CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Wednesday Sports News Update, 11/19/2014.

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Sports Quote of the Day:

“By taking the time to stop and appreciate who you are and what you've achieved - and perhaps learned through a few mistakes, stumbles and losses - you actually can enhance everything about you. Self-acknowledgment and appreciation are what give you the insights and awareness to move forward toward higher goals and accomplishments.” ~ Jack Canfield, Author and Motivational Speaker

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!! Bears in-foe: 'Tampa 2' wins in a row...for whom?

By Chris Boden

 

The only thing more humbling than the bumbling the Bears went through in weeks seven through nine would be if Marc Trestman's predecessor and the quarterback he chose not to keep were riding high, marching towards the postseason. Fact of the matter is, even with a record two games worse than the Bears, Lovie Smith and Josh McCown's door to the playoffs may be open even wider, courtesy of the putrid NFC South. Especially if they march into Soldier Field Sunday and walk out with a win, essentially ending the Bears' playoff hopes after their "feeling-better" victory over the Vikes.

Six of the last 11 NFC South champions went from worst-to-first. That's still possible with the 2-8 Bucs trailing the front-running (?!) 4-6 Falcons and Saints, against whom they're a combined 0-3. Smith's return (after being linebackers coach under Tony Dungy in the late 90's), $55 million in guaranteed free agent dollars, and 43 new faces of the 90 on the training camp roster had high hopes. Wins at Pittsburgh and Washington have been the only feel-good moments. Last year's team started 0-8 before a 4-4 finish under the victory formation-tarnished, bacteria-infected locker room tenure of Greg Schiano. But it doesn't appear these Bucs are on their way to a first playoff win since making the 2002 Super Bowl against Trestman and Jon Gruden's) Oakland Raiders, much less the playoffs. Yet still, that being said, this will be Smith's 2014 Super Bowl against the management team that decided 10-6, minus a playoff bid, just wasn't good enough.

 Offense

Smith's bid to put his offensive coordinator woes in Chicago behind him were dealt a blow when former California head coach Jeff Tedford suffered heart issues during training camp, and won't return from this season. Tedford helped develop recent NFL successes like Aaron Rodgers, DeSean Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, Shane Vereen, Justin Forsett and Keenan Allen with those Bears. Tedford brought Marcus Arroyo with him to Tampa Bay, and the quarterbacks coach has added interim offensive coordinator to his nameplate.

But Tampa Bay is 25th in points (19.4), 19th passing, 28th in total and rushing yards. While Mike Glennon is still being called his quarterback of the future by Smith after 13 starts as a rookie and another handful this year (29 career TDs, 15 interceptions). McCown is back in the saddle after being sidelined six weeks with a broken thumb. His pair of 36 and 56-yard touchdown passes (without an interception) Sunday evened his TD-to-INT ratio this season to 6/6. The ex-Bear has a completion percentage of 63.4 and a quarterback rating of 82.6 (109.0 in Chicago last season).

Mike Evans (6-foot-5) is starting to emerge in a big way, pun intended. Johnny Manziel's top target at Texas A&M had seven catches Sunday for 209 yards. That raised his rookie season total to 46 receptions, 794 yards, a 17.3 average and 17 receptions of 20-plus yards. He'll be a load for the Bears secondary. The two other 6-foot-5 targets have been much quieter to date. Vincent Jackson has just two touchdowns on 43 receptions for 561 yards. 2014 second-round tight end Austin Sefarian-Jenkins has just 19 catches.

Third-round pick Charles Sims (Smith and general manager Jason Licht used all six 2014 draft picks on offense) may start getting a bigger workload over Bobby Rainey while the suddenly-injury-prone Doug Martin remains sidelined with an ankle issue.

Up front, the Buccanners flushed out three starting offensive linemen and brought in free agents in left tackle Anthony Collins (Cincinnati) and center Evan Dietrich-Smith (Green Bay) and dealt for six-time Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins from New England.

Defense

Despite inheriting good talent, then going out and acquiring more in free agency, Lovie's Tampa-2 hadn't shown any signs of ball-hawking until tormenting Robert Griffin III and company. It gives them some belief heading into Chicago to face Jay Cutler and the Bears, despite a minus-5 turnover ratio. They lost starting left end Adrian Clayborn and cornerback Mike Jenkins early, then dealt 2012 first-round safety Mark Barron to the Rams last month since he wasn't as good of a fit as discarded Bear Major Wright.

Gerald McCoy, arguably the best three-technique in the game, continues to be an interior force and was recently locked up with a seven-year contract extension. Right end Michael Johnson and tackle Clinton McDonald were signed away from Cincinnati and Seattle, respectively to join a rotation with fresh meat that's had varied levels of reaching their envisioned draft potential: Wiliam Gholston, Da'Quan Bowers and Akeem Spence (from Illinois).

While McCoy gives Smith his Tommie Harris, circa 2005-06, Lavonte David gives him his Lance Briggs of six or seven years ago. The 2012 second-rounder could be the best weakside linebacker in the game and has 66 more stops than the Bucs' second-leading tackler. Mason Foster is not Brian Urlacher in the middle, but handles the job well enough, while Danny Lansanah (three interceptions) pitches in on the strong side and nickel.

The recent defense-heavy drafts have also garnered cornerback Johnathan Banks (three INTs, including a Sunday pick-six) from the 2013 second round. Alterraun Verner was chosen by Smith over Darrelle Revis, but has only one pick this season after five with the Titans last year. Dashon Goldson is in his second season at free safety with the Bucs after departing the 49ers in free agency in 2013, and Wright has been getting more time on the strong side after the Barron trade, but Bradley McDougal has been starting for coordinator Leslie Frazier, the ex-Bears cornerback and Vikings head coach.

Special Teams

Marcus Thigpen has moved up from the practice squad to provide an improved threat on punt and kickoff returns. With all the issues the Bears had across the board on special teams Sunday against Minnesota (overcome by the offense and defense), don't sleep on this phase being a factor Sunday. Kevin O'Dea is Mike Toub's former assistant here.

Bears Marc Trestman must deal with 'legend' of Bucs’ Lovie Smith.

By John Mullin

In January, it was announced that Lovie Smith would return to the Bucs as the 10th head coach in the history of the franchise. He has a five-year contract. This portrait was taken at One Buc Place on June 19, 2014. [John Pendygraft | Times]

When Marc Trestman arrived as head coach of the Bears, he was not following a legend the way Dave Wannstedt was coming in after Mike Ditka. But he was taking over a team that had enjoyed success and nearly a decade of winning, with three trips to the playoffs, under Lovie Smith.

 

There were hard feelings and hurt feelings, ranging from the likes of Devin Hester talking emotionally about retiring to the quiet discontent of Julius Peppers and others. Nothing malicious toward Trestman or defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, just an understandable unhappiness at losing a coach both respected and well liked.

 

Lance Briggs, Chris Conte, Tim Jennings, Shea McClellin and Stephen Paea remain as starters from the Lovie Smith defenses with Briggs, Conte and Paea predating Phil Emery’s arrival as general manager.

 

Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, Roberto Garza and Brandon Marshall were Bears during Smith’s regime. But Marshall arrived only in 2012 in a trade engineered by Emery, and Cutler’s relationship with Smith can only be described as chilly.

 

Trestman understands enough human nature to know that Smith will be on some minds this week when the latter’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-8) come to Soldier Field.

