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"Sports Quote of the Day"

"Without hard work and discipline it is difficult to be a top professional." ~ Jahangir Khan, Former #1 Professional Squash Player

Trending: Blackhawks can't swing momentum in Game 4 loss to Blues. It doesn't look good for the Blackhawks being down 3-1 but we all know, "It ain't over until it's over." "Let's go Hawks!!! (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates).

The Blackhawks and the Blues fight at the end of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round at the United Center on Tuesday, April 19, 2016. (Photo/Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Trending: NFL: 5 Teams With the Most Favorable Schedules Next Season. (See the football section for Bears updates).

Trending: NASCAR; Power Rankings: It's a dilemma trapped in a quagmire at the top. (See the NASCAR section for Sprint Cup updates).

Trending: Cubs and White Sox road to the "World Series".
                 

                                                Cubs 2016 Record: 11-3

                                                White Sox 2016 Record: 9-5

(See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks can't swing momentum in Game 4 loss to Blues.

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice and Brian Elliott stopped 39 of 42 shots as the St. Louis Blues beat the Blackhawks 4-3 in Game 4 of their first-round series on Tuesday night.

The Blues take a 3-1 lead in the series heading back to St. Louis, where they will have the chance to eliminate the Blackhawks in Game 5 on Thursday night.

Duncan Keith scored twice. Corey Crawford allowed four goals on 20 shots in the loss.

The Blackhawks took a 2-1 lead on a power play that was surprising, to say the least. Jonathan Toews pushed Robby Fabbri into Crawford, who then went after Fabbri. The two fought in the corner and other scrums soon ensued. But somehow the Blackhawks ended up with the power play – Fabbri was called for goaltender interference and Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk were called for roughing while Crawford and Andrew Ladd also got roughing penalties. Keith scored the power-play goal to give the Blackhawks that lead.

But the Blues weren’t going away. Ladd took an interference call late in the second period and, just 22 seconds onto the Blues’ power play, Tarasenko scored to tie the game 2-2.

The Blues got another power play 1:01 into the third period when Duncan Keith was called for holding. Just 35 seconds into that power play, Schwartz scored the go-ahead goal. About three minutes later Alex Steen picked off a Trevor van Riemsdyk pass, went in alone and scored for a 4-2 advantage.

Keith added his second of the night with 5:20 remaining in regulation. But Shaw was whistled for roughing with 2:04 remaining in the game and the Blackhawks couldn’t get the equalizer.

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears NFL Draft Preview: Special teams unit seems set.

By John Mullin

Bears pre-draft situation

The 2015 season began in the same nightmare mode that marked 2014, with rampant poor kick coverage that allowed touchdown kickoff returns to Arizona and Seattle after two 40-yard returns in Week 1 vs. Green Bay, plus a 65-yard trick play on a punt return by the Seahawks.

Significantly, the Bears allowed just three kickoff returns longer than 30 yards over the final 13 games and two punt returns longer than 20 yards over that 13-game stretch. The goal may be zero big plays defending returns but the Bears did recover to stand No. 12 in the special-teams ranking created by Dallas Morning News NFL writer Rick Gosselin, which incorporates 22 different special-teams categories. That was a jump up from No. 26 the previous year.

In something of a devastating twist, the Bears saw kicker Robbie Gould tie for second in the NFL with 33 field goals made, but miss critical late kicks in the losses to San Francisco and Washington. Gould’s 33-for-39 field goals still left him as the ninth-most-accurate kicker in NFL history but spawned questions about Gould, heading into his 12th year as Bears kicker.

Punter Pat O’Donnell improved his net by two full yards, to 39.7, and average to 44.2, but both still in the bottom third of the NFL. Coverage units contribute to that overall and coordinator Jeff Rodgers was able to cob together increasingly better coverage as ’15 played out.

The Bears re-signed returner Deonte Thompson, who came off the practice squad to average 29.2 yards per kickoff return, had only one game in his seven in which he didn’t have at least one KOR longer than 25 yards and even managed a 45-yard pass reception.

Omar Bolden was signed away from Denver, giving another elite-level asset for both kick returns and coverage.

Bears draft priority: Low

Besides Bolden and Thompson, The organization made special teams a priority, getting new deals done with all four of its top special-teams tacklers: Sherrick McManis, Chris Prosinski and Sam Acho in addition to making a tender offer to Josh Bellamy.

Questions may have been raised about Gould at age 34 but more likely is a free agent kicker coming to camp to share the load and possibility get a job elsewhere.

Keep an eye on ...

Late-round picks. They can be overlooked as non-starters but none of the Bears’ top five special-teams tacklers was drafted sooner than fourth rounds.

Bears NFL Draft Preview: WR low priority barring surprises.

By John Mullin

Bears pre-draft situation

The stress fracture sustained by Kevin White last offseason cost the Bears any contribution from what was to be a linchpin of their offense. White went on the PUP list and eventually had surgery in August after the conservative approach of healing through time and rest didn’t work.

The Bears gave strong thought to elevating him to the 53-man roster when his PUP eligibility was done but were 5-8 at that point and White, while wowing coaches and teammates in closed practices, was shelved for the remainder of the season, giving the Bears de facto two No. 1’s coming into the 2016 season.

Alshon Jeffery and the Bears were in talks for a multi-year contract through the start of free agency in early March, at which point the Bears bought some time in the form of the franchise tag. A long-term deal remains the preferred solution for both sides, but in the meantime, Jeffery has gone all-in with rigorous offseason training intended to help fortify against the kind of hugely annoying injuries (calf in preseason, then hamstring, groin, shoulder and hamstring) that limited him to nine total games — and not any of those at full strength.

Jeffery still finished with a team-high 54 catches and a solid 14.9 yards per catch with 100-plus receiving yards in four of his eight starts. His combined production of averaging nearly five catches (4.94) per game over four seasons — albeit with 12 games missed in that time — has him in the “consistency” discussion with A.J. Green (5.46), Demaryius Thomas (5.36) and Dez Bryant (4.90), if a little short of Julio Jones (6.37) — all first-round draft picks.

The Bears got less than expected from Eddie Royal, primarily because Royal, because of injuries, was thrust into starting nine games, none as the slot receiver he was signed to be. Eventually he broke down, going inactive three different times with different health issues.

Marquess Wilson remains a roster option but has yet to establish himself as a starting NFL wideout and finished last season on IR with a foot injury and has never played more than 11 games in any of three Bears seasons.

Marc Mariani was re-signed and is a comfortable target for Jay Cutler, with catches in nine of his last 10 games after working into the receiver rotation mid-season amid injuries elsewhere. Mariani started five games in addition to punt-return duties. Josh Bellamy was one of the Bears’ best special-teamers and earned a one-year tender offer for his efforts, which included 19 pass receptions and three starts.

Bears draft priority: Low

The Bears have met with multiple wideouts throughout this offseason, though investing anything before the fourth round would likely only happen if a premier talent surprisingly slipped down draft boards.

The franchise tag on Jeffery and debut of White give the Bears a young, talented tandem at the edges. Add in a better situation for Royal (turning 30 in May) as a No. 3 rather than a starter, and it gives the Bears the top three they envisioned after the draft last year.

But the Bears were done in on offense in no small measure because of the drumbeat of injuries to Jeffery and Royal, which gave opportunities to Wilson but also revealed his limitations and those of Bellamy and Mariani as impact receivers. The Bears used the No. 7 pick last draft on White, whom they had very highly graded, and need his presence to stretch the field for an offense that will throw but wants to tilt even more toward John Fox’s template of a run-based approach.

Barring an unexpected fall by a top talent this year, few expect the Bears to look at wide receiver early, given the focus on defense and offensive line. But at some point the organization will shore up the receiver depth chart from its too-thin state.

Keep an eye on ...

… gems surprisingly falling out of the first round and early draft rounds entirely.

Chris Brown, Notre Dame: Attractive size (6-foot-2) and showed steady improvement over four seasons but needs to add 20 pounds.

Michael Thomas, Ohio State: Led the Buckeyes the last two years with 110 total receptions and 18 touchdowns. Good physical receiver at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds. Redshirt junior with upside.

Laquon Treadwell, Mississippi: Would have to go into freefall to reach second round. Consistent, huge production (202 receptions) despite severe leg/ankle injuries in 2014.

NFL: 5 Teams With the Most Favorable Schedules Next Season.

By Jimmie Kaylor

The road to Super Bowl LI in Houston, Texas has been laid out for all 32 teams in the National Football League. Late last week, the NFL released the full schedule of games for the 2016 regular season, and as always, some teams were winners and others were losers. Today, we take a look at the teams that “won” by landing the most favorable schedules for the upcoming season.

Strength of schedule (based on the combined overall records of their upcoming opponents from the previous season) is the element that garners the most attention when determining which teams have favorable schedules for the upcoming season, but the truth of the matter is that there are several other factors that also play a major role in assessing the difficulty of each team’s schedule.

Before continuing, we feel compelled to point out that simply using the combined overall records of their opponents from the previous season as the only basis for determining strength of schedule is a completely flawed system.

For example, the Dallas Cowboys played most of last season without their starting quarterback, Tony Romo (pictured above), and as a result, their 2015 record wasn’t truly indicative of the type of team they can be this year. The Cowboys will have Romo back in their lineup in 2016, which means that their winning percentage of 0.250 in 2015 will likely prove to be an inaccurate gauge of how difficult of an opponent they will be this season.

Knowing this, we decided to consider a handful of other dynamics — short weeks (playing on Thursday night after playing a game the previous Sunday), home/road stretches, and when/where certain teams fall on each team’s schedule — in addition to the combined overall records of their upcoming opponents from the previous season to take a more in-depth look at which teams have the most favorable schedules in 2016. Here’s what we came up with.

