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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"Success builds character, failure reveals it." ~ Dave Checkett, Businessman
Trending: Poor play, injuries hint at more changes for struggling Bears. (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).
Trending: Stan Bowman likes Blackhawks prospects' potential to fill holes. (Please see the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
Trending: Bulls begin 'necessary' new era by creating a culture 'to take steps forward'. (Please see the basketball section for Bulls updates and NBA news).
Trending: Ryder Cup 2016: Hazeltine stage set for thrilling showdown. (See the golf section for Ryder Cup and PGA updates).
Trending: Cubs and White Sox road to the "World Series".
Cubs 2016 Record: 101-56, Clinched 09/15/2016
White Sox 2016 Record: 76-81
White Sox 2016 Record: 76-81
(See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Poor play, injuries hint at more changes for struggling Bears.
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Injuries have forced the Bears into personnel scrambles through the first three weeks of the season – the defense opened in Dallas with three new starters from the week before. But coming off three largely dismal performances on offense, defense and special teams, more changes may be in the offing and having nothing to do with injuries.
Coach John Fox, whose success in Carolina and Denver was built with a solid foundation in running the football, acknowledged on Monday that the work of offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains was “not good enough. That’s no indictment on Dowell or anybody else. … All our signatures are on it. It’s 0-3.”
Loggains is in no short-term job jeopardy. But the Bears have failed to establish not only a run game, but also any sort of offensive identity or rhythm, not all of which can be laid at the foot of the Bears falling too far behind to keep running. Fox would not be the first Bears head coach to dictate an in-season course correction; Lovie Smith stepped in during the 2010 season and ordered a change in the offense of Mike Martz that was inept and getting quarterback Jay Cutler annihilated in the process.
Lineup changes are a distinct possibility. Examples: Right tackle Bobby Massie has struggled and former Steelers No. 2 pick and sometimes-starter Mike Adams was signed as a viable option. Jonathan Bullard has not shown any degree of dominance on the defensive line, but the rookie end, representing an upgrade to a virtually non-existent pass rush, could edge past Mitch Unrein on a defensive line that allowed nearly 200 rushing yards with zero sacks against the Cowboys.
Injury adjustments are inevitable and will make some decisions for the Bears. With Ka’Deem Carey already inactive due to a hamstring injury, Jeremy Langford went out of the Dallas game with an ankle injury that Adam Schefter at ESPN reported on Monday would keep the second-year running back out 4-6 weeks. Rookie Jordan Howard may have bumped Langford out of the No. 1 slot anyway but Langford’s injury effectively makes the decision for coaches.
Lineup changes wouldn’t be official until next Sunday before the Bears take the field against the Detroit Lions. Fox said Monday that the evaluations were still focused on the Dallas game and health options.
“We’ve got to sort out,” Fox said. “The week’s kind of started, but we’re still talking about pretty much [Sunday]. But as we move forward, we dig in as coaches as far as game-planning for Detroit. And we’ll kind of figure out where we are at the end of tomorrow with our medical people. It’s based on who’s available. That can be tricky, but I think everybody in the league has to deal with it.”
Bears In-Foe: Can this offense expose two key Lions injuries?
By Chris Boden
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Coming off two long fourth quarter drives by the Titans the week before that cost them their home opener, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers kept Detroit's defense in the dumps Sunday, shredding the Lions for 31 first-half points.
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has been tasked with replacing the likes of Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, and Stephen Tulloch over the last couple of years, and having to Band-Aid the unit from key injuries. One was game-changing linebacker DeAndre Levy, who played just 17 snaps all of 2015 after signing a $20 million extension. Austin, who's had nine head coaching interviews the past two off-seasons, had to be welcoming Levy back with open arms. Then he suffered a quad injury in the Titans game, sat out versus the Packers, and his status will be one to watch this week.
Then there's Ziggy Ansah, the fifth overall pick from 2013 who's only in his sixth year of even playing football. His 14.5 sacks last season gave him 30 in 46 career games and made him the new centerpiece of the defense. But the Ghana native sustained a high ankle sprain in that same game against the Titans and is not expected to be ready for Sunday's noon date on the lakefront.
Who could possibly pick up some of that pass rush slack? Ladies and gentlemen, meet Kerry Hyder.
Who?
The undrafted free agent spent 2014 on the Jets' practice squad, then moved to the Lions last year. He almost seemed destined to spend another year on The Squad before he finished the preseason strong. The door opened, and the 6-foot-2, 270-pound end has four sacks so far. Tackle Haloti Ngata, who is 32 years old, struggled with injuries after coming over to help replace Suh, but finished strong, and has started well. Second-round pick A'Shaun Robinson rotates in after the Alabama product was passed over by the Bears.
Levy's injury left the Lions with only four linebackers at Lambeau after one promotion from the practice squad. Speedy, physical Tahir Whitehead took over for the now-departed Tulloch in the middle and earned his way into the starting lineup the last couple of years. Austin has given the other starting spot to Kyle Van Noy in a last-ditch attempt to prove spending a second-round pick on him in 2014 wasn't a mistake.
The secondary includes a stud corner and safety. Darius Slay (2013 second round) has turned into their shutdown guy and signed a four-year, $48 million extension in July. Nevin Lawson is just 5-9 but plays physical and fast opposite Slay - and was called for a 66-yard (!) pass interference penalty Sunday. Free safety Glover Quin's interception has the defense's lone takeaway this season and is one of the game's best. The team invested a fourth-round pick on heavy-hitting Miles Kinnebrew, and injury-prone Rafael Bush in free agency. But former Illini Tavon Wilson was signed away from the Patriots and held down the strong side before departing Sunday's loss with a neck injury.
Special teams
The Lions' coverage teams are top ten in both punts and kickoffs. The loss of Ameer Abdullah to his foot injury will affect the return game firepower, with backup wideout Andre Roberts filling in. Kicker Matt Prater is 5-for-6 on field goals thus far after being fifth in accuracy last year, including a 59-yarder versus the Bears at Soldier Field in last year's season finale.
Bears In-Foe: From Megatron to MegaMarv?
By Chris Boden
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Jim Bob Cooter. An interesting name. Some interesting stuff in his past, too. But since he took over the Lions offense about midway through last season, Matthew Stafford's been as good as ever, and it's carried over so far into this season. Even after his Megatarget - Calvin Johnson - decided to retire after last season. But one aspect remains a concern after a recent injury.
Detroit is top-five in points, total yards and passing yards per game. They've jumped from last in the NFL last season to 15th in rushing, but after second-year back Ameer Abdullah averaged 5.6 yards per carry into their Week Two matchup, he tore a foot ligament and could be out for the season. With that, they managed just a 2.2-yard average Sunday in Green Bay, falling behind 31-3 before walking out of Lambeau a 34-27 loser to drop to 1-2.
Theo Riddick is a dangerous weapon out of the backfield (16 catches, 130 yards) after 80 receptions for nearly 700 yards a year ago, but he's still averaging just 3.3 per carry after 3.1 in 2015. Enter seventh-round rookie Dwayne Washington, who had a couple of touchdown runs in the preseason (one for 58 yards), along with a 96-yard kickoff return TD. He carried 10 times for 38 yards against the Packers.
Detroit is top-five in points, total yards and passing yards per game. They've jumped from last in the NFL last season to 15th in rushing, but after second-year back Ameer Abdullah averaged 5.6 yards per carry into their Week Two matchup, he tore a foot ligament and could be out for the season. With that, they managed just a 2.2-yard average Sunday in Green Bay, falling behind 31-3 before walking out of Lambeau a 34-27 loser to drop to 1-2.
Theo Riddick is a dangerous weapon out of the backfield (16 catches, 130 yards) after 80 receptions for nearly 700 yards a year ago, but he's still averaging just 3.3 per carry after 3.1 in 2015. Enter seventh-round rookie Dwayne Washington, who had a couple of touchdown runs in the preseason (one for 58 yards), along with a 96-yard kickoff return TD. He carried 10 times for 38 yards against the Packers.
Stafford finished last season with 17 touchdowns against just two interceptions. That ratio is 7-to-2 this year. Through three weeks, he's second in passing yards, fourth in yards-per-attempt, and sixth in completion percentage. And wouldn't you know? His main target is the guy they brought in to replace Calvin Johnson: Marvin Jones. Many thought he wouldn't come close to comparing.
So far, the former Bengal has been targeted 29 times, with 18 catches for a league-high 408 yards. Six of those receptions and 205 of those yards came Sunday against Green Bay. Soon-to-be-36-year-old Anquan Boldin was a late signing despite still being physically imposing, and the 12th-leading receiver in league history. He's caught a pair of touchdowns among his 11 receptions for 105 yards. For the past two years (189 catches), Golden Tate was to Johnson what Randall Cobb is to Jordy Nelson in Green Bay when both are healthy. The Golden Domer has 13 grabs for 94 yards. And 2014 first-round tight end Eric Ebron has tested Motown's patience with knee, quad, and hand injuries his first two seasons. He's caught 14 passes thus far after 47 a year ago.
Stafford has a five-year non-injury starting streak after some health issues his first couple of seasons. That's amazing with the way he's been knocked around (44 sacks a year ago). He's hit the turf eight times the first three weeks. They've gone to great lengths in recent drafts to fix that, spending high picks trying to shore up protection and get a ground game going to complement their aerial assault. That continued this spring under new GM Bob Quinn, who came over from New England and kept coach Jim Caldwell in place. Tackle Taylor Decker out of Ohio State was chosen 16th as 2012 top pick Riley Reiff has underachieved heading into his contract year. Last year's number-one pick, guard Laken Tomlinson out of Lane Tech High School, has yet to live up to his selection. 2013 third-rounder Larry Warford compared to Kyle Long in the same draft class, but has struggled with injuries. And for the second time in three years, the Lions drafted a center in the third round (Graham Glasgow from Michigan via Marmion Military Academy in 2016; Travis Swanson in 2014).
Jay Cutler remaining Bears starter not assured when he returns from thumb injury.
By John Mullin
So far, the former Bengal has been targeted 29 times, with 18 catches for a league-high 408 yards. Six of those receptions and 205 of those yards came Sunday against Green Bay. Soon-to-be-36-year-old Anquan Boldin was a late signing despite still being physically imposing, and the 12th-leading receiver in league history. He's caught a pair of touchdowns among his 11 receptions for 105 yards. For the past two years (189 catches), Golden Tate was to Johnson what Randall Cobb is to Jordy Nelson in Green Bay when both are healthy. The Golden Domer has 13 grabs for 94 yards. And 2014 first-round tight end Eric Ebron has tested Motown's patience with knee, quad, and hand injuries his first two seasons. He's caught 14 passes thus far after 47 a year ago.
