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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"The man on top of a mountain didn't fall there." ~ Vince Lombardi, NFL Football Player, Coach and Executive
Trending: Bubba Watson claims second PGA Rivera title in three years. (See the golf section for PGA updates).
Trending: Hawks a no show in Stadium Series. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates).
Trending: Denny Hamlin beats Martin Truex Jr. in closest Daytona 500 finish ever. (See the NASCAR section for Daytona 500 updates).
Trending: Bears in midst of youth movement. (See the football section for Bears updates).
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks get throttled by Wild in Stadium. Series.
By Tracey Myers
The Minnesota Wild talked Saturday about finally getting an outdoor game and how the team wouldn’t get caught up in all the fun and festivities that surround it.
It certainly didn’t.
Jason Pominville, Nino Niederreiter and Ryan Carter recorded a goal and an assist each and Devan Dubnyk stopped 31 of 32 shots as the Wild beat the Blackhawks 6-1 on Sunday afternoon. The Blackhawks snapped a two-game winning streak but remain atop the Central Division. The Dallas Stars, who are idle today, remain a point behind in second place.
Patrick Kane had the Blackhawks’ lone goal. Corey Crawford was pulled entering the second period after allowing four goals on 23 shots through the first 40 minutes. For the Blackhawks, this was a forgettable one from the start. They looked lackluster against a Wild team that was winning every puck battle and getting plenty of odd-man opportunities.
“I mean these games, they’re early in the day; sometimes it seems like one team starts faster than another one,” Kane said. “They’ve got some momentum ever since the coaching change, and seems like they’re rolling with confidence right now. These games and points are important to them to try and get a playoff spot. Tough game overall for us but we have to learn from it.”
Michal Rozsival was assessed a five-minute interference and a game misconduct for his hit on Jason Zucker in the second period. It looked like Rozsival’s shoulder made contact near Zucker’s chin. Zucker fell hard onto the back of his head and needed help off the ice; he did not return.
“I didn’t think it was a major; spontaneous play as a defenseman in that situation. He played the man,” coach Joel Quenneville said of Rozsival. “Unfortunately a player was injured.”
The Wild was in a tailspin last week, losing eight in a row and ultimately firing head coach Mike Yeo. It’s been a different team under John Torchetti, who was named interim coach upon Yeo’s dismissal. The Wild has won four in a row under Torchetti, scoring 21 goals in these four games.
Still, the Wild’s great game doesn’t excuse the Blackhawks for their poor one.
“That wasn’t anywhere near the way we can play. Against a dangerous team that’s been playing really well lately, we just didn’t have anything throughout the whole game,” Crawford said. “Right from the start, it’s not the way we usually play. That’s something we need to learn a lesson from and realize that there are no easy games going forward. If we don’t bring everything we have it’s going to end up like that.”
When the Blackhawks have been good, they’ve been very good. When they’ve played poorly lately, they’ve allowed a lot. Perhaps they’re late-season blips on the radar but Quenneville isn’t a fan of this happening at any time.
“It’s not characteristic of our team game, from start to finish; getting behind by a big margin or a big number is something we’re unaccustomed to over the last three years. It’s crept a little into our game,” Quenneville said. “It’s something that can’t happen at that regularity or happen at all.”
Five Things: Chicago Blackhawks a no show vs. Wild.
By Tracey Myers
The Blackhawks were once again in an outdoor game on Sunday, once again put on one of the league’s biggest stages.
Their performance, however, was anything but showcase-worthy.
We’ll spare you the details on this one; chances are you already saw them. So before we head home to a very light week, let’s look at the Five Things to take from the Blackhawks’ 6-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild.
1. This is not the postseason Wild. In the playoffs, you could argue the Wild have a mental block against the Blackhawks. Hey, a second-round sweep is a second-round sweep. But the Wild have a new attitude under interim coach/former Blackhawks associate coach John Torchetti. They’re also scoring a ton of goals. Minnesota scored five goals in each of their last three games entering Sunday’s contest. They posted another six against the Blackhawks. Between facing Chicago and hosting its first outdoor game, the Wild was just a little motivated.
2. A terrible start that never got better. To say the Blackhawks were lackluster at puck drop would be an understatement. They were beyond quiet. When Jonathan Toews was called for goaltender interference on Devan Dubnyk, the Blackhawks were plenty angry. It just didn’t translate into their game at all.
3. Michal Rozsival given a game misconduct. Rozsival left the game after he was assessed that, as well as a five-minute interference, for his hit on Jason Zucker in the second period on Sunday. Zucker fell hard right on the back of his head and needed help off the ice. Will there be supplemental discipline? The league has a few days to look at this one — the Blackhawks don’t play again until Thursday — but it’s doubtful there will be anything more assessed to Rozsival.
4. No excuses. The ice was in good condition. The temperature was fine. The Blackhawks had a strange week with a game, a White House visit and Stadium Series fun. But as Corey Crawford said, “no excuses in this room. We’re professionals. Everyone has a tough schedule at some point and for us to do that is definitely no excuse to play the way we did.”
5. “Something to think about.” That was coach Joel Quenneville’s assessment of this one, and the Blackhawks will have plenty of time to do that this week. Again, it’s a relatively quiet week for them, with just two games between now and Monday’s trade deadline. “We can work on a couple of things in practice and get some emotion and intensity, even though on a day like today we should be leaving it out there,” Quenneville said. “But we got caught flat-footed and basically chased the game.”
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Bulls top Lakers in Kobe Bryant's final game in Chicago.
By Mark Strotman
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
A 15-3 run to end the third quarter had pushed the Bulls' lead 16 by the end of the third quarter, and an E'Twaun Moore basket extended the lead to 19, their biggest of the night.
It's about the time that the sellout crowd of 23,143, littered with No. 24 "Bryant" jerseys, began chanting the name of the man all in attendance had come to see.
The chants of "Ko-be! Ko-be!" persisted until late in the period, when the Lakers had roared back to pull within a single possession of the Bulls, and Bryant re-entered to a rousing applause from the United Center crowd.
Bryant scored just two more points after re-entering, and the Bulls were able to stave off the Lakers' comeback bid by scoring 12 of the game's final 17 points in a 126-115 victory over the Lakers. The night honoring and celebrating Bryant's historic 20-year career was as unique a situation as the Bulls had faced this season, but Fred Hoiberg understood its importance within the game.
"Look, he deserves everything he's getting out there," he said after the game. "I'm sure it's happening in every gym that he's playing in. It's very well-deserved for Kobe, everything he's getting out there. He deserves this farewell tour, whatever you want to call it, send-off, that he's got going."
Celebration aside, the Bulls were able to move past the unique circumstances and perform at a level they needed to against an inferior opponent. The 126 points were a regulation season-high, and they topped a season-high by shooting nearly 56 percent from the field and 68 percent from beyond the arc in their second consecutive victory for the first time since Jan. 5 and 7.
E'Twaun Moore matched a career-high with 24 points, Derrick Rose continued his stellar play with 24 points and six assists and six players scored 17 or more points, including Bobby Portis' 17 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
Bryant was the main attraction from the moment he entered the United Center. He spoke with members of the media for 15 minutes prior to the game, fielding questions ranging from his favorite memories playing against Michael Jordan, to nearly signing with the Bulls in 2004 and being traded there in 2007, to his message of patience to Bulls fans enduring the team’s recent struggles.
Bryant also received a special two-minute video from the Bulls during pregame introductions and was introduced at the end of the video by former teammate Pau Gasol, who spent parts of seven seasons and won two titles with Bryant.
The five-time champion, who has endured his struggles in his final NBA season but played better of late, showed flashes of his old self in his 15th appearance at the United Center. Bryant connected on an early 3-pointer and scored on four jumpers in a five-possession span that tied the game early in the third quarter, his final jumper bringing the sellout United Center crowd of 23,143 to their feet.
But Bryant’s theatrics were short-lived for the 11-46 Lakers.
The Bulls’ sharpshooting peaked in a dominant third quarter in which they shot 62 percent, including 5-for-7 from beyond the arc. Moore made all three of his attempts, Doug McDermott continued his hot shooting with another triple and Gasol added one from the top of the key, shooting a glance to Bryant following Bryant’s fourth bucket of the sequence. The Bulls tallied 30 more assists on Sunday, two days after logging 32 in a win over the Raptors.
"I'm encouraged with what we're doing offensively right now. The ball is moving so much better than it was earlier in the season," Hoiberg said. We're making more simple plays."
They ended the quarter on a 15-3 run and scored the first three points of the fourth quarter, seemingly putting the game out of reach. The Lakers responded in the final quarter, thanks to stellar performances from youngsters Julius Randle (22 points, 12 rebounds) and D'Angelo Russell (15 points, six assists), while Jordan Clarkson scored 12 of his 20 points in the final stanza. During the Lakers' 18-4 run fans began clamoring for head coach Byron Scott to substitute Bryant, who had played 25 minutes to that point, back into the game.
Bryant re-entered the game for the final time after Moore’s triple put the Bulls up seven with three minutes remaining. Bryant added two free throws to finish with 22 points on 8-for-20 shooting before jumpers from Gasol and Rose iced the game.
Bryant exited with 45 seconds remaining to one final standing ovation from the crowd. After the final horn sounded he found Gasol and embraced his longtime friend for the final time on an NBA court.
"We shared a few moments now but knowing this one was the last one on an NBA floor, it’s special to share that moment," Gasol said after the game. "To have the bond that we have, the respect and admiration and friendship. So it’s awesome and I love it. I feel honored that I have this type of relationship, where I’ve earned his respect throughout the years and that we won a couple championships together, which is pretty amazing."
Chicago's goodbye to Kobe Bryant.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
In describing Kobe Bryant, Charles Barkley once said, “He’s not Michael Jordan, but he’s close.”
From the time a brash high schooler from Philly declared for the NBA draft, his eyes have been squarely fixated on the Jumpman.
Showing no fear for the reigning king in the All-Star Game, Kobe showed everybody what, or more specifically whom, he was aiming for.
He turned some off by brushing away screens in meaningless exhibitions, and drew laughs when tossing up airball after airball in a deciding playoff game, but yet, Kobe was undeterred.
One of the few who didn’t wilt under the shadow of the statue, Kobe was the only one who had the audacity to want to be greater than the greatest.
