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Sports Quote of the Day:
"Soccer is a great game, and the rich variety of styles and passions that come with being truly global makes the World Cup a nonpareil event in the universe of competitive sport." ~ Serge Schmemann, Writer and Newspaper Editor
Trending: Lloyd's hat-trick propels USA to 5-2 win over Japan in World Cup Final. (See soccer section for details).
The USWNT celebrates winning the 2015 Women's World Cup.
Trending: USA U19 team wins in overtime of gold-medal game over Croatia at FIBA World Championships. (See basketball section for details).
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks rebuilding depth while working through salary cap crunch.
By Adam Gretz
Marko Dano could be a very important player for the Chicago Blackhawks this season. (USATSI)
The Chicago Blackhawks weren't even finished with their Stanley Cup celebration when the reality started to set in that the roster that was on the ice for their Game 6 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning was going to be broken apart in the offseason. That is the price of success in the salary cap era. When a team assembles that much talent on one roster, and has so much money invested in its core players, it is eventually going to reach the point where financial limitations are going to send somebody packing.
The Blackhawks have been through it before, being forced to dump Brian Campbell, Kris Versteeg, Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd and Antti Niemi from their 2010 Cup-winning team. This offseason was never going to see that much talent leaving Chicago, but it was still going to be significant.
Already this offseason the team has traded a player who was at one time considered to be a franchise building block, restricted free agent Brandon Saad, due to cap restrictions. Saad ended up signing a $36 million contract over six years with the Columbus Blue Jackets following the seven-player trade, an offer the Blackhawks were never going to be able to reach given their cap situation. They've also lost second-line center Brad Richards (Detroit Red Wings) and playoff hero Antoine Vermette (back to the Arizona Coyotes) in free agency.
They still have to re-sign restricted free agent Marcus Kruger, while their only free-agent addition at this point has been Viktor Tikhonov, a highly skilled forward (and former top pick in the NHL Draft) who spent the past six seasons playing in the KHL.
Even with the trade of Saad and the departures of Richards and Vermette, the Blackhawks find themselves a little more than $400,000 over the $71.4 million salary cap for the upcoming season with only 20 players under contract, via General Fanager. They are allowed to exceed the cap by as much as 10 percent (a little more than $7 million over) in the offseason before needing to be cap compliant at the start of the season.
That means there is still some work to be done before they can finish completing their roster, especially on defense where the only have Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and David Rundblad under contract for the upcoming season. Even if they go with players like Trevor van Riemsdyk or Stephen Johns on their entry level contracts to fill out the blue line they are still over the cap.
The Blackhawks are reportedly still interested in re-signing veteran Johnny Oduya, currently an unrestricted free agent, but are waiting to clear cap space before doing so.
When it comes to clearing that cap space Patrick Sharp, Bryan Bickell and Versteeg are still the most likely -- and obvious -- names to be moved. They also present their own set of problems. When it comes to Sharp, you're not only dealing with a no-trade clause that can complicate things, but also the fact that some of the teams that would have been interested in a potential trade (Pittsburgh and Washington, for example) have already landed top-six wingers this offseason via trade, with the Penguins acquiring Phil Kessel from the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Capitals landing T.J. Oshie (as well as Justin Williams via unrestricted free agency). With Bickell, there is the issue of another team wanting to take on the remaining two years of his contract ($4 million per year in salary cap space) for a guy who has just 43 points in 139 games since signing that deal, which is almost certainly one of the most regrettable ones they have at this point and is contributing to their cap issues.
This was going to be a fascinating offseason for the Blackhawks as the closest thing the NHL has to a modern dynasty has to pick and choose which players to sacrifice, while also needing to rebuild depth around the core of superstars. And even though they still need to shed a sizable contract or two this summer, the most incredible thing about the Blackhawks' offseason to this point is they have still managed to start replenishing their depth and piecing together a roster that should feature their next wave of talent.
The Saad trade was a huge part of that.
Let's be honest, the Blackhawks would have probably preferred to keep him. They drafted him, developed him and watched him grow into a top-line player on two of their past three Stanley Cup-winning teams.
But they also might have cashed in that asset at the exact right moment.
Saad is fantastic. He is a wonderful two-way player who probably still has his best days ahead of him. But he was also reaching a point where his perceived value around the league may have been exceeding his value to the Blackhawks, especially if the asking price was going to be the $6 million per year he got with Columbus. Remember: This is a player that, for as hyped as he is, has never topped 23 goals in a season and has spent his entire career playing next to two future Hall of Famers. That is a perfect storm for everybody involved.
He was also going to require a huge financial commitment from a team that already has Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Corey Crawford and Marian Hossa signed long-term, and will soon need to re-sign Brent Seabrook. All of those players, with the possible exception of Crawford, are probably more important to their success than Saad. The threat of an offer sheet and losing him only for draft picks was very real. Teams were likely beating the down the doors trying to get him as opposed to the players the Blackhawks may have preferred to trade, such as Sharp, Bickell or Versteeg -- players that either represent poor values or have already played their best hockey.
So why not capitalize on that interest and sell high on Saad?
Rather than risk losing him for only draft picks, they moved him to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Jeremy Morin and Corey Tropp. On the surface, that might seem like an underwhelming return for a potential core player. But it may have actually helped them not only upgrade one major position on the team, but also add another potential core player to the mix. They were never going to get that type of return for Sharp, Bickell or Versteeg.
The two keys in that deal were Anisimov, a player the Blackhawks said they have been after for several years, and Dano, a 20-year-old forward who already had an impressive debut in the NHL this past season for the Blue Jackets.
In Anisimov, the Blackhawks not only have a replacement for Richards on their second line, but may have actually upgraded the position in terms of all-around play. Not only did the two put up nearly identical scoring numbers this past season (Richards had 12 goals and 37 points in 76 games, while Anisimov had seven goals and 25 points in only 52 games -- a difference of only .006 points per game), Anisimov did it while not having the luxury of playing alongside at least one of Kane or Sharp for most of the season as Richards did.
He also did it in significantly tougher situations.
While Richards had an offensive zone start percentage of 70 percent, Anisimov only started 45 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. Anisimov also received less power play time (30 seconds less per game) and played more than two minutes per night on the penalty kill (Richards played just 1:37 on the penalty kill all season).
And then there is Dano, perhaps the most important player in the trade given his age, the fact he costs less than $1 million per year against the salary cap, and his potential. With limited experience playing in North America (he played in just 49 American Hockey League games before making his NHL debut this past season) he made a huge impact for the Blue Jackets in his first taste of NHL action, recording 21 points in 35 games while also posting a team-leading 54.1 percent Corsi percentage.
His 2.69 points per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play was the sixth-best average among all NHL forwards (minimum 300 minutes). This is a legitimate prospect who has a chance to be an impact player in the NHL. Even though losing a player like Saad is a big blow to the Blackhawks, they used it as an opportunity to not only find an upgrade to their second-line center spot, but to also potentially find the next Brandon Saad. And if you think that's a stretch, Dano's age-20 season is almost identical to what Saad did at the same age (and it's worth noting that while Saad was playing next to Toews and Hossa in his age-20 season, Dano was playing mostly next to Scott Hartnell and Alexander Wennberg).
Add Dano to Chicago's other rising star, Teuvo Teravainen, who also has two years of entry-level hockey ahead of him after showing flashes of stardom this past postseason, and they have what might be the perfect complements to their stars -- cheap talent able to make meaningful contributions and continue to get better.
And this is why the Blackhawks keep winning every single year no matter who they have to sacrifice from the roster due to cap restrictions. They identify their core players, keep them together even if it means taking up a significant chunk of their salary cap space, while always finding a way to have a steady stream of players that represent the next wave coming through their system.
It seems they've found a way to do it again this offseason, even while dealing with what might be the toughest salary cap situation in the league.
The Blackhawks have been through it before, being forced to dump Brian Campbell, Kris Versteeg, Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd and Antti Niemi from their 2010 Cup-winning team. This offseason was never going to see that much talent leaving Chicago, but it was still going to be significant.
Already this offseason the team has traded a player who was at one time considered to be a franchise building block, restricted free agent Brandon Saad, due to cap restrictions. Saad ended up signing a $36 million contract over six years with the Columbus Blue Jackets following the seven-player trade, an offer the Blackhawks were never going to be able to reach given their cap situation. They've also lost second-line center Brad Richards (Detroit Red Wings) and playoff hero Antoine Vermette (back to the Arizona Coyotes) in free agency.
They still have to re-sign restricted free agent Marcus Kruger, while their only free-agent addition at this point has been Viktor Tikhonov, a highly skilled forward (and former top pick in the NHL Draft) who spent the past six seasons playing in the KHL.
Even with the trade of Saad and the departures of Richards and Vermette, the Blackhawks find themselves a little more than $400,000 over the $71.4 million salary cap for the upcoming season with only 20 players under contract, via General Fanager. They are allowed to exceed the cap by as much as 10 percent (a little more than $7 million over) in the offseason before needing to be cap compliant at the start of the season.
That means there is still some work to be done before they can finish completing their roster, especially on defense where the only have Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and David Rundblad under contract for the upcoming season. Even if they go with players like Trevor van Riemsdyk or Stephen Johns on their entry level contracts to fill out the blue line they are still over the cap.
The Blackhawks are reportedly still interested in re-signing veteran Johnny Oduya, currently an unrestricted free agent, but are waiting to clear cap space before doing so.
