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"Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them." ~ Orison Swett Marden, Inspirational Author
Trending: Mets pounce on Cubs again to take commanding 3-0 lead in NLCS. (See baseball section for Mets-Cubs Updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears convinced at 2-4 that arrow still pointing clearly up.
By John Mullin
Whether the glass is half-full or half-empty really doesn’t matter when the glass has 2-4 in it. But after a sagging attitude contributed to dooming the Bears last season – when they were 3-3 after six games but about to collapse – candid self-appraisal in the wake of a clumsy loss to the Detroit Lions was in order.
And whereas last year the glass was just plain cracked and leaking, the 2015 Bears head into an off week of refresher work convinced that their arrow is pointing up.
Positive public pronouncements are more the norm but “I think we've been in most of the contests to this point and now it's just figuring out how to win consistently and we're not there yet by any stretch,” said coach John Fox. “But I think we're moving in the right direction.”
With only Oakland and Kansas City not ranked among the top 15 NFL yardage offenses, the Bears have decidedly similar totals of first downs (118-117), third-down conversion rate (43.7-45.6 percent), yardage (2,026-2,069) as their 2015 opponents. They have more rushing touchdowns (four) than their opponents (two) but less than half (seven) the passing touchdowns (15) of their rivals.
But the numbers are less important than the only ones that matter – wins (2) and losses (4). Still…
“I feel like for the most part of the season we’ve been doing the right things,” said linebacker Christian Jones, who assumed the duties of getting the defensive play-calling to the huddle and directing adjustments in the wake of Shea McClellin’s knee injury. “We just have to refine some of our techniques and things and just finish better.”
On offense the identity of the Bears, beyond that of fighters and finishers, was to become a unit capable of imposing its will with running the football. That has fallen off the past several weeks but is “very close, very close,” according to right tackle Kyle Long.
Bears team still settling gets off-week at best possible time.
By John Mullin
Whether the glass is half-full or half-empty really doesn’t matter when the glass has 2-4 in it. But after a sagging attitude contributed to dooming the Bears last season – when they were 3-3 after six games but about to collapse – candid self-appraisal in the wake of a clumsy loss to the Detroit Lions was in order.
And whereas last year the glass was just plain cracked and leaking, the 2015 Bears head into an off week of refresher work convinced that their arrow is pointing up.
Positive public pronouncements are more the norm but “I think we've been in most of the contests to this point and now it's just figuring out how to win consistently and we're not there yet by any stretch,” said coach John Fox. “But I think we're moving in the right direction.”
With only Oakland and Kansas City not ranked among the top 15 NFL yardage offenses, the Bears have decidedly similar totals of first downs (118-117), third-down conversion rate (43.7-45.6 percent), yardage (2,026-2,069) as their 2015 opponents. They have more rushing touchdowns (four) than their opponents (two) but less than half (seven) the passing touchdowns (15) of their rivals.
But the numbers are less important than the only ones that matter – wins (2) and losses (4). Still…
“I feel like for the most part of the season we’ve been doing the right things,” said linebacker Christian Jones, who assumed the duties of getting the defensive play-calling to the huddle and directing adjustments in the wake of Shea McClellin’s knee injury. “We just have to refine some of our techniques and things and just finish better.”
On offense the identity of the Bears, beyond that of fighters and finishers, was to become a unit capable of imposing its will with running the football. That has fallen off the past several weeks but is “very close, very close,” according to right tackle Kyle Long.
Bears team still settling gets off-week at best possible time.
By John Mullin
The standard mantra when a team has its week off during NFL seasons is that the break comes at a very good time. And the reality is that a week off is never a bad thing for an NFL team, usually for reasons of players healing or buffing out some rough spot in one of the three phases.
But for a Bears team still settling into new schemes in all of those phases, the timing of the off week in fact couldn’t be better.
First of all, coach John Fox has a stellar record of putting the time to good use. His Carolina and Denver teams were a combined 10-3 after off weeks, among the best for NFL coaches active or retired. Only Kansas City’s Andy Reid (14-2) and Green Bay’s Mike McCarthy (8-1) have better marks among active coaches.
Fox’s approach is fairly standard, even if his results are among the best.
“It’s a bunch of different things but I think it’s getting guys healthy, getting them rested,” Fox said. “It comes at a time when we could use the rest to get some guys healed up.”
Players had off on Monday, although most came in for various chores and routines. They will practice Tuesday and Wednesday late-mornings, then be off through Sunday.
“With the new CBA they have to have off Thursday through Sunday,” Fox said.
A more veteran team or one long steeped in its systems typically prefers off weeks later in seasons, with the assumption that it provides a chance to regain health deeper in seasons and therefore closer to postseasons.
The Bears do have their share of veteran players and no longer consider themselves “new” in the programs of coordinators Adam Gase (offense), Vic Fangio (defense) and Jeff Rodgers (special teams). But a week off to address the myriad issues that came out of the loss at Detroit, with a division game at home against Minnesota on Nov. 1, is more advantageous now rather than later.
“We’ll self-scout some things,” Fox said. “I’m not going to go into what those are; we’re working on that as we speak [Monday afternoon]. Some things we want to present to the players and what we want to do to improve it, in all three phases.”
Tackle-eligible to Kyle Long in new Bears offense? Right attitude is there.
By John Mullin
Coordinator Adam Gase has brought a number of diverse wrinkles to the Chicago Bears offense – to name just a few, read-option, wildcat, route integrations, and then the Unrein Gambit.
The last was the use of 306-pound defensive tackle Mitch Unrein as a lead blocker for tailback Jeremy Langford on a one-yard touchdown run in the tradition of William Perry turning Green Bay linebacker George Cumby into road kill, leading Walter Payton into the end zone almost 30 years ago to the day (Oct. 21, 1985).
Right tackle Kyle Long was a three-sport athlete in high school and possessed of the feet and agility to inspire Gase to consider a tackle-eligible. And Long has the attitude:
“Trust me, I've thought about it,” Long acknowledged on Tuesday. “Do I think anyone can guard me? Absolutely not.”
But Long, who took to Twitter to berate his own performance against the Lions, is not about to begin lobbying for the football.
“I got to do my job before I can worry about doing someone else's job,” Long said. “At this point it's not a sure thing that my guy gets blocked every play, and until that's the case there isn't anything else I should be worried about.”
Power Rankings: Week 7
www.chicago Bears.com
ESPN
Bears ranking: 25
Last week: 24
Comments: "Since
Division Rivals: Lions 24, Packers 2, Vikings 15
Top 5 overall: Patriots, Packers, Broncos, Cardinals, Bengals
NFL.com
Bears ranking: 24
Last week: 24
Comments: "Oh, man -- if only the Bears could have pulled off the road win at Ford Field. Nobody -- and I mean nooooobody -- expected Chicago to climb back to 3-3 after the 0-3 start. Jay Cutler and Co. came this close to doing just that. There was so much back and forth in this NFC North contest, including Cutler getting it done (again) on a last-gasp drive in the fourth. This time, it was two completions to
Division Rivals: Lions 31, Packers 2, Vikings 10
Top 5 overall: Patriots, Packers, Bengals, Panthers, Broncos
CBS Sports
Bears ranking: 19
Last week: 19
Comments: "They have made a lot of strides this season..."
Division Rivals: Lions 27, Packers 3, Vikings 9
Top 5 overall: Patriots, Bengals, Packers, Broncos, Panthers
Yahoo! Sports
Bears ranking: 25
Last week: 26
Comments: "Alshon Jeffery's first game of the season: eight catches, 147 yards and a touchdown."
Division Rivals: Lions 26, Packers 2, Vikings 10
Top 5 overall: Patriots, Packers, Bengals, Broncos, Panthers
Pro Football Talk
Bears ranking: 24
Last week: 23
Division Rivals: Lions 29, Packers 3, Vikings 10
Top 5 overall: Patriots, Bengals, Packers, Panthers, Broncos
USA Today
Bears ranking: 30
Last week: 24
Comments: "They're playing a unique brand of break-but-don't bend defense, ranked in the top 10 overall but last in points allowed."
Division Rivals: Lions 25, Packers 2, Vikings 11
Top 5 overall: Patriots, Packers, Bengals, Panthers, Broncos
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks: Duncan Keith out 4 to 6 weeks after knee surgery.
By Tracey Myers
Duncan Keith has become as well known for his health and minutes played as much as his high level of play during those minutes.
There are times it seems he’s constantly on the ice – the 2015 postseason, when he played more than 715 total minutes, was a great example of that. The minutes have rarely effected the individual game, however, as Keith has consistently performed at a high level for many seasons.
Now one of the league’s most durable players is out for a month, and the Blackhawks are going to have to adjust fast.
Keith underwent successful surgery to repair a right knee meniscal tear, the Blackhawks announced on Tuesday morning. Keith, according to team physician Dr. Michael Terry, should be back within 4-6 weeks. Quenneville said he expects Keith to be ready in that time frame. Considering Keith’s fitness regimen, his teammates are expecting Keith back on schedule.
“He does everything right, on and off the ice. He’ll be doing everything he can to make sure that not only is he better in a quicker time-period, but he’s going to come back stronger and ready to go mentally and physically,” Jonathan Toews said. “For now, I don’t think we want him to put too much pressure on himself. It’s a long season and there will be plenty of hockey to play when he comes back, so we want him to be ready for that.”
The defenseman played the entire game on Saturday, when the Blackhawks beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1. Coach Joel Quenneville said there was “no defining blow” in that game that led to Keith’s injury. Quenneville and Marian Hossa said Keith had been bothered by the injury – Hossa said he talked to Keith about it a few days ago – but neither knew how long Keith had been dealing with it.
Considering that, as tough as it is to lose Keith, it might be best if he takes care of the issue now instead of waiting for it to get worse.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are going to have to play the next few weeks without their top defenseman. They’ll miss him in all areas, from 5-on-5 to the power play to the penalty kill to the locker room. The Blackhawks have long focused on a defense-first mentality, for forwards and defensemen, and that’s doubly so now.
“We all have to be responsible in team game, with or without the puck,” Quenneville said. “A lot of defensemen are going to get a lot of responsibility, quality enhanced in their ice time as well. We don’t want to change our style of play. At the same time, we want to make sure we’re playing the right way.”
Hossa agreed.
“I think the good thing is everybody realizes, missing a player like that, not only the defense has to step up but the forwards,” he said. “That’s what we mean by back-checking, helping our D, helping our younger D to make it easier for them. That’s going to be important.”
Quenneville said it’s possible the Blackhawks place Keith on long-term injured reserve, which is for a player who will be out 24 days and 10 games. Keith carries a cap hit of $5.5 million per season. Fellow defenseman Michal Rozsival (ankle) is currently on LTIR and is due to come off at the end of this month.
The Blackhawks have gone without key players in previous seasons. The added wrinkle here is that it’s Keith, who is part of what’s now a very young defensive group. The Blackhawks will improvise, draw on past experiences and hopefully get a little bit more from everyone.