1. Dallas Cowboys

As we previously mentioned, the Cowboys will have Romo back under center, and that alone should make 2016 a much better season for “America’s Team.” As far as their schedule goes, the Cowboys have the fourth-lowest strength of schedule in the league (their opponents had a combined winning percentage of just 0.465 in 2015), they have only one short week, and outside of matchups with the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers in Week 5 and Week 6, respectively, they don’t have difficult games in back-to-back weeks at any other point in the season. All said, with this schedule, the Cowboys should have no problem reaching double-digit wins in 2016.

2. Denver Broncos

The Broncos’ Super Bowl title defense in 2016 won’t be easy, but the league did do them a couple of favors when they put their schedule together. While their opponents do have the 14th highest strength of schedule (0.504) in the league, the Broncos have only one short week, they get to play their toughest non-divisional opponents (the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots) at home, and they just don’t have a brutal stretch of schedule this year. They may have a lot of roster questions that still need to be answered, but the Broncos have to be pleased with the way the NFL set up their 2016 regular season schedule.

3. Chicago Bears

The Bears’ 2016 opponents have the second-lowest combined 2015 winning percentage in the league (0.461), which is something that bodes extremely well for a team that is in rebuilding mode. On top of that, the Bears drew what appears to be the easiest non-divisional slate of games in the league in addition to having only one short week. Looking at this schedule, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Bears finish above 0.500 this season.

4. Green Bay Packers

The Packers have the kind of schedule that should allow them to contend for the No. 1 seed in the NFC Playoffs in 2016. They have the lowest strength of schedule in the league (0.457), one short week, and zero strikingly difficult road games.

In fact, the Packers could easily enter their Week 14 game against the Seattle Seahawks on December 11 with a 12-0 record. The bottom line here is that assuming Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, the Packers could realistically win 13 or more games during the regular season.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers have the 23rd lowest strength of schedule in the league, but it’s the second half of their 2016 schedule that inspired us to include them on this list. In their last eight games, Pittsburgh will play only one team — the Cincinnati Bengals — that had a winning record in 2015 and will have the added benefit of playing the Cleveland Browns twice during that span.

Additionally, the Steelers get to host the New England Patriots, New York Jets, and Kansas City Chiefs at Heinz Field. When it comes down to it, the Steelers’ schedule sets up nicely for them to make a serious run at contending for an AFC title in 2016.

Jason Hammel gets the win, drives in two as Cubs top rival Cardinals.

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Ben Zobrist stood at his locker inside Busch Stadium’s visiting clubhouse, holding his new World Series ring in his right hand. He joked about giving fist bumps to all his Cubs teammates before Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

In a classy move, Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore had personally delivered it to Zobrist, recognizing the way he helped glue the team together after a midseason trade from the Oakland A’s and performed in the clutch throughout last year’s playoff run.

It became another reminder that the Cubs are now a team with championship expectations, showing no fear of The Cardinal Way, shrugging off how St. Louis fans treated Jason Heyward and expecting to be a force in October for years to come.

The Cubs won’t say they now have a psychological edge over the Cardinals, because they can let their play on the field speak for itself. The Cubs have won 11 of their last 15 games against the Cardinals, including last year’s first-ever playoff matchup in a rivalry that stretches all the way back to 1892.

“Now we know we can compete with these guys,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “Listen, they’ve been a great team for a long time. That’s a testament to them. The steadiness of this organization is really remarkable. We’re obviously trying to get to that point.

“But at least now when we come in here, we feel like these are two really good teams. We have to execute our pitches and make plays and get hits. But it’s not a sense that we don’t have that ability anymore. We certainly have that ability.”

For all the hype about this Cubs lineup, the starting pitchers have now gone at least six innings in each of the team’s first 14 games this season, with Jason Hammel putting up the 13th quality start on Tuesday night. Hammel also came through with the key hit against the Cardinals in the fourth inning, knocking a two-out, two-run RBI single off Jaime Garcia into left field.

Hammel also benefitted from Heyward’s Gold Glove defense in right field in the fourth. Heyward positioned himself underneath the flyball Yadier Molina lifted to right field, caught it smoothly and made an accurate one-hop throw to home plate to nail Matt Holliday and end the inning.

That’s why the Cubs saw Heyward as a game-changing talent and wanted to steal him away from the Cardinals. It didn’t stop the St. Louis fans from booing Heyward before each one of his at-bats.

Hoyer worked in Theo Epstein’s front office when the Boston Red Sox finally toppled the Evil Empire and sees the parallels with the New York Yankees and understands what Cubs-Cardinals could become.

“Yankee fans would probably say this has been the best 10 or 15 years of the rivalry,” Hoyer said. “They got the Red Sox in ’03. We got them in ’04. The Red Sox won a World Series in ’07. They win one in ’09. That’s a great thing for a rivalry. And hopefully we can get to that point here.

“It’s the best (when) it’s a real rivalry with two really good teams going at it. This has been a rivalry sort of in name only.”

Not anymore.

Former Cubs pitcher Milt Pappas dies.  

By Tony Andracki

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Milt Pappas has passed away, the Beecher Police Department confirmed Tuesday according to multiple media outlets.

The former Cubs pitcher — best known for his no-hitter in 1972 — has reportedly died of natural causes at age 76.

Pappas spent the last four years of his career with the Cubs, going 51-41 with a 3.33 ERA and 1.258 WHIP in 763 innings.

He went 17-7 with a 2.77 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in that 1972 season.

Pappas' no-hitter on Sept. 2, 1972 was shrouded in controversy. He very nearly had a perfect game, but home plate umpire Bruce Froemming called a full-count pitch "Ball Four" on the 27th batter.

Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts released the following statement Tuesday afternoon:

“The Cubs organization is sad to learn of the passing of Milt Pappas, who not only had a special place on the field with the team in the early 1970s but also maintained a relationship with Cubs fans as a frequent guest at Wrigley Field, the Cubs Convention and other team events. Milt will forever be remembered for one of the most dramatic pitching performances in team history as he delivered a no-hitter that neared perfection in 1972. Pappas ended his impressive career wearing a Cubs uniform, and we will always consider him part of the Chicago Cubs family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends, relatives and fans as we mourn this loss.”

Mat Latos cruises again, White Sox offense shows up late in 5-0 win.

By Dan Hayes

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Mat Latos continued to shine for the White Sox on Tuesday night.

His third straight dominant start was needed as the White Sox offense waited until late in the game to break out of its funk.

Todd Frazier and Jose Abreu both homered, and Melky Cabrera broke it open late with a two-run triple as the White Sox topped the Los Angeles Angels, 5-0, in front of 12,093 at U.S. Cellular Field. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the White Sox.

Latos allowed two hits and walked three over 6 1/3 scoreless innings to lower his earned-run average to 0.49.

The right-hander, who signed a one-year deal worth $3 million in February, continues to look like a steal for the White Sox. Latos ran up a high pitch count in the early innings courtesy two first-inning walks to Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. Through two innings, Latos threw 48 pitches and faced all nine Angels hitters.

But he took over from there.

Starting with the final out of the second inning, Latos retired 14 of 15 batters, including eight in a row. He worked on the edges yet again and kept Los Angeles hitters off balance with all of his pitches.

Latos, who only allowed one hit in his first start at Oakland, didn’t give one up until Carlos Perez singled with one out in the fifth inning. He worked around that and came back strong in the sixth inning and retired Rafael Ortega, Trout and Pujols on 13 pitches.

White Sox manager Robin Ventura lifted Latos after he yielded a one-out double to Andrelton Simmons in the seventh inning. Matt Albers took over and got out of the jam with the help of an outfield assist by Adam Eaton, who nailed Simmons at the plate on C.J. Cron’s one-out single.

Albers retired Perez to end the seventh and extend his scoreless streak to 30 innings over 27 games. It’s the longest scoreless streak by a White Sox pitcher since Wilson Alvarez posted 31 innings in 1993.

Both efforts as well as two scoreless innings by Nate Jones, were necessary as the offense continued to chug along till the eighth. Jones earned a save.

Frazier — who was 2-for-23 over six games — showed signs he’s ready to break out of his slump. He ripped a 2-2 fastball from Matt Shoemaker out for a solo homer to left in the second inning to put the White Sox ahead 1-0.

Two innings later, Abreu got one out to center just over Trout’s glove for another solo shot and a 2-0 White Sox lead. Abreu entered the game in a 3-for-25 slump.

The White Sox looked as if they might break it open in the fourth as Frazier, Cabrera and Austin Jackson singled with one out to load the bases. But Shoemaker snuck a hanging 0-1 changeup past Avisail Garcia and later got him to pop out, and Dioner Navarro grounded out to first.

The White Sox finally broke through in the eighth.

Jimmy Rollins doubled to left off Jose Alvarez and moved to third on Abreu’s grounder. Frazier was intentionally walked and Cabrera, batting right-handed, crushed a two-run triple to right-center field to put the White Sox up four. Brett Lawrie added an RBI single to make it 5-0.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... NBA Buzz: The case for building around Jimmy Butler

By Mark Schanowski

After John Paxson and Gar Forman's harsh critique of their team's under-achieving season, you'd have to expect an active summer of personnel changes at the Advocate Center. Both front office executives stressed all options are on the table for improving the roster; draft, trades and free agency.

Paxson took a veiled shot at All-Star guard Jimmy Butler for his failed attempts at assuming a vocal leadership role with this year's team.

"Here’s how I feel about the whole leadership thing: When you’re talking too much about leadership you’re probably not getting what you need from the team leaders," Paxson said. "I played with the greatest player in the game (Michael Jordan) and you didn’t hear him talking about leadership. You heard him going out and showing leadership and showing that he was a winning player. I don’t think any of our guys need to talk about that anymore, about leadership. I think they need to show it.”