When it comes to clearing that cap space Patrick Sharp, Bryan Bickell and Versteeg are still the most likely -- and obvious -- names to be moved. They also present their own set of problems. When it comes to Sharp, you're not only dealing with a no-trade clause that can complicate things, but also the fact that some of the teams that would have been interested in a potential trade (Pittsburgh and Washington, for example) have already landed top-six wingers this offseason via trade, with the Penguins acquiring Phil Kessel from the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Capitals landing T.J. Oshie (as well as Justin Williams via unrestricted free agency). With Bickell, there is the issue of another team wanting to take on the remaining two years of his contract ($4 million per year in salary cap space) for a guy who has just 43 points in 139 games since signing that deal, which is almost certainly one of the most regrettable ones they have at this point and is contributing to their cap issues.
This was going to be a fascinating offseason for the Blackhawks as the closest thing the NHL has to a modern dynasty has to pick and choose which players to sacrifice, while also needing to rebuild depth around the core of superstars. And even though they still need to shed a sizable contract or two this summer, the most incredible thing about the Blackhawks' offseason to this point is they have still managed to start replenishing their depth and piecing together a roster that should feature their next wave of talent.
The Saad trade was a huge part of that.
Let's be honest, the Blackhawks would have probably preferred to keep him. They drafted him, developed him and watched him grow into a top-line player on two of their past three Stanley Cup-winning teams.
But they also might have cashed in that asset at the exact right moment.
Saad is fantastic. He is a wonderful two-way player who probably still has his best days ahead of him. But he was also reaching a point where his perceived value around the league may have been exceeding his value to the Blackhawks, especially if the asking price was going to be the $6 million per year he got with Columbus. Remember: This is a player that, for as hyped as he is, has never topped 23 goals in a season and has spent his entire career playing next to two future Hall of Famers. That is a perfect storm for everybody involved.
He was also going to require a huge financial commitment from a team that already has Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Corey Crawford and Marian Hossa signed long-term, and will soon need to re-sign Brent Seabrook. All of those players, with the possible exception of Crawford, are probably more important to their success than Saad. The threat of an offer sheet and losing him only for draft picks was very real. Teams were likely beating the down the doors trying to get him as opposed to the players the Blackhawks may have preferred to trade, such as Sharp, Bickell or Versteeg -- players that either represent poor values or have already played their best hockey.
So why not capitalize on that interest and sell high on Saad?
Rather than risk losing him for only draft picks, they moved him to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Jeremy Morin and Corey Tropp. On the surface, that might seem like an underwhelming return for a potential core player. But it may have actually helped them not only upgrade one major position on the team, but also add another potential core player to the mix. They were never going to get that type of return for Sharp, Bickell or Versteeg.
The two keys in that deal were Anisimov, a player the Blackhawks said they have been after for several years, and Dano, a 20-year-old forward who already had an impressive debut in the NHL this past season for the Blue Jackets.
In Anisimov, the Blackhawks not only have a replacement for Richards on their second line, but may have actually upgraded the position in terms of all-around play. Not only did the two put up nearly identical scoring numbers this past season (Richards had 12 goals and 37 points in 76 games, while Anisimov had seven goals and 25 points in only 52 games -- a difference of only .006 points per game), Anisimov did it while not having the luxury of playing alongside at least one of Kane or Sharp for most of the season as Richards did.
He also did it in significantly tougher situations.
While Richards had an offensive zone start percentage of 70 percent, Anisimov only started 45 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. Anisimov also received less power play time (30 seconds less per game) and played more than two minutes per night on the penalty kill (Richards played just 1:37 on the penalty kill all season).
And then there is Dano, perhaps the most important player in the trade given his age, the fact he costs less than $1 million per year against the salary cap, and his potential. With limited experience playing in North America (he played in just 49 American Hockey League games before making his NHL debut this past season) he made a huge impact for the Blue Jackets in his first taste of NHL action, recording 21 points in 35 games while also posting a team-leading 54.1 percent Corsi percentage.
His 2.69 points per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play was the sixth-best average among all NHL forwards (minimum 300 minutes). This is a legitimate prospect who has a chance to be an impact player in the NHL. Even though losing a player like Saad is a big blow to the Blackhawks, they used it as an opportunity to not only find an upgrade to their second-line center spot, but to also potentially find the next Brandon Saad. And if you think that's a stretch, Dano's age-20 season is almost identical to what Saad did at the same age (and it's worth noting that while Saad was playing next to Toews and Hossa in his age-20 season, Dano was playing mostly next to Scott Hartnell and Alexander Wennberg).
Add Dano to Chicago's other rising star, Teuvo Teravainen, who also has two years of entry-level hockey ahead of him after showing flashes of stardom this past postseason, and they have what might be the perfect complements to their stars -- cheap talent able to make meaningful contributions and continue to get better.
And this is why the Blackhawks keep winning every single year no matter who they have to sacrifice from the roster due to cap restrictions. They identify their core players, keep them together even if it means taking up a significant chunk of their salary cap space, while always finding a way to have a steady stream of players that represent the next wave coming through their system.
It seems they've found a way to do it again this offseason, even while dealing with what might be the toughest salary cap situation in the league.
By Tracey Myers
Andrew Desjardins (Photo? Twitter Supplied)
It didn’t take Andrew Desjardins long to mesh with the Blackhawks. The trade-deadline acquisition reached a great comfort level with the team immediately and found his niche on the Blackhawks’ fourth line.
And those are big reasons why Desjardins chose to return for two more years.
Desjardins signed a two-year extension on Friday morning; Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada reported the deal carried a cap hit of $800,000 per season.
The forward garnered interest from other teams but for Desjardins, the chance to stay with Chicago wasn’t worth passing up. “Obviously the key thing is we loved it there, our entire family,” said Desjardins via conference call. “It came down to just that, you know? How much we enjoyed the city, how much we enjoyed the organization. It was a great experience and that kind of made it an easy decision for us.”
General manager Stan Bowman said on June 19 that he wanted to get Desjardins back, if possible.
“It was a nice surprise how Desjardins came in and played a huge role for us. He played a bigger role than we probably expected,” Bowman said. “You look at the minutes he gave us down the stretch, it’s maybe something you couldn’t have predicted.”
Desjardins came to the Blackhawks from the San Jose Sharks, in exchange for Ben Smith, on March 2. The move was met with little notice; more attention went to the Blackhawks’ acquiring Antoine Vermette the previous weekend. But Desjardins proved a great piece to the Blackhawks’ puzzle, and it didn’t take him long to fit into the team’s system.
“I would say about 7-10 games into playing I started to feel more comfortable. It felt like it was a pretty quick transition,” Desjardins said. “The guys were great as far as how welcoming they were and the trust happened pretty quick with the coaching, so it was a pretty easy transition.”
Coach Joel Quenneville found the right fourth-line combination when he put Desjardins with Marcus Kruger and Andrew Shaw. When Quenneville trusts a group he gives it more responsibility, and he did that with this trio (see Game 6 against Anaheim, when those three were on the ice in the waning moments of a must-win game). The three found chemistry quickly.
“It’s still one of those things you never really know why it worked so well,” Desjardins said. “[It’s] just being on the same page. I think we all understood what we had to do out there and I think we pushed each other to do the right things. We always had each other’s backs, not in the physical sense but in the game. We always supported each other really well. It’s hard to say sometimes what creates that chemistry but [it’s] just doing the right things and we were all on the same page.”
The Blackhawks still have a lot of work to do this offseason, especially when it comes to shedding salary. But they’ve made some solid additions; Desjardins is the latest.
“It was huge to win and obviously that helped the decision [to return to Chicago.] But again, it’s… how much we loved it in Chicago, loved the guys in the room, really enjoyed the coaching stuff and everything about the organization,” Desjardins said. “That was the biggest factor.”
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Pacers, Bucks gain ground on the Bulls in free agency.
By Vincent Goodwill
If the rumor mill is to believed, the Bulls avoided a mini-disaster by re-signing Jimmy Butler and Mike Dunleavy to multi-year deals, ensuring their core will have a great chance of returning intact for Opening Night.
They avoided Butler taking an offer sheet from another team and didn’t give Dunleavy a chance to be wooed by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, in a move that would’ve dealt a huge blow to the Bulls while boosting the Cavaliers to an even greater advantage over their rivals.
For the past year, James was the big bad bully the Bulls were focused on, literally fearing no one else in the Eastern Conference. But now, the East, and Central Division has gotten better in the opening days of free agency, gaining ground on the Bulls.
Those pesky Milwaukee Bucks have become a problem for the Bulls, the team that pushed the Bulls to a Game 6 in their first-round matchup, added what they didn’t have in the postseason—a low-post scorer in former Pistons center Greg Monroe.
Monroe isn’t the best athlete and no one would ever confuse him with being that, but he’s a throwback in terms of being a back to the basket scorer who you can dump the ball down to consistently, and he’s surrounded by the perfect type of players in scorer Khris Middleton (former teammate), point guard Michael Carter-Williams, along with athleticism and length on the frontline who can help cover his weaknesses.
He didn’t garner much attention in Detroit the last couple of years, having his development perhaps stifled by the presence of Josh Smith (who occupied the same position) and willingly allowing teammate Andre Drummond to grow by leaps and bounds.
What Pistons President and coach Stan Van Gundy couldn’t find workable with Monroe has turned out to be a gem for the Bucks.
Very quietly, the Bucks have assembled a team that will only grow and get better under new coach Jason Kidd, and that’s not even mentioning a player who was the second pick in last year’s draft, Chicago native Jabari Parker, who’ll return from a early-season knee injury that cost him the majority of the season.
