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Sports Quote of the Day:
"Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction." ~ Erich Fromm, Social Psychologist, Psychoanalyst, Sociologist, Humanistic Philosopher
Trending: The Blackhawks stayed plenty busy on the first day of free agency. (See hockey section for details).
Blackhawks deal Brandon Saad.
Blackhawks lock up newcomer Artem Anisimov.
Blackhawks sign Russian forward Viktor Tikhonov.
Antoine Vermette returns to Arizona on two-year deal.
Brad Richards signs one-year deal with Red Wings.
Trending: Butler and Dunleavy returning to the Bulls. Official announcement to be made July 9, 2015. (See basketball section for details).
Trending: Japan to meet USA in WWC final rematch. (See soccer section for details).
USA (USA) vs. Japan (JPN)
BC Place Stadium Vancouver (CAN)
Final
05 Jul 2015 - 16:00 Local time (Vancouver CAN)
18:00 Local time (Chicago USA)
(Photo/Getty Images)
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Recapping Day 1 of Blackhawks free agency.
By Tracey Myers
By Tracey Myers
We’re through Day 1 of free agency. Here’s how things broke down for the Blackhawks:
Center signed
General manager Stan Bowman said on Tuesday that he wanted to sign the team’s newest acquisition, center Artem Anisimov, to an extension as soon as possible. That came on Wednesday morning when the Blackhawks signed him to a five-year deal worth a reported $22.75 million. All those second-line center questions go away...for now.
Another Russian added
Viktor Tikhonov, grandson of the coach who led those tremendous Soviet teams in the 1970s and 1980s, signed a one-year deal with the Blackhawks. Tikhonov spent the last several seasons playing in the KHL but wanted another opportunity in the NHL. Where he fits in the Blackhawks lineup is uncertain at the moment; he’ll be another forward vying for a job at training camp in September.
Au revoir, Mr. Richards
Brad Richards came to Chicago for $2 million last summer in search of another Stanley Cup. He got it. And while he initially kept options open to possibly return to Chicago (if the money was right), he signed a one-year deal for $3 million with the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. Richards’ chances of coming back dimmed considerably when the Blackhawks acquired Anisimov. Still, Richards had a great postseason and proved he still has some hockey left in him.
You too, Mr. Vermette
We always knew Antoine Vermette was unlikely to sign with the Blackhawks again. He was going to get paid again, his heart belonged to Arizona and not surprisingly he signed a two-year deal with the Coyotes on Wednesday night. Still, his short stint here was a memorable one: after some frustrating healthy scratches, Vermette scored four postseason goals, three proving to be game winners. Vermette got to hoist his first Stanley Cup in Chicago. He’ll take that experience with him back to the desert. “This is very special whenever you have a chance to win the Cup. I’m truly happy to have [had] a chance to do that,” he said on Wednesday night. “This is an experience you want to be part of. It helps down the road. Hopefully I can bring some experience in and make a positive impact on this [Coyotes] team.”
What's left to do
Plenty. The Blackhawks didn’t do anything on the trade front on Monday but they’re still going to have to ship out a player or two. Marcus Kruger’s extension should get done – “We’re getting closer to completing something there,” Bowman said on Tuesday. But even without Kruger’s completed deal, the Blackhawks (including Jeremy Morin and Corey Tropp, also acquired in the Columbus deal) have $71 million devoted to 17 players.
Patrick Sharp is still the most likely to be moved, but where? Pittsburgh, once thought a strong option for a trade, is highly unlikely now after the Penguins acquired the very pricey Phil Kessel on Wednesday afternoon. A source said Boston has interest. The Bruins signed Matt Beleskey ($3.8 million cap hit) and acquired Jimmy Hayes (who needs to be re-signed) but they still have cap space; according to generalfanager.com, the Bruins are at approximately $62.4 million. Florida has its share of former Blackhawks. But on Wednesday the Panthers acquired Reilly Smith, as well as Marc Savard’s contract – Savard hasn’t played since February 2011 due to concussion issues – and may not have the cap space now to handle Sharp.
There is certainly still time to get trades done. Day 1 of free agency is usually a whirlwind of signings, and that was true again this year, although the typically insane money didn’t accompany most of those signings. There are still teams out there with needs and one way or another the Blackhawks will get something done.
Blackhawks agree to terms with defensemen Schilling, Liambas.
#HAWKSTALK
The Blackhawks signed defensemen Cameron Schilling (two-year deal) and Michael Liambas (one-year deal) on Thursday morning.
Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports that Schilling’s deal carries a cap hit of $575,000 per season and that the second year of the contract is one way. The 26-year-old Schilling played most of the last two seasons with the Hersey Bears, the Washington Capitals’ American Hockey League affiliate. He has six goals and 28 assists with the Bears over the last two seasons. He played in four games with the Capitals last season.
Liambas, who’s also 26, had five goals and three assists in 54 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) last season.
Blackhawks: Brandon Saad deal proves NHL is just a business.
By Tracey Myers
When the Blackhawks announced they were trading Brandon Saad, there were a lot who were stunned.
Apparently, that included Saad.
“A little shocked,” Saad said via conference call. “It’s my first time going through the process. At the same time it’s a business.”
Saad’s biggest introduction to this business we call the NHL came on Tuesday afternoon, when the Blackhawks traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a seven-player deal. The forward said two weeks ago that he planned to re-sign with the Blackhawks but it didn’t happen. General manager Stan Bowman said the two sides never really got close to getting a deal done.
“He’s a great young player, great young man. It was a joy to have him on our team and we certainly wish him the best in Columbus,” Bowman said on Tuesday. “From our perspective it’s difficult to make trades sometimes, especially in a case like this. But this is a business and we have a job to do and my job is to prep our team to remain competitive and win again next season.”
Bob McKenzie reported yesterday that Saad’s camp was asking for salary that came with an average cap hit of $6.5 million. Saad wouldn’t comment on what kept he and the Blackhawks apart on a deal, or what contract he could end up getting with the Jackets. A message sent to his agent, Lewis Gross, was not immediately returned.
Saad said he mostly stayed out of the negotiating process.
“As a player, I try to stay out of it as much as possible. You just try to play the game and have fun,” he said. “As for the business part, you try to take the emotion out of it. I let my agent do that and he keeps me informed and talks to me about things that are going on, but for the most part I let him do the work. He knows the business more than I do.”
As for Saad, the Blue Jackets will sign him. Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said on Tuesday that the team was already in discussions with Saad’s agent, Lewis Gross, on the deal. Kekalainen added that he’s not concerned if other teams have offer sheets for Saad.
“We’re just going to match it,” he said. “We’re not in a vulnerable position with our cap situation where it would benefit anybody to try to offer sheet him. We would just match it.”
Saad may be only 22 years old but he already brings a strong winning pedigree to the Blue Jackets. Saad was a Calder Trophy finalist during his rookie year and claimed his second Stanley Cup in his first three seasons last month. He joins a Blue Jackets squad that’s trying to find some consistent success. Columbus made the playoffs in 2013-14, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. They hoped to build on that success last year but were derailed by a plethora of injuries; they finished 11th in the Eastern Conference.
“It’s definitely going to be a change,” Saad said. “At the same time they’ve had some tight playoff series where they’ve played well. I’m looking forward to going there and helping that team."
Saad’s pedigree will certainly benefit a Jackets team that has high hopes entering this season.
