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“The ultimate victory in competition is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best and that you have gotten the most out of what you had to give.” ~ Howard Cosell, Sports Journalist (television, Radio and News Print)
TRENDING: Tough stretch run can help young Blackhawks prep for playoffs. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: Who analysts predict Bears will draft. (See the football section for Bears news an NFL updates).
TRENDING: Bulls withstand late flurry in 11th straight win over Raptors. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).
TRENDING: Why Cubs didn’t make a last-minute addition and saved up for the trade deadline. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: White Sox promise to leave no prospects behind this spring. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: White Sox promise to leave no prospects behind this spring. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: UConn women win 100th consecutive game with double-digit victory over South Carolina. (See the NCAABKB section for collegiate basketball news and tournament updates).
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Tough stretch run can help young Blackhawks prep for playoffs.
Vinnie Hinostroza enjoys mini-reunion in Rockford with Blackhawks on bye.
(Photo/ESPN College Basketball - Women's)
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Tough stretch run can help young Blackhawks prep for playoffs.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Ryan Hartman was on the ice in the waning minutes of the Blackhawks' game against the Dallas Stars on Feb. 4, a rookie thrown into a critical situation after earning the extra responsibility.
Good thing, because Hartman's diving block of a Jamie Benn shot probably saved the Blackhawks two points. It certainly saved them a trip to overtime.
"Situations like that can only improve your game as you're going along, add that depth to our team," coach Joel Quenneville said. "We're going to need these kids to be playing in some crucial situations and applying it now, it's a good learning curve."
As good as this stretch run is for the Blackhawks overall, it's especially good for their young players. The hockey is that much more intense, that much more meaningful. Some teams are looking to improve their postseason seeding. Some teams are still fighting to get into the playoffs. Either way, the tests are plentiful and a good primer for young players for the postseason.
And that's fine with them.
"This time of the year has always been my favorite (since) coming up through juniors," Hartman said. "That's when the real teams show up, and that's when that playoff drive and that desperation comes for some teams that are fighting for playoffs spots. It's a fun time of year, and I think we're all ready for the challenge."
Quenneville has given more responsibility to young players who have earned it. Hartman has gotten more — playing in late-game situations is part of that. Tanner Kero has, too.
"It's good for getting that experience and trying to get confidence in those big, tough games," Kero said. "You know how hard you have to work and the little things are so important, all throughout the game. That one play could cost you or could go in your net. You have to work hard every shift and can't take a shift off."
Dennis Rasmussen has gone from a bubble player to a consistent bottom-six player, be it on the wing or at center. Rasmussen wasn't here for the Blackhawks' postseason in 2016, but he could be here this time around. If so, these games mean a lot.
"If you want to be a team that wins in the end, you have to be a team that gets better every day — team and players, especially the young guys, the rookies," Rasmussen said. "I count myself as a young guy, and I feel I need to get better if we want to win it. That's the focus we have every practice and every game."
Since September, the Blackhawks have said they need everyone to contribute this season. That goes for the postseason, too. Who knows if all of them will be here once the playoffs start. But for those who are, the more they learn, the more responsibility they take on and the more they succeed, the better the overall team will be.
"We need them to improve and to be a part of it, playing in key situations," Quenneville said. "Their enthusiasm is healthy for our team as well. We're putting them in situations where the experience will be necessary."
Good thing, because Hartman's diving block of a Jamie Benn shot probably saved the Blackhawks two points. It certainly saved them a trip to overtime.
"Situations like that can only improve your game as you're going along, add that depth to our team," coach Joel Quenneville said. "We're going to need these kids to be playing in some crucial situations and applying it now, it's a good learning curve."
As good as this stretch run is for the Blackhawks overall, it's especially good for their young players. The hockey is that much more intense, that much more meaningful. Some teams are looking to improve their postseason seeding. Some teams are still fighting to get into the playoffs. Either way, the tests are plentiful and a good primer for young players for the postseason.
And that's fine with them.
"This time of the year has always been my favorite (since) coming up through juniors," Hartman said. "That's when the real teams show up, and that's when that playoff drive and that desperation comes for some teams that are fighting for playoffs spots. It's a fun time of year, and I think we're all ready for the challenge."
Quenneville has given more responsibility to young players who have earned it. Hartman has gotten more — playing in late-game situations is part of that. Tanner Kero has, too.
"It's good for getting that experience and trying to get confidence in those big, tough games," Kero said. "You know how hard you have to work and the little things are so important, all throughout the game. That one play could cost you or could go in your net. You have to work hard every shift and can't take a shift off."
Dennis Rasmussen has gone from a bubble player to a consistent bottom-six player, be it on the wing or at center. Rasmussen wasn't here for the Blackhawks' postseason in 2016, but he could be here this time around. If so, these games mean a lot.
"If you want to be a team that wins in the end, you have to be a team that gets better every day — team and players, especially the young guys, the rookies," Rasmussen said. "I count myself as a young guy, and I feel I need to get better if we want to win it. That's the focus we have every practice and every game."
Since September, the Blackhawks have said they need everyone to contribute this season. That goes for the postseason, too. Who knows if all of them will be here once the playoffs start. But for those who are, the more they learn, the more responsibility they take on and the more they succeed, the better the overall team will be.
"We need them to improve and to be a part of it, playing in key situations," Quenneville said. "Their enthusiasm is healthy for our team as well. We're putting them in situations where the experience will be necessary."
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
For Vinnie Hinostroza, this is going to be a fun week.
Oh, his time with the Blackhawks is going well. He got back into the lineup a few games ago and was part of the team closing out their road trip with a five-game winning streak. But Hinostroza had some good times while with the IceHogs. So for this week, at least, he'll enjoy his time catching up, practicing – and perhaps playing – with some friends.
Hinostroza, Tanner Kero, Nick Schmaltz and Gustav Forsling were sent to Rockford on Sunday, when the Blackhawks entered their bye week. The four were sent there, in part for cap-space reasons. According to CapFriendly, the Blackhawks saved $17,680 per day – an additional $477,360 in deadline cap space if those players stay in Rockford for the week.
The four were part of the IceHogs' practice on Tuesday. Whether they play against Cleveland on Wednesday morning, was unknown as of that afternoon.
"Not sure yet. I've got to get some direction from Stan [Bowman] in Chicago," Rockford coach Ted Dent said of the Blackhawks' general manager. "Obviously we have a lot of bodies now, so we just have to figure it out [Tuesday night] before the morning."
Hinostroza believed he could be playing in Wednesday's game, which has a 10:30 a.m. start. "I don't think I've done that since Pee Wees," he said. Whether or not he plays, however, Hinostroza will enjoy the time with his former IceHogs teammates.
"Getting back here, I'm happy," Hinostroza said. "It was so much fun last year with these guys. Everyone's smiling and having a good time. Come down here, practice, grab some dinner, see a movie. It's just great to be able to catch up with these guys."
Blackhawks to host 'Hockey Is For Everyone' night on Saturday to support LGBTQ community.
By #HawksTalk
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Blackhawks will host "Hockey Is For Everyone" night when they return from their bye week on Feb. 18 against the Edmonton Oilers at the United Center.
To support the LGBTQ community, players will use "pride tape" on their sticks during warmups, and several of them will be auctioned off online on NHL.com from Feb. 20 through Feb. 27. All proceeds will benefit the You Can Play Project.
Here's more information, via the team's press release:
To support the LGBTQ community, players will use "pride tape" on their sticks during warmups, and several of them will be auctioned off online on NHL.com from Feb. 20 through Feb. 27. All proceeds will benefit the You Can Play Project.
Here's more information, via the team's press release:
Hockey Is For Everyone, You Can Play Project, Chicago Gay Hockey Association, Center on Halsted and Hockey On Your Block will be located throughout the United Center concourse during the game. A portion of the Blackhawks silent auction and Split the Pot proceeds will benefit the organizations tabling on the concourse. Representatives from You Can Play Project and Hockey On Your Block will also participate in Shoot the Puck.
The Blackhawks will also host a private screening of “Soul on Ice: Past, Present, and Future” for Hockey On Your Block students at the Harper Theatre in Hyde Park on March 2, with CSN analyst Jamal Mayers and film creator Kwame Damon Mason hosting an open discussion for students afterwards.The Blackhawks and Stanley Cup Champion Ben Eager will also host a floor hockey clinic at the Center on Halsted on Wednesday, Feb. 15. The Center on Halsted is the Midwest's most comprehensive community center dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) people of Chicagoland. More than 1,000 community members visit the Center every
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Who analysts predict Bears will draft.
By Larry Mayer
Bucky Brooks, NFL.com (Jan. 26)
Pick: Alabama defensive tackle Jonathan Allen
Comment: Adding another piece to the defense could help the Bears close ground on their rivals in the offensive-minded NFC North.
Dane Brugler, CBS Sports (Feb. 14)
Pick: Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer
Comment: The Bears have some intriguing talent on the roster, but the quarterback depth chart is disheartening. Although his tape shows youthful mistakes, Kizer also shows the veteran poise and ideal physical traits to play the position at a high level.
Charlie Casserly, NFL.com (Feb. 13)
Pick: Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore
Comment: In the NFC North, you need cornerbacks with terrific cover skills; Lattimore fits the description.
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com (Feb. 9)
Pick: Alabama defensive tackle Jonathan Allen
Comment: Allen is a high-impact player and would add to a talented front seven in Chicago.
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN (Jan. 19)
Pick: Alabama defensive tackle Jonathan Allen
Comment: Allen, who had 22.5 sacks over the past two seasons, could play defensive end or defensive tackle in the NFL. Positional flexibility is a big selling point, and he'd likely play end in the Bears' 3-4 in this scenario. He was one of the best players in college football in 2016. The Bears had a disappointing 2016 season and have needs across the board, including at quarterback, safety and potentially receiver, depending on what happens with free agent
Todd McShay, ESPN (Feb. 8)
Pick: Alabama defensive tackle Jonathan Allen
Comment: Allen has elite strength and quickness. He's an excellent run-stopper, and he had 15 QB hurries and 10.5 sacks as an interior pass-rusher in 2016. The Bears could also be in the market for a quarterback, but Allen is the pick because of his elite skill set (No. 2 player on my board) and fit in Vic Fangio's base 3-4 scheme.
Rob Rang, CBS Sports (Feb. 13)
Pick: LSU safety Jamal Adams
Comment: Safety has long been a sore spot in Chicago with only one Bears safety (Mike Brown) earning an invitation to the Pro Bowl over the past 20 years. Adams has that kind of potential and is viewed by some as the safest prospect in the draft. He is a tone-setter with a rare combination of instincts, athleticism and intangibles to make an immediate impact on a defense that made strides a year ago but allowed 24.9 points per game, 24th in the NFL.
Chad Reuter, NFL.com (Jan. 25)
Pick: North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky
Comment: Trubisky is an accurate passer with athleticism. If the Bears want to keep up with Detroit and Green Bay in the division, they need a new quarterback.
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com (Jan. 31)
Pick: Alabama defensive tackle Jonathan Allen
Comment: If Trubisky falls, the Bears would likely pounce, but Allen is a safe selection with a winning track record. He has been labeled a "tweener" by some, but the bottom line is that he's a productive rusher from anywhere along the line.
Is Tony Romo a possibility for Bears?
By Larry Mayer
Is there a possibility the Bears acquire Tony Romo?
Jonathan R.
Stranger things have happened, but I'd be very surprised to see Tony Romo in a Bears uniform this year. It seems like a slam dunk that the Cowboys are going to unload him because he would count $24.7 million against their salary cap if he stayed and Dallas is committed to Dak Prescott as the team’s starting quarterback. Any team that would trade for Romo, who turns 37 in April, would have to surrender a draft pick or two while inheriting a contract that will pay him $14 million this year. The most likely scenario, in my opinion, is that the Cowboys wait until June 1 to release so they can spread a $19.7 million salary cap hit over two years. If that occurs, he’d be free to sign with any team and it’s believed that he wants to join a Super Bowl contender. If I had to guess, I’ll predict that Romo somehow some way ends up with the Broncos.
With all the talk about acquiring Jimmy Garoppolo via trade from the Patriots it made me think. Has any team ever won the Super Bowl with a quarterback they acquired via a trade?
Ryan W., Dalton, Massachusetts
Two of the most prominent examples are Steve Young, who won a Super Bowl with the 49ers after being acquired from the Buccaneers; and Brett Favre, who won with the Packers after being dealt from the Falcons. The Broncos’ John Elway and the Giants’ Eli Manning both won Super Bowls after being involved in draft-day trades, so that’s a little different. But several other quarterbacks have won Super Bowls after leaving their original NFL teams. They include the Raiders’ Jim Plunkett, the Saints’ Drew Brees, the Broncos’ Peyton Manning, the Buccaneers’ Brad Johnson, the Redskins’ Doug Williams and the Ravens’ Trent Dilfer.
Did the Bears play all of the players they drafted in 2016?
Joe O.
Yes, all nine players the Bears drafted last year suited up during the regular season, combining to play 100 games with 54 starts. Second-round center
Adding Hicks in free agency paid off.
By Larry Mayer
(Photo/www.chicagobears.com)
No free agent who joined the Bears a year ago had a better 2016 season than Akiem Hicks .
The only member of the Bears defense to start all 16 games, the veteran end set career highs and led all linemen with 71 tackles, seven sacks, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
"He's done well," defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said late in the year. "Akiem has kept improving throughout the season. He’s been one of the guys that has been there each and every week, playing a lot of plays for us and he’s been a steady bell cow for us in there."
