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"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes." ~ John Wooden, Legendary NCAA Basketball Coach at UCLA
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks-Kings Preview. One game at a time, Let's Go Hawks!!!
By GREG BEACHAM (AP Sports Writer)
Drew Doughty had just played more than 39 minutes in a double-overtime playoff game, and he still couldn't sleep on the Kings' flight back to Los Angeles.
The Western Conference finals have ascended to a new level of tension after the Blackhawks dodged Los Angeles' first attempt to eliminate them. Chicago trimmed its series deficit to 3-2 in an extra-time thriller in Game 5, while the Kings got a sleepless trip home.
Los Angeles gets another chance to advance in Game 6 on Friday night. While the Kings have been incredible in elimination games this spring, Doughty realizes they can't sleep on the opportunity before them at Staples Center.
''We know we can't let it go to a Game 7,'' Doughty said Thursday at the Kings' training complex. ''No matter what, this game has to be ours. It's so important for us to advance to the Stanley Cup Final that we win this game. If we give them this game, they're going to have so much more life, and they're going to be a different team. We need to take that and deal with it.''
Doughty's fellow Kings largely agreed with the star defenseman's pointed declarations as they recovered from their worst defensive performance in 16 games. Jonathan Quick and the NHL's best defensive team gave up five goals to the Blackhawks, who survived despite Corey Crawford's fourth straight unimpressive effort in Chicago's net.
Los Angeles, which blew a lead heading to the third period for the first time this spring, has mostly downplayed the notion of payback for last season's conference finals loss to Chicago. But Doughty thinks it should be on the Kings' minds before what might be the defining game of their season.
''They know how to win,'' Doughty said. ''We also know that they took our Cup back from us last year, so now it's our turn. We want to eliminate this team. They eliminated us last year, and it's our turn to return the favor. We need to go into Staples believing that we can eliminate this team, and do just that.''
While Doughty attempts to keep the Kings focused on Game 6, the Blackhawks intend to remember what got them off the canvas in Game 5 after the previous seven periods of the series were largely dominated by Los Angeles.
Before Game 5, the Blackhawks curiously insisted all the pressure in the series rested on the Kings, not the team facing three straight elimination games. Whether the facile psychological ploy helped or not, the champions still seem to think Los Angeles is the team in trouble.
''We want to stay with the mentality that we're putting all the pressure on them,'' Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said before the club's flight to the West Coast. ''It's going to be tough for them to close it out and win that fourth game against us.''
But the road has been tough on the Blackhawks, who are just 2-6 away from home in the postseason. Chicago was outscored 9-5 and beaten convincingly twice at Staples Center in this series, showing little of the offensive potency that got them to this point.
Coach Joel Quenneville made another round of lineup adjustments to spark his team, and the Blackhawks had immediate success teaming Brandon Saad, Patrick Kane and Andrew Shaw on a new line for Game 5. Kane, a ghost for much of the series, contributed four assists.
''We have our backs against the wall here and face elimination, but we're staying relaxed,'' said Saad, who had three points. ''We've been through it before, and it definitely helps. We've had success on the road before, and L.A. is definitely tough, but we're not going to let that end the season. We can't make any excuses whether we're playing at home or away.''
The Kings spent much of the past month avoiding playoff elimination, already winning six games with their season in the balance, so they can appreciate the Blackhawks' resilience. Chicago produced a three-goal first period and a third-period tying goal before Michal Handzus' overtime winner capped one of the most entertaining NHL postseason games in recent history.
Back home for Game 6, the Kings want their own defining victory.
''I think for the fans, it was unbelievable to watch,'' said Marian Gaborik, who scored his 11th goal of a spectacular postseason. ''But for us, it wasn't the type of game we want to play. You know, trade chances, trade odd-man rushes.
''I think we're going to have a lot of energy (in Game 6). If we win, we can be in the Stanley Cup Final. That itself should give you plenty of energy.''
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Taking stock of NFC North: Bears very much in championship hunt.
By John Mullin
Pulling the camera back for a wider NFC North view after drafts, rookie minicamps and OTA’s starting around the division...
Vegas lines are generally set with the intention of getting betting money evenly on both sides of the wager tipping point. So projections of things like win totals aren’t necessarily based on anything football-specific, but they are interesting as opinion samplings.
And some of the early numbers are interesting. They suggest that the Bears are closer to the top of the NFC North than the bottom, from opinions ranging from the general public to the top players themselves.
The Bears were set at eight wins initially, despite adding Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston, Willie Young and myriad other defensive parts. That number was up to 8.5 this week when evidently more than a few folks reasoned that the 8-8 last year just might not be the prism through which to view this year. According to reports, 83 percent of the betting was on the “over” for the Bears.
"They have gotten better," Reggie Bush said Friday on SportsTalk Live. "Obviously the Chicago Bears are a really good team."
Given that Bush ran amok on the Bears in Detroit’s two wins last year, his assessment is worth more than a casual note.
Detroit Lions
But what about Bush’s Lions?
The Lions changed head coaches after a 7-9 finish under Jim Schwartz. Curiously perhaps, firing Schwartz and hiring Jim Caldwell was worth a game to Vegas, apparently irrespective of Caldwell’s limited record of success without Peyton Manning as his starting quarterback.
But 77 percent of the betting on Detroit was on the under for Lions wins. Given the Lions’ penchant for underachievement, Detroit should be regarded as not good until the Lions prove they actually are good.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers remain the consensus easy pick in the NFC North. Bovada has accorded them a 10.5 win projection. But in a season where both teams were forced to turn to backup quarterbacks, the Bears averaged 27.8 points per game vs. the Packers’ 26.1.
In one potentially significant area, Bears GM Phil Emery outperformed counterpart Ted Thompson up in Green Bay. Emery staffed the depth chart with Josh McCown behind the Bears’ starting quarterback, while the Packers were foundering behind Seneca Wallace, Scott Tolzien and Matt Flynn. The Packers went 2-4-1 when Aaron Rodgers was unable to start and suffered another loss when he was unable to finish because of his first-quarter shoulder injury last November at Lambeau Field.