“When I went down, you saw this team win a lot of games 1-0, 2-1, they weren’t giving up a lot of goals, playing well defensively,” Patrick Kane said, referring to his collarbone fracture last February. “Maybe revert back to that, make sure we’re taking care of business on our side of the red line. It won’t be easy to replace him. But someone will get an opportunity to step up, whether it’s collectively as a D core or even us as forwards, to help kind of fill that void on the back end.”
Blackhawks' D readjusts without Keith.
By Tracey Myers
Trevor van Riemsdyk knows what the news means as much as anyone.
With all-everything defenseman Duncan Keith sidelined 4-6 weeks after right-knee surgery, it’s now all hands on deck. Everyone has to do a little bit more. And for a Blackhawks defensive corps that has suddenly gotten much younger and much more experienced, it’s going to take everyone contributing.
“It’ll be a concerted effort, obviously, to fill those minutes,” van Riemsdyk said following Tuesday’s practice. “It’s going to take a little bit from everyone.”
Indeed, no one guy is going to replace Keith, the two-time Norris and one-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner who can seemingly play endless minutes, and play them at a high level. Still, the Blackhawks have to figure out what to do for about a month, without changing their style drastically.
“We don’t want to change too much in our approach,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Guys are going to know they’re going to get more responsibility. With our team game, we’ll emphasize playing the right way. I don’t think you want to change too much in how you focus going into a game. Individually, guys are going to be assuming more and I’m sure they’re excited about it.”
So what do the Blackhawks do? For starters, Quenneville said Niklas Hjalmarsson will go back to his usual left side. Hjalmarsson has been on the right with Keith, who has been his partner in this early season. He played on the right when paired with Johnny Oduya in seasons past, too, but the left is his natural side. He and van Riemsdyk were paired in some drills on Tuesday. Seabrook remained with Viktor Svedberg and Trevor Daley is now with David Rundblad, who will likely draw back into the lineup.
Rundblad has been a healthy scratch for all but one game this regular season.
“It’s a big opportunity for me to be playing,” he said. “It’s been tough not playing these last few games, so of course I’m excited. It’s never fun to see a teammate get hurt. I just have to make the best of the situation and do my best.”
It’s a “possibility,” Quenneville said, that the Blackhawks put Keith on long-term injured reserve – players on LTIR have to be out for 10 games and 24 days. That would free up some salary-cap room in case the Blackhawks want to recall another defenseman. Michal Rozsival, who’s already on LTIR, is eligible to come off it around Oct. 29. Quenneville said Rozsival (ankle) should be close to being ready by the end of this month, so that would help the Blackhawks get another veteran back on the blue line.
Young or veteran, experienced or not, the remaining Blackhawks defensemen have that much more responsibility for a few weeks.
“You feel bad but you want to take it upon yourself, if you can, to be that much more ready, that much more dialed in because it’ll take a team effort to replace those minutes,” van Riemsdyk said. “No one guy can do that.”
Blackhawks rookie Vincent Hinostroza not fazed by NHL debut, dust-up.
By Chris Hine
(Photo/Jeff Roberson / AP)
Blue Jackets defenseman Dalton Prout gave a warm NHL welcome to Blackhawks center Vincent Hinostroza on Saturday night.
After a stoppage in play late in the Hawks' 4-1 victory, Prout grabbed Hinostroza and took him over to the boards, igniting a dust-up that resulted in a few punches thrown by members of both teams.
"They might've been frustrated and it might have led to that," Hinostroza said. "It's a part of the game. But I was smiling during that."
Hinostroza had reason to smile as he was playing in his first NHL game, and helped and the Hawks snap a two-game losing streak. After replacing Kyle Baun on the roster, Hinostroza registered 9 minutes, 47 seconds of ice time as he skated alongside Ryan Garbutt and Teuvo Teravainen.
And he earned a rave review from coach Joel Quenneville.
"He was dangerous," Quenneville said. "He was a threat. The line was much improved from our last game. Looked quick and I thought we had better rotation and sustained the four lines contributing to both ways on the puck."
Hinostroza took a bit of a risk in signing with the Hawks after just two years at Notre Dame, where he scored 11 goals and had 33 assists last season. Hinostroza signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Hawks last spring.
"Of course it was a tough decision," Hinostroza said of leaving school. "I talked to the Blackhawks after the season and they told me ... I was ready to take the step to play in the AHL and hopefully the NHL. So I came here and it's been a good choice so far."
Hinostroza said he didn't give much thought to making the Hawks roster out of camp, but he turned enough heads to be next on the list of call-ups. After the Hawks stumbled on the road last week, they turned to Hinostroza, looking to ignite their lineup. At 5-foot-9, Hinostroza has to rely on his quickness to make plays. He said the speed of the NHL didn't surprise him Saturday.
"Defensively guys get in the lanes so much faster, so the lanes are closing," Hinostroza said. "You have to make the passes a second quicker, but I don't think it's a huge adjustment. Playing with all these great players is going to help me with that."
Hinostroza may be sent back to Rockford before too long, but as the altercation Saturday night proved, it won't be because he is afraid.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Brooks, Bulls beat Pacers.
By BRIAN SANDALOW
Aaron Brooks shoots as Pacers' George Hill defends. (Photo/Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
Aaron Brooks scored 22 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 103-94 win over the Indiana Pacers in a preseason game Tuesday night. Paul George had 26 and 13 rebounds for the Pacers.
PACERS: Monta Ellis and Ian Mahinmi added 14 points. . Fifteen of George's points were in the first quarter. . Indiana shot 3 for 24 in the second quarter.
BULLS: Six players scored in double-digits. . First-round pick Bobby Portis didn't play.
MAKING PROGRESS: Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said he was ''very encouraged'' by Derrick Rose during a solo workout earlier Tuesday. Rose took some contact, but Hoiberg didn't say when Rose (broken left orbital bone) would go through a full-contact practice.
A STRONG FINISH: George gave the Pacers a 16-8 lead with 6:10 left in the first on his thunderous one-handed dunk after he rebounded his missed 3-pointer.
UP NEXT: Indiana faces Charlotte on Thursday in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Chicago plays Dallas on Friday in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Annual NBA GM survey: Bulls squarely behind Cavs in East.
By Mark Strotman
The NBA GM survey is, simply put, a must-read every year. NBA's John Schuhmann compiles votes from each of the 30 NBA general managers on 49 different questions pertaining to the league.
Still, the survey is hardly fail-proof, and plenty changes in the course of a calendar year. Consider that last season Joakim Noah was voted the best defensive player in the NBA, Doug McDermott was voted the draft's second biggest steal at No. 11, and Jimmy Butler received zero votes when the 30 GMs were asked which played was most likely to have a breakout campaign; six months later he hoisted the NBA's Most Improved Player award.
Below are the questions in which the Bulls or a player from the Bulls received votes. Here's a link to the entire survey and its results. Again, it's must-read stuff every year.
Rank the top four teams in the Eastern Conference:
Analysis: Few surprises here. Despite their myriad injuries, the Cavaliers are the unquestioned favorites in the East. In fact, more than half the voters (53.6%) chose the Cavaliers to win the 2015-16 NBA title. The Bulls received zero votes in that category, with San Antonio, Golden State and Oklahoma City rounding out the list. Miami brought back Goran Dragic, gets back Chris Bosh and looks primed to contend with Atlanta, Washington and Toronto for the No. 3 seed in the East. Milwaukee is only getting better, though it's a stretch to consider them the second best team in the East.
Who is the best shooting guard in the NBA?
1. James Harden, Houston (79.3%)
2. Klay Thompson, Golden State (10.3%)
Also receiving votes: Jimmy Butler, Chicago; Stephen Curry, Golden State; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City
Analysis: What a year for Butler, who 12 months ago couldn't find his name anywhere on this list, let alone receiving a vote over Harden and Thompson as the game's best shooting guard.
What was the most surprising move of the offseason?
Also receiving votes: Tom Thibodeau fired
Analysis: Fair to assume Gar Forman didn't submit his vote for this one. Thibodeau's firing was the only of the 10 "moves" that was not player-related. DeAndre Jordan flip-flopping back to the Clippers received 24.1 percent of the vote, while Greg Monroe bypassing larger markets for Milwaukee received 20.7 percent of the vote.
Which rookie was the biggest steal at where he was selected in the draft?
1. Justise Winslow (10), Miami (31.0%)
2. Bobby Portis (22), Chicago (24.1%)
3. Emmanuel Mudiay (7), Denver (20.7%)
4. Myles Turner (11), Indiana (6.9%)
Analysis: Gar Forman and Fred Hoiberg meant it on draft night when they said they were shocked Portis was available at No. 22. The SEC Player of the Year has shown why in preseason, too, averaging 12.2 points and 10.4 rebounds in 24.8 minutes per game. He may not show it in Year 1 because of the Bulls' depth, but Portis absolutely was a steal so late in the draft.
Who is the best international player in the NBA?
1. Marc Gasol, Memphis (62.1%)
2. Pau Gasol, Chicago (17.2%)
3. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas (10.3%)
4. Tony Parker, San Antonio (6.9%)
5. Goran Dragic, Miami (3.4%)
Analysis: Spain, led by the Gasol brothers (and Nikola Mirotic), was also selected as the country most likely to challenge the U.S. for an Olympic/World Cup gold medal in the next 10 years. Marc and Pau had similar years in 2014-15, with both earning All-NBA First Team honors. The rankings here aren't surprising, however, considering Marc (30) is five years younger than Pau (35).
Who is the best perimeter defender in the NBA?
1. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio (44.8%)
2. Tony Allen, Memphis (17.2%)
3. Jimmy Butler, Chicago (10.3%)
3. LeBron James, Cleveland (10.3%)
Analysis: More stellar company for Butler to be placed in, trailing only the Defensive Player of the Year in Leonard and a perennial All-NBA Defensive Team defender in Allen in this category. Earning as many votes as the world's best player is never a bad thing, either.
Which is the best defensive team in the NBA?
1. Golden State (58.6%)
2. Memphis (34.5%)
Also receiving votes: Chicago, Cleveland
Analysis: The Thibs effect? A year ago the Bulls were the overwhelming favorite in this category, earning nearly 86 percent of the vote. Chicago, however, ranked just 11th in defensive efficiency (the first time it had ranked outside the top-5 under Thibodeau) and replaced Thibodeau with the offensive-minded Fred Hoiberg. Still, with Butler, Noah and Gasol in the mix, the Bulls should remain in the top half of the league in defense this upcoming year.
Which new (or relocated) coach will make the biggest impact this season?
1. Alvin Gentry, New Orleans (32.1%)
2. Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City (28.6%)
3. Fred Hoiberg, Chicago (17.9%)
4. Scott Skiles, Orlando (10.7%)
5. George Karl, Sacramento (7.1%)
6. Mike Malone, Denver (3.6%)
Analysis: The three coaches who enter jobs with contending teams lead the way, with Gentry expected to help take Anthony Davis to the next level of super-stardom in New Orleans. Oklahoma City has had a championship-caliber roster for years, never being able to get over the hump with Scott Brooks, giving Billy Donovan an excellent chance to do just that with a healthy Kevin Durant. Hoiberg, meanwhile, will look to give the Bulls a distinct offensive identity as they try and figure out a way to get past LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Who is the best assistant in the NBA?
