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NOTE: We will not publish a Sports News Update Friday, June 10, 2016. We will have our regular Monday edition with all of the latest sports news and information for your reading pleasure. Thank you.
The Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
"Sports Quote of the Day"
The Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
"Sports Quote of the Day"
"For many of us, sport has provided the continuity in our lives, the alternative family to the one we left behind. It gives us something to talk about, to preen about, to care about." ~ John Thorn, Sports Historian, Author, Publisher And Cultural Commentator
Trending: From the Archives: Muhammad Ali. Since his death last Friday, we have placed inspirational, motivational and informational articles about or from the Muhammad Ali archives. We will continue to do this until his funeral. Today's informational article: 5 brand-building secrets you can apply to your business, starting right now. (Please read the last article on this blog).
Trending: Just how bad is the Chicago Bears' roster? (See the football section for Bears updates).
Trending: UPDATED: Belmont Stakes 2016 Probable Starters. (See the Belmont Stakes section for race updates).
Trending: Dempsey leads U.S. to 4-0 win over Costa Rica in Copa America. (See the hockey section for USMNT updates).
Trending: Making sense of why the Blackhawks might prefer Andrew Shaw over Teuvo Teravainen. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates)
Trending: Cubs and White Sox road to the "World Series".
Cubs 2016 Record: 40-17
White Sox 2016 Record: 29-29
(See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Just how bad is the Chicago Bears' roster? At CS&T/AA, we don't agree with this article at all. We might not have all of the information that the experts have, but we do believe the Bears will show marked improvement and that they are going to turn some heads. (Just our opinion).
By Lester A. Wiltfong, Jr.
A few days ago we talked about the prediction by Pro Football Focus that had the Chicago Bears going 8-8 for the 2016 season. They figured the Bears would be one of the more improved teams in the NFL "thanks to a completely revamped front-seven." Most of the comments in our comment section tended to believe that assessment, although the offseason optimism has many Bears' fans believing that the Bears will finish 2016 with a winning record.
Since PFF is a rather large site with a whole slew of writers, it's common that they'll have varying thoughts on how each team will fare. Nathan Jahnke wrote about the Bears being improved in their prediction article I referenced above, but Sam Monson writes that the Bears' have the 30th ranked roster in the NFL for his recent ESPN Insider piece.
Bears sign third round pick DL Jonathan Bullard to four-year deal.
By Lester A. Wiltfong, Jr.
A few days ago we talked about the prediction by Pro Football Focus that had the Chicago Bears going 8-8 for the 2016 season. They figured the Bears would be one of the more improved teams in the NFL "thanks to a completely revamped front-seven." Most of the comments in our comment section tended to believe that assessment, although the offseason optimism has many Bears' fans believing that the Bears will finish 2016 with a winning record.
Since PFF is a rather large site with a whole slew of writers, it's common that they'll have varying thoughts on how each team will fare. Nathan Jahnke wrote about the Bears being improved in their prediction article I referenced above, but Sam Monson writes that the Bears' have the 30th ranked roster in the NFL for his recent ESPN Insider piece.
Since that article is behind a pay wall, we won't bring you all the info they shared, but we will show you what he said about the Bears.
30. Chicago Bears
Top five players: LB Pernell McPhee, WR Alshon Jeffery, LB Jerrell Freeman, LB Danny Trevathan, OL Kyle Long
Starters who should be upgraded: OG Ted Larsen, OT Bobby Massie, TE Rob Housler, OT Charles Leno
The Bears might be expected to be higher on this list, but the negatives on this roster are fatal flaws. The offensive line was a disaster a year ago and might not be much better this year. Long being back at guard should at least help. Kevin White could make a major impact at receiver, but at the moment he is a complete unknown.
The defense is moving in the right direction, but it is weakest in the most important area -- coverage. Kyle Fuller might be their best player in the secondary, and he has been average at best so far in his career, allowing five touchdowns in each of his first two seasons.
The only two teams that have worse rosters (according to the PFF metric) are the Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers.
The offensive line does need to prove itself, but to call them a disaster may be a bit of hyperbole. In looking purely at the stats, the Bears ended the 2015 season with a 4.0 average per rushing attempt, good for a middle of the road 16th overall and they were 11th overall in rushing yards per game at 115.9. The Bears allowed 33 sacks last year, tied for 11th overall, and Chicago's sacks allowed percentage was 17th at 5.9.
But if those numbers couldn't sway PFFs Monson from writing that the Bears' o-line was a "disaster," maybe PFFs Khaled Elsayed could. In Elsayed's Ranking All 32 Offensive Lines article from a few months ago, he had Chicago's o-line ranked 16th overall. That's a far cry from Disastersville, but again, different writers on the same site can have different ideas about a team.
BUT...
And this is a big BUT, shouldn't a site that prides itself on an unbiased grading scale have a little more uniformity when it comes to evaluating a football team?
How can one writer call something a disaster when another writes that they were 17th as a pass-blocking unit and 5th as a run-blocking unit?
Then again if we consider the loss of guard/center Matt Slauson, whom the Bears released this offseason, perhaps that can explain the thoughts of doom surrounding their o-line. Especially if PFF believes that Ted Larsen is the replacement at left guard. On paper, Larsen should be a downgrade, even though Larsen fits what the Bears want to do schematically better than Slauson, but that's not really important is it?
I think rookie Cody Whitehair has a good chance to beat out Larsen for the starting left guard spot and PFF called Whitehair the 2nd best draft pick in the entire 2016 NFL Draft, saying he "has the potential to be a top-5 interior lineman."
The secondary is a concern, but that front seven should give them a boost if they are able to get after the quarterback better than last year.
What are your thought on the ranking of the Bears' roster? General manager Ryan Pace has done a lot in 2 years to turn it over to one he and his coaches prefer, but has that turnover left them with the number 30 roster in the NFL?
Bears sign third round pick DL Jonathan Bullard to four-year deal.
By #BearsTalk
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Bears officially have locked up all players from their 2016 draft class.
The team announced Monday that they have signed defensive line Jonathan Bullard to a four-year contract. Bullard was the Bears' third round pick (72th overall) in this year's draft.
Bullard, 22, played four seasons with the Florida Gatos. He played in 14 games in 2015 and recorded 63 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, and two pass deflections.
The team announced Monday that they have signed defensive line Jonathan Bullard to a four-year contract. Bullard was the Bears' third round pick (72th overall) in this year's draft.
Bullard, 22, played four seasons with the Florida Gatos. He played in 14 games in 2015 and recorded 63 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, and two pass deflections.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Making sense of why the Blackhawks might prefer Andrew Shaw over Teuvo Teravainen.
By Robert Zeglinski
(Photo/Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)
As sports fans, we make light of professional sports clichés more often than not. It's hard for us to take players and coaches seriously when everyone involved is repeating the same message of "getting the puck to the net," "battling harder," etc. Of course with any physical sport comes the overused "toughness" and "grit" that a player is conveniently missing every time they're in a scoring slump. It's tough for us to see these games the same way our favorite players do because in our heart of hearts, we're not experiencing the game in the way they are. We know these adages mean almost nothing in deciding who wins and loses because of our perspective.
When it comes to the Blackhawks and Andrew Shaw, that fact becomes all the more frustrating.
In light of a recent report making note that the Blackhawks could throw in Teuvo Teravainen to trade Bryan Bickell as part of an effort to retain Shaw, it begs questions about exactly what the current regime in Chicago prioritizes. Bickell has been a dead weight for the Hawks for awhile now, really hamstringing several off-seasons but this most recent report of throwing in Teravainen into a potential Bickell trade in order to potentially re-sign Shaw at a high price (while also signing an older defenseman) draws serious notice of a flawed thought process. Even if you take the rumors with a grain of salt -- which you should -- the scenario brings up some interesting questions about the Hawks' identity as a team.
What the Hawks see in Shaw
Shaw's five seasons haven't come without accolades. After all, how many guys can say they've won two Stanley Cups, played in three Western Conference Finals and been a key cog role player for a legendary hockey team? Shaw's ascended into one of the more useful utility players in the league in which the Hawks trust him in most roles (for better or worse).
For a bottom six talent, he has decent hands, solid knowledge of positioning and is excellent on the forecheck even despite all of his tiny stature at 5'10, 180 pounds. It's why Shaw is able to bounce up and down the lineup whether fans and pundits like it. If there's an injury to a top skilled player, he's ready to fill in admirably and more often than not has surprisingly accomplished the job well like some small energetic Canadian army knife.
Ah yes, the glowing "energy" and "grit," something the Blackhawks never stop raving about with Shaw. It supposedly galvanizes the team when he's on the ice giving it his "all" (it's kind of nauseating to write this) so in turn you feel like you can't let your teammate down. We've heard it enough for five years as Shaw's celebrity spotlight in the Chicago hockey community has grown.
At his best, Shaw becomes a player that channels that temperament and offers excellent depth on the back end to a team anchored by Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, and Co.
The 24-year-old was arguably Chicago's most consistent forward in the seven-game series with four goals and two assists. He was a consistent force on both ends of the ice on whichever line he appeared, really showcasing his value as one of the best depth players in the league when everything is running on all cylinders.
While there are players in the Hawks' system like Ryan Hartman who could potentially replace what Shaw does, given he is a less skilled player, it doesn't mean there isn't reason to be high on what he offers with his own ability. At the right price, Shaw is an asset, there's no doubt.
Replaceable for a reason
Yet on the other end, you have a guy that sometimes takes unnecessary penalties at the most inopportune moments in which it would be nice to describe him as anything less than a volatile personality. For all of the love the front office, coaching staff, and team affords him, even they would be hard pressed to not admit his more often than not occasional hot headedness on the ice doesn't become irritating at times.
While he was ultimately completely remorseful, you saw the worst of Shaw in the same consistent Blues series in a Game 4 meltdown for example.
Shaw took an effective late game ending penalty and followed it up with homophobic slur for which he was disciplined by the league. The Blackhawks would win the next game to extend their season in spite of Shaw's reckless antics putting his team at a disadvantage without him, but the Hawks relentlessly supported him regardless despite his previous trends.
This isn't even mentioning that Shaw's services, while very useful as mentioned, aren't really all that special.
Yes he has decent hands, offers "energy," and has solid positioning but none of that is anywhere close to the value of the kind of creative playmaking a higher skilled player like Teuvo offers. Guys like Teuvo can make passes, plays, and see the ice like Shaw can only dream of, but yet we're stuck in this seemingly never ending trust nightmare.
Unless they're posturing for trade value, the Hawks clearly still want Shaw around, flaws and all.
The concern over direction
It's worth noting that the Hawks possibly overvalue Shaw so much because they don't think they have enough players like him. Players like him meaning guys that offer those clichés of physicality and such.
We've long noted and made fun of the notion of "HITS" but it's so evident teams like the Hawks take it more seriously than they should. The problem's only been exacerbated given recent roster reform too.
While Brandon Saad, Patrick Sharp and even Bickell when he was still producing, weren't typical goons or guys with prototypical size (save for Bickell), these were players above 6'0 with a little more girth above 200 pounds. They could really work the puck on the forecheck and cycle it well, and offered the Hawks a lot of versatility in play style.
I hate to make the argument that Chicago missed them because they took away from a physical factor because of everything I've argued for the past, but you can't help but notice the effect it had on guys like Jonathan Toews, for example.
Toews is at his best when he has two reliable wings who can win the puck for him and help cycle it along like Saad, Sharp and even Bickell once did once upon a time. There's no doubt it affected his overall performance this season as the Hawks never really did find a suitable fit in the top left wing spot. Shaw played there in spurts, but his overall numbers were more or less enhanced by the fact that he was playing with Toews and Marian Hossa instead of offering consistent support his line mates needed.
For everything that Shaw couldn't do as the first left wing, it still spoke volumes of the Hawks' faith in him to allow him the opportunity. After all, a team roster of skilled more deft players like Artemi Panarin, Teuvo, Kane, Marcus Kruger, etc. may actually be ill equipped without someone like Shaw. Artem Anisimov helps mitigate the gap with all of his 6'4 frame, but in their short sighted minds it's not enough.
I don't know why, though, because none of the Quenneville-era Hawks teams have won in that physical fashion. They are all teams that dominated the puck with speed and possession. They would be out hit and teams would punish them because the opposition never had control. Yet because of recent roster mistakes and fill-ins, the Hawks want to move away from players that help that facet along?
No matter how misguided the notion is, Chicago likely values Shaw more because of what they've lost, but this could become a detriment in the end.
A franchise crossroads
When it comes down to it, you can't help but begin to lament the Blackhawks' moves in the past year and how they potentially jeopardize the near contending future.
Completely misplaying the Brandon Saad situation and losing a budding 22-year-old star, which still has ramifications on the roster.
Basically all of the Patrick Sharp trade, but especially giving away Trevor Daley for basically nothing instead of keeping and finding a way to fit him on a team that could have used another defenseman immensely.
Signing an older Brent Seabrook to a long-term contract with a no movement clause setting yourself up for a steep decline in performance in a few years while already really tight to the salary cap.
Needless to say, while some of these outcomes are in hindsight, the last year has harmed the Blackhawks' future Cup chances much more than restored my faith. But there's still hope.