Hicks was selected by the Saints in the third round of the 2012 draft when Bears general manager Ryan Pace worked in New Orleans' personnel department. The 6-5, 336-pounder was traded to the Patriots early in the 2015 season after the Saints switched to a 4-3 defense.
A natural 3-4 end, Hicks appeared in 13 games and two playoff contests for New England in 2015, recording 21 tackles and three sacks. The Patriots tried to re-sign him, but he opted to ink a two-year contract with the Bears last March.
Hicks' best game of the season came Dec. 4 when he recorded a career-high 10 tackles and matched a personal high with two sacks in a 26-6 drubbing of the 49ers—a performance that earned him NFC defensive player of the week honors.
"He does have that size, which is beneficial in the run game," coach John Fox said in December. "He's been a good run-stopper all season. He's fit really well for us as far as his physical stature. But he does have pass rush ability [too]. So he's got a combination of both."
The Bears signed Hicks to play alongside second-year nose tackleEddie Goldman , who showed promise as a rookie. But the 2015 second-round pick from Florida State was limited to just six games due to an ankle injury that bothered him most of the season.
Asked last month at the Senior Bowl if there was someone on defense who can become an impact player after not getting a lot of snaps in 2016, Fangio didn’t hesitate in naming Goldman.
The Bears also need defensive endJonathan Bullard , a 2016 third-round pick from Florida State, to step up in his second season after a so-so rookie year.
"Bullard came from a defense from Florida that’s a little bit different from what we do here, so there’s a transition going on for him right now," general manager Ryan Pace said in January. "His best attributes are his get-off and his athleticism and getting up the field. Learning how to come off and strike blocks and use your hands and shed, those are things he’s working on.
"What I really like about Bullard is you always want players that are very self-aware and they know what they are and what they need to improve upon, and Bullard is one of those guys. He knows he needs to have a good offseason, he needs to get stronger, he needs to add weight.
"But he has some things that we can't coach, and that's the quickness, the get-off, the burst. I think he's an instinctive player, too. I still have high hopes for Bullard. It's only been one year. He's a young player."
Elsewhere on the line, veteran defensive endMitch Unrein appeared in 13 games with nine starts last season, recording a career-high 33 tackles and one sack. End Cornelius Washington played in 15 games with two starts, registering career highs with 27 tackles and two sacks.
C.J. Wilson subbed for Goldman, compiling 11 tackles and one sack in six games with one start. Will Sutton , a 2014 third-round pick, missed the final eight games with an ankle injury.
Hicks, Goldman, Bullard, Unrein and Sutton remain under contract through at least the 2017 season, while Washington and Wilson are due to become free agents.
Macon broke color barrier with Bears.
By Larry Mayer
In honor of Black History Month, ChicagoBears.com is introducing you to African-American pioneers in Bears history.
The only member of the Bears defense to start all 16 games, the veteran end set career highs and led all linemen with 71 tackles, seven sacks, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
"He's done well," defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said late in the year. "Akiem has kept improving throughout the season. He’s been one of the guys that has been there each and every week, playing a lot of plays for us and he’s been a steady bell cow for us in there."
Hicks was selected by the Saints in the third round of the 2012 draft when Bears general manager Ryan Pace worked in New Orleans' personnel department. The 6-5, 336-pounder was traded to the Patriots early in the 2015 season after the Saints switched to a 4-3 defense.
A natural 3-4 end, Hicks appeared in 13 games and two playoff contests for New England in 2015, recording 21 tackles and three sacks. The Patriots tried to re-sign him, but he opted to ink a two-year contract with the Bears last March.
Hicks' best game of the season came Dec. 4 when he recorded a career-high 10 tackles and matched a personal high with two sacks in a 26-6 drubbing of the 49ers—a performance that earned him NFC defensive player of the week honors.
"He does have that size, which is beneficial in the run game," coach John Fox said in December. "He's been a good run-stopper all season. He's fit really well for us as far as his physical stature. But he does have pass rush ability [too]. So he's got a combination of both."
The Bears signed Hicks to play alongside second-year nose tackle
Asked last month at the Senior Bowl if there was someone on defense who can become an impact player after not getting a lot of snaps in 2016, Fangio didn’t hesitate in naming Goldman.
The Bears also need defensive end
"Bullard came from a defense from Florida that’s a little bit different from what we do here, so there’s a transition going on for him right now," general manager Ryan Pace said in January. "His best attributes are his get-off and his athleticism and getting up the field. Learning how to come off and strike blocks and use your hands and shed, those are things he’s working on.
"What I really like about Bullard is you always want players that are very self-aware and they know what they are and what they need to improve upon, and Bullard is one of those guys. He knows he needs to have a good offseason, he needs to get stronger, he needs to add weight.
"But he has some things that we can't coach, and that's the quickness, the get-off, the burst. I think he's an instinctive player, too. I still have high hopes for Bullard. It's only been one year. He's a young player."
Elsewhere on the line, veteran defensive end
Hicks, Goldman, Bullard, Unrein and Sutton remain under contract through at least the 2017 season, while Washington and Wilson are due to become free agents.
Macon broke color barrier with Bears.
By Larry Mayer
In honor of Black History Month, ChicagoBears.com is introducing you to African-American pioneers in Bears history.
Eddie Macon played two seasons with the Bears before rejoining a former college coach in the CFL.(Photo/www.chicagobears.com)
A running back and return specialist, Eddie Macon played two seasons with the Bears after being selected in the second round of the 1952 NFL Draft out of Pacific.
Macon's brief stint with the Monsters of the Midway was fairly non-descript except for one significant distinction: He was the first African-American player in Bears history.
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Macon back in November 2011 the night before
a game in Oakland. A Bay Area resident, I invited him to the Bears hotel to meet then-coach Lovie Smith and several players, including Charles Tillman and Devin Hester.
Mr. Macon, who will celebrate his 90th birthday next month, told me during our 2011 visit about his days with the Bears and about the discussions he had with founder and coach George Halas.
"He told me what he expected of me, and that was to come in and just be a football player and be a gentleman," said Macon, who currently lives with his wife of 71 years, Jesse, in a retirement community in Carlsbad, Calif.
Eddie Macon and his wife, Jesse, celebrate their 70th anniversary in 2015 at a retirement community in California. (Photo/www.chicagobears.com)
Macon's arrival in 1952 didn't cause much of a stir. Jackie Robinson had broken baseball's color barrier five years earlier, and several African Americans had played in the NFL from 1920-33.
In 1949, the Bears had become the first NFL team to draft an African-American player when they chose halfback George Taliaferro out of Indiana. But he opted to sign with the Los Angeles Dons in the rival All-American Football Conference.
Macon felt that most fans, teammates and opponents accepted him, with one exception.
"I had no problems with the fans," Macon said. "The team that I really had problems with was the Detroit Lions. They beat me in the face, twisted my legs. When I got in a pile, I tried to come out of that pile because I knew what they were going to try to do."
Macon also faced discrimination off the field. When the Bears played preseason games in the south, black players were not welcome in the same hotels as their white teammates. As a result, he stayed with African-American families who lived in the area.
While Macon deplored the racism and didn't appreciate being separated from his teammates, he enjoyed meeting the families he stayed with, saying: "They did everything to make me feel comfortable."
In two seasons with the Bears, Macon averaged 30.5 yards on 22 kickoff returns and 5.9 yards on 24 punt returns while also rushing for 324 yards and two touchdowns on 70 carries and catching 14 passes for 49 yards and 2 TDs.
Macon smiled when I asked about the role he played in Bears history.
"There always has to be a pioneer," he said. "Someone has to be the first and I was the first and I feel very proud that I was the first."
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Bulls withstand late flurry in 11th straight win over Raptors.
In 1949, the Bears had become the first NFL team to draft an African-American player when they chose halfback George Taliaferro out of Indiana. But he opted to sign with the Los Angeles Dons in the rival All-American Football Conference.
Macon felt that most fans, teammates and opponents accepted him, with one exception.
"I had no problems with the fans," Macon said. "The team that I really had problems with was the Detroit Lions. They beat me in the face, twisted my legs. When I got in a pile, I tried to come out of that pile because I knew what they were going to try to do."
Macon also faced discrimination off the field. When the Bears played preseason games in the south, black players were not welcome in the same hotels as their white teammates. As a result, he stayed with African-American families who lived in the area.
While Macon deplored the racism and didn't appreciate being separated from his teammates, he enjoyed meeting the families he stayed with, saying: "They did everything to make me feel comfortable."
In two seasons with the Bears, Macon averaged 30.5 yards on 22 kickoff returns and 5.9 yards on 24 punt returns while also rushing for 324 yards and two touchdowns on 70 carries and catching 14 passes for 49 yards and 2 TDs.
Macon smiled when I asked about the role he played in Bears history.
"There always has to be a pioneer," he said. "Someone has to be the first and I was the first and I feel very proud that I was the first."
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Bulls withstand late flurry in 11th straight win over Raptors.
By Vincent Goodwill
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
At some point, it has to become absurd for the Toronto Raptors.
Certainly, they were smarting and angry over dropping a 16-point home fourth-quarter lead to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night, but they had to be on high alert against a Bulls team they haven't beaten in more than two seasons.
But absurdity rarely has an acceptable explanation, and the Bulls' dominance over their friends from the north qualifies as such. The Bulls made the Raptors say "uncle" shortly after the opening tip for their 11th straight win in the series, a 105-94 decision Wednesday at the United Center in the Bulls' first home game after their disappointing western swing.
In the most recent evidence of mastery prior to Tuesday's game, the Butler did it, as in Jimmy Butler, who poured in 43 in a game that saw the Bulls come back from a 19-point third-quarter deficit, pushing the game into overtime before suffocating and frustrating the Raptors.
Tuesday, Butler didn't have to be Superman in his return from missing four of the last five games with a right heel injury, though he took the extra defensive attention to dish out a career-high 12 assists and scored 19 points, with 15 of those points coming from the free-throw line as he went just 2-for-10 from the field.
"The heel is good, all there is to say," Butler said. "There wasn't much pain at all. Now it's about getting a rhythm and getting back in shape."
As for his third-worst shooting night of the year, Butler said, "When you're shooting 2-for-10, I think you'd better get to the free-throw line. Other than that, everyone has a different way of changing the game. Getting to the free-throw line was the way to win."
The firepower came from the bench as Doug McDermott led the Bulls with 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting with five rebounds. The Bulls shot 41 percent from 3, their highest such clip in awhile.
Denzel Valentine hit two triples in the fourth and along with Butler helped withstand a rousing comeback when the Raptors finally woke up after being down 23 in the second half. Butler hit four free throws in the last two minutes to push the Bulls' lead back to nine when the Raptors cut the lead to 94-89 with 2:31 left.
"We were getting stops, which allowed us to get into transition," said McDermott, who had an inside score and layup when the Raptors started charging midway through the fourth.
"It started with our defense and rebounding. We got out, and we were really unselfish. It was a great win."
The Raptors cut down on the turnovers in the second half after having 13 in the first, methodically getting back into the game, cutting the lead to 88-80 with six minutes left and shutting off any semblance of a Bulls offense.
The Raptors weren't playing anywhere near their best basketball, but apparently something clicked about the guys who were beating them, as it was anything but the usual suspects for the Bulls doing the damage.
The Raptors shot 50 percent in the second half after shooting 41 percent in the first, hitting just enough triples to make the Bulls pay for their scrambling defense. Kyle Lowry caught fire after scoring five points in the first half, hitting four of those triples and cutting through the teeth of the Bulls' defense and finishing with 22 points in 37 minutes.
His All-Star teammate DeMar DeRozan couldn't shake from his first-half doldrums, missing 14 of his 19 shots and earning an ejection with 25 seconds left with two technical fouls of frustration. Norman Powell and Corey Joseph came off the bench to provide support when the Raptors looked quite lifeless and the Bulls looked well on their way to re-establishing whatever this level of success is against this particular opponent.
In this case, the Bulls were the ones leading by 20 well into the third quarter, courtesy of 12 first-half turnovers that allowed the Bulls to get out and running for the latter part of the half, leading 66-43 with 7:55 left in the third.
"The biggest thing was our energy. We made good, simple basketball plays in the first half," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. "We had good pace, and it started with our defense. We were really locked in."
Cristiano Feicio (10 points, six rebounds) had his own jam session off the bench, following up misses with thunderous dunks and playing above the rim in a way that likely precipitated the Raptors acquiring Serge Ibaka from the Orlando Magic earlier in the day for swingman Terrance Ross and a first-round pick.
"Cris was terrific, I thought. He was all over the floor," Hoiberg said. "He was up in his pick-and-roll coverage, we did a good job getting our hands on balls and that's what led to those transition baskets."
But Ibaka wasn't yet in uniform as the trade still has to be cleared through the league and physicals must be taken, so the Bulls took full advantage of the free real estate inside.
Taj Gibson (14 points, four rebounds) had more than his share of dunks on the fast break, many of the aided by the pace-pushing of Rajon Rondo, who had 12 points and hit two triples, the fourth time such an occurrence happened this season.
How bad of a night was it for the Raptors? Isaiah Canaan was about to take a foul with less than six seconds left as the Bulls had one to give before the penalty, and as he was grabbing Joseph, reserve big man Lucas Nogueira gave Canaan too much hip and was called for an illegal screen.
