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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired." ~ Martha Graham, Modern Dancer and Choreographer
"Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired." ~ Martha Graham, Modern Dancer and Choreographer
Trending: Bears' spiral downward gathers speed in loss to Packers. (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).
Trending: Chicago Blackhawks-Columbus Blue Jays Preview. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
Trending: Messing with Jon Lester gets Dodgers nowhere as Cubs move closer to World Series. (See the baseball section for Cubs and baseball playoff updates).
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Trending: NASCAR weekend schedule for Talladega Superspeedway. (See the NASCAR section for racing news and NASCAR updates).
Trending: Cubs road to the "World Series". (Series tied Cubs 1 - Dodgers 1)
NLCS Game 1, Saturday, 10/15/2016. Los Angeles Dodgers 4, Chicago Cubs 8 (W)
NLCS Game 2, Sunday, 10/16/2016. Los Angeles Dodgers 1, Chicago Cubs 0 (L)
NLCS Game 3, Tuesday, 10/18/2016. Chicago Cubs 0 (L), Los Angeles Dodgers 6
NLCS Game 4, Wednesday, 10/19/2016 Chicago Cubs 10 (W), Los Angeles Dodgers 2
NLCS Game 5, Thursday, 10/20/2016 Chicago Cubs 8 (W), Los Angeles Dodgers 4
NLCS Game 6, Saturday, 10/22/2016 Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs*
NLCS Game 7, Sunday, 10/23/2016 Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs*
* If Necessary
Series Record: Cubs lead Dodgers 3-2.
NLCS Game 1, Saturday, 10/15/2016. Los Angeles Dodgers 4, Chicago Cubs 8 (W)
NLCS Game 2, Sunday, 10/16/2016. Los Angeles Dodgers 1, Chicago Cubs 0 (L)
NLCS Game 3, Tuesday, 10/18/2016. Chicago Cubs 0 (L), Los Angeles Dodgers 6
NLCS Game 4, Wednesday, 10/19/2016 Chicago Cubs 10 (W), Los Angeles Dodgers 2
NLCS Game 5, Thursday, 10/20/2016 Chicago Cubs 8 (W), Los Angeles Dodgers 4
NLCS Game 6, Saturday, 10/22/2016 Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs*
NLCS Game 7, Sunday, 10/23/2016 Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs*
* If Necessary
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears' spiral downward gathers speed in loss to Packers.
By John Mullin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Sometime last Sunday afternoon the wheels of the Bears 2016 season came off, in the form of the Bears losing 13-0 and 16-7 leads in a fourth quarter to the Jacksonville Jaguars. On Thursday night at Lambeau Field, whatever was left of the season went over a cliff.
The 26-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers, whom the Bears had defeated two of their last three times here, was just the final accounting. The Bears actually took a lead on the Packers when rookie linebacker Leonard Floyd sacked Aaron Rodgers on Green Bay’s third play of the second half, stripped the football and recovered it in the end zone for what was a 10-6 lead at the time.
The Packers (4-2) simply started from their 15 on the next series and drove 85 yards, converting four of four third downs, and reestablished their primacy. And in the process reestablished that any thought of Rodgers coming thudding down to earth was little more than wishful thinking as Rodgers, despite losing No. 1 running back Eddie Lacy and using wide receivers as running backs, threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns. No interceptions.
All of which went into the Bears’ sixth loss in seven games, the first time since 2000 (and 1997 before that) that the Bears have stumbled this wildly to start a season.
More than “a” season, however. Since upsetting the Packers last Thanksgiving, the Bears have lost 10 of their last 12, and this is before the Minnesota Vikings (5-0) come to Soldier Field to mercifully end the first half of a nightmare season.
The only hope, such as it is, lies in the eventual return of what now feels like half the starting lineups on both sides of the football. By the end of the first half, during which quarterback Brian Hoyer was lost with a broken left arm, the Bears were without their No. 1 quarterback (Jay Cutler), No. 2 quarterback (Hoyer), both starting guards (Kyle Long, Josh Sitton), and the NFL’s leading third-down receiver (Eddie Royal), not to mention their best defensive lineman in Eddie Goldman, still down with a high-ankle sprain.
“You lose your starting quarterback, it can be a little disruptive,” said coach John Fox by way of colossal understatement. Whether the weight of injuries had finally become too much, “nobody comes and rescues you,” Fox added.
Fox has directed two turnarounds in his second seasons with the Carolina Panthers (2002 into 2003) and Denver Broncos (2011 into 2012). This season is tracking with some of the worst in Fox’s coaching career. Fox teams have frequently gone into death spirals and pulled out – sort of – albeit not always resulting in trips to playoffs or even truly successful seasons:
Carolina Panthers
| Year | Developments | Finish |
| 2002 | 3-0 start, lose eight straight | 7-9 (Fox's first year) |
| 2004 | 1-1 start, lose six straight | 7-9 |
| 2007 | 4-2 start, lose five straight | 7-9 |
| 2009 | 0-3 start, 3-0 finish | 8-8 |
| 2010 | 0-5 start, win one, lose seven straight | 2-14 (Fox fired) |
Denver Broncos
| Year | Developments | Finish |
| 2011 | 1-4 start, reach 8-5, lose last three | 8-8 (playoffs) |
Finding a finish anywhere near what Fox has done in previous dismal seasons is far less than unlikely.
“We are all we’ve got,” said Floyd, insisting, “We are buying into it and we will get ready for the next game.”
Bears QB Brian Hoyer suffers broken left forearm vs. Packers.
By #BearsTalk
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Brian Hoyer left Thursday night's game against the Green Bay Packers in the second quarter with a broken left forearm.
After a throw, the Bears quarterback was hit by Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers and landed awkwardly on his left side. Hoyer was seen grabbing his left arm almost immediately after the play.
He went to the locker room for X-rays and shortly after was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Matt Barkley came in as his replacement. The USC product hadn't thrown a pass in the NFL since 2014.
The Bears were already without Jay Cutler, who injured his right thumb in Week 2 and had yet to be cleared for action.
It's uncertain if Cutler will be back for next week's Monday night game against the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings.
“When [Cutler’s return] is going to be,” said coach John Fox, “I can’t say.”
After a throw, the Bears quarterback was hit by Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers and landed awkwardly on his left side. Hoyer was seen grabbing his left arm almost immediately after the play.
He went to the locker room for X-rays and shortly after was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Matt Barkley came in as his replacement. The USC product hadn't thrown a pass in the NFL since 2014.
The Bears were already without Jay Cutler, who injured his right thumb in Week 2 and had yet to be cleared for action.
It's uncertain if Cutler will be back for next week's Monday night game against the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings.
“When [Cutler’s return] is going to be,” said coach John Fox, “I can’t say.”
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Chicago Blackhawks-Columbus Blue Jays Preview.
CBS Sports, STATS LLC
Both the
The winless Blue Jackets (0-2-0) hope to break that streak as they host the Blackhawks (2-2-0) on Friday night at Nationwide Arena, with defenseman
After six days without playing a game, the Blue Jackets are itching to drop the puck in search of that elusive first win.
"It's a big game for us," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said via the team website. "We've been sitting on 0-2 for a week here. It sucks. We need to have a good start and feel good about ourselves."
The team's best period the early season also happened to be the last one against the San Jose Sharks, establishing a stout forecheck and scoring twice before ultimately losing 3-2 at home.
Murray was reunited with
Rounding-out the final pair was
Tortorella had a simple answer when asked about the change.
"I didn't like how the pairs played in the last game," he said.
He's also cognizant of not overworking Werenski after just two NHL games. In the absence of Murray against the Sharks, the 19-year old logged significant ice time (22:53) with one goal and four shots over 27 shifts, while playing primarily with Jones.
"We have to be careful with (Werenski)," Tortorella said. "He's still a young man."
Over the last five seasons with the Florida Panthers, Brian Campbell never missed a regular-season game. It appears that he'll be sitting for Friday's game, joining Michal Rozsival, who hasn't played in any of the first four games. Campbell's offseason acquisition was heralded as what was missing on a defense that struggled last season.
"We don't want the same two guys sitting out all the time," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said to the Chicago Sun-Times. "Sometimes you don't want to tinker with a winning lineup, and sometimes... you've got to get them in there to play. That's what we're visiting."
Van Riemsdyk played in all 82 games last season for the Blackhawks, but finds himself fighting for ice time on a blue-line crowded with eight defensemen.
Columbus announced Thursday that defenseman
For Chicago, its injury situation is a touch longer than the Blue Jackets.
Rookie forward
The two starting goalies for Friday's game are expected to be
Marian Hossa out, Trevor van Riemsdyk in vs. Columbus.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Marian Hossa will be out and Corey Crawford will start when the Blackhawks face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.
Coach Joel Quenneville said “it’s possible” that Hossa, who suffered a lower-body injury against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, could play Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Meanwhile, it looks as if Trevor van Riemsdyk will be back in the lineup against the Blue Jackets. Van Riemsdyk, a healthy scratch the previous three games, was paired with Gustav Forsling the past two practices. Brian Campbell could be a healthy scratch, although Quenneville wouldn’t say for sure.
The Blackhawks have eight defensemen this season, and Quenneville said, “we don’t want to see the same guys sitting out for extended periods of time.” Van Riemsdyk, who played in all 82 games last season, was scratched the previous three games.
“We have a lot of great players here, so you can’t get too frustrated about it or anything like that. Sulking around or feeling sorry for yourself won’t get anything done, so you just have to come to the rink every day and make the most of it, even when you’re watching games,” van Riemsdyk said. “Even though you may not want to be, you can learn a lot just watching.”
Campbell’s natural side is his left but he’s been playing on the right while paired with Forsling. He said there are some adjustments that come with that.
“I know it should be natural and it comes and I’m obviously getting used to that so it’s just different things. You’re not as open to the ice, but you have to find a way,” Campbell said. “I felt good last game. Felt like even last game might’ve been one of my better games, but I just have to keep working hard. That’s all I’ve ever done in my career.”
Dennis Rasmussen taking advantage of opportunity with Blackhawks.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
During training camp, Mike Kitchen talked of what Dennis Rasmussen had to do entering this season.
Be proactive, the Blackhawks assistant coach said at the time, be bold.
“That’s what they told me,” Rasmussen recalled. “Since I got called up I have to do things a little bit quicker, I have to create a little bit more and be more active.”
Rasmussen got the message, and in the time he’s been in the lineup he’s done what the Blackhawks have wanted him to do. He scored his first goal of the season on Tuesday, when he took advantage of a fallen Philadelphia defender, and he’ll be on the fourth line with Marcus Kruger and Jordin Tootoo again on Friday when the Blackhawks face the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“He showed a lot of character and determination to find a way to make an impact in the game. He bided his time here and then got in there, and he’s done a great job for us,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Gives up some size, gives us some depth, gives us some usefulness as far as playing a couple positions and can take face-offs, kill penalties as well. He’s turned out to be very useful and in a situation where we needed someone to come in and take advantage of it.”
The Blackhawks needed someone to step in after Ryan Hartman was injured last week in Nashville. Rasmussen, who’s played center most of his career, is currently on the wing. It’s different, but Rasmussen isn’t complaining.
“I haven’t played a lot of wing since I moved over here but it’s great. I like to play with Kruger, too, because we can take each other’s spots and cover for each other,” Rasmussen said. “I feel comfortable right now.”
Rasmussen’s in the lineup at the moment but how long will that last? Marian Hossa is out of Friday’s game with a lower-body injury but could come back on Saturday. Still, even when the Blackhawks are healthier they may have to keep Rasmussen in there. As long as he’s playing, he’ll keep trying to be the proactive forward the Blackhawks want him to be.
“I just try to work as hard as possible, win a lot of loose pucks and try to create some chances,” Rasmussen said. “At the same time be reliable, stay on the right side of the puck and be a two-way player.”
Blackhawks trying to stem opponents’ comebacks.
By Tracey Myers
Be proactive, the Blackhawks assistant coach said at the time, be bold.
“That’s what they told me,” Rasmussen recalled. “Since I got called up I have to do things a little bit quicker, I have to create a little bit more and be more active.”
Rasmussen got the message, and in the time he’s been in the lineup he’s done what the Blackhawks have wanted him to do. He scored his first goal of the season on Tuesday, when he took advantage of a fallen Philadelphia defender, and he’ll be on the fourth line with Marcus Kruger and Jordin Tootoo again on Friday when the Blackhawks face the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“He showed a lot of character and determination to find a way to make an impact in the game. He bided his time here and then got in there, and he’s done a great job for us,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Gives up some size, gives us some depth, gives us some usefulness as far as playing a couple positions and can take face-offs, kill penalties as well. He’s turned out to be very useful and in a situation where we needed someone to come in and take advantage of it.”
The Blackhawks needed someone to step in after Ryan Hartman was injured last week in Nashville. Rasmussen, who’s played center most of his career, is currently on the wing. It’s different, but Rasmussen isn’t complaining.
“I haven’t played a lot of wing since I moved over here but it’s great. I like to play with Kruger, too, because we can take each other’s spots and cover for each other,” Rasmussen said. “I feel comfortable right now.”
Rasmussen’s in the lineup at the moment but how long will that last? Marian Hossa is out of Friday’s game with a lower-body injury but could come back on Saturday. Still, even when the Blackhawks are healthier they may have to keep Rasmussen in there. As long as he’s playing, he’ll keep trying to be the proactive forward the Blackhawks want him to be.
“I just try to work as hard as possible, win a lot of loose pucks and try to create some chances,” Rasmussen said. “At the same time be reliable, stay on the right side of the puck and be a two-way player.”
Blackhawks trying to stem opponents’ comebacks.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville has seen this before; it’s just been a while.
On Saturday against Nashville the Blackhawks’ cushy 3-0 lead eventually became 3-2, then 4-2, then 4-3 before they won 5-3. On Tuesday it was even more stunning, as their 4-0 lead over the Philadelphia Flyers disappeared in five minutes, 26 seconds. The Blackhawks scored three unanswered to pull that one out, 7-4.
Yes, the Blackhawks won both, and as Duncan Keith said, “it’s a positive we were able to find a way to win. That’s important.”
