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Sports Quote of the Day:

"One measure of your success will be the degree to which you build up others who work with you. While building up others, you will build up yourself.” ~ James E. Casey, Businessman and Founder of United Parcel Service 

Trending: Seven things great athletes do to compete at their absolute best.

By Jim Afremow

1. They build a strong and secure image of themselves as a champion.

2. They generate motivation primarily from their love of competition and the joy of playing their sport.

3. They practice to the max in order to play to the max.

4. They complement their physical training with mental training.

5. They emphasize what they are going to do rather than worrying about their opponents.

6. They expect the best in competition while being prepared for everything.

7. They focus squarely on the purpose at hand rather than stressing about the end result.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks lose Patrick Kane in shootout win over Panthers 3-2.

By Tracey Myers

Jonathan Toews scored the shootout winner, but Patrick Kane was injured and didn’t return in the Blackhawks’ 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

Toews also scored in regulation, as did Kris Versteeg, and Patrick Sharp recorded his 500th career point when he assisted on Versteeg’s goal. The Blackhawks ended their eight-game homestand on a positive, game-wise, but what they lost loomed larger.

Kane was going for the puck when Florida defenseman Alex Petrovic crosschecked him from behind near the boards. Kane, who went down shoulder-first, got up gingerly and went right to the Blackhawks’ locker room with 12:11 remaining in the first period. His status was not immediately known at game’s end.

The Blackhawks got a power play off that crosscheck, with Toews scoring his 18th of the season on it to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead.

Scott Darling, who was recalled and signed to a two-year extension on Sunday, stopped 34 of 36 in regulation and overtime. Darling is now 6-2-0 in his brief time with the Blackhawks.

Versteeg added his 13th of the season after Sharp’s shot went off Shawn Thornton’s stick and right to him. Brad Richards also assisted on the goal and now has 899 career NHL points.

Still, this one got interesting. Jussi Jokinen denied Darling his shutout bid when he scored his sixth of the season 12:23 into the third period. Then about four minutes later, Vincent Trocheck threw one toward the net; the puck went off Duncan Keith’s skate and just over the goal line to tie it, 2-2, with 3:27 remaining in regulation.

But Toews and Sharp scored on their shootout attempts, while Darling stopped Trocheck and Nick Bjugstad for the victory.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Hornets-Bulls Preview.

By ALAN FERGUSON (STATS Writer)

After receiving devastating news about star point guard Derrick Rose, the Chicago Bulls will try to soften that major blow as best they can by adding to the Charlotte Hornets' recent woes.

The Bulls will seek their seventh win in eight games while sending the Hornets to a sixth consecutive defeat Wednesday night.

Chicago announced Tuesday that Rose tore the medial meniscus in his right knee and is scheduled to undergo his third major knee surgery in three years. He also tore the meniscus in his right knee in November 2013 after playing 10 games in his return from a torn left ACL that kept him out for the 2012-13 season.

Any timetable for his return is expected to come after the procedure but given the timing of the injury, it could put this season in jeopardy.

Rose averaged 18.4 points and 5.0 assists in 46 games but didn't appear in top form in the first three games after the All-Star break. He averaged 10.7 points on 23.5 percent shooting and missed 12 of 13 attempts while scoring eight points in an 87-71 victory over visiting Milwaukee on Monday.

The Bulls (36-21) also overcame the absences of Taj Gibson and Kirk Hinrich, both out because of illness, to claim their fourth consecutive home victory. Reserve Tony Snell provided another high-scoring game with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting and Chicago outrebounded Milwaukee 62-41.

Snell, averaging 5.1 points this season, has scored 19 or more in four of the last seven contests and is averaging 14.3 points on 64.4 percent shooting in that stretch, production the Bulls will need him to continue.

"My mindset is the same every game, stay ready all the time. Stay ready for 40 minutes, 48 minutes or no play at all," Snell said.

The Bulls will try to maintain their slim lead in the Central Division by topping a team they've beaten in 11 of the last 13 matchups and 14 of the past 18 at home. The Hornets (22-32) are also heading into the United Center mired in a five-game losing streak.

They couldn't overcome an early double-digit deficit in a 92-81 loss at Dallas on Sunday.

"Tonight, we lacked ... a readiness to start the game," coach Steve Clifford said. "We have to play with a discipline, a defensive disposition and rebounding disposition that right now is coming and going."

Charlotte kept pace with Chicago for much of its most recent meeting Dec. 3 and led by one point with nine minutes remaining until the Bulls went on a 15-4 run en route to a 102-95 victory.

Pau Gasol led six Chicago players in double figures with 19 points and pulled down 15 rebounds. Charlotte's leading scorer in that game, Kemba Walker with 23 points, hasn't played since Jan. 23 after undergoing surgery for a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee.

He was averaging 24.7 points in his last three games against Chicago.

Lance Stephenson scored a season-high 20 points for Charlotte, but is averaging 6.8 and shooting 32.3 percent in his 15 games since returning from a hip injury.

Breaking News: Derrick Rose to undergo surgery for torn medial meniscus in right knee.

By Eric Freeman

Derrick Rose #1 of the Chicago Bulls leaps to pass over O.J. Mayo #00 of the Milwaukee Bucks at the United Center on February 23, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Bucks 87-71. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Derrick Rose is set to undergo serious knee surgery for the third time in three years. The Chicago Bulls announced Tuesday night that the star point guard and 2011 MVP will undergo surgery to repair the medial meniscus in his right knee. A timetable has not been set, but it is possible that Rose will miss the rest of the 2014-15 NBA season. According to reports, Rose told team officials of the pain at practice Tuesday.

The news follows a string of unfortunate knee injuries for Rose, one of the league's most popular players. Rose suffered a tear to the meniscus in his right knee just 10 games into the 2013-14 season and missed the remainder of the campaign. That injury came roughly 18 months after tearing the ACL in his left knee in the first game of the 2011-12 playoffs that kept him out of that postseason and the full 2012-13 season.

Rose returned to action in 2014-15 and impressed with regularity in his 46 games prior to this announcement. While he had missed games intermittently due to various ailments, the 26-year-old Chicago native had appeared to be in reasonably good health and remained a key part of the Bulls' hopes of title contention.

Bulls' Butler dealing with increased focus from opposing defenses.

By Vincent Goodwill

Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) gets around Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the first half on Monday, Feb. 23, 2015, at the United Center in Chicago. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune/TNS via Getty Images)

With increased success comes increased attention, and Jimmy Butler is seeing the results of having his name higher up on the opposing teams’ scouting reports.

The accomplishments and surprise has worn off, with the reality of Butler being an All-Star and leading scorer on a team with Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol finally setting in for everyone involved.

He’s a marked man for defenses, as with all great scorers, his focus is more on the second defender than the one in his direct line of sight.

Butler has to ask himself plenty of questions in split-seconds time, mostly centering around “where’s the help?”:

Is he coming from the baseline?

Will they blitz this screen?

