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Sports Quote of the Day"
"If there is one thing that all players have in common it is that winning, competitive gene; the ability to overcome obstacles and fight for what you want from your career." ~ Andres Iniesta, Professional Soccer Player (FC Barcelona)
Trending: The Cubs hit the trifecta in 2015. Great days are ahead. Kris Bryant, NL Rookie of the Year; Joe Maddon, NL Manager of the Year; and Jake Arrieta, NL Cy Young Winner. Time to move on to the next level in 2016. Let's go Cubs!!!
Trending: Confident Bears have 'a different feeling' with playoffs in mind. (See the football section for Bears updates).
Trending: The Bulls were the last regular-season team to win at Oracle Arena, but an improbable task lies ahead. (See the basketball section for Bulls updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Denver Broncos-Chicago Bears Preview.
By JEFF MEZYDLO
In danger of losing three straight for the first time in four seasons, the Denver Broncos face their former coach without their future Hall-of-Famer under center.
With Peyton Manning sidelined, Brock Osweiler makes his first career start Sunday when the visiting Broncos face John Fox's improving Chicago Bears.
A season that looked promising has become concerning for Denver, which followed a 7-0 start by dropping two straight for the first time since September 2012 - the season after the Broncos last lost three in a row.
They'll try to avoid doing it again without Manning, who was benched last Sunday after throwing four interceptions in a 29-13 loss to Kansas City. A day later the Broncos announced that Manning has a torn plantar fascia in his right foot and coach Gary Kubiak decided to hand the offense over to Osweiler.
Kubiak second-guessed himself for playing the hurting 39-year-old, who came into the game against the Chiefs with a ribcage injury and sore shoulder.
''Guys want to play,'' Kubiak said. ''That's why he's a great player. But as a football coach, sometimes you have to say, 'No, I don't think this is the right thing today.'''
Those injuries have contributed to Manning enduring perhaps the worst of his 17 NFL seasons - a career-low 67.6 passer rating, 59.9 completion percentage and 17 interceptions to nine touchdowns. However, he's started every game since coming to Denver in 2012 and last missed one while sitting the entire 2011 season after neck surgery.
Those injuries have contributed to Manning enduring perhaps the worst of his 17 NFL seasons - a career-low 67.6 passer rating, 59.9 completion percentage and 17 interceptions to nine touchdowns. However, he's started every game since coming to Denver in 2012 and last missed one while sitting the entire 2011 season after neck surgery.
That changes Sunday when Osweiler, 31 of 54 for 305 yards with two TDs and an INT in 15 games over four seasons, starts on his 25th birthday.
''That would be an awesome birthday present if we can go get a win,'' Osweiler said. "It's very exciting, but at the same time Peyton is still our guy. He's one of the best ever to do it.
''I'm the starter for this week at Chicago, but that's all it is."
Kubiak hasn't announced a timetable for Manning's return.
"All of our full attention is going to be to getting Peyton back and healthy,'' he said. "We're focused on this week, then we'll re-evaluate next week.''
''I'm the starter for this week at Chicago, but that's all it is."
Kubiak hasn't announced a timetable for Manning's return.
"All of our full attention is going to be to getting Peyton back and healthy,'' he said. "We're focused on this week, then we'll re-evaluate next week.''
Osweiler will try to revive an offense that totaled 221 yards and committed five turnovers while scoring its fewest points of the season last weekend. Whether it's Ronnie Hillman or C.J. Anderson running the ball, Denver ranks 29th in rushing, averaging 86.0 yards and has gained 104 in the losses to Indianapolis and Kansas City.
Things might not get easier against Chicago (4-5), which is looking for its first three-game winning streak in two seasons. Guided by Fox and offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who were together in Denver the last four seasons, the Bears are 3-0 against the AFC West.
Things might not get easier against Chicago (4-5), which is looking for its first three-game winning streak in two seasons. Guided by Fox and offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who were together in Denver the last four seasons, the Bears are 3-0 against the AFC West.
"Yeah, coach Fox knows a lot about us, but we also know a lot about him," Osweiler told the Broncos' official website.
From 2011-14 with Denver, Fox went 46-18, won four division titles and reached the Super Bowl once. Four days after the Broncos and Fox mutually parted ways in January, he accepted a four-year deal to coach the Bears and brought Gase with him.
Naturally, Fox is downplaying the reunion.
"When you've been doing this for 26 years, you kind of run into a lot of people you know,'' Fox said. ''When you're with your eighth team, you end up playing your ex-team a bunch.
"I have a lot of close friends (in Denver), a lot of people I've shared special moments with but it's the next team on the schedule."
"I have a lot of close friends (in Denver), a lot of people I've shared special moments with but it's the next team on the schedule."
And one the Bears should feel confident to face after recording consecutive road victories over San Diego and St. Louis.
''Nameless and faceless, that's how we look at (opposing) guys,'' Chicago linebacker Shea McClellin said.
After allowing an average of 35.0 points during an 0-3 start, the Bears are yielding 21.5. Chicago gave up a seven-play, 80-yard scoring drive to open Sunday's game, then held the Rams to 205 yards and two field goals in the 37-13 rout. The Bears did so without linebacker and defensive leader Pernell McPhee, who could miss a second straight game with a knee injury.
''The way we are trending, I like the way the guys are going about their business,'' Fox said.
Ex-Bronco Jay Cutler threw three touchdowns without an interception last week. Under Gase's tutelage, Cutler has thrown at least one of his 13 TDs in each of the eight games he's played and only two of his five INTs in the last five.
"I think he's playing the quarterback position exceptionally well,'' Fox said of Cutler, whose 95.3 passer rating is a career high.
Rookie Jeremy Langford has rushed for 145 yards, caught 10 passes for 179 and scored three TDs while replacing the injured Matt Forte (knee) the last two games. It's uncertain if Forte will return to face a Denver defense that's allowed 56 points in the last two contests after yielding an average of 16.0 in the first seven.
The Broncos rank first in total defense (277.3 yards per game) but have allowed 668, including 226 on the ground, in the last two contests.
Denver will have cornerback Aqib Talib back after he served a one-game suspension for poking Indianapolis' Dwayne Allen in the eye. Safety T.J. Ward, meanwhile, won't be suspended after being ejected for taking a swing at Kansas City's Jeremy Maclin.
DeMarcus Ware, who has a team-leading 6 1/2 of Denver's 32 sacks, could sit a second straight contest with a back injury.
Confident Bears have 'a different feeling' with playoffs in mind.
By John Mullin
Various Bears have spoken the “P” word – playoffs – with an even-handedness over the past couple of weeks, as if they took seriously the possibility of playing a 2015 season of more than 16 games in spite of losing the first three.
Suddenly the scoffing that came with Kyle Long, Tracy Porter and others thinking the “P” word isn’t quite as noisy. And coaches aren’t discouraging that sort of look-ahead, because the playoffs are a lose-and-done proposition, and the Bears are in reality in playoff mode now whether they like it or not. And their attitude is that somebody has to get hot; why not them?
“I thought I could start to feel it three weeks ago, even when we had some of those close losses,” said tight end Zach Miller. “It’s a different feeling and we started to build a little more confidence. We didn’t finish well in those weeks, but now we’re getting to the point where we’re starting to.”
Here’s why:
First, the Bears, where notables have occurred on both offense and defense, in consecutive weeks, both on the road.
They held what was then the NFL’s No. 1 passing offense (San Diego) to one touchdown and Philip Rivers to 280 net passing yards, Rivers who is second by one yard only to Tom Brady in average yards per game (338 vs. 337).
Then they put 37 points on a St. Louis Rams defense that ranked No. 6 in fewest points and allowing half that (18.6 ppg.) coming in.
Second, the NFC. Right now there are seven four-win teams in the NFC. Seven. Using strictly current standings, none of them are wild-card teams but only because there are two second-place teams (Atlanta, Green Bay) with six wins, and overcoming a two-game deficit with seven to play is some level of longshot.
But the Bears play the Packers in a week. And they play two of the other four-win teams – Tampa Bay, Washington – yet this year, while already holding a head-to-head edge on St. Louis. So the simple fact is that the Bears taking the playoffs seriously is both mathematically and realistically not to be summarily dismissed.
One NFL reality is that every year there are outliers, good and bad, teams that surprise with their unexpected under-achievement and ones that upset predictions by max’ing abilities and opportunities (those are not “overachievers” – other than by artificial means, there is no such thing as an “overachiever,” just ones who got all they could out of what they had – that they were better than expected just means experts were stupid and wrong about you – but that’s for another discussion).
Ironically, last year the Bears were one of those disappoint’er teams, expected to take a step forward after reaching 8-8 in Marc Trestman’s first year but didn’t. So were the San Francisco 49ers.
On the plus-side were the Detroit Lions, going 11-5 in Jim Caldwell’s first season as head coach after more years of failure under Jim Schwartz. This year the Lions became hood ornaments for the other trend line, back to tied for the NFL’s worst record after many prognostications of breakthrough for Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and associates.
How would Von Miller look in a Bears uniform?
By John Mullin
A prime focus of the Bears offense on Sunday will be to account for and block Denver Broncos rush-linebacker Von Miller and interdict his pursuit of Jay Cutler and any other Bear with a football.
One focus of the Bears organization next offseason is expected to be turning Miller from pursuer to pursuee, with Miller the sort of elite pass rusher who reaches free agency only in the rarest of off-seasons. And Miller, with five sacks and five tackles for a loss through nine games, said on Wednesday that he is interested in the opportunity to see what his open-market value is.
“You know obviously I want to get the opportunity to see what it brings when that chance comes,” Miller said via conference call on Wednesday.
The Bears will be among the NFL leaders in available salary cap space, and GM Ryan Pace last offseason demonstrated the priority the Bears place on 3-4 pass rushers when he made Pernell McPhee his first top-end signing with a five-year contract worth $38.7 million, of which $15.5 was guaranteed.
The Broncos will have the option of placing their franchise tag on Miller if a long-term deal is not reached. Legendary NFL executive and current NFL Media analyst Gil Brandt lists Miller No. 2 on his roster of must-re-sign players.
“Miller also makes everyone around him better, and not just up front,” Brandt wrote.
“Denver's defensive backs know they won't get beat deep too often, because Miller's going to make the quarterback get rid of the ball in a hurry.”
John Fox was in on drafting Miller, the second-overall selection of the 2011 draft, an immediate impact player that led Denver’s defense from 32nd in 2010 to 20th in Miller’s first year to second in 2012. He knows what Miller is and can do.
“He’s a tremendous talent,” Fox said. “As a pass-rusher, he has great first-step explosion. He can convert speed to power. He’s a guy where, you better know where he is on the field at all times.
“I think he’s improved [since 2011]. They’re playing really good defense, the best that’s being played in the league right now, statistically speaking, and he’s a big part of that.”
For now Miller’s attention is on Cutler and being part of ending Denver’s two-game slide, so as far as free agency, "I don't think about it,” he said. “I only think about it when I get asked about it. I've just got to take it one game at a time, one play at a time, try to influence our guys top play better out there, you know try to play the kind of football that I've been playing and that'll be enough to get it done."
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks-Flames Preview.
By JEFF MEZYDLO
The return of two-time Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith combined with the continued stellar play of Patrick Kane and his Russian linemates have paced the surging Chicago Blackhawks.
Looking for a fourth consecutive victory Friday night, the Blackhawks try to continue their success over a Calgary Flames team that appears to have turned things around at home.
Chicago (11-7-1) has not lost in three games since Keith returned after missing 10 with a knee injury. The Blackhawks allowed an average of 3.6 goals during a 2-4-1 slump before he came back, and they've since yielded 2.0 per game while he's recorded two goals and an assist with a plus-5 rating.
The club's penalty kill has held opponents to 1 for 11 on the power play since he returned.
Blackhawks start Circus Trip with OT win over Oilers. (Wednesday night's game, 11/18/2015).
Looking for a fourth consecutive victory Friday night, the Blackhawks try to continue their success over a Calgary Flames team that appears to have turned things around at home.
Chicago (11-7-1) has not lost in three games since Keith returned after missing 10 with a knee injury. The Blackhawks allowed an average of 3.6 goals during a 2-4-1 slump before he came back, and they've since yielded 2.0 per game while he's recorded two goals and an assist with a plus-5 rating.
The club's penalty kill has held opponents to 1 for 11 on the power play since he returned.
Keith scored a power-play goal in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime win at Edmonton, but again the play of Kane, rookie Artemi Panarin and Artem Anisimov paved the way as Chicago opened its six-game trip on a positive note.
"It's a good start," said goaltender Corey Crawford, who made 34 saves. "But you can't get ahead of yourself on these long road trips."
Panarin had a goal, and one of his two assists set up Marian Hossa's winner. Kane also had two assists, and Anisimov added one for a trio that's been responsible for 45.1 percent of Chicago's production.
"It's been a great start to the season for that group," coach Joel Quenneville said.
Panarin had a goal, and one of his two assists set up Marian Hossa's winner. Kane also had two assists, and Anisimov added one for a trio that's been responsible for 45.1 percent of Chicago's production.
"It's been a great start to the season for that group," coach Joel Quenneville said.
Though Kane failed to score for an eighth straight game, he has 10 goals and 14 assists during a 14-game point streak that matches the longest of his career. Panarin, whose 21 points are second to Kane's 30, has five goals and five assists during a six-game point streak. Anisimov has four points in the last three games.
"Their play recognition has been fun to watch, the consistency has been there night in, night out," Quenneville said. "Our opponents, I'm sure, have got to keep aware every time they're on the ice."
