CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Monday Sports News Update, 07/11/2016.

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"Sports Quote of the Day"

"If you really want to be world class - to be the best you can be - it comes down to preparation and practice." ~ Robin S. Sharma, Self-Help Writer and Leadership Speaker

Trending: Bears are one of three teams that will make the NFL fun again in 2016. (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).

Trending: Anthony Rizzo tweets picture of Cubs' All-Star contingent heading to San Diego. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).

Trending: Serena Williams wins seventh Wimbledon, record-equaling 22nd major title and Andy Murray wins second Wimbledon title. (See the tennis section for Wimbledon updates).

Trending: Can Ryan Hartman replace Andrew Shaw in the Blackhawks’ lineup? (See the hockey section for Blackhawks and NHL updates).

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

                                                

Cubs 2016 Record: 53-35

White Sox 2016 Record: 45-43

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

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Bears are one of three teams that will make the NFL fun again in 2016.

By Bryan Perez

The recently launched brainchild of Bill Simmons — the Ringer — dubbed the Chicago Bears as one of three teams that will make the NFL fun again in 2016.
The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants are the other two.

According to Danny Kelly, the reason why the Bears will bring smiles to fans’ faces is because of what’s taken place this offseason on defense.  With a defensive-minded head coach and defensive coordinator who once led one of the NFL’s dominant units in San Francisco, this year’s free-agent signings and draft picks will restore the roar in Chicago.

Of course, Fangio does not benefit from the same personnel in Chicago, but by adding Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan to the defense this offseason, he once again has an excellent linebacker duo at his disposal. Both are experienced players with excellent instincts. And they’re both versatile enough to play the Mike (strongside) and Jack (weakside) inside linebacker positions in the Fangio defense, which means he can tailor his schemes according to matchups and personnel groups.

It’s true that neither Freeman or Trevathan has the pedigree of Patrick Willis, but both Bears’ linebackers could have a Navarro Bowman-like impact in Chicago this season. They’re fiery, explosive and rangy players who each represent massive upgrades over the ragtag group from 2015.

Second-year nose tackle Eddie Goldman is no Justin Smith, but he’s a disruptive, powerful force who can command double-teams and hold blocks at the line. Akiem Hicks, who was signed after a strong finish with the Patriots last year, is another poor man’s proxy to the role that Smith played in San Francisco. Hicks’s strength at the point of attack and ability to command attention from the offensive line will be key. With some combination of defensive ends Will Sutton, Mitch Unrein, and rookie Jonathan Bullard, that interior front in Chicago could really hold down the line.

Arguably no player on the Bears is entering the 2016 season with as high of expectations as Goldman, who proved last season to be an impact player and foundational piece of the defense.  In fact, Goldman has a very real chance to elevate his status to one of the best nose tackles in the NFL by the end of 2016.

Kelly also mentioned the Bears’ underrated pass rush that features outside linebackers Pernell McPhee, Willie Young, Lamarr Houston and first-round pick Leonard Floyd.  He described Floyd’s potential production as a bonus, but I think that’s a bit misguided.

Chicago traded into the No. 9 pick in the first round to grab Floyd, and the aggressive move wasn’t made simply so he can be a cherry on top of the rest of the outside linebacker group.

Floyd was drafted to make an impact right away.

Sure, Floyd’s much-discussed weight issues will be something that could delay his presence in the starting lineup, but you can be sure he will be a critical piece of the defense on passing downs.  Floyd offers more athleticism and burst off the edge than any pass rusher the Bears have had in many years; he won’t be a bonus, he’ll be a playmaker.

For Bears fans, the return of a dominant defense will be welcomed with open arms.  It should be noted that the offense has made upgrades of their own, with the additions of RT Bobby Massie, Cody Whitehair and the return of a healthy Kevin White.

Winning games will result in the Bears and their faithful following having fun this season. Anything less than playoff contention will be an utter disappointment.

Four ways Dowell Loggains can improve Adam Gase's offense.

By Lorin Cox

{Photo/BEARSWIRE.com)

The Chicago Bears’ offense in 2015 was fairly successful, all things considered. At the very least, it was successful enough for offensive coordinator Adam Gase to earn the job of head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

With Gase out of the picture, quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains was promoted to offensive coordinator, a job he held previously with the Tennessee Titans.

While there was certainly a lot to like about the job Gase did, the Bears’ offense was not without its flaws. It’s up to Loggains and John Fox to identify the mistakes that were made and correct them to help the offense grow in year two of the regime. Here are four ways that Loggains can improve what Gase built in year one.

Here are four ways that Loggains can improve what Gase built in year one.

Use all of the young running backs

It seemed pretty clear that 2015 would be Matt Forte’s last season in Chicago with young Jeremy Langford and Ka’Deem Carey breathing down his neck on the depth chart, but it took the Bears far too long last year to get their former fourth-round picks involved in the offense.

For the first half of the season, it was the Forte show. Langford had 15 total carries in the six games before the Bears’ bye week. Week 8 and beyond, the rookie was much more involved in the offense, but it wasn’t until Forte suffered a knee injury that Gase remembered he could use Carey, who added yet another dimension to this running game.

The rushing attack could have been more effective with more rotation, keeping fresher legs in the backfield and maximizing their different skill sets. Loggains should do this in 2016 with Langford, Carey, and rookie fifth-round pick Jordan Howard.

Loggains should avoid the temptation to make 2016 the Langford show because his other running backs have so much to offer. The Bears will be employing a running back by committee for a reason, and putting each of the young runners in the best position to succeed will the most beneficial for the offense.

Be less predictable

There were too many trends in the Bears’ offense last season that made them easy to predict — even for fans watching at home — so you can imagine how much information opposing coaches were able to glean from the tape.

The majority of the predictability came from formation usage. First and foremost, the Bears ran the ball just under 80-percent of the time they had Cutler lined up under center, compared to only 33-percent of the time in shotgun, according to Pro Football Reference.

Defenses keyed in on this, and the Bears only averaged 3.2 yards per carry under center, while averaging 4.6 in shotgun. On the rare occasions that they did call a pass with Cutler under center (51 total attempts), they were largely effective, completing 74.5-percent of the passes, as compared to the 62.6-percent completion in shotgun.

It was encouraging that Gase refrained from getting too pass happy the way Marc Trestman would, but Loggains needs to be able to mix up the play-calling by formation to keep opposing defenses from getting comfortable and taking advantage.

Figure out the offensive line and stick with it

Kyle Long was locked in at right guard until one week before the season started when he was thrown into the fire at right tackle to take on Julius Peppers in his first game at the position. That kind of poor planning and lack of foresight can not happen again under Loggains’ watch.

The Bears need to find their starting offensive line combination early and stick with it so they can gel and build continuity to be the strongest unit possible. Obviously, injuries are going to happen and things never go exactly how they want, but having an established five from the start will go a long way.

The guard rotation all season was not healthy for the offensive line. The injuries to Will Montgomery and Hroniss Graus were the main reason for it, but the response to those injuries highlighted a lack of depth and some poor judgment in how players were rotated.

Both Vladimir Ducasse and Patrick Omameh ended up starting games at both left and right guard last season. The two were swapped around as Matt Slauson switched between LG and center, and it really prevented either of the veterans from getting comfortable or building confidence.

Gase should have kept one of them at right guard for the season and let the other rotate in at left guard when they were needed because of injury. Loggains can’t allow this type of musical chairs to occur in 2016. He needs to find his starting lineup and only make minimal changes as necessary for injuries.

Adapt to available personnel

The injury bug really took its toll on the Bears’ skill position players last season, starting with Kevin White all the way though Alshon Jeffery ending up on injured reserve. There were games when Cutler’s starting receivers were Josh Bellamy and Marc Mariani, the fifth and sixth men on the depth chart.

With White, Jeffery, Eddie Royal, Marquess Wilson, Martellus Bennett and Matt Forte all missing multiple games throughout the season, Cutler was often left without much help, and that’s not even including the offensive line injuries.

Yet, even with no real wide receivers, the Gase offense continued to live out of the shotgun to spread opposing defenses with Deonte Thompson and Cameron Meredith at receiver. He had a stable of young running backs, and for a while, he had two very good tight ends, but the offense still tried to work as though it had Jeffery and Royal catching passes.

Loggains needs to try and be more flexible with the personnel he has. Loggains has one tight end and bunch of question marks behind him on the depth chart right now, so he would wise to avoid relying on the position too much in his offense.

Meanwhile, he has three young running backs vying for playing time and a healthy receiving corps of playmakers, so he should try and focus on bringing out their strengths, rather than force a player like Khari Lee or Ben Braunecker to become a major threat as the second tight end.

