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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"The pressure people put on themselves and the rivalry between the teams is much more marked. And I think that's a good thing. As long as that rivalry remains within the spirit of competition, it can only spur everyone on." ~ Eric Cantona, Actor and International Footballer
NFL Scoreboard, Thanksgiving, 11/26/2015.
Philadelphia Eagles 14
Detroit Lions 45
Carolina Panthers 33
Dallas Cowboys 14
Chicago Bears 17
Green bay Packers 13
Red denotes winning team
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears hold on to beat Packers on Thanksgiving night.
Carolina Panthers 33
Dallas Cowboys 14
Chicago Bears 17
Green bay Packers 13
Red denotes winning team
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears hold on to beat Packers on Thanksgiving night.
CSN Staff
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
With the Bears ahead, 17-13, Rodgers threw a late interception, but the Packers got the ball back and drove down inside the Bears' 10-yard line in the game's final minute. But incompletion after incompletion followed, and Rodgers' fourth-down pass bounced away, preventing what would have been another crushing fall-from-ahead loss for the Bears, who hung on for a win to boost their record to 5-6.
The Packers got on the board first when Eddie Lacy took an Rodgers pass 25 yards for a touchdown, and that was the first half's only scoring until an action-packed final six minutes of the second quarter. After the Bears recovered a Lacy fumble, Jay Cutler's touchdown toss to Zach Miller tied the game at 7, and on the next possession, the Packers took the lead back when the Bears' defense forced a field goal in a goal-to-go situation, making the score 10-7.
The Bears answered with another touchdown drive, Jeremy Langford capping things with a one-yard touchdown run after a Cutler pass to Marquess Wilson that was initially ruled a touchdown was overturned after review. The Packers took the ball into field-goal range in the first half's final seconds, kicking a field goal as the clock ran out on the second quarter to send the game to the break with the Bears in front, 14-13.
Both offenses struggled in the second half, combining for a scoreless third quarter before a long Bears drive in the fourth quarter reached as far as the Packers' one-yard line. But the Bears couldn't punch it in and had to settle for a field goal to extend their lead to 17-13.
The Packers were charging late when Tracy Porter's interception of Rodgers gave the ball back to the Bears, stopping that Packers drive in its tracks. The Bears couldn't pick up a first down and punted the ball back shortly after the turnover, though the Packers were forced to use all their timeouts before getting the ball back.
Still, Rodgers got the Packers from their own 20-yard line all the way down to the Bears' eight-yard line. From there, though, he threw four straight incomplete passes with goal to go, turning the ball over on downs and allowing the Bears to kneel away the final seconds and seal the victory.
Cutler finished completing 19 of his 31 passing attempts for 200 yards and a touchdown. Langford rushed 12 times for 48 yards and a touchdown, and Matt Forte carried the ball 15 times for 44 yards. Alshon Jeffery caught seven passes for 90 yards.
Rodgers completed 22 of his 43 passing attempts for 202 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Lacy had 15 carries for 105 yards.
The Packers out-gained the Bears, 365-290, and had advantages in first downs, total plays, yards per play and rushing yards. But the Bears won the turnover battle, 2-0.
The Bears next host the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 6.
Win over Rodgers, Packers could be turning point for Bears. What's Your Take?
By John Mullin
Games, and seasons, have turning points. Thursday night’s game in Green Bay — won by the Bears, 17-13, turning away Aaron Rodgers and the Packers four times with the football at the Chicago 8 in the closing seconds — had all the markings of precisely that for a Bears team so often humiliated in this exact venue.
“It’s a game I’ll never forget,” said defensive end Willie Young, who’d never won here as a Bear or Detroit Lion but marked this night, on which the Packers retired Brett Favre’s No. 4 jersey, with a sack of Rodgers. “The only thing I didn’t get to do was shake Brett Favre’s hand.”
That was one of the few things the Bears didn’t accomplish.
They reached 5-6, matching their victory total for all of last year, not just by winning in Green Bay, not just by winning three of their last four, but by winning two road games on short weeks. They came back from a West Coast win at San Diego to defeat one of the NFL’s top defenses in St. Louis and went into the den of untold horrors against the team that has owned them, taking down the Packers (7-4) at Lambeau Field.
They did it by shutting out Rodgers and the Packers in the second half, by making Rodgers the seventh quarterback out of 11 this season to be held under 200 yards passing by the Bears defense. They did it by twice coming back from deficits to tie or go ahead and by delivering defensive stops against a quarterback who has enhanced his legend so many times at their expense.
They did it by turning Rodgers away in a situation that easily could have gone the way of the one at the end of 2013, when Rodgers and Randall Cobb ripped out the Bears’ hearts with a late-fourth-quarter touchdown.
“It’s not just another win,” said linebacker Shea McClellin, on the field for every snap and finishing with 10 tackles. “This moves us in the right direction from here on out.”
From here on out means the San Francisco 49ers (4-6) and Washington Redskins (3-7) at home and with 10 days to recover.
But within the game lay one stretch that the Bears hope defines them “from here on out.”
Suddenly, midway through the second quarter of a game threatening to slip away from the Bears, something came together. Actually, three things came together, specifically all three phases of a Bears team that has needed all of them to come together for a while now.
First, after special teams had allowed a 64-yard kickoff return that set Rodgers up at the Chicago 33, the defense rose up, produced stops on three Packers snaps inside the Chicago 7 and forced the Packers to settle for a field goal.
Second, Deonte Thompson popped a kickoff return for 37 yards, the second-longest of the season, to put the Bears at the Chicago 42.
“At first, when they scored, our sideline was a little down,” Thompson said. “Then after I came to the sideline after the return, everybody was up, we scored on the next drive and the rest was history.”
Third, the offense drove 58 yards for a go-ahead touchdown, and the Bears were up 14-13 after Mason Crosby converted a 50-yard field goal as the half ended.
But for once, that was the end of Green Bay's scoring. And the Bears are again looking at more than just respectability.
“Every game is big, but we are still in the playoff hunt so this game was huge,” said cornerback Tracy Porter, who intercepted Rodgers and broke up four of his passes, including one in the end zone on a third-and-goal from the Bears’ 8 with 36 seconds remaining.
“We just have to come out and play together, execute all phases, and that’s what we did.”
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: We predicted that the Bears would be 9-7 or 8-8 at the end of the 2015 season. We took into consideration the changes in upper management and an improved , much improved coaching staff. The Bears have been in all of their games but one and have had the opportunity to win several of them, but the team needed to grow and is just starting to do that. They are starting to learn about one another. Yes, they're still lacking talent in many positions but they have found a few diamonds in the rough. They are finding that they do have a few blocks to build on. A few capable draft choices from the 2016 draft and the signing of a couple of stable, savvy veterans will help this team tremendously next year. As we've noted before, the Bears are following the lead of the Blackhawks and the Cubs. Draft and acquire good young talent, mix in a few solid veterans, hire an experienced head coach that can teach and motivate his players, give them three to four years to work together and viola, you've created a team that can compete for a Super Bowl. If you think it's going to be done in a year or two, forget it, it's not going to happen. Slow and steady always wins the race. Again, it's a proven fact, just look at the Blackhawks and the Cubs.
And believe it or not, the Bears have a real chance at hitting our prediction of 9-7 or 8-8. Good things do lie ahead for the Bears in the future. Hopefully, we can hold this coaching staff together for two more years. If we can, our possibilities will be infinite.
We've stated our position and now you know our thoughts, We'd love to know what's your take? Please go to the comment section at the bottom of this blog and let us know what you think and how you feel? We look forward to hearing from you as we truly value your opinion.
The Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Chicago Blackhawks-Anaheim Ducks Preview.
By JEFF BARTL
The problem is that the other three combinations are having trouble producing, leading to a surprising change in the top six.
After a strong effort, coach Joel Quenneville could choose to go with his new lineup again as the Blackhawks continue their road trip Friday against the Anaheim Ducks.
Kane has 10 goals and 18 assists during a career-best 17-game point streak after assisting on goals by defensemen Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith in Wednesday's 5-2 win over San Jose.
His 34 points have come mostly while playing with rookie standout Artemi Panarin and center Artem Anisimov, who was acquired from Columbus in the Brandon Saad trade. Panarin also had two assists against the Sharks, but Anisimov had his five-game point streak snapped.
''If it ends, it ends,'' Kane said. ''I just want to play my game and make sure I'm doing the right things out there for the team. If it continues, it continues. I'm not too worried about it right now.''
Quenneville has been fretting about why the Blackhawks (12-8-2) haven't been able to get much scoring from elsewhere. He decided to break up Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa from the top line Wednesday, sending Hossa to the third line with Marcus Kruger and Marko Dano.
Toews played with Andrew Shaw and Ryan Garbutt, and they each earned an assist on Toews' goal in the first period. Chicago improved to 2-1-1 on a six-game trip that ends Saturday against Los Angeles.
"Maybe on the road it was our best complete game," Quenneville said. "I thought we had a really good game in Vancouver (on Saturday) with nothing to show for it. I thought (Wednesday) we got rewarded. Good back-to-back efforts as far as playing the right way and doing a lot of good things."
Toews scored in overtime to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 win over the Ducks on Oct. 26 in the first meeting since Chicago won Game 7 of last season's Western Conference finals in Anaheim.
The Ducks (8-11-4) are going to need vast improvement to reach that level this season. They haven't won back-to-back games since a four-game run Nov. 1-7, going 3-4-2 since after losing 4-2 at Arizona on Wednesday.
''We can play really good on certain occasions and the next night we don't play nearly as well,'' coach Bruce Boudreau said. ''We had pockets and there were times we looked like we were brain dead.''