Also receiving votes: Jim Boylen, Chicago
Analysis: Boylen is regarded as one of the best defensive minds in the NBA, having been a part of Indiana's league-best defensive units as well as the perennially-solid Spurs defenses the last two years.
Which active player will make the best head coach someday?
Also receiving votes: Kirk Hinrich, Chicago
Analysis: Hinrich received votes in this category for the second consecutive offseason, though he said last year he has no plans to go into coaching once his career is over.
Miscellaneous categories:
Jimmy Butler received votes as the player who moves best without the ball; Nikola Mirotic received votes as the bench player who makes the biggest impact when he enters the game; both Butler and Joakim Noah received votes as the league's toughest players
Pro Basketball Talk's Kurt Helin weighs in on Bulls-Cavs
Kurt Helin isn't confident 2015 is the year the Bulls get past LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the playoffs, but is looking forward to Fred Hoiberg's modern, motion offense that should be entertaining to watch.
Hoiberg wants a more aggressive Jimmy Butler before season starts.
By Vincent Goodwill
All of the early talk from training camp about Jimmy Butler being far and away the Bulls’ best performer hasn’t been met by preseason validation, but after all, it’s only preseason.
So with the days quickly winding down to the start of the regular season, things should become more and more real to everyone involved, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see Butler’s performances look more regular-season like in the coming week.
He looked like a dominant figure in the preseason opener against the Milwaukee Bucks but perhaps knowing what his workload will be come the regular season, put it on cruise control for the subsequent games.
It’s certainly not cause for alarm, but given he’s in a new system and will get his opportunities in different places than his breakout 2014-15 campaign, the goal should be to have at least one Jimmy Butler-like performance before he sees LeBron James staring at him on opening night.
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg believes Butler’s trying to facilitate more but anticipates a more aggressive player in the three games this week — if the three practice days after their last preseason game against Detroit were any harbinger.
“He was really aggressive. We scrimmaged some yesterday. We had a great practice,” Hoiberg said. “Just getting that rhythm going again. He hit a couple shots in our last game against Detroit. It’s getting that aggressiveness. But I think what he’s trying to do is get other guys involved and have that playmaker role. I think you’ll see a more aggressive Jimmy, similar to how he played that first game, the rest of the preseason.”
Depending on how Derrick Rose starts the season on the offensive end, Butler could take a playmaking role to supplement his scoring, one of his stated goals coming into this season.
But his ability to score in a variety of ways is what makes him a dangerous two-way player, and if he’s aggressive, it’ll open things up for the likes of Joakim Noah and Tony Snell and, when they’re on the floor together, present Doug McDermott with catch-and-shoot opportunities.
That said, Hoiberg is trying to put Butler in situations that call for him to look for his own shot. It must be said, this is a relationship in its embryonic stage.
“I’m trying to get him in a lot of live ball screen situations where he comes off a cut and gets the ball where he and Pau (Gasol) or he and Jo get a two-man game going,” Hoiberg said. “Obviously, he was great at that in our first game against Milwaukee. He made a lot of plays. Early in that game, he got so many guys wide-open shots that we didn’t knock down. He got himself to the line. There’s a lot of good actions. We haven’t shown all we’re going to do, like all teams at this time of year.”
Butler was 4-for-10 shooting against the Pistons last Wednesday, which was a marked improvement from the previous three games where he combined to shoot just 5-for-28 against New Orlenas, Minnesota and Denver.
“There’s some things where if he gets it going a little bit we can get him the ball at certain spots on the floor and we could take advantage of a matchup,” Hoiberg said.
Hornets swingman Michael-Kidd Gilchrist would’ve been a great test for Butler, as he’s no slouch on the defensive end, but the young swingman underwent shoulder surgery and will miss a few months.
However, new addition Nic Batum and veteran Damien Wilkins aren’t walks in the park either, so Butler will have his hands full trying to get off in one of the last few dress rehearsals before things really get real.
PACERS: Monta Ellis and Ian Mahinmi added 14 points. . Fifteen of George's points were in the first quarter. . Indiana shot 3 for 24 in the second quarter.
BULLS: Six players scored in double-digits. . First-round pick Bobby Portis didn't play.
MAKING PROGRESS: Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said he was ''very encouraged'' by Derrick Rose during a solo workout earlier Tuesday. Rose took some contact, but Hoiberg didn't say when Rose (broken left orbital bone) would go through a full-contact practice.
A STRONG FINISH: George gave the Pacers a 16-8 lead with 6:10 left in the first on his thunderous one-handed dunk after he rebounded his missed 3-pointer.
UP NEXT: Indiana faces Charlotte on Thursday in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Chicago plays Dallas on Friday in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Annual NBA GM survey: Bulls squarely behind Cavs in East.
By Mark Strotman
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The NBA GM survey is, simply put, a must-read every year. NBA's John Schuhmann compiles votes from each of the 30 NBA general managers on 49 different questions pertaining to the league.
Still, the survey is hardly fail-proof, and plenty changes in the course of a calendar year. Consider that last season Joakim Noah was voted the best defensive player in the NBA, Doug McDermott was voted the draft's second biggest steal at No. 11, and Jimmy Butler received zero votes when the 30 GMs were asked which played was most likely to have a breakout campaign; six months later he hoisted the NBA's Most Improved Player award.
Below are the questions in which the Bulls or a player from the Bulls received votes. Here's a link to the entire survey and its results. Again, it's must-read stuff every year.
Rank the top four teams in the Eastern Conference:
Team
|
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
% Total
|
Cleveland
|
96.6%
|
38.9%
| |||
| Chicago | 3.4% | 65.5% | 13.8% | 6.9% |
24.7%
|
Atlanta
|
13.8%
|
34.5%
|
17.2%
|
12.8%
| |
Miami
|
13.8%
|
20.7%
|
31.0%
|
11.5%
| |
Washington
|
3.4%
|
24.1%
|
17.2%
|
7.6%
| |
Toronto
|
6.9%
|
10.3%
|
2.4%
| ||
Milwaukee
|
3.4%
|
10.3%
|
2.1%
|
Who is the best shooting guard in the NBA?
1. James Harden, Houston (79.3%)
2. Klay Thompson, Golden State (10.3%)
Also receiving votes: Jimmy Butler, Chicago; Stephen Curry, Golden State; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City
Analysis: What a year for Butler, who 12 months ago couldn't find his name anywhere on this list, let alone receiving a vote over Harden and Thompson as the game's best shooting guard.
What was the most surprising move of the offseason?
Also receiving votes: Tom Thibodeau fired
Analysis: Fair to assume Gar Forman didn't submit his vote for this one. Thibodeau's firing was the only of the 10 "moves" that was not player-related. DeAndre Jordan flip-flopping back to the Clippers received 24.1 percent of the vote, while Greg Monroe bypassing larger markets for Milwaukee received 20.7 percent of the vote.
Which rookie was the biggest steal at where he was selected in the draft?
1. Justise Winslow (10), Miami (31.0%)
2. Bobby Portis (22), Chicago (24.1%)
3. Emmanuel Mudiay (7), Denver (20.7%)
4. Myles Turner (11), Indiana (6.9%)
Analysis: Gar Forman and Fred Hoiberg meant it on draft night when they said they were shocked Portis was available at No. 22. The SEC Player of the Year has shown why in preseason, too, averaging 12.2 points and 10.4 rebounds in 24.8 minutes per game. He may not show it in Year 1 because of the Bulls' depth, but Portis absolutely was a steal so late in the draft.
Who is the best international player in the NBA?
1. Marc Gasol, Memphis (62.1%)
2. Pau Gasol, Chicago (17.2%)
3. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas (10.3%)
4. Tony Parker, San Antonio (6.9%)
5. Goran Dragic, Miami (3.4%)
Analysis: Spain, led by the Gasol brothers (and Nikola Mirotic), was also selected as the country most likely to challenge the U.S. for an Olympic/World Cup gold medal in the next 10 years. Marc and Pau had similar years in 2014-15, with both earning All-NBA First Team honors. The rankings here aren't surprising, however, considering Marc (30) is five years younger than Pau (35).
Who is the best perimeter defender in the NBA?
1. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio (44.8%)
2. Tony Allen, Memphis (17.2%)
3. Jimmy Butler, Chicago (10.3%)
3. LeBron James, Cleveland (10.3%)
Analysis: More stellar company for Butler to be placed in, trailing only the Defensive Player of the Year in Leonard and a perennial All-NBA Defensive Team defender in Allen in this category. Earning as many votes as the world's best player is never a bad thing, either.
Which is the best defensive team in the NBA?
1. Golden State (58.6%)
2. Memphis (34.5%)
Also receiving votes: Chicago, Cleveland
Analysis: The Thibs effect? A year ago the Bulls were the overwhelming favorite in this category, earning nearly 86 percent of the vote. Chicago, however, ranked just 11th in defensive efficiency (the first time it had ranked outside the top-5 under Thibodeau) and replaced Thibodeau with the offensive-minded Fred Hoiberg. Still, with Butler, Noah and Gasol in the mix, the Bulls should remain in the top half of the league in defense this upcoming year.
Which new (or relocated) coach will make the biggest impact this season?
1. Alvin Gentry, New Orleans (32.1%)
2. Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City (28.6%)
3. Fred Hoiberg, Chicago (17.9%)
4. Scott Skiles, Orlando (10.7%)
5. George Karl, Sacramento (7.1%)
6. Mike Malone, Denver (3.6%)
Analysis: The three coaches who enter jobs with contending teams lead the way, with Gentry expected to help take Anthony Davis to the next level of super-stardom in New Orleans. Oklahoma City has had a championship-caliber roster for years, never being able to get over the hump with Scott Brooks, giving Billy Donovan an excellent chance to do just that with a healthy Kevin Durant. Hoiberg, meanwhile, will look to give the Bulls a distinct offensive identity as they try and figure out a way to get past LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Who is the best assistant in the NBA?
Also receiving votes: Jim Boylen, Chicago
Analysis: Boylen is regarded as one of the best defensive minds in the NBA, having been a part of Indiana's league-best defensive units as well as the perennially-solid Spurs defenses the last two years.
Which active player will make the best head coach someday?
Also receiving votes: Kirk Hinrich, Chicago
Analysis: Hinrich received votes in this category for the second consecutive offseason, though he said last year he has no plans to go into coaching once his career is over.
Miscellaneous categories:
Jimmy Butler received votes as the player who moves best without the ball; Nikola Mirotic received votes as the bench player who makes the biggest impact when he enters the game; both Butler and Joakim Noah received votes as the league's toughest players
Pro Basketball Talk's Kurt Helin weighs in on Bulls-Cavs
Kurt Helin isn't confident 2015 is the year the Bulls get past LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the playoffs, but is looking forward to Fred Hoiberg's modern, motion offense that should be entertaining to watch.
Hoiberg wants a more aggressive Jimmy Butler before season starts.