How many dribbles do I get before everyone starts converging on me?

The thought process itself is so new to Butler, the coaching staff is giving him tips on what to look for.

“It’s interesting when you watch him and what’s going on,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “His isolations are being doubled, his pick and rolls are being doubled and post-ups are being doubled. The thing you can’t overlook is his playmaking. He’s very unselfish and very efficient and that’s probably the best part of his game.”

Despite leading the league in minutes at nearly 40 per night and battling an assortment of injuries, Butler is only turning over the ball 1.5 times per game, a testament to how he values the ball.

“I don’t expect it so the coaches expect it and they tell me to be prepared for it,” Butler said. “I try to make the right plays, whether I’m double-teamed or not. When I’m open, shoot. When I’m not, pass.”

Such a simple proposition has complicated consequences against sophisticated defenses, but consider this: Of the league’s best wing scorers, James Harden, Klay Thompson, Rudy Gay and Monta Ellis, Butler is the only one experiencing being a focal point for the first time in his career at the NBA level.

All the others, to a degree, have been stars at their respective levels of play before getting to The Show. The attention is new to Butler, but you don’t see him panic much with the ball.

“I think it’s gotten better,” said Butler of reading defenses. “It’s been a big learning curve for me, teams actually preparing for me which is…I didn’t think that would happen. I’m learning. I’m getting help from Pau, Derrick, my coaches of course. I think I still have a long way to go.”

But Thibodeau points out Butler still does the little things on offense, the opportunistic ways to score that often get thrown to the wayside when players know they’re gonna touch the ball on almost every possession.

It affords Butler a certain kind of freedom offensively, especially playing with the likes of Rose and Gasol.

“I think it’s difficult to double team in those situations,” Thibodeau said. “Open floor, you can’t put two on him. Cutting you can’t put two on him.

“You have to be strong on both sides of the ball. Jimmy’s development has been huge for our team. When add those things in, the challenge becomes bringing the best out of each other.”

Not leaving Jabari behind: Chicago native Jabari Parker wasn’t in attendance for Monday’s game, unable to travel with the Bucks after suffering a torn ACL in mid-December.

But Bucks coach Jason Kidd knows the value of keeping Parker in the fold after such a debilitating injury for a rookie.

“We try to schedule his treatments after practice so that he’s still a part of the team. This is a tough time for a rookie to be hurt,” Kidd said. “To be isolated, because sometimes you can be isolated with injury.”

Kidd said he monitors Parker, who averaged 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in 25 games while shooting 49 percent from the field, without having to hover over the Simeon High School legend.

“He’s mature for his age, understanding that this injury will only make him stronger,” Kidd said. “You can also become a student of the game from the seat that he’s at and I think he’s taken full advantage of that.”

Mirotic, Snell make convincing case for more time in Bulls win.

By Vincent Goodwill

Tony Snell’s sweat left an imprint on the baseline after diving for a loose ball, an indication of the intangible benefits he brings when he’s allowed to play extended minutes. 

But if you want to measure it in terms of the box score, the raw numbers indicate he should get more than the spotty playing time he’s received. 

That high-effort dive came after 15 of his 18 first-half points against the Milwaukee Bucks, as the Bulls cruised to an 87-71 win at the United Center Monday night, their sixth win in seven games — with five more coming at home before hitting the road again. 

Without the services of valuable reserves Kirk Hinrich and Taj Gibson, both out with illness that coach Tom Thibodeau termed a “virus that’s making its way”, it gave two players who were presumably on the outside looking in — Snell and rookie Nikola Mirotic— auditions to avoid the inevitable hook, to stay onstage. 

“My mindset is the same every game. Stay ready all the time, for 40 minutes 48 minutes, or none at all,” Snell said. “I was very relaxed. Tried to come in and be aggressive.”

 

And if they continue to heed Thibodeau’s call of consistency, he’ll have difficult decisions to make if he’s gonna cut his rotation before playoff time. Snell finished with a game-high 20 while Mirotic had his fourth double-double, his first since Dec. 3, with 16 points and 14 rebounds.

 

“Tony is playing well, as long as he’s playing well, he’s going to keep playing,” said Thibodeau before dropping a revealing comment. “He’s playing very good basketball so you don’t have to worry about Tony being in the rotation.”

 

The two making their mark, Mirotic on the glass, Snell everywhere else, was chief reason why the Bulls could survive Derrick Rose missing 12 straight shots and the team converting its shots at a 36 percent rate.  

 

Rose made his first shot, a wing triple, but only managed free throws the rest of the night, to go along with his eight assists and five rebounds in 33 minutes.

 

“I liked the way he played tonight, even though he did not shoot well,” Thibodeau said. “I thought he was aggressive defensively. He was doing other things to help the team win.”

 

Four of Rose’s assists went to Snell, another shooter and cutter teams have to respect. Twice Snell got behind the Bucks defense, once resulting in a dunk, and getting fouled from behind on the other.

 

“The way he’s shooting, there’s a lot of space out there,” Rose said. “The way we’re moving the ball is big, too.”

 

An 18-6 run to start the second quarter essentially put the game out of reach, as the Bucks couldn’t muster a field goal until midway through the period, as Mirotic was all over the glass.

 

“He’s a good player, a great player,” Rose said. “This is his first year so he’s just trying to catch his rhythm. I love the way he’s playing, there’s a lot of confidence in his game.”

 

They also didn’t need a career night from Pau Gasol (15 points), the big man who poured in 46 in their last meeting, due to contributions from those two as well as an old friend.

 

The Bulls’ defense made its way from Bora Bora, or wherever it spent All-Star weekend.

 

The young Bucks were likely still shell-shocked from the business of basketball affecting the on-court product after the deadline day trade of near-All Star point guard Brandon Knight to the Phoenix Suns, and their offense looked way out of sorts.

 

Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 17 but took 19 shots and Ersan Ilysova missed 10 of his 16 shots.

 

But perhaps the Bulls had a little to do with that, holding the Bucks to 49 points through three quarters, and they shot just 33 percent overall. The Bulls chased the Bucks off screens and made it an ugly game on that end, not to be outdone by their occasionally-careless offense, lacking the crispness it displayed Sunday against Phoenix.

 

There were occasional moments of beauty, coming in the form of a two-handed tip dunk from Jimmy Butler and a cutting Joakim Noah finding nobody at the rim after an inbounds pass for an easy flush.

 

The win was ugly, but we all know ugly wins in May and June, when unlikely heroes like Snell and Mirotic have the opportunity to emerge.

 

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Matt Forte appears to be concerned about his standing.

By Michael C. Wright

Matt Forte

To read too far into Matt Forte's tweets from over the weekend would be a tad irresponsible, but there's no denying the running back, based on his posts from over the weekend, is at least a little concerned about his standing with the Chicago Bears.

Forte posted a story about potential trade options for the running back, and added the comment: "What y'all think about this Bear fans?"

