CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Friday Sports News Update and What's Your Take? 06/19/2015.

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Sports Quote of the Day:

"You do not play hockey for good seasons. You play to win the Stanley Cup. It has to be the objective." ~ Guy Lafleur, NHL Hockey Player That Won Five Stanley Cup Championships  

 

Trending: After championship hat trick, Chicago celebrates Blackhawks (See hockey section for details).

 

Trending: Chicago Bulls player Jimmy Butler stands to make millions more by turning down a $90 million offer. (See basketball section for details).

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? After championship hat trick, Chicago celebrates Blackhawks.

By ANDREW SELIGMAN

Chicago Blackhawks fans cheer during a rally celebrating the Chicago Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup at Soldier Field Thursday, June 18, 2015, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Jonathan Toews kissed and hoisted the Stanley Cup as he was introduced toward the end of the latest raucous rally honoring the Chicago Blackhawks. Then the captain headed toward the back of the stage at Soldier Field.

The roaring crowd wanted more and, as usual, he delivered.

''We all know this is amazing to be able to hoist this thing,'' a hoarse Toews said. ''But to do it on home ice in front of you guys, in front of our fans, to share this with you guys, the best fans in the world - it doesn't get any better than this.''

He thanked the crowd and added: ''Maybe the only way it does get better is if we win four.''

Tens of thousands of fans turned out on a warm, humid Thursday to cheer their beloved Blackhawks as they celebrated their third Stanley Cup championship in the past six years with a downtown parade and a rally at Soldier Field.

Goalie Corey Crawford told the fans ''you guys made this unbelievable.'' Duncan Keith, the defenseman who won the Conn Smythe trophy as the playoffs MVP, hinted at another win saying, ''four sounds better than three.'' Earlier, the crowd cheered for Blackhawks legends Bobby Hull, Denis Savard and Tony Esposito.

Former Blackhawks star Stan Mikita, who suffers from a progressive brain disorder, wasn't left out.

''Stan ... we're thinking of you,'' said Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer Pat Foley, the emcee.

The Blackhawks captured their latest championship with a victory over Tampa Bay in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final at the United Center on Monday night. It was the first time Chicago has won the Cup on home ice since 1938 and the Blackhawks haven't stopped celebrating since.

Players, coaches and team executives rode to the rally in double-decker buses, passing screaming fans of all ages decked out in red and black, as they wound their way from the United Center downtown to Michigan Avenue and the rally at the home of the Chicago Bears. ''Let's go Hawks!'' chants rang throughout downtown.

It was a familiar scene for this Original Six franchise, and another reminder just how far it has come in recent seasons, with Toews and Patrick Kane leading the way.

The Blackhawks won it all in 2010, ending a 49-year championship drought, and captured the Cup again in 2013. But this year's run was different. The Blackhawks endured the suicide of their longtime equipment manager Clint Reif, the death of former teammate Steve Montador and Patrick Kane's broken collarbone.

Yet there they were on Thursday, celebrating the franchise's sixth championship. Chicago is the first NHL team to win three titles in a six-year span since Detroit in 1997, 1998 and 2002.

It's hard to believe that this organization not long ago was little more than an afterthought in Chicago and the ''Madhouse on Madison'' felt more like a library with its sparse crowds. The late owner Bill Wirtz refused to televise home games and drove away franchise icons such as Hull and Mikita.

Those two now have statues outside the arena, and the Blackhawks have a vice-like grip on the city.

''What a great day for the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois,'' new Gov. Bruce Rauner, decked out in a black Toews jersey, said as he exited the United Center before the parade. ''This is fantastic to celebrate one of the greatest franchises in all of sports.''
 

Soldier Field was rocking in a way that it rarely did last fall, with the Bears struggling. But with the Blackhawks taking center stage, there was a different vibe at the home of the Monsters of the Midway. Fans held up red placards that read ''one goal achieved.''

Players took turns hoisting and kissing the Cup as fans cheered.

The crowd roared a few minutes into the rally when Kane leaned in to the microphone, asked ''What's up, Chicago?'' and invited out Toews, who walked onto the stage holding the Cup above his arms.  

There were highlight videos. There were touching moments, like the nod to Mikita and Kris Versteeg awarding the player of the game championship belt to the young son of Reif. He did not have the title with him, but it was a heartfelt, symbolic gesture.
 

There were also some lighter moments, like when CEO Rocky Wirtz decided to take this playful dig at Tampa Bay following a tornado warning in the Chicago area two hours before Game 6: ''Anyone notice the rain on Monday night? I didn't see any lightning.''
 

Team President John McDonough felt the wrath from at least some in the crowd when he thanked Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who stood on the podium dressed in a gray Blackhawks T-shirt.
 

He had them cheering moments later, when he said: ''Today as we celebrate the third Stanley Cup in six seasons, I wanted to reiterate that our goal will always be to reward your allegiance to the Chicago Blackhawks.''
 

The Blackhawks let Crawford speak, too. His comments were PG-rated compared to the colorful speech the usually reserved goaltender gave at the rally two years ago in Grant Park, although he did start this one with a word not fit for print or the airwaves.

Toward the end of the festivities, Versteeg and Joakim Nordstrom grabbed the microphone and started singing the lyrics to Macklemore's ''And We Danced.'' They asked the crowd to sing and dance along with the team as confetti fell.

It was quite a celebration. And a familiar scene.

Blackhawks know roster changes are coming in wake of Cup win.

By Tracey Myers

Patrick Kane has seen a lot of friends leave Chicago, teammates that have helped win Stanley Cups but who didn’t fit in future plans in this salary-cap world.

“It’s inevitable, right?” Kane said on Wednesday. “You’re never going to have the same team two years in a row. It’s part of the business, part of the game.”

The Blackhawks have been euphoric these last few days, thanks to winning the Cup, their third in the past six seasons, on Monday. Soon, that euphoria will fade when the inevitable starts happening: The cash-strapped Blackhawks will have to part with a few more players.

