CS&T/AllsportsAmerica Monday Sports News Update, 10/10/2016.

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"Sports Quote of the Day"

“People often remark that I'm pretty lucky. Luck is only important in so far as getting the chance to sell yourself at the right moment. After that, you've got to have talent and know how to use it.” ~ Frank Sinatra, Singer, Actor and Producer

Trending: Bears loss to Colts sets a new mark for frustration in 2016. (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).  

Trending: Five Questions facing the Blackhawks as regular season begins. (Please see the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).

Trending: Cubs rise above adversity to take commanding lead over Giants in NLDS.(See the baseball section for Cubs and baseball playoff updates).  

Trending: It's official: Woods to return at Safeway Open. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).

Trending: Cubs road to the "World Series".   

Best-of-5 series

Game 1 at Chicago: Friday, 8:15 p.m. San Francisco 0, Cubs 1 (W)

Game 2 at Chicago: Saturday, 7:08 p.m. San Francisco 2, Cubs 5 (W)

Game 3 at San Francisco: Monday, Oct. 10, time TBA. Giants’ Madison Bumgarner (15-9, 2.74) vs. Jake Arrieta (18-8, 3.10). TV: FS1 or MLBN

*Game 4 at San Francisco: Tuesday, Oct. 11, time TBA. Giants’ Matt Moore (13-12, 4.08) vs. John Lackey (11-8, 3.35). TV: FS1

*Game 5 at Chicago: Thursday, Oct. 13, time TBA. Giants’ Cueto or TBA vs. Lester or TBA. TV: FS1

* If necessary

Note: All times Central

(See the baseball section for Cubs and baseball playoff updates).  

NFL SCORES, Sunday 10/09/2016.

Arizona Cardinals 23

San Francisco 49ers 21

New England Patriots 33

Cleveland Browns 13

Philadelphia Eagles 23

Detroit Lions

Chicago Bears 23

Indianapolis Colts 29

Tennessee Titans 30

Miami Dolphins 17

Washington Redskins 16

Baltimore Ravens 10

Houston Texans 13

Minnesota Vikings 31

New York Jets 13

Pittsburgh Steelers 31

Atlanta Falcons 23

Denver Broncos 16

Cincinnati Bengals 14

Dallas Cowboys 28

Buffalo Bills 30

Los Angeles Rams 19

San Diego Chargers 31

Oakland Raiders 34

New York Giants 16

Green Bay Packers 23

Tampa Bay Buccaneers   Monday Night Game

Carolina Panthers             10/10/2016

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Bears loss to Colts sets a new mark for frustration in 2016.

By John Mullin

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

This one stung. Really, really stung, because a game that wound up a 29-23 loss to the Indianapolis Colts (2-3) was the Bears’ for the taking.

And they simply couldn’t, and had only themselves to blame.

“We’re close, man, we are so close,” fumed guard Kyle Long. “We should be putting up 30 points a game and it’s hard knowing we’re doing it to ourselves.”

He paused. “But if we continue in this direction, stop pumping rounds into our own feet, we are going to be very tough to stop.”

The Bears (1-4) were very tough to stop when they drove 96 yards in nine plays to take a 23-19 lead before a Lucas Oil Stadium crowd 66,622 in the middle of the fourth quarter.

But then...

A breakdown in coverage that allowed Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton to get an inside route for a 35-yard go-ahead touchdown ... a Cameron Meredith fumble one play later at the start of a potential game-winning drive ... and finally, and most painfully, a fourth-down incompletion in the final minute toward Meredith while Alshon Jeffery was open in the end zone and quarterback Brian Hoyer never looked that way.

“Obviously you play the game to win,” said Hoyer, who posted career highs in yardage, attempts and completions. “So it’s disappointing to lose it that close. Go up late and then have one more shot at it at the end, and you’d really like to finish it off and follow through.

“It’s as disappointing as they come when you’re that close.”

Throw in five offensive penalties in the first half, three on the first drive alone, and you have basically the things that losing team do to become losing teams.

“I feel like we’re doing a lot of great things but just can’t close out some drives,” said guard Josh Sitton, a veteran used to closing out drives from his years as a Green Bay Packer. “It’s really frustrating when you’re in a game you think you should win, and don’t.”

The game did accomplish one thing: cementing Hoyer in place for at least another week as the starting quarterback. This time coach John Fox didn’t appear to be even making any pretense about seeing how Jay Cutler’s injured thumb was during a week of practice before next Sunday’s game with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Hoyer completed 33 of 43 passes for 397 yards, two touchdown passes (to Jordan Howard and Meredith) and threw zero interceptions in his third consecutive outing, a stretch of 140 passes.

“I’m not going to get into speculation,” Fox said. “Jay is not healthy.”

But are the Bears?

Maybe more so in some respects than a 1-4 record might hint at. Howard rushed for 118 yards on 16 carries, following his 111 last Sunday and making him the first Bears back since Matt Forte in Dec. 2013 to register consecutive 100-yard rushing games. Meredith, pressed into the starting lineup after Kevin White went on IR with a broken leg from the Detroit game, caught nine of his 12 passes for 130 yards, 10 more than his yardage total of last season.

Willie Young collected three sacks of Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, the first time in his career Young has had three sacks in a game and giving him four for the season. Rookie lineman Jonathan Bullard had his first NFL sack. The Bears sacked Luck five times.

All of which should have combined for a dominating win, but none of which mattered because of the breakdowns. Only one stat matters – points – and the Bears allowed the Colts to score some they shouldn’t have, and failed to score ones of their own that they should have.

Connor Barth in the third quarter missed a 49-yard field goal, his third miss in eight tries as a Bear – not an easy kick (the 40-49-yard range was Robbie Gould’s toughest, too) but enough that Fox was not ruling out the Bears looking at kickers this week. That miss left the Bears in the position of needing a touchdown at the end of the game rather than being able to go for a tying field goal.

“I don’t know if [49 yards] is his forte coming in to begin with,” Fox said, “but we look at everything every week. I don’t think that’s on one guy by any stretch.”

It will not fall on one guy. No game ever turns on just one guy or one play; some at the end are just more noticeable than others sometimes.

But if the Bears were in search of an identity not all that long ago this season, they may not like the one that’s emerging from a defeat in which any one of any number of players could have made a play to win it.

And didn’t.

Bears Grades: Defense gets Colts QB Andrew Luck down but far from out in loss.

By John Mullin

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Sacking Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck five times was supposed to be the starting point for a win over the Colts. It wasn’t. And when the Bears needed to stop him at pivotal points, they couldn’t, which is the stuff of which losses in which a team allows 29 points are made.

The Colts scored the first four times they had the football, and it didn’t really ultimately matter that three of those four times they were forced to settle for field goals. None of those possessions lasted fewer than six plays and the Colts netted 396 yards – the third time in five games that the Bears (1-4) have allowed 340 or more yards, and the fourth time in five games that they Bears have allowed 23 or more points.

Including last season, the Bears have allowed nine of their last 10 opponents to score 21 or more points.

“We just have to keep plugging away,” said linebacker Willie Young.

Defensive line: D

Against an Indianapolis offensive line that has struggled this season, the lack of pass rush was glaring in the first half but got a little pickup when Akiem Hicks collapsed the pocket for a takedown of Luck in the third quarter. But no one was anywhere near Luck a play later when he converted a third down with a 19-yard pitch-and-catch.

And while Mitch Unrein contributed four tackles, no defensive lineman was consistently a factor stopping the Colts, who averaged 4.7 yards on 21 rushing attempts.

Hicks had a tackle for loss among his three tackles. Jonathan Bullard produced his first NFL sack on an ensuing third down to force a fourth Indianapolis field goal. Pressure on Luck improved dramatically in the second half but the Bears were unable to finish plays with wins up front.

Linebacker: C

Young gave the defense a first-quarter sack in a series with the Bears sorely needing a stop, and added a second in the second half to force the Colts to settle for a field goal. Young finished with three sacks, the first three-sack day of his career.

Sam Acho and Christian Jones worked on the edges in nickel packages. Ex-Colt Jerrell Freeman, credited with seven tackles in initial statistics, hit and pressured Luck into a throwaway that was short of the line of scrimmage for a grounding penalty.

Danny Trevathan returned from thumb surgery wearing a plastic cast on his hand and totaled six tackles.

Secondary: D-

The Bears were beaten for a deciding touchdown in the fourth quarter when safety Chris Prosinski appeared to leave the deep middle open with no help for cornerback Jacoby Glenn on T.Y. Hilton’s 35-yard TD that broke the Bears back. But the Colts had schemed to draw Prosinski away and Glenn allowed Hilton an inside break that was virtually impossible to defend.

“[The Colts] drained the safety [Prosinski] with the ‘out’ route and left the corner singled up, and the quarterback made a great throw,” said coach John Fox.

Coverage was generally pretty good against a good Colts passing game but that was wasted because of absent pass rush. When the rush started getting to Luck in the second half, coverage had too many windows of Colts opportunity.

Prosinski was substituted in for Harold Jones-Quartey in nickel packages. “That was just on third down,” Fox said, “but it was performance-based.”

Prosinski finished with eight tackles. Cornerback Bryce Callahan was credited with six stops before leaving with a hamstring strain. Cre’Von LeBlanc was credited with two pass breakups.

Special teams: D

Connor Barth was wide left from 49 yards, a crucial third-quarter kick when the Bears needed points to answer a Colts score, and he remains a significant concern with (2-4) field goals for a team that will be in close games all year. The miss left the Bears in the position of needing a touchdown at the end of the game rather than being able to get close enough for try at a tying field goal and getting into overtime.

