CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Friday Sports News Update and What's Your Take? 02/06/2015.

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“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt, Politician, Diplomat and Activist 

Trending: Does Sports Illustrated's 2015 Swimsuit Cover Go Too Low? What's Your Take?

Excerpts from an article by Jennifer Gerson Uffalussy

 

Hannah Davis on the 2015 cover of the Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue. (Photo: Courtesy of Sports Illustrated)

In the photo, Davis is engaged in the classic swimsuit-model pose of tugging down her bikini bottoms. But what makes this image particularly notable is the degree to which she does so — and the degree to which her mons pubis (or pubic mound) is on display without even so much of a hint of the start of pudendal cleft or labia majora.

Some might argue this is a striking display of female empowerment and sexuality. Indeed, what could make for a better mascot of sex-positive feminism than a young woman such as Davis recognizing and using the power of her own body — and the power of the male gaze — to achieve her own great professional success?

But there’s no question that Sports Illustrated has gone lower than ever before, swimsuit-bottom-wise. Is the female form meant to be ogled and consumed? Or is this bare-all attitude really one of female empowerment?

  

What do you think? Did Davis and Sports Illustrated go too low? Or is the cover par for the course in contemporary culture — and possibly even a good thing for women?

 

We'd love to know, what's your take? Please go to the comment section at the bottom of this blog and let us know how you really feel. Marion P Jelks, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica blog editor. 

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks-Jets Preview. 

By JEFF MEZYDLO (STATS Senior Writer)

After being shut out in back-to-back games for the first time in eight seasons, the Chicago Blackhawks feel they must improve their overall intensity level.

They've also had a rough time on offense lately with the slumping Winnipeg Jets, who have won the last four meetings and will try to hand the visiting Blackhawks a season-high third straight loss Friday night.

Chicago (31-18-2) isn't using the hassle of a three-game West Coast trip or some ensuing down time in Las Vegas as excuses for losing three of four since the All-Star break.

"We are professionals," said captain Jonathan Toews, who has one point through the first five in a stretch of seven consecutive road contests. "We (have to) show up and play. We (have to) work."

The Blackhawks went 2-1-0 while recording 10 goals to begin that stretch away from home, beating two of the league's top teams in Pittsburgh and Anaheim, but have since been outscored 5-0 in consecutive losses to San Jose and Minnesota. Patrick Kane recorded their last goal at 13:25 of the third period of a 4-1 victory over the Ducks last Friday.

Chicago hadn't been blanked in consecutive games since it happened in three straight Oct. 25-30, 2006 - one season prior to the arrival of Toews and Kane.

Toews wasn't happy with the Blackhawks' overall effort in Tuesday's 3-0 loss to the Wild. Chicago was outshot 43-24, lacked overall team speed and had little to be pleased about aside from Corey Crawford's 40-save performance.

"We didn't deserve it one bit so we've got no one else to blame but ourselves," Toews said. "We've got to look to each other to step it up. We've got to be big boys and play like it in the next one."

Toews has extra incentive to play well in his native Winnipeg, where he had a goal with three assists in a 6-3 victory Nov. 21, 2013, in Chicago's most recent stop there. The Blackhawks have won five straight road games against the Jets' franchise, with 11 goals in two played at Winnipeg.

However, the last four matchups have been in Chicago and the Jets (26-18-9) won them all in regulation - the longest current winning streak by any team against the Blackhawks. Three of those games came this season as Winnipeg outscored them 10-3, holding Kane without a point and Toews to one assist.

Michael Hutchinson was in net for each meeting and recorded 102 saves with a shutout. However, since winning 4-2 at Chicago on Jan. 16 and blanking Columbus in his final start before the break, Hutchinson has a 4.75 goals-against average while losing three straight.

Though the Jets are in wild-card position and three points behind third-place Chicago in the Central Division, they are mired in a season-worst 0-4-1 slide. Winnipeg yielded five goals in four straight before losing 3-2 in overtime at Vancouver on Tuesday.

"Every game is going to be a battle just to be in it," said forward Bryan Little, who recorded a goal and an assist for the second straight game. "That's the way it's going to be played the rest of the year, every night."

After their previous four opponents went 8 for 16 on the power play, the Jets prevented Vancouver from converting any of its six chances.

The Blackhawks are 0 for 6 on the power play versus Winnipeg this season.

Andrew Ladd has three goals and five assists in the past five meetings while fellow ex-Blackhawk Dustin Byfuglien has three points in the last two along with Little, who scored in both.

Blackhawks regaining focus amid rough stretch.

By Tracey Myers 

Ben Smith is pretty cognizant of the Central Division standings and where the Blackhawks fall among them. This time of year, he’s that much more aware.

“You start to look more and more now as the games go on,” he said prior to the team’s 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. “There’s a lot at stake. You want to get higher in the rankings, not drop lower.”

Well, the Blackhawks aren’t dropping lower in those standings at the moment. They also aren’t getting higher, either. The team’s lengthy road trip, on which they usually find a lot of success, has not yielded many victories or points thus far. And with other teams either coming up on the Blackhawks or already ahead of them, the Blackhawks know they need to get back on the winning track fast.

“The whole division has been playing one another here, everyone’s taking their turns. It shows you how meaningful these points and games are,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We’re in a spot where we can’t be happy, shouldn’t be looking ahead. We feel these games are all tough games so let’s make sure our focus is in the right spot.”

On Tuesday night, the Blackhawks’ focus wasn’t there, as evidenced by their play. It has to be back on Friday and Sunday, when they face the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues, respectively. The Blackhawks, with 64 points, are currently third in the Central – fourth in the Western Conference. The Pekka Rinne-less Nashville Predators continue to lead the division with 72 points. St. Louis, winner of six in a row as of Wednesday, is second with 70 points. Winnipeg, with 61 points, is just three points behind the Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks, who have gone 4-6-0 in their last 10 games, are aware of what’s going on around them. They’re watching the standings more than ever.

“It’s good to know where you are, who’s on your tail and whose tail you’re on,” Andrew Shaw said. “You have to go into every game and want to get the two points.”

Obviously the Blackhawks want those two points every time they play. Attaining them lately, however, hasn’t been so successful. The Blackhawks have found different ways to lose, from late-minute gaffes vs. the Los Angeles Kings to their former goaltender stymieing them vs. the San Jose Sharks to just laying an egg vs. the Wild. Whether the losses have been close or bad, the Blackhawks know they have to stop the bleeding.

While the Blackhawks will keep an eye on the standings, they won’t get obsessive about it.  As Shaw said, getting in is the most important thing, and after that, “teams have showed anything can happen.” The Kings, who won their two Stanley Cups entering the respective postseasons as the eighth and sixth seeds, are a testament to that. Still, getting home ice is in every playoff team’s best interest. So is playing at their best as the spring nears.

The Blackhawks aren’t dropping lower in the standings as of yet. They’re also not getting higher. They need to keep pace, because the race is getting that much tighter by the day.

“You look at the opponents we’re playing, it doesn’t get any easier,” Patrick Sharp said. “Teams are fighting for points and we need to raise our level, starting [with] the next game.”

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Is it time for the slumping Bulls to make a trade?

By Mark Schanowski

There are only a few ways for NBA teams to shake things up during a regular-season slump. You can change the starting lineup or bench rotation, fire the head coach, call up a D-League player, sign a street free agent or make a trade.

Tom Thibodeau has already tried the first two (mostly out of necessity because of injuries), and even though the rumors persist about friction between Thibodeau and the front office, don’t expect to see an in-season coaching change.

So, that leaves making a roster move. The Bulls have been scouting numerous players in the developmental league, and they’ve kept in touch with the prime available free agent, Ray Allen.

Allen will make his decision about playing another season right after the All-Star break, and given his friendship with LeBron James, it’s almost a slam dunk (or in Allen’s case a swished-3) he’ll join the Cavaliers for the stretch run and the playoffs. Washington has been in contact with the NBA’s all-time leading 3-point shooter, and there’s news on Thursday that the Atlanta Hawks will also make a bid for Allen’s services after losing backup shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha for the next six weeks. So, given their recent slump, the Bulls would have to be considered extreme long-shots to sign Allen.

Okay, so what about the trade market? First of all, John Paxson and Gar Forman put together a deep and talented roster for Thibodeau this season, but clearly something is not working. The Mike Dunleavy injury has played a part in the recent slump, and Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah are still trying to regain their form coming off knee surgeries. Plus, the addition of new rotation players like Pau Gasol, Nikola Mirotic and Aaron Brooks has forced some adjustments, especially on the defensive end. Forman and Paxson could decide to just stay the course and hope that Dunleavy’s return will stabilize the rotation and return the Bulls to their winning ways. And it would be hard to argue with that conclusion.

But here’s one reporter’s suggestion for a way to possibly jump-start the second half of the season. Step 1: trade Taj Gibson to Denver for Wilson Chandler. Step 2: sign free-agent forward Andray Blatche to replace Gibson in the rotation.

Why trade a valuable power forward like Gibson? Watching him play every minute this season, it’s clear something is off with his game. Is he just having a sub-par first half? Perhaps. But watching Gibson’s body language on the court, it looks like he’s unhappy with his current role. Maybe he's still disappointed he didn’t get moved into the starting lineup when the Bulls used the amnesty provision on Carlos Boozer. Maybe he’s being slowed by on-going foot and ankle problems. But with two years remaining on his contract at around $17 million, the time might be right to cash in a marketable player. Remember, Gibson was 24 when he came into the league and he’ll turn 30 in June. So, if you’re going to make a deal, you better not wait too long.