The salary cap for 2015-16 hasn’t been announced yet, but the number isn’t expected to be much more than the $69 million of this season. According to NHLNumbers.com, the Blackhawks have $64 million dedicated to 14 players. Someone has to go. Actually more than one probably has to go. Patrick Sharp could be one of those on the way out. Sharp, who has two years remaining on his current deal and a cap hit of $5.9 million, has been the subject of trade talk for some time now. When that talk came up again on Wednesday, Sharp wasn’t getting into it much.

“I haven’t really put much thought into it,” Sharp said. “It’s been a whirlwind couple of days. To win a third Stanley Cup in this city is something that I’ll always remember. It’s pretty special. It’s a huge accomplishment. These last couple days have been crazy. I’m sure the next few days when things wind down a little bit, that’ll be more of a topic of conversation.”

Bryan Bickell has been hearing that chatter, too. Bickell’s 2015 Cup season was nothing like his 2013 one. This time around he struggled, and down the stretch his health became an issue. Bickell was out of the lineup with vertigo early in the Stanley Cup Final, and he said on Wednesday that it’s still bothering him. Now there’s the possibility of he and his contract, which still has two years and a $4 million-cap-hit-a-year remaining, being on the way out.

“I consider Chicago my second home, being here, drafted and working my way up through the system and have the ultimate goal and be successful like we have been,” Bickell said. “But it’s part of the business. A lot of friends have moved. It’s out of my control, it happens. I want to stay; it’s a good spot to be in.”

General manager Stan Bowman is no stranger to this salary-cap carousel. Despite all the changes, especially all the movement that came following the 2010 Cup victory, he’s been able to keep the core of seven or eight long-time players together. That core could get altered this time.

“We want to have some stability. That’s been the hallmark of our success the last couple of years: stability in coaching and management staff, as well as (having) a lot of our key players back. Ideally that’s how you work it,” Bowman said. “But there are things we have to work out and some variables we haven’t locked down yet, so it’s too early to tell.”

The Blackhawks are already eyeing the future. Trevor van Riemsdyk will come into training camp healthy. Michael Paliotta could get an opportunity on defense, as should Stephen Johns. Russian forward Artemi Panarin has coach Joel Quenneville anticipating good things.

“Certainly, it’s the nature of our game,” Quenneville said of roster changes. “Change is all part of it. We’ll miss some pieces or lose some pieces, but there’s some excitement down the road as well.”

The Blackhawks have some decisions to make. The cuts are going to come. Friends are going to go. The Blackhawks have set themselves apart with their Stanley Cup success these past few seasons, despite all the changes. That still doesn’t make parting any easier.

“It’s always sad to see faces leaving the team,” Kane said. “Hopefully there’s not too much damage over this summer.”

Highlighting Blackhawks' milestones during 2015 postseason.

By C. Roumeliotis

The season and championship parade/rally may be over, but the celebration will continue all summer in Chicago after the Blackhawks claimed their third Stanley Cup in the last six years.

So before we officially close the chapter on the 2015 season, let's highlight some of the milestones the Blackhawks set during their postseason run.
 

• Blackhawks are the first team to capture three Stanley Cups over a span of six seasons since the Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002).

• Blackhawks have now won 10 consecutive Game 6s when leading a series 3-2; it's the second-longest streak of its kind in NHL history.

• Blackhawks became the first team in NHL history to win four multiple-overtime games, which included a pair of triple-overtime wins, in the same postseason.

• Blackhawks broke a franchise record for longest game at 116:12, which ended in a 3-2 victory against the Anaheim Ducks in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final.

• The previous record stood at 113:50 in 1931 against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.

• Blackhawks finished the year with a perfect 33-0-0 record (8-0 in the playoffs) when leading after two periods, the only team unbeaten team in that scenario. 

Now, for some individual accomplishments: 

• Corey Crawford tied Tony Esposito (45) for most postseason wins as a goaltender in franchise history, surpassing Ed Belfour (37), who ranks second, along the way. 

• Crawford also became the first goalie in Blackhawks history to win two Stanley Cups.

• Joel Quenneville jumped to No. 3 all-time for most postseason wins in NHL history with 115; only Scotty Bowman (223) and Al Arbour (123) have more.

• Quenneville (73) also surpassed Bill Reay (57) for most playoff wins as a Blackhawks coach.

• Quenneville now stands alone for most Stanley Cup wins (three) out of any active head coach. Los Angeles Kings' Darryl Sutter is the only other current coach with at least two.

• Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews became the fifth and sixth's players in franchise history to crack 100 points in the postseason. Kane ranks fourth with 114 while Toews sits at sixth with 102. The other four: Stan Mikita (150), Denis Savard (145), Bobby Hull (129), and Steve Larmer (111).

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Chicago Bulls player Jimmy Butler stands to make millions more by turning down a $90 million offer.

By Ari Gilberg

Chicago Bulls player Jimmy Butler stands to make millions more by turning down a $90 million offer. (Photo/Christian Petersen/Getty)

Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler could be one the first NBA free agents to negotiate a short-term deal in order to capitalize on the league's coming salary cap explosion. 

Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Butler is expected to turn down a $90 million max contract offer from the Bulls in order to position himself for more money in the long term. 

In October, the NBA reached a new TV deal with TNT and ESPN. NBA teams will split $2.66 billion per year under the new deal, up $930 million under the old one. 

As a result, the NBA salary cap is going to jump from $67 million in 2015-16 to $89 million in 2016-17, and only go up from there. If Butler signs, for example, a two-year deal with a team this summer, he'll be a free agent again in 2017 and have a chance to sign a long-term deal under the new salary cap.

While there are obviously risks in signing a short-term deal (injury, declining play, etc.) the reward could be massive. Butler's current max contract starts at 25% of the 2015-16 salary cap, which works out to around $17 million. By 2017, his max contract will start at around $27 million.

