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Sports Quote of the Day:
"It's football season; anything can happen." ~ Troy Brown, Former NFL Wide Receiver, Cornerback and Punt Returner
Trending: September's nice, October's nicer. (See Cubs' updates in the baseball section).
Trending: After Bears' season-opening loss, why the mood at Halas Hall can be justifiably upbeat. (See football section for details).
Trending: Blackhawks remain favorites to win 2016 Stanley Cup. (See hockey section for details).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Deadly turnover far from the whole Jay Cutler story in Bears loss.
By John Mullin
(Photo/Chicago Tribune)
The pass that Jay Cutler threw to Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews in the Bears’ 31-23 loss last Sunday rightly has drawn arguably as much scrutiny as any interception Cutler has thrown in his years as Bears quarterback. There have been more bewildering jaw-droppers, but this was supposed to have been an improved model Cutler with the support of a run game and a more efficient offensive philosophy under coordinator Adam Gase.
And nothing mitigates the degree of catastrophe the interception brought down, particularly in view of turnover-reduction being the far-and-away highest priority of the incoming offensive staff under Gase.
But pull the camera back for a moment, and it turns out there was more to this Cutler game than simply same-old-Jay and franchise/coach/coordinator-killing turnovers. Cutler did not play well or even good enough. But there was more to his game than that interception.
(And since “View from the Moon” cannot be accused of being an agenda-driven forum for either trashing or puffing up the Bears’ quarterback over his seven Chicago seasons, this might reasonably be considered “fair.” But that’s not for your humble and faithful narrator to decide.)
First, Cutler’s losing play this time a year ago was an interception by a Buffalo Bills defensive tackle, so at least Cutler isn’t yet throwing interceptions to immovable objects. Feel better?
But consider: When I first noted that Cutler had not turned the ball over through the first week-and-a-half of training-camp practices, the dismissive reaction was amusing, as though simply reporting the fact was somehow a statement that there was another “new” Jay Cutler in town. Not even remotely the case or point, nor even after Cutler ran 80 preseason snaps without a turnover (vs. his rate of about one in every 39 snaps during the 2014 season). For that matter, using the diminutive sample size, Cutler’s one turnover last Sunday was amid 71 snaps.
For comparison’s sake, in his two Green Bay games last season, Cutler turned the ball over five times in 145 combined snaps — once every 29 plays.
The simple fact, and it was obvious at the moment it happened, is that Cutler failed to read properly the coverage as it was unfolding, failed to put the football in the optimal spot where either his receiver or no one was catching it and that Matthews made the best of several plays on Sunday in which he exhibited speed even surprising to those who’ve seen him multiple times each season.
Isolated performances can be overrated. Phil Emery lavished a seven-year contract potentially worth $126 million with one of the stated reasons being Cutler’s engineering of a fourth-quarter comeback against the Cleveland Browns.
But after throwing the Matthews interception, Cutler completed four of six passes in the course of a 72-yard touchdown drive that brought the Bears to within a kickoff recovery of going for another tying score.
He managed just a very pedestrian 77.1 passer rating for the fourth quarter. But it was at least an improvement from his 60.6 through three quarters, and if the Matthews interception were simply incomplete, Cutler is a 99.3 passer.
More significantly, and uncharacteristically, Cutler effected that even modest improvement under extreme pressure, against a good team, in a massively important game. Cutler put up exceptional fourth-quarter passing numbers in 2013, but those were misleading because the Bears held a lead in many early season fourth quarters and the offense still held the threat of balance. This time, take it for what it and he was.
“Jay played a hell of a game,” said wide out Alshon Jeffery. “He played his (butt) off.”
And maybe that, as much as the one turnover, is the real takeaway on Cutler last Sunday.
Bears' Week 2 in-foe: Bruce and the Birds.
By Chris Boden
Bruce Arians (Photo/csnchicago.com)
What could've been?
At least until things kick off Sunday, Bruce Arians' return to Chicago - perhaps for the first time since being told to go home in the coaching interview process in January 2013 - will spur thoughts of where the Bears would be now had they chosen Arians over Marc Trestman.
At least until things kick off Sunday, Bruce Arians' return to Chicago - perhaps for the first time since being told to go home in the coaching interview process in January 2013 - will spur thoughts of where the Bears would be now had they chosen Arians over Marc Trestman.
As detailed by our own John Mullin following Phil Emery's firing last December, a reported "mock press conference" in the interview process, a desire to retain Rod Marinelli (instead of Arians' preference, current Jets head coach Todd Bowles), and then ignoring Marinelli's opinion after asking for it has gotten the Bears to where they are now. The Optimism Button has since been re-set with the Emery/Trestman tear-down coinciding with the franchise's next "swing" with Ryan Pace and John Fox. Arians has since won a second Coach of the Year Award and guided the Cardinals to a 22-11 record.
That includes a 1-0 mark this season after Carson Palmer became the first Cardinals quarterback to win seven straight games since Jim Hart, and 14 of his last 16 starts. In between, there was a second left ACL surgery within a decade. Arizona was 9-1 at the time Palmer crumbled last November, before finishing 11-5 when the signal-calling injuries became contagious. But the 35-year-old eclipsed 300 yards in his return Sunday against the Saints while working without two of his projected starting offensive linemen; right tackle Robert Massie will serve the second of a two-game substance abuse suspension Sunday, and big ticket, nasty free agent Mike Iupati continues recovering from a preseason knee injury. April's first-round pick, D.J. Humphries, couldn't beat out Earl Watford to slide in for Massie. Arians looked to the Bay Area two off-seasons ago to sign Jared Veldheer away from Oakland to protect Carson's blind side.
The 31st-ranked rushing offense came back with Andre Ellington as its starter, but the third-year pro was again bit by the injury bug Sunday, suffering a knee sprain that's projected to keep him out the next two or three games. So Arians must choose between ex-2,000-yard rusher Chris Johnson and almost-as-fast third-round rookie David Johnson to pick up the slack. The latter returned a kick 43 yards Sunday before turning a short pass from Palmer into a "next-gear" 55-yard touchdown to seal the 31-19 victory.
Speaking of speed, 2014 third-rounder John Brown turned four of his five touchdowns as a rookie into game-winners a year ago. Then there's the youngest receiver to reach 700, 800, and 900 career catches, the now-32-year-old Larry Fitzgerald. After being virtually ignored following Palmer's injury, he led the Redbirds with six receptions for 87 yards Sunday. And as Michael Floyd works his way back from preseason finger surgery, Palmer worked tight end Darren Fells into the mix with a touchdown catch among his four grabs for 82 yards.
For as much praise as Bowles' defense got before he moved on, it's at least a statistical lie. The Cards finished 24th overall a year ago, 29th against the pass despite the great Patrick Peterson, the continued rise of Tyrann Mathieu and the presence of Antonio Cromartie, who went with Bowles to the Jets. Jermon Bushrod and Kyle Long will have to contend with arguably the top 5-technique in the league, 6-foot-8 Calais Campbell. Whether they can find a suitable replacement for Dan Williams (Oakland) remains to be seen.
Alex Okafor, after his stock slipped to the fourth round of the 2013 draft, is now the consistent presence in the 3-4 linebacking corps. Larry Foote retired and now coaches that group, which brought his former Steelers teammate Lamarr Woodley over after an underachieving, injury-shortened year in Oakland. That option was chosen over retaining current Bear Sam Acho by ex-linebackers coach James Bettcher, who took over as defensive coordinator. Arizona also rolled the dice with the talented Sean Witherspoon, who missed all of 2014 in Atlanta with a torn ACL, and drafted fellow-Mizzou alum Markus Golden in the second round, which is where they selected their other inside starter, Kevin Minter, in 2013.
That includes a 1-0 mark this season after Carson Palmer became the first Cardinals quarterback to win seven straight games since Jim Hart, and 14 of his last 16 starts. In between, there was a second left ACL surgery within a decade. Arizona was 9-1 at the time Palmer crumbled last November, before finishing 11-5 when the signal-calling injuries became contagious. But the 35-year-old eclipsed 300 yards in his return Sunday against the Saints while working without two of his projected starting offensive linemen; right tackle Robert Massie will serve the second of a two-game substance abuse suspension Sunday, and big ticket, nasty free agent Mike Iupati continues recovering from a preseason knee injury. April's first-round pick, D.J. Humphries, couldn't beat out Earl Watford to slide in for Massie. Arians looked to the Bay Area two off-seasons ago to sign Jared Veldheer away from Oakland to protect Carson's blind side.
The 31st-ranked rushing offense came back with Andre Ellington as its starter, but the third-year pro was again bit by the injury bug Sunday, suffering a knee sprain that's projected to keep him out the next two or three games. So Arians must choose between ex-2,000-yard rusher Chris Johnson and almost-as-fast third-round rookie David Johnson to pick up the slack. The latter returned a kick 43 yards Sunday before turning a short pass from Palmer into a "next-gear" 55-yard touchdown to seal the 31-19 victory.
Speaking of speed, 2014 third-rounder John Brown turned four of his five touchdowns as a rookie into game-winners a year ago. Then there's the youngest receiver to reach 700, 800, and 900 career catches, the now-32-year-old Larry Fitzgerald. After being virtually ignored following Palmer's injury, he led the Redbirds with six receptions for 87 yards Sunday. And as Michael Floyd works his way back from preseason finger surgery, Palmer worked tight end Darren Fells into the mix with a touchdown catch among his four grabs for 82 yards.
For as much praise as Bowles' defense got before he moved on, it's at least a statistical lie. The Cards finished 24th overall a year ago, 29th against the pass despite the great Patrick Peterson, the continued rise of Tyrann Mathieu and the presence of Antonio Cromartie, who went with Bowles to the Jets. Jermon Bushrod and Kyle Long will have to contend with arguably the top 5-technique in the league, 6-foot-8 Calais Campbell. Whether they can find a suitable replacement for Dan Williams (Oakland) remains to be seen.
