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"Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough." ~ Og Mandino, Author
Trending: By their math, Bears should be 8-3. (See the football section for Bears updates).
Trending: Kane extends scoring streak in Blackhawks' loss to Wild. (See hockey section for Blackhawks updates).
Trending: Diana Murphy set to become second-ever female USGA president. (See golf section for update). Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! By their math, Bears should be 8-3.
By John Mullin
(Photo/chicagonow.com)
As far as more than a few Bears are concerned, only three teams have legitimately “beaten” them. But not the three most outsiders would assume.
The Seattle Seahawks. 26-0. One. The Arizona Cardinals. 48-23. Two. Green Bay Packers, three?
Nope. Players were fuming after the Week 1 loss to Green Bay, not satisfied with coming close in an eight-point loss, more angered that they had the Packers (up 13-10 at halftime, down 17-16 after three quarters) and lost a game in which they out-gained Green Bay, 402-322.
No, the third loss in which the Bears concede they were out-played was, surprisingly, the Denver Broncos. The 17-15 defeat may have been within their reach, but they were out-gained, out-schemed (Broncos tight ends caught 10 passes for 137 yards.
“Those tight end screens killed us,” Bears linebacker Pernell McPhee said, admiringly at the creative plan and techniques used). “Other than that... ,” McPhee said, shaking his head.
The Bears aren’t wallowing in the past or might’ve-been’s, but rather looking at where they are and where they’ve been all in the context of where they’re going.
One simple fact amid the aftershocks from the Bears’ 17-13 win over the Packers last Thursday is that it can be rendered just a pleasant footnote to the 2015 season if the Bears turn around and merely wobble through the final five games with a playoff shot as motivation. The Bears have fumbled chances like this before and one measure of how far the Bears have come under John Fox's staff will be what they do now.
“It's a little bit different knowing that we're coming off a big victory in a short week,” said cornerback Tracy Porter. “We've never said we're out of the playoff hunt, but we kind of put it on the back burner because we want to take things one step at a time, we don't want to look to far down the road because then we can overlook an opponent and then they come in and that's how you get beat by an inferior team.
“So we just want to take each game to heart like it's a playoff game and at the same time we never put the playoffs out of question for us.”
Bears challenge: Reverse failure pattern approaching .500.
By John Mullin
But Fox has alluded to prosperity being as difficult to handle as adversity, and both times with .500 within their grasp, the Bears failed. Both times they were coming off impressive road victories and two-game win streaks only to lose and stumble backwards.
It is not a new problem. The 2013 Bears stood 8-6 and would have reached the playoffs in Marc Trestman’s first season with a win in either of their final two games. They lost both.
Now they find themselves again at the brink of break-even, possibly more, looking longer-term. They stand at 5-6 and approaching a home game with a seemingly woeful San Francisco 49ers team – kind of like they were back more than a month ago, winning at Kansas City and preparing for a Detroit Lions team that stood 0-5, hadn’t scored more than 17 in the last four of those losses, and which then defeated the Bears in overtime.
The Bears had a second shot at .500 after road wins in San Diego and St. Louis, but then lost at home to the Denver Broncos.
“You only get 16 of these things, so obviously it was a big win, one on the road, against a division opponent, our first one, I think,” Fox said. “We kind of knew where we were. We fell behind where we wanted to be in win-loss record so it was kind of a must-win just like this week’ll be.”
Bears In-foe: Bay window to .500?
By Chris Boden
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Five starters. Less than three years.
Through injury, free agency, disciplinary issues and requirements, that's all that's left from the opening lineup the 49ers trotted out to begin Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens (who are encountering issues of their own).
That doesn't even account for the coaching staff. Jim Harbaugh's shelf life ran out with management and many players. Rather than bring in a fresh face like Adam Gase or elevate their impactful defensive coordinator Vic Fangio (whom Harbaugh brought with him from Stanford), they went with the solid, dutiful, yet non-charismatic eight-year defensive line coach, Jim Tomsula, who seemed in over his head from the opening press conference. As the Bears take their second swing in three weeks at getting back to .500 at Soldier Field, they get a squad that's gone 0-5 on the road, but has a win versus Atlanta and two gritty losses to Seattle and Arizona the past two weeks.
Offense
San Francisco was one of the pit stops on the Gase Head Coach Interview Tour, but as ex-play-caller Greg Roman departed for Buffalo, Tomsula was promoted from within.
Geep Chryst, the former director of research and quality control with the Bears under Mike Ditka and Dave Wannstedt (via UW-Platteville) got his first NFL O.C. gig since 2000 (for the 1-15 San Diego Chargers) with the Niners this year. Previously the quarterbacks coach that couldn't raise Colin Kaepernick's game, Chryst's unit ranks last in points per game and total offense and 30th in passing. But since Kaepernick's season-ending torn labrum a couple of weeks ago, Blaine Gabbert's been better than the former franchise QB. The ex-10th overall pick who washed out in Jacksonville has completed 65 percent of his passes with a 91 rating. He tossed for over 300 yards in Sunday's 19-13 loss to the Cardinals.
Both of Gabbert's touchdown passes in the two losses he's started have gone to tight end Vance McDonald, who has 10 receptions for 136 yards in those games after escaping the shadow of the traded Vernon Davis. Garrett Celek was also being utilized until his ankle injury Sunday, but their third tight end, former Oklahoma quarterback Blake Bell, slid in to grab three passes for 67 yards.
Outside of that group, Gabbert's been targeting brief 2014 Bear Shaun Draughn and Canton contender Anquan Boldin. Draughn's caught 17 passes and run for 146 yards (3.4 ypc) after Carlos Hyde (stress foot fracture), Reggie Bush (knee, IR) and Mike Davis (hand) hit the trainer's room. The 35-year-old Boldin (44-558, two TD's) continues carrying the wide receiver load. Gabbert found him eight times for 93 yards against the Cards, moving him into 13th on the all-time receptions list (past Randy Moss) and within 125 yards of Steve Largent for 17th on the NFL's career receiving yards list.
Letting road-grater guard Mike Iupati depart in free agency (to division-rival Arizona) and the apparently temporary retirement of tackle Anthony Davis has weakened the offense's front. Four-time Pro Bowl tackle Joe Staley and guard Alex Boone (two of the five Super Bowl starters referenced above) remain, but center-to-right tackle has experienced either growing pains or mediocrity. The Niners have allowed 32 sacks (seventh-most in the league).
Defense
Justin Smith. Aldon Smith. Patrick Willis. Chris Borland. Chris Culliver. Perish Cox. Oh, and Ray McDonald. Those were seven key pieces Fangio had to play with that are now gone, part of a unit that had Top 5 finishes during his four years there with Harbaugh. They come to town ranked 29th in total defense, but had to be doing something good to hold Arizona to just two touchdowns Sunday.
This past offseason marked the second straight year the Niners lost both starting cornerbacks in free agency. Tramaine Brock dropped an easy end zone interception Sunday that would've been his fourth. Opposite corner Kenneth Acker also has three, but was benched for a while versus Arizona. Veteran safety Antoine Bethea is done for the season due to injury, but former Northern Illinois star Jimmie Ward remains the nickel back with the solid Eric Reid remaining a fixture at strong safety while second-round rookie Jaquiski Tartt has moved in for Bethea.
NoVorro Bowman is as good as ever and a Comeback Player of the Year candidate following his gruesome knee injury two Januarys ago in the NFC title game. His 105 tackles ranks second in the league, while Ahmad Brooks has four sacks and 92 tackles while stepping outside the shadows of his role in the McDonald sexual assault fiasco. And while Willis and Borland retired, the linebacking corps has rebounded courtesy of 2014 fifth rounder Aaron Lynch (6'6, 270) who has 6.5 sacks in following up his six as a rookie. And Michael Wilhoite, an undrafted free agent five years ago from the Division II Washburn Ichabods, is just outside the NFL's Top 10 in tackles.
There's opportunity for the Bears' ground game to get untracked because new coordinator Eric Mangini's front no longer has Justin Smith, or McDonald and now Glenn Dorsey, who tore his ACL on the openings series two weeks ago. That leaves nose tackle Ian Williams working with third-year man Quinton Dial. But highly-touted 17th overall pick Arik Armstead had only seen spot duty before Dorsey's injury.