“But it’s not ideal,” he added.
No, it’s not. And for the Blackhawks, especially these last few seasons, it’s bizarre. We talk about the two-goal lead being the worst in hockey, and there’s plenty of evidence and comebacks to support that. But when three- and four-goal leads are fragile, that’s really not good.
“We’ve had issues in the past when we’ve [lost] leads,” Quenneville said after Tuesday’s game. “We’ve done a good job over the last few years, but I can go back years where we’d have leads and we’d get caught, knowing we were trying to make [our lead] five instead of just being happy to be at four.”
Brent Seabrook agreed with that assessment.
“We can’t be worried about getting more goals. We have to worry about our own zone and playing the right way. By doing the right things we get some chances to put a few more in,” he said after Wednesday’s practice. “We have a 4-0 lead, 4-1 lead going into the third, our main focus has to be keeping it a “1” in their column. We have to focus on eliminating their chances and playing well defensively.”
The Blackhawks got away from that late in the second period last night. Maybe it was a little complacency on their side coupled with desperation for the Flyers. But one bad moment turned into four real fast. The puck possession they had practiced so well in getting that four-goal lead faded. Mix in trying to do too much and bad things happened.
“We have to be smarter with the puck and it starts with what we do with it,” Quenneville said. “It starts in the offensive zone, how we leave the puck, where we put it late in shifts and how we back check.”
The Blackhawks came away with victories in their last two games but they were tougher than they had to be. The last few years, the Blackhawks have been very good at stemming the tide, thwarting the opposition’s comeback before it became an issue. They need to get back to that.
“Sometimes that other team’s pressing. We talk a lot about that in the playoffs but it happens in the course of the regular season as well. It’s just identifying that and realizing when the momentum changes. Right at the end of the second period it was just a bad start and it carried over,” Keith said. “We were able to do [turn it around] but we have to try to change it earlier.”
On Saturday against Nashville the Blackhawks’ cushy 3-0 lead eventually became 3-2, then 4-2, then 4-3 before they won 5-3. On Tuesday it was even more stunning, as their 4-0 lead over the Philadelphia Flyers disappeared in five minutes, 26 seconds. The Blackhawks scored three unanswered to pull that one out, 7-4.
Yes, the Blackhawks won both, and as Duncan Keith said, “it’s a positive we were able to find a way to win. That’s important.”
“But it’s not ideal,” he added.
No, it’s not. And for the Blackhawks, especially these last few seasons, it’s bizarre. We talk about the two-goal lead being the worst in hockey, and there’s plenty of evidence and comebacks to support that. But when three- and four-goal leads are fragile, that’s really not good.
“We’ve had issues in the past when we’ve [lost] leads,” Quenneville said after Tuesday’s game. “We’ve done a good job over the last few years, but I can go back years where we’d have leads and we’d get caught, knowing we were trying to make [our lead] five instead of just being happy to be at four.”
Brent Seabrook agreed with that assessment.
“We can’t be worried about getting more goals. We have to worry about our own zone and playing the right way. By doing the right things we get some chances to put a few more in,” he said after Wednesday’s practice. “We have a 4-0 lead, 4-1 lead going into the third, our main focus has to be keeping it a “1” in their column. We have to focus on eliminating their chances and playing well defensively.”
The Blackhawks got away from that late in the second period last night. Maybe it was a little complacency on their side coupled with desperation for the Flyers. But one bad moment turned into four real fast. The puck possession they had practiced so well in getting that four-goal lead faded. Mix in trying to do too much and bad things happened.
“We have to be smarter with the puck and it starts with what we do with it,” Quenneville said. “It starts in the offensive zone, how we leave the puck, where we put it late in shifts and how we back check.”
The Blackhawks came away with victories in their last two games but they were tougher than they had to be. The last few years, the Blackhawks have been very good at stemming the tide, thwarting the opposition’s comeback before it became an issue. They need to get back to that.
“Sometimes that other team’s pressing. We talk a lot about that in the playoffs but it happens in the course of the regular season as well. It’s just identifying that and realizing when the momentum changes. Right at the end of the second period it was just a bad start and it carried over,” Keith said. “We were able to do [turn it around] but we have to try to change it earlier.”
CUBS: Messing with Jon Lester gets Dodgers nowhere as Cubs move closer to World Series. What's Your Take?
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
This isn’t some WikiLeaks bombshell: Jon Lester has the yips. It must be in every scouting report by now, the reminder to get inside his head and make him feel uncomfortable, forcing him to field his position, throw to first base and become distracted with the running game.
It’s not a secret, since the Cubs have openly answered those questions for the last two years, a timeframe that has seen the beginning of Lester’s $155 million megadeal and back-to-back trips to the National League Championship Series.
It’s just so much easier said than done. The Los Angeles Dodgers got cute and tried to toy with Lester, and now they are one loss away from going home for the winter and wondering how good they could have been with another No. 1 starter to pair with Clayton Kershaw.
Lester did not look like someone you would want to mess with on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium, channeling all that adrenaline into an 8-4 victory that gave the Cubs a 3-2 lead in this NLCS. A big Game 5 performance means the Cubs could clinch their first NL pennant in 71 years by beating Kershaw on Saturday night at Wrigley Field, which would set up an irresistible World Series matchup against the Cleveland Indians.
“I play this game with emotion,” Lester said. “And if it rubs people the wrong way, oh well.”
A Dodgers team that can’t handle left-handed pitching (major-league-worst .622 OPS during the regular season) didn’t have any other answers for Lester, who unloaded 108 pitches and allowed only one run across seven intense innings.
Lester’s first inning began with his only walk, throwing four straight balls to Kike Hernandez, who showed bunt and then danced and hopped off first base. Hernandez never scored and the diversionary tactics simply didn’t work.
“It is what it is,” Lester said. “People have been doing it all year. I’d prefer Adrian Gonzalez and Joc Pederson to try to bunt. They’re home-run guys. They hit 30 homers, so I’d rather them put the ball on the ground and let these guys try to field it and take my chances that way.”
Lester didn’t let one of his infielders grab the ball Pederson bunted toward the left side of the mound, making a one-hop throw to first base to end the second inning. Lester looked back at the home dugout and gave the Dodgers a death stare.
When Lester felt like he got squeezed and finally struck out Corey Seager swinging to end the third inning, he screamed, flexed his muscles and glared at umpire Alfonso Marquez behind the plate.
The Dodgers did manufacture a run in the fourth inning with Howie Kendrick’s double down the left-field line, headfirst slide to steal third base (verified on replay review) and a Gonzalez groundball. But the Cubs have so many ways to counteract anyone thinking about exploiting that weakness, from Lester’s quick delivery to personal catcher David Ross to changing tempos to the explosive stuff that made a Cy Young Award contender this year.
“They’re trying to find a way to beat one of the best pitchers in the game, and I don’t blame ‘em for that,” Ross said. “They were trying to rattle him a little bit. We’ve dealt with that all year, so it’s nothing new.
“I want them to bunt. I want them to give us free outs. That’s fine. We have great athletes in the infield. Guys are ready for it.
“Every out matters in the playoffs, every pitch matters. And so you give one away, that’s one you’re not getting back.”
Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: We're going to keep it short. And that is, that it's simply the Cubs' year. Keep up the great work guys, stay focused and keep your eyes on the prize. Concentration and commitment will get it done and the 108 year drought will almost be over. Hopefully, we'll be flying the "W" Saturday. Good luck and play great.
What's your thoughts on the Cubs chances of making it to the World Series? What's your take? Please take a moment and go to the bottom of this blog and share your feelings in the comment section.
Thanks for your time, consideration and comments.
The Chicago Sports & Travel Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
Anthony Rizzo/Javier Baez antics show how this Cubs team doesn’t feel the same weight of history.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Within minutes of the last out on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium, ESPN’s @SportsCenter account sent out a photo of Moises Alou at the Wrigley Field wall to more than 30 million Twitter followers: “The last time the Cubs were up 3-2 in an NLCS was Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS vs. the Marlins. Most remember it as ‘the Bartman Game.’”
As Kerry Wood once said: “Irrelevant, dude.”
Look, the Cubs still need to find a way to beat either Clayton Kershaw or Rich Hill this weekend, with Kenley Jansen resting and waiting for the multiple-inning saves. The obligatory description for Kershaw is “the best pitcher on the planet.” Hill’s lefty curveball – and “the perceptual velocity” of his fastball – freezes hitters. Jansen has a mystical cutter reminiscent of the great Mariano Rivera. The top-heavy part of this Los Angeles playoff pitching staff has held the Cubs to zero runs in 16.1 innings.
But until proven otherwise, forget about this idea of a Cubs team weighed down by the history of a franchise that hasn’t played in the World Series since 1945.
Just look at Javier Baez getting in Anthony Rizzo’s airspace during Game 5, the human-highlight-film second baseman standing right next to the All-Star first baseman as he caught a Kike Hernandez pop-up for the second out of the third inning.
It didn’t matter that this was a 1-0 game and MVP-ballot players Justin Turner and Corey Seager were coming up. This is what the 2016 Cubs do. Rizzo caught the ball, quickly flipped it underhand and it bounced off Baez’s chest – in front of a sellout crowd of 54,449 and a national Fox Sports 1 audience.
“We always mess around,” Rizzo said at his locker inside a tight clubhouse jammed with media after an 8-4 win. “So I’m screaming: ‘Javy! Javy! I got it! I got it, Javy, I got it!’
“And usually he’ll yell at me: ‘Don’t miss it!’ Or I’ll yell at him: ‘Don’t miss it!’
“We do that a lot. If it’s a pop-up to him, I’ll go right behind him. It’s just little ways of slowing the game down and having fun, too.”
Rizzo is a Gold Glove-caliber first baseman for a team that led the majors in defensive efficiency this year. As a super-utility guy, Baez got credit for 11 defensive runs saved in 383 innings at second base, or one less than co-leaders Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler, who each did it in almost 1,300 innings.
“Sometimes when I call (Rizzo) off to get a fly ball, he starts talking to me,” Baez said. “I tell him: ‘Hey, you can do whatever you want. Just don’t move my head. You can touch me if you want. Just don’t move my head.’
“And I told him to be ready for it, because I was going to do the same thing. You just got to be focused on the fly ball. No matter what’s happening around you, you just got to catch it.”
This isn’t about Bartman. It’s about a group of young, confident players who are growing up together and absolutely expect to be in this position. It’s manager Joe Maddon designing “Embrace The Target” T-shirts and telling them to show up to the ballpark whenever they want and then blow off batting practice.
“For sure, we’re relaxed,” said Baez, who’s gone viral during these playoffs, the rest of the country witnessing his amazing instincts and flashy personality. “I’m relaxed when I play defense.”
The thing is, Rizzo and Baez could be playing next to each other for the next five years, the same way Kris Bryant and Addison Russell will be anchoring the left side of the infield.
This is how Rizzo introduced Russell to The Show when a natural shortstop tried to learn second base on the fly last year and track pop-ups in front of 40,000 people: “Hey, watch out for that skateboard behind you! Don’t trip!”
“Oh yeah, we yell at each other all the time,” Rizzo said. “It’s just one of those things where you got to stay loose.”
Cubs offense breaks out in a big way to turn the tide in NLCS. (Wednesday night's game, 10/19/2016).
By Tony Andracki
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Kris Bryant's throwaway joke after the Cubs' Game 3 loss suddenly became relevant Wednesday night.
When discussing the Cubs' lifeless offense, Bryant joked Anthony Rizzo's broken bat infield dribbler in the ninth inning Tuesday night could be the hit that gets them started.
Turns out, he was at least on the right track.
The Cubs offense busted out in a gigantic way in a 10-2 victory over the Dodgers to turn the tide in the National League Championship Series in front of 54,449 stunned fans at Dodger Stadium.
After the Cubs made everybody back in Chicago sweat with three more hitless, scoreless innings to start the game (running their scoring drought to 21 innings), they exploded in the fourth inning.
Ben Zobrist got things started with a perfect bunt single.
"It just seems like it always goes that way," Bryant said. "It's never like a bomb or any of that. It's kinda just the jammed-shot blooper, the bunt single and that's what happened today."
Javy Baez followed with a single of his own. Willson Contreras lifted a ball into left for a base hit and an aggressive send of Zobrist led to a wild throw home by Dodgers left fielder Andrew Toles, and just like that, the Cubs were on the board.
Jason Heyward followed with an RBI groundout, and then Addison Russell exploded out of his slump with a two-run shot to right-center.
The Cubs had sent 82 straight batters to the plate without scoring a run, and on a span of nine pitches in the fourth inning, they scored four runs.
The offense wasn't done there.
Anthony Rizzo hit a solo homer in the top of the fifth, and after the Dodgers pushed across a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, the Cubs answered with five more runs in the sixth.
Rizzo and Russell were a combined 3-for-50 in the postseason entering play Wednesday. They tallied six hits between them in Game 4.
"Take it one game at a time," said Bryant, who also stated he never saw Rizzo or Russell get frustrated during their slump and throw things or lash out. "That's kinda what we did today.
"I mean, tough loss yesterday. Come out, forget about it, regroup and our bats woke up, which is nice. I think everybody saw what this team can do when we swing 'em."
John Lackey threw four shutout innings before walking the first two batters he faced in the fifth.
Joe Maddon went to the bullpen and Mike Montgomery allowed those two runners to score before escaping from there and eventually picking up the win.
The Cubs relievers shut the Dodgers down the rest of the way.
By evening the series, the Cubs have done three things — ensured the NLCS will come back to Chicago, turned the series into a best-of-three matchup and reclaimed home-field advantage with Games 6 and 7 at Wrigley Field.
"It's baseball. It's a series," Bryant said. "You gotta win four games. We lost two up until today and we feel great about it.
"There's no need to get thinking all crazy like that. We knew that Anthony was gonna swing the bat well, Addy's gonna swing the bat well. It was just a matter of time. Everybody had a good at-bat today and that's huge for our confidence as a group."
The Cubs will send ace Jon Lester to the mound Thursday night in the last of the three games in Los Angeles. Lester allowed only one run in six innings in Game 1 of the NLCS.
The Dodgers announced Kenta Maeda as the starter for Game 5, but would they actually turn to Clayton Kershaw?
