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"Sports Quote of the Day"

"High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation." ~ Charles Kettering, Inventor, Engineer and Businessman 

Trending: Grading Ryan Pace, (Bears GM). (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).

(Photo/www.newslocker.com)

Trending: With season's final month looming, Cubs will apply lessons learned from 2015 playoff run. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).

Trending: NCAAFB: CFT Previews: The Big Ten. (See the college football section for NCAA football updates).

Trending: Tim Tebow steers himself into hands of his critics, but why? (See the last article on this blog for Tim Tebow's baseball audition).

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

                                                     
                                                        Cubs 2016 Record: 84-47

White Sox 2016 Record: 63-68

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

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Grading Ryan Pace, (Bears GM).

By Josh Sunderbruch

Does Pace have what it takes? - (Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports)

Does the sophomore general manager really have what it takes to get the Bears back on course?

Dropping to 0-3 in the preseason is not much cause for concern, on its own. The problem is that Bears fans do not have a lot reason to think that this team is going to magically become something more once the games start to count. These losses have been more than disheartening. They've continued a trend.

The 2010 season marked the last time the Chicago Bears made the playoffs. In fact, twenty-two teams in the NFL have been to the post-season more recently than the Bears, including every team in the NFC North. That sort of drought is going to make any fanbase anxious. It is fair for fans to wonder if the team has the right leadership. After the disaster that was the last front office, this community has been filled with discussion about whether or not Pace is doing a good job, and whether or not he's making the right decisions.

The real evidence will be in the team's play on the field, of course, and so it's time to consider what sort of evidence might be used to evaluate Pace's job performance so far. Let's begin by looking at what does not provide meaningful evidence of Pace's ability.

First, Pace cannot reasonably be judged on how the rest of the NFC North does. Imagine for the moment that two other teams in the NFC North manage to go 13-3, but that the Bears win the four games they have against those teams (please note that this is a thought exercise, not an indication that I think this scenario is likely). This would not be Pace's fault.

He has no control over the rest of the division, except insofar as the other teams in the division play the Bears twice apiece. How well the Packers or the Lions play does not tell us whether or not Pace is the right general manager to take the Bears through their rebuild.

Second, if we are being reasonable, we will not judge Pace on how former Bears perform on other teams. This is tough for me to admit, because I continue to question the decision to let Forte walk without so much as an offer. However, even if Forte lights it up in New York, that is not an indication that he would have done the same here. If Bennett—in New England, with Brady passing him the ball and Belichick running the team—has a great year, that doesn't tell me very much about how he would have done in Navy and Orange. I am not saying that we cannot evaluate Pace on whether or not one of his moves left a glaring need somewhere. However, I am saying that if Jimmy Clausen somehow rehabilitates his career in Arizona, that doesn't mean Pace made some sort of error in letting him go.

Finally, Pace is not fully responsible for the quarterback situation. Until Saturday, I had this split into two categories, one on either side. I felt that it would be fair to judge Pace by the quality of backups he put in place, because building a complete roster is his responsibility, and because any competent GM would expect Cutler to spend some time out of the game. However, I now feel like I have to give Pace a pass on this one. He had what was at the very least a competent starter signed when he got here, and this offseason he found a veteran backup to provide relief and a developing player to add depth. In my other life I'm a teacher, and I'd have to give Pace an Incomplete grade on his quarterback management—there's just too much we won't be able to tell about his judgment on this one.

So, if I don't think that those are fair ways to judge Pace, what will I be looking at?

First, the offensive line. Pace has brought in players and let other players go. He invested in Bobby Massie and he has spent two of his top six draft picks on the offensive line. This was clearly one of his priorities. Injuries and retirements have weakened the corps he was trying to build, but if the team doesn't have at least an adequate offensive line this season, I will have some real concerns about Pace's ability to work the tools available to him.

Second, I want to see the run defense improve. Pace adopted a seemingly wise strategy of bringing in multiple players for moderate salaries as a means of improving the team (as opposed to trying to land a super star). Two of those players were Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan. He brought in Akiem Hicks. These seem like good moves. However, if teams continue to run on the Bears at will, then it will be a sign that something has gone wrong with the rebuild.

Most importantly, I am going to be looking at last year's draft class. I am not a believer in Kevin White. I didn't think he was worth the #7 pick in the draft, and nothing from this preseason has me thinking that I was wrong in that assessment. The draft capital invested in White is equal to the value of Leonard Floyd and a late third-rounder put together. White lost a year, but I need to see something from him that tells me I'm wrong about him. He does not need to be the second coming of Calvin Johnson. He does need to show the sort of flash that a first-year wide receiver is capable of putting out there. However, a draft is more than the first-round selection. Eddie Goldman, Jeremy Langford, and Adrian Amos will all be in the second year of their careers. If these players don't step up, then I will begin to really question whether or not Pace can put this team back into contention.

Amid 0-3 preseason carnage, Bears believe one positive can be building block.   

By John Mullin

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

With the No. 1 units in all three phases generally done for the 2016 preseason, one of the few stats that coaches and teams focus on can be analyzed for a Bears team that doesn’t have a lot of numerical results worth noting.

Through three preseason losses the Bears curiously have a plus-1 turnover ratio, taking the ball away from opponents. Through three games last year the Bears stood at plus-6 after a 2-1 point of a preseason in which coach John Fox sought to change a losing culture with an aggressive preseason approach.

Why this matters in a preseason of failures is this: Of the 15 teams with negative turnover totals, only one had a winning record. Not that a positive preseason means regular-season success, as the Bears demonstrated last year.

But while the Bears offense has done precious little with the football when it’s had it, at least it is not giving it to opponents. Brian Hoyer has thrown the only two interceptions in 96 throws by Bears quarterbacks, a rate of 2.1 percent.

The defense has been without starting cornerback Kyle Fuller and No. 1 nickel corner Bryce Callahan for the past two games, and top corner Tracy Porter for game one and part of game three, the latter because of a concussion.

Still, members of the defense, which has produced two interceptions and two fumble recoveries through three games, have noticed a difference this year from last year’s first in a 3-4 base defense.

“Faster, that’s the main thing,” said defensive tackle Will Sutton. “A year under my belt in the system, you’re not thinking as much because you should know the plays. I can play a lot faster because I know how the blocks are being made against this type of defense, for instance.”

The results have not yet been reflected in points, yardage or wins. But within the defense, players believe that team speed has been increased along with reaction speed, breaks on the ball and other elements that go into producing takeaways.

“Absolutely,” said linebacker Willie Young. “We’ve got a couple more guys who are more familiar with the scheme this year, including myself and [linebacker Lamarr] Houston, who obviously got off to a slow start last year.

“But we do have a lot more guys in position who are more familiar with the defensive scheme. So it allows you to fill a bit faster, a little more confidence.”

Injuries figure into Bears most recent roster cuts.

By John Mullin

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Health issues ran through the Bears’ most recent roster cuts that brought the player total to its required 75 by Tuesday.

Center Hroniss Grasu (knee) and quarterback Connor Shaw (leg) were played on injured reserve. Linebacker Roy Robertson-Harris, ill for much of training camp and forced to leave practice early Monday with sickness, was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list; and linebacker Lamin Barrow was waived/injured.

Notre Dame linebacker Jarrett Grace also was waived.

The Bears must cut down to 53 players by Sunday night.

Injury clouds may be disappearing over (some) Bears.

By John Mullin

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The daily litany of injuries and practice limitations through training camp and to this point of preseason have been stories. But they typically do not take on real significance until about this time of the football year, when teams swing onto final approach for their first regular-season game.

Against that backdrop, the Bears’ injury forecast was trending the right direction on Monday when No. 1 tight end Zach Miller and No. 1 nickel receiver Eddie Royal, both out for extended periods going through the team’s concussion protocol, were practicing without the don’t-hit-me red practice jerseys they were in as recently as last week.

Right guard Kyle Long, down with a shoulder injury since the New England game, was not in practice pads Monday but trotted over to a nearby goalpost at one point during practice, got into his stance and delivered a couple of linemen “punches” to the padding.

All three are vital components of a struggling offense in desperate need of impact players at any position.

Rookie linebacker Leonard Floyd, held out of the Kansas City game on Saturday with hamstring soreness, was in uniform as well. Cornerback Kyle Fuller, who had knee surgery two weeks ago, was out running laps around the practice field, although he remains a longshot to be active for the Sept. 11 opener in Houston.

The situation was less encouraging for linebacker Pernell McPhee, who continues to do only controlled running and cutting along the sidelines as he works back from knee surgery in January. Chances of his return for the start of the regular season appear next to nil.

“We’ve got some avenues that we’re going to have to decide here as we cut down [the roster] to the 53 and some time from now, so I don’t like making those decisions now,” said coach John Fox. “But we’ll continue to evaluate him. There are options. He did start [training camp] on PUP [physically unable to perform]. We have a lot of options and we’ll do what’s best for us and him.”

The team has kept details of McPhee’s procedure and injury in-house. But teammate Willie Young, whose 2014 season ended with an Achilles injury of his own, offered a perspective that hinted at how serious McPhee’s injury may have been.

“It’s a credit to him, because to bounce back from any what used to be career-ending injuries is a challenge,” Young said, adding, “but he’s on course, I would say.”

Bears Depth Chart update now reflects 75-man roster.

By Ken Mitchell

Daniel Braverman tackled after picking up yardage - (Photo/Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports)

For what it's worth, the Bears have updated their depth chart...

The Chicago Bears have released the latest version of their official "Unofficial" depth chart.

The "latest" version of the chart is now available at the team's website:

Chicago Bears - Preseason Depth chart - August 30, 2016 - Click here! - Chart follows the roster moves to get down to down to the August 30 75 man roster limit.

Both Pernell McPhee and Marquess Wilson are listed on the chart although both are on the PUP list, and have not practiced at all in this preseason. McPhee is listed as the starter, but there is growing concern that he will end up on the PUP list once the season starts. Kyle Fuller is also listed as a starter, even as he recovers from recent knee surgery.

There is much debate as to whether preseason depth charts have any value whatever, but since the team issues it, we cover it.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks drop to No. 20 on ESPN's NHL farm system rankings.

By Satchel Price

(Photo/Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Chicago has the 20th-best farm system in the NHL according to ESPN's latest rankings.

The Chicago Blackhawks are ranked No. 20 on the new NHL farm system rankings published by ESPN's Corey Pronman on Monday. It's a four-spot drop from a year ago, when a group led by Artemi Panarin was ranked No. 16 among the 30 NHL teams.