While Butler can only sign a five-year, $90 million contract now, in three years he could potentially sign a five-year deal for $190 million, Wojnarowski reports.

 

This wouldn't be the first time Butler has bet on himself in hopes of winning big. During the exclusive contract negotiations window in October, he reportedly turned down the Bulls' contract extension offer of four years and $44 million — which at the time looked like a fair price for a player who had only just finished his first full year as a starter and shot below 40 percent from the field, 28 percent from behind the arc, and averaged only 13 points per game.
 

Butler, however, believed he was worth more and proved it. He went on to have the best season of his career by far, finishing with 20 points per game and shooting 46 percent form the field and nearly 38 percent from the three-point line, as well as being named to the All-Star team for the first time. 

Report: Hoiberg hires Iowa State assistant Charlie Henry.

By Mark Strotman

Fred Hoiberg has added another assistant to his coaching staff.

According to a report from the Ames Tribune, Iowa State men's basketball assistant Charlie Henry will join Hoiberg's staff with the Bulls.

Henry spent the 2011-12 season as the Indiana Pacers' video coordinator before joining Hoiberg's Cyclones staff as a graduate assistant in 2012. He was promoted to director of player development in 2013 and to full-time assistant in 2014.

Henry joins Jim Boylen on Hoiberg's staff. Boylen was officially announced as Hoiberg's lead assistant Wednesday. He was an assistant in Indiana when Henry was on the staff in 2011-12.

What's Your Take? Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Opinion.

By Marion Jelks, CS&T/AA Editorial Director

Generally, we choose an article with a sports issue and give you our take on it, this week we're going to address an issue that drives us crazy. The issue is players contracts. Players pay their wonderful agents good money to represent them in contract negotiations; the agents strive to get the most for the player that they can because they get a 10% to 20% take of the contract. We have no problem with that. The problem for us starts when the player wants to renegotiate his contract if he has a good season when he still has time left on his contract. We see this every year in every sport. What happens if the player doesn't have a good year? Should the team ask the player to renegotiate the contract and take a pay cut or reduction? In the real world, a deal is a deal. Businesses, Unions, etc. must honor and fulfill any contracts that they sign. Why do the players think it should be any different for them?

Walter Alston, The former manager for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers had 23 one year contracts. He led Dodgers teams to seven National League (NL) pennants and four world championships. He negotiated a new contract every year and was paid for his team's  performance. He was results driven. He had a calm, reticent demeanor, for which he was sometimes also known as "The Quiet Man". He understood how to motivate and get the most out of his players and at the same time enhance his paycheck.

All I'm saying is that a player should honor his contract until the expiration date or sign a contract each year. If he has a three to five year contract, he should make sure it's incentive laden. Again, whatever the deal is that's struck, it should be honored by all parties concerned.

Now that you know how we feel, what do you think, what's your take? Please go to the comments section the bottom of this blog and post your thoughts.. We love to hear from you and value your opinion.

The Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! John Fox vacation message to Bears: Stay out of the news.
 

By John Mullin

As the Bears wrapped up the last of their pre-training camp practices, beginning with three voluntary sessions in the days prior to draft in late April and on through this week’s mandatory minicamp, coach John Fox made it apparent that he will not be looking over their shoulders in the six weeks between now and the July 29 start of Bourbonnais camp.

But he also made it clear that he doesn’t want to hear of miscreant behavior from a team still in its formative stages.

“I’ve been saying for a long time and I said it again today: ‘I don’t want to read about you unless you win the lottery,’” Fox said, smiling, sort of. “Just make good decisions and that’s no different off the field than it is on the field. You’re trying to play smart, tough and better-conditioned football, and same thing off the field.

“You hope you don’t see your head of security or your PR guy on your phone over the break. But I think these guys have conducted themselves well and will continue to moving forward.”

Wide receiver Eddie Royal played for Fox in 2011, Fox’s first and Royal’s last with the Denver Broncos. Royal came in under Mike Shanahan in Denver, then played for Norv Turner in San Diego in 2012, followed by Fox’s former Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, who replaced Turner in 2013 and coached Royal last year as well.

Royal has some perspective on Fox’s handling of this team.

“He’s the perfect guy for our team, exactly what we need,” Royal said on Thursday. “He’s firm when he needs to be but also laid back at the same time. He’s a proven winner.”

The final minicamp did not necessarily leave Fox and his staff wishing there was more time to handle installations of schemes on offense, defense and special teams. His opinion is that players can be over-practiced.

But he does know what can happen once players scatter across the country away from the structure that the team provides.

“I’ve got four children and every time they leave the house it’s the same feeling,” Fox said. “Not comparing [players] to children but it’s a big responsibility and I expect them to conduct themselves well whether it’s on or off the field.”

Bears continue looks for roster upgrades with veteran auditions.

By John Mullin

General manager Ryan Pace and coach John Fox might be making over the Bears roster and schemes in massive fashion, but they are not looking at only a youth movement in that retooling process.

The Bears might have drafted a running back (Jeremy Langford) in this year’s fourth round and a safety (Adrian Amos) in the fifth, but the second day of the Bears’ final pre-camp minicamp included tryouts for veterans at both positions.

Safety Sherrod Martin, a second-round pick in the 2009 draft by the Carolina Panthers while Fox was their head coach, was given a look during Wednesday’s practice. Martin, 30, missed the 2013 season with a knee injury before appearing in 13 games, two starts, for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season.

The Bears also brought in running back Daniel Thomas, another former second-round pick (Miami Dolphins, 2011). Thomas has 1,479 career rushing yards, nine touchdowns, and 411 receiving yards with three scores through four combined seasons.

Kyle Schwarber keeps raking but Cubs lose to Indians.

By Patrick Mooney

Is there any potential scenario where the Cubs keep Kyle Schwarber around longer than this six-game audition?

“No,” manager Joe Maddon said. “Unless we move to the American League.”