Don't trade a potential creative star player in Teuvo just to get rid of Bickell just to sign Shaw to huge money and long term, no matter how irreplaceable you think he is and even if it nets you a 36-year-old defenseman in Brian Campbell (That's a separate idea). I am a fan of Campbell, but even his defensive upgrade isn't worth trading a young Teuvo for. That's just counter productive.
Bottom line, no third or fourth line player is that important. The simple ideal to just trade Shaw's rights is staring you right in the face and almost makes too much sense. The Blackhawks have created championship rosters by building around cost controlled talents like Teuvo and then later adding guys like Shaw after the fact to plug the holes, not the other way around.
The Blackhawks may think they're on the verge of keeping a core player, but they're actually on the verge of something much more drastic: an identity crisis of sorts.
Dead weight magnifies Blackhawks' salary cap woes entering offseason.
By Satchel Price
(Photo/Patrick Gorski - USA Today Sports)
The Blackhawks will have even less money to work with this offseason due to a number of sunk costs.
If you've ever studied economics, you've probably heard the term "sunk cost." It refers to a cost or investment that's already been incurred and cannot be recovered, so the business simply needs to swallow it and re-calibrate how to distribute its resources. You spent the cash, and you're not getting it back even if you're dissatisfied.
The Chicago Blackhawks should probably know a thing or two about sunk costs entering the 2016-17 season. While the upper limit of the salary cap is the true boundary by which the team must operate, the reality is that some sunk costs will significantly lower the amount of money the Hawks actually have to work with. Depending on how you ultimately evaluate Bryan Bickell, we're potentially talking enough dead weight to cover the entirety of Brent Seabrook's cap hit.
As part of GM Stan Bowman's ongoing efforts to keep the Blackhawks contenders over the past few years, he's constantly been forced to rearrange the pieces to keep the team's finances from overflowing. The result has been various compromises, from eating salary in trades to including a substantial array of lucrative bonuses in the contract of a certain Russian star. And now, in 2016-17, those tough choices will come home to roost as Chicago stares at millions in sunk costs.
Let's start with the dead money that simply cannot be moved, the sunk costs in the truest sense.
Rob Scuderi's retained salary
Rob Scuderi's retained salary
Hey, remember him? Well guess what!! Despite generally sucking during his brief time with the team before being traded for another veteran who didn't help much, Scuderi will continue eating away as Chicago's books. Bowman retained $1.125 million of Scuderi's salary for the 2016-17 season, and unless the 37-year-old decides he'd no longer like to be paid millions to play hockey, there's no way the Hawks can get out of it. So right there, let's chip away over $1 million from what the Hawks have to play with.
Bonus overages
Bonus overages
And here's the other big one. We can't stress enough that the Hawks were in the right by giving Artemi Panarin some big-time bonuses in order to sign him, but now that the 24-year-old Russian has proven to be a legitimate NHL star, he's no longer quite the incredible bargain he was with a six-figure salary. By finishing among the top 10 NHL forwards in points in 2015-16 with 77, Panarin earned $1.725 million to give him a bonus total of $2.575 million. Add in another $212,500 for Teuvo Teravainen for finishing among the team's top six forwards in average ice time and $50,000 for Michal Rozsival's game bonus.
That's a combined bonus payout of $2,837,500 left for the Hawks at the end of the 2015-16 season. Teams use their remaining cap space to pay out bonuses, but when there's no available cap space left, the difference is applied to the team's books next season. For the Blackhawks, who finished the season with just $143,538 in cap space, per General Fanager, that means a massive overage hits the books.
For those not interested in doing the math themselves, it's an approximate cap overage of $2,693,962.
Already, you can see there's a ton of money that's not available to the Blackhawks just from Scuderi's retained salary and the overage charge. And guys, we haven't even gotten to Bryan Bickell.
Bickell when buried
Bickell when buried
And here's the final potential source of dead weight, although it's important to differentiate Bickell from the other costs because there's some flexibility remaining here. Unlike with the retained salary and cap overage, which are set in stone, the Hawks still have some options with Bickell, as we outlined in detail last month.
The problem, of course, is that Bickell appears to be a sunk cost of some sort no matter how you swing it. If you leave him on the roster and bury him in Rockford, you have a $3,050,000 cap hit stuck on the books for 2016-17. If you trade him, unless you're including another great asset -- possibly, Hossa forbid, Teuvo Teravainen? --- you're probably retaining millions. And if you buy him out, you decrease his 2016-17 cap hit to $1 million, but you'd add another $1.5 million to the books in 2017-18 when crucial players like Panarin and Teravainen will be RFAs.
So no matter how you twist things, Bickell will eat up at least $1 million, and assuming the team would like to move on from this albatross next offseason, it'll be much more than that.
In total
In total
The final tally is going to make Blackhawks fans sweat a bit. The team already had trouble filling out the roster with a salary cap of $71.4 million in 2015-16, and that was with just a $750,000 bonus overage from Kimmo Timonen. Realistically, combined with the raises to Brent Seabrook and Artem Anisimov, the Blackhawks are going to have one of the most obvious "stars and scrubs" rosters we've ever seen. There's simply no other way the books will work unless the team tries to clear some of those big salaries.
Because right now, the Hawks don't have anywhere close to $71.4 million to work with even if the cap stays stagnant. If the NHLPA declines the escalator clause and the cap goes down, as has been rumored to be possible, then we'll have to get ready for an utterly chaotic offseason. No matter what, Chicago has millions on the books that need to be qualified as sunk costs.
If the Hawks don't buyout Bickell, they're looking at approximately $6,868,962 in dead weight on the books for next season. If they do buy him out, they're looking at approximately $4,818,962. Either way, it's a ton of money -- right now with Bickell around, nearly 10 percent of the Hawks' cap space for the 2016-17 season is dead weight.
So while we continue talking about where the salary cap will ultimately land, the number for the Hawks will be even lower. When it comes to why the team probably won't be able to retain players like Andrew Shaw, that's a big reason.
Cubs trying to find next generation of pitchers in MLB draft.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Six days after Cole Hamels beat Jake Arrieta and no-hit the Cubs at Wrigley Field last year, the Philadelphia Phillies accelerated their rebuild by trading a homegrown World Series MVP to the Texas Rangers in an eight-player deal that included a young right-hander named Jerad Eickhoff.
Fast forward to Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, and there was Eickhoff beating the best team in baseball, limiting the Cubs to one run and two hits across seven innings in a 3-2 victory while the Philadelphia brass prepared to make the No. 1 overall pick in the amateur draft less than 48 hours later.
The churn of all those flip deals and win-later trades helped transform the Cubs into a 97-win playoff contender last season and the fastest team to 40 wins this year, the best start in the majors since Lou Piniella’s Seattle Mariners won 116 games in 2001.
Which is even more impressive when you consider the Cubs have so far gone 0-for-80 in drafting and developing pitchers since Theo Epstein’s crew took over baseball operations at Wrigley Field.
Zack Godley – who was supposed to be the other pitcher packaged with intriguing prospect Jeferson Mejia in the Miguel Montero trade – accounted for 36-plus innings with the Arizona Diamondbacks last season. But except for Godley – a 10th-round pick in 2013 out of the University of Tennessee – the Epstein administration hasn’t yet found a major-league pitcher through four draft classes.
It won’t get any easier with the Cubs waiting until the 104th pick to make their first selection on Friday and having the smallest bonus pool ($2,245,100) in the majors this year.
“We all feel – not pressure – but I think we all feel the challenge,” said Jason McLeod, the senior vice president who oversees scouting and player development. “We got to identify some guys, we got to develop some guys, so that there are those pitchers that teams usually go out and get.
“We understand where we are at this point in time with the major-league team. It’s a challenge to us. We’re certainly not happy with where we are with the pitching. And we expect to be better.”
While 22-year-old outfielder Albert Almora – the first player drafted here by the Epstein administration – made his big-league debut on Tuesday in South Philly, the Cubs don’t really know when their next generation of pitchers might arrive or who might be part of that wave.
By letting Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena walk as free agents, the Cubs gained the 43rd and 54th overall picks in the 2012 draft, which turned into Pierce Johnson and Paul Blackburn. Johnson (lat) is injured again after putting up a 5.17 ERA in his first four starts with Triple-A Iowa and has drifted off the prospect radar, while Blackburn continues his steady growth with the Double-A Tennessee rotation (2.06 ERA through 11 starts).
Jen-Ho Tseng (shoulder) – an international signing out of Taiwan and the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year in 2014 – advanced to Tennessee but is now on the disabled list. The Cubs also had to shut down Ryan Williams (shoulder) – a 10th-round pick out of East Carolina University in 2014 and the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year in 2015 – after a strong start for Iowa’s rotation (4-1, 3.30 ERA).
Cutting a below-slot deal with No. 4 overall pick Kyle Schwarber in 2014 allowed the Cubs to buy out college commitments and give seven-figure bonuses to high school pitchers Carson Sands, Justin Steele and Dylan Cease in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds.
The Cubs understood Cease would be a Tommy John case, took the conservative approach and now have him in extended spring training, planning to send him to Class-A Eugene this summer and see how his triple-digit velocity and big curveball might play at that short-season affiliate.
These are only snapshots, but Sands (5-0, 3.30 ERA) and Steele (3-5, 6.17 ERA) are going through the inevitable ups and downs in the Class-A South Bend rotation.
That inherent unpredictability explains why the Cubs are built around power hitters like Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Schwarber, and the overall athleticism of players like Addison Russell, Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist.
As long as the Cubs can keep pouring money into the free-agent market, making change-of-scenery trades and gaining competitive advantages with their coaching staff, they believe they can figure out the staff from one year to the next and won’t sweat the pitching deficit now.
“Our system’s in pretty good shape overall,” Epstein said. “Obviously, we’re deeper in position players than pitching. No secret there. We’re in a pretty good position to roll the dice on some pitching upside and hopefully hit on a few guys.”
Fast forward to Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, and there was Eickhoff beating the best team in baseball, limiting the Cubs to one run and two hits across seven innings in a 3-2 victory while the Philadelphia brass prepared to make the No. 1 overall pick in the amateur draft less than 48 hours later.
The churn of all those flip deals and win-later trades helped transform the Cubs into a 97-win playoff contender last season and the fastest team to 40 wins this year, the best start in the majors since Lou Piniella’s Seattle Mariners won 116 games in 2001.
Which is even more impressive when you consider the Cubs have so far gone 0-for-80 in drafting and developing pitchers since Theo Epstein’s crew took over baseball operations at Wrigley Field.
Zack Godley – who was supposed to be the other pitcher packaged with intriguing prospect Jeferson Mejia in the Miguel Montero trade – accounted for 36-plus innings with the Arizona Diamondbacks last season. But except for Godley – a 10th-round pick in 2013 out of the University of Tennessee – the Epstein administration hasn’t yet found a major-league pitcher through four draft classes.
It won’t get any easier with the Cubs waiting until the 104th pick to make their first selection on Friday and having the smallest bonus pool ($2,245,100) in the majors this year.
“We all feel – not pressure – but I think we all feel the challenge,” said Jason McLeod, the senior vice president who oversees scouting and player development. “We got to identify some guys, we got to develop some guys, so that there are those pitchers that teams usually go out and get.
“We understand where we are at this point in time with the major-league team. It’s a challenge to us. We’re certainly not happy with where we are with the pitching. And we expect to be better.”
While 22-year-old outfielder Albert Almora – the first player drafted here by the Epstein administration – made his big-league debut on Tuesday in South Philly, the Cubs don’t really know when their next generation of pitchers might arrive or who might be part of that wave.
By letting Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena walk as free agents, the Cubs gained the 43rd and 54th overall picks in the 2012 draft, which turned into Pierce Johnson and Paul Blackburn. Johnson (lat) is injured again after putting up a 5.17 ERA in his first four starts with Triple-A Iowa and has drifted off the prospect radar, while Blackburn continues his steady growth with the Double-A Tennessee rotation (2.06 ERA through 11 starts).
Jen-Ho Tseng (shoulder) – an international signing out of Taiwan and the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year in 2014 – advanced to Tennessee but is now on the disabled list. The Cubs also had to shut down Ryan Williams (shoulder) – a 10th-round pick out of East Carolina University in 2014 and the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year in 2015 – after a strong start for Iowa’s rotation (4-1, 3.30 ERA).
Cutting a below-slot deal with No. 4 overall pick Kyle Schwarber in 2014 allowed the Cubs to buy out college commitments and give seven-figure bonuses to high school pitchers Carson Sands, Justin Steele and Dylan Cease in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds.
The Cubs understood Cease would be a Tommy John case, took the conservative approach and now have him in extended spring training, planning to send him to Class-A Eugene this summer and see how his triple-digit velocity and big curveball might play at that short-season affiliate.
These are only snapshots, but Sands (5-0, 3.30 ERA) and Steele (3-5, 6.17 ERA) are going through the inevitable ups and downs in the Class-A South Bend rotation.
That inherent unpredictability explains why the Cubs are built around power hitters like Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Schwarber, and the overall athleticism of players like Addison Russell, Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist.
As long as the Cubs can keep pouring money into the free-agent market, making change-of-scenery trades and gaining competitive advantages with their coaching staff, they believe they can figure out the staff from one year to the next and won’t sweat the pitching deficit now.
