CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Monday Sports News Update, 02/02/2015.

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"Virtually nothing is impossible in this world if you just put your mind to it and maintain a positive attitude." ~ Lou Holtz, Television College Football Analyst and Former NFL and NCAA Head Football Coach 

Trending: Malcolm Butler; From Popeyes to Super Bowl XLIX Hero.

By Rana L. Cash

Patriots' Malcolm Butler #21 (Getty Images)

Rookies — particularly undrafted rookies from tiny schools — aren't generally Super Bowl heroes.

Malcolm Butler has changed that whole line of thought. Not long ago, pushed outside football, he was working at Popeyes part time. It was then he got the urge to redeem his life and future. That decision in 2010, ultimatly, landed him in Super Bowl XLIX.

And to a moment that will be chronicled as one of the most memorable in the game's history.

With the Seahawks in position to lock up Super Bowl XLIX on second-and-1, Seattle inexplicably elected to throw a pass instead of run Marshawn Lynch for the go-ahead score. Right there to force the biggest of errors was Butler, the only player from the University of West Alabama to ever win a Super Bowl.

"I had a vision that I was going to make a big play, and it came true," Butler told NBC's Michele Tafoya during the postgame celebration. He said it came from preparation, and he knew the Seahawks would attempt "a pick route" against him and Brandon Browner. The pass to Ricardo Lockette will go down as one of worst play calls in Super Bowl history. Butler will go down as one of the biggest playmakers on the biggest stage.

"For a rookie to make a play like that in the Super Bowl and win us the game, it was unbelivable," said MVP Tom Brady, who won his fouth Super Bowl.

So, how did Butler get here? 

— College: Butler played just two seasons of high school football, as a freshman and a senior, and because of academic trouble stayed in his home state of Mississippi at Hinds Community College.

— Derailed: The journey nearly came to an abrupt end when he was kicked out of school his freshman year. According to the Providence Journal, Butler was arrested on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia, but that was not cited specifically for his dismissal. The next year, he was working at Popeyes when he began taking classes at Alcorn State, which birthed the career of the late Steve McNair.

Butler was in school, and missed the game. He pressed the reset button and returned to Hinds, played for a year, then moved on to West Alabama. He played there for two years and then last May was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Patriots.

In August he told the Providence Journal: “You just can’t blow opportunities like this. You’ve just got to take advantage of the great things when they come. It’s been a long road to get here. Some ups, some downs, but I never gave up. I kept pushing and kept believing. I always believed that I could play in this league. It’s just confidence, faith and hard work.”

Those words could not be more true today for Butler.

(See more Super Bowl XLIX Coverage in the Football section below.)

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks ready to turn page after frustrating January.

By Tracey Myers

The calendar page was flipped on Sunday, as the Blackhawks left the month of January behind them.

It was a so-so month, record-wise, a month that began with a frustrating last-second loss in the Winter Classic and ended with a shutout loss to a former teammate. The Blackhawks finished January 6-7-0, a mediocre month, especially with how well they were playing through mid-November and all of December.

While the Blackhawks finished the month with a loss, coach Joel Quenneville wasn’t overly concerned.

“I think it’s about how you play and eventually things work out. But I think we’re on the right track with it,” he said following the Blackhawks’ 2-0 loss to San Jose on Saturday night. “We’ve played well on this road trip, four tough buildings and a couple of disappointing losses, but certainly we did a lot of right things tonight and played hard.”

Sure, but points were nevertheless squandered. Several times the Blackhawks were within minutes of getting at least a point, only to come away with nothing. Their penalty kill hasn’t been quite as strong lately; it’s given up six goals over the team’s last 10 games. The power play is still ineffective. There’s no doubt the Blackhawks need to get tighter, need to get back to playing the complete games that worked so well for them at the end of 2014.

So now the Blackhawks look forward to February. Their schedule won’t get any easier. They start with the Minnesota Wild, whom they’ve fared well against this season. But then they face Winnipeg, which beat them all three times in Chicago this season, and St. Louis, which is ahead of them in the Central Division standings.

But they should be getting a key member back when they return home, too. Kris Versteeg, who broke his left hand in the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day, has been skating back in Chicago. Versteeg was a key part of the Blackhawks’ second-line success in November and December and will bolster the team depth.

January has passed. It was a ho-hum month for the Blackhawks. Now they turn the page.

A confident David Rundblad becoming fixture in Blackhawks lineup.

By Tracey Myers

David Rundblad wasn’t going to say a word about playing on the left side.

The Blackhawks defenseman, who had struggled to find a spot in the lineup the past season plus, just wanted to play. If he happened to be lining up on a side he’d rarely played in his career, he was willing to improvise.

That didn’t last long, however, as Rundblad was moved back to the right side. Since then he’s collected some points. Even more important, however, Rundblad is playing more comfortably and confidently.

Rundblad has three points in his last five games and has become more of a fixture in the Blackhawks’ starting lineup. The Swede went through his growing pains with the Blackhawks, and he had to adjust quickly when he first played the left side. Now back where he’s played most of his career, Rundblad is feeling better.

“Of course, it’s a difference to be there,” Rundblad said. “It’s just the small things, the small details you can do on the right that you can’t do on the left. There’s a difference.”

Coach Joel Quenneville likes what Rundblad’s done since going back on the right. He can relate to the adjustments a player has to make when switched to an unfamiliar side.

“It’s not easy,” Quenneville said. “I’ve been a defenseman. Guys are pretty adaptive playing one side and when you get put on the other it’s a whole different ballgame. But having him on the left side, we knew that. It’s not an easy thing to go through. So you’re compromised in a lot of ways but probably so much at ease knowing you’re seeing the plays, the passes are coming from your partner and the puck’s on your forehand side. The familiarity of how you defend, having that back, puts the game in perspective.”

Teammates say Rundblad’s finding his niche.

“He’s a very skilled defenseman, confident with the puck,” Patrick Sharp said. “Every time he winds up it’s going in, or getting deflected and going in. He’s an offensive talent and players like that have a knack of making plays.”

Indeed, when Rundblad has shot lately, good things have happened. In Pittsburgh he scored his third goal of the season. In Los Angeles a rebound off his shot went right to Patrick Kane, who scored. Shooting was one more thing with which Rundblad had to find his comfort level.

“[Assistant coach] Mike Kitchen’s been telling me that a lot, too, that I have to shoot,” Rundblad said with a laugh. “Of course I like to, when I get a chance, take a shot. That’s what I’ve been trying to do lately; it’s been working, I guess. It’s a good feeling to score goals.”

Rundblad is back on the familiar right side. He’s feeling more confident and it’s showing, especially with his recent points.

“It’s great to see him lately,” Marcus Kruger said. “He’s been really good offensively for us. I’ve seen him play many years. He’s always been good but I’m happy he can show it on this level as well.”

Niemi leads Sharks to 2-0 victory over Blackhawks. (Saturday night's game, 01/31/2015).

By JOSH DUBOW (AP Sports Writer)

More than four years after leaving Chicago, Antti Niemi still takes pleasure in beating the team he once helped win a Stanley Cup title.

Niemi made 31 saves in his 31st career shutout and the San Jose Sharks won their third straight game by beating the Blackhawks 2-0 on Saturday night.

''It's still a little special even though it's been a while,'' said Niemi, who left the Blackhawks for San Jose after winning the Stanley Cup in 2010. ''They're still one of the top teams in the league so it's always good to win against them.''

Melker Karlsson scored early and Joe Thornton added an empty-net goal for the Sharks, who got their first regulation win over the Blackhawks since Feb. 10, 2012.

Niemi did the rest against his former team as San Jose followed up wins over defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles and NHL points leader Anaheim with one against perennial cup contender Chicago.

Antti Raanta made 19 saves for the Blackhawks, who were shut out for the fourth time this season. Chicago lost two of three on the post-All-Star break California swing, with the win coming Friday night in Anaheim.
 

''He played awesome,'' defenseman Brent Burns said. ''He's real sturdy back there. We feel good when he's there. We know he's there to back us up if they get a good chance, and he showed it tonight.''

The Sharks struck early to take the lead when Raanta struggled to control a shot by Matt Irwin. Karlsson batted at the rebound and it deflected into the net for his eighth goal of the season.

Niemi took the game after that, especially in a brilliant second period when he kept Chicago off the scoreboard despite a 15-6 edge in shots on goal.

''We just couldn't really get that one into the net in the second period,'' captain Jonathan Toews said. ''We were creating a lot of chances off the rushes we had.''

Niemi made a pair of tough saves early in the second on Andrew Shaw and Brandon Saad. He then stopped Marian Hossa on a 2-on-1 rush midway through the period and came up with his best saves when the Sharks were on the power play late in the second.

Toews came in alone on a breakaway and Niemi got a piece of his initial shot. The puck trickled past him and was on the way into the net before Niemi swept it off the goal line with his stick. Toews then got two more whacks at the rebound, but Niemi managed to stop those while lying on the ice with help from defenseman Brent Burns.

''Nemo made the first save, it was dribbling in. He made the second save,'' coach Todd McLellan said. ''We flew by the situation, which we shouldn't have, so we had to make the third and maybe even the fourth save. It could have been the turning point, it really could have, giving up a short-handed goal at that point. Nemo was there for us.''

