CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Wednesday Sports News Update, 01/21/2015.

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"I believe there's an inner power that makes winners and losers. And the winners are the ones who really listen to the truth of their hearts." ~ Sylvester Stallone, Motion Picture Actor

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Patrick Kane scores No. 200 as Blackhawks crush Coyotes 6-1.

By Tracey Myers

Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks reacts after scoring against the Arizona Coyotes in the second period during the NHL game at the United Center on January 20, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Blackhawks were frustrated with their team game. Andrew Shaw was frustrated with his individual game. They both felt better with their respective outings on Tuesday night.

Shaw scored two goals, his first proving to be the game-winner, and the Blackhawks played a strong, complete game in a 6-1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. It was a great night for the Blackhawks, who pretty much did whatever they wanted to against an Arizona team that’s struggled all season.

Patrick Kane scored his 200th career goal and Teuvo Teravainen had a goal — his second career NHL tally — and an assist. Brad Richards and Patrick Sharp each had two assists, as did Kane. Jonathan Toews scored his 14th of the season, and David Rundblad added his second.

The Blackhawks had a team meeting on Monday, a day after they suffered a sloppy loss to the Dallas Stars, their second consecutive defeat. The talk apparently worked.

“Everyone knew what we had to do,” Antti Raanta said. “We had some good games, but we had those bad moments. It was fun to watch when everyone was playing their own positions and five guys going forward and coming back. It was a huge win, and of course, it’s great to get six goals.”

Shaw’s quasi-benching from Quenneville also worked. Shaw played just nine minutes in the Blackhawks’ loss on Sunday. On Tuesday, Shaw had a game-high eight shots on goal and played more than 18 minutes.

“It was a relief,” Shaw said of his first goal of the night. He’d gone the previous 22 games without one. “I needed it for myself, and I just had to go out there and keep working, keep moving forward. Simplifying my game, I knew I’d get it.”

The Blackhawks got a lot by simplifying their game on Tuesday. They got goals by the bushel, they accumulated a lot of offensive zone time, they had good looks on their power play, converting on the first one (Toews).

“The approach was much more business-like,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We got off to a strong start and scoring first certainly helps.”

Indeed, the Blackhawks wasted no time grabbing a lead in this one. Toews did that with his power-play goal about seven minutes into the game. Shaw then scored from near the goal line, off a Teravainen pass, for a 2-0 lead.

“We wanted to have a good start, and I thought we did that. We carried it through,” Duncan Keith said. “The guys had chemistry, Teravainen on that line with Shaw and (Bryan) Bickell brought a lot of energy.”

Raanta continued his stellar work at the United Center, stopping 35 of 36 shots. Raanta is now 14-0-2 in his career at the UC, including 7-0-0 this season.

“I was thinking before this game that we’re going to lose because everyone’s talking about that,” Raanta said of that home mark. “I felt confident all 60 minutes. Even before I got the first shot.”

The Blackhawks needed to play their game again: simple, strong and relatively mistake-free. They got the desired team game. Some individuals got what they needed, too.

“We weren’t happy, more so with the last game. We gave up too many scoring opportunities, goals. Going back to playing the right way is the thing we emphasized going into today’s game,” Quenneville said. “When you do that you get scoring chances, offensive zone time. We got a lot of that tonight.”

Sports News Minute: Blackhawks dominate 2014 jersey sales.

By Sarah Langs

 

Do you have a Blackhawks jersey? Based on the numbers, it seems like most people do these days.

The NHL released it’s top-selling jersey list for 2014, and the Blackhawks featured five players in the top 25 -- the most of any one organization. Patrick Kane’s jersey was the bestselling sweater for 2014. Jonathan Toews’ was third, and Corey Crawford’s was 15th. 

CSN Chicago Business Insider Rick Horrow attributed some of the Blackhawks’ proliferation to a new jersey design for the Winter Classic, but that alone doesn’t explain the popularity.

 

“The bottom line is this: as the Blackhawks continue to be iconic, play well and win, merchandise sales and brand value continues to increase,” Horrow said.

NHL suspends Blackhawks Daniel Carcillo for six games.

By Tracey Myers

Daniel Carcillo already had a long list of suspensions and fines in his nine-season NHL career. That list got longer on Monday.

Carcillo was suspended six games for his crosscheck on Winnipeg forward Mathieu Perreault in the Blackhawks’ 4-2 loss to the Jets on Friday night. Since he was already out of Sunday night’s game against the Dallas Stars pending his hearing, which took place via phone on Monday, Carcillo’s suspension remains in effect for the Blackhawks’ next five games.

He will be eligible to return Feb. 3 against the Minnesota Wild.

It is the ninth time Carcillo has been suspended in his nine-year NHL career; he has also been fined three times. Two of those fines and one of the suspensions came for stick-related fouls. And since Carcillo’s last suspension came in the 2014 postseason, he’s considered a repeat offender under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. Carcillo will forfeit $40,243.92; that money will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Perreault, whose left arm was injured on the play, is out until the All-Star break. Carcillo, who spoke after Saturday's practice, said he hoped Perreault was OK but called his crosscheck, “a hockey play.” In listing its factors for Carcillo’s latest suspension, however, the department of player safety’s video disagreed.

“This is not a hockey play,” it said. “It had nothing to do with the puck and the blow was delivered after the whistle had blown the play dead.”

Other factors listed in the video were:

- “Perreault has no reason to expect to be hit. He visibly relaxes upon hearing the whistle.”

- “Carcillo is in control of what happens. After hearing the whistle, he chooses to deliver a forceful crosscheck that strikes Perreault in an unprotected spot, below the shoulder pad and above the elbow pad.”

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Thibodeau's message to slumping Bulls clear: 'Enough is enough'

By Mark Strotman

Chicago Bulls Coach Tom Thibodeau. (Photo/Getty Images)

"Enough is enough."

Following yet another disconcerting loss Monday night in Cleveland, an incensed Tom Thibodeau ripped apart his team's effort, denounced any excuses that might be hindering his banged-up group and hinted that change could be on the way if the slumping Bulls aren't able to turn around their recent misfortunes.

"We’re going to look at everything. That’s the only choice you have. Look at the film, get to work. We’ve got to get better, it’s really that simple. The way we’re playing is not acceptable, so we have to change it," Thibodeau said after the Bulls' 108-94 road loss to the Cavaliers. "We’re going to continue to look at it. We need to build continuity. Maybe we look at different people, I don’t know. I’m going to think about it, study the film and try to come up with answers."

Thibodeau won't find any answers in Monday's loss, their sixth in their last eight games.

Squaring off against a LeBron James-led group that had won two straight, the Bulls once again started sluggish, were pushed around in the paint for a third consecutive game and showed little effort once they trailed and failed to get within closer than 12 points the final 27 minutes of the game.

The struggles have been brewing for two weeks now; in the Bulls' worst stretch since last year's 1-7 stretch following Derrick Rose's second season-ending knee surgery, the Bulls have suffered home losses to sub-.500 groups in the Jazz and Magic, been embarrassed by fellow East contender John Wall and the Wizards twice and Monday night against a Cavaliers team that was five games behind them in the loss column.

From an on-court perspective, the Bulls defense felt flat and uninspired as the Cavaliers found open shot after open shot, more times than not near the basket. Of Cleveland's 90 field-goal attempts, 49 came in the painted area, and they attempted 25 free throws, finding easy options for points that resulted in at least 24 points in each quarter. Even a six-turnover performance from James, who also had 26 points and four assists in 37 minutes, couldn't help propel the Bulls, who only scored five points off the Cavaliers' 12 turnovers.

The lack of effort that had been a rarity under Thibodeau in years' past showed up again, and the Bulls seemed unwilling to be the aggressor inside. Even without Joakim Noah, who missed a third straight game with an ankle injury, likely All-Star starter Pau Gasol and fill-in Taj Gibson, a player Thibodeau said he considers a starter anyway, were bullied inside. The combination of Timofey Mozgov (15 points, 15 rebounds), Kevin Love (16 points, 12 rebounds) and Tristan Thompson (six points, 10 rebounds) helped the Cavaliers win the rebounding margin, 54-40 and the points in the paint, 46-30.