Denver has gone in the tank since the start of the New Year, and coach Brian Shaw could be let go at any time. Just about any player on the Nuggets’ roster is available, including Chandler, the former DePaul star, who’s a solid two-way player averaging nearly 14 points and eight rebounds a game. The seven-year NBA veteran is only 27 with another year left on his contract at around $7 million, and he could immediately move into the Bulls’ starting lineup at the small forward position. That would allow Dunleavy to join the second unit when he returns, providing stability and scoring punch for a group that’s had its problems of late.

Or, Thibodeau could continue to start Dunleavy and use Chandler as a scoring sixth man at either the small forward or shooting guard spot.

Blatche is back in the U.S. after playing a season in China, where he averaged around 31 points and 14 rebounds a game against admittedly inferior competition. The Nets and Heat have already expressed interest in bringing the 6-foot-9 power forward on board. His skill set is similar to Gibson’s, with the ability to block shots and knock down mid-range jumpers. He’s not nearly as good defensively as Gibson, and there have been character issues in the past, so it’s quite possible the Bulls would not be interested. In that case, the Bulls could consider a second trade to acquire another big man, possibly using Tony Snell and future draft picks as bait.

Who are some of the players who could be available as we head towards the Feb. 19 deadline? Here’s a partial list, based on my study of league rosters and rotations. If you’re looking for an upgrade at the wing spots, trade targets could include Lance Stephenson (Hornets), O.J. Mayo (Bucks), Gerald Green (Suns), Anthony Morrow (Thunder), Tayshaun Prince and Marcus Thornton (Celtics), Alan Anderson (Nets), Gerald Henderson (Hornets), Wayne Ellington (Lakers), Courtney Lee (Grizzlies), Jerryd Bayless (Bucks), Chase Budinger (Timberwolves), Mo Harkless (Magic), Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (76ers) and Landry Fields (Raptors).

Available big men include Bismack Biyombo (Hornets), John Henson and Zaza Pachulia (Bucks), Luis Scola and Lavoy Allen (Pacers), Brandon Bass (Celtics), J.J. Hickson (Nuggets), Jonas Jerebko (Pistons), Ed Davis (Lakers), Kosta Koufos (Grizzlies), Alexis Ajinca (Pelicans), Cole Aldrich and Jason Smith (Knicks), Kendrick Perkins (Thunder), Meyers Leonard (Blazers), and Reggie Evans and Ryan Hollins (Kings).

As I said at the top, I fully expect Forman and Paxson to stay the course with the best roster they’ve had in Thibodeau’s five seasons and hope the team finds its groove heading into the playoffs. But if they’re looking at what appears to be a short championship window with the 34-year-old Gasol and the often injured Noah having only one year remaining on his contract, maybe rolling the dice for some immediate help is exactly what this team needs.

Bulls cite a lack of effort yet again following loss to Rockets 101-90. 

By Howard Chen

It's one thing to lose a close, hard-fought game. It's another if it's about effort.

On Wednesday night, after losing 101-90 to the Rockets, effort and communication were two areas where the team felt was lacking once again.

"We play hard in spurts, but we just can't do it for 48 minutes right now," said Joakim Noah, who had one point but also grabbed 19 rebounds. "We've just got to figure it out."

"(The fight) is there, but you can't pick and choose when you want to show glimpses of it throughout the game," said Derrick Rose, who finished the night with 23 points. "It's all about just playing the whole game together."

What he meant was that the Bulls had their good spurts, but also their bad ones. In both the third and fourth quarters, the Bulls took about half the quarter just to get their first field goal.

That led to deep deficits. In the third, the Bulls fought back after trailing 71-56 to cut the Rockets' lead to 75-70 entering the fourth. That momentum could not be sustained, as the Rockets ripped off the first 13 points of the fourth to pull away.

The Bulls missed their first 11 shots of the third quarter. In the fourth, they missed their first nine attempts.

The reasons for these dry spells?

"For sure, effort and lack of communication in transition defense," Rose said.

"We can't afford to have those lulls," Tom Thibodeau said. "You can't allow a team to start the fourth quarter 13-0. Can't do it."

The opinion about effort wasn't necessarily a unanimous one around the locker room.

"I feel like I'm giving it everything I've got," Pau Gasol said. "It's just that we've got to be consistent. We haven't really found consistency all year long. I don't think it's a matter of effort. I think it's just a matter of working together, communicating, and getting the job done. Figuring out what needs to be done individually, what needs to be done collectively, and we all have to kind of look ourselves in the mirror and see what are we doing that's working, what we could do differently, because obviously right now, we're not playing at our best and we need to get wins if we don't want to fall off the train."

The Bulls have now lost 10 of their last 15. Their record has dipped to 30-20. That's 32 games remaining to figure things out.

"Things can quickly change in this league," Rose said. "I remember when we won 11 out of 13 and it changed really quickly. We're on a slippery slope now. So, who knows? We could go on a winning streak right after this game. Who knows? It just takes us coming down and being concentrated and focused."

Adam Silver: NBA needs to look at taking top 16 teams for the playoffs.

By Kurt Helin

Adam Silver was at the Stephen Curry show in Oakland last night, and he had killer seats. It’s one of the perks of being commissioner.

He also went on the air on Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area and took some questions from fans posted for him on Facebook, with topics ranging from his basketball experience to expanding the NBA to Europe.

However, the most interesting answer was his to the question of if the NBA should change its playoff system and, rather than take the top eight in each conference, take the Top 16 teams and seed them regardless of conference. Here was his response (that part of the interview starts at the 5:05 mark on the video above).

“Ultimately we want to see your best teams in the playoffs. And there is an unbalance and a certain unfairness. There is a proposal (from one of the broadcasters)…  where the division winners would all automatically go into the playoffs and then you’d seed the next 10 best teams. I think that’s the kind of proposal we need to look at. There are travel issues of course, but in this day in age every team of course has their own plane, travels charter. I don’t think the discussion should end there. And as I’ve said, my first year I was studying a lot of these issues and year 2 is time to take action. It’s something I’m going to look at closely with the competition committee. I do think it’s an area where we need to make a change.” 

The owners in the East might well oppose this.

If you used that formula this season there would be two changes: Charlotte and Miami would be out, replaced by New Orleans and Oklahoma City. Meaning the better, more deserving teams would get in. As it should be.

The complaints about this system starts with the travel — you could have cross-country matchups in the first round. However, as Silver noted, with every team flying in private planes this is not so significant an obstacle. Plus, the way the first round of the playoffs is spaced out there would be plenty of off days for the flights.

Another major complaint is that it could hamper regional rivalries. The idea goes that we want to see Boston play Philadelphia or New York (someday, when those teams make the playoffs again), more than we want to see Boston vs. Oklahoma City.  Or we want the Clippers and Warriors in a California showdown as opposed to Clippers vs. Boston. But does that regional rivalry really spur interest, especially outside those markets? Would better teams playing draw more viewers? I  think so.

The other major issue is that the schedule is imbalanced — teams play the other teams in their conference four times and from the other conference just twice. Is that fair to the teams in the West right now?  No. But the thing is, it doesn’t matter, the better teams still have the better records and get in (for example OKC would if it happened this season).

I’m not sure the owners will go down this path, but I think they should. The playoffs should be for the best teams, regardless of conference. We just want the best possible basketball.

Phil Jackson endorses 4-point shot.

By Dan Feldman

New York Knicks General Manager, Phil Jackson (Photo/AP)

Antoine Walker, asked why he shoots so many 3-pointers, famously responded: “because there are no 4s.”

Maybe Walker just played in the wrong era.

At least if Phil Jackson has his way.

Harvey Araton of The New York Times on Jackson:

"Now, he said, he would even endorse a 4-point shot being implemented a few feet behind the 3-point line." 

It’s rather shocking Jackson – the Knicks president who’s trying to install the old-fashioned triangle offense he ran with the Bulls and Lakers – endorse such a 4-pointer. He’s not the first to suggest it, but it seems to go against his basketball values (though maybe we can question exactly how firm those are).

A 4-pointer seems too radical, but 3-pointers must have also seemed that way when first implemented. In time, it would become a natural part of the game.

Of course, it’s nowhere near becoming part of the rulebook. But the first step is the game’s leaders, like Jackson, accepting the idea – and it seems we’ve crossed that threshold.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Who Are the Early Mock Draft Favorites for Teams in the NFC North?

By Zach Kruse

The Senior Bowl, Pro Bowl and Super Bowl are over, the NFL Scouting Combine looms later in February and the start of free agency is still more than a month away. It is now officially mock draft season in the NFL. 

 

Projections this early in February might have little meaning on what will actually happen come late April, but the mock draft process is still beneficial for matching team needs with qualified prospects. 

In the NFC North, big needs—or the roster holes potentially requiring a first-round pick to fill—are well-defined. 

The Chicago Bears need defense. The Detroit Lions may need to rebuild at defensive tackle. The Green Bay Packers need an inside linebacker. The Minnesota Vikings need a receiver. 

Most of the early mock drafts agree with the specific team holes. 

We scanned through the most recent mocks of Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, Rotoworld's Josh Norris, CBS Sports' Dane Brugler, NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN's Mel Kiper to help establish the early first-round favorites for all four teams in the NFC North. And the player results were congruent with the team needs. 

Much will change over the next few months, especially with the scouting combine and free agency still to come. But here's how the top draft analysts are picking early on for the needs of the Chicago Bears.