Ryan Kesler and Sami Vatanen scored in the third period as Anaheim's rally fell short. It trailed by two goals early the previous night against Calgary before coming back to win 5-3 and end a three-game home losing streak.
''It's frustrating,'' said Ryan Getzlaf, who had a franchise record-tying five assists against the Flames and another Wednesday. ''We're trying to build off a pretty good game and should have come in with some excitement, but we came out flat.''
John Gibson has started back-to-back games in net with Frederik Andersen out with an illness. It's unclear if Andersen, who made 23 saves in the first meeting and started each game against the Blackhawks in the postseason, will be able to go in this one.
Corey Crawford stopped 39 shots against the Ducks last month. Quenneville hasn't announced if Crawford or Scott Darling will be in net.
Blackhawks beat Sharks in one of season's best outings. (Wednesday night's game, 11/25/2015).
By Tracey Myers
Andrew Desjardins’ early season with the Blackhawks has been a bit frustrating.
He was recently put back into the lineup after being scratched for three consecutive games and, entering Wednesday’s game against his former tam, was still looking for his first point of the season.
His second trip back to San Jose proved to be a happy one.
Desjardins scored his first goal of the season and Patrick Kane extended his career-high point streak to 17 games as the Blackhawks beat the Sharks, 5-2, on Wednesday night.
Duncan Keith scored his third goal of the season and the 78th of his career, moving him past Pierre Pilote to fourth all-time among Blackhawks defensemen. Jonathan Toews added his eighth of the season. Andrew Shaw (empty net) and Brent Seabrook also scored. Corey Crawford stopped 27 of 29 shots in the victory.
Kane’s point streak is now a career-high 17 games. He’s one away from tying the mark set by a U.S.-born player (18 games held by Eddie Olczyk and Phil Kessel) and four away from tying the franchise mark, set by Bobby Hull (21 games in December 1971 and January 1972).
His second trip back to San Jose proved to be a happy one.
Desjardins scored his first goal of the season and Patrick Kane extended his career-high point streak to 17 games as the Blackhawks beat the Sharks, 5-2, on Wednesday night.
Duncan Keith scored his third goal of the season and the 78th of his career, moving him past Pierre Pilote to fourth all-time among Blackhawks defensemen. Jonathan Toews added his eighth of the season. Andrew Shaw (empty net) and Brent Seabrook also scored. Corey Crawford stopped 27 of 29 shots in the victory.
Kane’s point streak is now a career-high 17 games. He’s one away from tying the mark set by a U.S.-born player (18 games held by Eddie Olczyk and Phil Kessel) and four away from tying the franchise mark, set by Bobby Hull (21 games in December 1971 and January 1972).
Desjardins had been frustrated with the chances he has had this season, none of which resulted in goals or points. So his happiness — and perhaps his relief — was noticeable when he did score on Wednesday.
“I think you could tell in my reaction,” Desjardins said with a smile. “I’m not much for cellies. I just kind of yelled as loud as I could, I think. It felt good. It was a long time coming in a way, too, with the chances that I’ve had. It felt awesome.”
The Blackhawks were looking to build off their game in Vancouver, one in which they thought they did a lot right but lost. Wednesday’s game in San Jose, against a Sharks team that had won all six games on their recent road trip, was one of the Blackhawks’ best outings of the season.
“We just talked about that, maybe on the road it was our best complete game,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We had a good game in Vancouver with nothing to show for it. Today we got rewarded. Good back-to-back efforts as far as playing the right way, doing a lot of good things.”
The Blackhawks got the desired start, with Seabrook and Toews goals putting them up 2-1 after one. Kane’s primary assist on Seabrook’s goal extended his point streak about nine minutes into the game. Kane was a lot happier with his game, as well as that of his line with Artemi Panarin and Artem Anisimov, Wednesday night.
“It seemed like we didn’t pay too many shifts in our end as a line, and we had more control of the puck, too,” said Kane, who added he’s not thinking about the point streak as much as he is playing the right way. “You’re always looking to build off performances, I thought it was a step in the right direction.”
Keith’s goal, which looked like a harmless shot from along the boards, put the Blackhawks up 3-1. Patrick Marleau made it interesting with his eighth goal of the season, which cut the Blackhawks’ lead to 3-2 with less than nine minutes remaining in regulation. But just 67 seconds later, Desjardins’ goal re-established the Blackhawks’ two-goal lead.
Desjardins wanted to capitalize on the chances he’s gotten. The Blackhawks wanted to build off the pre-Las Vegas portion of their Circus Trip. They all got what they were looking for on Wednesday.
“Our start was awesome,” Desjardins said. “I thought our puck-possession was good. Obviously they had a few flurries in the game, but I think that’s part of it, right? (You’re) not just gonna have the tide going your way the whole game. Yeah, I thought we played a pretty good all-around game, for sure.”
“I think you could tell in my reaction,” Desjardins said with a smile. “I’m not much for cellies. I just kind of yelled as loud as I could, I think. It felt good. It was a long time coming in a way, too, with the chances that I’ve had. It felt awesome.”
The Blackhawks were looking to build off their game in Vancouver, one in which they thought they did a lot right but lost. Wednesday’s game in San Jose, against a Sharks team that had won all six games on their recent road trip, was one of the Blackhawks’ best outings of the season.
“We just talked about that, maybe on the road it was our best complete game,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We had a good game in Vancouver with nothing to show for it. Today we got rewarded. Good back-to-back efforts as far as playing the right way, doing a lot of good things.”
The Blackhawks got the desired start, with Seabrook and Toews goals putting them up 2-1 after one. Kane’s primary assist on Seabrook’s goal extended his point streak about nine minutes into the game. Kane was a lot happier with his game, as well as that of his line with Artemi Panarin and Artem Anisimov, Wednesday night.
“It seemed like we didn’t pay too many shifts in our end as a line, and we had more control of the puck, too,” said Kane, who added he’s not thinking about the point streak as much as he is playing the right way. “You’re always looking to build off performances, I thought it was a step in the right direction.”
Keith’s goal, which looked like a harmless shot from along the boards, put the Blackhawks up 3-1. Patrick Marleau made it interesting with his eighth goal of the season, which cut the Blackhawks’ lead to 3-2 with less than nine minutes remaining in regulation. But just 67 seconds later, Desjardins’ goal re-established the Blackhawks’ two-goal lead.
Desjardins wanted to capitalize on the chances he’s gotten. The Blackhawks wanted to build off the pre-Las Vegas portion of their Circus Trip. They all got what they were looking for on Wednesday.
“Our start was awesome,” Desjardins said. “I thought our puck-possession was good. Obviously they had a few flurries in the game, but I think that’s part of it, right? (You’re) not just gonna have the tide going your way the whole game. Yeah, I thought we played a pretty good all-around game, for sure.”
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Chicago Bulls-Indiana Pacers Preview.
By JORDAN GARRETSON
The Indiana Pacers are knocking down 3-pointers with ridiculous accuracy after a mediocre start, and they seem to be showing no signs of slowing down.
They'll try to stay hot from beyond the arc and avenge a loss earlier this month to the Chicago Bulls on Friday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Indiana is shooting a league-best 41.6 percent from 3-point range, an unusually good number for a franchise that hasn't finished better than 12th in that category over the last three seasons. The Pacers (9-5) also started off in relatively average fashion, shooting 34.2 percent in their first seven games.
They've won nine of 11 this month, however.
"We're still getting used to the system, but now we're flowing," said Paul George, who is shooting 45.7 percent from 3-point range.
They've shot a blistering 52.9 percent from deep over the last four games - the franchise's best mark for a four-game stretch since Jan. 16-23, 1998 - though they were 24 of 42 in that span compared to 55 for 104 during the current run.
Indiana hit a franchise-record 19 of 26 3-pointers in Tuesday's 123-106 win at Washington, and the 73.1 3-point percentage set a league mark with a minimum 25 attempts.
George scored 40 points and hit seven 3-pointers, while C.J. Miles knocked down eight and scored 32. The duo combined for only two misses and became just the fifth teammates in NBA history to hit seven apiece.
George scored 40 points and hit seven 3-pointers, while C.J. Miles knocked down eight and scored 32. The duo combined for only two misses and became just the fifth teammates in NBA history to hit seven apiece.
"We've been talking about making people try and pick their poison. There's a lot of space out there when he does what he does," Miles said of George. "There's a lot of space out there when he does what he does. I just try and move in the gaps and find spaces and be aggressive when I get my chances."
Indiana lost 96-95 at Chicago on Nov. 16, shooting 9 of 21 from beyond the arc but just 39.4 percent from 2-point range. George scored 26 while Derrick Rose led Chicago with 23.
The Bulls (9-4) are limiting opponents to 33.9 percent 3-point shooting and held Portland to 27.3 percent (6 for 22) in a 93-88 road win Tuesday.
Jimmy Butler scored 22 while Rose added 17 after missing two games with a sprained left ankle. Chicago shot 38.4 percent - the third time in four games it has shot 40.7 percent or worse - but scored a season high-matching 21 points off turnovers.
"I think we played an all-right game," Rose said. "We won so that's the only thing that matters."
Rose was 7 of 20 and has struggled with his shot all season, hitting 37.3 percent from the field - the seventh-worst among players averaging at least 30 minutes.
"I felt all right," he said. "There were some plays where I had no lift on my shot as far as like driving the ball, but that's going to come the more I play and the stronger it gets."
The Bulls are closing a four-game trip before playing nine of the next 10 games at home, while the Pacers are 5-2 at home and have won five of six there in the series. George has shot just 28.3 percent in his last three home meetings with Chicago, however.
