CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Friday Sports News Update and What's Your Take? 03/20/2015.

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Sports Quote of the Day:

"You've got to get up every morning with determination if you're going to go to bed with satisfaction." ~ George Horace Lorimer, Journalist and Author

Trending: 2015 NCAA "March Madness" 2nd Round Tournament Scores. 

Thursday, March 19
NCAA Tournament - Midwest	(14) Northeastern	65 - 69	(3) Notre Dame	Final
NCAA Tournament - South	(14) UAB	60 - 59	(3) Iowa St.	Final
NCAA Tournament - West	(14) Georgia St.	57 - 56	(3) Baylor	Final
NCAA Tournament - West	(15) Texas Southern	72 - 93	(2) Arizona	Final
NCAA Tournament - Midwest	(11) Texas	48 - 56	(6) Butler	Final
NCAA Tournament - South	(11) UCLA	60 - 59	(6) SMU	Final
NCAA Tournament - West	(11) Mississippi	57 - 76	(6) Xavier	Final
NCAA Tournament - West	(10) Ohio St.	75 - 72	(7) VCU	Final OT
NCAA Tournament - East	(16) Lafayette	52 - 93	(1) Villanova	Final
NCAA Tournament - Midwest	(9) Purdue	65 - 66	(8) Cincinnati	Final OT
NCAA Tournament - West	(13) Harvard	65 - 67	(4) N. Carolina	Final
NCAA Tournament - South	(12) S.F. Austin	50 - 57	(5) Utah	Final
CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament	Tenn-Martin	104 - 79	N'western St.	Final
NCAA Tournament - East	(9) LSU	65 - 66	(8) N.C. State	Final
NCAA Tournament - Midwest	(16) Hampton	56 - 79	(1) Kentucky	Final
NCAA Tournament - West	(12) Wofford	53 - 56	(5) Arkansas	Final
NCAA Tournament - South	(13) Eastern Wash.	74 - 84	(4) Georgetown	Final

NCAA tournament: Millions of brackets busted in less than five hours. What's Your Take?

By Jay Hart

The 2015 NCAA tournament kicked off at 12:15 p.m. ET, with millions of perfect brackets. By 5:20, just 2,643 remained in Yahoo Sports Tourney Pick'em game.

It all started with UAB, the 14 seed in the South Region, stunning No. 3 seeded Iowa St. That wiped out 96 percent of Yahoo Sports brackets, 16 percent of which had ISU going all the way to the Final Four.

About an hour later, 14th-seeded Georgia St. and their jumping-bean coach sent third-seeded Baylor packing with a 3-pointer R.J. Hunter will never forget. Ninety-three percent of Yahoo users had Baylor advancing to the second round, and with that just 10,637 perfect brackets remained.

Then came UCLA, an 11 seed going up against sixth-seeded SMU. The Bruins eked out a 1-point win thanks to a controversial goaltending call – on a 3-pointer! – with only 11 seconds remaining. Sixty-eight percent had SMU winning that one.

Another 8,000 bit the dust, whittling the number of perfect brackets down to 2,643. And the evening sessions hadn't even begun – as those results start filed in, the number dwindled down to 966.

How big was the upset of Iowa St., which many experts had advancing far into the tournament?

Not as big as Mercer beating Duke last year (97.6 percent of Yahoo Sports users picked wrong in that one) or Florida Gulf Coast – remember the Eagles? – over Georgetown in 2013 (98.1 percent).

 

But the biggest upset of late – Lehigh over Duke in 2012, when 98.8 percent of Yahoo Sports brackets had the Blue Devils advancing.

Will anyone still be perfect by the end of Day 1?

We'll update the carnage as it continues. In the meantime, enjoy the tournament.

Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: The tournament is in full swing and we knew that there were going to be upsets but not to the extent we saw yesterday. Millions of brackets were busted and believe it or not, there's more to come. I love the competition this tournament encompasses. The drive, determination, teamwork and camaraderie builds character in these young men as well as building school pride. It doesn't get any better than that.

The key question remains, Will Kentucky go undefeated and win the national championship? We'd love to hear your thoughts and what's your take? Take a moment and go to the comment section at the end of this blog and post your opinion. We can't wait to read them. Good luck to your favorite team. The Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica editorial staff.  

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Kimmo Timonen finding his way with the Blackhawks.  

By Tracey Myers

Kimmo Timonen was sitting at breakfast in New York on Wednesday morning, his Blackhawks teammates wishing him a happy 40th birthday.

One of those greeters was Teuvo Teravainen, who refers to fellow Finn Timonen as his “hockey dad.”

“He said, ‘You’re 20 years older than me,’” Timonen said with a laugh. “It tells you how young these guys are nowadays and that’s why the game is so fast. It takes a lot of adjusting but that tells you everything right there. Twenty years sounds like a lot.”

 While he was probably slightly tempted to put his hockey son in a time-out, Timonen is reflective on the fact that, here he is, at 40, still playing in the NHL. That’s quite a testament to a player, even if he hadn’t dealt with the blood-clot issues that sidelined him for about 10 months.

“I never thought I’d be 40 and still playing,” said Timonen. “Obviously, if you go way back, I wasn’t a high draft pick. I was 10th-round pick [by the Los Angeles Kings in 1993] and I had to pattern myself to the NHL and prove myself as a smaller defenseman, [show] I could play in this league. At that moment you never think you’re going to play over 1,000 games and play once you’re 40.”

Yet, here he is; and speaking of games, Timonen’s next one will be the 1,100th of his NHL career. Timonen returned for just one reason: he wants to win that Stanley Cup that’s eluded him thus far.

That return, which was about to happen in Philadelphia before he was traded to the Blackhawks on Feb. 27, started on March 2 against Carolina. Timonen logged 17 minutes, 29 seconds that night, an impressive amount of ice time after not playing since April of 2014. In hindsight it was probably too much; Timonen’s minutes have been less since then, ranging anywhere from 7:30 against the New York Rangers on Wednesday to 14:49 twice. Timonen expected this to be a process; he figured it would take him the rest of the regular season to get back to normal.

“The first game was maybe a little too much but I was happy to play,” he said. “My body was saying some different things, like, ‘maybe you should slow down.’ But the last few games I feel pretty good. It’s still a process and everything is new and I’m just adjusting to different things. But every day is good for me and it’s going the right way.”