Special teams
Bruce Ellington is the kickoff and punt returner on units that rank 20th and 17th, respectively. 40-year-old Phil Dawson is still kicking younger than his age, hitting all 18 field goal attempts since his first of the season was blocked. The Niners invested a fifth-round pick in punter Bradley Pinion, but he and his coverage unit rank just 25th in gross average, 20th in net after trading three-time Pro Bowler Andy Lee.
Justin Smith. Aldon Smith. Patrick Willis. Chris Borland. Chris Culliver. Perish Cox. Oh, and Ray McDonald. Those were seven key pieces Fangio had to play with that are now gone, part of a unit that had Top 5 finishes during his four years there with Harbaugh. They come to town ranked 29th in total defense, but had to be doing something good to hold Arizona to just two touchdowns Sunday.
This past offseason marked the second straight year the Niners lost both starting cornerbacks in free agency. Tramaine Brock dropped an easy end zone interception Sunday that would've been his fourth. Opposite corner Kenneth Acker also has three, but was benched for a while versus Arizona. Veteran safety Antoine Bethea is done for the season due to injury, but former Northern Illinois star Jimmie Ward remains the nickel back with the solid Eric Reid remaining a fixture at strong safety while second-round rookie Jaquiski Tartt has moved in for Bethea.
NoVorro Bowman is as good as ever and a Comeback Player of the Year candidate following his gruesome knee injury two Januarys ago in the NFC title game. His 105 tackles ranks second in the league, while Ahmad Brooks has four sacks and 92 tackles while stepping outside the shadows of his role in the McDonald sexual assault fiasco. And while Willis and Borland retired, the linebacking corps has rebounded courtesy of 2014 fifth rounder Aaron Lynch (6'6, 270) who has 6.5 sacks in following up his six as a rookie. And Michael Wilhoite, an undrafted free agent five years ago from the Division II Washburn Ichabods, is just outside the NFL's Top 10 in tackles.
There's opportunity for the Bears' ground game to get untracked because new coordinator Eric Mangini's front no longer has Justin Smith, or McDonald and now Glenn Dorsey, who tore his ACL on the openings series two weeks ago. That leaves nose tackle Ian Williams working with third-year man Quinton Dial. But highly-touted 17th overall pick Arik Armstead had only seen spot duty before Dorsey's injury.
Special teams
Bruce Ellington is the kickoff and punt returner on units that rank 20th and 17th, respectively. 40-year-old Phil Dawson is still kicking younger than his age, hitting all 18 field goal attempts since his first of the season was blocked. The Niners invested a fifth-round pick in punter Bradley Pinion, but he and his coverage unit rank just 25th in gross average, 20th in net after trading three-time Pro Bowler Andy Lee.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks waste chance to beat struggling division foe.
By Chris Hine
The calendar has only turned to December and there's a whole winter to get through before the fog begins to clear around the NHL's playoff picture.
But nights like Tuesday, when the Hawks were facing a Central Division opponent — especially one struggling as mightily as the Wild were before — mean a little more than a random Eastern Conference team paying its lone visit to the United Center.
With six teams jockeying for a potential five playoff positions in the Central, the chance to get two points while sticking a division opponent with zero matters just as much now as it will in March or April.
But despite Patrick Kane extending his point streak to 20 games, the Hawks relinquished a prime chance to make a little headway in the division, falling 2-1 to the Wild on Tuesday, their first game back home after their six-game circus trip.
Wild defenseman Ryan Suter scored the winning goal at 12 minutes, 4 seconds of the third period, stuffing in a rebound after a breakaway from Mikael Granlund.
The Hawks know how tough a loss like Tuesday's can be. They are more than aware of their position in the standings.
"It's ultra-important," Hawks defenseman Trevor Daley said before the game.
"Especially when you look at our division, it's bogged up there and you're before Christmas and you're already looking at where you're at (in the standings). (The Wild) are a team we're ahead of and we have to stay ahead of."
But the Hawks gave up ground Tuesday. The Wild are now one point behind the Hawks at 28 points and have played one fewer game.
A familiar problem crept back into the United Center for the Hawks this season — lack of production from any Hawks not named Kane, Artemi Panarin or Artem Anisimov.
The Hawks peppered Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk with 31 shots but came away with just one goal. Coach Joel Quenneville said the Hawks are not generating as much offensive zone time as he would like, despite the 31 shots Tuesday.
"We got more chances than we generally do against that team," Quenneville said. "But at the same time, you look back, last three games, we're back to where we were when we began that stretch … when we weren't very productive."
When the Hawks finish the season, they don't much care where they are seeded in the playoffs, just that they are in them. The last few years, the Hawks have been content to not push too hard during the regular season in order to be fresh for the playoffs, even if it means sacrificing a division title or home-ice advantage.
But this season, perhaps more than any other in recent memory, is shaping up to be a slog just to get into the postseason.
Just look at the Wild, who stumbled down the standings after losing six of seven before Tuesday. The Hawks, despite their inconsistent play and injuries, have avoided such prolonged stretches of futility.
But the Blackhawks played for stretches Tuesday as if their legs were still on the West Coast.
"We hadn't played well and hadn't played consistent in a long time," Suter said. "And now we finally put a game together. It's something that we can build on."
The Blackhawks missed their chance to wreck the foundation.
Patrick Kane named NHL's No. 1 star for November.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/twitter.com)
Patrick Kane, who’s currently on a 19-game point streak, was named the NHL’s No. 1 star for November.
Kane led the league with 15 assists and 23 points; he recorded at least one point in all 13 of the Blackhawks’ November games. His point streak is the second-best in franchise history; Bobby Hull went on a 21-game point streak from Dec. 1971-Jan. 1972.
The second line overall of Kane, Artemi Panarin and Artem Anisimov has been stellar but Kane has been tremendous. Kane has had a few good scoring streaks in his past, but is this his best stretch ever?
“If you’re going off the stats I guess so, yeah,” Kane said. “I’ve had some good runs in my career, it seems like. I think a couple years ago (2013) I had a 14-game streak and then missed a game then went on another 12-game streak. Then me, [Brad Richards] and [Kris] Versteeg had some great times last year — for a couple months there I thought we were rolling pretty good. It’s fun when you’re rolling good and you want to keep it going. We’ve had fun together playing with that line with two Russians. Just looking to keep improving, getting better every day.”
The Blackhawks have been looking for some consistency throughout this season. Kane has had plenty.
“Happy for him,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “He’s been terrific; he’s one of the reasons why we had an effective trip. Game in and game out, you know there’s something coming. He energizes our team right now. That line, they’ve all been complimenting each other and it’s been our go-to group. It’s been effective in a lot of ways, helps some of the consistency in our game. At least there’s consistent production in that area but the overall game, I think, was much better in this last road trip. But that last staple’s been in place and Kane’s been amazing.”
How to vote for Blackhawks into 2016 NHL All-Star Game.
By C. Roumeliotis
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The ballots for the 2016 NHL All-Star Game have officially opened.
The NHL and NHLPA implemented a new format for this year's All-Star Game, which will be a 3-on-3 tournament of three 20-minute games, featuring four teams of 11 stars representing each division (Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central and Pacific). The winning team takes home $1 million.
Fans are allowed to vote up to 10 times a day — as few as one player or as many as four — for one player from each division, and the top vote-getter will be named the captain for their respective division.
The remaining 40 All-Stars will be named by the NHL Hockey Operations Department.
The event will take place on Sunday, Jan. 31 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, home of the Predators. Puck drop is at 4 p.m. CT on NBCSN.
To submit your ballot, click here. Voting ends on Jan. 1.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Denver Nuggets-Chicago Bulls Preview.
By MATT BECKER
(Photo/espn.go.com)
Just over a month into the season, the Chicago Bulls' offense still hasn't taken off in Fred Hoiberg's up-tempo system.
They're still well ahead of the Denver Nuggets.
Coming off a scrappy win over one of the league's best teams, the Bulls look to send the scuffling Nuggets to an eighth straight loss Wednesday night at the United Center.
Chicago (10-5) has the Eastern Conference's third-best record but the success hasn't been a product of Hoiberg's touted fast-paced offense. The Bulls are averaging 98.9 points, 1.9 less than last season when they ranked 15th under the defensive-oriented Tom Thibodeau.