A number of fans and media members took that as a signal the Bulls will actively look to trade Butler this summer. Yes, it's true Butler's attempts at proclaiming himself team leader rubbed some veterans the wrong way. And, it's also true a number of people inside the organization are turned off by the way Jimmy has morphed from the humble, small-town kid who came in as a rookie to a sometimes disruptive, self-absorbed celebrity. Plus, we've all seen that Butler and Derrick Rose don't always function well playing together in the same backcourt.

But let's not get carried away in this whole Jimmy has got to go mentality. The NBA is and always has been a players' league, and Jimmy Butler is one of the top 15-20 players in the game. Butler is one of the NBA's best shooting guards, along with Klay Thompson, James Harden, Dwyane Wade and DeMar DeRozan, and when you factor in his defensive skills, I don't think there's a two guard I'd rather have with the exception of Thompson.

I'm hoping the front office is extremely aggressive in trying to give Fred Hoiberg a roster that suits his offensive and defensive systems, but trading away Butler would send the franchise into a total rebuild. And, we all witnessed how well that worked in the dark era that followed the Bulls' six championships. In case you've forgot, the Bulls won 13 games in 1999 (lockout shortened season), 17 in 1999-2000, 15 in 2000-2001, 21 in 2001-2002, 30 in 2002-2003 and 23 in 2003-2004.

Rebuilding is hard and painful to watch. Just ask the fans in Philadelphia, Los Angeles and New York who are watching three proud franchises (76ers, Lakers and Knicks) try to come up with a winning formula.

The Bulls should be able to return to the playoffs next season with a few tweaks. Let Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah leave in free agency. Trade the contracts of Mike Dunleavy and Tony Snell to create more cap room. And use the minimum of 23 million dollars in cap space to make a run at all of the top free agents: LeBron James, Kevin Durant, DeRozan and Al Horford. When they say no, pursue a defensive anchor like Hassan Whiteside in free agency. Or failing that, sign an impact 2-way wing player like Nic Batum, Harrison Barnes or Kent Bazemore.

Use the 14th pick in the draft to select a point guard of the future like Notre Dame's Demetrius Jackson, who can serve a one-year apprenticeship behind Derrick Rose, then take over in 2017-18 if Rose leaves in free agency.

A 2016-17 roster of Whiteside and late season find Cristiano Felicio at center, Taj Gibson, Doug McDermott, Niko Mirotic and Bobby Portis at forwards, and Butler, Rose, Jackson and Justin Holiday (another late-season find) at guards should be good enough to get back into the playoffs next season. And the Bulls should have enough cap room left to re-sign valuable reserve E'Twaun Moore as well. Plus, with the cap increasing by another 15 million in the summer of 2017 and the contracts of Rose and Gibson coming off the books, the Bulls could have over 40 million dollars available to add more high end talent to the roster.

The rumors we heard at the trade deadline about sending Butler to Boston for a pair of 1st round picks isn't fair value for one of the best 2-way players in the league. Now, if All-Star players like Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins or Kevin Love become available in trade, that might be something for the Bulls' front office to consider.

But simply trading Butler because of perceived attitude issues could send the Bulls into a prolonged rebuild. And I don't know about you, but I'd rather watch the team compete in the playoffs, as opposed to the draft lottery.

Bulls suffer another loss

Speaking of the lottery, in case you missed it on Friday, the Bulls hopes of landing that 1st round pick from Sacramento from the 2014 Luol Deng went up in smoke.

The Kings finished in a tie with the Nuggets and Bucks at 33-49, but won a pair of blind draws to earn the 8th overall pick in the June 23rd draft. Had the Kings lost the draws and fallen to 10th in the draft order, the Bulls could have stolen the top 10 protected pick if one of the teams in the 11-14 slots jumped into the top 3 through the lottery process (ideally the Bulls).

Now, the Bulls have to wait another year, and if the perpetually dysfunctional Kings can't find their way out of the bottom 10 next season (the pick is again top 10 protected), the choice owed to the Bulls converts to a 2nd rounder.

Turns out the 50th anniversary season of Bulls basketball didn't go exactly as planned. No playoffs, Golden State breaks the 1995-'96 Bulls' record of 72 wins in a season and Sacramento comes up three wins short of giving the front office another 1st round draft pick to use this summer.

Around the association

It will be another busy offseason of coaching moves, with at least a half dozen teams expected to make a change at the top.

Three coaches were let go after the final game of the season, George Karl in Sacramento, Randy Wittman in Washington and Sam Mitchell in Minnesota. In addition, the Rockets, Nets, Knicks and Suns are expected to address the fates of their interim coaches.

Sacramento is reportedly interested in Kevin McHale, Mark Jackson and Vinny Del Negro. Kings GM Vlade Divac would also like to talk with Scott Brooks and former Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, but the belief is they'll be looking for better situations.

Brooks is reportedly the leading candidate to replace Wittman in the nation's capital. The Wizards have been planning to make a run at D.C.-area native Kevin Durant in free agency, and they're hoping bringing in Brooks (who coached Durant in Oklahoma City) will help their chances.

Thibodeau figures to be the most highly sought-after coaching candidate this offseason, and it's believed he has his eyes on the Minnesota vacancy. Thibs was an assistant for Bill Musselman back in the Timberwolves' expansion days, and it would be interesting to see what he could do with all the young talent on the roster, including franchise big man Karl-Anthony Towns, former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins and slam dunk champ Zach LaVine. Minnesota only won 29 games this past season, but you'd have to believe they'd contend for a playoff spot with Thibodeau in charge.

Phil Jackson still prefers to hire a coach who will keep the principles of the triangle offense, whether that's interim coach Kurt Rambis or someone else. Jackson told reporters at the end of the season he doesn't want to bring in a coach he doesn't know because the relationship the coach will have with him and general manager Steve Mills is crucial to the team's success.

Meanwhile, Jackson's star player, Carmelo Anthony, is growing more restless after another losing season. Anthony told New York reporters he understood the Knicks would be going through a rebuilding process when he re-signed in 2014, but it's still hard to remain patient.

"I understood that because I agreed to come back to be a part of that process," Anthony said of the rebuilding process. "I was here the first day that they started cleaning this thing out and started a new process. Last year was a total disaster as far the process goes. This year we got a little bit better, a little ahead of that process. Every year the plan is to get better. We've gotten better. We've made some strides this season. I think this offseason is a big offseason for us."

Anthony said he expects the Knicks to pursue impact players in free agency this summer.

"I look at the list [of free agents] every day. Whether it's for me, whether it's for other teams," he said. "I want to see what other guys are thinking about as far as who they want to get to better their team and where we fit in the free agency market. I look at that stuff. Those are things I pay close attention to."

Don't be surprised if Anthony makes a trade demand if he doesn't like Jackson's personnel moves, or his choice of the next head coach.

History making night

I don't know if we'll ever see a closing night of the regular season like we witnessed last Wednesday. Steph Curry scored 46 points in Golden State's blowout victory over Memphis, allowing the Warriors to break the single season record of 72 wins set by the 1995-96 Bulls. Curry made 10 3-pointers in the finale, giving him 402 for the season, obliterating the record he set a year ago by more than 100.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr was a reserve guard on that record-setting Bulls team, and admitted he didn't expect his squad would be able to top 72 wins. "I'd never in a million years have guessed that that record would ever be broken. I thought it was like [Joe] DiMaggio's hit streak, really, and I was wrong."

The Golden State players were similarly awe-struck, Klay Thompson saying, "I'm going to look back at this and think of it as the best time of my life." While Draymond Green, the most vocal Warrior player about trying to break the record had this to say about what it all means, "It means I'm a part of the best team ever."

I'm sure Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen might have an argument over that statement, but both stars from the 1995-96 teams took the high road in sending out messages of congratulations afterwards.

Still, victory No. 73 for the Warriors had to take a back seat to Kobe Bryant's incredible final game in Los Angeles. The NBA’s third all-time leading scorer turned back the clock, piling up an unimaginable 60 points in a come from behind win over Utah, making all five of his shots in the final three minutes with the Staples Center crowd and his Laker teammates going crazy.

Bryant came into the league at 18 as an unapologetic gunner, and that's the way he went out, making 22 of 50 attempts from the field, including 6 of 21 from 3 point range.

He kept his sweat-soaked jersey on for an extended news conference, not wanting to see an unforgettable evening come to an end.

"It's surreal," he said of leaving the court for the last time. "It's hard to describe. It's almost like you're in a fog and everything is moving extremely slow yet extremely fast. You're trying to look and take it all in. You're trying to observe and you're not quite sure where to look to just take it all in. Very difficult to do. But it's like a dream."

And for one final night, Kobe reminded fans around the world why he should be included on any list of the Top 10 NBA players of all time.

Stat of the week

Kobe's 60 point farewell game got our stats whiz, Chris Kamka, thinking about how some of the other greats did in their last regular season outing. Here's a look at the Top 10 scorers in NBA history.

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 10 points (April 23, 1989; had 7 on June 13, 1989, in his last playoff game)

2. Karl Malone: 4 (April 14, 2004; had 2 on June 13, 2004, in his last playoff game)

3. Kobe Bryant: 60 (April 13, 2016)

4. Michael Jordan: 15 (April 16, 2003)

5. Wilt Chamberlain: 1 (March 28, 1973; had 23 on May 10, 1973, in his last playoff game)

6. Dirk Nowitzki: still active

7. Shaquille O'Neal: 6 (April 3, 2011; had 0 on May 9, 2011, in his last playoff game)

8. Moses Malone: 6 (Dec. 27, 1994)

9. Elvin Hayes: 8 (April 14, 1984)

10. Hakeem Olajuwon: 4 (April 17, 2002; had 8 on May 2, 2002, in his last playoff game)

Quotes of the week

Bulls Executive Vice-President of Basketball Operations John Paxson didn't hold anything back in his season-ending news conference last week.

