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"Some people want it to happen, some people wish it would happen, others make it happen." ~ Michael Jordan, Arguably the best professional basketball player ever
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Bears-49ers Preview.
By NOEY KUPCHAN (STATS Writer)
VS.
After a tumultuous offseason, the San Francisco 49ers quieted their critics with a statement win in Week 1.
Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears, on the other hand, still have plenty of questions to answer after a stunning opening defeat.
The 49ers make their regular-season debut at the $1.2 billion Levi's Stadium on Sunday night against the Bears, who haven't won in the Bay area in nearly three decades.
While San Francisco (1-0) entered the year with mixed expectations, coach Jim Harbaugh's team looked every bit like a contender in last Sunday's 28-17 win at Dallas. Cornerback Chris Culliver returned a fumble 35 yards for a touchdown in the opening minute and the 49ers never looked back.
"There's been a lot of rhetoric," Harbaugh said. "This game was about steel in the spine. When it comes to 49er players, that's where they excel."
San Francisco at one point intercepted Tony Romo on three consecutive possessions, finishing with four forced turnovers and three sacks. The 49ers' defensive play has to be considered all the more impressive considering the absences of suspended linebacker Aldon Smith and injured All-Pro NaVorro Bowman.
"Everyone that's been talking about our defense, about how we won't be as good and what not, I don't get caught up in all that," seven-time Pro Bowler Patrick Willis said.
"The only thing that matters to me is how we perform on the field on game day with whoever is on the field. Those guys that aren't with us, they are certainly missed and hopefully they'll be back soon, but right now, we just have to focus on those guys that are out there."
Defensive tackle Ray McDonald took the field despite his recent arrest on suspicion of domestic violence. While pressure has been building to keep him out while prosecutors decide whether to charge him, it appears McDonald will play against Chicago.
The Bears are on the verge of opening 0-2 for the first time since 2003 after last Sunday's embarrassing 23-20 overtime loss to Buffalo. Cutler threw for 349 yards and two touchdowns but also had two picks, the second of which was thrown across his body and directly into the hands of a defensive tackle with the game tied in the fourth quarter.
"I've seen Jay in my time here do a lot of the right things with the football," second-year coach Marc Trestman said. "I'm disappointed for the team and I see how hard he works. ... He lost himself for a minute and made a decision that I know we've seen other great quarterbacks make and he certainly made it there."
Robbie Gould's 37-yard field goal tied things up with 30 seconds remaining in regulation, but the Bears' inability to stop the run ultimately did them in.
"It's too early to start blowing your top and losing focus of what's important here," said defensive end Willie Young, whose team was outgained 193-86 on the ground. "What's important is making corrections and moving on to San Fran for the next week."
The Bears will try to slow down Colin Kaepernick, who threw a pair of touchdown strikes to Vernon Davis last weekend. Kaepernick finished 16 of 23 for 201 yards, improving to 18-6 as a starter.
The first of those starts resulted in an easy 32-7 win over Chicago on Nov. 19, 2012. San Francisco has obliterated the Bears during a seven-game home winning streak, outscoring them by an average of 27.6 points.
Chicago, which has scored more than seven points just once over those last seven trips out west, hasn't won in San Francisco since 1985 when it went on to win the Super Bowl.
Another victory could be hard to come by with several key pieces banged up. Center Roberto Garza, left guard Matt Slauson and Pro Bowl receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery all missed practice Wednesday, leaving their status for Sunday unclear.
Marshall and Jeffery combined for 13 catches, 142 yards and a touchdown before Jeffery spent most of the second half on the sideline with a hamstring injury. Marshall, Garza and Slauson are dealing with ankle issues.
Running back Matt Forte figures to again be a big part of the passing game after making eight catches for 87 yards. He finished with 169 yards from scrimmage while averaging 6.8 per touch.
San Francisco's Frank Gore ran for 66 yards against Dallas to become just the 29th NFL player to reach 10,000 for his career. Promising rookie Carlos Hyde carried the ball seven times for 50 yards and a score.
"He looks good, and he looks that way every year," running backs coach Tom Rathman said of the 31-year-old Gore. "It's hard to go through a whole season and take the pounding and not having help. Gosh, if anybody can do it, it would be Frank Gore."
Bears need Cutler to be stabilizing force.
By ANDREW SELIGMAN (AP Sports Writer)
If ever the Chicago Bears needed Jay Cutler to be a stabilizing force, this would seem to be the time.
Cutler put up some big numbers against Buffalo last week but also committed a key mistake at an inopportune time, sparking some unpleasant memories for Bears fans.Bears need Cutler to be stabilizing force.
By ANDREW SELIGMAN (AP Sports Writer)
If ever the Chicago Bears needed Jay Cutler to be a stabilizing force, this would seem to be the time.
Two Pro Bowl receivers and a pair of starting offensive linemen are injured. The Bears are coming off a brutal season-opening loss, and they're staring at a matchup with San Francisco this week that could make even the healthiest teams blink.
No need to remind Cutler. He understands what he has to do.
''With all the changes we're making, it's probably is a little more important this week,'' he said.
The Bears are looking at the possibility of having two spots on the offensive line being manned by reserves with center Roberto Garza and left guard Matt Slauson nursing ankle injuries. They could also be without one or both Pro Bowl receivers, with Brandon Marshall (ankle) and Alshon Jeffery (hamstring) hobbled.
The injuries to Garza and Slauson appear more serious. But having to face the 49ers without Marshall or Jeffery would be huge blows for Chicago.
Both receivers sat out their second straight practice Thursday. While Marshall vowed to be ready, it's not clear if he or Jeffery will get the go-ahead.
''If I can help out the team I'm going to be out there,'' he said. ''That's part of the game - it's volatile, it's risky. Hey, I'm going to go down swinging. I'll be out there Sunday. That's what I'm saying, but of course I'm not the head decision-maker here. But I'm going to be out there in my mind, and I'll be ok.''
That probably hinges on what he shows in practice on Friday, assuming he participates. Marshall was planning to do so, but coach Marc Trestman wasn't sure if Jeffery will.
Either way, with so many starters banged up or missing, the Bears need Cutler to help stabilize the offense.
''Jay has become that guy for us,'' offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer said. ''He's the guy leading the offense. And he's done a good job of communicating and whether it's with the linemen, receivers, running backs, he's done a good job communicating with all of them and becoming that force of whoever's in with him, let's go play. We're 11-on-11 and we've been pleased with the way he's done that.''
The Bears came into the season aiming high with a rebuilt defense and a prolific offense returning intact, but last week's overtime loss to Buffalo was as demoralizing as it was ugly at times.
The schedule doesn't get easier, with six of the next eight games on the road, and they're looking at a tough matchup this week.
San Francisco's defense could pose problems, and on top of that, the 49ers might be amped up a little more than usual because this will be their first regular-season game in their new stadium.
He threw for 349 yards. But one of the plays that stood out was an ill-advised attempt at an across-the-body pass to Martellus Bennett with the Bears threatening in the fourth quarter.
The result was an interception by the defensive tackle and at least a few groans at Soldier Field.