So much of Kobe’s early career was fixated on being like him, Kobe took “Be Like Mike” to a whole other level. Of imitation. Inflection. Past the point of flattery, to where it was nearly scary.
Developing an own identity took a backseat to an obsession of MJ, which brought upon some scorn from fans.
Of course, Kobe learned lessons and applied them. Michael welcomed Kobe to the national stage with perfect fadeaways and flawless fundamentals and then years later, Kobe said his goodbye to the greatest in such a ruthless way, 55 in L.A.
To compare, Kobe was a better shooter than Michael, with deeper range. And Kobe made more tough, contested shots. But Michael always got the shot he wanted, and almost always authored a storybook ending.
That’s not to say Kobe didn’t get his pounds of flesh, or gold.
From the first ring to the fifth, Kobe shined on the Finals stage despite enduring some heart-wrenching and humbling defeats.
Kobe had the ego to prove he could win on his terms, as the sole headliner without a 330-pound shadow on the floor with him. And while he had some individual moments in the interim - 60, 61, 62, 65 and of course, 81 - the game taught him doing it alone sounds much better in theory than application.
He almost landed in Chicago, but the Bulls and Lakers couldn’t agree on a deal and Kobe wound up better for it. Two more rings after the first three earned more respect and for himself, validation and entrance to the short table of special champions.
Somewhere along the way you found yourself and became a golden standard in your own right without being a second-rate imitation of anyone.
Father Time has prevented the ultimate storybook ending, with injuries grabbed Kobe at the worst possible time, but they’ve revealed a humanity few thought existed in such a maniacal competitor.
The perfect ending, many hoped, was him riding into the sunset like Peyton Manning, at least with a shot at a championship ring.
But if that happened, we wouldn’t see the elder statesman, the mentor, the player who’s embraced his basketball mortality and grateful for the journey, potholes and all.
Instead Kobe would be singularly focused on winning all over again, obsessed with the goal that he would miss the moments of playing one on one with opponents’ children, passing on lessons to the next generation while showing the public that he wasn’t afraid to show his heart.
One by one, players and teams, many of them former rivals, have come to pay respects. Fans have paid homage in a tribute that’s been most unexpected but seemingly most appreciated by someone not many thought had a sentimental bone in his body.
In a way, as Kobe says goodbye, it’s a perfect ending for an imperfect superstar.
McDermott's career night propels Bulls to improbable win over Raptors.
By Vincent Goodwill
A ball of adrenaline and confidence named Doug McDermott blazed to the corner, clapping for Cristiano Felecio to locate him as he looked to capitalize off precious momentum he created.
Once he was spotted, the ball went up as quickly as he caught it.
Catch, flick, splash.
He repeated that motion a few other times—well, several others, as the Bulls played with a renewed confidence for the better part of three quarters, breaking all types of losing streaks and preventing the Bulls from falling to .500 with an improbable 116-106 win over the Toronto Raptors.
The Bulls previously lost their last five at home and their last five games overall, last winning in Sacramento before the All-Star break.
McDermott, set the crowd afire with a backdoor two-handed dunk that seemed to catch Raptors big man Patrick Patterson off-guard. Then after a turnover he set his feet for one of his four triples and a career-high 30 points.
“He was hunting shots, great cuts slashing to the basket,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He’s such a good shooter, I know his teammates trust him. He did a little bit of everything, that dunk he had on the baseline was huge.”
McDermott put up 14 of those in the fourth to help keep the Raptors at bay, with two triples and hitting six of eight shots. A short but pointed talk from Fred Hoiberg after the walkthrough gave McDermott the boost he needed to author the career night.
"Tonight was a good night. We got the first one in, kind of got my energy going on defense," McDermott said. "This is something that can propel me the rest of the season. It felt good."
It was a stark contrast from the guy who looked like he barely belonged on the floor 24 hours previously in Cleveland, and Hoiberg could sense the team’s best shooter was down.
“He could relate to me in some ways, because similar games,” McDermott said. "We'll have to check if he had a 30-point game. He just gave me confidence tonight.”
Hoiberg said when McDermott is a genuine threat, it makes life easier for Derrick Rose and when he returns, Jimmy Butler.
Rose kept the Bulls in the game early, finding teammates for jumpers and going head up with All-Star Kyle Lowry.
Rose took a beating on both ends but after scoring or assisting on the Bulls’ final three baskets, finished with 26 points and six assists on 12 of 20 shooting. Pau Gasol came an assist short of a triple double, with 18 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in 33 minutes.
“Really good patience, he didn’t force the issue,” said Hoiberg of Rose. “He’s playing good. We’re happy with how he’s playing right now. We really needed it, I guess that’s an understatement.”
The Raptors have taken the Bulls’ place as the next best team not named the Cleveland Cavaliers, and showed why at the start and finish, taking a 13-point early and sapping the life out of the building.
The smell of desperation and panic was all throughout the United Center, as the Bulls’ history of submitting under the first sign of pressure didn’t leave many in a confident frame of mind.
But the Bulls showed some resiliency, as Hoiberg turned to seldom-used Cristiano Felecio in the first half as he searched for energy and Felecio delivered, with good hands and better finishes at the rim, making all three of his field goals to score eight with three rebounds in 14 minutes.
Bobby Portis fired up his team and the crowd late in the first half when the Bulls were behind by double figures, hitting a baseline jumper, a corner triple and getting a breakaway dunk to end the half trailing by just seven.
“Cris was huge. Taj has been playing a lot of minutes, we kept him under 25,” “We’ve been trying to find time for Cris in there. He didn’t go out there and play intimidated. He and Bobby, I thought our young guys were terrific tonight.”
In the past it would’ve been fool’s gold, but the Bulls found some of their own, with Rose scoring 10 of the 37 points as they finally found a crack in the Raptors defense and exploited it.
But it was their energy that kept them alive until Hoiberg’s offense could finally make a mark for the first time in ages. Lowry scored 27 with eight assists in 37 minutes while E’Twaun Moore held Raptors All-Star DeMar DeRozan to just 6 of 21 shooting, although he finished with 22 points.
All other shot makers were held in check as the defense allowed just 43 percent shooting.
But for the first time in quite awhile, the sinking ship that had been taking on water finally threw some overboard, as McDermott rediscovered what he does best---and allowed his coach to breathe for one night.
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears in midst of youth movement.
By Larry Mayer
The team's top five picks in last year's draft could start this coming season in receiver Kevin White , defensive tackle Eddie Goldman , center Hroniss Grasu . running back Jeremy Langford and safety Adrian Amos .
Four of the five saw significant playing time as rookies. The lone exception was White, who missed the entire season with a stress fracture in his shin. Now healthy, the seventh pick in last year's draft is expected to be ready to participate in the Bears' offseason program without restrictions.
White showed explosiveness and playmaking ability last spring before getting hurt in an OTA workout. When he finally returned to the practice field in early December, quarterback
"He's got some burst to him," Cutler said at the time. "You can see the talent is definitely there."
The Bears are eager to see a healthy White back on the field in 2016. The 6-3, 217-pounder blossomed at West Virginia in 2014, catching 109 passes for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns. He opened the season with a school-record seven straight 100-yard games and set another West Virginia mark for most receptions in a game with 16 against Texas.
Goldman was projected primarily as a run-stuffing nose tackle entering the draft out of Florida State, but he proved as a rookie that he can rush the passer as well, recording 4.5 sacks.
The 6-4, 336-pounder improved during the second half of the season, registering 10 tackles, three sacks and three tackles-for-loss in a three-game span against the Broncos, 49ers and Redskins.
Grasu also gained valuable experience in 2015, starting eight games at center after the Bears lost veteran Will Montgomery for the season to a broken arm in a Week 4 win over the Raiders.
With the Bears deciding not to offer free-agent-to-be Matt Forte a contract, Langford projects as the team's starting running back in 2016. As a rookie, the Michigan State product rushed for 537 yards and a team-high six touchdowns on 148 carries and caught 22 passes for 279 yards and 1 TD.
When Forte was injured last season, Langford helped lead the Bears to back-to-back wins by generating 142 yards from scrimmage (72 rushing, 70 receiving) against the Chargers and 182 yards (73 rushing, 109 receiving) versus the Rams while scoring three touchdowns.
In the process, he became just the second Bears rookie to compile at least 70 yards rushing and 70 yards receiving in multiple games, joining Hall of Famer Gale Sayers.
Amos was the only Bears rookie to start all 16 games last season. He led the defense with 108 tackles but must produce more impact plays than he did in 2015 when he failed to record an interception, forced fumble or fumble recovery.
With the Bears deciding not to offer free-agent-to-be Matt Forte a contract, Langford projects as the team's starting running back in 2016. As a rookie, the Michigan State product rushed for 537 yards and a team-high six touchdowns on 148 carries and caught 22 passes for 279 yards and 1 TD.
When Forte was injured last season, Langford helped lead the Bears to back-to-back wins by generating 142 yards from scrimmage (72 rushing, 70 receiving) against the Chargers and 182 yards (73 rushing, 109 receiving) versus the Rams while scoring three touchdowns.
In the process, he became just the second Bears rookie to compile at least 70 yards rushing and 70 yards receiving in multiple games, joining Hall of Famer Gale Sayers.
Amos was the only Bears rookie to start all 16 games last season. He led the defense with 108 tackles but must produce more impact plays than he did in 2015 when he failed to record an interception, forced fumble or fumble recovery.
The Bears signed Anderson, Timu and Callahan as undrafted free agents, claimed Jones-Quartey off waivers from the Cardinals and acquired Lee in a trade with the Texans.
CUBS: How Jake Arrieta plans to explode through the wall in 2016.
Tony Andracki
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
He has admitted several times he ran into a wall in October last season, when he gave up eight earned runs in his final two postseason starts.
Arrieta saw a jump of almost 75 innings from 2014 (176.2) to 2015 (248.2, including playoffs).
It didn't matter what shape he was in or how old he was. Arrieta ran out of gas.
He acknowledged his mindset last year was to try to pitch into the eighth and ninth innings each time out, but understands it's time for a different approach in 2016.
"Going into this season, it's obviously very wise to monitor things early in the season to preserve things for October and so on and so forth," Arrieta said. "As nice as it is to complete games as a starter, it's even nicer to pitch meaningful games in October, as I now know from last year's experiences."