The Cubs usually like to parse language and overthink things, but they haven’t left any wiggle room with Schwarber, who is maximizing his time as a designated hitter and showing he will become a force in this lineup (after he works on his catching at Triple-A Iowa).

On a night where the Cubs sat through two separate rain delays that combined lasted one hour and 41 minutes – and struck out seven times in a row at one point – Schwarber launched his first big-league home run during Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field.

“I always just try to keep my head buried, man,” Schwarber said. “I don’t like to think about that stuff, because that can mess with me when I’m up at the plate.”

White Sox fall to Pirates as losing streak hits seven.

By Dan Hayes

The effort continues to be there, but the results remain woefully short for the White Sox.

The Pittsburgh Pirates blooped, bled and broken-batted the White Sox into submission in front of 21, 296 on Thursday night at U.S. Cellular Field. Gregory Polanco’s RBI groundout in the eighth inning was just enough to send the White Sox to their seventh straight loss as they fell, 3-2, to Pittsburgh. After losing four straight Interleague meetings with the Pirates, the White Sox dropped to a season-worst nine games below .500 despite rallying twice against All-Star-to-be Gerrit Cole.

Pittsburgh’s winning rally followed the same formula it used all night, one that made Wee Willie Keeler's “hit ‘em where they ain’t” look like a pretty solid theory.

Jung Ho Kang reached on an infield single against Jake Petricka as Jose Abreu couldn’t corral Gordon Beckham’s one-hop throw. Pedro Alvarez then just got enough of a 2-2 curveball from Zach Duke to pitch it into center and put runners on the corners. Polanco hit a grounder to the right side, and Beckham couldn’t field it cleanly, making an unlikely double play impossible and giving the Pirates the lead for good.

Pittsburgh utilized the same practice for seven innings against Jeff Samardzija, dinking him to the tune of 10 hits. But Samardzija didn’t cave, limiting his opponents to two runs. Kang singled off Samardzija’s glove in the fourth to drive in a run to make it 1-0. An inning later, Pittsburgh loaded the bases as Samardzija couldn’t track down Jordy Mercer’s single off his glove, Corey Hart hit a jam shot to right and the pitcher hit Chris Stewart. Josh Harrison’s sac fly made it a 2-1 game.

Samardzija struck out seven and allowed two runs, throwing strikes on 78 of 114 pitches.

With the aid of a wicked two-seam fastball, scoring off Cole (11-2) seemed like an impossible feat. But they did anyway as Melky Cabrera had a sac fly in the fourth inning to tie it at 1 — Abreu had doubled and advanced on a fly out. Three innings later, Geovany Soto crushed a solo homer to left center to tie it at 2.

The White Sox also missed out on two great chances against Cole, who limited them to three hits and two runs in seven innings. Adam Eaton singled and moved up on a wild pitch with no outs in the first inning but never advanced from there.

Eaton then walked to start the sixth inning, stole second and moved to third on J.B. Shuck’s bunt. But Abreu grounded out with the infield in, and Cabrera flew out to left center after Adam LaRoche walked with two outs.

Golf: I got a club for that: Johnson and Stenson set pace in U.S. Open.

By Allan Kelly

Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson both produced brilliant first rounds of 65 to take the joint early clubhouse lead in the US Open at Chambers Bay on Thursday.

The 30-year-old American Johnson had six birdies against one bogey in a round that made a mockery of fears that the 7,526-yard monster links-style course south of Seattle would be impossible to tame.

Having taken six months off last year to deal with unspecified "personal issues", the South Carolinian has come close in all four majors, but has fallen agonisingly short of a maiden win.

He had a chance to equal the record low first round score at the US Open with a birdie at the par-three last, but he hit his tee-shot into a tough bunker and failed to get up and down.

"I just made a bad swing on nine and that it was the only bad swing I made all day," Johnson said.

Stenson, like Johnson also seeking his first major title after several near misses, then joined him on 65 with a monster putt at the last in a round that had seven birdies and two bogeys.

"It was a good day out there for me," he said. "I played as solid as I have played all year and rolled in a couple of putts there on the last two holes."

The big Swede and Johnson were two shots clear in the clubhouse as the morning wave of golfers in the 156-strong field came in having enjoyed near perfect playing conditions.

US Ryder Cup standout Patrick Reed was next best after a 66, with Matt Kuchar a further stroke back.

Cody Gribble, and American ranked 589th in the world was on 68, level with Italian Ryder Cup player Francesco Molinari, Jason Dufner and Scotland's Marc Warren.

Veteran Phil Mickelson hogged the early spotlight as he sought a first US Open title after a record six second-place finishes.

The American, who turned 45 on Tuesday, shot a one-under 69, after going out in three under 32.

Mickelson, who is also out to become just the sixth man to win all four Grand Slam titles, shot his first US Open score in the 60s since the first round at Merion in 2013.

"I'm very pleased with the way the round went. I hit a lot of good shots today. I shot under par the first day of the US Open," he said.

"The first round was the round I was going to be most nervous at, getting started. You don't want to have to fight to come back all the time.

"You want to get off to a solid start around par. And I got off to a good start and shot 1-under."

World number one and tournament favourite Rory McIlroy, got off to a disappointing start with a two-over 72.

Two birdies were offset by two bogeys on the back nine. He then steadied himself with a run of pars down the front nine before three-putting for bogey at the seventh and failing to get up and down from a bunker at his last hole.

The challenge of the golf course apart, there were other intriguing storylines to follow.

McIlroy at 26 is seeking a fifth major title, Masters champion Jordan Spieth aims to make it halfway to the fabled calender-year Grand Slam and crowd favourite Mickelson is desperate to finally win a US Open, after six runner-up finishes, and in so doing complete his career Grand Slam.

Three-time champion Tiger Woods, meanwhile, needs to prove he can still compete with the best after a horrendous year which will end with his 40th birthday.

Woods and Spieth both had mid-afternoon tee-times.

- Firm and Fast -

All the contenders had a common enemy in Chambers Bay, some 50 kilometres (31 miles) south of Seattle, hosting the first US Open to be held in the US Pacific Northwest.