The Bears can't afford decisions like that if they're going to have a chance against the 49ers - particularly if Marshall or Jeffery can't play.
They'll need Cutler to be a stabilizing force.
''The last two days he's done an outstanding job just working through the practices with the guys that we are practicing with,'' Trestman said. ''He's been a coach out there, a mentor out there. He has stayed calm and relaxed throughout. Just working with the guys and practicing.''
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Hawks storykines: Special teams.
The Chicago Blackhawks' special teams have been like a teeter-totter over the past five seasons.
When the power play has been up, the penalty kill has often been down, and the other way around. Rarely have the Blackhawks had sustained success from both units at the same time. It's something they'll strive for this season.
In the 2009-2010 season, the Blackhawks ranked fourth in the NHL with an 85.3 penalty-kill percentage and 16th with a 17.7 power-play percentage. In the 2010-11 season, they were 25th on the penalty kill (79.2 percent) and fourth on the power play (23.1 percent).
In the 2011-12 season, they were 26th on the power play (15.2 percent) and 27th on the penalty kill (78.1 percent). In the 2012-13 season, they were 19th on the power play (16.7 percent) and third on the penalty kill (87.2 percent).
Last season, the power play ranked 10th with a 19.5 percentage and 19th on the penalty kill with a 81.4 percentage.
The Blackhawks' penalty kill improved as last season progressed. The penalty kill was 28th in the league at 76 percent after 41 games and improved over the second half of the season.
The forward pairing of Marcus Kruger and Michal Handzus played a role in the Blackhawks' penalty-kill improvement last season. Kruger will have a new partner for the third consecutive season as Handzus was not re-signed by the Blackhawks. Brandon Saad and Ben Smith could be candidates for that role.
How much goaltending factors into the penalty kill is difficult to evaluate, but it hasn't been an area of strength for Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford throughout his career. He has an .861 save percentage (680 saves on 790 shots) against opponents' power plays during his four seasons as the team's No. 1 goalie. His primary backups had an .891 save percentage (427 saves on 479 shots) during those four seasons.
Crawford's numbers have gotten better in the playoffs. He had a .907 save percentage (337 saves on 365 shots) against power plays during the playoffs the past four seasons.
The Blackhawks' power play cracked the top 10 last season for just the second time in the past five seasons. The Blackhawks' inconsistencies on the power play are surprising considering they have finished in the top-5 in goals-per-game in three of the past five seasons. They do possess the firepower to score.
Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane led the way for the Blackhawks' power play last season. Sharp had 10 goals and 15 assists and his 25 power-play points was only second to his 26 points in the 2010-11 season. Kane also had 10 goals and 15 assists. He had a career-high 35 power-play points in the 2009-10 season.
The Blackhawks should have nearly the same personnel back on the power play, returning Sharp, Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Andrew Shaw from the first unit, and Marian Hossa, Brandon Saad, Nick Leddy and Brent Seabrook from the second unit. Kris Versteeg, Ben Smith and Bryan Bickell also played on the power play last season. Brad Richards led the New York Rangers in power-play ice time and had five goals and 14 assists in that role.
Jamie Kompon, who coached the Blackhawks' power play last season and left the team to take a job in the Western Hockey League this season, said recently the Blackhawks still have room for growth on the power play.
"At the start, it was a work in progress," Kompon said in July. "I didn't know them. Part of it was we never shot the puck enough. We had enough skill out there. We were unselfish. This year the big thing is we had the shot mentality. Everything opened up. Also our puck retrieval was excellent. Overall, it can still get better. I think there's another level there."
Hawks storylines: Backup goalie.
By Scott Powers
The Chicago Blackhawks head into another season with the luxury of not having to worry about their No. 1 goaltender.
Corey Crawford has that spot locked down, especially with his six-year, $36 million deal going into effect this season. Crawford will be the first to admit he needs to be more consistent this season, but the Blackhawks also need the same from their backup goaltenders to have a successful regular season.
Antti Raanta and Nikolai Khabibulin didn't consistently provide the Blackhawks with stability when they stepped into the net for Crawford last season. Raanta and Khabibulin combined for an .887 save percentage (607 saves on 684 shots) in their 26 games last season.
Raanta, who agreed to a two-year contract extension in the offseason, is expected to start this season as the No. 2 goalie again. Some of his struggles weren't a complete surprise last season. He was rushed to the NHL quicker than the Blackhawks had hoped because of an injury suffered by Khabibulin. The original plan was to give Raanta time in the AHL to adjust to the North American game after playing his entire career in Europe.
Raanta, 25, actually held his own when Crawford went down with an injury in December. Raanta was the team's No. 1 goaltender for 10 games and allowed two or less goals in eight of those games and had a save percentage of .917 or higher in six games.
Raanta struggled in the No. 2 role when Crawford returned from his injury. Raanta played in nine games from Jan. 12 to the end of the season and had an .870 save percentage during that span.
"There were good games, a couple not so good games," Raanta said after the season. "It was like steady all the time, lots of good things happen. But the second half of the season there was too much ups and downs in the games and in the practice, so I think that was the main reason why I didn't get so much playing time in the last games. Of course, first year here and first year overseas out of the home country and like that, so there was lots of learning experiment."
The Blackhawks bolstered their goaltending depth by signing Michael Leighton recently. Leighton, 33, has a 35-41-14 record with a 2.97 goals-against average and .901 save percentage in 105 career NHL games. He played last season in the KHL, where he was 20-15 with a 1.74 goals-against average and .934 save percentage. He provides the Blackhawks with another goaltender with NHL experience if Crawford or Raanta are injured.
The Blackhawks also signed Scott Darling in the offseason. Darling, 25, showed potential in the AHL last season. He was 13-6-2 with a 2.00 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage for the Milwaukee Admirals. He ranked second in the league with six shutouts.
Darling and Leighton are expected to share the net for the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL to begin the season. The Blackhawks also have goaltender prospects Mac Carruth and Kent Simpson.
Hawks storylines: Fourth line.
By Scott Powers
The Chicago Blackhawks won games last season partly due to their fourth line during the regular season. And they lost games partly due to their fourth line in the playoffs.
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville discovered early last season he could rely on a fourth line of Brandon Bollig, Marcus Kruger and Ben Smith. The line started predominantly in the defensive zone, often faced opponents' top lines and mostly stood its ground. The three players combined for a plus-8 in the regular season and each had a Corsi greater than 50 percent.
Quenneville tinkered with the line in the playoffs due to an injury to Andrew Shaw, and the coach lost faith in Michal Handzus and Kris Versteeg as the playoffs wore on. Kruger and Smith moved up the ladder, and Bollig was given new line mates.
The newly-formed fourth line wasn't able to duplicate the old line's success. Eventually, Quenneville sliced the line's ice time and the Blackhawks became more of a three-line team. That cut into the Blackhawks' depth.
Quenneville's task this season will be assembling a fourth line he can trust again.
The Blackhawks return two key pieces from last season's fourth line in Kruger and Smith, who signed a two-year extension in the offseason. The third piece will be someone new as the Blackhawks dealt Brandon Bollig to the Calgary Flames in June.