Perhaps more troubling than the effort, however, is the lack of communication. A team boasting a host of seasoned veterans with playoff experience, as well as a two-time NBA champion in Gasol, never appeared to be on the same page, a troubling revelation this deep into the season. A common theme inside the visitor's locker room Monday night was that the team isn't talking well on the court, leading to breakdowns that were evident against a Cavaliers team that saw point guard Kyrie Irving tie a career-best with 12 assists.

"It’s just the whole team. Not communicating when we’re on the floor to one another, everybody’s quiet and until then we’re going to get the same results," said Rose, who had 18 points but didn't play in the fourth quarter. "We’re quiet when we’re out there, and it’s leading to them getting easy baskets. We’ve got to give a better effort. It seems like we’re not even competing. It’s f------ irritating."

The Bulls admittedly have been bitten by the injury bug as hard as any team in the East. All five starters have missed significant time at some point during the season, and without Mike Dunleavy (ankle) and Noah the Bulls have been forced to juggle starting lineups and subsequently alter rotations. Still, this is the same group of players who fought through injury setbacks during a stretch in which they won 13 of 15 games prior to their current slump.

The Bulls beefed up their bench this offseason, bringing in rookie Nikola Mirotic and signing Aaron Brooks, for this exact reason. Instead, a team once considered a lock for the Eastern Conference Finals now finds itself trying to stay afloat for home-court advantage in the first round.

It's the same reason Thibodeau won't use "new faces" as a justification for the continued mishaps and miscues. Newcomers in Gasol, Mirotic, Brooks and even Rose — who hadn't played but 10 games with the current core the last two seasons — needed an acclimation period in September, October and November. But now, more than halfway through the regular season, there's no reason all 12 active players shouldn't know their roles and execute them together the way Thibodeau drew it up.

"This is, to me, a totally different team than what we’ve had in the past," Thibodeau said. "We're trying to integrate new players, but we’re halfway through the season. We should be past that."

No one has a clear answer for what's ailing the Bulls, but Gibson, Gasol and Rose all surmised that this sudden lack of effort stems from lack of effort in practice. If Thibodeau's notorious mantra of "the games telling you where you are" is to be believed, then the Bulls aren't putting in nearly enough effort in practice to prepare themselves for games.

"It comes from within. There’s nothing more you can say. It’s all about how much heart you have and how determined you’re going to be," said Gibson, who double-doubled with 10 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. "We’ve got to practice harder. We can’t take days off. We’ve got to practice a lot harder."

Added Gasol: "We have to be willing to do whatever it takes to get out of it. We cannot prolong this bad streak and this moment. So the sooner we cut it out, the better we’re going to be. So I do agree that it needs maybe a harder concentration from our part."

The biggest issue facing the Bulls now is that they'll receive no grace period to make those necessary changes. Tuesday was a scheduled off day, though Thibodeau arranged for the Bulls to practice. They'll again practice Wednesday before hosting the defending champion Spurs on Thursday and travel to Dallas to face the Mavericks on Friday. They're back in Chicago on Sunday against the Heat before starting a six-game road trip that begins in Golden State, where the league-best Warriors are 18-1 at home.

The issues aren't as damning as needing to make significant changes on the roster like their Monday opponents did earlier this month in acquiring J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Mozgov in trades. Still, Thibodeau made it clear that the players who ultimately will right the ship and push the Bulls back in the right direction are in the locker room. And it's on them to make it happen sooner than later.

"They’re here. This is what we have, and it’s on us to figure it out," Thibodeau said. "No one’s coming in to save the day. We’ve got to find the answer. And when we’ve had enough we’ll take care of it."

Still plenty of time for Bulls to solve their problems.

By Mark Schanowski

Judging by what we’re seeing in the national media, the Bulls are a team in disarray with a head coach who has lost the locker room. The well-respected Chris Sheridan of sheridanhoops.com even went as far to suggest Tom Thibodeau’s job could be in danger if the Bulls don’t play well in the next couple weeks against some of the best teams in the league.

To quote the great Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers: R-E-L-A-X.

Teams expected to contend for championships don’t make coaching changes midseason, with the exception of Pat Riley twice (Heat 2005, Lakers 1982), and the Bulls front office certainly values what Thibodeau brings to the organization with his relentless work ethic. Yes, the Bulls have looked listless at times in losing six of their last eight games, but remember, they won 13 of 15 right before this mini-slump.

The truth is the Bulls’ struggles could continue over the next couple of weeks as they begin one of the toughest stretches in their schedule with games coming up against the Spurs, Mavs, Warriors, Suns and Rockets. Until the Bulls can get Mike Dunleavy and Joakim Noah back in the lineup, their rotations and defensive consistency are weakened.

Still, long-term this is a team that has the necessary ingredients to compete for an Eastern Conference title. They are deep up front with Pau Gasol , Noah, Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic, Jimmy Butler has emerged as an All-Star caliber talent in his fourth season, and Derrick Rose is coming off his best four-game scoring stretch of the season.

So, why are the Bulls struggling so badly right now? The answer goes back to the defensive issues that have plagued them all season. They’re now in the middle of the pack in points allowed and defensive efficiency, something we never expected to see with a Thibodeau-coached team. The Bulls have allowed 22 opponents to score 100 points or more in 43 games, which is more than all of last season.

And, Bulls players continue to talk about lack of communication on the defensive end, including Rose, who offered this after the loss to Cleveland on Monday, “Everybody has to be on the same page. Until then, we're going to continue to get our [butts] kicked. We're not communicating while we're on the floor to one another.

Everybody is quiet. Trust plays a part, but communicating on defense in a team sport is huge. We've got to give a better effort. It seems like we're not even competing. It's [bleeping] irritating."

Success on the defensive end is all about effort, and right now the Bulls just aren’t getting it with any consistency. Dunleavy is an underrated defender at 6-foot-9, who can use his length to help in the post and recover quickly enough to contest perimeter shooters. He also isn’t afraid to take the occasional charge. Noah is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, who’s still trying to get back into top shape following offseason knee surgery. Getting those two starters back in the lineup will provide immediate help, and give Thibodeau a much more reliable rotation.

Mirotic and second-year swingman Tony Snell have been asked to play expanded roles because of the injuries, and both have struggled during the recent slump. Same with veteran guard Kirk Hinrich, who has trouble staying in front of quicker guards in his 12^th NBA season. Plus, Bulls fans are starting to see what those around the league already knew, Gasol might have the length to block shots at the rim, but he struggles to guard quicker post players away from the basket.

Thibodeau only knows one way to solve the current problems, and that means rolling up his sleeves and doing more tape study and preparation. Sure, some of the players are probably a little tired of the coach’s demanding ways, but that’s not going to change. And, clearly there’s enough talent on the roster for the Bulls to be successful, so don’t expect the front office to make any dramatic changes before next month’s trade deadline.

What this team needs right now is a few wins to restore confidence, and quiet some of the outside noise. Given Thibodeau’s record of success, it’s hard to believe he won’t find a way to get things back on track.

Bulls rocked in Cleveland, lose for sixth time in eight games 108-94.

By Mike Singer

Pau Gasol is fouled by LeBron James during the second half. (Photo / Jason Miller / Getty Images)

Bulls reserve guard Tony Snell caught the ball on the perimeter, and instead of taking the open 3-pointer late in the third quarter, he rifled a two-handed pass directly at Cavaliers coach David Blatt for another unthinkable turnover.

If Monday’s primetime matchup against Cleveland could’ve been boiled down into one all-encompassing play, that was undoubtedly it.

 

The Bulls were routed by the Cavaliers, 108-94, extending their season-worst slump to six losses in eight games and dropping their overall record to 27-16. The Bulls lacked enthusiasm, hustle, communication and poise, ingredients they had vowed to find after each loss the past two debilitating weeks. The Bulls shot just 37 percent from the field and were out-rebounded 54-40, a disturbing trend that has coincided with their recent losing streak as much as any stat.

 

Derrick Rose had 18 and Jimmy Butler had 20, but the Bulls' backcourt shot just 11-of-30, trailing the Cavaliers by double-digits all night. Pau Gasol finished with an empty double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds) on 4-for-14 shooting and was outplayed by the Cavaliers' frontcourt.