“A winner. We’ve talked about this internally, with our team and with our management group, we want winners here and he’s a proven winner,” Kekalainen said of Saad. “He’s won two Stanley Cups, he’s 22 years old, he has speed, size, strength and he plays the game hard. He has an excellent work ethic on and off the ice. He brings a proven winner to our group.”
There was plenty of shock to go around when Saad was traded. Saad experienced some of it himself. His path is set and he’ll certainly get rewarded monetarily. Now the Jackets hope Saad can help them find more success moving forward.
“Things are going to happen and most guys don’t play their entire career in the same place,” Saad said. “I’m a little sad to leave because of the relationships that I’ve built with those guys [in Chicago], but this is part of the business and I’m excited about what’s in front of me with the Blue Jackets.”
Mike Dunleavy coming back to the Bulls on three-year deal.
By Vincent Goodwill
The Bulls insisted they would get their business done quickly and their actions have backed that up, agreeing to terms with free agent Mike Dunleavy on a multiyear deal.
Dunleavy agreed to a three-year deal worth $14.4 million, according to sources, to remain with the team he’s been with the past two years. Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported it first Wednesday morning.
Dunleavy’s scoring decreased last season from 11.3 points to 9.4 per game, but that was a product of Jimmy Butler’s emergence offensively and Dunleavy still feasted from 3-point land, shooting 40.7 percent, the second-highest mark in his career behind 2007-08 in Indiana.
A veteran player and voice of stability in the locker room through a sometimes-tumultuous season, Dunleavy was dependable on both ends of the floor and raised his efficiency when the playoffs began, shooting 48 percent and posting a offensive rating of 126 points per 100 possessions.
Dunleavy represents essentially a full return to form for the Bulls’ core with the notable addition of new coach Fred Hoiberg and the soon-to-be-35 year old is expected to thrive in the wide-open offense Hoiberg is expected to employ.
Dunleavy’s presence will allow 2014 first-round draft pick Doug McDermott to grow at his own pace without having the pressure to be a starter next year, and the Bulls are also expected to have a decision from Butler Wednesday, their prized restricted free agent.
Dunleavy’s deal includes a partial guarantee for the third year and the Bulls, who’ll be in luxury tax territory, will use the midlevel exception in keeping the swingman.
Butler is mulling a four-year deal with an option for a fifth or taking the full five-year maximum contract similar to the one Spurs swingman Kawhi Leonard agreed to shortly after midnight.
General manager Stan Bowman said on Tuesday that he wanted to sign the team’s newest acquisition, center Artem Anisimov, to an extension as soon as possible. That came on Wednesday morning when the Blackhawks signed him to a five-year deal worth a reported $22.75 million. All those second-line center questions go away...for now.
Another Russian added
Viktor Tikhonov, grandson of the coach who led those tremendous Soviet teams in the 1970s and 1980s, signed a one-year deal with the Blackhawks. Tikhonov spent the last several seasons playing in the KHL but wanted another opportunity in the NHL. Where he fits in the Blackhawks lineup is uncertain at the moment; he’ll be another forward vying for a job at training camp in September.
Au revoir, Mr. Richards
Brad Richards came to Chicago for $2 million last summer in search of another Stanley Cup. He got it. And while he initially kept options open to possibly return to Chicago (if the money was right), he signed a one-year deal for $3 million with the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. Richards’ chances of coming back dimmed considerably when the Blackhawks acquired Anisimov. Still, Richards had a great postseason and proved he still has some hockey left in him.
You too, Mr. Vermette
We always knew Antoine Vermette was unlikely to sign with the Blackhawks again. He was going to get paid again, his heart belonged to Arizona and not surprisingly he signed a two-year deal with the Coyotes on Wednesday night. Still, his short stint here was a memorable one: after some frustrating healthy scratches, Vermette scored four postseason goals, three proving to be game winners. Vermette got to hoist his first Stanley Cup in Chicago. He’ll take that experience with him back to the desert. “This is very special whenever you have a chance to win the Cup. I’m truly happy to have [had] a chance to do that,” he said on Wednesday night. “This is an experience you want to be part of. It helps down the road. Hopefully I can bring some experience in and make a positive impact on this [Coyotes] team.”
What's left to do
Plenty. The Blackhawks didn’t do anything on the trade front on Monday but they’re still going to have to ship out a player or two. Marcus Kruger’s extension should get done – “We’re getting closer to completing something there,” Bowman said on Tuesday. But even without Kruger’s completed deal, the Blackhawks (including Jeremy Morin and Corey Tropp, also acquired in the Columbus deal) have $71 million devoted to 17 players.
Patrick Sharp is still the most likely to be moved, but where? Pittsburgh, once thought a strong option for a trade, is highly unlikely now after the Penguins acquired the very pricey Phil Kessel on Wednesday afternoon. A source said Boston has interest. The Bruins signed Matt Beleskey ($3.8 million cap hit) and acquired Jimmy Hayes (who needs to be re-signed) but they still have cap space; according to generalfanager.com, the Bruins are at approximately $62.4 million. Florida has its share of former Blackhawks. But on Wednesday the Panthers acquired Reilly Smith, as well as Marc Savard’s contract – Savard hasn’t played since February 2011 due to concussion issues – and may not have the cap space now to handle Sharp.
There is certainly still time to get trades done. Day 1 of free agency is usually a whirlwind of signings, and that was true again this year, although the typically insane money didn’t accompany most of those signings. There are still teams out there with needs and one way or another the Blackhawks will get something done.
Blackhawks agree to terms with defensemen Schilling, Liambas.
#HAWKSTALK
The Blackhawks signed defensemen Cameron Schilling (two-year deal) and Michael Liambas (one-year deal) on Thursday morning.
Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports that Schilling’s deal carries a cap hit of $575,000 per season and that the second year of the contract is one way. The 26-year-old Schilling played most of the last two seasons with the Hersey Bears, the Washington Capitals’ American Hockey League affiliate. He has six goals and 28 assists with the Bears over the last two seasons. He played in four games with the Capitals last season.
Liambas, who’s also 26, had five goals and three assists in 54 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) last season.
Blackhawks: Brandon Saad deal proves NHL is just a business.
By Tracey Myers
Brandon Saad. (Photo/The Canadian Press)
When the Blackhawks announced they were trading Brandon Saad, there were a lot who were stunned.
Apparently, that included Saad.
“A little shocked,” Saad said via conference call. “It’s my first time going through the process. At the same time it’s a business.”
Saad’s biggest introduction to this business we call the NHL came on Tuesday afternoon, when the Blackhawks traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a seven-player deal. The forward said two weeks ago that he planned to re-sign with the Blackhawks but it didn’t happen. General manager Stan Bowman said the two sides never really got close to getting a deal done.
“He’s a great young player, great young man. It was a joy to have him on our team and we certainly wish him the best in Columbus,” Bowman said on Tuesday. “From our perspective it’s difficult to make trades sometimes, especially in a case like this. But this is a business and we have a job to do and my job is to prep our team to remain competitive and win again next season.”
Bob McKenzie reported yesterday that Saad’s camp was asking for salary that came with an average cap hit of $6.5 million. Saad wouldn’t comment on what kept he and the Blackhawks apart on a deal, or what contract he could end up getting with the Jackets. A message sent to his agent, Lewis Gross, was not immediately returned.
Saad said he mostly stayed out of the negotiating process.
“As a player, I try to stay out of it as much as possible. You just try to play the game and have fun,” he said. “As for the business part, you try to take the emotion out of it. I let my agent do that and he keeps me informed and talks to me about things that are going on, but for the most part I let him do the work. He knows the business more than I do.”