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Matt Forte        ✔                                                                                    Follow      
@MattForte22  
  

What yall think about this Bear fans?RT @dabearscom: Chicago Exploring Trade Options For Forte? Rumors Indicate Yes http://bit.ly/1B0Hvkl 

 

1:45 PM - 21 Feb 2015

                     

93 Retweets 81 favorites 

     

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Forte followed that up with: "A lot of football left in me. I want to play for the Chicago Bears and retire a lifelong Bear. But they have to want the same thing." 

 

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Matt Forte        ✔                                                                                                  Follow 

@MattForte22

 

A lot of football left in me. I want to play them for the Chicago Bears and retire a lifelong Bear. But they have to want the same thing...

 

2:00 PM - 21 Feb 2015

                     

1,128 Retweets 1,541 favorites 

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Forte apparently thinks the organization doesn't, but it's likely the brass hasn't actually held any substantial conversations with the running back about his future or discussed potentially trading him because new general manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox are still working overtime to evaluate the entire roster in an effort to determine the team's needs headed into free agency and the draft.

Forte is set to enter the final year of a four-year deal signed back in 2012, and it's likely his agent Adisa Bakari is, or at least will be, banging the table hard for the Bears to give the running back a new contract. But given all the team's needs on defense, coupled with the fact the Bears still need to figure out a way to prevent receiver Alshon Jeffery from hitting free agency when his deal expires next season, Forte won't register as high on Chicago's list of priorities.

The organization still hasn't yet approached Jeffery's representatives about doing a new deal, according to a source. So it's likely the Bears would prioritize Jeffery, who is just 25 and playing a more difficult to fill position than running back, over Forte, who will be 30 after next season, when his contract expires.

Forte knows the game, or at least should considering the contentious nature of negotiations between the sides the last time they struck a deal. Forte should also be aware that for the Bears, it might actually make sense to trade him now because his value isn't likely to rise any higher than it is right now.

Forte ranks No. 2 in Bears history in yards from scrimmage (11,431) and rushing yards (7,704) and is fourth in touchdowns (57). He ranks No. 1 in the NFL since coming into the league in 2008 in yards from scrimmage (11,431) and games in which he reached 150 yards or more from scrimmage (23). He's also third in rushing yards during that span, and tops among all running backs in receptions (443).

Yet all of Forte's accolades and contributions won't ever trump the business side of the game, where teams typically don't like to sign running backs to a third contract, in a league in which running backs have increasingly become a dime-a-dozen type of position.

Forte is scheduled to receive a base salary of $6.65 million in 2015, and given Fox's background as a run-first coach, the running back will earn every penny of that money next season. There's also a good chance Forte could be sharing the load in the backfield with rising second-year man Ka'Deem Carey.

It's unknown exactly what Forte might be seeking in a new contract from the Bears after his deal expires in 2015. But at age 30 after next season, Forte can't expect to receive a new deal near as lucrative as his last.

That's just the reality of the business.

 

Bears have a 'healthy' salary cap situation as NFLPA projects $143 million cap.

By Rich Campbell

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace answers a question after a news conference at the NFL scouting combine. (David J. Phillip / AP)

The NFL Players Association projects next season’s salary cap to be at least $143 million, executive director DeMaurice Smith said Friday. That would be a $10 million increase from last season.

The Bears aren’t hurting for space. Although the cap total won’t be finalized until closer to March 10 when the new league year begins, the Bears would be approximately $23 million under the NFLPA’s projection.

That flexibility would be particularly helpful if the Bears want to be aggressive in free agency. They’re transitioning to a 3-4 defense and seeking greater consistency on offense coming off a five-win, last-place season.

“We’re healthy with our cap right now, so if we want to be, we can,” general manager Ryan Pace said Wednesday. “Cliff Stein (vice president of football administration) has done an excellent job in that. Again, it’s just measuring what positions are strong in free agency versus what positions are strong in the draft, and we’re going through that right now.

But if there is a player that we know can upgrade us right now, we’ll attack it. And there’s different levels of free agency, but we’ll look at every level of it and upgrade our roster that way.”

Of course, the Bears’ cap space for next season is fluid, especially as they consider roster decisions. During their media sessions Wednesday, neither Pace nor coach John Fox committed to retaining receiver Brandon Marshall or quarterback Jay Cutler next season.

An NFLPA spokesman said the union also expects $35 million worth of fully guaranteed benefits per team.

NFL’s best show Bears alternatives for the '3' of '3-4'.

By John Mullin

The Bears are expected to focus first on upgrading and expanding their corps of linebackers as part of making over a defense from a 4-3 base, with four hand-on-the-ground linemen tasked with penetrating one assigned gap. But what goes on in front of those linebackers, beyond a space-controlling nose tackle warrants a closer look.

Because the Bears may be closer to staffing the 3-4 according to coordinator Vic Fangio than assumed.

The reasons lie in the templates provided by the top 3-4’s in last year’s NFL, including Fangio’s with the San Francisco 49ers.

Where the 3-4 models like Green Bay of several years ago operated successfully with all three down-linemen topping 330 pounds, the 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles ran two-gap defenses using end/tackles sub-300 pounds. While it does not ensure that someone like a smallish Will Sutton (290) will have a place in a 3-4, it does suggest holding off on premature conclusions about what the Bears do and don’t have defensively.

“It’s a little hard to say right now,” Fox said last week at the NFL Scouting Combine. “We’re going to be a 3-4 terminology wise. We haven’t had our players on the grass yet so until we evaluate that… We’ve looked at a whole lot of tape, not as much as we need to continue to do. That’ll help us define what we’re going to be and how we’re going to use the pieces.”

Virtually all of the top 3-4’s were able to stand up to the run without obsessing with size up front: San Francisco (Justin Smith, 285 pounds), Kansas City (Allen Baily, 288), Arizona (Frostee Rucker, 280; Darnell Dockett, 290) and Houston (Jared Crick, 285; J.J. Watt, 290).

The Bears are expected to make use of Ego Ferguson (315 pounds) at nose tackle, which also creates the possibility of using veteran Jeremiah Ratliff (300) away from the middle and as a five-technique, working at age 34 primarily as a tackle rather than the bigger interior-three’s of offensive lines. Fangio’s 49ers listed Quinton Dial (318) as their nose tackle.

Jeff Fisher: Changing catch rule 'going to be difficult'. 

By Brandon Schlager

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (Getty Images)

Much has been made about the manner in which the NFL defines a catch, and the chatter has only grown louder since Dez Bryant's controversial no-catch during the playoffs. So could the league finally show a willingness to revise its rule this offseason?

Rams coach Jeff Fisher, who serves as co-chair of the NFL's competition committee, doesn't think it's that simple. But he told The MMQB that he expects a discussion during upcoming league meetings.

“It’s going to be difficult to change it — particularly because of the standard and replay," Fisher said. "It’s one of those areas where I think we have two standards. The bang-bang on-the-field call and then the replay standard, where it’s frame-by-frame-by-frame. I just think that we have to have a rule that is defined — that’s a bright line — so it can be officiated. And I think we have that with the catch now.”