The Cubs, meanwhile, have their mojo back and their confidence is soaring no matter who is pitching for the Dodgers.
Dexter Fowler summed up the mood in the Cubs clubhouse after Game 4 simply:
"That was a good start."
When discussing the Cubs' lifeless offense, Bryant joked Anthony Rizzo's broken bat infield dribbler in the ninth inning Tuesday night could be the hit that gets them started.
Turns out, he was at least on the right track.
The Cubs offense busted out in a gigantic way in a 10-2 victory over the Dodgers to turn the tide in the National League Championship Series in front of 54,449 stunned fans at Dodger Stadium.
After the Cubs made everybody back in Chicago sweat with three more hitless, scoreless innings to start the game (running their scoring drought to 21 innings), they exploded in the fourth inning.
Ben Zobrist got things started with a perfect bunt single.
"It just seems like it always goes that way," Bryant said. "It's never like a bomb or any of that. It's kinda just the jammed-shot blooper, the bunt single and that's what happened today."
Javy Baez followed with a single of his own. Willson Contreras lifted a ball into left for a base hit and an aggressive send of Zobrist led to a wild throw home by Dodgers left fielder Andrew Toles, and just like that, the Cubs were on the board.
Jason Heyward followed with an RBI groundout, and then Addison Russell exploded out of his slump with a two-run shot to right-center.
The Cubs had sent 82 straight batters to the plate without scoring a run, and on a span of nine pitches in the fourth inning, they scored four runs.
The offense wasn't done there.
Anthony Rizzo hit a solo homer in the top of the fifth, and after the Dodgers pushed across a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth, the Cubs answered with five more runs in the sixth.
Rizzo and Russell were a combined 3-for-50 in the postseason entering play Wednesday. They tallied six hits between them in Game 4.
"Take it one game at a time," said Bryant, who also stated he never saw Rizzo or Russell get frustrated during their slump and throw things or lash out. "That's kinda what we did today.
"I mean, tough loss yesterday. Come out, forget about it, regroup and our bats woke up, which is nice. I think everybody saw what this team can do when we swing 'em."
John Lackey threw four shutout innings before walking the first two batters he faced in the fifth.
Joe Maddon went to the bullpen and Mike Montgomery allowed those two runners to score before escaping from there and eventually picking up the win.
The Cubs relievers shut the Dodgers down the rest of the way.
By evening the series, the Cubs have done three things — ensured the NLCS will come back to Chicago, turned the series into a best-of-three matchup and reclaimed home-field advantage with Games 6 and 7 at Wrigley Field.
"It's baseball. It's a series," Bryant said. "You gotta win four games. We lost two up until today and we feel great about it.
"There's no need to get thinking all crazy like that. We knew that Anthony was gonna swing the bat well, Addy's gonna swing the bat well. It was just a matter of time. Everybody had a good at-bat today and that's huge for our confidence as a group."
The Cubs will send ace Jon Lester to the mound Thursday night in the last of the three games in Los Angeles. Lester allowed only one run in six innings in Game 1 of the NLCS.
The Dodgers announced Kenta Maeda as the starter for Game 5, but would they actually turn to Clayton Kershaw?
The Cubs, meanwhile, have their mojo back and their confidence is soaring no matter who is pitching for the Dodgers.
Dexter Fowler summed up the mood in the Cubs clubhouse after Game 4 simply:
"That was a good start."
WHITE SOX: 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson's game bat is auctioned for $583,500
By Tribune News Service
"Shoeless" Joe Jackson's game bat was sold for $583,500.
Christie's says it went to an online bidder Wednesday on the first of a two-day auction of baseball memorabilia.
Christie's says it went to an online bidder Wednesday on the first of a two-day auction of baseball memorabilia.
The items come from the National Pastime Museum, an online museum based on a private collection of baseball artifacts, photographs and memorabilia.
Shoeless Joe's "Black Betsy" bat is one of two known to survive from his career, and the only one with his full signature in script stamped into the barrel.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Bulls drop preseason finale to Dwight Howard, Hawks.
By Associated Press
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Dwight Howard had 16 points and 15 rebounds in a 97-81 win over the Bulls.
Jimmy Butler scored 16 points as Chicago wrapped up exhibition play at 3-4.
HAWKS: Kent Bazemore had 15 points and nine rebounds. ... Korver made four 3-pointers.
BULLS: Doug McDermott, another former Creighton star playing in his college arena, scored 16 points but shot 5 for 15. ... Dwyane Wade (3 for 14) and Rajon Rondo (1 for 7) combined for just 11 points. Both had six assists.
UP NEXT: Atlanta (5-2) hosts Washington next Thursday in its season opener. Chicago (3-4) also opens Thursday against Boston.
Tough rotation choices facing Fred Hoiberg as Bulls' opener approaches.
By Mark Schanowski
With opening night against the Celtics coming soon, Fred Hoiberg and his staff are dealing with some difficult choices in forming a consistent rotation for the opening weeks of the season.
Injuries are one factor complicating the situation, with top draft pick Denzel Valentine sidelined since the first preseason game because of a sprained ankle and Nikola Mirotic tweaking his back against the Hornets on Monday night.
And then there’s the trade the Bulls completed Monday that brought in former NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams from Milwaukee in exchange for forgotten reserve Tony Snell. There’s no question Carter-Williams brings a much-needed dimension with his ability to provide quality defense at the 1, 2 and 3 positions. The Bulls were hoping Snell could be the guy to provide perimeter defense when Jimmy Butler is on the bench, but Snell wasn’t able to handle the physical nature of the NBA game. It was curious to hear Bucks coach Jason Kidd immediately anoint Snell as the likely starter at shooting guard in Milwaukee, but as Carter-Williams found out, Kidd has been known to sour on players very quickly.
After missing almost all of training camp, it will be interesting to see how quickly Carter-Williams takes on a major role with the Bulls. The minutes MCW plays will likely keep Valentine on the bench, and the Bulls were extremely high on the former Michigan State star, both at the draft and heading into camp. Both players are about the same size with the ability to play multiple positions. Valentine is clearly the better shooter, with Carter-Williams the better defender.
So, how will Hoiberg use the two lanky swingmen, and what will that mean for the playing prospects of backup guards Isaiah Canaan, Jerian Grant and Spencer Dinwiddie?
My prediction early on is Carter-Williams will get the first crack at the backup point guard spot behind Rajon Rondo, using his 6-foot-6 length to direct the offense and get the ball to shooters like Mirotic and Doug McDermott, with either Butler or Dwyane Wade in the lineup as a second facilitator. Valentine will probably get limited minutes early as the backup shooting guard, with Canaan also used in that role if the Bulls are looking to come from behind with his quick-strike 3-point shooting ability.
The obvious losers in the MCW trade are Grant and Dinwiddie. The Bulls were pretty excited about acquiring Grant in the Derrick Rose trade with the Knicks since they had a lot of interest in the former Notre Dame lead guard going into the 2015 draft. Grant has played well at times during the preseason but doesn’t have the play-making ability or long-range shooting skills of some of the other candidates for backup guard minutes. It’s a similar story for Dinwiddie, who shined in some of the early preseason games with Valentine out but could be in danger of losing his roster spot after the acquisition of Carter-Williams.
The other major rotation issue for Hoiberg and his staff involves how to get playing time for young bigs Bobby Portis and Cristiano Felicio. Portis has the higher pedigree as a 2015 first-round draft pick and former Southeastern Conference Player of the Year at Arkansas. He's also a solid threat from the 3-point line and is capable of scoring points in bunches.
Felicio is a more explosive athlete than Portis and seems a lot more comfortable playing the backup center position behind Robin Lopez. The native Brazilian is quick off his feet and seems to give the team a lift whenever he takes the court, either with a put-back slam or blocked shot. The question for Hoiberg is: How do you find playing time for Lopez, Taj Gibson, Mirotic, Portis and Felicio at the center and power forward spots? Clearly one of those players will be left out, which means either Portis or Felicio could wind up heading to Hoffman Estates to log some minutes with the D-League Windy City Bulls.
If Hoiberg goes with a full 10-player rotation to start the season, it should look something like this: Butler, Wade, Rondo, Lopez and Gibson start the game, with McDermott and MCW likely the first players off the bench. Mirotic, Felicio and either Valentine or Canaan will round out the second unit.
Quality depth is always a good thing in professional sports, and John Paxson and Gar Forman have done an excellent job of giving the coaching staff a variety of options to attack opposing teams. But developing a consistent rotation, where all the players know their roles can be just as important, and that will be a storyline to watch throughout the season.
For more on Carter-Williams and the Bulls’ rotation issues, check out our latest Bulls Talk Podcast. Kendall Gill and Vincent Goodwill join me for some spirited NBA conversation.
Sources: NBA, players association close to new CBA.
Injuries are one factor complicating the situation, with top draft pick Denzel Valentine sidelined since the first preseason game because of a sprained ankle and Nikola Mirotic tweaking his back against the Hornets on Monday night.
And then there’s the trade the Bulls completed Monday that brought in former NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams from Milwaukee in exchange for forgotten reserve Tony Snell. There’s no question Carter-Williams brings a much-needed dimension with his ability to provide quality defense at the 1, 2 and 3 positions. The Bulls were hoping Snell could be the guy to provide perimeter defense when Jimmy Butler is on the bench, but Snell wasn’t able to handle the physical nature of the NBA game. It was curious to hear Bucks coach Jason Kidd immediately anoint Snell as the likely starter at shooting guard in Milwaukee, but as Carter-Williams found out, Kidd has been known to sour on players very quickly.
After missing almost all of training camp, it will be interesting to see how quickly Carter-Williams takes on a major role with the Bulls. The minutes MCW plays will likely keep Valentine on the bench, and the Bulls were extremely high on the former Michigan State star, both at the draft and heading into camp. Both players are about the same size with the ability to play multiple positions. Valentine is clearly the better shooter, with Carter-Williams the better defender.
So, how will Hoiberg use the two lanky swingmen, and what will that mean for the playing prospects of backup guards Isaiah Canaan, Jerian Grant and Spencer Dinwiddie?
My prediction early on is Carter-Williams will get the first crack at the backup point guard spot behind Rajon Rondo, using his 6-foot-6 length to direct the offense and get the ball to shooters like Mirotic and Doug McDermott, with either Butler or Dwyane Wade in the lineup as a second facilitator. Valentine will probably get limited minutes early as the backup shooting guard, with Canaan also used in that role if the Bulls are looking to come from behind with his quick-strike 3-point shooting ability.
The obvious losers in the MCW trade are Grant and Dinwiddie. The Bulls were pretty excited about acquiring Grant in the Derrick Rose trade with the Knicks since they had a lot of interest in the former Notre Dame lead guard going into the 2015 draft. Grant has played well at times during the preseason but doesn’t have the play-making ability or long-range shooting skills of some of the other candidates for backup guard minutes. It’s a similar story for Dinwiddie, who shined in some of the early preseason games with Valentine out but could be in danger of losing his roster spot after the acquisition of Carter-Williams.
The other major rotation issue for Hoiberg and his staff involves how to get playing time for young bigs Bobby Portis and Cristiano Felicio. Portis has the higher pedigree as a 2015 first-round draft pick and former Southeastern Conference Player of the Year at Arkansas. He's also a solid threat from the 3-point line and is capable of scoring points in bunches.
Felicio is a more explosive athlete than Portis and seems a lot more comfortable playing the backup center position behind Robin Lopez. The native Brazilian is quick off his feet and seems to give the team a lift whenever he takes the court, either with a put-back slam or blocked shot. The question for Hoiberg is: How do you find playing time for Lopez, Taj Gibson, Mirotic, Portis and Felicio at the center and power forward spots? Clearly one of those players will be left out, which means either Portis or Felicio could wind up heading to Hoffman Estates to log some minutes with the D-League Windy City Bulls.
If Hoiberg goes with a full 10-player rotation to start the season, it should look something like this: Butler, Wade, Rondo, Lopez and Gibson start the game, with McDermott and MCW likely the first players off the bench. Mirotic, Felicio and either Valentine or Canaan will round out the second unit.
Quality depth is always a good thing in professional sports, and John Paxson and Gar Forman have done an excellent job of giving the coaching staff a variety of options to attack opposing teams. But developing a consistent rotation, where all the players know their roles can be just as important, and that will be a storyline to watch throughout the season.
For more on Carter-Williams and the Bulls’ rotation issues, check out our latest Bulls Talk Podcast. Kendall Gill and Vincent Goodwill join me for some spirited NBA conversation.
Sources: NBA, players association close to new CBA.
By Adrian Wojnarowski
After a Wednesday meeting in New York, the National Basketball Association and National Basketball Players Association have pushed close to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, league sources told The Vertical.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA executive director Michele Roberts have led negotiations over several months and now have moved the league to the cusp of a new multiyear CBA of labor peace, league sources said.
The owners and players believe a finalized deal is inevitable within the next few weeks, with sides already agreeing upon most of the major issues in the deal, league sources told The Vertical. There are still talks left on smaller provisions of the CBA, league sources said.
The NBPA will need its players to ratify a new deal, but union player leadership is eager to sell the rank-and-file on the terms of a deal that’s nearly complete in its negotiations, league sources said.
The NBA and its union will avoid a possible work stoppage in 2017. The NBA and NBPA have the ability to opt out of the current 10-year deal on Dec. 15, but a new agreement will be in place before then, league sources said.
The NBA’s 30-something stars – including NBPA president Chris Paul, vice president LeBron James and executive committee member Carmelo Anthony – will benefit from the changing of the 36-and-over rule that now prohibits players from signing a five-year maximum contract if their 36th birthday occurs within the life of the deal.
The NBA and union have tentatively agreed to change the rule to over 38, league sources told The Vertical, which would have significant financial implications for superstars in the twilight of their careers.
Among the principles in agreement, the NBA’s Basketball Related Income (BRI) split will remain unchanged in a new agreement, league sources said. The players receive a share in the range of 49 to 51 percent of the current BRI.
The NBA will raise rookie-scale, veteran minimum and free-agent exception deals in the new agreement, league sources said. Rises in those salaries could come in the 50 percent range over current numbers, sources said.