Timonen has needed time to adjust to a new team, a new system and new – and in most cases, much younger and faster – teammates. But he’s here nevertheless at 40, getting that one final opportunity to win the Cup. The comeback grind has been worth it.

“It’s been a weird couple of weeks but at the same time I’m really excited,” Timonen said. “At the end of the day, if you look back two, three, four months, I wasn’t supposed to play hockey ever again. So whenever I play I enjoy every second, every moment I’m on the ice and go from there. I really don’t have any other goals other than getting into the playoffs and hopefully help the team. That’s why I’m here.”

Blackhawks' win, 1-0, at MSG marks memorable return for Richards.

By Tracey Myers

Brad Richards #91 of the Chicago Blackhawks attempts to carry the puck past Keith Yandle #93 of the New York Rangers during the second period at Madison Square Garden on March 18, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Brad Richards had a different feeling entering Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night, different emotions facing his most recent former team, the New York Rangers.

“Yeah, obviously it’s a different day. It’s not your regular game in March, going into a road building,” he said. “It had a little something special to it.”

By the end of the night, it had a lot of special to it.

Richards scored the lone goal, his 11th of the season, and Scott Darling earned his first career NHL shutout as the Blackhawks beat the Rangers 1-0 on Wednesday night. The Blackhawks, who have won four in a row and six of their last seven, now have 92 points. They’re just three points behind Central Division-leading St. Louis (95) and two behind second-place Nashville (94), both of whom were idle on Wednesday.

It was a memorable night for Richards, who faced the Rangers earlier this month but said the feeling would be different when he returned to New York. It was, and he couldn’t have ended his or the Blackhawks’ night any better.

Much like the March 8 game in Chicago between these two teams, goals came at a premium. Cam Talbot and Darling were being stingy, much like Talbot and Corey Crawford were 10 days ago.

Finally, the Blackhawks broke through about seven minutes into the third period. Dan Boyle hit the crossbar on the other side and the Blackhawks started down the other. Duncan Keith passed the puck along the backboards and Richards picked it up, moved to the front, waited, waited, lifted and scored over Talbot’s glove.

“I was looking to make a play but for whatever reason, they probably thought I was passing it,” Richards said. “I had time to wait and figured, I might as well shoot myself.”

Duncan Keith, who had the primary assist on that goal — Andrew Desjardins had the secondary, giving him his first point in a Blackhawks uniform — said they were just trying to keep the play alive.

“I popped it down below and it rolled around to Richie and he made a great play,” Keith said. “I’m not sure how he was open but he had great patience there and made a nice shot.”

As for Darling, whose last start came on Feb. 27, the wait obviously didn’t hurt his game. Darling was big from the start, when the Rangers had some of their best scoring opportunities. He was there at the end, too, when the Rangers made one final push. The long layoff didn’t bother him.

“I mean, me and Jimmy have been doing a lot of work, staying extra, going early and making sure I’m ready when I got the call,” said Darling, referring to Blackhawks goaltending coach Jimmy Waite. “Maybe [I was] more nervous before the game but once I got out there, I felt good.”

The Blackhawks put a bow on their back-to-back games. It was a nice ending for a team that’s now 7-1-1 without Patrick Kane. It was a nice ending for a rookie goaltender that shook off the rust and got his first NHL shutout. And it was a nice ending for Richards against a team that will always hold a special place for him.

“It was a bonus to get one in this building and against them, but not in a bad way,” Richards said. “I have nothing bad to say about the organization or New York. Everyone knows how much I loved playing here. It’s pretty cool to score against them.”

Blackhawks playoff tickets go on sale March 23.  

By Nina Falcone

With the regular season winding down, Blackhawks fans can now start planning ahead for the playoffs.

The Blackhawks announced Thursday that single-game tickets for the first two rounds of the potential 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs home contests will go on sale on Monday, March 23 at Noon.

Tickets will be available exclusively at ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Each customer will be limited to four tickets. Refunds for any unplayed playoff games will be available.

With just 12 games remaining in the regular season, the Blackhawks currently rank third in the Central Division, three points behind the St. Louis Blues and one behind the Nashville Predators. The Hawks return to action Saturday night when they take on the Dallas Stars.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session…

AP
                                                    

The Toronto Raptors have pulled themselves out of a rough defensive stretch, though they may now be without their point guard.

Kyle Lowry's status is unclear for Friday night's road game against the Chicago Bulls, who hope Nikola Mirotic can continue his surge.

The Raptors (41-27) have won three of four following a 1-9 stretch, limiting teams to 96.7 points per game in the last three victories. They had allowed an average of 109.6 in their previous seven contests.

DeMar DeRozan scored 21 despite going 4 for 14 in a 105-100 win over Minnesota on Wednesday, hitting all 12 of his free throws and adding seven rebounds and four assists.

"You're going to have nights when your shots don't fall," coach Dwane Casey said. "DeMar got to the free-throw line, he was rebounding ... You're going to have nights like that where your shot's not going to fall but you've got to do other things to help create a win."

Lowry, averaging a career-high 18.1 points and a team-best 6.9 assists, left late with a back contusion.

"One of those things where he hit the floor and tweaked his back," Casey said.

Toronto dropped two of three without Lowry from Feb. 28-March 4, allowing opponents shoot 49.4 percent. Greivis Vasquez started in his place and averaged 10.7 points and 8.0 assists with only five turnovers, shooting 43.8 percent from 3-point range.

Jonas Valanciunas has scored at least 14 points in three straight games for the first time this season after missing last Friday's 102-92 win over Miami for the birth of his child. He also has 36 rebounds over his last three games, grabbing 15 against the Timberwolves despite being ill.

"I thought he battled," Casey said. "I hope he gets sick all the time if he plays that way. He really rebounded well."

Chicago (41-28) has won two of its last seven, though it's coming off a 103-86 victory over Indiana on Wednesday.

Mirotic scored 25 and continues to see an increase in minutes with Taj Gibson missing all 10 games this month with a sprained ankle. Mirotic has averaged 20.8 points and 8.2 rebounds in 32.1 minutes in those 10 contests compared to 7.2 and 4.3 in 17.1 previously.

The rookie forward may have earned himself a bigger role even when Gibson returns.

"Once we get everyone back - and hopefully we stay healthy - the coaching staff has to figure how to make sure they take advantage of the players that are playing at a high level now," said forward Pau Gasol, who had 19 points and 12 rebounds against the Pacers for his 45th double-double, extending his career high.

