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Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Bills-Bears Preview.
By TAYLOR BECHTOLD (STATS Writer)
Although the Chicago Bears possess all the makings of an elite offense, turning around their defensive incompetence appears to be a necessity if they're going to make a run at the playoffs.
After making several moves to fix those holes, the Bears hope to see major improvement on that side of the ball as they look to win their sixth straight home opener Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, who haven't been to the playoffs in 15 years.
Chicago opened 3-0 under first-year coach Marc Trestman but was inconsistent after that greatly due to a suspect defense, though the team needed to win just one of its final two games to reach the postseason for the first time since 2010. Instead, the Bears missed the playoffs despite an outstanding offensive season after allowing a combined 87 points and 987 yards in consecutive losses to Philadelphia and Green Bay.
"We're hungry," Pro Bowl cornerback Tim Jennings said of the defense. "We've got attitude from last year. The coaches feel the same way as well as the players do. ... We really still have a bad taste in our mouth from last season."
Trestman's focus was on offense and he made his mark. Chicago improved from 29th to fifth in passing and 28th to No. 8 in total offense, even with Josh McCown appearing in eight games and starting five due to Jay Cutler's groin and ankle injuries.
Cutler still posted a career-high 89.2 passer rating with his best completion percentage (63.1) since 2007 with Denver, throwing 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His sack total dropped from 38 in 2012 to 19 behind a rebuilt offensive line.
Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall each had Pro Bowl seasons, giving Chicago one of the best receiving tandems in the NFL. They totaled 189 receptions for 2,716 yards and 19 touchdowns, and Jeffery ranked second in the league among receivers with 1,526 yards from scrimmage.
"He's exciting," Cutler said. "We've just got to get him caught up with everything right now. It's hard coming in where we are offensively and just kind of throwing him into the mix."
Matt Forte further established himself as one of the NFL's top all-purpose backs, ranking second with a career-high 1,339 rushing yards and third with 1,933 from scrimmage.
Even if its high-powered offense continues to shine, Chicago will likely miss the postseason for the seventh time in eight years unless it can recover from one of the worst defensive performances in franchise history.
The Bears ranked 30th overall, allowing 394.6 yards per game, while tying Jacksonville with a league-low 31 sacks and giving up a league-high and club-record 2,583 rushing yards.
Chicago has brought in five-time Pro Bowler Jared Allen, versatile LaMarr Houston and Willie Young to improve the line, while Julius Peppers has gone on to Green Bay.
Allen, however, has battled a bruised shoulder, first-round pick Kyle Fuller is nursing an ankle injury and fellow defensive back Chris Conte missed most of the preseason recovering from shoulder surgery before suffering a concussion.
Though they surrendered more yards per game than all but three teams during the preseason and were third worst in scoring defense, the Bears aren't worried that things won't be better on that side of the ball.
"All the additions that we brought to this defense, I'm excited about it and I just can't wait to get us all together and get us come Sunday, and see where we're at," Jennings said.
The Bears could have an opportunity to gain some confidence versus Buffalo, which had difficulty moving the ball throughout the preseason. The starters went 18 straight possessions without a touchdown until EJ Manuel's TD pass in the second half against Tampa Bay on Aug. 23.
Manuel had been tabbed the quarterback of the future after Buffalo selected him 16th overall in 2013, but many are skeptical of whether he can fulfill that promise after enduring an inconsistent, injury-plagued rookie season.
"With EJ, obviously we're looking for him to progress and to keep coming along," Marrone said. "We're going to stick with him. I'm going to support him 110 percent. And we're going to get him better."
Buffalo, which finished 6-10 last season, has just one winning season since last qualifying for the playoffs in 1999.
The Bills finished 28th in the league with 193.9 passing yards per game, though they were second with 144.2 rushing yards. C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson combined for 1,823 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
Sammy Watkins, taken fourth overall in the 2014 draft, was brought in to give Manuel a go-to playmaker in the passing game, but he's been slowed by bruised ribs. Watkins is expected to line up across from Mike Williams, acquired in an offseason trade with Tampa Bay.
Buffalo's defense should remain a strength under new coordinator Jim Schwartz after setting a franchise record with 57 sacks. The Bills added middle linebacker Brandon Spikes to a unit that gave up 150-plus yards rushing seven times.
"I don't want to get ahead of that stuff but, hey, the proof's in the pudding," Spikes said of Schwartz. "He wants us getting vertical, getting disruptive, causing havoc."
Spikes' addition should help the team recover from the loss of linebacker Kiko Alonso, who suffered an ACL injury that required surgery just after reporting to camp.
The Bills have dropped all five of their visits to Chicago by a 135-39 margin.
Trestman Showing Fire This Game Week.
By Jeff Joniak
The Bears host the Bills on Sunday at Soldier Field. Here are a few thoughts on the mind heading into the season opener.
First impression
Bears coach Marc Trestman is fired up about the season. It showed in the Bears Coaches Show on WBBM radio Monday night and again yesterday in his post-practice news conference at Halas Hall. He’s never been one that embraces hypotheticals. He lives in the moment and isn’t one to predict anything. It’s wasted energy.
“I know how I feel right now,” Trestman said. “I feel real good. I’m excited about the game. It’s just football. We have expectations that we’re going to play very well and here’s why: We work hard at it, we prepare hard at it. Now, we can get into all the hypotheticals. Well we don’t have a lot of experience, we haven’t played together, this is a new team. We can do all that, but 31 other teams are saying the same thing. They all are. Everybody is saying the same thing. So that’s why it’s exciting, isn’t it? Because we don’t really know.”
What we do know is that given what lies ahead for the Bears in the first half of the season, this opener is an extremely important game to win.
Second thought
Hiring martial arts expert Joe Kim to be a defensive line assistant may prove to be one of the best under-the-radar moves by the Bears. Lamarr Houston, Stephen Paea, Willie Young, Will Sutton and other defensive linemen have repeatedly praised Kim for his work with their hands and tying them together with their feet to defeat a blocker. I also watched cornerbacks Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman work on their hands to deal with physical hand fighting receivers trying to defeat press coverage or a re-route in zone coverage.
Center Roberto Garza works out with Kim before every game. Guard Kyle Long said the instruction Kim is giving builds confidence that comes with having another weapon to use. Kim is on his ninth organization but has experience with Bears general manager Phil Emery from his days in Kansas City with the Chiefs. Every little advantage helps. It’s been my experience that players at this level who seriously want to be great will dig in and work with anybody they feel makes them better. First they have to believe in the teaching, then it has to work for them on the field and then trust is built leading to results.
Third degree
Honestly, I just don’t understand all the angst with Trestman’s decision to grant linebacker Lance Briggs a “personal day” off weeks in advance of Monday’s absence. We learned Briggs didn’t inform Trestman the request was for his Northern California restaurant opening, but to me it doesn’t matter. What matters is that he will be ready to play like he always is Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. I expect him to be vitally important in helping stop one of the best running games in the NFL.
Fourth and short
Long admits he had no idea what he was doing in his rookie season starting at right guard. Raw strength, unique athleticism, a nasty disposition on the field, great teammates to lean on and learn from and a unique investment of time got him through the season. For the first time in his football-playing life, he actually had an offseason to just train in the weight room and learn what it is he exactly needs to know to perfect technique and master the Bears’ offensive scheme. While more educated to execute his assignments, Long still is a raw talent with a high ceiling to be a cornerstone for the Bears offense for years to come. I’m excited to see his story unfold.
Trestman Showing Fire This Game Week.
By Jeff Joniak
Bears coach Marc Trestman. (Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images)
The Bears host the Bills on Sunday at Soldier Field. Here are a few thoughts on the mind heading into the season opener.
First impression
Bears coach Marc Trestman is fired up about the season. It showed in the Bears Coaches Show on WBBM radio Monday night and again yesterday in his post-practice news conference at Halas Hall. He’s never been one that embraces hypotheticals. He lives in the moment and isn’t one to predict anything. It’s wasted energy.
“I know how I feel right now,” Trestman said. “I feel real good. I’m excited about the game. It’s just football. We have expectations that we’re going to play very well and here’s why: We work hard at it, we prepare hard at it. Now, we can get into all the hypotheticals. Well we don’t have a lot of experience, we haven’t played together, this is a new team. We can do all that, but 31 other teams are saying the same thing. They all are. Everybody is saying the same thing. So that’s why it’s exciting, isn’t it? Because we don’t really know.”
What we do know is that given what lies ahead for the Bears in the first half of the season, this opener is an extremely important game to win.