The NFL rule book dictates that a receiver must maintain possession of the football throughout the catch, or until a "football move" is made. Fisher was asked if it would make sense to alter the rule so that a catch is a catch so long as the receiver gets two feet on the ground in bounds.

“Then,” he said, “you’d be eliminating the defenseless player aspect of the whole thing.”

New commish Rob Manfred says shorter MLB season is a possibility.

By Mike Oz

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred

If we've gleaned anything about Rob Manfred as he approaches two months in Bud Selig's commissioner's chair, it's that almost any idea is a possibility. He's wide open to change, it seems, whether that's the notion of banning defensive shifts that he brought up in January or the shortening of the MLB season.

Manfred addressed the latter Monday, saying it's certainly a possibility that MLB could shorten its season, but it's not a priority to him at the moment.

He told ESPN's Darren Rovell:

"I don't think length of season is a topic that can't ever be discussed," Manfred said. "I don't think it would be impossible to go back to 154 [games].

"We already have some of our record books which reflect a 154-game season and obviously some of it reflects a 162-game season," Manfred said. "So there's some natural flexibility there. But if anyone suggests to go to something like 110 games, then there's a real problem. That will throw all our numbers out of whack."

MLB moved from 154-game seasons to its current 162-game format in the early 1960s. Shortening the season might be beneficial to players, considering baseball's grueling schedule. But the more games a team plays, the more money it stands to make from tickets, concessions and advertising. 

At least for the time being, Manfred's focus isn't the length of the season but the length of games. The league introduced a number of pace-of-play rule changes Friday in hopes of reducing the average length of a game, which crept above three hours for the first time in 2014.

Manfred: Cubs haven’t been cleared in Maddon tampering case.

By Patrick Mooney

The Cubs still haven’t been cleared in the Joe Maddon tampering case.

Four months after rock-star manager Joe Maddon opted out of his contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said the investigation is ongoing.

“We will have the Maddon situation resolved before the season begins,” Manfred said Monday at the Arizona Biltmore. “It’s easy to do a quick investigation and reach a quick decision.

“Our preference here – because it is a very important issue in terms of the way the clubs interact with each other – was to do a very, very thorough investigation and make sure we make the right decision.”

Manfred spoke at a Cactus League media event, where Maddon drew a crowd of reporters inside the hotel ballroom. The Rays pushed the tampering charges after Maddon used an escape clause that triggered once executive Andrew Friedman left to run baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers last October.   

“We’re cooperating,” Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said. “We’d like a resolution soon, but at the same time, it’s not something that distracts us.”

The Cubs presented a detailed timeline when they fired Rick Renteria on Halloween and feel like the Rays had their shot to keep Maddon, who signed a five-year, $25 million contract that makes him a marquee attraction during the Wrigley Field rebuild.

Alan Nero, Maddon’s Chicago-based agent, has repeatedly and vehemently denied the tampering accusations.“It’s not something that keeps me up at night,” Hoyer said. “We’re not going to comment on it directly, but we’re confident in the outcome and we’ve obviously cooperated fully.”  

Abreu faces greater expectations in 2nd White Sox season.

AP - Sports

Now that he has established himself as a big league star, Jose Abreu faces greater expectations.

He hit .317 with 36 homers and 107 RBIs last year for the Chicago White Sox and led the American League with a .581 slugging percent. He was picked for the All-Star Game and was a unanimous selection as AL Rookie of the Year.

''I cannot say that I will put up the same numbers or better,'' Abreu said Monday through an interpreter. ''I will try to do the best every day to help the team win games. With that, if the numbers are the same as last year, that is good for me.''

The Cuban first baseman, who turned 28 last month, signed a $68 million, six-year deal with the White Sox in October 2013. He joined the ranks of baseball's top hitters. 

''I don't like to talk about myself,'' Abreu said. ''Everybody knows Miguel (Cabrera), Victor Martinez, and if the people want to put in that same level as them, that is something I can't say.''  

Abreu's favorite moment of 2014 was when his mother arrived in the U.S. He had to adjust to a season far longer than the 90 games he was used to in Cuba.  

''After last season, I relaxed,'' he said. ''I just want to keep my weight down. I came in fresh because I know I have to save my energy for the long season.''  

Adam LaRoche, who hit 26 home runs for Washington, figures to share first base and designated hitter duties with Abreu, replacing the retired Paul Konerko in that role. Manager Robin Ventura hasn't said who will play the field more often.

''LaRoche is an outstanding player, and all people say that he's a good person,'' Abreu said. ''My main goal is to play every day, first base or wherever Robin decides I can help the team. Be healthy and be ready to play every day.''  

General manager Rick Hahn also added Jeff Samardzija, David Robertson and Melky Cabrera during the offseason.

''It was outstanding. I want to express my respect for the front office. They give us the opportunity to be better this year,'' Abreu said. ''The key is to be together, play hard. I think we can compete with the best teams of the league.''
 

Golf: I got a club for that; Love installed as 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup captain with reformed system.

By Ryan Ballengee

Common sense prevailed. 

The PGA of America revealed a new approach to the Ryder Cup at its Florida headquarters on Tuesday, fronted by a familiar face.

Davis Love III was formally introduced as the 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup captain, and he will complete his team with more time to find the hot hands that can help the Americans end a three-match losing streak in the biennial series.

Eight players will automatically qualify for the team based on a retooled points system which starts next week with the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral. Qualifying will end after the 2016 Barclays, the first leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs. With the 2016 PGA Championship moving to July to accommodate golf's return to the Olympics that August, the typical cutoff of the season's final major had to change. However, moving the late August date will continue to stand in non-Olympic years.

Love will then make three of his four captain's picks after the BMW Championship, a week's more time than recent captains. Finally, Love, who is the eighth man to be a multiple-time U.S. captain, will complete his team with a last pick after the Tour Championship so that he can grab the absolute hottest hand before the matches.

While the captain's picks have been re-engineered to allow on-form players to make a last push, Love and future captains will have a support system rooted in experience. Going forward, Ryder Cup captains will field four vice-captains -- two former captains and two players with significant Ryder Cup experience. Love has already courted 2006 captain Tom Lehman as a vice-captain. Lehman, like Love, was a member of the 11-man task force charged with creating this infrastructure after the 2014 loss at Gleneagles. There's no indication that a future captain will need to have first served as a vice-captain.

The task force has been dissolved, too, but has been replaced with a permanent, smaller Ryder Cup committee. It'll have six members: the PGA of America's president, vice-president and CEO, as well Davis Love III, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. This committee will handle future captain selections and other Ryder Cup decisions.

Whatever you think of Phil Mickelson's post-defeat Scottish outburst, the task force or naming Love captain again, the U.S. appeared to put on a more unified, solidified front on Tuesday. How much influence that will ultimately have on the 12 men representing the U.S. at Hazeltine in 2016 is unclear. An even scarier unknown is what will happen next if the Americans lose again.