Roy Robertson-Harris was flagged for running into the punter but the Bears were spared because the play still left them in fourth down. Deonte Thompson gave an early boost with a 32-yard runback of the opening kickoff to set up a possession that ended with Connor Barth’s 35-yard field goal.

Coverage allowed a 39-yard Colts kickoff return in the second quarter allowed a punt return of 20 yards. Colts kickoff returns averaged 24.3 yards.

Bears Grades: Offense produces big numbers but commit errors at worst times in loss to Colts.

By John Mullin

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The frustration among offensive players after the Bears 29-23 loss to the Indianapolis Colts was palpable, and why not? Quarterback Brian Hoyer had the Bears in position to win a second straight game, running his string of passes without an interception to 140 and the Bears putting up the biggest yardage total (522) since the 1989 team put 542 on the Detroit Lions on Sept. 24 that season.

The Bears have posted 2016 yardage totals, in succession, of 258-284-390-408-522 and have a 1-4 record to show for it. “I don’t know if you are ever pleased with that [yardage] fact,” said coach John Fox. “So that is something we have to work on. I think we did some good things but not quite enough good things.”

That could be said about nearly every position group – outstanding performances, individually and/or collectively, marred by one devastating gaffe.

Quarterback: A-

The big negative was Hoyer failing to see an open Alshon Jeffery in the Indianapolis end zone for what could have been a game-winning throw late in the fourth quarter. That mistake clouds an otherwise solid game, one with some misses, but one that likely secures his role as Bears starting quarterback.

“When you see the picture [afterwards], they disguised the coverage and really, you’re just trying to go through the progression,” Hoyer said. “It’s obviously a play you’d like to have back. I’m sure I’ll watch it tomorrow and really look that one over and hopefully learn from it.”

Hoyer posted 397 passing yards, most of his career, while completing 33 of 43 throws, both career highs as well. He again went without an interception as well as avoiding sacks with good movement within the pocket when the Colts did bring pressure. Hoyer was efficient and sufficiently accurate throughout, giving his receivers chances to make catches even against decent coverage

Whether by design, because of coverage or whatever, Hoyer did not make major use of Jeffery but did have four receivers catch five or more passes. Jeffery was targeted on just six of Hoyer’s 43 throws.

Running back: A

Jordan Howard got his second NFL start and demonstrated his perfect fit with the Bears’ zone-blocking scheme, staying efficient and shoulders squared downfield, a repeated his play of the Lions game with repeated bursts for yards after first contact. He finished with 118 yards on 16 carries (7.4 ypc.) and added three pass receptions (out of three targets), including a 21-yard check-down from Hoyer for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Howard broke a 57-yard run in the second quarter, the longest play of the game.

Ka’Deem Carey got one carry as the Bears again made no effort to employ a “committee” approach to the backfield. Carey contributed one reception, a 15-yard pickup in the first quarter.

Howard set the offense back severely with a first-quarter facemask infraction blocking on a Cameron Meredith play down to the Indianapolis 1-yard line. The Bears eventually were forced to settle for a field goal.

Receivers: B+

Cameron Meredith, moving in to replace injured Kevin White, caught nine of 12 passes for 130 yards. He provided a major boost to the offense with a touchdown, but also its death knell, fumbled away a fourth-quarter catch on what was potentially a game-winning drive.

“I put in a lot of hard work, so anytime you can get that type of outcome, I’m definitely going to be proud,” said Meredith, an undrafted free agent out of Illinois State who earned a spot on the roster last season. “I just wish I could get that one mistake back.”

Meredith, in his first NFL start, tallied on a 14-yard TD catch late in the second quarter and finished with 130 receiving yards

Jeffery brought the offense to life with third-quarter catches of 38 and eight yards. But Jeffery appeared to never be in real rhythm with Hoyer, catching five passes but only seeing six for the game.

Tight end Zach Miller had his best game of 2016, with seven catches for 73 yards and breaking tackles for a 17-yard gain late in the fourth quarter that moved the Bears to the Indianapolis 30 for a shot at the win.

Eddie Royal, who’d been unable to practice all week because of injury, caught seven of his nine passes for 43 yards.

The main smudge on the receivers’ performance: Logan Paulsen set back the opening drive with a false-start penalty. He drew a second flag on what would have been a Howard TD run, from which the Bears recovered on a TD pass to Meredith. 

Offensive line: A-

Hoyer was hit only five times on 43 dropbacks, never sacked, the Colts managed just one tackle for loss, and Howard averaged 7.4 yards per carry on his way to a second straight 100-yard rushing performance.

The reasons were the offensive line, which took another significant step forward. The group made too many mistakes in the form of penalties early, but the overall play was the main reasons for the offense generating 522 yards.

The line delivered a zone-blocking clinic to pop Howard loose through the right side for his 57-yard gallop in the second quarter. Josh Sitton’s back-side seal cut of pursuit and Kyle Long and Bobby Massie dominated the Colts’ left side.

A holding call on Long deep in the Colts end in the second quarter was a big setback, nullifying a third-down conversion and forcing the offense to settle for the second field goal.

“We’ve got to finish,” Long said. “We battled – no doubt about it. Anybody who watched this game, was part of this game, knows we battled. But sometimes it’s not enough. You’ve got to finish and you’ve got to finish at an elite effort.”

Coaching: A-

Having four penalties assessed in the span of the first eight minutes, one for too many men on the field and five on the offense in just the first half, pointed to some discipline or mental prep issues and cost the Bears dearly.

The offense executed well overall, save for specific mistakes on penalties and a couple of missed opportunities by Hoyer, and the game plan calling for Hoyer to rely on short, quick passes was key to his and the overall success.

A major play-call question came in the fourth quarter when a pass was thrown to Royal on a third-down fade route, rather than using one of the bigger receivers (Jeffery or Meredith) with a chance to win a one-on-one jump ball.

The offense operated with efficiency and balance, using high-percentage throws by Hoyer as de facto handoffs to a spectrum of receivers, getting the ball out of Hoyer’s hands and keeping him sack-free for the game.

The defense struggled to get to Andrew Luck in the first half but was consistent with effort and finished with five sacks. If there was a problem, it lay in not being able to get good coverage and a good rush at enough of the same times, which isn’t really a coaching problem usually.

Special teams did not allow any returns for scores this week but the Colts’ average starting point was their 31, vs. the Bears at the Chicago 22. With 11 possessions for the game, that’s roughly 100 yards of field position in favor of the Colts.

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks drop preseason finale to Blues in final audition for bubble players.

By Charlie Roumeliotis

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Blackhawks fell to the St. Louis Blues, 2-1, in their preseason finale Saturday night which essentially served as a final audition for players on the bubble.

Notable players such as Niklas Hjalmarsson, Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Jonathan Toews did not travel with the team, staying in Chicago to rest up before for the regular season officially begins.

Dennis Rasmussen scored the lone goal for the Blackhawks on a Trevor van Riemsdyk redirect while Corey Crawford, who played the entire game, stopped 19 of 21 shots in the loss.

Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Pietrangelo each found the back of the net, the latter of which turned out to be the game winner on the power play early in the third period.

The Blackhawks finished the preseason with a 2-4-0 record and kick off the 2016-17 campaign on Wednesday night against these same Blues at the United Center.

Rosters must be finalized by Tuesday at 4 p.m. CT but coach Joel Quenneville indicated before Saturday's game that the final 23-man roster is expected to be released Monday.

Five Questions facing the Blackhawks as regular season begins.

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The Blackhawks wrapped up their preseason schedule on Saturday night, a youngster-laden lineup falling 2-1 to the St. Louis Blues. The regular season is just about upon us.

But before they open against the Blues again on Wednesday, the Blackhawks have some tough decisions to make. Who stays? Who goes? And once decisions are made, how do things line up (and pair up) heading into Wednesday?

Coach Joel Quenneville told traveling media prior to Saturday’s game that the final roster should be set by Monday; all NHL team rosters must be finalized by 4 p.m. CT on Tuesday. So since it looks like we have a couple of hours before we know the Blackhawks’ answers, let’s look at Five Questions heading into the season opener.

1. Which prospect will make an impact first? Tyler Motte looks like he’s ready for this show. The forward has been great throughout camp, be it 5-on-5 or on the penalty kill. He had plenty of work on the latter while at the University of Michigan, and it shows. Working with Marcus Kruger on the kill doesn’t hurt, either. Where Motte fits in the lineup is a guess right now – the Blackhawks left most of their veterans at home for their preseason finale on Saturday. We should get our first look on Monday, when the Blackhawks return to practice. But in preseason games, wherever he was put in the lineup, Motte played well. Several prospects had good camps, but Motte stood out from the start.

2. Will Alexandre Fortin stay with the Blackhawks this season? You wouldn’t have thought so when the 19-year-old first signed his three-year contract at the start of September, and that’s not a knock on him. Teams just have to think long and hard about burning the first year of a player’s entry-level deal. But as Fortin’s camp has progressed, the Blackhawks’ high opinion of him has grown. Asked earlier this week if the Blackhawks could exercise the 10-game option with Fortin coach Joel Quenneville said, “yes, we could.” Let’s see how this one plays out. As previously written, Brandon Saad wowed out of camp in 2011, was so-so in his first two regular-season games and then was sent back to Saginaw. If Fortin is a big help immediately, he stays. If not, Fortin goes back to his junior team after a few games. Either way, it’s a pretty nice “dilemma” to have.

3. Will World Cup end up being beneficial for those who played in it? The Blackhawks had a slew of guys playing in that tournament, the last of them (Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Corey Crawford) returning late last week. Of the three, Crawford is the only one who saw any preseason games with the Blackhawks – he practiced plenty but only played one-and-a-half games with Team Canada. In terms of preparation, the World Cup should be the best training camp those players had. That includes defenseman Michal Kempny, who got his first big taste of hockey on smaller ice. Great competition and playing games that meant something in September are two benefits for players coming off a rare long offseason.

