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"Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals." ~ Jim Rohn, Entrepreneur, Author and Motivational Speaker
Trending: Are you ready for some football? Then prove it!!! We separate the knowledgeable football fans from the wannabe's. (See details in the football section below.)
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Bears receivers making impact moves on and off the field.
By John Mullins
The offense struggled at times to run the football consistently but did manage to irritate the defense a little with enthusiastic celebrations after a number of scores in the tight red zone. That’s a “problem” coaches won’t mind.
Receivers
Kevin White gets the nod for Play of the Day. The rookie wide receiver, still on the PUP list with a shin injury, saw a young boy on the sideline, wearing a “13 White” jersey. White went over and gave the youngster a pair of receivers gloves. Guess what the lad probably goes as next Halloween… .
Coaches are making even simple drills physical. Part of the tight end drills consists of a player ready to make a catch, but with two other tight ends using hand-shields to block his vision of coach Frank Smith until the instant before Smith fires a pass from about 4 yards away. Once the catch happens, a third tight end whacks the pass catcher with another shield and if the ball isn’t secured, it’s on the ground. Not a good thing… .
Wide receivers are run through a drill requiring them to hit and use moves to get around two stand-up blocking dummies. As they come out of the hits, coach Mike Groh delivers the ball, intentionally behind them or poorly thrown, and after the catch, they get a smack from an assistant trying to dislodge the football… .
Not surprisingly for a Pro Bowl wide receiver, Alshon Jeffery is proving an extremely difficult cover for Bears DB’s. Jeffery use a double move off the line to beat strong press coverage by safety Antrel Rolle, then caught a touch pass from Jay Cutler in the corner of the end zone. Jeffery shook free of tight coverage by cornerback Sherrick McManis but had the Cutler pass go through his hands… .
Quarterback
The offense went through another turnover-free practice as Cutler and Jimmy Clausen kept the football fumble-free and out of the wrong hands even when a handful of passes were off their mark or broken up… .
Cutler’s developing confidence with wideout Eddie Royal is readily apparent. Royal has won a number of battles for the football, something that endears receivers to quarterbacks. Perhaps as a result of no more Brandon Marshall, Cutler is clearly comfortable and familiar with the speed and cuts of both Royal and Alshon Jeffery… .
“I think when we throw Eddie in the mix, you’ve got a real viable guy that you can move around a lot,” Cutler said. “He’s got experience in the slot. He’s got experience outside. With Alshon, I think he’s had a great spring, a great summer. Kevin White, Marquess [Wilson]. We’ve got some guys that can make some plays in some different spots for us.”
Cutler passes produced a number of touchdowns in the short red zone, including TD tosses to Jeffery and Martellus Bennett.
Jennings: Fangio 'a very smart coach'.
By Larry Mayer
Tim Jennings at training camp practice. (Photo/chicagobears.com)
In their short time together, Bears cornerback Tim Jennings has quickly become a big fan of first-year defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Fangio is entering his 29th season as an NFL assistant and 16th as a defensive coordinator following stints with the Panthers (1995-98), Texans (2002-05) and 49ers (2011-14).
"He puts guys in positions to make plays," Jennings said. "We're looking forward to him putting us in the right position. He's a very smart coach. The team that we play is going to be different every week and he's going to be able to strategize. He's a very smart man as far as putting guys in position to make plays."
In each of Fangio's four seasons in San Francisco, the 49ers defense ranked in the top 10 in the league in points and yards. Under his tutelage, five players were named first-team All-Pro.
"It gives us confidence that he knows what he's doing," Jennings said. "He knows the league. He knows this game well. He's seen it all. He's seen all types of offense. He's seen all types of defense. So I'm real confident in what he's trying to do."
Jennings not only enjoys playing for Fangio but likes the atmosphere that John Fox has created since he was hired as Bears head coach in January.
"It's all positive," Jennings said. "The coaching staff is relaxed, bringing positive energy to the locker room and positive energy to the team, so we all feed off of that.
"It's been fun in the whole transition. Coach is being smart about getting guys prepared with the older guys and the young guys. It's been real helpful. A lot of guys are ... taking that whole positive energy and getting back to having fun playing football."
Jennings hopes to have fun again on the field this season but isn't sure where he'll be playing. He could contribute at cornerback and/or nickel back. He opened last season sliding inside from cornerback to nickel in passing situations so the Bears could get rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller on the field. But Jennings played cornerback exclusively after Charles Tillman suffered a season-ending injury in a Week 2 win over the 49ers.
"It's just a different skill set," Fox said. "Some of the same carries over from both spots because it is coverage. But you're replacing a linebacker basically when you're going in the middle of the defense so mentally you have to be pretty sharp and have that skill set. On the outside you're pretty much isolated. We'll see how it goes from that standpoint and look at both."
A two-time Pro Bowler at cornerback, Jennings welcomes the opportunity to compete for the nickel position in training camp. After leading the NFL with nine interceptions in 2012 and topping the Bears with four in 2013, he did not pick off a pass in 2014.
"With the defense we're running now, it fits well to what I'm trying to do, what they'll want me to do," Jennings said. "It's kind of really playing the whole field. It'll be helpful for me because I know where to help at now. I have a lot of guys on the side help. I know how to leverage. With my knowledge and my experience, it should fit well."
Judge orders Goodell, Brady appear in court August 12, 19.
By Barry WilnerJudge orders Goodell, Brady appear in court August 12, 19.
The federal judge handling Tom Brady's attempt to overturn his four-game suspension ordered the New England quarterback and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to appear in court twice in mid-August.
U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman told the sides Friday he had scheduled conferences Aug. 12 and 19 ''with your principles (including, without limitation, Mr. Goodell and Mr. Brady).'' He also requested the parties ''engage in comprehensive, good-faith settlement discussions prior to the conference on August 12.''
Earlier in the day, the NFL and the players' union asked the Manhattan judge in a joint letter to resolve their dispute over Brady's suspension by Sept. 4 - six days before the Patriots' opener against Pittsburgh. The judge did not address that request when he scheduled hearings. Brady is allowed to participate in all preseason and training camp activities.
Brady was suspended by NFL Executive Vice President Troy Vincent for his role in the use of deflated footballs in the AFC championship game in January. Goodell upheld the suspension Tuesday after Brady appealed.
The union did not ask the judge to let Brady play while he decides the case. Both sides agreed not to request a preliminary ruling before oral arguments are heard. Neither side is requesting additional evidence, which means Goodell and Brady would be unlikely to testify.