This time around, Pronman offers praise for Chicago's high-end prospects, but notes that the team's depth hasn't held up over the years. With prospects being traded out, a lack of first-round picks and some disappointing progress from certain players, the Hawks have become a much more top-heavy system in 2016.

Luckily, that top four of Alex DeBrincat, Gustav Forsling, Ville Pokka and Nick Schmaltz is pretty solid. But as Pronman notes, there are real question marks about how deep this organization will be a couple years down the line if some mid-tier guys don't step up:

The last few years, I've made mention of the Chicago system lacking a ton of high-end talent but being quite deep in solid talent. I look at the Chicago system and ponder who is trending up, and the answer is there hasn't been a ton of guys who really shot up last season. The situation looks a lot different here than a few years ago, with a clear top echelon that includes the top four prospects in the system (Alex DeBrincat, Gustav Forsling, Ville Pokka and Nick Schmaltz), some decent depth in their AHL ranks and then question marks after that.

Considering the Hawks' circumstances as a win-now team, it's not too bad to be No. 20, especially when that ranking results from your best prospects. Generally speaking, I'd rather have a few elite guys who might become stars than a deeper system full of potential role player. And in this case, there's reason to be optimistic that guys like Artur Kayumov, Chad Krys and Lucas Carlsson will help fill things out down the line.

We're getting close to the Top 10 in our prospect rankings for the Blackhawks, too, so it'll be interesting to see how those respective lists compare. Pronman is obviously one of the best experts out there, and his reports greatly inform how I've organized my rankings. It appears the top of our lists will look similar -- aside from a certain guy who qualifies for our list but not Pronman's -- but it's clear the Hawks could use a really good year from their prospects to get back into the upper crust of the league rankings.

CUBS: Cy Young candidate Kyle Hendricks destroys another NL lineup as Cubs top Pirates.   

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

No, Kyle Hendricks didn’t plan to quietly nudge his way into the Cy Young Award conversation when he outlined his goals for 2016. But here he is, leading the majors with a 2.09 ERA while the Cubs watch their nominal fifth starter transform into a dominant pitcher who should be at or near the front of a playoff rotation.

“I had my sights set a little lower,” Hendricks admitted. “I’m just taking it in stride.”

Hendricks continued his systematic destruction of National League lineups on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field, shutting down the Pittsburgh Pirates during a 3-0 victory as the Cubs continued their march toward a division title and what they expect will be a deep run into October.

The magic number to clinch the NL Central is 18 after Hendricks crafted seven scoreless innings against a dangerous Pittsburgh lineup, not allowing a Pirate to go past second base while working efficiently (99 pitches, 61 strikes) during a clean game that lasted only two hours and 36 minutes.

On the one-year anniversary of Jake Arrieta’s no-hitter/onesie press conference at Dodger Stadium, Hendricks didn’t allow a hit until Gregory Polanco’s soft single to center field leading off the fifth inning. Hendricks (13-7) has entered his own zone — where he’s confident enough to throw whatever he wants whenever he wants — the way Arrieta did during last year’s Cy Young campaign.

“It’s just a different method,” manager Joe Maddon said. “Jake was a little bit more power — obvious power — but (Kyle’s) got a power changeup. (And) Jake had this freaky movement (on his fastball) — and so does Kyle. It’s just maybe not as hard but still equally effective. Give him credit. Stop looking at the gun. This guy’s really good.”

The radar readings don’t matter as much when Hendricks can pinpoint two- and four-seam fastballs while dropping curveballs that play off his changeup, neutralizing hitters to the point where entire opposing lineups become very-good-hitting pitchers (.205 average/.581 OPS).

When Hendricks is on, Miguel Montero describes his job as putting down fingers and catching the ball.

“It’s all about location,” Montero said. “Nowadays, everybody’s just trying to overpower everybody (else) and they forget about the secondary stuff.

“He knows he doesn’t throw as hard, but he locates his fastball. He locates his secondary stuff and he works the edges. He worked the corners, and that’s actually even harder to hit than 97 (mph) down the middle. Even if you know the fastball’s coming, or the changeup’s coming, (when he executes the) pitch, you can’t do much with it.”

The Cubs (84-47) gave Hendricks — a pitcher already working with an understated confidence and a belief in his scouting reports — an early lead when Anthony Rizzo slammed a Chad Kuhl fastball off the small video panel above the right-field wall for a two-run homer in the first inning.

Whether or not Rizzo can catch up to Kris Bryant in the MVP race, Hendricks has to be among the leading Cy Young candidates, given his metrics (0.98 WHIP), remarkable consistency (18 straight starts with three earned runs or less) and strong August push (4-0 with a 1.28 ERA in six starts).

Hendricks has done it at home (9-1 with a 1.21 ERA through 14 games at Wrigley Field) and helped preserve the bullpen (3-0 with a 0.79 ERA in three starts following an extra-inning game the day before).

“It’s amazing how he does it,” Rizzo said. “He’s not the guy who’s getting away with plus-plus stuff. He’s just executing his game plan. He knows how to attack hitters. He studies hitters. And he went to Dartmouth and has a really good education, so he out-tricks guys.”

But this is much more than just a hot streak or a run of good matchups. Hendricks now ranks fifth in career ERA (2.96) among all active pitchers with at least 70 starts, trailing only Jose Fernandez, Jacob deGrom, Chris Sale and Madison Bumgarner.

Not that Hendricks is wondering about whether or not he will start Game 1 in the playoffs or where he will finish in the Cy Young voting compared to big-money aces like Max Scherzer.

“You can’t look that far in the future in this game, because it will come up and bite you,” Hendricks said. “I’m definitely a different pitcher than a lot of those guys. But, again, getting noticed, that kind of stuff, I’m just out there trying to pitch my game.”

Never say die: Cubs battle back for wild walk-off win over Pirates. (Monday night's game, 08/29/2016).

By Tony Andracki

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

It would have been so easy for the Cubs to just chalk this one up as a loss and head home.

But this 2016 Cubs team isn't built that way.

They showed what they're made of again Monday, walking off the Pirates, 8-7, in front of 38,951 fans at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs had plenty of chances to score all game, including in extra innings as Javy Baez was thrown out at home plate to end both the 10th and 12th innings.

In the top of the 13th, the Pirates finally broke through, loading the bases with nobody out against Rob Zastryzny and scoring a run — but only one run.

In the bottom of the 13th, the Cubs got their offense going again as Dexter Fowler and Kris Bryant led the inning off with singles to put runners at the corners. Anthony Rizzo then singled through the infield to tie the game and drive home Fowler.

Ben Zobrist was intentionally walked to load the bases with nobody out, setting the stage for Miguel Montero's walk-off single to start the Cubs' homestand off on a positive note and send Zastryzny home with his first MLB victory.

It capped off a game in which almost 465 pitches were thrown and took more than five hours to complete.

"We got in late last night," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "I got back about 3 a.m. So these guys — they're coming off West Coast to the Central Time Zone, they're tired, we had to show up today early for a picture — that happens sometimes — and they came out and played until Midnight.

"Of course you want to win that game. That's a tough game to lose. But understand the effort that you saw tonight based on a lot of fatigue. And that's probably what I'm most proud of."

The Cubs opened up a 3-0 lead on Pirates rookie starter Steven Brault early, but they could have easily had more, narrowly missing home runs in the first (Zobrist) and third innings (Jorge Soler).

The Pirates, meanwhile, came roaring back against Jake Arrieta. 

First, Josh Bell hit a solo homer just over the basket in left field in the fourth inning. Then Gregory Polanco deposited a three-run shot down the left-field line in the sixth inning, two batters after it appeared the Cubs had gotten a strike-'em-out, throw-'em-out double play. Home plate umpire Tripp Gibson disagreed, calling the pitch Ball 4 to Bell and putting two runners on with nobody out instead of two outs and nobody on. Arrieta was irate, staring down the umpire and prompting a visit from Maddon, who proceeded to get in Gibson's face at the base of the mound after calming down Arrieta.

"That's an entirely different baseball game right there that occurred on that particular pitch," Maddon said. "Everything turned on that particular pitch.

"But I'm not gonna denigrate the umpire. We had plenty of opportunities — PLENTY — to win that game in a normal fashion or earlier. We had so many great at-bats to set it up and then we could not seal the deal."

Arrieta was also saddled with a pair of runs in the seventh inning, with Travis Wood letting two inherited runners score on Josh Harrison's two-out double to make it a 6-3 Pirates lead.

The reigning NL Cy Young winner finished with a tough-luck line that flashed six earned runs in 6 1/3 innings on five hits and three walks.

Then the Cubs began their comeback.

In the eighth, Jason Heyward doubled and Willson Contreras homered to straightaway center.

With one out in the ninth, Soler sent a charge into Tony Watson's offering to tie the game with a blast to center.

That set up Montero for the storybook ending.

"The resiliency of our team is incredible," Arrieta said. "That's what you need down the stretch. ... Just a crazy ballgame all the way around."

With season's final month looming, Cubs will apply lessons learned from 2015 playoff run.   

By Tony Andracki

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

What a difference a year makes.

Last season, the Cubs put the pedal to the metal in advance of a four-game series with the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field in August and never looked back until they ran into the brick wall that was the New York Mets in the NLCS.

This season, with another four-game set with the Giants at the "Friendly Confines" on tap this week, the Cubs are in a completely different position.

There is no need for Joe Maddon to step on the gas and floor it into the postseason.

The Cubs entered play Monday 14 games up in the NL Central and they've already started counting down their magic number before the calendar has even flipped to September.

This year, it's going to be about rest and keeping guys sharp and fresh entering October, which the Cubs learned is key after last season.

Right now, the Cubs don't need to lean on Jake Arrieta to come close to a complete game each time out or utilize relievers on three straight nights in tight ballgames.

"I think our guys understand where we're at and it's going to be important to get where we want to go to be at their best," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said Monday at Wrigley. "Last year's stretch and playoffs especially was instructive.

"I think we pushed guys hard during the year and it'd be nice for them to be at their absolute best during the most important time of year down the stretch and hopefully into October."

The Cubs also have some reinforcements on the way with rosters expanding to 40 players Thursday.

Tommy La Stella continues to work out in the minor leagues and Epstein acknowledged Monday the left-handed role player could be back in Chicago as soon as this week.

"The guys coming up will get some playing time," Maddon said. "I've always talked about in a bad game or even in a really good game, to get guys off their feet, that's important.

"Whoever we're going to bring up right now, they're going to be pertinent people that are going to help us win also right now."