Second thought
Hiring martial arts expert Joe Kim to be a defensive line assistant may prove to be one of the best under-the-radar moves by the Bears. Lamarr Houston, Stephen Paea, Willie Young, Will Sutton and other defensive linemen have repeatedly praised Kim for his work with their hands and tying them together with their feet to defeat a blocker. I also watched cornerbacks Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman work on their hands to deal with physical hand fighting receivers trying to defeat press coverage or a re-route in zone coverage.
Center Roberto Garza works out with Kim before every game. Guard Kyle Long said the instruction Kim is giving builds confidence that comes with having another weapon to use. Kim is on his ninth organization but has experience with Bears general manager Phil Emery from his days in Kansas City with the Chiefs. Every little advantage helps. It’s been my experience that players at this level who seriously want to be great will dig in and work with anybody they feel makes them better. First they have to believe in the teaching, then it has to work for them on the field and then trust is built leading to results.
Third degree
Honestly, I just don’t understand all the angst with Trestman’s decision to grant linebacker Lance Briggs a “personal day” off weeks in advance of Monday’s absence. We learned Briggs didn’t inform Trestman the request was for his Northern California restaurant opening, but to me it doesn’t matter. What matters is that he will be ready to play like he always is Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. I expect him to be vitally important in helping stop one of the best running games in the NFL.
Fourth and short
Long admits he had no idea what he was doing in his rookie season starting at right guard. Raw strength, unique athleticism, a nasty disposition on the field, great teammates to lean on and learn from and a unique investment of time got him through the season. For the first time in his football-playing life, he actually had an offseason to just train in the weight room and learn what it is he exactly needs to know to perfect technique and master the Bears’ offensive scheme. While more educated to execute his assignments, Long still is a raw talent with a high ceiling to be a cornerstone for the Bears offense for years to come. I’m excited to see his story unfold.
The NFL Made A Rule Tweak To Help Offenses, And Fans Are Going To Hate It.
By Tony Manfred
Earlier this summer the NFL announced that it was making illegal contact penalties a point of emphasis for the 2014 season.
Defenders aren't allowed to initiate contact with receivers after 5 yards when the quarterback is in the pocket. This has always been a rule, but now the NFL wants to enforce it more diligently than ever before.
The results have been dramatic. In the 2014 preseason, illegal contact penalties were up 450% and defensive holding penalties were up 350% compared with the 2013 preseason, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Guys are getting called for seemingly incidental contact that doesn't impede the progress of the receiver or affect the play.
The NFL released an official video of what it wants to rid from the game.
Defenders aren't allowed to initiate contact with receivers after 5 yards when the quarterback is in the pocket. This has always been a rule, but now the NFL wants to enforce it more diligently than ever before.
The results have been dramatic. In the 2014 preseason, illegal contact penalties were up 450% and defensive holding penalties were up 350% compared with the 2013 preseason, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Guys are getting called for seemingly incidental contact that doesn't impede the progress of the receiver or affect the play.
The NFL released an official video of what it wants to rid from the game.
1. Contact on receivers after 5 yards, even if the ball is thrown to someone else and the contact is inconsequential:
2. Bumping receivers going over the middle:
3. Grabbing the jersey in any way after 5 yards:
The NFL's VP of officiating told SI's Peter King that the dramatic increase in penalties that we saw in the preseason would not go away once the regular season begins. "We’re not going to change how we’re calling the games once the regular season starts," he said.
The optimal word here is "inconsequential." There are going to be penalties called this year on actions that have no direct impact on the play. In the name of stopping defenders from touching receivers after 5 yards, the league is willing to endure a glut of penalties that will make the games longer, more stilted, and less comprehensible to the average fan, at least initially. It will help offenses — a ton of drives are going to get extended with soft penalty calls — but it's also going to be frustrating.
NFL teams and players have been vocal in their opposition to the tweak.
New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said:
There are illegal contact penalties where there was no disruption in the route. Contact happens when one turns in one direction and the other was a little behind.
We're still trying to understand and clean it up. Quite frankly, it's a concern if the officials are going to continue calling it into the regular season. We must do something about this to have a chance to compete.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, whose team is widely regarded as the impetus for the rule tweak, said he wanted to talk to the league office about changing the rules:
It doesn’t seem quite right. It seems like there are too many calls being made and too many incidental calls that seem to be affecting the game. So, we’ll see. … It’s obviously different. So, the question is: Is it better? I don’t know.
In time this will blow over. Players and teams will adjust, and at the end of the day officials really don't want to throw a flag on every single play.
But fans are going to hate it during this transition period.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Kane, Hossa among the elite of deep right wing pool.
By Brian Compton
There certainly is no shortage of talent at right wing in the NHL.
Seven right wings scored at least 30 goals last season, and Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin reached the 50-goal plateau for the fifth time in his career. The position also boasts an impressive mix of young and veteran players, from Jordan Eberle of the Edmonton Oilers to Jaromir Jagr of the New Jersey Devils.
The abundance of talent at right wing made it extremely difficult to determine the top 14 players at the position. Three players received first-place votes, including Chicago Blackhawks sensation Patrick Kane, who was selected No. 1 by two of the voters.
How deep is the talent pool? So deep that Bobby Ryan (Ottawa Senators) and Jason Pominville (Minnesota Wild) didn't make the cut.
Here is NHL.com's list of the top-14 right wings:
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2013-14: 51 goals, 79 points, 78 games played
Ovechkin will be playing for yet another coach (Barry Trotz) when training camp opens, but he continues to produce regardless of who is behind the bench. The 28-year-old scored 51 goals for Adam Oates last season and now has 422 goals in 679 games, all with the Capitals.
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2013-14: 43 goals, 82 points, 81 games played
Ovechkin was the only player in the NHL who scored more goals than Perry last season; it marked the second time in Perry's career that he scored at least 40 goals. He followed with 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
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2013-14: 29 goals, 69 points, 69 games played
Kane's blazing speed and dazzling stickhandling make it easy to see why two voters selected him as the top right wing in the League. The No. 1 selection at the 2007 NHL Draft scored 29 goals for Chicago last season and averaged a point per game. Kane and Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews signed eight-year contract extensions on July 9 worth $84 million.
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2013-14: 37 goals, 80 points, 82 games played
Kessel scored 20 goals in the shortened 2012-13 season, then reached 30 goals for the fifth time in his career last season. The 26-year-old has 459 points (222 goals, 237 assists) in 586 games and is a threat to score every time he's on the ice.
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2013-14: 30 goals, 60 points, 72 games played
One of the best two-way forwards in the sport, Hossa continued to show consistency in Chicago last season when he reached the 30-goal plateau for the eighth time in his career, despite missing 10 games because of injury. Hossa enters this season five points shy of 1,000.
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2013-14: 30 goals, 69 points, 81 games played
The 39-year-old struggled after being acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning at the NHL Trade Deadline, but St. Louis found his game in the playoffs and helped the Rangers reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 20 years. Now that he's more acclimated to New York, it's likely we can expect the type of production we've seen from St. Louis over the course of his career (981 points in 1,060 games).
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2013-14: 28 goals, 64 points, 80 games played
A solid two-way forward, O'Reilly led the Avalanche with 28 goals (nine on the power play), a career high. O'Reilly had six points in seven playoff games, but Colorado was upset by Minnesota in the Western Conference First Round.
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2013-14: 27 goals, 61 points, 59 games played
Neal averaged more than a point per game last season, which turned to be his last with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Neal, who was traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for forwards Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling on June 27, scored 88 goals during the past three seasons with the Penguins. Eleven of his 27 goals last season were scored on the power play.
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2013-14: 23 goals, 62 points, 82 games played
The 25-year-old has emerged as one of the top right wings in the game since being acquired by Philadelphia from the Columbus Blue Jackets in June 2011. He set career highs in goals and points in 2013-14 and did not miss a game for a second straight season. Voracek had two goals and two assists in Philadelphia's seven-game loss to the Rangers in the Eastern Conference First Round.
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2013-14: 11 goals, 30 points, 41 games played
He's had issues in the past with line chemistry and injuries, but Gaborik has found a home in Los Angeles. After being acquired by the Kings from Columbus at the NHL Trade Deadline, the 32-year-old had 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 19 regular-season games and made a strong case to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the top performer of the postseason when he had 14 goals and 22 points in 26 games to help Los Angeles win the Stanley Cup.
