CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Friday Sports News Update and What's Your Take? 05/15/2014.

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Sports Quote of the Day:

"There is undoubtedly a lot of pressure that comes with recognition, which can be a good thing and bad thing all at the same time. But if you stay focused and don't lose sight of what you're doing and who you are, you can rise above it." ~ Prabal Gurung, Fashion Designer

Trending: Chicago Bulls eliminated from playoffs in game 6 by Cavaliers at the United Center in Chicago. (See Bulls section below for details.)

Trending: NHL Stanley Cup 2015 conference final schedule, TV listings.

By Sean Leahy

(Getty Images)

We’re halfway home. Now that the New York Rangers have won Game 7, we now know when the Conference Finals will officially begin.

The Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning will get going on Saturday afternoon at MSG, while the Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks will begin with a matinee on Sunday at Honda Center.

 

There will be no first-time winner of the Cup this year with all four teams hoisting the trophy at least once in their histories, and we have the possibility of the final actually beginning before June!

So we have just under 72 hours of free time before hockey starts up again. What are your downtime plans?

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Chicago Blackhawks vs. Anaheim Ducks Preview.

By Ryan Dadoun
                                                      

 

 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS VERSUS ANAHEIM DUCKS              

If there's one thing no franchise wants, it's to be typecast as a team that shrinks when under pressure.  Like the San Jose Sharks who made the playoffs every season from 2003-04 to 2013-14, but couldn't reach the Stanley Cup Final once. 

Chicago doesn't have to worry about that unpleasant distinction, but the jury is still out on this current version of the Anaheim Ducks.  Certainly they won the Stanley Cup back in 2007, but that was when they had Teemu Selanne, Scott Niedermayer, and Chris Pronger leading the charge.  Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry were a big part of that playoff run too, but Anaheim relies on them far more now than it did back then.

The Ducks latest run has included three straight division titles, but this is this is their first journey to the Western Conference Final over that three year span.  Getting this far is an accomplishment under any circumstances, but keep in mind that their previous opponents - the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames - were teams that just barely clawed their way into playoffs in defiance of earlier expectations.  The Chicago Blackhawks are an entirely different beast.

Chicago is one of the most successful franchises of this decade and is led by two superstars in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews that have a reputation for stepping up in the playoffs.  Perry and Getzlaf can match or even beat the duo when it comes to offensive production, but then Chicago also has Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa to support them and a cast of younger players that might step up in any given game like Andrew Shaw, Brandon Saad, and Teuvo Teravainen.

In order for the Ducks to match Chicago in terms of offensive depth, they'll have to hope for that Jakob Silfverberg and Patrick Maroon stay hot.  Both played well above expectations against the Jets and Flames, but expecting that kind of output against Chicago's sound defense might be a stretch.  Still, even if you were to concede that Anaheim isn't as offensively deep a team as Chicago, the gap isn't as big as it once was.  The Ducks acquired Ryan Kesler last summer to give them a great second-line anchor that can prove to be the difference in the playoffs.  So far he's fulfilled even the loftiest of expectations with four goals, nine points, and a 63.7% faceoff success rate in nine playoff games.

Indeed rather than offensive depth, the big difference between these two teams might be their defense.  Chicago's top four of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson, and Johnny Oduya is superb and battle tested.  The Ducks have a solid blue line, but it's also a young one.  Other than Francois Beauchemin, no member of their top four is over the age of 23 yet and that experience gap might become more apparent as the stakes are raised.

We might also see that displayed in the goaltending battle as 25-year-old Frederik Andersen is set to play in the Conference Final for the first time.  He was great against the Jets and Flames with a 1.96 GAA and .925 save percentage in nine contests, but as is the case with his teammates, this will be a far bigger test for him.  To be fair though, it's not as if Chicago's goaltending isn't something of an X-factor.  Corey Crawford struggled in the first round and was superb in the second.  We'll have to wait to see which version of him shows up against the Ducks.

There's a lot to like about Anaheim and I have to admit to having a soft spot for them.  I want to see them succeed.  I don't want to look back at them in five years and be able to draw comparisons with the 2004-14 San Jose Sharks.  But if I were asked to objectively state which team is more likely to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, then I would have to respond with the Chicago Blackhawks.  Anaheim should make them work for it by pushing this series to six games and it's not like it would be a huge upset if the Ducks end up ousting them.  But it would be at least a bit of a surprise.

CHICAGO

Note: Line combinations are subject to change going into the playoffs. They also often change on a game-to-game and shift-to-shift basis.

Brandon Saad-Jonathan Toews-Marian Hossa

Bryan Bickell-Brad Richards-Patrick Kane

Patrick Sharp-Antoine Vermette-Teuvo Teravainen

Andrew Desjardins-Marcus Kruger-Andrew Shaw

Johnny Oduya-Niklas Hjalmarsson

Duncan Keith-David Rundblad

Kimmo Timonen-Brent Seabrook

Corey Crawford

Scott Darling

WHO'S HOT
 

Patrick Kane is on a seven-game point streak and has found the back of the net in five straight games.  He has a team-high 13 points in 10 contests.  Jonathan Toews isn't far behind with four goals and 11 points in the 2015 postseason. He had two assists in Chicago's series clinching 4-3 victory over Montreal on May 7.
 

WHO'S NOT
 

Brandon Saad hasn't been a significant offensive contributor for Chicago yet in the playoffs. Through 10 contests he has three goals and no assists with his last marker coming on May 1.  That's a far cry from the 2014 playoffs when he had six goals and 16 points in 19 games.
 

NOTES
 

Michal Rozsival suffered a broken ankle in Game 4 of the second round and needed surgery as a result.  He'll be out for 12-16 weeks, which means that he's not expected to play again in the 2015 postseason.
 

This is the fifth time in seven years that Chicago has reached the Western Conference Final. Over that seven year span, only four teams have been able to eliminate Chicago: Detroit, Vancouver, Arizona, and Los Angeles.
 

Including the regular season, Chicago is 30-0-0 when leading after two periods.
 

ANAHEIM

Patrick Maroon-Ryan Getzlaf-Corey Perry
 

Matt Beleskey-Ryan Kesler-Jakob Silfverberg
 

Tomas Fleischmann-Rickard Rakell-Andrew Cogliano
 

Kyle Palmieri-Nate Thompson-Tim Jackman

Hampus Lindholm-Francois Beauchemin

Cam Fowler-Simon Despres

Clayton Stoner-Sami Vatanen

Frederik Andersen

John Gibson

WHO'S HOT

Corey Perry had two goals and four points in Anaheim's first 2015 playoff game and he hasn't cooled down since.  Perry has only been held off the score sheet twice in the postseason and he'll enter this series with seven goals and 15 points in nine contests.  While Perry's success is impressive, but not surprising, 24-year-old Jakob Silfverberg has been turning some heads.  After posting back-to-back multi-point games, he now has three goals and eight assists in nine playoff games.

