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"Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibility... in the final analysis, the one quality that all successful people have... is the ability to take on responsibility." ~ Michael Korda, Writer and Novelist  

Trending: NFL June 1 free-agency deadline moved to May 12

By Mike Florio

Years ago, June 1 had extreme significance on the NFL calendar.  Teams looking to reduce the cap hit from cutting a veteran player would wait until June 1, resulting in half or more of the acceleration to hit the cap in the following league year.

In 2006, the NFL changed the rule, allowing teams to cut two players per year before June 1, with a June 1 designation.  Few teams currently have cap issues; as a result, the entire notion of using the designation or waiting until June 1 to cut a player has become largely irrelevant.

June 1 had continued significance for another reason.  After June 1, unrestricted free agents signed by other teams don’t count toward the compensatory draft-pick formula.  Starting this year, that date will move from June 1 to May 12, according to the league office.

The Competition Committee had been considering shifting the date from June 1 to May 1.  With the draft still happening as of May 1, it makes sense to let the draft end and to let the dust settle before allowing free agents to sign without the move helping their former team or potentially hurting their new one.

The shift gives free agents more of an opportunity to participate in the offseason program.  It also gives teams reason to wait on adding some of the currently available free agents, in order to avoid reducing their potential haul of compensatory picks.

The Ravens have mastered the craft of waiting to sign unrestricted free agents until the deadline has come and gone.  Today’s addition of quarterback Matt Schaub doesn’t change that.  Because he was cut by the Raiders, Schaub’s addition neither helps the Raiders nor hurts the Ravens when it comes to determining compensatory selections.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Five Things: Blackhawks' defense bringing the offense.

By Tracey Myers

The Blackhawks’ weekend began with a thud, when a disappointing loss to Columbus and Minnesota’s winning on Saturday put them fourth in the Central Division and into the wild-card slot.

Fast-forward to Monday night and the Blackhawks back home after a grueling 3-2 victory in Winnipeg. Needing points and facing a Los Angeles Kings team that is desperate for every victory at this point, the Blackhawks were by far the better team.

It was the kind of night the Blackhawks needed as they head down the regular-season stretch. So before we pack up for a day or two, let’s look at the Five Things to take from the Blackhawks’ 4-1 victory over the Kings.

1. Defense bringing the offense. Considering how dry their scoring has been lately, the Blackhawks will take goals from anyone. Still, getting it from the defense is definitely a bonus. Duncan Keith’s goal proved to be the game-winner. Niklas Hjalmarsson scored just over a minute later to pad the lead. Hjalmarsson said the defensemen have to help at this point as much as anyone. “Especially now with (Patrick) Kane out, we have to find a way to get more guys involved on the score sheet,” he said. “It’s huge when other guys, not just (Marian Hossa) and (Jonathan) Toews and those guys, can chip in and help the team out. As a defensive group we can add a lot of offense and contribute.”

2. Darling responds once again. Scott Darling was ticked that he allowed Jake Muzzin’s goal late in the first period. It was an ugly goal, but for a guy who hasn’t given up many goals at all, ugly or pretty, you let it go pretty fast. Darling certainly did, stopping every other shot he saw en route to his eighth victory of the season. As coach Joel Quenneville said, “It’s a good situation as a team and organizationally at this stage. When we’re fighting for everything and you’re putting a young kid in there and (we) don’t change a beat, that’s a good sign.”

3. Great third-period play. It wasn’t so important that the Blackhawks score in the third period on Monday night, but they had to be wary of the Kings those final 20 minutes. We’ve seen that movie before when the two-goal lead, which the Blackhawks had entering the third, doesn’t last against Los Angeles. Well it lasted on Monday because the Blackhawks, leading with defense, generated enough scoring opportunities to keep the Kings from mounting a comeback.

4. Playing accordingly. As frustrating as it is when the Blackhawks play mediocre hockey against mediocre (or worse) teams, they can be just as strong against some of the NHL’s best. And yes, the Kings are still one of the best, even though they’re on the outside of the playoff picture at the moment. The Blackhawks looked like they felt no ill effects from Sunday night’s game in Winnipeg. If anything, they looked fresher. Sometimes the Kings bring out the best in the Blackhawks. Wouldn’t be surprising if that’s what happened again on Monday.

5. They’re right back in the race. Remember when the Central Division picture was looking bad for the Blackhawks a few days ago? Well, four points in two days changes a complexion pretty quick. The Blackhawks are just one point behind second-place St. Louis, who they play twice in April. A Central title still in sight? Said Quenneville, “Our objective is to make the playoffs, finish as high as we can, win the division. That’s where we want to go. One step at a time. Minnesota had an amazing run. We still have some tough games and important points ahead of us. But the last two games feel good.”

Blackhawks commend Scott Darling on big outing vs. Kings.

By Nina Falcone

Scott Darling #33 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates a win over the Los Angeles Kings at the United Center on March 30, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Kings 4-1. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The sound of the horn at the end of Monday night's game against the Los Angeles Kings marked the conclusion of a pretty impressive month for goaltender Scott Darling.

In eight straight periods throughout March, Darling allowed just one goal; one that came against Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin that Darling thought he should have had.

"I'm pretty upset about that crappy goal," Darling said after the Blackhawks' 4-1 victory. "Bad timing to let it in. But other than that the guys really rallied for me and got the lead back right away in the second. And we just rolled from there."

Still, one goal in eight periods is a pretty solid stat.

But what Monday's outing also showed is just how much confidence the Blackhawks have in Darling. The fact that he got the nod against the defending champions this late in the season when the playoff pressure is really heating up shows just how much trust the team has in him.

 

After posting a shutout against the New York Rangers, holding the Columbus Blue Jackets off the board through two periods and sending a desperate Kings team packing, Darling further demonstrated that he can handle the big game.

 

"Really solid," Niklas Hjalmarsson said of Darling's performance. "Probably just the one goal that he wants to get back, but other than that he had a really solid game. Made a couple of big saves. We know whoever we have in net, we're going to have a good effort. We just have to help him out as much as we can."

 

The fact that he didn't let that one "crappy goal" faze him also impressed the Blackhawks.

 

"It was a good test tonight," coach Joel Quenneville said. "We haven't seen an ugly one like that on him. Everybody lets in goals that you'd like to have back, so I liked his response the rest of the way. You find out about people in that situation. ... I commend him on staying focused and doing what he had to do."

 

The Blackhawks have reiterated all season long that they're comfortable with whoever's in net. Darling once against strengthened their confidence in his game with another big outing against a big opponent.

 

"He's been great. I think every game he's played, he's been solid," Duncan Keith said. "I think he's pushed (Corey Crawford) a little bit here. We're confident with both goaltenders, we've got two great goaltenders. No matter who we have in net, we know we're gonna get a solid performance out of both of them. The rest is up to us."

Blackhawks continue push toward playoffs with win over Kings 4-1.

By Tracey Myers

   

Jonathan Toews #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks tries to get off a shot as he's squeezed by Marian Gaborik #12 and Jake Muzzin #6 of the Los Angeles Kings at the United Center on March 30, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

 

Niklas Hjalmarsson wasn’t feeling the weariness that usually comes on the second half of a back-to-back.

“I felt looser. I had my legs, and I really can’t explain it,” he said. “It’s weird. Sometimes you actually feel better in the second game.”

That more energetic feeling seemed to be team-wide, and with the Los Angeles Kings in town and a critical two points on the line, the Blackhawks couldn’t have picked a better night to be playing some of their best hockey.

Duncan Keith’s power-play goal proved to be the game-winner and Scott Darling stopped 31 of 32 shots as the Blackhawks beat the Kings, 4-1, Monday night at the United Center. The Blackhawks collected all four points on this back-to-back — they beat Winnipeg, 3-2, on Sunday — and now have 98 points in the Central Division. They pull to within one point of the second-place St. Louis Blues (99), which lost to the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. They now have a three-point lead over Minnesota, which was idle Monday.

