CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Friday Sports News Update and What's Your Take? 02/27/2015.

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Trending: Mark Cuban supports extending NBA season. What's Your Take? 

 

By Dan Feldman

 

The NBA almost certainly won’t appease LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki and Erik Spoelstra by reducing the number of games in a season. There’s just too much revenue at stake.

But the league is serious about easing the toll its schedule takes on players.

The NBA instituted an extended All-Star break this season, but still needing to crunch 82 games per team into the same 170-day span, back-to-backs are up.

One potential solution: Beginning the regular season earlier by shortening the preseason.

Mark Cuban also wants the league to extend the season on the other end.

Tim MacMahon of ESPN:

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said the NBA is seriously considering altering the schedule to go later into the summer as a means of reducing or potentially eliminating back-to-back games. 

“I’ve been bringing it up for years,” Cuban said before the Mavs’ 99-92 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, one of three games in four nights for his team. “[Commissioner Adam Silver is] more open to it, and he’s going to be considering it. Everybody’s for it now.”

“I’d rather us go later in the season into July,” said Cuban, who still is in favor of trimming the preseason schedule. “Used to be, we had to be concerned about baseball. Now we don’t. Baseball, particularly from a media perspective, has become regional, so it doesn’t negatively impact us from a national TV perspective to go late.” 

NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the issue at his All-Star press conference:

Q. Adam, with the scheduling, the making of the schedule, is there any discussion or will there be or can there be about the calendar simply starting earlier, ending later than what you already do, or are you pretty much locked into a Halloween start and a June 20th end and that’s got to be the way it is?   

COMMISSIONER SILVER: Sure, Brian.  And I think that goes to the earlier question about the preseason.  Training camp is critically important to our teams.  Could we shorten it up a little bit if we didn’t have quite the same number of preseason games, and then add those days in the regular season, so we would gain a little bit at the beginning?  And the question is towards the end of this season, can we push a little bit further in June closer to the Draft?  I think there had been discussions‑‑ well, I wouldn’t characterize them as discussions.  I’ve heard proposals about them moving The Finals past the Fourth of July.  Generally the view has been ‑‑ in addition it just feels out of sync once you get into the summer ‑‑  historically those haven’t been viewed as the best television nights, once you get into July, and just in terms of households watching TV. 

I will say maybe that’s something we should look at, too.  If we’re truly going to take a fresh look at this, we have to examine what the appropriate time is to begin the season and when we should end it. 

But at least without a major overhaul in the way our season is now played, you’re right, we can gain a little bit at the beginning of the season.  We can gain a little bit at the end.  When it comes to four games out of five nights and back‑to‑backs, literally every day matters.  So that will be helpful to pick up a few more days on both sides of the schedule. 

The NBA season includes too many back-to-backs. It also drags too long.
Yes, the NBA has two problems that are diametrically opposed.

Back-to-backs hurt the product on the floor, tiring players and diminishing their production and/or causing their coaches to reduce their minutes.

But fans also get fatigued by the long season. Extend it further, and even more people will get burned out before it ends.

I don’t know the exact equilibrium point, but shortening the preseason and moving up the regular-season start date would be a great step in the right direction.

Extending the season is a little dicier.

Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: We do not agree that the basketball season needs to be extended. It will infringe on other sports. Baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer and golf, all being played in the summer. Someone is going to lose out. Attending games is not costing any less and it's just a matter of time before the public says enough is enough. I can understand the concern for the player's safety and health for the back to back games and in some cases four games in five days, however, now the owners, managers and coaches need to start putting together teams with depth. They need to get quality players that can fill in and perform adequately thus cutting down the wear and tear on their starters by allowing them to get more rest. Play the whole team and you'll be surprised how your team will perform. You'll sell more merchandise and increase your fan base. Think outside of the box. All the players are professionals, they should have a minimum level of professional skills needed to make the team so they should be prepared when called on to perform at a professional level. It probably won't happen but you can bet the competition for fans will cause some sport to lose out. Don't believe me, watch and see. Each sport should have their own season. Now that you know what we think and how we feel, we'd love to know, what's your take? Please post your thoughts in the comment section and the bottom of this blog.  

 

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

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO (STATS Writer)   

 

 
So far, so good without Patrick Kane.

 

After winning their first game without their top scorer, the Chicago Blackhawks look to sweep this brief trip through the Sunshine State by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night.

 

Chicago (37-20-5) lost Kane for possibly the season to a broken collarbone suffered during Tuesday's 3-2 shootout win over Florida. The Blackhawks did just fine without him Thursday, sweeping the home-and-home set with a 3-0 road win.

 

"Everyone needs to step up a little bit," said rookie left wing Teuvo Teravainen, who was recalled from Rockford of the AHL to replace Kane. "I don't think too much (about replacing Kane). I just try to be myself. I'm living my dream right now."

 

Teravainen, the 18th overall pick in 2012, scored on his first shift Thursday after he had two goals in 15 games during his previous stint with Chicago this season.

 

The Blackhawks are now in position for their first three-game winning streak since taking a season-high eight straight from Nov. 26-Dec. 11. 

Captain Jonathan Toews will take on an even greater offensive role with Kane out and he appears to be equal to the task. Toews has a goal in three straight games, collecting eight points in nine contests. The All-Star center has six goals and five assists in nine career meetings with Tampa Bay (37-19-6), but was held without a point in a 3-2 shootout win at home Nov. 11.

Corey Crawford stopped 25 shots in that victory, but it's unclear if he'll be back in net after making 20 saves Thursday. The other option is Scott Darling, who beat the Panthers with 34 saves Tuesday in his first appearance since December.

 

Whichever goalie is in net for Chicago will be facing a Tampa Bay team that averages a league-best 3.24 goals per game. The Lightning, though, have struggled at the opposite end lately, allowing 3.09 per contest during a 5-4-2 stretch this month - nearly half a goal more than their season mark.

 

A leaky defense was a problem again Sunday as Tampa Bay closed a five-game trip with a 5-4 loss to Colorado.

 

"We have a tough month," goaltender Ben Bishop told the team's official website. "We talked about how hard February was going to be."

 

Having Bishop in net at home could be just what the Lightning need to conclude the month in positive fashion. He's 20-5-1 with a 2.16 goals-against average at Amalie Arena this season. He's won his last three starts - all on the road - behind a 1.67 GAA.

Steven Stamkos has nine goals and six assists in eight career games against the Blackhawks, but he's collected 12 of those points - including all of the goals - in four at home.

 

With 20 games left in the regular season and the Lightning sitting second in the Atlantic Division, coach Jon Cooper feels there's a simple solution to the recent struggles.

 

"You can't change your mindset," he said. "You can't change the way things go. You can't build these last 20 games up, and then, if you're fortunate to make the playoffs, then all of a sudden what do you have left? It's just got to be that consistent, 'Let's go out there and try to improve on our game. Let's try to master what we've been doing all year,' and we've been doing a pretty good job of that."

 

The Lightning had won five straight against the Blackhawks before the shootout loss in November.

 

The teams have combined for 26 goals in the last three meetings in Tampa Bay.

 

Crawford stops 20 shots for 3-0 win over Panthers.