As for Saad, the Blue Jackets will sign him. Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said on Tuesday that the team was already in discussions with Saad’s agent, Lewis Gross, on the deal. Kekalainen added that he’s not concerned if other teams have offer sheets for Saad.
“We’re just going to match it,” he said. “We’re not in a vulnerable position with our cap situation where it would benefit anybody to try to offer sheet him. We would just match it.”
Saad may be only 22 years old but he already brings a strong winning pedigree to the Blue Jackets. Saad was a Calder Trophy finalist during his rookie year and claimed his second Stanley Cup in his first three seasons last month. He joins a Blue Jackets squad that’s trying to find some consistent success. Columbus made the playoffs in 2013-14, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. They hoped to build on that success last year but were derailed by a plethora of injuries; they finished 11th in the Eastern Conference.
“It’s definitely going to be a change,” Saad said. “At the same time they’ve had some tight playoff series where they’ve played well. I’m looking forward to going there and helping that team."
Saad’s pedigree will certainly benefit a Jackets team that has high hopes entering this season.
“A winner. We’ve talked about this internally, with our team and with our management group, we want winners here and he’s a proven winner,” Kekalainen said of Saad. “He’s won two Stanley Cups, he’s 22 years old, he has speed, size, strength and he plays the game hard. He has an excellent work ethic on and off the ice. He brings a proven winner to our group.”
There was plenty of shock to go around when Saad was traded. Saad experienced some of it himself. His path is set and he’ll certainly get rewarded monetarily. Now the Jackets hope Saad can help them find more success moving forward.
“Things are going to happen and most guys don’t play their entire career in the same place,” Saad said. “I’m a little sad to leave because of the relationships that I’ve built with those guys [in Chicago], but this is part of the business and I’m excited about what’s in front of me with the Blue Jackets.”
Mike Dunleavy coming back to the Bulls on three-year deal.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)
The Bulls insisted they would get their business done quickly and their actions have backed that up, agreeing to terms with free agent Mike Dunleavy on a multiyear deal.
Dunleavy agreed to a three-year deal worth $14.4 million, according to sources, to remain with the team he’s been with the past two years. Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported it first Wednesday morning.
Dunleavy’s scoring decreased last season from 11.3 points to 9.4 per game, but that was a product of Jimmy Butler’s emergence offensively and Dunleavy still feasted from 3-point land, shooting 40.7 percent, the second-highest mark in his career behind 2007-08 in Indiana.
A veteran player and voice of stability in the locker room through a sometimes-tumultuous season, Dunleavy was dependable on both ends of the floor and raised his efficiency when the playoffs began, shooting 48 percent and posting a offensive rating of 126 points per 100 possessions.
Dunleavy represents essentially a full return to form for the Bulls’ core with the notable addition of new coach Fred Hoiberg and the soon-to-be-35 year old is expected to thrive in the wide-open offense Hoiberg is expected to employ.
Dunleavy’s presence will allow 2014 first-round draft pick Doug McDermott to grow at his own pace without having the pressure to be a starter next year, and the Bulls are also expected to have a decision from Butler Wednesday, their prized restricted free agent.
Dunleavy’s deal includes a partial guarantee for the third year and the Bulls, who’ll be in luxury tax territory, will use the midlevel exception in keeping the swingman.
Butler is mulling a four-year deal with an option for a fifth or taking the full five-year maximum contract similar to the one Spurs swingman Kawhi Leonard agreed to shortly after midnight.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Jimmy Butler agrees to five-year deal with Bulls.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/Brace Hemmelgarn/USA TODAY Sports)
The Jimmy Butler odyssey wasn’t really a painful ordeal at all, as the swingman agreed to a five-year deal with the Chicago Bulls, according to sources.
Butler, who turned down a contract in upwards of $40 million before the season and bet on himself, doubled down on the NBA casino, hitting a jackpot worth $95 million and ending speculation that he didn’t want to be in Chicago.
Butler won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award and set himself up for a big payday after a season in which he averaged 20 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists, although the Bulls fell short of their goal of making the NBA Finals.
There was concern about Butler wanting to be in Chicago long-term, speculation he couldn’t play with Derrick Rose and that he wanted to hit unrestricted free agency quicker to the point that he would seek a shorter offer sheet from another franchise that would force the Bulls to match.
The Bulls, in what a team official termed “good business,” extended the never-used mechanism called a “maximum qualifying offer,” which meant opposing teams couldn’t sign Butler to a deal shorter than three years with no options for early termination.
Perhaps it brought Butler back to the table to negotiate with the Bulls quicker than he would’ve done so previously, but it wound up giving the Bulls just enough leverage to get Butler to commit to a max contract — and Butler will have the option to hit the open market after the 2018-19 season, after the salary cap explodes over the next two off seasons.
Butler’s return — along with that of Mike Dunleavy — means the Bulls will largely bring back the same core that fell short in the second round against the Cleveland Cavaliers, as the Cavs are bolstered by the return of Kevin Love, who missed that playoff series with a separated shoulder.
The Bulls are betting on Butler’s upward trajectory and his affirmed commitment to the franchise along with good health from Rose (presumably) and the change at head coach with Fred Hoiberg as reason why they can finally get over the hump to reach the NBA Finals.
Just as Butler bet on himself and won, the Bulls are doing the same thing, hoping it pays off for them.
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Bears Training Camp Info Update.
chicagobears.com
Whether you're a hardcore football fan, or you just want to give the family a Bears experience they'll never forget, Bears training camp in Bourbonnais is the place to be!
Chicago Bears RC Cola Training Camp will be held on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL. Located about 60 miles south of Chicago, Bears Training Camp will allow fans an opportunity to watch the team practice for FREE. Additional entertainment will include multiple Theme Days, alumni autograph sessions, the annual Run with Staley, and more.
GATE INFORMATION
Gates will open at 8:30 am on dates when practice begins at 9:35 am. Warm-ups will begin at 8:50 am and practice will conclude at approximately 11:30 am. Camp grounds will remain open with fan and kid-friendly activities until 12:30 pm.
Gates will open at 10:00 am on dates when practice begins at 11:15 am. Warm-ups will begin at 10:30 am and practice will conclude at approximately 1:10 pm. Camp grounds will remain open with fan and kid-friendly activities until 2:00 pm.
2015 CHICAGO BEARS TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE
| ||||
| DAY | DATE (THEME DAYS) | PRACTICE TIMES | CAMP OPEN/CLOSE | |
| Thursday | July 30 (no pads) | 9:35 - 11:30 am | 8:30 am/12:30 pm | |
| Friday | July 31 (no pads) | 11:15 am - 1:10 pm | 10:00 am/2:00 pm | |
| Saturday | August 1 | 9:35 - 11:30 am | 8:30 am/12:30 pm | |
| Sunday | August 2 | 11:15 am - 1:10 pm | 10:00 am/2:00 pm | |
| Monday | August 3 | 9:35 - 11:30 am | 8:30 am/12:30 pm | |
| Tuesday | August 4 | NO PRACTICE | CLOSED | |
| Wednesday | August 5 | 11:15 am - 1:10 pm | 10:00 am/2:00 pm | |
| Thursday | August 6 | 9:35 - 11:30 am | 8:30 am/12:30 pm | |
| Friday | August 7 | 11:15 am - 1:10 pm | 10:00 am/2:00 pm | |
| Saturday | August 8 (Family Fest) | 11:35 am - 1:30 pm | SOLDIER FIELD | |
| Sunday | August 9 | NO PRACTICE | CLOSED | |
| Monday | August 10 | 11:15 am - 1:10 pm | 10:00 am/2:00 pm | |
| Tuesday | August 11 | 9:35 - 11:30 am | 8:30 am/12:30 pm | |
| Wednesday | August 12 | NO PRACTICE | CLOSED | |
| Thursday | August 13 | Preseason game vs. Miami | SOLDIER FIELD | |
| Friday | August 14 | NO PRACTICE | CLOSED | |
| Saturday | August 15 | 11:15 am - 1:10 pm | 10:00 am/2:00 pm | |
| Sunday | August 16 | 9:35 - 11:30 am | 8:30 am/12:30 pm | |
All practices will take place on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL unless noted.