“Our system’s in pretty good shape overall,” Epstein said. “Obviously, we’re deeper in position players than pitching. No secret there. We’re in a pretty good position to roll the dice on some pitching upside and hopefully hit on a few guys.”
Chicago Cubs: Jose Bautista Is A Perfect MLB Trade Deadline Target.
By Evan Massey
Jose Bautista #19 of the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning of the game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on June 14, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs are the best team in baseball so far this season and are still considered the favorites to end up winning the World Series. It has been quite some time since the Cubs were considered a serious threat to win it all, but this could be the year that they break the curse that has been held over them for the last 107 years.
The Chicago Cubs are the best team in baseball so far this season and are still considered the favorites to end up winning the World Series. It has been quite some time since the Cubs were considered a serious threat to win it all, but this could be the year that they break the curse that has been held over them for the last 107 years.
Theo Epstein has put together and impressive roster from top to bottom. Whether it be the impressive power that Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant bring to the lineup or the best pitcher in baseball, Jake Arrieta, the Cubs seem to have the mixture of players to continue their hot start. There are a few areas that could use improvement, which is exactly what the MLB trade deadline is about.
According to a report from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe mentioned the Cubs as a team that will likely show interest in acquiring Toronto Blue Jays star outfielder Jose Bautista at the trade deadline. There is a strong chance that the Blue Jays could gauge trade value for some of their better players.
Throughout the course of the 2016 season thus far, Bautista has been unable to put up the superstar numbers that he has had in years past. He has recorded a .229 batting average to go along with 12 home runs and 38 RBI’s. Even though the numbers aren’t great this season, the Cubs should still be very interested in acquiring the slugger.
At 35-years-old, Bautista is playing in the final year of his contract. He is owed $14 million this season, which the Blue Jays would likely be willing to cover a large chunk of for the right deal.
Chicago saw star young slugger Kyle Schwarber go down for the season with a torn ACL earlier this year. Since then, the offense has sputtered at times. It still has the potential for double digit runs on any given night, but another big bat would be extremely helpful come playoff time.
Looking ahead at the deadline, the Cubs could use one more bat, a bullpen arm and perhaps another starting pitcher. Epstein is going to be very aggressive in his pursuit of bringing a World Series victory to the Cubs’ fan base. He is not scared to make a big deal and has done so in the past.
Bryant moves on from grievance, ‘to bigger and better things’.
By Gordon Wittenmyer
(Photo/chicagosuntimes.com)
More than a year after a service-time grievance was filed on his behalf by the players’ union, Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant said he’d forgotten the other player involved in the filing.
“I completely forgot my situation, too,” said Bryant, who took the field Monday night with that other player, Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco, “because it’s so far in the past for me.”
In more ways than one.
Technically, the grievance over manipulation of Bryant’s and Franco’s service time (to assure their clubs additional control over the players) is still pending, but has not been scheduled for a hearing. It’s expected to be addressed as part of this year’s collective bargaining negotiations.
Bryant became the union’s poster boy for the issue after a minor league player of the year season in 2014, a monster spring in 2015 and — after the exact number of days in the minors to preserve an additional year of control for the Cubs — a Rookie of the Year season.
But he says the issue “never even crossed my mind” as he focuses on the Cubs’ big plans this season.
Since that All-Star rookie season, he already is the early leader in All-Star voting at third base — having actually played five positions this season for the team with the best record in the majors.
His multi-hit effort Monday night included a run-scoring double in the first that missed being a home run by a foot or two (and/or the interference of a fan in Cubs gear).
Bryant said he has long put thoughts of the grievance out of his mind.
“For me it’s just important to continue to go out there and do what I do,” he said, “so that I can help the team in any way possible in where we’re at today. It’s just important for me to not even worry about it right now because it takes away form so much of what we have going this year. And that was last year’s news.
“We’re on to bigger and better things.”
Mat Latos can't hold early lead as White Sox fall to Nationals
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The White Sox provided Mat Latos with ample run support early on Tuesday night.
But he and the bullpen couldn’t make it work.
Latos squandered the lead in under three innings and the team’s relievers couldn’t slow down the Washington Nationals as the White Sox lost their fourth straight, falling 10-5 in front of 18,812 at U.S. Cellular Field. The team’s 19th loss in 25 games has it at the .500 mark for the first time all season. Latos (6-2) allowed six earned runs in 4 1/ 3 innings while Todd Frazier homered in the losing effort.
It appeared the White Sox were in a good spot to begin a three-team homestand properly as Frazier’s two-run home run in the second inning cleared the center-field fence to put them ahead 5-2. After a second RBI by Jose Abreu, Frazier jumped on a 3-0 fastball from Joe Ross and drove it out to center, his 19th homer.
But Latos -- vying for the final spot in the rotation along with Miguel Gonzalez now that James Shields has been acquired -- couldn’t hold on. Anthony Rendon got the Nationals back within a run with two outs in the fourth inning when he crushed a 1-2 split-fingered fastball for a two-run homer. Washington’s first three batters then reached base in the fifth inning (though leadoff hitter Michael Taylor was caught stealing) as Latos struggled. The right-hander allowed two singles with his fourth walk of the night squeezed in between and yielded to reliever Dan Jennings.
Bryce Harper’s two-run double off Jennings put Washington up 6-5.
Since he began the season 4-0 with 0.74 ERA, Latos has a 7.25 ERA and completed 36 innings over seven starts. He’s allowed 50 hits, walked 18 and struck out 19 in that span.
The night only got worse.
Along with a Tyler Saladino error, Matt Albers and Zach Duke combined for two walks, a hit batsmen and three hits (one courtesy of a Saladino double-pump that resulted in a single) and let the Nationals pull ahead 10-5. The inning lasted 32 minutes.
The White Sox offense had some similar lengthy efforts early against Ross, who lasted only four innings. Abreu singled on an 0-2 pitch from Ross after consecutive walks by Adam Eaton and Austin Jackson in the first to put the White Sox ahead 1-0.
J.B. Shuck also had a bases-loaded walk to put his team up two.
Latos surrendered two runs in the second as Washington tied the game. But Abreu’s sac fly put the White Sox up 3-2 and then Frazier homered.
But he and the bullpen couldn’t make it work.
Latos squandered the lead in under three innings and the team’s relievers couldn’t slow down the Washington Nationals as the White Sox lost their fourth straight, falling 10-5 in front of 18,812 at U.S. Cellular Field. The team’s 19th loss in 25 games has it at the .500 mark for the first time all season. Latos (6-2) allowed six earned runs in 4 1/ 3 innings while Todd Frazier homered in the losing effort.
It appeared the White Sox were in a good spot to begin a three-team homestand properly as Frazier’s two-run home run in the second inning cleared the center-field fence to put them ahead 5-2. After a second RBI by Jose Abreu, Frazier jumped on a 3-0 fastball from Joe Ross and drove it out to center, his 19th homer.
But Latos -- vying for the final spot in the rotation along with Miguel Gonzalez now that James Shields has been acquired -- couldn’t hold on. Anthony Rendon got the Nationals back within a run with two outs in the fourth inning when he crushed a 1-2 split-fingered fastball for a two-run homer. Washington’s first three batters then reached base in the fifth inning (though leadoff hitter Michael Taylor was caught stealing) as Latos struggled. The right-hander allowed two singles with his fourth walk of the night squeezed in between and yielded to reliever Dan Jennings.
Bryce Harper’s two-run double off Jennings put Washington up 6-5.
Since he began the season 4-0 with 0.74 ERA, Latos has a 7.25 ERA and completed 36 innings over seven starts. He’s allowed 50 hits, walked 18 and struck out 19 in that span.
The night only got worse.
Along with a Tyler Saladino error, Matt Albers and Zach Duke combined for two walks, a hit batsmen and three hits (one courtesy of a Saladino double-pump that resulted in a single) and let the Nationals pull ahead 10-5. The inning lasted 32 minutes.
The White Sox offense had some similar lengthy efforts early against Ross, who lasted only four innings. Abreu singled on an 0-2 pitch from Ross after consecutive walks by Adam Eaton and Austin Jackson in the first to put the White Sox ahead 1-0.
J.B. Shuck also had a bases-loaded walk to put his team up two.
Latos surrendered two runs in the second as Washington tied the game. But Abreu’s sac fly put the White Sox up 3-2 and then Frazier homered.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Tom Thibodeau And The Timberwolves Are Reportedly Targeting Joakim Noah In Free Agency.
(Photo/Getty Images)
Joakim Noah is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but unfortunately for him, his market is not what it once was. Noah came off the bench for the Bulls this season in the 29 games he was able to play and had the worst statistical season of his career, averaging only 4.3 points and shooting under 40 percent from the floor. Noah was never a serious offensive threat to begin with, and his defense remained solid this year. However, his putrid play on the offensive end made it hard to justify giving him big minutes.
When fully healthy, though, Noah has proven in the past that he is a more than capable player, as he finished fourth in the MVP voting just three seasons ago and has two All-Star game selections on his resume. At 31, you would think there’s still a chance that Noah could revive his career, but it remains to be seen where he will get his next opportunity.
Although there were reports in April that the Bulls were looking to resign Noah over Pau Gasol, it now looks like he will be searching for a new home come October, too, as he said goodbye to his Bulls teammates last month.
Noah had his most productive seasons in the league under head coach Tom Thibodeau, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that the ex-Chicago coach is looking to reunite with his former starting center in Minnesota, according to Sporting News. The Timberwolves obviously already have one big man they’re committed to in Karl-Anthony Towns, but it remains to be seen how Thibodeau will round out his rotation in the frontcourt.
Gorgui Dieng figures to play a big role for Minnesota next season, and sophomore sharpshooter Nemanja Bjelica deserves a long look from the coaching staff, too. The contributions of Kevin Garnett – if he puts off retirement for one more season – will mostly come from the bench, while former starter Nikola Pekovic is both perpetually injured and a less-than-ideal fit for Thibodeau’s defensive scheme.
Regardless, if Noah elects to sign with the Timberwolves, one figures at least one incumbent might have to go.
Bulls' Doug McDermott chosen for USA Men's Select Team.
By #BullsTalk
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
USA Basketball announced their USA Men's Select Team roster Tuesday, and a familiar face for Bulls fans made the cut. Bulls forward Doug McDermott has been chosen to join 24 other players as part of the Select Team, which will train daily with the USA National Team from July 18-21 at UNLV's Mendenhall Center.
This isn't McDermott's first go around with USA Basketball, most recently being a part of the 2014 USA Men's Select Team. He was also a part of the U19 World Championship roster back in 2011 and participated in a National Team minicamp in 2013.
McDermott had a promising 2015-16 campaign for Chicago, playing in a career-high 81 games with four starts and averaged 9.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, while shooting 45.2 percent from the field. He finished second on the Bulls with 110 3-pointers made. McDermott's 3-point field goal percentage of 42.5 was tied with Klay Thompson for fifth in the NBA.
The 2016 Select Team's 25-man roster includes: Malcolm Brogdon (University of Virginia); Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Detroit Pistons); Willie Cauley-Stein (Sacramento Kings); Kris Dunn (Providence College); Aaron Gordon (Orlando Magic); Jerami Grant (Philadelphia 76ers); Gary Harris (Denver Nuggets); Rodney Hood (Utah Jazz); Brandon Ingram (Duke University); Brice Johnson (University of North Carolina), Stanley Johnson (Detroit Pistons); Zach LaVine (Minnesota Timberwolves); CJ McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers); Doug McDermott (Chicago Bulls); Emmanuel Mudiay (Denver Nuggets); Jahlil Okafor (Philadelphia 76ers); Jabari Parker (Milwaukee Bucks); Julius Randle (Los Angeles Lakers); D’Angelo Russell (Los Angeles Lakers); Marcus Smart (Boston Celtics); Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers); Denzel Valentine (Michigan State University); Justise Winslow (Miami Heat) and Cody Zeller (Charlotte Hornets).
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich will oversee the Select Team, and Spurs assistant coach Ime Udoka and Villanova University head coach Jay Wright will serve as assistant coaches.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Power Rankings: FedEx St. Jude Classic.
By Rob Bolton
Phil Mickelson has two top-3 finishes in his last three trips to TPC Southwind. (Photo/Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
When the week starts with U.S. Open sectional qualifying coast to coast, including at Germantown Country Club in Memphis, it’s impossible not to look ahead to the season’s second major on tap next week. However, first up and just a few miles to the south of Germantown, TPC Southwind is hosting 156 golfers for the 59th edition of the FedEx St. Jude Classic.
Annually among the most challenging par 70s, it’s arguably best received as one of the most consistent tests. TPC Southwind put up its usual fight with a scoring average of 70.933 in 2015. For successful intents and purposes, it’s a second-shot track. Consider that none of the 11 on the final leaderboard ranked inside the top 10 in either distance off the tee or fairways hit, but six landed inside the top 10 in greens in regulation. Three more were inside the top 20.
En route to his breakthrough victory on the PGA TOUR, Fabian Gomez paced the field in strokes gained: tee-to-green, but make no mistake, he did his work on approach and cleaned up nicely when necessary. The Argentine ranked T8 in GIR, ninth in proximity and eighth in scrambling. He punctuated a 13-under 267 en route to a four-stroke win by playing the pair of par 5s in bogey-free 7-under (seven birdies) and ranked second in bogey avoidance.