Hjalmarsson scored his third goal of the season. Bryan Bickell and Marian Hossa also scored for the Blackhawks. Johnny Oduya had one of his best games of the season, finishing a plus-three with two shots on goal, three hits and four blocked shots.

On a night when the Kings were going to be desperate — they’re currently out of a playoff spot — the Blackhawks were stellar. From goaltending to offense to defense, and defensemen adding offense, everything clicked.

“Excellent game,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “From the outset we had good jump, good consistency in the lines, everything going our way tonight. Very happy with the quality and quantity of the chances we did have.”

Indeed, the Blackhawks kept Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick busy, firing at least 11 shots at him each period. They were just as good defensively; yes the Kings had 32 shots, but the Blackhawks defense kept many from being prime chances. Then there was Darling, the somewhat surprise starter for this one who looked as calm and cool as he has in previous contests.

The Blackhawks got the desired start; on a delayed penalty, Bryan Bickell redirected a Brandon Saad shot for a 1-0 lead. Jake Muzzin got the Kings’ only goal late in the period to tie it at 1. The Blackhawks opened it up in the second, with Keith and Hjalmarsson scoring just 64 seconds apart for a 3-1 advantage before Hossa added his later in the third period.

It was just a good combination for a Blackhawks team that looked completely different from the one that lost to Columbus on Friday night.

“We played the last two games much better defensively, especially in the neutral zone,” Hossa said. “We played more patience and together, and that’s a huge difference.”

The same Blackhawks team that was looking out of sync and perhaps even a little tired during last week’s road trip is looking energized off their last two games, especially Monday night’s. And just when it looked like the Blackhawks had no chance to catch the top teams in the Central, they’re right there again.

“Yeah, why not?” Oduya said. “It’s been like that the whole year: couple points up, couple points down. We look to push forward and gain on the teams in front of us. It was a good start today.”

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Bulls-Bucks Preview.

By JEFF MEZYDLO (STATS Senior Writer)

While awaiting the potential return of Derrick Rose, the Chicago Bulls appear to be heating up as the playoffs approach.

The Milwaukee Bucks, meanwhile, haven't looked like a team that's in playoff position.

Trying for a fourth straight win, the visiting Bulls can sweep the season series from the struggling Bucks by recording a 10th consecutive victory at Milwaukee in a potential first-round playoff preview Wednesday night.

Chicago (45-29) has won five of six and averaged 108.3 points on 52.1 percent shooting to take the last three over Charlotte, Toronto and New York by an average margin of 18.6.

Third in the Eastern Conference, the Bulls are 2 1/2 games behind Central Division-leading Cleveland and one ahead of the fourth-place Raptors with eight remaining. Chicago is 9-8 since Rose decided to undergo minor knee surgery in late February.

''I think our mindset at this point is we're building toward something,'' forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. said. ''When Derrick gets back, it's a bonus.''

Though it's still uncertain when Rose (18.4 points, 5.0 assists per game) will return, the former NBA MVP took contact in practice Monday for the first time since the surgery.

"Physically, he says he feels good," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Ultimately he's got to feel comfortable."

Rookie Nikola Mirotic has helped pick up the offensive slack in Rose's absence while averaging 20.8 points in the 15 March games. He scored 24 in Saturday's 111-80 rout of the Knicks.

While the Bulls would love to have Rose ready for a playoff run, they'll continue to remain focused amid their current stretch of success.

''I think we're getting there,'' All-Star Pau Gasol said after increasing his league-leading double-double total to 48 with 19 points and 12 rebounds versus New York.

''We can't get too complacent," he added. "We can't get satisfied by a few good games. We just need to continue because the challenges are going to come and they're going to come quickly.''

Chicago's first playoff challenge could come against Milwaukee (36-38), which is sixth in the East but has dropped eight of 10 and is 5-15 since Feb. 22.

Though the Bucks' last five wins have come at home, they've averaged 82.7 points during a six-game overall skid to the Bulls. They've also averaged 86.4 while dropping the last nine meetings at the Bradley Center - their longest current home slide against any opponent.

Taj Gibson had 23 points with 10 rebounds and Gasol added 22 and 14 boards to help Chicago open the season series with a 95-86 win at Milwaukee on Nov. 5.

The Bucks, who are trying to avoid being swept by their neighbors to the south for the third time in five seasons, have averaged 81.3 points and shot 38.2 percent against the Bulls in 2014-15.

However, none of those contests came with Michael Carter-Williams on the court. A foot injury kept him out as Milwaukee set season lows for points and shooting (33.7 percent) in an 87-71 loss at Chicago on Feb. 23.

Carter-Williams has averaged 12.8 points in 17 games since he was acquired by the Bucks prior to the trade deadline, but 7.3 while shooting 26.7 percent and committing 15 turnovers in the last four. He had four points and four turnovers as Milwaukee suffered an 11th straight road defeat, 101-88 at Atlanta on Monday.

"Offensively and defensively, there was not enough energy," coach Jason Kidd said. "That's what we've built our foundation on, and we just had another no-show.''

Bulls: Derrick Rose scrimmages, Bulls non-committal about return date

By Vincent Goodwill

Yes, Derrick Rose practiced again, this time in a live scrimmage setting with the rest of the rotational players available for Bulls practice Tuesday.

And that is the Rose update for the day.

Of course it isn’t enough, as although he declined to speak to the media for the second straight day, he was topic of conversation for coach Tom Thibodeau, who is trying his best to temper any growing expectations, and Taj Gibson, who was on the opposite side of Rose during the scrimmage.

Of course, Gibson’s wry smile gave way to his enthusiasm about beating Rose’s team during the scrimmage.

“No, we won. I didn't want to be on his team. I wanted to be against him,” Gibson said. “But it was just fun to see him back out there pushing.

“A lot of times when guys get injuries, they shy away from pushing it. He was out there pushing himself extremely hard, yelling, just being a teammate the way he was before he left. It's good to have him back. Last year and the year before it's frustrating.”

Gibson said initially Rose was getting frustrated, getting on himself for a couple tough plays during the scrimmage, matched up against Kirk Hinrich. Thibodeau said it wasn’t a true first unit against second unit scrimmage, but was encouraged by what he saw from Rose.

“Good. He just has to string some practices together,” said Thibodeau, again reiterating Rose’s conditioning has to build from coming off that right knee surgery. “Yesterday, we established a baseline and keep building from there. It’s just steady progress. He’s got to continue to build. He’s got a long way to go.”

Thibodeau wouldn’t say whether Rose would be ruled out for Wednesday’s game against Milwaukee, not daring to dip his feet into those controversial waters.

The Bulls will have a day of rest in between games against the Pistons on Friday and Cavaliers on Sunday, and it isn’t known if the Bulls are within striking distance of the Cavaliers for the second seed will play a part in whether Rose decides to come back if he isn’t back already (the Bulls are 2.5 games back of the Cavs).

But he does feel the adjustment of re-integrating Rose back won’t be as drastic as it appears on the surface, as he’s missed 17 straight games to date.

“These guys have all been through it with him, most of them have,” Thibodeau said. “And the fact that he played a good chunk of the season is a plus. In the previous years, he was out the whole year and then he played 10 games in one season. This one is different.

“He played in almost 50 games. That’s a plus. They have a good idea of how they have to play off him and how he has to play off them. The challenge for all our players is to bring out the best in each other, not only themselves. Obviously when he plays, it makes the game easier for everybody.”

With all the consternation about the “will he, won’t he” talk that has centered around Rose for the past few years, it’s not lost on Gibson the fact that Rose has endured three knee surgeries filled with recoveries and setbacks. Just seeing him on the floor is a boost, seemingly.

“It's up there with watching a rookie who overcame so much adversity,” Gibson said. “Now you see Joakim (Noah) out there, and then you see Derrick coming in there, and just that old attacking personality, how he is.

“He's back in the hunt, talking trash, hitting threes, running back up and down the court. And it's good to know that even while he was hurt he was still paying attention to detail. It's only a matter of time before he's back out there going up and down the way he normally is.”