By PAUL GEREFFI (Associated Press)

Teuvo Teravainen #86 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates his goal with teammates against the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center on February 26, 2015 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)  

Teuvo Teravainen got off to a quick start in his first game since being recalled from the minor leagues. 

 

Teravainen, taking the roster spot of the injured Patrick Kane, scored on his first shift and Corey Crawford earned his second shutout of the season in the Chicago Blackhawks' 3-0 win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
 

Teravainen got the puck in the right circle and wristed it past a defender and Roberto Luongo's glove 3:08 in. 

 

It was the first game for Chicago since losing leading scorer Kane, placed on long-term injured reserve Wednesday with a broken left collarbone suffered in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout win over the Panthers. 

 

''Everyone needs to step up a little bit,'' Teravainen said. ''I don't think too much (about replacing Kane). I just try to be myself. I'm living my dream right now.'' 

Teravainen impressed Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville. 

 ''He's very astute, there's an awareness to his game. That was a nice play,'' Quenneville said.

 

Brandon Saad also scored a goal before Jonathan Toews added an empty-netter with 46.8 seconds left.

The Blackhawks won their second consecutive game after previously losing three straight and beat the Panthers for the seventh straight time. The last time the Blackhawks lost to the Panthers was March, 8, 2011.

Crawford stopped 20 shots by a sluggish Florida offense, which took only four shots in the first period and didn't take its fifth shot on goal until 10:47 of the second.

''I didn't see too many pucks,'' said Crawford, who had lost his previous three starts. ''That's a big win. We played well defensively, kept them to the outside for the most part, and the score showed it.''

On Saad's goal, Duncan Keith made a nifty pass from the slot to Saad in the right circle. He shot past Luongo on the glove side early in the second period.

Saad is tied with Toews for the team scoring lead with 19 goals, and tied his career high, set last season.

Luongo made 26 saves for the Panthers, losers of four in a row and seven of their past nine. The Panthers have scored just four goals in the four straight losses.

''We just weren't good enough tonight,'' Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said.

The Panthers hope to change their offensive woes with the acquisition of 22-year veteran forward Jaromir Jagr, the league's oldest player.

The Panthers acquired Jagr, who turned 43 earlier this month, from the New Jersey Devils earlier Thursday for two draft picks: a second-rounder this year, and either Florida's or Minnesota's third-round selection in 2016. Jagr had 11 goals and 18 assists in 57 games this season for New Jersey.
 

The Panthers are adding Jagr for an anticipated run at the playoffs, and Jagr can hopefully to jump start their offense. 

 

''We're in a battle right now for the playoffs,'' Luongo said. ''If you can bring something to our team, it's definitely going to be big for us. Hopefully he can add some offense on the power play and 5 on 5. We just want to keep it going and stay in the fight here.'' 

 

Jagr is expected to arrive in South Florida on Friday, and to play when Florida hosts Buffalo on Saturday afternoon. 

Gallant also is looking forward to the addition of Jagr.  

''Bringing a guy like that in, it makes a statement for our club,'' Gallant said. ''He's been around a long time and I think it's going to be good for our great young players.'' 

NOTES: The Blackhawks have earned points in nine of their past 11 games. . Blackhawks D Johnny Oduya was scratched with an upper-body injury. ... Panthers forward Dave Bolland missed his second game with an upper-body injury.

 

Report: Blackhawks seek top-line forward ahead of trade deadline. 

By Chris Peters

The Blackhawks may be looking to go big at the deadline to replace injured Patrick Kane. (USATSI)

So what will the Chicago Blackhawks do now that Patrick Kane is on the shelf for the next 12 weeks? Based on the rumors and reports that have swirled in the aftermath of the injury, it sure seems like the Hawks are going to swing a deal of some kind ahead of Monday's trade deadline.

According to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune, it could be something big:

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

Chris Kuc                                                                                        Follow

@ChrisKuc    

#Blackhawks have upped ante in trade targets. Looking at players on level of Jeff Skinner and Mike Cammalleri. That type of player.
 

5:11 PM - 26 Feb 2015                      

174 Retweets 91 favorites  

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That would go against the speculation that the team is going to find themselves a rental seeing as their cap situation is already tight for next season with tough decisions ahead already. Should the Blackhawks trade for a player with multiple years remaining on his contract, there would probably have to be a bigger deal down the line.

Chicago basically knows it's going to be without Kane through at least the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs if they make it that far. With Kane on long-term injured reserve, however, they have more than enough space to add a bigger contract for at least the remainder of this season.

Jeff Skinner , for instance, comes with a $5.725 million cap hit and four years left on his deal after this season. Mike Cammalleri comes with a $5 million cap hit and also has four years remaining on his contract after 2014-15. Both fit under the cap for this season with Kane on LTIR and would still fit with Kane on the roster in the playoffs as there is no salary cap in the postseason.

Simply using those two players as examples, either would more adequately fill the hole left by Kane as both are top-line scoring wings. They couldn't replace the Blackhawks star outright, but they're better offensive options in the short-term than a player like Arizona Coyotes forward Antoine Vermette, who is considered the top rental forward on the trade market currently.

That said, the Blackhawks still have the big picture to consider as well as the massive value they would have to give up to acquire a player like Skinner or Cammalleri. In the short term, they'd probably have to give up a pretty strong roster player with term on his contract to acquire players of Skinner or Cammalleri's caliber, plus more.

If they managed to get away with dealing picks and prospects (which seems unlikely), then they'd only have to make another trade to shed salary in the offseason.

Both Kane and Jonathan Toews will have $10.5 million cap hits after this season. The Blackhawks have new deals to give to Brandon Saad, who has grown into a valued top-six producer, and depth center Marcus Kruger after this season. Both will be restricted free agents come summer.

General manager Stan Bowman hasn't been much of a deadline maverick, so this could be uncharted territory. With this new twist being added to the trade deadline, things could get a heck of a lot more interesting after what has already been a wild week of deals in the NHL.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls-Timberwolves Preview.

By JEFF MEZYDLO (STATS Senior Writer)

Though naturally shaken by another injury to Derrick Rose, the rest of the Chicago Bulls can't allow the effects of his latest setback to linger.

Coming off a lackluster performance without him, the Bulls look to bounce back at home Friday night against a Minnesota Timberwolves team that appears to be rejuvenated from the return of Kevin Garnett.

Rose's teammates expressed shock Tuesday when hearing the 2011 NBA MVP needs surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. So maybe it shouldn't have been a surprise that the Bulls (36-22) looked flat in Wednesday's 98-86 home loss to Charlotte, which had lost five straight.

"We all were affected by it," said Pau Gasol, who had 25 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks.

 

While the team is obviously sympathetic toward Rose as he prepares to undergo his third knee surgery since 2012, they must find a way to remain a serious contender in the Eastern Conference during his indefinite absence.

"We can't feel sorry for ourselves," Gasol told the Bulls' official website. "We have to pick it back up, understand this is part of what we do. If we want an opportunity to do something this season, we need to pick it up and put that on the side and focus on winning games."

Though Chicago is 7-5 without Rose, who battled inconsistency while averaging 18.4 points in 46 games, it must quickly regroup after losing for the second time in eight games.

