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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"That's the biggest gap in sports, the difference between the winner and the loser of the Super Bowl." ~ John Madden, Former NFL Football Coach and Broadcaster (Television and Radio)
TRENDING: Brady, PATS pull off historic Super Bowl win. (See the Super Bowl section for Super Bowl updates and player news).
TRENDING: Reasons the Chicago Cubs Will Repeat in 2017. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: Blackhawks looking to play best hockey in stretch run. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: Should the Bears trade for Jimmy Garoppolo? (See the football section for Bears News an NFL updates).
TRENDING: Bulls inquiring about 76ers big man and Chicago native Jahlil Okafor, per sources. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).
TRENDING: Matsuyama beats Simpson to win Phoenix playoff; Garcia tops Stenson for 12th Euro Tour title and A global LPGA tour is strengthening U.S. women’s golf. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: Eli Manning, Larry Fitzgerald share Man of the Year Award. (See the Super Bowl Update section for Super Bowl News an NFL updates).
2017 SUPER BOWL UPDATE: Brady leads biggest comeback, Patriots win 34-28 in OT.
Associated Press
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Tom Brady led one of the greatest comebacks in sports history lifting New England from a 25-point hole to the Patriots’ fifth NFL championship in the first Super Bowl overtime.
The Patriots scored 19 points in the final quarter, including a pair of 2-point conversions, then marched relentlessly to James White‘s 2-yard touchdown run in overtime to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 Sunday night.
Brady, the first quarterback with five Super Bowl rings, guided the Patriots (17-2) through a tiring Atlanta defense for fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 6-yard pass to Danny Amendola and a 1-yard run by White, which came with 57 seconds remaining in regulation. White ran for the first 2-pointer and Amendola did the deed with a reception on the second.
Brady, winning Super Bowl MVP for a record fourth-time, finished 43 for 62, the most attempts in Super Bowl history, for 466 yards, also a record, and two touchdowns.
“You know, we all brought each other back,” Brady said. “We never felt out of it. It was a tough battle. They have a great team. I give them a lot of credit. We just made a few more plays than them.”
Before the stunning rally – New England already held the biggest comeback in the final period when it turned around a 10-point deficit to beat Seattle two years ago – the Falcons (13-6) appeared poised to take their first NFL championship in 51 seasons. Having never been in such a pressurized environment, their previously staunch pass rush disappeared, and Brady tore them apart.
“Deflategate” far behind them, Brady and coach Bill Belichick won their 25th postseason game, by far a record. It’s hard to imagine a tenser victory.
Belichick became the first coach with five Super Bowl crowns.
The Patriots won the coin toss for overtime and it was no contest. Brady completed six passes. A pass interference call took the ball to the 2, and White scooted to his right and barely over the goal line.
His teammates streamed off the sideline to engulf White as confetti streamed down from the NRG Stadium rafters.
It was almost an impossible dream for the Patriots a bit earlier. But helped by Matt Ryan‘s fumble on a sack, a spectacular catch by Julian Edelman , and Brady’s passing, they never stopped coming.
White had 14 receptions for 110 yards as the key weapon, but Brady hit seven different receivers.
Until the Patriots took charge with their late surge, league MVP Ryan was outplaying Brady. It didn’t last.
Eli Manning, Larry Fitzgerald share Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
By Michael David Smith
(Photo/Getty Images)
The NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award could this year be called the Men of the Year Award.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald are the co-Man of the Year recipients, the league announced tonight.
The Man of the Year Award goes to a player who demonstrates excellence both on and off the field. Manning and Fitzgerald both have a long track record of charity and volunteer work in addition to their professional success.
This is the third time the Man of the Year Award has been split. In 2000 Derrick Brooks and Jim Flanigan shared the award, while in 2006 Drew Brees and LaDainian Tomlinson shared it.
Manning and Fitzgerald entered the league together as the first and third overall picks in the 2004 NFL draft, and now as their careers wind down, they’re continuing to gain recognition together.
Hall of Fame to induct seven-man class, but no Paul Tagliabue.
By Darin Gantt
(Photo/Getty Images)
The league’s all-time leading scorer and one of the all-time best stories in the history of America are going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A seven-man class was chosen to the Hall Saturday, with one at least moderate surprise keeping the class from being larger.
Kicker Morten Andersen, quarterback Kurt Warner, running backs Terrell Davis and LaDainian Tomlinson and defensive end Jason Taylor were the five modern-era candidates to emerge from a nearly nine-hour meeting.
They will be joined by seniors committee candidate Kenny Easley and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who entered in the contributor committee. But former commissioner Paul Tagliabue failed to get the required 80 percent of the vote, and was not elected. Tagliabue becomes the first contributor candidate to fail to reach the Hall, and it’s the second time he’s reached an 80 percent yes-no vote and failed to make it (it happened when he was a modern era candidate in 2007).
Since then, only three seniors candidates (Dick Stanfel in 2012, Claude Humphrey in 2009 and Marshall Goldberg in 2008) had failed to get the 80 percent, and two of them (Stanfel and Humphrey) were elected in second chances as seniors.
Tagliabue might not get another chance, after his candidacy was discussed for over an hour early in the process.
It was a breakthrough for Andersen, who is just the second kicker in the Hall along with Jan Stenerud (though Lou Groza and George Blanda also kicked).
For Warner, getting in during his third year as a finalist caps a career which began in the Arena League and NFL Europe and ended with a pair of MVP honors, as he orchestrated one of the greatest offenses ever with the Rams, and then had a productive second act with the Cardinals, getting them to a Super Bowl.
Davis was also rewarded for a career that burned bright for a short time, as injuries derailed a career that saw him carry John Elway to a pair of Super Bowl titles.
Tomlinson and Taylor were in their first year of eligibility.
Wide receiver Terrell Owens, tackle Joe Jacoby, coach Don Coryell, wide receiver Isaac Bruce and guard Alan Faneca were reduced in the first cut from 15 to 10. Jacoby and Coryell made the final 10 last year but took a step back.
This year’s six-through-10 picks who become contenders next year include safeties Brian Dawkins and John Lynch, tackle Tony Boselli, cornerback Ty Law and center Kevin Mawae.
But next year will bring a star-studded cast of first-timers to eligibility, including Randy Moss, Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher, among others.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Blackhawks looking to play best hockey in stretch run.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
There comes a time in every season when things get sluggish. You get that with the NHL schedule: games 30-50 can be a bit of a drudgery in this marathon of a season.
That part of the schedule, however, is going away. Now there are about 30 games (28 for the Blackhawks) remaining. Now, it’s getting closer to the postseason. Now, it’s time to pick up the pace.
“You start to really make a push here,” Brian Campbell said. “Obviously people are jockeying for positions. It’s always working to get points down the stretch and teams are trying to move around in positions. It’s not easy to do. It’s going to be a dogfight here.”
So the dog days of the schedule are giving way to the dog-fight days of the schedule. It’s mad-dash time and the Blackhawks, while in good shape in the standings, want to keep pace and possibly even improve their situation.
But they won’t be alone in that goal. Their final three opponents on the second half of the Ice Show trip have their own agendas. The Minnesota Wild, Wednesday’s opponent, will try to put more space between them and the Blackhawks. The Winnipeg Jets are on the playoff bubble. The Edmonton Oilers are third, but well within striking distance of first, in the Pacific.
Let the über-meaningful games begin.
“Coming toward the playoffs, you see the standings and you, you cannot calculate but you can see who can face who,” Marian Hossa said. “Obviously the last couple of years it’s so much tougher because everyone’s waiting for the last game but it’s nice to see and have that race and the intensity higher. Everybody will play tighter and the pace will pick up more. There’ll be less room on the ice, too.”
That part of the schedule, however, is going away. Now there are about 30 games (28 for the Blackhawks) remaining. Now, it’s getting closer to the postseason. Now, it’s time to pick up the pace.
“You start to really make a push here,” Brian Campbell said. “Obviously people are jockeying for positions. It’s always working to get points down the stretch and teams are trying to move around in positions. It’s not easy to do. It’s going to be a dogfight here.”
So the dog days of the schedule are giving way to the dog-fight days of the schedule. It’s mad-dash time and the Blackhawks, while in good shape in the standings, want to keep pace and possibly even improve their situation.
But they won’t be alone in that goal. Their final three opponents on the second half of the Ice Show trip have their own agendas. The Minnesota Wild, Wednesday’s opponent, will try to put more space between them and the Blackhawks. The Winnipeg Jets are on the playoff bubble. The Edmonton Oilers are third, but well within striking distance of first, in the Pacific.
Let the über-meaningful games begin.
“Coming toward the playoffs, you see the standings and you, you cannot calculate but you can see who can face who,” Marian Hossa said. “Obviously the last couple of years it’s so much tougher because everyone’s waiting for the last game but it’s nice to see and have that race and the intensity higher. Everybody will play tighter and the pace will pick up more. There’ll be less room on the ice, too.”
As much as the Blackhawks would like to improve their place in the standings in this stretch run, they ultimately want to improve their game. As Campbell said, “I don’t think we’ve played our best hockey yet, so we’re trying to get to that level.”
The Blackhawks’ inconsistent outings have been more prevalent lately. Marcus Kruger talked of that, citing Thursday’s 4-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes as an example. The Blackhawks got off to a 3-0 lead thanks to a tremendous first period but their mistakes in the second turned a lopsided game into one that was too close for their liking.
“It’s attention to details,” he said. “We know how important momentum is in games. When you get it you don’t want to give it up and maybe this year we’ve been doing that a few times. You could see that [vs. Arizona]. We had all the momentum going into the second period and then they had a 5-on-3 and scored and it’s a different game. It’s attention to details.”
The NHL’s dog days are over, the marathon of a schedule giving way to the sprint to the finish. For the Blackhawks, placement in the standings is important but playing better, playing the consistent game that’s eluded them most of this season, is more critical.
“Obviously we had really good stretches and others not. Coming the last [28] games, we have to understand and try to play tighter and be more on the same page. We’re more successful when we’re on the same page, when we play tighter as a group of five instead of being too spread out with good teams going through so easily,” Hossa said. “Little things like that make such a huge difference.”
Blackhawks respond late, come back to outlast Stars. (Saturday night's game, 02/04/2016).
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
As Tyler Seguin and the Dallas Stars celebrated his third-period goal, the Blackhawks once again faced a third-period deficit after starting the period with the lead. Considering recent events, there was a foreboding sense déjà vu.
“Yeah, a little bit, to be honest with you,” Niklas Hjalmarsson said of that feeling. “It’s been a pattern the last four or five games.”
It has been, as has been going way too quiet offensively in third periods. But in the final 10 minutes on Saturday, the Blackhawks reversed both bad trends.
Trevor van Riesmdyk scored the game winner with 4:03 remaining in regulation and Corey Crawford became the franchise’s third all-time winningest goaltender as the Blackhawks came back to beat the Stars 5-3 on Saturday. The Blackhawks remain in second place in the Central Division, four points behind the Minnesota Wild, who beat Vancouver late Saturday night and still have three games in hand.
Crawford stopped 31 of 34 shots for his 202nd career victory, passing Ed Belfour on the Blackhawks’ all-time list. Glenn Hall is second with 275 victories. Gustav Forsling scored his second goal of the season. Artem Anisimov and Marian Hossa each had two assists.
The Blackhawks completed the first 40 minutes up 2-1 but, after the Stars took a 3-2 edge courtesy of Jamie Benn and Seguin, it looked like it was going to be another bad ending for the Blackhawks. This time, however, they responded quickly. Just 35 seconds after Seguin’s go-ahead goal, Patrick Kane slipped a backhand past Kari Lehtonen to tie it 3-3. Van Riemsdyk, following up Anisimov’s driving shot on net, gave the Blackhawks the lead with less than five minutes remaining.
Jonathan Toews got the empty-net goal with .9 seconds on the clock.
While the third-period offense was necessary, so was some third-period defense. Ryan Hartman, who scored his 12th goal of the season earlier, came through with a Hjalmarsson-esque block on Benn’s shot late in the third. If not for that, the Blackhawks likely head to overtime.
“Oh, what a play. Diving poke. Good anticipation there,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “I thought he had a really good game. Nice to see him score again. He’s around the net, he does some good things and when he does things on the defensive side it really enhances his game as well.”
Hartman said he was just making up for a moment against the Coyotes.