"I do think that anybody who watched us play this year saw a team that didn't have the collective fight and toughness to fight through adversity," Paxson said. "To me that's the biggest disappointment in all of this. That falls on all of us. We put the roster together; the coaching staff and players, we're all in this together. That's the way it should be. Again, it goes back to responsibility and accountability for all of us. Gar and I know we're ultimately the ones that are responsible. Moving forward, we understand changes are going to have to be made."

Here's what Jimmy Butler had to say about the Bulls' lost season. "I think that a lot of this season I put on myself. Because I feel like I could have done more. It's a learning curve for everybody, especially for myself. Very humbling, to tell you the truth. Whenever you think you're good enough or you can do this, something like this happens."

But Jimmy did not want to discuss the much-reported story that he and Derrick Rose can't co-exist in the same backcourt, telling the Trib's K.C. Johnson, "Come on, man," "That s--- always comes up. Man, when [we're] losing. I'm tired of talking about that bull----."

Butler is still hoping to work out in California with Rose and other Bulls players this summer. Might be a good way to start building a better relationship with his teammates.

Let's give the final word to Paxson on what to do with the Bulls' under-achieving roster...... "It's obvious this roster isn't going to be exactly the same coming back. We have to make some changes. What we have to do is determine that path, whether it's through trades, free agency, draft, all those type of things."

Sounds like it will be a very active summer, starting with the Bulls hoping to beat the odds in the NBA Draft Lottery on May 17.

This will be my last weekly NBA Buzz column for 2015-16, but I'll have much more on the Bulls' draft preparations as we get closer to the big day on June 23. And we'll be back with regular weekly columns next season.

Golf: I got a club for that..... Valero Texas Open preview: Jimmy Walker, Branden Grace lead field

By Alec Brzezinski 

Jimmy Walker heads to San Antonio this week to defend his title at the Valero Texas Open, but the Baylor grad will have to fend off Branden Grace, last week's RBC Heritage champion, to do so.

Last year, Walker beat Jordan Spieth by four shots in an impressive display tee-to-green on this tough track. TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course) is a Greg Norman design that shows its teeth as a 7,435-yard par 72.

Grace enters the field as one of the favorites after cruising to victory last week at Harbour Town. The talented South African has won numerous times on the European Tour, but last week's win was his first on the PGA Tour.

Texas has suffered a disastrous amount of rain in the last couple days, which should leave the course ripe for scoring. 

Here are this week's top golfers:

Jimmy Walker (world ranking: 26) — Walker has five top-15 finishes this year, yet it feels like he's underachieved. After winning five tournaments from the end of 2013 to this event last year, Walker has struggled with his putting and accuracy. He will have to fix those problems this week if he's going to contend again. Fantasy advice: He's the most expensive player on DraftKings and just isn't in good enough form to justify spending that much. Look elsewhere.

Patrick Reed (13) — Reed returns to his home state with three top-10 finishes in his last four events. Since winning the Tournament of Champions in 2015, Reed has four runner-up finishes but no victory. This could be the week he ends his drought. Fantasy advice: He's actually relatively cheap and a pretty safe play. He finished t-10 at the Houston Open three weeks ago and could do better this week.

Branden Grace (11) — Last week's champion might still be on his celebration tour when he arrives to the course Thursday, but Grace is a professional who has won overseas before and will be ready to compete again this week. Last week's win was his first top-10 on U.S. soil since the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. Fantasy advice: Obviously in good form, but beware playing guys fresh off a win. Adam Scott proved it's possible to win two in a row. It's not commonplace, though.

J.B. Holmes (21) — After getting the year started with four top-11s in his first five starts, Holmes struggled in March. His form returned at the Masters, however, when he finished t-4 after climbing up the leaderboard over the weekend. He should be a horse for the course.

Fantasy advice: Many of you are probably still hurting from his very late withdrawal at Houston, but don't let that stop you from playing Holmes this week.

Bryson DeChambeau (205) — Golf's fresh, new star has finished in the top 27 in his last four tournaments worldwide, including tied for fourth last week as he made his professional debut. The unorthodox, reigning NCAA champion will win on the PGA Tour sooner rather than later.

Fantasy advice: Get him while he's hot, and still priced below his value.

Others to watch: Luke Donald, Billy Horschel, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Zach Johnson

Sleepers: Aaron Baddeley, Andrew Loupe, Will MacKenzie, Kyle Reifers, Daniel Summerhays

Tour looking at how to distribute FedEx Cup points.

By DOUG FERGUSON

William McGirt watches his drive from the third tee during the final round of the Sanderson Farms golf tournament on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014, in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

The money list is getting plenty of attention at PGA Tour headquarters this year.

The tour's policy board last month finally voted to eliminate the money list for exempt status for the following season. The top 125 have been fully exempt since 1983, and if the latest proposal is ratified at the June board meeting, only the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings will be fully exempt after the 2016-17 season.

But more work lies ahead.

Andy Pazder, the chief of operations, said the tour is looking into a change in the way points are distributed at each tournament so there is a steeper drop beyond the top 10. Since the FedEx Cup began in 2007, it has been out of sync with the money distribution.

One issue with the FedEx Cup has been the perception that it rewards a middle-of-the-road performance. One player who stood out, through no fault of his own, was William McGirt in 2011. McGirt had only three finishes in the top 30 in during the regular season - his best was a tie for 19th in Mexico - and he grabbed the 125th and final spot for the start of the playoffs.

McGirt tied for 24th in The Barclays to advance to the next playoff event before his FedEx Cup run ended in Boston. That was before the wraparound season began, when only the top 125 on the money list earned their cards. McGirt had to play four times in the fall to try to move into the top 125. He finished 141st and had to go back to the old Q-school (and he made it).

That's just one example.

What causes the tour to look at the distribution are questions whether top finishes are properly rewarded.

Here's the best money-to-points example for a $5.9 million purse. A player who finished ninth and missed the cut would earn $171,000, while a player who had a pair of 30th-place finishes would make $80,240. But if FedEx Cup points were applied, the player with a pair of 30th-place finishes would have more points (82) than the player who was ninth (80) and missed the cut.

For money, the tour has operated on a model in which the winner gets 18 percent of the purse. But assuming only 70 players made the cut in a regular PGA Tour event, 3513 points are distributed, meaning the winner gets only 14.24 percent.

The tour has not indicated what kind of formula it is looking at it, but the goal is to be more top-heavy with points.

One other glaring example: The difference in points between finishing fifth and seventh is equal to the difference in finishing 30th and 50th.

DECHAMBEAU'S START: Byron DeChambeau didn't feel any differently at Hilton Head as the previous 12 professional events he played, even with the $259,600 he earned in his pro debut.

The NCAA and U.S. Amateur champion has been preparing for this moment. The RBC Heritage was his eighth tournament dating to a runner-up finish in the Australian Masters last year. He has yet to miss the cut during that stretch, so going from a tie for 21st in the Masters to a tie for fourth at the RBC Heritage was simply progress.

''The whole reason we had this internship, per se, is so that I could feel comfortable through the transition,'' DeChambeau said. ''And I think we've done that beautifully. It was nice to finish it off pretty well here and get a top-10 finish.''

DeChambeau gets seven sponsor exemptions to earn the equivalent of 150th on the FedEx Cup last year (361 points). That would earn him special temporary membership and unlimited exemptions. He would need to finish equal to the top 125 this year to earn a full card for next season.

He would have earned 122.5 points from Hilton Head, putting him one-third of the way toward unlimited exemptions. Plus, his top 10 meant he doesn't have to use one at the Valero Texas Open this week.

LEFTY FOWLER: Rickie Fowler returned to the TPC Sawgrass last week to relive his eagle-birdie-birdie finish in regulation at The Players Championship, and his three birdies in one day (two in a playoff) on the island-green 17th. If only it were that easy.

The PGA Tour had Fowler hit one tee shot on the 17th hole with a left-handed club, and another while blindfolded. He hit land both times.

Most peculiar is that the left-handed clubs in his bag looked as though they had been used before. And they had.

''I have a lefty set at home,'' Fowler said. ''I played once in a while. I'll mess around with them. I think it's great to have symmetry.''

He said he has played only one round from the other side, and that was at Jupiter Country Club with Cameron Tringale, from the back tees.

''I shot 110,'' Fowler said. ''And that was counting everything.''

LUKE'S LUCK: Luke Donald has been runner-up four times and third on two other occasions at Hilton Head, all without ever winning the tartan jacket.

It could be worse.

Dating to 1960, Jack Nicklaus had nine top 3s at the Canadian Open without ever winning. Donald could also consider the plight of Greg Norman and Phil Mickelson. Norman had six top 3s in the Masters without ever winning, while Mickelson has had six runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open, the only major keeping him from the career Grand Slam.

PLAYOFFS AND OPENERS: When the NFL begins its season, there are only three big golf tournaments on the schedule.

The PGA Tour returns to Crooked Stick outside Indianapolis for the BMW Championship, which drew huge crowds in 2012 even in soggy conditions. The final round will go up against the Indianapolis Colts' opening the season at home against the Detroit Lions with a mid-afternoon start.

The Atlanta Falcons are out of town during the Tour Championship at East Lake (on a Monday night against New Orleans). And while the Minnesota Vikings are at home during the Ryder Cup, they have a Monday night game against the New York Giants.

DIVOTS: As expected, Masters champion Danny Willett has joined the PGA Tour. He has a five-year exemption and now is No. 27 in the FedEx Cup standings. ... Anthony Paolucci earned his first professional victory last week on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica in Argentina at Cordoba Golf Club. The field included Angel Cabrera and both his sons. All three from the Cabrera family missed the cut. ... The ISPS Handa Cup for the Legends Tour is being postposed this year because the company wants to move it overseas for the first time in its 10-year history. ... Bubba Watson is making his sixth appearance in China this week at the Shenzhen International.

STAT OF THE WEEK: No one older than 23 has won on the LPGA Tour this year.