4. Is Duncan Keith good to go? Keith was disappointed to skip World Cup to make sure his surgically repaired right knee was ready for the season, but it’s looking like he made the right choice. Keeping Keith off the ice, especially early, was probably a tough task for the Blackhawks’ coaches – hurt, healthy, he wants to be out there. But it was the best move for Keith, who looked good in the one preseason game he played last week. Will there be a little rust? Possibly. But in terms of health, Keith said following last Tuesday’s game, “I’m happy the way it is, I’m excited the way it’s been [going], and I think it will be good going forward.”

5. How long will Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin stay apart? As long as the Panarin-Jonathan Toews combination works. The first time that top line struggles, or the Blackhawks aren’t getting what they want out of this balanced lineup, the familiar second line will be back together again. You’ll also see that trio (Kane, Panarin and Artem Anisimov) together on the power play, so the combination won’t completely go away. Again, breaking Kane and Panarin up was not a popular choice; the two clicked beautifully. If the Blackhawks sputter, they’ll be reunited.

CUBS: Cubs rise above adversity to take commanding lead over Giants in NLDS.

By Tony Andracki

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The sight of Kyle Hendricks walking off the field and into the clubhouse after being struck by a line drive could've been enough to derail the Cubs' good vibes Saturday evening.

Instead, the Cubs never took their foot off the gas and held on for a 5-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants in front of 42,392 fans at Wrigley Field to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the National League Division Series.

Hendricks was only able to throw 52 pitches, surrendering two runs in 3.2 innings before being forced out of action when Angel Pagan's comebacker hit his right forearm.

In a strange twist of fate, the injury actually helped the Cubs in the short term, as reliever Travis Wood came in and promptly struck out Conor Gillaspie to end the fourth and then blasted a solo homer on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the inning.

"It happened pretty quick," Wood said. "It always does in a situation like that. As a bullpen guy, you're always prepared - especially with Joe [Maddon] - for any situation, anything that pops up, so you kind of keep your body and your mind locked into the game.

"So I was ready to come in. And then the at-bat, it was just I figured he was probably going to start me out with a cutter and I made a good swing on it and was fortunate enough to get him and hit it out of the park."

It was only the second postseason homer by a reliever in baseball history and the first since Rosy Ryan in the 1924 World Series.

"I don't think he's ever gonna let us live this one down," Dexter Fowler joked. "This guy is taking BP all the time. We know he can hit, but he jumped on that first one and got him. He was as pumped as anybody."

Wood's solo shot also stretched the Cubs' lead to 5-2, which they did not relinquish.

The Cubs got the scoring going early when Ben Zobrist lined a two-out single to right field in the bottom of the first, plating Fowler who had led off the inning with a double.
In the second, Hendricks helped himself with a two-run single before Kris Bryant tacked on another with an RBI single to right field.

All four runs were charged to former Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija, who lasted just the two innings.

The Giants pushed across two runs in the third when Joe Panik and pinch-hitter Gregor Blanco started the inning off with back-to-back doubles. Blanco came around to score on Brandon Belt's sacrifice fly, but that was all the offense the Giants could muster.

Wood recorded four outs, with the only baserunner reaching on an error by Bryant.

Carl Edwards Jr. and Mike Montgomery did their part before Hector Rondon shut the door in the eighth and Aroldis Chapman picked up his second save in as many games.

In total, the Cubs bullpen accounted for 5.1 shutout innings, allowing only two hits.

The Cubs committed three errors in the game, lost their starting pitcher to injury, watched as Javy Baez was called out at second base after pimping what he thought was a home run and yet still came out on the winning end.

The Cubs have also received just as many RBI from their pitchers (3) as position players in this series, a point of bragging rights in the clubhouse.

"That's fine. We'll catch back up," Fowler said."

The Cubs are now one win from advancing to the NLCS. 

Game 3 will take place in San Francisco Monday night with Jake Arrieta against Madison Bumgarner.

Like rest of Cubs, Jake Arrieta will judge his year in October.

By Patrick Mooney

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Dissecting his regular season again would be a waste of time for Jake Arrieta: “It just doesn’t matter anymore.”

Arrieta might be the best interview in the Cubs clubhouse, someone who will listen to any question, make direct eye contact and speak in full paragraphs. But even he knows this isn’t the time to think big picture, understanding his whole year will ultimately be judged in October, the way it will be for this entire team.

The Cubs are handing Arrieta a 2-0 lead over the San Francisco Giants in this best-of-five National League Division Series, giving him the chance to beat Madison Bumgarner and end their season on Monday night at AT&T Park.

Arrieta hasn’t trolled Giants fans on Twitter, the way he prepared for last year’s wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. And Arrieta couldn’t top his answer to this year’s question about a first-round opponent – “Who gives a s---?” – by simply saying of Bumgarner: “He’s really good, but he’s beatable.”

“It’s going to be a great game, but I’m not like licking my lips because Bumgarner’s on the other side,” Arrieta said. “You know you have to be near the top of your game to win that game. But I got to face one through eight (in that lineup). That’s really my big concern, not who’s on the mound.”

Arrieta didn’t bring his Cy Young Award up to the podium inside AT&T Park’s interview room before Sunday’s optional workout. But it still follows him, the images from last year’s breakthrough performance, the onesie no-hitter at Dodger Stadium, silencing the blackout crowd during the wild-card game, really, one of the greatest pitching runs of all-time.

“Everybody’s been over-scrutinizing him based on what he had done last year,” manager Joe Maddon said. “He’s had a great season. It’s not maybe as great as last year was, but it’s hard to replicate that.

“I don’t think Jake is cowered by any situation. We have a lot of confidence in him. I think he projected last year exactly what he’s all about. He’s done it this year, too. Again, it’s just hard to maintain the level of excellence that he had last year.”

If becoming the Game 3 starter bruised Arrieta’s ego, he didn’t show it, and he’s raved about watching Jon Lester reestablish himself as an ace, as well as the emergence of Kyle Hendricks as a Cy Young Award contender.

Arrieta ranked among the NL leaders in wins (18/tied for third), ERA (3.10/10th) and opponents’ OPS (.583/second), all signs of dominance. He also had a midseason downturn (4.88 ERA in July) and an inconsistent finish (4.60 ERA in September).

“From a numbers perspective, I would have liked to maybe be a little bit better,” Arrieta said. “But at the same time, (I) took the ball every five days and had a lot of great things throughout the season to be excited about.

“I’ve prepared the same way from start to finish. I really like the process and trust the stuff moving forward. I know that it’s more than good enough to have a lot of success for this team in the postseason.”

At this time last year, Arrieta gave the Cubs the invincible feeling the Giants have with Bumgarner, a three-time World Series champion. Which Jake shows up for Arrieta vs. Bumgarner could define this series and the rest of October.

“He’s a guy who really seems to shine brightest in the postseason when the games matter the most,” Arrieta said. “We have got a challenge ahead of us. But we put ourselves in a really good position, obviously, by taking care of business at home with the opportunity to close the series out in three games and get back to Chicago and prepare.

“We have a pretty potent offense that he has to try and neutralize. It's going to be a good one.”

WHITE SOX: Three thoughts about a potential transition to Rick Renteria.

By Jim Margalus

Tunnel vision didn’t do the White Sox any favors the last time they hired a manager.

Since Rick Hahn is addressing the media about the season on Monday, I feel like I can wait before arriving to sweeping conclusions about the widely reported transition to Rick Renteria.

In the meantime, these three thoughts are fighting it out:

No. 1: Had Renteria not been party to the White Sox’ fourth consecutive losing season, he’d be a perfectly cromulent candidate. He has experience in various capacities, he’s bilingual, and while the Cubs fired him after one season in order to snare Joe Maddon from Tampa Bay, he accomplished what he’d needed to during a developmental year for that franchise. He’s been deserving of an honest shot, which is way more than can be said about the last time the Sox hired a manager.

No. 2: That said, I don’t understand why the White Sox wouldn’t have cast a wider net this time. A thorough search might have led the Sox right back to Renteria, and it’s probably OK to go with a gut instinct once in a while, but it’s probably not good to go with it twice in a row when instincts failed the first time. If nothing else, doesn’t it makes sense to conduct a legit search every six years or so just to familiarize yourself with who’s available and where they (and their current/former teams) are coming from?

No. 3: The White Sox hired Renteria as a bench coach for a lame duck, which was a situation that may have made other potential future managers uncomfortable. At the very least, Sandy Alomar Jr. removed himself from consideration because he didn’t want to be seen as a vulture. If there’s any credence to this ...

*************************

"I was told during the year that Renteria had too much respect for Ventura to replace him midseason. #WhiteSox
Brian Bilek
@BrianBilek_
6:53 PM - 1 Oct 2016"

*************************

... then Renteria have been wary of that perception himself.

Even if that’s the case, I’m skeptical the White Sox would have fired Ventura at any point in the season, because as the leak to USA Today showed, Jerry Reinsdorf hasn’t been able to make either/or decisions, at least on non-playing personnel. Buster Olney came to the same conclusion:

No matter what Reinsdorf decides, he needs to commit in a way he would not at the end of Ventura's tenure. He needs to take sides. He needs to offend somebody, and pick somebody willing to offend others to run his baseball operations, with difficult choices that need to be made. There are folks within the organization who would be greatly relieved if he did this.

They had ample reason to change managers after the 2015 season, not just because Ventura might’ve been inadequate for the task, but also because the lame-duck status did him even fewer favors. Instead, they stuck with him and tried to hire a bench coach who wouldn’t feel like an implement of destruction. Renteria was a good hire for a potentially limited process, but I’m not heartened by that potentially limited search for a bench coach resulting in the next White Sox manager with no further efforts to widen the scope.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Four observations from the Bulls' preseason win over the Pacers.