 

“I think we’re going to talk to our team truthfully about every aspect of this game and making sure that we go in with our eyes wide open whatever that might be,” Trestman said.

 

“The thing I can tell you about Lovie is that I’ve watched him for years and played against him for years and I know him as a person and I have tremendous respect for him as a person in all areas. That’s the only thing I can speak of at this point and I truly mean that.”

 

Actually, Trestman could speak on a little more than that about Smith but it would brush up against 'competitive information,' and it’s been a little while. Smith and Trestman have met in the past, although never as head coaches:

 

2002

 

Trestman as Oakland Raiders offensive coordinator directed an offense that managed just one offensive touchdown against a St. Louis Rams defense headed by Smith. Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon, who was the NFL MVP that season for the Super Bowl-bound Raiders, threw two interceptions.

 

1997

 

Smith was in his second season as linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while Trestman was quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions. The teams split their regular-season games but Tampa Bay prevailed 20-10 in a wild-card meeting when Detroit quarterbacks Scott Mitchell and Frank Reich were a combined 21-for-40 with no TDs and one interception.

 

Olin Kreutz: Don't underestimate Lovie Smith, Josh McCown.

 

CSN Staff 

 

The Chicago Bears got their much-needed win at home on Sunday, snapping a three-game losing streak in their 21-13 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

They said that win got them on the right track moving forward, and that boost in confidence could be coming at just the right time as they prepare to face off against some familiar faces in their upcoming matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Lovie Smith and Josh McCown will be back in town, and the former head coach will be facing the Bears for the first time since being fired back in 2012. 

So just how big of a game will Sunday's showdown be with both guys back in Chicago? Former Bears center Olin Kreutz joined the Kap and Haugh Show to preview what's ahead.

"It's certainly a big game. If they lose, the sky's not falling. But it's a huge game when your old coach, the guy you fired comes back to town, the guy you replaced," he said. "The quarterback that left that you could have kept maybe, comes back to town and we'll see how he looks. But it's going to be a tough game too. Don't underestimate how well those two guys know these Bears.

"Lovie was probably at home in his Lake Forest all last year watching the Bears. Josh McCown, being the scout-team quarterback the last two years or three years here, he knows everything about the Bears defense. So it's not going to be an easy game by any means when people know you that well."

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks make several roster moves, including the promotion of Stephen Johns.

By Satchel Price

 

Trevor van Riemsdyk (Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports)

Stephen Johns is the man to replace Trevor van Riemsdyk on the roster after the 'Hawks announced a number of moves Monday.

The Chicago Blackhawks announced a series of roster moves Monday afternoon that may or may not stay in place by the time the team hits the road for the Circus Trip later this week. We're not going to break them down too much without being sure they'll actually stick for more than a day or two, but alas.

The 'Hawks have swapped defenseman Stephen Johns and goaltender Antti Raanta from Rockford with fellow goalie Scott Darling and forward Joakim Nordstrom. The team also placed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk on LTIR after the injury he suffered Sunday night against the Stars.

Johns' salary of $800,000 fits into the space created by placing TvR on LTIR, but pretty much every other option, including Klas Dahlbeck and Adam Clendening, would've fit as well. It's possible the team is merely making some short-term maneuvers before settling on a group to head to Alberta, but Johns probably won't play much for the 'Hawks either way. 

Michal Rozsival stepping in as the sixth defenseman, with the younger player serving as the seventh guy, seems most likely while van Riemsdyk is recovering. That's probably not ideal, since a guy like Dahlbeck might actually surprise, while we pretty much know what Rozsival can do, but that reliability is also likely working in the veteran's favor with the coaching staff. 

Blackhawks move Update (11/18/2014): Blackhawks recall Clendening, Nordstrom from Rockford.

By Tracey Myers

The Blackhawks shuffled a few things in the lineup the last few days. On Tuesday afternoon, they made one more recall heading into the Circus Trip.

The Blackhawks recalled Adam Clendening and Joakim Nordstrom from the Rockford IceHogs, and they’ll return to practice on Wednesday to prepare for their upcoming six-game road trip.

Nordstrom was in the Blackhawks’ lineup on Sunday, lining up with Marcus Kruger and Ben Smith in the team’s 6-2 victory over the Dallas Stars. The Blackhawks made some roster moves on Monday – basically salary-cap moves – that included reassigning Nordstrom to Rockford.

Clendening was considered a strong candidate to take one of the open defensemen spots on the Blackhawks’ roster heading into training camp. But it didn’t work out that way, as Trevor van Riemsdyk came out of nowhere, impressed all and made the team. With van Riemsdyk now out – he suffered a lower-body injury on Sunday night and was placed on long-term injured reserve on Monday – Clendening gets another opportunity. He has four points (one goal, three assists) in 16 games with the IceHogs this season.

The Blackhawks start their road trip against the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.

NHL scraps the dry scrape, makes goal review change at GM meetings.

By Nicholas J. Cotsonika

The NHL has scrapped the dry scrape.

In an effort to end more games in overtime – and avoid the shootout skills competition – the NHL ordered Zambonis to scrape the ice without laying water between the end of regulation and the start of OT this season. The idea was to improve ice quality, making it easier to pass, shoot and score. 

Problem was, it was a buzzkill. Here were two teams in a tie game headed to overtime and … everyone … had … to … wait.

The dry scrape took about five minutes on average but as long as 6 1/2 minutes in some cases, and the early returns didn’t show much effect in ending more games in OT. 

So at their annual November meeting Tuesday, the NHL’s general managers decided to park the Zambonis. Crews will now shovel the ice between regulation and overtime the same way they do during TV timeouts.

NHL executive Colin Campbell said there would not be a dry scrape before shootouts, the way there was in the past. Zambonis made only four passes in the middle of the ice then, and players still handled the puck wider than that lane without complaint. 

“I guess it just took a little too long,” said Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. “It took the excitement out of the end of the game. I think that’s what these meetings are for. We see something that wasn’t working the way we thought and correct it rather than just let it linger.”

Other key points from the GM meeting:

-- No Waiting For Whistle: The GMs decided to make another immediate change: Say the puck appears to go in the net but play continues. If NHL officials in the video room in Toronto clearly see the puck crossed the goal line, they will buzz the arena and have play stopped. They will not wait for a whistle.

“Too much can happen after that play that we don’t want to deal with,” Campbell said.

For example, there can be a penalty -- and the penalty sticks even though the goal is posted and the clock is rewound.

“It didn’t really happen, but it happened,” Campbell said.

-- Goalie Interference: The GMs discussed goalie interference at length. Campbell said there were three calls in 93 playoff games last season that the NHL would have liked to have changed. Two calls might have impacted a series – one in the first round between the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings, the other in the Stanley Cup final between the Kings and New York Rangers.

“The key question is: Should we take the call on the ice to video review and how should we do it?” Campbell said.

Going to video review isn’t as simple as it sounds. Campbell put the GMs through an exercise. He showed them six examples of goalie interference, gave them the call on the ice and told them to make the call via video review. In three cases, there was a clear majority. But in the other three, there was almost a split opinion.

“We wanted to show the difficulty,” Campbell said.

First, the GMs need to clarify the rule in wording or interpretation. For example, how do you define when a player was driven into the goaltender? How do you define when a goaltender embellished contact?