Hector Rondon (triceps) and Pedro Strop (knee) are progressing "really well," Maddon said, with Rondon nearing a return while Strop threw in Chicago during the Cubs' recent road trip and reported no issues. 

"We're just trying to really play it smart, not push them to come back too quickly," Maddon said. "But they're both making great progress."

John Lackey (strained shoulder) is slated to throw a pair of bullpens this week and could return from the disabled list on the current homestand if all goes well.

When Lackey does come back, the Cubs could keep Mike Montgomery as a starter and go with a six-man rotation to keep everybody fresher down the stretch.

With all the rest in mind, Maddon isn't worried about his players getting rusty or losing their edge at all.

Maddon admitted he's never been in a position like this where the Cubs are close to locking up a playoff spot and still have a month to play. But he compared the idea of taking the foot off the gas to the same way teams handle pitchers at the end of spring training before the regular season starts.

"You're trying to conserve their moments for the most important time of the year," Maddon said. "Regardless of any kind of pushback you might get from the players themselves, I still think you can do it and control it and not worry about the rust component.

"I think by this time of year, rest in a more intelligent manner - limiting innings or number of pitches thrown - I don't think that's going to cause a negative downturn in their abilities by the end of September."

Of course, just because the Cubs are prioritizing rest doesn't mean they're going to take their foot off the gas completely.

Epstein, Lackey and Jon Lester saw firsthand how quickly a large lead can evaporate with the 2011 Boston Red Sox.

"I think once you go through a year in which you have a double digit lead right before Labor Day and screw it up and don't even get into October, you don't take anything for granted," Epstein said. "I guess that's the only good thing to come out of September 2011 for me - I'll never look too far ahead and I'll never take anything for granted.

"You have to have a broad perspective and look ahead and understand what might lie ahead, but you have to go earn it. That's been our team's approach from the very beginning - not to accept some of the praise that's come our way. It's to go out and try to earn it with our play and that's definitely true in the month of September."

WHITE SOX: White Sox bullpen falters in loss to Tigers.   

By Dan Hayes

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The 2016 White Sox expected an improved offense when they addressed two of last season’s biggest needs with trades for Todd Frazier and Brett Lawrie.

While scoring is up a hair over the 2015 club, it hasn’t nearly been enough.

As they have for much of the season, the White Sox jumped out to an early three-run lead on Tuesday night but failed to put their opponents away. Their dormancy allowed the Detroit Tigers to rally back to send the White Sox to an 8-4 loss in front of 27,121 at Comerica Park. Frazier homered early before Detroit scored eight runs between the fifth and seventh innings. The Tigers look to complete a three-game sweep of the White Sox on Wednesday afternoon on CSN.

“That’s kind of been the story of our year,” leadoff man Adam Eaton said. “With runners in scoring position we haven’t been able to drive in and get the big hit. When we do that we win. When we get it done we win and when we don’t it bites us.”

The White Sox thought they added serious bite to an offense that finished at or near the bottom of the American League in 2015 in most of the major categories. Frazier was acquired in a three-team deal from the Cincinnati Reds and Lawrie came over from Oakland for two-minor leaguers. On top of the acquisitions of Melky Cabrera and Adam LaRoche a year earlier, Frazier and Lawrie were expected to bolster positions in which the White Sox finished last in OPS in the majors last season.

To an extent, the plan has worked. The White Sox entered Tuesday having increased their scoring average to 4.07 runs per game, up from 3.84. But even with that improvement, the White Sox started play 13th among 15 AL clubs in runs scored and 63 runs below the league average.

They also were 13th in home runs (131), slugging percentage (.402) and OPS (.717).

Part of their struggles can be attributed to injuries — Lawrie has been out since July 22 and Austin Jackson has been gone since early June. The unexpected retirement of LaRoche also left the White Sox short on left-handed power in the middle of the lineup and forced Cabrera from the second spot to fifth to provide balance. And some can be attributed to down years by several key veterans, including the performance with runners in scoring position by Jose Abreu and Frazier.

But even the White Sox thought they’d be a better run-scoring team than they have proven through 131 games.

“I think we did,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “You lose Rochie at the beginning of the year, and that changed the left-handed dynamic of what our lineup would have been like. But you still expect guys to hit a little better and score more runs than we’ve done. We haven’t held up our end of the bargain.”

Their end of the bargain left the White Sox vulnerable on Tuesday. Frazier’s two-run homer and an RBI groundout by Eaton in the second inning had the White Sox in command. But Daniel Norris struck out Tim Anderson to strand a runner at third.

Then in the fourth, Norris got Tyler Saladino to fly out to shallow right, which prevented the runner on third from tagging. After Eaton walked, Norris got Anderson to ground into a fielder’s choice.

Even though Norris’ pitch count was sky high, the White Sox failed to knock him out of the game. That allowed the Tigers to rally back against Anthony Ranaudo, Matt Albers and Jacob Turner.

“They seem to add on,” Ventura said. “They don’t stop adding on that extra run. A guy on third with less than two outs, they’re able to get it in. That’s been an Achilles heel for us.”

It’s also been a source of frustration, Eaton said. The White Sox look around the room and feel like they have a talented group, especially now with Justin Morneau solidifying the middle. But once again, that group didn’t keep their foot on the pedal and paid the price.

“They just continue to plug away,” Eaton said. “Their offense is good enough to come back from any deficit. Hats off to them, but we’ve got to keep adding on. We got on Norris early and got his pitch count up, but we’ve got to keep knocking on the door. We didn’t keep on it enough and knock him out real early.

“Top to bottom I think we have a pretty good lineup. It is frustrating when you don’t get that big hit and vice versa for the big pitch.”

Tigers' late homer sends the White Sox to another tough loss. (Monday evening's game, 08/29/2016).

By Dan Hayes

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The White Sox still haven’t figured out how to beat their American League Central foes.

Short of a miracle run over their final 32 games, the White Sox can point to their failures within their division as a primary reason they’ve missed the postseason for eight straight seasons.

The middle of the White Sox order missed out on several key chances on Monday night and kept the Detroit Tigers within striking distance in a 4-3 loss in front 27,201 on Monday night at Comerica Park. Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s two-run homer off Nate Jones in the eighth inning dropped the White Sox to 11-27 against the Tigers, Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals this season. The White Sox dropped to 21-25 in one-run games.

“Usually when you have aspirations to get in the playoffs your No. 1 priority is always taking care of the teams in your division,” catcher Alex Avila said. “That’s the best way to go about it, and we haven’t really done that too well this year.”

Much like their postseason aspirations, the White Sox had been hanging on by a thread through seven innings on Monday.

Starter James Shields stranded seven in six innings, and the combination of Dan Jennings, Tommy Kahnle and Chris Beck kept the White Sox ahead 3-2 through the seventh.

Jones took over in the eighth and issued a leadoff walk to J.D. Martinez. Two batters later, Saltalamacchia ripped a 1-0 fastball out to right to put Detroit ahead for good.

Melky Cabrera’s bid for a game-tying homer in the ninth off Francisco Rodriguez was caught on the track in right-center field.

“Any time you get that reversal right there late in the game it’s always tough,” manager Robin Ventura said. “Nate has been as consistent as anybody. It’s a tough one, especially when you know he has his stuff. You tip your cap to them, really.

“Salty has gotten us a couple times late.

“That was the tough one because you grinded your way through it.”

It was made even more difficult given the White Sox offense missed out on several key opportunities.

Tyler Saladino drove in all three White Sox runs, delivering a two-run single in the fourth inning and putting them back ahead by a run with a solo homer in the seventh.

But in the first, Jose Abreu struck out and Todd Frazier flew out with two aboard.

Abreu later grounded into a double play in the fifth after the first two men reached and Frazier grounded out. Frazier also struck out with two in scoring position to end the seventh inning after Abreu doubled Cabrera over to third.

The White Sox finished 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine.

“It was a game with opportunities we didn’t cash in on,” Ventura said. “(Alex) Wilson came in and got a big double play really changed how that (fifth) inning developed. We did some good things but looking at it like this, that’s what makes it tough.”

Though he pushed the limit in nearly every inning, Shields finished a rough August on a high note. Much like he did when he posted a 1.71 ERA in six starts from June 29-July 26, Shields was most effective when he needed to make the big pitch.

Tigers hitters were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven against Shields. During the six-game stretch, opposing hitters went 0-for-28 against Shields with runners in scoring position.

He struck out six and allowed two earned runs in six innings, putting the White Sox in position for a much-needed win.

“The first couple of innings I was a little erratic, but as the game went on, I got a little more comfortable and just made some pitches when I needed to,” Shields said. “Overall, I felt good out there, and unfortunately we lost the game.”

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Wade's Bulls Move  Feels Familiar.

By Austin Albertson

(Photo/twitter.com)

As Dwyane Wade addressed the Chicago media for the first time, the feeling of somber happiness was certainly prevalent. The Chicago native had always dreamed of coming home playing in front of his hometown fans. The Chicago boy grew up watching Jordan, and entered the league at a time when the Bulls were rebuilding.

But Wade is a Miami man, having spent over a decade playing in South Beach. Wade was honest about his heartache over leaving the city he’s called home for so long. Off the court, this is a hard move for Wade, and one that will hurt many fans in many places. But on the court, Wade should feel right at home in a situation that should feel more familiar for his career.

In Miami, Wade was a lone wolf for his first NBA season, but found his groove when the team acquired Shaquille O’Neal from the Lakers. The two gelled immediately, giving Wade another alpha-male on the team that wanted to win as badly as he did, creating a devastating combo that would lead to the Heat’s first NBA Championship in 2006. Wade was excellent, scoring efficiently and wreaking havoc on defenses as a premier shooting guard that could rely on a fading star in O’Neal to prop up the rest of the team.

The departure of O’Neal took Wade to new heights statistically, as he pulled an average Miami team throughout the years of rebuilding. But while Wade lit it up, the team on the floor suffered. The Heat stalled and Wade carried the burden of the franchise alone.

That changed in 2010, when Wade linked with Chris Bosh and LeBron James in the formation of a formidable ‘Big Three’ in a line-up that would devastate the league and catapult Wade and the Heat to two more NBA Championships. Wade’s numbers went down, however, in contrast to the commanding presence of Wade with Shaq.

This Big Three would push Wade down to a supporting role – with James the kingpin – but Wade flourished. The departure of James left an impact in Miami, with Wade preferring to stay the aging Wade of the Miami years, but with no other superstar on the roster. Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic, along with veterans in Joe Johnson and Luol Deng, provided some leadership, but the Heat relied heavily on D-Wade to carry the bulk again, like he had done after the championship in 2006.

