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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"Before we can talk about a championship, we have to practice like a championship team." ~ Mike Singletary, NFL Hall of Famer and Super Bowl XX Champion
Trending: Time to take control; Robin Ventura must be heard regarding the Adam LaRoche situation. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
Trending: 2016 NCAA "March Madness" in full swing. Upsets, upsets and upsets with more to come. (See the college basketball section for tournament updates).
Trending: Blackhawks' rally falls short as the Wild win in a shootout but the Blackhawks get a point. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates).
Trending: Jerry Reinsdorf issues final statement on Adam LaRoche, White Sox. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks' rally falls short as Wild win in shootout
By Tracey Myers
The Blackhawks didn’t come away with the two points but there was some relief in getting one.
“I still think it’s a step in the right direction from the way we played before,” Duncan Keith said.
Sure, the Blackhawks still need to be better from the start of games. But considering it didn’t look like the Blackhawks would get any points with how they looked about seven minutes into the second period, yeah, they’ll take it.
Andrew Shaw scored his 12th goal of the season but Charlie Coyle won it in a shootout as the Minnesota Wild beat the Blackhawks 3-2 on Sunday night. The Blackhawks remain in third place in the Central Division with 91 points. The Dallas Stars, their opponent on Tuesday, are in first with 95 points and the St. Louis Blues are second with 93 points.
Scott Darling stopped 32 of 34 shots through regulation and overtime. Coyle’s shootout winner is the only shot that has gotten past Darling in the four shootouts he’s played.
The Blackhawks let another great opportunity slip early when they got four minutes' worth of power play off Zach Parise's double-minor high-sticking. They got just two shots on goal in those four minutes.
“Yeah, it’s slowed down here a little bit,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “It’s been our bread and butter all year long and it’s been, I don’t know how many games in a row without any production. So that slows down a little of our offense and team game.”
Nino Niederreiter’s 18th goal of the season gave the Wild a 2-0 lead 7:04 into the second period. About 90 seconds later, Shaw provided the spark — and the goal — that woke the Blackhawks up. Shaw slipped into the slot and scored, his shot trickling through Devan Dubnyk to cut Minnesota’s lead to 2-1. About five minutes later fellow fourth liner Richard Panik scored his fourth of the season, a wraparound that tied the game 2-2. Shaw was effective the entire game and earned some 3-on-3 time later.
“I thought he had a lot going on for us tonight. He brought us energy, got the first goal, made several plays where the puck was protected with motion and movement,” Quenneville said. “I thought that line was very good for us.”
Darling was stellar in the third period, when the Wild outshot the Blackhawks 13-7.
“I felt good today,” Darling said. “The two goals [Minnesota scored] were broken plays that everyone got scrambled around. Unfortunate, but other than those I felt good.”
The Blackhawks got through overtime, including a 4-on-3 penalty kill — Zach Parise, who had a chance to win it with Darling out of position, hit the side of the net. But while Coyle scored on Darling, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin came up empty on the other end.
The Blackhawks could have used two points. The gap at the top of the Central is growing some. But for a team that’s been struggling lately, and was once again down two goals on Sunday, any point is good right now.
“You keep competing,” Shaw said. “You look at the little things we did right to put ourselves in a better spot in the second period. You build on it.”
Five Things from Blackhawks-Wild: Panarin sticks up for Kane.
By Tracey Myers
The Blackhawks have been looking for consistency as much as they’ve been looking for points lately. And while they didn’t get the right start again on Sunday, they got enough to earn at least one point by the end of the night.
“I still think it’s a step in the right direction from the way we played before,” Duncan Keith said.
Sure, the Blackhawks still need to be better from the start of games. But considering it didn’t look like the Blackhawks would get any points with how they looked about seven minutes into the second period, yeah, they’ll take it.
Andrew Shaw scored his 12th goal of the season but Charlie Coyle won it in a shootout as the Minnesota Wild beat the Blackhawks 3-2 on Sunday night. The Blackhawks remain in third place in the Central Division with 91 points. The Dallas Stars, their opponent on Tuesday, are in first with 95 points and the St. Louis Blues are second with 93 points.
Scott Darling stopped 32 of 34 shots through regulation and overtime. Coyle’s shootout winner is the only shot that has gotten past Darling in the four shootouts he’s played.
The Blackhawks let another great opportunity slip early when they got four minutes' worth of power play off Zach Parise's double-minor high-sticking. They got just two shots on goal in those four minutes.
“Yeah, it’s slowed down here a little bit,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “It’s been our bread and butter all year long and it’s been, I don’t know how many games in a row without any production. So that slows down a little of our offense and team game.”
Nino Niederreiter’s 18th goal of the season gave the Wild a 2-0 lead 7:04 into the second period. About 90 seconds later, Shaw provided the spark — and the goal — that woke the Blackhawks up. Shaw slipped into the slot and scored, his shot trickling through Devan Dubnyk to cut Minnesota’s lead to 2-1. About five minutes later fellow fourth liner Richard Panik scored his fourth of the season, a wraparound that tied the game 2-2. Shaw was effective the entire game and earned some 3-on-3 time later.
“I thought he had a lot going on for us tonight. He brought us energy, got the first goal, made several plays where the puck was protected with motion and movement,” Quenneville said. “I thought that line was very good for us.”
Darling was stellar in the third period, when the Wild outshot the Blackhawks 13-7.
“I felt good today,” Darling said. “The two goals [Minnesota scored] were broken plays that everyone got scrambled around. Unfortunate, but other than those I felt good.”
The Blackhawks got through overtime, including a 4-on-3 penalty kill — Zach Parise, who had a chance to win it with Darling out of position, hit the side of the net. But while Coyle scored on Darling, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin came up empty on the other end.
The Blackhawks could have used two points. The gap at the top of the Central is growing some. But for a team that’s been struggling lately, and was once again down two goals on Sunday, any point is good right now.
“You keep competing,” Shaw said. “You look at the little things we did right to put ourselves in a better spot in the second period. You build on it.”
Five Things from Blackhawks-Wild: Panarin sticks up for Kane.
By Tracey Myers
The Blackhawks have been looking for consistency as much as they’ve been looking for points lately. And while they didn’t get the right start again on Sunday, they got enough to earn at least one point by the end of the night.
Hey, it’s not pretty right now but any points are crucial. The Blackhawks got the most out of their fourth line and goaltending and didn’t have any answers in the shootout. So you take what you can.
And as the Central Division plot thickens, let’s look at Five Things to take from the Blackhawks’ 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild.
1. The Andrew Shaw effect. The Blackhawks needed a spark in the second period after going down 2-0 and he provided that – and a much-needed goal. Shaw scored his 12th goal of the season and was around the net a few minutes later when line mate Richard Panik scored on a wraparound. Said coach Joel Quenneville of that fourth line, “that line was our most dangerous line tonight.”
2. Failed four-minutes of power-play time. The Blackhawks got a big opportunity early when Zach Parise was called for a double-minor high-sticking on Michal Rozsival. But four minutes later, all the Blackhawks had were two shots on goal. Credit the Wild’s kill for part of that, but the Blackhawks have gotten away from the shoot-first mentality that helped their power play click earlier this season.
3. A massive overtime penalty kill. Well, if the Blackhawks needed a confidence boost with that kill, which hasn’t been good this season, they got it in overtime on Sunday night. Facing a 4-on-3 after Artem Anisimov was whistled for goaltending interference, the Blackhawks kept the Wild from scoring in those two minutes. Yes, Parise hitting the side of a wide-open net helped, but the Blackhawks’ kill helped force the shootout.
4. Another good night for Scott Darling. No, it wasn’t a victory but Darling’s a big reason why the Blackhawks had a chance in overtime and the shootout. Darling stopped all 16 Wild shots he saw in the third period, when the Blackhawks managed just seven on the other end. Darling’s shootout loss was his first in four attempts – and Charlie Coyle’s shot was the first to get by him in those appearances. Darling is getting an opportunity due to Corey Crawford’s upper-body injury. No one likes to see someone hurt, but Darling is gaining much-needed confidence in these outings.
5. Artemi Panarin, pugilist? Yes, it was quite the surprise to see Artemi Panarin go after Matt Dumba in the third period. Panarin was ticked off after Dumba hit Patrick Kane, sending Kane to the dressing room for a few minutes. Panarin got a roughing call – the Blackhawks killed off the ensuing penalty. There won’t be any discipline for Dumba – the vice president of the Department of Player Safety sent out an explanation of Rule 48 (unavoidable head contact). But Quenneville appreciated Panarin’s reaction. “I loved the response,” Quenneville said. “Just like the crowd did.”
The Blackhawks didn’t come away with the two points but there was some relief in getting one.
“I still think it’s a step in the right direction from the way we played before,” Duncan Keith said.
Sure, the Blackhawks still need to be better from the start of games. But considering it didn’t look like the Blackhawks would get any points with how they looked about seven minutes into the second period, yeah, they’ll take it.
Andrew Shaw scored his 12th goal of the season but Charlie Coyle won it in a shootout as the Minnesota Wild beat the Blackhawks 3-2 on Sunday night. The Blackhawks remain in third place in the Central Division with 91 points. The Dallas Stars, their opponent on Tuesday, are in first with 95 points and the St. Louis Blues are second with 93 points.
Scott Darling stopped 32 of 34 shots through regulation and overtime. Coyle’s shootout winner is the only shot that has gotten past Darling in the four shootouts he’s played.
The Blackhawks let another great opportunity slip early when they got four minutes' worth of power play off Zach Parise's double-minor high-sticking. They got just two shots on goal in those four minutes.
“Yeah, it’s slowed down here a little bit,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “It’s been our bread and butter all year long and it’s been, I don’t know how many games in a row without any production. So that slows down a little of our offense and team game.”
Nino Niederreiter’s 18th goal of the season gave the Wild a 2-0 lead 7:04 into the second period. About 90 seconds later, Shaw provided the spark – and the goal – that woke the Blackhawks up. Shaw slipped into the slot and scored, his shot trickling through Devan Dubnyk to cut Minnesota’s lead to 2-1. About five minutes later fellow fourth liner Richard Panik scored his fourth of the season, a wraparound that tied the game 2-2. Shaw was effective the entire game and earned some 3-on-3 time later.
“I thought he had a lot going on for us tonight. He brought us energy, got the first goal, made several plays where the puck was protected with motion and movement,” Quenneville said. “I thought that line was very good for us.”
Darling was stellar in the third period, when the Wild outshot the Blackhawks 13-7.
“I felt good today,” Darling said. “The two goals [Minnesota scored] were broken plays that everyone got scrambled around. Unfortunate, but other than those I felt good.”
The Blackhawks got through overtime, including a 4-on-3 penalty kill – Zach Parise, who had a chance to win it with Darling out of position, hit the side of the net. But while Coyle scored on Darling, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin came up empty on the other end.
The Blackhawks could have used two points. The gap at the top of the Central is growing some. But for a team that’s been struggling lately, and was once again down two goals on Sunday, any point is good right now.
“You keep competing,” Shaw said. “You look at the little things we did right to put ourselves in a better spot in the second period. You build on it.”
Blackhawks get back on track with shutout win over Jets. (Friday night's game, 03/18/2016).
CSN Staff
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Two lightning-quick spurts of offense was more than enough to overpower the Jets on Friday night, as the Blackhawks cruised to a 4-0 win in Winnipeg to snap a four-game losing streak.
"It's all we all wanted tonight was a win. That's what we came to do and that's what we needed," said Darling, following his first consecutive game start of the season. "I felt good last game — didn't get the result I wanted, but it was good momentum moving forward. I felt good tonight."
The eventual game-winner came in the second as Kane dashed down the right wing through the neutral zone, out-skating former Blackhawk Marko Dano, before backhanding a roof job past Jets netminder Ondrej Pavelec.
On the ensuing shift, Marian Hossa found his 12th of the season on his stick — a rebound off an Artem Anisimov shot that was blocked by Dustin Byfuglien to make it 2-0 at 17:22 of the second.
"We got a little break there, and a great play by (Kane)," said head coach Joel Quenneville of the game's opening goal. "A great finish. And then (Anisimov) makes a real nice play, turning it and patient, and a fortunate rebound.
"There was really nothing going on. Zero-zero, it looked like we were going in after two (periods), and then to score two at the end was good for us," Kane said. "It gives us some confidence especially playing with a lead. We hung in there. We didn't really make too many mistakes in the first part of the game and we capitalized on our chances."
Former Jets captain Ladd — acquired by the Blackhawks on Feb. 25 — tallied his 20th of the season to make it 3-0 early in the third. The 2010 Stanley Cup champion has now hit the 20-goal plateau five times in his 11-year career. Since re-joining the Blackhawks Ladd has three goals and two assists in the nine games.