It wasn’t long ago the Cavaliers were questioning their identity, but that came with a caveat: LeBron James was resting with soreness in his ankle and back. Since returning four games ago following his eight-game break, James has averaged 31.7 points in leading the Cavs to a 3-1 record. He finished with 26 on Monday. The turnaround started on the Cavs’ recent Los Angeles trip, where they became just the fourth team to win on back-to-back nights at the Staples Center over the Lakers and the Clippers. 

Monday’s game was supposed to be a potential preview of the Eastern Conference Finals, but if the Bulls’ recent lack of intensity becomes a pattern, Tom Thibodeau’s squad won’t get anywhere near that far. Every Cavalier starter had at least 15 points, while Kyrie Irving added 12 assists. 

 

J.R. Smith had eight in the third quarter, and Kevin Love had seven as the Cavs’ lead ballooned to 25, despite three 3-pointers from Rose. In the fourth, it was James’ turn as he scored 10 of Cleveland’s 12 points during a game-sealing stretch featuring fall-away jumpers and more bullish scoring.

 

The Cavaliers weren’t particularly sharp in the first half, but it didn’t matter considering how awful the Bulls were. Rose, Butler and Gasol were a combined 5-for-28 compared to the Cavs’ big three, which accounted for 30 points and 11 assists. Irving, in particular, took advantage of Rose on pick-and-rolls and consistently found cutting teammates to complement the Cavs’ pace. After two Cleveland led, 54-39, and the margin would’ve been greater had the Cavs not shot just 42 percent from the field. 

 

Just as they did in the Bulls’ home opener on Halloween night, the Cavaliers dominated inside. After two quarters, Cleveland had the rebounding advantage at 35-21, including 13 on the offensive end and 30 points inside. New acquisition Timofey Mozgov had nine points and 11 boards in the first half alone as Gasol couldn’t stick with him in on-ball situations or on second-chance opportunities. Joakim Noah’s been sidelined for the past two games with a sprained ankle, and it’s not surprising that teams have targeted Gasol in the post.
 

Butler couldn’t hold James, either, who earlier on Monday had said that the Bulls’ shooting guard was playing at an All-Star level. That was hardly the case in Butler’s first game against the Cavs this year after missing the home opener due to injury. James bullied Butler at the rim, hit difficult fadeaways and harassed him on the defensive end. In the last seven games, Butler’s just 33-for-87 from the field.
 

No play was more indicative of the Bulls’ sloppiness than when Kirk Hinrich, by himself, simply lost the ball out of bounds with four minutes left in the first quarter already down 18-13. Earlier, Rose got so frustrated by an early foul call that he drew a first-quarter technical likely more indicative of the team’s recent struggles than anything pertaining to Monday’s game.

The Super Bowl Is Set, And Las Vegas Says It's A Toss Up.

By Tony Manfred

Super Bowl 49 between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots is a pick 'em at most Las Vegas sportsbooks.

Seattle opened as a 2.5-point favorite, ESPN's Dave Tuley reports, but that number quickly disappeared as bettors put heavy money on the Patriots.

The point spread is now a pick 'em at most places, while some even have the Patriots as a one-point favorite.

 

The Seahawks needed a miracle comeback to make their second-straight Super Bowl, beating Green Bay 28-22 in overtime after overcoming a 12-point deficit in the final minutes.

 

They'd be the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the 2005 Patriots.

New England looked much more impressive in its conference title game, destroying the Indianapolis Colts 45-7. 

These were the two best teams coming into the playoffs, and Vegas says there's nothing between them. If the point spread holds, it'd be the first time a Super Bowl was ever a pick 'em, according to David Payne Purdum.

Super Bowl XLIX: How Patriots, Seahawks match up on field, sideline.

By David Steele

Super Bowl XLIX will match the NFL's two best teams, the NFC's top-seeded Seahawks and the AFC's top-seeded Patriots. So, naturally, it matches up the best at what they do.

Here's how they compare at the most important positions.

Head coaches: Pete Carroll vs. Bill Belichick. Belichick, of course, replaced Carroll as Patriots head coach in 2000, after Carroll took them to the playoffs twice in three years and never had a losing record. Since then, Belichick has won three Super Bowls in five trips before now. Carroll is 1-for-1, but won two college national championships at USC before arriving in Seattle in 2010. This is the second Super Bowl in the last four in which both coaches previously had won the Lombardi Trophy: Belichick had faced the Giants' Tom Coughlin in Super Bowl XLVI. Before that? In 1985, XIX, Bill Walsh against Don Shula.

Quarterbacks: Russell Wilson vs. Tom Brady. Wilson is in his second straight Super Bowl after winning it last year. Brady has made back-to-back trips once, winning after the 2003 and 2004 seasons, and has three wins in five appearances in all. This season, at 37, Brady was fifth in the NFL in passer rating at 97.4; Wilson, 25, was 10th at 95.0. Both were infamously overlooked on draft day: Wilson was the 75th pick of the 2012 draft, with five quarterbacks taken in front of him. Brady was the 199th player picked in 2000, with six quarterbacks taken before him. Of those 11 quarterbacks, one — Brock Osweiler, Peyton Manning's backup with the Broncos last year — has been to a Super Bowl.

Running backs: Marshawn Lynch vs. LeGarrette Blount. Both are sledgehammers whose physical style wears down defenses as games wear on, and both were at their best in their respective conference title games. Lynch pounded the Packers for 157 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. Blount bludgeoned the Colts for 148 yards and three touchdowns. They’re both 28; Lynch is eight months older, but has been in the NFL three years longer. Both are also not on their first NFL teams: Lynch was traded to the Seahawks from the Bills in 2010. Blount is not only on his third team, but he's in his second go-round with the Patriots.

Cornerbacks: Richard Sherman vs. Darrelle Revis. They’re the starting corners on the All-NFL first team. Combined, they’ve earned that honor five times in the past four seasons, but this is the first time they’ve both done it. Revis was the most coveted cornerback of the 2007 draft class after a great college career at Pitt. Sherman was converted from wide receiver while at Stanford and lasted to the fifth round in 2011. Each had an interception in the conference title games Sunday.

Cornerbacks: Byron Maxwell vs. Brandon Browner. Maxwell, picked a round after Sherman by the Seahawks, starts across from Sherman in the Legion of Boom. Why? Because Browner, the starter last season when they won the Super Bowl, signed with the Patriots as a free agent in the offseason, one of several losses from that top-ranked defense. Now Browner pairs up with Revis. For what it’s worth, teamed up with their respective shutdown teammates, Maxwell had two interceptions this season, Browner one. Maxwell picked one off Sunday against the Packers.

Owners: Paul Allen vs. Robert Kraft. In Sporting News’ 2013 ranking of NFL owners’ wealth , the Seahawks’ Allen, the Microsoft co-founder, blew away the field at No. 1. Kraft was eighth. However, while Allen is heading toward his third Super Bowl since buying the team in 1997 (they lost to the Steelers in 2006), Kraft is in his seventh since he took over in 1994. (The first was with Bill Parcells, the loss to the Packers in 1997.)
 

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Fox 'looking forward' to challenge with Bears. 

By ANDREW SELIGMAN (AP Sports Writer)

Chicago Bears NFL football team new head coach John Fox listens to a question at a news conference at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Ill., Monday, Jan. 19, 2015. Fox has signed a four-year deal to become the team's 15th head coach in franchise history. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

John Fox was not backing down from the challenge as the Chicago Bears' new coach.

No matter how tough it is, he was not shying away.

''I'm looking forward to this challenge,'' Fox said Monday. ''I can't tell you exactly what that challenge is yet, but I understand that it starts with being successful in your division.''

The Bears finished last in the NFC North at 5-11, missed the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years and fired general manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman.

They hired Ryan Pace as GM and then turned to Fox last week, just days after he coached the Denver Broncos in the playoffs, to replace Trestman.

Fox did not provide any answers about the futures of quarterback Jay Cutler or receiver Brandon Marshall at his introductory news conference. He is more focused on filling out his staff.

Fox brings a 119-89 regular-season record in 13 years with Carolina (2002-10) and Denver (2011-14), with six division titles and seven playoff appearances. He is one of six coaches to lead two franchises to Super Bowl appearances, joining Don Shula, Bill Parcells, Dan Reeves, Dick Vermeil and Mike Holmgren.

''John Fox is a proven winner and when he became available, honestly, the game changed,'' Pace said. ''The more time I spent with him and his family, the more it became apparent that he's the perfect man to lead our charge.''