"It's great to see young players prove their value and prove their talent and help us get wins."

The Bulls are still without leading scorer Jimmy Butler (20.2 ppg), who has missed the last nine contests with a sprained left elbow. Butler and Gibson have resumed practicing and could return this week.

"Both are coming along well," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "They're getting closer, they're going through practice fully, contact and everything, so hopefully it'll be soon."

Butler totaled 48 points to help Chicago win the first two meetings, 100-93 at Toronto on Nov. 13 and 129-120 at home Dec. 22. The Bulls shot a combined 51.0 percent.

Mirotic's strong second half lifts Bulls to win over Pacers 103-86.

By Vincent Goodwill

Nikola Mirotic (Photo/EFE)

Pacers big man Ian Mahinmi was giving Nikola Mirotic too much space on the perimeter, but the rookie, perhaps feeling too aggressive after taking consecutive shots, had to be prodded by Joakim Noah to go for one more.

The crowd was mumbling, begging for Mirotic to take the 20-footer, and being the crowd pleaser he is, nonchalantly made Mahinmi pay by nailing the wing jumper, much to the delight of the United Center crowd.

What Mike Dunleavy started off, Mirotic finished Wednesday as the Bulls looked nothing like the sluggish outfit that lost to the same Pacers team in Indianapolis nearly two weeks ago.

And nothing like the team that’s lost five of six, as they kept the Pacers playing from behind all night in a 103-86 win that featured Dunleavy scoring 19 of his 21 in the first half and Pau Gasol registering yet another double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds, before they gave way to Mirotic in the second half.

The rookie who’s not playing like a rookie scored 20 of his game-high 25 after halftime, adding nine rebounds in 31 minutes of run, continuing his run in March, where he’s averaged 20.3 points and 8.1 rebounds.

With his rapid improvement, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau admitted he’s experimenting with Mirotic at small forward, wanting to keep his late-game scoring punch when Taj Gibson returns from his ankle injury.

“Niko has great ability to play the 3, that allows us to play Pau, Jo and Niko,” Thibodeau said. “Hopefully we get a few guys back soon, and that will be even better for us.”

Showing some uncommon poise for rookies, he views the NBA as a stage similar to his days playing internationally and isn’t fazed in big moments.

“Trying to stay focused the whole game. When I was playing at Madrid, I took 13-14 shots a game. I played important minutes, important finals,” Mirotic said. “I really don’t feel pressure playing last minutes. And just believe, if they make plays for you, just be positive and say ‘Okay, they believe in me, I believe in myself too”.”

He then gave some damage to Luis Scola after abusing Mahinmi, beating him on a backdoor cut to give the Bulls a 10-point lead early in the fourth.

The Bulls didn’t necessarily run their offense through Mirotic, but he found his way in the offense, off the ball and taking advantage of a defense that’s usually good but fell asleep at times, giving up 10 triples and sent the Bulls to the foul line 28 times.

Dunleavy’s five first-half triples put the Pacers in a precarious position, unable to contain penetration and they couldn’t pound the offensive glass to control tempo. And the Bulls’ defense actually performed consistently, not allowing them to go on any meaningful runs and only allowing 13 points to the Pacers’ best scorer of the night, Solomon Hill.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! NFL Competition Committee to unveil proposed 2015 rule changes. 

By Mike Florio

Next week, the NFL’s owners, coaches, and General Managers will convene in Arizona for the annual league meetings.  Those meetings include consideration by the owners of potential rule changes for the next year.

Before those changes can be considered by the owners, proposed changes need to be made by the Competition Committee.  On Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. ET, the Competition Committee will conduct its annual media conference call during which the official 2015 proposals are unveiled.

We’ll post the information as it is released, eventually crafting a full list of all rule and bylaw changes proposed by the Competition Committee and by individual teams.  Eventually, at least 24 of the 32 owners must vote in favor of the change for the change to be made.

1.  Definition of a catch.

The disconnect between the NFL’s definition of a catch and the public’s expectations for what a catch should became more obvious than ever late in a divisional-round game between the Cowboys and Packers, during which Dallas receiver Dez Bryant made what ultimately was the greatest catch in NFL history that didn’t count.  It seemed that the stage had been set for a rewriting of the rule to mesh with the know-it-when-you-see-it, but Rams coach Jeff Fisher already has cautioned that a change could be too hard to make.

Which likely means there will be no change proposed by the Competition Committee for 2015.  But a change could still be proposed by one or more teams.

2.  Pass interference.

The week before the Cowboys seemed to be robbed of a potential win over the Packers in Green Bay, the Lions seemed to be robbed of a potential win over the Cowboys in Dallas due to the failure of the officials to call defensive holding or pass interference in a key moment.  One way to address the problem would be to use instant replay for pass interference calls, a rule the CFL adopted in 2014.

NFL executive V.P. of football operations Troy Vincent has suggested that a compromise could be the adjustment of the defensive pass interference foul to a 15-yard penalty.  Which seems like a bad way to rectify the mistakes made by officials when deciding whether interference has happened.

3.  Instant replay.

The NFL continuously explores potential improvements to the instant replay process. Last year, the biggest change came from the direct involvement of V.P. of officiating Dean Blandino in the reviews.  This year, a push could continue to allow coaches to use their two challenges per game (three if the first two are successful) for any mistake they believe can be shown via indisputable visual evidence.

4.  Roster sizes.

PFT has reported that the Competition Committee discussed the possibility of expanding rosters from 53 to 55.  That would create 64 more NFL jobs.

The Competition Committee also has discussed potential roster changes for short-week games.  PFT reported last month that this could entail allowing all players on the roster to be active for Thursday games.

5.  Chop blocks.

Vincent has acknowledged that the chop block, which is still permitted in three specific situations, could be eliminated completely from the NFL, in large part because it has been completely eliminated from the lower levels of the game.

6.  London games.

Vincent has said that the Competition Committee has explored improving games played in London.  Specific potential changes weren’t identified.

7.  Playoff changes.

A year ago, it seemed inevitable that the NFL would expand the postseason from 12 to 14 games.  It now seems likely, if not definite, that the change will be postponed one more year, so that the extra postseason games can be tied to the Thursday night package, both of which would be marketed to networks for 2016.

