Wednesday, November 25, 2015

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"Sports Quote of the Day"

"An invincible determination can accomplish almost anything and in this lies the great distinction between great men and little men." ~ Thomas Fuller, Churchman and Historian

Trending: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers, Thanksgiving Night, 11/26/2015. 7:30PM CST at Lambeau Field, Green Bay Wisconsin. NBC Television Network. (See football section for Bears updates).


Trending: Bulls end three-game western swing with win over Trail Blazers. (See basketball section for Bulls updates).

Trending: Fire announce Veljko Paunovic as new head coach. (See soccer section for details).

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Thanksgiving showdown with the Packers.

By Chris Boden


Okay, so Bears fans have spent much of their time since Sunday's fourth quarter kicking and screaming over John Fox's 4th-and-goal aggressiveness. Ironic, in that the previous employer Fox was trying to beat was the same one that removed him for his perceived conservative approach, that the team didn't go down "kicking and screaming" in its last three season-ending playoff defeats in Denver.

Now, if there was a positive vibe set over the previous six games, the doubters could get louder, depending on performance and outcome Thanksgiving night versus the arch-rival that's owned them. Green Bay proved again Sunday in Minnesota that reports of the Packers' death are greatly exaggerated. The defending four-time division champions go through their bumps (such as a three-game losing streak), but there are enough winners (led by their quarterback) to go into enemy territory and turn down the noise and dreams of a new division champ wanna-be (see the 2013 season finale at Soldier Field).

Don't look now, but the Pack's recent dominance in the series have them a Thursday win of tying up the league's oldest rivalry. The Bears' all-time lead is down to 93-92-6 after dropping the last four, ten of the last 11 and 12 of 14.


OFFENSE

There's been no question Jordy Nelson's absence from his preseason torn ACL has been a huge adjustment, not to mention a relief to opponents. That didn't stop the Pack from winning their first six before being virtually shut down by Denver's defense, and the Carolina version making enough plays the following week. The real head-scratcher came two Sundays ago at home to Detroit. Call it their wake-up call. Wagons circled.

While Brett Favre gets his uniform retired at halftime, there's no question here the better Packers quarterback will be looking to add to numbers the past three games that read 58-for-78 passing for 806 yards, 13 touchdowns, zero interceptions and a passer rating of 146.7. Even more ominous for the recently slow-starting Bears defense is they way Green Bay has started in those three (despite losing twice): 39 first quarter points, and for the season, they've outscored their foes 82-25 in the opening 15 minutes. They've obviously shown a tendency during their recent slump, to let teams back into the games, but not due to turnovers. Their plus-8 is fourth in the NFL. Their defense has forced at least one turnover per game.

But this section's still about offense, and another good sign for Rodgers and company was Eddie Lacy coming back to life in the win over the Vikings. He hit the 100-yard plateau for the first time in a season after being slowed by an ankle injury. Lacy was inactive versus the Lions the week before, after gaining just 78 yards on 33 carries the four previous games. He and James Starks are both averaging 3.9 yards a carry, but the latter filled in to give them 95- and 112-yard games while catching 26 passes.

Nelson's injury's forced Rodgers to work with a receivers-by-committee approach, evidenced by the only group with a trio that's collected at least five touchdowns each.  James Jones (30-592, 7 TDs) - who reintroduced himself off the waiver wire to Rodgers and the Bears in the season opener - is tied for third in the league with eleven grabs of 25-plus yards. Randall Cobb has six touchdowns on a club-high 47 catches. Tight End Richard Rodgers (36-263, five touchdowns) has become a weapon by necessity, while Davante Adams has started turning it up, with 20 of his 30 catches, and 208 of his 308 yards for the season coming the last three weeks.

DEFENSE


Your first thought on this side of ball is number 52 with the flowing locks. Clay Matthews hasn't let a few aches and pains keep him out of the lineup and the third-leading sacker in franchise history is the face of a Dom Capers defense whose effectiveness gets overshadowed by the greatness of the quarterback. But they locked down on Adrian Peterson Sunday (13-45, TD).

Julius Peppers (remember?) wasn't washed up two years ago here, just disinterested and going through the motions. He's followed up an excellent revival up north a year ago with a team-high 6.5 sacks this season. Teddy Bridgewater heard birds after John Fox's first draft pick in Carolina delivered a second quarter blow. It was one of six sacks Capers' crew delivered after going the previous three games without one. That starting linebacker group also includes Simeon and Illinois State product Nathan Palmer (sixth round, 2013) as its second-leading tackler.  Rookie fourth-rounder Jake Ryan has become the regular at the other inside spot.

Up front, the Bears missed Letroy Guion (suspension) in the opener, B.J. Raji continues clogging, Datone Jones flashed with two of Sunday's half-dozen sacks, and Mike Daniels is tied for sixth among defensive tackles with 16 sacks since 2013.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Kyle Fuller will be compared as 2014 first-round draftees, with the Bears selecting Fuller several spots ahead of the Alabama safety. But after an uneven rookie year (and amidst a sideline confrontation in Carolina with Peppers), Clinton-Dix leads thee defense with 82 tackles (20 and an interception in the past two). Micah Hyde originally took the other safety job from Morgan Burnett, but has been sidelined of late by injury. But the real interesting development in the secondary involved this year's top-of-the-draft investments by Ted Thompson after letting Tramon Williams and Davon House depart in free agency. Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins have earned increased playing time, despite the fact only Richard Sherman has more interceptions since 2010 than Sam Shields. Randall, Rollins, Shields and Clinton-Dix all have two interceptions apiece.


SPECIAL TEAMS

Mason Crosby became the first kicker in history to go 5-for-5 in a single game on field goal attempts all beyond 40 yards in Sunday's big win. Ty Montgomery returned kickoffs of 46 and 41 yards in the opener, but while the third-round rookie out of Stanford has battles health issues, Ron Zook may have discovered someone new: second-year speedster Jeff Janis had a 70-yard return versus the Vikes. While the coverage units have shown improvement since the third return touchdown allowed this season, they'll need to be aware of that fresh face Thursday night.

Bears waive Jimmy Clausen, promote David Fales ahead of possible roster raid.

By John Mullin

For the second year in a row the Bears have moved quarterback David Fales from their practice squad onto the active roster, and waived backup Jimmy Clausen.

As he did last year after week 12 when the Bears moved him onto the 53-man roster, Fales had drawn interest from other NFL teams, believed to include the Baltimore Ravens. Quarterback Joe Flacco went down for the season with a torn ACL on Sunday and Baltimore offensive coordinator Marc Trestman coached Fales last year after the Bears acquired him as a sixth-round pick out of San Jose State.

“I think, we know, we had some interest in David,” said coach John Fox. “It was a decision that we made organizationally to give him a look.”

Fales had drawn interest last year around this time from the New England Patriots and San Diego Chargers, causing the Bears to move him onto the regular roster. Any team can sign a player from another team’s practice squad without compensation but must put the player on the new team’s regular roster.

An accompanying question behind the move is whether the Bears have turned some additional attention onto the future after Sunday’s 17-15 loss to the Denver Broncos.


“I think like a big part of our roster, we’re looking at young guys,” said Fox. “We’ll look for a practice-squad guy to bring in for the practice squad as we move forward. That’s not been done at this point.”

Clausen started one game in both 2014 and 2015, and entered games in both seasons after Jay Cutler was injured. The Bears were shut out at Seattle in Clausen’s one start this season and lost to the Detroit Lions late last season when Cutler was benched. Clausen, who appeared in mop-up duty last year in the Green Bay and New England blowout losses, suffered a concussion in the Detroit game and was back on the bench the final week of the season.

Clausen replaced Cutler after the latter suffered a hamstring strain in the loss to Arizona this year. Clausen completed 14 of 23 passes for 121 yards against Arizona, then had a dismal outing against the Seahawks, completing nine of 17 passes for 63 yards in a conservative game plan intended to minimize risk.

Bears open 21-day practice window for rookie WR Kevin White.


By Scott Krinch

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Albeit a longshot, don't count out Bears rookie wide receiver Kevin White for the 2015 season just yet.

The Bears announced on Tuesday that they have opened up White's 21-day practice window, which means the coaching staff will have three weeks to decide if they want to elevate White to the active roster or place him on season-ending injured reserve.