Fox oversaw turnarounds in Carolina and Denver, and the Bears are hoping for a similar result this time.

It won't be easy, considering how chaotic last season was in Chicago.

There was no shortage of drama, whether it was Lance Briggs missing practice the week of the opener to open a restaurant in California, former offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer leaking a critical story of Cutler or Marshall repeatedly drawing headlines for reasons that had little to do with his play. 

Fox brings credibility. He led the Broncos to division titles all four years, even if those seasons ended in ugly losses. He oversaw an impressive turnaround in Carolina, with the Panthers going from 1-15 in 2001, the year before he arrived, to the Super Bowl in his second season.
 

Denver went from 4-12 to the AFC West title in Fox's first season with Tim Tebow at quarterback. The Broncos got to the Super Bowl last season with Peyton Manning, only to get blown out by the Seahawks.

They got knocked out this season by Indianapolis. Fox and the Broncos agreed to part ways the following day, and a week later, he was standing at a podium in the Bears' practice facility, embarking on a new chapter after the last one ended in bitter fashion.

Denver GM John Elway had said he was disappointed the team did not go out ''kicking and screaming.''

''We did disagree,'' Fox said. ''Not on anything specific, obviously we parted ways. Felt good about it. Hugged walking out. I said that a week ago today and I still feel that.''

Once Fox became available, it didn't take long for Pace to call him. They interviewed Wednesday at Bears headquarters and again the following day in Denver in a less formal setting. On Friday, they finalized the deal. 

''I just wanted to be thorough with it. Obviously, we still needed to conduct an interview, and then even more so, I wanted to go out there and meet him just more thoroughly. I felt good once we went through all those steps that we had the perfect guy for the job.'' 

Fox talked about establishing the run, an area the Bears abandoned at times last season, and re-establishing Chicago as a force on defense after getting shredded for two seasons. 

He also insisted that the Bears won't ignore the pass, saying, ''I can promise you, you better be able to throw it.'' 

There's no question they have a talented quarterback. But Cutler's future is in question after he tied for the league lead with 18 interceptions. 

A massive seven-year contract that he signed after last season makes him difficult to trade. Cutting him is an option if the Bears are determined not to have him back. 

Pace said the quarterback situation came up in every interview the Bears conducted.
 

Fox did not tip his hand when asked if Chicago can win with Cutler. He said he wants to meet with the quarterback.
 

''I know everybody makes a big deal about the quarterback - and I get that,'' Fox said. ''But it's still a team game. We all have to do it for our teammates and for something bigger than ourselves. I look for that in any position.''
 

NOTES: TE Martellus Bennett was selected to the Pro Bowl with New England's Rob Gronkowski headed to the Super Bowl. ... The Bears hired Jeff Rodgers as special teams coordinator. He spent the past four years in the same role with the Denver Broncos under Fox and spent two seasons on Fox's staff in Carolina. ... Pace when asked if the Bears have offered former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio their job: ''No. I mean no. We're talking to a lot of guys right now.''

Fox, Bears hire Vic Fangio as new defensive coordinator.

By Tony Andracki

Chicago Bears new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio

John Fox is wasting no time making his impact felt in Chicago.

The new head coach of the Bears impressed in his introductory press conference and already hired a special teams coordinator Monday. Now, Fox has his defensive coordinator in Vic Fangio.

Fangio has spent the last four years in San Francisco as the defensive coordinator, where the 49ers have been among the NFL's best defenses each season. The Niners have ranked in the Top 10 in both points and yards allowed in Fangio's four seasons.

Fangio worked with Jim Harbaugh at Stanford as the defensive coordinator in 2010 and has experience as the DC with the Carolina Panthers (1995-98), Indianapolis Colts (1999-2001) and Houston Texans (2002-2005).

The 56-year-old coach could be a game-changer for a Bears defense that is coming off two of the worst seasons in franchise history.

Update: Vic Fangio points to Bears moving to a 3-4 defense.

By John Mullin

One Bears veteran recently told CSNChicago.com that Shea McClellin should have gone to a 3-4 team from the get-go and if he had, McClellin’s career might be different.

For reasons having nothing to do directly with McClellin, the right defense may be coming for him as the Bears reached agreement with veteran 3-4 proponent Vic Fangio, 56, as defensive coordinator on the staff of new coach John Fox.

Fangio, Jim Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers and who interviewed initially with the 49ers to succeed Harbaugh, turned down an offer from the Washington Redskins and becomes the second major staff hire for Fox. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com first reported the news.

Whether the Bears currently have the personnel to run Fangio schemes is a matter for Fox, Fangio and general manager Ryan Pace. The Bears do not have typical two-gap jumbo defensive linemen.

“We’re going to put our players in the best position for them to have success,” Fox said, “and that’s how we’re going to earn their respect moving forward because they know we can help that, whether that’s a 3-4 or 4-3 has not been determined yet.”

Fangio, whose San Francisco defenses consistently ranked in the NFL’s top 10, had the 49ers No. 5 in yardage this season despite being without Pro Bowl stars Aldon Smith, NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis for all or major portions of this season.

The 49ers released Fangio from his contract and promoted a member of his staff, defensive line coach Jim Tomsula, to head coach. Fangio interviewed with Fox and the Bears last Saturday, went to Washington for a second interview but agreed in principle with the Bears on Tuesday.

Fangio made his NFL mark early, serving as linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints from 1986-1994. The Saints operated one of the elite 3-4 schemes with a linebacking corps consisting of Rickey Jackson, Sam Mills, Vaughan Johnson and Pat Swilling. All four made the 1992 Pro Bowl and Jackson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

Dom Capers, currently defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, hired Fangio as defensive coordinator for the expansion Carolina Panthers in 1995 where they reached the NFC Championship game in their second season, also on the strength of a 3-4 scheme based around rush linebackers Kevin Greene and Lamar Lathon.

Fangio was Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator (1999-2001) and then went to the expansion Houston Texans in 2002, again under Capers, through 2005. After five years with the Baltimore Ravens – another 3-4 defense – Fangio joined Harbaugh’s staff at Stanford, then went to the 49ers with him.

Bears offensive coordinator job a win-win situation.

By John Mullin

With Ryan Pace hired as general manager and John Fox as head coach, the on-field attention turns to choices of coordinators, with one ranking significantly higher than the other two.

 

Failure to resolve issues around the offensive coordinator doomed Lovie Smith and in part Marc Trestman. Like Smith, Fox is a proven defensive mind, which means that his coordinator on that side of the football will not be a rubber stamp of himself, but Smith’s defenses were solid whether his coordinator was Ron Rivera, Bob Babich, Smith himself or Rod Marinelli.

 

It’s on offense where the concern lies, and what the Bears offer is a win-win situation for whoever gets that job.

 

Whether Adam Gase from Denver, Kyle Shanahan, late of Cleveland and reportedly going to Atlanta to be Falcons OC, or another candidate, one NFL insider posited that Chicago is an ideal situation, ironically in part because of Jay Cutler.

 

For one thing, the strings of coaches and coordinators fired because of Cutler are probably over. For another, turning Cutler into a winning quarterback will establish that coordinator as the NFL equivalent of a made man, particularly since the Chicago head coach is over on the defensive side. That coordinator will zoom to the top of next year’s head-coach hot list.

And if Cutler doesn’t work out, the expectation is that Pace will have more in the quarterback pipeline than just David Fales for that coordinator to mold and develop.

 

Win-win.

Fowler traded from Astros to Cubs for Valbuena and Straily.

AP - Sports
                                                                 

Houston Astros' Dexter Fowler celebrates his solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox in Boston. Outfielder Dexter Fowler has been traded from the Astros to the Chicago Cubs, Monday, Jan. 19, 2015, for infielder Luis Valbuena and right-hander Dan Straily. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

The Chicago Cubs hope Dexter Fowler will provide outfield strength and spark at the top of the batting order.

''He does control the strike zone really well,'' Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said Monday after acquiring Fowler from the Houston Astros for infielder Luis Valbuena and right-hander Dan Straily.
 

Fowler, 28, hit .276 with eight homers and 35 RBIs last year in his only season with the Astros, who obtained him from Colorado for outfielder Brandon Barnes and right-hander Jordan Lyles. 