Cubs manager Joe Maddon feels Arrieta is better for the experience of wearing down.
"He gets it now," Maddon said. "Guys like him who have never been through it before, you pretty much feel like you're invincible, like you can do anything.
"So at least now, he's had the experience of what it feels like to be in that position and he knows it now firsthand. My job and (pitching coach Chris Bosio's) job should be somewhat easier in regards to harnessing him just a bit during the season.
"That's it. Not talking about treating him like a kid or backing up, just being a little bit more intelligent about the latter part of the game with the lead and when to get him out."
Even if Arrieta hadn't run into a wall, Maddon said the Cubs were planning on limiting the right-hander's innings in 2016 anyway, given the significant increase.
It's easy for Maddon and Arrieta to say now that they'll reduce his innings, but will it be tough to do that down the stretch?
"I don't think so," Arrieta said. "Maybe a couple years ago or even last year, a little bit. I think Joe is the leader on this aspect. You gotta check your ego at the door. It doesn't matter individually at this point.
"We were in the NLCS last year. We expect to go one step further this year. So if we want to do that, there's certain sacrifices that have to be made. I'm more than willing to make those sacrifices to be better for my team later in the season.
"... If that means six or seven innings for a certain amount of starts to let our big arms in the 'pen come in and do their thing...those things are much more important than for me as an individual to get eight or nine innings.
"It looks good on paper, but a ring looks a little bit better at the end of November."
Maddon didn't want to tab Arrieta as the Cubs' Opening Day starter until he got a chance to talk to all of his players. But the manager did allow that anybody "could draw your own conclusions about it," pointing to Arrieta's Cy Young and taking the ball in the winner-take-all wild card game in Pittsburgh.
Arrieta is a fitness freak whose workout regimen is becoming legendary, to the point where teammates and opposing players and coaches are asking him about it.
And why not? Everybody saw how Arrieta kept getting stronger as the regular season ended, turning in a second half for the ages with a record-setting 0.75 ERA that included a no-hitter.
Arrieta said he wasn't able to wrap his head around the magnitude of his second half until the postseason had ended and he wonders whether his new record will ever be broken.
Arrieta also understands how luck played on his side, knowing a lot of those numbers were out of his control.
So what could he possibly do for an encore? How does anybody follow up that type of season?
"In regards to pressure or expectations to recreate what you've done in the past, those thoughts are really worthless," Maddon said. "They don't do anything for you right now. That was the crux of my message [to him] was we have to stay in the moment and the process has to be our anchor.
"If we do that, it'll lessen the threat that he's gonna attempt to replicate or recreate exactly what he had done last year.
"Every season, every moment provides new experience. I think he understands that."
Cubs believe John Lackey and Jon Lester can bring out the best in each other.
By Tony Andracki
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Jon Lester and John Lackey are out to win the 2016 World Series with the Cubs.
You don't have to be their teammate or manager to know that. You don't even have to talk to them to know that.
Championship aspirations are a given with two of the most competitive pitchers in the game who have combined for four World Series rings and more than 225 postseason innings.
Lackey was the big free-agent pitching addition this offseason after Lester filled that bill the year prior.
Now, the two good friends have joined forces again -with veteran catcher and former Boston Red Sox teammate David Ross in tow - and Joe Maddon believes that could be a great thing.
"Jon Lester likes to have people around him that he's familiar with," Maddon said. "I think Lackey's the perfect foil, in a sense. Lack's gonna tell Jon Lester exactly what he thinks all the time and that's good.
"I think together, the combination of Lackey and David have the opportunity to bring out the best in Jon Lester. That's not to say that Jon Lester cannot do this on his own.
"I'm just saying this combination among those three guys, it's fun to watch. It's almost like a symbiotic relationship among the three of them.
"It's interesting. They've played together in the past, they connect very well on a lot of different levels. And because of that, I think they are obviously good for one another."
Maddon even said Lackey and Lester are "vibrating on the same level right now" and again mentioned how excited he was to have Lackey on the Cubs.
"We're lucky," Maddon said. "We're fortunate that John Lackey chose to come here. We're very fortunate that Jon Lester chose to come here last year.
"When we signed Lackey in the offseason, I thought he was one of the top free agent signs of the whole winter by anybody and specifically with us, how he fits in with everything we're doing.
"I think his attitude and the way he goes about his business will be felt by the other guys in a positive way."
Lester has admitted he felt some discomfort when he first came to the Cubs, which may have helped lead - along with that "dead arm" period in spring training - to a slow start in 2015 (6.23 ERA in April).
Now, with a year under his belt, Lester is more at ease with everything.
Having his best friend here doesn't hurt, either, of course.
"When you know people as well as we know each other, you can definitely talk to each other a little bit differently than you talk to anybody else," Lester said. "There's no sugarcoating anything around us. You probably don't want to be in on a lot of conversations around us.
"It's good having him. It's always good when you have friends on the team. It's nice having guys that don't sugarcoat things and you know exactly what they're gonna bring and what exactly they're gonna do for you and what you can do for them to make you better."
Lester is also helping to make sure Lackey feels comfortable in his first go-round with the Cubs, helping the 37-year-old right-hander get acclimated to the clubhouse in Mesa, the personnel, etc.
The two have already started placing bets on their performance as hitters this season, too, joking back and forth in their joint press conference Sunday about how Lester picked up his first career hit off Lackey last season.
Lackey is known for his competitive fire on the field, but Maddon - who was the bench coach of the Anaheim Angels when Lackey first broke into the big leagues - feels the new Cubs starter has mellowed a touch as he's grown older.
When a reporter posed that question to Lackey, Lester laughed and shook his head to indicate "no way."
"I get after it," Lackey said. "I know how that can be perceived sometimes. I think people find out that I'm a lot different than they think I am, which is fine.
"In between the lines, I really don't care what anybody thinks about me. I'm there to win."
Cubs playing the long game with reliever Aaron Crow.
By Tony Andracki
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
You can never have too much pitching.
Theo Epstein uses that phrase often, as he talks about the attrition of pitching between injuries and ineffectiveness.
That helps explain why the Cubs are rolling the dice on right-handed pitcher Aaron Crow, who is currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
The 29-year-old Crow was non-tendered by the Miami Marlins this offseason after he missed all of 2015 with the elbow injury. The Cubs announced Friday they signed him to a minor-league deal.
Right now, Crow is working back into shape, throwing a simulated bullpen during the Cubs' first official workout with pitchers and catchers Saturday.
He's hoping for a possible June return.
"I'm really excited to be here, especially after the year they had last year," Crow said. "It's a really good club. Hopefully by midseason, I can get healthy and be helping the team somehow."
Crow had a down season in 2014 that saw a dip in velocity and strikeouts but from 2011-13, he was a staple in the Kansas City Royals bullpen. Over that time, he went 14-10 with a 3.19 ERA and 1.33 WHIP while striking out 174 batters in 174.2 innings.
Crow also has 57 career holds.
This is unchartered territory for Crow, who averaged more than 63 appearances a season in Kansas City.
"You gotta learn pretty quick that you gotta be patient because it's so long," Crow said. "The hard part's behind me now, so now I just gotta get back in throwing shape.
"I have a few more months of throwing light sides to get ready. The whole process is long, so you just kinda look at it like that and take it day by day.
"I can't get guys out right now if I don't get healthy. You have to do that first. Once I get healthy, then I can start worrying about how I'm pitching or where it's at."
Crow said he's looking forward to working with Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio and manager Joe Maddon.
Who knows if Crow will ever throw a pitch at Wrigley Field. But the Cubs used 20 different relievers in 2015, a year where they had remarkably good luck on the injury front.
If all goes well, the Cubs are hoping Crow can provide some midseason reinforcement to the bullpen.
Todd Frazier: White Sox have 'key cogs' in place.
By Dan Hayes
The New Jersey house he lived in was for sale, his wife was pregnant with their second child and the family was about to move into a newly purchased home. And then, of course, there was the little matter of the Dec. 16 three-team trade that brought Frazier to the White Sox from the Cincinnati Reds.
As Frazier described it Sunday morning, he had a “lot of crap going on, a lot of great stuff.”
Two days later, his daughter was born.
So it wasn’t until a week later that the two-time All-Star third basemen could even begin to research his new team. And with each investigation, Frazier, who has been in White Sox camp for several days, has increasingly grown confident in his new club.
“We’ve got the key cogs,” Frazier said. “I did a little homework. I looked online a little bit and saw the capabilities we have with this team. The pitching staff is great, through the bullpen and starters. And I’ve said this all the time, if we’re healthy, if the team is healthy and we’ve got guys who produce and do their jobs, we’ll be fine.”
If Frazier can match what he has done the last four full seasons with the Reds, the White Sox should be much better all around than they were in 2015.
Not only should Frazier provide the offense with a middle-of-order bat — he has averaged 25 1/2 home runs the past four seasons — but the glove is very good, too.
From 2012-15, Frazier produced 5 1/4 Defensive Runs Saved per season and had an average Ultimate Zone Rating of 6.4, according to fangraphs.com.
Last season, White Sox third baseman were 30th among 30 teams in OPS (.611) and 29th in Wins Above Replacement with minus-1.3.
“It’s important to have a guy who can play it on both sides of the ball,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “He’s got a track record. That’s the biggest thing, is you’re looking at a guy that when you start looking at what he’s done in the past couple of years, you’re confident he’s going to be able to come over here and do that.”
Frazier is a pretty gregarious guy — “I talk a lot,” he said. But as he tries to get his bearings in a new clubhouse, Frazier intends to operate in a little more of a low-key fashion.
“I’m not going to be as boisterous,” Frazier said. “I’m not going to be crazy. I have to find my little niche.”
Frazier said he doesn’t mind any pressure expectations may bring.
Last week, Fangraphs declared the team’s trade for the 2014 Home Run Derby champion to be the second-best move of the offseason. Even though he’s switching leagues — “I’ve got a lot more homework to do,” he said — ZiPS projects Frazier to produce 3.7 WAR while Steamer has him at 3.4.
That kind of production would not only provide protection for Jose Abreu, it could help the White Sox turn around an offense that was mired in a slump for much of 2015. If they can get those issues taken care of, the White Sox may just end their streak of losing seasons at three.