Who fills that left wing spot on the fourth line will be one of the bigger questions during the upcoming training camp.
If Quenneville opts for an enforcer type, which he has often gone with, Brandon Mashinter could be his choice. Mashinter, who is 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, was acquired from the New York Rangers last season and had 14 goals, 14 assists and was a minus-8 in 47 games for the AHL's Rockford IceHogs.
Jeremy Morin is another possibility, but Quenneville said during the offseason he expected Morin, one of the Blackhawks'' most gifted offensive prospects, to have a larger role this season.
Kris Versteeg saw time on the fourth line in the playoffs last season, but he played mostly on the top three lines throughout the regular season. How he is used could depend on whether he can return to form after a summer rehabbing his knee.
Peter Regin, who re-signed in the offseason, also played on the fourth line last season and proved to be reliable defensively when given ice time. Joakim Nordstrom also played on the fourth line when he was recalled last season, playing in 16 games.
Hawks storylines: Numbers game.
By Scott Powers
Here are some numbers to keep in mind as the season unfolds for the Blackhawks (all statistics were found on stats.hockeyanalysis.com or behindthenet.ca):
Kane's production with teammates
Nearly every center who found his way onto the Blackhawks roster last season got a chance to skate with Patrick Kane. Some had more success than others. Andrew Shaw clicked with Kane, and Kane had seven goals, seven assists and a 59.7 Corsi percentage during 197:05 of 5-on-5 ice time with Shaw. On the other hand, Kane struggled with Michal Handzus with one goal, seven assists and a 50.9 Corsi percentage while on the ice 310:16 with the veteran center. Kane's line to start this season is expected to include Brandon Saad and Brad Richards. Kane had seven goals, nine assists and a 56.3 Corsi percentage with Saad.
Puck possession
The Blackhawks have been a dominant puck-possession team over the past five seasons. They have ranked in the league's top-6 in Corsi percentage in 5-on-5 situations throughout that span. They were second with a 55.5 percentage last season, their highest percentage since being at 56.5 percent during the 2009-10 season.
Morin's potential
Jeremy Morin played in just 24 games last season, so his sample size isn't that large. But in that short span, he was statistically impressive. Morin led the Blackhawks with an average of 12.22 shots per 60 minutes, 1.421 goals per 60 minutes and 3.13 points per 60 minutes. If Morin gets some consistent ice time and a larger role this season, which is something Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and coach Joel Quenneville have mentioned, he may just be headed toward a breakout offensive season.
Defensive responsibility
One of the main reasons defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are often able to utilize their offensive abilities is because defensemen Johnny Oduya and Niklas Hjalmarsson are given more of the defensive load. Oduya and Hjalmarsson started less in the offensive zone than any of the Blackhawks' defensemen last year. Oduya started 48.6 percent in the offensive zone and Hjalmarsson was at 48.3 percent. To compare, Keith started 56.4 percent in the offensive zone and Seabrook was at 56.3, and defensemen Nick Leddy, Michal Rozsival and Sheldon Brookbank all started more than 60 percent of the time in the offensive zone.
Goals against
The Blackhawks held opponents to just 1.77 goals per 60 minutes in 5-on-5 situations during the 2013 season, best in the league. But aside from that season the Blackhawks have been an average defense team in recent years. They ranked 26th in the NHL with a 2.52 goals-against average in 2010-11 season, 26th with a 2.49 goals-against average in the 2011-12 season and were 15th with a 2.23 goals-against average last season.
Toews & Sharp
Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp made each other better players last season. They had a 59.7 Corsi percentage in their 777.32 of ice time together. When apart, Toews dropped to a 57.5 Corsi percentage and Sharp dropped to 52.9. There's a good chance Sharp, Toews and Marian Hossa could be together on the top line again this season.
Fourth-line usage
Brandon Bollig, Marcus Kruger and Ben Smith, the trio which was often the Blackhawks' fourth line last season, all ranked among the bottom seven players in the league in offensive zone start percentage. Bollig started in the offensive zone 11.4 percent, Kruger 13.4 percent and Smith 16.9. It will be interesting to see whether Quenneville uses his fourth line in such a defensive manner again. Kruger was on the fourth line the season before and saw more offensive zone starts. He was at 30.4 percent during the 2013 season.
Hawks storylines: Prospect watch.
By Scott Powers
The Chicago Blackhawks will turn to some more prospects this season. Here's a look at some of those players who could be factors:
Jeremy Morin, forward
Morin, 23, doesn't exactly feel like a prospect any longer, but the reality is he's only played in 39 career NHL regular season games over the past three seasons. He's expected to finally get a full-time look this season. Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and coach Joel Quenneville has said Morin will be given a larger role this season. Where Morin fits in with the Blackhawks' lineup may be more apparent after Bowman makes a trade or two to get under the salary cap. Morin has a high offensive upside and showed some of that last season with five goals and six assists in 24 games with the Blackhawks.
Teuvo Teravainen, forward
Teravainen, 20, is considered the Blackhawks' top prospect. He got a taste of the AHL and NHL last season after finishing his season in Finland. He didn't have much left in the tank by the end of the season following a full year of traveling for his European club team, international competitions for Finland and for the Blackhawks in the preseason and the end of the regular season. He's spent most of the summer in Chicago training and bulking up. Quenneville raved about Teravainen's final performance at prospect camp in July. Teravainen will be a slight longshot to make the NHL roster out of training camp based on the current roster, but he has the ability, especially with his passing and vision, to make it a difficult decision for the Blackhawks.
Stephen Johns, defenseman
Johns, 22, is one of a number of defenseman prospects who could be on the verge of the NHL. Johns spent four years at Notre Dame and held more than his own in his short time with the Rockford IceHogs last season. He is a big body and could soon be the most physical player the Blackhawks have in their organization. He has a chance to push for an NHL spot at training camp depending on what is done with the roster.
Adam Clendening, defenseman
Clendening, 21, has the offensive game to be in the NHL right now. He was among the AHL's top defensemen with 12 goals and 47 assists in 74 games last season. His defensive game is making strides. The Blackhawks don't want to rush him until they're confident in his overall game. He should get some time in the NHL this season.
Klas Dahlbeck, defenseman
Dahlbeck, 23, impressed the Blackhawks with his improved offensive game last season. He's still a stay-at-home defenseman, but he's made himself into more of an overall player. He practiced with the Blackhawks throughout the playoffs last season. Like Johns and Clendening, Dahlbeck could find himself in the NHL this season.
Joakim Nordstrom, forward
Nordstrom, 22, was the prospect who surprised everyone last season by making the NHL roster out of training camp. He was back and forth throughout the season, but ended up playing in 23 total NHL games, including seven playoff games. The Blackhawks like his defensive game at the NHL level. He also proved to be a consistent offensive player at the AHL level. He could fill a fourth-line role again this season.
Brandon Mashinter, forward
Mashinter, 25, could find his way onto the Blackhawks roster being the enforcer type Quenneville often likes to have on his team. Mashinter came to the Blackhawks in a trade with the New York Rangers last season. He had 14 goals, 14 assists and was a minus-8 in 47 games with the IceHogs. Pierre-Cedric Labrie, 28, and Cody Bass, 27, were signed in the offseason and could also fit that role.