Alex Okafor, after his stock slipped to the fourth round of the 2013 draft, is now the consistent presence in the 3-4 linebacking corps. Larry Foote retired and now coaches that group, which brought his former Steelers teammate Lamarr Woodley over after an underachieving, injury-shortened year in Oakland. That option was chosen over retaining current Bear Sam Acho by ex-linebackers coach James Bettcher, who took over as defensive coordinator. Arizona also rolled the dice with the talented Sean Witherspoon, who missed all of 2014 in Atlanta with a torn ACL, and drafted fellow-Mizzou alum Markus Golden in the second round, which is where they selected their other inside starter, Kevin Minter, in 2013.
Besides the threat of David Johnson returning kicks, special teams includes kicker Chandler Catanzaro, who hit his first 17 field goal attempts as a rookie last season. Then there's punter Drew Butler (Kevin's son), who was brought in as Pat O'Donnell's training camp relief in last year's Bears camp, and may have outperformed the sixth-round pick at the time. Butler wound up second in the league last year with 42 punts downed inside the 20.
Power Rankings: Week 2
chicagobears.com
As the Bears prepare to take on the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, ChicagoBears.com takes a look at what national media outlets are saying about the Monsters of the Midway and how the team compares to the other 31 clubs in the NFL.
ESPN
Bears ranking: 27
Last week: 25
Division Rivals: Lions 20, Packers 2, Vikings 25
ESPN
Bears ranking: 27
Last week: 25
Division Rivals: Lions 20, Packers 2, Vikings 25
Top 5 overall: Patriots, Packers, Seahawks, Broncos, Cowboys
Bears ranking: 27
Last week: 29
Comments: "New head coach John Fox is doing the best he can with the talent he has to work with on defense, and the Bears could end up finishing as a respectable unit. A toned-down offensive approach could keep quarterback
Division Rivals: Lions 18, Packers 2, Vikings 26
Top 5 overall: Patriots, Packers, Broncos, Cowboys, Cardinals
Bears ranking: 25
Last week: 22
Comments: "They did some nice things on offense and the defense looked improved against the Packers. That's progress."
Division Rivals: Lions 22, Packers 1, Vikings 24
Top 5 overall: Packers, Patriots, Cowboys, Cardinals, Bengals
Bears ranking: 28
Last week: 27
Comments: "
Division Rivals: Lions 16, Packers 3, Vikings 22
Top 5 overall: Seahawks, Patriots, Packers, Broncos, Colts
Bears ranking: 26
Last week: 25
Comments: "Matt Forte just keeps on trucking."
Division Rivals: Lions 20, Packers 2, Vikings 22
Top 5 overall: Patriots, Packers, Cowboys, Broncos, Seahawks
Bears ranking: 28
Last week: 29
Division Rivals: Lions 22, Packers 2, Vikings 20
Top 5 overall: Patriots, Packers, Broncos, Cowboys, Bills
At Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica we'd love to hear your thoughts on these rankings. Please go to the comments section at the bottom of this blog and share your thoughts with us.
The Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff
Bears waive quarterback David Fales.
#BEARSTALK
David Fales (Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Bears are now down to two quarterbacks on their active roster.
The Bears waived second-year quarterback David Fales on Tuesday, leaving the team with Jay Cutler and Jimmy Clausen as the only quarterbacks on the current roster.
The Bears waived second-year quarterback David Fales on Tuesday, leaving the team with Jay Cutler and Jimmy Clausen as the only quarterbacks on the current roster.
Fales, drafted by the Bears in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of San Jose State, didn't appear in any regular-season games in his two years with the team.
The Bears' 53-man roster now stands at 52.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks remain favorites to win 2016 Stanley Cup.
By C. Roumeliotis
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Blackhawks opened as early favorites to win the 2016 Stanley Cup just one week after capturing their third title in six years, and oddsmakers haven't wavered on that.
In fact, Bovada slightly increased the Blackhawks' chances to 13/2 odds after initially pegging them at 7/1 in June.
Despite a flurry of offseason moves and the uncertainty regarding Patrick Kane, oddsmakers still believe the Blackhawks have as good a chance as any to repeat, which hasn't happened since the 1997-98 Detroit Red Wings.
The biggest jump on the list are the Dallas Stars, who skyrocketed from 66/1 odds to 28/1 after acquiring Patrick Sharp and Stephen Johns from the Blackhawks and signing Johnny Oduya, among their offseason additions.
Here is the full list of updated odds:
NHL team
|
Updated odds at winning the Stanley Cup in 2016
|
| Chicago Blackhawks | 13/2 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 10/1 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 10/1 |
| New York Rangers | 10/1 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 10/1 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 14/1 |
| St. Louis Blues | 14/1 |
| Minnesota Wild | 16/1 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 18/1 |
| Nashville Predators | 18/1 |
| Washington Capitals | 18/1 |
| Boston Bruins | 20/1 |
| New York Islanders | 22/1 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 25/1 |
| Calgary Flames | 28/1 |
| Dallas Stars | 28/1 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 28/1 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 28/1 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 33/1 |
| Ottawa Senators | 40/1 |
| San Jose Sharks | 40/1 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 66/1 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 66/1 |
| Florida Panthers | 66/1 |
| New Jersey Devils | 75/1 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 75/1 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 100/1 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 100/1 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 100/1 |
| Arizona Coyotes | 100/1 |
Bernard on Rockford building off last season's playoff run, new faces and more.
By Emerald Gao
(Photo courtesy Rockford IceHogs)
The Blackhawks reached the pinnacle of success this past June, but they weren't the only players in the organization who had a successful run. After a four-year absence, the Rockford IceHogs made the Calder Cup Playoffs as the fourth seed in the Western Conference, making it to the second round as a young team. Director of Hockey Administration/GM of Minor League Affiliations Mark Bernard sat down with chicagoblackhawks.com to discuss the progress made by the organization's young prospects, many of whom hope to make a splash at Blackhawks training camp this week.
It really provides the players going into this season more experience, and a lot more confidence. Last year was a great year in Rockford, as they set a lot of records for team wins and points; it gave especially those players in their second years (Mark McNeill, Garret Ross, Phillip Danault) a lot more confidence moving into this year's training camp.
McNeill, Ross and Danault really stood out as a line last season. Were they among the most impressive out of all the regulars last season?
Mark, Garret and Phillip really had good chemistry together; they formed a really good line early in the year, and they all had their best years to date. I don't know if one player in particular impressed me the most, as I was happy with all of their development. They all took the next step, they had good summers last year, and now it's important that they follow up a good season with another good year as they're all going into the last year of their entry-level deals, and there are jobs available going into training camp.
With the turnover on the Blackhawks roster this summer, it could be one of the most competitive training camps in years, with a lot of players vying for a few open spots. In your evaluation, who has the best chance of filling those roles at the NHL level?
We don't pick the team in July; it's picked in September at training camp. I think GM Stan Bowman has done a tremendous job of getting some great players back in the trades [of Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp]. Look at the Columbus deal—we got Artem Anisimov and Marko Dano, but we also got very good forwards in Jeremy Morin and Corey Tropp, players who will be fighting for jobs in training camp. You've also got players like McNeill, Danault, Ross, Ryan Hartman and Brandon Mashinter, who are going to be coming into training camp trying to earn jobs. I think it will be a very interesting competition this year. It'll unfold the way the players make it unfold.
You started last season with a really deep core of defensemen, but the organization has traded away Adam Clendening, T.J. Brennan, Klas Dahlbeck and Stephen Johns. Has the team shored up that depth, and how do you see the blue line shaping up for 2015-16?
We've moved some good young D, and Ville Pokka has moved up the depth chart after the trades of Stephen Johns and the others. He had a really good rookie year, coming over from Finland, adjusting to North America, adjusting to a smaller ice surface and a different language—he's a very smart player. Thinks the game at a very high level. He'll be trying to earn a spot [in training camp], but if he's back in Rockford, he'll be a depth and recall guy. We've signed a very good defenseman, Cameron Schilling, out of the Washington system, who we regarded as a free agent a few years ago. He's another good depth defenseman.
Erik Gustafsson, who we signed as a free agent coming over from Sweden, is a player that impressed our scouts last year, and he'll be pushing for a job. Viktor Svedberg is another player who finished the season on the Blackhawks roster, skated with them all playoffs, and he's going into his third year and has some experience now. So there's no shortage of depth in Rockford, and we've still got some great young defensemen over in Sweden and Finland who are going to be making their way over in the next year or two.
There were a few new faces who got a taste of the AHL at the end of last season, including those young Swedish defensemen you mentioned, as well as college guys in Tanner Kero and Vincent Hinostroza. How did they fare for the IceHogs, and how do you see them contributing this year?
I'm really excited about Vinny Hinostroza and Tanner Kero. Kero had probably the best end of the season for any player that I've seen coming from college or juniors. He played six regular-season games, scored five goals, scored another couple goals in the playoffs and really took to the pro game like a fish to water. He has a great nose for the net, a great touch around the net, works extremely hard on and off the ice, and I think he's going to be a great pro player and a great prospect for us. Hinostroza brings energy, brings speed, brings tenacity. He's got a little nastiness in his game, he's got some skill. He's going to be an exciting player for our fans to watch; he's a smaller player, but he buzzes around on the ice and really makes himself noticeable.
I thought Robin Press, Carl Dahlstrom and Robin Norell also came over and did a great job. They're going to be spending the year back over in Sweden, so we'll look for them to join us at the end of the season again, but they came over and saw what pro hockey's all about, saw what the American Hockey League is all about, what the players do on a day-to-day basis to have success, and hopefully they can take that back to Sweden with them and enjoy a good year there.
Those three are already considered pro players in Sweden, with a couple years under their belt. What's the biggest difference between pro hockey over in Europe versus the AHL?