White, the seventh overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft out of West Virginia, has been sidelined since June after suffering a stress fracture in his shin during OTAs. White underwent surgery in August and has been stashed away on the physically unable to perform list.

The Bears also announced that they have signed quarterback Justin Worley and linebacker Danny Mason to the practice squad.

Worley replaces quarterback David Fales, who was elevated to the active roster after the Bears waived Jimmy Clausen on Monday. Worley, an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee, threw for 3,556 yards, and tossed 23 touchdowns to go along with 21 interceptions during his four seasons with the Vols.

Mason, an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M-Commerce, notched 272 tackles during his collegiate career. He also played for the Colorado Ice of the Indoor Football League last season.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks-Sharks Preview.

By SCOTT GARBARINI


As the Chicago Blackhawks feel the effects from their longest road stretch of the season, the San Jose Sharks may be disappointed to be returning home.

Fresh off a perfect trip, the Sharks vie for a seventh consecutive win Wednesday night against a Blackhawks team that struggled its last time out.

San Jose (13-8-0) scored four unanswered goals over the final 13:47 to rally for a 5-3 victory Sunday against Columbus and complete a 6-0-0 trek. The win was the Sharks' seventh straight on the road, where they're a league-best 10-3-0.

''I think that 6-0 at the NHL level at any time is quite a feat,'' said coach Peter DeBoer, who returned to the bench after missing Saturday's 3-1 win over Pittsburgh due to a personal matter. ''But to go on the road and rattle off those wins in the buildings we just played in, I think is a real testament to the character of our group and the leadership of our group.''

Joe Pavelski scored twice during the third-period comeback and compiled four goals and three assists on the trip. Brent Burns has three goals in the last two wins and Patrick Marleau has been hot as well, notching a goal and an assist Sunday to give him six points in five games. The Sharks' captain had nine points over his first 16.

Martin Jones also shined, posting a 1.56 goals-against average while starting five of the wins. He was named the NHL's First Star of the Week on Monday after following Thursday's 34-save shutout of Philadelphia with 38 saves against Pittsburgh.

San Jose, which last won seven straight March 25-April 5, 2013, hasn't achieved the same success at SAP Center. The Sharks have 18 goals in going 3-5-0 at home and are scoring 3.08 per game on the road.

Offense may be easier to come by after the Blackhawks yielded their highest regulation goal total of the season during Saturday's 6-3 defeat at Vancouver, the third stop on a six-game western swing. The Canucks scored three times in the final 5:25 as Chicago appeared to wear down in its second game in as many days.

''It's disappointing. We played pretty well and controlled most of the game," forward Patrick Kane said. "You get yourself back 3-3 and a couple of shifts later you're down 5-3. It's frustrating but those guys made some good plays."

Kane assisted on Artem Anisimov's goal that forged a 3-all tie with 7:40 left to extend his career-high point streak to 16 games. The standout wing has 10 goals and 16 assists during the run and a league-leading 32 points.

Chicago (11-8-2) fell to 1-1-1 on the trip and 3-6-1 overall on the road, where Corey Crawford owns a 3.33 GAA compared to a 2.11 mark at home. He made 14 saves against the Canucks and has allowed three or more goals in five of his past seven outings, recording a 3.77 GAA during that span.

Crawford did win both starts against the Sharks last season, including a 33-save effort in a 6-2 victory at San Jose on March 14.

Chicago has earned a point in eight of its last nine meetings with San Jose, which earned a 2-0 home decision Jan. 31. The Blackhawks are 6-1-2 over the stretch.

Tanner Kero's two-way game keeping him in Blackhawks' fold.

By Tracey Myers

Chicago Blackhawks Alternate Logo - National Hockey League (NHL ...

Tanner Kero’s trip to the Blackhawks was originally to spark the big club’s offense.

The 23-year-old had scored six goals in seven games with the Rockford IceHogs when the Blackhawks recalled him in late October. Those were great numbers for a team that, at the time, was struggling mightily to score. Well, Kero’s offensive output in Rockford hasn’t translated to Chicago. But his ability to play both sides of the puck and join the team’s penalty kill has led to him staying here a while longer.

Kero has a goal and an assist in 12 games with the Blackhawks but his all-around game has kept him here. Kero has bounced back and forth from third- or fourth-line center and has also been part of the penalty kill.


“We gave him some responsibility in the penalty killing department and he’s taking advantage of it and he’s done a nice job," Coach Joel Quenneville said. "He’s a pretty good student of the game. He anticipates well, as far as his thought process goes. He has a reasonable stick, reasonable quickness, he wants the puck, he’s in and around the puck; so we like what he’s done across the board.”

Kero said he’s played on the penalty kill for several years now, so the only adjustment was to the Blackhawks’ system.

“Yeah, I mean I try to play as well as I can defensively and help out in that end as well. So to get the opportunity to play penalty kill, it’s been an honor to be out there and have them trust me to be out there,” Kero said. “I just want to do my best and kind of learn as I go and play whatever role they need me to play.”

Michigan Tech coach Mel Pearson said Kero broke out as a scorer in his senior season with the Huskies, recording his best college numbers in goals (20) and assists (23). But Pearson said Kero’s always been a reliable two-way player and that would be how he’d carve his NHL niche.

“He was our hardest worker in practice. He was real good defensively, killed penalties. We were second in the country in team defense in college hockey last year, and we had guys like Tanner set that example,” Pearson said. “He’s a very smart player, he works extremely hard and is a really good skater. Given all those elements, I’m not surprised he’s off to a pretty good start.”

Kero always had a good game in college. But Pearson said he needed to add some grit to that game. So Kero went to the Minnesota Wild’s development camp between his junior and senior seasons. Pearson said the differences in Kero’s game showed during his senior season.

“That opened his eyes a little bit. He got a taste of how good players are; they work hard but also work at another level,” Pearson said. “It was his learning that what we call that sandbox mentality: two kids and one toy, one’s going to get it. You have to make sure you get it. That’s his biggest thing is learning to play with that mental toughness – not taking penalties, just being tough on loose puck battles, getting to the net.”


Kero has worked hard to get to this point. He was brought up for his scoring. He’s stayed for his all-around game.

“You try to go day-to-day and just work hard, try to play both ends of the ice,” Kero said. “[Quenneville] really wants you to play well defensively and compete every day. So you’re trying to compete both ends of the ice and do well offensively and [I’ll] just try to contribute offensively when I can.”

Forbes ranks Blackhawks fourth most valuable NHL franchise.

By C. Roumeliotis

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

After capturing their third Stanley Cup in the last six years, the Blackhawks' team value continues to rise.

According to Forbes, the Blackhawks are the fourth most valuable NHL franchise with a value of $925 million, a 12 percent increase from last year ($825 million). Forbes revealed that the Blackhawks generated $182 million in revenue and had an operating income of $44.8 million.

Here's Forbes' explanation on the Blackhawks' current value:
The Chicago Blackhawks captured their third Stanley Cup in six years by defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in June. During their three-Cup run the Blackhawks have gone from a team whose profits were well below the other “original six” NHL teams–Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings–to being on par with them. It’s even better for owner Rocky Wirtz than his team’s numbers indicate. The Blackhawks had the league’s fourth-highest local television ratings on CSN Chicago this past season. The annual rights fee of about $10 million the regional sports network pays the team is very low for a market as big as Chicago. But the RSN is 20% owned by Wirtz, and the dividend he pockets each year is not even included in our operating income figures for the Blackhawks. The team led the NHL in attendance last season for the seventh straight year.
In 2013-14, the Blackhawks were valued at $625 million, which ranked fifth-best among NHL franchises at the time. That's an increase of $300 million over the last two years.

Considering their substantial increase under Rocky Wirtz, the Blackhawks are on pace to become the fourth NHL franchise to reach a $1 billion value and it could happen as early as next year.

Only three teams ranked higher than the Blackhawks: New York Rangers ($1.2 billion), Montreal Canadiens ($1.18 billion) and Toronto Maple Leafs ($1.15 billion).

According to Forbes, the average NHL team is worth an all-time high $505 million, which is a three percent increase from last year. Revenue is also up eight percent from the previous season with an average of $133 million.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Bulls end three-game western swing with win over Trail Blazers.