Fowler, who has a .271 career average, asked last week for $10.8 million in arbitration and was offered $8.5 million. He is eligible for free agency after the season.
 

''He can potentially lead off for us. I won't sit here and make the lineup card out for Joe (Maddon), but he certainly fits well in that role,'' Hoyer said. ''It really gives us much needed depth in center field and in the outfield. We felt like we were a little bit imbalanced as far as our depth, that we were certainly a deeper team in the infield than we were in the outfield.'' 

The 29-year-old Valbuena played third base primarily last year but also saw time at second. He hit .249 with 33 doubles, 16 homers and 51 RBIs. Valbuena agreed Friday to a $4.2 million, one-year contract and can become a free agent after the 2016 World Series.

Straily, 26, was 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA last season in eight starts and six relief appearances for Oakland and the Cubs, who acquired him as part of the trade that sent Jeff Samardzija to the Athletics. He was 10-8 for the A's in 2013.

The arrival of Fowler puts Arismendy Alcantara in more of a utility role. The departure of Valbuena creates an opening at third, although Hoyer insisted it will not accelerate prized prospect Kris Bryant's arrival in the majors.

He said Mike Olt, Tommy La Stella and Alcantara will compete for time until Bryant is ready.

''When Kris is ready, when we think he's ready to come up to the big leagues, we'll make that decision,'' Hoyer said. ''But certainly trading Valbuena is not gonna speed that clock up at all. It's all dependent on Kris.''

Chicago also agreed to a minor league contract with right-hander Daniel Bard, who has not pitched in the major leagues since 2013 with Boston. Bard had surgery in January 2014 for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, then agreed to a minor league deal with Texas. He made four appearances in June for the Hickory Crawdads of the Class A South Atlantic League and allowed 13 runs in two-thirds of an innings, a 175.50 ERA.

Golf: I got a club for that; David Leadbetter to PGA professionals: "Use technology wisely".

By Mark Aumann, PGA.com

 

David Leadbetter outlined the history of golf instruction Monday during the PGA Teaching and Coaching Summit. (Photo/Montana Pritchard/PGA of America)

One of the themes of this year's PGA Teaching and Coaching Summit has been ways to use technology to understand the golf swing, whether through high-speed video, shot trackers, launch monitors and pressure plates that measure center of mass and center of pressure.

It's just the latest in a series of advances in golf instruction that go back almost to the beginning of the game, according to legendary golf instructor David Leadbetter, who detailed the way teaching has evolved since movie cameras captured the swings of Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan.

But he cautioned PGA professionals in attendance during Monday's session not to rely so much on today's technology that they use it as a crutch in teaching students about the game.

"Technology plays a major role in our lives, not just in golf," Leadbetter said. "I really admire that everybody is taking technology on. I think it's very important though to use technology wisely."

How to do that? Leadbetter, who worked with Nick Faldo and Nick Price, said it's important to not lose sight of what technology can contribute to the overall teaching experience.

"Instinct plays an awfully big role," Leadbetter said. "I think as teachers, it's very important to sort of rely on instinct. It's great that we all know all these (advances in technology), but golf is still about getting the ball in the hole. Remember, all this stuff is just a tool. Hopefully, we won't be out of a job. We have to be there to interpret those numbers."

What's happened, in Leadbetter's opinion, is that with advances in technology, the focus on instruction has evolved away from helping beginning players.

"So much of golf instruction today seems to be geared to the good player," Leadbetter said. "And let's face it, that's fine, it's fascinating, it's great. I and many other teachers have established a living teaching good players. But we're talking about the masses -- the 15-to-30 handicappers. We need to grow this game. We can't make it more complicated. We need to have all this knowledge so we can make it simpler, not more complicated."

Complicating matters is a change in consumer habits. The world moves at a much faster pace than it did even a generation ago, and golf instructors have to adapt to a clientele that neither has the time or patience to work on their golf game the way they might have 20 or 30 years ago.

"Today, people have less time to play and practice," Leadbetter said. "Time is a huge factor in everybody's lives. You can see that by the numbers. There are less people playing golf. They don't have the time to play golf.

"If you bombard them with information, is that going to make it simpler? In many cases, it makes it more complicated. So we have to be very judicious in how we hand out that information. And get to the point very, very quickly. It used to be 'Did you want a quick fix or work on it over a period of time?' We have to do both. People want to see instant results."

D. Johnson denies cocaine problem, suspension ahead of PGA Tour return.

By Ryan Ballengee

Dustin Johnson of the US plays his shot from the 4th tee during the final round of the British Open Golf championship at the Royal Liverpool golf club, Hoylake, England, Sunday July 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)

Dustin Johnson is set to make his PGA Tour return next month after announcing July 31, 2014, that he would be taking an indefinite leave of absence to deal with what he described as "personal challenges."

Several reports, most notably from golf.com, claimed Johnson's time away wasn't voluntary, but rather a six-month suspension for violating the PGA Tour's anti-doping program. The Tour denied that claim, with the whole thing likely more a matter of semantics than anything.

Beyond that, reports suggested Johnson had a problem with cocaine and, though tangential to Johnson's leave of absence, that he had an affair with a fellow PGA Tour player's wife.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, his first since leaving golf last summer, Johnson offers an update on his progress, return and journey to fatherhood with fiancée Paulina Gretzky. Johnson denies any issues with cocaine, but does admit to a vague set of broader problems, for which he hired a team to help him deal with in his time away from the PGA Tour.

“I did not have a problem [with cocaine],” Johnson says. “It’s just something I’m not going to get into. I have issues. But that’s not the issue.”

Instead, he says Grey Goose vodka and soda with a lime was his elixir of choice.

“My way of getting rid of [stress and anxiety] was drinking or partying,” Johnson says. “Yeah, that might work for that day or the next week, but eventually everything keeps piling up.”

Johnson tells SI he got rid of the enablers of his bad behavior. He's shed 20 pounds of bad weight, added 13 pounds of muscle and a typical day is, shall we say, mundane: wake up early, eat breakfast with his fiancée's parents (granted that means spending the morning with Wayne Gretkzy), then play a round of golf. All this in an effort to finally tap into his potential at 30. The Coastal Carolina product says he's ready for the challenge.

“I don’t think I’ve even scratched the surface,” he says. “And that was a really big part of what I’ve been doing, to help myself reach that potential.”

Sportsbook installs Jimmie Johnson as 2015 title favorite.

By Nick Bromberg

NASCAR Driver Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson is a favorite for the 2015 Sprint Cup Series trophy. We'll wait to continue this post until you pick yourself up off the floor after being utterly flabbergasted.

According to the Bovada sportsbook, Johnson is a 5/1 favorite for the title. He's slightly better than teammate Jeff Gordon and 2014 champion Kevin Harvick, who are both listed at 6/1.

Brad Keselowski, last year's leader in race wins with six, is at 7/1 and his teammate Joey Logano is at 8/1. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won three times in 2014, is at 10/1 along with Matt Kenseth.

Here's the complete list of Bovada's odds:

• Jimmie Johnson: 5/1
• Jeff Gordon: 6/1
• Kevin Harvick: 6/1
• Brad Keselowski: 7/1
• Joey Logano: 8/1
• Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 10/1
• Matt Kenseth: 10/1
• Kyle Busch: 12/1
• Carl Edwards: 12/1
• Denny Hamlin: 14/1
• Kyle Larson: 18/1
• Tony Stewart: 22/1
• Kurt Busch: 25/1
• Kasey Kahne: 25/1
• Ryan Newman: 33/1
• Greg Biffle: 40/1
• Clint Bowyer: 40/1
• Jamie McMurray: 40/1
• Austin Dillon: 50/1
• Brian Vickers: 100/1
• A.J. Allmendinger: 200/1

What stands out to you? Denny Hamlin is the lowest member of Joe Gibbs Racing at 14/1, which is good for 10th in the rankings. Yes, all four JGR drivers are in the top 10, which further solidifies the belief that the team has the best four-driver lineup in the Cup Series. And we think you could order the JGR drivers from 1-4 in any order and make a solid case for your argument.

• Kyle Larson looks a little high to us at 18/1. Yes, his performance and potential is a big part of that, but we're not sure he's necessarily a stronger threat to the title than Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and others. He will definitely be in a couple of years, however.