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2013-14: 24 goals, 67 points, 82 games played
One of the all-time great scorers in NHL history, Jagr continues to produce nearly a quarter-century after being a first-round pick by Pittsburgh (No. 5, 1990). Jagr, now 42, did not miss a game for New Jersey last season and his 67 points led the team. He has 705 goals and 1,050 assists in 1,473 regular-season games.
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2013-14: 28 goals, 65 points, 80 games played
The Oilers failed to meet expectations last season, but Eberle wasn't to blame; the gifted 24-year-old tied with David Perron for the team lead with 28 goals, and Eberle's 65 points ranked second behind Taylor Hall's 80. A first-round pick (No. 22) in 2008, Eberle has already scored 96 goals at the NHL level.
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2013-14: 27 goals, 69 points, 71 games played
Many believe Okposo finally turned the corner for the Islanders during their first-round playoff series against the Penguins in 2013, and he built off that performance last season. With captain John Tavares sustaining a season-ending injury at the Sochi Olympics, Okposo ended up leading the Islanders in scoring with 69 points in 71 games. His 27 goals are a career high.
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2013-14: 30 goals, 61 points, 78 games played
A model of consistency, the 37-year-old scored 30 goals in a season for the 12th time in his career, helping the Boston Bruins win the Presidents' Trophy. Iginla signed as a free agent with Colorado this summer, and there's no reason to think he can't score another 30 goals in 2014-15. In 1,310 games, Iginla has 560 goals and 607 assists.
Others receiving votes: Bobby Ryan, Ottawa Senators (7 points); Gustav Nyquist, Detroit Red Wings (5 points); Jason Pominville, Minnesota Wild (5 points); Alexander Semin, Carolina Hurricanes (2 points); Patric Hornqvist, Pittsburgh Penguins (1 point); Wayne Simmonds, Philadelphia Flyers (1 point); Justin Williams, Los Angeles Kings (1 point)
Blackhawks announce complete TV schedule for 2014-15 season.
By Satchel Price
The Blackhawks released their complete TV schedule for next season on Thursday. Here's how you'll be able to watch the boys next season.
Most of us will be watching the vast majority of Blackhawks games from home or the local bar next season, and that means Thursday's announcement of the complete television broadcast schedule for next season is some pretty important news.
Most of the games will be broadcast on local television with CSN and WGN, but some national games on NBC and NBCSN are peppered throughout the schedule as well. Once again, Pat Foley and Eddie Olczyk will be providing the coverage on local broadcasts.
We'll have more detailed breakdowns of the schedule as preview season winds up later this month, but for now, here's the schedule (via CSN Chicago):
| Date | Opponent | Time (CT) | TV |
| Thurs., Oct. 9 | at Dallas Stars | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Sat., Oct. 11 | Buffalo Sabres | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Wed., Oct. 15 | Calgary Flames | 7:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Sat., Oct. 18 | Nashville Predators | 7:30 p.m. | WGN |
| Tues., Oct. 21 | Philadelphia Flyers | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Thurs., Oct. 23 | at Nashville Predators | 7:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Sat., Oct. 25 | at St. Louis Blues | 7:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Sun., Oct. 26 | Ottawa Senators | 6:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Tues., Oct. 28 | Anaheim Ducks | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Thurs., Oct. 30 | at Ottawa Senators | 6:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Sat. Nov. 1 | at Toronto Maple Leafs | 6:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Sun., Nov. 2 | Winnipeg Jets | 8:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Tues., Nov. 4 | at Montreal Canadiens | 6:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Fri., Nov. 7 | Washington Capitals | 7:30 p.m. | CSN+ |
| Sun., Nov. 9 | San Jose Sharks | 6:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Tues., Nov. 11 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Fri., Nov. 14 | at Detroit Red Wings | 6:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Sun., Nov. 16 | Dallas Stars | 6:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Thurs., Nov. 20 | at Calgary Flames | 8:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Sat., Nov. 22 | at Edmonton Oilers | 9:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Sun., Nov. 23 | at Vancouver Canucks | 9:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Wed., Nov. 26 | at Colorado Avalanche | 8:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Fri., Nov. 28 | at Anaheim Ducks | 3:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Sat. Nov. 29 | at Los Angeles Kings | 9:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Wed., Dec. 3 | St. Louis Blues | 7:00 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Fri., Dec. 5 | Montreal Canadiens | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Sat., Dec. 6 | at Nashville Predators | 6:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Tues., Dec. 9 | at New Jersey Devils | 6:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Thurs., Dec. 11 | at Boston Bruins | 6:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Sat., Dec. 13 | at New York Islanders | 6:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Sun., Dec. 14 | Calgary Flames | 7:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Tues., Dec. 16 | Minnesota Wild | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Sat., Dec. 20 | at Columbus Blue Jackets | 6:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Sun., Dec. 21 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 6:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Tues., Dec. 23 | Winnipeg Jets | 7:30 p.m. | CSN+ |
| Sat., Dec. 27 | at Colorado Avalanche | 8:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Mon., Dec. 29 | Nashville Predators | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Thurs., Jan. 1 | at Washington Capitals | 12:00 p.m. | NBC |
| Sun., Jan. 4 | Dallas Stars | 7:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Tues., Jan. 6 | Colorado Avalanche | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Thurs., Jan. 8 | at Minnesota Wild | 7:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Fri., Jan. 9 | at Edmonton Oilers | 8:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Sun., Jan. 11 | Minnesota Wild | 7:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Fri., Jan. 16 | Winnipeg Jets | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Sun., Jan. 18 | Dallas Stars | 5:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Tues., Jan. 20 | Arizona Coyotes | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Wed., Jan. 21 | at Pittsburgh Penguins | 7:00 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Wed., Jan 28 | at Los Angeles Kings | 9:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Fri., Jan. 30 | at Anaheim Ducks | 9:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Sat., Jan. 31 | at San Jose Sharks | 9:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Tues., Feb. 3 | at Minnesota Wild | 7:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Fri., Feb. 6 | at Winnipeg Jets | 7:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Sun., Feb. 8 | at St. Louis Blues | 11:30 a.m. | NBC |
| Mon., Feb. 9 | Arizona Coyotes | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Wed., Feb. 11 | Vancouver Canucks | 7:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Fri., Feb. 13 | New Jersey Devils | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Sun., Feb. 15 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 11:30 a.m. | NBC |
| Wed., Feb. 18 | Detroit Red Wings | 6:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Fri., Feb. 20 | Colorado Avalanche | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Sun., Feb. 22 | Boston Bruins | 2:00 p.m. | NBC |
| Tues., Feb. 24 | Florida Panthers | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Thurs., Feb. 26 | at Florida Panthers | 6:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Fri., Feb. 27 | at Tampa Bay Lightning | 6:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Mon., March 2 | Carolina Hurricanes | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Fri., March 6 | Edmonton Oilers | 7:30 p.m. | CSN+ |
| Sun., March 8 | New York Rangers | 6:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Thurs., March 12 | at Arizona Coyotes | 9:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Sat., March 14 | at San Jose Sharks | 3:00 p.m. | WGN |
| Tues., March 17 | New York Islanders | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Wed., March 18 | at New York Rangers | 7:00 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Sat., March 21 | at Dallas Stars | 7:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Mon., March 23 | at Carolina Hurricanes | 6:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Wed., March 25 | at Philadelphia Flyers | 7:00 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Fri., March 27 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Sun., March 29 | at Winnipeg Jets | 6:30 p.m. | WGN |
| Mon., March 30 | Los Angeles Kings | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Thurs., April 2 | Vancouver Canucks | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Fri., April 3 | at Buffalo Sabres | 6:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Sun., April 5 | St. Louis Blues | 6:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Tues., April 7 | Minnesota Wild | 7:30 p.m. | CSN |
| Thurs., April 9 | at St. Louis Blues | 7:00 p.m. | CSN |
| Sat., April 11 | at Colorado Avalanche | 8:00 p.m. | WGN |
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… 5 Things Chicago Bulls Must Figure out Before Start of 2014-15 Season.
By John Wilmes
(Photo: John Bazemore/Associated Press)
The Chicago Bulls head into the 2014-15 season with their best chance at a championship since head coach Tom Thibodeau’s era began in 2010.
They’ve got new depth, including more scoring punch than ever with Pau Gasol, Doug McDermott, Aaron Brooks, Nikola Mirotic and, of course, a renewed Derrick Rose on board. They’ve also got the continuity of Thibodeau’s system in place, which has led them to no worse than a .549 winning mark in each year he’s been around, despite the repeated roster tumult of injuries and major trades.