“Right now there’s some gray area,” Campbell said.

Then the GMs need to decide on a video review process. Does Toronto handle it? Is there a coaches challenge? Could the referees look at a monitor in the penalty box?

“I think with the goaltender interference, if we’re going to expand video review, people expect us to get it right and we want to make sure the process is right,” Campbell said. “If we can make it better, we’ll implement it. But it’s got to be perfect almost when we implement it.”

-- 3-on-3: The GMs looked at the results of the new overtime format in the American Hockey League, but they didn’t debate the issue. The AHL now has seven minutes of OT – 4-on-4 until the first whistle after the three-minute mark, then 3-on-3.

Through Nov. 10, 36 games had gone to OT in the AHL, and 30 had been decided in OT, including 14 in 3-on-3. But it’s early, and it isn’t apples to apples because the AHL’s OT is two minutes longer than the NHL’s.

“Whenever you have something new, it’s dangerous to draw conclusions after just a month or two,” said Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman. “You want to see what happens over the course of the whole season. Certainly to date in the American League, there’s been a lot fewer games going to shootouts. Now, will that hold up over the whole year? Will coaches make adjustments? You have to see a bigger sample size before you can really make a determination.”

-- Player Safety: NHL disciplinarian Stephane Quintal made a routine player safety presentation. The focus was knee-on-knee incidents. The last few years, the league had one about every 24 games. So far this year, it has had one about every 14.
 

“In the past, we only suspended players when there was an injury,” Quintal said. “I’m very sensitive to that. So I was asking them if I could raise the standard.”
 

The GMs will discuss these issues in more depth at their annual March meeting in Boca Raton, Fla.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Butler, Gibson excellence helps separate Bulls.   

By Lawrence Murray

Jimmy Butler (#21, l) and Taj Gibson (#22, r) have become versatile offensive and defensive staples for the Bulls team.

The NBA season is a long one. Teams go on peaks, streaks, slides and valleys. Players slump, get hot, get hurt, bounce back. One night can be an indicator of things to come, or it can be a flash in the pan. Consistency matters more than anything, but great players, great coaching, and great cohesiveness allow consistency to develop.

The Bulls have had to deal with so many injuries over head coach Tom Thibodeau's five-year tenure. The most notable of those injuries has been to point guard Derrick Rose, a former Most Valuable Player. Adding power forward Pau Gasol to the roster was a big step in the way of allowing the Bulls to add a different dimension to the offense.

Neither Rose (hamstring) nor Gasol (calf) was available to play Monday night at the STAPLES Center against the Los Angeles Clippers. For one night, that was fine, as starting shooting guard Jimmy Butler and power forward Taj Gibson scored a combined 44 points to lead Chicago to a thorough, 105-89, win over the Clippers.

But look closer. Butler is shining right now, scoring like a top-five shooting guard at 21.3 points per game to start the season. And Gibson is a familiar face as one of the very best reserve big men in the league.

Both players are showing a level of excellence and consistency that makes Chicago one of the more complete teams in the league. While it is not ideal to have players out due to injury, it is a luxury that coach Thibodeau has when two former late first-round picks evolve into nightly winning players.

"I think we're fortunate, this team, to have Joakim [Noah], we have Pau, we have Taj - those are three starters, and then we have a young guy [Nikola Mirotic] who is really good also," Thibodeau said following Monday night's win over the Clippers. "So there's a lof of quality depth."

Butler credits Thibodeau for helping him go from a defensive-oriented player to one who could challenge to be the NBA's Most Improved Player.

"Tom has always told me to look to score more and be more aggressive," Butler said Monday night. "I think it all started on defense for me."

A big key for Butler's output has been at the free throw line. In a league where everyone generally takes more and more threes, Butler has shown elite ability to stress perimeter defenders by slashing and getting to the stripe. Butler entered Monday night's game averaging 7.8 free throws per game, good for eighth in the league, and he made 9-of-10 from the charity stripe against the Clippers.

While Butler struggled mightily with his shot last season, shooting only 39.7 percent, he has improved that number significantly, making 50.8 percent this season even after having an off night Monday.

"Just be aggressive," Butler said of his ability to get to the basket or the line. "Get in there, and draw some contact while still trying to make the shot."

Gibson is the key to Chicago's interior dominance and depth - he could have entered this season as the starting power forward and no one would have blinked. But even though he is behind Gasol and Noah on the depth chart, his impact cannot be understated. In that way, he understands his role when he is called on to start.

"I'm used to it," Gibson said about starting on short notice with Gasol ruled out before the game. "Thibs knows I can start. People around the league know I can start. I'm not worried about that, just go out there and play my game."

At some point, Rose and Gasol will be back. But while they are out, this Chicago team looks much more prepared to play great. The luxury will then be Rose and Gasol joining Butler and Gibson in a truly formidable rotation.

Bulls put on a show in Los Angeles, clobber Clippers 105-89. (Monday night's game, 11/17/2014.

By Lawrence Murray

Chicago Bulls Jimmy Butler (21) guards Los Angeles Clippers (and former Bulls) Jamal Crawford (11) during Monday night's game at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports)

It may have been a road game for the Bulls, but they have been making the road seem like home all season.

Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler scored a team-high 22 points and grabbed six rebounds, as Chicago started off their Circus Trip with a 105-89 win over the Los Angeles Clippers at the STAPLES Center Monday evening.

The Clippers' building was serenaded with loud chants of "Let's go Bulls!" as Chicago overcame a 14-point first-half deficit and pulled away from Los Angeles in the second half.

The Bulls also got a great effort on the boards from center Joakim Noah, who pulled down a team-high 16 rebounds, while Taj Gibson had 20 points and five rebounds starting in place of injured power forward Pau Gasol.

The Clippers got 19 points and 10 rebounds from power forward Blake Griffin, who made only 7-of-15 field goals against Chicago's interior defense.

Chicago has had an issue with rebounds for most of the season, but they finished with 45 to 40 advantage on the glass.

The Clippers had a 50-48 halftime lead, getting 12 points off the bench from reigning Sixth Man of the Year and former Bulls guard Jamal Crawford. Chicago's bench had only ten points at halftime. The Bulls outscored the Clippers 31-14 in the third quarter, closing the frame on an 8-0 run, and though the Clippers threatened with a couple of fourth quarter runs, Chicago effectively closed it out with a couple of threes by forward Mike Dunleavy. Crawford would finish with a game-high 24 points.

The Bulls, who also played without guard Derrick Rose, won their sixth road game in as many tries, and are now 8-3 on the season. The Bulls will play at Sacramento on Thursday night. The Clippers (5-4) start a seven-game road trip Wednesday at Orlando.

Cubs lose out as Blue Jays sign Russell Martin.

By Patrick Mooney

The Toronto Blue Jays went into stealth mode and signed Russell Martin, taking an All-Star/Gold Glove catcher off the board and forcing the Cubs to think about Plan B behind the plate.

Martin agreed to a five-year, $82 million contract, an industry source confirmed Monday, going home, in a sense, after growing up in Montreal.  

The Cubs had courted Martin and believed he would have been a great fit as a veteran leader, on-base machine and pitch-framing specialist. But there must have been at least some sticker shock seeing the price for a catcher heading into his age-32 season.

Still, the Cubs stretched beyond a four-year, $65 million concept and were willing to give Martin a fifth year in certain scenarios, according to a source involved in the negotiations. 