Playing at between 7,300 and 7,700 yards, depending on the conditions, the course is more of a British Open seaside type course than a traditional US Open venue, with its dunes and bunkers, bouncy, undulating fairways, blind shots and large, rolling greens.

But unlike the classic British Open venues, it has a huge elevation from the lowest to the highest point of the course, opening and closing holes which can either be par-four or par-five and oddly sloping tee zones.

Tiger Woods flailing at U.S. Open, will likely miss cut.

By Jay Hart

Tiger Woods is still not back, at least not according to his play at the 115th U.S. Open.

Woods carded bogeys on four of his first six holes, and then this happened on the par-5 eighth:

To understand how bad Tiger's round started, that was actually one of his better holes, as he scrambled to make par following that shot.

Things got worse on the back 9, when he went bogey-bogey-bogey-triple to balloon to 10-over.
 

A birdie on 16 – his first – moved him up one to 9-over. For a minute.
 

On 18, he topped his second shot into a deep fairway bunker known as Chambers Basement, his round at that point disintegrating beyond frustration. With little to lose, he pitched it out without much thought en route to another bogey – the eighth of the round to go along with the triple.
 

The damage: 10-over 80.
 

That's how it is these days for the 14-time major winner, now the world's 195th-ranked player.
 

Last we saw Woods he was carding a career-high 85 at the Memorial on June 6. He didn't go quite that high, but he is in serious (read likely) danger of missing the cut. Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson set the early pace with a pair of 5-under 65s. The cutline will be top 60 and ties, currently putting the cut at plus-2. Tiger is tied for 153rd out of 156. Not much math needed there.
 

NASCAR: Kurt and Kyle Busch facing different Chase prospects.

By NOAH TRISTER

Kyle Busch had just won a NASCAR Xfinity race - his first time back on that series after being injured in a February accident - when he confidently eyed the next day's Sprint Cup event.

''This is only a preliminary to what we have to do for Sunday,'' he said.

The next day, he crashed his car into the wall and finished last.

It's been a turbulent year for both of the Busch brothers. Less than four months ago, it was fair to wonder if either of them would be a factor in stock-car racing this season, but they both came away with victories last weekend at Michigan International Speedway. A day after Kyle won the Xfinity race, Kurt Busch took the rain-shortened Cup race.

The question now is whether either of these two big-name drivers can contend for a title as the season winds down.

''Any time you win, it comes with a basket full of goodies,'' Kurt Busch said Sunday. ''More of what is the unknown is what comes from this, and that is the pep in the step of the crew members, the genuine chemistry and the feel on the shop floor.''

With two victories this season, Kurt Busch has little to worry about in terms of making the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. The same can't be said for Kyle, who has started only four Cup races this year and won none of them.

After a ninth-place finish at Pocono, he came to Michigan with high hopes and won the Xfinity race Saturday.

''Whether it was the Cup side or the Xfinity side, I certainly knew that we would win some races this year,'' Kyle Busch said.

But the race Sunday was a lackluster one - both for Kyle Busch and the viewing public. It was halted four times because of rain, and shortly after one restart, Busch crashed his No. 18 Toyota.

It was hard to criticize him too much given the conditions, but the 43rd-place finish left him 39th in the points standings. He not only needs to win a race to put himself in position for the Chase, he also needs to be in the top 30 in the standings.

If he does miss the Chase, he'd certainly have an excuse this year. His February crash at Daytona left him with a broken right leg and left foot.

Kurt Busch missed the first three Cup races this season because he was suspended amid allegations of domestic assault on an ex-girlfriend. When the decision came from authorities to not charge Busch with a crime, he was reinstated by NASCAR.

He is 11th in the standings despite missing those three races. The next step is to show he can compete with the very best drivers on a consistent basis - 11 years after he won the Cup title with Roush Fenway Racing.

Kurt Busch, now with Stewart-Haas Racing, had to use his backup car in Sunday's race after a mishap at practice two days earlier. He won anyway in the No. 41 Chevrolet, but that's obviously the type of mistake that can cost a driver.

''I talked to him about that a little bit - 'You're a great race car driver, you shouldn't be doing things like that,''' owner Gene Haas said. ''I guess he drives that car within a millimeter of the wall all the time.''

There was nothing particularly erratic about Kurt Busch's performance Sunday. Sure, there was a fluky element to the win, since he led for only six of 138 laps in a race shortened from 200. But he's only finished outside the top 15 once all season.

As much drama as he's been involved in during his career, his performance of late has been steady.

''I think the run for the championship, that's what it's all about,'' Haas said. ''I'm absolutely clear that I think Kurt Busch has the ability to win another Cup for us and for Stewart-Haas Racing.''

SOCCER: U.S. looks to stay loose despite mounting pressure of knockout stage.

By Jeff Kassouf

(Photo/Getty Images)

They are here, and that is what really matters.

The United States national team held its first training session in Edmonton on Thursday ahead of Monday’s match against Colombia in the Round of 16 of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Getting to Edmonton for this match was always top priority.

“At this point, it’s really about winning and moving on,” U.S. coach Jill Ellis. “That’s what it comes down to.”

Ellis’ team came out on top of Group D, dubbed the Group of Death for it featuring USA, Sweden, Australia – three of the world’s top 10 teams – and African champions Nigeria. While the Americans looked unconvincing at times – especially in the opener against Australia, which eventually amounted to a 3-1 victory – they came through the group unbeaten and played their best of the three matches on Tuesday against Nigeria.

Now, the U.S. looks to collectively loosen up and get the attack going.

“I think in the group stage, you can be a little bit more conservative,” U.S. midfielder Lauren Holiday said. “I think in the knockout round, every team is going for it. It’s all you have; you’re fighting for your lives each game. I think that that mentality clicks in everybody.”

