Peace - for virtually an entire season by a vote that was ''unanimous.'' By that, he meant the vote was 1-0, his being the lone voice that mattered.
On this, Silver probably needs more of a consensus.
The players union, still without an executive director since firing Billy Hunter in February 2013, asked former NBA All-Star and current Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson to take a leading role on the players' behalf.
Kevin Johnson said he called an emergency phone meeting of every player representative to the union Saturday and spoke with Silver before the Warriors-Clippers game Sunday. Calling it a ''defining moment'' for the league and commissioner, Johnson said the players trust Silver will accommodate their requests, which include:
-Sterling doesn't attend any NBA games for the rest of the playoffs because of the ''enormous distraction.''
-Give a full account of past allegations of discrimination by Sterling and why the league never sanctioned him.
-Explain the range of penalties that the league could bring against Sterling.
-Assurance the NBA and the union will be partners in the investigation.
-A decisive ruling, hopefully before the Clippers host the Warriors for Game 5 on Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
''They trust that Adam Silver will do the right thing,'' Johnson said.
The league and the Clippers are investigating, though ultimately the decision will be perceived as Silver's.
''He's got to come down hard,'' Hall of Fame player Magic Johnson, who was referenced on the audio recording, said Sunday on ABC.
The NBA Constitution is not public, though it's understood the commissioner's powers are broad when it comes to dealing with matters deemed ''prejudicial or detrimental to the best interests of basketball.'' A fine, a suspension, a demand for sensitivity training, all that and more is surely at Silver's disposal.
It seems probable some sort of resolution comes before Game 5 of the series in Los Angeles.
''We're going home now,'' Clippers coach Doc Rivers said after Sunday's 118-97 loss. ''Usually that would mean we're going to our safe haven. And I don't even know if that's true, to be honest.''
Sterling agreed to not attend Sunday's game, though his wife - who has filed suit against the woman alleged to be on the tape - was present. There could be more audio coming; a person in the office of attorney Mac E. Nehoray, who represents the woman allegedly on the tape, said the full recording lasts about an hour. The attorney's office also insists that the recording is legitimate and that Sterling is the man on the tape.
Some players feel for the magnitude of the task Silver is facing.
''What, he's been three months on the job? And he has to deal with an issue like this,'' Washington's Garrett Temple said of Silver. ''It's unfair to him. ... It's going to be a difficult situation for him to take care of, and he's probably going to act swiftly as he said. And he needs to do so. It's a very tough issue. A lot of different sides. But it's more than basketball.''
The situation has elicited some incredibly sharp comments from players, with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant making no effort to hide their disgust.
''I couldn't play for him,'' Bryant wrote on Twitter.
Added former Clippers guard Baron Davis, also in a tweet: ''Been going on for a long time.''
Sterling has been the subject of many past controversies but this, particularly at playoff time and with his own team a potential title contender, has perhaps generated more outcry than the others combined. Even President Barack Obama addressed the issue Sunday at a news conference in Malaysia.
The next move will be made by Silver.
''The commissioner,'' Indiana's Paul George said, ''is going to make the right call.''
By Bill Baer
In Wednesday night’s start against the Red Sox, Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda was ejected in the second inning after he was caught with pine tar on his neck. Major League Baseball handed down a 10-game suspension the next day for the right-hander’s violation of the rules.
Pineda’s shame may only last through the season, however. In a report by the Associated Press, commissioner Bud Selig said that Major League Baseball “ought to look at all this” after the 2014 season concludes. While many have condemned Pineda, others have said he only did blatantly what scores of pitchers have been doing discreetly for decades.
MLB chief operating officer Rob Manfred offered a comment on the issue:
“I think the way that the rule has been enforced, as with lots of rules in baseball, is that when there’s a complaint, we do something about it,” MLB chief operating officer Rob Manfred said. “And that’s what happened here. I don’t think that this particular incident is all that different from other incidents that we’ve had in the past. We will like we do every offseason look at this issue, but remember, pine tar is one of a number of foreign substances, and you have to have a rule that fits for all of them. I don’t think there’s anything all that different about the Pineda.”
To MLB’s credit, they have been more swift than they have in the past in addressing questionable rules. For example, Major League Baseball recently abandoned the strict interpretation of the transfer rule. It shouldn’t be difficult for them to develop new or altered criteria which won’t implicitly reward surreptitious behavior.