Chatter also has emerged from time to time regarding reseeding of the playoffs to strip the automatic home game from a team that emerged as the best of four bad teams, like the Panthers did in 2014.

8.  Extra point.

Last year, the NFL approved a partial preseason experiment premised on moving the one-point try from the two to the 15-yard line.  The Pro Bowl included a narrowing of the goal posts.  The NFL remains intent on either making the PAT a more relevant and compelling play — or getting rid of it.

9. Technological advances.

The Pro Bowl included other experiments, including the replacement of the clunky replay-review booth with a tablet and headphone combo that both streamlines the process and further justifies the major investments by Microsoft and Bose in the NFL by giving the companies more natural opportunities for their names and products to be displayed during games.  Also, coaches and players were able to watch game tape from the sidelines on the tablets at the Pro Bowl; so far, tablets have been used only for the review of still images.

10.  Safety.

The timing of Chris Borland’s retirement gives the NFL an opportunity to immediately and efficiently explore potential changes to the game aimed at making it safer at the league meetings. The balance continues to be safety on one hand and the fundamental nature of the game on the other.  Go too far one way, and more players may choose to walk away.  Go too far the other way, and the NFL creates an opening for an old-school, full-contact competitor to emerge.
 
Bears propose at least one possession per team in overtime.

By Mike Florio

(Photo Getty Images)

The Bears believe that their biggest rival got a raw deal in the NFC title game.

Last month, Chicago proposed that each team would be guaranteed at least one possession in an overtime game. It’s one of the 23 potential changes submitted by the Competition Committee and by the NFL’s teams in advance of next week’s league meetings.

In 2010, the NFL changed the overtime procedure in the aftermath of the NFC title game between the Saints and Vikings, eliminating the ability to win the game with a first-possession field goal. The new rule allows the team that receives the opening kickoff in overtime to win the game with a touchdown.

The Seahawks took full advantage of that rule in January, securing a berth in the Super Bowl by finally doing that which Matthew Hasselbeck once vowed they would do to the Packers.

There’s little momentum to do what the NFL should have done back in 2010, ensuring that a team can’t be eliminated from the postseason without having a chance to advance the ball. The last change addressed specifically what happened when the Saints beat the Vikings. Now, the NFL has a chance to address specifically what happened when the Seahawks beat the Packers.

Whatever the motivation for the Bears to submit the proposal, it’s surely not that they feel bad for the Packers.

The Indianapolis Colts proposed a bonkers new NFL rule that would invent a 9-point touchdown.

By Tony Manfred

The NFL released proposed rule changes that will be discussed at next week's competition committee meeting.

They're all relatively minor, except for one: The Indianapolis Colts want to make it possible for a team to score nine points on one possession.

Under the proposal, a team would be able to attempt a 50-yard kick for an extra point after they successfully converted a two-point conversion.

The idea is to offer an incentive to teams to go for two more often, according to Fox Sports' Pete Schrager. In theory, it would fundamentally change the calculus of the game, and increase the number of points possible from a single possession.

The Colts want to experiment with the scoring system change in the preseason, according to the NFL. It's important to note that the competition committee is only going to discuss this change. The odds of it happening are, more than likely, very low.

Right now, NFL teams kick the extra point an overwhelming majority of the time, despite mathematical evidence that they should be going for two points far more often than they are. Would the possibility of getting three points encourage more teams to go for two?

The expected value of the current extra point is 0.996 points (since NFL kickers make ~99.6% of extra points).

The expected value of going for two is 0.998 points (since NFL teams historically convert 49.9% of two-point attempts).

NFL kickers have made 63.3% of 50-yard field goals over the last five seasons. That means the expected value of an extra point from midfield is about 0.63 points. Since you have only a 49.9% chance of even attempting that midfield extra point, because you have to convert the two-point conversion first under the Colts' proposal, its added expected value is closer to 0.32 points.

So at the end of the day, the expected value of "going for three" would be about 1.32 points, while the expected value of just kicking the extra point is still 0.996 points. NFL teams are notoriously conservative, would that be enough to make them go for two more often?

We'd be shocked if it happened. We'd still love to see it for pure entertainment value, though.

Lions think their proposal for replay on penalties will fail.

By Michael David Smith

(Photo/AP)

The Lions will argue at next week’s league meetings that instant replay should be available to review penalties. But they don’t think they’re going to win that battle.

Among several rules proposals involving changes to instant replay, the Lions’ proposal is one of the simplest: It merely adds “All fouls identified by a game official” to the list of situations that can be reviewed on instant replay. That seems simple and doable, but Lions General Manager Martin Mayhew told Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News that he thinks he has the support of only about 40 percent of the league, not the 75 percent that is needed to pass a rules change.

Still, Mayhew is looking forward to stating his case before the league.

“I think what’s going to happen is there will be more dialogue about ways to improve it,” Mayhew said. “I think that really it may even initiate with the competition committee about how they want to revamp it. Obviously, those guys have their finger on the pulse of what needs to change and what could be more efficient.”

The Lions took an interest in reviewing penalties when a non-call on the Cowboys became the turning point in Detroit’s playoff loss in Dallas.

Detroit’s proposal is one of several that will be debated and voted on next week. As Mayhew put it, “Clearly something needs to be changed or there wouldn’t be so many suggestions on how to change it.”

NFLPA gives players 30-day marijuana warning.

By Mike Florio

(Photo/Getty Images)

Yes, the annual window for the annual random test of NFL players for recreational drugs opens on 4/20.  A full 32 days before the first day on which a player can be asked to provide a urine sample that will be tested for certain banned substances that don’t enhance performance, the NFLPA has issued a reminder to all players of the looming testing period.

It’s a smart move by the union.  With marijuana metabolites staying in a player’s system for up to 30 days, players need to know more than 30 days before they may be tested that the time has come to quit the turkey bags cold turkey.

During the “War on Drugs” of the 1980s, the NFLPA first agreed to allow players to be tested for marijuana and other illegal substances.  Whether the NFL or any employer should care what an employee does on his own time during the offseason is a different question.

We (or at least I) believe the NFL shouldn’t care if a player is smoking marijuana or taking other illegal substances unless and until they are arrested for possession or some other related violation.  Until then, it’s not for the NFL or anyone other than the authorities to exert authority over the things a player chooses to do in the privacy of his own home.

