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"Sports Quote of the Day"
"Anything can happen in this world. It is a crazy place, but as long as we have each other we can overcome anything life throws at us. Just have to believe in ourselves and keep moving forward." ~ Dustin Ash, Motor Sports Driver
TRENDING: Jonathan Toews has five-point night, including a hat trick, in Blackhawks' win over Wild. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: Report: Bears seeking trade partners for Jay Cutler. (See the football section for Bears news an NFL updates).
TRENDING: Reports: Bulls telling teams they won’t trade Jimmy Butler. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).
TRENDING: Addison Russell planning to become next Cubs superstar. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: Golf Tour Confidential: Who are really the top five players in the world right now? (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: Golf Tour Confidential: Who are really the top five players in the world right now? (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: Power Rankings: Daytona 500. (CS&T/AA note: A different ranking based on DraftKings Fantasy ratings). (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR news and racing updates).
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Jonathan Toews has five-point night, including a hat trick, in Blackhawks' win over Wild.
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The points weren't there for Jonathan Toews earlier in the season. His confidence waned, too, as the Blackhawks captain's frustrations built.
Fast forward to the present, when Toews is starting to look like himself again. And on Tuesday, as the Blackhawks continued to play their best hockey of the season, Toews had his most productive game of the season.
Toews had a five-point night, including a hat trick, as the Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild 5-3. The Blackhawks won their seventh consecutive road game, tying a franchise record first set during the 1964-65 season. The Blackhawks have won seven of their last eight games and are now five points behind the Wild, who enter their bye week.
As much as the Blackhawks wanted to be rounding into form at this point of the regular season, so did Toews. The visible frustration he showed earlier this season, when nothing seemed to work offense-wise, is gone. He, Richard Panik and Nick Schmaltz have formed a strong and productive top line, with all three having great nights on Tuesday. Schmaltz had a goal and two assists and Panik had a goal and an assist.
"I think even the other night in Buffalo we had a ton of chances and the puck wasn't going in much. But sometimes you just have nights like that. Either way it's a lot of fun to play with Schmaltzy and Panner right now the way they're working, the way they're holding onto the puck," Toews said. "It's nice for us to get some results. It definitely changes the way you see yourself and your confidence. It's a lot of fun to come to the rink to come working at it and keep improving off efforts like that."
The Blackhawks needed every bit of what they got on Tuesday, be it from Toews or from the team overall. The Wild, once again, weren't going away quietly. Mikael Granlund's second power-play goal of the night, with less than seven minutes remaining in regulation, cut the Blackhawks' lead to 4-3 at the time. Toews' lengthy empty-net goal with 1:02 left in the game sealed it.
"He just wasn't getting the bounces at the start of the year. He always worked so hard. You knew at some point tides were going to change for him," said Schmaltz, whose slick behind-the-back pass led to Toews' second goal of the night. "Pucks are going in, he's hanging around the net and he's burying a few lately. It's great to see."
The Blackhawks are finding their four-line rotation and their more complete game at just the right time. Toews is doing the same thing with his production.
"I think for me the biggest change in my approach to the game is just my expectation. Just try and go into every game with no expectation, focus on the process, focus on playing well, playing the right way, staying in the moment, especially if things don't go in or things don't go your way," Toews said. "Just building one game after another to try and follow up good efforts and put weeks together, multiple games back to back."
NHL wants ‘two dedicated weeks’ for bye weeks next season.
By Jason Brough
(Photo/Getty)
There’s a new plan for NHL bye weeks.
“We’re going to try to find two dedicated weeks, and perhaps split the clubs up almost on a 50-50 basis so that each group of clubs will be having their bye weeks at the same time, then perhaps we can schedule a little better out of those bye weeks in terms of clubs who’ve had rest versus clubs who haven’t had rest,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told TSN 1040 radio today (audio).
The fact teams coming out of their bye weeks are 4-12-4 is a clear factor in the change. Hence, the plan to schedule rested teams against rested teams, making first games back a more equitable matchup.
Nine teams — the Stars, Sharks, Canucks, Wild, Blues, Jets, Sabres, Red Wings, and Blue Jackets — are on their bye week now or start it this week. The Ducks are the last team to take theirs; they’re off from Feb. 26 to March 2.
Teams started taking their bye weeks on Jan. 1.
Patience and perseverance: trying to make, and stay in, the NHL .
By Tracey Myers
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Corey Crawford remembers his early days with the Blackhawks, the times where he was working his tail off in Rockford to get a call-up or hoping he would be the one they would choose to stay out of training camp. The thought would creep into his head: “maybe I never get there.”
“Yeah, I probably shouldn’t tell you that but there were a bunch of times,” Crawford said with a smile.
Crawford had a lot of good times, a lot of valuable experiences with the IceHogs. But he always kept his eye on the main goal: making the NHL. Twice he’s been named an NHL All-Star. Twice he’s been a winner or shared the William Jennings Trophy. Twice he’s won Stanley Cups. He can look back and smile now at those days when he wasn’t sure if he’d latch onto a team.
Making the NHL is tough. Staying there can be even tougher. The pressures and expectations are enormous, especially the higher you go in the NHL draft. Be it patience, willing to change your game or the need to try over with another organization, players do whatever it takes to get that opportunity.
“The mental side of the game for a lot of these draft choices or these on-the-cusp, on-the-edge players is the hardest part,” Rockford coach Ted Dent said. “The physical aspect, keeping yourself in shape and being a good hockey player isn’t the battle. It’s usually the mental side of things, the expectations, the pressure they put on themselves, maybe their families, their agents or whatever comes with it. It’s a side that gets overlooked a little bit.”