OLB Shane Ray, Missouri (Miller, Norris, Brugler, Jeremiah)

After allowing the most points in football over the last two seasons, the Bears are essentially locked into making a defensive pick at No. 7 overall. Arguably no team needs to get younger and more talented on defense. 

The arrival of new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and his preferred 3-4 front has amplified the craving for more disruptive play on the edges. 

Insert Ray, whom Jeremiah calls a "dynamic edge-rusher." Miller compared Ray to Cameron Wake, a versatile edge player for the Miami Dolphins who has tallied double-digit sacks as both a 3-4 outside linebacker and 4-3 defensive end. 

Brugler and Norris were also on board with the Bears going Ray at No. 7 overall. 

And why? Obvious need meets potential opportunity meets undeniable talent. 

From Lance Zierlein's draft profile of Ray on NFL.com: 

"It's hard to find many weaknesses for Ray. He pursues the quarterback and the ball like it's his last snap. An alpha male packaged in an explosive frame, Ray has the traits and skills to be a dominant pass rusher and potential Pro Bowler. He also has the athleticism and strength to play in any defensive front."

Disruptive. Explosive. Energy. Attitude. Versatile. Sounds like exactly the type of player the Bears need to jump-start a defensive revival in Chicago. 
 
Others: S Landon Collins, Alabama (Kiper)

Which of the seven new NFL head coaches was the best hire?

By Frank Schwab

When Dan Quinn could finally accept the Atlanta Falcons' head-coaching job after Super Bowl XLIX, there were no more NFL vacancies.

With the coaching carousel stopped (unless we get an unexpected firing this offseason), it's time to take a look at the seven teams that made a change, and figure out which team made the best hire. We're not just looking at the coach himself, but also if the team improved itself by firing its old coach and bringing in new blood:

7. Jim Tomsula, San Francisco 49ers

Tomsula might be the next Don Shula; I have no idea. But what we know now is this: The 49ers ran off Jim Harbaugh, who has been incredibly successful at every stop and a top 5 NFL coach, top 10 at worst. And they replaced him with a defensive line coach who has been a NFL head coach for one game, as an interim. There’s a lot to live up to there.

6. Jack Del Rio, Oakland Raiders

I felt bad for the Raiders fans when the “Jon Gruden will take the Raiders job! No, it’ll be Jim Harbaugh!” madness was happening. That was not realistic, but good job by their agents parlaying that into a lot of money for their clients. What the Raiders did get is a solid coach with a good reputation as a coordinator and some head-coaching experience (68-71 with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have cratered since he was fired), and most important – Del Rio wanted the job. I’m not sure this was a grand slam hire or anything, but it was probably as good as the Raiders could have done.

5. Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons

I’m always a bit leery of just taking the coordinator from the top unit. It’s probably unfair to Quinn, but it’s also fair to wonder how he’ll do without Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Bobby Wagner, Michael Bennett, K.J. Wright, Cliff Avril … you get the idea. His players love him, he came off very well during Super Bowl week, and he was a hot name. We’ll see if Atlanta made the right hire.

4. Gary Kubiak, Denver Broncos

It was hard to pick between Kubiak and Fox. Fox has had better success, but how much of that was due to John Elway landing Peyton Manning? Kubiak has been a tremendous coordinator through the years, and was a solid head coach in Houston. But we have to factor in if the move was an upgrade, and well, was it?

3. John Fox, Chicago Bears

While Fox had a ton of success with Manning, he also won division titles with Jake Delhomme and Tim Tebow at quarterback. So maybe he’s better suited to win with an average quarterback like Jay Cutler than we generally give him credit for. He could end up being a great hire if he fixes the Bears defense, but that might take a miracle.

2. Todd Bowles, New York Jets

I’m ranking Bowles ahead of two guys who have won 180 games between them as NFL head coaches. This is a bit of blind faith, but I believe. Bruce Arians got a lot of credit for the Cardinals’ success, and rightfully so, but what about the defensive coordinator who lost Darnell Dockett to injury, John Abraham to retirement, Daryl Washington to suspension and Karlos Dansby to free agency and kept rolling right along? His schemes are very creative, he has a dynamic personality – I just think he’s going to be a very good head coach.

1. Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills

I give Ryan the top spot for two reasons: I think Ryan is a heck of a coach, and Buffalo wasn’t the easiest sell. The Bills have no quarterback (prove me wrong, EJ Manuel!) and haven’t been to the playoffs this century. If you take that job, you're also entering a tough division. But they landed Ryan, a brilliant defensive Xs and Os coach who also is a good motivator. He was given a talent-poor roster the past few years with the Jets and did a pretty good job getting the most out of it. This was a really good hire for the Bills.

Joe Maddon won’t be afraid to get creative and shake up Cubs lineup.

By Tony Andracki

Joe Maddon is in for a big adjustment period.

For one, he's moving from the small-market Tampa Bay Rays to the third-biggest market in professional sports and a franchise that hasn't won a championship in 107 years.

But Maddon is also moving to the National League after spending his entire coaching career to date in the American League with the designated hitter. The two-time AL Manager of the Year turns 61 next week and seems anxious to jump into a new challenge.

At Cubs Convention last month, Maddon signaled the possibility of hitting the pitcher eighth, like legendary manager Tony La Russa, who toyed with that idea during his tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals.

"I talked to Tony about that in the past with the Rays a bit when we played National League ball," Maddon said. "There are some definite reasons why you would do something like that.

"More than anything, you want to feed into the beefy part of the batting order. How do you feed into the beefy part of a National League batting order better? I'm trying to find that out."

The idea isn't new to Maddon. As Rays manager, he hit the pitcher higher in the order eight times, including all three games against the Cubs at Wrigley Field last August (h/t CSN stat guru Chris Kamka for the info):



And then there was the time where Maddon had to hit pitcher Andy Sonnanstine third in the batting order after a lineup snafu caused the Rays to lose their DH.

The idea of hitting the pitcher eighth is foreign to the Cubs, however, as it has only happened once since at least 1914 - Jeff Samardzija on Sept. 8, 2012 (Tony Campana hit ninth).

Maddon is a student of the game, passionate about his craft and not afraid to think outside the box.

We already knew he'd have some fun writing out the batting order after his Tommy Tutone "867-5309" lineup with the Rays last summer. And Theo Epstein’s front office has given Maddon some weapons to play with.

There's Arismendy Alcantara, who can play all over the field and has the raw talent to hit nearly anywhere in the order. There are the mix-and-match opportunities in the outfield with veterans Chris Coghlan and Chris Denorfia slated for a platoon.

The Cubs have plenty of inexperienced kids still getting used to playing at the highest level, but there are also veterans like Miguel Montero, who can slot in multiple spots in the order.

There's still plenty of time to think about all that with pitchers and catchers reporting in 15 days. And all the lineup speculation is better left for Twitter and blogs. Maddon isn't worrying about it.

"I don't write lineups down. I'm not that guy," he said. "I never do. I need to see the guys in person. I like to see what's going on. I have to ask questions.

"I got to get with the analytic people. I really do do that. (I said 'do-do' again.) I'm really big on that kind of stuff.

"So once I'm able to get all the information, I want to talk to them in the dugout, watch their at-bats, ask the guys that have been here before: What did you see? I have zero preconceived notions right now."

Maddon has admitted he's had people at Chamber of Commerce events fill out lineup cards for him in Tampa Bay. (They went 3-2 by Maddon's mark.) The manager joked he takes suggestions on Twitter, too.

Either way, Maddon won't be afraid to shake things up. Wonder what '80s song will be the next lineup inspiration.

Golf: I got a club for that; Farmers Insurance Open (Feb 5 - 8), Course: Torrey Pines - South Course, Course: Torrey Pines - North Course, San Diego, California.