By Vincent Goodwill

Chicago Bulls

With the first half coming to a close, Jimmy Butler casually took an inbound pass from Joakim Noah, took one dribble and lunched a halfcourt prayer before the first-half buzzer sounded.

Although he didn’t expect it to go in, a 45-foot shot seemed like a layup when it comfortably fell through the net, perhaps the biggest signal something would go in the Bulls’ favor in a building that didn’t produce the best luck in recent years.

And when Noah jumped out on a defensive switch with C.J. McCollum with seconds left, one had to think “not again” as McCollum jumped into Noah but wasn’t bailed out by the refs, helping the Bulls escape late after their offense went cold.

The Bulls ended their three-game western swing with a 93-88 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Derrick Rose made his return to the Bulls lineup and although he shot just seven-for-20 for 17 points and six assists, he took advantage of some opportunities, pushed the tempo and went head-up with Blazers guard Damian Lillard.

Lillard, known for his fourth-quarter exploits, had his chances to take over the game in the final stanza after starting 3-for-13. His driving basket and foul midway though brought the Blazers to within four before Ed Davis tipped in a Lillard miss to bring them closer, at 78-76.

But Lillard couldn’t rekindle his magic late, missing a free throw that would’ve tied the game with 20.7 seconds left, something that would’ve set the Moda Center crowd off and likely to overtime. Lillard went one of nine in the fourth to finish with a near triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists but clearly was off his game.

Butler made his two free throws and two more with 11.3 seconds left, both to push the Bulls’ lead back to three.

Butler finished with 22 points and four assists on six of 13 shooting.

And although the Blazers tied it and threatened to pull the Bulls away from their composure when Butler and Mason Plumlee got into it when Plumlee threw his shoulder into Butler on a screen, prompting Butler to lock his legs on Plumlee in one motion—they recovered, at least for the time being.

They thought to fully restore order when Pau Gasol drove for a layup on Plumlee to give the Bulls a five-point lead with 1:45 left, but after Rose got a layup blocked, Plumlee drove it end to end with no one bothering to stop the ball, making it a two-point game with 1:14 remaining.

Rose hit two straight baskets to start the fourth—with Lillard taking a quick breather—to give the Bulls a double-digit lead, bringing themselves back to an advantage they held throughout the night.

And it was done by defense.

Lillard and backcourt mate McCollum found tough treading in the paint as the Bulls bigs shut down lanes after solid defense from the perimeter.

It certainly didn’t hurt the Bulls when the Blazers frontcourt was throwing up shots they had no business taking. The starting trio of Aminu, Plumlee and Vonleh combined to start 3-for-15 from the field.

They stayed beneath the 40-percent mark all night, making their runs when the Bulls’ offense did their nightly disappearing act. The Bulls struggled mightily in the last several minutes, winding up shooting just 38 percent but their defense gave them the necessary room for error as they finished this road trip with two wins and a loss.

Cubs have many options available to fortify their rotation substantially.

By Mark Gonzales

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Cubs manager Joe Maddon was eager to get involved in recruiting impact free agents such as former Rays standout David Price.

That was shortly before President Theo Epstein was courting Jeff Samardzija and during the same time Jake Arrieta said he would "love" to have Zack Greinke.

And the grin from catcher David Ross was very telling when asked in September how well John Lackey would fit in the Cubs' rotation.

This was before Arrieta acknowledged Wednesday night that he anticipated the Cubs and Scott Boras, his representative, would discuss an extension.

The pitching possibilities seem endless for the Cubs, who are coming off a remarkable 2015 playoff season with a nucleus of youngsters several years away from reaching their zenith.

But the Cubs' rotation fizzled in the National League Championship Series after Arrieta and Jon Lester, and there is a gulf between the major-league rotation and the batch of top pitching prospects who have yet to pitch above Class A.

"We have to raise the bar in the type of team we want to build and a path to being a great club, not a good club," Epstein said one day after the deeper Mets rotation helped sweep the Cubs in the NLCS.

Financial resources are on the way for the Cubs in the form of a potentially massive television contract, as well as the renovated Wrigley Field with upgraded suites.

But those revenues won't kick in until the end of the decade, leaving Epstein and his staff with the task of exploring creative ways to improve a young playoff contender with a 2016 payroll expected to increase at least $20 million.

At the same time, there's the balance of pushing harder for a World Series title and adding younger, more affordable pitching.

One veteran American League scout believes the Cubs would be wise to sign a less expensive established pitcher such as Samardzija or Lackey and trade for a younger one like Tyson Ross of the Padres.

The belief is that Samardzija or Lackey would fit nicely after Arrieta and Jon Lester in the rotation, while the abundance of Cubs infielders could entice the Padres to give up a hard-throwing sinkerball pitcher who could thrive at Wrigley.

In addition to the Padres, the Indians (Carlos Carrasco) and Braves (Julio Teheran and Shelby Miller) have young pitchers who aren't eligible for free agency for at least two years. Adding pitchers under cost control would allow the Cubs to develop prospects such as Duane Underwood Jr., Dylan Cease, Justin Steele, Carson Sands, Oscar De La Cruz, Adbert Alzolay and Bryan Hudson — who are highly regarded but at least three years away from making an impact at the major-league level.

Adding two pitchers also would more than offset the potential departure of Jason Hammel after the 2016 season, as the Cubs hold a club option for 2017.

Arrieta could command a 2016 salary of up to $11 million after winning the 2015 NL Cy Young Award. That's why it's wise for the Cubs at least to explore a long-term deal with him that could give the team some cost certainty. Arrieta, 29, however, is eligible for free agency after the 2017 season and it would be no surprise if Boras elected to maintain Arrieta's free-agent options.

Though the Cubs sense of urgency to add impact pitching is great, they have position-player options that are appealing if they want to deal for some of the young pitchers.

Trading infielder Starlin Castro, with Javier Baez in the wings, would free up $38 million over the next four seasons.

Right fielder Jorge Soler, 23, is coming off an injury-plagued, power-deprived season.

Christian Villanueva and Jeimer Candelario are blocked at third base by Kris Bryant, and the scout believed that a change of scenery could help infielder-outfielder Arismendy Alcantara, who was optioned during the third week of the 2015 season and struggled at Iowa.

White Sox hire former outfielder Aaron Rowand as minor-league coach.

By Dan Hayes

Chicago White Sox Sox-Logo.

Aaron Rowand wants to pass on his baseball knowledge and remain a family man.
His new opportunity with the White Sox affords him the chance to do both.

The White Sox named Rowand, who got a taste of the role last spring, as the team’s new minor-league outfield and base running instructor on Monday.

His schedule calls for Rowand — who played five seasons with the White Sox, including winning a World Series title in 2005 — to work with the organization’s players in spring training, sporadically throughout the season and then for a month in September and October at instructional camp.


“I really enjoyed myself last year in spring training out there,” Rowand said on a conference call. “And to be given the opportunity to go out and do what I really love doing, which is coaching, and also have the opportunity to still spend some time at home with my son, who is going through his baseball stuff right now at 11 years old — it’s a blessing.

“Being able to do both and manage both, it was a perfect situation for me to be able to do both things that are what I enjoy most in life.”

Rowand retired after the 2011 season at age 33. He said the primary reason was to spend time with his family, and he has thoroughly enjoyed that opportunity. Over the past few seasons, Rowand has filled in as a White Sox analyst on both radio and television and he also spent part of last spring working with the organization’s minor leaguers.

While he isn’t ready to commit to a full-time return to baseball right now — his son is 11 and his daughter is an eight-grader — Rowand potentially could see it in the future. The White Sox are more than happy to provide Rowand, whom they selected 35th overall in the 1998 amateur draft, with a chance to pass on his knowledge and see if coaching is something he’d like to pursue in the future.

“Aaron brings a great deal of passion to the ballpark every day, and we feel like his knowledge and expertise will be valuable assets to our player development system,” said player development director Nick Capra. “Aaron’s engaging personality and eagerness to teach make him perfect for this outfield and base running role, where he can connect with players up and down our system.”

If it’s a fit, Rowand could see himself in a more time consuming role down the road. He looks forward to the communication aspect of the position and wants to pass on critical information he thinks helped him excel in his career.

But for now, Rowand wants to keep a healthy balance between baseball and his family.