Injuries will obviously become a factor, and it is up to Loggains to know his personnel each week and put them all in the best position for the offense to be successful.

This offense has the framework to do big things in 2016. It’s up to Loggains to pick up where Gase left off, make some improvements, and lead this group to success.

Report: Not much confidence Alshon Jeffery will sign long-term deal with Bears.

By Scott Krinch

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

As each day passes, it appears that 2016 — pending a playoff appearance spilling into 2017 — could be Alshon Jeffery's last year in a Bears uniform.

The Bears and Jeffery have until 3 p.m. on July 15 to hammer out a long-term deal. If no deal comes to fruition, Jeffery will play next season on his $14.6 million franchise tag. Jeffery would then become an unrestricted free agent following the season. 

According to NFL Media's Mike Garafalo, the chances of the two sides reaching an agreement appear slim.

"There's not a lot of confidence," Garafalo said on  NFL Total Access. "I sense that both sides really don't feel strongly about this one. That's because Alshon Jeffery's got a $14.6 million tag. The Bears wanted to come in a couple of million below that."

Garafalo also notes that Jeffery wants to be paid more than the $11 million per year long-term extensions that fellow wide receivers Keenan Allen (Chargers) and Doug Baldwin (Seahawks) signed this past offseason.

Jeffery, 26, was originally a second-round selection (No. 56) out of South Carolina in 2012. Jeffery has amassed 252 receptions, 3,728 yards and 24 touchdowns in four seasons with the Bears.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Can Ryan Hartman replace Andrew Shaw in the Blackhawks’ lineup?

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Ryan Hartman has been molding himself to be an Andrew Shaw-type player for as long as he’s been in the Blackhawks organization.

So when Shaw was traded to the Montreal Canadiens at the end of June, attention naturally turned to Hartman. Can he be that guy? Can he provide that sandpaper and net-front presence on a continuous basis?

He hopes so.

“We play similar styles: feed off energy, make plays at the net, be one of the hard players to play against,” Hartman said. “Obviously with cap issues, stuff’s going to happen in the offseason. Nobody really knows what’s going to happen but it’s an opportunity now for me, especially, and some other guys to make a push, try to make the team this year.”

The Blackhawks have several holes to fill on their forward lines and none may be bigger that Shaw’s role. For Hartman, who’s played eight games over the past two seasons with the Blackhawks, this is the chance to show he can be that guy, and be that guy on a full-time basis.

Hartman just finished his second professional season, recording 15 goals and 20 assists in 61 games with the Rockford IceHogs. Hartman said his second season was especially valuable – “you come into that second year knowing how to play a full season. You’re not necessarily a veteran but you know the ins and outs,” he said.

Speaking of veterans, though, Hartman and the rest of the IceHogs learned a lot from Bryan Bickell, who spent most of last season with the IceHogs after struggling again with the Blackhawks.

“Having Bickell come down, a guy with two or three Stanley Cups and the experience, he’s able to teach the young guys what it takes to be an NHL player,” Hartman said. “He came down with a great attitude and helped everyone.”

Bickell is also an example, albeit an extreme one, of what happens when you struggle with your game. There may be more jobs available this season but the Blackhawks won’t be shy to reassign a call-up who’s struggling. Hartman, who played three games with the Blackhawks last season, knows that from experience. It’s a tough to deal with but it’s also fuel for a young player.

“You can’t be a guy who comes in, has two or three games, and then takes a night off. You have to bring it every night. That’s what it takes,” Hartman said. “There isn’t a guy who takes a night off who won’t be called down right away. You have to take it period by period.”

With the Blackhawks going through more roster changes, young hopefuls could get their best opportunity this fall. Hartman is one of those guys, a possible option to replace a particular player playing a particular game. It’s some pressure, sure, but Hartman doesn’t look at it that way.

“It’s more motivation. It gets you in the gym earlier, gets you working a lot harder, gets you doing the extra things because you know there’s a spot,” Hartman said. “If you don’t do whatever you can, you’re going to be kicking yourself at the end. Do the work now and it should pay off in the end.”

Opportunity with Blackhawks fueling recently signed Tyler Motte.

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Tyler Motte was weighing his options last spring.

The forward was coming off a stellar season with the University of Michigan, recording 32 goals and 24 assists in 38 games. He could’ve stayed on and built off that, and continued to work toward his degree.

But with the Blackhawks going through big changes again, the time to turn pro and see what he could do at the next level was now.

Motte is participating in his third prospect camp this week in Chicago. But it’s this fall that’s really going to loom large as he’ll look to make the Blackhawks’ roster. There’s a good chance he does, considering Motte’s talent and the Blackhawks’ need for some young guys to take that next step.

General manager Stan Bowman said earlier this summer that, while the Blackhawks would acquire a veteran or two if they could, they’ll be looking to the team’s prospects to fill other voids.

It’s that opportunity that convinced Motte to sign his three-year entry-level deal in April.

“I was just trying to make the best decision for me, for my future, for my career. The opportunity here over the next couple of years was one of the big things that went into it,” he said following Day 1 at prospect camp. “There’ll always be time to finish my degree at Michigan – I have 20-something credits left. Right now it’s time to take that step and embrace the challenge.”

The Blackhawks are fairly set down the middle – Jonathan Toews, Artem Anisimov, maybe Marcus Kruger moves up to third-line center and Dennis Rasmussen anchors the fourth line. Wings, however, are needed. Motte said he feels comfortable playing either side – he’s played both plenty, although after playing right wing most of last season there may be a little more comfort on that side.

Motte credited the 2015 Blackhawks prospect camp with preparing him even more for his last season at Michigan.

“This camp is a building block for the summer, a midway for some guys. This is where you’re at as far as physical condition and how you compare to other guys across the country and around the world,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity to get that comparison before heading back to school.”

Motte’s name has been bandied about plenty since he signed with the Blackhawks. He saw there were greater opportunities with the Blackhawks over the next few seasons, so that degree, which he will get later, can wait. Now it’s time to see what he can do at the next level. 

“Yeah you’re happy to hear that,” Motte said of the Blackhawks seeing his potential. “There are plenty of guys who will get that chance. It’s just a matter of taking an opportunity and doing the best you can with it, finding your role and being able to produce in that role. That’s what’s important. Do the best you can do with what you’re given. That’s what it’s going to come down to, if you can play in that role and have some success there.”

Cubs regroup with much-needed win and target on their backs.

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The mime playing air guitar would have no comment. Anything less than a 162-win pace probably would have disappointed some fawning media members. And Donald Trump is so delusional and consistently wrong that he still probably thinks ownership is doing a “rotten job.”

But all the Cubs stationed at Camp Joe Maddon in Arizona would have taken this heading into the All-Star break: 53 wins and a seven-game lead in the National League Central.

The Cubs still need a vacation after all the karaoke jams, zoo animals, “Embrace The Target” sloganeering and a 24-games-in-24-days endurance test that showed this team won’t get an automatic bid into the playoffs.

“We did talk about it in spring training, the importance of getting off to a good start, and we did,” Maddon said before Sunday’s 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. “We have, I think, more than stubbed our toe. We probably sprained our toe. We want to avoid that, but it happens to a lot of teams. This is our time to understand adversity and how to fight through it.

“We’ll come out of it on the other side better for it.”

The Texas Rangers and New York Mets will be waiting after the All-Star break, and a few days chilling by the pool won’t magically cure the Cubs before they regroup at Wrigley Field. But this team needed a win to snap a five-game losing streak and avoid the sweep that would have left the resilient Pirates (46-43) only 5 1/2 games out in what’s become a much tighter three-team race with the second-place St. Louis Cardinals.

“We’re aware,” said Anthony Rizzo, who went 4-for-5 on Sunday afternoon after almost hitting for the cycle on Saturday night. “You try not to look at it, but you know where you’re at (in the standings). No one stresses about it.

“This is what it is: Every game now in the NL Central, especially versus the Cardinals and Pirates, is a playoff game from here on out. We set ourselves up to be in a good position the second half to do what we want to do.”

That revolves around pitching, and the Cubs have gone 0-for-10 in quality starts in July. A recharged lineup gave John Lackey a two-run lead before he threw his first pitch Sunday and a 5-4 lead by the fourth inning, yet the veteran pitcher still labored through a no-decision and walked off the mound with two runners on and no outs in the seventh.

This three-game series wasn’t pretty for a Cubs team that will send seven players to the All-Star Game. The pitching staff gave up 26 runs, the defense committed five errors, a young team made multiple mental mistakes and the Pirates beat Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta and $155 million lefty Jon Lester.

“Our whole staff kind of feels that (pressure),” Arrieta said. “We’ve been in kind of a lull for the past two weeks. If our guys are healthy — which we are, as far as the staff is concerned — I like our ability to go out there and pitch better.

