CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Wednesday Sports News Update, 05/18/2016.

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"Sports Quote of the Day"

"Vision gets the dreams started. Dreaming employs your God-given imagination to reinforce the vision. Both are part of something I believe is absolutely necessary to building the life of a champion, a winner, a person of high character who is consistently at the top of whatever game he or she is in." ~ Emmitt Smith, All-time leading rusher in the NFL

Trending: Preakness Stakes 2016 schedule: Times, TV coverage, odds, events and more for the week. (See the last two articles on this blog for Preakness updates).

Trending: Bears release training camp schedule. (See the football section for Bears updates).

Trending: 100th Indianapolis 500 team preview: All teams. (See the Indianapolis 500 motor section for race updates).

Trending: Blackhawks need to move quickly with Artemi Panarin. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates).

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

                                                Cubs 2016 Record: 27-10

                                                White Sox 2016 Record: 24-15

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

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Playing Kyle Long at left tackle is the best move for the Bears offensive line.

By Phil Ottochian

(Photo/Bearswire.com)

John Fox and Ryan Pace have repeatedly stated that the best five offensive linemen will be the starters, regardless of position, with the idea that they will find a spot for each of the best players, even if that means putting them somewhere new.

This idea opened up endless speculation for both the media and fans. The Chicago Bears have many offensive linemen who are very capable of playing three or more positions on the line at a very high level. Everyone seems to have the answers for how this competition will shake out, except for the coaches actually making the decisions, who will let their players’ performances in practice shape the offensive line for them.

All of the speculators and so-called experts are convinced that the Bears’ best offensive lineman, Kyle Long, is locked in as the team’s starting right guard. They abstain from the possibility of him being a tackle again because some talking head said so, as if reporters have it figured out before the coaching staff does. Understanding the Kyle Long chapter requires a real understanding of football and the reality of winning at all costs.

He belongs as the Bears’ left tackle, and there are plenty of signs pointing to it. If you think it can’t happen or won’t happen because “Kyle Long said so” then you aren’t looking at the big picture. The real truth, the thing that stands out like a sore thumb, are the things that make all the difference in winning franchises, what Fox is working to build.

The teams that win championships are the ones that put their best players on the field in the position that best helps the team win on Sundays. Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll get all the praise for doing this, but at the same time, people often fail to look at the direction or path that those franchises took to get to the point of winning.

They always started the best players, no matter where they were drafted, and they had no issues moving players around into the best position to help the team. They rewarded and coached up those players to improve in their position and ultimately help them win Super Bowls.

Meanwhile in Chicago, the fans are debating the importance of a guard verses an offensive tackle, as if this is a real question. But again, this is the same city with some fans that debated whether Jay Cutler was even a good quarterback or if he should start for the team in the new John Fox administration.

Clearly, Pace and Fox have tuned out the noise outside the locker room and do not care how the national media may see the Bears. It’s time for Bears fans to embrace change and believe in what could happen, and not what they think should or shouldn’t happen. Just like in the game of football itself, it all starts up front.

This is about protecting the most important and expensive asset on the offense, Jay Cutler. Poor offensive line play has held him back for years, and the team is building around him for a reason. That is why they are going to put their best five offensive linemen on the field, and the best way to maximize the starting combination is with the best blocker at the premier position of left tackle.

Kyle Long is the team’s best offensive lineman by a wide margin. He’s big at 6-foot-6, with 328 pounds of lean and powerful muscle. He is as athletic as they come for an offensive lineman, and he’s still just scratching the surface of how good he can become.

His size isn’t even his best attribute. His feet and athleticism make him special, and for the offensive line, the feet is where the analysis begins. Every offensive line coach worth his weight will ask about a prospect’s feet because you can’t teach great balance and footwork to large human beings. You can coach it up, but when you have a special athlete with tremendous balance and confident feet, you have won over half the battle in finding a franchise offensive tackle.

Long had limited experience under his belt in college, and his path to the big time is one that is truly remarkable. He went from a baseball miscreant, to a junior-college defensive end, to a rotational offensive lineman at Oregon, to a first-round pick, on his way to the Pro Bowl in his first two seasons as both a guard and tackle. He’s the football version of Forrest Gump.

Long is an offensive line coach’s silly putty, ready to be molded and used in any and every way imaginable. That’s why he has been used all over so far in his career, because he’s so athletically gifted and versatile. It’s an extremely rare set of skills that make him so valuable for the offense.

When Long steps with perfect technique and locks out defenders with his long arms, he can dominate anyone in the league. The key word here is dominate. You may have been sold that Long is a better guard than he is a tackle, but that idea misses the bigger picture of his career and what is best for the team and ultimately the player himself.

Long was thrown into the fire at right tackle with just one week of preparation to face the rival Green Bay Packers, and he still played pretty darn well for a guy who had to take on Julius Peppers while learning a new position.

Although guard in the NFL is extremely difficult to play, coaches around the league will tell you it is easier to play than being isolated outside on the edge at tackle, one-on-one with the game’s best athletes. Inside at guard, you’re protected in a phone booth next to the center, and blocking schemes are often designed to help the interior cover up inferior players.

At right tackle, Long was able to combo block, scoop and use his speed and athleticism to get to inside defensive linemen, some of the hardest blocks for offensive tackles to execute. Even in his first game at the position, he showed plays full of promise and force, and when he loses technique he covers over it with athleticism.

It is obvious that Long puts in the offseason work in an effort to become the best he can possibly be, and he has voiced his preference to which position he feels most comfortable at on the field. But right there, just pause and put yourself in the position of a coach who has a player with Long’s ability.

All players will have their doubts of what they can do or could be in the NFL or on any level of football. It is the responsibility of the coach to place the player in the position to help the team and at the same time help the player reach their potential. Long clearly has all of the tools to be the pillar piece of the Chicago Bears’ offensive line. When he faced off versus some of the best pass-rushers in football, again at a position he was still learning, he held his own and played with heart and good technique.

The word “can’t” should never be used when talking about this player. How many people said he was a reach in the first round? How many people were certain that he was going to play guard last season? Even he thought he was going to be playing guard until late August. Everyone who doubted him eats their words every time he lines up on the field.

You put your highest expectations on your best players because you know what they are capable of and you know they can succeed and excel in whatever you ask of them. The Bears have lacked a dominant force at left tackle since Jimbo Covert lined up for the team 32 years ago, and it is time for this coaching staff to fix that by putting their most capable player at the position where he’s needed most.

The Bears have a polished rookie guard in Cody Whitehair, two reliable veterans in Ted Larsen and Manny Ramirez, and a developing second-year center in Hroniss Grasu. They have depth and talent on the interior. The tackle position is another story, with Charles Leno and Bobby Massie as the only legitimate options.

When Larsen signed with the Bears, The Chicago Tribune and ESPN’s Adam Caplan reported that the team expects him to start. When Ramirez signed, he told the Tribune “They basically told me it is an opportunity to gain a starting position at one of the inside spots.”

Add Grasu and Whitehair into the mix, and you have four capable players all competing for three starting spots. Why add Long to the mix to make it five, when you have only two offensive tackles who don’t have any real competition for their jobs?

Would you rather have Charles Leno or Kyle Long going one-on-one against Clay Matthews and Ezekiel Ansah for two games each? This team has plenty of starting options at guard, not including Long, and there is a much bigger need at the much more important offensive tackle positions.

As we move towards training camp, don’t be surprised if the Bears make the right move and have Long playing where they need him most — on the outside at the most important position on the offensive line — left tackle.

Bears release training camp schedule.

By Larry Mayer

(Photo/Nick Suydam)

The Bears will conduct training camp from July 27 through Aug. 9 at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, where fans will be able to watch practice and park free of charge.

The Bears will hold training camp at ONU for the 15th straight summer. The campus is located 60 miles south of Chicago and boasts four practice fields, air-conditioned locker rooms and dining facilities, a weight room, meeting rooms, and dorms for players and staff.

The Bears' stay in Bourbonnais will be about a week shorter than usual because they will practice with the Patriots in New England leading up to a preseason game between the teams.

After reporting to ONU July 27, the Bears will practice for the first time at 9:35 a.m. Thursday, July 28. They will practice in pads for the first time at 9:35 a.m. Saturday, July 30. Their final workout open to the public in Bourbonnais is scheduled for 9:35 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9.

The Bears will practice with the Patriots Aug. 15-17 at Gillette Stadium, with the first two sessions on Monday and Tuesday free and open to the public. Wednesday's workout will be closed.

Of the 10 practices in Bourbonnais, five will begin at 9:35 a.m. and five will start at 11:15 a.m. The Bears will conduct their Family Fest practice at Soldier Field on Saturday, Aug. 6 (time TBD). Tickets will start at $10 and go on sale sometime in early June.

For 9:35 a.m. practices, gates will open at 8:30 a.m. with warm-ups beginning at 8:50 a.m. and practice concluding at 11:30 a.m. For 11:15 a.m. practices, gates will open at 10 a.m. with warm-ups starting at 10:30 a.m. and practice ending at 1:10 p.m.

The training camp site on the Olivet Nazarene campus includes a kids' interactive area, a pro shop, and a promotional area with games and prizes. In addition, the Bears will host special family-friendly events and theme days during their stay in Bourbonnais.

Click here for complete training camp schedule and additional information.

Bears sign three players following rookie minicamp.

By Lorin Cox

(Photo/Bearswire.com)

The Chicago Bears had 64 players at their three-day rookie minicamp this year, including all nine of their draft picks, the ten undrafted free agents they had already signed and six second-year players who were also already under contract. Following the last day of practice, the team announced it was signing three additional rookies from the group that participated to three-year deals.

Defensive lineman Kenton Adeyemi ran a 4.92 40-yard dash at his Connecticut Pro Day at 6-foot-4, 288 pounds, and he has the ability to play both the five-technique defensive end position and the three-technique defensive tackle spot in sub packages.