The Bulls went a season-worst 3 of 17 from 3-point range and 15 of 23 at the free-throw line Wednesday. Starting in place of Rose, Aaron Brooks had 12 points but shot 4 of 12, including 1 of 5 from beyond the arc.

"We've got to play a lot harder," said center Joakim Noah, who had four points but 11 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks. "Mentally, I think we were a little bit drained with everything that happened. I just know we have to play a lot harder if we're going to be successful."

The loss was the Bulls' second straight against a team below .500. They're 19-11 in such contests and needed Jimmy Butler's two free throws with 0.2 seconds left to win 106-105 at Minnesota (13-43) on Nov. 1.

Rose also missed that game as Butler scored 24, Gasol added 20 and Brooks had 16 for the Bulls, who overcame blowing a 16-point lead as well as Kevin Martin's 33 points. Minnesota's lone win in the last nine meetings came last season at Chicago.

Martin had 28 points in Wednesday's 97-77 home rout of Washington, but the night belonged to Garnett. Acquired from Brooklyn for Thaddeus Young last week, Garnett had five points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 18 minutes in his first game with Minnesota since the club traded him to Boston in July 2007.

Garnett, who turns 39 in May, received a number of standing ovations and serenades of "KG! KG! KG!"

"It was a good night for everyone involved, now hopefully we can continue to build on this momentum," said Garnett, drafted fifth overall by Minnesota in 1995 after playing his senior year of high school in Chicago.

Winners in five of eight, the Timberwolves are excited to have the franchise's most popular player back in town.

"He made everybody go harder, work harder," said rookie Andrew Wiggins, who has averaged 23.0 points in the last three games. "It rubs off."

Bulls optimistic Derrick Rose will be able to play again this season.

By Joe Rodgers

Derrick Rose (Getty Images)

Although Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose will have surgery to repair a medial meniscus tear in his right knee on Friday, Bulls management remains optimistic that Rose will return to the court later this season.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Bulls vice president John Paxson said he is hopeful Rose will be able to return this season.

"Nothing's an easy procedure but there's an area that's going to get taken care of," Paxson said. "This will be something that's hopefully easily corrected and he'll be better than ever."

While Bulls president Michael Reinsdorf refused to speculate on timetable for Rose's recovery, he did say, "We’re hoping this is just a minor setback."

The surgery, which will be performed by team physician Brian Cole, will give the Bulls more information for a timetable. However, there is also concern for Rose's mental recovery.

"He's gone through a lot and that's our concern," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "We're hopeful that he'll be back soon."

Rose went in for an MRI after experiencing pain in his right knee on Monday. That MRI revealed an injury in the same knee that the former NBA MVP had surgery on back in 2013. Prior to that injury, Rose suffered a torn ACL during the 2012 NBA playoffs.

The 26 year-old averaged 18.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 46 games for the Bulls (36-22), who currently sit as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Emotionally-flat Bulls can't muster offense without Rose. (Lose 98-86).

 

By Vincent Goodwill

 

The Charlotte Hornets bench stood up, clapping and cheering as they recognized the momentum swing fully in their direction while the usually-maniacal United Center sounded like a church during prayer.

As the Bulls trailed by a handful in the fourth quarter to a team that had lost five straight, the prayers were likely in full effect in the wake of the latest Derrick Rose setback.

The obvious shock from the revelation of Rose’s torn right meniscus, return unknown, carried over to the floor in a game where the irony of missing their catalyst was painfully evident in their 98-86 loss Wednesday night.

After the shot creativity from big man Al Jefferson, recent pickup Mo Williams and enigmatic swingman Lance Stephenson left the Bulls a little dizzy entering the fourth, the Hornets executed their offense to pull away midway in the fourth quarter, as Michael Kidd-Gilchrist got in the crevices of the Bulls’ defense to score 18 points and grab 12 rebounds.

“We’re still capable of playing good defense,” said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau of a defense that surrendered 54 points on 52 percent shooting in the second half. “I thought the defense in the first half was good. In the second half, we didn’t finish the defense as well as we should have or could have. That’s something we have to work on.”

Rose would have been perfect in a game where just the threat of him could've been enough to loosen up a vintage Bulls-like defense the Hornets employ.

But although the Bulls only committed 12 turnovers, they looked like strangers for many parts of the evening, on both ends of the floor, as many of the miscues led to the Hornets getting out in the open floor for layups and dunks.

Aaron Brooks started in Rose’s place at point guard, hit three of his first four shots then shot blanks the rest of the night — not hitting another shot until two minutes remaining and the Bulls deficit swelling to 15.

“I missed a lot of easy shots,” Brooks said. “I was a little off, especially free throws. That is not characteristic. I need to facilitate, get Pau his shots, get Jimmy going, whatever is available.”

Brooks started because Thibodeau liked the familiarity Kirk Hinrich has with the second unit. But everybody looked flat, emotionally and physically.

“I thought the intentions were good,” Thibodeau said of his players’ emotions. “These guys…we got the right type of guys. It was a tough day. Tomorrow we’ll gather ourselves, and then get ready for the next one.”

They ran a lot of the offense through the player brought to complement Rose, Pau Gasol, and he was able to deliver from the elbow, scoring 25 with 13 rebounds.

But the other pieces didn’t get the open looks, nor did they possess the aggressiveness to challenge the Hornets defense, as they hit just three of 17 3-pointers and shot 65 percent from the free-throw line.

“We didn’t shoot the ball well and that hurt us,” Thibodeau said. “We didn’t shoot the 3 well, and we didn’t make our free throws. We had good ball movement, we may have settled some but we didn’t make it from the free-throw line and that’s something we do really well.”

Mike Dunleavy only had three shot attempts in 20 minutes and Jimmy Butler only took 11 shots, but because of Gasol the score was tied at the half.

The crowd didn’t come alive until a transition triple from Hinrich late in the third that cut the Hornets lead to two. It wasn’t enough to offset the damage Williams inflicted on the Bulls’ defense, as he scored 13 in the quarter to bolster the Hornets’ struggling offense.

Then Jefferson took over late, scoring eight of the Hornets’ 31 fourth-quarter points to put the shell-shocked Bulls away — leading the exiting Bulls crowd if the night is a one-game reprieve or sign of things to come.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Bears looking to past coaches for read on Jay Cutler.
      

By John Mullin

Chicago Bears head Coach John Fox and Quarterback Jay Cutler

Jay Cutler is approaching nothing short of a career crossroads, involving more than just Chicago and whether he has a future as a Bear.

As part of their evaluation process for Cutler, the Bears are going beyond the usual video reviews and expected to be reaching out for thoughts from some of the very offensive coaches who lost jobs in part due to Cutler. That group includes coordinators Ron Turner, Mike Martz, Mike Tice and Aaron Kromer, plus former quarterbacks coaches Matt Cavanaugh and Pep Hamilton, now Andrew Luck’s offensive coordinator with the Indianapolis Colts, sources confirmed. The Bears were not expected to be in touch with all of the former staffers.

The goal is less to gather dirt as much as attempting to get a fix on what makes Cutler tick, something that previous coaching staffs have never completely reached. And the new coaching staff is seeking to avoid the mistakes of past ones.