Though the final numbers were unclear, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer can’t lick their wounds too long. Because WEEI.com reported left-handed ace Jon Lester and his representatives will have met with Boston Red Sox ownership before Tuesday’s anticipated get-together with Cubs brass.

A Lester-Martin battery would have been the dream sequence for Opening Night 2015, with the Cubs playing the St. Louis Cardinals on national television at a (partially) renovated Wrigley Field.

Martin has already been to the playoffs with the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates, demonstrating value that goes beyond the box score and developing a reputation as a culture-changing force.

Martin put together a fantastic walk year in Pittsburgh, leading the Pirates to another wild-card berth and showing up in the National League MVP voting. He batted .290 – after not hitting above .250 the previous five seasons – and posted a .402 on-base percentage with 11 homers and 67 RBI in 111 games. 

The Cubs believe Welington Castillo has the tools to potentially become a solid everyday catcher, but he will be 28 next season and is coming off two up-and-down years.

Another source said Epstein has shown previous interest in Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero, a two-time All-Star who’s signed through the 2017 season (at a cost of $40 million total).

Montero has become a subject of trade rumors with the Diamondbacks going through another regime change in the desert, this time with chief baseball officer Tony La Russa.

The Cubs also insist Kyle Schwarber, this year’s No. 4 overall pick out of Indiana University, has the athleticism, confidence and desire to eventually become a big-league catcher. But even though he’s a monster left-handed bat, Schwarber still hasn’t played above the A-ball level yet.

The Martin market was expected to move fast, given the lack of impact position players available this offseason. This free-agent class of catchers is filled with names like David Ross, Nick Hundley and A.J. Pierzynski.

It’s crazy to think the Dodgers actually non-tendered Martin after the 2010 season, which led to two productive years in The Bronx and then a relatively modest payday in Pittsburgh. The Pirates had wandered through 20 consecutive losing seasons before Martin signed a two-year, $17 million deal.

Alex Anthopoulos can have a bit of a scattershot approach – remember how the Blue Jays kept getting linked to Matt Garza and Jeff Samardzija? – but the Toronto GM is definitely not afraid of making bold moves.

Anthopoulos cashed in prospects and traded for Mark Buehrle, Jose Reyes and R.A. Dickey after the 2012 season, but the Blue Jays have won 74 and 83 games across the last two years.

Instead of leading the next phase of the Wrigley Field rebuild, Martin will try to be the Canadian hero who pushes the Blue Jays back to their World Series heights in 1992 and 1993.

The Cubs have been in the headlines so much recently that it’s easy to forget it’s still only mid-November. Epstein’s front office now has even more payroll flexibility to go along with a stash of prospects to deal from this winter. After meeting new manager Joe Maddon in an RV park, it’s time to give the recruiting pitch to Lester. 

White Sox seek veteran voice for clubhouse. 

By Dan Hayes

Among the many items the White Sox would like to acquire for next season is a veteran voice or two.

 

With Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko gone, the White Sox have little in the way of veteran leadership in the clubhouse. John Danks’ abilities are limited because he’s a pitcher while shortstop Alexei Ramirez’s personality lends more toward leadership by setting an example and playing nearly every day.

 

While the White Sox front office believes it has plenty of possible future leaders in Adam Eaton, Avisail Garcia and Jose Abreu, once he gets a better grasp on English, as well as Chris Sale, the void is something Rick Hahn and Kenny Williams said last week the club hopes to fill. 

 

“I do think that plays a role on a winning club,” Hahn said. “Earlier in the offseason I alluded to the fact we are going to remain focused on long-term fits and guys who can continue to add to this young growing core. But at the same time, a couple of shorter-term fits might make some sense, and part of what such a fit would bring would be that experience and that clubhouse presence.”

 

The trick is finding a player with leadership qualities that fits the puzzle. 

 

Not including the pitching staff, the White Sox need a solution in left field and at backup catcher, among other areas. They’d also like a left-handed bat to protect Abreu.

 

Hahn’s willingness to sign shorter-term players — something the White Sox didn’t feel they were in the right position to do in 2014 — opens avenues to veteran players. 

 

The White Sox wanted building blocks last offseason. And while they’re always in search of long-term solutions, the club feels it has enough in place to fill in the rest of the roster with comfortable fits even if those players sign for only one or two seasons.

 

Having a player who can communicate with both the English and Spanish-speaking players would seem imperative in keeping the clubhouse together. Not every team has a Hunter Pence, a player whose pre-game speeches have taken on sermon-like qualities that when captured on video, become viral sensations in an instant. But teams still need players to keep everyone on the same page in both the good and bad times. 

 

“It’s conceivable,” Hahn said. “We want the guy to fit based upon his ability to help us win ballgames. The majority of that occurs in what his performance is on the field. But if there’s a clubhouse element to it, a positive way of continuing to set the right tone and amplify some of the things that are important to Jerry, Kenny and myself, that’s definitely a plus.”

Williams: 'People can dream again' when White Sox roster finishes.

By Dan Hayes

The White Sox want their fans excited again and they think they have begun to gather the proper elements.

 

That’s the take of executive vice president Kenny Williams after the White Sox signed left-handed reliever Zach Duke to a three-year, $15-million contract on Tuesday afternoon.

 

Intent upon improving a young, talented core, general manager Rick Hahn and Williams have made it clear they would do everything in their power this offseason to make the team relevant again in 2015. Acquiring Duke gives the team a valuable left-handed relief option that the league’s third worst bullpen sorely lacked during the 2014 season.

 

While their aggressive pursuit of Duke — who they made a top target in late October — sends a message they’re serious they no longer want “to take it on the chin”, Williams said the overall picture far outweighs anything that can be taken from the first move of the offseason.

 

“The only message we want to send at the end of the day is when our roster is complete, that people can dream again,” Williams said after Tuesday’s Amateur City Elite program event at U.S. Cellular Field. “The difference is this time, because of how things have transpired the last couple of years, we’ve been able to build up from the bottom up a little bit and we’ve got a lot of youth, and good talented youth. If we can supplement the right guys, the right veterans, and get some leadership in the mix, I think we can start to have some exciting baseball again on the South Side. But we have some work to do still.”

 

Williams said he couldn’t recall a more active time at the GM meetings where “good players have been discussed” than he and Hahn encountered last week at the Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix. Williams expects a wild offseason ahead throughout the majors.

 

The White Sox have been mentioned in numerous rumors so far. Alexei Ramirez’s trade value has been speculated upon while the team is said to have interest in any number of free agents, including a FoxSports.com report Tuesday that said they have inquired upon left-handed hitter Adam LaRoche.

 

The team still could use another bullpen arm, an additional starting pitcher, a solution in left field, as well as a left-handed bat to protect Jose Abreu.

 

“It’s going to be awfully fun once the Winter Meetings kick off,” Williams said. “You’re going to have some scrambling going on and I like it like that.

 

“If it was left up to Rick and I we’d have started in September and October filling out the roster. But agents and players don’t seem to be on our time table, they seem to be on their own timetable.”

 

Even though he’s focused on the larger picture, Williams is pleased by the team’s first foray into free agency this offseason. The White Sox finished last season with a 4.38 bullpen ERA, which ranked 28th among 30 teams. Williams thinks Duke, who struck out 74 batters in 58 2/3 innings and had a 2.45 ERA, should provide a good left-handed option to balance a solid stable of right-handed relievers, including Jacob Petricka and Zach Putnam.