Stafford has a five-year non-injury starting streak after some health issues his first couple of seasons. That's amazing with the way he's been knocked around (44 sacks a year ago). He's hit the turf eight times the first three weeks. They've gone to great lengths in recent drafts to fix that, spending high picks trying to shore up protection and get a ground game going to complement their aerial assault. That continued this spring under new GM Bob Quinn, who came over from New England and kept coach Jim Caldwell in place. Tackle Taylor Decker out of Ohio State was chosen 16th as 2012 top pick Riley Reiff has underachieved heading into his contract year. Last year's number-one pick, guard Laken Tomlinson out of Lane Tech High School, has yet to live up to his selection. 2013 third-rounder Larry Warford compared to Kyle Long in the same draft class, but has struggled with injuries. And for the second time in three years, the Lions drafted a center in the third round (Graham Glasgow from Michigan via Marmion Military Academy in 2016; Travis Swanson in 2014).
Jay Cutler remaining Bears starter not assured when he returns from thumb injury.
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Lovie Smith was clear: “Rex is our quarterback.”
Phil Emery was clear: Jay Cutler is an “elite” quarterback.
John Fox isn’t so clear: When Jay Cutler is cleared to return from his thumb injury, Cutler is not automatically still the Bears starting quarterback.
"I don't think there are any givens and that's not an indictment on anybody,” Fox said on Monday. “This is a day-to-day, week-to-week, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league and so we’re just trying to get the best 11 guys out there regardless of the position to where we can play a full 60 minutes and get a victory.”
Tough love is arguably the most effective management style with Cutler. Unlike the contracts and praise heaped on Cutler by prior administrations, current coaches and the organization withheld judgment on him after taking over in 2015. Cutler, who typically played worse after getting contract extensions and gaudy compliments, responded with the best season of his career.
Cutler watched from the sidelines as the Bears were beaten 31-17 by the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday behind Brian Hoyer, who was able to give the Bears some production in the second half for the first time this year, albeit only after the Bears were down 24-3.
“I thought [Hoyer] made good decisions,” Fox said, then qualified, “Not all of them. I think the very first play of the game didn’t go quite as smooth as we’d like. I thought he did some good things. I thought the pass-pro and some of those things helped the situation. I think we did have some explosive runs — we had more explosive plays in this game than we did in the prior two. We’ll evaluate that as we move forward and prepare for Detroit.”
The ultimate question is not whether Brian Hoyer is as good as Jay Cutler.
The evaluation will be whether Hoyer had success because the pass protection and run game worked better, or the bigger question, did those phases of the offense work better because of Hoyer. Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has stated that a primary job of a quarterback is to get the other 10 players on the huddle to do theirs well. If the evaluation process, which could include another game next Sunday when the Detroit Lions come to Soldier Field, points to the offense functioning better for Hoyer, the Bears will have a major decision to make.
Cutler has been benched because of performance only once in Chicago, late in 2014, for one game. He started the following week because Jimmy Clausen sustained a concussion.
Some perspectives on Bears QB switches
Back in 2005, while over at a social event during Super Bowl week in Detroit, a prominent member of the Bears’ defense vented on a decision that in his opinion cost the Bears their season. That decision was to go back to Rex Grossman as quarterback from Kyle Orton, who had been the quintessential game manager as a fourth-round rookie filling in while Grossman worked back from a broken ankle suffered in preseason.
“We’d’ve been here [in the Super Bowl] if we’d’a stayed with Kyle,” the Pro Bowl defender said.
That didn’t happen in the “Rex is our quarterback” phase of Smith’s tenure.
Josh McCown by his own assessment was not as good a player as Cutler in 2013 when the best-chance-to-win decision had to be made between those two. Coaches wanted to stay with McCown, the GM insisted on Cutler; the team stayed on course with Cutler, accelerated that direction actually, letting McCown leave for Tampa Bay and giving Cutler the “Jay is our quarterback” max contract.
But while Smith was invested in Grossman, who did get the Bears to the Super Bowl the next year, and Phil Emery invested in Cutler, who has won just one playoff game in his seven Bears seasons, coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace have not gone all-in on quarterbacks they inherited. They stayed with Cutler without any real alternative last year, and Fox admitted that Cutler was perhaps one of the biggest positive surprises coming out of last season, when then-coordinator Adam Gase was the loudest voice in the room on that quarterback decision and the organization stayed with the quarterback to whom millions were guaranteed.
Now there is an alternative, who like McCown was vis’a’vis Cutler, is not Cutler’s football equal physically (“Have you seen him throw?” McCown answered one reporter asking what Cutler did that he, McCown, couldn’t).
Whether the Bears take that alternative will play out in practice and possibly a game over the next seven days.
Banged-up Bears reportedly add running back Joique Bell.
By CSN Staff
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
With Jeremy Langford and Ka'Deem on the shelf with injury, the Bears have reportedly signed running back Joique Bell.
Bell spent four seasons with the Lions, tallying 2,235 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns from 2012 to 2015. He also added 161 receptions for 1,640 yards and another score.
Bell was released in February as the Lions opted to get younger at the position.
The 220-pound Bell will provide depth for the Bears at yet another position where they've been ravaged by injury. Ka'Deem Carey missed Week 3 with a hamstring injury suffered the previous week, and Langford will reportedly miss four-to-six weeks with an ankle injury suffered Monday night.
That leaves rookie Jordan Howard, who has shown promise in his first three games, and Raheem Mostert on the depth chart.
The Bears host the Lions on Sunday.
Bell was released in February as the Lions opted to get younger at the position.
The 220-pound Bell will provide depth for the Bears at yet another position where they've been ravaged by injury. Ka'Deem Carey missed Week 3 with a hamstring injury suffered the previous week, and Langford will reportedly miss four-to-six weeks with an ankle injury suffered Monday night.
That leaves rookie Jordan Howard, who has shown promise in his first three games, and Raheem Mostert on the depth chart.
The Bears host the Lions on Sunday.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? After World Cup of Hockey, Patrick Kane joins Blackhawks at training camp.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Patrick Kane’s break from the ice lasted less than a week, his time in Toronto serving as a good preseason primer, of sorts.
And with the season about two weeks away, Kane said he’s about where he needs to be.
Kane and Michal Kempny joined the Blackhawks on Tuesday, two of several players beginning to trickle in from their World Cup of Hockey stints. For Kane, the World Cup didn’t go nearly as long as expected – Team USA was ousted in the preliminary round. But now, the focus is on honing things before the season begins.
“I feel pretty good,” Kane said following the second group’s practice on Tuesday. “I feel like everything’s starting to come around right now for sure. I guess, starting to feel kind of like myself again on the ice, so to speak. It’s good to be back in the locker room here with all the guys and back in a Blackhawks uniform, too. It’s always fun coming back. Feels like home, for sure.”
Kane will not play Wednesday, when the Blackhawks face the Pittsburgh Penguins in their preseason opener. How many preseason games he does get is uncertain; but considering Kane’s time in World Cup of Hockey, the Blackhawks aren’t concerned with him getting rusty.
“He’s going to probably want to do it sooner than later, but I think we can be patient because he’s already been playing games,” assistant coach Mike Kitchen said. “Usually the veteran players when you come into a normal camp, they want to play maybe two or three games to just get their timing. For him, he’s already played quite a few games. There’s no reason to get him in right away, so we’ll just kind of bring him along, especially this early into camp.”
Team USA had a dismal showing at World Cup of Hockey, losing all three games in the preliminary round. But Kane said he’s put that behind him.
“It was a situation, looking back on it now, where we lost to a good team in Europe – they’re in the championship now – and I think at that point there’s a lot of noise from the outside that maybe crept in to our locker room a little bit. We needed to beat Canada. You could say they probably outplayed us but we had chances I that game to keep ourselves in it and ended up losing that one and we were out. But you’re playing in the World Cup of Hockey, you’re playing for your country, it’s always an honor to play for the United States. I’ll always remember playing for my country and always want to do it if you get the opportunity.”
BRIEFLY
- Duncan Keith skated with the second group on Tuesday. The Blackhawks will continue to monitor him. “He’ll probably want to get maybe a couple of [preseason] games just for his timing, especially for a defenseman, too. Just so he’ll able to get his gap control and things like that. I imagine he’ll want to try and get some games, but we’ll just see how his knee’s come along and how he responds,” Kitchen said. “We don’t want to put him in a situation before we have to because it only is preseason. We’ll just have to monitor that.”
- Scott Darling is scheduled to play the entire game vs. the Penguins tomorrow.
Stan Bowman likes Blackhawks prospects' potential to fill holes.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Blackhawks have holes to fill on their roster, especially among the forwards. And general manager Stan Bowman reiterated that the team will look from within to fill them.
“The guys we have are the ones that are here, and our team’s going to come from this group,” said Bowman, who addressed the media on Tuesday. “We’ve only had a few days of camp here but it’s been a bright start. They’re all full of energy, excitement, knowing they have a chance to make the team. Maybe it’s been different than in previous years when they’ve looked at the lineup and wondered where they might fit. And now, they know there’s a possibility they can make the team if they pay well. That’s what these games are going to be, starting tomorrow, we’re going to have an opportunity to see how they perform in a game setting.”
It’s still way too early to say where some of those young players fit; Patrick Kane just joined camp on Tuesday and several other veteran Blackhawks who were playing at the World Cup of Hockey are either still there or just returned from Toronto. But Bowman’s liked what he’s seen from several prospects. Some of them, including Nick Schmaltz, Tyler Motte and Alexandre Fortin, who the Blackhawks signed on Sunday, are expected to play in Wednesday’s preseason opener vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins.
A big concern is still who’s going to play on the top line with Jonathan Toews. Richard Panik and Nick Schmaltz are two possibilities – Schmaltz was on the left side during Tuesday morning’s skate. He’s primarily been a center but, as it usually goes with the Blackhawks, forwards have to be versatile. But Bowman wasn’t sure who would play in that top left-wing spot, or in other spots, at this juncture.
“I think it’s hard to give a direct answer to that because we have to see what Joel [Quenneville] thinks when he gets here, as well,” said Bowman on Quenneville, who’s still with Team Canada at the World Cup of Hockey. “We have to see how they perform in the exhibition games. But stability is a nice thing. I think having a familiar line mate can help you in a lot of situations. But as the year goes on, sometimes things get stale or injuries happen. You have to have flexibility for different players to float into those roles.”
North American fun
Bowman himself recently returned from the World Cup of Hockey, where he was co-general manager of Team North America. That group brought a tremendous amount of excitement to the tournament, despite not moving onto the semifinal round.
“It was a blast to be part of that group. I had so much fun. You never know how it’s going to go when you’re first asked to be part of it but we had a great time. It was a treat even to watch those guys in practice.”
Liking Forsling
Bowman has liked what he’s seen from defenseman Gustav Forsling, who’s vying for a spot on the Blackhawks’ roster. Forsling could also return to the Swedish league.