“This is a team that is striving to be winners, to make the playoffs,” Frazier said. “That’s basically the first goal there has to be. You’ve got to get to the playoffs. You start off slow. You always have team goals, you always consider them really high, but once we get to the playoffs, then we can do some damage. So let’s start with the division, and then we can go from there.”
After everything that transpired this offseason, this baseball stuff has to be much easier for Frazier. With everything else occurring all at once, he needed a little time to process his livelihood and how it would be affected by the first trade of his career. But now that he’s arrived, Frazier likes what he sees.
“I had so much going on,” Frazier said. “It took me basically, like, a week to calm down and breathe a little bit. I kind of looked online and saw a lineup of the guys we had. I got pretty excited.”
White Sox' Adam LaRoche: 'Last year sucked ... but I'm over it.'
By Dan Hayes
As much as he may have desired to, Adam LaRoche couldn’t totally ignore the worst season of his career once he reached the offseason.
The veteran designated hitter/first baseman needed to review what took occurred last season to determine if he could discover why he struggled mightily before he moved on. But as soon as he assessed it properly, LaRoche removed himself as far as he possibly could from his first season with the White Sox.
Shortly after he arrived at Camelback Ranch on Sunday, LaRoche said he’s refreshed and fully removed from a campaign in which he hit .207/.293/.340 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs in 484 plate appearances.
“You can’t help but look at some of it,” LaRoche said. “You kind of look back at what you could have done different, as a team, individually, kind of where things went south and then put it behind you as fast as you can. I felt like I let go of that early on, enjoyed the winter and (am) excited to do it again.
“Last year sucked. It was tough. But I’m over it now.”
Doesn’t matter if a player has two years in the league or 10, hitting the reset button after a poor season is critical. Not once in 2015 could LaRoche maintain a hot streak. He didn’t identify why he struggled on Sunday other than to say he began to press and everything began to snowball — “in the middle of it you try a little too hard and you just don’t recover,” LaRoche said.
White Sox manager Robin Ventura believes LaRoche’s struggles were a combination of everything, from mental and mechanical issues, to adjusting to the life of a DH and a new league.
But what Ventura — who said at SoxFest that LaRoche must earn playing time this season — likes is how he found the veteran in a good place after he reported to camp on Sunday morning.
“He looks great, he feels good and he's going to be ready to go,” Ventura said. “It's always good to get a reset.
“The biggest thing right now is he comes in in a great frame of mind to help us win games.”
LaRoche spent the offseason relaxing with his family. He also fished and hunted as he always does.
LaRoche is optimistic about his second attempt at being a designated hitter. He thinks he has a better plan on how to fill the time in between plate appearances and is eager to prove he’s up to the challenge. The knee issues that dogged him for the final two months of the season have gone away with rest.
White Sox manager Robin Ventura believes LaRoche’s struggles were a combination of everything, from mental and mechanical issues, to adjusting to the life of a DH and a new league.
But what Ventura — who said at SoxFest that LaRoche must earn playing time this season — likes is how he found the veteran in a good place after he reported to camp on Sunday morning.
“He looks great, he feels good and he's going to be ready to go,” Ventura said. “It's always good to get a reset.
“The biggest thing right now is he comes in in a great frame of mind to help us win games.”
LaRoche spent the offseason relaxing with his family. He also fished and hunted as he always does.
LaRoche is optimistic about his second attempt at being a designated hitter. He thinks he has a better plan on how to fill the time in between plate appearances and is eager to prove he’s up to the challenge. The knee issues that dogged him for the final two months of the season have gone away with rest.
While most of his offseason routine remained the same, LaRoche did make one change. He began to do CrossFit for the first time and said he feels good as he’s about to begin the 13th season of his career.
In an attempt to bounce back, LaRoche wanted to put himself in the best place possible. He wants to be the guy the White Sox signed for two years and $25 million in November 2014.
He has already experienced hell on the diamond, and he isn’t interest in another visit.
“It was tough, it was a grind,” LaRoche said. “It’s just a different feeling coming to the field when you’re feeling good and playing good and winning games. As a team there is just a different atmosphere in there. Unfortunately, the only way you can get it is winning ballgames. So yeah, it was draining. I really don’t want to go through that again.”
In an attempt to bounce back, LaRoche wanted to put himself in the best place possible. He wants to be the guy the White Sox signed for two years and $25 million in November 2014.
He has already experienced hell on the diamond, and he isn’t interest in another visit.
“It was tough, it was a grind,” LaRoche said. “It’s just a different feeling coming to the field when you’re feeling good and playing good and winning games. As a team there is just a different atmosphere in there. Unfortunately, the only way you can get it is winning ballgames. So yeah, it was draining. I really don’t want to go through that again.”
Golf: I got a club for that..... Watson wins NTO by 1 over Scott, Kokrak.
By Will Gray
There was no shortage of drama Sunday in Los Angeles, as the outcome of the Northern Trust Open was in doubt right to the very end. Here's how things ended up at Riviera Country Club, where Bubba Watson rallied to win this event for the second time in the last three years:
Leaderboard: Bubba Watson (-15), Adam Scott (-14), Jason Kokrak (-14), Dustin Johnson (-13), K.J. Choi (-12), Marc Leishman (-12), Chez Reavie (-11)
What it means: Watson began the day with a slim advantage, but the standings remained clogged for much of the day until Kokrak briefly built a two-shot lead. Watson caught up with a birdie on No. 16, then added another on No. 17 to take a one-shot lead as Kokrak stalled out. Scott added some drama with a chip-in on the final hole to reach 14 under, but it still left him one shot short as Watson recorded his ninth career PGA Tour win and fifth win over a two-year span.
Round of the day: Canadian Adam Hadwin had the day's lowest score, a 5-under 66 that included only a single bogey. Hadwin began on the back nine and opened with three birdies over his first seven holes, adding three more birdies coming home to move up 34 spots in the standings into a tie for 16th at 7 under.
Best of the rest: Scott got off to a red-hot start, playing his first six holes in 5 under while holing putt after putt. Although he dropped back with a double bogey on No. 8 and failed to capitalize on several mid-range putts down the stretch, his unexpected chip-in to close gave him a 4-under 67 and his best result since winning at Colonial nearly two years ago.
Biggest disappointment: Rory McIlroy began the day in contention and promptly eagled the opening hole to take a share of the lead. From there, though, things went sideways for the former world No. 1. McIlroy bogeyed seven of his next 15 holes and didn't record a birdie until No. 18, a putt that merely salvaged a 4-over 75 and a share of 20th place.
Shot of the day: Ryan Moore made a rare hole-in-one on No. 16 en route to a T-10 finish, but Watson's approach to the par-3 a few groups later proved even more pivotal. He spun an 8-iron to within 10 feet and made the subsequent putt, the first of two birdies in a row that took him to the top of the standings for good.
Quote of the day: "You never know when your last win's going to be." - Watson, who won for the first time since last summer's Travelers Championship.
Fraser ends six-year title drought with Malaysia victory.
Associated Press
(Photo/Associated Press)
Australian Marcus Fraser made a curling 18-foot putt for par on the final hole Sunday for a 3-under 68 to win the inaugural Maybank Championship Malaysia by two strokes over Lee Soo-min of South Korea.
The 37-year-old Australian, who ended a six-year title drought, finished with a 15-under total of 269 that included a bogey-free final two rounds.
Lee closed with a 73 and was tied for second with Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines, who shot a final-round 68.
Former Open Championship victor Louis Oosthuizen shot a closing 66 and was seven strokes behind.
The 24-year-old Lee led by three strokes at the start of the day but a double bogey on 16 after an errant drive allowed Fraser to draw level. Tied on the 18th green, the South Korean missed his long par attempt before watching Fraser make his to clinch the tournament.
Lee then failed to convert his return putt to give Fraser his two-stroke margin.
''Unbelievable,'' said Fraser, who leads the Asian Tour Order of Merit after only taking up membership at the start of the week.
''Six years since the last one. My kids keep saying every time I walk out the door 'Hey Dad, can you bring home a trophy? And I'll say I'll try, I'll try and this time I'll take one home and I'll get them to take it to school for show and tell,'' he said.
He was surprised by his par-saving putt on 18.
''I don't know how I got that one to go in,'' he said. ''I was very nervous and looking down on the putt, I could see my putter shaking. But I just said to myself that this is one opportunity for me to win and I took a few deep breaths and holed the putt.''
Lee said he felt ''nervous and pressured'' over the closing holes.
''This week is very good for my golf life, but I'm a little bit disappointed,'' Lee said. ''But ... I have three top-10s in three events now, so it is OK.''
The 21-year-old Tabuena was pleased to finish tied for second after struggling with food poisoning over the opening two rounds.
''Not being 100 percent, no complaints at all,'' Tabuena said. ''It kind of helped that I wasn't in the final group, it took some pressure off.''
NASCAR: Denny Hamlin beats Martin Truex Jr. in closest Daytona 500 finish ever.
By Nick Bromberg
Denny Hamlin's margin of victory looks to be about a foot. (Photo/yahoosports.com)
Denny Hamlin made a daring late-race pass, moving from fourth to first in the final two turns to beat Martin Truex Jr. to the checkered flag by 0.010 seconds (or about a foot) to win the Daytona 500. It's the closest finish in the 58-year history of the historic race.
The four Joe Gibbs Racing cars, plus the affiliate car of Truex, were the class of the field throughout Sunday's race. Hamlin led the most laps, but had ceded the lead to teammate Matt Kenseth, who led the field for 40-straight laps. Kenseth seemingly had it won, as no one could muster up enough speed to make a pass in the outside lane. He paced the field down the backstretch on the final lap. That's when Hamlin made his move.
After sitting in line as the laps ticked off, Hamlin moved to the outside in front of Kevin Harvick. Hamlin passed teammate Kyle Busch for third as the field entered Turn 3.
As Kenseth went up to block, Hamlin darted to the middle. Kenseth's car started to slide but he saved it, leaving Hamlin and Truex to battle for the win. Truex looked to have the advantage as the two headed to the tri-oval but Hamlin inched ahead at the finish line.
"I felt like I had enough momentum to keep him behind me," Truex explained. "I did all the way up until that last couple feet. He just shot out that last couple inches on me right before the line.
"Wish I would have crowded him up the track a little bit more late down the frontstretch. Those are split‑second decisions. He came out on the right end of it today."