“There are times where the guy on the other side is going to beat us on the mound. Our offense will have those nights. But if we get our guys back in the second half — and keep swinging it — we’ll be just fine.”

The Cubs raced out to a 25-6 start with dominant pitching and contributions up and down the lineup and all over the roster. The offense generated 15 hits in Game 88, with Matt Szczur delivering a pinch-hit double in the eighth inning and scoring the go-ahead run from second on Kris Bryant’s two-out line drive into left field.

“It’s nice to go into the All-Star break with a little less stress,” Bryant said. “But I think if you told us at the beginning of the year we would be in this position, any of us would take it.”

An under-siege bullpen got the last nine outs, with Pedro Strop, Carl Edwards Jr. and Hector Rondon (14th save) shutting down the Pirates at a time when Maddon’s had trouble figuring out which buttons to push.

Maddon’s endless array of “Try Not To Suck” T-shirts don’t seem quite as fresh when the Cubs are losing so much ground and dropping series to playoff contenders like the Washington Nationals, Miami Marlins, Cardinals, Mets and Pirates within the last month.

But this is exactly what the Cubs asked for, painting the bull’s-eye on their chest.

“We’ve responded really well,” Maddon said, wearing his “Embrace The Target” T-shirt. “More recently, we’ve done it with less than our normal group. I do believe fatigue entered into the equation right now, which happens to everybody. But it got exceptionally difficult now with a lot of young guys playing often. Our starters just hit a little bit of a wall.

“And everybody’s coming after us hard, man. Everybody is — and I love it.”

Joe Nathan could be X-factor for Cubs in second half.

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Joe Nathan simply doesn’t have the same arsenal that made him a six-time All-Star closer, launching him to eighth on the all-time list with 377 career saves. The Cubs aren’t as good as we thought they were if their season hinges on a guy who’s 41 years old and coming off a second Tommy John procedure on his right elbow. 

But Nathan is still a looming X-factor as the Cubs try to rebuild their bullpen on the fly, able to be activated off the 60-day disabled list on July 16, in the middle of a showdown against the Texas Rangers coming out of the All-Star break.

“He’s not far,” manager Joe Maddon said Sunday at PNC Park. “It’s getting close.”

Double-A Tennessee is another world compared to Wrigley Field. Nathan still has to pass the test of throwing on back-to-back days and see how his body responds. The Cubs are a conservative organization when it comes to dealing with injuries.  

With that in mind, Nathan has made it through six appearances with the Smokies, giving up two runs overall but getting hit hard on Saturday night, failing to finish the ninth inning and taking the loss against Chattanooga.

Nathan’s arm looks fluid. His fastball is hitting the 91-92 mph range. His slider/cutter doesn’t have the same bite it once did. He can still throw a curveball for a strike. His timing/finish isn’t quite locked in yet, understandable considering he hasn’t thrown in the big leagues since April 2015.   

“I’m getting a lot of solid information on him,” Maddon said. “The numbers are good, (in terms of) velocity. The break on the breaking ball was getting better. We’re relying a lot on what he is talking about, too. It’s kind of like he’s going through an actual spring training right now, with the number of appearances to get ready to come back and feel good about it. So there’s a lot of progress.”

Nathan may not own the ninth inning anymore, but he should have enough guts and experience to get some outs, an upgrade when Justin Grimm (5.34 ERA) isn’t right and Adam Warren (5.79 ERA) hasn’t established himself yet and the Cubs are auditioning pitchers from Triple-A Iowa (Carl Edwards Jr., Spencer Patton).

Nathan working on the prorated major-league minimum (roughly $350,000) plus incentives might be a better – or more realistic – option than what’s out there on the trade market.

“We just have to define the bullpen,” Maddon said. “That’s the part, to me, that could really jettison us in a positive way in the second half – to get the bullpen back in order where guys are well and able to pitch consistently in certain spots.

“That’s probably been the most difficult part the last week or 10 days – trying to get the bullpen in order and get them out there in the right times and contribute to the wins.”

Anthony Rizzo tweets picture of Cubs' All-Star contingent heading to San Diego.

By CSN Staff

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Seven Cubs are heading to the All-Star Game, and by the looks of it, they're heading there in style.

Following Sunday's win over the Pirates in Pittsburgh, the five Cubs position players elected All-Star starters — first baseman Anthony Rizzo, second baseman Ben Zobrist, shortstop Addison Russell, third baseman Kris Bryant and outfielder Dexter Fowler — plus pitchers Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester headed for San Diego.

Before they boarded the plane, Rizzo tweeted out this picture of the Cubs' massive All-Star contingent.

All-Star Cubs Posing before taking off to San Diego for Game, Tuesday, July 12, 2016. L to R, Ben Zorbist, Addison Russell, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Jake Arrieta, Dexter Fowler and Jon Lester. (Photo/Twitter)

You'll be able to spot these guys taking in Monday night's Home Run Derby (none of them are participating after Rizzo and Bryant both did last year in Cincinnati) and on the field Tuesday night during the Midsummer Classic at Petco Park.

James Shields strong, but White Sox drop game, series to Braves.

By JJ Stankevitz

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

James Shields’ best start in a White Sox uniform wasn’t enough to keep the streak alive.

Despite Shields’ 7 2/3 innings of two-run ball, the White Sox offense sputtered to a 2-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves in front of 29,156 on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field. Coupled with Chris Sale’s poor start Friday that resulted in a defeat, the White Sox lost their first series since June 17-19 against the Cleveland Indians, ending a stretch of five consecutive series victories.

Shields only allowed a pair of solo home runs to Jeff Francouer and Jace Peterson in the second and third innings, respectively. The 34-year-old right-hander allowed six hits and two walks with two strikeouts in what was his longest start since Sept. 5, 2014, when he was with the Kansas City Royals.

Over 25 1/3 innings over his last four starts, Shields has a 2.84 ERA. That’s more in line with the 3.06 ERA he had in 10 starts before racking up a gargantuan 24.62 ERA in four starts from May 31 to June 18.

“This is the best he’s been since he’s been here,” manager Robin Ventura said.

The White Sox offense couldn’t solve Braves starter and Minooka, Ill., native Mike Foltynewicz, who struck out 10 over seven shutout innings. Only once did the White Sox put two men on base against the 24-year-old right-hander.

Still, the White Sox (45-43) are over .500 at the All-Star break for the first time since 2012. After winning 23 of their first 33 games, then losing 26 of their next 36, the White Sox feel things have normalized a bit as they get some time off before the second half begins Friday in California against the Los Angeles Angels.

“It was good, then it was bad, then it started getting good again,” manager Robin Ventura said. “It’s that simple — we were playing good baseball, then we didn’t play good baseball, and now we’re playing better baseball. I think, for these guys, they put that out of their mind and now you’re just, you’re continuing to go every day. Every day’s a new day. I think once you’ve lived through it you can see that the sun comes up the next day and you get back after it.”

The White Sox still have a grave need for better production from their designated hitters — Justin Morneau’s debut, which should come after the All-Star break, should help — and they’ll have to fill at least one turn in the rotation lost to Carlos Rodon’s sprained wrist.

But even in the face of Sunday’s loss to the lowly Braves — who still own the worst record in baseball  — the White Sox will head into the All-Star break feeling relatively confident about where they’re sitting in the American League playoff race.

“We had a good stretch there, and we feel really good going into the break,” Shields said. “Our team has been playing really well as of late, the last three, four weeks or so, and hopefully we’ll hit our stride after the break.”

White Sox: Jose Quintana excited by surprise All-Star nod.

By JJ Stankevitz

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Jose Quintana high fived and hugged Chris Sale in the White Sox clubhouse after Sunday’s game, delivering a simple message: See you tomorrow. 

Prior to the White Sox 2-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves Sunday afternoon, Quintana was named to the American League All-Star roster, replacing Cleveland Indians right-hander Danny Salazar, who bowed out after experiencing mild elbow discomfort. Quintana’s manager and teammates thought he was snubbed from the initial roster due to his mediocre record — he’s 7-8 — that’s far more the product of poor run support than anything the 27-year-old left-hander did. 

Quintana said he “couldn’t believe” he made the All-Star team when manager Robin Ventura told him Sunday morning. 

“It's a goal for players, making it to the All-Star Game,” Quintana said. “I’m so happy, so happy. All my preparation and work, to get that, it's really exciting for me.”

Quintana and Sale are the first pair of White Sox starting pitchers to make an All-Star team since 2012 (Sale and Jake Peavy) and are the first duo of lefties to represent the White Sox at an All-Star game since 1964 (Gary Peters and Juan Pizarro). 