Now, the Bulls have something close to their ideal scenario. A team jammed with complementary skills and team-first attitudes, and a window with which to (potentially) sneak by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers as their new, complex squad figures out their myriad loose ends.
But although the Bulls’ outlook holds fewer tests and obstacles than Cleveland’s in the short term, they still have a handful of their own issues to sort through.
How to ease in Derrick Rose?
Derrick Rose is the most central cog to the Bulls’ championship hopes. If his play in this summer’s FIBA Basketball World Cup tournament is any indication, however, Chicago shouldn’t expect the dynamic point guard to fire on all cylinders right away.
Rose has looked every bit as quick and athletic as ever playing through the field in Spain, but he’s also shown a lot of rust on the finer points of his game. Just like during his 10-game return in 2013-14 (abruptly ended when he suffered a torn meniscus against the Portland Trail Blazers), Rose has had difficulty making the extremely difficult shots he used to butter his bread with.
Not all layups are made equally, and Rose’s shots at the rim come with him moving at blistering pace and releasing the ball from strange angles, often relying on very subtle use of the backboard. It might take until after Christmas for the Chicago-born star to consistently make those baskets again, so the Bulls better plan on getting their points in other ways and not leaning too heavily on Rose.
Expect Pau Gasol, as a result, to have some heavy lifting as a scorer early on. There’s a good chance he’ll be their best option until Rose finds his rhythm.
Who Starts in the Front Court?
With the arrival of Pau Gasol comes the question of whether he’ll start. As their best non-Rose scorer, it would seem like a no-brainer. But Taj Gibson excelled last year, ultimately rising into the role of go-to guy in a rough 1-4 postseason series loss to the Washington Wizards.
Joakim Noah has been a starter as long as Thibodeau’s coached the Bulls, so his spot is all but untouchable—especially since he won Defensive Player of the Year honors last season. But whom he shares the floor with at the game’s beginning is another issue.
Whether Thibodeau goes with Gasol or Gibson won’t necessarily make a statement about which player he prefers—or thinks is better. It might not say anything about whether he wants a more offensive or defensive look either. Sometimes these decisions come down to personality management.
Gasol is a likely Hall of Famer and has reacted poorly in the past when benched by then-Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni. Thibodeau already knows Gibson can accept a sixth-man role, and it’s probable that he’ll give Gasol the starting nod to make sure he feels respected, welcome and wanted.
Who Starts at Small Forward?
Mike Dunleavy Jr. started at small forward for most of the Bulls’ 2013-14 season, but this wasn’t by design.
When the team’s front office shipped Luol Deng off to the Cleveland Cavaliers in January, Thibodeau was left with many options. If Dunleavy retains his starting spot this fall, it will be a testament to continuity and the importance of veteran presence.
Behind him in the lineup are two younger, more promising options: Doug McDermott and Tony Snell. Rookie and sophomore, respectively, “McBuckets” and Snell both have a lot of potential. McDermott was the best scorer during the 2013-14 NCAA season, and no one was especially close. He's also the NCAA's fifth all-time leading scorer. Snell is a lengthy, relentless defender seemingly manifested by Thibodeau’s defensively geared imagination.
Both players impressed in the Las Vegas Summer League. Performing well there is hardly a guarantee of NBA success, but their play reminded Bulls fans that Dunleavy is hardly a lock to start.
A New Offense...
With all of the Bulls’ new weapons, they’ll surely have to develop some X’s and O’s that were previously not possible. Gasol, McDermott, Brooks and Mirotic give them much more shooting and lane penetration than they’ve had under Thibodeau.
A Rose-Gasol pick-and-roll is one obvious play the Bulls will look to perfect at training camp. Both players are terrific passers and finishers, and both can make shots from mid-range. But Gibson is another worthy roll man, having averaged 18.2 points in last year’s postseason against a bulky, agile Washington front line.
And Rose’s one-man, lane-driving show will count for a lot more with shooters like McDemott, Brooks and Mirotic spreading defenses on the wings. It’ll be much harder for defenses to key on Rose as long as the Bulls develop enough familiarity to provide the right spacing.
Minute Distribution...
One of the biggest knocks on Thibodeau has been his relentless drive. Though it leads to excellent results in the standings, his ceaseless work ethic often seems correlated to the alarming injury rate of his roster.
The counter argument has always been this: Give Thibodeau some depth, and he won’t have to squeeze so much productivity out of a thin rotation. Now, the Bulls coach has that depth. Noah, Gasol and Rose have all had their bodily problems in recent years, and they’ll need ample rest to stay healthy for the playoffs.
If Thibodeau can develop a new “bench mob”—a phrase coined for the team’s impressive second unit in 2010-11—it will put many fans at ease. The Bulls have proved their coach’s system, alone, to be nearly enough for home-court advantage in a weak Eastern Conference. The goal, now, is to grab the conference’s No. 1 seed while keeping all of their men healthy.
Can Thibodeau strike that balance?
Team USA pulls away from Ukraine 95-71, sweeps Group C.
By Zach Harper
A quick look at Team USA's 95-71 win over Ukraine in the fifth and final group play game of the FIBA World Cup for the United States.
What happened: Another slow start and another big win for Team USA. This seems to be the pattern for USA Basketball, although this time it looked like the slow start was from rotation and experimentation as much as it had to do with just not being energized to start the game. Mike Krzyzewski went to Derrick Rose, Rudy Gay, Klay Thompson, DeMar DeRozan, and DeMarcus Cousins early in the game, throwing them all out there together in the first quarter. It allowed that lineup to get extended minutes with each other, something they'll have to work on for elimination rounds and eventually if they need to play against Spain as a unit.
Coach K has been pretty generous with trying different lineups and combinations in this game, and made sure he found some combination of players to eventually pull ahead of Ukraine. After taking a 2-0 lead on free throws from Kyrie Irving, the USA wouldn't lead again until Stephen Curry hit a 3-pointer with 4:01 left in the second quarter to give USA a three-point lead. Ukraine led after the first quarter and either led or was tied for a good chunk of the second quarter.
Eventually, the defense and energy showed up, they forced empty possessions for Ukraine, and the talent won out. Team USA went on a 19-5 run to close the first half and lead by 12. The Ukraine played a virtually even third quarter with the US before succumbing to the inevitable in the fourth.
There was also a bit of a scary moment late in the game when Irving hit the floor hard and walked off the court to the locker room.
Three stars
1. Stephen Curry gets rolling from deep. Curry had been struggling with his shot in the first four games of the tournament. He entered the fifth game making just 35.3 percent of his field goals and 36.3 percent of his 3-pointers. That's not very Curry-like on a basketball court. All of that changed against Ukraine with Curry scoring 14 points on six shots in 19 minutes of action. He hit 3-of-4 from downtown and went 5-of-5 from the free throw line (he hasn't missed yet in the tournament). Team USA will need Curry to help stretch the floor and be that trailing threat in transition. Seeing him getting hot or progressing back up to his own historical mean is a great sign.
2. James Harden hunted for less contact and was more effective. Harden is a hunter now. He's always been a player that draws a lot of contact and gets to the free throw line, but since he joined the Houston Rockets, it almost seems like he'd rather get contact and draw a foul than get the quick score. There's a value to it because it gets the defense in foul trouble when it works, but it also can ruin the tempo and pace of your team's game if it's not going smoothly. Harden appeared to hunt for less contact against Ukraine and he seemed to have a more evident impact. He had 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and attempted just five free throws in 24 minutes. Harden also forced a couple of turnovers and dished out five assists.
3. Klay Thompson had a phenomenal showing off the bench. The game and energy started to turn around with Thompson checking into the game early on. His on-ball defense was superb and he moved the ball really well. You won't see an incredible stat line in his box score, but his seven points, five rebounds, and four assists in 23 minutes felt pretty important. He's mostly there to stretch the floor, so if you can get him making the extra pass and setting teammates up on that end of the floor, it opens up the possibilities for this offense to expand even more. That's a scary/fun thought.
Next up: Team USA faces Mexico on Saturday. Mexico went 2-3 in Group D play and finished as the fourth team in the group.
Adam Silver: Legalized sports betting 'inevitable' in more states.
By James Herbert
Adam Silver has no moral issue with sports betting. (USATSI)
The NBA isn't taking a hardline position against sports betting anymore. Commissioner Adam Silver, speaking at the Bloomberg Business Summit in New York, said on Thursday that the league will eventually profit from legalized gambling on sports in the future, via Bloomberg:
It's inevitable that, if all these states are broke, that there will be legalized sports betting in more states than Nevada and we will ultimately participate in that,” said Silver, 52.