The trio accounted for two goals and two assists in Sunday's 4-1 home victory win over the Flames (7-12-1). Kane, who turned 27 on Thursday, has five goals and three assists during a five-game point streak at Calgary.
The Blackhawks are in the midst of a 7-0-3 stretch against the Flames, including 3-0-1 at the Saddledome.
Calgary, however, recorded its third straight home victory Tuesday, 3-2 over New Jersey. David Jones scored his 100th goal to go with an assist and Joe Colborne added two assists for the Flames, who returned from a 1-3-0 trip.
"To be competitive and work your way up the standings you have to win at home, first and foremost, and then you try to gain some points on the road," Jones told the NHL's official website.
"Their play recognition has been fun to watch, the consistency has been there night in, night out," Quenneville said. "Our opponents, I'm sure, have got to keep aware every time they're on the ice."
The trio accounted for two goals and two assists in Sunday's 4-1 home victory win over the Flames (7-12-1). Kane, who turned 27 on Thursday, has five goals and three assists during a five-game point streak at Calgary.
The Blackhawks are in the midst of a 7-0-3 stretch against the Flames, including 3-0-1 at the Saddledome.
Calgary, however, recorded its third straight home victory Tuesday, 3-2 over New Jersey. David Jones scored his 100th goal to go with an assist and Joe Colborne added two assists for the Flames, who returned from a 1-3-0 trip.
"To be competitive and work your way up the standings you have to win at home, first and foremost, and then you try to gain some points on the road," Jones told the NHL's official website.
Calgary won 23 home games last season en route to making the playoffs for the first time in six years. The Flames allowed an average of 4.7 goals while losing five of their first six at home this season before giving up five total in the last three.
"This is such a great building with our crowd, we have to win here," Jones said. "That's the bottom line."
Jones, who scored at Chicago last weekend, has recorded four of his seven goals in the last five games.
Blackhawks start Circus Trip with OT win over Oilers. (Wednesday night's game, 11/18/2015).
By Tracey Myers
The Blackhawks' Artemi Panarin scores a goal on Edmonton Oilers goalie Anders Nilsson as Benoit Pouliot chases during second period. (Photo/Jason Franson/AP)
Marian Hossa has had his share of breakaway opportunities this season, including one in the first period on Wednesday night.
Hossa scored the winner with 1:08 remaining in 3-on-3 and Patrick Kane ran his point streak to 14 games as the Blackhawks beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 at Rexall Place. The Blackhawks have now won three in a row, including their last two games on the road.
Teuvo Teravainen left the second period with an upper-body injury. Coach Joel Quenneville said Teravainen’s injury is not serious, and the forward is listed as day-to-day. Asked if Teravainen could play vs. Calgary on Friday, Quenneville said, “we’ll see.”
Corey Crawford stopped 34 of 37 shots, including a dazzling save on Taylor Hall in overtime. Kane had two assists; he now has points in 14 games, tying a career best set from Nov. 30-Dec. 28, 2013. Artemi Panarin scored his seventh goal of the season while Duncan Keith and Andrew Shaw each added their second of the season.
Hossa now has points in three consecutive games and two goals in as many games. The veteran said he’s felt good through most of the season, even when the points weren’t coming. Still, he feels better now that they are.
“It definitely helps when you’re getting offensively on the sheet, definitely gives you more confidence,” Hossa said. “I had lots of great chances I felt good, my legs were going and I wasn’t getting the points. But it’s definitely nicer when you help the team offensively.”
The Blackhawks squandered two leads in regulation; they were up 2-0 and then 3-2, with Edmonton erasing all of those. And it looked like the Oilers would get the second point when Taylor Hall fired about 30 seconds into overtime. But Crawford reached out to make the glove save. There was a momentary question as to whether Crawford’s glove may have crossed the line but replays clearly showed it didn’t.
“Great save,” Quenneville said. “Sometimes the second opportunity can be better. Great push, great anticipation by Crow. Got us an extra point.”
Indeed that kept the Blackhawks alive, with Hossa’s snap shot sealing it about 40 seconds after that stop.
“On the first breakaway I tired to make room for myself to go blocker side. [Edmonton goalie Anders Nilsson] got a piece of it. My goal was to try to take off a little bit, get a little cushion,” Hossa said of the overtime breakaway. “I saw a little opening… this time I hit it.”
Crawford figured it was only a matter of time before Hossa started getting rewarded.
“Every skill player, every guy goes through a short period where the puck’s just not going in. No one’s worried about that in this room,” he said. “Those guys are still creating scoring chances and moving the puck and creating a lot on the ice. Really, it’s no worries when you’re able to make plays and do stuff out there. It’s a different story if nothing’s happening.”
The Blackhawks didn’t play their best hockey on Wednesday – the Oilers were the better team through a good deal of this one. But Crawford gave them a massive save at a critical time. And when given a second breakaway chance, Hossa didn’t miss.
Blackhawks think All-Star Game change could be good.
By Tracey Myers
The NHL All-Star Game has its fun moments.
The player draft has made for some entertainment the past few years they’ve done it. The skills competition always draws interest from fans and creativity from players.
The game itself, however, has gotten pretty dull. Too often, it looks like players just going through the motions out there, and it’s led to listless hockey.
A format change, however, could make that game fun again.
This year’s All-Star Game will be played in a 3-on-3 format and feature three 20-minute tournaments instead of one five-on-five game, according to reports out of Canada. According to reports, each of the league’s four divisions would have a team, with the winning team from each conference facing each other in the “final” game.
A formal announcement is expected some time on Wednesday.
As for 3-on-3, the league implemented it for overtimes this season in an effort to cut down on shootouts, and it’s had the desired effect. The last few All-Star Games have featured plenty of scoring; Team Toews defeated Team Foligno 17-12 in the 2015 game in Columbus. But from a hockey standpoint, the games have been boring.
Patrick Kane said changing up the All-Star Game is probably a good idea.
“I think it’d be fun. I think it’s exciting for the fans and the big thing this year with the 3-on-3 overtime and how people are talking about that and how exciting it is,” he said. “You kind of realize that there probably needs to be some type of change in the All-Star Game, especially the way it’s been the past few years.”
Coach Joel Quenneville agreed, saying some of the games have been “hard to watch.”
“I think that change is necessary: trying to mix it up so there’s competitiveness, some fun but guys are playing for keeps in a way where all of a sudden [they’re] playing real hockey,” he said. “It’s hard watching sometimes when you know the guys are out there; they’re playing but the pace of the game isn’t anything close to how they normally play. So hopefully this’ll be a good change, because 3-on-3 so far has been a good chance. A new format is needed.”
The All-Star Game still has its entertaining moments; the game itself, however, hasn’t been one for quite some time. A change could make the entire weekend worth watching again.
“It could be a great weekend if you think about it,” Kane said. “A lot of people tune into the skills competition, and if you switch it up to 3-on-3 maybe there’s more entertainment, maybe guys go a little bit harder. I don’t know. But it’s not a bad idea to try something different.”
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Bulls last regular-season team to win at Oracle Arena, but improbable task lies ahead.
By Vincent Goodwill
Let’s see, the Cleveland Cavaliers stole Game 2 of the NBA Finals in that building this past June in an overtime affair, a series that saw Golden State claim the championship by winning three of the next four games.
The Memphis Grizzlies won Game 2 of their semifinal series at Oracle, even taking a 2-1 lead before falling in six. They returned to Oracle a couple weeks ago, hoping to reclaim some of that mojo only to get slapped with a 50-point whipping that wasn’t even that close.
So what fate awaits the Bulls, the last team to beat Golden State at Oracle in the regular season? If the last two examples are any indication, pain could be on the menu and lots of it.
Entering Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Warriors are undefeated at 12-0, winning more games by double-digits than anything else (a +15.3 point differential) and riding the wave of disrespect that came from critics who intimated they were “lucky” by circumstances out of their control in last spring’s romp to the title by taking it out on the NBA as a whole, looking more dominant than the team that won 67 games last season.
The Bulls have the muscle memory of knowing they can win in almost impossible circumstances, although they could be without Derrick Rose (ankle), the man who hit the game-winner in last year’s improbable win.
Rose scored 30 (on 33 shots and committed 11 turnovers) but hit a step-back jumper on Klay Thompson with seven seconds remaining.
“He did a little bit. He didn’t do anything on the floor,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “It was all just warm-up stuff, so it’s still too early to tell if he’ll be able to go tomorrow.”
Since then, 25 straight regular-season games at Oracle and all of them have resulted the same, with the Warriors most likely galloping off the court with a slew of highlights or in a rare case, breathing a sigh of relief, such as their surprising overtime win against the pathetic Brooklyn Nets Saturday.
Either way, it’s 25-0 and considering the Bulls could be without Rose and will certainly be without Aaron Brooks (hamstring), they’ll likely be facing an onslaught of threes from MVP Stephen Curry and backcourt mate Klay Thompson.
Curry’s numbers are unfathomable and his development unpredictable, elevating himself to the “best shooter of all time” category while simultaneously entering the greatest point guard conversation, meaning it’s safe to say the Bulls will be consumed with the slightly-built assassin.
Curry leads the NBA in scoring at 33.7 points per game, adding 5.9 assists, 4.2 rebounds and hitting five triples a game, taking and making more than a couple teams have this year.
And his Player Efficiency Rating of 34.9 is Jordan and Chamberlain-esque.
“You have to plan your game-plan around a superstar,” Hoiberg said. “You did it when you played the old Bulls teams with Michael (Jordan), with LeBron, that’s where it starts with that team. The same thing with Golden State with Steph. But they have other guys who can hurt you as well. Klay Thompson, Draymond Green is a key in their success. Harrison Barnes. If you take away one guy and have your whole defensive plan, they’ll hurt you in other ways.”
To wit, the Warriors are doing this without head coach Steve Kerr, recovering from offseason back surgery, and the former Bull has left Luke Walton in his place—to which the Warriors haven’t missed a beat.
They’re sharing the ball as well as anyone and still defending like a hungry team that lost in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, not like one who should be high off the fat of summertime parades and well-wishes from fans all around.
“It’s impossible to guard,” Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich said. “The way (Curry) playing right now is out of his mind. Not seeing crazy amounts of them but seeing bits and pieces of him because we’re always playing and busy traveling. It’s fun to watch. Nobody has found an answer for it yet. We’ll see.”
Jimmy Butler, he of the fourth-quarter 14-point (32 overall) masterpiece in Phoenix, wants the assignment of guarding the league’s most explosive player.
“Again, he’s gonna spend some time on him, no doubt about that but other guys will have to step up to the challenge,” Hoiberg said. “You’re right, Jimmy almost played 43 minutes last night.”
And they’ll likely have to survive an early onslaught to repeat last January’s performance.
“We just stuck with it,” Hinrich said. “They came out and hit us on the head right away. Boom, boom, boom, boom. Got up on us. Somehow we were able to stay with it, not get down and found ourselves sneaking a win.”
And if that happens, plenty of teams will be calling up the Bulls asking for the blueprints of the escape from Alcatraz.
Jimmy Butler's huge fourth quarter gives Bulls victory over Suns. (Wednesday night's game, 11/18/2015).
By Vincent Goodwill
Bulls guard Jimmy Butler) drives past Phoenix Suns center Tyson Chandler, right, during the first half. (Photo/Matt York/AP)
Jimmy Butler was a ball of fire in the fourth quarter, hitting a fade-away jumper over Suns rookie Devin Booker, almost incredulous a 19-year old was guarding him, followed by letting the Bulls-friendly Talking Stick Resort Arena crowd know about it, after it appeared his team started to stabilize from a disastrous stretch.
Although he had some unexpected help from Kirk Hinrich and Pau Gasol, Butler was the finisher when the Bulls needed him to be. And he wasn’t discriminatory on who got to eat one of his late jumpers, as Suns defensive stopper PJ Tucker had to witness a late Butler jumper to put them up six, one of the cappers on his 32-point evening as the Bulls beat the Suns, 103-97, in the start of their circus trip.
Butler hit another late triple, a corner one to give himself 14 in the fourth and the Bulls a seven-point lead, giving the Bulls some breathing room after there were plenty of heart-attack worthy moments in the second half.
Nobody expected the ending to be as such, especially considering how the Bulls came out the gate shooting 72 percent but the Suns had plenty of fight after falling behind by 17 in the first.
In one swoop it all changed. E’Twaun Moore had his pocket picked by Ronnie Price as soon as the ball was inbounded, scoring on a layup. Then rookie Booker flew in like an Arizona Cardinal and tipped the ball away, out of bounds, but the momentum swung.
The crowd was on its feet and the Bulls looked out of sorts, with less than a minute left in the fourth as the Suns’ bench rose in approval of the league’s youngest player doing the dirty work.
Then Butler took over, helping withstand the losses of Aaron Brooks and Derrick Rose, who was already out with an ankle injury.
In 12 minutes Butler showed why he’s worth all of the $90 million he signed for this offseason—and let everybody know about it.
After winning Cy Young, Arrieta says Cubs would love to have Greinke.
Cubs Cy Young Winner Jake Arrieta (Photo/RantSports.com)
In the middle of November, Cubs fans can dream about Jake Arrieta and Zack Greinke at the top of their rotation next year.
“I would assume that a phone call might be made, at least,” Arrieta said. “We’d love to have him.”
Arrieta punctuated a dream season by becoming the National League Cy Young winner, making the Cubs 3-for-3 during awards week after Kris Bryant (Rookie of the Year) and Joe Maddon (Manager of the Year) took their turns in the spotlight.
