Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica
"America's Finest Sports Fan Travel Club, May We Plan An Event Or Sports Travel For You?"
We offer: Select opportunities, For your convenience, At "Very Rare but Super Fair" pricing
Because it's all about you!!!
NOTE: Due to Olympic and Chicago Bear coverage, we will suspend "What's Your Take?" articles until after the Olympics. We will have a myriad of articles to respond to for your viewing pleasure.
"Sports Quote of the Day"
“Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity.” ~ Lou Holtz, Former Football Player, Coach, and Television Analyst.
"Sports Quote of the Day"
“Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity.” ~ Lou Holtz, Former Football Player, Coach, and Television Analyst.
Trending: Bears “O” scores more for Denver than for Chicago in dismal preseason opener. (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).
Trending: Blackhawks reveal retro logo for 2017 Winter Classic. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks and NHL updates).
Trending: Michael Phelps broke a 2,168-year-old Olympic record. See the Olympic section (The last section on this blog) for Olympic updates and medals' count).
Trending: Danica Patrick adds to two NASCAR records at Watkins Glen. (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR racing and drivers' updates).
Trending: Cubs and White Sox road to the "World Series".
Cubs 2016 Record: 72-41
Cubs 2016 Record: 72-41
White Sox 2016 Record: 54-60
(See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! 10 Things I Think About the 2016 Chicago Bears.
By Andy Benoit
(Photo/Sports Illustrated)
1. This Bears coaching staff finally found the formula for Jay Cutler: short, simple passes that get the ball out quickly. The beauty is you don’t need an expensive offensive line to run this. (Hence the overachieving but still not enthralling 2014 seventh-rounder Charles Leno starting at left tackle.) The quicker Cutler gets the ball out, the more likely he is to play with discipline, both in his mechanics and decision-making—two areas in which he has waivered.
2. There’s a fine line that new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains (last year’s quarterback coach, and longtime friend of predecessor Adam Gase) has to walk in keeping a systematic leash on Cutler. Because you don’t want to negate Cutler’s tremendous playmaking talent. Last season Cutler almost singlehandedly won games against the Raiders, Chiefs and Chargers with fourth quarter magic. He’s one of the best pure fastball throwers in the league, and his downfield touch passes, particularly in the red zone, have really improved. Some of his best work last season came when he extended plays outside the pocket late in the down. Loggains’s greatest challenge as a play-caller will be finding a balance between allowing Cutler to do this and still keeping him attached to the quick-striking system.
3. Matt Forte still has gas in the tank, but the Bears were comfortable saving money by letting him go because Jeremy Langford, at least stylistically, is very similar to Forte.
2. There’s a fine line that new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains (last year’s quarterback coach, and longtime friend of predecessor Adam Gase) has to walk in keeping a systematic leash on Cutler. Because you don’t want to negate Cutler’s tremendous playmaking talent. Last season Cutler almost singlehandedly won games against the Raiders, Chiefs and Chargers with fourth quarter magic. He’s one of the best pure fastball throwers in the league, and his downfield touch passes, particularly in the red zone, have really improved. Some of his best work last season came when he extended plays outside the pocket late in the down. Loggains’s greatest challenge as a play-caller will be finding a balance between allowing Cutler to do this and still keeping him attached to the quick-striking system.
3. Matt Forte still has gas in the tank, but the Bears were comfortable saving money by letting him go because Jeremy Langford, at least stylistically, is very similar to Forte.
4. With Martellus Bennett gone and 2015 first-round receiver Kevin White now healthy, the Bears will switch from being a two tight end base offense to a three-receiver base offense. That will aid the quick-passing game and also create more space in the box for runs.
5. The idea that free agent right tackle Bobby Massie will stabilize the O-line is silly. Massie, like most right tackles, is a big-bodied guy who really struggles against top-shelf edge rushers. That’s why the open market left him with a contract worth only $6.5 million in guarantees. The main benefit of Massie’s arrival is it moves fourth-year stud Kyle Long back to guard, where he’s more comfortable and where the Bears badly needed more athleticism.
6. Vic Fangio wants to recreate the type of defense he had as the coordinator in San Francisco (2011-14). That defense was defined by dominant inside linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. With them, the Niners could afford to play nickel man coverage on almost every snap. Willis and Bowman could both stop the run out of this lighter nickel box, or they could match up to the running back and tight end in solo coverage. It’s no coincidence the Bears went out and got two inside linebackers in free agency: Danny Trevathan from Denver and Jerrell Freeman from Indianapolis. Neither is Willis or Bowman. But both have the swift athleticism to play that same style.
7. The other hallmark of Fangio’s 49ers defense was the potency of his four-man rush. Remember how effective Aldon Smith and Justin Smith were together on stunts? The Smiths’ unique skillsets complemented each other; Aldon with his long arms and powerful hands, Justin with his pure strength. The Bears don’t have these exact types of players, but they’ve still invested in guys who present pass-rushing options. They hope this year’s first-rounder Leonard Floyd can become the edge-rushing cornerstone. Last year’s big free agent signing, Pernell McPhee, is the versatile X-factor, capable of attacking the edge or up the gut. If Floyd contributes as a rookie then inside is where you’ll see McPhee, because seventh-year pro Willie Young needs to be on the field. Young is an edge-bender who also plays the run better than his lanky body type suggests.
8. Where Chicago’s defense falls short (well short) of Fangio’s in San Francisco is at safety. Adrian Amos and (presumably) fourth-round rookie Deon Bush are not alley-running hitters like Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner.
9. Chicago’s secondary as a whole is problematic up the middle. Not just safety, but also backup corner. Outside men Kyle Fuller and Tracy Porter are fine. But will undrafted second-year nickel slot man Bryce Callahan get exposed as offenses see more of him? This is why Chicago has invested so heavily in the front seven. If those big men can do their jobs, the Bears can keep both of their questionable safeties back in coverage, giving almost everyone in pass defense some form of help over the top.
10. You should learn this name: Eddie Goldman. The second-round nose tackle improved precipitously as a rookie last season. Goldman has the size, leverage and feet to be a high quality two-gap run defender.
Bears “O” scores more for Denver than for Chicago in dismal preseason opener.
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Bears were shut out in a preseason game – 22-0 – for just the third time in 45 years, since the Denver Broncos did it in 1975 and the Kansas City Chiefs did it in 1981.
Against a Denver Broncos defense that may have dominated in winning the last Super Bowl but was without more than one-third of its starting unit, the Bears picked up a first down on their first play from scrimmage, then descended into a frightening mix of inept, inert and incompetent.
“It takes everybody,” said Jay Cutler, without specifying the “it,” and this debacle did involve just about everybody. “We’ll take a look at the film and figure it out.”
For the first 15 minutes of the game, the offense ran 10 plays for a total of 13 yards. Since 12 of those came on play No. 1, a pass to wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, the balance sheet looks even worse, with 12 yards lost on two sacks by a defense not even dressing rush-linebackers Von Miller and Demarcus Ware.
It got worse, which becomes deeply concerning because backups’ performances offer a meaningful glimpse at the depth chart. The Bears allowed seven sacks on a total of 26 drop-backs through three quarters.
For the first 30 minutes of the game, the Bears were out-gained 216-78 by Denver offenses run not by Peyton Manning nor even Brock Osweiler, but by Jets/Eagles castoff Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian, the Northwestern Wildcat picked 250th in the 2015 draft and the last of seven quarterbacks picked that year.
They were called for an illegal formation to start their second series under Loggains. Through the first three quarters the offense converted one of 10 third downs and scored more points for Denver (two on a third-quarter safety) than they did for their own.
Three times the Bears managed to cross midfield in the first half. For one play. On all three plays run in the Denver end, their quarterbacks were sacked, Jay Cutler once and Brian Hoyer twice. The offensive line was expected to have some concerns, but five sacks in the first half by a largely second-string defense was alarming.
The Bears plan is to use a rotation of running backs. Ka’Deem Carey, who gave the offense its only third-down conversion of the first half, finished with 11 yards on his two carries. But combined with Jeremy Langford’s 4-for-7 and Jacquizz Rodgers’ 2-for-5, the Bears averaged 2.9 yards per carry.
Hoyer was intercepted in the second quarter, a turnover that mercifully cost no points only because safety Chris Prosinski blocked a field goal try on the last play of the half.
The Bears answered zero questions, at least not in any positive fashion, other than perhaps Jeffery’s health for the time being. The injury prone wide receiver, who’d missed much of recent training camp with a hamstring strain, did start and did catch a pass on the Bears’ first play. After that…
“Anytime you can be against good teams, and they’re perennial AFC representatives in the playoffs, and tonight was the defending world champs. It’s a pretty good test out of the box,” said coach John Fox, “and one we’ll have time to get better [from] before we go to Houston [for opening day].”
View from the Moon: Bears loss to Denver a bad early statement.
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Definitive conclusions – positive or negative – are never usually possible out of first preseason games. Or seconds. Sometimes even thirds. After all, the last two times the Bears went to the playoffs – 2006 to the Super Bowl, 2010 to the NFC Championship game – they lost their first preseason games by double digits.
But these games tell coaches about their teams collectively and players individually. And Thursday’s 22-0 loss to the Denver Broncos was a jolt for the Bears, who didn’t see themselves as road kill, even for a reigning Super Bowl champion, particularly one that they were within a failed two-point conversion of taking to overtime last November.
“Obviously I was disappointed and our team was disappointed,” said coach John Fox. “We were expecting more. I don’t know that we executed as well as any of us expected. It is preseason, you don’t game plan, it’s pretty basic, but there’s plenty room for improvement.”
There’s always room for improvement, but after adding some veterans at key spots, even with the losses of Martellus Bennett, Matt Forte and coordinator Adam Gase, the expectations were – and should have been – far beyond this performance.
The fight that was present in too many practices this training camp was conspicuously absent from Soldier Field Thursday night. Since teams seldom game-plan or do any opponent-based scheming for first preseason games, one conclusion is that the Denver Broncos even with pedestrian quarterbacking are vastly superior to the Bears in straight-up football, no tricks.
The need now is for the jolt to sink in, and fast, with a booster shot next week against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
“Obviously as a competitor you don’t want to look up and see a 22-0 score in the fourth [quarter],” said guard Kyle Long. “I know this group of guys. We’ve been in some fights with this group beyond the field. I know what they’re made of.
“We’ve got to be better. We understand that and we know what it’s going to take.”