“He was very impressive there [at Traverse City]. I thought comfortable, poised, very talented in both transitioning the offense, making plays. So there's a lot to like there,” Bowman said. “We're certainly going to see how he plays in these exhibition games. Whether he benefitted from going to Sweden? That's a great league, so if he does end up back there, he's going to continue to grow his game. But we haven't made that decision yet. We want to see how things go here.”
CUBS: John Lackey sees Cubs lining up for World Series run: ‘It’s all here’.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
So, no, John Lackey is not at all surprised by the way this clicked into place, 101 wins and counting for the machine built with October in mind.
“Not really,” Lackey said after Tuesday night’s 6-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. “I had some pretty good offers from other people, and I chose this one for a reason. It’s all here.”
But to win the World Series — and get the jewelry Lackey talks about — you still need some luck, good health and the guts to perform in those Big Boy Games. That reality of randomness and matchups made a pregame announcement some 250 miles away from PNC Park so telling.
Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos tore the ACL in his right knee, ending his MVP-caliber season. The National League East champions will lose a .307 hitter with 22-homer power from the middle of their lineup and a veteran presence for a playoff rotation that will likely be without injured ace Stephen Strasburg (right elbow) in the first round.
“That’s a tough one when you lose your catcher, a guy who’s that significant for the pitching staff,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “Think about the pitching staff — it’s so different when you know the guy back there is your guy and he knows what’s going on. The communication’s different. The trust factor, all that stuff is different.”
Within that big-picture context, the Cubs survived as Lackey limited the checked-out Pirates (77-80) to one run across five innings in his fifth start since recovering from a strained right shoulder and coming off the disabled list. Maddon then used six different relievers — staying away from Pedro Strop, Hector Rondon and Aroldis Chapman — during a three-hour, 49-minute game that felt more like the Cactus League.
After defecting from the 100-win St. Louis Cardinals team the Cubs bounced out of last year’s playoffs, Lackey finished the regular season at 11-8 with a 3.35 ERA and 188 1/3 innings.
“I’m going to get to 200,” Lackey said.
Beyond wins and losses, Lackey called this season his career best in terms of “those numbers that they’ve made up in the last few years” like WHIP (1.04) and opponents’ OPS (.646) and whatever. And, no, he doesn’t know his WAR, either: “Not even close.”
Yes, the Cubs got the old-school attitude they wanted when they signed Lackey to a two-year, $32 million deal before the winter meetings. For all the talk about the pitching deficit and the New York Mets after their young guns swept the Cubs out of last year’s NL Championship Series, the Cubs are getting their money’s worth with a guy who will turn 38 in October.
The amazing Mets have lost three of those frontline starters — Matt Harvey (thoracic outlet syndrome), Jacob deGrom (nerve damage in his right elbow) and Steven Matz (bone spur in his left elbow) — and are still holding onto the first wild-card spot, which says something about this playoff field.
This doesn’t guarantee anything in October, but the Cubs are just about as close to full strength as they could reasonably hope now. Instead of the silence that would have come with losing an irreplaceable player like Ramos, the sound system in the postgame clubhouse blasted Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Notorious B.I.G. after their 101st win.
“Yeah, we lost Dexter (Fowler) for a bit,” Maddon said. “We lost (Kyle) Schwarber all year. Otherwise, when a couple pitchers got banged up, whether you’re talking about Rondon or Strop, I don’t think that our injuries have been as magnified because we’ve covered them pretty well.
“We still had our moments, like everybody else has. But when you get to right now, we’re getting well, and hopefully that trend continues. But to lose somebody of that magnitude for them, that’s got to be difficult.”
What Cubs need to see during finals week before playoff test.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Winning or losing the final seven games of the regular season won’t change the perception of the Cubs as the on-paper favorites heading into the playoffs. It all goes back to the question president of baseball operations Theo Epstein got during his Opening Day media session: Will this year be a failure if the Cubs don’t win the World Series?
The final judgments will come in October, but for now the Cubs will be running through postseason scenarios, adhering to Joe Maddon’s keep-everyone-fresh philosophy and trying to avoid any catastrophic injuries during this road trip through Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
Before Monday’s 12-2 win over the Pirates, Maddon confirmed the Cubs are leaning toward carrying 11 pitchers and 14 position players for their first-round playoff series, with a 12-man staff being a possibility that hasn’t been ruled out yet. The manager had already written out the lineups for these four nights at PNC Park, beginning with Chris Coghlan as a leadoff guy, Willson Contreras as the cleanup hitter and Albert Almora Jr. starting in center field.
“That fine balance between being rested and being sharp – we’re trying to thread that needle,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “There’s no guidebook for it.”
With the National League’s No. 1 seed, the best record in baseball and 100 wins already secured, the Cubs can focus on:
• Hoping to copy part of the World Series blueprint the Kansas City Royals used last year. The Cubs have built a dominant bullpen that can shorten games and might roll through October. But that depends on Pedro Strop (knee) and Hector Rondon (triceps) coming back from injuries and performing at full strength.
After Strop pitched a scoreless seventh inning against the Pirates on Monday night, Rondon gave up back-to-back homers to Matt Joyce and David Freese leading off the eighth, which might be written off as lack of adrenaline coming into a 12-run game. Following the playoff script, superstar closer Aroldis Chapman worked the ninth inning with a 10-run lead.
• Maddon dropped into a hitters’ meeting last week at Wrigley Field to send a post-clinch message, stressing the idea of using this time wisely and focusing on the fundamentals the Cubs preached in spring training. That’s grinding out at-bats, understanding a two-strike approach and full-count situations and not relying so much on the home run.
“That’s the key moving forward for us offensively,” Maddon said. “That’s the little nuance of the game as you get to this part (of the year) that really helps you separate.”
• Keeping a third catcher or not sounded more like talk-show filler than an actual debate around the Cubs. David Ross is locked in as Jon Lester’s personal catcher, but at the age of 39 “Grandpa” plays best in a backup role. Contreras offers the most offensive upside and a rocket arm behind the plate, but the rookie would have to make up for his inexperience with energy and enthusiasm.
Miguel Montero has caught more than 8,400 innings in The Show and finally seems to have found his left-handed swing – hitting .333 with two homers, three doubles and 10 RBI in his last 18 games – near the end of a disappointing offensive season.
“It’s really tough to find guys like Miggy,” said Kyle Hendricks, a Cy Young Award candidate and projected Game 2 starter on Oct. 8 at Wrigley Field. “There aren’t many catchers that can control the tempo of a game. He keeps me in sync. He keeps me on time. He knows when to take a break and give me a breather. He just has a really good feel.
“We go (in) with a good game plan, but I think his in-game adjustments are probably where he really picks it up the most. He’s been around. He’s seen all these hitters. He can feel when guys are trying to do certain things to you.”
Getting Jake Arrieta back in the zone that made him the hottest pitcher on the planet last year might require Montero’s presence as a game-caller, pitch-framer and ace whisperer.
• Will wild-card chaos reign? The New York Mets (83-74) and San Francisco Giants (82-74) woke up on Monday clinging to wild-card positions, with the St. Louis Cardinals (81-74) only a half-game behind. The playoff probabilities on FanGraphs project the Mets as a virtual lock (88 percent), making it a coin flip between the Cardinals (57.6 percent) and Giants (54.3 percent).
What do the Cubs have to play for now?
“There’s a lot of self-motivators out there, a lot of accountable people,” Maddon said. “On top of that, we know that Kyle is still in the Cy Young race. We know that Arrieta and Lester are still vying for those individual awards on top of everything else. ‘KB’ (Kris Bryant) wanted that 100th RBI – we got that. We got guys that are in the MVP race. There’s a lot of stuff going on right now. Beyond the team goals, we all would like to see our guys win some personal awards, also.
“We’re rotating the stock. Guys are coming in and out of the lineup. Guys are fresh. And the guys that don’t get a chance to play that often – they want to play and they want to show you what they got. Right now, players want to be on the playoff roster, (and) that’s motivation, too.
“At the end of the day, it’s just about being professional. You want to win.”
• If the wild-card winner gets hot and shocks the best team in baseball in a best-of-five series, the autopsy of this season will inevitably involve second-guessing how the Cubs handled success and if clinching by mid-September dulled their edge.
But in trying to stack the odds in your favor, would you rather be scrambling after the injuries (Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, Zack Wheeler) that have decimated New York’s power pitching? Or worrying about the flammable bullpen (major-league-leading 30 blown saves) that might torch San Francisco’s even-year hopes? And if the Cardinals haven’t put it all together by now, what makes you think the flip will be switched in October?
“As a whole, this gives us a chance to get everybody healthy and on the same page,” Ross said. “Throughout the year, we’ve done a good job of focusing on the day and what’s to come. As long as we focus on being the best team that we can be, I don’t think we’ll have a problem.
“If you want to put a negative spin to clinching early, you can, but I’m pretty excited about it. I think the guys in here are very excited about it. I think there are a lot of other teams that would love to be in our position right now.”
WHITE SOX: Chris Sale ties career-high 17 wins as White Sox power past Rays.
By Paul Roumeliotis
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Sale pitched seven innings and recorded seven strikeouts as the White Sox offense powered past the Tampa Bay Rays 13-6 on Tuesday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
Sale also allowed three earned runs on eight hits and no walks. It was Sale’s 16th career game with at least seven strikeouts and no walks — a franchise record by a wide margin —according to CSN’s stat guru Chris Kamka.
"I feel as good now as I ever have on a baseball field, physically," Sale said. "I think this year was the best overall in terms of feeling strong at the end and still having more in the tank."
"I’ve said it a lot of times before and I can’t stress to you enough, how awesome the people I have in my corner helping me get back out there every fifth day. That starts in the offseason.
It trickles into spring training. I thought we had a really good spring training mindset in getting just enough to where you feel good and this is what we wanted.
"We wanted me to feel good at the end of the year. I think we accomplished that goal. Unfortunately it’s for nothing, but it still is what it is."
Sale said his goal this season was to eat up innings and go deeper into games to help out his bullpen. He's done just that, having worked 221.2 innings this season, extending his career high.
"We went into this year knowing what we were going to get ourselves into," Sale said. "Just trying to do something better for the long haul and looking back, I got burned a couple of times. Just like anybody, though. It’s not to say I wouldn’t have done the same thing in previous years. So, you just make some adjustments and go forward."
With five games left, Ventura hasn’t decided if Sale will make one more start before the 2016 campaign ends — or even in a White Sox uniform.
Sale reiterated that he'd like to be back in Chicago next season, but it's not up to him.
"I can’t say this from experience, but I don’t think there’s probably a better feeling than winning with the team that drafted you and staying with the team that drafted you," Sale said. "Talking with Paulie (Konerko) a little bit in his final year, he definitely had some very good things to say about staying with one team and being here from start to finish. All of that going into it, yeah. But this is baseball, this is sports. You can’t always choose and pick what you want to do or where you want to be."