 

Williams is excited about the direction the White Sox are headed.

 

“Some of the things Rick and I are talking about back there are exciting things and some days they are more exciting than others,” Williams said. “You kind of go back and forth with the possibilities.

 

“This is a good first step and hopefully we can supplement the roster and get back into competition mode.”

Golf: I got a club for that; Leaner Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, ‘dialed in’ Dustin Johnson prepping for 2015.

By Emily Kay

 

(Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Three PGA Tour powerhouses — Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Dustin Johnson — are looking to 2015 as resets for their struggling careers. Tiger and Phil are reportedly slimmer and fitter than ever, while DJ’s heavy-duty workouts include 30-mile bike rides.

Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Dustin Johnson are hitting the gym, the practice range, and, in DJ’s case, the bike trail, as they set their sights on a healthier, more successful, and in Lefty’s case, "great" 2015.

Tiger preps for December comeback

Woods, who’ll be the first of the trio to return to competition when he tees it up in two weeks at the Hero World Challenge, is in "full practice mode," according to Golf Channel’s Tim Rosaforte.

  

Woods, who’s been off the PGA Tour since he missed the cut at the PGA Championship in August, is "hitting drivers down at Medalist Golf Club … and, by all accounts, looking extremely lean, much leaner than when we last saw him," according to Rosaforte.

 

Tiger insider and Rosaforte colleague, Notah Begay, continues to insist he has not been hired on as his former Stanford teammate’s swing coach but has been serving in an advisory capacity, "as a sounding board" for his good friend.

 

"He is trying to remind Tiger of what he did well back in the ‘90s," said Rosaforte, referring to the heyday of the 38-year-old 14-time major champion.

 

Rosaforte also suggested that Woods’ "new body type" was an effort to recreate the look and feel of his glory days. "Maybe it’s sort of a throwback to the ‘90s," said Rosaforte.

 

Phil's in the gym

 

Another aging superstar seeking a return to major-winning form that eluded him in 2014 is Mickelson, who believes that a new workout regime designed to slim his physique and boost his club-head speed will help him achieve a "great" 2015.

 

Lefty, taking a page out of the Rory McIlroy-Tiger playbook (don’t tell Brandel Chamblee), told Rosaforte that working out four mornings a week had gotten him halfway to his goal of losing 20 pounds and gaining 10 m.p.h. on his swing speed.

 

"He looks more athletic. He’s standing taller, carrying himself better," performance coach Sean Cochran told Rosaforte about the results of his 5:45 a.m. sessions with Mickelson. "If I was a betting man, I’ll say he’ll come out hot in 2015."

 

Mickelson, who’s been known to place a wager or two, would likely take that bet.

 

 

Brad Mont                                                                                                 Follow

@mavdc   

 

@GolfCentral and he paid the debt, even if he had to borrow the $1 from @JasonDufner's caddy

 

1:45 PM - 8 Apr 2014

                     

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********************        

"Next year is going to be a great one," Mickelson, who had only one top-10 finish in 2014, his worst season as a professional, said in a text message to Rosaforte.

 

The ever-optimistic five-time major champion made a similar prediction when he re-upped with Callaway last month.

 

"Backed by innovative technologies, industry-leading products, and the outstanding R&D group that works so closely with me," Mickelson said in a Callaway press release after signing a multi-year extension with the company that’s supplied his gear for 10 years, "I honestly believe that these next few years will be the best of my career."

 

Stay tuned; the popular PGA Tour superstar is expected to return to competition early next year, perhaps at the Humana Challenge at the end of January, according to Rosaforte.

 

DJ targeting Torrey return?

 

As for Johnson, the big-hitter who said he left the tour in late July to address "personal challenges" may make his comeback at the Farmers Insurance Open on February 8. That’s a date that would allow him to be present when fiancee Paulina Gretzky delivers their first child, and, as Rosaforte noted Monday in Golf Digest, would mark the end of a reported six-month suspension for failing a drug test.

 

You don’t have to be a 40-something like Mickelson (44) or nearing the big 4-0 like Woods (39 on December 30) to require discipline to whip yourself into shape, and DJ (30) has apparently gone all out in his workout regimen. Inactive on the tour since the Canadian Open in late July, Johnson began hitting the gym hard last month.

 

Rosaforte reported that Johnson’s regimen of 30-mile bicycle rides and 40 sessions with trainer Joey Diovisalvi included two-a-days on the weights.

 

"I've never seen the guy more dialed in," Diovisalvi said to Rosaforte, who also noted that coach Claude Harmon III was pleased with the efforts his student was making on the practice range.

 

The DJ of yore, who reportedly would appear for practices late or just blow them off, has been replaced by a diligent, conscientious worker.

 

Johnson’s sessions are "much more focused, he’s showing up on time, he’s not canceling out," Rosaforte quoted Harmon as saying. "He is definitely engaged, and [Harmon] describes him as very healthy, happy, and lighthearted."

 

He'd be a welcome addition to the Tour if he makes it back for one the marquee events on the early-season schedule.

NASCAR: Harvick's title a total team effort.

By Seth Livingstone

Kevin Harvick and Stewart-Haas Racing co-owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas are interviewed in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 and the 2014 Sprint Cup Series championship. (Chris Graythen/2014 Getty Images)

Harvick: 'I don't think I've ever been happier in my whole life than I have been this year'.

Kevin Harvick walked into his post-race press conference munching a slice of pepperoni pizza. He ended it with 2-year-old son Keelan on his lap and walked out of the room with a bottle of his sponsor's beer in his hand.

All pretty normal stuff.

But the 2014 season, to which Harvick applied his exclamation mark Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, was anything but. It was special and quite remarkable for the team, its owners and its driver.

Moreover it was about the combined family that Stewart-Haas Racing had become in the last year, bringing in new faces like Harvick and Kurt Busch and talented behind-the-scenes people like eager-to-achieve crew chief Rodney Childers.

It's a family that has experienced rough times. Co-owner Tony Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, had personally weathered the darkest season of his career, sitting out three races after his sprint car struck and killed a fellow driver in Upstate New York and failing to win a race for the first time in his career. This week, the spector of domestic abuse allegations hovered around Kurt Busch.

None of that could, however, deter or diminish the accomplishment of the Stewart-Haas family as it related to Harvick's phenomenal season or virtually flawless performance to hold off Ryan Newman for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title in Sunday's Ford EcoBoost 400.

"I'm just glad tonight turned out," Stewart said. "You know, the rest of it's history. We've talked about it over and over. I'm more excited about what this organization and what this group of people has done together. You know, there are a lot of things I would love to change about the last 18 months of my life, but tonight is not one of them.

Harvick agreed on every count.

"For me, personally, there's nothing better than to see your friends smile," he said. "I know (Tony's) been through a lot this year but very rarely have we talked about those situations. He's my friend and I want to see him happy."

Stewart noted that sometimes change can be a good thing and change is what put Harvick in the No. 4 Chevrolet.

Although finishing third in points three out of the last four previous seasons, Harvick had become stale after 13 years at Richard Childress Racing where he won 23 Sprint Cup races and six poles. This year alone he won five Cup races – including the final two – and eight poles.