But Arrieta might have been the MVP for a 97-win team, going 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA and putting together the best second half for a pitcher in major-league history.
That convinced the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, which released its voting results on Wednesday night, honoring Arrieta over a pair of aces for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Arrieta finished with 17 of 30 first-place votes to win by a 22-point margin over Greinke, a pitcher the Cubs have been linked to in free agency after another spectacularly efficient season (19-3, 1.66 ERA) that suggests he will age well over the course of a megadeal.
“Greinke is a guy that any team would be lucky to have,” Arrieta said. “He’s going to be a commodity that a lot of teams are looking to add to their rotation. Just watching from the other side for a number of years, seeing what he’s been able to do, year-in and year-out, is very admirable. Any team that doesn’t at least make a phone call would be foolish."
The Cubs met with the agents for Greinke (Casey Close) and Arrieta (Scott Boras) during last week’s general managers meetings in South Florida.
President of baseball operations Theo Epstein has said the Cubs will test the waters with Boras this winter to find out what it would take to put together a long-term deal for Arrieta, who remains under club control for two more seasons and is projected to make $10.6 million next year (according to MLB Trade Rumors calculations done before the Cy Young victory).
“It’s a definite possibility,” Arrieta said. “As time goes on, it’s inevitable (we’ll talk about the future). I don’t think that there’s a tremendous amount of angst on my part to get something done immediately. But that doesn’t mean that something can’t happen.
“Really, my focus right now is that obviously I know I’m still with the Chicago Cubs. I couldn’t be more excited and happy for the opportunities that we’re going to have as a team in the future.
“We’ll address it. We’ll talk things over. And if it doesn’t (happen), then I’m still a Chicago Cub, regardless. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see where things go in the near future.”
This underlines what an unbelievable year it had been for pitching in the NL: Clayton Kershaw – a three-time Cy Young winner who went 16-7 with a 2.13 ERA and 301 strikeouts – finished a distant third in the voting.
Arrieta made his mark with a no-hitter on national television at Dodger Stadium, and then showing up for the press conference in a moustache-covered onesie for a Maddon theme trip, all part of an unreal run after the All-Star break (12-1, 0.75 ERA) that finally established him as one of the most dominant pitchers in the game after a rocky start to his career with the Baltimore Orioles.
“I was locked in,” Arrieta said. “My timing and my tempo in my delivery was as close to perfect as I feel like I could have possibly been.
“When you combine that timing and the consistent release point, regardless of the pitch – fastball, slider, cutter, curveball, changeup – (you’re) able to be powerful and be explosive and release from the exact same spot.
“It really, really made it easy on me. There were times throughout the stretch where I expected to go out there and throw a shutout or throw seven, eight scoreless. It got to that point where that was just something – not only myself – but the team expected it. That’s how locked in I really was.”
Arrieta spent time on the Triple-A level during the 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 seasons, needing a change of scenery for whatever reason – the difficulty of pitching in the American League East, some friction between Dan Duquette’s front office and Buck Showalter’s dugout, an awkward clubhouse fit.
That flip deal in the middle of the 2013 season – essentially cashing in 15 Scott Feldman starts and reserve catcher Steve Clevenger for Arrieta and hard-throwing reliever Pedro Strop – will go down as a franchise-altering trade for Epstein’s front office.
“Once I was able to not worry about the moves happening above me,” Arrieta said, “or when I was going to get another opportunity, I understood that the most important thing for me to put emphasis on was just continuing to try and get better.”
The Cubs encouraged Arrieta to throw with his natural crossfire motion, gave him an opportunity to hit the reset button and watched him develop a fanatical workout routine.
Arrieta clicked with pitching coach Chris Bosio, obsessed over his nutrition and absorbed all the scouting reports, allowing him to throw almost 250 innings this year, including the playoffs.
Arrieta is now only the fifth pitcher in franchise history to win this award, joining an elite list that includes Greg Maddux (1992), Rick Sutcliffe (1984), Bruce Sutter (1979) and Fergie Jenkins (1971).
Now that Arrieta has that kind of juice, you figure Greinke will have to listen if the 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner calls.
“I would assume that a phone call might be made, at least,” Arrieta said. “We’d love to have him.”
Arrieta punctuated a dream season by becoming the National League Cy Young winner, making the Cubs 3-for-3 during awards week after Kris Bryant (Rookie of the Year) and Joe Maddon (Manager of the Year) took their turns in the spotlight.
But Arrieta might have been the MVP for a 97-win team, going 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA and putting together the best second half for a pitcher in major-league history.
That convinced the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, which released its voting results on Wednesday night, honoring Arrieta over a pair of aces for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Arrieta finished with 17 of 30 first-place votes to win by a 22-point margin over Greinke, a pitcher the Cubs have been linked to in free agency after another spectacularly efficient season (19-3, 1.66 ERA) that suggests he will age well over the course of a megadeal.
“Greinke is a guy that any team would be lucky to have,” Arrieta said. “He’s going to be a commodity that a lot of teams are looking to add to their rotation. Just watching from the other side for a number of years, seeing what he’s been able to do, year-in and year-out, is very admirable. Any team that doesn’t at least make a phone call would be foolish."
The Cubs met with the agents for Greinke (Casey Close) and Arrieta (Scott Boras) during last week’s general managers meetings in South Florida.
President of baseball operations Theo Epstein has said the Cubs will test the waters with Boras this winter to find out what it would take to put together a long-term deal for Arrieta, who remains under club control for two more seasons and is projected to make $10.6 million next year (according to MLB Trade Rumors calculations done before the Cy Young victory).
“It’s a definite possibility,” Arrieta said. “As time goes on, it’s inevitable (we’ll talk about the future). I don’t think that there’s a tremendous amount of angst on my part to get something done immediately. But that doesn’t mean that something can’t happen.
“Really, my focus right now is that obviously I know I’m still with the Chicago Cubs. I couldn’t be more excited and happy for the opportunities that we’re going to have as a team in the future.
“We’ll address it. We’ll talk things over. And if it doesn’t (happen), then I’m still a Chicago Cub, regardless. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see where things go in the near future.”
This underlines what an unbelievable year it had been for pitching in the NL: Clayton Kershaw – a three-time Cy Young winner who went 16-7 with a 2.13 ERA and 301 strikeouts – finished a distant third in the voting.
Arrieta made his mark with a no-hitter on national television at Dodger Stadium, and then showing up for the press conference in a moustache-covered onesie for a Maddon theme trip, all part of an unreal run after the All-Star break (12-1, 0.75 ERA) that finally established him as one of the most dominant pitchers in the game after a rocky start to his career with the Baltimore Orioles.
“I was locked in,” Arrieta said. “My timing and my tempo in my delivery was as close to perfect as I feel like I could have possibly been.
“When you combine that timing and the consistent release point, regardless of the pitch – fastball, slider, cutter, curveball, changeup – (you’re) able to be powerful and be explosive and release from the exact same spot.
“It really, really made it easy on me. There were times throughout the stretch where I expected to go out there and throw a shutout or throw seven, eight scoreless. It got to that point where that was just something – not only myself – but the team expected it. That’s how locked in I really was.”
Arrieta spent time on the Triple-A level during the 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 seasons, needing a change of scenery for whatever reason – the difficulty of pitching in the American League East, some friction between Dan Duquette’s front office and Buck Showalter’s dugout, an awkward clubhouse fit.
That flip deal in the middle of the 2013 season – essentially cashing in 15 Scott Feldman starts and reserve catcher Steve Clevenger for Arrieta and hard-throwing reliever Pedro Strop – will go down as a franchise-altering trade for Epstein’s front office.
“Once I was able to not worry about the moves happening above me,” Arrieta said, “or when I was going to get another opportunity, I understood that the most important thing for me to put emphasis on was just continuing to try and get better.”
The Cubs encouraged Arrieta to throw with his natural crossfire motion, gave him an opportunity to hit the reset button and watched him develop a fanatical workout routine.
Arrieta clicked with pitching coach Chris Bosio, obsessed over his nutrition and absorbed all the scouting reports, allowing him to throw almost 250 innings this year, including the playoffs.
Arrieta is now only the fifth pitcher in franchise history to win this award, joining an elite list that includes Greg Maddux (1992), Rick Sutcliffe (1984), Bruce Sutter (1979) and Fergie Jenkins (1971).
Now that Arrieta has that kind of juice, you figure Greinke will have to listen if the 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner calls.
Joe Maddon ready to help Cubs recruit free agents: ‘The spotlight is shining from Wrigley’.
By Patrick Mooney
What an advertisement for the Cubs as they go big-game hunting in free agency, at least in the mix for David Price and monitoring the situation with Ben Zobrist, two of Joe Maddon’s favorite players from the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Cubs went through an elaborate presentation when Jon Lester visited Wrigleyville last November, highlighting everything from their minor-league prospects, the stadium renovations, the family amenities and what the franchise could do for his charitable foundation.
It only took six years, $155 million guaranteed and a full no-trade clause for a last-place team to sign one of the biggest free agents on last year’s market. Lester’s relationships with Theo Epstein’s front office and their shared history with the Boston Red Sox clearly helped the negotiations.
The Cubs are now coming off 97 wins, a trip to the National League Championship Series and an awards-season victory lap, with Kris Bryant starring as Rookie of the Year, Maddon running the show as Manager of the Year and Jake Arrieta lined up for Wednesday’s MLB Network episode as a Cy Young finalist.
“The spotlight is shining from Wrigley Field,” Maddon said Tuesday from Florida during a Baseball Writers’ Association of America conference call. “You’d just like to believe that’s going to attract other people that want to be there. Obviously, a huge attraction is the fact that we have not won a World Series in over a hundred years.
“There (are) competitive-nature components of a lot of major-league players that would like to be a member of that first group that did that. And of course, that’s going to be a pretty good player that wants that kind of a challenge.”
Price won his Cy Young Award while playing for Maddon on the 2012 Rays and basically described Chicago as an ideal destination while speaking with Cubs beat writers in June. The Cubs also have understandable concerns about winning a bidding war and tying up too much money in two 30-something pitchers.
Zobrist might be a luxury item the Cubs can’t afford while facing all these questions about their financial flexibility.
It would probably take a big trade this winter for Maddon’s super-utility guy to really fit on this roster next season. Zobrist already has broad appeal as a switch-hitter with on-base skills, a defender who can play all over the field and a World Series champion with the Kansas City Royals.
Maddon said he will talk to Epstein at some point this week to game-plan for the rest of the offseason.
“Of course, I’ll be involved in any kind of discussions that are going on,” Maddon said. “If I’m able to help in any way, of course, I’ll attempt to do that. I really haven’t had any conversations to this point. The guys (in the front office) have just been putting their thoughts together right now.
“I love being involved. I love making those phone calls. (And) if you’re trying to recruit guys to Wrigley Field, it’s not a bad recruiting situation to be in.”
Maddon won his first press conference as Cubs manager last November, offering to buy the first round at The Cubby Bear. He celebrated this victory at Ava, his restaurant in Tampa, admitting on the conference call that “I’ve already gotten into the Super Tuscan wine just a little bit, to be honest with you.”
Yes, Maddon is a character and a great communicator, but decisions for free agents almost always come down to years and dollars. Still, there’s not the same need for a wine-and-dine routine at this point in the rebuild. The Cubs should sell themselves.
“We’re going to need to augment our group,” Maddon said. “The fact that we did as well as we did this year – we got as far as we did – and then you have KB doing what he did and hopefully Jake tomorrow winning that award, I think there’s a magnetic component (that) wants other good players to be with the Cubs.
“The fact that a lot of our guys have done well this year, and are being spotlighted right now, I think, is going to help.”
The Cubs went through an elaborate presentation when Jon Lester visited Wrigleyville last November, highlighting everything from their minor-league prospects, the stadium renovations, the family amenities and what the franchise could do for his charitable foundation.
It only took six years, $155 million guaranteed and a full no-trade clause for a last-place team to sign one of the biggest free agents on last year’s market. Lester’s relationships with Theo Epstein’s front office and their shared history with the Boston Red Sox clearly helped the negotiations.
The Cubs are now coming off 97 wins, a trip to the National League Championship Series and an awards-season victory lap, with Kris Bryant starring as Rookie of the Year, Maddon running the show as Manager of the Year and Jake Arrieta lined up for Wednesday’s MLB Network episode as a Cy Young finalist.
“The spotlight is shining from Wrigley Field,” Maddon said Tuesday from Florida during a Baseball Writers’ Association of America conference call. “You’d just like to believe that’s going to attract other people that want to be there. Obviously, a huge attraction is the fact that we have not won a World Series in over a hundred years.
“There (are) competitive-nature components of a lot of major-league players that would like to be a member of that first group that did that. And of course, that’s going to be a pretty good player that wants that kind of a challenge.”
Price won his Cy Young Award while playing for Maddon on the 2012 Rays and basically described Chicago as an ideal destination while speaking with Cubs beat writers in June. The Cubs also have understandable concerns about winning a bidding war and tying up too much money in two 30-something pitchers.
Zobrist might be a luxury item the Cubs can’t afford while facing all these questions about their financial flexibility.
It would probably take a big trade this winter for Maddon’s super-utility guy to really fit on this roster next season. Zobrist already has broad appeal as a switch-hitter with on-base skills, a defender who can play all over the field and a World Series champion with the Kansas City Royals.
Maddon said he will talk to Epstein at some point this week to game-plan for the rest of the offseason.