The White Sox extended their winning streak to four games. The last time they won four consecutive games was July 23-26 against the Cleveland Indians and Cubs. The White Sox had winning streaks of at least four games three times in their first 33 games of the season.
Eaton went 2-for-5 with two runs, an RBI and a double in his return to the lineup after missing three games with an injury.
Tim Anderson got things started with an RBI single in the first and RBI double in the second. Anderson also added a solo homer in the eighth inning.
Melky Cabrera hit his 14th homer of the season in the first, bumping his RBI total to 82 on the year, five shy from his career-high.
In the third, Leury Garcia smacked his first homer of the year, a three-run shot to left-center field to extend the White Sox lead to 8-2. Two more runs were scored in the fifth on a fielder’s choice and an error. Jason Coats, pinch-hitting for Justin Morneau, and Todd Frazier each had an RBI single in the eighth.
Sale issued a two-run double to former White Sox infielder Alexei Ramirez in the second and a homer to Curt Casali in the fourth.
If roster stays the same, Adam Eaton believes White Sox can compete in 2017.
By Paul Roumeliotis
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
This season hasn’t exactly turned out the way the White Sox had hoped.
The White Sox took Major League Baseball by storm after beginning the season at 23-10, which led the American League Central by six games at the time.
But since then, the White Sox have been climbing an uphill battle. They lost 20 of their next 26 games and found themselves fighting to stay above .500.
The White Sox brought in reinforcements in an effort to get their season back on track, adding designated hitter Justin Morneau (via free agency), veteran pitcher James Shields (via trade from San Diego Padres) and 23-year-old shortstop Tim Anderson (Triple-A Charlotte).
But the White Sox still couldn’t make things click.
“I think you learn how guys struggle and how they try and get out of it,” said manager Robin Ventura. “You see guys that continue to grind through it and try to find it. Some guys find it quicker than other guys. I think the biggest thing is their ability to grind through it.”
The White Sox were officially eliminated from the postseason last Friday and will finish with their fourth straight losing season.
What happens over the offseason remains a mystery. It’s uncertain how their opening roster will look like next season.
If little changes are made, Adam Eaton believes the White Sox can still be contenders in 2017.
“There is a lot of talent here,” Eaton said. “There are a lot of good baseball players in here. It’s not the year we thought. And I think with that exact quote, ‘It’s not the year that we thought,’ if we brought the guys back I think we might have the year we thought we would have.
“The camaraderie is great in here. It’s tough to say whether people will be leaving or whether additions will be added. I’m sure moves will be made. In the game of baseball, there’s never an offseason that’s quiet, I feel like. Whatever Rick (Hahn) and the organization sees would be more functional for this team to be better and more consistent on a day-to-day basis, then that’s what they see in the team.
“If I’m in those plans, great. If not, then it kind of stinks. But if they want me in this uniform next year, I’ll be proud to wear it and I’ll put everything I have on the field again like I did this year.”
Time will tell which direction the White Sox decide to go in. Will they continue to add immediate impact players and build around the same group? Make a few tweaks? Or perhaps even tear it all down and start from scratch?
One thing is for sure, it will be a busy offseason for the White Sox one way or another.
If the White Sox decide to make any drastic changes like trade Chris Sale — who was a hot topic of discussion around the trade deadline — Eaton knows exactly what he'd do if they faced one another.
“Take the day off,” Eaton said. “No, I don’t want to give away too much because I hope I’m never on that side. Just see ball, hit ball. Be simple. Have a simple approach off him because he can make you look foolish at times. Just have a good competitive at-bat.
“But like I said, easier said than done. He’s made a lot of people look foolish. I hope I’ll never have to do that, to be honest with you. I’d love to be on his team for the rest of my life.”
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Bulls begin 'necessary' new era by creating a culture 'to take steps forward'
By Mark Strotman
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The busiest Bulls offseason since Gar Forman took as over as general manager and John Paxson became vice president in 2009 came to a close Monday with the unofficial start of the season. The Bulls begin training camp Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Advocate Center, and they’ll do so with eight new faces on the floor, and without perhaps the two biggest faces of the franchise in the 2010s.
But Paxson admitted in his press conference at media day “it was time” to turn the page on a talented group once expected to compete for an NBA title that never lived up to that billing. The decision to trade Derrick Rose and move on from free agent Joakim Noah – as well as Pau Gasol – were difficult ones given those players’ place in Bulls history, but also necessary to move the franchise forward into a new era.
“I didn’t feel that group had a collective fight to it,” Paxson said. “And I think all of us looking back on it, that was true. Change was necessary.
“We had ridden that group a long way. With a little more luck we might have had more success, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. And we just felt it was necessary to try to take some steps forward.”
And while the sweeping overhaul of the roster was noticeable on paper, management is also seeing a different culture transforming on the Near West Side of Chicago they hope will usher in this new period of Bulls basketball.
It’s the reason Forman and Paxson were excited to bringing in Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. With a combined 23 NBA seasons, 260 playoff games and four NBA titles, the two longest-tenured NBA veterans on the roster have already begun leaving their mark.
Forman noted specifically that Rondo has been around the team’s facility “a good part of the summer,” and that his work ethic and time spent in the community has rubbed off on his teammates. Wade walked around the Advocate Center floor with a certain larger-than-life persona, and the future Hall-of-Famer’s accolades speak for themselves. Paxson referred to Taj Gibson as “the ultimate pro,” and Jimmy Butler even noted Monday that he wants Fred Hoiberg to coach him harder than any player on the team, to use him as an example in practice and to “get on me about every little thing.”
“That’s another reason changes were necessary,” Paxson said of helping younger players progress. “And it’s created an environment in this building. We have to start from a base level, and a base level is culture and how guys go about their jobs every day. That’s why we’re talking about accountability.”
Bulls' Jimmy Butler wants tough coaching from Fred Hoiberg this season.
By #BullsTalk
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Much was made of the Jimmy Butler-Fred Hoiberg dynamic last year.
As the duo head into Year 2 together with a very different Bulls roster, Jimmy Butler was very clear about one thing he wants out of his coach this season.
“I told Fred, ‘As much as you can, use me as an example,’” Butler said during the team’s media day on Monday. “I want you to really get on my tail about every little thing because if Doug (McDermott) or Tony (Snell) or whoever it may be, if watching coach talk to me like that he’s going to be like ‘If he can talk to Jimmy like that I know he’s going to come at me a certain way.’ So that’s what I try to remind him everyday. I think he’s ready for that. I’m a player. I’m coachable like everybody else, but I want that. I need that.”
Butler’s show of confidence in his coach didn’t stop at his belief that Hoiberg could follow through on Butler’s desire to be coached hard. The All-Star believes Hoiberg has improved as a coach heading into his second year on the job.
“It was his first year last year and I think he studied himself and us and the way we were up and down in so many areas of the game last year,” Butler said. “He’s trying to correct it. That’s just like anybody going into the offseason. He didn’t just not work. He studied and got better at what he needed to get better at. I think he’s ready moving forward.”
New teammates, new changes put Jimmy Butler at ease.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The earrings were gleaming from Jimmy Butler’s ears, as he was his usual-disarming self with a playful smile and wink during his question-and-answer session with the Chicago media.
At a point, he took a deep breath as he looked around the Advocate Center with some of his new teammates walking around, some of whom had to carry nameplates because they weren’t recognizable faces in this new setting.
And because new faces are in town, it means two things: some faces left town and for Butler’s sake, the new ones will only know him as “Jimmy Butler, All-Star”, not the guy who was a late first-round pick, not the player who couldn’t get off the bench.
Butler didn’t bring up his comfort level, but when asked, he didn’t deny things appear to be a bit easier this time around.
“Does it make me feel more comfortable? I mean, to an extent, yeah, because then you can never say how you may have think that I’ve changed,” Butler said.
Butler’s ascension rubbed some the wrong way last season, and it’s been spoken about ad nauseam, whether it was true or not. But the moment of honesty wasn’t so much a shot at Derrick Rose or Joakim Noah, who departed for the Knicks in various forms; however it was an admission to his level of security, one that perhaps can lead to a more peaceful existence with all the core pieces.
The one way he’s always lead and will always speak to, is by example and work ethic. It’s one that turned him into an All-Star and Olympian.
“I think everybody that’s on this roster now just knows how hard that I’ve worked to get to this spot that I’m at,” Butler said. “They’ve seen it. They’ve witnessed it. All they’ve been around for me is this point of my career. I don’t know if it sounds bad. But I think that all these guys look at, ‘If Jimmy works like that and if I work like that, I’ll be in the same position that he’s in.’ I’ll be more than happy to let you have that position because I think hard work can get you anywhere that you want to get to.”
So with that, Butler volunteered himself to Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg, to be the sacrificial lamb of wrath if need be. Easy to say if he doesn’t actually believe Hoiberg is capable of going from nice guy to madman at a moment’s notice but Butler laid it out for the record.
“I told Fred, ‘As much as you can, use me as an example. I want you to really get on my tail about every little thing.’,” Butler said. “Because if Doug or Tony or whoever it may be is watching coach talk to me like that, it’s going to be like, ‘If he can talk to Jimmy like that, I know he’s going to come at me a certain way.’ That’s what I try to remind him every day. I think he’s ready for that. I’m a player. I’m coachable like everybody else. I want that. I need that.”
The additions of Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo add championship receipts to a locker room that needs it, considering the Bulls want to play their young pieces. Wade and Rondo, the Bulls privately believe, will help Butler deal with everything that comes with a new role of leadership — and by proxy, Butler’s relationship and expectations of Hoiberg.
“He was put in a position last year he wasn't familiar with and I think we'll see growth from it,” Bulls general manager Gar Forman said. “The great thing about Jimmy is you know he comes in each and every day and gives 100 percent. He gets better every year and I think we'll continue to see that growth in his game and him as a person. I think that experience with USA basketball was real positive for him.”
Whether the trio lives up to the “Three Alphas” nickname remains to be seen, but after having a locker room with too many low-pitched voices, perhaps the change in pace — any change in pace — will be a welcome one for Butler.
“The Alpha thing, I think we’ll be just fine. Everybody is going to have something to say,” he said. “As long as everybody is listening and is willing to take some criticism if you’re doing something wrong, just like if you’re doing something right I’m going to tell you, there’s good and bad in everything you do. At the end of the day, as long as we win games, it won’t matter.”
Golf: I got a club for that..... Ryder Cup 2016: Hazeltine stage set for thrilling showdown.
Omnisport
The Ryder Cup is that rare thing in sport - a contest that consistently succeeds in surpassing all expectation.
Time and again the biennial showpiece delivers as each staging adds to the event's growing legend, making it evermore alluring to the watching world.
It has a magnetism so great that people otherwise indifferent to golf can find themselves transfixed on the unfolding drama, understanding little of its technical nuance, but somehow fully grasping its improbable importance.