Abby Wambach’s goal in the 1-0 win over Nigeria is the only one scored by a player in a forward position this World Cup. The U.S. scored four goals in three games, which includes a scoreless draw against Sweden and only one goal against a Nigeria defense that otherwise leaked them, giving up five in the first two games. The lack of scoring is a concern for a United States team looking to win its first Women’s World Cup in 16 years, but Ellis is optimistic, particularly from what she sees in training.

“I would be concerned if we weren’t getting opportunities,” Ellis said. “But having opportunities presents opportunities to score goals.”

U.S. defender Christie Rampone, who turns 40 years old next week, officially played in her fifth World Cup when she entered Tuesday’s match in the 80^th minute. She is the last remaining active player from the 1999 World Cup winning team and she’s seen how U.S. teams have the ability to gradually get better as the tournament progresses.

“I think it’s more of the team feeling that pressure and maybe not combining like we would have or going 1-v-1,” Rampone said of the 2015 group stage, “but I think you are going to start seeing that really open up and I think the personalities will really come through. Because it’s too tight. We’re playing too tight and we have such creativity and amazing players up top, that their personalities will start coming through.”

Colombia, ranked 28^th in the world, enters Monday’s match as significant underdogs. They’ve played the United States twice before, losing 3-0 in both the group stages of the 2011 World Cup and the 2012 Olympics.

But Colombia upset world No. 3 France last week in the group stage, proving that they are capable of picking up a result against the United States. Las Cafeteras will be without starting goalkeeper Sandra Sepulveda due to yellow card accumulation, which could prove a debilitating blow.

Colombia will likely play a similar type of match against the U.S. as it so successfully did against France, defending well and patiently building counterattacks in a 2-0 victory. Such a strategy would require the U.S. to be more inventive going forward, to create scoring opportunities that to date at this World Cup have gone largely unfinished.

“You have to put yourself out there to make mistakes, in order to succeed,” Rampone said before training on Thursday. “I think it’s just the emotion and the feeling that you have when you’re here. Once you get through that group stage, you think it’s more stressed, but I think we do better under the pressure.”

No team has a less difficult path to the semifinals than the United States, who would play either Cameroon or China in the quarterfinals, should they advance. So while they’ve arrived here, in Edmonton, the next goal is already about getting there – to Ottawa, Montreal and eventually back to Vancouver.

FIFA Women's World Cup Canada. 2015 Score Summary. 6 June - 5 July, 2015.

Wednesday 17 June 2015

Group E

Costa Rica 0
Brazil 1

Korea Republic 2
Spain 1

Group F

Mexico 0
France 5

England 2
Colombia 1

NCAAFB: Early signing proposal tabled by commissioners for 1 year.

By RALPH D. RUSSO

A decision to create an early signing period for college football has been put on hold until the entire recruiting process gets a comprehensive review.

At a meeting Wednesday of the Collegiate Commissioners Association in Asheville, North Carolina, FBS leaders decided to table for one year a proposed a 72-hour signing period for high school prospects in mid-December that would line up with the dates junior college players can sign.
 

The CCA administers the national letter of intent that recruits sign to make their verbal commitments to a school binding. There has been talk about changing when football players should be allowed to sign for years. Supporters say it will allow players who have made up their minds to remove themselves from the hassles of being recruited and give college coaches the chance to concentrate on players who are truly undecided.
 

Research by the committee that worked on the proposal found the vast majority of players who verbally commit to a college before their senior seasons end up signing with that college.
 

The early signing period would have gone into effect this season and started Dec. 16. The current signing period begins the Wednesday of the first full week of February.
 

Mid-American Conference Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, who led the early signing committee, said even though the majority of commissioners supported the proposal he was fine with a vote being deferred for one year. He said the commissioners want to allow the new NCAA football oversight committee to take a long, thorough look at recruiting.
 

''We had a subcommittee just on recruiting culture,'' Steinbrecher said.
 

The oversight committee, which is led by Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, is expected to examine an array of recruiting issues such as coaches signing more recruits than they can fit on the roster in anticipation of attrition, satellite camps, early enrollment and the influence of 7-on-7 football teams, especially those not run by high schools.

''It made sense to take a bigger look and do something from a global perspective instead of something that's just detailed,'' Steinbrecher said.
 

The Southeastern Conference was the only FBS leagues that came out publicly against the early signing proposal.
 

''Central to our concerns is that we often times deal with recruiting issues in isolation,'' SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said.
 

The SEC leaders object to an early signing period because they fear it could cause recruiting to intrude on the seasons of high school and college teams and force schools to make decisions on players before first semester academic information is available.
 

Sankey has said an early signing period would create a de facto new signing day.
 

''The indication is we are not alone in our concerns,'' he said.
 

Steinbrecher said he is still confident the proposal his committee put together will be put to a vote.
 

''I think the proposal is solid,'' Steinbrecher said. ''If people want to have an early signing period, I think this is a fine time do to it. Frankly, I don't think there are a lot of options.''

CFP recommends to hold bowl spots open for Navy after Army game.

By Dennis Dodd

Navy will not be held out of prominent bowls due to the timing of its annual showdown with Army. (USATSI)

The College Football Playoff will hold a spot in affected New Year's Six bowls for one week after the traditional end of the regular season if Navy is worthy of receiving such a bid, CFP executive director Bill Hancock told CBSSports.com Tuesday.

The decision would essentially delay the college football postseason picture another week if Navy is in contention for the CFP's automatic berth that goes to the best Group of Five conference team.

The CFP had to account for Navy's move into the American Athletic Conference in 2015 as well as the Midshipmen's traditional game with Army played a week after the regular season. Both schools have said they would not budge off that date. This year, it is Dec. 12. For 126 other teams, the season ends Dec. 5, at the latest.

Only bowls affected by possible Navy inclusion will be held open, Hancock said. The FBS commissioners made the recommendation to the CFP board of managers (college presidents) at the annual Collegiate Commissioners Association meeting in Asheville, North Carolina. It is expected to be approved.

