CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Monday Sports News Update, 07/18/2016.

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"Sports Quote of the Day"

“You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.” ~ Brian Tracey, Author, Professional Speaker and Entrepreneur

Trending: Bears Camping Out ’16: WRs need to prove durability as well as abilities. (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).

Trending: Rested Blackhawks hungry for another long playoff run. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks and NHL updates).

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Trending: Bulls officially sign Dwyane Wade and Denzel Valentine. (See the basketball section for Bulls and NBA updates). 

Trending: Henrik Stenson outduels Mickelson in The Open Championship. (See the golf section for British Open and PGA updates).

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

                                                

Cubs 2016 Record: 55-36

White Sox 2016 Record: 45-46

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

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Bears Camping Out ’16: WRs need to prove durability as well as abilities.

By John Mullin

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The accomplishments of the offense under then-coordinator Adam Gase and quarterback Jay Cutler become all the more impressive when placed in the context of available resources.

At no time, from the beginning of training camp on, did the offense have its projected top three receivers available, and barely did the offense have even two of the three simultaneously.  Wideouts Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal, who played in a combined 63 of 64 total games the preceding two seasons, missed 14 combined entire games in 2015 and portions of several others because of myriad injuries.

And Kevin White, the No. 7 pick of the draft and slated to start opposite Jeffery, was lost to a stress fracture until late in the season when the decision was made, with the Bears sitting at 5-8 after demoralizing losses to San Francisco and Washington, to hold him out for the entire season.

Jeffery was a virtual non-participant in training camp and preseason because of a calf strain, foreshadowing a succession of lower-body injuries that made a long-term contract impractical at his price and use of the franchise tag a logical compromise.

Jeffrey's anticipated playing this season for the guaranteed $14.6 million tag amount became official on Friday afternoon when the deadline for a deal passed.

Jeffery finished with 54 receptions, good enough to lead the Bears. But his 807 yards, a decline from his 1,421 of 2013 and 1,133 of 2014, was still more than any two other Bears combined. Royal was signed to be principally the No. 3, but with White unavailable, was pressed into starting all nine of the games he played and finished with 37 catches but only one for a touchdown.

The Bears got production from Marquess Wilson (28 catches), Marc Mariani (22), Josh Bellamy (19) and Cameron Meredith (11), all combining for 14 starts. But the group netted just three total touchdowns. Mariani emerged as a viable third-receiver option, with first downs recorded on 19 of his 22 catches and 11-for-11 on third-down targets.

Offseason adjustments

The exit of Gase to Miami, replaced by promoting Dowell Loggains from QB coach to coordinator, will stand as one of the single biggest adjustments within the entire on-field operations. The Bears also allowed receivers coach Mike Groh to leave for a post as passing-game coordinator and receivers coach with the Los Angeles Rams. In his place the organization hired Tulane receivers coach Curtis Johnson, who worked as a member of the New Orleans Saints staff during the Super Bowl season of 2009 and while Bears GM Ryan Pace was in personnel there.

White began making a major impression in closed practices once he was cleared for work late in the season. His developing a relationship with Cutler has been an emphasis this offseason. The two watched the Super Bowl together and traveled to Tennessee for some work together. “That’s been going good,” White said. “He’s a great leader. A great guy. So we’re trying to get on the same page.”

To the Bears dissatisfaction, Jeffery opted out of working with the team in Chicago other than for mandatory sessions, instead working out in south Florida on his own program. “I was just working on some soft tissues issues,” Jeffery said. “I was working out with my trainer and some other people I was seeing down there.”

The Bears used a seventh-round draft pick on Daniel Braverman out of Western Michigan, where he caught 108 passes for 1,367 yards and 13 touchdowns. Undrafted free agent Kieren Duncan secured a spot at least on the roster going into training camp.

Wilson was lost for an undetermined amount of time, expected to include the first six weeks of the regular season, when he fractured his foot during a minicamp practice.

But the focus is less on the depth chart than what the top of the chart – Jeffery and White – generates in their first time working together.

“They’re still learning,” Cutler said. “Al has got a little catching up to do with some of the stuff that we’re putting in, and then Kevin, taking a year off, it’s hard for anybody to not play football for a year. He played at West Virginia where our offense is a little bit different. So he’s kind of got a year and a half of just straight catching up with what he has to do in a short amount of time.”

Depth-charting

WR  Alshon Jeffery

WR  Kevin White

WR  Eddie Royal

The Mix

Josh Bellamy

Daniel Braverman

Kieren Duncan

Derek Keaton

Marc Mariani

Cameron Meredith

Darrin Peterson

Deonte Thompson

3 questions camp will begin to answer…

…What exactly does $14.6 million buy the Bears?

Jeffery’s mindset and dedication have been subjects of conjecture, particularly after he missed seven games last season in what was a contract year. The franchise tag makes him one of the highest-paid receivers for 2016, but he was not an integral part of the offseason program and is a health concern until he isn’t.

And there is the matter of a new offensive coordinator, new receivers coach and a new wideout on the opposite side. “I mean, there were a few tweaks here and there,” Jeffery said, “but pretty much most of the stuff is still the same.”

…How far behind will Kevin White be after missing his entire rookie season beyond a handful of practices?

White’s attitude and work ethic are exemplary, but he had a handful of drops in offseason sessions, and does not have the NFL-experience base that his teammates have as the offense undergoes a change of coordinator. His to-learn list is extensive:

“Learning different types of coverages,” White began. “What the corners and safeties jobs are to stop a certain kind of concept we may run. Learning different types of techniques as far as press release, versus off and zone. That sort of stuff.”

…Is there quality and durability after Jeffery and White?

Not that either of those two have established records of durability, but Royal turns 30 and is coming off missing games at three different points last season. Wilson already is down until further notice. The Bears need to get through camp healthy and with starter-grade quality evident in more than their top two receivers.

10 Most Important Bears of 2016: #2 Will the running back by committee be able to replace Matt Forte?

By Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.

(Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports)

For the 8th straight year, I'm bringing you who I believe will be the ten most important Chicago Bears for the upcoming season. Coming in at number 2 are the running backs by committee.

Chicago Bears head coach John Fox prefers his teams to be physical and aggressive on the defensive side of the ball and physical and balanced on the offensive side of the ball. He’ll definitely coach to his strengths, but as a defensive mined coach, he’s a little conservative and he’d like his offense to be a grind it out type of O. That will keep his defense fresh and opposing offenses will feel a sense of urgency when they finally get a chance to control the clock.

It’s a tried and true philosophy that Bears’ fans should be familiar with.

But are the Bears capable of pulling it off is the question we need answered.

The Bears decided to let their very productive lead-back, Matt Forte, walk in free agency and they decided put their faith in a running back by committee approach that has served John Fox well in the past.

During Forte’s eight years in Chicago he averaged over 100 yards from scrimmage per game and he averaged a touchdown every other game. He has been one of the most productive Bears in the history of the franchise so the youngsters employed to take his place have a lot to live up to.

The top two candidates to make up Chicago’s running back by committee are 2nd year pro Jeremy Langford and rookie Jordan Howard.

Even though there’s a vocal Ka’Deem Carey fan club, I don’t think he’s a better player than either Langford or Howard. Carey has a bruising running style, but so does Howard. Plus Howard is bigger and faster, so in my opinion, he’ll get those short yardage carries early in the season instead of Carey.

Last year the Bears were 6th in the league in rushing attempts and they ran the ball 47% of the time (8th most). I would expect new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains to try and stay right in that same ballpark, but his young backs have to prove worthy of the carries.