The problem has become more complicated in recent years, with the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington, two of the 22 states where the NFL does business.  At some point, the NFL will be forced to face the question of whether it should still prohibit marijuana use by its players.

Until then, players who aren’t in the substance-abuse program are free to smoke marijuana from the time they take their annual test until 30 days or so before the next April 20, when their next annual test can first happen.

Players who are smart and/or who don’t have an addiction to marijuana can easily navigate that limitation.  Still, it’s fair to ask whether, as to marijuana, the limitation should even exist.

Bears sign long snapper Thomas Gafford.

By Scott Krinch

Thomas Gafford

 

The Bears announced on Wednesday they have signed long snapper Thomas Gafford to a one-year deal.

Gafford, 32, has appeared in 105-straight games as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, dating back to his regular season debut on Nov. 2, 2008.

The Texas native has recorded 19 special teams tackles and a fumble recovery during his seven-year career.

Gafford was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Houston in 2006. Gafford spent time with the Seattle Seahawks (2007 offseason) and Bears (2008 preseason), before signing with the Chiefs in 2008.

Jeremy Cain was the Bears' long snapper in 2014, taking over for Patrick Mannelly, who retired after 16 years with the organization.

Joe Maddon gets why Scott Boras blasts Cubs: 'Scorpions bite'.

By Patrick Mooney

Did you not see this coming? 

Cubs manager Joe Maddon understands why super-agent Scott Boras gave those money quotes to Fox Sports and USA Today, ripping the Ricketts family in a strategic media blitz.

But it will take more than a Hail Mary — like shredding the collective bargaining agreement overnight or Cubs executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer suddenly abandoning their principles — to free Kris Bryant from Triple-A Iowa before late mid-to-late April.

“Scorpions bite,” Maddon said. “That’s what they’re supposed to do. Whatever your nature, that’s what you do.”

 Maddon looked at the big picture before Wednesday’s 7-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch. In Bryant, the franchise has a special talent and a polished professional, a 6-foot-5 slugger with video-game numbers (52 homers and 142 RBIs through his first 174 games in the minors) and off-the-charts marketing potential.

“He’s going to be a Cub for many years,” Maddon said. “He’s going to impact our season. And I hope to be shaking hands with him post-World Series this year.”

Maddon enjoys talking with Boras and gaining insight into his clients, learning what makes them tick. They’re both baseball gym rats, carving out careers through hustle, creativity and the force of their personalities. Maddon realizes Boras didn’t become the game’s most powerful agent by kissing up to management.

“That’s what an agent’s supposed to do, absolutely,” Maddon said. “Fans are supposed to get angry. Agents are supposed to say things like that. So why that would surprise anybody would be a surprise to me.

“We’re going to go on a five-, six-, or seven-game losing streak this summer. Why would that surprise anybody? That’s what happens.”

If Bryant doesn’t break camp with the Cubs and spends a few weeks with Iowa, he’ll have to wait until after the 2021 season before hitting the jackpot in free agency.

That extra year of club control will ultimately be the deciding factor. But the Cubs would also like to see Bryant recover from his sore right shoulder and prove he can consistently play third base at a high level.

Maddon is anti-rules. The free-thinking manager doesn’t want paranoid players looking over their shoulders and worrying about the media. So Bryant should speak his mind — and he’s said all the right things since the Cubs drafted him No. 2 overall out of the University of San Diego in 2013.

“Put yourself in his position,” Maddon said. “He’s hearing all this stuff. He’s trying to make the major-league team. And then he gets caught up in this political crap that he wants no part of — and I don’t blame him.

“When you put a young player in that position — to answer those kinds of questions — it’s not going to be easy for him. He’s trying to protect his agent. He’s trying to protect the organization. He’s trying to tell you what he thinks. It’s very confusing.”

 Maddon got his start with the California Angels as a minor-league instructor and climbed the ladder in player development. He guided the Tampa Bay Rays through their youth movement, overseeing a perennial contender. The Cubs believe he’s the perfect match for their elite prospects.

“Of course, you want instant gratification,” Maddon said. “You want it all to happen right now. And that’s just part of the generation or the culture — where we’re at in the world. I get it.

“It’s my job to sit them down and just be very honest with them and tell them what I’m seeing and how this is going to work and then you move on.

“I really believe if I’m honest with you, you might not like me for a day or two. But if I lie to you, you’re going to hate me forever. So that’s just the way I play it.”

The sound and fury is simply Boras Being Boras.

“I know it’s entertaining, and I love the entertainment value,” Maddon said. “But at the end of the day, we all do what we’re supposed to do.”

White Sox: Gordon Beckham knew luck had to change.

By Dan Hayes

Not every ball off his bat was a rocket but Gordon Beckham has been confident enough to know his luck was bound to change.

Before he finished Wednesday’s game with a flurry on extra-base activity, the White Sox infielder had gotten off to a 1-for-23 start this spring. But Beckham, who doubled twice and homered to finish 3-for-4, has made contact the entire way. Through 26 at-bats, Beckham has only struck out twice, which helped him avoid negative thoughts - something he’d ideally like to carry over to the regular season.

“I didn’t feel like it was bad,” Beckham said. “I’ve been putting the ball in play. Before today it wasn’t necessarily hard hit all the time. Putting the ball in play and working on some things and not panicking because the results aren’t there. That’s the name of the game. Maybe in years past I would have done that.”

Beckham - who has played all over the infield this spring - and the White Sox have said they believe he benefitted from time spent with the Los Angeles Angels. Those five weeks in a pennant run with the AL West champions gave Beckham the chance to work on his game and get away from the pressures of Chicago. He also experienced winning baseball after nearly two seasons of misery.

Whether or not that experience changes him in the long run, only time will tell. But the White Sox are hopeful.

White Sox manager Robin Ventura said he wasn’t worried because Beckham had looked good defensively and his bat has been better than his results showed.

“It might have been helpful to get traded away and go away for a while and come back with more of a clear conscience of who he is, where he’s at,” Ventura said. “ You get some information from somewhere else that maybe sticks in your skull differently than it did here. So he’s in a good frame of mind and that’s the other big thing. All stuff that has been said about him but he can play baseball. We know that. He’s a good player. I’m just glad he’s coming in with a clear conscience.”

Beckham likes how camp has gone so far.

Even if Micah Johnson wins the starting second base job, Beckham knows he’ll see plenty of playing time this season, albeit throughout the infield. He likes moving around, saying Wednesday “it keeps it fresh.” He also believes he has put in good work and has a better feel at the plate. He’s confident he has done what he can to prepare.