Yahoo Sports

PGA Tour Leaderboard, Last Updated: Thursday, Feb 5, 2015 8:48 pm, EST

Pos	Name	1	2	3	4	Today	Thru	Total	Strokes
1	Nicholas Thompson	64	-	-	-	-8	F	-8	64
2	Michael Thompson	65	-	-	-	-7	F	-7	65
T3	Brooks Koepka	66	-	-	-	-6	F	-6	66
T3	Cameron Tringale	66	-	-	-	-6	F	-6	66
T5	Jhonattan Vegas	67	-	-	-	-5	F	-5	67
T5	Fredrik Jacobson	67	-	-	-	-5	F	-5	67
T5	Chad Campbell	67	-	-	-	-5	F	-5	67
T5	Brendon de Jonge	67	-	-	-	-5	F	-5	67
T5	Chris Kirk	67	-	-	-	-5	F	-5	67
T5	Ian Poulter	67	-	-	-	-5	F	-5	67
T11	J.J. Henry	68	-	-	-	-4	F	-4	68
T11	Martin Laird	68	-	-	-	-4	F	-4	68
T11	Gary Woodland	68	-	-	-	-4	F	-4	68
T11	Jonas Blixt	68	-	-	-	-4	F	-4	68
T11	Spencer Levin	68	-	-	-	-4	F	-4	68
T11	Scott Pinckney*	55	-	-	-	-4	15	-4	55
T11	Harris English*	56	-	-	-	-4	15	-4	56
T18	Colt Knost	69	-	-	-	-3	F	-3	69
T18	Rickie Fowler	69	-	-	-	-3	F	-3	69
T18	Woody Austin	69	-	-	-	-3	F	-3	69
T18	Brendan Steele	69	-	-	-	-3	F	-3	69
T18	Chris Williams	69	-	-	-	-3	F	-3	69
T18	Andres Gonzales	69	-	-	-	-3	F	-3	69
T18	Jim Herman	69	-	-	-	-3	F	-3	69
T18	Tom Gillis	69	-	-	-	-3	F	-3	69
T18	Padraig Harrington	69	-	-	-	-3	F	-3	69
T18	Luke Donald	69	-	-	-	-3	F	-3	69
T18	J.B. Holmes	69	-	-	-	-3	F	-3	69
T29	Blake Adams	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Kevin Chappell	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Luke Guthrie	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Jason Gore	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Lucas Glover	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Seung-yul Noh	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	David Toms	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Camilo Villegas	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Ryan Armour	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Alex Prugh	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Andrew Putnam	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Tyrone Van Aswegen	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Robert Allenby	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Greg Chalmers	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Brian Stuard	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Brandt Snedeker	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Scott Stallings	70	-	-	-	-2	F	-2	70
T29	Greg Owen	65	-	-	-	-2	17	-2	65
T29	Scott Piercy	65	-	-	-	-2	17	-2	65
T29	Daniel Berger*	65	-	-	-	-2	17	-2	65
T29	John Peterson*	61	-	-	-	-2	16	-2	61
T29	Whee Kim	62	-	-	-	-2	16	-2	62
T29	Mark Hubbard*	57	-	-	-	-2	15	-2	57
T52	Aaron Baddeley	71	-	-	-	-1	F	-1	71
T52	Bill Lunde	71	-	-	-	-1	F	-1	71
T52	Erik Compton	71	-	-	-	-1	F	-1	71
T52	Martin Flores	71	-	-	-	-1	F	-1	71
T52	K.J. Choi	71	-	-	-	-1	F	-1	71
T52	Danny Lee	71	-	-	-	-1	F	-1	71
T52	Max Homa	71	-	-	-	-1	F	-1	71
T52	Byron Smith	71	-	-	-	-1	F	-1	71
T52	Michael Putnam	71	-	-	-	-1	F	-1	71
T52	John Merrick	71	-	-	-	-1	F	-1	71
T52	Cameron Percy*	62	-	-	-	-1	16	-1	62
T52	Brian Harman*	63	-	-	-	-1	16	-1	63
T52	Keegan Bradley	63	-	-	-	-1	16	-1	63
T52	Tom Hoge	59	-	-	-	-1	15	-1	59
T52	Jon Curran*	54	-	-	-	-1	14	-1	54
T67	James Hahn	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Sean O'Hair	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Carl Pettersson	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Jamie Donaldson	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Chez Reavie	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Ryo Ishikawa	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Matt Every	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Billy Horschel	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Charles Howell III	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Jordan Spieth	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Justin Thomas	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Hudson Swafford	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Zac Blair	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Gonzalo Fernandez-Casta	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Russell Knox	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Troy Merritt	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Heath Slocum	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	John Senden	72	-	-	-	E	F	E	72
T67	Marc Leishman	67	-	-	-	E	17	E	67
T67	Nick Watney*	64	-	-	-	E	16	E	64
T67	Angel Cabrera	64	-	-	-	E	16	E	64
T67	Ben Martin*	60	-	-	-	E	15	E	60
T67	Adam Hadwin*	55	-	-	-	E	14	E	55
T67	Steve Alker	52	-	-	-	E	13	E	52
T91	Robert Garrigus	73	-	-	-	+1	F	+1	73
T91	Stewart Cink	73	-	-	-	+1	F	+1	73
T91	Charley Hoffman	73	-	-	-	+1	F	+1	73
T91	Hideki Matsuyama	73	-	-	-	+1	F	+1	73
T91	Sang-Moon Bae	73	-	-	-	+1	F	+1	73
T91	Jake Knapp	73	-	-	-	+1	F	+1	73
T91	Cameron Smith	73	-	-	-	+1	F	+1	73
T91	Steve Wheatcroft	73	-	-	-	+1	F	+1	73
T91	Roger Sloan	73	-	-	-	+1	F	+1	73
T91	Bryce Molder	73	-	-	-	+1	F	+1	73
T91	Andres Romero	73	-	-	-	+1	F	+1	73
T91	Jarrod Lyle	73	-	-	-	+1	F	+1	73
T91	Jason Day	68	-	-	-	+1	17	+1	68
T91	Jin Park*	64	-	-	-	+1	16	+1	64
T91	Blayne Barber	65	-	-	-	+1	16	+1	65
T91	Richard Sterne	65	-	-	-	+1	16	+1	65
T91	Bill Haas	61	-	-	-	+1	15	+1	61
T91	Phil Mickelson	61	-	-	-	+1	15	+1	61
T91	Jimmy Walker	61	-	-	-	+1	15	+1	61
T91	Carlos Ortiz	61	-	-	-	+1	15	+1	61
T91	Oscar Fraustro	61	-	-	-	+1	15	+1	61
T91	Kyle Reifers	61	-	-	-	+1	15	+1	61
T113	John Huh	74	-	-	-	+2	F	+2	74
T113	Jim Renner	74	-	-	-	+2	F	+2	74
T113	Retief Goosen	74	-	-	-	+2	F	+2	74
T113	Davis Love III	74	-	-	-	+2	F	+2	74
T113	Benjamin Alvarado	74	-	-	-	+2	F	+2	74
T113	Paul Casey	74	-	-	-	+2	F	+2	74
T113	Mike Weir	74	-	-	-	+2	F	+2	74
T113	Jonathan Randolph	74	-	-	-	+2	F	+2	74
T113	Sam Saunders	74	-	-	-	+2	F	+2	74
T113	Jonathan Byrd	74	-	-	-	+2	F	+2	74
T113	Dustin Johnson	69	-	-	-	+2	17	+2	69
T113	D.A. Points*	62	-	-	-	+2	15	+2	62
T113	Tony Finau*	57	-	-	-	+2	14	+2	57
T113	Fabian Gomez	54	-	-	-	+2	13	+2	54
T127	Chad Collins	75	-	-	-	+3	F	+3	75
T127	Pat Perez	75	-	-	-	+3	F	+3	75
T127	Michael Block	75	-	-	-	+3	F	+3	75
T127	Sung Joon Park	75	-	-	-	+3	F	+3	75
T127	Brian Davis	75	-	-	-	+3	F	+3	75
T127	Alex Cejka	75	-	-	-	+3	F	+3	75
T127	Morgan Hoffmann	75	-	-	-	+3	F	+3	75
T127	Justin Rose	70	-	-	-	+3	17	+3	70
T127	Shane Lowry	63	-	-	-	+3	15	+3	63
T127	Andrew Svoboda	63	-	-	-	+3	15	+3	63
T127	John Rollins*	58	-	-	-	+3	14	+3	58
T127	Gunn Yang	59	-	-	-	+3	14	+3	59
T139	Kyle Stanley	76	-	-	-	+4	F	+4	76
T139	Eric Axley	76	-	-	-	+4	F	+4	76
T139	Justin Leonard	76	-	-	-	+4	F	+4	76
T139	Ben Crane	76	-	-	-	+4	F	+4	76
T139	Kyle Thompson	76	-	-	-	+4	F	+4	76
T139	Daniel Miernicki	76	-	-	-	+4	F	+4	76
T139	Brice Garnett	71	-	-	-	+4	17	+4	71
T139	Stuart Appleby*	64	-	-	-	+4	15	+4	64
T139	Mark D. Anderson*	59	-	-	-	+4	14	+4	59
T148	Scott Brown	77	-	-	-	+5	F	+5	77
T148	Charlie Beljan	77	-	-	-	+5	F	+5	77
T148	Derek Ernst	77	-	-	-	+5	F	+5	77
151	Zack Sucher	78	-	-	-	+6	F	+6	78
T152	Carlos Sainz Jr.	79	-	-	-	+7	F	+7	79
T152	Chris Gilley	79	-	-	-	+7	F	+7	79
T152	Trevor Immelman*	62	-	-	-	+7	14	+7	62
155	David Lingmerth	81	-	-	-	+9	F	+9	81
156	Tiger Woods*	45	CUT	CUT	CUT	-	-	-	45
* player started on back nine.

Woods withdraws from Torrey with back injury.

By Ryan Lavner

The questions surrounding Tiger Woods’ game grew louder Thursday when he withdrew during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open because of tightness in his lower back.

Grimacing after each errant drive, Woods walked off Torrey Pines – site of arguably his greatest triumph – after only 11 holes on the North Course. He was 2 over par for the day, and once again near the bottom of the leaderboard. 

Woods was only six days removed from his worst round as a pro, an 11-over 82 that resulted in a missed cut (by 12 shots) and last-place finish at the Phoenix Open. After that round, he denied having an injury, saying that he was “fine” and that his back was “not an issue anymore.” 

First-round play was suspended for nearly 2 ½ hours Thursday because of fog, and Woods said his back tightened up during the delay.

“It just never loosened back up again,” he said during a 90-second interview in the players' parking lot, “and when we went back out it just got progressively tighter.” 

Woods hit the green on the par-3 third hole, his 12^th of the day, before deciding to call it quits.

After two months of speculation about Woods’ woeful short game, the focus once again shifts to a familiar subject: his health.

The former world No. 1 said that this is a “different” pain than what he experienced last spring, when he decided to undergo a microdiscectomy in his lower back.

Mickelson thinks Woods will have 'last laugh'.

By DOUG FERGUSON

Tiger Woods checks his swing positions while warming up before the pro-am at the Farmer Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015, in San Diego. Watching and working with Woods are fellow tour player Billy Horschel, left, and Woods' coach, Chris Como, right. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

One player not concerned about Tiger Woods and his golf game is his longest rival — Phil Mickelson.