The emphasis of rolling the ball into the hole wasn’t lost on those in pursuit as eight of the golfers who posted top 10s finished the tournament inside the top 20 in strokes gained: putting. The greens average just 5,420 square feet and yielded a meaty one-putt percentage of 43.13, eighth-highest on TOUR. While that correlation isn’t surprising, the absence of the alternative has value.
The only notable course modification is barely worth the mention. After nine years at 157 yards, the par-3 11th hole (over water) is back to tipping at 162 yards. Likewise, TPC Southwind has returned to 7,244 yards overall.
A healthy dose of summertime is in store throughout the tournament. Daily high temperatures will rise to and eclipse 90 degrees. Winds will be light. The only threat of inclement weather exists on Sunday but even that is minimal in the long-range forecast.
POWER RANKINGS: FedEx St. Jude Classic
Is Oakmont Really the Toughest Major Venue of All?
This isn't McDermott's first go around with USA Basketball, most recently being a part of the 2014 USA Men's Select Team. He was also a part of the U19 World Championship roster back in 2011 and participated in a National Team minicamp in 2013.
McDermott had a promising 2015-16 campaign for Chicago, playing in a career-high 81 games with four starts and averaged 9.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, while shooting 45.2 percent from the field. He finished second on the Bulls with 110 3-pointers made. McDermott's 3-point field goal percentage of 42.5 was tied with Klay Thompson for fifth in the NBA.
The 2016 Select Team's 25-man roster includes: Malcolm Brogdon (University of Virginia); Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Detroit Pistons); Willie Cauley-Stein (Sacramento Kings); Kris Dunn (Providence College); Aaron Gordon (Orlando Magic); Jerami Grant (Philadelphia 76ers); Gary Harris (Denver Nuggets); Rodney Hood (Utah Jazz); Brandon Ingram (Duke University); Brice Johnson (University of North Carolina), Stanley Johnson (Detroit Pistons); Zach LaVine (Minnesota Timberwolves); CJ McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers); Doug McDermott (Chicago Bulls); Emmanuel Mudiay (Denver Nuggets); Jahlil Okafor (Philadelphia 76ers); Jabari Parker (Milwaukee Bucks); Julius Randle (Los Angeles Lakers); D’Angelo Russell (Los Angeles Lakers); Marcus Smart (Boston Celtics); Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers); Denzel Valentine (Michigan State University); Justise Winslow (Miami Heat) and Cody Zeller (Charlotte Hornets).
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich will oversee the Select Team, and Spurs assistant coach Ime Udoka and Villanova University head coach Jay Wright will serve as assistant coaches.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Power Rankings: FedEx St. Jude Classic.
By Rob Bolton
When the week starts with U.S. Open sectional qualifying coast to coast, including at Germantown Country Club in Memphis, it’s impossible not to look ahead to the season’s second major on tap next week. However, first up and just a few miles to the south of Germantown, TPC Southwind is hosting 156 golfers for the 59th edition of the FedEx St. Jude Classic.
Annually among the most challenging par 70s, it’s arguably best received as one of the most consistent tests. TPC Southwind put up its usual fight with a scoring average of 70.933 in 2015. For successful intents and purposes, it’s a second-shot track. Consider that none of the 11 on the final leaderboard ranked inside the top 10 in either distance off the tee or fairways hit, but six landed inside the top 10 in greens in regulation. Three more were inside the top 20.
En route to his breakthrough victory on the PGA TOUR, Fabian Gomez paced the field in strokes gained: tee-to-green, but make no mistake, he did his work on approach and cleaned up nicely when necessary. The Argentine ranked T8 in GIR, ninth in proximity and eighth in scrambling. He punctuated a 13-under 267 en route to a four-stroke win by playing the pair of par 5s in bogey-free 7-under (seven birdies) and ranked second in bogey avoidance.
The emphasis of rolling the ball into the hole wasn’t lost on those in pursuit as eight of the golfers who posted top 10s finished the tournament inside the top 20 in strokes gained: putting. The greens average just 5,420 square feet and yielded a meaty one-putt percentage of 43.13, eighth-highest on TOUR. While that correlation isn’t surprising, the absence of the alternative has value.
The only notable course modification is barely worth the mention. After nine years at 157 yards, the par-3 11th hole (over water) is back to tipping at 162 yards. Likewise, TPC Southwind has returned to 7,244 yards overall.
A healthy dose of summertime is in store throughout the tournament. Daily high temperatures will rise to and eclipse 90 degrees. Winds will be light. The only threat of inclement weather exists on Sunday but even that is minimal in the long-range forecast.
POWER RANKINGS: FedEx St. Jude Classic
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Is Oakmont Really the Toughest Major Venue of All?
By Jake Nichols
(Photo/Gene J. Puskar/AP)
Oakmont's reputation precedes it. Rory McIlroy called it "unbelievably hard" -- and that was just from watching a few USGA-provided flyovers. In the coming weeks we're sure to receive a steady dose of talk about the speed of and slope on the greens, the rough, the bunkers, and the overall mental test of simply breaking par.
But is Oakmont the toughest U.S. Open (or major championship) venue?
The answer depends on qualifying criteria, but regardless the metric, stats indicate that either Oakmont or Pebble Beach has been the most difficult U.S. Open test in recent history. We analyzed 45 years worth of scoring data (every major since 1970) to prove it. Here are the facts:
Since 1970, the U.S. Open has played as the toughest major championship with a 74.2 scoring average, nearly a stroke beyond that of the Masters and the Open Championship (both 73.4). The PGA Championship has the easiest major championship venues at 73.0 strokes.
The most difficult non-U.S. Open course in the major championship rotation has been Carnoustie, which has played about 74.3 strokes (about average for a USGA venue).
Scoring at major championships has gotten easier over time from a peak of about 74.5 strokes around 1970 to about 72.5 strokes around 2015. Based on that, a course playing an average of 75 strokes in 2015 is more impressive than in 1970.
Five of the 10 lowest major-championship scoring rounds since 1970 have occurred since 2013 -- including two sub-70 scoring average rounds.
The overall scoring average by event averaged over 75 strokes 21 times from 1970 up to 2000, but it has only topped 75 strokes three times since (Pebble Beach in 2000, the Masters in 2007, and Oakmont in 2007).
In terms of Open venues, Pebble Beach has been the toughest course over the past 45 years, averaging 75.6 strokes per round. Inverness Club hosted the Open only once in 1979 -- a 76.4 average -- but also hosted two PGA Championships with benign scoring conditions. Cherry Hills once hosted to a score of 75.6, but since hosted an easier PGA Championship and a FedEx Cup Playoffs event where the winning score was 14-under.
In the 1970s, Oakmont was seemingly much more manageable. The '73 Oakmont Open was easier than normal, averaging 75.4 strokes per round, slightly lower than other Opens that decade. One year prior, Pebble played to a stunning 77.7 average, and one year after Oakmont, Winged Foot played to 77. While that relatively easier '73 Open depresses the historical difficulty of Oakmont, it’s at modern majors where the course shows its teeth.
Today, the title of toughest major venue comes down to two contenders: Oakmont and Pebble Beach. In the single event played at each location with modern drivers and balls, Oakmont (2007) played 0.4 shots harder per round than Pebble Beach (2010). Take a more generous view of "modern" back to the '92 and '00 Opens at Pebble Beach, as well as the 1994 Open at Oakmont, and the California beach track plays 0.4 shots tougher than Oakmont.
Of course, some of the presumed difficulty with Oakmont stems from its reputation. Its members love to boast about the track's toughness. Pebble, meanwhile, is often presented in fairly benign setups for amateurs to enjoy. Regardless of whether it's ranked No. 1 or No. 2, Oakmont is once again ready to inflict pain. The pros better be ready.
By Nick Bromberg
(Photo/yahoosports.com)
1. Kurt Busch (LW: 3): Busch has been stating a solid case for No. 1 all season. The win on Monday puts it over the top. Like we said Monday, Busch's season needed a signature moment for his excellence to be fully recognized. Monday should be more than enough.
2. Kevin Harvick (LW: 2): Harvick was a victim of caution circumstance more than once on Sunday. At Pocono, teams can pit under green and not lose a lap, meaning crew chiefs can work a race "backwards" from the point of the final pit stop. Harvick and team were doing that, though their strategy got waylaid by cautions that came while he was still on the track. He ended up ninth after driving through the field multiple times. With better timing, Harvick could have been in victory lane.
3. Chase Elliott (LW: 7): Elliott finished fourth and led a race-high 51 laps. Elliott jumping out to lead a bunch of laps in a race isn't surprising; he's been fast all season and is piling up the top-10 finishes. The surprising part might have been that it was at Pocono, a track he's not too terribly familiar with. But crew chief Alan Gustafson always gave Jeff Gordon competitive cars at Pocono, and the top 10 was dominated by Penske, Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick equipped cars all day.
4. Brad Keselowski (LW: 6): Keselowski's team got slammed (pun!) with a pit road penalty after NASCAR officials saw a crew member hip check the car for some added side force. Keselowski's car passed inspection after the race and wasn't taken back to the NASCAR research and development center for further inspection, so you can consider this a closed issue. Well, maybe not. There's a chance NASCAR could be watching the No. 2 team a bit more closely.
5. Matt Kenseth (LW: 5): Kenseth was a mainstay in the top 10 all day and ended up seventh. As the race went perilously close to having a bunch of cars run out of gas, memories of Kenseth's Pocono win in August emerged. He came from fourth to first in the final three laps because the three cars ahead of him ran out of gas.
6. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 1): Monday was not Truex's day. A race after leading all but 12 miles, Truex's car got smashed into the inside pit wall. Then he got more front end damage later in the race. He ended up 19th, and take a look at what happened to Truex on pit road. It's a minor miracle no crew members got hit.
7. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 4): Johnson was also a mainstay in the top 10 but his day ended abruptly when he went spinning off a restart. Thankfully, Johnson hit SAFER barrier on the inside of the track after he spun down off the banking. The DNF means he's now 75 points behind Harvick, the driver who leads the points standings.
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 12): The guy who swept the 2014 races at Pocono almost won another. Junior took the lead from Elliott, but Elliott's aggressive move to take back the lead meant Kurt Busch was able to sail on by. Junior did what he could to pressure Busch over the final laps, but Busch did an incredible job saving fuel to keep ahead of Junior.
9. Carl Edwards (LW: 9): Edwards finished eighth and was one of those JGR drivers who was on the periphery of the top 10 all day. He called it a "long, tough" day and then added that "We had the fastest modems on the car, but not maybe the fastest car. " You cannot doubt Edwards' sponsor plug credentials.
10. Denny Hamlin (LW: 10): Hamlin ended up 14th, sandwiched between the Roush cars of Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He wasn't the lowest-finishing JGR car, however, as that honor goes to the guy below him.
11. Kyle Busch (LW: 8): As Busch hit the wall for the second-straight week. Contact forced him into the wall at Pocono and a caution soon followed. It was unlike his crash at Charlotte, when no caution came out, perhaps because Busch hit the wall with less than 10 laps to go. Busch ended up 31st.
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 12): The guy who swept the 2014 races at Pocono almost won another. Junior took the lead from Elliott, but Elliott's aggressive move to take back the lead meant Kurt Busch was able to sail on by. Junior did what he could to pressure Busch over the final laps, but Busch did an incredible job saving fuel to keep ahead of Junior.
9. Carl Edwards (LW: 9): Edwards finished eighth and was one of those JGR drivers who was on the periphery of the top 10 all day. He called it a "long, tough" day and then added that "We had the fastest modems on the car, but not maybe the fastest car. " You cannot doubt Edwards' sponsor plug credentials.
10. Denny Hamlin (LW: 10): Hamlin ended up 14th, sandwiched between the Roush cars of Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He wasn't the lowest-finishing JGR car, however, as that honor goes to the guy below him.
11. Kyle Busch (LW: 8): As Busch hit the wall for the second-straight week. Contact forced him into the wall at Pocono and a caution soon followed. It was unlike his crash at Charlotte, when no caution came out, perhaps because Busch hit the wall with less than 10 laps to go. Busch ended up 31st.
12. Joey Logano (LW: NR): Logano is back in Power Rankings this week and survived a few bumps from Ryan Newman along the way. After Logano hit his rear bumper immediately after a restart, Newman bumped him multiple times in turn 1. The contact rumpled the rear fender of Logano's car, but he recovered to finish fifth.
Lucky Dog: Kasey Kahne, who finished sixth. He's tied with Stenhouse for 18th in the points standings.
The DNF: Tony Stewart, who finished 34th. Stewart was in the top 10 for nearly the entire race before he crashed on lap 93.
Dropped Out: Kyle Larson
Mileage master: Kurt Busch saves enough fuel to win at Pocono.
By Jerry Bonkowski
Kurt Busch held off both a virtually empty gas tank and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win Monday’s weather-delayed Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400 at Pocono Raceway.
Busch, initially told by his team he was two laps short on fuel, repeatedly toggled his engine to conserve fuel in the final 10 laps.