Wade’s usage skyrocketed in his last two seasons in Miami, jumping to 34.7 and 31.6 minutes, up from an average of 29.3 in the James and Bosh years in Miami. But his PER suffered, regardless. Wade had some of the most efficient years of his career with James and Bosh in tow, averaging a win share of 8.9 in the four years of the Big Three, but saw just a 3.5 and 4.9 in his last two campaigns in Miami.

The extra burden on Wade took its toll, with Wade willing the Heat to a playoff win over Charlotte seemingly on his own. The Heat overcame a 3-2 deficit thanks largely to Wade’s contribution. Even against Toronto, it took a herculean effort from ‘Flash’ to keep Miami competitive as the Heat pushed the series to seven games.

While Wade’s ultimate decision to leave the Heat hinged more on money and respect than the efforts on the floor, his move into the Bulls set-up is something Wade should feel at home with.

In young Chicago star Jimmy Butler, Wade has the dynamic he’s missed for two seasons without James and the injured Chris Bosh. Butler provides the dominant personality in addition to Wade that can help carry Chicago, and provide Wade an opportunity to be more efficient and work more in support.

Butler’s far from the game-changing force that James is, but his game mirrors LeBron’s impact, providing a forceful defensive presence and electric offense reminiscent of a young Wade. While Chicago may not run through the competition the way Miami’s Big Three did, the Bulls provide Wade with some relief on scoring and defense, as Butler and Rajon Rondo can defend the best two backcourt players, with Wade being able to do what he wants on the other end.

Wade is in the twilight of his career, there’s no doubt. But in Chicago, Wade will have the opportunity to play in a scheme that takes a burden off of his shoulders. The Bulls may not contend the way Wade is used to, but the veteran can get back to the role that brought him the greatest success in Miami.

Golf: I got a club for that..... 2016 Deutsche Bank Championship: Schedule, TV, field and more.

By Nora Princiotti

Where: Norton, Mass.

Course: TPC Boston

Dates: Wednesday, Aug. 31 through Monday, Sept. 5

Purse: $8,500,000

Winning share: $1,530,000

FedExCup points: 2,000 (Ryder Cup points are only awarded from PGA Tour events through Aug. 28).

Course rundown: The par-71, 7,297 yard course was originally designed by Arnold Palmer in 2002. It has since been updated by Gil Hanse and Brad Faxon in 2007

Tee times, pairings: 2016 Deutsche Bank Championship, Rounds 1-2.

By Golfweek Staff

Here are the tee times and pairings for the first and second rounds of the 2016 Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston in Norton, Mass. (all times Eastern):

FRIDAY

OFF TEE NO. 1

• 8:15 a.m.: Jerry Kelly, Kyle Reifers, Martin Laird
• 8:27 a.m.: David Lingmerth, Paul Casey, Jon Curran
• 8:39 a.m.: Jason Kokrak, Louis Oosthuizen, Justin Rose
• 8:51 a.m.: Scott Piercy, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace
• 9:03 a.m.: Jimmy Walker, Brooks Koepka, Charley Hoffman
• 9:15 a.m.: Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner, Henrik Stenson
• 9:27 a.m.: Hudson Swafford, K.J. Choi, Jim Furyk
• 9:39 a.m.: Danny Lee, Harold Varner III, Sung Kang
• 12:40 p.m.: Brian Harman, Ricky Barnes, Johnson Wagner
• 12:52 p.m.: Zach Johnson, Luke Donald, Ben Martin
• 1:04 p.m.: Jamie Lovemark, Harris English, J.B. Holmes
• 1:16 p.m.: Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama, William McGirt
• 1:28 p.m.: Phil Mickelson, Ryan Moore, Kevin Kisner
• 1:40 p.m.: Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth, Emiliano Grillo
• 1:52 p.m.: Patrick Rodgers, Billy Hurley III, Russell Henley
• 2:04 p.m.: David Hearn, Tyrone Van Aswegen, Bryce Molder
• 2:16 p.m.: Scott Brown, Derek Fathauer, Chad Campbell

OFF TEE NO. 10

• 8:15 a.m.: Chez Reavie, Marc Leishman, Patton Kizzire
• 8:27 a.m.: Ryan Palmer, Charles Howell III, Billy Horschel
• 8:39 a.m.: Brendan Steele, Daniel Summerhays, Fabian Gomez
• 8:51 a.m.: Kevin Chappell, Kevin Na, Sean O’Hair
• 9:03 a.m.: Russell Knox, Justin Thomas, Brandt Snedeker
• 9:15 a.m.: Patrick Reed, Jason Day, Dustin Johnson
• 9:27 a.m.: Alex Cejka, Webb Simpson, Chris Kirk
• 9:39 a.m.: Vijay Singh, Spencer Levin, Steve Stricker
• 12:40 p.m.: Roberto Castro, Colt Knost, Brian Stuard
• 12:52 p.m.: James Hahn, Aaron Baddeley, Kevin Streelman
• 1:04 p.m.: Tony Finau, Rory McIlroy, Jim Herman
• 1:16 p.m.: Smylie Kaufman, Graeme McDowell, Bill Haas
• 1:28 p.m.: Sergio Garcia, Jhonattan Vegas, Daniel Berger
• 1:40 p.m.: Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Gary Woodland
• 1:52 p.m.: Vaughn Taylor, John Senden, Freddie Jacobson
• 2:04 p.m.: Jason Bohn, John Huh, Adam Hadwin

SATURDAY

OFF TEE No. 1

• 8:15 a.m.: Roberto Castro, Colt Knost, Brian Stuard
• 8:27 a.m.: James Hahn, Aaron Baddeley, Kevin Streelman
• 8:39 a.m.: Tony Finau, Rory McIlroy, Jim Herman
• 8:51 a.m.: Smylie Kaufman, Graeme McDowell, Bill Haas
• 9:03 a.m.: Sergio Garcia, Jhonattan Vegas, Daniel Berger
• 9:15 a.m.: Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Gary Woodland
• 9:27 a.m.: Vaughn Taylor, John Senden, Freddie Jacobson
• 9:39 a.m.: Jason Bohn, John Huh, Adam Hadwin
• 12:40 p.m.: Chez Reavie, Marc Leishman, Patton Kizzire
• 12:52 p.m.: Ryan Palmer, Charles Howell III, Billy Horschel
• 1:04 p.m.: Brendan Steele, Daniel Summerhays, Fabian Gomez
• 1:16 p.m.: Kevin Chappell, Kevin Na, Sean O’Hair
• 1:28 p.m.: Russell Knox, Justin Thomas, Brandt Snedeker
• 1:40 p.m.: Patrick Reed, Jason Day, Dustin Johnson
• 1:52 p.m.: Alex Cejka, Webb Simpson, Chris Kirk
• 2:04 p.m.: Vijay Singh, Spencer Levin, Steve Stricker

OFF TEE NO. 10

• 8:15 a.m.: Brian Harman, Ricky Barnes, Johnson Wagner
• 8:27 a.m.: Zach Johnson, Luke Donald, Ben Martin
• 8:39 a.m.: Jamie Lovemark, Harris English, J.B. Holmes
• 8:51 a.m.: Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama, William McGirt
• 9:03 a.m.: Phil Mickelson, Ryan Moore, Kevin Kisner
• 9:15 a.m.: Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth, Emiliano Grillo
• 9:27 a.m.: Patrick Rodgers, Billy Hurley III, Russell Henley
• 9:39 a.m.: David Hearn, Tyrone Van Aswegen, Bryce Molder
• 9:51 a.m.: Scott Brown, Derek Fathauer, Chad Campbell
• 12:40 p.m.: Jerry Kelly, Kyle Reifers, Martin Laird
• 12:52 p.m.: David Lingmerth, Paul Casey, Jon Curran
• 1:04 p.m.: Jason Kokrak, Louis Oosthuizen, Justin Rose
• 1:16 p.m.: Scott Piercy, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace
• 1:28 p.m.: Jimmy Walker, Brooks Koepka, Charley Hoffman
• 1:40 p.m.: Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner, Henrik Stenson
• 1:52 p.m.: Hudson Swafford, K.J. Choi, Jim Furyk
• 2:04 p.m.: Danny Lee, Harold Varner III, Sung Kang

Captain Love: Ryder Cup qualifiers need to step up.

By Rex Hoggard

Davis Love III’s message was clear on Monday morning: The eight automatic qualifiers for this year’s U.S. Ryder Cup must now step up.

After two years of task forces and tradition-breaking, it’s up to the players, not Captain Love or the PGA the America, to change the U.S. fortunes in the biennial matches.

“Now it’s time for this top 8 to take ownership of this team. These eight guys need to pick four more. From No. 1 to No. 8 they need to take ownership of this team,” Love said in New York City.

The eight automatic qualifiers were set after last week’s Barclays and include: Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Jimmy Walker, Brooks Koepka, Brandt Snedeker and Zach Johnson.

Reed made the week’s biggest move at the 11^th hour, jumping from eighth on the U.S. points list to fourth with his victory over Rickie Fowler at Bethpage Black.

“He’s so competitive, he wants to win, he wants to be on this team. Patrick Reed is built to play the Ryder Cup,” said Love of Reed, who earned 3 1/2 points as a rookie in 2014.

Koepka is the only rookie among the eight qualifiers, the fewest first-timers on a U.S. team since 1999, which Love said should give him plenty of flexibility to make his final four captain’s picks.

Love will announce three of his four picks on Sept. 12 after the BMW Championship and his final selection following the Tour Championship, but the second-time captain said it will be a decision that will be made by his entire team.

Among those he will be eyeing for a potential pick will be Bubba Watson, J.B. Holmes, Fowler and Matt Kuchar, Nos. 9 through 12, respectively, on the final points list; but Love also mentioned Jim Furyk, at 15^th on the points list, as a likely candidate for selection.

“There are lot of things to measure. Guys who get hot these next two weeks are the guys we’re looking at,” Love said. “It’s going to be an interesting two weeks.”

Love also specifically mentioned Fowler, who could have moved into the top 8 on Sunday but he played his last four holes in 3 over par at Bethpage and tied for seventh place.

“Rickie is trending up, that’s the great thing and he’s going into some tournaments that really suit him," Love said. "He’s starting to make some putts and he’s confident with his game."

NASCAR: Power Rankings: Harvick holds serve, Larson jumps into the top 12.