Jeffrey Kessler, the lead lawyer on Brady's side, said in his filing with Berman that the parties ''agreed ... to a final resolution of this matter prior to the commencement of the 2015 regular season would be in everyone's best interest.''
The NFL confirmed it took part in filing the letter in an email to The Associated Press.
The NFL Players Association argues the punishment ''defies the 'law of the shop' and thus the essence of the parties' collective bargaining agreement.'' The NFL has countered with Goodell having jurisdiction over such matters in the CBA, something the players agreed to when the lockout ended in 2011.
Berman already has told both sides to ''tone down the rhetoric.''
In a court filing late Friday, the union called Goodell's new claim this week that Brady ''destroyed'' his cell phone to thwart the probe a ''brand new, hyperbolic and baseless accusation.''
The union lawyers called it a ''complete red herring'' because the NFL had all of the relevant text communications by Brady from other Patriots employees.
''The shrill emphasis placed by Goodell on Brady discarding an old phone is an attempt to obfuscate and divert attention from the glaring flaws in the award, the arbitration process, and the discipline imposed,'' they said.
Brady and the NFLPA filed suit Wednesday in Minnesota. But the NFL already had filed papers Tuesday in New York, moments after announcing Goodell upheld the suspension.
U.S. District Judge Richard H. Kyle, based in Minnesota, ordered the transfer to Manhattan. He noted that Brady plays in Massachusetts, the union is headquartered in Washington and the NFL in New York, Kyle added that ''the arbitration proceedings took place in New York and the award was issued in New York.''
Kessler had said the lawsuit should be heard in Minnesota because it was related to a case involving Adrian Peterson's suspension last season. Kyle countered that the union made ''only a fleeting attempt'' to link the Brady case to Peterson's.
The union is arguing that only a fine would be appropriate for a first offense of this kind, but Brady has maintained his innocence throughout the ''Deflategate'' saga.
It's That Time Of Year Again, Are You Ready For Some Football? If You Are, Prove It!!!!!
It's five weeks until the start of the 2015 NFL season. Time to consider participating in the2015 CS&T/AllsportsAmerica NFL Office Pick 'em Pool. Some of you have played before and know how much fun it is. The season last for 17 weeks. The entry fee is the same as it's always has been, $35.00. We usually have 35 players but this year we are looking for 50 players. Again, the entry fee is the same but we're looking forward to doubling the payouts. We need your help, if you've played before, we're asking you to bring in one additional player. It can be a fellow employee, friend from the sports bar, relative, neighbor or general acquaintance. If you haven't played before, now is the time to take the plunge and join in the fun. The pool is conducted over the internet and you have 24/7 access to the website, statistics, scores, weekly winners, etc. This is strictly an office pick 'em pool for entertainment purposes only and rewards are paid out weekly every Tuesday morning.
We need 50 diehard football fans that love the sport and have confidence in their knowledge of the game their ability to pick winners. The entry fee is $35.00 for 17 weeks which also includes weekly payouts of: 1st place - $50.00 and, 2nd place - $30.00. We also have bonuses for the 1st and 2nd place players with the most accumulated points at the end of the season: 1st place - $200.00 and 2nd place - $100.00.
If we don't get 50 players, we will revert back to the payouts for 35 players. However, We know that we will get 50 players with everyone's help.
We made two major changes to our pool last year, 1) You do not have to pick against the spread. Just pick the winner of each game and place your confidence points on them and 2) Your picks must be made one hour before the game(s) on the day the game(s) are played. If you miss Thursday's game(s), you will lose the highest number of points for that week (16, 15 or whatever the maximum points are for that week), however, you may still make Sunday's picks. If we get more than 50 participants the payouts will increase proportionately.
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How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Sneak peek of Blackhawks 2015 championship banner.
#HAWKSTALK
The Blackhawks made history in June by capturing their third Stanley Cup in the last six years and did so on home ice for the first time since 1938.
It was an unforgettable moment in franchise history.
And to put a stamp on it, the Blackhawks will officially unveil and raise their sixth championship banner to the United Center rafters on Oct. 7 against the New York Rangers.
To get you excited for Opening Night, here's a sneak peek of the 2015 Stanley Cup banner courtesy of CSN's Steve Konroyd:
(Photo/csnchicago,com)
Fan's death led to NHL's protective netting policy.
By Chris Hine
After the 2001-02, NHL season, the league was in a position no league ever wants to be in -- wondering what it should do to prevent another fan dying at one of its games.
On March 16, 2002, 13-year old Brittanie Cecil was attending a Blue Jackets home game when Flames defenseman Derek Morris deflected a slap shot from Espen Knutsen. The puck flew into the stands and struck Cecil in the head. Two days later, Cecil died from complications stemming from her injury.
At the owner's meeting after the season, the league instituted a policy -- protective netting in front of the crowd behind each goal.
The nets begin at the curve of the boards and extend about 18 feet above the boards and are meant to prevent the deflected slap shops from entering the stands.
The move was met with controversy at the time as some fans thought the nets would ruin the experience of watching the game.
"After three minutes people won't know it's there," Commissioner Gary Bettman said at the time.
Bettman's words turned out to be truer than he might have thought. The nets have become as ingrained in the NHL fan experience as giant video boards and sweaters.
The nets have not prevented all injuries.
Two fans recently sued the United Center in 2014 over injuries they sustained during playoff games. One fan, Gerald Green, was struck in the head during a game against the Wild in May 2014 while another, Patricia Higgins, was struck in the face June 12, 2013.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... The Chicago Bulls are keeping their team exactly the same and betting on their rookie head coach.
By Scott Davis
The Bulls think Fred Hoiberg is the final piece to the puzzle. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty)
The Chicago Bulls have had one of the quietest off-seasons in the NBA this summer.
After a season in which they struggled with injuries and in-house fighting with head coach Tom Thibodeau, the Bulls only made one key change this off-season — they fired Thibodeau and hired Iowa State head coach Fred Hoiberg.
Otherwise, the Bulls handled their biggest priority, re-signing Jimmy Butler to a five-year, $90 million deal and bringing back their other free agents like Mike Dunleavy and Aaron Brooks. In doing so, the Bulls are making a simple bet — they have a championship team that was set back by injuries and a coach, Thibodeau, who had a bumpy relationship with some players.Thibodeau's grinding, intense style reportedly wore on players to the point that they worked out at other gyms during the off-season, and the front office reportedly had a major dispute with the high minutes Thibodeau played starters. The Bulls under Thibodeau were always an elite defensive team, and when healthy, a decent offensive one. Under Hoiberg, the Bulls believe they can retain their defensive nature while making strides on offense.