Still, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver aptly worked his way to the checkered flag and had enough fuel to do a celebratory burnout. Busch led the final 32 laps en route to his 28th career Sprint Cup victory and third at Pocono’s 2.5-mile triangle (his last win there was in 2007).
Team engineer John Klausmeier served as Busch’s interim crew chief and earned his first career win in that role. Klausmeier replaced Tony Gibson, who was on NASCAR suspension after a lug nut violation last weekend.
It was Busch’s first win since Michigan last June (34 starts). It was also a big breakthrough victory for the driver of the No. 41 Chevrolet: Busch leads all drivers in 2016 with 12 top-10 finishes in 14 races.
Earnhardt finished second, followed by Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Blaney.
HOW BUSCH WON: This wasn’t Busch’s first rodeo when it comes to fuel mileage. He’s one of the best when it comes to saving fuel when he needs to most. He apparently wound up saving more than 5 miles worth of fuel to reach the finish line and then victory lane.
WHO ELSE HAD A GOOD RACE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. rallied late for his fourth second place of the season (Atlanta, Texas, Bristol, Pocono). … Chase Elliott led a race-high 51 laps – including at the halfway point of the 160-lap event – and finished fourth. “I feel like we had a car that could do it today,” Elliott told Fox Sports 1. “We had a super fast car that could lead all day.” … Brad Keselowski rallied from two NASCAR penalties to finish third.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Kyle Busch wrecked with Ryan Newman with 50 laps to go. While Newman was able to continue and finished 12th, Busch was forced to take his car to the garage for repairs. Busch finished 31st. … Tony Stewart had his best starting spot of the season but wrecked with teammate Danica Patrick (32nd) and finished 34th. … Others having rough days included Jimmie Johnson (35th), Austin Dillon (37th), Michael Annett (38th), Brian Scott (39th) and Matt DiBenedetto (40th) – particularly DiBenedetto, who was involved in three incidents before his day came to an end.
NOTABLE: This marked the first race of the season – and the first time since this race a year ago (a 35-race stretch) – where at least one Toyota failed to finish in the top five. Matt Kenseth was the top Toyota driver (seventh), followed by Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Carl Edwards (eighth).
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I was like, ‘Whoa, how many laps shy are we?’ They said, ‘Two.’ These are really long straightaways at Pocono, and you have to manage saving fuel as well as maintaining lap time. So many thoughts can go through your head, but I just stuck with the checklist. I just stuck with saving fuel and watching the No. 88 (Dale Earnhardt, Jr.) behind us.” – Kurt Busch in a post-race interview on Fox Sports 1.
WHAT’S NEXT: Sunday, June 12, 1 p.m. ET, Firekeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
SOCCER: Clint Dempsey makes critics' call for benching sound even dumber. (Dempsey leads U.S. to 4-0 win over Costa Rica in Copa America)
By Mike DeCourcy
(Photo/Tasos Katopodis/AFP/Getty Images)
Of the nearly 750 players who’ve ever worn the uniform of the United States men’s national team, only one has stood at the summit Clint Dempsey reached Tuesday evening.
He entered his side's match against Costa Rica in Copa America Centenario needing one goal to reach 50 for his international career, and he achieved that milestone before even 10 full minutes passed. If hitting that mark and winning the game were the only objectives on this night at Soldier Field, Dempsey might have done enough right there. The Ticos weren’t much of a threat beyond the first few minutes, and Dempsey’s penalty kick stood as the game-winner.
Those were not the only objectives.
This was personal, and it looked every bit of that as Dempsey set up the second and third goals in the United States’ essential 4-0 victory, which positioned the team to advance to the knockout rounds of the tournament with a positive result Saturday against Paraguay in Philadelphia.
For perhaps the first time in his career, Dempsey’s place on the national team was questioned loudly and persistently following a loss to Colombia in the opening round of Copa America pool play. A lot of that was fans on Twitter, but there were several calls by analysts at prominent media outlets declaring he should sit.
It might have been the only thing from the Colombia loss more bizarre than coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s declaration that “there was no difference, except for the two goals.”
Against Colombia, Dempsey had one sizzling shot fly just inches wide of the left post, a header saved off the line by a defender and a free kick that demanded a tremendous save from Colombia’s keeper. You don’t get any points for coming close, but at least he came close. It was not the greatest game he’d ever played, and it certainly could be argued he is not ideally suited to be the lone forward in a 4-3-3 formation, but a team that failed to score over 90 minutes of soccer is unlikely to improve by removing the guy who came closest, not once but three times.
It might have been the only thing from the Colombia loss more bizarre than coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s declaration that “there was no difference, except for the two goals.”
Against Colombia, Dempsey had one sizzling shot fly just inches wide of the left post, a header saved off the line by a defender and a free kick that demanded a tremendous save from Colombia’s keeper. You don’t get any points for coming close, but at least he came close. It was not the greatest game he’d ever played, and it certainly could be argued he is not ideally suited to be the lone forward in a 4-3-3 formation, but a team that failed to score over 90 minutes of soccer is unlikely to improve by removing the guy who came closest, not once but three times.
The folly of those suggestions was evident not long after Dempsey stood up to take the penalty earned when Costa Rica right back Christian Gamboa shoved Bobby Wood in the back as he awaited a cross from teammate DeAndre Yedlin. Wood was well inside the box, waiting to attempt a header, when Gamboa tried to get away with a subtle shove. Wood’s fall wasn’t so subtle, and Ecuadoran referee Roddy Zambrano awarded a penalty.
The Costa Rican protest was long and kind of annoying, as multiple players stood in front of the ball after it was placed at the spot. When the area finally was cleared, Dempsey took a stutter step, tricking goalkeeper Dany Carvajal into leaping to his right, then slammed the ball inside the opposite post for goal No. 50. Only USMNT legend Landon Donovan, with 57, has hit the half-century mark. Dempsey now is well-positioned to become the national team’s career scoring leader before ending his career.
Only 49 players in international soccer history have scored 50 goals, including such superstars as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry and Pele.
"You know where you kind of are, in terms of the goals you scored for the team," Dempsey admitted. "It's good to be part of that club, getting to 50 goals. The most important thing is we got the win tonight, we're still alive in this tournament, and we've got one more game and got to get the job done."
Dempsey did not play as if he wants that day to come soon. The penalty became the least impressive of his contributions before departing in the 77th minute, when he left to a standing ovation from the American fans who made up the vast majority of the crowd of 39,642.
In the 33rd minute, he tiptoed beautifully through the middle of the Costa Rica defense and set up winger Gyasi Zardes for a terrific, open chance from 12 yards out, but Zardes’ shot flew just over the crossbar.
In the 36th minute, he had Wood open for a great chance but chose midfielder Jermaine Jones instead, and Jones ripped a shot over the bar from the left side.
And a minute after that, Jones having won the ball beautifully near midfield, Dempsey missed Alejandro Bedoya wide open on the right side, but he stuck with the play and managed to slip a pass toward the middle for Jones. This time, Jones ripped a shot into the far corner for a 2-0 lead.
That would have been a heck of a half, a heck of a game, for just about anyone, but Dempsey still had some more magic in him. Bedoya made a beautiful pass from the middle of the field to Dempsey on the left. He lost the ball for a moment, regained, put a funky little move on two defenders marking him — the U.S. really hammered Gamboa’s side before he was pulled from the game early — and then slipped a pass across the top of the box to Wood, who had his back to the goal.
Wood spun and ripped a shot inside the near post and not only was the game over, but the U.S. was in position to enter the final group game with a positive goal differential. And it became plus-2 when Graham Zusi ripped a turnover lose three minutes from time and rifled in a shot to Carvajal’s left.
The Americans can assure advancement if they defeat Paraguay, and it’s possible they could advance with a draw.
Either way, it seems, they’re not going anywhere at this point without Clint Dempsey leading the charge.
Nelson Rodriguez says Gilberto is staying with the Fire, for now.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
It’s no secret Gilberto has struggled to score goals for the Chicago Fire this season.
The Brazilian forward hasn’t scored yet and was absent in the Fire’s last game before the Copa America break for “personal reasons.”
During a conference call with media on Monday, general manager Nelson Rodriguez addressed the rumors concerning what Gilberto’s absence against Portland on May 28 means for his future. The team took a week off from training during the past week and returned to practice on Monday.
“Over the course of the break, I checked in with Gilberto again,” Rodriguez said. “At that time he still indicated to me that he was not in a state of mind that was his best. He has left me to draw the conclusion that for the moment, we need to continue to try to work with him as a person.”
Whether this is simply a buildup of frustration over his or the team’s performance or is genuinely a personal matter that is affecting Gilberto was not made clear.
“We will work with Gilberto individually as we try to get him back into a form that can help us,” Rodriguez said. “Our preference has always been to be scoring goals for our team. That’s always been our preference. That’s something that I expressed to his agent not long ago. There’s a human side to this and a professional side to it. They get blurred a little bit in this situation as well.
“We’ll see what we can do to help Gilberto.”
“We will work with Gilberto individually as we try to get him back into a form that can help us,” Rodriguez said. “Our preference has always been to be scoring goals for our team. That’s always been our preference. That’s something that I expressed to his agent not long ago. There’s a human side to this and a professional side to it. They get blurred a little bit in this situation as well.
“We’ll see what we can do to help Gilberto.”
Rodriguez does make it sound like a personal matter, but rumors have surfaced about a possible exit, either via transfer to another club or a buyout. For now, Rodriguez said there has been no contact with any teams in Gilberto’s native Brazil.
“Gilberto has from time-to-time expressed his desire to return to Brazil and play in Brazil,” Rodriguez said. “It’s unclear whether that’s now or at the end of his contract or in the future, but we have not spoken to any clubs in Brazil about Gilberto’s services.”
Gilberto is in Chicago as the team returns to training. The team plays an intrasquad scrimmage on Thursday, which will also feature the Fire’s PDL team, and how much he participates in that could be an indication of how close he is or is not to returning to game action.
His absence in the short-term would at the very least hurt the forward depth for the Fire, which is already thin in terms of sheer numbers. Michael de Leeuw is expected to join the team in training later this week, but isn’t eligible to play until July 9.
“I would just say we move on when we can,” coach Veljko Paunovic said regarding Gilberto’s absence. “We have guys who can perform.”
Rodriguez did leave an opening, if only in a roundabout way, to a potential Gilberto exit when asked if the team had explored trying to buy out his contract. Gilberto is one of 23 players in Major League Soccer who makes more than $1 million annually according to the MLS Players Union.
NCAAFB: Jim Harbaugh on NCAA rules: ‘They’re making them up as they go along’.
By John Taylor
(Photo/Getty Images)
Jim Harbaugh “won” the Great Satellite Camp War of 2016, but he’s still not pleased with the governing body of collegiate athletics. At all.
During Harbaugh’s appearances at football camps across the country, the Michigan head coach has made it a point to take the time to take a photograph with every registered camper and sign autographs. The NCAA, however, has told Harbaugh that he must cease and desist the picture-taking with potential recruits and their families.
In separate talks on the subject, Harbaugh, as is oft-times the case, wasn’t bashful in publicly expressing his displeasure over The Association’s latest actions.
“[The] NCAA made a rule yesterday that we’re not allowed to take pictures [with recruits] at camps,” Harbaugh said according to the Baltimore Sun. “They’re making them up as they go along.”
From ESPN.com:
During Harbaugh’s appearances at football camps across the country, the Michigan head coach has made it a point to take the time to take a photograph with every registered camper and sign autographs. The NCAA, however, has told Harbaugh that he must cease and desist the picture-taking with potential recruits and their families.
In separate talks on the subject, Harbaugh, as is oft-times the case, wasn’t bashful in publicly expressing his displeasure over The Association’s latest actions.
“[The] NCAA made a rule yesterday that we’re not allowed to take pictures [with recruits] at camps,” Harbaugh said according to the Baltimore Sun. “They’re making them up as they go along.”
From ESPN.com:
Later, Harbaugh interrupted an ESPN.com interview with his son, tight ends coach Jay Harbaugh, because he had just heard that the NCAA wasn’t allowing interviews with the media during camps. That changed within the two-hour practice, and he addressed reporters after the first session.
“I believe we can do interviews,” Harbaugh said. “That’s what we’ve been told. You were there, you saw what’s going on with the changing daily rules. It’s very interesting. It’s very interesting. The NCAA compliance people are here. They’ve been at every single one. The NCAA has sent at least one or two of their people to each of our camps and we’ve had one of our compliance people at each one of these camps. That notion that there’s not oversight of these camps — you’ve seen it with your own eyes, there absolutely is.
“Football gets the majority of the scrutiny and the rules that are intended to hurt the student-athlete and it makes no sense,” he said. “That’s why I’m pointing this out because some of these other sports aren’t getting it.”
In that same interview, Harbaugh also played the race card.
“Let’s take lacrosse for example,” the coach said, “white sport, rising, affluent sport. Recruit ’em in the eighth grade, dark period for a couple days in August and it’s a totally different situation.
“It bothers us, but if it’s a test of wills, we’re going to fight for the youngsters and the student-athletes and their families and for the game of football itself.”
One thing is for certain: when it comes to Harbaugh and Michigan football, there’s never, ever a dull moment.
