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Trending: Chicago Baseball Previews; Cubs & White Sox

 

 

(See Baseball Section Below)

 

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

By JORDAN GARRETSON (STATS Writer)

Facing a third consecutive defeat, the Chicago Blackhawks mounted a third-period comeback to gain some momentum ahead of a Western Conference finals rematch.

Monday night's contest in Chicago could preview yet another postseason meeting between the Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings, though the defending champions can't afford many more letdowns if they hope to crack the playoff picture.

Chicago (45-24-6) trailed by one in the final period at Winnipeg on Sunday, but Patrick Sharp got his fourth goal in eight games at the 6:27 mark before Jonathan Toews added another with 30.8 seconds remaining to beat the Jets 4-3.

"Guys hung (in there)," coach Joel Quenneville told the team's website. "The attitude going out there for the third period was, 'Hey, a lot of good things are here. Let's go 20 (minutes) and see what happens.'

"At the end of the day, when you look back at some of the big wins we've had, this is probably No. 1."

Although not quite in a desperate situation, the victory could prove a turning point heading into the playoffs for the Blackhawks, who were largely noncompetitive in back-to-back losses to Philadelphia and Columbus - both already eliminated from contention.

Including a shutout loss at Dallas on March 21, Chicago had dropped three of four, beating only lifeless Carolina in that span.

"I don't think anybody panicked or anyone lost their cool or anything," Toews said. "We've all been in situations like that before, whether it's the playoffs or the regular season. We were talking this morning that we can rely on some of our experience there, and I think we did that here."

The Kings (37-24-14) will be visiting United Center for the first time since Alec Martinez scored the overtime winner in Game 7 of last season's conference finals.

The two heavyweights have met twice earlier this season - both times in Los Angeles - with the Kings falling 4-1 on Nov. 29 before mounting a third-period comeback of their own in a 4-3 win Jan. 28.

After stringing together three victories to move back into playoff position, the Kings fell to Minnesota 4-1 on Saturday.

"Obviously we want to have a better start, but we're going to move on," backup goaltender Martin Jones said. "We've got a game against Chicago, so we have to move forward and make sure we're getting better.

"They're a fast group and they have some pretty skilled forwards up front."

Los Angeles, which has six games remaining following this contest, has 88 points and trails Calgary by one for third place in the Pacific Division and Winnipeg by two for the final wild-card position. The Kings have one game in hand on both.

Jones replaced Jonathan Quick after the first period Saturday, but Quick should be in net Monday. He has a 2.86 goals-against average against Chicago, including playoffs.

Corey Crawford has a slightly better 2.75 GAA versus the Kings, although following his solid 31-save performance against Winnipeg, he may cede the net to backup Scott Darling.

Darling, however, has never faces Los Angeles and hasn't started since March 18.

Toews' late goal gives Blackhawks big win over Winnipeg 4-3.

By Jeff Hamilton

It was a case of right place, right time for the Blackhawks Sunday night.

They had lost two straight and three of their last four games heading into Winnipeg and were in desperate need of something to boost their mojo.

Surely, a game against a Jets team playing even more desperate, in search of making the postseason for the first time in four seasons, would provide the Blackhawks an opportunity to raise their level of play. It also helped that the Blackhawks had yet to lose at the MTS Centre since the Jets returned to the NHL for the start of the 2011-12 — a streak of three games.

That streak would improve to four as the Blackhawks edged the Jets 4-3, capped off by a goal from Winnipeg native Jonathan Toews in the final moments.

Toews, who also found himself in the right place at the right time, tipped home his 25th of the year on a shot from Niklas Hjalmarsson with just 30.8 seconds left in the game, ultimately putting an end to a match where it seemed like the Blackhawks couldn’t buy a goal.

“We’re going to have to win games in dramatic fashion sometimes, especially this time of year,” said Toews. “It’s not (always) going to be pretty.”

And pretty it wasn’t.

The Blackhawks had countless opportunities to score, most notably a shorthanded 2-on-0 that wasn’t only unsuccessful but would come back the other way only to end up in the back of their net. Needless to say, the team was relieved to get the two points in the fashion they did.

“It was nice to get a good bounce that went in,” said forward Patrick Sharp, who evened the game at 3-3 with his 14th of the season, scoring on a breakaway 6:27 into the third period. “Hopefully it’s a good sign of things to come.”

Chicago wouldn’t register their first shot until the midway mark of the first period but would take a 1-0 lead in to the second thanks to a power play goal from Andrew Shaw and stellar goaltending from Corey Crawford who finished with 31 saves to earn his 31th win of the year.

Shaw, who said before the game that the power play needed to be better, walked the walk, finishing off a nice play on the man advantage for his 14th of the season that began with Duncan Keith diving to keep the puck in play.

But that’s as pretty as things would get. Sloppy and undisciplined play would lead to the Blackhawks falling behind twice, only to scrape their way back with goals from Brad Richards and then Sharp.

Dustin Byfuglien, a former Blackhawk, scored twice for the Jets, with both of his goals coming on the power play. Blake Wheeler also scored for Winnipeg, beating a flat-footed Chicago power play to score his fourth shorthanded goal of the season.

“That shorthanded goal certainly takes a lot out of your team but the guys hung in there,” said coach Joel Quenneville after the game. “At the end of the day you look back at some of the big wins we’ve had, this will probably be No. 1.”

The win not only snapped a two-game slide for the Blackhawks but also leapfrogged the Minnesota Wild back into third place in the Central Division with 96 points. They're now ahead of the Wild by a single point with one game in hand and just three points shy of St. Louis, who is in second place with 99 points.

Ugly first period dooms Blackhawks in loss to Blue Jackets 5-2. (Friday night's game, 03/27/2015).

By Tracey Myers

It started off so well, with Brandon Saad’s shot lifting and tucking into the top left corner of the Columbus net and giving the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead.

But it wasn’t long after that the Blackhawks started making mistakes again. They made bad passes again. They allowed great scoring opportunities again. And they lost again.

Saad scored his 22^nd of the season and Jonathan Toews netted his 24^th, but the Blackhawks couldn’t overcome an otherwise shoddy first period as the Blue Jackets beat them 5-2 on Friday night.

The Blackhawks have lost two in a row and three of their last four. They remain third in the Central Division with 94 points, but now they’re looking over their shoulder again. The Minnesota Wild beat the Calgary Flames on Friday night and has pulled to within one point (93) of the Blackhawks.

Cam Atkinson recorded a hat trick for Columbus, which has now won a franchise-record seven consecutive road games.

The team that was finding ways to win when Patrick Kane first went down with a fractured clavicle is now looking like a shaky bunch struggling to find its confidence. Through most of the first period the Blackhawks were once again making mistakes that proved costly.

“We had more chances in that first period than we’ve had in a long time but the quality against were all self generated,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We gave them the first three goals and the fourth was the icing on the cake. Tough to come back from that one.”

Saad’s goal gave the Blackhawks the early edge just 3:26 into the game but it soon got ugly. A pass that bounced over Duncan Keith’s stick led to a Ryan Johansen breakaway goal. Twice, Keith attempted to clear the puck. Twice the Blue Jackets scored on those failed attempts; Atkinson scored his first of the night to make it 2-2 and Kevin Connauton scored on the next one for a 3-2 Columbus lead.

“We’d have some good shifts then all of a sudden they’d get a chance and capitalize on it. It killed the momentum we had. Obviously it’s not the start we wanted,” said Keith, who didn’t think the Blackhawks were losing confidence. “Obviously when you lose, right away you’re frustrated and things like that. But we know we have to play better, be more consistent and that’s all there is to it.”

Things wouldn’t get better in that first, though. Columbus went up 4-2 when Atkinson broke free for a short-handed breakaway goal at 15:46. That was it for Corey Crawford, who allowed four goals on 13 shots. Scott Darling played the rest of the game, stopping nine shots. Quenneville said he wasn’t hanging the loss on Crawford.

“Maybe the third [goal] you might say, ‘OK.’ But I wasn’t blaming Crow at all,” he said. “The quality was on what we gave them. I didn’t pull him because of what he let in. We wanted to change things up.”

The change, however, didn’t really change all that much. The Blackhawks’ offense disappeared again, and five power plays yielded nothing.

“It seems like we have really good stretches and then stretches where all of a sudden we don’t play our way. And it seems like when we do [the latter], the puck ends up in our net,” Marian Hossa said. “We do a lot of good things, then we do uncharacteristic things and it ends up in our net.”