The biggest thing in European hockey is, they have a bigger ice surface, so the players have a little more time to make decisions. The fore-check isn't on you as quickly, and there's a little more room out there to maneuver. Number two is, they don't play as many games. In the AHL, they're playing 76 games, basically three games a week, plus practice, plus travel—it's a more hectic lifestyle. It's an adjustment, so the more they can come over and get used to that, the easier it will be when they come over full-time.
How important was it for you to re-sign Michael Leighton for this season, especially with Antti Raanta being traded? Can you talk about what Mark Visentin, who signed a minor-league deal, is going to bring to the goalie battle?
We were very excited when we signed Leighton late last summer. He provided real depth in goaltending for the Blackhawks, which we also saw in the emergence of Scott Darling. With Darling in Chicago and Raanta moved on to New York, it was very important to have that No. 3 guy, that depth guy that we can have in Rockford with NHL experience, available to recall if we need. Leighton is a guy who takes a lot of pride in his game. He keeps himself extremely fit, he's a great pro player, and he's a great example for our young guys in Rockford when he's there.
He's going to go into training camp and try to earn a job with Chicago, and if he's in Rockford, he'll be a great fit for us down there, provide great stability for us and be a great mentor for Visentin, who was a first-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes [in 2010]. He had a tough year missing last year with an injury, but there's a lot of potential there. He was a World Juniors player with Canada, and he had an extremely good Ontario Hockey League career. He's 22 years old, he has size, and I think it'll be great for him to develop behind a guy like Michael Leighton and learn from him. It'll be good to see what kind of potential he has.
Making the playoffs was the big goal for last season, and you did that and got into the second round. What are you hoping the team can achieve this year?
Playoffs is always the goal. You want to make sure you try and be competitive and make a good run for the playoffs. Even the four years we missed, the most we missed out by was five points. We walk that fine line of trying to develop players as well as have a competitive, successful team on the ice in Rockford, and it's not always easy. You can have a lot of young players at times, but I think we've done a great job of managing that. When you're playing playoff-type games late in the season trying to get in, that's important for those players, because they're getting that have-to-win mentality. Achieving that goal and making it into the second round was just the added bonus, because we got that success.
It's nice to play playoff games at the same time as the Blackhawks, and it made the young players excited. We enter each season with the goal of making the playoffs, but again, our main goal too is to make sure these young players are developing so that they can come up and not just fill a roster spot in Chicago, but compete and contribute.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Do Chicago Bulls Need Jimmy Butler's Offense or Defense More?
By Adam Fromal
(Photo/Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Image)
It's only natural for an NBA player in his mid-20s to undergo a period in which he questions his identity. But for Jimmy Butler, who recently celebrated his 26th birthday in style, the answer could very well determine how much of a threat the Chicago Bulls become in the Eastern Conference.
When this swingman was leaving Marquette and preparing to overcome the odds in the Association, defense was the cornerstone on which he built his reputation. He was a lockdown stopper with the Golden Eagles, so effective on that end of the floor that his lackluster offensive game was almost irrelevant.
As a rookie during the 2011-12 campaign, the No. 30 pick averaged just 2.6 points while shooting 40.5 percent from the field. He couldn't connect from the outside, and he generated an equal amount of assists as he did turnovers.
But Butler has steadily improved throughout his time in the league, and this past year, he used his many talents to become a bona fide superstar on the offensive end while earning a max contract with the Bulls. In 2014-15, he posted 20 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists during his typical outing while connecting on 46.2 percent of his shots from the field, 37.8 percent of his three-point attempts and 83.4 percent of his tries at the charity stripe.
When this swingman was leaving Marquette and preparing to overcome the odds in the Association, defense was the cornerstone on which he built his reputation. He was a lockdown stopper with the Golden Eagles, so effective on that end of the floor that his lackluster offensive game was almost irrelevant.
As a rookie during the 2011-12 campaign, the No. 30 pick averaged just 2.6 points while shooting 40.5 percent from the field. He couldn't connect from the outside, and he generated an equal amount of assists as he did turnovers.
But Butler has steadily improved throughout his time in the league, and this past year, he used his many talents to become a bona fide superstar on the offensive end while earning a max contract with the Bulls. In 2014-15, he posted 20 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists during his typical outing while connecting on 46.2 percent of his shots from the field, 37.8 percent of his three-point attempts and 83.4 percent of his tries at the charity stripe.
Those are sensational numbers. In fact, he was one of just five players in the entire league to top 20 points and three dimes with a true shooting percentage of at least 58 percent.
The full list?
1. Jimmy Butler
2. Stephen Curry
3. Kevin Durant
4. James Harden
5. Kyrie Irving
How's that for impressive company?
However, things aren't all hunky-dory in the Windy City. As is so often the case for young players still realizing their full potential, the massive amounts of increased offensive responsibility proved detrimental on the other end. Butler, whose reputation on defense always preceded him, struggled to continue asserting himself as a shutdown wing.
The upward trend on offense is fantastic. But the rise in value is severely mitigated by the crumbling of what was previously his calling card, and Butler is perfectly aware of what's happening. However, things aren't all hunky-dory in the Windy City. As is so often the case for young players still realizing their full potential, the massive amounts of increased offensive responsibility proved detrimental on the other end. Butler, whose reputation on defense always preceded him, struggled to continue asserting himself as a shutdown wing.
"I think it starts with me, to tell you the truth,'' the swingman explained to ESPN's Chris Broussard during February, trying to find the reason for his team's middling defensive numbers. "I'm supposed to be this prime-time defender and I don't think I've been holding up my end of the bargain lately. So I think whenever I start kicking it up three, four notches on defense and not worry about offense as much, I think it'll all turn around.''
But as he went on to say, it's tough for him to do so while also functioning as the go-to offensive player.
"You have to pick and choose your battles and save your energy for both ends of the floor now,'' Butler told Broussard. "I'm not going to lie, I thought it was going to be easier than it is. But to go on one end and produce and then go on the other end and have to stop the best player on the opposing team is not always an easy task.''
That's not going to change anytime soon. Butler will always have to pick which hill he wants to expend his energy scaling, and not every choice is made equal for the Bulls.
The Case for Offense
Considering the Bulls still boast the services of a former MVP at point guard (Derrick Rose) and a five-time All-Star in the frontcourt (Pau Gasol), it might be a bit strange to prop up a player who was previously a defensive specialist as the best offensive option. But such is the case for Butler.
At this point, making a case for Rose as the No. 1 scorer is rather difficult. Not only is he coming off myriad injuries, now four seasons removed from his MVP campaign, but there are too many glaring flaws in his game. Turnovers and poor shooting percentages continue to plague him whenever he steps onto the court without multiple days of rest, and those sparse stretches are tough to come by in a busy NBA schedule.
Even during the Bulls' 2015 playoff run, Rose mixed in inexplicably poor trips up and down the floor with the flashes of his old form. For all the slashing plays he made in crucial situations and the occasional throwback moments, he still finished with a 39.6 field-goal percentage.
Was Chicago better with him running the show? Certainly. But it was also devoid of any other legitimate options at point guard, and Butler was still just...better.
It's that simple.
"Butler is a phenomenal foul shooter—anytime he draws a shooting foul, he gets his team 1.67 points per possession. It may not be pretty, but it's definitely effective," Kirk Goldsberry wrote for Grantland.com during the 2014-15 campaign. "And the good news for Bulls fans is that very few young players get to the line as much or knock down their free throws as much as Butler."
Last season, Butler took 7.5 free-throw attempts per game when the Bulls won. But when his team was on the wrong end of the winning margin, that number shrunk to 6.5.
That discrepancy isn't mere happenstance.
Chicago was at its best when he was constantly attacking, and that's not going to change under new head coach Fred Hoiberg. In fact, it'll be even more important for him to continue using some energy on the offensive end, making the most of his slashing ability as much as possible in a system that prioritizes off-ball screens and movement along the wings. He needs to be constantly seeking out lanes to the hoop.
"Jimmy's an attack player," the former Iowa State signal-caller told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune after he was hired by the Bulls. "If you can get him the ball on the run, on the move, and attacking the basket with pace, it's an ideal system for him."
The identity of this team has now shifted dramatically. Under Tom Thibodeau, the Bulls were always going to be a grind-it-out squad that focused on defense, but Hoiberg's arrival promises quicker tempos, more points and increased levels of creativity on offense.
It could be time for Butler to keep shifting right along with it.
Maintaining an offensive focus won't prevent him from serving as one of the better wing defenders in professional basketball. He's talented enough to continue developing as a two-way player, especially because it'll be easier for him to expend energy on both sides after a year of adjusting to the increased offensive responsibilities.
As the years continue to roll on, it's tougher for Rose to turn back the clocks. The same is true of Gasol, whose lumbering and ball-dominant style of offensive basketball makes him more of a novelty item than a go-to option in Hoiberg's offense.
But Butler is a perfect fit.
The Case for Defense
For a while now, Butler has believed that he's the leader of this team's defense. At the end of April, he told as much to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times:
The numbers say I've scored the ball pretty well this year. I think I get stuck on that at times, to prove I can play on the offensive end instead of doing what got me to this point where I could prove I could play on the offensive end, which is defense.
I really do have to get back to it. I'm not saying it because the cameras are on me right now. I'm saying it because that's what it'll take to win. Somebody has to lead us defensively.He's right.
Chicago should be an offensively tilted organization during the 2015-16 campaign, but someone still has to set the tone on the defensive end. As talented as Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah are at protecting the painted area, it helps when there's a standout wing defender imbuing the rest of the troops with point-preventing energy and confidence. That's doubly true if the Bulls play small, letting Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic spend more time on the floor.
On the flip side, there are offensive weapons galore. Chicago has enough weapons to make the offense-by-committee approach work with flying colors, many of which would be various shades of red.