When Loggains ran the Tennessee Titans’ offense in 2013, his O ran the ball about 45% of the time (8th most that year), so his philosophy will mesh well with Fox’s.

But again, the Bears’ backs will have to prove they can get the job done.

If the young fresh legs of Langford and Howard can produce, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Bears creep closer to a 50/50 run pass ratio. An effective running game and a good defense is a great way to win games in the NFL.

The last time the Bears had a top 10 defense and a top 10 running game was 2012 and they went 10-6.

If Chicago can effectively run the ball, it’ll make the game easier for everyone. Play action will open up some big shots downfield, Chicago’s o-line will be able to pound opposing defenses into submission, not having as many 3rd and longs will keep defenses guessing, the Bears’ defense will be able to stay fresher and opposing Os will feel a sense of urgency when they finally get their hands on the ball.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Rested Blackhawks hungry for another long playoff run.

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Blackhawks wandered into the media social at various times through mid-afternoon on Friday. Something was noticeable among their core players: they all looked rested and refreshed and in some cases, more tan.

Well, they have had a bit of a break.

“Longer than we’re used to, that’s for sure,” Duncan Keith said. “That’s the key right there. Obviously we weren’t happy with the way the season ended, we thought there was more to give there. But at the same time, we’ve been going and this has given us a good break here to heal some things and rejuvenate our minds, and get ready for hopefully another really long season.”

Indeed, the Blackhawks don’t want to make these first-round exits a habit. They’ve been more used to the lengthy postseasons, the ones that have led to three Stanley Cups since 2010. But since they did get more time off this year, they’ve taken advantage of it.

For Patrick Kane, there’s not just the desire to get back, there’s also the goal to have a more individual impact in the postseason – after having a tremendous regular season, Kane was quiet in seven games against the St. Louis Blues.

“We’re trying to get back to where we were the years previous. It left a sour taste in your mouth, especially the way the playoffs went,” he said. “We felt I could’ve played better, maybe could’ve been a bigger part in some games, taking over some games. I think that’s more motivation entering next season too.”

Marian Hossa was the opposite, having an underwhelming regular season, at least offensively, before being one of the Blackhawks’ best players in the first round. The 37-year-old Hossa has been in five Stanley Cup finals since the 2007-08 season. This summer, Hossa said he’s gotten back into a normal training regimen.

“We had more time for a summer workout. That should help me benefit from a shorter season,” Hossa said. “I think I could do more than I’ve done before and hopefully that’ll be a benefit for the season.”

The quick exit left the Blackhawks disappointed. It also gave them ample time to rest, which several of them needed. The energy level is back; so is the determination to win again.

“It feels like a lot of extra time, especially after this year,” Corey Crawford said. “It was disappointing. It was a really good series against St. Louis, a lot of one-goal games and games that could’ve gone either way. It’s hard to leave early but we’ll be rested and ready.”

Quenneville buys into the idea of potentially younger Blackhawks squad.

Associated Press

(AP Photo)

Patrick Kane flashed a million-dollar smile in the photo opp, beaming from behind a table topped by the troika of hefty awards he skated off with to cap a sublime season.

Chicago’s 27-year-old star forward broke away with the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP, the Art Ross as the leading scorer and the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the NHL’s outstanding player by fellow skaters.

Missing conspicuously from silverware haul on the opening day of the Blackhawks’ annual fan convention was the Stanley Cup, the championship Chicago failed to defend last spring after winning it in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

Despite a first-round, seven-game playoff exit against St. Louis last April, the Blackhawks say they’re ready for another run at the Cup with a revised, younger roster. The NHL’s salary cap, set at $73 million for next season, once again forced GM Stan Bowman to trim key players, most notably forwards Andrew Shaw and Teuvo Teravainen.

Bowman thinks his kids, and team, will be all right. He expects top prospects, who skated in a camp in Chicago this week, to jump in and fill in several spots, especially at forward alongside stars such as Kane, Jonathan Toews and Artemi Panarin, last year’s Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year.

No worries for coach Joel Quenneville, either.

“I’m very comfortable with it,” Quenneville said. “I see more depth on our team. I see more speed on our team.”

Bowman said the prospect camp, which ended on Friday, was “the best we’ve had in terms of the caliber of player and level of play.”

The GM called out forwards Tanner Kero, Vincent Hinostroza and Ryan Hartman, who have played just a handful of NHL games, as “exceptional.”

“They’ve taken their game to another level,” Bowman said. “You can put Tyler Motte and Nick Schmaltz in there.”

Motte and Schmaltz, collegiate scoring stars last season, signed contracts with the Blackhawks last spring and left Michigan and North Dakota early. Schmaltz, a sophomore with the NCAA champ Fighting Hawks, said he sensed a real chance.

“I think I’m at the point in my game where I’m confident and ready to take this jump and do everything to make the NHL next year,” said the rangy 20-year-old center.

“I think there’s a good feeling all around in that there’s opportunity that might not have been there in the past,” said Hartman, a 21-year-old right wing. “It’s kind of a good time to be here. All of the prospects are the same boat, trying to earn a spot.”

Bowman insists he isn’t handing anything out.

“I think it’s dangerous to try to label guys to fill a role,” he said. “One thing I told all those guys, I’m not sure which of you is going to make the team, but don’t make that decision easy for us.”

Things are clearer on defense, where lack of depth hurt Chicago last season. Bowman signed free agent Brian Campbell to a bargain $2 million, one-year deal earlier this month to eat up minutes alongside Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson.

Campbell is 37, but the mobile defenseman led Florida last season with 22:16 of ice time per game and a plus-31. A member of Chicago’s 2010 Cup team, Campbell says he “feels great” and has “plenty left in the tank.”

“He’s getting better with age and I’m excited about what he brings to our team,” Quenneville said. “I think in the last couple of years, he’s taken his game to a new level.”

Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, 24, did the same last season, staying healthy and playing all 82 games with the Blackhawks. Chicago also added 25-year-old Czech free agent Michal Kempny over the summer. Journeyman Michal Rozsival is back and Bowman has been impressed with 20 year-old Swede Gustav Forsling and 22-year-old Finn Ville Pokka.

Regardless of who makes their team and where they finish, the Blackhawks will be a lot younger.

“It looks like we have some really good young talent that can come in and step in right away,” Kane said. “I think that’s something that’s going to be big for us.”

Notes: Marian Hossa, 37, had only 13 goals last season, but said he’s ready for whatever role Quenneville gives him. Hossa, who has 499 career goals, also is looking forward to skating for Team Europe in the World Cup of Hockey this September. “I’m sure the tempo is going to be so high, so when you come to training camp you’re just going to feel like you’re playing in a pickup league or something,” he said.

Blackhawks agree to terms with Mark McNeill on one-year deal.

By Charlie Roumeliotis

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Blackhawks have agreed to terms with forward Mark McNeill on a one-year deal, the team announced Friday. He was a restricted free agent.

It's a two-way deal that carries a $600,000 cap hit, according to CapFriendly.com.

McNeill, 23, scored a team-high 25 goals and registered 23 assists in 64 games last season with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League.

He has appeared in just one NHL game since being drafted by the Blackhawks with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft.

Cubs can't solve Cole Hamels again, fail to close out sweep of Rangers.

By Tony Andracki

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Cole Hamels didn't throw a no-hitter against the Cubs again, but he was nearly as effective.

The Cubs managed just four hits and one run against Hamels on Sunday, failing to complete the sweep against the Texas Rangers with a 4-1 loss in front of 41,213 fans at Wrigley Field.

Hamels struck out the first six batters he faced and finished with seven whiffs against no walks.