“Let’s take lacrosse for example,” the coach said, “white sport, rising, affluent sport. Recruit ’em in the eighth grade, dark period for a couple days in August and it’s a totally different situation.
“It bothers us, but if it’s a test of wills, we’re going to fight for the youngsters and the student-athletes and their families and for the game of football itself.”
One thing is for certain: when it comes to Harbaugh and Michigan football, there’s never, ever a dull moment.
Missouri Valley still atop FCS conference rankings.
By CRAIG HALEY
By CRAIG HALEY
(Photo/yahoosports.com)
Dreams of FBS riches not only have taken national champions away from the FCS this decade, but programs on the rise as well.
The moves of Appalachian State and Georgia Southern from the Southern Conference - they won a combined nine FCS national titles - are the most celebrated (or scorned), but others like Old Dominion from CAA Football and Coastal Carolina from the Big South (to the FBS next year) have thinned out the upper tier.
That has helped the Missouri Valley Football Conference. While other FCS conferences have regrouped, the home of five-time reigning national champion North Dakota State is only getting stronger.
It's no surprise the Missouri Valley, followed by the CAA and Big Sky, lead the way in a ranking of FCS conferences:
13. Pioneer Football League
The good - Not having scholarships makes it hard for the PFL to compete against scholarship programs, but some of its teams haven't shied away from playing good competition out of conference. Plus there's promise for a terrific title race with defending co-champs Dayton and San Diego, Jacksonville and Morehead State.
The bad and the ugly - Despite coaching changes, Davidson and Valparaiso continue to have struggling programs. Davidson has had eight straight losing seasons and Valpo is up to 12.
12. Southwestern Athletic Conference
The good - Two-time defending conference champ Alcorn State and Alabama State in the East Division and rivals Grambling State and Southern in the West form a nice mix of upper-tier teams.
The bad and the ugly - Mississippi Valley State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Texas Southern didn't win a conference game at home last season as SWAC teams went a puzzling 16-26 in such matchups.
11. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The good - The MEAC has a clear lead over its SWAC brethren, including North Carolina A&T's win in the inaugural Celebration Bowl. A&T comes back strong, as does rival North Carolina Central. Bethune-Cookman, which has won at least a share of five of the last six titles, and South Carolina State always figure to be there in the end as well.
The bad and the ugly - The MEAC also had four one-win teams a year ago: Delaware State, Howard, Florida A&M and Savannah State.
10. Northeast Conference
The good - The conference's stature has risen as football scholarship amounts have gone up (in 2014, the NEC went 5-2 against CAA Football teams). Duquesne is favored to defend its title and the return of key quarterbacks in the conference could mean this ranking is too low.
The bad and the ugly - Road games out of conference are a good thing. Duquesne's home attendance average was the lowest in the FCS with Robert Morris, Saint Francis and Wagner also among the five smallest.
9. Ivy League
The good - How impressive is this?: Over the last 15 seasons, Harvard's worst record is 7-3. All the Crimson do is reload.
The bad and the ugly - While it was a huge season for the three league champions last season, Penn lost a lot (11 starters), Harvard lost even more (13) and Dartmouth lost too much (17).
8. Patriot League
The good - Colgate announced its return to prominence with road playoff wins against New Hampshire and James Madison. Take your pick for a league favorite between the Raiders and their veteran squad and Fordham and its star running back, Chase Edmonds.
The bad and the ugly - The league powers, including Lehigh, still don't play enough defense. Despite going 9-5, Colgate was outscored by 45 points last season.
7. Big South Conference
The good - Charleston Southern has grown up quickly under fourth-year coach Jamey Chadwell. Liberty is the longtime power and emerging Kennesaw State doesn't resemble a second-year program.
The bad and the ugly - With Coastal Carolina departed for its transition toward the FBS, the conference has taken a huge hit. With six teams, it's the smallest conference in the FCS.
6. Ohio Valley Conference
The good - National runner-up Jacksonville State hasn't lost a conference game in the last two seasons and the gap to the other teams might be bigger this year. Eastern Kentucky and Eastern Illinois have the best chance to end the Gamecocks' run.
The bad and the ugly - Eastern Illinois hasn't beaten a team outside the OVC in coach Kim Dameron's first two seasons. Austin Peay has only one win over the last three seasons.
5. Southland Conference
The good - Sam Houston State has been the best FCS program outside North Dakota State this decade. The Bearkats, who have been to the national final or semifinal in four of the last five seasons, have built up a lot of knowledge about taking the next step. McNeese State, not Sam Houston, is the defending conference champ.
The bad and the ugly - Only four of the 11 teams finished with winning records last season and only Sam Houston and McNeese had a winning record against non-Southland opponents.
4. Southern Conference
The good - The quantity of good teams has brought the SoCon back following the defections of Appalachian State and Georgia Southern. Some believe last year's co-champs, Chattanooga and The Citadel, may drop a little, but that may not be the case. Add in Samford, Western Carolina, Wofford, Furman and Mercer, and the title race could be terrific.
The bad and the ugly - Behind three straight conference titles, Chattanooga has become a top-15 staple. But it's not what App State or Georgia Southern were - national title threats.
3. Big Sky Conference
The good - There's no shortage of good teams in the nation's largest FCS conference (13 teams). Power programs Eastern Washington and Montana will be part of the title race and Portland State, Northern Arizona, North Dakota and Weber State are factors as well. And that's not even mentioning last year's champion, Southern Utah, which graduated a lot, or Montana State, which is coming off its first losing season since 2001.
The bad and the ugly - Last season was incredible for the Big Sky with a surprising title race, Portland State beating two FBS teams and the conference dominating the national awards. But none of the teams reached the national quarterfinals, and that can't happen again.
2. CAA Football
The good - The nation's dominant FCS conference during the 2000s has been terrific the last two seasons and always seems to have a different team step up to national prominence. Richmond is the one to beat after going to the national semifinals, but last year's other two tri-champs, William & Mary and James Madison, aren't far behind. Plus, New Hampshire (12 straight playoff appearances), Villanova, Towson and even Delaware - if it rebounds - are playoff candidates.
The bad and the ugly - All 12 CAA teams are playing FBS opponents, but among the seven teams listed above, only Richmond is playing a non-conference FCS opponent (Patriot League champ Colgate) that likely will be in the preseason Top 25.
1. Missouri Valley Football Conference
The good - The depth is incredible, starting with North Dakota State, whose veteran team is favored to capture a sixth straight national title. Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Illinois State, Western Illinois and Youngstown State have realistic shots to make the playoffs. While no conference has had six qualifiers before, consider none had two national finalists until 2014 (NDSU and Illinois State) and none had a 6-5 at-large team until last season (Western Illinois), so who knows what's next.
The bad and the ugly - The 2013 season is fresh in the memory. The Valley had only two playoff qualifiers because overall records declined too much in conference play. The nation's premier conference is vulnerable to that again.
NCAABKB: President Obama sends touching note to Rollie Massimino.
That has helped the Missouri Valley Football Conference. While other FCS conferences have regrouped, the home of five-time reigning national champion North Dakota State is only getting stronger.
It's no surprise the Missouri Valley, followed by the CAA and Big Sky, lead the way in a ranking of FCS conferences:
13. Pioneer Football League
The good - Not having scholarships makes it hard for the PFL to compete against scholarship programs, but some of its teams haven't shied away from playing good competition out of conference. Plus there's promise for a terrific title race with defending co-champs Dayton and San Diego, Jacksonville and Morehead State.
The bad and the ugly - Despite coaching changes, Davidson and Valparaiso continue to have struggling programs. Davidson has had eight straight losing seasons and Valpo is up to 12.
12. Southwestern Athletic Conference
The good - Two-time defending conference champ Alcorn State and Alabama State in the East Division and rivals Grambling State and Southern in the West form a nice mix of upper-tier teams.
The bad and the ugly - Mississippi Valley State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Texas Southern didn't win a conference game at home last season as SWAC teams went a puzzling 16-26 in such matchups.
11. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The good - The MEAC has a clear lead over its SWAC brethren, including North Carolina A&T's win in the inaugural Celebration Bowl. A&T comes back strong, as does rival North Carolina Central. Bethune-Cookman, which has won at least a share of five of the last six titles, and South Carolina State always figure to be there in the end as well.
The bad and the ugly - The MEAC also had four one-win teams a year ago: Delaware State, Howard, Florida A&M and Savannah State.
10. Northeast Conference
The good - The conference's stature has risen as football scholarship amounts have gone up (in 2014, the NEC went 5-2 against CAA Football teams). Duquesne is favored to defend its title and the return of key quarterbacks in the conference could mean this ranking is too low.
The bad and the ugly - Road games out of conference are a good thing. Duquesne's home attendance average was the lowest in the FCS with Robert Morris, Saint Francis and Wagner also among the five smallest.
9. Ivy League
The good - How impressive is this?: Over the last 15 seasons, Harvard's worst record is 7-3. All the Crimson do is reload.
The bad and the ugly - While it was a huge season for the three league champions last season, Penn lost a lot (11 starters), Harvard lost even more (13) and Dartmouth lost too much (17).
8. Patriot League
The good - Colgate announced its return to prominence with road playoff wins against New Hampshire and James Madison. Take your pick for a league favorite between the Raiders and their veteran squad and Fordham and its star running back, Chase Edmonds.
The bad and the ugly - The league powers, including Lehigh, still don't play enough defense. Despite going 9-5, Colgate was outscored by 45 points last season.
7. Big South Conference
The good - Charleston Southern has grown up quickly under fourth-year coach Jamey Chadwell. Liberty is the longtime power and emerging Kennesaw State doesn't resemble a second-year program.
The bad and the ugly - With Coastal Carolina departed for its transition toward the FBS, the conference has taken a huge hit. With six teams, it's the smallest conference in the FCS.
6. Ohio Valley Conference
The good - National runner-up Jacksonville State hasn't lost a conference game in the last two seasons and the gap to the other teams might be bigger this year. Eastern Kentucky and Eastern Illinois have the best chance to end the Gamecocks' run.
The bad and the ugly - Eastern Illinois hasn't beaten a team outside the OVC in coach Kim Dameron's first two seasons. Austin Peay has only one win over the last three seasons.
5. Southland Conference
The good - Sam Houston State has been the best FCS program outside North Dakota State this decade. The Bearkats, who have been to the national final or semifinal in four of the last five seasons, have built up a lot of knowledge about taking the next step. McNeese State, not Sam Houston, is the defending conference champ.
The bad and the ugly - Only four of the 11 teams finished with winning records last season and only Sam Houston and McNeese had a winning record against non-Southland opponents.
4. Southern Conference
The good - The quantity of good teams has brought the SoCon back following the defections of Appalachian State and Georgia Southern. Some believe last year's co-champs, Chattanooga and The Citadel, may drop a little, but that may not be the case. Add in Samford, Western Carolina, Wofford, Furman and Mercer, and the title race could be terrific.
The bad and the ugly - Behind three straight conference titles, Chattanooga has become a top-15 staple. But it's not what App State or Georgia Southern were - national title threats.
3. Big Sky Conference
The good - There's no shortage of good teams in the nation's largest FCS conference (13 teams). Power programs Eastern Washington and Montana will be part of the title race and Portland State, Northern Arizona, North Dakota and Weber State are factors as well. And that's not even mentioning last year's champion, Southern Utah, which graduated a lot, or Montana State, which is coming off its first losing season since 2001.
The bad and the ugly - Last season was incredible for the Big Sky with a surprising title race, Portland State beating two FBS teams and the conference dominating the national awards. But none of the teams reached the national quarterfinals, and that can't happen again.
2. CAA Football
The good - The nation's dominant FCS conference during the 2000s has been terrific the last two seasons and always seems to have a different team step up to national prominence. Richmond is the one to beat after going to the national semifinals, but last year's other two tri-champs, William & Mary and James Madison, aren't far behind. Plus, New Hampshire (12 straight playoff appearances), Villanova, Towson and even Delaware - if it rebounds - are playoff candidates.
The bad and the ugly - All 12 CAA teams are playing FBS opponents, but among the seven teams listed above, only Richmond is playing a non-conference FCS opponent (Patriot League champ Colgate) that likely will be in the preseason Top 25.
1. Missouri Valley Football Conference
The good - The depth is incredible, starting with North Dakota State, whose veteran team is favored to capture a sixth straight national title. Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Illinois State, Western Illinois and Youngstown State have realistic shots to make the playoffs. While no conference has had six qualifiers before, consider none had two national finalists until 2014 (NDSU and Illinois State) and none had a 6-5 at-large team until last season (Western Illinois), so who knows what's next.
The bad and the ugly - The 2013 season is fresh in the memory. The Valley had only two playoff qualifiers because overall records declined too much in conference play. The nation's premier conference is vulnerable to that again.
NCAABKB: President Obama sends touching note to Rollie Massimino.
By Jeff Eisenberg
When Villanova visited the White House last week to celebrate its national championship, health issues kept revered former coach Rollie Massimino from joining the Wildcats.
President Obama noticed Massimino's absence and sent the 81-year-old a heartfelt note shared by Villanova coach Jay Wright on his Twitter account Monday afternoon.
Massimino became a hero in Villanova circles for leading the 1985 Wildcats to an improbable national title. Eighth-seeded Villanova became the lowest seed to win the NCAA tournament, winning five games against top-five seeds capped by a monumental upset over Patrick Ewing-led Georgetown in the championship game.
