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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"Be different, stand out, and work your butt off." ~ Reba McEntire, Country Music Recording Artist
Trending: Blackhawks place Marian Hossa on IR, recall Vincent Hinostroza. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates).
Trending: Rob Manfred: Cubs could host All-Star game in near future. (See the baseball section for Cubs updates).Trending: Replacing Matt Forte? Good luck, Bears. (See the football section for Bears updates and our opinion on this move).
(Photo/yourfantasyfootball.com)
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Toronto Maple Leafs-Chicago Blackhawks Preview.
By Emerald Gao
1. ORIGINAL FLAVOR
The Blackhawks are still looking for their first win of the homestand, and they'll have a prime opportunity to do so against the Eastern Conference-worst Maple Leafs, who have dropped three of their first four games on a five-game road trip that concludes Monday. Toronto was outscored 15-6 in those first three tilts before defeating Vancouver 5-2 on Saturday, the same day Chicago dropped a 3-2 overtime result against Anaheim after being outshot 44-23. The Blackhawks simply haven't played up to par with their opponents, posting score-adjusted shot percentages under 47 in each of those three losses. They've conceded the possession game to strong teams in San Jose, Dallas and Anaheim, but getting their game back in shape will require quicker zone exits and better puck management at the opponents' end of the ice. Chicago and Toronto previously met on Jan. 15, when Patrick Kane collected his first career regular-season hat trick and played a part in all four Blackhawks goals as the visitors romped to a 4-1 victory.
2. HOSS LOSS
The Blackhawks will need to get back in the win column without their most consistent two-way winger in Marian Hossa, who left Saturday's contest with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve on Sunday. While he had just 28 points (10G, 18A) in 54 games this season, his ability to assert himself at both ends of the ice meant the Blackhawks were controlling around 52 percent of shots at even strength when he was on the ice, third-best among team forwards (per war-on-ice.com). Chicago will also need to replace his 17:23 of ice time, which includes 1:59 of power play and 1:28 of shorthanded shifts. The team didn't practice on Sunday, which means Head Coach Joel Quenneville could opt to try out a number of options at the right wing spot against Toronto, including Teuvo Teravainen, Andrew Desjardins, Rockford callup Vincent Hinostroza or Kane if the scoreline necessitates it.
3. THE BABCOCK EFFECT
Toronto brass had hopes that bringing in veteran head coach Mike Babcock would help stabilize a Leafs team that has strung together several disappointing seasons. In some ways, he has done that, improving the team's overall possession numbers by nearly 5 percent (50.9 CF%, up from 46.4 in 2014-15, per war-on-ice.com). However, the trade of sniper Phil Kessel last summer and long-term injuries to James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak this season left a big gap in scoring talent that no one has come close to replicating. Leo Komarov leads the team with 18 tallies, and Toronto is one of nine teams without a 20-goal-scorer yet this season. Add to that a lengthy injury to starter James Reimer earlier in the season and the recent trade of captain Dion Phaneuf to Ottawa, and the Leafs are facing some tough sledding to finish out the year. The Blackhawks are familiar with Babcock's systems, having battled against his Red Wings teams for years, and despite a perceived lack of talent on paper, Toronto has enough experienced players who can take advantage of mistakes or bad efforts in the defensive zone.
4. THE CONSTANT GARDINER
One bright spot for Toronto over the last week has been the play of defenseman Jake Gardiner, who has four points in his last three outings, including two helpers on Saturday in Vancouver. He currently ranks second among team defensemen with a 53.4 on-ice shot attempt percentage, and he's been better than 59 percent in five of his last six outings (per war-on-ice.com). Gardiner played a season-high 25:40 on Feb. 9 in Calgary, the team's first game without Phaneuf, and with big shoes to fill in terms of ice time and all-around utility, he will certainly be one of the names Babcock counts on moving forward. In five seasons with Toronto, the 25-year-old has accumulated 109 points in 297 games, and he along with Morgan Rielly will be ones to watch for the Blackhawks on Monday, as they're always eager to join the rush and post up for big point shots at five-on-five and on the power play.
5. TWO IF BY SEABS
Defenseman Brent Seabrook provided the Blackhawks' only offensive sparks on Saturday against Anaheim, leading the team with five shots on goal and compiling his first multi-goal outing of the campaign and third of his career. The 30-year-old reached a couple of benchmarks with his two tallies. The first—a slapshot after the puck ricocheted back to him when his initial shot was blocked—tied a career high for power-play tallies (5, initially set in 2010-11). With his second of the night, which tied the score at 2-2 midway through the third period, Seabrook reached the double-digit goal mark for the first time in his career, and he continues to lead club blueliners with 35 points in 59 games this season.
THE FINAL WORD
The fact that Toronto sits last in the East shouldn't lessen the Blackhawks' sense of urgency heading into Monday's game as they try to break out of a lackluster home stretch. Babcock has seen his team suffer from a huge offensive drop-off this season—especially on the power play, where they sit dead-last in the league—but they'll still attempt to slow the game down and make life difficult for the Blackhawks. Illnesses and injuries have taken their toll on Chicago and caused some roster confusion, but establishing puck possession early and giving a solid 60-minute effort should be enough to take care of business.
Five Things: Blackhawks slip to second in Central Division.
By C. Roumeliotis
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Five takeaways from the Blackhawks' 3-2 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night at the United Center.
1. Blackhawks slip to second in Central Division. A week ago, the Blackhawks appeared to be in comfortable control of the division lead after kicking down the Dallas Stars in their own building. Since then, the Blackhawks have taken just one of six points in three games while the Stars have collected six points in their last three. Both teams sit at 77 points, but Dallas owns the tiebreaker and has three games in hand.
2. Line changes didn't change much. Joel Quenneville tinkered with his bottom-six forward lines and defensive pairings on Saturday looking for some extra jump, but he didn't get it. The most notable adjustment was making Erik Gustafsson a healthy scratch in favor of Viktor Svedberg, who was called back up from Rockford on Friday. Perhaps this may have been a move to get Gustafsson re-ignited, but they could've used another possession-type player against a Ducks team that outshot the Blackhawks 44-23.
3. Penalty kill unit bounces back. Entering Saturday's game, the Blackhawks had allowed three power play goals in their last three penalty kill attempts. Aside from the 4-on-3 overtime goal, the Blackhawks bounced back in a big way, killing off six of seven penalties in the loss. This area will be crucial going forward with one of the team's best penalty killers in Marian Hossa, who's expected to be out for a bit.
4. Marian Hossa 'could miss some time.' After having just played two games without Artemi Panarin due to an illness, the Blackhawks may be without another top player for the foreseeable future. Hossa left Saturday's game with an apparent leg injury, leaving the ice without putting much pressure on his left leg. When asked if it could be a long-term injury, Quenneville said "that's stretching it. Weeks. Not that long. ... We don't think it's serious, but (he) could miss some time."
5. Brent Seabrook sets career-high in goals scored. With two more goals on Saturday night, Seabrook established a new career-high in goals scored (10) after previously scoring nine goals in a season three times (2007-08, 2010-11, 2011-12). He's quietly having the best season of his career, and there are still 23 games left in the season.
Blackhawks place Marian Hossa on IR, recall Vincent Hinostroza.
By Tracey Myers
The Blackhawks recalled Vincent Hinostroza and placed Marian Hossa on injured reserve on Sunday.
Hossa was injured in the Blackhawks' overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night. Coach Joel Quenneville said following the game that, while he didn't think Hossa's lower-body injury was serious, the forward "could miss some time." An update on Hossa is expected on Monday.
Placing Hossa on injured reserve simply opens a roster spot for the Blackhawks.
This will be Hinostroza'a second trip to Chicago this season. He made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks on Oct. 17 this season.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Butler feeling better after being 'scared' with injury.
1. Blackhawks slip to second in Central Division. A week ago, the Blackhawks appeared to be in comfortable control of the division lead after kicking down the Dallas Stars in their own building. Since then, the Blackhawks have taken just one of six points in three games while the Stars have collected six points in their last three. Both teams sit at 77 points, but Dallas owns the tiebreaker and has three games in hand.
2. Line changes didn't change much. Joel Quenneville tinkered with his bottom-six forward lines and defensive pairings on Saturday looking for some extra jump, but he didn't get it. The most notable adjustment was making Erik Gustafsson a healthy scratch in favor of Viktor Svedberg, who was called back up from Rockford on Friday. Perhaps this may have been a move to get Gustafsson re-ignited, but they could've used another possession-type player against a Ducks team that outshot the Blackhawks 44-23.
3. Penalty kill unit bounces back. Entering Saturday's game, the Blackhawks had allowed three power play goals in their last three penalty kill attempts. Aside from the 4-on-3 overtime goal, the Blackhawks bounced back in a big way, killing off six of seven penalties in the loss. This area will be crucial going forward with one of the team's best penalty killers in Marian Hossa, who's expected to be out for a bit.
4. Marian Hossa 'could miss some time.' After having just played two games without Artemi Panarin due to an illness, the Blackhawks may be without another top player for the foreseeable future. Hossa left Saturday's game with an apparent leg injury, leaving the ice without putting much pressure on his left leg. When asked if it could be a long-term injury, Quenneville said "that's stretching it. Weeks. Not that long. ... We don't think it's serious, but (he) could miss some time."