MLB Scores, Sunday, April 27, 2014, Finals.
Yahoo Sports
Detroit Tigers Postponed
Minnesota Twins
Boston Red Sox 1
Toronto Blue Jays 7
Miami Marlins 0
New York Mets 4
Cincinnati Reds 0
Atlanta Braves 1
San Diego Padres 4
Washington Nationals 2
Kansas City Royals 9
Baltimore Orioles 3
Tampa Bay Rays 2
Chicago White Sox 9
Oakland Athletics 1
Houston Astros 5
Chicago Cubs 4
Milwaukee Brewers 0
Pittsburgh Pirates 0
St. Louis Cardinals 7
Cleveland Indians 1
San Francisco Giants 4
Colorado Rockies 6
Los Angeles Dodgers 1
Texas Rangers 5
Seattle Mariners 6
Philadelphia Phillies 2
Arizona Diamondbacks 0
Los Angeles Angels 2
New York Yankees 3
By BRETT MARTEL (AP Sports Writer)
As Seung-Yul Noh exhaled and tilted his head back in a skyward gaze on the 18th green, his South Korean countryman and fellow PGA Tour player, Y.E. Yang, charged toward him, spraying him with bottled beer.
Noh smiled, removed his hat, held both arms out and soaked it all in.
The 22-year-old overcame windy conditions and the pressure that goes with attempting to secure a maiden PGA Tour triumph, shooting a 1-under 71 on Sunday to win the Zurich Classic by two shots.
He also knew he achieved another goal of providing some joy to a nation that has been reeling since a passenger ship capsized April 16, leaving 300 missing or dead.
''Hopefully, they'll be happy,'' said Noh, who wore black and yellow ribbons on his white golf hat to honor victims of the ferry accident.
While Noh, the leader through three rounds, never fell out of first, he did make his first three bogeys of the tournament and briefly fell into a tie with Keegan Bradley, the 2011 PGA Championship winner who had the gallery behind him.
But Bradley did himself in with a bogey on the fifth hole and a triple bogey on the sixth.
''I actually played pretty well,'' Bradley said. ''Just made one bad swing on 6 and had a bunch of lip-outs.''
Noh remained steady enough- even with wind gusting up to 30 mph - to hold off the remaining challengers.
''Very challenging today out there, especially playing with Keegan, a major champion, and heavy wind,'' Noh said.
Noh needed a few clutch shots on the back nine, including a chip out of a grassy downhill lie on the edge of a bunker on 13, which hit the flag on a bounce, setting up a routine birdie putt. On 16, with wind in his face, Noh landed his approach 3 feet from the hole to set up his last birdie, then made a 14-foot par putt on 17 to assure a two-shot cushion on the final hole, uncharacteristically pumping his first afterward.
''Yeah, that was a clutch putt,'' Noh said, explaining that it left him ''very comfortable'' on 18.
Noh had made 77 previous PGA Tour starts, never finishing better than tied for fourth at the 2012 AT&T National.
He took the third-round lead in New Orleans while becoming the first to play 54 holes at TPC Louisiana without a bogey. The seventh first-time PGA Tour winner in the last 10 years in the New Orleans event, Noh finished at 19-under 269 and earned $1,224,000. He was playing for the first time with caddie Scott Sajtinac, who seemed awe struck by Noh's combination of talent, wisdom and sense of calm for a player so young.
''He's going to be good,'' Sajtinac said. ''He was unflappable. You need to be unflappable to win on the PGA Tour.''
Andrew Svoboda and Robert Streb tied for second. Svoboda had a 69. Streb shot 70, including an eagle on the second hole, and was one shot off the lead after a birdie on 8, but his tee shot was pushed into water by a crosswind on the par-3 ninth hole, and he made double-bogey.
Jeff Overton, who briefly pulled within a stroke of Noh on the back nine, had a 70 to finish fourth at 16 under.
Bradley wound up with a 75 to tie for eighth at 13 under.
On Saturday, Bradley worked his way into the final group, two strokes behind Noh, with a 65.
Bradley was within a stroke after the first hole Sunday, which saw Noh hit his drive into mulch right of the fairway en route to his first bogey. Bradley then birdied the par-5 second hole to tie Noh.