By Nick Bromberg

(Photo/Getty Images)

1. Kevin Harvick (LW: 1): What, did you think we were going to put Kyle Larson at No. 1 this week? Harvick finished fifth and when you look at the laps-led chart, it was staggeringly even. Harvick led 33 laps, the third most of any driver. Six drivers led 14 or more laps while two other drivers led multiple laps. Sure, Sunday’s race didn’t feature a bunch of two and three-wide racing, but parity up front likely has NASCAR officials smiling.

2. Brad Keselowski (LW: 4): Keselowski led 14 laps and finished third. 13 of those laps led came during a green-flag run between laps 30 and 119. Keselowski and crew chief Paul Wolfe like playing a different fuel strategy than everyone else, and that was a good idea on Sunday at a track where tires weren’t at a premium.

3. Denny Hamlin (LW: 2): Hamlin finished ninth on Sunday, the second of four Joe Gibbs Racing cars. Carl Edwards was the highest-finisher, placing seventh. Coupled with Martin Truex Jr., the JGR-equipped cars led just 16 of 200 laps. Oh no, they’ve lost their grip on the series! Nah, we’re just chalking it up to an off-day. The reduced downforce rules run at Michigan mean nothing for the rest of the season. Don’t try to extrapolate too much for the Chase.

4. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 6): And while we warn you not to look at Sunday’s race as a harbinger of things to come, it’s impossible to not wonder if the speed Hendrick Motorsports showed on Sunday will carry over for the rest of the season. If it does, Michigan was a great steppingstone. Johnson finished sixth and led 37 laps, the second-most in the field.

5. Kyle Busch (LW: 3): Busch spun early and finished 19th. Michigan has never been too kind to him. In 24 career starts Busch has just six top-10 finishes. His last one came in the first 2013 race, when he finished fourth. His finishes since then? 31, 41, 39, 43, 11, 40 and 19. Hey, Sunday was a good day!

6. Joey Logano (LW: 5): The winner of the June race at the track led 24 laps and finished 10th despite starting once again from the pole. Perhaps the cloudcover during Sunday’s race played a role in Logano’s lack of speed. The June race had a ton of sunshine and Logano led 138 laps. The most dramatic moment might have been when his air gun got sheared off the hose by Kevin Harvick’s car while Harvick was exiting the pits.

7. Jamie McMurray (LW: 7): McMurray currently sits as the last driver in the Chase. 13th in the standings, McMurray has 15 points over Ryan Newman for the last spot in the Chase on points. Assuming no new winners, it looks like a head-to-head battle between the two, as Kasey Kahne is 37 points behind Newman. We’re thinking the head-to-head battle is a safe assumption. It’d be a surprise if a winless driver won at Darlington or Richmond.

8. Kyle Larson (LW: NR): 12 races into the season, Larson was 21st in the points standings. 24 races into the season, he’s now 15th. His big jump came at Indianapolis, where he finished fifth and moved from 19th to 15th in the standings. Without his win on Sunday, Larson would be just one spot out of the Chase via points. With his win, making the Chase is of no concern. With seven finishes below 25th, it’s hard to see Larson pointing his way through to the final round of the Chase. But with the win, it’s not hard to see how he could advance by getting to victory lane.

9. Kurt Busch (LW: 9): Well, Kurt had a better day than his brother. Busch finished 12th after staring 19th and said the finish came “after everything fell our way at the end.” So yeah, it could have been worse. The culprit was a loose race car.

10. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 8): This week’s gremlins that delayed Truex’s race happened on pit road. He had a good car, but the jack dropped too soon during a pit stop. The left side tires were still being changed as the jack fell and the car was damaged on the left rear. That damage necessitated multiple pit stops and Truex was never able to recover. He finished 20th.

11. Chase Elliott (LW: NR): Elliott’s humility is serving him well in the Cup Series. If you haven’t been to a race in a while or at all this season, the amount of cheers he gets during pre-race will surprise you. But as we’ve said before, it’d be nice to see Elliott be happy about a good finish. We don’t blame him for being disappointed at losing a chance for his first win (we would be mad too), but there’s a happy medium somewhere. Elliott will probably find it after he gets to victory lane for the first time.

12. Tony Stewart (LW: 11): Stewart finished 21st. His car seemed like it was going to be fast; he was the fastest driver in first practice on Saturday. But it wasn’t fast in the race. He finished two laps down though he clinched himself a spot in the Chase. It’s mathematically impossible for Stewart to fall out of the top 30 in the points standings.

Lucky Dog: Ryan Blaney, who finished fourth. But he needs a miracle (or a win) to get into the Chase.

DNF: Clint Bowyer, again.

Dropped Out: Chris Buescher and Austin Dillon

Who is Hot and Cold ahead of the Southern 500.

By Daniel McFadin

(Photo by Jonathan Moore/Getty Images)

Maybe Darlington Raceway should alter its slogan.

Over the last 10 years, it’s been “The Track Too Tough to Tame … Twice.”

Since the 2006 season, the Southern 500 has been won by 10 different drivers. Greg Biffle was the last driver to repeat, doing so in 2005 and 2006. Before that, Jimmie Johnson swept Darlington in 2004, the last year the track played host to two races.

In this Sunday’s Southern 500 (at 6 p.m. on NBC), all but one of the previous 10 winners (Mark Martin in 2009) will compete in the race.

Earning the pole at Darlington is almost as hard. The last seven poles each were won by a different driver. The last six poles were won by a different team.

Winning from the pole?

Kevin Harvick (2014) is the only pole-sitter to win at Darlington since Dale Jarrett did it in the 1997 TranSouth Financial 400.

Here’s a look at who is hot and cold heading into the Southern 500.

Who’s Hot

Kevin Harvick: Won at Phoenix and Bristol this season and has 19 top 10 finishes in 2016 (leads the series by three). Only three finishes in 2016 worse than 15th. Finished top five in the past three races at Darlington including a win in 2014.

Kyle Busch: Average finish of 29th in the past two races but still placed in the top-10 in six of the last nine, including his fourth win of the season at Indianapolis. Finished top 10 in the last four races at Darlington. Won at Darlington in 2008.

Brad Keselowski: Finished third at Michigan, his third top-three finish in the last four races. Finished in the top 10 in 11 of the last 15 races including three wins. Won the pole, finished second last year after leading 196 laps. His 2015 finish is his only finish better than 15th in the last four races at Darlington.

Denny Hamlin: Six straight top-10 finishes (his longest string of 2016) including a win at Watkins Glen. Eight speeding penalties this season, most of all drivers. Finished top 10 in eight of his 10 career starts at Darlington, including a win in 2010. He also has finished runner-up three times. Average finish at Darlington is 6.5, best all-time among drivers with more than two starts.

Tony Stewart: Six top 10s, including a win at Sonoma, in the last 10 races. Five top-five finishes this season, only had three total in the previous two seasons combined. Darlington is one of only two winless tracks (Kentucky), his best finish at Darlington is third, twice.

Who’s Cold

Kurt Busch: Finished outside the top 10 in five of the past six races. Finished top 10 in 14 of the first 16 races this season but in only two of the past eight. Finished sixth at Darlington last year, one of only two top-10 finishes in the last 11 races there.

Greg Biffle: Finished 16th or worse in four of the last five races after finishing in the top 10 in the three straight races prior. Two-time winner at Darlington (2005, 2006). Finished top 20 in the last five races at Darlington but only two top 10s.

Trevor Bayne: Finished 24th at Michigan, worst finish in the last four races, top 12s in four of the last eight races this season. Finished 35th in only Cup start at Darlington. Three Xfinity starts at Darlington with one top 10 (ninth in 2014).

Kasey Kahne: Only one top 10 in the past 10 races and none in the last eight. Four poles at Darlington in 13 starts but only four top 10s. Won twice at Darlington in trucks.

Paul Menard: Finished 10th at Indy, only top 10 in the last 18 races. Only two top-10 finishes this season. Best Darlington finish is 13th in nine starts.

Other notes of interest for the Southern 500:

• The winner of only three of the past 10 races at Darlington got his first win of the season.
• The winners of five of the last six races at Darlington got their first win at the track
• Kevin Harvick, who won the Southern 500 in 2014, is the only driver to win at Darlington and win the championship in the same season since Bobby Labonte in 2000.
• Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch are the only active drivers with Sprint Cup championships who are winless at Darlington.

SOCCER: Fire try to regroup after season's most lopsided loss.

By Dan Santaromita

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Momentum is something Chicago Fire coach Veljko Paunovic talks about frequently.

When the Fire beat Montreal on the road for the team’s first road victory in more than two years Paunovic talked about the need to capitalize on that momentum. After a home draw against the LA Galaxy and more recently a resounding 6-2 road loss to D.C. United, it’s clear that the Fire were unable to keep the momentum going from that streak-busting road win.

“You can just go back and see how the mood changed after we won the game in Montreal, how positive everything was,” Paunovic said. “Then you can see the same thing or the opposite thing when you lose the game against D.C.

“Momentum is very important and at least we have some control of how we can react and how we can respond to the momentum that we are leading now. We have to understand that the next game will give us another boost.”

Khaly Thiam’s red card in the first half at RFK Stadium changed the match just a few minutes after Michael de Leeuw tied it with his second MLS goal. Paunovic said he talked with Thiam about the red card.

“He is aware that he made a mistake and we have to understand that he is a young player still adjusting to our league,” Paunovic said. “My most important thing that I could share with you from our conversation is that he learned. He learned that he has to control his emotions, he has to control his competitiveness and of course he has to know that every action we make on and off the field represents our team so he learned from all this and he also addressed the locker room and we move forward. That’s very important for us to learn from our mistakes, but for sure don’t forget them and don’t repeat them again.”

The loss at D.C. was a killer blow to the Fire’s playoff hopes. D.C. is in the all-important sixth spot in the Eastern Conference and is now nine points ahead of the Fire. Chicago has nine matches to make up that ground, which would be a tough task for any team, let alone one currently with the worst record in the league.

Despite this, Paunovic still brought up the playoffs during Tuesday’s conference call with reporters.

“We have games to play and we are not abandoning and we are not giving away our goals to reach the playoffs,” Paunovic said.

The Fire’s next three matches are all at home against Eastern Conference teams currently in playoff positions. In order to maintain this playoff chase, the Fire likely need to win all three considering a three-game road trip follows.

Klinsmann wants “urgency” as USMNT for crucial World Cup qualifiers.

By Joe Prince-Wright

(Photo/Getty Images)

Jurgen Klinsmann isn’t a man who messes around.