Kieren Duncan is a speedy receiver who was reportedly clocked in at under 4.3 seconds in his 40-yard dash at the Colorado State-Pueblo Pro Day. He didn’t have elite production even at his small school, but he does offer versatility as both a kickoff and punt returner, and he has drawn comparisons to Arizona Cardinals’ receiver John Brown.

The Bears had scouts at punter Ben LeCompte’s North Dakota State Pro Day. At only 5-foot-9, he’s a smaller punter, but he averaged 45.8 yards per punts this season while also handling kickoff duty. Chicago didn’t previously have any competition for either Pat O’Donnell or Robbie Gould, who LeCompte said was his favorite player growing up.

All three of these players are long-shots to make the Bears’ final 53-man roster, but all it takes is one injury and some hard work for one of these players to make a name for themselves and work towards building an NFL career.

The Bears still have yet to announce the corresponding roster moves to make room for these three new players, as their roster was at its full 90-man limit heading into the weekend. Ryan Pace also has to clear room for his two unsigned draft picks, Leonard Floyd and Jonathan Bullard, so there should be five cuts coming to the team’s roster in the near future.

Undrafted Division-III tight end has traits to make Bears roster.

By Phil Ottochian

Ryan Pace has looked far and wide this offseason to find talent to help the competition on the Chicago Bears roster at every position. He signed undrafted free agent tight end Joe Sommers from the tiny Division-III University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh immediately after the draft.

That said, don’t pass over the D-III All-American tight end just because he’s from a small school in a city best known for its children’s overalls. Pace isn’t trying to write a nice story here. They aggressively pursued Sommers for a reason, and a closer look at the tape shows you exactly why.

The 6-foot-3, 245 pound Oshkosh Titan stands out on tape with some very good hands and an ability to turn upfield and outrun the defense. Sommers caught 25 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns in 10 starts in 2015 and he plays with the kind of athleticism and passion that small school players will need to have in order to make it at the pro level.

Sommers’ best attribute may be his aggressive nature and technically sound run blocking. He enjoys contact on the field and plays with a chip on his shoulder when it comes to special teams. He runs down the field looking for someone to block and destroy on every down. He also has some good polish in his route-running and seems to have a second gear when he hits the stem.

Sommers runs high and lacks the polish you want to see on the NFL level, but with good coaching and hard work on technique, he’s a player the Bears can stash on the practice squad and build into a player that can compete week in and week out.

The talent is there but the experience and the level of competition are not, making it extremely important that he proves in preseason that he belongs. When the pads come on, he will have to play with the same edge and confidence that comes off on his college tape.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks need to move quickly with Artemi Panarin.

By Robert Zeglinski

(Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports)

Panarin has one year left on his initial NHL deal with bonuses and Stan Bowman needs to be proactive more than ever.

After reaching every performance bonus escalator in his rookie season in the NHL, Artemi Panarin proved to be the player the Blackhawks needed to add to their core and more. Who can argue with an electrifying season where the 24-year-old combined with Patrick Kane to produce most of Chicago's offense?

You can argue his age as a rookie or KHL experience all you want. The fact of the matter is that 30 goals scored to go with 77 points produced overall is special and has Panarin factored into all future Stanley Cup dreams. It was beyond a pleasant surprise to see him excel so much as a genuine star.

However, Panarin leaves Chicago in a precarious cap position, albeit this being a problem they don't mind having. It's no secret the Hawks have had to salary cap purges in this era. That's the price of success and locking down a core most teams would love to have. Just last offseason, the organization was forced to part ways with guys like Patrick Sharp, Johnny Oduya, and, of course, Brandon Saad.

The now Blue Jackets forward's departure from Chicago is what the Panarin situation may eventually be compared to if Chicago can't sign the talented left wing long term.

The former top line winger in Saad famously "bet on himself" in the 2014 offseason when the Hawks couldn't come to an agreement with him of any kind. Saad went on to a 52-point regular season and 11-point, eight-goal playoff performance in 2015. He grew into a top line role with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa that had teams like Columbus chomping at the bit to force the Hawks to match contract offers.

Chicago of course didn't, as they had nowhere near the space for the six-year, $36 million dollar deal Saad eventually received from the Jackets. You may say he priced himself out, but who can blame a two-way 30-goal scorer (as he was this season with Columbus) for not making the most out of his value while he can? That's the nature of the business.

There are a lot of contributing factors into why GM Stan Bowman wasn't able to prevent this situation. The Bryan Bickell deal likely lingered for one as it affected most of the recent transactions by Chicago. It's why a bridge deal was discussed where Saad would've signed a shorter term contract with promise of a long term reward once the Hawks could effectively clear cap room when it expired. That's what happened with Marcus Kruger and might happen again with Andrew Shaw. However, it's clear that Saad didn't want to play into extraneous factors and tempt fate in that fashion and it paid off.

The Blackhawks received a decent enough return in trading Saad with Artem Anisimov, a long term second line center they've been yearning for, and Marko Dano (who they eventually traded for Andrew Ladd), but there's no doubt Saad's absence was felt.

You don't so readily replace a 23-year-old star level player who played both ends of the ice after all. In turn, a carousel of guys were run through on the first line with Toews as the Hawks never quite found the consistent answer that Saad proved to be. We've been lamenting that loss in many ways since.

This leads us back to Panarin, who by all accounts, Bowman was able to snag away from several other valued suitors in the league. We see now that all of that attention and praise was more than worthy and that it wouldn't reflect well on the organization to let him slip away so easily.

He's clearly worth every bit of his $3,387,500 earnings this season. In fact, that might be too little for a playmaker and potential star of his caliber. If the Blackhawks lose another young star like this, we might be kissing the Cup window for the Toews and Kane era goodbye.

It's one thing to lose replacement level or aging players but not guys just hitting their prime that are so integral to keeping the whole operation from falling apart. The Hawks lost Saad and are still licking their wounds in trying to find anyone to adequately fill that top line left wing role on a permanent basis. If lightning strikes twice and you lose such an offensive creator like Panarin, too, it's not likely the Hawks ever find a suitable replacement in time to maximize their current championship window that we concern ourselves with so much.

Kane's offensive burden only becomes that much more difficult in that scenario as well.

That's why it's so pertinent to sign Panarin this summer to any kind of deal, be it long term or a bridge contract, no matter the extenuating circumstances while keeping everything in play. His play and future is too important to the Hawks' near future. Discussions of trading Andrew Shaw and all of his $2 million cap hit are almost certain unless the Blackhawks can trade Bickell.

As noted here a few weeks ago, keeping Bickell on the books means Shaw is gone because you have to make room for Panarin's bonuses. Trading Shaw alone makes room for Panarin this summer, but not necessarily the kind of contract he may be preliminarily seeking. Trading Bickell instead (which has obviously been quite difficult and hamstrung this team in more ways than one) could open Chicago up to retaining Shaw and resigning Panarin long term or to a bridge deal immediately, and possibly even leave space for someone like Teuvo Teravainen. Buying Bickell out would partially relieve you of his cap hit but still leave enough lingering money, $1.5 million to be exact, that would then possibly prevent you from signing Teravainen.

The possibilities and doomsday scenarios are endless as well as continually frustrating.

That is, if you're prioritizing Panarin first, which you should be.

Whatever path is taken, Bowman is going to have to work his wizardry here with Panarin, because if not, he'll have that difficult task of the line of choosing between which players to keep and which will probably have to walk. Panarin is at the top of every single list, bar none. But obviously there are these complications and past precedents set.

I don't know how you say "I'm betting on myself" in Russian, but the Blackhawks better hope they're not learning anytime soon.

Cubs narrowly avoid being no-hit in loss to Brewers.

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

It looked like the Cubs would be taking batting practice on Tuesday night at Miller Park against Chase Anderson and a rebuilding Milwaukee Brewers team that’s playing for the future.

Dexter Fowler led off the game by driving a ball out to the warning track in center field, the Cubs playing inside a climate-controlled dome instead of the swirling, in-your-face winds at Wrigley Field. Anderson then needed Kirk Nieuwenhuis to make a leaping catch at the left-center field wall to rob Kris Bryant, ending his first inning against the team with the best record in baseball.

But a funny thing happened to the Cubs on the way to their postgame dance party: Anderson took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and finished one out away from a complete-game shutout.

Back-to-back homers from Jason Heyward and Bryant in the ninth inning became too little, too late for the Cubs in a 4-2 loss in front of 24,361 and a social-media audience that had to be wondering: Wait…who?

The trending topic became Anderson, a 28-year-old right-hander the Brewers acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Jean Segura trade – and began the day with a 1-5 record and a 6.11 ERA.

Miguel Montero broke up the perfect game by working an eight-pitch walk with one out in the sixth inning. Ben Zobrist ended the suspense leading off the eighth inning, blasting a double that sailed over Nieuwenhuis’ head.

Cubs see Jason Heyward's 'baseball luck' evening out.

By Tony Andracki

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Good luck trying to make sense of Jason Heyward's offensive struggles this season.

Heyward is a career .266 hitter with a .777 OPS, yet he sits at .236 and .620, respectively, in those marks entering play Tuesday.

Heyward is riding a quiet seven-game hitting streak in which he's raised his season average 34 points.

He was 5-for-11 against the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend, but he's not ready to tempt the baseball gods just yet and say his "baseball luck" is returning to normal levels.

"I'm not gonna say it's evened out yet," Heyward laughed. "But it's good to contribute."

Heyward credited his timing with improved production on the field, which has helped his hits find holes.

He had not been so lucky the first six weeks or so of the season when hard-hit ball after hard-hit ball found defenders' gloves.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon believes Heyward's baseball luck is returning. 