Practice dates and times are subject to change at any time.
Don't expect much from the Chicago Bears in the next 3 years. What's Your Take?
By Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.
(Photo/Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports)
ESPN Insider recently looked at the Future Power Rankings for the NFL and the Chicago Bears aren't thought of very highly.
When projecting future outcomes in sports, there's obviously a lot of guess work involved. But when looking three years into the future you can imagine the amount of subjective thought that goes into such an exercise. There are just so many variables that you can't account for.
With that being said, ESPN Insider has three NFL experts taking a stab at a future power ranking in the NFL. John Clayton, Louis Riddick and Mike Sando are ranking teams in 5 categories on a 0-100 scale. The categories are roster (excluding quarterback), quarterback, draft, front office and coaching. They averaged the scored then weighed it to get a final ranking.
After looking over the rankings, I can't help but wonder if NFL front offices have bulletin board material? Because if so, Chicago Bears' Chairman George McCaskey, team President Ted Phillips and general manager Ryan Pace will have the Insider article at the top of theirs.
The ESPN threesome don't see much success for Chicago's franchise in the next few years. They have the Bears ranked 25th overall with an average score of 63.1. That places them 4th among the NFC North teams.
Here's their average ranking for the Bears.
Score
|
Previous Score (78.3)
| |
Roster
|
61
|
76.8
|
QB
|
47
|
78.3
|
Draft
|
65.3
|
77.5
|
Front Office
|
71
|
81
|
Coaching
|
75
|
79.3
|
The big black mark on the rankings is obviously the paltry 47 for the quarterback position. Just one year ago, their NFL experts gave Jay Cutler and company a 78.3, but after what was arguably Cutler's worst season as a pro, that number dropped. Cutler has to prove that last year was a fluke and that he's capable of efficiently running the Adam Gase offense. The Bears aren't expecting Jay Cutler to become a top tier QB, they are just hoping he returns to his middle tier status.
If Cutler has another year like 2014, the Bears will be forced to look elsewhere and that will set the franchise back again. Maybe part of the low number on the QB spot is the assumption that the Bears will be going with a rookie signal caller in 2016 or 2017.
That is a very real possibility.
Here's the skinny on the rankings from the ESPN Insiders.
Mike Sando was responsible for writing the overview of their Bears' assessment.
The Bears' 14-spot fall in the overall rankings was the second-largest drop from one year ago. They moved up three spots to 13th in coaching with the hire of John Fox, but every other category suffered a double-digit dip as voters reassessed where Chicago stood after a disappointing 2014 season. Are the Bears really that much worse off, or was the previous assessment too rosy? It had to be the latter. Few would say Chicago is appreciably worse off in the front office or in its drafting with so little to go on at this point.
They may have moved up in the coaching score, but I find it unbelievable that the overall coaching score was actually lower with John Fox at the helm than in 2014 with Marc Trestman running the Bears.
Plus there's just no way to know if Ryan Pace will be a better GM than Phil Emery. So far, I'm optimistic he will be.
Louis Riddick tackled the dilemma the Insider's faced in ranking the Bears.
The McCaskey family hired Fox for a reason: to mold this team in the image of past great Bears teams, which thrived off physical play and defense. But is the personnel equipped to make that change overnight? A few key players to keep an eye on: rookie Eddie Goldman (nose tackle) and free-agents Pernell McPhee (outside linebacker) and Antrel Rolle (free safety). If these three can outperform expectations, the turnaround for this once-proud franchise could occur sooner than expected.
He mentioned Fox and a few key defenders, but he failed to mention the man responsible for coordinating Chicago's D, Vic Fangio. Last year Fangio dealt with a San Francisco defense missing key players due to injury and suspension, and he still had them finish 5th in total yards allowed. I'm not expecting a top 5 finish for the 2015 Bears, but this unit will make marked improvement over the Mel Tucker dumpster fire.
John Clayton gave his thoughts on the youth movement for the Bears.
Wondering why the Bears have had to hit the free-agent market to find starters the past two off-seasons? Easy: They have no starters left from the 2011 class and only one (Alshon Jeffery) from the 2012 class. This year's switch to the 3-4 could create more fallout. LB Shea McClellin (2012 first-rounder) and DT Will Sutton (2014 third-rounder) might have a hard time fitting into the new scheme. Jonathan Bostic needs to scramble to win the starting job at inside linebacker.
The drafting hasn't been very good, which is a big reason Pace was brought in. Chicago needs a few young players to take that next step in 2015 on both offense and defense. Pace hitting on this initial draft class is a must as well.
So now it's your turn, peer inside that crystal ball and tell us if you share the dread about the Bears for the next 3 years that's coming from the ESPN Insiders.
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: We totally disagree with this assessment. The Bears have some capable untapped talent that needs guidance and direction. This mature and experienced coaching staff can provide that. We're not putting them into the playoffs yet, but you will see marked improvement. They will have a winning record, at least 9-7. We're also glad everyone is looking past them, there is nothing like the element of surprise. Young talent, new systems, new coaches, discipline and backing from upper management will make all of the difference in the world.
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: We totally disagree with this assessment. The Bears have some capable untapped talent that needs guidance and direction. This mature and experienced coaching staff can provide that. We're not putting them into the playoffs yet, but you will see marked improvement. They will have a winning record, at least 9-7. We're also glad everyone is looking past them, there is nothing like the element of surprise. Young talent, new systems, new coaches, discipline and backing from upper management will make all of the difference in the world.
This is Jay Cutler's time to show off his talent and capability or rest assured he will be gone. He wants to be the go to guy and team leader, now is the time to step up to the plate and prove it or be gone. Let's go Bears!!!!!
Now, you know how we feel and what we think. What are your thoughts and what's your take?
Please go to the comments section at the bottom of this blog and tell us how you really feel. We truly value your opinion.
The Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
By Patrick Mooney
Either the Cubs are that much closer to building a pitching staff for October, or the New York Mets are that far away from putting together a playoff-caliber lineup.
Whatever big-picture theories you attached to these two rebuilding teams made for MLB Trade Rumors, the Cubs left Citi Field after Thursday afternoon’s 6-1 victory feeling pretty, pretty good about themselves.
New York’s young guns get all the hype, but Cubs pitchers shut down the Mets during this three-game sweep, allowing only one run across 29 innings. With Jake Arrieta firing 97 mph fastballs – and breaking stuff that manager Joe Maddon said “almost looks like a Wiffle Ball” – the Cubs finished off a 7-0 season sweep of the now .500 Mets.
“We can pitch with anybody,” said Arrieta, who gave up one run in eight innings, finishing with seven strikeouts and zero walks. “We can swing the bats. And our defense can play lights-out. We just have to bring that night in, night out.
“The only thing we needed to do is use this series for positive reinforcement, letting everybody in here know that we can beat anybody.”