Silver, who has been with the NBA for 22 years and replaced former Commissioner David Stern in February, said that he doesn't have any moral issue with sports betting. The league, which already allows teams to create marketing deals with casinos, would further profit from the legalization of sports wagering outside Nevada, he said.
“If you have a gentleman's bet or a small wager on any kind of sports contest, it makes you that much more engaged in it,” Silver said. “That's where we're going to see it pay dividends. If people are watching a game and clicking to bet on their smartphones, which is what people are doing in the United Kingdom right now, then it's much more likely you're going to stay tuned for a long time.”Silver saying he has no moral issue with it is a pretty large departure from how his predecessor, David Stern, handled the issue. From ESPN:
It's a change in tune for the NBA, which in 2012 joined the NCAA, NFL, MLB and NHL in suing New Jersey over its efforts to bring legalized sports betting to its casinos and race tracks. During deposition testimony in the New Jersey case, former NBA Commissioner David Stern scolded Gov. Chris Christie for his efforts.
"The one thing I'm certain of is New Jersey has no idea what it's doing and doesn't care because all it's interested in is making a buck or two," Stern said in November 2010, according to court documents. "They don't care that it's at our potential loss."
The sports leagues, who were joined by the Dept. of Justice, ultimately prevailed over New Jersey with a majority decision by Third Circuit Court of Appeals. New Jersey, however, is continuing its pursuit of sports betting.People called Silver "forward-thinking" before he took over for Stern, but we really didn't know how that quality would manifest itself. This is one huge example of it. Being open to sports betting is a change, but it's practical. In most of Europe, the idea that it would be illegal is laughable, and there's no debate about whether or not Americans like to do it. Sports betting is already a big business, and the NBA might as well try to benefit from it.
More than $3.6 billion was wagered on sports at Nevada sports books in 2013. The American Gaming Association, citing the National Gambling Impact Study, estimates that as much as $380 billion is wagered illegally in the U.S. annually.
White Sox, Cubs help fund youth sports programs.
Clubs contribute $250,000 apiece to support baseball, softball efforts in city.
Chicago's inner-city youth baseball and softball programs received another significant boost on Thursday, this time with support from the city and its Major League teams.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel, along with city officials, announced $6.5 million in new investments for Chicago parks aided by the White Sox and Cubs, who joined forces with the Park District capital investment to each contribute $250,000 to keep expanding baseball and softball programming.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel, along with city officials, announced $6.5 million in new investments for Chicago parks aided by the White Sox and Cubs, who joined forces with the Park District capital investment to each contribute $250,000 to keep expanding baseball and softball programming.
As part of the financial investment, Palmer Park, Tuley Park and Jackie Robinson Park Southwest Elementary will all receive new turf fields, concessions, restrooms and other renovations. Youth programming will also expand citywide to allow children more opportunities to participate in organized baseball and softball.
"Though professional baseball fan allegiances may at times split the city in half, I commend the White Sox and the Cubs for coming together with the city to support all of Chicago's children, no matter the neighborhood," Emanuel said.
"Though professional baseball fan allegiances may at times split the city in half, I commend the White Sox and the Cubs for coming together with the city to support all of Chicago's children, no matter the neighborhood," Emanuel said.
Golf: I got a club for that… Ryder Cup Picks: What they were saying on social media.
PGA.com
The immediacy of social media, particularly when it comes to some of golf's biggest stars, was never more evident than on Tuesday, when both Ryder Cup squads put the finishing touches on the teams that will face off at Gleneagles later this month.
While U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson was announcing his three captain's picks, Keegan Bradley was busy getting himself, Hunter Mahan and Webb Simpson together for a quick selfie:
--- Keegan Bradley (@Keegan_Bradley) September 2, 2014
It didn't take long for many of their teammates -- and some of the players who missed making the team -- to chime in on Twitter:
--- Hunter Mahan (@HunterMahan) September 2, 2014
--- Rickie Fowler (@RickieFowlerPGA) September 2, 2014
--- J.B. Holmes (@JBHolmesgolf) September 3, 2014
--- Brandt Snedeker (@BrandtSnedeker) September 3, 2014
--- bubba watson (@bubbawatson) September 3, 2014
--- Chris Kirk (@Chris_Kirk_) September 3, 2014
A similar situation was unfolding earlier in the day after Team Europe's 12-player squad was finalized, from both those who made the team and those who didn't:
--- Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) September 2, 2014
--- Mikko Ilonen (@MikkoIlonen) September 2, 2014
--- Jesper Parnevik (@JesperParnevik) September 2, 2014
--- Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) September 2, 2014
--- Francesco Molinari (@F_Molinari) September 3, 2014
Imagine 80 years ago, when the British Ryder Cup team arrived for the first match by steamship! Technology has certainly changed the way we travel and communicate.
NASCAR tweaks Talladega qualifying rules.
By Nick Bromberg
There will be a different qualifying setup for the final restrictor plate races of the season.
By Nick Bromberg
There will be a different qualifying setup for the final restrictor plate races of the season.
NASCAR announced tweaks to the group qualifying format for the Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Talladega in October.
At Talladega in the spring and Daytona in July, qualifying was a game of wait and draft. Teams were trying to time runs so that they were all on the track at the same time and were catching up to a group of cars. With the draft, a group of cars is faster than a single car. The waiting to draft game meant that there were long stretches, especially in the first round of qualifying, where there wasn't much action.
There will still be three qualifying rounds where the field is whittled to 24 drivers and then to 12. However, the first round will involve two groups. Each group, which will be selected by a random draw, will qualify for five minutes. The top 24 speeds overall will advance to the second round. (The first round was previously 25 minutes long.
The second round will be five minutes instead of 10 and the fastest 12 drivers will advance to the final round. The final round will then be five more minutes, where the top 12 qualifiers will be decided.
It's a good move. The group qualifying format has had a tendency to drag on, especially in the first rounds at times. There's no problem with speeding up the pace of it, especially at a track where qualifying position is the least important.
It's official: Xfinity Series to replace Nationwide Series in 2015.
By Nick Bromberg
Wednesday, NASCAR announced that Comcast's Xfinity would replace Nationwide as the title sponsor of its No. 2 series in 2015.
As was reported earlier by Sports Business Daily, it's a 10-year agreement, which NASCAR says matches the longest title sponsorship contract in the sanctioning body's history.
“We’re proud to welcome XFINITY to the NASCAR community as title sponsor of the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the next decade,” NASCAR CEO Brian France said in a statement. “NASCAR and XFINITY are each leader brands with much in common. Both are focused on innovation and have products built for speed. Together, we will work to take this series to new heights and elevate one of the most unique and powerful partnerships in all of sports.”
Comcast owns NBC Sports, which will start broadcasting NASCAR races as part of its new TV contract in 2015. The Xfinity contract, reported to be at approximately $10 million a season, matches the length of the contract signed by NBC Sports.
Currently, Comcast is not available in states like Texas and Florida. The company is seeking regulatory approval to merge with Time Warner, which would give Comcast an entry into states that Time Warner provides service in without competition from Comcast.
Xfinity will be the third sponsor in what's now the Nationwide Series. It was the Busch Grand National Series before Nationwide. The insurance company is moving to be the primary sponsor for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 12 races in 2015 and in 13 races each of the following two seasons.
Joe Prince-Wright
Tottenham Hotspur fans, avert your eyes if you don’t like seeing your club being belittled.
New Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has been talking trash on your squad.
On Monday, Van Gaal received a lifetime achievement award at the Netherlands Footballer of the Year gala and in a speech, the Dutchman opened up about plenty of things.
The main piece of news to come from that was van Gaal talking smack on Spurs. Read his comments below in full, as the fiery 63-year-old boss revealed that Spurs offered almost as much money as United to be their new boss.
However, it seems as though LVG didn’t want the ‘easy’ life Spurs would have given him. Ouch.
“No, I don’t regret taking this job. Yes, it is a massive job I have taken on at Manchester United. I realize that. And the situation is not worse than I thought – I knew what I would find on my plate,” van Gaal said. “I could have opted for an easier job. If I had gone to Tottenham, the job would not have been as enormous as here at United. I could have easily gone to Spurs. But I chose the biggest challenge of all the jobs in football. And I really wanted to join the number one club in the country, not Tottenham. Financially, Tottenham was kind of as attractive as Man United. But, in my eyes, Man United is still the number one club in England, Tottenham really is not.”