“Of course, I’ll be involved in any kind of discussions that are going on,” Maddon said. “If I’m able to help in any way, of course, I’ll attempt to do that. I really haven’t had any conversations to this point. The guys (in the front office) have just been putting their thoughts together right now.
“I love being involved. I love making those phone calls. (And) if you’re trying to recruit guys to Wrigley Field, it’s not a bad recruiting situation to be in.”
Maddon won his first press conference as Cubs manager last November, offering to buy the first round at The Cubby Bear. He celebrated this victory at Ava, his restaurant in Tampa, admitting on the conference call that “I’ve already gotten into the Super Tuscan wine just a little bit, to be honest with you.”
Yes, Maddon is a character and a great communicator, but decisions for free agents almost always come down to years and dollars. Still, there’s not the same need for a wine-and-dine routine at this point in the rebuild. The Cubs should sell themselves.
“We’re going to need to augment our group,” Maddon said. “The fact that we did as well as we did this year – we got as far as we did – and then you have KB doing what he did and hopefully Jake tomorrow winning that award, I think there’s a magnetic component (that) wants other good players to be with the Cubs.
“The fact that a lot of our guys have done well this year, and are being spotlighted right now, I think, is going to help.”
White Sox offseason plan still in development.
By Dan Hayes
They have done the legwork and discussed a variety of potential scenarios that could play out in the next six weeks. For now, however, the White Sox seem to be in wait-and-see mode with their offseason potentially headed in any number of directions.
Less than a week after the general manager’s meetings came to a close, Kenny Williams said Tuesday night that general manager Rick Hahn hasn’t yet finalized the team’s offseason plan — which doesn’t surprise the White Sox executive vice president given the early date on the Hot Stove calendar. With so many variables at play and the team sounding more focused on the trade market than free agency, Williams isn’t sure what form the offseason will take.
“A lot of it depends on what’s available to you,” Williams said. “For instance, if you put a wish list together and you head down a certain path and you see what the alternatives are, well, if you like them maybe you continue down that path and now it gives you clarity on direction. If you don’t, then perhaps that path is an unrealistic path to take so you shift gears and you go another (way).
“We have had a number of conversations, even as late as (Tuesday) morning and Rick hasn’t presented to us a definitive direction based on his talks that he wants to travel down.”
The canvas for last offseason wasn’t totally blank, but this current one isn’t nearly as wide open.
Headed into last winter, the White Sox roster had far more needs than check marks. They also had a ton of cash to spend and attractive free agents available in several desired positions.
This year, the White Sox have far more specific needs at positions that aren’t as easy to fill as left field, designated hitter, closer, left-handed reliever and starting pitcher were in 2014-15.
There are few third baseman available in free agency and those on the trade market come with hefty price tags. Shortstop is always a challenge to fill and catcher may even be more difficult, especially after Matt Wieters accepted a qualifying offer from the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.
Though Williams said no assumptions should be made about more or less payroll — the team spent $118 million in 2015, according to BaseballProspectus.com — flexibility could be hard to come by with $85.5 million already owed to nine players.
And unless they trade Chris Sale or Jose Quintana, which they don’t sound eager, some of the team’s best chips are younger pitchers who aren’t established major leaguers.
“We certainly have a number of guys in our system who are appealing to other clubs,” Hahn said last week. “You’re still going to have to line up with their time horizons — some of them arguably aren’t quite ready to contribute at the big league level. So are they going to move you a big league piece for a guy like that? That might take a little more time and a little more thought on their end.”
Though he stated a preference for finding young, controllable players, Hahn in the same breath noted every team hopes for the same. He’s made it clear he’s not married to that idea and is prepared to alter his plans, including a willingness to acquire stopgap players if necessary.
“You’re going to have to be adaptable to respond to what the market is via trade and free agents,” Hahn said. “It is very much conceivable we acquire a shorter-term fit via trade or free agency in the end. It’s important that you go into these things with a plan.”
The plan is still being formed, which Hahn suggested would happen even after a robust week in Florida. Potential trade partners still have to figure out their own plans and whether or not those could be addressed in free agency or other trades.
“We have to see what the potential possibilities are and how they fit and if you add money on your right, can you subtract money on your left to make it work?” Williams said. “Or can you simply just add money? And money doesn’t cure all your ills so is it best to not go that route and to go the trade route, or to rely on your own players form your system? There are just so many things to factor in. What is it Nov. 17 right now? There aren’t a whole lot of answers. Rick is having conversation on a daily basis. I have a number of conversations with him on a daily basis with regard to how things are evolving. But as far as a plan of attack right now, if I went to him and said ‘OK, I want your definitive plan heading into the winter meetings,’ he couldn’t give it to me.”
With 12 years of experience in Hahn’s chair, Williams knows what his successor is going through. Any number of variables of events could take place and jumpstart the offseason — in several directions.
“I’ve been there so I certainly understand,” Williams said. “A lot of things are in play right now. I know it can be confusing, but it’s completely understandable from my perspective that this is what you do before you decide on the definitive plan.”
Less than a week after the general manager’s meetings came to a close, Kenny Williams said Tuesday night that general manager Rick Hahn hasn’t yet finalized the team’s offseason plan — which doesn’t surprise the White Sox executive vice president given the early date on the Hot Stove calendar. With so many variables at play and the team sounding more focused on the trade market than free agency, Williams isn’t sure what form the offseason will take.
“A lot of it depends on what’s available to you,” Williams said. “For instance, if you put a wish list together and you head down a certain path and you see what the alternatives are, well, if you like them maybe you continue down that path and now it gives you clarity on direction. If you don’t, then perhaps that path is an unrealistic path to take so you shift gears and you go another (way).
“We have had a number of conversations, even as late as (Tuesday) morning and Rick hasn’t presented to us a definitive direction based on his talks that he wants to travel down.”
The canvas for last offseason wasn’t totally blank, but this current one isn’t nearly as wide open.
Headed into last winter, the White Sox roster had far more needs than check marks. They also had a ton of cash to spend and attractive free agents available in several desired positions.
This year, the White Sox have far more specific needs at positions that aren’t as easy to fill as left field, designated hitter, closer, left-handed reliever and starting pitcher were in 2014-15.
There are few third baseman available in free agency and those on the trade market come with hefty price tags. Shortstop is always a challenge to fill and catcher may even be more difficult, especially after Matt Wieters accepted a qualifying offer from the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.
Though Williams said no assumptions should be made about more or less payroll — the team spent $118 million in 2015, according to BaseballProspectus.com — flexibility could be hard to come by with $85.5 million already owed to nine players.
And unless they trade Chris Sale or Jose Quintana, which they don’t sound eager, some of the team’s best chips are younger pitchers who aren’t established major leaguers.
“We certainly have a number of guys in our system who are appealing to other clubs,” Hahn said last week. “You’re still going to have to line up with their time horizons — some of them arguably aren’t quite ready to contribute at the big league level. So are they going to move you a big league piece for a guy like that? That might take a little more time and a little more thought on their end.”
Though he stated a preference for finding young, controllable players, Hahn in the same breath noted every team hopes for the same. He’s made it clear he’s not married to that idea and is prepared to alter his plans, including a willingness to acquire stopgap players if necessary.
“You’re going to have to be adaptable to respond to what the market is via trade and free agents,” Hahn said. “It is very much conceivable we acquire a shorter-term fit via trade or free agency in the end. It’s important that you go into these things with a plan.”
The plan is still being formed, which Hahn suggested would happen even after a robust week in Florida. Potential trade partners still have to figure out their own plans and whether or not those could be addressed in free agency or other trades.
“We have to see what the potential possibilities are and how they fit and if you add money on your right, can you subtract money on your left to make it work?” Williams said. “Or can you simply just add money? And money doesn’t cure all your ills so is it best to not go that route and to go the trade route, or to rely on your own players form your system? There are just so many things to factor in. What is it Nov. 17 right now? There aren’t a whole lot of answers. Rick is having conversation on a daily basis. I have a number of conversations with him on a daily basis with regard to how things are evolving. But as far as a plan of attack right now, if I went to him and said ‘OK, I want your definitive plan heading into the winter meetings,’ he couldn’t give it to me.”
With 12 years of experience in Hahn’s chair, Williams knows what his successor is going through. Any number of variables of events could take place and jumpstart the offseason — in several directions.
“I’ve been there so I certainly understand,” Williams said. “A lot of things are in play right now. I know it can be confusing, but it’s completely understandable from my perspective that this is what you do before you decide on the definitive plan.”
Golf: I got a club for that..... Kisner leads at Sea Island as Love & Son finish even.
By DOUG FERGUSON
Davis Love III and Davis Love IV did everything together Thursday at Sea Island.
They have the same pre-shot routine, a full practice swing before setting up over the ball. Both hit 3-wood off the tee and made birdie on the opening hole. Both wound up with an even-par 70 on the Seaside Course. And both have a lot of work to make up ground on Kevin Kisner.
Kisner hit 3-wood to about 25 feet on the fringe and made eagle on his penultimate hole on the Plantation Course for a 7-under 65, giving him a one-shot lead based on par after the first round of the RSM Classic.
Jeff Overton, David Hearn and Tom Hoge each had a 6-under 64 on the Seaside Course.
The biggest crowd — which wasn't much on a day when storms threatened but never arrived — filled the bleachers behind the first tee to see some familiar faces.
They saw his son, known as Dru, go from a toddler with a plastic club to a 6-foot-5 junior at Alabama who earned a spot in the RSM Classic through a qualifier for the final exemption.
Nerves?
Tiger, Stricker, Furyk named Ryder vice-captains.
AFP
They have the same pre-shot routine, a full practice swing before setting up over the ball. Both hit 3-wood off the tee and made birdie on the opening hole. Both wound up with an even-par 70 on the Seaside Course. And both have a lot of work to make up ground on Kevin Kisner.
Kisner hit 3-wood to about 25 feet on the fringe and made eagle on his penultimate hole on the Plantation Course for a 7-under 65, giving him a one-shot lead based on par after the first round of the RSM Classic.
Jeff Overton, David Hearn and Tom Hoge each had a 6-under 64 on the Seaside Course.
The biggest crowd — which wasn't much on a day when storms threatened but never arrived — filled the bleachers behind the first tee to see some familiar faces.
Love, the 21-time winner on the PGA Tour, has lived at Sea Island since he was 13.
They saw his son, known as Dru, go from a toddler with a plastic club to a 6-foot-5 junior at Alabama who earned a spot in the RSM Classic through a qualifier for the final exemption.
Nerves?
Those belonged mainly to dad.
"I was a little flustered," Love said. "I was running late and nervous for him, and then he hit it right down the middle and hit it stiff and made birdie. And I stopped worrying about him and started worrying about me a little more."
Neither made many birdies on a soft, calm and cloudy day that was ideal for low scoring — 110 players in the 156-man field broke par. Love's round went the wrong direction with a poor tee shot that led to double bogey on the 13th hole. Dru Love caught his dad with a big tee shot and a two-putt birdie on the par-5 15th. On the final hole, Love had a 10-foot birdie putt to finish 1 under and just missed it.
This wasn't a father-and-son competition — at least not to the father.
Asked his goal for Friday, Dru Love smiled and said, "Beat my dad."
"I didn't beat him today," the son said. "Obviously, my goal is to make the cut. I've got that in the back of my head. I'll try to be more patient. After I birdied the first hole, my expectations were a little high. I've played this course a lot and I've played it well. So I think I thought I could play better than I did."
Making it easier for Dru Love was having Justin Thomas along for the ride. Thomas, who missed two short birdie putts at the end and had to settle for a 67, played two years with him at Alabama, and he made it feel like an old college match, even telling Dru Love, "Nice save, Bigfoot," after a nifty up-and-down on the 16th.
Dru Love has a size 13 shoe and has been called that since his freshman year at Alabama.
Kisner had done everything but win this year. He has lost in a playoff three times — to Jim Furyk at Hilton Head, to Rickie Fowler at The Players Championship and in a four-man playoff at The Greenbrier Classic — and he was runner-up at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai two weeks ago.
"I haven't been disappointed in any stretch of golf coming down the stretch to have a chance. I always rate myself on that," Kisner said. "I've just gotten beaten a few times, so hopefully I'll have a chance coming down with a couple-shot lead on Sunday."
It is rare for fathers and sons to play together on the PGA Tour. Craig Stadler and son Kevin played in the 2014 Masters. Jay Haas has played numerous times with son Bill, a six-time tour winner. Jack Nicklaus played his final full season in 2000 when son Gary earned his tour card.
Love is curious to see if his son can develop into a PGA Tour player.
"I hope that he's another one of these kids that come out here and is chasing me off," Love said. "I hit a really good drive at 15 and I think Dru was 20 (yards) by me and Justin was 40 by me. I was like, 'Oh, they're going to run me off eventually.' It's fun to watch Dru play. ... I was proud of him. Heck of a first day.
"With everything going on around our family and him getting in this tournament and all the attention, I thought he handled it really well and played a good round of golf."
Dru Love conceded to having a few nerves, too, though it helped to be with Thomas, and to know "just about everyone in the stands behind us everyone in fairway."
And it helped to have his father along for the ride.
"We talked about normal stuff, mostly about what we're going to have for lunch and dinner," Dru Love said. "He's good at leaving me alone when I need to be left alone. He tried to treat me like he would anyone else out there."
Tiger, Stricker, Furyk named Ryder vice-captains.