Mark McNeill, forward
McNeill, 21, would be among the next group of forwards ready to make that jump to the NHL. He went through some inconsistencies during his first full professional season, but a number of Blackhawks personnel liked how he responded late in the season. He's a strong player and has adjusted well after moving to the wing from center. If the Blackhawks are in need of a physical forward, he could fill that void at some point this season.
Alex Broadhurst, forward
Broadhurst, 21, may still be a year or two away, but he showed a lot of potential last season and was even recalled by the Blackhawks for a day. He finished third in points behind Morin and Clendening on the IceHogs with 16 goals and 29 assists.
Others to watch:
Kyle Cumiskey, defenseman; Dennis Rasmussen, forward; Garret Ross, forward: Phillip Danault, forward; Ryan Hartman, forward, Trevor van Riemsdyk, defenseman; Scott Darling, goaltender.
Just another Chicago Bulls Session… Pau Gasol primed for Bulls title run.
By Mark Schanowski
Pau Gasol
Now that Spain has been shockingly bounced out of the World Cup tournament by a French team they beat by 24 points in pool play, Pau Gasol is free to concentrate on the next step in his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls.
While most of the national media attention was focused on Derrick Rose’s play over the last month, Gasol quietly put up some impressive numbers for the host country, even though his tournament ended without the expected gold medal showdown against Team USA. The 34-year-old post man averaged right around 20 points and six rebounds a game, showing the well-rounded offensive game that made him a four-time All-Star. He scored 17 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots in the quarterfinal loss to France and was the team’s only real offensive threat in the second half.
Gasol teamed with his brother, Marc, to put on a big man passing clinic with Spain, and that leads to some intriguing possibilities for Tom Thibodeau and his Bulls’ coaching staff. Joakim Noah is recognized as one of the best passing centers in the league, which should open the door for the Bulls to expand their playbook to accommodate more high-low plays between the two All-Star seven-footers.
The thought of Noah at the high post making entry passes to Gasol has to be exciting for Thibodeau, who always talks about an offense playing inside-out. What that basically means is attacking the inside early, either through cuts to the basket or post-up options to set up open perimeter looks as the game wears on. Add in the option of running high screen and roll with Gasol and Rose, and the Bulls' playbook should be as dynamic and versatile as any team in the league.
Now initially, I wasn’t all that excited about the Bulls signing Gasol as a consolation prize in the free-agent market after losing out on their No. 1 target, Carmelo Anthony. Gasol turned 34 this summer and battled injuries over his previous two seasons with the Lakers. He’s a veteran of 13 NBA seasons and played professionally in Spain since he was a teenager. Only time will tell if he’ll be able to hold up physically over 82 regular-season games, and as many as four playoff rounds. Still, using the available cap room from exercising the amnesty clause on Carlos Boozer to sign Gasol and promising young power forward Nikola Mirotic is a credit to the front office for moving on so quickly after Anthony decided to stay in New York.
And, with Cleveland emerging as the new power in the East, the Bulls’ formula for beating Lebron James really hasn’t changed from his days in Miami; the Bulls need to attack the Cavaliers inside, where they lack size and depth. That’s where the twin tower tandem of Noah and Gasol comes in, along with Taj Gibson and Mirotic.
You can expect to see Noah and Gasol on the floor at the start of games and on offensive possessions late in close matchups. Otherwise, Noah and Gasol figure to split the center minutes, with Gibson and Mirotic getting time at the power forward spot based on matchups. The Bulls should be able to attack the Cavaliers inside with superior size throughout a 48-minute game, potentially limiting the impact of James guarding Rose in the closing minutes.
Having a post-up threat like Gasol should also help the Bulls avoid some of those long-scoring droughts when jump shots aren’t falling, and his passing ability will allow the Bulls to spot up shooters when opposing defenses collapse to help on the inside.
Thibodeau would be well served to limit the minutes of all his veteran players — including Rose — during the regular season to make sure everyone’s fresh for an extended playoff run. John Paxson and Gar Forman have given the coaching staff a tremendous roster with depth and versatility. Thibodeau can go offense-defense late in games, rotating in shooters like rookie Doug McDermott and Mirotic while utilizing Gibson, Jimmy Butler and Kirk Hinrich on the defensive end.
Rose said he enjoys playing the role of a more traditional point guard, and you can expect his assist totals to rise playing with Gasol, McDermott and Mirotic. It promises to be an exciting season ahead for the Bulls, with the start of training camp only three weeks away. Sure, we missed out on the chance to watch Rose play against Gasol in Sunday’s gold medal game in Spain, but the thought of seeing them play as teammates is well worth the wait.
Team USA plays to its strengths, steamrolls over Lithuania to advance to the FIBA championship game.
By Kelly Dwyer
Team USA prepares for its semifinal matchup. (Getty Images)
The pattern works, apparently, so why give up on it?
Team USA has turned this into a routine. The squad doesn’t exactly start off each game of the FIBA World Cup by playing poorly, but it usually needs the entirety of the first half in order to hash out the strengths of its opponent, before turning the jets on in the third quarter. This was ridiculously apparent on Thursday, when Team USA outscored Lithuania by a 33-14 mark, in a 10-minute quarter no less, to take a massive lead and eventually win 96-68.
The semifinal victory allows Team USA the chance to play for the gold medal in Sunday’s championship game, taking on the winner of Friday’s Serbia/France pairing in the other semifinal matchup.
All the hallmarks for coach Mike Krzyzewski’s team were in place. Lithuania never had a comfortable lead of any kind, but it did manage to stay at arm’s length for the bulk of the first half, entering the halftime break with just an eight-point deficit in a game Team USA was favored to win by 3 1/2 times as much. Team USA paired poor decision-making on offense with high-school-level mistakes on defense – and that isn’t even getting into the work of James Harden, as there wasn’t a member of the rotation who couldn’t be spotted screwing up on that end in the first half.
Harden, though ... let’s just say that James Harden gave us several of the James Harden-esque plays on defense that he’s sadly become known for.
Harden’s excuse in this instance was that he was already playing with two first-half fouls in an international setup that fouls you out with five infractions. Stephen Curry was also playing with two ticky-tack fouls at the same time, though, and one possession after this one he moved over to take an expertly placed charge call defensively. The international referees didn’t correctly call the charge, it should be noted, so Team USA was left with its sieve on the floor as social media cackled away.
Each of the missteps, eventually, allowed for redemption on the other end. Klay Thompson’s defensive indifference ushered Lithuanian forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas in for an easy putback dunk at one point, and an obviously bothered Thompson made up for it by calling for the ball on the other end and scoring to keep the opponent’s momentum at bay. Harden was eye-rollingly awful defensively in the second half as well, without the foul-trouble excuse, but he responded with 16 second-half points as Team USA pulled away. Curry and Kyrie Irving had their difficulties on the defensive end, and Kenneth Faried's and Anthony Davis’ heads were often turned, but all more than made up for it with movement and quick finishes in the win.