By Vincent Goodwill

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

A few observations on the Bulls’ 121-105 win over the Indiana Pacers, Saturday night at the United Center.

Father Prime giving a preview: Dwyane Wade pulled out his old and new bag of tricks, just in the event anyone forgot how special, how rare and how smart of a basketball player he is.

It wasn’t just the 22 points and three triples in 26 minutes but his cat-quick passes to Taj Gibson and others, part of his eight-assist showing that was more impressive than anything physical that was on display.

“When the ball’s in my hand, obviously I’m always trying to be a scorer but I’m always a playmaker too,” Wade said. “I have the ability to see the floor very well. Like I said, when you’ve got guys out there working hard, when guys are running, setting screens for you it’s your job to reward them. You’ve got 3-point shooters out there it’s your job to find ways, especially when you have the ball more times than not, find ways to keep them engaged in the game.”

And then, yes, the triples that he’s not supposed to take, given the scouting report on him, let alone make. You want him to bottle it up for one of those cold January nights, but just knowing he can do it has to provide some comfort to his teammates and the coaching staff.

“You know that saying, you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but you can. I'm the old dog around here, and I'm learning something new,” Wade said. “Being ready to shoot a three, I made my first one, and then Jimmy made sure I got the ball and I was a little hesitant but he was like, "Shoot the **** ball." And then I made it.”

Niko’s alive: Listening to Hoiberg pump up Nikola Mirotic before Saturday’s game, it was like hearing him talk about Bigfoot—referencing Mirotic’s “10 great practices” balanced against his two poor preseason showings, making it hard to believe Mirotic was actually having a good camp.

But coming off the bench behind Bobby Portis, he scored 18 points with nine rebounds in 25 minutes, hitting his first two triples—confident shots minus the usual pump-fake that drives everybody batty.

“It was good to see Niko knocking down shots, playing within himself and maybe bigger than that, getting the nine rebounds,” Hoiberg said.

It almost seems written in stone that Mirotic will be the opening night starter at power forward, considering Portis isn’t being as impactful or notable thus far. Taj Gibson will always provide what he brings, but one wonders if Hoiberg likes using him as a backup center behind Robin Lopez, so keeping him as a reserve means Hoiberg has the flexibility to use Gibson in whatever capacity is best.

Gibson scored 20, making all nine of his field goal attempts with five rebounds in 19 minutes. Which means Mirotic will be given every opportunity to seize the position—and he had better take advantage of it with nights like this.

Isaiah Can: Who knew what to expect with Isaiah Canaan coming in via free agency, considering he came from the moribund Philadelphia 76ers, but many Bulls pointed him out as the player who helped turn the contest into a blowout—but only took one shot.

“I just want to mention Isaiah, he had a big impact on the game,” Hoiberg said. “I thought the game changed with our ball screen defense.”

Canaan was a plus-40 in just 15 minutes of playing time. Hoiberg said Canaan got the ball to Wade’s hands, and he scored eight points with four assists, mostly getting to the line six times. Wade was impressed with the sheer number, but also the floor game Canaan displayed without having to force his own offense.

“That was amazing. We felt his impact on the game,” Wade said. “When he came in, he really settled us in. It was great. When we were on the floor out there with me and Jimmy, it helps having someone who spreads the floor on offense. I think in this game he helped us out more than any other game and he shot one shot. He was really a floor general out there. I think that's a preseason high. It has to be.”

Getting out, getting back: Clearly a big part of training camp is getting your defense in order and the Bulls have a long way before they can say they’re “there”. Taking into account the Pacers are playing at a speed faster than most teams the Bulls will go against, they still had a little trouble getting back in transition defense. It’s been a point of concern—as is defense as a whole so far—along with the Bulls’ trying too hard to force steals, leaving them vulnerable on the backside defensively, thus the Pacers’ feasting inside for most of the night.

On the other side, boy, the Bulls can fly offensively. Whether it was Spencer Dinwiddie (starting in place of Rajon Rondo) throwing a 50-foot alley-oop pass to Wade or Jimmy Butler and Wade getting out for easy buckets, there’s a real commitment to searching out the fast break advantage. It’s a balance the Bulls have to find because the pressure to score in the halfcourt will be alleviated if they can use their athletes—but they have to remember the first rule of defense—get back!

Spencer Dinwiddie emerging as dependable option behind Rajon Rondo.

By Vincent Goodwill 

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

When Denzel Valentine sprained his ankle in the preseason opener, it seemed as if the Bulls’ only real option at backup point guard would be lost for a couple weeks but it opened the door for Spencer Dinwiddie.

Dinwiddie’s smooth and under control drives to the basket—never too fast, certainly not a blur—makes you wonder if he can assert himself in that way when the games count.

But he’s certainly opened eyes and seemingly earned the opportunity to play with the regulars when Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg starts ramping up the minutes in the last five preseason games.

He’s jumped ahead of Jerian Grant and Isaiah Canaan on Hoiberg’s internal depth chart of dependable reserves, although he was probably the most unlikely on the list to be thought of earning minutes. 

“He's got great instincts out there on the basketball floor,” Hoiberg said. “He's got good size, he can make plays over the top. He had a couple of good finishes last night. The best thing about it was, I thought he had good decision-making. We want that consistency, especially with that backup guard spot.”

Dinwiddie led the Bulls in scoring in their 115-108 loss to the Indiana Pacers Thursday with 19 points with six rebounds. Initially acquired in a trade with Detroit for Cameron Bairstow, and then released when the Bulls needed the extra cap space to sign Dwyane Wade, it didn’t appear there would be any roster space for Dinwiddie, much less an opportunity to make a way into the playing rotation.

“It's okay man. In the scope of things, I'd probably cut myself too,” Dinwiddie said with a smile but had all the seriousness of a veteran who knew what he was saying.

But he was re-signed shortly after being released and played in summer league, so the former second-round pick was looking at any opportunity as an opportunity to stick and make his mark in the league.

After tearing his ACL in college his junior year at Colorado, Dinwiddie went from hearing the comparisons to former Colorado guard Chauncey Billups—stemming from their cool charisma, intelligence and playing style—to being a second-round pick by the Pistons in 2014 and being an afterthought in the NBA landscape.

“It was a very tough surgery, well documented. Lottery pick before, second rounder after,” Dinwiddie said. “Physically I feel better. It's been two and a half years now, so I've been in the weight room, grinding hard all summer. That's a real big focus because I gotta keep my legs as strong as I possible, just to keep myself from getting hurt.”

He wasn’t an afterthought to the Bulls, who got to see him up close and personal in a rare chance Dinwiddie was able to show himself in the 2014-15 season. After the Pistons lost Brandon Jennings to an Achilles’ injury but before they acquired point guard Reggie Jackson at the trade deadline, the Bulls and Pistons met up in Auburn Hills in the first game after the All-Star break.

In his first start of the season, Dinwiddie scored 12 points and added nine assists in 30 minutes in a surprising win for the Pistons. He followed it up a month later with a 10-point, 10-assist game in a rematch, piquing the Bulls’ interest, considering they saw him at his best and the rest of the league only saw inconsistent play.

“Inconsistent opportunity will breed inconsistent play,” Dinwiddie said. “That's pretty much all there was to it. I didn't get to play much and then when I did, it was a mixed bag. I was a little hesitant and something when stuff falls, everything seems to flow. Given consistent minutes I believe I can be a player in this league, like a lot of people do. But I feel like I've proven that to some extent and look forward to continuing to prove that.”

And although it’s been just two games—but longer considering the time Dinwiddie has been around the Advocate Center, it’s been more time than that—he’s attached himself to Rondo, too intelligent and witty guys bonding over a new environment.

“He's brilliant,” Dinwiddie said. “You hear about basketball IQ and his ability to pass and his reputation is far ranging but being around him you realize he's more brilliant than his reputation would say. Just being able to pick his brain and talk to him has been a pleasure.”

And seemingly, Bulls fans will likely find that their newest backup point guard is just as dependable as he is witty.

Golf: I got a club for that..... It's official: Woods to return at Safeway Open.

By Will Gray

(Photo/Golf Channel)

Tiger Woods will return next week, the PGA Tour announced on Friday.

Woods had declared his intention to play in the Safeway Open on Sept. 7, but that decision wasn’t official until Woods formally committed to the tournament. The Tour released a statement hours before the 5 p.m. ET deadline to enter, saying Woods would participate in the 2016-17 season-opening event in Napa, Calif.

In his earlier update to his website, Woods added that he “hopes” to play in the European Tour’s Turkish Airlines Open, held Nov. 3-6, as well as the Dec. 1-4 Hero World Challenge. But he also hedged his bets, noting that his participation would be contingent upon the progress of his physical recovery.

“My rehabilitation is to the point where I’m comfortable making plans, but I still have work to do,” Woods wrote. “Whether I can play depends on my continued progress and recovery. My hope is to have my game ready to go.”

Woods has not played competitively since the 2015 Wyndham Championship, where he tied for 10th place. He announced weeks later that he had undergone the first of what would be two back surgeries, and Woods has not played a PGA Tour event in the 14 months since.

While he was visible last week at the Ryder Cup, where he served as an assistant captain on the victorious U.S. squad, Woods gave no indication regarding the state of his game or his plans for the season opener.

But Friday’s commitment indicates that Woods, who will turn 41 in December, is ready to return to life inside the ropes. This will mark his first appearance at Silverado Resort & Spa, as his only other tournament start came in 2011 when it was held at CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, Calif.