For the past 10 years, Massimino has been the head coach at Keiser University, an NAIA powerhouse in West Palm Beach, Fla. Massimino sat courtside in Houston in April when Villanova edged North Carolina in the national title game on Kris Jenkins' game-winning buzzer beater.
Belmont Stakes: Some close calls, high payouts, small crowds.
For the past 10 years, Massimino has been the head coach at Keiser University, an NAIA powerhouse in West Palm Beach, Fla. Massimino sat courtside in Houston in April when Villanova edged North Carolina in the national title game on Kris Jenkins' game-winning buzzer beater.
Belmont Stakes: Some close calls, high payouts, small crowds.
By RICHARD ROSENBLATT
(Photo/YahooSports.com)
If you're looking for close calls in the Belmont Stakes, there's been a few. Nine have been decided by a neck, six by a head and three by a nose — one of which quashed a Triple Crown.
In 1998, Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet opened a four-length lead into the stretch under Kent Desormeaux. But Victory Gallop — second in each of the first two legs — gained ground steadily, and the two crossed the wire together. It took an agonizing few minutes for the officials to determine Victory Gallop had won.
The other nosers were Granville over Mr. Bones in 1936, and Jaipur over Admiral's Voyage in 1962.
The most significant victory by a head was Affirmed over Alydar to clinch the Triple Crown in 1978.
NO TRIPLE, NO CROWDS
Last year with American Pharoah seeking a Triple Crown, New York racing officials placed an attendance cap at 90,000 for the Belmont. The record crowd stands at 120,139 in 2004, when Triple Crown hopeful Smarty Jones was upset by Birdsong.
Even with a Derby vs. Preakness rematch, crowds fall way off. In 2013, 47,562 showed up for Derby winner Orb vs. Preakness winner Oxbow (Palace Malice won); and in 2011, 55,779 showed up for Derby winner Animal Kingdom vs. Preakness winner Shackleford (Ruler on Ice won).
Saturday's Belmont has Preakness winner Exaggerator; Derby winner Nyquist isn't running.
The last time the Preakness winner did not face the Derby winner in the Belmont field was 2007, which resulted in the lowest attendance in the past 20 years. An announced crowd of 46,870 turned out to watch the filly Rags to Riches beat Preakness winner Curlin.
DESORMEAUX'S NOT DONE
Hall of Famer Kent Desormeaux has had some of the more memorable rides in Belmont Stakes history. He was aboard Real Quiet in 1998 when Victory Gallop ran down the Derby and Preakness winner and won at the wire by the slightest nose, spoiling what looked to be a certain Triple Crown. The jockey also stunningly pulled up Derby-Preakness winner Big Brown in 2008 around the far turn. The colt finished so far behind he did not officially complete the race. He won one, too — with Summer Bird in 2009. He will be aboard expected favorite Exaggerator on Saturday.
GRAY DAY AT BIG SANDY
It looks like nearly half the field for the Belmont Stakes could have a touch of gray. While the Kentucky Derby had an unusually high four grays in the 20-horse field, the Belmont is looking like it, too, will have four grays in a field about half the size. They are familiar names: Lani (ninth in Derby, fifth in Preakness), Cherry Wine (second in Preakness), Creator (13th in Derby) and Destin (sixth in Derby).
By the way, only two grays have won the Belmont: Native Dancer in 1953 and High Echelon in 1970.
FAVORITE FINISH
In the past 20 years, the Belmont favorite has won only three times — Point Given in 2001, Afleet Alex in 2005 and American Pharoah in 2015.
BELMONT FIRSTS
The Belmont Stakes is the oldest of the Triple Crown races. It was first run in 1867 ... six years before the Preakness Stakes and eight years before the Kentucky Derby. ... The 1921 Belmont was the first to be run counter-clockwise — at 1 3/8 miles over the main course. Previously, the race was run in a clockwise direction, in accordance with English custom. ... The first post parade in the U.S. came in the fifth running in 1871.
HIGHS AND LOWS
The highest priced winner on a $2 win bet was Sarava, who returned $142.50 in 2002; the lowest priced winner was Count Fleet ($2.10) in 1943.
NO LIE
Exaggerator will attempt to become the 19th horse to pull off the Preakness-Belmont double. The last to do it was Afleet Alex in 2005 (he finished third in the Derby). Exaggerator was second in the Derby before winning the Preakness. The colt also could become the fifth first letter "E'' winner. The others were Eric in 1889, Easy Goer in 1989, Editor's Note in 1996 and Empire Maker in 2003.
LAST PLACE JOHNNY
John Velazquez, who will be aboard likely entry Stradivari in the Belmont, has not fared well recently in the final leg of the Triple Crown. A two-time winner with Rags to Riches (2007) and Union Rags (2012), he was last aboard Materiality in 2015 and did not finish aboard Ride on Curlin in 2014.
UPDATED: Belmont Stakes 2016 Probable Starters.
By Teresa Genaro
Horse racing, the so-called "Sport of Kings" is very expensive to get into. But for some, it’s not out of reach. There are at least 14 people out of the world's 1,810 billionaires who participate in horse racing in some form. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)
Update: Late this morning, owner WinStar Farm announced that Gettysburg would join the list of expected contenders.
This year’s Belmont Stakes was briefly billed as the Triple Crown rubber match between Nyquist and Exaggerator, but a fever spiked the Kentucky Derby winner’s Belmont hopes, and though he recovered quickly, Nyquist recently shipped home to California to prepare for a summer campaign.
But Exaggerator forges on, one of only two horses to run in all three legs of this year’s Triple Crown and the likely favorite for the race billed as the Test of the Champion. At 1 1/2 miles (12 furlongs), the Belmont Stakes is the longest of the three Triple Crown races, and it’s also the oldest. Established in 1867, the Belmont will be run for the 148th time this year.
Post positions will be drawn early Wednesday, and post time for Saturday’s Belmont is approximately 6:30 pm.
You’ll find post positions, odds, broadcasting information, and wagering advice here in the upcoming days. No rubber match? No problem. There’s a race to be run and money to be made, and a name to be added to the history books when someone hoists the August Belmont Memorial Cup on Saturday afternoon.
Past performances on the Belmont Stakes contenders provided by Brisnet. This version was published before the late addition of Gettysburg this morning; I’ll update when his past performances are available. In the meantime, you can get a look at his race record here.
Brody’s Cause: One of two entered by trainer Dale Romans, who is looking for his first Belmont Stakes win. He finished third in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland (won by Nyquist) following a win in the Grade I Breeders’ Futurity at that track earlier last October and didn’t find the winner’s circle again until April, again at Keeneland, in the Toyota Grade I Blue Grass. A $350,000 yearling purchase, he’ll be out to prove that he can run well when he leaves the state of Kentucky.
Cherry Wine: Romans’ second entrant is one of a quartet of horses coming to the Belmont off a run in the Preakness Stakes on May 21, in which he finished a respectable second to Exaggerator after closing from 10th place. Though he’s finished in the top three in six of his nine races, both of his wins have come on a sloppy track; on a fast dirt track, he’s never been better than third. Like his stablemate, he likes to come from far off the pace, a running style not generally successful in the Belmont.
Creator: After a 13th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands, trainer Steve Asmussen’s Creator skipped the Preakness and returns here with a new rider, the New York-based Irad Ortiz Jr., third-leading rider at the current Belmont meet. Given the unique configuration of the Belmont Park track, the ride change is a plus for this $440,000 yearling purchase, who ran a visually impressive race in winning the Grade I Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in April.
Destin: The first of two entered for trainer Todd Pletcher, who won his first—and only—Belmont Stakes in 2007 with Rags to Riches, the first filly to win the Belmont since 1905. Destin is also one of two runners sired by European champion Giant’s Causeway, who ran once in the United States (a second in the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Classic) before retiring to stud and ranked sixth in U.S. stallions by earnings this year. He was a bit of a buzz horse coming into the Kentucky Derby following two straight wins in graded stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Following a sixth-place finish, he skipped the Preakness, and he’ll be ridden by the multiple Eclipse Award-winning jockey Javier Castellano, who is based in New York.
Exaggerator: So far there’s no rain in the forecast for this weekend, which might be bad news, given his dominance in the mud: he’s four-for-four on off-tracks, including the Preakness, where he finally got a win over Nyquist, who had beaten him in four previous match-ups. But he won on a fast track in the Saratoga Special last year, and two of his runner-up finishes to Nyquist also came on dry tracks. Trainer Keith Desormeaux will tell you that the condition of the racetrack won’t matter. Perhaps of greater concern at this point is that it was announced on Saturday that Exaggerator’s jockey, Desormeaux’s brother Kent, who has in the past struggled with substance abuse, was released from a short stint at an alcohol rehab facility.
Forever d’Oro: This late-starter didn’t begin racing until April, starting his career with two fifth-place finishes in Kentucky. He came to Belmont on May 2Daily Racing Form9 and got his first win, though, and that was apparently enough to convince trainer Dallas Stewart that he should take a shot over the track again, despite the chasm between a maiden victory and a run in a Grade I American classic. He’ll also be running back on 13 days’ rest, which might not be a recipe for success for such a lightly raced horse.
Gettysburg: In a Belmont that had looked to lack significant pace, the presence of Gettysburg may well change the early complexion of the race. The lone win for this son of Pioneer of the Nile (sire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah) came gate-to-wire at Gulfstream Park in January, and he finished fifth in two graded stakes attempts on the road to the Kentucky Derby. The Daily Racing Form reported that although Todd Pletcher had trained the colt in his first seven races, Gettysburg would be trained for the Belmont by Steve Asmussen, who will also run Creator; both horses are owned by WinStar Farm.
Governor Malibu: Sold as a yearling for $175,000, he was re-sold six months later for $135,000 and has been a remarkably consistent runner, finishing in the top three of all seven of his races. He wasn’t on the Derby trail and made his first start in a graded stakes race on May 14, finishing second in the Grade II Peter Pan at Belmont after compiling three straight wins dating back to last November. The lone New York-bred in a field full of Kentucky-bred runners, Governor Malibu is trained by Christophe Clement, who in 2014 skipped the Kentucky Derby trail with Tonalist, who won the Peter Pan en route to winning the Belmont Stakes.
Lani: One of only two horses to run in all three Triple Crown races this year (Exaggerator is the other), he continues to attract attention both for his unusual training methods (long, slow gallops as opposed to regular speed drills) and for his studdish behavior. He was ninth in the Kentucky Derby and fifth in the Preakness, but there was never any doubt that he’d stick around for the third leg of the Triple Crown. Sired by U.S.-leading stallion Tapit, he’ll be ridden by Yutaka Take, who’s never ridden at Belmont.
Seeking the Soul: Dallas Stewart takes another shot here, with another horse owned and bred by Charles Fipke of Canadian diamond mining fame (literally: Fipke is in the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame) and another horse with three races to his credit and that didn’t start running until this year. Unlike stablemate Forever d’Oro, Seeking the Soul has never run at Belmont, but he broke his maiden on the same day (May 29) that his stablemate did, winning at Churchill Downs.
Stradivari: He was thought by many as a legitimate threat in the Preakness, including one man who placed an $80,000 win bet on him in Maryland, but a wide trip—and maybe the sloppy track?—resulted in a fourth-place finish. Trainer Pletcher is generally a conservative sort, but he brings Stradivari back in three weeks to take a shot here, and the colt will once again be ridden by the man who brought Pletcher his only Belmont Stakes victory, John Velazquez, who knows Belmont Park as well as anyone and is looking for his third win in the race.
Suddenbreakingnews: There was indeed some breaking news about this horse, listed as a gelding earlier this year but who reported by trainer Donnie Von Hemel to in fact be a ridgling late last month, when, apparently, undescended testicles were discovered. That might be good news for a possible stud career for him and bad news for those who handicapped him as a gelding in his previous races, but the bigger news is that he gets a major rider change for the Belmont, with Hall of Fame trainer Mike Smith getting in the saddle. Smith has won two of the last six runnings of the Belmont (2010 with Drosselmeyer and 2013 with Palace Malice) and is known for his patience, a must for riders navigating Belmont’s 12-furlong surface.
Seeking the Soul: Dallas Stewart takes another shot here, with another horse owned and bred by Charles Fipke of Canadian diamond mining fame (literally: Fipke is in the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame) and another horse with three races to his credit and that didn’t start running until this year. Unlike stablemate Forever d’Oro, Seeking the Soul has never run at Belmont, but he broke his maiden on the same day (May 29) that his stablemate did, winning at Churchill Downs.
Stradivari: He was thought by many as a legitimate threat in the Preakness, including one man who placed an $80,000 win bet on him in Maryland, but a wide trip—and maybe the sloppy track?—resulted in a fourth-place finish. Trainer Pletcher is generally a conservative sort, but he brings Stradivari back in three weeks to take a shot here, and the colt will once again be ridden by the man who brought Pletcher his only Belmont Stakes victory, John Velazquez, who knows Belmont Park as well as anyone and is looking for his third win in the race.