He wants his U.S. national team players to follow his lead.

After naming a 26-man squad for the USMNT’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against St. Vincent and the Grenadines this Friday and Trinidad & Tobago next Tuesday, Klinsmann didn’t spring any real surprises with the injured duo of Clint Dempsey and Gyasi Zardes not available for selection.

Speaking to U.S. Soccer he revealed that although he’s stayed loyal to the players who led the U.S. to a fourth-place finish in the Copa America Centenario this summer, he wants to see added urgency from his team with a qualification to the final round of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup very much in the balance.

“We definitely think that the group that got fourth in the Copa America deserves a certain priority going on to the next World Cup qualifiers because they did tremendously well in the Copa America,” Klinsmann said. “It was an exciting tournament with great games. The whole group learned a lot, playing teams like Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina. This is a big stage, and they deserve to come back and confirm what they did in the tournament in these upcoming, very important World Cup qualifiers. We are preparing for these two games very seriously, with a lot of urgency because we want to finish off our group in first place if possible, and this group of players gets the chance to do that.”

Heading into these final two Group C games in the fourth-round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, the U.S. sits in second place behind T&T and everything is set up for a showdown in Jacksonville, Florida against the Soca Warriors.

The U.S. should comfortably take care of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines later this week but with Guatemala and T&T squaring off in the other Group C game, there is a scenario where a defeat to T&T next Tuesday would eliminate the U.S. national team from World Cup qualifying before the Hexagonal round. If Guatemala wins its final two games and the U.S. beat Saint Vincent and the Grenadines but either lose or draw to T&T, they will be out of World Cup qualifying.

Right now that’s unthinkable but the fact that Klinsmann has decided to call up 19 of the 23 players who represented him at the Copa America this summer proves that he has finally found his core group of guys and will continue with a settled back four (well, John Brooks is now missing through injury but Besler or Gonzalez will step in), however in midfield he will be missing the suspended Michael Bradley for the opening game and Jermaine Jones isn’t 100 percent fit.

The big issue for the U.S. over the next 10 days is up top.

Bobby Wood will play a leading role after netting on his debut for Hamburg this past weekend but without Zardes and Dempsey the U.S. needs Jozy Altidore to step up and prove he has once and for all recovered fully from a spate of nagging injuries. After Altidore, youngsters Rubio Rubin, Jordan Morris and Christian Pulisic will provide options, plus veteran Chris Wondolowski will also be around if needed.

You do wonder if the U.S. has enough firepower to break through a stubborn T&T defense next week who will likely come to U.S. soil knowing a draw or a smash-and-gran win will seal them top spot in Group C. Scoring goals will be the main concern nagging Klinsmann for the next 10 days as his squad  are under pressure after a defeat at Guatemala and a draw at T&T earlier in qualifying.

US women will host Switzerland twice in October.

Associated Press

(Photo/Celso Junior/Getty Images)

The U.S. women’s national team will host Switzerland for two matches this October in Minneapolis and Utah.

The matches for the defending World Cup champions are set for Oct. 19 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, and at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Oct. 23.

The U.S. team has played Switzerland just twice before, with the Americans winning both matches.

The United States is also facing Thailand on Sept. 15 in Columbus, Ohio, before playing the Netherlands in Atlanta on Sept. 18.

The team will be without goalkeeper Hope Solo, who was suspended from the team for six months following comments she made at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. The United States was ousted by Sweden in the quarterfinals for the team’s earliest-ever exit at the Olympics.

NCAAFB: CFT Previews: The Big Ten.

By Zach Barnett

(Photo/Getty Images)

If there was ever a season the Big Ten looked like the Big Two and the Little Ten, this was it. Michigan State is reloading, while the rest of the conference scraps for space amongst themselves as Ohio State and Michigan take off into their own stratosphere.

Here’s a quick glance at how we think the Big Ten shakes out.

EAST

1. Ohio State (12-1 overall in 2015, 7-1 Big Ten): Losing all but six of your 22 starters would be a problem for anyone but Ohio State. If the 2014 team played like a pack of lions, the 2015 bunch was a pack of lions playing with a belly full of antelope: the ability was there, the desire wasn’t. This year’s group is just as talented, they just haven’t had the chance to prove it yet.

2. Michigan (10-3, 6-2 Big Ten): Many think next year will be The Year for Michigan. Jim Harbaugh doesn’t like working on other people’s timelines. I like this year’s team to lose to Ohio State but still reach the College Football Playoff.

3. Michigan State (12-2, 7-1 Big Ten): Seemingly every year Michigan State reaches a height previously thought to be unattainable, but last year’s second-in-three-years Big Ten championship and CFP appearance feels like the farthest Mark Dantonio can take this team now that Michigan is no longer out to a decade-long lunch.

4. Penn State (7-6, 4-4 Big Ten): With college football’s most miserable marriage of James Franklin and Christian Hackenberg at long last over, this should be the year Penn State starts to look like the Penn State Franklin wants it to be, especially with Joe Moorhead running the offense. The residual effects of the sanctions, though, say 2017 may be more like it.

5. Maryland (3-9, 1-7 Big Ten): Might as well place a giant “Under Construction” sign out side the program as D.J. Durkin works to build Maryland into a program after Jim Harbaugh‘s image.

6. Rutgers (3-9, 1-7 Big Ten): Ditto as above, but with an even larger “Under Construction” sign and Harbaugh’s mug crossed out from it and Urban Meyer‘s pasted crudely on top.

7. Indiana (6-7, 2-7 Big Ten): Kevin Wilson has done some nice things in Bloomington. He’s run the ball as well as anyone in the conference, he put a scare into Ohio State last season and he took the Hoosiers to a bowl game. The rest of the Big Ten East is getting better, though, and Indiana is, well, Indiana.

WEST (A.K.A.: THE BIGGEST TOSS-UP IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL)

1. Nebraska (6-7, 3-5 Big Ten): In a division that will largely come down to who gets lucky at the right time, go with a team whose luck is due to flip after losing six one-score games in 2015.

2. Northwestern (10-3, 6-2 Big Ten): Normally Northwestern takes a tumble after Pat Fitzgerald‘s bunch builds to a 10-win peak, needing to reload after losing the bulk of a senior-laden team. The 2016 Wildcats bring back enough to contend again.

3. Iowa (12-2, 8-0 Big Ten): Kirk Ferentz‘s teams zig when they’re supposed to zag, and zag when they’re supposed to zig. Last year’s undefeated regular season, coming one stop shy of an improbable Cotton Bowl run, was a zig. Most expect the Hawkeyes to zig again this year. We know better.

4. Wisconsin (10-3, 6-2 Big Ten): Feels like Paul Chryst, while a solid coach, will only take the Badgers to heights seen previously under Gary Andersen and Bret Bielema, but not above them.

5. Illinois (5-7, 2-6 Big Ten): New AD Josh Whitman made a bold move in hiring longtime NFL coach Lovie Smith to head a program to which he had no prior connection. Building the Illini to a contender will take time, but keeping Wes Lunt healthy may be all Illinois needs to reach a bowl game this fall.

6. Minnesota (6-7, 2-6 Big Ten): ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit has the Gophers winning the Big Ten West. I’m willing to be wrong in saying he’ll be way, way wrong.

7. Purdue (2-10, 1-7 Big Ten): Make no mistake: this is a make or break year for Darrell Hazell, especially with new AD Mike Bobinski now in place. I think he’ll break.

Five things we’ll learn: The 2016 Notre Dame season preview.

By Keith Arnold

(Photo/AP)

Entering his seventh season in South Bend, Brian Kelly is on the most stable footing of his career. In lockstep with his bosses Jack Swarbrick and Rev. John Jenkins, Kelly has spent the better part of his time at Notre Dame building a program to his specifications, granted unprecedented control and resources as the coach and administration continue to evolve a football program that serves as the university’s outward identity.

That’s what makes the 2016 season so fascinating.

Because for as comfortable as Kelly has become in a job that hasn’t seen anything close to comfort since Lou Holtz roamed the sidelines, he’s got his hands full this season. His roster is turning over more high-end talent than any team since Holtz and Vinny Cerrato were stocking the pond, and he’s also attempting to upend conventional football wisdom as he juggles two quarterbacks.

Add to that a rebuilt defense and untested talent at several key positions, this type of high wire act is what gets coaches a bronze statue or a For Sale sign in their front lawn.

Having already faced an off-field mogul that cost him his starting free safety, Kelly and his coaching staff will spend the week going through final preparations before stress-testing his young team in front of 100,000 fans.

With the goal still a berth in the College Football Playoff, here are five things we’ll learn this season.

No coach is better qualified to juggle multiple quarterbacks. But that doesn’t mean it’ll work. 

In DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire, Brian Kelly has two quarterbacks he handpicked. They’ve both showed flashes of brilliance on the field, character and resolve off of it, and the type of competitive nature that the head coach finds so vitally important at every spot on his roster.

Now he’s asking both quarterbacks to trust him as he tries to bring out the best of both players.

“They understand that my decisions are based upon what’s best for Notre Dame football, and not necessarily what’s in their best interest,” Kelly said after announcing that both would play.

“There’s always going to be that struggle with the individual versus the team. They clearly understand that team is most important and winning and beating Texas is more important than how they feel about the current situation.”

Those feelings struggled to stay beneath the surface on Media Day, when both quarterbacks answered question after question—often times the same one—from reporters roaming the room and looking for a quote.

But more important than anything Kizer or Zaire say is how they manage to play when the lights go on. And while we saw Kelly and Mike Denbrock navigate a far more toxic situation with Zaire and Everett Golson when they put together a remarkable game plan to beat LSU in the Music City Bowl, a month of bowl preparation is one thing, a 12-game regular season is another.

Most have forgotten that Kelly’s commitment to a two-quarterback situation was mostly framed through the lens of beating Texas. From there, what they decide to do remains to be seen—especially if one of the quarterbacks separates themselves on the field.

Thumbing his nose at tradition and trying to win with both is a calculated risk. Kelly is capable of pulling it off, but it’s one of the biggest gambles of his time at Notre Dame.

Three seasons in, there’s hope that the defense now fully comprehends Brian VanGorder’s scheme. But can it improve after replacing so much talent?

There is no shortage of postmortems on Brian VanGorder’s 2015 defense. Even with plentiful talent, big plays and maddening inconsistency ruined the Irish season.