The NBA will keep its “one-and-done” rule with college basketball, retreating on its original desire to make college players wait two years after high school graduation to become eligible for the NBA draft, league sources said. Two-way contracts between the NBA and NBA Development League will offer teams the chance to add 16th and 17th roster spots, and pay players differently based upon their assignments in either the league’s minor league or as part of the parent team, league sources said.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Defending champ Thomas shares CIMB lead.
(Photo/Golf Channel)
Defending champion Justin Thomas shot an 8-under 64 to grab a share of the first-round lead with Keegan Bradley and Derek Fathauer in the CIMB Classic. Here's how things stand after one round in Kuala Lumpur.
Leaderboard: Keegan Bradley (-8), Derek Fathauer (-8), Justin Thomas (-8), Paul Casey (-7), Anirban Lahiri (-6)
What it means: Thomas shot a record 26 under par in winning this event last year. He's more than a quarter of the way toward that total through one round. Bradley, the 2011 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, is looking to win for the first time since 2012. Fathauer is looking for his first PGA Tour win period.
Round(s) of the day: Thomas made nine birdies and one bogey. Fathauer was bogey-free, making four birdies on each side. Bradley made six birdies on the front, turned in 30 and eagled the par-5 10th, but had two bogeys and two birdies the rest of the way.
Best of the rest: Paul Casey shot 65, thanks to a birdie-birdie-birdie finish. Counting this round, Casey is 65 under in his last five tournaments.
Biggest disappointment: A 2-over 74 isn't the end of the world, but considering that Emiliano Grillo is coming off a season in which he was rookie of the year, surely he hoped for something better in Malaysia.
Shot of the day: Ernie Els chipped in for birdie on his second hole of the day, No. 11.
Quote of the day: "If there's such a thing as an easy 8-under, it was." - Thomas
Main storylines heading into Round 2: Can Thomas win this event back-to-back, as Ryan Moore did in 2013 and 2014? Can Bradley end his four-year victory drought? Can Fathauer break through for his first win? Can Casey, who has been knocking on the door for several months, finally get a win?
Tour's new schedule rule making pros play, plan.
By Rex Hoggard
(Photo/Golf Channel)
Paul Casey’s smile widened and he swept his hands from side to side.
“This is a home run. This is sweet. Take care of the rules so [the Tour] doesn’t get all over me,” he said.
The Englishman was playing the Safeway Open for the first time since 2011, and while he wasn't there under duress - the rolling hills are rather easy on the senses - Casey was in Napa Valley by directive.
Casey’s start last week at the season opener was a result of the PGA Tour’s new strength-of-field regulation that was implemented for the 2016-17 season.
The new rule requires players who didn’t have at least 25 starts in the previous season to add an event to their schedules that they hadn’t played in the last four years.
Those who fail to meet the new requirement could be subject to a “major penalty,” which under the Tour’s regulations would be a fine in excess of $20,000 or a possible suspension.
“It was pretty easy because I wanted to go to Napa anyway,” Casey said. “It’s a good rule. Maybe there are events that have had weaker fields in the past, they might get a couple of guys they might not ordinarily get.”
After decades of debate over strength-of-field concerns and the rights of independent contractors, the new rule is something of a compromise. Although various regulations have been proposed over the years to improve tee sheets at certain tournaments, there was always a degree of opposition from players. There was also a concern from tournament organizers that didn’t want their event to be labeled as inferior.
The new regulation proved to be an acceptable compromise for both parties. Players, with some foresight and planning, can add events that don’t disrupt their normal schedules, and tournaments, like last week's Safeway, can enjoy incremental field improvements without being relegated to second-tier status.
In practice, the new regulation shouldn't prove much of a burden. Of the 125 players that advanced to last season’s playoffs, 78 played 25 or more events and aren’t subject to the new rule.
And for some those who didn’t play 25 tournaments, adding a new event will prove easy enough.
Jason Day, for example, finished the season sixth on the FedEx Cup points list but played just 20 events. According to the Tour, he has 16 events to choose from this season that he can add to his schedule to fulfill the new requirement.
FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy can choose from 22 events to add to his schedule this season.
Worth note, major championships, World Golf Championships, playoff events and the Presidents and Ryder Cups don’t count toward the new regulation, even if a player hadn’t participated in that tournament in the last four years. Similarly, a player like McIlroy, who is qualified for all of the top events, wouldn’t be able to add an opposite-field event played the same week as a major or WGC.
“There was actually two or three [new events] I was planning to play anyway,” said Ryan Moore, who was considering adding either the FedEx St. Jude Classic or Valero Texas Open to his schedule this season because of the new rule. “For me, it really wasn’t much of an issue because there were a couple I really wanted to play, but for some reason it hadn’t worked out.”
But the new regulation isn’t perfect. Some players have played vastly different schedules as their Tour status has changed over the years, resulting in a surprisingly limited number of options to add to their lineup this season.
Lucas Glover, for example, has to choose one of just three events to add after playing 23 times last season. Billy Horschel has 10 events from which to choose.
“What you have to avoid this year is to not play a bunch of events that you haven’t played in five years,” Casey said. “I could shoot myself in the foot because if I don’t play 25, again, then you run out of options and you may have to play something that doesn’t suit you or doesn’t fit nicely in the schedule.”
For Casey, that means not returning to the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which he hasn’t played since 2002 but was looking to add to his schedule thanks to the re-worked West Coast swing. Instead, he’ll wait a year or two to play Pebble Beach, just in case he doesn’t get his 25 starts in 2017.
Players that split their time between the PGA Tour and European circuit may also struggle with the new regulation.
Although McIlroy only made 18 starts on the PGA Tour last season, he also had to meet his minimum requirements on the European Tour (five events, not including the majors or WGCs), and now he has the strength-of-field requirement to fulfill.
“If this is your only tour, it’s a fair rule. If you’re playing two tours, then it’s tough,” Casey conceded.
Moreover, fans shouldn't get too excited to see Phil Mickelson at their hometown event as a result of the new rule any time soon. A player is exempt from the regulation if they are a life or veteran member who is at least 45 years old.
Despite some of the more concerning details, the new rule has proven to be a workable solution for both players and, more importantly, tournaments that could always use a little extra star power.
“This is a home run. This is sweet. Take care of the rules so [the Tour] doesn’t get all over me,” he said.
The Englishman was playing the Safeway Open for the first time since 2011, and while he wasn't there under duress - the rolling hills are rather easy on the senses - Casey was in Napa Valley by directive.
Casey’s start last week at the season opener was a result of the PGA Tour’s new strength-of-field regulation that was implemented for the 2016-17 season.
The new rule requires players who didn’t have at least 25 starts in the previous season to add an event to their schedules that they hadn’t played in the last four years.
Those who fail to meet the new requirement could be subject to a “major penalty,” which under the Tour’s regulations would be a fine in excess of $20,000 or a possible suspension.
“It was pretty easy because I wanted to go to Napa anyway,” Casey said. “It’s a good rule. Maybe there are events that have had weaker fields in the past, they might get a couple of guys they might not ordinarily get.”
After decades of debate over strength-of-field concerns and the rights of independent contractors, the new rule is something of a compromise. Although various regulations have been proposed over the years to improve tee sheets at certain tournaments, there was always a degree of opposition from players. There was also a concern from tournament organizers that didn’t want their event to be labeled as inferior.
The new regulation proved to be an acceptable compromise for both parties. Players, with some foresight and planning, can add events that don’t disrupt their normal schedules, and tournaments, like last week's Safeway, can enjoy incremental field improvements without being relegated to second-tier status.
In practice, the new regulation shouldn't prove much of a burden. Of the 125 players that advanced to last season’s playoffs, 78 played 25 or more events and aren’t subject to the new rule.
And for some those who didn’t play 25 tournaments, adding a new event will prove easy enough.
Jason Day, for example, finished the season sixth on the FedEx Cup points list but played just 20 events. According to the Tour, he has 16 events to choose from this season that he can add to his schedule to fulfill the new requirement.
FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy can choose from 22 events to add to his schedule this season.
Worth note, major championships, World Golf Championships, playoff events and the Presidents and Ryder Cups don’t count toward the new regulation, even if a player hadn’t participated in that tournament in the last four years. Similarly, a player like McIlroy, who is qualified for all of the top events, wouldn’t be able to add an opposite-field event played the same week as a major or WGC.
“There was actually two or three [new events] I was planning to play anyway,” said Ryan Moore, who was considering adding either the FedEx St. Jude Classic or Valero Texas Open to his schedule this season because of the new rule. “For me, it really wasn’t much of an issue because there were a couple I really wanted to play, but for some reason it hadn’t worked out.”
But the new regulation isn’t perfect. Some players have played vastly different schedules as their Tour status has changed over the years, resulting in a surprisingly limited number of options to add to their lineup this season.
Lucas Glover, for example, has to choose one of just three events to add after playing 23 times last season. Billy Horschel has 10 events from which to choose.
“What you have to avoid this year is to not play a bunch of events that you haven’t played in five years,” Casey said. “I could shoot myself in the foot because if I don’t play 25, again, then you run out of options and you may have to play something that doesn’t suit you or doesn’t fit nicely in the schedule.”
For Casey, that means not returning to the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which he hasn’t played since 2002 but was looking to add to his schedule thanks to the re-worked West Coast swing. Instead, he’ll wait a year or two to play Pebble Beach, just in case he doesn’t get his 25 starts in 2017.
Players that split their time between the PGA Tour and European circuit may also struggle with the new regulation.
Although McIlroy only made 18 starts on the PGA Tour last season, he also had to meet his minimum requirements on the European Tour (five events, not including the majors or WGCs), and now he has the strength-of-field requirement to fulfill.
“If this is your only tour, it’s a fair rule. If you’re playing two tours, then it’s tough,” Casey conceded.
Moreover, fans shouldn't get too excited to see Phil Mickelson at their hometown event as a result of the new rule any time soon. A player is exempt from the regulation if they are a life or veteran member who is at least 45 years old.
Despite some of the more concerning details, the new rule has proven to be a workable solution for both players and, more importantly, tournaments that could always use a little extra star power.
Woods still believes he'll break Nicklaus' record.
By Golf Channel Digital
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
Tiger Woods still believes he can break Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major titles, even as his competitive future remains cloudy.
Appearing Thursday on Charlie Rose’s show on PBS, Woods said only that he has “accepted I’m going to get more” than 18 majors.
Here is the full exchange during the one-on-one interview (4:57 mark of video):
Rose: Do you believe you’ll get 18 majors?
Woods: To be honest with you, no.
Rose: You don’t?
Woods: No.
Rose: You’ve accepted that?
Woods: I’ve accepted I’m going to get more.
He laughed after giving the final answer. According to a report, when asked later if he meant breaking Nicklaus’ mark of 18 majors, Woods replied: “Correct.”
Woods touched on a wide range of topics, from his possible return later this year (“I’m hoping to come back in December,” he said) to the only regret in his career to how he has explained his failed marriage to his two kids.
“I said, ‘Everybody makes mistakes, and the reason why mommy’s living in her house and daddy’s living in his house is because daddy made some mistakes, and it’s OK,’” Woods said in the interview.
Asked if it was a burden being Tiger Woods, he said that the only regret he has is that he didn’t stay another year at Stanford. He left after two seasons with the Cardinal. The following spring, at the age of 21, he won the Masters by 12 shots.
“It’s a burden in the sense that – the amount of obligations that I have at a tournament,” he said. “The anonymity that was lost that – you know, if you look back, the only regret I have in life is not spending another year at Stanford, and I wish I would’ve had one more year.”
You can read more of the interview here.
NASCAR weekend schedule for Talladega Superspeedway.
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
The Sprint Cup Series competes in the Hellmann’s 500, and the Truck Series, in its first race in two weeks, competes in the Fred’s 250.
Here’s the full weekend schedule for NASCAR including TV and radio times.
All times are Eastern.
Friday, Oct. 21
8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. – Sprint Cup garage open
11 a.m. – 9 p.m. – Truck Series garage open
1 – 1:55 p.m. – Truck series practice (Fox Sports 1)
2 – 2:55 p.m. – Sprint Cup practice (NBCSN, Motor Racing Network)
3 – 3:55 p.m. – Final Truck Series practice (FS1)
4:30 – 5:25 p.m. – Final Sprint Cup practice (NBCSN, MRN)
Saturday, Oct. 22
9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Sprint Cup garage open
9 a.m. – Truck Series garage opens
10 a.m. – Truck Series driver-crew chief meeting
10:30 a.m. – Truck Series qualifying; single truck/two round (FS1)
12:30 p.m. – Truck Series driver introductions
1 p.m. – Fred’s 250; 94 laps, 250.04 miles (Fox, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
4 p.m. – Sprint Cup qualifying; single car/two rounds (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday, Oct. 23
9:30 a.m. – Sprint Cup garage open
noon – Driver-crew chief meeting
1:25 p.m. – Driver introductions.
2 p.m. – Hellmann’s 500; 188 laps/500.08 miles (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Chase Analytics: Forecasting the unknown that is Talladega.
By Eric Chemi
Kevin Harvick’s biggest challenge was simply advancing to the next round, and if he could do that, he would immediately go right back to being the title favorite. It’s what we talked about previously, and that’s what we did.
When the Chase started, Brad Keselowski had the second-best chance at the title. But now he finds himself on the outside looking in. The story is the same with him. He only has a 31 percent chance of advancing past Talladega, but if he can do it, his title odds will jump back up to double digits. His bottleneck right now is this weekend, not the future races.
Look at Matt Kenseth. He’s well ahead on points, but he only has a 98.3 percent title chance of making it. It’s high, but it’s not 100 percent. Remember we saw Jimmie Johnson fail to advance in a round last year even with a 97 percent shot.
Most of the other drivers down the list are straightforward. Talladega is random, it’s crazy, and you really don’t know what’s going to happen. Anybody could win and advance. Anybody could crash and be eliminated.
Because it’s Talladega there’s at least a 70 percent chance that our current group of eight advancing drivers will not be what actually happens.