"For him to come out and score a goal in a big win for our team I'm sure is a good feeling for him too," Kane said. "It was a good welcome home for him."
Kane's two-point night puts the NHL scoring leader at 92 points — 12 ahead of the next in line, Dallas' Jamie Benn, who climbed to 80 with a three-point effort on Thursday. Kane's 39th goal of the season proved to be the eventual game-winner — good for second in the NHL behind Alex Ovechkin's 42.
Fleischmann's 13th of the season is his third in nine games since joining the Blackhawks.
Darling's victory is his seventh on the year (7-6-2) and his first win since Feb. 15 in Toronto. With No. 1 netminder Corey Crawford still listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered earlier this week, 35-year-old Michael Leighton was recalled from AHL Rockford on Thursday to serve as Darling's backup.
Teuvo Teravainen, who skipped Friday's morning skate was listed as questionable by coach Joel Quenneville due to a lingering illness. But the 21-year-old took pre-game warmups and ended up playing 11:04 centering a line with Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise.
The Hawks — edging to within a single point of St. Louis' 91 points for second place in the Central Division — now return home for two more divisional matchups as they host Minnesota on Sunday and Dallas on Tuesday.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Sacramento Kings-Chicago Bulls Preview.
By ALAN FERGUSON
The Chicago Bulls have so far taken advantage of a home stand against lackluster competition while keeping their playoff hopes afloat.
They'll try to maintain possession of one of the Eastern Conference's final spots by getting past the Sacramento Kings on Monday night.
Derrick Rose had 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting as Chicago (35-33) topped Utah 92-85 on Saturday and moved one percentage point ahead of Detroit for eighth place in the East.
Rose contributed 21 points and nine assists, and he has averaged 22.5 and 7.7 in his past six matchups.
He'll face a team that's lost 11 of 14. The Kings, though, earned an 88-80 win in New York on Sunday, their fifth in nine road games, despite shooting just 39.8 percent.
Sacramento, allowing a league-high average of 109.2 points, held the Knicks to 35.2 percent shooting in its stingiest effort this season.
They'll try to maintain possession of one of the Eastern Conference's final spots by getting past the Sacramento Kings on Monday night.
Derrick Rose had 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting as Chicago (35-33) topped Utah 92-85 on Saturday and moved one percentage point ahead of Detroit for eighth place in the East.
"We just have to focus on getting wins. You get a nice win streak here and there, you can end up in the sixth seed. You can't just focus on everybody else. You just have to focus on yourself," forward Taj Gibson said. "The East is tight, but you never know. Anything can happen. It's up to us to get a nice smooth winning streak and get guys in the right mode."
The Bulls have gone 2-1 in a string of seven straight matchups against below-.500 teams and earned both of those wins to start a four-game home stand. They'll next try to claim a sixth straight at the United Center against Sacramento (27-42).
The Bulls have gone 2-1 in a string of seven straight matchups against below-.500 teams and earned both of those wins to start a four-game home stand. They'll next try to claim a sixth straight at the United Center against Sacramento (27-42).
Chicago has won the past two overall meetings but its leading scorer from the most recent matchup, guard E'Twaun Moore, is currently out. Moore is expected to miss at least a week because of a hamstring injury, and Pau Gasol (knee) and Joakim Noah (shoulder) are also among the Bulls' missing players.
Chicago won 107-102 in Sacramento on Feb. 3 with Jimmy Butler, Mike Dunleavy and Nikola Mirotic missing. Moore scored a career-high 24 points, which he matched in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 21.
Chicago won 107-102 in Sacramento on Feb. 3 with Jimmy Butler, Mike Dunleavy and Nikola Mirotic missing. Moore scored a career-high 24 points, which he matched in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 21.
Rose contributed 21 points and nine assists, and he has averaged 22.5 and 7.7 in his past six matchups.
He'll face a team that's lost 11 of 14. The Kings, though, earned an 88-80 win in New York on Sunday, their fifth in nine road games, despite shooting just 39.8 percent.
Sacramento, allowing a league-high average of 109.2 points, held the Knicks to 35.2 percent shooting in its stingiest effort this season.
"I thought our activity was better. We made good reads. When we had tough double teams, we rotated aggressively and got some steals," coach George Karl said. "It was not a stellar basketball game, but for us to get a win on the road is always a happy place. We had good composure and good control of the game for most of the game."
DeMarcus Cousins scored 24 points and matched a season high with 20 rebounds for Sacramento, which improved to 13-22 away from home.
DeMarcus Cousins scored 24 points and matched a season high with 20 rebounds for Sacramento, which improved to 13-22 away from home.
Cousins had 30 points in last month's loss to the Bulls but has averaged a more pedestrian 18.0 in his last three games in Chicago. He was held to 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting in last season's lone visit.
Sacramento rookie center Willie Cauley-Stein's status is unclear because of flu-like symptoms that have kept him out of the past two games.
Bulls' consistency, Derrick Rose leads to win over surging Jazz. (Saturday night's game, 03/19/2016).
By Vincent Goodwill
Coming home reeling and having doubts about the season do more than creep in as they began a four-game home-stand, the Bulls haven’t gotten any healthier but they are halfway to stabilizing their house.
The Utah Jazz is locked into a battle for the eighth seed, just like the Chicago Bulls but it was the Bulls who led wire to wire for an 92-85 win at the United Center Saturday, even as change swirls all around them.
It was an old-fashioned win from days of yonder, with Derrick Rose masterfully controlling the tempo and the offense, with Taj Gibson literally willing the defense to one of its better performances of the season.
His voice was one heard on the floor and the locker room as he got on guys at halftime for blowing a few defensive assignments at the end of the second quarter, and although the Bulls held the Jazz to 40, he wasn’t satisfied.
“He jumped at the locker room at halftime and really got on guys,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He’s is taking more of a leader role with Pau (Gasol) being out.”
Rose had it going early, playing 31 minutes and scoring 22 with four assists and three rebounds. Gibson had to deal with Derrick Favors’ throwing his muscle around, contained him late, holding Favors to just six rebounds overall and seven points in the second half.
“None of y’all business man,” said Gibson with a smile. “Some things don’t have to be said. I said what I said at halftime. We gotta move forward. We challenged each other. Great teams and players respond well when guys get after them. We responded.”
Gibson scored 15 and grabbed 10 rebounds, including hitting a jumper with 1:45 to restore a double-digit lead when the Jazz seemed to threaten, having entering the night winning four in a row.
“For the last two games, we’ve jumped out to double-digit leads,” Hoiberg said. “It had to be the urgency with what is at stake right now.”
Overall, the Bulls held the Jazz to 41 percent shooting and 30 from three, their best output since giving up just 83 points to the Cleveland Cavaliers nearly two months ago.
“Guys are starting to understand there’s a lot at stake,” said Doug McDermott, admittedly one of Gibson’s targets at halftime. “He got on us during a couple timeouts and in the locker room. It is a good message for us.”
And they did it with yet another first five, as Hoiberg had to adjust to the mammoth frontline of the Jazz.
It was the team’s 20th starting lineup, as Cristiano Felicio was the 14th Bull to be announced as a starter this season and he responded like a serviceable pro. He moved his feet well, defended without fouling and was competent on offense as a screen setter, moving constantly and occupying Gobert enough to where the shot-blocking center didn’t have much room to intimidate.
Speaking of Gobert, his night was punctuated by having 5-foot-9 Aaron Brooks block his shot at the rim—much to his dismay of the Jazz bench and the satisfaction of the United Center crowd.
They had plenty of cheer about early, as the Bulls started 7-7 from the field as they got Felicio a jumper and took advantage of every weak moment to grab a 15-6 lead. It was a lead they didn’t give back, as they shot 49 percent from the field. Jimmy Butler scored 13 on six of 14 shooting, adding six assists and five rebounds and Nikola Mirotic scored 15, including a crucial block late and a corner triple in the fourth when the Bulls’ offense went into prevent mode, not forcing the issue and slowing things down to nurse the lead.
“We’re doing what has given us success,” Hoiberg said. “That extra pass and ball movement has been very successful for us. In the fourth they picked up their pressure a bit.”
But their defense led the way. They allowed just 28 points to the midway spot of the second quarter. Favors still scored plenty on the smallish Bulls, just enough to keep them within striking distance at the half with 17 points.
“Derrick was really good and engaged getting to the ball, I thought his defense has been much better the last two games,” Hoiberg said. “With a team like Utah who executes their stuff so well, you need to find a way to disrupt them.”
Rose, meanwhile, hit both of his 3-point attempts and six of nine overall, carrying the load while Butler couldn’t find his offense.
“Derrick did a good job of controlling the game,” Hoiberg said. “He continues to take smart shots. The rhythm on his 3’s have been great. He’s stepping up.”
Luckily, Gordon Hayward wasn’t in Bulls-killer mode like he was in their overtime meeting in Salt Lake City. Battling an injury that had him questionable in the pregame, he made just four of 13 shots for nine points.
The Jazz were picked up by Shelvin Mack scoring 15 with eight assists, and impressive guard Rodney Hood scored 14 but missed seven of his 10 3-point attempts.
It had its pretty moments, as the ball movement flowed to 24 assists with just 12 turnovers, but the win was workman-like.
It was professional.
It reminded you of the Chicago Bulls you used to know.
The Utah Jazz is locked into a battle for the eighth seed, just like the Chicago Bulls but it was the Bulls who led wire to wire for an 92-85 win at the United Center Saturday, even as change swirls all around them.
It was an old-fashioned win from days of yonder, with Derrick Rose masterfully controlling the tempo and the offense, with Taj Gibson literally willing the defense to one of its better performances of the season.
His voice was one heard on the floor and the locker room as he got on guys at halftime for blowing a few defensive assignments at the end of the second quarter, and although the Bulls held the Jazz to 40, he wasn’t satisfied.
“He jumped at the locker room at halftime and really got on guys,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He’s is taking more of a leader role with Pau (Gasol) being out.”
Rose had it going early, playing 31 minutes and scoring 22 with four assists and three rebounds. Gibson had to deal with Derrick Favors’ throwing his muscle around, contained him late, holding Favors to just six rebounds overall and seven points in the second half.
“None of y’all business man,” said Gibson with a smile. “Some things don’t have to be said. I said what I said at halftime. We gotta move forward. We challenged each other. Great teams and players respond well when guys get after them. We responded.”
Gibson scored 15 and grabbed 10 rebounds, including hitting a jumper with 1:45 to restore a double-digit lead when the Jazz seemed to threaten, having entering the night winning four in a row.
“For the last two games, we’ve jumped out to double-digit leads,” Hoiberg said. “It had to be the urgency with what is at stake right now.”
Overall, the Bulls held the Jazz to 41 percent shooting and 30 from three, their best output since giving up just 83 points to the Cleveland Cavaliers nearly two months ago.
“Guys are starting to understand there’s a lot at stake,” said Doug McDermott, admittedly one of Gibson’s targets at halftime. “He got on us during a couple timeouts and in the locker room. It is a good message for us.”
And they did it with yet another first five, as Hoiberg had to adjust to the mammoth frontline of the Jazz.
It was the team’s 20th starting lineup, as Cristiano Felicio was the 14th Bull to be announced as a starter this season and he responded like a serviceable pro. He moved his feet well, defended without fouling and was competent on offense as a screen setter, moving constantly and occupying Gobert enough to where the shot-blocking center didn’t have much room to intimidate.
Speaking of Gobert, his night was punctuated by having 5-foot-9 Aaron Brooks block his shot at the rim—much to his dismay of the Jazz bench and the satisfaction of the United Center crowd.
They had plenty of cheer about early, as the Bulls started 7-7 from the field as they got Felicio a jumper and took advantage of every weak moment to grab a 15-6 lead. It was a lead they didn’t give back, as they shot 49 percent from the field. Jimmy Butler scored 13 on six of 14 shooting, adding six assists and five rebounds and Nikola Mirotic scored 15, including a crucial block late and a corner triple in the fourth when the Bulls’ offense went into prevent mode, not forcing the issue and slowing things down to nurse the lead.
“We’re doing what has given us success,” Hoiberg said. “That extra pass and ball movement has been very successful for us. In the fourth they picked up their pressure a bit.”
But their defense led the way. They allowed just 28 points to the midway spot of the second quarter. Favors still scored plenty on the smallish Bulls, just enough to keep them within striking distance at the half with 17 points.
“Derrick was really good and engaged getting to the ball, I thought his defense has been much better the last two games,” Hoiberg said. “With a team like Utah who executes their stuff so well, you need to find a way to disrupt them.”
Rose, meanwhile, hit both of his 3-point attempts and six of nine overall, carrying the load while Butler couldn’t find his offense.