Even if Butler takes more of a backseat role, he's still going to thrive as a scorer. He's talented enough to produce in the natural flow of the system, coming off plenty of screens and attacking the hoop with his slashing ability while raining in some spot-up jumpers whenever a defense forgets about him.
Lest we forget, NBA.com's SportVU data showed that he finished in the 89.9 percentile as a spot-up player in 2014-15, giving him the best mark on the entire Bulls roster. Though players who spend possessions in constant motion, using screens and weaves through crowded areas to create space (see: Korver, Kyle), are the exceptions, those who spend more time waiting for feeds generally get to conserve energy for defense.
Though Butler could be the No. 1 offensive option in Chicago and is a perfect fit for Hoiberg's style, he's talented enough in this role that he can still capably fit it. Instead of taking over and picking that hill to climb, he should instead be willing to defer to the plethora of offensive options while showcasing the true extent of his Defensive Player of the Year-caliber stopping ability.
Rose, though he won't compete for MVP in 2015-16, can still run the show. Gasol is a tremendous option. Player such as Mirotic, McDermott and Tony Snell are on the rise, while Mike Dunleavy remains one of the Association's deadliest shooters.
As a result, Butler is most valuable to the Bulls if he takes on the toughest defensive assignment every night and still scores around 15 points per game in efficient fashion. Just because he can get 20 each time he steps onto the floor doesn't mean he needs to.
It's time for him to remember what got him into the league in the first place.
All stats, unless otherwise indicated, come from Basketball-Reference.com.
October issues for Cubs exposed in Game 1 loss to Pirates.
By Patrick Mooney
All these issues will be magnified in October.
The Cubs didn’t measure up to the Pittsburgh Pirates in this potential playoff preview, unraveling in the eighth inning of a 5-4 Game 1 loss and exposing their trouble spots during Tuesday’s doubleheader at PNC Park.
“There’s a lot of gifted runs in that game both ways,” manager Joe Maddon said afterward. “When you get to that latter part of the game, we have to do a better job of forcing the other team to beat us — as opposed to self-inflicted wounds.”
For all of their talented young hitters and good clubhouse vibes, the Cubs weren’t built as a defense-first team and that farm system hasn’t produced enough impact pitchers yet to diversify the bullpen.
The Pirates didn’t play a perfect game, but they quickly capitalized when Justin Grimm gave up a leadoff walk to Pedro Alvarez in the eighth inning.
Pinch-runner Pedro Florimon stole second base and hustled to third when Miguel Montero’s throw bounced past Starlin Castro into center field. That went down as an error for the veteran catcher and Florimon scored the go-ahead run on Starling Marte’s sacrifice fly.
“I’m beating myself,” Grimm said. “The other teams aren’t beating me. I’m beating myself.”
Just like that, the Cubs wasted the four runs they manufactured against Gerrit Cole, the stud right-hander lined up for the National League’s wild-card game on Oct. 7 (unless the Pirates catch the St. Louis Cardinals).
The Cubs have built a relentless American League-style lineup that will keep gathering intelligence on Cole, the No. 1 overall pick out of UCLA in the 2011 draft. Cole pitched into the seventh inning before turning the game over to Joakim Soria, who threw two wild pitches, allowing Castro and Tommy La Stella to score the game-tying runs.
But the Cubs know that power pitching plays in October, and they have question marks at the back of the rotation beyond Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta, not to mention a bullpen that’s been trying to cover up for those issues pretty much all season.
Jason Hammel appeared to be in trouble from the start, walking two batters and hitting another in a three-run first inning. Hammel walked off the mound with two outs in the fourth and the Cubs already trailing 4-1, not the way to begin a doubleheader against a team that’s 30 games over .500.
“Pretty embarrassing,” Hammel said. “It pisses me off. I’m a starter – set the tone – and I haven’t done it in awhile. I got to figure it out.
“What I’m doing right now isn’t acceptable. So I got to get to work and we’re running out of time. I take a lot of pride in my work and right now it’s not translating.
“Outstanding job with the guys to bounce back and make a game of it. But they’ve been doing that too often. I need to start pulling my own weight here.”
The Cubs built up enough of a cushion that they shouldn’t collapse down the stretch. But there will be nowhere to hide in a one-game playoff.
Grimm (3-5, 2.22 ERA) has been such a huge piece to this bullpen, a reason why the Cubs are positioned for the playoffs. But there’s always a price to be paid. The line from his last 10 appearances: 8.1 innings, 12 runs (6 earned), 8 hits, 8 walks.
“I just got to find my confidence and get my aggressiveness back,” Grimm said. “Right now, I’m just trying to finish out strong and then worry about October in October.”
This is nice for Cubs, but Jon Lester signed up to win World Series.
By Patrick Mooney
This is why the Cubs gave Jon Lester $155 million guaranteed — to pitch in big games, give their young players more confidence/attitude and ultimately lead this team into October.
Lester took care of business in Tuesday night’s 2-1 Game 2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, salvaging a split of this huge doubleheader at PNC Park. He pumped his fist at the end of this complete-game performance — and then quickly came down from the emotional high by the time reporters surrounded his locker.
Sure, this is nice. The Cubs reduced their playoff magic number to 12 and stayed within four games of the Pirates for home-field advantage in the National League’s wild-card game. But Lester earned two championship rings with the Boston Red Sox, so in terms of expectations for the first season of this six-year deal megadeal ...
“When I signed here, I envisioned winning a World Series,” Lester said. “Not just playing September baseball. Hopefully, we can get to that point and we can talk about that a little more.”
That looks more realistic when the Cubs have Lester or Jake Arrieta on the mound, a 1-2 playoff punch that might be as good as any other combination in the game.
Manager Joe Maddon noticed Lester still throwing 94 mph in the eighth inning, and the lefty got Andrew McCutchen and Aramis Ramirez to swing at first pitches in the ninth for two quick outs. Lester froze Francisco Cervelli with a 94-mph fastball — his 111th pitch — to end the game with his ninth strikeout.
“This is what he does,” Maddon said. “He likes pitching in big games in the latter part of the season. It’s not a surprise.”
In the moment, the Cubs (83-61) needed Lester (10-10, 3.38 ERA) to give the bullpen a break and stop a three-game losing streak. Big picture, the franchise needed someone to anchor the rotation and set an example for being a professional and handling the big stage.
“(I) prepare the same way (for) an April start as I do in September or October,” Lester said. “If there’s a magic formula or whatever, I think everybody would try to share that with all your teammates. I don’t know. I always feel better the second half of the year, both with stuff and physically.”
Since Lester’s issues with throwing over to first baseman Anthony Rizzo and controlling the running game have been so publicized, it’s only fair to also mention that he initiated a 1-3-4-3 to pick off Starling Marte, ending the third inning.
“He picked himself off,” Lester said. “He tried to sneak one, and the infield did a good job (with) that rundown. He’s such a good athlete. He can turn and move and he’s fast.
“As far as other teams and all that stuff and all the other things that have gone on this year, I’m not too concerned about it. I’ll continue to try to vary my looks and holds.
"And I may surprise you guys one day with just like an Andy Pettitte move over there — and maybe surprise Rizz a little bit, too.”
Lester doesn’t appear to get defensive or too stressed out, and the Cubs also looked much sharper defensively in Game 2, whether it was Kris Bryant crashing into the right-field wall to make a leaping catch or shortstop Addison Russell gliding to his left and flipping the ball to Starlin Castro to start a key double play that limited the Pirates to one run in the seventh inning or Javier Baez seemingly getting to everything over at third base.
That’s what the Cubs will need if they return to this beautiful waterfront stadium on Oct. 7 in a win-or-else situation. Arrieta and Lester can take it from there.
Oakland rocks Jeff Samardzija, White Sox in double-digit loss.
By Dan Hayes
Leury Garcia and Alexei Ramirez both pitched for the White Sox on Tuesday night.
Should give you an idea how things went for Jeff Samardzija.
In the midst of an already difficult season, Samardzija was rocked for a career-high 10 runs in three-plus innings and the White Sox were trounced by the Oakland A’s, 17-6, at U.S. Cellular Field. Garcia and Ramirez each threw a scoreless inning as the White Sox pitched two position players in the same game for only the second time in club history and first since 1902.
“It's been tough, especially it's tough to do when you've got your position players out there pitching on the day you start,” Samardzija said. “It doesn't feel good and it's not what you want.”
Garcia and Ramirez provided levity to an otherwise awful day for the White Sox.
Consider: Jose Abreu reached base four times in four trips and both Ramirez and Melky Cabrera hit their 10th home runs and none of it mattered.
Samardzija (9-13) made it all moot.
He walked two of the first four batters he faced to load the bases en route to surrendering five first-inning runs.
And it only got worse.
Samardzija, who allowed nine runs three previous times, including twice this season, faced 10 batters in the first inning. The White Sox scored twice in the bottom of the first but Eric Sogard’s RBI triple in the third gave Oakland a 6-2 lead.
Then the A’s began to pour it on.
They sent 15 men to the plate against Samardzija and Daniel Webb in the fourth inning and scored 10 times to take a 14-run lead.
Samardzija was showered with boos as he exited after he allowed 11 hits and walked three in three-plus innings. The outing raised his earned-run average from 4.89 to 5.27.
“It's got to be command,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “It's going to come down to command and being able to spot, throw strikes, all that stuff. I mean that's what it comes down to.
“He's going out competing. The results aren't there but as far as focus and being in the moment and pitching, he's doing that. It's just not going well. That’s a fact.”
With both Samardzija and Sunday’s starter Chris Sale only recording nine outs each, and a 14-inning game in between, Ventura needed a yeoman’s effort from his bullpen.
But Webb only recorded an out as he allowed six runs (four earned) and Zach Putnam, Nate Jones and Matt Albers could only get the White Sox through the seventh inning. Ventura turned to Garcia, who pitched last season, for the eighth and Ramirez in the ninth.