The one driver that we had hard a time figuring out: Chase Elliott. Because he has such a short Cup history, we had a few options for how to model it. Do we just focus on his own Cup plate career? Do we go with a combination of his Cup and Xfinity races? Or do we go with the fact that he’s taken over Jeff Gordon’s seat, which had top-notch equipment and solid plate results.
In the end, we decided to use Elliott’s combined Cup+Xfinity record. That gave him a 7 percent chance of advancing, but the other options could have either been 0 percent or 28 percent. He’s truly the wild card because we don’t know enough about him yet. In any case, he’s so far back in points that he’s going to have to win or hope that a lot of drivers not finish.
One minor note that hasn’t been mentioned much this season. There are only 40 cars competing each week, instead of 43. That means if you crash and finish dead last, you’re not as far back as you would be in the past. 40th place is only 30 spots behind the top 10, rather than 33 spots. That’s a slightly better cushion for bad days. And in the case of this weekend, it helps Kenseth and Kyle Busch (who are up 29 and 27 points from the cut off).
If you’re really interested, here’s a chart showing the history of each driver in plate races. In his limited career, Austin Dillon has the best average finish.
HOW THE PREDICTIONS WORK
With the help of Andrew Maness from racing analytics firm Pit Rho, we ran the numbers to show every driver’s shot of moving through each round of the Chase. The mathematical model was designed by both Maness and me, using past driver performance to predict future results. By running 100,000 simulations of how the rest of the season might play out, we see the most likely outcomes.
Note: Eric Chemi runs data journalism for our sister network CNBC, including a heavy dose of sports analytics. Prior to that, his NASCAR forecasts have been on Sprint Cup television broadcasts, and he has consulted for Sprint Cup teams on strategy, statistics, data, and analytics. He graduated with an engineering degree from MIT.
By Kelly Crandall
(Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
Justin Allgaier couldn’t wait to tell his dad, Mike, something new he wanted to try.
Justin, who was 5, had just watched his 7-year-old friend, Joey Moughan, race a quarter midget. It was during a night out for Justin and his mother, Dorothy. As he watched other kids his age, including some who were friends, Justin recalls immediately thinking, “I’m in.”
Dorothy was non-committal, offering Justin a, we’ll see what we can do. But Moughan’s father offered Justin the chance to drive Joey’s car, just to see if he even liked it. Mike Allgaier was traveling that week but soon heard all about Justin wanting to get behind the wheel.
“I was going a million miles an hour about how I went to a quarter midget racetrack, and I fell in love with it and that I was going to race quarter midgets,” Allgaier told NBC Sports. “My dad kept saying, no, no, no.”
But Justin had the trump card.
“I said, ‘But mom said,’ and he’s like, ‘Put your mom on the phone,’” Allgaier explained. “I put mom on the phone, and she said, ‘Well I told him that maybe we can get a cheap car and just go putz around, see if he likes it.’ He was like, no. If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it (right). I don’t want to just go in there and just do it for fun just because it’s something that you think might be cool.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Allgaier went on to become a five-time quarter midget champion by age 12. In 2008, he won the ARCA Racing Series championship with the family team. A year later, Allgaier embarked on his full-time NASCAR career in the Xfinity Series earning three wins. After a stint in Sprint Cup in 2014 and ’15, Allgaier returned to the Xfinity Series and is competing for the championship with JR Motorsports.
“My dad was very big on never wanting it to be his decision that I went racing,” Allgaier said. “He would give me every opportunity to do it at a level of what was competitive, but he said if there was something else you want to do, if there’s another sport you want to play, we’re going to do it. So I played baseball and soccer, all kinds of other sports, but nothing ever was near racing.”
The following Q&A has been edited and condensed
NBC Sports: In what way did you grow up around racing?
Allgaier: My parents had both been involved in racing a number of years even before I came along. My dad sold tools for a long time and then got into the parts business, actually built and sold a brand of racecar. Then they got into the tire industry and started selling racing tires. So for as long as I can remember I was wanting to be at the track with my dad at some level and my mom ran the offices around home, and she traveled a lot with him too, but she was kind of the one who held the fort down; I spent most of my time with my mom. She’s the one that got me started in racing. She’s the one that took me to the racetrack for the first time.
NBC Sports: During your ARCA career you worked on your cars, did that give you a greater appreciation of what it takes to be a driver?
Allgaier: I think so. Not only does it help you with your own stuff, but it helps you with the other competitors, putting yourself or others in a position that damages racecars. I’ve watched guys work until four or five in the morning; I’ve watched guys not sleep at all; I’ve watched guys, and myself included, do things that make you go, ‘Oh man, there’s no reason or a way that you should be able to accomplish that,’ and you did. The other part of it is, when you have a job on the racecar, even when you’re not the one driving it, your mindset goes to, I want that racecar to be the best and the safest that it can be for whoever is driving it. I always looked at it as somebody might drive this car, so I have to put my thoughts and efforts into if somebody else is going to drive it, and I think that’s a great learning tool. When you understand how parts work and how they get bolted together and why things fail, I think it gives you a better understanding when you’re in the racecar of how to diagnose certain problems.
My job was always if it fell inside the windows. So mounting a seat or doing all the electrical work or running the fans or doing any of that kind of stuff. I maybe didn’t necessarily have the major suspensions pieces as a part of my job, but at the same time, I was always out there watching them do it, trying to understand how to make things work and how to help them make my racecar better. That’s something that not everyone in our younger generation has currently and I think that a lot of guys that came before me, their only option was to work on their racecars. By the time I came around, it was probably 50/50, and now I would say it’s probably 90/10, and I think that’s a great tool for some of these young kids that want to make it in this sport. I think it’s a great way to learn your racecar and to also learn some valuable lessons in life that you can’t learn in school.
NBC Sports: A few years ago during a prerace feature you gave a tour of your hometown, including your parent’s house where they have a room of racing memorabilia. Do your parents still collect a lot of memorabilia and have they added to it?
Allgaier: Oh yeah, every chance they get they add to it. My mom is constantly reorganizing the room because the amount of stuff that she collects grows, so she has to reorganize the room just to fit everything in. And it’s not uncommon either for my mom to go to a charity auction that I’ve donated stuff to and she’ll buy it. My parents are very sentimental when it comes to not only my racing but just racing in general. My parents have a lot of memorabilia that isn’t mine, has nothing to do with me but is stuff that has meant things to them in the past. We were at the (Motor Racing Outreach) dinner, and my dad bought some die-cast cars; it was Junior Johnson and Bobby Allison, and he’s like, even though I spent more on these cars than their actual retail value, the stories that I have knowing these cars and the era means more to me than the car itself does.
I have almost every helmet that I raced with; there’s only a few that have gotten away that were out of my control. I have a majority of firesuits. I at least have one or more from every year that I raced from the time I was five up until now. When my parents are no longer able to be around and be here with us, I’m very fortunate that they documented a lot of where I’ve come from, and it’s cool to be able to go home and see all that and relive those moments.
NBC Sports: How did the ‘Little Gator’ nickname come about?
Allgaier: When my dad was born they told my grandfather, ‘Mr. Alligator you can come in and see your son now’ because everybody always wants to add a T and drop some letters and add some letters. Our last name is hard enough as it is, but people always think it says alligator. So my dad became gator, and for as long as I can remember going to the racetrack everybody knew my dad as gator, and there were a lot of people that had no idea my dad’s name was Mike. Like no clue; known him for 30 years and didn’t know his name was Mike. We were at the racetrack one time in the ARCA Series, and I was probably eight or nine, and I was walking along with my dad and one of the crew members stopped him and said, ‘This must be the little gator you always talk about racing.’ It kind of stuck. I’m not sure that being called little anything is necessarily the nickname you’d like to have, but I have a more respect for my dad than probably anybody in this world and so if I’m ‘Little Gator’ to him being ‘Gator’ I’m OK with it.
NBC Sports: There’s an artistic side to you when it comes to design, and you’ve mentioned stashing away pens and notebooks in your motorhome, so what are some things you’ve created?
Allgaier: My grandfather and my dad are both closet artists. My grandfather was very, very good at it and he was more into building things, and you never knew what he was going to build out of stuff that you wouldn’t expect. He used to build these little owl sculptures out of tree bark, just random stuff that was really cool. And my dad is a great artist he just doesn’t do anything with it. He always swears he isn’t very good, so he doesn’t do anything with it. So from an early age, I always had a lot of artistic people around me and being into cars I was always a huge fan of the cars up in the Northeast, like the big block modifieds and the tour modifieds. I always thought those cars looked really cool, so I would always sit in class and draw cars and draw paint schemes and numbers and helmets and firesuits. You name it, and I was drawing it.
When I was 12, my dad got tired of paying people to do graphics on our racecars, so he bought a vinyl machine, and he told me that I had to read the entire manual, which was like 10,000 pages, and that I had to do all of these things before I could run it. But once I did that I was going to do all my own graphics. From then on, up until I was fortunate enough to come to Charlotte to drive NASCAR, I did every racecar that I drove; I designed, cut, put them on the racecars, that was my job. So, I love it even to this day. I still try to get as much input as I can, whatever they’ll give me. Most of our teams now have people that do that, so I don’t get as much say as I would like, but at the same time, I’ve been very lucky to have an ability to do it. I’m not as good as it as I would like, but I still enjoy doing it.
SOCCER: Top 5 Premier League storylines — The return of Jose.
Justin, who was 5, had just watched his 7-year-old friend, Joey Moughan, race a quarter midget. It was during a night out for Justin and his mother, Dorothy. As he watched other kids his age, including some who were friends, Justin recalls immediately thinking, “I’m in.”
Dorothy was non-committal, offering Justin a, we’ll see what we can do. But Moughan’s father offered Justin the chance to drive Joey’s car, just to see if he even liked it. Mike Allgaier was traveling that week but soon heard all about Justin wanting to get behind the wheel.
“I was going a million miles an hour about how I went to a quarter midget racetrack, and I fell in love with it and that I was going to race quarter midgets,” Allgaier told NBC Sports. “My dad kept saying, no, no, no.”
But Justin had the trump card.
“I said, ‘But mom said,’ and he’s like, ‘Put your mom on the phone,’” Allgaier explained. “I put mom on the phone, and she said, ‘Well I told him that maybe we can get a cheap car and just go putz around, see if he likes it.’ He was like, no. If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it (right). I don’t want to just go in there and just do it for fun just because it’s something that you think might be cool.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Allgaier went on to become a five-time quarter midget champion by age 12. In 2008, he won the ARCA Racing Series championship with the family team. A year later, Allgaier embarked on his full-time NASCAR career in the Xfinity Series earning three wins. After a stint in Sprint Cup in 2014 and ’15, Allgaier returned to the Xfinity Series and is competing for the championship with JR Motorsports.
“My dad was very big on never wanting it to be his decision that I went racing,” Allgaier said. “He would give me every opportunity to do it at a level of what was competitive, but he said if there was something else you want to do, if there’s another sport you want to play, we’re going to do it. So I played baseball and soccer, all kinds of other sports, but nothing ever was near racing.”
The following Q&A has been edited and condensed
NBC Sports: In what way did you grow up around racing?
Allgaier: My parents had both been involved in racing a number of years even before I came along. My dad sold tools for a long time and then got into the parts business, actually built and sold a brand of racecar. Then they got into the tire industry and started selling racing tires. So for as long as I can remember I was wanting to be at the track with my dad at some level and my mom ran the offices around home, and she traveled a lot with him too, but she was kind of the one who held the fort down; I spent most of my time with my mom. She’s the one that got me started in racing. She’s the one that took me to the racetrack for the first time.
NBC Sports: During your ARCA career you worked on your cars, did that give you a greater appreciation of what it takes to be a driver?
Allgaier: I think so. Not only does it help you with your own stuff, but it helps you with the other competitors, putting yourself or others in a position that damages racecars. I’ve watched guys work until four or five in the morning; I’ve watched guys not sleep at all; I’ve watched guys, and myself included, do things that make you go, ‘Oh man, there’s no reason or a way that you should be able to accomplish that,’ and you did. The other part of it is, when you have a job on the racecar, even when you’re not the one driving it, your mindset goes to, I want that racecar to be the best and the safest that it can be for whoever is driving it. I always looked at it as somebody might drive this car, so I have to put my thoughts and efforts into if somebody else is going to drive it, and I think that’s a great learning tool. When you understand how parts work and how they get bolted together and why things fail, I think it gives you a better understanding when you’re in the racecar of how to diagnose certain problems.
My job was always if it fell inside the windows. So mounting a seat or doing all the electrical work or running the fans or doing any of that kind of stuff. I maybe didn’t necessarily have the major suspensions pieces as a part of my job, but at the same time, I was always out there watching them do it, trying to understand how to make things work and how to help them make my racecar better. That’s something that not everyone in our younger generation has currently and I think that a lot of guys that came before me, their only option was to work on their racecars. By the time I came around, it was probably 50/50, and now I would say it’s probably 90/10, and I think that’s a great tool for some of these young kids that want to make it in this sport. I think it’s a great way to learn your racecar and to also learn some valuable lessons in life that you can’t learn in school.
NBC Sports: A few years ago during a prerace feature you gave a tour of your hometown, including your parent’s house where they have a room of racing memorabilia. Do your parents still collect a lot of memorabilia and have they added to it?
Allgaier: Oh yeah, every chance they get they add to it. My mom is constantly reorganizing the room because the amount of stuff that she collects grows, so she has to reorganize the room just to fit everything in. And it’s not uncommon either for my mom to go to a charity auction that I’ve donated stuff to and she’ll buy it. My parents are very sentimental when it comes to not only my racing but just racing in general. My parents have a lot of memorabilia that isn’t mine, has nothing to do with me but is stuff that has meant things to them in the past. We were at the (Motor Racing Outreach) dinner, and my dad bought some die-cast cars; it was Junior Johnson and Bobby Allison, and he’s like, even though I spent more on these cars than their actual retail value, the stories that I have knowing these cars and the era means more to me than the car itself does.
I have almost every helmet that I raced with; there’s only a few that have gotten away that were out of my control. I have a majority of firesuits. I at least have one or more from every year that I raced from the time I was five up until now. When my parents are no longer able to be around and be here with us, I’m very fortunate that they documented a lot of where I’ve come from, and it’s cool to be able to go home and see all that and relive those moments.
