CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Wednesday Sports News Update, 12/17/2014.

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Sports Quote of the Day:

“Surround yourself with good people. People who are going to be honest with you and look out for your best interests.” ~ Derek Jeter, Major League Baseball Player, Seven-time All-Star Shortstop and Captain of the New York Yankees               

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Toews, Kane shine as Blackhawks knock off Wild 5-3.

By Tracey Myers

Jonathan Toews #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks and Marco Scandella #6 of the Minnesota Wild chase the puck during the NHL game at the United Center on December 16, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Blackhawks have had to go without some top players at times this season, from Corey Crawford to Patrick Sharp.

They were without Duncan Keith on Tuesday, and there were plenty of times when it looked like they missed him plenty. But once more, the Blackhawks found a way to pull out a victory.

Patrick Kane scored the game-winning goal on a late power play and Jonathan Toews scored his 12th of the season as the Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild 5-3 on Tuesday. The Wild tied the game 3-3 in the third after trailing by two goals but Kane got a fortunate power-play bounce to win it. The Blackhawks have now won seven in a row at the United Center.

Keith was out sick on Tuesday, and first thought was that the defenseman got the mumps. Coach Joel Quenneville, however, said it was “unlikely” Keith was stricken with the mumps, with which 16 other NHL players have been diagnosed. Asked if Keith will return to the Blackhawks’ next practice, Quenneville said he’s, “hoping that’s the case.”

Still, there’s no doubt the Blackhawks missed Keith, who’s averaging just under 26 minutes of ice time per game.

“Losing Dunc tonight, it’s obviously a big hole, a Norris trophy-winning defenseman, you don’t just replace those,” said Brent Seabrook, who scored his sixth goal of the season. “So it’s nice to see a group effort from our forwards to our defense to our goaltending.”

Quenneville agreed.

“Ordinary first, excellent second period,” he said. “We generated with pucks and bodies and everything was funneled to the net. We got a lot of momentum off second, we’re in a pretty good position, then (Nino Niederreiter) makes a nice play on the penalty shot and it’s anybody’s game. I didn’t mind, overall, what transpired tonight; tough game.”

It was, but it didn’t look like the third period was going to be as tough as it was at the end of the second. The Blackhawks dominated that period, outshooting the Wild 21-8 – the most shots the Wild has given up in a period this season — and scoring three goals. Brent Seabrook rifled one high over Niklas Backstrom to tie it 1-1 about eight minutes into the second. Marian Hossa scored about four minutes later to make it 2-1 and then Toews notched one about 12 minutes after that. It looked like Toews’ goal was Ben Smith’s, the puck going off Backstrom’s skate after the fourth-line forward touched it. Smith wasn’t concerned if it wasn’t his.

“The guys were laughing that it was mine but I didn’t see it,” said Smith, who got an empty-netter with 14 seconds remaining in regulation. “I said to Toews, ‘who cares?’ It was a big goal at the time. Either way, it was an unbelievable play by him to take the puck away and find me in front.”

The Wild battled back with Niederreiter’s penalty shot and a goal from Marco Scandallea, whose shot went off Marcus Kruger’s stick and past Antti Raanta to tie the game, 3-3. It stayed that way until late in the third, when Kane’s power-play shot went off the back of Jonas Brodin’s skate and past Backstrom for a 4-3 lead. Minnesota coach Mike Yeo was not happy with the call leading to that power play, an Erik Haula hook.

“I’m extremely disappointed,” Yeo said. “That time of the hockey game in a tie game on a one-handed hook on a dead play, pretty frustrating …”

The Blackhawks escaped with one on Tuesday night. It wasn’t the Blackhawks’ prettiest effort but once again, minus a key player, they banded together and made up for the loss.

“You have to find ways to get plays done on power plays, penalty kill and 5 on 5,” Kris Versteeg said. “You can’t replace [Keith]. You need guys to step up and tonight they did.”

EPIX NHL Road To The Winter Classic: Puck Daddy's viewing guide to Caps, Blackhawks.

By Josh Cooper

Washington Capitals hockey captain Alex Ovechkin, center, flanked by teammates Braden Holtby, left, and Nicklas Backstrom, of Sweden, right, pose for a photo wearing the teams uniform for the 2015 Bridgestone Winter Classic hockey game, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2014, during an unveiling at Nationals Park in Washington. The Capitals will Play the Chicago Blackhawks in the game that will be played New Years Day. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

 

You ever want to see Jonathan Toews may or may not get concussed? Ever want to see Alex Ovechkin do – well, whatever Ovechkin does behind the scenes. Then get ready!

“EPIX Presents Road to the NHL Winter Classic” starts Tuesday evening … with little fanfare or buzz in comparison to the NHL’s previous ventures with HBO’s 24/7 series.

Maybe that is because EPIX is a smaller subscriber-based channel that is in 50 million households, and doesn’t quite carry the panache of HBO. The league seems to realize this, so it’s streaming the series on its website. 

Maybe we’ve seen enough of these-style shows, which have gone on since the 2011 Winter Classic between Pittsburgh and Washington.

Or maybe it’s the fact that this is the least ‘needle moving’ Winter Classic ever. Two teams between Chicago and Washington, with zero history, in a baseball stadium (Nationals Park) that has less lineage than the teams’ rivalry.

The game should have been held in RFK Stadium – though the NHL clearly used the Magneto excuse.

 

Regardless, these shows still offer a supposedly unfiltered view of the game in preparation for the Jan. 1 contest.

“I think the thing that has been really good is that they … let us look at the episodes before they get aired,” Caps coach Barry Trotz said. “So with that in mind, I think we have … you feel a lot more comfortable just being yourself, because you can help them edit it.”

Hmm, so much for that whole unfiltered thing. It should still be a fun watch. Even though the NHL Network’s “Oil Change” felt like it was free advertising for the Oilers, it still gave some perspective on the team. This should be no different.

Here are a few elements in the series to look for and maybe enjoy … or not …  from Puck Daddy's Greg Wyshynski and Josh Cooper.

Top Three Breakout Stars

1. Mitch Korn, Washington Capitals goaltending coach

Korn has guided the likes of Dominik Hasek, Tomas Vokoun and Pekka Rinne to solid NHL careers. He is known for his short physique and quirky techniques, which include white pucks and a shot screen board. There’s also a fun, everyman quality to Korn. For example, Trotz said scenes with Korn will be like a “Seinfeld episode.”

2. Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks center

Toews is often dubbed as ‘Captain Serious’ the guy who eats, breathes and lives hockey. But does he have a life outside of the game? Hopefully EPIX will shed some light on Toews, beyond the few drunken photos we have of him from the 2013 Stanley Cup celebration.