Rose, Bulls continuing to show solid effort under Fred Hoiberg.
By Mark Strotman
The process of learning the concepts and terminology behind Fred Hoiberg's up-tempo offense will be ongoing, something the first year head coach understands.
But regardless of scheme, terminology or personnel, there's no substitute or excuse for a veteran team like the Bulls not to show effort each time they step on the court.
And for the few bumps in the road the Bulls have had early in the season, none of those have stemmed from a lack of effort, Hoiberg said Thanksgiving Day at the Advocate Center.
The head coach singled out the Bulls' last six games as a barometer. Since going scoreless in overtime against the Timberwolves at home on Nov. 7, the Bulls have won five of their last six, with three of those victories coming on the road. The Bulls returned home from their West Coast trip that included stops in Phoenix, Golden State and Portland, and will head out tomorrow for a Friday showdown in Indiana, with an ongoing sense of confidence after taking two of three.
"The biggest thing is the effort. I think the consistent thing, especially these last six, the only loss coming at Golden State and we had a chance at the end of that one. So the effort's been terrific, and if we can keep that going we're going to have a chance most nights," Hoiberg said.
"To get two out of 3 on that trip was very important I felt. With that Phoenix win, that's another team that had won several in a row, very powerful, explosive backcourt. That's what we played on this trip; you had three of the top backcourts in the league with Phoenix (Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe), Golden State (Steph Curry and Klay Thompson) and Portland (Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum) and to get two out of those three was big for us. Just got to keep our focus."
Earning two wins out west was made more impressive in that they played two of those games without Derrick Rose, who returned Tuesday after missing a pair with an ankle sprain. Rose wasted no time making his presence felt, scoring 17 points, handing out six assists and limiting counterpart Damian Lillard to 4-for-22 shooting as the Bulls picked up a 93-88 win.
It was yet another solid effort from the Bulls defense - the Blazers shot 35 percent from the field and committed 14 turnovers - that has been perhaps better than expected in Hoiberg's early tenure. Entering Thanksgiving Day, the Bulls ranked sixth in defensive efficiency, second in opponent field-goal percentage and were allowing a league-best 1.07 points per shot. It's a stark contrast from the offense, which ranks 20th in effective field goal percentage and 26th in efficiency.
Those offensive lulls have put the Bulls in difficult positions attempting to put teams away. Tuesday night the Bulls led by 13 early in the fourth quarter before missing 10 straight shots, a scoreless drought more than 5 minutes that allowed the Blazers to eventually tie the game. Rose, who shot 2-for-6 in the fourth quarter, put the onus on himself.
"Only thing you can do is just learn from your experiences, learn from the previous game. (Tuesday) we had a lead numerous times," Rose said. "I think it's on me where I have to put guys in the right position when we go up big leads to do something positive for the team instead of letting go of the ropes."
They'll next chance Friday against the Pacers, a team they fended off two weeks ago at the United Center thanks to Jimmy Butler's defensive heroics on Paul George. It pits two of the top three teams in the East against each other, and features a Pacers team that has won three straight, and nine of 11 since an 0-3 start. And as much as Hoiberg has liked his team's effort of late, he knows they'll need to continue it on the road to pick up win No. 10.
"It's a team that's playing with a ton of confidence right now," Hoiberg said. "We're going to have to come out with great effort if we want to have a chance at the end."
Jimmy Butler would like Mason Plumlee to pay his fine after Tuesday tussle.
ESPN
(Photo/espn.go.com/nba)
Bulls All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler plans to ask Trail Blazers big man Mason Plumlee to pay his fine after Butler was called for a technical foul during the fourth quarter of Chicago's 93-88 win over Portland when the two got tangled up.
The play in question came with 4:17 left in the game and the Bulls leading 80-79. Butler tried to set a pick and it appeared Plumlee dropped a shoulder into Butler that knocked him over. Butler responded by tripping Plumlee and going head-to-head with him as the pair exchanged some heated words before being separated.
The referees reviewed the play, giving Plumlee a flagrant foul 1 and Butler a technical foul.
"He cost me $2,500," Butler said. "I'm not happy about that. I'm going to ask him to pay me back -- and I'm not playing.
"Butler seemed more upset about the fine for the impending technical than he did about the actual play.
"He thought he was playing football for a second there," Butler said after the game. "It's all good though, man. I almost had to let the Fort Greene projects out of me, Brooklyn.
"Butler's mention of Fort Greene was in reference to teammate Taj Gibson's hometown. Gibson was standing next to Butler as he spoke to the media. After a couple moments of laughter, Butler said, "Basketball, emotions -- that's part of the game.
"Butler said he would ask for the money "nicely" at first, before taking a dig at Plumlee, a Duke alumnus.
"I'm going to tell my agent [Happy Walters] to email him or something," Butler said. "I know [his address] is MisterDukie@yahoo.com or something."
Cubs bolster bullpen depth, trade for Rex Brothers.
Cubs bolster bullpen depth, trade for Rex Brothers.
CSN Staff
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Brothers spent the last five seasons in Colorado, where he compiled 61 holds, 20 saves and a 3.42 ERA in 286 career appearances.
Last season he spent time in Colorado and with Triple-A Albuquerque, with a 1.74 ERA in 17 relief appearances with the Rockies.
Cabrera went 4-3 with a 2.34 ERA in 14 appearances, including seven starters, with the Cubs Dominican Summer League team.
White Sox believe Alex Avila 'has potential to improve us'.
By Dan Hayes
Though Alex Avila’s bat has never matched the breakout levels he produced in 2011, the White Sox think he can be an upgrade at catcher.
Even as injuries have slowed him down from a campaign that earned votes for the American League’s Most Valuable Player, Avila has continued to be a threat against right-handed pitchers.
Looking for offensive improvement on a catching tandem that struggled last season, the White Sox signed Avila on Wednesday to a one-year, $2.5 million-deal. While he’s only hit .210 the past two seasons, the White Sox have their eyes trained on Avila’s .345 on-base percentage against righties in that span.
“Even though the numbers have declined a little bit, he still does possess the ability to get on base and provide some power against right-handed pitching,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. “It’s not as strong as when he was totally healthy a few years ago, and hopefully not as strong as it will be in the next several years in his career. But there are some skills he does possess, even when he was struggling.”
Even as injuries have slowed him down from a campaign that earned votes for the American League’s Most Valuable Player, Avila has continued to be a threat against right-handed pitchers.
Looking for offensive improvement on a catching tandem that struggled last season, the White Sox signed Avila on Wednesday to a one-year, $2.5 million-deal. While he’s only hit .210 the past two seasons, the White Sox have their eyes trained on Avila’s .345 on-base percentage against righties in that span.
“Even though the numbers have declined a little bit, he still does possess the ability to get on base and provide some power against right-handed pitching,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. “It’s not as strong as when he was totally healthy a few years ago, and hopefully not as strong as it will be in the next several years in his career. But there are some skills he does possess, even when he was struggling.”
Health figures to be the biggest key to the equation.
Over the past four seasons, Avila has only surpassed 120 games once. In 2015, he was limited to 67 games after going on the disabled list from May 8-July 2 with a bone bruise in his left knee. Avila also is believed to have suffered up to three concussions in 2014 as a result of foul tips hitting his mask, though he played 124 games that year.
But Avila, who has a career .345 OBP, including .358 versus righties, is worth the risk. They don’t expect him to turn in a .295/.389/.506 slash line with 19 homers and 82 RBIs like he did in 2011, when he finished 12th in the MVP vote. But last season, White Sox catchers were 17th in the majors with a .656 OPS.
Tyler Flowers, Geovany Soto, who signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, and Rob Brantly also combined for a .280 OBP against right-handers, which ranked 23rd among catching combos.
Hahn said the White Sox are satisfied with Avila’s health after running him through tests and investigating his medical history.
“Our doctors are very optimistic about where he is right now,” Hahn said. “Obviously there’s a little bit of a health risk with any guy, much less someone who is coming off injury issues the last couple years. But it is one of the areas -- knock on wood -- that we’ve been pretty good at in terms of keeping guys healthy and getting them on the field.”
The White Sox won’t try to determine playing time for Avila and Flowers until closer to spring training when the roster has been finalized. But Avila’s game calling and catch-and-throw abilities won’t hurt his chances. Over the past two seasons, Avila has thrown out 33.8 percent of stolen base attempts and he’s at 29 percent for his career.
He also was the starting catcher for a team that reached the postseason in four straight seasons (2011-14) based largely upon the dominance of its pitching staff. The combination of the two -- along with Avila’s strong leadership qualities -- has Hahn comfortable the White Sox will improve.
“Part of the reason Alex had appeal to us is he had a set of well-rounded catching skills and ability,” Hahn said. “He potentially can help us from an offensive standpoint. Again, get him completely healthy and maintaining that health and using him properly in terms of matchups is part of that. But he certainly has potential to improve us there offensively while at the same time making us solid defensively.”
Over the past four seasons, Avila has only surpassed 120 games once. In 2015, he was limited to 67 games after going on the disabled list from May 8-July 2 with a bone bruise in his left knee. Avila also is believed to have suffered up to three concussions in 2014 as a result of foul tips hitting his mask, though he played 124 games that year.
But Avila, who has a career .345 OBP, including .358 versus righties, is worth the risk. They don’t expect him to turn in a .295/.389/.506 slash line with 19 homers and 82 RBIs like he did in 2011, when he finished 12th in the MVP vote. But last season, White Sox catchers were 17th in the majors with a .656 OPS.
Tyler Flowers, Geovany Soto, who signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, and Rob Brantly also combined for a .280 OBP against right-handers, which ranked 23rd among catching combos.