However, there's also reason to believe this is an overly confident approach by the Bulls front office.
First, Hoiberg is inheriting a team that is both naturally and unfortunately injury-prone.
- Derrick Rose played 51 games in 2014-15, his most games in four years, yet he still had to undergo knee surgery in the middle of the season.
- Joakim Noah's play suffered after having knee surgery last summer. He played 67 games, but at 30 years old, has only played more than 70 games once in the last six years.
- Pau Gasol, at 35 years old, just had a wonderful season, but averaged over 34 minutes per game, his most in three seasons. It's questionable whether he can replicate his All-Star year after logging so many minutes at his age.
- Jimmy Butler, for as good of a season as he just had, also missed 15 games for the second year in a row and has averaged nearly 39 minutes per game the last two seasons. It's fair to wonder if he, too, can replicate an All-Star year, which was the standout of his career.
Players and the front office may have a better relationship with Hoiberg, but it's fair to wonder if any coach could squeeze that much more out of the Bulls unless they're fully healthy. Hoiberg can manage the minutes better than Thibodeau, but even with the constant injuries, the Bulls were still 10th in offensive rating and 11th in defensive rating last season. Unless the Bulls top players repeat their All-Star seasons and suddenly can stay healthy, is there that much room for improvement?
Working in the Bulls' favor is a weak Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers once again look like the best team, but the Atlanta Hawks may have taken a step backward, and nobody else quite seems ready to enter the contender conversation.
There's room for the Bulls to improve, but they've kept together a team that lost fairly convincingly to the Cavaliers in six games last season. In a weak East, a coaching change may be all the Bulls need to get to the Conference Finals, but it nonetheless seems like a bold bet.
Bulls must understand championship windows 'close fast'.By Mark Strotman
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Pau Gasol has been a part of two championship teams, played alongside some of the game's greatest players and tasted the postseason 10 times for three different teams.
And yet despite his consistent success over the course of his 14-year NBA career, the Bulls center is mindful of how quickly a team's fortunes can change, meaning every opportunity to chase a title is a crucial one.
"The window is very small. You never know when it's going to close. You just know it's going to close fast," Gasol told reporters on a conference call from South Africa, where he's participating in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program. "You just don't know exactly when. So you do have to take advantage of every opportunity that comes along, and we have a great opportunity."
After signing a three-year, $22 million deal last July, Gasol brought his championship pedigree to a Bulls team that, when healthy, had the experience, talent and depth to compete with LeBron James and the Cavaliers. Myriad injuries during the regular season limited the Bulls, and though they won 50 games and earned the East's No. 3 seed, Gasol said the team's inconsistencies haunted them as they were ousted in the second round by Cleveland.
Sixth man Taj Gibson and the Bulls' four regular starters around Gasol missed at least 15 games each, totaling 102 DNPs. Still, that didn't entirely excuse the team from dropping home contests against the likes of Brooklyn, Utah, Orlando and Miami, failing to take advantage and widen the gap in the standings against a Cavaliers team that struggled through mid-January.
"We still had a lot of games we weren't ready to play, too many games we gave away against teams we were supposed to beat and were a better team overall," Gasol admitted. "And at the end of the day we paid the price of that lack of sense of urgency and giving importance to those moments in the regular season."
Gasol will suit up Saturday in Johannesburg, South Africa, for the NBA's first ever exhibition in the continent. The game will be headlined by South Sudan native Luol Deng, eight-time All-Star Chris Paul and Gasol's brother, Marc. It won't be the only non-Bulls basketball Gasol will play this off-season, as he plans to suit up for Spain in EuroBasket 2015. He'll be joined by Nikola Mirotic, and Gasol said he's excited to see how the pair will develop on and off the floor playing alongside each other for the favorites in the tournament.
When he returns to Chicago for training camp in September, he'll receive his first taste of playing under new head coach Fred Hoiberg. Gasol said he has spoken with Hoiberg on the phone and hopes to make a new transition with the "new philosophy he will implement."
As he did at Iowa State, Hoiberg is expected to increase the Bulls' tempo and allow his team to play more in transition; last year the Bulls were 21st in fast break points per game (11.0).
Still, the 34-year-old Gasol warned about the Bulls not letting its collective guard down defensively simply because Hoiberg has replaced the defensive-minded Tom Thibodeau. Last season the Bulls were 10th in offensive efficiency and 11th in defensive efficiency, the only season under Thibodeau in which they fared better with the ball than without it. Gasol was the Bulls' most consistent offensive threat, averaging 18.5 points on better than 49 percent shooting from the field. But despite averaging 1.9 blocks per game - the most for him since the 2006-07 season - he didn't provide the rim-protecting Thibodeau's defense could have used as Joakim Noah battled through knee soreness the majority of the year.
"As long as we understand that defense is what wins championships and makes the difference, we don't neglect that side of the game, which is critical, we should be fine," he said. "We can work on our offense all we want but defense is what's going to make the difference and how we're going to beat other teams."
NBA's current, former stars put on show in Africa exhibition.
By Gerald Imray
The NBA put on a show in its first exhibition game in Africa on Saturday - starting with a dunk straight from the tip-off by Luc Mbah a Moute.
That had the crowd roaring early at Ellis Park Arena in downtown Johannesburg. It got even louder when African NBA legends Hakeem Olajuwon and Dikembe Mutombo stripped off their business suits to don their old team uniforms again and play for a little while in the second quarter.
The 52-year-old Olajuwon, in a Houston No. 34 jersey, pulled off a turn-around jumper - the ''Dream Shake'' - that had the current NBA stars leaping off the benches with their arms in the air.
''That's one of the most memorable experiences ever,'' said Chris Paul, one of the team captains. ''I told Dream, if he's still moving like that at his age now, I couldn't imagine him in his day.''
After a relaxed first half, the game got serious in the second: Paul's Team World rallied with a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter to beat Luol Deng's ''home'' Team Africa 101-97.
''In the second half we decided enough was enough and we needed to do a lot better if we didn't want to lose by 40,'' Team World's Pau Gasol said.
Washington's Bradley Beal led Team World with 18 points while Paul had 12. Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points for Team Africa, with Deng adding 20.
But this game was largely about the entertainment factor, with cheerleaders and several NBA team mascots mixing it up with the South African crowd.
Even the timeouts were used for stunts: Team Africa coach Gregg Popovich took one in the second quarter that wasn't used for a team talk, but to give everyone a chance to watch fans break-dance alongside San Antonio mascot Coyote, Philadelphia's Franklin, and Atlanta's Harry the Hawk. Even Popovich, the five-time NBA winning coach, had a big grin.