It seemed very minute on the surface, but the Bulls giving away a couple games to the Bucks gave them confidence in knowing they could compete and sent them into the offseason on a high note.
In addition to the Bucks, the Indiana Pacers just got better and appear to be transforming from a team headed by the underwhelming Roy Hibbert to one led by returning star Paul George and new addition Monta Ellis, who agreed to a four-year deal on the second day of free agency.
While the Pacers are in a bit of transition, with Hibbert on the trading block and rugged veteran David West searching for a different environment, they’ll still have a stout defense and a two-way perimeter player in the same mold as Butler.
The Pacers certainly have more questions than the Bulls and Bucks, but if they retain Rodney Stuckey it gives them another perimeter player who can create his own shot late in games—giving them at least three while the Bulls have just Butler and Derrick Rose.
The Bulls certainly haven’t gotten worse by staying intact, and Fred Hoiberg’s impact remains to be seen, but the Bulls’ offense should be better than the often-plodding product you saw the last few years.
Nobody’s saying the Pacers and Bucks have completely caught up to the Bulls, but the Bulls can hear those footsteps—as they still try to chase LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Becky Hammon to become first female head coach of NBA summer league.
By Tribune Wire Reports; Associated Press
Becky Hammon is about to become the first woman to serve as the head coach of an NBA summer league team.
The Spurs will play at least five games in Las Vegas, starting on July 11. The Utah summer league starts Monday.
Hammon became the first full-time paid female NBA assistant coach last season. An All-Star in the WNBA, she played eight seasons each with the New York Liberty and San Antonio Stars.
USA U19 team wins in overtime of gold-medal game over Croatia at FIBA World Championships.
By Scott Phillips
The United States men’s U19 team captured back-to-back titles at the FIBA World Championships for the first time since 1983 as the Americans defeated Croatia in overtime, 79-71, on Sunday afternoon.
Struggling to find consistent offense for much of the afternoon, the trio of Class of 2016 stars the Americans have relied on during the tournament fell cold. Jayson Tatum (13 points), Harry Giles (13 points, 16 rebounds) and Josh Jackson (10 points) all finished in double figures to lead Team USA, but they combined to shoot 13-for-46 from the field on the day.
Villanova incoming freshman point guard Jalen Brunson was outstanding for the Americans, scoring 14 points and adding seven assists while never turning the ball over in 40 minutes of play. Louisville rising sophomore big man Chinanu Onuaku provided valuable minutes as an additional interior defender, as he scored six points and added eight rebounds and four blocks.
After regulation ended tied at 67, the American pressure defense finally seemed to wear out a short-handed Croatian team at the U.S. went on a 10-0 run to start the extra frame. Even without Jackson in overtime, who fouled out during the final seconds of regulation, the United States had plenty of bodies to throw at Croatia using its full-court press.
Nik Slavica led Croatia with 23 points while point guard Marko Aropovic added 16 points and 12 rebounds.
These two teams also met in group play earlier in the event as the Americans came away with a 103-81 win. Croatia was without potential 2016 NBA lottery pick Dragan Bender, who was stuck in a shoe contract dispute, while the team’s starting point guard, Lovro Mazalin and center Ante Zizic, were both out with injury.
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! What more do the Bears need to be a true contender?
By Steve Schweickert
Alshon Jeffery (Photo/Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports)
Teams in the NFL can go from worst-to-first, on occasion, but to build for sustained success and consistent playoff and Super Bowl contention, what needs to change about this Bears roster going forward? Or where are they currently set?
Coming off of a 5-11 season, "championship contender" is one phrase that hasn't been associated with the Bears, and with good reason. Last-to-first is a nice concept, and not impossible, but those teams either usually become a flash in the pan or an over glorified example, as if it's a common occurrence. When your division has a team like the Packers that you know is always going to be in that championship conversation, much less the division conversation, it makes that whole "last to first" thing a little unlikely.
So, what more does it take for the Bears to create a perennial championship contender? Aside of course from the Packers disappearing into an abyss.
Let's start with a core of franchise players. You don't need to look much further than the Blackhawks of recent times, the Bulls of the 90s, the Kobe/Shaq Lakers, the James/Wade/Bosh triumvirate with the Heat... a core of strong franchise players that are known productive quantities at a high level.
For the NFL, this has usually meant a solid at minimum long-term quarterback, at least one WR or RB, at least one defensive lineman/pass rusher, and at least one (other) playmaker in the back seven (or eight in a 3-4). Not to mention, a consistent level of coaching that gets the most out of his players.
The rest of the team is comprised of healthy drafting and being able to find productive players on value deals (a reminder that sometimes the NFL salary cap is a rough thing to navigate).
No, the question isn't "Are the Bears there." Clearly, they haven't been, and aren't - but what more do the Bears need to do to get to that consistent level of contention?
Quarterback, depending on who you talk to, is either settled for the near future by Jay Cutler or should be wiped out with two black holes and a particle cannon. However, short-term isn't the thing. Getting the long-term answer is important, and extremely difficult - and it's a question the Bears may not have a lot of time to find an answer for, lest they immediately find themselves in the Jonathan Quinn Quarterback Abyss.
Running back is pretty much the same thing, with Matt Forte running out of time on the last year of his deal and two as-of-yet unknown commodities lined up right behind him. But, if the Bears can figure something out with Jeremy Langford or Ka'Deem Carey, maybe this isn't as much of a thing. Coupled with Alshon Jeffery and immediately followed up with Kevin White, the Bears' chances in this particular realm are looking halfway decent.
On defense, everything is pretty much a question. Kyle Fuller is probably the Bears' best chance for a young core defensive stud, unless Jon Bostic and Shea McClellin figure something out and quick. That being said, young defensive linemen Eddie Goldman and Ego Ferguson have plenty of time to make their mark, though a transitioning defense makes it a hair difficult.
The current coaching staff may be the best unit suited to consistent contention, headed by a coach with Super Bowl experience in John Fox and coordinators with strong resumes in Adam Gase and Vic Fangio. But even that isn't without its questions.
I'm not ruling out completely a run to the playoffs for this team - a lot can instantly change in one offseason, but for consistent contention, the Bears have a lot to do, a lot to rip out and rebuild in the way they've built the roster over the last couple years. A lot of young players need to step up and be valuable players when called on.
So, to reach consistent, year-in-year-out contention, what adjustments do you need to see from the Bears? Which current players do you think could be on a Bears' championship team within five years?
Analyst ranks Fox as ninth best coach.
By Larry Mayer
John Fox joins the Bears after winning four straight division titles in Denver.
In a recent feature story on NFL.com, analyst Elliot Harrison ranks the Bears’ John Fox as the ninth best head coach in the NFL.
The first eight coaches ranked by Harrison are 1) Bill Belichick (Patriots); 2) Pete Carroll (Seahawks); 3) John Harbaugh (Ravens); 4) Mike McCarthy (Packers); 5) Sean Payton (Saints); 6) Mike Tomlin (Steelers); 7) Bruce Arians (Cardinals); and 8) Tom Coughlin (Giants).
Fox has compiled a 119-89 record in 13 NFL seasons as coach of the Panthers (2002-10) and Broncos (2011-14), making seven playoff appearances, winning six division titles and reaching two Super Bowls.
Fox is one of six coaches in NFL history to lead two different teams to the Super Bowl and he has amassed an 8-7 record in the playoffs with three appearances in conference championship games.
Taking over a Denver team that finished in last place with a 4-12 record in 2010, Fox led the Broncos to AFC West titles in all four of his seasons as coach, posting an impressive 46-18 record.
That mark is the third best in the NFL since 2011, and the Broncos are one of only three NFL teams to win four division titles during that span, joining the Packers and Patriots. Denver had at least 12 wins in each of the last three seasons, finishing 13-3 in 2012 and 2013 and 12-4 in 2014.
Fox helped the Broncos adapt to play to their offensive strengths over his four seasons, with Denver ranking first in the NFL in rushing offense in 2011 before finishing in the top five each of the next three seasons in passing offense. In 2013, the Broncos set an NFL single-season record with 606 points and their 7,317 net yards that season are second most in league history.
In his first stint as an NFL head coach, Fox guided an even more dramatic turnaround. Inheriting a team that went 1-15 in 2001, he led the Panthers to a 7-9 record in 2002 before guiding them to an 11-5 mark and the Super Bowl the following season, losing to the Patriots 32-29.
Cubs keep building character as big series with Cardinals looms.
By Tony Andracki
The Cubs only had three hits Sunday afternoon, but that's all they needed.
The Cubs (44-36) continue to build their character and find ways to win with a slumping offense as they held on for a 2-0 win over the visiting Marlins (35-48) in front of 37,764 fans Sunday at Wrigley Field.
"We did well today," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "I am not concerned about the offense. I know it's gonna show up. As long as you can pull some of this magical stuff out while you're waiting for the offense to come, I'll take it."
Following a stretch of offensive inefficiency (17 runs in 10 games), Kris Bryant and the Cubs exploded for seven runs in the first two innings Saturday. But after Bryant's grand slam with two outs in the second inning of that game, the Cubs have managed only three hits in the last 14-plus innings.
In the first inning of the series finale Sunday, Chris Coghlan drew a one-out walk (his 13th free pass in the last 11 games) and Bryant singled, moving Coghlan to third. Coghlan then came around to score on a wild pitch to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead that they held all game.
The Cubs now have a pair of 2-0 victories to go with a 1-0 win over the last week. It helps that Cubs starting pitchers have given up just five earned runs in the last 41.2 innings (1.08 ERA).