3. Patrick Kane’s girlfriend

The Blackhawks winger apparently is tied down … sorry ladies. While we all know about Kane’s drunken escapades in Madison, Wisc. during the 2012 offseason, he is supposedly a changed man! It would be fantastic to get a sense of Kane’s off-ice regimen, who he is and whether he actually has indeed matured from his viral hey day. His relationship likely plays a major role in this evolution. 

Top Three Musical Montages We Want To See

1. Patrick Sharp getting dressed for game day.

Look, EPIX: You have cameras and you have access and you have millions of viewers who will gladly subscribe to your network should you do this one obligatory thing.

2. The Capitals scoring all the power play goals.

We’re thinking something themed to “You’re The Best” from “The Karate Kid.”

3. The Blackhawks’ holiday party.

No disrespect to DC, but Chicago plus John McDonaugh’s grandiose nature plus the Blackhawks’ appetites and personalities equals the Christmas blast to end all Christmas blasts.

Top Three “24/7” Tropes We Hope Are Retired

1. The visit to the community rink.

Yes, we get it, the rich white men who own the teams are very charitable. Now show us another coach yelling profanities please.

2. The staged dinner conversation. 

We’re still recovering from that meal the Red Wing had last season that came off about as naturally as a Kardashian screaming match on E! More reality, please.

3. The kids on the pond who grow up to be NHL players. 

Please don’t put us into a sugar coma before the Winter Classic’s opening montage does.

Top Three Events (or future events) during filming

1. The mumps

The Blackhawks and Capitals all haven’t reportedly been infected. But that doesn’t mean one won’t occur before filming wraps up. Also, did both teams go through a vaccination process with their players? If so, how did they do it, and did some opt out? We would love to get a further sense on how the league’s ‘it’ virus is being handled.

2. Toews’ leaving a Dec. 11 game against the Bruins after hitting his head on the boards

How did the Blackhawks handle protocol with Toews, who clearly suffered some sort of head and neck injury and then returned briefly. The eyeball test shows that Chicago should have pulled Toews from the game immediately. But hopefully we’ll see some other sort of process – ‘hopefully’ for his sake and the team’s sake.

3. The Winter Classic

It’s cliché to list this in our top three events because it is the marquee game. But you can’t deny the appeal of the hockey universe being honed in on one place one day out of the year. This may not be a rivalry, and Nationals Park is also lame. The weather may be 52 degrees and raining at face off … did that ever happen before? Still, this is the big event of the year, or it’s supposed to be. If the league hits, we’ll want to know why. If it whiffs, hopefully we’ll get a sense on that as well.

Top Three Things to Loathe about filming at Nationals Park:

1. There's nothing iconic about it.

For a game that's seen Fenway Park and Wrigley Field and the Big House, this stadium has all the storied history and gravitas as the one in Philadelphia whose name escapes us at this time. Something something Bank maybe?

2. It's not RFK Stadium.

Seriously, there's one stadium in DC where this thing should have been held, and it's that temple of football and futbol. Yes, it's falling apart and no it doesn't have the bells and whistles. But at least it's real DC, and not the stadium equivalent of a cookie-cutter condo development.

3. Putting the game in Nationals Park will somehow further injure Stephen Strasburg's arm.

We think.

Top Three Players We’re Rooting For To Kill It

1. Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals 

Goalies are weirdos to begin with, but Holtby has a ton of personality, appears to be slowly morphing in some Hippie Christ and loves snuggling dogs.

2. Bryan Bickell, Chicago Blackhawks 

This should be your prototypical “goofy dude that’s always bleeding” player, as seen here.

3. Kris Versteeg, Chicago Blackhawks

If we can get one ‘Steeger rap to sum up the events of each episode, that would be epic, EPIX. 

Blackhawks: Scott Darling reassigned to Rockford.   

By Tracey Myers

Chicago Blackhawks Goalie Scott Darling

Scott Darling played tremendous in Corey Crawford’s absence, performing so well that there was a real question as to who the Blackhawks would keep as their backup goaltender, he or Antti Raanta, once Crawford returned.

On Tuesday night, the Blackhawks made their decision.

Darling was reassigned to the Rockford IceHogs late Tuesday night, about an hour after the Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild, 5-3, at the United Center. Raanta was in net for Tuesday’s victory, stopping 26 of 29 shots.

The 6-foot-6 Lemont native earned four consecutive starts in Crawford’s absence. He won all but one of those games. In two stints here Darling went 5-2-0 with a .937 save percentage and a 1.97 goals-against average. Coach Joel Quenneville talked on Sunday of how Darling has done this season.

“He’s made big strides every time he’s been in the net he’s been good for us. He’s been big, solid, really consistent,” Quenneville said. “He’s done a tremendous job for us.”

The move seemed to signify Crawford will return against the Columbus Blue Jackets, even if it’s in a backup goaltending role. Quenneville had said Crawford was close and would probably return in one of the weekend games, either against Columbus on Saturday or vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Chicago Bulls' System and Stars Are Transforming Each Other.

By John Wilmes

Chicago Bulls Mike Dunleavy (L, #34), Derrick Rose (C, #1) and Nikola Mirotic (R, #44) 

The Chicago Bulls are winning, but they aren’t quite sure yet who they are this season.

 

Between their new-look roster and head coach Tom Thibodeau, they’ve been forming a new style of basketball for themselves. With added talent comes added organizational responsibilities, and while Chicago has played well for much of the 2014-15 season, the team’s identity is still only partially formed.

Recently, the Bulls’ defensive efficiency climbed into the league’s top 10. This came after an underwhelming start under the defensive tutelage of Thibodeau, who’s regularly led his team to the top of the NBA in that category since joining the franchise in 2010. While Taj Gibson indicated it was a lack of trust causing the slump, his coach disagreed, suggesting it was just a lack of a hustle (likely, the problems were a little bit of both).

Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah missing seven games hasn't exactly helped, either.

But, regardless, this is a different team now. While the Bulls defense could very well become tops in basketball again by the end of the year, it’s no longer essential that Chicago defines itself by its ability to get stops.

With Derrick Rose back in the lineup—and gradually becoming the show-stopping point guard he once was again—the Bulls can score in bushels. This is especially true, given that future Hall of Famer Pau Gasol has joined Rose in the starting lineup, and Nikola Mirotic and Aaron Brooks make for a potent offensive duo off the bench—not to mention Jimmy Butler’s scoring explosion.

A new Chicago system has been forming in recent days, and its 115-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on December 12 put the transformation at center stage. The Bulls looked almost unfamiliar as a high-octane outfit, outscoring the hot hands of Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge (70 points combined) for the win.

The victory had a lot to do with Rose, who put up 31 points on 14-of-24 shooting. The most famous Bull put up a vintage performance, blurring around the court and scoring at will on many possessions. “He’s building,” Thibodeau said after the contest. “He’s stringing good games together.

“When he plays like that, there’s a thrust we play with—when he’s pushing the ball, we’re able to get some easy baskets. We get deep post-ups, we get to the penalty early and get free throws, a lot of good things happen.”