Below are a few more snippets from LVG, who gave plenty of interesting insight while speaking in his homeland.
Van Gaal also spoke about how he needs a little bit of luck:
On finishing his coaching career at United:
On not having a break between coaching Holland this summer, then United:
“I don’t regret, either, the fact that I rushed straight from the World Cup to my new job in Manchester. I can handle all that. I have the energy. And the players and the club give me energy. I think it is fantastic that I have so much work on my plate. It means I have a lot to do and I am capable of doing it.”
PST's Major League Soccer Power Rankings-Mid week adjustment.
By Richard Farley
Three mid-week games in Major League Soccer have made our Tuesday Power Rankings obsolete, but one day before Los Angeles kicks off the weekend’s slate against Colorado, we have a chance to make some adjustment before the league returns to the field. Here are our PR adjustments, with teams listed in alphabetical:
Chivas USA
Tuesday ranking: 19
Wednesday result: 4-2 loss to visiting Seattle
If we were doing North American Power Rankings, Chivas USA would be below Minnesota United and the San Antonio Scorpions, at least. There are at least two NASL teams capable of beating the Goats right now. USL Pro’s Orlando City would merit some consideration, too.
Alas, these are MLS Power Rankings, which makes 19 our boring, lenient floor. Though giving up four goals in Wednesday’s first half to Seattle felt like a new low, there’s nowhere else for this Chivas team to go.
New ranking: 19
New England Revolution
Tuesday ranking: 11
Wednesday result: 3-1 win over visiting Sporting Kansas City
Turn your back for a couple of weeks, and New England’s suddenly good again. The Revs are now four games unbeaten, with their last two results one-sided affairs against playoff clubs.
Unfortunately, “playoff clubs” is the rosiest description you can afford Toronto and Kansas City right now. For different reasons, both teams have fallen apart, and while it’s encouraging to see the Revs back in the win column, flat-pinging opponents can’t be ignored.
New England deserves credit for taking care of business. After all, it’s not like they’re squeaking out wins against these wounded foes. Still, the greater context around these games recommends caution. While the Revolution deserves a bump up the chart, a big move should wait until they catch a team in form.
New ranking: 9
Philadelphia Union
Tuesday ranking: 7
Wednesday result: 1-0 win over visiting Toronto
Toronto’s form mad a home win obligatory result. That Philadelphia met that obligation wouldn’t normally recommend them for a rise, particularly given the 1-0 final. When you’re near the top third of the rankings, it takes more than holding serve to make up ground.
Philadelphia was coming off a bye week, though, with Tuesday’s ranking reflecting a bit of wait-and-see uncertainty. Now, uncertainty has given way to reference, making it easier to justify a bigger rise.
Thanks in part to Columbus’s loss at Montréal, Philadelphia’s in our top six.
New Ranking: 6
Seattle Sounders
Tuesday ranking: 5
Wednesday result: 4-2 win at Chivas USA
As impressive as Wednesday’s first half was, it told us little about Seattle’s prospects vis-à-vis teams above them in the rankings: Real Salt Lake, D.C. United, FC Dallas, LA Galaxy. As obligatory as Philadelphia’s 1-0 over Toronto may have been, a two-goal victory over Chivas USA may be more so. Chivas just aren’t played at an MLS level, right now.
The result does put Seattle in position to gain ground this weekend. RSL hosting Dallas will make it difficult for the Sounders to pass either, but if DC slips at Vancouver, there may be a chance to move up. Granted, we’ll likely lean on the “Eastern Conference teams on BC Place’s rug” trope, but if United performs worse than the usual fish out of water, Seattle could end the weekend in the top four.
New ranking: 5
Sporting Kansas City
Tuesday ranking: 9
Wednesday result: 3-1 loss at New England
Unfortunately, yesterday’s disappointment was nothing new. We’d seen the problems Sporting was having at the back. We suspected New England, energized by the insertions of Charlie Davies and Kelyn Rowe, would take advantage. Though Sporting has now given up nine goals in their last three games, that form was already cooked into their ninth place ranking. A loss at New England doesn’t change that much.
The new information Wednesday gave us: a measure relative to New England, who Sporting can’t be ranked above, right now. We also saw the champions may be farther from a recovery than previously thought, the hole they’re digging requiring a bigger adjustment. Maybe D.C. United really did “find them out 10 days ago?
If that bears out, even this new, season-low ranking will be too high. After this weekend, Sporting may drop below our mid-table mark.
New ranking: 10
Toronto FC
Tuesday ranking: 17
Wednesday result: 1-0 loss at Philadelphia
One point in four games leave Toronto on the verge of becoming the East’s Colorado – a former Western Conference playoff hopeful who’ve now lost six in a row. Like the Reds, Colorado’s most recent result is a 1-0 loss on the road, but whereas TFC’s defeat came at playoff-contending Philadelphia, the Rapids were playing the Shield-leading Sounders.
That seems to recommend TFC for a place above the Rapids, but too often a pair of games proves inadequate when trying to answer our question: Which team would win in a neutral site game, tomorrow? Between two slumping teams, it may be impossible to tell, but I keep going back to one, fabricated test.
Looking back at Toronto’s four-game slide, I see two games where the team could have prevented its slump (vs. Chicago, vs. New England), while Colorado was an underdog in each of its six losses. While that might tell us much, it does present a possibility: that the Rapids’ slide is about schedule in addition to quality.
New ranking: 18
PST’s Major League Soccer Power Rankings (post-mid-week results):
1. LA Galaxy
2. FC Dallas
3. D.C. United
4. Real Salt Lake
5. Seattle Sounders
6. Philadelphia Union (+1)
7. Columbus Crew (-1)
8. Portland Timbers
9. New England Revolution (+2)
10. Sporting Kansas City (-1)
11. New York Red Bulls (-1)
12. Houston Dynamo
13. San Jose Earthquakes
14. Vancouver Whitecaps
15. Chicago Fire
16. Montréal Impact
17. Colorado Rapids (+1)
18. Toronto FC (-1)
19. Chivas USA
Big week for the Big Ten.
The member teams of the "Big 10 Athletic Conference": Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Illinois, Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, Indiana University, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers and Maryland.
The Big Ten has been fighting a perception for the last few years that it has fallen a step behind the rest of the major college football world, and Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio was armed with a quick rebuttal when the question came up again Tuesday.
As Dantonio's seventh-ranked Spartans prepare for a showdown with No. 3 Oregon on Saturday in a week that also includes Michigan visiting No. 16 Notre Dame and eighth-ranked Ohio State hosting Virginia Tech, the coach was asked if the Big Ten needs marquee wins to fight that perception.
"We won the Rose Bowl last year," Dantonio said, "so what are you talking about?
"It's one game that we can control and we won the Rose Bowl. That's the best we can do. Everybody has to play the games and that's why they play them. We beat Georgia a couple years ago, but the perception still exists. You just line up and play games. I think that people get caught up in looking at a whole group of people and casting them into one group."
In the first year of the new playoff format, it could be argued that perception has never been more important.
This year, a 13-person committee is responsible for choosing four teams that will compete for the national championship. No computers. No polls. And that relatively small group of people has been instructed to place an emphasis on strength of schedule in its evaluation process.
"I'm sure there are people that want to say if we win the game the Big Ten is strong and the Pac-12 is weak or vice versa," Dantonio said. "But I don't really buy into that philosophy."
In a conference like the Big Ten that is considered softer than, say, the mighty SEC, the opportunities to pile up wins that would impress the committee during the conference season aren't quite as bountiful. That's why Wisconsin's loss to LSU last weekend was particularly stinging for the Badgers, who do not play Michigan, Michigan State or Ohio State this season.
"Quality wins, big wins, all those things are always important," Michigan coach Brady Hoke said. "This is such a mental game played from the neck up in your everyday approach and your preparation. The enthusiasm that comes by that is always good for anybody's program."
The Big Ten had an impressive opening weekend, going 12-2. But many of those games were played against lightweights while the conference lost two of the games that featured reputable programs from the power conferences — Wisconsin to LSU and Northwestern against Cal.
Ohio State had to slug it out with Navy to outlast its unconventional triple-option offense and now has to shift gears to play the Hokies, and Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer wasn't ready to say how his players will respond this weekend.
"We're not ready yet," Meyer said. "We've got Tuesday and Wednesday practice. I'll know more by Thursday. ... This is a much different opponent than we had last week."
As of right now, the only team on the Buckeyes' remaining schedule that is currently ranked in the Top 25 is Michigan State on Nov. 8.