"It's gonna get better," Maddon said. "We're gonna hit. We're definitely gonna hit. You have to go through these stretches. It's obviously always good when you go through a stretch like this that you're able to win in spite of it.
"We'll take it. That's how this game ebbs and flows. You gotta pitch. The game could have been called 'pitching' instead of 'baseball.' So when you do that, you catch the ball, you do good things on the base paths and play the entire game of baseball, then you have a chance to win under these circumstances."
Chris Denorfia led off the eighth with a pinch-hit double (just the Cubs' second hit in a stretch spanning more than 13 innings) and Coghlan drove him home with a two-out single to provide some insurance and account for the rest of the Cubs offense on the day.
Denorfia doesn't believe the youth and inexperience of the Cubs' lineup is the main culprit of the offensive issues right now.
"Every team goes through periods like this where the offense dries up a little bit," Denorfia said. "Our guys have been so good, all the young guys are learning on the fly and they're dealing with the ups and downs of any season.
"I think the course of the season to have moments like this where you kinda build your character a little bit and rely on the pitching when we have to, which has been outstanding."
Denorfia thinks all these close games are "fun," not taxing or exhausting.
"To be prepared for the postseason, you're going to need pressure games like this," he said. "The more experience we get with these, the more comfortable you are in these situations when that one at-bat or that one pitch means so much."
One run was all Kyle Hendricks needed as he tossed 7.1 shutout innings, lowering his ERA to 3.82 on the season. The 25-year-old righty kept the Marlins at bay, allowing just five hits and a walk while striking out six.
Hendricks hasn't allowed a run in his last 15.1 innings and the Cubs are 9-0 all-time when he pitches at least seven innings.
The Cubs starting rotation has picked a good time to be clicking on all cylinders - even if the offense hasn't been - with the St. Louis Cardinals coming into town for a big four-game series before the Cubs' Crosstown matchup with the White Sox to close out the first half before the All-Star Break.
"We're just trying to play good baseball," Hendricks said. "We've been playing good lately. We're just trying to keep it rolling. The pitching staff, we've been doing our job, keeping the runs off the board of late and the offense has been providing just enough. ... We're excited about [the week ahead]."
The Cubs will enter play Monday in third place in the National League Central, 8.5 games behind the Cardinals, who have the best record in baseball at 53-28.
A strong showing during this seven-game stretch at Wrigley Field could do wonders for the Cubs' confidence heading into the All-Star Break.
Still, Maddon insists he isn't getting too carried away with looking at the big picture.
"I don't look in clumps. I try to stay with the daily approach," Maddon said. "I know you're supposed to be more concerned about winning within your division. I'm just concerned about winning every night. I know I get disagreed with on that a lot.
"But I want our guys to just really approach the day and that's it. Let's try to win. We won today's game ... So go ahead and enjoy the night, be a human being and then come back tomorrow and play again."
Road Ahead: Make-or-break week for the Cubs at Wrigley.
By Tony Andracki
The All-Star Break is approaching, but before the Cubs get a four-day vacation, they need to get past visits from the St. Louis Cardinals and White Sox.
The Cubs were just swept out of St. Louis two weekends ago, and they are struggling to get over the "mental hurdle" of playing the Cardinals.
The two teams square off for a four-game set in three days, including a doubleheader Tuesday. The Cubs offense just received a lift with Jorge Soler's return from the disabled list and they will trot out their three best pitchers against the Cardinals — Jon Lester (Monday), Jake Arrieta (Tuesday) and Jason Hammel (Wednesday).
The Cubs then have an off day Thursday before the start of the Crosstown Cup Friday at Wrigley Field when the White Sox make the trip across Chicago.
Crosstown is back to six games again this year and the series always has a way of separating the two teams. In years past, the team that ends up on the winning side of the Crosstown Cup seems to use that momentum to propel them to a nice stretch while the losing team struggles to stay afloat.
Of course, this is also the latest Crosstown has ever started. Every other Cubs-Sox showdown has kicked off in May or June.
Buehrle vs. Sale: White Sox past, present aces face off Monday
By JJ Stankevitz
Not only will Chris Sale go for an MLB record Monday night, he’ll do so while squaring off against South Side favorite and 2005 World Series champion Mark Buehrle.
Robin Ventura & Co. Sale an extra day of rest — he was originally scheduled to start Sunday's series finale against Baltimore — and, as an unintended consequence, set up a showdown between the current and former White Sox aces (7 p.m., Comcast SportsNet).
“It should be fun,” Ventura said. “It should be fast, too.”
Only a handful of current White Sox players played with Buehrle during his decorated 12-year tenure at U.S. Cellular Field. Among them is John Danks, who debuted in 2007 and witnessed Buehrle throw a no-hitter and a perfect game, as well as the first of his four consecutive gold glove awards (2009-2012).
While Danks is close with Buehrle, he wasn’t exactly wishing him well when the 36-year-old takes the mound at 35th and Shields on Monday.
“I hope we beat up on Mark and get a win,” Danks laughed. “(He and Sale) are two of my best friends in the world so it’d be good to see Mark, but really once the game starts I hope we are able to beat up on him and get a win.”
Even with a fastball averaging just under 84 miles per hour — down about three miles per hour from 2005, when he won 16 games and a World Series ring — Buehrle’s ERA sits at a solid 3.64 and he leads the American League with three complete games. He’s one win away from having at least 10 for the 15th consecutive season, and needs to throw 93 2/3 innings over 14 more starts to reach the 200-inning, 30-start marks he’s had every year since 2001.
“(All those) years in a row of the 200, 30 and 10, he’s a Hall of Famer in my book,” Danks said. “I’m a little biased. But it’d be good to see him. Just hope he doesn’t throw real well against us.”
Over his dozen years with the White Sox, Buehrle won 161 games with a 3.83 ERA, made four All-Star Games and won three Gold Gloves. He didn’t do it in a flashy fashion like Sale, who with 10 or more strikeouts against Toronto would become the first pitcher in baseball history to have double-digit strikeouts in nine consecutive starts during a season.
Buehrle was effective in other ways, though, by spotting his pitches well, changing speeds and working fast.
“Love the guy,” pitching coach Don Cooper, who worked with Buehrle from 2002-2011, said. “He made me a world champion.
“… When you see a guy go 200 innings for four, five years, let alone 15, you are a stallion, you are a stud no matter what style you are. As a pitching coach, as a manager, when you know you can pencil a guy in there for six to seven innings every start and at the end of the year you’re getting 200, that’s such a valuable commodity knowing that spot is more than locked down.”
“… But our guy (Sale), he’s really, really good, really talented, probably the most talented guy I’ve had, thinking back on it. And he’s got four years under his belt and he’s got some time to go to reach where Buehrle is.”
White Sox: Jose Abreu adapting to new challenges in Year 2.
By JJ Stankevitz
At his current pace, Jose Abreu won’t equal the 36 home runs he blasted en route to winning American League Rookie of the Year honors in 2014. His solo home run Friday, which turned out to be the game-winner in a 1-0 White Sox victory, was No. 14 in game No. 73. Through the same number of games last year, Abreu had 27 home runs.
That’s not to say Abreu is having a bad 2015 season — he still has an .836 OPS, which in a power-starved landscape ranks 32nd among qualified MLB hitters. But his production nonetheless has dropped off, which manager Robin Ventura believes is due to a few factors.
“I think (pitchers) are more careful,” Ventura said. “… It also goes with offensively the way it has been going. If we have a better offensive group going at one time, people are going to pitch to him more. That’s the same for us going against other teams. If somebody is not surrounding (Miguel Cabrera) very good, then we are going to pitch around him and be careful.”
Abreu spent most of the season hitting behind the struggling Adam Eaton and Melky Cabrera, and in front of Adam LaRoche, who entered Saturday with a .395 slugging percentage. Ventura bumped Abreu to the No. 2 hole in the lineup in Detroit and plans on sticking with him there for now to get him more at-bats.
But pitchers have been a little more careful with Abreu, and he hasn’t necessarily adapted well to it. He’s seeing first-pitch strikes in 54 percent of his plate appearances, the 18th-lowest percentage among qualified hitters and down five percent from 2014.
Pitchers are throwing inside on him less and getting him to swing at more pitches low and away than he did last year, according to BrooksBaseball.net. But Abreu isn’t swinging and missing at those pitches low and off the plate — instead, he’s putting them into play for weaker contact, which shows as his ground ball and popup rates are slightly up from 2014.
Abreu’s 13 double plays are the most in the American League and he’s not drawing many walks (15 in 289 plate appearances), either.
“I haven’t been able to adjust to the pitches,” Abreu said through a translator. “It’s all on me. Sometimes I have to do a better job in my at-bats.”
Figuring out how to adjust to the league’s adjustments is part of the process for Abreu to regain his elite level of offensive production in Year 2. Plenty of power hitters have been pitched around, and it’s on Abreu and the White Sox to figure out how to deal with it.
“For him, he just has to be able to adapt to that and realize he’s not going to get as many strikes as last year, maybe,” Ventura said. “It can be tough to go through that. (Barry) Bonds had that when he was in his hot streak. … When he got his one pitch they were going to give him, he didn’t miss.
“For Jose, being able to battle through it and grind it out. Last night was no different. When he gets his one pitch, he’ll be able to do something with it.”
Golf: I got a club for that: Danny Lee wins Greenbrier Classic in 4-man playoff.
By John Raby
Danny Lee parred the second hole of a four-man playoff to win The Greenbrier Classic on Sunday for his first PGA Tour victory.