The Cubs now return to Wrigley Field for what should be a rocking 10-game home stand that leads into the All-Star break, facing the Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals and crosstown White Sox.
The Cubs (42-35) are a third-place team with issues when it comes to the Cardinals, but they bounced back after getting swept last weekend at Busch Stadium (with some help from Simon the Magician).
“I never doubt the resolve of our guys,” Maddon said. “We just had a tough time in St. Louis.”
Maddon blasted Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” in his office after the game, a tribute to Jonathan Herrera. The utility guy filled in for third baseman Kris Bryant and drove in three runs with a sacrifice bunt and a homer off Jacob deGrom, the National League’s Rookie of the Year last season.
Arrieta (8-5, 2.80 ERA) had been a talented-but-inconsistent pitcher until that change-of-scenery trade with the Baltimore Orioles, which happened exactly two years ago (July 2, 2013). The Cubs have transformed from definite sellers to potential buyers, and the differences are impossible to miss.
“It’s night and day,” Arrieta said, “both individually and as a team. We’ve grown. Our young players are taking that next step forward. We have added some young players who are extremely dynamic and can do a lot of great things on the field.
“It’s just my job to anchor things and be a guy every five days that our team knows can get us a ‘W.’ That’s what I plan to do.”
White Sox survive three rain delays to blow past Cardinals.
By JJ Stankevitz
The White Sox came to Missouri with the worst road record in the American League for a short series against baseball’s best team. On paper, things didn’t appear to bode well for the White Sox. But baseball can be a weird game.
After surviving three rain delays totaling 2:19, the White Sox beat St. Louis, 7-1, Wednesday at Busch Stadium to sweep a two-game series from a Cardinals team that entered the week with only seven losses in St. Louis this season. Tyler Flowers homered for the third consecutive game and Melky Cabrera blasted his third home run of the season to pace the White Sox offense.
Jose Quintana pitched well despite warming up prior to the first delay, which lasted 1:49, and dealing with the other 14- and 16-minute delays, both of which started with the White Sox in the field. The left-hander allowed one run on six hits in six innings with eight strikeouts, lowering his season ERA to 3.81 and out-dueling Cardinals starter John Lackey in the process.
“He did a good job with staying loose,” manager Robin Ventura said. “He didn’t really let it effect him. He does a good job of that.
“It didn’t happen to Lackey. It happened to Q. He was able to withstand that mentally.”
St. Louis struck in the first inning after the game’s second delay, with Kolten Wong narrowly beating Alexei Ramirez’s relay throw home on Jhonny Peralta’s double. Adam Eaton’s fifth-inning single was the equalizer and Melky Cabrera’s sixth-inning solo home run, his third of the year, put the White Sox ahead for good.
Flowers’ two-run home run added some insurance in the ninth, but the scoring didn’t stop there. Carlos Sanchez singled Adam LaRoche and Adam Eaton were hit by pitches in consecutive at-bats to load the bases for Jose Abreu, who drove in Sanchez with a single to left. LaRoche scored on Cabrera’s groundout, and Matt Carpenter’s error trying to catch Yadier Molina’s rundown throw allowed Eaton to score for the seventh and final run.
Zach Putnam, Zach Duke and Jake Petricka combined to throw two scoreless, high-leverage innings before turning things over to Scott Carroll to polish off the win with a six-run cushion in the ninth.
The first-place Cardinals — baseball’s only team with 50 or more wins — entered this week’s short series with a 29-7 record at Busch Stadium, and only lost two consecutive home games one other time this season (May 15-16 vs. Detroit). The White Sox, conversely, entered the week with an AL-worst 14-27 road record.
“They are obviously a good team and missing some key pieces but you know it’s nice to come in here and beat a team like this,” Ventura said. “I think offensively we put some runs up late and the pitchers did what they did and the bullpen did too. There are some guys that are starting to swing it.”
White Sox: Chris Sale named June's AL Pitcher of Month.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/Getty Images)
In what could be the first of many awards this season, Chris Sale has been named the American League Pitcher of the Month for June.
The White Sox ace received the honor on Thursday after a spectacular month in which he went 2-2 with a 1.83 ERA with 75 strikeouts and only eight walks in 44 1/3 innings.
Sale, who on Sunday or Monday will attempt to set a major league record with nine consecutive starts of 10 or more strikeouts, is the first White Sox pitcher since he accomplished the feat in May 2012.
Though the White Sox have disappointed through their first 76 games, Sale has not. Not only did he match Pedro Martinez’s major league record with his eighth consecutive double-digit strikeout performance on Tuesday (he struck out 12 in eight innings against St. Louis), he also earlier tied a mark set by Martinez and Randy Johnson with five straight starts of 12 or more strikeouts.
Sale made six starts in June and allowed 10 runs (nine earned), 28 hits and two home runs.
The White Sox — who have the second-worst record in the AL at 34-42 — only went 3-3 in Sale’s starts as they scored two runs or fewer in four of them. According to MLB Network, Sale, Johnson and Curt Schilling are the only pitchers in MLB history to go winless despite having eclipsed 10 strikeouts in four straight starts.
While Sale has been outstanding in each of the past three seasons, he has been even better in 2015 despite a slow month of May. His 141 strikeouts leads all major league pitchers and his 3.7 Wins Above Replacement are second to Max Scherzer (4.2), according to fangraphs.com.
At 2.87, Sale’s ERA is more than a full point higher than Scherzer’s (1.79) but that can be attributed to a defense that has struggled all season long. Sale’s FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) is 2.09, which is right on the heels of Scherzer, who leads the majors at 2.01.
Golf: I got a club for that: Tiger Woods opens with 66 at Greenbrier, shows clear progress.
By Ryan Ballengee
Tiger Woods played pretty well on Thursday. (Photo/Getty Images)
Tiger Woods is back, and he's going to win all the majors forever.
That seems to be the consensus reaction to Woods' opening 4-under 66 to kick off The Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia on Thursday. Woods' round at the Old White TPC concluded with three consecutive birdies, offsetting a disappointing, flashback-inducing double bogey on the par-4 sixth, his 15th hole of the day.
Woods came out of the gate on the 10th hole looking like a player in control of his game and a guy that owns his swing. Aside from a drive -- albeit, a fairly straight, 300-yard one -- that ended up in a water hazard on the par-5 17th, Woods was a fairway-hitting machine, hitting 10 of 14 fairways. That 71.4 percent mark is substantially better than his season-long average of right around a coin flip. He gave himself a lot of birdie chances, too, hitting 14 greens in regulation. The putter, which hasn't been much of a low-light in 2015, was working as Woods gained almost three full shots on the field with the flat-stick.
All in all, it was a solid performance on a course that Woods -- well, the Woods we know and remember at his best -- should destroy. The Old White TPC is one of the easier par-70 courses on the PGA Tour, and Woods knew going into the tournament that he'd have to make a lot of birdies to be in the conversation.
"We're just going to have make a bunch of birdies," Woods said Wednesday. "Just keep the kind of pedal down and be aggressive."
He focused on aggression and scoring on Thursday instead of process and positions. The result was a good one, tying his best score in relationship to par this year (4-under 68 in the third round of the Masters) and turning in his lowest first-round score since a 66 to open the BMW Championship in September 2013. In his prior 15 PGA Tour starts, Woods had only opened in the 60s twice. This is progress.
Now the next step is to back it up, not back up, on Friday. With soft conditions expected, Woods cannot afford an over-par effort in Round 2 -- and that's just to make the cut.