The Blackhawks are making the same mistakes and yielding the same results lately: too many goals against, not nearly enough for them. They face a tough task on Sunday and Monday, when they face Winnipeg and Los Angeles in back-to-back games. Granted, the Blackhawks usually play better against better teams.

They’ll definitely have to be a lot better than they were on Friday night.

“We’re not going to overreact and get down on ourselves,” Toews said. “We’ll try and pick the good moments out of our game and build off that, try to find a way to get some energy and get ready for Sunday.”

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls' improving health poses good problem for Thibodeau.

By Steve Aschburner

Forced to look toward the bench due to a slew of injuries, Tom Thibodeau has a nearly healthy team heading to the playoffs.

Just when they thought around United Center to shed the bubble wrap, the Chicago Bulls find themselves facing yet another problem.

Some might consider it strictly first-world, while others would laugh and be happy to characterize it as an out-of-this-world problem.

Nonetheless, the Bulls appear to be entering a stage of their season in which they soon might be too healthy.

Too healthy?

Being, ahem, too healthy just three weeks before the NBA playoffs start wouldn't seem to be much of a problem at all. In fact, the whole notion would slide nicely into the cheeky old saying about how "you can never be too rich or too thin." Might as well bellyache about being "too happy" as to seek out a sympathetic shoulder to cry on, particularly among the other 29 teams, about your overabundance of unhurt players. Boo Hoo.

Things have been looking awfully at the Bulls' aptly dubbed Advocate (Health Care) Center. Trainer Jeff Tanaka isn't ready to hang a neon "Vacancy" sign outside of his wellness workshop. But coach Tom Thibodeau's creed of "next man up!" might have to get tweaked to allow for a "would somebody please sit down?" corollary.

Comings definitely are outstripping goings lately:

-- Forward Taj Gibson returned a week ago from his second left ankle sprain and third overall this season. Playing mostly limited minutes, the backup big man has shown lively legs and a contagious joy in his game now that his recent 10-game layoff is over.

-- Forward Jimmy Butler, an All-Star reserve, was back in the lineup Monday against Charlotte after missing three weeks with a sprained left elbow. The guy who leads the NBA in playing time (38.9 mpg) and played a total of 1,100 minutes in March the past seasons has logged just 78 this month.

-- Point guard Derrick Rose, Chicago's most important player, might be only a week or two away from playing basketball in April for the first time since 2012. Rose, rehabbing since having his meniscus trimmed from his right knee on Feb. 27, has been doing all basketball activity short of full-contact, 5-on-5 practices. With Chicago facing only two games in a week's time -- Saturday vs. New York, Wednesday at Milwaukee -- the schedule is cooperating to have Rose back on the court, hitting the original "four to six weeks" prognosis.

All of which has several Bulls players psyched about the possibilities. Bless their hearts, too, considering the minefield of sprains, tears and assorted maladies that have stymied them in recent postseasons.

For instance, center Joakim Noah, who needed knee surgery after last spring's workload, gushed from the heart if not the head recently that his crew is "the toughest team to beat in a seven-game series." Noah added: "Guys are coming back from injuries and we feel like we have the deepest team in the league so it's a good feeling. We got a lot of weapons. We just got to keep getting better as a unit, keep polishing our games individually and it's exciting."

After the victory at Toronto Wednesday, Butler said: "I'm a lot fresher. I just came back after three weeks off. My legs are felling nice. I just have to take care of my body. Accidents and injuries happen. But as long as you take care of your body, you can prevent them to the best of your ability."

That hasn't been the Bulls' recent history, though, and that's the reason they are entering uncharted territory now. Having a full and deep squad is a mysterious thing to a lot of people who have invested emotionally in this Chicago group's championship ambitions. It's made some a little nervous. You'd have to go back to Thibodeau's first season on the job, and Rose's MVP year, to find a Bulls playoff roster as healthy, or at least available, as this one.

And that one started Keith Bogans 82 times next to Rose, and 16 more in the postseason.

What has people fretting now is the downside of good health. There are, after all, only 240 minutes available. Even if Thibdoeau were to hold the preferred starting lineup to a few less minutes than what each man has averaged -- Rose, Butler, Noah, Pau Gasol and Mike Dunleavy have combined to average 164.4 -- that would leave about 80 to be divvied up among Gibson, Aaron Brooks, Tony Snell and Nikola Mirotic.

Mirotic, the first-year import from Montenegro, is the current bench sensation but Brooks and Snell stepped in admirably for Rose and Butler. Since Rose went out, Brooks has averaged 31.1 minutes. Snell was coping with a Butler-like 35.5 as an understudy thrust into duty. And Mirotic logged 32.1 minutes a night while Gibson was out.

This isn't simply a math problem, by the way. It's about the way all these players fit; what do you do when you realize your jigsaw puzzle has an extra half-dozen pieces to accommodate? It's about the impact some shifting roles might have on the Bulls' flow on the floor. You can't just fiddle with the ingredients of a formula without risking a dud -- or an explosion.

A lot of what the NBA postseason is about is who's playing the best, and is the healthiest, at the right time. Everyone's timeline has been shortened, too, in what has become an "instant" league in all directions (lottery to contender, contender to lottery). So having Thibodeau clicking through the tumblers this deep into the season in search of the right combinations might be more speed bump than road block. Given the right first-round matchup (say, Milwaukee), the Bulls might have the equivalent of an extra 10 days or so to get right for the tougher tests to come.

"Some guys need rest," Thibodeau said the other night. "A lot of guys, when you miss the amount of time that we've missed, it's a chance to get your house in order, tighten up some screws."

Gasol, speaking specifically about Rose's return as the offensive quarterback for at least the final week or so of the regular schedule, said: "I think if he could get those four or five [games] that would be great. ...If he [can't] get those four or five, then it would be a little tougher to be on the spot at playoff time. So that would be a little harder on him and on us as well."

Said Rose: "I'm a pro. I'm good enough to fit my way in."

Still, it means that Gasol -- who could use the rest at age 34 and 34.6 mpg -- and Noah might find themselves playing longer in games that matter little, just to flake rust off their rhythm with their point guard.

But what's the alternative? So the Bulls never stray too far from wood, keeping it handy to knock on when the 7-foot Spaniard's terrific health this season gets mentioned.

Again, there are worse problems. If Bulls fans truly were honest, had you given them a choice of using every player in every game all season long vs. stashing Rose and other key rotation guys on a shelf until just before the playoffs, a majority probably would have favored the latter.

Now it's time for the glass menagerie to do some serious lifting, bubble wrap or bust.

Bulls take care of business, beat hapless Knicks 111-80. (Saturday night's game, 03/28/2015).

By Vincent Goodwill

Bulls forwards Pau Gasol (left), and Nikola Mirotic defend against New York Knicks center Andrea Bargnani (77), during the first half. (Photo/Nuccio DiNuzzo, Chicago Tribune)

The look of helplessness and resignation was all over the faces of Derek Fisher and the Knicks’ staff shortly after their backup center, Cole Aldrich, attempted to execute a bounce pass to a cutting Andrea Bargnani in the first half that made its way to the baseline photographers.

Never mind the Bulls pulled off a perfect play where every Bull touched the ball off a similarly-run basket cut, resulting in a triple from the player folks thought Bargnani would turn out to be in Nikola Mirotic.

Even if Fisher put together the best game plan, he certainly didn’t have the talent to compete with this Bulls team—or quite frankly, most NBA teams to date, as none of his regulars would likely earn time on this Bulls team.

What mattered was the Bulls didn’t mess around with an undermanned opponent that didn’t have any business on the floor with them, as the Bulls quickly handed the Knicks their record 60th loss of the season with a 111-80 win at the United Center Saturday night.

In case you’re counting, that’s six wins in seven games, all of them by the double-figure variety and with the lack of practice time the Bulls have experienced, this game served as a tool-sharpening exercise.

“Everyone is capable of beating you,” said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said, without the aid of a lie detector test. “I liked the way we approached it this morning (shoot-a-round). There are a lot of things we could do better and we have to keep working towards that, but overall we did a lot of good things in this game.”

Having lost to Orlando, the L.A. Lakers and Utah before the Jazz turned their season around, among others, a guaranteed win was anything but a foregone conclusion but Pau Gasol (19 points, 12 rebounds, four assists) and Jimmy Butler took the game serious early, as the Bulls methodically increased their lead with each passing minute, and Mirotic kept padding his impressive March stat-line with a team-high 24 points in 25 minutes.