Perhaps. At least many of the players – linebackers Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan, defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, offensive linemen Ted Larsen and Bobby Massie – come from successful programs.
But knowing what it’s going to take and doing what it takes are not the same thing. And fighting on the practice field says nothing about a football team or football character…
The woeful performance of the offensive line – seven sacks, two of Jay Cutler on the Bears’ first two third-downs, suggests that all the pieces may not be in place for a group with multiple changes coming into training camp and then losing center Hroniss Grasu to a knee injury.
“We didn’t execute as well as we need to, or as well as we should have,” Fox said. “Part of it’s recognition, getting it communicated, and we didn’t do that as well as we should have.”
The Bears are not a staff that panics. But the Bears went all the way through preseason trying to find a right tackle from between Charles Leno Jr. and Jordan Mills and were forced to jam Long into that spot at the start of the week leading to the Green Bay game.
Whether Larsen solves the post-Grasu problem remains to play out. And GM Ryan Pace has signed veterans as backups, albeit ones with health concerns (guard Amini Silatolu, knees; tackle Mike Adams, back).
Rookie Cody Whitehair started at left guard, then moved to center in place of Larsen. The rookie, who spent virtually zero time at center during training camp, proceeded to suffer through a sequence of holding and hands-to-the-face penalties, a sack allowed followed by a snap nearly over the head of quarterback Brian Hoyer.
But Whitehair spent more snaps at center than he did at guard. How coaches grade the film and how both practice and play at New England project to settle a situation that looked very unsettled on Thursday night.
“Really you use these preseason games for young people, particularly rookies. He played guard and center, and that’s a lot to ask for a rookie learning a new offense. But those were learning experiences and good lessons”…
…Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery played, which puts him ahead of last year’s pace at this time. He caught one pass, on the Bears’ first play.
But Jeffery’s production is a distant second to his availability as far as a pivotal factor for the Bears offense. Now questions about him move to New England and the Bears’ joint practices, followed by a game next Thursday, with the Patriots.
And the Bears are still without injury prone Zach Miller at tight end and Eddie Royal at wide receiver, both with concussions, and even No. 2 tight end Greg Scruggs. But seeing Kevin White take the field for the first time was a franchise boost, even with White catching only one pass, a flanker screen in a trips-left formation, for three yards.
“I thought it was real critical,” Fox said. “Both he and Kevin White – Kevin missed all of last season and this was his first football in the NFL in game conditions – having them both out there is good. We still have guys who have to get out there – Eddie Royal and Zach [Miller] so we’re still short some guys that hopefully we’ll get back this week.”
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks reveal retro logo for 2017 Winter Classic.
By Brandon M. Cain
January seems a long, long way away right now, but the NHL held its annual late-summer press event to promote the forthcoming Winter Classic. The 2017 event, which will take place Jan. 2 at Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals, will feature the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks.
There's usually not a ton of news that we didn't already know that comes out of these events, but we now know the rink configuration for Busch, which isn't much different from previous Winter Classics at a baseball venue. The end boards will stretch from first to third, with the St. Louis skyline as a nice backdrop (photo below).
While the press conference didn't spend much time on it, we also know which logos the two teams will be using for the event. With the Blues celebrating their 50th season since entering the league as an expansion franchise in 1967, it appears the team will be using their original logo for their jerseys.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks, who will be playing in their third Winter Classic and fifth outdoor game overall, appear to be using a logo similar to the ones that adorned their jerseys in the late 1950s to mid-1960s.
The actual uniforms have not been unveiled, however, so we won't know if their true throwbacks or jerseys that take a few liberties with the old look like we've seen a bit in years past.
It was also announced that Blues and Blackhawks alumni teams will play in a special alumni game on Dec. 31. Rosters for those squads will be revealed at a later date. With so many Blues alumni still living in St. Louis.
The league also introduced its official logo for the event, which prominently features the Gateway Arch, of course:
(Photo/Twitter)Here's a look at some of the other images from Tuesday's event in St. Louis:
(Photo/Twitter)
(Photo/Twitter)
Also, the event may have featured the worst ceremonial faceoff in the history of such a practice:
(Photo/Twitter)
The NHL will also be hosting outdoor games in Pittsburgh, Winnipeg and Toronto next season as part of the kick off to the league's 100th anniversary, as well as a celebration of the 50th anniversaries for the still-existing original expansion teams like the Blues, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings.
By JJ Stankevitz
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Anthony Rizzo delivered the Cubs their 10th consecutive victory in fitting fashion for a rivalry game littered with odd occurrences.
The Cubs’ All-Star first baseman drew a walk-off walk against left-hander Zach Duke to earn the Cubs a 4-3 11-inning win over the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday night in front of 40,597 at Wrigley Field. Rizzo worked a 3-1 count against Duke, the former White Sox reliever, before taking a two-seam fastball home plate umpire Ron Kulpa ruled inside for ball four.
Brooks Baseball’s pitch graph showed Duke’s pitch was in the strike zone, for what it’s worth. With Duke’s two-seam action tailing that pitch inside toward Rizzo’s hands — which are already on top of the plate with his crowding batting stance — the pitch may have looked more inside to Kulpa than it actually was.
“It was a good pitch,” Rizzo said. “I thought it was a little in. I’m on top of the plate. I’m looking right there, so I’m probably swinging if it was something close to hit.”
Manager Joe Maddon wasn’t sure if Rizzo’s crowd-the-plate stance contributed to the call, but did allow for the possibility.
“Umpires see things differently,” Maddon said. “He is on the plate and it can be difficult to see sometimes, even for the catcher.”
But the walk-off walk on a close-at-worst pitch was hardly the only strange event on a muggy evening on Clark and Addison.
There was Chris Coghlan trying to call for time, getting quick-pitched by Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez and still lacing a game-tying two-run single into right field in the sixth inning. Thirty-nine-year-old catcher David Ross followed that by laying down a two-out squeeze, with Martinez rushing an off-balance throw that pulled first baseman Matt Carpenter off the bag to put the Cubs temporarily ahead.
Ross picked off Jedd Gyorko, whose slide didn’t come close to reaching the first base bag, for the first out of the seventh, and Coghlan and Addison Russell completed a picturesque relay to nail Carpenter at the plate to end the seventh. Aroldis Chapman retired the Cardinals in order in the ninth on three pitches.
“He gets a steak dinner for that,” Maddon said.
In the 11th, Mike Montgomery — who last pitched July 31 — loaded the bases when he walked Kolten Wong, who entered Thursday with the lowest OPS (.663) of any Cardinals player with more than 100 plate appearances. But Montgomery then struck out Carpenter, who has the highest OPS of any Cardinals player (.988), despite having to change signs with catcher Willson Contreras during the middle of the at-bat.
“Big situation, you don’t want to do that, but I haven’t thrown to him a lot,” Montgomery said. “I think it’s good to do that and kind of slow it down a little bit.”
And during most of that nearly-disastrous top of the 11th, and throughout the bottom of the 11th, starter John Lackey was warming up in the Cubs’ bullpen, just as he did during that wild comeback win over the Seattle Mariners July 31 that started this 10-game winning streak.
Jon Lester offered his take on the secret to the Cubs’ wild victories of late: “I guess just put Lackey in the bullpen and let him warm up.”
The absurdity of Thursday’s game wound up working out in the Cubs’ favor, pushing them to a 13-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. While St. Louis, which is now a half-game out of a wild card spot, has only managed to tread water recently, the Cubs are doing their best Katie Ledecky impression and putting a seemingly insurmountable gap between themselves and the rest of their divisional challengers.
The Cubs were only 6 1/2 games ahead of the Cardinals when they fell behind the Mariners 6-0 after three innings July 31. The low-hanging narrative would be that from that point on, this team has rode a wave of momentum to this winning streak and massive NL Central lead.
But that’s not how Lester views things from he and his teammates’ perch atop the major leagues.
“I don’t feel like we need momentum,” Lester said. “I just feel like we’re a really solid team.”
CUBS bullpen in flux with Pedro Strop down and Hector Rondon sidelined.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Cubs already had a dominant closer when they made a blockbuster trade with the New York Yankees in late July. But given Hector Rondon’s Tommy John history — and the unknown severity of Pedro Strop’s injury — Aroldis Chapman might become more of a necessity than a luxury item.
Chapman unleashed his 100-mph heat on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field, blowing away the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth inning with three straight strikeouts to end a 3-1 victory that might have come at a price.
Strop is now scheduled to get an MRI on his left knee on Thursday morning, and it didn’t look good in the eighth inning as he hobbled off the field, supported by a teammate and an athletic trainer. Strop slid awkwardly and felt something while trying to field the soft groundball Yunel Escobar bounced up the third-base line.
That visual creates even more uncertainty as Rondon deals with what the Cubs are calling a sore triceps. Rondon — who hasn’t pitched in a game since Aug. 2 — played catch as part of his pregame routine but manager Joe Maddon still doesn’t know exactly when his right-handed reliever will be available.
Chapman unleashed his 100-mph heat on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field, blowing away the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth inning with three straight strikeouts to end a 3-1 victory that might have come at a price.
Strop is now scheduled to get an MRI on his left knee on Thursday morning, and it didn’t look good in the eighth inning as he hobbled off the field, supported by a teammate and an athletic trainer. Strop slid awkwardly and felt something while trying to field the soft groundball Yunel Escobar bounced up the third-base line.
That visual creates even more uncertainty as Rondon deals with what the Cubs are calling a sore triceps. Rondon — who hasn’t pitched in a game since Aug. 2 — played catch as part of his pregame routine but manager Joe Maddon still doesn’t know exactly when his right-handed reliever will be available.
“There’s nothing negative,” Maddon said. “He’s trending in the right direction, not the wrong direction, so that’s where my focus is right now.”
Carl Edwards Jr. bailed the Cubs out of that eighth-inning jam, striking out Mike Trout and getting groundballs against Albert Pujols and Andrelton Simmons, again showing he’s ready for prime time, especially if Rondon (18 saves, 1.70 ERA) and Strop (21 holds, 2.89 ERA) become question marks in front of Chapman.
“It would change the entire complexion of the group,” Maddon said. “It would make ‘Smitty’ (Joe Smith) more pertinent. I’m not going to beat up C.J., for sure, I know that much. Whatever’s wrong with Stropy, he’s probably not pitching tomorrow, I know that also. So, yeah, we’re going to have to look at different folks.”