By Vincent Goodwill
All of the early talk from training camp about Jimmy Butler being far and away the Bulls’ best performer hasn’t been met by preseason validation, but after all, it’s only preseason.
So with the days quickly winding down to the start of the regular season, things should become more and more real to everyone involved, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see Butler’s performances look more regular-season like in the coming week.
He looked like a dominant figure in the preseason opener against the Milwaukee Bucks but perhaps knowing what his workload will be come the regular season, put it on cruise control for the subsequent games.
It’s certainly not cause for alarm, but given he’s in a new system and will get his opportunities in different places than his breakout 2014-15 campaign, the goal should be to have at least one Jimmy Butler-like performance before he sees LeBron James staring at him on opening night.
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg believes Butler’s trying to facilitate more but anticipates a more aggressive player in the three games this week — if the three practice days after their last preseason game against Detroit were any harbinger.
“He was really aggressive. We scrimmaged some yesterday. We had a great practice,” Hoiberg said. “Just getting that rhythm going again. He hit a couple shots in our last game against Detroit. It’s getting that aggressiveness. But I think what he’s trying to do is get other guys involved and have that playmaker role. I think you’ll see a more aggressive Jimmy, similar to how he played that first game, the rest of the preseason.”
Depending on how Derrick Rose starts the season on the offensive end, Butler could take a playmaking role to supplement his scoring, one of his stated goals coming into this season.
But his ability to score in a variety of ways is what makes him a dangerous two-way player, and if he’s aggressive, it’ll open things up for the likes of Joakim Noah and Tony Snell and, when they’re on the floor together, present Doug McDermott with catch-and-shoot opportunities.
That said, Hoiberg is trying to put Butler in situations that call for him to look for his own shot. It must be said, this is a relationship in its embryonic stage.
“I’m trying to get him in a lot of live ball screen situations where he comes off a cut and gets the ball where he and Pau (Gasol) or he and Jo get a two-man game going,” Hoiberg said. “Obviously, he was great at that in our first game against Milwaukee. He made a lot of plays. Early in that game, he got so many guys wide-open shots that we didn’t knock down. He got himself to the line. There’s a lot of good actions. We haven’t shown all we’re going to do, like all teams at this time of year.”
Butler was 4-for-10 shooting against the Pistons last Wednesday, which was a marked improvement from the previous three games where he combined to shoot just 5-for-28 against New Orlenas, Minnesota and Denver.
“There’s some things where if he gets it going a little bit we can get him the ball at certain spots on the floor and we could take advantage of a matchup,” Hoiberg said.
Hornets swingman Michael-Kidd Gilchrist would’ve been a great test for Butler, as he’s no slouch on the defensive end, but the young swingman underwent shoulder surgery and will miss a few months.
However, new addition Nic Batum and veteran Damien Wilkins aren’t walks in the park either, so Butler will have his hands full trying to get off in one of the last few dress rehearsals before things really get real.
Mets pounce on Cubs again to take commanding 3-0 lead in NLCS.
By Tony Andracki
(Photo csnchicago.com)
The Cubs returned home to Chicago for Game 3 hoping things would finally bounce their way.
They're still waiting.
The Mets made all the right moves and outplayed the Cubs again to go up 3-0 in the NLCS with a 5-2 victory in front of 42,231 fans at Wrigley Field on Tuesday evening.
"Again, another close game," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "We have to score more runs. And they played exceptionally well."
Things looked to be bouncing the Cubs' way when Jorge Soler misplayed a ball in right field in the sixth inning, but it skipped into the ivy for a ground-rule double, keeping a run from scoring.
But the winning run had already come in the form of a dropped third strike when Yoenis Cespedes scored on Trevor Cahill's wild pitch on strike three with two outs in the sixth.
The Mets piled on in the seventh as the Cubs made several defensive miscues that led to two more New York runs, extending the Mets' lead to 5-2.
Is everything just coming up Mets right now?
"We felt that way the first two games," Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks said. "Things bounce your way when you play well, though."
The Cubs offense looked like it had a lot more life early of Jacob deGrom, collecting three hits in the first five batters of the game, including a Kyle Schwarber homer.
But the only hit over the next six innings was a Soler homer in the fourth. Dexter Fowler lined a one-out double down the right-field line in the eighth, but Schwarber popped out and Kris Bryant flew out to end the threat.
"We actually hit some balls hard and got off to a better start," Hendricks said. "But deGrom, he's really good. He buckled down in those later innings, made some really, really good pitches.
"Sometimes there's nothing you can do when a guy's just dotting it up like that."
The Mets' young pitching got to the Cubs again as deGrom allowed only four hits and a walk while striking out seven in seven innings.
"It's tough," Miguel Montero said. "We can't get anything going. If we get a little rally going - a hit here, a hit there - maybe it's a different story. But we haven't created any type of momentum."
The Cubs have not led at any point in this series, scoring five runs in three games. In 27 innings, the Cubs offense has managed to get the leadoff batter on just twice (both in Game 1).
"They pitched well. There is no other way to slice it, cut it, describe it," Maddon said. "They have pitched well."
Kyle Hendricks lasted just four innings for the Cubs, serving up solo runs in the first and third innings.
Daniel Murphy had another big game for the Mets with a homer, single and two runs scored.
The Cubs know their backs are against the wall.
"Gotta go home and try to forget what happened today," Montero said. "It was a tough one. We gotta come back tomorrow.
"We're out of options. The only option we have is win tomorrow."
Kyle Schwarber’s huge October for Cubs is nearing The End.
By Patrick Mooney
Kyle Schwarber has already become a playoff legend in Wrigleyville, and it’s still almost time to turn out the lights at Clark and Addison.
The Cubs can’t win this National League Championship Series with the Kyle-or-nothing offense or a Schwarber-or-famine lineup. The New York Mets are on the verge of sweeping it after Tuesday night’s 5-2 victory, power pitching winning out again.
Don’t blame Schwarber, who’s trying to match Daniel Murphy, New York’s new Mr. October and the hottest hitter on the planet. Schwarber crushed Jacob deGrom’s 97-mph fastball into the left-center field bleachers, giving the Cubs a first-inning adrenaline rush that wouldn’t last and setting a new franchise record with five home runs during the playoff run no one saw coming.
That same thump just hasn’t been heard in the middle of this Cubs lineup – and no one’s been on base for Schwarber’s two home runs during this best-of-seven matchup. Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro have so far combined to go 6-for-33 (.182) with only two extra-base hits and more strikeouts (five) than runs driven in (two).
“It’s hard to say: 'What if…what if…,'” Schwarber said. “'What if…' didn’t happen. This is what happened: We lost the ballgame. So we got to come out ready tomorrow and play our ballgame.”
Schwarber has already become a clubhouse spokesman, standing in front of his locker and talking to waves and waves of reporters. He gave no excuses for not handling Yoenis Cespedes’ RBI single in the seventh inning, saying he simply misread the line drive.
Before Game 3, a team official laughed and said he was glad the Cubs didn’t know about Schwarber’s show-choir video when they drafted the Indiana University catcher/outfielder with the No. 4 overall pick last year.
Until Schwarber, no one in major-league history had hit five postseason home runs before his 23rd birthday.
But the Deadspin clip that went viral makes total sense the more you think about it, how much Schwarber loves working to become part of a team, whether it’s hitting people as a second-team All-Ohio linebacker or singing and dancing at Middletown High School. It shows a fearless attitude.
“He’s not overwhelmed,” manager Joe Maddon said. “I don’t think he takes himself too seriously. Have you all seen that YouTube video with him dancing with – was it his high-school group? He’s like part of The Temptations or The Spinners or The Four Tops. He’s like the lead dancer. I love that. That speaks to everything for me.
“The fact that he’d have the nerve to be out front like that and going through this whole routine…I think that speaks a lot of him walking out (there) and being very comfortable.
“He’s just very comfortable in his own skin. He’s a good baseball player. Don’t be deceived by maybe body structure, whatever. This guy’s a good athlete – and he’s a good baseball player. He’s got a good mind for the game. He asks good questions. His work ethic is unbelievable.”
Schwarber’s makeup should help the Cubs return to October someday as a tougher team. But for now, all they can think about is the 2004 American League Championship Series and what the Boston Red Sox once did to the New York Yankees.
“It’s a little frustrating, but we got to move past it,” Schwarber said. “We got to keep going. It’s been done before and this team’s done some special things throughout this whole season. So we don’t count ourselves out by any means.”
#WHITESOXTALK
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
A familiar face could be returning to Chicago this offseason but this time to the South Side.
According to Scott Merkin of MLB.com, the White Sox are considering former Cubs manager Rick Renteria for their vacant bench coach position. The Sox decided not to renew the contract of Mark Parent during the final days of the season.
Renteria was relieved of his managerial duties on the North Side last offseason when current Cubs manager Joe Maddon became available thanks to an opt-out clause in his contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Renteria, 53, managed the Cubs for one season (73-89) and previously served as the San Diego Padres' bench coach.
The White Sox reportedly also have Manny Acta and Raul Ibanez on their list of candidates.
According to Scott Merkin of MLB.com, the White Sox are considering former Cubs manager Rick Renteria for their vacant bench coach position. The Sox decided not to renew the contract of Mark Parent during the final days of the season.
Renteria was relieved of his managerial duties on the North Side last offseason when current Cubs manager Joe Maddon became available thanks to an opt-out clause in his contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Renteria, 53, managed the Cubs for one season (73-89) and previously served as the San Diego Padres' bench coach.
The White Sox reportedly also have Manny Acta and Raul Ibanez on their list of candidates.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Super Spieth signs up for Singapore Open.
Reuters; Reporting by Patrick Johnston, Editing by John O'Brien
U.S. team Jordan Spieth studies a putt on the first green during their singles matches of the 2015 Presidents Cup golf tournament at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon, South Korea, October 11, 2015. (Photo/ REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji)
Player of the Year Jordan Spieth will skip the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour to instead play in the returning Singapore Open in January, organizers announced on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old world number two enjoyed a breakout 2015, winning the Masters, U.S. Open and the PGA Tour Championship among his five victories as he went on to claim the lucrative FedEx Cup.
The 22-year-old world number two enjoyed a breakout 2015, winning the Masters, U.S. Open and the PGA Tour Championship among his five victories as he went on to claim the lucrative FedEx Cup.
"Playing in the SMBC Singapore Open is something I'm really looking forward to," Spieth said in a statement.
"I'm very fortunate to play golf around the world and can't wait to visit Singapore for the first time."
The 50th Singapore Open, featuring prize money of at least $1 million, will be played on the Sentosa Golf Club's demanding Serapong Course from Jan. 28-31 on the Asian and Japan Golf Tours after a three-year absence.
"I'm very fortunate to play golf around the world and can't wait to visit Singapore for the first time."
The 50th Singapore Open, featuring prize money of at least $1 million, will be played on the Sentosa Golf Club's demanding Serapong Course from Jan. 28-31 on the Asian and Japan Golf Tours after a three-year absence.
Spieth missed the cut at the $6.5 million Farmers Insurance Open in January at the famed Torrey Pines course in San Diego, where current world number one Jason Day of Australia triumphed after a four-man playoff.