 If Rose continues to re-blossom, it might be time to say goodbye to the plodding Bulls offense of old. It simply doesn’t make sense to run a grit-first system when you’ve got a Ferrari in your garage that is capable of zooming around the competition and freeing up teammates for high-percentage opportunities.

The emergence of Mirotic—another main story of the night—also makes for a Bulls attack that features a lot more flash than the fans are used to. Mirotic added 15 points and nine rebounds on the night, but his impact is better-stated outside the box score. Mirotic makes the court an exciting, unpredictable place with his authorial hold on possessions and strong, surprising instincts.

As Grantland’s Bill Simmons describes it, he’s “a rich man’s [Vladimir] Radmanovic after three lines of cocaine.”

Brooks, too, was essential in the win, scoring 17 points on a scorching 8-of-10 from the field and sharing the court with Rose (for the first time all year) in crunch time. “It was fun,” Rose said of the pairing. “People forget that he used to be a starter in this league, and he can really score.”

It’s been standard fare for Thibodeau to go with two point guards down the stretch in seasons past, but one of those men is usually the trusty Kirk Hinrich, whose often-punchless offense is offset by his ability to take care of the ball. More of the Rose-Brooks, speed-and-scoring-first combo going forward might be another sign of an evolving "Bullsball."

 It’s an exciting—if confusing—time to be a Bulls fan. The team’s stars and their coach are finding a happy, thrilling median between his iron-clad defensive concepts and a more freewheeling, skill-based scoring platoon that makes for a much more aesthetically enjoyable product. Watching Rose and Butler run in the open court—and seeing all these three-pointers go in—is a heck of a thing.

Who will the Bulls become in the postseason? Who they need to be is a team that can both score and defend better than ever. So far, they appear to be on their way there—rocky and clouded as that road may be.

Sluggish Bulls score season-low 86 points in loss to Hawks 93-86. (Monday night's game, 12/15/2014). 

By Rory Sharrock

Atlanta Hawks' Paul Millsap, left, reaches for the ball against Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose, right, as teammate Pau Gasol, center, of Spain, looks on in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014, in Atlanta. (David Goldman AP Photo)

The Bulls have built a reputation as a tough-minded road team that is able to withstand fatigue, scoring runs and opposing crowd noise.

Unfortunately, those attributes fell by the wayside versus the Hawks with Chicago losing, 93-86. The defeat snaps the Bulls’ modest three-game reign in victory lane.

Despite the fact of keeping the game within striking distance, the Bulls trailed at the end of each quarter. Chicago had brief moments where it looked poised to get over the hump. However, the team was unable to string together a run with strong defensive front to tie or take the lead. The Bulls never fell below 10 points and had several chances to climb out of a self-inflected hole on the scoreboard.

Perhaps the biggest example of squandering a golden opportunity for redemption occurred to start the fourth quarter. The Bulls went on a 7-0 run over the opening two minutes of the frame to cut the deficit to 75-74 off the heels of a Mike Dunleavy 3-pointer. Nevertheless, the teams would trade made and missed baskets until the final buzzer.

“I thought our guys played hard. I thought the rebounding was really good. You have to give the Hawks credit. They made big plays,” said Tom Thibodeau. “We didn’t come up with the plays at the end to get the win. We’ll take a look at the film. We’ll have a day off Tuesday. Have a good practice when everyone gets back, and get ready for the next one.”

Jimmy Butler once again sliced and diced his way through the defense. His night included scoring 22 points with nine rebounds. He also connected on three of five from behind the arc. Taj Gibson recorded a double-double with 15 points and 17 rebounds. Derrick Rose began the night going 0-for-5 from the field, but managed to post 14 points while dishing out eight assists.

“There were certain spots where I should’ve been aggressive,” said Rose. “My teammates had open shots to get the game closer. We missed some open shots, but it’s a part of the game. We put ourselves in a hole. Don’t get me wrong, they’re [Atlanta] a great team. But we should’ve come out more aggressive at the beginning of the game. Shots I normally hit were flat and they didn’t have any lift. That won’t happen in the next game.”

Along with misfired shots from some starters, Chicago’s bench was a non-factor in the ballgame. The limited reserve group only managed to score 11 points.

Atlanta center Al Horford led the hosts, netting 21 points and collecting 10 rebounds. Paul Millsap was second on the stat sheet with 17 points on the evening.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!!  Saints beat Bears 31-15, grab South lead.

CBSSports.com wire reports

Turns out all Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints needed to solve their problems was to show up in Chicago.

Nothing like playing the Bears to break a slump. Even better, the Saints jumped into first place.
  
Brees threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns, and New Orleans beat Chicago 31-15 on Monday night to grab the NFC South lead.
  
The Saints (6-8) moved into first place ahead of Carolina (5-8-1) and Atlanta (5-9) after losing four of their previous five games. They also rebounded from a 41-10 loss to the Panthers.

''I think we've shown a couple times we can handle adversity,'' Brees said. ''Let's make sure we can handle success, too.''
  
The Saints host the Falcons before finishing the season at Tampa Bay.
  
''The tendency after success is to relax, and it's not time to relax,'' Brees said.
  
Brees completed 29 of 36 passes and reached the 4,000-yard mark for the ninth straight year. He threw two touchdown passes to Josh Hill and another to Marques Colston.
  
Pierre Thomas had five catches for 83 yards. David Hawthorne had three of New Orleans' seven sacks and the Saints intercepted Jay Cutler three times to bring his NFL-leading turnover total to 24. 
  
''We were not in unison tonight collectively on the offensive side of the ball and that starts with me,'' Chicago coach Marc Trestman said.
  
For the Bears (5-9), the loss comes after a week in which they were again engulfed in controversy. Offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer acknowledged he was a source behind a critical report by the NFL Network about Cutler, owning up to it in public Friday after earlier asking players and coaches for forgiveness.

Cutler completed 17 of 31 passes for 194 yards, and the Bears couldn't get anything going. They managed only 278 yards against one of the league's worst defenses on a soggy night in which thousands of seats went unused.
  
There were 10,749 no-shows, and that might not have been a bad thing for the Bears, the way they played.
  
The Saints went ahead in the second quarter after wasting several opportunities in the opening period. Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller was called for a 17-yard pass-interference penalty trying to defend Jimmy Graham, setting up New Orleans with a first down at the 8.
  
Brees then rolled to his right on the first play of the second quarter and found an open Hill, who lunged across the goal line.
  
The first half was so bad for Chicago that its best play might have been Patrick O'Donnell's 56-yard punt that went out of bounds at the New Orleans 5 with about four minutes left in the second. But the Saints responded with a 10-play, 95-yard drive.
  
Brees threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Colston with 38 seconds left, giving the Saints a 14-0 lead. Cutler's pass was then picked off by Pierre Warren on the final play in the half.
  