As video of the finish played on a screen next to him, Truex added, "Just going to have to watch that on the highlight reel for the rest of my life. So it hurts a little."It's Toyota's first Daytona 500 win and it comes on the heels of the manufacturer's first Sprint Cup title. Busch won the 2015 championship. It's also the first Daytona 500 for Joe Gibbs Racing since Dale Jarrett won in 1993.
Before Hamlin's incredible final mile, drivers leading the race weren't especially vulnerable. His pass for the win was just the fourth pass for the lead that didn't happen under yellow or as a product of green flag pit stops.
Hamlin (95), Truex (2), Busch (19) and Kenseth (40) combined to lead 156 of the race's 200 laps. No other team or manufacturer could come close.
The prevailing thought entering the race was that Hendrick Motorsports would provided the best competition for the Toyota cars. They did, though two Hendrick cars found trouble exiting turn 4 in very similar circumstances.
Chase Elliott crashed first, as he lost the car exiting the corner on lap 20 and spun into the infield. Elliott didn't make contact with anything but the splitter of his car dug into the grass and ripped the front bumper off.
Then Dale Earnhardt Jr. spun in a similar position on lap 171. But unlike Elliott, he hit the wall and crushed the front end of his car. Junior led 15 laps before he crashed and finished 36th.
Then Dale Earnhardt Jr. spun in a similar position on lap 171. But unlike Elliott, he hit the wall and crushed the front end of his car. Junior led 15 laps before he crashed and finished 36th.
Quick takeaways from the Daytona 500.
By Nick Bromberg
• We're all going to be buzzing from that finish for a while, don't you think? Not only did Denny Hamlin's move on the final lap create one of the most dramatic finishes in the last 10 years of NASCAR but he rendered all Toyota-team complaints irrelevant.
Had Hamlin stayed in line for the final lap along with Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, there would have been much griping about how the Toyota teams weren't aggressive and kept the best for the team ahead of the best for the individual. NASCAR fans aren't big fans of teamwork, especially when it comes to big events.
• Any teamwork complaints would have also overshadowed Toyota's dominance. The four Joe Gibbs Racing cars (and the technically-aligned car of Truex) were up front for a reason. They were the race's fastest. While Edwards was involved in two incidents, the other four were up front for most of the race and led a combined 156 of the race's 200 laps.
The speed the cars showed wasn't a fluke either. JGR was the fastest team throughout Speedweeks and the depth was further evidenced by Kenseth and Truex succeeding in backup cars after their primaries were destroyed in Thursday's qualifying races.
• Hamlin became the first driver since Dale Jarrett in 2000 to win the Sprint Unlimited and the Daytona 500 in the same season. The feat has been accomplished by five different drivers and Jarrett is the only one to do it twice.
• Any teamwork complaints would have also overshadowed Toyota's dominance. The four Joe Gibbs Racing cars (and the technically-aligned car of Truex) were up front for a reason. They were the race's fastest. While Edwards was involved in two incidents, the other four were up front for most of the race and led a combined 156 of the race's 200 laps.
The speed the cars showed wasn't a fluke either. JGR was the fastest team throughout Speedweeks and the depth was further evidenced by Kenseth and Truex succeeding in backup cars after their primaries were destroyed in Thursday's qualifying races.
• Hamlin became the first driver since Dale Jarrett in 2000 to win the Sprint Unlimited and the Daytona 500 in the same season. The feat has been accomplished by five different drivers and Jarrett is the only one to do it twice.
• Before Hamlin made his race-winning pass on the final lap, the race featured three passes for the lead (Dale Earnhardt Jr. over Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch over Junior and Busch over Jimmie Johnson) that didn't happen as a product of pit stops. Given that evidence we're not sure if our question after Thursday night's Duels was answered.
We asked after the qualifying races if the difficulty shown so far throughout Speedweeks in passing the car at the front of the pack was because of the lead car's excellence or the aerodynamics involved in the current restrictor plate setup. Our guess then was it was a mixture of both, and given how good the Gibbs cars were on Sunday, we're going to stick with it.
We asked after the qualifying races if the difficulty shown so far throughout Speedweeks in passing the car at the front of the pack was because of the lead car's excellence or the aerodynamics involved in the current restrictor plate setup. Our guess then was it was a mixture of both, and given how good the Gibbs cars were on Sunday, we're going to stick with it.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team struggled to keep up with the handing of the track and the indelible memory of his Daytona 500 will be his lap 171 crash. But while Junior ultimately finished 36th, he looked like he was going to be the driver to take on the JGR cars in the moments before his crash.
On the laps before the wreck following the final round of green-flag pit stops, Junior was picking off cars one-by-one like a restrictor plate race from 10 years ago. He passed Joey Logano with ease on the outside (and minimal help) and looked set to do so on Austin Dillon before his car went spinning off turn 4.
The crash also likely means the end for Amelia, the car Earnhardt drive to a 1.75 average finish in restrictor plate races in 2015 and that he drove on Sunday.
"I just got loose," Junior said of the crash. "I've been really working on the balance of the car. I've been pushing real bad all day, especially off of Turn 4. We just got it really free. We took two tires there and just didn't have overall grip I was hoping for. I was aggressive trying to side draft guys and move forward. We were making some ground on the leaders a little bit so that was looking pretty good because the outside line really hadn't been doing anything all day.
"Just busted my butt there. Driver mistake."
• Junior led 15 laps. Teammate Jimmie Johnson led 18 laps. Chase Elliott led 3. That's a total of 36 laps led by Hendrick Motorsports, second to Joe Gibbs Racing. And if you're good at math, that means seven cars from two teams led a total of 192 laps.
On the laps before the wreck following the final round of green-flag pit stops, Junior was picking off cars one-by-one like a restrictor plate race from 10 years ago. He passed Joey Logano with ease on the outside (and minimal help) and looked set to do so on Austin Dillon before his car went spinning off turn 4.
The crash also likely means the end for Amelia, the car Earnhardt drive to a 1.75 average finish in restrictor plate races in 2015 and that he drove on Sunday.
"I just got loose," Junior said of the crash. "I've been really working on the balance of the car. I've been pushing real bad all day, especially off of Turn 4. We just got it really free. We took two tires there and just didn't have overall grip I was hoping for. I was aggressive trying to side draft guys and move forward. We were making some ground on the leaders a little bit so that was looking pretty good because the outside line really hadn't been doing anything all day.
"Just busted my butt there. Driver mistake."
• Junior led 15 laps. Teammate Jimmie Johnson led 18 laps. Chase Elliott led 3. That's a total of 36 laps led by Hendrick Motorsports, second to Joe Gibbs Racing. And if you're good at math, that means seven cars from two teams led a total of 192 laps.
• The Daytona 500 is always good for a top 10 finisher for a team who won't regularly be contending for it. The 2016 honor goes to Regan Smith, who finished eighth. Depending on other restrictor plate races, it could be the only top-10 finish Smith has all season.
• While BK Racing got all four of its cars into the Daytona 500, it wasn't a productive Sunday. Matt DiBenedetto was in a hard crash and Robert Richardson scrubbed the wall and had mechanical issues. David Ragan was the team's highest-finishing car in 29th and Michael Waltrip finished 30th.
• Can't blame Greg Biffle too much for his incident with Danica Patrick on lap 185. Patrick went sliding into the backstretch grass off Biffle's bumper and Biffle, who was trying to pass Patrick, subsequently hit the wall.
The crash happened because Patrick blocked Biffle past the yellow line on the track. Should she have been blocking? Well, with 15 laps to go, we can't necessarily blame her. And while blocking has become a necessary evil in the Cup Series, drivers are learning that there is a massive downside too. Patrick experienced that downside.
• Can't blame Greg Biffle too much for his incident with Danica Patrick on lap 185. Patrick went sliding into the backstretch grass off Biffle's bumper and Biffle, who was trying to pass Patrick, subsequently hit the wall.
The crash happened because Patrick blocked Biffle past the yellow line on the track. Should she have been blocking? Well, with 15 laps to go, we can't necessarily blame her. And while blocking has become a necessary evil in the Cup Series, drivers are learning that there is a massive downside too. Patrick experienced that downside.
NASCAR creates new penalty system for behavioral offenses.
By DAN GELSTON
NASCAR has beefed up its punishment system and will define specific behavioral offenses with predetermined penalties.
The new system will serve as a personal conduct code for members in all three national NASCAR series. Unveiled two days before the season-opening Daytona 500, the guidelines deal with on- and off-track infractions.
Among the sanctions, NASCAR will punish a competitor who takes premeditated action against a driver in the Chase.
Matt Kenseth complained last season about a two-race suspension for intentionally wrecking Joey Logano during the Chase. He said there was no precedent for NASCAR to suspend him for his action.
The wide-ranging rulebook can serve punishments for infractions ranging from domestic abuse to critical comments directed toward the series.
NASCAR will not issue punishments via a class system like it does for technical infractions.
''What you'll see is an effort by the sanctioning body to improve the level of transparency,'' said Jim Cassidy, senior vice president of racing operations.
NASCAR said it had worked over the last year to come up with a disciplinary plan and the new system was not tied to one event.
''What you'll see is an effort by the sanctioning body to improve the level of transparency,'' said Jim Cassidy, senior vice president of racing operations.
NASCAR said it had worked over the last year to come up with a disciplinary plan and the new system was not tied to one event.
But there was an outcry last season when Kenseth was punished for retaliating against Logano at Martinsville for a previous series of slights in the Chase. The deliberate wrecking of Logano drew a two-race suspension from NASCAR. Kenseth said he would have handled the payback differently had he known he'd draw such an unprecedented penalty.
''We don't want perception that anything is, do as you see fit,'' Cassidy said. ''We are so far from that today as a sport. It's a good thing for us. It's a good thing for our competitors and everyone involved and the fans to understand what's happening.''
The new rules ban ''premeditatedly removing another competitor from championship contention in a dangerous manner when not racing for position based on the available evidence and specific circumstances of the incident.''
NASCAR offered a plate of potential penalties for a Martinsville-type repeat that include: a loss of 50-100 driver/owner points; $150,000-$200,000 fines, a two-race suspension, indefinite suspension or termination.