Not all of the feedback has been negative from some members of a group whose careers sustained serious setbacks from their times with Cutler. Overshadowed by his turnovers, suspect leadership and questionable decision-making has been a consistent work ethic, love of the game and clearly enough physical talent to deliver occasional top play.

Notable too is that such inquiries were even made, since incoming coaches don’t always take hard looks in their new teams’ rearview mirrors.

“I’m looking forward to see how to fix that, not so much how to evaluate what happened,” Bears head coach John Fox said at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. “Because I wasn’t there.”

 

Any negative reviews won’t form the sole basis for the Bears’ decision on going forward with Cutler, still expected to be the starting quarterback for 2015. But they represent a spectrum of opinion in other quarters of the NFL, one that could eliminate some possible landing zones for Cutler via trade or following any separation from the Bears.

 

The situation also points to an emphasis on securing a backup with experience, not only as insurance against injury to Cutler, but also against issues with his performance. Cutler’s one-game benching last season unintentionally validated the frustrations voiced, however awkwardly, by Kromer, that there was “buyer’s remorse” in some quarters of the organization over giving Cutler a massive contract that was not being matched by performance.

 

It is extremely unlikely that the new staff will give Cutler the length of leash he ran out under Marc Trestman, who stayed with Cutler through a stretch that saw the Bears lose six of eight games and fall from 3-3 to 5-9 before benching.

 

The search for a veteran No. 2 began during the NFL Scouting Combine with a breakfast meeting with Josh McCown, including general manager Ryan Pace, Fox and offensive coordinator Adam Gase. McCown also was on the guest list with the Cleveland Browns, per Mary Kay Cabot over at the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The Bears are also expected to show interest in former New York Jet and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez .

Ventura gives players his state of White Sox address.

By Scott Merkin

Robin Ventura gave his state of the White Sox address before his squad's first full Spring Training workout Wednesday at Camelback Ranch. But the manager's speeches aren't designed to present all his "A" material in one sitting.

"I save them throughout. I've never given one big one," said a smiling Ventura. "I give little ones along the way."

 

Tuesday's message centered on his players doing the right things in Arizona to get ready for what could be a special 2015 season.

"It's Spring Training," Ventura said. "You're just giving the basic stuff of rules and we're getting out on the field and we're getting ready to prepare for a season and we're going to be out there doing the drills until we feel like they're done right and go from there.

"A lot of it is that players that come in know their responsibility and what it takes to be ready for a season, competing for a job. Everything becomes important, everything we do out here. That's the message."

Here are a few more news items and notes from Tuesday:

• Giving up chewing tobacco became part of Conor Gillaspie's offseason fitness regimen.

"Obviously, not chewing tobacco anymore, not having to spit all day, is probably the main reason, truthfully," said Gillaspie of looking to have bulked up some. "I trained hard and tried to eat quite a bit because you know how it is during the year, a lot of guys shed pounds. I'm trying to gear myself for the last couple of months of the season when a lot of guys get tired.

"I was probably a victim of that last year. I really got a little bit overwhelmed towards the end of the year, and I'm trying to combat that by hopefully staying a little bit stronger and obviously starting with baseball activities a little bit later this winter, in the hopes that prepares me for the end of the season."

• White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, who turns 79 on Wednesday, took in the first day of full-squad workouts at Camelback Ranch.

• Ventura said that Melky Cabrera will start Cactus League action in the lineup's second spot, but "nobody is locked into anything." Both Gordon Beckham and Emilio Bonifacio will see time at shortstop.

"Wherever they want," said Bonifacio of where he envisions playing. "I'm just here to help the team."

• Adam Eaton was honored to be a finalist for a Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 2014. But his goal is to win one in 2015.

"We want three," Eaton said. "We want Avi [Avisail Garcia] to win one, we want Melky to win one -- in the outfield. As a team, we want to win it. We want to win it all.

"Individual accolades are great. If you put in individual accolades, the team accolades are going to be there as well."

• Micah Johnson delivered a quote that would fit in most aspects of life when asked about his confidence to emerge as the team's starting second baseman.

"You have to be confident, but not arrogant," Johnson said. "If you become arrogant, that's when you lose your edge to work hard."

Cubs getting down to business on and off the field.

By Mark Gonzales

Cubs manager Joe Maddon talks about his message to the team on their first day of full squad spring training practice and his coaching philosophy Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 in Mesa, Ariz. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

"When I came here (last summer), I had a meeting and shared all the things I went through so they don't go through that," Ramirez said. "Some people grow faster than other ones. The good thing you learn from your mistakes and move on. You tell these young players, 'You don't do this and don't do that. This has consequences.' That's what I did."

Sosa, who hit 545 of his 609 homers with the Cubs but left before his final game in 2004 and whom the New York Times reported had a positive drug test in a 2009 story, might have some explaining to do before he's even considered for a reunion.

The pricey addition of free agent left-hander Jon Lester signaled the Cubs' seriousness to contend for a playoff berth, and Ricketts said the Cubs have the flexibility to do "whatever Theo needs to do in the middle of the season."

Ricketts added the Cubs wouldn't suffer a major financial hit because of the delay of the opening of the left field bleachers until May 11. Nor does Ricketts believe the franchise could be victimized by a "cable bubble" when it attempts to land a lucrative local television contract when current pacts expire after 2019.

"I'm not worried about a cable bubble, honestly," Ricketts said. "I think the value of live sports programming continues to grow."

Extra innings: Newcomer Tommy La Stella worked out at third base with Mike Olt despite not playing the position in his professional career. "He's all in with trying to get it done," Maddon said. "We'll definitely give him some extra work and try to help him with it, but he's totally into it.'' Kris Bryant worked out at third with another group that included shortstop Addison Russell, who is targeted for Iowa. … Maddon said he was extremely pleased with the organization and creativeness of his coaching staff and the sharpness of his players during the first workout. "There was a nice energy about everybody," Maddon said. "(Jake) Arrieta set the tone."

Golf: I got a club for that; Herman leads Honda after Round 1; McIlroy 8 back.

By Will Gray

Jim Herman, Honda Tournament leader after round 1. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images North America)

With winds whipping all day at PGA National, the Champion Course appears to have been the winner through 18 holes at the Honda Classic. Here’s how things stand after the opening round, where Jim Herman leads:

Leaderboard: Jim Herman (-5), Brendan Steele (-4), Padraig Harrington (-3), Martin Flores (-3), Patrick Reed (-3), Daniel Berger (-2), Martin Kaymer (-2), Scott Piercy (-2).

What it means: Scores were high all day, but things became especially difficult for the afternoon wave with winds gusting above 20 miles per hour. The carnage left Herman in the lead. He began the week as the second alternate and a few days ago was unsure if he would even have a spot in the field.

Round of the day: Herman made it around PGA National without dropping a shot, carding birdies on Nos. 4 and 8 before adding three more circles on the back nine. It added up to a 5-under 65 and the first lead of his career on the PGA Tour.

Best of the rest: Steele won in windy conditions at the Valero Texas Open in 2011, and the veteran again showed his ability to handle the gusts with a 4-under 66. Steele, who was a runner-up at the Humana Challenge last month, had six birdies against two bogeys.