WHO'S NOT
 

Anaheim has a 8-1 playoff record thus far, so as you might imagine, no one is really looking all that bad.  Kyle Palmieri is perhaps as close as you get and even that's a stretch.  He has no goals, two assists and a neutral plus/minus rating in nine playoff contests.  But while those numbers aren't great, he wasn't really expected to do much better than that in the first place.  Still, of the Ducks forwards that have played in all nine games, Palmieri is one of just three to have two or fewer points and the others are rookie Rickard Rakell and fourth liner Tim Jackman.
 

NOTES
 

The Ducks are relatively healthy with the obvious exception of Sheldon Souray, whose career might unfortunately be over.
 

This is Anaheim's first trip to the Western Conference Final since it won the Cup in 2007. It's also the first time head coach Bruce Boudreau has led a team this deep into the playoffs despite his years of regular season success.
 

Anaheim only needed nine games to get this far. That's the least of any other squad, although Chicago's 8-2 record in the playoffs is a close second.

Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Western Conference Series Prediction: The Blackhawks’ defensive group will log big minutes, and Anaheim will punish Chicago’s skill players and attempt to turn each game into a grind. But the Blackhawks are very experienced in overcoming a physical opponent and utilizing their speed and puck skills to win the series. In the end, Anaheim’s turnovers and minimized efficiency from their top two lines will cause them to sputter.

Note: This prediction was taken from an article by Sam Hitchcock. We read several predictions for the outcome of this series and this was the one our editorial staff agreed with unanimously. Let's go Hawks!!!  

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Lifeless Bulls fall to Cavaliers in series-clincher 94-73. 

By Vincent Goodwill

Whether it was surprising or shocking, the Bulls’ season ended with a dud in a manner nobody expected, allowing the Cleveland Cavaliers to dance over their home floor for the better part of the second half in a desperation game.

After telling anyone who would listen they were one possession away in the last two losses, the Bulls left no doubt in their season-ending 94-73 loss at the United Center Thursday night, in perhaps their worst home showing of the season.

It wasn’t a LeBron James classic game or classic finish, nor did Kyrie Irving hobble around after hitting kill shot after kill shot. It was “the others” who led the way for the Cavaliers, the players who did all the little things many believed Bulls would be better at.

Like effort, which produces extra possessions or unknown heroes like Matthew Dellavedova, who’s 19 points was good enough to outscore every Chicago Bull except Jimmy Butler—and Butler had to take 22 shots to get that.
 
They barely had enough life to produce more than a spark, but nobody expected their most lopsided effort when they needed it most.

The turnovers and missed opportunities, allowing standstill shooters to beat them doing the only thing that makes them useful on a patchwork Cavaliers roster.

The game-turning fouls at the most inopportune times, illustrated by Nikola Mirotic unnecessarily clotheslining Cavaliers forward Iman Shumpert with 5:19 left in the first half and the Bulls trailing by one.

It riled up Shumpert, who scored the next two possessions after his flagrant foul free throw, and led to the Cavaliers rushing the Bulls for a 20-2 run to end the half. All with Irving on the bench after injuring his left knee early in the second quarter and James returning to Earth after his superhuman effort in Game 5.

When your opposition scores five points in the first seven minutes of a quarter you have to win, yet extend their lead, it’s no wonder the Bulls are going home. Derrick Rose started out fast, as he did in Game 5 but sputtered afterwards, finishing with 14 points and six assists. Pau Gasol gave the Bulls a temporary boost by his presence, but it was nothing more than ceremonial as his teammates didn’t show up.

James orchestrated things to the tune of 15 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds, while Irving only played 12 minutes before injuring his left knee.

He wasn’t needed, and the Bulls enter into an offseason with a meek effort that saw them get outrebounded by 21, shoot 37 percent from the field while allowing 12 3-pointers from the visitors.

With no doubt being left by both the Cavaliers and Bulls, they can enter into an offseason with nothing else but clear directives on what’s to come.

End of a season, and maybe an era, for Thibodeau and Bulls. What's Your Take?

By Ken Berger

On the long, miserable walk from the interview room back to his office Thursday night, Tom Thibodeau was very much alone.

Mike Dunleavy emerged from the Bulls' locker room, turned the corner and made eye contact with his coach. They shook hands, shared some small talk, and then went their separate ways.

Thibodeau and these Bulls, maybe for the last time.

“This team never looked for excuses,” Thibodeau told CBSSports.com outside his office at the United Center, where the Bulls had just been “smacked” – Derrick Rose's word – 94-73 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

“I thought they gave me what they had,” Thibodeau said.

LeBron James and the Cavaliers move on to the conference finals, and Thibodeau and the Bulls into an offseason that the rest of the NBA believes will end inevitably in divorce.

“I learned a long time ago, there's things you don't control so you don't worry about them,” Thibodeau said. “To me, as long as you put everything you have into each and every day, you can live with whatever the results are. And I feel good about that.”

Earlier, in his postgame press conference, Thibodeau had given the standard answer for a coach whose head is on the chopping block. Asked if he expected to be coaching the Bulls next season, Thibodeau said, “Until they tell me I'm not, I expect to be here. So that's how I'm approaching it.”

This is going to be a complicated breakup, with Thibodeau having two years left on his contract – leverage that each side will try to exploit. Thibodeau won't quit and leave that money on the table, a person close to him said Thursday night. With Thibodeau in high demand on the head coaching market, the Bulls would do well to extract compensation for letting Thibodeau out of his contract – paving the way for Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg to replace him, and setting off a violent chain reaction in the NBA coaching business.

In other words, it's going to be messy.

Thibodeau's success in Chicago is beyond dispute; the Bulls' 255-139 record since he was hired is better than everyone in the NBA except the Spurs, Thunder and Heat. Of those 396 games, Derrick Rose missed 213.

“I know the decision is not my decision,” Rose said, “but if it was up to me, he'd be back.”

It is not up to him, of course; rarely is it up to the players. It is in the hands of Gar Forman and John Paxson now, and the direction they choose will go a long way toward determining whether this era of determination, stubbornness and, ultimately, disappointment, is over as we know it for the Bulls.

And on the night when their first playoff run in four years with a healthy Rose came to a demoralizing end, the Bulls looked tired – and beaten.

“We have more than enough,” Taj Gibson told CBSSports.com. “It's just the mental aspect, I think. Everybody has to grow up. Everybody has to put a little bit more into it.

“This is a man's game to go deep in the playoffs,” Gibson said, “and it takes 15 men to push through the fire.”

But the smoldering will that has propelled the Bulls into so many playoff series abandoned them Thursday night. Despite all the regular season success, they've been to the conference finals only once under Thibodeau – losing to James' Miami Heat in 2011.