• Ryan Newman at 33/1 seems right, though we're positive that someone will repeat what he did in 2014 and get deep into the Chase.

• Aric Almirola is the only Chase driver from 2014 not on the list and the top Roush driver at 40/1 is a sign of just how far Roush has fallen. The days of having half of the Chase field seem like a distant memory.

Gordon's old race car nets $500K at auction.

Staff report, NASCAR.com                                        

 

     

1999 Chevy was last vehicle in which Gordon, Evernham won together.

The 1999 No. 24 Pepsi Chevrolet Monte Carlo is off the auction block -- and at quite a price.

The car, which is the final vehicle in which Jeff Gordon and Ray Evernham recorded a victory as a driver-crew chief pairing, sold for $500,000 Friday night at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction. The proceeds will benefit the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation, which supports childhood cancer research.

In what was their final race together, Gordon and Evernham claimed victory at Phoenix International Raceway in 1999 in what is now called the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

According to Motor Racing Network, bidding had reached $450,000 when Gordon threw in his uniform and an autographed helmet.

The car's restoration and sale will also be featured on Evernham's TV series "AmeriCarna."

Clearly, the driver was delighted with the outcome.

Sebastian Giovinco could be most important MLS signing since David Beckham.

By Leander Schaereckens

Juventus' Sebastian Giovinco celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Juventus at the Friuli Stadium in Udine, Italy, Monday, April 14 2014. (AP Photo/Paolo Giovannini)

The numbers have left observers scratching their heads. The Atomic Ant will earn a mountain of money. A reported $7 million per year or so for each of the next five years.

Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC's latest mega-signing, will make more than Kaka, Frank Lampard, David Villa, Steven Gerrard, Robbie Keane or any of the league's other bona fide stars. He'll make more than David Beckham or Thierry Henry ever did here. He'll also make more than U.S. national team stalwarts Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore, who were lured home at great expense.

All for Sebastian Giovinco, the tiny 5-foot-5 playmaker who turned out not to be the next Alessandro Del Piero as he and Juventus and all of Italy had hoped.

Yet on the strange and twisted grading curve set by the long list of pricey Designated Players signed by MLS since Beckham arrived in 2007 – leaving aside for a moment the fact that the league minimum was still only $36,500 in 2014 – Giovinco actually represents good value for that amount of money.

He isn't a true star, the way all of the aforementioned are or were, whether at home or in Europe. He doesn't add that cachet and won't sell tickets on his own. But in a lot of ways, he could be the league's most important signing since Beckham.

Giovinco, after all, is only 27. And word has it he had options. According to the well-informed Toronto Sun, he could have signed with Arsenal, Tottenham, Fiorentina and Monaco. The English press – actually far less reliable on transfer matters – claims he had also drawn interest from Liverpool and Chelsea. In other words, Giovinco is a player in his prime who was in high demand among some of Europe's biggest clubs. Some of the other, bigger names to land in MLS could have easily stayed in Europe as well, but none had more good games in front of them than behind. Giovinco just might.

Toronto probably paid above market rate – although Giovinco will be out of contract in July and therefore won't necessitate a transfer fee. But the point is they got him.

As TFC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko put it to the Sun: "Anything is possible now."

That sort of goes for the whole league.

The Giovinco signing suggests that not all of Europe's elite talent thinks of MLS as a place to go later on, when the Champions League starts to move a little fast for them and their families are sick of the paparazzi. And if they did think that way, they now probably don't anymore.

For that reason alone, Giovinco could well prove worth every penny.

Lionel Messi, Arsenal lead AP Global Football 10.

By JACK BEZANTS (Associated Press)

Lionel Messi topped the Associated Press Global Football 10 for the second straight week on Tuesday after his latest hat trick.

His 22nd Spanish league treble in Barcelona's 4-0 rout of Deportivo La Coruna saw him beat Santi Cazorla, the inspiration of team-of-the-week Arsenal.

Messi is one hat trick away from matching Cristiano Ronaldo's league record of 23.

 

''One of the few (records) that is not yet the Argentine's,'' Leonardo Bertozzi of ESPN in Brazil said. 

''Since the emergence of the news about his difficult relationship with Luis Enrique (the Barcelona coach), Messi has made a point of showing that it will not affect his performance on the field.''

Cazorla scored one goal from the penalty spot and assisted on another in Arsenal's impressive 2-0 away win against English Premier League defending champion Manchester City on Sunday.

''Winning against top teams has been Arsenal's biggest challenge in past seasons,'' Ubiratan Leal of trivela.com in Brazil said. ''Wenger's side urgently needed a victory like the 2-0 away over Manchester City.''

Ronaldo was third in the poll for netting two as Real Madrid won 3-0 at Getafe to remain in first place in the Spanish league.

Chelsea attacker Oscar rose to fourth, with teammate Diego Costa taking fifth.

The pair was instrumental in Chelsea's ruthless display against Swansea, where it won 5-0. They both hit the back of the net twice before halftime, and Oscar scored the first after only 50 seconds.

''Oscar is a fantastic talent and is showing his real potential under Jose Mourinho's influence,'' Aurelio Capaldi of Italian broadcaster RAI Sport said.

Carlos Tevez is also in the top 10, with Fernando Torres, Eljero Elia, Gonzalo Higuain and Paul Pogba.

In the team poll, last week's winner, Barcelona, dropped to second with Premier League leader Chelsea third.

Juventus was fourth after beating Verona 6-1 in the Italian Cup and 4-0 in Serie A to extend its advantage over second-place Roma to five points.

''Juventus scored 10 goals last week, affording them pride of place in Serie A,'' Chris Tait of The Herald in Scotland said. ''With Paul Pogba in demand across Europe, and Carlos Tevez on form, the Old Lady has started to flutter her eyelashes.''

Real edged city rival Atletico Madrid into fifth after its win over Getafe. Defending Spanish league champion Atletico won 2-0 at home to Granada on Sunday.

There followed Napoli, Southampton, French league leader Lyon, and Marseille.

AP Global Football 10:

Players:

1. Lionel Messi, 134 points

2. Santi Cazorla, 81.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo, 80.

4. Oscar, 74.

5. Diego Costa, 73.

6. Carlos Tevez, 67.

7. Fernando Torres, 39.

8. Eljero Elia, 38.

9. Gonzalo Higuain, 25.

10. Paul Pogba, 20.

Teams:

1. Arsenal, 127.

2. Barcelona, 121.

3. Chelsea, 120.

4. Juventus, 100.

5. Real Madrid, 66.

6. Atletico Madrid, 54.

7. Napoli, 52.

8. Southampton, 40.

9. Lyon, 27.

10. Marseille, 21.

Biggest winners and losers from the college football coaching carousel.

By Pat Forde
                                    

No school went bigger than Michigan, which poached Jim Harbaugh from the NFL. (Photo/AP)

By all appearances, the college football coaching carousel has stopped.

For the second straight year, no head coach is jumping from college to the NFL. The college game had lost Chip Kelly and Doug Marrone to the pros in 2013, and in previous years lost Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll. 

 

In a major reversal of fortune, the college game poached a big one from the NFL – Harbaugh went back on campus. And that’s an appropriate place to appraise the winners and losers in this year’s coaching realignment derby.

BIGGEST WINNERS

Michigan. The Wolverines dumped a coach who was in over his head, shot for the moon and hit the bull's-eye with Harbaugh. Best thing to happen to Michigan football since Charles Woodson.

Mississippi State. For much of the season, Gridworld speculated on whether Dan Mullen would go to Florida or Michigan or some other high-rent locale. Instead Mullen stayed put in Starkville – and so did his star quarterback, Dak Prescott. The Bulldogs lost defensive coordinator Geoff Collins but replaced him with Manny Diaz, who did a fine job at the school earlier in Mullen’s tenure.

BIG WINNERS

Oregon State. The Beavers lost an institution of a coach in Mike Riley, but his program was losing momentum – just 12-13 the last two years, and 29-36 the past five. Replacing him with Gary Andersen has the potential to be an upgrade – he won 19 games in two seasons at Wisconsin after breathing life into a dead Utah State program.