"I just wasn't excited about going to work," Harvick said, reflecting on his move. "I'd known Kurt and Danica and to be part of building something -- it really changed my life. Really, (having) my son started that. In evaluation it was (wife) Delana and I looking at things and saying, 'What's going to make us happy?’ Because, in the end, if you're not happy, nothing is going to work like it should.

"I don't think I've ever been happier in my whole life than I have been this year -- from a personal and professional standpoint. You see all the things that you have around you and you're lucky. Honestly, I have no idea how much money I make. I love showing up to work. I love coming to the race track and I love what I do."

Harvick was convinced that Stewart and co-owner Gene Haas were serious about building a winner from the ground up -- which the Harvick team literally did, with new equipment, cars and personnel.

"As I look at the decision to come here, I keep coming back to the people and the resources that you have available to you," Harvick said. "Tony was pretty adamant that we could race for wins and championships. I think, for me, that was really what it was all about."

Harvick said it wasn’t just his Stewart-Haas family, but the extended family that helped him settle in during championship week at Homestead. More than once he mentioned the support he received from Jimmie Johnson. The six-time premier champion drives for Hendrick Motorsports, which supplies engines and chassis to Stewart-Haas.

When it came to actually winning the race, everything just sort of fell into place for Harvick, who led 54 laps including the final eight once he utilized fresh tires to get by Denny Hamlin.

"I have no idea how I got the lead -- no clue," said Harvick of the closing laps, after Childers' decision to take four tires left the No. 4 Chevrolet sitting 12th on a restart with less than 10 laps to race. It was as deep in the field as Harvick had been all race.

It came as little surprise to Harvick that Childers had made the call for fresh rubber, even as Hamlin stayed on the track and Ryan Newman–a close friend and driver he replaced at SHR–gained an on-track advantage by taking right sides only.

"I can drive the car, but these guys have made some bold decisions, whether it be on the pit box tonight, changing the pit crew (prior to the Chase) or whatever it might be," Harvick said. "I believe in life that sometimes you have to make bold decisions. Sometimes they work out."

USMNT-Ireland myth or fact: Breaking down worry levels, "second strings" and an ugly American loss.

By Nicholas Mendola

(AP Photo)

Are we overreacting, under-reacting or just plain reacting to the United States woeful showing against Ireland in a 4-1 friendly loss Tuesday in Dublin?

Frankly, it’s hard to judge with the wound so fresh. For every stated, “Ireland was playing their second-best players” blast is another, “Yeah, but wasn’t Jurgen Klinsmann doing the same?”

For every, “What woeful defending!” from American critics there’s also a “How about that Irish performance?” from the home fans.

So let’s play a bit of “Mythbusters” here.

Myth or fact: The USMNT’s best was trampled underfoot by Ireland’s second string.

Let’s start with the Irish: this was certainly their second-choice group. James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman of Everton were missing, leaders John O’Shea and Darron Gibson weren’t around, Robbie Keane headed back to MLS and Jonathan Walters wasn’t playing either.

But to act like the States were lining up their first choice bunch is, frankly, a little too forced. The States were without:

GK Tim Howard
GK Brad Guzan
MF Michael Bradley
FW Clint Dempsey
MF/DF Jermaine Jones
MF/DF DeAndre Yedlin
DF John Anthony Brooks
DF Omar Gonzalez

Those are clear-cut World Cup difference makers, for better or worse, and that list does not include missing would-be players Joe Gyau (injured) and Lee Nguyen (MLS) duty. Michael Orozco was left home and Damarcus Beasley was sent home.

So this one’s a myth.

Myth or fact: The US lost the game far more than Ireland won it.

 Robbie Brady’s free kick was spellbinding, and David McGoldrick was making plays like an Irish version of Mesut Ozil. Shay Given — Guzan’s Aston Villa backup — was pushing would-be goals aside like his Newcastle United prime. And when they took the lead, the Irish packed it in and countered like Energizer bunnies, never losing their gusto.

But let’s face facts, here: This USMNT side was frazzled from the get-go, and when things got worse, they looked downright lost. Alfredo Morales looked out of his depth, Matt Besler appeared flat-out exhausted, and neither Timmy Chandler nor Fabian Johnson showed a heck of a lot of their defensive acumen in this contest. Even normally reliable Kyle Beckerman was making poor choices and errant passes.

The United States gave this game away. Full credit to Ireland for finishing their chances, but more truth than rumor, this one.

Myth or fact: The last 1-W-2D-2L post-World Cup record is a real worry ahead of the 2015 Gold Cup, 2016 Olympics and 2016 Copa America Centenario.

Taken in a vacuum, you can get over the 4-1 loss to Ireland as a one-off. You can write-off the 2-1 loss to Colombia by pointing out that Los Cafeteros are beating most anyone in their path not named Brazil.

But what about the final frame foul-ups against Honduras and Ecuador? Or the “Saved By Rimando” win that was the second half in Prague? The States have not looked great. Even taking into account tinkering and experimentation with the lineup, the US has not lived up to its billing from the World Cup.

Ah, there’s the rub. The World Cup. This is where the worrying rubber meets the panic road. If you’re still one of those freaking out about what Landon Donovan would’ve done if he were in Brazil, and fit in with the “I’m going to hate everything that comes out Jurgen Klinsmann’s mouth” crowd, then you should be freaking out.

And, to be fair, even if you are like the many who haven’t made a decision on whether Jurgen Klinsmann is the answer, the last few months haven’t done much to reassure you. So, whether you’re a Klinsmann believer or skeptic, your worry is real.

That’s a fact, and a troubling one with months before we get any further looks at the Stars and Stripes.

Alabama moves up to No. 1 in College Football Playoff rankings.

By Sam Cooper

There were quite a few changes when the College Football Playoff selection committee unveiled the fourth installment its rankings on Tuesday night.

After Alabama knocked off Mississippi State in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, the committee rewarded the Crimson Tide by moving them from No. 5 all the way up to the No. 1 spot in the rankings. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs dropped to fourth.

 

Oregon, coming off a bye week, stayed at No. 2 and Florida State remained at No. 3 after its comeback win over Miami.

After edging lowly Kansas, TCU dropped from No. 4 to No. 5, while Ohio State jumped two slots from No. 8 to No. 6 with its road win over No. 25 Minnesota.
 

Baylor stayed at No. 7, while Ole Miss and UCLA each moved up two spots to No. 8 and No. 9, respectively. Rounding out the Top 10, Georgia jumped up five slots from No. 15 to No. 10 by knocking off No. 14 Auburn.
 

Arizona State and Nebraska made the biggest drops of the week. The Sun Devils paid the price for falling to Oregon State and went from No. 6 to No. 13. Nebraska dropped from No. 16 to No. 23 after getting destroyed by Wisconsin.

No. 19 USC, No. 20 Missouri, No. 21 Oklahoma and No. 24 Louisville were all newcomers to this week’s rankings while LSU, Notre Dame, Duke and Texas A&M went unranked.



Muschamp out as Florida coach after 4 seasons.

By MARK LONG (AP Sports Writer)

Florida head coach Will Muschamp watches from the sideline as South Carolina is about to score a touchdown to tie the game and send it in to overtime late in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014. South Carolina won in overtime 23-20. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Despite trying three coordinators and five quarterbacks, Will Muschamp never figured out one side of the ball at Florida.

And it cost him his job.