“This is the first year since then,” Gibson said, “when we really had a shot.”

They manhandled the Cavs in Game 1 in Cleveland, got manhandled themselves in Game 2, and then traded buzzer-beaters from Rose and James to send this series to Game 5 in Cleveland – an excruciating disappointment for the Bulls. Now, here was James again in Game 6, shooting poorly but controlling the game and the pace and the outcome against Thibodeau and the Bulls once again.

“You could look at his line and say, ‘Only 7-for-23,'” Thibodeau said. “But what he did in the game, he controlled it.”

And somehow, it was fitting if this was the bitter end for Thibodeau in Chicago, at the hands of James – the brute force he's been staying up at night scheming against since he was Doc Rivers' defensive mastermind in Boston. No superstar and opposing coach have waged more strategic battles, and none has more respect for the other's craft.

“All I basically know is Thibs – his philosophy, his style of coaching – so, of course, I want him to stay,” Gibson said. “Look at our record. Look at how players have grown over the years through all the ups and downs. You've got to give him a lot of pats on the back for that.”

But at the end of a season, and probably an era, nobody is patting anyone on the back in Chicago – only thinking about what might have been.

“I know I didn't take any shortcuts,” Thibodeau said, in a dark, quiet hallway outside an office that was still his for the night. “I'm proud of the team, and we'll go from there.”

But where? As Rose stood at his locker answering the inevitable questions about his coach's future, and as Gibson sat with his head down, staring at his phone, I asked Thibodeau outside: Do you still have their ear? Are you still the right man to lead the team in that room?

“That's not a question for me,” he said.

And at the end of the day, and maybe an era, that was the lonely truth for Tom Thibodeau.

Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: The rumors about Coach Thib's firing have been circulating for awhile. Before we comment, we would like to take a week, gather some facts and then give you our take. In the meantime, we'd love to hear your thoughts. If you're a diehard Bulls fan and already have an opinion, let it rip and post your take in the comments section at the bottom of this blog. Rest assured we will post our take next week in the What's Your Take? article. We can't wait to hear from those of you that already have an opinion.

Your Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica editorial staff.

Joakim Noah wins NBA Citizenship Award.

By Dan Feldman

(Getty Images)

Joakim Noah said making an anti-violence video helped him remain composed in an altercation with Nene.

The video also helped Noah win the NBA’s Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award – given to “player, coach or athletic trainer who shows outstanding service and dedication to the community” – over finalists Tobias Harris, Greg Monroe, Chris Paul and Zach Randolph.

NBA release:

Noah, a two-time All-Star center who has spent his entire eight-year career with the Bulls, has dedicated himself to helping children develop a stronger sense of self through his Noah’s Arc Foundation (NAF). The foundation recently launched the “Rock Your Drop: The Drop of Consciousness” anti-violence initiative, which supports those affected by violence and encourages youth to express themselves through creative outlets like sports and art. 

NAF also produced the “You’re Not Alone” anti-violence video featuring first-hand stories from those who have lost loved ones to violence, including Noah’s teammates Taj Gibson, Nazr Mohammed and Derrick Rose. Last summer, in his ongoing efforts to raise awareness of gun violence and promote unity in Chicago, Noah and NAF debuted the #ChicagoStandUp public service announcement and hosted a basketball tournament that brought together young men from the south and west sides of the city. 

“Joakim’s initiatives to slow the violence in Chicago should inspire us all to help in our communities,” said PBWA President Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. “His creative, sustained efforts stood out in perhaps the deepest pool of worthy candidates in the 41-year history of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award.”

No matter what LeBron James, Cardale Jones and Cavaliers fans think of how he carries himself at games, Noah has done plenty of fantastic work in the community. That’s what counts here.

Did Noah do more in the community than anyone else in the NBA? Tough to judge from the outside. The Professional Basketball Writers of America (which voted on the award) deemed him No. 1, at least. The Bulls big man seems as worthy as anyone.

Mostly, I’m encouraged by Robbins saying this might be the deepest pool of candidates in the award’s history. It seems NBA players have become increasingly involved in their communities, and that’s definitely a good thing.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Draft, minicamps suggest what Fox, Pace think of Bears roster.

By John Mullin

Minicamps – veteran, rookie or otherwise – aren’t typically occasions for gaining rich insight into NFL teams. But after one veteran and one rookie camp, with a combined camp a month from now, one light conclusion has been distilled about what certain key individuals appear to think about their team.

Ryan Pace and, by extension, John Fox don’t consider the 2015 Bears, particularly the offense, the candidate for federal disaster relief that many do. Not that either would project the Bears into a playoff run (Fox’s mindset: under-predict, then over-deliver). But Fox at age 60 had other options besides one that would involve a massive and lengthy makeover. And he took over his first two NFL teams coming off worse win totals than the 5-11 Bears of 2014, so he has more than a passing grasp of what turnarounds involve.

More notably, the Pace draft targeted only two Week 1 starters – wide receiver Kevin White, nose tackle Eddie Goldman – and did not involve take-anything or trading down just to add picks, the way a desperate-for-talent new GM would do. And at No. 7 of each round, Pace could have dipped into the trade pool.

Third-round pick Hroniss Grasu probably is the center of the future, the way 1998 third-rounder Olin Kreutz once was. But Pace was consistent about the organization sticking to its draft-board evaluations.

Why that is striking is because, as Pace explained, if two players are close in grades, he takes the need position. Wide receiver was a clear need; White also was the runaway grade winner at No. 7. Nose tackle was a need, and there was Goldman. Beyond that, not even quarterback was deemed enough of a need to cause the Bears and Pace to alter course. Pace acknowledged that No. 2 running back was a need and took Jeremy Langford in the fourth round.

But the fact that the Bears went with players targeted because of their grades rather than simply their position – i.e., need – suggests that their GM and coach don’t see the disaster-in-waiting that many outsiders do.

John Fox, Vic Fangio not seeing 'disaster' in Bears defense.

By John Mullin  

Talk is indeed very easy to come by, especially in minicamps. But putting coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio in context for purposes of credibility:

The Denver Broncos went from 32^nd in both points and yards allowed in 2010. Bringing in Fox, the Broncos improved to 20^th in yards and 24^th in points – and from four wins to eight, plus a playoff win with Tim Tebow – in one year.

The San Francisco 49ers jumped from 16^th in points and 13^th in yardage to No. 2 and No. 4 respectively in Fangio’s first year, that under Jim Harbaugh.

With their respective credentials in mind, consider:

Three of the Bears’ first four draft picks were on offense. In each of his three drafts, former GM Phil Emery used at least two of his first three picks on defense, including 1-2-3 last year. (Which, parenthetically, makes the epic failures of the last two seasons even more glaring, but that’s not the point here.)