However, with Woods' Thursday showing, it's hard to imagine he's concerned with simply making a paycheck this week. He's thinking about a golf-world-shattering win.
Should Jordan Spieth skip the John Deere as the Grand Slam looms?
By Kyle Porter
Jordan Spieth is really going to play the John Deere, isn't he? (Photo/Getty Images)
History awaits a young Texas at the home of golf in Scotland later this July. If Jordan Spieth can win the British Open at St. Andrews, he would become the first golfer to win the first three legs of the modern-day Grand Slam. Whistling Straits would become a circus fit for the king of the sport.
"I'm just focused on the Claret Jug now," said Spieth after the US Open. "I think that the Grand Slam is something that I never could really fathom somebody doing, considering I watched Tiger win when he was winning whatever percentage of the majors he played in and he won the Tiger Slam, but he never won the four in one year."
So Spieth is over in Scotland right now walking the course and plotting his takeover, right? Nope, he just came back from the Bahamas and is planning on going to Illinois next week.
Illinois?!
Yep, for the John Deere Classic.
"I plan to go (to the British Open) on a charter, the way I've done the last two years after the John Deere, that's the plan. So I won't be there as early as I was for this major, but that's the same time I got in for the Masters, so I don't think I have to be in early this year. I got in late Sunday night to Augusta."
Geoff Shackelford held an unofficial poll recently in which some of his readers decidedly voted that this was a bad idea. I see their reasoning (jet lag, lack of practice rounds, etc.). It's certainly worth the debate.
Michael Bamberger of Sports Illustrated countered with this:
Since that's what Spieth wants to do, it is almost by definition the best thing for him to do. I imagine he thinks it's good for his head, to keep faith with his John Deere people. He's already shown in his 21 years that a good head will take you far in this game.I sort of agree with Bamberger's take. Spieth is so straight-laced that it might be more of a deterrent for him to have the reminder all week that he bailed on a tournament he said he would play than to get to Scotland later than everyone else.
If he misses the cut at the Old Course, though? You know the takes will be fast and flaming.
NASCAR: Joe Gibbs Racing looking for first Daytona points win since 2008.
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo/Getty Images)
Joe Gibbs Racing first appeared on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit in 1992 and its first taste of success came with Dale Jarrett’s win in the 1993 Daytona 500.
Since then, JGR has claimed 118 points victories, with eight coming at restrictor plate tracks, four each at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.
But Joe Gibbs has been in a drought when it comes to points wins at Daytona, the 2.5-mile track that hosts Sunday’s Coke Zero 400 which airs on NBC.
The last came in 2008, when Kyle Busch won the Coke Zero 400. That year, JGR won three of the season’s four restrictor plate races with the exception of the Daytona 500 (won by Ryan Newman).
The only JGR points win on a restrictor place since is Denny Hamlin‘s in the spring Talladega race in 2014.
However, this doesn’t indicate the true nature of JGR’s plate program. JGR has won the last two Sprint Unlimited exhibition races at Daytona, with Hamlin in 2014 and Matt Kenseth this year. Last year, Kenseth and Hamlin also swept the Budweiser Dual qualifying races and Busch took a victory in one in 2013.
“Really our superspeedway program in general has been on point for the last two years,” Hamlin said in a release. “I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better at superspeedways and I always find a way to kind of finish well at them, so hopefully we’ll keep that trend.”
In his last three Daytona points races, Hamlin has finished, second, sixth and fourth while leading 20 laps.
Kenseth has two Daytona 500 wins, but those came with Roush Fenway Racing. In his last five points race there, he has finished better than 20th just once (sixth, 2014 Daytona 500).
“It’s a lot harder to pass at plate races than it used to be,” Kenseth said in a release. “So I don’t feel that it’s one of those races where you want to lay back, because you can never guarantee you’ll make it back up to the front. Our plan for Daytona is always to go there and race hard because hopefully we have great speed.”
Busch makes his return to Daytona after recovering from injuries sustained in the Xfinity Series race there in February.
In his last six Daytona points races, Busch hasn’t finished better than 12th (2013 Coke Zero 400) and has two DNFs.
“Daytona is not a place that I think owes me one or anything like that,” Busch said. “It’s just that I want to be able to go back there and conquer it again one day, whether that’s this weekend or not. I’ve won races there in just about everything.
“I’ve won ARCA races, Camping World Truck races, Xfinity, and Sprint Cup points and non-points races there. I look forward to getting back there, though, and back on the racetrack. Hopefully one day we’re able to win a Daytona 500 and, of course, put all the rest of those bad memories in the rear-view mirror.”
Then there’s Carl Edwards. The newest addition to JGR after coming over from Roush for the 2015 season, Edwards has yet to visit victory lane in the Sprint Cup Series at Daytona, in either points or non-points events. He’s been the runner-up once in both the 500 and 400-mile races, but in his last five races there, he’s failed to finish better than 17th.
“We’ve got all four cars with a win, so hopefully we can all stay out of trouble and one of us can get another win in Daytona,” Edwards said in a release. “The whole organization has been on an upswing. It’s fun to be a part of it.”
JGR and Team Penske are the only multi-car teams in 2015 where every full-time driver has won a race. That means JGR can afford to take risks to extend the upswing ever further.
NASCAR and its tracks ask fans to stop displaying Confederate flag.
By Nate Ryan
NASCAR asked its fans to refrain from displaying the Confederate Flag at its race, releasing a statement Thursday signed by tracks that host the Sprint Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck series.
The statement comes the day after Daytona International Speedway announced it would offer a flag exchange as it prepares to host Sunday’s Coke Zero 400. Track president Joie Chitwood said fans wouldn’t be banned from having the Confederate flag in the infield this weekend.
Last weekend, NASCAR Chairman Brian France said the sanctioning body would go “as far as we can” to eliminate the Confederate flag from its events.
Thursday’s statement:
“As members of the NASCAR industry, we join NASCAR in the desire to make our events among the most fan-friendly, welcoming environments in all of sports and entertainment."
“To do that, we are asking our fans and partners to join us in a renewed effort to create an all-inclusive, even more welcoming atmosphere for all who attend our events. This will include the request to refrain from displaying the Confederate Flag at our facilities and NASCAR events."
“We are committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere free of offensive symbols. This is an opportunity for NASCAR Nation to demonstrate its sense of mutual respect and acceptance for all who attend our events while collectively sharing the tremendous experience of NASCAR racing.”
SIGNATORIES
International Speedway Corporation (ISC)SOCCER: USA-Japan Women's World Cup final a familiar matchup.
Auto Club Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway
Darlington Raceway
Daytona International Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Kansas Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Michigan International Speedway
Phoenix International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway
Route 66 Raceway
Talladega Superspeedway
Watkins Glen International
Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI)
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Kentucky Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Sonoma Raceway
Texas Motor Speedway
Dover International Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Pocono Raceway
Iowa Speedway
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Road America
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
Eldora Speedway
Gateway Motorsports Park
By Jeff Kassouf
Japan and the United States will meet for the third straight time in a major women’s soccer championship final on Sunday to decide the winner of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Japan advanced to the final on Wednesday with a 2-1 victory over England. A heartbreaking stoppage-time own goal by Laura Bassett sent the reigning World Cup champions Japan through to the final again. The United States advanced to the final on Tuesday with a 2-0 victory over world No. 1 Germany.