At the start of the third quarter, Paul decided that was enough fooling around, hitting three straight 3-pointers to bring the ''visiting'' team back. Team Africa, made up of players born in Africa or with African heritage, couldn't hold off the late surge.
''We didn't finish the game. But there's still room for improvement,'' Team Africa's Boris Diaw of the San Antonio Spurs said, hoping for another chance to play for an African lineup. ''It was an amazing experience. So proud to be able to represent the continent.''
After Jeff Green's dunk and a layup by Evan Turner, Team World was suddenly leading 85-78 in the fourth and the South African crowd had a proper game. Team World led 99-97 with a couple of seconds to go when Green was fouled and made both free throws to seal the game.
The South African exhibition was the NBA's biggest step into Africa so far, and could be the pre-cursor to a preseason and maybe even a regular season game on the continent, according to Commissioner Adam Silver.
''For me, as a kid, (I wanted) to play basketball and never had the access to meet NBA players, or watch NBA,'' said Deng, who was born in South Sudan. ''Now to be part of a team coming back to play for Africa. I can't describe it.''
Cubs ride momentum into showdown with Pirates thinking playoffs.
By Patrick MooneyAfter a relaxed first half, the game got serious in the second: Paul's Team World rallied with a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter to beat Luol Deng's ''home'' Team Africa 101-97.
''In the second half we decided enough was enough and we needed to do a lot better if we didn't want to lose by 40,'' Team World's Pau Gasol said.
Washington's Bradley Beal led Team World with 18 points while Paul had 12. Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points for Team Africa, with Deng adding 20.
But this game was largely about the entertainment factor, with cheerleaders and several NBA team mascots mixing it up with the South African crowd.
Even the timeouts were used for stunts: Team Africa coach Gregg Popovich took one in the second quarter that wasn't used for a team talk, but to give everyone a chance to watch fans break-dance alongside San Antonio mascot Coyote, Philadelphia's Franklin, and Atlanta's Harry the Hawk. Even Popovich, the five-time NBA winning coach, had a big grin.
At the start of the third quarter, Paul decided that was enough fooling around, hitting three straight 3-pointers to bring the ''visiting'' team back. Team Africa, made up of players born in Africa or with African heritage, couldn't hold off the late surge.
''We didn't finish the game. But there's still room for improvement,'' Team Africa's Boris Diaw of the San Antonio Spurs said, hoping for another chance to play for an African lineup. ''It was an amazing experience. So proud to be able to represent the continent.''
After Jeff Green's dunk and a layup by Evan Turner, Team World was suddenly leading 85-78 in the fourth and the South African crowd had a proper game. Team World led 99-97 with a couple of seconds to go when Green was fouled and made both free throws to seal the game.
The South African exhibition was the NBA's biggest step into Africa so far, and could be the pre-cursor to a preseason and maybe even a regular season game on the continent, according to Commissioner Adam Silver.
''For me, as a kid, (I wanted) to play basketball and never had the access to meet NBA players, or watch NBA,'' said Deng, who was born in South Sudan. ''Now to be part of a team coming back to play for Africa. I can't describe it.''
Cubs ride momentum into showdown with Pirates thinking playoffs.
The Cubs didn’t want to cash in all their trade chips for a two-month rental at the deadline when the best-case scenario might be facing Gerrit Cole on the road in a one-game playoff.
The Cubs will miss the Pittsburgh Pirates ace during a huge three-game series that begins Monday night at PNC Park, but a young team will still get a feel for playing at that high level.
“I love it,” manager Joe Maddon said. “To really ascend in a division, you have to play the better teams within your group and beat them. And to beat them where they live also is important, too. It’s really kind of fun. I think it’s a blast.”
The Cubs ride into Pittsburgh with a sense of momentum after Sunday’s 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, sweeping this four-game series at Miller Park and thinking about October.
That pushed the Cubs to 10 games over the .500 mark for the first time this season – and into a tie with the San Francisco Giants for the National League’s second wild-card position.
The defending World Series champs open a four-game series at Wrigley Field on Thursday night. After this week, everyone should have a much better idea about whether or not the Cubs (57-47) really are contenders.
“They’ve been there, done that,” Maddon said. “No question. But at the same time, if you get a bunch of hungry guys coming on, that could be a pretty good position to be in, too.”
The Cubs got a quality spot start from Clayton Richard (one run allowed in six innings) on Sunday afternoon, wringing another win out of a guy who spent most of this season pitching for Pittsburgh’s Triple-A affiliate.
The Cubs are able to line up their most accomplished pitchers – Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and Dan Haren – for a Pirates team (61-43) that’s four games up in the wild-card race.
“We’re confident here that this group can get it done,” Arrieta said. “We just need to be conscious and aware of those moments when focus might start to slip mentally through the course of the game. Limit the mental mistakes. Make the plays we’re supposed to make and pitch a little bit. If we do that, we’ll be fine.”
Even if winning the division appears to be out of reach for a third-place team that trails the St. Louis Cardinals by 9.5 games, there’s still value in feeling the heat of a pennant race. It’s all part of what the Cubs are trying to build here.
Forget all the rookies in the lineup and think about it this way: In his career, Anthony Rizzo has now played in almost as many All-Star Games (two) as meaningful games after the July 31 trade deadline (three).
“You have to stretch your mind once to get to the playoffs,” Maddon said. “And then moving beyond that, it becomes more believable on an annual basis and it’s something (where) you won’t settle for anything less than that on an annual basis. It’s all part of the maturation process of the team. It’s all there.”
WHITE SOX stay level-headed as playoff race hits August.By JJ Stankevitz
The White Sox recognize they’re in a race against time to make a playoff push. But, as they’ve done all year, this is a group of players that's staying level-headed through both the good and the bad.
On Sunday, it was more of the bad side of the White Sox as Jeff Samardzija was torched for nine runs in a 12-3 loss to the New York Yankees in front of a sellout crowd of 38,840 at U.S. Cellular Field. The White Sox weren’t able to take a series from the American League East leaders and remain three and a half games behind the Minnesota Twins for the second wild card spot.
“We are going to put this one behind us,” manager Robin Ventura said. “They beat us and we’ve got to get ready for tomorrow. I’ll take my chances with Shark anytime he goes out there.”
The White Sox decided to hang on to Samardzija and stand pat at the trade deadline after winning seven straight games last month, which vaulted them from the periphery to the center of the American League wild card race. Even though they’re three games under .500, the White Sox are in contention for a postseason berth with its competition a rickety Twins club, a Tigers team that sold David Price, Joakim Soria and Yoenis Cespedes last week, a middling Rangers side needing a boost from Cole Hamels and an AL East that could cannibalize its wild card contenders.