“Derrick did a good job of controlling the game,” Hoiberg said. “He continues to take smart shots. The rhythm on his 3’s have been great. He’s stepping up.”
Luckily, Gordon Hayward wasn’t in Bulls-killer mode like he was in their overtime meeting in Salt Lake City. Battling an injury that had him questionable in the pregame, he made just four of 13 shots for nine points.
The Jazz were picked up by Shelvin Mack scoring 15 with eight assists, and impressive guard Rodney Hood scored 14 but missed seven of his 10 3-point attempts.
It had its pretty moments, as the ball movement flowed to 24 assists with just 12 turnovers, but the win was workman-like.
It was professional.
It reminded you of the Chicago Bulls you used to know.
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Colts GM on Bears new ILB Jerrell Freeman: 'He can do it all'.
By John Mullin
Ryan Grigson became Indianapolis Colts general manager in early January 2012. Less than a week after taking the job, he signed linebacker Jerrell Freeman to a contract bringing Freeman into the NFL from the Canadian Football League.
This offseason he had to watch Freeman sign another contract, this time with the Bears for $12 million over three seasons, including $6 million guaranteed, a deal that the Colts weren’t in a position to match and had to watch a four-year starter leave town (although the Colts will see him whenever their game with the Bears appears on the 2016 schedule).
It wasn’t a player the Colts liked losing.
“He’s a three-down linebacker, which you don’t really see that often anymore,” Grigson told CSNChicago.com during this week’s NFL owners meetings. “He can cover and he’s a smart player, really understands defenses. He’ll be a good fit with [inside linebacker Danny Trevathan] in that system. Good player.
“He can do it all.”
Proposals for safety rule changes headline owners meetings.
By John Mullin
This offseason he had to watch Freeman sign another contract, this time with the Bears for $12 million over three seasons, including $6 million guaranteed, a deal that the Colts weren’t in a position to match and had to watch a four-year starter leave town (although the Colts will see him whenever their game with the Bears appears on the 2016 schedule).
It wasn’t a player the Colts liked losing.
“He’s a three-down linebacker, which you don’t really see that often anymore,” Grigson told CSNChicago.com during this week’s NFL owners meetings. “He can cover and he’s a smart player, really understands defenses. He’ll be a good fit with [inside linebacker Danny Trevathan] in that system. Good player.
“He can do it all.”
Proposals for safety rule changes headline owners meetings.
By John Mullin
NFL owners aren’t specifically trying to make theirs a kinder, gentler game, but a couple of proposals up for votes at this week’s owners meetings do take the league a little further in that direction.
Among the 19 proposals up for consideration from originators ranging from the league’s Competition Committee to the Baltimore Ravens are: banning all chop blocks; ejecting players guilty to two personal fouls of selected types in one game; expanding the definition of horse-collar tackles to include grabbing the uniform in the nameplate area; and moving the starting point after touchbacks on kickoffs, from the 20- to the 25-yard line – effectively giving a five-yard bonus to teams and returners who down the ball rather than attempt to run it out in hopes of bettering the start point at the 20.
Defensive players have long decried chop blocks, where a blocker hits a defender in the knees or back of the legs while the defender is already engaged elsewhere. Those blocks have been legal in clearly identified areas during a play but now would be banned entirely. The block also has typically drawn a fine regardless of whether the infraction was penalized at the time.
Odell Beckham Jr.’s multi-play attack on Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman did not result in the New York Giants wide receiver being ejected. But it could now.
Commissioner Roger Goodell suggested during Super Bowl week that player ejections for two egregious fouls would be considered. The Committee is now suggesting that specific unsportsmanlike conduct penalties could lead to ejections:
Among the 19 proposals up for consideration from originators ranging from the league’s Competition Committee to the Baltimore Ravens are: banning all chop blocks; ejecting players guilty to two personal fouls of selected types in one game; expanding the definition of horse-collar tackles to include grabbing the uniform in the nameplate area; and moving the starting point after touchbacks on kickoffs, from the 20- to the 25-yard line – effectively giving a five-yard bonus to teams and returners who down the ball rather than attempt to run it out in hopes of bettering the start point at the 20.
Defensive players have long decried chop blocks, where a blocker hits a defender in the knees or back of the legs while the defender is already engaged elsewhere. Those blocks have been legal in clearly identified areas during a play but now would be banned entirely. The block also has typically drawn a fine regardless of whether the infraction was penalized at the time.
Odell Beckham Jr.’s multi-play attack on Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman did not result in the New York Giants wide receiver being ejected. But it could now.
Commissioner Roger Goodell suggested during Super Bowl week that player ejections for two egregious fouls would be considered. The Committee is now suggesting that specific unsportsmanlike conduct penalties could lead to ejections:
- Throwing a punch or a forearm, or kicking at an opponent, even though no contact is made.
- Using abusive, threatening or insulting language, or gestures to opponents, teammates, officials or representatives of the league.
- Using baiting or taunting acts or words that engender ill will between teams.
Ejections would not be automatic but the intent is to make clear that officials have that option, and it will not necessarily require two flags for that ejection.
And Peyton Manning may be gone, but he’s not forgotten, at least in the minds of former opponents. The Kansas City Chiefs have put forward a proposal that quarterbacks not be allowed to slide down, then get up an throw a forward pass, as Manning did in the Denver Broncos’ playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Baltimore Ravens did not like what they considered subterfuge by the New England Patriots.
The league is also considering making permanent the setup of PAT kicks from the 15-yard line as the line of scrimmage. If there’s an irony here, it is that one of the chief critics of the PAT as it previously stood was New England coach Bill Belichick, whose Patriots lost to the Broncos in the AFC Championship game after a costly miss from the new distance by All-Pro kicker Stephen Gostkowski – one of 71 such misses in the 2015 regular season.
Joe Maddon lets Cubs lay down the law in clubhouse.
And Peyton Manning may be gone, but he’s not forgotten, at least in the minds of former opponents. The Kansas City Chiefs have put forward a proposal that quarterbacks not be allowed to slide down, then get up an throw a forward pass, as Manning did in the Denver Broncos’ playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Baltimore Ravens did not like what they considered subterfuge by the New England Patriots.
The league is also considering making permanent the setup of PAT kicks from the 15-yard line as the line of scrimmage. If there’s an irony here, it is that one of the chief critics of the PAT as it previously stood was New England coach Bill Belichick, whose Patriots lost to the Broncos in the AFC Championship game after a costly miss from the new distance by All-Pro kicker Stephen Gostkowski – one of 71 such misses in the 2015 regular season.
Joe Maddon lets Cubs lay down the law in clubhouse.
By Patrick Mooney
The Adam LaRoche retirement drama will either bring the White Sox clubhouse together or tear that franchise apart.
Trying to end a bizarre story that’s drawn worldwide attention, White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf gave a vote of confidence to his baseball leadership team on Sunday, releasing a statement that wrote off the LaRoche situation as a misunderstanding.
Reinsdorf also issued a gag order to all White Sox employees, telling them to stop commenting on the LaRoche decision and extending a news cycle that has the rest of the industry talking.
Right around the same time, Cubs manager Joe Maddon met with his “Lead Bulls,” a group of about 12 established players, to reinforce everything from the dress code (“if you think you look hot, you wear it”) to rules for kids in the clubhouse (out of the room three hours before game time).
Maddon believes White Sox manager Robin Ventura – a calm presence and a universally respected player who’s now in the final year of his contract – will guide his team through this media storm.
“Your focus wants to be on getting your team ready to play the season,” Maddon said at the Sloan Park complex. “And then you get the noise coming from different directions, it can be distracting, there’s no question about it.
“We’re not focused on them. We have our own way of doing things here. I would never want to interfere with anybody else’s clubhouse or their organization. That’s up to them.
“But I just know from (Robin’s) perspective, it’s got to be distracting. But I also believe he’ll do a great job with it, because that’s who he is.”
The 15 minutes of fame is just about up for Drake, LaRoche’s 14-year-old son who constantly hung around the team and had his own locker before White Sox executive vice president Kenny Williams intervened (either unilaterally or on behalf of others inside the organization bothered by the workplace arrangement).
At the age of 62, Maddon knows who he is and understands what is important to him. Modern players will begin to tune out a lot of that stuff, anyway, if you try to lay down the law.
“Back in the day, when you’re a minor-league manager, you put all these rules up on the wall,” Maddon said. “And then you have the organization stuff (where the) hair is at a certain length and no facial hair. And if you can’t have an earring, take it out and then put it back in after the game.
“I’m here to manage the team, not make rules. So I learned my lesson with that – to not get nuts about it. Furthermore, it’s just counter to what I am inherently as a person.”
Maddon expects his veteran players to police the clubhouse and believes he will get more accountability by including his players in the process. But even “Respect 90” – a fancy way to say run hard to first base – is an all-inclusive policy on some level.
“I often kid about how we don’t have any rules around here,” Maddon said. “But you do. You have almost like a force field that’s not actually a fence. Guys know if you go past a certain point, you might get stung a little bit. But you don’t have to actually see the fence there.
“Whether somebody from the outside looking in considers it lenient, wise, revolutionary, whatever, I just think it’s the right way to do things.”
Away from White Sox/LaRoche circus, Cubs have become a destination for free agents.
By Patrick Mooney
About 30 miles from White Sox camp on Friday morning, the Cubs stood in a half-circle wearing party hats as Munenori Kawasaki gripped the microphone and sang “Happy Birthday” to David Ross and Dexter Fowler.
And then two pink crates stacked as a birthday cake rolled out in front of the weight room at the Sloan Park complex. Strength and conditioning coach Tim Buss popped out wearing a one-piece bathing suit, a cowboy hat and high heels.
Showing the kind of firm leadership that’s made him a three-time Manager of the Year, Joe Maddon had made the executive decision that Buss should wear a one-piece bathing suit — and not a bikini — because that would be funnier. Obviously.
Right around the same time, Chris Sale’s comments were catching fire on social media after the White Sox ace torched executive vice president Kenny Williams for the way he handled the Adam LaRoche situation.
The Cubs have cornered the market on zoo animals. But Camelback Ranch became the circus before the White Sox stopped their airing of grievances in the clubhouse and went out and beat the Cubs 3-2 in front of 13,130 in Glendale and a curious TV audience back home in Chicago.
The White Sox rivalry could bring out the worst in the Cubs during the Carlos Zambrano/Milton Bradley/Lou Piniella years. But the Cubs are now a destination, where free agents take less money to play for baseball’s buzziest team and try to end more than a century of losing.
“It’s kind of an ironic sales pitch,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “The fact we haven’t won in (such a long) time is so alluring to our players. I hope someday we can’t use that sales pitch anymore. But at the moment, it’s certainly effective.”
Maybe an us-vs.-them attitude sparks the White Sox and Williams uses the $13 million LaRoche walked away from — because his 14-year-old son couldn’t have unlimited access to the clubhouse anymore — to make a splash at the trade deadline.
The White Sox have to be one of the most loyal organizations in sports — to their credit and sometimes to a fault — and used patience and discipline to make low-risk, high-reward deals throughout the offseason. Winning will fix everything in that clubhouse.
The Cubs can be extremely cold and calculating — just ask White Sox bench coach Rick Renteria — but 1908 fuels an ends-justify-the-means philosophy.
Still, the Cubs know how to make personal touches. “The Arm” — an upcoming book on the economics of pitching by Yahoo! Sports baseball columnist Jeff Passan — gives a behind-the-scenes account of the Jon Lester negotiations and how the Cubs appealed to his sense of family.
Within the first two minutes of the recruitment DVD sent to Lester’s home in Georgia, Passan writes, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein talked about how the Cubs staff “a 24-hour on-call doctor and nurse for families in case of emergency when the team is out of town.”
“The Arm” also nails down another rumor: Lester had been unnerved after getting traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Oakland A’s in a 2014 deadline deal when he found out the wife of a teammate was assaulted at the O.co Coliseum.
During their emotional pitch after that season, the Cubs stressed everything from the security services at Wrigley Field to the differences between the Chicago and Boston media markets to what the franchise could do for Lester’s charitable foundation.
“A lot of our focus in trying to build an organization is just trying to do everything first-class,” Hoyer said. “We have family ownership and try to make sure that every facility is first-class. We treat our players that way.
“When you do that stuff: a.) It’s the right thing to do. And b.) I think word gets around that’s how you treat people.”
Hoyer was speaking broadly — and not at all commenting on LaRoche’s decision to retire — as AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll)” blasted out of the sound system as the Cubs stretched before their workout.
The Cubs also gave Lester the biggest contract in franchise history at the time — six years and $155 million plus full no-trade rights — and the vibe would obviously be so much different if this team had lost 97 games last year.