"It's got to," Maddon said. "He's been maligned about not hitting high enough, but that one week we had in St. Louis and Cincinnati, he must've had eight line drives - I mean really well-struck line drives - caught.

"It's gonna come back to him. It's gonna shift back in his favor because he doesn't cave. He doesn't give in. He's not lost confidence. He understands."

Heyward's bad luck this season passes the eye test. For those who have watched the Cubs closely this season, it's easy to understand what Maddon is saying and believe Heyward's luck is turning simply because it has to.

Yet the advanced stats don't necessarily tell the same story.

Typically, when a player is struggling with bad baseball luck as a hitter, their batting average on balls in play (BABIP) is uncharacteristically low. Yet Heyward's .303 mark on the season is only six points off his career mark (.309) and only 26 points off his 2015 BABIP, when he posted a .293 average on the season.

Heyward's strikeout percentage (18.8 percent) is higher than it had been from 2013-15, but still only slightly above his career norm (18.5 percent).

His walk percentage is way up (13.4 percent compared to 9.2 percent last year and 10.6 percent in his career), which should point to better strike zone judgement that typically correlates with a high batting average.

Heyward is also hitting the ball on the ground a lot less than he did last season (46.5 percent in 2016 compared to 57.2 percent) and hitting more line drives (26.3 percent, way above his 18.7 percent career line drive percentage), which should point to a higher batting average.

But here's where things get even more strange: Despite a huge increase in line drives, Heyward's hard-hit percentage is at a career-low 20 percent while his soft-hit percentage is at the highest its been since his second year in the big leagues (2011).

Even a look at more mainstream numbers highlights a worrisome start to the season for Heyward. His slugging percentage is a woeful .276, which is the second-lowest mark in the National League, ahead of only Erick Aybar (who has a .213 SLG).

So what does all this mean?

You can group a bunch of those statistics together and make a justified claim that Heyward has simply been unlucky this year.

You can also grab a few numbers and make a case that Heyward has regressed in his age-26 season.

Regardless of reasoning — Is the $184-million contract weighing on him? Is his wrist injury sapping some power? Has he just been unlucky? — the Cubs are still pretty happy with what production they've gotten from Heyward to date.

Thanks to his high walk rate, Heyward has a .345 on-base percentage and is on pace to score 86 runs while setting the table for Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist.

Maddon has insisted on keeping Heyward in the two-hole to date and doesn't see any reason to move him down. 

Plus, if Heyward is not hitting the ball with much authority, moving him down behind the heart of the order won't help the Cubs at all.

"His on-base percentage is over 100 points higher than his average hitting," Maddon said. "That is a great guy to have in the two-hole. The rest of the stuff - the power, the gappers - all that stuff's gonna come.

"But I like the way he's starting to get on time. He's starting to show up on time and that's when it's gonna get good for him."

White Sox drop fifth game in six tries, fall to Astros extras.

By Dan Hayes

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The White Sox let another winnable game get away on Tuesday night.

General manager Rick Hahn spoke of his disappointment before Tuesday’s contest because he thought the White Sox should have had more than two wins on their last road trip. A 6-5 loss in 11 innings to the Houston Astros in front of 13,481 at U.S. Cellular Field couldn’t have made Hahn feel much better.

Though the White Sox tied the game in the ninth inning, they missed out on several key scoring opportunities throughout the contest. Evan Gattis made them pay with a two-out, two-run homer off Matt Albers on an 0-2 pitch that sent the White Sox to their fifth loss in six games.

Tyler White homered twice and also doubled for Houston.

The White Sox bullpen continues to look very hittable over the past eight days after an incredible run to start the season. A group that posted a 1.69 ERA in April has a 5.03 ERA in 39 1/3 innings in May, including three more runs in five innings Tuesday.

With the go-ahead run at second, Gattis fell behind Albers in the count 0-2. But Albers left a 92-mph sinker up and Gattis lined it into the left-field bullpen for a two-run shot. Zach Putnam also allowed a run in the eighth inning.

The White Sox also scored two runs off the Astros’ bullpen. Adam Eaton’s RBI double off Tony Sipp in the bottom of the 11th got the White Sox within a run. Tyler Saladino also had a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning as Houston closer Luke Gregerson blew a save. But Gregerson extended the contest to extra innings as he got Jose Abreu to ground out and strand a pair of runners. Abreu, whose fourth-inning solo homer got the White Sox on the board, also struck out to end the fifth and seventh innings with a combined five runners aboard.

The White Sox seemed to have Houston starter Dallas Keuchel on the ropes in the seventh inning as he walked the first two batters he faced on eight consecutive balls.

Even so, the White Sox immediately called for a sacrifice bunt from Saladino, who fouled off the first pitch and then laid one down just in front of home plate, which led to a force out at third base. Working with men on first and second, Keuchel couldn’t work out of the jam as he then walked Eaton on four pitches to load the bases.

But Ken Giles took over and got Keuchel and the Astros out of the jam. Giles struck out Jimmy Rollins and Abreu consecutively to strand the bases loaded.

In an attempt to challenge more hitters, Carlos Rodon worked at a higher fastball velocity all evening and had some success. He hit 98 mph on the radar gun and struck out seven batters and only walked one.

But White met two of Rodon’s challenges, homering to nearly the same spot on both to put Houston up 2-0. White’s homers came on 3-2 and 3-1 counts, respectively.

Rodon allowed three runs (two earned) and six hits in six innings.

The White Sox didn’t have many early chances against Keuchel. The reigning AL Cy Young winner retired the first 11 batters he faced until Abreu homered to center in the fourth inning to get the White Sox within a run.

The White Sox pulled ahead in the bottom of the fifth on four consecutive two-out hits. Dioner Navarro and Saladino doubled, which made it a 2-2 game. Eaton then singled in a run to put the White Sox ahead and Rollins singled. But Keuchel struck out Abreu to strand the pair.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Chicago Bulls: 5 Potential 2016 NBA Free Agency Targets. The writers' prognostication starts.....

By Evan Massey

Al Horford #15 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts after hitting a three-point basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on May 6, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls were unable to make the playoffs this season and it was a disappointing season to say the least. Fred Hoiberg took over as the Bulls’ head coach after Tom Thibodeau was let go last offseason. He didn’t do a poor job, but the Bulls will need to hit free agency hard to bring in more talent for him to work with this coming offseason.

Jimmy Butler struggled with injuries throughout a large chunk of the season. Derrick Rose once again had some injury issues throughout the year as well.

Pau Gasol is set to hit open free agency after playing the second season of his three-year, $22.3 million contract. He will opt out of his deal and will hope to find a better deal elsewhere. Chicago could still look to bring him back, but there will be a lot of other teams interested as well.

Chicago is expected to have just over $16 million in cap space this coming offseason. That will give them a little bit of flexibility in free agency, although there are other ways to clear up more space if they need it.

All of that being said, what five free agents could be potential targets for the Chicago Bulls this offseason?

Dwight Howard, Center, Houston Rockets

There were rumors around the trade deadline that the Bulls could be interested in a trade for Dwight Howard. He would be a very solid addition for their front-court and would add a lot to the defensive side of the court. Chicago is looking to make a splash and that is exactly what they would get with Howard.

Pau Gasol, Power Forward/Center, Chicago Bulls

Finding a way to re-sign Gasol could be on the Bulls’ checklist this coming offseason. He wants a better contract and may not want to return to Chicago, but they will check his interest. Gasol was a great fit for the Bulls over the past two seasons and if they can bring him back he will continue to be one.

Al Horford, Power Forward/Center, Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta is going to do everything they can to bring Al Horford back in free agency, but the Bulls could make a push to sign him. As would be the case with the previous two players, Chicago would have to figure out a way to open up more money to sign Horford. He would fit perfectly into the Bulls’ front-court and would give Hoiberg exactly the kind of offensive weapon that he needed last season.

Jamal Crawford, Shooting Guard, Los Angeles Clippers

Bringing in more of a scoring punch off the bench will be something that the Bulls are interested in this offseason as well. He averaged 14.2 points, 2.3 assists and 1.8 rebounds per game. Crawford would be an excellent addition for the Bulls and returning to Chicago might very well be of interest to Crawford.

Brandon Jennings, Point Guard, Orlando Magic

Another potential bench option for the Bulls would be point guard Brandon Jennings. He would be a solid pickup for the second unit and would be more than capable of stepping into the starting lineup whenever Rose is dealing with injury troubles. Jennings is a capable scorer and would be an affordable pickup for the Bulls.

Expect to see the Bulls looking to make a move or two when free agency opens up. They want to get back into postseason contention next season, but an upgrade to the roster must happen. Chicago has always been an intriguing landing spot for free agents and that will be the case once again this offseason.

No 2008 repeat: Bulls will select 14th in 2016 NBA Draft.

CSN Staff

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The last time the Bulls were part of the NBA Lottery they defied odds and earned the top overall selection in the 2008 draft, eventually selecting Derrick Rose.

Lighting didn't strike twice Tuesday night, as the Bulls were not among the lottery winners. That means they will select No. 14 in June's draft.

The Bulls had less than a two percent chance of moving into the top three selections in the draft, and just a 0.5 percent chance of receiving the first pick.

Zero teams jumped up from where their odds had them pegged entering the lottery. The Philadelphia 76ers will select first, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics (via Brooklyn).

Here's a look at the lottery order:

1. Philadelphia 76ers

2. Los Angeles Lakers

3. Boston Celtics (via Brooklyn)

4. Phoenix Suns

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

6. New Orleans Pelicans

7. Denver Nuggets (via New York)

8. Sacramento Kings

9. Toronto Raptors (via Denver)

10. Milwaukee Bucks

11. Orlando Magic

12. Utah Jazz

13. Phoenix Suns (via Washington)

14. Chicago Bulls

Golf: I got a club for that..... AT&T Byron Nelson preview: Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson headline field.