In 2011, Japan shocked the world by winning the Women’s World Cup four months after an earthquake and tsunami killed over 15,000 people. Japan’s national team heroically rallied a nation at that World Cup to defeat hosts Germany in the quarterfinals for one of the biggest upsets of all time. Then Japan defeated the favored United States in the final, twice rallying from behind to force penalty kicks.
The United States got the upper hand a year later at the London Olympics, beating Japan in the gold-medal game to earn a third consecutive Olympic gold medal and fourth in five Olympic Games.
Sunday brings a highly-anticipated round three.
“In order to be the best team in the world at the World Cup, you have to beat the best teams,” U.S. forward Abby Wambach said. “We just beat the No. 1 team in the world in Germany and now we face Japan, another team that we have so much respect for. They have an amazing team and they’re the reigning World Cup champions so I think it’s going to be a fantastic final. Everyone will have to bring their ‘A’ game and whoever finishes their chances the most will come out on top. Hopefully it will be us.”
In a twist from how things stood just a week ago – when Japan looked like the world’s best team against the Netherlands and the U.S. struggled to beat Colombia in the round of 16 – the Americans will enter the final as favorites after a convincing semifinal victory over world No. 1 Germany.
Fluent play so often defines Japan, but the Americans – usually the more physical side that labors through games to earn results – put on a show against Germany, controlling the midfield and creating chances from the opening whistle. It was Japan who had to put in an almost American-like effort to resiliently hold off England, a winning mentality that is a testament to how much Japan has progressed in four short years.
So U.S. coach Jill Ellis and Japan coach Norio Sasaki square off in what should be an interesting tactical battle in the final. Ellis has shown her mettle over the past two games, turning around an underachieving U.S. team and, even if by force due to player suspensions, rediscovering the American mojo.
Sasaki has long proven he’s a mastermind, pulling all the right strings so precisely that Japan has won all six games played at this World Cup by exactly one goal.
Will the roles revert on Sunday?
“The team which is very powerful and has simple tactic, we may not be good at playing against that,” Sasaki said via translator on Wednesday. “But the final will be the final, and there is nothing beyond that, so we shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes. I’d like to send the players to the pitch with this strong will.”
Japan’s only victory in 31 all-time meetings against the United States came in that 2011 World Cup final. They beat the Americans at their own game, twice rallying from behind. And Japan was a team of fate then, with a nation behind it for very serious aforementioned reasons. Only Germany has ever successfully defended a World Cup titles, winning the 2003 and 2007 tournaments.
This time around, the Americans believe that fate is on their side, with what is expected to be a pro-U.S. crowd (much like it has been all tournament) just over the border in Vancouver.
On Sunday, either the U.S. will become the first nation to win three Women’s World Cups, or Japan will join the U.S. and Germany with two titles each.
The past two finals between these two teams have been epic. Get ready for more of the same on Sunday.
FIFA Women's World Cup Canada. 2015 Score Summary. 6 June - 5 July, 2015.
Wednesday 1 July 2015
Semi-Finals
Japan 2
England 1
Fire to host Orlando City SC in U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals.
By Danny Michallik
With a 3-1 victory over the Charlotte Independence in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 Tuesday night, the Fire secured a place in the quarterfinals of the 102nd edition of the tournament.
After dispatching its second USL outfit, Frank Yallop's group will host MLS opposition in Orlando City SC at Toyota Park on July 22 at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Behind goals from skipper Kaká and Carlos Rivas, the Lions cruised past Columbus Crew SC at the Citrus Bowl Tuesday to cement their place in the quarters.
Chicago and Orlando, separated by nine points in the Eastern Conference standings, meet in the quarterfinal stage of the Open Cup for the second time in two years. On June 26, 2013, a five-goal output sealed a resounding triumph over the then USL side and sent the Men in Red to their 11th semifinal appearance.
The quarterfinal fixture - on either side of league matches against Crew SC and the New England Revolution - presents the Fire with the opportunity of extending their 38-12-4 record in Open Cup play, along with a 25-1-1 record in Illinois.
NCAAFB: West Virginia AD reviewing 'Backyard Brawl' with Pitt a top priority.
By Bob Hille
West Virginia athletic director Shane Lyons, on the job at his alma mater only since February, says few topics have been more pressing than whether the Mountaineers' football rivalry with PItt, dubbed "the Backyard Brawl," will resume, the PIttburgh Post-Gazette reported.
The two teams haven't met since 2011, the season before Pitt joined the ACC and West Virginia joined the Big 12.
But a week after Pitt AD Scott Barnes said he and Lyons were talking about potentially renewing the historic series, Lyons reaffirmed his commitment.
“It’s one of my top priorities in scheduling,” Lyons said. “I think it’s a great thing for us as a university, it’s a great thing for Pitt and it’s a great thing for college football as a whole.”
According to the Post-Gazette, however, several scheduling obstacles must be cleared by the schools that are only 75 miles apart:
Neither has an open out-of-conference date until 2017. The Mountaineers have have existing series agreements with Maryland, Missouri, Penn State and Virginia Tech, among others, and the Panthers have similar arrangements with Oklahoma State, Penn State and Tennessee.
Also, because West Virginia plays nine Big 12 games, Lyons said he plans each year to schedule two Power Five non-conference opponents and one non-Power Five foe.
Three of WVU's next five non-conference schedules with open dates already include two Power Five opponents, so barring breaking a contract, there's no space for a Brawl.
For now, though, WVU and Pitt fans can take solace in the fact that the men currently in charge of building future football schedules at least share a desire to restart the rivalry.
“I’ll continue those conversations with Scott and see where it heads,” Lyons said. “Obviously, (Barnes has) only been on the job for a couple of weeks now, but we did have a preliminary discussion of saying, ‘Hey, I’d like to talk to you about scheduling.’ He was open to talking about scheduling, so it’s just a matter of getting both schools to sit down and look at what we have and what they have open and trying to make something work.”
NCAABKB: New coaches, talented freshmen to add intrigue to SEC hoops.
By Steve Megargee
Southeastern Conference basketball coaches are confident their league won't take a step back in the post-Billy Donovan era.
Donovan left for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder in April after leading Florida to two national titles and four Final Four appearances in his 19-year tenure. Donovan was replaced by Louisiana Tech's Michael White, one of four new coaches in the league.
The other newcomers are Tennessee's Rick Barnes, Mississippi State's Ben Howland and Alabama's Avery Johnson. Barnes reached the NCAA Tournament 16 times in his 17 seasons at Texas, Howland reached three straight Final Fours at UCLA and Johnson coached in an NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks.
Their star power has SEC coaches bullish on the future.
''I think it's certainly enhanced the profile of SEC basketball, which is obviously a good thing for our league,'' Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said Monday during an SEC coaches' teleconference.
There are also plenty of high-profile new faces dotting rosters across the league after signing six of the nation's top 16 prospects for the class of 2015 as rated by the 247Sports Composite, which takes all the major recruiting services into account. The SEC landed the top two overall recruits with forward Ben Simmons choosing LSU and forward/center Skal Labissiere picking Kentucky.
The SEC is trying to build on the momentum it established last season by earning five NCAA bids, its highest total since 2011, with Kentucky reaching the Final Four before its bid for a perfect season ended in the national semifinals against Wisconsin.
''There are not a lot of programs in our conference that are rebuilding,'' Georgia coach Mark Fox said.
Other things to keep an eye on with three months to go before practice starts.
COMMENTS ON CONFEDERATE FLAG: South Carolina coach Frank Martin stood by his comments last week that the confederate flag flying above the South Carolina Statehouse should be flown somewhere else.