Woods is coming off the worst score of his PGA Tour career — 82 — last week in the Phoenix Open. He missed the cut by 12 shots, and it was the first time in his career that he missed the cut in two straight tour events, though they were played six months apart. Most disconcerting was how badly his short game looked.

With analysis on overdrive, the immediate chatter has shifted from whether Woods will match the Jack Nicklaus record of 18 majors (Woods has 14) to whether he can win three more regular PGA Tour events and match the record 82 won by Sam Snead.

"I think that Tiger's going to have the last laugh," Mickelson said Wednesday. "I think that his short game, historically, is one of the best of all time. I think his golf game is probably the best of all time."

Mickelson said the short-game woes are understandable because of how little Woods has played. The Phoenix Open was only his second tournament in six months after taking a break to fully heal from back surgery and to regain his strength. During his time off, Woods began working with a new swing consultant, Chris Como.

"I think the short game, when you haven't played, it's the first thing to feel uncomfortable and the quickest thing to get back," Mickelson said after his pro-am round at the Farmers Insurance Open. "I don't think he's going to have any problems, I really don't. I think we all — myself included — have had stretches where we feel a little uncomfortable. We don't hit it solid, and usually it's just a small tweak, because it's such a short swing that it's not a hard thing to fix.

"I just don't see that lasting more than a week or two."

Mickelson also missed the cut at the Phoenix Open after a 76 in the second round. He tied for 24th in the Humana Challenge. He has gone 31 tournaments without a win dating to the British Open at Muirfield in 2013 for his fifth career major.

Mickelson and Woods have been rivals for some two decades, though it is one-sided. Because of Woods — and Mickelson not at his best when Woods was out with injury — Mickelson has never been No. 1 in the world, won a PGA Tour money title or been voted player of the year. He has 42 victories, putting him at No. 9 on the PGA Tour career list and still 37 wins short of Woods.

Mickelson said he has gone through spells of bad chipping and it comes back. Once the technical issues are solved, he said the confidence returns.

"It's not like it's a big concern," Mickelson said. "As long as he's healthy and as long as he can swing the club the way he's swinging it, with the speed he's swinging at, I think his game will come back pretty quickly."

Golf pioneer Charlie Sifford, 92, dies.

ESPN.com news services

 

Charlie Sifford, who broke the PGA Tour's color barrier, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November. (Patrick McDermott/PGA of America/Getty Images)

 

Charlie Sifford, who only wanted a chance to play and who broke the color barrier in golf as the first black PGA Tour member, died Tuesday night, the PGA of America said.

 

Sifford, who recently had suffered a stroke, was 92. Details of his death and funeral arrangements were not immediately available. 

 

"His love of golf, despite many barriers in his path, strengthened him as he became a beacon for diversity in our game," PGA of America president Derek Sprague said. "By his courage, Dr. Sifford inspired others to follow their dreams. Golf was fortunate to have had this exceptional American in our midst."

 

A proud man who endured racial taunts and threats, Sifford set modest goals and achieved more than he had imagined.

 

Sifford challenged the Caucasian-only clause, and the PGA rescinded it in 1961. He won the Greater Hartford Open in 1967 and the Los Angeles Open in 1969. He also won the 1975 Senior PGA Championship, five years before the Champions Tour was created.

 

His career was fully recognized in 2004 when he became the first African-American inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. This past November, President Barack Obama presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer are the only other golfers who received that honor.

 

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

Samuel L. Jackson                                                                             Follow
✔ @SamuelLJackson

Mr. Charlie Sifford died tonite, the greatest African American Golfer most of you never heard of. RIP, Sir! #Presidential Medal of Honor
 

10:19 PM - 3 Feb 2015                      

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

"Charlie won tournaments, but more important, he broke a barrier," Nicklaus once said. "I think what Charlie Sifford has brought to his game has been monumental."

The one goal that eluded him was a chance to play in the Masters, which did not invite its first black player until Lee Elder in 1975. Sifford remained bitter, although the pain was eased when Tiger Woods won the first of his four green jackets in 1997.

Woods often has said he would not have played golf if not for Sifford and other black pioneers.

"It's been tough. Very tough," Woods said in a statement Wednesday. "As I've alluded to in the past, he's like my grandpa that I never had. And it's been a long night and it's going to be a long few days.

"But he fought, and what he did, the courage it took for him to stick with it and be out here and play, I probably wouldn't be here, my dad wouldn't have picked up the game, who knows if the clause would still exist or not. But he broke it down."

The road was never easy.

Sifford was born on June 22, 1922, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He worked as a caddie and dominated the all-black United Golfers Association, winning five straight national titles. He longed to play against the best players, only to run into the same barrier that Teddy Rhodes and Bill Spiller faced -- the Caucasian-only clause.

In his autobiography, "Just Let Me Play," Sifford told of meeting Jackie Robinson in California about the time Robinson was trying to break the color barrier in baseball.

"He asked me if I was a quitter," Sifford wrote. "I told him no. He said, 'If you're not a quitter, you're probably going to experience some things that will make you want to quit.'"

During the 1952 Phoenix Open, one of the few events in which black golfers could play, Sifford found human feces in the cup when he got to the first green. He received death threats over the phone at the 1961 Greater Greensboro Open and heard racial slurs as he walked the fairways. He finished fourth, and didn't quit.

He was beloved by some of golf's biggest stars, including Nicklaus and Palmer.

During his Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Sifford told of his first meeting with Palmer. They were playing in the 1955 Canadian Open, and Sifford opened with a 63 to lead Palmer by 1 shot. He recalled Palmer standing in front of the scoreboard saying, "Charlie Sifford? How the hell did he shoot 63?"

"I'm standing right behind him," Sifford said. "I said, 'The same damn way you shot 64.' That's how we met."

Sifford also received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland for his career as a pioneer.

He often attended the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, not far from his home in Ohio. During an interview with the AP in 2000, Sifford said he was proud of the role he played in making the PGA Tour accessible to African-Americans.

"If I hadn't acted like a professional when they sent me out, if I did something crazy, there would never be any blacks playing," he said. "I toughed it out. I'm proud of it. All those people were against me, and I'm looking down on them now."

The White House released a statement from President Obama on Wednesday.

"Charlie was the first African-American to earn a PGA Tour card -- often facing indignity and injustice even as he faced the competition," the statement read. "Though his best golf was already behind him, he proved that he belonged, winning twice on tour and blazing a trail for future generations of athletes in America. I was honored to award Charlie the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year -- for altering the course of the sport and the country he loved. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, his friends, and his fans."

Golf-Finchem: We can do better for caddies.

Reuters: By Ben Everill, Editing by Frank Pingue

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem believes the tour could do more for caddies but stood by the current system in the wake of a class action lawsuit filed this week.

Professional caddies filed a lawsuit against the PGA Tour on Tuesday, contending they were forced to wear sponsored bibs that generate millions of dollars for the tour without receiving any compensation in return.

"The historical process is they are employees of the player. We think that's been a good system," Finchem told reporters ahead of this week's Farmers Insurance Open.

"The extent to which this lawsuit challenges that system, for whatever reasons they have in the lawsuit from a legal standpoint, it is what it is, but we would like to continue that system and let it go on."

The lawsuit, which claims the PGA Tour reaps over $50 million annually from bib endorsements, follows years of complaints from caddies on wide-ranging issues such as lack of access to health care and benefits and adequate on-site parking.

According to the lawsuit, the PGA Tour threatened to prevent the caddies from working at tournaments organized and promoted by the organization if they refused to wear the bibs.

"Over the last 15 years we, and our tournaments, have taken a number of steps to make the experience for a caddie as good as possible," said Finchem, who pointed to increasing purses for players as one benefit for caddies who usually make a percentage of their employer's winnings.

"We have made progress, but there's obviously things we can do better."

10 Things We'd Like To See For Women In Auto Racing In 2015.

By Jim Pedley

 

In 2015, Danica Patrick will be seeking her first NASCAR win, Erica Enders-Stevens will be going after her second NHRA Pro Stock championship, and Courtney Force will vie for her first Funny Car title. (Photos/Getty Images, AP Photo, USA TODAY Sports)

The 21st century has seen welcome and plentiful advances for women in racing. Female drivers have increased their profile in the sport, led laps, won races and poles, and even scraped out a championship or two.

For 2015, we'd like to see more of everything -- more women competing, more women winning and maybe even a woman in command of the pit box.

Things like the following:

 1. Danica Patrick wins a race

It's time for Danica Patrick to take a big step forward in terms of racing numbers and results. Considering that this will be her third full season in Sprint Cup, that she has started 82 races in the series and that her Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick won the 2014 Cup championship in equipment that is, theoretically, similar to hers, that step seems to be within reach.

It should come in the form of a victory -- or two -- or consistent top-10 finishes. Both should be the goal. One or the other would make 2015 a more interesting season for the sport, its fans and Patrick's career.

2. Erica Enders-Stevens reaps sponsorship rewards

As the winner of the 2014 NHRA Pro Stock championship, Erica Enders-Stevens now has the big trophy. Wouldn't it be nice if she didn't have to worry about sponsorship and the financial ability to race a full schedule? Last season, because of economics and the cost of travel, her Elite Motorsports team had to skip two races -- the final two of the popular Western Swing.

There's just something wrong with that picture. But wrong would become very wrong should Enders-Stevens have to endure similar circumstances in an attempt to go back-to-back.