Brees and Hill connected for a 7-yard TD on their first possession in the third on a similar play as their first score, making it 21-0. It was 24-0 early in the fourth when Cutler hit Marquess Wilson with a 1-yard touchdown pass, denying New Orleans its first shutout since 2012.

The Saints wasted a big scoring opportunity in the early going.
  
New Orleans took over at the Chicago 24 after Patrick Robinson intercepted a pass that went off Martellus Bennett's hands on the game's third play from scrimmage. Rather than grab the lead, the Saints quickly gave the ball back.
  
Nick Toon got stripped by Brock Vereen after a 10-yard reception and Jared Allen made the recovery at the 3.
  
The Saints came away empty-handed on their next possession when Shayne Graham's 51-yard field-goal attempt fell short. But the Saints eventually found their stride.
  
''I think there's a sense of urgency that we need to create each week, and we need to be mindful of how important that edge is to play well,'' coach Sean Payton said. ''It's something we made a point of emphasis with everyone.''
  
NOTES: Bears kicker Robbie Gould was inactive with a right quadriceps injury, leaving the kicking duties to Jay Feely for the second straight week. Safety Chris Conte and offensive lineman Michael Ola missed the game because of back injuries. ... Saints LT Terron Armstead (neck) started and LB Junior Galette (knee) played after they were listed as questionable. ... Singer Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy performed the National Anthem.

Bears leaving management little choice in fate of Trestman, staff.

By John Mullin
                                                   

Chicago Bears Head Coach Marc Trestman

Until Monday night, the prevailing thought was that with some respectable showings over the final weeks of the season, Marc Trestman would remain as Bears coach into 2015, with some high-level changes to his staff. The team had given him something to show management in the form of a couple of comeback wins (Minnesota, Tampa Bay) and a 21-point fourth quarter in the loss to Dallas, even if those hardly qualified as turning points.

Trestman, staff and players gave management quite the opposite in the 31-15 loss to the New Orleans Saints. If the Bears somehow finished strong through the final three games, maybe even just two of them, management would have justification for leaving the head coach in place. Nothing about Monday night gave the remotest indication that was happening.

In three quarters against one of the NFL’s worst defenses, the Trestman offense managed just six first downs, 119 yards (to 381 for the Saints) and zero points (to 24 for the Saints).

Players were bickering on the field and on the sideline as quarterback and receivers and pass-protectors looked as collectively unprepared as they have in any game of the nearly two seasons under Trestman.

Special teams went out to run a fake punt and only had 10 men on the field, an indictment not only of the 11th man but also of the coaching staff, which Trestman acknowledged.

The franchise quarterback afterwards arguably made liars out of his head coach and of the general manager who just a couple of hours earlier was praising his maturity.

Worst of all, players talked of a lack of emotion or passion from leadership, without specifying whether that applied to the head coach or positions of leadership in the huddle. If the players have quit on a coach or a program, there’s only one resolution possible.

And since the organization is invested, literally and figuratively, in certain of those huddle-leadership positions, best guess is that management will take that to mean Trestman, and that’s not an unreasonable conclusion.

Particularly after Trestman spoke of players playing “as hard as they could” and “finishing the game” on Monday night. Finding anything positive in this latest embarrassment is a statement in itself.

If players have stopped playing for a coach – and the coach can’t see that – then the organization’s decision is being made for it.

Ominous Emery reaction

Trestman said afterwards that the Saints hadn’t thrown anything at the Bears that the staff hadn’t prepared for and the players hadn’t practiced against. Cutler said the opposite, that New Orleans had done a few different things. That simply suggested that Trestman didn’t know what he was looking at.

GM Phil Emery spoke with play by play announcer Jeff Joniak on WBBM radio prior to the game and the tone said as much as the words. Emery declared, “I was very angry,” and then pointed out that the decision was entirely Trestman’s, with the implication that the consequences to Kromer would have been more than an apology.

That said, it is still difficult to wonder if Kromer’s crime in the eyes of the organization wasn’t that he spoke unmonitored or unfiltered to the media, but that he went public with anything less than full buy in to the player deemed “franchise” by Emery in the form of a contract committing the team to more than $30 million.

Emery also praised Cutler’s maturity in how he responded publicly to the Kromer situation. Cutler then made something of a fool of Emery by spending all of 75 seconds at the quarterback’s press conference afterwards. The PR staff announced that Cutler would be at the podium and before the media could make their way to the interview room, the mature quarterback simply got up after three questions and left.

“We’re going to wait for them?” Cutler asked the Bears’ PR staffer, with clear messages in his tone and sarcastic expression with head on hand that he wasn’t going to. And didn’t.

Maybe that could be viewed as something of perverse symmetry: Cutler hadn’t showed up for the game so there was no point in staying around to talk about it afterwards. Something like that.

Or possibly Emery can rationalize Cutler’s behavior as just a by-product of his feelings toward a coaching staff, or at least an offensive coordinator, that doesn’t believe in him.

Unless the organization is prepared to absorb more than $15 million in dead money, Cutler will be back in 2015 with another head coach, another offensive coordinator, another quarterbacks coach. But he and his teammates have made it all but impossible for the same to be said for Trestman, Kromer and the rest of a staff that has not found the right key that fits the ignition switch for this team.

Things to know about MLB free-agent signings.

By The Associated Press

There were a bevy of free-agent deals Monday. Here are some things to know about the biggest moves:

  

JON LESTER
 

Jon Lester and the Cubs finally made it official, and Chicago's new No. 34 thinks he can help bring the Windy City its first championship since 1908.
 

Lester says ''we fully buy in.''
 

Lester agreed to a $155 million, six-year contract with the Cubs at the winter meetings last week that set baseball records for largest signing bonus and biggest upfront payment.
 

Chicago President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein says this ''really marks the start of a transition for the Cubs.''
 

Lester gets a record $30 million signing bonus, of which $15 million is due by April 1, $2.5 million each by Dec. 31 in 2018 and 2019, and a final $10 million installment by Sept. 15, 2020.

CHASE HEADLEY

Chase Headley is staying with the Yankees. He agreed to a $52 million, four-year contract that signals New York is not counting on Alex Rodriguez to play third base regularly.

Coming off a season-long suspension for violations of baseball's drug agreement and labor contract, Rodriguez is owed $61 million over the final three seasons of his $275 million, 10-year deal. The agreement with Headley is a sign New York plans to shift A-Rod to designated hitter, relegate him to a backup role or perhaps even seek trade offers.

Headley was batting .229 with seven homers and 32 RBIs when the Padres traded him to the Yankees on July 22, but he batted .262 with six homers and 17 RBIs in 191 at-bats for New York.