But just a few holes later, Bradley missed a par putt from less than 2 feet, and followed that up by hitting his drive into the water on No. 6. Then, he three-putted to complete a pivotal two-hole stretch in which he dropped four strokes.
While Bradley never recovered from his front-nine falter, Noh still had to ward off a challenge from Overton, who was one stroke back after his 20-foot birdie putt on 10.
Overton, however, bogeyed 11 when he hit his drive into a bunker left of the fairway and his second shot over the fairway and right of the cart path.
Noh, meanwhile, has the victory he needed to get into The Players Championship next month, and his first Masters next spring.
''Dreams come true,'' Noh said. ''When I started at 7 playing golf, I dreamed of always playing (on the) PGA Tour ... or playing any major, especially the Masters.''
Divots: Robert Garrigus, who narrowly made the cut Friday, had the best score Sunday with a 64. The round included a 374-yard drive with a tail wind on 18, which he birdied to tie for fifth at 14 under, along with two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton. Garrigus, who would have earned nothing had he been one stroke worse during the first two rounds, took home $248,200. ... Ben Martin, who shot a course-record 62 in the first round and was 14 under through 22 holes, was 3 over on the last 50 holes. He tied for 15th with David Toms.
Amidst a four-car battle for the lead, Joey Logano slips through for Richmond win.
By Nick Bromberg
Joey Logano was fourth with five laps to go at Richmond Saturday night. He was first at the checkered flag.
Logano had the inside line as the top four cars completed lap 396 of the 400-lap race and thanks to some contact that involved his teammate Brad Keselowski, he was in the lead by the time he was on the backstretch on lap 397.
Keselowski was trying his damndest to get around Matt Kenseth, who was leading the race. Jeff Gordon was in third and got into the back of Keselowski on the frontstretch with four laps to go. The contact knocked Keselowski sideways and forced him to get out of the gas, allowing Logano to get past both of them and near Kenseth for the lead.
But Keselowski gathered his car quickly as the field headed into turn one and he gave Kenseth a shot to the rear bumper as they got into the corner. Kenseth was then the one out of the gas and gathering his car while Logano stayed in the gas and pulled away from the three others for the win.
"I'm more surprised than anyone else here," Logano said. "This is probably one of my worst racetracks. I guess not today. I told crew chief Todd Gordon that this is the best car I've ever had here and it didn't feel like the old Richmond that I'm used to not being good at."
Logano isn't being hyperbolic either. The laps he led Saturday night at Richmond were the first laps he's ever led at the 0.75-mile track in the Sprint Cup Series. He'd only finished in the top 10 twice in 10 previous starts there.
Kenseth had held on to the lead after a restart with nine laps to go. Gordon was stalking him for first while Keselowski found speed on the outside lane of the track and quickly closed in on both drivers. As the three raced for the lead – until they were passed by Logano – Keselowski was unhappy with the way Kenseth defended his position.
"I had a shot at winning the race and I felt he ran me off the track," Keselowski said. "You race to win and he was definitely racing to win but you hope that when somebody races to win that they at least win the race if they wreck you or run you off the racetrack. It was just a mind-boggling move to me. But I made sure I got him back and made sure my teammate won the race."
After Logano had taken the lead, Keselowski gave Kenseth another shot to the back bumper in turns three and four, sending both drivers high up the track.
"I did move up the track down in (turn) three, but we were racing for a win and I thought the track was wide enough with how high people were running all the time," Kenseth said. "I did drive in there and try to give him the slide job, absolutely. I was trying to watch both lanes and I was trying to win the race. I think that's what all five of us were trying to do up there."
When the race was over, the two had some more contact on the cool down lap and Keselowski pointed his finger towards Kenseth after he exited his car.
However, their skirmish wasn't the most intense of the night. In the garage following the race, Marcos Ambrose landed a punch to the side of Casey Mears' head after the two had a disagreement over mid-race contact.When the race was over, the two had some more contact on the cool down lap and Keselowski pointed his finger towards Kenseth after he exited his car.
With the win, Logano becomes the second two-time winner in 2014, joining Kevin Harvick who notched his second win of the season two weeks ago at Darlington.