The ball moved crisply on the way to a 36-point lead in fourth quarter, holding the Knicks to just 34 points at halftime while shooting 49 percent and forcing 12 turnovers before putting the poor Knicks out of their misery later.

In a Thibs-like fashion, Butler tried his best to keep perspective on the win, saying “we’re getting there. But we can tighten up our passes, our offense and rebounding. Things we know how to correct.”

Hard to find much fault in their low-turnover evening (12), as they’ve been taking care of the ball and sharing it far more efficiently now than they did two weeks ago.

The Bulls dished out 27 assists, as no player needed more than 27 minutes of run, giving way to the United Center crowd entertaining themselves late in the third quarter by starting “The Wave”, and the remaining fans were treated to a Cameron Bairstow appearance in the last three minutes.

“Guys are starting to get real comfortable on both ends of the court which makes it easier because we have so many guys who can switch on defense,” Butler said.

The festivities were built on the back of a focused defense, centered around the activity of a player who had two times more points than shot attempts in Butler.

How does one accrue an 18-point night on just nine shots, reminiscent of his 23-point performance on eight attempts? It’s jumping out in the passing lanes for four steals to create fast break opportunities and subsequently, getting to the free throw line eight times.

“He’s our leading scorer, he does it efficiently,” Thibodeau said. “He doesn’t take a lot of shots, he gets to the line. He understands what’s going on, how plays are being defended and can play off people very well.”

While a one-game sample size may not say much, the fact Butler isn’t relying on the set offense to get chances to score at least bodes well for the all-important stat of shot distribution if and when this team gets back to full strength.

Six Bulls scored in double figures, as the final eight games starts the true home stretch of the regular season, where handling business means taking no prisoners.

 Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Top 5 needs for the Chicago Bears.

By Lance Zierlein

There was an article published on NFL.com on 03/26/2015, written by Lance Zierlein and updated 03/28/2015, listing the top 5 needs for the 32 teams in the NFL. We have taken his comments on the Bears' needs and posted them below for your perusal.

Chicago Bears

Top 5 needs: OLB, NT, OL, S, WR

No. of selections: 6

Draft picks: Round 1 (7), Round 2 (39), Round 3 (71), Round 4 (106), Round 5 (142), Round 6 (183)

Analysis: With a new head coach and general manager comes a new set of philosophies. John Fox hired Vic Fangio to run his defense, but Chicago is nowhere near configured to run Fangio's 3-4. Finding a good nose tackle, as well as outside linebackers to rush the passer, is critical. Chicago needs safety help and a wide receiver to replace Brandon Marshall. Center Roberto Garza is 36, so that is worth noting.

NFL Draft Watch: These eight teams could help shape the top of Round.

By Eric Edholm

Anyone who has ever attempted to put together a mock draft knows that there are a handful of teams whose picks represent flashpoint moments in the draft.

Think back to last year. The Jacksonville Jaguars taking Blake Bortles third overall was the first bolt out of the blue, and it helped set the table for the rest of the first round.

Then there are the trades. The Cleveland Browns shifted up, down and around the first round (and elsewhere) and easily became one of the pivotal, first-round shaping teams last season. (Which is different from being effective drafters, but that's another point.)

There are a handful of teams who can change the tide of Round 1 on April 30 — either by making surprising picks or by making moves up or down that could shift the landscape significantly. We might not know what the effect of these plate tectonics might be, but we certainly can see where the fault lines might lie.

Here's a look at the teams that significantly could alter how the top of the draft is shaped:

Tennessee Titans (No. 2 overall pick) — Ken Whisenhunt's professed love for Marcus Mariota felt a little in-genuine to us, but we also can buy into the idea that Zach Mettenberger might not represent their vision of a franchise quarterback either. Those things are mutually exclusive. The second pick is for sale, but how high is their price? The Titans' biggest need — outside of quarterback, that is — is talent. Jim Schwartz used this line when he took over the 0-16 Detroit Lions, and we're going to steal it and stamp it here, too. The Titans are starting to forge the broad strokes of a decent front seven on defense, they have a few OK receivers and some offensive linemen worth working around. Other than that, it's an ugly roster. Depending on what they do, whether it's trade down, take Mariota or fall back on Leonard Williams, could help shape other teams' pursuit of quarterbacks in this draft.

Washington Redskins (No. 5 overall pick) — We like that the Redskins have been active in free agency, but not active in a "Daniel Snyder is crazy" kind of way. New GM Scot McCloughan is one of the keenest talent evaluators in the game, and he knows the value of picks. That's why we believe any team seeking to move up for Mariota (or whomever else) could really start in earnest at No. 5 overall. That's where the Redskins' pick should be for sale. Really, their needs don't quite sync up perfectly with the talent available, so a move down makes a ton of sense. If they stay put, is it an edge rusher? If so, which one? We assume they'll lean toward either Dante Fowler Jr. or Vic Beasley, whichever one the Jacksonville Jaguars do not take third. But the Redskins are a wildcard factor in the big picture for sure. Why else? Well, we also can't rule out them taking a quarterback. Ah, the Redskins — always fascinating.

New York Jets (No. 6 overall pick) — They, too, will consider Mariota. The Jets are sending six key decision makers Saturday up to Oregon to meet with the quarterback and try to decide if he's worth their investment. Otherwise, they could be the trade-up destination for another team should he still be on the board at 6. And like the Redskins, the Jets have their eyes on the edge-rush candidates; that's the one clear thing (other than maybe a rangy safety) that their defense lacks at this point. Plus, it's a first-year general manager in Mike Maccagnan, so we don't have a great feel for what direction he might go. We've had various people connect them to Todd Gurley, too, which is fascinating. Is 6 too early for him?

St. Louis Rams (No. 10 overall pick) — The Rams have drafted 28 players the past three seasons (including 13 of those picks in the first three rounds) and could stand to move up if they wanted. That said, they have a mere five selections in the draft, sending fourth- and sixth-round choices to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for safety Mark Barron. Sure, the Rams might be content at 10 and could have a choice offensive lineman — it's a need — fall into their laps, or they could even get lucky and be able to pick a top receiver, such as Amari Cooper or Kevin White, whichever one the Oakland Raiders pass on at 4. But Jeff Fisher's continual hinting that the Rams' QB picture is far from complete is intriguing, and it opens up the possibilities of what this team could do.

Cleveland Browns (Nos. 12 and 19 overall picks) — Ah, yes, the Browns once again find themselves in the draft vortex as big players yet riding that line of insanity. There's a good bet that when it's all said and done, GM Ray Farmer might not end up making picks at 12 and 19. No team has more draft cache right now than the Browns, with their 10 overall picks, including additional fourth- and sixth-round picks to play with. What confuses the matter and might not be clear until next week is whether Farmer and Co. are docked a selection for the texting-from-the-booth incident (how Browns is that, by the way?) and if it's a mid-rounder that could change their plans. Are the Browns interested in Mariota? Would they move up? Down? Could they go completely off radar altogether? They certainly are a get-your-popcorn-ready team if there ever was one on April 30.

New Orleans Saints (Nos. 13 and 31 overall picks) — The Saints own five of the top 78 picks, plus an additional fifth-rounder, amid a napalm job to half their roster — with the other half perhaps ready to be nuked as well. We've been told by league sources that the Saints "still have a big move or two" left in them, so we only can assume that they'll be big players when it comes to Round 1. The Jimmy Graham trade netted them No. 31 and the Kenny Stills deal (which we're still trying to figure out) got them another third-rounder. Everything's on the table, but we've heard they are going all in on revamping this defense and also looking to add a big receiver. The depth of the draft at those respective positions allows them to sit tight and take several good football players. But something tells us that fireworks might be afoot. They're not done blowing stuff up.

Philadelphia Eagles (No. 20 overall) — There are a handful of other teams between 13 and 20, such as the Miami Dolphins or San Diego Chargers, that are capable of shaking things up. But there will be a virtual drumroll and a tangible buzz when the Eagles find themselves on the clock. And, of course, we have no freaking clue when that actually will be. Chip Kelly is making the call on these picks now, and for all we know he could trade every pick he has; we wouldn't put it past him. Needs? They still have plenty — secondary, offensive line pass rusher, maybe receiver — the Mariota talk won't go away. It would be a profound disappointment if they stood pat at 20 and took, say, Florida State C-OG Cameron Erving. Nothing against Erving, a player we like very much. It just wouldn't be a very Kelly-ish move, right?