JED LOWRIE

Infielder Jed Lowrie and the Houston Astros agreed to a $23 million, three-year contract. The agreement includes a 2018 club option. Lowrie was acquired by the Astros from Boston for pitcher Mark Melancon in December 2011 in Jeff Luhnow's first trade as general manager and was Houston's shortstop in 2012. He was dealt to Oakland in February 2013. A switch-hitter, Lowrie had 35 home runs and 155 RBIs over the last three seasons.

MELKY CABRERA

The White Sox finalized a $42 million, three-year contract with Melky Cabrera on Monday, bolstering their outfield with their latest big move in an impressive offseason.

Cabrera will make $13 million in 2015, $14 million in 2016 and $15 million in the final season of the contract, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal. The agreement also includes limited trade provision for the 30-year-old left fielder, who hit .301 with 16 homers and 73 RBIs in 139 games with Toronto last season.

The White Sox introduced offseason acquisitions Jeff Samardzija and David Robertson on Tuesday.

ALEX RIOS

Outfielder Alex Rios and the Kansas City Royals agreed to an $11 million, one-year contract, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said. Rios would take over in right field from Nori Aoki, who became a free agent after helping the Royals win their first AL pennant since 1985.

Rios, who turns 34 in February, had been with Texas since August 2013 and hit .280 this year with four homers and 54 RBIs. He set career highs with the Chicago White Sox in 2012 with 25 homers and 91 RBIs.

Jeff Samardzija riffs on Cubs vs. Sox, AJ Pierzynski.

#WHITESOXTALK

The White Sox introduced Jeff Samardzija, David Roberton and Melky Cabrera Tuesday at U.S. Cellular Field, but it was Samardzija who stole the press conference show upon returning to Chicago.

The Northwest Indiana native and former Notre Dame standout receiver joined Robertson and Cabrera in fielding questions for about 20 minutes from the assembled media, and rattled off a few classic one-liners and anecdotes:

On U.S. Cellular Field being a shorter drive from Northwest Indiana than Wrigley Field

"Pops and the family get to save on a little gas money for sure."

On following Chris Sale in the rotation:

I’m already talking to Chris to learn the ropes a little bit, learn about everything, learn everybody’s names, who to look out for kind of thing. Obviously Sully (longtime Chicago Tribune reporter Paul Sullivan), we know we have to look out for him. He’s already on the list.

On if he's circled the first Cubs-Sox game:

"Do we play them this year? We do? Well, we’ll get to that when we get there. We’ll start with the Royals and go from there."

On Cubs and Sox fans:

"I think there are a lot of similarities and then in the fall and winter, you go root on your Bears. Right now, that's tough."

On how far back his family's White Sox fandom goes:

"My grandparents came over in '52, so before my father I don't think there were too many White Sox fans in the Samardzija family, unless they had some sweet cable (in Serbia) back in the day."

On his hockey ability:

"My dad was a White Sox fan, but he was a Blackhawks fan more than anything else so he tried to throw the skates on me and I was like Bambi out there on the ice. So he banged that idea real quick and out a football in my hands."

On the 2005 White Sox season:

"They kind of caught fire after A.J. decided that it was a dropped third strike -- I don't know if those were the real rules -- but whatever it takes."

On if he'll miss day games:

"I thought I got away from it but over in Oakland it was the second most day games in the league."

Golf: I got a club for that; Four things you can learn from playing with better golfers.

By Mark Aumann, PGA.com 
 

Billy Horschel (L), receives congratulations from Rory McIlroy (R), during the Tour Championship in September. (USA Today Images)

One of the things we hear from beginning or inexperienced golfers is that they sometimes feel "intimidated" when playing with really good golfers, and it keeps them from enjoying themselves on the course.

But you know what? Unless your name is Rory McIlroy, there's always going to be someone out there better than you. And even then, Rory was a beginner golfer himself, at one point. So instead of treating that situation as a negative, our PGA Professional believes you can not only enjoy the experience when paired with a better player, but grow your own game in the process.

Ted Eleftheriou is Director of Golf Program Development for the PGA of America, based in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.  

"Throughout my golfing career, I have had the privilege of playing with some amazing golfers, golfers who could beat me any day of the week,' Eleftheriou said. "However, rather than being discouraged or intimidated by these individuals, I looked forward to each encounter as an opportunity to learn from them."

Here are four things you can learn from being paired with better golfers, in Eleftheriou's words:

 1. Observe what it is that great players do on the course.

"The first thing I learned from playing with better golfers is that they all have a specific pre-shot routine that they perform prior to every shot … regardless if it’s a three-foot putt or a tee shot with the driver. Their routine typically consists of club selection, followed by getting behind the ball for alignment. Then they’ll make a purposeful practice swing (or stroke) or two in effort of trying to 'feel' the swing needed for the shot they plan on performing. Next, they step up to the ball and look at the target at least once or twice to confirm alignment and visualize the target. Finally, without further delay, they’ll perform the actual shot.

"Most amateurs, on the other hand, have no consistent pre-shot routine and end up either rushing through their shot or go to the opposite extreme of hanging over the ball forever. Neither is effective for increasing the chances of hitting a good shot."

2. Better players have fun, but focus on their own games

"The best players have fun playing golf and like to socialize like most golfers do. However, when it’s time to make their shot, they enter into their own private world. They absorb themselves in their pre-shot ritual and do their best to lock out distractions.

"You should also focus on your own game, not what others may be thinking of you. You do this by staying in the present with every shot. As the saying goes, 'The past has already happened and the future hasn’t happened yet, so all you can control is the now.' Keep your mental imagery and self-talk positive and stay 'in the now.' "

3. Don’t change your swing on the golf course

"Observe what better players do on the golf course and take mental or written notes. But don’t try to change your swing, stroke or game while on the course. That’s a sure recipe for disaster. Work on what you observed on the practice facility and only when you experience moderate success should you try to incorporate it into your game on the golf course.

"Occasionally, better players may offer you advice, and you should thank them for it. But let them know that you’ll practice their suggestions next time you visit the practice facility, as opposed to during your round of golf."

4. To handle intimidation, commit to only one swing thought.

"Intimidation: We’ve all experienced it. Playing with a better player intimidates us, which often leads to poor performance. To ease the intimidation, incorporate a pre-shot routine, stay 'in the now,' don’t change your swing on the course and allow yourself only one swing thought. And I’m not talking about, 'Oh God, please let me make contact without looking like a fool in front of everyone!' 

"You may want to consider something more like a personal pep talk: Like 'Complete the finish' or 'Good tempo' or 'Light grip pressure.' Something that’s produced positive results for you in the past."

Eleftheriou finished with this piece of encouragement: "Learn from better players and one day soon, you’ll be the player leading others to better golf."

Fred Couples get a call, not The Call, from Ryder Cup task force.

By Ryan Ballengee

As it turns out, Fred Couples could be the guy asked to end the United States' three-match Ryder Cup losing streak.