Suddenbreakingnews: There was indeed some breaking news about this horse, listed as a gelding earlier this year but who reported by trainer Donnie Von Hemel to in fact be a ridgling late last month, when, apparently, undescended testicles were discovered. That might be good news for a possible stud career for him and bad news for those who handicapped him as a gelding in his previous races, but the bigger news is that he gets a major rider change for the Belmont, with Hall of Fame trainer Mike Smith getting in the saddle. Smith has won two of the last six runnings of the Belmont (2010 with Drosselmeyer and 2013 with Palace Malice) and is known for his patience, a must for riders navigating Belmont’s 12-furlong surface.
Trojan Nation: He finished second by a head in the Grade I Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, earning him entry to the Kentucky Derby despite never having won a race. He finished 16th that day, but trainer Patrick Gallagher forges on, hoping that his horse can win his first race by taking the third leg of the Triple Crown.
Wild About Deb: This lightly raced colt with just three starts to his credit broke his maiden at second asking at Santa Anita in April off a six-month layoff, following a second-place finish at Del Mar last November. He finished third in the Peter Pan at Belmont last month and has been training at Churchill Downs to prepare for a return to New York. A modest $30,000 purchase last year, Wild About Deb would give trainer Philip D’Amato his first win in a New York stakes race with a victory.
Wild About Deb: This lightly raced colt with just three starts to his credit broke his maiden at second asking at Santa Anita in April off a six-month layoff, following a second-place finish at Del Mar last November. He finished third in the Peter Pan at Belmont last month and has been training at Churchill Downs to prepare for a return to New York. A modest $30,000 purchase last year, Wild About Deb would give trainer Philip D’Amato his first win in a New York stakes race with a victory.
From the Archives: Muhammad Ali.
By Success Staff
(Photo/Walter Looss Jr./Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
Editor's note: This cover feature of Muhammad Ali was originally published in the June 1998 issue of SUCCESS. Ali died June 3, 2016, at the age of 74.
5 brand-building secrets you can apply to your business, starting right now
Muhammad Ali won a gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and was the first three-time heavyweight boxing champion of the world. Since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1984, Ali raised millions to support treatment and research. For his humanitarian work in developing countries, he was recognized as United Nations Messenger of Peace and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
When someone refers to “the greatest athlete of all time,” only one person’s name comes to mind. Not Michael Jordan. Not Tiger Woods. Not Babe Ruth. Only Muhammad Ali.
It’s almost strange that this admittedly superb athlete managed to usurp such a crowning superlative. Say the phrase a few times: the greatest. It can’t be that these words are meant to describe a mere mortal, can it? Yet, he was proudly and supremely mortal. Ali was many extraordinary things, but he was unquestionably still human.
So, how did he become “The Greatest”? Let’s put aside his awesome athletic skills for a moment. This guy could just be one of the most talented brand builders ever.
We caught up with Ali and his wife, Lonnie, to discuss what it takes to build a brand. She did most of the talking while he sat patiently by her side and indicated his assent or dissent as questions were posed. Here are the lessons of a master, so listen up.
1. Be more outrageous than anyone around you.
We’ll start with the obvious point because, if anything, Ali was outrageous. In the early days, his rebelliousness sometimes seemed to hurt him, but over the years he stood his ground and generated respect for not wavering in the face of criticism. “I’ve always had adversity, and I’ve always had detractors,” he said. “They said I talked too much, that I shouldn’t be a Muslim, should join the Army, couldn’t beat Sonny Liston. But I’ve never let anyone talk to me into not believing in myself.”2
Applying the lesson: Behind the big talk were a big heart and a man of unassailable ethics. But what carried him through tough times is confidence. “You can’t overstate the value of self-confidence and image,” comments, Ph.D., a psychologist and author who lectures to employees of Fortune 500 companies. This applied doubly to the small-business owner. “A big part of success is being able to trumpet your skills unabashedly. Let’s say you’re a plumber, advertising in the Yellow Pages. Many people would have a hard time saying, ‘I am the greatest plumber in town.’ We’re all taught by our parents to be modest. But advertising is an area where you need to rise above the crowd. If it takes being outrageous to get noticed, be outrageous, but honestly so. False humility doesn’t cut it.”
2. Get a Great Team.
“Muhammad was in a bad management situation; he had the wrong business team. I decided to do what many other corporations did in the late 1980s: I trimmed the fat.”
“Muhammad was in a bad management situation; he had the wrong business team,” says Lonnie, who possesses shrewd business sense—not to mention an MBA in marketing. “I decided to do what many other corporations did in the late 1980s: I trimmed the fat.” Ali recognized that to rebuild his image—his brand—he would have to shed the entourage that was dragging him down. Lonnie set up a core group to run the business.
Applying the lesson: You need help, whether it’s a good team of lawyers, accountants and public relations people on call or a trusted friend to whom you can turn for advice. You simply won’t get anywhere if you insist on going it alone.
3. Create a loyal following.
If there was another member of the Ali team, aside from Lonnie, who made a significant difference, it’s Harlan Werner, who became Ali’s right-hand man at the tender age of 19. “I was just a kid promoting a card show,” Werner says. A year later, after meeting him at a show and being thunderstruck in the great man’s presence, Werner drove to Michigan to meet with Lonnie and Muhammad. “It was crazy, and maybe I had no right to be there, but I finally took a deep breath and told the Alis, ‘Look, Muhammad can be, and should be, the biggest star in this arena, and I can make it happen.’ ”
Applying the lesson: Granted, you may not be a household name, but as a business owner you have an entire community— all your employees—that looks up to you. It’s entirely your choice whether they worship you or treat you with resentment. Taking a cue from Ali, you should empower them to do the jobs they’re best at.
4. Set realistic goals.
Werner persuaded the Alis that Muhammad was the most under-promoted athlete going. “I’ll make you big again,” he said. Given Ali’s history, presence and energy, Werner was confident he could meet his goal.
Applying the lesson: Want to boost sales, fire up your production line? Don’t try to do it all at once. Rather, accomplish your growth in stages the way Werner did, says Buffington. “Your employees want to do their best for you, but it’s frustrating and counterproductive for you to tell them you need ‘more’ results, ‘better’ numbers. Give them something concrete to shoot for. Chances are, they’ll exceed your goals.”
5. Walk away from bad deals.
Ali did not endorse products that he didn’t use; wouldn’t associate with people he didn’t like; wouldn’t support projects that run counter to his beliefs. “If you want to succeed in business,” Ali said, “you have to be true to yourself, not compromise your values—and leave the rest alone.”
Applying the lesson: “Too often we see dollar signs and fear that if we stick to our guns about what we really want, we’ll lose everything,” Buffington says. “But if you know what you want and refuse to do what you don’t want, people will respect you for it. You may lose a deal or two, but ultimately your business will be the better for it.”
When someone refers to “the greatest athlete of all time,” only one person’s name comes to mind. Not Michael Jordan. Not Tiger Woods. Not Babe Ruth. Only Muhammad Ali.
It’s almost strange that this admittedly superb athlete managed to usurp such a crowning superlative. Say the phrase a few times: the greatest. It can’t be that these words are meant to describe a mere mortal, can it? Yet, he was proudly and supremely mortal. Ali was many extraordinary things, but he was unquestionably still human.
So, how did he become “The Greatest”? Let’s put aside his awesome athletic skills for a moment. This guy could just be one of the most talented brand builders ever.
We caught up with Ali and his wife, Lonnie, to discuss what it takes to build a brand. She did most of the talking while he sat patiently by her side and indicated his assent or dissent as questions were posed. Here are the lessons of a master, so listen up.
1. Be more outrageous than anyone around you.
We’ll start with the obvious point because, if anything, Ali was outrageous. In the early days, his rebelliousness sometimes seemed to hurt him, but over the years he stood his ground and generated respect for not wavering in the face of criticism. “I’ve always had adversity, and I’ve always had detractors,” he said. “They said I talked too much, that I shouldn’t be a Muslim, should join the Army, couldn’t beat Sonny Liston. But I’ve never let anyone talk to me into not believing in myself.”2
Applying the lesson: Behind the big talk were a big heart and a man of unassailable ethics. But what carried him through tough times is confidence. “You can’t overstate the value of self-confidence and image,” comments, Ph.D., a psychologist and author who lectures to employees of Fortune 500 companies. This applied doubly to the small-business owner. “A big part of success is being able to trumpet your skills unabashedly. Let’s say you’re a plumber, advertising in the Yellow Pages. Many people would have a hard time saying, ‘I am the greatest plumber in town.’ We’re all taught by our parents to be modest. But advertising is an area where you need to rise above the crowd. If it takes being outrageous to get noticed, be outrageous, but honestly so. False humility doesn’t cut it.”
2. Get a Great Team.
“Muhammad was in a bad management situation; he had the wrong business team. I decided to do what many other corporations did in the late 1980s: I trimmed the fat.”
“Muhammad was in a bad management situation; he had the wrong business team,” says Lonnie, who possesses shrewd business sense—not to mention an MBA in marketing. “I decided to do what many other corporations did in the late 1980s: I trimmed the fat.” Ali recognized that to rebuild his image—his brand—he would have to shed the entourage that was dragging him down. Lonnie set up a core group to run the business.
Applying the lesson: You need help, whether it’s a good team of lawyers, accountants and public relations people on call or a trusted friend to whom you can turn for advice. You simply won’t get anywhere if you insist on going it alone.
3. Create a loyal following.
If there was another member of the Ali team, aside from Lonnie, who made a significant difference, it’s Harlan Werner, who became Ali’s right-hand man at the tender age of 19. “I was just a kid promoting a card show,” Werner says. A year later, after meeting him at a show and being thunderstruck in the great man’s presence, Werner drove to Michigan to meet with Lonnie and Muhammad. “It was crazy, and maybe I had no right to be there, but I finally took a deep breath and told the Alis, ‘Look, Muhammad can be, and should be, the biggest star in this arena, and I can make it happen.’ ”
Applying the lesson: Granted, you may not be a household name, but as a business owner you have an entire community— all your employees—that looks up to you. It’s entirely your choice whether they worship you or treat you with resentment. Taking a cue from Ali, you should empower them to do the jobs they’re best at.
4. Set realistic goals.
Werner persuaded the Alis that Muhammad was the most under-promoted athlete going. “I’ll make you big again,” he said. Given Ali’s history, presence and energy, Werner was confident he could meet his goal.
Applying the lesson: Want to boost sales, fire up your production line? Don’t try to do it all at once. Rather, accomplish your growth in stages the way Werner did, says Buffington. “Your employees want to do their best for you, but it’s frustrating and counterproductive for you to tell them you need ‘more’ results, ‘better’ numbers. Give them something concrete to shoot for. Chances are, they’ll exceed your goals.”
5. Walk away from bad deals.
Ali did not endorse products that he didn’t use; wouldn’t associate with people he didn’t like; wouldn’t support projects that run counter to his beliefs. “If you want to succeed in business,” Ali said, “you have to be true to yourself, not compromise your values—and leave the rest alone.”
Applying the lesson: “Too often we see dollar signs and fear that if we stick to our guns about what we really want, we’ll lose everything,” Buffington says. “But if you know what you want and refuse to do what you don’t want, people will respect you for it. You may lose a deal or two, but ultimately your business will be the better for it.”
On
emoriesofhistory.com
1934 - The Cincinnati Reds became the first Major League team to use an airplane to travel from one city to another. They flew from Cincinnati to Chicago.
1961 - The Milwaukee Braves set a major league baseball record with four consecutive home runs in the seventh inning.
1969 - The New York Yankees retired Mickey Mantle's number (7).
1969 - It was announced that there would be a single schedule for both the NFL and AFL.
1986 - The Boston Celtics won their 16th NBA championship.
2000 - The Dallas Stars and the New Jersey Devils played the NHL's longest scoreless game in Stanley Cup finals history. The fifth game of the series lasted 106 minutes and 21 seconds. The game ended with a goal by Mike Modano that allowed the Stars to play a game six back in Dallas.
2002 - Brett Hull (Detroit Red Wings) scored his 99th career playoff goal.
2002 - The Detroit Red Wings and the Carolina Hurricanes began playing the third game of their Stanley Cup Finals. The game lasted until 14 minutes and 47 seconds of the third overtime. The game ended past 1 a.m. the next day and was the third-longest Stanley Cup finals game in NHL history.
2005 - Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player to reach 400 career home runs in a 12-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
1961 - The Milwaukee Braves set a major league baseball record with four consecutive home runs in the seventh inning.
1969 - The New York Yankees retired Mickey Mantle's number (7).
1969 - It was announced that there would be a single schedule for both the NFL and AFL.
1986 - The Boston Celtics won their 16th NBA championship.
2000 - The Dallas Stars and the New Jersey Devils played the NHL's longest scoreless game in Stanley Cup finals history. The fifth game of the series lasted 106 minutes and 21 seconds. The game ended with a goal by Mike Modano that allowed the Stars to play a game six back in Dallas.
2002 - Brett Hull (Detroit Red Wings) scored his 99th career playoff goal.
2002 - The Detroit Red Wings and the Carolina Hurricanes began playing the third game of their Stanley Cup Finals. The game lasted until 14 minutes and 47 seconds of the third overtime. The game ended past 1 a.m. the next day and was the third-longest Stanley Cup finals game in NHL history.
2005 - Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player to reach 400 career home runs in a 12-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
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