FINAL WORD: ''Winning is the hardest thing to do. That's why so few people do it.'' - Russell Knox.

Punch Shot: Biggest concern for each Ryder Cup team.

By Golf Channel Digital;

(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)

The U.S. and European Ryder Cup teams are taking shape, and both squads will have several question marks heading into the matches in late September at Hazeltine. What's the biggest concern for each team? Our writers weigh in.

By REX HOGGARD

U.S. team: For Davis Love III and company, which has lost six of the last seven matches, the looming danger may turn out to be America’s future in the event. Last week, Love made it clear he will have no problem using his four captain’s picks on first-timers – specifically mentioning Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka as potential selections. “Our rookies have played well in the past. We picked Rickie Fowler in 2010, he played great,” Love said. “I'm not opposed to picking a rookie especially if he's a good match for one of the veterans.” Love’s vision for this year’s matches is on building a winning tradition, but a host of new players may not be the best recipe for victory.

European team: As for the Europeans, after having dominated the event for the better part of the last two decades the biggest concern will likely be complacency. With the recent form of many of Europe’s best players, including Danny Willett’s victory at the Masters and Henrik Stenson’s fast start to the season (he has four top-10s in 2016), it would be too easy to arrive at Hazeltine National having felt like they’ve already won.

By RYAN LAVNER

U.S. team: There’s no sense breaking down the team as of April 19, since there are three majors and a bevy of other big events yet to play. But what continues to hover over this team, like it does in every even-numbered year, is the pressure. The more they lose, the more they meet; the more they talk about the Ryder Cup, it only heightens the anticipation and stress level for a three-day event that usually boils down to which team putts the best. If the Americans go through all of this trouble with the task force … and STILL lose … then what?

European team: Let’s get this out of the way now: The winners of eight of the past 10 Ryder Cups don’t have any serious concerns. With five months to go, however, it’ll be interesting to see how many newcomers make the team, either on points or picks. Right now, at least five Europeans (Masters champion Danny Willett, Matt Fitzpatrick, Andy Sullivan, Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Soren Kjeldsen) are slated to make their first appearance in the biennial matches. Is that the case come late September? Is there too much unfamiliarity? How will they fit in with a team of proven winners? That will all get sorted out soon enough. If history is any indication, they’ll be just fine.   

By RANDALL MELL

U.S. team: For the United States, it’s the culture of losing. It’s why the PGA of America went to such dramatic lengths creating a task force to examine the entire American Ryder Cup dynamic. In losing six of the last seven Ryder Cups, the Americans have lost in almost every way imaginable, in historic routs and on the wrong end of historic comebacks. They’ve lost with captains they’ve absolutely loved and captains they haven’t. They’ve lost with Tiger Woods and they’ve lost without him. What’s the saying? First we make our habits and then our habits make us? For the Americans, this is about breaking bad habits, whatever the task force determined those may actually be.

European team: For the Europeans, it’s inevitability. It’s knowing the Americans are bound to take some hot putters to this biennial competition one of these years.

NASCAR; Power Rankings: It's a dilemma trapped in a quagmire at the top.

By Nick Bromberg

(Photo/yahoosports.com)

1. Carl Edwards (LW: 7): Edwards gets the opportunity to make a six-spot jump in this week's rankings after both Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson had issues during Sunday's race. The win means Edwards is the third Joe Gibbs Racing car to essentially be in the Chase (we expect Matt Kenseth to make it as well) and also means Bristol is his winningest track. Edwards has four wins at Bristol and three at Atlanta and Texas. And while Edwards has 10 of his 26 career wins at those three tracks, they haven't been his best from an average finish standpoint. They're all outside the top 10.

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 5): We thought about putting Junior at No. 1 because he was two spots ahead of Edwards last week and came back to finish second after essentially giving the entire field a two-lap head start thanks to the power issues he suffered at the beginning of the race. We decided to give the bump to Edwards based off the win, however, because we're in favor of more bonus points being given to race winners. And we should put our feeling where our power rankings are.

3. Kyle Busch (LW: 1): Busch had a very fast car. He also had a car that had a propensity to hit the wall (twice) and spin (once). He hit the wall after two right-front tire failures and the spin came off the bumper of Chris Buescher after a few cars jammed up ahead of Busch. In the midst of those incidents, he passed a lot of cars. Oh, and he's gotten a lot of attention for what happened in the garage after he hit the wall a second time. If you want our thoughts on that incident.

4. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 2): Johnson was heading for a good day and a good finish until the dreaded message came from crew chief Chad Knaus. The team may not have gotten all of the lugnuts tight on one of the wheels during a pit stop. Sure enough, Johnson was forced to pit under green for the problem and ended up finishing 23rd. Though the pit stop did give us the opportunity to witness a great battle with AJ Allmendinger.

5. Joey Logano (LW: 3): Logano is looking at Junior and is saying "yeah, so what?" After he had to pit under green for a loose wheel (this is a theme this season), Logano's team was penalized for a tire violation on the pit stop. The penalty meant that he went three laps down after serving the penalty. Thanks to timing and strategy, Logano was able to get back on the lead lap and ended up finishing 10th after gaining eight spots over the final green flag stretch of the race.

6. Kevin Harvick (LW: 4): Man, what a bad day for Kevin Harvick. He finished seventh, right where he qualified. Harvick is really struggling lately with three-straight finishes outside the top five. Maybe he'll get back on track with a top three in Richmond.

7. Kurt Busch (LW: NR): His third-place finish on Sunday was his second-straight top 10 after his first two finishes outside of it of the season. It was also his first top-three finish at Bristol since the spring of 2010 when he was driving for Team Penske. We like his chances for a third-straight top 10 at Richmond. Busch won last year's spring race at the track, which was also run on a Sunday because of rain.

8. Chase Elliott (LW: 10): Elliott finished fourth on Sunday, his fifth top-10 of the season. He now has more top 10s than Keselowski, Austin Dillon, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and a whole host of other drivers. Yet he's behind all four of those drivers above in the points standings. If he keeps racking up the top 10s he'll be passing them.

9. Brad Keselowski (LW: 6): Like his teammate, Keselowski also had a pit road penalty. He got caught speeding early in the race and had to restart at the back of the field. After moving back to the front, he then had another mishap after he had to pit under green for a flat tire with less than 120 laps to go. Keselowski finished 18th (and on the lead lap).

10. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 8): Truex also rebounded from a late-race green flag pit stop when he had to come to pit road because of a loose wheel ... for the second time. The first loose wheel incident happened under caution and Truex had worked his way back in to the top 10. He wasn't able to get bear the front of the field by the end of the race following the second one, but he finished 14th. It could have been a whole lot worse.

11. Trevor Bayne (LW: NR): Sunday was Bayne's first top five since he won at Daytona in 2011. So yes, it was the second top-five finish of his career. He's now back in the top 20 in points for the third time this season. Can he stay there?

12. Matt DiBenedetto (LW: NR): DiBenedetto's sixth-place finish was the best of his career and just the third time he's finished in the top 20. Well done, DiBurrito (the nickname he's been given at Reddit's NASCAR section).

Lucky Dog: Clint Bowyer. His 8th-place finish was his first top 10 of the season.

The DNF: Poor Matt Kenseth

Dropped Out: Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon, Kasey Kahne

SOCCER: Fire's David Accam "still in the same stage of recovery".

By Dan Santaromita

Ever since David Accam has been out with a knee injury, the Chicago Fire's attack has lacked any sort of consistent threat.

The team has scored just two goals in the four matches without him, both by Kennedy Igobananike. As a result, Accam's injury status has continued to be a storyline worth following.

In coach Veljko Paunovic's weekly conference call with members of the media, the coach talked about Accam's injury, as he has done each week since it occurred.

“Unfortunately David Accam is still in the same stage of recovery, which is not good news for us," Paunovic said. "We are sad about it because the team needs David. We expect that as soon as he recovers, from the point of view of our style and how we want to play it's going to be an improvement, but David is still going through that process of recovery. We have to wait.”

The Fire do have a bye weekend coming up so Accam has 11 days to recover for the April 30 match against D.C. United. A more optimistic piece of news regarding Accam's injury is a tweet he sent out a couple hours after the conference call.

In other injury news, Paunovic said goalkeeper Sean Johnson is expected to return as a full participant in practice this week. His wrist injury forced him to practice as a field player for two weeks and he returned to goalkeeper drills on April 13, but he was training on the side with goalkeeper coach Aleksandar Saric.

Paunovic also discussed the decision to start midfielder Matt Polster on the bench against Montreal on Saturday. As Paunovic has mentioned previously, Polster's early workload this season has become a minor concern and that was the main reason why he didn't start against the Impact, and also why he was substituted out in New York the previous game.

"He had a good start, a big load of games, the national team and we have to take care of him," Paunovic said. "He was very important in the game. It’s a long season in front of us and we have to manage all these things.

"I think his performance in the second half helped the team. At least we created the possession with him and Nick LaBrocca when he came in, which was something that we were struggling with in the first half."

As the Fire head into the off weekend, the team is having two-a-day training sessions and will play a full 11 vs. 11 intrasquad match at training on Friday.

Premier League preview: Merseyside Derby and two matches with Top Five implications.

By Nicholas Mendola

(Photo/Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

We’ve already had one surprise this Premier League midweek, as Newcastle held its ground against Manchester City for what could be a big Tuesday point.

Now, will City’s stumble be the only points dropped by a trio of clubs playing Wednesday and harboring hopes of European play next season?

Manchester United vs. Crystal Palace — 3 p.m. ET (Premier League ExtraTime)

Louis Van Gaal‘s Red Army rebounded from his tactically errant second half against Spurs, at least in a sense, and will look to make it two wins on the bounce against a Palace team that has quietly gone unbeaten in four. A win would put United two points behind Man City while putting pressure on Arsenal ahead of their Thursday match.