Baltimore Ravens (No. 26 overall) — The Ravens have 10 selections total, with extra fourth-, fifth- and sixth-round picks they can move, along with all of their own picks except in Round 7. (They also have three compensatory picks — one in Round 4, two in Round 5 — but those cannot be traded by league rules.) GM Ozzie Newsome has shown a propensity to deal, and he nailed trades up for Joe Flacco and Haloti Ngata, but not wantonly, either. Newsome has to love what he sees in front of him to move up; more likely is for them to move back if the right player isn't on his plate. But they also have some real holes on their team, one that nearly took down the New England Patriots in the playoffs and could go a long way this season if they patch up the roster smartly. Staying put at 26 could land them a receiver or cornerback or pass rusher — all areas they'd love to improve. But the Ravens also could be a team to watch for a trade, and they pick right in front of the deal-happy Dallas Cowboys at 27, which ups the stakes a tad.

Bears agree to 1-year deal with cornerback Alan Ball.

AP - Sports

The Chicago Bears have agreed to a one-year contract with former Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Alan Ball.

The move was announced Friday.

Ball missed the final nine games with the Jaguars last year because of a biceps injury after starting seven. He had one interception and broke up three passes.

He has appeared in 93 games with 44 starts over eight seasons with Dallas (2007-11), Houston (2012) and Jacksonville (2013-14). Ball has six interceptions and 34 pass breakups in his career.

MLB; Baseball Preview: Chicago Cubs

By Drew Silva

The Big Question: Are they ready to contend?

It has been 106 years since the Cubs won a World Series championship — the longest title drought in North American professional sports — and they haven’t appeared in a Fall Classic since 1945.

Is this their year? Is it finally gonna happen?

Answering that would require predicting the unpredictable — MLB’s playoffs — but the 2015 Cubs could very well be in the conversation when October comes. From the starting lineup to the starting rotation to the much-talked-about farm system, there’s talent everywhere in this organization — an organization that has been built and rebuilt and rebuilt again.

Cubs president Theo Epstein has done this latest rebuild properly, amassing a pool of young, cost-controlled players who appear capable of feeding an extended run of success. Kris Bryant, pictured above, was ranked the game’s No. 1 prospect in late February by Baseball America after batting .325/.438/.661 with 43 home runs and 110 RBI in 138 games last season between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. He should be up in the majors for good around mid-April. Five other Cubs prospects made Baseball America’s 2015 Top 100 — shortstop Addison Russell (No. 3 overall), outfielder Jorge Soler (No. 12), catcher Kyle Schwarber (No. 19), right-hander C.J. Edwards (No. 38), and outfielder Billy McKinney (No. 83). Schwarber and McKinney aren’t expected to contribute at the major league level this season, but the others should.

Soler, who signed a nine-year, $30 million deal with the Cubs in 2012 after defecting from Cuba, posted a .903 OPS with five home runs and 20 RBI over his first 24 games for Chicago in 2014. He will be the starting right fielder when the 2015 campaign kicks off on April 5, and the 23-year-old is already being trusted at cleanup.

Batting third in front of Soler will be 25-year-old first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who broke out last season with a .913 OPS and 32 home runs. One of Epstein’s first moves as Cubs president was acquiring Rizzo from the Padres, and Theo locked Rizzo up about a year-and-a-half after the trade to a team-friendly seven-year, $41 million contract extension with club options for 2020 and 2021. Epstein personally selected Rizzo in the sixth round of the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft when he was still the general manager of the Red Sox.

Bryant, Soler, and Rizzo should be the cornerstones of the Northsiders’ offense going forward and they’ll probably be plenty potent in their first year together at the major league level.

What else is going on?

• Another potential offensive cornerstone is 22-year-old infielder Javier Baez, who was rated the No. 5 prospect in the game by Baseball America prior to the 2014 season. He struck out 95 times in 52 games as a rookie, but Baez possesses rare bat speed and jaw-dropping minor league numbers. In 2013, he put up a .920 OPS, 37 home runs, and 20 stolen bases in 130 games between High-A and Double-A. The hope is that he can develop a little more plate discipline and settle in as the Cubs’ long-term second baseman.

• Not satisfied with waiting for some of the internal options to grow, Epstein and Co. executed a pair of well-received trades over the winter that shored up holes at catcher and center field. Veteran backstop Miguel Montero, a two-time All-Star, was acquired from the Diamondbacks in December for right-handers Jeferson Mejia and Zack Godley. Dynamic center fielder Dexter Fowler, a capable leadoff man, was picked up from the Astros in January for right-hander Dan Straily and third baseman Luis Valbuena.

• The biggest offseason move for the Cubs was signing left-handed starter Jon Lester to a six-year, $155 million free agent contract. That’s a ton of scratch for a 31-year-old pitcher, but the Cubbies print cash and they’ve been waiting to flaunt it. Lester registered a 2.46 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 220 strikeouts in 219 2/3 innings last summer between the Red Sox and A’s. He’s the ace the Cubs needed. Following him in the rotation will be Jake Arrieta, Jason Hammel, Travis Wood, and Kyle Hendricks. Arrieta is a former top prospect of the Orioles who became a post-hype darling in 2014 with the Cubs, producing a 2.53 ERA, 0.989 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts in 156 2/3 innings. Hammel was traded away from the Cubs last July as part of the Jeff Samardzija deal and then re-signed this winter to a two-year, $18 million free agent contract. Hammel had a 2.98 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 108 2/3 innings last year for Chicago before struggling out in Oakland. It’s a sneaky-good group, and the Cubs have the chips to make in-season upgrades.

• Joe Maddon worked miracles with young, low-budget teams in Tampa Bay and seems like the perfect manager to lead the Cubs into this new era of success. He signed a five-year, $25 million contract with Chicago last November after using an opt-out to escape the Rays following their big front office change.

• Wrigley Field is in the first phase of a massive renovation that probably won’t be fully completed until 2019. The bleachers and brand new video boards were the main focus this offseason, and a combination of bad winter weather and structural issues caused predictable delays. The bleachers aren’t going to be finished until sometime in June, so there will be an eeriness in the outfield on Opening Night against the rival Cardinals and for the following eight-plus weeks. It’s a 101-year-old building, but anyone who has visited Wrigleyville knows that it’s worth preserving. Cubs fans are well-schooled in the virtue of patience.

Prediction: If everything goes right — Bryant becomes an instant star, Baez learns to lay off the junk, and shortstop Starlin Castro sharpens his game — the Cubs will be a factor in a deep divisional race. But they’re probably one more year away from making the big jump. This team finishes third in the National League Central and just out of the reach for the second National League Wild Card spot with 84 total wins.

MLB; Baseball Preview: White Sox

By Aaron Gleeman

The Big Question: Should we be taking the rebuilt White Sox seriously as contenders?

It got largely overshadowed by the non-stop wheeling and dealing in San Diego, but the White Sox also had an extremely busy offseason as general manager Rick Hahn attempted to turn an 89-loss team into a potential contender in one winter.

Hahn beefed up the rotation behind ace Chris Sale by trading for impending free agent Jeff Samardzija, remade the bullpen by signing closer David Robertson and setup man Zach Duke, added a pair of good bats to the lineup in first baseman Adam LaRoche and outfielder Melky Cabrera, and even gave manager Robin Ventura a bit more bench versatility in utility man Emilio Bonifacio.

Hahn had a busy, productive, high-impact offseason, but will it be enough to pull the White Sox up from 73 wins to the 85-plus typically required to be a factor deep into September? Fortunately for the White Sox they were starting with two hugely valuable, young building blocks in Sale, who finished third in the Cy Young balloting at age 25, and first baseman Jose Abreu, who won the Rookie of the Year award and finished fourth in the MVP balloting at age 27. Not many 73-win teams have two elite players around which to build.

Sale won’t be ready for Opening Day after breaking his foot in late February, but assuming he’s back in the rotation by mid-April the White Sox top three of Sale, Samardzija, and Jose Quintana is one of the best in baseball. Their bullpen, which was a major weakness last year, now has a shutdown closer in Robertson, allowing guys like Duke, Jake Petricka, and Zach Putnam to settle into setup roles. And within a couple months last year’s No. 3 overall pick, stud left-hander Carlos Rodon, should be ready for his call-up.