Yet with rush-linebacker Vic Beasley and cornerback Trae Waynes available – both ostensibly “need” areas coming out of the 2014 nightmare season – the Bears and GM Ryan Pace came out of this draft with just one “starter” on defense.

Coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio began their respective tenures at Denver and San Francisco with Top 10 picks pointed toward defensive linchpins. After an offseason that has brought in Sam Acho, Mason Foster, Jarvis Jenkins, Pernell McPhee and Antrel Rolle, no one was apparently pounding a table demanding help on that side of the ball.

Fangio has alluded to Jared Allen, Kyle Fuller, Shea McClellin and Christian Jones in unsolicited, very positive terms. Why that’s noteworthy is because the word on Fangio is that he is nothing if not brutally blunt in matters of performance.

Meaning: If he didn’t like what he was seeing, he wouldn’t have provided false positives.

“It was told to me early on when I got here that they’ve given up more yards and points the last two years than anybody in the league,” Fangio said. “So we’re going to have to make our own building blocks. But I think any time you come to a new place, the first job is to make the players you already have better. That’s our job, No. 1, before you talk about free agency and the draft and whatnot. So we need to make the guys that we have here better.”

MLB: An interesting proposal for changing up the way teams deal with retired numbers.

By Craig Calcaterra

Retired numbers — and numbers that should be retired but aren’t — are always an interesting topic of conversation. Today Jeff Snider of Baseball Essential puts a twist on the conversation.

After an enlightening walk through some retired number history — if you’re unaware of who Jim Umbricht was or Jim Gilliam’s post-playing career history with the Dodgers, by all means go read this story — Jeff says that rather than make numbers off limits, teams should allow notable numbers to be worn by worthy members of the current team, as an award or an honor:

Every year, teams should grant a one-year license to a particular player to wear a particular number. The Astros could give Umbricht’s number 32 to a player who has overcome great odds to play in the big leagues. The Yankees could give Ruth’s number 3 to the player who led the team in homers the previous year. The Dodgers could give Garvey’s number 6 to a player who played every game the previous year. The possibilities are endless, and each team would be free to determine their own criteria.

I kind of like it. It has an air of soccer or hockey to it and the way those sports tend to be more creative and local when it comes to traditions and things. Baseball doesn’t do too much of that. Fans do, of course, but clubs tend not to. Each team has its own history, sure, but they tend not to have their own cultures, as such, and things like the one Jeff is describing here could go a long way toward bringing back some local identity to a team in an age of free agency and ever-changing rosters.

Put differently, if we all root for laundry anyway — and we sort of do — why not make the laundry mean a little more?

Cubs rally to complete four-game sweep of Mets.

By D.J. Short
                                       

(Photo/AP)

Thanks to a little help from the Mets, the Cubs rallied for a 6-5 win this afternoon at Wrigley Field to finish off a four-game sweep.

The Mets got out to an early 5-1 lead behind two home runs from Anthony Recker, a solo shot from Wilmer Flores, and a two-run single from John Mayberry, Jr., which chased Travis Wood from the ballgame. However, the Cubs tied things up against Jon Niese by batting around in the bottom of the fifth inning. A throwing error from Wilmer Flores helped open the door for more damage, but Niese gave up four hits and a walk in the frame.

Niese stuck around until the seventh inning when he gave up a one-out single to Dexter Fowler before hitting Anthony Rizzo with a pitch. He was relieved by Hansel Robles, who got Kris Bryant to fly out to right field, but Fowler moved over to third base on the play and eventually came around to score the go-ahead run when Recker was charged with a passed ball during Starlin Castro‘s at-bat. Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon followed with scoreless innings to finish off the victory for Chicago.

This was the Cubs’ first four-game sweep at Wrigley Field since May 29-June 1, 2008 against the Rockies and their first four-game sweep against the Mets since August 6-9, 1992.

The Mets are 7-12 since their 11-game winning streak and now sit at 20-15 on the year, just one game ahead of the Nationals in the National League East. As for the Cubs, they improved to 19-15 on the year with the sweep and find themselves five games behind the first-place Cardinals in the National League Central.

White Sox see no value in early panic.

By Scott Merkin

Despite slow start, LaRoche preaches patience for club of savvy veterans.

With a 14-17 record -- albeit one that includes consecutive series victories over the Tigers, Reds and Brewers -- the White Sox have left their fan base wanting more.

Six or seven victories in a row would serve as a solid start. But the fans also want a sense of urgency, maybe a little anger or at least some public hand-wringing.

After all, the 2015 White Sox were built to take this current reshaping program into contention, and quite frankly, they have fallen short to date. But in a season of 162 games, whether it's a popular sentiment or not, panic is not the answer for a team that believes it can contend.

"I'm not sure what our record is or how many games we played," said White Sox starter Chris Sale, who earned the win in Tuesday's 4-2 victory over the Brewers. "We are not winning or losing today or tomorrow or even the next day. Just keep coming in and plugging along and playing good baseball and picking each other up, and we'll see where it takes us."

"What I've tried to preach to guys individually," White Sox designated hitter Adam LaRoche said, "is that I've been on teams where you go into panic and, 'OK, we've got to get it done now,' and you look up in September, and trust me, you are 25 games out of first place. It just snowballs. We need to continue to do what we do individually and stick to what has gotten you there."

That philosophy for LaRoche means power hitters need to drive the ball, taking the potential strikeouts that come with big swings. On-base guys shouldn't try to hit balls into the upper deck.

Putting the full-court press on every day might work in other sports, but it's not the long road to travel in baseball.

"I've just never seen anything good come out of it," LaRoche said. "It's not what, a lot of times, coaches want to hear. It's not what fans want to hear.

"Just be patient. We just have to keep playing, relax and go have fun. That's not what you want to hear. They want to hear that sense of urgency: 'Hey, it's time.' We've got to grind this out.

"At the end, if it's not good enough, it's not good enough. As long as we give ourselves a shot, put ourselves in position as much as possible, then if it ain't there, it ain't there."

White Sox manager Robin Ventura has begun to face pressure as a result of the uneven start to the season. In keeping with LaRoche's theme, Ventura also might be the right man to navigate through these choppy waters.

"Sometimes the worst things you can see out of a manager is a lot of times what the fans and the public want to see, which is snapping on the team, or losing it in the dugout," LaRoche said. "It's the same thing as us pressing, especially for young players.

"He's got a good feel for getting guys to understand that this is a long season. … [There are] plenty of games left. He knows for his guys to produce, everybody needs to just stay the course and do what they do."

Coming trip will help White Sox find identity.

By Scott Merkin

Eleven-game stretch follows seven-game home stand vs. AL Central rivals.