Now without Jaylon Smith, Sheldon Day, KeiVarae Russell, Joe Schmidt and Romeo Okwara, Brian VanGorder is hoping that a younger, less experienced unit can skip past the rookie mistakes—finding a way to absorb and implement a scheme that mentally stressed even the most experienced starters.

Putting all the struggles on VanGorder’s system isn’t fair. Legacy issues and mismatched personnel doomed the group.  So did injuries, taking away some of the variables that allow a tactically-brilliant strategist to go from grease-board to gridiron.

Outside of the considerable weight hoisted onto several new shoulders, making sure all eleven defenders are on the same page remains the key to success. So is finding a pass rush.

As Kelly talked early on about making sure this team does the ordinary things extraordinarily well, that message may as well have been aimed solely at his defense, a group that needs to get back to the basic principles of winning football—even if it forces a few weapons to stay holstered.

Can a rebuilt offensive line serve as the identity of Notre Dame’s offense? 

Whoever ends up piloting the Irish attack, they’ll do so behind an offensive line that should serve as the identity of the team. Because Harry Hiestand’s rugged group has size, strength and a nasty disposition that should help the team win now—especially as the passing game finds its footing.

With Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson perhaps the strongest 1-2 punch in college football, dictating terms will be a necessity. So will breaking in three new starters, with Sam Mustipher, Colin McGovern and Alex Bars getting no warmup before they operate in a very hostile environment.

Coming off a breakthrough season running the football, there’s talent in the backfield and two quarterbacks capable of executing the zone-read attack. But without Will Fuller keeping safeties honest and receiving depth to keep secondary's occupied, it will be much rougher sledding in the trenches.

That’s where McGlinchey and Nelson come into play. Because even if everybody in the stadium knows where the Irish are going on 3rd-and-2, it’ll be up to this offensive line to pave the way, excelling in predictable downs and distances and pushing opponents around even when the numbers make things difficult.

Dominance can come in many forms. Last year’s offense found that ability with the highest yard-per-play total in the school’s modern history. That’s not likely in the cards this season, making it even more important that the Irish control the game in the trenches.

Can freshman Devin Studstill be Notre Dame’s last line of defense? 

Max Redfield’s dismissal was the final disappointing chapter in a collegiate career that will long be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Asked to be Notre Dame’s last line of defense—to serve as the nerve-center of the secondary—Redfield instead served as the ringleader to the most maddening, inexplicable preseason decision in recent memory, bringing guns and drugs and Notre Dame football into the same sentence, all too good of a reason for Kelly to pull the chute on a tenure that seemed like hard work on even the best days.

In his place, freshman Devin Studstill makes his first start. Matched up against a Texas offense that’ll need big plays (and maybe even a little broken coverage) to find its footing, Kelly puts a key job on the shoulders of an early-enrollee freshman, a safety who actually took a final look at playing for the Longhorns before heading to South Bend.

So for all the optimism that’s followed Studstill from the recruiting process, through spring drills and into fall camp, Kelly’s not unaware of the circumstances his young free safety will face.

“We’ll have a true freshman, on the road, playing against a talented team,” Kelly said through gritted teeth. “Devin is a kid that has a lot of talent. He’s a very confident player. But we’ll all be looking at it like you will be.

“He’s a pretty talented player. He’s confident. He had a pretty good spring game. He’s got some experience now after the spring. But we’ll have to play a few guys, I don’t think he’s going to go out there and play every snap.”

Behind him is where things get murky. There’s sixth-year safety Avery Sebastian, long on experience but built like a strong safety. Freshman Jalen Elliott has earned praise as well, but will be playing in his first college game as well. Sophomore Nicco Fertitta earned mention, but isn’t the athletic matchup you want with Texas’ receiving corps.

So that leaves Studstill to learn on the job. And at a position that’s seemed difficult to fill since Harrison Smith roamed the secondary, that’s a lot of pressure on a freshman.

With leadership still a work in progress, can this team grow—and win—while finding its identity?

Naming four captains after an embarrassing weekend found six players posing for mug shots, Brian Kelly’s concerns about player leadership found their way to the forefront before his young team even played a game. But there’s a silver lining in that embarrassing dust-up. Namely, the Irish stubbed their toe before it could cost them anything more than a starting safety and a week of headlines.

Kelly knows that this team will be a work in progress. That makes the key to this season winning while still figuring things out. If you’re wondering why he was so willing to play both quarterbacks, it ultimately comes down to the fact that he can’t take anything off the table as he looks for the right recipe for success.

Winning the weekend is the only goal that matters. Survive Texas and get home.

Because the cliche that each week is a season in college football holds true for this football team. Winning the week and going onto the next should allow this team to find its footing, doing so against a schedule that only features three true road games and opponents that all deal with major turnover either in the coaching ranks or in key personnel.

One Saturday at a time. (And this weekend, one Sunday, too.) Because even after six seasons, if Kelly takes a step back to look at the road ahead of him, he might understand just how much he’s trying to achieve.

NCAABKB: Inside College Hoops: Other coaches think highly of Virginia's Tony Bennett.

By Gary Parrish

(Photo/bigstory.ap.org)

Our annual Candid Coaches series is always fun in the sense that it provides (hopefully) interesting content in a month (August) that produces little-to-no college basketball news. Plus, we typically learn stuff.

This week, I learned this: Coaches really think highly of Tony Bennett.

In fairness, I guess I didn't "learn" that as much as I had what I assumed to be true confirmed. But it's interesting, either way. We asked coaches to tell us whom they think is both equipped and likely to make a move to the NBA, and Tony Bennett was a common answer. We asked coaches to tell us whom they would want to coach their son if their son were a player, and the top two answers were Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Virginia's Tony Bennett.

"Were we the only two options?" Bennett joked Friday morning.

I told him there were actually 351 options.

"That is flattering," Bennett said. "There are so many coaches out there who do it right, develop players and are about the right stuff. ... But we've been fortunate the past few years to have success, and there's exposure on TV, and that's probably why [my] name gets thrown in there."

Needless to say, that's untrue.

Bennett's name didn't get "thrown in there" because he's won and been on TV often. (FYI: Lots of coaches win and are on TV often.) But Bennett's self-deprecating explanation is a good example of why coaches seem to like and respect him -- because he's excellent at his job but also egoless.

Which brings me back to the NBA.

What was most interesting about college coaches telling us they believe Bennett would be perfect for the NBA is that it echoes what NBA people have also told me in various conversations over the past year -- that Bennett's basketball mind, combined with his demeanor, combined with his background as an NBA player, should make him an obvious candidate for almost any good opening.

So does the NBA interest Bennett?

I asked him that question Friday morning, and, before I share his answer, I think it's only fair to note that, frankly, this is an impossible question for a college coach to answer. If he says "No," he's likely not telling the truth. But if he says "Yes," other coaches will use it against him on the recruiting trail.

It's a no-win situation.

Still, Bennett was cool enough to answer.

"I love the college game and the challenges it provides," he said. "But I would never close any doors on [going to the NBA], at some point. I'm very satisfied [at Virginia]. But I'd never say never."

Truth be told, that's the way almost every successful college coach, especially those under the age of 55, feels about the NBA. They're nearly all intrigued by the possibility because most of them love the idea of getting to coach the best players in the world while putting recruiting and fund-raising in rearview mirrors. The only question is whether it's worth it to leave a great college job for anything other than a great NBA job, and that's a question each man has to answer for himself. But are they intrigued? Yes, they're intrigued. So before anybody tries to use Bennett's answer against him, they should know his answer is the same answer most successful coaches would give if they were willing to speak honestly on the subject.

FIVE OTHER THINGS ON GP'S MIND

1. My favorite Candid Coaches question to date has been the one where we asked coaches whether they've ever had an uncomfortable or inappropriate encounter with a law enforcement official. The answers were troubling but unsurprising. Basically, white coaches said "No" and black coaches said "Yes." And the black coaches shared some truly ridiculous stories. If you missed it, you can read it here. Also: we dedicated a good portion to this week's Eye on College Basketball podcast to the subject. If you missed that, you can listen to it here.

2. I have nothing unique to add to what you've already heard people say about this week's announcement that the Champions Classic has been extended through 2019. But I did want to note that, yes, this is great news. The event featuring Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State has been consistently terrific since its inception. I detailed the history of it last year. You can relive it here, if you want.

3. From the not-great-news department, North Carolina coach Roy Williams told ESPN this week that the ACC expanding to 20 league games will likely lead to the end of the Tar Heels' series with Kentucky. And that stinks. Scheduling is a massive problem in college basketball. The sport doesn't need fewer interesting non-league games. It needs way more. And, unfortunately, it appears one of the best is going away.

4. Keep an eye on the recruiting class Illinois' John Groce is assembling. He just added a fourth prospect from the Class of 2017 -- namely Trent Frazier, a four-star guard from Florida. The Illini's class is now ranked third nationally, according to 247Sports. Auburn, Washington, UCLA and Washington are also in the top five.

5. South Florida, which is being investigated by the NCAA, will not have the highest-rated member of its incoming recruiting class this season. Troy Baxter was reportedly granted a release from USF on Friday and will now explore other options. The 6-foot-8 forward is a consensus top-100 recruit who is eligible to play college basketball this season. So he'll have plenty of suitors, I'm certain.

FINAL THOUGHT: Before I got off the phone with Tony Bennett early Friday, I asked him to answer one more question for me. I told him I knew a lot of coaches would like their sons to play for him. But I was curious which coach he'd pick for his own son.
The first name out of his mouth was ... Brad Stevens.

But Celtics coach Brad Stevens is no longer a college coach.

So I asked for a different answer.

"I can say because he's a friend and I've always respected him: Lorenzo Romar," Bennett said. "When I was [coaching] at Washington State, I never could've said that because he was our rival [at Washington]. But I can say that now. Lorenzo Romar."

How Big 12 expansion candidates stack up in basketball.

By Myron Medcalf

(Photo/David Hahn/Icon Sportswire)

Earlier this month, the Big 12 publicized its pursuit of potential new members after months of speculation about expansion. Those contenders have been measured by their football prowess. We understand. That's the driving force in collegiate athletics.

But we'd like Bob Bowlsby, the Big 12's commissioner, to consider the hardwood implications of any expansion-related decisions. We're here to help. If basketball were the only part of the equation, here are the best options to increase the league's on-court swagger (in reverse order):

10. Boise State Broncos

Coach Leon Rice inherited a Boise State program that finished below .500 in five of the nine seasons before he was hired prior to the 2010-11 season. Boise State has won 20 or more games in each of the past four seasons under Rice. The Broncos captured the 2014-15 Mountain West conference crown, and they reached the NCAA tournament twice (2013, 2015) in recent years. Last year's squad failed to hit its ceiling. But Boise State continues to assemble the personnel to compete on the national stage.