The turnaround offensively won’t be as dramatic, but it doesn’t need to be. Chicago ranked in the middle of the AL pack in run scoring and is essentially replacing the corner outfield/designated hitter trio of Adam Dunn, Dayan Viciedo, and Alejandro De Aza with LaRoche, Cabrera, and Avisail Garcia, who returned from injury to play 46 games down the stretch. Toss in center fielder Adam Eaton‘s on-base skills atop the batting order, plus Alexei Ramirez having more pop than the average shortstop, and even with second base and catcher being question marks this has a chance to be a much deeper, more dangerous lineup surrounding Abreu.

Going from 73 wins to 85-plus wins in one offseason is extremely difficult, but the White Sox absolutely look like a team that should have a winning record and contending in a relatively mediocre AL Central division is entirely doable.

What else is going on?

• For a long time Carlos Rodon was the presumed No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, but then his stock dipped a bit and both the Astros and Marlins passed on the North Carolina State ace. Six months later it’s probably safe to assume both teams would do things differently, because Rodon struck out 38 batters in his 24-inning debut, ranked as a top-20 prospect by both Baseball America and MLB.com this offseason, and then impressed this spring with a 19/3 K/BB ratio in 12 innings. He looks just about ready and has top-of-the-rotation upside.

• Because he was 27 years old and a superstar in Cuba it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison to put Abreu’s numbers up against other “rookies” … but why not. He had a 169 OPS+ last season. Here’s a list of all the other first basemen in MLB history to top a 150 OPS+ as a rookie: Mark McGwire, 164 in 1987. That’s it. That’s the entire list. Even setting aside the whole rookie thing, the last 27-year-old first basemen with a higher OPS+ than Abreu were Miguel Cabrera in 2010 and Frank Thomas in 1995. And then no one else since 1962.

• Adam Eaton played so well in his first season with the White Sox–hitting .300 with a .362 on-base percentage and solid defense in center field–that Hahn signed him to a long-term contract extension that keeps him under team control through 2021. Eaton lacks power, but his on-base skills and speed are top notch and are an ideal fit atop the lineup and in front of Abreu. Eaton hit .348 in the minors, including .364 with 40 steals in 133 games at Triple-A.

Prediction: One of the biggest improvements of any team in baseball, going from 73-89 to at least .500 in a division where four of the five teams figure to win 80-something games. But just short of the playoffs.

Golf: I got a club for that; Walker wins Texas Open before hometown supporters.

AFP

Jimmy Walker celebrates after making his putt on the 18th hole to win the final round of the Valero Texas Open on March 29, 2015 in San Antonio (AFP Photo/Marianna Massey)

Hometown hero Jimmy Walker captured his fifth US PGA Tour title on Sunday, firing a two-under-par 70 final round to win the $6.2 million Texas Open by four strokes.

Walker, who lives only a half-hour's drive from the TPC San Antonio course, led by four shots when the day began and finished on 11-under 277 to defeat fellow Texan Jordan Spieth by that same margin.

"It's at home. It's cool. You can feel the love from your friends and family," Walker said. "It's not everyday that you can win in your hometown."

It was the second US PGA triumph of the season for Walker, who won his second consecutive Sony Open in Hawaii title earlier this year and also captured last year's Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the 2013 Frys.com Open.

Walker birdied the par-5 second and eighth holes but took bogeys at the fourth and par-3 seventh to make the turn level for the day. He began the back nine with a birdie from 16 feet but then missed a five-foot putt for par at 12 and took a bogey.

Walker added a 16-foot birdie putt at the par-3 16th and an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-4 17th, then pared the 18th to secure the victory, his fifth win in 37 starts after playing for nine years before securing his first PGA title.

"It was playing hard," Walker said. "It wasn't giving up many pars. I was leaking some oil there but I started making some putts."
 

Walker, who snapped a streak of 10 54-hole PGA leaders that had failed to win, will take practice rounds at Augusta National on Monday and Tuesday.
 

"I like Augusta," Walker said. "All this adds momentum and confidence. It's what we're constantly building toward."

Spieth, a 21-year-old Texan who shared second at last year's Masters, will rise from sixth to fourth in the world rankings out on Monday, trailing only world number one Rory McIlroy, Swedish world number two Henrik Stenson and defending Masters champion Bubba Watson.

Spieth has had eight top-seven finishes in his past 10 worldwide starts. 

The top 14 finishers were all US players, with 2014 PGA playoff winner Billy Horschel third on 284, seven shots adrift, and Daniel Summerhays with Chesson Hadley on 285.

Dustin Johnson and Ryan Palmer shared sixth on 286 with Brendan Steele, Chris Kirk and Scott Pinckney on 287.

Here’s Who Vegas Is Picking to Win the Masters.

By Jimmie Kaylor

The Masters tournament is easily one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world. The invitation-only event is always the first major of the PGA Tour season, and is played at the extremely exclusive Augusta National Golf Club. Capturing a Masters championship and getting to put on the green jacket that goes to the annual winner is arguably the biggest honor a professional golfer can achieve.

The Masters always has a smaller field of players than the other three major tournaments. This year, the Augusta National Golf Club is expecting 90-100 players, including several amateurs. There is no overwhelming favorite to win in the field this year, but there are a handful of players who the oddsmakers in Vegas feel have a better chance than others. 

On a side note, four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods is still unsure as to whether or not he will be able to play this year. Nonetheless, Vegas still lists him at 50-1 odds to win his fifth green jacket, and the 15th overall major of his illustrious career.

 

With that, here is a look at the seven players who Vegas feels have the best chance at winning the 2015 Masters championship.

5. Adam Scott

Odds:  22-1
 

Scott won the 2013 Masters in a playoff over Angel Cabrera. He has 11 career PGA Tour victories, and spent a good portion of 2014 ranked as the No. 1 golfer in the world. Scott is currently ranked fifth in the world, and has a 70.6 scoring average for the 2015 season. The Australian, who played collegiately at UNLV, is toying with using a long putter for the Masters, which he believes could help him break out of the mini-slump he has been in since the 2015 season opened.

4. Henrik Stenson
 

Odds:  18-1
 

Stenson has played extremely well thus far in 2015, with three top-10 finishes in four tour events. The 38-year-old Swede has his sights set on winning the first major of his career in 2015, and he is playing well enough right now to do just that at Augusta National. His best finish in the Masters came last year when he wound up in a tie for 14th place.

3. Jordan Spieth (Tie) 

Odds:  12-1 

The 21-year-old Spieth is currently ranked sixth in the world, and will be out to win his first major in 2015. He already has one victory this season at the Valspar Open in mid-March, and has four top-10 finishes in seven tour events in 2015. Spieth's best finish in a major was at the 2014 Masters, where he ended the tournament in a tie for second place. He is easily one of the best  young talents on the tour, and has the potential to be one of the best players in the world for the next two decades. If Spieth were to come away with a win in the 2015 Masters, he would become the youngest player to win at Augusta since Tiger Woods in 1997.

3. Jason Day (Tie)
 

Odds:  12-1
 

Day is currently ranked fourth in the official world golf rankings, and is coming into the Masters with three top-10 finishes and one win in six 2015 tour events. The Australian is out to win his first major in 2015 after coming close several times during his career. His best finish at Augusta was a tie for second in 2011, and the 27-year-old Day is currently playing at a high enough level that he is considered a serious threat to take home the green jacket in 2015.
 

3. Dustin Johnson (Tie)
 

Odds:  12-1

Johnson is currently the ranked ninth in the world, and will enter the Masters with three top-10 finishes and one win in five PGA Tour events in 2015. He is still the longest player on the tour, which is something that gives him a definite advantage on a course like Augusta National. As usually is the case for Johnson, he will have to hit more fairways than normal at Augusta to actually reap the benefits of his power off of the tee box. If the 30-year-old is at the top of his game, there is a good chance he will win his first major and be the one wearing the green jacket in 2015.

2.  Bubba Watson
 

Odds:  10-1
 

Watson, a two-time Masters champion, is currently the third-ranked player in the official world golf rankings. He will be out to defend his 2014 win at Augusta, and appears to again be at the top of his game entering Masters week. He has four top-10’s, three top-5’s, and one win in five PGA Tour events in 2015. The 36-year-old knows how to win at Augusta, and it would come as no surprise if he is in contention on the final day of the tournament.