The Gators parted ways with Muschamp on Sunday, one day after a gut-wrenching loss to South Carolina that summed up the former defensive coordinator's four-year tenure as head coach.

Muschamp's close-to-the-vest style proved to be too conservative and too unsuccessful for a school with three national champions, eight Southeastern Conference titles and sky-high expectations.

Muschamp, who cleaned up a troubled program and made Florida one of the best defensive teams in the SEC, will stick around for the final two regular-season games against Eastern Kentucky and Florida State. He is 27-20, including 17-15 in conference play, in three-plus seasons in Gainesville.

''Upon evaluation of our football program, we are not where the program needs to be and should be,'' athletic director Jeremy Foley said in a statement. ''I've always said that our goal at the University of Florida is to compete for championships on a regular basis. ... I will be forever grateful to Will and his staff for their unwavering commitment to the University of Florida and the mission of our athletic program.''

The decision came less than 24 hours after a 23-20 loss to South Carolina in overtime. It was Florida's sixth defeat in its last eight games in Gainesville.

The last two were debacles that sealed Muschamp's fate, making the guy nicknamed ''Coach Boom'' a bust at Florida.

''I was given every opportunity to get it done here and I simply didn't win enough games - that is the bottom line,'' Muschamp said in a statement. ''I have no bitter feelings, but this is a business and I wish we would have produced better results on the field. We have a great group of players and a staff that is committed to this University and this football program. They have handled themselves with class and I expect them to continue to do so.

''As I've said many times, life is 10 percent of what happens to you and 90 percent how you respond.''

The Gators didn't respond well enough, especially in their last two home games.

The Gamecocks blocked a field goal and a punt in the final four minutes of regulation Saturday, special teams gaffes that turned what should have been a 10-point lead into a third consecutive home defeat.

The previous loss was equally troubling for Foley. The Gators (5-4, 4-4 SEC) turned the ball over six times in a 42-13 drubbing against Missouri on homecoming last month. Chants of ''Fire Muschamp'' could be heard throughout an emptying Florida Field.

Foley stuck with Muschamp after that one, saying the coach and the season would be evaluated ''as it plays out.'' The Gators regrouped, benched turnover-prone quarterback Jeff Driskel and won consecutive games in dominating fashion, including a stunner against rival Georgia. They even had an outside shot at winning the SEC's muddled Eastern Division.

But that ended against the Gamecocks, which entered the game with one of the country's worst defenses.

''Hate to see it about coach Muschamp,'' South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said Sunday. ''Will is a good person and a good coach. He's been a bit unlucky. We all, as coaches, complain about close losses and he's had his share of them. I was telling somebody that in the four meetings we've had with his team, we've not scored more than 20 points in regulation, but we've won three out of four somehow.''

Spurrier also made it clear he has no intentions of returning to his alma mater, where he won the 1966 Heisman Trophy, spent 12 years (1990-2001) coaching and led the Gators to the 1996 national title.

''I've already had my run at Florida,'' Spurrier said. ''They need to hire a coach that hopefully will be there 10 years.''

Florida fell to 17-8 under Muschamp at home, where Spurrier (68-5) and fellow former coach Urban Meyer (36-5) dropped a combined 10 games in 18 seasons.

Florida fans expected and demanded better results.

The former head-coach-in-waiting at Texas, Muschamp was Foley's pick to replace Meyer after he stepped down at the end of the 2010 season.

Foley extended Muschamp's contract twice and gave him a raise. Because of those shows of good faith, Florida owes Muschamp more than $6 million for the final three years left on his deal.

Paying off the rest of the coaching staff could cost about another $2 million.

It's unclear how long it will take for Foley to find a replacement. But the hire likely will be someone with head-coaching experience who comes from an offensive background. After all, the last two defensive guys with no head-coaching experience Foley hired - Muschamp and former coach Ron Zook - didn't pan out.

Muschamp hired Charlie Weis, Brent Pease and Kurt Roper to run the offense but all failed to impress a following that had grown accustomed to seeing points a plenty under Spurrier and Meyer.

The Gators finished 105th, 103rd and 113th in total offense during Muschamp's first three seasons. They rank 88th this year through nine games.

Players were told of the decision during a team meeting Sunday and quickly reacted via social media.

''I'm hurt man,'' offensive tackle Rod Johnson posted on his Twitter feed.

''Great coach but an even better person,'' kicker Frankie Velez tweeted. ''I'm thankful everyday for the opportunity coach Muschamp gave me. Sad day for Florida.''

Kentucky stays No. 1, Harvard drops in College Basketball Talk's latest Top 25 (Monday, November 17, 2014). 

By Rob Dauster

Harvard became the first top 25 team to lose this season, as the then-No. 23 Crimson fell 58-57 at Holy Cross on Sunday night.

And it’s a loss that could be a critical blow to the Crimson here despite the fact that it is only November.

I’m serious.

Harvard is in a different situation than just about every other program that’s going to get consideration for the Top 25. They don’t play in the Big 12 or the ACC. They’re in the Ivy League, which means that they won’t be able to make up for blemishes on their NCAA tournament resume with marquee league wins in February. There is that much more emphasis for the Crimson on putting together a strong non-conference resume, and losses to Holy Cross certainly don’t help.

They still get a chance to win at Virginia and Arizona State, and picking up a win at home against Houston or UMass would certainly help, but Harvard’s margin of error to earn an at-large bid was already razor thin entering the season. This loss does them no favors. The good news? There is no Ivy League conference tournament, so if they can take care of business in league play, this discussion will be moot.

Anyway, on to the Top 25:

1. Kentucky (2-0, Last Week: No. 1): Despite a bit of a scare from Buffalo on Sunday, the Wildcats rolled through both of their opponents this weekend. The real test comes Tuesday against No. 5 Kansas.

2. Arizona (2-0, LW: No. 2): The Wildcats picked up a pair of wins over teams that they should get wins against.

3. Wisconsin (2-0, LW: No. 3): Sam Dekker and Nigel Hayes both took steps forward.

4. Duke (2-0, LW: No. 4): Duke’s got the most talented group of guards in the country. Rasheed Sulaimon is the x-factor. Will he buy into a role?

5. Kansas (1-0, LW: No. 5): The Jayhawk opener was a bit concerning. Cliff Alexander played 12 minutes, Kelly Oubre played four and their offense looks like it needs quite a bit of work.

6. Virginia (2-0, LW: No. 6): Through two games, Justin Anderson is 7-for-10 from three. Will this hold up all season long?

7. North Carolina (2-0, LW: No. 7): The Tar Heels have some perimeter shooting issues, but they’ll be able to overpower opponents inside. J.P. Tokoto has 14 assists through two games.

8. Texas (2-0, LW: No. 8): The Longhorns rolled to two wins. Myles Turner’s start: 12.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.0 bpg.

9. Gonzaga (1-0, LW: No. 9): Kyle Wiltjer (18 points) and Domantas Sabonis (14 points, eight boards) both had impressive debuts. They get SMU on Monday night.

10. Louisville (1-0, LW: No. 10): The Cards had the only real notable win of the weekend, rolling over Minnesota on opening night. Montrezl Harrell and Terry Rozier played like All-Americans.