They channeled their old defensive mindset late Monday against San Antonio, getting blocks from Pau Gasol and Derrick Rose in the final 66 seconds to hang on for a 92-89 win.
''It was one of those nights where everybody that stepped out on the floor not only contributed but contributed in a big way,'' Hoiberg said.
The contributions were much greater on the defensive end, however, as the offense again failed to find any rhythm. The Bulls didn't make a field goal in the final 6:31, missing four attempts and committing three turnovers, and leading scorer Jimmy Butler finished with as many field goals (five) as turnovers.
Chicago has scored 94 or fewer in each of its last four games while shooting 38.9 percent.
The contributions were much greater on the defensive end, however, as the offense again failed to find any rhythm. The Bulls didn't make a field goal in the final 6:31, missing four attempts and committing three turnovers, and leading scorer Jimmy Butler finished with as many field goals (five) as turnovers.
Chicago has scored 94 or fewer in each of its last four games while shooting 38.9 percent.
In the last two, Butler has totaled 30 points and nine turnovers while Rose has 21 points on 27.3 percent shooting. Gasol is shooting 30.6 percent in the last three.
The Nuggets (6-12) have been an even bigger mess offensively, recording 80, 81 and 74 points in the last three games.
They had their lowest point total of the season in Monday's 92-74 loss to Milwaukee, turning the ball over a season-high 24 turnovers while getting outscored 52-36 in the paint.
''We've got to find a way to wake up and win some games because we definitely cannot keep doing what we're doing and playing the way we play,'' said leading scorer Danilo Gallinari, who is shooting 28.6 percent during the losing streak. ''We've got to want to win the game. We've got to put more effort.''
Stepping up in the second half would go a long way to help Denver avoid its first eight-game skid since Dec. 17, 2013-Jan. 1, 2014.
The Nuggets were down by two to the Bucks at halftime before being outscored 46-30 after the break. During its losing streak, Denver is averaging 51.7 points and 40.4 percent 3-point shooting in the first half and 39.6 points and 23.3 percent shooting on 3s in the second.
''We're one of the poorer shooting teams in the NBA, one of the poorer finishing teams in the NBA,'' coach Michael Malone said.
The Nuggets are also one of the worst road teams in the league. They were 2-6 away from Denver in November, with their wins coming against New Orleans and the Los Angeles Lakers - the only teams they're ahead of in the West.
They've lost two straight in Chicago and have one win in their last 13 games at East arenas.
Denver split last season's two games with the Bulls, with Butler totaling 58 points and 17 rebounds.
Denver split last season's two games with the Bulls, with Butler totaling 58 points and 17 rebounds.
Bulls shut down Spurs at buzzer to seal victory. (Monday night's game. 11/30/2015).
By Vincent Goodwill
Getting up for the big games has rarely been a problem for this bunch of Bulls in recent memory, and with the formidable and decorated San Antonio Spurs coming to town, there was very little doubt the effort would be as present as the sold-out crowd.
The execution was the question, and even though they didn’t score a basket in the last half of the fourth quarter, the defense of their headliners closed out the 92-89 win at the United Center.
Jimmy Butler forced a miss from Kawhi Leonard with seconds remaining, then Derrick Rose got just enough of his hands on Tony Parker’s corner triple after Tim Duncan recovered the ball, sealing the win.
“I thought Jimmy defended great,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He made Kawhi take a very difficult shot. We knew their offense would try to bat it out. Derrick made a key play and he had the corner.”
Rose had a spurt late in the second quarter but shot five for 17 while Butler scored 14 on just nine shots, not looking very aggressive offensively as Leonard, his counterpart, scored 25 with eight rebounds in 40 minutes.
But the Bulls relied on their defense late, including Pau Gasol, who had a block on LaMarcus Aldridge late when the Spurs could’ve taken a lead. Aldridge had his way with the Bulls with 21 and 12 rebounds but couldn’t find much traction late, much like both sides in terms of effectiveness on that end.
The Spurs went one of seven from the field in the last four minutes themselves, shooting 29 percent in the fourth.
“To hold that team to 16 fourth quarter points was a great effort,” Hoiberg said. “They’re obviously a great team with great firepower.”
Gasol had 18 with 13 rebounds but missed 12 of his 18 shots, helping contribute to the offensive lethargy to finish.
“Everyone contributed tonight in a positive way. This was one of the hottest and biggest teams in the league,” Gasol said. “It was a great test for us tonight and a good chance to bounce back after such a tough loss.”
It was the bench that brought the power, turning a 73-70 deficit to start the fourth to an 81-75 lead within three minutes. Joakim Noah turned back the clock, Tony Snell awakened to hit more jump shots than he’s hit in the last month and Taj Gibson followed up a Doug McDermott missed layup with a dunk while the Spurs stood flat-footed.
Noah had one of those bounce-back games, looking light on his feet and even blowing by David West for a layup then doing the same to Duncan a couple plays later, on the way to an eight-point, 11-rebound, seven-assist evening.
“He’s confident when he’s making moves and taking shots he knows he can make,” said Butler of Noah. “He gets everybody riled up and hype. To have him making plays is big.”
He helped the Bulls to a 32-point second quarter after the first was played at the Spurs’ pace, and it looked like their defense would lock up the Bulls for 48 minutes, holding them to 17 points on 38 percent shooting.
But they put together an efficient showing before halftime, started by the likes of McDermott and Noah with his passing and finished off by Rose, who hit three straight baskets before the half, going head-up with Parker, to energize the United Center and propelling the Bulls to a 49-48 lead.
Snell and McDermott, on the day the Bulls announced Mike Dunleavy suffered a setback with his recovery from back injury, combined to score just as much as Rose and Butler (23 points to 25).
It was played in close quarters, as the Bulls never led by more than six and the Spurs never had anything greater than a nine-point advantage, with Aldridge scoring big early and Leonard doing the damage later, as he had multiple plays called for him down the stretch, making Butler use most if not all of his energy on that end of the floor.
Midway through the fourth, the Spurs never found themselves away from arm’s reach after the Bulls’ emotional rush, trailing by one and taking the lead on a Tony Parker jumper with a little over four minutes remaining.
Regrouping by way of making their free throws down the stretch, the Bulls started a stretch of nine of 10 games at home with a win they needed in the worst way, against the best possible opponent this side of Oakland, California.
Bulls: Joakim Noah, Fred Hoiberg in delicate positions.
By Vincent Goodwill
Joakim Noah is in a difficult, if not impossible spot this season.
Dealing with a new role, coming off the bench under new coach Fred Hoiberg, all while dealing with his looming free agency and wanting to place himself in the best position for next season and beyond.
He clearly feels like he can do more on the floor, as playing around 20 minutes a game isn’t sitting well with him. But he’s not going to rock the boat. Noah hasn’t before and he won’t do it now that his circumstances have changed.
“I don’t talk contract and I don’t talk future,” he said, parroting a reporter’s query about blocking the concern out about the future and focusing on his role at Bulls practice on Tuesday.
“How do you? Right now I don’t have a choice, I’m just focused on my improvement, it’s all I can do right now. I think the team’s in the right place," he added. "I’ve always been a team player. I’m not gonna change now.”
And part of being a team-first player is the acknowledgement that he’ll have to split time with a veteran like Pau Gasol, a dependable rebounder and defender like Taj Gibson and someone who the organization is invested in, forward Nikola Mirotic.
Hoiberg rattled off all of Noah’s accomplishments, things Noah has done under previous regimes when he was a much younger player and the team structure was quite different.
And dealing with having an emotional player who holds so much sway in the locker room, coming in and having to diminish his role in such a critical year personally for Noah, is arguably his hardest task in his maiden voyage as an NBA coach.
“We’ve talked about this all along: The biggest issue with us as coaches is going to be our rotations,” Hoiberg said. “It’s not easy because we’ve got a lot of guys who can be effective out there on the floor. You just try to do the best job you can of trying to get the right combinations out there.”
Noah won’t give Hoiberg a bailout on anything, although he’s being as respectful as possible. He recoiled at the thought that playing 20 minutes a night can save his body for a playoff run, a school of thought former coach Tom Thibodeau had no interest in theoretically.
“No. I feel great,” Noah said. “Feel like I’m moving well and I feel healthy.”