The Eagles have also drawn three-straight road contests, and will look for their first road win of 2016.

Liverpool vs. Everton — 3 p.m. ET (NBCSN)

The Merseyside Derby is one of the best and most fierce rivalries around, and Anfield is the home for this edition. Under fire Roberto Martinez could really use some momentum for his Toffees — and his job — while Jurgen Klopp has Liverpool thriving in the Premier League and the Europa League. Only Leicester and Spurs are in better form than Klopp’s crew, while Everton has just three points from its last six matches. Momentum is red.

West Ham United vs. Watford — 2:45 p.m. ET (Premier League ExtraTime)

The Hammers haven’t lost in a while, but they also have won in four. Frankly, Slaven Bilic‘s boys need a win against the visitors Hornets to stay in the race of Europe. A loss and a Liverpool win could leave the Hammers seventh. Throw in a Man United win, and the Irons would be six shy of fifth.

The complete Premier League relegation picture forecast.

By Nicholas Mendola

Well now.

Newcastle United is back from the dead in the three-team race for the final slot above the Premier League relegation zone after a 1-1 draw with Man City gave them four points in two games.

Throw in Sunderland’s 3-0 demolition of Norwich City on Saturday, and nothing is certain when it comes to the race for safety.

And while managers can change and form can come and go, we can get an idea of which team has the best road into Survival Sunday on May 15.

Norwich City

(Photo/Getty Images)

Place: 17th
Points: 31
Matches remaining: 4 (2 home, 2 away)
Record vs. opponents: 1W-1D-2L
Average opponent table position: ~8th

April 23 – vs Watford
April 30 – at Arsenal
May 7 – vs Manchester United
May 15 – at Everton

Sunderland

(Photo/Getty Images)

Place: 18th

Points: 30
Matches remaining: 5 (3 home, 2 away)
Record vs. opponents: 1W-1D-3L
Average opponent table position: ~9th

April 23 – vs Arsenal
April 30 – at Stoke City
May 7 – vs Chelsea
May 11 — vs Everton
May 15 – at Watford

Newcastle United

(Photo/Getty Images)

Place: 19th
Points: 29
Matches remaining: 4 (2 home, 2 away)
Record vs. opponents: 2W-1D-1L
Average opponent table position: ~11th

April 23 – at Liverpool
April 30 – vs Crystal Palace
May 7 – at Aston Villa
May 15 – vs Spurs

Final Four: Analyzing Tottenham and Leicester’s remaining games.

By Joe Prince-Wright

With four games to go Leicester City has a five-point lead over Tottenham Hotspur at the top of the Premier League.

The gap is closing and with Spurs on the rampage and the Foxes missing Jamie Vardy for at least one game, is the tide turning in the title race?

Suddenly Tottenham is the team on everybody’s lips. Surely, surely Leicester won’t blow this. Right?

Below we analyze the run-in for both and predicted the outcome of their final four games.

Let’s see who ends up champions according to our picks…

Leicester City

Swansea City (H) – Even without Vardy, the Foxes should handle Swansea. Expect it to be another tight, nervous occasion but Claudio Ranieri‘s side will get the job done. Result: Leicester win

Manchester United (A) – Earlier this season United stifled Leicester away from home in the 1-1 draw which saw Vardy score for the eleventh consecutive game. United are pushing hard for the top four. They will grind out a win. Result: Leicester loss

Everton (H) – The Toffees are a much better team away from home than they are at home. Depending on what happens in the FA Cup semifinal, their players could be playing for a spot in the FA Cup final. There will not be much in this. Result: Draw

Chelsea (A) – Ah, the reigning champions are a funny bunch. With most of Chelsea’s players already in their flip flops, it’s hard to know what you will get from them. With nothing to play for, Chelsea’s boys may express themselves and show the incoming Antonio Conte what they have one more time before he arrives. Heartbreak for the Foxes on the final day. Result: Leicester loss

Final points total: 77 points

Tottenham Hotspur

West Brom (H) – At the moment, Spurs are sweeping everyone before them. With 13 goals scored and one conceded in their last five games, who can stop them? Pulis’ West Brom will sit back and invite pressure. That’s dangerous and Spurs will find a way to get all three points. Result: Spurs win

Chelsea (A) – This is the potential banana skin for Spurs. Their London rivals would love to derail their title bid on a Monday night under the lights at Stamford Bridge. If they’re going to slip up, it’s here. Result: Spurs loss

Southampton (H) – Pochettino’s old club have plenty of appreciation for the Argentinian but after he left them for Spurs, it would be a cruel twist of fate if Ronald Koeman‘s side were to dash their title hopes. This will not be easy but Saints could be out of the European picture. Tight win. Result: Spurs win

Newcastle United (A) – Going to St James’ Park is never easy, even when Newcastle is as bad as they are right now. Throw in the fact that Rafael Benitez’s men may need a win to stay up and this has the potential to be a very tricky game. That said, the Magpies could be down before the final game of the season. If so, you have to fancy Spurs to grab one final win. Result: Spurs win

Final points total: 77 points (Spurs to win the league on goal difference)

NCAAFB: NCAA to permit FBS programs to pay for parents to accompany recruits on visits.

By John Taylor

(Photo/Getty Images)

Two days, two sensible decisions on the part of the NCAA.  Isn’t that one of the signs of the apocalypse?

Regardless, the NCAA has gotten another one right, with The Association announcing Tuesday that FBS programs will now be permitted to pay for up to two parents/guardians to accompany recruits on official visits.  The proposal was approved by a 14-1 vote of the NCAA’s Div. I Council, with the Sun Belt accounting for the lone dissenting vote; given that conference’s place on the lowest rung of the FBS financial ladder, that vote makes fiscal sense.

Specifically, the new rule will “permit an institution to pay the actual round-trip costs for a prospective student-athlete’s parents or legal guardians (expenses for up to two people) to accompany the prospective student-athlete on his official visit.”  Those costs include transportation and meals for the parents/guardians.

The new rule officially goes into effect August 1.  As ESPN.com writes, “[p]rospective student athletes are permitted to take five official visits starting on the first day of classes of the prospective student-athlete’s senior year, so this rule will be in place for the class of 2017.”

Mo’ money, no problem? Big Ten closing in on media rights bonanza.

By John Taylor

(Photo/Associated Press)

For those who lament the amount of money made by universities while the student-athletes that drive the sports, particularly football, receive “nothing,” you can commence your kvetching.  Again.

With its current first-tier media rights deal set to expire next year, the Big Ten, it was reported last month, had begun the process of accepting offers from various networks for the next round.  And, according to the Sports Business Daily, it’s set to toss a sizable amount of money into the conference membership’s coffers.

From the website:

Fox is close to signing a deal that gives it half of the Big Ten’s available media rights package, according to several sources. Deal terms still are flexible – both in terms of money and rights. However, the two sides have agreed on basic terms that will give Fox the rights to around 25 football games and 50 basketball games that it will carry on both the broadcast channel and FS1 starting in the fall of ’17. The deal runs six years and could cost Fox as much as $250M per year, depending on the amount of rights the Big Ten conference puts in its second package.

To put that into perspective, the Big Ten’s current deal with ESPN that expires in the spring of next year was worth $1 billion over the course of 10 years; that $100 million annual average would be blown away by FOX Sports‘ $250 million a year average — and that’s just for half of the deal.

For further perspective…

Reported $250m/year for HALF of Big Ten’s first-tier rights is close to what other confs get for 1st AND 2nd tier! https://t.co/ngvZHVgQtd 

— Kristi Dosh (@SportsBizMiss) April 19, 2016

Again, this deal would be for half of the conference’s football inventory over the next six years, with SBD reporting that “ESPN will be one of several TV networks engaged for the second half of the Big Ten’s package, along with the usual suspects of CBS, NBC and Turner.”

Oliver Luck expects NCAA to revisit satellite camp issue.

By John Taylor

(Photo/Getty Images)

Just when you thought you were out, they pull you back in.

Much to the chagrin of Jim Harbaugh, the Big Ten and numerous other non-SEC head coaches across the country, the NCAA announced last week that they have barred the controversial practice of satellite camps. While effective immediately, the ruling is not officially official, however, at least until the NCAA’s Board of Governors meet next week.

It had been speculated that, given the growing outcry over the ban, the ruling would be revisited. According to former West Virginia athletic director and current NCAA official Oliver Luck — and after defending the initial decision — that’s precisely what The Association plans to do.

Oliver Luck at a speaking engagement in NE Ohio this morning said he expects the satellite camp rule to be revisited.  

— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) April 18, 2016

@Mark__Snyder no. He very much defended the NCAA then at the end of his answer said he expects it will be revisited. 

— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) April 18, 2016

Should the NCAA affirm the ban, its main proponent said he and his boss have an unspecified course of action in the works.

“We’re all looking at that. I do agree that there are a lot of coaches, most all coaches, there’s always an urgency to help the youngsters and their own programs. And in this case, the spirit of football,” Harbaugh said shortly after the ban was announced. “I’m taking those words from Warde Manuel, our athletic director. I thought he framed it extremely well when he talked on the subject. I think it’s a good message for everybody here in our athletic department and our sport here at the University of Michigan.

“We’re going to continue to put more thought into it and have a course of action. But (I’m) proud that he’s taken the lead on that topic. We believe here it’s beneficial. … There’s always an urgency, in my mind, to help kids and our program and in this case the sport of football.”

NCAABKB: 2016 NBA DRAFT EARLY ENTRY LIST: A complete list of who’s in, who’s out and who has an agent

By Rob Dauster

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

There are new rules when it comes to early entry into the 2016 NBA Draft. It now works like this: Any player in the country, after their freshman season, can declare for the draft as many as three times, going through the evaluation process and, if they’re good enough, getting an invite to the NBA Draft Combine and working out with NBA teams so long as they A) Do not sign with an agent and B) remove their name from draft consideration within 10 days of the combine ending.