CUBS UPDATE: Pedro Strop out four to six weeks with torn left meniscus.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Cubs expect Pedro Strop to be sidelined for four-to-six weeks after Thursday's MRI revealed a torn meniscus in his left knee, though the club doesn't expect it to be a season-ending injury for the standout setup guy.
Strop will undergo surgery on Friday, but the Cubs feel relatively optimistic about his return after the MRI showed no ligament damage.
Strop limped off Wrigley Field with the help of a teammate and an athletic trainer during the eighth inning of Wednesday night's win over the Los Angeles Angels after sliding awkwardly and trying to make a difficult play on a slow groundball near the third-base line.
Strop will undergo surgery on Friday, but the Cubs feel relatively optimistic about his return after the MRI showed no ligament damage.
Strop limped off Wrigley Field with the help of a teammate and an athletic trainer during the eighth inning of Wednesday night's win over the Los Angeles Angels after sliding awkwardly and trying to make a difficult play on a slow groundball near the third-base line.
WHITE SOX: White Sox offense goes silent again in 2-1 loss to Royals.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The White Sox not only lost another series on Thursday night, they also lost Miguel Gonzalez for at least 15 days.
The starting pitcher said he’s headed for the 15-day disabled list with a strained right groin after he exited in the second inning of a 2-1 White Sox loss to the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. A trio of young relievers pitched well in Gonzalez’s absence, but the offense couldn’t solve Danny Duffy as the White Sox dropped to a season-worst six games below. 500. Kansas City took advantage of Duffy’s complete game with two runs scored against Carson Fulmer in the sixth inning to win the rubber match of a three-game set.
“I felt it on the first pitch (of the second inning),” Gonzalez said. “After that, I didn’t have anything to push off with, no strength. I’ve done it before. That was my second time doing it on my right leg. Knowing you can’t have that strength, you can’t go out there and make it worse.”
After an up-and-down start to the season, Gonzalez has been a steady option at the back of the White Sox rotation. The right-hander carried a 2.76 ERA in his last seven starts into Thursday’s finale against Duffy. Gonzalez struck out a pair in a scoreless first inning before he suffered the injury against Salvador Perez.
Gonzalez said he suffered the same injury last season and hopes his absence is limited to 15 days.
The scenario couldn’t have been any more difficult for the White Sox after the bullpen pitched 6 1/3 innings in Wednesday’s extra innings loss. But Michael Ynoa, Fulmer and Tommy Kahnle responded with seven sharp innings on short notice.
Ynoa got off to a rough start as he hit Perez with his first pitch and Alcides Escobar reached on an error. But Ynoa, who has shown nice flashes since he was promoted in mid-June, followed up with his strongest stretch to date. After a sac bunt moved them over, Ynoa stranded the two runners in scoring position as he ended the bottom of the second inning with a strikeout of Raul Mondesi.
The tall right-hander also set down the side in order in the second and third innings, striking out Eric Hosmer and Perez in the fourth. Ynoa didn’t walk any batters or surrender a hit in a 43-pitch effort.
Fulmer continued the string of dominance when he struck out a pair in a perfect fifth inning. The Royals scored twice to rally from a 1-0 deficit when Fulmer issued a leadoff walk in the sixth. Cheslor Cuthbert tied it with a one-out RBI triple and Eric Hosmer singled him in. But Fulmer retired four of the last five he faced, striking out three in three innings.
Kahnle struck out the side in a scoreless inning, too.
“They did a great job,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “They knew they had a long way to go tonight. Michael did a nice job spur of the moment, so did Carson.”
The offense wasn’t up to the task against Duffy, who needed 98 pitches for the complete-game effort.
Duffy retired the last 11 batters he faced and only got into trouble in the second inning. That’s when he surrendered three straight two-out hits, the last an RBI single by Jason Coats. But Duffy retired Adam Eaton to end the rally and limit the damage to a run.
Duffy allowed seven hits in all and never let the White Sox have more than one runner reach base in any other frame. Down a run, third baseman Todd Frazier just missed on a 3-0 pitch in the ninth inning, flying out to deep left.
A night after the White Sox went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position, stranding a pair of runners five times in a 3-2 loss, Duffy limited their opportunities. The White Sox scored three runs over their final 23 innings at Kauffman Stadium and lost a winnable series.
“They did a heck of a job,” Frazier said of the bullpen. “I’m proud of them. You know, it’s good to see that. Ynoa came in and pitched three innings and did his job. Carson gave up two runs there, but at the same time he pitched well. You give up two runs, you gotta win the game. It doesn’t matter who is pitching. We did it yesterday, too. You have to find a way to tack on.”
White Sox fall to Royals 3-2 in 14 innings. (Wednesday night's game, 08/10/2016).
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
David Robertson and the White Sox bullpen failed to put the Kansas City Royals away again on Wednesday night.
Robertson blew a lead in his third straight appearance at Kauffman Stadium and the White Sox eventually fell to the Royals 3-2 in 14 innings in front of 25,188. Lorenzo Cain’s two-out RBI single to center off Matt Albers sent the White Sox to their sixth loss in nine games.
The White Sox, who stranded 12 base runners, have lost four of five meetings in Kansas City this season despite leading into the seventh inning in each game.
Cain’s single to center off Albers drove in Christian Colon, who started the 14th inning with a single and moved up on a sac bunt. It arrived three innings after Robertson blew his sixth save in 33 tries and fourth in his last eight. Robertson also blew a save here in Tuesday night’s victory and surrendered a six-run, ninth-inning lead to the Royals back in May.
He opened the 11th inning with a six-pitch walk of Eric Hosmer, who advanced into scoring position on Jarrod Dyson’s sac bunt. Salvador Perez then tied it with a one-out double to right center.
Robertson, who had a 3.22 ERA through July 17, has allowed nine earned runs and 11 hits in 11 innings since. Those appearances have all come after Robertson was sidelined for 12 days with a left leg strain.
Nate Jones also blew a lead in the eighth inning, which cost Jose Quintana a victory despite 7 1/3 dominant innings. Cheslor Cuthbert’s RBI double on the first pitch he saw from Jones scored Paulo Orlando, who chased Quintana with a one-out double.
Quintana wound up with the 58th no decision of his career despite a fantastic outing.
He had the Royals out of sync all evening as he attacked the strike zone with strikes on 64 of 97 pitches. Quintana allowed four hits, walked one and struck out five in 7 1/3 innings.
He pitched out of a jam created by a Todd Frazier error in the third inning. With runners on the corners, Quintana struck out Orlando and got Cuthbert to pop out to preserve a 1-0 lead. Quintana, who lowered his ERA to 2.85, stranded a runner at second in the fifth inning as well.
But Quintana’s bullpen couldn’t pick him up in the eighth as he gave way to Nate Jones after Orlando’s one-out double. Cuthbert doubled to right center on the first pitch he saw from Jones to tie the score at 1.
Quintana, who allowed one earned run, leads the majors in no decisions since 2012 with eight more than Cole Hamels and nine more than James Shields and Wei-Yin Chen.
The White Sox offense did Quintana no favors, either.
Aside from J.B. Shuck’s third-inning solo homer, they got nothing against Ian Kennedy and four Kansas City relievers.
But it wasn’t because the White Sox didn’t have chances.
The White Sox stranded a pair of runners in the sixth, seventh, eighth and 10th innings, failing to add on to their one-run lead in the first three.
They stranded a pair in the sixth inning, even after Tim Anderson was doubled off first base following a leadoff walk.
The White Sox nearly scored in the seventh on a one-out single to center by Shuck, but Orlando threw out Omar Narvaez on a close play at home that was upheld by replay officials.
The White Sox also had a third runner wiped out on the bases when pinch runner Carlos Sanchez made an ill-advised decision to tag up from first on a fly to deep center and was thrown out.
Anderson briefly put the White Sox back ahead in the top of the 11th with a two-out, opposite-field RBI single just over Eric Hosmer’s glove to make it a 2-1 game. But Royals relievers retired the last 10 White Sox hitters they faced.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Bulls 2016-17 NBA schedule released; Home opener vs. Celtics, Christmas Day against Spurs.
By Mark Strotman
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Bulls will open their 2016-17 regular season at home against the Boston Celtics and will play Christmas Day in San Antonio against the Spurs, the league announced Friday.
Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah will return to the United Center in the season's second week on Nov. 4. Less than a week later, Nov. 10, Dwyane Wade will return to Miami to face the Heat, the team with which he spent the first 13 years of his Hall of Fame career. Tom Thibodeau will bring his young Timberwolves team to Chicago on Dec. 13.
LeBron James and the defending-champion Cavaliers will first visit Chicago on Dec. 2. That's three months earlier than when Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors will return to the United Center on March 2.
The Bulls have a pair of six-game road trips, in late November and again to begin February leading up to the All-Star break. Their longest stretch of home games will occur in late February, when they play six of seven games at home from February 14 to March 4.
Here's a complete look at the Bulls' 2016-17 schedule.
Ten games to mark down on the Bulls 2016-17 schedule.
By Mark Strotman
The Bulls had as busy an offseason as any team in the NBA, which means there will be plenty of headliner games on their 2016-17 schedule, which the league announced Thursday.
Here are ten that all fans should have circled on their calendars:
1. Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah return to the United Center (Nov. 4)
For the first time in a decade the Bulls are without one of Joakim Noah or Derrick Rose. Arguably the two most crucial pieces to the Bulls' run in that span, Rose was dealt to New York less than a month before Noah signed with the hometown Knicks in free agency. Seeing both players competing inside the United Center in different uniforms for the first time - they've combined for 491 games in Chicago - will be a sight to see. And despite Rose's injury-prone career irking some fans, expect both players to receive standing ovations upon their introductions from PA announcer Tommy Edwards.
2. Hosting LeBron James and the champion Cavaliers (Dec. 2)
With the Cavs, LeBron James has played 35 regular-season games against the Bulls. But he's never faced them as a reigning NBA champion. Even with Kevin Durant joining the 73-win Warriors, the Cavaliers are the team to beat in the NBA until further notice. And they're certainly the team to beat in the East, as James has won the conference each of the last six seasons. The Bulls took two of four from the Cavaliers last season, and could gain a real confidence boost by doing so again. It will also mark the first meeting between Dwyane Wade and James, two close friends, since Wade joined the Bulls. It's always must-see TV when those two go up against each other.