Toews had the puck again for another shot, but the referees blew the play dead on a quick whistle.

''I wasn't too happy with that,'' Toews said. ''He thought it was frozen. It is what it is. We should have scored on the first rush.''

After Raanta made key stops on Barclay Goodrow and Matt Nieto early in the third to keep the deficit at one goal, Niemi responded again with a tough save against Saad.

''It was one of those games where you thought you felt something was going to come eventually and it didn't happen,'' Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. ''I think we are on the right track here.''

NOTES: Niemi had two shutouts against the Blackhawks, beating them 1-0 on Nov. 23, 2011. ... Thornton assisted on Karlsson's goal giving him at least 30 assists in 15 straight seasons. ... Sharks F Tye McGinn left the game after the first period with an undisclosed injury and did not return.

Kane, Sharp lead Blackhawks' 4-1 rout of Anaheim Ducks. (Friday night's game, 01/30/2015).

By GREG BEACHAM (AP Hockey Writer)

Patrick Kane had two goals and an assist, and Patrick Sharp assisted on every Chicago goal in the Blackhawks' 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.

Captain Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith also scored for the Blackhawks, who beat the NHL-leading Ducks for the third straight time at Honda Center. Corey Crawford made 21 saves as Chicago controlled the meeting of Western Conference powers, taking a three-goal lead in the second period.

Rickard Rakell scored with 9:54 to play and Frederik Andersen stopped 29 shots for the Ducks, who have back-to-back losses in two days after a six-game winning streak.

Shortly before Kane scored his first goal, Keith scored on what appeared to be goaltender interference by Toews during a dominant middle period by Chicago.

After getting blown out in San Jose on Thursday night, the Ducks have lost consecutive games for the second time all season, and the first since Nov. 28-29 - another back-to-back set against the Blackhawks and the Sharks.

And when the Ducks lose, they really lose: Anaheim has lost in regulation just nine times since Halloween, but eight of the nine were by at least three goals apiece.
 

Andersen lost for just the fourth time in 21 games since Dec. 1.

After Rakell broke up Crawford's shutout bid, Kane scored his 25th goal on a brilliant no-look pass off the boards from Sharp. Kane has the fifth 25-goal season of his eight-year NHL career, with at least 21 goals in each season.

The Blackhawks bounced back impressively after blowing a lead in the final minutes of a 4-3 loss at Los Angeles two nights earlier in the opener of their six-game road trip.

Toews put Chicago ahead in the opening minutes, beating Andersen with an unobstructed shot on a setup from Kane. The goal was the first from Toews in Chicago's last 14 road games.

Midway through the second period, Keith's shot found its way through traffic while Toews fell backward on top of Andersen, knocking down the Danish goalie. The Ducks and coach Bruce Boudreau angrily demanded a goaltender interference call, but didn't get it on an unreviewable play.
 

Kane made it 3-0 a few minutes later with a nasty shot for his fourth goal in five games.

Anaheim had a two-man advantage for 25 seconds during a lengthy stretch of power-play time in the third period, but got nothing until Rakell and Corey Perry walked in on Crawford for Rakell's fifth goal.

NOTES: Before the game, Anaheim assigned Colby Robak to its AHL affiliate in Norfolk after the defenseman cleared waivers. Eric Brewer is expected to return next week from his 24-game absence with a broken foot. ... Keith became the fifth defenseman in Blackhawks history to score 400 points with his goal. ... The Blackhawks are on the road until Feb. 9 while Disney on Ice occupies the United Center.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Mike Dunleavy anxious to return.

By Sam Smith

Mike Dunleavy woke up the other day ready to go to work. He went through his normal routine, like any worker might with his meal and his exercise and his commute. Just like Dunleavy has done so many times in the last month. One big difference. Dunleavy got there and could not work. As much as he desperately wanted. As much as his business needed him.

“I feel terrible not being out there,” the Bulls starting small forward said late Friday night while standing forlornly in the locker room after the Bulls 99-93 loss in Phoenix, Dunleavy missing his 16th consecutive game with a deep bone bruise. “Whether it’s taking up minutes for guys we don’t need playing the high minutes, doing little things that can help the team win. I feel terrible. I feel really guilty about it. But all I can do now is try to get myself back and get healthy and that’s what I’m focusing on.”

This is not Derrick Rose being out, or even Joakim Noah.

The Bulls are 30-19, but they are so much better with Dunleavy, whose quiet professionalism obscures his vital role with the team.

Just consider the Bulls were 23-10 with Dunleavy starting every game as Rose and Noah took turns in and out of the lineup. Since Dunleavy went out during a win over Denver Jan. 1, the Bulls are 7-9. Maybe he’s not the league’s most valuable player.

But he’s much more valuable than generally recognized and almost taken for granted—a frequent fan throw-him-in-on-the-deal guy—given he had played every game as a Bull since being signed in the summer of 2013.

The 6-10 Dunleavy is one of the more unique players in the NBA.

He’s known for his three-point shooting, which is important for the Bulls since they generally are not a good three-point shooting team. Rose has struggled with the three this season. Shooting guard Jimmy Butler shoots about the same as Rose. So defenses tend to crowd the lane against the Bulls. Also, the Bulls don’t have a so called stretch four shooter, which most teams employ now, other than rookie Nikola Mirotic. But he plays limited minutes behind Noah and Taj Gibson.

So Dunleavy’s shooting, which leads to defenses coming out to defend him and opening driving lanes, is missed.

But there’s so much more with a player like Dunleavy, more subtle. So it’s missed unless you watch and certainly if you follow statistical analysis.

Dunleavy given his size is a good rebounder. He also tends to be good tipping the ball to teammates, a trait you’ll see with some players, like Tyson Chandler, though not often with the Bulls. Perhaps more importantly, Dunleavy is a ball mover. And that may be missed with the Bulls this season more than his shooting and floor spacing.

Dunleavy gets the ball moving side to side when he is on the court. He’s excellent at passing and spacing the court with his movement as he has great instincts for finding open space that is spaced out from teammates. It’s an essential that has been badly missing the past month with the Bulls. The Bulls’ offense of late has more often been stagnant with limited ball movement. There tends to be a pass or handoff with the ball staying on one side of the court, and then Rose seeking out a driving lane late in the shot clock if nothing has happened. It’s enabled defenses to better thwart the Bulls given the defenses do not have to move and shift as much.

Dunleavy’s replacements have been Tony Snell and Mirotic at small forward and sometimes Butler with Kirk Hinrich moving in at shooting guard. But Hinrich has struggled with his shot down to about 37 percent. Mirotic has played sparingly while Snell doesn’t average even close to one assist per game. Dunleavy’s absence leaves a big hole in the rotation given the Bulls strength is up front with Pau Gasol, Noah, Gibson and Mirotic. Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau has tinkered with Mirotic at small forward. He started him there against the Lakers, but then started Snell in the second half. It’s clear Thibodeau has not been comfortable with Mirotic at small forward. And lately Mirotic has gone back to pump faking and running into trouble trying to attack the basket instead of shooting. After shooting 44 percent in November and December, Mirotic shot 34 percent in January and 26 percent on threes. Hinrich shot 28 percent on threes in January.

Dunleavy was shooting 42 percent on threes when he was hurt, second on the team to Aaron Brooks. Among the regulars, Gasol is the next best three-point shooter at 36 percent. Gasol left the Lakers, in part, because Mike D’Antoni wanted him shooting threes. No wonder no one gets out of the paint against the Bulls.

The frustration for the Bulls, though especially for Dunleavy, was that the injury seemed minor, like an ankle sprain.

“I thought I was going to be able to play the next night,” Dunleavy said a month later still not having played a minute. “Certainly within the next week. It’s just something that’s dragged out because we didn’t realize how bad I got it. Now I’m just dealing with discomfort where I can’t play. I’m close, but I’ve got to be able to do all the things, the running and stuff, playing the game. I’m just not there yet. But it could be any day now.”

Dunleavy manages a wry smile when he says that because he knows he’s been saying that for weeks. He’s been telling it to himself even more. He works out, tests it; it feels better. He gets up and ready to go. Then he cannot.

“Most of the time it’s you know (how long you’ll be out) and you have a time frame,” Dunleavy said. “But this has been day to day for a month. It’s been in some ways good because it’s kept me engaged because I thought I’d be right out there at any time. And then on the other end, I wish for myself and everybody else we had an idea. It’s dragged on longer than anyone expected and now it’s just about trying to get back.

“It’s beyond frustrating,” Dunleavy added. “It’s been four or five games I woke up the morning of (a game) and went through my routine and expected to play that night and just have not been able to go. It’s way past the point of annoying.”

Dunleavy said the doctors have told him it’s just the way it happened as much as that it did happen.

“The way I jammed my foot, it’s a bruising of the bone,” said Dunleavy. “It kind of heals on its own. There’s only so much you can do for it. So it’s a little bit of time, being patient with it. But not being a very patient person, I’m not cooperating too well and it’s kind of become a fiasco.”