1.  Rory McIlroy

Odds:  8-1

McIlroy is currently the No. 1 player in the world, and will be looking to complete the career Grand Slam by coming away with his first Masters win in 2015. The 25-year-old still spends a lot of his time playing in Europe, but in his three PGA Tour Events in 2015, he has two top-25’s, and one top-10 finish. While McIlroy may not be currently playing up to his potential, he is without a doubt a threat to win every tournament he enters. He has proven on multiple occasions that he thrives on golf’s biggest stages, and the Masters tournament is as big as it gets.
 
Denny Hamlin races to 25th Cup win, 5th at Martinsville.

By HANK KURZ Jr. (AP Sports Writer)

Denny Hamlin sprays cola after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, March 29, 2015. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Denny Hamlin just needed a visit to Martinsville Speedway to get his racing team back on track.

Now, with his spot in NASCAR's Chase for the championship virtually assured, they can work to make it better.

Hamlin passed teammate Matt Kenseth for the lead with 28 laps to go Sunday and ended Toyota's 32-race winless streak in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway. It was his fifth victory on NASCAR's oldest, smallest circuit.

''We had a very fast car, but obviously some pit road issues, but we overcame it,'' Hamlin said after his 25th career victory, which was helped along by a serious blunder that took four-time champion Jeff Gordon out of contention late.

Hamlin's pit crew, unlike Gordon, made their mistake early enough in the race to recover. Before the event was 200 laps old, Hamlin was penalized when his crew failed to control a tire on pit road. It dropped him from the lead to 22nd place.

He was back in the top 10 by the midpoint, and stalking the leaders shortly thereafter.

''The last 60, 70 laps played out how they needed to play out for us to win today,'' Hamlin said.
 

Hamlin also held off a five-lap, bumper-to-tail challenge from Brad Keselowski at the finish. There was some bumping and nudging, and a big wiggle for Hamlin in the final fourth turn, but Keselowski never caused him to spin.
 

''We just weren't going to be denied today, and hats off to Brad,'' he said, thanking Keselowski for not wrecking him.
 

''I did everything I could other than wreck him,'' Keselowski said.
 

The race was run without reigning rookie of the year Kyle Larson, who watched from a North Carolina hospital where he was undergoing testing after fainting at an autograph session on Saturday. Regan Smith drove in his absence, finishing 16th.

 

Keselowski was second, followed by Joey Logano, Kenseth and David Ragan, giving Joe Gibbs Racing three cars in the top five. The jolt was especially appreciated in a week when the team announced that President J.D. Gibbs is being treated for a ''symptoms impacting areas of brain function,'' an issue that has left doctors with very few answers thus far.

It was J.D. Gibbs who discovered Hamlin on a North Carolina short track, and Joe Gibbs thought of that near the end.

''For me it was emotional and thinking about J.D. and all that he means to our team, so it was a big week for us, but a great finish to a story there,'' Gibbs said.

Logano, the pole-sitter, was trying to become the first driver to sweep a weekend at Martinsville, having won the truck race on Saturday. He led 109 laps, but said his car at the end was not as strong as the leaders.

Gordon, an eight-time Martinsville winner, took the lead for the first time with 58 laps to go and then got caught entering pit road too fast when the 16th and final caution came out with about 40 laps to go.

The mistake put him well back in the field, and while he rallied to finish ninth, was left disappointed.

''Wow. I'm sorry guys,'' he said on the radio when told of the penalty. ''That's on me. I apologize.''

Gordon said he knew he was pushing the limit, knowing he had a chance to win the race.

''I thought with our track position there at the end, we had a shot at it,'' he said. ''Oh, my gosh, I'm so disappointed. I don't even know what to say right now. Of course, then the car is the absolute best it has been all day ...''

The race also ended Kevin Harvick's streak of top-two finishes at eight. Harvick, who was three races shy of tying Richard Petty's record of 11, set in 1975, led a race-high 154 laps, but got caught in the outside lane on a restart and faded to eighth.

''Just lost track position at the wrong time,'' the defending series champion said.
 

Gordon and his Hendrick Motorsports teammates have dominated at the 0.526-mile oval in recent years, but Gordon's finish and an 11th for Kasey Kahne were the best they could muster. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won here last fall, wound up in the garage after losing his radiator in a large crash in turn one before the midpoint of the race, and Jimmie Johnson, an eight-time Martinsville winner, had issues throughout and finished 35th, 32 laps down. Earnhardt finished right behind him.
 

The race also marked the Cup debut of Chase Elliott, who will replace the retiring Gordon in the Hendrick stable next season, and Elliott got a quick welcome. His car was bounced around early, also wound up in the garage and finished 38th.
 

The day went better for Danica Patrick, who was seventh, her fifth career top-10 finish. That tied her with Janet Guthrie for most top-10s by a female driver, and was one spot off Patrick's career-best sixth place run at Atlanta last year.
 

''It's disaster to be off and struggling with the car and it's really fun to have a good car,'' Patrick said.

NASCAR topic: Cheating with tire pressure, or just hot air?

By HANK KURZ Jr. (AP Sports Writer)

Jeff Gordon talks to a member of his crew in the garage after practice at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Friday, March 27, 2015. Rain delayed the practice and qualifying for Sunday's STP 500 Sprint Cup race. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

There's been lot of talk about tires in the NASCAR garage the past few weeks, or longer, and lots of theories about whether something shady is going on or if the chatter is just a bunch of hot air.

After last two races, NASCAR confiscated tires from teams. It took tires from red-hot points leader Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano after the race at Phoenix two weeks ago, and declared them fine a few days later. It took tires from Harvick, Kurt Busch, Paul Menard and Ryan Newman last weekend at Fontana.

Harvick, the defending series champion, has won twice this season and finished first or second in eight consecutive races dating to the end of last season. It's the second-longest such streak in NASCAR history. Seven-time series champion Richard Petty did it in 11 straight races in 1975.

Several drivers think there is something to be found during these so called tire audits. 

Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon had his tires confiscated in 1998 after a race, and his team was cleared of any wrongdoing, but he's a believer that some teams are tampering with their tires. 

''I do think they are,'' he said Friday at Martinsville Speedway. ''When it gets to this level and when you're hearing about it and I'm hearing about it and they are talking about things in meetings with crew chiefs - that tells me that it's being done. It's just not clear on how it's being done.''

 

Air pressure in tires rises during a race, and Gordon is a proponent of NASCAR allowing bleeder valves that would allow the tires to maintain a certain level. They are not allowed now, however, and rumors that some teams have devised ways to create that effect have caused NASCAR to take a closer look.
 

Goodyear, which provides the tires for races, offers a recommended tire pressure for each race. Teams can choose to follow that guidance or use a different pressure, but not alter it during the race. Many choose a lower pressure, knowing the racing will cause the pressure to rise over time.
 

''There is a lot of talk, there is a lot of dialogue and there are a lot of rumors in the garage,'' said Alan Gustafson, crew chief for Gordon. ''Yeah, I think it is obvious that some people think something is going on, and is NASCAR reacting to that? Or do they feel uncomfortable with what is going on?
 

''I don't know that answer. But I do think that it is something that is on the forefront of a lot of people's minds. Obviously NASCAR is trying to make sure that we are all on level playing field and if anybody is violating that, they will pay the price, which they reminded us this morning is very stiff.''
 

Denny Hamlin thinks if a team is found cheating, the penalty should be harsh, and permanent.

 

''I know NASCAR sat down all the crew chiefs last year in Phoenix and told them to stop doing it,'' Hamlin said after practice Friday. ''My guess is that if they said stop then they've seen something.

''If it's out there and they know about it, you should be gone forever. That's a major, major thing and this isn't like the old rodeo days of being able to go out there and run a big motor or soak the tires.

''This is a professional sport and people alter tires - that's a big, big deal. Definitely no room for it in the sport, that's for sure. Hope they clamp down on that if they do find it and if they find it multiple times with somebody, they should have a permanent vacation somewhere.''

SOCCER: Adailton header fires Men in Red to first win of the season.

By Danny Michallik
                                                                                     

 

On a nippy afternoon at Toyota Park on Sunday, the Fire faced their first Eastern Conference opponent just as eager to reverse its winless record in MLS in 2015.

Having won just one of their last 12 MLS games (D4 L7) and three losses on the bounce, the Men in Red won their first game of the season 1-0 against the Philadelphia Union in front of an announced crowd of 12,815.