"The way he started out, it was like, 'Here we go all over again,'" Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Then we started putting the ball in play. We just didn't have any really hard contact consistently.

"In the end, he got us again. He pitched really, really well."

The only run Hamels surrendered was unearned as Albert Almora Jr. reached on an error by Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre in the third inning and came around to score on Javy Baez's two-out double.

Hamels improved to 10-2 on the season and continued his dominance of the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Thanks in large part to last July's no-hitter, the 32-year-old southpaw has allowed only eight earned runs in 41 innings in his career at the corner of Clark and Addison, good for a 1.76 ERA.

"He was on point today," Baez said. "He was making us chase. ... I chased a couple times, but I kept to my plan and I got him."

The Cubs mounted a mini-rally against Hamels in the seventh with back-to-back singles from Willson Contreras and Addison Russell to lead off the frame, but Jason Heyward lined into a double play at first base.

Maddon called that tough-luck double play a turning point in the game.

"I've said it before: He has been the most unlucky fellow," Maddon said of Heyward.
"Well-struck balls at people all year. That's a game-changer in that particular moment. Line drive at first base, what are you gonna possibly do?"

John Lackey was hit hard early for the Cubs, giving up two runs in the second and solo tallies in the third and eighth innings. He settled in, retiring 11 straight Rangers at one point, but wound up with his sixth loss of the 2016 campaign.

Lackey was in line for a quality start before giving up a leadoff homer to Ian Desmond in the eighth inning. The Cubs' veteran starter finished with four earned runs on six hits and a pair of walks in eight innings, striking out eight on 112 pitches with the wind blowing out at Wrigley.

"I felt great," Lackey said. "The story really today was Cole. He pitched really well and we weren't able to do anything against him. 

"I was honestly pretty happy about the way I threw the ball. Threw eight innings. It was definitely not a good day to pitch, for sure. Pretty much a different ballpark than the last couple days."

After taking two of three against the American League's best team, the Cubs welcome the Mets into Wrigley Field for a three-game series beginning Monday night.

Cubs: Jason Hammel credits potato chips for keeping him healthy.

By Tony Andracki

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Who ever said you can't be healthy while sitting on the couch eating potato chips?

Cubs pitcher Jason Hammel credits potato chips with helping him avoid cramps that have plagued him recently.

Hammel had to be removed from his Memorial Day start against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a cramping issue even though he said he felt like he drank the equivalent of Lake Michigan prior to that outing.

After tossing six brilliant innings against the Texas Rangers to open his second half Saturday, Hammel said his doctor actually had the unconventional prescription of potato chips to combat the cramping.

"Doc called me over the break and actually told me again today — potato chips," Hammel said. "My prescription is potato chips, which blew me away. I never heard of a doctor that said potato chips. For my cramps, if it's a chronic thing.

"He said potato chips because they've got a lot of potassium and obviously the sea salt helps retain water. So I focused on that over the break. I ate a lot of potato chips. Think it turned out pretty well.

"Potato chip prescription. PCP — that's what I'm gonna try and go with."

Hammel even said he ate the chips in between innings during his start Saturday and joked he should be a sponsor for utz chips.

So there you have it: Eating potato chips constantly can help make you a multi-million-dollar professional athlete.

White Sox swept by Angels, fall below .500.

By Dan Hayes

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

They finally ended their scoreless streak, but the White Sox were no match for Albert Pujols on Sunday afternoon.

The White Sox crossed the plate with their first run in 34 innings, but Pujols homered twice and Jered Weaver sent them to an 8-1 loss at Angel Stadium. Pujols blasted a pair of two-run homers off starter Jacob Turner and the White Sox lost for the fifth time in six games. The Angels completed a sweep of the White Sox, who scored one run in the series and dropped to 45-46.

White Sox prospect Carson Fulmer struck out two in two scoreless innings in his major league debut.

“Very disappointing,” third baseman Todd Frazier said. “I think we’ll be OK, it’s just a matter of grinding out at-bats. Too many strikeouts. Pitchers doing their job man. We get zero or one run a game, nobody is going to get a win. It makes the pitchers look bad. We have to find a way to manufacture. We got a run today. Felt we were on the up and up, but just couldn’t put anything together.”

The White Sox finally snapped a scoreless streak that dated back to July 9 and included three straight shutouts for the first time since June 1968.

Adam Eaton’s two-out RBI double off Weaver in the top of the third inning ended the team’s third-longest scoreless streak since at least 1912. The White Sox were six innings shy of establishing a franchise-mark for offensive futility when Eaton drove a 1-1 changeup from Weaver into left-center field to score rookie Omar Narvaez, who earlier doubled in his first major league at-bat.

“I didn’t know that,” Narvaez said. “As soon as I stepped on home plate they told me, it was like 30 innings without a run. I feel proud of myself, a lot of work everywhere to get where I am now.”

But with the score 2-1, Jose Abreu popped out to first to end the threat and the White Sox were never heard from again.

Weaver beat the White Sox for the eighth straight time and improved to 12-2 against them with seven innings of one-run ball. He allowed six hits, walked one and struck out one.

“You sit there and marvel at just the fact it’s not going very hard and speed isn’t anything to alarm you about, but (Weaver) almost throws it under that, anything that’s a comfortable hitting speed,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “He takes a little off, big curveball. Nothing seems to be in the middle of the plate.

“Scoring one in a series is not going to do it for you.”

Especially when Pujols drives in four runs.

Turner walked the game’s first batter (Yunel Escobar) on four pitches and recorded hard outs off the bats of Kole Calhoun and Mike Trout. Pujols then ripped a 1-0 fastball out to center to put the Angels up 2-1.

Turner, who was added to the 40-man before the game, retired six of the next seven he faced. But Trout doubled to start the fourth inning and Pujols hammered a 1-2 curveball for another two-run shot and a 4-1 lead. The Angels scored twice more off Turner, who allowed eight earned runs and seven hits in four-plus innings.

“Obviously you work hard to get back here, and you appreciate any opportunity you get,” Turner said. “From that standpoint, you realize all the work you put in to get back here. But you have to go out there to win the game and to execute pitches, and there were too many pitches today I didn’t execute.”

Rick Hahn would like to further upgrade White Sox roster.

By Dan Hayes

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

They’ve added four players in the last five weeks, but Rick Hahn is still on the hunt to upgrade the roster if he can.

The White Sox promoted Carson Fulmer on Friday and activated Justin Morneau off the disabled list. Last month they traded for James Shields and promoted Tim Anderson.

But the club still isn’t sure when Austin Jackson may return, how long they might be without Carlos Rodon and uncertain if Matt Davidson will play again in 2016. So Hahn continues to be on the lookout for additions, though it doesn’t sound as if it’d be easy to make more.

“We’re certainly out there continuing our conversations daily with other clubs and looking for the right opportunities to improve ourselves for 2016 and beyond,” Hahn said. “We knew it was going to be a difficult market so to speak, and certainly at this point in time, it’s a strong seller’s market.

“Already this year, you’ve seen us change 40 percent of the rotation, change the shortstop, add various players to the bullpen, and we’re going to continue to operate in that manner. We’re going to try to put ourselves in the best position to win now, and over the next couple of weeks leading up to the deadline look for opportunities to get better now and for the future.”

Rodon, who sprained his left wrist during the last homestand, is set to play catch Saturday and the White Sox should know more. He may require a rehab start, Hahn said.

Jackson still hasn’t had the follow-up MRI after his June 10 knee surgery. Nothing has changed so far as the White Sox know -- but they will have more info after the MRI, Hahn said.