The South Korean-born New Zealander earned $1.2 million and became the ninth first-time winner on the tour this season.
Lee, David Hearn, Kevin Kisner and Robert Streb were tied at 13 under after four rounds on the Old White TPC course in West Virginia.
Streb shot a 5-under 65 in the final round by making five birdie putts on the back nine with a 56-degree wedge after breaking his putter on the ninth hole. The putter broke when Streb tossed it at his bag next to the green.
He was allowed a replacement putter for the playoff, but he never got to use it after missing the green at the par-3 No. 18. Lee and Hearn made birdie putts on the first playoff hole, also eliminating Kisner.
Hearn then drove behind a tree on the par-5 17th and made bogey. Lee reached the green in three shots and two-putted from across the green for par.
It marked the third playoff in the tournament's six-year history. A week ago, Bubba Watson won the Travelers Championship in a playoff.
Tiger Woods started the day seven shots behind the leaders, shot a bogey-free 67 and said he made some "nice strides" heading into next week's British Open.
Woods broke a streak of 55 consecutive rounds with at least one bogey. It was his first time under par in a final round since the 2013 Tour Championship.
Lee, Hearn, James Hahn and Greg Owen earned spots at St. Andrews. There also were four spots handed out a week ago at the Travelers and one more is available this week at the John Deere Classic.
Kisner shot a 6-under 64 to get to the clubhouse at 13 under. But he had to sweat it out with eight golfers within two shots of the lead still on the course.
Kisner lost in a playoff for the third time this season. The others were at the RBC Heritage and the Players Championship.
Kisner birdied the 18th three times in the first four rounds, but he went over the green in the playoff and left his approach shot in the rough.
Hearn (67) and Lee (67) birdied No. 17 to join the playoff. Both had chances to take the lead on the final hole in regulation, but Lee missed an 18-footer for birdie and Hearn left a 12-footer just short of the cup.
Russell Henley shot 63 and finished fifth at 12 under. Seven others were at 11 under, including Chad Collins (69), who was tied for the lead before bogeying the final two holes.
Jason Bohn, Sean O'Hair, Sun Joon Park and Bryce Molder shared the third-round lead at 11 under, but couldn't keep the momentum going Sunday. Molder shot 70 and the others had over-par rounds.
Woods goes bogey free for first time since 2013.
AFP
White Sulphur Springs (United States) (AFP) - Tiger Woods fired his first bogey free round since 2013 on Sunday, closing with a three-under par 67 in the final round of The Greenbrier Classic.
The former world number one snapped a string of 55 straight rounds with a bogey or worse -- a stretch dating back to his last bogey free round at The Barclays in August of 2013.
"That is the best I have hit in a very long time," said Woods, who has plunged to 220th in the world. "I had full control over all of my clubs.
"I hit it great. I had shapes both ways right and left drive. I had it all on call today," added Woods, who will next tee it up in the British Open at St. Andrews.
Woods rolled in three birdies and had 15 pars Sunday to finish the tournament at seven-under 273.
Woods, who entered the final round seven shots back of the leaders, said if his putting was better he would have been in contention for a title.
"If I had just made a couple of putts this week it could have been completely different," he said.
Woods said the turning point in his game wasn't this week but at The Memorial last month where he closed with rounds of 85 and 74 on the weekend after shooting 70-73 in the first two rounds.
Woods followed that up by missing the cut at the US Open with rounds of 80 and 76.
But the 14-time major champion said the way he played this week proves he is making progress with the swing changes he is trying to implement.
"I made a big giant step at The Memorial," Woods said. "Even though I shot those numbers the pattern was set. I just had to refine it. This week I definitely did that.
"It is a completely different motion. It is not a short term fix. People are looking for the one quick fix and very next day go out and play great golf. It doesn't work that way."
Woods said he has tried to ignore what his critics say, especially on social media.
"I don't go on line. I stay away from that," Woods said. "Social media has certainly changed the world the way we know it. I understand everyone has an opinion. It has changed the landscape for all athletes.
"I remember talking to (Wayne) Gretzky one time. He grew up in an era when he first played hockey and was winning the Cups, there was no 24 hour news cycle. And now here we are with instant news with the click of a button.
"That has changed the landscape again."
NASCAR: Earnhardt Jr. wins at Daytona in front of Dillon's vicious crash.
By Nick Bromberg
Austin Dillon's car was catapulted into the catch fence in the Daytona International Speedway trioval during a massive crash at the end of Sunday night's Coke Zero 400 as Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the race.
One fan was taken to the hospital after it appeared some debris from Dillon's car flew into the grandstands.
Junior crossed the finish line ahead of a massive pack of cars typical of any restrictor plate race. Denny Hamlin got turned around behind Junior and chaos ensued. Dillon's car got launched from the inside line of the track over two lanes of cars and into the catch fence, where it hit bottom-side first.
According to Daytona president Joie Chitwood, eight fans declined treatment in the grandstands following the crash. The person taken to the hospital was stable and four people were treated at the track.
Replays showed debris from Dillon's car making it through the catch fence towards the grandstands. Dillon walked away from the crash and waved to the crowd. He was released from the infield care center afterwards and said he had a bruised tailbone and forearm.
“I am just going to be really sore," Dillon said. "It got my tailbone pretty good and my arm. Should be fine, just go ice it up and get ready for Kentucky. But just thank the good Lord for taking care of me and for what NASCAR has done to make the sport this much safer. I just hope everybody in the stands is all right. That is the next biggest concern. Just praying for everybody and glad the good Lord looked out for me tonight.”
"That scared the hell out of me," Junior said. "I'll be honest with you. I saw the whole thing happen. I was looking in the mirror the whole last lap and I saw [Hamlin] get turned, I guess that's how it started.
"That was just terrifying to watch. You know a wreck like that has a high potential for someone to get injured and you saw the car get high and into the fence and you just worry about everyone else in the grandstands and you just don't want to see that happen."
Jimmie Johnson said he was fearing the worst after watching the crash in his mirror.
Daytona is in the midst of a massive reconstruction project. Part of the project is a remodeling of the grandstands. The portion of stands where Dillon's crash was is a completed section of the remodel and is situated further from the track than the old configuration. Replays appeared to show most of the debris from Dillon's car not making it into the grandstands.
The impact tore an incredibly large hole in the catch fence and ripped the engine block from Dillon's car. The engine was sitting in the infield of the track and smoldering after the crash. All that was left of Dillon's car was the roll cage encapsulating the cockpit and it came to rest upside down at the end of pit road after being hit by Brad Keselowski's car.
The crash was very similar to one in the Xfinity Series in 2013 when Kyle Larson's car flew into the catch fence near the finish line. Over 20 fans were injured from crash debris.
The crash will again put the focus on racing safety following the race at the same track where Kyle Busch broke a leg and a foot in February.
Is it conceivable to have a catch fence design that doesn't tear cars apart like a can opener? Is there a way to modify the racing at restrictor plate races to prevent cars from getting airborne so easily? Three fans with reported minor injuries and a bruised but otherwise OK driver is one of the best case scenarios. But just because one of the best case scenarios happened doesn't mean a safety discussion shouldn't take place.
Junior had the race's dominant car. He led the most laps and his car was able to consistently drive away from the field by a couple car lengths on every restart. The finish of the race was set up by a spin by Sam Hornish Jr. and Earnhardt was able to easily hold off Hamlin and teammate Johnson.
It's Earnhardt's second win of the season. He won in May at Talladega.
SOCCER: United States wins third Women's World Cup title, beats Japan on record-smashing day.
By Jeff Kassouf
Under a thick haze and the smell of smoke from a blazing forest in the distance, Carli Lloyd caught fire on Sunday at BC Place.
Lloyd scored a hat trick in the first 16 minutes of the Women’s World Cup final to lift the United States past Japan, 5-2 and deliver a record third World Cup title. Lloyd scored her third goal from midfield, driving the ball over Japan goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori.
Japan entered the match as reigning World Cup champions, having beaten the United States in penalty kicks in the 2011 World Cup final.
The World Cup title is the United States’ first since 1999. They are also three-time defending Olympic champions, having beaten Japan in the 2012 Olympic final in London. Lloyd scored twice in that final to beat Japan as well.
“Ms. Lloyd, well she always does this to us,” Japan head coach Norio Sasaki said after the game, dropping his head and smiling.
For two teams that entered Sunday’s final on the backs of defensive performances, the United States and Japan (but mostly the Americans – and even more specifically, Lloyd) combined to smash offensive records.
Lloyd became the first player in history to score a hat trick in a Women’s World Cup final; Michelle Akers is the only other player to net a multi-goal game in a final, scoring twice in 1991. Lloyd’s goal in the 3rd minutes was the fastest ever scored in a final. Lloyd also became the first American player to score in four straight World Cup games.
The seven combined goals is the most in a Women’s World Cup final, and the United States’s five goals is a record for one team.
In the 3rd minute, Lloyd beat Japan defender Azusa Iwashimizu to the ball on Megan Rapinoe’s corner kick, and two minutes later Lloyd beat Iwashimizu again for her second goal. After mis-heading the ball up in the air just prior to the United States’ third goal – scored by Lauren Holiday – Iwashimizu was replaced in the 33rd minute by Homare Sawa, playing in her co-record sixth World Cup.
Japan managed to get a goal back before halftime through Yuki Ogimi, and a second goal just after halftime off the head of U.S. defender Julie Johnston.
But two minutes after that second Japan goal, U.S. midfielder Tobin Heath score the United States’ fifth goal, icing the match.