Still, a sub-optimal first half put the White Sox in an unenviable position in which they can’t afford to let three losses in their last four games grow into something more damaging.
“We know our backs are up against the wall and we need to win as many as possible as soon as possible,” Samardzija said. “The same thing applies for me that applies to everybody. Show up and turn the page and go get them tomorrow. We have a new series and another chance to win a series.”
Samardzija was tagged for nine runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings, with the Yankees plating eight of those runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Despite beating New York, 8-2, Saturday night, the White Sox were outscored by 16 runs in their last four games.
Things don’t get any easier for the White Sox after the Yankees leave town. A three-game home series against the fellow wild card contending Tampa Bay Rays begins Monday, and after that the White Sox play 13 consecutive games against teams currently over .500 (three at the Kansas City Royals, three vs. the Los Angeles Angels, three vs. the Cubs, four at the Angels).
We’ll have a good idea by the middle of August if the team’s seven-game winning streak was the product of playing last-place teams in Cleveland and Boston or if it really was a sign of things turning around on 35th and Shields.
“I feel that these guys have been playing great baseball,” catcher Geovany Soto said. “We have a first-place team (the Yankees) over there and they have a great lineup. We lost two out of three but we’re going to keep battling, keep trying to win series and see where we are in September.”
But at some point, the White Sox won’t be able to shrug off blowout losses. The White Sox have 59 games left and would have to go 38-21 to win 88 games, the total Oakland had to clinch the second AL wild card spot in 2014. Even if it takes fewer wins to get into the one-game wild card playoff this year, the White Sox still likely will need about a .600 winning percentage down the stretch to have a shot at playing deep into October.
There's a confidence in the White Sox clubhouse, though, that this team has the players necessary to negotiate the day-to-day grind of a playoff race in August and September.
“We have a great team and we can compete against anybody,” Soto said. “I feel like a lot of these guys in this clubhouse were determined to compete and we have to go play. I feel that against anybody we match up well.”
Golf; I got a club for that: Troy Merritt finishes off first PGA tour win with rousing birdie.By Jim Slater
In his 96th PGA Tour start, Troy Merritt is a winner.
With a final round 4-under 67 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Merritt took the Quicken Loans National for his first professional win since a 2009 breakthrough on the Web.com Tour.
Merritt shot 18-under 266 and finished three clear of Rickie Fowler, the pre-tournament favorite, whose scorecard had plenty of circles and squares on it with six pars, seven birdies and five bogeys. Fowler closed with three birdies in his final five holes to make a late charge at Merritt, posting a closing 69.
Entering the final day, Merritt shared the lead with Kevin Chappell and was being pursued by the likes of Rickie Fowler and Bill Haas, much more accomplished contemporaries seemingly more accustomed to the pressure of closing out PGA Tour wins for seven-figure paychecks. That didn't prove the case on Sunday, however, as Merritt, who turns 30 in October, carried himself like a player who was working his way through a Thursday opener. Merritt made two birdies in the final three holes to lock up the win, including a bonus 35-footer to end the tournament.
David Lingmerth finished in third at 14 under par, with six players tied for fourth at 12 under par, including Justin Rose, Bill Haas, Danny Lee, Justin Thomas, Jason Bohn and Carl Pettersson.
Tiger Woods, who fell out of contention following a Saturday 74, shot 3-under 68 on Sunday to finish in a tie for 18th place along with Chappell, whose Sunday 78 derailed his hopes for a first PGA Tour win.
The win gets Merritt into next week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, the PGA Championship and next year's Masters.
NASCAR: Matt Kenseth stretches his fuel and steals a win at Pocono.By Dan Gelston
Joey Logano was the first leader to fade, his tank empty with three laps left.
Martin Truex Jr. struck E with two laps to go.
Kyle Busch knew his Toyota was about out, too, his shot at a fourth straight win tapped out on the last lap.
One by one, fuel woes cost the contenders. But the pain at the pump for drivers pushing toward the finish line was the break Matt Kenseth needed to coast past them all in the final thrilling laps Sunday to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway.
The 400-mile race came down to fuel and which cars had it - and which ones didn't.
''I couldn't catch them anyway but I just wanted to get as close as I could in case they ran out,'' Kenseth said.
Once they ran out, Kenseth not only had enough left in the tank to win, he pulled off a celebratory burnout.
Kenseth's win continued the sensational summer run for Joe Gibbs Racing, making it five wins in the last six races. Busch, who had the other victories, failed in his bid to become the ninth driver since 1972 and the first since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to win four straight Cup races.
Busch had won three straight Cup races and four of five, swept the Xfinity and Cup races last weekend at Indianapolis and won the Truck Series event Saturday at Pocono. Busch remained outside the top 30 in points, the second marker he needs to hit to qualify for the Chase.
''I wish I had saved a little more,'' Busch said. ''I wish I had known (Logano) was that far from making it. It's a shame we couldn't get it done.''
With a win, Busch would have had the points needed to at least crack the top 30, though he'd have to stay there for the final five races before the 16-driver field is set for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
Fire 'rolls with the punches,' earn clean sheet against Dallas.
By Danny Michallik
The Fire extended their winning streak against FC Dallas to four consecutive games Sunday night, topping Óscar Pareja's side, 2-0, in front of 14,209 at Toyota Park.
David Accam's sixth goal in his 13th regular season appearance for the Men in Red and Shaun Maloney's 85th minute penalty kick proved to be the difference on the night, as Frank Yallop's men claimed their first league victory since a 1-0 triumph over then-Western Conference leaders Seattle Sounders FC, leaving Dallas winless against the Fire since October 13, 2011.
"Fantastic win for us," Yallop told reporters after the match. "To get a clean sheet in the end was important, under a bit of pressure at the end. I thought we did enough to win the game. We were dangerous on the break and could've scored more.
"We rolled with the punches tonight against a good team that is going to attack us and open us up, but I thought we could've scored five goals on the break. ... It proved tonight that we're not a bad side against a very, very good team in Dallas. We deserved to win."
Following last week’s 2-2 draw against the New England Revolution, the Fire showed three changes. Adaílton, whose blunder resulted in the Revolution’s second and game-tying goal, made way for Jeff Larentowicz to reclaim a starting position at center back alongside Eric Gehrig. After missing the last three matches to regain fitness, Lovel Palmer made his return to the side to replace Matt Watson, meaning Matt Polster was restored to the center of the midfield to partner with Razvan Cocis. Jason Johnson rounded out the alterations, standing in for Kennedy Igboananike up top.