They made the Bulls do a little more than sweat and the Bulls had to earn the victory, but the Bulls are no closer to finding out any true answers before the All-Star break — other than the fact the Raptors have no answer for them.
Report: Bulls exploring trades involving Doug McDermott, Robin Lopez for first-round pick.
CSN Staff
With just 10 days remaining until the NBA trade deadline, rumors, smokescreens and potential deals are heating up.
To this point the Bulls have reportedly considered dealing Jimmy Butler and, according to our Insider Vincent Goodwill, are interested in acquiring Chicago native Jahlil Okafor from the Philadelphia 76ers.
The latest rumor comes from Basketball Insiders' Michael Scotto, who reported Monday evening that the Bulls "are exploring the trade market in search of a first-round draft pick in exchange for either...Robin Lopez or...Doug McDermott," according to league sources.
The report is interesting on multiple levels. First, dealing either of those two players would almost certainly indicate the team going into selling mode at the trade deadline. And while that's long been assumed - the Bulls have lost eight of 14 and stand at 27-29 - trading a key rotation piece for a draft pick would signify a waving of the white flag on the 2016-17 season.
McDermott hasn't necessarily taken that next step the Bulls would have hoped for, but the 25-year-old is connecting on 38 percent of his 3-pointers and has heated up of late, shooting 48 percent from deep in his last seven games, tallying double-digit point totals in five of them. McDermott has one year remaining on his rookie year as well as qualifying offer the year after that, so he'd come at a bargain for a team looking to add another 3-point specialist - though his shortcomings on defense and as a passer cap his ceiling.
Lopez also has clear value. The 7-footer has averaged 9.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 55 games for the Bulls. He's the only player to have played in each game for the Bulls this season (and played in all 82 games for the Knicks a year ago) and is shooting 50 percent from the field on a career-high 9.0 field goal attempts per game.
Whether the Bulls could secure a first round pick for either player is another story, and there's a chance they would use any first-round pick to then go after Okafor from the Sixers.
For now it's yet another rumor in what should be a very busy 10-day stretch as far as reports and sources regarding the Bulls go.
Stay tuned.
CUBS: Why Cubs didn’t make a last-minute addition and saved up for the trade deadline.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
With just 10 days remaining until the NBA trade deadline, rumors, smokescreens and potential deals are heating up.
To this point the Bulls have reportedly considered dealing Jimmy Butler and, according to our Insider Vincent Goodwill, are interested in acquiring Chicago native Jahlil Okafor from the Philadelphia 76ers.
The latest rumor comes from Basketball Insiders' Michael Scotto, who reported Monday evening that the Bulls "are exploring the trade market in search of a first-round draft pick in exchange for either...Robin Lopez or...Doug McDermott," according to league sources.
The report is interesting on multiple levels. First, dealing either of those two players would almost certainly indicate the team going into selling mode at the trade deadline. And while that's long been assumed - the Bulls have lost eight of 14 and stand at 27-29 - trading a key rotation piece for a draft pick would signify a waving of the white flag on the 2016-17 season.
McDermott hasn't necessarily taken that next step the Bulls would have hoped for, but the 25-year-old is connecting on 38 percent of his 3-pointers and has heated up of late, shooting 48 percent from deep in his last seven games, tallying double-digit point totals in five of them. McDermott has one year remaining on his rookie year as well as qualifying offer the year after that, so he'd come at a bargain for a team looking to add another 3-point specialist - though his shortcomings on defense and as a passer cap his ceiling.
Lopez also has clear value. The 7-footer has averaged 9.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 55 games for the Bulls. He's the only player to have played in each game for the Bulls this season (and played in all 82 games for the Knicks a year ago) and is shooting 50 percent from the field on a career-high 9.0 field goal attempts per game.
Whether the Bulls could secure a first round pick for either player is another story, and there's a chance they would use any first-round pick to then go after Okafor from the Sixers.
For now it's yet another rumor in what should be a very busy 10-day stretch as far as reports and sources regarding the Bulls go.
Stay tuned.
CUBS: Why Cubs didn’t make a last-minute addition and saved up for the trade deadline.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Travis Wood – last seen shirtless raising the World Series trophy above his head at the Grant Park rally – didn't agree to a deal until the day Kansas City's pitchers and catchers reported and the Royals still haven't officially announced that two-year, $12 million contract yet.
The Cubs didn't make that kind of last-minute addition because they want to save up for the trade deadline – think this year's Aroldis Chapman – and the player who could help lead to another championship parade down Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue.
The Cubs stayed in contact with Wood's agent, Darek Braunecker, throughout the winter, but didn't push hard enough for the lefty swingman, who had been the longest-tenured player on the team, a popular clubhouse guy and a link to the 101-loss season in 2012.
The Cubs also didn't pounce on Jerry Blevins or Boone Logan, two left-handed relievers who lingered on the free-agent market until early February. Even after an October where closers became stars and the bullpens provided nightly drama, Blevins returned to the New York Mets on a one-year, $6.5 million guarantee while Logan accepted a similar offer from the Cleveland Indians.
"There were some relievers who became available on shorter deals late that we were interested in early on (with) those types of deals," team president Theo Epstein said Tuesday. "But they weren't really ready to commit yet to the shorter deal. And then by the time it rolled around late in the offseason, we kind of spent our money.
"We really want to be cognizant of leaving some flexibility for in-season moves, leaving a little cushion beneath the CBT (competitive balance tax) threshold for us to be able to operate."
So don't expect any surprise appearances at the Sloan Park complex, the way Dexter Fowler showed up in Mesa last year and shocked the baseball world. The Cubs already have a clear idea of the group that will leave Arizona in late March.
Epstein is also looking beyond this season – when Wade Davis, Koji Uehara and Pedro Strop will become free agents – to what he called "the next generation of our bullpen." That means allowing Carl Edwards Jr. to grow into a more prominent role and seeing what they have in Rule 5 lefty Caleb Smith.
"Whether it was Travis or some of the other relievers late, we had some self-imposed limitations," Epstein said. "We just wanted to leave some cushion for in-season moves. We saw last offseason how important that can be.
"I'm sure we'll be active again midseason at the trade deadline if needs arise. But we also want to be mindful of not getting too full in the bullpen. We'd like to give an opportunity to younger guys at some point."
Cubs: Joe Maddon says Willson Contreras will catch Jon Lester (and that he has no problem with Miguel Montero).
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The Cubs have already identified Willson Contreras as Jon Lester's personal catcher now that David Ross will be rocking the polo-shirt-and-khakis look as a special assistant in baseball operations.
Manager Joe Maddon didn't hesitate when asked during Tuesday's welcome-to-camp press conference, anointing Contreras as the everyday guy behind the plate and essentially saying Miguel Montero will be a $14 million reserve.
"He'll be the backup catcher to Contreras," Maddon said at the Sloan Park complex. "Willson will get the preponderance of play, and Miggy will be out there. But, again, you never know what's going to happen during the course of a season, whether it's an injury or a performance (issue).
"Coming through spring training, you'll look at probably Willy catching four or five games a week and maybe Miggy one or two. That would be the game plan."
Even if this should be somewhat elementary — Contreras gave the Cubs a huge burst of energy as a rookie last season and shined during the postseason — it still sounded a little forward for Day 1 in Arizona.
Maddon dismissed any personal issues with Montero, a two-time All-Star who's 33 years old and in the final year of his contract. After the World Series parade and Grant Park rally, Montero went on WMVP-AM 1000 and complained about the lack of communication while being stuck in a three-catcher rotation and second-guessed Maddon's bullpen decisions during the playoffs.
"Listen, I have no problem with Miggy whatsoever," Maddon said. "I encourage our guys to be open-minded. I talk about freedom among the group and how important that is to us.
"I would never discourage our players to say what they think. So we'll sit down and talk about it but continue to move it forward. (But) it's obvious that Willy will get the preponderance of play."
That means working with Lester, the three-time World Series champion with well-documented issues throwing to first base. Explaining how to connect with Lester and manage the yips will be part of Grandpa Rossy's portfolio in Mesa.
"The big thing there is the ability from Willson to be able to handle the running game," Maddon said. "We're going to have David mentor him a little bit regarding the thought, the process, the conversations he's had with Jonny in the past and continue to move it forward from there. We feel really good about it. I think it's a real naturally good matchup with Willson and Jon.
"That's not to say that Miggy's not going to catch him. He may absolutely catch him at some point. But the original game plan going in is going to be for Willson to catch him."
Cubs: Does Kyle Schwarber have a future at catcher?
By Patrick Mooney
Manager Joe Maddon didn't hesitate when asked during Tuesday's welcome-to-camp press conference, anointing Contreras as the everyday guy behind the plate and essentially saying Miguel Montero will be a $14 million reserve.
"He'll be the backup catcher to Contreras," Maddon said at the Sloan Park complex. "Willson will get the preponderance of play, and Miggy will be out there. But, again, you never know what's going to happen during the course of a season, whether it's an injury or a performance (issue).
"Coming through spring training, you'll look at probably Willy catching four or five games a week and maybe Miggy one or two. That would be the game plan."
Even if this should be somewhat elementary — Contreras gave the Cubs a huge burst of energy as a rookie last season and shined during the postseason — it still sounded a little forward for Day 1 in Arizona.
Maddon dismissed any personal issues with Montero, a two-time All-Star who's 33 years old and in the final year of his contract. After the World Series parade and Grant Park rally, Montero went on WMVP-AM 1000 and complained about the lack of communication while being stuck in a three-catcher rotation and second-guessed Maddon's bullpen decisions during the playoffs.
"Listen, I have no problem with Miggy whatsoever," Maddon said. "I encourage our guys to be open-minded. I talk about freedom among the group and how important that is to us.
"I would never discourage our players to say what they think. So we'll sit down and talk about it but continue to move it forward. (But) it's obvious that Willy will get the preponderance of play."
That means working with Lester, the three-time World Series champion with well-documented issues throwing to first base. Explaining how to connect with Lester and manage the yips will be part of Grandpa Rossy's portfolio in Mesa.
"The big thing there is the ability from Willson to be able to handle the running game," Maddon said. "We're going to have David mentor him a little bit regarding the thought, the process, the conversations he's had with Jonny in the past and continue to move it forward from there. We feel really good about it. I think it's a real naturally good matchup with Willson and Jon.
"That's not to say that Miggy's not going to catch him. He may absolutely catch him at some point. But the original game plan going in is going to be for Willson to catch him."
Cubs: Does Kyle Schwarber have a future at catcher?
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Of course, Kyle Schwarber’s run-through-a-brick-wall mentality means he wants to be a catcher. That can always be his passion, but the Cubs have to take a more clinical view and try to protect one of their most valuable assets.
As pitchers and catchers formally reported to the Sloan Park complex on Tuesday, Schwarber was scheduled to meet with Dr. Stephen Gryzlo, the team’s orthopedist. Even if Schwarber gets the green light in that examination – 10 months after he underwent surgery on his left knee to reconstruct his ACL and repair his LCL – the Cubs will still proceed with caution.
“We’re not going to give him too much,” team president Theo Epstein said. “His future is too valuable. We want him to have the longest possible career. He makes such a great impact on us with his bat – and with the person that he is – that we don’t want to do anything to jeopardize the length and impact of his career.
“We’re just going to walk before we run. Or walk before we squat, I guess, would be the appropriate thing to say with catching, and just really, really ease into it.”
It sounds like the ideal would be Schwarber leaving Arizona as a viable third catcher for manager Joe Maddon – more in case of emergency than as part of a rotation with Willson Contreras and Miguel Montero.
“If he’s medically cleared today to start introducing some catching, as we expect him to be, we’re going to really go slow with it,” Epstein said. “Like one or two days a week in spring training. That’s it. His primary focus is going to be as a left fielder.
“The goal, if he is cleared, would be to have him ready potentially at the end of spring training to fill that role of third catcher, so if there’s something that happens in-game, Joe can move him back there, or if there’s a certain rare occasion where it makes sense for him to start a game behind the plate.”
The Cubs are committed to Contreras as their everyday catcher of the present and the future, with Maddon essentially saying Montero will be a $14 million backup who might start only once or twice a week. Schwarber – a gym rat who worked on scouting reports, broke down video and sat in the draft room during his rehab last year – will meet with the catching group each morning.
“He will be there thinking through the drills with the catchers,” Epstein said, “communicating with the catchers, being a catcher. But physically only probably doing it one or two days a week.”
Schwarber, who will play with a brace on his left leg all season, showed how much he needed spring training by wrecking his knee in an outfield collision in Game 3 last April and making a shocking return as the World Series designated hitter, hitting .412 with a .971 OPS against the Cleveland Indians.
“We all know what he did in the World Series last year,” Maddon said. “People are going to look at that and base their entire Schwarber world around those last two games. But he’s still coming off a really significant injury and we have to be very careful with that.
“I would like to see him be able to play an entire season. It would be kind of nice to get a full season of Kyle Schwarber in Major League Baseball.”
As pitchers and catchers formally reported to the Sloan Park complex on Tuesday, Schwarber was scheduled to meet with Dr. Stephen Gryzlo, the team’s orthopedist. Even if Schwarber gets the green light in that examination – 10 months after he underwent surgery on his left knee to reconstruct his ACL and repair his LCL – the Cubs will still proceed with caution.
“We’re not going to give him too much,” team president Theo Epstein said. “His future is too valuable. We want him to have the longest possible career. He makes such a great impact on us with his bat – and with the person that he is – that we don’t want to do anything to jeopardize the length and impact of his career.