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Bears sign ex-Falcons RB Jacquizz Rodgers to one-year deal.

By Scott Krinch

The Bears announced they have signed former Atlanta Falcons running back Jacquizz Rodgers, who visited Halas Hall on Tuesday, to a one-year contract.

Rodgers, 25, appeared in all 16 games with the Falcons in 2014, rushing 58 times for 217 yards, and hauling in 29 receptions for 173 yards and two total touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving).

The 5-foot-6, 196-pound Rodgers was originally selected by the Falcons in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of Oregon State where he was the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year in his junior season. He appeared in 65 games in his four seasons with the Falcons, rushing for 1,116 yards and notching 155 receptions for 1,104 yards with 10 total touchdowns (five rushing, five receiving). Rodgers has also returned 49 kicks for an average of 24 yards.

Rodgers will likely compete with second-year players Ka'Deem Carey and Senorise Perry for backup running back duties behind Pro Bowler Matt Forte, who is in the final year of his contract.

Rodgers is now the 10th new player that Bears general manager Ryan Pace has signed this offseason.

The NFL is closing in on a radical change to the extra point — here's how it would work.

By Cork Gaines

NFL teams appear to be heading towards a compromise that would represent a radical change to one of the most basic concepts in football, the extra point, according to Peter King of SI.com.

 

Thirty of the 32 NFL teams want to change the extra-point play, which was converted 99.3% of the time in 2014 and is considered too automatic. However, up until now, teams have been unable to agree on how to change the rule. Twenty-four teams have to vote "yes" for the any rule change to pass.

 

One competition committee member told King that they need to find a compromise in order to get the rule changed, and King reports one settlement has emerged as the most likely to be passed and implemented for the 2015 season. 

This is how the point after touchdown would work under the compromise (via King):

 

If a team chooses to go for 1 point, the line of scrimmage will be moved back to the 15-yard line, creating what would essentially be a 32- or 33-yard field goal for a single point.

 

If a team chooses to go for 2 points, the line of scrimmage will either be kept at the 2-yard line or moved up to the 1- or 1.5-yard line (King says the yard line has faced "much debate" with some feeling going all the way to the 1-yard line would produce more of "scrum/push-the-pile play, or a fluky puncture-the-goal-line-with-the-ball-and-bring-it-back play" as opposed to a normal football play).

The defense would be awarded 2 points if they return a blocked extra point or  turnover all the way to the other end zone (this mimics a rule already in the college game).

Of course, the big unknown is just how much any of this would change how coaches approach the extra-point play. In short, it all depends on where the NFL decides to place the ball on a 2-point conversion.

If the NFL moved the ball up to the 1-yard line for 2-point attempts, teams would go for 2 much, much more often.

In 2014, NFL teams converted 99.3% of extra-point kicks and 47.5% of 2-point attempts. At those rates, NFL teams would expect to gain 0.99 points for every 1-point attempt and 0.95 points for every 2-point attempt. So it makes sense that coaches only go for two when it is absolutely necessary.

However, NFL teams scored touchdowns 57.5% of the time from the 1-yard line in 2014. If the same rate applied on 2-point conversions — and there are reasons to think it would actually be a little higher (e.g. teams would be less rushed, the ball could be placed on the ideal hash-mark, and they could pick their most effective play since there are no other downs) — teams would expect to gain 1.15 points for every 2-point attempt.

In other words, teams would be expected to score significantly more points from the 2-point conversion if it were from the 1-yard line.

If the NFL were to keep the 2-point attempt at the 2-yard line, teams would still almost exclusively attempt the 1-point extra point.

Moving the 1-point kick back to the 15-yard line does very little to the difficulty of the kick.

NFL kickers made 34 of 35 field goals (97.1%) when the line of scrimmage was the 15-yard line and they made 84 of 88 (95.5%) when the line of scrimmage was between the 14- and 16-yard lines in 2014.

That makes the expected points for 1-pointers (0.97 points per attempt) and 2-points (0.95 points) a little closer, but it is still in favor of the 1-point attempt.

Now consider that teams only went for a touchdown five times all season when it was 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line, even though the expected points are higher if you go for a touchdown there than if you kick a field goal. In other words, coaches will still kick the 1-point extra point unless they feel they need 2 points.

Simply moving back the extra point to the 15-yard line wouldn't lead to significantly more 2-point attempts.

Moving the 2-point conversion to the 1.5-yard line is the compromise that adds the most intrigue. 

This is where things will get interesting, at least at the start.

We don't know how often teams would convert a 2-point play from the 1.5-yard line, only that presumably it would somewhere between 47.5% and 57.5%.

The 1.5-yard line is where strategy and coaching style will outweigh the numbers.

This is the range where the benefit of going for two will likely outweigh the 1-point conversion just enough to where aggressive coaches will go for it most of the time and conservative coaches will kick it most of the time. It stands to reason that there will be more 2-point attempts overall, but it'll be a tough decision on a case-by-case basis.

The 1.5-yard line is the spot that will create debate and second-guessing. Ultimately, that's what both the NFL and the fans want.

Cubs guarantee Wrigley Field will be ready for Opening Night.

By Tony Andracki

The Cubs won't be playing their 2015 home games on the South Side or in Milwaukee.

Team spokesman Julian Green guaranteed Wrigley Field will be ready for Opening Night, firing back at the rumors and speculation as the Cubs get set to host the St. Louis Cardinals on Easter Sunday.

“At no time has Major League Baseball intervened in our construction project,” Green said Tuesday on a conference call with the media. “They are not concerned, mad or disappointed in the team or the pace of construction.

“There have no been discussions with the Chicago White Sox about playing our home opener at U.S. Cellular (Field).

“The rumors about the upper deck and grandstands not being safe are absolutely false and simply reckless. This has been the most disturbing (one) and reaches an all-time low for Wrigley Field rumors and myths.”

The Cubs said the new 3,900-square-foot video board will be operational for Opening Night while the right-field video board is on track to be ready by the All-Star break.

The Budweiser sign in right field will be ready for Sunday in a temporary position and will move to its permanent spot - above the video board in right field - when construction is complete.

The team also confirmed the left- and center-field bleachers will be ready by May 11 while the right-field bleachers are supposed to be completed in mid-June.

Carl Rice, the vice president of ballpark operations, said the Ricketts family is dumping another $50 million into “The 1060 Project" that was originally expected to cost $575 million. Rice also confirmed the entire renovation project could take up to five years.

"We're going to do this right and responsibly,” Rice said, “so we may adjust the schedule on various parts and phases of the project and determine when work can be done during the baseball season.”

The Cubs provided several other updates:

—The Cubs expect the ivy to be back in full bloom on the outfield walls by mid-summer.

—The left-field concourse will be without one men's and two women's restrooms until late-May. There are temporary restroom solutions available.

—There will be one less concession stand on the left-field concourse, but portable concessions have been made available in the area.

—There is ongoing work on the elevator in the northwest corner of the park that has impacted 75 seats in the terrace reserve area. The Cubs are working to accommodate fans who have purchased tickets in that area.

—Work will continue outside the ballpark throughout the season, including some of the personalized brick pavers. The pavers will eventually be relocated outside the bleachers for Opening Day 2016. Each personalized paver owner will be contacted by the organization with an update.

—The red and purple parking lots outside the stadium are gone. The blue and brown lots will not be available for any cash parking in 2015. The green lot on Grace Street has been resurfaced and will be open to fans all season.

—The remote lot (3900 N. Rockwell St. off Irving Park Road) will be ready for Opening Night and will be available throughout the season for all night and weekend games. A free shuttle will transport fans to and from the ballpark.

—Bike-check service will be operational again this season, located on the west side of Clark Street, just north of the Cubs store by the McDonald's.

—Sheffield Avenue will be closed to traffic and pedestrians can only access the east side of the street.

—Group buses will unload and pick up on Irving Park Road. CTA bus stops will remain the same.

—All gates and ticket windows will be operational for Opening Night.

—Wi-Fi will be down inside Wrigley Field for much of the season, but cellular service shouldn't be affected.