“It’s not like we reinvented anything,” Hoyer said. “People want to be part of a winner. Joe creates a great atmosphere by focusing on players’ families and doing those little things that maybe is a tiebreaker. But ultimately you can’t become a place that players want to play if you forget about those things.”
Trying to end a bizarre story that’s drawn worldwide attention, White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf gave a vote of confidence to his baseball leadership team on Sunday, releasing a statement that wrote off the LaRoche situation as a misunderstanding.
Reinsdorf also issued a gag order to all White Sox employees, telling them to stop commenting on the LaRoche decision and extending a news cycle that has the rest of the industry talking.
Right around the same time, Cubs manager Joe Maddon met with his “Lead Bulls,” a group of about 12 established players, to reinforce everything from the dress code (“if you think you look hot, you wear it”) to rules for kids in the clubhouse (out of the room three hours before game time).
Maddon believes White Sox manager Robin Ventura – a calm presence and a universally respected player who’s now in the final year of his contract – will guide his team through this media storm.
“Your focus wants to be on getting your team ready to play the season,” Maddon said at the Sloan Park complex. “And then you get the noise coming from different directions, it can be distracting, there’s no question about it.
“We’re not focused on them. We have our own way of doing things here. I would never want to interfere with anybody else’s clubhouse or their organization. That’s up to them.
“But I just know from (Robin’s) perspective, it’s got to be distracting. But I also believe he’ll do a great job with it, because that’s who he is.”
The 15 minutes of fame is just about up for Drake, LaRoche’s 14-year-old son who constantly hung around the team and had his own locker before White Sox executive vice president Kenny Williams intervened (either unilaterally or on behalf of others inside the organization bothered by the workplace arrangement).
At the age of 62, Maddon knows who he is and understands what is important to him. Modern players will begin to tune out a lot of that stuff, anyway, if you try to lay down the law.
“Back in the day, when you’re a minor-league manager, you put all these rules up on the wall,” Maddon said. “And then you have the organization stuff (where the) hair is at a certain length and no facial hair. And if you can’t have an earring, take it out and then put it back in after the game.
“I’m here to manage the team, not make rules. So I learned my lesson with that – to not get nuts about it. Furthermore, it’s just counter to what I am inherently as a person.”
Maddon expects his veteran players to police the clubhouse and believes he will get more accountability by including his players in the process. But even “Respect 90” – a fancy way to say run hard to first base – is an all-inclusive policy on some level.
“I often kid about how we don’t have any rules around here,” Maddon said. “But you do. You have almost like a force field that’s not actually a fence. Guys know if you go past a certain point, you might get stung a little bit. But you don’t have to actually see the fence there.
“Whether somebody from the outside looking in considers it lenient, wise, revolutionary, whatever, I just think it’s the right way to do things.”
Away from White Sox/LaRoche circus, Cubs have become a destination for free agents.
By Patrick Mooney
About 30 miles from White Sox camp on Friday morning, the Cubs stood in a half-circle wearing party hats as Munenori Kawasaki gripped the microphone and sang “Happy Birthday” to David Ross and Dexter Fowler.
And then two pink crates stacked as a birthday cake rolled out in front of the weight room at the Sloan Park complex. Strength and conditioning coach Tim Buss popped out wearing a one-piece bathing suit, a cowboy hat and high heels.
Showing the kind of firm leadership that’s made him a three-time Manager of the Year, Joe Maddon had made the executive decision that Buss should wear a one-piece bathing suit — and not a bikini — because that would be funnier. Obviously.
Right around the same time, Chris Sale’s comments were catching fire on social media after the White Sox ace torched executive vice president Kenny Williams for the way he handled the Adam LaRoche situation.
The Cubs have cornered the market on zoo animals. But Camelback Ranch became the circus before the White Sox stopped their airing of grievances in the clubhouse and went out and beat the Cubs 3-2 in front of 13,130 in Glendale and a curious TV audience back home in Chicago.
The White Sox rivalry could bring out the worst in the Cubs during the Carlos Zambrano/Milton Bradley/Lou Piniella years. But the Cubs are now a destination, where free agents take less money to play for baseball’s buzziest team and try to end more than a century of losing.
“It’s kind of an ironic sales pitch,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “The fact we haven’t won in (such a long) time is so alluring to our players. I hope someday we can’t use that sales pitch anymore. But at the moment, it’s certainly effective.”
Maybe an us-vs.-them attitude sparks the White Sox and Williams uses the $13 million LaRoche walked away from — because his 14-year-old son couldn’t have unlimited access to the clubhouse anymore — to make a splash at the trade deadline.
The White Sox have to be one of the most loyal organizations in sports — to their credit and sometimes to a fault — and used patience and discipline to make low-risk, high-reward deals throughout the offseason. Winning will fix everything in that clubhouse.
The Cubs can be extremely cold and calculating — just ask White Sox bench coach Rick Renteria — but 1908 fuels an ends-justify-the-means philosophy.
Still, the Cubs know how to make personal touches. “The Arm” — an upcoming book on the economics of pitching by Yahoo! Sports baseball columnist Jeff Passan — gives a behind-the-scenes account of the Jon Lester negotiations and how the Cubs appealed to his sense of family.
Within the first two minutes of the recruitment DVD sent to Lester’s home in Georgia, Passan writes, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein talked about how the Cubs staff “a 24-hour on-call doctor and nurse for families in case of emergency when the team is out of town.”
“The Arm” also nails down another rumor: Lester had been unnerved after getting traded from the Boston Red Sox to the Oakland A’s in a 2014 deadline deal when he found out the wife of a teammate was assaulted at the O.co Coliseum.
During their emotional pitch after that season, the Cubs stressed everything from the security services at Wrigley Field to the differences between the Chicago and Boston media markets to what the franchise could do for Lester’s charitable foundation.
“A lot of our focus in trying to build an organization is just trying to do everything first-class,” Hoyer said. “We have family ownership and try to make sure that every facility is first-class. We treat our players that way.
“When you do that stuff: a.) It’s the right thing to do. And b.) I think word gets around that’s how you treat people.”
Hoyer was speaking broadly — and not at all commenting on LaRoche’s decision to retire — as AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll)” blasted out of the sound system as the Cubs stretched before their workout.
The Cubs also gave Lester the biggest contract in franchise history at the time — six years and $155 million plus full no-trade rights — and the vibe would obviously be so much different if this team had lost 97 games last year.
“It’s not like we reinvented anything,” Hoyer said. “People want to be part of a winner. Joe creates a great atmosphere by focusing on players’ families and doing those little things that maybe is a tiebreaker. But ultimately you can’t become a place that players want to play if you forget about those things.”
WHITE SOX: Time to take control; Robin Ventura must be heard regarding the Adam LaRoche situation.
By Joe Posnanski
By Joe Posnanski
(Photo/zimbio.com)
A baseball general manager once explained to me the three stages of dealing with a baseball owner.
You try to show the tangible good that will come from it, prove that making this move will help the team win and that the investment will pay for itself many times over. You try to appeal to the owner’s hunger for winning and explain that it will be hard to do your job unless the team makes the move.
Now, let’s say that doesn’t work.
Then there’s the second stage, which you might call the “Doomsday Stage.” You explain to the owner all the bad things that will happen if the team doesn’t do what you’re asking. Other teams will get all the good players. Your team will lose faith. Your fans will lose faith. The media will scream. The playoff chase will be lost. Whatever comes to mind.
“So,” I asked him, “what do you do when the second stage doesn’t work.”
He smiled. “Well,” he said, “if it’s important enough, that’s when you turn over the table.”
As this bizarre Adam LaRoche-Drake LaRoche-Kenny Williams-Chris Sale circus unfolds in Chicago, there has been one person I’ve been watching closely — manager Robin Ventura. The details surrounding this saga are baffling and cloudy and emotional, but one thing is certain: It’s about time for Robin Ventura to start turning over some tables.
Let’s review the story as quickly as possible. First baseman Adam LaRoche has long brought his son Drake along with him to ballgames. It’s a LaRoche thing — Adam kind of grew up in MLB clubhouses himself when his father Dave played ball. Adam felt like that was a great place to learn about life and for the last five years Adam has brought Drake around just about everywhere. This happened when Adam was with the Washington Nationals and, last year, with the Chicago White Sox.
“It’s like having your son and best friend alongside you all day long, at work, which never gets happen,” LaRoche told the Washington Post a couple of years ago. “I don’t know many jobs where you can bring your kid and not have to put him in day care somewhere. It’s been awesome.”
Well, I have a 14-year-old daughter who I love more than life itself, but I’m OK not having her with me at work all the time. However, that is beside the point as are most of the other fun questions everyone asks on Twitter about kids in the workplace. What is the point, then?
Let’s look at what we know.
We know Adam LaRoche signed with the White Sox last year and it was fine for Drake to come along with his Dad to basically every game. “My first question to the club concerned my son’s ability to be part of the team,” LaRoche wrote in a statement.
We know this spring that White Sox president Kenny Williams asked LaRoche to “dial it back” with Drake. Williams was pretty vague about the reasons, but it seems that he was concerned about setting a precedent and was concerned that Drake was just around too much. “Even 50 percent is too much,” he said.
We know Adam has decided to retire instead. “Do I choose my teammates and my career? Or do I choose my family? The decision was easy,” LaRoche wrote. He also said that he was, at one point, told not to bring Drake around at all.
All of this has created quite a storm throughout the White Sox organization. Kenny Williams did some interviews. There was apparently talk about boycotting Thursday’s game. On Friday, the White Sox’s best player, Chris Sale, lambasted Williams — calling him a liar, saying he had torpedoed the team, and so on. Owner Jerry Reinsdorf also put out a statement saying that the team was looking into things, and no other comments would be made.
Ventura was also finally heard from — he tread lightly, spoke a few careful cliches, made sure not to offend anyone or relay his opinion in any way.
And you simply can’t do this and be an MLB manager.
Everybody can see that this isn’t easy for Ventura. He was already on the hot seat. Under Ventura, the White Sox lost 89 games in 2014, made some bold moves last off-season and then went 76-86. That’s a pretty good formula for getting fired in today’s environment. But Ventura was brought back — White Sox general manager Rick Hahn (who also has been deafeningly quiet) said that Ventura is a championship caliber manager. So he came back, and there have been numerous (and obligatory) “how Ventura is dealing with the pressure,” stories all spring. It’s clear he’s wanted to stay out of the light.
Now this happens, and that’s no longer a possibility. What is Ventura’s role here? I can tell you this: Just about everyone in baseball agrees that the clubhouse is the domain of the players and, even more, the manager. Keeping the clubhouse energized, focused and together is, in many ways, job No. 1 for a manager.
I spoke with three general managers over the last three days, and this is the first thing they say: The MANAGER decides how the clubhouse is run. Yes, if the manager might decide to let the players run the clubhouse (this seems to be at the heart of Joe Maddon’s philosophy with the Cubs) but even that is still the manager’s decision.
In other words, Robin Ventura needed to be the one to decide if Drake LaRoche was spending too much time in the clubhouse. That should be 100 percent his call. But Kenny Williams is the one doing all the talking.
There are only two possibilities for why this is happening:
1. Kenny Williams acted unilaterally, over the head of the manager, and Ventura believes Williams is wrong. If this is the case, yes, Ventura needs to turn over some tables. He needs to be kicking and screaming. He needs to make himself heard. There is absolutely no chance for him to succeed as manager of the White Sox if he does not have the authority to run the clubhouse. None. There is absolutely no chance for him to succeed as manager of the White Sox if he feels like his authority is being undermined from above. None.
And all this is doubly true if, as everyone seems to suspect, Ventura gave LaRoche his word that he could bring Drake with him all year long. Now, Williams is preventing him from keeping his word to a ball player? Once the manager loses trust, everything is over.
So, if Ventura thinks Williams is wrong, he must turn over every table in the White Sox facilities and keep turning them until he gets control of the clubhouse or quits.
2. Williams did not act unilaterally (maybe he was speaking directly from the owner?) and Ventura can see the point, can see that maybe Drake LaRoche was around just a bit too much. If this is the case, well, that’s really bad because it means he’s hiding behind Kenny Williams.
Best I can tell, these are the two options here — either he agrees or disagrees with Williams — and in either case, Robin Ventura needs to be heard and say something more than just a few careful cliches. He’s the manager here. Yes, it’s true that there are only 30 managerial spots available, and to keep one of those jobs you sometimes have to bite your tongue and take one for the team. But this is not one of those times. If the White Sox aren’t going to let him run his team, then he has already lost the job.
UPDATE: Jerry Reinsdorf issues final statement on Adam LaRoche, White Sox.