3. Dwyane Wade returns to Miami playing for the opposition (Nov. 10)
Wade spent 13 years in Miami, playing a combined 524 regular-season and postseason games in South Beach. That will change this season, as he makes his return to Miami wearing a different uniform for the first time. As emotional a return as it will be for Wade, who is sure to receive a standing ovation, it could wind up being an important game for both teams battling for positioning in the Eastern Conference.
4. Tom Thibodeau takes his Timberpups to Chicago (Dec. 13)
The former Bulls coach already returned to the United Center this summer as an assistant for USA Basketball. But when he brings with him the most talented group of young players in the NBA, expect some serious competition. With the previous two Rookies of the Year, Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, as well as Zach LaVine, rookie Kris Dunn and Ricky Rubio, the Timberwolves will prove to be a stiff test under the defensive-minded Thibodeau. Remember, too, that the Bulls were heavily interested in acquiring Dunn before this year's draft. Thibodeau and the T-Wolves took the Providence guard with the fifth pick.
5. KD, Steph, Draymond and Klay bring their superteam to the Windy City (March 2)
Like they did to most teams last season, the Warriors entered the United Center and stepped on the Bulls' throat from the opening tip in January. They led by 16 after the first quarter and cruised to a 31-point victory, extending their record to 39-4 on their way to 73 wins. All the Warriors did this offseason was add the game's best scorer in Kevin Durant, making Golden State's only trip to the Windy City must-see.
6. Bulls open the season with new-look Celtics (Oct. 27)
The Bulls and Celtics were reportedly discussing a deal for Jimmy Butler on draft night, but nothing appeared close to getting done. Instead, the Celtics hung on to their core, drafted Cal's Jaylen Brown and wound up signing All-Star big man Al Horford in free agency. That's put them right in the thick of the Eastern Conference hunt, and it should create an electric atmosphere on Opening Night. It'll also pit two former Marquette teammates together in Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder. Free agent acquisition Rajon Rondo also spent the first nine years of his NBA career with the Celtics.
7. Bulls will play on Christmas Day for the 21st time in franchise history (Dec. 25)
The additions of Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo this offseason made the Bulls a team to watch this season. And the NBA rewarded them by slotting them in for the late afternoon game on Christmas Day against the Spurs. It's the 21st time they've played on Christmas, sporting a 13-7 record that included an impressive road victory over the Thunder last season. It's the seventh straight season they've played on the holiday, and it will mark the Bulls' first matchup against Pau Gasol, who left for San Antonio in free agency this summer.
8. Pau Gasol and the Tim Duncan-less Spurs arrive (Dec. 8)
The Spurs will be ushering in a new era of basketball this season after Tim Duncan's retirement. It'll be the first time since 1996 the Bulls square off against a Duncan-less Spurs. But Gregg Popovich's team isn't necessarily getting that much younger. They grabbed Pau Gasol in free agency - two years after the Spaniard almost chose the Spurs over the Bulls. It'll be an emotional return for Gasol, who always spoke highly of Chicago and his time with the Bulls. It was simply time to move on after two seasons in Chicago. Still, he'll receive a nice ovation from the fans after he averaged 17.6 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 150 games for the Bulls. He also made two All-Star appearances during his time with the Bulls.
9. Looking to keep the streak going against the Raptors (Jan. 7)
It has to be one of the oddest winning streaks in basketball, but the Bulls have reeled off nine straight victories - spanning three seasons - against the Raptors. That's the same Raptors team that advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals last season and re-signed DeMar DeRozan to a max deal. They'll face each other four more times this year, and if they can win the season series again - another sweep seems unlikely - it could pay off significant dividends if they met in the postseason. This matchup will also pit Team USA members against each other, with DeRozan and Kyle Lowry representing the Raptors in Rio, and Jimmy Butler doing the same for the Bulls.
10. Anthony Davis comes to Chicago, plus a battle of rookie All-Americans (Jan. 14)
It's always a fun homecoming when Chicago native Anthony Davis returns. And this time he's bringing company. Not only will E'Twaun Moore be making his first appearance in Chicago since leaving the team in free agency. Oklahoma sensation Buddy Hield, who the Pelicans selected with the No. 6 pick in June's NBA Draft, will go toe-to-toe with former Michigan State sharpshooter Denzel Valentine. It will pit college basketball's two best players from last year against each other in what should be a high-scoring affair.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Andrew Loupe tops John Deere Classic leaderboard at 8 under.
By Mark Strotman
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Bulls had as busy an offseason as any team in the NBA, which means there will be plenty of headliner games on their 2016-17 schedule, which the league announced Thursday.
Here are ten that all fans should have circled on their calendars:
1. Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah return to the United Center (Nov. 4)
For the first time in a decade the Bulls are without one of Joakim Noah or Derrick Rose. Arguably the two most crucial pieces to the Bulls' run in that span, Rose was dealt to New York less than a month before Noah signed with the hometown Knicks in free agency. Seeing both players competing inside the United Center in different uniforms for the first time - they've combined for 491 games in Chicago - will be a sight to see. And despite Rose's injury-prone career irking some fans, expect both players to receive standing ovations upon their introductions from PA announcer Tommy Edwards.
2. Hosting LeBron James and the champion Cavaliers (Dec. 2)
With the Cavs, LeBron James has played 35 regular-season games against the Bulls. But he's never faced them as a reigning NBA champion. Even with Kevin Durant joining the 73-win Warriors, the Cavaliers are the team to beat in the NBA until further notice. And they're certainly the team to beat in the East, as James has won the conference each of the last six seasons. The Bulls took two of four from the Cavaliers last season, and could gain a real confidence boost by doing so again. It will also mark the first meeting between Dwyane Wade and James, two close friends, since Wade joined the Bulls. It's always must-see TV when those two go up against each other.
3. Dwyane Wade returns to Miami playing for the opposition (Nov. 10)
Wade spent 13 years in Miami, playing a combined 524 regular-season and postseason games in South Beach. That will change this season, as he makes his return to Miami wearing a different uniform for the first time. As emotional a return as it will be for Wade, who is sure to receive a standing ovation, it could wind up being an important game for both teams battling for positioning in the Eastern Conference.
4. Tom Thibodeau takes his Timberpups to Chicago (Dec. 13)
The former Bulls coach already returned to the United Center this summer as an assistant for USA Basketball. But when he brings with him the most talented group of young players in the NBA, expect some serious competition. With the previous two Rookies of the Year, Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, as well as Zach LaVine, rookie Kris Dunn and Ricky Rubio, the Timberwolves will prove to be a stiff test under the defensive-minded Thibodeau. Remember, too, that the Bulls were heavily interested in acquiring Dunn before this year's draft. Thibodeau and the T-Wolves took the Providence guard with the fifth pick.
5. KD, Steph, Draymond and Klay bring their superteam to the Windy City (March 2)
Like they did to most teams last season, the Warriors entered the United Center and stepped on the Bulls' throat from the opening tip in January. They led by 16 after the first quarter and cruised to a 31-point victory, extending their record to 39-4 on their way to 73 wins. All the Warriors did this offseason was add the game's best scorer in Kevin Durant, making Golden State's only trip to the Windy City must-see.
6. Bulls open the season with new-look Celtics (Oct. 27)
The Bulls and Celtics were reportedly discussing a deal for Jimmy Butler on draft night, but nothing appeared close to getting done. Instead, the Celtics hung on to their core, drafted Cal's Jaylen Brown and wound up signing All-Star big man Al Horford in free agency. That's put them right in the thick of the Eastern Conference hunt, and it should create an electric atmosphere on Opening Night. It'll also pit two former Marquette teammates together in Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder. Free agent acquisition Rajon Rondo also spent the first nine years of his NBA career with the Celtics.
7. Bulls will play on Christmas Day for the 21st time in franchise history (Dec. 25)
The additions of Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo this offseason made the Bulls a team to watch this season. And the NBA rewarded them by slotting them in for the late afternoon game on Christmas Day against the Spurs. It's the 21st time they've played on Christmas, sporting a 13-7 record that included an impressive road victory over the Thunder last season. It's the seventh straight season they've played on the holiday, and it will mark the Bulls' first matchup against Pau Gasol, who left for San Antonio in free agency this summer.
8. Pau Gasol and the Tim Duncan-less Spurs arrive (Dec. 8)
The Spurs will be ushering in a new era of basketball this season after Tim Duncan's retirement. It'll be the first time since 1996 the Bulls square off against a Duncan-less Spurs. But Gregg Popovich's team isn't necessarily getting that much younger. They grabbed Pau Gasol in free agency - two years after the Spaniard almost chose the Spurs over the Bulls. It'll be an emotional return for Gasol, who always spoke highly of Chicago and his time with the Bulls. It was simply time to move on after two seasons in Chicago. Still, he'll receive a nice ovation from the fans after he averaged 17.6 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 150 games for the Bulls. He also made two All-Star appearances during his time with the Bulls.
9. Looking to keep the streak going against the Raptors (Jan. 7)
It has to be one of the oddest winning streaks in basketball, but the Bulls have reeled off nine straight victories - spanning three seasons - against the Raptors. That's the same Raptors team that advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals last season and re-signed DeMar DeRozan to a max deal. They'll face each other four more times this year, and if they can win the season series again - another sweep seems unlikely - it could pay off significant dividends if they met in the postseason. This matchup will also pit Team USA members against each other, with DeRozan and Kyle Lowry representing the Raptors in Rio, and Jimmy Butler doing the same for the Bulls.
10. Anthony Davis comes to Chicago, plus a battle of rookie All-Americans (Jan. 14)
It's always a fun homecoming when Chicago native Anthony Davis returns. And this time he's bringing company. Not only will E'Twaun Moore be making his first appearance in Chicago since leaving the team in free agency. Oklahoma sensation Buddy Hield, who the Pelicans selected with the No. 6 pick in June's NBA Draft, will go toe-to-toe with former Michigan State sharpshooter Denzel Valentine. It will pit college basketball's two best players from last year against each other in what should be a high-scoring affair.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Andrew Loupe tops John Deere Classic leaderboard at 8 under.
AP
Zach Johnson made himself right at home in the John Deere Classic — again.
From just up the road in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the two-time major champion shot a 6-under 65 on Thursday, leaving him two strokes behind leader Andrew Loupe in the suspended first round.
"I don't know what it is, but I love the golf course," said Johnson, the 2012 winner at TPC Deere Run. "I love the putting surfaces. I do know the moment I feel like I can take this place down is the moment it can bite me, so I've still got to stay focused and keep the pedal down."