The question of when it is no longer "too early" for the White Sox amid a slow start has been asked often over the past six weeks.

General manager Rick Hahn has mentioned 60 games as the first barometer, but here's an even better initial checkpoint: Take a look at where the White Sox stand at the end of May.

After winning their third straight series with Wednesday night's 4-2 victory over the Brewers, the White Sox left for Oakland to face the A's, who own the worst record in the American League and won't have the benefit of starting ace Sonny Gray against Chicago. The White Sox will then begin a seven-game stretch against the Indians and Twins at home, where they are 10-5, during a week when Paul Konerko's jersey No. 14 will be retired.

The club will then go on the road trip of all road trips, an 11-game stretch that includes three against Toronto, a makeup doubleheader in Baltimore, three in Houston and three more in Arlington. Even if the White Sox are under .500 and five or six games back in the AL Central at the end of that run, on June 5, they should still have a fighting chance.

Manager Robin Ventura's crew just can't afford to get buried over the next two weeks -- not when the offense is starting to come alive as the weather turns. Not when top prospect Carlos Rodon has joined the rotation on essentially a full-time basis. Not when the team is playing its best baseball of the young season.

Not when it has July and August coming, including 32 games at home.

"The good thing about baseball is you play 162 games, so we have plenty of time to figure it out," White Sox closer David Robertson said.

Golf: I got a club for that: Robert Streb takes 1st-round lead in Wells Fargo.

By STEVE REED (AP Sports Writer)

Robert Streb reacts after making a birdie putt on the fifth hole during the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, May 14, 2015. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Phil Mickelson faded early and Rory McIlroy tailed off late. Robert Streb just kept on making birdies.

Streb shot a 7-under 65 on Thursday to take a one-shot lead over Patrick Reed and Kevin Chappell after the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship.

McIlroy appeared on the verge of a late run at the leaderboard before making a double bogey on the difficult par-3 17th hole. The world's top-ranked player appeared stunned when his tee shot hit the rock wall in front of the green and his ball caromed high into the air and into the water. He finished with a 70.

''One big mistake,'' McIlroy said.

McIlroy had just made par on the 16th hole by hitting a 9-iron pin high from 166 yards. He went with an 8-iron from 178 yards on No. 17, but it wound up not being enough to carry the water when his ball got held up in the wind.

Despite the error, McIlroy said overall he was pleased with his round.

''I did what I wanted to,'' said McIlroy, who won the event in 2010 for his first PGA Tour title. ''I took advantage of the par 5s and made birdie on a couple of par 4s.''

Mickelson had his troubles too after a fast start.

Lefty opened with three birdies, but had a double bogey on the 18th hole when his tee shot wound up in the creek on the left side of the fairway. He shot 71, leaving him six shots back.

Mickelson has long expressed his affinity for Quail Hollow, saying it is suits his game perfectly. Yet, he is winless in 11 tries, although he has come close with five top-5 finishes.

He got things off to a rousing start, sinking birdie putts from 6, 9 and 12 feet to start the back nine, drawing roars from a crowd. But the putts wouldn't fall for Mickelson after his initial burst.

''I turned a 66 into a 71 today,'' Mickelson said.

Mickelson, who missed the cut last week at The Players Championship, insists his game ''isn't that far off.''

''Fortunately, I didn't shoot myself out of the tournament,'' he said.

While Mickelson faded after his strong start, Streb didn't.

After tying for 30th at The Players, Streb set the early pace with two quick birdies on the back nine and played a bogey-free round.

His 65 was the second-best opening round score of his brief PGA Tour career. He found his putting stroke last week at TPC Sawgrass and it was right there again at Quail Hollow.

''It's the first time in a while I feel like I have my putter working,'' Streb said.

It didn't hurt that he caught a few breaks along the way.

On the par-5 seventh hole, Streb hit a pitch shot from 10 feet off the green too hard, but the ball hit midway up the flagstick and dropped 4 feet from the hole, leading to an easy birdie.

''I smashed the flag,'' Streb said with a sheepish grin.

While many of the fans were heading for the parking lot to call it a day, Chappell turned in a strong finish with an eagle on the par-5 seventh and a birdie on the eighth to move into a tie with Reed for second place.

Reed spent time tied for the lead, but couldn't maintain it after failing to save par on No. 17 when his tee shot landed in the sand.

Stewart Cink topped the six-player group at 67.

Defending tournament champion J.B. Holmes put himself in position to become the first repeat winner in the tournament's 13-year history by opening with a 69.

''I'm feeling really good about my game,'' Holmes said.

Many of the world's top players skipped the event, including Players winner Rickie Fowler, Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth and Bubba Watson. Ernie Els withdrew because of a muscle strain.

Langer to join Watson, Faldo in Open farewell.

Reuters; By Bernie McGuire, Editing by Ed Osmond

Bernhard Langer of Germany chips onto the second green during first round play of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, Georgia April 9, 2015. (Photo/REUTERS/Jim Young)

Twice U.S. Masters champion Bernhard Langer will join former winners Tom Watson and Nick Faldo in making his final British Open appearance at this year’s tournament at St. Andrews.

Langer, 57, will tee up in his 30th Open Championship in July, the German’s seventh appearance in the event on the Old Course in Scotland.
 

He recorded his best Open finish at St. Andrews in 1984, sharing second place with Watson behind Seve Ballesteros.

The twice former European number one has competed in just one British Open in the past eight years, missing the cut in 2011.
 

It is as the current senior Open Champion, after storming to a 13-shot success at Royal Porthcawl, that Langer will tee up at the home of golf. 

“I always have looked forward to going back to St. Andrews but then this could be my last year, and maybe my last time at the British Open,” Langer told Reuters.

“St. Andrews and the Old Course has always been a very special place for me but after this year I won’t be exempt any more.

 

Langer said that because the British Open is unlikely to return to St. Andrews again before 2021, he would have to win the 2020 senior tournament to guarantee qualifying again.
 

“If that was the case it means I will be 63 years of age in 2021 so it looks highly unlikely," he said.
 

Langer was speaking ahead of this week's U.S. PGA Champions Tour Regions Tradition in Shoal Creek, Alabama at which he will play the opening two rounds with American Watson.
 

NASCAR weekend schedule: Thursday's Truck practices through Saturday's Sprint All-star Race to Sunday's Xfinity race.

By Jerry Bonkowski

(Getty Images)

This is one of the busiest weekends of the year in NASCAR.

The Sprint Cup Series will be at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the non-points exhibition Sprint Showdown on Friday and the 31st Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday.

The Camping World Truck Series follows Friday’s Sprint Showdown at CMS.

And the Xfinity Series races Sunday at the .875-mile Iowa Speedway.

With the Xfinity Series being a standalone event, we’ve broken up the schedule to make it easier for you to follow.