Army does not have automatic access to the system unless it is ranked No. 1-4 in the final CFP Ranking. Teams finishing in those top four spots participate in the playoff. If Navy and/or Army get that high, spots would be held open in the playoff until after their game is completed.

Short of that, Navy would be eligible for the automatic spot in one of the New Year's Six bowl given to the highest ranked team at the end of the season from the Group of Five (American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt).

If eligible, Navy would then play in one of three so-called “access” bowls -- Cotton, Fiesta or Peach. Last year, that spot went to Boise State, which played in the Fiesta Bowl in the first year of the CFP. The other three “contract” bowls -- Orange, Rose and Sugar -- are contracted with conferences and Notre Dame when not passing through as national semifinals.

Navy has not played in a major bowl since the 1963 Cotton Bowl.

Should Navy be in the running, that most likely forces the CFP Selection Committee to identify the top two contenders for that Group of Five automatic berth for at least the final week. If Navy loses to Army, then the No. 2 team would move up, its season already completed at least a week beforehand.

If the Army-Navy game matters in the above scenarios, the selection committee may also have to hold off its final rankings until the day after. That would allow all other unaffected New Year's Six bowls to be populated prior to the Army-Navy game. But for posterity's sake -- at least for bonus clauses in coaches' contracts -- those final rankings would have to be delayed until after the game.

“We haven't thought of it in terms of redoing the rankings,” Hancock said. “The committee will decide if the Army-Navy result would effect the playoff or bowl assignments. Then they would delay the pairings as necessary.

“We didn't talk about the rankings. All we talked about were bowl slots that would be affected.”

Last season, the selection committee did not identify its top Group of Five team until placing Marshall in the rankings late in the season.

CBSSports.com previously reported if Navy lost the automatic bid because of an Army loss, it could swap bowl places with that No. 2 team as determined by the selection committee. Navy then would play in the bowl previously slotted to that No. 2 team.

“We haven't really settled on it yet,” American commissioner Mike Aresco said. “We talked about various protocols.”    

 

NCAABKB: UAB's Jerod Haase addresses non-conference scheduling issue many programs face.

By Raphielle Johnson

(Photo/AP)

For the blue bloods of college basketball putting together a non-conference schedule isn’t a particularly arduous affair. While there may be an opening or two to fill in the spring/early summer period, that status generally makes it easy to put together a slate that works to the program’s advantage.

That isn’t the case for some programs that don’t have that kind of cache, especially if they’re hoping to get a home game out of a series. For UAB head coach Jerod Haase, who’s team not only reached the NCAA tournament last season but knocked off Iowa State once there, getting a fair scheduling agreement has proven to be a bit difficult.

And according to AL.com, the need to put together a solid slate of home games means that Haase will only go so far in scheduling games against higher profile opponents.

Haase, however, wants to fill Bartow Arena too. And he’s not willing to sacrifice his team’s record or morale just to play more attractive schools. 

“I’m not going to go 47 times to Alabama (and we play) and one time at UAB,” Haase said. “I have to do what’s best for our program too. And to be honest with you, we think pretty highly of our program right now.”

It should be noted that while UAB begins a four-game series with Auburn this coming season, with the Tigers hosting two of the meetings (UAB will host one at Bartow Arena in 2016, and the 2018 meeting will be played at Legacy Arena in Birmingham), UAB and Alabama have only played once in the history of the two programs. Hence Haase’s comment regarding scheduling, as he’s looking to put power conference opponents on UAB’s schedule in hopes of boosting his team’s profile come March.

In recent years Conference USA hasn’t been a major player when it comes to at-large bids to the NCAA tournament, so at the very least a quality schedule can help its automatic bid recipient seeding-wise. But that doesn’t mean the league’s coaches should agree to unfair scheduling agreements in their non-conference games, because they need to generate home ticket sales as well.

The 10 Greatest Black Women Athletes of All Time.

By Tracey Michae’l

It's inevitable that when a little brown girl tries out for a sport, there will be skepticism. Not necessarily for pursuing athletics—we have long been accepting of women's sports and teams. The skepticism is usually born from a belief that sports can be no more than a hobby for her. That even if she does pursue it professionally, she will never be as successful—in finances or fame—as her male counterparts. Add to these obstacles the ever present white supremacist thinking that drives mainstream perceptions of what makes a great tennis player, gymnast, or basketball player, and our girls have, as my Nanny used to say, a hard way to go.

In fact, if the statistics regarding how many young boys chasing their dreams of being the next LeBron James or Russell Wilson actually grow up to be multi-million-dollar ballers are low, they are dismal for young girls. Yet, when that same little girl presses pass the haters and naysayers, disregarding the stats, she doesn't just win games, she dominates! It's time to celebrate our Black women athletes, the ones of days past who kicked down closed doors and shattered glass ceilings, as well as the present stars who are strutting down those already fiercely blazed trails.

Here is our list of the Top Ten Black Women Athletes of All Time.

1. Serena Williams

We love Serena Williams. Her talent on the court has not gone unnoticed. In 2014, she was named America’s Greatest Athlete by The New Yorker and media often refer to her as the “Queen of the Court.” The flyest woman to ever hold a tennis racket was raised in Compton, CA and is the winner of 6 U.S. Opens and 5 Wimbledons. The Women's Tennis Association ranked her World No. 1 in singles on six separate occasions between 2002 and 2013. Most recently, she earned her 20th Grand Slam title at the French Open.


(Photo: pdrocha/Shutterstock.com)

 

2. Althea Gibson

There couldn’t be a Serena without an Althea Gibson. She was the first black athlete to break the color line in international tennis, winning the French Open in 1956, followed by the Wimbledon and what would ultimately become the U.S. Open in 1957—a feat she repeated in 1958. The Associated Press named her the Female Athlete of the year in both 1957 and 1958. In addition to her work on the tennis court, Gibson also played golf professionally. After retiring from the sports world, Gibson had a brief stint as a singer and actor then later became the Athletic Commissioner of New Jersey.