This season that deadline is May 25th.

Which means that we’re going to see a lot of names popping up in NBA Draft early entry lists that don’t really make all that much sense. They’re not all going to get invited to the combine, either, but it’s still the smart move for those with professional ambitions.

Think about it like this: If you’re, say, Makai Mason, Yale’s sophomore point guard, you’re within driving distance of both Boston and New York. So even if he doesn’t get an invite to the combine, if the Knicks, the Nets or the Celtics need an emergency fill-in for a workout, he’d be able to get there within 90 minutes. Then the worst-case scenario is that he’ll return to school knowing what he has to improve on to try and earn a spot in the draft the following year.

That’s a good thing for the kids, even if it does mean that some of the coaches around the country are going to be sipping their Maalox on the rocks as they wait to find out if their starting point guard is going to pull their name back out draft consideration.

Don’t pity them, though. They get paid seven-figure salaries to deal with the stress that comes with ensuring that the unpaid, amateur athletes they are mentoring get the most information possible while they try and make the most important decision of their lives.

But that’s another topic for another day.

Back to my point, the only names that truly matter on this list are the ones that have signed with an agent.

So here’s our updated, unofficial list of players that have declared. If there are any additions that need to be made, tweet them to @RobDauster.

SIGNED WITH AN AGENT

Wade Baldwin IV, Vanderbilt, So: Vanderbilt is going to be in rebuilding mode next season. Not only did they lose Kevin Stallings, their head coach, but their star point guard is gone and, in all likelihood, Damian Jones will follow him out the door.

Cat Barber, N.C. State, Jr: Barber is an interesting prospect. He’s not projected as a superstar at the next level, but he proved about all that he could prove this past season and would have to split point guard duties next season with Dennis Smith. He’s likely a second round pick.

Malik Beasley, Florida State, Fr: Beasley was one of the best freshman in the country this past season despite entering the year as a top 50ish recruit. Part of the reason: increased efficiency. He’s a late-first round pick or an early-second round pick.

Deandre Bembry, Saint Joseph’s, Jr: Bembry is a borderline first round pick and one of the more versatile small forwards in the draft. His loss, and the graduation of Isaiah Miles, is a brutal blow for a Saint Joe’s program that reached the second round this season.

Kareem Canty, Auburn, Jr: Canty left school in the middle of the season and announced that he would be turning pro. I do not expect to hear is name called during the draft.

Robert Carter, Maryland, Jr: Carter had a solid-if-unimpressive junior season with Maryland, as the Terps struggled to a No. 5 seed and a trip to the Sweet 16. He’s versatile and he has good size, the question is who he’ll defend at the next level. He’s a second round pick.

Marquese Chriss, Washington, Fr: Chriss didn’t enroll at Washington as a one-and-done guy, but it became clear by the end of the season that he had a chance to be really good. He’s got all the physical tools to be a star and a long way to go to get there. He’s a prototype boom-or-bust lottery pick.

Deyonta Davis, Michigan State, Fr: Davis was a late-bloomer, not bursting onto the national scene until late in the recruiting process. He’s a physical specimen with all kinds of potential, but he’s more of a project than an instant impact kind of guy. He’s looking at getting picked in the lottery.

Kris Dunn, Providence, Jr: There was no surprise here with Dunn leaving early. Technically, he’s not even leaving early; he graduated from Providence after four years in school. He redshirted due to injury as a freshman.

Henry Ellenson, Marquette, Fr: There is no surprise in Ellenson’s decision to head to the NBA. He put up huge numbers in his one season with the Golden Eagles and is an attractive, versatile offensive talent, but there are some defensive red flags. He’ll likely end up in the top ten.

Kay Felder, Oakland, Jr: Felder was one of the most productive players in the country this past season, averaging 24.4 points and 9.3 assists. He’s only 5-foot-9 and played in a system that was conducive to massive numbers, but he’s talented enough that he’ll likely get picked somewhere in the second round.

Brannen Greene, Kansas, Jr: Greene has some potential as an NBA player given his height and his shooting ability, but I think his decision to the NBA had as much to do with the fact that he and Bill Self kept butting heads. Plus, with Kansas landing Josh Jackson, Greene would be coming off the bench as a senior.

Daniel Hamilton, UConn, So: Hamilton put up big numbers all season long but he’s a less-than-stellar athlete and a guy that never seemed to be the best player on the floor. Second round pick.

Brandon Ingram, Duke, Fr: Ingram could very well end up being the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. He was never anything other than a one-and-done prospect.

Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame, Jr: I think Jackson has a bright future in the NBA. He’s small but super-athletic with deep range, a nice handle and the ability to operate in pick-and-rolls. He’ll be a nice piece off the bench for an NBA team early in his career.

Stefan Jankovic, Hawai’i, Jr: I’m not sure Jankovic is going to be drafted, but it makes sense for him to move on. He spent four years on campus and will have a lucrative professional career wherever he ends up.

Damian Jones, Vanderbilt, Jr: Jones had a disappointing season for the Commodores in 2015-16, as he averaged just 13.9 points and 6.9 boards for projected top 15 team that stumbled their way into the First Four. He’s big and he’s athletic and he’s relatively young for a junior, but he doesn’t have much of a feel for the game or an ability to dominate on the glass.

Derrick Jones, UNLV, Fr: Derrick Jones could legitimately win the NBA dunk contest next season. That’s assuming he’s actually in the NBA. My guess? He goes undrafted.

Skal Labissiere, Kentucky, Fr: Smart move by Labissiere. The right move. I explain that here.

Thon Maker, High School: Maker is an interesting case. He’s had an incredible amount of hype surrounding him — mostly due to the fact that a few uninformed voices declared him the second-coming of Kevin Durant off of a mixtape — but he’s limited as a prospect. He’s a seven-footer with three point range, and the combination of his high-release and bald-head have inevitably led to Kevin Garnett comparisons. But Maker is not a fluid or particularly explosive athlete, and he’s got a long way to go to develop his game to the point that he can have an impact in college. Someone is going to fall in love with his potential in the mid-to-late first round.

Pat McCaw, UNLV, So: McCaw is a really intriguing prospect, with great size, length and skill for a two-guard. He was sensational early in the year but tailed off down the stretch. A border-line first rounder.

Lee Moore, UTEP, Jr: Moore averaged 14.1 points for UTEP last season. That’s good. Not good enough for him to hope for anything more than a late second round flier.

Dejounte Murray, Washington, Fr: Murray is a 6-foot-5 lead guard with a crazy wingspan that can beat a defender off the dribble, but he turns the ball over a ton and he was an inconsistent three-point shooter. He’s got a chance to be a late first round pick, but I think he gets picked in the early second round.

Jamal Murray, Kentucky, Fr: Again, the right decision here by Jamal Murray. He’s a projected top ten pick now that he’s embraced playing off the ball.

Goodluck Okonoboh, UNLV, So: Okonoboh entered the draft after transferring out of UNLV during the midseason. He’s long and he’s athletic, but UNLV was never able to get the most out of him.

Jakob Poeltl, Utah, So: Poeltl was projected as a first round pick after his freshman season, but he returned to school for his sophomore year and turned into one of the more improved players in the country. He added a low-post game and developed his ability to pass out of double teams. He’ll likely be a top ten pick.

Tim Quarterman, LSU, Jr: Quarterman is an interesting prospect, a big wing with handle and three-point range. How much did he hurt his stock playing on a team that was as disappointing as LSU this season?

Jalen Reynolds, Xavier, Jr: Reynolds is 23 years old and already has his degree in hand, so it’s not that much of a surprise that he’s leaving school, but it doesn’t mean he’s necessarily headed to the NBA. Reynolds is a ferocious athlete that never quite developed the way that Xavier had expected him to.

Domas Sabonis, Gonzaga, So: Sabonis is an intriguing prospect. He doesn’t have the physical tools and measurables that scouts love, but he’s a tough lefty that plays hard and rebounds, which are two things that translate well to the next level. He’ll likely be a mid-to-late first round pick.

Wayne Selden, Kansas, Jr: Selden finally showed what made him a McDonald’s All-American coming out of high school, albeit in flashes this season. He’s a projected second round pick.

Ben Simmons, LSU, Fr: Simmons is projected as one of the top two picks in the NBA Draft and could very well end up being the first pick. He just didn’t have much interest in being in college.

Diamond Stone, Maryland, Fr: Stone entered the 2015-16 season as a top ten prospect, but a good-but-not-great freshman season has him looking like a late-first round pick. He’s big and he’s strong, but the perimeter skill he showed off in high school was non-existent at Maryland.

Tyler Ulis, Kentucky, So: In October, I would have said there was no way that Ulis would be leaving after this season. But after being named a first-team all-American as a sophomore, Ulis looks like he’s destined to be a first round pick, if not a lottery pick. With Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox coming into the program, it was time for him to move on.

James Webb III, Boise State, Jr: Webb is an intriguing prospect, given his size, athleticism and shooting ability. But his three-point percentage dipped to 22.5% this season and he doesn’t have the kind of length that makes NBA teams excited. He’s a second round pick.

Devin Williams, West Virginia, So: The Mountaineers had a shot at being a top five next team next season. Losing Williams, their best rebounder and low post scorer, is a major, major blow. It should be noted here that he is expected to sign with an agent, but it’s not official just yet.

Stephen Zimmerman, UNLV: A consensus top ten recruit, Zimm opted to stay home and play for UNLV, a team that was so bad their head coach was fired three games into league play. There are tools there to build on. I think once teams get him in workouts he’ll end up being selected higher than the late first round, which is where he’s currently projected.