“I can definitely foresee stuff down the line as they get older and move out, do those sorts of things that it would be something I would enjoy doing,” Rowand said. “But this is some of the most important times of my children’s life, my life in being a father, and being able to be home and share all the experiences and stuff with them, it has been unbelievable and just fulfilling as a father.

“When this job came up and I was able to kind of be doing what I really enjoy doing in coaching and being around baseball and also being able to do the father thing and be home during the season half the time, there’s really not a better job in baseball than that.”

White Sox acquire pitcher Tommy Kahnle from Colorado.

By Dan Hayes

The White Sox added a power relief arm on Tuesday when they acquired Tommy Kahnle from the Colorado Rockies.

Kahnle, a former Rule 5 draftee who had two saves in three tries in 2015 during a brief stint as a closer, was exchanged for White Sox minor-leaguer Yency Almonte.

The right-hander, who had 102 strikeouts in 102 innings with the Rockies over two seasons, was designated for assignment on Friday as teams had to set their 40-man rosters for next month’s Rule 5 draft.

Kahnle features a mid-to-upper 90’s fastball and an effective changeup. But control issues have hurt him as he has issued 59 walks in the majors and another 135 in 241 minor-league innings. Kahnle, whom Colorado selected in the December 2013 Rule 5 draft from the New York Yankees, posted a 4.86 ERA and struck out 39 in 33 1/3 innings last season.

Almonte came over to the White Sox from the Los Angeles Angels in February as the player to be named later in the August 2014 trade for Gordon Beckham. He had a 3.41 ERA in 24 games (22 starts) between Single-A Kannapolis and Single-A Winston-Salem last season, striking out 110 in 137 1/3 innings.


Golf: I got a club for that..... A mixed message in Ryder Cup qualifying.

By DOUG FERGUSON

A mixed message in Ryder Cup qualifying
U.S. Davis Cup captain Davis love III talks to reporters at St. Simons Island, Ga., Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015. Love said that Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker will be vice captains for the 2016 matches in Minnesota. (AP Photo/Doug Ferguson)

Davis Love III wore more than one hat at Sea Island, and sometimes he couldn't switch them fast enough.

Love is the Ryder Cup captain, and he was part of the task force that decided Americans who competed in the fall start to the PGA Tour season should not get any Ryder Cup points. Love also is the tournament host of the RSM Classic, the final event of the fall.

Love's playing partner the first two rounds - not to mention his house guest for the week - was Justin Thomas. He won the CIMB Classic in Malaysia and missed the playoff by one shot at the Frys.com Open, a field that included four players from the last Ryder Cup.

Thomas remains No. 33 in the Ryder Cup standings. If points had been awarded in the fall - when several top golfers only play sparingly - he would be No. 6.

Love handed out the RSM Classic trophy to Kevin Kisner, who broke the tournament scoring record by four shots with his six-shot victory.

Kisner is on the verge of becoming a force in American golf, having built an efficient swing under John Tillery to go along with an already stout short game. He was No. 236 going into the year and - thanks to four runner-up finishes and his victory at Sea Island - he now is No. 17.

He would be No. 3 in the Ryder Cup if the fall had counted. He remains at No. 6, one spot behind Phil Mickelson.

Along with wearing different hats, Love had to change shirts to a Ryder Cup logo when he announced three more vice captains for the 2016 matches at Hazeltine. It was during that press conference that Love was asked if he was comfortable that no Ryder Cup points were awarded in the fall.

''It's tough for me to answer that question at the RSM Classic,'' Love said with a smile.

At least he didn't duck it.

Love must have been in an awkward spot at those task force meetings. He had to divide his loyalties to the Ryder Cup task force, to his fall tournament at Sea Island and to his tour, which saved the fall events and their combined $39.8 million in prize money. The fall events now are like all the other stand-alone PGA Tour events by awarding full FedEx Cup points and a spot in the Masters to the winner.

They just don't get Ryder Cup points, which they did in 2013.

''As a group, that was the decision that was made,'' Love said. ''Yes, that's what I said. We didn't take minutes, luckily, but I think I said that after a lot of discussion I can always consider ... the guys when they play, I can always give them credit for it. Justin Thomas winning in Malaysia was noticed, obviously. Got him an extra pillow on his bed this week. So I will take notice of how guys are playing.''

Kisner is a straight shooter with Southern drollness.

''I definitely want to be on the Ryder Cup,'' he said. ''And to be able to play for Davis would be huge for me after winning here. Obviously, I didn't get any points here. But if I continue playing the way I am now, I hope to be on that team.''

Does it even matter that points were not awarded?

Only two winners from the fall of 2013 qualified for the U.S. team - Jimmy Walker and Dustin Johnson - and they would have made it without those points. Besides, the Americans are as deep as Europe was a decade ago. They probably could field two teams of equal strength (and, given recent history, Europe would beat either one).

Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland picked up valuable Ryder Cup points from his two fall events on the PGA Tour. Just like Kisner or Thomas, he won't make the team unless he keeps playing well.

For the Americans, the message has been mixed.

Mickelson, who doesn't play in the fall, was eager to explain in March that fall tournaments should not be awarded points. He said it wouldn't be fair to give the ''bottom half of the tour'' what amounts to a head start over the ''top guys.''

Given the emergence of a new generation, does anyone know who the top guys are anymore?

Love, meanwhile, said last week that the last six months of qualification are the most important. He said in a perfect world, ''I wouldn't even count much this year.''

For 2015, one point was awarded for every $1,000 in the majors, with one point for every $2,000 in The Players Championship and World Golf Championships. Kisner didn't play in three of them. Thomas didn't play in five of them.

Mickelson received twice as many points for his runner-up finish in April at the Masters than Kisner for his runner-up finish in a World Golf Championship in November.

Not to worry. It will sort itself out in the end.

The good news? At least we know who the vice captains will be.

Jordan Spieth says Olympics is 'fifth golf major'.

AFP

US golfer Jordan Spieth has enjoyed a stellar 2015 season, winning the Masters and US Open (AFP Photo/Ben Stansall)

World number one Jordan Spieth on Tuesday said he's treating the Olympics as a "fifth major" next year as he revealed his excitement at golf's return to the Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Barring injury or an unexpected form slump, the reigning Masters and US Open champion will spearhead a four-strong American attack in the 60-man field at the Games in Brazil.

"Just competing in the Olympics; just walking the opening ceremony, staying in the village, meeting these incredible athletes from around the world, hopefully that's something I'll be able to experience next August," he said in Sydney on Tuesday.

"Winning a gold medal has got to be up there now in my mind with winning a major championship.

"I've been asked the question: a green jacket or a gold medal, or a Wanamaker (trophy) or an Open Championship or a gold medal? That's not fair.

"I think this year we're going to approach it as a fifth major and we're going to prepare like it is and I'm going to go down there and try and take care of business."

His enthusiasm is in contrast to Australian former world number one Adam Scott, who Spieth faces at the Australian Open in Sydney starting Thursday.

Scott last week said the Olympics was "not really a priority of my scheduling next year".

"I'll still base my schedule around the majors and if the Olympics fits in, then it does," he said.

"That's just where I see it and the point I'm at in my life and the other priorities. And the gap in the schedule there, some time off looks quite good actually."

Golf returns to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next year after an exile lasting more than a century.

NASCAR: Jeff Gordon did get his perfect ending.

By Dan Wetzel

592460271CH00023_NASCAR_Spr
Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 AXALTA Chevrolet, greets fans on the red carpet prior to the driver's meeting for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 22, 2015 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)

Jeff Gordon couldn't sleep. He thought he should, thought he should get as much rest as possible before he knew what was to come.

Sunday promised a surreal combination, equal parts celebrating what had been done across a 24-year, 797th race career, while still pursuing what could still be won, a shot at a 94th victory and fifth Cup championship.

On the track it wouldn't go Gordon's way; he finished sixth on the day and third for the title – Kyle Busch won both – but at that moment Sunday morning, the promise of the opportunity was too much to roll over and doze back off. The energy woke him; Gordon was 44 going on 14.

So he got out of bed in his motor coach, pulled back a curtain and coincidentally saw his mother Carol walking by. He called to her and invited her in. Carol is usually hesitant to upset the race day routine – Gordon likes to be alone to focus – but now here they were, just the two of them, memories and emotions flowing over early coffee.