Hahn said the White Sox are satisfied with Avila’s health after running him through tests and investigating his medical history.
“Our doctors are very optimistic about where he is right now,” Hahn said. “Obviously there’s a little bit of a health risk with any guy, much less someone who is coming off injury issues the last couple years. But it is one of the areas -- knock on wood -- that we’ve been pretty good at in terms of keeping guys healthy and getting them on the field.”
The White Sox won’t try to determine playing time for Avila and Flowers until closer to spring training when the roster has been finalized. But Avila’s game calling and catch-and-throw abilities won’t hurt his chances. Over the past two seasons, Avila has thrown out 33.8 percent of stolen base attempts and he’s at 29 percent for his career.
He also was the starting catcher for a team that reached the postseason in four straight seasons (2011-14) based largely upon the dominance of its pitching staff. The combination of the two -- along with Avila’s strong leadership qualities -- has Hahn comfortable the White Sox will improve.
“Part of the reason Alex had appeal to us is he had a set of well-rounded catching skills and ability,” Hahn said. “He potentially can help us from an offensive standpoint. Again, get him completely healthy and maintaining that health and using him properly in terms of matchups is part of that. But he certainly has potential to improve us there offensively while at the same time making us solid defensively.”
Golf: I got a club for that..... Matt Jones takes Australian Open Lead; Spieth 4 back.
Associated Press
Jordan Spieth of the U.S. plays a shot onto the green of the 9th hole during the Australia Open Golf Tournament in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)
Matt Jones used home-course advantage to shoot a 3-under 68 Friday and take the early clubhouse lead during the second round of the Australian Open.
Matt Jones used home-course advantage to shoot a 3-under 68 Friday and take the early clubhouse lead during the second round of the Australian Open.
Jones, who is a member at The Australian Golf Club, had a 36-hole total of 7-under 135 on a course that was playing easier after Thursday's brutal wind and heat when only 18 players broke par.
Adam Scott, who like defending champion Jordan Spieth opened with a 71, failed to take advantage of the easier conditions, shooting 73 to move further down the leaderboard. Scott is likely to be just inside the cut line.
Spieth, who had an afternoon start Friday, moved among the leaders with three birdies in his first eight holes. He finished with a 3-under 68, four shots of the lead.
Nicolas Colsaerts had the best round of the early groups, shooting 66.
Ryder Cup captain Clarke wary of Tiger influence.
AFP
European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke admitted Wednesday Tiger Woods' selection as a vice-captain for 2016 is "massive" for the US team as the Americans try to prize back the coveted trophy.
The 14-time major winner and seven-time Ryder Cup team member, who is coming off two back operations, was appointed by US captain Davis Love last week, alongside Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk and Tom Lehman.
Woods has not said when he will return to competition, and could still make the team as a player.
Clarke, competing at the Australian Open in Sydney, said any involvement by Woods made the European job harder.
"I think with Tiger, and knowing him as well as I do, he will be massive for the team and he will be involved as he's shown us by accepting Davis' invitation, but then he will also be trying desperately to be playing on the team," he said.
"So certainly, Tiger's a great addition to Davis' side whether that be playing or behind the scenes as a vice-captain."
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.
Clarke said he was in no hurry to name his own vice-captains.
"Choosing vice-captains is a tricky thing as the European team formula has always been that our vice-captains are prospective captains and guys still playing because those guys are still very, very good players,” he said.
"So I am not going to be choosing vice-captains until I know really they are not going to qualify automatically for the team so I don't want to insult anybody.
"Therefore I will be leaving the issue of picking my vice-captains to Augusta next year to assess how some of the guys are doing so I will rather wait given one or two of them may have a great start to the New Year."
Lee Westwood, also playing in Sydney, has already expressed his interest in helping close friend Clarke, with Dane Thomas Bjorn also seen as in the running as a vice-captain.
NASCAR: What we are thankful for in 2015.
By Nick Bromberg
Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! With the 2015 racing season behind us (save for a Formula 1 race on Sunday), it's time to look back and give thanks for what auto racing gave us over the past nine months. Got anything you think needs to be added? Drop it in the comments below.
• Jeff Gordon's career. We're not going to write anything in this space below that is anything different than what you've already read. But Gordon holds a special place in my NASCAR life. When I first started watching NASCAR (the 1993 Daytona 500), Gordon was the guy that won too much. As I found non-Gordon favorite drivers, it continued until sometime in the early 2000s.
Yeah, I went through the same transition many NASCAR fans did. I realized Gordon's greatness and his appeal and it was hard not to appreciate his driving skill and the way he was able to help make NASCAR the fairly mainstream sport it is today. Every Cup Series race I've watched has included Jeff Gordon in it. Being in Daytona for Speedweeks in 2016 is going to be different. Especially as NASCAR starts a sendoff for Tony Stewart.
• Kyle Busch's speedy recovery from his injuries and broken Chase hex. His drive at Homestead on Sunday was perhaps the most impressive of his career. Busch has evolved over the last nine months. I think we're all excited to see what the future holds.
Hamilton wants to give NASCAR a go.
By Alan Baldwin, Editing by Tony Jimenez
• Jeff Gordon's career. We're not going to write anything in this space below that is anything different than what you've already read. But Gordon holds a special place in my NASCAR life. When I first started watching NASCAR (the 1993 Daytona 500), Gordon was the guy that won too much. As I found non-Gordon favorite drivers, it continued until sometime in the early 2000s.
Yeah, I went through the same transition many NASCAR fans did. I realized Gordon's greatness and his appeal and it was hard not to appreciate his driving skill and the way he was able to help make NASCAR the fairly mainstream sport it is today. Every Cup Series race I've watched has included Jeff Gordon in it. Being in Daytona for Speedweeks in 2016 is going to be different. Especially as NASCAR starts a sendoff for Tony Stewart.
• Kyle Busch's speedy recovery from his injuries and broken Chase hex. His drive at Homestead on Sunday was perhaps the most impressive of his career. Busch has evolved over the last nine months. I think we're all excited to see what the future holds.
• Busch's race win on Sunday. As long as the current Chase format stays in place, there's going to be a time when the title winner doesn't win the race. Cherish the moments like Sunday, when the champion won the race for the second year in a row.
• The continued emergence of Joey Logano. He had the most wins in the Cup Series in 2015 and has the most wins of anyone in the past two seasons. Much like Busch, it's only a matter of time until Logano wins a Cup title.
• Kevin Harvick's excellence. He tied Logano with 28 top-10 finishes but led 2,294 laps, almost 800 more than Logano. Harvick was always very good at Richard Childress Racing. But his success at Stewart-Haas is incredible.
• Brad Keselowski's candor. Keselowski isn't afraid to make his point, either directly or indirectly. It's appreciated.
• Matt Kenseth's statement. Yeah, we didn't agree with his revenge against Joey Logano or it's blatant nature. But Kenseth showed NASCAR he was unhappy with the way the sanctioning body was governing. And while his retaliation netted a punishment, it might have changed the way drivers race each other in the future.
• We say might because NASCAR CEO Brian France didn't back down from his "quintessential NASCAR" comments when talking about Kenseth and Logano at Kansas. And we're glad France did that. While the NASCAR chairman can seem disconnected with his sport, his consistency and authority was striking at Homestead.
• Jimmie Johnson's professionalism. Yeah, six titles helps, but he's been an example of how to act publicly when a stupid part failure derails your title run. And he went out and snagged the race from Brad Keselowski at Texas to prove that the No. 48 team is still one of the best in NASCAR. Johnson and Chad Knaus should be a force with the new rules in 2016.
• Speaking of the new rules, kudos to NASCAR for testing things out for the future during the season when it was apparent that the 2015 rules were a disaster. Yeah, the high-drag packages at Indianapolis and Michigan were a disaster too, but NASCAR recognized that and went with the low-downforce rules for 2016. If Goodyear can make softer tires with the reduction in downforce, Cup racing in 2016 is going to look a lot different.
• We can't forget Kurt Busch, either. He handled the aftermath of what happened at Phoenix with his start penalty well, and his year can't be qualified as anything but a success. After coming back from an ill-advised suspension from NASCAR, Busch was one of the fastest drivers throughout the season. Busch should at least be contending for titles for the next few seasons.
• The Wood Brothers' return to full-time racing in 2016. If NASCAR goes through with a charter/franchising system, the Wood family needs to have one of the teams. If the move to full-time racing with Ryan Blaney is a way to do that, good for them. The sport needs to keep its links to the past.
• Erik Jones' super-sub ability. The kid's been in damn good equipment this year, sure, but he can sure drive it really fast. Does anyone other than Jones get to say he won a truck title, an Xfinity Series race and drove for three different Sprint Cup series teams in the same season? By the way, he was less than two months old during the Atlanta Olympics.
• And, once again, you all. Thanks for reading and entertaining us with your emails, tweets and comments (yes, we sometimes read the comments). Have a great Thanksgiving, eat a bunch of good food, don't waste your weekend chasing shopping bargains and enjoy the holidays.
Hamilton wants to give NASCAR a go.
By Alan Baldwin, Editing by Tony Jimenez
Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain speaks during the driver's news conference at the Yas Marina circuit before the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix November 26, 2015. (Photo/REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani)
Triple Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton hopes to give NASCAR a go one day after singing the praises of the U.S. stock car series on Thursday.
Hamilton attended the season-ender at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida last weekend to witness the final race of his friend and four-times champion Jeff Gordon.
SOCCER: Prince-Wright’s Premier League picks: Chelsea, Arsenal, Man United.
Hamilton attended the season-ender at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida last weekend to witness the final race of his friend and four-times champion Jeff Gordon.