5. Brent Seabrook sets career-high in goals scored. With two more goals on Saturday night, Seabrook established a new career-high in goals scored (10) after previously scoring nine goals in a season three times (2007-08, 2010-11, 2011-12). He's quietly having the best season of his career, and there are still 23 games left in the season.
Blackhawks place Marian Hossa on IR, recall Vincent Hinostroza.
By Tracey Myers
The Blackhawks recalled Vincent Hinostroza and placed Marian Hossa on injured reserve on Sunday.
Hossa was injured in the Blackhawks' overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night. Coach Joel Quenneville said following the game that, while he didn't think Hossa's lower-body injury was serious, the forward "could miss some time." An update on Hossa is expected on Monday.
Placing Hossa on injured reserve simply opens a roster spot for the Blackhawks.
This will be Hinostroza'a second trip to Chicago this season. He made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks on Oct. 17 this season.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Butler feeling better after being 'scared' with injury.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/Bullsville.com)
Jimmy Butler was all smiles as he met with the media during All-Star availability despite his noticeable limp from his left knee and the stiffness that comes from sitting down for a long period of time.
Such as meeting with the pesky media, although he wanted to be in this atmosphere, around his peers despite not being able to play after being selected as an All-Star reserve from the coaches, being replaced by teammate Pau Gasol.
“It’s good, getting better. I can move a little bit,” Butler said. “The main thing is not letting it get stiff, so when I get back I can still move it.”
It’s a contrast from when Butler “heard something pop” on that drive in Denver when his left knee gave out a bit, resulting in what the Bulls are calling a left knee strain, which will have him out for three to four weeks, apparently.
He’s doing ice and electric stimulation treatments daily, as his trainer made the trip to Toronto with Butler to monitor him. Butler hopes he can start riding the exercise bike soon and that he has to keep moving around to keep his knee loose.
“Yeah I was scared, like please don’t let anything for real be wrong,” Butler said. “That’s the only question I was asking. Will I have surgery? How long do I have to be out? Can I play in the All-Star game? Knowing what guys history with knees…”
Butler said the team doctors told him it was something about the capsule around his knee, but couldn’t really get into the medical jargon that’s associated with his injury. He hopes the 3-4 week prognosis can be cut, considering the state of affairs with the team.
“Of course I do. I want to play, we have Cleveland coming out of the break? I want to play as soon as possible,” Butler said. “If I can I will, trust me. But I gotta make sure I’m right. I don’t want to re-injure anything.”
One thing he does know and can’t ignore is the Bulls’ slide coming right into the break. Losing five in a row at home and four in a row overall isn’t something Butler has experienced much as a Bull.
“It’s been brutal. Am I surprised? Yes and no,” Butler said. “We know if we don’t guard, if we don’t play hard, we’ll lose. If we change it, we’ll win.”
As the Bulls slip closer and closer to the bottom of the playoff picture, the thought of the big bad Bulls don’t scare opponents anymore and Butler realizes it.
“When people go up against us, they used to think (man), we gotta go up against Chicago,” Butler said. “Right now the way we’re playing as a team, people might be quiet or happy, excited to play against us. That’s not good.”
Michael Jordan told Klay Thompson to break Bulls' 72-win record.
By Sean Highkin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Apparently, during All-Star Weekend in Toronto, Jordan gave Klay Thompson his blessing for the Warriors to go for 73. Via CSN’s Rosalyn Gold-Onwude:
"Klay Thompson told me he met Michael Jordan last night. Jordan told him "go ahead and break the record". More on @CSNAuthentic...
Not that the Warriors need anybody’s permission to go after the record, obviously. But it had to be cool for Thompson to hear directly from Jordan that he respects what the Warriors are doing and wants them to break his own record. In all likelihood, they’ll do it.
ROTOWORLD
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Rotoworld Senior Football Editor Evan Silva released his positional needs and key free agents for all 32 NFL teams. Below is Silva's look ahead to free agency for the Bears. Also, be sure to check out the entire story here.
The 2015-2016 NFL season officially went in the books last Sunday, and the Scouting Combine is only a few weeks away. Free agency opens on March 15. With front offices and coaching staffs settled, impending free agents identified, and salary cap situations beginning to clarify, here is a look at the four most glaring positional needs for every club entering the 2016 offseason.
"RFA" = Restricted Free Agent
Notable Free Agents: WR Alshon Jeffery, RB Matt Forte, CB Tracy Porter, TE Zach Miller, OG Patrick Omameh (RFA), OLB Sam Acho, DE Mitch Unrein, C Will Montgomery, DE Jarvis Jenkins, OG Vlad Ducasse, ILB Shea McClellin, WR Marc Mariani, CB Sherrick McManis, SS Ryan Mundy, CB Alan Ball, TE Rob Housler, FS Chris Prosinski.
Defensive Line: While first-year GM Ryan Pace did well to hit on second-round NT Eddie Goldman in last May's draft, the Bears fielded one of the league's worst 3-4 defensive end groupings throughout the year. Jarvis Jenkins and Mitch Unrein led the unit in snaps played and are both free agents. Middling rotational ends Will Sutton, Bruce Gaston, and Ego Ferguson return. The Bears arguably need two new starters on the defensive line.
Inside Linebacker: Finishing 31st in Football Outsiders' run-defense DVOA, the 2015 Bears struggled in most sections of the front seven. They were especially plodding at inside linebacker, where the Shea McClellin era can now mercifully end. The rest of Chicago's inside 'backers -- Christian Jones, Jonathan Anderson, LaRoy Reynolds, and John Timu -- are players who should be competing for the bottom part of a 53, not penciled in as starters.
Cornerback: RCB Kyle Fuller took a needed step forward after a rough end to his rookie year, but the Bears have very little behind him. LCB Tracy Porter's contract is up, while Chicago's cast of slot corners failed miserably last season. Re-signing Porter could paper over the position opposite Fuller for another year, but the Bears clearly need more talent here.
Offensive Line: Outside linebacker, running back, and quarterback also deserve a mention in the Bears' needs. Offensive line looks more pressing with LT Jermon Bushrod a virtual lock for release after losing his starting job, and fill-in LT Charles Leno and rookie C Hroniss Grasu coming off sub-par seasons. Leno, 24, and Grasu, 24, are young prospects who should improve, but the Bears would be smart to pursue competition for both players.
Replacing Matt Forte? Good luck, Bears.
By John Mullin
The Bears made a reasonably sound fiscal and personnel move when they made official their intention of moving on without Matt Forte as one of the running backs. They have replacements — Jeremy Langford, Ka’Deem Carey — in place by virtue of fourth-round picks in the past two drafts.
But replacing Forte has been hugely problematic virtually since his arrival to Chicago as the Bears’ second-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Put another way: The Bears haven’t been able to find even an adequate backup for him, and now they are completely replacing him?
Then-GM Jerry Angelo made annual forays into free agency for what appeared, at the time of each, to be sound veteran additions. None of them worked out, sometimes downright disastrous:
Kevin Jones (2008) - $605,000 for 3.2 ypc., $3 million for 2009, injured in preseason and never played again.
Kahlil Bell (2009) - One 72-yd run, 3.8 ypc. on other 39 carries.
Chester Taylor (2010) - $7 million guaranteed, 2.4 ypc. in one season with the Bears.
Marion Barber (2011) - $5 million for two years and epic bonehead plays in Denver.
Michael Bush (2012-13) - $14 million for four years, gone after two with 3.4 ypc.
Ka’Deem Carey (2014) - Near-cut in 2015 training camp, 36 rookie carries, DNP last two games of rookie season.
Jeremy Langford (2015) - 100-plus combined yards in two games, but 3.6 ypc. for season on 148 carries.
The Bears hold three picks in the sixth round of this year’s draft and will at some point be looking for a running back with strong upside on special teams, which was part of the rationale behind drafting Langford.
The Denver Broncos won Super Bowl 50 with a backfield assembled by John Fox from his time as head coach. The Broncos divided carries between undrafted C.J. Anderson (4.7 ypc.) and third-rounder Ronnie Hillman (4.2). Carey and Langford fit the Fox template, but neither has shown what Anderson and Hillman produced this season.
Or Forte in any of his eight Bears seasons.
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Opinion: We really don't understand this move. If a player is still playing well and producing, why get rid of him especially if he is will to work with you in negotiating his contract. To move a mentor, good locker room presence person, loyal team member and just good guy is ridiculous. Believe this or not, it hurts the front office credibility with the other players. Everyone one knows this is a business but you just don't get rid of productive players if they are contributing. We're diehard Bears fans but enough is enough. We wish the Bears the best of luck but it is our opinion that they can't recognize talent and develop players. We would love to be wrong and hope that someone will save this article and stuff it down our throat within the next three years but we don't see it happening. We can only hope and wish..........
The Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
Or Forte in any of his eight Bears seasons.
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Opinion: We really don't understand this move. If a player is still playing well and producing, why get rid of him especially if he is will to work with you in negotiating his contract. To move a mentor, good locker room presence person, loyal team member and just good guy is ridiculous. Believe this or not, it hurts the front office credibility with the other players. Everyone one knows this is a business but you just don't get rid of productive players if they are contributing. We're diehard Bears fans but enough is enough. We wish the Bears the best of luck but it is our opinion that they can't recognize talent and develop players. We would love to be wrong and hope that someone will save this article and stuff it down our throat within the next three years but we don't see it happening. We can only hope and wish..........
The Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
By Chris Boden
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
A couple of weeks back, we detailed the offseason schedule in which Ryan Pace & Co. need to finalize answers on their offseason checklist, well before they focus on their second draft. The questions circled particularly around three offensive weapons: free agents Matt Forte, Alshon Jeffery, and outspoken Pro Bowl-caliber tight end Martellus Bennett.
The Bears general manager made his official call on Forte's future Friday, and it won't take long to learn how they feel about Jeffery. The overriding belief is they won't let a homegrown guy who'd be the best wide receiver in free agency to even hit the market. We could find out as soon as Tuesday, the first day of a two-week window in which they can place the franchise tag on their 2012 second round draft choice. There's a belief Pace is aiming to work out a long-term deal with Jeffery, with his participation in just nine games this past season (only seven of which he was truly a factor) due to leg injuries was an aberration, not a definition. But Tuesday allows them to lock him in for at least 2016 if a multi-year agreement proves elusive. If that tag doesn't happen, however, it's a clear sign there are management concerns that could be bigger than health.
Then there's Bennett. He's as productive a tight end as the Bears have had in his first three seasons here after signing a four-year, $20 million deal in 2013. He's played through a lot of physical issues, so his toughness shouldn't be questioned even though some wonder about focus during the course of game week. He made renegotiation statements (despite having new bosses) by staying away from non-mandatory Organized Team Activities last spring. We'll soon find out how that outspokenness sits with this regime, and whether the catch machine outweighs the quote machine. If they think a holdout looms, he'll be shopped, starting three weeks from Sunday (if not sooner) when a three-day window begins for teams to negotiate with representatives for free agents who'll hit the market Wednesday, March 9. And while Zach Miller finally stayed healthy and lived up to his potential, can his injury history be trusted, and just, exactly, how much will he be asking for as he also heads into free agency? If they commit to Miller and trade or cut Bennett, figure they'll need another solid tight end on standby.
Pressure? Expectations? Cubs send message to Jason Heyward: Just be yourself.
By Patrick Mooney
Jason Heyward (Photo : David Banks/Getty Images)
Joe Maddon will have a simple message for Jason Heyward in spring training: Just be yourself.
No one around the Cubs will be asking Heyward to “step up and be a leader” or become “the face of the franchise” or whatever other buzzwords hover around a new free agent with a huge contract.
The Cubs have the National League’s reigning Cy Young Award winner (Jake Arrieta), Rookie of the Year (Kris Bryant) and Manager of the Year (Maddon).
Anthony Rizzo is already a two-time All-Star first baseman, MVP candidate and clubhouse spokesman. Until two months ago, $155 million lefty Jon Lester had the richest contract in franchise history.
As part of a $276 million spending spree this offseason, the Cubs also added two World Series champions to set an example for their young hitters (Ben Zobrist) and bring an edge to their pitching staff (John Lackey).
“I don’t know about a final piece,” Heyward said. “I’m happy to be a part of it, though. I know, as a baseball player showing up every year in spring training, we’re only as good as the cards we’re dealt.
“Our job is to show up every day, go to work and try to make the most of what we have. It’s just a great thing to be a part of an organization that says they want to do something – and then they follow through with it.”
The marketing department doesn’t have to force Heyward onto billboards or use him as a distraction from the rest of the on-field product. Coming off a 97-win season, the Cubs reported a 98-percent renewal rate for season tickets. This team also drove TV ratings, with Comcast SportsNet Chicago posting a 121-percent increase from 2014 to 2015.
Heyward will be surrounded by corner outfielders who will turn 24 this month (Jorge Soler) and 23 in March (Kyle Schwarber) and a shortstop who turned 22 last month (Addison Russell).
“Bringing in Jason is sort of a perfect solution for us,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “We get a guy that is an impact player right now, but we also get a guy that fits in perfectly with our young core. The fact that it could serve both masters was something that was incredibly important to us.
“We could get younger and also get better. Jason said it several times and he’s totally right: We play in an environment in the NL Central that was incredibly competitive. Trying to win the division – and trying to avoid the one-game playoff – is something that’s really important to us.
“The rest of the National League is going to get better. We felt, in order to compete, we had to continue to get better as well. And I think we did that with our offseason.”
No one around the Cubs will be asking Heyward to “step up and be a leader” or become “the face of the franchise” or whatever other buzzwords hover around a new free agent with a huge contract.
The Cubs have the National League’s reigning Cy Young Award winner (Jake Arrieta), Rookie of the Year (Kris Bryant) and Manager of the Year (Maddon).
Anthony Rizzo is already a two-time All-Star first baseman, MVP candidate and clubhouse spokesman. Until two months ago, $155 million lefty Jon Lester had the richest contract in franchise history.
As part of a $276 million spending spree this offseason, the Cubs also added two World Series champions to set an example for their young hitters (Ben Zobrist) and bring an edge to their pitching staff (John Lackey).
“I don’t know about a final piece,” Heyward said. “I’m happy to be a part of it, though. I know, as a baseball player showing up every year in spring training, we’re only as good as the cards we’re dealt.
“Our job is to show up every day, go to work and try to make the most of what we have. It’s just a great thing to be a part of an organization that says they want to do something – and then they follow through with it.”
The marketing department doesn’t have to force Heyward onto billboards or use him as a distraction from the rest of the on-field product. Coming off a 97-win season, the Cubs reported a 98-percent renewal rate for season tickets. This team also drove TV ratings, with Comcast SportsNet Chicago posting a 121-percent increase from 2014 to 2015.
Heyward will be surrounded by corner outfielders who will turn 24 this month (Jorge Soler) and 23 in March (Kyle Schwarber) and a shortstop who turned 22 last month (Addison Russell).
“Bringing in Jason is sort of a perfect solution for us,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “We get a guy that is an impact player right now, but we also get a guy that fits in perfectly with our young core. The fact that it could serve both masters was something that was incredibly important to us.
“We could get younger and also get better. Jason said it several times and he’s totally right: We play in an environment in the NL Central that was incredibly competitive. Trying to win the division – and trying to avoid the one-game playoff – is something that’s really important to us.
“The rest of the National League is going to get better. We felt, in order to compete, we had to continue to get better as well. And I think we did that with our offseason.”
Heyward isn’t Hank Aaron, a player he was compared to while coming up with his hometown Atlanta Braves. But Heyward also doesn’t have to be a middle-of-the-order force at Wrigley Field. Led by Rizzo (31) and Bryant (26), the Cubs had nine players finish last season with double-digit homers.
The Cubs guaranteed Heyward eight years and $184 million because of his prime age, patient approach at the plate (.353 career on-base percentage) and Gold Glove defense.
“It’s very unique to see a free agent at 26 years old with the kind of career he’s already been able to have,” Arrieta said. “He can hit the ball out of the yard. He can be a .280-to-.300 hitter (and) he plays incredible defense in the outfield.
“That’s something for me (where) I understand with my stuff I can go out there and pitch to contact knowing I have a guy like that out there behind me.”
Heyward’s 27-homer, 82-RBI season with the Braves in 2012 might wind up being the total outlier on the back of his baseball card. He may never become the superstar predicted when Baseball America named him the game’s No. 1 overall prospect heading into the 2010 season. But the St. Louis Cardinals still wanted him to stay so much they reportedly offered him $200 million.
“He’s got all the potential to hit balls in the seats,” Maddon said. “He’s done it (before), so the big thing is to get in a count and not miss your pitch. That’s where power really comes from. So I think as he continues to understand what he’s doing in the batter’s box – (with) age on his side (and) physicality on his side – eventually you’re going to see the ball go in the seats. The Cubs guaranteed Heyward eight years and $184 million because of his prime age, patient approach at the plate (.353 career on-base percentage) and Gold Glove defense.
“It’s very unique to see a free agent at 26 years old with the kind of career he’s already been able to have,” Arrieta said. “He can hit the ball out of the yard. He can be a .280-to-.300 hitter (and) he plays incredible defense in the outfield.
“That’s something for me (where) I understand with my stuff I can go out there and pitch to contact knowing I have a guy like that out there behind me.”
Heyward’s 27-homer, 82-RBI season with the Braves in 2012 might wind up being the total outlier on the back of his baseball card. He may never become the superstar predicted when Baseball America named him the game’s No. 1 overall prospect heading into the 2010 season. But the St. Louis Cardinals still wanted him to stay so much they reportedly offered him $200 million.
“But that’s still not my concern. He’s going to hit whatever he hits home runs. I want him to come ready to play, work the at-bat, get on base 36 percent of the time or better (and) play that defense and throw like he can. (Because) he’s a winner.”
Rob Manfred: Cubs could host All-Star game in near future.
#CUBSTALK
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
It's been 25 years since the Cubs last hosted an All-Star game, but that drought may be coming to an end sooner rather than later with the renovations taking place on the north side.
The Cubs appear to have three more years of work after this offseason, but that would put them in line for an All-Star game maybe in the 2019 or 2020 season.
MLB commissioner spoke Rob Manfred about the proposition as a guest on "Inside the Clubhouse" on 670 The Score on Saturday.