Liverpool loss to Chelsea adds new twist to Premier League title race.
By Martin Rogers
An English Premier League season that just keeps on giving took another twist on Sunday when the second-placed team beat the league leader and thus made the third-placed team the new title favorite.
Got all that? In reality it wasn’t so confusing, just surprising, as Liverpool’s seemingly tightening grip on the championship was broken by a most uncharacteristic mistake from its captain and leader Steven Gerrard.
Gerrard’s untimely slip moments before the halftime break at Anfield allowed Chelsea’s Demba Ba to score the critical opening goal, an advantage the visitors would never relinquish. Chelsea defended with everything (and everyone) they had in the second half before killing off the contest with a late breakaway goal from Willian to ice a 2-0 scoreline.
The result allowed Chelsea to close the gap at the top to two points with two games remaining and break Liverpool’s streak of 11 straight Premier League wins. However, the real beneficiary was Manchester City, even before it went to Crystal Palace and racked up a comprehensive 2-0 victory.
City is still in third, but it has played one game fewer than both its title rivals and is just three points back from Liverpool. Given that City’s superior goal differential would give it the tiebreaker if it was to finish level on points with one or more of its fellow contenders at season’s end, it now has the title within its control once more.
Thus, the big-spending Manchester club is the favorite again, yet quite what that means in this extraordinary season remains unclear. Further shakes in the script aren’t just possible, they should be expected, at least if a campaign’s worth of evidence is anything to go by.
Even on Sunday, Chelsea went into the contest with apparently one eye on its Champions League semifinal second leg, so much so that Jose Mourinho had publicly considered playing a drastically weakened squad to save the legs of his key men for Wednesday.
But instead of hoisting the white flag, his team ruined what Liverpool hoped would become a celebration party and by the end Mourinho was screaming with delight on the sidelines and banging his hand on his coat’s club crest, as Chelsea’s supporters dared to dream once more.
“Forget it,” Mourinho said later, when asked if his team was now firmly back in the mix, maintaining the stance he has taken since the turn of the year.
Don’t be so sure. Chelsea has the easiest run-in of the three at the top, with the schedule pitting it against Norwich City and Cardiff City, two sides that most likely will be doomed to relegation.
Meanwhile, City has a tough visit to Everton coming, while the issue of how shaken Liverpool will be by this weekend’s events could decide everything. Gerrard has been a rock-solid presence all season and his momentary lapse was the biggest eye-opener of this round of matches.
Having felt so close to the title, Liverpool will certainly be rattled, everything will depend on how they respond.
If Liverpool was frustrated and Chelsea resilient, City, whose kickoff at Palace took place just minutes after the final whistle 200 miles to the north, was clinically efficient.
Edin Dzeko eased any tension with a headed goal after just four minutes and Yaya Toure, the influential midfielder returning from injury, added a second before the break with a brilliant solo effort that stretched nearly the length of the field.
It was an ominous signal of intent, but if this season has taught us any lessons it is that anything can happen and form can shift from one week to the next.
That is why the top three spots are still up for grabs, with no overwhelming favorite or underdog. Only Mourinho is prepared to write off his team’s chances, and even he does so with a wink and a smile that suggests he really believes otherwise.
Opposition grows to David Beckham's Miami stadium.
By Diego Urdaneta
David Beckham is facing a challenge as demanding as any goalkeeper he's ever faced: overcoming opposition to his plans for a Miami stadium to serve as home to his new team.
The English football icon announced plans for the state-of-the-art open-air stadium, to be located at the Port of Miami, amid much fanfare in March.
With a $250 million price tag, the stadium would have room for 25,000 fans and a view both of Miami's downtown skyline and of the ocean.
The new stadium would be home to the Major Soccer League (MLS) team that the former England, Manchester United and Real Madrid star aims to launch by 2017.
The new stadium would be home to the Major Soccer League (MLS) team that the former England, Manchester United and Real Madrid star aims to launch by 2017.
But the dapper Beckham, 38, has run into resistance that his Hollywood looks and stellar sports resume have failed to dazzle: an alliance of shipping companies, tourism officials and local residents.
The locals say traffic is already congested in the downtown port area, and fear that a stadium would create massive gridlock -- which tourism officials say would dissuade visitors from heading to Miami Beach.