In his statement, Martin said he believes the flag ''should be displayed at a museum and not at a public place which represents all the members of our incredible state.'' A state that Martin insists is not racially split.
''The unfortunate part is that everyone on the outside - people that have no idea what living in South Carolina is about - thinks that this is a divided state,'' Martin said.
''This might be the most unified state that I've lived in as far as the amount of love people have for one another here regardless of background, race. The way we've been welcomed here from day one has been incredible.''
Kentucky coach John Calipari joined Martin and others in calling for the flag's removal.
''This might be the most unified state that I've lived in as far as the amount of love people have for one another here regardless of background, race. The way we've been welcomed here from day one has been incredible.''
Kentucky coach John Calipari joined Martin and others in calling for the flag's removal.
''Obviously, (the Confederate flag) offends a portion of our society, so people are deciding to take them down,'' Calipari said. ''That's how I feel. It may offend, so I'd say do it.''
KENTUCKY RELOADING AGAIN: Kentucky had six players selected in last week's NBA draft, matching the record the Wildcats set in 2012 for most selections from a single school. Still, Calipari remains confident about his team's chances of reaching a third straight Final Four after signing the nation's top-rated recruiting class.
''I hate to say it, but it could be crazy again,'' Calipari said.
TALENTED FRESHMEN: Kentucky isn't the only SEC team adding heralded freshmen. The SEC has three of the nation's top seven recruiting classes according to the 247Sports Composite, with Kentucky first, LSU third and Texas A&M seventh. Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy said all four of the Aggies' freshmen played on state championship teams in high school.
''I'm sure they'll struggle like most freshmen, but the thing that makes these four kids special is they're solid kids and have won before and know what it takes to win championships.'' Kennedy said.
WHITE'S CHALLENGE: White said he's noticed a common thread in the advice he's received about following Donovan.
''All of my mentors and people that I respect in the business have all given pretty similar advice - and that's including (athletic director Jeremy Foley) and Billy Donovan - and that's just (to) be yourself,'' White said.
CONCERN FOR QUALLS: Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said that it ''hurt my heart'' to learn that Razorbacks forward Michael Qualls tore his anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees in a pre-draft workout. Qualls, who was a junior this past season, went undrafted.
''He will bounce back,'' Anderson said. ''Sometimes a setback, it puts you on track for a great comeback.''
Nadal slumps to new Wimbledon humiliation.
By Dave James
Rafael Nadal was sent crashing out of Wimbledon by dread-locked German qualifier Dustin Brown on Thursday, his fourth successive humiliation at the All England Club.Nadal slumps to new Wimbledon humiliation.
By Dave James
Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 champion, slumped to a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 second round defeat against the world number 102 who hit 13 aces and 58 winners.
It was the 29-year-old's first ever defeat to a qualifier at a Grand Slam and came in the aftermath of losing his French Open crown where he had been champion nine times.
Down at his lowest ranking for a decade -- 10 in the world -- Thursday's defeat was yet another symptom of the great Spaniard's game being in a terminal state of decline.
"I lost. Sad today for that, obviously," said Nadal, who was also runner-up at Wimbledon in 2006, 2007 and 2011.
"But end of the day, that's sport. Good moments, bad moments. Obviously today is a bad moment for me. Just I need to accept these kind of things that can happen. I did all my career.
"I will keep going. It's not the end. Is a sad moment for me, as I said before. But life continues. My career, too. I have to keep going and working more than ever to try to change that dynamic."
For Brown, who once drove to tournaments in a camper van to save money, it was his second win against Nadal having also won on grass in Halle in 2014.
"I had actually never been on Centre Court before," said Brown.
"They asked me before the match if I wanted to go on the court. I didn't know what was going to happen, so I just said I'll just go on when I play.
"I thought I would freak out a little bit but I don't know if it was the match in Halle, it felt very familiar. It wasn't obviously that big of a court but being on grass, being with him on the court and having won the last match it made me feel more comfortable."
- Nothing to lose -
He added: "It's easy for me to play my game against someone like him because I have nothing to lose."
Nadal had the luxury of the first break for a 3-1 advantage in the opening set which was quickly cancelled out by Brown in the fifth game.
Brown, gambling his chances on serve and volley, broke in the 12th game to take the set.
Normal service was resumed in the second set with the 14-time major winner breaking in the third and ninth games to level the contest.
But Brown was far from disheartened, continuing to attack at every opportunity, and he gained the crucial break in the fifth game of the third set against an increasingly bamboozled and error-plagued Nadal.
Sensing victory was there for the taking, the 30-year-old Brown broke in the first game of the fourth set courtesy of a wild, mis-hit Nadal backhand which sailed wide.
Nadal saved two match points in the ninth game but Brown sealed a memorable victory on his 13th ace.
American Pharoah will run in Haskell Invitational in New Jersey on Aug. 2.
By Steve Petrella
Triple Crown champion American Pharoah gets a kiss from his owner, Ahmed Zayat. (AP Photo/ Morgan)
American Pharoah has a long and prosperous stud career ahead of him, but he's not done making his mark on the track.
Owner Ahmed Zayat told ESPN that the Triple Crown winner will run in the Aug. 2 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., a Grade 1 stakes race for 3-year-olds.
"I've decided to do the logical step and run American Pharoah at Monmouth," Zayat said. "I'm trying to create one of the best days racing has ever seen for its fans and one that will also fit the prestige that surrounds American Pharoah. I want it to be a great day for everyone that will celebrate racing."
The controversial and flamboyant Zayat, who made his money through a beer distributorship in Egypt, is a resident of Teaneck, N.J. He will bring horse racing's biggest star to the Garden State for a weekend-long celebration. Zayat says he wants to bring Bruce Springsteen to the track, too.
Despite the risks involved in running a horse that's worth so much, Zayat has said he believes he owes it to horse racing fans to have American Pharoah race through the end of 2015. Zayat told ESPN he wants to run the horse until he shows Zayat's camp he can't anymore.
"This will be the biggest day ever in the history of racing in New Jersey," Monmouth Park president Bob Kulina told ESPN. "We've been racing for 70 years and this is the first time we will have a Triple Crown champion here. I didn't think I would ever say this, but this will be even bigger than 2007 when we hosted the Breeders' Cup."
American Pharoah trainer Bob Baffert has had the winning horse at the Haskell in four of the last five years. After the colt won the Belmont Stakes for racing's first Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978, Zayat said the horse would likely run at least once more before retiring at the end of 2015. American Pharoah will stand at Coolmore Farm in Kentucky and likely garner a stud fee of about $200,000, which would be the second-highest in the country behind Tapit, who at $300,000 has almost a decade-long resume of successful offspring.
After the Haskell, American Pharoah will likely be pointed toward October's Breeders' Cup Classic, the biggest event in American horse racing outside of the Triple Crown circuit. It features the top horses in racing and many Triple Crown contenders from multiple years. The Classic figures to be his last race, which would make him the least-raced Triple Crown winner ever with 10 career starts.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, July 3, 2015.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1912 - Rube Marquard of the New York Giants set a baseball pitching record when earned his 19th consecutive win.
1937 - Del Mar race track opened in Del Mar, CA.
1947 - The Cleveland Indians purchased the contract of Larry Doby from the Neward Eagles of the Negro National League. Doby became the first black player to play in the American League.
1966 - Tony Cloninger (Atlanta Braves) became the first National League pitcher to hit two grand slams in one game.
2001 - The National Basketball Association (NBA) owners unanimously approved to move the Vancouver Grizzlies to Memphis for the 2001-02 season.
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