TESTING THE WATERS FOR NOW

Abdul-Malik Abu, N.C. State, So
Rosco Allen, Stanford, Jr
Tony Anderson, SE Missouri State, Fr
V.J. Beachem, Notre Dame, So
Ben Bentil, Providence, So
Antonio Blakeney, LSU, Fr
Jaron Blossomgame, Clemson, Jr
Trevon Blueitt, Xavier, So
Amida Brimah, UConn, Jr
Isaiah Briscoe, Kentucky, Fr
Dillon Brooks, Oregon, So
Elijah Brown, New Mexico, Jr
Antonio Campbell, Ohio, Jr
Conor Clifford, Washington State, Jr
Cheick Diallo, Kansas, Fr
Tyler Dorsey, Oregon, Fr
Vince Edwards, Purdue, So
Josh Hart, Villanova, Jr
Dominique Hawkins, Kentucky, Fr
Josh Hawkinson, Washington State, Jr
Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin, Jr
Ike Iroegbu, Washington State, Jr
Justin Jackson, North Carolina, So
Julian Jacobs, USC, Jr
Peter Jok, Iowa, Jr
Moses Kingsley, Arkansas, Jr
Marcus Lee, Kentucky, Jr
Makai Mason, Yale, So
Charles Matthews, Kentucky, Fr
Jahmal McMurray, South Florida, Fr
Dallas Moore, North Florida, Jr
Jalen Moore, Utah State, Jr
Mamadou Ndiaye, UC Irvine, Jr
Malik Newman, Mississippi State, Fr
Chris Obekpa, St. John’s, Jr
Chinanu Onuaku, Louisville, So
Alec Peters, Valparaiso, Jr
Malik Pope, San Diego State, So
Rodney Purvis, UConn, Jr
Malachi Richardson, Syracuse, Fr
Devin Robinson, Florida, So
Corey Sanders, Rutgers, Fr
Caleb Swanigan, Purdue, Fr
Isaiah Taylor, Texas, Jr
Trevor Thompson, Ohio State, So
Melo Trimble, Maryland, So
Aaron Valdes, Hawaii, Jr
Mo Watson, Creighton, Jr
Isaiah Whitehead, Seton Hall, So
Troy Williams, Indiana, Jr
Derek Willis, Kentucky, So.

RETURNING TO SCHOOL

Grayson Allen, Duke, So
Dwayne Bacon, FSU, Fr
Chris Boucher, Oregon, Jr
Thomas Bryant, Indiana, Fr
Dedric Lawson, Memphis, Fr
Monte’ Morris, Iowa State, Jr
Svi Mykhailiuk, Kansas, So
Edmund Sumner, Xavier, Fr
Allonzo Trier, Arizona, Fr

Countdown to Kentucky Derby begins.

By RICHARD ROSENBLATT

Nyquist, seen winning the 2015 Breeders' Cup, Juvenile is No. 2 on the points list but could be the favorite for the May 7 Kentucky Derby. Photo courtesy Breeders' Cup. (Photo/UPISports.com)

The road to the Kentucky Derby is just about over. Now comes the countdown to the first Saturday in May.

And it's always a jittery one for owners, trainers and jockeys.

Triple Crown winning trainer Bob Baffert likes to say all you can do at this point is keep your horses ''happy and healthy,'' then lead them on over to the track and watch them Run for the Roses.

The Arkansas Derby and Lexington Stakes over the weekend concluded a seven-month run of 34 Derby qualifying races in six states and two other countries. The Derby points have been added up, the field is limited to 20 starters, and if more are entered then total points determines who's in and who's out.

On Saturday, Creator stormed from last to first and won the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park to earn 100 points and rank sixth on the Derby leaderboard with 110 points. Suddenbreakingnews ran second, collected 40 points, and clinched his place in the field. He ranks 12th with 50 points.

All signs lead to Louisville. Creator will be on a plane to Churchill Downs on Monday; Suddenbreakingnews will arrive by van on Tuesday. The barns are filling up at the Downs.

''Everything's great,'' Elliott Walden, the racing manager for owner WinStar Farm, said Sunday, the morning after Creator's 1 1/4-length win.

Ditto for Donnie K. Von Hemel, who trains Suddenbreakingnews.

''You'll probably see him in the entry box'' for the Derby, Von Hemel said.

But anything can happen in the nerve-racking days before the Derby - or any big race for that matter. A little tweak in a 3-year-old's training - an awkward step, a slight fever - can end Derby dreams in an instant.

For now, here's a look at the field, and those horses on the bubble.

Louisiana Derby winner Gun Runner is atop the leaderboard with 151 points.

Currently sitting at No. 20 is Trojan Nation, an 81-1 long shot who ran second in the Wood Memorial to earn 40 points.

Five horses are on the bubble: Mo Tom, Fellowship, Adventist and Laoban (each with 32 points) and Dazzling Gem with 30 points. If a horse ranked above them drops out, the next in line moves up.

The top 20 features four trainers with two horses each.

- Baffert, who won the Triple Crown with American Pharoah, trains Mor Spirit (No. 8) and Cupid (No. 13). Cupid ran a disappointing 10th in the Arkansas Derby, but already had 50 points for winning Rebel Stakes. However, Cupid has not yet been declared a definite for the Derby.

- Steve Asmussen not only trains Gun Runner, he also has Creator in his barn. The trainer is a Hall of Fame finalist, and looking for his first Derby win.

- Todd Pletcher has Wood winner Outwork (No. 4) and Tampa Bay Derby winner Destin (No. 11)

- Chad Brown has Shagaf and My Man Sam, runner-up in the Blue Grass.

As of Sunday, seven of the top 20 3-year-olds are in their Derby stalls. Among them is Lani, the Japan-based colt who won the UAE Derby in Dubai in March.

Fellowship, ranked 22nd, had a workout at Churchill on Sunday. Assistant trainer Norman Casse is hopeful his horse gets in.

''Obviously, there will have to be some defections for us to run,'' Casse said, adding another workout is planned next week. ''But it's still too early to tell for sure. ... If he gets in he deserves a shot, but he'll have to work his way in.''

Collected won the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland for 10 points, but the Baffert-trained colt finished with only 21 points.

Oscar Nominated won the Spiral Stakes for 50 points, but owner Ken Ramsey had not nominated him for the Triple Crown races. He said last week he would pay the $200,000 supplemental entry fee to get his horse in the race - whether he has someone to put up the money and become a partner or not.

''So far as I know he's still on board,'' Ramsey said of an unidentified person who told the owner he'd put up the money and share in any Triple Crown money the horse earned. ''But ir-regardless of whether he stays on board or doesn't stay on board, the horse will be in the Kentucky Derby.''

Follow-up: 2016 Kentucky Derby field comes into focus.

By Robert Kieckhefer

The tentative field for the May 7 Kentucky Derby, based on points earned in qualifying races designated by Churchill Downs, with trainer:

1. GUN RUNNER, winner of the Louisiana Derby (Steve Asmussen)

2. NYQUIST, undefeated winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Florida Derby, 2015 2-year-old champion (Doug O'Neill)

3. EXAGGERATOR, winner of the Santa Anita Derby (J. Keith Desormeaux)

4. OUTWORK, winner of the Wood Memorial (Todd Pletcher)

5. BRODY'S CAUSE, winner of the Blue Grass (Dale Romans)

6. CREATOR, winner of the Arkansas Derby (Asmussen)

7. LANI, winner of the UAE Derby in Dubai (Mikio Matusnaga)

8. MOR SPIRIT, second in the Santa Anita Derby, winner of the Robert B. Lewis (Bob Baffert)

9. MOHAYMEN, fourth in the Florida Derby, winner of the Fountain of Youth (Kieran McLaughlin)

10. DANZING CANDY, fourth in the Santa Anita Derby, winner of the San Felipe (Cliff Size Jr.)

11. DESTIN, winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (Pletcher)

12. CUPID, 10th in the Arkansas Derby, winner of the Rebel (Baffert)

13. SUDDENBREAKINGNEWS, second in the Arkansas Derby, winner of the Southwest (Donnie K. Von Hemel)

14. OSCAR NOMINATED, winner of the Spiral Stakes (all-weather) (Mike Maker)

15. SHAGAF, fifth in the Wood Memorial, winner of the Gotham (Chad Brown)

16. WHITMORE, third in the Arkansas Derby, second in both the Southwest and the Rebel (Ron Moquett)

17. TOM'S READY, second in the Louisiana Derby (Dallas Stewart)

18. MY MAN SAM, second in the Blue Grass (Brown)

19. MAJESTO, second in the Florida Derby (Gustavo Delgado)

20. TROJAN NATION, second in the Wood Memorial (Patrick Gallagher)

Should any of those not run, the list of replacements is, in order:

21. MO TOM, fourth in the Louisiana Derby (Tom Amoss)

22. FELLOWSHIP, third in the Florida Derby and Fountain of Youth (Mark Casse)

23. ADVENTIST, third in the Wood Memorial and Gotham (Leah Gyarmati)

24. LAOBAN, fourth in the Blue Grass and second in the Gotham (Eric Guillot)

25. DAZZLING GEM, fourth in the Arkansas Derby and third in the Louisiana Derby (Brad Cox)

26. CHERRY WINE, third in the Blue Grass, fourth in the Rebel (Romans)

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, April 20, 2016.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1912 - Fenway Park opened as the home of the Boston Red Sox.

1916 - Chicago's Wrigley Field held its first Cubs game with the first National League game at the ballpark. The Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-6 in 11 innings.

1953 - The Boston marathon was won by Keizo Yamada with a record time of 2 hours, 18 minutes and 51 seconds.

1998 - Kenyan runner Moses Tanui, 32, won the Boston Marathon for the second time. He also registered the third fastest time with 2 hours 7 minutes and 34 seconds.

2003 - The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Washington Capitals 2-1 in the third overtime to win the series 4-2. It was the first time in the 11-year history of the Tampa Bay franchise that they advanced in the playoffs.

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