—The Ernie Banks and Ron Santo statues will be in place by Opening Night. The Harry Caray statue will not return at all in 2015 due to the construction.

"Our goal is to ensure that the ongoing construction does not lessen the fan experience or impact the course of the game on the field," Rice said. "We're going to consistently monitor the noise itself and construction activity and make adjustments as we go.

"The key objective is making sure we're getting this done right and delivering the ultimate in guest experience. We are excited to receive fans Opening Night and kick off a great season of baseball at Wrigley Field."

 

Bryant sent to minors by Cubs; union threatens litigation.

By JASON P. SKODA (Associated Press)

Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant signs autographs prior to start of a spring training exhibition baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Peoria, Ariz. Bryant was reassigned by the Cubs to their minor league camp on Monday despite an outstanding spring training at the plate, triggering a threat of litigation from the players' association. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi, File)

Third baseman Kris Bryant was reassigned by the Chicago Cubs to their minor league camp on Monday despite an outstanding spring training at the plate, triggering a threat of litigation from the players' association.

Bryant hit .425 in the exhibition season with nine homers and 15 RBIs in 40 at-bats. If the 23-year-old spends 12 or more days in the minor leagues, Chicago would delay him from becoming eligible for free agency by one year, until after the 2021 season, according to baseball's collective bargaining agreement.

''Today is a bad day for baseball,'' the Major League Baseball Players Association said in a statement. ''I think we all know that even if Kris Bryant were a combination of the greatest players to play our game, and perhaps he will be before it's all said and done, the Cubs still would have made the decision they made today. This decision, and other similar decisions made by clubs will be addressed in litigation, bargaining or both.''

Major League Baseball defended the Cubs' decision.

''In accordance with long established practice under the Basic Agreement, a club has an unfettered right to determine which players are part of its opening-day roster,'' MLB said in a statement. ''This issue was discussed extensively in bargaining in 2011, and the principle was not changed. We do not believe that it is appropriate for the players' association to make the determination that Kris Bryant should be on the Cubs' 25-man roster while another player, who, unlike Bryant, is a member of its bargaining unit, should be cut or sent to the minor leagues.''

Bryant, who is not on the 40-man roster, was slowed defensively in the middle of camp by right shoulder soreness.

''It's always difficult to send young players down because it is news they don't want to hear,'' Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein said. ''We entered camp with the presumptive move of sending him to Triple-A, and it is always the presumptive move for us with young players who haven't played in the big leagues yet. You see how camp develops and how the roster shapes up to see if there is grounds for an exception to the rule.''

Bryant was not available to discuss the move. His agent, Scott Boras, called it ''Ersatz Baseball.''

''MLB is not the MLB without the best players,'' Boras said in a text message to The Associated Press. ''Kris excelled at every level and earned the right of entry. The CBA is at the apogee of wrongs incentivizing clubs to create a product less than best. Bryant's situation is the badge for change to the CBA player service structure.''

Preparing for its first season under manager Joe Maddon, the Cubs selected the contract of left-hander Phil Coke from Triple-A Iowa, optioned second baseman Javy Baez to Iowa and reassigned shortstop Addison Russell were assigned to minor league camp. Coke gets a $2.25 million, one-year contract and the chance to earn $950,000 in performance bonuses based on games: $100,000 for 35 and each additional five through 55, and $150,000 each for 60, 65 and 70.

The demotion of Bryant was expected.

''In this case it was the right thing to do,'' Epstein said. ''His performance really mattered, and he made a great first impression on Joe. It demonstrated clearly to everybody that he is really close to not just being in the big leagues but an important role on the team.''

Chicago is seeking its first World Series title since 1908.

''I'm not going to sit here and tell you that you wouldn't like to have him in your lineup,'' Maddon said. ''He's also 23. I'm looking forward to working with this guy for the next 15 years. He's a brilliant talent. I'm not going to sit here and say things that are disingenuous. This guy is good. He's going to be really good.''

Baez, 22, was competing for the starting second-base job. He entered Monday's game against San Francisco hitting .173 with 20 strikeouts in 52 at-bats.

''He is so close to getting it figured out in the batter's box and we feel like Triple-A is the right venue for him to continue making those adjustments and get locked in,'' Epstein said. ''He does everything else so well on the baseball field, he is a winning baseball player. He just has to take that same mindset in the batter's box.''

Baez was originally in the lineup against the Giants at Sloan Park on Monday but was replaced by Jonathan Herrera at second base and No. 9 in the lineup shortly before first pitch.

One of things Maddon has praised Baez for is how he has stayed focused defensively and on the base paths despite the struggles with the bat.

''Whatever happens at the plate happens,'' Baez said Monday morning before learning his fate. ''I don't take whatever happens at the plate to my defense because I have to play good defense for my pitcher and my whole team.''

Russell, 21, was acquired from Oakland in the Jeff Samardzija trade on July 5. He hit .324 in 37 at-bats during spring training.

''I couldn't tell him what to work on,'' Maddon said. ''He is that accomplished at that age. I asked to him keep doing what he is doing.''

Epstein and Maddon both said there were heated debates on the decisions when it came to Baez and Bryant.

''In a healthy organization there should be different opinions expressed, bounce ideas off each other, talk about different aspects of the game and how you weigh different variables,'' Epstein said. ''These players were new to Joe so he is seeing them for the first time and we couldn't have had a healthier debate about it and in the end we all agreed. I think I could probably be in this game for a long time and not send down three players that talented on the same day ever again. Those three are pretty good.''

How the baseball landscape has changed since the White Sox won the 2005 World Series.

By Sarah Langs

A decade ago, history was made on the South Side.

 

This season marks the 10th anniversary of the White Sox most recent World Series title. The Sox put up 99 wins in the regular season that year and swept the Houston Astros in the Fall Classic to break an 88-year drought, cementing their names in the history books.

 

In 10 years, the relevant names, faces, numbers and teams in the game have changed significantly. In the spring of 2005, Jeff Samardzija was still a wide receiver at Notre Dame and Robin Ventura had played in his final major league game in October of the previous year.

 

Dontrelle Willis was “the” next big thing in 2005; now he can’t find his way out of the minors. Teams that put together playoff runs can fade in an instant, from injuries, age or any other litany of factors.

 

What did the rest of the baseball world look like as the Sox made their way towards October glory?

 

Back then, @WhiteSox represented a game matchup, not a Twitter handle.

 

Heading into the season, there were two big name changes to keep track of, and a few that hadn’t even happened yet. The Florida ball clubs still both had their prior names, with the AL and NL East being populated by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Florida Marlins, respectively.

 

The Sox ALCS foes that year, the Anaheim Angels officially became the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, while the Montreal Expos said their goodbyes to Canada at the end of 2004. The 2005 season marked the first year for that franchise in Washington as the Nationals.

 

The Nationals weren’t the only debut in 2005. A number of notable players had their first cups of coffee — or more — during the 2005 season.

 

One of the biggest destiny-changing debuts for the White Sox that season was none other than 24-year-old Bobby Jenks. In 32 regular season games, he notched 50 strikeouts and six saves with a 2.75 ERA. Come October, Jenks’ presence garnered national attention. He had four saves in the postseason, including closing out the 1-0 victory in Game 4, clinching the championship for the Sox.

 

Jenks wasn’t the only White Sox rookie to have an impact in 2005. Tadahito Iguchi played in 135 games for Chicago in 2005, hitting .278 with 15 home runs and 71 RBI. He finished fourth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting. His two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Red Sox gave Chicago the lead for good and proved to be the eventual game-winner.

 

Two players who will be on the South Side this year debuted that year, too. Outfielder Melky Cabrera took the field for the first time on July 7 as a member of the Yankees. Catcher Geovany Soto debuted for the Cubs in late September at the age of 22. Both signed free agent deals with the Sox this offseason.

 

Other notable debuts that year on the hitting side included Prince Fielder, Nelson Cruz, Brian McCann and Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez’s Sept. 20 debut came with the Boston Red Sox, who traded him that offseason to the Florida — not yet Miami — Marlins. Ten years later, he’ll come full circle and break camp with the Red Sox after signing as a free agent this winter.