By Dan Hayes
Jerry Reinsdorf issued a statement on Sunday as a result of the close of his investigation into the Adam LaRoche matter. Reinsdorf said he has met with several players, including LaRoche, who officially retired on Friday. The White Sox chairman said he believes an incident that has drawn the club national attention was a result of “miscommunication and misunderstanding.”
Here’s the full statement:
“I have taken the past few days to personally meet with everyone involved, including Adam LaRoche, members of our front office, uniformed staff and some of our active players. I continue to have nothing but the greatest regard for Adam --- in fact, my respect for him has grown during this process -- and I applaud his desire to spend more time with his family.
I continue to have complete faith in the skills and abilities of the leadership group of our baseball operations department in Ken Williams, Rick Hahn and Robin Ventura. I also appreciate the passion and commitment to one another shown by our players, Robin, our coaching staff and our front office. As with many things in life, much of this was a result of miscommunication and misunderstanding rather than this being a case of anyone not telling the truth. I do not believe there is anyone to directly blame in this situation. While there is no doubt this might have been handled differently, the fact remains that this is an internal matter that we have discussed and now resolved.
Per my request, White Sox employees will no longer discuss this matter publicly. I felt it was appropriate to release this statement to close the issue for everyone in the organization -- from the front office to the players in the clubhouse -- so we can focus on Opening Day and inning baseball games for our fans. I am fully confident this matter will soon be behind us nd that we will grow even stronger and more united as a team and as an organization.”
Golf: I got a club for that..... With a little help from Tiger, Day prevails at Bay Hill.
(Photo/nbcgolf.com)
Jason Day had watched Tiger Woods win eight times before at Bay Hill, and he wanted to do it, too.
After Day saved par from the greenside bunker on the 72nd hole Sunday, he finally had the chance.
Day, with his son Dash by his side, walked up the hill left of the 18th green and found a familiar face sitting in a golf cart, waiting to greet him.
As Day later put it: “It’s great to shake the King’s hand.”
So what then, after all those years of thinking about it, did Day finally say standing face to face with Arnold Palmer?
“I just thanked him for what he's done for the game and what he's done for us as players,” said Day, who has risen from serious teenage troubles to late-20s stardom. “It's obviously very quick and brief but to be able to walk up there, and in the past be able to watch people walk up there, and have that special moment with the King, it's something that I've always wanted to do. Especially [after] watching Tiger in the past do it a lot, I've wanted to do that.
“It is one of those tournaments that, you know, the biggest guys usually win, and I was just very pleased to shake his hand,” he said.
With his par on the 72nd hole and a round of 2-under 70, Day won his eighth PGA Tour title and his first Arnold Palmer Invitational. One shot back with two holes to play, he ripped a 5-iron from 222 yards and poured in a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-3 17th. He then edged runner-up Kevin Chappell for the title when he, unlike Chappell, managed to make par from the rough right of the fairway on 18.
After clearing gallery members out of the way, Day, knowing he needed par to win, set his sights on the back-left bunker.
“[Chappell] bogeyed, obviously, and I was nervous standing over that tee shot,” Day said. “I missed it right, but the first thing that came into my mind was hit it long in the bunker, the back-left bunker. At least it's straight down the grain. I can give myself an opportunity for par at least.”
He splashed his 30-yard bunker shot to just 4 feet, then rolled in the putt for par and the win.
“That's why he's been the No. 1 player in the world, and why I'm the 150th player in the world,” Chappell said, rather bluntly.
Day might well be on his way back to No. 1 again. Sunday’s win was his seventh on Tour since the start on the 2013-14 season. It’s the most for any player over that span. Jordan Spieth has six, and Rory McIlroy and Bubba Watson have five. Speaking of those names, Day just passed McIlroy to move back to No. 2 in the world. He’s close enough to start mounting a challenge to take back world No. 1 from Spieth.
Day has done all of this in the last two years – and especially in the last 12 months – with some help from a friend, another former No. 1 and his longtime idol. The guy who got to shake Arnie’s hand eight times.
Sitting with Dash on his lap and the API trophy to their right, Day said he’s been texting with Woods all week, soliciting his advice on how to win at Bay Hill. The two have been talking like this for a while now, and Day hasn’t been shy about crediting Woods for his breakthrough over the last year. The two were in contact right up to Day’s tee time on Sunday.
“Traded texts last night and this morning,” Day said. “It's the same thing ... He sends the same stuff to me, ‘Just be yourself and stay in your world,’ and for some reason it just means so much more.
“It gives me so much confidence that a person like that would believe in me," he said. "I was idolizing him ever since I was a kid and watching him in '97 win the Masters for the first time and all of a sudden I'm playing the Tour and I'm pretty close with him now.”
On top of the leaderboard after 18, 36 and 54 holes, Day is just the fourth player to win this event going to wire to wire with the outright lead, joining Mike Nicolette (1983), Paul Azinger (1988) and Fred Couples (1992).
Of course, Woods was the last player to win here wire to wire when he did it in 2002. But Tiger shared the lead after the first round. In the eight times he won this event, he never held the outright lead for all four rounds, like Day just did.
“I never knew that, and I will text him that tonight,” Day said with a smile. “You know, regardless if you win wire to wire or you win pretty or you win ugly, a win is a win. It's a great feeling and nothing beats winning.
“Like I said, he's been a big influence in my life ever since I was a kid," he said. "And to have his advice, to be able to go see him and practice with him and pick his brain about numerous things that I want to try and improve my game ... it’s been a big credit to him.”
Jordan Spieth Continues to Be Favorite to Win 2016 Masters.
By Josh Sens
(Photo/Golf.com)
Jordan Spieth is a favorite to repeat. But Rickie Fowler has attracted the most action. And Tiger Woods still has a puncher’s chance at nabbing his fifth green jacket, though the odds seem slim that he’ll even play.
Those and other nuggets make up the latest Masters news from the gambling frontline of Las Vegas in advance of the most wagered-on golf tournament of the year.
“We look at the stats, historical performance, recent performance, all of that,” says Jay Rood, vice president of race and sports books for MGM Resorts. “But in golf, as in NASCAR and so many other individual sports, popularity drives the betting board.”
By that measure, if this were high school, Spieth would have the hand of the homecoming queen. This year’s defending champ has been the Masters favorite since last summer, when the line on him opened at 7-to-1. His recent struggles have done nothing to dampen the gambling public’s enthusiasm for him. His odds are now down to 5-to-1.
Next up on the list, at 6-to-1, is 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott, whose recent back-to-back Tour wins have brought him back into the conversation. He’s followed by Rory McIlroy, who needs only the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam. If the numbers are right, there’s an 8-to-1 chance that the Northern Irishman will do just that.
By that measure, if this were high school, Spieth would have the hand of the homecoming queen. This year’s defending champ has been the Masters favorite since last summer, when the line on him opened at 7-to-1. His recent struggles have done nothing to dampen the gambling public’s enthusiasm for him. His odds are now down to 5-to-1.
Next up on the list, at 6-to-1, is 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott, whose recent back-to-back Tour wins have brought him back into the conversation. He’s followed by Rory McIlroy, who needs only the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam. If the numbers are right, there’s an 8-to-1 chance that the Northern Irishman will do just that.
Then again, the numbers are rarely a reflection of a golfer’s actual chance of winning.
As an example, Rood cites Justin Rose, now on the blocks at 25-to-1. Never mind the fact that Rose has competed in 47 majors, and come away with just one major title.
“He’s obviously a great player, and there’s always that sense of potential,” Rood says. “But his actual odds of winning are probably more like 60 to 80-to-1.”
Popularity and potential. Both have influenced the action on Rickie Fowler, who has drawn more Masters wagers at MGM than any other player in the Masters field. Fowler is major-less, but his Augusta odds (10-to-1) are the same as those for Bubba Watson, who has won two of the last four Masters.
Compare those seemingly skewed figures to the odds for Phil Mickelson: 9-to-1 on a guy who has won three Masters in 23 appearances is a rare instance of the numbers roughly lining up with what a player has actually done.
Of course, the so-called “smart money” often gravitates towards numerical long-shots whose odds appear statistically out-of-whack.
Good luck sniffing out those sleepers.
Could it be Angel Cabrera at 100-to-1? Or Louis Oosthuizen at 40-to-1? Rood says he’s eyeballing Matt Kuchar (60-to-1).
“Throughout his career, he’s basically been a license to print money,” Rood says, “though maybe more for himself than for people betting on him.”
Then there’s Tiger Woods, who, during his early 2000s peak, warped the betting board like no other golfer before or since.
On the mend from back surgery, Woods is listed at 80-to-1, though the odds of him being ready to compete seem even worse.
“Tiger has shown that he can be a factor at Augusta even when he’s nowhere near his best,” Rood says. “So if there’s even a chance that he might play...well, put it this way: we’ve been getting a ton of bets on him.”
Clarke prepared to test friendships with Ryder Cup picks.
By Ryan Ballengee
Clarke prepared to test friendships with Ryder Cup picks.
By Ryan Ballengee
Darren Clarke knows some of his European Tour friends might hold a grudge against him this fall.
Clarke, the 2016 European Ryder Cup captain, will have the difficult task of hand-picking three players to round out the 12-player squad that will look to win for a ninth time in the last 11 biennial matches against the United States at Hazeltine National in Minnesota.
He has already suggested the likes of Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, long-time veterans of the Ryder Cup and friends of Clarke's, could be wild-card picks. However, that doesn't mean they're mortal locks.
"The wildcards could be difficult decisions," Clarke told the Daily Mail. "The phone calls to the guys that don’t make the team — especially if I am very close to them — that will be very difficult. But that’s what I have to do. That’s part of the job. It’s part of the remit. But to have to do that, I have no issue with that at all. It wouldn’t cost me a thought.
Clarke, the 2016 European Ryder Cup captain, will have the difficult task of hand-picking three players to round out the 12-player squad that will look to win for a ninth time in the last 11 biennial matches against the United States at Hazeltine National in Minnesota.
He has already suggested the likes of Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, long-time veterans of the Ryder Cup and friends of Clarke's, could be wild-card picks. However, that doesn't mean they're mortal locks.
"The wildcards could be difficult decisions," Clarke told the Daily Mail. "The phone calls to the guys that don’t make the team — especially if I am very close to them — that will be very difficult. But that’s what I have to do. That’s part of the job. It’s part of the remit. But to have to do that, I have no issue with that at all. It wouldn’t cost me a thought.
"It could cost me friendships. That may well be the case. But I have to do what I have to do for the betterment of the European Tour."
With five American golfers in the world top 10 right now and half of the top 20 playing under the American flag, Clarke knows his team will face a very talented squad. The Ulsterman also knows his team has a spirit that didn't require a task force -- like the PGA of America's Ryder Cup advisory group -- to cultivate.
"We have that spirit. We don’t need to do anything. We won’t lose that under my captaincy, under the next captain or the next captain. That European team spirit can’t be trained. It is not false. It’s what we have, it’s what we do, it’s what we are. It’s bred into us in the European Tour."
NASCAR: Super finish: Jimmie Johnson earns 77th Sprint Cup win in overtime shootout.
By Daniel McFadin
Jimmie Johnson celebrates after winning the NASCAR 400 mile auto race Sunday, March 20, 2016, at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. (AP Photo/Will Lester)
Jimmie Johnson found an extra bit of speed during a green-white-checkered finish in overtime of the Auto Club 400 and used it to fly ahead of the field to claim his 77th career Sprint Cup win.
After a caution for a blown tire from Kyle Busch with, Johnson edged past Harvick on the backstretch for the 26th lead change of the race and kept his No. 48 Chevrolet there for the final lap and a half.
“I knew we had a good car, but that caution fell at a bad time the run before,” Johnson told Fox while wearing a Superman cape to match his paint scheme and fire suit. “I just didn’t have the tires on the car to race with (the leaders). To go there at the end and have good tires on the car, Harvick and I got by I guess Joey (Logano) there at the start. I got a great run off of Turn 2 and I thought ‘man, I’ve got a shot at this thing’. Which I didn’t expect to have.”
If Johnson was Superman arriving just in the nick of time on Sunday, then Harvick may be becoming frustrated nemesis in the vein of Lex Luthor. Harvick has finished second to Johnson in eight of his last 11 wins.
Johnson’s second win this year denied Harvick in yet another race where the No. 4 led the most laps. Johnson led 25 laps to Harvick’s 142.
Johnson won at Atlanta after Harvick led 131 laps.
“It was the worst it’s taken off on restarts,” Harvick told Fox. “But we weren’t very good on restart for four or five laps unless we were all by ourselves. The 48 was able to hang with us and we weren’t able to drive it in like I needed to. Just didn’t have the front tires turning and the back wouldn’t grip.”