She'd been there from the start, when he was just four and racing BMX bikes in Northern California with a competitive spirit that was almost frightening. A mother's instinct is to tell the kid to slow down. She instead encouraged him to go faster.

Soon it was roaring along in quarter midgets and then hauling around to dirt tracks and eventually all the way to NASCAR's highest level at age 20, through three Daytona 500 victories and five Brickyard 400s and those four season titles and more riches and fame than any of them could ever have imagined.

And that included this, a farewell day, a real retirement, which in the culture of auto racing isn't guaranteed to anyone. Gordon is one of the three most influential drivers stock car racing has known. Richard Petty got to become the beloved elder statesman. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was taken too soon, robbing he and his family, fans and friends of all of this. That, sadly, scarily, is part of the deal, too.

So now here they were, just the two of them like the old days, sharing some precious moments, and Carol's son couldn't stop crying.

"As loud as a person can," Jeff said. "She was holding back. She was getting emotional but she was holding herself in."

Mom didn't want to rattle the day. Winning takes concentration. Racing is serious business. Bawling your eyes out isn't advisable.

"I didn't care," Gordon said. "I wanted to get it out."

He figured the tears were going to come eventually. Over the course of the season and concluding all week here the outpouring from fans and drivers and sponsors and media and everyone else had been overwhelming.

Jeff Gordon was once the fresh-scrubbed kid that the NASCAR establishment base loved to hate … or just plain hated. He wasn't from the South. He wasn't rough and tumble. He wasn't Dale Sr. He was the guy who kept beating everyone. Too cute. Too cool. Too good.

Now he was being hailed for all he'd done. Not just for the growth in the sport, but in the way he'd handled himself all those years. He proved tougher than most imagined, but he did it with a dignity, with a level head and calm demeanor. He never missed a start. He raced hard but clean. And he won. And won. And won. Dale Sr. always respected the hell out of him. Now everyone else did too.

"He was a fair driver, respectful," said fan Tamara Price, who scored an autograph on her Gordon hat here Sunday, battling through a throng of fans. "That's why I love him. That's why everyone is like this."

The fans came out en mass. They roared at driver introductions and mobbed him every time he stepped out in public. Gordon would try to walk somewhere and there was a crowd going with him, trying to shoot pictures, grab selfies, just get a fist bump. This was Homestead-Miami Speedway but it might as well have been the Beatles hitting LaGuardia.

They wore all eras of Gordon gear – from the old rainbow DuPont logo through the flames on the sleeves look, to special T-shirts celebrating, "The Last Ride" and "24Ever." Truth be told, some were converts, the same people who used to relentlessly heckle him only to be slowly won over by the substance of the driver. Others were there from the start, even when being a Gordon fan wasn't the coolest thing.

At one point Sunday, Gordon was getting pushed through a pack of fans when he saw a familiar face, that of a fan named Timothy Pryor, who'd driven all the way from Virginia just to be here. Jeff grabbed Timothy, pulled him through security and brought him along with him.

How deep does Pryor's support of Gordon go? Across his back is a massive tattoo of Gordon and the 24 car. It includes a perfect replica of Gordon's signature, which was a trace of the real thing after Jeff scrawled it on his back after a 2010 race at Martinsville.

"Went down to Harry's Tattoo's in Danville the next day," Pryor said.

"That right there," Gordon said with a laugh, "that's commitment."

Sometimes it felt like Gordon couldn't quite understand how he'd touched so many people in so many ways. There was no doubting he had. He wasn't playing coy. He knows he's famous. Maybe it's from not being accepted originally, that it came along gradually and then, when it finally came in so many waves here at end, it became overwhelming.

On Saturday, after practice, Gordon stood in their garage stall; his team working on a car they hoped could win the title. As word spread, fans jammed around. Others looked down from a nearby deck. It was a huge mass, on a rainy afternoon 24 hours before the race. They soon began chanting his name, louder and louder and louder still.

"Just a surreal moment," Gordon said. "That one … it really seemed to hit me."

So he knew Sunday was probably going to be the same. Still, he arrived with gifts for his fellow drivers, each one receiving an expensive, Italian-made ring box as a memento. That's Gordon, looking to thank them.

Instead it was everyone else thanking him – in part for representing the sport so well, in mentoring so many for so long, in racing the right way and, of course, in causing sponsorship dollars and prize money to spike exponentially.

It wasn't just the handshakes and hugs, though. He may have expected that. It was the tweets about him. It was the testimonials in feature articles that his mom told him about. It was Kevin Harvick, the defending champ and one of the other three drivers with a shot at the championship, posing pre-race with Gordon's car. It was Danica Patrick wearing a Gordon hat. It was others wearing his T-shirt.

"That's just unheard of," Gordon marveled. "You know, drivers are so competitive. They don't show – they might have it inside them, but to show it publicly?"

Gordon knew some moments were coming. He knew that final pre-race walk down pit road, hand-in-hand with daughter Ella, the crowd roaring across the way, was going to be something else. He knew that final national anthem, with wife Ingrid and son Leo at his side, too, was going to pull at his heart. He knew a hug from his car owner, Rick Hendrick, was going to push him to the limits.

"I'm an emotional guy," Gordon said.

He suspected there would be surprises and there were. Familiar faces he didn't expect, old co-workers racing over for a moment, just regular fans. Lewis Hamilton, the current Formula One great, arrived for his first NASCAR race ever, even peering into Gordon's ride and checking out the set-up, because that's how much Gordon meant to racing in general.

Mario Andretti came and gave him a pep talk – "Go do what you know how to do, you've got this, man," Gordon relayed. Suddenly Gordon was back to being an awe-struck kid.

Mario Andretti?

"The greatest driver of all time," Gordon marveled.

He tried to follow Andretti's advice, giving it his all in a heated race. He led for a few laps early, but he didn't have the car to finish it out, not enough control, not enough speed. "Nothing terrible," he said at one point over his radio, "I'm just really struggling."

He was mostly stuck in 10th. He finished sixth, no threat to Kyle Busch, who was the better driver in the better car on this day. Gordon was disappointed with the loss but he knew this day was about more than one last race, one more championship.

"It blows my mind," he said. "It didn't take the championship for me to come out of here feeling like I'm on top of the world. The competitor in me still is cutting into that slightly right now. … Give me an hour and a little bit of alcohol, there's going to be so much love in the air."

What's Jeff Gordon drink at a time like this?

"Tonight?" he joked. "A lot of things."

It started, though, with coffee with mom, a conversation with mom – the racing legend, who has made his living going 200-miles an hour, inches from concrete walls, a millionaire now many times over, crying with mom.

"She was not prepared for what was about to happen," Gordon said. "She walked in and I just started thanking her over and over and over again for all that [she and his step-father John Bickford] did for me. … There were tears pouring down my face."

She started talking about the old days and the new articles and the social media mentions and all the love. He'd tried to stay in a vacuum this week, tried to focus on winning the race, but the more that came the more he came unglued and the more he appreciated getting it out of the way. He needed it.

The last big day of his career, the end of the longest of journeys and a sixth-place finish aside, what could be better than this?

"Perfect," Gordon said. "Perfect."

Gibbs tops Super Bowl triumphs with 4th Sprint Cup title.

By DAN GELSTON

Busch battles back from serious injury to claim 1st title
Kyle Busch raises his trophy after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race and the season title Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

Maybe it's time Joe Gibbs got a new nickname.

The man they call ''Coach'' now has more NASCAR championships than Super Bowl trophies.

Gibbs won his fourth career Cup title Sunday when driver Kyle Busch won the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Gibbs won championships with Bobby Labonte in 2000 and Tony Stewart in 2002 and 2005.

Gibbs formed his own race team in 1992, a year before he ended his first stint with the Washington Redskins.

Gibbs led the Redskins to three Super Bowl titles (1982, 1987 and 1991).

Believe it or not, no championship contest topped Sunday night.

''Nothing bigger in sports has ever happened to me,'' the 74-year-old Gibbs said.

Burned out from long days and nights - he was known as a workaholic who sometimes slept on a cot at Redskins Park - Gibbs left football and pursued a successful NASCAR career. His racing team heavily involved both his sons, giving him the family life he missed in the NFL.

Gibbs' oldest son, J.D., is president of Joe Gibbs Racing. J.D. Gibbs is battling a brain disease and gingerly walked during the Cup celebration. Joe's grandkids were part of the victory party and bounced around the back of the media center.