NBC Sports: How did the ‘Little Gator’ nickname come about?
Allgaier: When my dad was born they told my grandfather, ‘Mr. Alligator you can come in and see your son now’ because everybody always wants to add a T and drop some letters and add some letters. Our last name is hard enough as it is, but people always think it says alligator. So my dad became gator, and for as long as I can remember going to the racetrack everybody knew my dad as gator, and there were a lot of people that had no idea my dad’s name was Mike. Like no clue; known him for 30 years and didn’t know his name was Mike. We were at the racetrack one time in the ARCA Series, and I was probably eight or nine, and I was walking along with my dad and one of the crew members stopped him and said, ‘This must be the little gator you always talk about racing.’ It kind of stuck. I’m not sure that being called little anything is necessarily the nickname you’d like to have, but I have a more respect for my dad than probably anybody in this world and so if I’m ‘Little Gator’ to him being ‘Gator’ I’m OK with it.
NBC Sports: There’s an artistic side to you when it comes to design, and you’ve mentioned stashing away pens and notebooks in your motorhome, so what are some things you’ve created?
Allgaier: My grandfather and my dad are both closet artists. My grandfather was very, very good at it and he was more into building things, and you never knew what he was going to build out of stuff that you wouldn’t expect. He used to build these little owl sculptures out of tree bark, just random stuff that was really cool. And my dad is a great artist he just doesn’t do anything with it. He always swears he isn’t very good, so he doesn’t do anything with it. So from an early age, I always had a lot of artistic people around me and being into cars I was always a huge fan of the cars up in the Northeast, like the big block modifieds and the tour modifieds. I always thought those cars looked really cool, so I would always sit in class and draw cars and draw paint schemes and numbers and helmets and firesuits. You name it, and I was drawing it.
When I was 12, my dad got tired of paying people to do graphics on our racecars, so he bought a vinyl machine, and he told me that I had to read the entire manual, which was like 10,000 pages, and that I had to do all of these things before I could run it. But once I did that I was going to do all my own graphics. From then on, up until I was fortunate enough to come to Charlotte to drive NASCAR, I did every racecar that I drove; I designed, cut, put them on the racecars, that was my job. So, I love it even to this day. I still try to get as much input as I can, whatever they’ll give me. Most of our teams now have people that do that, so I don’t get as much say as I would like, but at the same time, I’ve been very lucky to have an ability to do it. I’m not as good as it as I would like, but I still enjoy doing it.
SOCCER: Top 5 Premier League storylines — The return of Jose.
By Andy Edwards
(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
As we creep ever closer to the months of November and December — the proverbial meat and potatoes of the Premier League season — contenders separate themselves from pretenders, which is exactly what we expect to see this weekend.
As an added bonus, Saturday and Sunday’s slate of games also sees a former hero return to his old stomping grounds as an undeniable, revenge-crazed villain.
Stop the rot
Manchester City vs. Southampton — Sunday, 8:30 a.m. ET (NBCSN/NBCSports.com)
Man City are winless in their last four games (two draws, two losses) in all competitions, and the people are beginning to think Pep Guardiola isn’t a miracle worker. In those four games — the worst of which was Wednesday’s embarrassment at the hands of Barcelona — City have conceded 10 goals and scored just four of their own. The goals will undoubtedly come, but the defensive spine — Claudio Bravo, John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi, Fernandinho, Ilkay Gundogan/Fernando — has looked terrifyingly shaky in recent weeks.
Mourinho’s return
Chelsea vs. Manchester United — Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, (NBCSN/NBCSports.com)
Oh, you hadn’t heard that Jose Mourinho is set to return to Stamford Bridge for the first time since being fired last December? Well, you’ll hear about it once or twice more before the weekend is finished. What kind of reception will “The Special One” be given? Will he sprint to the endline and celebrate with his players upon scoring a late winner? After a red-hot start to the season (three straight wins), it’s all gone a bit sideways for Man United with just one win in their last five games. Wayne Rooney is now a permanent fixture next to Mourinho on the United bench, which has been a long time coming. Chelsea, on the other hand, have won two in a row, without conceding a single goal, since being thrashed by Arsenal three weeks ago.
Long unbeaten runs to continue
Bournemouth vs. Tottenham Hotspur — Saturday, 7:30 a.m. (NBCSN/NBCSports.com)
Arsenal vs. Middlesbrough — Saturday, 10 a.m. ET (NBCSN/NBCSports.com)
Liverpool vs. West Bromwich Albion — Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBCSports.com
In ascending order, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham are six, seven and eight games unbeaten in PL action. With eminently winnable games on the docket on Saturday, all three sides should be expected to keep the pressure on City in the title race. Tottenham are, of course, the PL’s last remaining unbeaten side, though it’s now been three weeks (two draws) since they last tasted victory and handed City their first defeat of the season. Across north London, it’s hard to argue against Arsenal as the PL’s unstoppable force at the moment (six straight wins, by a combined score of 16-5).
These are (not) the champions
Leicester City vs. Crystal Palace — Saturday, 10 a.m. ET (NBCSports.com)
Leicester City are really going for it in the Champions League (three games played, nine points won), but at what cost? With just two wins on the PL season (just one in their last five), the defending champions have already conceded this season’s title to one of a half-dozen other sides. The Foxes have one of the worst defensive records in the PL this season (14 goals conceded in eight games), with Palace and an in-form Christian Benteke (three goals in five games) visiting the King Power Stadium this weekend.
Win it for America, Bob
Swansea City vs. Watford — Saturday, 10 a.m. ET (CNBC/NBCSports.com)
Or, you know, for yourself and/or Swansea, the club which believed in you and made you the first-ever American manager in the PL. Last week’s spirited defeat away to Arsenal was unquestionably good for morale around the Liberty Stadium, but moral victories are worth not a single point in the league table. Bob Bradley’s task is clear: he is to lead the Swans to safety this season. Thus, home games against mid-table sides are the games he’ll be targeting for a mild upset and all three points. In order to do so, they’ll have to be much better defensively than they have been thus far (15 goals conceded — fourth-most in the PL).
FC Dallas advances, giving MLS three teams in CONCACAF Champions League quarters.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Major League Soccer will have three teams in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League thanks to FC Dallas’ thrilling comeback win on Thursday.
FCD beat Guatemalan side Suchitepéquez 5-2 at the Estadio Mateo Flores after going down by a pair of first half goals.
Carlos Gruezo and Matt Hedges helped Dallas to level terms by halftime, and Atiba Harris scored just after the break to put FCD ahead. An own goal and a must-watch Carlos Lizarazo 90th minute wonderstrike gave us the final scoreline. Gruezo also added an assist.
A tie would’ve been enough to send Dallas through atop Group H, but the big win moves it ahead of New York Red Bulls. FCD will finish seventh at worst.
FCD joins Vancouver and New York Red Bulls as the MLS representatives in the tournament, and the league will have at-worst the joint-most clubs in the quarters.
Mexican sides UANL Tigres and Pachuca are quarterfinalists, while Panamanian side Arabe Unido and Costa Rican stalwarts Saprissa advanced as well.
The field’s eighth team will be set after the 10 p.m. ET matchup between Honduras Progreso and Mexico’s UNAM.
The Whitecaps are the No. 1 seed, and could well match-up with the Red Bulls if there is a winner between UNAM and Honduras Progreso. If Honduras Progreso advances via draw, the Hondurans will be the No. 8 seed.
MLS Playoff Picture: How high, low can every playoff hopeful finish?
By Andy Edwards
(Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
Didn’t the 2016 MLS season just start? What do you mean it’s October, and the season started in March?
As difficult as it is to believe, First Kick was indeed nearly eight months ago, which means this is it. Sunday’s slate of 10 simultaneous finales (4 p.m. ET — full coverage right here on PST) will signal the end of the line for eight sides; the end of the regular season, and the start of the real journey, for 12 others.
Following last weekend’s penultimate round of games, we covered the scenarios for teams yet to clinch a playoff berth. Today, we’ll focus on seeding — how high and how low each of the 14 remaining playoff hopefuls can finish.
Eastern Conference
New York Red Bulls (54 points, 15 wins, +15 GD) — Can finish as high as 1st; can finish as low as 2nd.
New York City FC (51 points, 14 wins, +2 GD) — Can finish as high as 1st; can finish as low as 3rd. To finish 1st, NYCFC need to win vs. Columbus Crew SC, and RBNY lose vs. Philadelphia Union, doing so by combined margins that make up 13 goals in the goal differential column.
Toronto FC (50 points, 13 wins, +11 GD) — Can finish as high as 2nd; can finish no lower than 3rd. To finish 2nd, TFC need to win vs. Chicago Fire, and NYCFC lose or draw vs. CLB. To finish 2nd, TFC could also draw vs. CHI, and NYCFC lose vs. CLB.
D.C. United (46 points, 11 wins, +8 GD) — Can finish no higher than 4th; can finish as low as 5th. To finish 4th, DCU need to win vs. Orlando City SC. To finish 4th, DCU could also draw or lose vs. ORL, and Montreal Impact draw or lose vs. New England Revolution.
Montreal Impact (45 points, 11 wins, -1 GD) — Can finish as high as 4th; can finish as low as 6th. To finish 4th, MTL need to win vs. NE, and DCU draw or lose vs. ORL.
Philadelphia Union (42 points, 11 wins, -1 GD) — Can finish as high as 5th; can finish as low as 7th. To finish 4th, PHI need to win vs. RBNY, and MTL lose vs. NE.
New England Revolution (39 points, 10 wins, -13 GD) — Can finish as high as 6th. To finish 6th, NE need to win vs. MTL, and PHI lose vs. RBNY, doing so by combined margins that make up 12 goals in the goal differential column.
Western Conference
FC Dallas (59 points, 17 wins, +10 GD) — Can finish as high as 1st; can finish as low as 2nd. To finish 1st FCD need to win or draw vs. LA Galaxy. To finish 1st, FCD could also lose vs. LA, and Colorado Rapids draw or lose vs. Houston Dynamo.
Colorado Rapids (57 points, 15 wins, +7 GD) — Can finish as high as 1st; can finish no lower than 2nd. To finish 1st, COL need to win vs. HOU, and FCD lose vs. LA.
LA Galaxy (51 points, 12 wins, +15 GD) — Can finish no higher and no lower than 3rd.
Real Salt Lake (46 points, 12 wins, -1 GD) — Can finish no higher than 4th; can finish as low as 7th. To finish 4th, RSL need to win vs. SEA. To finish 4th, RSL could also draw vs. SEA, and Sporting Kansas City draw or lose vs. San Jose Earthquakes, and Portland Timbers draw or lose vs. Vancouver Whitecaps.
Seattle Sounders (45 points, 13 wins, 0 GD) — Can finish as high as 4th; can finish as low as 7th. To finish 4th, SEA need to win vs. RSL.
Sporting Kansas City (44 points, 12 wins, -1 GD) — Can finish as high as 4th; can finish as low as 7th. To finish 4th, SKC need to win vs. SJ, and RSL and SEA draw with one another, and maintain a goal differential advantage over POR if POR win vs. VAN.
Portland Timbers (44 points, 12 wins, -2 GD) — Can finish as high as 4th; can finish as low as 7th. To finish 4th, POR need to win vs. VAN, and RSL and SEA draw with one another, and overcome a goal differential disadvantage over SKC if SKC win vs. SJ.
As difficult as it is to believe, First Kick was indeed nearly eight months ago, which means this is it. Sunday’s slate of 10 simultaneous finales (4 p.m. ET — full coverage right here on PST) will signal the end of the line for eight sides; the end of the regular season, and the start of the real journey, for 12 others.
Following last weekend’s penultimate round of games, we covered the scenarios for teams yet to clinch a playoff berth. Today, we’ll focus on seeding — how high and how low each of the 14 remaining playoff hopefuls can finish.
Eastern Conference
New York Red Bulls (54 points, 15 wins, +15 GD) — Can finish as high as 1st; can finish as low as 2nd.
New York City FC (51 points, 14 wins, +2 GD) — Can finish as high as 1st; can finish as low as 3rd. To finish 1st, NYCFC need to win vs. Columbus Crew SC, and RBNY lose vs. Philadelphia Union, doing so by combined margins that make up 13 goals in the goal differential column.
Toronto FC (50 points, 13 wins, +11 GD) — Can finish as high as 2nd; can finish no lower than 3rd. To finish 2nd, TFC need to win vs. Chicago Fire, and NYCFC lose or draw vs. CLB. To finish 2nd, TFC could also draw vs. CHI, and NYCFC lose vs. CLB.
D.C. United (46 points, 11 wins, +8 GD) — Can finish no higher than 4th; can finish as low as 5th. To finish 4th, DCU need to win vs. Orlando City SC. To finish 4th, DCU could also draw or lose vs. ORL, and Montreal Impact draw or lose vs. New England Revolution.
Montreal Impact (45 points, 11 wins, -1 GD) — Can finish as high as 4th; can finish as low as 6th. To finish 4th, MTL need to win vs. NE, and DCU draw or lose vs. ORL.
Philadelphia Union (42 points, 11 wins, -1 GD) — Can finish as high as 5th; can finish as low as 7th. To finish 4th, PHI need to win vs. RBNY, and MTL lose vs. NE.
New England Revolution (39 points, 10 wins, -13 GD) — Can finish as high as 6th. To finish 6th, NE need to win vs. MTL, and PHI lose vs. RBNY, doing so by combined margins that make up 12 goals in the goal differential column.
Western Conference
FC Dallas (59 points, 17 wins, +10 GD) — Can finish as high as 1st; can finish as low as 2nd. To finish 1st FCD need to win or draw vs. LA Galaxy. To finish 1st, FCD could also lose vs. LA, and Colorado Rapids draw or lose vs. Houston Dynamo.
Colorado Rapids (57 points, 15 wins, +7 GD) — Can finish as high as 1st; can finish no lower than 2nd. To finish 1st, COL need to win vs. HOU, and FCD lose vs. LA.
LA Galaxy (51 points, 12 wins, +15 GD) — Can finish no higher and no lower than 3rd.