Loupe topped the leaderboard at 8 under when play was suspended because of darkness. The tournament was delayed for 3 1/2 hours by a storm that dropped just over an inch of rain. The round resumed at 3:08 p.m., with none of the afternoon starters able to finish.
Loupe will resume play Friday with a 6-foot par putt on the par-4 15th hole. The 27-year-old former LSU player had five birdies in a seven-hole stretch on the front nine and added birdies on 11, 13 and 14.
Patrick Rodgers and Ryan Moore were in at 65 with Johnson, and Tom Gillis also was 6 under with two holes left.
Johnson had five birdies in a seven-hole stretch in the bogey-free round that he started on the 10th tee. The 12-time PGA Tour winner capped the run on the par-5 second and also birdied the par-4 sixth.
"As far as the start and stop, we're used to that," Johnson said. "That's not any secret. It happens all the time. There's days where there's a 30-minute delay, there's days where, shoot, it takes 30-some odd hours to play 18 holes. I'm used to it. Relaxed a little bit, ate something, worked out a little bit, that kind of thing, just to stay loose, and then went back at it."
Rodgers birdied the final hole for a back-nine 31.
"Today was a really solid day for me," said Rodgers, the former Stanford star from Indiana. "I felt like I was very consistent tee to green and gave myself a lot of opportunities to make birdies. My only bogey was a three-putt. My only missed green was in the fringe, so I played really solid golf. There wasn't a whole lot of opportunities to make mistakes."
Moore eagled the par-5 17th in his opening nine, and finished with a 30-foot par save on No. 9.
"I was playing well and you hate to drop a shot on the last hole," the four-time tour winner said. "I didn't play the hole well by any means. I didn't hit any good golf shots. But a good putt can save just about anything, and that's what happened."
Jordan Spieth chose not to defend his title because he didn't think it would be appropriate in light of his decision to skip the Rio Olympics.
Scott Pinckney and Scott Brown shot 66, and Geoff Ogilvy and Morgan Hoffman also were 5 under. Ogilvy completed 12 holes, and Hoffman 14.
Pinckney made five straight birdies and six in a seven-hole stretch on his final nine.
"Honestly, I played good on both sides, but the putts started to drop, and I put it a little bit closer on the back side," Pinckney said. "So, it wasn't like all of a sudden I'm hitting it good."
Three-time champion Steve Stricker had a 70. The 49-year-old Stricker, a former University of Illinois player from Wisconsin, won the event in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
"Even after the rain, the inch of rain we got, the conditions were pretty good," Stricker said. "I just didn't play that sharply."
Wesley Bryan has 2 under with eight holes left. He won his third Web.com Tour title of the season last week in Kansas to earn an immediate PGA Tour promotion.
NCAA champion Aaron Wise was 1 under after seven holes in his PGA Tour debut as a pro. The former Oregon player won a Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada event two weeks ago in Edmonton, Alberta.
Fraser (63) leads Stenson, DeLaet in Rio Olympics.
By Nick Menta
(Photo/Golf Channel)
With an 8-under 63, Australia’s Marcus Fraser leads the men’s competition by three shots over Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and Canada’s Graham DeLaet after the completion of Round 1 in Rio. Here’s where things stand after the first 18 holes of Olympic golf in 112 years:
Leaderboard: Fraser (-8), DeLaet (-5), Stenson (-5), Thomas Pieters (-4), Gregory Bourdy (-4), Alex Cejka (-4), Justin Rose (-4)
What it means: Currently 90th in the Official World Golf Ranking, Fraser earned one of two Australian bids after four of his countrymen – Jason Day, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman and Matt Jones – opted to skip the Games. The 38-year-old took full advantage of his good fortune, recording the lowest round in Olympic history. Fraser, the current Order of Merit leader on the Asian Tour, is a three-time European Tour winner who most recently claimed victory at the co-sanctioned Maybank Championship in Malaysia in February. Six players sit within four shots of the lead after Round 1, but the two big names to watch are Stenson, who’s coming off his first major win at The Open, and Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champ who recorded a first hole-in-one on Thursday and is looking to win on his sixth continent. (They don’t play often in Antarctica.)
Round of the day: Fraser didn’t make a par until the 17th hole, opening with five birdies and the lone bogey of his round at the par-4 second. After making the turn in 4-under 31, the Aussie added four back-nine birdies at Nos. 10, 13, 16 and 18 to match his lowest round in any worldwide event since he launched his professional career in 2002.
Best of the rest: In defense of George Lyon’s 1904 gold medal win, DeLaet went off in the day’s first group and carded a 5-under 66 to take the early lead before he was overtaken by Fraser. The round was even more impressive considering his recent history; DeLaet took a month off from competitive play earlier this summer as he sorted through, what he called, “incredible anxiety while chipping/pitching.” He was matched by a member of the final group, Stenson, who made six birdies, including one at the home hole, against a single bogey.
Biggest disappointment: Rickie Fowler, of the U.S., had been enjoying himself in Rio, right up until the first hole Thursday. Fowler, the eighth-ranked player in the world who’s been slumping all summer, 4-putted the first green for a double bogey and never recovered. Fighting his putter all day, Fowler, otherwise, made two bogeys and a birdie on each nine to shoot 4-over 75. After 18 holes, he finds himself one shot out of last place and 12 off the lead. Of course, Fowler wasn’t the only American to struggle, as Patrick Reed and Bubba Watson both turned in 2-over 73. Matt Kuchar was the only one of the four Americans to finish in red numbers with a 2-under 69.
Shot of the day: Rose’s historic ace at the par-3 fourth.
Quote of the day: “I can compare that with when my son was born,” – Brazil’s Adilson da Silva on hitting the opening tee shot. The 44-year-old closed his round with a birdie at 18 to shoot 1-over 72
NASCAR: Will past success at next four tracks help still-winless drivers make Chase?
Leaderboard: Fraser (-8), DeLaet (-5), Stenson (-5), Thomas Pieters (-4), Gregory Bourdy (-4), Alex Cejka (-4), Justin Rose (-4)
What it means: Currently 90th in the Official World Golf Ranking, Fraser earned one of two Australian bids after four of his countrymen – Jason Day, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman and Matt Jones – opted to skip the Games. The 38-year-old took full advantage of his good fortune, recording the lowest round in Olympic history. Fraser, the current Order of Merit leader on the Asian Tour, is a three-time European Tour winner who most recently claimed victory at the co-sanctioned Maybank Championship in Malaysia in February. Six players sit within four shots of the lead after Round 1, but the two big names to watch are Stenson, who’s coming off his first major win at The Open, and Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champ who recorded a first hole-in-one on Thursday and is looking to win on his sixth continent. (They don’t play often in Antarctica.)
Round of the day: Fraser didn’t make a par until the 17th hole, opening with five birdies and the lone bogey of his round at the par-4 second. After making the turn in 4-under 31, the Aussie added four back-nine birdies at Nos. 10, 13, 16 and 18 to match his lowest round in any worldwide event since he launched his professional career in 2002.
Best of the rest: In defense of George Lyon’s 1904 gold medal win, DeLaet went off in the day’s first group and carded a 5-under 66 to take the early lead before he was overtaken by Fraser. The round was even more impressive considering his recent history; DeLaet took a month off from competitive play earlier this summer as he sorted through, what he called, “incredible anxiety while chipping/pitching.” He was matched by a member of the final group, Stenson, who made six birdies, including one at the home hole, against a single bogey.
Biggest disappointment: Rickie Fowler, of the U.S., had been enjoying himself in Rio, right up until the first hole Thursday. Fowler, the eighth-ranked player in the world who’s been slumping all summer, 4-putted the first green for a double bogey and never recovered. Fighting his putter all day, Fowler, otherwise, made two bogeys and a birdie on each nine to shoot 4-over 75. After 18 holes, he finds himself one shot out of last place and 12 off the lead. Of course, Fowler wasn’t the only American to struggle, as Patrick Reed and Bubba Watson both turned in 2-over 73. Matt Kuchar was the only one of the four Americans to finish in red numbers with a 2-under 69.
Shot of the day: Rose’s historic ace at the par-3 fourth.
Quote of the day: “I can compare that with when my son was born,” – Brazil’s Adilson da Silva on hitting the opening tee shot. The 44-year-old closed his round with a birdie at 18 to shoot 1-over 72
NASCAR: Will past success at next four tracks help still-winless drivers make Chase?
By Jerry Bonkowski
(Photo/Getty Images)
While the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series enjoys its final in-season off-weekend, it seems everyone from drivers to crew chiefs to team owners and fans are breaking out their calculators.
They’re all trying to figure out who has the best chance of still making the upcoming 10 race Chase for the Sprint Cup – particularly those drivers who have yet to win a race thus far in 2016.
A total of 16 drivers will qualify for the Chase. As it stands now, 11 drivers are already qualified by virtue of winning at least one race already this season, plus they’re above 30th place, which is the cutoff for Chase eligibility.
A 12th winning driver, Chris Buescher, is not yet qualified for the Chase because he remains three points shy of the 30th place cutoff. If Buescher can leave Richmond in the top-30, he will make the Chase.
One of the most interesting stats is that of the four races remaining before the Chase, several drivers that remain winless this season have enjoyed past victories at those same tracks, particularly Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who both have won in the past at three of the next four tracks.
Can lightning strike again for them?
Here’s how it breaks down:
Bristol: Earnhardt, Kahne
Michigan: Greg Biffle, Earnhardt, Ryan Newman, Kahne
Darlington: Biffle, Regan Smith
Richmond: Earnhardt, Clint Bowyer, Kahne, Newman
For each of those past winners that might triumph again at those tracks, or for other first-time winners in 2016, it would further reduce the number of drivers who make the Chase solely on points.
It remains uncertain whether Earnhardt will be able to make the Chase after having missed the last several races due to a concussion – and remains sidelined.
Given that Earnhardt is ranked 21st in the standings, 51 points behind 16th ranked Trevor Bayne, it would appear the only way he would make the Chase is to win one of the last four – provided he’s cleared to even race at some point during that period.
Right now, drivers who have yet to win a race this year that appear the safest to make the Chase are Newman (50 points ahead of Bayne on the cutoff line), Chase Elliott (+49), Austin Dillon (+47) and Jamie McMurray (+38).
Kyle Larson is also above the cutoff line, but with only an eight-point edge over Bayne, is the driver in the riskiest position.