“I missed a blocked shot in Arizona, so it felt nice to do the reverse there,” he said.
The Blackhawks have had some interesting third periods lately. Twice, they’ve blown leads, which has been rare for them the past two seasons. They didn’t like nearly doing it again on Saturday, but they’ll take the response.
“Just looking back at the season we’ve had a ton of one-goal leads and ended up winning those games in the third. Just throughout a full year, you can’t win them all. But when it happens two or three games in row it’s a pattern you have to try to change,” Hjalmarsson said. “I guess we were kind of lucky to get away with two points but it doesn’t matter how we get them. Just a matter of getting two points and that was a key game against a division opponent.”
Five Things from Blackhawks-Stars: Right response in third period.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
What started as a rather dull game turned out to be anything but on Saturday night. The Blackhawks were once again sweating it a bit in the third period but, after flirting with another tough loss, they pulled it out.
As Niklas Hjalmarsson said, they don’t care how they get the two points, just as long as they do. So before we head home from Ice Show Trip, Part I, let’s look at five things to take away from the Blackhawks’ 5-3 victory over the Stars.
1. The right response in the third. The Blackhawks were down 3-2 nearing the midway point of the third and, considering they hadn’t scored a third-period goal since Jan. 22 against Vancouver, this one wasn’t looking good. Well that Stars lead lasted a whole 35 seconds before Patrick Kane’s slick backhand. The Blackhawks kept coming after that, with two more goals (Trevor van Riesmdyk’s game winner and Jonathan Toews’ empty-net goal). Yes, dicey and the lost lead was again a bit worrisome. But you’re looking for the necessary response, and the Blackhawks had it in this one.
2. Ryan Hartman’s massive block. Jamie Benn had a gaping net in front of him, as Corey Crawford was pulled to his glove side on a previous stop. But a moment later Benn also had Hartman in front of him, blocking the shot and saving a goal. Hjalmarsson, who’s made a career out of making critical blocks, was proud of that one. “Oh, that was huge. I was screaming at him at the bench. That would’ve been a goal otherwise. It would’ve been a tap in. Great play by Hartsy.”
3. A much improved second. We won’t review their second period against Arizona on Thursday. You all saw it; it wasn’t good. This second period could’ve been rough, too, especially with the Stars scoring just eight seconds into it. But instead of getting sloppy and heading to the penalty box, the Blackhawks responded with shots and goals, taking a 2-1 lead into the third.
4. Good work from Tanner Kero. The young center plays a blue-collar game and he had another good outing on Saturday night. Kero set up Hartman’s goal in the second period and won five of his seven faceoffs. Kero and Hartman have had good chemistry, which developed during their time in Rockford, and Hartman said it’s continued here. “Kers made a great play on that goal and was real strong on his stick, threw it over to me. He knew I was there and made a great play.”
5. Congratulations to Corey Crawford. The Blackhawks goaltender stopped 31 of 34 shots for his 20th victory of the season, but it’s where he is on the team’s all-time list that’s noteworthy. Crawford now has 202 career victories, good for third among the franchise’s all-time winningest goaltenders. Crawford said last week at the All-Star festivities that he’s grateful for the opportunity to play in Chicago. He keeps building on that. “I just want to keep going and keep moving up,” he said. “Yeah, that’s pretty special.”
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! SportsTalk Live Podcast: Should the Bears trade for Jimmy Garoppolo?
As Niklas Hjalmarsson said, they don’t care how they get the two points, just as long as they do. So before we head home from Ice Show Trip, Part I, let’s look at five things to take away from the Blackhawks’ 5-3 victory over the Stars.
1. The right response in the third. The Blackhawks were down 3-2 nearing the midway point of the third and, considering they hadn’t scored a third-period goal since Jan. 22 against Vancouver, this one wasn’t looking good. Well that Stars lead lasted a whole 35 seconds before Patrick Kane’s slick backhand. The Blackhawks kept coming after that, with two more goals (Trevor van Riesmdyk’s game winner and Jonathan Toews’ empty-net goal). Yes, dicey and the lost lead was again a bit worrisome. But you’re looking for the necessary response, and the Blackhawks had it in this one.
2. Ryan Hartman’s massive block. Jamie Benn had a gaping net in front of him, as Corey Crawford was pulled to his glove side on a previous stop. But a moment later Benn also had Hartman in front of him, blocking the shot and saving a goal. Hjalmarsson, who’s made a career out of making critical blocks, was proud of that one. “Oh, that was huge. I was screaming at him at the bench. That would’ve been a goal otherwise. It would’ve been a tap in. Great play by Hartsy.”
3. A much improved second. We won’t review their second period against Arizona on Thursday. You all saw it; it wasn’t good. This second period could’ve been rough, too, especially with the Stars scoring just eight seconds into it. But instead of getting sloppy and heading to the penalty box, the Blackhawks responded with shots and goals, taking a 2-1 lead into the third.
4. Good work from Tanner Kero. The young center plays a blue-collar game and he had another good outing on Saturday night. Kero set up Hartman’s goal in the second period and won five of his seven faceoffs. Kero and Hartman have had good chemistry, which developed during their time in Rockford, and Hartman said it’s continued here. “Kers made a great play on that goal and was real strong on his stick, threw it over to me. He knew I was there and made a great play.”
5. Congratulations to Corey Crawford. The Blackhawks goaltender stopped 31 of 34 shots for his 20th victory of the season, but it’s where he is on the team’s all-time list that’s noteworthy. Crawford now has 202 career victories, good for third among the franchise’s all-time winningest goaltenders. Crawford said last week at the All-Star festivities that he’s grateful for the opportunity to play in Chicago. He keeps building on that. “I just want to keep going and keep moving up,” he said. “Yeah, that’s pretty special.”
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! SportsTalk Live Podcast: Should the Bears trade for Jimmy Garoppolo?
By CSN Staff
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
ESPN 1000’s Ben Finfer, Bleacher Report’s Seth Gruen and national college football analyst Anthony Herron join Kap on the panel. The Bulls pick up a second-straight convincing win. Did last week’s circus actually help? CBS Sports reports that the Bears top offseason priority is acquiring Jimmy Garoppolo. Is that the right call?
Plus what’s the juiciest matchup in the Super Bowl? And Seth goes off about the state of the Illini.
Check out the latest edition of the SportsTalk Live Podcast here:
Plus what’s the juiciest matchup in the Super Bowl? And Seth goes off about the state of the Illini.
Check out the latest edition of the SportsTalk Live Podcast here:
NFLPA executive director will tell free agents not to sign with Bears if Illinois workers' comp bill passes.
By Scott Krinch
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Equipped with nearly $63 million in available salary cap space this offseason, the Bears should have no problem getting free agents to sign on the dotted line come March 9, right?
Not if NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith has any say in the matter.
Smith made an appearance on the Spiegel and Parkins Show on WSCR-AM 670 on Friday afternoon, saying that he will tell free agents not to sign with the Bears if the new Illinois workers' comp bill is passed.
"I will tell you from the bottom of my heart that this union will tell every potential free agent player, if this bill passes, to not come to the Bears," Smith told WSCR.
The bill, which is being pushed by the McCaskey family, would put an end to health care for all injured workers beginning at the age of 35, including professional athletes in Illinois.
"This bill being sponsored by (senate Republican minority leader Christine Radogno) is being designed to target professional athletes and take away their right to health care that every worker in the state of Illinois is entitled to," Smith told WSCR. "The Bears’ owners are behind it as well, to beat the expense of the players who actually do all the work. They’re pushing the bill."
The Bears released the following statement via Chris Emma of 670 The Score:
Not if NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith has any say in the matter.
Smith made an appearance on the Spiegel and Parkins Show on WSCR-AM 670 on Friday afternoon, saying that he will tell free agents not to sign with the Bears if the new Illinois workers' comp bill is passed.
"I will tell you from the bottom of my heart that this union will tell every potential free agent player, if this bill passes, to not come to the Bears," Smith told WSCR.
The bill, which is being pushed by the McCaskey family, would put an end to health care for all injured workers beginning at the age of 35, including professional athletes in Illinois.
"This bill being sponsored by (senate Republican minority leader Christine Radogno) is being designed to target professional athletes and take away their right to health care that every worker in the state of Illinois is entitled to," Smith told WSCR. "The Bears’ owners are behind it as well, to beat the expense of the players who actually do all the work. They’re pushing the bill."
The Bears released the following statement via Chris Emma of 670 The Score:
"We join the four other major professional Chicago teams in monitoring and supporting changes to the system that protect athletes’ rights under the workers’ compensation system while acknowledging athletes are not competing professionally until age 67. Nothing in the wage differential language under consideration impacts the right for any athlete to receive just compensation for partial or permanent injury, medical benefits or to file a claim itself."Fore more information on the bill, visit Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Chicago Bulls Vs. Sacramento Kings Preview, 02/06/2017.
Scores & Stats
Bulls at Kings
The Sacramento Kings are capable of losing to the worst team in the Western Conference at home one night and beating the best team in the league the next. The Kings will take another stab at developing some consistency when they host the Chicago Bulls, who have similar problems, on Monday.
Sacramento fell to Philadelphia and Phoenix during a three-game slide but bounced back with a 109-106 overtime triumph over the NBA-best Golden State Warriors on Saturday as DeMarcus Cousins scored six of his 32 points in the extra period and finished one assist shy of a triple-double. The star center recorded 22 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in Friday's 105-103 loss to the Western Conference-worst Suns. The Bulls dropped eight of their last 14 contests and missed out on a chance at a three-game winning streak with a 121-117 overtime loss at Houston on Friday as All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler sat out to rest a heel injury. "It is tough," Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters of playing without Butler. "He's a guy that's made a lot of big plays for us. He's won a lot of games for us this year just by putting the ball in his hands and letting him go out and make plays."
Sacramento fell to Philadelphia and Phoenix during a three-game slide but bounced back with a 109-106 overtime triumph over the NBA-best Golden State Warriors on Saturday as DeMarcus Cousins scored six of his 32 points in the extra period and finished one assist shy of a triple-double. The star center recorded 22 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in Friday's 105-103 loss to the Western Conference-worst Suns. The Bulls dropped eight of their last 14 contests and missed out on a chance at a three-game winning streak with a 121-117 overtime loss at Houston on Friday as All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler sat out to rest a heel injury. "It is tough," Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters of playing without Butler. "He's a guy that's made a lot of big plays for us. He's won a lot of games for us this year just by putting the ball in his hands and letting him go out and make plays."
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE BULLS (25-26): Butler, who averages 24.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists, underwent an MRI on his heel Saturday and is considered day-to-day. "Everything is centered around Jimmy," veteran guard Dwyane Wade told ESPN.com. "Guarding the other team's best player. We go to him (with) a lot of plays on the offensive end. A lot changes, of course." Wade struggled to 8-of-22 from the floor in Butler's absence but Michael Carter-Williams thrived in the spot start, recording season highs of 23 points and six assists while matching a season-best with nine rebounds.
ABOUT THE KINGS (20-31): Cousins went for 42 points on 16-of-28 shooting and added 14 rebounds at Chicago on Jan. 21, but no one else on the roster reached double figures in scoring or rebounds as Sacramento fell 102-99. Cousins got more help on Saturday, when Matt Barnes (11 points, 14 rebounds) logged a double-double and six players scored in double figures. Barnes and Anthony Tolliver combined to go 5-of-7 from 3-point range off the bench and contributed to a defensive effort that held Kevin Durant to 10 points on 2-of-10 shooting in the win.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bulls PF Cristiano Felicio (ankle) left Friday's game and is not expected to play Monday.
2. Tolliver is 14-of-25 from beyond the arc in the last six contests.
3. Chicago took the last four in the series, including a 107-102 win in the trip to Sacramento last season.
PREDICTION: Bulls 103, Kings 102
Bulls inquiring about 76ers big man and Chicago native Jahlil Okafor, per sources.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Bulls have been active with the trade deadline approaching, and they've inquired about the availability of Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor, multiple league sources tell CSNChicago.com.
He's on the trading block as the 76ers have surged with the play of Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel manning the middle, and the Bulls are interested, as they don't have much in the way of low-post scoring.
Okafor averaged 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in 53 games last year for a 76ers team that wasn't in a position to compete, and with the emergence of Embiid, a true franchise center, Okafor has been glued to the bench more times than not while also battling nagging injuries.