“You really don't like doing that,” Ventura said. “The way the bullpen was the last few days, we're very light out there. Leury has done it before, Alexei is probably the best equipped to throw strikes and make the best of a bad situation.”
Garcia’s scoreless inning was his second career appearance. He struck out one and gave up a hit and a hit a batter.
Ramirez allowed a hit, hit a batter and shook off Geovany Soto in his pitching debut.
“It wasn’t the ideal situation for the team,” Ramirez said through an interpreter. “But because of the score and the situation, I just talked with Robin and said, ‘Hey, if you need someone to pitch, I can do it.’ Yeah, I enjoyed it. It was very special. I have to thank him for the opportunity. It was something that I always liked to do and I could do it today. I enjoyed it.”
Golf: I got a club for that..... Power rankings: BMW Championship.
By Ryan Ballengee
The back half of the FedEx Cup playoffs kick off on Thursday with the BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club just north of Chicago. This venue hosts again after a year off so Cherry Hills could show off for a year.
Last time the BMW was here, Zach Johnson won despite Jim Furyk shooting 59 and holding the 36-hole lead.
Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Deutsche Bank Championship winner Rickie Fowler are the top three in the remaining field of 70, which will be cut to just 30 for the Tour Championship after this week. The top five in the standings going into East Lake in Atlanta can win the FedEx Cup with a Tour Championship victory.
Here are our top five players this week:
1. Jason Day -- Day looked like a tired man at TPC Boston, where his streak of 22 consecutive rounds at par or better on the PGA Tour came to an end. He still finished T-12. He was T-4 at Conway Farms in 2013. A week off should be a big help.
2. Henrik Stenson -- Stenson may have crapped the bed on the 70th hole of the Deutsche Bank, but he's played pretty flawless golf throughout the first two playoff events. When he plays this way, he makes a ton of birdies. However, the catch is that the last time he played here in 2013, he snapped his driver in two.
3. Rickie Fowler -- How does Fowler go from off the radar to third? Winning. We've seen he doesn't always have a carry-over from a win to his next start (see the Scottish and British Opens), but if he's in it, he's in it to win it.
4. Jordan Spieth -- Good news, Spieth loyalists! He's guaranteed four rounds this week. Spieth tends to get over poor performances pretty quickly, but four bad rounds in a row, leading to two missed cuts, is a concern.
5. Rory McIlroy -- McIlroy made his playoff debut at the Deutsche Bank, and, as expected, it looked rusty. His putting was atrocious. If he can make the adjustment and see the lines well at Conway Farms, McIlroy should have a good week.
Refreshed Spieth ready to rebound from 'two bad weeks'.
By Mark Lamport-Stokes, Editing by Frank Pingue
Jordan Spieth goes into this week's BMW Championship after missing consecutive cuts for the first time in his remarkable career but, far from being concerned, he puts that down to simply "two bad weeks".
The Masters and U.S. Open champion has made the most of extra time off following his early exit from the Deutsche Bank Championship 10 days ago and pronounced himself rejuvenated with his game "in a solid state" for Thursday's opening round.
"Everything feels normal, everything is on point," world number two Spieth told reporters at Conway Farms Golf Club on Tuesday while preparing for the third of the PGA Tour's four lucrative playoff events.
"My game is in a solid state right now. It's in a state where I can certainly shoot into double digits under par, and I believe that.
"I just had two bad weeks," he said of his missed cuts at The Barclays and Deutsche Bank Championship. "Just leave it at that. You're just not going to make every single cut. You're going to have two bad days in a row every now and then."
Regarded as one of the game's best putters, Spieth struggled on the greens in the first two playoff events but believes he is now back to his best after mixing up his time off with much needed rest and a lot of practice.
Regarded as one of the game's best putters, Spieth struggled on the greens in the first two playoff events but believes he is now back to his best after mixing up his time off with much needed rest and a lot of practice.
"I feel very confident about where I'm at right this second," said the 22-year-old American. "I rested a lot. I got a lot of work in this past week, took some time off.
"It's just a matter of getting it rolling, get into a groove and starting to see some putts go in and get an under-par round started so that I can settle in a little easier."
Spieth will play the first two rounds at Conway Farms in the company of FedExCup points leader Jason Day of Australia and third-placed American Rickie Fowler.
Regardless of Spieth's form this week, he will not suffer the ignominy of a third consecutive missed cut as every player in the elite field of 70 will play all four rounds.
"There's no cut," grinned Spieth, who sits second in the FedExCup standings. "I'm happy to be checking into my hotel, and when they ask what day I'm checking out, I can say, 'I'm checking out on Sunday.' It's nice."
Regardless of Spieth's form this week, he will not suffer the ignominy of a third consecutive missed cut as every player in the elite field of 70 will play all four rounds.
"There's no cut," grinned Spieth, who sits second in the FedExCup standings. "I'm happy to be checking into my hotel, and when they ask what day I'm checking out, I can say, 'I'm checking out on Sunday.' It's nice."
Jason Day finds the missing piece.
By DOUG FERGUSON
Two wins in seven years on the PGA Tour doesn't compute for a player with the talent and work ethic of Jason Day. It was simple enough to attribute his slow start to injuries, and that would be accurate with one stipulation.
It wasn't all physical.
The most fragile part of his body might have been between the ears.
''I always thought I had the skills to play and win at the highest level and be competitive,'' Day said. ''But mentally, I think the last piece of the puzzle was to really believe. I mean, it's easy to say, 'Just go ahead and believe in yourself.' But how do you believe in yourself when you don't know what to believe in? That was the hardest part for me.''
The 27-year-old Australian seems to have figured it out.
A weakness has become a strength, and Day is becoming a force in the new era of golf.
His victory at The Barclays to start the PGA Tour's postseason was his second in a row and fourth of the year. It not only moved Day to No. 1 in the FedEx Cup, but it also put him in position to reach No. 1 in the world. Day still has to navigate past Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, which won't be easy, though he is getting closer. Instead of having to win this week at Conway Farms, a runner-up finish might be enough to reach the top.
And to think it all started with what looked like another failure.
Day had a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole at St. Andrews to join the playoff and he left it short. It was his second straight major with a share of the 54-hole lead. It was another close call. Only this time, frustration gave way to a sense of peace.
''All those major championships I lost, it was built-up scar tissue,'' Day said. ''Scar tissue can be bad. But it can also heal and be good for you. No matter what happened that whole week, I felt calm. I didn't play flawless golf, but I didn't make mistakes. There was no stress. I was patient with myself. No matter what happened, I was letting it unfold and not forcing the issue.''
That was different from how he felt when was runner-up at the Masters in 2011, and at Augusta National two years later when he had a two-shot lead standing on the 16th tee and finished two shots out of a playoff, or when he bogeyed the last hole at Merion and finished two shots behind.
''I had confidence, but I didn't have the 'I'm going to go out there and beat everyone here' confidence,'' Day said.
Spieth was surprised to hear Day didn't truly believe he could be the best until this summer. Spieth saw the full potential of Day at Whistling Straits, when they played together in the final round and Spieth could never catch up.
''I would argue Jason believed in himself every time he stepped on the first tee,'' Spieth said. ''I think maybe he just had a bit of doubts as it got into the heat on the last round ... where at certain times he'd just have a little bit of self-doubt for tiny stretches. And if you do that, you're not going to win the tournament. So for him to say he just started truly believing in himself around July, I would argue a player of his caliber has that self-belief all the time. He just may have lost it here and there.
''Now, he doesn't lose it.''
Players go through hot streaks all the time. What separates great players is being able to sustain it.
That's what Spieth has done this year, and pretty much all three of his years on tour. Spieth has four wins, including two majors. He has 10 other top-10 finishes, which make his consecutive missed cuts startling, but little more than that. Adam Scott began his climb to No. 1 in the world a year ago by making sure he was a regular on the leaderboard at just about every event. McIlroy still has a few valleys, though his peaks are bordering on Mt. Everest. And that's where Day is headed. All because he finally figured out how to combine a little self-belief with his powerful swing and relentless work habits.
''I feel like everything is a lot clearer to me,'' Day said. ''As a junior and an amateur, I'd walk onto the putting greens and feel like I was the guy to beat. And it took me a long time to really try and feel that way. Obviously, I'm not saying that I feel that way all the time here, but especially when I was playing some really good golf at the PGA, The Barclays, I felt like I was the guy to beat.''
''That's the mentality I have to get to all the time,'' he said. ''And I think once I get to that, then I'll be a lot more consistent.''
It wasn't all physical.
The most fragile part of his body might have been between the ears.
''I always thought I had the skills to play and win at the highest level and be competitive,'' Day said. ''But mentally, I think the last piece of the puzzle was to really believe. I mean, it's easy to say, 'Just go ahead and believe in yourself.' But how do you believe in yourself when you don't know what to believe in? That was the hardest part for me.''
The 27-year-old Australian seems to have figured it out.
A weakness has become a strength, and Day is becoming a force in the new era of golf.
His victory at The Barclays to start the PGA Tour's postseason was his second in a row and fourth of the year. It not only moved Day to No. 1 in the FedEx Cup, but it also put him in position to reach No. 1 in the world. Day still has to navigate past Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, which won't be easy, though he is getting closer. Instead of having to win this week at Conway Farms, a runner-up finish might be enough to reach the top.
And to think it all started with what looked like another failure.
Day had a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole at St. Andrews to join the playoff and he left it short. It was his second straight major with a share of the 54-hole lead. It was another close call. Only this time, frustration gave way to a sense of peace.
''All those major championships I lost, it was built-up scar tissue,'' Day said. ''Scar tissue can be bad. But it can also heal and be good for you. No matter what happened that whole week, I felt calm. I didn't play flawless golf, but I didn't make mistakes. There was no stress. I was patient with myself. No matter what happened, I was letting it unfold and not forcing the issue.''