''We've got a second generation coming to the race shop,'' Gibbs said. ''It's a thrill for us, a thrill me to (win) in two sports like this. I love football. It's just a thrill for me.''

JGR also fields Cup entries for Busch, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth. JGR also has three Xfinity Series teams and Busch won the series championship in 2009.

Gibbs said the Super Bowl wins were ''awesome'' though ownership meant different responsibilities than drawing up plays.


''I have the real thrill the first of every month of trying to pay the bills,'' Gibbs said, smiling.

Busch has a new contract with JGR, which also got sponsor Mars Inc.'s M&M's brand to extend its deal.

Busch, who opened the season in a hospital bed, needled his coach after the race that perhaps he shouldn't have rushed to sign the deal.

''He said, 'I should have waited to extend my contract,''' Gibbs said.

SOCCER: Fire announce Veljko Paunovic as new head coach.

CSN Staff

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Just two months after firing Frank Yallop following an eight-win season, the Fire have selected their new head coach to turn things around at Toyota Park.

Veljko Paunovic will be the new leader of the Men in Red, the team announced on Tuesday. Paunovic recently led Serbia to the FIFA U-20 World Cup championship. 

"In the face of stiff competition from other global soccer clubs, we are extremely fortunate to have secured our first choice, Veljko Paunovic, as our head coach," Fire general manager Nelson Rodríguez said. "We conducted a thorough search process and, over its course, Pauno consistently graded highest across all of our desired characteristics. He is a champion, teacher of the game and man of great principle and integrity."

Paunovic, 38, played 16 seasons of professional soccer around the world, including one year in the MLS. Paunovic has spent the last three years coaching the Serbian U-20 team. 

"I want to thank Andrew Hauptman, Nelson Rodríguez and the whole executive team of the Chicago Fire, for choosing me, among other great candidates, for the coaching position," Paunovic said. "I am very excited and enthusiastic to start working with the team, to meet the people and fans, who I know are very passionate and loyal to the club. This is the opportunity that I was looking for, to work with the right people, in the right time and the right place." 

"I have a huge amount of energy, knowledge and experience to deliver to our team and our community," he added.  "Soccer is a lifestyle that I live and preach my whole life. I love this kind of challenge, where you have to build a champion by giving your best in every moment.  I see the Chicago Fire as a hurt lion ready to unleash all its power."

UCL roundup: Barcelona, Bayern clinch spots in the knockout round.

By Kyle Lynch

BARCELONA, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 24:  Gerard Pique (C) of Barcelona celebrates scoring his teams fourth goal with Luis Suarez (L) and Lionel Messi during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between FC Barcelona and AS Roma at Camp Nou on November 24, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain.  (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
(Photo/NBCSPORTS.COM)

Two more teams booked spots in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, as perennial powerhouses Barcelona and Bayern Munich earned big wins to advance out of their groups.

Barcelona 6-1 Roma

Barcelona fared well without Lionel Messi, and now with him back in the lineup, they look unbeatable. The Catalans advance to the last 16 with an absolutely dominating performance, thrashing Roma 6-1. Messi and Luis Suarez scored two goals each, with Gerard Pique and Adriano adding the others. Edin Dzeko would ruin the clean sheet with a goal for Roma in stoppage time, but it was another Barcelona masterclass at Camp Nou.

Bayern Munich 4-0 Olympiacos

Continuing with the trend of dominating performances, Bayern Munich eased past Olympiacos 4-0 to clinch a spot in the knockout round. Bayern scored early and often, going three goals ahead in the opening 20 minutes through Douglas Costa, Robert Lewanowski and Thomas Muller. Despite going down to ten-men in the second half after Holger Badstuber was sent off, Bayern continued to dominate as the young Kingsley Coman scored the fourth and final goal.

Arsenal 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb

Arsenal is clinging on to hope of advancing out of Group F with a 3-0 win at home over Dinamo Zagreb. Mesut Ozil opened the scoring and Alexis Sanchez added two more as the Gunners now head into the final match day in need of a win over Olympiacos.

Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-4 Chelsea

Chelsea got a big win away from home in Group G, beating a ten-man Maccabi side 4-0. Willian scored another free kick for the Blues, as the Brazilian has now scored from a set piece in four of Chelsea’s five Champions League matches. Tied with Porto atop the group, Chelsea needs just one point from their final match to advance.

Elsewhere in the Champions League

Group E

BATE Borisov 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen

Group G

Porto 0-2 Dynamo Kyiv

Group H

Zenit St. Petersburg 2-0 Valencia (Zenit clinch top spot)

Lyon 1-2 Gent (Lyon eliminated)

How can Chelsea qualify for last 16 of Champions League?

By Kyle Lynch

HAIFA, ISRAEL - NOVEMBER 24: Willian of Chelsea celebrates scoring his teams second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group G match between Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC and Chelsea FC at Sammy Ofer Stadium on November 24, 2015 in Haifa, Israel.  (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
(Photo/Getty Images)

With one match left in UEFA Champions League group play, Chelsea control their own destiny.

After beating Maccabi Tel-Aviv 4-0, the Blues sit tied with FC Porto on ten points at the top of Group G.

However, with Dynamo Kyiv earning a big win over Porto on Tuesday, Chelsea must wait until the final match day to qualify for the knockout round, as there is a possibility of a three-way tie for the top spot in Group G.

With Chelsea hosting Porto on December 9, here are the scenarios for Jose Mourinho’s men to assure advancement.
  • A win over Porto will clinch Chelsea the top spot and a place in the last 16.
  • A draw against Porto will see Chelsea advance.
    • Chelsea draw/Dynamo win: Chelsea win group, Dynamo finish second
    • Chelsea draw/Dynamo draw or loss: Porto win group, Chelsea finish second
  • A loss to Porto and a Dynamo Kyiv draw/loss to Maccabi Tel-Aviv will see Chelsea finish second in the group and advance to the last 16.
  • The Blues have secured at least a berth in the Europa League, regardless of the result in their final match.
Simply put, get a point at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea advance.


NCAAFB: Oklahoma, Iowa jump into Top 4 of CFP rankings.

By Sam Cooper

After a weekend where three undefeated teams suffered their first loss, the College Football Playoff rankings saw a bit of a shake up.

Clemson and Alabama remained in the top two spots, but previously unbeaten teams Ohio State (No. 3 last week) and Oklahoma State (No. 6 last week) dropped from to No. 8 and No. 11 respectively.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma and Iowa made the leaps into the vaunted Top 4. The Sooners jumped up four spots to No. 3 after knocking off TCU to improve to 10-1 while the Hawkeyes (11-0) moved up one spot to No. 4 by staying undefeated with a win over Purdue.

Coming off its upset over Ohio State, Michigan State (10-1) moved up four spots from No. 9 to No. 5 while Notre Dame (10-1) dropped out of the Top 4 and to No. 6 after an underwhelming performance in a win over Boston College.

The rest of the Top 10 was rounded out by Baylor (9-1) at No. 7, Stanford (9-2) at No. 9 and Michigan (9-2) at No. 10.

While it's certainly getting late in the season, there are still plenty of impactful games left on the slate that could lead to significant movement in the rankings. Oklahoma has a road test at Oklahoma State while Notre Dame can jump back into the mix by beating Stanford on the road. Other games to watch include Baylor-TCU and Ohio State-Michigan.

If Iowa (at Nebraska) and Michigan State (vs. Penn State) take care of business this weekend, their Big Ten Championship showdown could decide who stays in the Top 4 and who drops out.

Other notable movement in the Top 25 included SEC East champion Florida’s descent from No. 8 to No. 12 after barely edging lowly Florida Atlantic in overtime. Additionally, North Carolina jumped up to No. 14 after clinching the ACC Coastal and Northwestern (No. 16), Oregon (No. 17) and Ole Miss (No. 18) each jumped into the Top 20.

Washington State, Mississippi State, UCLA, Toledo and Temple all jumped back into the Top 25 – Washington State for the first time this season – while previously unbeaten Houston dropped out altogether following a loss at UConn after a No. 19 ranking last week.

Among Group of Five schools, Navy, up a spot to No. 15, remains the favorite to find a spot in a New Year’s bowl game.