This season, Okafor has appeared in 33 games and averaged 11.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in 23 minutes per game in his second season out of Duke. He was the third pick in the 2015 draft.
So far, there's more interest on the Bulls' side than the 76ers' side, according to sources, but the Bulls are interested in Okafor's services. Because salaries have to match and Okafor is on a rookie-scale deal, one wonders how it can work if the 76ers aren't enamored with some of the Bulls' young players who've yet to fully blossom. The Bulls could conceivably open up talks to a third team if need be, considering it isn't likely they'd want to part with any future first-round picks as they're still deciding how they are to proceed with franchise direction in the next couple seasons.
Talks aren't necessarily heating up, but they aren't dead. It's interesting how they could see using Okafor as a low-post scorer while currently having Cristiano Felicio and Robin Lopez at center.
Bulls incensed by late call, blow lead in regulation in overtime loss to Rockets. (Friday night's game, 02/03/2017).
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Michael Carter-Williams found himself in an unlikely position at the most unlikely time against the likely Most Valuable Player front-runner, not giving up any space on a crucial possession.
Jostling for position, James Harden appeared to throw himself on top of Carter-Williams, an awkward looking play that sent the league-leader in free throws attempted to the line and Carter-Williams to the bench permanently with a sixth foul.
It wasn't the deciding play, but certainly a definitive one as the Bulls let a winnable game slip away in overtime, falling 121-117 to the Houston Rockets as Harden scored 42 points with 12 rebounds and nine assists.
Taj Gibson joked the Bulls were going to "call the referee hotline" while Rajon Rondo quipped to Gibson not to say anything that would make his next paycheck lighter with a fine.
"He gets so many calls his way, it's ridiculous sometimes," Gibson said. "It was some rough calls late, but we had some guys who learned a lot tonight."
"That was a big call, a tough call. But we had a chance to win the game. The game goes on. The refs can't overturn it. James blatantly jumped on his back."
"That's a great question," said Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg, diplomatically living up to his nickname of "The Mayor" as he wanted no part of criticizing the refs but the frustration was obvious.
"I'll have to go back and look at it. It looked like they were both fighting for position and Harden ended up on Michael's back. I don't know."
The Bulls were incredulous, both with the call and themselves as they let an eight-point lead in regulation slip away after clawing back from a 17-point deficit in the first half.
In other words, the game and finish was similar to their topsy-turvy, unpredictable, inspiring and maddening season to date.
"I was proud of the way our guys went out and fought with Jimmy out of the lineup," Hoiberg said.
Clearly, having Butler on the floor would've meant things going a lot smoother late when the Bulls needed a closer, and especially in overtime when their offense went through fits and spurts as they scrambled through possessions to get open shots.
It's almost a wonder they were in it through the overtime period because they were left to lean on Wade, who played 36 minutes, to make every play. Wade didn't hesitate when asked about how the team looks without Butler on the floor.
"Everything," Wade said. "Everything is centered around Jimmy. He guards the team's best player. We go to him on the offensive end. A lot changes. But that's not the reason we lost tonight. We gotta find a way to win that."
The foul occurred with 2:02 left in overtime, and the Bulls took a 117-116 lead on a Dwyane Wade jumper the next time down. But with a team playing on a slim margin for error with their best player out, their chance to win flew out the window when Carter-Williams sauntered in frustration to the bench after a surprising performance, scoring 23 points with nine rebounds and six assists in 35 minutes — many of them shadowing Harden to varying degrees of success.
"I felt confident enough to start him against Harden," Hoiberg said. "And I thought he battled and made him work for everything he got. Obviously, he's a heck of a player and made big plays down the stretch and overtime."
Taj Gibson scored 20 with six rebounds, Wade scored 19 as the Bulls shot 48 percent from the field and had 23 assists, taking advantage of the Rockets' defensive mishaps before things got hairy late.
But the Bulls had their opportunities to close the game before Harden used some chicanery to get Carter-Williams fouled out, and before his step-back jumper and fall earned a foul call on Paul Zipser with 36 seconds left in overtime, giving the Rockets a 119-117 lead.
Holding an 84-79 lead to start the fourth quarter, the Bulls' ball movement and opportunistic play turned into a 106-98 lead when Wade hit a step-back triple over a reaching Trevor Ariza with 3:19 left.
On the previous possession, Wade went baseline for a reverse dunk that harkened back to the player who would've went play-for-play with Harden years ago.
But Ariza got his revenge, stripping Wade on the next possession and getting a layup with two minutes left, making it a winnable game for either side.
"We had it, the opportunity," Wade said.
They kept the other Rockets' shooters in check, with Ryan Anderson missing his six 3-pointers and Ariza going two for six. Harden went five for 13 as the Rockets hit 16 of their 43 attempts.
Eric Gordon came off the bench to hit five triples, scoring 21 in 33 minutes, as the Rockets took a 50-33 lead before the Bulls stormed back.
Gibson, Paul Zipser and the Bulls bench helped them get back into the game, trailing by 11 at the half and storming the Rockets in the third, 32-19, looking as if they would take advantage of another team on a back-to-back.
But Harden scored 13 in the fourth and almost ended it in regulation with a step-back jumper after the Bulls squandered a possession with 27 seconds left.
What looked like opportunity only gave the Bulls five more minutes of false hope and a little regret, letting one slip away, putting them back below .500.
"If we continue that focus and continue that as a unit," Wade said. "The last 31 games will be fine."
CUBS games are dominating the spring training ticket market.
By Mark Townsend
Cubs fans might be paying a little extra to watch their team in spring training this year. (Photo/AP)
To put it mildly, Cubs fans are hyped to see their team in action. The first and perhaps best opportunity for some will come when Cactus League play begins later this month in Arizona. As a result, the team’s spring training tickets are in very high demand. That means prices are going up too, especially on the secondary market.
According to TicketCity, the five most expensive spring training games — covering both the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues — are Cubs home games at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz. Overall, the Cubs are involved in nine of the ten most expensive spring games, with four of those games exceeding an average of $100 per ticket.
That includes a World Series rematch with the Cleveland Indians on March 24, which currently has an average price of $110.
Granted, the prices are nowhere near as crazy as last postseason. TicketCity notes that Cubs-Indians World Series tickets were almost five times higher on average than the previous four World Series. But the difference is still notable given the small scale of spring training. For comparison’s sake, spring training tickets have averaged right around $60 around the league over the past four years.
This might be needling White Sox fans a bit, but CBS Sports also notes that the Cubs’ crosstown rivals have this year’s lowest single game ticket average at $6. That extreme gap in price and demand is no doubt fueled by the Cubs historic season in 2016, in addition to the White Sox shipping away Chris Sale and Adam Eaton to begin their firesale.
Worth noting too, the Cubs were a massive draw in Arizona even before winning the World Series. Last spring, they set a Cactus League record by drawing 226,163 total fans to their spring home games. That’s an average of 15,078 fans per game, and chances are that will rise too as the Cubs embark on their championship tour.
5 Reasons the Chicago Cubs Will Repeat in 2017.
By Ryan Davis
Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs walks off the field in Game 2 of the 2016 World Series. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs won the World Series — something once completely unthinkable. They were down 3-1 in the World Series, storming back to force Game 7 against the Cleveland Indians. Tied heading into the bottom of the ninth in Cleveland, Chicago held the Indians at bay and took the lead in the 10th. But it’s not just about the 2016 Cubs. Going into 2017, the Cubs will be well set to defend their title. Here are five reasons the Cubs might repeat as World Series champions.
1. Most of the team will return.
The major free agents from the Cubs’ 2016 roster: outfielder Dexter Fowler, catcher David Ross (who’s retiring), starting pitcher Jason Hammel, and relievers Travis Wood, Trevor Cahill, and Aroldis Chapman. Those six players combined for 8.3 WAR last season — a decent amount of wins primarily through Fowler’s 4.2 WAR. There’s a decent chance that all six don’t return, but Wood and Cahill might have a slight chance of being with the Cubs in 2017.
Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Ben Zobrist, Javier Baez, Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, and other core members of the team will return to the field with the Cubs next season. Even if Theo Epstein and the Cubs’ front office doesn’t make major additions, the team that returns is probably good for 90-plus regular-season wins on its own.
2. Jason Heyward will bounce back.
2016 was the outlier in Jason Heyward’s career. He hit just .230 with an OPS of .631 (both career lows). He was worth just 1.5 WAR, which was also a career low. But in the previous four seasons, from the ages of 22–25, Heyward averaged 5.5 WAR per year — and 6.5 WAR per 650 plate appearances.
There’s no doubt that Heyward was broken at the plate last year. He never really got into a groove offensively, struggling to catch up to fastballs and hitting way too many baseballs on the ground and straight to the second baseman. He’s worked hard at his craft, and will have an entire winter to work on revamping his swing. There’s a strong chance the 27-year-old will have a season more like the rest of his career in 2017.
3. Kyle Schwarber will be healthy.
Without Kyle Schwarber, the Cubs wouldn’t have won the World Series. He wasn’t able to play in the field, being limited to just one pinch-hit appearance in three games at Wrigley Field and serving as the DH in four games in Cleveland. After having to sit all but two regular season games due to a torn ACL, Schwarber’s elite bat played a huge role, going 7-for-17 at the plate and leading off the top of the 10th in Game 7 with a huge single to start the winning rally.
He’s set to go out to left field next year, while probably still getting the occasional appearance behind the plate as the third catcher. Schwarber is a legitimate terror at the plate, and while the Cubs still were able to put together a 103-win season without him, a healthy Schwarber gives the Cubs yet another great, young power hitter in the middle of their lineup. That will make up for a decent amount of value that will be lost with the inevitable departure of Fowler.
4. The core is still young.
That strong core that’s coming back is almost entirely on the good side of 30. The average age going into next season for Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber, Heyward, Baez, Addison Russell, and Willson Contreras comes out right at 25 years old. And that’s just including the players who had a major role in winning the World Series this season. Guys like Albert Almora, Rob Zastryzny, and many of the talented young prospects waiting in the minor leagues will come up and have a say in just how good the Cubs are going to be for the foreseeable future.
5. The competition is weak.
When looking at the landscape in the Cubs’ division, it’s safe to say that you can expect Chicago to be competitive for a while. Their closest competition, the St. Louis Cardinals, only won 86 regular season games in 2016. While there are a few nice, young players in St. Louis, a lot of the core of that roster is getting older and less valuable. Yadier Molina, Jhonny Peralta, Matt Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, and several other performers from last year are either on the wrong side of 30 or won’t return with the team.
Even if the Cards (or the Pittsburgh Pirates) make moves to improve their roster, it’s hard to imagine them coming close to chasing down the Cubs in the near future. To even win 86 games, the Cardinals needed absolutely absurd seasons from Brandon Moss and Jedd Gyorko, who combined for 58 home runs in 813 at-bats. Moss isn’t too likely to return, and Gyorko will be 28 years old and probably will never have another season like that in his lifetime. The National League Central division is right there for the Cubs in 2017, which gives them great odds at making and repeating in the playoffs.
From the stands at the World Series to 2017's outfield, Cubs see Jon Jay as important piece of title defense.
By JJ Stankevitz
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Jon Jay got an in-person sense of what a ratcheted-up atmosphere at Wrigley Field sounds and feels like when he happened to be in the stands for Game 3 of the 2016 World Series — which was the first Fall Classic contest played on Clark and Addison in 71 years.
Jay was already going to be in the area with plans to head east on the Indiana Toll Road to South Bend, Ind., where his alma mater, Miami, was playing Notre Dame on the last weekend in October. So the seven-year major league veteran scored a ticket and filed into Wrigley Field that Friday night with hordes of fans, many of whom literally had waited their entire lives for that night.
"It was surreal for me just walking up to the park and seeing how many people were walking in, and thinking this is what people do every single day," Jay said last month at the Sheraton Grand for Cubs Convention. "So to see that was real cool, and then the atmosphere was great. You saw how happy the fans were. It was real cool."
The Cubs lost Game 3, and Miami lost to Notre Dame the next day, so it wasn't exactly a good weekend for Jay's future and past teams. The Cubs signed Jay to a one-year, $8 million deal in November, with the expectation the 32-year-old will help fill the hole left by Dexter Fowler's winter departure to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Jay played for the Cardinals from 2010-2015 and was a steady top-of-the-order presence for most of those years, compiling a .354 on-base percentage over 757 games. He won a ring with the Cardinals in 2011 and has 220 postseason plate appearances to his name, giving the Cubs an injection of another veteran presence in a clubhouse that, despite back-to-back playoff appearances, remains young.