“It wasn’t a minor injury,” Hahn said.

Davidson needed to have a pin inserted into his fractured foot during his surgery. Hahn is hopeful the third baseman -- who stopped by Angel Stadium on Friday -- is not done for the season, but he’s probably out until at least September. The White Sox also hope to get some sense soon from Zach Putnam (sore elbow) if he can rehab his injury or would require surgery. And, catcher Alex Avila could be close to returning from the disabled list.

Hahn has to weigh all that information against outrageous prices for buyers and the team’s place in the standings. They entered Friday seven games back in the American League Central and 4 1/ 2 out in the wild-card race. Hahn thinks they can win if they improve in divisional play and on the road, where they’ve cooled off after a nice start. The White Sox farm system has also been thinned out by the graduations of Anderson and Fulmer to the majors.

“Any time you make a decision to trade the future for the present, you need to balance the likelihood of improving your chances to win now against how great of a detriment are you potentially creating for the organization into the future,” Hahn said. “There’s only one championship you can put yourself in a position to win over the next few months. But at the same time, we do have plans for the future to continue to contend, and we do have players under control beyond 2016 that we think can help us do that. We don’t want to rob Peter to pay Paul, so to speak. But at the same time, we’ve made it pretty clear we’ve been aggressive over the last few months and we hope to continue to be aggressive over the next several weeks to improve our chances to win this year.”

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... UPDATE ON OLD NEWS: What the Derrick Rose Trade Means for the Chicago Bulls.

By Jeff Smith

(Derrick Rose, formerly of the Chicago Bulls, now with the New York Knicks. (Photo/J. Pat Carter/Getty Images)

When it came to trading point guard Derrick Rose, the Chicago Bulls seemed to have plenty of options. The question was, would the Bulls actually trade him? Apparently, we have our answer.

The Bulls have decided to trade Rose, Justin Holiday, and a 2017 second-round pick to the New York Knicks in return for big man Robin Lopez and point guards Jerian Grant and Jose Calderon, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein and Ian Begley. The move was a bit shocking, but it’s also worth noting that Rose has declined a bit over the past few seasons, largely due to injuries.

In 2015, the point guard averaged 16.4 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. Knicks star Carmelo Anthony should be a pretty big fan of this move, however it also leaves New York fairly thin on the inside. Instead of looking at the deal as a whole, though, we’ll take a look at what this means specifically for the Bulls.

Jimmy Butler Should Remain In Chicago

At times, it almost seemed like the Bulls would have to choose between Rose and Butler. While the two made it seem like they had no issue playing with each other, we aren’t sure if anyone was actually sold on that statement.

The trade makes it known that Butler is indeed the franchise player in Chicago, and that they have little interest in sending him out of town. Unfortunately for Rose — and his fans — this was the right move by the team.

Butler is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, as he averaged 20.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. The Chicago Bulls can’t undervalue his ability to get it done on both ends of the court, and he will be a huge piece of the team’s future. It would be absolutely shocking to see him leave town now.

The Bulls Aren't Content With Mediocrity

Yes, the Bulls missed the 2015 NBA Playoffs. While they were right there on the fringe, they were widely aware that what they had in place wouldn’t get them over the hump. It’s great for fans to see this, but it’s also worrisome because the trio doesn’t exactly have any superstars.

Lopez will be a nice piece inside for defensive and rebounding purposes, and we are also big fans of Jerian Grant’s upside. He’s not there yet, but he could end up being a nice player to place next to Butler. The question becomes, what will the Bulls do from this point moving forward, and how will they approach the 2016 NBA Draft?

The options are wide open for the Bulls in the draft

It’s not often that an NBA team can take the “best player available,” but the Bulls currently sit in that spot. With Pau Gasol set to become a free agent, Rose now gone, and Butler basically being the one untouchable player, the Bulls can take the players they think will fit their long-term plan best.

Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis will both be big factors in the team’s future, but don’t be shocked if the Bulls decide to either take a small forward, point guard, or big man in the first round. The options are there; Chicago may be the most interesting team to watch on Thursday night.

The Bulls made a huge move in shipping off Rose, but realistically, it was one that needed to happen. Things weren’t working in Chicago, and this team didn’t want to sit back and wait. They’ll be a fun group to watch throughout the free agency period, too.

Bulls officially sign Dwyane Wade.   

By Mark Strotman

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

It was simply a formality, but the Bulls announced late Friday night that guard Dwyane Wade has officially signed with the Bulls. Wade's deal, as first reported by CSN Insider Vincent Goodwill, is worth $47 million over two years.

The 12-time All-Star agreed to join the Bulls more than a week ago, and even publicly stated that he decided to return to his hometown in both letters and interviews. But members of the Bulls and their staff weren't allowed to discuss Wade until the deal was made official.

Wade had a bounceback year in 2015, averaging 19.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 74 games for the Heat, the team that drafted him in 2003. The 34-year-old showed he still had plenty left in the tank in the playoffs, averaging 21.4 points and 5.6 rebounds.

The Chicago native was the Bulls' major haul during a busy offseason which saw them trade Derrick Rose, say goodbye to Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah, and sign point guard Rajon Rondo.

Wade, who was in Chicago on July 11, also had a message for fans that the Bulls posted on Twitter:

"What's up, everybody? It's Dwyane Wade, now of the Chicago Bulls. I can't tell you how good that sounds and how good that feels. I'm excited to play at a place that I've always envisioned playing in, playing in the city I was born and raised in. I'm excited to hear your guys' cheers and support behind this organization and this team. I can't wait to (see) what the future holds for us, but I think it's going to be real fun. So everybody get ready for this ride and let's enjoy it. Thank you guys for the support, and I'll see y'all soon."

Bulls officially sign Denzel Valentine. 

  
CSN Staff

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Bulls have officially signed 2016 first-round pick Denzel Valentine to a contract. 

Valentine announced the news via his twitter and instagram accounts.

Valentine has played well for the Bulls in Summer League action so far, netting 11.8 points per game to go along with averages of 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Bulls Summer League team remains undefeated. 

CSN Staff

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Bulls Summer League team just keeps on winning. 

Bobby Portis and Co. defeated the Washington Wizards on Saturday by a score of 88-85.

Portis led the way for the Bulls' squad, dropping 17 points to go along with nine rebounds. Denzel Valentine — who officially signed with the team on Saturday — finished with a double-double, scoring 14 while grabbing 10 boards.

Jerian Grant helped the cause by adding eight points and eight assists. Spencer Dinwiddie also scored in double-figures with 11 points.

The Bulls will play the winner of the Cavs and Nets game on Sunday in the semifinals of the Summer League playoffs. 

NBA Legend Nate Thurmond Dies At 74.

FOXNEWS.COM

March 30, 1973: Nate Thurmond of the Golden State Warriors (42) looks back at Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Milwaukee Bucks before making his move toward the basket during NBA playoff action at Milwaukee, Wis. (AP Photo/File)

NBA great Nate Thurmond died Saturday after a short battle with leukemia. He was 74.

The seven-time All-Star center's death came a month after two of his former teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors, met in the NBA Finals. Both franchises have retired Thurmond's number 42 jersey.

"Without a doubt, he is one of the most beloved figures to ever wear a Warriors uniform," Golden State owner Joe Lacob said.

The 6-foot, 11-inch Thurmond was voted as one of the best 50 players in NBA history and is considered among the most-dominating centers in the game.

Thurmond's play and numbers weren't flashy, but he earned the respect of his peers and knowledgeable basketball fans for his consistency, defense and strength.