TheSportingNews.com

Jordan Spieth will try to avenge his missed cut at last week's Players Championship in Texas. (Photo/Thesportingnews.com) 

Jordan Spieth returns to Texas where he'll try to win his first tournament in his home state as he headlines the field at this week's AT&T Byron Nelson near Dallas.

The No. 2 golfer in the world rankings is coming off an ugly missed cut at the Players Championship — his first start since collapsing at the Masters. 

Though Spieth has finished second in each of the other three Texas tournaments, he has failed to improve upon the t-16 he posted here as a teenager. 

Last year, Steven Bowditch opened with a 62 and closed with a 64 to earn a surprise victory. He made 27 birdies over four days, but he has struggled mightily so far this season.

The Byron Nelson is played on the entertaining TPC Four Seasons Resort, where Keegan Bradley grabbed the course record when he shot a 60 in 2013.

Birdies will be flying once again this year as this par 70 offers a mixture of risk-reward holes.

Here are this week's top golfers:

Jordan Spieth (world ranking: 2) — Spieth has a lot of pressure on him heading home this week. Questions about his form following Augusta will continue to swirl until he wins again. Texas hasn't been too kind to Spieth in his young career, but this could be the week he breaks through if he can put his slicing woes behind him. Fantasy advice: He might be too expensive this week in a deep field featuring 10 of the top 30 golfers in the world.

Dustin Johnson (8) — Johnson has finished in the top 10 (t-8, t-7) in each of the last two years here. The long-hitting American hasn't won since the WGC-Cadillac Championship last spring, but he's collected 14 top 10s since then. Putting has given Johnson fits at times during that stretch. Yet, he remains one of the favorites every week he tees it up. Fantasy advice: We like Johnson this week. He is a top-10 machine that makes a lot of birdies.

Zach Johnson (18) — It's hard to believe Johnson is 40 years old, but he continues to excel on tour with his fantastic wedge game and putting. Last year's Open Championship winner finished fifth here last season. Though he enters the week without a top 10 in a stroke play event since the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March. Fantasy advice: He should be a safe play as he rarely misses the cut. 

Charl Schwartzel (21) — Winner at the Valspar Championship earlier this year, Schwartzel has three wins in his last nine starts worldwide. Couple that with the fact he's finished in the top 11 two out of the last three years here, and the South African should enjoy a successful week. Fantasy advice: Schwartzel has not played since missing the cut at the Masters, but he's an intriguing play in bigger tournaments.

Matt Kuchar (23) — Kuchar looked sharp while finishing t-3 at the Players Championship last week. Often smiling, Kuchar now has four top 10s this season as he looks to rebound from a poor year last year. He finished t-7 here in 2014. Fantasy advice: When Kuchar is in form he's a virtual lock for a top 10. Play with confidence.

Others to watch:

Louis Oosthuizen, Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia, Danny Lee, Brandt Snedeker

Sleepers:

Tony Finau, Jonas Blixt, Bud Cauley, Charley Hoffman, Colt Knost

R&A Introduces New Pace of Play Manual to Speed Up Slow Golf.

By Golf.com Staff

(Photo/Golf.com)

Golf's oldest governing body is taking steps to make sure the ancient game doesn't take, well, forever.

The R&A published a new manual for clubs and their golfers on Tuesday offering guidance on how to improve pace of play.

After research showed that 60% of golfers, particularly younger participants, would enjoy the game more if it wasn't so slow, the R&A began to look at ways to make the game faster, and they identified three key issues: management, course setup and player behavior.

Good news, folks: the R&A places most of the blame for endless stop-and-start rounds at the feet of the people who run golf courses, not the players themselves.

"Individual players can, of course, have a negative effect on pace of play, but that effect may be relatively insignificant when compared to the impact that course management practices and ill considered course set up can have."

They suggest that crowded scheduling and difficult setups are largely responsible for slowing down play. The manual aims to help alleviate these and other issues.

Of course, better course management isn't the only way to slash playing time. The R&A's new nine-hole championship competition, which will take place ahead of the Open in July, represents another, simpler solution: just cut the course in half.

PGA Tour may be next to launch TV network.

By TheSportingNews.com

(Photo/Thesportingnews.com)

The PGA Tour is exploring the possibility of launching its own television network, SportsBusiness Journal reports.

The Tour’s deals with CBS and NBC expire in 2021, but the golf property can opt out in 2018.  The Tour’s deal with the Golf Channel also runs through 2021, but it does not have an opt-out provision, SBJ notes.

Tour executives have had conversations with Fox, ESPN and Turner about bidding for the post-2018 rights. There have also been discussions with media companies about potentially partnering on a new channel.

Another possibility for the PGA Tour is renegotiating its deal with Golf Channel for an ownership stake in that network, which is owned by NBC's parent company, NBCUniversal.

Media executives doubt the Tour will opt out of its contracts, though.

A major consideration for the Tour is networks’ tightening budgets for rights fees. ESPN and Fox have been in cost-cutting mode, and media companies are embarking on multiple expensive TV deals. For example, Turner and CBS signed an extension for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament through 2032 for $1.1 billion annually, and Turner’s new NBA deal is worth $1.2 billion a year over nine years.

“As we line up rights that become available, we are looking at every option,” said Rick Anderson, executive vice president of global media for the PGA Tour, told SBJ.

NASCAR: Power Rankings: Was Sunday's race at Dover or Talladega?

By Nick Bromberg

(Photo/yahoosports.com)

1. Matt Kenseth (LW: 11): Yes, Matt Kenseth gets to move up 10 spots this week. If you ever – inexplicably –- questioned Kenseth's championship credentials, just watch the final 35 laps of Sunday's race. It was about as perfect of a run as you can have. But we'll also admit that Kenseth is also No. 1 partially because there's no one else to have here. Eight of the top 10 drivers in last week's rankings crashed.

2. Kurt Busch (LW: 4): Busch looked like he was going to be a contender for the win late in the race. But he smacked the wall on the backstretch while running in third. As has become typical for Busch's 2016, he kept it near the front of the field and finished fifth. Thanks to the struggles of his brother and his teammate Harvick, Busch is the first driver in the Cup Series to have 10 top-10 finishes.

3 (tie). Kyle Busch (LW: 1): Busch wasn't having the best of days on Sunday. He was battling some handling issues and a possible broken part and was mired in the back half of the top 20 when the giant restart crash happened. But, as Busch noted following the accident, had he been up front when the crash happened, he still probably would have been involved in it.

3 (tie). Chase Elliott (LW: 5): Here's one of the two drivers from last week's top 10 who didn't have an accident. And yes, we did have a fleeting moment of thought where we wondered if Elliott should be the rightful owner of the top spot in Power Rankings this week. Instead, a tie for second seems about right. If he gets a win soon, we'll have no problem putting him at No. 1.

3 (tie). Kevin Harvick (LW: 2): Harvick had the fastest car throughout the first half of the race. Had the competition caution not happened, who knows how many cars Harvick would have lapped before the first caution of the race. Instead, Harvick's lead got wiped out and he never established that type of dominance again the rest of the race. He finished 15th after he got caught in the 18-car pileup.

6. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 3): Oh man, what can go wrong will go wrong for Truex. Just before the restart that ended in an 18-car pileup, Truex slowed on pit road to guarantee a spot restarting on the outside. Of course, that meant Truex started behind Jimmie Johnson and as Truex pushed Johnson's car, Johnson was stuck in gear. You know what happened next.

7. Brad Keselowski (LW: 6): Keselowski's race was saved by that big crash. While running second, he ran into the damaged car of Austin Dillon on the backstretch and punched a huge hole in the right-front fender of his car. The team fixed up the damage on the ensuing caution – which mysteriously came multiple laps later for the debris from Keselowski's car – and ended up finishing sixth.

8. Carl Edwards (LW: 7): We think Edwards would have won the race had he not crashed. Alas, he crashed. So our thoughts were irrelevant. Edwards got loose, spun off Kyle Larson's bumper and hit head-on into the SAFER barrier on the inside of the backstretch. Congratulations to Dover for having SAFER barrier in that spot, but we also realize how empty those kudos feel.

9. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 8): Here's what Johnson said happened on that restart.

“I got a great start in second gear," Johnson said. "As I went to put it in third (gear) and came across the shifting gate it never went into third. It actually got locked in the neutral area of the transmission."

Yikes. Crazily enough, Johnson's car didn't have a ton of damage because the melee started as everyone piled into each other trying to avoid him. But with a messed up transmission, Johnson didn't exactly have a car that could race again.

The transmission issue also overshadows what could have been a spin-and-win comeback for the No. 48 team after Johnson spun in fluid dropped by Reed Sorenson's car earlier in the race.

10. Kyle Larson (LW: NR): Can you imagine the debate this week if Larson would have put a bumper to Matt Kenseth and moved Kenseth out of the way for the win? The debate would be merciless on its own, but within the context of Kenseth's feud with Joey Logano in 2015, it would be almost unbearable.

Thankfully for the sanity of most of those who follow NASCAR, Larson kept it clean. Yeah, he didn't get the win, but if Chip Ganassi Racing has consistent speed, Dover won't be an anomoly.

11. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 10): Junior was oh-so-close to avoiding the pileup but got slammed by Casey Mears' sliding car after he avoided the initial crash. Junior finished 32nd as a result and is now 11th in the points standings. Oh no, Junior is going to fall out of the top 16 and it's time for everyone to panic.

That previous sentence was heavy sarcasm. Everything's going to be just fine, Junior Nation.

12. Ryan Blaney (LW: 12): Blaney finished eighth on Sunday. He also avoided Edwards' wrecked car by keeping his car pointed straight down the backstretch. Blaney said after the race he felt he could have finished better but the car was slower on the final run.