Dunleavy keeps going out there to try; it becomes clear he cannot do what is necessary, so they drag him back and he’s trying to get out there again. But he just cannot. And this is a guy who plays. Last season, Dunleavy played 82 games for the fourth time in his career.

Consider that’s something LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul, Stephen Curry and LaMarcus Aldridge never have done and Carmelo Anthony once. Not that they are malingerers. They are not. Guys get hurt. But it’s even more frustrating for a player who at 33 years old in his 12th season even after major surgery a few years before still wasn’t missing even one game over a season.

“I’m just keeping my fingers crossed next week goes well,” said Dunleavy, “(that) I have a couple of good days of practice and can play on Wednesday.”

Bledsoe, Dragic team for 44 points as Suns beat Bulls 99-93. (Saturday night's game, 01/30/2015).

By Bob Baum

As they have so often this season, Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic pushed the Phoenix Suns to victory.

Bledsoe scored 23 points and backcourt mate Dragic had 21 as the Phoenix Suns held off the Chicago Bulls 99-93 on Friday night. 

"It's a hard matchup when you have two point guards on the floor at all times," the Bulls' Derrick Rose said. "...They are a hard team to defend, the way they play. We did a poor job of getting back in the first half. In the second half, we came back a little, but it was too late." 

Bledsoe's six-footer high off the glass put the Suns up 97-93. It came after a 7-0 Chicago run that cut the lead to 95-93 on Aaron Brooks' layup with 31.9 seconds to go.

Markieff Morris had 12 points and as season-high 14 rebounds for the Suns. His twin brother, Marcus, also scored 12. 

Derrick Rose scored 23, Jimmy Butler, 22, and Brooks, 21, for the Bulls, who were coming off a double-overtime loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles Thursday night and didn't arrive in Phoenix until 3:30 a.m. on Friday.

 

"And they still played hard," Dragic said. "It was just amazing to me. Everybody is a professional over there."

 

But "fatigue was a factor, no question about it," Chicago's Pau Gasol said. "It wasn't going to be an excuse, but you try to fight through and give ourselves a chance. It's a tougher game that we've played just because we didn't have much left in the tank, but we gave it a good shot."

 

Phoenix finished 6-2 in a franchise-record eight-game homestand.

 

The Suns led nearly the entire game and were up by 16 in the second quarter before a 22-6 run gave the Bulls their only lead since the opening minutes on Kirk Hinrich's four-footer with 36 seconds left in the third.

 

Brandan Wright's layup put the Suns up 68-67 entering the fourth.

 

Dragic's layup after a slick pass from Markieff Morris gave Phoenix a 95-86 lead with 2:24 to play. Chicago scored the next seven, including a 3-pointer and layup by Brooks, before Bledsoe and the Suns put it away.

 

"I thought our defense played great tonight," said Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek. "They challenged just about every shot. ... Overall, it was a great game. We didn't shoot the ball particularly well but we made them in the fourth quarter when we needed it." 

TIP-INS

 

Bulls: Missed their first seven free throws. ... Chicago is 1-2 halfway through a six-game road trip. ... Jimmy Butler tweaked his knee in the loss to the Lakers but was back in the lineup on Friday.

 

Suns: Dragic and Bledsoe got his16th 20-point game of the season. ... Phoenix is 16-6 since going to the starting lineup of Dragic, Bledsoe, Alex Len, Markieff Morris and P.J. Tucker.

 

COACH'S DECISION

 

Gerald Green, the streak-shooting guard who usually is one of the first players off the Suns bench, didn't play at all.

 

Hornacek said it was just the way the rotation went and was nothing calculated.

 

"I wanted Goran and Eric in there most of the time and then with Isaiah (Thomas) taking some of those minutes, we just kind of squeezed him tonight," Hornacek said. "But tomorrow night could be his night where he plays a lot of minutes and does a great job for us."

 

UP NEXT

 

Bulls: At Houston on Wednesday.

 

Suns: At Golden State Saturday night.

Bulls rally late but eventually drop 2OT thriller to Lakers. (Friday night's game, 01/29/2015).

By Dan Arritt

The thrilling comeback in regulation by the Bulls was later doused by the 123-118 double-overtime loss against the Los Angeles Lakers. When it came time to reflect back on what went wrong Thursday night, head coach Tom Thibodeau reached way back to another slow start by Chicago.

The Bulls fell behind by nine points after the opening quarter and never led until the their opening possession of the first overtime. By then, the Lakers had gained enough confidence to go back-and-forth with Chicago, a team that came into the game with 18 more victories on the season.

“It killed us,” Thibodeau said of the slow start. “We started the game with low energy, and we were badly out-rebounded. They started out shooting 60 percent in the first half and, any team that you confidence to like that, it’s hard to shut them off.”

Lakers forward Jordan Hill had 26 points and 12 rebounds and Carlos Boozer added 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench against his former team. Bulls guard Jimmy Butler matched his career high with 35 points.

With a starting backcourt for the Lakers that’s gone from future Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash to Wayne Ellington (23 points) and Jordan Clarkson (18 points), the Bulls seemed to be a lock to send Los Angeles to its 10th straight defeat, which would have matched its longest since moving to Los Angeles in 1960.

Thibodeau didn’t see it that way.

"In this league, if one team’s playing with great intensity and the other one lets up just a slight bit, the players in this league are too good,” he said. “You’re looking at guys that can score the ball. … If you don’t come in with the right mindset against them, you’re in trouble."

The Bulls found themselves trailing by as many as 15 in the third quarter and by nine after Hill’s 17-footer with 1:29 remaining in regulation.

“In the beginning, they were comfortable getting around, getting to the spots they wanted to,” said Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, who finished with 17 points on 7-for-26 shooting.

The Bulls regrouped and scored the final nine points of regulation, the last two on a Pau Gasol’s tip-in off a Rose missed drive with 11 seconds remaining.

The game then ventured into overtime and the Bulls led for most of the way before Hill sank a 20-footer with 16 seconds left to knot the score at 106, and Rose missed a 20-footer of his own at the buzzer.

Everyone expected a certain player to inflict damage against his former team Thursday night. Boozer did it for most of the game against the Bulls and Gasol did his down the stretch.

Gasol, who came to Chicago in the offseason after seven seasons and two championships with the Lakers, not only scored the tying bucket at the end of regulation, but scored five of his team’s eight points in the first overtime.

Super Bowl XLIX: Malcolm Butler's goal-line pick clinches Super Bowl win for Patriots against defending champion Seahawks.

By Dan Wetzel

New England Patriots, Super Bowl XLIX Champions 

On the ropes, down 10 points in the fourth quarter, Tom Brady engineered a comeback to give the New England Patriots a 28-24 lead over the Seattle Seahawks with a little more than two minutes left in Super Bowl XLIX.

Brady and the rest of the Patriots couldn't exhale until defensive back Malcolm Butler picked off Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson at the goal line with 20 seconds left to secure a dramatic championship in what will go down as one of the most exciting Super Bowls ever played.

Butler’s pick came soon after his deflection of a Wilson pass wound up in the hands of Jermaine Kearse on an acrobatic catch that would’ve been one of the greatest in NFL history. It also came on a questionable play call by the Seahawks, who decided not to give the ball again to powerful running back Marshawn Lynch.

"I made a play to help my team win," Butler said. "I've worked so hard in practice and I just wanted to play so bad and help my team out. I got out there and did exactly what I needed to do to help my team win."

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Seattle opted to pass on second down – with plans to run on third and fourth downs, if necessary – because New England's defensive scheme was geared to stop the run.

"I'm a little bit surprised," Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman said. "It was an unfortunate play."

New England looked beat after a disastrous run from just before halftime through early in the fourth quarter when its offense stalled and its defense got torched by unheralded wideout Chris Matthews. Seattle led 24-14 with 7:55 remaining in the game.

However, as is the franchise’s personality, New England rolled with the punches, never lost faith in the plan and leaned on its Hall of Fame quarterback.

Brady shook off two critical interceptions to lead two big-time scoring drives with the game on the line. He capped the first with a touchdown pass to Danny Amendola, the next to Julian Edelman with just 2:02 remaining.

Brady, who was named game's MVP, finished with 328 yards passing and four touchdowns.

This is a classic championship game full of massive momentum swings. New England looked like the better team early, despite building just a 14-7 lead. Then Seattle rolled back to score 17 unanswered points and build what looked like a commanding lead. Then back came New England.

The various runs weren’t just about one team playing well, but the other suddenly becoming futile offensively.

The game is expected to record monster ratings and perhaps beat the record of 49.1 set in 1981 with the San Francisco-Cincinnati Super Bowl. There are more entertainment choices now, but the game was filled with big-name stars and a huge snowstorm swept across a number of major television markets in the East.

 

This is New England’s fourth Super Bowl as a franchise, all of them under the coach-QB tandem of Bill Belichick and Brady. It helps ease the sting of two Super Bowl losses to the New York Giants and allegations over the last couple of weeks they played the AFC title game with purposefully inflated footballs.
 

Unlike in those losses to the Giants, the Patriots were able to withstand a late Seattle drive by Russell Wilson to close out the game.

The loss ends Seattle’s dream of winning consecutive Super Bowls, an accomplishment last achieved by New England.