The only one to end his night without any singular act of come-uppance was Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose, who is continuing a worrying World Cup trend of missing shots around the basket and pull-up 3-pointers. Rose missed seven of his eight looks in the win, and turned the ball over three times in 15 minutes.
As the game wore on, Team USA’s typical insistence on causing turnovers in order to take pressure off its sometimes-shaky half-court offense failed to materialize to the degree that it has in other wins, but the group still managed to force 20 of the miscues. Lithuania shot 30 percent from the floor and looked defeated midway through the third quarter, the likely response to giving its physical all in the first half, only to watch as Team USA kept the game in hand.
Part of that physical work came from Lithuania’s best player, Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas, who nearly instigated a fight with Team USA center DeMarcus Cousins at one point. Valanciunas could no doubt sense Cousins’ frustrations at being scored on in the post on one possession defensively, with the referees missing a call on the other end as DeMarcus was hacked upon going up for a shot. Jonas responded by giving two elbows to Cousins’ forehead and neck in the ensuing free throw rebound scrum, and Cousins responded.
Probably not the best decorum for an international tournament, but considering Valanciunas’ moves it was completely understandable in basketball terms.
In the end, the passing and movement and collective play took over for Team USA. Kyrie Irving led the squad in scoring with 18 points, making six 3-pointers while taking advantage of the shortened 3-point line. Thompson realized that while he might not be a slashing athlete in comparison to his NBA cohorts, he certainly has the one-up in athleticism at this international level, and he utilized his all-around skills offensively. Rudy Gay overcame a smack to the mouth on a drive to corral a team-high seven rebounds in a little more than 13 minutes.
It’s never going to be easy with this crew, despite the blowout wins, because this is a team that was created one month ago, playing under different rules and working to overcome the “no-you-shoot-I-insist” instincts that can sometimes dog All-Star-type rosters like these.
Team USA just needs to keep it going for one more game in order to win that gold. It would be nice, though, if the group would start to pretend that it’s the third quarter in the second quarter of the championship game.
Or, perhaps, start pretending as much in the first quarter?
MLB Clarifies Home Plate Collision Rule.
Associated Press
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Major League Baseball sent a memo to teams and umpires clarifying this year’s experimental rule intended to limit collisions at home plate, saying runners should not be called safe if the ball clearly beats them.
The rule, announced in February, says a catcher can’t block the plate if he doesn’t have the ball. There have been several disputed calls, including a pair of decisions in the last 5 1/2 weeks that led to runners being called safe after video review.
The guidelines sent to teams Tuesday say the catcher’s positioning shouldn’t change the call when the throw clearly arrives ahead of the runner. They also say if the catcher is entirely in fair territory, he should not be considered to have blocked the plate. Photo examples were included.
“It’s basically the same thing, but the officials in New York got to use a little bit of common sense,” Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “If you’re out by 40 feet … let’s not call that guy safe because of that.”
The new guidelines were tested immediately when Tampa Bay left fielder Matt Joyce threw out the New York Yankees’ Stephen Drew trying to score in the fifth inning Tuesday night. Ryan Hanigan gave Drew no lane to the plate as the Rays’ catcher waited for the throw, which arrived in plenty of time.
Hanigan tagged the sliding runner and Drew was called out by plate umpire Vic Carapazza. The ruling was upheld following a replay review, leaving the Rays with a 4-3 lead that wound up being the final score.
Overturned calls led to tying runs for the home team in the late innings at Cincinnati on July 31 and at San Francisco on Aug. 13. In both cases, the hosts went on to score more runs in the inning and win.
“There’s been a few plays this year where it looks like the guy’s been out by 10 feet and they call him safe because he felt like the catcher — he took the plate away,” Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. “You’ve got to add some common sense to the rule.”
On July 31 at Cincinnati, Miami led 1-0 in the eighth when Todd Frazier flied out to right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, who threw home as Zack Cozart tried to score from third. Catcher Jeff Mathis tagged Cozart, who trotted in without a slide, and the runner was called out by umpire Mike Winters.
After a 6-minute, 10-second review, the call was overturned, and Ryan Ludwick followed with a two-run single that sent the Reds to a 3-1 win. Marlins manager Mike Redmond was ejected after throwing his hat to the ground and arguing with umpires. Then he kicked his hat on his way back to the dugout.
San Francisco trailed the visiting White Sox 1-0 in the seventh inning on Aug. 13 when Chicago first baseman Jose Abreu fielded Joe Panik’s broken-bat grounder and threw out a sliding Gregor Blanco by about 10 feet. The runner was called out by plate umpire Chris Segal, but after a video review that lasted 4 minutes, 55 seconds, replay umpires in New York ruled Blanco safe, citing catcher Tyler Flowers for blocking the plate with his left leg in violation of the new rule.
Chicago manager Robin Ventura ran onto the field, was ejected and repeatedly kicked home plate. The Giants went on to a seven-run inning and won 7-1.
“If a guy, you can tell he’s going to be out, he should be out,” Ventura said Tuesday. “I understand protecting the catchers. I think most of their injuries probably come from foul tips, not actual plays at the plate. You don’t want guys charging the catchers coming into the plate. In the end when you get a guy out, you make the play, everything’s done effectively, you want the guy to be out.”
The new rule followed debate that intensified following May 2011, when San Francisco slugger Buster Posey was injured as the Marlins’ Scott Cousins crashed into him at the plate. Posey, an All-Star catcher, sustained a broken bone in his lower left leg and three torn ligaments in his ankle, an injury that ended his season.
In Game 5 of last year’s AL championship series, Detroit backstop Alex Avila was pulled a couple of innings after being run over at the plate by Boston’s David Ross, a fellow catcher.
Golf: I got a club for that… PGA Tour pros are tired of vying for $10 million. What's Your Take?
By Kyle Porter, Golf Writer
The FedEx Cup Playoffs will wrap up this week at East Lake in Atlanta, Ga. where 29 golfers will play for $10 million. There are a few golfers who are actually probably glad they didn't make it.
Wait...what?
Karen Crouse of the New York Times puts it this way:
"The FedEx Cup playoffs, instituted by the PGA Tour to deliver a fabulous finish to the season, has become a dusty stagecoach ride to exhaustion."The problem is that it's difficult to feel sorry for a collection of 100-200 guys trying to get into a playoff that has four events with an $8 million purse at each culminating with a $35 million bonus purse at the end.
That's a total of $67 million and yet some folks like Henrik Stenson seem almost happy to have been bounced out of the playoffs early.
"I think it’s hard for the crowds sometimes to understand what we go through with the schedule," said Stenson.
Others bounced themselves.
"No one wants to feel sorry for us," added Geoff Ogilvy (who did make the Tour Championship). "This is an amazing thing we get to do. But if they want us to play our best in six or seven or eight of the biggest tournaments of the year in a 10-week stretch, it’s just too much."
That I probably agree with and I don't want to just straight out dismiss the thoughts and feeling of a thoughtful, clever guy like Ogilvy.