Couples, according to Golf.com, has been contacted by the 11-person PGA of America Ryder Cup task force about the possibility of assuming the captaincy from Tom Watson, whose leadership and a five-point American loss in September at Gleneagles brought about this committee.

After the U.S. loss in Scotland, several players, including task force members Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, texted Couples about the prospect of taking on the role. The full task force met for the first time on December 9, and it appears the broader group supports pursuing Couples as captain.

The 1992 Masters champion lead the U.S. to three consecutive wins as captain of the American Presidents Cup team in 2009, '11 and '13. 

Couples is apparently competing with the likes of 2001 PGA champion David Toms and two-time major champion Mark O'Meara for the job.

Golf - Speed up game to attract youngsters - McIlroy.

AFP

World number one Rory McIlroy said on Tuesday that golf should be made quicker at grassroots level in order to attract more young players to the sport.

"Everything's so instant now and everyone doesn't have as much time as they used to," the Northern Irishman told BBC Radio 4. "So you maybe try some way of speeding the game up."

McIlroy, who won the British Open and the US PGA in 2014, taking his tally of major wins to four, added: "The viewership in golf is up, but the participation is down.

"People enjoy watching the game, but gone are the days that you could spend five or six hours on a golf course."

While golf's rule-makers have a reputation for conservatism, McIlroy says it would be in their interest to attract more young people to the sport.

Rules changed for 2015 Sprint Unlimited.

By Nick Bromberg

Pardon us if you've heard this one before: The eligibility criteria for the Sprint Unlimited is changing.

Here's how the field will be composed for the Feb. 14, 2015 race:

• All drivers who made the 2014 Chase are in. There's 16.

• All drivers who won a pole in 2014 who weren't in the Chase. That gives us seven more drivers.

• All drivers who competed full-time in 2014 who have previously won a Daytona 500 pole. This fills the field out to 25 with the addition of Danica Patrick and Martin Truex, Jr.

However, Brian Vickers, a 2014 pole winner, is expected to miss the race because of complications from a 2010 heart procedure. The NASCAR release says a "minimum of 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers are eligible to participate in the Sprint Unlimited at DIS" and that "any remaining spots will be filled by drivers highest in 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship points who are not already eligible."

If the race expands to 25 to meet the minimum because of Vickers missing the race, his teammate Clint Bowyer would get in. Bowyer is neither a former race winner of the Unlimited or Daytona 500 pole winner and was 19th in the 2014 points standings. Drivers Nos. 1-18 all are eligible for the race.

Here is the original field of 25 drivers based off the bullet points above.

• Kyle Busch
• Austin Dillon
• Jeff Gordon
• David Gilliland
• Denny Hamlin
• Kevin Harvick
• Jimmie Johnson
• Matt Kenseth
• Brad Keselowski
• Kyle Larson
• Joey Logano
• Jamie McMurray
• Brian Scott
• Tony Stewart
• Brian Vickers
• Kurt Busch
• Dale Earnhardt Jr.
• Carl Edwards
• Danica Patrick
• Greg Biffle
• Martin Truex Jr.
• Ryan Newman
• AJ Allmendinger
• Kasey Kahne
• Aric Almirola

 

The race will once again be 75 laps. No format for the 75 laps was announced.

Sprint, NASCAR partnership to end after 2016 season.

Staff report, NASCAR.com

Successful collaboration strengthens sport for the future

Sprint announced on Tuesday that it will not extend its sponsorship of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beyond 2016. The significant changes within Sprint and the highly competitive business environment it is in led to a decision not to extend its Cup Series entitlement position following the 2016 season.

"We are proud of our association with NASCAR's top series but have made the decision not to extend our sponsorship beyond the next two years," Sprint's vice president-Marketing Steve Gaffney said. "As we look to the future, Sprint is focused on investing in maintaining a competitive edge and providing consumers with the best value in wireless."

By the end of the extension signed in 2011, Sprint and NASCAR will have enjoyed a 13-year mutually beneficial relationship. The partnership has produced demonstrated results for Sprint and delivered the best racing in the world to millions of passionate fans on a weekly basis.

"Sprint has long benefitted from the unprecedented level of brand integration available in NASCAR, and the passionate fan base that is the most loyal in sports," Gaffney said. "Without question, the NASCAR sponsorship property has been a valuable investment for us and will be for our successor."

Sprint's integration into the sport was a prime example of a sponsor validating its technology in NASCAR. As a leading communications services company dedicated to delivering the best value in wireless, it became an innovative leader in the sport as well.

In 2004, Nextel signed a 10-year agreement, the longest series entitlement partnership in NASCAR history at the time. In 2005, the company introduced a next-generation scanner known as FanView. In 2007, Miss Sprint Cup joined the sport, and the ambassador program now reaches 1.5 million social media followers. While the name changed to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2008, the innovations continued that year with the launch of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile application.

"Sprint has been a great partner," NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Brent Dewar said. "They've done a lot to help us grow the sport together at a very important time in our history.

"They made it very clear to us that they're proud to have been a partner with NASCAR, have seen great value in their investment and are very happy to share that with any brand that comes in to replace them."

As a new partner joins the ranks of nearly one-in-four FORTUNE 500 companies already investing in NASCAR, the sport's value proposition was recognized in 2014 by two national series entitlement sponsors.

"Camping World announced their seven-year extension, which will take us through 2022 giving us 14 consecutive years together -- which is an incredible statistic in its own right," Dewar said. "Follow it up with Comcast's XFINITY brand, obviously a big company that saw the value to join us for the next 10 years which matches our longest series entitlement in NASCAR history.

"Combined with the new Chase format and the things we’re doing on the track, we've got a great story to tell for some interested parties that are looking for a way to bring their product and brands and connect them with the loyal fan base we have in NASCAR."

Dewar noted that digital properties and products have extended NASCAR's 10-month season to "virtually 365 days of the year" that goes beyond the "more than 5 million viewers to the Sprint Cup Series every single weekend that we race." NASCAR's viewership numbers and constant content led FOX and NBC to secure media rights for 10 years at a reported $8.2 billion. The new broadcast agreements begin next year and extend through 2024.

 "To those brands that are looking to partner with us, we bring a great fan base that's highly engaged in the sport, and they're highly engaged with the sponsors that support the sport," Dewar said.

********************

 

NASCAR Statement from Brett Jewkes, NASCAR Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, on NASCAR and Sprint Partnership:

"NASCAR and Sprint have enjoyed a long and productive partnership that has returned significant value to both parties. We understand significant changes within Sprint and the highly competitive business environment it is in has led to a decision not to extend its Cup Series entitlement position following the 2016 season. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is a very unique, premium sports marketing platform with strong momentum, so we are very confident of moving forward in 2017 with an outstanding new partner. In the meantime, we look forward to Sprint's partnership on the best racing series in the world for the next two seasons."

Real Madrid coasts into Club World Cup final.