Golf: I got a club for that; Hoffman learns grandmother dies, then takes lead at Bay Hill.

By Doug Ferguson

 

Morgan Hoffmann's day began with news that his 97-year-old grandmother died Thursday morning. It ended with his first lead on the PGA Tour.

Hoffman began his round with a 35-foot birdie putt on No. 10 and finished it with a 9-iron that touched the hole before stopping inches away for birdie. He also holed a bunker shot for eagle on the par-5 sixth, leading to a 6-under 66 and a one-shot lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

It all was a lot to chew on for the 25-year-old Hoffmann, who cooks his own meals to eat on the golf course (bison steak was for lunch Thursday).

"Mentally, I'm in kind of a weird state right now," he said. "My grandma passed away this morning, so I'm just pretty chilled out there and loving life right now. Just wish my family the best at home. My whole family texted me and said, 'Nanny is playing golf with pop up there,' which was pretty cool."

Hoffmann hopes to attend a memorial service for Dorothy Lionetti in Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday night. It should be a short trip considering Hoffmann pilots his own plane that he recently bought from his buddy David Booth, who plays left wing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He was inspired to be a pilot after meeting with the tournament host during the Palmer Cup in 2009.

 

Hoffman, clearly, is not the garden variety PGA Tour player.

 

"I have a lot of stuff you guys didn't ask," he said with a perfect smile.

Not to be forgotten was his golf. He had a one-shot lead over five players, including Ian Poulter and Kevin Na. The group at 68 included Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson and Brandt Snedeker.

Poulter, who made an eagle from just off the 16th green, had his own distraction. His 3-year-old son was taken to the hospital Wednesday night with a low oxygen level and pneumonia. It was a long night, with a bit of a scare, but Joshua was doing better Thursday morning.

"I suppose it was a blessing, last tee time off," said Poulter, who was in the afternoon group of starters.

Rory McIlroy hit 17 greens in regulation in his Bay Hill debut and one-putted only two greens, including a 15-foot birdie on the 18th for a 70. McIlroy two-putted from 18 feet for birdie on No. 6, and his lone bogey came with an approach into the water on the par-5 16th. He twirled the club when he saw the splash, though it stayed in his hands.

In his third American event this year, the world's No. 1 player still hasn't broken 70. But he's getting there.

"Seeing signs of my game that I like," McIlroy said. "Another three days of hopefully solid golf and try and get into contention, and that will put me in a good place going into Augusta."

Hoffmann also is headed to Augusta National for the first time, courtesy of making the Tour Championship last year on the strength of a pair of top 10s in the FedEx Cup playoffs. He just hasn't followed up on his finish at the start of this season, with no top 10s in nine tournaments.

But after missing the cut at Innisbrook, he spent 12 hours at home in south Florida hitting balls and trying to hit cut shots to stop the aggravating two-way miss. The work appears to be paying off. He missed only two fairways and four greens, none by a great length.

Twelve hours on the range can be exhausting, and when asked if he had at least stopped for lunch, Hoffmann shared his culinary preferences.

He cooks the night before and packs six small meals to eat during the day. The only thing missing is the cutlery, even for a bison steak. "Barehanded it," he said. He limits his carbohydrates to brown rice and sweet potatoes, along with some vegetables. On the road, he picks hotels with a small kitchen.

"I just figure it's better than eating candy bars or protein bars," he said. "I have real food out there."

Hoffman, who went to Oklahoma State, first met Palmer at the 2009 Palmer Cup at Cherry Hills. The King shared the importance of a legible autograph (he worked on that) and his affection for flying. Palmer was among the first golfers to fly his own plane and only gave up the controls four years ago.

So it felt only fitting that his first lead after any round on tour would come at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

"It's awesome," he said. "Arnie has inspired me very heavily since 2009 when I played the Palmer Cup at Cherry Hills, and we talked for about an hour about flying. He's inspired me to get my pilot's license and fly myself to tournaments, which I'm now doing. It's pretty cool, and he's been a big inspiration in my life."

Arnold Palmer offers thoughts on Tiger Woods' struggles.

By Ryan Ballengee

Tournament host Arnold Palmer speaks to the media during the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented By MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 18, 2015 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

When The King speaks, golf listens.

Arnold Palmer held court on Wednesday ahead of the annual Arnold Palmer Invitational, his annual PGA Tour stop at Bay Hill in Orlando. The 85-year-old was asked about -- and answered with candor -- a slew of topics, but the conversation naturally turned to Tiger Woods, who is missing Palmer's event for the second consecutive year despite having won it previously eight times.

Woods announced the Friday before the tournament that he wasn't playing and had called Palmer to let him know. Somehow, that quick call turned into a rumor that it was an hour-long meeting of the minds. Palmer put that rumor to rest.

"Whoever told you it was an hour is full of s---," Palmer said, drawing laughter.

The conversation sounded like a rehashing of what Woods has shared publicly and his M.O. since announcing Feb. 11 that he won't play on the PGA Tour again until his game is "tournament ready."

"He just, first of all, he said, 'Arnold, you know, I can't think of anything that I'd rather do than be there to play,' and then he explained that he didn't feel like his game was ready," Palmer said, describing their conversation. "He really wanted to work on it and get it ready to play, and I don't blame him. I think if I were in his position I would probably have said somewhat similar things.

Palmer added, "I told him how much we would miss him and how sorry we were that he wasn't coming because his record at this golf course is the best record in golf on any single situation such as his."
 

Of course, Palmer was asked what advice he'd offer to the 14-time major winner. Similar to the more recent theories about Woods' woes, Palmer believes Woods' return to form is predicated on regaining a mental edge that some would argue has been gone for years.
 

"There's only one thing I can say, and that's practice. And confidence," Palmer said. "Regain the confidence he had when he was starting out, and that was what made him what he is and that's the way he'll get it back. Just regain the confidence and the ability to hit the golf ball."
 

NASCAR: Talladega to add SAFER barriers ahead of May races.

Staff Report NASCAR.com

 

Alabama superspeedway the latest to make safety enhancements

Talladega Superspeedway announced plans on Thursday to add SAFER (Steel And Foam Energy Reduction) barriers to its existing barrier system ahead of the NASCAR weekend on May 1-3.