Quintana’s 2.9 fWAR ranks third among American League starters, behind only Cleveland's Corey Kluber and New York's Masahiro Tanaka, and he’s sixth in ERA (3.21) and fourth in FIP (3.48) in the league. 

“You take out the record and any numbers that matter, he’s at the top,” Ventura said. “He’s very excited. Our team was very excited for him.”

“He works as hard as anybody in the league,” White Sox starter James Shields said. “He’s such a good guy, a good dude. He has been really, really good all season long. Unfortunately he hasn’t had the run support we would like him to have. But I’m so happy for him. It’s well deserved.” 

With Quintana’s All-Star nod, the White Sox re-worked their post-All-Star break rotation. Instead of starting Quintana on Friday against the Los Angeles Angels as initially planned, right-hander Miguel Gonzalez and Shields will start Friday and Saturday. Sunday’s starter is to be determined, though if Quintana and Sale both pitch Tuesday, it could push both back to the following series against the Seattle Mariners (July 18-20). 

Quintana had planned on spending the All-Star break in Chicago with his wife and daughter, so he was scrambling Sunday to figure out his new last-minute travel plans. He’ll fly to San Diego on Monday morning in one of the more rewarding whirlwinds of his career. 

“The change is good,” Quintana smiled.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Robin Lopez unlikely catalyst in four major Bulls decision in wild off season.

By K.C. Johnson

(Photo/15minutesnewa.com)

The Bulls significantly changed their roster this summer after their first non-playoff season since 2007-08. Now it's certain there will be at least three new starters in Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade and Robin Lopez.

The thirst for definitive answers is immediate in this age of social media-fueled instant analysis. How will Rondo and Wade fit with Jimmy Butler? Will coach Fred Hoiberg take a firmer hold on his team? Are the Bulls better?

Games will provide those answers in due time. After all, the scoreboard never lies.

But the four significant decisions that have formed the core for the 2016-17 Bulls can be assessed and analyzed. Unlike the scoreboard, this one take is subjective.

Hopefully, it's substantive too.

Rose trade to Knicks: The view here is the philosophy was flawed but the execution flawless. Even with all signs pointing to Rose leaving in 2017 free agency, trading him is a risk. Granted, the relationship between Rose and the Bulls had a weary feel to it. Both sides kept trying to make it work, with one speed bump after another since that fateful April 2012 day Rose tore his left ACL.

But Rose could be poised for a big year. It can't be overstated how important last season proved for him. Beyond the fact he played more games than in the previous three seasons combined, he navigated his 66 games without suffering a knee injury.

Rose is entering a contract year. He's healthy and confident. He had bought into Hoiberg's system and conceivably only would have improved through a second season in it.

The Knicks' offer clearly trumped general manager Gar Forman's philosophy that he used when he didn't deal Pau Gasol at the February trade deadline — that cap space is an asset. That's where the flawless execution comes into play.

Landing a quality starting center in Lopez in the trade at an extremely reasonable average salary below $14 million for the next three seasons is huge for reasons beyond its fueling of what followed in free agency. The Bulls no longer needed to spend on a center, allowing them to let Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah walk and freeing money for the other moves.

There is so much franchise respect for what Noah meant on and off the court that there's only happiness that he landed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Knicks. But Lopez is three years younger, signed for one less year and at a lower salary.

Jerian Grant is an intriguing piece, young and athletic. He, ultimately, could be the piece that determines who "wins" the deal long-term. In the short term, the Knicks got the best player. But other forays to determine Rose's value featured teams asking the Bulls to include a future first-round pick to take his expiring deal off their hands.

Not dealing Butler to Celtics: During draft week, Kris Dunn prompted strong internal debate on the direction of the franchise. That's how highly management regarded the Providence guard Tom Thibodeau landed with the Timberwolves' fifth pick.

Beyond the fact Dunn has star potential written all over his game, trading Butler would have served as a clear signal to fans of a new direction. The view here — almost remarkable in that the mere 32 victories over two seasons from 1999-2001 produced some challenging coverage — is that, once Rose was dealt, a full rebuild should have been the path.

Butler would have commanded a haul. Dunn, Jae Crowder and a third piece would be in Chicago, and Denzel Valentine likely still could have been drafted.

It's easy to understand why the Bulls didn't pull the trigger. Beyond his undeniable two-way, All-Star talent, Butler's max contract signed in 2015 no longer is a max contract in the age of the rising salary cap. He's actually a value for his prodigious production. And the Reinsdorfs remember the post-dynasty full rebuild; it wasn't pretty.

But trading Rose and keeping Butler seemed a half-hearted attempt to remake the roster — until free agency came to fruition.

Signing Rondo: This move features more upside than not. And that's even mindful of Rondo's defensive disinterest at times with the Kings and his issues with highly-regarded coaches in the Mavericks' Rick Carlisle and the Kings' George Karl.

The small guarantee on the second season makes this a short-term risk. After a second straight summer in which he could land only de facto one-year deals, Rondo should be motivated not only to produce but to fit in.

Rondo should be a strong fit for Hoiberg's read-and-react offense. His pacing and passing is what Hoiberg ideally wants in his point guard.

Forman and executive vice president John Paxson need to add shooting, especially after trading Mike Dunleavy and Jose Calderon to clear cap space for Wade. Doug McDermott should benefit greatly from Rondo's arrival, but Nikola Mirotic has shot only 35.5 percent from 3-point range in his two seasons.

Signing Wade: Painting with broad strokes always is dangerous. But the overriding response to this move has been more puzzlement than jubilation, which is odd given Wade's stature.

Wade feels like the victim of some fans' distrust in management. And, no, he isn't the Wade the Bulls pursued in 2010 free agency. But this move is intriguing on many levels and, again, carries short-term risk given Wade can re-enter free agency next summer if he exercises his player option.

Wade's postseason run clearly showed he still can take over games occasionally. Though his imminent signing was done for basketball reasons, the marketing aspect to it can't be ignored.

The three major concerns after the addition of this piece is whether Wade and Butler will run with Rondo, if Wade offers too much duplication of Butler and if there's enough shooting in a league that demands it now.

Management touted Hoiberg's pace-and-space system after his hire. But that strategy looks to be shelved for another season.

Are the Bulls better than last season? Time will tell. Let's settle for this: Once the trade decisions were made — jettisoning Rose, keeping Butler — free agency at least made them relevant again.

Like a car crash or a sunset, enough intrigue exists for people to watch. Soon enough, we'll know if the franchise's change in direction is disastrous like the former or glorious like the latter.

Golf: I got a club for that..... Facts and figures for the British Open golf championship.

The Associated Press

Facts and figures for the British Open golf championship:

Event: 145th British Open

Dates: July 14-17

Site: Royal Troon Golf Club

Length: 7,190 yards

Par: 36-35-71

Field: 156 players

Prize money: 6.5 million pounds ($8.47 million)

Winner's share: 1,175,000 pounds ($1.53 million)

Defending champion: Zach Johnson

Last year: Zach Johnson made a 30-foot birdie putt in regulation for a 66 and won the four-hole aggregate playoff over Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman. Jordan Spieth, going for the third leg of the Grand Slam, missed the playoff by one shot.

Last time at Royal Troon: Todd Hamilton got up-and-down from 40 yards away using a hybrid for his fourth straight par to defeat Ernie Els in a four-hole playoff.

Open champions at Royal Troon: Arthur Havers (1923), Bobby Locke (1950), Arnold Palmer (1962), Tom Weiskopf (1973), Tom Watson (1982), Mark Calcavecchia (1989), Justin Leonard (1997), Todd Hamilton (2004).

Key statistic: Americans have won the claret jug the last six times at Royal Troon.
Noteworthy: Lee Westwood played in the final round with both major champions this year, Danny Willett at the Masters and Dustin Johnson at the U.S. Open.

Quote worthy: ''It's like two golf courses. It's blowing out on the front and everything plays real short. Then you turn around and come into a left-to-right wind and you spend the back nine trying to kill it and keep it left.'' - Jim Furyk on Royal Troon.

Television (all times EDT): NBC Sports (Saturday 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m.-2 p.m.); Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 1:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 4-7 a.m.)

Field for the British Open.

Associated Press

Players who have qualified and are expected to compete at the British Open, which starts Thursday at Royal Troon (players listed only in the first category for which they are eligible).

British Open champions aged 60 or under on July 17: Zach Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Darren Clarke, Louis Oosthuizen, Padraig Harrington, Todd Hamilton, Ben Curtis, David Duval, Paul Lawrie, Mark O'Meara, Justin Leonard, Tom Lehman, John Daly, Mark Calcavecchia, Sandy Lyle.

Top 10 and ties from the 2015 British Open: Marc Leishman, Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose, Danny Willett, Jordan Niebrugge, Adam Scott.