He was moving quite well Monday against the San Antonio Spurs, and one could make the case he was the most impactful player on the floor wearing white, which of course begs the question of how Hoiberg should handle this delicate situation.
“He’s our emotional leader,” Hoiberg said. “He’s bringing great energy night in and night out. Doesn’t matter what the circumstances are, whether he’s on the bench cheering for his teammates or on the floor making big plays. But it was fun to see Jo go off like he did.”
It almost feels like Noah’s special nights are a microcosm of this Bulls’ team as a whole. Both, when actively engaged and emotional, can beat virtually any team in a given night except for Golden State, but predicting which team or which Noah will show up is a bit of a task.
Hoiberg’s changing of Noah’s role assuredly came with the blessing of the front office, and it’s a big part of his philosophy of keeping the floor spread. Before seeing Noah play this season, the idea was in his head.
“You think a lot about that when you watch the film,” Hoiberg said. “We watched all the games from last year. Watched all the different combinations, looked at the numbers for all the different combinations that were out there, and then you make the decision that you feel is best for the team and try to get your guys to go out there and buy in.”
Will Cubs make another big splash in free agency?
Within one week, the Cubs will be sequestered inside the Opryland complex in Nashville, Tennessee, trying to find the finishing pieces for a 97-win team and ultimately construct a World Series winner.
But it will be hard for Epstein to make a bigger splash than the team president created during last year’s winter meetings in San Diego, where the Cubs agreed to a six-year, $155 million deal with Jon Lester, giving the All-Star lefty and two-time World Series champion the richest contract in franchise history.
It’s shaping up to be a bidding war between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants for Zack Greinke, an industry source said, with the pitcher’s strong preference being to stay in the National League West.
The Cubs have been in the mix for David Price, sources said, but there appears to be at least some reservations about the idea of committing roughly $50 million annually to two 30-something pitchers, given the questions about the franchise’s next TV deal and short-term financial outlook.
Without getting specific about the potential player paired with Lester, Epstein said: “It would put us in a position with a lot less flexibility going forward, but a lot more talent going forward. It’s a trade-off.”
The Cubs planned to do deep dives on basically every significant pitcher on the market, a team source said, but Johnny Cueto wasn’t near the top of that list. In terms of a price range, MLB.com reported on Sunday that Cueto has already rejected a six-year, $120 million offer from the Arizona Diamondbacks, so the meter should keep running from there.
The dominos started falling on Monday with the Detroit Tigers formalizing a reported five-year, $110 million deal with Jordan Zimmermann, a pitcher the Cubs have admired for his bulldog mentality, though that probably came with concerns about his shelf life following a Tommy John procedure on his right elbow in 2009.
If Jeff Samardzija comes back to the North Side, it won’t be on a one-year, prove-it deal. While there is mutual interest in a reunion, Samardzija has already bet on himself long enough, from turning down NFL opportunities and offers to stay with the Cubs and White Sox, waiting for this shot to cash in as a free agent.
Samardzija had a down season with the White Sox (11-13, 4.96 ERA), but he still threw 200-plus innings for the third straight year, and his combination of physical build/skills, clean medical history and big-market attitude is appealing from a front-office perspective.
The four years and $75 million the San Diego Padres guaranteed James Shields last offseason is seen as a reasonable floor for Samardzija, who will also cost a draft pick after declining the one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer from the White Sox.
Now that The Plan has come into focus – with Jake Arrieta a Cy Young Award winner, Kris Bryant a Rookie of the Year and Joe Maddon a Manager of the Year – does it get any easier handing out that huge contract?
“Depending on the size of the commitment, there’s always some anxiety that goes along with it,” Epstein said. “Not for any other reason than there’s inherent risk, and you’re thinking about the team. You don’t want to put the team in a situation where you limit flexibility (and) you limit our odds of putting winning teams on the field for years to come.
“It’s natural. You always see the smiles at the beginning of the contract at the press conference – and it’s a much smaller percentage of the time that you see smiles all the way at the end.
“But you hope that you’ve got a fair contribution for the investment and that it helps the club win. And that you can diversify your investments and structure your investments in a way that keeps us nimble, so we can address needs as they arise over the coming years, because we really like the core that we have.”
So keep refreshing Twitter for the latest rumors, but what’s clear is Epstein has already ruled out the idea of adding two $100 million players this offseason, the Cubs will prioritize pitching over a veteran hitter and this group feels absolutely no pressure to win the winter meetings again.
Alex Avila: 'Can't wait to kick (Detroit's) ass'
By Dan Hayes
The veteran catcher said Monday the chance to be more than a backup catcher with the White Sox was the impetus for signing a one-year deal worth $2.5 million.
Last week, general manager Rick Hahn suggested Avila — who previously played for the Detroit Tigers — could split time with Tyler Flowers as the White Sox attempt to improve an offense that finished 14th among 15 American League teams in runs scored.
Though his new home means he’ll have to face Detroit 19 times next season, Avila is excited about the opportunity. He also seems pretty fired up to face the Tigers and letting them know he’s not done.
“It will be interesting for sure facing the Tigers,” Avila said. “Obviously with all the friends and relationships I have there, it will be interesting. It will be a lot of fun. Obviously, seven years is a long time in this game to be in this place. So there’s a lot of relationships I have there.
“It will actually be nice to be able to see everybody off the field. At the same time, I can’t wait to kick their ass.”
The White Sox would love nothing more than for Avila to take a few names. His productivity has steadily declined as health problems have limited him to 191 games the past two seasons, including only 67 contests in 2015. A year after he might have suffered up to three concussions, the left-handed hitting backstop missed nearly two months with a bone bruise in his left knee last season and saw his OPS slip to a career-low .626.
But the White Sox are starved for good at-bats, and Avila still has provided them. Despite seeing his average slip to .191 last season, Avila finished with a .339 on-base percentage. In discussions about his role, Avila got the sense from Hahn he could see a significant amount of time playing alongside Flowers.
“One of the things that was important to me was obviously an opportunity to play as opposed to being a straight backup catcher,” Avila said. “When we were going through the whole process, to me it seemed like that opportunity was going to be there with me and Tyler splitting time and letting Robin (Ventura) kind of use both of our strengths in order to be as productive as possible.”
Not only is the playing time potentially there, so too is the familiarity. Avila said he likes that he won’t have to learn an entirely new cadre of hitters by staying in the American League, and he’s even more in tune with AL Central players.
Though Detroit’s decision to let him depart via free agency didn’t seem to surprise Avila, it doesn’t mean moving on is easy. Avila joined the Tigers in August 2009 and was an integral part of the club’s four straight AL Central championships.
But Avila, who turns 29 in January, equally looks forward to joining the White Sox.
“Some mixed emotions,” Avila said. “I wouldn’t say sad but just when you come to the realization that obviously something you’ve known for a long time is not going to be the case anymore, especially with the amount of success we’ve had as a team in Detroit, and not going into the ballpark with the same group of guys and the same faces I’ve seen for the last seven years, obviously that’s the tough part about the game. The relationships you form, sometimes you are not able to continue those.
“It was a little tough for me because a lot went into the last seven years. You put a lot of time and effort into it. But at the same time, I’m extremely excited about something new that is going to be coming into my life. A new place, new teammates, new opportunity.”
Golf: I got a club for that..... Tiger Woods says there is 'no timetable' for his return.
By Ryan Ballengee
Tiger Woods doesn't know when he'll be able to return to professional golf.
Speaking Tuesday at his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Woods couldn't offer a timeline for his recovery from a pair of back surgeries this fall.
"I have no answer to that, and neither do my surgeon or physios," Woods said with an air of dejection. "There is no timetable."
Woods underwent a second microdiscectomy procedure on his back in September, 18 months after an initial procedure on the same place in his back in March 2014. Six weeks after the September surgery in Utah, Woods has a follow-up procedure done to alleviate some complications.
The September surgery came weeks after he finished his PGA Tour season at the Wyndham Championship, coming up short in an 11th-hour bid to make the FedEx Cup playoffs. That week in Greensboro, N.C., Woods complained of hip pain. In a follow-up visit with surgeon Dr. Charles Rich, it was discovered a nerve problem in his back was the source of the pain. Woods chose surgery rather than try rest and rehabilitation alone.