Here’s the complete schedule for this weekend’s busy slate of racing (all times listed are Eastern time):

THURSDAY, May 14 – CHARLOTTE

12 pm – 10 pm – Camping World garage open
3 pm – 5:55 pm – Camping World practice (Fox Sports 1)
7 pm – 8:55 pm – Final Camping World practice (Fox Sports 1)

FRIDAY, MAY 15 – CHARLOTTE

7 am – 10 pm – Sprint Cup garage open
11 am – Truck garage opens
12 pm – 1:40 pm – Final Sprint Showdown practice (Fox Sports 1)
1:45 – 3:15 pm – Final Sprint All-Star Race practice (Fox Sports 1/Motor Racing Network)
3:15 – 3:25 pm – Sprint All-Star Pit Road practice
4:15 pm – Sprint Showdown qualifying (Fox Sports 1)
5:15 pm – Sprint Showdown drivers/crew chiefs meeting
5:45 pm – Truck qualifying (Fox Sports 1)
6:50 pm – Truck driver/crew chief meeting
7 pm – Sprint Showdown drivers introduction
7:15 pm – The Sprint Showdown (Two 20-lap segments) (Fox Sports 1/MRN)
8 pm – Truck drivers introductions
8:30 pm – North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Truck race (134 laps, 201 miles) (Fox Sports 1/MRN)

SATURDAY, MAY 16 – CHARLOTTE

1 pm – Sprint Cup garage open
5:30 pm – Sprint Cup driver/crew chief meeting
7:10 pm – Sprint All-Star Race qualifying (3 laps with pit stop made and four-tire change) (Fox Sports 1/MRN)
8:35 pm – Sprint All-Star drivers introduction
9 pm – Race: Sprint All-Star Race (5 segments: 25 laps / 25 laps / 25 laps / 25 laps /10 laps) (Fox Sports 1/MRN)

SATURDAY, MAY 16 – IOWA
(all times listed are Eastern)

7 am – 8 pm – Xfinity garage open
9 am – K&N Pro Series garage open
10 – 10:55 am – Xfinity practice (No TV or radio)
11 am – 11:55 pm – K&N practice
12 pm – 1:25 pm – Xfinity final practice (No TV or radio)
1:30 – 2:30 pm – K&N final practice
5:15 pm – K&N Drivers/crew chief meeting
5:45 pm – Xfinity qualifying (No TV or radio)
7 pm – K&N qualifying
8:30 pm – K&N driver introductions
9 pm – K&N Race (150 laps, 131.2 miles)

SUNDAY, MAY 17 – IOWA
(all times listed are Eastern)

10 am – Xfinity garage opens
12 pm – Xfinity driver/crew chief meeting
1:30 pm – Xfinity driver introductions
2 pm – Race: 3M 200 (250 laps, 218.7 miles) (Fox Sports 1/MRN)

NASCAR issues written warnings to teams of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano and three others. 

By Dustin Long

(Getty Images)

NASCAR announced Wednesday that Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team and Joey Logano’s team were among five Sprint Cup teams that received written warnings for failing inspection last weekend at Kansas Speedway.

NASCAR stated that the teams of Logano, Casey Mears and Paul Menard received written warnings for failing pre-qualifying inspection twice.

NASCAR stated that the teams of Earnhardt and Cole Whitt received written warnings for failing pre-race inspection twice.

The Sprint Cup Rule Book states in section 12.5.3.1.c that if the same team receives two warnings during two consecutive events – whether a points event or not – then the team faces a P1 penalty that could include one or more of the following: Deduction of practice time, deduction of qualifying time, last choice in selecting pits, delay in order of inspection and/or other penalties.

NASCAR has placed an emphasis on teams getting through inspection in a timely fashion this season. Teams were warned last month about formalized penalties for failing to pass inspection.

NASCAR also announced that the cars taken from last weekend’s Kansas race to the R&D Center for further inspection all passed. Those cars were Jimmie Johnson’s, Kevin Harvick’s and Matt Kenseth’s.

Rising tide of American drivers has given IndyCar new look.

By MICHAEL MAROT (AP Sports Writer)

Ryan Hunter-Reay pulls out of the pit area during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Wednesday, May 13, 2015. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Graham Rahal understands there's a world of possibilities for him in IndyCar racing.

He comes from a prestigious racing family, has a celebrity fiancée and an identifiable primary sponsor. He embraces social media and isn't afraid to speak his mind. At age 26, he's visible, engaging and just starting to hit his prime. And if he can reach Victory Lane at Indianapolis on May 24, he could finally become the answer to the series' seemingly endless search for American stars.

''I think it helps if I can do well because I've been blessed with a name that's recognized,'' Rahal said as practice began this week for the Indianapolis 500. ''But I think there always have been a lot of talented, American drivers.''

Rahal's recent results are only one chapter in a 12-month surge of a cresting wave of American success stories.

Rahal drives for his father's team and is the only Honda driver in the top five in points after back-to-back runner-up finishes. He's tied for fourth with three-time series champion Scott Dixon of New Zealand and, according to father Bobby, in the midst of his best season ever.

Tennessee's Josef Newgarden, age 24, has seven top-10 finishes each of the past two seasons and finally won his first career race at Alabama on April 26.

The 34-year-old Ed Carpenter, who grew up in Indy and is Newgarden's teammate and a co-owner of the Chevrolet-powered team, could become the first driver in Indy history to win three consecutive poles this weekend.

Ryan Hunter-Reay, from Florida, ended the Americans' seven-year drought at Indianapolis by winning the 500 last season and is now trying to help team owner Michael Andretti make it back to Victory Lane this year.

The story doesn't end there. In Wednesday's practice, California's Townsend Bell posted the second-fastest lap of the day, finishing in 228.969 mph. The Dreyer and Reinbold-Kingdom Racing driver was only topped by Colombia's Carlos Munoz, who had a 230.121.

Another young American, 20-year-old Sage Karam, of Pennsylvania, was fifth fastest at 227.822 and Marco Andretti, age 28, was ninth on the speed chart at 227.320.

For those who dreamed of becoming the next big thing in open-wheel racing, these are exciting times.

''When I was growing up, I cheered for the American guys'' Hunter-Reay said. ''I was just a kid. I didn't have any reason to, but it was just a natural thing. It's a very international sport, open-wheel racing, and it's a U.S.-based series, so naturally when Americans can do well or win, it definitely is an attraction for the U.S. fans.''

For nearly a quarter-century, the series has been trying to find replacement for one of the greatest generations of American open-wheel racers. The names included A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears, Mario and Michael Andretti and the Unsers.

Some of those pegged to take over, such as Al Unser Jr. and Michael Andretti, stuck with their own brand, CART, during the open-wheel split in the mid-1990s. Others, such as Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, found more opportunities in NASCAR. Even one of IndyCar's brightest young names, the popular Sam Hornish Jr., bolted for the Cup series after winning the Indy 500 in 2006.