Junior Seau headlines eight-man Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

By Frank Schwab

San Diego Chargers' Junior Seau does a celebration dance after one of his seven tackles in the Chargers' 24-3 win over the Houston Texans in an NFL football game in San Diego. Junior Seau, Kurt Warner and Orlando Pace, all in their first year of eligibility, are among the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 2015, that will be announced Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi, File)

There’s no way to think about the news that Junior Seau was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame without also thinking how much he would have enjoyed it.

Seau, the late longtime linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots, was the headliner of a class that also includes running back Jerome Bettis, defensive end Charles Haley, guard Will Shields, receiver Tim Brown, center Mick Tingelhoff (a senior nominee) and general managers Bill Polian and Ron Wolf. News of that class was tweeted out by many of the Hall of Fame voters on Saturday evening.

Seau's election is bittersweet. Seau committed suicide in May of 2012. His brain was studied and found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. His family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the NFL.

Tyler Seau, Seau's oldest son, represented the family at the "NFL Honors" show, as the Hall of Fame class was announced. In a press conference afterward, it was striking to see seven new Hall of Famers, old or middle-aged men, sitting on the same stage as Seau's son, who is in his mid-20s. 

"This is a huge honor for our family," Tyler Seau said. "Definitely with heavy hearts accepting this, because it should be him. But he is here with us. 

"Emotionally it's tough. We're missing a huge part. We're staying strong and this is a blessing. We're humbled to be part of this (Hall of Fame) family."

Seau was known for his infectious personality off the field and his incredible play for 20 NFL seasons.

“I can't imagine having a Professional Football Hall of Fame without Junior Seau in it," New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said in a great profile of Seau by USA Today’s Lindsay Jones.

Bettis, a two-time All-Pro, was inducted on his fifth time as a finalist. He finished with 13,662 yards in 13 seasons and finished his career with a Super Bowl XL victory.
 

"To think a little fat kid from Detroit who had never played football until high school could attend to this level ... this is not something I dreamed of or thought of," Bettis said.

 

Haley’s main argument for the Hall of Fame was the five Super Bowl rings he earned, more than any other player. He was a big part of the success of those Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers as a fantastic edge rusher. He had 100.5 sacks in his 13-year career.  

Brown spent 16 of his 17 seasons with the Raiders and ended his career among the most prolific receivers in NFL history. He had 1,094 catches, 14,934 yards and 100 touchdowns. 

Shields was a dominant guard for the Chiefs. He made the Pro Bowl in each of his final 12 seasons, playing 14 seasons in all for Kansas City while never missing a game.

Wolf was a longtime NFL executive but he is most famous for turning around a terrible Green Bay Packers organization, a revitalization that is still going on more than 20 years later. More specifically, Wolf swung a trade with Atlanta for quarterback Brett Favre, who went 0-for-5 in his one Falcons season, and for landing defensive end Reggie White, perhaps the greatest free-agent signing in NFL history. Wolf’s roster won Super Bowl XXXI, Green Bay’s first Super Bowl title in 29 years.

Polian is best known for putting together the core of the Buffalo Bills teams that won four straight AFC championships, then his time with the Indianapolis Colts that resulted in a Super Bowl championship.

Tingelhoff was one of the game’s best centers during his career that spanned from 1962 to 1978, getting five All-Pro nods. He never missed a game in 17 NFL seasons.

Players like Orlando Pace, Terrell Davis, John Lynch and Kurt Warner fell just short.

"There's nobody that deserves it more than Kurt," Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. "It was tough not seeing him on that stage, but I know it's coming."

When do pitchers and catchers report? 2015 spring training reporting dates for all 30 MLB teams. 

By Justin McGuire

The Super Bowl is over, and spring training begins this month as pitchers and catchers report for all 30 teams.

This year’s reporting dates:

GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE

(Pitchers and catchers | full squad)

Atlanta Braves: Friday, Feb. 20 | Wednesday, Feb. 25

Baltimore Orioles: Thursday, Feb. 19 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Boston Red Sox: Friday, Feb. 20 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Detroit Tigers: Thursday, Feb. 19 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Houston Astros: Friday, Feb. 20 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Miami Marlins: Friday, Feb. 20 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Minnesota Twins: Sunday, Feb. 22 | Friday, Feb. 27

New York Mets: Thursday, Feb. 19 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

New York Yankees: Friday, Feb. 20 | Wednesday, Feb. 25

Philadelphia Phillies: Wednesday, Feb. 18 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Pittsburgh Pirates: Wednesday, Feb. 18 | Monday, Feb. 23

St. Louis Cardinals: Thursday, Feb. 19 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Tampa Bay Rays: Saturday, Feb. 21 | Thursday, Feb. 26

Toronto Blue Jays: Monday, Feb. 23 | Friday, Feb. 27

Washington Nationals: Friday, Feb. 20 | Thursday, Feb. 26

CACTUS LEAGUE

(Pitchers and catchers | full squad)

Arizona Diamondbacks: Thursday, Feb. 19 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Chicago Cubs: Thursday, Feb. 19 | Wednesday, Feb. 25

Chicago White Sox: Thursday, Feb. 19 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Cincinnati Reds: Wednesday, Feb. 18 | Monday, Feb. 23

Cleveland Indians: Wednesday, Feb. 18 | Monday, Feb. 22

Colorado Rockies: Friday, Feb. 20 | Friday, Feb. 27

Kansas City Royals: Thursday, Feb. 19 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Los Angeles Angels: Thursday, Feb. 19 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Los Angeles Dodgers: Thursday, Feb. 19 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Milwaukee Brewers: Friday, Feb. 20 | Wednesday, Feb. 25

Oakland A’s: Thursday, Feb. 19 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

San Diego Padres: Thursday, Feb. 19 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

San Francisco Giants:  Wedneday, Feb. 18 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Seattle Mariners: Friday, Feb. 20 | Tuesday, Feb. 24

Texas Rangers: Friday, Feb. 20 | Wednesday, Feb. 25

White Sox Gordon Beckham: 'Getting away was good for me'.

By Dan Hayes

Gordon Beckham returns to Chicago refreshed and seems open to whatever the White Sox have in mind.

Though his role isn’t certain, the former first-round pick sounds thrilled to be back for 2015 after signing a one-year deal worth $2 million on Wednesday. General manager Rick Hahn said Beckham was signed to play all over the infield and as insurance in case rookies Micah Johnson and Carlos Sanchez aren’t ready to take over as the club’s starting second baseman.

But mostly, Beckham — who was traded after parts of seasons for cash or a player to be named later in August — said his time with the Los Angeles Angels has him better prepared to be successful whatever the White Sox ask of him.

“Getting away was good for me in general,” Beckham said on a conference call on Wednesday. “I needed some time not only to kind of reboot, but also to work on my game and that’s something I feel like I did out in Anaheim. Although I was playing a good amount, I wasn’t playing every game so I used the time that I wasn’t starting to really work and take (batting practice) and understand my swing a little better, and fielding balls at shortstop and third base. I felt like it was really beneficial for me and not just the physical aspect. It was also good for me mentally and I’m definitely excited to be back with the team that drafted me.”

Beckham never wanted to leave the White Sox in the first place. He always hoped things would work out with the club that selected him with the eighth pick in the 2008 amateur draft. But as much as he wanted to stay, Beckham knows his stint with the Angels, where he had a .268/.328/.429 slash line in 61 plate appearances, was a good thing.

Beckham said he never expected to be back with the White Sox once he was traded. He watched Hahn’s moves from afar and is “thrilled” with the team he’s returning to, one that is far removed from losing 188 games the past two seasons.

But whereas he was the everyday second baseman before, Beckham knows the White Sox are hopeful that Johnson or Sanchez takes over for good. He also knows the White Sox were in the market for a strong infield glove who hits left-handed pitching well — yet not necessarily a starter.

That doesn’t seem to make a difference to Beckham, who appeared in two postseason games for the Angels.

“I would love to play every day, but I’m not going to get into what I’m doing or what the White Sox want me to do in terms of that,” Beckham said. “My most important goal is to help them win, and ultimately, whatever that entails, whether it be at second base full time or around the infield a bunch of times, all over the infield, then that’s what I’m going to do.

“I think they think I’m a good player, a winning player that can help them win. Ultimately, I’m not afraid of really anything, honestly. I’m going into this and I’m going to try to put my best foot forward in all aspects and hopefully that will translate to playing as much as possible. I don’t believe I’m a utility player, but I’m trying to win games, and I’m not really worried about individual stuff.”

White Sox: Consistency key for Jose Quintana in heart of rotation.

By John Paschall

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of the offseason moves the White Sox have made.

Fans raved at SoxFest 2015 about the additions of Jeff Samardzija and David Robertson to the pitching staff, citing the need for more arms.

But sitting quietly in the heart of the rotation is the calm but effective Jose Quintana.
He doesn’t light up the radar gun or show a lot of emotion on the mound after getting out of a tough inning. Yet, the composed left-hander has given the White Sox organization a piece to their puzzle that has displayed improvement every year.

Quintana’s 9-11 record from 2014 is misleading. In 32 starts, he only gave up five or more earned runs in four appearances. In 19 of those games that Quintana pitched, he received three runs or less of support from the White Sox hitters. He also posted a career low 3.32 ERA this past season.