Larson is still simmering at how AJ Allmendinger wrecked him on the final lap of Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen. It cost Larson what appeared to be a likely top-five finish and left him with a disappointing 29th-place result – which greatly impacted his Chase chances and ranking.
“Pretty dumb move right there,” Larson said of Allmendinger. “I was the smarter one racing for points, lifted, could have wrecked him, but didn’t.”
Instead, it was Larson who was wrecked by Allmendinger.
“He has run me hard, but we always race pretty well, but today was flat out stupid,” Larson said.
The drivers outside the top 16 with the best chance of still sneaking into the Chase on points are Kahne (three points behind Bayne), Ryan Blaney (-8), Allmendinger (-26), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (-37) and Earnhardt (-51).
Danica Patrick adds to two NASCAR records at Watkins Glen.
By Jerry Bonkowski
They’re all trying to figure out who has the best chance of still making the upcoming 10 race Chase for the Sprint Cup – particularly those drivers who have yet to win a race thus far in 2016.
A total of 16 drivers will qualify for the Chase. As it stands now, 11 drivers are already qualified by virtue of winning at least one race already this season, plus they’re above 30th place, which is the cutoff for Chase eligibility.
A 12th winning driver, Chris Buescher, is not yet qualified for the Chase because he remains three points shy of the 30th place cutoff. If Buescher can leave Richmond in the top-30, he will make the Chase.
One of the most interesting stats is that of the four races remaining before the Chase, several drivers that remain winless this season have enjoyed past victories at those same tracks, particularly Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who both have won in the past at three of the next four tracks.
Can lightning strike again for them?
Here’s how it breaks down:
Bristol: Earnhardt, Kahne
Michigan: Greg Biffle, Earnhardt, Ryan Newman, Kahne
Darlington: Biffle, Regan Smith
Richmond: Earnhardt, Clint Bowyer, Kahne, Newman
For each of those past winners that might triumph again at those tracks, or for other first-time winners in 2016, it would further reduce the number of drivers who make the Chase solely on points.
It remains uncertain whether Earnhardt will be able to make the Chase after having missed the last several races due to a concussion – and remains sidelined.
Given that Earnhardt is ranked 21st in the standings, 51 points behind 16th ranked Trevor Bayne, it would appear the only way he would make the Chase is to win one of the last four – provided he’s cleared to even race at some point during that period.
Right now, drivers who have yet to win a race this year that appear the safest to make the Chase are Newman (50 points ahead of Bayne on the cutoff line), Chase Elliott (+49), Austin Dillon (+47) and Jamie McMurray (+38).
Kyle Larson is also above the cutoff line, but with only an eight-point edge over Bayne, is the driver in the riskiest position.
Larson is still simmering at how AJ Allmendinger wrecked him on the final lap of Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen. It cost Larson what appeared to be a likely top-five finish and left him with a disappointing 29th-place result – which greatly impacted his Chase chances and ranking.
“Pretty dumb move right there,” Larson said of Allmendinger. “I was the smarter one racing for points, lifted, could have wrecked him, but didn’t.”
Instead, it was Larson who was wrecked by Allmendinger.
“He has run me hard, but we always race pretty well, but today was flat out stupid,” Larson said.
The drivers outside the top 16 with the best chance of still sneaking into the Chase on points are Kahne (three points behind Bayne), Ryan Blaney (-8), Allmendinger (-26), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (-37) and Earnhardt (-51).
Danica Patrick adds to two NASCAR records at Watkins Glen.
By Jerry Bonkowski
(Photo/Getty Images)
On the surface, Danica Patrick had a fairly nondescript 21st-place finish in this past Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International.
Patrick potentially would have finished higher had she not been caught up in a late-race wreck on Lap 83 of the 90-lap race.
Even with her mid-pack finish, Patrick still came away from the race with a pleasant surprise.
Thanks to a strategy call by crew chief Billy Scott that put her at the front of the pack, Patrick led 11 laps (Laps 34 to 45), breaking the previous NASCAR record of seven laps led in a race by a female driver that she set at Talladega in 2014.
That latter mark surpassed the previous single-race record of five laps led by a female set by Janet Guthrie in the 1977 season finale at the now-defunct Ontario Motor Speedway.
Patrick has now led a career-high 21 laps in the first 22 races of 2016 – breaking her own NASCAR single-season record for laps led by a female driver (15) set in 2014. And with 14 races remaining, she has a chance to add to that amount.
“The race didn’t go as well as we’d hoped, but we led some laps and were able to rally back at the end to get a decent finish, considering all of the damage,” Patrick said after the race.
SOCCER: Fire fall flat in U.S. Open Cup semifinal.
Patrick potentially would have finished higher had she not been caught up in a late-race wreck on Lap 83 of the 90-lap race.
Even with her mid-pack finish, Patrick still came away from the race with a pleasant surprise.
Thanks to a strategy call by crew chief Billy Scott that put her at the front of the pack, Patrick led 11 laps (Laps 34 to 45), breaking the previous NASCAR record of seven laps led in a race by a female driver that she set at Talladega in 2014.
That latter mark surpassed the previous single-race record of five laps led by a female set by Janet Guthrie in the 1977 season finale at the now-defunct Ontario Motor Speedway.
Patrick has now led a career-high 21 laps in the first 22 races of 2016 – breaking her own NASCAR single-season record for laps led by a female driver (15) set in 2014. And with 14 races remaining, she has a chance to add to that amount.
“The race didn’t go as well as we’d hoped, but we led some laps and were able to rally back at the end to get a decent finish, considering all of the damage,” Patrick said after the race.
SOCCER: Fire fall flat in U.S. Open Cup semifinal.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Entering Tuesday's U.S. Open Cup semifinal at New England, Fire coach Veljko Paunovic said it was the 'game of the season' for his team.
If that was the case, his line may have been fitting in a way he didn't intend. The 3-1 loss to the Revolution was a microcosm of the season in a number of ways.
The Fire struggled on the road in the cup like they have on the road in Major League Soccer this season. The Fire have lost nine in a row on the road in MLS and struggled on Tuesday just like in two road defeats at Gillette Stadium in league play.
New England took the lead via a Kei Kamara penalty kick in the 16th minute. Rodrigo Ramos tripped Kelyn Rowe just inside the box with the Revolution midfielder actually going away from goal.
The Fire’s hero, even if only for a short period, was yet again David Accam. Accam scored his fifth goal of this Open Cup in four matches to tie for the golden boot race in the competition. Michael de Leeuw slid to win a loose ball in the box and direct it to Accam. From there, the Ghanaian put some moves on in the box to get free and score from close range.
However, in a fitting summation of the Fire’s year, New England regained the lead two minutes after Accam’s goal. Kei Kamara headed a corner kick towards the goal, but it was blocked. Je-Vaughn Watson nodded in the loose ball in the 42nd minute.
The loss, which was the Fire’s fourth semifinal Open Cup loss in four years, will go down as a missed opportunity for the Fire. A win would have meant hosting the final and winning the cup would have marked a significant milestone in the turnaround of the club.
Instead, the same problems that have plagued the Fire all year showed up in the loss. The Fire started slow, struggled to keep possession, created few chances and were forced to scramble defensively. The Fire’s attack came to life a bit in the second half, mostly through Accam and John Goossens, but few times did they truly challenged goalkeeper Brad Knighton. Then Teal Bunbury sealed the deal with a long-range shot that tucked inside the far corner in the 85th minute.
Accam showed some of his frustration in a harsh challenge on Rowe in the final minutes. The two then got into a bickering match with some shoves involved. Accam got sent off, with Rowe receiving a yellow card, and kicked some of the sideboards on his way out.
Experts predict the 2016-17 Premier League standings.
By Joe Prince-Wright
(Photo/Getty Images)
Over the last few weeks we have been churning out season previews — you can find them all here at PST Preview central — and we took some time to predict how the PL standings will look on May 21, 2017 after the final games of the 2016-17 season have been played.
As always, it’s tricky to stick our necks out on the line, and I’m sure you will let us have it in the comments section, but here it goes…
Predictions from our five writers have four different winners of the Premier League as there’s so little to call between the perennial giants. As for newly promoted Burnley, Hull and Middlesbrough, it’s not looking good.
Below you can see who we think will win the league, who will qualify for the Champions League (top four) and who will be relegated to the Championship (bottom three). Plus this season we have also added the predicted points tally of each team, on the right.
Bonus: Click on the teams and it will take you to their 2016-17 season preview.
Feel free to let us know your final PL standings in the comments below. Anyway, here’s our predictions…
ProSoccerTalk’s PL predictions
JPW
|
Nick Mendola
|
Kyle Bonn
|
Andy Edwards
|
Matt Reed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Man City 86 | 1. Man Utd: 76 | 1. Man Utd: 83 | 1. Liverpool: 76 | 1. Chelsea: 85 |
| 2. Man Utd: 80 | 2. Man City: 76 | 2. Man City: 82 | 2. Arsenal: 74 | 2. Man Utd: 82 |
| 3. Chelsea: 78 | 3. Spurs: 73 | 3. Arsenal: 77 | 3. Man City: 72 | 3. Spurs: 78 |
| 4. Arsenal: 77 | 4. Chelsea: 71 | 4. Spurs: 77 | 4. Chelsea: 70 | 4. Man City: 77 |
| —————– | —————– | —————– | —————– | —————– |
| 5. Spurs: 73 | 5. W. Ham: 69 | 5. Liverpool: 73 | 5. Spurs: 69 | 5. Liverpool: 72 |
| 6. Liverpool: 69 | 6. Liverpool: 64 | 6. Chelsea: 68 | 6. Man Utd: 69 | 6. Leicester: 68 |
| 7. W. Ham: 62 | 7. Arsenal: 64 | 7. W. Ham: 66 | 7. W. Ham: 65 | 7. Arsenal: 65 |
| 8. Stoke: 58 | 8. Everton: 64 | 8. Leicester: 66 | 8. Stoke: 62 | 8. W. Ham: 58 |
| 9. Everton: 55 | 9. Leicester: 57 | 9. Saints: 58 | 9. C.Palace: 55 | 9. Stoke: 55 |
| 10. Leicester: 54 | 10. Stoke: 52 | 10. C.Palace: 50 | 10. Leicester: 53 | 10. Saints: 52 |
| 11. Saints: 51 | 11. Saints: 50 | 11. B’mouth: 50 | 11. Swansea: 49 | 11. Everton: 50 |
| 12. C.Palace: 50 | 12. C.Palace: 44 | 12. Everton: 48 | 12. Saints: 48 | 12. C.Palace: 49 |
| 13. Swansea: 46 | 13. B’mouth: 43 | 13. Stoke: 47 | 13. S’land: 46 | 13. Swansea: 46 |
| 14. S’land: 45 | 14. S’land: 41 | 14. Watford: 44 | 14. Everton: 44 | 14. Watford: 46 |
| 15. Watford: 43 | 15. Swansea: 40 | 15. Boro: 41 | 15. B’mouth: 43 | 15. S’land: 43 |
| 16. B’mouth: 41 | 16. Boro: 37 | 16. Swansea: 40 | 16. Burnley: 41 | 16. B’mouth: 43 |
| 17. Burnley: 38 | 17. Burnley: 35 | 17. WBA: 38 | 17. WBA: 39 | 17. Boro: 37 |
| —————– | —————– | —————– | —————– | —————– |
| 18. Boro: 36 | 18. Watford: 32 | 18. S’land: 37 | 18. Boro: 36 | 18. Burnley: 35 |
| 19. WBA: 35 | 19. WBA: 30 | 19. Hull City: 35 | 19. Watford: 34 | 19. WBA: 31 |
| 20. Hull City: 30 | 20. Hull City: 29 | 20. Burnley: 29 | 20. Hull City: 25 | 20. Hull City: 27 |
USMNT falls in latest FIFA world rankings.