 

At the start of the 2005 season, the major leagues had yet to see the likes of pitchers Adam Wainwright, Justin Verlander, Josh Johnson, Edinson Volquez, Matt Cain or CJ Wilson on the mound. Each went on to play a key role in a postseason run over the last decade, with Wainwright and Cain earning World Series rings.

 

The youngest player in baseball that year made his debut on Aug. 4 — a pitcher by the name of Felix Hernandez. His first start against the Sox came on Aug. 26, giving up three earned runs over seven innings and came away with a no-decision in a 5-3 Sox win.

 

The oldest player in 2005 was 46-year-old Julio Franco. He was the oldest player in the sport through 2007, and just signed up for his third stint in Japan at age 56. Meantime, on the AL side, Jamie Moyer was a spring chicken compared to Franco at age 42. Moyer managed to pop up on the oldest list again a few times, including most recently in 2012 at age 49.

 

Speaking of the elder statesmen, 2005 marked the final year in the majors for John Franco, Rafael Palmeiro, Benito Santiago, Al Leiter, John Olerud, Larry Walker and Jeff Bagwell amongst other heroes of the 1990’s and early 2000’s.

 

What about some of the headline-makers and associated stats?

 

In 2005, Alex Rodriguez unseated Vladimir Guerrero as AL MVP and Bartolo Colon did the same thing to Johan Santana for the AL Cy Young.

 

Rodriguez hit .321 with 48 home runs and 130 RBI for the Yankees in ‘05. In the NL, Andruw Jones hit 51 longballs for the Braves.

 

Colon amassed 21 wins, a 3.57 ERA and 157 strikeouts. In three at bats, he had one hit and one RBI. He didn't get another hit in the majors until June 18, 2014. (It’s always good to check in on his hitting stats.)

 

The MLB leader in wins that year was none other than the aforementioned Willis. In the second of his two All-Star seasons, Willis notched 22 wins, a 2.63 ERA and seven complete games (five shutouts). He finished second in the NL Cy Young voting to 21-game winner Chris Carpenter, who had 213 strikeouts for the 100-win Cardinals.

 

In terms of team wins, the White Sox led the way in the AL with 99. The NL Central-winning Cardinals won 100 games, but failed to reach the World Series (they made it the next year — despite just 83 wins that time around).

 

Since then only three teams have won 99 or more: the 2008 Angels with 100, the 2009 Yankees with 103 and the 2012 Phillies with 102.

 

The Sox didn’t just win games, they won games in their division — and a lot of them. In 2005, the White Sox won 52 games against AL Central foes and dropped just 22 of those matchups. That .703 winning percentage against a team’s own division has not been matched in the years since. The 2013 Rangers won one more, with 53, but also dropped one more, putting the percentage at .697.

 

The 99-win mark was an achievement both globally and organizationally. The Sox had only won 99 games one time (1983) since the team’s previous World Series crown in 1917.

 

What about the 2005 White Sox players who are still active?

 

Well, there aren’t many of them. When Paul Konerko retired at the end of the 2014 season, the South Siders’ roster was completely bare of players who’d won a ring in 2005. A few players from the World Series roster are still in baseball, though: starter Mark Buehrle (Blue Jays), reliever Neal Cotts (Brewers), catcher A.J. Pierzynski (Braves) and infielder Juan Uribe (Dodgers).

 

For perspective, Jose Abreu and Chris Sale — franchise cornerstones on this year’s Sox team bidding for the organization’s next title — were both teenagers in 2005. So yeah, you could say the majors looked pretty different when Ozzie Guillen helped lead a group of believers all the way.

Golf: I got a club for that; Tiger Woods plays a practice round at Augusta, status for the Masters still uncertain.

By Emily Kay
 

Just a day after a report said Tiger Woods had "the edge back," the 14-time major winner has apparently landed in Augusta for some Masters practice.

If Tiger Woods' private plane is cooling its jets at the airport closest to Augusta National, that can only mean one thing -- the "Will Tiger play?" guessing game has reached preposterous proportions.

Sure enough, Scott Michaux reported Tuesday morning that an aircraft with the same tail numbers as Woods' Gulfstream G5 was parked at the terminal for private planes at Augusta Regional Airport.

 

The sighting of Tiger's ride added new grist to the rumor mill that Tiger was practicing at Augusta this week in preparation for a return to competition at the Masters next week. Woods' agent confirmed Woods did play 18 holes at Augusta on Tuesday, but there is still no decision on whether he will play in the Masters.

 

Woods went on an indefinite leave from the PGA Tour on Feb. 11 following terrible outings at the Phoenix Open, where he missed the cut, and at the Farmers Insurance Open, from which he withdrew after 11 shaky holes of the first round.

 

In issuing word of his break, he said he would rejoin the tour when his game was tournament-ready. In a later announcement, Woods said he would skip the Arnold Palmer Invitational but was hopeful he would be "ready for the Masters."

 

Speculation has run wild since then about if, when and where Tiger would make his latest comeback, and especially if he could fix his short game in time for the men's first major of the season. Woods missed the Masters for the first time in his career in 2014 after undergoing back surgery.

 

In the interim, Tiger intimate Notah Begay III said the chances that his friend would tee it up at Augusta starting April 9 were "50-50," while golf insider Tim Rosaforte earlier this week said he expected Woods to make his first start since Feb. 5 next Thursday.

 

"I think Tiger Woods is going to play the Masters. I also think you'll see him take a trip to Augusta National this week where he can practice in solitude without a camera on him," Rosaforte said in GolfWorld on Monday.

 

"I base this not only on Notah Begay's 50-50 prediction that got so much traction, but by some of the scores he's been posting and the improvement he's shown over the past two weeks up at Medalist Golf Club," Rosaforte added. "Friends in Palm Beach are also saying 'Tiger's got the edge back.'"

 

While Tiger practicing doesn't guarantee a Masters start, his arrival in Augusta and the report from Rosaforte are strong indicators that the four-time champ will make his return to the game next week.

China closes 66 'illegal' golf courses.

AFP                         
                                                      

China's ruling Communist Party has long had an ambivalent relationship with golf, which is both a lucrative opportunity for local authorities and a favored pastime of some officials, but closely associated with wealth and Western elites (AFP Photo/Philippe Lopez)

China has closed down nearly 70 "illegal" golf courses, a government statement said, in what appears to be the first sign of enforcement of a decade-old ban. 

The announcement by China's ministry of land and resources comes amid a high-profile anti-graft campaign spearheaded by President Xi Jinping, which has seen crackdowns on banquets, lavish gift-giving and other official excesses.

 

The ruling Communist Party has long had an ambivalent relationship with golf, which is both a lucrative opportunity for local authorities and a favored pastime of some officials, but closely associated with wealth and Western elites.
 

"Presently, local governments have shut down a number of illegally-built golf courses, and preliminary results have been achieved in clean-up and rectification work," read the announcement on the ministry's website late Monday.
 

Three of the 66 "illegal" golf courses listed by the ministry are in Beijing. Eight are in the eastern province of Shandong, while the southern and southwestern provinces of Guangdong and Yunnan are home to six each.
 

Even the tropical island province of Hainan -- considered the capital of the sport in China -- has not been spared, with three unsanctioned courses shut down, according to the statement. 

It did not give a time period for the closures.

Central authorities ordered a nationwide moratorium on new courses in 2004, but development continued as revenue-minded local officials went their own way, even offering tax breaks for operators of new courses in places such as Hainan.

Government officials keen on joining golf clubs often do so under false names, wary of being perceived as corrupt or out-of-touch, according to author Dan Washburn, who has written a book on China's relationship with the sport.

No reason was given by the land resources ministry for the facilities' closure, but water and environmental concerns were cited among the factors that drove the 2004 ban.

Nonetheless the number of courses in China has flourished, from fewer than 200 in 2004 to more than 600 at present, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

NASCAR Power Rankings: No, we're not bleeding air from them.