The dearth of big-name Americans opened the door to a flood of foreign-born drivers such as Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan of Brazil and Dario Franchitti of Scotland, who still won over U.S. fans.

All along, though, series officials knew that to increase the fan base, it needed more home-grown talent.

''It's a necessity because it is an American racing series,'' said Derrick Walker, a Scotsman who is now the series' president of competition and operations. ''If you don't have successful young talent who can show their stuff, it's going to be a sad day for American racing.''

Those involved don't see this as America vs. The World.

Instead, most drivers insist this is the way they prefer it - trying to be best in the universe.

And with closing between well-funded operations such as Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Autosport and smaller teams such as Carpenter Fisher Hartman Racing couple with an aging group of international stars, the Americans could be on the cusp of a breakthrough.

''You don't have to be on Penske, (Chip) Ganassi or Andretti to win races anymore because of the talent and the parity of the rules,'' Newgarden said. ''Everyone has a chance.''

All the Americans have to do now is capitalize on their chance.

''It feels good to be where we are,'' Rahal said in reference to the two second-place finishes. ''But I want to win and o do that, we have to contend. But we're in it, we're in the hunt.''

SOCCER: USMNT'S path to 2016 Olympics runs through Kansas City, Denver, Salt Lake City.

By Andy Edwards

Mexico, 2012 Olympics Men's Soccer champions

CONCACAF announced on Thursday the four hosts stadiums — Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan., StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., and Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah — for the North, Central America and Caribbean confederation’s 2015 qualification tournament which will determine the region’s two representatives at the 2016 Olympics.

The U.S. Under-23 national team, which will be placed into Group A, will play its first two group games (Oct. 1 and 3) at Sporting Park, home of Sporting Kansas City, before concluding the group stage (Oct. 6) at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, home of the Colorado Rapids. The USMNT is currently undefeated (3-0-0) across all age levels in the five-year history of Sporting Park, while the Yanks’ most recent trip to DSGP was the famous “Snow Clasico” of 2013.

Group B will see its first two group games (Oct. 2 and 4) play at the StubHub Center, home of the LA Galaxy, before shifting to DGSP for the final round of group games (Oct. 7).

The semifinal round, which will determine CONCACAF’s two Olympics berths, will be played at Rio Tinto Stadium, home of Real Salt Lake, on Oct. 10, along with the final three days later.

By playing the entirety of this fall’s qualification tournament in Major League Soccer stadiums, the likelihood of the USMNT playing in front of a largely pro-American crowd increases greatly, as the hosting MLS clubs will be able to offer tickets to current season-ticket holders first, or as Sporting KC have done, include tickets for both games in their fan base's pre-existing season-ticket package.

Andi Herzog is the head coach of the U.S. U-23 team. The draw for the tournament is scheduled for mid-August.

Heedful of NYCFC's high-press system, Fire hope to wrest first road win.

By Danny Michallik

After subsisting on a less than favorable start to their respective seasons, the Chicago Fire (3-5-0, nine points) and New York City FC (1-6-3, six points) have yet to leave a sizable imprint in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference.

Winless in the league since a 1-0 victory over the expansion side in the reverse fixture, the Men in Red travel to the Bronx Friday night for their first-ever visit to Yankee Stadium, marking the duo's second and final encounter this season.  

Nearly a week after characterizing the Chicago Fire's start to the 2015 MLS campaign as "topsy-turvy," head coach Frank Yallop is drumming up a plan to curtail Jason Kreis' high-pressure system within the established tight field dimensions.

“It’s tight. We’ve condensed the field and we’ve made the players who are going to start the game aware of their [NYCFC’s] pressing," said Yallop at Fire training on Wednesday. “They’re going to press us and it’s a tight field; there’s not a lot of room out there. You don’t have time on the ball.”

Time on the ball - as simultaneously precious and difficult it may be to come by for the Fire on Friday - could conceivably be a luxury that, with a shrewd defensive display, may not be too much cause for concern for Yallop's outfit.

Through the first 10 matches, NYCFC own the second highest possession percentage in MLS, yet, like the Fire, it has only afforded them seven goals. Since topping the New England Revolution in their home opener on March 15, Kreis' side has collected only two points from 24 available. In an all-out attempt to convert possession into goals, Kreis' mission to bestow the dogged, attacking philosophy that won him ample praise at Real Salt Lake has yet to amount to a finished product.

On the back of a crushing defeat to newfound rival New York Red Bulls on Sunday, NYCFC will likely impart its brio right from the start, with Joliet native Ned Grabavoy and Mix Diskerud patrolling the midfield. With Matt Watson likely to miss out on the trip and Michael Stephens still on the mend, Matt Polster and his undetermined collaborator in the pith of Yallop's midfield will be put to the test in a game of pinball on a patchy Yankee Stadium outfield.  

"It's going to be a little bit more chaotic than you would see on a bigger field where there's more space to operate," Stephens said. "The ball is going to be bouncing a lot and there's going to be a lot of 50-50 balls."

Stephens, who missed the last three matches with an ankle injury, completed his second full week of training and disclosed he is nearing his peak fitness level. Come Friday, the dynamism the 26-year-old Chicago native exhibited before being sidelined could be the stroke of luck Yallop and the Men in Red need to come away with their first three points on their travels.

“We've got to press them as well," Yallop said. "It is what it is. We’re just looking forward to getting out there and getting ourselves back on track.”   

NCAAFB: Nick Saban’s biggest CFB Playoff fears are coming true.

By Kevin McGuire

University of Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban

The College Football Playoff has been around for just one season, and Alabama head coach Nick Saban is already not happy about where we are heading. In Saban’s mind, the playoff takes away from the rest of the bowl structure.

“I learned what I feared the most would happen,” Saban said in a story published by Al.com. “All the attention, all the interest would be about the four teams in the playoffs, which is exactly what happened, which was great to be a part of.”

He’s not off the mark with this comment at all. From the start of the season to the final games, the conversation pushed on a regular basis was about the four teams that would be in the playoff, thanks in no small part to the constant cramming down the forced debate of which four teams deserved to be in if the playoff started today, even after one or two weeks of games was played. Of course, this was all brand new to everyone following college football, and we can hope that year two of the new format sees a step back from the constant need to name the top four playoff teams in the middle of September by the masses.

“But what I was most fearful of is college football is unique,” Saban explained. “A lot of young men get a lot of positive self gratification from being able to go to a bowl game and that’s always been a special thing. That by having a playoff we would minimize the interest in other bowl games, which I think is sort of what happened and I hate to see that for college football.”