3. A woman wins the Funny Car championship

There remains one NHRA drag racing series that has yet to produce a female champion. It is, perhaps, the most popular category -- Funny Car. A couple of women took serious swings at it last season. Courtney Force won four national events and finished fourth in points, and Alexis DeJoria won three races and finished seventh. In 2009, Ashley Force Hood finished second in Funny Car points.

A Funny Car championship won by a woman in 2015 would further secure the NHRA's standing as the most diverse American workplace for drivers.

4. Simona de Silvestro gets another crack At F1

The Formula One driver's club has been male-dominated ever since Lella Lombardi last raced -- that would be 1976. It's time for a change.

A year ago, Simona de Silvestro appeared to be headed for a career in Formula One, the pinnacle of world-wide automobile racing. She was hired as an "affiliated driver" by the Sauber team. She tested with Sauber and looked to be in line for receiving her super license. But in October, Sauber terminated de Silvestro's testing program, citing "financial reasons" on the part of the driver. De Silvestro, 26, parted with her management afterward but the damage was done. The hope is that another team saw enough to be interested in continuing de Silvestro's ascension to an F1 cockpit.

5. A woman gets chance as NASCAR crew chief

Women have made key inroads in race shops, garages and paddocks over the years. A few have climbed higher than that. Leena Gade, for example, is chief engineer for an Audi sports car program that has won Le Mans. In that capacity, Gade makes key race-day decisions, and many have been winners.

But to date, no woman has staked out the big seat on top of a NASCAR pit box. People around the sport will tell you it's just a matter of time before a NASCAR team elevates a woman to the position of crew chief. This would be a great time to get started by putting a qualified woman in the position on one of NASCAR's three premier touring series.

6. Johanna Long gets real NASCAR shot

Johanna Long arrived in NASCAR in 2010 with a very respectable résumé, capped by a victory in the prestigious Snowball Derby, an offseason super late model race in Florida that annually attracts some of the best drivers in the world -- including drivers from Sprint Cup.

In NASCAR, Long entered 24 Camping World Truck Series races in 2010-11 and 41 Nationwide Series races in 2012-13 -- all for less than wonderfully funded teams. She qualified in all but one of her 65 attempts and earned the respect of her peers. But her Nationwide team folded prior to the 2014 season, and she was forced to sit out the entire year. The way it looks now, she also will spend at least the start of the 2015 season courting deals instead of driving cars or trucks. Meanwhile, people whom some consider to be of lesser talents will compete. There's still time to give Long a shot. A real shot.

7. Sarah Fisher shines at Indy again -- as co-owner

Sarah Fisher was immensely popular during her days as an IndyCar driver and competed in nine Indianapolis 500 races, the most number of starts for a woman. Now co-owner of the Sarah Fisher Hartman IndyCar Series team, she has a chance to shine again. In the offseason her team merged with Ed Carpenter's. Both have won races in the past and both have very competent drivers. Combined into a multi-driver team, winning the Indy 500 becomes more of a possibility.

8. Lesa France Kennedy steps into spotlight

NASCAR would benefit greatly by increasing the public presence of Lesa France Kennedy. The daughter of the late Bill France Jr., there are few other people in racing who have the intelligence and savvy of this woman.

Officially, her current highest-profile gig is as CEO of International Speedway Corporation, the branch of the France family-owned business that deals with race tracks. But the Duke grad is also on the NASCAR board and a quiet behind-the-scenes force in NASCAR. Moving more to the front of the scene would send a terrific message and result in positive change.

9. Female drivers return to Indy 500 in numbers

During an interview at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2013, Ana Beatriz predicted there would always be women racing in the Indianapolis 500. And why wouldn't she? In 2010, 2011 and 2013 there were four women drivers on the starting grid. Danica Patrick, Simona de Silvestro, Katherine Legge, Pippa Mann and Beatriz had made multiple starts. Not only that, the women were having success. In seven starts, Patrick had six top-10 finishes.

But last year, the number of women earning rides in the 500 slipped to just one -- Mann. At this moment, IndyCar Series teams are making plans for this year's 500. Good rides with good teams will become available as the series moves to fill the 33-car field. There is no shortage of highly qualified women drivers out there who deserve shots at those jobs. That's "jobs," plural.

10. D4D makes breakthrough with female driver

Two women were named to NASCAR's Drive for Diversity class for 2015 -- Kenzie Ruston and Natalie Decker. But it is essential that the D4D program make more forward movement. The program has shown well in recent years thanks to rising stars such as Kyle Larson, Darrell Wallace Jr. and Daniel Suarez, but it has yet to produce a breakthrough woman driver. Until it does, it will remain open to the criticism of not being fully successful. And NASCAR will be open to criticism that it is not fully committed.

Richard Childress Racing Set to Kick Off 2015 NASCAR Season With High Confidence and New Roland-Printed Vehicle Wraps.

Roland DGA Corporation

Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is kicking off the 2015 NASCAR season on Feb. 14 in the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway with new race car wraps and a high level of confidence. The team nearly pulled off a spectacular championship in the 2014 season, with star driver Ryan Newman finishing 2nd by less than one second in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. RCR hopes to build on that momentum and tally some big wins in 2015. Although the team's hot new wraps aren't likely to create wins on the track; the bold, vibrant graphics are sure to capture the attention of fans worldwide and please RCR's corporate sponsors.

While team sponsors remain the same, the RCR graphics crew has been hard at work designing, printing and installing newly-designed wraps for the fleet of race cars, including those driven by stars Newman (No. 31 Caterpillar/Quicken Loans/Wix Filters Chevrolet), Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet) and Richard Childress's grandson, Austin Dillon (No. 3 Dow/Cheerios Chevrolet). This year, another one of Richard Childress's grandsons, Ty Dillon, will be making his first Sprint Cup Series start at the Daytona 500 driving the Cheerios No. 3 car.

"When it comes to new wrap concepts, we may need to create up to 20 different variations of a single design for a sponsor to choose from," said Nick Woodward, RCR's graphics manager. "Regardless of whether a design is new or not, we print and install a new wrap for every one of our race cars prior to each race. During the course of an average season, we'll complete approximately 325 full vehicle wraps, using more than 99,000 square feet of media to produce the prints."

According to Woodward, his crew focuses primarily on design work from August through late fall, while the demanding wrap production and installation requirements keep the graphics technicians equally busy throughout the racing season. RCR relies on a total of eight Roland wide-format digital inkjets, including a state-of-the-art SOLJET Pro 4 XR-640 printer/cutter and Pro 4 XF-640 printer, to produce the detailed, eye-catching wraps needed for each car. In addition to wrapping its race cars, the graphics team wraps RCR's support and transport vehicles, as well as some of the equipment used in the pit. All of the work takes place at a dedicated 2,500 square-foot graphics facility at RCR's expansive Welcome, North Carolina campus.

Woodward is quick to point out how important high quality graphics are to RCR's overall operation. "Our sponsors make significant investments to promote their respective brands to NASCAR's huge audience," he noted. "Our wraps play a major role in that overall promotional plan, so each one needs to be perfect. The Roland printers we use are not only fast, they're also incredibly reliable and precise. That allows us to complete all of our jobs on time, and get everything from the corporate colors to the smallest details of the logo just right."

To learn more about Richard Childress Racing, visit www.rcrracing.com. For more information on the complete lineup of Roland digital printing equipment, visit www.rolanddga.com.

About Roland DGA Corp.

Roland DGA Corporation serves North and South America as the marketing, sales and distribution arm for Roland DG Corporation. Founded in 1981 and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Roland DG of Hamamatsu, Japan is a worldwide leader in wide-format inkjet printers for the sign, apparel, textile, packaging and vehicle graphics markets; engravers for awards, personalization and ADA signage; photo impact printers for direct part marking; and 3D printers and CNC milling machines for rapid prototyping, part manufacturing and the medical and dental CAD/CAM industries. Roland DGA is ISO 9001:2008 certified, and Roland DG is ISO 9001:2008 and 14001:2004 certified.

About Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 200 victories and 15 championships, including six in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Its 2015 Sprint Cup Series lineup includes two-time NASCAR champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Dow/Cheerios Chevrolet), 2011 Brickyard 400 champion Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet) and 2008 Daytona 500 champion Ryan Newman (No. 31 Caterpillar/Quicken Loans/Wix Filters Chevrolet). Its XFINITY Series program includes Brian Scott (No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet), 2012 Camping World Truck Series rookie of the year Ty Dillon (No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/WESCO/Yuengling Light Lager/Red Kap Chevrolet), Brendan Gaughan (No. 62 South Point Hotel and Casino Chevrolet) and a multi-driver lineup with the No. 33 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet team.

Premier League Power Rankings: Liverpool, Arsenal flying high.

By Joe Prince-Wright

Ladies and gents, we have a new top two in our rankings of power this week.

Arsenal and Liverpool are on a roll and with Chelsea and Manchester City stumbling, they are no longer the form teams. Take a look below to see who else is steaming into the upper echelons as the business end of the season is just around the corner.

In case you are new around here, each week we put our neck on the line to analyze the strength of each Premier League team. Forget about the official league standings (here they are in case you actually do want them) that doesn’t mean squat.

The Power Rankings take into account the strength of schedule, injuries, suspensions, playing well but still losing and plenty of other variables. The W-D-L bracket shows each PL team’s current record and you can now see how many spots each team has moved, up or down, from week-to-week.

Let’s get to it!