Right fielder Jason Heyward played with Jay in 2015 — which, statistically, was the worst year of Jay's career — and came away impressed with his presence in both a lineup and a clubhouse.
"He brings a lot of baseball knowledge, a lot of the little things that can happen on and off the field," Heyward said. "Great clubhouse guy, great leader by example, somebody with experience, somebody with a ring and just a lot of those things come with time and experience. And he has that, and he brings that to our ballclub. Obviously we have for the most part a young team, but we got some experience now for our young guys. But it's good to add somebody else in there to be a calming voice.
Added Heyward: "When we lose a David Ross, we need to kind of replace that and have it in there." In St. Louis, Heyward said Jay "was that guy" akin to Ross in the Cardinals' clubhouse."
It'll be an exercise in flexibility to figure out how Jay fits in a Cubs outfield that loses Fowler but returns Kyle Schwarber to left field, and also can be staffed by Heyward, Ben Zobrist, Albert Almora, Willson Contreras and Kris Bryant. Jay was better in 2016 (.291/.339/.389 in 374 plate appearances) with the San Diego Padres than in 2015 (.210/.306/.257 in 245 plate appearances) with the Cardinals, but he's probably not the lineup staple that Fowler was.
But the ability for the Cubs' lineup to be flexible is one of the things Jay keyed on when asked why he thought last year's club was so successful. So after getting an in-person chance to see how that flexibility could play out on baseball's biggest stage, Jay will be a part of it as the Cubs push to defend their title in 2017.
"Who knows what the lineup's going to be, who knows who's going to be out there every day," Jay said. "But guys are going to be able to rest and then when it's time for October, guys are going to be fresh."
Jay was already going to be in the area with plans to head east on the Indiana Toll Road to South Bend, Ind., where his alma mater, Miami, was playing Notre Dame on the last weekend in October. So the seven-year major league veteran scored a ticket and filed into Wrigley Field that Friday night with hordes of fans, many of whom literally had waited their entire lives for that night.
"It was surreal for me just walking up to the park and seeing how many people were walking in, and thinking this is what people do every single day," Jay said last month at the Sheraton Grand for Cubs Convention. "So to see that was real cool, and then the atmosphere was great. You saw how happy the fans were. It was real cool."
The Cubs lost Game 3, and Miami lost to Notre Dame the next day, so it wasn't exactly a good weekend for Jay's future and past teams. The Cubs signed Jay to a one-year, $8 million deal in November, with the expectation the 32-year-old will help fill the hole left by Dexter Fowler's winter departure to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Jay played for the Cardinals from 2010-2015 and was a steady top-of-the-order presence for most of those years, compiling a .354 on-base percentage over 757 games. He won a ring with the Cardinals in 2011 and has 220 postseason plate appearances to his name, giving the Cubs an injection of another veteran presence in a clubhouse that, despite back-to-back playoff appearances, remains young.
Right fielder Jason Heyward played with Jay in 2015 — which, statistically, was the worst year of Jay's career — and came away impressed with his presence in both a lineup and a clubhouse.
"He brings a lot of baseball knowledge, a lot of the little things that can happen on and off the field," Heyward said. "Great clubhouse guy, great leader by example, somebody with experience, somebody with a ring and just a lot of those things come with time and experience. And he has that, and he brings that to our ballclub. Obviously we have for the most part a young team, but we got some experience now for our young guys. But it's good to add somebody else in there to be a calming voice.
Added Heyward: "When we lose a David Ross, we need to kind of replace that and have it in there." In St. Louis, Heyward said Jay "was that guy" akin to Ross in the Cardinals' clubhouse."
It'll be an exercise in flexibility to figure out how Jay fits in a Cubs outfield that loses Fowler but returns Kyle Schwarber to left field, and also can be staffed by Heyward, Ben Zobrist, Albert Almora, Willson Contreras and Kris Bryant. Jay was better in 2016 (.291/.339/.389 in 374 plate appearances) with the San Diego Padres than in 2015 (.210/.306/.257 in 245 plate appearances) with the Cardinals, but he's probably not the lineup staple that Fowler was.
But the ability for the Cubs' lineup to be flexible is one of the things Jay keyed on when asked why he thought last year's club was so successful. So after getting an in-person chance to see how that flexibility could play out on baseball's biggest stage, Jay will be a part of it as the Cubs push to defend their title in 2017.
"Who knows what the lineup's going to be, who knows who's going to be out there every day," Jay said. "But guys are going to be able to rest and then when it's time for October, guys are going to be fresh."
WHITE SOX: Frazier wants to stay with Sox past '17, help rebuild.
By Scott Merkin
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Todd Frazier wants to win a World Series championship. Frazier would also like to stay with the White Sox beyond the 2017 campaign, his last season before he's set to enter free agency.
Those goals may stand at opposition to one another, with Chicago's rebuild in full force. But the veteran seems willing to accept the growth period, since with it comes the potential for excellence in the future.
Those goals may stand at opposition to one another, with Chicago's rebuild in full force. But the veteran seems willing to accept the growth period, since with it comes the potential for excellence in the future.
"Why not? Shoot, I would love to play here longer and help these young guys come up," Frazier said during a taping of the whitesox.com podcast at SoxFest. "I would love to be basically that leader that they wanted me to be last year as well.
"Have I thought about free agency? Yeah, you are only human, but like I said, you have to play the game, play the team game, and the individual stuff will take care of itself and we'll go from there.
"If they want to come up and talk to me about it, I'm willing, because I do like this city. I'm sick of looking for renting places out here."
The White Sox debut for Frazier featured a 2016 season of mixed personal results. He set career highs with 40 home runs and 98 RBIs, and despite having a -2 DRS (per baseball-reference), he still played respectable defense.
His average dipped to a career low .225 with a career high 164 strikeouts, not to mention that he hit .169 with runners in scoring position. Frazier is already talking about working to hit more the other way, something he discussed recently with Hall of Famer Frank Thomas.
"[Thomas] said, 'You still have power over there [to left]. You will still hit your home runs. But work your way there,'" Frazier said. "The mistakes -- in a good way mistakes -- when you just drop the bat and hit the ball to left field, when they go, they will just come. Worry about getting after it in Spring Training, hit the ball the opposite way and when the ball comes in, just attack it."
There's a chance the soon-to-be 31-year-old could be moved as part of the rebuild. Matt Davidson, Trey Michalczewski, Nick Delmonico and Zach Remillard are the top-rated third base prospects in the White Sox system. But Frazier could provide both pop and veteran leadership to a burgeoning crew during and after the rebuild.
Frazier's camp could approach the White Sox about a new multiyear deal. Then again, the White Sox have a few other matters on their plate.
"We'll see what happens," Frazier said. "I would have liked to talk to them about it before the season started, but they are pretty busy and still busy trying to figure out who they want on the team. It might take a little while, but it's going to be fun for the White Sox up and coming in the next couple of years."
Golf: I got a club for that..... Matsuyama beats Simpson to win Phoenix playoff.
By Will Gray
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
Another final-round comeback, another title at TPC Scottsdale for Hideki Matsuyama. Here's how things ended up at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, where Matsuyama went back-to-back after beating Webb Simpson in a four-hole playoff:
Leaderboard: Hideki Matsuyama (-17, won on fourth playoff hole), Webb Simpson (-17), Louis Oosthuizen (-16), Rickie Fowler (-15), J.J. Spaun (-15), Byeong-Hun An (-14)
What it means: Matsuyama chased down Rickie Fowler at this event last year, but this time it was An who he had in his sights. A 5-under 66 got him into a playoff with Simpson, who posted the total first, and the first three extra holes were halved with pars. After Simpson missed a 25-foot putt on the fourth extra hole, it left the door open for Matsuyama who converted his birdie putt to successfully defend his title.
Round of the day: Simpson hadn't recorded a top-10 finish since June, but he made a quick run up the leaderboard with a bogey-free 64. Simpson sparked his round with an eagle on the par-5 third hole, then closed with three birdies over the final four holes to force overtime with Matsuyama, although he remains winless since the 2013 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
Best of the rest: Oosthuizen notched a solo third-place finish after closing with a 6-under 65 that included a strong finish. The South African made the turn in 32 before notching three birdies in a four-hole stretch from Nos. 14-17 that gave him his best worldwide finish since last year's WGC-Dell Match Play Championship.
Biggest disappointment: An started the day in the lead, and built his advantage to three shots midway through the round. But bogeys at Nos. 10 and 11 dropped him out of the lead, and An tumbled even further after closing with sloppy bogeys on Nos. 17 and 18. A 2-over 73 included a back-nine 40 and left An still in search of his first PGA Tour win.
Shot of the day: Just when the playoff seemed like it might last until Tuesday, Matsuyama rolled in a 15-footer for birdie on No. 17, a putt that he accentuated with a fist pump before the ball found the hole.
Quote of the day: "It was a struggle, especially that playoff, but I'm very happy to win." - Matsuyama
Garcia tops Stenson for 12th Euro Tour title.
By Will Gray
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
Sergio Garcia shot a bogey-free 69 to close out a wire-to-wire, three-shot victory at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
The Spaniard began the final round with a three-shot lead over Henrik Stenson, and he ensured that the reigning Open champ couldn't get any closer by making a pair of front-nine birdies.
The win is Garcia's 12th on the European Tour, but his first since the 2014 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Garcia, 37, had not played since a T-11 finish last month at the Singapore Open. After beginning the week ranked No. 15 in the world, he is expected to move into the top 10 when the new rankings are published.
Stenson made a move with birdies on Nos. 13 and 14, but a two-shot swing on the par-3 15th effectively ended the drama when Garcia birdied and Stenson bogeyed. This is Stenson's sixth straight worldwide top-10 finish dating back to the WGC-HSBC Champions in November.
England's Tyrrell Hatton and Denmark's Lasse Jansen tied for third at 14 under, five shots behind Garcia. For Hatton, it's a result that should push him into the top 20 in the world rankings.
Matthew FItzpatrick, who played the first round alongside Tiger Woods and Danny Willett, tied for fifth alongside American Peter Uihlein.
A global LPGA tour is strengthening U.S. women’s golf.
Marika Washchyshyn
U.S. fans haven't had much to celebrate the last few years, since Stacy Lewis was ranked No. 1 in the world. In the new age of Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson, Ariya Jutanugarn and Inbee Park, among others, "What about the Americans?" has become a common refrain. But after the 2017 LPGA opener, those fears were quelled, at least temporarily.
Lincicome beat compatriot Lexi Thompson, who narrowly missed a 15-footer to extend the playoff. Lewis (-25), Gerina Piller (-24) and Nelly Korda (-21, tied with Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum), rounded out the top five.
"I knew that everyone at the top of the leaderboard were great players, and it was going to be really tough to get the win on Sunday," Lincicome said in a phone call shortly after her win. "To see all of the Americans on top of the leaderboard…we're obviously rooting for each other, which is really cool."
It's tough to win on a professional golf tour, men's or women's, but new contenders on the LPGA are constantly emerging. Since 2006, there have been 65 first-time winners. More often than not, it's a battle between American and Korean players; of those 65 first-timers, 25 were from Korea and 16 were from the United States.
But lately, fewer ladies in red, white and blue have hoisted trophies. Thanks in part to rising stars from Asia and Europe, just two Americans will defend titles in 2017, compared to seven champions in 2015 and 13 in 2014.
So, what gives?
LPGA Takeaway: Commissioner Mike Whan on Explosive Growth of Girl's Golf; Mike Whan says that of all the things he's proud of accomplishing during his tenure as LPGA Commissioner, the LPGA's biggest kept secret is his most prized achievement.
If last weekend in the Bahamas was any indication, it's not a lack of American talent.
"I'm certainly not concerned about the strength of American women's golf," LPGA commissioner Mike Whan told GOLF.com. "But at the same time, I'm not really sure it's in the best interests of the greatest [women's golf] tour in the world to have 80% of them being from America, either. It's the beauty of the game right now. It's purely borderless."
In 2016, a third of the LPGA's 33 official events were played outside of North America, in 14 different countries, ranging from Australia to Europe and everywhere in between. Over 170 countries worldwide have LPGA broadcasting rights. Sixty-three percent of active players on tour were international, but 41% of 2016 rookies were from the U.S.