Lucky Dog: Kasey Kahne is now 16th in the points standings after finishing fourth. Though his car failed post-race laser inspection after the race. We'll find out what the penalties are this week.

The DNF: Matt DiBenedetto was 40th.

Dropped Out: Austin Dillon

NASCAR adjusts rules for All-Star race.

TheSportingNews.com

Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race not only has a new format but also a new aero package in hopes of creating an exciting $1 million exhibition. (Photo/Thesportingnews.com)

NASCAR's All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday not only has a new format but also a new aero package in hope of creating an exciting $1 million exhibition race for fans and drivers alike. 

NASCAR announced three updates Monday to the current rules package aimed at reducing both downforce and side force. They will go into effect this weekend for the Sprint Showdown and Sprint All-Star race and could be used for a new package for the 2017 season. 

The three areas involve truck trailing arm and crossmember assembly, electric fans used for cooling purposes on the cars and rear wheel toe alignment.

Teams must now weld truck trailing arm mounting brackets (and mounting tabs, if used) to prevent movement, limit the number of cooling fans for reduced downforce, and change the alignment to the rear toe to decrease the amount of skew (slant) allowed in a car's setup. The rear toe change is expected to reduce speeds in the turns by nearly 3 mph thus decreasing side force and theoretically increase passing in the corners. 

Changes to the trailing arm and electric fans, which teams used as a loophole to help create downforce, will remain in place for the remainder of the 2016 season. 

The All-Star Race's new format features two 50-lap segments wrapped up with a 13-lap final dash designed to shake things up and make for an interesting finish. Further making the finish more interesting this year, the starting order for the final segment will be determined following a random draw that decides if the top running nine, 10 or 11 cars have to pit for a mandatory four-tire stop between Segment 2 and Segment 3.

Those cars with fresh rubber will line up behind the remaining cars, which must stay on track on old tires, which must have been changed in the second segment before Lap 85.

For the Sprint Showdown (the qualifier for those drivers not in the All-Star field), the race will move to three segments- two 20-lap sections and one at 10 laps, with a mandatory two-tire pit stop between each segment. The winner of each portion of the Showdown will qualify for the All-Star Race.

Indianapolis 500: 100th Indianapolis 500 entry list revealed.

By Tony DiZinno

(Photo/Getty Images)

The formal entry list for the 100th Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil has been released with no surprises for the expected full field of 33 cars.

The breakdown of cars is 17 Honda primary cars and aero kits with 16 Chevrolet primary cars and aero kits. Backup cars (T-cars) aren’t listed as in past years.

Buddy Lazier’s team, which was the only team that hadn’t done a formal unveil of its program, has been confirmed with a number switch to the No. 4 and a renaming of the team to Lazier Burns Racing, with additional investment coming from past team owner Tom Burns.

Conor Daly’s usual No. 18 Jonathan Byrd’s Hospitality Honda will have a new primary sponsor to be revealed soon, with the Jonathan Byrd’s colors and signage moving to his Dale Coyne Racing teammate, Bryan Clauson, for the month of May on his No. 88 Honda. Clauson’s car is entered as the No. 88 Cancer Treatment Centers of America Honda.

A Grace Autosport entry is not present despite its announcing its intentions last May, which leaves Katherine Legge in the unfortunate position outside a ride for the third straight year.

All told, there are six past winners in the field:

• 2-Juan Pablo Montoya, 2000 and 2015
• 3-Helio Castroneves, 2001, 2002 and 2009
• 4-Buddy Lazier, 1996
• 9-Scott Dixon, 2008
• 10-Tony Kanaan, 2013
• 28-Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014

There are also five rookies in the field, all of whom competed at the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis this weekend. Although Daly is a series rookie owing to the few number of starts he had before this season, he has two past Indianapolis 500 starts (2013, 2015)

• 8-Max Chilton
• 16-Spencer Pigot
• 25-Stefan Wilson
• 61-Matthew Brabham
• 98-Alexander Rossi

Lazier, at 48, is the oldest driver entered with Sage Karam, still only 21 but set for his third 500, the youngest.

The full entry list is linked here.

Practice begins today with rookie orientation program and refresher runs from 12 to 2 p.m., with all cars able to go on track from 2 to 6 p.m.

100th Indianapolis 500 team preview: All teams

By Tony DiZinno

(Photo/Indy Car)

MotorSportsTalk looks through the Verizon IndyCar Series grid ahead of the 100th Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil.

Here’s links to all full-season team previews, below, which comprise 31 of the projected 33 cars:

• Team Penske (4 Chevrolet)
• Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (4 Chevrolet)
• Andretti Autosport (5 Honda)
• Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (2 Honda)
• Ed Carpenter Racing (3 Chevrolet)
• KVSH Racing/KV Racing Technology/PIRTEK Team Murray (3 Chevrolet)
• Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (3 Honda)
• A.J. Foyt Enterprises (3 Honda)
• Dale Coyne Racing (4 Honda)

Here’s final previews for the two single-car teams in the field, Dreyer & Reinbold-Kingdom Racing and Lazier Burns Racing.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing-Kingdom Racing

The Dennis Reinbold-led team has soldiered on as an Indianapolis 500-only entrant, and a competitive one, since leaving IndyCar full-time after the 2013 race. Three top-15 finishes in the last three years speak volumes of their ability level, and in truth, they’re probably disappointed their results haven’t been better.

ENTRY

Sage Karam, No. 24 Gas Monkey Energy Chevrolet

INDY OUTLOOK

Lots to prove here for one of only two single-car teams, which unlike in 2014 for Karam’s debut is not running as part of a technical partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing. Karam, in his first race since Pocono last year, will be hungry and motivated to rebound from the tragic circumstances since he was last on the track. The DRR crew is among the best, even in a one-off basis, and has a way of keeping its driver in the game all 500 miles. A top-15 is a realistic goal and a top-10 far from impossible; given Karam’s determination, he’ll want even more than that.

RECENT RESULTS 

• 2015: 14. 24-Bell (23)
• 2014: 9. 22-Karam (31)
• 2013: 11. 22-Servia (13)
• 2012 (as Panther DRR): 4. 22-Servia (27)

Lazier Burns Racing

A throwback in many ways, but it shows the challenge of modern-day IndyCar that Lazier’s small, family-run team faces to even make the field. That being said, new investment from Tom Burns appears to have helped and the team is here preparing for the week of practice.

ENTRY

Buddy Lazier-W, No. 4 Lazier Burns Racing Chevrolet

RACE OUTLOOK

Two early retirements and a DNQ have occurred his last three years. If the 1996 Indianapolis 500 champion can finish, that would be a good result. 

RECENT RESULTS

• 2015: NQ. 91-Lazier
• 2014: 32. 91-Lazier (33)
• 2013: 31. 91-Lazier (32)

SOCCER: Veljko Paunovic, last place Fire trying to stay positive.

By Dan Santaromita

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Due to mass roster turnover, a new coach and a new general manager it was clear that the 2016 season was going to be a rebuilding one for the Chicago Fire.

However, Major League Soccer's parity allows for teams to quickly turn things around. This season offers three good examples of that. The Fire were dead last in 2015, but the three teams that were just ahead of them in the standings, the Colorado Rapids, Philadelphia Union and New York City FC, all currently sit in playoff spots.

Colorado (7-2-3, 24 points) has the best record in the league. NYCFC (4-3-4, 16 points) is tied for the Eastern Conference lead and Philadelphia (4-3-3, 15 points) is just a point behind.

With that in mind, it's discouraging to see the Fire have not made similar strides, or really any at all from a results standpoint. The two road losses the Fire suffered last week dropped the team to 1-4-4 (7 points), the worst record in the league by three points. It matches the worst start in club history through nine matches.

While the acquisitions of Johan Kappelhof, Jonathan Campbell and Rodrigo Ramos add to hope for a longer-term turn around, the Fire haven't shown much sign of improvement overall. Still, coach Veljko Paunovic remained positive in what he said Monday during his weekly conference call with the media.

“Nobody likes to see where we are in the standings, but of course everyone is still very committed and everyone wants to work harder in order to improve that and to make it better," Paunovic said. "I absolutely believe in our guys and I think they all believe that only working and staying together can we improve and get out of this. It is too early to say we are in a bad position, but it is obvious that we have to win games and improve. We will do that.”

It's hard to say last place isn't a bad position, but Paunovic is right in one way. It is early enough that the Fire have a chance to get out of this position. NYCFC is the perfect example. New York City beat the Fire on opening day, but then went winless in seven straight. A current three-game winning streak has vaulted them to a share of the conference lead.

The point is things can turn around quickly in MLS with a winning run. Whether or not this Fire team has looked capable of that is another story. Obviously time will tell if they can get things going.

“We have the right players and the right guys," Paunovic said. "We know where we are and where we are standing, but for sure we will work hard and stay positive. We will improve.”

Fire announce signing of Dutch forward Michael de Leeuw.

By Dan Santaromita

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Fire have been desperate for some scoring help and added some on Tuesday, but it will have to wait until July.

The team announced the signing of Dutch forward Michael de Leeuw using Targeted Allocation Money, inking him to a three-year deal through 2018 with a club option for 2019.

de Leeuw's contract with Groningen does not expire until June 30 and he can't be officially transferred to the Fire until then. In the meantime he will train with the Fire.

He will not be available to play until MLS' secondary transfer window opens up on July 4. This means the first game he should be eligible to play will be on July 9 in Toronto, the Fire's 16th MLS game. The Fire play six more MLS games before de Leeuw will be eligible.

"Michael hungers to score goals and to win," Fire general manager Nelson Rodríguez said in the announcement. "That mentality as well as his versatility to play several of the attacking roles will be valuable additions to our club."