AFP
Tiger Woods tees off during the final round of the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club on August 23, 2015 in Greensboro, North Carolina (AFP Photo/Jared C. Tilton)
Tiger Woods, a 14-time major winner and seven-time member of the US Ryder Cup team, will be among America's 2016 vice-captains, US captain Davis Love said Wednesday.
On the eve of the US PGA's RSM Classic hosted by Love, he announced that Woods, Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk would join Tom Lehman as vice-captains on the US squad that tries to reclaim the trophy from holders Europe.
Next year's Ryder Cup will be played September 30-October 2 at Hazeltine in suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Americans lead the all-time rivalry 25-13 with two drawn but the Europeans have won three in a row, six of the past seven and eight of the past 10.
Next year's Ryder Cup will be played September 30-October 2 at Hazeltine in suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Americans lead the all-time rivalry 25-13 with two drawn but the Europeans have won three in a row, six of the past seven and eight of the past 10.
Woods, who turns 40 next month, is coming off two back operations and has not announced a time-table for his return to competition, but he also said he has not ruled out making the team as a player, a difficult feat given his injuries and struggles of late.
"I would like to thank Davis (Love) for his confidence in me and for my selection as a Ryder Cup vice-captain. This is something I want to do," Woods said.
"I would like to thank Davis (Love) for his confidence in me and for my selection as a Ryder Cup vice-captain. This is something I want to do," Woods said.
"I'll continue to do whatever I can to help win the Cup back. Once I'm fully healthy, I would like to try to make the team too."
If Woods plays his way onto the team or receives a captain's pick, Love would have the option to name a replacement as vice-captain.
Stricker and Furyk joined Love as three of the assistants to Jay Haas on the triumphant US Presidents Cup team in South Korea last month.
"To welcome four vice-captains of this caliber is a giant first step towards preparing the 2016 team for success," Love said. "I am grateful for their commitment, dedication and passion to win."
"To welcome four vice-captains of this caliber is a giant first step towards preparing the 2016 team for success," Love said. "I am grateful for their commitment, dedication and passion to win."
Furyk, 45, won the 2003 US Open and has played in the past nine Ryder Cups, second to Phil Mickelson's 10 appearances in US Ryder Cup history.
"The Ryder Cup is in my DNA and I love everything about this event, the enormity of the stage, the passion, the competition, and the pressure," Furyk said. "I look forward to being part of the team as we strive to win back the Ryder Cup on US soil."
Stricker was a vice-captain under Tom Watson is a US loss last year at Gleneagles, Scotland. He was a member of the US task force assembled after that defeat to try and revamp the American Ryder Cup effort.
"We learned a great deal from the Ryder Cup Task Force meetings and we are optimistic about our plans for 2016 and beyond," Stricker said.
NASCAR: All hail Gordon, Harvick refuses to play mind games.
NASCAR: All hail Gordon, Harvick refuses to play mind games.
By Jenna Fryer
With Jeff Gordon sitting to his left, the reigning NASCAR champion didn't dare play any mind games.
NASCAR's annual title contenders news conference was a feel-good affair Thursday as all four drivers played nice and lauded each other with platitudes. It was a bit surreal when Harvick, the driver who is always good to stir the pot, said he didn't want to make anyone angry in advance of Sunday's season finale.
Since when does Harvick care what others think?
Apparently, when it includes Gordon.
''You don't want to be the guy that was disrespectful at Jeff Gordon's last press conference or say something that's just a total jackass move,'' Harvick said.
Gordon will race for his long-overdue fifth championship on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Win or lose, he's retiring at the end of the race and will cap one of the most storied careers in NASCAR history.
His inclusion in this final four has made him the sentimental favorite to take the Sprint Cup, which will go to the driver who finishes the highest among the four on Sunday. Gordon will go head-to-head with reigning champion Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr.
This is the closest Busch and Truex have ever been to a Cup title. For Busch, it comes in a year in which he missed the first 11 races of the season with a broken right leg and broken left foot, and Truex's shot comes with the single-car team based in Denver that he joined after a cheating scandal by Michael Waltrip Racing in 2013 cost him his job.
Harvick needled Joey Logano ahead of last year's finale, but said the stories of each of contender this time around made it difficult to play any mind games.
''I think there's a lot of respect for where everybody is at,'' Harvick said. ''You look at Martin and everything that those guys have done with what they've got in Colorado and here they are, and you look at Kyle breaking his leg and fighting back, and Jeff who's going to retire and run the last race, there's really no reason to create a story. There's no reason to create a moment.''
ALL SMOOTHED OVER
Joe Gibbs said NASCAR chairman Brian France came to the race shop on Monday to meet with both suspended driver Matt Kenseth and then the team owner. The meetings were separate and done in advance of Kenseth's return to the track this weekend.
ALL SMOOTHED OVER
Joe Gibbs said NASCAR chairman Brian France came to the race shop on Monday to meet with both suspended driver Matt Kenseth and then the team owner. The meetings were separate and done in advance of Kenseth's return to the track this weekend.
Kenseth was suspended two races for intentionally wrecking Joey Logano in retaliation. The payback ultimately cost Logano a spot in Sunday's finale.
''We had good meetings, I think we're all in a good place right now,'' Gibbs said. ''I think Matt is, too. I appreciated getting the chance to meet with Brian and I think Matt did, too.''
Gibbs also said he and Roger Penske had a pair of phone conversations as the feud between Kenseth and Logano brewed. He said Penske called him after Logano spun Kenseth at Kansas, and Gibbs called Penske after Kenseth wrecked Logano at Martinsville.
Gibbs also said he and Roger Penske had a pair of phone conversations as the feud between Kenseth and Logano brewed. He said Penske called him after Logano spun Kenseth at Kansas, and Gibbs called Penske after Kenseth wrecked Logano at Martinsville.
''I think we really get along with each other,'' Gibbs said. ''The things we kind of talk about it are between us.''
MORE RAIN?
With rain in the forecast for part of the entire weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, NASCAR is facing the real possibility of a disrupted season finale.
Any sort of weather delays would be a disappointment, particularly after last weekend's final elimination race at Phoenix. The race was delayed seven hours by rain, then called 93 laps from the finish when another storm rolled in.
Steve O'Donnell, vice president of operations, said NASCAR wants to run the finale to the checkered flag.
''Our intent, and we'll do everything possible within reason to run the full race, but it's going to be a decision based on where we are, what's happened, working with the track, looking at the race fans and then make a call,'' he said. ''We can't compare what we've done at other races. If we were going into a non-championship race, I'd have the same answer because it's just depends on what's happening.''
NASCAR declined to finish the Phoenix race on Monday instead, but wasn't as committal about the finale not being held over a day. But, O'Donnell stressed the race would not start unless NASCAR felt it could run it to completion.
''We wouldn't start the race without thinking we can go the full distance,'' he said. ''It will always be if we start the race, we expect that we've got a shot to get the full race in, and then you never know what happens radar-wise or popup showers, but that's the intent.''
NEW CONTRACT
Kyle Busch has a new contract with Joe Gibbs Racing, which also got sponsor Mars Inc.'s M&M's brand to extend its deal.
Kyle Busch has a new contract with Joe Gibbs Racing, which also got sponsor Mars Inc.'s M&M's brand to extend its deal.
Mars announced earlier this week it had extended its M&Ms sponsorship with Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 18 Toyota team for the next several seasons, but Busch only revealed his extension on Thursday.
''For us to get an extension on our contract with (Mars) and then to get Kyle wrapped up in that, it's a huge deal for us,'' Gibbs said. ''It made me reflect on what this weekend means. For us, you have Toyota's chance to win a Cup title for the first time ever, you got M&Ms for the first time ever and you got Kyle. I think everybody is nervous and everybody knows what's at stake.''
Busch is racing for his first Sprint Cup title and should he pull it off, it would be the first for manufacturer Toyota, as well.
Mars has been with Busch since 2008.
Truex emerges as unlikely NASCAR championship contender.
By DAN GELSTON
Martin Truex waited at the dais as the three drivers he will race for a championship had achievements read that made them all seem fit to wear NASCAR's crown.
He was simply billed as ''hailing from New Jersey, driving for a team headquartered in Denver.''
That's it.
With only three career wins in 368 races, Truex seems like the oddity in NASCAR's finale in Florida on Sunday. The 35-year-old Truex, of Mayetta, New Jersey, drives for a one-car operation at Furniture Row Racing in Colorado's capital, far removed from NASCAR's North Carolina hub. He even has a rookie crew chief in Cole Pearn.
Truex has hardly slithered into the finale, though, finishing in the top 10 in five of the nine Chase for the Sprint Cup championship races. He won an emotional race at Pocono Raceway to clinch a Chase berth, celebrating in victory lane with longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex, who was diagnosed with cancer last summer.
''Everybody keeps telling me to enjoy myself and don't take it too serious and have a good time with it,'' Truex said. ''This is coming from guys who have done this before, experienced it. And I really didn't need that advice.''
Truex is cramming all the fun he can into this championship weekend after a string of personal and professional hardships.
Truex landed at Furniture Row in the wake of NASCAR's cheating scandal at Richmond in 2013. Truex was booted from the Chase when NASCAR determined that Michael Waltrip Racing manipulated the outcome of the race in a bid to get Truex into the Chase.
Truex lost his job - and can now win a title the same day his old team races for the final time before folding.
Is it hard to believe that what happened at Richmond, might be ...
''A blessing?'' Truex interjected. ''Sherry told me after that race, don't let it get you down. Things happen for a reason. It's going to work out. Of course, I didn't believe her the night that I got the phone call from NASCAR and they told me what they were going to do.''
He realized there were too many parts of life outside his control, which struck hard when Pollex learned she had ovarian cancer. She has three more chemotherapy treatments left, with the final one coming shortly before the 2016 Daytona 500.
''It'll be great to kick off a new season and not have to worry about that, hopefully, anymore, ever,'' Truex said.
His biggest concern this week? Snow, of all things.
His No. 78 Chevrolet was still on the way to Florida, road packed in an 18-wheeler that was delayed by a snowstorm in Colorado. His rig drivers slept Tuesday night at a Walmart parking lot, their scheduled 36-hour trip stretched out even longer.
''I think all is well,'' Truex said.
Furniture Row, funded by Barney Visser, made the Chase in 2013 with Kurt Busch, and is tethered to Richard Childress Racing through a technical alliance. Gordon, Harvick and Busch all have three teammates. Truex would be the first driver from a one-car team to win a Cup championship since Dale Earnhardt and RCR achieved the feat in 1994.
''It brings a legitimacy to the team,'' Furniture Row general manager Joe Garone said. ''We've been a team that's been growing for so long on a pretty linear upward curve. To come to this point in time, it answers a lot of questions.''
Truex's success has even resonated in Denver, a city usually gripped with football fever this time of the year. Truex's championship push might find some headline space with the Denver Broncos mired in a two-game losing skid.
''Luckily, ours is good press,'' Truex said, laughing. ''I'm sure theirs wasn't too good after last weekend.''
Let all the fans chase Manning; Truex bums around town in anonymity.
''I can go just about anywhere anyway,'' he said. ''Nobody knows who I am.''
That could all change with the race of a lifetime and a championship trophy to bring home.
SOCCER; MLS Preview: Three Weeks Left As Conference Finals Kick Off Sunday.
By Andy Edwards
There are anywhere between 450 and 540 minutes left in the 2015 Major League Soccer season. That’s it. Eight months of games and 10 months of training sessions all come down to this, the conference finals, which kick off Sunday with the first of two legs in the Eastern and Western Conferences.
I’m on the record as having picked FC Dallas to win MLS Cup, and through the conference semifinals, a strong case can be made they’re actually favorites to do so right now. That does, however, discount the red-hot Portland Timbers, who they’re set to face in the West, as well as Columbus Crew SC and the Supporters’ Shield-winning New York Red Bulls in the East.
Columbus Crew SC vs. New York Red Bulls — 5 p.m. ET, ESPN
Try all you like, and you still might not find two teams more different to one another than Crew SC and the Red Bulls. For the former, it’s all about attacking a wide open field, and quickly; for the latter, it’s all about limiting said space by applying a high line before settling in deep to defend with lots of numbers behind the ball. Given they’re playing away from home in the first leg, and away goals are at play, I fully expect RBNY to play for a 0-0 draw in the first — and, poor aesthetics aside, it’s not a bad plan at all.
If Crew SC’s 2015 season taught us anything, it’s that there is no Plan B if Plan A — destroy opponents on the counter — isn’t working. What RBNY really have going for them is a three-man midfield — Dax McCarty, Sacha Kljestan and Felipe — that works its collective socks, which they’ll be forced to do on Sunday, with full backs Kemar Lawrence and Sal Zizzo constantly dealing with dangerous wingers and overlapping full backs. The X-factor for Crew SC remains Kei Kamara, who in facing a pair of center backs already one yellow card away from suspension in the second leg, will feed on cross after cross after cross into the penalty area. Keep an eye on: Ronald Zubar, back-up-center-back-turned-starter due to injury, is good for a colossal gaffe about every two or three games; he was solid against D.C. United in leg no. 2.