Butch Harmon: If Tiger asks, I'll help him.

By Ryan Ballengee

Butch Harmon, Tiger Woods — Getty Images

If Tiger Woods called, or texted, or whatever, Butch Harmon would answer.

Woods' one-time teacher told Golf World he would be willing to help his former pupil on a part-time basis as he tries to reform his swing and get his game, and back, healthy again.

"If he wanted, I'd be more than happy to spend a couple of hours and give him my opinion," Harmon said. "I don't think he would ask because it goes against his pride."

The pair stopped working together in 2003, with Woods moving to Hank Haney after a brief period as guardian of his own swing. Harmon, 71, has never lacked work and is arguably busier than ever. He's working with Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, as well recent winner Brandt Snedeker and Jimmy Walker. Despite all that, Harmon would make time to help a great get back on track.

"As a fan of great golf, it's hard to watch him pitch the ball now," Harmon said. "You can see it's a total lack of confidence."

Harmon believes Woods is doing the right thing, keeping away from tournament golf until his game is ready and his back is healthy. In Harmon's eyes, the question of reps or rest is an easy one.

"If I was him, I wouldn't play until I'm healthy," he said. "I know you say you need the tournament reps and all that. Not necessarily. For him, the big thing is the Masters.

We know he knows how to play."

David Ragan to drive No. 18 in place of Kyle Busch.

By Nick Bromberg

David Ragan will fill in at Atlanta and beyond for Kyle Busch in the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Ragan emerged as a candidate for the car on Tuesday. According to the team's release, Ragan "will pilot the No. 18 M&M's Crispy Toyota for at least the next several weeks." No timetable on Busch's recovery was given. Busch was transported back to North Carolina on Tuesday after suffering a compound fracture in his lower right leg and a broken left foot in a crash on Saturday at Daytona.

“We appreciate being able to work with Front Row Motorsports and CSX for David’s (Ragan) availability,” Joe Gibbs said in the statement. “We are fortunate to be able to have someone of David’s caliber behind the wheel while Kyle recovers. Erik is a big part of our future at JGR and we will be increasing his schedule in the XFINITY Series beginning this weekend in Atlanta and seeking the earliest opportunity to provide him Cup experience. We appreciate all the support we have received from the NASCAR community including our fans and we look forward to getting Kyle back in the car as soon as possible.”

Erik is Erik Jones, who will drive the No. 54 Xfinity Series car for Busch at Atlanta.

Ragan has been with Front Row Motorsports in the Cup Series since the beginning of the 2012 season. His temporary move to Joe Gibbs Racing gives the team three former Roush Fenway Racing drivers in Ragan, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards.

FRM utlizes Fords in the Cup Series but the manufacturer change proved to ultimately not be an obstacle. His No. 34 car had no owner's points in 2015 after Cole Whitt's No. 35 had the points transferred to it. Whitt brought a sponsor to Front Row. Had Ragan tried to qualify for Atlanta with FRM, he would have had to make the race on qualifying speed.

The move gives Ragan a chance to compete in top-tier equipment once again. Front Row is the No. 4 Ford team in the Cup Series behind Team Penske, Roush Fenway and Richard Petty Motorsports.

Ford sweeps 4 season openers at Daytona, including the 500.

By MARK LONG (AP Sports Writer)

Tyler Reddick celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Trucks series auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Out of beer and still wanting more, Ford executive Jamie Allison starting licking his arm outside victory lane.

Given the month Ford enjoyed at Daytona International Speedway, it's no wonder Allison and his guys emptied the cooler.
 

Ford swept every points race at Daytona, culminating with Joey Logano's victory in the Daytona 500 on Sunday. It was the first time the automaker had accomplished the feat.

''It feels great,'' said Allison, Ford's director of North American Motorsport. ''I feel like every Ford employee and every Ford fan, just elation. How could you not be elated over spending a weekend in Daytona - this is kind of the Holy Grail - and to walk away with literally a sweep, you just pinch yourself. Dreams don't take you that far.''
 

It's a reality now, thanks to the biggest win in Logano's career. 

Ragan emerged as a candidate for the car on Tuesday. According to the team's release, Ragan "will pilot the No. 18 M&M's Crispy Toyota for at least the next several weeks." No timetable on Busch's recovery was given. Busch was transported back to North Carolina on Tuesday after suffering a compound fracture in his lower right leg and a broken left foot in a crash on Saturday at Daytona.
 

“We appreciate being able to work with Front Row Motorsports and CSX for David’s (Ragan) availability,” Joe Gibbs said in the statement. “We are fortunate to be able to have someone of David’s caliber behind the wheel while Kyle recovers. Erik is a big part of our future at JGR and we will be increasing his schedule in the XFINITY Series beginning this weekend in Atlanta and seeking the earliest opportunity to provide him Cup experience. We appreciate all the support we have received from the NASCAR community including our fans and we look forward to getting Kyle back in the car as soon as possible.” 

Erik is Erik Jones, who will drive the No. 54 Xfinity Series car for Busch at Atlanta. 

Ragan has been with Front Row Motorsports in the Cup Series since the beginning of the 2012 season. His temporary move to Joe Gibbs Racing gives the team three former Roush Fenway Racing drivers in Ragan, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards. 

FRM utilizes Fords in the Cup Series but the manufacturer change proved to ultimately not be an obstacle. His No. 34 car had no owner's points in 2015 after Cole Whitt's No. 35 had the points transferred to it. Whitt brought a sponsor to Front Row. Had Ragan tried to qualify for Atlanta with FRM, he would have had to make the race on qualifying speed. 

The move gives Ragan a chance to compete in top-tier equipment once again. Front Row is the No. 4 Ford team in the Cup Series behind Team Penske, Roush Fenway and Richard Petty Motorsports.

The driver nicknamed ''Sliced Bread'' held off a host of challengers over the final laps to give team owner Roger Penske his second Daytona 500 title.
 

Logano spent seven years trying to live up to impossible expectations after breaking into the Sprint Cup Series at 18. But after four lackluster seasons at Joe Gibbs Racing, Logano landed at Penske and rejuvenated his career. 

Logano's run wasn't worry-free. Two Ford drivers - teammate Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney - blew engines in the race. That prompted questions and concern from just about everybody in Logano's pit, including Allison and several other Ford execs.

 

''I think everybody's fingers became crossed fingers,'' Allison said. ''When you see two of those on the same team, you start to wonder. ... You don't know how it's going to turn out. At the end, we prevailed.''
 

In every race, too.
 

Ford driver Tyler Reddick won the Truck Series season opener Friday night, ending Toyota's eight-year winning streak at Daytona. Ford's Ryan Reed followed that win with a victory Saturday in the Xfinity Series opener.
 

Throw in Chip Ganassi Racing's win in the Rolex 24 at Daytona last month, and it's been a Ford festival at the famed track.
 