Rodriguez teased two signings back in early April. The first one turned out to be Khaly Thiam, who debuted in Saturday's 2-0 loss in New England. de Leeuw is the other signing Rodriguez teased. Rodriguez, who will host a media roundtable on Friday to address the state of the club, also said he expects the Fire to be relatively quiet in the summer transfer window.

The 29-year-old de Leeuw spent the past four seasons with FC Groningen, appearing in 117 league matches and scoring 46 goals. Current Fire defender Johan Kappelhof joined the Fire from Groningen in February.

The Fire could certainly use the scoring boost, given they rank last in the league with eight goals in nine games.

"The conversations that I had with Nelson and (head coach Veljko Paunovic) were very good," de Leeuw said in the announcement. "What they told me about their desired style of play, what they expect from players and the way that they work all appealed to me. To be a team that adapts to other teams was good to hear. I spoke with Johan Kappelhof many times, and he had good things to say about the club and the city of Chicago, which all makes me excited to be joining the Fire."

The Fire had to ship $50,000 in General Allocation Money to the Philadelphia Union, who had de Leeuw's Discovery rights.

Europa League Final preview: Liverpool looks to dethrone Sevilla.

By Nicholas Mendola

(Photo/nbcsports.com)

Liverpool and Sevilla are hoping to betray their domestic tables by rising into next year’s UEFA Champions League competition with a win in Wednesday’s Europa League final.

Let’s take a look at the numbers and story lines that could matter:

— This is the third consecutive Europa League final contested by Sevilla, the back-to-back defending champions.

— Liverpool’s path to glory was anything but easy, as the Reds took down Borussia Dortmund, Villarreal, Manchester United and Augsburg en route to the final.

— Sevilla’s was slightly easier, having toppled Shakhtar Donetsk, Athletic Bilbao, Basel and Molde.

— Kevin Gameiro’s seven goals are the most of either side in tournament play.

— Jurgen Klopp took over Liverpool with the Reds having drawn its first two group stage games. Since that point, Liverpool has six wins, five draws and one loss. That came in the first leg of the semifinal at Villarreal.

— Sevilla has scored and conceded in both legs of both the quarterfinals and semifinals.

— Sevilla played in this venue during the quarterfinals, drawing Basel 0-0 at St. Jakob-Park before eliminating them with a 3-0 win in Spain.

What they’re saying

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp: “When I came here, there was a big amount of doubt about these players and now I am really happy they could show how strong they are. Tomorrow is a big opportunity to make a final step, not the final step, but the final step in this season. To achieve something great. I am really happy to be here with this club and this team, so let’s try it.”

Sevilla boss Unai Emery: “It could be a match with a very high pace and I think Liverpool will go for it sometimes, as will we. If they want to go that way, we are willing to go that way – no worries. The match will be 50-50 – the way they have played is incredible and they have played against great teams. But we have advantages. We are winners, we have won the title and now we have a chance to win it for a third time in a row.

Prediction

We — and bettors — called Liverpool the favorites to win the whole thing once the Reds dispatched Borussia Dortmund from the tournament, but Sevilla has the final experience of toppling Benfica in Turin and Dnipro in Warsaw. Expect a tight tilt, with Liverpool winning 2-1 in extra time.

Manchester United 3-1 Bournemouth: Rooney, Rashford key blowout.

By Nicholas Mendola

(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) 

Wayne Rooney, Marcus Rashford and Ashley Young scored as Manchester United sealed fifth place in the Premier League with a 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday at Old Trafford.

The match was postponed from Sunday after a bomb scare before kickoff.

A late Chris Smalling own goal was Bournemouth’s tally, denying David De Gea a share of the PL Golden Glove Award with Petr Cech.

United’s win allows them direct passage into the group stage of the UEFA Europa League, while Bournemouth finishes 16th in its first season in the top flight. United will face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Final on Saturday.

There wasn’t much to like about a first half hour that saw United possess the heck out of the ball but rarely move into dangerous positions until Michael Carrick slid onto the end of an over the top pass, redirecting his shot at keeper Adam Federici.

The Red Devils went ahead before halftime, as Anthony Martial worked a 1-2 with Juan Mata before passing through the 18. Marcus Rashford dummied the ball for Rooney, who passed the ball into the center of the goal.

"Now that’s how you finish the first half!! @WayneRooney delivers a superb goal!! #ManUtd #BPLonNBC https://t.co/iQvAF563ar

— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) May 17, 2016"

The Cherries had an inspired spell of work inside the United box early in the second half, but Dan Gosling‘s shot was rushed over the net by an onrushing tackler.

Penalty shouts soon followed at the other end, as Mata’s dribble came together with Steve Cook in what should’ve been a penalty for the United midfielder. No call.

United was set to find its insurance goal when Marcus Rashford made a skillful move to the left of Federici before Jesse Lingard‘s shot was deflected wide. Then Antonio Valencia eyed up a shot from 25-30 yards that Federici flew to remove from its path to the upper 90.

Rashford made it 2-0 as the clock hit 74, putting his hard shot through multiple pairs of legs and into the Bournemouth goal for his fifth PL tally of the season.

And then Rooney’s terrific over-the-top pass found Young, who chested the ball down and had plenty of time to cut the ball just past Federici. 3-0.

NCAAFB: Here's what college football will look like in 2026.

By Stewart Mandel                                                                      

The College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy is seen on the field prior to the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers at Sanford Stadium on September 27, 2014 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

What will college football conferences look like 10 years from now?

It's a fun little exercise that stirs up every time realignment returns to the news, which, thanks to the Big 12, is happening all over again. People love speculating about the next fantastical move -- Florida State to the Big 12? Texas to the Big Ten? Oklahoma to the SEC?

Most scenarios out there continue where we left off in 2010-12 with what many see as an inevitable path toward 16-team super conferences. Bigger is better, right? Heck, why not make five of them?

But those assumptions don't account for major philosophical shifts already taking place both within college athletics, where some administrators already rue various consequences of 14-team conferences (scheduling difficulties, bloated travel costs), and in the softening television rights marketplace. If anything, I expect the next big movement to be contraction, not expansion.

More accurately, call it a consolidation of power.

If anything, I expect the next big movement to be contraction, not expansion. More accurately, call it a consolidation of power.

To be clear, nothing I'm about to prophesize will happen within the next few years because most conference contracts are locked in well into the next decade. And league members in the Big Ten, Pac-12, Big 12 and ACC have signed corresponding Grant of Rights agreements that make it prohibitively difficult for them to jump ship before then.

The next window for mass shuffling will start around 2023, when all five power conferences' primary rights deals come up within a three-year span. (The Big Ten has not yet formalized its forthcoming TV deals, but reports indicate they will be for six years, ending in 2023. The SEC's contract with CBS expires in 2024, but its ESPN/SEC Network deal is in place through 2034.) Perhaps more important, the College Football Playoffs' 12-year contract ends with the 2025 season. As I'm about to outline, the next big realignment shift will go hand in hand with the evolution of the playoff.

Only two years into the four-team system, you can already see what direction the sport is headed. The playoff race now dwarfs all other aspects of the season, including the other bowl games. Last year's Iowa-Stanford Rose Bowl -- between two teams that barely missed the playoff -- garnered the bowl's lowest TV rating on record. The Notre Dame-Ohio State Fiesta Bowl, pitting two mega-brands stocked with star power, garnered less than half as many viewers (9.8 million) as the same bowl matchup a decade earlier.

The playoff will inevitably expand to at least eight teams, if not more, when the current deal ends, and it will separate completely from the bowl system. Early-round games will be played on campus, just like in the NFL. In turn, our national focus will narrow almost entirely to teams perceived as playoff contenders, which, if we're being honest, comprise fewer than half of the 65 Power 5 schools, and certainly none of the other 63 FBS schools. Sorry, but Wake Forest is no threat to pull a Leicester City anytime soon.

Which brings us to consolidation.

As we know, all revolves around the mighty TV dollar, but the TV business is drastically changing. Who knows how we'll be watching sports in 10 years, but it likely won't be via the current bundled cable model. At the very least, consumers will be able to decide for themselves which media entities (ESPN, FS1, NCBSN, etc.) they're willing to pay for. Or perhaps no longer will be a middleman and you will purchase game broadcasts straight from the leagues themselves to stream on your own device.

Whereas the last round of realignment was driven by inventory -- bundle together as many schools from as many markets as possible to command the highest possible subscriber fees -- the next round will be more about content. Put on the biggest possible games to garner the largest possible audience because the viewers themselves will become the buyers rather than Comcast or Time Warner.

To that end, the best possible way for an Ohio State or Alabama to maximize its value will be to shed the six or so games a year that only its own fans care about and turn every game into a national event. I'm talking one 24-team "conference" of only the biggest names in the sport, funneling exclusively into the College Football Playoff.

Call it the College Football Playoff Confederation.

Think Champions League in soccer, only these "clubs" won't play another season. In fact, the Confederation may not even fall under traditional NCAA purview. UCLA could still compete as an NCAA member in the Pac-12 or Michigan in the Big Ten in all other sports, but for football, the biggest revenue-drivers would pool together into their own conglomerate.

Of course, I can't winnow down the 65 current Power 5 schools to 24 without hurting some feelings. While many of the names are obvious (USC, Texas, etc.), others will surely elicit outrage from fans of schools excluded at their expense. But the overriding goal is to bring together the 24 most appealing programs from both a TV and competitive perspective.

Which means this list would likely look different by 2026, but as of 2016, the 24 are …

Alabama
Arkansas
Auburn
Clemson
Florida
Florida State
Georgia
LSU
Michigan
Michigan State
Miami
Nebraska
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Oregon
Penn State
Stanford
Tennessee
Texas
Texas A&M
USC
UCLA
Wisconsin

There's nothing I can say here that will appease jilted Oklahoma State or South Carolina fans, but here's the general criteria these schools meet:

• All 24 have either won or played for a national title, or at the very least appeared in a BCS bowl, since that system began in 1998.