Biggest disappointment: Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka were expected to give playing partner Rory McIlroy a stiff challenge, but instead both players struggled.
Johnson, a playoff loser last week at Riviera, shot a 7-over 77 while Koepka, who won last month in Phoenix, was one shot worse with a 78. McIlroy came in at 73.

Main storyline heading into Friday: While it remains to be seen how Herman will handle the lead, the biggest story is whether McIlroy, a winner here in 2012 and runner-up in 2014, can bounce back. Among the chase pack a player to watch is Reed, who won last month in Hawaii and is the only player in the top five who will have an early tee time Friday.

Shot of the day: Lee Westwood was among the first group out and he had an early highlight with an eagle on the difficult par-4 10th hole. Westwood holed a 3-iron from 211 yards, a shot that helped him to a 1-over 71.

Quote of the day: “I don’t ever recall leading.” – Herman

McIlroy shocked by Love's appointment as U.S. captain.

Reuters; By Bernie McGuire

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland points on the 18th hole during the Dubai Desert Classic January 31, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer

World number one Rory McIlroy was "shocked" at the appointment of Davis Love lll as 2016 United States Ryder Cup captain.

McIlroy is returning to competition at this week’s Honda Classic and teeing up for a first time this year on American soil following a three-week break since winning the Dubai Desert Classic.

Northern Ireland's McIlroy, a triple European Ryder Cup-winning team member and four-times major champion, was asked about his reaction to the appointment of Love. 

"It came as a big shock when they announced yesterday Davis was going to be the next U.S. captain," McIlroy told reporters.

“It will be great to see Davis and (European captain) Darren (Clarke) go head-to-head at Hazeltine and they will be formidable opponents.

“But then also I’m surprised, and I feel they’re overdoing it with the setting up of a task force and also talking about all the changes they want to bring in.

“It’s been said by a few players since we won at Gleneagles that it’s not rocket science why Europe have won the last three Ryder Cups and eight of the past 10.
 

Love captained the U.S. team in 2012 in Medinah when they blew a 10-6 lead going into the final day to lose the trophy.

“Davis is going to be a great captain and it was a freak we won at Medinah in 2012 and it was not supposed to happen given they had a 10–6 lead and if the States had of won Davis would have been looked upon as a great captain," McIlroy said.

“So I get the sense the States, what with their task force and everything that came out in the announcement yesterday, that they’re desperate to win back the Ryder Cup.

“And I will say it again because it’s not that complicated why Europe has been winning.”

Poll: Jimmie Johnson slight favorite over Jeff Gordon to win 2015 Sprint Cup championship.

By Jerry Bonkowski

It’s time for six-time to become seven-time.

According to The Century Poll, Jimmie Johnson is the man to beat for the 2015 Sprint Cup championship.

In a vote of 100 members of the NASCAR community, Johnson received 23 votes as the favorite to win his seventh career Sprint Cup crown.

But the balloting was close: Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon, who is retiring at season’s end, received 22 votes. Gordon is going for his fifth — and final — Sprint Cup crown this season.

Carl Edwards received the third-highest number of votes (18), followed by defending Sprint Cup champ Kevin Harvick (14) and Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano (9).

Others receiving votes were Matt Kenseth (4), a three-way tie for third (3 votes each for Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski), and Tony Stewart (1 vote).

The Century Poll poses monthly NASCAR or motorsports-themed questions to 100 voting members.

Votes come from 50 NASCAR media members and a mix of 50 NASCAR owners, drivers, crew chiefs, crew members, sponsor/manufacturing/public relations representatives and track officials.

Busch crash leading to additional SAFER barriers at tracks.

By JENNA FRYER (AP Auto Racing Writer)

Kyle Busch, center, is taken to an ambulance on a stretcher after he was involved in a multi-car crash during the Xfinity series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

International Speedway Corp. is developing a plan for the installation of additional SAFER barriers at Daytona and Talladega, and will review the safety standards at its other racetracks.

The renewed focus announced Tuesday by ISC President John Saunders comes three days after NASCAR star Kyle Busch broke his right leg and left foot in a crash into a concrete wall at Daytona International Speedway.

Busch left a Daytona Beach, Florida, hospital on Tuesday and was transferred to another facility in North Carolina for further treatment.

Busch was injured Saturday in the season-opening Xfinity Series race when his car hit an interior wall that did not have a Steel and Foam Energy Reduction barrier.
 

After his accident, Daytona president Joie Chitwood III vowed to cover every inch of the speedway with SAFER barriers.

 

Daytona is owned by ISC, the sister company of NASCAR.

Saunders said ISC is ''developing a significant plan'' for more impact-absorbing technologies that will not be limited to SAFER barriers for Daytona and Talladega.

ISC will also immediately review Phoenix International Raceway and Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, as both tracks host NASCAR races in March.

''We will utilize all available tools to ensure the safety of the drivers and our fans. It will remain our top priority,'' Saunders said in a statement. ''ISC is working very closely with NASCAR and industry experts to identify areas for additional safety protections.''

SAFER barriers were one of the many safety initiatives that came about after Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001 in an accident on the last lap of the Daytona 500.

The soft walls were developed by Dr. Dean Sicking at the University of Nebraska, and although they debuted in 2002 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, they are currently installed in some form at every track used by NASCAR's top series.

The barriers, a combination of steel and foam, cost about $500 a foot. But, the cost has proven worth it as the walls absorb the energy during impact and have repeatedly lessened injuries sustained to a driver.

Still, they have not been placed everywhere around the racetracks. Tracks only install SAFER barriers where NASCAR recommends to them they should be placed.

NASCAR, meanwhile, cites evaluations of high-impact areas in deciding where the material should be placed.

There have been numerous hard hits over the years in areas that were not protected with SAFER barrier, and it often has been rectified by the time the series returns. In 2013, Denny Hamlin hit an unprotected section of wall in Fontana, California, that caused a fractured vertebra.

NASCAR had Auto Club Speedway install SAFER barrier where Hamlin hit before the series returned last year. Las Vegas Motor Speedway did the same following a hard Jeff Gordon hit in 2008.

Reigning Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick hit the same wall Busch did in last year's Daytona 500, and was critical of the lack of SAFER barrier immediately following his own accident. He was pleased that Daytona was reacting after Busch's injury, but felt it was a bit late.

''The racetracks have to be proactive and they have to look ahead of an accident,'' Harvick said. ''We know what fixes these walls, and that's to put a wall in front of them.''

Even before ISC's announcement Tuesday that it would get additional SAFER barriers in at least two of its tracks, other facilities were being proactive in the wake of Busch's injury.

Atlanta Motor Speedway, host of this weekend's NASCAR races, reviewed its existing SAFER barriers on Monday and said it will enhance the existing barrier system before NASCAR arrives on Thursday.

The protective wall at the exit of Atlanta's pit road near Turn 1 will be extended, and a tire barrier will be added along the inside wall of Turn 4. The installations will add a total of 130 linear feet of additional protective barrier prior to this weekend's racing.

The track will consider future installation of additional SAFER barriers after Sunday's race.