Hazeltine will provide the stage this year and some think they know the script, too, with the United States heavily favored to win back a title that has been claimed by Europe on six of the last seven occasions.
But the rich history of the Ryder Cup shows that this story and its protagonists pay little mind to pre-determined narratives. Before 2012, you could not have conceived of the plot for the Miracle at Medinah without fear of ridicule. Bernhard Langer's missed six-footer at Kiawah Island 25 years ago? Not in the script. And nobody envisaged the scenes that played out on the 17th green at Brookline in 1999 following Justin Leonard's monster putt.
These are the moments that remind us this matchup, perhaps more than any other in the world of sport, defies any notion of predictability.
Still it is no surprise the hosts are fancied to prevail, given the relative levels of experience in each team.
Team Europe, led by Darren Clarke, features six rookies, untested in the heat of this kind of battle and under pressure to acclimatize quickly.
USA captain Davis Love III boasts a selection of players who are collectively far more familiar with this duel, a fact inextricably tied to their status as favorites.
But on the hilly, narrow fairways and diminutive greens of Hazeltine, it will be the coolest heads - not the oldest or most experienced - that triumph.
Langer was competing at his sixth Ryder Cup when he fluffed his putt to ensure the USA emerged victorious from the War on the Shore; it was a 42-year-old Jim Furyk who - having prematurely celebrated a putt that ultimately did not drop, but would have put him two up with two to play against Sergio Garcia - went on to lose his singles match to the Spaniard at Medinah; and of course the Ryder Cup's oldest captain, Tom Watson, oversaw a crushing defeat at Gleneagles two years ago.
Those tales from Ryder Cups past stand testament to the competition's enduring capacity to play with our emotions, to present stark failure and stunning achievement side by side and allow us - Americans, Europeans or just fascinated observers - to revel in both.
By the end of the week, the 2016 Ryder Cup will have its own chapter in the weighty tome that recounts this glorious event's history, but nobody can say now just how it will conclude. That is why we watch.
Arnold Palmer's hometown of Latrobe mourns his death, ponders its future.
By Ryan Ballengee
A statue of Arnold Palmer at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. (Ryan Ballengee)
On the side of the overpass, it reads: “Welcome to Latrobe – It’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”
It’s a tip of the cap to Fred Rogers, who was born in the town on March 20, 1928. Just about 18 months later, Arnold Palmer entered this world here, too.
Make no mistake: Latrobe might be Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood, but it’s Arnold Palmer’s town.
Palmer died on Sunday at a Pittsburgh hospital from heart complications. The seven-time major winner was in the city, another 40 minutes west down Route 30, for a scheduled Monday procedure.
The outpouring from the golf world was immediate and immense. Most everyone here has an Arnold Palmer story, and most everyone has been quick to tell theirs in wake of the news. Palmer’s health had been on a somewhat steady decline in recent years, with various ailments and maladies piling up – the nature of aging.
Palmer had a pacemaker inserted in August 2014. Five months later, he tripped over his dog in his Orlando condo, dislocating his shoulder. Digestive issues plagued him. Despite it all, Palmer tried to keep some semblance of a regular life, spending the summer in his Latrobe home and welcoming people from all walks to his home and office. Golfers would visit to say hello and pay homage. Pittsburgh Steelers players, in town for training camp at nearby St. Vincent College, drove down Arnold Palmer Drive and up the driveway to spend time with the King.
Latrobe is a town of less than 8,500, but for decades, it has centered on one part-time resident.
For his part, Palmer’s life centered on a two-square-mile radius of western Pennsylvania hills which sit in the shadow of the Laurel Hill peak. His name is all over the place, in part a town-sized homage to his life and career and partly a result of his reinvestment in the place he called home.
Of course, there’s Arnold Palmer’s Latrobe Country Club, the club his father Deacon helped build and where he was the greenskeeper, then head pro. Arnold Palmer bought the club in 1971, and his Latrobe home sits on top of a hill overlooking the front nine of the course.
A police car sits guard at the bottom of the hill, next to a pillar on which a sign reads “Private Drive.” However, for Palmer, seclusion ran counter to his essence. Until near the end of his life, Palmer could often be found somewhere on club property, amid his Army. He could be found in the club’s grill room, where you could order his signature half-iced tea, half-lemonade drink. High school golfers might have seen him cruising around the course on a cart during one of their matches, taking the time to applaud them for a remarkable shot. Palmer hit balls on a near daily basis. Latrobe Country Club’s driving range resembles a more fertile version of where Roy McAvoy practiced in “Tin Cup,” with hand-cut yardage markers sitting up every 50 yards.
There’s nothing pretentious about Latrobe Country Club, a reflection of Palmer himself. From the outside, the clubhouse looks like a bigger version of your grandma’s house – unassuming, secluded in the trees and largely unchanged by time. Inside, however, is a monument to Palmer’s adventures. Eye-distracting pictures of Palmer, his first wife Winnie and second wife Kit, as well his family, friends and rivals adorn the walls, hallways and stairwells. Trophies abound.
And yet, Latrobe Country Club has simultaneously been a sprawling mausoleum to Palmer’s father. Deacon Palmer still has a locker in the locker room resembling an upscale high school gymnasium. There’s a statue, carved from a tree, of Deacon to the left of the 18th fairway. Palmer’s father had his ashes spread near the club’s 18th green, and, per his will, the King’s remains will be released in the same spot.
Less than two miles from the club and his home is Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, renamed for the golf legend in 1999. The small airport – the trek from check-in to terminal is maybe 100 feet – served for decades as Palmer’s personal runway, the place where the King took off and landed when he was engaged in his other greatest passion: aviation. In recent years, the airport has become increasingly popular for commercial airliners. Spirit Airlines uses the airport as a small hub with flights up and down the East Coast, as well seasonal routes to other destinations.
Just outside the one way in and out for passengers, a life-sized statue of Palmer stands. A handful of comers and goers left flowers at the feet of the statue, while the American flag at half-staff blew in the seasonably warm breeze.
Less than a half-mile from the airport, you can buy a car with Arnold Palmer’s signature on it from his Cadillac-Buick dealership. Arnold Palmer Motors has been in business since 1981, with the front plate space pre-loaded with a piece of metal bearing Palmer’s signature.
Palmer quotes and tributes lined Route 30 on Monday, on sign after sign at businesses grateful for the 62-time PGA Tour winner’s life, influence and occasional patronage.
They begin before entering town.
“Thank You Mr. Palmer”
“A True Legend Never Dies RIP Arnie”
“God Bless You Arnold Palmer”
“Arnold Palmer You Will Be Sorely Missed”
The Walgreens staff shared their favorite Palmer quote: “The most rewarding things you do in life are often the ones that look like they cannot be done.”
Arnold Palmer’s life story is one of transforming doubt into success, time and again. Now, as Latrobe mourns Palmer’s passing, there’s also a sudden unease about the town’s touchpoints with the golf legend’s surviving family – ranging from the petty to the foundational.
The rumor in town goes that Palmer specifically demanded the Westmoreland County Airport Authority keep parking free at the airport, a condition of using the legend’s name to drive some foot and air traffic. With the airport continually growing, that Palmer perk may go away.
It’s unclear if Arnold Palmer Motors will continue on in the wake of his passing.
Most importantly, the future of Latrobe Country Club is in doubt. Membership has declined in recent years, and Palmer personally financed club losses so it would break even. In an effort to stem running as deep into the red, Latrobe Country Club has offered tee-sheet access to guests of a Springhill Suites across the street from the regional airport. The hotel is a mini Palmer museum, adorned with memorabilia and pictures – a public extension of the Latrobe clubhouse.
On club property, too, there are a few cottages that can put up Palmer admirers just steps away from hallowed ground in golf. Without the direct connection to Palmer, it’s unclear how the club will continue. A whispered suggestion emerged that the club could open further to the public, an interactive park of sorts honoring Palmer.
All things cars, planes and carts aside, Palmer’s philanthropy will be missed. He quietly supported countless charities, with donations of memorabilia, signed merchandise, tee times and personal appearances. He helped support pediatric care, libraries, public gardens and more – many without so much as a mention of his generosity. It’s unclear how much the Palmer estate might still shape Latrobe and broader western Pennsylvania.
The future of Arnold Palmer’s substantial piece of Latrobe has already been somewhat set into motion, per his final instructions and preparation. For as much as Palmer may have looked at times like he was winging it on the golf course, he was a shrewd and prepared businessman. And there will be time to sort out the details after a private funeral late this week and a public remembrance next Tuesday at St. Vincent College. Right now is a time to stop and say thanks.
Latrobe, though, hasn’t come to a screeching halt. Arnold Palmer may have put the town on the map, but it moves on as it weeps for his loss. On Monday at Latrobe Country Club, a scheduled Monday tournament took over his course. It was for St. Vincent’s athletic programs, an example of how Palmer will posthumously continue to help the area.
As thousands flood here to pay their respects, many will head back home from Latrobe eastward on Route 30. As they leave, they’ll go under that overpass again – the one welcoming everyone to the neighborhood. However, as the sun sets behind them going the other way, they’ll see the other side of the bridge.
It says, “Greater Latrobe Area Legend Arnold Palmer,” with his emblematic umbrella an exclamation point.
The sign is a reminder that, in life, and now in death, Latrobe is Arnold Palmer’s town.
The Latest: Public ceremony for Palmer to be held Oct. 4.
By The Associated Press
Alastair Johnston, the chief executive of Arnold Palmer Enterprises, said Monday at a news conference that a public ceremony to commemorate Palmer would be held at 11 a.m. on Oct. 4 at St. Vincent's College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
Johnston says the last thing Palmer would want is for a golf schedule to be interrupted.
He says the funeral will be later this week and limited only to family.
Golf-World ranking comparison for Ryder Cup teams.
Reuters; Compiled by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Andrew Both
World rankings for members of the United States and Europe Ryder Cup teams, who will compete for the trophy at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota on Friday, Saturday and Sunday:
United States / Europe
2-Dustin Johnson 3-Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)
4-Jordan Spieth 5-Henrik Stenson (Sweden)
8-Patrick Reed 10-Danny Willett (England)
9-Rickie Fowler 11-Justin Rose (England)
15-Phil Mickelson 12-Sergio Garcia (Spain)
16-Jimmy Walker 30-Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spain)
17-Matt Kuchar 32-Chris Wood (England)
21-JB Holmes 42-Thomas Pieters (Belgium)
22-Brooks Koepka 44-Matt Fitzpatrick (England)
23-Brandt Snedeker 46-Lee Westwood (England)
28-Zach Johnson 48-Martin Kaymer (Germany)
31-Ryan Moore 50-Andy Sullivan (England)
By Nick Bromberg
1. Kevin Harvick (LW: 4): We’re going with recency and rewarding Harvick for the New Hampshire win. Harvick’s move from starting 19th to the win was the most spots anyone gained throughout the entirety of Sunday’s race. And it also avenged his losing moment from 2015 when he ran out of gas while racing Kenseth for the win late in the race.