Johnson now moves into seventh on the all-time wins list ahead of Dale Earnhardt Sr. The No. 48 team is the first to repeat as winners in 2016.
“It’s hard to believe,” Johnson said. “I grew up out in the desert as a desert rat having fun and going to the river a little bit and having some fun over there too. To have those early childhood memories kind of shape me into the racer I am today and to be here in Victory Lane is pretty awesome.”
A California native, Johnson earned his series best sixth win at Auto Club Speedway, the same track he earned career win No. 1 at in 2002.
Johnson was followed by Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
HOW JIMMIE JOHNSON WON: The No. 48 took advantage of a bad restart by Joey Logano and then edged passed Harvick on the backstretch to take the lead for the final time on the green-white-checkered finish.
WHO HAD A GOOD DAY: Denny Hamlin finished third for the second race in a row and his third top-five finish of the season. Hamlin overcame two penalties and early issues with the team radio … Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished fifth for his first top-five finish at a track not named Bristol Motor Speedway or Talladega Superspeedway. It’s the first top five for Roush Fenway Racing in 2016 … Brian Vickers finished 13th after having to pit on Lap 25 for a shredded right-rear tire, which sent him a lap down. It’s Vickers’ first top-15 finish of the season … Jamie McMurray finished 10th, exactly where he started, for his first top-10 finish of the season.
WHO HAD A BAD DAY: Around Lap 10 Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran into the back of a slower Kurt Busch, causing damage to Busch’s right-rear. Busch pitted on Lap 17 for repairs and a tire change, Busch would finish 30th … right as Chris Buescher slapped the wall in Turn 1 to bring out the caution … Tire issues continued on Lap 48 when Kyle Larson blew a left-rear tire. The No. 42 swerved into the outside wall, without functioning brakes, Larson then headed straight to the inside of the track, hitting head-on on the backstretch wall … Danica Patrick brought out the fourth caution on Lap 121 when she was turned by Kasey Kane straight into the outside wall on the front stretch … Greg Biffle’s day ended with 53 laps left when his engine went up in smoke. Biffle finished 37th … Rookie Ryan Blaney took a long ride down the outside wall with about five laps to go, ending his day in the garage with a 35th-place finish … Three laps later the caution waved for debris from a blown tire on Kyle Busch’s car. Busch would finish 25th, ending an eight-race streak of top-five finishes for the defending champion.
NOTABLE: Kevin Harvick has failed to win after leading the most laps 16 times since joining Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014 … Both of Jimmie Johnson’s wins in 2016 have come after starting 19th.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: " "
NEXT: STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on April 3 at 1 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
Dillon surges past Busch on last lap in Xfinity thriller.
By GREG BEACHAM
Austin Dillon passed Kyle Busch and Daniel Suarez on the final lap and surged to an improbable victory in the Xfinity Series race on Saturday.
Busch got within two miles of his record-tying fourth consecutive Xfinity win after leading 133 of the 150 laps, but the defending Sprint Cup Series champ blew his left front tire while attempting to save fuel.
Suarez briefly went in front while Busch attempted to keep racing on the sparking flat wheel.
But when Suarez ran out of gas, Dillon roared to his seventh career victory in his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in thrilling fashion.
''This is probably one of the coolest ways to win,'' Dillon said while flanked by Childress, his grandfather. ''I didn't even lead a lap today until the final one, so that's pretty cool. When you steal one like this, it means a lot more for some reason.''
Indeed, Dillon set a record for fewest laps led by a winner. He also survived a scrape with the wall on the final turn while getting around Busch, who made contact with Dillon while trying desperately to keep the lead.
Dillon was heated about the exchange after the race, but cooled down after a celebration.
''It's just racing,'' Dillon said. ''I probably would have done the same thing. ... He made the move to try to hold off, to win the race. Anybody in their right mind would have made the move. It just made the race more exciting.''
The win is another boost for Dillon, who will start Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race up front after claiming his second career pole, hoping to finish the weekend with a double from his first career Cup win.
''It definitely gives you a little bit of confidence (going into Sunday),'' Dillon said. ''You never give up in this sport, because you never know what can happen.''
Busch finished second and Darrell Wallace Jr. moved up to third, snaring his fourth career top-five finish. Suarez, Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, got home for fourth.
Busch had won every Xfinity race he had entered this season in his Toyota. He came agonizingly close to becoming the second driver in the series' history to win four straight, joining Sam Ard in 1983.
Instead, Busch couldn't claim his record 80th Xfinity win. He has still won six of the last 12 races on Fontana's weathered two-mile asphalt track, where he also won the Sprint Cup races in 2013 and 2014.
Busch had won every Xfinity race he had entered this season in his Toyota. He came agonizingly close to becoming the second driver in the series' history to win four straight, joining Sam Ard in 1983.
Instead, Busch couldn't claim his record 80th Xfinity win. He has still won six of the last 12 races on Fontana's weathered two-mile asphalt track, where he also won the Sprint Cup races in 2013 and 2014.
Busch was in control for most of the race, easily leading a field that included 15 drivers making their Fontana debuts. Yet he knew his fuel might barely last, and he worried even more when teammate Erik Jones ran out with three laps to go.
Dillon had his own fuel conservation worries, and he started laying off the gas several laps earlier. With a reasonable certainty he could make it, Dillon went for a win and got lucky when Busch's tire blew.
''I did my job, and sometimes things just go your way, and today it definitely did,'' Dillon said. ''Fun race. I hope the fans liked that last lap. It was exciting. A little bit of everything happened there.''
Even after a loss that left him furious, Busch's dominance of the Xfinity races has reached ridiculous proportions during NASCAR's three-week West Coast swing. He has led more laps through five races than anybody in the series' history - and he didn't even run at Daytona.
Busch led all but one lap in Las Vegas and then led 175 of 200 laps at Phoenix before leading all but 17 laps at Fontana.
Despite the thrilling finish, a Sprint Cup regular has won every Xfinity race this year. Their success has stoked criticism from hard-core race fans who dislike Cup drivers' dominance of the second-tier series.
Pouring cold water on the thought of a new manufacturer in NASCAR.
By Nick Bromberg
NASCAR CEO Brian France said Friday afternoon there was "some interest" from automakers not currently involved with NASCAR about joining the sport.
Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota are currently the three factory-backed manufacturers in NASCAR. Some lower-funded teams in the Xfinity and Truck Series run Dodges, but the Daimler-Chrysler brand hasn't been in NASCAR since 2012.
France mentioned the thought of a new car maker on SIrius XM. Here's what he said via NASCAR.com.
"There is some interest by a couple of different manufacturers, and we would be open to that in the right conditions. A lot of the car companies are understandably looking at the terrific job that Toyota has done by partnering with NASCAR and the success and all the things that come along with that. They've been an incredible success story for a car manufacturer looking to come into a sport that's very difficult to come in, compete and win every weekend.
"But there's interest and this is obviously the biggest opportunity in auto racing in North America and we would probably say the world, so it's always on some attention span one way or the other."
We aren't too optimistic there will be a new manufacturer in NASCAR anytime soon. Here's why:
• NASCAR has a tendency to oversell things. If there was legitimate interest, we have to think France would be talking up the possibility more than he is. And that interest goes for both parties. The phrase "open to that in the right conditions," has a tendency to mean "it's a longshot."
• With the Sprint Cup Series field at 40 cars and the new charter system in place, there's not much room for a new automaker. Any new company would have to join up with an existing team or purchase a charter(s) from a current team.
And that existing team would need to be a pretty good one. No manufacturer would want to join forces with a team that's at the back of the pack. Can you see anyone making a change, especially now that Stewart-Haas is moving to Ford in 2017? We certainly can't.
• While Toyota has dominated the Truck Series since it came into the sport, big success in the Cup Series took a while. Sure, Toyota won races, but Kyle Busch's Brickyard 400 win, Sprint Cup title and Denny Hamlin's Daytona 500 win were all firsts for the manufacturer after nine years at NASCAR's top level.
There shouldn't be a standard for immediate success in the Cup Series by any means. But would a manufacturer want to wait nine years or more for a big payoff on its very expensive investment? We're not so sure.
We've been wrong before and we're going to be wrong again; so NASCAR could come out and announce a new manufacturer in September. But we'd be incredibly surprised if that happened. Either in September 2016, 2017 or even 2018. The sport seems set with the three car makers it has right now and with most of the success being gobbled up more and more by a select few teams, it doesn't seem like it'd make business sense for Honda, Nissan or anyone else to make the move to NASCAR.
SOCCER: Fire play to scoreless draw with Columbus.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
It wasn't the most exciting match, but the Chicago Fire earned a draw for the second straight match.
The Fire played to a 0-0 draw with the visiting Columbus Crew on Saturday. Neither team created many chances with just five shots on goal combined and just one of those shots coming from the Fire.
The biggest news of the game came in the lineups before the match when it was announced that David Accam had a knee sprain and was not available. Accam, who has two goals and an assist in two matches, has been the Fire's best player this season. His absence meant the Fire's attack was significantly shorthanded and it showed.
“David is very important for us," Fire coach Veljko Paunovic said. "Obviously his quality in counterattack, but also his speed and also his talent is very important for us.
“We didn’t change. We played the same system. The only thing is we played against a very, very good team. This is what we have to understand. Also I believe we were very focused on our defensive game plan, which we did very well.”
It was the third straight game the Fire were playing without a regular starter, with John Goossens missing the opener and Gilberto sitting out in Orlando. Accam was recently called into Ghana's national team, but will also not play in Ghana's two upcoming qualifiers.
Without Accam sparking the attack, the Fire (0-1-2) struggled to create chances and to keep possession of the ball. Meanwhile, the Fire's five-man defense was able to hold off the Crew (0-2-1).
Goossens also picked up an injury on Saturday, being subbed out at halftime with a hamstring injury, according to Paunovic. Once Paunovic subbed on Nick LaBrocca, who made his club debut, for Kennedy Igboananike in the 60th minute the Fire were better in possession, but still neither team could score.
"This is the defensive performance that we need," Paunovic said. "I think we needed more clarity, more possession and that’s what we missed. In order to get opportunities sometimes you have to counterattack, but you also have to have good possession of the ball and that’s what we lacked today.”
Marcus Rashford‘s first-half goal was all Manchester United need to pick up a big derby win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
United stay in sixth place, one goal below West Ham on differential and within a point of fourth-place City.
The sides drew the match at Old Trafford, meaning United takes four of six points from their Mancunian rivals, a big win for Louis Van Gaal as rumors of Jose Mourinho and a pre-contract circle above United.
The game really found its footing in the 14th minute, with David De Gea making a fine save on Jesus Navas.
At the other end, the kid was alright (again). Rashford toasted Martin Demichelis and rolled the ball under Joe Hart to make it 1-0.
Yaya Toure curled a casual effort wide of the far post in the 33rd minute, as City tried to string together decent spells of possession and danger.
Then, derby chaos. Referee Michael Oliver was trying to figure out whether Rashford had earned a penalty working Demichelis a second time when a mass of players from both sides of Manchester started shoving in the box. No penalty given, and no discipline either.
Would that be the precursor to something worse, or would halftime cool the teams off?
The Fire played to a 0-0 draw with the visiting Columbus Crew on Saturday. Neither team created many chances with just five shots on goal combined and just one of those shots coming from the Fire.
The biggest news of the game came in the lineups before the match when it was announced that David Accam had a knee sprain and was not available. Accam, who has two goals and an assist in two matches, has been the Fire's best player this season. His absence meant the Fire's attack was significantly shorthanded and it showed.
“David is very important for us," Fire coach Veljko Paunovic said. "Obviously his quality in counterattack, but also his speed and also his talent is very important for us.
“We didn’t change. We played the same system. The only thing is we played against a very, very good team. This is what we have to understand. Also I believe we were very focused on our defensive game plan, which we did very well.”
It was the third straight game the Fire were playing without a regular starter, with John Goossens missing the opener and Gilberto sitting out in Orlando. Accam was recently called into Ghana's national team, but will also not play in Ghana's two upcoming qualifiers.
Without Accam sparking the attack, the Fire (0-1-2) struggled to create chances and to keep possession of the ball. Meanwhile, the Fire's five-man defense was able to hold off the Crew (0-2-1).
Goossens also picked up an injury on Saturday, being subbed out at halftime with a hamstring injury, according to Paunovic. Once Paunovic subbed on Nick LaBrocca, who made his club debut, for Kennedy Igboananike in the 60th minute the Fire were better in possession, but still neither team could score.
"This is the defensive performance that we need," Paunovic said. "I think we needed more clarity, more possession and that’s what we missed. In order to get opportunities sometimes you have to counterattack, but you also have to have good possession of the ball and that’s what we lacked today.”