Before teeing it up at Silverado, Woods is expected to participate in the Tiger Woods Invitational Oct. 10-11 on the nearby Monterey Peninsula. After that, Woods will head north to Napa to kick-start a return that the golf world has anxiously anticipated for more than a year.

Editor's note: Golf Channel will air all four rounds of the Safeway Open, beginning Thursday at 5 p.m. ET.

Golf Power Rankings: Dusitn Johnson, Rory McIlroy finish on top at season's end.

By Kyle Porter

The 2015-16 PGA Tour season is all over, and the final power rankings have been tallied.

That's it. We've reached the end. Over 40 PGA Tour events, dozens more worldwide and an all-time Ryder Cup matchup, and we have reached the very end of the 2015-16 PGA Tour season. Don't look now, but the new season starts next week (I am not prepared for that). But first, we need to check in on a final power ranking for the year.

But first, let's look at the parameters.

1. Scope is last two months of tournaments
2. We value different things but will take into account wins, top 10s and cuts made
3. If you haven't played, you don't get ranked (i.e. Tiger Woods)
4. Recency matters
5. PGA Tour will be main focus but bigger European events will be factored in

1. Dustin Johnson (Last week -- 1): Johnson locked this spot up after he won the BMW Championship. He was great at the Tour Championship until Sunday and then average at the Ryder Cup. Still, he was the most impressive golfer in the world over the latter half of the season and specifically the last few months. Official World Golf Ranking: 2

2. Rory McIlroy (4): A Tour Championship win, FedEx Cup title and outrageous Ryder Cup performance rocket McIlroy back up where he should always reside: in the top three. The Ulsterman was stupendous down the stretch at the Tour Championship and has $11.5 million to prove it. Then he levitated at Hazeltine after what felt like his 1,000th birdie of the week. I want all the stock. OWGR: 3

3. Patrick Reed (3): Not top five in the world. Definitely top five in my power rankings. Reed finished No. 3 in the FedEx Cup race then slayed the man ahead of him at the Ryder Cup in the most grandiose way. I could be talked into him climbing even higher on this list, and he should next year as he aims for his first major championship win. OWGR: 7

4. Paul Casey (6): Casey finished second, second and fourth in the last three events. He played 22 events this season, never won and still collected $3.89 million. Europe could have used him on its Ryder Cup team. OWGR: 12

5. Adam Scott (7): Finished in the top 10 in all four playoff events. Had a great beginning and great ending to his season. The middle sagged for some reason, though. OWGR: 6

6. Jason Day (2): Day was terrific all season (and nearly stole the PGA Championship), but he faltered late mostly because of injury issues. I'm not sounding the alarm when it comes to Day and the injury bug because it could have just been a one-off season, but my hand is at least hovering over the button. OWGR: 1

7. Jordan Spieth (5): Spieth's stock is not trending upwards. He was average at the Tour Championship. He was average at the Ryder Cup. He had two top 10s in the playoff events but did not have an elite summer. Long term, he's fine, but he's dropping in the final rankings because of the way he closed out 2016. OWGR: 4

8. Henrik Stenson (8): I'm not going to penalize him for missing multiple playoff events to prepare his knee for the Ryder Cup. He balled out at Hazeltine, and had one of his best years ever. Also, he's among the most likable Europeans on a team full of them. OWGR: 5

9. Ryan Moore (14): Went toe to toe with McIlroy at the Tour Championship. Then he notched two points in three matches at the Ryder Cup. This was likely the best season of his career. Although he does still owe Dustin Johnson $7 million for not winning the FedEx Cup for him. OWGR: 31

10. Brooks Koepka (11): Koepka missed the Tour Championship (along with Zach Johnson and Rickie Fowler), but he was a boss at the Ryder Cup. He should be on about 10 straight international teams (President's Cup, Ryder Cup). OWGR: 22

11. Phil Mickelson (13): Lefty gets a two-spot bump simply for his Ryder Cup press conferences. Also, he played pretty great at Hazeltine. Sometimes it feels like he can do this forever. Other times it feels like he should retire next week. My hope is we get the former rather than the latter. OWGR: 15

12. Matt Kuchar (12): A bronze medal for Kuchar at the Olympics followed by a T4 at the BMW Championship and decent Ryder Cup. Also finished T15 at the Tour Championship. OWGR: 17

13. Jimmy Walker (10): I still have to hang Walker up here because of what he did at the PGA Championship (he also finished top five at the Deutsche Bank Championship). He was pretty blah at the Ryder Cup, though, scoring just one point in three total matches. OWGR: 16

14. Russell Knox (9): Only shot one round in the 60s at the Tour Championship. The decision to snub him in favor of Thomas Pieters for the Ryder Cup team seems quite easy in retrospect. OWGR: 19

15. Emiliano Grillo (16): He is the President's Cup's answer to Thomas Pieters. Finished top 10 at the Tour Championship which gave him four top 15s in his last six events including the PGA Championship and the Olympics. Awesome season for him. OWGR: 24

16. Thomas Pieters (NR): Pieters was the baddest dude at the Ryder Cup not named Reed or McIlroy. He also won on the European Tour recently. He's also 24 and someone McIlroy said he wanted as a partner for the next 20 years. Maybe the ultimate winner from Hazeltine (other than Reed). OWGR: 39

17. Louis Oosthuizen (18): Five straight top 25s to end the season including a major championship and three playoff events for Oosthuizen. A solid ending to a largely disappointing season. OWGR: 20

18. Justin Rose (15): Gets the spot because he won the gold medal, but he did not finish strong and lost what Rickie Fowler called a "pillow fight" on Sunday at the Ryder Cup. OWGR: 11

Report: Woods, Mickelson to be grouped at Safeway.

By Will Gray

(Photo/Golf Channel)

Tiger Woods' return to the PGA Tour will apparently include a little extra intrigue from his early-round grouping at the Safeway Open.

According to a San Francisco Chronicle report, Woods will be grouped with Phil Mickelson for the first two rounds next week in Napa, Calif.

Woods announced last month that he intended to return to competition at Safeway, but he did not officially commit to the tournament until Friday. It will mark Woods' first competitive appearance since the 2015 Wyndham Championship, an absence of nearly 14 months as he recovered from multiple back surgeries.

While the early-round groupings will not be officially released by the PGA Tour until Tuesday, Mickelson had lobbied for the two to play together once Woods indicated his intention to tee it up at Silverado Resort & Spa.

"I'm hoping we can get paired together. That would be really fun. I would love it," Mickelson said last month. "It's great to have him back, and hopefully he's physically able to practice the way he needs."

Woods and Mickelson have not been paired together since the first two rounds of the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla, when Woods shot 74-74 to miss the cut and Mickelson shot 67-69 en route to a runner-up finish.

NASCAR: Jimmie Johnson wins at Charlotte as numerous Chase drivers have issues.

By Nick Bromberg

(Photo/yahoo.com)

Jimmie Johnson returned to his winning ways at Charlotte Motor Speedway Sunday, taking first in the Bank of America 500.

The win is important for Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports for several reasons. It was Johnson's 78th career victory. More importantly, it clinches him a spot in the next round of the Chase — the first time the six-time Sprint Cup champion has advanced past the Round of 12 under the new postseason format.

It also snaps a 24-race winless streak. It's Johnson's third win of the season, but first since March at Auto Club Speedway.

But while Johnson and his No. 48 Hendrick team are celebrating, five Chase contenders left the race track facing trouble. Joey Logano had tire issues and smacked the wall twice and finished 36th. Kevin Harvick (38th) had a mysterious problem that might have been electrical, might have been mechanical, but definitely hurt the 2014 Sprint Cup champion's hopes of winning the series title this year.

Austin Dillon was running second during a restart on lap 259 when he got bumped from behind by Martin Truex Jr., sending him hard into the inside wall and a 32nd-place finish. Chase Elliott (33rd) also got snared in that same multicar crash.

Finally, Denny Hamlin was running in the top five when his engine blew up on lap 309. He finished 30th.

All five drivers find themselves in danger of falling out of the Chase's Round of 12. Next up is Kansas Speedway, followed by the elimination race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Johnson won't have to worry about that race now, as his victory assures him a spot in the next round. He told NBC Sports after the race it feels great to snap his winless streak.

"I just knew it was taking way too long," Johnson said. "This is something really special for our team.

"It wasn't fun for us to experience what we've been through."

Chase driver Matt Kenseth finished second behind Johnson, while Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman and Kyle Larson completed the top five. Chase drivers Kyle Busch, who finished sixth, Brad Keselowski (seventh) and Kurt Busch (eighth) all had good days. Chasers Carl Edwards and Martin Truex Jr. finished 12th and 13th, respectively, as the top seven drivers all put plenty of distance between themselves and the five less fortunate Chase contenders.

Bank of America 500 Finishing Order

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Kasey Kahne
4. Ryan Newman
5. Kyle Larson
6. Kyle Busch
7. Brad Keselowski
8. Kurt Busch
9. Tony Stewart
10. Jamie McMurray
11. Danica Patrick
12. Carl Edwards
13. Martin Truex Jr.
14. Michael McDowell
15. Aric Almirola
16. Chris Buescher
17. Clint Bowyer
18. Trevor Bayne
19. Landon Cassill
20. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
21. Regan Smith
22. Brian Scott
23. David Ragan
24. Michael Annett
25. Matt DiBenedetto
26. Jeffrey Earnhardt
27. Cole Whitt
28. Reed Sorenson
29. Josh Wise
30. Denny Hamlin
31. Ryan Blaney
32. Austin Dillon
33. Chase Elliott
34. Paul Menard
35. Greg Biffle
36. Joey Logano
37. AJ Allmendinger
38. Kevin Harvick
39. Alex Bowman
40. Casey Mears

Jimmie Johnson takes Sprint Cup point lead after Charlotte.