- Jobs and investment in danger -
- Jobs and investment in danger -
In full-page ads in the Miami Herald newspaper a group known as the Miami Seaport Alliance, led by the Royal Caribbean cruise line, claims that the stadium would put at risk thousands of jobs and millions of dollars invested at the port.
The Port of Miami employs more than 207,000 people and is the second most important source of tax revenue for Miami-Dade county.
"We cannot support locating a stadium at PortMiami due to the risks it would pose to jobs, cruise and cargo operations, and the port’s promising future," read one of the group's ads.
It reminded readers that millions of dollars have been invested in the port in preparation for the arrival of giant cargo ships that will reach Miami starting in 2015, once operations to broaden the Panama Canal have been completed."There has been definitely a misinformation campaign by the opposition," shot back Neisen Kasdin, a Miami attorney for The Beckham Group.
Kasdin told AFP that Port of Miami officials have said that the area where the stadium would be built is not appropriate for port activities.
The games, some 20 a year at the most, "are Saturday or Sunday evenings, or perhaps Wednesday evenings," said Kasdin. "So it is after all port operations have ceased and after rush hour."
"What Beckham wants and needs is a downtown stadium that is at or near the water," Kasdin said.
With no stadium, the MLS will not give Beckham a green light to his team, Kasdin said.
One key ally in the struggle is Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who has the last word because the Port of Miami is in his jurisdiction.
"To be honest there is nothing there, there is no deal breaker for the port site," Gimenez said in a recent local radio show.
- 'Forced' from his city -
Kasdin on Wednesday endured a tidal wave of criticism at a public meeting at the Miami Beach town hall.
Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine is a vocal opponent of the project, convinced that heavy traffic would create a massive traffic jam across the several bridges that link his community to Miami-Dade.
"I am feeling like I am being forced out of my city, the city I was born in," complained Ron Brenesky, a Miami Beach community activist at the event.
Brenesky and scores of his neighbors said they were convinced that traffic would get even worse than it currently is.
Football fans also showed up at the gathering to voice their support for the stadium.
Levine closed the raucous meeting by proposing to locate the stadium at Miami International Airport, a site with plenty of access for traffic and a long view.
Gimenez said that he will soon announce his decision, and Kasdin said he was optimistic about the outcome.
Beckham wants the stadium to be operational even before 2018, said Kasdin. "No one has yet identified a site that would work as well as the port site," Kasdin said.
SEC keeping eight-game conference schedule.
By The Sports Xchange
The Southeastern Conference on Sunday announced it will maintain its existing format for future football scheduling while adding a strength-of-schedule component.
Each SEC team will continue to play eight conference football games each year. These eight games will include six games against division opponents and two games against nondivision opponents, according to a release issued by the conference. One of the nondivision opponents will be a permanent annual opponent and the other nondivision opponent will rotate each year.
Schools will be required to schedule at least one opponent from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten or Pac-12 each year starting in 2016.
The SEC had been considering following the path the Pac-12, Big Ten and Big 12 of adding a ninth conference game. On Sunday, Commissioner Mike Slive quashed that thinking, saying the majority of the conference's presidents and athletic directors voted to stay at eight games after "thoroughly, carefully" analyzing the change.
"One thing about the SEC is it has always marched to its own drummer," Slive said.
The conference did discuss eliminating the scheduling of FCS schools. Slive said the SEC will continue playing these schools because the league wants to maintain support for college football at all levels.
The four biggest winners from the NBA's early-entry period.
By Jeff Eisenberg
EARLY-ENTRY PERIOD WINNERS:
1. Kentucky
Who left early: Julius Randle, F, Fr.; James Young, G, Fr.
Who Stayed: Willie Cauley-Stein, C, So.; Marcus Lee, F, Fr., Alex Poythress, F, So.; Dakari Johnson, C, Fr.; Andrew Harrison, G, Fr.; Aaron Harrison, G, Fr.
Outlook: For a program known for sending players to the NBA as quickly as possible, Kentucky has a remarkable number of prospects returning next season. Eight Wildcats were considered potential draft picks this June had they turned pro, yet all but Randle and Young will be back. Cauley-Stein was a near-certain first-round pick had he left. Johnson and the Harrison twins may have gone in the first round too, while Poythress and Lee were more likely to be second rounders. Instead all six are returning and will be joined by four highly touted freshmen, making Kentucky the favorite to be crowned preseason No. 1. The presence of nine McDonald's All-Americans plus Cauley-Stein ensures the Wildcats will be two or three deep at every position but it also could create some headaches for John Calipari as he tries to find enough playing time to satisfy everyone.