''We understand that and that there are points in time that competitors cross the line, and they should have a better understanding of what may transpire if it's determined they cross the line,'' Cassidy said. ''(We have) the ability to look at the implications as it relates to where a competitor might be. As it relates to their run for the championship, their position in the Chase and ability to look at that and potential for the action depending on how egregious the nature of the action might be.''
NASCAR offered a plate of potential penalties for a Martinsville-type repeat that include: a loss of 50-100 driver/owner points; $150,000-$200,000 fines, a two-race suspension, indefinite suspension or termination.
''We understand that and that there are points in time that competitors cross the line, and they should have a better understanding of what may transpire if it's determined they cross the line,'' Cassidy said. ''(We have) the ability to look at the implications as it relates to where a competitor might be. As it relates to their run for the championship, their position in the Chase and ability to look at that and potential for the action depending on how egregious the nature of the action might be.''
Attempting to manipulate the outcome of a race of championship - much like Michael Waltrip Racing tried in 2013 - could result in the loss of 25-50 championship points, $50,000-$100,000 fines, a one-race suspension, indefinite suspension or termination.
There are fines that range up to $50,000 for disparaging the sport or NASCAR's leadership and verbal abuse of NASCAR officials or media members.
NASCAR could issue indefinite suspension or termination for public statements that disparage a person's race, color or sexual orientation.
NASCAR said it would like to see an ''indication of genuine remorse or attempts to work things out with the other party in a civil manner.'' Kevin Harvick was not penalized last season when he pushed Jimmie Johnson in the motorhome lot last season in the Chase opener at Chicagoland.
All penalties can be appealed.
SOCCER: Fire taking shape after preseason win against Vancouver.
There are fines that range up to $50,000 for disparaging the sport or NASCAR's leadership and verbal abuse of NASCAR officials or media members.
NASCAR could issue indefinite suspension or termination for public statements that disparage a person's race, color or sexual orientation.
NASCAR said it would like to see an ''indication of genuine remorse or attempts to work things out with the other party in a civil manner.'' Kevin Harvick was not penalized last season when he pushed Jimmie Johnson in the motorhome lot last season in the Chase opener at Chicagoland.
All penalties can be appealed.
SOCCER: Fire taking shape after preseason win against Vancouver.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
After an offseason that has resulted in wholesale changes for the Chicago Fire, Sunday's preseason match against the Vancouver Whitecaps finally gave a glimpse of what the 2016 season could look like.
The Fire kicked off the Simple Invitational in Portland's Providence Park with a 3-2 win. Unlike in the club's two preseason matches in Florida, coach Veljko Paunovic had almost all of the first team at his disposal. The starting lineup he chose could closely resemble the starting lineup for March 6's season opener against New York City FC.
Only David Accam, who was out with an illness and missed training on Saturday, and Rodrigo Ramos, who just joined the club on Saturday, were not available. Eric Gehrig also is still rehabbing and returning to full fitness after surgery late last season. Accam and Ramos could end up starting on March 6, but other than that don't be surprised if the team looks similar.
John Goossens continued his standout preseason trial with the Fire with an early goal. The Fire's high pressure caused problems for Vancouver throughout the early going and Matt Polster forced a turnover just outside the box. Goossens ran onto the ball and finished in the fifth minute.
Goossens later setup Gilberto for an open chance with a killer through ball that bent around the defenders and hit Gilberto in stride. Gilberto's hard shot was saved for a corner. Goossens showed technical ability, strength and defensive instincts. Him and Polster were arguably the Fire's two best players on Sunday.
Much has been made of Harry Shipp's departure and what that means for the central attacking midfield spot. At least in a meaningless preseason game, Goossens showed he is more than capable of playing that role. For that matter, a central midfield trio of Goossens, who brings possibly the best technical ability on the team, Polster, who showed good technical skills of his own to go with his usual strong physical play, and Razvan Cocis, who is a steady veteran presence, could end up being a strength of the team. Who knows how things play out during the season, but at least on Sunday this group stood out.
It wasn't all rosy though. Vancouver tied things up in the 24th minute when a cross from Fraser Aird on the right side landed at the feet of Christian Bolanos. Bolanos could only flick it with his heel and the ball went backwards directly into the stride of Fire defender Johan Kappelhof, who knocked the ball into his own net.
The Whitecaps definitely struggled with the Fire's high pressure early, but controlled the later part of the first half and eventually took the lead. Sam Adekugbe's low cross from the left wing was tapped in by Cristian Techera in the 38th minute.
The Fire's defense didn't inspire much confidence. That said, the starting back line of Michael Harrington, Joao Meira, Kapplehof and Brandon Vincent are all new to the team. Learning how to play with each other will take time.
The Fire maintained better control in the second half and converted two penalty kicks. The first came in the early minutes of the second half when an Arturo Alvarez through ball found Gilberto in the box. He was taken down and then converted the penalty himself.
Later, Collin Fernandez was tripped in the box and Kennedy Igboananike converted the penalty in the 81st minute. Both players had subbed on shortly beforehand.
The Fire return to action on Wednesday against NASL side Minnesota United FC with a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Copa America games in Soldier Field set.
Dan Santaromita
Later, Collin Fernandez was tripped in the box and Kennedy Igboananike converted the penalty in the 81st minute. Both players had subbed on shortly beforehand.
The Fire return to action on Wednesday against NASL side Minnesota United FC with a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Copa America games in Soldier Field set.
Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Chicago soccer fans looking to go to the Copa America in June now know which teams will be coming to Soldier Field.
The tournament's draw was held Sunday night, which finalized the match-ups for the three group stage games coming to Soldier Field. The Chicago games will be Jamaica vs. Venezuela on June 5, the U.S. vs. Costa Rica on June 7 and Argentina vs. Panama on June 10.
It was previously known that the U.S. and Argentina would be coming to Chicago for those group games, but the opponents became known on Sunday. Soldier Field will also host one of the semifinals on June 22.
The tournament's draw was held Sunday night, which finalized the match-ups for the three group stage games coming to Soldier Field. The Chicago games will be Jamaica vs. Venezuela on June 5, the U.S. vs. Costa Rica on June 7 and Argentina vs. Panama on June 10.
It was previously known that the U.S. and Argentina would be coming to Chicago for those group games, but the opponents became known on Sunday. Soldier Field will also host one of the semifinals on June 22.
The U.S. received a tough draw with Colombia and Paraguay in addition to Costa Rica in Group A. The first match of the tournament is the Americans against Colombia on June 3 in Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. After taking on Costa Rica in Chicago, the U.S. closes out the group against Paraguay on June 11 at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field.
Colombia and Costa Rica both made the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup. Meanwhile, Paraguay finished last in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, but did make the semifinals of the 2015 Copa America.
Full group draw:
Group A: USA, Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay
Group B: Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti, Peru
Group C: Mexico, Uruguay, Jamaica, Venezuela
Group D: Argentina, Chile, Panama, Bolivia
Canada 0-2 USA: USWNT completes CONCACAF domination.
By Kyle Lynch
The United States took home the CONCACAF Olympic Qualification title on Sunday, defeating Canada 2-0 in the final match in Houston.
The U.S. finishes the tournament with five wins from five matches, outscoring their opposition 23-0.
Both teams had already qualified for the 2016 Olympics, with bragging rights on the line in the lopsided rivalry. The USWNT is now unbeaten in 31 straight matches vs. Canada dating back to 2001, earning 26 wins and five draws against their northern neighbors.
Canada had the better of play from the opening kick-off, pushing forward and looking a danger to score the first goal. However, the USWNT soon gained their footing and started to control possession.
The United States took home the CONCACAF Olympic Qualification title on Sunday, defeating Canada 2-0 in the final match in Houston.
The U.S. finishes the tournament with five wins from five matches, outscoring their opposition 23-0.
Both teams had already qualified for the 2016 Olympics, with bragging rights on the line in the lopsided rivalry. The USWNT is now unbeaten in 31 straight matches vs. Canada dating back to 2001, earning 26 wins and five draws against their northern neighbors.
Canada had the better of play from the opening kick-off, pushing forward and looking a danger to score the first goal. However, the USWNT soon gained their footing and started to control possession.
The United States’ best chance of the first half came 22 minutes in when Meghan Klingenberg whipped in a cross from the left wing. Klingenberg’s cross sailed over the goalkeeper and to Carli Lloyd at the back post, but Lloyd couldn’t get her header on target as it flew just wide.
After the break, the U.S. continued to dictate the play and finally broke through in the 53rd minute. On her 100th cap, Becky Sauerbrunn lobbed a failed clearance back into the box, with Lindsey Horan getting just enough on her header to flick over the keeper and into the net.
Less than ten minutes later it was 2-0 as Tobin Heath connected with a sweet left-footed shot to the near post on a feed from 17-year-old Mallory Pugh.
From then on it was smooth sailing for the United States, as Canada never truly threatened Hope Solo in goal. Heading into the Olympics in Rio this summer, the U.S. will once again be favorites for gold.
USWNT qualifies for Rio Olympics with 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago. Friday's game, 02/19/2016).
By Graham Watson
The United States women’s national team is going to the Rio Olympics.
This isn’t exactly a shock.
The USWNT has played in every Olympic Games since 1996, but Friday’s 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago clinched the berth and now gives the U.S. a chance to win four consecutive gold medals (and five out of the last six Summer Olympics).
The U.S. joins Canada as the CONCACAF representatives for the 12-team tournament at the Rio de Janeiro Games. The two teams will meet Sunday in the final of the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship at Houston's BBVA Compass Stadium. The game is essentially meaningless, but it will be the best competition either team has faced during this tournament. Also, the tense rivalry between the two countries should make the contest interesting.
“I think it’s going to be a great game,” U.S. midfielder Carli Lloyd said of the Canada game. “I think you’ll see a lot of transition. I think both teams are going to go at one another, so it should be really good. We’ve got to be ready to play and take this one home.”
While the U.S. playing in the final isn’t a surprise, the players that helped get it there made the lopsided game interesting.
Sure, World Cup heroes like Lloyd and Alex Morgan were on point, but it was the play of younger players such as Mallory Pugh, Lindsay Horan and Morgan Brian that gave the USWNT a fun energy that has been lacking at times with the more seasoned squad.