Top 50 in the world ranking from May 23: Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Henrik Stenson, Dustin Johnson, Branden Grace, Patrick Reed, Hideki Matsuyama, Brandt Snedeker, Matt Kuchar, J.B. Holmes, Charl Schwartzel, Russell Knox, Paul Casey, Kevin Kisner, Byeong Hun An, Jim Furyk, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Justin Thomas, Bill Haas, Kevin Na, Jimmy Walker, Charley Hoffman, Kevin Chappell, Lee Westwood, Shane Lowry, Andy Sullivan, Danny Lee, Soren Kjeldsen, K.T. Kim, Emiliano Grillo, Matt Fitzpatrick, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Bernd Wiesberger, Billy Horschel, Thongchai Jaidee, Ryan Moore, David Lingmerth.

Top 30 in the Race to Dubai from 2015: Victor Dubuisson, Kristoffer Broberg, Chris Wood, Ross Fisher, Anirban Lahiri, Tommy Fleetwood, Marc Warren, David Howell, James Morrison, Thorbjorn Olesen, Thomas Pieters, Miguel Angel Jimenez.

Top 5 European Tour members not already exempt from the top 20 in the Race to Dubai through the BMW International Open: Joost Luiten, Rikard Karlberg, Soomin Lee, Andrew Johnston.

U.S. Open champions (5 years): Webb Simpson.

PGA champions (5 years): Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley.

2015 Tour Championship field: Steven Bowditch, Robert Streb, Harris English, Scott Piercy.

Top 5 PGA Tour members not already exempt from the top 20 in the FedEx Cup standings after the Quicken Loans National: William McGirt, Smylie Kaufman.

2015 President Cup teams: Chris Kirk.

2015 Order of Merit winner on the Australasian Tour: Nate Holman.

2015 Order of Merit winner on the Sunshine Tour: George Coetzee.

2015 Japan Open winner: Satoshi Kodaira.

Top 2 on the 2015 Japan Golf Tour money list: Yusaku Miyazato.

Top 2 from a cumulative money list in 2016 through the Japan Tour Championship: Yuta Ikeda, Yosuke Tsukada.

2015 Senior British Open champion: Marco Dawson.

2016 British Amateur champion: a-Scott Gregory.

2015 International European Amateur champion: a-Stefano Mazzoli.

Open Qualifying Series (Australia): Nick Cullen, Matt Jones, Rod Pampling.

Open Qualifying Series (Africa): Zander Lombard, Haydn Porteous, Anthony Wall.

Open Qualifying Series (Thailand): Jamie Donaldson, Phachara Khongwatmai, Clement Sordet.

Open Qualifying Seriesional Final Qualifying (Japan-Mizuno Open): Kodai Ichihara, Shugo Imahira, Sang-hee Lee, Hideto Tanihara.

Open Qualifying Series (Nordea Masters): Lasse Jensen.

Open Qualifying Series (FedEx St. Jude Classic): Steve Stricker, Russell Henley, Brian Gay, Seung-Yul Noh.

Open Qualifying Series (Quicken Loans National): Vijay Singh, Jon Rahm, Harold Varner III.

Open Qualifying Series (French Open): Brandon Stone, Alex Noren, Callum Shinkwin, Richard Sterne.

Open Qualifying Series (Scottish Open): Tyrrell Hatton, Nicolas Colsaerts, Matteo Manassero, Richie Ramsey.

Open Qualifying Series (Barracuda Championship): Greg Chalmers.

Open Final Qualifying: Oskar Aravidsson, Scott Fernandez, Colin Montgomerie, Jack Senior, Paul Howard, Dave Coupland, Matthew Southgate, Steven Alker, James Heath, Paul Dunne, Ryan Evans, Robert Rock.

Alternates from June 27 world ranking: James Hahn, Gary Woodland, Ryan Palmer, Patton Kizzire, Fabian Gomez, Jeunghan Wang, Scott Hend, Graeme McDowell, Brendan Steele, Francesco Molinari, Tony Finau, Jim Herman, Marcus Fraser, Luke Donald, Daniel Summerhays, Jamie Lovemark, Colt Knost.

Jim Herman replaced Billy Hurley (family commitment); Marcus Fraser replaced Tiger Woods (injury); Luke Donald replaced Jaco Van Zyl; Daniel Summerhays replaced Stewart Cink (family matter); Jamie Lovemark replaced Daniel Berger (injury); Knost replaced Brooks Koepka (injury).

RESERVE LIST: Jon Curran, Kevin Streelman, Jason Bohn.

Noren triumphs in Scottish Open, Hatton leads Open Championship qualifiers.

Omnisport

A solid round of 70 saw Alex Noren convert a 54-hole lead for the fifth time in his European Tour career to triumph at the Scottish Open. (Photo/Omnisport)

Alex Noren claimed his fifth European Tour title by winning the Scottish Open by one shot, while Tyrrell Hatton was among four players to qualify for The Open. 

Noren finished at the top of the leaderboard for a third straight day, carding a two-under 70 to finish on 14 under for the tournament.

The lead changed hands several times on Saturday and the Swede was delighted to have held off the chasing pack a day later with a pair of birdies on the back nine ensuring he got his hands on the trophy.

"I'm so happy it's over because it was a tough, tough leaderboard. A lot of guys at 11, 12, 13 under and it was just not a cruising win at all," he said.

"Thinking about it this morning – how much it would mean – it feels like miles away, and now, when it happens, it just feels unbelievable.

"I'll just try to enjoy this. I know how tough this game is and I'm just really happy to get a win and then for next week, it's a new week and see what happens."

All five of Noren's European Tour wins have come after holding a 54-hole lead, while this is the first time he has triumphed in consecutive seasons.

Hatton was unable to match his round of 66 from Saturday, but a trio of birdies earned him second place and a spot at next week's Open Championship at Royal Troon.

Nicolas Colsaerts joins him after surging up the leaderboard by shooting a six-under 66 – a sensational eagle putt on 12 kick-started a phenomenal finish in which he picked up a further four shots from six holes.

The Belgian was joined in third position by Danny Lee and Matteo Manassero, who, along with Richie Ramsay, earned one of the two remaining qualifying spots for The Open.

Callum Shinkwin shot a bogey-free 65 – the best score of the day – to tie for eighth with Jorge Campillo, while Phil Mickelson surged up the ladder, carding 66 to finish joint-13th.

NASCAR: Brad Keselowski runs out of gas, still wins at Kentucky Speedway.

The Sporting News

Brad Keselowski radioed his crew with bad news with two laps to go — he was out of gas. Bluffing or not, he held on to win at Kentucky. (Photo/The Sporting News)

Brad Keselowski told his crew he was out of gas with less than two laps remaining Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway.

As his car slowed, everyone watched Carl Edwards close fast, ready to sweep by on the way to victory.

Then a funny thing happened: As Edwards moved up on Keselowski's bumper, Keselowski took off, and held off the charge from Edwards to win the Quaker State 400.

"He baited me in there, I thought he was surely out, then he just blocked," Edwards told NBC Sports after the race. "I thought he was out … hey, he did a great job, he won the race."

Whether Keselowski is a world-class poker player who bluffed his way to victory, or whether he shook his car just enough to get the last drops of gas to his engine, the end result is the same — another race at Kentucky, another Keselowski victory. He now has three wins in six Sprint Cup races there.

This one was supposed to be different. Sprint Cup competitors had no idea what to expect Saturday night when they raced at the "new" Kentucky Speedway. Since the drivers last visited the 1.5-mile track south of Cincinnati, the track surface has been re-paved with a coarser-type asphalt. More importantly, turns 1 and 2 were slightly reconfigured, in effect leading to vastly different racing conditions.

And not entirely good conditions. Competitors used words such as "treacherous," "unpredictable" and "unforgiving" to describe the new-look track.

There were plenty of cautions to be sure, as car after car slapped the wall, some with tire issues, some after doing things they shouldn't have — like going three-wide where that does not work.

Keselowski summed up the feelings of many when taking about the track conditions: "It's been a good track for us in the past, but I can tell you, this isn't the same Kentucky," he told NBC.

But after the mayhem cleared, this turned into what is usually an oxymoron in NASCAR world — an absolutely thrilling fuel-mileage race. In the closing laps, it seemed anyone might end up in victory lane — Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr., the list goes on — but Keselowski had a commanding lead.

The only question: Could he make it on fuel?

Crew chief Paul Wolfe was blunt about the team's chances. "I didn't think we were going to make it," he said afterward.

As it turned out, Edwards went the distance, getting by on only four pit stops the entire race.

After holding off Edwards to claim his fourth victory of 2016, he really did run out of gas, and had to get a push from a safety vehicle into victory lane.