	RANKING	Up/Down
	1	UP 4	Arsenal: The Gunners have won three on the spin, five of their last six and have shored things up at the back. Can they climb into the top four by beating Spurs in the North London derby? Wilshere may be celebrating with a cigar… (12-6-5)
	2	UP 3	Liverpool: The recovery is on. No defeats in seven and five wins in that spin says the Reds are back to their best. Plus, Sturridge is back. Can they beat Everton in the Merseyside derby to keep it going? (11-5-7)
	3	-	Chelsea: Still top of the actual standings, Chelsea missed Diego Costa and Fabregas vs. Man City and were lucky to get a draw. Trundling along just fine, but not red-hot. Not at all. Aston Villa up next. (16-5-2)
	4	DOWN 4	Manchester City: No win in three games see City fall from top to fourth in our rankings. Manuel Pellegrini’s men improved vs. Chelsea, but they need Yaya Toure and Bony back from AFCON. Fast. Hull at home this weekend. (14-6-3)
	5	UP 1	Tottenham Hotspur: With three wins from four, Spurs are sneaking up towards the top four. A win vs. bitter rivals Arsenal on Saturday would see them momentarily in the UCL places. Plus Kane re-upped, which is huge. (12-4-7)
	6	DOWN 4	Southampton:  Saints are still in fourth, but a damaging home defeat to Swansea hurt. They dominated play but couldn’t find a goal. Can they beat struggling QPR this weekend to stay fourth? (13-3-7)
	7	UP 1	Manchester United: The Red Devils have won two-straight but that was against basement boys QPR and Leicester. A trip to West Ham this weekend will be tough going. Oh yeah, LVG’s in trouble with the FA. (12-7-4)
	8	UP 2	Crystal Palace: Alan Pardew’s revolution continues. Even though the Eagles went down to Everton, they are looking much better going forward. That said, they’re only four points above the drop. Leicester away this week. HUGE. (5-8-10)
	9	UP 2	West Brom: The Baggies are becoming tough to beat, but Spurs put on a clinic as the 3-0 scoreline flattered them. If Pulis can find a pure finisher, WBA would easily stay up. Burnley away this week. MASSIVE. (5-7-11)
	10	UP 8	Everton: Relief. The Toffees won for the first time in seven matches at Palace. That has set them up nicely for the Merseyside derby this Saturday. Tim Howard is back in training too. (6-8-9)
	11	UP 3	Swansea City: The Swans performed a perfect smash and grab away at Saints with Jonjo scoring a screamer. Can they beat Sunderland at home to keep climbing? (9-6-8)
	12	DOWN 5	West Ham: A 2-0 defeat at Liverpool is nothing to be ashamed of, but the Hammers are drifting away from the top four slightly. Can they stun Man United? (10-6-7)
	13	-	Stoke City: Back-to-back wins for the Potters as Jon Walters scored a perfect hat trick to see off QPR. Newcastle away this week. (9-5-9)
	14	UP 2	Newcastle United: Speaking of Newcastle, the Magpies got a massive 3-0 win at Hull as John Carver is in charge until the end of the season. Is he the right man to take over permanently? (8-6-9)
	15	UP 2	Sunderland: Staying in the north east, the Mackems got what they wanted. Goals. Jermain Defoe scored and Poyet’s boys beat Burnley. Can they beat Swansea to climb into midtable? (4-11-8)
	16	DOWN 4	Leicester City: Still bottom, the Foxes were soundly beaten by United and lost a close one to Stoke. Will they drag Palace into the relegation battle this weekend? Need a win. Big time. (4-5-14)
	17	DOWN 8	Burnley:  All is not lost for Sean Dyche’s men despite two-straight defeats. They have kept hold of Danny Ings and will fancy their chances vs. WBA at Turf Moor. (4-8-11)
	18	DOWN 3	QPR: What a week in west London. Harry Redknapp walked out, as the R’s are managerless and still without a point in 11 away games. Can they stun high-flying Saints? The home fans at Loftus Road will be crucial. (5-4-14)
	19	-	Aston Villa: Villa’s miserable time continues as the pressure mounts on Paul Lambert. The 5-0 drubbing at Arsenal was embarrassing. They beat Chelsea at home last season… can they do it again on Saturday? (5-7-9)
	20	-	Hull City:  Talking about pressure, Steve Bruce is under plenty too as his side were booed off in the defeat to Newcastle. Three defeats on the spin and Man City away next. Oh dear… (4-7-12)

Mexico's head coach Miguel Herrera praises MLS, fine with his players joining league. 

By Joe Prince-Wright

Mexico’s head coach Miguel Herrera is totally okay with his players heading to play their club ball in the U.S. and Canada, if they so chose.

Speaking to MLSsoccer.com’s Spanish language podcast, Tiro Libre Radio, on Wednesday, Herrera revealed his thoughts on MLS and much more.

Despite the U.S. and Mexico being huge rivals on the international stage, it seems as though respect for MLS within Liga MX and Mexican national team circles is growing.

Here’s what Herrera had to say about the possibility of his players crossing the border and plying their trade in North America’s top-flight.

“That’s a decision made only and exclusively by the player and his representatives,” Herrera said. “They should be looking for the best option possible, so long as the player is seeing the field. I’ve always said that MLS is growing, and every day it’s much more solid, much stronger and more competitive, so it’s an option [for players], but it is they who have to decide in the end.”

One El Tri hopeful who will do just that is Erick ‘Cubo’ Torres, who has signed as a Designated Player for the Houston Dynamo after impressing with the now defunct Chivas USA last season. Torres, 22, is currently on loan in to Chivas Guadalajara in his homeland but Herrera believes his impending arrival in Houston will not impact his chances of turning out for Mexico in the future.

So, will we now see more Mexican national team players heading to MLS in the coming months? Herrera seems to be fine with it, but will El Tri players over in Europe and Liga MX fancy playing in the land of their rival?

Top 15 regular season games left in college basketball.

By Rob Dauster

(AP Photo)

 Now that the Super Bowl is in the past and football is in our rearview mirrors, let’s get you caught up to speed on the college basketball season.

Here are the 15 best games left in the regular season:

1. No. 4 Duke at No. 12 North Carolina, Mar. 6th: College basketball doesn’t get much better than when the Dukies and the Tar Heels square off in their final game of the regular season. It will be interesting to see just how much is on the line this year. Worth noting: this will be the second game between the two, as they square off at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Feb. 18th.

2. No. 6 Arizona at No. 13 Utah, Feb. 28th: Utah’s loss at UCLA took a bit of luster off of this matchup, but it still stands to reason that the Pac-12 regular season title will be decided on this Saturday in the Huntsman Center.

3. No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 4 Duke, Feb. 7th: The last time these two teams got together, Notre Dame came from 10 down in the final eight minutes to knock off Duke. Don’t think Jahlil Okafor has forgotten that.

4. No. 5 Wisconsin at No. 20 Ohio State, Mar. 4th: The Buckeyes and their star D’Angelo Russell will get their one shot at knocking off the Big Ten’s resident power.

5. No. 9 Louisville at No. 3 Virginia, Feb. 7th: The first of two battles between the Cards and the Cavs, a matchup that may not produce a ton of point but will showcase two completely different defensive styles. Virginia will make a return trip to Louisville on Mar. 6th.

6. No. 21 Oklahoma at No. 11 Iowa State, Mar. 2nd: Last night’s battle between Iowa State and Kansas put the Jayhawks into the driver’s seat for the Big 12 title, but there may not be two more entertaining teams to watch in the conference. They also play in Norman on Feb. 9th.

7. No. 1 Kentucky at Florida, Feb. 7th: Kentucky’s trip to Florida may be the best chance for any SEC team to pick off the Wildcats this season. These two teams close the regular season at Rupp Arena on Mar. 6th as well.

8. No. 24 Georgetown at No. 7 Villanova, Feb. 7th: The Hoyas will make the return trip to Philly after roasting Villanova by 20 in D.C. in January.

9. No. 2 Gonzaga at Saint Mary’s, Feb. 21st: If Gonzaga is going to lose before the NCAA tournament, this is where it’s going to happen.

10. No. 14 Northern Iowa at No. 16 Wichita State, Feb. 28th: I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that this game will decide the Missouri Valley Conference champion. UNI beat Wichita State on Saturday.

11. No. 5 Wisconsin at No. 17 Maryland, Feb. 24th: The Badgers will make their first visit to College Park as Big Ten rivals.

12. No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 9 Louisville, Mar. 4th: To get an idea of just how loaded the ACC is this season, a matchup between two top ten teams isn’t even one of the four best games left on the league schedule.

13. No. 19 Baylor at No. 8 Kansas, Feb. 14th: We’ll know if the Bears are ‘for real’ if they can take down the Jayhawks in the Phog.

14. No. 7 Villanova at Providence, Feb. 11th: The Friars are good enough to pick off the Wildcats at home.

15. No. 18 VCU at George Washington, Feb. 14th: GW is the second-best team left in the Atlantic 10, and with VCU losing Briante Weber, the conference title may be on the line in Foggy Bottom on Valentine’s Day.

Five More To DVR

• No. 15 West Virginia at No. 21 Oklahoma, Feb. 3rd
• No. 15 West Virginia at No. 11 Iowa State, Feb. 14th
• No. 7 Villanova at No. 22 Butler, Feb. 14th
• No. 15 West Virginia at No. 8 Kansas, Mar. 3rd
• No. 8 Kansas at No. 21 Oklahoma, Mar. 6th

USC Trojans take the crown from Alabama.

Rob Cassidy, Recruiting Analyst

Iman Marshall's Signing Day commitment capped off a stellar class for USC.