Pugh was probably the best of the group as she found herself involved in nearly every offensive play in the first half. It was her cross in the 12th minute that found Tobin Heath for the game’s first goal. Pugh, who is 17 and the youngest member of the squad, also had several opportunities for her own goal, including missing an empty net wide right.
Horan assisted Alex Morgan's first of three goals and had one of the best moves of the game.
And Brian had two assists — one on Carli Lloyd’s header that found its way through the legs of goalkeeper Kimika Forbes, and one on Morgan’s third goal. Morgan’s hat trick was the third of her career and her first since November 2012.
Pugh was probably the best of the group as she found herself involved in nearly every offensive play in the first half. It was her cross in the 12th minute that found Tobin Heath for the game’s first goal. Pugh, who is 17 and the youngest member of the squad, also had several opportunities for her own goal, including missing an empty net wide right.
Horan assisted Alex Morgan's first of three goals and had one of the best moves of the game.
And Brian had two assists — one on Carli Lloyd’s header that found its way through the legs of goalkeeper Kimika Forbes, and one on Morgan’s third goal. Morgan’s hat trick was the third of her career and her first since November 2012.
The U.S. also got a strong performance from Crystal Dunn, who scored five goals against Puerto Rico in the last game but came off the bench against Trinidad and Tobago.
"I take a large satisfaction in knowing our youth national team is working," USWNT coach Jill Ellis said after the game.
"I take a large satisfaction in knowing our youth national team is working," USWNT coach Jill Ellis said after the game.
Make no mistake, these younger players are playing for spots on the Rio roster. While Sunday's final might not mean anything in the grand scheme of Olympic qualifying, it might provide some valuable insight into the thinking of Ellis, who must cut her qualifying roster from 20 to just 18 for the Rio Games.
That decision won’t be easy as players from last summer’s World Cup roster currently occupy 13 of those spots and another spot is reserved for a backup goalkeeper.
But Ellis has to like the energy the younger players have brought to the team.
But Ellis has to like the energy the younger players have brought to the team.
Considering a lack of energy was one of the criticisms of the World Cup squad (at least early in the tournament), don’t be surprised to see several younger players get their opportunities to play a pivotal run in the U.S.’ gold medal run.
FA Cup Roundup: West Ham prevails, Spurs fall, Chelsea downs Man City.
By Kyle Bonn
(Photo/Getty Images)
Chelsea trudged on in its most likely source of silverware, topping Man City 5-1. Guus Hiddink named a strong Blues squad that looked as if he is gunning for the Cup, while Manuel Pellegrini handed five players their full debuts in a squad that seemed to suggest he has no interest in extra fixtures.
Diego Costa, Willian, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard, and Bertrand Traore all scored for Chelsea to send them on their way. On the other end, only two players – Pablo Zabaleta and Fernando – featured in the starting lineup for Manchester City who also started against Tottenham on the weekend. Oluwatosin Adariboyo, Bersant Celina, Manu Garcia, Aleix Garcia Serrano, and David Faupala all made their debuts for the club. The latter scored before halftime to even things up, but the Blues trudged on with a strong second half. The loss for City is their third straight across all competitions, having lost two in league play coming into Sunday.
Tottenham, meanwhile, came into its meeting at White Hart Lane as one of the more in-form clubs in England, but they were stymied by Crystal Palace and a goal in first-half added time by Martin Kelly saw them out of the competition. Mauricio Pochettino named a strong squad that included Harry Kane and Dele Alli, with Christian Eriksen coming off the bench, and while Spurs held much of the possession, the Palace defense absorbed all the pressure and saw just four of Spurs’ 19 shots find the frame.
In the early fixture, West Ham went down early to Blackburn but came back strong for a 5-1 win as Dimitri Payet showed off with a pair of goals – a scrumptious free kick plus a late solo goal that wowed the crowd. Emmanuel Emineke also scored a pair as West Ham moved on to the quarterfinals.
Tomorrow is the last remaining fixture, as Shrewsbury hosts Manchester United. There will be a replay yet to be scheduled, with Hull City and Arsenal meeting again after a 0-0 draw on Saturday.
NCAABKB: SUNDAY’S SNACKS: No. 6 Maryland survives, bubble teams avoid bad losses.
By Raphielle Johnson
(Photo/AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
GAME OF THE DAY: Colgate 93, Loyola (MD) 90 (OT)
An Austin Tillotson half-court shot as time expired gave the Raiders a three-point win on Senior Day. Tillotson, who finished with 20 points, hit the game-winner just seconds after Loyola’s Andre Walker tied the game at 90 with a three-pointer of his own. Walker finished with 22 points and Eric Laster 26 for the Greyhounds, with Colgate also receiving solid performances from Alex Ramon, Sean O’Brien (18 points apiece) and Tom Rivard (17 points).
IMPORTANT OUTCOMES
No. 6 Maryland 86, Michigan 82: The Terrapins had their struggles with turnovers and dealing with Michigan’s Mark Donnal in ball screen situations, but they were able to do enough to pull out the victory in College Park. Robert Carter Jr. scored 17 points and Jake Layman 16 to lead the way for the Terrapins, who ended a two-game losing streak in the process. Donnal scored 22 of his 25 in the second half for the Wolverines, who once again played without the injured Caris LeVert.
Utah 80, USC 69: The Runnin’ Utes handed USC its first home loss of the season, becoming the first Pac-12 team to pick up two road weekend sweeps in conference play this season (they also swept the Washington trip). Jakob Poeltl was too much for USC, as he accounted for 29 points on 11-for-13 shooting, 13 rebounds, four assists and four steals. Jordan McLaughlin scored 20 points and Julian Jacobs and Bennie Boatwright 17 apiece for USC, but they were unable to mount a charge similar to their comeback from a 15-point deficit to beat Colorado Wednesday night.
Seton Hall 62, St. John’s 61: It certainly wasn’t pretty, but the Pirates managed to avoid a really bad loss as Isaiah Whitehead hit two free throws with 5.6 seconds remaining. Desi Rodriguez scored 24 points and Khadeen Carrington 12 as the Pirates navigated front court foul trouble (three big men fouled out) in the second half. Kassoum Yakwe led the Red Storm with 16 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots.
Wichita State 84, Indiana State 51: The Shockers wrapped up the outright Missouri Valley regular season title with a blowout win over the Sycamores. Ron Baker scored 14 points and three other Wichita State players added 11 apiece, and on the other end the Shockers limited Indiana State to just 31 percent shooting. Wichita State closes out the regular season with games against Loyola (Chicago) and Illinois State.
STARRED
Jakob Poeltl, Utah: 29 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and four steals in Utah’s 80-69 win at USC.
Obi Enechionyia, Temple: 26 points on 10-for-20 shooting and seven rebounds in the Owls’ three-point win at Houston.
Alec Peters, Valparaiso: 32 points and 11 rebounds in the Crusaders’ 90-74 win over Detroit.
Ethan Happ, Wisconsin: 20 points, 12 rebounds and six steals in the Badgers’ 69-60 win over Illinois.
STRUGGLED
Boston College: The Eagles’ season may have hit its nadir Sunday night, as they lost 74-48 at Wake Forest. At one point Jim Christian’s team trailed 37-4.
Khristian Smith, Indiana State: Two points on 1-for-9 shooting in the Sycamores’ 84-51 loss to Wichita State.
James Ford, Quinnipiac: Four points on 1-for-7 shooting and three turnovers in the Bobcats’ 63-59 loss to Manhattan.
THE REST OF THE TOP 25
- No. 21 SMU rebounded from its loss at UConn with a 74-63 win over East Carolina. Nic Moore led the Mustangs with 22 points and seven assists, Markus Kennedy added 19 points and nine boards and Jordan Tolbert posted a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds.
- Bucknell (12-4) maintained their one-game lead atop the Patriot League with an 80-59 win over Boston University. Chris Hass scored 21 points and Stephen Brown accounted for ten assists and six rebounds in the win for the Bison.
- George Washington avoided what would have been a bad loss, as they blew out La Salle 90-50 in the nation’s capital. The Colonials won big despite committing 19 turnovers, with Tyler Cavanaugh scoring 22 points and Patricio Garino 19.
- Monmouth rebounded from its loss to Iona with an 82-75 overtime win at Saint Peter’s. Micah Seaborn scored 26 points and Justin Robinson 22 for the Hawks (15-3), who lead Iona (13-4) by a game in the loss column atop the MAAC standings.
- Valparaiso won for the eighth time in the last nine games, beating Detroit 90-74 on Senior Day. Alec Peters led the way with 32 points and 11 rebounds.
- Hofstra (12-4) held off Northeastern, 65-60 in Hempstead to remain a game behind first-place James Madison (13-3) in the CAA. The Pride visit JMU Thursday night in the teams’ penultimate game of the regular season.
- San Diego State wrapped up at least a share of the Mountain West title with a 78-56 win over San José State. Winston Shepard accounted for 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Malik Pope added 17 points and 11 rebounds.
- UAB retained sole possession of first place in Conference USA with a ten-point win (77-67) at Middle Tennessee. Dirk Williams scored 19 points for the Blazers, who lead Marshall by a game.
- Temple remains alone atop the American, as they won 69-66 at Houston. Obi Enechionyia scored 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds, helping the Owls account for a 2-for-12 night from Quenton DeCosey.
- Wisconsin turned their game around with a 15-0 second half run, as they beat Illinois 69-60 in Madison. Ethan Happ led the way with 20 points, 12 rebounds and six steals.
- California won its fifth straight game, beating Washington State 80-62 in Pullman. Six players scored at least eight points for Cal, with Tyrone Wallace scoring 17 and Ivan Rabb 15.
BUBBLE BANTER: Saturday is a huge day for bubble teams.
By Rob Dauster
(Charles Fox/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)
Whatever happens the rest of the weekend, I’ not sure there will be a bubble team that lands a bigger win that St. Bonaventure (KenPom: 80, RPI: 48, CBT Seeding: Next Four Out). Entering the day, the Bonnies were sitting on the wrong side of the bubble and by a fairly significant margin. That’s what happens when you’re coming off of a loss to a team like La Salle, whose RPI is outside the top 200.
That loss, at the time, looked like a killer.
Until Mark Schmidt’s club when into Dayton Arena and picked off the Flyers.