One of Whan's primary goals since taking over in 2010 was to add more U.S. events to attract more players and fans in the country the LPGA calls home.
"When we sat down in 2010 and said, 'How many girls have we introduced to the game?' Forty-five hundred a year. That's not bad, but we'd have to do the next 100 years before we'd put as many girls in the game," Whan said. "So let's set a goal by the time we get to the Olympics of having 50,000 girls a year and see if we can really move the needle."
Following the Olympics, the LPGA/USGA-sponsored program "https://www.girlsgolf.org/about/who-we-are", Girl's Golf reported that over 60,000 girls participated in the initiative in 2016, a 1,000% increase since 2010. Their next goal? One hundred thousand girls by 2020.
Whan believes those numbers provide a road map for a lot of young girls in different countries, including the United States, to pursue a career in professional golf. Many will look to their national heroes to inspire them.
"We may not be winning every week, but you know what? That says a lot for our tour," said Gerina Piller, who finished fourth in the Bahamas. "Our competition is really good. And they're young, And they're up and coming. And the competition is as hard as I've ever seen it."
But for a tour that's based in the United States, it's still important for the LPGA to focus on growth at home. In 2017, two of the four new events added to the schedule will take place in the U.S., not including the Solheim Cup in Des Moines, Iowa. That has players excited about the opportunity to bolster the American fan base.
"Young juniors are excited to see where they could be professionally, which is very important to me," said Brittany Lang, winner of the 2016 U.S. Women's Open (and last American winner on tour before Lincicome last week). "Get young girls into the game, get young Americans playing, and keep great American players coming in."
Looking broadly at all tours, Americans are still dominating the world golf stage. Of the four international team events – the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup, the Solheim Cup and the International Crown – the U.S. is currently the defending champ in all of them. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, the U.S. was the only team on the men's side and one of two teams on the women's side (the other being Korea), to send more than two representatives to the Games based on their world ranking.
"I know we get bashed a lot as American golfers for the way we play," Piller, who finished T11 in Rio, told GOLF.com. "I wouldn't say it's extra pressure. I think in a way it's kind of an honor and privilege when they do get onto us, because of the expectation…of us being the best at everything."
Whan isn't fazed by the perceived American weakness. In his mind, what played out at the Olympics – an international field coming together on one stage – happens on his tour every week; what was once 30 women with a chance to win any given week is now up to 130 women, from 28 countries.
"The depth of talent on the LPGA today is like it's never been before," Whan said. "When you tell me the five best players in the Rolex World Rankings come from five different countries, I know it's probably not what you want to hear, but I say, 'Perfect.' I mean, I think that's perfect. I think that's what other sports dream to have. That's what other commissioners are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on – they want the world to pay attention to their sport, not just the U.S. That's exactly what we have, and that's why people are trying to figure out how we pulled this off."
If anything, rumors of an apparent lull in American talent is lighting a fire under the U.S. women.
"There's no room for error on the tour if you're gonna win," said Lang, who tied for 60th in the Bahamas. "Being on tour and being around all the international players, it definitely makes you more patriotic. It's great, ‘cause they're making us better."
"If played well, everyone played well too," Lincicome said after her Bahamian victory. "Maybe this was finally just my time to shine through."
NASCAR: ‘It was epic:’ Why Clint Bowyer will never forget his first race on asphalt.
By Jerry Bonkowski
(Photo/Getty Images)
Clint Bowyer is one of the best storytellers in NASCAR. He never seems to be at a loss to come up with great tales and yarns.
During the recent NASCAR Media Tour, Bowyer stopped by the NBC booth to talk about his hopes for 2017, but also decided to take a walk down memory lane.
When asked what it was like to take a lap around the track he cut his racing teeth on and what made it so cool, the Emporia, Kansas native reflected back to the late 1990s and a race he’ll never forget.
“Probably Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City is what put me on the map,” Bowyer began. “Awesome racetrack. It was an asphalt track and I did drive on it when it was asphalt (even though he cut his teeth on dirt track racing).
“A funny story, true story: My friend, Tim Karrick, I had always wanted to drive asphalt and I had been running real well on dirt. The last race of the year was a points race. Tim was running second in the points, Jeff Klem was leading the points and pretty much had it wrapped, all he had to do was finish the race and it was done.
“Tim was down and out and knew Jeff pretty much had it done, so he let me drive his back-up car. I’d never been on asphalt before in my life. Going around there, making laps, all of a sudden the car gets extremely loose.
“I’m asking the spotter, ‘Hey, this thing is so loose, I can’t hold on to it. What’s the deal?’ And he said ‘You’re fine, you’re fine, just keep going.’ The tires wore out. About that time, the left rear tire rolls off the bead. I spin out getting into (turn) three, save it and try to get it restarted and I hear screeching coming and BOOM! I look over and it’s Jeff Klem, the guy that was the points leader.
“The guy that owned my car was racing for a championship. (Klem) hit me, knocked the rear end out of his car, he couldn’t finish the rest of the race, lost the championship, the guy that owned my car won the championship and it was all set up, everybody thought I did it on purpose.
“There was a huge fight in the pits, they hid me in a van, closed the door and locked the doors, and these guys were out there fighting, beating each other with jack handles – and I caused it all. That happened.”
When asked if there was a conclusion to his tale, Bowyer revealed the rest of the story.
“I don’t know, look up the police department in Kansas City, I’m sure there’s a police record of it,” Bowyer said. “It was epic. You should have been there that night. It was unbelievable.”
Kevin Harvick will be ‘very involved’ in building Stewart-Haas’ Xfinity program.
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
For the last few years, Kevin Harvick hasn’t had much enthusiasm for competing in the Xfinity Series.
“It really hasn’t been that much fun to drive on Saturdays, just with not really being involved and not really having the people around me that I knew,” Harvick said Tuesday during NASCAR’s test at Phoenix Raceway.
In the last three seasons since he left Richard Childress Racing for Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick has competed in 34 Xfinity Series races for JR Motorsports and won six times.
But Harvick’s full-time job at SHR kept him from providing the best lending hand. That will change this season as SHR launches its own Xfinity program, headlined by Cole Custer in the No. 00 Ford Mustang.
“I’ve going to be very involved,” Harvick said. “I want to be as involved as they’ll let me be involved.”
Part of that will include driving the No. 41 Ford this year. The 46-time Xfinity winner and two-time champion is tentatively scheduled to make four starts in the car.
“When I can walk across the parking lot and be able to talk to the guys in the shop and drive the cars and have that a part of our system, that’s very important for to learn how to utilize that system in order to make it a benefit for our Cup teams,” Harvick said.
A vital part of Harvick’s efforts will be in his guidance of Custer, who has only five Xfinity starts, which also came with JR Motorsports.
Custer, 19, is soaking up everything the 2014 Cup Series champion has to offer about what it takes to make it in a series that is heavily populated with Cup drivers.
“I’m trying to get as much information I can from Harvick going into these different Xfinity races because he’s obviously one of the best in the Xfinity Series,” Custer said last week at the NASCAR Media Tour. “I feel like I’ve related to him more since he runs a lot of the Truck races and Xfinity races, so he can really help me a lot with that. It seems like he’s my go-to guy I would say right now, but there are a lot of great drivers at Stewart-Haas. If I can just get a little bit of information from any of them I think it would be a great thing.”
Custer “can’t even stress” how much work SHR is putting into getting the Xfinity operation set for its debut on Feb. 25 at Daytona International Speedway.
“You’re creating a fab shop and you’ve never really hung Xfinity bodies before, so you’re learning how to do that and you’re figuring out everything that goes with it,” Custer said.
Harvick knows there will be “hurdles” SHR will face in its new endeavour, but they’ll be done in an effort to improve what the team is doing on Sundays.
“We need Cole to be successful and all that stuff translates,” Harvick said. “There’s a lot of pieces, whether it be building the team and having those guys ready to slide into the Cup position or pit crew guys. That’s an important piece of what we do, so it’s important that we lay the groundwork correctly.”
Harvick’s first on-track contribution to that groundwork will be the April 8 race at Texas Motor Speedway.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. now the ‘old guy’ as Roush Fenway undergoes ‘culture shift’.
By Daniel McFadin
“It really hasn’t been that much fun to drive on Saturdays, just with not really being involved and not really having the people around me that I knew,” Harvick said Tuesday during NASCAR’s test at Phoenix Raceway.
In the last three seasons since he left Richard Childress Racing for Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick has competed in 34 Xfinity Series races for JR Motorsports and won six times.
But Harvick’s full-time job at SHR kept him from providing the best lending hand. That will change this season as SHR launches its own Xfinity program, headlined by Cole Custer in the No. 00 Ford Mustang.
“I’ve going to be very involved,” Harvick said. “I want to be as involved as they’ll let me be involved.”
Part of that will include driving the No. 41 Ford this year. The 46-time Xfinity winner and two-time champion is tentatively scheduled to make four starts in the car.
“When I can walk across the parking lot and be able to talk to the guys in the shop and drive the cars and have that a part of our system, that’s very important for to learn how to utilize that system in order to make it a benefit for our Cup teams,” Harvick said.
A vital part of Harvick’s efforts will be in his guidance of Custer, who has only five Xfinity starts, which also came with JR Motorsports.
Custer, 19, is soaking up everything the 2014 Cup Series champion has to offer about what it takes to make it in a series that is heavily populated with Cup drivers.
“I’m trying to get as much information I can from Harvick going into these different Xfinity races because he’s obviously one of the best in the Xfinity Series,” Custer said last week at the NASCAR Media Tour. “I feel like I’ve related to him more since he runs a lot of the Truck races and Xfinity races, so he can really help me a lot with that. It seems like he’s my go-to guy I would say right now, but there are a lot of great drivers at Stewart-Haas. If I can just get a little bit of information from any of them I think it would be a great thing.”
Custer “can’t even stress” how much work SHR is putting into getting the Xfinity operation set for its debut on Feb. 25 at Daytona International Speedway.
“You’re creating a fab shop and you’ve never really hung Xfinity bodies before, so you’re learning how to do that and you’re figuring out everything that goes with it,” Custer said.
Harvick knows there will be “hurdles” SHR will face in its new endeavour, but they’ll be done in an effort to improve what the team is doing on Sundays.
“We need Cole to be successful and all that stuff translates,” Harvick said. “There’s a lot of pieces, whether it be building the team and having those guys ready to slide into the Cup position or pit crew guys. That’s an important piece of what we do, so it’s important that we lay the groundwork correctly.”
Harvick’s first on-track contribution to that groundwork will be the April 8 race at Texas Motor Speedway.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. now the ‘old guy’ as Roush Fenway undergoes ‘culture shift’.
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. “never really thought it would happen.” Entering his ninth season in NASCAR, he’s now the “old guy” at Roush Fenway Racing.
“I’ve been at Roush Fenway the longest now,” Stenhouse said last week at the NASCAR Media Tour, three months after he turned 29. “I signed with Roush in 2007, so it’s been a while. It’s been a journey that I’ve enjoyed. It’s a new chapter for me now to kind of take the reins and make sure we lay the buggy in the right direction.”
Stenhouse is the lead driver after the previous “old guy,” Greg Biffle, amicably parted ways with the team the day after last year’s Cup Series finale. Biffle, 47, left after driving for Roush since 1998, when Stenhouse was 11 and teammate Trevor Bayne was 7.
Now Roush will only field Stenhouse and Bayne, making its Cup Series operation a two-car effort for the first time since 1995.
“I feel good about that and Trevor, along with me, we’re gonna have to make sure that when we come back from the weekend we let them know what direction we need to go to make our cars better and better every week,” said Stenhouse, who has yet to win in four full-time Cup seasons with Roush. “I think we started last season fairly strong and we fell off. That was something that we weren’t able to maintain and that’s something we’ve got down in our notes.”
Stenhouse earned a career-best four top fives last season before finishing 21st in the standings.
Bayne, entering his third season with Roush, said the car reduction and personnel changes in the offseason is a small part of a “culture shift” within the walls of the team that hasn’t won a race or made the playoffs the last two seasons.
“I feel like we did not keep up the way that we wanted to (last year),” Bayne said. “So what we have to learn is … ‘How do you stay motivated and make the gains from Michigan to Homestead that you make in the off-season, that you show up to Atlanta and Daytona with?’ That’s what we have to do as a team. We have to stay motivated.