In the absence of David Accam and Shaun Maloney via the international break, Homegrown midfielder Harry Shipp took over set-piece duty and expertly weighted his free kick in the 37th minute to find the head of Adailton, who notched his first MLS goal after joining the club in the offseason.

The win saw the Fire climb out of last place in the East up to eighth, while Jim Curtin's side extended their streak to just one win in their last 11 MLS fixtures.

"From a viewpoint of points, fantastic," head coach Frank Yallop said in his post-match press conference. "I felt we dominated most of the play, but we should have put the game away before the 55-60th minute mark.

"I was very happy with our all-around movement and play in the final third, which we worked on all week. We weren't as dynamic with our runs in San Jose, but this week we worked on it and I felt we looked dangerous each time we attacked."

Yallop's 4-4-2 formation against Curtin's 4-2-3-1 paid dividends, with rookie Matt Polster and Michael Stephens dominating the midfield battle against the Union's Michael Lahoud and Maurice Edu. Polster's range of distribution manifested itself in the early going, as he was given the freedom to find open pockets and switch the point of attack frequently. 

"I think Mike [Stephens] does a nice job of complementing Harry [Shipp], slotting in those spots that Harry leaves," he said. "Matt Polster is playing very well, he's got a bright head on his shoulders soccer-wise. I think he's handled the first three games really well."

With a more disciplined tactical performance, the Men in Red carried out their duties in a regulated fashion, appearing to be in sync and communicating well. They threatened the Union goal from the get-go, with one of their 16 attempts coming in the third minute when Kennedy Igboananike was slipped clean through on goal, but was denied a shot after a heroic tackle from defender Ethan White.

At the 20-minute mark, forward Quincy Amarikwa, who made his 50th appearance for the Fire, was denied a pair of clear goal-scoring opportunities, with his second attempt appearing to strike the arm of left back Fabinho on the line, but referee David Gantar kept his whistle in his pocket.

After squandering a chance to put the Men in Red ahead with a missed header in the 26th minute, Kennedy Igboananike atoned for his miscue and earned the vital free kick in the 37th minute that paved the way for Shipp to deliver a pinpointed ball to Adailton, who turned home the Fire's second goal in four games.

After coming out of the halftime break with their first lead of the season, the Men in Red largely picked up where they left off, putting the Union under pressure early in the second half as they did in the opening minutes of the game.

A string of chances in the 55th and 56th minutes saw Igboananike's shot saved by the left leg of Philadelphia goalkeeper Rais M'Bolhi, with Shipp once again at the heart of the move. Joevin Jones's shot from a narrow angle a minute later fizzed across the face of M'Bolhi's goal and out of play.

In the 72nd minute, the Union were reduced to 10 men after midfielder Fred was sent off five minutes after coming on as a substitute after swinging his arm at Shipp. The Fire did enough to finish the game off despite some late persistence from Curtin's outfit.

"I think it's huge," Yallop said. "Starting the season 0-3 is never good for anybody. I felt the performances maybe should have got us a little more in the other three games, but that's football. The most important thing about this match was we got three points against a conference opponent.     

"We have another big game coming up and now we can digest this game, work on what we didn't do and get ready for the next big hurdle against Toronto next Saturday."

Also of note, Alex, who was initially named to Yallop's 18-man squad, picked up a hamstring injury during warm-ups and was replaced by 18-year-old Collin Fernandez on the bench.

Klinsmann's USMNT struggles, experimentation in friendlies: Does it really matter?

By Nicholas Mendola

Here are some educated opinions I think most would agree with:

– The United States men’s national team as constructed is neither a favorite nor a significant threat to win a major tournament with the world’s best teams.

– The United States has not had answers in defense against top-end FIFA competition for a long time.

– The international soccer calendar and community puts an undue emphasis on friendlies regardless of who comprises each team’s roster.

– FIFA rankings are largely for the birds.

So as much as I’ve rolled my eyes as the USMNT’s back line has been foraged for snacks by the likes of Nicklas Bendtner, Robbie Brady and Mark Gonzalez, none of whom will be mistaken for the ghost of Josef Bican, I have to wonder if these losses --- 3-2 to Denmark, 3-2 to Chile, 4-1 to Ireland (yuck) — should represent anything other than a concern at the lack of US youth readiness for the big stage.

This is not to excuse Jurgen Klinsmann, whose job it is to get the players ready for the big stage, but rather a brief pause from the “We look terrible! We’re slipping down the FIFA board again!” talk that’s filled comment boards and media spaces across the nation.

The fact of the matter is that as much as Jesse Marsch calls for “an identity” and others tear into Klinsmann, we are learning just how unfit or fit some players are for true and important competition headed its way this summer. If Timmy Chandler, John Anthony Brooks or Alfredo Morales look awful in a friendly against Denmark or Switzerland, then they certainly shouldn’t be given the chance to help the States defend its Gold Cup title this summer.

Does any player who played significant minutes as a fixture in a World Cup that Klinsmann is proud of need to prove themselves by leaving their club for this break? Does Mix Diskerud or any other player whose shone for the States recently need to leave their club in speculative friendlies? Chris Wondolowski shared the lead for goals at the 2013 Gold Cup. Does he need to be taken from San Jose to prove he can probably score a goal this summer by working Denmark’s backline for 15 minutes?

Klinsmann has looked largely calm during these matches, if not happy, and while it’s easy to use his quotes in vacuum to lambaste his logic — whatever he says, his team wasn’t close to being good against Denmark — if he’s told his superiors that these matches aren’t about results rather experience, doesn’t that make a bit of sense?

I’m not saying I have faith in Klinsmann. That’s another story altogether. Nor am I saying you need to enjoy watching young defenders look like Sunderland vs. Southampton late last year. But if the path the side is taking during this and previous breaks is to see whether their young players are ready to play significant roles, I understand that philosophy. I don’t need to see Geoff Cameron, Graham Zusi, Kyle Beckerman or Matt Besler every international break. I do, however, need to know if Alfredo Morales (nope), Ventura Alvarado (too soon to tell) or Greg Garza (maybe) is ready to compete with them for meaningful playing time in a legit competition.

And the fact remains that this was a European-based break during the early stages of the MLS season in a window where Klinsmann has already criticized MLS offseason fitness. Come April and the U.S. hosted ame against Mexico, if Klinsmann is calling in loads of European players like Morales, Tim Ream and Ale Bedoya at a critical juncture in their seasons over Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Perry Kitchen (DC United) and Lee Nguyen (New England), then we’re going to have words.

Of course, all of this feels good on the Saturday between matches. If Morales gets walked around and destroyed by Xherdan Shaqiri come Wednesday because Klinsmann thinks he should get another chance, then maybe we have things to discuss. I kid… mostly.

Wayne Rooney: Teams are once again fearful of an "aggressive" England.

By Andy Edwards

Ever since last summer’s World Cup, it’s been good times and a great run of results (seven wins and now draws or defeats) for the England national team.

Sure, a lot of that can be put down to the level of competition the Three Lions have faced — Norway, San Marino, Estonia and Lithuania, among others — since bombing out of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but if you ask England captain and soon-to-be all-time leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney, he’ll tell you it’s got just as much to do with the team’s approach and attitude as anything.

Rooney, speaking ahead of Tuesday’s friendly date with Italy, from the Guardian:

“You don’t want to go into games and think teams enjoy playing against you. You want teams to look at England and think: ‘We know we have a tough game. It is going to be physically hard against them, we are going to have to defend and we are going to have to be good on the ball to keep it.’ That is what we want teams to feel when they come up against us. 

“Certainly, since the World Cup we have done that. At the minute we have the tactics right and it’s moving in a good direction. We have learned with every game since the World Cup and are getting better, and there is an excitement back about England.”

As an outsider who finds the England national team a fascinating bunch — their over-the-top media coverage and fan support, mixed with an underrated and yet still underachieving group of players…who could not be entertained by that? — I think Rooney is spot on.

Yes, half the games they’ve played since the World Cup have been against the so-called “minnows” of Europe — England are currently top of Group E in EURO 2016 qualifying, a perfect 15-for-15 points thus far — but only their 1-0 away victory over Estonia has been anything less than a two-goal victory.

Even more encouraging than the results or the way they’re getting them, is the wealth of talent from which Roy Hodgson gets to pick his teams these days. Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling, Danny Welbeck and now Harry Kane — that’s an embarrassment of riches to fill the three or four attacking positions.