''I think that's a pretty big deal for those guys,'' Logano said. ''You deserve a high-five or something.'' 
 

Allison would settle for a beer.

''This is sports, and in sports, momentum matters,'' he said. ''And we have a momentum coming out of Daytona. So, you know, it feels great, all the teams feel great. At the end of the day, it will translate into confidence, which will manifest itself into coming out of the gate as fast as you can.''

FIFA ignored its own risk report and now the 2022 World Cup is a nightmare.

By Tony Manfred

A FIFA task force on Tuesday recommended scheduling the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for November-December, all but moving the tournament to winter less than five years after the Qataris centered their bid on a summer tournament.

FIFA awarded the 2022 World Cup to Qatar in 2010 over the United States. It instantly became the most controversial hosting decision in the history of soccer's international governing body.

One of the primary issues with the bid — aside from concerns about human rights, cost, and bribery allegations — was the weather. The World Cup has always been held in summer, but temperatures in Doha, the Qatari capital, reach an average high above 105 degrees Fahrenheit in June.

The Qatari bid committee presented a solution to this problem in 2010: advanced air-conditioning technologies that would cool stadiums and other World Cup-related areas to about 80 degrees. Those technologies have never been used on such a large scale, and despite the organizers' persistent claims they were feasible, they remain shrouded in mystery seven years before the tournament.

It took FIFA five years to abandon hope for a summer World Cup in 2022, but it was actually skeptical from the beginning, before Qatar was even awarded the tournament.

FIFA published an official evaluation of Qatar's bid in 2010. In it, heat was called "a potential health risk":

From a medical point of view, barring unforeseen epidemics or developments, there is no major risk involved in staging the event in this country. However, the fact that the competition is planned in June/July, the two hottest months of the year in this region, has to be considered as a potential health risk for players, spectators, officials and the FIFA family in both open training sites and in stadiums and necessitates the taking of specific precautions (for example: hydration schemes, sun shields, ice, cooling mist, cooling breaks).

The bid evaluation also contained an operational risk report that was skeptical of the bid. FIFA determined that Qatar posed a medium or high risk in eight of nine categories. In explaining why Qatar was a high risk in the "team facilities" category, FIFA noted that the facilities did not yet exist and the cooling technology that would make them bearable in 105-degree heat was untested.

The US' bid received better marks across the board:

FIFA

In 2014, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said giving Qatar the World Cup under the assumption that it would be held in summer was a "mistake."

"Of course, it was a mistake. You know, one makes a lot of mistakes in life," he said on Swiss TV. "The technical report indicated clearly that it was too hot in summer, but despite that the executive committee decided with quite a big majority that the tournament would be in Qatar."
 

Moving the tournament to winter would be massively disruptive for European leagues, which run from August to April.

Assuming a November-December World Cup, Europe's largest, most lucrative leagues are looking at a break running from at least mid-October to mid-January to account for pre-tournament preparation and post-tournament rest. In a statement, the European Club Association demanded that FIFA recoup it for revenue lost during that period:

For the football family the rescheduling of the FIFA World Cup 2022 presents a difficult and challenging task. All match calendars across the world will have to accommodate such tournament in 2022/23, which requires everyone's willingness to compromise.

However, the European clubs and leagues cannot be expected to bear the costs for such rescheduling. We expect the clubs to be compensated for the damage that a final decision would cause.

It's a headache, one that could have easily been avoided if FIFA hadn't ignored its own report in 2010.

What crisis? Barcelona dominates Man City in Champions League round of 16 first leg.

By Leander Schaerlaeckens

Some crisis.

On the emotional rollercoaster that the Spanish soccer press insists on projecting onto the teams it covers, Barcelona was supposed to be at another real low point. The C-word was dropped again. Crisis. There was the 1-0 loss to Malaga last weekend when Barca looked entirely flat, and then another controversy was manufactured.

 

Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique had been spotted at a casino the night before their flight to Manchester for the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 matchup with City. Manager Luis Enrique – reportedly in a testy relationship with Messi, who has been coddled by every other Barca manager he has had – was allegedly unhappy about it.

For the umpteenth time in this dynastic era at Barcelona, the end of the empire was declared. And then Barca went out and smashed two goals past Man City in the opening half hour to essentially put the tie out of reach – even if it ultimately had to settle for the 2-1 away win.

Totally dominant in the first half, Barcelona went ahead in the 16th minute after Luis Suarez couldn't quite get his head on a high pass from Messi to redirect it. But it fell kindly to him as defender Vincent Kompany misread the play. So the Uruguayan forward twirled around the ball and whipped it into the net past the helpless Joe Hart.

 

Barca was very much back to their old short-passing, tiki-take game, tapping the ball about with flair and purpose and making it zip around City in circles. There was little the home team could do about it much to the consternation of its packed house.

Hart prevented a second goal in the 26th minute with a splendid, point-blank save on Suarez one-on-one. But in the 30th minute, Barca connected 22 consecutive passes – a metaphor for the half – before Ivan Rakitic unloosed Messi and the little Argentine found Jordi Alba out wide. He squared the ball for Suarez, who ran around Kompany – again Kompany – and slid to connect with the ball and ping it in off the far post.

The closest City came to scoring in the first half was when it was denied a plea for a penalty when an Edin Dzeko shot whacked Pique in the chest and some of his right arm, which was flush to his body, at the edge of the box. But there was no call, which would have been harsh anyway. Dani Alves accidentally dinked a cross off City's bar. And then Samir Nasri managed a tepid shot at goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen for City on the brink of halftime.

It seemed then, with three halves yet to play in this contest, that City would also fail to reach the quarterfinals in this, its fourth Champions League campaign.

But Barca took its foot off the accelerator after the break. It took City a while to capitalize. Sergio Aguero popped a shot just wide in the 55th minute – the first bit of City danger. But then, in the 69th, he finally put his club on the board. Following a rare Messi turnover, David Silva set him up at the edge of the box with a nice touch and Aguero wrestled through the pack of defenders to smack his finish past Ter Stegen.

Might this become a real game?

No.

Five minutes later, Gael Clichy was sent off with his second yellow card for clattering into Dani Alves. That deflated City's spirit and Barca could play out the final quarter of an hour at a canter. Hart saved a 93rd-minute penalty by Messi, after Pablo Zabaleta stupidly took him down in the box, and watched him head the rebound wide on a belly flop. So that was strange. But it probably won't matter much.

City, for the more than billion dollars spent and the half decade now invested in this project, still isn't equipped to compete in Europe.

Barcelona, meanwhile, is having a weird season. Suddenly, after that first half, Luis Enrique is being called a genius again. He seems to bounce from epic highs to desperate lows – a sort of bipolar soccer existence. His team has lost an unusually high four league games by the end of February, but it dazzled on Tuesday. With a home game to look forward to against City, the Catalans seems the overwhelming favorite to advance.

Barcelona hasn't crumbled yet.

Kentucky unanimous No. 1 in AP poll for 4th straight week.