The hosts got off to a dream start, seeing Jason Johnson and Accam combine in the fourth minute to give Yallop's outfit a fourth-minute lead. Johnson released the Ghanaian into space, who beat defender Matt Hedges to the ball and slotted a low shot through the legs of Dallas 'keeper Dan Kennedy and into the back of the net for a team-leading sixth strike of the campaign.
Despite gaining early momentum, the tide appeared to have shifted as the visitors reclaimed a majority of possession. In the 27th minute, Dallas nearly caught the Men in Red sleeping. A free-kick delivery fell to Victor Ulloa, who hooked his shot from the top of the 18 narrowly wide of Sean Johnson's right post, the most worrying of a string of half chances that Yallop's group was able to safely fend off going into the halftime interval.
Emerging from the opening 45 with just 38 percent of possession, the Fire continued to be pinned back by Dallas, but saw the better chances fall their way. Three minutes either side of the hour mark, it was the presence of Johnson, the nifty footwork from Maloney and the unrelenting play of Accam that unnerved the visitors.
Emerging from the opening 45 with just 38 percent of possession, the Fire continued to be pinned back by Dallas, but saw the better chances fall their way. Three minutes either side of the hour mark, it was the presence of Johnson, the nifty footwork from Maloney and the unrelenting play of Accam that unnerved the visitors.
Accam wrestled the ball off a Dallas defender in the box and found himself with only Kennedy to beat, but fired a tame effort into the palms of the Dallas netminder. Maloney dribbled a ball toward the endline six minutes later, cutting back for Johnson, who blasted an effort off Kennedy's chest.
In the 77th minute, Cocis slammed a one-time shot from distance that forced another save from Kennedy, before the Fire were reduced to 10 men following a studs-up challenge from second-half substitute Matt Watson on Rolando Escobar at midfield.
The shorthanded Men in Red displayed a different level of fight from games past, however, getting the most out of substitute Kennedy Igboananike, who, five minutes from time, was brought down in the penalty area by Kellyn Acosta. The Nigerian's tenacious work rate allowed Maloney to step up to convert his second spot kick in as many matches to help the Fire top a Western Conference foe for the second time in three weeks, and climb out of last place in the Eastern Conference.
"The back four and four midfielders in front of them were excellent," Yallop added. "We worked a lot on shape, getting in the right spots and staying with runners, especially against a team like Dallas who have tons of pace and ability. ... We defended very well tonight as a group."
Next up is a trip to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Portland Timbers on Aug 12. The match is slated for a 10 p.m. CT kickoff from Providence Park.
Chicago Fire Starting XI (subs)
(4-4-1-1): Sean Johnson; Lovel Palmer (Matt Watson, 68'), Eric Gehrig, Jeff Larentowicz (C), Joevin Jones; Harry Shipp, Razvan Cocis, Matt Polster, Shaun Maloney; David Accam (Patrick Nyarko, 88'); Jason Johnson (Kennedy Igboananike, 66').
Solving the Juergen Klinsmann Problem.
By Leander Schaerlaeckens
US coach Juergen Klinsmann watches his team play Jamaica during a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal football match in Atlanta on July 22, 2015 (AFP Photo/Nicholas Kamm)
Jurgen Klinsmann isn't going anywhere.
An intellectually honest assessment of his record and performance in his four years on the job would suggest that his position as United States men's national team head coach should at the very least be up for discussion. But it isn't. Even though we can now say confidently that in big tournaments he was outperformed by his predecessor Bob Bradley – who was let go for the benefit of Klinsmann's hiring – U.S. Soccer has no intention of making a change.
Following an embarrassing Gold Cup semifinal loss to Jamaica, United States Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said that Klinsmann's job was not in danger, and that it wouldn't be even if the Americans lose an October playoff against Mexico for a spot in the 2017 Confederations Cup.
Following an embarrassing Gold Cup semifinal loss to Jamaica, United States Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said that Klinsmann's job was not in danger, and that it wouldn't be even if the Americans lose an October playoff against Mexico for a spot in the 2017 Confederations Cup.
So what now? Because no matter how headstrong the federation has become on the Klinsmann kerfuffle – the unavoidable conclusion here is that USSF has invested an irresponsible amount of money and credibility capital into his success and won't write either of it off – this isn't working. Yes, there have been friendly wins against big countries. But while the U.S. survived the Group of Death in the World Cup, its performance was poor and the Gold Cup debacle is its biggest failing in close to a decade. The play, meanwhile, is pedestrian with dispiriting regularity, even though the pool of talent available is deeper than ever.
Klinsmann's mandate is a long-term one. He is charged with lifting American soccer to a higher plane. But how do we reconcile that bigger picture with the lack of results in the short term?
In trying to formulate a solution, why not look back to the one of his three jobs in management that Klinsmann made an inarguable success?
During his tenure in charge of Germany from 2004 to 2006, Klinsmann oversaw a stylistic revolution that resulted in Die Mannschaft winning the World Cup last summer. Back then, he had a strong assistant in Jogi Loew, who has since succeeded him and conquered the world. The way it seems to have worked is that Klinsmann was the public face and the big ideas man. He formulated the vision and defended it to the outside world – and even Germany's congress. He was in charge of the team, giving team talks, while Loew ran practice, constructed game plans and took care of the tactics. It worked well.
So why not replicate that model? Why not equip Klinsmann with a strong assistant – call him an "associate head coach” or a "field manager” or whatever – and let both do what they do best? Why not put a talented tactician-cum-field-coach by his side, who knows the player pool and won't hog the spotlight, allowing Klinsmann to be a kind of supervisor and plot out the next steps to a better future?
Whether Klinsmann is actually capable of leading the Americans to a place where they can finally break into the world's elite is up for debate – he certainly has a hard time verbalizing his plans – but if his job security must be absolute, it makes sense to give him a better shot at succeeding by freeing him from a lot of the daily burdens of being both the national team's head coach and the federation's technical director, as he was named when he renewed his contract through 2018 in December 2013.
Perhaps Martin Vasquez was supposed to be that guy. After serving as Klinsmann's assistant in his disastrous time with Bayern Munich in the 2008-09 season, he was deemed to have been one of the reasons his boss failed to survive his first year. Klinsmann nevertheless brought him along in his third job, in charge of the USA, before finally dumping him in a pre-World Cup purge. Vasquez, a friendly but reserved kind of guy, in sharp contrast to the ever ebullient Klinsmann, didn't leave much of an impression on anyone.