Regular season: CLB 1-2 RBNY (3/28); CLB 2-1 RBNY (7/4); RBNY 2-1 CLB (10/3)Injuries/suspensions: CLB — OUT: Gaston Sauro (suspension), Kristinn Steindorsson (knee); QUESTIONABLE: Tony Tchani (leg), Mohammed Saeid (hamstring); YC WARNING: Harrison Afful | RBNY — OUT: Damien Perrinelle (knee), Anatole Abang (hamstring), Chris Duval (broken leg); YC WARNING: Matt Miazga, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Sacha Kjestan, Ronald Zubar
Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas — 7:30 p.m. ET, FS1
Here’s the good news for the Timbers: they’ve lost just once in their last eight games (regular season and playoff) since flipping the midfield triangle and shifting Darlington Nagbe into the center of midfield, where he’s put in regular shifts as the game-changer we’ve so long expected of him. It’s a change that was crying out to be made for months — if not years — by Caleb Porter. Remember those last eight games? Fanendo Adi has more goals (7, to go along with one assist) than anyone else in the league during that span — as good as Nagbe has been, Adi is the X-factor for Portland, because chances are always going to present themselves with the attacking talent on display; the problem has long been putting them away.
The bad news, though: it’s exactly the type of team that FCD thrives against, picking and choosing their moments to break from a low defending block and pick you apart on the counter through Mauro Diaz and Fabian Castillo. Much like RBNY, FCD will be happy to sit deep inside their own half in the first leg, away from home, only they’ll break out with greater urgency and devastating speed. The key to limiting Castillo’s impact in the first leg is all about right back Alvas Powell getting forward and forcing him to track back defensively well inside his own half. If Portland are able to do that, so much of what FCD will try to do on the counter will be stunted. It is, of course, easier said than done.
Regular season: POR 3-1 FCD (4/4); FCD 4-1 POR (7/25)
Injuries/suspensions: POR — OUT: Diego Valeri (suspension), Rodney Wallace (suspension), Ben Zemanski (knee); YC WARNING: Liam Ridgewell, Lucas Melano, George Fochive | FCD — OUT: Rolando Escobar (facial fracture); YC WARNING: Mauro Diaz, Blas Perez
Prince-Wright's Premier League's Picks: Chelsea, Man United Must-Picks........
By Joe Prince-Wright
For the 13th week of the 2015-16 Premier League season, I put my neck on the line to predict the scores for all 10 Premier League matches.
If you, like me, love to dissect all the games and predict what the score will be and which team will win, I encourage you to get involved in the comments section below. Let’s have a bit of fun.
[ STREAM: Every PL game live online ]
Okay, so I’ve consulted my crystal ball and here’s how we see things panning out
BASICALLY, FREE MONEY
Southampton 2-0 Stoke – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Premier League Extratime) – [STREAM]
Chelsea 3-1 Norwich City – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM]
Watford 1-3 Manchester United – (Saturday, 7:45 a.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM]
Crystal Palace 2-0 Sunderland – (Monday, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM]
DON’T TOUCH THIS…
Tottenham 2-1 West Ham – (Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM]
Newcastle 2-2 Leicester – (Saturday, 10 am. ET, Premier League Extratime) – [STREAM]
Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool – (Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC) – [STREAM]
Everton 1-0 Aston Villa – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Premier League Extratime) – [STREAM]
“SO YOU’RE TELLING ME THERE’S A CHANCE…”
Columbus Crew SC vs. New York Red Bulls — 5 p.m. ET, ESPN
Try all you like, and you still might not find two teams more different to one another than Crew SC and the Red Bulls. For the former, it’s all about attacking a wide open field, and quickly; for the latter, it’s all about limiting said space by applying a high line before settling in deep to defend with lots of numbers behind the ball. Given they’re playing away from home in the first leg, and away goals are at play, I fully expect RBNY to play for a 0-0 draw in the first — and, poor aesthetics aside, it’s not a bad plan at all.
If Crew SC’s 2015 season taught us anything, it’s that there is no Plan B if Plan A — destroy opponents on the counter — isn’t working. What RBNY really have going for them is a three-man midfield — Dax McCarty, Sacha Kljestan and Felipe — that works its collective socks, which they’ll be forced to do on Sunday, with full backs Kemar Lawrence and Sal Zizzo constantly dealing with dangerous wingers and overlapping full backs. The X-factor for Crew SC remains Kei Kamara, who in facing a pair of center backs already one yellow card away from suspension in the second leg, will feed on cross after cross after cross into the penalty area. Keep an eye on: Ronald Zubar, back-up-center-back-turned-starter due to injury, is good for a colossal gaffe about every two or three games; he was solid against D.C. United in leg no. 2.
Regular season: CLB 1-2 RBNY (3/28); CLB 2-1 RBNY (7/4); RBNY 2-1 CLB (10/3)Injuries/suspensions: CLB — OUT: Gaston Sauro (suspension), Kristinn Steindorsson (knee); QUESTIONABLE: Tony Tchani (leg), Mohammed Saeid (hamstring); YC WARNING: Harrison Afful | RBNY — OUT: Damien Perrinelle (knee), Anatole Abang (hamstring), Chris Duval (broken leg); YC WARNING: Matt Miazga, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Sacha Kjestan, Ronald Zubar
Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas — 7:30 p.m. ET, FS1
Here’s the good news for the Timbers: they’ve lost just once in their last eight games (regular season and playoff) since flipping the midfield triangle and shifting Darlington Nagbe into the center of midfield, where he’s put in regular shifts as the game-changer we’ve so long expected of him. It’s a change that was crying out to be made for months — if not years — by Caleb Porter. Remember those last eight games? Fanendo Adi has more goals (7, to go along with one assist) than anyone else in the league during that span — as good as Nagbe has been, Adi is the X-factor for Portland, because chances are always going to present themselves with the attacking talent on display; the problem has long been putting them away.
The bad news, though: it’s exactly the type of team that FCD thrives against, picking and choosing their moments to break from a low defending block and pick you apart on the counter through Mauro Diaz and Fabian Castillo. Much like RBNY, FCD will be happy to sit deep inside their own half in the first leg, away from home, only they’ll break out with greater urgency and devastating speed. The key to limiting Castillo’s impact in the first leg is all about right back Alvas Powell getting forward and forcing him to track back defensively well inside his own half. If Portland are able to do that, so much of what FCD will try to do on the counter will be stunted. It is, of course, easier said than done.
Regular season: POR 3-1 FCD (4/4); FCD 4-1 POR (7/25)
Injuries/suspensions: POR — OUT: Diego Valeri (suspension), Rodney Wallace (suspension), Ben Zemanski (knee); YC WARNING: Liam Ridgewell, Lucas Melano, George Fochive | FCD — OUT: Rolando Escobar (facial fracture); YC WARNING: Mauro Diaz, Blas Perez
Prince-Wright's Premier League's Picks: Chelsea, Man United Must-Picks........
By Joe Prince-Wright
For the 13th week of the 2015-16 Premier League season, I put my neck on the line to predict the scores for all 10 Premier League matches.
If you, like me, love to dissect all the games and predict what the score will be and which team will win, I encourage you to get involved in the comments section below. Let’s have a bit of fun.
[ STREAM: Every PL game live online ]
Okay, so I’ve consulted my crystal ball and here’s how we see things panning out
BASICALLY, FREE MONEY
Southampton 2-0 Stoke – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Premier League Extratime) – [STREAM]
Chelsea 3-1 Norwich City – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM]
Watford 1-3 Manchester United – (Saturday, 7:45 a.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM]
Crystal Palace 2-0 Sunderland – (Monday, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM]
DON’T TOUCH THIS…
Tottenham 2-1 West Ham – (Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM]
Newcastle 2-2 Leicester – (Saturday, 10 am. ET, Premier League Extratime) – [STREAM]
Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool – (Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC) – [STREAM]
Everton 1-0 Aston Villa – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Premier League Extratime) – [STREAM]
“SO YOU’RE TELLING ME THERE’S A CHANCE…”
Swansea 1-2 Bournemouth – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Premier League Extratime) – [STREAM]
West Brom 2-2 Arsenal – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, USA) – [STREAM]
West Brom 2-2 Arsenal – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, USA) – [STREAM]
NCAAFB: Spartans to be challenged again by Ohio State's speed, power.
By NOAH TRISTER
Michigan State safety Montae Nicholson (9) leaps over Maryland quarterback Caleb Rowe, bottom right, while returning an interception as Maryland's Damian Prince (58) pursues during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Mark Dantonio responded with a quip and a smile when asked if Michigan State's matchup against Ohio State feels similar to last season's game.
''Well, I hope not,'' the Michigan State coach said.
The second-ranked Buckeyes are favored by about two touchdowns in Saturday's showdown with ninth-ranked Michigan State, and part of the reason the Spartans are such big underdogs on the road is because of what happened the last time the teams met. Ohio State went to East Lansing in 2014 and beat Michigan State 49-37, humbling the Spartans' fine defense in a victory that was the first real sign that Ohio State might be a national title contender.
It was a startling performance by the Buckeyes, who ran for 268 yards and threw for 300 against the talented Spartans. Now Michigan State - which looks far more vulnerable now than it did then - will try again to slow down J.T. Barrett and Ohio State.
''We've got some different personnel in there, they've had some injuries that have created some different things that they have had to go through. We have had some injuries that we have had to deal with as well,'' Dantonio said. ''As far as who they are, in terms of what concepts they use, they do a great job in terms of keeping it fresh.''
Two seasons ago in the Big Ten championship game, Michigan State held Ohio State's Braxton Miller to eight completions, but with Barrett at quarterback last season, the Buckeyes unleashed all of their speed and power. Barrett threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more, and Ezekiel Elliott ran for 154 yards and two TDs.
''It's big time, both stopping Elliott and Barrett,'' linebacker Darien Harris said. ''We had them in a lot of third down and 2, third down and 3, third down and short yardage situations, and they were able to muscle it forward for the first down, whether it was with Barrett keeping the ball or handing it off to Ezekiel.''
Mark Dantonio responded with a quip and a smile when asked if Michigan State's matchup against Ohio State feels similar to last season's game.
''Well, I hope not,'' the Michigan State coach said.
The second-ranked Buckeyes are favored by about two touchdowns in Saturday's showdown with ninth-ranked Michigan State, and part of the reason the Spartans are such big underdogs on the road is because of what happened the last time the teams met. Ohio State went to East Lansing in 2014 and beat Michigan State 49-37, humbling the Spartans' fine defense in a victory that was the first real sign that Ohio State might be a national title contender.
It was a startling performance by the Buckeyes, who ran for 268 yards and threw for 300 against the talented Spartans. Now Michigan State - which looks far more vulnerable now than it did then - will try again to slow down J.T. Barrett and Ohio State.
''We've got some different personnel in there, they've had some injuries that have created some different things that they have had to go through. We have had some injuries that we have had to deal with as well,'' Dantonio said. ''As far as who they are, in terms of what concepts they use, they do a great job in terms of keeping it fresh.''
Two seasons ago in the Big Ten championship game, Michigan State held Ohio State's Braxton Miller to eight completions, but with Barrett at quarterback last season, the Buckeyes unleashed all of their speed and power. Barrett threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more, and Ezekiel Elliott ran for 154 yards and two TDs.
''It's big time, both stopping Elliott and Barrett,'' linebacker Darien Harris said. ''We had them in a lot of third down and 2, third down and 3, third down and short yardage situations, and they were able to muscle it forward for the first down, whether it was with Barrett keeping the ball or handing it off to Ezekiel.''
Ohio State finished the game 10 of 14 on third down.
The Spartans could look back with regret on a huge penalty in the second quarter that negated a Michigan State touchdown. Had the play stood, the Spartans could have been up 28-14, but instead it was Ohio State that took a 28-21 lead into halftime after a couple long touchdown passes by Barrett.
The Buckeyes were able to play with the lead throughout the second half, seemingly doing whatever they wanted offensively.
''You've got to stop them on first down first,'' Dantonio said. ''You've got to make them one dimensional if you're going to do that, so you've got to control the line of scrimmage.''
Injuries have hurt Michigan State in the secondary this season - another factor that's surely contributing to the sizable point spread in Ohio State's favor - but the Buckeyes haven't looked quite as sharp as they did during their title run a year ago. Michigan State only lost two games during the 2014 season, to Oregon and Ohio State. The Spartans avenged one of those losses back in September when they beat the Ducks, and now they'll have a chance to pay back the Buckeyes as well.
A lot of things went wrong against Ohio State last year, but Dantonio and the Spartans can take some solace in the fact that no two games are exactly the same.
''I don't talk to our football team about redemption,'' Dantonio said. ''I talk to them about getting ready for this year. What's happened in the past has happened in the past. We can't change that, but I always want them looking forward.''
Northwestern-Wisconsin Preview
By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
The home team has won each of the last eight matchups between Wisconsin and Northwestern. With reinforcements coming, the No. 21 Badgers emerge from their bye looking to keep that streak going Saturday against the 20th-ranked Wildcats.
Big 12 title chase could be down to 2 in Oklahoma.
Wisconsin (8-2, 5-1 Big Ten) and Northwestern (8-2, 4-2) have split the last eight meetings, with the Badgers winning the four at Camp Randall Stadium by an average of 30.0 points while forcing 10 turnovers. They coasted to a 35-6 win in the most recent matchup Oct. 12, 2013.
Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald thinks there's a simple solution to winning in Madison for the first time since September 2000.
Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald thinks there's a simple solution to winning in Madison for the first time since September 2000.
"Don't turn (the ball) over. That's the bottom line," Fitzgerald said.
Northwestern, though, overcame three turnovers to beat Purdue 21-14 last weekend for its third straight win. The Wildcats had dropped the previous two against Michigan and Iowa by a combined 78-10.
"You go into the locker room after games like that - you're frustrated, you're not very pleased, but you know that you've got a good team," Fitzgerald said. "You just got to find a way as a coach to get it out of the guys."