"Looking back, he was as ferocious as any player in the history of the game on the court, but one of the kindest and nicest souls in his everyday life," said former teammate Al Attles.

He recorded the first official quadruple double in NBA history as a Chicago Bull when he had 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocked shots against the Atlanta Hawks in 1974. He is one of only four players to grab more than 40 rebounds in a game.

The Warriors drafted Thurmond with the third overall pick in the 1963 draft after he graduated from Bowling Green State near Toledo.

Thurmond apprenticed under Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain until the Warriors traded Chamberlain to the Philadelphia 76ers in the middle of the 1964-65 season. Thurmond went on to average 15 points and 15 rebounds a game during his career and still holds the Warriors franchise records for career rebounds and minute played.

The Warriors traded Thurmond to the Bulls prior to the 1974-75 season. The Bulls traded him to his hometown Cavaliers 13 games into the 1975-76 season, where he closed out his career in style.

That year, the Cavaliers made the playoffs for the first time in their history and won their first-ever playoff series, defeating the Washington Bullets (now Wizards) in seven games before falling to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.

Cavaliers teammate Campy Russell said Saturday that "the Cavaliers franchise will always love and respect him as a true Cavalier legend."

Though he played less than two seasons for the Cavaliers at the end of his career, his jersey number was the first retired by the team.

After the seven-time All-Star selection retired, he worked for the Warriors as a community liaison and broadcast analyst until his illness sidelined him earlier this year. Thurmond also opened a popular barbecue restaurant in San Francisco called Big Nate's BBQ, which he sold in 2011.

Golf: I got a club for that..... Henrik Stenson outduels Mickelson in The Open Championship.

By Doug Ferguson, Associated Press 

The 40-year-old won his first major championship by posting a 63, tied for the lowest score in a major, in the final round. (Photo/Ian Rutherford/USA Today Sports Images)

Henrik Stenson kept hitting the best shots of his life, one after another, because there was no other way to beat Phil Mickelson in a British Open duel that ranked among the best in golf.

Stenson only cared about that silver claret jug. He wound up with so much more Sunday.

His final stroke of this major masterpiece was a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole at Royal Troon that tumbled into the cup on the last turn. His 10th birdie of the round gave him an 8-under 63 to match Johnny Miller for the lowest closing round by a major champion.

Stenson finished at 20-under 264, the lowest 72-hole score ever in a major. He tied Jason Day's record for lowest under par set last year at the PGA Championship.

And he about needed them all.

Stenson won by three shots over Mickelson, a runner-up for the 11th time in a major, but never like this.

Lefty played bogey-free for a 65 and posted a score (267) that would have won all but two Opens over more than a century.

"A 65 in the final round of a major is usually good enough to win," Mickelson said.

Not this time.

Stenson held the claret jug and told Mickelson at the closing ceremony, "Thank you very much for a great fight." Mickelson said it was the best golf he ever played without winning.

"You know he's not going to back down and he's going to try to make birdies on every hole," Stenson said. "So I just tried to do the same, and just delighted to come out on top and managed to win this trophy."

This was heavyweight material, reminiscent of the "Duel in the Sun" just down the Ayrshire coastline at Turnberry in 1977, when Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus battled right down to the final hole, and no one else was closer than 10 shots.

Stenson and Mickelson were never separated by more than two shots over 40 straight holes until the Swede's final birdie.

Mickelson led only once, a two-shot swing on the opening hole. They were tied with five holes to play until Stenson made an 18-foot birdie on the par-3 14th, and then buried Lefty with a putt that defined his moment as a major champion.

Stenson hammered in a 50-foot birdie putt across the 15th green, walking toward the hole as it was on its way, stopping halfway to pump his fist when it fell, rare emotion for a 40-year-old Swede with ice blue eyes and a stare that can cut through gorse.

Mickelson gave it his best shot in his bid at 46 to become the fourth-oldest major winner in history. He chased a 3-wood onto the green at the par-5 16th, and his eagle putt from 30 feet missed by less than an inch. Stenson matched his birdie with an up-and-down from deep rough, and he was on his way.

"I always thought he would come through with a win," Mickelson. "I'm sorry that it came at my expense."

J.B. Holmes won the B-Flight. He finished third, 14 shots behind.

"Those guys are playing a different golf course than everyone else," Holmes said.

Mickelson had not won since the British Open at Muirfield three years ago, with Stenson as the runner-up. Mickelson began the week at Royal Troon with a 63, and Stenson finished what Lefty started.

The Swede won his first major in his 42nd attempt, becoming only the eighth player to capture his first major after turning 40. Beyond the score, the measure of his performance was that he putted for a birdie on every hole Sunday in a mild wind off the Irish Sea. Stenson three-putted for bogey from just off the first green, and he three-putted on No. 10 to fall back into a tie for the lead.

They matched pars on only six of the 18 holes.

Stenson became only the fourth player to win the British Open with all four rounds in the 60s, joining Tiger Woods, Nick Price and Greg Norman. He also ended a streak of six American winners at Royal Troon that dated to 1950.

And now he can take a breath and wait for the next major, the PGA Championship. It starts in 11 days at Baltusrol in New Jersey. After that, Stenson is off to Rio for the Olympics and his pursuit of gold.

This is what time silver felt even more valuable.

NASCAR: Matt Kenseth earns second win of the season at New Hampshire.

By Kelly Crandall

(Photo/Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)

Matt Kenseth came on strong late in the New Hampshire 301 to earn his second win of the season and his second consecutive at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Kenseth took the lead from Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin with 31 laps to go and held on during a series of late restarts. The final one with 11 laps to go saw the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota drive away from the field as Tony Stewart and Joey Logano battled for second.

It was Kenseth’s third overall win at New Hampshire after leading 38 of 301 laps.

“Great team over there and (crew chief) Jason (Ratcliff) made great, great adjustments today,” Kenseth told NBCSN in victory lane. “I didn’t do a very good job qualifying and after run one today the thing was pretty much money all day, we just had to get there. So it was a fun day.”

Sunday’s race was dominated by Toyota. Kyle Busch took the lead on Lap 2 and led a race-high 133 circuits but finished eighth. Martin Truex Jr. dominated the second half of the event for 123 laps led but was unable to challenge for the win because of a broken shifter.

Stewart finished second with Logano third, Kevin Harvick fourth and Greg Biffle fifth.

HOW KENSETH WON: The No. 20 drove to the inside of his teammate, Denny Hamlin, in Turns 3 and 4 following a restart with less than 35 laps to go.

WHO ELSE HAD A GOOD RACE: Roush Fenway Racing placed two cars in the top 10 with Greg Biffle earning his first top-five finish of the year with a fifth-place finish. Roush Fenway Racing also had Ricky Stenhouse Jr. place 10th. … Jamie McMurray‘s sixth-place finish was his second consecutive top-10 finish, the first time he’s accomplished that this season. … Rookie Ryan Blaney recovered from a speeding penalty to finish 11th.

WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Carl Edwards did not contend for the win like his teammates and finished 19th … Kasey Kahne, battling for a Chase spot, was involved in an accident late and finished 25th. … Alex Bowman was running eighth in the No. 88 for Dale Earnhardt Jr. when he cut a tire and finished 26th.

NOTABLE: Matt Kenseth is the only repeat winner in the last 14 races at New Hampshire and all three of his wins have come in the last six races. The win is the ninth at New Hampshire for Joe Gibbs Racing, which now moves into a tie for the most.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I had so much fun today, obviously, I hate we didn’t get the finish we deserve. But I’ve raced with a lot of these guys for a long time but raced around them, I never actually got to race with guys like Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, all those guys. Had a lot of fun passing really good cars … They knew we were here, for sure.” – Alex Bowman

WHAT’S NEXT: Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Crown Royal presents the Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at the Brickyard on July 24.