“We’re just going to walk before we run. Or walk before we squat, I guess, would be the appropriate thing to say with catching, and just really, really ease into it.”
It sounds like the ideal would be Schwarber leaving Arizona as a viable third catcher for manager Joe Maddon – more in case of emergency than as part of a rotation with Willson Contreras and Miguel Montero.
“If he’s medically cleared today to start introducing some catching, as we expect him to be, we’re going to really go slow with it,” Epstein said. “Like one or two days a week in spring training. That’s it. His primary focus is going to be as a left fielder.
“The goal, if he is cleared, would be to have him ready potentially at the end of spring training to fill that role of third catcher, so if there’s something that happens in-game, Joe can move him back there, or if there’s a certain rare occasion where it makes sense for him to start a game behind the plate.”
The Cubs are committed to Contreras as their everyday catcher of the present and the future, with Maddon essentially saying Montero will be a $14 million backup who might start only once or twice a week. Schwarber – a gym rat who worked on scouting reports, broke down video and sat in the draft room during his rehab last year – will meet with the catching group each morning.
“He will be there thinking through the drills with the catchers,” Epstein said, “communicating with the catchers, being a catcher. But physically only probably doing it one or two days a week.”
Schwarber, who will play with a brace on his left leg all season, showed how much he needed spring training by wrecking his knee in an outfield collision in Game 3 last April and making a shocking return as the World Series designated hitter, hitting .412 with a .971 OPS against the Cleveland Indians.
“We all know what he did in the World Series last year,” Maddon said. “People are going to look at that and base their entire Schwarber world around those last two games. But he’s still coming off a really significant injury and we have to be very careful with that.
“I would like to see him be able to play an entire season. It would be kind of nice to get a full season of Kyle Schwarber in Major League Baseball.”
White Sox manager Rick Renteria ready for new challenge.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
He's going from Mr. Nice Guy to Family Guy and Rick Renteria sounds ready for the difference.
Although he'll have to adapt some to his new role as White Sox manager, Renteria, who spent last season as the team's bench coach under Robin Ventura, said Monday at Camelback Ranch that he doesn't expect his upbeat personality would change much.
A father of four, Renteria sees a lot of similarities between parenting and being the manager of a baseball team. He intends to use that experience when his tenure as White Sox manager officially begins on Tuesday when pitchers and catchers report to camp and hold their first workout. Position players arrive on Saturday.
"The reality is I have a line that I have to toe in terms of having the responsibility to lead these guys in a particular direction," Renteria said. "So that is on me now, that is my law.
"There are going to be times where my guys don't like me very much, and that's OK. There are going to be time where I don't like them very much. But I'm always going to love them. A priest told me, kids aren't always going to love your parents, and parents are not always going to love your kids. But it's the same thing, same approach."
Unlike when he managed the Cubs for two seasons, Renteria is already familiar with his roster after he spent last season with the White Sox. When Ventura stepped down at the end of last season, the White Sox didn't hesitate, naming Renteria their manager the very next day.
Renteria is at an advantage as he already knows the temperature of the room having been around most of his club for the past season. There's still plenty of work to be done, but Renteria is starting in a good position.
"Obviously having the ability to know some of the personalities is a big difference," Renteria said. "We tried to do as much studying as we could on the other young men we had previous. But getting to know some of the guys that were here all last year, it's still going to be a process getting to know the new guys coming into camp. We are watching a little bit of what they have done from the game's perspective, but getting to know them personally is another big piece of the puzzle."
Renteria doesn't intend to make wholesale changes to how spring camp is run — "just trying to be a little bit more detailed," he said. As for his own management style, Renteria doesn't plan much adjustment there, either, based off his 2014 experience with the Cubs.
"If there's anything, from a personal standpoint, is that you know that a process does work," Renteria said. "When you're going about doing things and understanding that outcomes, results — they'll hear me talking about it a lot. Everyone wants to win. Everyone wants to get the big hit — those are all results. We have to concentrate on making sure we understand when we don't get it done, was it because we failed in our approach or was it the outcome based on we did everything perfectly well and it was just what was given to us in that particular moment?"
White Sox promise to leave no prospects behind this spring.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The White Sox are all about the kids and intend to let them play this spring.
That was the resounding message from White Sox brass Tuesday afternoon after the team concluded its first spring training workout at Camelback Ranch.
While there's a natural focus on the ongoing trade rumors involving Jose Quintana and David Robertson and the team's continued willingness to discuss them, both Rick Hahn and Rick Renteria said their focus primarily is on the future. With a number of high-profile prospects in big league camp for the first time, the White Sox want to see what their young players are capable of.
"We want to give the guys that are here the opportunity to show what they can do," Hahn said. "If there's injury or some other unforeseen issue, underperformance, along those lines, then sure, we'll certainly look at potential ways to augment this roster. But as we sit here today and we're trying to build for the future, I think giving young players the opportunity to show what they can do at the big league level will serve us better in the long run."
Chief among the big reveals Tuesday were that the White Sox plan to give rookie Charlie Tilson the first look as their everyday center fielder — if he's physically capable — and that Matt Davidson is in line for a healthy number of plate appearances, too. Also, the White Sox will give a number of high-profile innings this spring to their cache of young, big arms.
Asked if he had any lineup designs in mind, Renteria said none so far because he's more interested in finding playing time for the club's newest acquisitions.
"Right now I'm thinking about the guys we have in camp and how we're going to be able to get them out to perform, play, show their skills," Renteria said. "We have a lot obviously who are returning, we already know what they're capable of doing. Part of that is balancing getting them ready for the season. The other aspect obviously is seeing some of the other guys we have on the club, making sure we find out what they're capable of doing and what they bring to the table."
What the White Sox still possess is a number of assets that opposing teams might find attractive, including Robertson, Quintana, Nate Jones, Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier, among others. Similar to last spring, when he was willing to add players up until Opening Day, Hahn said he would consider subtractions the rest of the way. Except in the cases of Frazier, Miguel Gonzalez, Melky Cabrera, Brett Lawrie and Derek Holland, Hahn is working without time restraints, which allow him to hang on until he receives the best deal possible.
So while most teams don't normally make trades at this point in the season, Hahn wouldn't be surprised if the inquiries on his players' availability continue. He just won't let it take the focus away from what the White Sox want to accomplish this spring.
"We expect them to continue," Hahn said. "We are going to continue to keep an open mind, and where there's conversations to be had, we will pursue them. At this point, we have had extensive conversations on various fronts, and as we sit here today there's nothing that's gnawing at us or appealing enough to make us move. We are certainly going to keep an open mind, but now the focus tends to shift a little bit to getting ready for the season as opposed to any potential trades."
Going off last year's Chris Sale playbook, White Sox have slow start in mind for Carlos Rodon.
By Dan Hayes
That was the resounding message from White Sox brass Tuesday afternoon after the team concluded its first spring training workout at Camelback Ranch.
While there's a natural focus on the ongoing trade rumors involving Jose Quintana and David Robertson and the team's continued willingness to discuss them, both Rick Hahn and Rick Renteria said their focus primarily is on the future. With a number of high-profile prospects in big league camp for the first time, the White Sox want to see what their young players are capable of.
"We want to give the guys that are here the opportunity to show what they can do," Hahn said. "If there's injury or some other unforeseen issue, underperformance, along those lines, then sure, we'll certainly look at potential ways to augment this roster. But as we sit here today and we're trying to build for the future, I think giving young players the opportunity to show what they can do at the big league level will serve us better in the long run."
Chief among the big reveals Tuesday were that the White Sox plan to give rookie Charlie Tilson the first look as their everyday center fielder — if he's physically capable — and that Matt Davidson is in line for a healthy number of plate appearances, too. Also, the White Sox will give a number of high-profile innings this spring to their cache of young, big arms.
Asked if he had any lineup designs in mind, Renteria said none so far because he's more interested in finding playing time for the club's newest acquisitions.
"Right now I'm thinking about the guys we have in camp and how we're going to be able to get them out to perform, play, show their skills," Renteria said. "We have a lot obviously who are returning, we already know what they're capable of doing. Part of that is balancing getting them ready for the season. The other aspect obviously is seeing some of the other guys we have on the club, making sure we find out what they're capable of doing and what they bring to the table."
What the White Sox still possess is a number of assets that opposing teams might find attractive, including Robertson, Quintana, Nate Jones, Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier, among others. Similar to last spring, when he was willing to add players up until Opening Day, Hahn said he would consider subtractions the rest of the way. Except in the cases of Frazier, Miguel Gonzalez, Melky Cabrera, Brett Lawrie and Derek Holland, Hahn is working without time restraints, which allow him to hang on until he receives the best deal possible.
So while most teams don't normally make trades at this point in the season, Hahn wouldn't be surprised if the inquiries on his players' availability continue. He just won't let it take the focus away from what the White Sox want to accomplish this spring.
"We expect them to continue," Hahn said. "We are going to continue to keep an open mind, and where there's conversations to be had, we will pursue them. At this point, we have had extensive conversations on various fronts, and as we sit here today there's nothing that's gnawing at us or appealing enough to make us move. We are certainly going to keep an open mind, but now the focus tends to shift a little bit to getting ready for the season as opposed to any potential trades."
Going off last year's Chris Sale playbook, White Sox have slow start in mind for Carlos Rodon.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
He was largely inactive for the first day of camp Tuesday, but Carlos Rodon said all is well in his world.
Rodon didn't play catch or participate in a bullpen session and was limited while working in pitchers' fielding practice, too, as the White Sox opened spring training.
But both Rodon and the White Sox said it's all part of a plan to slowly break the left-handed pitcher in. Given the extra days on the calendar this spring to prepare for the World Baseball Classic, the White Sox don't want to overwork a pitcher they're counting upon to carry a heavy load this season. With that in mind, Rodon's schedule is pretty light until his first throw day on Friday.
"Everything's normal," Rodon said. "Everything's good. We're just taking our time, trying to figure out what the plan is here for the long term. We're just taking our time, starting a little slow. Workload is going to be a little more this year. So we're going to take it a little slow."
Rodon — who went 9-10 with a 4.04 ERA in 28 games last season — threw 165 innings in 2016, up from a combined 149 1/3 frames the year before between the White Sox and Triple-A Charlotte. With Chris Sale gone, the White Sox need Rodon to continue his progression, which could result in between 180 and 200 innings. Therefore, the White Sox are handling Rodon slowly, similar to the way Sale began last spring, when much of his work was done in side sessions, B games and simulated games as not to overwork him early.
During Tuesday's press conferences, neither Rick Hahn nor Rick Renteria said any players were injured or limited for the first workout. When asked about Rodon's schedule and health, Renteria alluded to the extra days on the calendar.
"There are certain guys we're going to be measuring in terms of their work, and as soon as we get that structured out there in the longer format we'll get them out there and do what we need them to do," Renteria said.
If Rodon felt anything but good, you couldn't tell from his upbeat demeanor. The pitcher was in good spirits as he talked about assuming a bigger role and missing Sale, whom he considered a mentor. Rodon said he looks up to Sale because the two share several similarities, then laughed while pointing out those similarities don't include body types. And he has no issues with the team's plan to follow the Sale-like schedule.
"There's what, an extra week or two?" Rodon said. "I guess they thought it worked for Chris, it might work for me. We're just taking it slow."
Rodon didn't play catch or participate in a bullpen session and was limited while working in pitchers' fielding practice, too, as the White Sox opened spring training.
But both Rodon and the White Sox said it's all part of a plan to slowly break the left-handed pitcher in. Given the extra days on the calendar this spring to prepare for the World Baseball Classic, the White Sox don't want to overwork a pitcher they're counting upon to carry a heavy load this season. With that in mind, Rodon's schedule is pretty light until his first throw day on Friday.
"Everything's normal," Rodon said. "Everything's good. We're just taking our time, trying to figure out what the plan is here for the long term. We're just taking our time, starting a little slow. Workload is going to be a little more this year. So we're going to take it a little slow."
Rodon — who went 9-10 with a 4.04 ERA in 28 games last season — threw 165 innings in 2016, up from a combined 149 1/3 frames the year before between the White Sox and Triple-A Charlotte. With Chris Sale gone, the White Sox need Rodon to continue his progression, which could result in between 180 and 200 innings. Therefore, the White Sox are handling Rodon slowly, similar to the way Sale began last spring, when much of his work was done in side sessions, B games and simulated games as not to overwork him early.
During Tuesday's press conferences, neither Rick Hahn nor Rick Renteria said any players were injured or limited for the first workout. When asked about Rodon's schedule and health, Renteria alluded to the extra days on the calendar.
"There are certain guys we're going to be measuring in terms of their work, and as soon as we get that structured out there in the longer format we'll get them out there and do what we need them to do," Renteria said.
If Rodon felt anything but good, you couldn't tell from his upbeat demeanor. The pitcher was in good spirits as he talked about assuming a bigger role and missing Sale, whom he considered a mentor. Rodon said he looks up to Sale because the two share several similarities, then laughed while pointing out those similarities don't include body types. And he has no issues with the team's plan to follow the Sale-like schedule.
"There's what, an extra week or two?" Rodon said. "I guess they thought it worked for Chris, it might work for me. We're just taking it slow."
Golf: I got a club for that..... Genesis Open 2017: 10 picks to win.