"I'd rather drive it into victory lane, but I'll take them any way I can get them," he said afterward.

Edwards finished second, followed by Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch. Tony Stewart, making his 600th career start and needing quality finishes to make the Chase, finished fifth.

Final Rundown for The Quaker State 400

1. Brad Keselowski
2. Carl Edwards
3. Ryan Newman
4. Kurt Busch
5. Tony Stewart
6. Greg Biffle
7. Jamie McMurray

8. Matt Kenseth
9. Kevin Harvick
10. Martin Truex Jr.
11. Trevor Bayne
12. Kyle Busch
13. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
14. Kasey Kahne
15. Denny Hamlin
16. Austin Dillon
17. Danica Patrick
18. Paul Menard
19. Kyle Larson
20. Aric Almirola
21. Cole Whitt
22. David Ragan
23. Clint Bowyer
24. Josh Wise
25. Ty Dillon
26. Michael Annett
27. Reed Sorenson
28. Jeffrey Earnhardt
29. Landon Cassill
30. Casey Mears
31. Chase Elliott
32. Jimmie Johnson
33. Brian Scott
34. Regan Smith
35. Ryan Blaney
36. AJ Allmendinger
37. Chris Buescher
38. Matt DiBenedetto
39. Joey Logano
40. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

NASCAR: WHAT’S NEXT: New Hampshire 301; Sunday July 17, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway; 1:30 p.m. ET, on NBCSN.

SOCCER: Early goal sends Fire to sixth straight road loss.

By Dan Santaromita

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Any optimism the Chicago Fire may have had entering Saturday's match in Toronto was quickly wiped away.

The hosts dominated the first 15 minutes of the match, pressing hard and creating plenty of chances. When Justin Morrow scored in the ninth minute, it was a familiar feeling on the road for the Fire.

The Fire could not recover from the early deficit and lost 1-0. It marked the sixth straight road loss and a 33rd straight match without a win for the Fire.

Before the match, there was genuine reason to think the Fire (3-8-5, 14 points) could get a result. Toronto (6-6-5, 23 points) was riddled with injuries to key players while the Fire are as healthy as they've been all season and had won their previous two matches. However, both of those wins came at Toyota Park.

Whatever the reason, the Fire can't shake this road skid. Major League Soccer is a tough league to play in on the road. The Fire are one of five teams winless on the road this season and another six teams have just one road win in 2016.

Toronto outshot the Fire 25-11 (6-2 on target), which was a fair indication of how one-sided the match was. The Fire had stretches of possession towards the end of the first half, but rarely broke down Toronto's defense.

In the second half, Michael de Leeuw replaced Michael Stephens to make his Fire debut. The Dutch forward was up top in a 4-2-3-1 formation with David Accam, Kennedy Igboananike and John Goossens (later replaced by Arturo Alvarez) sitting just underneath him. De Leeuw was not able to make a big impact in the match.

Igboananike had the Fire's best chance of the match. In the 64th minute, he chased down a long ball in the left corner, cut inside onto his right foot and rifled a shot off the crossbar.

Coach Veljko Paunovic went with the same starting lineup as he did in the 1-0 win against San Jose last weekend. Alvarez and de Leeuw were additions on the bench and both came on as substitutes.

Matt Polster, who is still on his way back from a concussion, was not on the bench. Paunovic and the Fire are giving Polster more time to recover his health and fitness. He had been a regular participant in training this week.

The Fire return home to face Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday.

Patricio, Eder help Ronaldo-less Portugal to EURO 2016 crown.

By Nicholas Mendola

(Photo/Getty Images)

Eder scored a goal in the 109th minute to lift Cristiano Ronaldo-less Portugal to its first ever major tournament title, a 1-0 win over host France as EURO 2016 concluded on Sunday.

The substitute’s fourth international goal in 29 caps was enough for Portugal thanks to the outstanding goalkeeping of Rui Patricio, who was credited with seven saves.

Ronaldo’s injury came in the opening 10 minutes when Dimitri Payet surprised Ronaldo with a tackle. The captain went down and clutched his knee, briefly leaving the field twice before finally exiting in the 25th.

Moments later, Antoine Griezmann forced Rui Patricio into a fabulous save. The ensuing corner was headed at the keeper by Olivier Giroud.

Portugal had problems containing a fit and motivated Moussa Sissoko, though the final ball continued to elude Les Bleus. Also instrumental in that failure to break through were center backs Pepe and Jose Fonte.

It’s easy to forget that so much of France’s tactics would’ve been focused on Ronaldo, and Didier Deschamps’ crew looked perplexed at times.

Kingsley Coman came on for an ineffective Payet with a half-hour to play and changed the game, his 66th minute cross nearly headed home by Griezmann.

Coman on to target Cedric. #SaintsFC RB v. good going forward but caught at times defensively. Coman’s pace causing problems #POR 0-0 #FRA
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) July 10, 2016

Giroud slipped down the left of the box to force Patricio into another solid save, and the 75th minute saw France looking more likely to find the opener.

Hugo Lloris was called into action for the first time in a great deal of time and looked shaky in dealing with an 80th minute chip from Nani but scooped up an ensuing overhead kick to keep it 0-0.

Sissoko teed up a blast in the 84th, but Patricio dove to make a two-handed parry. And Andre-Pierre Gignac worked Pepe before hitting a stoppage time ball off the far post. Was fortune on Portugal’s side?

Extra time found, well, a continued dearth of excitement. It took almost the entire first period for a moment of import, as Eder was robbed by Lloris.

Referee Mark Clattenberg misread handball on Eder as one on Laurent Koscielny, and Raphael Guerrero almost scored on the resulting free kick. The crossbar won the battle, though.

Eder found the goal though moments later, shrugging off a pull to carry to the middle of the pitch and lash a shot past a diving Lloris. It wasn’t the finest moment for the Spurs keeper.

An injury to Guerrero left Portugal down to 10 men in the final moments of the match, but it was not to be for France.

Olympic tune-up: USWNT tops South Africa; Solo gets shutout no. 100.

Associated Press

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Hope Solo got her 100th international shutout and Crystal Dunn scored in the 35th minute to lead the United States past South Africa 1-0 on Saturday at Soldier Field.

The match was a tune-up before next month’s Olympics. World Cup star Carli Lloyd returned for the first time since suffering a knee injury in April, playing part of the second half after entering as a substitute.

It was the first meeting between the countries in women’s soccer and was a fairly competitive match. Dunn was able to make her short-range shot after an impressive cross from Mallory Pugh.

The U.S. has one more game against Costa Rica on July 22 in Kansas City before leaving for the Olympics in Brazil.

NCAAFB: Tennessee defense eager to improve its knockout punch.

By STEVE MEGARGEE

Tennessee linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (21) and defensive back Cameron Sutton (7) close in on Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley (3) in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Tennessee heads into the season as a Southeastern Conference Eastern Division with seniors Reeves-Maybin and Sutton leading one of the nation's most experienced defenses. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)

Tennessee heads into the season as the likely Southeastern Conference Eastern Division favorite thanks in part to a defense loaded with experience.

Whether the Volunteers earn that first division title since 2007 depends on how much that defense has learned from last year's experience.

Tennessee went 9-4 last season, but led in each of its losses. In three of those defeats, Tennessee was in front by at least 13 points.

Those blown leads prevented a good season from becoming great. No wonder finishing has been a point of emphasis throughout Tennessee's offseason.

''I would say it's kind of a little motivation because we know we're right there,'' senior cornerback Cam Sutton said. ''We've just got to get over the hump.''

Sutton, entering his fourth year as a starter, exemplifies the tested nature of Tennessee's defense. The Vols return five of their top six tacklers from last season. The only defensive starters from last season's Outback Bowl blowout of Northwestern who departed are tackle Owen Williams and safeties Brian Randolph and LaDarrell McNeil. The defense's most notable newcomer is coordinator Bob Shoop, who previously held the same positions at Vanderbilt and Penn State.

Tennessee's defense boasts so much experience that players occasionally help each other on the practice field or playing field by referring to situations they encountered together in games that may have taken place years before.

''It helps our communication a lot more,'' said senior linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, who joins Sutton as one of four team captains. ''Sometimes it gets hard to describe things that happen, and we usually relate it to something we've seen in the past. We've been on the same page for so long, it makes it that much easier.''

Reeves-Maybin doesn't mention numbers when discussing his goals for this defense because he wants to avoid placing a ceiling on this group's potential.

''I don't want to put any expectations or limitations on what we can do,'' said Reeves-Maybin, who will have earned his degree by the time he begins his senior season. ''I know we can be the best team in the country. I just want to be the best team in the country, the best defense in the country. I want us to have each other's backs and play like I know we can play every week.''