• Nineteen ranked among the 24 biggest national fan bases in a 2011 study by statistician Nate Silver.

• All but three ranked among the top 24 nationally in average attendance last season.

• All of ESPN's top 15 markets for college football broadcasts last season, as well as 12 of the nation's 20 largest TV markets, are represented.

Here's how the thing would work.

First of all, we'd split it into four divisions.

• Each team plays five games against its divisional foes, six games against other divisions (two teams from each, predetermined like in the NFL) and one game against whoever it wants from any level, be it an old rival that didn't make the cut for this list or an FCS bodybag foe.

• The top two teams in each division make the playoff. No committee or BCS formula needed. You could also easily expand the playoff to 12, with the champion of each division getting a first-round bye.

• And just like in pro sports leagues, the Confederation, not the individual conferences/divisions, holds the TV rights for every regular-season and playoff game between any of these teams.

So the question becomes, how much would fans pay for the ability to watch every major college football game of the season, including an eight-team playoff, on any device? I'm guessing a whole lot more than they would for a Big Ten-only package that includes Ohio State-Michigan but also Rutgers-Howard. Especially if they're no longer paying $150 a month for cable channels they don't watch.

Let's set the price hypothetically at $250 -- the same as DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket. And let's say 11 million people -- about the number that watched last year's LSU-Alabama game -- sign up. The cut for each of the 24 schools would be a staggering $114.6 million. That's nearly three times what Big Ten schools are projected to make ($40 million-plus) when they reset the market next year.

The cut for each of the 24 schools would be a staggering $114.6 million. That's nearly three times what Big Ten schools are projected to make ($40 million-plus) when they reset the market next year.

There are admittedly issues that come with this. First of all, I assume the rules against compensating college athletes will look much different by 2026 because there's no way to justify cutting the players out of $114.6 million. There's also the issue of player safety -- the champion would potentially play 15 straight games against top-level competition. If this is indeed separate from the NCAA, then theoretically the schools could devise their own scholarship limits and eligibility standards.

But frankly, devising specific rules of a sport is not the intent of this article; rather, it's illustrating a new vision for realignment.

So as the Big 12 continues to debate the merits of adding Cincinnati, UCF or Houston and starting a conference network, know that way of thinking may soon become a relic. It's fine as long as the traditional linear cable business remains dominant. By 2026, though, we'll all be much choosier about what content we pay for.

If you care enough about college football to be reading this story, I'm guessing you'll choose watching the best of the best play one another from September through the championship game.

More concussion lawsuits filed vs. schools and NCAA.

By Nick Bromberg

Former football players filed a total of six lawsuits against various schools and the NCAA on Tuesday regarding alleged negligence towards head injuries.

According to the New York Times, Penn State, Vanderbilt, the Big Ten, SEC and Pac-12 are named in the lawsuits. The filings follow a class-action suit against the NCAA from former athletes about head injuries. Multiple lawsuits were compiled into a class-action suit and the suit did not prevent future suits.

Auburn, Georgia, Oregon and Utah are the other universities targeted, though only their conferences are named defendants, along with the N.C.A.A., because of liability complications at some public institutions. The plaintiffs had careers that spanned the decades before the N.C.A.A. began requiring its members to have concussion protocols in 2010; in one case, the player competed in the 1970s. According to the filings, the players sustained concussions in college and now have a variety of health problems, including mood swings, depression and sleeplessness.

The class-action suit included players from multiple sports. The latest lawsuits pertain only to football.

A settlement in the class-action suit was given initial approval by a federal judge in January after a previous rejection. As part of the judge's approval, the NCAA's immunity against suits like these were not given. Money would be put into a fund to monitor former college athletes as part of the settlement as well as additional protocols for head injuries for current college athletes – though no payouts to former players would be given.

Adrian Arrington, the first former football player to file a suit against the NCAA, said he was against the possible settlement in 2015 because it “doesn’t address the reasons I filed the lawsuit in the first place.”

NCAABKB: Looking Forward: Who were the winners and the losers of the Coaching Carousel?

By Rob Dauster

Memphis Coach Tubby Smith. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

THESE ARE YOUR BIG WINNERS

MEMPHIS: To me, Memphis was easily the biggest winner of this year’s coaching carousel, and it’s not just because they hired Tubby Smith, which was arguably the best hire of the spring. Tubby has coached at Tulsa, Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota and Texas Tech, and the only place that he didn’t significantly exceed expectations during his tenure was at Kentucky, where he won a national title, reached three more Elite 8s and notched five SEC titles in ten seasons. I wrote a column on it at the time. He’ll make Memphis relevant again, and not just in the AAC standings.

But the other part of it is that the Tigers got Josh Pastner’s contract off the books. Pastner was guaranteed more than $10 million over the next four years, which is too much money to just walk away from and, given the relationship between the Tiger fanbase and their former head coach, too expensive for the University to afford. When donors tighten the pursestrings and fans stop showing up to the games, it’s tough to bring in revenue. Memphis wasn’t the only winner in that deal …

JOSH PASTNER: … because Pastner needed a reboot about as badly as Memphis needed him gone. He had lost the fanbase in Memphis. They didn’t support the team, they didn’t support him and if he was going to coach for the rest of his contract, his life in town was going to be almost as miserable as his teams would be. Instead, he was given more than $1 million to go away, and by “go away” I mean become the head coach of Georgia Tech. So he got paid to leave Memphis for a program in a better conference and in Atlanta, a city that he had pulled two McDonald’s All-Americans out of. Not a bad deal.

OKLAHOMA STATE: Like Memphis, Oklahoma State was dealing with a coach in Travis Ford that was losing games and, in the process, losing fans. What better way to invigorate a fan base than to hire a head coach that plays an entertaining style of basketball and just so happens to be coming off of a tournament run that saw him get No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin to within a miracle tip-in of the Sweet 16 in a season that capped a three-year run with three NCAA tournaments, an 89-14 overall record and a staggering 59-1 league record. That’s what the Pokes got in Brad Underwood, who has Big 12 pedigree having coaching under Bob Huggins and Frank Martin at Kansas State. (More on that in a bit.)

VCU: Just one year removed from #ShakaWatch finally ending, as Smart took over at Texas for Rick Barnes, the Rams once again have one of the best up-and-coming young head coaches in the business in Will Wade. After phenomenal season winning 25 games, an Atlantic 10 regular season title and a first round game in the NCAA tournament, Wade was a favorite to replace Kevin Stallings at Vanderbilt, in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. Instead, he re-upped on an eight-year deal with VCU.

TEXAS TECH AND CHRIS BEARD: This was a match made in heaven. Beard, who just five years ago wasn’t even in the Division I coaching ranks, took Arkansas-Little Rock to the second round of the NCAA tournament in his first season with the Trojans and parlayed that into the UNLV job (for a week) and then the Texas Tech job. The Red Raiders lost Tubby Smith, who led them back to the NCAA tournament, but landed a guy that A) spent 10 seasons in Lubbock as an assistant coach and B) actually wants to be at Texas Tech, which he has called his dream job.

VANDERBILT: The Commodores needed to part ways with Kevin Stallings after nearly two decades. They did. And they replaced him with Bryce Drew, who had won four Horizon League regular season titles in five years, getting to the NCAA tournament twice. He was one of the hottest mid-major coaching names in recent years. There’s not much more to say than that.

JAMIE DIXON: Dixon went to 11 NCAA tournaments in 13 seasons with Pitt after taking over for Ben Howland, but in the latter years of his coaching tenure, the Panthers had plateaued. Thanks, realignment. Anyway, Dixon and Pitt needed to go their separate ways, and Dixon ended up getting the gig at his alma mater, TCU, which is a better job than people realize. Great facilities, donors with deep pockets, a highly-regarded athletic director and a spot in the middle of the fertile recruiting grounds of Dallas.

AND THESE ARE YOUR LOSERS

DELAWARE: It’s mid-May, nearly two months after former head coach Monte’ Ross was fired. The Blue Hens have not only not hired a replacement yet, they only last week hired the new athletic director that will be hiring said replacement. In the meantime, the program is down to just four scholarship players after their top six scorers all transferred. Good luck finding someone to take that job.

UNLV: I actually think that UNLV made a pretty good hire with Marvin Menzies. He’s a member of the Rick Pitino coaching tree that had a lot of success at New Mexico State and will come relatively cheap for a program that is more or less broke.

The problem is that their coaching search was embarrassingly public. It started with rumors that Rick Pitino was going to leave Louisville for Vegas. That didn’t happen. Then Mick Cronin deftly used the Rebels as leverage to get an extension out of Cincinnati. Chris Beard eventually took the job, but after it took more than a week for the Board of Regents to actually approve his contract, Beard ended up leaving for Texas Tech a week later. And all of that happened in a year where UNLV fired Dave Rice in January, roughly eight months after they extended him instead of looking for a replacement. And do you know who they could have hired last spring? Ben Howland.

There’s no way around it: UNLV’s search was an absolute embarrassment. It’s no wonder Menzies took over a team with just two scholarship players.

KANSAS STATE: I’m not saying that Bruce Weber deserved to be fired. He’s been to two tournament in four seasons in Manhattan. But he’s also 32-33 overall and 13-23 in the Big 12 the last two seasons. So there’s justification for a coaching change, especially when you consider that this was the year where Brad Underwood would be leaving Stephen F. Austin. Underwood is a Kansas State alum who spent six seasons as an assistant with Bobby Huggins and Frank Martin and won 89 games the last three seasons. He had all the makings of the man that would spark the resurgence of the Kansas State program.

Instead, Underwood went to Oklahoma State, a Big 12 rival. Weber is probably coaching for his job next season.