By Kelly Crandall

(Photo/The Rock Hill Herald)

Eleven of 12 Chase drivers changed positions in the points following the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Johnson won for the third time this season Sunday afternoon and moved up 10 spots in the points. Matt Kenseth is now second in points. With his victory, Johnson earned a spot in the Round of 8 in the Chase.

The bottom four drivers in points heading into Kansas Speedway are Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Matt Kenseth, and Kevin Harvick.

Click here to see the Sprint Cup points after Charlotte:

SOCCER: Fire officially name Cedric Cattenoy as Academy director.

By Dan Santaromita

The Chicago Fire Academy has undergone a transformation since previous Academy director Larry Sunderland left the Fire for Portland in Dec. 2015.

Fire general manager Nelson Rodriguez took his time to fill the position, even as a number of other coaches left the system. On Friday, the Fire were finally able to announce Cedric Cattenoy as the new technical director of the Fire Academy.

Cattenoy comes from giant French club Paris Saint-Germain, where he worked in the academy there since 2011.

“Cedric’s services were coveted by several other organizations around the world, yet he chose to join the Fire and help our academy become a significant part of our championship program,” Rodríguez said in the club's release. “Not only considered a great teacher of the game by players, he is also an effective and devoted mentor to other coaches."

According to the release, the Fire filled out the Academy's staff with Pascal Bedrossian, Ross Brady and Francisco Murguia as coaches.

News of Cattenoy's first broke in early August, but the Fire held off on the announcement while awaiting Cattenoy's visa and other positions to be filled in the Academy. The staff had already been working with the Academy before this official announcement.

Hiring a foreign director for the Academy, which is comprised of local players, comes with its benefits and challenges. Cattenoy may not be as familiar with the Chicagoland area or young American soccer players, but he does bring other ideas that the players may not have been exposed to otherwise.

Rodriguez explained his reasoning for hiring a foreign Academy director on Sept. 1 when Cattenoy's hiring was all but official.

“My thinking behind it is we’ve had organized soccer through a federation since 1913 and don’t have a male player who in my opinion is of world-class stature," Rodriguez said. "And I mean no offense to all the great players who’ve represented U.S. Soccer, but my definition of world-class means any team in the world would want them. So that suggests to me that we need to do something differently. I think that the time is right to interject a different perspective. So I think having different experiences, different backgrounds in education and in the formation of young players is really important.

"I think having someone with a different experience, with a different skill set just adds to the overall tapestry of the club and of soccer in America. I’m excited by that, I’m excited by some of the changes that are being brought to our academy."

NCAAFB: AP and Coaches polls will not be released Sunday. (We hope to have it for you in Wednesday's update).

By Kevin McGuire

In light of a handful of college football games having to be pushed back to today (Sunday) due to Hurricane Matthew, the latest top 25 polls from the Associated Press and the coaches will have to wait one more day. Both polls are scheduled to be released on Monday to account for any possible votes Georgia or South Carolina might get.

South Carolina’s home game against Georgia was pushed back to Sunday at 2:30 p.m. as the storm worked its way up the east coast. Neither team entered the week ranked in the top 25 by either poll, but it is only fair to give the Bulldogs and Gamecocks a chance to prove worthy of possible votes in the poll this week. Of course, Florida Atlantic and Charlotte are also playing on Sunday, but the chances either of the Conference USA members would receive votes are small. Then again, there is no guarantee Georgia or South Carolina would receive enough votes either, but time will tell.

This will be the second time this season the polls will be updated during the week as opposed to the more traditional Sunday afternoon on the east coast. The first polls of the season after the preseason rankings were unveiled occurred on a Tuesday to account for a Monday night game between Florida State and Ole Miss.

Navy closes school on Tuesday in celebration of win over Houston.

By Kevin McGuire

(Photo/nbcsports.com)

What happens when you win your first home game against a top 10 team since 1984? You have a four-day weekend!

After Navy upset No. 6 Houston on Saturday to take control of the American Athletic Conference West Division, it was announced Navy would call off classes on Tuesday. Because Navy already had Monday scheduled off for Columbus Day, this creates a four-day weekend for the Mids. Heck, they deserve it.

Canceling classes over a football game? Sure, why not. It’s not exactly like this is a new thing, of course. Besides, what’s one day of school for those studying and preparing to protect our nation in something much more important than football in future years? If anyone deserves a pass for calling off a day of school to celebrate a football victory, it just might be a service academy.

Texas A&M beats Tennessee in double-overtime, ending Vols' magical run.

By Graham Watson

Trevor Knight #8 of the Texas A&M Aggies celebrates a play in the second half of their game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Kyle Field on October 8, 2016 in College Station, Texas. (Photo/Getty)

Tennessee’s streak of magical second-half comebacks has come to an end.

Texas A&M defensive back Armani Watts made sure of that when he intercepted a pass from quarterback Josh Dobbs during the second half of the second overtime to secure a 45-38 win.

On the play prior to that, A&M quarterback Trevor Knight dove in from one yard out to give the No. 8 Aggies the lead.

The turnover was a fitting end to the game considering Tennessee had committed six others throughout the contest, including five fumbles. Still, the No. 9 Vols were able to overcome the mistakes and a 28-7 third-quarter deficit to force the overtime in the first place.

Texas A&M looked like it had this game won with 3:22 remaining in the fourth quarter when Knight rumbled 62 yards for a touchdown that gave the Aggies a 35-21 lead. But it took the Vols just 1 minute, 15 seconds to respond and cut the lead to seven.

Then things got weird.

A&M running back Trayveon Williams broke free for what looked like a game-sealing 71-yard touchdown, but as he approached the goal line, defensive back Malik Foreman punched the ball out of Williams’ grasp from behind and it rolled out of the end zone for a touch back.

At that point, the Vols appeared destined for another miracle outcome.

It took just 1:08 to go 80 yards as running back Alvin Kamara caught a short pass from Dobbs and trotted 18 yards into the end zone. It was an excellent play by Kamara, who had a career game while filling in for Jalen Hurd as the team’s feature back. Kamara finished the game with 18 rushes for 127 yards and two touchdowns, and eight catches for 161 yards and score.

But A&M didn’t go quietly. It maneuvered 54 yards down the field in 37 seconds to set up a potential 38-yard game-winning field goal with eight seconds remaining. However, Daniel LaCamera shanked the kick badly left and forced overtime.

Tennessee was stopped short of the first down in the first overtime and was forced to kick a 34-yard field goal. A&M’s LaCamera then nailed his own 34-yarder to keep the game tied.

In the second overtime, Knight threw a pass between two defenders 24 yards to Christian Kirk to put the Aggies on the 1-yard line and Knight took care of the rest.

Texas A&M is 6-0 for the first time since 1994 and should move up in the national rankings. The Aggies, who had several injuries coming into the game, have a bye next week.

Tennessee is 5-1, but is likely still the team to beat in the SEC East.

No. 23 Florida State blocks game-tying PAT to drop No. 10 Miami for seventh straight year.

By Kevin McGuire

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

In the storied history of kicking woes in the rivalry between Florida State and Miami, there should be room for one more. No. 23 Florida State (4-2, 1-2 ACC) blocked an extra point attempt by No. 10 Miami (4-1, 1-1 ACC) with 1:38 to play to hold on to a 20-19 lead. The Seminoles managed to run the clock out to win for the seventh straight time against Miami.

It was a wild swing of emotion as Miami fans thought for sure they had just tied the Seminoles following a beautiful pass on fourth and five by Brad Kaaya into the sure and steady hands of Stacy Coley. The touchdown was the first score of the second half for the Hurricanes, who had seen a 13-0 advantage morph into a 20-13 deficit in the second half. Just moments after the defense came up with a big stop and Miami got a fantastic punt return to setup shop inside the red zone, everything was slanted in favor of Miami. Until the PAT attempt played out.

Michael Badgley‘s PAT attempt was blocked and skirted left, leaving Miami down by one. With three timeouts to spare, it would be up to the Hurricanes to make one more stop on defense, but Florida State did not let that happen. Deondre Francois picked up a first down on a 10-yard run and Dalvin Cook added an 11-yard run on the ensuing possession to force Miami to use their final timeouts. Francois ended his night completing 20 of 34 pass attempts for 234 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Francois also was on the receiving end of a number of rough hits, one which sent him out of the game in the first half for a stretch. Cook rushed for 150 yards in the win as well.
Kaaya had the big touchdown pass toward the end, but Florida State did a good job of making sure he wasn’t on target for much of the evening. Kaaya completed 19 of 32 pass attempts for 214 yards and two scores, but was also intercepted once.

For Florida State, the win is the seventh in a row over Miami in the rivalry, dating back to 2010. Miami’s last win against Florida State came in 2009. Since Miami joined the ACC, Florida State is 10-3 against the Hurricanes. Prior to Miami joining the ACC, Miami had won five straight in the series as a member of the old Big East.

Late in the game, things got a little ugly, or trashy if you will. A controversial targeting penalty on Miami’s Jamal Carter led fans to litter the field with their garbage, causing a brief delay in the game.

Florida State snapped a two-game losing streak with the win, although it still remains unlikely Florida State makes a run for the ACC Atlantic Division. Florida State will return home next week to play Wake Forest (who is off to a 5-1 start). Miami will slip behind Virginia Tech in the ACC Coastal Division for now but they get a chance to change the outlook of the Coastal in the next few games. Miami hosts North Carolina next week and travels to Virginia Tech the following Thursday. Those will be two huge games for Miami.

Professor arrested after yelling profanities at Bret Bielema following Arkansas loss to Alabama.