Hoke recalled how legendary Wolverines coach Bo Schembechler always referred to the game against the Irish as "a measuring point" for the rest of the season.
"We can't worry about anybody else," Hoke said. "We've got to worry about what we're doing and people are going to write what they think period about the Big Ten. From that standpoint we hope the conference does well, but we've got a lot on our plate going into South Bend."
But the biggest game this weekend, no doubt, will be in Oregon. The Ducks' high-flying offense against the Spartans' physical defense. And no matter how much Dantonio wants to downplay it, a win for Michigan State would be a win for the Big Ten.
"We're in a great conference," Dantonio said. "This is about Michigan State and Oregon and how we match up. But there's no question we go there representing the Big Ten just like we do in every game and everything we do. I'm comfortable with that, but I think it's more about how we play, how our players play against their players and how we match up individually in our little battles."
Notre Dame and Michigan prepare to say goodbye, at least for now.
By Jon Solomon, National College Football Writer
Notre Dame and Michigan are separated by six ten-thousandths of a point as college football’s all-time winning percentage leaders. They are so bunched together -- by geography, by recruiting battles, by success -- that Saturday’s winner will be the NCAA leader in winning percentage.
Then these two popular college football brands will split apart, ending their series as Notre Dame adjusts for playing ACC opponents and keeping other games. How long Notre Dame and Michigan will go on hiatus? No one knows.
| All-Time Winning Percentage | ||
| School | W-L-T | Pct. |
| 1. Notre Dame | 875-305-42 | .7332 |
| 2. Michigan | 911-321-36 | .7326 |
| 3. Oklahoma | 843-312-53 | .7198 |
| 4. Boise State | 396-154-2 | .7192 |
| 5. Ohio State | 850-318-53 | .7179 |
| 6. Texas | 876-339-33 | .7151 |
| 7. Alabama | 839-323-43 | .7141 |
| 8. USC | 797-323-54 | .7019 |
| 9. Nebraska | 866-357-40 | .7015 |
| 10. Tennessee | 805-361-53 | .6821 |
“It’s really disappointing it’s going away,” former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. “It speaks to the fact that longtime great traditions -- the greatness of college football -- are in many respects losing out. Now, we have to hope some of the new traditions will take effect. But for the old-timers like me, I’m just disappointed to see those great rivalries end.”
Michigan leads Notre Dame 24-16-1 all-time in the series since it started in 1887. After 1909, the teams did not meet for another 33 years. The series took a 35-year break after 1943.
Since renewing the rivalry in 1978, Notre Dame and Michigan have played every season except 1983, 1984, 1996, 2000 and 2001. Michigan holds a 15-14-1 edge since the series resumed in 1978.
“As a former player, and I’m sure some of the fans feel this way too, I care it’s going away,” former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn said. “It’s been a great rivalry for quite some time and there’s a lot of similar recruiting between these teams. You knew you were in a dog fight in this game. Times have changed. There’s a College Football Playoff system now and in order to have an opportunity to get into it, Notre Dame had to quasi-align themselves with a conference.”
It was only seven years ago that Notre Dame and Michigan announced they would play annually through 2031. But in 2012, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick informed Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon that Notre Dame would be ending the series.
Notre Dame senior associate athletic director John Heisler said the Irish’s decision was based in part on the Big Ten soon going to nine conference games and what that might mean for the series.
“From our standpoint, part of the notion of being independent is you ought to be able to play a lot of different people,” Heisler said. “When Dick Rosenthal was our AD (from 1987 to 1995), at one point he made a conscious effort to do more of that because he just thought there was too much of a sameness to our schedule and we ought to have the flexibility to play a lot of different people. With us being one of the very few independents, we have that flexibility.”
Notre Dame won’t give up strong historical games with USC and Navy and is keeping its series with Stanford to maintain a presence in California every year. New series will emerge. Notre Dame plays Texas in 2015 and ’16, Georgia in '17 and ’19, and Ohio State in '22 and '23.
“I’m not going to go so far as to categorize not playing (Michigan) anymore is a good idea, because that’s going to come back to me,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said at his news conference this week. “So I’m going to stay away from that. I will say this: Given the complexities of our schedule, in not being able to play Michigan, it opens up so many more exciting opportunities for us.”
What can’t be precisely measured is what gets lost when hated rivals stop playing. As Michigan defensive end Frank Clark put it this week to The Chicago Tribune about visiting Notre Dame, “I didn’t know there were so many people who would flick me off in front of Mary.”
Yes, Notre Dame and Michigan have largely been off the radar for national title contention in recent years. Still, four of the past five games have been decided by a touchdown or less, including Michigan’s wild 35-31 victory in 2011 before an NCAA-record crowd of 114,804.
“Even though this rivalry in terms of the number of games is not as long as some of the others, it was a great rivalry for the sport and for the fans,” Carr said. “I don’t know any football fan who doesn’t want to know what happened in that game when Michigan is playing Notre Dame. These games have given us some great moments.”
- Bob Crable’s blocked field goal in the waning seconds when he leaped off a player’s back to preserve Notre Dame’s win in 1979.
- Harry Oliver’s last-second, 51-yard goal field goal for Notre Dame to win in 1980.
- Reggie Ho’s field goal with 1:13 left for Notre Dame and then Michigan’s missed kick, jumpstarting the Irish’s 1988 national championship season.
- Rocket Ismail’s two kickoff returns for touchdowns for Notre Dame in 1989.
- Desmond Howard’s diving touchdown catch for Michigan in 1991 that helped propel him to the Heisman Trophy.
- Denard Robinson’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Roy Roundtree with two seconds left for a Michigan win in 2011.
"I had a 2-1 record vs. Michigan, but you better believe I remember my senior season losing to Michigan,” Quinn said. “I would have rather lost the one earlier than my senior year. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. You know there’s going to be extra bragging rights after this one.”
Michigan vs. Notre Dame. One last time … for now.
NCAA: Geno Auriemma broke the rules by calling Mo'Ne Davis. What's Your Take?
By Jeff Eisenberg
Having heard that 13-year-old Little League World Series sensation Mo'Ne Davis is a big UConn women's basketball fan, coach Geno Auriemma took the time to call the star pitcher to congratulate her on leading her team to the U.S. semifinals.
What a thoughtful gesture by Auriemma, right? Well, apparently not everybody thinks so.
The NCAA ruled Thursday that Auriemma had committed a secondary recruiting violation by calling Davis because coaches are not permitted to call a prospect until late in their junior year of high school. Secondary violations carry little if any punishment because they are typically inadvertent in nature and represent no significant competitive advantage.
Auriemma told the Hartford Courant on Wednesday that the potential violation came to light when a rival school filed a complaint with the American Athletic Conference. UConn athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement that, while the school accepts the NCAA's decision, it vehemently disagrees with it.
"Prior to attempting to reach Davis, Coach Auriemma checked with the UConn compliance department and was advised such a call would be permissible since Davis is not considered a prospective student-athlete by the NCAA and the call was to be congratulatory rather than recruiting in nature," Manuel said.
"While UConn will continue to adhere to the NCAA and conference rules, I believe that upon request from a friend to Geno, a proud Philadelphian, to call a young lady representing the City of Brotherly Love who had accomplished historic feats in the Little League World Series, should not constitute a violation especially due to the fact that NCAA rules do not classify Mo'ne as a prospective student-athlete.
"The nature of Coach Auriemma's two-minute conversation with Mo'ne had nothing to do with recruiting and instead had everything to do with congratulating and encouraging Mo'ne to continued success."
Manuel's anger is understandable because, while UConn's punishment is negligible, there should be no penalty at all. This is merely a rival school taking advantage of a poorly worded NCAA rule to twist an innocent good deed into something nefarious.
If Auriemma broke the letter of the law, he certainly didn't violate its spirit. Though Davis plays basketball and dreams of starring for UConn someday, Auriemma told the Courant neither he nor anyone he knows has seen the eighth grader play before.
Ultimately, a petty complaint like this corroborates a few widely believed theories: Coaches are paranoid about every conceivable edge in recruiting, Auriemma is not well-liked among some of his coaching peers and his rivals will go to extreme lengths to try to knock him off his pedestal.
Hopefully the accusing coach gets revealed before this story fades away. It's always helpful to be able to separate the crazy from the competitive, and whoever brought this to the American Athletic Conference's attention is probably more the former than the latter.