“I think that it makes most sense for the All-Star game to occur after the renovations are complete," Manfred said. “I think it provides the Cubs and the Ricketts family an opportunity to showcase the unbelievable renovation for Wrigley Field.
"I think that what we're going to be looking to do is have a open and competitive process to allow cities to compete for games before we announce any further locations for the All-Star games."
White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia to try 'different' stance.
The Cubs appear to have three more years of work after this offseason, but that would put them in line for an All-Star game maybe in the 2019 or 2020 season.
MLB commissioner spoke Rob Manfred about the proposition as a guest on "Inside the Clubhouse" on 670 The Score on Saturday.
“I think that it makes most sense for the All-Star game to occur after the renovations are complete," Manfred said. “I think it provides the Cubs and the Ricketts family an opportunity to showcase the unbelievable renovation for Wrigley Field.
"I think that what we're going to be looking to do is have a open and competitive process to allow cities to compete for games before we announce any further locations for the All-Star games."
White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia to try 'different' stance.
He experienced enough inconsistency last season to make a change, and so far Avisail Garcia is encouraged after making a slight tweak to his batting stance.
Though they also remain hopeful, the White Sox are realistic that Garcia has much ground to cover.
But with spring training near — pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 19 — the expectation is the young outfielder will receive enough repetitions to get comfortable with a new stance at the plate before Opening Day.
Though they also remain hopeful, the White Sox are realistic that Garcia has much ground to cover.
But with spring training near — pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 19 — the expectation is the young outfielder will receive enough repetitions to get comfortable with a new stance at the plate before Opening Day.
Although they don’t see it as a radical change, last month, the White Sox started to work with Garcia to stand taller in the box. They think he’ll need time to adjust to and get comfortable with the alterations. But if the plan works, the White Sox are confident Garcia can eliminate some of the inconsistencies that dominated his 2015 campaign.
And only then might Garcia — who hit .257/.309/.365 with 13 home runs and 58 RBIs in 601 plate appearances — fulfill the lofty expectations that were attached to him when he was acquired from the Detroit Tigers in a three-team trade in July 2013.
“We’re working to get better because last year I was down then up,” Garcia said late last month. “This year I am focused to be tall and being patient and swinging at strikes. When I swing at strikes, I can hit like the start of the season.”
Garcia looked like he may realize his potential when he began last season hitting at a .346/.380/.492 clip in his first 137 plate appearances. Buoyed by an impossible-to-sustain .423 average on balls in play, Garcia had 11 extra-base hits, including four homers, and drove in 17 runs in a torrid start that ran from Opening Day through mid-May.
Then came the bad times, and they arrived in bunches.
Whether due to bad luck, pitchers’ adjustments or struggling teammates, Garcia’s production collapsed.
He produced a .383 OPS over 11 games (41 plate appearances) from May 18-June 4. A 46-game homerless stretch from June 9-Aug. 3 resulted in a .533 OPS over 187 plate appearances. And Garcia endured another lengthy streak from Sept. 2-25 when he had a .536 OPS in 87 plate appearances.
Throughout it all, Garcia switched stances as he tried to find proper balance at the plate.
Either he saw the ball well, but couldn’t connect for much power whenever he crouched near the front, or he had poor pitch selection and a more powerful stroke deep in the box. Rarely did he find middle ground.
But those struggles may have given Garcia the perspective necessary to realize changes at the plate are needed. Last month, hitting coach Todd Steverson traveled to Miami for a three-day session with Garcia and Jose Abreu. He found Garcia receptive and together they developed a plan.
Steverson is encouraged by the initial work, though he stressed that it’s early in the process.
“You can tell people, tell people, tell people,” Steverson said. “But until they get a hold of it in their own head that says, ‘It’s time to make an adjustment’ or ‘It’s time to do something different,’ then that’s when it comes down to it.
“We put in some time. We need more time, a good thing about spring training. But we’ve done some things that are positive. He likes it. It’s going to take a while repetition-wise to get used to it. He’s gonna look different than you’ve seen, I’ll say that.
“It’s nothing drastic, but hopefully it allows him to be more competitive.”
Abreu admits that he’s naturally an optimistic guy. Still, he called the three-day session “important” and likes how Garcia is carrying himself. Abreu said he mostly reaffirmed what Steverson said to Garcia and likes how the outfielder has responded.
“Especially to see Avi in the shape that he is and the kind of mindset that he is having now,” Abreu said through an interpreter. “It’s very good.”
“When I look at him, I think that wow, he could be that kind of player that all people are suspecting.”
The White Sox could use a heavy dose of good from Garcia.
In December, they upgraded the lineup with the additions of Todd Frazier and Brett Lawrie and a catching combo projected to produce 3 Wins Above Replacement, according to ZiPS.
But an offense that produced three or fewer runs in 82 contests in 2015 needs as much help as it can get.
The team — which is projected to win 84-85 games — has since pursued free agent outfielders Alex Gordon and Yoenis Cespedes only to come up short.
While Rick Hahn said he’ll continue to look for roster upgrades before the team’s April 4 opener at Oakland, the White Sox are likely to give Garcia his share of at-bats. But they need him to be much better than the player who finished 115th out of 141 qualified hitters with an isolated power (slugging percentage minus batting average) of .108 — especially if his defense doesn’t improve.
“He’s got work to do, there’s no question about it,” manager Robin Ventura said. “He understands where he’s at in his career and what he needs to do in order to make improvements in different parts in his game. Everybody reacts differently when they get in that situation and I’ve really enjoyed and liked his reaction to it. He’s come in great shape, ready to go and is determined to prove to everybody that he should be on a roster and playing every day.”
Said Hahn: “We believe in the talent. There are specific things he needs to work on and he knows that. And he has the aptitude to make those adjustments.”
Garcia said he’s worked hard to prepare himself for success. This offseason differed from the previous one. In 2014, Garcia played winter ball to make up for the at-bats he lost to a shoulder injury. This winter, Garcia stayed home and focused more on physical preparation, resulting in a slimmer build.
Though he did offer a declaration of self-confidence, Garcia didn’t discuss his plan much to avoid setting high expectations.
“I know who I am and what I can offer to my team,” Garcia said. “I really don’t want to get into what I can and can’t prove.
“It’s just not good to spread expectations like that.
“I know I can do better. That’s why I’ve been preparing myself. When you work hard and prepare for something you don’t have a chance to fall.”
And only then might Garcia — who hit .257/.309/.365 with 13 home runs and 58 RBIs in 601 plate appearances — fulfill the lofty expectations that were attached to him when he was acquired from the Detroit Tigers in a three-team trade in July 2013.
“We’re working to get better because last year I was down then up,” Garcia said late last month. “This year I am focused to be tall and being patient and swinging at strikes. When I swing at strikes, I can hit like the start of the season.”
Garcia looked like he may realize his potential when he began last season hitting at a .346/.380/.492 clip in his first 137 plate appearances. Buoyed by an impossible-to-sustain .423 average on balls in play, Garcia had 11 extra-base hits, including four homers, and drove in 17 runs in a torrid start that ran from Opening Day through mid-May.
Then came the bad times, and they arrived in bunches.
Whether due to bad luck, pitchers’ adjustments or struggling teammates, Garcia’s production collapsed.
He produced a .383 OPS over 11 games (41 plate appearances) from May 18-June 4. A 46-game homerless stretch from June 9-Aug. 3 resulted in a .533 OPS over 187 plate appearances. And Garcia endured another lengthy streak from Sept. 2-25 when he had a .536 OPS in 87 plate appearances.
Throughout it all, Garcia switched stances as he tried to find proper balance at the plate.
Either he saw the ball well, but couldn’t connect for much power whenever he crouched near the front, or he had poor pitch selection and a more powerful stroke deep in the box. Rarely did he find middle ground.
But those struggles may have given Garcia the perspective necessary to realize changes at the plate are needed. Last month, hitting coach Todd Steverson traveled to Miami for a three-day session with Garcia and Jose Abreu. He found Garcia receptive and together they developed a plan.
Steverson is encouraged by the initial work, though he stressed that it’s early in the process.
“You can tell people, tell people, tell people,” Steverson said. “But until they get a hold of it in their own head that says, ‘It’s time to make an adjustment’ or ‘It’s time to do something different,’ then that’s when it comes down to it.
“We put in some time. We need more time, a good thing about spring training. But we’ve done some things that are positive. He likes it. It’s going to take a while repetition-wise to get used to it. He’s gonna look different than you’ve seen, I’ll say that.
“It’s nothing drastic, but hopefully it allows him to be more competitive.”
Abreu admits that he’s naturally an optimistic guy. Still, he called the three-day session “important” and likes how Garcia is carrying himself. Abreu said he mostly reaffirmed what Steverson said to Garcia and likes how the outfielder has responded.
“Especially to see Avi in the shape that he is and the kind of mindset that he is having now,” Abreu said through an interpreter. “It’s very good.”
“When I look at him, I think that wow, he could be that kind of player that all people are suspecting.”
The White Sox could use a heavy dose of good from Garcia.
In December, they upgraded the lineup with the additions of Todd Frazier and Brett Lawrie and a catching combo projected to produce 3 Wins Above Replacement, according to ZiPS.
But an offense that produced three or fewer runs in 82 contests in 2015 needs as much help as it can get.