There should be a better way to do the schedule so all these big-time events aren't crammed into the end of the season when you have three-week stretches in February or March that guys don't care about.
Sergio Garcia said the mental grind (which might have a different definition for Sergio than most) affected his play on Sunday when he made an eight on the par-5 17th.
"It's what happens when you're not just mentally sharp. If I was mentally sharp, if I was rested, and really, the way I was at the beginning and middle of the year, I would have talked myself into going for the green."
And Martin Kaymer is tired of staying in hotels every week. Martin Kaymer salary earned on the PGA Tour this season: $4.4 million.
"A lot of people forget that it's very, very difficult for someone who is staying in hotel rooms every single week," said Kaymer. "I've been in rooms now for five weeks in a row, and I didn't really play tournaments that I could have skipped."
I do see both sides here. Tournament golf is grinding in a way that you and I will never know but still, it's tough to summon the grace in my heart to really feel for these dudes.
Take the swinging of the clubs out of it -- would most folks stay in hotel rooms and be on the road and go through the mentally grueling part of pro golf to make millions of dollars a year for a salary?
Yes. Always yes.
And until the answer is "no" I'm afraid these golfers won't get much sympathy.
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: You guys don't know how lucky you are and how well you have it. You're playing a mentally tough and physically demanding game, however, it is a game that you chose as a profession. It's a game that you have to have a special talent to play and if you're playing PGA golf, you have the talent. The rewards are phenomenal. The purses are outstanding. So you don't like the pressure of all of the tournaments crammed into a three week stretch, too bad. 30 guys playing for a $10 million dollar purse, unbelievable. The average American would not make what you guys make in five lifetimes or more. You guys should visit the real world and see what a salesman has to do to scratch out a living. He spends many nights on the road, (in hotel rooms), begging clients for the sale. Sometimes he's gone for two or three weeks at a time and his pay is a pittance of what you make. You want to know what's mentally tough, try arguing with a customer when you've fulfilled his every request and he still wants the product discounted more or no sale. Com'on guys, get out there and display your talent, go for the gold and thrill a few fans that admire you. Each one of you will still make six digits or more and get plenty of TV exposure. You guys are fortunate, believe me when I tell you that. So stop complaining, reach down deep inside and give it all you got. And if you really think you've got it bad, let me put you with an everyday blue collar, 8 to 5 working stiff that is giving it his all to take care and provide for his family at 25%-35% of what you'll make for your Fed Ex Cup participation.
One last point and I'll rest my case, In the words of Jerry West, the NBA great, "You can't get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good."
Need I say more?
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.
Investigation into Kevin Ward's death complete and sent to district attorney.
By Nick Bromberg
The Ontario County (N.Y.) Sheriff's Department's investigation into the death of Kevin Ward Jr. is complete and has been handed over to the Ontario County District Attorney.
The OCSD has been investigating the death of Ward for approximately a month after he was struck and killed by Tony Stewart on Aug. 9 in a sprint car race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park. After missing three races, Stewart returned to the Sprint Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Any action against Stewart will be announced next week, according to the OCSD. When speaking during the early stages of the investigation, Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said there was no evidence of criminal intent in the incident.
The Ontario County Office of Sheriff has completed its investigation into the death of Kevin A. Ward, Jr., which occurred August 9, 2014, at the Canandaigua, New York, Motorsports Park. The entire thorough investigation, including a forensic video enhancement recently received from the New York State Police Laboratory in Albany, has been submitted to the Office of the Ontario County District Attorney for review. The District Attorney’s Office, which has been meeting throughout the investigative process with members of the Sheriff’s Office, will make a statement late next week advising what action will be taken regarding the investigation.
Stewart and Ward were racing together when Ward's car hit the wall. After it came to a stop, Ward climbed from his vehicle and went down the track towards the rest of the field. As he gestured angrily at Stewart, the right rear tire of Stewart's car struck Ward, killing him.
A video of the accident surfaced on YouTube later that evening. Povero said the OCSD had obtained a second video during the investigation and it is unclear what footage the forensic video enhancement refers to.
Even though the incident didn't happen at a NASCAR-sanctioned race, NASCAR banned drivers from getting out of their cars before safety personnel arrive less than a week after Ward's death.
Stewart received a waiver from NASCAR to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup if he were to win at Atlanta or Richmond. He did not win either of those races, and is not in the Chase. Aside from a three-minute statement at Atlanta, Stewart has not commented publicly on the incident.
New Chase has teams wondering how to approach playoff-style format.
By Bob Pockrass
Instead of a 10-race mini-season with 12 drivers, the Chase now has 16 drivers with three elimination rounds and points reset after every three races, leaving four drivers on equal footing for the season finale at Homestead. Drivers advance through each round either with a win in that round or by points.
“This is not a Chase,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr. crew chief Steve Letarte. “This is not even going to resemble a Chase. This is playoffs.
“We’ve never had playoffs. … You have to perform to the level that’s needed in each round. That changes as the rounds move forward.”
That idea of what exactly will be required to make it out of each round has drivers and crew chiefs scratching their heads on how to exactly approach the Chase.
“In theory, you could run well in just four races and win it,” 2012 Cup champion Brad Keselowski said. “I don’t know if that plays into anyone’s hands or against it. I don’t know what I don’t know.”
The first round begins this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, followed by races at New Hampshire and Dover before the field is cut from 16 drivers to 12. Races at Kansas, Charlotte and Talladega make up the second round — meaning that the often roll-of-the-dice Talladega will determine who survives the cut from 12 to eight. Races at Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix follow to cut the field from eight to four.
“Getting hot late is key,” said six-time Cup champion Johnson, who won five straight titles from 2006-2010 and again in 2013. “Before it was about a 10-race stretch to get hot, and now you can be warm and then find yourself hot at Phoenix and Homestead and be sitting in great shape for a championship.
“It’s a new game. We can all speculate now but until we get in there and see how a year or two goes and see how the champion is crowned, we’ll just be kind of guessing."
Letarte said he views the Chase almost like the 600-mile race at Charlotte in May.
“The first 200 miles are Chicago, New Hampshire and Dover — the only thing you can do at Chicago, New Hampshire and Dover is you can lose the championship,” Letarte said. “That’s it. If you don’t go there and run well enough to make the top 12, all you have done is lost the championship.
“Kansas, Charlotte and Talladega gets a little more intense, a little closer to the finish and I think the final three are going to be crazy, and then you go to Homestead. … You hope it all lines up, you hope you have the right car and the right setup and the right prep and you hope the day falls your way.”
As Letarte likes to say, “hope” is not a good strategy. But in some ways, there’s not a lot more a team can do with such short rounds.
So his driver has a simple strategy:
“You’ve just got to finish as good as you can every week,” Earnhardt said. “The wins make it a whole lot easier.”
Harvick said it’s a matter of taking advantage of opportunities.
“I feel like you need to be consistent, but you need to capitalize on winning races because that guarantees you a trip to the next round,” Harvick said. “There's lots of different ways to (advance). You can't force it.
“You just have to go out and do the things that you have to do to race every week and try to qualify well, lead laps, run up front. And when you have a chance to win you need to capitalize on it.”