Klinsmann's current assistants, Andy Herzog and Tab Ramos, don't seem to have the clout within the team to carry out such a role, or the experience. Berti Vogts, meanwhile, occasionally listed as some sort of consultant and sounding board to Klinsmann, isn't around much and surely wouldn't be asked to run practices.
So why not bring in an extra coach? A Major League Soccer man, since so much of the USMNT now plies its trade in the domestic league.
Dom Kinnear of the San Jose Earthquakes would probably make the most sense. He has a track record of performing very well with solid if unspectacular squads, reaching four MLS Cups (winning two) in seven years with the Houston Dynamo. His teams are well-organized, efficient and hard to break down, just as the USA used to be. But then his typically austere playing style would be a betrayal of the evolution Klinsmann has promised (albeit very seldom delivered on). It would all probably look too Bradley-esque. And then what would have been the point in all of this? Or so the federation might conclude.
Sigi Schmid could be another option. The German-born Seattle Sounders manager has won two MLS Cups with two different teams and tends to play attractive soccer with his team. He's twice managed the U.S. Under-20s and, what's more, he has a good relationship with Klinsmann. However, at 62, Schmid might be a tad old to agree to becoming someone's No. 2 after spending 35 years as a head coach.
The most logical option would appear to be one of the younger MLS coaches who have proven themselves domestically and could have bigger ambitions to pursue. Provided one of them could be convinced to suspend promising careers in club management, he could act in a quasi-apprentice role. Kind of like the short but ill-fated Guus Hiddink-Danny Blind combination that succeeded Louis van Gaal as Netherlands managers a year ago, which was an idea better conceptualized than executed.
There are candidates aplenty. Peter Vermes (48, Sporting Kansas City), Ben Olsen (38, DC United), Jay Heaps (38, New England Revolution), Jason Kreis (42, New York City FC) and Caleb Porter (40, Portland Timbers) have known real success with their clubs and demonstrated their ability to get their teams to play attractive, aggressive, attacking soccer. The sort of soccer Klinsmann envisions.
All of them could use such a national team pseudo-head coaching job as a stepping stone for their careers, not to mention the big job itself, whenever Klinsmann vacates it. The pot could even be sweetened with the Olympic assignment, with qualifiers starting in October, followed by the main tournament in Rio de Janeiro next summer – even though that job is presently held by Herzog. And in the meantime, the senior national team would benefit from having a real manager out on the field, even if he would be something else in name, without usurping Klinsmann.
Because lately, and for a good while now, the USA has lacked identity, a clear playing style and cohesion, plainly hampering results. These are problems typically solved by switching out the manager. In this case, since U.S. Soccer says it won't entertain Klinsmann's sacking, the old manager would still be kept around, only he would be promoted out of the way.
Big Ten touts plan for tougher schedules as playoff push.
By RALPH D. RUSSO
The College Football Playoff has turned strength of schedule into a constant talking point, with each conference claiming its road to the postseason is most daunting.
Hoping to set themselves apart when playoff selection time comes around, Big Ten teams plan to play at least one non-conference game against a Power Five opponent and eliminate FCS schools from their schedules starting in 2016 when the league goes to a nine-game conference slate.
Commissioner Jim Delany touted the league's ''1910'' scheduling model on Friday at Big Ten media days: one Power Five non-conference game, nine conference games, one conference championship game, zero games outside Bowl Subdivision.
The Big Ten would become the only Power Five conference to play nine league games, eliminate FCS opponents and require a Power Five non-conference game.
Delany said the scheduling guidelines are not a mandate, though he believes they will make an impression on the playoff selection committee. The Big Ten has been working on its scheduling model for several years, but this week was an opportunity for Delany to tie it all together on a big stage.
Delany said games in Notre Dame and BYU, both independents, would count as Power Five opponents and the FCS games will be weaned off Big Ten schedules so its schools would not have to break current contracts.
''But this is the template that everybody thinks is best going forward from a variety of perspectives,'' Delany said.
The Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference each require their teams to play at least one Power Five non-conference opponent, but play only eight conference games and have no plan to eliminate FCS opponents.
Judging by postseason success and the number of players it sends to the NFL, the SEC has considered the strongest conference over the last 10 years. So good that its coaches claim their eight-game schedule is more challenging than the nine-game slates played by other conferences.
Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said recently in an interview with ESPN that the grind of an SEC schedule puts the conference at a disadvantage in the playoff.
The Big 12 plays nine conference games, but has no conference title game and its teams play FCS opponents. The conference was hurt in the playoff selection process last year when TCU and Baylor were judged against teams that played a league title game, which made the Big 12 leaders consider adding one. Baylor seemed to be hurt just as much by a particularly weak non-conference schedule that featured no Power Five opponents.
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby has said his league is not about scheduling requirements on its members.
''Some coaches believe a tough preseason does that best,'' he said at Big 12 media days. ''Others believe a lighter preseason does that best. And I think we have to respect those experiences and respect the prerogatives of individual coaches. So I don't think it means that everybody has to play three top 20 teams in their preseason. I also think it doesn't mean that everybody has to play three that are FCS or in the bottom of FBS. So I think there's a happy medium there.
The Pac-12 has a nine-game conference schedule and a championship game, and while its members don't play FCS opponents as frequently as other Power Five leagues, they do play outside of the FBS. Pac-12 teams are also not required to team teams from other Power Five conferences, though most usually do.
''And this is why I'm confident standing up in front of a room like this and saying no one's got a tougher schedule than the Pac-12, and the Pac-12 champion's got the toughest road because there aren't many misses that you can have within your conference,'' Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said.
Last season, Ohio State's schedule strength of schedule did not match that of SEC champion Alabama, but it didn't keep the Big Ten champions from making it to the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes then won the first playoff as the fourth seed, beating Alabama in the semifinals and Oregon in the national title game.
Delany said the Big Ten's future scheduling format is not just about setting up its teams better for playoff selection. Better opponents help draw more fans to stadiums and to television sets.
''But if you really look at - I'm not sure people have paid as much attention to the guidelines for the selection of teams,'' Delany said. ''There are about eight paragraphs that deal with the issue of when resumes look similar. Similar record, similar resumes. Conference champions are going to get the first tiebreaker consideration and strength of schedule is going to get the second.''
NCAABKB: NCAA has stay granted in O'Bannon case; payment delayed.By The Associated Press
The NCAA was given a respite Friday when the 9th U.S. Circuit Court delayed the implementation of possible payments to athletes for the use of their names, images and likenesses.