The team — which is projected to win 84-85 games — has since pursued free agent outfielders Alex Gordon and Yoenis Cespedes only to come up short.
While Rick Hahn said he’ll continue to look for roster upgrades before the team’s April 4 opener at Oakland, the White Sox are likely to give Garcia his share of at-bats. But they need him to be much better than the player who finished 115th out of 141 qualified hitters with an isolated power (slugging percentage minus batting average) of .108 — especially if his defense doesn’t improve.
“He’s got work to do, there’s no question about it,” manager Robin Ventura said. “He understands where he’s at in his career and what he needs to do in order to make improvements in different parts in his game. Everybody reacts differently when they get in that situation and I’ve really enjoyed and liked his reaction to it. He’s come in great shape, ready to go and is determined to prove to everybody that he should be on a roster and playing every day.”
Said Hahn: “We believe in the talent. There are specific things he needs to work on and he knows that. And he has the aptitude to make those adjustments.”
Garcia said he’s worked hard to prepare himself for success. This offseason differed from the previous one. In 2014, Garcia played winter ball to make up for the at-bats he lost to a shoulder injury. This winter, Garcia stayed home and focused more on physical preparation, resulting in a slimmer build.
Though he did offer a declaration of self-confidence, Garcia didn’t discuss his plan much to avoid setting high expectations.
“I know who I am and what I can offer to my team,” Garcia said. “I really don’t want to get into what I can and can’t prove.
“It’s just not good to spread expectations like that.
“I know I can do better. That’s why I’ve been preparing myself. When you work hard and prepare for something you don’t have a chance to fall.”
Golf: I got a club for that..... Vaughn Taylor wins Pebble Beach for 1st PGA Tour win in 11. years.
A week ago, Vaughn Taylor was flying home to the United States from Colombia. He had pulled out of the Web.com Tour event there with the flu. He hadn't been able to eat in two-and-a-half days.
However, as a past two-time PGA Tour winner, Taylor got into the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. And with a final round of 7-under 65, Taylor gave himself the lead as the final group of Phil Mickelson and Hiroshi Iwata came up the par-5 18th at Pebble Beach.
Mickelson, who had gone sideways through most of the final round, had rallied on the prior two holes, made a clutch par on the 16th and a birdie from just off the green at the par-3 17th to come to the last needing a birdie to force a playoff. He was in the neck leading to the green in two, needing what seemed a fairly routine up-and-down for the overtime-inducing 4. After a sub-standard chip, Mickelson left 5 feet for the tying birdie. Mickelson hit the putt too hard, lipping it out on the left side.
In an instant, Taylor again became a PGA Tour winner. His 17-under total good enough to beat Mickelson by one, Jonas Blixt by two and Freddie Jacobson and Hiroshi Iwata by three.
Taylor shot to the top of the leaderboard with a run of four consecutive birdies from hole Nos. 13-16, finishing off a nine-birdie, two-bogey round with a pair of pars.
For Taylor, it's his first PGA Tour win since successfully defending the Reno-Tahoe Open title in 2005 – a stretch of 10 years, 5 months and 24 days. The win gets Taylor, who went to Augusta State University, a return trip to the Masters and a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour.
'Sloppy' Spieth's frustrating week continues.
By NBC Sports
Jordan Spieth’s frustrating week didn’t get much better Saturday at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Spieth’s likeness was handed out in bobblehead form to the first 8,000 fans in attendance at the host course, but the world No. 1 failed to give the galleries assembled much reason to cheer. Spieth carded only a single birdie en route to a 2-over 74, his highest score of the week, and had to get up-and-down from in front of the 18th green to simply make the 54-hole cut.
“I just had a bad attitude that first nine,” Spieth said. “I just, I have come to this golf course thinking that it’s just kind of pitch-and-putt because that’s the way it’s kind of played the last three or four rounds I played on it. Then with the conditions today, you just have to be patient.”
Spieth continued to cite his par-5 scoring as a big reason why his name is well down the standings through 54 holes. He played the longest holes at Pebble Beach in 1 over during the third round and sits at even par for the week on par-5s.
“To be even par, I mean I should be really, I would say average for me there would be 7- or 8-under,” he said. "That’s losing eight shots on the par-5s, that’s a bit sloppy. If I’m just average on the par-5s, though, I’m somewhat in this tournament or at least playing solid.”
Instead, Spieth enters the final round at 1-under 214, 15 shots behind tournament leader Phil Mickelson. He admitted that some of his frustrations in recent weeks stem from the high bar he set at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, where he barely seemed to break a sweat en route to an eight-shot win.
“I think the last three tournaments, I’ve almost played under the impression that it’s going to be as easy as Hawaii,” he said. “All three I’ve kind of approached it as if I should shoot 6, 7 or 8 under each round like we did in Hawaii, why not? It‘s that easy. But it just isn’t.”
With the trophy now out of reach, Spieth will look to use his final round as a chance to simply build some momentum before heading to next week’s Northern Trust Open to continue his torrid early-season stretch.
“Tomorrow I’m just going to try and have fun, enjoy Pebble,” he said. “It will be the first stress-free round that I’ve really had in quite a while, where I played a Sunday not having a chance to win. It’s not good, but at the same time I think I can get in a groove and not lose any hair over the back nine and just, I’m going to fire at some pins.”
NASCAR: Rookie Chase Elliott wins Daytona 500 pole; becomes youngest 500 pole-sitter
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo/Getty Images)
But the comparisons will continue as Elliott, 20, became the youngest pole-sitter for the Daytona 500 with a speed of 196.314 mph. Matt Kenseth qualified second at 196.036 mph.
“This is a very, very cool day,” Elliott told Fox. “I don’t know that this opportunity has sunk in yet, much less sitting on the pole for the Daytona 500.”
Gordon, who retired from racing after 2015, didn’t claim his first of two Daytona 500 poles until 1999, when he was 27.
The pole is the 10th for Hendrick Motorsports in the race and comes the year after Gordon won the pole for his final start in the Daytona 500.
“Daytona 500 qualifying is about the team guys and the effort they put into these cars,” said Elliott. “It was nothing special I did. It’s just the work they did this offseason to make it happen.”
Chase Elliott and his father Bill are now the fourth father-son duo to be Daytona 500 pole-sitters. They join Richard and Kyle Petty, Bobby and Davey Allison and Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Kenseth will be starting on the front row of the Daytona 500 for the first time in his career.
“It’s funny the way this works,” Kenseth said. “I was coasting around the apron and knew Chase was ahead of me and figured (Earnhardt Jr.) was going to beat me because he was faster the first round. (I was) thinking maybe, ‘do all that work and qualify third, you might as well be 20th.’ I was pleasantly surprised when (Earnhardt) dropped in right behind us.”
The rest of the 40-car field for the Daytona 500 will be set Thursday in the dual qualifying races.
The 12 drivers who advanced to the second round were Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kenseth, Elliott, Kyle Busch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Dillon, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch and defending Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano.
Blaney, driving the No. 21 for the Wood Brothers, locked himself into the race as an “open” car without a charter.
“The biggest relief for us is to know you are locked in and are good to be able to race in the 500,” Blaney said. “That kind of lets us go race on Thursday a little bit more than we would have instead of playing it conservative if we weren’t locked in.”
BK Racing’s Matt DiBenedetto also locked himself into the race with the 26th fastest speed.
The cars of Kevin Harvick and Brian Vickers failed post-qualifying inspection due to track bar violations. Their times were disallowed and will start at the rear of their qualifying races.
Martin Truex Jr. was the only driver to not make a qualifying attempt. NASCAR didn’t allow the No. 78 on the track due to its roof flap not being in compliance. Truex will also start at the rear of the field in his qualifying race. All three teams could be subject to further penalty.
Qualifying Results
Green indicates locked-in ‘Open’ team. Red indicates non-locked-in ‘Open’ team.
- Chase Elliott (Locked in, front row)
- Matt Kenseth (Locked in, front row)
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Kyle Busch
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Jimmie Johnson
- Ryan Blaney (locked in, speed)
- Austin Dillon
- Carl Edwards
- Denny Hamlin
- Kurt Busch
- Joey Logano
- Casey Mears
- Kasey Kahne
- Ryan Newman
- Kevin Harvick
- Paul Menard
- Ty Dillon
- Brad Keselowski
- Aric Almirola
- Brian Vickers
- Greg Biffle
- Jamie McMurray
- Brian Scott
- Kyle Larson
- Matt DiBenedetto (locked in, speed)
- Michael Mcdowell
- Regan Smith
- Michael Waltrip
- Chris Buescher
- Danica Patrick
- Bobby Labonte
- AJ Allmendinger
- Trevor Bayne
- Michael Annett
- Clint Bowyer
- Landon Cassill
- Robert Richardson Jr.
- Cole Whitt
- David Gilliland
- David Ragan
- Josh Wise
- Reed Sorenson
- Martin Truex Jr. (NT)
NASCAR ends tradition of providing race winnings.
By Nate Ryan
NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Brent Dewar told NBC Sports the decision was made to stop disseminating total purse and individual winnings for each race because “it’s not contemporary” under the new system announced Tuesday that guarantees revenue and race attendance for 36 teams with charters. Another four “open” cars – which don’t have charters that guarantee making the race – could round out each field for a maximum of 40 cars.