Woods said the nature of the ailment frustrates him. Unlike his prior injuries and surgeries, including the many on his knees over the years, this problem doesn't have a clear timetable for recovery.
"That's the hardest part for me, is that there's really nothing I can look forward to, or build towards," he said. "It's literally just taking it day-by-day, week-by-week, time-by-time."
Woods said he has not started any kind of rehab and hasn't hit a golf ball -- a left-handed chip shot -- in two months. He said he misses golf, but is more worried about regaining the basic functionality that would let him be an active dad before concerning himself with playing golf.
"I miss being able to play soccer with [my kids]," he said. He added, "I want to be a part of my kids' lives physically, not as a cheerleader."
The tone in Woods' voice invited questions of different kinds insinuating his playing days might be over sooner than later -- an almost unprecedented notion in a sport where its legends have to be practically dragged off the stage. However, Woods has clearly considered the possibility of the end, and he seems at peace with the prospect of never adding to his incredible resume, including 79 PGA Tour wins and 14 major titles.
"I miss being able to play soccer with [my kids]," he said. He added, "I want to be a part of my kids' lives physically, not as a cheerleader."
The tone in Woods' voice invited questions of different kinds insinuating his playing days might be over sooner than later -- an almost unprecedented notion in a sport where its legends have to be practically dragged off the stage. However, Woods has clearly considered the possibility of the end, and he seems at peace with the prospect of never adding to his incredible resume, including 79 PGA Tour wins and 14 major titles.
"I've passed Jack on the all-time win list," Woods said. "I'm just shy of Sam. I passed Sam basically a decade ago in major championships. I'm still shy of Jack's. I've had a pretty good career in my 20s and 30s. In my 20 years, I've accomplished a lot.
"If that's all that entails, then it's been a pretty good run."
Diana Murphy set to become second-ever female USGA president.
By Ryan Ballengee
Diana Murphy set to become second-ever female USGA president.
By Ryan Ballengee
The USGA will have a female president for the second time in its 121-year history in February, when Diana M. Murphy assumes the role at the association's annual meeting in San Diego.
“I am deeply honored,” said Murphy, from St. Simons Island, Ga., in a statement. “Since first being introduced to the USGA in 1988, I have had opportunities to watch the organization evolve and develop stronger relationships with members, golf facilities and industry colleagues. Golf has greatly benefited from the leaders and volunteers who have come before us, and who continue to give back to the game."
The 59-year-old has been a member of the association's powerful Executive Committee for five years but has been formally involved with the USGA since 1996. She served as association vice-president in 2014 and '15.
Murphy succeeds Thomas O'Toole, whose, as is custom, is finishing out his second of consecutive one-year terms. She will be the first female USGA president since Judy Bell held the post in 1996-97. Curiously, Bell succeeded Murphy's husband, Reg, who was president in 1994-95.
A journalism graduate of West Virginia University in 1978, Murphy is the managing director of Rocksolid Holdings, LLC, a private-equity firm, and of the Georgia Research Alliance Venture Fund, which supports the state’s public and private research universities.
Murphy will have to work closely with broadcast partner Fox Sports, which enters the second year of a 12-year deal to air the association's championships. Fox, which Murphy declared a game-changer for the USGA, struggled in Year 1, particularly with the U.S. Open.
NASCAR wraps up season with thrilling finale, growth across platforms.
(Photo/NASCAR.COM)
The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship Race on NBC and NBCSN was the most-watched finale since 2005 – peaking with nearly 12.4 million average viewers. This concluded a successful first season of the largest and most lucrative television partnerships in NASCAR history with FOX and NBC.
A record number of fans consumed NASCAR through digital and social media in 2015. NASCAR amassed 4.1 billion social media impressions, 1.1 billion page views – up more than 20 percent from 2014 – and a 34 percent year-over-year increase in its mobile audience.
In addition, driver merchandise sales at tracks increased more than 20 percent since the Fanatics Trackside Superstore launched in July.
NASCAR Next, a program that identifies and nurtures young drivers, produced the Sunoco Rookie of the Year winner in all three national series: Brett Moffitt in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series; Daniel Suárez, a NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduate, in the NASCAR XFINITY Series; and Erik Jones in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
“We had unprecedented collaboration with stakeholders this season and saw many positive results in our effort to innovate, better serve our fans and grow the sport,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “We will continue to work tirelessly this offseason to further improve the fan experience at every turn and look forward to kicking off next season at the Daytona 500 where fans will experience the unveiling of the world’s first motorsports stadium.”
NASCAR today also announced the top five selling drivers for the 2015 season at the Fanatics Trackside Superstore. Dale Earnhardt Jr. topped the list at No. 1, followed by Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and newly crowned champion Kyle Busch rounded out the list at No. 5.
Other milestones, records and firsts achieved during the 2015 season include:
Competition:
Jeff Gordon broke Ricky Rudd’s Iron Man record with his 789th consecutive start on September 27. He joined the likes of legends Cal Ripken and Brett Favre who hold records for most consecutive games played in baseball and football, respectively.
For the first time since 1993, two different drivers, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch, won three consecutive races in a single season.
Sponsorships:
New or renewed NASCAR Official Partnerships with nearly a dozen brands this season, including: 3M, Fanatics, Ingersoll Rand, Microsoft, Sherwin Williams, Sun Edison, Universal Technical Institute, and K&N Filters as the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series™.
In 2015, nearly 1 in 2 Fortune 100 companies relied on NASCAR to build their brands.
Partnerships with Fortune 500 technology companies grew by 66% over last two years.
Merchandise:
In partnership with Fanatics, NASCAR created a centralized location for merchandise at each track, which led to the average transaction growing by 75 percent.
The three tracks that saw the most significant sales growth were Homestead-Miami Speedway (+100%), Phoenix International Raceway (+66%) and Talladega Superspeedway (+62%).
Diversity and Youth:
In addition to the aforementioned diversity breakthroughs on the track, NASCAR partnered with RISE, a recently formed non-profit to promote diversity and equality through sports. NASCAR Chairman Brian France was named to the Board of Directors and will help steer the initiative alongside the commissioners of the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB, and other top sports executives.
Roush Fenway Racing pit crew member Mike Russell became the first African American Drive for Diversity graduate to win a national series championship.
Technology:
For the first time, cars featured a digital dashboard instead of analog gauges. The new technology will be mandatory for all NASCAR Sprint Cup vehicles in 2016.
Air Titan 2.0 track-drying technology helped save numerous races and improved the race experience for fans, teams and partners.
State-of-the-art pit road technology was seamlessly implemented this season to increase the accuracy and safety of pit road officiating.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series post-race inspections from the NASCAR R&D Center were streamed live to fans across the world.
Entertainment Marketing:
Nearly 230 million viewers watched NASCAR drivers appear in 77 primetime shows, including American Idol on FOX, The Soup on E!, Real Housewives on Bravo and Penn Zero on Disney XD.
More than 120 celebrities appeared at races this season, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kid Rock, Vince Vaughn, David Spade and Adam Sandler.
Originally produced TV and digital projects, with more than 150 appearances by NASCAR drivers, tracks and partners, generated 50 million viewers.
Tracks:
NASCAR announced multi-year sanctioning agreements with tracks for the first time. The landmark five-year agreements will provide fans more time to plan and tracks more time to promote, sell sponsorships and build the fan experience.
Throwback weekend at Darlington celebrated the storied history of NASCAR with unprecedented industry support including 32 retro paint schemes, by honoring 14 NASCAR Hall of Famers and through a variety of 1970’s-themed food and entertainment.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup SeriesTM, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit http://www.NASCAR.com and http://www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR at www.Facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.
SOCCER: Shipp, Polster retained as Fire trim roster to 13 players.
CSN Staff
(Photo/scnchicago.com)
The Fire exercised options on Kingsley Bryce, Patrick Doody, Matt Polster and Harry Shipp on Monday. These four join nine other players already under guaranteed contracts; David Accam, Collin Fernandez, Eric Gehrig, Gilberto, Kennedy Igboananike, Sean Johnson, Joevin Jones, Patrick Nyarko and Michael Stephens.