The Packers do get Clay Matthews back and added Julius Peppers. So the assumption is that they will be better than the 0-4-1 they were in games without all or part of Rodgers and more like the 8-3 they were with him.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings also are starting over with a new head coach, this time with one (Mike Zimmer) who’s never been an NFL head coach. More to the on-field point, Minnesota has something none of the other NFC North members have: a quarterback problem.
After a pricey extension for Matt Cassell, the Vikings traded back up into the first round of the draft to select Teddy Bridgewater. Unless Bridgewater is the second coming of Russell Wilson, the Vikings are in a rebuilding mode, like it or not, and Adrian Peterson certainly did not.
Had the Vikings brought in Michael Vick or some other prospect for a starter, thereby sending a win-now message, Jared Allen in fact might still be a Viking. “Minnesota was heading in a different direction than I thought my career, my life, my path is going,” Allen said on Tuesday, “so I made the decision not to go back there.”
Elite veterans like Allen and Peppers do not go to teams not on the rise or looking like playoff factors. Which the Vikings do not.
Obama says sports concussions need more attention.
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE (Associated Press)
Saying he wants kids to play sports but play safely, President Barack Obama called Thursday for more and better research into the effects and treatment of concussions in youth athletes. The issue is one of growing concern for parents who spend weekends driving their kids from one game to another.
But without direct authority over youth sports leagues, Obama's ability to address the issue meaningfully is limited to calling for research and trying to jumpstart a national conversation to teach parents, coaches and young athletes about concussions - the goal of a summit he hosted at the White House.
He also said a new attitude is needed where players who have been hit don't feel wimpy for sitting out a game or two.
"We have to change a culture that says you suck it up," Obama said, adding that he probably suffered mild concussions as a young football player. He noted that concussions are also an issue in soccer, hockey, lacrosse and other contact sports.
The event brought together representatives of professional and college sports associations, coaches, parents, young athletes, doctors and others. The president was introduced by Victoria Bellucci, a high school graduate from Huntingtown, Maryland, who suffered five concussions during her high school and club soccer career.
Victoria said her injuries made it hard to focus on her assignments. She eventually turned down a full scholarship to play soccer at Towson University in Maryland and will instead attend Flagler College in Florida in the fall, the White House said.
"Concussions have drastically altered my life," she said.
Obama, an avid sports fan whose two daughters are active in sports, also highlighted millions of dollars in pledges from the NFL, the National Institutes of Health and others to conduct research that could begin to provide answers and improve safety.
"We want our kids participating in sports," he said. "As parents, though, we want to keep them safe."
Nearly 250,000 kids and young adults visit hospital emergency rooms each year with brain injuries caused by sports or other recreational activity, Obama said. He noted that the figure excludes those who see a family doctor or seek no treatment.
Obama previously had waded into the debate over concussions, saying last year that he'd have to think "long and hard" about allowing a son to play football because of the risk of head injury.
The NFL recently agreed to pay $765 million to settle concussion claims from thousands of former players whose complaints range from headaches to Alzheimer's disease. That settlement is still awaiting a judge's approval, while a group of former professional hockey players has filed a class-action lawsuit of their own against the NHL for head injuries sustained on the ice.
Among the financial pledges Obama highlighted is a $30 million joint research effort by the NCAA and Defense Department and an NFL commitment of $25 million over the next three years to promote youth sports safety.
UCLA also will use $10 million from New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch, who attended the summit, to launch a program to study sports concussion prevention, outreach, research and treatment for athletes of all ages, but especially youth. The money will also support planning for a national system to determine the incidence of youth sports concussions.
Panelists who discussed the issue after Obama spoke agreed that information and education are important. Otherwise, parents' fears about on-field safety could lead them to pull their kids from team sports, an outcome the panelists agreed would be harmful for young people because of the benefits of participation in athletics.
"Do you replace kicking a soccer ball with Doritos?" asked former NFL linebacker LaVar Arrington.
Gen. Ray Odierno, the Army chief of staff, said he worries that without education "we walk away from sports."
He said he would not have attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, "if not for sports."
Odierno participated in the summit because concussions are a form of traumatic brain injury, which has become a signature issue of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan because of the widespread use by insurgents of improvised explosive devices.
Jack Crowe, a former head football coach at Jacksonville State University in Alabama, who was not on the panel, said after the summit that what's needed is a new climate that puts as much emphasis on safety as on winning.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Rockets-Wolves in Mexico City, Knicks-Bucks in London lead NBA's 2014-15 Global Games calendar.
By Dan Devine
The NBA announced its "Global Games" slate for the 2014-15 season on Thursday, featuring a pair of regular-season games that will bring the league back to London and Mexico City, as well as five preseason affairs in Brazil, China, Germany and Turkey.
The lucky ducks who complete their international travel schedule in October, before the games that count tip off, include the Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings, as well as still-alive conference finalists the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat.
The Nets and Spurs both pulled regular-season duty this past season. Brooklyn flew across the pond back in January to take on the Atlanta Hawks. The Spurs traveled down to Mexico, but saw their scheduled matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves postponed due to a generator malfunction during pregame warmups that filled the court with smoke and forced an evacuation of Mexico City Arena. The game was re-scheduled for April, when the Spurs were well on their way to another playoff berth and the Timberwolves were headed for another trip to the lottery. Minnesota won.
The Wolves are surely hoping that the folks in charge at Mexico City Arena will have that generator thing figured out at some point over the next 5 1/2 months or so, since they're slated to head back down to take on Dwight Howard, James Harden and the Houston Rockets on Nov. 12. English audiences will welcome back the New York Knicks — who beat the Detroit Pistons in London back in 2012 — to take on the Milwaukee Bucks at The O2 on Jan. 15, 2014. (Given this new announcement, you'd suspect that the NBA wouldn't mind too terribly if All-Stars Kevin Love and Carmelo Anthony, both of whom will be at the center of scads of speculation this summer, stayed with their respective present employers and were on the court for the international games.)