UPDATE: Matt Kenseth’s Toyota fails laser inspection after win at New Hampshire.

By Nate Ryan

(Photo/yahoosports.com)

Matt Kenseth’s No. 20 Toyota failed the post-race laser inspection station platform after winning Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and could face further penalties this week.

NASCAR is taking Kenseth’s Joe Gibbs Racing Camry to its R&D Center in Concord, N.C., for further evaluation. Kyle Larson (Michigan International Speedway) and Kasey Kahne (Dover International Speedway) also failed the laser inspection platform in post-race inspections this season. The penalties were the same in both instances: Driver and team each docked 15 points, and the crew chief fined $25,000.

It’s believed to be the first time a winning car in Sprint Cup has failed the LIS station, which has been used since 2013.

The No. 14 Chevrolet of runner-up Tony Stewart passed the post-race LIS inspection at New Hampshire and was taken to Concord for final inspection. The cars of Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman also cleared at-track inspection and were released to their teams.

Results of New Hampshire 301.

By Dustin Long

Matt Kenseth scored his second Sprint Cup win of the season Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Tony Stewart placed second with Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle completing the top five.

SOCCER: Fire lose seventh straight on the road, fall at FC Dallas.

By Dan Santaromita

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Playing the league-leaders on the road with some key starters not making the trip in the heat of mid-July in Dallas was not a good formula for the Chicago Fire.

The Fire were thumped at FC Dallas 3-1 on Saturday to extend the team’s road losing streak to seven matches.

Fire forward Kennedy Igboananike actually had the first good chance of the match. Matt Polster was able to spring him free down the right wing and Igboananike had an open shot in the box, but his effort was hit straight at Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez.

After that, FC Dallas (12-6-4, 40 points) took over. The Fire (4-9-5, 17 points) didn’t get another shot on target in the first half and Maxi Urruti and Mauro Diaz scored before the first 45 minutes concluded.

Fabian Castillo weaved his way through two Fire defenders and then hit a rabona cross to Urruti, who headed in the goal in the 23rd minute. Then Diaz doubled the lead with a highlight-reel shot from outside the box that hit the inside of the far post and went in.

Arturo Alvarez, who came on as a second half sub, gave the Fire some consolation by curling in a free kick in the 91st minute. However, any last ditch comeback efforts were quickly snuffed out when Dallas' Mauro Rosales scored 66 seconds later. Castillo picked up his second assist with a centering pass from the left to an open Rosales in the box.

The two-goal margin is the Fire's second loss by more than a goal this season.

Coach Veljko Paunovic continued to rotate the Fire squad during the current busy stretch in the schedule with five matches in 15 days. After Rodrigo Ramos, Johan Kappelhof, Kennedy Igboananike and John Goossens didn't start in the 1-0 win against Sporting Kansas City, Paunovic rested more key players on Saturday.

With the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal coming up on Wednesday, Paunovic elected not to have regular starters Sean Johnson, Jonathan Campbell and David Accam make the trip to Dallas in the middle of summer.

Considering that the Fire have the fewest points in Major League Soccer and Dallas has the most, not to mention that the Fire haven’t won on the road in two years, Dallas was already a heavy favorite in this match. The Fire’s squad rotation with the U.S. Open Cup coming up is a pragmatic move from Paunovic, even if it meant Saturday’s match wasn’t much of a contest.

That U.S. Open Cup match against the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers is up next for the Fire, with a 7:30 p.m. scheduled start at Toyota Park.

Report: Mourinho has four Manchester United players for sale.

By Nicholas Mendola

(Photo/Chris Brunskill/Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho has assessed his talent, knows his starting attackers, and is ready to offload four Manchester United players.

That’s all in a report from Duncan Castles on The Daily Record.

Castles said United will start Zlatan Ibrahimovic up top, with Wayne Rooney sitting underneath. The wingers will be Anthony Martial and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

More interestingly, Castles says the Mourinho has put four players on the selling block: Juan Mata, Daley Blind, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Marcos Rojo. And there could be more.

From the Daily Record:

When arriving at his previous clubs Mourinho has always attempted to minimize squad turnover in his first summer, preferring to back his training methods and man management to rehabilitate players who supporters would happily have seen depart.  

In such disrepair is United’s squad following Louis Van Gaal‘s scatter-gun spending and confidence killing coaching, there is an acceptance that Mourinho will have to move more footballers than usual.

Castles seems to conclude that Paul Pogba arriving at Old Trafford is a foregone conclusion, and that Marouane Fellaini will survive the axe.

Two of the sale items aren’t surprises: Rojo doesn’t seem like a fit for a Mourinho system, and Schweinsteiger wouldn’t necessarily play a role at this stage in his career. Blind isn’t a major shock, but does seem a player that could fit with Mourinho. Mata probably doesn’t want to stay, given his relationship with The Special One.

Mata and Schweinsteiger could return to their home countries, though there should be demand for Mata in England (perhaps even across town in Manchester?).

All eyes on Brazil’s Neymar as 2016 Rio Olympics inch closer.

Associated Press

(Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

The last time Brazil played a major soccer tournament at home, Neymar was stretchered off the field and then missed an embarrassing loss against Germany in the 2014 World Cup semifinals.

Two years later, the Barcelona star looks to rebound from that disappointment at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Although the Olympic soccer tournament doesn’t have the same importance of a World Cup, the Rio Games have a special meaning for the Brazilian striker. Neymar will be one of the games’ biggest stars and will carry the responsibility of leading the five-time world champions to their first soccer gold medal.

“It’s a unique opportunity,” he said. “Not only for me, but for everyone on the team. We know how important this medal is.”

All eyes will be on the 24-year-old striker, who opted to play in the Olympics instead of the Copa America earlier this year. Brazil was eliminated in the group stage of that tournament, a result that prompted the firing of coach Dunga.

Because it’s not an official FIFA tournament, teams are not required to release players for the Olympic tournament, but Neymar and the Brazilian soccer confederation negotiated with Barcelona so he could play in Rio.

“I know that this gold medal has eluded Brazil so far, and we will do everything to try to win it,” Neymar told Brazilian television recently. “It’s rare that a country like Brazil, considered the land of football, still hasn’t won this gold.”

It will be the second time Neymar will play for Brazil at the Olympics. He led the team that lost the 2012 final to Mexico in London, where the Brazilians were the heavy favorites. Brazil was runner-up twice before, in 1984 and 1988. It also won the bronze in 1996 and 2008, the last time with a squad that featured Ronaldinho and future stars like Marcelo and Thiago Silva.

“Neymar is special, one of the best players in the world,” said Rogerio Micale, who replaced Dunga as coach of the Olympic team. “Any team can benefit from a player like him. He will mean a lot to us. I think that he will be able to lead the youngsters in the squad.”

Neymar will be one of the three over-23 players each nation is allowed to add to its roster. The other two are 38-year-old Palmeiras goalkeeper Fernando Prass and 28-year-old Beijing Guoan midfielder Renato Augusto, who have far less international experience than Neymar.

No other player will attract as much attention – from fans, media and opposing teams – as Neymar.

“I’m honored to be in this team, because I know how difficult it is to win an Olympic medal in any sport,” he said. “With football it’s even more difficult because if you are not the champion, people see it differently.”