By Tom LaMarre
By Tom LaMarre
1. Jordan Spieth, United States
Coming off a four-stroke victory at Pebble Beach, Spieth has finished in the top 10 in all four events he has played this year and has broken par in each of the 16 rounds he has played. He also repeated as champion of the Australian Open in November and might be on the verge of a run like the one he made in 2015, when he won five times and rose to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Spieth will tee it up at Riviera for the fourth time, and even though he has bookend missed cuts, he showed he can play Hogan's Alley when he tied for fourth in his big year of 2015, missing by one stroke the playoff in which James Hahn beat Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey. He had his chance on the 18th hole, nearly chipping in for a birdie that would have given him the victory, but Spieth missed the ensuing six-foot par putt and the playoff by closing with a 70.
Coming off a four-stroke victory at Pebble Beach, Spieth has finished in the top 10 in all four events he has played this year and has broken par in each of the 16 rounds he has played. He also repeated as champion of the Australian Open in November and might be on the verge of a run like the one he made in 2015, when he won five times and rose to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Spieth will tee it up at Riviera for the fourth time, and even though he has bookend missed cuts, he showed he can play Hogan's Alley when he tied for fourth in his big year of 2015, missing by one stroke the playoff in which James Hahn beat Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey. He had his chance on the 18th hole, nearly chipping in for a birdie that would have given him the victory, but Spieth missed the ensuing six-foot par putt and the playoff by closing with a 70.
2. Hideki Matsuyama, Japan
Following a week off after his playoff victory over Webb Simpson in the Waste Management Phoenix Open, his fifth win around the world since October, Matsuyama is playing in the Los Angeles-area PGA Tour event for the fourth straight year. He has finished in the top 25 in all three of his starts at Riviera, tying for 23rd in 2014, tying four fourth the following year and tying for 11th last year. Matsuyama closed with a 4-under-par 67 two years ago, but missed by one shot the playoff in which James Hahn defeated Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey of England. Had he gotten into the playoff, Matsuyama certainly would have had a chance since he is 5-0 in extra holes as a pro, including in three of his four victories on the PGA Tour. He won the fourth, the WGC-HSBC Champions last October in China by seven strokes, one of four top-10 finishes which have put him atop the FedExCup point standings.
3. Dustin Johnson, United States
DJ is playing in what is now the Genesis Open for the 10th consecutive year and he has done just about everything but win the tournament, with six top-10 finishes. He has finished in the top four each of the last three years, including two years ago, when he lost out when James Hahn sank a 25-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole. Johnson had a chance to match the birdie, but he missed a 12-foot putt. He had a one-stroke lead until making a bogey on the 17th hole and missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the last hole to close with a 69. In 2014, DJ closed with a 66 and finished two shots behind winner Bubba Watson in solo second. So far this year, Johnson tied for sixth in the SBS Tournament of Champions, missed the cut in the Farmers Insurance Open and was solo third last week in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
DJ is playing in what is now the Genesis Open for the 10th consecutive year and he has done just about everything but win the tournament, with six top-10 finishes. He has finished in the top four each of the last three years, including two years ago, when he lost out when James Hahn sank a 25-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole. Johnson had a chance to match the birdie, but he missed a 12-foot putt. He had a one-stroke lead until making a bogey on the 17th hole and missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the last hole to close with a 69. In 2014, DJ closed with a 66 and finished two shots behind winner Bubba Watson in solo second. So far this year, Johnson tied for sixth in the SBS Tournament of Champions, missed the cut in the Farmers Insurance Open and was solo third last week in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
4. Bubba Watson, United States
Bubba comes to Riviera, where he is playing for the 10th straight time, looking for the game that took him to victory there in two of the last three years. In three events this season, he tied for 54th in the WGC-HSBC Champions, tied for 25th in the SBS Tournament of Champions and missed the cut in his last outing, the Waste Management Phoenix Open. In 10 rounds, he broke 70 only when he opened with a 69 in Phoenix. Watson won last year at Riviera despite suffering from a kidney stone early in the week, making birdies on two of his last three holes to cap a 3-under-par 68 to beat Adam Scott and Jason Kokrak by one stroke. Three years ago, he shot 64-64 on the weekend to win by two shots over Dustin Johnson. By winning twice at Hogan's Alley, Watson has shown that he's not just a bomber, but one of the best shot-makers in the game.
Bubba comes to Riviera, where he is playing for the 10th straight time, looking for the game that took him to victory there in two of the last three years. In three events this season, he tied for 54th in the WGC-HSBC Champions, tied for 25th in the SBS Tournament of Champions and missed the cut in his last outing, the Waste Management Phoenix Open. In 10 rounds, he broke 70 only when he opened with a 69 in Phoenix. Watson won last year at Riviera despite suffering from a kidney stone early in the week, making birdies on two of his last three holes to cap a 3-under-par 68 to beat Adam Scott and Jason Kokrak by one stroke. Three years ago, he shot 64-64 on the weekend to win by two shots over Dustin Johnson. By winning twice at Hogan's Alley, Watson has shown that he's not just a bomber, but one of the best shot-makers in the game.
5. Justin Thomas, United States
Having cooled off a bit by missing the cut in the Waste Management Phoenix Open two weeks ago, Thomas is back for his third appearance at Riviera. Some type of letdown was almost inevitable since the 23-year-old won three of his previous four starts, including the SBS Tournament of Champions and the Sony Open in Hawaii on the first two weeks of the new year. He also repeated as champion at the CIMB Classic in Malaysia in October and sits second in the FedExCup standings behind Hideki Matsuyama of Japan. The fields will be stronger from now on, but Thomas has shown he has the game to play with the best in the world. In his two previous starts in the Los Angeles-area event on the PGA Tour, he tied for 41st in 2015, starting with 68-69 but playing the weekend in 75-75, and tied for 54th last year, shooting 66 in round three.
Having cooled off a bit by missing the cut in the Waste Management Phoenix Open two weeks ago, Thomas is back for his third appearance at Riviera. Some type of letdown was almost inevitable since the 23-year-old won three of his previous four starts, including the SBS Tournament of Champions and the Sony Open in Hawaii on the first two weeks of the new year. He also repeated as champion at the CIMB Classic in Malaysia in October and sits second in the FedExCup standings behind Hideki Matsuyama of Japan. The fields will be stronger from now on, but Thomas has shown he has the game to play with the best in the world. In his two previous starts in the Los Angeles-area event on the PGA Tour, he tied for 41st in 2015, starting with 68-69 but playing the weekend in 75-75, and tied for 54th last year, shooting 66 in round three.
6. Sergio Garcia, Spain
Garcia makes his first start of the year on the PGA Tour this week, fresh off a three-stroke victory over Henrik Stenson in the Dubai Desert Classic. His first victory on the European Tour since 2014 lifted him to No. 9 in the world. That came after he got the wrap-around season on the U.S. tour off to a solid start by tying for 17th in the CIMB Classic and tying for ninth in the WGC-HSBC Champions. Garcia will tee it up at Riviera for the 11th time, having missed the cut last year for only the second time with a score of 74-72 -- 146. His best results were ties for fourth in 2012 and 2015. Five years ago, he closed with a 64 to finish two shots out of the playoff in which Bill Haas beat Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley. Two years ago, his closing 71 left him one shy of the playoff in which James Hahn beat Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey.
Garcia makes his first start of the year on the PGA Tour this week, fresh off a three-stroke victory over Henrik Stenson in the Dubai Desert Classic. His first victory on the European Tour since 2014 lifted him to No. 9 in the world. That came after he got the wrap-around season on the U.S. tour off to a solid start by tying for 17th in the CIMB Classic and tying for ninth in the WGC-HSBC Champions. Garcia will tee it up at Riviera for the 11th time, having missed the cut last year for only the second time with a score of 74-72 -- 146. His best results were ties for fourth in 2012 and 2015. Five years ago, he closed with a 64 to finish two shots out of the playoff in which Bill Haas beat Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley. Two years ago, his closing 71 left him one shy of the playoff in which James Hahn beat Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey.
7. Adam Scott, Australia
Scott played well late last year by tying for 10th in the CIMB Classic, tying for 14th in the WGC-HSBC Champions, tying for 14th in the Australian Open and finishing third in the Australian PGA Championship. He is making his first start of 2017 on the PGA Tour after starting this year with a tie for ninth in the Singapore Open last month, closing with a 74 after taking a one-stroke lead into the final round. This will be his ninth start at Riviera, and he won the tournament in 2005 when it was shortened to 36 holes because of rain, beating Chad Campbell with a par on the first playoff hole. Scott finished second the following year after a closing 64 to wind up a stroke behind Rory Sabbatini, and nearly won the tournament again last year. He played the weekend in 67-67, making a birdie on the 17th hole and chipping in for another birdie at No. 18, but tied for second, one shot behind Watson.
Scott played well late last year by tying for 10th in the CIMB Classic, tying for 14th in the WGC-HSBC Champions, tying for 14th in the Australian Open and finishing third in the Australian PGA Championship. He is making his first start of 2017 on the PGA Tour after starting this year with a tie for ninth in the Singapore Open last month, closing with a 74 after taking a one-stroke lead into the final round. This will be his ninth start at Riviera, and he won the tournament in 2005 when it was shortened to 36 holes because of rain, beating Chad Campbell with a par on the first playoff hole. Scott finished second the following year after a closing 64 to wind up a stroke behind Rory Sabbatini, and nearly won the tournament again last year. He played the weekend in 67-67, making a birdie on the 17th hole and chipping in for another birdie at No. 18, but tied for second, one shot behind Watson.
8. Jason Day, Australia
The top-ranked player in the world, easing his way into the new year after taking three months off since back spasms forced him to withdraw from the BMW Championship and Tour Championship in September, played his best golf so far last week in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He was right in the thick of the chase after opening with 69-64 in the rainy and windy weather in the first two rounds, but struggled to a 75 in round three. However, Day finished strong with a 67 and tied for fifth, his first top-10 result since he tied for fourth in The Barclays to open the FedExCup Playoffs last August. Surprisingly, he will tee it up at Riviera for only the fourth time and after missing the cut in 2010 and 2011, he finished in a tie for 62nd in 2012 and hasn't been back since. His best score at Hogan's Alley was a 71 in round two five years ago.
The top-ranked player in the world, easing his way into the new year after taking three months off since back spasms forced him to withdraw from the BMW Championship and Tour Championship in September, played his best golf so far last week in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He was right in the thick of the chase after opening with 69-64 in the rainy and windy weather in the first two rounds, but struggled to a 75 in round three. However, Day finished strong with a 67 and tied for fifth, his first top-10 result since he tied for fourth in The Barclays to open the FedExCup Playoffs last August. Surprisingly, he will tee it up at Riviera for only the fourth time and after missing the cut in 2010 and 2011, he finished in a tie for 62nd in 2012 and hasn't been back since. His best score at Hogan's Alley was a 71 in round two five years ago.
9. Brandt Snedeker, United States
Having played well throughout his career on the West Coast Swing, with two victories at Torrey Pines and two more at Pebble Beach among his eight on the PGA Tour, Snedeker will once again try to figure out the mystery of Riviera. This will be his seventh start at Hogan's Alley and he has missed the cut three times, with his best result a tie for 17th in 2012. He shot 79-75 on the weekend two years ago to finish 75th and dead last among the players who made the cut, and skipped the Los Angeles-area event last year. Snedeker has again played well in California, tying for ninth in his title defense at the Farmers Insurance Open after being in the hunt most of the way before closing with a 73, and finishing solo fourth last week in the AT&T Pebble Beach, two years after winning there for the second time. Snedeker started 2017 with a tie for 14th in the SBS Tournament of Champions at Kapalua.
Having played well throughout his career on the West Coast Swing, with two victories at Torrey Pines and two more at Pebble Beach among his eight on the PGA Tour, Snedeker will once again try to figure out the mystery of Riviera. This will be his seventh start at Hogan's Alley and he has missed the cut three times, with his best result a tie for 17th in 2012. He shot 79-75 on the weekend two years ago to finish 75th and dead last among the players who made the cut, and skipped the Los Angeles-area event last year. Snedeker has again played well in California, tying for ninth in his title defense at the Farmers Insurance Open after being in the hunt most of the way before closing with a 73, and finishing solo fourth last week in the AT&T Pebble Beach, two years after winning there for the second time. Snedeker started 2017 with a tie for 14th in the SBS Tournament of Champions at Kapalua.
10. Phil Mickelson, United States
Playing for the fourth consecutive week, the 46-year-old Mickelson seemed to run out of steam in a closing 77 to finish 77th and last among players who made the cut at Pebble Beach, where he has won four times. He has shown flashes of his best stuff on the West Coast Swing, also tying for 21st in the CareerBuilder Challenge, tying for 14th in the Farmers Insurance Open and tying for 16th in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. But Lefty, who missed three months because of two hernia surgeries, expects more in California and Arizona, where he has won 19 times. Included in that number are two victories at Hogan's Alley. In 2008, he beat Jeff Quinney by two strokes, and repeated the following year, when he shot 63 in the first round and 62 in the third before holding off Steve Stricker by one shot with a 72. Lefty lost in playoffs at Riviera to Charles Howell III in 2007 and to Bill Haas in 2012.
Playing for the fourth consecutive week, the 46-year-old Mickelson seemed to run out of steam in a closing 77 to finish 77th and last among players who made the cut at Pebble Beach, where he has won four times. He has shown flashes of his best stuff on the West Coast Swing, also tying for 21st in the CareerBuilder Challenge, tying for 14th in the Farmers Insurance Open and tying for 16th in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. But Lefty, who missed three months because of two hernia surgeries, expects more in California and Arizona, where he has won 19 times. Included in that number are two victories at Hogan's Alley. In 2008, he beat Jeff Quinney by two strokes, and repeated the following year, when he shot 63 in the first round and 62 in the third before holding off Steve Stricker by one shot with a 72. Lefty lost in playoffs at Riviera to Charles Howell III in 2007 and to Bill Haas in 2012.