By Bryan Fischer

(Photo/Getty Images)

Fans can always be a little hostile after a loss and that’s especially true if you lose to a team for a 10th straight time. But one person in the stands at Razorback Stadium went a little too far on Saturday night after Arkansas lost 49-30 to No. 1 Alabama, turning a rather routine episode following games into a little something more serious.

Lawton Lanier Nalley, an assistant professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness at the university, was identified as the unruly fan who was heard shouting several profanities at Razorbacks head coach Bret Bielema after the game.

Nalley was arrested, charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct, and escorted from his seat by school police after the game, according to a report from SEC Country.

While one normally wouldn’t make too big of a deal of a fan taking out his frustrations, the fact that he was hauled off by university police and that it’s a school professor (i.e. a co-worker of Bielema) does add a few layers on to the story.

The strange part is Nalley has no affiliation with the Razorbacks aside from teaching there.

He’s a Georgia native who holds a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State, a master’s from Mississippi State, and a PhD from Kansas State. While it’s always great to show some school spirit during the big game, let Nalley serve as an example that there can be too much of a good thing if you take things too far.

NCAABKB: Conference USA Preview: UAB and Middle Tennessee try to keep shocking the world.

By Scott Phillips

Nobody respected Conference USA entering last season’s NCAA tournament and it helped contribute to No. 15 seed Middle Tennessee’s shocking upset of Final Four contender Michigan State. The Blue Raiders followed in the footsteps of UAB after the Blazers’ win over Iowa State and both teams will once again be in the mix for what will likely be the league’s only tournament bid. But besides the top two contenders, there are a lot of talented teams in the equation this season.

It will be NCAA tournament or bust for preseason favorite UAB as they fell short of the Big Dance after falling to Middle Tennessee in the C-USA Tournament. The Blazers have a new coach in former assistant Robert Ehsan, but they return five starters from a 26-win team — including three all-league players. Middle Tennessee lost some key pieces from that tournament team but sharpshooting guard Giddy Potts and senior forward Reggie Upshaw return along with an intriguing graduate transfer in Arkansas forward JaCorey Williams.

The Stith brothers will lead the charge for Old Dominion as forward Brandan Stith returns after averaging nearly a double-double per game. He’s joined by Virginia transfer and younger brother Bryant Stith and all-freshman selection Zoran Talley to form an intriguing nucleus that could contend immediately. Dan D’Antoni brings back four scorers to a high-scoring Marshall team that went 12-6  in league play. The trio of Jon Elmore, Ryan Taylor and Stevie Browning can put up a ton of points but the Thundering Herd have to get stops to be among the league’s elite.

Western Kentucky will be fascinating under new head coach Rick Stansbury. While Stansbury is generating headlines for his Class of 2017 recruiting efforts, the team he’ll put on the floor this season includes some talented graduate transfers including Pancake Thomas (Hartford), Que Johnson (Washington State), Junior Lomomba (Providence) and Willie Carmichael (Tennessee). Those newcomers with returning forward Justin Johnson make for a talented team. Louisiana Tech loses talented point guard Alex Hamilton, but they get all-conference forward Erik McCree back along with guard Jacobi Boykins. Miami transfer Omar Sherman and the return of injured guard Qiydar Davis could be the key to the Bulldogs’ season.

Four starters are back for North Texas including the potent trio of Jeremy Combs, J-Mychal Reese and Deckie Johnson. The Mean Green also get former McDonald’s All-American Keith Frazier (SMU) after first semester, but they have to be more consistent to beat the league’s top teams. UTEP will have to replace some key pieces but Dominic Artis, Omega Harris and Terry Winn are returning double-figure scorers. If the Miners can get more consistent play from their frontcourt, they could be a sleeper in this league. Rice has a potential league Player of the Year candidate in high-scoring sophomore guard Marcus Evans and he’ll receive help from guard Marcus Jackson this season as Jackson returns from injury.

Charlotte is still very young and perimeter-oriented by all-freshmen guards Jon Davis and Adrien White are back along with senior guard Braxton Ogbueze. Florida Atlantic has four starters back as they boast one of the league’s most productive front courts. FIU has senior guard Donte McGill back but no other returning player averaged more than eight points per game. UTSA has a new coach in former Oklahoma assistant Steve Henson as he inherits some talented pieces including the backcourt trio of Christian Wilson, J.R. Harris and Gino Littles. Southern Miss is finally finished with its two-year postseason ban but the roster still has a long ways to go to be competitive again.

PRESEASON CONFERENCE USA PLAYER OF THE YEAR: William Lee, UAB

The reigning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, Lee is a pogo stick forward who is one of the best shot blockers in the country. The 6-foot-9 junior averaged 2.9 rejections per game last season in only 24.8 minutes per contest to go along with 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds. Lee also shot 49 percent from the field and 34 percent from three-point range as he projects as the league’s best long-term prospect. If Lee sees more minutes this season he could be among the nation’s leaders in blocked shots as he’s trying to get the Blazers back to the NCAA tournament.

THE REST OF THE PRESEASON CONFERENCE USA TEAM:

• Marcus Evans, Rice: Coming off of a freshman season in which he averaged 21.4 points per game and won C-USA Freshman of the Year honors, Evans will try to improve his three-point shooting (30 percent).
• Giddy Potts, Middle Tennessee: Before his starring role in the win over Michigan State, Potts shot a national-best 50 percent from three-point range while averaging 14.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
• Chris Cokley, UAB: A productive sophomore campaign saw the 6-foot-8 Cokley averaged 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 57 percent from the floor as he had some big games against good teams.
• Reggie Upshaw, Middle Tennessee: The 6-foot-7 senior burst into the national spotlight with his postseason performances as he won C-USA Tournament MVP and scored 21 in the upset of Michigan State.

ONE TWITTER FEED TO Follow: @Conference_USA

PREDICTED FINISH

1. UAB
2. Middle Tennessee
3. Old Dominion
4. Marshall
5. Western Kentucky
6. Louisiana Tech
7. North Texas
8. UTEP
9. Rice
10. Charlotte
11. Florida Atlantic
12. FIU
13. UTSA
14. Southern Miss

American Athletic Conference Preview: Cincinnati, UConn and SMU battle for the crown.

By Scott Phillips

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The American is going to look quite different this season as the league lost a few familiar coaches and some very talented players. Most of the teams we’ve grown familiar with atop the standings are back in the title picture for 2016-17 as teams like Cincinnati, UConn, SMU and Houston have NCAA tournament aspirations, while many others are in rebuilding mode or trying to be more stable.

FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW:

1. The league has four new coaches: After helping SMU become a legitimate program, Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown abruptly resigned in the middle of the July live evaluation period this summer, handing things over to former Illinois State coach and SMU associate head coach Tim Jankovich. While Jankovich was left with enough talent to make another run, Tubby Smith at Memphis, Johnny Dawkins at UCF and Mike Dunleavy at Tulane face rebuilding efforts. Smith has a habit of turning things around and should be able to help Memphis become nationally relevant again while Dawkins and first-time college coach Dunleavy have more to prove.

2. Cincinnati remains consistent: With six consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, expectations are that Cincinnati makes it back this season. With senior Troy Caupain, junior Gary Clark and transfer Kyle Washington, the Bearcats have plenty of upperclass talent with experience. The question will be whether the Bearcats can make the second weekend of the tournament (or beyond) for the first time since 2012.

3. UConn is loaded with talent: Head coach Kevin Ollie lost quite a bit of firepower from last season, but he has plenty to be excited about. Senior guard Rodney Purvis has talented sophomore Jalen Adams and McDonald’s All-American Alterique Gilbert with him in the backcourt while Amida Brimah is back at center. The key for UConn’s season could be production at forward from players like VCU transfer Terry Larrier and freshman Vance Jackson.

4. Larry Brown didn’t lead the cupboard bare at SMU: Brown might have handed the keys to Tim Jankovich, but the Mustangs still have plenty of firepower. Double-figure scorers like Ben Moore, Shake Milton and Sterling Moore are all back while Duke transfer Semi Ojeleye and freshman center Harry Froling add more punch in the front court. The Mustangs have the talent to reach the tournament again and remain a consistent program for the future.

5. Houston has a chance to break through: While the league’s top three is Cincinnati, UConn and SMU, the Cougars also have a chance to make a NCAA tournament run if some newcomers can help. Junior guard Rob Gray and senior wing Damyean Dotson both return and sophomore guard Galen Robinson Jr. emerged as a starter last season. Junior college transfer and former Indiana forward Devin Davis might be the key to where the Cougars play after the season.

PRESEASON AMERICAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Dedric Lawson, Memphis

After a monster freshman season in which he averaged 15.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, Lawson entered the 2016 NBA Draft. The combine in May was an eye-opening experience for Lawson as it showed he needed a lot of work to be a pro. As a sophomore, Lawson has even less help than last season and he should be regularly putting up double-doubles.

THE REST OF THE AMERICAN FIRST TEAM:

• Troy Caupain, Cincinnati: One of the best senior floor leaders in the country, Caupain comes to play in big games.
• Rodney Purvis, UConn: Purvis is coming off of his most consistent year shooting last season (38 percent 3PT) and played really well in the NCAA tournament.
• Damyean Dotson, Houston: Dotson shot 36 percent from three-point range and averaged 6.8 rebounds per game as one of the conference’s most versatile wings last season.
• Gary Clark, Cincinnati: The reigning AAC Defensive Player of the Year will be a strong contender for Player of the Year if he improves his offensive production.

FIVE MORE NAMES TO KNOW:

• Jalen Adams, UConn
• Shake Milton, SMU
• Rob Gray, Houston
• Jahmal McMurray, South Florida
• Ben Moore, SMU

BREAKOUT STAR: UConn has a lot of options to choose from in its backcourt, but the Huskies are hoping for a big season from sophomore Jalen Adams. The 6-foot-3 guard has the makings of a high-level scoring guard who could be a nightmare to contain off the dribble. If Adams improves his perimeter jumper he might be a major weapon this season.