While the news was good for some, it wasn't as positive for others, as the team also declined options on nine players; Adailton, Jon Busch, Razvan Cocis, Greg Cochrane, Jason Johnson, Alec Kann, Jeff Larentowicz, Lovel Palmer and Chris Ritter. A loan deal for Daneil Cyrus also expired.
“History has shown that the key to having a successful team in MLS requires a solid nucleus of players who have been together for some time,” Fire general manager Nelson Rodriguez said. “Returning Harry, Matt, Kingsley and Patrick and combining them with the players we already have under contract begins to move us in that direction. The players adversely affected are talented individuals as well, who we thank for their contributions to our Club and wish well in their careers going forward.”
The following players are currently out of contract: Ty Harden, Mike Magee and Matthew Watson.
Busch, Larentowicz, Magee and Harden now become free agents, while Palmer and Watson are eligible to participate in MLS’ re-entry process.
What would it mean for MLS if Portland wins it all on Sunday?
By Nicholas Mendola
Here are some thoughts on the storylines from a post-Timbers title.
1) Stick with the boss
Caleb Porter’s reputation is rather “hate or love”, and people (including this “perhaps still bitter from the Olympics” writer) were expecting his days to be numbered after a rough start to this season.
In his first year in PDX, Porter engineered a 20-point upgrade to the West’s No. 1 slot, but Year Two featured no playoffs and it looked headed that way for much of this year.
But after leaping into control of its playoff destiny with a game to play, Porter now has a Conference Final and an MLS Cup Final (at least) on his resume inside of three seasons.
Where other teams have gone through coaches like candy, Portland keeps going with Porter. Perhaps there’s a lesson there, as in 102 games he’s posted 41 wins and 36 draws to go with just 25 losses (and he was missing Will Johnson and Diego Valeri for the critical moments of his bum season).
2) Spend* at the back, and spread it out
Portland spent the league’s 10th highest total dollars on players when including Designated Players, but that total leaps to sixth if you discount the big money guys (Liam Ridgewell, Lucas Melano, Diego Valeri).
You have to get to 19th on the list of top MLS salaries to find Portland’s first entrant (Ridgewell), and you don’t hit another until No. 33 (Fanendo Adi).
Where other teams have gone through coaches like candy, Portland keeps going with Porter. Perhaps there’s a lesson there, as in 102 games he’s posted 41 wins and 36 draws to go with just 25 losses (and he was missing Will Johnson and Diego Valeri for the critical moments of his bum season).
2) Spend* at the back, and spread it out
Portland spent the league’s 10th highest total dollars on players when including Designated Players, but that total leaps to sixth if you discount the big money guys (Liam Ridgewell, Lucas Melano, Diego Valeri).
You have to get to 19th on the list of top MLS salaries to find Portland’s first entrant (Ridgewell), and you don’t hit another until No. 33 (Fanendo Adi).
But Portland has six players in the Top 100, compared to Columbus’ four. High-end spenders NYC (five players), Toronto (four), and L.A. (four) all don’t hit that figure inside of the Top 100 (and to be specific, Portland does in 98).
They also rank ninth in spending on forwards, 14th on midfielders, and third in defenders. Of the 15 players making more than 100k in base salary, four are defenders and one is goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey.
All numbers come from Spotrac*
3) Get Darlington Nagbe
This will be harder to copycat, seeing as there’s only one Darlington Nagbe, but the Timbers’ midfielder is versatile and helps Porter challenge opposing coaches because of the unpredictable nature of how he can be deployed on the pitch.
In fact, when you run numbers on advanced statistics site Squawka, you’ll see something quite interesting. Among players who hit the pitch in at least 2/3 of their teams’ games this season, Nagbe is fourth in MLS in combined score. More intriguing? Besides Michael Bradley, he’s the most complete contributor (offense, defense, possession) of any top scorer.
4) Parity continues to reign
For the same reason people barely celebrate the NHL’s Presidents Trophy, the MLS Supporters Shield is a bit of a fallback party for fan bases who fail to capitalize on a season’s worth of solid play.They also rank ninth in spending on forwards, 14th on midfielders, and third in defenders. Of the 15 players making more than 100k in base salary, four are defenders and one is goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey.
All numbers come from Spotrac*
3) Get Darlington Nagbe
This will be harder to copycat, seeing as there’s only one Darlington Nagbe, but the Timbers’ midfielder is versatile and helps Porter challenge opposing coaches because of the unpredictable nature of how he can be deployed on the pitch.
In fact, when you run numbers on advanced statistics site Squawka, you’ll see something quite interesting. Among players who hit the pitch in at least 2/3 of their teams’ games this season, Nagbe is fourth in MLS in combined score. More intriguing? Besides Michael Bradley, he’s the most complete contributor (offense, defense, possession) of any top scorer.
4) Parity continues to reign
In much of world soccer, the season-long title matter more than a tournament, but North America is about the playoffs. The fact of the matter is that only one team in MLS this season finished more than four wins out of a playoff spot (Chicago), and most teams that missed the playoffs by a bunch (New York City, Colorado, Real Salt Lake, Houston), earned their gaps off the playoff pace by losing a lot once they were officially eliminated.
Even Chicago, who was awful, had a shot at the playoffs when August ended, only to lose seven of eight to finish the season. MLS, for better or worse, literally is anyone’s ball game at nearly any time.
League Cup roundup: Man City, Everton, Stoke knock off Championship clubs.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo by Chris Brunskill/Getty Images)
There will be no lower league wonder story in the League Cup semifinals.
Southampton and Liverpool’s marquee matchup in the quarterfinals of the League Cup will hit your screens on Wednesday, but three other Premier League teams booked their spots in the semis with Tuesday wins.
Man City last won the League Cup in 2014, while Stoke last won in 1972 and Everton has never hoisted the Football League Cup. As for Wednesday’s quarterfinalists, Southampton’s last League Cup final came in 1979, while Liverpool most recently won in 2012.
Middlesbrough 0-2 Everton
The Toffees got two goals in eight first-half minutes, with Gerard Deulofeu scoring a goal off a magnetic dribble and shot in the 20th minute and Romelu Lukaku adding another in the 28th.
Manchester City 4-1 Hull City
Steve Bruce‘s Tigers still have plenty of power from last season’s relegation campaign, and planted men behind the ball in hopes of springing an upset on Manchester City. The defense was broken in the first half by Wilfried Bony after just 12 minutes. Kelechi Iheanacho scored late, before Kevin De Bruyne put home two more. Andrew Robertson provided late consolation for Hull.
Stoke City 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday
The Potters got a wonderful left-footed volley goal from Ibrahim Afellay on the half-hour, and that was about all they’d need against the visiting Owls. Phil Bardsley hammered in a low free kick late to insure and ensure the victory.
NCAAFB: CFP Rankings: Top four unchanged heading into conference championships.
By Graham Watson
With the final regular season for most of the Power 5 conferences over, only one team appears to have locked up a spot in the College Football Playoff — Oklahoma.
The Sooners finished its regular season with a win against Oklahoma State and earned the Big 12 championship.
The rest of the top four were unchanged from last week with Clemson staying at No. 1, Alabama at No. 2 and Iowa at No. 4. However, all of those teams have championship games this weekend.
No. 1 Clemson still has to play No. 10 North Carolina in the ACC title game, No. 2 Alabama has to play No. 18 Florida in the SEC title game and No. 4 Iowa and No. 5 Michigan State will play what is essentially a CFP play-in game during the Big Ten championship.
Ohio State is sitting at No. 6 and hoping for a shot if Clemson or Alabama loses. However, the committee placed a strong emphasis on conference champions during last year’s final rankings, and the Buckeyes won’t play in their title game.
But sneaking in behind Ohio State is a two-loss Stanford team that’s coming off a win to Notre Dame and will play USC in the Pac-12 title game against USC. The No. 7 Cardinal would have the edge over Ohio State by being a conference champion, but they also would have one more loss than the Buckeyes.
The four tenets the CFP uses in case there are teams that are too close to call are (in order): Championships won, strength of schedule, head-to-head competition (if occurred) and comparative outcomes of common opponents (without incenting margin of victory).
“In the committee’s eyes, if a team has not clearly separated itself above another and they are clearly equal, then we apply those four criteria of conference champion, head-to-head and those factors,” CFP committee chairman Jeff Long said. “So, they don’t come in until the committee reaches basically a deadlock and then we add in the conference championships.”