The track will add SAFER barriers in three locations -- along the inside wall at entrances to pit road, Turn 1 and Turn 3.

"We are committed to making Talladega Superspeedway a safe environment for drivers as well as for our fans," Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch said. "Safety is our top priority and will continue to collaborate with ISC, NASCAR and ARCA on any future safety enhancements."

The 2.66-mile track will host the NASCAR XFINITY Series Winn Dixie 300 on Saturday, May 2 (3 p.m. ET, FOX) and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 on Sunday, May 3 (1 p.m. ET, FOX).

Since Kyle Busch's accident in the XFINITY Series opener at Daytona International Speedway, in which the Joe Gibbs Racing driver hit a wall that did not have a SAFER barrier, tracks have been analyzing their protective barriers and making immediate enhancements where possible. Busch suffered a compact fracture to his right lower leg and a mid-foot fracture of his left foot from the accident and is out indefinitely.

Drivers have also been more vocal about the need for more SAFER barriers. Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman met with NASCAR officials recently, and safety was among the topics of discussion.

FIFA confirm 2022 World Cup final will take place on December 18.

By Joe Prince-Wright

After meeting in Zurich on Thursday, FIFA’s Executive Committee has agreed that the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar will take place on Dec. 18 and have therefore rubber-stamped the first-ever winter World Cup will take place seven years from now.

The decision comes just weeks after current FIFA president Sepp Blatter confirmed to journalists that he wanted the World Cup final to take place at least a week before Christmas Day.

Initially it had been proposed that the final for the 2022 tournament in Qatar would take place on Dec. 23 but domestic league’s, who are already at odds with FIFA over staging a winter World Cup in Qatar in the first place, stepped in to oppose the plans of having the World Cup coincide with the festive period.

The tournament will now likely run from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18 and be 28 days long instead of the usual 32 but that is yet to be confirmed. Dec. 18, the day of the final, is a national holiday in Qatar.

FIFA confirmed the initial reports of a Dec. 18 final after a three-and-a-half hour meeting in Zurich, as the finer details of hosting a winter World Cup in the Middle East continue to be ironed out by the ExCo.

The 2022 World Cup heading to Qatar is still fiercely opposed by many as labor laws involving migrant workers are under scrutiny, plus the extreme heat and other infrastructure issues in the tiny nation with only one major city, Doha.

Between now and the tournament beginning there will be plenty of other tough decisions to be made, but things are starting to take shape.

2019 FIFA Women's World Cup awarded to France.

Joe Prince-Wright

(Photo/Getty Images)

The 2019 Women’s World Cup will be held in France for the first-time ever.

On Thursday the decision was unveiled in Zurich by FIFA president Sepp Blatter, as France will host the seventh edition of the tournament after beating out South Korea for the honor.

It will be the third time the showpiece tournament will take place in Europe after Sweden in 1995 and Germany in 2011.

France’s national team are emerging as European powerhouses as they lost to USWNT in the final of the recent Algarve Cup but beat the U.S. in a recent friendly in Lorient in February. Les Bleues are currently ranked third in the world and reached the semifinals of the 2011 World Cup after being knocked out by the U.S. and then finishing fourth.

With a thriving club scene as Ligue 1 clubs Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain continue to attract plenty of the world’s top female players, hosting the showpiece tournament for the first time in France and taking it back to Europe makes perfect sense. It also makes France the happening place for soccer in the next few years as the 2016 European Championships also take place in France.

As for the here and the now, France will compete along with 23 other nations at the 2015 World Cup in Canada this summer. For all the latest news on that, look no further.

Jim Boeheim calls the penalties against Syracuse 'unduly harsh'.

By Jeff Eisenberg

The best day on the college basketball calendar began with the equivalent of a trip to the dentist's office.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim hijacked the first day of the NCAA tournament with a 45-minute filibuster of a news conference Thursday morning in which he addressed for the first time the sanctions levied against him and his program.

 

Boeheim called the penalties handed down by the NCAA two weeks ago "unduly harsh" and reiterated that he intends to appeal them. He also bemoaned that his side of the story was "disregarded by enforcement staff," insisting that he had no personal involvement in any of the violations and attacking the NCAA's assertion that he did not promote an atmosphere of compliance within his program.

"This could not be further from the truth," Boeheim said.

The NCAA suspended Boeheim for the first nine games of the ACC season next year, vacated more than 100 of his victories and took away 12 scholarships from the Syracuse men's basketball program over the next four years. The penalties followed a multiyear investigation that uncovered everything from academic misconduct, to impermissible benefits from boosters, to drug testing policy violations.

Syracuse announced Wednesday that its athletic director Daryl Gross had stepped down and that Boeheim intends to retire in three years. In doing so, the school essentially allowed the man overseeing the basketball program to leave on his own terms but made his boss the fall guy.

Boeheim addressed his impending retirement Thursday, calling three years "a long time" and saying that he could only guarantee he'd coach next season. The 70-year-old coach said he might have retired after Syracuse reached the 2013 Final Four were it not for the ongoing investigation into his program.

"There's no way that I would ever run away from an investigation in progress," he said. "Other than my family, this is the focus of my life."

Syracuse assistant coach Mike Hopkins has previously been acknowledged as Boeheim's successor at Syracuse, but that plan appears to be in doubt at this point. Hopkins has interviewed for a handful of other jobs the past few years and Syracuse chancellor Kent Syverud told the Post-Standard that he was not ready to address whether Hopkins would be the next coach.

While Boeheim said, "I fervently hope that he will be the coach here," he also acknowledged that it will not be his decision.

If Syracuse chooses to hire from the outside when Boeheim leaves, the timing is not ideal. Prominent coaches who already would be wary of following a legend at Syracuse might be more reluctant to do so while scholarship restrictions were still in place.

Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick sees NCAA split coming.

By Zach Barnett

Who would’ve thought the guy from the football independent would be at the forefront of the Great College Football Reclassification (name pending)?

Speaking to CBSSports.com’s Dennis Dodd Wednesday, Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick envisioned a future where there are the Football Bowl Subdivision is further splintered into two sub-subdivisions. “There’s going to be Congressional intervention (in college athletics) or there’s going to be more than one intercollegiate athletic association ….” Swarbrick said. “You don’t like these set of rules? Go play in that association.”

Rather than the fancied have/have-not divide many envision, Swarbrick sees a split coming between public schools and privates.