Kentucky Speedway will add additional soft walls to the backstretch before NASCAR arrives in July.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway said it was already planning for additional SAFER barriers to be installed this year, but is now reviewing the plan to see if NASCAR will recommend even more soft walls.

Europa League roundup: Tottenham, Liverpool out; Everton, La Liga sides advance.

By Andy Edwards

A roundup of Thursday’s Europa League round of 32 second-leg action:

Everton 3-1 BSC Young Boys

Roberto Martinez’s side picked up right where they left off in the first leg (4-1 victory) and put the tie to bed before halftime on Thursday, thanks to a pair of goals by up-and-down striker Romelu Lukaku and another from Kevin Mirallas.

Lukaku brought the game back to 1-1 when he converted a penalty kick in the 25th minute, and put the Toffees ahead on the day and clear of any trouble with his second five minutes later. Mirallas beat the goalkeeper one-on-one three minutes before halftime to put Everton ahead and through, 7-2 on aggregate.

 

Feyenoord 1-2 Roma 

 

Following a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Roma couldn’t advance without grabbing at least an away goal of their own, which they did through Adem Ljajic in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. Once Mitchell te Vrede was shown red for Roma’s Dutch opponents in the 54th minute, Rudi Garcia’s side was prepared to see out the game from there, but it wouldn’t be as simple as that. 
 

The game had to be suspended twice, once after the referee was nearly hit with objects thrown onto the field by fans. The first delay came shortly before halftime when a fan threw and inflatable banana onto the field in the direction of Roma’s Ivorian attacker Gervinho. Thursday’s incident comes just a week after traveling Feyenoord fans destroyed a 400-year-old fountain in Rome ahead of the first leg. 
 

Shortly after the game was restarted, for the second time, Elvis Manu equalized for Feyenoord two minutes after entering the game. Three minutes later, Gervinho scored to put Roma back ahead on the day and in the tie, ran to the traveling Roma fans and threw up heart-shaped hands to the supporters.

 

Borussia Monchengladbach 2-3 Sevilla

Four goals — two from each side — inside the first half-hour was certainly a thrilling start after the first leg ended 1-0 to Sevilla. Carlos Bacca put the La Liga side ahead after eight minutes, Granit Xhaka equalized in the 19th, Vitolo put Sevilla back ahead in the 26th and Thorgan Hazard equalized once again in the 29th.

With the tie still hanging in the balance — Gladbach needing two more goals to undo Sevilla’s away-goals advantage — Vitolo netter his second of the game to put Sevilla comfortably through into the round of 16.

 Elsewhere in Europa League (italicized teams advance to round of 16)

Dinamo Moscow 3-1 (3-1 aggregate) Anderlecht
Zenit St. Petersburg 3-0 (4-0 aggregate) PSV Eindhoven
Fiorentina 2-0 (3-1 aggregate) Tottenham Hotspur — FULL RECAP
Inter Milan 1-0 (4-3 aggregate) Celtic
Dynamo Kyiv 3-1 (4-3 aggregate) Guingamp
Red Bull Salzburg 1-3 (2-5 aggregate) Villarreal
Borussia Monchengladbach 2-3 (2-4 aggregate) Sevilla
Besiktas 1-0 (1-1 aggregate, 5-4 on PKs) Liverpool — FULL RECAP
Legia Warsaw 0-3 (0-4 aggregate) Ajax
Everton 3-1 (7-2 aggregate) BSC Young Boys
Athletic Bilbao 2-3 (4-5 aggregate) Torino
Sporting CP 0-0 (0-2 aggregate) Wolfsburg
Club Brugge 3-0 (6-1 aggregate) Aalborg
Olympiacos 2-2 (2-4 aggregate) Dnipro
Napoli 1-0 (4-0 aggregate) Trabzonspor
Feyenoord 1-2 (2-3 aggregate) Roma

 Keller, Hejduk, Conrad headline 13 new eligible for National Soccer HOF.

By Andy Edwards

The newest eligibles for the 2015 National Soccer Hall of Fame were announced on Thursday, with U.S. national team stalwarts, goalkeeper Kasey Keller and defenders Frankie Hejduk and Jimmy Conrad, headlining the list of 13 first-time eligible candidates.

Goalkeepers Pat Onstad, Eddie Robinson and Zach Thornton; defender Gregg Berhalter; and forwards Jovan Kirovski and Diego Serna are the other men on the ballot for the first time. Forwards Tiffeny Milbrett, Natasha Kai, Lindsay Tarpley and Christie Welsh are the first-time eligible women.

Voting, which is done by Hall of Famers, administrators and media, runs through March 20.

Thirty-one players, including, Chris Armas, Chris Henderson, Chris Klein, Jason Kreis, Eddie Lewis, Clint Mathis, Jaime Moreno, John O’Brien, Ben Olsen, Steve Ralston, Ante Razov, Tiffany Roberts, Tony Sanneh, Briana Scurry, Kate Sobrero Markgraf and Taylor Twellman, are on the ballot as holdovers, while Robin Fraser and Shannon MacMillan are in their final year of eligibility.

The builder ballot includes Bob Contiguglia, Don Garber, Richard Groff, Robert Kraft, Tim Lieweke, Francisco Marcos, Fritz Marth, Kevin Payne and Sigi Schmid.

The 2014 induction class consisted of Brian McBride, Kristine Lilly and Bob Bradley.

When it comes to college athletics, it sure cheating pays.

Pat Forde at Yahoo Sports

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby stirred the pot with his July comments declaring that 'cheating pays.' (AP)

At Big 12 media days last July, commissioner Bob Bowlsby sent a ripple through college sports by declaring that “cheating pays.” He said the NCAA’s enforcement model was “broken” and that the risk of significant punishment didn’t outweigh the reward of winning.

 

“They’re in a battle with a BB gun in their hand,” Bowlsby said. “They’re fighting howitzers."

This set off a spasm of reaction and rebuttal, including NCAA president Mark Emmert and director of enforcement Jon Duncan defending the association’s ability to police itself.

As we head into March Madness, you can expect the usual round of assessments of the college sports landscape and its ethical land mines. There will be cheerleaders who declare all is well, and there will be those who sail in after not paying attention at all to declare the place a disaster area. The truth is somewhere in the middle – but what’s transpired since Bowlsby’s startling July declaration gives credence to what he said. A Top 10 List of recent developments:

• Oregon and Ohio State played for the college football national championship. The Ducks were still on probation, dating to a 2013 NCAA ruling. The Buckeyes came off probation 24 days before the championship game, dating to a 2011 NCAA ruling.

 

• Former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in January, with nearly two years remaining on the NCAA show-cause penalty he received as part of that 2011 Committee on Infractions ruling. In May 2014, Tressel was named president of Youngstown State University. 

 

• An 18-month show-cause penalty against former Oregon coach Chip Kelly expired in December, and fans of several colleges clamored for schools to hire him. Kelly instead opted to keep his $6.5 million-a-year job as coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. His assistant chief of staff is Josh Gibson, who received a one-year show-cause penalty from the NCAA as part of the 2013 ruling against Oregon.