Harvick’s team was among those that tested at Chicagoland to get off to a good start in the Chase.
Roush Fenway Racing, which has struggled at intermediate tracks this year, also has tested at Chicago.
“I don’t think anybody knows how it will go,” said Carl Edwards. “Hopefully if we make it through the first few, I feel confident about the ones after that. This thing could go any way. It will be crazy.”
A team’s strategy could depend on what happens early in a round.
“You can kind of script it whatever way you want to script it but it’s really going to be circumstantial,” said Jeff Gordon crew chief Alan Gustafson. “If you go to Chicago and win the race, that is going to change your circumstances or you are going to have an issue.
“If you have a bad run at Chicago, where do you shake out in points? Is it time to pull out the panic switch and try to win? It could change lap to lap and finish to finish. We all know what it takes to run well. The strategy of the chase is going to be very fluid.”
Gustafson’s driver said a team can’t feel too much pressure too early.
“It’s going to be really, really intense,” Gordon said. “I think you actually have to try to balance out that intensity to try to make it not too intense for yourself. … I still believe the best team wins. I've always believed that and I still believe that.
“If it's meant to be because you've prepared and you have the strong cars, the best team, I think you're going to make it to Homestead and you're going to win the championship.”
The one thing not to expect is for any team to save anything for later rounds and risk not making it out of the first round.
“Every team that has made the Chase is scared to death that they could go to Kansas without a chance to win the championship,” Letarte said.
“(You’re scared) that you’ve worked 26 races to try to win the championship and in three, you’ve eliminated that.
“And anyone that is willing to hold something back, they’re a better team than I."
Transfer news: Falco says Man United fits his style better than real Madrid.
By Staff Report
Manchester United loanee Radamel Falcao claims the Premier League side is a better fit to his style of play than Real Madrid.
Falcao was understood to be close to joining Madrid earlier in the transfer window and even had to delete a Twitter post which included the hashtag #HalaMadrid, but he is adamant that he made the right move by joining the Old Trafford club on deadline day.
"Everybody has heard about that team," the Colombian told reporters. "I don't want to talk about them.
"I am very happy here, I believe in this project, I think United is the best club for my style of play and I am sure of my decision. I am sure that, in the future, it will be great for us."
The Monaco striker's surprise move was on an initial loan deal but he is keen to be part of Louis van Gaal's plans in the long term.
"I am very happy to be here. It's a big challenge for me, for my career, I always dreamed of being at a club like Manchester United," he said.
"I hope to stay many years at Manchester United and make history at this club. When I was at Porto, Atletico Madrid, I always wanted to improve and I dreamed of playing at a team like this - and now I want to stay here for many years."
An injury had kept Falcao out of Colombia's World Cup campaign this summer but the striker says that he is fit and ready to star for United and, hopefully, earn a permanent move.
"I feel well," he added. "I started to play two months ago with Monaco and I improved a lot in the last month. I score goals, that is important to strikers. I am confident with my physical form and I am comfortable with my knee."
"It's a new process, a new team. Some new players have come this summer and I think Manchester United are building a big team for this season and future seasons and I would like to be here and be part of this project," he added.
After finishing seventh in its disastrous 2013-14 season, United could not offer the prospect of Champions League football to new signings this summer but Falcao was undeterred.
"It's true, every player wants to play Champions League," he added. "This year it's not possible in Manchester but we are confident of achieving the qualification for next season."
Daley Blind was the Red Devils' other deadline-day arrival and the former Ajax man says that he is happy to play in whatever position the manager chooses.
"It's important I can play as a defender and a midfielder and I want to play so, if it's in either position, it's up to the coach and I try to do my best wherever I play," said Blind.
LA Galaxy star Landon Donovan edges closer to all-time MLS assist record.
By Staff Report
With seven assists in his last four games, LA Galaxy midfielder Landon Donovan has drawn within three of Steve Ralston's all-time Major League Soccer assists record.
The 32-year-old is set to call time on a glittering career at the end of this season, and has already ensured he will head into retirement with the league's all-time goals mark on his resume. And his contribution towards Alan Gordon's 64th-minute equalizer in LA's 2-2 draw against Montreal brings his career regular-season assist tally to 132, just three short of former New England standout Ralston.
While a yellow card means Donovan will miss the chance to play his former club, the San Jose Earthquakes, on Sunday Sept. 14, he will have a further six matches in which to chase the mark.
After Donovan, the active MLS player with the most assists is Houston Dynamo Winger Brad Davis, who has 110.
Will a Group of 5 schools survive September unbeaten?
By Bill Bender
The Group of 5 conferences already face a tough path to the College Football Playoff.
A damning statistic isn't going to make that any easier. Through just two weeks, only 10 schools in Group of 5 Conferences are undefeated. Will any of these schools survive September? Consider the upcoming schedules:
American Athletic: Cincinnati is the only unbeaten team in the AAC, and the Bearcats haven’t played because of a bizarre schedule that opened the season with two bye weeks. The Bearcats open Friday against Toledo at Paul Brown Stadium, but they travel to Ohio Stadium to face the Buckeyes in two weeks.
Conference USA: Marshall is the only 2-0 team in the conference, and the Thundering Herd are led by dark-horse Heisman Trophy candidate Rakeem Cato, who averages 264 passing yards per game. Marshall has home games against former MAC rivals Ohio and Akron the next two weeks.
Mid-American Conference: Northern Illinois and Central Michigan are the lone unbeatens. The Huskies play at UNLV and Arkansas the next two weeks. The Chippewas play host to Syracuse before trips to Kansas and Toledo.
Mountain West Conference: It’s down to Wyoming and Nevada. If the Cowboys are undefeated in three weeks, they will deserve to be in the Top 10. Why? They have games at Oregon and Michigan State. The Wolf Pack are underdogs at Arizona this week.
Sun Belt: Louisiana-Monroe and New Mexico State are the only 2-0 teams in the conference, and both travel to LSU in the next three weeks. Texas State (1-0) plays host to Navy before trips to Illinois and Tulsa.
Verdict: It’s not a stretch to say Marshall will be the only undefeated Group of 5 team at the end of September. One Group of 5 school gets an automatic spot in the "playoff bowls," but a chance to play in the four-team playoff likely won’t come without a perfect record.
A rare recruiting restriction is hindering SEC basketball growth.
By Gary Parrish
End of May, down in Florida, 14 SEC men's basketball coaches sat in a room at a plush resort and discussed for hours how to improve the league -- both on the court and in terms of its perception. They bounced around ideas. Some coaches were more vocal than others.
And, I'm told, there was no simple or consensus answer, though sources said non-league scheduling was identified as an obvious issue that should be addressed.
Either way, there's another thing multiple SEC coaches told me hinders improvement.
It's a little-known recruiting restriction mostly exclusive to the SEC.
It has, on some level, created an uneven playing field.
"Jae Crowder is a perfect example," said Georgia coach Mark Fox. "He's a Georgia kid. So I get the job [at Georgia in April 2009], and he's at Howard JUCO [in Texas], and I've got a good contact over there. But he wasn't eligible for us to recruit."