The ceiling isn't exactly collapsing on the Saban empire. It isn't even so much as cracked. Still, things aren't as easy as they once were. Alabama hasn't won a national title since 2012, which isn't exactly a drought, but now they've been knocked from their recruiting throne as well. Steve Sarkisian's USC program finished the recruiting cycle with the nation's No. 1 recruiting class and toppled the Tide in somewhat dramatic fashion.

Alabama's four-year streak of top classes ended with a snap of sorts. All four of the five-star prospects that signed with the Trojans picked USC in the last 48 hours. Three of them (Iman Marshall, John Houston and Rasheem Green) announced their intentions on Signing Day. The comeback wasn't completely unexpected, but that didn't make it any less significant.  

"It's a great class," said Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell. "USC just hit so many needs. For the second time, USC has interrupted a big run at the top by Alabama. In just his second Signing Day as the head coach, Sark has done a tremendous job keeping a lot of the major California talent home and also reaching out into other areas to supplement it."  

The highest-ranked player in the Trojans' class is Marshall, a five-star cornerback and the No. 3 overall prospect in America. Marshall's USC lean was clear for some time. And while other schools, most notably Florida State, made pushes, Sarkisian was able to sign California's second-ranked player.  

"He's, by far, the best cornerback in this class," said Rivals.com West Coast analyst Adam Gorney said of Marshall. "He's incredibly physical and has proven over and over again at every event that he's even been part of that he can go out and do it. He backed it up at the Under Armour Game, and we even had a discussion of him as a possible No. 1 overall player. That's how good he is."  

Of course, Marshall isn't anywhere near the end of the haul. Houston and Green, along with Gustin, who chose USC on Tuesday, round out the group of five-stars at the top of the class. As for non-five-star prospect that could make an early impact for the Trojans, Gorney says to look to Utah-based linebacker Osa Masina, a four-star linebacker. Masina didn't grab five-star headlines down the stretch, but still comes with plenty of fanfare and a well-deserved four-star ranking.  

"Masina is a guy who is incredibly athletic, covers ground well and hits hard," Gorney said. "He's actually a phenomenal offensive player as well, but he's obviously going to be a linebacker for USC. He would be the star in many recruiting classless, but USC closed so strong that he's kind of been overlooked just a little."  

The Trojans' No. 1 class is predicated on defense, where Sarkisian and company put together a nearly flawless group of athletes. Every need at every position was addressed with gusto.  

"Defensively, they're phenomenal," Gorney said. "On the defensive line they're going to have Noah Jefferson, who proved to be one of the best in the country, and five-star Rasheem Green. At linebacker they have Masina, John Houston and Porter Gustin. Two of them are five-stars. Then in the secondary, they have Marshall and a bunch of other guys. Defensively, they just loaded up across the board."  

If defense does, indeed, win championships as the cliché says, USC has started down the right path. But the impressive group of players that signed with the Trojans may have been as much the product of timing as it was that of hard work.  

"A bunch of things played together," Gorney said. "First the 2015 class in California was absolutely loaded. USC didn't prove that they should be getting the top players. They didn't have the best season in the history of the world, but they're coming off sanctions and they can sign a full class. A lot of the top players, who have always liked USC, see that they can get on the field immediately there because of depth issues. Still, Sarkisian and his staff did a phenomenal job closing on these guys. It's one of the best classes in the last decade."

String theory: Talking to kids about Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues.

By Lisa Suhay 

Sports Illustrated has released its annual swimsuit issue – including its first a plus-size model – offering parents a chance to check in with their kids about body image and offer a reality check.

The spotlight on strong, empowered, objectification-free girl social dynamics that shone during the Super Bowl, thanks to the “Like A Girl” ad, was quickly shut off by the Sports Illustrated annual swimsuit issue.

Now parents might want to open a dialogue about how families, especially those with girls or young women, process all of these ads.

The “Like A Girl” ad asked young people to “throw like a girl” or “run like a girl” with the initial result being an insulting parody implying that girls are flighty, inept creatures.

Then the ad turns it all around by showing a group of girls doing more empowering demonstrations of the same moves.

The ad was quickly lauded as a breakthrough for supporters of girl power, feminism and those who fight the objectification of women.

This week, the fact that a plus-size model in a bikini is featured in the Sports Illustrated (SI) swimsuit issue made headlines, followed by the extra risqué cover revealed by Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday.

Ashley Graham, 27, is the first size 14-16 model to appear in the annual issue, albeit in a paid advertisement for the plus-size bathing suit company swimsuitsforall.

“We get one positive ad during the Super Bowl,” says Glenda Mendelsohn, family therapist with the Princeton Family Institute in New Jersey during a phone interview. “When push comes to shove, a week later Sports Illustrated puts out this very provocative, disrespectful in some ways, image of women. In the same issue we have the plus-size bikini ad.”

Part of Dr. Mendelsohn’s work is helping young women suffering from eating disorders and their families.

“First thing I noticed about the plus-size ad – and by the way I hate that term because it always sounds like it’s a bad thing to be – is that they picked a guy much smaller than the model to seemingly accentuate her size.”

Mendelsohn also notes that the man is not with the plus-size girl and the fact that he’s falling into the pool in apparent shock tells us that this bikini is not about the girl feeling good, but pleasing the man as a route to feeling good about herself.

The problem is the sexual objectification of women in the media can lead to the same problem in real life.

Therefore, seeing the new Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and even the plus-size ad leads girls to either objectify themselves and in so doing develop unhealthy eating habits to lose or gain weight.

“I know it sounds unbelievable, but some of what we’re seeing is a tendency towards obesity that actually comes from girls rejecting the skinny images,” Mendelsohn explains. “Girls saying, ‘I refuse to be what they want me to be’ and becoming obese because they feel they can’t ever achieve the image expected of them by society.”

That kind of thinking is likely to contribute to mental health challenges that disproportionately affect women, such as eating disorders and depression, which Mendelsohn characterizes as “an epidemic in America right now.”

Mendelsohn mentions that young women and teens obsessing over a perceived social mandate to shave and wax their bikini areas is an increasing concern she has noted.

“What really bothers me about that cover image is that she’s pulling down her pants and very obviously shaven. They [SI] just crossed the line from swimsuit to Playboy,” Mendelsohn says. “Why? Why did they have to do that?”

“For years the swimsuit edition has been about being sexy and this is their idea of sexy,” she adds. “There’s only so much you can do with a bathing suit. So now, it has to be about taking off the bathing suit.”

Mendelsohn believes families can combat the prevalence of this kind of image and thinking, starting with moms developing healthy self-images and attitudes to pass on to daughters.

“Healthy moms are vital, but moms and dads need to talk to each other and get on the same page about how to talk about this with the whole family,” Mendelsohn says. “That means the whole family – mom, dad, brothers all understanding that these kinds of ads are sending the message that it’s all about the satisfaction of a man.”

Here are some ways to build stronger self-images that can better withstand the images we see in the media and social media, according to Mendelsohn.

• Talk about the reality level of what your child is seeing. Discuss how, in many instances, photos are manipulated to smooth skin, reduce or increase size, and generally create an image that may be so unattainable that even top fashion models require Photoshopping to make the cover grade.
• Take time to show videos and stories on famous people going enhancement-free such as “No Makeup Monday” on the Today Show. Moms might want to watch the TED talk “The Lady Stripped Bare” by Tracey Spicer.
• Override self-surveillance (e.g., not weighing ourselves every day, every moment is not a good idea. While it’s important to keep tabs on weight, weighting yourself more than once a day is more like fixation and obsession and extremely unhealthy.)
• Choose clothing based on comfort and appreciating your body size, not to fit a fashion image generated by someone else.

Because it’s hard to ignore something this prevalent in society it helps to talk openly about it with your family, either one-on-one after the fact, or when the opportunities arise.

Mendelsohn says, “Girls are constantly trying to be something created by someone else to please someone else – men, the fashion industry. We need to help our children to like themselves for who and what and how they are.”

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, February 6, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1943 - Mervyn "Red" Dutton was named the new NHL president. Frank Calder had died the day before.

1950 - Dick Irvin (Montreal Canadiens) became the first NHL coach to win 500 games. He ended his career with 690 wins.

1972 - Bob Douglas became the first black man elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.

1977 - Sugar Ray Leonard won his first pro fight. He beat Luis Vega in 6 rounds.

1988 - The first time in 30 years a wrestling match was aired in prime-time. Andre beat Hulk Hogan in the match.

1989 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became the first NBA player to score 38,000 points.

1990 - NBC-TV obtained the television rights to all of Notre Dame's home football games for the next five years. Notre Dame was the first school to sell its games to a major TV network.

1991 - Dave Taylor (Los Angeles Kings) became only the 29th NHL player to score 1,000 career points.

1994 - Peter Bondra (Washington Capitals) became the 10th player in NHL history to score four goals in one period.

1997 - Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) became the seventh player to score 600 career goals.

1999 - Mike Tyson was sentenced to a year in jail for assaulting two people after a car accident on August 31, 1998. Tyson was also fined $5,000, had to serve 2 years of probation, and had to perform 200 hours of community service upon release.

2003 - Bob Knight (Texas Tech) coached his 800th victory.

2003 - Mike Modano (Dallas Stars) got his 600th career assist making him only the second American-born player to get 400 goals and 600 assists. Jeremy Roenick was the first American-born player to achieve the feat.

2006 - The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 in Super Bowl XL. It was the fifth Super Bowl victory for the Steelers. Jerome Bettis announced his retirement after the game.

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