Here is the full Top 25:

Oklahoma, Iowa jump into Top 4 of CFP rankings

Iowa-Nebraska Preview.

By LUKE MEREDITH


From the moment Nebraska joined the Big Ten, the league tried to make Iowa its biggest rival.

The Hawkeyes and Huskers have found plenty of reasons to dislike each other and the week leading up to Friday's game in Lincoln hasn't been any different.

''Some of the things that are coming out of their camp toward us aren't necessarily the nicest things, and we're just going to go out there and do our job,'' Iowa wide receiver Matt VandeBerg said.

VandeBerg didn't specify what he heard. But his comments are indicative of just how heated the series between these border-state rivals has become in recent years.

This year's game is a bit of a swap as the Huskers (5-6, 3-4 Big Ten) attempt to spoil No. 3 Iowa's (11-0, 7-0) playoff hopes after years dominating an on-and-off series.

''The chore has been for us to get involved,'' said Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, whose team jumped from fifth to fourth in this week's playoff rankings. ''Our job is to be able to play with those guys, to go out and compete with them. They recruit well, they've had great teams in the past.''

In 2011, the Big Ten stuck Nebraska in the same division with Iowa and scheduled their annual matchup on Black Friday to ensure that the game would get as much exposure as possible. The schools got in on the fun, naming the matchup the ''Heroes Game'' and dedicating a trophy for the winner before a snap was ever taken.

But most of the rivalry's growth in recent years has been purely organic.

The Hawkeyes, in the midst of a long losing streak, played inspired football in front of a sold out Kinnick Stadium but still lost 13-7 in 2012 in miserably cold weather that added some mystique to the event.

It could be argued that Iowa-Nebraska became a real rivalry two years ago. The visiting Hawkeyes hammered Nebraska 38-17, prompting then-coach Bo Pelini to famously quip ''If they want to fire me, go ahead!'' in his post-game press conference.

Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eichorst kept Pelini for another year. But it was Eichorst who brought the rivalry to another level last year.

The Huskers rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat Iowa 37-34 in overtime, giving Nebraska its ninth win in what seemed like a reprieve for Pelini. It wasn't, as Pelini was fired soon after the game.

Asked why beating the Hawkeyes couldn't save Pelini, Eichorst said that ''in the final analysis...I had to evaluate where Iowa was.''

That loss resonated deeply with Ferentz, who made major changes to his program in the offseason. What ensued was one of the unlikeliest unbeaten runs by any school in years, leaving Iowa one win shy of its first 12-0 regular season.

''They'll definitely remember that from last year and take that into this week,'' Nebraska wide receiver Jordan Westerkamp said. ''Whenever you have a tough loss like that, especially to end your season ... that's something you take to the offseason and you prepare like crazy and just remember, 'Hey, that happened. We don't want that to happen again.'''

Nebraska coach Mike Riley, the newest face in this rivalry, has had a tough first season in Lincoln. But a win over the Hawkeyes would send the Huskers to a bowl game, take some heat off Riley and give the program momentum heading into 2016. Oh, it would probably ruin Iowa's national title hopes.

''You have to have some inherent pride in being a competitor,'' Riley said. ''You've got to love that as a coach and as a player, to be able to take advantage of an opportunity to beat a well-respected team.''

Alabama-Auburn Preview.

AP - Sports


Linebacker Reggie Ragland says this Alabama team is different.

The second-ranked Crimson Tide are in a similar position now as the last two seasons, which ended short of the national title after rare defensive lapses. Alabama once again enters Saturday's game against rival Auburn able to secure a spot in the SEC championship game with a victory.

The past two years, the team and the defense have stumbled at the ending. This time the Crimson Tide (10-1, 6-1) ride an eight-game winning streak into the Iron Bowl and at No. 2 in this week's playoff rankings.

''It's one of the best feelings I've had in a long time about a team, since my freshman year,'' said Ragland, a Butkus Award finalist. ''These guys, everybody's just communicating. Every time you walk into the locker room, you just feel at home and at peace. (There's) no animosity, anything like that. I just feel great about this team, man.

''If everybody keeps doing their job, we'll be where we want to be at the end of the year.''

Two years ago, the Tide finished with losses to Auburn and to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl while giving up a combined 79 points. Last season Alabama allowed 44 points and 630 yards in a win over Auburn and fell 42-35 to eventual national champion Ohio State in the semifinals with a win over Missouri for the SEC title in between.

Alabama has been rolling since a loss to then-No. 15 Mississippi, getting challenged only once against Tennessee.

The Tide are hoping to more closely resemble the 2012 finish in Ragland's freshman season. That group won the program's second national title in a row and third in four years.

''This team is way more focused than we were in 2013 when we were heading down there (to Auburn), and even last year at this point,'' cornerback Cyrus Jones said. ''I think it's a much more tight-knit locker room. Everybody has the same goals. No big egos on the team. Everybody is just focused on trying to complete our mission which is to be in the national championship and win it at the end of the year.

''I think we're doing a good job so far, but obviously the job is not done yet.''

The Tide have cleaned up their act, too. Alabama has lost four turnovers in the past five games after coughing it up five times against the Rebels. The Tide have also committed just six penalties over the past two games after drawing nine flags against LSU.

''We were on the wrong track for a while,'' center Ryan Kelly said. ''We were kind of increasing penalties week in, week out. Coach (Nick) Saban came into the offensive room one day and was like 'This is a big problem.' He kept adding up all the yards that we keep losing just based on shooting ourselves in the foot, penalties like offsides, wrong formations and it's stuff we do in practice.''

Saban said backup tailback Kenyan Drake is returning to practice for individual drills after missing last Saturday's 56-6 win over Charleston Southern with a broken arm.

Auburn (6-5, 2-5) beat Idaho 56-34 last week to become bowl eligible. The Tigers were outgained 479-460 and are two-touchdown underdogs against the Tide.

Coach Gus Malzahn says Alabama's likely the most talented team in the country, has the nation's best defensive front seven and one of the top running backs.

Without question, all that adds up to an enormous challenge for the Tigers.

The upside? A chance to ease a bitterly disappointing season with a big upset against Auburn's chief rival and improve middling bowl prospects.

''It's football and you're not going to win them all,'' offensive tackle Avery Young said. ''It's just understanding that anything can happen in any game. We understand how the season went and how certain games went. We play our hardest and do what we've got to do and it will play itself out.''

Malzahn said he hasn't decided whether to start quarterback Jeremy Johnson or Sean White, who's been nursing a left knee injury in recent weeks.

That's far from the only challenge confronting Auburn.

Running backs Peyton Barber and Jovon Robinson face the nation's No. 2 run defense. The passing game hasn't shown signs of being explosive enough to take the pressure off the ground game, with a receiving group that Jones dismissed as ''nothing special.''

They'll face a deep front group where Malzahn doesn't think there's a huge drop off from starters to backups.

''They put their 2s in and they're like most people's 1s, or maybe even better,'' he said.

It doesn't help that left tackle Shon Coleman and center Austin Golson sat out the Idaho game with injuries. Malzahn didn't rule out either of them playing.

On the other side, an Auburn defense that ranks 11th in the league against the run faces Derrick Henry, a Heisman Trophy candidate who has rushed for 21 touchdowns. Only Arkansas has given up more than the 23 rushing TDs Auburn has allowed.

Auburn's defensive low point came against another big, physical Heisman hopeful. The Tigers were gashed for 228 yards and three touchdowns by LSU star Leonard Fournette with infamous images of defenders shying from or bouncing off him making the rounds of social media.

''He gets to the second level and he's a finisher,'' Malzahn said of Henry. ''He's not going down real easy when he gets to the second level. He's one of the best in the country, there's no doubt.''

Linebacker Kris Frost thinks the defense is better now than it was when the Tigers played LSU. He doesn't think Auburn's underdog status or the high-stakes pressure on Alabama will matter much once the game starts.

''When you're between those white lines, that's what's real,'' Frost said. ''That's all I really think about when I think about this game. I just think about two teams going up against each other, and they're a great team and we're going to have to play a really good game to beat them.''

NCAABKB: Kentucky is No. 1 in men's AP poll after Tar Heels loss.