The United States finished the tournament unbeaten, winning all but one game – a scoreless draw against Sweden in the group stage.
A rough start in the opening minutes of the World Cup against Australia – when Hope Solo made two tournament changing saves and Megan Rapinoe scored her first of two goals early against the run of play – feels like a memory of year’s past. After the tie with Sweden, the Americans scraped past Nigeria to win Group D and then narrowly defeated 10-player Colombia in the round of 16 before coming into their own in the quarterfinal against China.
In that match, Ellis inserted Morgan Brian and allowed Lloyd to push higher up the field, a move that truly paid dividends in the semifinal against Germany, which the United States dominated.
Building off of those successes, U.S. coach Jill Ellis stuck with the same starting XI from the semifinal in Sunday’s final against Japan, freeing up Lloyd to sit behind Morgan and do what she does best: Push forward and score goals.
U.S. forward Abby Wambach played in her final World Cup match, entering the game in the 79th minute for Tobin Heath. It was also the final World Cup match for Sawa.
Carli Lloyd wins Golden Ball, Silver Boot awards; Hope Solo takes home Golden Glove in WWC award ceremony. .
By Duncan Day
Carli Lloyd (L) and Hope Solo (R) celebrate during the USWNT's victory. (USATSI)
Signifying the end of the 2015 Women’s World Cup, awards were doled out paying tribute to notable individual efforts.
Following an exceptional hat-trick performance in a 5-2 win over Japan to bring home the 2015 Women’s World Cup, Carli Lloyd won the Silver Boot and Golden Ball.
Lloyd plays for the Houston Dash in the United States’ NWSL and has over 200 appearances for the Stars and Stripes.
She was joined on the shortlist for the Golden Ball by teammates Julie Johnston and Megan Rapinoe, while Celia Sasic beat out Lloyd for the Golden Boot due to the amount of minutes played.
The Germany international’s teammate, Anja Mittag, procured the Bronze Boot.
The Golden Glove award was given to USA goalkeeper Hope Solo, displaying her prowess as the best netminder in the world when tested. She faced competition from Germany’s Nadine Angerer and Japan’s Ayumi Kaihori.
19-year-old Canadian defender Kadeisha Buchanan, who attends West Virginia University, won the Young Player Award by anchoring Canada’s back line that gave up only three goals in five games.
The Silver Ball went to Amandine Henry of France and the Bronze Ball to Japan midfielder Aya Miyama.
Japan was given their second-place medals before FIFA executive Issa Hayatou, stepping in for president Sepp Blatter, awarded the United States with the main trophy.
Williams seals bronze for England at Women's World Cup.
AFP
A 108th-minute penalty converted by Fara Williams gave England third place with a 1-0 win over Germany in the Women's World Cup on Saturday.
It was a first ever win by sixth-ranked England over world number one team Germany.
The third place play-off went into extra time in Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium after the teams were locked 0-0 at the end of 90 minutes.
But England were awarded a penalty just minutes into the second period of extra time after Lianne Sanderson was pulled down by Tabea Kemme.
And Williams slotted in past former world goalkeeper of the year Nadine Angerer, who playing her final match for Germany, dived the wrong way.
England's run to their first ever semi-final had ended with heartbreak when an own-goal by defender Laura Bassett in injury time handed holders Japan a 2-1 win and ticket to the final.
Germany, winners in 2003 and 2007, lost 2-0 to the United States in their semi-final.
Japan play the United States in Sunday's final in Vancouver which will be a rematch of the 2011 championship game.
England had never beaten Germany in 20 previous meetings with their most recent loss a 3-0 drubbing at Wembley Stadium last year during which World Cup top scorer Celia Sasic scored twice.
England skipper Steph Houghton did well to back clear a goal-ward bound shot after just nine minutes in an evenly matched first half.
The defender, who had just received treatment for a painful ankle knock, lunged to clear after Jo Potter headed past her own goalkeeper Karen Bardsley following a Bianca Schmidt header across goal.
Within a minute Sasic had a chance to extend her lead of six goals on top of the Golden Boot chart but her weak shot was held by Bardsley.
Forward Ellen White headed over the bar after 26 minutes, and Germany's Sara Daebritz missed a chance to break the deadlock just before halftime but Potter blocked her shot.
After the break Germany had the best scoring chance on 53 minutes when Sasic crossed to Daebritz whose volley was kept out by a diving Bardsley.
Eniola Aluko came off the bench on 61 minutes and had a solo run towards goal three minutes from time but Angerer recovered the ball.
But England continued to push with Jill Scott failing to finish with only Angerer to beat, while Williams saw her goal-bound effort cleared by a defender.
But the game was finally decided when was Kemme was judged to have pulled down substitute Sanderson and Williams converted.
A Sophie Schmidt header and Anja Mittag free kick failed to grab an equaliser for Germany in the final World Cup game for illustrious coach Siliva Neid.
England had never beaten Germany in 20 previous meetings with their most recent loss a 3-0 drubbing at Wembley Stadium last year during which World Cup top scorer Celia Sasic scored twice.
England skipper Steph Houghton did well to back clear a goal-ward bound shot after just nine minutes in an evenly matched first half.
The defender, who had just received treatment for a painful ankle knock, lunged to clear after Jo Potter headed past her own goalkeeper Karen Bardsley following a Bianca Schmidt header across goal.
Within a minute Sasic had a chance to extend her lead of six goals on top of the Golden Boot chart but her weak shot was held by Bardsley.
Forward Ellen White headed over the bar after 26 minutes, and Germany's Sara Daebritz missed a chance to break the deadlock just before halftime but Potter blocked her shot.
After the break Germany had the best scoring chance on 53 minutes when Sasic crossed to Daebritz whose volley was kept out by a diving Bardsley.
Eniola Aluko came off the bench on 61 minutes and had a solo run towards goal three minutes from time but Angerer recovered the ball.
But England continued to push with Jill Scott failing to finish with only Angerer to beat, while Williams saw her goal-bound effort cleared by a defender.
But the game was finally decided when was Kemme was judged to have pulled down substitute Sanderson and Williams converted.
A Sophie Schmidt header and Anja Mittag free kick failed to grab an equaliser for Germany in the final World Cup game for illustrious coach Siliva Neid.
FIFA Women's World Cup Canada. 2015 Score Summary. 6 June - 5 July, 2015.
Saturday 4 July 2015
Match for third place
Germany 0
England 1
Sunday 5 July 2015
Final
USA 5
Japan 2
Chicago Fire; Nyarko: 'We found something special at the end of the game'.
By Danny Michallik
Three days following his storming return to match action with an assist in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Patrick Nyarko capped off a memorable week with a game-tying goal against the Houston Dynamo Friday night.
With two impactful cameos off the bench, the Kumasi, Ghana native returned following a nine-month layoff resulting from an ACL tear/MCL sprain sustained at D.C. United on Oct. 18, 2014. The 29-year-old dedicated his goal to his grandmother, who passed away in Nyarko's native country, in a heartfelt post-match message.
"First of all, I dedicate this to my grandmother. She’s being buried tomorrow, so rest in peace," Nyarko said. "I’m proud. I’m proud of the guys. I think we found something special at the end of the game. How we reacted after we gave up the goal is how we need to play every game. The guys realize that.
"I’m glad I was able to help, but kudos to the guys, they came out fighting and they know now this is what it takes to win games in this league. Every single game, this is what it will take to win it."
The Ghanaian's 72nd-minute tally at BBVA Compass Stadium was his first MLS regular season tally since May 10, 2014 against the New York Red Bulls. This time around the sequence began with a dexterous ball from Harry Shipp to Mike Magee, which made its way to Greg Cochrane, whose cross exposed the Dynamo defense and found the onrushing Nyarko. The midfielder emerged from the goalmouth skirmish and turned the ball into the back of the net, helping the Fire secure just their third road point of the campaign and help quash the threat of a fifth league defeat on the trot.
"It’s special," Shipp added. "I’ve never had to go through an injury recovery process like that, fortunately. Just seeing him every day - kind of the ups and downs with his emotions and his attitude - and to finally come back, be playing well and making a difference is something you hope for during those last six months of recovery."
Shipp, along with head coach Frank Yallop, sang the praises of Nyarko's play in the dressing room, and rightly so. In a game in which chances were few and far between, Nyarko and Magee's second half introductions paid dividends, as the duo provided a different dimension to Yallop's team.
Asked if the 1-1 draw could be a turning point in a transitional season thus far, Nyarko is certainly optimistic about the group with 18 games remaining in league play, and three wins shy of reaching a seventh all-time U.S. Open Cup final to boot.
"I hope so," Nyarko said. "It’s been a difficult season with injuries; one person comes up, one person goes down. I’m really excited to get everyone back to see how the depth that we’ve been talking about and how we’re going to coexist. I think it’s going to be great. I’m curious and excited to see everyone healthy and us coming back in the second part of the season."
NCAAFB: What Are The Illini?
By Nick Bodanyi
Are they the Big Ten's Mr. Nobody? Or will they be somebody?
Perhaps Illinois' problem is its reputation. Or more specifically, its complete lack of a reputation at all.
The team has been very successful; in fact, Illinois claims five national titles, more than Texas, Florida State, or Penn State - and as many as Auburn, Georgia, Miami or Nebraska. They have also had five Rose Bowl MVPs, seven Big Ten Players of the Year, and four Heisman Trophy finalists.
Illinois has also been in the doghouse. In 1997, Illinois lost every one of its games by double digits and got outscored by 250 points. Then, from 2003-06, they went 2-30 in the Big Ten and 8-38 overall. And of course, the wins they managed to get came at the expense of some extremely light-weight competition.