"I'm a big fan of his. He's a legendary dude and a really nice guy. We have always been very supportive of each other, messaging each other after our races and so on," the Briton said in a column for the BBC.
"He told me that this was his last year and I thought, 'I've got to make it to a race because I've never been to a NASCAR race before'. So I dropped everything I had and flew out to Florida just for that day and had an amazing time.
"He told me that this was his last year and I thought, 'I've got to make it to a race because I've never been to a NASCAR race before'. So I dropped everything I had and flew out to Florida just for that day and had an amazing time.
"It made me want to drive one, I really fancy a race in NASCAR one day. I'm not sure I'd do an oval but possibly a street circuit or road course."
Speaking to reporters at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Hamilton suggested the series could also teach Formula One a thing or two about fan engagement.
"There were definitely some things that for sure they do a lot better than us," he said. "There were for sure things that we could learn from them.
"It was a great show, a great spectacle, particularly for the fans. A bit like DTM (German Touring Cars), the fans get very, very close to the garages in the background and to the drivers...it was a really cool event."
The day when he takes the wheel in NASCAR may be a long way off, with the 30-year-old having three years on his Mercedes contract and talking recently about doing one more deal after that for a further three or four seasons.
Hamilton is spending more time in the United States where he has a home in Colorado and friends in the music, fashion and film industries on both coasts.
The U.S. Grand Prix winner would not be the first Formula One champion or race winner to compete in NASCAR.
The U.S. Grand Prix winner would not be the first Formula One champion or race winner to compete in NASCAR.
Briton Jim Clark, American Mario Andretti and Canadian Jacques Villeneuve were all Formula One champions who raced in the series as did Colombia's former McLaren and Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya.
Ferrari's 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen has also raced in the NASCAR Nationwide series.
Ferrari's 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen has also raced in the NASCAR Nationwide series.
SOCCER: Prince-Wright’s Premier League picks: Chelsea, Arsenal, Man United.
By Joe Prince-Wright
For the 14th 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.
Okay, so I’ve consulted my crystal ball and here’s how we see things panning out.
BASICALLY, FREE MONEY
Tottenham 1-3 Chelsea – (Sunday, 7 a.m. ET, USA) – [STREAM]
Leicester 0-2 Man United – (Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC) – [STREAM]
Norwich City 0-3 Arsenal – (Sunday, 11:15 a.m. ET, Premier League Extratime) – [STREAM]
Aston Villa 2-1 Watford – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Premier League Extratime) – [STREAM]
DON’T TOUCH THIS…
Bournemouth 1-2 Everton – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Premier League Extratime) – [STREAM]
West Ham 2-1 West Brom – (Sunday, 9:05 am. ET, USA) – [STREAM]
Man City 2-2 Southampton – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM]
Sunderland 1-1 Stoke City – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Premier League Extratime) – [STREAM]
“SO YOU’RE TELLING ME THERE’S A CHANCE…”
Liverpool 1-2 Swansea City – (Sunday, 11:15 a.m. ET, NBCSN) – [STREAM]
Crystal Palace 1-2 Newcastle – (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Premier League Extratime) – [STREAM]
Europa League roundup: Spurs, Liverpool advance to KO stage.
By Andy Edwards
A roundup of Thursday’s UEFA Europa League group stage action:
Qarabag 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham traveled 2,500 miles to Baku, where they knocked off the reigning Azerbaijani champions to remain top of Group J with one game left to play. Harry Kane scored the game’s only goal (10th of the season – all competitions), a close-range finish from Christian Eriksen‘s corner kick in the 78th minute. As things stand, Spurs need just a point in their group stage finale, a home date with Monaco, to finish top of the group and grab a seeded place in the draw for the round of 32.
Liverpool 2-1 Bordeaux
Liverpool went top of Group B with a 2-1 victory over last-place Bordeaux at Anfield, meaning a win in their final group game, away to Swiss side Sion in two weeks’ time, will clinch a seeded place in the draw for the knockout stage. Liverpool went down a goal just after the half-hour mark, but James Milner and Christian Benteke brought the Reds back with a goal each either side of halftime.
FC Krasnodar 1-0 Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund missed their chance to finish top of Group C when they lost 1-0 away to Russian side Krasnodar. Pavel Mamaev put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot in the 2nd minute, and they held on for 88 minutes to move level on points (10) with the German giants. With one game left to play, Krasnodar have the inside track on the top spot through the fourth tiebreaker, away goals scored between the two teams.
Elsewhere in Europa League action
Augsburg 2-3 Athletic Bilbao
Villarreal 1-0 Rapid Wien
Basel 2-2 Fiorentina
Lazio 3-1 Dnipro
Club Brugge 0-1 Napoli
Rosenborg 1-1 Saint-Etienne
Monaco 0-2 Anderlecht
Marseille 2-1 Groningen
Schalke 1-0 APOEL Nicosia
Lokomotiv Moscow 2-4 Porto
Braga 2-1 Liberec
Molde 0-2 Fenerbahce
Celtic 1-2 Ajax
Besiktas 2-0 Skenderbeu
Rubin Kazan 2-0 Sion
Dinamo Minsk 1-0 Viktoria Plzen
AZ Alkmaar 1-2 Partizan Belgrade
Belenenses 0-0 Lech Poznan
Sparta Prague 1-0 Astoris Tripolis
Legia Warsaw 1-0 Midtjylland
PAOK Thessaloniki 0-0 FK Qabala
Qarabag 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham traveled 2,500 miles to Baku, where they knocked off the reigning Azerbaijani champions to remain top of Group J with one game left to play. Harry Kane scored the game’s only goal (10th of the season – all competitions), a close-range finish from Christian Eriksen‘s corner kick in the 78th minute. As things stand, Spurs need just a point in their group stage finale, a home date with Monaco, to finish top of the group and grab a seeded place in the draw for the round of 32.
Liverpool 2-1 Bordeaux
Liverpool went top of Group B with a 2-1 victory over last-place Bordeaux at Anfield, meaning a win in their final group game, away to Swiss side Sion in two weeks’ time, will clinch a seeded place in the draw for the knockout stage. Liverpool went down a goal just after the half-hour mark, but James Milner and Christian Benteke brought the Reds back with a goal each either side of halftime.
FC Krasnodar 1-0 Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund missed their chance to finish top of Group C when they lost 1-0 away to Russian side Krasnodar. Pavel Mamaev put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot in the 2nd minute, and they held on for 88 minutes to move level on points (10) with the German giants. With one game left to play, Krasnodar have the inside track on the top spot through the fourth tiebreaker, away goals scored between the two teams.
Elsewhere in Europa League action
Augsburg 2-3 Athletic Bilbao
Villarreal 1-0 Rapid Wien
Basel 2-2 Fiorentina
Lazio 3-1 Dnipro
Club Brugge 0-1 Napoli
Rosenborg 1-1 Saint-Etienne
Monaco 0-2 Anderlecht
Marseille 2-1 Groningen
Schalke 1-0 APOEL Nicosia
Lokomotiv Moscow 2-4 Porto
Braga 2-1 Liberec
Molde 0-2 Fenerbahce
Celtic 1-2 Ajax
Besiktas 2-0 Skenderbeu
Rubin Kazan 2-0 Sion
Dinamo Minsk 1-0 Viktoria Plzen
AZ Alkmaar 1-2 Partizan Belgrade
Belenenses 0-0 Lech Poznan
Sparta Prague 1-0 Astoris Tripolis
Legia Warsaw 1-0 Midtjylland
PAOK Thessaloniki 0-0 FK Qabala
NCAAFB: Northwestern-Illinois Preview.
By TAYLOR BECHTOLD
As the Fighting Illini look to become bowl eligible, the 17th-ranked Wildcats will try to take a step toward becoming the winningest team in school history Saturday in Chicago.
Northwestern has won eight of the past 12 meetings, but had a two-game winning streak snapped in a 47-33 home defeat last November. Fitzgerald was troubled by the job he did preparing his banged-up team in that battle for the Land of Lincoln Trophy.
"I was very critical of myself and I was very critical of what we did a year ago," he told the team's official website this week. "We went into this (Illinois) game with 30 guys who'd started for us down, and I did not feel I did a good enough job getting the next guys ready. Now did I imagine we'd have that many out? No, and it's not an excuse."
As a result, Fitzgerald has made an effort to give his reserves more time in practice. They might be needed with center Ian Park, linebacker Jaylen Prater and safety Traveon Henry among those dealing with injuries following last Saturday's 13-7 win over Wisconsin.
The Wildcats (9-2, 5-2 Big Ten) have a chance to reach 10 wins for the first time since 2012 and state a case for a major bowl game with a victory in the regular-season finale at Soldier Field. Northwestern has never finished a season with 11 wins.
"I'm not afraid to talk about the realities of situations," said Fitzgerald, a semifinalist for the Maxwell Coach of the Year Award. "Maybe it's counter to the way some people think, but we understand the opportunity we have in front of us this week."
Fitzgerald's squad could again rely on its defense after it limited the then-No. 21 Badgers to a Northwestern-record minus-26 rushing yards on 11 tackles for loss. Deonte Gibson led the way with three sacks and the Wildcats forced five turnovers.
Since allowing a total of 78 points and 872 yards in back-to-back losses, they've given up an average of 17.5 points and 324.5 yards while winning four in a row. They let Illinois rack up 438 yards - including 291 on the ground - in last season's matchup.
"We just got done with a heavyweight fight, and we're going to get another one on Saturday," Fitzgerald said. "Illinois got after us a year ago. They kicked our fanny, and our guys know that. The tape doesn't lie. We've got to play much better."