“It’s a new foundation and a new era,” Dewar said. “We’ve changed a lot of things from that old model to this model. That’s one of the things that was from a different time and place.”
The move, which began with Saturday night’s Sprint Unlimited, essentially ends career winnings as a calculable and comparable statistic. For example, Jeff Gordon was listed as winning a record $153,703,667 over 20 seasons in the No. 24 Chevrolet. His replacement, Chase Elliott, won’t have a publicly released career winnings total for his starts in the No. 24 Chevrolet.
NASCAR has supplied race winnings virtually since its 1948 inception (Jim Roper is credited with earning $2,000 for winning the inaugural Strictly Stock race at Charlotte Speedway) and also listed each race’s total purse on entry blanks and box scores.
The 2016 Daytona 500 entry blank didn’t contain a total purse or a breakdown of payouts by position. Those standard elements remain on the entry blanks for the truck and Xfinity series – both of which still have a race purse that includes money based on myriad contingency plans and finishing order.
Under the new system, NASCAR has set aside guaranteed revenues for chartered teams based on entering each race and on their performance over the past three seasons. They also will compete for a points fund with more cash.
The fourth and final source of income for chartered teams is what traditionally has been called “the purse,” but in this case, it’s dependent solely on finishing position — carved out from the previous contingency plans that rewarded the most competitive teams.
The chartered and open teams compete for the same pool of money in what is known as the “variable” purse that is based on results (in addition to the “fixed” purse that offers guaranteed money in much larger amounts for the charter teams).
Dewar said it didn’t make sense to provide winnings that are listed according to drivers, which was misleading because the money actually was awarded to teams. Dewar contrasted it to a PGA event, where the listed winnings actually go directly to the golfer.
“Whether you divide it and say it’s a little bit of this, little bit of that and publish it on Monday, we don’t think it’s value-added because it’s not like golf,” he said. “Golf publishes that. We don’t publish at the end of the NBA score that LeBron made $4 million for free throws. It’s not contemporary. Our fans get change.”
IndyCar takes a similar approach, publishing none of its winnings for races aside from the Indianapolis 500.
NASCAR outlined much of the framework for charter teams Tuesday during a ballyhooed news conference, but there wasn’t as much information provided about the open teams. A fan outcry erupted on social media when a charter wasn’t assigned to Wood Brothers Racing, which has competed in NASCAR since 1950, prompting many questions about the deal.
Dewar provided some details about how the system would work for the four slots available to teams without charters:
–Open teams also will receive a guaranteed amount (referred to as a “fixed purse) as the charter teams do, but it will be much smaller. Dewar said it was roughly 30 percent of the guarantee for a chartered team.
–If fewer than four open teams compete in a race (meaning a field of fewer than 40 cars), the leftover money will be placed in a year-end pool that will be distributed among the top three open teams based on performance. Wood Brothers Racing, which plans to field Ryan Blaney full time in the No. 21 Ford, is the only open team that has announced intentions to run the full season.
“A field for us is 36 (cars), not 40,” Dewar said. “So if we get 38 cars at California and Phoenix, we’re not disappointed.
“We anticipate the logistics model for some of the smaller teams doesn’t make sense to go to all the races, based on the distance and purse.”
–Dewar said NASCAR isn’t expecting many open teams to employ a start and park strategy (which usually was dependent on the higher purses available to teams that would have been considered open under the previous system). Chartered teams are disincentivized from the controversial practice, risking the loss of a charter if they don’t meet performance standards that haven’t been made public.
Dewar said the Daytona 500 would remain the highest-paying race of the season and said the amount of money provided to teams would increase each year over the nine years of the term.
Though the winnings won’t be disseminated to the public anymore, teams have been provided extensive documentation that explains how much they’ll receive for finishing in each position of every race.
NBC Sports has learned that some “open teams” are expecting to earn a minimum of roughly $160,000 for finishing last in the Daytona 500. Last year, under the race purse that included contingency plans, the last-place finisher earned $262,000.
SOCCER: Premier League roundup: Top Four tussles and a Liverpool light show.
By Nicholas Mendola
Sunday’s Premier League triple header on NBCSN delivered drama, goals and controversy by the time the dust settled on the day’s action.
All told, we saw 12 goals, a red card, two penalties and a tightened title race.
Let’s take a spin through those three matches.
Arsenal 2-1 Leicester City — RECAP
The Emirates Stadium crowd saw a little bit of everything. The Gunners went down 1-0 on a controversially drawn and lethally taken penalty from Jamie Vardy, then saw a glimmer of hope when Foxes defender Danny Simpson took two quick and silly yellow cards. Theo Walcott found the leveler and Danny Welbeck, out for 10 months, returned to score the winner in the fourth of four minutes of stoppage time. The Gunners are now two points back of Leicester and nine goals of differential behind No. 2 Tottenham.
Aston Villa 0-6 Liverpool — RECAP
Having two of your brightest attackers in the lineup can do a lot for an offense’s potency, and Philippe Coutinho found Daniel Sturridge to open the scoring very early at Villa Park. A deluge of goals followed, and Villa will be wondering if there’s any way out of the drop zone after James Milner, Divock Origi, Nathaniel Clyne, Emre Can and Kolo Toure also scored for the Reds to bury the home side’s goal differential with its table status.
Manchester City 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur — RECAP
If Vardy’s penalty was controversial, Mark Clattenberg’s decision to award one to Tottenham was cataclysmic. Raheem Sterling‘s leaping block of a cross was deemed to be a handball, and Harry Kane beat countrymate Joe Hart with a PK. Super sub Kelechi Iheanacho equalized for the Etihad set, but fellow late game entry Erik Lamela sprung Christian Eriksen for a tidy match winner in the 83rd minute.
Standings
Let’s take a spin through those three matches.
Arsenal 2-1 Leicester City — RECAP
The Emirates Stadium crowd saw a little bit of everything. The Gunners went down 1-0 on a controversially drawn and lethally taken penalty from Jamie Vardy, then saw a glimmer of hope when Foxes defender Danny Simpson took two quick and silly yellow cards. Theo Walcott found the leveler and Danny Welbeck, out for 10 months, returned to score the winner in the fourth of four minutes of stoppage time. The Gunners are now two points back of Leicester and nine goals of differential behind No. 2 Tottenham.
Aston Villa 0-6 Liverpool — RECAP
Having two of your brightest attackers in the lineup can do a lot for an offense’s potency, and Philippe Coutinho found Daniel Sturridge to open the scoring very early at Villa Park. A deluge of goals followed, and Villa will be wondering if there’s any way out of the drop zone after James Milner, Divock Origi, Nathaniel Clyne, Emre Can and Kolo Toure also scored for the Reds to bury the home side’s goal differential with its table status.
Manchester City 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur — RECAP
If Vardy’s penalty was controversial, Mark Clattenberg’s decision to award one to Tottenham was cataclysmic. Raheem Sterling‘s leaping block of a cross was deemed to be a handball, and Harry Kane beat countrymate Joe Hart with a PK. Super sub Kelechi Iheanacho equalized for the Etihad set, but fellow late game entry Erik Lamela sprung Christian Eriksen for a tidy match winner in the 83rd minute.
Standings
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Home | Away | PTS | |||
| Leicester City | 26 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 48 | 29 | 19 | 7-4-1 | 8-4-2 | 53 | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 26 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 47 | 20 | 27 | 7-4-2 | 7-5-1 | 51 | |||
| Arsenal | 26 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 41 | 23 | 18 | 8-3-2 | 7-3-3 | 51 | |||
| Manchester City | 26 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 48 | 28 | 20 | 9-1-4 | 5-4-3 | 47 | |||
| Manchester United | 26 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 33 | 24 | 9 | 6-4-2 | 5-4-5 | 41 | |||
| Southampton | 26 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 34 | 24 | 10 | 7-2-4 | 4-5-4 | 40 | |||
| West Ham United | 26 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 40 | 31 | 9 | 5-5-2 | 5-5-4 | 40 | |||
| Liverpool | 26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 38 | 36 | 2 | 4-5-3 | 6-3-5 | 38 | |||
| Watford | 26 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 29 | 28 | 1 | 5-3-5 | 5-3-5 | 36 | |||
| Stoke City | 26 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 27 | 32 | -5 | 5-2-5 | 5-4-5 | 36 | |||
| Everton | 26 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 46 | 35 | 11 | 4-4-6 | 4-7-1 | 35 | |||
| Chelsea | 26 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 38 | 36 | 2 | 5-5-4 | 3-4-5 | 33 | |||
| Crystal Palace | 26 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 27 | 32 | -5 | 4-2-8 | 5-3-4 | 32 | |||
| West Bromwich Albion | 26 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 32 | -8 | 4-4-5 | 4-4-5 | 32 | |||
| Bournemouth | 26 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 30 | 44 | -14 | 3-4-6 | 4-3-6 | 28 | |||
| Swansea City | 26 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 24 | 34 | -10 | 4-5-5 | 2-4-6 | 27 | |||
| Norwich City | 26 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 30 | 50 | -20 | 4-4-5 | 2-2-9 | 24 | |||
| Newcastle United | 26 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 27 | 49 | -22 | 4-5-4 | 2-1-10 | 24 | |||
| Sunderland | 26 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 32 | 50 | -18 | 4-3-6 | 2-2-9 | 23 | |||
| Aston Villa | 26 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 20 | 46 | -26 | 2-4-7 | 1-3-9 | 16 | |||
La Liga & Serie A: Suarez hat-trick leads Barca rout, Fiorentina go third.