"While London and Mexico City each have their own unique culture, they both have rich sports traditions and share a great passion for the NBA," said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. "These regular-season games will bring the excitement and incredible competition of our league to more fans in Europe and Latin America."
The four teams participating in the regular-season portion of NBA Global Games reflect the strong international makeup of the league. At the end of the 2013-14 regular season, the Bucks, Knicks, Rockets, and Timberwolves featured a combined 18 international players from 17 countries on their rosters.The full international schedule:
Regular Season Games
Games | Date | Location | Arena
• Houston Rockets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | Nov. 12 | Mexico City, Mexico | Mexico City Arena
• Milwaukee Bucks vs. New York Knicks | Jan. 15 | London, England | The 02
Preseason Games
Games | Date | Location | Arena
• San Antonio Spurs vs. Alba Berlin | Oct. 8 | Berlin, Germany | O2 World Berlin
• San Antonio Spurs vs. Fenerbahçe Ülker Istanbul | Oct. 11 | Istanbul, Turkey | Ülker Sports Arena
• Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat | Oct. 11 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | HSBC Arena
• Brooklyn Nets vs. Sacramento Kings | Oct. 12 | Shanghai, China | Mercedes-Benz Arena
• Brooklyn Nets vs. Sacramento Kings | Oct. 15 | Beijing, China | MasterCard Center
San Antonio goes small, and wins big in taking a 3-2 series lead over Oklahoma City.
By Kelly Dwyer
San Antonio goes small, and wins big in taking a 3-2 series lead over Oklahoma City.
By Kelly Dwyer
The adjustments are in, and the resulting decisions can be treated as sound ones with the game in the bag. San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich went small with his team in anticipation of its Game 5 pairing with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the result was a spirited 117-89 win that resembled some of San Antonio’s best play spread out over the first two games of this series.
The Spurs had struggled to stay with Oklahoma City on both ends in ways that went beyond just being able to adapt to the re-emergence of a suddenly healthy Serge Ibaka. Upon his return in Games 3 and 4, Ibaka blocked seven Spurs shots and altered three times that many either by contesting shots, or convincing Spurs guards and big men not to venture into the paint at all. What once looked like a San Antonio runaway series after the first two contests was tied up as the teams suited up for Game 5.
Popovich responded by starting shooting big forward Matt Bonner ahead of Tiago Splitter up front, and while Bonner struggled in his first start to the season (playing well enough defensively, but missing all four shots from the field), his teammates seemed to reacquire the rhythm needed to hang with a younger, if not necessarily fresher, Thunder crew.
Guard Manu Ginobili sprang off the Spurs bench to score 19 points (on only nine shots) mostly on Kevin Durant, while dishing six assists. Tony Parker relocated his touch from the perimeter, scoring 12 points, while Tim Duncan went right back at Ibaka, challenging the forward to counter his bankers and wily moves in the paint, finishing the night with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
The Thunder seemed to be able to match San Antonio’s play, at least early on, as the contest was tied at 32 after one period, but waves and waves of new Spurs seemed to wear at coach Scott Brooks’ team. Guard Reggie Jackson had to leave the contest as his ankle woes persisted, forcing young Jeremy Lamb into action he didn’t seem confident in approaching. Kevin Durant (25 points on 21 shots) and Russell Westbrook (21 points on 12 shots, seven assists) put up approximations of their averages in limited blowout minutes, but the Thunder seemed a little more than gassed in the second half.
Whether this is a result of their heavy minutes in Tuesday’s comfortable win over San Antonio is anyone’s guess. Westbrook (45 minutes) and Durant (41) played deep into the Game 4 win despite being up double-figures down the stretch, and though both laughed off the insinuation the big minutes would affect them some 48 hours later while talking on Tuesday night, their Game 5 appearance in the second half should leave Brooks prone to criticism.
The problem with that sort of further inspection is that four full days off before Game 5 may not have mattered for Oklahoma City. Bonner’s starting nod didn’t produce much for him personally, but the shift to always pair a shooter alongside Duncan opened so many things up for San Antonio, and it forced Durant to try to follow the quicker Ginobili around the court. Boris Diaw started the second half in place of Bonner, and he continued his fantastic play carrying over from Game 4, when Popovich went with Diaw, Marco Belinelli (who appears to have been demoted in the rotation) and Cory Joseph (who was never going to play much anyway) down the stretch of a bench-led comeback.
Diaw managed 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting, six rebounds and three assists in the win, giving the Spurs another attack option offensively that left OKC on its heels. Meanwhile, Danny Green and Patty Mills shot out of their respective slumps in order to hit 7 of 12 from long range, and Kawhi Leonard continued to fill in all the holes while tossing in 14 points on seven shots, even posting up a few times as Ibaka attempted to mind Bonner and Diaw off to the side of the stage.
The Spurs looked whole again, and you don’t get the feeling that Splitter (who made 6 of 8 free throws in nearly 12 minutes of bench action) is the sort of guy who is going to get unduly cross over temporarily losing his starting slot.
The question here is whether it can carry over to Game 6 on Saturday night in Oklahoma City. This was the first 2013-14 victory in seven regular-season and postseason tries that the Spurs accomplished against OKC with Ibaka in the lineup, and it’s not as if the Thunder we came to know and love in Games 3 and 4 were completely absent – this was anyone’s game for the first 14 minutes.
Both teams need to rely on their own blend of playing freely and reacting properly in the moment if they want to pull out a victory, and San Antonio has yet to showcase that sort of movement and aplomb in Oklahoma City. With no games left to give and its back against the proverbial wall, the Thunder have no choice but to let things loose in a Game 6 that could be the final contest of their 2013-14 season.
Tommy John doctor warns: Pitchers shouldn't try to 'light up the radar gun'.
By Mike Oz
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Chris Withrow will likely need Tommy John surgery because of a torn UCL in his pitching elbow. He's seeking a second opinion, but we've heard this story before. In a week or so, he'll have his elbow ligament fixed, then Withrow will miss the next year or so.