The Fire's defense has gone from poor in the first match, giving up four goals to New York City FC, to just one allowed in Orlando while playing most of the match a man down, to now a shutout. The team is putting the positive spin on the defensive side despite the lack of offense.
“I think it was very important (to get a shutout)," defender Jonathan Campbell said. "Coming from the first game then to the next game, only giving up one goal, and for this one zero. I think it’s big improvement for us and something we can build off of.”
The Fire return to action against Philadelphia on April 2, also in Toyota Park, after taking a weekend off for the international window.
Manchester City 0-1 Manchester United: Derby goes red as gap closes to one point.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo/Michael Regan/Getty Images)
United stay in sixth place, one goal below West Ham on differential and within a point of fourth-place City.
The sides drew the match at Old Trafford, meaning United takes four of six points from their Mancunian rivals, a big win for Louis Van Gaal as rumors of Jose Mourinho and a pre-contract circle above United.
The game really found its footing in the 14th minute, with David De Gea making a fine save on Jesus Navas.
At the other end, the kid was alright (again). Rashford toasted Martin Demichelis and rolled the ball under Joe Hart to make it 1-0.
Yaya Toure curled a casual effort wide of the far post in the 33rd minute, as City tried to string together decent spells of possession and danger.
Then, derby chaos. Referee Michael Oliver was trying to figure out whether Rashford had earned a penalty working Demichelis a second time when a mass of players from both sides of Manchester started shoving in the box. No penalty given, and no discipline either.
Would that be the precursor to something worse, or would halftime cool the teams off?
Hart was injured early in the second half, stretchered off. League Cup hero Willy Caballero filled in for the England starter.
There was plenty of tension as Man City attempted to find its equalizer. Chris Smalling made a terrific block on Wilfried Bony in the box, as United held firm.
Then Toure sent an inviting cross near post that Aguero turned onto the near post.
A glorious chance for City came in the 72nd minute, with David Silva‘s cross headed across goal by Aguero and Toure’s cutback tackled away from Bony by Michael Carrick.
Aguero then missed a beautiful chance when his in-tight shot’s follow-through was cut off by Antonio Valencia‘s toes.
La Liga & Serie A: Barca blow two-goal, man advantage; Juve rout in derby.
By Andy Edwards
(AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
A roundup of Sunday’s action in Spain and Italy’s top flights:
Villarreal 2-2 Barcelona
24 hours ago, I titled Saturday’s La Liga and Serie A roundup with the following phrase: “title is Barca’s.” Way to make me look bad, Barcelona. In truth, there’s no way anyone other than the Blaugrana lift the La Liga trophy this season, but the timing of Sunday’s draw was anything but helpful, selfishly for myself.
Anyway, it was an utter choke job. There’s no two ways around it. From two goals and a man up, to drawing 2-2 — a sub-optimal result. Ivan Rakitic (20th minute) and Neymar (41st) put Barca ahead, either side of Bruno’s 24th-minute red card. Cedric Bakambu pulled one back for Villarreal in the 57th minute, and Jeremy Mathieu put the game’s final goal into his own net on 63 minutes. With the draw, Barca’s lead atop the league table is nine points with eight games remaining.
Real Madrid 4-0 Sevilla
Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo — all the members of “the BBC” — and Jese bagged the goals for Real Madrid in Sunday’s 4-0 victory over 6th-place Sevilla. The gap between Madrid and Barca is down to 10 points.
Elsewhere in La Liga
Espanyol 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
Valencia 0-2 Celta Vigo
Torino 1-4 Juventus
Nothing soothes the soul of supporters more than a derby day thrashing of your local rival. Juventus fans are not only celebrating remaining atop the Serie A table for another week, but also a resounding victory in the Turin Derby. Furthermore, the goals were spectacular.
From Paul Pogba’s free kick; to Sami Khedira’s (yes, Sami Khedira) go-it-alone run through the heart of midfield; to Pogba’s fancy dribbling, beautiful chipped passing, and Alvaro Morata’s lovely dinked finish … what more could you want as a Juve supporter? Their lead in the race for the title currently stands at three points with eight games to go.
Napoli 3-1 Genoa
Napoli are giving it all they’ve got to keep the title race close, but when Juve refuse to lose (they’re unbeaten in 20 straight league games, including 19 wins), the best they can do is simply keep pace.
Gonzalo Higuain bagged his 28th and 29th league goals of the season (in 30 games) while Omar El Kaddouri scored his first league goal for Napoli in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Genoa.
Elsewhere in Serie A
Frosinone 0-0 Fiorentina
AC Milan vs. Lazio (ongoing)
Sampdoria 0-1 Chievo
Atalanta 2-0 Bologna
Hellas Verona 1-2 Carpi
Sassuolo 1-1 Udinese
NCAABKB: 2016 NCAA "March Madness" Tournament Scores. Thursday, March 18 (First Round)
SBNation.com
No. 10 Syracuse 70, No. 7 Dayton 51 (Upset)
No. 2 Villanova 86, No. 15 UNC Asheville 56
No. 10 VCU 75, No. 7 Oregon State 67 (Upset)
No. 13 Hawaii 77, No. 4 California 66 (Upset)
No. 15 Middle Tennessee 90, No. 2 Michigan State 81 (Upset)
No. 7 Iowa 72, No. 10 Temple 70 (OT)
No. 2 Oklahoma 82, No. 15 CSU Bakersfield 68
No. 5 Maryland 79, No. 12 South Dakota State 74
No. 7 Wisconsin 47, No. 10 Pittsburgh 43
No. 14 Stephen F. Austin 70, No. 3 West Virginia 56 (Upset)
No. 3 Texas A&M 92, No. 14 Green Bay 65
No. 1 Oregon 91, No. 16 Holy Cross 52
No. 2 Xavier 71, No. 12 Weber State 53
No. 6 Notre Dame 70, No. 11 Michigan 63
No. 11 Northern Iowa 75, No. 6 Texas 72 (Upset)
No. 8 Saint Joseph's 78, No. 9 Cincinnati 76
No. 2 Villanova 86, No. 15 UNC Asheville 56
No. 10 VCU 75, No. 7 Oregon State 67 (Upset)
No. 13 Hawaii 77, No. 4 California 66 (Upset)
No. 15 Middle Tennessee 90, No. 2 Michigan State 81 (Upset)
No. 7 Iowa 72, No. 10 Temple 70 (OT)
No. 2 Oklahoma 82, No. 15 CSU Bakersfield 68
No. 5 Maryland 79, No. 12 South Dakota State 74
No. 7 Wisconsin 47, No. 10 Pittsburgh 43
No. 14 Stephen F. Austin 70, No. 3 West Virginia 56 (Upset)
No. 3 Texas A&M 92, No. 14 Green Bay 65
No. 1 Oregon 91, No. 16 Holy Cross 52
No. 2 Xavier 71, No. 12 Weber State 53
No. 6 Notre Dame 70, No. 11 Michigan 63
No. 11 Northern Iowa 75, No. 6 Texas 72 (Upset)
No. 8 Saint Joseph's 78, No. 9 Cincinnati 76
2016 NCAA "March Madness" Tournament Scores. Saturday, March 19 (Second Round)
SBNation.com
No. 3 Miami 65, No. 11 Wichita State 57
No. 4 Duke 71, No. 12 Yale 64
No. 5 Indiana 73, No. 4 Kentucky 67
No. 4 Iowa State 78, No. 12 Little Rock 61
No. 1 Virginia 77, No. 9 Butler 69
No. 1 Kansas 73, No. 9 Connecticut 61
No. 11 Gonzaga 82, No. 3 Utah 59 (Upset)
No. 1 North Carolina 85, No. 9 Providence 66
2016 NCAA "March Madness" Tournament Scores. Sunday, March 20 (Second Round)
SBNation.com
No. 2 Villanova 87, No. 7 Iowa 68
No. 6 Notre Dame 76, No. 14 Stephen F. Austin 75
No. 2 Oklahoma 85, No. 10 VCU 81
No. 10 Syracuse 75, No. 15 Middle Tennessee 50
No. 5 Maryland 73, No. 13 Hawaii 60
No. 3 Texas A&M 92, No. 11 Northern Iowa 88 (2 OT)
No. 7 Wisconsin 66, No. 2 Xavier 63 (Upset)
No. 1 Oregon 69, No. 8 St. Joseph's 64
SBNation.com
No. 3 Miami 65, No. 11 Wichita State 57
No. 4 Duke 71, No. 12 Yale 64
No. 5 Indiana 73, No. 4 Kentucky 67
No. 4 Iowa State 78, No. 12 Little Rock 61
No. 1 Virginia 77, No. 9 Butler 69
No. 1 Kansas 73, No. 9 Connecticut 61
No. 11 Gonzaga 82, No. 3 Utah 59 (Upset)
No. 1 North Carolina 85, No. 9 Providence 66
2016 NCAA "March Madness" Tournament Scores. Sunday, March 20 (Second Round)
SBNation.com
No. 2 Villanova 87, No. 7 Iowa 68
No. 6 Notre Dame 76, No. 14 Stephen F. Austin 75
No. 2 Oklahoma 85, No. 10 VCU 81
No. 10 Syracuse 75, No. 15 Middle Tennessee 50
No. 5 Maryland 73, No. 13 Hawaii 60
No. 3 Texas A&M 92, No. 11 Northern Iowa 88 (2 OT)
No. 7 Wisconsin 66, No. 2 Xavier 63 (Upset)
No. 1 Oregon 69, No. 8 St. Joseph's 64
Sweet 16 Schedule 2016: Dates, Game Times & Locations.
By Cody Williams
For anyone that thought that there was no way that the Second Round of March Madness would be able to live up to the First Round, that may have been the case, but it wasn’t by a wide margin at all. The Second Round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament delivered on heaps of excitement, stellar performances, and memorable moments.
Not only did the Second Round of March Madness on Saturday feature Indiana knocking out a surging powerhouse in Kentucky in a battler between two historic programs, but Saturday also featured North Carolina recapturing potential national title form, Gonzaga pulling off an emphatic upset, and Yale almost coming back to upset Duke—though they fell short.
Then came Sunday’s slate of Second Round games, which were just simply absurd. Sunday’s March Madness action featured Texas A&M overcoming a double-digit deficit with under a minute to play, Buddy Hield going berserk for Oklahoma, and both Notre Dame and Wisconsin winning with shots at the final second to push them forward to the Sweet 16. The Second Round even concluded with a nail-biter between Oregon and Saint Joseph’s with the Ducks moving forward.
Now that the Sweet 16 for the 2016 NCAA Tournament is now set, though, let’s take a look at the updated 2016 March Madness bracket to see where things stand and what matchups hoops fans can look forward to.
The matchup between North Carolina and Indiana is going to be titanic, as is the one between Kansas and Maryland. All in all, it seems abundantly clear that the March Madness isn’t going to subside once we reach the Sweet 16, which all fans should be thankful for.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
NCAAFB: With title game Atlanta-bound in 2018, where does CFP stand on Georgia’s “religious liberty” bill?
By Cody Williams
After early exits the last two NCAA tournaments, Kansas is through to the Sweet 16. (Photo/Getty)
For anyone that thought that there was no way that the Second Round of March Madness would be able to live up to the First Round, that may have been the case, but it wasn’t by a wide margin at all. The Second Round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament delivered on heaps of excitement, stellar performances, and memorable moments.
Not only did the Second Round of March Madness on Saturday feature Indiana knocking out a surging powerhouse in Kentucky in a battler between two historic programs, but Saturday also featured North Carolina recapturing potential national title form, Gonzaga pulling off an emphatic upset, and Yale almost coming back to upset Duke—though they fell short.
Then came Sunday’s slate of Second Round games, which were just simply absurd. Sunday’s March Madness action featured Texas A&M overcoming a double-digit deficit with under a minute to play, Buddy Hield going berserk for Oklahoma, and both Notre Dame and Wisconsin winning with shots at the final second to push them forward to the Sweet 16. The Second Round even concluded with a nail-biter between Oregon and Saint Joseph’s with the Ducks moving forward.
Now that the Sweet 16 for the 2016 NCAA Tournament is now set, though, let’s take a look at the updated 2016 March Madness bracket to see where things stand and what matchups hoops fans can look forward to.