• A report commissioned by North Carolina revealed, in devastating detail, systemic academic fraud within the school and conservatively estimated that more than 1,500 athletes were part of the scam over a period of 18 years. The NCAA re-opened its own investigation, which previously had led to no allegations. Basketball coach Roy Williams is in the Hall of Fame. Former football coach Butch Davis, fired in 2011 as part of the fall-out from the scandal, is an ESPN analyst.

• Syracuse went before the NCAA Committee on Infractions at the end of October to answer charges of numerous violations within the basketball program over many years. A COI ruling is expected soon, though likely not this week. Earlier this month, the school self-imposed a pre-emptive postseason ban for this year, prohibiting the Orange from playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and anything thereafter – and an NCAA tourney bid would have been likely. It is the second postseason ban during the tenure of coach Jim Boeheim, who also is in the Hall of Fame. And you won’t find anybody who thinks the school is going to fire Boeheim when all is said and done.

• SMU is readying a response to the NCAA after receiving a notice of allegations of violations within its basketball program. An assistant coach was placed on leave in December. The Mustangs are 22-5 this season, 13-2 and tied for first in the American Athletic Conference – and unless the school follows Syracuse’s lead and self-imposes a postseason ban, SMU will be free to play in the NCAA tournament. (The case is months away from resolution.) If SMU is found to have committed violations, it would make coach Larry Brown three-for-three in having a college program he led penalized by the NCAA (UCLA and Kansas are the previous two). Brown is in the Hall of Fame.

• Kelvin Sampson coached his first basketball game at Houston and Bruce Pearl coached his first game at Auburn, following the expiration of show-cause penalties against both men. During part of the time when the penalties were in effect, Sampson was an assistant in the NBA and Pearl was an ESPN analyst. While Sampson was president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 2003-04, he presided over an ethics summit that aimed at improving the image and ethics of coaches. Two years later, the NABC issued a public reprimand of its former president for impermissible recruiting contacts while coaching at Oklahoma – violations he would go on to repeat at Indiana, leading to the show-cause penalty.

• In mid-December, Oliver Luck left his job as athletic director at West Virginia to join the NCAA as its executive vice president of regulatory affairs. Essentially, he’s the No. 2 man in the NCAA. Two months later, the athletic department Luck left was put on two years’ probation by the NCAA for violations committed in 14 sports. Most of them are minor, dealing with impermissible phone calls because the school didn’t adequately use the phone-monitoring software it had. But probation and recruiting restrictions were among the penalties applied.

• Earlier this month, Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari was named a finalist for the Hall of Fame. Two of his five Final Four appearances have been vacated due to NCAA violations within the programs he led.

• Connecticut’s three-year NCAA probation for men’s basketball violations ended earlier this week. Last year, while still on probation, the Huskies won the national title. The previous year, the school was ineligible for postseason play due to a deficient Academic Progress Rate. Jim Calhoun, who was the coach during both NCAA violations and the academic failings, is in the Hall of Fame.

Again, that’s the list since last July.

You can argue that cheating doesn’t expressly pay – that there have been consequences for almost all the principles mentioned above. But to date, none of the consequences has ended careers, killed programs or destroyed reputations. Schools and individuals have gone on – in several cases to bigger and better things.

At the very least, most coaches and administrators realize that you have to break some compliance eggs if you’re going to work in the heat of the big-time college sports kitchen. So you take a few risks. Where the NCAA seemingly has failed is in Emmert’s oft-stated goal of tilting the risk-reward equation to the point that it discourages rule breaking.

Some suggestions that would increase the risk: season-long suspensions for coaches – if the schools want to keep them, it will come at a cost; bigger financial penalties, provided the collateral damage doesn’t come to non-revenue sports that are not involved in any rule-breaking; and a reintroduction of the television ban, with an accompanying loss of TV revenue. That would raise holy hell with broadcast partners who really don’t care at all who cheats (just look at who they hire as analysts), but it would hit schools where it hurts. Try recruiting players when you tell them they won’t be on TV for a year, in an era when everyone is on TV.

As it stands now, there is enough reward to outweigh the risk. First, they have to catch you. Then they have to apply a punishment that is a true deterrent. The NCAA BB gun isn’t winning many firefights at the moment.

Early start: Michigan has 1st spring practice under Harbaugh.

AP - Sports

After running his first practice as Michigan's coach, Jim Harbaugh made it clear how much work lies ahead.

''We're still trying to figure out who the best players are right now,'' he said. ''And their best position. We don't know what everyone's best position is, or who the best players are at those positions. That'll be a process.''

It all began Tuesday with Harbaugh's first spring practice in charge of the Wolverines, a longtime power coming off a 5-7 season that led to the dismissal of coach Brady Hoke.

Hired by his alma mater less than two months ago to turn around the program, Harbaugh was eager to get a jump on preparations for the upcoming season.
 

Although Ann Arbor is still blanketed by snow, and the weather has forced the Wolverines to conduct spring practices indoors, Harbaugh wanted to get his team on the field as quickly as possible.

Michigan opened spring practice earlier than every other Big Ten team. Northwestern, which will hold its first practice Wednesday, is the only other team in the conference that will kick things off in February.

Ohio State (March 10) and Michigan State (March 24) still have weeks of winter conditioning remaining, after their seasons were extended by late bowl games.

''I think (an early start) was important,'' Harbaugh said. ''We haven't had football since last November. We didn't have a bowl or bowl practices. It felt like the time to do it, as early as we could. I wanted to make sure we got a good seven, eight weeks of conditioning in before we did it.''
 

The former San Francisco 49ers coach was pleased with what he saw on the first day out. Harbaugh lauded the players' offseason conditioning under new strength and conditioning coach Kevin Tolbert but said there is still plenty of work to be done.
 

''A lot of people think Jan. 1 is the start of a new year,'' Harbaugh said, ''but we in football treat the first day of spring practice as the start of a new year. 

 

''It's like your birthday or New Year's or Thanksgiving,'' he added. ''It's like Christmas. It's like a family reunion. It's all of those things, all rolled in one. It's happening. It's like the first day of school - you lay your clothes out the night before, pack your lunchbox tight and you head to school.'' 

 

Many fans will be keeping a close eye on the quarterback situation this offseason, because of Harbaugh's successful stint as Michigan's QB in the 1980s and the up-and-down production the Wolverines have had from their signal-callers in recent years. 

 

Now that Russell Bellomy has transferred to Texas-San Antonio, Michigan has seven quarterbacks on the roster, including Shane Morris, who made one start last season, a loss to Minnesota in which he suffered a concussion. 

 

The Wolverines will also add two more this summer: Houston transfer John O'Korn and freshman Zach Gentry. Although that's a lot of quarterbacks on a roster, Harbaugh is excited about the competition it will breed. 

 

For now, he and fellow offensive coaches Tim Drevno and Jedd Fisch will keep a close eye on the battle. 

 

''We don't have (a starter) named today, but at some point, you'd like to think that that is clear-cut,'' Harbaugh said. ''Somebody earns that and it is not close. That's what we're hoping for. They were all good to start, and there will be good competition at that position.'' 

 

NOTE: In addition to injured RB Drake Johnson and TE Khalid Hill, FB Sione Houma will miss spring practices after undergoing an undisclosed procedure, according to Harbaugh. Houma is expected to be back in the fold for summer workouts.