  

(Photo: Getty Images)

3. Laila Ali

Don’t you just love it when the legacy of a sports legend is passed down to…wait for it…a girl? Yes! With an undefeated record of 24 of 24 matches won including 21 knockouts, Laila Ali has made the alleged insult “fight like a girl” into a bona fide badge of honor. When Ali first decided to pursue boxing, she was met with some pushback from her father Muhammad Ali. Her response? “I'm going to be fighting women, not men. And I have your genetics.” After her 24 wins, Ali retired and has made numerous TV appearances. She is committed to giving back to her community and wrote a motivational book called Reach! Finding Strength, Spirit, and Personal Power that encourages girls to pursue their goals. 



(Photo: Jonathan Daniel/ALLSPORT)

4. Alice Coachman

Alice Coachman, who passed away last summer at the age of 90, was the first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Coachman began turning heads when she broke AAU high school and college records. Specializing in the high jump, the Albany, Georgia native certainly leaped over all the racism thrown her way. Each year between 1939 and 1948, she won a national championship award. In 1948, she was the only American woman to bring home an Olympic gold medal in athletics. And while today we are comfortable seeing our athletes promoting everything from cars to energy bars, Coachman was the first African American woman to endorse an international product, Coca-Cola. Coachman blazed trails for future black track stars like Florence Griffith Joyner. 



(Photo: Corbis)

5. Wilma Rudolph

Calling a woman “fast” before the 60s was usually a way to tear her down by casting judgment on some perceived promiscuity. Enter Wilma Rudolph who, by the 60s, was considered the fastest woman on earth—literally. An amazing feat for this former premature infant who contracted polio as a child and was forced to wear a leg brace for many years. Stepping comfortably into the lane held down by Alice Coachman a generation before, Rudolph was the first Black woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic games. In both 1960 and 1961, she was named the Associated Press Woman Athlete of the Year. Rudolph went on to a long career as an educator, track coach, and sports commentator after the end of her professional track career. In 2004, the United States Postal Service honored Rudolph with a 'Distinguished American' stamp. 



(Photo: Getty Images)

 

6. Sheryl Swoopes

One cannot have a discussion about the greatest basketball player of all time without talking about Michael Jordan and yet, Swoopes, often called the “female Michael Jordan” should very well be a contender. The first player signed to the WNBA, she has won three Olympic gold medals, is a three-time WNBA MVP, and remains on every top WNBA player list ever made. Prior to her work in the WNBA, Swoopes made waves at Texas Tech, where she set several school records. The Brownfield, Texas native scored 955 points in the 1992–93 season and also had three triple-doubles and twenty-three double-doubles during her time on the team. Swoopes is currently the head coach of the women’s basketball team at Loyola University Chicago.


(Photo: BET)



7. Dominique Dawes

Who didn’t love watching “Awesome Dawesome”?! A phenomenal gymnast, Dawes was a 10-year member of the U.S. national gymnastics team and member of the gold-winning 1996 Olympic team in Atlanta. She’s also the first Black woman to win an individual Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics. Between 2004 and 2006, Dawes served as president of the Women’s Sports Federation and in 2010, she was named a co-chair for the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. Today, Dawes is rocking out as a gymnastics coach and motivational speaker. 

 

 

8. Florence Griffith Joyner

Before our girl Serena even knew what it meant to be “fly,” Flo-Jo was setting fire to tracks and fields with long, painted nails, cherry red lip game, and thick, gorgeous hair floating behind her. "[Florence Griffith Joyner] was someone who wanted to make a fashion statement, as well as do it while running so fast you could barely see the fashion," said Phil Hersh on ESPN Classic's SportsCentury series. Taking the baton from Wilma Rudolph, Flo-Jo is considered the fastest woman of all time. In 1985, she won the 100m at the IAAF Grand Prix Final with the time of 11.00 seconds. Her records, set back in 1988 in the 100m and 200m, have yet to be broken. Sadly, our beloved Flo-Jo left us entirely too soon, dying from an epileptic seizure in 1998.



(Photo: Reuters)

9. Vonetta Flowers

What y’all know about that bobsled life? Flowers makes this list because after years as a track and field athlete—she was a star sprinter and long jumper at the University of Alabama—she was able to shift gears like only a sister can. Taking up bobsledding paid off tremendously for this Birmingham native, as she is the first black person to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics, winning a gold medal in 2002. Flowers returned to the Winter Games in 2006 with the U.S. bobsled team and finished sixth overall. She also provided a gold-medal performance at the World Cup. In 2011, she was inducted into the Alabama Hall of Fame.


(Photo: BET)



10. Debi Thomas

 If you are of a certain age, you might remember rooting for Thomas, partially because she was dope but mostly because you may have never seen a black woman figure skater. A 1984 World champion, two-time US champion, and Olympic bronze medalist, Thomas was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2000. After retiring from cutting up her competition on the ice, Thomas was boss enough to do another kind of cutting of folks—as an orthopedic surgeon.   So who did we miss?

 

 

Let us know in comments who you think was or is the best of the best.

 

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, June 19, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1846 - The New York Knickerbocker Club played the New York Club in the first baseball game at the Elysian Field, Hoboken, NJ. It was the first organized baseball game.

1867 - In New York, the Belmont Stakes was run for the first time.

1943 - The National Football League approved the merger of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

1972 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the anti-trust exemption that major league baseball uses was Constitutional. The court called upon the U.S. Congress to repeal the sport's special status.

1973 - Pete Rose (Cincinnati Reds) got his 2,000-career-hit.

1973 - Gordie Howe left the NHL to join his sons Mark and Marty in the WHA (World Hockey Association).

1986 - University of Maryland basketball star Len Bias died of a cocaine-induced seizure.

1999 - The Dallas Stars won their first NHL Stanley Cup by defeating the Buffalo Sabres in the third overtime of game six. The game actually ended on June 20th.

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