The win also solidifies Harvick as the top non-Toyota contender for the championship. He entered the Chase with that status and the first two races of the playoffs have done nothing to dissuade anyone from that thought.
2. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 2): Truex’s mistimed restart on the next-to-last restart ultimately cost him a chance at the win and led to a seventh-place finish. But after winning at Chicago the driver of the No. 78 could afford to take restart gambles. When you’re moving on in the Chase you can try a lot of different things.
The chaotic side of us wanted to see Truex’s team really push the limits of inspection on Sunday, knowing full well that any NASCAR penalty would be fruitless. But we also understand not wanting to draw the attention of the sanctioning body with eight Chase races to go. Push the limits when the stakes get higher.
3. Brad Keselowski (LW: 3): Keselowski is really good at New Hampshire. He battled back to finish fourth on Sunday and his average finish of 10.3 at the track is his fourth-best mark among all active tracks in the series. And, predictably, Keselowski led two laps early in the race when he and crew chief Paul Wolfe decided to extend their fuel run longer than most. As we said entering the Chase, the team’s willingness to divert on fuel strategy is a plus, and it netted them a bonus point in a race dominated by Toyotas.
4. Denny Hamlin (LW: 2): Hamlin just needs to avoid disaster at Dover to move on, but New Hampshire could have gone a lot better. Hamlin finished 15th after he was relegated to the back of the field because of an uncontrolled tire penalty on a late-race pit stop.
The team got its money’s worth on the penalty. Sometimes uncontrolled tire penalties are ticky-tack. This one definitely wasn’t.
5. Matt Kenseth (LW: 10): Kenseth admitted after the race that he simply didn’t have the car to keep up with Harvick over the race’s final five laps. That was because he was forced to race so hard before Harvick got to his bumper because of the speed of Truex.
He finished second on Sunday after finishing first at New Hampshire earlier in the year.
He won at Dover in May, so if you told Kenseth he’d finish second on Sunday he’d probably take it and be ready to race at Charlotte.
6. Kyle Busch (LW: 8): The fresh tires Busch took late in the race were like rocket boosters. Well, until he got to third. Busch sliced his way through the field but hit a road block once he got to the front cars of Kenseth and Truex. And then he got bottled up on the final two restarts and couldn’t use the tires to his advantage during the heat cycles.
7. Chase Elliott (LW: 5): Elliott finished 13th on Sunday, a finish that isn’t bad at all. But when viewed in the prism of being 12th among the 16 drivers in the Chase it looks a bit worse. Elliott is 16 points ahead of 12th in the standings, so all he has to do is avoid a bad finish at Dover and he’s moving on to the second round. But finishing in the bottom half of Chase drivers isn’t a good strategy moving forward.
8. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 7): Johnson finished eighth and was also eighth among Chase drivers. He’s currently two points ahead of where Elliott is in the standings and has to like his chances at Dover given his dominance at the track. Of course we were saying that last year and a small part busted in Johnson’s engine and he didn’t make it out of the first round of the Chase.
9. Joey Logano (LW: 6): Even though he finished just two spots ahead of Elliott in 11th, it’s easier to be positive about Logano’s finish given the circumstances. Logano went a lap down in the first half of the race as a lack of cautions spread the field out. He was able to get it back and work his way to almost a top-10. Add in the bonus points he had before the Chase for winning and he’s all by himself in fifth in the standings.
10. Kurt Busch (LW: 12): Busch needed a good run at New Hampshire to balance out his Chicago struggles and he got it. Busch finished fifth, but he’s still in a relatively dangerous position heading to Dover. Busch is 11th in the standings, 15 points ahead of 13th-place Jamie McMurray and Austin Dillon.
By comparison, Busch trails the points lead by just 20 points. Yeah, things are really bunched at the top.
11. Kyle Larson (LW: 9): Larson is the driver in 12th after finishing 10th on Sunday. The 30-point gap to the top of the standings is largely because he had to pit for a flat tire late in the race at Chicago. But it’s better to be safe than sorry. Had that tire blown and Larson hit the wall he could be down with Chris Buescher at the bottom of the standings. And remember, Larson was second at Dover in May.
12. Carl Edwards (LW: NR): Edwards’ six poles are double his previous career-high of three. We won’t be surprised if he gets another one or two before the end of the season. But he needs to turn one of those into wins. Edwards finished sixth on Sunday and is tied with Elliott for ninth in the standings.
Lucky Dog: Hey there Kasey Kahne, you were the only non-Chase driver in the top 11.
The DNF: It was a rough day for Roush Fenway Racing. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. spun and was still the team’s highest-finishing driver in 24th. Greg Biffle was 33rd and Trevor Bayne finished 38th.
Dropped Out: Jamie McMurray
Who is Hot and Cold entering the Citizen Soldier 400 at Dover?
By Daniel McFadin
The “Monster Mile” has hosted a Chase for the Sprint Cup race in all 12 years of the playoffs.
All 12 of those races, beginning in 2004, have been won by Chase drivers. The 1-mile concrete track also isn’t very giving when it comes to drivers who haven’t won a Sprint Cup title.
The last 15 Dover races have been won by drivers who have claimed a Cup title. Not since Greg Biffle won in Sept. 2008 has a non-champion tamed the “Monster.” But to be fair, seven of those were won by Jimmie Johnson, who has the track record with 10 wins.
Eight of the 12 Dover Chase races were won by current Chase competitors. The other four were won by Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle and Jeff Burton.
The Dover Chase race winner has gone on to win the title four times with Johnson (2009, 2010 and 2013) and Brad Keselowski (2012).
Here’s who is Hot and Cold entering the final race of the first round of the Chase.
Who’s Hot
Brad Keselowski: Only driver with top-five finishes in both Chase races in 2016. Finished in top 10 in 15 of the last 19 races including top five in the last three. Led 49 laps at Dover in May, finished sixth.
Kevin Harvick: Five of his last six wins, including the last three, have come in races where he’s started 15th or worse. Earned first Dover win last fall after starting 15th and leading 355 laps. His 22 top-10 finishes this season leads all drivers. Has led most laps in last two Dover Chase races.
Kyle Larson: Top-10 finishes in four of the last five races. Worst finish at Dover in five races is 11th. Average finish at Dover is 6.2, his best track (four top 10s). Finished second at Dover in May, led 85 laps and challenged Matt Kenseth for the win the last 35 laps.
Martin Truex Jr.: Led in the last five races, the longest streak of his career. Has two wins in the last four races and four straight top 10s, his best streak this season. Finished top 10 in four of the last five races at Dover.
Who’s Cold
Jimmie Johnson: Only five top-10 finishes in the last 19 races of 2016. Ten wins at Dover in 29 starts. Led 3,003 laps at Dover, the most all-time.
Kurt Busch: Finished fifth at New Hampshire for his first top five in nine races. Only two top 10s in last seven races. His fifth-place finish at Dover in May is only top 10 in last nine races there.
Matt Kenseth: The May Dover winner. His second-place finish at New Hampshire was his first top five since being the runner-up at Indianapolis. Top 10s in three of last four races. Finished top 10 in five of last six races at Dover.
Carl Edwards: Sixth-place finish at New Hampshire was only finish better than 15th in last four races. Last top five was his runner-up finish at Kentucky. Best finish in the last seven races at Dover is 11th (fall 2014).
More notes of interest ahead of the Citizen Soldier 400
- Driver leading the most laps has won only one of the last eight races (Kyle Larson at Michigan).
- A Toyota Driver has never won the Dover Chase race.
- Denny Hamlin is the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver to never win at Dover, but he has three poles in the last six Dover races that have held qualifying.
- Three drivers led in the fall 2015 Dover race, tying the record for the fewest leaders in a Dover race.
- Ten drivers led at Dover in May, this was most drivers to lead in the last six Dover races
- There were 11 DNFs at Dover in May, this was the most DNFs at the track in the last eight races; nine of the 11 were due to accidents.
SOCCER: Soldier Field reportedly a finalist to host 2017 MLS All-Star Game.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
According to a report from Crain's Chicago Business, Chicago's Soldier Field may be in the running to host next year's MLS All-Star Game.
The report says the city and Major League Soccer are discussing Chicago hosting the All-Star Game, which includes a number of other events in the lead up to the game.
Toyota Park, which is located in suburban Bridgeview, hosted the All-Star Game in 2006 less than two months after the stadium opened. Soldier Field has never hosted the MLS All-Star Game.
The Chicago Fire played in Soldier Field from the team's expansion season in 1998 until Soldier Field renovations in 2002. The Fire moved back to the renovated Soldier Field midway through the 2003 season before heading to Toyota Park.
If Soldier Field hosts the All-Star Game, it would be the first non-MLS venue to host the game since 2010 when Houston's Reliant Stadium hosted the MLS All-Stars against Manchester United.
This year's All-Star Game was in San Jose's year-and-a-half old Avaya Stadium. Arsenal beat the MLS All-Stars 2-1.
Champions League preview: Arsenal match sees Xhaka vs. Xhaka; Man City hosts Celtic.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
There are some absolute beauties on tap for Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League, with two Premier League clubs in play and a pair of matches pitting top teams from Germany and Spain.
All Wednesday matches kick off at 2:45 p.m. ET.
Celtic vs. Manchester City
Having been hammered 7-0 at home by Barcelona, Celtic’s “reprieve” is a trip to face Pep Guardiola and Manchester City. Brendan Rodgers will need to pull every trick out of his hat to avoid another blowout, as City had little trouble in dispatching a solid Borussia Monchengladbach side 4-0.
Arsenal vs. FC Basel
Both Group A matches were 1-1 draws to open the stage, though few expect draws on day 2. That’s because giants Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain move onto perceived lesser lights in Basel and Ludogorets Razgrad.
The Gunners are flying, having gotten their toughest fixture out of the way in a 1-1 draw at PSG. Arsene Wenger‘s crew is fresh off a 3-0 thumping of Chelsea, and will be aware of Basel’s best: Serey Die, Birkir Bjarnason, and Taulant Xhaka, brother of Arsenal’s Granit. That’s right… all the Xhakas.
Atletico Madrid vs. Bayern Munich
A road goal led Diego Simeone’s Atleti past Bayern in last year’s UCL semifinal, and the Bavarians will hope for a better fate under new boss Carlo Ancelotti.
Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Barcelona
Man, this group. A very good Gladbach side will have to rebound from a 4-0 loss to Man City by hosting Barcelona. The good news for the Germans is that Barcelona will be without Leo Messi, though that mattered little in Barca’s 5-0 win in La Liga play this weekend.
Elsewhere
Ludogorets Razgrad vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Napoli vs. Benfica
Besiktas vs. Dynamo Kyiv
FC Rostov vs. PSV Eindhoven
Champions League wrap: Spurs, Foxes collect wins; Juve wins big in Croatia.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
The UEFA Champions League’s group stage hits its second round of matches Tuesday, with two Premier League teams in play and a bevy of big names from outside England.