2. Wisconsin
Who left early: Nobody
Who Stayed: Frank Kaminsky, F, Jr.; Sam Dekker, F, So.
Outlook: Immediately after Wisconsin's heart-wrenching national semifinal loss to Kentucky, standout forwards Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky both pledged they would return to school. Kaminsky apparently wavered a bit since his brilliant NCAA tournament elevated his stock to the point that he might have gone late in the first round, but in the end both stayed true to their word. The result is Wisconsin should have a great chance to not only win the Big Ten but also return to the Final Four and perhaps finish what it started. Every key player from last season is back except shooting guard Ben Brust, who will graduate this spring. Bo Ryan can keep a three-guard look by inserting Bronson Koenig in the starting lineup in place of Brust or go bigger by sliding Dekker from power forward to small forward and giving power forward Nigel Hayes a starting spot. Promising freshman Ethan Happ also should provide frontcourt depth.
3. Louisville
Who left early: Nobody
Who Stayed: Montrezl Harrell, F, So.
Outlook: Had Montrezl Harrell entered the NBA draft as expected, Louisville likely would have begun the season on the fringes of the preseason top 25. Instead the 6-foot-8 forward is returning for his junior season, giving the Cardinals hope of contending in their debut season in the ACC and reaching a third Final Four in four seasons. Harrell likely would have been selected in the first round had he turned pro, but he came back to try to play his way into the lottery. His return solidifies a Louisville front court that was supposed to be a concern with Chane Behanan gone and Stephan Van Treese graduating. Harrell and raw but promising center Mangok Mathiang would likely start, with Wayne Blackshear probably sliding down to power forward sporadically and heralded freshmen Jaylen Johnson and Chinanu Onuaku supporting that group off the bench. Throw in a formidable backcourt headlined by Chris Jones and Terry Rozier, and Louisville clearly has top 10 potential.
4. Arizona
Who left early: Aaron Gordon, F, Fr.; Nick Johnson, G, Jr.
Who Stayed: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, G, Fr.; Kaleb Tarczewski, C, So.; Brandon Ashley, F, So.
Outlook: Why is Arizona an early-entry deadline winner despite losing Gordon and Johnson to the NBA? Because that's all the Wildcats lost. Hollis-Jefferson flashed enough potential as a slasher and defender that an NBA team might have taken him in the first round despite his lack of jump shot, while Tarczewski developed enough as a sophomore to merit second round consideration. Both can certainly improve their stock by returning, but as Arizona found out with Grant Jerrett last season, players don't always make the mature decisions Hollis-Jefferson and Tarczewski did. As a result of their patience, Arizona is well positioned to contend for a national title again this season. T.J. McConnell will start at point guard with Hollis-Jefferson and elite recruit Stanley Johnson on the wings and Gabe York providing outside shooting off the bench. Tarczewski and Ashley will anchor the frontcourt and the Wildcats will have more post depth than last year thanks to their incoming class.
Other winners:
Florida — Power forward Chris Walker wisely waited a year to turn pro, giving him a chance to prove himself with a full year in the program and the Gators the frontcourt anchor they need.
LSU — Lost all-SEC forward Johnny O'Bryant a year early as expected, but the return of Jarrell Martin and Jordan Mickey should keep the Tigers in NCAA tournament contention.
UCLA — Even with Kyle Anderson turning pro as expected and Zach Lavine leaving a year before he should have, it could have been worse. The return of leading scorer Jordan Adams will enable the Bruins to still challenge Arizona in the Pac-12.
North Carolina — The Tar Heels can survive the loss of James Michael-McAdoo. They couldn't have contended in the ACC had Marcus Paige left too.
Nebraska — Potential second-round pick Terran Petteway never even flirted with the idea of leaving for the NBA. That's huge for a Huskers program now set up for a big season.
10 things to know for the 140th Kentucky Derby.
Associated Press
The garland of red roses. The solid gold trophy. An estimated payday of $1.24 million.