That was different from how he felt when was runner-up at the Masters in 2011, and at Augusta National two years later when he had a two-shot lead standing on the 16th tee and finished two shots out of a playoff, or when he bogeyed the last hole at Merion and finished two shots behind.
''I had confidence, but I didn't have the 'I'm going to go out there and beat everyone here' confidence,'' Day said.
Spieth was surprised to hear Day didn't truly believe he could be the best until this summer. Spieth saw the full potential of Day at Whistling Straits, when they played together in the final round and Spieth could never catch up.
''I would argue Jason believed in himself every time he stepped on the first tee,'' Spieth said. ''I think maybe he just had a bit of doubts as it got into the heat on the last round ... where at certain times he'd just have a little bit of self-doubt for tiny stretches. And if you do that, you're not going to win the tournament. So for him to say he just started truly believing in himself around July, I would argue a player of his caliber has that self-belief all the time. He just may have lost it here and there.
''Now, he doesn't lose it.''
Players go through hot streaks all the time. What separates great players is being able to sustain it.
That's what Spieth has done this year, and pretty much all three of his years on tour. Spieth has four wins, including two majors. He has 10 other top-10 finishes, which make his consecutive missed cuts startling, but little more than that. Adam Scott began his climb to No. 1 in the world a year ago by making sure he was a regular on the leaderboard at just about every event. McIlroy still has a few valleys, though his peaks are bordering on Mt. Everest. And that's where Day is headed. All because he finally figured out how to combine a little self-belief with his powerful swing and relentless work habits.
''I feel like everything is a lot clearer to me,'' Day said. ''As a junior and an amateur, I'd walk onto the putting greens and feel like I was the guy to beat. And it took me a long time to really try and feel that way. Obviously, I'm not saying that I feel that way all the time here, but especially when I was playing some really good golf at the PGA, The Barclays, I felt like I was the guy to beat.''
''That's the mentality I have to get to all the time,'' he said. ''And I think once I get to that, then I'll be a lot more consistent.''
NASCAR: Power Rankings: (In)accurately predicting the results of the 2015 Chase.
By Nick Bromberg
16. Paul Menard: Welcome to the Chase, Paul. We think you're going to finish last. Actually, we think someone is going to do what Ryan Newman did and get to Homestead without being at threat to win in the first nine races. Menard could be that guy, but he's going to have to be a steroided-out version of 2014 Newman. Menard has just four top-10 finishes this year.
15. Clint Bowyer: How fun would it be if a late spin in an elimination race helps Clint Bowyer and he makes it to the next round because of it? We'd laugh. And it'd be sure to incite the black helicopter set. Michael Waltrip Racing has had some races where Bowyer has fought a lemon of a car. If he gets one of those in the first three races, he could be out early. What happens first, Bowyer is eliminated or he announces where he's driving in 2016?
14. Jamie McMurray: Welcome to the Chase, Jamie. Can you find some more speed? McMurray has seven top-10 finishes and will probably need five or so to have any hope in the Chase. McMurray has been really good at avoiding terrible finishes this year – the bad ones plagued his 2014 – and that's a good strategy to get in the Chase. But is there going to be more speed for the final 10 races?
13. Ryan Newman: When the apocalypse hits the NASCAR planet, the roaches will be scurrying about the demolition searching for scraps and doing other roach-like things. The bugs will think they are the only things left in the NASCAR earth but will wonder what the rumbling is below them. The dirt underneath their feet will slowly crack. And rise up. What the heck is going on? It's Newman, the last driver standing, emerging from his bunker via his Caterpillar excavation equipment.
12. Martin Truex Jr.: So what's the real Truex in 2015? The driver and team that had 14 top-10 finishes in the first 15 races or the one that's had three top-10 finishes in the last 11 races? As with everything, the answer is probably something in the middle. If you believe that momentum is a concept that exists in racing (and if it does, it may be a bit overrated), then Truex doesn't really have it right now. If you believe that the 2015 rules package means Truex is a contender, well, you're pointing to the first part of the season and placing your bets.
11. Jeff Gordon: Yes, the biggest and best storyline for the popularity of the Homestead race is Gordon being a part of the final four. We're not going to sit here and say that the possibility of Gordon racing for the title in south Florida is impossible, just that it seems unlikely. The No. 24 is going to have to go on a Tony Stewart-type run to make it happen. Can you imagine the frenzy if he did?
10. Carl Edwards: Spoiler alert, we're not picking all four Joe Gibbs Racing cars to make the final four at Homestead. Given the randomness of the Chase format, such an event seems incredibly unlikely. The odds favor one or more of JGR's team's suffering an issue in the first couple rounds that puts the team in a serious points hole. We hate to pick on Edwards, but he's been the slowest of the four drivers over the entire season.
9. Kurt Busch: This guy has had just as much speed as his teammate, who we'll get to in a bit. He just hasn't had the consistency that Kevin Harvick has had. It wouldn't be surprising at all if Busch wins a race or two in the Chase and that would give him a big boost over where we have him slotted right now. We're also fairly comfortable saying that no matter what happens on-track for Busch in the Chase, his 2015 Chase is probably going to be a little less dramatic than last year's.
8. Denny Hamlin: If Hamlin is eliminated before the final race we don't envision him getting out of the car to have ACL surgery. The only real benefit would be if he's out of the Chase in the first round and has an extra seven weeks to rehab vs. maybe two or three. And we don't think that's going to happen either. Mark us down for a prediction that Hamlin is going to win at New Hampshire.
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Remember when there was fretting about Junior's Chase prospects with a new crew chief? Kinda seems like a long time ago, doesn't it? Right now the biggest question for the No. 88 seems to be on pit road. Junior should be fast, and if he can make it to Talladega he should be in good shape. While he crashed there last year, his Chase hopes were virtually gone because he hit the wall at Kansas.
6. Brad Keselowski: The Penske cars are the class of the "non-JGR" field right now, so expect both Keselowski and Logano to be contenders to the end. Can both of them get into the final round? Of course, but for team diversity's sake we took one and basically flipped a coin. Sorry Brad. If it's any consolation, we know these predictions will likely be wrong anyway.
5. Matt Kenseth: The No. 20 is on a roll. Hopefully Kenseth doesn't get PTSD flashbacks when he heads to Phoenix if he's still alive in the Chase at that point. If Kenseth does win the Chase, he'd become only the second driver to have a championship in both the season-long and Chase formats. And hey, maybe he'd inspire yet another set of changes to the way NASCAR decides its champion.
4. Kyle Busch: Here we go. We've gotten to the final four. What defines success for Kyle Busch in the Chase? While the it's clear that a championship is the ultimate goal, does being in contention at the end mean something given Busch's past Chase failures? Or is it win and that's basically it? And can you make the argument that Busch's season is already a success given what happened in February?
3. Joey Logano: One spot higher for Logano this year? If he's in contention at Homestead we don't know how many times that last pit stop in 2014 will be going through his head. Probably too many to count. Logano is going to win a championship soon. it could be this year. It could be 2020. But we're confident that Logano is going to keep putting himself in a position to roll the dice.
2. Jimmie Johnson: Hey, Johnson is sticking with Hendrick for 2016 and 2017. We're incredibly stunned like you are. And yeah, yeah, yeah the Hendrick cars aren't the fastest ones on track right now. But are you really going to let that count out Johnson? When you've got a guy who has more Chase titles (6) than everyone else combined (4) you really can't bet against him getting to the final race.
1. Kevin Harvick: But we're not picking Johnson for his seventh title. We're going with Harvick, who has been the strongest driver throughout the course of the 2015 season. He's got 22 top-10 finishes in the first 26 races, which puts him on pace for eight or nine top-10s in the Chase. And of his four not-top 10s, only one has come without an issue (crash at Bristol, cut tire at Michigan, engine at Pocono). That race was at Richmond on Saturday, when Harvick finished 14th.
SOCCER: Champions League roundup: Manchester stumbles as Spanish sides cruise.
By Kyle Lynch
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
On the opening night of group play in the UEFA Champions League, it was tough sledding for the Manchester clubs as both City and United stumbled out of the gate. Below is a recap of all the action from around Europe.
Manchester City 1-2 Juventus — MORE
Manchester City has yet to lose and Juventus has yet to win in league play, but none of that mattered today in the Champions League as the Citizens fell 2-1 at home. City led with 20 minutes to play, but late goals from Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata buried Pellegrini’s men in a stunning result, as Manchester City’s struggles in Europe continue.
Another Manchester club that led 1-0 but fell 2-1 is United, as Louis Van Gaal‘s men were defeated by the defending Dutch champions. Memphis Depay gave the Red Devils the lead with a pretty goal against his former club, but PSV climbed back in front of a raucous home crowd to dampen United’s return to the Champions League. Making things even worse, Luke Shaw suffered a broken leg and will likely miss the rest of the season for United.
Real Madrid 4-0 Shakhtar Donetsk — MORE
Real Madrid 4-0 Shakhtar Donetsk — MORE
Cristiano Ronaldo…ever heard of him? After scoring five goals over the weekend in Real’s La Liga match, Ronaldo took it easy today and scored just a hat trick in a 4-0 win over Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk. Karim Benzema opened the scoring for Real, and after Shakhtar was sent to ten men, Ronaldo buried three more. Ronaldo’s performance temporarily broke his tie with Lionel Messi as the leading goal scorer in Champions League history with 80 goals.
Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Malmo
Angel di Maria scored his first goal for PSG in the fourth minute as the Parisians cruised to a comfortable win over Swedish champions Malmo. Di Maria’s tally was his first club goal since January, when he scored for Manchester United against Yeovil Town. Edinson Cavani added another after the break, but circle the date for the return leg in Malmo. Zlatan Ibrahimovic will travel back to his homeland to the club where he started his professional career.