Josh Ferguson finished with 95 yards and two touchdowns in that contest. The senior running back also took over the team lead in rushing yards (668) over freshman Ke'Shawn Vaughn last Saturday with a 105-yard effort in a 32-23 loss at Minnesota.
Illinois has dropped two in a row and five of six, but still has an opportunity to become bowl-eligible for the second straight season and fourth time in the past six. The program hasn't gone to bowl games in consecutive years since it went to five straight from 1988-92.
"I told them, 'You've got one more shot,'" said interim coach Bill Cubit, who replaced Tim Beckman a week before the season opener. "'Everything that you've put into this thing, you've faced so much adversity, this is just one more, just another in a long list.' I think they'll come out ready to play. We've just got to fix things."
The Illini (5-6, 2-5) have struggled on both sides of the ball, getting outscored 166-107 in their last six. They've also surrendered 538 yards on the ground over the past two.
That isn't a good sign heading into a matchup with a Northwestern team that ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 192.3 rushing yards per game. Sophomore Justin Jackson has been on a roll, totaling 441 yards and two touchdowns over his previous three.
Jackson starred with 130 yards and two scores last season against the Illini, who have lost 12 straight versus ranked opponents by an average of 22.6 points.
Ohio St.-Michigan Preview.
By KEVIN CHROUST
It's rare for either side of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry to consider the outcome of another game as or more important than their annual regular-season finale. That's undeniably the case this season as Michigan's former quarterback returns to the rivalry, albeit nearly three decades later as a coach no longer interested in the guarantee he famously made good on as a player.
The winner of Saturday's meeting at Michigan Stadium will go to the Big Ten championship game, but that statement comes with a significant asterisk: The fine print reads Michigan State must lose at home to Penn State roughly three hours later for either the emerging Wolverines or the defending national champion Buckeyes to play the following week.
The Spartans moved into the East Division driver's seat with Saturday's 17-14 win at Ohio State (10-1, 6-1), dropping the Buckeyes to eighth in the latest AP poll and putting their chances of a repeat national championship, much less a Big Ten title, very much in doubt.
A few hours before, the now-12th ranked Wolverines (9-2, 6-1) kept hope alive with a 28-16 win at Penn State. Now, a second straight week of watching a game entirely out of their control could be in order if they can take care of Ohio State for just the second time in 12 years and first time since 2011.
There hasn't been this much on the line in the rivalry since then-No. 1 Ohio State knocked off No. 2 Michigan 42-39 at Ohio Stadium in 2006 to earn a date with Florida in the national title game. Then-Florida coach Urban Meyer ended that Buckeyes season in disappointment, and part of this year's storyline is Meyer, now leading Ohio State, squaring off with first-year Michigan coach and former quarterback Jim Harbaugh.
Harbaugh, however, isn't making much of the a potential coaching rivalry of two men born in the same Toledo hospital less than a year apart now coaching at schools they attended in some capacity.
"I always say my reaction to the coach-versus-coach buildup is he's not going to be blocking anybody, he's not going to be tackling anybody, I'm going to be over there standing on the sidelines blocking and tackling nobody," Harbaugh said.
Meyer, now in his fourth season with the Buckeyes after flipping them into an unbeaten, albeit bowl-ineligible team in his first season in 2012 following a 6-7 2011, didn't expect Harbaugh to need a buffer period to get the Wolverines back to this level of relevance after they went 5-7 in 2014.
"Oh, I'm not surprised at all," Meyer said. "I think they have excellent players. They are well coached. I have always, you know, checked the recruiting. I remember hearing, 'Well, they just don't have the personnel.' I am thinking, 'Wait a minute, they have great personnel.' They always have great personnel. Whether they are always playing great or whatever, that's a different answer, and obviously, they are playing very well right now."
"Oh, I'm not surprised at all," Meyer said. "I think they have excellent players. They are well coached. I have always, you know, checked the recruiting. I remember hearing, 'Well, they just don't have the personnel.' I am thinking, 'Wait a minute, they have great personnel.' They always have great personnel. Whether they are always playing great or whatever, that's a different answer, and obviously, they are playing very well right now."
Winning at the Big House hasn't been a problem for Ohio State in recent years with five victories in its last seven trips, but it could be tough to overcome a dismal offensive showing at home against Michigan State, particularly so on the road against a Michigan defense that ranks sixth in the FBS in scoring defense (14.9 points per game) and second in total offense (263.1).
Against the Spartans, the Buckeyes finished with five first downs and 132 yards of total offense, despite not turning the ball over. It led to running back Ezekiel Elliott criticizing the team's play calling. Meyer didn't disagree with him and said it won't carry over into the next game or be met with discipline.
"It's sealed, as far as our team and the team room is concerned in the locker room," Meyer said. "That kid you're talking about, he's one of my favorite of all times. He's good to go. And we're going to do our best to get ready to play this week."
Elliott had 12 carries for 33 yards after running for at least 101 in the previous 10 games this season, but Michigan also expects for the issue and any offensive concerns to be a thing of the past before the game.
"I think you see a bunch of guys that are passionate about winning over there," Michigan tight end Jake Butt said. "They're going to get that squared away."
The Wolverines held the Nittany Lions to 207 yards after being exposed the previous week by Indiana, and their offense did enough to get by with Jake Rudock throwing for 256 yards and two touchdowns to give them their fourth straight win following a heartbreaking last-second loss at home to Michigan State.
The graduate senior will be up against an Ohio State defense that operates on a level similar to Michigan's - second in points allowed (14.1) and eight in total offense (298.0) - bur Harbaugh has full confidence in the signal caller his teammates call "dad."
"Tough as a $2 steak doesn't do it real justice," Harbaugh said. "He has been a godsend for our football team."
"Tough as a $2 steak doesn't do it real justice," Harbaugh said. "He has been a godsend for our football team."
The Wolverines, however, might also now need a divine favor from the Penn State team they just beat. And that'll only matter if they're able to shift the Big Ten's greatest rivalry back in their favor, which hasn't been the case since winning consecutive games at the end of the millennium.
Farther back than that, Heisman Trophy finalist Harbaugh helped Michigan win 26-24 at Ohio State in 1986 with the Buckeyes missing a field goal as time expired after Michigan's senior quarterback guaranteed a victory and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Meyer then a graduate assistant with the Buckeyes, watched as Harbaugh narrowly made good on that. He didn't go as far with a prediction 29 years later.
"Beating Ohio State," Harbaugh said. "That's our mindset."
"Beating Ohio State," Harbaugh said. "That's our mindset."
Pressure Cooker: SEC coaches face unyielding pressure to win.
By PETE IACOBELLI
LSU's Les Miles won't read papers or watch TV this week prepping for Texas A&M.
Everyone else will, trying to see if Miles' 11-year run with the Tigers is finally over.
Coaching is a result-oriented business, and maybe more so than anywhere else in college football, pressure from Southeastern Conference fans and administrators is rooted in ''What have you done for me lately?''
Prior successes are often forgotten, and no one is exempt. Not Nick Saban or Steve Spurrier. Miles has re-discovered that now.
The one-time national championship coach had the Tigers rolling and ranked No. 2 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings early this month. Three straight losses later and Miles' hold on the program seems all but done.
''I don't want to go there,'' the coach said earlier this week. ''I would be not doing my job as the head coach at LSU, one that I've enjoyed doing.''
And Baton Rouge isn't the only place a successful leader's hold on the job has been challenged.
Georgia coach Mark Richt seems to be under constant scrutiny, and it has intensified since the Bulldogs (8-3) were knocked out of the title chase by rival Florida.
Richt fended off questions on his future this week, the normally affable coach threatening to end his press conference.
''Are you going to ask the same one?'' Richt asked of a reporter. ''We can end this thing as fast as you want. I'm here to talk about the game'' against Georgia Tech on Saturday.''
That tact doesn't make the uncertainty go away.
That tact doesn't make the uncertainty go away.
Spurrier didn't stick around to take such questions, quitting in mid-October with his Gamecocks 0-4 in the SEC. Things have not improved much under interim coach Shawn Elliott; the Gamecocks (3-8) have lost four straight and face No. 1 Clemson on Saturday.
The only SEC jobs currently open are Spurrier's and Gary Pinkel's at Missouri. Pinkel resigned for health reasons.
SEC Network commentator Paul Finebaum was in Columbia, South Carolina, for the Gamecocks' 23-22 loss to Football Championship Subdivision opponent Citadel - their first loss to a lower division club in 25 years.
''I heard some things on the way to my car in the parking lot (from fans) that made me think Spurrier, if he had not stepped down, wouldn't have made it back to his car,'' Finebaum said.
The only SEC jobs currently open are Spurrier's and Gary Pinkel's at Missouri. Pinkel resigned for health reasons.
SEC Network commentator Paul Finebaum was in Columbia, South Carolina, for the Gamecocks' 23-22 loss to Football Championship Subdivision opponent Citadel - their first loss to a lower division club in 25 years.
''I heard some things on the way to my car in the parking lot (from fans) that made me think Spurrier, if he had not stepped down, wouldn't have made it back to his car,'' Finebaum said.
Wins in college football are frequently taken for granted by SEC fans accustomed to the league's decade of dominance. Saban pointed out after a loss to Mississippi this year that some wrote off his Alabama program.
The Crimson Tide was part of the SEC's seven straight national crowns from 2006 through 2012, forging a standard of success that lures top recruits to the conference- but a standard that also can weigh like an anvil around a failing coach's neck.
Gene Chizik was the toast of Auburn after the Tigers' 2010 national championship, yet was out of the job by the end of 2012.
Will Muschamp led Florida to an 11-2 season in 2012. He, too, was let go two years later.