11. Villanova (1-0, LW: No. 11)
12. Wichita State (1-0, LW: No. 12)
13. VCU (1-0, LW: No. 13)
14. Florida (1-0, LW: No. 14)
15. Oklahoma (1-0, LW: No. 15)
16. SMU (1-0, LW: No. 16)
17. Iowa State (1-0, LW: No. 17)
18. SDSU (1-0, LW: No. 18)
19. Michigan (1-0, LW: No. 19)
20. UConn (1-0, LW: No. 20)
21. Iowa (1-0, LW: No. 21)
22. Michigan State (1-0, LW: No. 22)
23. UCLA (2-0, LW: No. 23)
24. Stanford (2-0, LW: No. 24)
25. Nebraska (1-0, LW: No. NR)

Sanity restored: NCAA will rename tournament's early rounds.

By Jeff Eisenberg

Fans take photos in front of a giant NCAA logo before the championship game in the 2013 NCAA mens Final Four at the Georgia Dome. (Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports)

 

Having done its best to confuse America's college basketball fans for the past few years, the NCAA is finally bringing some common sense back to March Madness.

 

The organization announced Monday that the round of 64 and 32 will officially be known as the first and second round again beginning in 2016, a long overdue decision that already is being praised across social media.

The NCAA began referring to the round of 64 and 32 as the second and third rounds after the tournament expanded to 68 teams in 2010 because it didn't want the "First Four" to feel like a play-in round. Not only would attendance and TV ratings drop if the "First Four" wasn't viewed as part of the real tournament, the coaches whose teams lost those games also might not receive the usual job security boost that comes with making the field.

The problem with the nomenclature has been that the public has proven easier to confuse than to fool. Most everyone recognizes what the First Four is — a two-day event that whittles two No. 16 seeds out of the field and pits the last four at-large candidates against one-another. Renaming the round of 64 and 32 has been maddening, however, because of the confusion created when some reporters, analysts and fans adopt the new names and others stick with the old, more logical ones.

"The purpose of referring to those games as the second and third rounds was to sway people to use first round or better yet First Four when referencing the games in Dayton,” NCAA vice president for men's basketball Dan Gavitt said. "No one in our membership was fond of ‘play-in’ games because of the implication that you had to win those games to make the tournament, which couldn’t be further from the truth. People now understand the First Four is the start of the tournament, so it will continue to be branded as such, and the weekend games will now go back to being the first two rounds."

Why would the NCAA wait until 2016 to make the switch? Ironically, it's to prevent more confusion. Tickets to the 2015 NCAA tournament have already been printed and purchased, so changing the names now might have led to more problems than it was worth.

Having to wait until 2016 is a small price to play for sanity being restored. Never again will any of us have to hear the phrase "second round" and wonder whether the game in question took place in the round of 64 or the round of 32.

Adrian Peterson's shot at appeal as laughable as NFLPA's feeble swipes at Goodell.

By Charles Robinson

Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson (Getty Images)

Adrian Peterson's season is done. Close the polling stations, turn out the lights and lock the doors.

Of course, we'll hear plenty of ineffectual grandstanding and crankiness from the NFL players union (certainties trailing only death and taxes). And an appeal has already been announced, which will be fruitless. Perhaps Peterson will publicly lament his final judgment, which essentially amounts to a 15-game suspension and a fine equal to his last six game checks.

 

But if you're a Minnesota Vikings fan, or an Adrian Peterson fan, or just playing a contrarian, don't waste the oxygen. All that remains is paper-shuffling and tens of thousands of dollars in billable hours for the lawyers. It will all end at the same place: Peterson will be suspended, the NFL Players Association will be powerless, and the league's best running back will start to think about the remainder of his career.

 
If Peterson's case has taught us anything, it's two things:

First, in the wake of the league's Ray Rice meltdown, Goodell and the rest of the Park Avenue droid army won't be gambling on conduct anymore. All the house money has been lost (and then some). If a player hits a woman and the league feels its image will be hurt, the player will be suspended and fined. Maybe he'll have his career ended. And a child? Hit a child and make the league look bad, you're going to lose a lot of money and a lot of games.

None of this is a commentary on the morals of these decisions. It's a statement of the NFL's new world: Don't make the NFL look bad. Don't upset sponsors. Don't do things that make the league look morally bankrupt. God forbid there is another "South Park" episode featuring the "Goodell Bot."

And the second thing we've learned? The union has been obliterated when it comes to the NFL's conduct decisions. Players would be better off driving to the league office and spitting on the front door than having faith in a union that gets a laughable amount of respect from Goodell. At no point was this more clear than when the NFLPA set a "deadline" for the league to take Peterson off of the commissioner's exempt list, or the union threatened to pursue an expedited grievance.

You can bet that elicited laughs and eye-rolls in the NFL offices that day. That's if the league noticed at all. Goodell and his minions fear the NFLPA and its threats of grievances and appeals the way a circus spectator fears a clown wielding a bucket of confetti.

And then there was Tuesday's NFLPA statement on Peterson's suspension. Italics have been added to help translate. Behold:

"The decision by the NFL to suspend Adrian Peterson is another example of the credibility gap that exists between the agreements they make and the actions they take. Since Adrian's legal matter was adjudicated, the NFL has ignored their obligations and attempted to impose a new and arbitrary disciplinary proceeding."

Translation: "The league is doing whatever it wants."

"The facts are that Adrian has asked for a meeting with Roger Goodell, the discipline imposed is inconsistent and an NFL executive told Adrian that his time on the Commissioner's list would be considered as time served."

Translation: "Adrian wanted to meet with the commissioner on his terms and not the league's, but it wouldn't agree to it. Can you believe that? And we think someone told Adrian there was going to be a totally different punishment at the end of the road, but we don't really know if that's true and we can't prove it, so we'll just say 'an NFL executive.' Sorta like when the media uses semi-anonymous sourcing that we can't stand."

"The NFLPA will appeal this suspension and will demand that a neutral arbitrator oversee the appeal."

Translation: "We hope to someday actually win an important arbitration. Otherwise, we really gained nothing in the last collective bargaining agreement. We also hope nobody notices this. Here's a balloon for you to hold. It's shiny."

"We call on the NFL Management Council to show our players and our sponsors leadership by committing to collective bargaining so a fair personal conduct policy can be implemented as quickly as possible."

Translation: "Can anyone hear us out there? Mayday, mayday…Please send help."

The bottom line in all of this is that Peterson's case has served as a glance forward. It's the first significant conduct incident that comes in the "ARR" (After Ray Rice) era. And it showcases what we all expected.

When it comes to its image off the field, the league and Roger Goodell aren't playing around. Turn out the lights.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, November 19, 2014.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1979 - Nolan Ryan (Houston Astros) signed a four-year contract for $4.5 million. At the time, Ryan was the highest paid player in major league baseball.

1984 - Dwight Gooden (New York Mets), at 20 years old, became the youngest major league pitcher to be named Rookie of the Year in the National League.

1995 - Patrick Ewing (New York Knicks) became the 23rd NBA player to pass the 20,000 point mark.

1996 - Albert Belle signed a contract with the White Sox for a record $55 million. He was the first player to surpass the $10 million per year mark.

1999 - Evel Knievel and Krystal Kennedy were married.

2001 - Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants) became the first baseball player to win four Most Valuable Player Awards.

2004 - During a Detroit Pistons and Indian Pacers game a fight broke out involving fans and players. Several players were suspended and all involved were later charged with assault and battery.

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