Galatasaray 0-2 Atletico Madrid
Atletico survived a tricky trip to Turkey as an Antoine Greizmann brace led his side to a 2-0 win over Galatasaray. The French international scored both his goals in less than ten minutes in the first half, and Diego Simeone’s side held off some late pressure from the Turkish hosts.
Sevilla 3-0 Borussia Monchengladbach
Sevilla completed a perfect day for Spanish sides, as teams from La Liga went a perfect three-for-three on the opening day of group play. Monchengladbach has gotten off to a brutal start in the Bundesliga with four losses through four matches, and their losing ways continued in a poor performance in Seville. Sevilla had three penalties in the match, with Kevin Gameiro scoring his first and hitting the crossbar on his second before Ever Benega buried the third attempt. Yevhen Konoplyanka would add an insurance goal late in the match.
Wolfsburg 1-0 CSKA Moscow
Julian Draxler was brought to Wolfsburg to replace Kevin De Bruyne, and the speedy winger scored his first goal for the club today, which ended up being the game winner against CSKA Moscow. Moscow has been dominant domestically as they sit atop the Russian Premier League, but failed to create many chances against their German opposition.
Benfica 2-0 Astana
Kazakhstan’s FC Astana was one of the surprise team’s to make it this far, becoming the first side from Kazakhstan to reach the Champions League group stage. However, their debut didn’t go as planned as Portuguese champions Benfica took all three points with a 2-0 win. It was far from convincing from Benfica, but a win was expected from Rui Vitoria’s side as Astana should struggle to take any points in Group C.
Wednesday’s UCL schedule
Chelsea vs. Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Dinamo Zagreb vs. Arsenal
Roma vs. Barcelona
Olympiacos vs. Bayern Munich
Bayer Leverkusen vs. BATE Borisov
Dynamo Kyiv vs. Porto
Valencia vs. Zenit St. Petersburg
Gent vs. Lyon
Dinamo Zagreb vs. Arsenal
Roma vs. Barcelona
Olympiacos vs. Bayern Munich
Bayer Leverkusen vs. BATE Borisov
Dynamo Kyiv vs. Porto
Valencia vs. Zenit St. Petersburg
Gent vs. Lyon
All matches scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET kickoff
College soccer update: Sept. 15.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo/unhwildcats.com)
Last year at this time New Hampshire had played six games, and boasted as many wins as goals: two.
This year they haven’t lost, and have scored at least two in each of their five games in a 4-0-1 start under new coach and Durham native son Marc Hubbard, who moved from nearby Southern New Hampshire University in the offseason.
And the team is not getting ahead of itself.
“The biggest message is that we’re taking small strides and we’re not reading into this too much,” Hubbard said. “We’re trying to put ourselves in a position to be as healthy as possible during conference time. We haven’t accomplished anything yet.”
This despite a late hire which limited recruiting, so the Wildcats are hot out the gates with mostly the same crew that finish under .500 last year.
Hubbard lauds his upperclassmen for their role in the early success. A lot of teams see their leadership group struggle under a new coach, who embraces his recruits while planning for the future.
Instead, Hubbard’s getting yeoman’s work from senior Lukas Goerigk, redshirt senior Jimmy Petrucelli and junior midfielder Chris Wingate, the latter a slick and technical midfielder who brings plenty to the engine room. And 6-foot-2 senior Ben Ramin has three goals on the season, including a brace while tripling his production from three previous years spent between Syracuse and New Hampshire.
“We’re happy with the start obviously, but we have a long way to go not only within the season but within this program and where we want to be in a few years,” Hubbard said. “These guys are certainly laying good framework and foundation but we have a long way to go,”
We’ve noticed. And we wouldn’t rule out a run in America East play come October.
Three stars
1. We told you to keep an eye for Georgia native Daniel Johnson‘s goal for Louisville against Kentucky last week. The junior transfer from Maryland played his youth ball at West Ham, and he took a gift off a Kentucky giveaway, belting a bending shot home. Check it above, about a half-minute into the video.
2. New Mexico (3-1-1) — Jeremy Fishbein’s team has one blemish on its record, a loss to then-No. 1 UCLA, and Chris Wehan has goals in four-straight. The superstar midfielder belies his 5-foot-9 on the pitch, and has twice registered 7 shots in a game this year.
3. Bradley Farias, Campbell — After scoring nine goals as a freshman on a 5-13 team last season, the Florida native helped the Camels to a pair of wins this weekend with a combined three goals and two assists. He has five on the year, and also netted against NC State in exhibition season.
Other notes
- No.2 ranked Notre Dame looked good in shutting out No. 9 Clemson to kick off ACC play this weekend. The Irish puts its season-long shutout streak on the line against Xavier tonight.
- No. 1 Creighton proved there isn’t a hex on the No.1 ranking by heading to East Lansing and knocking off Michigan State 1-0.
- We have new national leaders in goals and assists, as Bowling Green’s Pat Flynn is proving last year wasn’t a fluke by netting eight goals already this season, while American University’s Liam Robley paces all playmakers with eight assists.
- Shout out to Elon University, which is up to No. 20 in the national rankings.
- Your No. 1 ranked teams in the NSCAA poll? On the men’s side, along with Creighton are reigning champs in D-2 Lynn, D-3 Tufts. For the ladies, it’s Virginia, Barry and Lynchburg.
NCAAFB: Northwestern-Duke Preview.
AP Sports
Duke is letting its play on the field do the talking against No. 23 Northwestern - preferably in the end zone.
The Wildcats (2-0) are one of four teams yet to allow a touchdown. After they shut out an FCS team, one of their players said he expects to do it again this week.
After last week's 41-0 rout of Eastern Illinois, Wildcats defensive lineman Ifeadi Odenigbo told the Chicago Tribune, "We expect to have a shutout next week."
Duke (2-0) has averaged 46.0 points in routs of two outmanned teams, and ranks ninth nationally with 592 yards per game.
Tight end Braxton Deaver said Tuesday that the Blue Devils ''don't listen to stuff like that'' but added, ''We're going to execute and we're going to put points on the board.''
The Blue Devils were already aware of the comments made by Odenigbo but took the high road in responding to them, though they did elicit a few tweets in response from running back Shaun Wilson.
He called Odenigbo's strong words ''a gamble'' and advised him to ''mean what you say and say what you mean.''
Coach David Cutcliffe defused the possibility of a trash-talk battle, saying this is a case of ''two guys that are proud of their programs.''
Deaver said ''if I played defense for the other team, I'd probably say the same thing.
''I'm not going to walk up to (Odenigbo) and say, 'Hey, what are you talking about?''' Deaver added. ''It's one of those things where we're going to line up, we're going to see the plays called, we're going to execute and we're going to get in the end zone.''
Quarterback Thomas Sirk, who ranks sixth nationally with 379.0 total yards per game, is coming off a four-touchdown game - three passing, one rushing - against N.C. Central. He said the Blue Devils aren't focusing on what the Wildcats say - but how they play.
Northwestern has the nation's third-best defense, allowing 189 yards per game. The Wildcats rank fourth nationally in scoring defense, allowing only a pair of field goals in a 16-6 win over then-No. 21 Stanford in the opener, then followed that with their rout of Eastern Illinois.
It's the first time Northwestern held consecutive opponents without a touchdown since 1958, and marked the Wildcats' first shutout since beating Northeastern in 2007.
Cutcliffe said he included Northwestern on his ballot in the coaches' poll because ''they have earned their opportunity to be ranked.''
The Wildcats received no votes in the preseason AP poll before springing into the rankings after two impressive wins.
"Three weeks ago, I think the only thing written (about them) was negative," coach Pat Fitzgerald said of his players. "I asked them (then) not to focus on those distractions. I'd ask them to do the same thing (now). The only thing that matters ranking-wise is how you rank against your best self."
For the Blue Devils, a victory might be enough to put them back in the Top 25. They cracked the rankings in each of the past two seasons.
''It's one of those things where, they execute really well, we execute really well,'' Deaver said. ''Which playmakers are going to step up and make the plays? That's going to be the difference.''
Though the matchup between Northwestern's defense and Duke's offense figures to draw the most attention, the other side of the ball will also see a battle of wills. The Wildcats rank 12th nationally with 284.5 rushing yards per game, while Duke has limited its opponents to 39.5 to rank second. Five Northwestern players tallied career-high rushing totals against Eastern Illinois, not including starting tailback Justin Jackson, who has 212 yards through two games.
These schools have split 16 meetings with Northwestern winning eight of the last 10, including a 24-20 road victory in the most recent Sept. 6, 2008.
Mississippi-Alabama Preview
By DAVID BRANDT & JOHN ZENOR
Mississippi has put up offensive numbers even a video game whiz would envy. Alabama hasn't broken too much of a sweat in its first two games either.
The Southeastern Conference Western Division powers have coasted into league play without a stumble, unlike some of their brethren. Now, the second-ranked Crimson Tide hosts the 15th-ranked Rebels on Saturday night in a rematch with the one regular-season opponent who beat 'Bama a year ago.
Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly hasn't been in the SEC long. He watched that 2014 meeting at a Mexican restaurant in Meridian, Mississippi, as a junior college player.
Nobody has to enlighten him on the significance, though.
"This is where you make the money," Kelly, who was also recruited by Alabama, said on Monday. "This is where it counts."
The winner's payoff is one step forward in the cannibalistic West where Arkansas has lost to Toledo and Auburn barely beat FCS Jacksonville State.
Losing, well, that's no fun anywhere — particularly in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
"It sucks, big time," Tide cornerback Cyrus Jones said. "That's all I can say. I hate losing more than I love winning. I think that's just the mindset around here. It's definitely not something you want to experience."
The must-win games even in a division where all seven teams were ranked a week ago won't necessarily come until later in the season. Alabama, after all, rebounded from last year's loss to win the SEC title.
This might be the first real indicator of how good these teams really are.