Leicester won again, meaning the unlikely Premier League champions could all-but-clinch a spot in the knockout rounds if they beat Copenhagen in October.
Spurs also won to help make amends for losing at home to start the group stage while — surprise, surprise — USMNT star Christian Pulisic again was the super sub for Borussia Dortmund, making a big difference in a draw with Real Madrid.
Standings at bottom.
CSKA Moscow 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
There’s no shame in picking up a point so far from home, but a loss in the group stage opener but a little more weight on Spurs.
Mauricio Pochettino‘s side bossed the play, but found themselves closed down atop the 18 by a stingy and aggressive CSKA Moscow side.
Erik Lamela and Son Heung-min were active, and it was the South Korean who found a break through in the 71st minute.
Played through on goal, Igor Akinfeev got a piece of Son’s right-footed rip only to see the ball crawl across the line. 1-0.
Dinamo Zagreb 0-4 Juventus
Gonzalo Higuain and Miralem Pjanic scored first half goals for The Old Lady, who has had little trouble establishing itself in UCL this year. Paulo Dybala made it 3-0 in the 57th minute, as we had cruise control in Croatia.
Monaco 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez reportedly cost Bayer Leverkusen less than $10 million, and he’s been an absolute steal. Whatever was missing from his game at Manchester United and Real Madrid has been on full display for Bayer. Hernandez busted the match open with his sixth UCL goal in 11 appearances for the German side. Unfortunately for his side, Kamil Glik leveled things deep into stoppage time.
Leicester City 1-0 Porto
The chemistry between Algeria and now Leicester City teammates Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani is very real.
The former fed the latter for an opening goal on Tuesday in UEFA Champions League play at King Power Stadium, as the Foxes have opened up a 1-0 lead on Porto.
You can imagine the visitors aren’t too pleased with having to meet up with Slimani, who they just managed to see out of their league only to watch him arrive in their UCL group.
And how about the mad dabbing kid shown just after Slimani’s celebration? Wild nights in Leicester, as the Foxes held up to Porto’s second half pressure and went 2-for-2 in the group stage.
Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo got on the scoresheet, though the hosts have been by far the more dangerous side. USMNT teenager Christian Pulisic is on the bench for BVB.
Thomas Tuchel’s side threatened to score through a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rocketed a shot just over the frame, and the Gabonese man made it 1-1 soon after when Keylor Navas punched Raphael Guerriero’s free kick off Raphael Varane. Aubameyang touched it over the line for an academic marker.
Varane, however, looked to have had the last laugh, poking in a go-ahead goal. That’s when USMNT star Christian Pulisic subbed on for Borussia Dortmund with 17 minutes to go and forced Navas into a save. Emre Mor then did the same.
Then, Pulisic beat his man on the right wing, sending a cross through traffic that Andre Schurrle collected and belted by Navas. 2-2.
Elsewhere
Sevilla 1-0 Lyon
Copenhagen 4-0 Club Brugge
Sporting CP 2-0 Legia Warsaw
STANDINGS
Group E
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Home | Away | PTS |
| Monaco | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 4 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0-0-1 | 1-0-0 | 3 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 |
| CSKA Moscow | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 0-0-1 | 0-1-0 | 1 |
| Group F | ||||||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Home | Away | PTS |
| Real Madrid | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 4 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 4 |
| Sporting CP | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1-0-0 | 0-0-1 | 3 |
| Legia Warsaw | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | -8 | 0-0-1 | 0-0-1 | 0 |
| Group G | ||||||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Home | Away | PTS |
| Leicester City | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 6 |
| FC Copenhagen | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 4 |
| FC Porto | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0-1-0 | 0-0-1 | 1 |
| Club Brugge | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | -7 | 0-0-1 | 0-0-1 | 0 |
| Group H | ||||||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Home | Away | PTS |
| Juventus | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 4 |
| Sevilla | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 4 |
| Lyon | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1-0-0 | 0-0-1 | 3 |
| Dinamo Zagreb | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | -7 | 0-0-1 | 0-0-1 | 0 |
NCAAFB: College Football Playoff contenders and pretenders heading into Week 5.
By Jim Baird
(Photo/sportingnews.com)
Week 4 brought some series surprises, and the dramatic end of Les Miles' tenure at LSU.
Irish eyes weren’t smiling, and neither were those in Georgia. Tennessee snapped its 11-year losing streak against Florida while Wisconsin punched Sparty in the mouth. In the Pac 12, Stanford and Washington both found a way to win on the road.
Irish eyes weren’t smiling, and neither were those in Georgia. Tennessee snapped its 11-year losing streak against Florida while Wisconsin punched Sparty in the mouth. In the Pac 12, Stanford and Washington both found a way to win on the road.
Here are the top playoff contenders from each conference as we head into monster matchups in Week 5.
ACC
Top Contenders: No. 3 Louisville, No. 5 Clemson, No. 14 Miami, No. 12 Florida State
What We Learned: The ACC's best rolled Saturday. While Miami had a bye week, Louisville, Clemson and Florida State outscored the competition 140-70.
What To Watch: Clemson handled undefeated Georgia Tech on the road last week. Now, the competition skyrockets when Louisville comes to town Saturday night. Louisville has the top scoring offense in the nation averaging 63.5 points per game. Can Clemson’s No. 5 ranked defense slow the Cardinals in Memorial Stadium?
Big 12
Top Contenders: No. 13 Baylor, No. 22 Texas, No. 21 TCU, West Virginia
What We Learned: After dispatching Northwestern State, SMU and Rice in the nonconference calendar, Baylor continues to look the part of a conference champion. Seth Russell scorched Oklahoma State for 387 yards and four touchdowns. Russell has already passed for 13 touchdowns with just four interceptions. Don’t sleep on West Virginia as a contender either, they quietly sit at 3-0 after beating BYU.
What To Watch: TCU and Oklahoma clash in Fort Worth, Texas. Can the Sooners bounce back from two tough early season losses to Houston and Ohio State?
Big 10
Top Contenders: No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Michigan, No. 8 Wisconsin, No. 15 Nebraska, No. 17 Michigan State.
What We Learned: Wisconsin is a legitimate title contender this year. The Badgers took care of business against Sparty in East Lansing, Mich. While Michigan State took a serious step back, they still control their own destiny with games against Michigan and Ohio State. Meanwhile, a dominant Wolverines team crushed Penn State. The seat is getting warm for Penn State coach James Franklin.
What To Watch: Wisconsin and Michigan clash in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Wolverines average 52 points per game, the stingy Badgers only allow 11.8. Something has got to give.
What We Learned: Wisconsin is a legitimate title contender this year. The Badgers took care of business against Sparty in East Lansing, Mich. While Michigan State took a serious step back, they still control their own destiny with games against Michigan and Ohio State. Meanwhile, a dominant Wolverines team crushed Penn State. The seat is getting warm for Penn State coach James Franklin.
What To Watch: Wisconsin and Michigan clash in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Wolverines average 52 points per game, the stingy Badgers only allow 11.8. Something has got to give.
Pac 12
Top Contenders: No. 7 Stanford, No. 10 Washington, No. 18 Utah, Arizona State
What We Learned: The juggernauts of the North found a way to win. Stanford scored the go-ahead touchdown with 24 seconds left to down a game effort from UCLA. Washington survived an overtime test from Rich Rodriguez' upset-minded Wildcats. Meanwhile, Utah and Arizona State improved their records to 4-0.
What To Watch: In a Friday night tilt, Stanford heads to Seattle to take on the Huskies. The winner will be in the drivers’ seat in the Pac 12 North.
What We Learned: The juggernauts of the North found a way to win. Stanford scored the go-ahead touchdown with 24 seconds left to down a game effort from UCLA. Washington survived an overtime test from Rich Rodriguez' upset-minded Wildcats. Meanwhile, Utah and Arizona State improved their records to 4-0.
What To Watch: In a Friday night tilt, Stanford heads to Seattle to take on the Huskies. The winner will be in the drivers’ seat in the Pac 12 North.
SEC
Top Contenders: No. 1 Alabama, No. 9 Texas A&M, No. 11 Tennessee, No. 20 Arkansas, No. 25 Georgia
What We Learned: Times are a changin' at LSU after a disappointing 2-2 start and a sputtering offense. Georgia is not yet ready for prime time after being taught a lesson in a 45-14 schooling by Ole Miss. Tennessee is finally over the hump after 11 years of losing against Florida. Texas A&M has one of the strongest rushing attacks in the SEC, rumbling for 366 in an impressive win against Arkansas.
What To Watch: Can Tennessee keep the momentum going in Athens against a Bulldog team looking to bounce back? How will LSU respond against Missouri without Les Miles?
What We Learned: Times are a changin' at LSU after a disappointing 2-2 start and a sputtering offense. Georgia is not yet ready for prime time after being taught a lesson in a 45-14 schooling by Ole Miss. Tennessee is finally over the hump after 11 years of losing against Florida. Texas A&M has one of the strongest rushing attacks in the SEC, rumbling for 366 in an impressive win against Arkansas.
What To Watch: Can Tennessee keep the momentum going in Athens against a Bulldog team looking to bounce back? How will LSU respond against Missouri without Les Miles?
Group of Five/Independents
Top Contenders: No. 6 Houston
What We Learned: Notre Dame is in trouble. Falling to 1-3 after losing to Duke at home is not what Brian Kelly envisioned to start the season. The path doesn’t get easier. After two road games against Syracuse and NC State, the Irish take on Stanford and Miami (Fla.).
What To Watch: After beating Texas State by 61, high-flying Houston hosts a 2-2
Connecticut. Connecticut needed a last second field-goal to beat Maine earlier this season.
What We Learned: Notre Dame is in trouble. Falling to 1-3 after losing to Duke at home is not what Brian Kelly envisioned to start the season. The path doesn’t get easier. After two road games against Syracuse and NC State, the Irish take on Stanford and Miami (Fla.).
What To Watch: After beating Texas State by 61, high-flying Houston hosts a 2-2
Connecticut. Connecticut needed a last second field-goal to beat Maine earlier this season.
College football Week 5 TV schedule: How to watch the Top 25 teams.
By Colleen Thomas
(Photo/sportingnews.com)
It was a magical weekend for Vols fans, and a bit of a bore for everyone else.
Tennessee broke its 11-year losing streak to Florida on Saturday and took control of the SEC East. But the rest of the Top 25 matchups weren't all that exciting.
Well, this week should be a whole lot different. We've got three games between top 10 teams: No. 7 Stanford at No. 10 Washington, No. 8 Wisconsin at No. 4 Michigan, and No. 3 Louisville at No. 5 Clemson. This'll be fun.
Here's all the info — dates, times, TV channels — for how to watch the Top 25 teams in Week 5. All times ET.