Projected as the No. 3 starter for the upcoming season, Quintana is looking forward to working with his new teammates, especially the new arms in the bullpen that can help fix what was a major problem last year.

“Jeff is a really good pitcher,” Quintana said. “I’m excited to see him throw for us. This year we have a good chance to win.

“David Robertson, Zach Duke, (Dan) Jennings are pretty good pitchers. We have more innings in the bullpen when you get done with your outings. We have good teammates here. If we play together, we have a chance to win.”

Like any starting pitcher, Quintana feels a responsibility to go deep into games to help out his bullpen. The 26-year old has been a rock for the White Sox the past two seasons, tossing 200 innings each year. With personal and team expectations rising, Quintana put a lot of focus on making sure his body is ready for another potential 200-inning year.

 “I practice more working out with my consistency,” Quintana said. “I tried to get stronger with my legs and shoulder. Now I’m practicing location, bullpen sides, everything to get ready for spring training.”

With most teams that bring in a lot of new faces, the early season issue is always how the team gels together at first. Quintana knows if the White Sox want to have any chance at competing in the division, or even just for a playoff spot, chemistry will be a critical factor.

“Sometimes if you don’t know some people or some players, the team doesn’t win,” he said. “But now we have good teammates so we have a better chance.”

Golf: I got a club for that; Koepka rallies to win Phoenix Open for maiden PGA Tour title.

By DOUG FERGUSON

Brooks Koepka holds the trophy after winning the Phoenix Open golf tournament, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Brooks Koepka has lost track of the miles flown, the oceans crossed and the stamps in his passport as he toiled in remote corners of the golfing world for more than two years to prepare himself for moments like Sunday at the Phoenix Open.

The most significant journey turned out to be the 50 feet his golf ball traveled from the fringe, up a ridge and right into the cup.

That eagle on the par-5 15th hole gave Koepka a share of the lead, and he left the mistakes to everyone else the rest of the way. He closed with a 5-under 66 for a one-shot victory and his first PGA Tour title.

"I left every long putt short today," Koepka said. "I said to my caddie, 'I'm finally going to get this one there.'"

Hideki Matsuyama, among five players who had a share of the lead over the wild final hour at the TPC Scottsdale, was the last player in Koepka's way. The 22-year-old from Japan had an 18-foot putt to force a playoff, but it never had a chance and he closed with a 67.

Masters champion Bubba Watson (65) and Ryan Palmer (66) had to settle for pars on the three closing holes and joined Matsuyama in a tie for second. Martin Laird, tied for the lead with two holes to play, hit into the gallery on the 17th and made bogey and yanked his tee shot into the water on the 18th and made double bogey for a 72.

A week that began with hype over Tiger Woods, who shot 82 and missed the cut by 12 shots, ended with yet another example of a massive generation shift.

The 24-year-old Koepka didn't get the recognition of Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, or former U.S. Amateur champion Peter Uihlein, his roommate in Florida with whom he often traveled in Europe. His raw power got the attention of his peers, however, and Koepka went through enough trials to mature into a rising star.

His second victory in four starts against strong fields — he won the Turkish Airlines Open during the final stretch of the Race to Dubai in Europe in November — moved him to No. 19 in the world.

"It's unbelievable," said Koepka, who finished at 15-under 269. "I didn't think I would work my way up this quickly, but playing the Challenge and European tours led to this. And especially the failure I've had. I can't tell you how much I learned from that."

Koepka proved to be one smooth customer — he describes himself as "chill" — even when the starter pronounced his name as something like "cupcake" on the first tee.

He laughed during practice swings. He wasn't rattled when Matsuyama holed a wedge from 129 yards for eagle on the opening hole, or when the Japanese star added two more birdies to catch Laird, who began Sunday with a three-shot lead.

Koepka was making nothing but pars. Back-to-back birdies late on the front nine kept him in the game, though still two shots behind.

Matsuyama took the lead with a beautiful pitch behind the green at the par-5 13th, and Koepka followed him to 4 feet for a birdie to stay two behind. Matsuyama had gone 44 holes without a bogey until a three-putt on the 14th, and then everything changed on the 15th. 

Koepka rolled in his 50-foot eagle putt and tied Laird, who two-putted from 25 feet. 

The tournament effectively was decided on the 322-yard 17th. Laird went well right into the gallery, did well to chip to 50 feet in the fat of the green and three-putted for a bogey. Koepka needed a little luck. With the tees moved forward, it was slightly too close for his 3-wood, not long enough for his hybrid. 

He hit 3-wood onto and over the green. And when he saw it disappear over the back, Koepka thought he was cooked. 

"One of the camera guys said it stayed up. I still don't know how," he said.
 

The ball settled on the red hazard line, a foot from the water. He made par, and then showed no nerves on the 18th by smashing a driver over the water and bunkers, 331 yards away.

Watson tied for the lead by holing a bunker shot on the par-3 12th for birdie and two-putting for birdie from 20 feet on the 13th.

"I just couldn't do anything after that," he said.
 

His lost opportunity came on the 17th, when his 3-wood went to the front of the green and he three-putted from over 100 feet and made par. Palmer also had birdie chances on the last three holes and couldn't convert.
 

Arizona State junior Jon Rahm closed with a 68 to tie for fifth with Laird. It was the best finish by a Sun Devil still on the golf team playing in the Phoenix Open. The previous best was a tie for 32nd by Phil Mickelson. However, the top 10 does not get the Spaniard into Torrey Pines next week because he is an amateur. Besides, he's on his way to Hawaii to join his teammates for a tournament.

Koepka is going to San Diego — one of the shorter trips in his career — and with new status as a PGA Tour winner.

 

Rory McIlroy ties Dubai Desert Classic scoring record, cruises to win.

By Ryan Ballengee

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland holds the trophy after he wins the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament in United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

Since July, Rory McIlroy has done one of two things on the European Tour: won or finished second. On Sunday, he won the Dubai Desert Classic for the second time, cruising to a three-shot win and tying the tournament scoring record in the process.

McIlroy closed with 2-under 70 to post a 72-hole total of 22-under 266, notching a quiet three birdies against one bogey in what even his competition knew was a coronation. 

“I never even thought of winning; he's playing so good," said runner-up Alex Noren, whose closing 65 left him three clear of third-place defending champion Stephen Gallacher. "I was just trying to get a nice finish in, keep making birdies and try to stay up with the other guys."

The Scot Gallacher was one ahead of a group of five tied for fourth at 15 under par including Martin Kaymer, who ceded a 10-shot in-round lead on the final day of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

The world No. 1 said he will take three weeks off before playing next in the Honda Classic. In the meantime, McIlroy will be the central witness in the Dublin-based trial of a lawsuit he filed against former agents Horizon Sports Management. McIlroy could be on the witness stand for up to a week. 

Meanwhile, the golf world can testify that, without a doubt, the Ulsterman is the best player in the world.

Elliott headlines 5 drivers in NASCAR Hall of Fame class.

By JENNA FRYER (AP Auto Racing Writer)

Bill Elliott headlined the sixth class of inductees into NASCAR's Hall of Fame, a group that included three champions, the first African-American winner and a driver with movie star looks.

''Awesome Bill From Dawsonville'' was NASCAR's 1988 champion, a 44-race winner and the first driver to win the Winston Million bonus in 1985 for winning three NASCAR crown jewel races.

A 16-time winner of NASCAR's most popular driver award, Elliott won two Daytona 500s and the Southern 500 three times.

His induction came one day after his 19-year-old son, Chase, was named by Hendrick Motorsports as the driver who will replace four-time champion Jeff Gordon in the iconic No. 24.

Introduced by Kasey Kahne, who replaced Elliott in the No. 9 in 2004, and Elliott was inducted by former car owner Ray Evernham.

''Thinking about it and dreaming about it and listening to guys on the radio ... it's just incredible,'' Elliott said. ''I dreamed of doing this.''

The sixth class was the first to be comprised of five drivers.

First to be inducted Friday night was Fred Lorenzen, one of NASCAR's first superstars.

Nicknamed ''Golden Boy'' and ''Fearless Freddie,'' the Elmhurst, Illinois, native was one of NASCAR's first stars to hail from outside the sport's Southern roots. He was introduced by Indiana native and three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, who made note of Lorenzen's famous look.

''He was a teen idol with movie star looks, so clearly we have a lot in common,'' Stewart said.

Lorenzen had 26 wins in just 158 starts in a part-time career that spanned 1956-1972. Now in a wheelchair, he sat on the stage as his son, Chris, gave his acceptance speech.

''Dad had the gift of charisma, something money just can't buy,'' Chris Lorenzen said. ''People drove from all over to see Dad, 'Fast Freddie.' Dad treated strangers just as he treated his own family.''

He was followed by Wendell Scott, the first African-American driver to be elected to the Hall.

Scott, who died in 1990, competed in NASCAR's top series from 1961-73. He won his only race, at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1963, taking the checkered flag in the 100-mile feature. Scott started 495 Sprint Cup events and had a 147 top 10 finishes.