The matchup between North Carolina and Indiana is going to be titanic, as is the one between Kansas and Maryland. All in all, it seems abundantly clear that the March Madness isn’t going to subside once we reach the Sweet 16, which all fans should be thankful for.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
South Region: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky
Villanova vs. Miami: 7:10 p.m., CBS
Kansas vs. Maryland: 9:40 p.m. (30 minutes after conclusion of first game), CBS
West Region: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma: 7:37 p.m., TBS
Duke vs. Oregon: 10:55 p.m. (30 minutes after conclusion of first game), TBS
Friday, March 25, 2016
East Region: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin: 7:27 p.m., TBS
North Carolina vs. Indiana: 10:40 p.m. (30 minutes after conclusion of first game), TBS
Midwest Region: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Virginia vs. Iowa State: 7:10 p.m., CBS
Gonzaga vs. Syracuse: 9:40 p.m. (30 minutes after conclusion of first game), CBS
NCAAFB: With title game Atlanta-bound in 2018, where does CFP stand on Georgia’s “religious liberty” bill?
By Zach Barnett
(Photo/Getty Images)
As Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal weighs whether or not to sign into law a bill protecting state business owners’ “religious liberty” — thereby barring the state from taking action against “a sincerely held religious belief regarding lawful marriage between … a man and a woman” — the NFL has made its stance on the issue known.
If Gov. Deal signs the bill into law, Atlanta and its brand-new Mercedes-Benz Stadium can kiss any hope of hosting future Super Bowls goodbye.
“NFL policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness, and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other improper standard,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Whether the laws and regulations of a state and local community are consistent with these policies would be one of many factors NFL owners may use to evaluate potential Super Bowl host sites.”
But there is a more pressing issue at hand: Atlanta is set to host the College Football Playoff Championship two seasons from now. In November the College Football Playoff announced Mercedes-Benz Stadium as the host site for its Jan. 8, 2018 title game, crowning the champion of the 2017 season.
The NCAA has been clear in its stance against “religious liberty” laws — urging lawmakers to defeat a same-sex marriage ban in 2014 (which was later defeated) and threatening to remove Indianapolis from the rotation of Final Four sites if its own “religious liberty” law was signed. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed the bill into law on March 26, 2015.
“The NCAA national office and our members are deeply committed to providing an inclusive environment for all our events,” NCAA president Mark Emmert said at the time. “We are especially concerned about how this legislation could affect our student-athletes and employees. We will work diligently to assure student-athletes competing in, and visitors attending, next week’s Men’s Final Four in Indianapolis are not impacted negatively by this bill. Moving forward, we intend to closely examine the implications of this bill and how it might affect future events as well as our workforce.”
The NCAA for years banned South Carolina from hosting official events due to the state’s insistence on flying a Confederate flag above its statehouse. The Palmetto State’s ban ended when the flag came down last summer. “The NCAA strongly supports today’s removal of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina State House grounds,” Emmert said. “This step sends an important message of respect for and dignity of every person. As a national association, the NCAA opposes this symbol of racism, and since 2001 we have demonstrated our opposition by not playing pre-selected championships in states where the flag was flown prominently. The removal of the Confederate flag now means that South Carolina can bid to host future NCAA championships.”
The College Football Playoff is not an NCAA event, however. The CFP is an autonomous organization run by the commissioners of the ten FBS conferences.
Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby has gone on record against “religious liberty” laws as Missouri, the site of the Big 12 basketball tournament through 2020, considers its own version.
“The Big 12 Conference and its member institutions support the rights of all individuals regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation,” Bowlsby told the Kansas City Star this week. “It is acknowledged that elected officials enact laws they believe reflect the desires of their constituents, however, as a Conference we will consider the impact of the Missouri Legislature’s action on current and future Big 12 events within the state.”
MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher announced a ban on official events in Indiana last year (its football title game is held in Detroit and men’s basketball tournament in Cleveland). The Big Ten, however, announced last year it will “further review” the situation at its next executive meetings. Indianapolis is the permanent host of the Big Ten football championship and women’s basketball tournament, and a regular host of its men’s basketball tournament.
But where does the CFP itself stand? We don’t know. A CFP spokesperson did not immediately return a message from CollegeFootballTalk seeking comment.
It’s possible the entire issue could become a moot point.
Gov. Deal said earlier this month he would reject any measure that “allows discrimination in our state in order to protect people of faith,” and urged Georgia conservatives to “recognize that the world is changing around us.”
Gov. Deal has until May 3 to approve or veto the legislation.
If Gov. Deal signs the bill into law, Atlanta and its brand-new Mercedes-Benz Stadium can kiss any hope of hosting future Super Bowls goodbye.
“NFL policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness, and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other improper standard,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Whether the laws and regulations of a state and local community are consistent with these policies would be one of many factors NFL owners may use to evaluate potential Super Bowl host sites.”
But there is a more pressing issue at hand: Atlanta is set to host the College Football Playoff Championship two seasons from now. In November the College Football Playoff announced Mercedes-Benz Stadium as the host site for its Jan. 8, 2018 title game, crowning the champion of the 2017 season.
The NCAA has been clear in its stance against “religious liberty” laws — urging lawmakers to defeat a same-sex marriage ban in 2014 (which was later defeated) and threatening to remove Indianapolis from the rotation of Final Four sites if its own “religious liberty” law was signed. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed the bill into law on March 26, 2015.
“The NCAA national office and our members are deeply committed to providing an inclusive environment for all our events,” NCAA president Mark Emmert said at the time. “We are especially concerned about how this legislation could affect our student-athletes and employees. We will work diligently to assure student-athletes competing in, and visitors attending, next week’s Men’s Final Four in Indianapolis are not impacted negatively by this bill. Moving forward, we intend to closely examine the implications of this bill and how it might affect future events as well as our workforce.”
The NCAA for years banned South Carolina from hosting official events due to the state’s insistence on flying a Confederate flag above its statehouse. The Palmetto State’s ban ended when the flag came down last summer. “The NCAA strongly supports today’s removal of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina State House grounds,” Emmert said. “This step sends an important message of respect for and dignity of every person. As a national association, the NCAA opposes this symbol of racism, and since 2001 we have demonstrated our opposition by not playing pre-selected championships in states where the flag was flown prominently. The removal of the Confederate flag now means that South Carolina can bid to host future NCAA championships.”
The College Football Playoff is not an NCAA event, however. The CFP is an autonomous organization run by the commissioners of the ten FBS conferences.
Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby has gone on record against “religious liberty” laws as Missouri, the site of the Big 12 basketball tournament through 2020, considers its own version.
“The Big 12 Conference and its member institutions support the rights of all individuals regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation,” Bowlsby told the Kansas City Star this week. “It is acknowledged that elected officials enact laws they believe reflect the desires of their constituents, however, as a Conference we will consider the impact of the Missouri Legislature’s action on current and future Big 12 events within the state.”
MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher announced a ban on official events in Indiana last year (its football title game is held in Detroit and men’s basketball tournament in Cleveland). The Big Ten, however, announced last year it will “further review” the situation at its next executive meetings. Indianapolis is the permanent host of the Big Ten football championship and women’s basketball tournament, and a regular host of its men’s basketball tournament.
But where does the CFP itself stand? We don’t know. A CFP spokesperson did not immediately return a message from CollegeFootballTalk seeking comment.
It’s possible the entire issue could become a moot point.
Gov. Deal said earlier this month he would reject any measure that “allows discrimination in our state in order to protect people of faith,” and urged Georgia conservatives to “recognize that the world is changing around us.”
Gov. Deal has until May 3 to approve or veto the legislation.
Baffert-trained Cupid wins Rebel, pointed toward Derby.
KELLY P. KISSEL
Cupid and jockey Martin Garcia win the Rebel Stakes horse race at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., Saturday, March 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
His last time out, Cupid won by 5 ¼ lengths for his maiden victory. After this time around, he's pointed toward the Kentucky Derby.
"I'm just really happy. We've been getting beat up at Oaklawn the last couple times there pretty badly," Baffert said, triggering chuckles through the press box atop the grandstand. "I kept throwing 3-year-olds at them and finally found the right one."
The gray colt led nearly from wire-to-wire Saturday to capture the $900,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park and propel yet another Bob Baffert-trained horse toward Churchill Downs.
"Going in, I knew he was a nice horse but he never had been tested," Baffert told reporters by telephone after the race. "It was a pretty strong bunch."
While Rebel entrants Suddenbreakingnews, Whitmore and American Dubai picked up Kentucky Derby qualifying points earlier in Oaklawn's meet, Cupid toiled at Santa Anita and broke its maiden just over six weeks ago. The Rebel victory pushed him into a tie for fourth place among horses battling to run for the roses May 7.
"It's hard for horses to break their maiden and then step up to this kind of company with this many people around and win, but he did," jockey Martin Garcia said.
Whitmore ran second, but it was a disappointing Derby prep for Suddenbreakingnews after he got caught up in traffic and finished fifth.
"It's hard for horses to break their maiden and then step up to this kind of company with this many people around and win, but he did," jockey Martin Garcia said.
Whitmore ran second, but it was a disappointing Derby prep for Suddenbreakingnews after he got caught up in traffic and finished fifth.
"He was just getting his momentum going and he (jockey Luis Quinonez) basically said a horse stopped right in front of him and had to check pretty hard," said Donnie K. Von Hemel, who trains Suddenbreakingnews, the favorite among Saturday's crowd of 35,000. "Otherwise, he's probably going to be right there. That's racing.
Cupid took the rail early, opened a two-length lead in the far corner and outran Whitmore in a sprint from the top of the stretch. Creator finished third.
A Baffert-trained horse won the Rebel for the sixth time since 2010. Last year's winner, American Pharoah, also took the Arkansas Derby and went on to win the Triple Crown for the first time since 1978.
"I'm just really happy. We've been getting beat up at Oaklawn the last couple times there pretty badly," Baffert said, triggering chuckles through the press box atop the grandstand. "I kept throwing 3-year-olds at them and finally found the right one."
Cupid picked up 50 points in the Kentucky Derby standings to move into a tie with Danzing Candy and Shagaf. Mohaymen leads with 71 points and Destin and Gun Runner each have 51. Another Baffert-trained horse, Mor Spirit, is seventh. Whitmore earned 20 points and is now 10th, with 24 points.
With Mor Spirit already pointed to the April 9 Santa Anita Derby, look for Cupid to make his next start in the Arkansas Derby April 16, given Baffert's success here.
"He looked fantastic in the paddock. In the post parade he looked great," Baffert said. "He was ready to run and he ran like he loved it."
Cupid paid $7.80, $5.00 and $3.80; Whitmore paid $5.20 and $4.00 and Creator paid $4.80.
On
emoriesofhistory.com
1946 - The Los Angeles Rams signed Kenny Washington. Washington was the first black player to join a National Football League team since 1933.
1946 - The first Mexican League baseball game was played.
1953 - The Boston Celtics beat Syracuse Nationals (111-105) in four overtimes to eliminate them from the Eastern Division Semifinals. A total of seven players (both teams combined) fouled out of the game.
1968 - The new American League franchise in Kansas City, MO, took the nickname Royals.
1973 - Frank Mohovlich (Montreal Canadiens) became the 5th NHL player to score 500 career goals.
1994 - Wayne Gretzky tied Gordie Howe's NHL record of 801 goals.
1994 - Michael Jordan was cut from the White Sox roster and was sent to their minor league club.
2004 - In Philadelphia, Veterans Stadium was demolished.
2004 - The NHL suspended Calgary Flames coach-general manager Darryl Sutter and forward Krzysztof Oliwa. Sutter was suspended for two games for player selection and team conduct in the final 2.5 seconds of the game. Oliwa was suspended for his conduct after being given a penalty for physical abuse of officials. The Flames lost to the Nashville Predators 3-1.
2004 - Mark Messier (New York Rangers) was ejected after he spearing Martin Strbak (Pittsburgh Penguins). Messier was later suspended for two games by the NHL.
1946 - The first Mexican League baseball game was played.
1953 - The Boston Celtics beat Syracuse Nationals (111-105) in four overtimes to eliminate them from the Eastern Division Semifinals. A total of seven players (both teams combined) fouled out of the game.
1968 - The new American League franchise in Kansas City, MO, took the nickname Royals.
1973 - Frank Mohovlich (Montreal Canadiens) became the 5th NHL player to score 500 career goals.
1994 - Wayne Gretzky tied Gordie Howe's NHL record of 801 goals.
1994 - Michael Jordan was cut from the White Sox roster and was sent to their minor league club.
2004 - In Philadelphia, Veterans Stadium was demolished.
2004 - The NHL suspended Calgary Flames coach-general manager Darryl Sutter and forward Krzysztof Oliwa. Sutter was suspended for two games for player selection and team conduct in the final 2.5 seconds of the game. Oliwa was suspended for his conduct after being given a penalty for physical abuse of officials. The Flames lost to the Nashville Predators 3-1.
2004 - Mark Messier (New York Rangers) was ejected after he spearing Martin Strbak (Pittsburgh Penguins). Messier was later suspended for two games by the NHL.
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