Pitchers — especially young pitchers — are dropping like flies this season. Withrow is 24 and throws 95, so he's not quite Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez, but he still epitomizes some of what leading sports surgeon Dr. James Andrews wrote in a newly released position statement about the Tommy John "epidemic."
The paper was published by the American Sports Medicine Institute, an organization co-founded by Andrews, which has become the go-to think tank for pitching injuries. More than 40 major and minor leaguers have needed Tommy John surgery since February, so the epidemic tag isn't hyperbole.
Dr. Andrews' paper is a good read, so The Stew recommends digesting it all. But perhaps the most important takeaway is this: Pitchers shouldn't be trying to light up the radar gun. The harder a pitcher throws, the more at risk he is.
Here are a few of Andrews' recommendations for reducing the risk of Tommy John surgery:
• Do not always pitch with 100% effort. The best professional pitchers pitch with a range of ball velocity, good ball movement, good control, and consistent mechanics among their pitches. The professional pitcher’s objectives are to prevent baserunners and runs, not to light up the radar gun.
• Flat-ground throwing drills and bullpen sessions should not always be at maximum effort. Reduced effort will allow for physical fitness and technique without adding undue stress to the UCL.
• Be wary of pitching in winter league baseball. The UCL and body need time to recover and build strength, so the concept of annual periodization should include adequate rest from full-effort pitching.
• Pitchers with high ball velocity are at increased risk of injury. The higher the ball velocity, the more important to follow the guidelines above.
Andrews' paper also says the rash of UCL injuries is a long time in the making, after years of elbow wear on pitchers who have been groomed in an era where year-round baseball is more prevalent. So these recommendations shouldn't just be considered for big leaguers, but pro pitchers at any level and probably amateur pitchers at the highest levels too.
LPGA, PGA of America new partners in an old major.
By Doug Ferguson
The LPGA Championship is getting a new name, two big partners and a lot more exposure.
In what amounts to a merger announced Thursday morning, the LPGA Tour and PGA of America have become partners in the Women's PGA Championship. It will be the first women's major run by the PGA of America starting in 2015 at Westchester Country Club in New York.
KPMG will be the title sponsor and use the week to host a major conference that brings together top female executives from business, politics, sports and society.
"Of anything we've done over the last 18 months, there's nothing I'm more excited about than this," said Pete Bevacqua, the chief executive of the PGA of America. "We're excited because we feel we need to do something big, something important with the women's game. Our two key mandates are serving our members and growing the game. And so much of growing the game is getting more women involved."
The plan is to move the KPMG Women's PGA Championship around the country. The purse will increase in 2015 to $3.5 million, up from $2.25 million this year, and it will become only the second LPGA Tour event on network television, joining the U.S. Women's Open.
NBC Sports will televise the Women's PGA on the weekend.
The LPGA Championship dates to 1955 and had been sponsored by Wegmans in Rochester, New York. LPGA commissioner Mike Whan said Wegmans had reached a point that it could no longer be a title sponsor, and the solution proved to be ideal.
The partnership means the LPGA can lean on the PGA of America to run the major — Kerry Haigh, who sets up the PGA Championship and American-based Ryder Cup courses, will be in charge of Women's PGA. And it allows the LPGA's second-oldest major to rotate to major markets.
Whan said most of the championships will be in the New York area, allowing KPMG a strong market to host its business forum, though it would move to other markets to create space from a glut of majors in the area over the next decade.
Westchester was a popular stop on the PGA Tour for 40 years until 2007, with a list of winners that included Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros and Ernie Els.
"I am so excited to see the LPGA Championship take another huge leap forward," said Nancy Lopez, a three-time LPGA champion. "For me, it has always been a special event that every player strives to win. But now, with the addition of network television, the awesome jump in prize money and the rotation of world-class venues — plus the opportunity to impact women in golf and in business — this is big time."
One part of the merger includes teaching professionals.
The PGA of America has women among its 27,000 members. The LPGA has its own Teaching and Club Pro division. Starting next year, Whan said the Women's PGA Championship field would include spots for club professionals from both organizations, a total number expected to be about eight players.
Whan said the idea came together quickly, and that KPMG was the first company they approached.
"They're going to have a significant impact outside the ropes," he said.
KPMG's involvement in golf main had been endorsement deals with Phil Mickelson and Stacy Lewis, both of whom won the British Open last year. A big part of the week at the Women's PGA will be a symposium for top business leaders that will be held on site.
"This sponsorship provides KPMG with a unique opportunity to take a leadership role in expanding women's leadership, on and off the golf course," said John Veihmeyer, global chairman of KPMG.
The LPGA Championship will be played Aug. 14-17 at Monroe Golf Club outside Rochester for the last time under its old name.
NASCAR; Top 10: Who should be called next to the Hall?
David Caraviello, NASCAR.com
It's been barely a week since the five newest members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame were elected, and it will be several months still until they or their families receive the blue blazers which are symbolic of the sport's highest honor. But the introduction of new eligibility requirements, which in turn have thrust more names into consideration for enshrinement, make it natural to want to look ahead and wonder who might next hear the Hall's call.
The impact of those revised requirements -- which opened the facility's doors to competitors from more contemporary eras -- was felt immediately in the election of Bill Elliott, who under the old rules would have had to wait several more years even though he hadn't raced a full schedule since 2003. Future lists of nominees will almost certainly include more drivers like Elliott, mixing in those modern names with the historical figures who will likely remain mainstays on the ballot. We can probably look forward to more classes like this current one, which mixes both old and new.
For the moment, the attention is rightly placed upon Elliott, Rex White, Fred Lorenzen, Joe Weatherly and Wendell Scott, who will take their rightful places in the Hall of Fame on Jan. 30, 2015. But soon after that, it will be time for the nominating committee to once again convene and determine the 20 names to be placed in consideration for the class of 2016. Only five go in each year, of course, but in one writer's opinion here are the top 10 candidates to next receive a slate blue jacket with that Hall of Fame logo right over the heart.