STEVE PIKIELL: I actually think Steve Pikiell is a really good coach. It took a few years, but he built Stony Brook into a mid-major powerhouse out of basically nothing. With so many key pieces graduating this year, it was his time to move on, so he took over at … Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights haven’t had a winning season since 2006 (shoutout to Quincy Douby), they haven’t been to the NCAA tournament since 1991 and, since their last tournament trip, they’ve finished with a .500 record in league play just twice. Never better than .500, and never better than fifth in their league standings.

And now they’re in the Big Ten, meaning that a team in a region where no one cares about college sports will be playing “local” rivals like Michigan State, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan, Purdue and Maryland. Good luck, Steve.

THESE HIRES? WELL … WHATEVER

STANFORD: On the one hand, the Cardinal made a needed change getting rid of Johnny Dawkins. That’s probably a good thing (more on that in a second). And they hired a guy in Jerod Haase who is from California and is a part of the North Carolina coaching tree. He spent four seasons at UAB, reaching the second round of the NCAA tournament with an upset win over No. 3 seed Iowa State in 2015 and winning the CUSA regular season title in 2016. It’s not a bad hire, but it’s hard to get overly excited about a guy that finished better than fourth place in a league like CUSA just once.

CENTRAL FLORIDA: UCF landed Johnny Dawkins, a member of Coach K’s coaching tree, after they fired Donnie Jones. But he’s also a guy that was run out of town by Stanford after eight disappointing seasons, one trip to the NCAA tournament and a pair of NIT titles. Just how invigorated can a fan base be by hiring someone else’s cast off?

PITTSBURGH: The same can be asked of Pitt. They got rid of Jamie Dixon, whose success with the Panthers had plateaued, for Kevin Stallings, who was pushed out the door by Vanderbilt because … his career had plateaued.

There’s also the issue of expectations here. Stallings has a very well-respected coach among the peers in his profession. Maybe he just needs to start over at a new school, but when Pitt fans are expecting Pitt natives Sean and Archie Miller to want to come home — and when local reporters are breaking “news” that it’s going to happen — anything less is going to be seen as a disappointment.

GEORGIA TECH: The Yellow Jackets ran into the exact same issue Pitt did. They fired Brian Gregory and landed Josh Pastner, who was no longer wanted at Memphis, when everyone was expecting athletic director Mike Bobinski to make a splash. He used to be the Xavier athletic director. You know who coaches at Xavier? Chris Mack! You know who else used to coach at Xavier? Sean Miller! You know who Sean Miller’s little brother is? Archie Miller!

There were all these connections, except none of them had any chance to happen. So while it feels like Georgia Tech got stuck with Pastner, in reality they picked a 38-year old that had been to four NCAA tournaments in his first five seasons as a head coach over Pat Kelsey, a former Xavier assistant that has yet to take Winthrop to a single postseason event in four seasons.

Preakness 2016: News, Field And Betting Odds With 5 Days Until The Race.

By Greg Price

(Photo/Getty Images)

As the field whittles down, Nyquist’s chances of claiming the 141st Preakness Stakes continue to climb higher and higher. The 3-year-old Uncle Mo colt is now a 10/19 favorite to secure the second jewel of the Triple Crown after sitting at 3/5 five days ago, according to the latest odds from Sportsbook.ag.

Much of the rise can be attributed to Nyquist’s stellar run at the Kentucky Derby, the eighth straight victory of his career, but the betting public’s opinion as well as the diminishing field are also major factors.

Over the last few days four would-be contenders have been pulled from Saturday’s race at Pimlico to either focus on the Belmont Stakes or due to injury.

Originally, 17 thoroughbreds were angling for position in the 14-deep Preakness field, but now Dazzling Gem, Suddenbreakingnews, Brody’s Cause, and Cupid are currently off the racing form. At first a 35/1 longshot, Dazzling Gem will instead run the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes in the Preakness undercard and trainer Brad Cox said the decision had a lot to do with Nyquist.

“Nyquist isn’t in there," Cox told The Courier-Journal about the Sir Barton. "That has a lot to do with it.

“I think this will be a great stepping-stone to bigger and better things, hopefully, the rest of the year,” he added. “I think this is the most realistic spot for the horse and the best spot as far as moving forward.”

Meanwhile, both Suddenbreakingnews and Brody’s Cause will instead point to the Belmont. Trainer Dale Romans opted to keep Brody’s Cause out of the Preakness after a seventh-place showing at the Derby, while Suddenbreakingnews’ connections will save the late-charger for the Belmont. Sired by Mineshaft, Suddenbreaking news toiled in the first half-mile of the Derby but rallied to finish only 4 3/4 lengths behind Nyquist.

And trainer Bob Baffert, who captured the Triple Crown with American Pharoah last year, may be pulling Cupid from the field altogether. Listed at 30/1 last week, Cupid sat out the Derby and was expected to point to the Preakness but is currently unlisted. He reportedly underwent surgery to fix an entrapped epiglottis last month, according to Paulick Report, and hasn’t raced since finishing 10th at the Arkansas Derby.

Otherwise, Nyquist’s long-standing threats Exaggerator and Stradivari are holding steady five days before the race. Exaggerator dipped ever so slightly from 7/2 to 15/4, while Stradivari ticked up from 7/1 to 13/2 odds. However, the odds could shift around much more following Wednesday evening’s post-position draw.

Odds To Win 141st Preakness Stakes

Nyquist 10/19

Exaggerator 15/4

Stradivari 13/2

Gun Runner 8/1

Collected 15/1

Cherry Wine 22/1

Uncle Lino 25/1

Creator 28/1

Fellowship 28/1

Awesome Speed 30/1

Lani 32/1

Laoban 32/1

Abiding Star 35/1

Note: Please check the odds before the race as they are subject to change.

Preakness Stakes 2016 schedule: Times, TV coverage, events and more for the week.

By Kurt Mensching

Eyes turn to Baltimore as Nyquist tries to complete the second leg of the Triple Crown.

Eight for eight. Nyquist has quite literally been unbeatable in his career, a claim that even last year's Triple Crown winner American Pharoah could not make. Two more wins and trainer Doug O'Neill's 3-year-old colt Nyquist will become the 13th Triple Crown winner in American thoroughbred racing and the first since Seattle Slew in 1977 to do so without a loss. First he'll have to win at the Preakness on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

The 141st running of the Preakness is set to go to the post at 6:45 p.m. ET on May 21 and can be viewed on NBC or streamed online via NBC Sports Live Extra. The field is not yet finalized, but Nyquist will again be challenged by Exaggerator, who finished second in the Kentucky Derby. Fellow Derby contenders Lani and Gun Runner are also pending among a field of 12.

The post position draw for the 1-3/16th-mile race and morning line odds announcement will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, at the Pimlico Sports Palace. It will be streamed on DRF.com. Nyquist is expected to be a heavy morning line favorite in the $1.5 million race, and Oddshark notes Nyquist is a 5-7 favorite with Bovada. Exaggerator is next at 9-2.

Nine 3-year-old fillies are scheduled to compete in the Grade II Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at 4:50 p.m. Friday, May 20. NBCSN will broadcast from Pimlico beginning at 3 p.m. with streaming coverage via Live Extra. It will be the 92nd running of the 1-1/8-mile event.

On Saturday, May 21, NBCSN will provide coverage of the Preakness undercard beginning at 2:30 p.m, with the prerace show set for 5 p.m. NBC takes over the broadcast at 6:30 p.m. Again, streaming will be provided with Live Extra. The Preakness is the 13th race of the day, with the undercard beginning at 10:30 a.m.

The chief race on the undercard is the 1-1/16 mile Dixie Stakes, a $300,000, Grade II event run on turf.

How to watch the week's events

Wednesday, May 18 - Preakness Stakes draw

Preakness Draw: 5 p.m., DRF.com

Friday, May 20 - Black-Eyed Susan day

Complete Black-Eyed Susan day coverage: 3-5p.m.; TV: NBCSN (streaming: NBC Sports Live Extra)

Saturday, May 21 - Preakness Stakes day

Preakness undercard races: 2:30-5 p.m.; TV: NBCSN (streaming: NBC Sports Live Extra)

Preakness prerace coverage: 5-6:30 p.m.; TV: NBCSN (streaming: NBC Sports Live Extra)

Preakness coverage: 6:30-7:15 p.m.; TV: NBC (streaming: NBC Sports Live Extra)

Times and dates you need to know

Alibi Breakfast

9:30 a.m. Thursday: Trainers, jockeys and owners talk to racing fans

Preakness Post Position Draw

5 p.m., Thursday: Connections learn where their colts' gate positions

Black-Eyed Susan Stakes:

4:50 p.m. Friday: The 92nd running of the Black-Eyed Susan

The Preakness Stakes

6:45 p.m. Saturday: The 141st running of the Preakness Stakes

(Note: All times ET)

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, May 18, 2016.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1927 - The Chicago Cubs beat the Boston Braves, 4-3, in 22 innings.

1953 - The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians set a record when they used 41 players in a game.

1968 - Frank Howard hit his 8th home run in 5 games.

1969 - Baltimore, Cleveland and Pittsburgh agreed to move from the NFL's NFC to the AFC.

1970 - Hank Aaron became the 9th player to get 3,000 hits.

1973 - Bobby Valentine broke his leg trying to prevent a Dick Green home run from going over the wall.

1973 - Joe Ferguson hit the 6,000th home run for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

1987 - Eric ‘Sleepy’ Floyd of the Golden State Warriors set a playoff record for points in a single quarter with 29.

1992 - Gary Carter (Montreal Expos) became the third player to play catcher in 2,000 games.

1998 - New York Yankees pitcher David Wells became the 13th player in modern major league baseball history to throw a perfect game. 

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