If you were around in the mid-90's, you thought of Illinois as a strong defensive squad, thanks to Lou Tepper. Tepper came to Champaign in 1988 to coordinate John Mackovic's defenses, and he took over the team when Mackovic left for Texas. For about a decade, Illinois built a calling card as a physical, 3-4 defensive team. In 1994 and 1995, two Illinois linebackers won the Dick Butkus Award, given to the nation's best linebacker. It's an award named for a former Illini. But that defensive reputation didn't last, as Ron Turner, then Ron Zook, took over the program.
If you were around in the late 2000's, you thought of Illinois as offensively driven. Rashard Mendenhall had 1,999 yards from scrimmage in 2007. The next year, Juice Williams threw for 3,173 yards and ran for 719 more. (To put that season in perspective, Georgia's Matthew Stafford, USC's Mark Sanchez, and Florida's Tim Tebow all had fewer yards.) Mikel Leshoure ran for 1,697 yards on 6.0 yards a carry in 2010, then Nathan Scheelhaase threw for 3,272 yards in 2013. Yet while all those seasons were amazing, they were also out of the blue when placed next to what those guys did in all their other seasons in Champaign. Consistency? Not quite.
So, what are the Illini? They're 10-2 one year, 5-7 the next, and 1-11 the year after. They're consistent enough to avoid the 'noticeably inconsistent' tag. They don't win too often, but just enough to get by. They're forgettable. They could be great, but never seem to get there. And no one bugs them too much for it.
Perhaps a less difficult question is, what are the Illini in 2015? And yet that, also, is tricky to answer.
Quarterback
The Big Ten, all of a sudden, is undergoing a quarterback renaissance: three potential first-round draft picks, at least, in the 2016 draft. Wes Lunt could add his name to that pile with a strong showing in 2015, and the only thing holding him back is a worrisome injury history.
To borrow a term from baseball, a five-tool quarterback would have the following skills: athleticism, accuracy, the football IQ to be a coach on the field, arm strength, and a leadership quality off the field and during training. According to Illinois' coaches and also based on what's visible on film, Lunt has four of those five, which puts him in rare company. (He lacks athleticism, like most true pocket passers.) Another off-season to improve, an offense designed to put the ball in his hands, and the talent and dedication he has ... all those things point to an outstanding year.
With that said, there are quite a few other factors. He's had problems staying healthy for several consecutive years. The offensive line is porous, and with an ACL injury to Mikey Dudek, he loses one of the few consistent receivers on the team for at least half a season. What we do know is that Wes Lunt can light it up when everything is in his favor; after all, in fourteen career appearances, basically a season's worth of games, he has thrown for 400 yards twice. But not only does the rising junior have personnel obstacles, the Illini would be in very bad shape if Lunt were injured for any stretch of time. And that has happened consistently.
Running backs
Josh Ferguson is a star, but unfortunately for the Illini, he's also the only proven entity.
There is one other player, though, who's pretty close to a sure thing: true freshman Ke'Shawn 'Red Mamba' Vaughn. Physically, the tools are all there. Vaughn has speed to burn, toughness and size, stop-and-start skills, and takes good angles. We don't know how he'll adjust to college ball, Bill Cubit's offense, or nuances like pass protection that often keep freshmen off the field. But the most likely back-up to Josh Ferguson, especially later in the season, is a true freshman.
Pass catchers
It bears repeating how great Dudek was for Illinois as he ran to freshman All-America honors. Dudek breaks free consistently, making easy reads for his quarterback. When the ball is given to someone else, he blocks with amazing intensity and effort. Basically, he's the Big Ten's Wes Welker. Losing him for half the season almost assures Illinois another loss than it would have gotten.
With that said, there are some options behind him. Between returning players Malik Turner and Geronimo Allison, and true freshman Sam Mays, Illinois has three potentially athletic players who are all around 6'3", 200 pounds. Mays has to adjust to the college level, Allison will have to prove he can be consistent at the FBS level, and Turner simply needs to find another gear, because he doesn't get enough separation against better players. But it's a passable crew of possession receivers, and Lunt has good accuracy to get the ball to them.
Offensive line
Similarly to Northwestern, the state's other Big Ten team, this unit has been pretty ineffective. Simply, they are too slow and not strong enough. The guards and center were more reliable than the tackles, at least when it came to penetration into the backfield, but they also did next to nothing in the road-grading department. With the lack of run blocking inside and a sieve on the edges, this line basically forces an offense to be built on quick throws.
Once again, there is a four-star worth talking about, a local Illinois product in Gabe Megginson. Megginson is strong, and his foot speed is passable for a guard prospect. Unfortunately, Illinois is planning on putting him at left tackle, which is oddly fitting for what this line has been in the past. The talent infusion is always nice, and Megginson offers some road-grading at the position that this team has lacked. Unfortunately, the foot speed is a problem that might crop up more dramatically in college. If Gabe is solid, Tim Beckman is on the hot seat and some of the other tackles underwhelm like they did last year - then he might play, and contribute right away. But on straight rushes, he'll be a liability.
Defensive line
Again, similarly to Northwestern, this defensive line is a little deeper, a little better, and a little more competent than their offensive counterparts. Not by all that much, unfortunately - it was easy enough to move the tackles aside in the run game, and the ends didn't compensate with many negative-yardage plays. But it's clear in the open field that there's a decent combination of size and open-field speed in a lot of these guys, something that helped corral a lot of horizontal plays. If there was a 320-pound nose tackle in the middle, this unit could shore up pretty quickly. If these guys improved their technique, or magically grew longer arms, this unit could shore up pretty quickly. And while hope for any of that is slim (though they have another true freshman, Jamal Milan, who is up to 310), several players have been packing on a respectable amount of weight over the past year.
This line is growing up, and it will likely see more growth under Mike Phair. That would clean up the defense's biggest weakness.
Linebackers
The linebackers grew up in 2014, but the line didn't give them much to work with. Mason Monheim and T.J. Neal are the stars of the show, and both have good instincts and fine athleticism. With how often the Illini will play in nickel, they won't really need a third player to break out. This offers a chance for their three 2014 commits - all of whom are two-stars - to develop some more.
Defensive backfield
Earnest Thomas III is gone, and really, that's a shame. The guy was a lot of fun to watch, and played a big role in this defense as a hybrid safety-linebacker. Zane Petty leaves as well, which means a pass defense that was a strength last year might not be that again.
They do have some other good players, though. The cornerbacks are very solid, between V'Angelo Bentley, Darius Mosely, and Eaton Spence. They take good angles and know what they're doing. The safeties have a chance to be blissfully anonymous, but I don't see the same level of play-making they had last year. Overall, this unit might be less physical and make more mistakes, but it appears to be a really well-coached part of the team. They've built up two-star players before (see: Zane Petty) to be strong contributors.
There's no denying that Tim Beckman has this team in the right direction, at least as far as the roster goes. But if injuries play a factor, they'll probably play a big one, and Beckman has used up almost all of his good will in Champaign. Regardless, Illinois won't be solving any deeper dilemmas over what their identity is any time soon.
16,200 athletes filed claim to receive NCAA video game payout.
By Kevin McGuire
(Photo/Getty Images)
A little more than a year ago the various legal battles involving former college football and basketball players against the NCAA, EA Sports and Collegiate Licensing Company resulted in a pair of settlements valued at approximately $60 million. Two-thirds of that was to be paid by EA Sports and the CLC, and the NCAA was on the hook for the remaining $20 million. Earlier this week final proposals for splitting the money among those college athletes making a claim was submitted for approval by U.S. District Judge. Those expecting some sort of payment could be looking at receiving a check anywhere between $1,000 and at least $6,700.
Athletes had until Thursday to make their claim, but it will still take some time before those checks start being mailed. First it must be known how many claims were filed, which will affect the payouts. According to a report from USA Today, nearly 16,200 athletes ended up submitting a claim, but each claim must be reviewed and approved by the firm tasked with confirming and approving the claims.
The NCAA has already made it known that no punishments will be handed down to any current student-athletes filing a claim if they end up receiving a check through this legal process.
NCAABKB: Kansas/USA defeats Brazil at World University Games.
By Scott Phillips
(Photo/Getty Images)
The Kansas-heavy Team USA roster prevailed again in the World University Games on Sunday morning as the team defeated Brazil, 81-72, during the second pool play game in South Korea.
Sporting new uniforms that were more focused on the United States instead of the Jayhawks, the team overcame a chippy contest with the Brazilians to move to 2-0 in the five-game pool play portion of the event. Trailing 13-11 after the first quarter, the Americans relied on Kansas rising junior wing Wayne Selden to deliver as his three 3-pointers in the second quarter helped give Team USA a lead that they wouldn’t give up.
Selden, who has been very good this summer, finished with a team-high 23 points to go along with four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Other Kansas players also stepped up on Sunday including guard Frank Mason (15 points, eight rebounds, seven assists), center Hunter Mickelson (11 points, eight rebounds) and forward Jamari Traylor (10 points). Rising senior forward Perry Ellis also added nine points and eight rebounds for the Americans while incoming freshman LaGerald Vick was 2-for-3 from beyond the arc on his way to eight points.
The next game for Kansas/USA will be played at 11 p.m. EST on Tuesday, July 7 as they face Serbia in another pool play game.
All-Williams matchup headlines Monday's action at Wimbledon.
By Chris Lehourites
Serena Williams (L) (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth), Venus Williams (R) (AP Photo/Tim Ireland)
One five-time Wimbledon champion is guaranteed to reach the quarterfinals. Another is assured of elimination.