By Joe Prince-Wright
(Photo/Getty Images)
The U.S. national team rose back into the top 25 in the world for a few weeks but now they’re just outside it again.
Jurgen Klinsmann’s side slipped one spot to be joint-26th with the Netherlands in the latest batch of ranking released by FIFA on Thursday.
Following a largely successful Copa American Centenario tournament which saw the U.S. reach the semifinal stage, Klinsmann’s side rose six places from 31st.
The updated rankings show no changes in the top 10 as Argentina still lead the way with Belgium in second. Colombia is third, reigning World Cup champs Germany is fourth and reigning Cope America champs Chile is in fifth.
Below are the top 20 teams
- Argentina
- Belgium
- Colombia
- Germany
- Chile
- Portugal
- France
- Spain
- Brazil
- Italy
- Wales
- Uruguay
- England
- Mexico
- Croatia
- Poland
- Ecuador
- Switzerland
- = Turkey & Hungary
26. USA
NCAAFB: Here's what fellow coaches *really* think of Jim Harbaugh.
By Brian Manzullo
Coaches gather for a group photo Tuesday, July 26, 2016, during the Big Ten football media days in Chicago.(Photo: Joe Hermitt, Associated Press)
We already know there are some college football coaches around the nation who aren't keen on Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh.
And probably for valid reasons, considering Harbaugh's short legacy at U-M thus far has largely centered on the NCAA satellite camp saga that has ruffled plenty of feathers in the traditionally dominant SEC.
That said, we found this ESPN.com video to be particularly interesting.
A handful of college football coaches, including many from the SEC, were asked to describe Harbaugh using one word.
Some coaches went with easy answers. Clemson's Dabo Swinney called him "eccentric." South Carolina's Will Muschamp called him "classic."
But it's the body language during some of the answers that were particularly telling. Louisville's Bobby Petrino said "pass" with a blank stare. Auburn's Gus Malzahn shook his head and said "I don't have an opinion."
Florida's Jim McElwain, whose Gators were blown out 41-7 in the Citrus Bowl by the Wolverines last January, just shrugged. And Ohio State's Urban Meyer, whose Buckeyes shelled U-M 42-13 at the Big House last November, called Harbaugh "an excellent coach" with little hesitation.
We've already spoiled enough for you so, without further ado, watch the video here.
NCAABKB: What if USA Basketball’s Olympic team was all college kids?
By Rob Dauster
(Photo/Markelle Fultz, via UW Athletics)
Some people may not realize this, but the reason that the Dream Team was called the Dream Team was because it was the first time that that much basketball talent was amassed on the same roster.
Before 1992, professional basketball players were not sent to the Olympics. It was the college kids that went. But that all changed in 1992, after a team led by David Robinson, Mitch Richmond and Danny Manning took home the 1988 bronze medal. And outside of a blip more than a decade ago, the U.S. has taken back control of international basketball regardless of what the ill-informed want to tell you after the 2016 NBA Draft.
But what happens if we went back to college players? Would that team be able to compete?
Here’s the roster that we came up with to send to Rio if pros were not allowed in the Olympics. What changes would you make? And is there any chance that this team would medal?
HEAD COACH: Mike Krzyzewski, Duke: Coach K is the guy that’s turned around the USA Basketball program in the last decade. Why wouldn’t we leave him in charge, especially when the roster that he brings with him to the Olympics is going to feature a handful of his players?
Markelle Fultz, Washington: Fultz is an amazing story. The 6-foot-4 point guard went from being on DeMatha’s junior varsity as a sophomore to the potential No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He’s got size, athleticism and three-point range, but he also has a tremendous understanding of how to change speeds to get to the rim. Starting a freshman at the point guard spot is super-risky in an event like this, but if Fultz really is that dude — as many bright minds in the basketball community believe that he is — then he should be just fine.
Grayson Allen, Duke: As hard as it would be for some Americans to wrap their head around rooting for Allen, he’s probably the most qualified player in the country to find a spot on this roster. A potential first round pick last season, Allen averaged 21.6 points, 4.6 boards and 3.5 assists while shooting 41.7 percent from three for the Blue Devils as a sophomore. He can spread the floor with his ability to shoot, he can attack defenders off the dribble and he’s athletic and strong enough that he won’t be totally overpowered by older opponents.
Josh Hart, Villanova: Hart is in line for a monster senior season. He averaged 22 points as the Wildcats went 3-0 against Spanish competition on their foreign tour just weeks after he was one of the best players on the floor at the Nike Skills Academy. His jumper is ugly but it goes in enough that it has to be respected, and he’s as tough and as physical as any small forward you’ll find. He’ll let K play smaller because of his ability to compete on the glass. I’m not sure he’ll end up being a great pro, but I do think he’d be a perfect fit on this team.
Josh Jackson, Kansas: Jackson is Andrew Wiggins, only with a little more dog in him. Wiggins, as a rookie in the NBA, averaged 16.9 points. Jackson should be just fine in this setting. What will be interesting, however, is how effective he could be playing at the four. The thing that makes Jackson so dangerous in this role is that he’ll compete hard and he happens to be an excellent rebounder for his size. With him and Hart at the forward spots, Team USA would become hard to guard while still being able to hold their own on the defensive glass.
Thomas Bryant, Indiana: Where as it was difficult for us to make decisions on which guards and wings to cut, deciding which front court players to pick was by far the most difficult. None of the big men in college are going to be good enough to hold their own against the grown men that have played professionally for a decade populating the other rosters. Bryant gets the start for three reasons: He can block shots, he can make FIBA threes and he’ll play his tail off, even if he still is very much a work in progress when it comes to learning how to play.
BENCH
- Monte’ Morris, Iowa State: Veteran leadership off the bench. Morris is not going to make mistakes but he’s talented enough to have a positive impact on a game. Made it over Frank Mason.
- Dennis Smith Jr., N.C. State: After Smith’s performance at Adidas Nations earlier this month, our fears about his ACL recovery have been assuaged. He’s a big, dynamic point guard with the chance to be a terrific defender. He was long considered the best point guard in a 2016 recruiting class that is loaded at that position, and if it wasn’t for an ACL tear and Fultz becoming a sensation, he probably still would be.
- Jayson Tatum, Duke: Tatum is a smooth 6-foot-9 wing that has experience in international competitions already. He can basically fill the same position as a Josh Hart or a Josh Jackson, but he’s better than either of them on the offensive end of the floor at this point.
- V.J. Beachem, Notre Dame: Beachem’s name may look weird on this list, but it’ll make more sense as the season progresses and we see what he can do with opportunity. He’s an athletic, 6-foot-8 senior wing that is a sniper from distance.
- Jaron Blossomgame, Clemson: Blossomgame made the cut for us over Nigel Hayes and Malcolm Hill as a combo-forward off the bench. He’s the best athlete and defender of the three and he shot it the best from three last season. He’ll gladly play a role as well.
- Harry Giles III, Duke: At full health, Giles would probably be a starter for this team. But coming off of surgery for a torn ACL, something he needed in both knees as a high schooler, it’s hard to know just how ready he’d be at this point. His versatility allows this group to play big by putting him at the four or to go with a small-ball lineup with him at the five.
- Austin Nichols, Virginia: I think Nichols is in line for an all-American season. A former five-star recruit, he averaged 13.3 points, 6.7 boards and 3.4 blocks as a sophomore for Memphis before spending a year redshirting at Virginia, where Tony Bennett drilled into his head how to be fundamentally elite. He boards, he blocks shots, he scores in the post and he’s old. He’s a great rotation big for this situation.
OLYMPICS: Medals Count (08/12/2016).
| Rank | NOC | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States (USA) | 16 | 12 | 10 | 38 |
| 2 |  China (CHN) | 11 | 8 | 11 | 30 |
| 3 |  Japan (JPN) | 7 | 2 | 13 | 22 |
| 4 |  Australia (AUS) | 5 | 4 | 6 | 15 |
| 5 |  South Korea (KOR) | 5 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| 6 |  Hungary (HUN) | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 7 |  Russia (RUS) | 4 | 8 | 7 | 19 |
| 8 |  Great Britain (GBR) | 4 | 6 | 6 | 16 |
| 9 |  Germany (GER) | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| 10 |  Italy (ITA) | 3 | 6 | 3 | 12 |
| 11 |  France (FRA) | 2 | 4 | 5 | 11 |
| 12 |  Kazakhstan (KAZ) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 13 |  Thailand (THA) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 14 |  Spain (ESP) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
 Switzerland (SUI) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
| 16 |  Croatia (CRO) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 17 |  New Zealand (NZL) | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 18 |  Netherlands (NED) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 19 |  Sweden (SWE) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 20 |  Canada (CAN) | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 21 |  Belgium (BEL) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
 Brazil (BRA)* | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
 Slovenia (SLO) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| 24 |  Colombia (COL) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
 Slovakia (SVK) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
 Vietnam (VIE) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 27 |  Chinese Taipei (TPE) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
 Poland (POL) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |
| 29 |  Czech Republic (CZE) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
 Greece (GRE) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| 31 |  Argentina (ARG) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 Fiji (FIJ) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Kosovo (KOS) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Romania (ROU) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 36 |  South Africa (RSA) | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 37 |  North Korea (PRK) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 38 |  Ukraine (UKR) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 39 |  Azerbaijan (AZE) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
 Denmark (DEN) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
 Indonesia (INA) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 42 |  Georgia (GEO) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Lithuania (LTU) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 44 |  Malaysia (MAS) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Mongolia (MGL) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Philippines (PHI) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Turkey (TUR) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 48 |  Egypt (EGY) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
 Uzbekistan (UZB) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 50 |  Estonia (EST) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Israel (ISR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Kyrgyzstan (KGZ) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Norway (NOR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Portugal (POR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Tunisia (TUN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 United Arab Emirates (UAE) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total (56 NOCs) | 95 | 93 | 107 | 295 | |
OLYMPICS: Summer Sanders gets emotional discussing Simone Manuel’s historic gold medal.