Randall's Rant: How today's stars dominate Tiger.
By Randall Mell
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
They are better for golf in ways Tiger was never programmed to be.
Before you fit me for a strait jacket, let me explain.
Yes, on the golf course, Tiger is the best ever, dominating in ways Jack, Hogan and Jones never did. And, yes, nobody outside of Arnold Palmer ever did more to build the game’s popularity than Tiger.
But in the media center, Tiger can be like an unspectacular grinder, and I get that this was intentional, in many ways, when he was in his prime. The guy couldn’t have a strong opinion that didn’t become a headline or a talk-show debate topic.
That makes what we’re seeing in Spieth, McIlroy and Day all the more admirable. They’re superstars in the media center.
So when these guys win, as Spieth did Sunday at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the fun isn’t over when the last putt is holed. It isn’t over until they end their interviews, and that’s great for the game.
Spieth’s willingness to reveal what he’s really thinking makes the game more interesting, makes his triumphs more interesting. His skills in the media center, his willingness to detail explanations of the twists and turns of his journey makes the competition more satisfying when he’s integral to the outcome.
It’s the same with McIlroy and Day.
For players who grew up inspired by Woods, they’ve broken from his legacy in spectacular fashion. These guys are openly more analytical, insightful and opinionated. They are open in ways that help us all better understand a sport we’ve come to love.
McIlroy’s revelation about why he didn’t really go to the Olympics was classic Rory, bold and a bit risky. His admission that “I resent the Olympics because of the position it put me in” with the nationalistic choices it forced him to make was powerful stuff.
Day’s willingness to share even dark thoughts makes him more empathetic. His willingness to share his complicated relationship with an alcoholic father makes him more real.
“Every now and then I think about him and absolutely hate him,” Day told Golf Channel’s David Feherty.
Spieth, McIlroy and Day don’t just deliver great shots that make the game more fun to follow. They deliver insights that make the game more intriguing.
They almost always offer up a worthy postscript.
Of course, there’s risk in this, the risk of opening themselves to the backlash that comes with unpopular admissions.
The bonus today is this sense that as Tiger gets closer to moving into the next chapter of his career, his guard’s coming down, and we’re going to get some postscripts that help fill out his story in ways that richen our appreciation of the game.
Masters odds: Spieth 6/1 favorite, Tiger now 100/1.
By Will Gray
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
Another trophy to add to the collection has made Jordan Spieth a clear betting favorite for the upcoming Masters.
Spieth won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am by four shots, leading the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook to trim his odds for the season's first major. Spieth already had the lowest odds of any player at 8/1 entering the week, but he is now available at 6/1 following his first win of the year.
World No. 1 Jason Day and Rory McIlroy remain next on the betting sheet, while Hideki Matsuyama - who had fallen from 15/1 to 10/1 after his Phoenix win - has settled back at 12/1 alongside Dustin Johnson.
Tiger Woods was shopped at 25/1 as recently as two weeks ago, but those odds drifted to 50/1 following Woods' withdrawal after one round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Now that he is sitting out the next two weeks and his next start remains a mystery, the Westgate bumped his odds of winning a fifth green jacket out to 100/1.
Here's a look at the betting odds at the Westgate for several top players, with the Masters now just seven weeks away:
6/1: Jordan Spieth
10/1: Jason Day, Rory McIlroy
12/1: Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama
20/1: Justin Rose
25/1: Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson
30/1: Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson
40/1: Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Brandt Snedeker
50/1: Matt Kuchar, Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Casey
60/1: Zach Johnson, Danny Willett, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Branden Grace
80/1: Daniel Berger, Jimmy Walker, Charl Schwartzel, Gary Woodland, Thomas Pieters
100/1: Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, Lee Westwood, J.B. Holmes, Shane Lowry, Emiliano Grillo, Russell Knox, Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Tyrrell Hatton, Ryan Moore, Alex Noren
NASCAR: Who is the driver to watch? NASCAR America analysts have their say.
Spieth won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am by four shots, leading the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook to trim his odds for the season's first major. Spieth already had the lowest odds of any player at 8/1 entering the week, but he is now available at 6/1 following his first win of the year.
World No. 1 Jason Day and Rory McIlroy remain next on the betting sheet, while Hideki Matsuyama - who had fallen from 15/1 to 10/1 after his Phoenix win - has settled back at 12/1 alongside Dustin Johnson.
Tiger Woods was shopped at 25/1 as recently as two weeks ago, but those odds drifted to 50/1 following Woods' withdrawal after one round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Now that he is sitting out the next two weeks and his next start remains a mystery, the Westgate bumped his odds of winning a fifth green jacket out to 100/1.
Here's a look at the betting odds at the Westgate for several top players, with the Masters now just seven weeks away:
6/1: Jordan Spieth
10/1: Jason Day, Rory McIlroy
12/1: Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama
20/1: Justin Rose
25/1: Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson
30/1: Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson
40/1: Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Brandt Snedeker
50/1: Matt Kuchar, Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Casey
60/1: Zach Johnson, Danny Willett, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Branden Grace
80/1: Daniel Berger, Jimmy Walker, Charl Schwartzel, Gary Woodland, Thomas Pieters
100/1: Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, Lee Westwood, J.B. Holmes, Shane Lowry, Emiliano Grillo, Russell Knox, Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Tyrrell Hatton, Ryan Moore, Alex Noren
NASCAR: Who is the driver to watch? NASCAR America analysts have their say.
By NBC Sports
(Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)
New drivers in new places. A returning star. And one looking to be in a class all alone.
Those are just among the drivers NASCAR America’s analysts stated they’d be watching early in the season.
NASCAR America is back for a fourth season at 6 p.m. ET today on NBCSN. NASCAR on NBC analysts Steve Letarte, Kyle Petty, Jeff Burton, Dale Jarrett and Parker Kligerman are ready for the start of the season.
With that in mind, they each talked about the drivers they will be watching early in the season.
Steve Letarte: I’m going to have a group of them. I look at Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon and Chase Elliott. The reason I list those three is we now don’t have Jeff Gordon, we now don’t have Tony Stewart, we now don’t have Carl Edwards. Who is going to step up? There is a vacancy in the star power of the sport. I don’t think who is the most creative on Twitter and who has the coolest commercials that will fill that space. People laugh, but that’s how people in Hollywood create stars. I think it’s who shows up on the race track with fireworks in victory and that person will become a star.
Kyle Petty: I’ll be watching Clint Bowyer to see how last year has affected him — non-competitive for a full year and now will be judged against Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch in the same equipment.
Jeff Burton: Everything I’ve heard about preseason testing is that Hendrick Motorsports has been stupid fast. Like not a little faster than everybody. A lot faster than everybody. I’m curious to see if that continues. I heard in Vegas that Chase Elliott was way faster than everybody else. I heard that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was way faster than everybody else at Phoenix. I’m curious to see if that can continue when it really counts.
Dale Jarrett: The top driver I’m going to be watching at the beginning, at the middle and at the end is Jimmie Johnson as he chases his eighth title. This is history that we’re talking about. I know that there will be people that will say it is a different format but that was the same way that every other driver went about winning their championship with different rules and things. I’m really anxious to see this and how Jimmie and his team perform because this is a new type of pressure. There was pressure getting to seven but now you’re talking about doing something that nobody else has done.
No. 2 on my list is Dale Earnhardt Jr. coming back. I don’t have any doubt that he’ll be back in top form at Daytona because that is his place, but how do things go from there? We’ll certainly be keeping an eye on him around any type of accidents.
Third, how does Daniel Suarez handle this situation that he really wasn’t looking at when he ended his year as the Xfinity champion? I’m sure he was expecting some races in the Cup series but not a full-time deal. How does he handle everything with that? He’s been outstanding to this point but will it continue? There’s a huge learning curve there with the different cars and the different people he will be racing against.
Parker Kligerman: I couldn’t settle on one driver to watch but rather a specific group. The 26-and-under age group. This group is spectacular and will garner intense attention all season.
Austin Dillon – If he/ RCR can start the season strong like last year, especially at 1.5-mile tracks, I see Austin breaking RCR’s winless streak and being a player in the playoffs. New formats could hurt him in the playoffs though, as will he chase points for segments?
Kyle Larson – I look for very much the same performance as last year unless Ganassi has found a big advantage in the offseason. I don’t see them being much better, but no worse. They will make the playoffs.
Daniel Suarez – This will be one of the most interesting stories to watch all year as we see if he can adjust to the Cup cars. No prediction, just will observe.
Erik Jones – I feel with Daniel moving up now, Erik has something to prove. He let his similarly experienced but lesser-heralded teammate get the better of him for a championship. Erik won’t be successful focusing on one driver in a series like Cup, but I find it will be inevitable to compare the two. He won’t want to let Daniel better him again or these two could be in for a rockier relationship as the future of Toyota and JGR.
Ty Dillon – He will be an X factor. He showed slight promise in his limited Cup starts, and Germain Racing has benefited from its RCR relationship but not to the level of JTG Daugherty. I wonder with what will obviously be increased support from RCR, what this team will be capable of? Nonetheless, he adds again to the incredible under-26 crowd.
Ryan Blaney – I want Ryan to win a race this year. He without a doubt has the talent to do it. He has the race craft, and is one of the most calm drivers I have ever witnessed. Will his 21 team be able to cut out some of what seemed to be growing pains last year? He will also need to cut out slight mistakes late. The future is bright here in typical Penske fashion. Execution will be key.
Chris Buescher – Wow, what a change of fortune. There will be growing pains here, but I look for Chris to be a solid top-20 car in points come the end of the season. Once again if he pulls something extraordinary again, we could be talking about a fringe playoff car. All I do know is with this addition and Ty Dillon, the top 20 in points has gotten insanely competitive.
Chase Elliott – Must win a race. Can win a race. Will win a race. He will be a solid contender in the playoffs and garner the largest portion of the fan base out of this whole group.
Joey Logano – Insane he is even included in this group. He will win races; many in fact. He will be a formidable contender in the playoffs if he and crew chief Todd Gordon can clean up some late-race strategy issues. As every year since 2014, I think they can be champs.
Landon Cassill – Is actually 27 now, but I wanted to write “Do you even snap bro?” Also some curious things are occurring at that small Statesville, North Carolina, shop, looking ahead to 2018.
If Dale Jr. wins Daytona 500, Chicagoland race ticket holders get refund.
By Jerry Bonkowski
(Photo/Getty Images)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans just got an additional incentive to cheer for their favorite driver in the Daytona 500.
Chicagoland Speedway officials announced Monday that if Earnhardt wins his third Daytona 500 on Feb. 26, fans who have already purchased single-day tickets for the Sept. 17 Chicagoland 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff-opening race will not only get to keep their seats, but they’ll also get a full refund of their purchase price.
To be part of the promotion, fans must have purchased their tickets from Chicagoland Speedway before the Daytona 500.
Earnhardt has four career victories at the 2.5-mile tri-oval, including two in the Daytona 500 (2004 and 2014). This year will mark his 17th career Daytona 500 start and first Cup start since he was sidelined by concussion symptoms in July.
Fans who have already purchased single-day tickets for the NASCAR Series playoff-opening race must log on to ChicagolandSpeedway.com/DaleJr500 and enter offer code 17DALE500 before the Daytona 500 to be eligible for a refund if their driver takes the checkered flag.
Earnhardt has one career win at Chicagoland in 2005.
Danica Patrick gains new ‘lead sponsor’ in Aspen Dental.
By Nate Ryan
Chicagoland Speedway officials announced Monday that if Earnhardt wins his third Daytona 500 on Feb. 26, fans who have already purchased single-day tickets for the Sept. 17 Chicagoland 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff-opening race will not only get to keep their seats, but they’ll also get a full refund of their purchase price.
To be part of the promotion, fans must have purchased their tickets from Chicagoland Speedway before the Daytona 500.
Earnhardt has four career victories at the 2.5-mile tri-oval, including two in the Daytona 500 (2004 and 2014). This year will mark his 17th career Daytona 500 start and first Cup start since he was sidelined by concussion symptoms in July.
Fans who have already purchased single-day tickets for the NASCAR Series playoff-opening race must log on to ChicagolandSpeedway.com/DaleJr500 and enter offer code 17DALE500 before the Daytona 500 to be eligible for a refund if their driver takes the checkered flag.
Earnhardt has one career win at Chicagoland in 2005.
Danica Patrick gains new ‘lead sponsor’ in Aspen Dental.
By Nate Ryan
(Photo courtesy Stewart-Haas Racing)
Danica Patrick’s cloudy sponsorship outlook grew slightly clearer Tuesday morning as existing sponsor Aspen Dental expanded its support of the No. 10 Ford.
In a Facebook Live chat with Patrick, Stewart-Haas Racing announced that Aspen Dental would become the lead sponsor of Patrick’s car starting with the Daytona 500. Aspen, which began its support of Patrick three years ago, will serve as the primary sponsor for “a double-digit slate of races,” according to a team release.
In the video, Patrick credited Aspen Dental with “really stepping up. Daytona is a big race, our biggest race. It’s a very, very happy day. Let’s just go win Daytona, right?”