The one championship many will be fixated on will be on the ACC title game because many believe it provides the greatest opportunity for an upset. However, North Carolina at No. 10 did not make up enough ground in the past week to get close enough to scoop up an open top four spot. While the Tar Heels would be able to boast being a conference champion and being the only team to knock off the No. 1 team in the country, their schedule doesn’t stack up to some of the teams in front of it. The Tar Heels lost to a woeful South Carolina team at the beginning of the season and two of its wins came against FCS teams.
The only other matchup really worth watching this weekend would be the American Athletic Conference title game between No. 19 Houston and No. 22 Temple. Those two teams are the highest ranked Group of Five teams this week, and it would be fair to assume the winner of the game would represent the Group of Five in a New Year’s Six Bowl.
Michigan State-Iowa a blue collar matchup for Big Ten title.
By NOAH TRISTER
Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook, left, and tight end Josiah Price celebrate Price's touchdown reception against Penn State during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State won 55-16. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Over the past few seasons under coach Mark Dantonio, Michigan State has become one of the Big Ten's top programs, while embracing seemingly every opportunity to use perceived slights as motivation.
Now the Spartans are in the Big Ten championship game - and they're favored by a few points over an undefeated Iowa team.
Maybe it's the Hawkeyes who should be clamoring about disrespect.
''They're undefeated. They're 12-0,'' Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook said. ''They've beaten some really good opponents, pretty good teams, this year. I don't know what's going on in their locker room. I don't know what they're talking about. But I'm sure they have similar thoughts that go through their head that we've had.''
When the fifth-ranked Spartans face the fourth-ranked Hawkeyes in Saturday's showdown, a berth in college football's playoff will almost certainly be at stake. Yet this isn't what many fans have in mind when they think about the glamor teams of the Big Ten. Ohio State, the defending national champion, lost to Michigan State this year. So did Jim Harbaugh and Michigan. Iowa beat Wisconsin and Nebraska, the brand names of the West Division.
Michigan State-Iowa is a blue collar matchup between programs that still have to fight a bit for recognition and respect.
''We're two programs that like to play physical football,'' Iowa offensive lineman Austin Blythe said. ''They're going to play the full 60, and they'll take it into overtime if they have to. Just two really good programs that respect each other and understand what they bring to the table and understand that it's going to be a 60-minute fight.''
The spread offense craze never really caught on at Michigan State and Iowa. The Spartans do have an outstanding quarterback in Cook, but despite his pro potential and Michigan State's fine season, he doesn't appear to have gotten much traction in the Heisman Trophy race.
The Spartans are making their third appearance in the Big Ten title game in five years, but they rarely make major news on national signing day. Iowa's 2015 recruiting class was ranked 51st in the nation by Scout.com, right between Syracuse and Rutgers. Maybe this year's run will help the Hawkeyes attract more top prospects, but it's hard to envision them recruiting the kinds of classes that routinely end up at Ohio State or Alabama.
The Spartans (11-1) have reached 11 wins for the fifth time in the past six years, and coach Mark Dantonio says in some ways, he tried to pattern Michigan State's system after Iowa's.
''They come to play every game,'' Dantonio said. ''Iowa, they always had a workmanlike attitude. They always went to work, they always played people tough, they always seemed to win consistently. They were very well coached, their players played very firm up front on both sides of the ball. That's who we wanted to be.''
This will be one big matchup without much pregame animosity. Michigan State and Iowa haven't played each other since 2013, and although the Hawkeyes handed the Spartans their only regular-season loss in 2010, that game feels like a long time ago.
Michigan State has a rivalry with Michigan and has played big games against Ohio State and Wisconsin. The Spartans don't have much of a reason to dislike Iowa - although that could always change once this weekend's clash kicks off.
''You need to understand that you're playing for a championship,'' Michigan State defensive lineman Shilique Calhoun said. ''We've competed against those guys and they've been great competitors, but at the end of the day you have to understand that this is another goal that we're trying to obtain as a team, and Iowa is another team that we have to face that's in the way.''
NCAA Top 25 Basketball Poll, November 29, 2015
Now the Spartans are in the Big Ten championship game - and they're favored by a few points over an undefeated Iowa team.
Maybe it's the Hawkeyes who should be clamoring about disrespect.
''They're undefeated. They're 12-0,'' Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook said. ''They've beaten some really good opponents, pretty good teams, this year. I don't know what's going on in their locker room. I don't know what they're talking about. But I'm sure they have similar thoughts that go through their head that we've had.''
When the fifth-ranked Spartans face the fourth-ranked Hawkeyes in Saturday's showdown, a berth in college football's playoff will almost certainly be at stake. Yet this isn't what many fans have in mind when they think about the glamor teams of the Big Ten. Ohio State, the defending national champion, lost to Michigan State this year. So did Jim Harbaugh and Michigan. Iowa beat Wisconsin and Nebraska, the brand names of the West Division.
Michigan State-Iowa is a blue collar matchup between programs that still have to fight a bit for recognition and respect.
''We're two programs that like to play physical football,'' Iowa offensive lineman Austin Blythe said. ''They're going to play the full 60, and they'll take it into overtime if they have to. Just two really good programs that respect each other and understand what they bring to the table and understand that it's going to be a 60-minute fight.''
The spread offense craze never really caught on at Michigan State and Iowa. The Spartans do have an outstanding quarterback in Cook, but despite his pro potential and Michigan State's fine season, he doesn't appear to have gotten much traction in the Heisman Trophy race.
The Spartans are making their third appearance in the Big Ten title game in five years, but they rarely make major news on national signing day. Iowa's 2015 recruiting class was ranked 51st in the nation by Scout.com, right between Syracuse and Rutgers. Maybe this year's run will help the Hawkeyes attract more top prospects, but it's hard to envision them recruiting the kinds of classes that routinely end up at Ohio State or Alabama.
The Spartans (11-1) have reached 11 wins for the fifth time in the past six years, and coach Mark Dantonio says in some ways, he tried to pattern Michigan State's system after Iowa's.
''They come to play every game,'' Dantonio said. ''Iowa, they always had a workmanlike attitude. They always went to work, they always played people tough, they always seemed to win consistently. They were very well coached, their players played very firm up front on both sides of the ball. That's who we wanted to be.''
This will be one big matchup without much pregame animosity. Michigan State and Iowa haven't played each other since 2013, and although the Hawkeyes handed the Spartans their only regular-season loss in 2010, that game feels like a long time ago.
Michigan State has a rivalry with Michigan and has played big games against Ohio State and Wisconsin. The Spartans don't have much of a reason to dislike Iowa - although that could always change once this weekend's clash kicks off.
''You need to understand that you're playing for a championship,'' Michigan State defensive lineman Shilique Calhoun said. ''We've competed against those guys and they've been great competitors, but at the end of the day you have to understand that this is another goal that we're trying to obtain as a team, and Iowa is another team that we have to face that's in the way.''
NCAA Top 25 Basketball Poll, November 29, 2015
AP
| Rank | Team | Record | Pts | Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |
| 7-0 | 1619 | 1 |
| 2. |
| 6-1 | 1512 | 2 |
| 3. |
| 7-0 | 1510 | 3 |
| 4. |
| 5-1 | 1342 | 4 |
| 5. |
| 6-0 | 1338 | 5 |
| 6. |
| 4-0 | 1269 | 6 |
| 7. | 6-1 | 1253 | 7 | |
| 8. |
| 7-0 | 1218 | 8 |
| 9. |
| 6-1 | 1155 | 9 |
| 10. |
| 6-1 | 965 | 10 |
| 11. |
| 7-0 | 904 | 11 |
| 12. |
| 7-0 | 801 | 12 |
| 13. |
| 4-1 | 788 | 13 |
| 14. | 6-0 | 696 | 14 | |
| 15. |
| 6-0 | 628 | 15 |
| 16. |
| 5-1 | 587 | 16 |
| 17. |
| 7-0 | 551 | 17 |
| 18. |
| 6-1 | 522 | 18 |
| 19. | 6-1 | 504 | 19 | |
| 20. |
| 6-0 | 363 | 20 |
| 21. |
| 6-1 | 289 | 21 |
| 22. | 4-0 | 256 | 22 | |
| 23. |
| 6-1 | 247 | 23 |
| 24. |
| 5-0 | 173 | 24 |
| 25. |
| 4-1 | 162 | 25 |
- Dropped Out: None
- Others Receiving Votes:
- Connecticut 153,
- Utah 72,
- Butler 62,
- Geo. Wash. 45,
- Indiana 26,
- Northern Iowa 25,
- Notre Dame 22,
- California 19,
- Pittsburgh 11,
- Dayton 8,
- South Carolina 5,
- S. Diego St. 5,
- Georgetown 4,
- UTEP 3,
- Iowa 2,
- Northwestern 2,
- AR Little Rock 2,
- LSU 2,
- Monmouth 1,
- Colorado St. 1,
- Louisiana Tech 1,
- Davidson 1,
- Northeastern 1
Northwestern outlasts Virginia Tech in OT 81-79.