Beem's decision allows Poulter to keep European Tour card.
By Doug Ferguson
Rich Beem agreed Tuesday to give his spot in the Hong Kong Open to a player who would otherwise have lost his European Tour membership and been ineligible to play in the Ryder Cup next year. Under those circumstances, he said he would have made that sacrifice for any player.
Even if that player was Ian Poulter.
''I'm not looking to gain anything from this,'' Beem told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. ''I looked at it in the simplest terms. There's a guy who loses his tour membership if I don't step away. Is it anymore awkward because it's Ian Poulter? I don't know and I don't care. It was the right thing to do.''
''I'm not looking to gain anything from this,'' Beem told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. ''I looked at it in the simplest terms. There's a guy who loses his tour membership if I don't step away. Is it anymore awkward because it's Ian Poulter? I don't know and I don't care. It was the right thing to do.''
Poulter has to play a minimum 13 events on the European Tour to keep his membership and be eligible for the Ryder Cup, where he has compiled a 12-4-2 record and was largely responsible for two of the last three European wins.
The Englishman was counting on playing the HSBC Champions in Shanghai in two weeks. But with Andy Sullivan and Emiliano Grillo winning tournaments last week, they moved into the top 50 and bumped Poulter to No. 51, and he was out of the World Golf Championship event in China.
He did not enter the Hong Kong Open, and all the sponsor exemptions were taken.
He did not enter the Hong Kong Open, and all the sponsor exemptions were taken.
That's when the European Tour went to Beem and asked him if he were interested in giving his exemption to Poulter. Beem said a tour official called him Monday night when he was asleep after the long flight from Texas, and only after making a few phone calls did he appreciate what Poulter was facing.
''At the end of the day, I was their obvious choice,'' Beem said. ''I wasn't going to say 'no' and be a jerk. It was a situation where the right thing needed to happen. And this was the right thing.''
Beem, who won the 2002 PGA Championship at Hazeltine, spent most of the year working as an analyst for Sky Sport. He said the Hong Kong Golf Club is among his favorite in the world, and he talked his family into taking one more trip, tapping into his airline miles to get a ticket.
''I want to play in the worst way,'' Beem said. ''But there were no other options, and I'm not going to keep a guy from losing all his status and not be eligible for the Ryder Cup. So I stepped aside. I didn't think twice about it or ask for huge demands.''
''I want to play in the worst way,'' Beem said. ''But there were no other options, and I'm not going to keep a guy from losing all his status and not be eligible for the Ryder Cup. So I stepped aside. I didn't think twice about it or ask for huge demands.''
Poulter scrambled to get a visa for Hong Kong, which arrived Tuesday morning about two hours before his flight to New York to make a connection to Hong Kong. He was not due to arrive until Wednesday afternoon, and he planned to hire a local caddie because his caddie is on vacation.
Poulter went on Twitter to thank Beem for giving up the invitation, adding, ''Where would you like me to take you for dinner?''
''Are we talking about dinner every day in 2016?'' Beem said with a laugh. ''I kind of saved you here, pards.''
Poulter can be a lightning rod for the U.S. fans and even some players for being outspoken, talking about his collection of Ferrari's or making so many putts, especially in the Ryder Cup. His five straight birdies in a four-balls match Saturday night at Medinah led to Europe's record-tying comeback in 2012.
''I kind of jokingly thought, 'Maybe I should call Capt. (Davis) Love to see what I should do,'' Beem said. ''He's totally wrecked us with his putting.''
''I kind of jokingly thought, 'Maybe I should call Capt. (Davis) Love to see what I should do,'' Beem said. ''He's totally wrecked us with his putting.''
Beem is sticking around Hong Kong to work for the European Tour Productions commentary team. He spent 27 weeks this year for Sky Sports, and his last full season on the PGA Tour was in 2012. But the 45-year-old Beem wanted to play Hong Kong, and tournament sponsor UBS gave him a spot.
''I still enjoy playing competitively, I really like this golf course and I came over to compete,'' Beem said. ''It does sting coming halfway around the world. But it's not my nature to step in someone's way to screw them over. I have no desire to that. Let him play.''
Beem said all he wanted in return was a spot in the Hong Kong Open next year. His phone was filled with text messages when he woke up Wednesday morning in Hong Kong, and he wasn't looking forward to what he described as an awkward meeting with Poulter.
''Now if he wants to give me one of his red Ferrari's for Christmas ... not that I'm asking for one,'' Beem said with a laugh.
Woods says recovery will be 'long and tedious'.
By CARLOS RODRIGUEZ
Tiger Woods has not started rehabilitation for a second back surgery he had a month ago, and he said Tuesday he would face another ''tedious and long'' process that suggests it might be awhile before he competes again.
Woods last played at the Wyndham Champion on Aug. 23, where he tied for 10th for his best finish at a PGA Tour event in nearly two years.
In a surprise announcement Sept. 18, he said he had a second back surgery after doctors during a routine check discovered a fragmented disc pinching a nerve.
In a surprise announcement Sept. 18, he said he had a second back surgery after doctors during a routine check discovered a fragmented disc pinching a nerve.
Woods had his first surgery just before the 2014 Masters and missed nearly three months. He said later he came back too early.
''Rehab will be soon, and it will be tedious and long,'' Woods said at the Bridgestone America's Golf Cup, an exhibition he was supposed to play with Matt Kuchar until the second surgery. ''The last one, it took me awhile to get back. Some players on tour have done the same procedure and to be back pain-free it took them over a year.''
Woods hasn't won since the 2013 Bridgestone Invitational for his 79th career win on the PGA Tour, just three short of the record held by Sam Snead.
For most of his career, the record with which he was compared was Jack Nicklaus and his 18 professional majors. Woods won his 14th major at the 2008 U.S. Open, and had reconstructive surgery on his left knee a week later.
Woods turn 40 in December. Nicklaus won only three of his 18 majors after he turned 40.
Woods, who dropped to No. 334 in the world ranking this week, has not given up on catching Nicklaus. He just figures he will have to play like Vijay Singh, who won 22 times (but only one major) in his 40s.
''It's important for me to have more than 18 majors when all is said and done,'' Woods said. ''It took Jack his whole career to achieve it and mine is not done yet. I believe that I have a very good record for 20 years on the tour. The main thing is to get fit and to reach my 40s with good health to be as successful as Vijay, who won most of his tournaments at that age.
''It's something that I hope I will be able to do,'' he said. ''I want to play at an elite level with the new kids for a long, long time.''
''It's something that I hope I will be able to do,'' he said. ''I want to play at an elite level with the new kids for a long, long time.''
What might help this time around is that Woods said he won't be changing his swing. After returning too early in 2014 from back surgery, he took off the final three months to get stronger and left his swing coach, hiring Chris Como as a consultant.
Woods doesn't think he's that far off from 2013, when he won five times and was PGA Tour player of the year.
''But to achieve it, I need to be healthy again,'' he said. ''This year I tried to play after the back surgery and it wasn't fun because all of the pain. Also after my last surgery, I was changing my swing and to be able to do that successfully you have to practice a lot, and I could not practice because I was doing the rehab.
''It was a very complicated situation because of that.''
''It was a very complicated situation because of that.''
There was no timetable on when he would start rehabilitation or when he would return. Woods typically doesn't start a new year until the Farmers Insurance Open, which starts the last week of January. That appeared doubtful.
The Masters, which he missed in 2014 for the first time, is April 7-10.
''I need to return with my explosiveness, and to do that, I need to practice for longer periods of time,'' he said. ''It's going to take several months of hard work''.
NASCAR; Power Rankings: Joey Logano takes the top spot.
By Nick Bromberg
1. Joey Logano (LW: 2): NASCAR Chairman Brian France said Monday on SiriusXM that what Logano did was "very smart." France explained Logano's move from a strategy aspect and also called it "quintessential NASCAR." Let's be blunt for a moment; this is the NASCAR that France wants. Whether that's good or bad is up to your own opinion, but Logano using the bumper on Matt Kenseth gave NASCAR more attention than the sport would have gotten otherwise on an NFL Sunday. NASCAR has put a lot of stake in "moments" like this vs. the product as a whole, and while it wasn't necessarily a snoozer, Kansas was eminently forgettable if it wasn't for what happened with Logano and Kenseth.
2. Denny Hamlin (LW: 4): Hamlin became Logano's main challenger after Kenseth went sliding in turns one and two. Logano got out to a lead on the restart and Hamlin couldn't make up the gap. The No. 11's success at 1.5-mile tracks so far in the Chase is going to continue to be an asset. Assuming he survives Talladega, Hamlin could be in the best position of anyone in the third round of the Chase.
3. Kyle Busch (LW: 5): Busch thought his car had an engine issue late in the race. According to Monday's NASCAR America on NBCSN, the team believed it was a cracked exhaust pipe. He came back to finish fifth on Sunday and with a DNF, he's in real trouble at Talladega. Now he's just six points outside of eighth spot. If you're Kyle Busch, do you run in the back throughout the day at Talladega or do you keep your car up front?
4. Kevin Harvick (LW: 1): Harvick was heading for a top-five finish on Sunday until his gas can exited his pit stall with him in the race's final round of green flag pit stops. The fun conspiracy/connect-the-dots theory from the final laps of Sunday's race comes on the ensuing caution. When Jimmie Johnson stayed out to inherit the lead as the rest of the leaders pitted, Harvick was unable to get the wavearound because Johnson kept him a lap down. Did Johnson do that to keep Harvick purposely a lap down? We don't think so; the No. 48 only cares about race wins at this point.
5. Carl Edwards (LW: 3): Edwards had one of the race's best cars at the beginning of the race. He then lost track position and really couldn't get it back. Edwards finished eighth after starting second. He's fourth in the points standings in the second round, but he's only 12 points ahead of Kyle Busch, who is in ninth. Here's yet another example of the ridiculousness of the round format. Outside of winning a race, it's not about excelling. It's about avoiding a bad finish.
6. Kurt Busch (LW: 7): This Busch finished a spot behind his brother in sixth. He's got an announcement scheduled for Wednesday, which is likely to include the news of a contract extension. Busch's current contract at Stewart-Haas was up at the end of the season, but he wasn't going anywhere. Partially because there was really nowhere else for him to go in the first place. Busch is a point ahead of Edwards in the standings.
7. Matt Kenseth (LW: 9): Look, we don't blame Matt Kenseth at all for blocking like hell. He was doing what he had to do to keep Logano behind him. And the Chase format made him drive that way. Because of his bad finish, the second-place points weren't going to do him any good. And we also don't blame Logano for not backing off in turn one. Kenseth was flirting with getting his car turned with the multiple blocks. Now it's time for Talladega.
8. Brad Keselowski (LW: 10): Keselowski has said he doesn't want to advance through the Chase by being conservative. Here's our chance to see Keselowski put those words into action. He's tied for fifth in the standings; seven points ahead of Kyle Busch in ninth. While there's a bit of a cushion, it's paper-thin. Does he drive up front all day and go for the win, or sit back and let attrition happen in front of him and move on to the next round. We're not sure we can remember Keselowski saying something he didn't attempt to back up, so we expect the former.
9. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 6): Here's another drive who suffered at the end of the race Sunday because of a pit road miscue. A loose tire violation meant Truex finished 15th, right between Kenseth and Harvick. He's currently eighth out of eight in the points standings. The Richard Childress Racing cars will likely be good again at Talladega, so Truex should have a good piece. The rest may be up to Talladega.
10. Jeff Gordon (LW: 11): Gordon's Chase chances ending at a restrictor plate race – the type of racing he despises – would be quite cruel. Though we can all agree that this season hasn't exactly been storybook so far. Who would have thought his final Brickyard 400 would get ended after a restart for a balloon caution? We've got a hunch Gordon's going to get through to the next round. But we have no idea how it's going to play out.
11. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 8): Before we get caught up in the fairytale of Junior winning at Talladega to advance in the Chase, it's important to remember that he was in the same spot last year. And he crashed. This discussion is admittedly fueled by the knowledge that Junior won at Talladega in the spring; but he won the 2014 Daytona 500 too. Junior's optimistic about Sunday and he has every right to be. Just don't be surprised if he doesn't win.
12. Ryan Newman (LW: 12): Newman finished 11th at Kansas and is still in the hunt. Since he's avoided the finishes that have plagued Kenseth and Junior, Newman is 10th in the standings heading into Talladega. Last year he was fourth going into the race and finished fifth. Newman's recent history at Talladega is a bit like a roller coaster. He has four top 10 finishes in his past six Talladega races. but that ninth-place finish in the 2012 Chase race was his first one since he finished third in the spring 2009 race, the infamous one where Carl Edwards launched off his hood.
Lucky Dog: We'll go ahead and give it to Kasey Kahne, who finished fourth.
The DNF: Man, Clint Bowyer crashed viciously.
Soccer-Resilient Arsenal bounce back to beat Bayern.
Reuters; By Mike Collett, Editing by Rex Gowar and Pritha Sarkar
Olivier Giroud (Photo/NBCSPORTS.COM)
Arsenal bounced back off the ropes to land two late sucker-punches and score an unlikely 2-0 win over Bayern Munich after the Germans had dominated an outstanding Champions League match on Tuesday.
Olivier Giroud came off the bench after 74 minutes and headed the opener three minutes later while Mesut Ozil scored with virtually the last kick of the game against his World Cup-winning team mate Manuel Neuer to hand Arsenal a memorable victory.
Olivier Giroud came off the bench after 74 minutes and headed the opener three minutes later while Mesut Ozil scored with virtually the last kick of the game against his World Cup-winning team mate Manuel Neuer to hand Arsenal a memorable victory.
Their first win in Group F after two defeats rekindled their chances of reaching the last 16 and ended Bayern's run of 12 successive wins in all competitions.
"It was important to reproduce our Premier League form tonight and we did that. We got the balance right between defense and attack," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told reporters.
But for long periods, it looked as if a goalless draw or a Bayern win would be the most likely outcome.
Bayern dominated possession but could not find a way past a superb Arsenal defense in which Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker played superbly and Petr Cech made some important saves.
At the other end, Arsenal had more chances, but never looked like getting the better of Neuer who made one stunning save to deny Theo Walcott from scoring with a header after 34 minutes, but then cost his team dearly when he flapped at Santi Cazorla's 77th minute free-kick, allowing Giroud, who had just replaced Walcott, to stoop low and head home.
Ozil scored on a breakaway with virtually the final kick when his shot just crossed the line with Neuer scooping it clear just too late.
The victory means Bayern and Olympiakos have six points apiece, Dinamo Zagreb and Arsenal three each with Arsenal travelling to Munich and Olympiakos at home to Dinamo next.
Bayern, without the injured Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Mario Goetze, still had plenty of potency going forward and although Robert Lewandowski, with 15 goals in his last seven games, was kept relatively quiet, they continually forced Arsenal on to the back-foot.
Although there were no goals before the break, both teams produced football of the highest quality with the pace never relenting from the kickoff, which some 300 Bayern fans missed.
They staged a "stay-away" for the first five minutes to protest over the cost of a ticket for the match, but when they took their seats, applause rang around the stadium from both home and visiting supporters.
They staged a "stay-away" for the first five minutes to protest over the cost of a ticket for the match, but when they took their seats, applause rang around the stadium from both home and visiting supporters.
Bliss talks 2016 roster outlook; CHIvNY start time pushed back.
By Danny Michallik
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The issues are mounting for the Fire with the offseason around the corner.
After a second-half unraveling in the lopsided 4-0 loss at D.C. United, the task of righting the ship under the direction of interim coach Brian Bliss and Nelson Rodríguez, who began his tenure as general manager on Monday, is turning into an increasingly uphill battle. The performance was "the furthest from what we expected" in comparison to the respectable fight and grit on display during Bliss' first two games in charge in narrow losses at the Montreal Impact and Toronto FC in late September.
But the defeat at RFK Stadium was the heaviest of the Men in Red's troubled campaign by a considerable margin, having conceded four goals for the second time since experiencing a 4-3 setback to the Montreal Impact on Sept. 5.
As a result, the Fire (8-19-6, 30 points) became the seventh team in MLS history to finish the regular season without an away victory.
“That’s always the case when your team has not performed to the capabilities that you thought, and (when) you look at the whole season, inevitably there’s going to be change," Bliss said Tuesday via teleconference when asked whether Sunday's match would be the last for some players in a Fire uniform. "I would think some guys probably have pretty much close to played their last game. Which guys those are, those will still remain within the club until we can have the final discussion internally and communicate that to some of the players. But guys are pretty perceptive; they know sometimes when the end of the line is coming, that’s just the way it is. That’s something for an internal discussion.
"The words after the game on the bus before we pulled out were pretty much, ‘that’s not us,’ ‘unacceptable,’ ‘you’ve got to look at your own game and where you came up a little bit short,’ and ‘we’ve got to find a way to get back to where we were the previous games in terms of our mentality,’ because it wasn’t about ability, it was mentality. And I don’t think we had, for whatever reason, the right one going in, which was surprising based on the home game against New England.”
As he looks ahead to the regular season finale against Supporters' Shield-chasing New York Red Bulls (17-10-6, 57 points) and beyond, Bliss reiterated his vision of how many changes must occur to the roster for the club to be competitive come 2016.
“A couple might be a bit too few, I would say," he added. "Again, I use the term ‘tweaking.’ I tend to think tweaking is more like three or four. When I use the term ‘overhaul,’ or any coach or technical director uses the term 'overhaul,' it usually means 8, 9, 10, or 11 changes. I still think it’s in the tweaking mode, which to me is three or four, of which probably three have to be starters.”
Magee omitted from D.C. trip
Limited to just three MLS starts and two appearances in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup action because of injury, forward Mike Magee was excluded from the team's excursion to the nation's capital.
“I think that was a little bit more his," Bliss said of the decision to leave Magee behind. "He came to me at the end of the week, and said he wanted to focus on health and strengthening, and I’ve got to respect that. I’ve got to deal with that as it comes, and that was near the end of the week of training."
Along with defender Ty Harden and midfielder Matt Watson, the 2013 MLS MVP will be out of contract next week. Should he opt to sign on for another season, Magee, who grossed $467,500 in guaranteed compensation this year, according to the MLS Players' Union, will likely have to take a sizable pay cut to remain with the club. The Chicago native had recently expressed his dissatisfaction with the handling of his recovery, but is not on his way out yet.
“He hasn’t expressed any interest either way about staying or leaving in any conversations that I’ve had. I am aware at least going back to the end of June and early into July where he was disenchanted with some of the medical. I don’t know the exact timeline of events; I do know what happened in that window where he felt that some steps were missed, but I still believe that our doctors were on it, and were giving him the best medical care. That’s the only thing I can say, but I was aware of it, yes.”
Chicago-New York start time pushed back
MLS confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Sunday's Eastern Conference showdown at Toyota Park between the Fire and Red Bulls will be pushed back from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. to allow both Supporters' Shield contenders to kick off simultaneously. FC Dallas hosts the San Jose Earthquakes at Toyota Stadium.
"We created Decision Day to ensure that we have the most compelling and competitively-driven matches played simultaneously on the final day of our regular season," MLS Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbott said in a statement. "Changing the time of the Fire-Red Bulls match fulfills our vision, and will provide an exciting finish to our Supporters' Shield race."
The game will be broadcast on CSN, with former Fire forward Brian McBride joining play-by-play commentator Dan Kelly as the color analyst, and will also be aired on ESPN3.
NCAAFB: No. 1 Ohio State will start JT Barrett over Jones at QB.
By RALPH D. RUSSO
Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett drops back to pass against Penn State during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State beat Penn State 38-10. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
The starting quarterback job at Ohio State is J.T. Barrett's now. Though maybe FOR now is more appropriate.
The never-ending story of this college football season entered a new chapter Tuesday. Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer announced that Barrett would replace Cardale Jones as the starter when No. 1 Ohio State plays at Rutgers on Saturday.
This was no unexpected plot twist. The move seemed inevitable after Barrett accounted for four touchdowns in relief of Jones against Penn State on Saturday.
Big Ten coaches irked by online bashing of Michigan punter.
The never-ending story of this college football season entered a new chapter Tuesday. Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer announced that Barrett would replace Cardale Jones as the starter when No. 1 Ohio State plays at Rutgers on Saturday.
This was no unexpected plot twist. The move seemed inevitable after Barrett accounted for four touchdowns in relief of Jones against Penn State on Saturday.
Conceivably, Barrett could take the job and run with it and the quarterback questions will end in Columbus. But as Meyer said after the 38-10 victory against the Nittany Lions: Whatever it takes to win.
''Cardale is going to be a very active part, too,'' Meyer said Tuesday during the Big Ten coaches' conference call. ''Hopefully, we'll keep him very much involved. So, it was a difficult decision. But red-zone production and third-down production were the two areas that made the difference. (Barrett) earned that with the way he played Saturday.''
Barrett helped the Buckeyes break out of a red-zone funk, guiding the offense from inside the 20 into the end zone six times in six trips two weeks ago against Maryland. The trend continued against Penn State. Barrett ran for two touchdowns and threw two more in six red-zone trips for the Buckeyes. The other resulted in a field goal.
The Buckeyes (7-0) are 81st in the nation in converting third downs into first downs at 37.5 percent. They are 72nd in converting red-zone trips into touchdowns at 60.7 percent (17 for 28), and most of those TDs have come with Barrett on the field.
Barrett helped the Buckeyes break out of a red-zone funk, guiding the offense from inside the 20 into the end zone six times in six trips two weeks ago against Maryland. The trend continued against Penn State. Barrett ran for two touchdowns and threw two more in six red-zone trips for the Buckeyes. The other resulted in a field goal.
The Buckeyes (7-0) are 81st in the nation in converting third downs into first downs at 37.5 percent. They are 72nd in converting red-zone trips into touchdowns at 60.7 percent (17 for 28), and most of those TDs have come with Barrett on the field.