Thursday, September 29
Connecticut at No. 6 Houston, 8:00 p.m., ESPN
Friday, September 30
No. 7 Stanford at No. 10 Washington, 9:00 p.m., ESPN
Saturday, October 1
Alcorn State at No. 20 Arkansas, 12:00 p.m., SEC Network
No. 13 Baylor at Iowa State, 12:00 p.m., FS1
No. 23 Florida at Vanderbilt, 12:00 p.m., SEC Network
No. 22 Texas at Oklahoma State, 12:00 p.m., ABC
Rutgers at No. 2 Ohio State, 12:00 p.m., TBD
No. 14 Miami (Fla.) at Georgia Tech, 12:00 p.m., ESPN2
No. 11 Tennessee at No. 25 Georgia, 3:30 p.m., CBS
North Carolina at No. 12 Florida State, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
No. 8 Wisconsin at No. 4 Michigan, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Illinois at No. 15 Nebraska, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
No. 9 Texas A&M at South Carolina, 4:00 p.m., SEC Network
Oklahoma at No. 21 TCU, 5:00 p.m., FOX
No. 18 Utah at California, 6:00 p.m., PAC12
Memphis at No. 16 Ole Miss, 7:00 p.m., TBD
Kentucky at No. 1 Alabama, 7:00 p.m., ESPN
No. 3 Louisville at No. 5 Clemson, 8:00 p.m., ABC
No. 19 San Diego State at South Alabama, 8:00 p.m., ESPN3
No. 17 Michigan State at Indiana, 8:00 p.m., BTN
Utah State at No. 24 Boise State, 10:15 p.m., ESPN2
Tennessee broke its 11-year losing streak to Florida on Saturday and took control of the SEC East. But the rest of the Top 25 matchups weren't all that exciting.
Well, this week should be a whole lot different. We've got three games between top 10 teams: No. 7 Stanford at No. 10 Washington, No. 8 Wisconsin at No. 4 Michigan, and No. 3 Louisville at No. 5 Clemson. This'll be fun.
Here's all the info — dates, times, TV channels — for how to watch the Top 25 teams in Week 5. All times ET.
Thursday, September 29
Connecticut at No. 6 Houston, 8:00 p.m., ESPN
Friday, September 30
No. 7 Stanford at No. 10 Washington, 9:00 p.m., ESPN
Saturday, October 1
Alcorn State at No. 20 Arkansas, 12:00 p.m., SEC Network
No. 13 Baylor at Iowa State, 12:00 p.m., FS1
No. 23 Florida at Vanderbilt, 12:00 p.m., SEC Network
No. 22 Texas at Oklahoma State, 12:00 p.m., ABC
Rutgers at No. 2 Ohio State, 12:00 p.m., TBD
No. 14 Miami (Fla.) at Georgia Tech, 12:00 p.m., ESPN2
No. 11 Tennessee at No. 25 Georgia, 3:30 p.m., CBS
North Carolina at No. 12 Florida State, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
No. 8 Wisconsin at No. 4 Michigan, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Illinois at No. 15 Nebraska, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
No. 9 Texas A&M at South Carolina, 4:00 p.m., SEC Network
Oklahoma at No. 21 TCU, 5:00 p.m., FOX
No. 18 Utah at California, 6:00 p.m., PAC12
Memphis at No. 16 Ole Miss, 7:00 p.m., TBD
Kentucky at No. 1 Alabama, 7:00 p.m., ESPN
No. 3 Louisville at No. 5 Clemson, 8:00 p.m., ABC
No. 19 San Diego State at South Alabama, 8:00 p.m., ESPN3
No. 17 Michigan State at Indiana, 8:00 p.m., BTN
Utah State at No. 24 Boise State, 10:15 p.m., ESPN2
NCAABKB: Northwestern to play home basketball games at Allstate Arena in 2017-18.
By Vinnie Dubner
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
While Welsh-Ryan Arena undergoes a complete facelift, the Wildcats needed somewhere to play during the 2017-18 season.
That home location was announced Tuesday. Northwestern will play its home schedule at Allstate Arena in Rosemont during the 2017-18 campaign.
The previously announced renovation of Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2017 and finish up in the fall of 2018, ready for the 2018-19 season.
“We are excited to partner with Allstate Arena to host Northwestern men’s basketball games during the 2017-18 season while Welsh-Ryan Arena is undergoing its renovation,” Northwestern athletics director Jim Phillips said in the announcement. “The venue has a rich college basketball tradition in the Chicagoland area. I know that our fans will enjoy cheering on our team at Allstate Arena during what will be an exciting season.”
Certainly Allstate Arena is no stranger to college hoops. It's served as the home court for DePaul for decades and famously hosted the NCAA tournament Midwest Regional in 2005, when Illinois scored a remarkable win over Arizona to advance to the Final Four.
The renovation to Welsh-Ryan Arena promises a radically transformed venue for Northwestern hoops. Announced back in June, the renovation's details include new chair-back seating throughout the arena, new locker rooms and offices for the men's and women's basketball teams, new restrooms and concession areas for fans, as well as an expanded concourse, a new ticket office, an expanded lobby and an expansion of the N-Club, plus the retention of the recently installed video boards.
What you need to know: Supreme Court considers hearing NCAA v. O'Bannon.
By Jon Solomon
(Photo/USATSI)
Inside a conference room Monday, eight Supreme Court justices will decide what additional cases to hear this term. One of the petitions may determine the future of college sports: Case No. 15-1388, NCAA v. Ed O'Bannon.
At stake is whether the highest court in the United States of America will hear O'Bannon to settle the debate over amateurism, or pass on the issue temporarily and maybe forever. The NCAA wants the case heard so it can keep using amateurism as a key defense for a model preventing athletes from being paid. O'Bannon's lawyers want it heard to allow players to make money off their name, image and likeness, and to settle antitrust questions for possible future legal challenges of NCAA rules.
All that matters, of course, is whether the Supreme Court wants to hear it. What the NCAA and O'Bannon view as a vital issue doesn't necessarily carry the same weight with the court, which will review challenges on issues such as transgender bathrooms, the Washington Redskins' trademarks, Obamacare and the President's ability to fill justice vacancies without Senate approval.
The Supreme Court grants about one percent of the 7,000 petitions it hears each year. Lately, the court's docket has been historically light, which court experts believe is due to Justice Antonin Scalia's death.
It's unusual but not unprecedented that the NCAA and O'Bannon both want the same question answered (amateurism), said Stephen Wermiel, a constitutional law professor at American University who writes a column on SCOTUSBlog about the Supreme Court.
"I do think that makes it more likely for the case to be heard," Wermiel said. "If I were betting, I might bet they'd deny it. I think these are issues they're eventually going to have to decide. But whether they're ready for that now, I don't know."
Here's what to watch for as the Supreme Court evaluates O'Bannon:
What are the O'Bannon and NCAA arguments? Last September, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that the NCAA violated antitrust law, but it eliminated a lower court's remedy allowing schools to pay football and men's basketball players $5,000 per year. The O'Bannon lawyers want the $5,000 remedy back and clarification of amateurism. They also believe the 9th Circuit improperly put the burden on the plaintiffs to show the $5,000 payments were appropriate.
The NCAA also wants amateurism answered once and for all. The 9th Circuit decision means only cash tied to educational expenses, such as cost of attendance, is allowed under NCAA rules.
The NCAA contends that NCAA v. Board of Regents in 1984 should have resulted in a more favorable ruling for the NCAA in O'Bannon. The 1984 case was about college football television rights, but a small portion of the Supreme Court's opinion said that athletes must not be paid in order to preserve the NCAA's product.
The NCAA is also asking the Supreme Court to consider whether First Amendment protections should have factored into O'Bannon, which focused on using players' images in video games without their permission. If nobody owned the rights to athletes' names, images and likenesses, the NCAA argues, the association didn't restrain trade.
What does the Supreme Court look for in taking cases? Typically, the Supreme Court considers if there's a difference of opinion between the federal court and court of appeals, and if the conflict is important enough for the Supreme Court to decide. Four justices must vote in favor of a case being heard.
"Ordinarily, they might wait for another court to say amateurism is immunity and then they have a square conflict to hear it," Wermiel said. "Here, since it's their own opinion [that's in conflict from the 1984 Board of Regents case], they might take the bull by the horn and hear it."
Because there are only eight justices, cases that are heard and end in a 4-4 tie revert to the appeals court decision and don't set Supreme Court precedent. If the court is split 4-4 on whether to hear O'Bannon, it might hold the case until a ninth justice arrives since a 4-4 final ruling wouldn't accomplish much, Wermiel said.
What is the process for deciding Supreme Court cases? Monday is what is called the "long conference" for the Supreme Court -- the first one in months and which may include more than 1,000 petitions. A law clerk for one justice already reviewed the O'Bannon case and wrote a memo summarizing the issues. Seven of the eight justices participate in this process, which is called a cert pool, to manage the volume of petitions. The memo gets shared with the seven justices in the pool and a recommendation is made on whether to hear the case.
Samuel Alito is the only justice not in the cert pool. He uses his own law clerk to review cases so there's a different viewpoint. Chief Justice John Roberts will then circulate a discuss list of possible cases to be heard. If O'Bannon doesn't make this list of perhaps 50-75 cases, it's denied and the justices don't vote.
When will we know if O'Bannon will be heard? It's unclear. The Supreme Court will likely announce Wednesday or Thursday the cases it's hearing based off Monday's conference, Wermiel said. The cases that are denied are expected to be released Oct. 3. It's possible O'Bannon could be on neither list and still be granted. Sometimes the court takes additional time to decide.
If a petition is granted, O'Bannon will be scheduled for oral arguments, possibly in January or February and with a final ruling in June. If the petition is denied, the NCAA won't make its fourth appearance ever before the Supreme Court -- at least not yet. The Jeffrey Kessler case regarding paying players is still playing out in the lower courts.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, September 28, 2016.
emoriesofhistory.com
1892 - The first nighttime football game in the U.S. took place under electric lights. The game was between the Mansfield State Normal School and the Wyoming Seminary.
1919 - The New York Giants beat Philadelphia Phillies 6-1 in a day game that lasted 51 minutes. The time set a National League record.
1941 - Ted Williams (Boston Red Sox) hit .400 for the season. He was the last major league player of the century to achieve this statistic.
1955 - The World Series was televised in color for the first time. The game was between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
1968 - The Atlanta Chiefs won the first North American Soccer League Championship.
1978 - Don Sherman, editor of Car & Driver, set a new Class E record in Utah. Driving the Mazda RX7 he reached a speed of 183.904 mph.
1991 - Michael Jordan was a guest on "Saturday Night Live."
1995 - Randy Myers (Chicago Cubs) was charged by a 27-year-old man while standing in the outfield. Myers saw him coming, dropped his glove and knocked the man down with his forearm.
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