By The Associated Press

Kentucky is the unanimous No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 for the fourth straight week.

The Wildcats (27-0) received all 65 first-place votes from a 65-member media panel Monday after routing Tennessee and Auburn last week.

Virginia remained No. 2, followed by Gonzaga, Duke, Wisconsin, Villanova and Arizona. It's the first time the top seven have remained the same for six straight weeks since 1992-93.

Northern Iowa moved into the top 10 for the first time in school history, sliding in behind No. 8 Kansas and No. 9 Notre Dame.

San Diego State returned to the poll at No. 24, and No. 25 Providence was ranked for the first time since the final poll of 2003-04.

Ohio State and Oklahoma State dropped out.

Associated Press Top 25   1. Kentucky 2. Virginia 3. Gonzaga 4. Duke 5. Wisconsin 6. Villanova 7. Arizona 8. Kansas 9. Notre Dame 10. Northern Iowa 11. Wichita State 12. Iowa State 13. Utah 14. Maryland 15. North Carolina 16. Oklahoma 17. Louisville 18. Arkansas 19. Baylor 20. West Virginia 21. Southern Methodist 22. VCU 23. Butler 24. San Diego State 25. Providence

Coaches Poll   1. Kentucky 2. Gonzaga 3. Virginia 4. Wisconsin 5. Duke 6. Villanova 7. Arizona 8. Notre Dame 9. Kansas 10. Northern Iowa 11. Wichita State 12. Utah 13. Iowa State 14. Maryland 15. Louisville 16. Arkansas 17. Oklahoma 18. North Carolina 19. West Virginia 20. Baylor 21. Southern Methodist 22. San Diego State 23. Butler 24. VCU 25. Michigan State

Kansas' latest loss puts its Big 12 title streak in jeopardy.

By Jeff Eisenberg

Kansas State Wildcats guard Tre Harris (5) celebrates a play late in a 70-63 win against the Kansas Jayhawks at Fred Bramlage Coliseum. (Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports)

Almost four months into a disappointing season rife with costly losses, ill-timed suspensions and frequent in-fighting, Kansas State managed to secure a meaningful consolation prize.

The Wildcats dealt a blow to Kansas' hopes of extending its decade-long Big 12 title streak Monday night with a 70-63 upset victory over their in-state rival.

Nigel Johnson came off the bench to score a career-high 20 points and Nino Williams sank a game-clinching jumper in the final minute as Kansas State stormed back from an eight-point second-half deficit to beat the Jayhawks for just the fifth time in 54 meetings. The surprising outcome loosened Kansas' white-knuckle grip on first place in the Big 12 and paved the way for an unusually exciting final two weeks. 

Kansas (22-6, 11-4) and Iowa State (20-6, 10-4) are now tied in the loss column and Oklahoma (19-8, 10-5) is lurking just a game behind the first-place Jayhawks. The Sooners are real threats too since they visit the Cyclones and host the Jayhawks in their final two games of the regular season.

It's possible that Kansas could have to win its final three games just to share the title with Iowa State since the Cyclones have the more favorable finishing schedule. Whereas Kansas hosts Texas and West Virginia before visiting Oklahoma, Iowa State hosts NCAA tournament-bound Baylor and Oklahoma but visits lower-echelon Kansas State and TCU.

That Kansas finds itself in this position is a testament to the strength of the Big 12 and the struggles of the Jayhawks on the road. Narrow road losses at Iowa State, Oklahoma State and West Virginia were somewhat understandable, but nothing about Kansas State's dreadful recent performance suggested it was capable of springing an upset Monday night.

Kansas State had lost seven of its previous eight games, most recently a 14-point setback at TCU and a 27-point debacle at Baylor. Leading scorer Marcus Foster was suspended for three of those losses and has shot horrendously since returning. 

Six points on 3-for-13 shooting from Foster had little to do with Kansas State's victory on Monday, but Johnson, Williams and senior big man Thomas Gipson combined for 47 points to pick up the slack. Kansas State also played excellent defense, holding the Jayhawks to 39.3 percent shooting despite a 24-point night from junior forward Perry Ellis.

Kansas trailed for the final eight minutes, several times coming within a basket but never getting the stop it needed to have a chance to tie or take the lead. One possession ended in a layup by Williams. Another in a jumper by Wesley Iwundu. A third in a pair of free throws from Williams. It was Williams who also had the clincher, a mid-range jumper from inside the right wing that gave Kansas State a five-point lead with 29 seconds to play.

Between the suspensions and the strife leading up to Monday's game, Kansas State players hardly struck a confident tone. Gipson told the Topeka-Capital Journal that the Wildcats weren't all on the same page and would "probably lose by 27" just like they had against Baylor a few days earlier.

Thankfully for Kansas State, Gipson's prediction never came close to coming true.

On a night of surprises at the Octagon, the Wildcats earned a rare victory over their rivals and the Jayhawks went home knowing extending their Big 12 title streak another year is no longer a foregone conclusion.

Northwestern's Jim Phillips: Defining moment for college sports.

By Brian Bennett

"It's time for a recalibration, a re-correction in college athletics," Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips said. (Photo/David Banks/USA TODAY Sports)

The Big Ten has been kicking around the idea of a "year of readiness," or in more basic parlance, freshman ineligibility. The league's discussion of the idea has generated a lot of national attention in past several days, but in many ways people are missing the forest for the trees here.

First of all, this is not exactly a new idea. Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany mentioned a "year of residence" for at-risk students in a four-point reform plan he announced in the summer of 2013. This is also not strictly a Big Ten issue, either, as the Pac-12 and Big 12 commissioners have also talked in depth about making freshmen ineligible.

But the most important point is that the year of readiness idea is just one of multiple possible sea changes that the Big Ten and other conferences are mulling. At the end of the annual Big Ten joint meetings in Chicago on Tuesday -- attended by league athletic directors, senior women's administrators, faculty reps and student leaders -- the sense was that any and all things should be on the table.

"It's really a national conversation that has to take place," Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips said. "It's the right time. It's time for a recalibration, a re-correction in college athletics."

Phillips, as the newly appointed chairman of the NCAA Division I council, is an important voice in college sports. And he says there's a real desire to change the entire way the entire system is run.

So, sure, conference leaders have considered freshman ineligibility. But they also want to figure out if the length of a certain sports' seasons is too long, whether players should have fewer practice hours, if initial eligibility standards should be strengthened and what to do about transfers. Phillips even mentioned the recent uptick in the number of early enrollees in football and whether kids should be coming to college campuses that soon.

"There may not be year of readiness," he said. "It's not time to make those decisions without having fundamental conversations that are driven by, what do we want college athletics to be going forward? There are so many important areas for us to discuss. It's really a wonderful opportunity to have these conversations and move it forward."

A confluence of events have made the time right to re-evaluate everything, Phillips said. That includes lawsuits against the NCAA, the new autonomy structure for the Power 5 conferences and student-athlete welfare issues such as cost of attendance, four-year grants and unlimited meals all rising to the surface of late.