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: This is a minor issue but one that should be clarified for all coaches in any college level sport. Everyone that knows me understands that I'm a stickler for policies and procedures, rules and laws.
Technically, in this matter, the letter of the law was broken but not the spirit of the law.
Should Coach Auriemma be penalized for this infraction? No he shouldn't and he won't because it's considered a secondary violation. His call had nothing to do with recruiting, it was strictly of a congratulatory nature for a fine Little League World Series performance. The NCAA rules do not classify her as a prospective student athlete and he did check with the UCONN compliance department to be sure he was not in violation.
He has not seen her play nor has anyone that he knows. She has four to five years before she seriously considers college and anything can happen in that span of time.
It reminds me of the saying, "No good deed goes unpunished." The next time the coach would like to make a goodwill gesture, I would recommend that he has his university's compliance department call the NCAA compliance department to be sure it was okay. These are the type of little issues that can get blown out of proportion and derail a terrific career.
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: This is a minor issue but one that should be clarified for all coaches in any college level sport. Everyone that knows me understands that I'm a stickler for policies and procedures, rules and laws.
Technically, in this matter, the letter of the law was broken but not the spirit of the law.
Should Coach Auriemma be penalized for this infraction? No he shouldn't and he won't because it's considered a secondary violation. His call had nothing to do with recruiting, it was strictly of a congratulatory nature for a fine Little League World Series performance. The NCAA rules do not classify her as a prospective student athlete and he did check with the UCONN compliance department to be sure he was not in violation.
He has not seen her play nor has anyone that he knows. She has four to five years before she seriously considers college and anything can happen in that span of time.
It reminds me of the saying, "No good deed goes unpunished." The next time the coach would like to make a goodwill gesture, I would recommend that he has his university's compliance department call the NCAA compliance department to be sure it was okay. These are the type of little issues that can get blown out of proportion and derail a terrific career.
Now that you know what we think and how we feel, we'd love to know, what’s your take? Marion P. Jelks, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Blog Editor. Please use the comment section below and have at it. Let us know your thoughts.
Down two sets, facing match point, Roger Federer rallies to win U.S. Open quarterfinal.
By Danielle Elliott
Roger Federer needed exactly one minute to win the first point. It seemed an indication of how the night would go: Surely, he'd march through this quarterfinal meeting with the ever-athletic but mentally-spacey Gael Monfils.
The crowd expected this narrative. Many journalsits had been predicting it all day. With a 7-2 advantage in previous meetings, Federer seemed confident. But if that was how it was supposed to go, no one told Monfils.
Monfils brought everything he could muster. He won five points on five chances at the net in the first set and his serve hit 132mph en route to taking the set 6-4. In the second, he only improved.
But then, on the brink of holding serve to go up 2-0, as he balanced his weight after a backhand return, the lanky Frenchman came down funny on his right ankle. It twisted at an angle uncomfortable even to watch, and pain spread across his face as fell to the ground. Sitting along the baseline, he massaged his ankle and flexed his foot.
Was this the end of his phenomenal start? No, not this guy. Not as he was knocking on the door of Super Saturday, No way. Before a trainer could approach, he bounced back to his feet. He stood facing the wall, willing himself to play through the pain.
One serve later, he'd succeeded, holding serve to lead 2-0. Federer followed suit. At the 2-1 changeover, Monfils removed his flourescent green and black shoe and again massaged his foot. A trainer came out to help him stretch, to assess the damage. If the pain continued to bother him, it didn't show. He went on to win the set 6-3, committing only four unforced errors to Federer's 13 and converting the break for set point. Federer looked flat; Monfils looked solid. On to the third set.
Federer started the set with a break, but Monfils fought on. With Federer serving at 4-5, Monfils forced double match point, 15-40. In the first attempt, Federer's tournament came within inches of ending. The shot floated past him, hanging in the air for what felt like ages, and all he could do was hope that it landed out.
It did, and from there, Monfils never recovered. On the second match point, he kept holding up his hand, holding off Federer's serve, delaying. He seemed to be more nervous than Federer. He was one point away from his second Grand Slam semi-final, but as he so often does, Monfils psyched himself out. From there, his night was one of double faults and missed shots at the net.
The crowd roared with every Federer point. With every game won, he earned a standing ovation. The fan favorite had battled back from a situation he rarely faces. Tonight, though, it was more a case of Monfils falling apart than Federer taking over. He served the final point with the crowd still cheering, ready to put this match behind him and move on to his ninth U.S. Open semifinal. As he sealed the 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 victory, the applause seemed weighted with a sense of relief.
"I believed I could turn it around from the get-go when the third set started, and I'm so happy the crowd got into it," Federer said later. "It would have been an unbelievable letdown for me to get broken at 5-4 and lose a match like that. It would have been not very cool, I must say."
Recalling the first match point, he added, "It was one of those moments where you got the back against the wall and hope to get a bit lucky and you hope to play exactly the right shots that you need or that he completely just messes it up. Either way works as long as you get out of it. But clearly it's not a great feeling, because you feel it's not in your control anymore really. So I'm very, very happy to have found a way tonight."
Up next, he'll face 14th-seed Marin Cilic, who advanced in straight sets earlier on Thursday by defeating 6th-seed Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-4, 7-6. This will be the 25-year-old Croat's first U.S. Open semifinal appearence, and first Grand Slam semifinal since making it that far in the 2010 Australian Open.
"It feels great to be in the semis [for the] first time after three tries in [the] quarterfinals. [I] lost both times to eventual winners," Cilic said after his match. "[It] just feels great to be here."
Federer has defeated Cilic in their five previous meetings, including a four-set win here in 2011. In his press conference, he noted that tonight's match was a good way to prepare for Super Saturday.
"I know that Cilic is going to stay on the baseline and dictate play as much as he can," said Federer. "Otherwise he's actually quite similar to Gaël: he's tall, [has] a big serve, can return well, [has] a big reach. From that standpoint, I guess it was actually good playing Gaël tonight ahead of the match against Cilic."
The biggest difference will be the time of day: For the first time in this fortnight, Federer will be playing a day match on Saturday. But regardless of what time the 17-time Grand Slam champion takes the court, New York loves Federer. And Federer loves New York.
"New Yorkers, there is nobody like New Yorkers, and this stadium here is phenomenal. I think once they clamp down and get into it it really is truly special," he said.
On the court, he thanked the crowd for its "unbelievable" support tonight.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, September 5, 2014.
MemoriesofHistory.com
1901 - The National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues was formed in Chicago, IL. It was the first organized baseball league.
1906 - Brandbury Robinson of St. Louis University was recognized as throwing the first forward pass in football history.
1914 - Babe Ruth hit his first home run as a professional player in the International League.
1918 - Babe Ruth (Boston Red Sox) threw a six-hitter in the opening game of the World Series.
1920 - Bill Tilden won the first of seven U.S. Open men's singles crowns.
1955 - Don Newcombe (Brooklyn Dodgers) hit his seventh home run of the season. The feat set a National League record for home runs by a pitcher.
1960 - Cassius Clay won the gold medal in light heavyweight boxing at the Olympic Games in Rome, Italy. Clay later changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
1971 - J.R. Richard, of the Houston Astros, tied Karl Spooner’s record when he struck out 15 batters in his major-league baseball debut.
1972 - Arab guerrillas, the Black September movement, attacked the Israeli delegation at the Munich Olympic games. 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team, five guerrillas and a police officer were killed in the siege.
1975 - In New York, Martina Navratilova appeared at the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service office and asked for political asylum.
1983 - "Sports Illustrated" became the first national weekly magazine to use four-color process illustrations on every page.
1987 - John McEnroe was fined $17,500 and suspended for two months for his behavior during a match with Slobodan Zivojinovic.
1989 - Chris Evert retired from professional tennis after a 19 year career.
1997 - The FOX group announced a deal to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers.
1998 - Mark McGwire (St. Louis) hit his 60th home run of the season. The home run tied McGwire with Babe Ruth.
1998 - Sammy Sosa (Chicago Cubs) hit his 58th home run of the season.
1999 - The Cincinnati Reds set a major league team record for home runs in two consecutive games. The team hit 14 home runs over the two games at Veterans Stadium.
2001 - The New York Islanders signed Alexi Yashin to a 10-year $90 million contract. It was the biggest deal in NHL history.
2002 - In New York, the NFL held a concert to celebrate its season opener. Eve, Alicia Keys, Bon Jovi, Enrique Iglesias and 'N Sync's Joey Fatone performed. The event preceded the rare Thursday-night opener between the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers.
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