Texas A&M. Defense was a disaster under Mark Snyder. Replacing him with John Chavis – a proven commodity at both Tennessee and LSU – is a huge plus. And Chavis is less likely to look at the job as a steppingstone to a head-coaching gig than younger coordinators. He could be there quite a while. (A&M also wins by firing student assistant Michael Richardson after his disgraceful sideline act in the Aggies’ bowl game.)

Auburn. Also made an impactful change at defensive coordinator, replacing Ellis Johnson with Will Muschamp. Best way to combat Nick Saban is to get a guy who knows how Saban thinks – and adding assistant Lance Thompson directly off Saban’s staff is another step in that direction. Muschamp will be a major help in recruiting as well – but how long will he stay? He interviewed for the Houston head-coaching job and undoubtedly wants to run his own program again soon.

American Athletic Conference. League champion Memphis retained 2014 Coach of the Year Justin Fuente. And the entire Southwest Frontier upgraded: Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman to Houston; Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris to SMU; Baylor offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery to Tulsa. There will be more points in a league rife with struggling offenses. 

 

Western Michigan. The Broncos kept one of the most intriguing young coaches in the business, P.J. Fleck. After a 1-11 debut season, Fleck went 8-5 this year – Western Michigan’s most victories since 2008. He’s had crazy recruiting success the previous two years, and currently is assembling a 2015 signing class Rivals.com ranks 62nd – best in the Mid-American Conference. The longer WMU can keep this rising star, the better.
 

WINNERS
 

Pittsburgh. The Panthers reeled in Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi, a guy who has been coveted in several locales the past couple of years. He’s been integral to the Spartans’ ascendance and seems like the perfect guy to re-establish some toughness in the Pitt program.
 

Sun Belt Conference. A league that tends to have its best coaches poached by bigger programs kept everyone its members wanted to keep. That was especially good news at Louisiana-Lafayette, which won nine games and a bowl for the fourth straight year under Mark Hudspeth. And Arkansas State, which retains its head coach for a second season – something that hasn’t happened at Revolving Door U. since 2009-10.
 

Kentucky. The Wildcats retained tight ends coach and recruiting ace Vince Marrow, who turned down an offer from Harbaugh and Michigan in favor of a long-term deal at UK. Losing offensive coordinator Neal Brown, who became the head coach at Troy, should be relatively easy to overcome.
 

Utah State. Matt Wells, who has sustained what Gary Andersen built despite major graduation losses and horrendous injury luck at quarterback, is returning for a third season. That’s a big win.

WINNERS?

Florida. I like the hire of Jim McElwain for plenty of reasons: he didn’t win with smoke and mirrors at Colorado State, because there’s no such thing as doing that there; he’s a Saban Method guy without the Muschamp Method of impaired offense; and he’s a capable recruiter who knows the SEC. But he’s not the Urban Meyer slam-dunk hire of a decade earlier. McElwain will have to prove himself to a fan base that was hoping for a ready-made superstar.

Nebraska. Mike Riley is a great guy who may turn out to be a great coach in Lincoln, where it is far easier to win than at Oregon State. But he’s a 61-year-old guy in unfamiliar territory, and the best stretch of his coaching career was 2006-09 – basically ancient history in 2015. We’ll see.

UNLV. Hired high school coach Tony Sanchez, who comes with a lot of positive reviews and even more to prove. Even if it doesn’t work out, what does UNLV have to lose? The program is in lousy shape and the investment (a reported four years, $2 million) is minimal.

Oklahoma. Bob Stoops radically remade his staff, highlighted by the hiring of hotshot East Carolina offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley. Those changes have been met with great approval – but the bigger question remains in the big office. After years of slippage, is Stoops still a championship-level coach at Oklahoma?

LOSERS

Wisconsin. For the second time in three years, a successful coach jilted the Badgers in a lateral-at-best move – first Bret Bielema went to Arkansas, now Gary Andersen went to Oregon State. Bringing home native son Paul Chryst made everyone feel good, but Chryst was 19-19 at Pittsburgh. He’s not a sure thing. And the league is tougher now than when he left it.

Colorado State. The Rams wanted Narduzzi but lost out to Pitt, with Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo the fallback choice. He may work out just fine – but if he does, Bobo is no more likely to put down roots than McElwain, who stayed three years. At present, CSU is destined to hire two types of coaches: those who are too good to stay for long and those who aren’t good enough to keep for long.

Defensive coordinators. Seven first-time head coaches were hired in FBS this offseason. Six of them were offensive coordinators. Narduzzi is the only exception to the continuing trend of hiring offense, offense, offense. No wonder stud defensive guys like Bud Foster and Chavis seem resigned to being career assistants, and guys like Brent Venables, Kirby Smart and Bob Shoop have to wonder what it will take to get their shot.

TBD

Alabama. Nick Saban lost (intentionally or not) a pair of defensive assistants to SEC West rivals in Kevin Steele (to LSU) and Lance Thompson (to Auburn). Now offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin is reportedly in the mix to be offensive coordinator with the 49ers. Would these moves be addition by subtraction, or is working for Saban not worth the handsome salary anymore? The answer should be found on the field in 2015.

Kansas. David Beaty brings instant recruiting credibility where the Jayhawks need it most, in the state of Texas. What else he brings to the table remains to be seen. He hopscotched between Rice and Kansas as an assistant, including being a member of Turner Gill’s staff in Lawrence – normally not something to mention in anything more than hushed tones. Beaty spent the last three seasons at Texas A&M coaching wide receivers.

Troy. The hiring of Kentucky offensive coordinator Neal Brown means … well, we don’t know what it means yet. He’s a Tony Franklin/Mike Leach guy, which means all spread, all the time. And he has familiarity with Troy, having worked there from 2006-09. But his work at UK was OK, not necessarily anything that suggests he’s a sure-fire success.

Missouri. Losing defensive coordinator Dave Steckel was a blow to Gary Pinkel, who cherishes staff continuity. Replacing him with former staffer Barry Odom, who had done good work at Memphis, should lessen that blow.

Georgia. More than a few Bulldogs fans were cheering the departure of Bobo. But then again, more than a few Rams fans were cheering the departure of Brian Schottenheimer to succeed Bobo in Athens – just as more than a few Jets fans cheered Schottenheimer's departure before that..

Buffalo. You can’t be overly choosy when you’re the Bulls, so hiring a guy with a 109-6 career record certainly jumps off the page. But Lance Leipold compiled that record at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater, and has spent a grand total of three seasons coaching or playing Division I ball. He was an assistant at Nebraska from 2001-03. Even the MAC will be a big step up.

HOTTEST SEATS FOR 2015

Virginia. Mike London’s last three seasons are 4-8, 2-10, 5-7. A lot of people were surprised to see him get another shot.

Illinois. Incremental improvement capped by going to a bad bowl game kept Tim Beckman employed. But at 12-25 there is no indication yet that he’s the long-term answer.

Iowa State. Paul Rhoads is a likeable guy in a tough spot, but he’s also 5-19 his last two seasons. Even beating Kirk Ferentz half the time isn’t enough to keep you employed forever.

Iowa. Speaking of Ferentz—he’s gone from untouchable to unloved by a growing segment of the fan base over the past five mediocre years. Ferentz is standing pat on staff, which is a roll of the dice. But with a golden contract that runs through 2020, maybe he can afford to.

Indiana. There is one current coach of a power-five school that has been there four years without going to a bowl game. That man is Kevin Wilson, whose record is 14-34 at IU. The fan base is far more invested in basketball, which has been a saving grace so far. But Year Five seems like high time to at least ascend to the dizzying heights of 6-6.

Unbeaten Kentucky, Virginia stay 1-2 atop AP Top 25 poll.

By The Associated Press

The nation's two unbeatens retain their spots atop the AP Top 25.

For the second straight week, Kentucky was No. 1 in 63 of 65 votes cast Monday, while Virginia stayed at No. 2.

The Wildcats (17-0) have been No. 1 in every poll and were the unanimous choice for five straight weeks before two voters switched to the Cavaliers (17-0) last week.

Both teams had a pair of double-digit conference wins last week.

Gonzaga remained in third, while Villanova swapped places with Duke. The Blue Devils fell from fourth to fifth after a loss to Miami that ended a 41-game home winning streak followed by a win at Louisville.

No. 22 Dayton, No. 23 Indiana and No. 25 Iowa entered the poll for the first time this season.