Tennessee's Jones understands heightened expectations.

By STEVE MEGARGEE (AP Sports Writer)

Tennessee coach Butch Jones acknowledges he is concerned about the off-field incidents involving his football team over the last year.

 

''Anytime you have (those types of) events and circumstances, it's always a concern,'' Jones said in an interview with The Associated Press. ''It's like raising your own children. You try to educate. ... The educational process is at the forefront of our football program.'' 

 

Jones said he has hour-long team sessions each Wednesday that focus on how a ''one-second decision or choice can change your life for the rest of your life.'' 

 

Despite the discussions, some players from the 2014 team have faced rape or assault allegations. 

 

Tennessee's most notable off-field issue involved former linebacker A.J. Johnson and suspended defensive back Michael Williams, who were indicted this month on aggravated rape charges. Both were suspended in November, the day before they were named as subjects of a rape investigation. Johnson has since graduated and completed his eligibility. 

 

Jones also dismissed running back Treyvon Paulk from the team in September following a police report that he hit a woman in the mouth at a party, though he wasn't arrested because the woman declined to press charges. Jones said ''there's a possibility'' Paulk eventually could return to the team. 

 

Former defensive back Riyahd Jones was named this month as a suspect in an ongoing rape investigation in which no arrests have been made or charges have been filed, though the woman said the incident happened after Jones already had left the team. 

 

Jones said he often discusses personal growth, social issues and current events with his players. He often brings in guest speakers to discuss these issues. 

 

The coach believes what he does gets through to the majority of his players. 

 

Tennessee's scholarship football players posted a 2.77 grade point average in the fall semester, which represented their highest mark since the school began tracking that on a sport-by-sport basis in 2003. Jones also noted the increased amount of community service projects undertaken by his players over the last year. 

 

''There are many good things that are going on here,'' Jones said. ''Let's talk about the (2.77) GPA while we're at it. Let's talk about the 15-plus college graduates who played in the bowl game and experienced their first bowl game. We're winning off the field.''

On the field, Tennessee's late surge in 2014 has raised expectations for a program that just ended a string of four straight losing seasons.
 

''If you're a competitor, you want those (expectations) placed upon you,'' Jones said.

Tennessee won four of its final five games to finish 7-6 and followed that up by signing a second consecutive recruiting class ranked among the nation's top five by multiple services. The Volunteers played 23 true freshmen, the most of any Football Bowl Subdivision program. Tennessee started only one senior on offense and two seniors on defense in a 45-28 TaxSlayer Bowl triumph over Iowa.

Jones appreciates the focus Tennessee's players have shown thus far in the offseason. Jones mentioned linebackers Curt Maggitt and Jalen Reeves-Maybin, quarterback Joshua Dobbs, defensive tackle Danny O'Brien, cornerback Cam Sutton and safety Todd Kelly Jr. as emerging leaders.
 

''There is a sense of confidence,'' Jones said. ''This football team learned how to win.
To me, that was the biggest obstacle. The most challenging thing in developing a program is actually learning how to win, and I thought we took monumental strides in learning how to win.''
 

Depth remains an issue.
 

Dobbs is the only scholarship quarterback returning from the 2014 roster, and Tennessee has only three scholarship running backs. Jones said Tennessee still has ''a long ways to go'' in building the type of program he wants.
 

Since the end of the 2014 regular season, wide receivers Drae Bowles and Vic Wharton, tight end Daniel Helm, defensive linemen Dewayne Hendrix and Jaylen Miller, defensive backs Riyahd Jones and D'Andre Payne, linebacker Justin King, quarterback Nathan Peterman and running back Derrell Scott have left the team and defensive lineman Michael Sawyers has been dismissed from the team. Jones said wide receiver Ryan Jenkins also has been granted his release, though Jenkins' return hasn't been completely ruled out.
 

''I think if you look around the country, unfortunately it's becoming the norm,'' Jones said. ''Each individual has different circumstances for leaving. We thank them for being part of our family, and if we can help them moving forward, we'll help them.'' 

Kentucky Derby betting 2015: American Pharoah still atop odds.

 

By OddsShark

 

(Photo/Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports)

 

With two months until the race, American Pharoah leads the pack on the Kentucky Derby futures betting board.

With convincing wins in each of his last two races and some good workouts of late, American Pharoah has emerged as the betting favorite leading up to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2. The bay colt is expected to be one of the top choices on race day.

American Pharoah is currently going off at 8/1 on the odds to win the Kentucky Derby at the sportsbooks. The horse's career got off to a shaky start in a disappointing maiden debut, but over his two races since American Pharoah has jumped out to an early lead and breezed by the competition against Grade 1 opponents. After being scratched from the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with a deep bruise back in November, some bettors were concerned about American Pharoah's health moving forward; but recent training workouts including a 1:12 2/5 six-furlong run indicate the favorite is good to go.

 

Another Bob Baffert horse expected to be a major contender in the Derby is Dortmund, who is going off at 12/1 on the 2015 Kentucky Derby betting lines. Sired by 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown, Dortmund has shown his pure talent right out of the gate with convincing wins in his maiden race and when stretched to a mile in his second race at Churchill Downs. Dortmund's good late kick should keep the horse in the race down the stretch.

 

Also firmly in the mix among the early favorites are Texas Red and Upstart, each going off at 12/1 at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Texas Red has established himself as a true closer, routinely getting off to poor starts before closing strong and making up tons of ground. The colt made a strong push to finish third behind American Pharoah and Calculator in the Frontrunner Stakes, and closed the field out for a win as a 14/1 underdog in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Upstart seemingly had a win at the Fountain of Youth Stakes recently, but was disqualified after a review showed his jockey interfered with Itsaknockout, who moved into first place.

 

Other potential contenders to win the Kentucky Derby include Carpe Diem, Itsaknockout and Khozan, each at 16/1, and then Competitive Edge, Daredevil, Far From Over and International Star at 20/1 each. Calculator was expected to be a contender in the Derby, but will miss the Triple Crown race with an injury.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, February 27, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1908 - Major league baseball adopted a sacrifice fly rule for the first time. It was repealed, reinstated and then changed several times before being permanently accepted in 1954.

1912 - The New York Yankees announced that they would be wearing pinstripes on their uniforms.

1963 - Mickey Mantle signed a contact worth $100,000 with the New York Yankees.

1973 - Dick Allen (Chicago White Sox) signed a contract worth $250,000 a year for three years.

1977 - Stan Mikita (Chicago Blackhawks) scored his 500th goal.

1987 - The NCAA cancelled SMU's (Southern Methodist University) entire 1987 football schedule for gross violations of NCAA rules on athletic corruption.

1996 - The Chicago Bulls reached 50 victories in 56 games to set an NBA record.

2001 - The New Jersey Devils began a streak of 10 consecutive road wins to tie the NHL record.

2002 - The Houston Astros announced that they had struck a deal with Enron to buy back the naming rights of their ballpark for $2.1 million. The ballpark would be called "Astros Field" until a new sponsor came along.

2003 - Emmitt Smith became a free agent for the first time when the Dallas Cowboys released him.

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