Now keep in mind, this loss came without Kendall Pollard, but that’s a totally irrelevant fact when it comes to Bonaveture’s bubble profile. All the selection committee is going to see is a road win over a top ten team, which, in NCAA tournament terms, will be one of the best wins that any team in the country will get this season.
It’s not enough to make the Bonnies feel comfortable about their bubble standing given the number of landmines they have left on their schedule. But with another road win over Saint Joseph’s and a 5-5 record against the top 100, this may be enough to send them dancing as long as they avoid doing anything stupid the rest of the season. I think they need at least four, maybe five more wins to avoid sweating out Selection Sunday, and that’s very doable.
WINNERS
- South Carolina (KP: 55, RPI: 34, CBT: 8): The Gamecocks bounced back from an ugly stretch — blown out by Kentucky, loss at Missouri — by beating a good Florida team at home. It’s not enough to get them off the bubble totally thanks to that Missouri loss, but it is enough that they can probably feel comfortable as long as they don’t do anything dumb the rest of the way; USC does have three sub-100 opponents left.
- Cincinnati (KP: 26, RPI: 61, CBT: First Four Out): The Bearcats badly needed Saturday’s win over UConn, as it is just their fourth top 50 win. They still don’t have any great wins, and a loss to Memphis looks worse and worse as the Tigers continue to struggle. Cincy’s bid is going to come down to whether or not they beat SMU in the regular season finale.
- Pitt (KP: 57, RPI: 40, CBT: 8): The Panthers are inching closer to locking up an at-large bid. On Saturday, they landed their third top 50 win, although they’ve only beaten two top 50 opponents — Jamie Dixon’s club swept Syracuse. Here is their remaining schedule: Louisville, Duke, at Virginia Tech, at Georgia Tech. Go 3-1 and they’re in. Go 2-2 and they’re probably in.
- Texas Tech (KP: 28, RPI: 40, CBT: Play-In Game): The Red Raiders won at Oklahoma State on Saturday. I’m not sure people realize just how good Tech’s profile is. They have five top 50 wins, including Texas, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Baylor on the road.
- Washington (KP: 73, RPI: 73, CBT: Next Four Out): The Huskies added a top 100 win over Stanford on Saturday night, which helps bolster their profile but doesn’t really do much to make up the gap between them and the right side of the cut line. Next weekend, Washington plays at the Oregon schools. They might want to win them both.
- Vanderbilt (KP: 28, RPI: 63, CBT: N/A): The Commodores kept the dream of an at-large bid alive by beating Georgia at home, their fifth top 100 win of the season. With games remaining against Florida, at Kentucky and over Texas A&M at home, the ‘Dores will have the opportunity to build on their current profile. They probably need to win two, if not all three of those games.
LOSERS
- LSU (KP: 59, RPI: 81, CBT: Last Four In): The idea of LSU being one of the most interesting at-large cases took another hit as the Tigers lost on Saturday to Tennessee, their fifth sub-100 loss of the season. We went long on our LSU analysis here.
- Saint Joseph’s (KP: 35, RPI: 24, CBT: 8): The Hawks lost at Davidson on Saturday, which isn’t a résumé killer, especially when you consider that they just landed a win over Dayton this week. St. Joe’s should be in as long as they beat the three sub-100 opponents left on their schedule; they can probably afford a loss at St. Bonaventure.
- Alabama (KP: 61, RPI: 30, CBT: 9): The Crimson Tide suffered their worst loss of the season on Saturday, losing to a bad Mississippi State team in Tuscaloosa on a day where Malik Newman didn’t even suit up. So while the Bulldogs are a sub-150 team in the RPI, the loss itself is worse in real life than it is for their bubble profile. Avery Johnson’s club has done enough that they’re probably still on the right side of the cut line, but their margin for error just went away.
- Syracuse (KP: 36, RPI: 39, CBT: 7): Losing to Pitt on Saturday isn’t a killer for the Orange, but it certainly doesn’t help them. With five top 50 wins and just three of their ten losses coming outside the top 50, the Orange are still in a pretty good spot. The key is going to be figuring out exactly how the selection committee values the losses the Syracuse took while Jim Boeheim was suspended.
- Oregon State (KP: 66, RPI: 32, CBT: Last Four In): Losing at Oregon on Saturday isn’t going to hurt OSU’s profile. The Beavers will host the Washington schools next weekend. They need to pick up a sweep, and I’d recommend a split at the LA schools in the last weekend of the regular seas as well.
- UConn (KP: 24, RPI: 36, CBT: 7): The Huskies lost at Cincinnati on Saturday, which is something that they can survive. The Huskies still don’t have a loss outside the top 75, which, when combined with their 7-8 record against the top 100 and wins over SMU and at Texas, is enough to get them a bid as long as they avoid something dumb.
- Florida (KP: 34, RPI: 31, CBT: 9): The Gators took South Carolina to overtime in Columbia, meaning that they missed out on a chance to land a very nice road win. But losing on the road to a top 35 team isn’t going to hurt them.
- Butler (KP: 43, RPI: 58, CBT: Play-In Game): The Bulldogs lost on the road to No. 1 Villanova on Saturday. That’s not going to hurt them, and it may actually help their RPI simply playing that game. Where it hurts, however, is that this was the kind of win that would be the difference maker if they do end the season on the bubble.
- Florida State (KP: 48, RPI: 62, CBT: Next Four Out) and Clemson (KP: 51, RPI: 90, CBT: Next Four Out) may have just played themselves off the bubble with losses to Virginia Tech and N.C. State, respectively. FSU’s saving grace is that they have three games left against top 40 opponents. They may need all three.
NCAAFB: Coach Butch Jones says Tennessee doesn't have a culture problem.
By Graham Watson
Coach Butch Jones says Tennessee doesn't have a culture problem. (Photo/yahoosports.com)
Tennessee coach Butch Jones wants to assure the public that his program does not have a culture problem.
In his first public comments since a group of women filed suit against the school for its handling of sexual assault complaints made against student-athletes, Jones stressed that the culture at Tennessee was good.
“The people that know us, they know our football program, they understand what’s going on here with all the positivity,” Jones said. “They understand that. We just have to continue to work and grow and get better and let it galvanize us and bring us closer as a football team and a football program. People who understand what we’re all about, they understand we have a good culture in place.”
On Feb. 9, a group of six unidentified women alleged in a federal lawsuit that Tennessee created a “hostile sexual environment” through indifference toward assaults by student-athletes.
While Jones did his best to say the culture at Tennessee had changed, it was hard to ignore that only a few days before Jones’ comments, defensive lineman Alexis Johnson was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and false imprisonment. According to University of Tennessee police, Johnson was “play fighting” with a woman in a Knoxville apartment when he placed his hands around her neck and constricted her breathing. Johnson has been suspended from all team activities.
“We take all accusations very seriously,” Jones said. “Can we continue to improve? Yeah, just like any team, company or organization. But our players have done a great job, and we have great people here at Tennessee.”
In July 2015, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) started an investigation into sexual violence at Tennessee. At the time, at least six players on Tennessee’s 2014 roster had been accused of sexual assault, including cornerback Michael Williams and linebacker A.J. Williams, who were indicted on aggravated rape charges in February 2015 and have trial dates this summer.
Still, Jones was adamant his program's culture was a positive one.
“We’ve worked very hard to build our culture,” Jones said. “We’ll continue to defend it, but we’re very proud of what we have here.”
Jim Harbaugh laughs at SEC and ACC spring break practice complaints.
By Kevin McGuire
(Photo/AP Photo/Tony Ding)
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh finds humor in the SEC and ACC voicing concerns over Michigan’s plans to head to Florida for spring practices. With SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and ACC commissioner John Swofford going on record saying practicing over spring break is detrimental to the student-athlete and NCAA president Mark Emmert suggesting he is no fan of the concept, Harbaugh had no other way of responding but to suggest it was comical.
“I guess (Sankey) is stating a case, but it doesn’t hold water to me,” Harbaugh said Friday to the Detroit Free Press. “It’s not an addition of time, it’s the same amount of time. It’s 20 hours. We’ll be on the same rules and guidelines every other team will be under on spring practice. I think there’s been some humor about it. I think it’s comical that he’s taken exception to it.”
Earlier today Michigan announced plans to hold its annual spring game on the evening of April 1. Tucked away at the bottom of that press release was a confirmation Michigan will be heading to Bradenton, Florida for the opening of spring football practices, as originally planned and confirmed by Harbaugh.
Emmert says the NCAA will review the policies regarding practice time over spring break, seemingly listening to the request filed by the SEC recently. The SEC asked the NCAA to come to a resolution that would fall in line with SEC spring break rules, and asked that that ruling be made as quickly as possible. It may be too late for anything to be done this season, but if Emmert’s voice is any indication, this could be the first and last time Michigan takes its football practices out of state. Or will it?
25 days until the 2016 NCAA March Madness Tournament starts and 21 days before you can pick your brackets, Are you in?
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It's going to be a great tournament this year because there is so much parity in college basketball today. Anyone can win. The small and intermediate size colleges have just as much talent as the big guys. Their teams have played together longer as the big schools recruit with the policy of one and done, off to the NBA. There seems to be a new #1 every week and then they get beat. Usually the winner of our pool needs 75% skill and 25% luck. This year it's going to be the other way around, 25% skill and 75% luck. Four weeks until the tournament starts; now is the time to get serious and start following the college teams and preparing for the conference tournaments. The precursor to the big dance. It's really going be a great tournament with plenty of upsets. For those of you that have played before, you know how much fun it is. For those of you that haven't, play for the first time and enjoy the "thrill of victory or the agony of defeat."
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Onemoriesofhistory.com
1860 - Organized baseball’s first game was played in San Francisco, CA.
1962 - Wilt Chamberlain (Philadelphia Warriors) attempted 34 free throws in a game against St. Louis.
1969 - Barbara Jo Rubin became the first woman to win a U.S. thoroughbred horse race.
1980 - The U.S. beat the U.S.S.R. 4-3 in Olympic hockey en route to a gold medal.
1985 - George Gervin (San Antonio Spurs) scored his 25,000th career point.
1992 - Don Nelson (Golden State) won his 700th games as a coach.
1993 - Glenn Anderson (Toronto Maple Leafs) became the 36th NHL player to score 1,000 points.
1995 - The NFL and CBS Radio agreed to a new four-year contract for an annual 53-game package of games.
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