AP - Sports
Minutes after registering a road win over an ACC opponent, Northwestern's players could be heard yelling and clapping inside the locker room, and then they cranked up the music in a rather boisterous postgame celebration.
Wildcats coach Chris Collins didn't mind.
''If you don't enjoy wins like this, then why are you doing it?'' Collins asked. ''To be able to walk into a locker room where guys are jumping around and dancing and feeling good about themselves makes me feel good as a coach.''
Bryant McIntosh scored 19 points to lead the Wildcats to an 81-79 overtime victory over Virginia Tech on Tuesday in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
McIntosh hit 8 of 15 for the Wildcats (6-1), who shot 47.8 percent (32 of 67) from the floor. He also grabbed five rebounds and handed out four assists.
McIntosh's layup with 27 seconds left in overtime gave the Wildcats an 81-79 lead and turned out to be the game winner.
''The left side kind of cleared out for me,'' McIntosh said. ''I was able to get my shoulder by (the defender's) hip and just went strong to the basket, and I was able to finish it.
''It's a big win for us. It's been a while since we won in the Challenge. It's a big win for our program.''
''The left side kind of cleared out for me,'' McIntosh said. ''I was able to get my shoulder by (the defender's) hip and just went strong to the basket, and I was able to finish it.
''It's a big win for us. It's been a while since we won in the Challenge. It's a big win for our program.''
Virginia Tech (4-3) then called a timeout after McIntosh's basket. Seth Allen dribbled the ball around, but lost control. Devin Wilson corralled it and pitched it to Chris Clarke, who missed a baseline jumper at the buzzer that would have tied the game.
''You have to be able to go somewhere on the bounce on that play or it doesn't work,'' Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams said. ''It stalled out pretty quick. We probably dribbled 11 times and threw up a prayer.''
Northwestern led by as many as 11 in the first half and 45-36 at halftime. The Hokies never led in the second half, but tied the game twice, with the final time coming on two Seth Allen free throws with 55.3 seconds left that evened the game at 73.
Both teams had chances to win in regulation. McIntosh missed a layup with 47 seconds to go, and the Clarke missed a layup inside for Virginia Tech with 26 seconds left. On the final possession of regulation, the Wildcats ran the clock down and Tre Demps took a short jumper in the lane that didn't fall with 2 seconds remaining. Allen's halfcourt heave nearly went in at the buzzer, but didn't and the game went into overtime.
''Virginia Tech really ramped up the energy in the second half and got us on our heels a little bit,'' Collins said. ''We just made enough plays to win. They scored the first two baskets in overtime and went down four. Then Sanjay Lumpkin hit a 3 to cut it to 1, which I thought was a huge bucket for us.
Both teams had chances to win in regulation. McIntosh missed a layup with 47 seconds to go, and the Clarke missed a layup inside for Virginia Tech with 26 seconds left. On the final possession of regulation, the Wildcats ran the clock down and Tre Demps took a short jumper in the lane that didn't fall with 2 seconds remaining. Allen's halfcourt heave nearly went in at the buzzer, but didn't and the game went into overtime.
''Virginia Tech really ramped up the energy in the second half and got us on our heels a little bit,'' Collins said. ''We just made enough plays to win. They scored the first two baskets in overtime and went down four. Then Sanjay Lumpkin hit a 3 to cut it to 1, which I thought was a huge bucket for us.
''I'm really proud of our group. Any time you get a win on the road against an ACC team, it's huge, and it's really a big win for us as we try to make steps with our program.''
Demps added 17 points for the Wildcats, and Lumpkin scored 12.
Allen led Virginia Tech with 25 points. Justin Bibbs added 17 while Clarke had 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Virginia Tech is now 3-7 in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge while Northwestern is 7-10.
TIP-INS
Northwestern: The game marked a return to Blacksburg for center Joey Van Zegeren, who spent parts of four seasons playing for the Hokies before graduating and transferring to Northwestern. ... The Wildcats hit six 3-pointers in the first half and have hit at least five 3-pointers in the first half of six straight games. . Demps and McIntosh have scored in double figures in every game this season. . Nathan Taphorn scored in double figures for the first time this season.
Virginia Tech: The athletics department introduced new football coach Justin Fuente to the crowd at halftime. Fuente, who came from Memphis, will take over for retiring coach Frank Beamer. . The Hokies have trailed at halftime in three straight games. . Virginia Tech hit a season-high seven 3-pointers. . Clarke recorded his third double-double of the season and became the first Tech freshman with back-to-back double-doubles since Jeff Allen since the 2007-08 season. . Zach LeDay led the Hokies in scoring at 19 points per game coming into this one, but finished with just two points.
UP NEXT
Northwestern plays at home against SIU Edwardsville on Saturday.
Virginia Tech takes on Arkansas Pine Bluff at home on Saturday.
Pistorius could return to jail with appeal ruling this week.
Reuters; By Joe Brock; Editing by James Macharia and Mark Trevelyan
South Africa's Oscar Pistorius will find out if he will return to jail when the Supreme Court of Appeal announces on Thursday if it will scale up the track star's conviction for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp from manslaughter to murder.
The Paralympic gold medalist was released on parole in October after serving a fifth of his five-year prison term for the "culpable homicide" of Steenkamp, whom he killed by firing four shots through a locked toilet door on Valentine's Day 2013.
Prosecutors said Pistorius, 29, should be convicted of murder and sent back to jail because he knew the person behind the door could be killed when he fired. A murder conviction would result in a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.
"The judgment will be delivered at 09:45 (0745 GMT) on 3 December 2015 at the Supreme Court of Appeal," the court said in a statement on Tuesday.
Pistorius, whose lower legs were amputated when he was a baby, denied during his six-month trial that he deliberately killed Steenkamp, saying he mistook her for an intruder at his home.
High Court Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled last year that the state had failed to prove Pistorius had shown "intent" or "dolus eventualis", a legal concept that centers on a person being held responsible for the foreseeable consequences of their actions.
The state argued at the appeal that Masipa misinterpreted some parts of the law, including "dolus eventualis".
If the court of appeal overturns Masipa's verdict, she will be responsible for passing a new sentence on Pistorius, according to legal experts.
On
Memoriesofhistory.com
1963 - The Major League Rules Committee banned the use of oversized catcher's mitts. The rule went into effect in 1965.
1984 - Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins) threw his 40th touchdown pass of the season.
1987 - "The Grabowski Shuffle" video by Mike Ditka and The Grabowskis was certified Gold and Platinum by the RIAA.
1988 - ESPN aired its 10,000th Sports Center, making it the most televised cable program in history.
1996 - Clyde Drexler (Houston Rockets) became the fourth NBA player to reach 2,000 career steals.
1997 - Latrell Sprewell's $32 million contract was terminated by the Golden State Warriors. The termination came one day after Sprewell assaulted head coach P.J. Carlesimo.
1984 - Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins) threw his 40th touchdown pass of the season.
1987 - "The Grabowski Shuffle" video by Mike Ditka and The Grabowskis was certified Gold and Platinum by the RIAA.
1988 - ESPN aired its 10,000th Sports Center, making it the most televised cable program in history.
1996 - Clyde Drexler (Houston Rockets) became the fourth NBA player to reach 2,000 career steals.
1997 - Latrell Sprewell's $32 million contract was terminated by the Golden State Warriors. The termination came one day after Sprewell assaulted head coach P.J. Carlesimo.
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