COACH UNDER PRESSURE: Orlando Antigua hasn’t had the turnaround he expected at South Florida as he’s 17-48 in two seasons with only seven conference wins. The Bulls also lost four starters from last year’s team and top recruit Troy Baxter opted to decommit on the eve of the school year.

ON SELECTION SUNDAY WE’LL BE SAYING … : The American might not have a lot of NCAA tournament-caliber teams this season, but the ones in the field are the type of teams that nobody wants to face.

I’M MOST EXCITED ABOUT: Watching the UConn backcourt and the different combinations Kevin Ollie can use with all the talent he has. A perimeter duo of Jalen Adams and Alterique Gilbert would be a lot of fun to watch.

FIVE NON-CONFERENCE GAMES TO CIRCLE ON YOUR CALENDAR:

• Nov. 17, Pittsburgh at SMU
• Nov. 19, Cincinnati vs. Rhode Island
• Dec. 1, Cincinnati at Iowa State
• Dec. 5, UConn at Syracuse
• Dec. 6, Houston at Arkansas

ONE TWITTER FEED TO FOLLOW: @American_MBB

PREDICTED FINISH

1. Cincinnati: The Bearcats have the league’s best returning duo in senior guard Troy Caupain and forward Gary Clark and N.C. State transfer Kyle Washington should help on the interior on both ends. Play from senior guard Kevin Johnson and sophomore Jacob Evans III could dictate whether this team can make the second weekend of the tournament.

2. UConn: This team is a bit of an unknown since so many new pieces will have to step up and contribute. If Jalen Adams or Alterique Gilbert play well and Terry Larrier adds frontcourt production, the Huskies will compete for the league crown.

3. SMU: Plenty of talent remains at SMU as this team has the wing talent to score and defend with the league’s best. If the frontcourt additions of Semi Ojeyele and Harry Froling come through, this team could be very tough.

4. Houston: Coming off of 22 wins and an NIT appearance, the Cougars have to replace guard Ronnie Johnson and productive forward Devonta Pollard. If Devin Davis and the other newcomers can help defend, Houston could be a surprise team.

5. Memphis: Dedric Lawson could be in for a big season and brother K.J. Lawson might see a jump in production as well. The Tigers need Coppin State grad transfer Christian Kessee needs to produce for an unproven backcourt.

6. Temple: The status of senior guard Josh Brown and his surgically-repaired Achilles could be the key for the Owls as they have some intriguing young talent. Freshmen Alani Moore, Quinton Rose and Damion Moore are talented.

7. UCF: Johnny Dawkins has a strong front court in A.J. Davis and 7-foot-6 center Tacko Fall and the Knights get former all-rookie selection B.J. Taylor back from injury.

8. East Carolina: The trio of B.J. Tyson, Caleb White and Kentrell Barkley are talented enough to make this team rise up the standings. The key for the Pirates is consistency in conference play.

9. Tulsa: Coming off the NCAA tournament and 20 wins, Frank Haith has 10 new players on his roster. Rutgers transfer Junior Etou will be expected to help starting wing Pat Birt.

10. South Florida: The loss of four-star freshman Troy Baxter will hurt but sophomore Jahmal McMurray is an all-league candidate who can really score. Transfer Geno Thorpe (Penn State) and Troy Holston Jr. should help.

11. Tulane: New coach Mike Dunleavy has some talent in the form of Malik Morgan and Melvin Frazier but this team needs a lot more talent to compete with the league’s best.

Kenyans Abel Kirui, Florence Kiplagat win Chicago Marathon.

The Associated Press

Runners participate in the Chicago Marathon, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Abel Kirui of Kenya pulled ahead of defending champion Dickson Chumba for good in the final mile to win the Chicago Marathon on Sunday.

Florence Kiplagat of Kenya won her second straight Chicago Marathon women's title.

The men's lead alternated between Kirui and Chumba for the last few miles. The 34-year-old Kirui finished the 26.2-mile course in an unofficial time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, 23 seconds.

Chumba finished in 2:11:26. The 29-year-old Kenyan won last year's Chicago Marathon in 2:09:25 and finished third in 2014.

The 29-year-old Kiplagat finished in an unofficial time of 2:21:32. She posted a winning time of 2:23:33 in Chicago last year and placed third in 2014.

The top five men's finishers and top four women were all Kenyans.

In the men's field, Gideon Kipketer was third (2:12:20), Paul Lonyangata was fourth (2:13:17) and Stephen Sambu was fifth (2:13:35).

Edna Kiplalgat (2:23:28) was second in the women's division. Valentine Kipketer was third (2:23:41) and Purity Rionoripo was fourth (2:24:47).

The women's field also included Visiline Jepkesho of Kenya, who won the Paris Marathon earlier this year. Chicago Marathon spokeswoman Cindy Hamilton said Jepkesho dropped out of the race after the 35-kilometer (21.75-mile) mark and was treated in the medical tent afterward.

Both the men's and women's winners won $100,000.

The top American finishers were Diego Estrada of Flagstaff, Arizona, and Serena Burla of Stafford, Virginia.

Estrada placed eighth in the men's field with a time of 2:13:56. Burla finished in 2:30:40 to place seventh in the women's division.

Marcel Hug of Switzerland won the men's wheelchair title in 1:32:57 to edge defending champion Kurt Fearnley of Australia, as both crossed the finish line almost simultaneously. Fearnley was seeking his sixth Chicago Marathon wheelchair championship.

Tatyana McFadden of Champaign, Illinois, won the women's wheelchair crown for the sixth straight time. McFadden finished in 1:42:28 to won this event seven of the last eight years.

Boxing great Aaron Pryor, who battled Arguello, dies at 60. 

The Associated Press

Alexis Arguello covers up as defending champ Aaron Pryor throws a hard right during the second round of boxing action at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Pryor, the relentless junior welterweight died Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016, at the age of 60. Pryor's family issued a statement saying the former boxer died at his home in Cincinnati after a long battle with heart disease. (AP Photo/File)

Aaron Pryor, the relentless junior welterweight who fought two memorable bouts with Alexis Arguello, died Sunday. He was 60.

Pryor's family issued a statement saying the boxer died at his home in Cincinnati after a long battle with heart disease.

Known as ''The Hawk,'' Pryor was a crowd favorite who fought with a frenetic style, rarely if ever taking a step backward. His fights in the early 1980s with Arguello , the great Nicaraguan champion, were both classics that are still talked about in boxing circles.

But Pryor was a troubled champion, and his career would unravel because of an addiction to cocaine.

''He was very unorthodox and could throw punches from all kinds of angles with great hand speed,'' said former Associated Press boxing writer Ed Schuyler Jr. ''He was a great fighter, it's too bad he didn't have more fights.''

Pryor's widow, Frankie Pryor, said her husband - who would later speak out about the evils of drugs - also had a side most fans didn't know about.

''Aaron was known around the world as `The Hawk' and delighted millions of fans with his aggressive and crowd-pleasing boxing style,'' she said in a statement announcing his death. ''But to our family he was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend.''

Pryor was unbeaten in 31 fights when he and Arguello met in a 140-pound title clash in the Orange Bowl in Miami on Nov. 12, 1982. Arguello was a classic boxer-puncher considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters, but Pryor would not back off as the two men traded punches for the better part of 14 rounds.

Pryor finally wore Arguello down, stopping him in the 14th round with a flurry of punches. Ring Magazine later picked the bout as the Fight of the Decade.

''It was one of the best fights I've ever seen,'' Schuyler said. ''I'd put it in the top five.''

Pryor's win was marred, though, by questions about a bottle wrapped in black tape that his corner man raised to his lips on several occasions between rounds in the fight. Many in boxing thought it contained stimulants, but the corner man, Artie Curley, said it was peppermint schnapps.

Pryor would beat Arguello again the next September in Las Vegas, this time stopping him in the 10th round of their scheduled 15-round bout. Arguello went down in the round from a series of punches and declined to get back up.

''Arguello was a great fighter but he couldn't handle Pryor,'' Schuyler said. ''He could have gotten up, but what was the point?''

The second Arguello fight was the pinnacle of Pryor's career. He became a heavy cocaine user, and fought only six more times in the next seven years, finishing his career with a record of 39-1 with 35 knockouts.

''I reached out and certain people did not give me their right hand,'' Pryor said later of his drug use. ''They gave me drugs.''

Pryor was named the ''Greatest Jr. Welterweight of the Century'' by The Associated Press, and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996. He would later travel the world making personal appearances and spreading his anti-drug message.

Pryor is survived by his wife and partner of over a quarter of a century, Frankie Pryor, sons Aaron Pryor Jr. and Antwan Harris, daughter Elizabeth Wagner and three grandsons Adam, Austin and Aaron Pryor III.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, October 10, 2016.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1865 - The billiard ball was patented by John Wesley Hyatt. 

1964 - NBC-TV aired the opening ceremonies of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. It was the first live color TV program to be transmitted to the U.S. by satellite.

1977 - Joe Namath played the last game of his National Football League (NFL) career. 

1979 - Mark Messier made his NHL debut with the Edmonton Oilers.

1987 - Tom McClean finished rowing across the Atlantic Ocean. It set the record at 54 days and 18 hours. 

1987 - Doug Jarvis ended his streak of 984 straight games in the NHL. The streak started on October 8, 1975.

2011 - Nelson Cruz (Texas Rangers) hit the first-ever postseason walk-off grand slam to give the Rangers a 7-3 win. The win gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead in the ALCS over the Detroit Tigers.

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