By GARY B. GRAVES

Kentucky is No. 1 in men's AP poll after Tar Heels loss
Kentucky's Jamal Murray, right, shoots next to Wright State's Mark Alstork during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Nov. 20, 2015, in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky won 78-63. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

Kentucky is back in a very familiar spot - on top of The Associated Press college basketball poll.

It only took a couple of weeks.

The Wildcats, who were No. 1 every week last season, moved up one spot Monday following North Carolina's loss to Northern Iowa. Kentucky (4-0) beat then-No. 5 Duke in the Champions Classic last week and received 59 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel.

Though the ranking speaks volumes about the early success of Kentucky's latest talented freshman class, junior forward Marcus Lee said the team still has a lot to learn about themselves. Coach John Calipari even criticized his team for uneven play after Friday's 78-63 win over Wright State.

The Wildcats can't afford many more shaky efforts now that the target is on their backs - again.

''We know we're not where we're meant to be right now,'' Lee said. ''We have a really far way to go to be the best team in the country.''

And as Kentucky assistant coach John Robic noted, the goal remains being on top in April. Not that this Wildcats squad will dismiss any recognition after replacing seven players that entered the NBA draft.

''It's kind of a neat thing to be honest with you, for each team that we've had here to have a grasp of it (No. 1),'' Robic said. ''But knowing it's November, it doesn't mean a whole lot. I'm proud of it and I think our team will be proud of it. ... It's what you shoot for.''

Maryland (3-0) moved up one spot to second and received the other six first-place votes.

Michigan State, which beat then-No. 4 Kansas in the Champions Classic, jumped from 13th to third. The Spartans were followed in the top 10 by Iowa State, Kansas, Duke, Oklahoma, Villanova, North Carolina and Gonzaga.

Miami entered the poll at No. 15 after wins over Utah and Butler in taking the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The other four newcomers are No. 23 Xavier, No. 24 Cincinnati and co-No. 25 Texas A&M and SMU. Utah, Baylor, Butler and Michigan dropped out.

Northwestern holds off Missouri 67-62 in CBE Classic.

By DAVE SKRETTA

Chris Collins watched helplessly from the sideline as Northwestern blew most of a 20-point first-half lead against Missouri in the consolation game of the CBE Classic.

His first two years in charge, Collins would have ultimately been watching a loss.

On Tuesday night, his guys proved just how far they'd come.

Tre Demps and Bryant McIntosh scored 13 points apiece, and Northwestern held on through foul trouble and a tense closing stretch for a 67-62 victory over the Tigers.

''I thought the first half was fantastic, the way we executed, the defense. Then we just had to hold on for dear life,'' Collins said. ''This is a game in the last couple of years we would have lost. There's no question in my mind.''

The Wildcats (4-1), who lost to ninth-ranked North Carolina in the semifinals, did not make a field goal for the final 5 minutes, 41 seconds as the Tigers made one final run.

Kevin Puryear's basket with 1:43 left got Missouri (2-3) within 65-59, and Scottie Lindsey's miss at the other end and two free throws by Wes Clark made things interesting. But after a Demps turnover, Puryear could only make the second of two free throws with 33.8 seconds left.

Demps made one of two at the other end to give Northwestern a 66-62 advantage, and Clark's 3-point try rattled out moments later, allowing the Wildcats to escape with the win.

''We knew we had to bring our own energy. We knew there weren't going to be many fans in the stands,'' said the Wildcats' Sanjay Lumpkin. ''I mean, they made a lot of shots. They made their run and we were just fortunate to make big plays at the end of the game.''

Terrance Phillips had 16 points to lead Missouri. Puryear finished with 14.

''We got off to a bad start, put ourselves in a hole,'' Tigers coach Kim Anderson said. ''But I was really encouraged by the way we fought back in the second half.''

The Wildcats threatened to turn the game into a rout in the first half, knocking down just about every shot they took from the perimeter. By the time Lumpkin rattled in his 3-pointer with 7:45 remaining in the half, Northwestern had built a 31-11 advantage.

The Tigers' eventual comeback came in bits and pieces.

Puryear got things started with back-to-back baskets, and Ryan Rosburg contributed a couple of nice plays in the paint. Slowly, the Wildcats' lead began to erode, and four straight foul shots by Namon Wright to end the first half got Missouri within 38-24.

''I think once we got going,'' Phillips said, ''a fire got lit under us.''

The Tigers kept coming out of the break, too. Phillips started to score in transition, the rest of the Tigers began getting to the basket for easy looks, and the lead was finally cut to 61-57 with 3:51 to go - the closest the game had been since the opening minutes.

But while the Wildcats went cold from the field, they managed to create enough offense to get to the free-throw line, where they were able to eventually put the game away.

''I was really proud of having the composure, having the poise on both ends to do what it takes to win,'' Collins said. ''It's not going to be pretty every time. You'd love for it to all come together and go right. We had a great first half. The second half we had to fight.''

TIP-INS

Missouri: Clark finished 1 of 11 from the field. He was 2 of 9 in the semifinals. ... The Tigers only committed nine turnovers, but they shot just 5 of 18 from beyond the arc.

Northwestern: Demps scored 21 points against the Tar Heels. ... McIntosh fouled out with about 4 minutes left in the game. ... The Wildcats were 10 of 23 from beyond the arc.

STUNNED TIGERS

Anderson blamed the slow start for the Tigers' 66-42 loss to Kansas State in the semifinals on Monday night. ''I thought we went into this game with absolutely no confidence,'' he said. ''I was proud of these guys for staying with it.''

UP NEXT

Missouri starts a three-game homestand against Arkansas State on Dec. 1.

Northwestern returns home to face New Orleans on Saturday.

Referees' union rips NBA for not suspending Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer.

By

Mike Budenholzer (NBAE/Getty)
Mike Budenholzer (NBAE/Getty)

National Basketball Referee's Association general counsel Lee Seham responded angrily to the NBA's unwillingness to suspend Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer for making on-court contact with a game official.

Budenholzer was ejected for coming onto the court and brushing against referee Ben Taylor on Saturday night in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The NBA issued a $25,000 fine to Budenholzer on Monday.

Seham's public statement included an apparent shot at NBRA nemesis Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks.

"Referees operate in an environment in which an influential NBA team owner has repeatedly mocked the efficacy of fines as means to change bad behavior. Recent league precedent dictated that a coach who aggressively charged onto the floor during live action and physically interfered with a referee would be suspended.

"We are now operating at a lower level with less transparency, degraded safety and diminished respect for the game. Coaches should compete by creating better teams, not by physically intimidating officials."

The NBA termed Budenholzer's contact with the referee as "incidental" in announcing his fine.

NBA Coaches Association president Rick Carlisle, the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, responded to Seham in a released statement Tuesday morning.

"The NBA Coaches Association greatly values our working relationship with the league office and our officials," Carlisle said. "For the record, our association would NEVER lobby for the suspension of an official for a situation like this one that has been thoroughly reviewed by the NBA and clearly determined to be incidental in nature. We view the unwarranted and reckless verbal attacks by Referee Union general counsel as grandstanding in nature, and beneath the dignity of the highly regarded group whose interests he claims to represent. The best interests of our great league lie far above what appears to be an obvious cheap and misguided attempt for a blast of short-term Twitter fame."

The NBRA had cited previous examples of coaches getting suspended for contact with an official, which are believed to be Mike Brown (2012), Gregg Popovich (2003) and Tim Floyd (2001).

Budenholzer issued a statement on Monday night, saying he reached out to Taylor and apologized to him for the incident in Saturday's game. "We all understand that any contact – including incidental contact – with an official is unacceptable. I accept the NBA's fine and look forward to putting this situation in the past."

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, November 25, 2015.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1921 - The first play-by-play broadcast of a football game was aired in College Station, TX, via an amateur radio station. The game was between the University of Texas and Texas A&M in Austin.

1961 - Bob Cousy (Boston Celtics) scored his 15,000th NBA career point.

1965 - The first color broadcast of an NFL game aired on CBS. The Detroit Lions and the Baltimore Colts played to a 24-24 tie.

1976 - O.J. Simpson (Buffalo Bills) ran for 273 yards against the Detroit Lions.

1980 - Larry Holmes knocked out Marvis Frazier in the first round to retain the world heavyweight title.

2002 - Pete Rose and baseball commissioner Bud Selig met secretly to discuss Rose's lifetime ban from baseball.



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