1		Kentucky (63) SEC Record: 17-0	PV Rank 1 Points 1,623
2		Virginia (2) ACC Record: 17-0	2 1,562
3		Gonzaga West Coast Record: 18-1	3 1,467
4		Villanova Big East Record: 17-1	5 1,429
5		Duke ACC Record: 15-2	4 1,345
6		Wisconsin Big Ten Record: 16-2	7 1,282
7		Arizona Pac-12 Record: 16-2	10 1,228
8		Notre Dame ACC Record: 17-2	12 1,055
9		Iowa State Big 12 Record: 13-3	11 1,004
10		Louisville ACC Record: 15-3	6 1,003
11		Kansas Big 12 Record: 14-3	9 943
12		Utah Pac-12 Record: 14-3	8 940
13		Maryland Big Ten Record: 17-2	14 937
14		Wichita State Missouri Valley Record: 16-2	13 857
15		North Carolina ACC Record: 14-4	15 803
16		VCU Atlantic 10 Record: 15-3	17 670
17		Texas Big 12 Record: 13-4	20 554
18		West Virginia Big 12 Record: 15-3	16 501
19		Oklahoma Big 12 Record: 12-5	18 445
20		UNI Missouri Valley Record: 16-2	23 387
21		Baylor Big 12 Record: 13-4	22 260
22		Dayton Atlantic 10 Record: 15-2	28 241
23		Indiana Big Ten Record: 14-4	30 93
24		Seton Hall Big East Record: 13-4	21 91
25		Iowa Big Ten Record: 13-5	- 85

Others receiving votes: Oklahoma St. 47, Miami 41, San Diego St. 34, Georgetown 33, Stanford 31, Saint Mary's (Cal) 18, Providence 17, Colorado St. 16, Arkansas 15, Georgia 13, Butler 11, SMU 11, Michigan St. 8, LSU 6, Old Dominion 5, Wyoming 4, Ohio St. 3, Louisiana Tech 2, Tennessee 2, George Washington 1, St. John's 1, Washington 1

Ranking best college hoops states in America.

By Ryan Fagan

Bragging rights are just the best, aren’t they? 

This is true for so many things in life, but it’s especially true for college sports fans. What’s better than bragging that your school is better than your friend or co-worker’s school, or that your conference is better than their conference? 

And now, for the second year in a row, Sporting News extends that discussion to a state-vs.-state level. My goal, as it was last year, is to attempt to figure out what state is home to the best Division I college basketball in the country this season. 

With 351 schools competing on the hardwood, it’s no easy undertaking. But, admittedly, I had a lot of fun with the process. With this ranking—which considers this season only, keep in mind—I’m taking into account a little bit of everything, loosely following the same general principles the selection committee does when trying to seed the NCAA Tournament in March. 

It’s not solely about winning percentage or strength of schedule or big wins, but a combination of many factors. So, yes, while based on evidence and research and as much number-crunching as possible, at its essence, this is a subjective list. As you will soon see, I placed a premium on the absolute best a state has to offer. Without an elite team or two, a spot way up in the ranking isn’t going to happen. And there is value in having a high percentage of the state’s teams playing quality basketball. A state with multiple postseason-bound teams (the NCAA, NIT or CBI) will be ranked higher than one with one excellent team but not much else (hi, Maryland). 

That said, I’m not penalizing a state for having low-major teams that spend the non-conference portion of the schedule playing money games that help support their school’s athletics budget. 

 

The top 25:

1: Kentucky (Seven D-I schools)

2: North Carolina (18 D-I schools)

3: Virginia (14 D-I schools)

4: Texas (23 D-I schools)

5: Kansas (Three D-I schools)

6: Iowa (Four D-I schools)

7: Oklahoma (Four D-I schools)

8: Indiana (10 D-I schools)

9: Ohio (13 D-I schools)

10: Pennsylvania (14 D-I schools)

11: Wisconsin (Four D-I schools)

12: California (24 D-I schools)

13: Washington (Five D-I schools)

14: Utah (Six D-I schools)

15: New York (22 D-I schools)

16: Arizona (Four D-I schools)

17: West Virginia (Two D-I schools)

18: Michigan (Seven D-I schools)

19: Florida (13 D-I schools)

20: New Jersey (Eight D-I schools)

21: Maryland (Nine D-I schools)

22: Arkansas (Five D-I schools)

23: Illinois (13 D-I schools)

24: South Carolina (12 D-I schools)

25: Wyoming (One D-I school)

Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Note: This article was taken from the www.sportingnews.com web site; Ranking best college hoops states in America by Ryan Fagan. Please go to the web site to see the complete slide show. 

Lindsey Vonn breaks World Cup record as Tiger Woods watches.

By Jay Busbee
                                                

Lindsey Vonn celebrates in the finish area after winning an alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015. Lindsey Vonn won a downhill Sunday to match Annemarie Moser-Proell's 35-year-old record of 62 World Cup wins, capping a comeback from two serious knee surgeries. (AP Photo/Armando Trovati)

Lindsey Vonn broke a 35-year-old record Monday, officially claiming the title of winningest female World Cup skier in history. And she did so with the surprise support of a guy who knows a thing or two about historic wins.

Vonn won the super-G at Cortina D'Ampezzo in Italy on Monday, marking her 63rd World Cup victory and passing Annemarie Moser-Proell for most women's World Cup wins all-time. Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden holds the men's record with 86 World Cup wins.

Vonn's victory comes just one day after she tied the record, and marks a triumphant return to the top of the skiing world after two injury-riddled years that cost her a berth in the Sochi Games.

Vonn's beau, one Tiger Woods, was present in Italy, having flown in to surprise Vonn. Woods spent much of the time in "disguise" wearing a skull-decorated facemask:

Tiger Woods, third from left, leaves the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup super-G, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Jan. 19, 2015. Lindsey Vonn won a super-G Monday for her record 63rd World Cup victory and celebrated with an embrace from a surprise visitor, boyfriend Tiger Woods. The American broke Annemarie Moser-Proell's 35-year-old record of 62 World Cup wins with a flawless run down the Olympia delle Tofane course, finishing 0.85 ahead of Anna Fenninger of Austria. (AP Photo/Elvis Piazzi)

"I didn't think this could get any better than [Sunday] with my entire family here but now with Tiger here this is unbelievable," Vonn said after the race. "I said, 'I can't believe you came.' And he said, 'I told you.'" (Woods didn't speak to reporters.)

All told, Vonn has won 32 downhills, 21 super-Gs, three giant slaloms, two slaloms and five combined races, in addition to her three golds, and seven medals overall, in Olympic and world championship competitions. Vonn skied in the 2010 Games in Vancouver, and hopes to compete for the United States in 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Woods, meanwhile, is working his way back from his own debilitating injuries. He's next slated to tee it up at next week's Waste Management Open in Phoenix, Arizona.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, January 21, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1911 - The first Monte Carlo motor rally took place.

1973 - The AFC beat the NFC 35-31 in the NFL Pro Bowl in Dallas. The game had been played in Los Angeles since 1942.

1979 - The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Dallas Cowboys 35-31 in Super Bowl XIII. The Steelers became the first team to win three Super Bowls.

1985 - Dennis Potvin tied Bobby Orr's career record of 270 NHL goals. Potvin ended up with 310 career goals.

1986 - Former major-league player, Randy Bass, became the highest-paid baseball player in Japanese history. Bass signed a three-year contract for $3.25 million. He played for the Hanshin Tigers.

1989 - Wayne Gretzky passed Marcel Dionne to become the NHL's second all time scorer.

1990 - John McEnroe was disqualified and expelled for throwing a tantrum and using abusive language at an official while leading Mikael Pernfors in the Australian Open. He was the first person to be thrown out of a Grand Slam in 27 years. He was fined $6,500 and kicked out of the tournament.

1995 - John Stockton became the NBA's all-time career assist leader when he got his 9,922nd.

1997 - Don Mattingly (New York Yankees) officially announced his retirement.

1997 - Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls) scored 51 points against the New York Knicks.

2002 - Michael Jordan (Washington Wizards) played his first game in Chicago as a visiting player. The Wizards beat the Bulls 77-69.

2010 - Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) became the 15th player in NBA history to reach 25,000 career points and the youngest to hit the milestone. He did it 35 days faster than Wilt Chamberlain.

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