Real Salt Lake (46 points, 12 wins, -1 GD) — Can finish no higher than 4th; can finish as low as 7th. To finish 4th, RSL need to win vs. SEA. To finish 4th, RSL could also draw vs. SEA, and Sporting Kansas City draw or lose vs. San Jose Earthquakes, and Portland Timbers draw or lose vs. Vancouver Whitecaps.
Seattle Sounders (45 points, 13 wins, 0 GD) — Can finish as high as 4th; can finish as low as 7th. To finish 4th, SEA need to win vs. RSL.
Sporting Kansas City (44 points, 12 wins, -1 GD) — Can finish as high as 4th; can finish as low as 7th. To finish 4th, SKC need to win vs. SJ, and RSL and SEA draw with one another, and maintain a goal differential advantage over POR if POR win vs. VAN.
Portland Timbers (44 points, 12 wins, -2 GD) — Can finish as high as 4th; can finish as low as 7th. To finish 4th, POR need to win vs. VAN, and RSL and SEA draw with one another, and overcome a goal differential disadvantage over SKC if SKC win vs. SJ.
NCAAFB: Virginia Tech takes control of ACC Coastal with 37-16 win against Miami.
By Graham Watson
(Photo/yahoosports.com)
Virginia Tech took control of the ACC Coastal Division on Thursday night with a 37-16 win against Miami.
The game started as a defensive duel with both teams trading field goals in the first quarter, but Virginia Tech settled in and took a 16-3 lead before Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya found Braxton Berrios in the end zone with 19 seconds remaining before halftime.
But the second half was all Virginia Tech. The Hokies scored on their second and third possessions, and while Miami did get a touchdown in the quarter, it either punted or turned the ball over on downs on five of their six second-half possessions. Much of that was because of Virginia Tech defensive front, which notched seven sacks in the contest.
Virginia Tech rebounded from last week’s upset loss against Syracuse and now hold wins against North Carolina and the Hurricanes, two of the top contenders for the division crown. The Hokies will travel to Pitt next week.
Illini's Nickerson leads defense, looks to Michigan test.
AP
(Photo/The Associated Press)
His Illinois team is a double-digit underdog, but Saturday will bring the kind of game Hardy Nickerson has been waiting for since he decided to transfer from Cal.
Michigan. The Big House and 100,000-plus fans. A Wolverines fullback lined up across from him.
"This is the football that I always thought the Big Ten was about," the Illini linebacker said as his team prepared to face the No. 3 Wolverines (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten). "Pro-style offenses for a linebacker are the most fun games. You're getting downhill, you're making plays and it really comes down to how the linebackers are playing in those games if the defense does well."
Michigan. The Big House and 100,000-plus fans. A Wolverines fullback lined up across from him.
"This is the football that I always thought the Big Ten was about," the Illini linebacker said as his team prepared to face the No. 3 Wolverines (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten). "Pro-style offenses for a linebacker are the most fun games. You're getting downhill, you're making plays and it really comes down to how the linebackers are playing in those games if the defense does well."
A lot is riding on Nickerson this week and every week at Illinois (2-4, 1-2).
He made the move from Cal as a graduate student, following his dad, former NFL linebacker Hardy Nickerson, when the older Nickerson took the job as
At Cal, Nickerson led an eight-win Bears team with 112 tackles, 8.6 a game. That defense, though, gave up just over 30 points a game, living in the shadow of a Cal offense that scored close almost 38.
Smith, on the other hand, is a defense-first coach. He needed a player like Nickerson, a linebacker to plug into a slot that had no ready-made starter.
Nickerson has done what Illinois has asked and then some. He is leading the Big Ten in tackles with 58, good for 9.7 per game. That puts him at 21st in the country.
Nickerson and his father bear a strong resemblance on and off the field.
At Cal, the younger Nickerson wore his father's old number, 47. Both flash easy smiles and both say that, after the past two years of the son playing football on the West Coast while the father coached in Florida as part of Smith's
"As a dad to just have him around, that's been just an unbelievable experience," the older Nickerson said.
As good as it has been to be close, there's a difference now: Coach Nickerson was used to watching linebacker Nickerson in the way a dad does when they were a country apart. For those two years, "we talked every night, especially after games," the older Nickerson said.
Now, much like when he coached his son at
That is one place, the younger Nickerson says, that the two are close in a different way.
"On the field we're able to diagnose things fast, and I'm able to tell him if I have a problem with something or if he has a coaching point," Nickerson said.
The linebacker is accustomed to that role of on-field analyst, as well as catalyst.
Stanford, he says, was the one downhill, Michigan-type team the Bears faced every season, but the other teams they saw tended to be more up-tempo, like Oregon.
Highlights from last season's Oregon game include Nickerson making big plays, but with each play the scoreboard in the corner of the screen showed the Ducks pulling further away. No matter, after each hit Nickerson popped up, clapping hands hard at teammates, trying to keep them in a game they would eventually lose, 44-38.
After the game, Nickerson uncharacteristically let just a bit of an edge come through as he talked to reporters : "I think guys are pissed off right now. It hurt."
This week, Nickerson laughed when asked if he knew where he he ranked in the Big Ten in tackles, saying he'd just seen the stat on Twitter. He said he would give up that top spot if it meant something better in the one area that hasn't worked as well as he would like Illinois — wins and losses.
"If that means me making 19 tackles or that means me making three tackles, I'll take it."
NFL draft: Texas A&M’s Myles Garrett worthy of No. 1 overall pick in 2017.
By Eric Edholm
Texas A&M pass rusher Myles Garrett is almost a squeaky clean evaluation for the 2017 NFL draft. (Photo/AP)
Texas A&M has a tall order this week against No. 1 Alabama. But this could be the kind of game that, even if they lose, could vault one Aggie to No. 1 — in the 2017 NFL draft.
For all the talk of the quarterbacks who could go high in the draft, and we dissected many of them last week, there are still major questions with the ones most often projected to go high next spring — specifically, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer (who was benched for a spell against Stanford) and Miami’s Brad Kaaya.
Yes, it was a little more than one year ago that eventual No. 1 pick Jared Goff had a five-INT game against Utah, which temporarily halted talk of him being a candidate for the top choice. And almost a year ago to the day, Carson Wentz suffered a broken wrist, which ended his regular season at North Dakota State. That was the point at which other candidates — including Laremy Tunsil, Joey Bosa, Jalen Ramsey, Ronnie Stanley and, heck, even Robert Nkemdiche — were discussed as the more likely and worthy top overall pick.
So we certainly could see a QB land at the top spot, depending on which team picks first. But if there ever is a year where another position could trump that, it could be the 2017 NFL draft if Texas A&M’s Myles Garrett declares early.
A third-year junior, Garrett appears to be the complete package. Even in a season in which the 6-5, 259-pound pass rusher has been slowed by a high-ankle sprain, an injury that can linger for weeks, he has been mostly dominant. After missing the South Carolina game, Garrett returned the next week against Tennessee. Despite playing on a limited snap count, he was very disruptive with a sack, a forced fumble and even a pass breakup while dropping in coverage.
The ankle clearly has hindered him, too. NFL scouts have taken note of that toughness to play through pain, an injury that he justifiably could have say with, and it will go down as another positive check mark on a ledger that quickly is filling up. Additionally, his character appears to be very strong, which will make him an almost squeaky clean evaluation.
Let’s say, for instance, that the Cleveland Browns earn the first pick. After Browns head coach Hue Jackson’s recent glowing praise for Cody Kessler, are we sure they’re taking a QB at No. 1? Even with what appears to be a very deep group of pass rushers next year, Garrett might be worth taking first.
If you’re asking today who the best 2017 prospect is, regardless of position, it would be Garrett. He’s the surest thing available right now, and he’ll have another excellent chance to improve his résumé with a big game on Saturday against No. 1 Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Garrett said this week he won’t reveal how healthy he is or isn’t heading into the game for competitive reasons but said he’s “good enough to play well.”
Garrett has had an extra week off to rest his ankle with the Aggies on bye, and he’ll get a stiff matchup test against Crimson Tide left tackle Cam Robinson and emerging left guard Ross Pierschbacher. As a group, the Tide have allowed 12 sacks and 23 QB hurries in seven games on 244 dropbacks. They also average 42.6 rushing attempts per game and 6.8 yards per attempt, so Garrett’s ability to defend the run will be a huge part of this matchup.
The Aggies use Garrett in a variety of spots — from a 3-technique on the guard’s outside shoulder to standing up in a 7-technique outside the tackle — but typically on the defense’s right side. He can beat opponents with power, speed and a combination of the two. There are very few holes in his game, although Garrett does occasionally stay glued on blocks sometimes (even if he’s not being pushed backward) that result in stalemates.
Robinson will be a stiff test. He’s probably the best available tackle in what’s regarded as a poor class next spring. But Garrett also does great work inside, too — check out the UCLA and Tennessee games, where he did a lot of his damage working as a defensive tackle. Pierschbacher will have his work cut out for him, although you can bet Bama will slide its protection and help the redshirt sophomore out in those situations.
It’s not a stretch, of course, to suggest an edge defender could end up going No. 1. After all, five who fit that mold have been drafted in the top five picks over the past four drafts, with Bosa going third overall this spring and Jadeveon Clowney going first in 2014. Like former No. 2 overall pick Von Miller before him, Garrett — who might actually be more physically impressive than Miller was coming out — absolutely has the merit to be picked this high.
Bosa’s early impact with the San Diego Chargers and Clowney’s breakout season (at least in spurts) with the Houston Texans certainly won’t hurt Garrett’s chances of going No. 1 overall. And Miller might be a 2016 league MVP candidate with the way he’s playing now, even after receiving a massive contract. At an early glance, we’d say that Garrett and Bosa have some very similar traits, and Garrett might even be a bit twitchier and versatile with the ability to drop and project to multiple fronts.
We spoke with one college scout who admitted he hadn’t done enough work on Garrett, who is still an underclassman, to this point but saw him up close this season and came away very impressed.
“I was at the UCLA game early in the year, and they didn’t run his way once that I recall in the first quarter, maybe even the first half,” the evaluator said. “Once or twice they used a tight end to block him but it was on an outside zone the other way, or maybe a toss sweep away from him.
“[Garrett] sets a good, hard edge. He stays home, too. Lot of guys will overrun these plays, just sniffing sacks. Even Bosa did it last year. But he’s got good discipline and awareness of the ball.”
Some of Garrett’s most impressive plays in that game didn’t earn him stats in the box score.
“Two plays I remember,” the scout said, “one was a little twist they drew up, where he collapsed the interior and drew the back, which opened up a sack for [his teammate]. The other was then [UCLA] was down in the red zone and he did a little speed bull rush, buried the tackle [NFL prospect Conor McDermott], left the back in the dust and hit the quarterback. Ball was intercepted down there [actually, the INT was dropped], so you see those plays and your imagination starts to work a little.”
One more note the scout added: “You don’t see him on the ground much. Coach [Bill] Parcells always used to judge D-lineman by how often they stayed on their feet, and [Garrett] does that very well.”
The Aggies have a very talented front, so Garrett certainly benefits from that. Defensive end Daeshon Hall is terrific, and tackles Zaycoven Henderson and Hardreck Walker do a lot of good work inside. This is one of the toughest lines in the country, no doubt.
But Garrett helps make this line special, and he’s a rare talent. The players around him shouldn’t be marked against him because the caliber of opponents the Aggies face this season. None of those opponents are stronger right now than Bama, and if Garrett can put up some more great tape — with several NFL talent evaluators expected at the game — he’ll have a great chance to be consider for top-pick honors in April.
NCAABKB: NCAA accuses Louisville, Pitino of violations in escort case.
By Gary B. Graves
(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
The NCAA accused Louisville of four serious violations and criticized coach Rick Pitino for failing to monitor a former basketball staffer who hired escorts and strippers for sex parties with recruits and players.
The governing body's report Thursday didn't mention a lack of institutional control - considered the most serious violation in some cases.
Pitino disputed the finding that he did not monitor Andree McGee, saying his tendency is to over-monitor. If anything, the coach said he was guilty of trusting someone to tell him what was going on.
''This man (McGee) made a mistake and we apologize for his mistakes,'' he said during a news conference. Pitino has denied knowledge of the alleged violations.
The NCAA's letter is the first step in a process that could extend into next spring. Louisville has 90 days to respond.
The letter culminates an inquiry that began with the publication last October of Katina Powell's book, ''Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen.''
Powell wrote that McGee paid her $10,000 for strippers to perform 22 shows from 2010-14 - a period that includes Louisville's NCAA 2012-13 championship season - with many occurring in the players' Billy Minardi Hall dormitory. The building is named for Pitino's brother-in-law, who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York.
Compliance consultant Chuck Smrt, hired by the school to investigate the allegations, said he did not think vacating records was ''appropriate'' as a penalty but noted there is precedent.
The NCAA's letter lists the value of the impermissible/extra benefits as at least $5,400 and cites multiple instances in which McGee hired strippers to dance and have sex with recruits.
Louisville already has imposed its own penalties. The most severe one was announced Feb. 5 - a postseason ban after the school determined violations occurred. A month later, the school announced the reduction of two scholarships and the number of days staffers could recruit.
Neville Pinto, the university's acting president, and athletic director Tom Jurich said the NCAA's findings align with the results of the school's investigation. He said the school would fight the charge against Pitino.
''Improper activities took place in a dormitory that never should have occurred,'' they said in a statement. ''When the facts were established, we acted. We took appropriate punitive and corrective actions. The penalties we imposed were among the most severe penalties ever self-imposed by a NCAA member.''
Those self-imposed penalties were taken as a way of possibly lessening NCAA discipline and follows measures used by Syracuse and SMU. NCAA punishment went further in those cases, with nine-game suspensions each this past season for Hall of Fame coaches Jim Boeheim and now-retired Larry Brown.
It remains unclear if the NCAA will take the same step with Pitino. Jurich made clear the school's intent to defend the allegation and show-cause order against Pitino and said he could not have known what occurred in the dorm because ''if he caught a whiff of what was going on, there's no question he'd hit the roof.''
Jurich went further in the school's planned defense of the coach, saying ''we don't agree with it and we will dispute it.''