Coach Paul Chryst seems to have found a way to inspire Wisconsin through a slew of injuries that includes running back Corey Clement (sports hernia), tight ends Eric Steffes (knee) and Austin Traylor (arm), wide receiver Robert Wheelwright (leg) and linebacker Chris Orr (leg).
The Badgers could have at least Clement, Steffes and Traylor back. The trio has played in a combined 10 games with Clement going in just two. However, he made a major impact with 115 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries in a 48-10 win over Rutgers on Oct. 31.
The Badgers could have at least Clement, Steffes and Traylor back. The trio has played in a combined 10 games with Clement going in just two. However, he made a major impact with 115 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries in a 48-10 win over Rutgers on Oct. 31.
While he was sidelined last week, Clement suffered a cut on his hand after getting involved in an altercation at his off-campus apartment building between a group of people and security.
"Corey's (status) will be nothing with the hand," Chryst said. "I think it's just whether - where his legs are with the whole deal."
Joel Stave may be thrilled to get some options on offense back after he completed 31 of 56 passes for 454 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions while being sacked five times in the last three games.
Joel Stave may be thrilled to get some options on offense back after he completed 31 of 56 passes for 454 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions while being sacked five times in the last three games.
That hasn't dampened Fitzgerald's enthusiasm for Wisconsin's quarterback, who has thrown four TDs and five interceptions in two games against Northwestern.
"Been really impressed by Joel. I think he's really had a terrific season," Fitzgerald said. "He's had to shoulder a lot with the running back situation with guys being out ... tight ends being out. But Joel has been the one consistent, real impressive aspect of what they're doing offensively."
Stave completed just 8 of 19 passes for 114 yards with three INTs in a 20-14 loss at Northwestern last year.
"Been really impressed by Joel. I think he's really had a terrific season," Fitzgerald said. "He's had to shoulder a lot with the running back situation with guys being out ... tight ends being out. But Joel has been the one consistent, real impressive aspect of what they're doing offensively."
Stave completed just 8 of 19 passes for 114 yards with three INTs in a 20-14 loss at Northwestern last year.
He'll find another stiff test Saturday since the Wildcats defense yields an average of 184.2 yards per game through the air and a conference-low five touchdowns with nine interceptions.
"I think there is no doubt they're playing well on defense," Chryst said. "I think the strength is that they've got a very good scheme, and I think their players know it. I think they've got good players."
That extends to the offense, where Justin Jackson is third in the conference with 1,033 rushing yards while gaining 4.6 per carry. The sophomore running back has done a lot of damage over the last three games, gaining 302 yards on 52 carries.
He ran the Badgers ragged last year, going for 162 yards on 33 attempts. A similar effort may be needed since Clayton Thorson is 14 for 27 with 140 passing yards and one INT over the last two games.
The freshman QB, however, is also a threat on the ground with 63 yards on 11 carries over that stretch.
Big 12 title chase could be down to 2 in Oklahoma.
By The Associated Press
Things to watch during Week 12 in the Big 12 Conference. The league's four Top 25 teams will be playing at the same time less than 90 miles apart in Oklahoma. If the Sooners and Oklahoma State win Saturday night, their Bedlam game on Thanksgiving weekend would be for the Big 12 title.
GAME OF THE WEEK: No. 11 TCU (9-1, 6-1 Big 12, No. 18 CFP) at No. 7 Oklahoma (9-1, 6-1, No. 7 CFP). The Horned Frogs' lone loss came two weeks ago when they last crossed the Red River to play Oklahoma State. The Sooners have won five games in a row, handing Baylor its first loss a week ago, and are trying to make a run to their ninth Big 12 title - and maybe a spot in the four-team playoff. TCU has to win its last two games and get some help to get its second consecutive conference title, and the Horned Frogs are also hurting with receiver Josh Doctson out for the end of the regular season with a left wrist injury, and quarterback Trevone Boykin questionable with a right ankle.
BEST MATCHUP: Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah vs. Baylor All-America left tackle Spencer Drango. These top NFL prospects will play in the other game pitting Big 12 teams with league championship and playoff implications. The No. 10 Bears (8-1, 5-1, No. 10 CFP) travel to face the No. 4 Cowboys (10-0, 7-0, No. 6 CFP) after their first loss since moving into their new stadium last year. The 6-foot-4, 275-pound Ogbah is the NCAA's active career leader with 26 sacks, including a Big 12-leading 11 this season. Drango is a fourth-year starter, leading a Bears line that has allowed only 11 sacks all season.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Five Big 12 teams are already bowl eligible, after Texas Tech got its sixth win a week ago. ... Two teams are off this weekend: Texas Tech and Texas rest before playing Thanksgiving night. ... The losses for Iowa State (3-7, 2-5) have been against teams with a combined 60-9 record. ... Kansas State (3-6, 0-6) has to win its last three games to be bowl eligible and starts its season-ending stretch against Iowa State. The Wildcats have won seven straight in the series against the Cyclones.
LONG SHOT: Winless Kansas (0-10, 0-7) preventing West Virginia (5-4, 2-4) from becoming bowl eligible this week. Even after their close game last Saturday at banged-up TCU, the Jayhawks are four-TD underdogs at home against the Mountaineers. West Virginia has won its last two games since starting Big 12 play 0-4 against the league's ranked teams.
IMPACT PLAYER: Two-time walk-on quarterback Baker Mayfield has thrown at least three touchdowns in eight games this season for Oklahoma. The former Texas Tech walk-on, now starting for the Sooners after transferring and sitting out last season, has thrown for 3,082 yards with a Big 12 high-matching 31 TDs. He has run for six more scores. In Oklahoma's five-game winning streak, he has completed 75 percent of his passes (89 of 119) for 1,207 yards with 12 TDs and two interceptions.
BEST MATCHUP: Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah vs. Baylor All-America left tackle Spencer Drango. These top NFL prospects will play in the other game pitting Big 12 teams with league championship and playoff implications. The No. 10 Bears (8-1, 5-1, No. 10 CFP) travel to face the No. 4 Cowboys (10-0, 7-0, No. 6 CFP) after their first loss since moving into their new stadium last year. The 6-foot-4, 275-pound Ogbah is the NCAA's active career leader with 26 sacks, including a Big 12-leading 11 this season. Drango is a fourth-year starter, leading a Bears line that has allowed only 11 sacks all season.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Five Big 12 teams are already bowl eligible, after Texas Tech got its sixth win a week ago. ... Two teams are off this weekend: Texas Tech and Texas rest before playing Thanksgiving night. ... The losses for Iowa State (3-7, 2-5) have been against teams with a combined 60-9 record. ... Kansas State (3-6, 0-6) has to win its last three games to be bowl eligible and starts its season-ending stretch against Iowa State. The Wildcats have won seven straight in the series against the Cyclones.
LONG SHOT: Winless Kansas (0-10, 0-7) preventing West Virginia (5-4, 2-4) from becoming bowl eligible this week. Even after their close game last Saturday at banged-up TCU, the Jayhawks are four-TD underdogs at home against the Mountaineers. West Virginia has won its last two games since starting Big 12 play 0-4 against the league's ranked teams.
IMPACT PLAYER: Two-time walk-on quarterback Baker Mayfield has thrown at least three touchdowns in eight games this season for Oklahoma. The former Texas Tech walk-on, now starting for the Sooners after transferring and sitting out last season, has thrown for 3,082 yards with a Big 12 high-matching 31 TDs. He has run for six more scores. In Oklahoma's five-game winning streak, he has completed 75 percent of his passes (89 of 119) for 1,207 yards with 12 TDs and two interceptions.
NCAABKB: As Wayne Selden’s struggles continue, is it time for Kansas to look elsewhere?
By Scott Phillips
I had the interesting vantage point of sitting with fans a few rows behind the floor during the second half of Tuesday’s Champions Classic thriller between Kansas and Michigan State. Sometimes I enjoy sitting in these areas while covering games because you get a sense of how a fan base feels about certain players or certain things their team likes to do.
Kansas fans hated Wayne Selden on Tuesday night — at least the fans sitting near me. They laid into him with a ferocity I haven’t seen out of fans with their own player in quite some time. I’d drop some quotes in here, but I’d get fired; most of what they said would make Joe Pesci blush.
Is the lingering disappointment of Selden’s career at Kansas turning into something worse?
Selden has been a polarizing figure among Kansas fans the last two seasons and they’ve been wondering since August which version of Wayne would pop up during his junior season.
Would we see the Selden that dominated stretches in South Korea and helped lead Kansas to a gold medal at the World University Games over the summer? Or would we see the disappointing Selden that regressed during his sophomore season and only shot 38 percent from the field?
Kansas fans saw sophomore season Selden during the loss to Michigan State as the 6-foot-5 junior struggled mightily in the second half to finish 3-for-12 from the field and 2-for-6 from 3-point range. He was thoroughly outplayed by Denzel Valentine. Selden finished with 12 points, one rebound and one assist for the game.
It’s no secret that if the Jayhawks want to be national title competitors this season that they need Selden to step up and play like the highly-touted McDonald’s All-American that came to Lawrence. Senior forward Perry Ellis is as steady as they come in terms of production and junior point guard Frank Mason emerged as the team’s most important player last season. Selden seems like the natural fit to be the third scorer on what appears to be a deep Kansas team filled with very good role players.
But maybe Selden is just not up to the task of being a go-to player?
The junior’s erratic play has made him a bit of a toxic figure among Kansas fans and their lingering disappointment was especially apparent during that second half at the United Center.
Fan disappointment aside, Selden just hasn’t produced up to expectations on the floor no matter how you cut it. He’s never averaged double-figures in scoring for a season. In 16 games against ranked opponents last season, Selden only scored in double-figures five times and it came against only two opponents (three times against Iowa State, twice versus Baylor). Against Wichita State in the NCAA tournament, Selden was scoreless in 23 minutes of a disappointing Round of 32 exit.
When Selden looked good in South Korea it was in-part because he was more athletic than his international counterparts and they didn’t have a chance to scout him in advance like a Big 12 team would. Now that he’s back on American soil, Selden’s lack of scoring moves is getting continually exposed against the best teams. Michigan State held Selden to 0-for-10 shooting last season and again limited him to an off-night on Tuesday. He just hasn’t added moves to his repertoire since high school and if his perimeter shot isn’t falling Selden’s offense could be in for a long night.
But if Selden is not the third scorer with this group, then who is?
Devonte’ Graham struggled to a 1-for-9 night from the field and Brannen Greene is hit-or-miss as a perimeter-shooting specialist. There doesn’t appear to be a Cheick Diallo decision on the horizon (and even if he played he’s more of an impact as a defender and rebounder) and we’ve seen enough out of Landen Lucas, Jamari Traylor and Hunter Mickelson to know that they’re not going to be major, consistent factors in the scoring column.
Which leads me to this: Kansas needs to insert Carlton Bragg more into the lineup and use his unique offensive abilities whenever they need a boost. Also a former McDonald’s All-American, Bragg is the type of talented forward who can face-up and hit jumpers with range. If he can supplant Ellis for a few minutes and knock down some shots early in the season, it could build his confidence to be more of a go-to guy later in the season.
Multiple sources who have seen recent Kansas practices told NBCSports.com that Bragg looked outstanding and was one of the best players on the floor. Bragg only played 11 minutes against Michigan State and finished 2-for-2 with four points and no rebounds. Not exactly killing it.
But then again, Cliff Alexander wasn’t exactly killing it last season at Kansas, but he still made the Portland Trail Blazers roster as an undrafted rookie. Without Alexander and Kelly Oubre producing to high expectations, Kansas was gone by the first weekend last season. If Bragg is talented enough to be one of the best Kansas players in practice, hopefully with added minutes and confidence he can emerge as an off-the-bench scorer or additional late-game option that Kansas has been looking for.
We’ve watched Wayne Selden struggle in big games enough to be skeptical about his ability to be a main cog going forward, so why not see if a talented All-American can give a spark? It might not have worked out last season with Alexander and Oubre, but this is a deeper and more balanced Kansas team this season and Bragg could be that spark.
Bragg and Ellis might not be able to play alongside each other for significant stretches against bigger teams, but if both can knock down shots, it could make for an intriguing Kansas lineup that can spread the floor and make it tough to guard all five positions. Maybe this is the kind of end-of-game lineup that Kansas can look into, because whatever they tried against Michigan State wasn’t working.
If Kansas opts to say with Selden as a main option, I don’t see them being a national contender this season. They need someone else to step up besides Ellis and Mason. Bragg has the natural talent to potentially fill that void if Self allows him to play through some early mental lapses. It’ll be interesting to see how Self brings Bragg along this season, but if he’s been as good as advertised in practice then he needs to be on the floor because the Jayhawks can’t make a run with the way things currently stand.
Duke was overrated, but it’s too early to write them off completely.
By Rob Dauster
Duke entered the 2015-16 season as a preseason top ten team, one that snuck into the top five of most preseason projections.
But if we’re going to call it like it is, if we’re going to really be honest here, than the fact of the matter is this: Duke was overrated entering the season.
They’re going to get better. Teams coached by Mike Krzyzewski have a tendency to do that. But as of today, as of this moment, Duke is not a top five team. Kentucky exposed them in Tuesday night’s 74-63 Champions Classic win, their stifling perimeter defense eliminating any hope that Duke had of functioning offensively in the half court.
“The game was bigger for our guys that they anticipated,” Coach K said. “We’re not going to win when our perimeter plays like that.”