By Kyle Lynch
By Kyle Lynch
(Photo/Getty Images)
Barcelona 6-1 Celta Vigo
This match was a 2-1 game with 15 minutes to play, and then Barcelona exploded for four goals before the final whistle in a masterful performance at Camp Nou. Luis Suarez grabbed a hat-trick to bring his La Liga leading tally up to 23, with Messi, Neymar, and Ivan Rakitic rounding out the scoring. Barca remains three points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand on their closest rivals.
Getafe 0-1 Atletico Madrid
After Real Madrid’s win on Saturday, Atletico Madrid jumped back into second place with a win over Getafe on Sunday. Fernando Torres scored the game’s only goal, finishing home a Yannick Carrasco cross just two minutes in. Atleti would hold that lead for the remaining 88 minutes, keeping another clean sheet as Diego Simeone’s men have only conceded 11 times in 24 La Liga matches.
Elsewhere in La Liga
Real Sociedad 3-0 Granada
Sevilla 2-0 Las Palmas
Eibar 2-0 Levante
Fire trade Harry Shipp to Montreal Impact.
Sevilla 2-0 Las Palmas
Eibar 2-0 Levante
Fire trade Harry Shipp to Montreal Impact.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
New Fire GM Nelson Rodriguez has made wholesale changes to the club's roster in his first year at the helm, but on Saturday morning Rodriguez may have made his biggest move to date.
Saturday, the Fire traded Harry Shipp to the Montreal Impact for a combination of both general allocation and targeted allocation money.
Shipp became the Fire's third Homegrown Player in franchise history in 2014 after a standout collegiate career at Notre Dame. Shipp tallied seven goals and six assists in his MLS rookie season, and finished second in the MLS Rookie of the Year. His numbers dipped to just three goals and eight assists in his sophomore season in 2015.
“Pauno and I met with Harry on Saturday to give him the news,” Rodríguez said in a statement from the club. “Harry is a homegrown player and an obvious fan-favorite, which makes this trade more emotional than most. However, we believe this trade will prove to be beneficial for our club and for Harry’s career.”
The lack of a player in return likely means the Fire's offseason moves aren't as close to completed as it may have seemed in the past week. The roster appeared to be solidifying after the Fire's preseason camp in Tampa, but Shipp's exit could mean more moves are on the way before the March 6 season opener.
Collin Fernandez, who turned 19 on Saturday, could be in line to receive more playing time at the attacking midfield position. Fernandez, also a Homegrown Player, has just one MLS appearance in his career. In addition, the Fire likely wouldn't move a player of Shipp's caliber without receiving a player in return unless the money received was going to open things up for another player to come in.
Once the move becomes official, Shipp will become the first Fire homegrown signing to play for another MLS club. Shipp was also one of just two players on the current roster to have been with the Fire since the start of 2014. Now only Sean Johnson has been with the Fire since the start of the 2014 season.
Rodriguez has said multiple times throughout the offseason that adding an international central midfielder to the Fire was the second priority after acquiring center backs. International players Joao Meira and Johan Kappelhof have come in at center back, but no foreign midfielders have been added. On Jan. 14, just after the MLS SuperDraft, Rodriguez referred to the type of midfielder that the Fire were looking for was "very hard to find domestically." That implication always sounded like an attacking midfielder given the lack of playmakers in the American player pool.
After the final two rounds of the draft on Jan. 19, Rodriguez clarified the team's position on central midfield.
“If and when we close the center back spot we want to address central midfield," Rodriguez said on Jan. 19. "Now again, we’ve got some great in-house options, Harry Shipp, Matt Polster, Drew Conner, but those are very young players so we’d like to add veteran presence in the center of midfield as well to help us. That scenario we’ll be looking at. We’ve also had some young international players that we’re spying quite closely who we think have great potential and could fit in well with what we’re doing."
Perhaps the Shipp trade signals the move for one of these young international players to join the Fire.
NCAABKB: Crazy play, crazier win: Duke stuns No. 7 Virginia at buzzer.
By JOEDY McCREARY
With the game in the balance, Duke guard Grayson Allen powered his way down the lane and flipped the ball off the backboard.
Virginia wanted a walking call. The Blue Devils thought he was fouled.
There weren't any whistles, and Duke wound up with a buzzer-beating win.
The Blue Devils beat the seventh-ranked Cavaliers 63-62 on Saturday on that shot Allen banked in at the horn.
''When Coach drew up the play, and I knew it was coming to me, I really, really wanted to make a play,'' Allen said. ''And so I did.''
Malcolm Brogdon had 18 points for Virginia (20-5, 9-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), and his reverse flip layup with 9.9 seconds left put the Cavaliers up 62-61.
Freshman Brandon Ingram scored 25 points while Allen finished with 15 for the Blue Devils (19-6, 8-4), who won their fourth straight and kept the Cavaliers winless at Cameron Indoor Stadium since 1995.
Duke called a timeout with 6 seconds left, with coach Mike Krzyzewski later saying he instructed Allen: ''You go. See what's there.''
Allen inbounded the ball to Marshall Plumlee, who handed it right back to the sophomore guard.
''Get the ball in Grayson's hands, don't do anything stupid, try to make a read,'' Plumlee said. ''I did my part. Grayson did the hard part.''
Allen drove the left side of the lane on defender Marial Shayok, then went airborne while flinging up a one-handed shot that kissed off the glass and went through at the buzzer.
''I joked to Coach K, 'I think he traveled,''' Virginia coach Tony Bennett said. ''He said, 'Well, I think he got fouled.'''
Matt Jones finished with 14 points and Plumlee had 10 rebounds for the Blue Devils. After failing to beat a Top 25 opponent for the first three months of the season, they have now knocked off two in six days after beating No. 13 Louisville on Monday night.
Anthony Gill had 12 points for the Cavaliers, whose seven-game winning streak was snapped. They lost their 17th straight visit to Cameron - a slide dating to the year of Krzyzewski's extended absence - and haven't beaten Coach K here since 1993.
They pulled to 61-60 when London Perrantes hit two free throws with 1:50 to play and came up with three straight defensive stops after that but struggled to score at the other end.
Brogdon missed a 3-pointer with about a minute left, then missed a running jumper in the lane with about 30 seconds to play.
Allen missed two free throws with 27.3 seconds left, before Shayok found Brogdon in the post and he hit that over-the-shoulder flip over Jones that briefly put Virginia up.
''I did want it to come my way, just because I wanted another opportunity after missing those free throws,'' Allen said.
STAT LINE
They pulled to 61-60 when London Perrantes hit two free throws with 1:50 to play and came up with three straight defensive stops after that but struggled to score at the other end.
Brogdon missed a 3-pointer with about a minute left, then missed a running jumper in the lane with about 30 seconds to play.
Allen missed two free throws with 27.3 seconds left, before Shayok found Brogdon in the post and he hit that over-the-shoulder flip over Jones that briefly put Virginia up.
''I did want it to come my way, just because I wanted another opportunity after missing those free throws,'' Allen said.
STAT LINE
Ingram single-handedly brought Duke back from an 11-point deficit. He finished one point shy of his season high and was the only Blue Devil to score during a 5 1/2-minute span that bridged the halves, reeling off 18 consecutive points for his team and putting Duke up 41-40 with a jumper with 16 1/2 minutes left. Bennett says the problems he created showed up on the boards, where Duke outrebounded the Cavaliers 24-10 in the second half. ''We just couldn't match up with Ingram,'' Bennett said.
TIP-INS
TIP-INS
Virginia: The Cavaliers' last three visits to Cameron have been decided by a total of eight points. This was just their second visit since 2012, losing their last game here in January 2014 when Rasheed Sulaimon - who has since transferred to Maryland - bounced in a 3-pointer in the final seconds.
Duke: The Cameron Crazies wore party hats to celebrate Krzyzewski's 69th birthday. ... With the NBA on its All-Star break, two members of last year's title-winning team - Philadelphia 76ers big man Jahlil Okafor and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Tyus Jones - watched from baseline seats.
Duke: The Cameron Crazies wore party hats to celebrate Krzyzewski's 69th birthday. ... With the NBA on its All-Star break, two members of last year's title-winning team - Philadelphia 76ers big man Jahlil Okafor and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Tyus Jones - watched from baseline seats.
UP NEXT
Virginia hosts N.C. State on Monday night.
Duke visits No. 9 North Carolina on Wednesday night.
Denzel Valentine-led No. 8 Michigan State tops Indiana 88-69.
By LARRY LAGE
Denzel Valentine was calm on a court filled with relative chaos, taking shots when they were there and making passes when a teammate had a better look.
Valentine had 30 points, 13 assists and only one turnover to help No. 8 Michigan State pull away to beat Indiana 88-69 Sunday - Valentine's Day.
Spartans coach Tom Izzo was told he should schedule more games on Valentine's Day even though his star is in his last season of college eligibility. The national player of the year candidate, meanwhile, dismissed the significance of playing well on the holiday that bears his name.