By JOHN LEICESTER (AP Sports Writer)

Real Madrid's Isco, left, scores during the semifinal soccer match between Real Madrid and Cruz Azul at the Club World Cup soccer tournament in Marrakech, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale scored to help Real Madrid coast past Mexico's Cruz Azul 4-0 Tuesday night for a place in this weekend's Club World Cup final against Argentina's San Lorenzo or New Zealand's Auckland City.

Sergio Ramos scored in the 15th minute and Benzema in the 36th. Bale added a goal in the 50th and Francisco ''Isco'' Alarcon in the 72nd for Madrid, which has won 21 consecutive games since a 2-1 defeat to crosstown rival Atletico in a Spanish league match on Sept. 13.

San Lorenzo, South America's Copa Libertadores winner, plays Wednesday against Auckland City, a team of amateurs and semi-pros that won Oceania's title. The final is Saturday.

Cruz Azul, the champion of North and Central America and the Caribbean, proved no match for the pace and penetration that Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema and Bale provided for European champion Madrid, which is seeking its first Club World Cup title.
 

Madrid's Iker Casillas saved a first-half penalty kick from Cruz Azul captain Gerardo Torrado.

''Only a match away from a new opportunity. We'll be ready 100 percent,'' Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. ''I think the team deserves this title.''

Ronaldo did not add to his total of 56 goals in 2014 for Madrid, including 32 this season. The match was so comfortable for Madrid that its star player allowed himself a showboat second-half shot so cheeky that Ancelotti's assistants were laughing behind him on the bench.

Ronaldo tried flicking in Bale's cross from the left by wrapping his right foot around his left ankle to connect with the ball. Goalkeeper Jose Corona easily scooped up the attempt that would have been another fine addition to Ronaldo's highlight reel had it gone in.

''I've never seen a shot like this, but from Ronaldo we have to expect everything,'' Ancelotti said.

Conceding that Madrid was ''highly superior,'' Cruz Azul manager Luis Fernando Tena had no complaints.

''It's been a joy to play such a skillful team, individually and collectively,'' he said.

European clubs, leagues propose May-June 2022 WCup.

AP - Sports

This computer image released by Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy of an artist's impression shows players in the Al Wakrah Stadium, Qatar . The 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the wealthy oil- and gas-producing Gulf nation with giant look-at-me ambitions that belie its small size, is shaping up as a unique experience. There will be eight to 12 venues, but the exact number hasn't been disclosed yet (AP Photo/Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy)

European football's club and league organizations on Tuesday proposed a May-June World Cup for Qatar in 2022.

FIFA is considering when to move the tournament to avoid the summer heat, and favors a November-December schedule.

UEFA President Michel Platini advocates playing games in January and February, despite the International Olympic Committee being against a World Cup in the run-up to the Winter Olympics in February 2022.

The European Club Association had previously suggested an April start, but Qatari officials complained that games would clash with Ramadan.

Now, the Nyon-based ECA and European Professional Football Leagues suggest a May 5 opener and a June 4 final to ensure less disruption to the European season. They say domestic leagues would start one or two weeks early in 2021, with a shorter mid-season break.

''The May option is the best alternative to the traditional June-July timing, since it retains the logical calendar order and avoids compressing such an important competition as the World Cup in the middle of the traditional and busy club football season (winter season),'' the organizations said in a statement.

''As such, simply avoiding this concentration makes the May option by far less intrusive compared to all winter proposals.''

2015 College Recruiting Rankings

Rivals.com

Rank	School	Total	Commits		Avg	Points
			5-Star	4-Star
1	Alabama	23	4	13	3.91	2844
2	Florida State	21	4	12	3.95	2684
3	Georgia	25	3	8	3.58	2509
4	Clemson	21	2	9	3.62	2508
5	Tennessee	25	1	11	3.48	2328
6	Ohio State	23	0	11	3.43	2311
7	Texas A&M	21	0	10	3.38	2195
8	South Carolina	26	0	13	3.50	2165
9	Notre Dame	21	0	10	3.48	2163
10	Penn State	20	0	12	3.60	2148

View Full List
 
Report: College football attendance at its lowest since 2000.

By Ron Clements  

 

Ohio State led the nation with an average attendance 106,296 per home game. (Getty Images)

                      

With the addition of six new FBS schools, attendance at NCAA Division I football games was at its lowest in 14 years, according to a published report.

The NCAA released attendance figures this week and, even without factoring the new FBS schools — Appalachian State, Charlotte, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Old Dominion and Texas-San Antonio — attendance was at its lowest since 2002.

In a report compiled by CBSSports.com, the average attendance at an NCAA FBS game in 2014 was 43,483. While the SEC led all conferences in average attendance, Ohio State knocked Michigan off the top of the list for individual schools. Ohio State's average attendance of 106,296 was up 1 percent from 2013 while Michigan slipped to third overall, behind Texas A&M, with a 6 percent decrease. Michigan's drop and the addition of Maryland and Rutgers caused the Big Ten's average attendance to decrease by almost 4,000 people even though nine of the 14 schools saw an increase in attendance.

The SEC and ACC were the only Power 5 conferences to see attendance rise. The SEC, thanks to stadium expansions, was up 3 percent, while the ACC went up 1 percent but still ranked last among the Power 5 conferences with an average attendance of 50,016.

Georgia and Notre Dame saw no change in average attendance from last year. UAB, which recently canceled its football program, had a 107 percent increase from 2013. The largest increase from last season was Eastern Michigan, which had a 271 percent spike to 15,025. The biggest decrease in attendance was at Akron, a 49 percent slant to 9,170 to rank last among the 128 FBS schools.

Joining Ohio State, Texas A&M and Michigan as schools to average more than 100,000 fans were LSU, Penn State and Alabama. Only two schools, Ball State and Akron from the Mid-American Conference, averaged fewer than 10,000 fans per home game.

NCAA The Top Twenty Five Basketball Teams. 12/15/2014.

The Associated Press

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Dec. 14, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week's ranking:

 

Record Pts Prv
 

1. Kentucky (65) 11-0 1,625 1
 

2. Duke 8-0 1,545 2

3. Arizona 10-0 1,505 3

4. Louisville 9-0 1,349 4

5. Wisconsin 10-1 1,331 5

6. Virginia 9-0 1,294 6

7. Villanova 10-0 1,215 7

8. Gonzaga 9-1 1,175 9

9. Texas 8-1 1,154 8

10. Kansas 8-1 1,102 10

11. Wichita St. 7-1 959 11

12. Ohio St. 8-1 838 12

13. Iowa St. 8-1 772 14

14. Utah 7-2 670 13

15. Oklahoma 6-2 647 16

16. Washington 8-0 598 17

17. Maryland 10-1 512 19

18. Miami 9-1 426 20

19. San Diego St. 7-2 424 18

20. St. John's 8-1 353 24

21. Notre Dame 10-1 351 25

22. West Virginia 9-1 333 22

23. Butler 8-2 259 15
 

24. North Carolina 6-3 122 21
 

25. Michigan St. 7-3 116 -

Others receiving votes: Baylor 97, TCU 80, Colorado St. 75, N. Iowa 65, Georgetown 41, California 37, Arkansas 19, Seton Hall 14, VCU 6, LSU 4, Oklahoma St. 4, Old Dominion 4, Penn St. 3, Davidson 1.