That's what will happen Monday when Serena Williams plays older sister Venus Williams for the sixth time at the grass-court Grand Slam in southwest London.
"They've been unbelievable for the sport. I've said that many times," said Roger Federer, a seven-time Wimbledon champion who will also be playing on Manic Monday. "Their head-to-heads, I don't know how much that has to do with it. I think it's more their individual play."
Individually and together, the Williams sisters have become two of the greatest champions at the All England Club. They have each won five singles titles, and have teamed up to win five more in doubles.
Against each other on the grass at Wimbledon, Serena leads 3-2, with all three of her wins coming in finals. Venus won one final, and also won a semifinal match against her younger sibling in 2000 — the first time they met on court at the tournament.
Although Serena is still at the top of her game and going for a true Grand Slam this season, Venus has been struggling for the past few years and was diagnosed with an energy-sapping autoimmune disease in 2011, three years after her last Wimbledon title. It was the previous year, in 2010, when she last reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
But this year, Venus has been nearing her past high standards, winning all three of her matches in straight sets.
"She's playing so well," Serena said. "I'm practicing next to her every day and I'm in awe of how she's doing. It's a little frustrating because I know I have to play her."
The Williams matchup is just one of the 16 fourth-round matches on the schedule for Monday — eight for the men and eight for the women.
Here are some things to know about Monday's matches:
ROGER'S RECORD
Roger Federer is the only current player with more Wimbledon singles titles than a Williams, and the seven-time champion is one away from a record-setting eighth.
Federer has had a relatively straightforward first week, winning his first two matches in straight sets and his third in four. His next opponent is 20th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut, a Spaniard who is playing at Wimbledon for the third time and has never reached the fourth round.
But for Federer, the pursuit of No. 8 and breaking the tie with Pete Sampras and 1880s player Willie Renshaw doesn't seem to be the only thing spurring him on.
"This is more something like you talk about for a couple weeks, it's gone again, then you have to wait a year if you don't do it," Federer said. "I just take Wimbledon as such, what a huge tournament it is, what an opportunity it is."
SEMIFINAL POSSIBILITY
Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka, the other two Grand Slam champions in the fourth round, have been two of the most consistent players at this year's tournament, and another pair of wins for each would set up a semifinal meeting on Thursday.
Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon champion, has lost only 15 games through three rounds and will next face Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan. Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, has lost 17 games and will next meet 30th-seeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.
Sharapova has played Diyas once before, beating her 6-1, 6-1 in the third round at this year's Australian Open.
"You can't underestimate anyone's level," Sharapova said.
GO GO DJOKO
Novak Djokovic missed out on a chance to make a run for a true Grand Slam when he lost to Stan Wawrinka in the French Open final. But the top-seeded Serb can still defend his title at Wimbledon, a victory that would give him a third championship at the All England Club.
"I try to put myself only in the present moment, not fight against the thoughts and the pressure and the excitement," Djokovic said, referring to his past experiences at the grass-court major.
Djokovic's next opponent will be Kevin Anderson, a 14th-seeded South African who has never been past the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament.
MAJOR MISSION
Four women who have come close but are still looking for their first major title will also be on court Monday: Caroline Wozniacki, Agnieszka Radwanska, Lucie Safarova and Jelena Jankovic.
All four of them lost to 20-time major champion Serena Williams in Grand Slam finals.
Wozniacki lost to Serena in the 2014 U.S. Open final, Radwanska was beaten in the 2012 Wimbledon final, Jankovic in the 2008 U.S. Open final and Safarova in this year's French Open final.
Wozniacki also reached the U.S. Open final in 2009, losing to Kim Clijsters.
TOUR DE FRANCE WATCH: Cavendish fuming against 'imbeciles'.
By SAMUEL PETREQUIN
Ace sprinter Mark Cavendish's Etixx-Quickstep team was fighting for both the stage win and the yellow jersey at the Tour de France on Sunday. It ended empty-handed.
The double failure had the Belgian team clearly frustrated, with Cavendish first blaming his lead-out man Mark Renshaw then calling his critics ''imbeciles'' who don't understand cycling.
After Renshaw launched the final sprint with about 300 meters to go, Cavendish was easily beaten at the Stage 2 finish by Andre Greipel, Peter Sagan and Fabian Cancellara in the Zeeland Delta.
''I think Mark went too early and kind of left me hanging. We died,'' Cavendish said. ''The day Cancellara beats me in a sprint I've gone too long. I've gassed it. It's disappointing.''
Cavendish, who has 25 Tour stage wins to his name, seemed to stop his effort after realizing he would not be able to clinch the win. That attitude that was not to the liking of Etixx-QuickStep manager Patrick Lefevere.
''I am not happy at all. Probably this was our last chance to take the yellow jersey,'' Lefevere said.
Had Cavendish finished third, he would have denied Cancellara a bonus of four seconds that helped the Swiss veteran grab the yellow jersey at the expenses of Tony Martin, who also rides for Etixx-QuickStep.
''Cavendish stopped sprinting and this costs Tony the jersey,'' Lefevere said.
Cavendish then took to Twitter to express his feelings about people criticizing him on social media.
''If I could hang on for 3rd, I could hang on for the win,'' he wrote. ''Some imbeciles think cycling is a computer game.''
A GOOD BONUS FOR CANCELLARA
Since 2008 there had been no time bonus awarded at the Tour de France stage finishes. They are back this year, and Fabian Cancellara made the most of them on Sunday to erase the disappointment of his opening time trial.
After failing in his bid to win the Tour's opening stage for a record sixth time on the streets of Utrecht, Cancellara sprinted to a third-place finish at the end of Sunday's rain-soaked second stage of the Tour. That was enough to earn him a four-second bonus and the yellow jersey.
''To finish third here against the three best sprinters in the world is a big achievement,'' said Cancellara, who ended the chaotic stage on the shores of the North Sea behind Andre Greipel and Peter Sagan. Ace sprinter Mark Cavendish finished fourth.
''I was really sorry yesterday, today I'm happy. Coming here and win another yellow jersey, for a 29th day, it's great,'' said Cancellara, who wore the coveted tunic for the first time 11 years ago.
Competing in his final Tour de France, the 34-year-old time trial and one-day classics specialist was involved in a bad crash in March, suffering two minor fractures to his lower back at the E3 Harelbeke classic. The crash forced him to miss the cobbled classics he loves so much, returning to competition at the end of May.
''It was not a nice time,'' Cancellara said. ''Not being at the classics was not a good thing for my motivation. And it's only last weekend that I started to feel good again.''
Cancellara added that an encouraging text message from sports director Josu Larrazabal he received on Saturday night lifted his morale.
''I was on a massage table and I probably read it 10 times,'' he said. ''It was one of the best messages I received in months. This was maybe the key I needed to open the door. It opened today, and I'm back in yellow.
SECURITY IS TOP PRIORITY
This year more than ever, security is a top priority for Tour de France organizers.
In the wake of the terror attacks that have shaken France this year, the level of alertness has been raised and the Tour de France, which draws millions of spectators over three weeks, is being given extra security by French authorities.
''We are liaising with them and additional measures have been taken,'' said Tour director Chrtistian Prudhomme. ''I can't obviously reveal the whole scheme.''
At the start of Sunday's second stage in Utrecht, Netherlands, fans invited to the Village Depart - the place where VIPs, sponsors and journalists gather before the start - had their bags checked by security officials. Barriers were also separating the spectators from the riders and their team buses.
''I have seen a lot of security at an appropriate level, I think it's difficult to envisage how that could be any more,'' UCI president Brian Cookson told The Associated Press. ''The Dutch authorities here have done a very good job in maintaining security. Everyone has a responsibility for safety and security. That applies to the teams, the riders, as much to the race organizations. And it applies to the spectators as well.''
DON'T CROSS THE TRACKS
After some riders ignored lowered barriers at a railroad crossing during Paris-Roubaix earlier this year, Tour de France organizers are taking action.
In accordance with cycling's governing body rules, riders who will ignore the flashing lights and sound warnings at railroad crossings will be thrown out of the Tour.
Police forces and members of the race organization will be posted at every crossing on the race course to ensure the rules are enforced.
France's national rail company SNCF filed a lawsuit after the Paris-Roubaix incident. Tour organizers said they are cooperating with the SNCF during the Tour.
During Paris-Roubaix, a railway crossing gate went down, nearly hitting one rider and forcing other cyclists to wait for a high-speed train to pass just after some riders crossed the tracks.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, July 6, 2015.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1933 - The first All-Star baseball game was held in Chicago. The American League beat the National League 4-2.
1957 - Althea Gibson won the Wimbledon women’s singles tennis title. She was the first black athlete to win the event.
1983 - Fred Lynn of the California Angels hit the first grand slam in an All-Star game. The American League defeated the National League 13-3.
1985 - Martina Navratilova won her 4th consecutive Wimbledon singles title.
1995 - In Los Angeles, the prosecution rested at the O.J. Simpson murder trial.
1996 - Steffi Graf won her seventh Wimbledon title.
2000 - In Orlando, FL, the body of Cory Erving was found in his vehicle in a pond near his family's home. Julius "Dr. J" Erving had reported his son missing on June 4, 2000.
2000 - A jury awarded former NHL player Tony Twist $24 million for the unconsented use of his name in the comic book Spawn and the HBO cartoon series. Co-defendant HBO settled with Twist out of court for an undisclosed amount.
2010 - It was reported that GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, would be renamed Rogers Arena.
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