By Nick Bromberg

1. Kevin Harvick (LW: 1): Goodbye, top-two finish streak. You served Harvick well. He had to settle for a paltry eighth-place finish despite leading 154 laps. Because he led the most laps, he actually got more points (38) for finishing eighth than Danica Patrick did for finishing seventh (37). If you're looking for fun coincidences, we've got one for you. Where was the last track Harvick didn't finish in the top two at before Sunday? Yep, you've got it. Martinsville.

2. Joey Logano (LW: 2): Striking observation from the Martinsville grandstands on Sunday. When Logano got spun by Michael Annett in turns one and two, you would have thought Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead based off the roar of the crowd. Seriously, there were a bunch of cheers. Where the heck did that come from? How did Logano become a villain? If he continues to get boos when he's successful and cheers when he's not, it's going to be one of the more fascinating heel turns in NASCAR history. It's not like Logano has done anything to tick a bunch of people off lately. Oh, he finished third after that spin. It was a hell of a comeback.

3. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 4): Here's another guy just racking up the top 10s. And this time, Truex had to overcome a lot of obstacles to do so. Smoke was emanating from his car early in the race and he was forced to pit multiple times under caution. The issue was a power steering leak and after the team fixed the problem, Truex worked his way back up through the field to finish six. And hey, he actually gained points on Harvick this week.

4. Kurt Busch (LW: 3): Let's stay on the power steering problems agenda, shall we? Busch had them too, though his came later in the race. He also got a penalty for changing lanes before the restart that was later rescinded. Without power steering, Busch wrestled the car to a 14th-place finish. He's now 24th in the points standings despite missing those first three races of the season.

5. Brad Keselowski (LW: 5): If Keselowski doesn't have the Auto Club Speedway win in his pocket, does he race Denny Hamlin any differently? It's a fair question, given that Keselowski's refusal to bump Kyle Busch at Watkins Glen in 2013 meant he didn't have a win to get the Wild Card for the Chase. Of course, Keselowski could have opted for the same tactic against Hamlin if he was winless, but since he had the win, there was no need to act crazily in search of three bonus points in the Chase. There are 20 more opportunities for wins.

6. Denny Hamlin (LW: 12): The win at Martinsville was Hamlin's fifth. He now has the third-most wins of any active driver at the track. The fact may make you scratch your head a little bit because of the recent bias. It's Hamlin's first win at Martinsville since 2010. But he won three-straight races in 2009 and 2010 and had a streak of four wins in six races. He also has 15 top-10 finishes in 19 career starts. It's not too far off Jimmie Johnson's 22 in 27.

7. Matt Kenseth (LW: 9): Flatline is becoming a Martinsville master. Or at least a driver who is pretty good at the track. He's got 12 top-10 finishes and in 31 starts at the half-mile track. In five races with Joe Gibbs Racing, he has four of those. The other race was a 14th-place finish. Kenseth has found a secret and he apparently shared it with Hamlin and David Ragan on Sunday. Ragan finished fifth.

8. Kasey Kahne (LW: 11): Quick, name the top Hendrick Motorsports driver in the points standings! OK, OK, we just gave you a giant hint so it's really not much of a pop quiz. Yes, it's Kahne, who has 21 points over Dale Earnhardt Jr. and 25 points over Jimmie Johnson. Could this be the year where all four Hendrick cars are running really strongly at the same time?

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 7): Junior had a fast car even after he was caught up in the accident on lap 229 that left him with a bunch of damage on the front of his car. After his team fixed it all up, Junior was still pretty damn fast. He just had a car that looked like a modified car. And he was lots of laps down. No word on if Junior had any Martinsville hot dogs while his team was fixing the car.

10. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 8): Yeah, Johnson had a pit road penalty and sustained damage during the race, but his car was just not fast at all throughout the race. And when was the last time we said that about the No. 48 at Martinsville? Given the team's history, it's likely an outlier and he'll be fast in October. When it really counts. Or counts more, anyway given that Johnson is likely in the Chase.

11. Ryan Newman (LW: 6): So, how long has Newman's team been drilling holes in tires? Were the tires manipulated at all at Martinsville? Newman flat didn't have any speed at all in the race after qualifying second. He ran up front for the first stint and then was on a train to the back of the pack. We'd have Newman here before the penalty was announced and we're now intrigued to see how fast the No. 31 is over the next few races.

12. Jeff Gordon (LW: NR): Sunday was Gordon's race to lose. It was a fantastically called and driven race by the No. 24 bunch as Gordon was simply not that good in the first 200 laps. However, the team made the right adjustments and Gordon was patient until he got sight of the lead. Then, with a good car, he went after it and easily had the best car of the final 100 laps. But then there was that stinking speeding penalty.

Lucky Dog: Danica Patrick, who was the highest-finishing Stewart-Haas driver.

The DNF: Austin Dillon. It was his first DNF since he started running full-time in the Sprint Cup Series.

Dropped Out: Paul Menard

NASCAR announces changes to superspeedway qualifying.

By Nick Bromberg

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Kevin Harvick (4), Casey Mears (13), Kurt Busch (41) and Danica Patrick (10) during qualifying for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. (Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports)

NASCAR has made changes to group qualifying at Daytona and Talladega a reality.

Group qualifying was instituted at the beginning of the 2014 season, though 2014 Daytona 500 pole qualifying was unchanged a year ago from traditional single-car runs.

Now, qualifying will consist of single car runs, though there will likely be multiple cars on the track at once. NASCAR said Monday that for the races at Talladega in May and Daytona in July, cars will be released one-by-one at a prescribed interval from pit road. Each car will get one timed lap to post a speed. The top 12 cars from the first round of qualifying will advance to a second round and race for the pole.

After the disaster that was pole qualifying at Daytona in February for the 500, NASCAR said it was open to changes and listening to feedback from drivers, many of whom voiced their strong displeasure for the format that required cars to draft with each other (like in race conditions) to get the fastest lap possible. While NASCAR has made multiple tweaks to group qualifying at restrictor plates in the format's short existence, this is the biggest change.

In the new format, cars will be divided into two groups for the first round of qualifying. Cars will be impounded after qualifying – teams can't make changes to their cars without risk of losing their qualified spot – and a random draw will determine the order of cars in the first round.

The new system is similar to the format used previously for the Camping World Truck Series at Pocono and Talladega, where multiple trucks would qualify at the same time. However, the trucks were spaced out far enough from each other to prevent drafting.

Soccer: U.S. concede another late goal in Swiss draw 1-1.

Reuters; By Brian Homewood, Editing by Toby Davis

 

Switzerland's Valentin Stocker netted an equalizer as United States continued their recent habit of conceding late goals and were held to a 1-1 draw in a friendly on Tuesday.

Brek Shea rifled home a free kick at the end of the first half to give Juergen Klinsmann's team a deserved lead but they were pegged back by with 10 minutes left after poor defending.

The visitors, who have won only two out of nine games since the World Cup as they undergo a rebuilding process, played the last quarter of the match with 10 men after having Jozy Altidore sent off.

Altidore, one of the most experienced players on the U.S. team, clipped an opponent from behind and was sent off as he argued about the decision with referee Luca Banti.

The U.S. conceded two goals in the last 10 minutes in last week's 3-2 defeat to Denmark and also gave away late goals in friendlies against Honduras (1-1), Ecuador (1-1), Colombia (1-2) and Ireland (1-4).

Nevertheless, Klinsmann was encouraged. "We are getting close to the 90 minutes we were playing at the World Cup," he told reporters.

"Overall, I saw a lot of good stuff from the entire group; it was enjoyable to see that everyone was throwing themselves in there to get a result against a good team...
 

"I told the players at halftime, you can commit fouls but never joke with an Italian referee," he added.

Shea broke through when he fired his effort over the wall and into the net, helped by poor positioning from Switzerland keeper Roman Buerki, with the last kick of the first half.
 

Minutes earlier, Admir Mehmedi missed an open goal for the Swiss, failing to make contact with the ball when Xherdan Shaqiri's low cross found him free in front of goal.
 