“Forget the economics, the cultural divide in college athletics is getting too big. Any business association requires commonality of interests to hold together,” he said. “The Oregon and Stanford economic models are similar. Their approach to sports couldn’t be more different.”

The Great Divide is a lot like the Four 16-Team Super-Conferences idea that the guy in the next booth over warned you is coming in the next “five-to-10 years, guaranteed.” In reality, we got a dystopian future that is a watered-down version of the four 16-team super-leagues, and the future of the NCAA will likely be the same as well. The NCAA will never go away because it’s too useful to the schools, either as a shield or a whipping boy – or sometimes both.

With autonomy coming, we’ll get a future where the Alabamas and Ohio States are kinda sorta in the NCAA, but kinda sorta on their own. And you can bet Notre Dame will be with the big boys.

NCAA drops immediate eligibility hardship waiver for transfers.

By Nick Bromberg

(Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)

NCAA athletes who transfer will no longer be able to apply for a hardship waiver to become immediately eligible at a new school starting in 2015-2016.
 

The NCAA approved the change in April 2014 allowing transfers a possible sixth-year of eligibility. The extra year replaces the ability for a recruit to play immediately at his or her new school if granted a waiver. The sanctioning body sent out a statement earlier in the week addressing questions about the new rule, which goes into effect next school year.  

From July 2012-June 2013, the NCAA approved 127 of 236 hardship waiver applications. The amendment applies to athletes not eligible to use a transfer exception and players transferring from one FBS school to another are not eligible to receive a transfer exception.  

Under the new scenario, a player who redshirted as a freshman and transferred after his redshirt sophomore season could be eligible to play two years at his new school after sitting out a season.
 

According to the NCAA's new guidelines, a school does not have to immediately file an eligibility extension request upon receiving notice of an incoming transfer.
 

The most prominent hardship waiver case before the 2014 season was Michigan's request to have USC running back Ty Isaac immediately eligible after his transfer. The NCAA denied the waiver request for Isaac, and he'll be eligible to play in 2015.

Vonn wins World Cup downhill title ahead of Fenninger.

By JEROME PUGMIRE

Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, holds the alpine ski, women's World Cup downhill's discipline trophy, at the World Cup finals as she celebrates in the finish area in Meribel, France, Wednesday, March 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Lindsey Vonn won the World Cup downhill title for the seventh time after winning the last race in the discipline on Wednesday at the season-ending finals.

Her seven downhill titles and her 18th crystal globe are both records for women.

"It's incredible after being out with two knee operations. It is just amazing to be sitting where I am today," the American said. "I'm so proud and happy, and I really have to thank the people that supported me and got me back to where I am now."

Vonn finished 0.24 seconds ahead of Elisabeth Goergl and 0.30 ahead of Nicole Hosp.

Austrian racer Anna Fenninger finished second in the downhill standings. She trailed Vonn by 35 points heading into the race, and failed to make an impact on the Roc de Fer course, finishing nearly one second behind Vonn in eighth place.

Vonn, who raced immediately after her, increased her speed on the bottom section to clinch a 66th career race win. She is the all-time leader in wins.

Some fans near the finish held up banners saying "Congrats Lindsey" as she raised her poles.

Vonn finished the downhill season with 502 points, putting her 103 ahead of Fenninger. Tina Maze of Slovenia was third with 356.

In the race for the women's overall World Cup title, Fenninger holds a 12-point lead over Maze.

Maze gained some ground on Fenninger by finishing fourth on Wednesday.

Vonn, a four-time overall World Cup champion, is out of contention for the overall title this season.

Vonn blew out her right knee in a super-G at the 2013 world championships in Schladming, Austria. She hurt her knee again in her comeback, keeping her out of last year's Sochi Olympics.

She went nearly two years without a victory before winning a downhill in Lake Louise, Canada, in December. The following month, she overtook Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Proell's 35-year-old record of 62 World Cup victories.

"I'm incredibly thankful to be holding another downhill title," Vonn said. "It's been a long two years coming back from my injuries."

Vonn will battle with Fenninger again on Thursday when the super-G title will be decided. Vonn is eight points ahead of Fenninger.

"Tomorrow is a chance for another globe. It's going to be tough because Anna's skiing really well, and it's going to be soft conditions like it was today," Vonn said. "But something about this track suits me. I'll give my all, as I always do."

Fenninger has been in great form, winning gold medals in giant slalom and super-G at the world championships last month, and placing second in downhill behind Maze, who finished second to Fenninger in super-G at the worlds.

Also, Kjetil Jansrud clinched the men's downhill title by winning the last race, too. The Norwegian finished 94 points ahead of Hannes Reichelt of Austria.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, March 20, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1897 - The first intercollegiate basketball game that used five players per team was held. The contest was Yale versus Pennsylvania. Yale won by a score of 32-10.

1911 - The National Squash Tennis Association was formed in New York City.

1914 - The first international figure skating championship was held in New Haven, CT.

1918 - The Toronto Arenas beat the Vancouver Millionaires to become the first NHL team to compete in the Stanley Cup Finals.

1948 - The University of Michigan beat Dartmouth to win the first NCAA men's hockey championship.

1968 - Wilt Chamberlain became the first center in NBA history to lead the league with assists. He ended the season with 702 for an average of 8.6.

1971 - For the first time in NHL history two brothers faced each other in goal. Ken Dryden (Montreal Canadiens) beat Dave Dryden (Buffalo Sabres) 5-2.

1981 - NFL owners adopted a disaster plan for re-stocking a team should a club be involved in a fatal accident.

1989 - It was announced that Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose was under investigation.

1990 - The Los Angeles Lakers retired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's #33.

1992 - Kenny Bernstein became the first drag racer to break the 300mph barrier. He averaged 301.7mph in a qualifying run at the National Hot Rod Association's Gatornationals.

2004 - Wade Belak (Toronto Maple Leafs) slashed Ossi Vaananen (Colorado Avalanche) in the face. Belak was later suspended by the NHL for 8 games for attempt to injure.

2005 - LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) became the youngest, at age 20 years and 80 days, NBA player to score 50 points in a game (56). The Cavaliers lost the game to the Toronto Raptors 105-98. The 56-point performance by James was a franchise record.

2005 - Major league baseball players and owners agreed to remove fines a possible discipline for positive testing of steroids. This left suspensions as the only punishment.

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