The stay in the Ed O'Bannon case allows schools to withhold payments of roughly $5,000 in deferred money to football and basketball players, which were expected to begin Saturday as part of the landmark ruling handed down by U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken last summer.
''We are pleased that the 9th Circuit today granted the NCAA's motion for stay,'' NCAA chief legal counsel Donald Remy said in a statement. ''As a result, the NCAA will not be implementing any changes to its rules in response to the district court's injunction at this time. We continue to await the 9th Circuit's final ruling.''
The decision will only stand until the appeals court rules on the full case.
A message was left by The Associated Press at the office of one of O'Bannon's attorneys.
Former UCLA basketball star O'Bannon won his antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA last August after claiming the organization was using the names, images and likenesses of college athletes to profit commercially without compensating the athletes. Wilken ruled that schools should be allowed, but not required, to offer football and basketball players about $5,000 each year in deferred payments that could be collected after a player finishes school.
The NCAA was trying to come up with a game plan to comply.
In May, Remy told The Associated Press that the NCAA was considering how to advise schools to proceed if the stay was not granted.
''Candidly, it's a difficult task,'' Remy said then. ''There are some components that are required in the injunction that are difficult to operate with, given the way college athletics work in our conferences and on our campuses. We're in the process of trying to determine what we would need to do if Aug. 1 came around and the injunction was still in place.''
The NCAA's appeal was heard in March but there is no timetable for a decision.
Horse racing-American Pharoah wins again, takes the Haskell.Reuters; By Larry Fine, Editing by Gene Cherry
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah made a triumphant return to the track by winning the $1.75 million William Hill Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey on Sunday.
Overwhelming favorite American Pharoah took the lead from Competitive Edge on the far turn, and opened up a five-length lead before cruising to a 2 1/4 length victory over Keen Ice to roars from a record crowd of 60,000.
"He just keeps bringing it,'' American Pharoah trainer Bob Baffert said about the 12th Triple Crown winner and first in 37 years. "He's just a great horse.''
Victor Espinoza, who rode the bay colt to victories in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes, said American Pharoah responded when asked to make his move.
"He ran like the Triple Crown winner,'' Espinoza said.
American Pharoah, who went off at odds of 1-10, ran the 1 1/8 mile race in 1:47.4, one second off the track record despite not going full out in the stretch after his 57-day break since the Belmont.
Where American Pharoah races next is uncertain with the Travers at Saratoga on Aug. 29, the Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 19 and the Awesome Again at Santa Anita on Sept. 26 among the possibilities.
He is expected to make his farewell racing performance in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, on Oct. 31 before retiring to stud.
Rhonda Rousey KO's Bethe Correia in 34 seconds at UFC 190 title bout.By Kevin Iole
Ronda Rousey is quickly becoming one of the most iconic athletes in sports. On a night when many of the biggest superstars from sports and entertainment, including NBA stars Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, NFL star Aaron Rodgers, and actors Sylvester Stallone and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson were tweeting to her to wish her luck, she rose to the occasion yet again.
She needed only 34 seconds this time to retain her women's bantamweight title over Bethe Correia, but this wasn't the same old Rousey.
Her striking, which some said was her weakness, led her to the one-sided victory in the main event of UFC 190 at HSBC Arena Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Rousey's striking overwhelmed Correia, whose striking had led her to a 9-0 mark entering the bout. But Rousey ripped Correia with clean, hard shots and finished it with a right to the temple. Correia fell on her face as referee John McCarthy quickly stopped it.
It was four seconds longer than the combined time of her two previous wins -- 16 seconds over Alexis Davis at UFC 175 and 14 seconds over Cat Zingano at UFC 184 -- but in the manner of finish, it was probably her most impressive.
Rousey fought Correia at her own game and came out on top.
An emotional Rousey, who said she was angered by Correia's pre-fight trash talk that she took as shots at her family, dedicated the win to the late professional wrestler "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. Piper, who died in his sleep Friday, had given Rousey permission to use his "Rowdy" nickname.
"I hope him and my Dad had a good time watching today," said Rousey, fighting back tears.
Anyone who loves watching an elite athlete at his or her peak had to have a good time. Rousey is simply one of the greatest athletes in the world and she performs under the pressure like few others.
She has her critics, who mostly show jealousy because of her fame and success, because there is nothing she doesn't do properly.
Correia had beaten two of Rousey's teammates, Jessamyn Duke and Shayna Baszler, and so Rousey called her out after a 14-second victory over Zingano in Los Angeles in February.
Rousey was angered by a Correia comment in the build-up to the fight in which Correia referenced suicide. Rousey's father, Ron, committed suicide.
"I will give her a rematch if she doesn't cry too much." Correia said. "She can't take the pressure. I will give her the chance to get the belt back. Please, don't kill yourself, don't commit suicide, because I will give you the rematch."
Correia said later she didn't know about Rousey's father's suicide, but Ronda Rousey said she didn't believe that. Rousey said before the fight she wanted to beat Correia so badly that no one else would bring her family into it.
Asked if the win was satisfying, Rousey said, "I hope nobody picks on my family any more when it comes to fights. I hope this was the last time."
The addition of top-notch striking to the rest of her game makes the most dominant fighter in the world even scarier. She'd shown signs of good hands, most notably in her 2014 victory over Sara McMann at UFC 170 that, by comparison, looks like a marathon at 66 seconds.
But never in a fight did she rely solely on her hands before.
She went for a throw, but Correia fended her off. However, Correia fell and somersaulted backward toward the cage. When she got to her feet, Rousey was there and ripped off a combination. She hurt Correia, who tried to move away. Rousey landed a knee and then a short right to the temple that sent Correia down face first.
It was beating the striker at her own game.
"She can't say anything about my hands any more, huh?" Rousey said.
Anyone who criticizes her now is only looking for things to rip her about. She's now beaten all of the fighters in the women's bantamweight division's top five, as well as six of the top seven and seven of the top 10.
She'll next face Miesha Tate, whom she has already submitted twice. The big fight, though, is against Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino, a featherweight who thus far hasn't done anything to prove she can make the bantamweight limit of 135.
Even if Justino makes it, it's unlikely the result of a fight with Rousey would be much different.
Rousey is just that good.
Her goal is to end her career unbeaten and, looking at the field, it's hard to bet against her.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, August 3, 2015.Memoriesofhistory.com
1936 - Jesse Owens won the first of his four olympic gold medals.
1949 - The National Basketball Association (NBA) was formed. The league was formed by the merger between the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League.
1984 - Mary Lou Retton won a gold medal at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
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