The “like that” that Coach K was referring to was the performance of the two guys that were supposed to star for the Blue Devils on the perimeter, Grayson Allen and Brandon Ingram. They combined to shoot 3-for-17 from the floor with eight turnovers on Tuesday night. Allen was 0-for-9 in the first half alone.
To be frank, this is something that we probably should have seen coming. Kentucky is going to make life miserable for opposing back courts all season long, and while Duke is the defending national champion loaded with McDonald’s All-American, it’s critical that we clarify that statement. The Blue Devils only return four rotation players from last year’s team, and the one true point guard on the roster — Derryck Thornton — is a freshman that essentially skipped his senior season in high school in order to enroll at Duke a year early. Someone had to fill the void Tyus Jones left.
That’s a nasty combination, particularly when the season is all of five days old.
But all is not lost for the Blue Devils. Here are five takeaways from Tuesday’s loss:
1. Grayson Allen needs another move: The scouting report on Grayson Allen is so glaringly obvious that the drunk, despondent Duke fans at the United Center last night were able to figure out exactly what he was going to do by the midway point in the first half. He’s going right, he going to try to turn the corner, and he’s going to drive right at the rim. That works against the likes of Siena and Bryant, where his long strides and explosiveness allow him to beat his man and finish over the help defender. But against Kentucky? When he’s being guarded by the likes of Tyler Ulis and Isaiah Briscoe and trying to finish over big dudes that are going to be first round picks? We all saw what happens then.
And to be fair, I believe the magnitude of the moment got to Allen. When I spoke with Duke assistant Nate James for this story, one of the things that he reiterated to me was that Allen almost cares too much. He tries too hard and he puts too much pressure on himself, and when things start going poorly, they can snowball. Allen entered this game averaging 27.0 points and 4.0 assists. He was Duke’s best player the first weekend of the season, meaning that the Wildcats game-planned how to stop him. It’s not easy to function being the focal point of a defensive scouting report, and it’s even tougher when everyone in the gym knows what you want to do with ball.
“You have to be able to do a lot of different things and adjust to whatever they’re doing out there,” Allen said after the game. On Tuesday, he didn’t.
2. Execution was the biggest issue: One point that Coach K drove home during his press conference was that the issue with Duke offensively wasn’t their ability to initiate offense, it was their problems executing the sets they were trying to run. In other words, they were able to run their stuff, they just didn’t run it well.
“Some of the turnovers at point guard were after we already initiated the offense and had to make a play and be strong with the ball,” Coach K said. “We have five really good perimeter players and you should just be strong with the ball. When someone is playing that strong you have to come back with that [same] kind of effort.”
3. Part of the issue is Duke has no pressure release: Having a powerful post scorer is good for a couple of reasons. The obvious one is that having a player like Jahlil Okafor means that, when you get him the ball in the post, you’re more-than-likely going to end up getting a high percentage shot or a couple of free throws any time he touches the ball. But that presence also loosens things up for perimeter players.
When an offense as a post player that has to be doubled — or, at the very least, respected with his back-to-the-basket — perimeter defenders must be aware of that; they’re the ones that will be making the defensive rotations to protect against weak-side layups and open threes.
Duke doesn’t have anyone like that this season. Marshall Plumlee and Amile Jefferson were awesome on Tuesday night — they combined for 28 points and 25 boards, their 12 offensive rebounds providing Duke with their most consistent source of scoring — but neither of them are really a threat with the ball. In other words, you’re not leaving Matt Jones open from three or giving Allen an opportunity to attack a close-out in order to try and double-team Jefferson on the block, and that leaves Duke’s offense very one-dimensional.
4. Plumlee and Jefferson were really good, though: Plumlee kept Duke in the game early, scoring their first nine points, all of which came via offensive rebounds. He finished with 12 points, 10 boards and six blocks, a performance that was eerily reminiscent of Brian Zoubek, the senior center that came out of nowhere to arguably be the MVP of the 2010 national title team.
And Jefferson? He’s been Duke’s most consistent — and best? — player through three games. Duke’s front court was a red flag entering the season, and while their limitations are noteworthy, those two unequivocally outplayed Kentucky’s bigs on Tuesday night. That’s a very good sign for Duke moving forward.
5. Derryck Thornton actually played pretty well: This, more than anything, might be the most important takeaway from Tuesday night. He finished with seven points, three boards and three assists, and while he turned the ball over four times in 29 minutes, it’s not really shocking considering that he’s a freshman that was being guarded by arguably the best on-ball defender in the college game.
Ingram is going to be better. Allen is going to be better. Those two things are going to happen. But the ceiling for Duke’s season rests in the hands of Thornton. Can he get the Blue Devils into their sets without turning the ball over? Can he create easy offense — dunks for the bigs, open threes for the wings — when their offense stagnates? Can he protect the ball against the likes of Tyler Ulis? He’s never going to be Tyus Jones, and he doesn’t necessarily even need to be a starter, but if he can build on what he provided the Blue Devils on Tuesday night, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic about where Duke is headed.
By Rob Dauster
Duke entered the 2015-16 season as a preseason top ten team, one that snuck into the top five of most preseason projections.
But if we’re going to call it like it is, if we’re going to really be honest here, than the fact of the matter is this: Duke was overrated entering the season.
They’re going to get better. Teams coached by Mike Krzyzewski have a tendency to do that. But as of today, as of this moment, Duke is not a top five team. Kentucky exposed them in Tuesday night’s 74-63 Champions Classic win, their stifling perimeter defense eliminating any hope that Duke had of functioning offensively in the half court.
“The game was bigger for our guys that they anticipated,” Coach K said. “We’re not going to win when our perimeter plays like that.”
The “like that” that Coach K was referring to was the performance of the two guys that were supposed to star for the Blue Devils on the perimeter, Grayson Allen and Brandon Ingram. They combined to shoot 3-for-17 from the floor with eight turnovers on Tuesday night. Allen was 0-for-9 in the first half alone.
To be frank, this is something that we probably should have seen coming. Kentucky is going to make life miserable for opposing back courts all season long, and while Duke is the defending national champion loaded with McDonald’s All-American, it’s critical that we clarify that statement. The Blue Devils only return four rotation players from last year’s team, and the one true point guard on the roster — Derryck Thornton — is a freshman that essentially skipped his senior season in high school in order to enroll at Duke a year early. Someone had to fill the void Tyus Jones left.
That’s a nasty combination, particularly when the season is all of five days old.
But all is not lost for the Blue Devils. Here are five takeaways from Tuesday’s loss:
1. Grayson Allen needs another move: The scouting report on Grayson Allen is so glaringly obvious that the drunk, despondent Duke fans at the United Center last night were able to figure out exactly what he was going to do by the midway point in the first half. He’s going right, he going to try to turn the corner, and he’s going to drive right at the rim. That works against the likes of Siena and Bryant, where his long strides and explosiveness allow him to beat his man and finish over the help defender. But against Kentucky? When he’s being guarded by the likes of Tyler Ulis and Isaiah Briscoe and trying to finish over big dudes that are going to be first round picks? We all saw what happens then.
And to be fair, I believe the magnitude of the moment got to Allen. When I spoke with Duke assistant Nate James for this story, one of the things that he reiterated to me was that Allen almost cares too much. He tries too hard and he puts too much pressure on himself, and when things start going poorly, they can snowball. Allen entered this game averaging 27.0 points and 4.0 assists. He was Duke’s best player the first weekend of the season, meaning that the Wildcats game-planned how to stop him. It’s not easy to function being the focal point of a defensive scouting report, and it’s even tougher when everyone in the gym knows what you want to do with ball.
“You have to be able to do a lot of different things and adjust to whatever they’re doing out there,” Allen said after the game. On Tuesday, he didn’t.
2. Execution was the biggest issue: One point that Coach K drove home during his press conference was that the issue with Duke offensively wasn’t their ability to initiate offense, it was their problems executing the sets they were trying to run. In other words, they were able to run their stuff, they just didn’t run it well.
“Some of the turnovers at point guard were after we already initiated the offense and had to make a play and be strong with the ball,” Coach K said. “We have five really good perimeter players and you should just be strong with the ball. When someone is playing that strong you have to come back with that [same] kind of effort.”
3. Part of the issue is Duke has no pressure release: Having a powerful post scorer is good for a couple of reasons. The obvious one is that having a player like Jahlil Okafor means that, when you get him the ball in the post, you’re more-than-likely going to end up getting a high percentage shot or a couple of free throws any time he touches the ball. But that presence also loosens things up for perimeter players.
When an offense as a post player that has to be doubled — or, at the very least, respected with his back-to-the-basket — perimeter defenders must be aware of that; they’re the ones that will be making the defensive rotations to protect against weak-side layups and open threes.
Duke doesn’t have anyone like that this season. Marshall Plumlee and Amile Jefferson were awesome on Tuesday night — they combined for 28 points and 25 boards, their 12 offensive rebounds providing Duke with their most consistent source of scoring — but neither of them are really a threat with the ball. In other words, you’re not leaving Matt Jones open from three or giving Allen an opportunity to attack a close-out in order to try and double-team Jefferson on the block, and that leaves Duke’s offense very one-dimensional.
4. Plumlee and Jefferson were really good, though: Plumlee kept Duke in the game early, scoring their first nine points, all of which came via offensive rebounds. He finished with 12 points, 10 boards and six blocks, a performance that was eerily reminiscent of Brian Zoubek, the senior center that came out of nowhere to arguably be the MVP of the 2010 national title team.
And Jefferson? He’s been Duke’s most consistent — and best? — player through three games. Duke’s front court was a red flag entering the season, and while their limitations are noteworthy, those two unequivocally outplayed Kentucky’s bigs on Tuesday night. That’s a very good sign for Duke moving forward.
5. Derryck Thornton actually played pretty well: This, more than anything, might be the most important takeaway from Tuesday night. He finished with seven points, three boards and three assists, and while he turned the ball over four times in 29 minutes, it’s not really shocking considering that he’s a freshman that was being guarded by arguably the best on-ball defender in the college game.
Ingram is going to be better. Allen is going to be better. Those two things are going to happen. But the ceiling for Duke’s season rests in the hands of Thornton. Can he get the Blue Devils into their sets without turning the ball over? Can he create easy offense — dunks for the bigs, open threes for the wings — when their offense stagnates? Can he protect the ball against the likes of Tyler Ulis? He’s never going to be Tyus Jones, and he doesn’t necessarily even need to be a starter, but if he can build on what he provided the Blue Devils on Tuesday night, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic about where Duke is headed.
Will UFC Champ Holly Holm Give Rhonda Rousey A Rematch? See Her Surprising Response. What's Your Take?
By Kendall Fisher
(Photo/Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
While people were incredibly impressed by her performance, the knockout inevitably resulted in one question: Will she give Rousey a rematch in the future?
"That's how it goes! I've been knocked down, knocked out, got to come back and avenge my loss," she told E! News' Sibley Scoles of taking on Rousey in the future. "I've been on the other end of it, so I feel like that's just the way it goes. Anytime there's a big upset, especially over somebody that's been so dominating, that's how it goes. You gotta give them the rematch."
And that's pretty much been Holm's reaction since her big win over the weekend. She's remained calm, collected and quite stoic.
"I always figure, you know what, the hard work's not done yet," she explains about her laid back demeanor. "And I have nothing to try and gloat about right now. All I need to do is just prove myself in the fight. A lot of that is just wasted energy for me, and I think, oh my gosh, I just don't even want to waste my energy on that because there's so much more in a fight anyway."Meanwhile, E! News learned that Rousey has been depressed since the major loss, which probably wasn't helped at all as many celebrities took to Twitter to slam her, criticizing both her character and the way she went down on Saturday.
Holm hasn't spoken to her since taking on the victory, but she still wishes her well.
"No I haven't spoke to her," the new champ told us. "I haven't seen her. I hope she's doing well."
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: We're sure Ms. Rousey is depressed and shaken up along with being shocked about her loss to Holly Holm last Saturday night. There's even a rumor floating around that she will not fight again. We hope this isn't true as she's good for the sport. After a time-out, we think she'll come back in an effort to avenge that loss. Ms. Holm says that she will give Rousey a rematch, can you imagine how much publicity and money this fight will generate? If and when it does happen, it's going to be spectacular. Who do you think will win the rematch? That's the $64,000.00 question. Reminds us of the Ali-Frazier fights. The potential is there for the next fight to be just as good, only time will tell?
For you diehard UFC fans, we'd love to hear your thoughts and what's your take? Please take a moment and go to the comment section at the bottom of this blog and share your thoughts with us. We value your opinion and truly look forward to hearing from you. We want to hear the opinions of those really in the know!!!
The Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
On
Memoriesofhistory.com
1942 - The National Hockey League (NHL) ended their regular season over-time until World War II was over.
1962 - Mickey Mantle was named the American League Most Valuable Player for the third time.
1965 - Chick Hearn began a 3,000 game streak of play-by-play calls for the Los Angeles Lakers.
1997 - A.C. Green played in his 907th straight game for the Dallas Mavericks.
1997 - Eric Lindros (Philadelphia Flyers) tried to bite Marty McSorley (San Jose Sharks).
1962 - Mickey Mantle was named the American League Most Valuable Player for the third time.
1965 - Chick Hearn began a 3,000 game streak of play-by-play calls for the Los Angeles Lakers.
1997 - A.C. Green played in his 907th straight game for the Dallas Mavericks.
1997 - Eric Lindros (Philadelphia Flyers) tried to bite Marty McSorley (San Jose Sharks).
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