10. Ray Evernham
Of course, he has to make the nomination list first, something the greatest crew chief of his era has somehow been unable to do. But Evernham certainly has the credentials, having won three titles and 47 races with Jeff Gordon, and then 15 more events as an owner. For nearly a decade, no one was more innovative, no one was more demanding, no one was better. Had he not left Hendrick Motorsports in late 1999 to spearhead Dodge's return to NASCAR, he certainly would have won more. As it is, he's done plenty to at least make the list, if not earn outright induction. Hopefully, those who compile the nomination list aren't holding his current role as a Hendrick consultant against him. Regardless, his absence to this point is inexcusable. They're not going to make Chad Knaus wait this long, are they?
9. Red Byron
It's easy to overlook the first champion of NASCAR's premier series -- Byron recorded only two victories, both of them coming in a 1949 season consisting of just eight events. But the fact that the man made it that far at all is astounding, given that he did it on one leg. On a bombing run over the Pacific in World War II, Byron's B-24 Liberator was hit by anti-aircraft fire that rendered his left leg almost useless. He would suffer through pain for the remainder of his life, yet after a long convalescence he still managed to race and win, essentially bolting his bad leg into the car. In an era of roughnecks and moonshiners, Byron was truly the first professional race driver, with a full understanding of the vehicle and what it took to stay at the front. He might not be NASCAR's most decorated champion, but he may have been its most complete.
8. Bobby Isaac
The North Carolinian might be best known for one moment at Talladega in 1973, when he pulled onto pit road and got out of his car claiming voices had told him to quit racing. But that single instance can't overshadow Isaac's splendid career, which included the 1970 championship and a long, successful stint in Nord Krauskopf's K&K Insurance car. Isaac had monster years in 1969 and '70, taking 28 checkered flags over that span, enjoying his best days right before the schedule was shortened and the sport entered the modern era. On NASCAR's all-time win list, every driver ahead of him has already been elected, or is a shoo-in for eventual enshrinement. He has more wins than Fireball Roberts, Dale Jarrett, Joe Weatherly or Rex White, making it virtually certain that Isaac will one day join them in the Hall.
7. Robert Yates
It's natural to wonder how much more Robert Yates Racing might have achieved had fate not intervened, and Davey Allison not been lost in a helicopter crash and Ernie Irvan's career not been cut short by a head injury. But even as it stands today, Yates built a beast of an organization that won 57 times and claimed the 1999 title with Dale Jarrett. Yates had the benefit of some great drivers -- Allison, Irvan, Jarrett and Ricky Rudd -- and turned out engines that were among the best of their time. For a while on restrictor-plate tracks, no one was better, as Yates' five victories at Daytona -- three of them in the 500 -- will attest. Yates cars won everywhere, from Darlington to Charlotte to Indianapolis to Sonoma, and even though the team became a shadow of its former self in its final years, the legacy always endured.
6. Richard Childress
For all their accomplishments, modern car owners like Childress and Rick Hendrick seem to gaining zero traction toward Hall of Fame election. That's too bad, because any owner with six titles, 105 race wins, and four decades of success behind him should go right toward the head of the line, regardless of what comes next. Drivers may wear the helmets and fire suits, but owners are the sport's ultimate risk-takers, particularly those like Childress for whom racing is their primary business. There seems to be faction among Hall voters which believes candidates should be finished competing before they're elected, a mindset that clashes with other sports like the NFL, which enshrined owners such as Al Davis and Art Rooney while they were still active. NASCAR owners like Childress deserve the same degree of respect.
5. Curtis Turner
Another driver whose statistics don't do justice to his full impact, Turner was a dynamo and a showman who emerged as perhaps the biggest NASCAR star of the 1950s and '60s. He only won 17 races, and he never really came close to winning a title, and he was once banned for trying to form a union. But he also never ran anything close to a full schedule, picking off the big races and the big paychecks, often while dodging both the state police and federal aviation authorities at the same time. When he was truly focused, he could do amazing things like lead every lap from the pole, or win 22 races in the same car across two different divisions, removing the top for convertible events. His death in an airplane crash cut short one of the sport's more varied and colorful careers. NASCAR may not have always loved Turner, but the fans sure did.
4. Benny Parsons
He may have been beloved in later years for his homespun delivery as a television analyst, but don't let that fool you -- the former Detroit taxicab driver could flat-out wheel a race car. Much like his predecessor Ned Jarrett, Parsons parlayed a successful driving career into a stint as a television and radio analyst that only served to burnish what he had done behind the wheel. But driving is what he did best, and it showed in a career where he won 21 races and the 1973 premier-series championship. Parsons could show spectacular consistency, finishing in the top five in points for nine straight seasons between 1973-80. Like the next driver on this list, he sometimes gets knocked for points racing, but he was a product of his era. Parsons has come close to election a few times, and the complete picture will soon earn him enshrinement.
3. Terry Labonte
Like Parsons, maybe Labonte didn't win quite as often as he should have -- he owns 22 victories at NASCAR's top level -- but those two championships are very difficult to overlook. With last week's election of Joe Weatherly, Labonte is now the lone eligible driver with multiple premier series titles still awaiting enshrinement. His 1996 crown was particularly notable, in that it came amid Jeff Gordon's best years and prevented the younger driver from winning four titles in a row. Once again, you have the issue of a nominee still competing -- Labonte qualified for his final Daytona 500 only one day before he was nominated, and also started at this season's Talladega spring race. But he still meets the criteria, and if two driving titles aren’t enough to get voters to look beyond that bias, then maybe nothing will.