Saban’s point holds some merit, but the bowl system is still largely in place just as it has always been. There is no more harm to going to the Outback Bowl and winning now than there was four years ago or 10 years ago. Many teams can still have a successful season by ending it with a bowl victory in any bowl game. Those games still exist just for that reason (and money). And how different is it now compared to what it used to be? The BCS system still had high-profile games and a championship game, and the bowl system still survived. Even before the BCS, most of the hype of the bowl season would center on the game or games involving the top-ranked teams.

Sure, some things have changed, and Saban is right that winning the Sugar Bowl may not have the same special feeling it once did. The bottom line is there will likely never be a perfect college football postseason format that is universally accepted. That is the way it has always been and always will be moving forward.

NCAABKB: Big 10/ACC Challenge matchups; Maryland to face UNC, not Duke.

By Rob Dauster

The strength of the ACC and the Big Ten this season makes this year’s installment of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge quite intriguing.

As do the matchups. Specifically, will Maryland play former archrival Duke, or will they be paired up with North Carolina, the only other team in the country getting buzz as a potential preseason No. 1?

On Wednesday, the matchups were officially announced, and it will be the latter. Maryland will be playing at North Carolina this season. Duke, fresh off of their national title, will be hosting Indiana, who will likely be a preseason top 15 team with Yogi Ferrell back.

Here are all of the matchups and the dates that they will be played:

Mon, Nov 30:

• Clemson at Minnesota
• Wake Forest at Rutgers

Tue, Dec 1:

• Maryland at North Carolina
• Virginia at Ohio State
• Michigan at NC State
• Purdue at Pittsburgh
• Northwestern at Virginia Tech
• Miami (Fla.) at Nebraska

Wed, Dec 2:

• Indiana at Duke
• Louisville at Michigan State
• Notre Dame at Illinois
• Wisconsin at Syracuse
• Florida State at Iowa
• Penn State at Boston College

Georgia Tech will be the one ACC team that does not participate in the event this season.

Preakness Stakes Preview: Can American Pharoah Keep Triple Crown Dream Alive?

By Kevin Martin

 

The top three finishers from the Kentucky Derby are expected to face off again on Saturday in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Second and third place finishers Firing Line and Dortmund will attempt to thwart a Triple Crown try by Derby winner American Pharoah. The fifth place runner – Danzig Moon – is also expected to start in the Preakness. Barring any surprise late entries, with just three other colts entered, this year’s Preakness will have one of the smallest fields in over a decade.

American Pharoah is the fourth Kentucky Derby winner for trainer Bob Baffert and he will be the heavy favorite when the gates open Saturday. All of Baffert’s previous three Derby winners went on to win the Preakness. American Pharoah proved he could win a fight in beating a determined Firing Line for his fifth straight graded stakes win. Some have questioned American Pharoah’s ability because of the slow final time in this year’s Derby – among the slowest editions of the race run on a dry track this century. However, it was a half second faster than California Chrome last year and he went on to an easy win in the Preakness. Bob Baffert’s fourth Derby winner appears poised to give him another attempt at the elusive Triple Crown on June 6th in the Belmont Stakes.

In the Derby, Firing Line ran just off the moderate pace set by Dortmund and briefly held the lead in the stretch. He had a better trip than the winner and an advantage with Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who made certain that American Pharoah stayed wide as they turned for home. It’s hard to imagine things going better but he still couldn’t keep pace in the stretch and settled for second. As game as he ran in the Derby, and as competitive as he has been in his six race career, he’s been beaten on the square by the elite of his class three times. His lone stakes win coming against a weak field in the Sunland Derby. He will get plenty of attention from bettors and is the likely second choice behind American Pharoah in the Preakness. Even so, he remains an unlikely win candidate based on his past performances.

Many who picked Dortmund to win this year’s Kentucky Derby felt pretty good about their selection as he ran on the lead down the backstretch. Setting a manageable pace he looked as if he was on his way to becoming the first wire-to-wire Derby winner since War Emblem in 2002. But, as he turned for home, Firing Line and American Pharoah ran by him on his outside. He nearly lost third place to a fast charging Upstart who finished fourth. The pace scenario for the Preakness looks more favorable for him on paper than it did going into the Kentucky Derby. Should he get lucky with a fast track along with any regression from the favorite, he has a chance to revenge his loss at Churchill Downs. With six wins from seven career starts, Dortmund has proven class and would be no surprise should he find the winner’s circle on Saturday.

Danzig Moon is the fourth colt exiting the Kentucky Derby entered in the Preakness. Danzig Moon ran evenly, never worse than sixth, but finished six lengths from American Pharoah in fifth. It was a respectable performance for the 22-1 longshot but he never looked like a winner in spite of his forwardly placed position throughout the race. His best career performance came in the Bluegrass Stakes where he finished second to Carpe Diem. Carpe Diem entered the Kentucky Derby as one of the favorites but finished a lackluster tenth. Danzig Moon’s sire, Malibu Moon, has produced runners that love the mud so a late afternoon rain shower at Pimlico would boost this colt’s chances. With a short field in this year’s Preakness he has a chance to crack the top three should any of the favorites have an off day. However, with just one win from six career starts, it would be a major surprise should he cross the wire first.

The three “new shooters” entering the Preakness are Bodhisattva, Tale of Verve and Divining Rod. They have one graded stakes win between them and will be facing the toughest field of their careers. Divining Rod runs under the ownership colors of Lael Stables who also owned Barbaro. It is their first starter in the race since the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner tragically broke down in the first quarter mile of that year’s Preakness.

This year’s Preakness has a small but talented field of 3-year-old stakes winners. Should American Pharoah manage to win in Baltimore for trainer Bob Baffert it will make for an interesting and entertaining three weeks leading up to the Belmont Stakes in New York.

If you’d like some tips on how to bet the races, check out Hello Race Fans.

 

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, May 15, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1862 - Brooklyn's Union Grounds opened. It was the first enclosed baseball park.

1926 - The New York Rangers were officially granted a franchise in the NHL. The NHL also announced that Chicago and Detroit would be joining the league in November.

1935 - The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Philadelphia Phillies 20-5.

1941 - Joe DiMaggio began his major league baseball hitting streak of 56 games. The streak ended on July 17th.

1965 - The Canadian Football Players Association was organized.

1973 - Nolan Ryan (California Angels) pitched his first no-hitter.

1980 - The U.S. Basketball League canceled its summer schedule.

1991 - U.S. President Bush took Queen Elizabeth to an Oakland A's-Baltimore Oriole game.

1993 - The Montreal Expos retired Rusty Staub's #10. It was the first number retired by the team.

1993 - In San Antonio, TX, the Alamodome opened.

1995 - The Vancouver Canucks set an NHL playoff record when Christian Ruutu and Geoff Courtnall scored shorthanded goals only 17 seconds apart.

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