That's because Crowder started his career at South Georgia Technical, which is also a junior college. He then transferred to Howard County for his sophomore year and thus became ineligible for SEC programs because -- Did you even realize this? -- the SEC does not allow its members to enroll prospects who don't spend at least three semesters at the junior college from which they graduated, the lone exception being when a prospect only spends one season in JUCO after starting his career at a four-year school.
The overwhelming majority of other leagues have no such restriction.
But the Southeastern Conference, for whatever reason, does.
Consequently, Georgia never pursued Crowder for even a minute despite the fact that he was A) from Georgia, B) the top player on a team that won the NJCAA Division I title, C) the State Farm Junior College Player of the Year, and D) someone who averaged 18.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.4 steals per game as a sophomore.
Crowder ultimately enrolled at Marquette.
He then led the Golden Eagles to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances and was named the 2012 Big East Player of the Year before being selected 34th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, and if you've ever wondered why such an accomplished prospect raised in the heart of the SEC was not recruited by any SEC schools even though he had offers from Big East schools, Big 12 schools, Mountain West schools and many others, well, now you know.
Crowder was, quite simply, ineligible to enroll at all Southeastern Conference institutions.
For what it's worth, I'm told, SEC coaches would like this changed.
Would a change affect everybody?
Probably not -- because my guess is that, for different reasons, Kentucky's John Calipari, Florida's Billy Donovan and Vanderbilt's Kevin Stallings won't find themselves recruiting too many prospects who have spent fewer than three semesters at the same JUCO. But even they, I'm told, would prefer the restriction be lifted because it could theoretically help improve other SEC programs, which, after all, is what they spent all that time back in May at that resort discussing, you know, how to improve the league as a whole.
"Maybe not every coach in the league is going to recruit junior-college players," said first-year Tennessee coach Donnie Tyndall. "But I do feel like every coach in the league would support the rule being changed ... because they know it would put our league on a level playing field. It could help our league grow stronger."
I agree.
In fairness, again, this might not be a make-or-break issue for most SEC programs, and I'm not here to overstate things. But how good might Georgia have been in 2010-11 if its nucleus of Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins also included Crowder? And what if a similar JUCO prospect is available next year from South Carolina or Alabama who could help Frank Martin or Anthony Grant boost their programs, which would by extension boost the SEC?
Bottom line, there are lots of ways for the SEC to get better in men's basketball, and some of them are rooted in something as simple as making sure the right coaches are in place to lead programs that are mostly overshadowed by football counterparts. But one obvious, if small, way to improve is also this: Stop making things harder than they need to be.
Pistorius not guilty of murder but was negligent.
By GERALD IMRAY and CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA (Associated Press)
During his trial, Oscar Pistorius sometimes retched and sobbed. The double-amputee Olympian sobbed again on Thursday, this time in apparent relief as a judge said the evidence did not support a murder conviction for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
The judge could still convict Pistorius of a negligent killing - a crime that can carry a lengthy jail term or just a suspended sentence and fine - when she likely finishes reading her lengthy conclusions in court on Friday. Some legal analysts were surprised, saying the runner could at least have been convicted of a lesser murder charge, rather than the premeditated murder charge leveled by the state.
The Pretoria courtroom was packed for the ruling in the case against 27-year-old Pistorius, once a globally admired celebrity who competed against able-bodied athletes at the 2012 Olympics in London. His brother, Carl, was there in a wheelchair because of injuries suffered in a recent car crash. So were Steenkamp's parents, June and Barry.
Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, had been seeing the star athlete for only a few months before he killed her by shooting four times through a closed toilet door in his home in the pre-dawn hours of Valentine's Day last year. Pistorius said he thought an intruder was in the toilet and about to attack him; the prosecution said he intentionally killed her after an argument.
Judge Thokozile Masipa, wearing a red robe, unveiled her analysis of the case after saying little throughout the sensational six-month trial as lawyers argued and witnesses testified about the shocking killing. South Africa does not have a jury system, and judges customarily issue verdicts only after explaining their reasoning.
''The accused cannot be found guilty of murder,'' the judge said, noting there were ''just not enough facts'' to support the finding of guilt for premeditated murder, which carries a sentence of 25 years to life in prison, or an unplanned murder, considered a less severe crime.
To support her view that the state had not proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, the judge said some neighbors' accounts of hearing a woman's screams on the night of Steenkamp's death - a key part of the prosecution's case - were unreliable. The defense had argued that it was Pistorius who was screaming in horror in a high-pitched voice after discovering he had fatally shot Steenkamp.
Masipa cited what she called an ''objective'' timeline of telephone calls made after the shooting, some involving Pistorius, that the defense had compiled in an attempt to discredit witness accounts about the sequence of purported screams and gunshots. She noted that Pistorius was reported to be in genuine distress in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, and that he could not have been ''play-acting.''
Even so, the judge appeared to lay the groundwork for a conviction for culpable homicide, which is the killing of someone through reckless or negligent behavior. She described Pistorius' conduct as negligent, and said he could have telephoned security or screamed for help on the balcony instead of grabbing his gun and heading to confront a perceived danger in the bathroom.
''I am of the view that the accused acted too hastily and used excessive force,'' Masipa said. She also said that many people in South Africa have personally experienced the traumatic effects of the country's high crime rate but do not sleep with guns nearby.
Five years in prison is a guideline for a culpable homicide conviction in which a firearm is used, though the sentence is at the judge's discretion, according to legal experts. Pistorius also faces two separate counts of unlawfully firing a gun in a public place in unrelated incidents and one count of illegal possession of ammunition.
If he is convicted on any charge, the case will be postponed until a later sentencing hearing.
Kelly Phelps, a senior lecturer in the public law department at the University of Cape Town, said the judge's rulings so far were sound because prosecutors ''never had very much evidence'' to support their central allegation that Pistorius carried out a premeditated murder.
Martin Hood, a South African lawyer and firearms expert, disagreed, saying there was a strong case to convict Pistorius on a lesser charge of unplanned murder, which carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in jail. Under that scenario, Hood said, Pistorius may not have intended to kill Steenkamp because he testified that he didn't think she was in the toilet, but he did intend to kill a perceived intruder by firing multiple times into a small space.
''This was always going to be a showcase for South Africa,'' Hood said of the trial. ''I think there's a lot of uncertainty as to the correctness of the judgment.''
He added: ''We have a problem in this country with violent crime. This sends the wrong message about the way we deal with violent crime.''
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, September 12, 2014.
MemoriesofHistory.com
1979 - Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox became the first American League player to get 3,000 career hits and 400 career home runs.
1984 - Michael Jordan signed a seven-year contract to play basketball with the Chicago Bulls.
1984 - Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets set a rookie strikeout record with his 251st strikeout of the season.
2002 - A judge announced that a jury would have to decide who would get the ball that Barry Bonds hit for his record 73rd home run. The ownership of the ball, with an estimated value of $1 million, was being disputed between two men that had been in the bleachers.
2006 - Rick DiPietro (New York Islanders) signed a 15-year contract worth $67.5 million.
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