2. Mark Martin
Like Evernham, Martin should already have made the cut for nomination -- he was eligible beginning this year due to the change in criteria, but somehow left off the list. That's a head-scratcher, given that Martin showed sustained excellence over four decades, winning 40 races -- more than a slew of guys already in the Hall -- and finishing as championship runner-up five times. He didn't win a title. It shouldn’t matter, given the rest of his resume. If anything, he's the figure most responsible for the change in eligibility criteria, given that he redefined the idea of retirement age and proved some drivers can win races and contend for titles even at 50. The guy set the standard for athleticism behind the wheel, his first and last race wins coming 20 years apart. Martin is a first-ballot Hall of Famer if there ever was one, so it would be nice to see him make the nomination list first.
1. Rick Hendrick
NFL owners like Lamar Hunt and Wellington Mara were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame while still active in their sport. Coaches like Rick Pitino and Mike Krzyzewski were elected to basketball's Hall with plenty of years still ahead of them. And yet, the most successful team owner in NASCAR history didn't even show up at the announcement this year, because he knew his name wouldn't be called. It's not just that Rick Hendrick hasn't yet been elected -- it's that he doesn't even appear on the list of names barely missing the cut. How is that possible, with 221 race wins and 11 titles to date? Again, there seems to be that bias against nominees still competing, even if they meet all the criteria. What's the concern, that Hendrick's plaque will need to be updated a few times? He could be active for another decade -- will he need to sit and wait that long until he's finally enshrined? The only certainty is that with every title Hendrick wins, the more glaring his omission becomes.
How to follow this week's Dover races.
NASCAR Staff Report
This weekend brings the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to Dover International Speedway.
The Sprint Cup Series FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks is Sunday, June 1, at 1 p.m. ET with coverage on FOX.
The Nationwide Series Buckle Up 200 presented by Click It or Ticket is Saturday, May 31, at 2:30 p.m. ET with coverage on ESPN.
The Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 200 is Friday, May 30, at 5:30 p.m. ET with coverage on FOX Sports 1.
For more information on track times, press conferences and GarageCam, you can check out this weekend's schedule. For TV times check out this week's TV schedule.
We know you may not have the time to watch the race action without any interruptions, so if you're on the go, here's how to keep up at Dover.
NASCAR.com's live Cup leaderboard, Nationwide leaderboard and Truck leaderboard update in real-time and offer constant text updates of lead changes, cautions, strategies, strong runs and everything in between. On the go? Download the NASCAR Mobile app to follow the leaderboards live from your device.
Lap-by-Lap will keep you caught up even if you can only take a peek here and there. Check in now and then to read back through all the laps you've missed, or keep an eye on the feed for real-time race updates.
For an interactive experience, join crew chief Chris Rice for in-race analysis as he chats with readers about the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks.
We'll also be sending race updates via Twitter through the official @NASCAR and @NASCARStats handles.
Haven't tried RaceView yet? If you sign up, you'll get virtualized video of cars on the track from various angles and hear what your favorite team is saying over the radio. Use it as a second screen or as your only screen. Just want to scan the radios? You can have that too with RaceView Audio. On a mobile device? Get RaceView Mobile here.
If you want to be more involved in the on-track action, you can manage your own fantasy team on NASCAR.com and follow your team's performance in NASCAR Fantasy Live. Mobile users can also download NASCAR Connect, a game from OneUp Sports that allows users to play other fans with race predictions, for some off-track competition while drivers battle it out on the track.
Live Press Pass streams will keep the NASCAR action rolling even after the winner rolls in and out of Victory Lane. Catch interviews with the top finishers immediately following the checkered flag, and stay tuned to NASCAR.com throughout the week for the latest news.
U.S. team left playing catch-up with 'lost generation' of soccer talent.
By Martin Rogers
Jurgen Klinsmann doesn't talk about it much but when he does you can tell it hurts.
The topic is the United States' "lost generation" of soccer talent, a glitch in the system that can be blamed in part for setting the country back in its quest for World Cup success.
Part of Klinsmann's blueprint when he took over as U.S. head coach in 2011 was based on a conveyor belt masterplan whereby emerging players would grow accustomed to the New American Way while coming through the youth ranks.
That process starts at the earliest age group levels but is supposed to feed directly into the men's team for the Olympic Games, which is restricted to players aged 23 or under.
However, in a catastrophic campaign that saw a loss to Canada and a calamitous draw against El Salvador when goalkeeper Sean Johnson committed a late blunder, the young U.S. squad failed to make it to the 2012 Olympics in London.
Since, and according to Klinsmann, as a result of that setback, a wave of future hopefuls that seemed in line to be fast-tracked into the national team have seen their careers stall. Of the group, only Mix Diskerud, who scored for the U.S. in its first World Cup sendoff game – a 2-0 victory over Azerbaijan on Tuesday – is going to Brazil.
"[Diskerud] is coming from a group of guys that we had real trouble with getting to the next level, and I mean our Olympic team that was supposed to go to London," Klinsmann said. "There were a few guys, very special players coming with that team, and for whatever reason it just didn't work out the way it should have worked out.
"We lost a few on that path that should actually be part of this group now, this inner-circle group. All these very talented kids, they fell in a hole, a deep one.
"Because of what happened there, we desperately now from the senior level look at that generation and we want them to come through and we want them to grow into the senior team and they struggled with that because of that huge disappointment."
It seems strange to think it now, but back in early 2012 it was widely thought that as many as nine of the U-23s congregated at Nashville for the CONCACAF regional Olympic qualifying tournament could end up at the 2014 World Cup.
Diskerud was one of the standouts, but far from the only one. Terrence Boyd was a force at the top of the attack, while Joe Corona showed pace and energy. Those two were the only members, apart from Diskerud, to make the 30-man preliminary World Cup roster, but they were cut, along with Landon Donovan and four others, when Klinsmann pared down to 23 players.
Other forwards like Juan Agudelo and Teal Bunbury also then seemed to be in with a shot at becoming regulars with the men's team. Bill Hamid and Johnson were seen as being contenders for the No. 3 goalkeeper slot for Brazil, while Brek Shea's marauding runs down the left seemed indicative of a bright future.
Even Freddy Adu still seemed like a strong prospect at that point, captaining the under-23s and showing more than an occasional glimpse of the extraordinary promise he showed as a teenager.