That means delivering a knockout blow when it has an opponent on the ropes.

Tennessee lost in overtime to Oklahoma last year after leading 17-0 in the first half and 17-3 with 9 minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Vols led 27-14 with 5 minutes left in a 28-27 loss at Florida. They had an early 14-0 lead in a 24-20 setback to Arkansas, and allowed the winning touchdown with 2:24 left in a 19-14 road loss to eventual national champion Alabama.

Sutton notes that the Vols didn't let those blown leads define their season; they ended the year on a six-game winning streak. They have the pieces in place to respond better in tight situations this fall.

Derek Barnett is back at defensive end after getting 10 sacks each of the last two seasons. The linebacker corps features a rising star in Darrin Kirkland Jr., who won a starting spot and ranked fourth on the team in tackles as a true freshman last fall.

But the success of this defense could ultimately rest on the leadership skills of Sutton and Reeves-Maybin, who have combined for 64 career starts. They lived through the pain of going 5-7 and getting left out of a bowl as freshmen. They passed up the opportunity to enter the NFL draft to take one last shot at an SEC championship.

Now they want to prove this defense can finish off games against top-level competition while producing an ideal finish to their college careers.

''Adversity hit my class and the rest of the guys pretty early,'' Sutton said. ''Over the years, we were able to progress and get better. Finally to get what we've been working for since we got here... to finally finish it off, complete it and get it done, that would be something special.''

Add ‘2016 Olympian’ to Oregon WR Devon Allen’s list of accomplishments.

By John Taylor

(Photo/Getty Images)

I don’t care who you are or who you root for, this is damn impressive.

Devon Allen is a very talented wide receiver for the Oregon Ducks football team.  Allen also “moonlights” as a very talented member of UO’s track & field team, claiming the Pac-12 titles this past May in both the 110-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash.  He claimed the NCAA championship in the former event this past June as well.

Because of that talented “moonlighting,” Allen took part in the U.S. Olympic Trials in the hurdles this past week.  And here’s the thing: he won, with a personal best of 13.03, and absolutely blew away the rest of the field in the process.

As a result, Allen, who didn’t participate in spring football to concentrate on this sport, will be representing his country in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next month.  Let that sink in for a minute, that Allen, who didn’t start serious training for the hurdles until January because of his commitment to college football, is an Olympian.

DEVON ALLEN  

He wins the men’s 110m hurdles with a blazing 13.03! More highlights: https://t.co/s8sasnBSYw https://t.co/LuPeshQnvV
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) July 10, 2016 

He’s going to Rio!
Congratulations, @DevonAllen13!#GoDucks pic.twitter.com/Z4dHou1jJZ

— GoDucks (@GoDucks) July 10, 2016

Strike the pose, you’re headed to Rio! #GoDucks #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/wMbkkgvYDO

— Oregon Football (@WinTheDay) July 10, 2016

Add in the fact that Allen sustained a torn ACL on New Year’s Day 2015 in the Rose Bowl, and this will serve as one of the most underappreciated storylines of the upcoming Olympiad.

The 2016 Summer Olympics begin August 5 and run through August 21.  Allen is expected to return to the Ducks football team shortly after the end of the Games.

NCAABKB: Larry Brown steps down as head coach of SMU.

By Scott Phillips

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Larry Brown has stepped down as the head coach of SMU after leading the program back into the national spotlight the past four seasons.

The 75-year-old Brown is leaving the Mustangs over a contract dispute in which he wanted a longer extension than the program wanted to give him. Associate head coach Tim Jankovich, a former head coach at Illinois State who left that job to work for Brown, will take over as head coach at SMU. Jankovich coached the Mustangs for nine games last season — all wins — as Brown served a nine-game suspension due to NCAA violations.

Brown told ESPN’s Andy Katz that his health is fine, but the contract dispute is what ultimately forced him to leave. “I’ve got nothing else to say right now. I have to text the parents of my players,” Brown said to Katz.

Taking over at SMU in 2012, Brown took the program to national prominence after his surprising hire as he had an overall record of 94-39 in three seasons. Brown’s tenure included an NIT appearance in his second season and a heartbreaking loss to UCLA in the opening round of the 2015 NCAA tournament.

But Brown’s tenure at SMU will also be remembered for scandal — something that has somewhat defined Brown’s legacy in the eyes of some. The NCAA ruled the Mustangs ineligible for the postseason in 2015-16 after it was determined that Keith Frazier, a prized McDonald’s All-American recruit, had coursework done for him by SMU basketball staff. The Mustangs were tremendously talented last season, but had to watch the postseason from home despite a 25-5 record.

It doesn’t help that Brown has earned a reputation around basketball as a coach who is always looking for a better opportunity as he’s left jobs before his contract was finished multiple times.

Plenty of people will define Brown’s tenure at SMU by that scandal, but he also helped SMU become a national power and filled a brand-new stadium with a newly-rabid fanbase. At 75 years old, it’s likely we’ll never see Brown as a head coach again and it was an interesting three-year run at SMU that helped legitimize a program that hadn’t made the NCAA tournament since 1993.

Also a head coach at UCLA and Kansas at the college level, Brown won a national title with the Jayhawks in 1988, only to immediately leave for the San Antonio Spurs.

Known by many for his NBA accomplishments, Brown also coached the Detroit Pistons to the NBA championship in 2004 while also making stops with the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and Charlotte Bobcats.

Brown remains the only basketball coach to ever win an NBA title and national championship as a head coach. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Serena Williams wins seventh Wimbledon, record-equaling 22nd major title.

By Steven Griffiths

Serena Williams holds the Venus Rosewater Dish after beating Angelique Kerber to win her seventh Wimbledon title on July 9, 2016 (AFP Photo/Glyn Kirk)

Serena Williams powered to her seventh Wimbledon crown as the world number one finally claimed a record-equaling 22nd major title with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Angelique Kerber in Saturday's final.

Williams had been stuck on 21 Grand Slams since winning last year's Wimbledon, but the American star ended that frustrating barren spell to retain the title and draw level with Steffi Graf's Open era record.

Serena was pushed hard by Kerber in a high-quality clash lasting 81 minutes on Centre Court, but the German fourth seed eventually crumbled under a barrage of 39 winners and 13 aces from the defending champion.

"It's a great feeling to be here. Angelique brings out great tennis in me," said Serena.

"Number 22 is awesome. Centre Court feels like home."

Williams had come up short at the US Open last year, losing in the semi-finals.

She then was beaten in the Australian and French Open finals.

"Definitely so excited to win Wimbledon, that's always a great feeling. But maybe even more so is the excitement of getting 22, trying so hard to get there, finally being able to match history, which is pretty awesome," said Williams.

"I think, if anything, I was able to show resilience that, no, that's (the losses in New York, Melbourne and Paris) not going to shake me, you're not going to break me, it's going to make me stronger."

Kerber said the American was a great champion.

"Serena you deserve it, you are a great champion and great person. We played a great match," said Kerber.

To complete a golden day, Serena later teamed up with sister Venus to beat Timea Babos and Yaroslava Shvedova 6-3, 6-4 to claim their sixth Wimbledon doubles title.

- Doubles triumph -

It was also their 14th doubles triumph as a team at the majors and their 22nd in 23 finals overall.

Having avenged her shock loss against Kerber in the Australian Open final in January, Williams was wreathed in smiles as she paraded the Venus Rosewater Dish around Centre Court after collecting a cheque for £2 million ($2.5 million, 2.3 million euros).

But the far more significant reward is the knowledge she has reestablished her supremacy at a time when doubters were beginning to question the 34-year-old's hunger after consecutive Slam final defeats this year.

In a testament to her remarkable longevity as the sport's preeminent force, Serena is once again Wimbledon's queen 14 years after her first success at the All England Club.

Equaling Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles will be Serena's next goal.

The 71st singles title of Williams' astonishing career also moved her within two of Martina Navratilova's all-time record of nine Wimbledon triumphs.

"She is someone who beats records and not just equals them," warned coach Patrick Mouratoglou.

With pop royalty Beyonce and Jay-Z among Serena's entourage in the players' box, Williams finally hit the right notes after so many recent disappointments.

In her ninth Wimbledon final and 28th at the majors, Williams had a golden opportunity to seize the initiative in Kerber's first service game, but the German showed her mettle as she nervelessly saved three break points.

Given Williams' pursuit of Graf's historic landmark, it was a delicious twist that the 47-year-old had played a role in Kerber's recent rise after advising her compatriot.

Showing she has heeded Graf's words of wisdom, Kerber had sprinted to the final without dropping a set.