Scott, the first African-American driver to race full-time in NASCAR's top series, won more than 100 races at local tracks before making the difficult step to NASCAR.

He was introduced by Gordon, who announced last week this season will be his last.

''His is a story of perseverance and determination in the face of unimaginable obstacles,'' Gordon said. ''He fought through any and all hardships, and tonight he reaches NASCAR's pinnacle.''

Scott was represented by his sons, Wendell Scott Jr., and Franklin.

''I would like to thank NASCAR for making this night possible, and their effort to improve diversity in NASCAR racing,'' Franklin Scott said. ''Wendell Scott fulfilled his destiny, and now we can proudly say that he is the first African-American inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. We must carry his legacy to even greater heights.''

Reigning Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick introduced the third inductee, Rex White.

White, like Harvick, drove the No. 4. He raced from 1956-64, winning 28 times in 233 events including six races during his championship season in 1960.

White, a short-track specialist, finished among the top-five in nearly half his starts. Only two of his wins came on tracks longer than a mile in length.

White was to be inducted by former pit crew member James Hylton, but he began his speech before Hylton made it to the podium. He then scrambled the pages to his speech and told the audience ''don't leave,'' as he tried to organize them. Hylton then tried to help him put the pages in order, and White looked at him and said ''James, you were the one supposed to be doing this, anyway.''

Two-time champion Joe Weatherly was fourth to be inducted, and was introduced by 2012 champion Brad Keselowski.

Weatherly, who died after a crash at Riverside in 1964, won 25 races and back-to-back championships in 1962 and 1963. It was the only two years Weatherly competed full-time at NASCAR's top level.

He was accepted into the Hall by Joy Barbee, his youngest niece.

Arsenal 5-0 Aston Villa: Gunners torch hapless Villa with deadly counters.

By NBC Sports

The home side dominated from start to finish as Arsenal dominated Aston Villa at the Emirates with a comprehensive 4-0 victory thanks mostly to a deadly counter-attack that struck three times in the second half.

Aston Villa capped their disappointing day with a dubious club record – that of 612 minutes (and counting) since their last goal in Premier League play.

Arsenal had a chance straight away, inside two minutes as Theo Walcott sprung free on goal, but Jores Okore recovered to make a key tackle before the shot could come off. 

That was a harbinger of what would come. Aaron Ramsey missed a chance five minutes later from outside the box, but Olivier Giroud would put the Gunners up on eight minutes when Mesut Ozil sprung him through on the breakaway with a sublime flick. The Frenchman made no mistake, lifting the ball over Brad Guzan one-on-one.

The home side continued as the brighter team, with numerous chances through the first half-hour, and Santi Cazorla pinged the post on a 25th-minute shot after cutting into the top of the box. Arsenal could have had more but on occasion tried to overplay their attacks, with a few too many passes resulting in the breakdown of their openings. On 30 minutes, another slicing run by Cazorla from the touchline put Mesut Ozil into a position to score but the offsides flag went up as the ball hit the back of the net.

With Aston Villa creeping towards 600 straight minutes without a Premier League goal, their best chance wasn’t much of one, as Christian Benteke tried an off-balance shot but he barely made contact and Hector Bellerin cleared. 

They had a better opportunity four minutes before halftime as a long ball found Andreas Weimann near the right post but it was covered well by the Arsenal defense again. Arsenal broke immediately, but Theo Walcott bundled the buildup as the Gunners looked to threaten. 
 

 Three minutes into the second half, Villa broke its club record for longest goalless streak at 570 minutes. Arsenal, however, kept scoring. With Kieran Richardson losing out in the Arsenal half, the Gunners broke. This time it was Giroud’s turn to feed Ozil, who slotted past Guzan neatly into the far corner for a 2-0 lead just 10 minutes after the halftime break.

Arsenal would add a third when Cazorla found Walcott on the break, and the England international scored his first of the season in his first start for 14 months to put the Gunners up 3-0. Cazorla would snatch a goal of his own from the spot after substitute Chuba Akpom was chopped down by Guzan in the box, and the Spaniard ripped his penalty right at the American keeper who got both hands to it but couldn’t stop the powerful blast. Bellerin would pick up his first Arsenal goal in stoppage time to rip the wounds wide open.

That would wrap things up comprehensively, and Arsenal secured its third straight Premier League win, five in its last six, and fifth straight in all competitions as the Gunners go level with Southampton on points, just out of a Champions League spot on goal differential. Villa, meanwhile, are in a precarious spot just three points above the drop and haven’t scored in the league since December 20.

Lineups

Arsenal: Ospina; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Ramsey (Flamini 77′), Walcott (Rosicky 70′), Cazorla, Ozil; Giroud (Chuba 70′).

Goals: Giroud 8′, Ozil 56′, Walcott 63′, Cazorla (pen) 75′, Bellerin 90+2′

Aston Villa: Guzan, Hutton, Okore, Clark, Richardson, Sanchez (Westwood 76′), Delph, Cleverley (Agbonlahor 66′), Weimann (Sinclair 66′), Gil, Benteke.

Neymar, Messi lead Barca fightback against Villarreal.

AFP; By Kieran Canning

Barcelona moved back to within a point of La Liga leaders Real Madrid as they twice came from behind to beat Villarreal 3-2 in a thrilling encounter on Sunday.

Madrid loanee Denis Cheryshev put Villarreal ahead against the run of play after half an hour only for the in-form Neymar to level just before the break.

A crazy four-minute spell early in the second-half then yielded three goals as Luciano Vietto put Villarreal back in front, but Rafinha quickly equalised before Lionel Messi struck a memorable winner from the edge of the box.

 

 Victory takes Barca back three points clear of third-placed Atletico Madrid, but Real can regain their four-point lead at the top when they host Sevilla in their game in hand on Wednesday.

"For us it is a pleasure to have players that can change the game and they are in special form," Barca boss Luis Enrique said of Messi and Neymar, who have now scored 17 goals between them in their last seven outings.

However, Villarreal boss Marcelino lamented his side's inability to put the pressure on Barca by conserving their leads for a prolonged period of time.

"We played a great match and competed with them using our own strengths. The goal they scored 30 seconds before half-time damaged us. Then within two minutes of going 2-1 in front they scored two.

"That is Barca. They have the best players in the world in attack and punish any error you make."

Barcelona started brightly but Luis Suarez's struggles in front of goal continued as the Uruguayan failed to hit the target twice when well-placed inside the area, as well as seeing a fine strike from the edge of the area turned behind by Sergio Asenjo.

The hosts were then punished for the former Liverpool man's profligacy when Villarreal broke and Mario Gaspar's wayward effort was deflected beyond Claudio Bravo by Cheryshev.

Crucially Barca managed to get on level terms a minute before the break when Asenjo again parried from Rafinha's curling effort, but Neymar was on hand to continue his scoring streak with his 22nd of the season.

Enrique's men were caught out once more at the start of the second-half, though, as a former Barca favourite Giovani dos Santos galloped in behind the Catalans' defence and squared for Vietto to apply a simple finish.

However, again Villarreal couldn't hold onto their lead for long as just two minutes later Suarez squared for Messi and when his headed effort was blocked, Rafinha pounced to rattle home from close range.

Suarez then teed up Messi once more as Barca turned the game on its head moments later when the Argentine fired high past Asenjo on his weaker right foot from outside the box.

Villarreal refused to give in and briefly thought they were level when Mateo Musacchio bundled home from close range only to be denied by an offside flag.

From the resulting free-kick Barca sped upfield and Neymar was unlucky not to win a penalty when he was wiped out by Asenjo before Suarez failed to turn Dani Alves's driven cross on target.

A first defeat in 19 games in all competitions leaves Villarreal now four points adrift of Sevilla in the final Champions League spot.

Earlier, the Andalusians exacted revenge over Espanyol for their Copa del Rey elimination in midweek as they came from behind to move above Valencia into fourth with a 3-2 win.

Cristian Stuani put the visitors in front from the penalty spot before goals from Diogo Figueras and Vitolo turned the game around.

Espanyol 'keeper Kiko Casilla was then sent-off for handling outside his area just before half-time.

Victor Sanchez gave Espanyol hope of an unlikely point when he curled home 13 minutes from time, but Iago Aspas had the final say when he latched onto substitute Carlos Bacca's through ball to finish low into the far corner in the 89th minute.

Levante dropped to the bottom of the table as two second-half goals from Aritz Aduriz handed Athletic Bilbao a 2-0 win at the Ciutat de Valencia.

Almeria moved out of the relegation zone as a solitary goal from Edgar was enough to earn three points in a 1-0 win over Getafe.

Chelsea content to play follow the leader in 1-1 draw with Manchester City.

By Leander Schaerlaeckens

There probably isn't such a thing as a title decider in January, no matter how much a clash between the Premier League's top two teams is hyped beforehand. And Saturday's 1-1 stalemate between Chelsea and Manchester City – preserving the Blues' five-point lead over the defending champion Citizens – won't resolve this year's race, either.

Given that Chelsea is in the driver's seat, as it is been all season long, this result will suit Jose Mourinho's men just fine, though. Certainly, widening the gap to eight points would have made for a rosy perch but certainly not an insurmountable one. City, likewise, would have quite liked to cut the difference to two points. But not doing so hardly eliminates Manuel Pellegrini's side from contention.