Switzerland turned the screw in the second half and had already threatened several times before Stocker scored from close range after the U.S. failed to deal with a cross whipped in from the left.

Fire: Homegrown midfielder Harry Shipp receives MLS honor.

By Danny Michallik

After savoring a stellar rookie season and narrowly missing out on 2014 Rookie of the Year honors, 23-year-old Harry Shipp is picking up right where he left off four games into his second MLS campaign.

The Fire's Homegrown midfielder and former Notre Dame standout was tabbed by the league on Monday as one of eleven players named to the Team of the Week in Week 4:

     

Shipp drew much praise from head coach Frank Yallop after the Men in Red secured their first three points and clean sheet of the season on Sunday with a 1-0 win over a struggling Philadelphia Union side at Toyota Park.

"Harry is a player that sees the game a little differently to most players; he drifts around and has to find his space," Yallop said in his post-match press conference.

In the Fire's 2-1 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes last Sunday, the Lake Forest native cooly slotted home after a delightful feed from Joevin Jones. His goal supplied Yallop's outfit with their first tally of 2015 on the back of being shut out by Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy in the previous two matches. Shipp continued his fine run of form with an assist against the Union with a deftly weighted free kick that found the head of Adailton, who converted past a hapless Rais M'Bolhi in goal.

Shipp, last year's assist leader, has helped the Men in Red recover from a disappointing 0-3 start and stole the limelight once again, this time in the absence of Shaun Maloney and David Accam. His ability to exploit pockets of space, link the team's attacking play and problem solve in the heart of the Fire's midfield is proving to be a valuable asset at a timely moment in a period of transition.  
    
“Guys were popping up all over,” Yallop added. “We were getting in behind them, sliding people in, and all those things you really want to happen, happened in the first half. Harry's one of those guys that reads that kind of attacking stuff well.”  

Big Ten shines bright with Final Four in its backyard.

By GENARO C. ARMAS (AP Sports Writer)
 

After Michigan State clinched a spot in the Final Four last weekend, Wisconsin's Sam Dekker wrote something on Twitter that packed as much of a punch as one of his dunks.

''The Big Ten had a down year right?'' Dekker asked.

If anyone had that perception, it certainly isn't the case with two teams in the Final Four - which is being in Indianapolis.

The Badgers play unbeaten Kentucky in one semifinal on Saturday night, with the Spartans facing Duke in the other.

Both Big Ten squads are underdogs going into their respective games.

Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan congratulated his friend and Michigan State counterpart Tom Izzo over the phone after the Spartans' beat Louisville on Sunday.

Now he's looking ahead.

''Yeah we're proud of that, and then you move on, then you play,'' Ryan said. ''I'm proud of this conference.''

Commissioner Jim Delany sounded like a proud father when talking about the Big Ten's success. He is realistic, too. He knows that Big Ten teams weren't quite successful in nonconference play in November and December, although the league won this year's challenge series with the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Some higher-profile Big Ten teams fell in the series, including Wisconsin's loss to Duke in Madison.

The regular-season title belonged to the Badgers. There was a logjam through the middle of the 14-team league, with clubs beating up on each other.

In the end, only Maryland at No. 12 and Michigan State at No. 23 joined No. 3 Wisconsin in the AP Top 25 at the end of the regular season.

The AP poll at the end of the 2013-14 regular season had four Big Ten teams ranked, including three in the top 12. At one point in 2013-14, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan State were all in the top five.

The previous season, four league teams finished in the top 10.

''It's funny. The last year, or last two years, we had four teams in the top 10 or 12. We moved teams to the Final Four, we were regarded as the strongest conference in those years,'' Delany said Tuesday in a phone interview.

''This year, we didn't have as much success in November and December,'' he added. ''When I size up our league, I really didn't think we were quite as good as we had been. I didn't agree with the fact that we weren't pretty good - but I didn't think we were as good as we had been.''

As it turns out, they were even better when the tournament started.

Wisconsin was the league's sole representative in the Final Four last season. Now the Badgers have company in Michigan State.

''Sure, we'd like to have an all-Big Ten final. That would be awesome for both of us,'' Izzo said on Tuesday. He has been gushing about the league's success all week.

''I did say all year, I tried to stick up for our league. Last year we were the best two, three, four teams, so that makes your conference better,'' Izzo said on Monday.

''Sometimes I think the conferences should be ranked on how teams 12, 11, 10 and 9 are. The depth of a conference makes it different because there (are) no nights off.''

It has been a banner year so far for the league beyond men's basketball.

Maryland and Rutgers joined the conference this season as the league expanded. The Terps surprised the league in basketball after finishing 28-7 overall and 14-4 in conference play, two games behind Wisconsin.

In the women's tournament, Maryland has advanced to its second straight Final Four.

Ohio State won the first college football playoff in January. The Big Ten also had a good showing in other high-profile games on New Year's Day when Michigan State beat Baylor and Wisconsin defeated Auburn.

''We're No. 1 in APR in football, basketball and women's basketball,'' said Delany, referring to the conference ranks in Academic Progress Rates.

''We had a great January bowl season and national championship season. Taken together, I think everybody is feeling good and feeling prideful.''

Delany notes that the Big Ten regularly sends teams to the Final Four. The last time Michigan State and Wisconsin both advanced to the Final Four in the same year was 2000, also in Indianapolis.

That was also the last time a Big Ten team won the men's NCAA title when Izzo and the Spartans defeated Florida.

''I don't think the Big Ten was down. Just a different kind of balance this year,'' Dekker said Tuesday. ''But it's big for ... the Big Ten to have two teams in the Final Four, and I think it will give us some validation.''

Four No. 1 seeds in the women's Final Four.

By DOUG FEINBERG (AP Basketball Writer)

The women's Final Four will have a familiar feel to it with three of last year's teams back in the national semifinals.

UConn, Notre Dame and Maryland all return to the Final Four while South Carolina is making its first appearance.  
 

It's the third time in the history of the Final Four that all four of the top seeds made it this far.

 

''That's the way it is in women's basketball,'' UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. ''The absolute best teams get to the Final Four. I'm not one bit surprised Notre Dame and South Carolina are there. That's the way it is in our game. The best teams go to the Final Four every year.''

 

The Huskies will be trying for their third straight national championship and 10th overall which would move Geno Auriemma into a tie with vaunted UCLA men's coach John Wooden for the most all-time. 

 

UConn will face Maryland and Notre Dame faces South Carolina on Sunday in Tampa, Florida. Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley will become the second person to both play and coach in the Final Four.
 

South Carolina is the Final Four newcomer, making its first appearance in the national semifinals. Coach Dawn Staley became the second person to both play and coach in the Final Four joining Baylor's Kim Mulkey.

''We are not just going to show up and just be happy to be there,'' Staley said. ''This particular regional final game isn't the destination game for what we set out to do this season.

''So, you know, I think this was a statement game because we are going to - we punched our ticket into the Final Four, and now it's time to maybe check off some things that we've wanted to do, which is win the national championship.''  

Here's some other things to look for this weekend: 

WELCOME BACK: The Southeastern Conference had one of the most dominant stretches in women's basketball sending at least one team to the Final Four from 1982-2008 in every season but two. That run ended when Tennessee celebrated its second straight national championship in Tampa, Florida in 2008. The conference, which only missed having teams in that run in 1992 and 2001, hadn't had a team back since until South Carolina made it this year.

 

WE'RE GOING STREAKING!: UConn has made it to a record eight straight Final Fours while Notre Dame is back for the fifth straight time. The only other teams to accomplish five straight trips to the national semifinals are Connecticut (2000-04), LSU (2004-08) and Stanford (2008-12).

While UConn has won four titles in that span, including the past two, Notre Dame is still looking for its first championship during this run.
 

''We have been there a number of times and not been able to finish,'' Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said. ''Each year, we feel like maybe this will be our year, but I think (we're) definitely celebrating this whole week of what we accomplished all year long because only one team is going to win.''
 