''You sign up to be a coach, that's part of the deal,'' said Muschamp, Auburn's defensive coordinator. ''You want to be at a place where there are high expectations. That means you've got a chance to win a championship.''
Money is rarely an object to parting with a coach.
Chizik, North Carolina's defensive coordinator, was owed $7.5 million by Auburn and Muschamp $6.3 million by Florida. Miles' contract calls for a buyout of $15 million, a mind-blowing sum to pay someone not to coach.
''I don't think it's always been like this,'' Finebaum said.
SEC coaches typically got the chance to develop recruits over four or five years before the pitchforks came out from fans, Finebaum said.
''I don't think it's always been like this,'' Finebaum said.
SEC coaches typically got the chance to develop recruits over four or five years before the pitchforks came out from fans, Finebaum said.
Blogs and social media sites, Finebaum believes, have shortened a coach's shelf life. The immediacy of a fan base's fury spreads so quickly and deeply that administrators must listen.
''There are no filters, no checks, no balances,'' Finebaum said.
There also is very little time allotted for coaches attempting to turn around slipping programs or reawaken past giants.
Butch Jones is in his third season with the Tennessee (7-4). He accepts the intensity needed to succeed in the SEC, saying every day is ''fourth-and-one for the national championship.''
''Everything is contested,'' he said.
Elliott, South Carolina's interim coach, was angered about a phony post on social media stating he had resigned after the Citadel loss. SEC jobs, he said, are too coveted to simply surrender.
''They're going to have to kick me out of here and tell me I didn't get it or I've been reassigned or I've got to do something else before I just give up on anything,'' he said.
The way Elliott won't get kicked out is don't fail - it's the only approach that guarantees longevity in the SEC.
The way Elliott won't get kicked out is don't fail - it's the only approach that guarantees longevity in the SEC.
NCAABKB: #25 Texas A&M outlast #10 Gonzaga.
By Rob Dauster
No. 25 Texas A&M made a statement on Turkey Day, as they knocked off No. 10 Gonzaga 62-61 in the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Danuel House led the way with 19 points for the Aggies while Tony Trocha-Morales finished with 14 points as Texas A&M picked up the win despite the fact that they did not score for the final eight minutes of the game.
Billy Kennedy’s club looked the part of an SEC contender, playing tough defense and keeping Gonzaga’s massive and talented front line in check. Perhaps most impressive was that they were able to hang on despite blowing a lead late in the second half, and that they did it with their defense. Gonzaga can score. They have big bodies inside and shooters to surround them, but Domantas Sabonis struggled with foul struggle throughout the game while Kyle Wiltjer did not score in the final 12 minutes.
Kentucky, at this point, is the clear-cut favorite in the SEC, and while Vanderbilt looked really good in Maui this week, A&M looks like they’re going to end up giving the Commodores a run for their money for second-best in the league.
On the other hand, this loss wasn’t a total disaster for the Zags. They had the final possession with a chance to be a good team on a day when Domantas Sabonis was rendered completely ineffective. And, more importantly, point guard Josh Perkins was terrific. He did have a late turnover, but he scored all 15 of his points in the second half as he helped keep the Zags within striking distance.
Texas A&M will play the winner of Syracuse and No. 18 UConn for the title.
Justin Robinson, Monmouth knock off #17 Notre Dame.
By Rob Dauster
No. 25 Texas A&M made a statement on Turkey Day, as they knocked off No. 10 Gonzaga 62-61 in the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Danuel House led the way with 19 points for the Aggies while Tony Trocha-Morales finished with 14 points as Texas A&M picked up the win despite the fact that they did not score for the final eight minutes of the game.
Billy Kennedy’s club looked the part of an SEC contender, playing tough defense and keeping Gonzaga’s massive and talented front line in check. Perhaps most impressive was that they were able to hang on despite blowing a lead late in the second half, and that they did it with their defense. Gonzaga can score. They have big bodies inside and shooters to surround them, but Domantas Sabonis struggled with foul struggle throughout the game while Kyle Wiltjer did not score in the final 12 minutes.
Kentucky, at this point, is the clear-cut favorite in the SEC, and while Vanderbilt looked really good in Maui this week, A&M looks like they’re going to end up giving the Commodores a run for their money for second-best in the league.
On the other hand, this loss wasn’t a total disaster for the Zags. They had the final possession with a chance to be a good team on a day when Domantas Sabonis was rendered completely ineffective. And, more importantly, point guard Josh Perkins was terrific. He did have a late turnover, but he scored all 15 of his points in the second half as he helped keep the Zags within striking distance.
Texas A&M will play the winner of Syracuse and No. 18 UConn for the title.
Justin Robinson, Monmouth knock off #17 Notre Dame.
Less than two weeks after they opened their season with an upset win at UCLA, Monmouth picked up its first-ever win over a team ranked in the AP Top 25.
Two Justin Robinson free throws with 3.6 seconds remaining proved to be the difference as King Rice’s Hawks upset No. 17 Notre Dame at the Advocare Invitational in Orlando, and the diminutive point guard was a problem for the Fighting Irish all night.
Robinson scored 22 points, with 14 of them coming from the foul line as Notre Dame’s guards struggled to keep the quick guard contained off the dribble. He was one of three Hawks to score in double figures, and their combination of depth and athleticism proved problematic for Mike Brey’s team. All five Notre Dame starters scored in double figures, with Demetrius Jackson’s 20 leading the way, but the lack of depth proved problematic as the game wore on.
Notre Dame didn’t get a single point from its bench, with Matt Farrell and Matt Ryan combining to play 28 minutes. That lack of depth not only cost Notre Dame Thursday night, but it’s something they’ll have to figure out if they’re to be a contender in the ACC. Jackson and Steve Vasturia ran into foul trouble against Monmouth, and the lack of a bench option capable of picking up the slack led to Monmouth building up a ten-point lead in the second half.
Notre Dame tried to account for that by slowing down the tempo, but in doing so they struggled to find quality looks against the Monmouth defense. And given the players at Rice’s disposal, it’s tough to slow the game down against a team that can get after you on both ends of the floor.
Monmouth entered this season with expectations of contending for a MAAC title alongside the likes of perennial favorites Iona and Manhattan, and their start to the season backs up that belief. With two players in Robinson and Deon Jones who have earned all-conference honors during their careers and a host of contributors that includes guards Je’lon Hornbeak and Micah Seaborn, this is a group to keep an eye on as the season wears on.
Because if they can earn a bid, Monmouth’s non-conference schedule will have them prepared for the NCAA tournament.
Two Justin Robinson free throws with 3.6 seconds remaining proved to be the difference as King Rice’s Hawks upset No. 17 Notre Dame at the Advocare Invitational in Orlando, and the diminutive point guard was a problem for the Fighting Irish all night.
Robinson scored 22 points, with 14 of them coming from the foul line as Notre Dame’s guards struggled to keep the quick guard contained off the dribble. He was one of three Hawks to score in double figures, and their combination of depth and athleticism proved problematic for Mike Brey’s team. All five Notre Dame starters scored in double figures, with Demetrius Jackson’s 20 leading the way, but the lack of depth proved problematic as the game wore on.
Notre Dame didn’t get a single point from its bench, with Matt Farrell and Matt Ryan combining to play 28 minutes. That lack of depth not only cost Notre Dame Thursday night, but it’s something they’ll have to figure out if they’re to be a contender in the ACC. Jackson and Steve Vasturia ran into foul trouble against Monmouth, and the lack of a bench option capable of picking up the slack led to Monmouth building up a ten-point lead in the second half.
Notre Dame tried to account for that by slowing down the tempo, but in doing so they struggled to find quality looks against the Monmouth defense. And given the players at Rice’s disposal, it’s tough to slow the game down against a team that can get after you on both ends of the floor.
Monmouth entered this season with expectations of contending for a MAAC title alongside the likes of perennial favorites Iona and Manhattan, and their start to the season backs up that belief. With two players in Robinson and Deon Jones who have earned all-conference honors during their careers and a host of contributors that includes guards Je’lon Hornbeak and Micah Seaborn, this is a group to keep an eye on as the season wears on.
Because if they can earn a bid, Monmouth’s non-conference schedule will have them prepared for the NCAA tournament.
Associated Press
(Photo/Associated Press)
Former University of Houston men’s basketball coach Guy V. Lewis, best known for leading the Phi Slama Jama teams of the 1980s, has died. He was 93.
Lewis coached the Cougars for 30 years. He guided Houston to back-to-back NCAA title games in 1983 and ’84 but never won the national championship, losing to N.C. State in the 1983 final on Lorenzo Charles’ last-second shot, one of the NCAA Tournament’s greatest upsets and most memorable plays.
“It feels awful,” Lewis said after that game. “I’ve never lost a game that didn’t feel that way, but this one was terrible.”
Lewis, who helped lead the integration of college basketball in the South by recruiting Elvin Hayes and Don Chaney to Houston, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
Known for plaid jackets and wringing his hands with a red polka-dot towel during games, Lewis compiled a 592-279 record at Houston, guiding the Cougars to 27 consecutive winning seasons from 1959-85. He was honored as the national coach of the year twice (1968 and `83) and led Houston to 14 NCAA Tournaments and five Final Fours.
Lewis had mostly avoided the spotlight since retiring in 1986. He suffered a stroke in February 2002 and had used a wheelchair in recent years.
He was known for putting together the “Game of the Century” at the Astrodome in 1968 between Houston and UCLA. It was the first regular-season game to be broadcast on national television. Houston defeated the Bruins in front of a crowd of more than 52,000, which, at that time, was the largest ever to watch an indoor basketball game.