''It wasn't even about that,'' Valentine said. ''It was just about getting the win. We lost Tuesday and felt we should've won that game.''
The Spartans (21-5, 8-5 Big Ten) bounced back from a one-point loss in overtime at No. 18 Purdue with the win over Indiana.
Michigan State seniors Matt Costello scored a career-high 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Bryn Forbes had 14 points.
''Our three seniors were the difference in the game,'' Izzo said. ''And, you hope that's the way it's supposed to be.''
The Spartans, who trailed by 10 points 7:58 before halftime, closed the first half with a 9-0 run to take a one-point lead. They went on a 24-3 run to go ahead by 17 points midway through the second half.
''We just had to relax,'' Valentine said.
Valentine's poised leadership proved to be pivotal.
''We didn't put enough pressure on him,'' Indiana coach Tom Crean said. ''We didn't make him uncomfortable.''
The Hoosiers (20-6, 10-3) fell out of a tie for first place in the Big Ten with No. 4 Iowa, which they beat on the road on Thursday.
''We were better a few nights ago,'' Crean said. ''Much better.''
Indiana's Yogi Ferrell had 14 points in the seven-point win over the Hawkeyes, but was limited to nine points against Michigan State. He was held to eight below his average and scored only one point more than his season low.
Eron Harris was one of the Spartans who were motivated to defend Ferrell.
''Everyone in the program challenged me saying, 'You've got a big job to do,''' Harris said.
''We were better a few nights ago,'' Crean said. ''Much better.''
Indiana's Yogi Ferrell had 14 points in the seven-point win over the Hawkeyes, but was limited to nine points against Michigan State. He was held to eight below his average and scored only one point more than his season low.
Eron Harris was one of the Spartans who were motivated to defend Ferrell.
''Everyone in the program challenged me saying, 'You've got a big job to do,''' Harris said.
Crean didn't criticize Ferrell, saying too few of his teammates had an impact on the game.
Max Bielfeldt scored 10 of his 15 points in the first half, Robert Johnson had 11 points and Thomas Bryant scored 10 for the Hoosiers.
Izzo praised Bielfeldt, who transferred to Indiana from Michigan.
''For a while, he was the best player on the floor,'' Izzo said.
TIP-INS
Max Bielfeldt scored 10 of his 15 points in the first half, Robert Johnson had 11 points and Thomas Bryant scored 10 for the Hoosiers.
Izzo praised Bielfeldt, who transferred to Indiana from Michigan.
''For a while, he was the best player on the floor,'' Izzo said.
TIP-INS
Indiana: As Ferrell goes, the Hoosiers follow. The Big Ten player of the year candidate could not drive into a defense that usually allows penetration and was 3 of 10 from the field, making only one of three 3-point attempts. Izzo said it was quite a feat to slow down Ferrell. ''He's become one of the greatest point guards in the whole country,'' Izzo said.
Michigan State: The Spartans lost a player, and got one back. Forward Kenny Goins left the game with an injured left knee in the first half and didn't return. ''I saw him on crutches,'' Izzo said. ''It's a shame because he's been playing good.'' Point guard Lourawls ''Tum Tum'' Nairn Jr. played 2 minutes in the first half, coming back from a foot injury that has kept him out since Jan. 14. Izzo hopes Nairn can rest when the team practices, and play a little in games. ''If we can get something out of him, 10 minutes a game, he's willing to do that for us,'' Izzo said.
UP NEXT
Indiana hosts Nebraska on Wednesday.
Michigan State hosts Wisconsin on Thursday
Michigan State hosts Wisconsin on Thursday
NCAAFB: FCS may rebrand its championship game as a bowl game.
By Kevin McGuire
(AP Photo/Tim Sharp)
As if there were not enough bowl game sin college football, we could be on our way to adding one more. Well, at least in name.
The Football Championship Subdivision national championship game could be rebranded as a bowl game in an attempt to spark more interest from the casual college football fans. Inspired by the relative success of the inaugural Celebration Bowl, played between the champions of the MEAC and SWAC, the Missouri Valley Conference is reportedly leading the charge to rename the FCS national championship game in a marketing ploy to generate more buzz with the help of the NCAA and television partner ESPN, which broadcast the national championship game in addition to providing coverage for additional playoff game sin the FCS postseason.
“The public understands playoffs, so we benefit from that for the first rounds of the championship,” said Patty Viverito, commissioner of the Missouri Valley Football Conference and the Pioneer League (just imagine if Jim Delany was the commissioner of the Big Ten and the MAC). “But then when it comes time for the championship game, because it’s in the mix of what is the bowl frenzy, it gets lost. So we think we can have the best of both worlds by having the playoffs leading up to the ‘Football Championship Bowl’ – however it is branded, but with the name ‘bowl’ so that we become part of the bowl lineup.”
This past season’s FCS national championship game was played on January 9, 2016. The championship game moved to January starting during the 2010 season. Previously the game had been played in mid-December. The move to push the championship game back closer to the BCS Championship Game was a strategic move to draw more attention to its national title game. This occurred a year after the game relocated to Frisco, Texas from Chattanooga, Tennessee.
“To be in the same space, if you will, as the FBS bowls was absolutely tremendous,” MEAC commissioner Dr. Dennis Thomas said, referring to the Celebration Bowl, which preceded the New Mexico Bowl and its official kickoff to the FBS bowl season. “We were the first game on ABC to start the bowl season. It was branded that way, it was marketed that way, it was promoted that way.”
Changing the championship game’s name to a bowl could have a downfall attached to it. While bowls certainly spark interest for some, it could also lead the game to fall under the radar amid a full slate of bowl games during bowl season. Having the game defined in title as being a national championship game could have a more positive effect on how the game is viewed by the casual fan.
John Lattner, Won Heisman at Notre Dame in 1953, Dies at 83.
By Tom Coyne
(Photo/Notre Dame Athletics)
John Lattner, the 1953 Heisman Trophy winner who helped lead Notre Dame to a 9-0-1 record and a No. 2 ranking in Frank Leahy's final year as coach, has died. He was 83.
Lattner died early Saturday morning at his home in Melrose Park, Illinois, of mesothelioma, said his daughter, Gretchen Spillane. She said he was exposed to asbestos while working as a pipefitter in high school or college and had been diagnosed with the cancer about 18 months ago.
Notre Dame held a moment of silence before its basketball game against Louisville on Saturday.
Lattner died early Saturday morning at his home in Melrose Park, Illinois, of mesothelioma, said his daughter, Gretchen Spillane. She said he was exposed to asbestos while working as a pipefitter in high school or college and had been diagnosed with the cancer about 18 months ago.
Notre Dame held a moment of silence before its basketball game against Louisville on Saturday.
Lattner, a two-time All-American, was a halfback, defensive back, punter and kick returner who edged Minnesota's Paul Giel for the Heisman. He captured college football's top individual honor even though he didn't lead the Fighting Irish in rushing, passing, receiving or scoring that season.
Lattner had 13 career interceptions, still the third-best in school history. He had 3,095 all-purpose yards, a school record that stood until 1979.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder was on the cover of Time magazine on Nov. 9, 1953, with the words "a bread-and-butter ball carrier," a description used by Leahy. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1979.
In 1952, he ran for 732 yards on 148 carries, an average of 4.9 yards an attempt, and had 17 catches for 252 yards. He won the Maxwell Award, given to the nation's top college football player.
In 1953, he rushed for 96 yards to help lead the Irish to a 27-14 victory over Georgia Tech, ending the Yellow Jackets' 31-game unbeaten streak. He also had an interception in a 27-21 victory over Oklahoma. The Irish finished the season ranked No. 2, following a 14-14 tie with Iowa.
Lattner won the Heisman and Maxwell that year, rushing for 651 yards on 134 carries and had 14 catches for 204 yards. He also returned eight kickoffs for 331 yards, two for touchdowns, a 41.4 yard return average that remains second best in school history.
He also played basketball for the Irish when three players were declared academically ineligible for the second semester during the 1951-52 season. He scored the winning basket with nine seconds left in overtime in a 75-74 victory over New York University in Madison Square Garden.
Lattner was drafted seventh overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers and played one season. He ran for 237 yards on 69 carries and five touchdowns and had 25 catches for 305 yards and two touchdowns.
Lattner, who was born in Chicago, served two years in the Air Force and sustained a career-ending knee injury playing in a military game.
He owned a restaurant in Chicago and a fire there in 1968 killed three people and destroyed his Heisman Trophy. He later worked for a printing business and a business-supply firm.
On
emoriesofhistory.com
1953 - The first American to win the women’s world figure skating championship was 17-year-old Tenley Albright.
1962 - CBS-TV bought the exclusive rights to college football games from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for a figure of $10,200,000.
1965 - NFL teams pledged not to sign college seniors until they had completed all of their games, including bowl games.
1974 - Phil Esposito (Boston Bruins) scored his 1,000th NHL point.
1975 - Yvan Cournoyer (Montreal Canadiens) scored five goals and two assists against the Chicago Black Hawks.
1980 - Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) tied an NHL record with seven assists in a game against the Washington Capitals. Gretzky also set a rookie record of 96 points.
1996 - The NCAA football rules committee voted to require a tiebreaker in all NCAA football games.
1998 - Dale Earnhardt won NASCAR's Daytona 500 for the first time. The win occurred on his 20th attempt.
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