Kerber, in her first Wimbledon final and second major title match, was moving Williams into awkward positions with her left-handed ground-strokes.

But Serena kept slugging away and the barrage eventually proved too much for the 28-year-old to resist.

A sequence of blistering ground-strokes rocked the German deep behind the baseline on set point, forcing a fatal error that Serena celebrated with a defiant double-fist pump.

Kerber was still competing gamely in the second set, but when she finally earned a first break point in the seventh game, Williams got out of trouble with a pair of imperious aces.

The German's look of resignation suggested the end was in sight and so it proved as Serena broke in the next game.

Williams then slumped flat on her back on Centre Court when Kerber miscued on match point.

Andy Murray wins second Wimbledon title.

Associated Press

(Photo/Associated Press)

Andy Murray’s first Wimbledon championship was for his country.

This one was for Andy Murray.

Dulling big serves with quick-reflex returns, conjuring up daring passing shots and playing impressively mistake-free tennis all the while, Murray beat Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) on Sunday for his second trophy at the All England Club and third Grand Slam title overall.

In 2013, Murray famously ended Britain’s 77-year wait for one of its own to win the men’s final at Wimbledon, a quest that became burdensome.

Now he wanted a victory to end his personal rut of three consecutive losses in major finals, including at the Australian Open in January, and French Open last month.

“It is different. I feel happier this time. I feel more content this time. I feel like this was sort of more for myself more than anything, and my team as well,” the second-seeded Murray said. “Last time, it was just pure relief, and I didn’t really enjoy the moment as much, whereas I’m going to make sure I enjoy this one.”

This was his 11th Grand Slam final, but the first against someone other than Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer. The sixth-seeded Raonic eliminated Federer in five sets in the semifinals Friday, and also defeated the player who stunned Djokovic in the third round, Sam Querrey.

Those wins helped Raonic become the first man representing Canada to reach a major final.

He did it, primarily, by averaging 25½ aces through six matches. But on a breezy afternoon, at a Centre Court filled with nearly 15,000 partisan fans, Murray shut down that integral part of Raonic’s game.

“This one’s going to sting,” Raonic said.

It’s been a rough few weeks for Britain, what with its vote to leave the European Union, the drop of the pound’s value, and the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron, who was seated in the front row of the Royal Box on Sunday, several seats over from Prince William and his wife, Kate.

During the trophy presentation, Murray joked: “Playing in a Wimbledon final’s tough, but I certainly wouldn’t like to be a prime minister. It’s an impossible job.”

Murray, a 29-year-old from Scotland, long dealt with the expectations that accompanied being Britain’s best chance to find a male champion to succeed Fred Perry, who last won the grass-court tournament in 1936. After Sunday’s victory, Murray’s mother, former British Fed Cup captain Judy, referred to that old phenomenon as, “The constant, ‘When are you going to win Wimbledon? When are you going to win Wimbledon? When are you going to win Wimbledon?'”

But her son has dealt with that and thrived, thanks to a counter-punching game and sublime returns of serve.

It took Raonic 36 minutes and five service games to record his first ace, and he wound up with only eight. Over and over, Murray managed to get the ball back, even one that came in at 147 mph.

And while Murray only broke Raonic once, to lead 4-3 in the opening set, that was all it took, because the tiebreakers were surprisingly one-way traffic.

Murray also took 50 of 65 points he served across the first two sets, not only never facing so much as a break point in that span but also being pushed to deuce merely once.

Finally, at 2-all in the third, Raonic got to 15-40 for his first — and, it turned out, only — break points, thanks to a forehand return winner off an 82 mph second serve.

“Potentially turning points,” said Carlos Moya, one of a trio of coaches for Raonic, including John McEnroe. “If he got that break, who knows what could happen?”

But Murray stood tall, taking the next four points to hold, then wheeled toward his box, pumping his right fist and yelling.

According to the official statistics, Murray made only 12 unforced errors, two in the second set. While that’s a subjective accounting, anyone watching and listening could plainly tell that he was striking the ball cleanly and confidently, a crisp thwack resonating as racket strings hit ball, much more often than not putting shots right where intended.

“Really good stuff,” Murray said.

His opponent’s take? “He was playing much better than me off the baseline,” Raonic acknowledged.

Taking it all in from Murray’s guest box, with seemingly nary a smile, was coach Ivan Lendl. They worked together when Murray won his first two Grand Slam trophies, including at the 2012 U.S. Open, then split up, before reuniting last month.

Once again, that partnership paid off, and at Wimbledon, no less.

When he sat in his sideline chair after the match concluded, Murray wiped away tears with a tournament towel.

“To do it twice here,” he said, “an event where there is a lot of pressure on me to perform well — I’m very proud with how I’ve handled that over the years.”

Tour De France: Stage 9, Tom Dumoulin claims his first Tour de France victory.

Le Tour France

(Photo/Le Tour France)

After winning at the Vuelta a España and the Giro d'Italia, Tom Dumoulin claimed his first ever victory at the Tour de France in horrendous conditions as the storm made the race hard and memorable in the last climb of the day after racing in hot conditions. Like Jan Ullrich in 1997 and Brice Feillu in 2009, the Dutchman won in Arcalis where Chris Froome retained the yellow jersey as he kept the situation under control even when the 20-man breakaway had more than ten minutes lead. For the second time in his career (after 2014), Alberto Contador abandoned the Tour de France as sickness was added to his injuries from the first two stages.

Contador willing to strike but he was sick…

197 riders started stage 9 the day after Michael Morkov (Katusha) was the first rider to quit the Tour de France. He was soon to be followed by Mark Renshaw (Dimension Data) and Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ) who started in Vielha despite feeling sick. It was also the case for Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) who had fever in the morning. However, the Spaniard was prompt to counter attack with Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Sergio Henao (Sky) behind the first significant attack of the day. Led by Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal), it became a group of 45 riders but it split up on the way to the Port de la Bonaigua. 19 of them remained in the lead towards the top but Contador wasn't able to hold the pace. Pinot was first atop the first category 1 climb of the day at km 19 while the peloton led by Team Sky was 1.20 adrift.

20 riders in the lead, Contador in the team car

In the long downhill, Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) made it across to the leading group in which Valverde was a problem as Team Sky was chasing down. The gap was 45 seconds at km 53 when Valverde gave up, leaving 20 riders at the front: Winner Anacona, Jesus Herrada (Movistar), Diego Rosa, Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana), Rafal Majka, Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R-LaMondiale), George Bennett (Lotto-Jumbo), Mathias Frank, Stef Clement, Jérôme Coppel (IAM), Natnael Berhane (Dimension Data), Tom Dumoulin (Giant), Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), Rui Costa, Tsgabu Grmay (Lampre-Merida), Thomas De Gendt, Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal), Dani Navarro, Nicolas Edet (Cofidis). The peloton was riding slowly with a deficit of six minutes when Contador called it a race at km 81 at 14.24.

Dumoulin alone before the climb to Arcalis

The advantage grew to 8.10 with 60km to go and 10 minutes 50km before the end (maximum time gap: 10.30 at km 136). Sagan won the intermediate sprint at Andorra-la-Vella to move up in the points classification, only seven points down on Mark Cavendish. With 42km remaining, De Gendt rode away solo, not only to take five points atop the second category climb of La Comella but he forged on until he completely cracked 4km before the summit of the first category col de Beixalis where Pinot increased his virtual lead in the King of the Mountain competition to take the polka dot jersey in the principality. Dumoulin rode away solo with 12km, before the 10km long uphill finale to Arcalis. He made a gap of 50 seconds for himself and maintained a steady pace to fend off Rui Costa and Majka who were chasing him down. The Dutchman stayed up front to take a stage win at each of the three Grand Tours in the region of one year. The fight among the favorites started with 5km to go. Successively, Sergio Henao (Sky), Richie Porte (BMC), Dan Martin (Etixx-Quick Step) and Chris Froome (Sky) sped up. Nairo Quintana (Movistar) remained on Froome's wheel all the way. With Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) finishing with the same time as Froome, the only change in the top three overall was Martin taking the third place over from Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) who was racing on home soil in Andorra.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, July 11, 2016.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1914 - Babe Ruth debuted in the major leagues with the Boston Red Sox.

1960 - In Honolulu, HI, the first tournament held outside the continental U.S., sanctioned by the U.S. Golf Association, began.

1985 - Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros became the first major league pitcher to earn 4,000 strikeouts in a career.

1987 - Bo Jackson signed a contract to play football for the L.A. Raiders for 5 years. He was also continued to play baseball for the Kansas City Royals.

1994 - Shawn Eckardt was sentenced in Portland, OR, to 18 months in prison for his role in the attack on figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.

1995 - Mickey Mantle made his final public appearance. It was to increase awareness of organ donation programs.

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