 LET'S TWEET ABOUT IT: Staley lifted the Gamecocks season-long ban on social media for 48 hours so her team could celebrate its first trip to the Final Four.

''Gave (at)GamecockWBB players social media for 48hrs......they have been thirsty for a few weeks. They surely deserve it. (hash)Final4bound,'' Staley tweeted.

She also let the team use social media after they won the SEC Tournament for a few days. The ban will go back into effect Tuesday night.

PHILADELPHIA CONNECTIONS: Auriemma, Staley and McGraw all have Philadelphia roots. All three grew up in the area and spent time coaching there.

''Maybe it's something in the water in the Philadelphia area,'' Auriemma quipped. ''We like to win. I'm happy for both of them. Happy for Dawn, happy for Muffet, happy for their teams. I'm looking forward to seeing them when we get down there.
 

TIP-INS: The four teams have combined to go 139-7 this season for a .952 winning percentage. ... It's the first time since 2003 that four different conferences will be represented in the Final Four. ... Four No. 1 seeds also made the Final Four in 1989 and 2012.

Chris Mullin is a high-risk, high-reward hire for St. John's.

By Jeff Eisenberg

St. John's Red Storm alum Chris Mullin is inducted into the St. John's hall of fame during halftime against the Seton Hall Pirates at Carnesecca Arena. (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)

At a time when many other schools have pursued obvious choices for their coaching vacancies, St. John's is swinging for the fences.

The New York Daily News reported Monday the school has reached an agreement with former NBA all-star and Johnnies alum Chris Mullin, a boom-or-bust hire if ever there was one.

Mullin is a huge risk for St. John's simply because he has never coached at any level, nor does he have any experience recruiting. He has worked as an ESPN analyst and in the front offices of the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors since his playing career ended in 2001.

The lack of coaching and recruiting experience makes it imperative that Mullin hires a staff that can bolster him in those two areas.

At least one assistant with head coaching experience would seem to be a must. Mullin would also benefit from assistants who have ties to New York-New Jersey area high schools and AAU programs and the elite New England prep schools.

The upside to hiring Mullin is his NBA ties and storied history at St. John's provide a built-in sales pitch both to alumni, donors and recruits.

The Brooklyn native is a former three-time Big East player of the year at St. John's who led the Johnnies to a 31-4 record and a Final Four berth as a senior in 1985. He was the seventh pick of the 1985 NBA draft, made five NBA all-star teams and was a member of the original Dream Team in 1992.

Mullin takes over a St. John's program that has been relevant in fits and starts in recent years. Steve Lavin ended the program's nine-year NCAA tournament drought in 2011, recruited the likes of Maurice Harkless, JaKarr Sampson and Rysheed Jordan to St. Johns and he reached the NCAA tournament a second time this month. He also went 2-8 in the postseason at St. John's, never won an NCAA tournament game and didn't recruit as well late in his tenure as he did early in it.

The history of coaching hires like this one is as mixed as you'd expect.

Fred Hoiberg has built Iowa State into a perennial NCAA tournament team despite having no coaching experience when he returned to his alma mater in 2010. On the other hand, Clyde Drexler was a total flop in two seasons at the University of Houston, going 19-37 before resigning in 2000.

Report: Two new bowl games could be added in 2015.

By Sam Cooper

Could two more bowl games be added to the slate in 2015?

With the deadline to apply for new bowl game certification with the NCAA approaching on Wednesday, ESPN’s Brett McMurphy is reporting that two cities – Tucson, Ariz., and Little Rock, Ark., – are looking to potentially host a game this upcoming season.

Tucson is expected to officially apply with the NCAA on Tuesday and Little Rock, per McMurphy, has “strong interest” in adding a game as officials are “finalizing plans” to formally apply. The NCAA would then make its decision within a few weeks.

 

From ESPN:

The deadline to apply for new bowl certification with the NCAA is Wednesday, and the organization will decide whether to approve a game a few weeks later. According to sources, if a bowl has two conferences to support it and can get a television network to show the game, the bowl is usually approved by the NCAA.

The bowl in Tucson, which is tentatively titled “the Arizona Bowl,” would feature Mountain West and Conference USA teams and would take place at the University of Arizona. Alan Young, the CEO for the Arizona Sports and Entertainment Commission, told McMurphy that the game would “likely be played between Christmas and early January” and could be aired on Fox Sports or CBS Sports Network. If it comes to fruition, the Arizona Bowl would be the first bowl game in Tucson since 1999. 

Elsewhere, the bowl in Little Rock would feature a matchup between American Athletic Conference and Sun Belt opponents. It would be played at War Memorial Stadium and aired on either CBS Sports Network or NBC Sports Network, per McMurphy.

If the NCAA approves two new games in Tucson and Little Rock, that would increase the total number of bowl games to 42, including the College Football Playoff title game.

McMurphy also included another interesting tidbit that the Pac-12 had “exploratory discussions” about a bowl in Melbourne, Australia, for the 2016 season. 

In Final Kentucky Derby Future Wagering, American Pharoah Remains The Favorite.

By Teresa Genaro

The final future wagering pool for this year’s Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands closed Sunday night with last year’s two-year-old champion colt, American Pharoah, the betting public’s favorite at odds of 5-1 (payoff of $13 for a $2 wager), on the strength of his dominating victory in his only race this year, a 6 1/4-length romp in the Rebel at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas earlier this month.

American Pharoah is expected to race next in the Arkansas Derby on April 11.

Trained by Bob Baffert, American Pharoah is followed in the betting by another Baffert trainee, the undefeated Dortmund at 6-1 ($14), whose next start is the Santa Anita Derby this Saturday, April 4.

The mutual field, comprising all 3-year-olds except the 23 individual betting interests in this pool, is the third choice at 11-1 ($24.80).

Total wagering for this fourth pool was $417,473 in Pool 4, including $144.456 in exacta wagering, representing a 24% increase over 2014.  Wagering in the four pools, which began last November totaled $1,522,976, up 15% over last year.

At the end of pool 4 in 2014, “all others” was the 5-1 favorite. Last year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands winner California Chrome closed as the second choice and favored individual betting interest at 9-1 in the third pool; bettors who bought a $2 win ticket then would have cashed for $20.90, rather than the $7 he paid to win for a $2 win bet on Derby day.  

Last year was the first time that the number of future pools was increased from three to four. Should any of the horses in any of the pools not make the starting gate, future bets are not refunded.

The odds on the winners of all three Derby preps last weekend dropped from their Friday morning lines.  New contender Mubtaahij, winner of the UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on Saturday, opened at 30-1 and fell to 8-1 ($19.80) by the time wagering ended last night. The 100 Kentucky Derby points he netted with the win—good for second in the Derby points standings–are more than enough to get him into the starting gate at Churchill Downs, giving South African trainer Mike de Kock his first Kentucky Derby starter. Mubtaahij’s win was the trainer’s sixth in the UAE Derby.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, April 1, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1919 - The final game of the 1919 Stanley Cup was canceled due to the worldwide epidemic of influenza. No winner was declared in the series between the Montreal Canadiens and the Seattle Metropolitans.

1930 - Leo Hartnett of the Chicago Cubs broke the altitude record for a catch by catching a baseball dropped from the Goodyear blimp 800 feet over Los Angeles, CA.

1931 - Jackie Mitchell became the first female in professional baseball when she signed with the Chattanooga Baseball Club.

1972 - The Major League Baseball Players Association went on strike. The strike lasted 12 days and canceled 86 games.

1978 - Mike Bossy (New York Islanders) became the first NHL rookie to score 50 goals in a season.

1983 - Mike Bossy (New York Islanders) became the first National Hockey League (NHL) player to score 60 goals in 3 consecutive seasons.

1992 - Players began the first strike in the 75-year history of the National Hockey League (NHL).

1996 - U.S. President Bill Clinton threw out the first ball preceding a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Baltimore Orioles.

1996 - Baseball umpire John McSherry died after collapsing during a game between the Cincinnati Reds and Montreal Expos.

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