"At the heart of this thing is, we don't want to be the minor leagues of professional sports," Phillips said.

Of course, many would argue that college sports already fulfill that role, especially in football and men's basketball. Phillips would concede that point. But he doesn't agree that it's too late to squeeze that genie back into the bottle.

"That to me is a little bit of a defeatist attitude," he said. "I firmly believe that if it's in the best interest of the future of the enterprise, well, why wouldn't we make some serious changes? Why are we being forced into being anything other than what we want to be?"

The Big Ten cannot do it alone, and Phillips said there are many other leagues and leaders across the country taking the same hard look at these issues. The charge given at the end of the joint meetings was for all attendees to go back to their campuses and further these discussions with their school presidents, coaches and every colleague from other conferences they come across for the next year, and that there would at least be a consensus over which issues to tackle at the 2016 NCAA convention.

"It's time for conversation, and it is time for a declaration of where individual schools stand, where conferences stand and where levels within Division I stand," Phillips said. "I'm exceedingly excited about what's in front of us, because I just think there's an opportunity to make college athletics a better place."

There's a whole lot more here than just a discussion about freshman ineligibility. Some of these ideas may sound pie-in-the-sky, but rapid change in the NCAA has happened in the past year (much of it forced upon the schools by outside forces, of course). The Big Ten is serious about trying to put the college back in college sports.

And even if it fails, isn't that a worthwhile thing to consider?

Baylor's Art Briles committed to making playoff after 'brutal' snub.

By Dennis Dodd

 

Art Briles is still stinging over Baylor not making the playoff. (Photo/USATSI)

Just to catch everyone up, Art Briles is OK with everything. Well, almost.

You probably remember the Baylor coach's blast two months ago when his Bears were left out of the first College Football Playoff. He criticized Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby. He questioned the structure of the playoff committee.

He basically flamed the system by saying it needed a "Texan", a "Southerner", someone to "understand football down here." It was all so out of character for the soft-spoken son of the Lone Star State. Especially when TCU -- perhaps with a bigger argument -- kept it classy.

Considering again the hurt of being left out, Briles said this week, "It was brutal."

In what might be his most expansive comments on the subject since the end of the season, Briles told CBSSports.com the pain hasn't lessened.

"I don't think 'over it' is the way to say it," the coach said "I think we've accepted it from the standpoint of, it's on us. We've got to make sure our resume is as clean as it can be to have the opportunity to be in the top four. We were right there on the cusp last year without any question."

And they have one of the most impressive profiles of any 2015 playoff contender.
Among 17 returning starters are five Associated Press all-conference performers. The returners range from offensive lineman Spencer Drango (unanimous) to defensive end Shawn Oakman, who surprisingly returned for his senior season.

The final No. 7 ranking was the highest in school history. Transitioning from record-breaker Bryce Petty to Seth Russell looks almost seamless.

Before looking ahead, it pains Briles to look back. His Bears finished fifth in the final CFP rankings, just outside of the first Football Four. It might as well have been 40th. Baylor beat TCU in October, ended the regular season 11-1 and shared the Big 12 title with the Horned Frogs. Briles got his wish in finishing ahead of TCU (which finished sixth), but the Big 12 ended up being the only Power 5 conference left out of the playoff.

"If something could have happened we both might have gotten in," Briles said.

In the end, it wasn't just Ohio State beating Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game, it was margin of victory. The 59-0 smackdown got the committee's attention enough for the Buckeyes to move from fifth to fourth. Meanwhile, TCU fell from third to sixth after beating Iowa State by 52 points. That one still hasn't been properly explained.

Baylor routed Kansas State, moving from sixth to fifth. Briles later said his Bears got left out of that No. 4 spot by an 8-4 vote. CFP executive director Bill Hancock said it was impossible Briles could have known the voting margin.

"We knew somebody was going to be left out, we just didn't know it was going to be us," Briles said. "What we have to do is find a way to make sure when they're voting that we're giving them enough reason to vote for Baylor."

To that end, Briles likes the composition of the committee heading into 2015. He got his "Texan" -- Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt (replacing West Virginia's Oliver Luck) -- and the return of Archie Manning. Hocutt is a Sherman, Texas native. Manning -- that son of the South -- intends to return if he can get over some physical issues that caused him to step down last season.

"What we've done now is really diversify the committee," Briles said. "There's people that represent all there is in the United States of America.

"I wasn't really so much concerned about my needs. I just think it was the proper thing to do. If you have a jury, you have selected peers that qualify all across the levels. What we really have is a jury that needs to be qualified from all regions of the United States of America."

At 41, Hocutt fits Baylor's youthful profile according to Briles. How his group of 18-22 year-olds is any younger than anyone else's is unknown but Briles has embraced that narrative to the point his hashtag -- #yb – which translates to "young brand."

"Our image and our perception are changing," Briles said. "You and I know young people, their influences are today. That's what excites me. I certainly think you have to earn it, but we're in the stages of trying to earn that new image, that new brand."

All that from a 59-year old father of three. One of those is 32-year old son Kendal, his new offensive coordinator.

Briles declined to offer an opinion on how the Big 12 determines its champion. The league has refused to break ties in the standings going back to at least the Big Eight days. While Baylor has at least a share of two straight Big 12 titles, Briles was on record criticizing Bowlsby for the league's "One True Champion" slogan.

"You're talking to the wrong [person]," Briles said.

The CFP's loudest outspoken voice of December is standing down in February. For now.

"That's what inspires players, inspires me," Briles said. "We're all about going to the next level now, going to the final four ... If we go undefeated we'll be there, that's all I'll say."

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, February 25, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1940 - The New York Rangers and the Montreal Canadiens played in the first hockey game to be televised in the U.S. The game was aired on W2WBS in New York with one camera in a fixed position. The Rangers beat the Canadiens 6-2.

1941 - The Boston Bruins set an NHL record after going 23 games unbeaten. Their record during the stretch was 15-0-8.

1951 - The first Pan American Games opened in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1957 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that baseball was the only professional sport exempt from antitrust laws.

1964 - Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) became heavyweight-boxing champion in an upset victory over Sonny Liston.

1978 - O.J. Simpson was a guest on "Saturday Night Live."

1981 - The Boston Bruins and the Minnesota North Stars set a record for most penalties in a game. There were 84 penalties that totaled 392 minutes. 1989 - Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, fired head coach Tom Landry after a 29-year career.

1995 - Major league baseball announced that regular season games would be played in Hawaii for the first time.

2002 - Jayson Williams, the former NBA star, surrendered to New Jersey police. He was charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Costas Christofi. Christofi was killed by a shotgun that was recklessly handled by Williams. Williams was released on $250,000 bail.

2005 - It was announced that the Walt Disney Co. had agreed to sell the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to billionaire Henry Samueli and his wife Susan. Samueli's company was the operator of Arrowhead Pond, the Mighty Ducks' home arena.

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