The NCAA's 20-page letter dated Oct. 17 alleges that McGee provided benefits to at least 17 recruits and players, two ''non-scholastic'' coaches and one friend of a prospect during that period. Names of the players were redacted in the report.
McGee did not cooperate with NCAA investigators and is subject to a show-cause order for two violations. McGee's attorney, Scott C. Cox, had no comment.
Smrt said the ''vast majority'' of the activities occurred with prospects on official or unofficial visits at Louisville. He declined to say how many eventually enrolled at the school, adding ''that would be getting into the specifics of the case.''
Former Louisville assistant Brandon Williams, who hadn't been previously mentioned, is also cited in the letter for failing to provide requested phone records to NCAA enforcement staff.
Lawyer Steve Thompson of Nixon Peabody, the firm hired by the school as outside counsel, said the violation is unrelated to the core allegations. Pitino said Williams had no relationship with McGee.
The action by the NCAA has cast a shadow over one of the country's most prominent basketball schools and led to several investigations, including ones by the Louisville police department and the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. Pitino has said in recent interviews he believes Louisville's self-imposed penalties suggested by the compliance consultant should be enough to satisfy the NCAA.
Jurich reiterated the program's steps to address the allegations from the moment the school became aware of them. He and Pitino also said the program has taken additional measures to improve security and compliance to ensure the violations aren't repeated.
For now, the school must prepare its defense before waiting to see what the NCAA's final word will be.
Coaches believe SEC close to landing more NCAA tourney bids.
By Teresa M. Walker
Georgia coach Mark Fox answers a question during the Southeastern Conference men's NCAA college basketball media day, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
When talking to SEC coaches, the list of reasons why the league hasn't had a bigger presence recently in the NCAA Tournament is long:
Weak scheduling. Backlash for football dominance. Poor recruiting. Coaching turnover.
Now, coaches say they've addressed all those hurdles but have one more to conquer - perception.
Only three teams reached the tournament in March for the third time in four years and even worse, only one team reached the regional semifinals. The dismal showing reinforced the idea that the SEC just can't compete on the court as well as the league does on the football field.
Respect can earn more NCAA Tournament berths, and more tournament teams boost a conference's identity. SEC coaches have been working to toughen up scheduling, recruiting and play on the court, but Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said they're also fighting something else.
''It's not the perception. It's the reality,'' Pearl said Wednesday at the SEC Tipoff media days event. ''The reality is that we have not been able to get enough teams into the NCAA Tournament.''
This league has a pretty proud basketball tradition that doesn't hang completely on Kentucky.
The SEC earned six NCAA Tournament bids in 1987 when it was still a 10-team league. Since 1992, Arkansas, Florida and Kentucky have won at least one national title each, while LSU and Mississippi State reached a Final Four. Alabama and Tennessee have played in regional finals during that stretch with three others advancing to regional semifinals. The SEC sent six teams to the NCAA Tournament every year between 1999 and 2004.
But the reality of the SEC's tradition differs from the perception of its current state. Add it up and the numbers show the SEC hasn't earned as many as six NCAA bids in a year since 2008.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey took steps to correct this problem by hiring former Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese as a special adviser on men's basketball and hired Dan Leibovitz as an associate commissioner. Tranghese attended the league's spring meeting in May in Florida, and Kentucky coach John Calipari said it's good for the league to have extra sets of eyes focused on men's basketball.
But Calipari defended the SEC, noting Kentucky and Florida played in the 2014 Final Four with Tennessee reaching a regional semifinal that same year. Texas A&M reached a regional semifinal last spring.
''A lot of this is the perception of it,'' Calipari said. ''I don't know how you fight that.''
South Carolina coach Frank Martin says having Tranghese and Leibovitz will help with how the league is perceived. A school-record 25 wins last season didn't help Martin's Gamecocks earn an NCAA berth in March.
Georgia coach Mark Fox would like to see the selection committee be more transparent about what teams should target. His Bulldogs hoped to pick up a top-50 win against South Carolina late last season only to be told that a win would knock the Gamecocks out of the top 50 in the RPI.
''It can't be a moving target,'' Fox said.
Florida coach Mike White says luck plays a role. He believes as many as three teams missed out last season by a missed free throw, missed block-out for a rebound or a half-court shot at the buzzer falling.
Andy Kennedy, now the dean of SEC coaches at Mississippi following Kevin Stallings' departure from Vanderbilt, said the SEC has beefed up its non-conference schedules and is starting to see dividends. Each SEC team has at least one nonconference game against a Power Five opponent with Michigan visiting South Carolina on Nov. 23 in just one of the big games.
The league also had up to seven teams contending for NCAA berths in recent years until the SEC tournament. Kennedy said being unable to finish in the league tournament dropped the final numbers.
Then there's SEC fatigue.
''I think people get so overwhelmed with the dominance that is SEC football they all want to take a pause from the SEC,'' Kennedy said. ''They happen to want to pause when we're in the midst of our conference schedule. We have to do our jobs ... This should be a five-, six-, seven-bid league every year, and my hope is we can get back soon.''
Leibovitz has been reaching out to each SEC school to see what the league can do to support promoting programs on campus and recruiting. The league also is reaching out to event promoters pitching SEC teams and other leagues for possible matchups that can boost the RPI.
''I think we're just at a time where we've planted some good seed and we just have to let them grow,'' Leibovitz said.
Results may come sooner than some expect. Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said leagues go through cycles, and the message from Tranghese has been that the SEC is close.
''I think we're in position where we can turn that this year, and I'll be shocked if we don't,'' Barnes said.
MSU ninth, UM unranked in basketball coaches’ poll.
The Detroit News
MSU coach Tom Izzo speaks at Big Ten media day.(Photo: Nick Wass/ AP)
Michigan State is ranked ninth in the USA Today preseason men’s basketball college basketball poll, released Thursday.
The Spartans are the highest-ranked Big Ten team, followed by Wisconsin at No. 10, Indiana at No. 12, Purdue at No. 15 and Maryland at No. 21.
Michigan is not ranked.
The top three teams are Duke, Kansas and defending national champion Villanova.
MSU opens with a home exhibition against Northwood next Thursday at 7 p.m. The first regular-season game is Nov. 2 against Saginaw Valley at 7 p.m., also at the Breslin Center.
Oakland's Greg Kampe is one of 32 coaches on this season's voting panel for the poll.
USA TODAY COACHES' POLL
1. Duke (27 first-place votes), 25-11 record, 792 points (final poll: 18)
2. Kansas (1), 33-5, 721 (3)
3. Villanova (1), 35-5, 700 (1)
4. Kentucky (2), 27-9, 695 (16)
5. Oregon (1), 31-7, 620 (6)
6. North Carolina, 33-7, 614 (2)
7. Virginia, 29-8, 596 (5)
8. Xavier, 28-6, 552 (11)
9. Michigan State, 29-6, 544 (7)
10. Wisconsin, 22-13, 487 (23)
11. Arizona, 25-9, 468 (22)
12. Indiana, 27-8, 435 (9)
13. Gonzaga, 28-8, 371 (21)
14. Louisville, 23-8, 367 (NR)
15. Purdue, 26-9, 324 (19)
16. Connecticut, 25-11, 239 (NR)
17. Syracuse, 23-14, 224 (10)
18. West Virginia, 26-9, 204 (14)
19. Saint Mary’s, 29-6, 203 (NR)
20. UCLA, 15-17, 185 (NR)
21. Maryland, 27-9, 153 (T12)
22. Texas, 20-13, 124 (NR)
23. Creighton, 20-15, 113 (NR)
24. Rhode Island, 17-15, 85 (NR)
25. Cincinnati, 22-11, 75 (NR)
Also receiving votes: Florida State 65; Iowa State 56; California 43; Miami (Fla.) 35; Dayton 34; Oklahoma 33; Seton Hall 24; Texas A&M 22; Notre Dame 18; San Diego State 17; Virginia Tech 16; Wichita State 15; Southern California 14; Butler 14; Ohio State 12; Florida 11; Clemson 11; Colorado 11; Michigan 10; Pittsburgh 7; Georgia 6; Virginia Commonwealth 6; Yale 6; Chattanooga 5; Washington 4; Nevada 3; Kansas State 3; Arkansas 2; Davidson 2; Valparaiso 2; Southern Methodist 1; Utah 1.
Voting panel: Randy Bennett, Saint Mary's; Jim Boeheim, Syracuse; Tad Boyle, Colorado; Todd Bozeman, Morgan State; Glenn Braica, St. Francis Brooklyn; Scott Cherry, High Point; Tim Cluess, Iona; Jon Coffman, IP-Fort Wayne; Mick Cronin, Cincinnati; Keith Dambrot, Akron; Cameron Dollar, Seattle; Scott Drew, Baylor; Matt Driscoll, North Florida; Bill Evans, Idaho State; Steve Fisher, San Diego State; Mark Fox, Georgia; John Gallagher, Hartford; Matthew Graves, South Alabama; Mike Rhoades, Rice; George Ivory, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa; James Jones, Yale; Greg Kampe, Oakland; Dave Loos, Austin Peay; Mike McConathy, Northwestern State; Greg McDermott, Creighton; Chris Mooney, Richmond; Matt Painter, Purdue; Brett Reed, Lehigh; Zach Spiker, Drexel; Bob Williams, UC-Santa Barbara; Mike Young, Wofford.
The Spartans are the highest-ranked Big Ten team, followed by Wisconsin at No. 10, Indiana at No. 12, Purdue at No. 15 and Maryland at No. 21.
Michigan is not ranked.
The top three teams are Duke, Kansas and defending national champion Villanova.
MSU opens with a home exhibition against Northwood next Thursday at 7 p.m. The first regular-season game is Nov. 2 against Saginaw Valley at 7 p.m., also at the Breslin Center.
Oakland's Greg Kampe is one of 32 coaches on this season's voting panel for the poll.
USA TODAY COACHES' POLL
1. Duke (27 first-place votes), 25-11 record, 792 points (final poll: 18)
2. Kansas (1), 33-5, 721 (3)
3. Villanova (1), 35-5, 700 (1)
4. Kentucky (2), 27-9, 695 (16)
5. Oregon (1), 31-7, 620 (6)
6. North Carolina, 33-7, 614 (2)
7. Virginia, 29-8, 596 (5)
8. Xavier, 28-6, 552 (11)
9. Michigan State, 29-6, 544 (7)
10. Wisconsin, 22-13, 487 (23)
11. Arizona, 25-9, 468 (22)
12. Indiana, 27-8, 435 (9)
13. Gonzaga, 28-8, 371 (21)
14. Louisville, 23-8, 367 (NR)
15. Purdue, 26-9, 324 (19)
16. Connecticut, 25-11, 239 (NR)
17. Syracuse, 23-14, 224 (10)
18. West Virginia, 26-9, 204 (14)
19. Saint Mary’s, 29-6, 203 (NR)
20. UCLA, 15-17, 185 (NR)
21. Maryland, 27-9, 153 (T12)
22. Texas, 20-13, 124 (NR)
23. Creighton, 20-15, 113 (NR)
24. Rhode Island, 17-15, 85 (NR)
25. Cincinnati, 22-11, 75 (NR)
Also receiving votes: Florida State 65; Iowa State 56; California 43; Miami (Fla.) 35; Dayton 34; Oklahoma 33; Seton Hall 24; Texas A&M 22; Notre Dame 18; San Diego State 17; Virginia Tech 16; Wichita State 15; Southern California 14; Butler 14; Ohio State 12; Florida 11; Clemson 11; Colorado 11; Michigan 10; Pittsburgh 7; Georgia 6; Virginia Commonwealth 6; Yale 6; Chattanooga 5; Washington 4; Nevada 3; Kansas State 3; Arkansas 2; Davidson 2; Valparaiso 2; Southern Methodist 1; Utah 1.
Voting panel: Randy Bennett, Saint Mary's; Jim Boeheim, Syracuse; Tad Boyle, Colorado; Todd Bozeman, Morgan State; Glenn Braica, St. Francis Brooklyn; Scott Cherry, High Point; Tim Cluess, Iona; Jon Coffman, IP-Fort Wayne; Mick Cronin, Cincinnati; Keith Dambrot, Akron; Cameron Dollar, Seattle; Scott Drew, Baylor; Matt Driscoll, North Florida; Bill Evans, Idaho State; Steve Fisher, San Diego State; Mark Fox, Georgia; John Gallagher, Hartford; Matthew Graves, South Alabama; Mike Rhoades, Rice; George Ivory, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa; James Jones, Yale; Greg Kampe, Oakland; Dave Loos, Austin Peay; Mike McConathy, Northwestern State; Greg McDermott, Creighton; Chris Mooney, Richmond; Matt Painter, Purdue; Brett Reed, Lehigh; Zach Spiker, Drexel; Bob Williams, UC-Santa Barbara; Mike Young, Wofford.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, October 21, 2016.
emoriesofhistory.com
emoriesofhistory.com
1956 - Billy Howton (Green Bay Packers) caught seven passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Rams. The final score was 42-17.
1966 - The U.S. Congress approved the AFL-NFL merger.
1973 - Fred Dryer (Los Angeles Rams) became the first NFL player to record two safeties in a single game. The Rams defeated the Green Bay Packers 24-7.
1975 - Carlton Fisk (Boston Red Sox) hit a home run in the 12th inning in a 7-6 win over the Cincinnati Reds in Game Six of the World Series.
1976 - The Philadelphia 76ers purchased the rights for Julius Erving from the New Jersey Nets.
1980 - The Philadelphia Phillies won their first World Series.
1984 - Steve Cox (Cleveland Browns) kicked a 60-yard field goal against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was the second longest field goal in NFL history. The Browns lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 12-9.
1997 - Ray Bourque (Boston Bruins) became the fifth defenseman in NHL history to play in 1,300 regular-season games.
1998 - The New York Yankees set a major league baseball record of 125 victories for the regular and postseason combined.
2000 - The New York Yankees defeated the New York Mets 4-3 in 12 innings. It was the longest World Series game at 4 hours and 51 minutes.
2004 - The CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) ruled that Paul Hamm could keep his Olympic gold medal. They decided that Hamm was the rightful champion in the men's all-around gymnastics competition at the Athens Games. South Korea had challenged the medal.
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