Michael Phelps may have captured his 22nd gold medal Thursday, but the night’s most historic moment came later, when Simone Manuel touched the wall tied-for-first at the end of the 100-meter freestyle.
Manuel’s win made her the first African-American woman to ever win gold in an individual swimming event, and she immediately burst into tears upon realizing her accomplishment.
The significance was also not lost on four-time Olympic medalist Summer Sanders. When discussing the race, Sanders, who competed in two Olympics and is covering her seventh Games as an reporter and analyst, began to break down in tears.
“How special that must be for her, for her family and for so many young kids who think that this sport isn’t for them,” Sanders said. “And it absolutely is. So huge, huge moment.”
Sanders also relayed a message to Manuel, who attends Sanders’ alma matter Stanford University.
“I could not be more proud to know you and to have witnessed that,” she said. So enjoy every moment.”
By Alan Baldwin
The U.S. were the defending champions but only veteran Allison Schmitt, who swam the leadoff leg in Rio, was in the race lineup from that London 2012 golden quartet that also beat Australia into second place.
Leah Smith and Maya DiRado swam second and third respectively before Ledecky, who won the 400 freestyle on Sunday and 200 free on Tuesday, brought home the gold with a typically powerful swim from behind.
Franklin, who won four golds in London four years ago but suffered a dramatic loss of form at the U.S. trials, swam in the heats and collected a gold for doing so despite being dropped for the final.
So too did Melanie Margali and Cierra Runge.
"It's such a great honour to be a part of a USA relay team," said Ledecky, still only 19 but the outstanding female swimmer on the U.S. team.
"I think I was prepared for any circumstance, whether we were ahead or behind. I just knew that these three girls were going to put me in a good position to finish it out and I knew I could do it," she added.
"It's so easy to get up and swim fast when you're swimming for three other people."
China led at the start before Australia, with Emma McKeon swimming the second leg, handed over in the lead to Bronte Barratt.
With DiRado closing in on Barratt but still behind, Ledecky had work to do and she went about it with a vengeance to take the lead with just over 100 metres to go and then powering home in seven minutes, 43.03 seconds.
Tamsin Cook touched out for Australia in 7:44.87 and Canada's anchor Penny Oleksiak finished close behind in 7:45.39 with China fourth.
DiRado's gold completed her set, having already earned a silver and bronze in the two women's individual medleys.
"I was so excited to get the call up today to be on this relay," said DiRado.
"It was a dream to be on a U.S. relay and to win gold. I'm just so happy I didn't mess it up and I gave Katie a chance.
"We've got the rainbow now," she added. "It feels really good."
The race may have been Schmitt's last swim but she was not ready to confirm anything.
"I am grateful for where I am right now, to be able to stand up there and hear our national anthem is something I am definitely soaking in," she said.
"I think my emotions are so high right now that I just want to soak that in and figure out the rest later."
Michael Phelps broke a 2,168-year-old Olympic record.
Michael Phelps won his 22nd gold medal on Thursday, extending his record for the most golds of any Olympian ever. On Tuesday, his win in the 200 meter butterfly made him the first person to win individual swimming gold in Olympic games 12 years apart. He also became the oldest man to win individual swimming gold, breaking a 96-year-old record set by Hawaiian surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku in 1920.
But there is an even older record Phelps set when he claimed his 13th individual gold by winning his fourth 200m IM on Thursday.
Typically our oldest sports records are at most 75 or 100 years old, so it's absolutely wild to think of a sports record that spans millennia. But if we consider today's modern Olympics to be an extension of the ancient games held in Greece, Phelps has now set a record.
When Phelps' won the 200m IM he claimed his 13th individual gold medal. By far the record for the modern games -- early 20th century American track-and-field star Ray Ewry is next with eight. But Leonidas won 12 titles in the second century B.C. A renowned runner, Leonidas won three events -- the stadion, a sprint; the diaulos, a longer run; the hoplitodromos, a run performed while wearing armor -- in four straight Olympiads. He is believed to have won more Olympic titles than anybody at the ancient Olympic games. .
If we're being technical, Phelps is far ahead in the record for most gold medals -- they didn't give out gold medals at the ancient Olympics, instead giving athletes a crown of olive leaves. He passed Leonidas for most Olympic titles (medals or wreaths) with his win Thursday in the 200-meter individual medley.
Hopefully Leonidas enjoyed his 2,000 years on top. Here's to the robot sports bloggers of the year 4,184 putting up a post about how Olympic blernsball champion Lord Glorpnax the Destroyer has tied a record from an ancient swimming man named "Michael Phelps."
Simone Biles is the greatest gymnast, but Aly Raisman was unforgettable in Rio, too.
By Lauren Hopkins
Simone Biles cemented herself as the greatest gymnast of all time with her all-around win in Rio on Thursday.
Undefeated since she placed second behind 2012 Olympian Kyla Ross at a friendly meet in Germany three years ago, 19-year-old Biles has dominated domestic and international competition, becoming a 10-time world champion in just three years. With three straight world all-around titles in a row, her Olympic victory gives her the distinction of being the only woman to win every major international competition in a single Olympic quadrennium, the "grand slam" of gymnastics.
It’s almost becoming difficult to talk about Biles because there simply aren’t enough superlatives to describe her. Always a fall or two ahead of her competition, Biles could sleepwalk through her routines and still win.
But the thing about Biles is that she fights even though she doesn’t really need to. The reason she is so dominant is because she goes after every last 10th even though she doesn’t need to.
Biles won nationals by a four-point margin with eight hit routines over a two-day period, but because her beam on the second day had some uncharacteristic wobbles, Biles wasn’t happy. When she’s not doing her best, it doesn’t matter if she gets gold. There’s always something to fix, always something to work on.
Perfection is what Biles chases, and she came as close to it as ever today. With no major mistakes on any of her four apparatuses, Biles sailed to her win with a score of 62.198, a whopping 2.1 points over silver medalist Aly Raisman. The deduction for a fall in gymnastics is a point, so Biles technically could’ve fallen twice and walked away with gold. Again, domination.
It wasn’t a crushing defeat for Raisman, however. Earlier this year, Raisman said that with Biles around, coming second is basically like winning the meet, and in Rio de Janeiro the biggest battle was for the silver medal.
Up against competitive rival Aliya Mustafina of Russia — whom she tied for third place in London four years ago but then ended up in fourth and off the podium due to a tiebreaker decision — Raisman had unfinished business to take care of, and it wasn’t going to be easy. Though she qualified sixth into the all-around with a fall on beam, Mustafina led her team to an unexpected silver medal on Tuesday, putting up four solid routines to prove just how good she is when she’s on. If anyone could threaten Raisman’s quest, Mustafina was it.
Raisman, 22, took a leave of absence from the sport following the 2012 Olympic Games and then in 2014 made the decision to come back solely to go after the one medal that eluded her in London.
First, however, she had to make the U.S. team, a nearly impossible task given the country’s tremendous depth. The last women to earn spots on back-to-back Olympic teams were Amy Chow and Dominique Dawes, who contributed to the 2000 squad after winning gold four years earlier. All attempts since then have been unsuccessful, including 2008 Olympic all-around gold medalist Nastia Liukin’s own push in 2012.
But Raisman threw herself back into training and, despite a few bumpy performances at world championships last year, showed up this summer looking physically and mentally stronger than she did in her first attempt at 18. She asserted herself as a lock for this Olympic team and defeated reigning Olympic champion Gabby Douglas in the all-around qualification on Sunday by less than half a point to earn one of the two U.S. berths in the final.
Thursday afternoon, after a large step forward on her vault and laboring through a bars set that’s always been her Achilles’ heel, Raisman was behind Mustafina after the first two rotations, causing some to wonder if she would again come up behind the Russian. She quickly made up ground with some of her best performances ever on both beam and floor, however, sticking her final pass to finish with a bang before bursting into tears.
Raisman knew the silver was hers. Mustafina, who stuck her vault and performed one of her typically flawless bars sets, missed a required element on beam to take a huge hit there before finishing on floor, her weakest event. Going into the final rotation, all Raisman had to do was hit and the silver would be hers. But the 2012 Olympic floor champion isn’t content with "just hitting" and instead gave a tour de force performance that brought the arena to its feet.
In an instant, the past four years spent wondering "if only I hadn’t taken a step here or wobbled there" disappeared. Raisman was officially an Olympic all-around medalist and could spend the final moments of what is likely her last all-around competition cheering on her teammate Biles, who also finished up her day with brilliant work on floor.
For the second time in Olympic history, two U.S. women topped the all-around podium. During the victory ceremony, "The Star-Spangled Banner" officially played for Biles today, but the celebration was as much for Raisman as it was for her GOAT-status teammate.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, August 12, 2016.
emoriesofhistory.com
1879 - The first National Archery Association tournament took place in Chicago, IL.
1964 - Mickey Mantle set a major league baseball record when he hit home runs from both the left and ride sides of the plate in the same game.
1969 - The Boston Celtics were sold for $6 million. To date it was the highest price paid for a pro basketball team.
1973 - Jack Nicklaus won his 14th major golf title. The win broke the record that had been held by Bobby Jones for 50 years.
1986 - Rod Carew became the first player in the history of the California Angels franchise to have his uniform (#29) retired.
1994 - Major league baseball players went on strike rather than allow team owners to limit their salaries. The strike lasted for 232 days. As a result, the World Series was wiped out for the first time in 90 years.
*****************************************************************
Please let us hear your opinion on the above articles and pass them on to any other diehard fans that you think might be interested. But most of all, remember, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica wants you.
No comments:
Post a Comment