England don’t have a midfield capable of pinging the ball around the field, taking the air out of games through prolonged periods of possession and creating the amount of chances befitting their impressive attacking corps. So, finally Roy Hodgson has put the game in the hands of his game-changers — a group of players the U.S. national team could only dream to possess — and they’re winning game after game because of it.

England aren’t going to win the World Cup with this current squad — or the EUROs — but they’re a long way away from embarrassing themselves at another major tournament the way they did last summer.

The Final Four is set, and it's going to be insane.

By Rob Dauster

(AP Photo)

The final weekend of the college basketball season is now set: South Region champ Duke will square off with the winners of the East Region, Michigan State, in Saturday’s openers, while West Region champ Wisconsin will try to end Midwest Region champ Kentucky’s bid for an undefeated season.

And Indianapolis will be, in a word, insane.

Let’s start with the obvious: Kentucky is trying to become the first team to even go 40-0 in a season while becoming the first undefeated champion since Indiana in 1976. The last team to make it to the Final Four without a loss on their resume? UNLV. In 1991.

That, alone, is enough to turn a Final Four into Big Blue Madness.

But it’s not alone.

For the first time since 2008 and just the second time since Y2K was a thing, there are three No. 1 seeds heading to the Final Four. In a season where one team — Kentucky — has been so dominant and the drop off between the elite and the very good is significant, this is a good thing. We want the Wildcats to be challenged. Did you see how great Saturday night’s Kentucky-Notre Dame game was? Give me two more of those, please.

It gets better, because the only team that’s not a No. 1 seed is Michigan State, the “underdog” No. 7 seed coached by Tom Izzo. Izzo has set a record for career NCAA Tournament wins when being the lower-seeded team, and it would be Peak Izzo for him to manage to win the national title in this Final Four. Are you going to put it past him? Because I’m not.

On the other side of the bracket, we get the Wisconsin-Kentucky matchup that we’ve all wanted to see. The Badgers have the makeup to pick off the Wildcats, especially if Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker play the way they did this weekend. And if they get past Kentucky? Well, that just means that ol’ Bo Ryan will be coaching for his first Division I national title.

And then there is Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski, whose trip to Indianapolis is his 12th trip to the Final Four, a record that he now shares with the UCLA legend John Wooden.

If Coach K beats Tom Izzo and gets to Monday night’s title game, he will have a chance to win his fifth national title as a head coach, a number that will put him second of all time, one ahead of Adolph Rupp and behind only Wooden (who else?), who won ten.

The best part?

What if Coach K’s playing to win his fifth national title against a Kentucky team playing for a 40-0 season?

Buckle up, guys, because …

2015 NCAA "March Madness" Championship Tournament Scores, March 26, 2015 - March 29, 2015.  

YahooSports.com

Sunday, March 29, 2015

(7) Michigan St. 76 Final OT
(4) Louisville 70

(2) Gonzaga 52 Final
(1) Duke 66

Saturday, March 28, 2015

(2) Arizona 78 Final
(1) Wisconsin 85

(3) Notre Dame 66 Final
(1) Kentucky 68

Friday, March 27, 2015

(11) UCLA 62 Final
(2) Gonzaga 74

(8) N.C. St. 66 Final
(4) Louisville 75

(5) Utah 57 Final
(1) Duke 63

(7) Michigan St. 62 Final
(3) Oklahoma 58

Thursday, March 26, 2015

(7) Wichita St. 70 Final
(3) Notre Dame 81

(4) North Carolina 72 Final
(1) Wisconsin 79

(5) West Virginia 39 Final
(1) Kentucky 78

(6) Xavier 60 Final
(2) Arizona 68

NCAA creates group to examine transfer rules.

By Tom Fornelli | College Football Writer

The NCAA will look into possible changes to transfer rules, specifically the rules governing graduate transfers.

The Division I Council Coordination Committee has appointed the Ad Hoc Transfer Issues Working Group to consider possible changes to the current rules regarding transfers. The focus of the group will be on graduate transfers and permission-to-contact rules.

“Student transfers are an important issue in higher education, and it is no different in athletics,” said co-chair Jere Morehead, president of the University of Georgia. “The group will be mindful of the integration of athletics and academics when creating recommendations for Division I transfer policy or legislation.”

One of the biggest decisions will be regarding whether or not graduate transfers will have to follow the same guidelines for undergraduate transfers. As the rules currently state, graduate transfers are allowed to transfer to a new school -- provided they meet certain requirements and receive written permission from the school -- without having to sit out a season first. Undergraduate transfers are required to sit out a year following a transfer if they transfer to another FBS school.

Whether or not the NCAA will adopt changes to make graduate transfers follow the same rules as undergraduates remains to be seen, but should they do so it will be somewhat hypocritical.

The NCAA is quick to remind you that those who play football or basketball at the college level are student-athletes, and they'll put the emphasis on students. So they should be treated like every other student, yes?

And if any student who doesn't happen to play football for the school graduates that student is then free to attend graduate school anywhere they please provided they're accepted. So why shouldn't an athlete be able to do the same thing?

It's not that difficult of a concept, folks.
 
Ex-Vandy coach to replace Manning on playoff committee.

By The Associated Press

Archie Manning is leaving the College Football Playoff selection committee and will be replaced by former Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson.

''I was honored when I was chosen to be on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee,'' Manning said in a statement from the College Football Playoff. ''But as I look ahead to the various commitments I have - to my family, numerous time obligations around the country and to other conflicting demands - I have concluded that I won't be able to return to the committee.''
 

''I particularly want to watch Peyton and Eli play, in person when I can, and it's hard to do that when weekends are devoted to watching college games,'' he added. ''This is not an easy choice, but it's the right choice for Olivia and me.''
 

Manning was one of the original 13 members of the committee picked by the FBS conference commissioners who run the playoff. He was expected to serve through the 2016 season.  

The former Mississippi quarterback took a leave of absence during last season to deal with undisclosed health issues. CFP executive director Bill Hancock had said this year Manning was expected to return for the 2015 season.  

''Everyone on the committee is going to miss Archie,'' Hancock said. ''He is an all-star and he knows college football inside and out. On the other hand, we are delighted to welcome Bobby to the committee. His extensive knowledge of the sport and his notable integrity make him a perfect member of this group.''

 

Johnson, 64, played at Clemson and coached Furman (1994-2001) and Vanderbilt (2002-2010). He says he is happy to ''serve the game'' as a member of the committee.
 

''I have tremendous respect for the selection committee and I am honored to join the group,'' Johnson said. ''As a former player and coach, I'm particularly happy about the opportunity to continue to serve the game.''  

Earlier this year, Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt was named to the selection committee as a replacement for Oliver Luck, the former West Virginia athletic director who took a job with the NCAA after last season.

 

2015 NCAA Tournament Final Four television times, networks, announcers.

By Brandon Schlager

Final Four tip-off times, networks, announcing crews and everything else you need to know about the final weekend of March Madness in Indianapolis. All times Eastern.

FRIDAY, APRIL 3

Team practices are free and open to the public. The 50-minute sessions begin a noon with Michigan State, followed by Duke, Wisconsin and Kentucky in that order.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4

Final Four

6:09 p.m., TBS — No. 7 Michigan State (green) vs. No. 1 Duke (white)

Announcers: Jim Nantz, Grant Hill, Bill Raftery, Tracy Wolfson

8:49 p.m., TBS — No. 1 Wisconsin (red) vs. No. 1 Kentucky (white)

Announcers: Jim Nantz, Grant Hill, Bill Raftery, Tracy Wolfson

MONDAY, APRIL 6

National Championship Game

9 p.m., CBS — TBA vs. TBA

Announcers: Jim Nantz, Grant Hill, Bill Raftery, Tracy Wolfson

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, March 30, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1925 - The Victoria Cougars of the WCHL became the last non-NHL team to win the Stanley Cup.

1946 - Maurice "The Rocket" Richard scored his first of three overtime goals in the Stanley Cup Finals.

1980 - George Gervin (San Antonio) became the fifth NBA player to win at least three consecutive scoring titles.

1993 - The Ottawa Senators lost their 37th consecutive road game to tie the NHL record that had been set in 1975.

1997 - Golfer John Daly checked into the Betty Ford Clinic after a drinking binge a few days earlier.

2002 - The Dallas Stars lost 3-1 to the Edmonton Oilers. The game ended the Stars' streak of 50 straight wins when leading after 2 periods.

2004 - NFL owners approved a modified version of the instant replay system for five years. They added a third coaches' challenge if the first two were successful.
 

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