The way the Ohio State offense is built this season Barrett seems the better fit. He is nifty runner and quick decision-maker in the zone-read option. He ran for 102 yards on 11 carries against Penn State, neutralizing a good pass rush that was giving Jones problems.
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Jones has one of the strongest arms in college football, but the Buckeyes have not been able to use it to exploit defenses down the field. Last season, when Jones took over in the postseason, field-stretching receiver Devin Smith became a force. Theses Buckeyes don't have that kind of vertical threat.
''I have two great guys that I have a tremendous amount of respect for. I'm just trying to do the right thing,'' Meyer said.
Barrett lost a closely watched quarterback competition to Jones that started not long after the Buckeyes won the national championship in January. Jones started the last three games of Ohio State's title run, beating Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon, after Barrett was brilliant in the regular season. Barrett accounted for a Big Ten-record 45 touchdowns and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
''I have two great guys that I have a tremendous amount of respect for. I'm just trying to do the right thing,'' Meyer said.
Barrett lost a closely watched quarterback competition to Jones that started not long after the Buckeyes won the national championship in January. Jones started the last three games of Ohio State's title run, beating Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon, after Barrett was brilliant in the regular season. Barrett accounted for a Big Ten-record 45 touchdowns and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Braxton Miller, a two-time Big Ten player of the year, also figured to be in the mix at quarterback if his surgically repaired shoulder allowed. He dropped out of the race in July to become a receiver.
Not until the Buckeyes offense took the field for the first time this season on the Labor Day night at Virginia Tech did the quarterbacks know who would start. Jones was the man, but he never took firm hold of the job.
Not until the Buckeyes offense took the field for the first time this season on the Labor Day night at Virginia Tech did the quarterbacks know who would start. Jones was the man, but he never took firm hold of the job.
He has seven touchdowns passes against five interceptions and ranks 48th in the nation with a passer rating of 141.23. He threw for just 84 yards in last week's win over Penn State and was replaced by Barrett for good after two series in the third quarter.
Jones also was benched in the second half of the Northern Illinois game, but Barrett wasn't particularly effective, either, and Jones continued to start.
Against Maryland two weeks ago, Jones played the big part of the field and Barrett entered when the Buckeyes reached the red zone. Barrett ran for three touchdowns in that game.
A two-quarterback system, like the one Meyer used to win a national title at Florida in 2006 with Chris Leak and Tim Tebow, seemed to be emerging. Not quite, though at this point it seems reasonable to expect anything from Meyer. If Barrett struggles or Jones is a better matchup in a particular spot, Meyer seems more than willing to switch things up again.
There have been no signs that this game of quarterback roulette is causing problems. Tackle Taylor Decker said as much before Meyer made his decision public.
''It's not creating a divide in the locker room, which would be a downfall if that were to happen,'' he said.
It's hard to be unhappy when undefeated.
Big Ten coaches irked by online bashing of Michigan punter.
By LUKE MEREDITH
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz banned his players from Twitter once he realized the potential pitfalls of social media.
Some of his Big Ten colleagues might start thinking that Ferentz is on to something.
The downside to social media again became apparent last weekend. Michigan athletic director Jim Hackett released an open letter on Sunday urging fans to avoid ''thoughtless comments'' following Michigan State's last-play 27-23 win over the Wolverines.
Much of negative online chatter focused on Michigan punter Blake O'Neill, whose fumble led to the game-winning touchdown for the Spartans.
''It's very disappointing. But it's the world we're living in right now, too. People tend to attack other people via social media,'' Spartans coach Mark Dantonio said. ''It's just one play. It should not define a person.''
Unlike Ferentz, most Big Ten coaches have accepted social media as a fact of life for themselves and their players.
Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is one of the more active Big Ten coaches on Twitter. Fitzgerald said he uses social media to ''spread the good news'' about the Wildcats and interact with fans. Fitzgerald said dealing with ''trolls'' is part of his job.
But Fitzgerald had some strong word for what he dubbed ''haters'' who took to their computers and phones to bash O'Neill.
''I feel sorry for those people. I really do,'' Fitzgerald said. ''Every young man is trying to go out there and make a play and do what's right. When that doesn't go right, nobody feels worse than that young person. As a coach, that's where you try and step in and give them everything you can and try to be supportive of them.''
First-year Nebraska coach Mike Riley had to deal with the dangers of social media earlier this season from the other side.
Cornhuskers offensive lineman and team caption Alex Lewis, after committing three penalties in a heartbreaking loss at Miami, lashed out on Facebook at fans who blamed him for the defeat.
Lewis posted that he was going to prove to himself and his family that he's ''better than these fair-weather fans.'' Riley talked to Lewis about the posts, which were quickly deleted, but he didn't punish him.
Riley said he's spoken at length with his players about being smart on social media, though he acknowledged that it's a ''tough world that way.''
''If I could shield it from them, I would. And when they use it, I always encourage them to use it in some way to build up their school, their team and their teammates - and certainly don't get into anything that's a response or try to defend. Because it really doesn't do much good,'' Riley said.
Dantonio mirrored the thoughts of many in the league who are frustrated by those who take things to ''an extreme'' on social media.
''That's a shame. I feel bad for him. I feel bad for his family that they had to go through that stress. The kid dropped a punt, all right? I understand that,'' Purdue coach Darrell Hazell said. ''But nobody should need to go through death threats, if that's really what's happening.''
NCAABKB: DePaul picked as preseason favorite in Big East.
By DOUG FEINBERG
The DePaul bench looks on late in the second half of a women's college basketball game against Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA tournament in South Bend, Ind., Sunday, March 22, 2015. From left, Brandi Harvey-Carr, Ashton Millender, Mart'e Grays and Brooke Schulte. Notre Dame won 79-67. (AP Photo/Joe Raymond)
DePaul is in a familiar spot in the preseason, atop the Big East standings.
St. John's was picked second and Villanova third. Both received one first-place vote. The Red Storm are led by senior guard Aliyyah Handford, who was chosen as the conference's preseason player of the year.
''It means a lot to me,'' said Handford, who averaged 19.3 points and 6.5 rebounds last season. ''My teammates got me here and I give all the credit to them.''
Belmont Bruins preseason favorite to win OVC championship.
By DOUG FEINBERG
DePaul is in a familiar spot in the preseason, atop the Big East standings.
For the third straight year, coach Doug Bruno's team was picked by the Big East coaches as the favorite to win the conference.
''It's always an honor to be picked at the top by the Big East coaches and hear their thoughts and see the respect they have for us,'' Bruno said.
''It's always an honor to be picked at the top by the Big East coaches and hear their thoughts and see the respect they have for us,'' Bruno said.
DePaul received eight of the 10 votes Wednesday from the league's coaches. The Blue Demons shared last year's regular-season title with Seton Hall before edging the Pirates in the Big East Tournament championship game for their second consecutive postseason crown. DePaul returns a trio of starters from last season's team that went 27-8 and made the NCAA Tournament for the 13th straight year.
''The key to our season will be the growth of the sophomores and how they develop,'' Bruno said.
St. John's was picked second and Villanova third. Both received one first-place vote. The Red Storm are led by senior guard Aliyyah Handford, who was chosen as the conference's preseason player of the year.
''It means a lot to me,'' said Handford, who averaged 19.3 points and 6.5 rebounds last season. ''My teammates got me here and I give all the credit to them.''
Creighton was picked fourth followed by Seton Hall. Coach Tony Bozzella's squad lost four starters from last season's team that made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in two decades and earned its first ranking.
Xavier, Georgetown, Butler, Marquette and Providence round out the preseason picks. Butler's Brittany Ward is the preseason freshman of the year.
Belmont Bruins preseason favorite to win OVC championship.
By MAURICE PATTON
Belmont returns four starters from an Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship team, making it easy to pick the Bruins as the preseason favorite to win the OVC.
The Bruins received 21 of a possible 24 first-place votes in voting released Tuesday before the OVC's media day. UT Martin received two first-place votes, while defending regular season champ Murray State received one vote to win the overall league title.
Belmont swept the regular-season and tourney crowns in 2013 and won the 2014 championship. Coach Rick Byrd has the OVC preseason player of the year in senior guard Craig Bradshaw along with forward Evan Bradds, forward Amanze Egekeze and guard Taylor Barnette back from a team that went 22-11, won the East Division, edged regular-season champ Murray State in the league tournament championship before losing 79-67 to Virginia in the NCAA Tournament.
Belmont swept the regular-season and tourney crowns in 2013 and won the 2014 championship. Coach Rick Byrd has the OVC preseason player of the year in senior guard Craig Bradshaw along with forward Evan Bradds, forward Amanze Egekeze and guard Taylor Barnette back from a team that went 22-11, won the East Division, edged regular-season champ Murray State in the league tournament championship before losing 79-67 to Virginia in the NCAA Tournament.
''I think it's a nice testimony to what our teams in the past have done and the fact we've got four starters back from a team that beat a really good Murray State team (in the OVC finals),'' Byrd said. ''We played good late. We finished good, and we played Virginia great.''
With Byrd, Belmont has won seven Atlantic Sun and OVC championships in 10 years.
''It would be different if Murray State had the team this year that they had coming back last year,'' Byrd said. ''To just look at things on paper and throw in the consistent success, I can see it. But most years we've won the league, most years we weren't picked to win it - and the time or two we were picked, we didn't win it.''
With Byrd, Belmont has won seven Atlantic Sun and OVC championships in 10 years.
''It would be different if Murray State had the team this year that they had coming back last year,'' Byrd said. ''To just look at things on paper and throw in the consistent success, I can see it. But most years we've won the league, most years we weren't picked to win it - and the time or two we were picked, we didn't win it.''
With 22 first-place votes, Belmont also was selected comfortably ahead of Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky (one first-place vote each) in the East.
Murray State returns just one starter in senior forward Jeffrey Moss with Cameron Payne now in the NBA. The Racers also have a new coach in Matt McMahon, who took over when Steve Prohm left for Iowa State. McMahon had served as Prohm's assistant for the past four seasons before leaving in late May to become associate head coach at Louisiana Tech only to return during the summer.
So the Racers received 15 first-place votes to win the West, just ahead of Tennessee-Martin. Murray State went 29-6 last season, advancing to the NIT quarterfinals.
''I'm excited about the team we can become because we have the work ethic and the competitive nature taken care of,'' McMahon said. ''I like the versatility and depth of our backcourt. We've got a lot of options at the guard position, a lot of competition at that position. It's really open season for every position on the floor.''
UT Martin (21-13 in 2014-15) brings back Alex Anderson at guard and Twymond Howard at forward along with forward Javier Martinez after reaching the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament semifinals. Coach Heath Shroyer said that postseason helped some players emerge, particularly Anderson and Howard.
''You look at our league's success, and it's almost always generated by guards,'' Shroyer said. ''If you don't have good guard play, it's tough to win in this league or any league. Having a guy like Alex to lead this group of guards we have coming back is priceless for us.''
Morehead State, 17-17 last season, is expected to make a big jump with Brent Arrington returning at guard along with backcourt mate Corban Collins.