Bob Huggins eviscerates Dan D'Antoni, Marshall in sarcasm-laden rant.

By Jeff Eisenberg

West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Bob Huggins watches the game against the Northern Kentucky Norse during the first half at Bank of Kentucky Center. (Joshua Lindsey-USA TODAY Sports)

Even though Sunday's turnover-plagued, whistle-happy matchup between in-state foes West Virginia and Marshall didn't provide many memorable moments during the Mountaineers' 69-66 victory, the postgame banter between the two head coaches has more than made up for it.

First-year Marshall coach Dan D'Antoni started the war of words by suggesting West Virginia would prove it's "afraid" of the Thundering Herd if it refused to play twice a year in the future. West Virginia coach Bob Huggins then escalated the verbal sparring by ridiculing Marshall's program and D'Antoni's insistence the Thundering Herd are "back" in a rollicking 15-minute rant at the start of his weekly radio show.

Armed with stinging barbs and cutting sarcasm, Huggins called the idea of playing Marshall twice a year "a travesty" and said he doesn't believe West Virginia gains anything from even facing the Thundering Herd once annually in Charleston. Huggins also called the notion that he's afraid of Marshall "laughable" and "comical," noting the Thundering Herd's recent lack of competitiveness in the series.  

"He can say I'm afraid all he wants," Huggins said. "I've probably coached 1,116 more games than he has. It's ridiculous to say something like that. We're afraid. Yeah, we're really afraid. It's crazy. We've beaten Duke. [Mike Krzyzewski's] a pretty good coach. Was I afraid? I don't think I was afraid playing Duke. Played [Jim] Boeheim. Used to play him every year. He's a great coach, I wasn't afraid. Why would I be afraid?

"The thing that's most laughable, and I'll get in trouble for saying it I know, but I'm to the point in my life where I really don't care. How about this? 'We're back.' That was their sixth loss [to West Virginia] in a row. 'We're back.' 'We're back' alright. Honestly it's laughable."

Whereas some major-conference programs deserve the flack they receive for ducking quality in-state teams from smaller conferences, it would be completely understandable if Huggins canceled the annual series with Marshall.

The matchup between West Virginia and Marshall historically hasn't benefited both programs the way it does when Virginia faces VCU or Washington meets Gonzaga, for example. For Marshall, it's a chance to topple a marquee in-state opponent on a neutral floor. For West Virginia, it's a risky game against a highly motivated opponent in which a win is expected and a loss can be an RPI killer.  

Huggins articulated that point well on his show while also ridiculing the idea that Marshall-West Virginia is a rivalry.

The Mountaineers own a 9-1 record, have been to a Final Four as recently as 2010 and play in a conference that boasts seven of the top 27 teams in this week's polls. The Thundering Herd have not reached the NCAA tournament since 1987, have not won a league title since 1988 and have a 5-19 record against West Virginia since the series moved to Charleston in 1991.

"I have all the RPIs of all the people we've played this year," Huggins said. "Going into the game, Marshall was 270 in the RPI. After playing us, they jumped all the way up to 237. Now you know what that would do to us if we happen not to win? We were, I think, No. 36 coming into the game. You try not to play anybody below 200. And now they want to play twice in a year? Are you kidding me? Why don't we do what's best for West Virginia University? I don't think it's my job to support them.

"This is the fifth time in 10 years that they've been 160 in the RPI or worse. How's it in our best interest to play them? It's not in our best interest. It's not in the best interest of West Virginia basketball."

Once he'd finished eviscerating the Marshall program, Huggins took one last parting shot in the form of a warning.

Would it bother Huggins if the series disappeared? Not at all. Does Huggins intend to renew the series in years to come?

"I think if this kind of thing continues why would we?," the West Virginia coach said. "Why would we want to sit here and hear we're afraid. Go find somebody else to play."

USA will bid for 2024 Olympics.

AFP

The United States announced on Tuesday it would bid to host the 2024 Summer Games but their Olympic committee plans to wait until January before naming their candidate city.

Los Angeles, Washington, Boston and San Francisco made their final presentations to the United States Olympic Committee board of directors on Tuesday.

"We are going to take our time and pick the city we think has the best chance of winning the competition from other cities around the world," said USOC chairman Larry Probst.

All four cities have said it would cost between $4 billion and $5 billion to host the Olympics, not including infrastructure improvements.

The United States hasn't hosted a Summer Olympics since the 1996 Atlanta Games. The 2002 Winter Olympics were the last on US soil.

The USA can expect a tough competition for the 2024 Games.

The official decision to bid for the Olympics comes just 24 hours after Italy announced Rome would spearhead what is expected to be a multi-city bid.

Germany has said that Berlin or Hamburg will be put forward for the 2024 or 2028 Summer Games.

Paris is to decide in January whether to stage a bid and the Azerbaijan capital, Baku, and Doha -- both beaten by Tokyo in the bid to host the 2020 Games -- are potential candidates. South Africa could have a bid by Durban or a joint Johannesburg-Pretoria bid.

The International Olympic Committee will choose a final list of candidate cities in May 2016 and make a final decision in Lima in 2017.

The US did not make a bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics, which were awarded to Tokyo in 2013.

Los Angeles sought to be the US candidate to host the 2016 Games, but was beaten by Chicago, whose bid was then rejected by the IOC in favor of Rio de Janeiro.

Los Angeles is seeking to join London as the only cities to host the Summer Olympics three times. Los Angeles was the site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympics.

 
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, December 17, 2014.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1933 - The Chicago Bears defeated the New York Giants in the first National Football League interdivisional championship game. The Bears won 23-21.

1967 - Noland Smith (Kansas City Chiefs) ran a kickoff return 106 yards to set an NFL record.

1984 - Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins) set NFL season records for touchdowns (48), completions (362) and yards (5084).

1991 - The NBA's most one-sided game took place when the Cleveland beat Miami 148-80.

1993 - FOX outbid CBS for the National Football Conference TV package.

1994 - George Foreman was a guest on "Saturday Night Live."

2000 - Terrell Owens (San Francisco 49ers) caught an NFL-record 20 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown against the Chicago Bears. The previous record was held by Tom Fears (Los Angeles Rams) with 18 catches on December 3, 1950, against the Green Bay Packers. Owens also broke Jerry Rice's franchise record of 16 receptions set in 1994 against the Los Angeles Rams.  

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