Yet since the despair of that night in Nashville, nothing much has gone right for them. Shea couldn't break through when moving to EPL side Stoke City, spent a few unremarkable months on loan at second-tier Barnsley, and may now be poised to return to Major League Soccer.
Neither Agudelo nor Bunbury have blossomed to the extent that U.S. fans would have liked, Hamid and Johnson are still well behind U.S. men's third-choice goalkeeper Nick Rimando in terms of quality, and Adu is currently without a club following a disappointing spell at Bahia in Brazil.
Disappointment sometimes breeds resiliency, but in many cases, it just breeds more disappointment.
"You grow a lot from certain experiences, and definitely one like that, because that was a goal in my life to reach the Olympics," said Diskerud, who has continued to develop his game and could be a wildcard to make an impact this summer. "Another goal was to reach the World Cup, so now I am part of that."
Klinsmann just wishes that a few more of Diskerud's old pals had come through the ranks to join him.
SEC prepares for recruiting reform, creates model.
By MARK LONG (AP Sports Writer)
The Southeastern Conference is preparing for the possibility of recruiting reform, change the football powerhouse would rather avoid.
Commissioner Mike Slive said Wednesday the conference agreed on an early signing day model that would be presented to the Collegiate Commissioners Association if necessary.
The SEC would prefer to keep things status quo, with the signing period starting on the first Wednesday in February.
But if things change, the SEC has an idea.
The conference is essentially responding to the Atlantic Coast Conference's desire to create an early signing period in August. The SEC wants no part of that. The conference would rather allow recruits to sign on the Monday after Thanksgiving.
''One of the other leagues proposed Aug. 1,'' Georgia coach Mark Richt said. ''We think that would be crazy. We think there would be no summer for anybody, no sanity for anybody.''
Added Greg Sankey, the SEC's executive associate commissioner and chief operating officer: ''The ACC decision is not something that was identified as a solution that was practical.''
Under the SEC model, recruits would only be eligible for the early signing date if they haven't taken any official visits. They would be allowed to visit after signing a national letter of intent.
For recruits wishing to take up to five official visits to various schools, they would have to wait and sign in February.
''If we can clean up some of the things around the edges, meaning there's a lot of kids that know where they want to go and don't want to go through the process of wasting all those trips, the time and expense that it takes to take five official visits,'' Mississippi athletic director Ross Bjork said. ''If you can sign a few kids early to focus on some of the kids you don't have locked in, then I'm all for looking at that.''
The bottom line, though, is an early signing day would lessen the amount of time coaches spend worrying that kids would change their minds - sometimes repeatedly - in December, January and February.
''Everyone would like some sanity in that regard,'' Richt said.
Some coaches, like South Carolina's Steve Spurrier, would rather keep the current system. Arkansas' Bret Bielema pushed for an early signing date in the summer, which likely would have made recruiting during the summer as intense an unpredictable as January.
''They don't have an NFL draft between a player's third and fourth year, do they?'' Spurrier said. ''Let them play through high school and see where we are is the smart thing. But some people like all that early signing. Some schools would sign them after their sophomore year if you'd let 'em.''
SEC coaches agree that an early signing day after Thanksgiving would be solely for recruits who know exactly where they want to go to college and don't need any coaxing.
''It's the opportunity to give the student-athlete what he wants,'' LSU coach Les Miles said. ''He's committed sometimes since the ninth grade, sometimes since May, since the year before, sometimes since this June. And it's the opportunity for them to not have to wait until February to sign.
''They know where they want to go, they're comfortable with it. The variables are out and I am going to go to LSU, Florida, Georgia or whatever school.''
The SEC has talked about an early signing period for seven years, but never felt the need to formally finalize a potential proposal. The SEC is hoping the early signing period won't even be on the agenda when league commissioners meet next month.
But Sankey acknowledged that there's ''mounting interest in an early signing day'' in college football.
Finding common ground could be the biggest hurdle.
''I really think we're going to have a hard time agreeing on something that's good for everybody just because of the regions of the country,'' Florida coach Will Muschamp said. ''A lot of the northern schools don't want kids visiting in January because it's freezing cold and they lie to them and tell them it's really warm year-round.
''I'd be for it, but it's something we've discussed a lot in my time here and I don't think we're ever going to agree on something nationally.''
Big 12 commish suggests modern recruiting changes.
By STEPHEN HAWKINS (AP Sports Writer)
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby believes now is a good time to look at modernizing parts of the college recruiting model.
''We haven't looked at the recruiting model in its entirety for a very long time,'' Bowlsby said Thursday at the conference's spring meetings. ''We haven't really looked at how we recruit (with) the changes in technology.''
The commissioner suggested possibly using Skype or FaceTime for initial recruiting interviews.
''It's just one example of an area where the world has changed and the architecture around college athletics hasn't changed with it,'' he said. ''I think we need to constantly be reminding ourselves and each other, that there's change afoot and it's a good time to look at everything we're doing in light of modern circumstances.''
Bowlsby also said that maybe it is time to allow recruits more than one paid official visit to a campus, and allow for the expenses to be paid for parents or family members to make visits.
The NCAA is working on a new governance structure that would allow autonomy for the five major football conferences - the Big 12, SEC, Pac-12, Big Ten and ACC - to make some rules without the support of smaller Division I schools. The NCAA board of directors is expected to vote on restructuring in early August.
Bowlsby said he expects the Big 12 to seat a task force ''within our league to spend time looking at the rules, thinking about the environment and beginning the process of putting an agenda together of things that we think we ought to take a good look at.''
The Big 12 board of directors meets Friday, when the 10-team conference will reveal its revenue numbers for the 2013-14 school year. That number is expected to exceed last year's record revenue of $198 million.
Among other items discussed before the athletic directors finished their portion of the spring meetings Thursday:
-The structure of the Big 12 men's and women's basketball tournaments, which next March will be held in different cities and a week apart for the third year in a row. Bowlsby left open the possibility that the tournaments could be played in the same city again.