Recall how City overcame an eight-point deficit to Manchester United with just six games left in the 2011-12 season to win its first Premiership title ever. Fifteen rounds of games remain after this weekend. So maybe Chelsea played to retain the status quo; that was its prerogative as the leader.

Certainly, the home team made a willing start to the game. In a mostly uneventful first half, Chelsea commanded the ball for long stretches early on but produced little by way of chances other than a tame Oscar shot. City, on the other hand, pounced on the counter or on turnovers and got a nice look in the eighth minute when Fernandinho scampered off with Nemanja Matic's ball but saw his shot deflected behind. In the 32nd minute, Sergio Aguero slid a shot just wide of goal on a break.

Until the 42nd minute, little else happened. But then, in a typical Premier League blur, Chelsea converted a quick attack into a goal.

A lovely ball wide from Branislav Ivanovic to Eden Hazard was volleyed back across goal by the crafty Belgian. Loic Remy met it there, having snuck away from defender Vincent Kompany, who was mindful of not scoring an own goal by pulling back his leg on the low ball as it skipped by him. The French striker, who has hardly had an impact since joining Chelsea but got to fill in for the suspended Diego Costa, tapped in to make it 1-0.

Not three minutes later, however, City got its equalizer. James Milner ran across goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois on a sharp Jesus Navas cross, distracting the Belgian netminder into flapping at the ball. It rolled to Aguero at the other side of the box, who half-volleyed a shot, which was then redirected into the net by David Silva.

In the second half, Chelsea seemed to relinquish ambition in favor of pragmatism, as Jose Mourinho's teams have so many times before. Knowing that a tie was far more beneficial to them than their opponents, the Blues surrendered the ball. City converted that into a smattering of half-chances but never much threatened to sneak out of London with all the points.

Chelsea, for its part, had no convincing answer to City's possession. Without injured playmaker Cesc Fabregas, the precision to unlock the opposition on the counter just wasn't there.

The result probably flattered Chelsea a tad. But no major harm was done to City's bid to defend its title. As history has borne out, championships are won by being efficient against the smaller clubs. There are plenty of points to win yet. And this title race has a long way to go.

Late rally lifts No. 4 Duke past No. 2 Virginia, 69-63.

By HANK KURZ Jr. (AP Sports Writer)

Quinn Cook, Tyus Jones and No. 4 Duke got their biggest shots to start falling just in time.

Jones scored 17 points, Cook had 15 and both made critical 3-pointers in the closing minutes, fueling a game-ended 16-5 run that gave the Blue Devils a 69-63 victory against No. 2 Virginia, ending the Cavaliers' 21-game home winning streak.

''We were getting the same looks. It was just a matter of the ball going in the basket,'' Jones said.

 

Cook hit three times from long range in the final 4:38 and Jones hit the clincher with about 10 seconds left, capping a dramatic turnaround that had seen the Blue Devils miss their first nine 3-point tries, and 11 of their first 13.
 

Then, with Virginia leading by eight with 4:48 to play, and it sell-out crowd looking for the kill shot, Duke's only hope was to start converting, and it did, making 5 of their last 6. When Jones' 3 fell, pushing the Blue Devils' lead to six and the Cavaliers accepted their fate, it brought a positive end to what has been a wild week for Duke.

 

A week ago, coach Mike Krzyzewski won his 1,000th career game against St. John's at Madison Square Garden. The Blue Devils then lost Wednesday night at Notre Dame, and dismissed junior guard Rasheed Sulaimon the next day.

 

Ending the week with a smile was important, Cook said.

''Big time. Big time,'' Cook said. ''They're one of the best teams in the country and if you can get a win against those guys, especially in their house, it's just a great feeling.''

The Blue Devils (18-3, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) finished 28 for 55 (50.9 percent) and became the first team to shoot 50 percent against the Cavaliers this season.

Justise Winslow added 15 and Jahlil Okafor had 10 points and nine rebounds.

Virginia (19-1, 7-1) started the second half with a 16-4 burst and led by 11 with just under 11 minutes to play before some ill-advised shots, turnovers and Duke's blistering shooting turned the tables.

Malcolm Brogdon led Virginia with 17 points and Justin Anderson had 11. 

''There were a few possessions where I thought we were a little stagnant and didn't get the looks we wanted against their zone,'' Cavaliers coach Tony Bennett said. ''I thought there was enough offense there to win that game. At the end you've got to come up with some tough stops. Those errors and breakdowns cost us.''
 

Cook's third 3-pointer gave Duke its first lead since early in the first half at 66-63 with 1:16 remaining. After Mike Tobey missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw for Virginia, Jones' second 3 of the game finished the Cavaliers off.

 

Duke twice had to close big margins in the closing minutes. The Blue Devils pulled within 49-47 after getting two baskets by Okafor and an assist by the big man for a layup by Matt Jones, but then saw Virginia score the next seven points.
 

The meeting was the first of teams in the top five in Charlottesville since No. 3 Virginia beat No. 2 North Carolina 74-58 at University Hall on Feb. 3, 1982, and brought out Virginia royalty like former stars Ralph Sampson and Sean Singletary.

They saw a packed house, a big lead, and then were left wanting by the Blue Devils' strong finish.

Winslow had seven points in an 11-2 run for the Blue Devils that gave them a 22-13 lead with 6 1/2 minutes to go in the opening half, but Virginia closed the half on a 12-4 burst to trail 26-25 at the intermission.
 

Okafor had more turnovers, three, than points, two, at the half, and Winslow had 11 by halftime. 

TIP-INS: 

Duke: The Blue Devils were 6 for 17 on 3-pointers and made five in the last 4:38.
 

Virginia: Virginia was outscored 14-0 on fast break points. ... Anthony Gill, Virginia's third-leading scorer, finished with just four points after playing only 19 minutes because of foul trouble. ... The Cavaliers were 3 for 13 on 3-pointers.

BIG MAN:

Okafor, who also had three assists and five turnovers, was far more physical in the second half and had a tip-in during the game-ending run. He said the coaches told him with about eight minutes remaining to turn the page.

''I was letting my teammate down and I wanted to pick it up for them,'' he said.

UP NEXT:

Duke is at home against Georgia Tech on Wednesday night.

Virginia plays at No. 13 North Carolina on Monday night.

Louisville rally leads to Rick Pitino's first victory over North Carolina.

By Kyle Ringo

Rick Pitino finally added a win over North Carolina to his considerable resume on Saturday and it came in sweet fashion.

No. 10 Louisville rallied from an 18-point deficit in the second half and won 78-68 in overtime behind a monster effort from forward Montrezl Harrell who scored 22 points and snagged 15 rebounds. Terry Rozier also scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Harrell's day included an impressive ally-oop slam off a fast break during the Cardinals' rally. He caught the ball with one hand high and in back of him and threw it down.

Pitino was 0-6 against the Tar Heels in his career, including a frustrating loss earlier this season in which the Cardinals gave up a 13-point lead to lose in Chapel Hill.

Louisville stormed back from 18 down Saturday by grabbing 22 offensive rebounds leading to second-chance points. Harrell provided eight of those offensive rebounds.

The Cardinals fell behind by 11 at halftime by allowing the Tar Heels to beat them in transition. They clamped down in the second half and allowed a total of 32 points in the second half and overtime after giving up 36 in the first half.

Louisville attacked the basket and got to the foul line, shooting 44 free throws. It was the most free throws for a North Carolina opponent since Roy Williams became coach.

The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for the Tar Heels that started with that comeback win over Louisville. North Carolina committed 19 turnovers, including eight in one stretch of the second half contributing to the Louisville comeback.

NFL may be unbeatable, but college football had a better year.

By Dennis Dodd

The first College Football Playoff came with a lot of fanfare and didn't disappoint. (Getty Images)

It's Super Bowl week and once again resistance is futile. 
  
What Marshawn Lynch didn't say sustained multiple news cycles. The Patriots' ethics are under scrutiny -- again. Media day was a story in itself. 
  
We haven't mentioned Ray Rice or concussions or the hermit-like Roger Goodell.
Doesn't matter. The NF of L is irresistible. The Shield is Teflon. It doesn't mean the league is impermeable to decay. 
  
It's why the college game is catching up. 
  
This is not to suggest college football will ever surpass the NFL. The college version is the second-most popular game in America's sports landscape, but a distant second. 
  
The NFL is ahead of colleges, building more fan-friendly stadiums (see Levi's). Ticket prices continue to rise. Those stadiums continue to be packed. Do you have to be reminded this week about the billions that will be wagered legally and illegally? 
  
College football may never come close to the NFL, but it had a hell of a better year.

The first College Football Playoff delivered on its promise to make its initial championship game an event, Super Bowl-like. It did it mostly with taste, class. 
  
The playoff games sold out but the CFP staged them without selling out. The Rose Bowl seemed like the same old Granddaddy even when the circus was just passing through town. Alabama -- and in part the entire SEC -- fell stunningly in its ancestral homeland, the Sugar Bowl. Compelling stuff. 
  