Neymar is facing extra pressure after Dunga was fired for the second time from the national team. Without the experienced coach by his side, Neymar will carry the fate of the team, and the striker can become a national hero if he wins the gold, or join a long list of stars – Romario, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, among others – who have failed in the pursuit of the gold.

“I never run away from the responsibility. I’m used to it,” Neymar said. “We have another great opportunity to win an Olympic medal, and hopefully this time it will be the gold.”

Neymar also had a prominent role at the World Cup in Brazil two years ago, when he played up to expectations until breaking a bone in his back in the quarterfinals against Colombia and missing the rest of the tournament. Brazil eventually was eliminated after an embarrassing 7-1 loss to Germany in the semifinals.

“I don’t compare tournaments. I just like winning every tournament that I play,” Neymar said. “All of them are important for me. Each has its own history, its own characteristic, but they are all important.”

Brazil had a favorable draw and will face South Africa, Iraq and Denmark in Group A, making its debut Aug. 4 against South Africa in Brasilia. In the quarterfinals, the hosts could face Colombia or Nigeria, two youth powerhouses.

The final will be played Aug. 20 at Maracana Stadium in Rio.

NCAAFB: THE Michael Jordan to serve as honorary captain for Michigan’s opener.

By John Taylor

(Photo/Getty Images)

This will go over well in Chapel Hill.

Last year, Michigan and Nike reached agreement on what was a then-record apparel deal, then put the finishing touches on it earlier this year.  As part of that agreement, the UM football program will wear “Jumpman” brand uniforms beginning in 2016, the first college football team to be outfitted under that label.

That brand, of course, is a Michael Jordan-related division of Nike, inspired by the NBA Hall of Famer and former North Carolina Tar Heel great.

During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show Friday, Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed that His Airness himself will serve as the team’s honorary captain for the 2016 opener against Hawaii in Ann Arbor Sept. 3.  That’s the date the football program will debut the new “Jumpman” uniforms.

"@CoachJim4UM said that Michael Jordan will be the #Wolverines honorary captain for season opener Sept 3. Team will debut @Jumpman23 uni’s 

— Chris Law (@ChrisLaw) July 15, 2016"

Texas State to go FCS in replacing assistant who quit for ‘personal/family reasons'.

By John Taylor

(Photo/Texas State University)

Very abruptly, Everett Withers had a hole to fill on his Texas State coaching staff. Then, just as quickly, he’s apparently filled it.

This past week, Withers announced that John Wiley had resigned from his post as the Bobcats’ associate head football coach.  In a statement, Withers cited “personal/family” reasons as the trigger for Wiley’s decision.

“John is resigning for personal/family reasons and we will respect and support his decision,” Withers said. “We are in the process of interviewing and completing the search to replace him and expect to have a coach in place in the very near future.

“No future comments will be made on the resignation of coach Wiley.”

Wiley had just joined Withers’ staff earlier this year, coming to TSU from East Carolina, where he had spent the previous six seasons.

As for a replacement, both FootballScoop.com and the San Marcos Record are reporting that Withers plans to hire Sam Houston State’s Troy Douglas.  In addition to his time at that FCS school, he’s also served on staffs at, among others, Pittsburgh (2014), Iowa State (2012-13), North Carolina (2009-11), USF (2006-08), Michigan State (2001-2002) and SMU 1997-2000) during a coaching career that’s spanned nearly 30 years.

Last July, Douglas filed a federal lawsuit for breach of contract against Pitt.  From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Former University of Pittsburgh secondary coach Troy Douglas said in a federal lawsuit filed Monday that the university violated his two-year football coaching contract when it fired him a year into the contract.  

Former head football coach Paul Chryst recruited him from Iowa State in 2014. His contract wasn’t contingent on Chryst remaining head coach, but the university fired him after Chryst left in December to take a head coaching job with Wisconsin, the lawsuit says. 

Instead of making the $240,000 that Pitt promised him this year, Douglas had to take a $40,000 job at Florida State University, the lawsuit says. He is seeking the difference in his pay plus other losses his family has incurred as a result of the firing.

NCAABKB: Big East offseason storylines: Villanova's national title gives league momentum.

By John Rothstein

Villanova will contend for another national title and Xavier isn't far behind as the Big East is officially back.

The Big East is officially back.

On the heels of its first national title since realignment, this league is ready to move forward as one of the premier conferences in college basketball.

Check out below as we highlight five offseason storylines in the Big East.

1. Villanova is well equipped for a repeat

Jay Wright's squad may have lost two critical pieces in Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu, but the Wildcats still have everything in place to compete for another national title.

Villanova returns three starters in Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins while also returning three key reserves in Phil Booth, Mikal Bridges, and Darryl Reynolds.

Wright also adds a four-star recruit in big man Omari Spellman as well as Fordham transfer Eric Paschall, a versatile 6-foot-7 combo forward who averaged 15.9 points and 5.9 rebounds two seasons ago. Donte DiVincenzo will also be counted upon as a critical perimeter reserve after red shirting last year as a freshman.

There's no way to predict how this team will handle life without Arcidiacono early, but this is still a program that has won a combined 97 games over the last three years.

Villanova has six players back from a team that beat Iowa, Miami, Kansas, Oklahoma, and North Carolina in succession last March while adding a top-flight freshman and an impact transfer.

The Big East still goes through the Main Line.

2. Edmond Sumner is Xavier's version of a volcano

And there's a good chance that he erupts next season.

The 6-5 point guard arrived on the Big East scene last year after red shirting during the 2014-15 campaign and immediately had a major hand in the Musketeers' 28-win season.

Armed with great size for a floor general, Sumner (11.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists in 2015-16) can see over most opposing point guards and also possesses the athletic ability to finish at the rim with power and authority.

The real question now is whether or not he can become a consistent enough outside shooter to keep the defense honest after shooting just 30.1 percent from long distance as a freshman.

If that happens, Chris Mack could have one of the more lethal pick-and-pop combinations in college basketball with Sumner and junior forward Trevon Bluiett (15.1 points in 2015-16).

3. The Big East is more balanced than it's ever been

Villanova and Xavier both look like legitimate top-five teams from a national perspective and the rest of the Big East isn't chopped liver.

Creighton and Seton Hall will enter next season with NCAA aspirations while Georgetown is off-the-radar, but still capable following a sub .500 season a year ago.

That leaves St. John's, Butler, Marquette, Providence, and DePaul left to round out the conference's second half and all of those teams possess capable players who can put the ball in the basket.

After Villanova and Xavier, the next eight teams in the Big East are as close as they've ever been since the creation of this league prior to the 2013-14 season.

The bottom of this conference has officially caught up to the middle.

4. St. John's has a legitimate Big East roster

Chris Mullin's first season as head coach of his alma mater resulted in an 8-24 finish, but the reinforcements have finally arrived in Jamaica.

The Red Storm will add two potential All-Big East players in red shirt freshman Marcus LoVett and JUCO transfer Bashir Ahmed while also adding a pair of four-star recruits in Shamorie Ponds and Richard Freudenberg.

Federico Mussini, Malik Ellison, Kassoum Yakwe, and Yankuba Sima all return after averaging over 20.0 minutes last year in their first season of college basketball with Yakwe set to emerge as potentially the top intangible player in the Big East.

A freak athlete at 6-7, Yakwe had nine games last year with four or more blocks and possesses the type of athleticism and timing that make him an absolute menace to play against.

Mullin got St. John's to compete on a regular basis during his first season as head coach, but now comes the hard part: manufacturing wins when the talent base of your program is comparable to everyone else in the conference sans Villanova and Xavier.

It will be real interesting to see how St. John's handles the first few times that it's in a 60-60 game with four minutes to play.