-Some Big 12 basketball teams could play their first conference games before Christmas.
-After being allowed to experimentally use eight football officials in games last season, the Big 12 expects to again use eight officials again this season.
''It was exceedingly positive. I think it was good in every respect I could name,'' Bowlsby said. ''We felt like it gave our referee and our umpire, particularly, a better opportunity to manage the game. Especially the flow of the game, the substitutions. ... With speed of the game, it makes some sense.''
-The conference finalized football television selections and times for those games the first three weeks of the season, plus its four Thursday night games that are part of its joint television agreement with FOX and ESPN.
Two Big 12 teams play season-opening games at neutral sites Aug. 30. West Virginia plays Alabama in Atlanta in the afternoon in a split regionally on ABC or ESPN2, and Oklahoma State takes on Florida State in Arlington, Texas, that night on ABC. Baylor's first game in its new stadium will be a Sunday night kickoff Aug. 31, on Fox Sports 1. Texas' home game against TCU on Thanksgiving night will be on Fox Sports 1.
Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy wants to do away with fouling out. What's your take?
By Kyle Ringo
Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy says he wants to keep the best players in the game because it's what the fans come to see, and he has a plan for doing it.
During a discussion about possible rules changes at the Southeastern Conference spring meetings this week, Kennedy proposed unlimited fouls for players but with a catch. Instead of fouling out with the fifth foul in a game, players could remain in the game but each subsequent foul by that player would give the other team two free throws and possession.
It's an interesting idea that is worthy of discussion, but would likely need a few tweaks and more clarification on its application. For instance, what if a player who has already committed five fouls commits a technical foul. Would he still be allowed to remain in the game or would that be one way in which a player could foul out?
“We’re the only sport where the best players can be eliminated from the game,” Kennedy said in report by Insideolemisssports.com. “Let’s just make it where it really has some teeth. If you foul, the other team’s going to get two shots and the ball. You talk about really having to think now as a coach! It still allows the best players to be in the game so that the fans can see what they came to see.”
Sure, it would change the way coaches approach some situations simply because they would have more options available. It would also change how aggressive players are and the way officials call games.
We've all seen situations late in games when officials seem to swallow the whistle when a star player in foul trouble appears to commit a foul that would lead to him fouling out. With Kennedy's change in place, players might be more aggressive in such situations even if it meant free throws and possession to the opponent.
How much might this muddy the game. We saw at the beginning of last season numerous games with absurd foul a free throw totals as teams around the country tried to adapt to new rules against limiting hand-checking and arm bars by defenders. If players could foul at will, it could slow down games and stifle offense.
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica take: We all know in life, change is the only thing that is constant but If it isn't broken, don't fix it. Why mess with rules that are and have been successful since the inception of the game? The substitute players would never get a chance to play unless a starter is injured. Could this additional playing time cause a player's body start to breakdown doing a long grueling season? There will be a lot of questions that need to be answered. We're not saying improvement of the game should not be attempted, we're just saying, changes should be tried and tested before implementation and that they should definitely improve the game. At all cost, preserve the integrity of the game. That's how we feel, what do you think and what's your take? Marion P. Jelks, CS&T/AA Blog Editor.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, May 30, 2014.
MemoriesofHistory.com
1890 - Dave Foutz hit the first Dodger home run.
1894 - Bobby Lowe (Boston Red Sox) became the first player to hit four home runs in one game.
1911 - Ray Harroun won the first Indianapolis Sweepstakes. The 500-mile auto race later became known as the Indianapolis 500. Harroun's average speed was 74.59 miles per hour.
1922 - Max Flack (Chicago Cubs) and Cliff Heathcote (St. Louis Cardinals) were traded for each other between the morning and afternoon games of a Memorial Day twin bill. They played one game for each team.
1925 - Peter DePaolo became the first man to average over 100mph at the Indianapolis 500.
1927 - Walter Johnson recorded his 113th career shutout. It was also the final shutout of his career.
1927 - Jim Cooney (Chicago Cubs) became the sixth player to record an unassisted triple play against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He caught Paul Waner's line drive, stepped on second to double Lloyd Waner and then tagged Clyde Barnhart coming from first.
1927 - Johnny Neun (Detroit Tigers) became the seventh player to record an unassisted triple play.
1932 - The New York Yankees dedicated a plaque to Miller Huggins.
1935 - Babe Ruth (Braves) played in his final game. He went hitless against the Phillies.
1937 - Pitcher Carl Hubbell got his 24th consecutive victory.
1946 - Carvel William "Bama" Rowell (Braves) hit a home run that shattered the Bulova clock in Ebbets Field.
1955 - Bob Sweikert won the Indianapolis 500. During the race Bill Vukovich hit the 3-car pileup of Al Keller, Johnny Boyd, and Rodger Ward. He was killed when his car became airborne and went out of the course, landing upside down and on fire.
1962 - Pedro Ramos (Cleveland Indians) pitched a three-hitter and hit two home runs in a 7-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. One of his home runs was a grand slam.
1970 - Voting for baseball's All-Star game was returned to the fans.
1971 - Willie Mays hit his 638th home run. He set a National League record of 1,950 runs scored.
1977 - Dennis Eckersley pitched a 1-0 no-hitter against the California Angels.
1981 - The Los Angeles Dodgers became the quickest to get 1,000,000 people to attend games in a season. It took 22 games.
1982 - Cal Ripken, Jr., began a record streak of playing in 2,632 games. The streak ended on September 20, 1998.
1983 - Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was suspended for one week for his public criticism of umpires.
1986 - Bobby Rahal became the first driver to average over 170mph in the Indianapolis 500.
1987 - Eric Davis (Cincinnati Reds) became the first National League player to hit three grand slams in a month and set a National League record of 19 home runs in April and May.
1992 - Scott Sanderson (New York Yankees) became the 9th pitcher to beat all 26 teams.
2001 - Barry Bonds hit two home runs to move into 11th place on the major league career list with 522.
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