''I really like our guard play,'' coach Sean Woods said. ''That's the strong part of our team. Having those two back gives us a chance because those are two tough guards with a lot of experience.''
''You look at our league's success, and it's almost always generated by guards,'' Shroyer said. ''If you don't have good guard play, it's tough to win in this league or any league. Having a guy like Alex to lead this group of guards we have coming back is priceless for us.''
Morehead State, 17-17 last season, is expected to make a big jump with Brent Arrington returning at guard along with backcourt mate Corban Collins.
''I really like our guard play,'' coach Sean Woods said. ''That's the strong part of our team. Having those two back gives us a chance because those are two tough guards with a lot of experience.''
Horizon Preview: Valparaiso remains dangerous.
By Scott Phillips
CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT:
IN: Northern Kentucky (Atlantic Sun)
The Horizon League enters the 2015-16 season with some talented teams, including a returning NCAA tournament team that has all five starters back. Adding another level of intrigue to the Horizon’s postseason proceedings, the conference tournament moves to Detroit this season after being played as a true home game for the Horizon’s top team.
Regardless of where the league’s conference tournament is played, Valparaiso enters as the heavy favorite to repeat after winning both the regular season and conference tournament titles last season. The Crusaders return all five starters and three key reserves to a team that took Maryland to the brink in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Junior forward Alec Peters is the league’s Preseason Player of the Year and he’s surrounded by three seniors, including rim protector Vashil Fernandez. Most importantly, head coach Bryce Drew is back and he’s got a chance to lead a dangerous mid-major team that could easily win a game or two in the 2016 NCAA tournament.
Trailing behind Valpo is two talented teams, Oakland and Milwaukee. Greg Kampe’s Grizzlies return player of the year candidate Kahlil Felder, a non-stop threat who played nearly every minute of Oakland’s 2014-15 season. Felder is flanked by two returning starters and some high-major transfers in former Iowa State products Percy Gibson (center) and Sherron Dorsey-Walker (guard). Texas transfer Martez Walker is also eligible to make for a talented group that could push for the league crown.
After sitting out the postseason last season due to NCAA violations, Milwaukee has reloaded and Rob Jeter has his most talented team in years. All-league forward Matt Tiby is the Horizon’s leading returning rebounder while the Panthers redshirted three forwards — including versatile junior Austin Arians — and recruited two talented guards. Six of the top seven return from last season to go along with those five new players and Milwaukee ended the 2014-15 season by winning seven of nine.
Wright State has to stay healthy to be a top-tier Horizon League team but they return their four top scorers. Forward J.T. Yoho was one of the league’s best players when healthy last season and senior guard Joe Thomasson is very experienced. Detroit has to replace the scoring of Juwan Howard Jr., but sophomore forward Paris Bass is one of the league’s most talented players and could be poised for a big year. The Titans return four of its top five scorers from last year’s team, that includes three local recruits.
Things will be quite different in Green Bay as Brian Wardle has been replaced by Linc Darner and Keifer Sykes and Greg Mays are gone. But wing Jordan Fouse is one of the league’s best defenders and guard Carrington Love showed some scoring punch as well. The Phoenix will have question marks after their two returning starters.
UIC is now under the direction of former Indiana assistant Steve McClain and he brought in some immediate talent in guards Dominique Matthews and Dikembe Dixson. Two starters return for the Flames in double-figure scoring guard Paris Burns and forward Jake Wiegand. Cleveland State got hit by transfers as Trey Lewis (Louisville) and Anton Grady (Wichita State) are on new rosters and only starter Andre Yates returns. The Vikings have two redshirt freshmen and three true freshmen they’ll count on early.
Not much is proven for Youngstown State outside of 6-foot-10 senior forward Bobby Hain. Five new recruits will be asked to do a lot of a Penguins team that lost four starters from last season. Northern Kentucky is the new program in the league with a new coach in former Alabama assistant John Brannen. The Norse bring back three starters from a team that was 13-17 last season.
COACH’S TAKE
- Favorite: “Valparaiso has a team that could have won a NCAA tournament game last season and now everybody is back. With Vashil Fernandez still in the lineup, they’re going to be very tough for any team to beat.”
- Sleeper: “Milwaukee finished extremely strong to end last season. They bring back a core nucleus of experienced guys and have the postseason to play for. When you put all of those things in the equation, it makes them a dangerous team.”
- Star to watch: “Kahlil Felder probably means more to his team than Alec Peters, but Peters is the type of player who hits a huge shot to put a game out of reach. When he’s on, Valpo plays at another level.”
PRESEASON HORIZON LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Alec Peters, Valparaiso
The skilled 6-foot-9 junior barely edges out Oakland guard Kahlil Felder for preseason honors, in a debate that should be fun for the next two seasons. With his tremendous efficiency shooting the ball from all over the floor, Peters gets the nod here after averaging 16.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game as a sophomore. Peters put up those numbers while shooting 48 percent from the field, 46 percent from 3-point range and 82 percent from the free-throw line. With Valpo having so much balance in its deep and talented lineup, teams have to decide whether they want to overload on Peters or risk him having a big game. Since Peters can score from all over the floor, he’s a matchup nightmare for nearly any program.
THE REST OF THE PRESEASON ALL-HORIZON TEAM:
- Kahlil Felder, Oakland: The 5-foot-9 junior is a complete warrior who averaged 38.5 minutes a game in 33 games last season. Put up 18.1 points, 7.6 assists and 4.8 rebounds per contest.
- Matt Tiby, Milwaukee: The league’s returning leading rebounder, the 6-foot-8 Tiby can score and rebound among the best in the league. Averaged 13.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game for a team that couldn’t play for the postseason.
- JT Yoho, Wright State: If he can stay healthy, the 6-foot-6 Yoho is a Player of the Year candidate. Yoho averaged 15.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game last season and is talented enough to score from all over the floor.
- Paris Bass, Detroit: After a productive freshman season, expectations become even greater for Bass since this is his team now. The 6-foot-8 sophomore averaged 12.4 points, 5.7 rebounds per game and is one of the league’s most talented young stars.
PREDICTED FINISH
1. Valparaiso
2. Oakland
3. Milwaukee
4. Wright State
5. Detroit
6. Green Bay
7. UIC
8. Cleveland State
9. Youngstown State
10. Northern Kentucky
Refreshed Pharoah primed for Breeders' Cup bid.
By Rebecca Bryan
Bob Baffert's time with American Pharoah is winding down, but the trainer believes US racing's first Triple Crown hero in 37 years is primed for a shot at Breeders' Cup glory.
The $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky, on October 31 will be the three-year-old's last race.
On Tuesday at Santa Anita Park he didn't disappoint in his last significant workout before he ships east, working six furlongs in 1min 10.80sec.
Baffert liked what he saw, but still sounded a bit wistful at the prospect of his partnership with the charismatic colt coming to an end.
"This was the last serious drill of his life," said Baffert, who timed American Pharoah galloping out seven furlongs on his watch in 1:23.20 and a mile in a tidy 1:37.
"It's sort of sad in a way to think that's the last time we get to see him work like that.
"Just to watch him breeze, sometimes I get a bit excited, the way he does things so easily.
"He looked fantastic today and I really feel good about the way he's coming into this race."
Since becoming the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, American Pharoah extended his winning streak to eight races with a win in the Haskell Invitational in August, before finishing runner up to Keen Ice in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga in September.
Since then, Baffert said, racing's 12th Triple Crown winner had benefitted from some well-earned time off.
"He needed every bit of that 60 days," said Baffert, who has no qualms about taking American Pharoah into the Breeders' Cup Classic off such a long racing layoff.
"If you have a horse like him that gets a lot out of his works you can do it," Baffert said.
- Pretty impressive -
American Pharoah is slated to become the first Triple Crown winner to race in the Breeders' Cup Classic, where super mare Beholder is among the world's top horses expected to take him on in the main event of the two-day, 13-race, $26 million flat racing extravaganza.
He could have been retired immediately after sealing his place in racing lore at the Belmont.
Owner Ahmed Zayat has already sold the colt's breeding rights to Ireland's Coolmore Stud in a deal thought to be worth more than $20 million.
Despite the defeat at Saratoga, Baffert sees no downside to giving American Pharoah a chance to add to his racing legacy -- even if the spotlight on the superstar makes his own life more stressful.
"The thing that makes American Pharoah so unique is that I've never had a horse that sustained his form from early spring until fall," Baffert said. "It's very rare you see a horse like that.
"He's been on so many planes, shipped so many times, for him to still be at the top of his game, it's pretty impressive."
On
Memoriesofhistory.com
1956 - Billy Howton (Green Bay Packers) caught seven passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Rams. The final score was 42-17.
1966 - The U.S. Congress approved the AFL-NFL merger.
1973 - Fred Dryer (Los Angeles Rams) became the first NFL player to record two safeties in a single game. The Rams defeated the Green Bay Packers 24-7.
1975 - Carlton Fisk (Boston Red Sox) hit a home run in the 12th inning in a 7-6 win over the Cincinnati Reds in Game Six of the World Series.
1976 - The Philadelphia 76ers purchased the rights for Julius Erving from the New Jersey Nets.
1980 - The Philadelphia Phillies won their first World Series.
1984 - Steve Cox (Cleveland Browns) kicked a 60-yard field goal against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was the second longest field goal in NFL history. The Browns lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 12-9.
1997 - Ray Bourque (Boston Bruins) became the fifth defenseman in NHL history to play in 1,300 regular-season games.
1998 - The New York Yankees set a major league baseball record of 125 victories for the regular and postseason combined.
2000 - The New York Yankees defeated the New York Mets 4-3 in 12 innings. It was the longest World Series game at 4 hours and 51 minutes.
2004 - The CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) ruled that Paul Hamm could keep his Olympic gold medal. They decided that Hamm was the rightful champion in the men's all-around gymnastics competition at the Athens Games. South Korea had challenged the medal.
1966 - The U.S. Congress approved the AFL-NFL merger.
1973 - Fred Dryer (Los Angeles Rams) became the first NFL player to record two safeties in a single game. The Rams defeated the Green Bay Packers 24-7.
1975 - Carlton Fisk (Boston Red Sox) hit a home run in the 12th inning in a 7-6 win over the Cincinnati Reds in Game Six of the World Series.
1976 - The Philadelphia 76ers purchased the rights for Julius Erving from the New Jersey Nets.
1980 - The Philadelphia Phillies won their first World Series.
1984 - Steve Cox (Cleveland Browns) kicked a 60-yard field goal against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was the second longest field goal in NFL history. The Browns lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 12-9.
1997 - Ray Bourque (Boston Bruins) became the fifth defenseman in NHL history to play in 1,300 regular-season games.
1998 - The New York Yankees set a major league baseball record of 125 victories for the regular and postseason combined.
2000 - The New York Yankees defeated the New York Mets 4-3 in 12 innings. It was the longest World Series game at 4 hours and 51 minutes.
2004 - The CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) ruled that Paul Hamm could keep his Olympic gold medal. They decided that Hamm was the rightful champion in the men's all-around gymnastics competition at the Athens Games. South Korea had challenged the medal.
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