In the end, the first playoff produced some of the most watched cable TV programs in history. 
  
The college game featured admirable -- even sympathetic -- figures: Marcus Mariota, Melvin Gordon, Mark Helfrich, Scooby Wright III, Laquon Treadwell. 
  
Glitz, money, power aside, the modern college game is more palatable than the pros at the moment. That should at least by a concern to the NFL. 
  
"I think it's reasonable when you have the College Football Playoff and results from the first year," said Ray Anderson, Arizona State's AD. "We can at least reduce the gap between us and the NFL. In the long term who knows which product may be more appealing to the consumer?"

Anderson is a busy man this week in the Valley of the Sun with a foot in both the college and pro games. He came to Arizona State last January from the NFL where he was executive vice president of football operations. For four years, he was the Atlanta Falcons' CEO. 

  

At this moment, he oversees a top 45 college athletic budget. There's a $250 million renovation of Sun Devil Stadium that will make the venue one of the most accessible, technologically efficient in the country. 

  

Anderson agrees that the college game has one big intangible going for it at the moment. Underdogs. The NFL doesn't have them. Not any real underdogs. Not Appalachian State-beating-Michigan underdogs. 

  

Not Ohio State-level underdogs. Amazingly, that's how the season concluded. A program with the best of everything, the second-largest budget (next to Texas) and a $4 million coach became one of those sympathetic figures. 

  

In the wake of that first CFP, one of the best underdog stories in the history of the game was missed. Cardale Jones made his first three career starts -- all with his team the underdog -- in winning the national championship. 

  

The Buckeyes rehabbed their image, their conference and themselves after a) a bowl ban in 2012; b) an upset loss to Michigan State in 2013; c) a damaging loss to Virginia Tech in Week 2 of 2014 and d) an NCAA probation that ended 25 days before winning it all this month. 

  

Top that, Nick Saban. The truth is, he can't. Not anytime soon. It's one of those stories that the NFL can't possibly replicate. There are 1,600 players in the NFL. The best of the best. 

  

The rules seem to be legislated so that everyone goes 8-8. A slight deviation either side can mean disappointment or a Super Bowl. 

  

Either way, everyone gets paid. Upsets? Underdogs? Not when an eight-point line is considered "prohibitive."

Meanwhile, a college superpower took a side road to a championship. A championship built on moxie, game-planning, hard work. 
  
Underdogs? It was that kind of year. Little ol' Baylor won at least a share of its second straight Big 12 title. Mighty Michigan finally even got it with Jim Harbaugh right after the worst seven-year stretch of football it had endured in 50 years. Brian Bosworth cried his eyes out after waiting 20 years to get in the College Football Hall of Fame. 
  
Meanwhile, Mum Marshawn is manipulating us all. You want him to talk? Pay him. 
  
"The other thing that college has that the NFL needs to work on more is the pageantry," Anderson said. "The real solid, deep committed fan base year in and year out. 
  
"They may have it in Green Bay, they may have it in Pittsburgh. I've never seen anything like the Ohio State folks and Oregon folks I saw at the national championship game." 
  
That's something the college game should cherish, treasure and cultivate. The experience is still the thing. Overall, attendance is down -- slightly. But in every other metric the game has never been more popular. Never been more pure. 
  
Concussions are a scourge but thank the lawyers and NCAA -- they both deserve credit -- reform is finally coming. When the biggest remaining issues are whether to pay athletes and academic fraud, well, they fall short of the NFL's morass. 
  
"For purposes of what they produced on the field I think it was a fabulous year [for the NFL] ...,” Anderson said. "Off the field, it was a swirling disappointment." 
  
College football still doesn't regularly produce -- nor necessarily welcome -- underdogs. The same brand names tend to rise to the top. If the BCS did anything, it gave rise to the unwashed -- Boise State, TCU, Utah. None of them have a championship yet. 
  
The Horned Frogs came close to that playoff. But look who they were beat out by in the CFP. Look who was a better story. 
  
Those huggable, loveable Buckeyes. 
  
Feel better? You should.

Serena Williams wins Australian Open, 19th Grand Slam.

By Danielle Elliot

Serena Williams of the U.S. poses the trophy after defeating Maria Sharapova of Russia in the women's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

There was never much doubt that Serena Williams would defeat Maria Sharapova in the final at the Australian Open. As soon as the matchup was set, everyone noted that Sharapova has not beaten Williams in more than a decade. 

On Saturday, Williams kept the streak alive, beating the world No. 2 in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), as she captured her record sixth Australian Open title and 19th Grand Slam. 

Sharapova played her best game. She had only 15 unforced errors – the same total she had in earlier matches, against easier opponents. Against Williams, it proved too many.

Serving made the biggest difference in the match, with Williams hitting 18 aces to Sharapova's five. Sharapova held off two match points before Williams clinched the win. 

In doing so, Serena became the oldest Grand Slam champion in the Open era. She is 33 years old, and moved ahead of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert on the all-time wins list. 

"Standing here with 19 championships is something I never thought would happen. I went on the courts with just a ball, a racket, and a hope. That's all I had. Never give up. You never know what's going to happen."

The only accomplishment missing from Williams' résumé is a Grand Slam – that is, winning all four of the Grand Slam events in the same year. If she wins the remaining three this year, it'll bring her even with Steffi Graf on the all-time wins list.

Djokovic wins 5th Australian Open title, denies Murray a 1st.

By Dennis Passa

Novak Djokovic won his fifth Australian Open title and his eighth career Grand Slam while extending Andy Murray's misery at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic beat Murray 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-0 in Sunday's final, relegating the Scotsman to runner-up status for the fourth time in four tries in the Australian Open final. Murray had lost twice previously to Djokovic — in 2011 and 2013 — and to Roger Federer in 2010.

The No. 1-ranked Djokovic, meanwhile, is a perfect 5-for-5 in Australian Open finals.

"There were a lot of turning points in the match," Djokovic said. "Regardless of the record I have here, we both knew we had equal chances to win. It was a cat-and-mouse fight, it always is with us."

Djokovic swung momentum in a close match with a service break in the eighth game of the third set, winning four straight points. When he took a 4-0 lead in the last set, he smacked his fist hard against his chest in celebration.

At the end of the match, Djokovic threw his racket into the crowd at Rod Laver Arena.

Roy Emerson, the only other man with five or more Australian titles, was in the crowd and Djokovic acknowledged the presence of the six-time champion.

"I'm so grateful to be standing here as a champion for the fifth time, and to be in the elite group of players," Djokovic said.

Murray sat slumped over in his chair after the match, awaiting the presentations, and once again received the runner-up plate instead of the trophy.

"It's been my most consistent Grand Slam of my career. I haven't been quite able to win, but the support I've received here has been amazing," Murray said. "I'll try and come back next year and hopefully have a slightly different outcome in the final."

Murray said he had chances to win the match.

"Obviously I had opportunities in the first three sets," Murray said. "In the fourth set, I mean, he was just ripping everything. Returns he was hitting on the baseline. Once he got up a break, he just loosened up and was just going for his shots. I couldn't recover.

"Novak has won five times here now, there's no disgrace, obviously, in losing to him."

Djokovic appeared to be troubled by a leg ailment in the third set, and it distracted Murray.

"I had a crisis at the end of the second, beginning of the third (set), I needed some time to regroup," Djokovic said. "I just had weakness, I couldn't call for medical because I had no reason."

Djokovic served for the first set after breaking Murray in the eighth game, but Murray broke back. After that game, Djokovic had a trainer attend to this right thumb.

He double-faulted to open the tiebreaker but then, after Murray took a 2-1 lead, won five of the next six points to regain control. He clinched the set when Murray netted a backhand service return.

 

In the second set, Djokovic saved a set point in the 10th game and Murray saved three break points in the 11th before it went to the tiebreaker. Sixth-seeded Murray dominated the breaker to lead 6-2, securing four set points before clinching it on Djokovic's serve.

 

The second set was delayed for about five minutes after the seventh game when a court invader protesting Australia's refugee policies was removed by security after stepping on to the court. Other spectators in the stadium unfurled a political banner.

 

Organizers said two people were arrested, and the court invasion was dealt with swiftly.

 

There was a bigger cheer for Djokovic when the introductions were made, but plenty of Scottish flags in the stands. Some Serbian fans yelled "Adje Nole" — Serbian for "Come on Nole," which is Djokovic's nickname.

 

Before the match began, Andy Murray's fiancee, Kim Sears, caused a stir. She was dressed in an oversized T-shirt with a message that poked fun at the widespread attention paid to her use of colorful language during Murray's semifinal win over Tomas Berdych.

 

Rather than shy away from the issue, Sears' t-shirt for the final showed a sense of humor. It read: "Parental Advisory Explicit Content."

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, February 2, 2015.
 

Memoriesofhistory.com

1876 - The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs (known as the National League) was formed in New York. The teams were located in Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Hartford, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia and St. Louis.

1949 - Golfer Ben Hogan was seriously injured in an auto accident in Van Horn, TX.

1967 - The American Basketball Association was formed by representatives of the NBA.

2003 - Dany Heatly (Atlanta Thrashers) became the fifth player to score four goals in the NHL's All-Star game.

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