9. New Mexico Lobos

The Big 12's best venues possess unique personalities that have helped the league send 70 percent of its membership to the two most recent NCAA tournaments. It's difficult to grab a home win at Kansas, Iowa State or Oklahoma State. New Mexico's rowdy, sunken home atmosphere, the Pit, fits with those intimidating Big 12 home venues. The Lobos finished in the top 25 in attendance last season. They haven't reached the NCAA tournament since 2014, but their loyal supporters remain.

8. SMU Mustangs

We know. Weird stuff has been happening at SMU. The Emanuel Mudiay situation. Last year's NCAA issues and the postseason ban. Larry Brown's offseason departure. But the Big 12 should consider SMU, and not just because it's a growing program based in America's ninth-largest city. The Dallas-based program also makes sense because the Mustangs have turned Moody Coliseum into one of the game's most underrated venues. Their fans nearly filled the arena (capacity 7,000) every night (6,907 average attendance) last year. You can build on that support.

7. San Diego State Aztecs

We'll talk basketball later. Do you know how many Big 12 schools would fly to San Diego early to "prep" for SDSU? All of them. Yes, the beach is nice. And that's included in this evaluation. Last season, the program nearly averaged a sellout (12,209) all season. Its student section, "The Show," is one of college basketball's most vibrant groups. They turn Viejas Arena into a party every night for an SDSU program that has become a national player under coach Steve Fisher. The school has won five of the past six Mountain West championships. And did we mention the beach?

6. UNLV Rebels

Yes, Marvin Menzies is the program's fourth basketball coach since January. It's a long story. But the Runnin' Rebels boast a legacy and location that position Menzies to hit the reboot button in the coming years and help UNLV regain its national standing. The school might never experience the Larry Johnson Era again, but it can rise and become a perennial NCAA tournament team.

5. Temple Owls

If you want to add more grit to the talented Big 12 basketball scene, throw Temple into the mix. Temple also brings continuity. The program has had just five coaches since 1942. Fran Dunphy has been with the program since John Chaney retired in 2006. Plus, the Owls would enhance the talent pool in the Big 12. They've reached the NCAA tournament in seven of the past nine years.

4. BYU Cougars

The Cougars could pursue their initial, prospective admission to the Big 12 as a football-only transition. The goal, per BYU brass, would be full membership if the Big 12 welcomed the program to the league. The Cougars would not hurt the conference's basketball stock, either. They've won 25 or more games in eight of the past 10 seasons. The outliers were 24- and 23-win campaigns in 2013 and 2014, respectively. BYU has missed the NCAA tournament only twice since 2007.

3. Cincinnati Bearcats

Cincinnati hasn't missed the NCAA tournament since 2010. Coach Mick Cronin has rebuilt the program in the post-Bob Huggins years with a tenacious defensive style that keeps the Bearcats alive, regardless of the opponent. They're always in the mix. They always have a chance. The Big 12 wants to add a successful program to its fold. Well, Cincy has failed to finish a season in KenPom.com's top 50 just four times since 2002. They've missed the top 100 only once in that stretch. The Bearcats are solid and consistent.

2. Memphis Tigers

The rich history of the program that Larry Finch built and Penny Hardaway, Lorenzen Wright and Derrick Rose blessed with their talents would enhance the Big 12's dominance on the national scene. Memphis expects the best from its Tigers. "Struggles" in the post-John Calipari years included four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 2011 through 2014. The school boasts great facilities and boosters, and the passion in the Memphis community for college hoops rivals that of any fan base in the country.

1. Connecticut Huskies

Name the only program with four national championships since 1999. It's not Duke (three national championships in that stretch) or North Carolina (two). The answer is Connecticut. The Huskies won in 1999, 2004, 2011 and 2014. Due to academic issues, they were banned from the postseason in 2012-13. But UConn is a modern powerhouse with 10 Elite Eight appearances since 1990. If the Big 12 decides to make a basketball-only decision, UConn should be its first choice.

Tim Tebow steers himself into hands of his critics, but why?

By Tim Keown

Tim Tebow said he can live without regret if he fails in his attempt to be a professional baseball player. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

He took the field wearing generic baseball clothes -- white pants, navy shirt, navy cap -- looking like a guy in a commercial for a product that is not an official sponsor of Major League Baseball. He ran fast, especially for a 255-pound man with, as the press information helpfully included, 7.3 percent body fat. He threw the ball from the outfield about like an above-average high school player, and he caught fly balls with two hands, as you no doubt expected he would.

This is Tim Tebow, in front of talent evaluators from 28 major league teams, standing alone on the USC baseball field with the sun beating down on him, trying to do something it would be all too easy to ridicule.

The event was suffused with an unearned air of seriousness. More than 200 people -- scouts, media, helpers -- strode onto the outfield grass to watch him run a 60-yard dash. They stood in center field and down the left-field line while he fought his own feet and muscled his way through a series of throws from right field. They wrote stuff down. They thought about it. They said things like, "He's clearly very athletic," even though that wasn't ever the question.

And afterward, his coach Chad Moeller testified to Tebow's determination and commitment, as coaches have been doing for more than a decade, and marveled at the effort it takes to get the bat out of his hands when he has had enough for the day. At one point, to demonstrate his commitment to the cause, Tebow opened his hands to allow doubters to gaze upon his bat-callused palms. It's probably best to leave that symbolism alone.

The one thing everybody wanted to know can be condensed into one word: Why? Why would a 29-year-old football icon who hasn't played baseball since his junior year in high school put himself through this? Why would he enter the public forum and subject himself to the snide and withering comments of people who know how hard it is to play this game for money?

In some form or another, he was asked those questions. As you might expect, he issued a passionate and fierce rendition of, "Why not?"

"The goal would be to have a career in the big leagues," he said. "The pursuit of it is to give it all you can, be the best you can, be someone to pursue what I feel passionate about. People will say, 'What if you fail? What if you don't make it?' Guess what? I don't have to live with regret. I did everything I could. I pushed it. I would rather be someone who can live with peace and no regret rather than being so scared I didn't make the effort."

Once he got rolling, even the most skeptical among us was at least glancing at the cage, wondering if we should grab a bat and give it a try. Asked about the skeptics, those who question his motivation or suggest a thirst for publicity, those who decry the fact that 28 teams sent people to watch a 29-year-old guy who hasn't played since his junior year in high school when players with real talent can't get a look, Tebow said, "I'm thankful they don't get to make the choices for my life."

He kept going. It's what he does. He didn't have to either, because he could have mouthed a few platitudes and it probably wouldn't have affected the decision of some team to put him in a minor league uniform for a few months, if only to sell a few million dollars worth of T-shirts.

With Tebow, you're encouraged to distrust your eyes. Yeah, he looked like a tight end in the outfield, falling down at one point picking up a ball off the warning track. He couldn't pull a pitch from former big leaguers Chad Smith and David Aardsma. He two-hopped a throw from medium right to third base, and it was up the line, too.

But then the man starts talking, and you wonder if maybe you were wrong. Maybe you were being too harsh. After all, he did hit a few batting-practice fastballs high into the trees beyond right field. Maybe this, this mixed bag of results at the end of several months of work, is just the first step toward this man proving everyone wrong. You come away thinking, 'Damn, does this guy ever try. And does he ever care.' He is the most overtly trying-est and caring-est dude of his generation.

"If you fail, if you fall on your face, that's OK," he said. "When did that become such a bad thing? When did pursuing what you love become a bad thing, regardless of the result?"

In January, Tebow was working out on the USC practice football field, next to the baseball field. After he finished his workouts with quarterback coach Tom House, Tebow would wander over to the baseball field, where a group of major and minor league players were getting ready for spring training.

Ryan Rowland-Smith, a former Seattle Mariners' reliever, was one of the players working out. They weren't really interested in Tebow; they were there to get ready for spring training. It was serious business. But Tebow kept hanging around, picking up bats and wondering if he could take a few swings.

"I could tell he wanted to have a hit," Rowland-Smith said. "He kept asking. You know, guys are trying to get their work in. They want to face good hitters to get ready. He just kept talking about the itch."

It's impossible to know what was going on over on the football field with Tebow and House going through drills to improve Tebow's delivery for roughly the millionth time. Quick release, elbow up -- whatever it was, you have to figure, in the quiet of January, those drills pushed Tebow closer to the realization that he would never again play quarterback in the NFL. And so he drifted over to the baseball field, with nothing more than high school credentials to his name, asking for a turn.

And one day Rowland-Smith relented. Like a guy letting his little brother have a turn, he told Tebow to get in the batter's box. He threw him a few fastballs at about 80 percent, and when Tebow squared one up, Rowland-Smith, a left-hander, broke off a curve.

"He missed it by three feet," Rowland-Smith said. "He was serious, and so was I. I wanted to get my work in, so I threw a breaking ball. Not a great one, not a bad one. When I face hitters, 30 seconds into it I can tell the difference between a pro hitter and someone who isn't."

He lets that hang there. He's not making judgments, just telling a story. "If he wasn't Tim Tebow, there wouldn't be people out there to watch him," Rowland-Smith says. "But more power to him. People are drawn to him."

Tebow might have given up on that curveball, but that doesn't mean he gave up. After all, Tebow never gives up. That's why he went to camp with the Jets, and camp with the Patriots, and camp with the Eagles. It's why he enlisted Moeller to coach him and the powerhouse agents at CAA to represent him. It's why he didn't work out in private and then sign with an independent league team.

Does he refuse to give up because he can't? Because he's addicted to the rush, to the adulation, to the idea that he can do precisely what all those believers believe he can't, and all those detractors believe he can't? That's the part of 'why' even he can't answer, and it's exactly why it's hard to shake the image of the guy at USC on those January days, sensing on one field the end of something, and on the other the beginning of something else.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, August 31, 2016.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1881 - The first tennis championships in the U.S. were played.

1950 - Gil Hodges of the Brooklyn Dodgers hit four home runs in a single game off of four different pitchers.

1959 - Sandy Koufax set a National League record by striking out 18 batters.

1968 - At the Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mike Powell set a record when he jumped 29'4½" in the long jump.

1969 - The boxer Rocky Marciano died in an airplane crash in Iowa.

1995 - Judge Lance Ito ruled that only two tapes of racist comments by Mark Fuhrman could be played in the trial of O.J. Simpson. 

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