Patrick’s car originally was slated to be sponsored in at least 20 races this season by Nature’s Bakery, which is being sued by Stewart-Haas Racing for breaching its contract.
“Our commitment to Danica Patrick goes back almost four years, and our relationship with SHR even further,” Bob Fontana, chairman and CEO of Aspen Dental Management, Inc., said in a statement. “She is a strong advocate for the Aspen Dental brand and a wonderful ambassador for programs like the Healthy Mouth Movement. Danica and Stewart-Haas Racing have encouraged fans to get started on the road to better oral health care while showcasing how Aspen Dental practices make it easy for them. We look forward to our enhanced partnership.”
Click here to read the release from Stewart-Haas Racing.
SOCCER: UCL Wednesday preview: Arsenal to the Allianz Arena; Red-hot Napoli meets the champs.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo/Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
Day 2 of the Round of 16 falls on the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, after PSG buried Barcelona 4-0 and Benfica edged Borussia Dortmund in Portugal.
Wednesday finds Arsenal in Germany and Napoli at the Bernabeu. The second legs will both be held on Wednesday, March 8.
Bayern Munich vs. Arsenal
How they got here: Arsenal edged PSG for the top spot in Group A, while Group B Bayern lost to Atletico Madrid and Rostov in finishing second.
History: Traded results in last season’s group stage, though Bayern walloped Arsenal 5-1 at the Allianz Arena. Bayern has won five, drawn two, and lost thrice against the Gunners this century.
The plot: Arsenal has made the Round of 16 in 11 straight seasons but hasn’t earned a quarterfinal berth since 2009-10. Bayern won in 2012-13, and is bidding to win Carlo Ancelotti a UCL title with his third club (AC Milan, Real Madrid).
The subplot: Germany and Bayern legend Philipp Lahm is retiring after the season and the club would be overjoyed to put him out on top; Meanwhile Arsenal is sticking with No. 2 goalkeeper David Ospina over Petr Cech.
Real Madrid vs. Napoli
How they got here: Madrid drew three matches and finished behind Borussia Dortmund in Group F. Napoli edged Benfica to win Group B.
History: Real defeated Napoli 3-1 over two legs in the 1987-88 European Cup.
The plot: Real is looking to become the first time since mid-1970s Bayern Munich to win three European Cups inside of five seasons (Bayern won three-straight), while Napoli is looking to assert itself in Europe with a first big title since the 1988-89 UEFA Cup.
The subplot: Real is one of four Spanish clubs left in the tournament, and will hope to restore some pride after Barca was waxed by PSG; Napoli hasn’t lost in 18 matches stretching into late October, and will feel ripe to upset the champions.
Premier League Playback: Who has edge in top four race?
By Joe Prince-Wright
There is a special scenario playing out in the Premier League this season, hence why this edition of Premier League Playback is focusing solely on the crazy top four race.
With Chelsea eight points clear at the top, it seems like this season will become all about the race for second place. And third place. And fourth place. Just two points separates Spurs in second place and Manchester United in sixth after the weekend games in Week 25.
With six giants of English soccer scrambling for the top four with their big-name managers, there is so little to divide these behemoth clubs.
Yet, let’s have a go shall we? Might as well…
With six giants of English soccer scrambling for the top four with their big-name managers, there is so little to divide these behemoth clubs.
Yet, let’s have a go shall we? Might as well…
MANCHESTER CITY
Wednesday finds Arsenal in Germany and Napoli at the Bernabeu. The second legs will both be held on Wednesday, March 8.
Bayern Munich vs. Arsenal
How they got here: Arsenal edged PSG for the top spot in Group A, while Group B Bayern lost to Atletico Madrid and Rostov in finishing second.
History: Traded results in last season’s group stage, though Bayern walloped Arsenal 5-1 at the Allianz Arena. Bayern has won five, drawn two, and lost thrice against the Gunners this century.
The plot: Arsenal has made the Round of 16 in 11 straight seasons but hasn’t earned a quarterfinal berth since 2009-10. Bayern won in 2012-13, and is bidding to win Carlo Ancelotti a UCL title with his third club (AC Milan, Real Madrid).
The subplot: Germany and Bayern legend Philipp Lahm is retiring after the season and the club would be overjoyed to put him out on top; Meanwhile Arsenal is sticking with No. 2 goalkeeper David Ospina over Petr Cech.
Real Madrid vs. Napoli
How they got here: Madrid drew three matches and finished behind Borussia Dortmund in Group F. Napoli edged Benfica to win Group B.
History: Real defeated Napoli 3-1 over two legs in the 1987-88 European Cup.
The plot: Real is looking to become the first time since mid-1970s Bayern Munich to win three European Cups inside of five seasons (Bayern won three-straight), while Napoli is looking to assert itself in Europe with a first big title since the 1988-89 UEFA Cup.
The subplot: Real is one of four Spanish clubs left in the tournament, and will hope to restore some pride after Barca was waxed by PSG; Napoli hasn’t lost in 18 matches stretching into late October, and will feel ripe to upset the champions.
Premier League Playback: Who has edge in top four race?
By Joe Prince-Wright
There is a special scenario playing out in the Premier League this season, hence why this edition of Premier League Playback is focusing solely on the crazy top four race.
With Chelsea eight points clear at the top, it seems like this season will become all about the race for second place. And third place. And fourth place. Just two points separates Spurs in second place and Manchester United in sixth after the weekend games in Week 25.
With six giants of English soccer scrambling for the top four with their big-name managers, there is so little to divide these behemoth clubs.
Yet, let’s have a go shall we? Might as well…
With six giants of English soccer scrambling for the top four with their big-name managers, there is so little to divide these behemoth clubs.
Yet, let’s have a go shall we? Might as well…
MANCHESTER CITY
Why they’ll finish in the top four: Pep Guardiola‘s side have to play four of the top six in the final 13 games of the season, leaving them with a very tough schedule. A spell at the end of March and start of April will decide their season with a triple header of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, plus potential Champions League and FA Cup games. Given the fact they’ll likely go deep in the UCL and the FA Cup, that will mean plenty of rotation in the squad. With Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and Kelechi Iheanacho in reserve right now, that should be fine. You get the sense the penny has dropped for Pep’s players in recent weeks. Expect them to go on a run and finish his opening season as a coach in the PL strongly. Chelsea will beat them to the title, for this season at least, but finishing second (especially after their poor start) would be a good achievement.
Toughest games remaining: vs. Manchester United (TBA), vs. Liverpool (Mar. 19), at Arsenal (Apr. 1), at Chelsea (Apr. 5)
Predicted final points total: 82 points (2nd place finish)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Why they’ll finish in the top four: Following their early UCL exit, Spurs’ players will be determined to put things right in Europe next season. Given their remaining schedule, plus it being their last season at the old White Hart Lane, motivation levels will be high. You’d like to think there won’t be a late season collapse a la 2015-16 and Mauricio Pochettino and his players will have learned from that. Harry Kane and Dele Alli have to turn up in the big games as Spurs only have one win this season against the current top six. Luckily they only have two games against the current top six in their remaining 13 fixtures. That’s the main reason they’ll seal a top four finish.
Toughest games remaining: vs. Arsenal (Apr. 29), vs. Manchester United (May 13)
Predicted final points total: 78 points (3rd place finish)
LIVERPOOL
Why they’ll finish in the top four: With no European or cup action to worry about, Klopp’s men have 13 cup finals to get themselves into the top four. Like Chelsea, that’s a massive bonus. With Sadio Mane back, plus injuries at a minimum, Liverpool has a great chance to finish in the top four. Like Spurs, they could easily go unbeaten in their final 13 games of the season and delivering a UCL spot was always the target this season. Looks like Liverpool will do it. Just about. It all depends on limiting those sloppy defensive mistakes and the only other issue is the fact that they play a couple of relegation contenders who will be scrapping for their lives in the final weeks of the season. That always throws up some bizarre results.
Toughest games remaining: vs. Arsenal (Mar. 4), at Manchester City (Mar. 19)
Predicted final points total: 77 points (4th place finish)
MANCHESTER UNITED
Why they’ll finish in the top four: All of those draws look like they will cost surging United dear. Jose Mourinho’s men have only lost three games this season and none of their last 16 in the PL in a fine unbeaten run. But with Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs to play in the final six weeks of the season, they’ll likely drop plenty more points. With Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs to come in their last six games of the season, Mourinho’s men have to rack up the points now and then hope they can power over the line. Having a taxing Europa League campaign, plus FA Cup involvement, will make that tough. You get a horrible sense that they may have left this surge in the second half of the season just a little too late.
Toughest games remaining: at Manchester City (TBA), vs. Chelsea (Apr. 15), at Arsenal (May 6), at Tottenham (May 13)
Predicted final points total: 77 points (5th place finish, on goal difference)
ARSENAL
Why they’ll finish in the top four: Because it’s Arsenal. Duh. Seriously, they have a better defense than last season and despite the “Wenger Out” brigade once again warming up their vocal chords, things aren’t that bad. The only thing which could derail their top four chase is if one, or all three, of Wenger, Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil decide to make an announcement about a future move away from the Emirates before the end of the season. That, plus actually getting past the UCL Round of 16, would throw a major spanner in the works. It will be a close call for the Gunners because they arguably have the hardest remaining schedule of any top four contender. Looks like they may just miss out when you consider the fixtures below…
Toughest games remaining: at Liverpool (Mar. 4), vs. Manchester City (Apr. 1), at Tottenham (Apr. 29), vs. Manchester United (May 6)
Predicted final points total: 74 points (6th place finish)
Premier League player Power Rankings: Top 20.
By Joe Prince-Wright
(Photo/Getty Images)
The Premier League player Power Rankings for Week 25 are here.
There are plenty of new faces in our Power Rankings, with Chelsea and Man City dominating.
Remember: this is a list of the top 20 performing players right now in the Premier League.
Let us know in the comments section below if you agree with the selections of the top 20 players in the PL right now.
NCAABKB: 2017 NCAA Associated Press Basketball Rankings, 02/13/2017.
There are plenty of new faces in our Power Rankings, with Chelsea and Man City dominating.
Remember: this is a list of the top 20 performing players right now in the Premier League.
Let us know in the comments section below if you agree with the selections of the top 20 players in the PL right now.
- Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) – New entry
- N’Golo Kante (Chelsea) – Down 1
- Sadio Mane (Liverpool) – New entry
- Raheem Sterling (Man City) – Down 4
- David Luiz (Chelsea) – Down 2
- Manolo Gabbiadini (Southampton) – New entry
- Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea) – Up 2
- Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City) – Down 4
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Man United) – New entry
- Eden Hazard (Chelsea) – Down 7
- Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) – Down 3
- Anthony Martial (Man United) – New entry
- Leroy Sane (Man City) – Even
- Romelu Lukaku (Everton) – Down 9
- Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool) – New entry
- Juan Mata (Man United) – New entry
- David Silva (Man City) – New entry
- Diego Costa (Chelsea) – Down 7
- Ryan Bertrand (Southampton) – New entry
- Dele Alli (Tottenham) – Down 10
NCAABKB: 2017 NCAA Associated Press Basketball Rankings, 02/13/2017.
AP
RANK
|
SCHOOL
|
POINTS
|
RECORD
|
PREVIOUS
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gonzaga (60) | 1620 | 26-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Villanova (5) | 1564 | 24-2 | 2 |
| 3 | Kansas | 1493 | 22-3 | 3 |
| 4 | Baylor | 1394 | 22-3 | 6 |
| 5 | Arizona | 1301 | 23-3 | 9 |
| 6 | UCLA | 1276 | 23-3 | 10 |
| 7 | Oregon | 1229 | 22-4 | 5 |
| 8 | Louisville | 1204 | 20-5 | 4 |
| 9 | West Virginia | 1012 | 20-5 | 13 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 1005 | 21-5 | 8 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 868 | 21-4 | 7 |
| 12 | Duke | 857 | 20-5 | 18 |
| 13 | Kentucky | 854 | 20-5 | 15 |
| 14 | Virginia | 825 | 18-6 | 12 |
| 15 | Florida | 717 | 20-5 | 17 |
| 16 | Purdue | 682 | 20-5 | 16 |
| 17 | Florida State | 665 | 21-5 | 14 |
| 18 | Cincinnati | 634 | 22-3 | 11 |
| 19 | SMU | 415 | 22-4 | 25 |
| 20 | Creighton | 298 | 21-4 | 23 |
| 21 | South Carolina | 296 | 20-5 | 19 |
| 22 | Saint Mary's (Cal) | 269 | 22-3 | 20 |
| 23 | Maryland | 136 | 21-4 | 21 |
| 24 | Butler | 129 | 19-6 | 22 |
| 25 | Notre Dame | 122 | 19-7 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Wichita State 87, Xavier 72, Northwestern 60,Southern Cal 16, VCU 14, Dayton 4, Middle Tennessee 3, Monmouth 2, Oklahoma State 1, Vermont 1
UConn women win 100th consecutive game with double-digit victory over South Carolina.
By Scott Phillips
The UConn women’s basketball team continued to make history on Monday night as the program won its 100th consecutive game on with a 66-55 home win over No. 6 South Carolina.
Using an 11-2 run to end the third quarter, the No. 1 Huskies had a double-double from junior Gabby Williams (26 points and 14 rebounds) while sophomore Napheesa Collier (18 points, nine rebounds) also had a strong outing.
Monday’s win puts UConn at 25-0 on the season with the non-conference win. These two programs also met last season as the Huskies beat South Carolina on the road when the two teams were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country.