5. Georgetown looks like a sleeper

   

Are the Hoyas the Big East's forgotten team?

It certainly feels that way.

Georgetown never recovered from a poor start last season and wound up finishing 15-18 despite wins over Wisconsin, Syracuse, and Xavier. The Hoyas' were a step slow on defense and had obvious issues defending teams who possessed multiple quick guards who could get into the paint.

John Thompson III has added three new pieces on the perimeter in JUCO transfer Jonathan Mulmore, grad transfer Rodney Pryor (Robert Morris), and freshman guard Jagan Mosley, but how will these new parts blend with the surplus of players that return?

Georgetown returns eight players -- yes, eight -- from last year's team that played double-figure minutes and that doesn't include Louisville transfer Akoy Agau or Paul White, who only played seven games in 2015-16 due to injury.

That means that all 13 of the Hoyas' scholarship players should enter next year with the mindset that they can be an active member of Georgetown's rotation.

Will Thompson extend his bench and play faster to get more players on the floor?

Will someone redshirt since there's so many capable bodies with minimal separation?

Those questions will be answered in the fall during what should be an extremely competitive preseason considering the amount of playing time that's currently up for grabs in the Hoyas' program.

Georgetown's potential 2016-17 rotation may look like a bit of rubik's cube right now, but here's something that can't be denied: this team has three legitimate All-Big East players in L.J. Peak (12.3 points, 3.3 rebounds in 2015-16), Isaac Copeland (11.1 points, 5.4 rebounds in 15-16) and Marcus Derrickson (7.1 points, 4.5 rebounds in 15-16).

If the Hoyas' supporting cast can sort itself out then Georgetown has more than enough capable pieces to emerge as the third best team in the Big East next season.

This and That

• Seton Hall isn't the team it would have been if Isaiah Whitehead opted to return to school, but the Pirates still return four players -- Angel Delgado, Khadeen Carrington, Dies Rodriguez, and Ismael Sanogo -- who logged over 800 minutes last year. Kevin Willard should have this team in the mix for an NCAA bid for the second consecutive season.
• Creighton's Greg McDermott told CBS Sports that Kansas State transfer Marcus Foster is down to eight percent body fat. He was at 14.0 percent when he arrived in Omaha last summer. The 6-3 guard averaged 14.0 points during two years with the Wildcats before transferring and is an All-Big East first-team caliber player if he's performing up to his capabilities.
• How will Xavier replace both James Farr and Jalen Reynolds up front? The early money is on Norfolk State transfer RaShid Gaston. The 6-9, 240-pound big man averaged 15.5 points and 9.6 rebounds two years ago and should step right in for the Musketeers in the middle.
• Ed Cooley has done an unbelievable job making Providence's program relevant from a national perspective over the last few years, but no team in the Big East lost more than the Friars. After three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament, it's awfully tough to see Providence playing in the field of 68 after losing both Kris Dunn and Ben Bentil.
• The under-the-radar newcomer to the Big East next season is Marquette's Andrew Rowsey. A transfer from UNC-Asheville, the 5-10 Rowsey made a combined 206 3-point shots during the first two years of his college career while averaging 19.8 points during that span.
• Is Georgetown considering playing at a faster pace next season? Find out the answer to that question and others in this week's College Hoops Today Podcast.

Tour De France: Stage 15, Jarlinson Pantano scores for Columbia and IAM Cycling.     

Le Tour France

(Photo/Le Tour France)

Jarlinson Pantano scored the sixteenth Colombian stage victory at the Tour de France and the first one for IAM Cycling, the only professional Swiss team, the day before the Tour de France will visit Switzerland. It's the second participation to the race (19th overall in 2015) for the climber from Cali who also claimed the last stage of the Tour de Suisse last month. He outsprinted Rafal Majka who moved back into the lead of the King of the Mountain classification he won in 2014, the other year his captain Alberto Contador withdrew from the race. Once more, Nairo Quintana didn't put Chris Froome's lead in jeopardy but Colombia had a reason to celebrate with Pantano's first Tour de France success.

Majka on the hunt for the polka dot jersey

184 riders started stage 15 in Bourg-en-Bresse. After many skirmishes, Rafal Majka (Tinkoff) and Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) managed to go away as they climbed to col du Berthiand (km 23) where Majka started his quest of the polka dot jersey he already won in 2014 when Alberto Contador first abandoned the Tour de France. They were rejoined at km 28 by several counter-attackers to form a 30-man leading group: Jon Izagirre and Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Vincenzo Nibali and Tanel Kangert (Astana), Domenico Pozzovivo and Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R-LaMondiale), George Bennett (LottoNL-Jumbo), Haimar Zubeldia (Trek), Stef Clement, Jérôme Coppel and Jarlinson Pantano (IAM), Pierre Rolland, Tom-Jelte Slagter and Dylan van Baarle (Cannondale-Drapac), Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data), Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin), Steve Morabito and Sébastien Reichenbach (FDJ), Bartosz Huzarski (Bora-Argon 18), Alberto Losada and Zakarin (Katusha), Kristjian Durasek, Tsgabu Grmay and Jan Polanc (Lampre-Merida), Romain Sicard and Thomas Voeckler (Direct Energie), Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-Quick Step), Dani Navarro (Cofidis) and Ruben Plaza (Orica-BikeExchange) and Majka.

Majka first at Grand Colombier

Majka was challenged in the hills by Pauwels. As the cooperation at the front wasn't ideal, Van Baarle attacked. With 70km to go, Dumoulin passed him and was rejoined by Nibali, Pozzovivo and Pantano but as they got reeled in, the winner of the 2014 Tour de France wasn't able to hold the pace. 13 riders formed a new front group: Majka, Durasek, Reichenbach, Morabito, Zakarin, Navarro, Vuillermoz, Pozzovivo, Pauwels, Alaphilippe, Huzarski, Oliveira and Pantano. Up to the Grand Colombier, Majka and Zakarin rode away. Alaphilippe and Pantano rejoined them in the downhill but Zakarin couldn't hold the speed and Alaphilippe has a mechanical while he was alone ahead. Majka and Pantano passed the finishing line at Culoz with 23.5km to go with an advantage almost one minute over Reichenbach, Zakarin, Vuillermoz and Pauwels.

Pantano comes across in the downhill

In the second ascent to the hors-category Grand Colombier on another versant, Majka tried to drop Pantano with 20km to go. He had to go for it again two kilometers further. Astana accelerated at the head of the yellow jersey group seven minutes behind but Team Sky kept the situation under control. Romain Bardet (AG2R-La Mondiale) tried his luck 2km before the top of the category 1 Lacets du Grand Colombier but was reeled in right under the banner of the King of the Mountains. Majka was rejoined in the descent by Pantano with 8.5km to go. The Colombian stayed behind him until he outsprinted him on the line in Culoz. In the overall ranking, the only change was a loss of 1.26 for Tejay van Garderen who dropped down to eightgh behind Bardet and his team-mate Richie Porte.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, July 18, 2016.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1927 - Ty Cobb set a major league baseball record by getting his 4,000th career hit. He hit 4,191 before he retired in 1928.

1964 - Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds hit the only grand slam home run of his career.

1970 - Ron Hunt of the San Francisco Giants was hit by a pitch for the 119th time in his career.

1985 - Jack Nicklaus II, at age 23 years old, made his playing debut on the pro golf tour at the Quad Cities Open in Coal Valley, IL.

2000 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of marijuana. He was stopped for speeding and then failed to pass a sobriety test. Abdul-Jabbar was the leading scorer in National Basketball Association (NBA) history at the time. 

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