“I think the guys are motivated, but we have to continue to communicate better. You’ve heard this a lot at Roush Fenway Racing in particular is a culture shift and a communication shift. I think that’s taking place. You don’t have a culture shift by replacing one or two people or by hiring new personnel. The culture shift has to be ingrained into every single person in the organization, and I think we’re getting closer and closer to being to that point where everybody believes that we can do it at Roush Fenway Racing.”
Another part of the culture shift – or culture maturation – is Bayne and Stenhouse putting aside any teammate rivalry, which was highlighted by Roush’s social media team anytime the drivers would be near each other on the track.
“I think Ricky and I have kind of realized in the last couple of years of being teammates at the Cup level that it’s not Ricky versus Trevor anymore,” Bayne said. “It’s Roush Fenway Racing versus everybody else.”
Two years removed from its last Cup win, Roush Fenway will begin finding out if its “culture shift” will stick with the Feb. 26 Daytona 500.
SOCCER: Fire beat Florida Gulf Coast in preseason opener.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Chicago Fire opened the preseason with a 1-0 win against Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday.
The Fire took on the school which is hosting it for preseason training.
Nemanja Nikolic scored the only goal of the game late in the first half. Nikolic tapped in a ball that came in from Luis Solignac on the left.
Nikolic was one of five players new to the Fire this season to start the match. Jorge Bava played the first half in goal. Juninho sat next to third round pick Brondt Bronico in central midfield and trialist Boyd Okwuonu played at right back.
The Fire had an entirely different lineup come out for the second half. That group included first round pick Daniel Johnson and second rounder Guillermo Delgado, who had a few chances, but was unable to score.
Drew Beckie, the other trialist at right back in addition to Okwuonu, played right back in the second half. Another trialist, Miguel Alvarado, played in central midfield.
The Fire's next preseason game is Thursday against Major League Soccer opposition in the Philadelphia Union at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
The Fire took on the school which is hosting it for preseason training.
Nemanja Nikolic scored the only goal of the game late in the first half. Nikolic tapped in a ball that came in from Luis Solignac on the left.
Nikolic was one of five players new to the Fire this season to start the match. Jorge Bava played the first half in goal. Juninho sat next to third round pick Brondt Bronico in central midfield and trialist Boyd Okwuonu played at right back.
The Fire had an entirely different lineup come out for the second half. That group included first round pick Daniel Johnson and second rounder Guillermo Delgado, who had a few chances, but was unable to score.
Drew Beckie, the other trialist at right back in addition to Okwuonu, played right back in the second half. Another trialist, Miguel Alvarado, played in central midfield.
The Fire's next preseason game is Thursday against Major League Soccer opposition in the Philadelphia Union at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
Fire midfielder Dax McCarty starts in U.S. national team win against Jamaica. Friday night's game, 02/03/2017).
By Dan Santaromita
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/Twitter.com)
Dax McCarty hasn't joined the Chicago Fire in preseason yet because he's been training with the U.S. national team. On Friday he took the field for the national team.
McCarty got the start in a friendly against Jamaica. He was used as a defensive midfielder and played 63 minutes in a 1-0 win in Chattanooga, Tenn.
It was McCarty's sixth cap and his first since 2011. He was called in multiple times under coach Bob Bradley, but was never called in by Jurgen Klinsmann. This is the second game in Bruce Arena's second tenure as national team coach.
McCarty hit a header over the bar off a corner kick in the first 10 minutes and was part of the build up play on the opening goal, which was scored by Jordan Morris. McCarty was replaced by Darlington Nagbe in the second half.
The Fire's first preseason game is Saturday at Florida Gulf Coast University. McCarty is expected to join his new team shortly in Florida.
McCarty got the start in a friendly against Jamaica. He was used as a defensive midfielder and played 63 minutes in a 1-0 win in Chattanooga, Tenn.
It was McCarty's sixth cap and his first since 2011. He was called in multiple times under coach Bob Bradley, but was never called in by Jurgen Klinsmann. This is the second game in Bruce Arena's second tenure as national team coach.
McCarty hit a header over the bar off a corner kick in the first 10 minutes and was part of the build up play on the opening goal, which was scored by Jordan Morris. McCarty was replaced by Darlington Nagbe in the second half.
The Fire's first preseason game is Saturday at Florida Gulf Coast University. McCarty is expected to join his new team shortly in Florida.
Leicester City 0-3 Manchester United: Red Devils win behind six-minute flurry.
By Kyle Bonn
(Photo/Getty Images)
Manchester United moved within a point of fifth as they downed a slumping Leicester City at King Power Stadium 3-0 behind three goals within six game minutes across halftime. Henrikh Mkhitaryan hit the first in the 43rd minute, Zlatan Ibrahimovic bagged the second before halftime, and Juan Mata finished it off three minutes out of halftime as United cruised past a Foxes side that appeared to have little fight.
Leicester City had the game’s first half-chance, as Robert Huth nearly got on the end of a cross, but was defended well by Marcus Rojo. Danny Drinkwater was shown a yellow card immediately after, just five minutes in, for fouling Juan Mata on a Manchester United break.
The game was a scrappy midfield battle early on, with Leicester firing another shot at David De Gea‘s net on 12 minutes but Riyad Mahrez scuffed it wide.
United had its first good chance on 22 minutes as Marcus Rashford poorly blazed over after a good find by Mkhitaryan. This seemed to light up the Red Devils, as they pushed forward with more intent. They would find the opener on the break just before halftime, as Chris Smalling headed a ball forward, and it caught the Leicester back line pressing too high. Mkhitaryan latched onto it and sprung forward through the Foxes’ half, and he finished one-on-one with Kasper Schmeichel who only got a slight touch.
They’d get a second just two minutes later through Ibrahimovic as Antonio Valencia delivered a cross low through the box, and Zlatan was there to one-time it into the net through the legs of Wes Morgan and past Schmeichel. The double strike, coming just one minute before halftime, was the big blow United needed.
There were three total changes after the break, with Claudio Ranieri bringing on Andy King and Demarai Grey for Ahmed Musa and Shinji Okazaki, while Jose Mourinho chose Daley Blind off the bench to replace Marcus Rojo.
The Red Devils struck just three minutes after halftime, piling on the goals as Mata played a one-two with Mkhitaryan and got free behind Christian Fuchs, blasting the ball in for United’s third. Bracketing halftime, the three goals came just six minutes apart.
That wrapped up the scoring, but Manchester United wasn’t done. Mata was clean through just past the hour mark, but he looked to chip Schmeichel and didn’t get enough air under the ball, collected by the Leicester goalkeeper. Mkhitaryan also came close with seven minutes remaining. The win for the Red Devils doesn’t see them gain position, still in sixth, but pulling within a point of Liverpool.
Leicester City, meanwhile, looked completely devoid of spirit as the game wound down. Ibrahimovic completely undressed Fuchs on the end line before being stopped by another defender, and moments later Morgan tried to pass square to a teammate and was miles off target with a bad giveaway. With the loss, the Foxes now sit just a single point above the relegation zone, with Hull City and Sunderland below them having won this weekend.
Cameroon rounds out Confederations Cup field.
Leicester City had the game’s first half-chance, as Robert Huth nearly got on the end of a cross, but was defended well by Marcus Rojo. Danny Drinkwater was shown a yellow card immediately after, just five minutes in, for fouling Juan Mata on a Manchester United break.
The game was a scrappy midfield battle early on, with Leicester firing another shot at David De Gea‘s net on 12 minutes but Riyad Mahrez scuffed it wide.
United had its first good chance on 22 minutes as Marcus Rashford poorly blazed over after a good find by Mkhitaryan. This seemed to light up the Red Devils, as they pushed forward with more intent. They would find the opener on the break just before halftime, as Chris Smalling headed a ball forward, and it caught the Leicester back line pressing too high. Mkhitaryan latched onto it and sprung forward through the Foxes’ half, and he finished one-on-one with Kasper Schmeichel who only got a slight touch.
They’d get a second just two minutes later through Ibrahimovic as Antonio Valencia delivered a cross low through the box, and Zlatan was there to one-time it into the net through the legs of Wes Morgan and past Schmeichel. The double strike, coming just one minute before halftime, was the big blow United needed.
There were three total changes after the break, with Claudio Ranieri bringing on Andy King and Demarai Grey for Ahmed Musa and Shinji Okazaki, while Jose Mourinho chose Daley Blind off the bench to replace Marcus Rojo.
The Red Devils struck just three minutes after halftime, piling on the goals as Mata played a one-two with Mkhitaryan and got free behind Christian Fuchs, blasting the ball in for United’s third. Bracketing halftime, the three goals came just six minutes apart.
That wrapped up the scoring, but Manchester United wasn’t done. Mata was clean through just past the hour mark, but he looked to chip Schmeichel and didn’t get enough air under the ball, collected by the Leicester goalkeeper. Mkhitaryan also came close with seven minutes remaining. The win for the Red Devils doesn’t see them gain position, still in sixth, but pulling within a point of Liverpool.
Leicester City, meanwhile, looked completely devoid of spirit as the game wound down. Ibrahimovic completely undressed Fuchs on the end line before being stopped by another defender, and moments later Morgan tried to pass square to a teammate and was miles off target with a bad giveaway. With the loss, the Foxes now sit just a single point above the relegation zone, with Hull City and Sunderland below them having won this weekend.
Cameroon rounds out Confederations Cup field.
By Matt Reed
(Photo/Twitter/@Dailysportarena)
Cameroon won its fifth African Cup of Nations title on Sunday and the team has now captured the final spot in this summer’s FIFA Confederations Cup.
The Indomitable Lions round out the eight-team field that will play in Russia in June, one year ahead of the 2018 World Cup which will also take place in the European nation.
The Indomitable Lions round out the eight-team field that will play in Russia in June, one year ahead of the 2018 World Cup which will also take place in the European nation.
The competition will begin on June 17 when hosts Russia take on New Zealand.
Here’s the full field for the 2017 Confederations Cup:
Group A
Russia
New Zealand
Portugal
Mexico
Group B
Cameroon
Chile
Australia
Germany
Here’s the full field for the 2017 Confederations Cup:
Group A
Russia
New Zealand
Portugal
Mexico
Group B
Cameroon
Chile
Australia
Germany
La Liga & Serie A: Sociedad avoids Osasuna upset, Lazio scores six.
By Matt Reed
(Photo/Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
A roundup of Saturday’s action in Spain and Italy’s top flights…
Real Sociedad 3-2 Osasuna
Osasuna put up every bit of fight they could on Sunday but the hosts managed to pull out a victory at the Anoeta Stadium. Despite an early finish from Kenan Kodro in the 25th minute, a trio of second-half finishes from Real Sociedad helped keep the Basque side in fifth place. Osasuna captured a second with over 10 minutes remaining through Sergio León but it wasn’t enough for the relegation side to pull out a result.
Osasuna put up every bit of fight they could on Sunday but the hosts managed to pull out a victory at the Anoeta Stadium. Despite an early finish from Kenan Kodro in the 25th minute, a trio of second-half finishes from Real Sociedad helped keep the Basque side in fifth place. Osasuna captured a second with over 10 minutes remaining through Sergio León but it wasn’t enough for the relegation side to pull out a result.
Sevilla 0-0 Villareal
The hosts blew a huge chance to move within a point of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, but Sevilla’s title aspirations have now taken a big hit. Jorge Sampaoli’s side now sits three points out of the top spot, although Real holds two matches in hand at the moment. Meanwhile, Villareal remains in the top six on 35 points.
Elsewhere in La Liga
Sporting Gijon 2-4 Alaves
Celta Vigo vs. Real Madrid (Postponed)
Juventus 1-0 Inter Milan
Juan Cuadrado‘s finish on the stroke of halftime was enough to give the league leaders a three-point gap at the top of Serie A, while Inter slides to fifth with the defeat. The visitors kept Juventus in check for most of the match, however, Cuadrado broke the deadlock in the 45th minute after burying a long-range shot in the top corner.
Pescara 2-6 Lazio
Marco Panolo starred for Lazio on the day with four goals on the road, while Keita Balde Diao and Ciro Immobile also found the back of the net for the fourth-place side. Despite conceding twice inside the opening quarter hour, Pescara responded well and equalized prior to halftime but Lazio’s persistence proved to be too much and Simone Inzaghi’s club punished the last-place club in the second stanza.