South Carolina (21-3) was led by 17 points from junior forward A’ja Wilson while senior center Alaina Coates had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. The Gamecocks tried to use their size to pound the Huskies on the interior but UConn was up to the challenge and also did a great job of shutting down South Carolina’s perimeter shooting (28 percent three-point shooting).
UConn already shattered the record for longest winning streak in NCAA history earlier this season back on Jan. 14 with their 91st consecutive win, which came against SMU.
The four-time defending national champions haven’t lost since Nov. 17, 2014 when they fell to Stanford in overtime. That loss to Stanford snapped another 47-game winning streak that the Huskies had going.
This current 100-game winning streak is the second time the UConn women’s program passed the previous Division I win streak record — which was set with 88 wins by the UCLA men’s team under head coach John Wooden. Head coach Geno Auriemma previously guided the Huskies to a 90-game winning streak — which also started after a loss to Stanford in 2008 and ended with another loss to Stanford on Dec. 30, 2010.
During the current 100-game winning streak, the Huskies didn’t shy away from marquee opponents as they toppled an incredible 28 ranked opponents by over an average of over 20 points per game.
The 2016-17 Huskies have also been impressive because they had to replace Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck — the most successful class in NCAA history. Despite those roster losses, UConn has beaten nine ranked teams this season and looks like the favorite to capture its fifth consecutive national championship.
UConn has four games left in the regular season with a road game at South Florida being the only game against a ranked team. The Huskies will also have to get past the American conference tournament before the NCAA tournament.
If the Huskies enter the NCAA tournament unbeaten they’ll be attempting to win its 12th national title under Geno Auriemma and complete its seventh undefeated season.
NIT to experiment with rules, similar to quarter-style play.
Associated Press
Next month’s NIT will experiment with rules, incorporating elements of playing four quarters while staying with a two-half format.
The NCAA said Monday its rules oversight panel has approved resetting team fouls to zero at the end of 10-minute segments in each half, as well as doing away with the 1-and-1 free throw in favor or two foul shots on many fouls.
Instead, teams will shoot two free throws after teams have reached a four-foul limit during each 10-minute segment and three fouls during overtime. The fouls will reset at the 9:59 mark of each half.
The possibility of playing a quarter system to mirror international basketball instead of halves has been a topic of discussion in the college game. The NCAA said in a statement the mid-half reset “may have the same effect” as resetting fouls at the end of 10-minute quarters while retaining “the unique format” of 20-minute halves.
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes suspects it’s “just a matter of time” before the college game moves to the quarter system.
“I think the rules we should be playing really as much as any would be the international rules,” Barnes said. “They play quarters and reset (fouls) the same way. I’m just for having a universal game. I think the quicker we can get to that, I think it would help our game overall,” he said.
“Even when kids get to high school, if they start playing with a shot clock, I think that would help their progression with it. Again, I just think from high school on it should be a universal game.”
The NIT starts March 14 and ends March 30 in New York.
The panel also approved resetting the shot clock to 20 seconds, or leaving it the same if there was more time when play was stopped, instead of going back to 30 seconds when a team inbounds the ball in its frontcourt after a foul that results in no free throws. This would also include any technical foul against the defense or if the game is stopped for a player who is bleeding or has blood on his uniform.
The Men’s Basketball Rules Committee wants to see if that increases the number of possessions in a game, and therefore scoring, the NCAA said.
The results of the changes will be reviewed during the committee’s May meeting. The committee said other postseason tournaments can also use the experimental rules if they agree to gather data for the committee’s review.
NCAAFB: NCAA to shift evaluation process in targeting ejection procedures in 2017.
UConn women win 100th consecutive game with double-digit victory over South Carolina.
By Scott Phillips
(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
The UConn women’s basketball team continued to make history on Monday night as the program won its 100th consecutive game on with a 66-55 home win over No. 6 South Carolina.
Using an 11-2 run to end the third quarter, the No. 1 Huskies had a double-double from junior Gabby Williams (26 points and 14 rebounds) while sophomore Napheesa Collier (18 points, nine rebounds) also had a strong outing.
Monday’s win puts UConn at 25-0 on the season with the non-conference win. These two programs also met last season as the Huskies beat South Carolina on the road when the two teams were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country.
South Carolina (21-3) was led by 17 points from junior forward A’ja Wilson while senior center Alaina Coates had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. The Gamecocks tried to use their size to pound the Huskies on the interior but UConn was up to the challenge and also did a great job of shutting down South Carolina’s perimeter shooting (28 percent three-point shooting).
UConn already shattered the record for longest winning streak in NCAA history earlier this season back on Jan. 14 with their 91st consecutive win, which came against SMU.
The four-time defending national champions haven’t lost since Nov. 17, 2014 when they fell to Stanford in overtime. That loss to Stanford snapped another 47-game winning streak that the Huskies had going.
This current 100-game winning streak is the second time the UConn women’s program passed the previous Division I win streak record — which was set with 88 wins by the UCLA men’s team under head coach John Wooden. Head coach Geno Auriemma previously guided the Huskies to a 90-game winning streak — which also started after a loss to Stanford in 2008 and ended with another loss to Stanford on Dec. 30, 2010.
During the current 100-game winning streak, the Huskies didn’t shy away from marquee opponents as they toppled an incredible 28 ranked opponents by over an average of over 20 points per game.
The 2016-17 Huskies have also been impressive because they had to replace Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck — the most successful class in NCAA history. Despite those roster losses, UConn has beaten nine ranked teams this season and looks like the favorite to capture its fifth consecutive national championship.
UConn has four games left in the regular season with a road game at South Florida being the only game against a ranked team. The Huskies will also have to get past the American conference tournament before the NCAA tournament.
If the Huskies enter the NCAA tournament unbeaten they’ll be attempting to win its 12th national title under Geno Auriemma and complete its seventh undefeated season.
NIT to experiment with rules, similar to quarter-style play.
Associated Press
(Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Next month’s NIT will experiment with rules, incorporating elements of playing four quarters while staying with a two-half format.
The NCAA said Monday its rules oversight panel has approved resetting team fouls to zero at the end of 10-minute segments in each half, as well as doing away with the 1-and-1 free throw in favor or two foul shots on many fouls.
Instead, teams will shoot two free throws after teams have reached a four-foul limit during each 10-minute segment and three fouls during overtime. The fouls will reset at the 9:59 mark of each half.
The possibility of playing a quarter system to mirror international basketball instead of halves has been a topic of discussion in the college game. The NCAA said in a statement the mid-half reset “may have the same effect” as resetting fouls at the end of 10-minute quarters while retaining “the unique format” of 20-minute halves.
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes suspects it’s “just a matter of time” before the college game moves to the quarter system.
“I think the rules we should be playing really as much as any would be the international rules,” Barnes said. “They play quarters and reset (fouls) the same way. I’m just for having a universal game. I think the quicker we can get to that, I think it would help our game overall,” he said.
“Even when kids get to high school, if they start playing with a shot clock, I think that would help their progression with it. Again, I just think from high school on it should be a universal game.”
The NIT starts March 14 and ends March 30 in New York.
The panel also approved resetting the shot clock to 20 seconds, or leaving it the same if there was more time when play was stopped, instead of going back to 30 seconds when a team inbounds the ball in its frontcourt after a foul that results in no free throws. This would also include any technical foul against the defense or if the game is stopped for a player who is bleeding or has blood on his uniform.
The Men’s Basketball Rules Committee wants to see if that increases the number of possessions in a game, and therefore scoring, the NCAA said.
The results of the changes will be reviewed during the committee’s May meeting. The committee said other postseason tournaments can also use the experimental rules if they agree to gather data for the committee’s review.
NCAAFB: NCAA to shift evaluation process in targeting ejection procedures in 2017.
By Zach Barnett
(Photo/Getty Images)
The lowest-hanging fruit to instantly win approval points in any college football discussion in 2016 was to say the targeting rule stunk. A player getting ejected from a game — and being forced to miss half of the next game, depending on the time of the foul — was unfair to defensive players with such little evidence needed to throw them out.
Expect that to change in 2017. Sort of.
A report from Jon Solomon of CBSSports on Tuesday stated the NCAA is seeking to move the burden of proof from replay officials to on-the-field officials. Whereas a replay official had to overturn a targeting foul on the field to keep a player from being ejected in 2016, a new interpretation will call for both the on-the-field and replay official to agree on a targeting call to force a player to leave a game.
If the replay official does not find enough evidence to overturn or confirm the call on the field, the player will remain in the game with the 15-yard penalty remaining intact.
“We still want to the official to throw the flag there,” NCAA associate director Ty Halpin told CBS. “But if replay says there’s a little bit of contact on the shoulder and it’s more because the player adjusted and it wasn’t a dangerous attempt by the player delivering the contact, then maybe that player deserves to stay in the game. It’s a reasonable thing to go with.”
Targeting fouls resulted in 144 ejections last season — including 16 of which that came from replay-initiated reviews, among 29 total replay-initiated reviews — which was a sharp increase from the 72 ejection in 2014. Fifty-one targeting flags were overturned on replay review.
The proposal will go before review during the NCAA’s Football Rules Committee meetings on March 2-3.
Expect that to change in 2017. Sort of.
A report from Jon Solomon of CBSSports on Tuesday stated the NCAA is seeking to move the burden of proof from replay officials to on-the-field officials. Whereas a replay official had to overturn a targeting foul on the field to keep a player from being ejected in 2016, a new interpretation will call for both the on-the-field and replay official to agree on a targeting call to force a player to leave a game.
If the replay official does not find enough evidence to overturn or confirm the call on the field, the player will remain in the game with the 15-yard penalty remaining intact.
“We still want to the official to throw the flag there,” NCAA associate director Ty Halpin told CBS. “But if replay says there’s a little bit of contact on the shoulder and it’s more because the player adjusted and it wasn’t a dangerous attempt by the player delivering the contact, then maybe that player deserves to stay in the game. It’s a reasonable thing to go with.”
Targeting fouls resulted in 144 ejections last season — including 16 of which that came from replay-initiated reviews, among 29 total replay-initiated reviews — which was a sharp increase from the 72 ejection in 2014. Fifty-one targeting flags were overturned on replay review.
The proposal will go before review during the NCAA’s Football Rules Committee meetings on March 2-3.
Breeders’ Cup 2017 at Del Mar Tickets Go On Sale March 6.
America's Best Racing Network
Fans arrive for the 2016 Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park. (Photo/Eclipse Sportswire)
To purchase tickets, fans should visit www.BreedersCup.com or call the ticketing center at (877) 849-4287 beginning at noon ET/9 a.m. PT on March 6. A special ticket pre-sale will be conducted in the days prior to the March 6 public sale opening. Fans can sign up at www.BreedersCup.com/2017 for pre-sale access. Breeders’ Cup officials anticipate high demand for tickets and expect reserved seating to sell out quickly.
The Breeders’ Cup enjoyed increased handle from its 2016 running at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., and its Nov. 5 Saturday card anchored by the Breeders’ Cup Classic drew the highest attendance for a single day of Breeders’ Cup racing – 72,811 – since the event moved to a two-day format in 2007. After being held at Santa Anita for a record ninth time in 2016, the Breeders’ Cup moves south to “Where the Surf Meets the Turf” at Del Mar’s iconic seaside venue. The 2017 World Championships will consist of 13 Grade 1 races with purses and awards totaling more than $28 million, and will be televised live by NBC Sports Group.
Since opening in 1937, Del Mar has been a perennial draw for elite racehorses and the sport’s most passionate fans. The track was opened by legendary movie star and singer Bing Crosby along with associates, and retains a Hollywood glamour to this day. The 34th Breeders’ Cup will be held during the first week of Del Mar’s Fall Bing Crosby Season, which lasts through November.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, February 15, 2017.
emoriesofhistory.com
1946 - Edith Houghton, at age 33, was signed as a baseball scout by the Philadelphia Phillies becoming the first female scout in the major leagues.
1953 - The first American to win the women’s world figure skating championship was 17-year-old Tenley Albright.
1962 - CBS-TV bought the exclusive rights to college football games from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for a figure of $10,200,000.
1965 - NFL teams pledged not to sign college seniors until they had completed all of their games, including bowl games.
1974 - Phil Esposito (Boston Bruins) scored his 1,000th NHL point.
1975 - Yvan Cournoyer (Montreal Canadiens) scored five goals and two assists against the Chicago Black Hawks.
1980 - Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) tied an NHL record with seven assists in a game against the Washington Capitals. Gretzky also set a rookie record of 96 points.
1996 - The NCAA football rules committee voted to require a tiebreaker in all NCAA football games.
1998 - Dale Earnhardt won NASCAR's Daytona 500 for the first time. The win occurred on his 20th attempt.
1953 - The first American to win the women’s world figure skating championship was 17-year-old Tenley Albright.
1962 - CBS-TV bought the exclusive rights to college football games from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for a figure of $10,200,000.
1965 - NFL teams pledged not to sign college seniors until they had completed all of their games, including bowl games.
1974 - Phil Esposito (Boston Bruins) scored his 1,000th NHL point.
1975 - Yvan Cournoyer (Montreal Canadiens) scored five goals and two assists against the Chicago Black Hawks.
1980 - Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) tied an NHL record with seven assists in a game against the Washington Capitals. Gretzky also set a rookie record of 96 points.
1996 - The NCAA football rules committee voted to require a tiebreaker in all NCAA football games.
1998 - Dale Earnhardt won NASCAR's Daytona 500 for the first time. The win occurred on his 20th attempt.
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