Ole Miss is off to a recording-setting offensive start, becoming the first SEC team to score at least 73 points in back-to-back games.
The caveat is a doozy: The Rebels beat UT Martin and Fresno State while putting up those numbers. Those aren't exactly football superpowers.
Alabama represents a Bryant-Denny Stadium-sized step up in competition.
"I think we have a confident football team right now that believes it can win," Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. "I believe we can win. But I also know you can lose these games because you're playing a really good team."
The Tide so far has handled Wisconsin and run away from Middle Tennessee.
History is on 'Bama's side.
Ole Miss has lost the last 12 visits to Alabama and had dropped 10 straight in the series before last year's 23-17 win.
Rebels fans stormed the field in a wild celebration after watching their team rally with two fourth-quarter touchdowns and a last-minute Senquez Golson interception in the end zone.
Alabama players profess to have a short memory, even though they've lost only four regular-season games in as many seasons.
Asked for his recollections from the game, Tide defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson said: "Nothing, really, to be honest. It's last year. New year."
Kelly, who's leading the nation in passing efficiency, will be in the middle of the madness this time, not enjoying chips and salsa.
He said the Rebels' impressive offensive start has built confidence, even if the competition has been weak.
"We understand how good we can be if we're all on the same page," Kelly said. "That's what I think is more important."
Never mind the crazy offensive numbers. Alabama coach Nick Saban also believes Robert Nkemdiche and the Rebels have one of the SEC's best defenses, producing three touchdowns on that side of the ball.
"If you're a great competitor you love to play in games like this," Saban said. "This is certainly going to offer as many challenges as anyone could hope for as a competitor."
Or, in Kelly's parlance, it's where you make your money.
Ole Miss has lost the last 12 visits to Alabama and had dropped 10 straight in the series before last year's 23-17 win.
Rebels fans stormed the field in a wild celebration after watching their team rally with two fourth-quarter touchdowns and a last-minute Senquez Golson interception in the end zone.
Alabama players profess to have a short memory, even though they've lost only four regular-season games in as many seasons.
Asked for his recollections from the game, Tide defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson said: "Nothing, really, to be honest. It's last year. New year."
Kelly, who's leading the nation in passing efficiency, will be in the middle of the madness this time, not enjoying chips and salsa.
He said the Rebels' impressive offensive start has built confidence, even if the competition has been weak.
"We understand how good we can be if we're all on the same page," Kelly said. "That's what I think is more important."
Never mind the crazy offensive numbers. Alabama coach Nick Saban also believes Robert Nkemdiche and the Rebels have one of the SEC's best defenses, producing three touchdowns on that side of the ball.
"If you're a great competitor you love to play in games like this," Saban said. "This is certainly going to offer as many challenges as anyone could hope for as a competitor."
Or, in Kelly's parlance, it's where you make your money.
NCAABKB: Duke has the best chance of success over the next five years.
By Gary Parrish
There are preseason rankings for the 2015-16 season readily available -- including right here. And it's never too hard to find a list of college basketball's historically great programs. But which schools are best positioned, at this moment, to succeed over the next five years?
That's a more complex list to create -- if only because it's rooted in long-term projections.
Is the coaching situation solid?
What kind of young players are enrolled now?
Is recruiting headed in the right direction or not?
Here at CBSSports.com we decided to have some fun this week and tackle these questions from a variety of angles. So I got with my colleagues Matt Norlander, Chip Patterson and Sam Vecenie, and together we tried to identify three things:
1. The 15 programs best positioned to succeed over the next five years.
2. The program best positioned to succeed in each state over the next five years.
3. The 10 states best positioned to have the best basketball over the next five years.
So let's get started with the opening installment of this three-part series ...
The 15 programs best positioned to succeed over the next five years:
1. DUKE BLUE DEVILSOutlook: Those closest to Mike Krzyzewski, five years ago, mostly seemed to believe the end was relatively near, that the Hall of Fame coach might step away after the 2016 Summer Olympics and call it a career. But now almost nobody thinks the iconic figure is close to retirement, and you can reasonably argue his program has never been in better shape. The Blue Devils are coming off of a national championship, somewhat reloaded already and likely to eventually sign the nation's top-ranked recruiting class in 2016. Simply put, things are rolling right now. And, if you're wondering, all four of us ranked Duke No. 1 for this list.
2. KENTUCKY WILDCATSOutlook: One of the only programs that could reasonably be placed ahead of Duke is Kentucky, and for all the obvious reasons. The Wildcats have made four of the past five Final Fours, the roster currently in place is arguably the nation's best, John Calipari seems more likely than not to remain in college basketball and thus not jump to the NBA, and there's no reason to believe recruiting will be an issue going forward, if only because recruiting is never an issue for Calipari.
3. KANSAS JAYHAWKSOutlook: The Jayhawks should win a 12th straight Big 12 championship this season, and, like Duke and Kentucky, they have a coach who has already assembled a career worthy of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (and doesn't appear to be going anywhere any time soon). What Bill Self has done at Kansas is nothing short of amazing, and I really don't think we'll ever see one program string this many consecutive league titles in a power-five conference again.
4. ARIZONA WILDCATSOutlook: Sean Miller has signed a top-six recruiting class each of the past five years, according to 247Sports, and won the Pac-12 each of the past two seasons while making the Elite Eight both times. Translation: Miller is dominating west of the Mississippi, and the only thing that could derail what he has going at Arizona would be if an A-level job opened east of the Mississippi and made an offer that lured him closer to his Pennsylvania roots.
5. VIRGINIA CAVALIERSOutlook: What Sean Miller is doing at Arizona isn't too unlike what Tony Bennett is doing at Virginia -- the only difference being that it's much harder to dominate the ACC than the Pac-12. Still, on some level, Bennett is doing it. He's won two straight ACC titles and would likely have the nation's preseason No. 1 team had Justin Anderson returned for another year of college. Meanwhile, UVA has the third-best recruiting class in the country committed at this moment, according to 247Sports. So there's reason to think the Cavaliers will remain strong.
6. GONZAGA BULLDOGSOutlook: The Zags have won at least 25 games in eight consecutive seasons -- the result of which is seven West Coast Conference titles and 17 straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. Whether they'll ever make a Final Four remains up for debate. But Gonzaga, under Mark Few, is always part of the national conversation, and all the evidence suggests that's not changing soon.
7. LOUISVILLE CARDINALSOutlook: Rick Pitino's contract runs through 2026. And though that obviously guarantees nothing, we believe it's more likely than not that the Hall of Fame coach will coach Louisville for at least five more seasons, meaning one of the nation's best programs should have one of the nation's best coaches for at least the next five seasons. And that's always a good combination.
8. NORTH CAROLINAOutlook: In a vacuum, UNC should be higher on this list because, well, it's UNC. But the lingering NCAA issues have hampered recruiting, and it's difficult to say whether Roy Williams will coach the Tar Heels for another five years. That said, the Tar Heels might win a national championship this season, and even if Williams were to retire soon UNC would almost certainly replace him with a star because, again, it's UNC. And this program is arguably the nation's easiest to rebuild for any competent man. So, when weighing all those things, eighth on this list seems about right.
9. MICHIGAN STATEOutlook: Michigan State's ranking on this list is rooted in the same things that Louisville's ranking on this list is rooted in, i.e., the combination of a top-shelf coach working at a top-shelf program. The next time Tom Izzo has a bad team will be the first time in roughly 20 years. He's just about as reliable as they come.
10. OHIO STATEOutlook: The Buckeyes have been to seven consecutive NCAA Tournaments thanks to high-level recruiting and a coach, Thad Matta, who is exceptional and still in his 40s. Yes, it's been two years since Ohio State made four straight Sweet Sixteens. But that's more of a testament to what Matta accomplished then than it is evidence that his program has slipped in any real way.
11. TEXAS LONGHORNSOutlook: Texas is the only school on this list with a first-year coach, and this ranking is tied to the idea that we believe Shaka Smart will be good enough to take advantage of all of UT's resources. In other words, the bet here is that Smart will, soon enough, return the Longhorns to a place where they are, one way or another, consistently competing with Kansas atop the Big 12.
12. MARYLAND TERRAPINSOutlook: Mark Turgeon has a preseason top-five team and the 11th-best recruiting class in the country committed right now, according to 247Sports. So whatever early bumps he endured in College Park suddenly seem behind him, and the Terrapins are likely to remain a Big Ten power.
13. VILLANOVA WILDCATSOutlook: There was a time a few years back, after three straight double-digit-loss seasons, when some were wondering whether Jay Wright's program was slipping. But that time has passed. He's now won back-to-back Big East titles and is projected to win a third straight this season. So Wright, who is still just 53 years old, seems set to keep the Wildcats nationally relevant.
14. WICHITA STATEOutlook: Wichita State's incredible financial commitment to one of the nation's very best coaches seems to suggest Gregg Marshall might really retire at the school, which would make it dumb to keep the Shockers off this list. He has a chance to turn Wichita State into the Gonzaga of the MVC, and he appears well on his way to doing exactly that.
15. NORTH CAROLINA STATEOutlook: Similar to the way Rich Rodriguez has revitalized his football-coaching career at Arizona after being fired at Michigan, Mark Gottfried has revitalized his basketball-coaching career at N.C. State after being fired at Alabama. He's made the NCAA Tournament four straight years and is expected to enroll a great recruiting class in time for the 2016-17 season. So the Wolfpack should be competitive with their neighbors/rivals for at least the foreseeable future.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1924 - Jim Bottomley knocked in 12 runs in a single game setting a major league baseball record.
1953 - The St. Louis Browns of the American League were given permission to move to Baltimore, MD, where they became the Baltimore Orioles.
1988 - Tom Browning pitched the 12th perfect game in major league baseball.
2004 - NHL commissioner Gary Bettman imposed a lockout due to an impasse in contract negotiations. The players union and NHL officials did not meet again until December 9.
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