All those spoils await the winner of the 140th Kentucky Derby to be run on May 3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville. A full field of 20 3-year-olds is expected for the 1 1/4-mile race, and most of them will be running the distance for the first time.
Packing the stands and the infield will be upward of 150,000 people, many of whom come for the party atmosphere, the wagering and to possibly see a live horse or two. They'll dress to the nines in fancy suits and dresses topped off by a mix of elegant, huge and outrageous hats. New this year to the track is a $12 million high-definition video board that measures 171-foot wide by 90-foot tall and will show the day's races and other entertainment.
Here are 10 things to know about the Derby:
1. NUMBERS GAME: Trainer Todd Pletcher has four probable starters in pursuit of his second Derby victory. They are: Arkansas Derby winner Danza; Risen Star winner Intense Holiday; Spiral Stakes winner We Miss Artie; and Vinceremos, who was 14th in the Blue Grass. Mike Maker could saddle three horses: Vicar's in Trouble, General a Rod and Harry's Holiday. Bob Baffert, a three-time Derby winner, could start two: Rebel Stakes winner Hoppertunity and Sunland Derby winner Chitu.
2. DRAW DAY: The field of 20 horses is announced on Wednesday. That's when the draw is held to determine spots in the starting gate. Some trainers want to avoid the No. 1 post because their horse starts next to the rail and could get pinched going into the first turn. Others don't like the No. 20 post because their horse is on the far outside and has to quickly make its way over toward the rail to save ground going into the first turn. Last year's winner, Orb, broke from the No. 15 post. The odds are set on draw day, too.
3. CALIFORNIA CHROME: California Chrome is expected to be the favorite based on the dominating form he's shown on the West Coast. The colt has won his last four races by a combined 24 1/4 lengths, including the Santa Anita Derby. He beat Hopportunity and Candy Boy in that race, two rivals he's likely to face again in Louisville. He's trained by Art Sherman and ridden by Victor Espinoza, who won the Derby in 2002.
4. POINTS SYSTEM: For the second straight year, the field of 20 starters is being determined by points. Churchill Downs instituted a tiered system that awards a sliding scale of points to the top four finishers in 34 designated races. The top 20 point earners at the end of the series will earn a spot in the Derby starting gate if more than 20 horses enter. The field has been limited to 20 horses since 1975. At least that many have entered every year since 2004, and 13 of the last 15 years.
5. BUCKING HISTORY: Hoppertunity didn't race as a 2-year-old, setting him up for a chance to break one of the Derby's oldest jinxes: no horse since Apollo in 1882 has won the Derby without racing at 2. "I had him entered in a race at 2 and scratched him because I had another one there," trainer Bob Baffert said. "He was ready to run, so that should count."
6. ALSO ELIGIBLES: Besides the 20 horses which make the Derby, four more can also be entered. They would have until the morning of May 2 to get into the race if any horses are scratched by then.
7. TIEBREAKER: Five horses are tied for the 20th and last spot on the points leaderboard with 20 each. Harry's Holiday would be the last horse to get in because he has highest earnings in non-restricted stakes races, which is the tiebreaker. The other horses with 20 points are Commanding Curve, Pablo Del Monte, Bayern and Social Inclusion.
8. OLDEST TRAINER: Art Sherman has the best horse of his career with California Chrome. At 77, he could become the oldest trainer to win, breaking the record of Charlie Whittingham, who was 76 when he won in 1989 with Sunday Silence. Sherman has done it all in the business. He was a jockey for 21 years, a racing official and then became a trainer in 1980. He has won over 2,100 races.
9. NEW ANNOUNCER: Larry Collmus is the new race caller at Churchill Downs. He has announced the Derby the last three years on the NBC telecast, but this will be the first year that his voice is heard by fans at the track and TV viewers. He also announces races at Gulfstream Park in Florida.
10. TRIPLE CROWN: A horse has just one shot to win the Triple Crown because the Derby, Preakness and Belmont stakes is restricted to 3-year-olds. Only 11 horses have swept the series and none since Affirmed in 1978. The feat begins with a victory in the Derby, followed by wins in the other races over a five-week span. Fifty horses have finished one win shy of the Triple, including I'll Have Another in 2012.
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