Elsewhere in Serie A
AC Milan 0-1 Sampdoria
Atalanta 2-0 Cagliari
Chievo 0-0 Udinese
Empoli 1-1 Torino
Genoa 0-1 Sassuolo
Palermo 1-0 Crotone
Strong second half hands Cameroon fifth AFCON title.
By Matt Reed
(Photo/Twitter/ @BBCSport)
It looked like the two sides were headed for extra time but Vincent Aboubakar decided to change the script with just two minutes remaining.
Cameroon captured its fifth African Cup of Nations crown on Sunday after Aboubakar netted the game-winner in the team’s 2-1 victory over Egypt at Stade de l’Amitié.
The second-half substitute did brilliantly to control a long ball into his path, before juggling the ball over a defender and blasting it into the back of the net in the 88th minute.
The Egyptians took the lead after 22 minutes when Mohamed Elneny was slipped into the penalty area by Mohamed Salah. Elneny received the ball on the right side of the box before blasting his shot towards the top corner and past goalkeeper Joseph Ondoa.
Cameroon responded on the other side of halftime through substitute Nicolas N’Koulou, who leveled the match at 1-1 just before the hour mark. N’Koulou came on in the 31st minute to replace Adolphe Teikeu.
PL Saturday roundup: Chelsea widens gap; Everton puts six past Cherries.
By Matt Reed
(Photo/Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Antonio Conte may not be ready to say Chelsea are the clear title favorites but after Saturday’s performance, the Blues could be running away with the Premier League.
The Blues certainly had some help though, with Liverpool faltering against Hull and Tottenham struggling with Middlesbrough.
Elsewhere, Everton put on the most impressive show of the day with six goals to push the Toffees past a tricky Bournemouth side.
Here, we take a look back at Saturday’s action from around England’s top flight.
Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal — RECAP
Since the last time these two sides faced off Chelsea has been on an absolute tear, and that continued on Saturday. While controversy surrounded the first goal, Marcos Alonso put the Blues ahead inside of 13 minutes. Second-half tallies from Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas ensured the points would go the way of Conte’s side, while Olivier Giroud netted in stoppage time to give the Gunners a moment of solace. Arsenal now sit 12 points behind leaders Chelsea, with their title hopes all but over.
Hull City 2-0 Liverpool — RECAP
It’s February and Liverpool have yet to win in the new calendar year. Jurgen Klopp‘s side remains fourth in the PL but the Reds have certainly fallen from grace as of late, and losses to Hull and Swansea over recent weeks have put a major damper on the club’s title hopes. The Tigers move to 18th in the PL with Saturday’s win, putting the team just one point away from moving itself out of the bottom three. Alfred N'Diaye and Oumar Niasse both found the scoresheet for Hull to give the club its fifth win of the season.
Everton 6-3 Bournemouth — RECAP
You saw that right. Nine goals between them at Goodison Park! While Bournemouth fought admirably to keep the game within sight for much of the day, Romelu Lukaku‘s stardom continues to grow in the PL after his four-goal performance on Saturday. The Belgian striker helped pace the Toffees for their 11th win of the season, while James McCarthy and Ross Barkley also found their way onto the scoresheet.
Meanwhile, Josh King netted a brace for Bournemouth, while Harry Arter grabbed another for the away side, who fall to 14th following the defeat. The Cherries are now winless in their last five PL fixtures.
Crystal Palace 0-4 Sunderland — RECAP
Palace has fallen and they can’t get up. In a battle of two of the league’s most struggling sides, it was Sunderland that came away with an absolute smashing at Selhurst Park. Jermain Defoe increased his goal total on the season to 10 after scoring a brace, while Lamine Kone and Didier Ndong also netted for the Black Cats. Both sides remain in the relegation zone on 19 points, however, Sunderland has taken points in consecutive matches while Palace has won just once in its last 10 PL matches.
Tottenham 1-0 Middlesbrough — RECAP
Mauricio Pochettino‘s men faced a stiff challenge against the Boro but Spurs made sure they didn’t slip up to keep their falling title hopes in line. Harry Kane converted from the penalty spot just before the hour mark to keep Tottenham within nine points of Chelsea on Saturday, although the club faces a tough test next week against Liverpool.
Southampton 1-3 West Ham — RECAP
The Hammers are back in the top half after a three-goal performance from the visitors at St. Mary’s. Manolo Gabbiadini scored in his Southampton debut, only to be out out shined by the away side. Andy Carroll, Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang all netted for West Ham, who has now won three of its last four PL fixtures.
West Brom 1-0 Stoke City — RECAP
James Morrison scored after six minutes, and that was all the hosts needed to pick up a valuable three points for the eighth-place side. As it stands, West Brom is now just six points out of the top six ahead of Manchester United’s clash on Sunday against Leicester City. Meanwhile, Stoke sits seven points behind the Baggies in 11th place.
Watford 2-1 Burnley — RECAP
Jeff Hendrick‘s early red card put the visitors at a major disadvantage and Watford capitalized to the fullest at Vicarage Road. Jose Holebas was on the receiving end of Hendrick’s nasty challenge less than 10 minutes into the match, allowing the Hornets to go on the offensive. Goals from M’Baye Niang and Troy Deeney helped push Watford into 10th place, leaping over the Clarets.
La Liga & Serie A: Barca cruises past Bilbao, Napoli scores seven.
By Matt Reed
The Blues certainly had some help though, with Liverpool faltering against Hull and Tottenham struggling with Middlesbrough.
Elsewhere, Everton put on the most impressive show of the day with six goals to push the Toffees past a tricky Bournemouth side.
Here, we take a look back at Saturday’s action from around England’s top flight.
Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal — RECAP
Since the last time these two sides faced off Chelsea has been on an absolute tear, and that continued on Saturday. While controversy surrounded the first goal, Marcos Alonso put the Blues ahead inside of 13 minutes. Second-half tallies from Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas ensured the points would go the way of Conte’s side, while Olivier Giroud netted in stoppage time to give the Gunners a moment of solace. Arsenal now sit 12 points behind leaders Chelsea, with their title hopes all but over.
Hull City 2-0 Liverpool — RECAP
It’s February and Liverpool have yet to win in the new calendar year. Jurgen Klopp‘s side remains fourth in the PL but the Reds have certainly fallen from grace as of late, and losses to Hull and Swansea over recent weeks have put a major damper on the club’s title hopes. The Tigers move to 18th in the PL with Saturday’s win, putting the team just one point away from moving itself out of the bottom three. Alfred N'Diaye and Oumar Niasse both found the scoresheet for Hull to give the club its fifth win of the season.
Everton 6-3 Bournemouth — RECAP
You saw that right. Nine goals between them at Goodison Park! While Bournemouth fought admirably to keep the game within sight for much of the day, Romelu Lukaku‘s stardom continues to grow in the PL after his four-goal performance on Saturday. The Belgian striker helped pace the Toffees for their 11th win of the season, while James McCarthy and Ross Barkley also found their way onto the scoresheet.
Meanwhile, Josh King netted a brace for Bournemouth, while Harry Arter grabbed another for the away side, who fall to 14th following the defeat. The Cherries are now winless in their last five PL fixtures.
Crystal Palace 0-4 Sunderland — RECAP
Palace has fallen and they can’t get up. In a battle of two of the league’s most struggling sides, it was Sunderland that came away with an absolute smashing at Selhurst Park. Jermain Defoe increased his goal total on the season to 10 after scoring a brace, while Lamine Kone and Didier Ndong also netted for the Black Cats. Both sides remain in the relegation zone on 19 points, however, Sunderland has taken points in consecutive matches while Palace has won just once in its last 10 PL matches.
Tottenham 1-0 Middlesbrough — RECAP
Mauricio Pochettino‘s men faced a stiff challenge against the Boro but Spurs made sure they didn’t slip up to keep their falling title hopes in line. Harry Kane converted from the penalty spot just before the hour mark to keep Tottenham within nine points of Chelsea on Saturday, although the club faces a tough test next week against Liverpool.
Southampton 1-3 West Ham — RECAP
The Hammers are back in the top half after a three-goal performance from the visitors at St. Mary’s. Manolo Gabbiadini scored in his Southampton debut, only to be out out shined by the away side. Andy Carroll, Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang all netted for West Ham, who has now won three of its last four PL fixtures.
West Brom 1-0 Stoke City — RECAP
James Morrison scored after six minutes, and that was all the hosts needed to pick up a valuable three points for the eighth-place side. As it stands, West Brom is now just six points out of the top six ahead of Manchester United’s clash on Sunday against Leicester City. Meanwhile, Stoke sits seven points behind the Baggies in 11th place.
Watford 2-1 Burnley — RECAP
Jeff Hendrick‘s early red card put the visitors at a major disadvantage and Watford capitalized to the fullest at Vicarage Road. Jose Holebas was on the receiving end of Hendrick’s nasty challenge less than 10 minutes into the match, allowing the Hornets to go on the offensive. Goals from M’Baye Niang and Troy Deeney helped push Watford into 10th place, leaping over the Clarets.
La Liga & Serie A: Barca cruises past Bilbao, Napoli scores seven.
By Matt Reed
(Photo/Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
A roundup of Saturday’s action in Spain and Italy’s top flights…
Barcelona 3-0 Athletic Bilbao
The Blaugrana have moved to within a point of Real Madrid at the summit of La Liga after a convincing performance on Saturday at the Camp Nou. First-half goals from Paco Alcacer and Lionel Messi helped give Barca a 2-0 advantage prior to halftime, while Aleix Vidal added a third on the other side of the break. Messi was up to his usual tricks in the 40th minute when he scored a tight-angled free kick to beat goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Leganes
Fernando Torres notched a brace to give Atleti some hope of staying in the title race against Leganes. The veteran Spanish striker scored on both sides of halftime, with the first coming after an Antoine Griezmann penalty kick was saved in the 15th minute. Torres got on the scoresheet for a second time six minutes into the second stanza when Angel Correa sent the former Chelsea striker in on goal.
Elsewhere in La Liga
Malaga 0-1 Espanyol
Valencia 0-4 Eibar
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Leganes
Fernando Torres notched a brace to give Atleti some hope of staying in the title race against Leganes. The veteran Spanish striker scored on both sides of halftime, with the first coming after an Antoine Griezmann penalty kick was saved in the 15th minute. Torres got on the scoresheet for a second time six minutes into the second stanza when Angel Correa sent the former Chelsea striker in on goal.
Elsewhere in La Liga
Malaga 0-1 Espanyol
Valencia 0-4 Eibar
The Blaugrana have moved to within a point of Real Madrid at the summit of La Liga after a convincing performance on Saturday at the Camp Nou. First-half goals from Paco Alcacer and Lionel Messi helped give Barca a 2-0 advantage prior to halftime, while Aleix Vidal added a third on the other side of the break. Messi was up to his usual tricks in the 40th minute when he scored a tight-angled free kick to beat goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Leganes
Fernando Torres notched a brace to give Atleti some hope of staying in the title race against Leganes. The veteran Spanish striker scored on both sides of halftime, with the first coming after an Antoine Griezmann penalty kick was saved in the 15th minute. Torres got on the scoresheet for a second time six minutes into the second stanza when Angel Correa sent the former Chelsea striker in on goal.
Elsewhere in La Liga
Malaga 0-1 Espanyol
Valencia 0-4 Eibar
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Leganes
Fernando Torres notched a brace to give Atleti some hope of staying in the title race against Leganes. The veteran Spanish striker scored on both sides of halftime, with the first coming after an Antoine Griezmann penalty kick was saved in the 15th minute. Torres got on the scoresheet for a second time six minutes into the second stanza when Angel Correa sent the former Chelsea striker in on goal.
Elsewhere in La Liga
Malaga 0-1 Espanyol
Valencia 0-4 Eibar
NCAABKB: SATURDAY’S SNACKS: Six top ten teams lose in a wild day.
By Scott Phillips
Iowa State stunned Kansas with a big second-half comeback. (Photo/AP)
THINGS TO KNOW
Things got wild in the Big 12 on Saturday as the top three teams in the conference leaders all lost at home to unranked, bubble-bound teams.
It started when Iowa State earned one of the most important wins of the season by beating No. 3 Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. The Cyclones snapped the Jayhawks’ 54-game winning streak. I have more on this one here.
After Kansas fell, No. 2 Baylor had a chance to make a move in the Big 12 standings but they lost that opportunity by losing at home to Kansas State. The Wildcats nearly blew a 15-point halftime lead by held on as Kamau Stokes had 15 points. Rob Dauster has more on why this win is so important for Kansas State.