Lewis attended the introductory news conference in December 2007 for Kevin Sumlin, the first black football coach in Houston history. It was a symbolic, significant appearance because Lewis signed Houston’s first two black basketball players and some of the first in the region in Hayes and Chaney in 1964, when programs were just starting to integrate.
Hayes and Chaney led the Cougars to the program’s first Final Four in 1967 but lost to Lew Alcindor’s UCLA team in the semifinal game.
“Basketball in the state of Texas and throughout the South is all due to coach Guy V. Lewis,” Hayes said in 2013. “He put everything on the line to step out and integrate his program. Not only that, he had vision to say: `Hey, we can play a game in the Houston Astrodome.’ Not only that, he just was such a motivator and such an innovator that created so many doors for the game of basketball to grow.”
Along with Hayes, Lewis also coached fellow All-Americans Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. The three were included on the NBA’s Top 50 greatest players list in 1996. Lewis and North Carolina’s Dean Smith were the only men to coach three players from that list while they were in college.
Players and CBS announcer Jim Nantz lobbied for years for Lewis to get into the Naismith Hall of Fame. When he finally received the honor in 2013 he made a rare public appearance. It was difficult for him to convey his thoughts in words in his later years because of aphasia from his strokes, so his daughter spoke on his behalf at the event to celebrate his induction.
“It’s pure joy and we’re not even upset that it took so long. … Dad is used to winning in overtime,” Sherry Lewis said.
Lewis announced his retirement during the 1985-86 season, and the Cougars finished 14-14, his first non-winning season since 1958-59.
Guy Vernon Lewis II was born in Arp, a town of fewer than 1,000 residents in northeast Texas. He became a flight instructor for the U.S. Army during World War II and enrolled at the University of Houston in 1946.
He joined the basketball team, averaged 21.1 points and led the Cougars to the Lone Star Conference championship. By the early 1950s, he was working as an assistant coach under Alden Pasche and took over when Pasche retired in 1956.
Funeral services are pending.
Vonn, Shiffrin may be in for robust rivalry this season.
By Pat Graham
Lindsey Vonn of the United States races down the hill during the second training run for the World Cup women's downhill ski race in Lake Louise, Alberta. Throughout the season, American teammates Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin could very well be at the top of the overall standings. Might come down to the very end, too. No bitterness, they maintain. Just a robust rivalry. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
Over hot chocolate, Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin recently had their first real heart-to-heart chat.
Among the topics discussed in a New Zealand coffee shop were family, friends, "girl stuff" — as Shiffrin put it — and, of course, ski racing.
Throughout the season, these two American teammates could very well be at the top of the overall standings. Might come down to the very end, too.
No bitterness, they maintain. No nastiness, either. Just a robust rivalry.
"How will it be going head-to-head? It's exciting to find out," said the 20-year-old Shiffrin, who will be a big favorite in a World Cup giant slalom race Friday on home snow, along with two slalom events over the weekend. "If we were to go head-to-head, I have a feeling it could be one of those things where she's not going to give it to me and I'm sure as heck not going to give it to her."
For years, Shiffrin was touted as the next Vonn. Well, Shiffrin's fulfilled those lofty expectations, capturing the slalom title at the 2013 world championships, Olympic gold in the slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games and then defending her world title last February in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
This season, Shiffrin ventures into Vonn's territory by adding some speed events, beginning next week with a super-G at Lake Louise, Alberta.
Among those who believe Shiffrin's ready for the jump to speed is Vonn.
"She's just a great skier and she's obviously extremely talented," said the 31-year-old Vonn, who's healed from breaking her left ankle three months ago in training and a bite on her right thumb that required stitches after breaking up a fight between her dogs. "She has such a great touch on snow and such a solid technique.
"I'm sure she's going to do phenomenal in speed as well."
High praise from Vonn, the four-time overall champion. Then again, she doesn't see this rivalry as anything but healthy.
Being a decade older than Shiffrin, Vonn wants to be a "resource" for her young compatriot.
"We both have a lot of respect for each other," said Vonn, the all-time winningest female World Cup racer who will compete only in the GS this weekend. "We'll see how the season shapes up. It would be really great for ski racing if two Americans were fighting for the overall."
The paths of Shiffrin and Vonn haven't crossed all that much over the years. That's partly because of Vonn's serious knee injury, which kept her out of the Sochi Games. And when Vonn has been back, they've traveled in different circles since Shiffrin works so closely with the technical side.
That's why Vonn invited Shiffrin out for cocoa during training over the summer. A chance to get better acquainted.
Vonn's take on their meeting: "It was a really nice conversation. It wasn't anything in particular. Just kind of a nice, easy conversation."
Shiffrin was flattered a skier she's long considered one of her idols wanted to sit down with her.
"Lindsey's made more sacrifices than anybody else in order to get the job done," Shiffrin said. "I respect that a lot."
With defending overall champion Anna Fenninger sidelined by a knee injury and Tina Maze taking a break, that opens the door for a Vonn-Shiffrin showdown.
"If she beats me for the overall, you know what, cheers to that," Shiffrin said. "It's like, 'You're a really good ski racer and a really good athlete and there's a reason you're winning.' Hopefully, I'll be able to give her some good competition."
Off to a great start. Shiffrin finished second in the giant slalom last month in Soelden, Austria. Valuable points, especially with Vonn skipping it to give her ankle more time to mend.
Shiffrin believes she can be on the podium in all three races this weekend. No American has finished in the top three during a World Cup race at Aspen since Julia Mancuso was third in 2011. What's more, no American has won at this venue since Tamara McKinney in 1981.
"The podium is definitely a possibility. Maybe more than a possibility," Shiffrin said. "But things have to line up."
On
Among the topics discussed in a New Zealand coffee shop were family, friends, "girl stuff" — as Shiffrin put it — and, of course, ski racing.
Throughout the season, these two American teammates could very well be at the top of the overall standings. Might come down to the very end, too.
No bitterness, they maintain. No nastiness, either. Just a robust rivalry.
"How will it be going head-to-head? It's exciting to find out," said the 20-year-old Shiffrin, who will be a big favorite in a World Cup giant slalom race Friday on home snow, along with two slalom events over the weekend. "If we were to go head-to-head, I have a feeling it could be one of those things where she's not going to give it to me and I'm sure as heck not going to give it to her."
For years, Shiffrin was touted as the next Vonn. Well, Shiffrin's fulfilled those lofty expectations, capturing the slalom title at the 2013 world championships, Olympic gold in the slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games and then defending her world title last February in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
This season, Shiffrin ventures into Vonn's territory by adding some speed events, beginning next week with a super-G at Lake Louise, Alberta.
Among those who believe Shiffrin's ready for the jump to speed is Vonn.
"She's just a great skier and she's obviously extremely talented," said the 31-year-old Vonn, who's healed from breaking her left ankle three months ago in training and a bite on her right thumb that required stitches after breaking up a fight between her dogs. "She has such a great touch on snow and such a solid technique.
"I'm sure she's going to do phenomenal in speed as well."
High praise from Vonn, the four-time overall champion. Then again, she doesn't see this rivalry as anything but healthy.
Being a decade older than Shiffrin, Vonn wants to be a "resource" for her young compatriot.
"We both have a lot of respect for each other," said Vonn, the all-time winningest female World Cup racer who will compete only in the GS this weekend. "We'll see how the season shapes up. It would be really great for ski racing if two Americans were fighting for the overall."
The paths of Shiffrin and Vonn haven't crossed all that much over the years. That's partly because of Vonn's serious knee injury, which kept her out of the Sochi Games. And when Vonn has been back, they've traveled in different circles since Shiffrin works so closely with the technical side.
That's why Vonn invited Shiffrin out for cocoa during training over the summer. A chance to get better acquainted.
Vonn's take on their meeting: "It was a really nice conversation. It wasn't anything in particular. Just kind of a nice, easy conversation."
Shiffrin was flattered a skier she's long considered one of her idols wanted to sit down with her.
"Lindsey's made more sacrifices than anybody else in order to get the job done," Shiffrin said. "I respect that a lot."
With defending overall champion Anna Fenninger sidelined by a knee injury and Tina Maze taking a break, that opens the door for a Vonn-Shiffrin showdown.
"If she beats me for the overall, you know what, cheers to that," Shiffrin said. "It's like, 'You're a really good ski racer and a really good athlete and there's a reason you're winning.' Hopefully, I'll be able to give her some good competition."
Off to a great start. Shiffrin finished second in the giant slalom last month in Soelden, Austria. Valuable points, especially with Vonn skipping it to give her ankle more time to mend.
Shiffrin believes she can be on the podium in all three races this weekend. No American has finished in the top three during a World Cup race at Aspen since Julia Mancuso was third in 2011. What's more, no American has won at this venue since Tamara McKinney in 1981.
"The podium is definitely a possibility. Maybe more than a possibility," Shiffrin said. "But things have to line up."
On
Memoriesofhistory.com
1942 - Ben Hogan won his third straight Vardon Trophy.
1960 - Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) scored his 1,000th point.
1980 - Dave Williams (Chicago Bears) became the first player in NFL history to return a kick for touchdown in overtime.
1994 - Joe Montana (Kansas City Chiefs) became the 5th quarterback to surpass 40,000 yards passing.
2003 - Luc Robitaille (Los Angeles Kings) earned his 700th career assist.
1960 - Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) scored his 1,000th point.
1980 - Dave Williams (Chicago Bears) became the first player in NFL history to return a kick for touchdown in overtime.
1994 - Joe Montana (Kansas City Chiefs) became the 5th quarterback to surpass 40,000 yards passing.
2003 - Luc Robitaille (Los Angeles Kings) earned his 700th career assist.
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