Then to cap it all off, No. 7 West Virginia lost at home to Oklahoma State, 82-75. It is the fifth straight win for the Cowboys, who have played their way off the bubble and into the NCAA tournament.
The afternoon started with an important game in the Big Ten as No. 23 Purdue traveled to No. 17 Maryland. Sophomore Caleb Swanigan had a solid outing and overcame some poor play from Purdue’s other interior options as the Boilers earned a huge road win. I have more on why this one was critical to the rest of Purdue’s season.
The biggest statement of the day was made by No. 13 Oregon, who pounded No. 5 Arizona into submission with an 85-58 win.
Speaking of statements, No. 24 Florida landed their first marquee win of the season as No. 8 Kentucky came to town and caught a backhand from the Gators. It was the best performance of Kasey Hill’s college career.
Keeping with the theme of unranked teams beating ranked teams on the road, Xavier pulled off a win at No. 22 Creighton without Edmond Sumner as the Musketeers had a balanced effort. I have more on why this one helps Xavier so much.
It was also a big afternoon for Syracuse as the Orange beat No. 9 Virginia and head coach Jim Boeheim coached in his 1,000th win with the program (although the NCAA vacated 101 wins, leaving him officially at 899 wins). CBT’s Rob Dauster has more on why this one mattered so much for the Orange and Boeheim and what it means for Syracuse’s NCAA tournament outlook.
Coach K returned to the sidelines for No. 21 Duke as they took down Pitt for a home ACC win. Junior Grayson Allen had 21 points to lead the Blue Devils and CBT’s Rob Dauster has more on the lineup changes that Duke could be using the rest of the season.
Jaaron Simmons, Ohio: Facing Akron, the MAC’s only unbeaten team in conference play, the junior guard had a monster outing as Simmons finished with 38 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in an Ohio win. Simmons went 10-for-16 from the field and he was perfect from the three-point line (5-for-5) and 13-for-16 from the free-throw line.
Angel Delgado, Seton Hall: Maybe the best big man nobody in college basketball is talking about, Delgado had 26 points and 17 rebounds in an overtime road win over Georgetown. The Pirates are fighting to stay in the NCAA tournament picture and Delgado is putting up 15.4 points and 14.7 rebounds per game in 10 Big East games. He’s playing at an All-American level.
Keon Johnson, Winthrop: If Winthrop makes the NCAA tournament, don’t forget about this guy. Johnson went for 39 points in a win over Campbell. The Big South leaders have come to expect big performances like this from Johnson as this tops his previous season high of 38 in a win over Illinois.
REST OF THE TOP 25
- No. 1 Gonzaga remained undefeated, although their streak of 267 minutes without trailing came to an end in the first half.
- Easy win for No. 6 Louisville as they ran past Boston College for an ACC road win. Deng Adel and Donovan Mitchell both finished with 19 points each.
- No. 11 UCLA avoided getting upset by Washington.
- No. 14 Cincinnati handled UConn without much trouble behind 27 points from Kyle Washington.
- San Diego scored nine first half points and 27 total points as they got mollywhopped by No. 18 Saint Mary’s.
- Tight win for No. 19 South Carolina over Georgia to stay among the SEC’s elite as P.J. Dozier had 21 points and Sindarius Thornwell had 18.
NOTABLE
- In the ACC, Miami earned a solid road win at N.C. State as Davon Reed had 26 points. Freshman Dennis Smith Jr. had 31 points and nine assists in the loss for the Wolfpack.
- Staying in the ACC, Wake Forest pulled off a home win over Georgia Tech as big man John Collins had 20 points and 11 rebounds.
- TCU earned a Big 12 home win over Texas to keep its NCAA tournament credibility intact. The Horned Frogs had 18 points from Vladimir Brodziansky.
- The Horizon League race got interesting with Green Bay beating Valparaiso by double digits at home. Kareem Kanter had 17 points and nine rebounds as the win snapped the Crusaders’ eight-game win streak. One game separates first-place Valpo and Green Bay in the conference now.
No. 10 Wisconsin outmuscles Indiana, holds on for 65-60 win.
Associated Press
(Photo/Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Ethan Happ scored 20 points, Nigel Hayes added 15 and 10 rebounds, and No. 10 Wisconsin outmuscled Indiana to hold on for a 65-60 win on Sunday.
Happ was 8 of 10 from the field to help the Badgers (20-3, 9-1 Big Ten) win their seventh straight game. Maryland’s loss to Purdue on Saturday allowed Wisconsin to take a one-game lead in the conference over the Terrapins.
The 6-foot-8 Hayes joined the 6-foot-10 Happ to give Indiana problems in the paint. But the Badgers were plagued by mistakes or missed foul shots after building a 12-point lead midway through the first half.
Indiana (15-9, 5-6) stayed within a couple possessions of the lead for most of the rest of the way. Josh Newkirk’s two foul shots with 28.6 seconds left got Indiana within 60-57, but Wisconsin went 5 of 6 from the foul line from that point to seal the win.
No. 12 UNC beats No. 20 Notre Dame 83-76 in relocated game.
Associated Press
(Photo/AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Justin Jackson scored 16 points to help No. 12 North Carolina beat No. 20 Notre Dame 83-76 on Sunday in a game postponed a day and relocated from UNC’s campus due to a water shortage.
Isaiah Hicks added 14 points for the Tar Heels (21-4, 9-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who shot 49 percent and dominated the glass while having six double-figure scorers.
V.J. Beachem scored 20 points for the Fighting Irish (17-7, 6-5), who lost for the fifth time in six games.
UNC led by 15 midway through the second half, only to see Notre Dame climb back to within 75-73 on Beachem’s 3-pointer from the corner with 3:47 left. But Joel Berry II answered with a jumper at the 3:33 mark to start an 8-0 run and turn away the comeback.
The postponement came Friday after the water system supplying the Chapel Hill campus and surrounding area instructed its 20,000 customers not to drink or use the water due to critically low supplies, brought on by a water-main break and the shutdown of a treatment plant.
The Greensboro Coliseum had hosted a country music concert Saturday night, giving arena officials a short turnaround to have the building ready for tipoff. Still, the game had a familiar feel despite its unexpected location — the coliseum has hosted the ACC Tournament 26 times, the last coming nearly two years ago when Notre Dame beat UNC to capture its first basketball championship in any league.
NCAA agrees to $209 million settlement for student-athlete class-action lawsuit.
By Scott Phillips
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
The NCAA and 11 major athletic conferences have agreed to pay $208.7 million to settle the federal class-action lawsuit filed by former college athletes who believed the value of their scholarships was capped illegally.
The announcement came Friday night as a judge must still approve of the settlement. The proposed settlement also doesn’t close the antitrust case originally filed in 2014 by former West Virginia football player Shawne Alston. His case was later combined with other lawsuits against the NCAA and it covers Division I men’s basketball, women’s basketball and FBS football players who competed from 2009-10 through 2016-17 and didn’t receive a cost-of-attendance stipend.
The “Power 5” conferences (the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac 12 and SEC) passed NCAA legislation in January 2015 that allowed for schools to increase the cost of an athletic scholarship to help include expenses beyond tuition such as room and board, books and fees. This settlement will help cover athletes who didn’t receive stipends as each member of the class is expected to receive approximately $6,000 as part of the settlement, according to the lead attorney for the case, Steve Berman.
“This is a historic settlement for student-athletes and there is more to come as the second part of the case seeks injunctive relief that will force the NCAA to pay student-athletes a fair share,” Berman said to the AP on Friday night.
The NCAA continues to push back on these lawsuits and settlements as they released a statement saying they, “will continue to vigorously oppose the remaining portion of the lawsuit seeking pay for play.” The NCAA also went on to say that they, “only settled this case because the terms are consistent with Division I financial aid rules.” The settlement also maintains cost of attendance as, “an appropriate dividing line between collegiate and professional sports,” according to the NCAA.
The second part of this case, which determines if athletes should be paid a fair share to compete in those aforementioned stipend sports, is still yet to be determined as both sides continue to battle that out in court.
The $208.7 million settlement will be fully funded by NCAA reserves, meaning that no conference or school will be required to contribute.
This settlement and class-action lawsuit are separate from the judge-approved $75 million class-action concussion lawsuit against the NCAA. There are also many other smaller lawsuits against the NCAA and Division I college programs for the mishandling of concussions.
This settlement also doesn’t touch anything from the famous Ed O’Bannon case that was resolved when the Supreme Court declined to hear the NCAA’s appeal for that ruling in March 2016.
When you look at how much the NCAA is continually paying in settlements for these cases, it means that things in college sports could be rapidly changing. The cost-of-attendance stipend is a nice addition for student-athletes to have at the moment but it’ll be fascinating to see how the second part of that lawsuit plays out.
NCAAFB: Rudy Ruettiger’s Notre Dame helmet, jersey fetch six-figures at auction.
By Bryan Fischer
(Photo/Getty Images)
He was five foot nothing, 100 and nothing, and he had barely a speck of athletic ability, but boy was his jersey valuable.
Former Notre Dame walk-on Rudy Ruettiger, best known for his story told in the movie Rudy, auctioned off the helmet and jersey from the Irish on Saturday and collected a whopping $241,500 for the two items, per the Associated Press.
The auction for the items was held in conjunction with Super Bowl LI down in Houston, with a portion of the proceeds being turned over to NFL charities. The AP did not note who won the two items or (or paid the six figures), but safe to say they’ve seen the movie more than once and wanted in on a piece of history.
Ruettiger famously recorded a sack during the team’s last game of the 1975 season against Georgia Tech, leading to him being carried off the field by his fellow players in one of the more memorable moments of the program involving a walk-on. The helmet and jersey were kept at Ruettiger’s father’s house but were placed back in his possession after his father’s passing.
Three-quarters of a million dollars is a pretty hefty price for a walk-on’s game used jersey but given the history of the story, it was certainly all worth it for one Notre Dame fan.
Former Notre Dame walk-on Rudy Ruettiger, best known for his story told in the movie Rudy, auctioned off the helmet and jersey from the Irish on Saturday and collected a whopping $241,500 for the two items, per the Associated Press.
The auction for the items was held in conjunction with Super Bowl LI down in Houston, with a portion of the proceeds being turned over to NFL charities. The AP did not note who won the two items or (or paid the six figures), but safe to say they’ve seen the movie more than once and wanted in on a piece of history.
Ruettiger famously recorded a sack during the team’s last game of the 1975 season against Georgia Tech, leading to him being carried off the field by his fellow players in one of the more memorable moments of the program involving a walk-on. The helmet and jersey were kept at Ruettiger’s father’s house but were placed back in his possession after his father’s passing.
Three-quarters of a million dollars is a pretty hefty price for a walk-on’s game used jersey but given the history of the story, it was certainly all worth it for one Notre Dame fan.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, February 06, 2017.
emoriesofhistory.com
1921 - The New York Yankees issued a press release to announce the purchase of 10 acres of property in the west Bronx. The land was used for Yankee Stadium I.
1926 - The National Football League adopted a rule that made players ineligible for competition until their college class graduated.
1932 - Dog sled racing happened for the first time in Olympic competition.
1958 - Ted Williams signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox that was worth $135,000. The contract made him the highest paid player in major league history.
1970 - The NBA expanded to 18 teams for the 1970-71 season. The new teams added were Buffalo, Cleveland, Houston and Portland.
1986 - Peter McNab (New Jersey Devils) became the 42nd player to score 450 career goals.
1990 - Brett Hull (St. Louis Blues) and his father Bobby Hull, became the only father-son combination in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season.
2005 - The New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX. It was the 3rd win in four years for the Patriots.
1926 - The National Football League adopted a rule that made players ineligible for competition until their college class graduated.
1932 - Dog sled racing happened for the first time in Olympic competition.
1958 - Ted Williams signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox that was worth $135,000. The contract made him the highest paid player in major league history.
1970 - The NBA expanded to 18 teams for the 1970-71 season. The new teams added were Buffalo, Cleveland, Houston and Portland.
1986 - Peter McNab (New Jersey Devils) became the 42nd player to score 450 career goals.
1990 - Brett Hull (St. Louis Blues) and his father Bobby Hull, became the only father-son combination in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season.
2005 - The New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX. It was the 3rd win in four years for the Patriots.
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