“I did whatever it would take.”
Patrick Sharp spent a few years at the University of Vermont but for him, his career choice was clear: he was going to be a pro hockey player no matter what. Coming up through the Philadelphia Flyers’ system (Sharp was their 95th overall pick in the 2001 draft), finding an opportunity was tough the early 2000s. The Flyers had their goal scorers – John LeClair, Michal Handzus, Mark Recchi, Tony Amonte and Jeremy Roenick were among them. So to get a chance Sharp changed his game and came up as a fourth-line checker.
“I looked at the team I had in Philly – couple of Hall of Famers, a lot of all-stars. I realized that, although I was an AHL all-star and I was putting up points, I probably wasn’t going to do with the Flyers. I had to do what I could to make that team,” Sharp said. “Be more physical, fighting, I did whatever it would take.
“Every player has been a star at some level of their career. That’s why they’re in the situation they’re in,” Sharp said. “Each player has a different path, a different role. It’s important for that player to have communication and find out what they want from him. What’s going to help him get to that next level and apply it? It’s easy at a young age to think, ‘I’ve got a good game.’ It’s not always the case. It’s a 200-foot game, special teams. Communication’s the key.”
Jack Skille had a similar situation. Skille was highly touted coming out of the U.S. National Development Program and the Blackhawks selected him seventh overall in the 2005 draft. He left the University of Wisconsin-Madison early and would later sign an entry-level deal with the Blackhawks. For years, Skille said people tried to tell him he’d need a different game to stay in the NHL, but it took him time to realize that. Now a regular starter for the Vancouver Canucks in more of a checking role, Skille said he’s happy and having fun with the game.
“I think that was the biggest adjustment coming here and in the role I play: [realizing] less is more. It took me a long time, as a young kid, to realize that. It took a lot of mistakes over my career and a lot of growing pains to finally get to the point where I was like, what everyone’s telling me, less is more and they’re right. I finally bought into it and it’s been working,” Skille said. “It’s an adjustment because you’re used to sitting there, being one of the go-to guys and out there every single shift. But there’s something to be said for guys who don’t get frequent shifts out there and keep playing the same way with a lot of energy.”
The sounding board
Dent’s office is in a perfect spot at BMO Harris Center, located between the IceHogs’ locker room and the players’ lounge. From his office, Dent can gauge what mood his players are in, and which ones are down and could use a talk.
This is as much part of a minor-league coach’s job as the coaching itself. The Blackhawks’ organization has a mental skills coach who is sometimes in Rockford but, for the day-to-day, Dent is that guy.
“You try to form that bond and relationship with them. For them to get their feelings off their chest is a big thing because they hold so many feelings in, in a group setting,” Dent said. “You want to be that strong, tough guy like all hockey players.
But inside a lot of them have a lot of emotion that needs to get out. You try to be that sounding board for them and let them get some things out one-on-one.”
Crawford had his ears to bend when he was in Rockford – at that time Bill Peters was head coach and Dent was assistant. Crawford said those talks helped but ultimately, it came down to him.
“They’re not going to be there when you go home. They’re not going to make choices for you. You really have to learn that on your own,” Crawford said. “Maybe [you get pep talks] a little bit from your teammates but a lot of those guys, too, were guys I was growing up with and going through all that stuff with. It’s just one of those things where you get a feel for how you’re supposed to think and to battle through things and try to stay positive.”
"I expected to be in the NHL this year..._"
Michael Latta was happy when he was traded to the IceHogs in January. He’s getting more minutes, more opportunity than he was in his short stay with the Ontario Reign, the Los Angeles Kings’ minor-league team. But there’s no doubt Latta, who spent a few seasons with the Washington Capitals, wants another chance at the NHL.
“I expected to be in the NHL this year with LA. I really did. And it didn’t work out,” said Latta, who was selected 72nd overall by the Nashville Predators in 2009. “But I believe I can play in the NHL; I can be a factor in the NHL. So I’m really hoping I can get a chance up there just to show [the Blackhawks] what I can do. They don’t know me very well so it’d be nice to go up there and get a shot. Just get a chance to show them and see what they think.”
At the same time, Latta wants to play as much as possible. For bubble guys like him, that doesn’t always happen in the NHL. In Rockford he’s playing a lot of minutes, getting a lot of opportunities, and he’s taking advantage of it.
“I’d played eight minutes a night, which is fine. You’re living the dream, playing in the NHL. But I was excited to come down and get my scoring touch back, get some ice time, some power play time,” Latta said. “To come here and get it and start playing, it’s been special. It’s been a lot of fun. I’m just really enjoying it again. Hockey’s fun again.”
It’s not easy to make the NHL but the opportunity is worth it for many. For those trying to latch on, or latch on again, the work continues. For those who made it, there’s the appreciation for what it took to get here.
“Every experience teaches you something, even if it’s negative. The negative ones seem to stick with people more and that’s where you get to learn things,” Crawford said. “It’s tough, especially when there are stretches when you don’t get a sniff at coming up and it seems like you’re going to be there for the rest of your career. Then there are other times you’re really confident and you feel you should be in the NHL. That’s all about learning, learning to stay level headed and not get too down or too high. Just work hard, have fun.”
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Report: Bears seeking trade partners for Jay Cutler. “Yeah, I probably shouldn’t tell you that but there were a bunch of times,” Crawford said with a smile.
Crawford had a lot of good times, a lot of valuable experiences with the IceHogs. But he always kept his eye on the main goal: making the NHL. Twice he’s been named an NHL All-Star. Twice he’s been a winner or shared the William Jennings Trophy. Twice he’s won Stanley Cups. He can look back and smile now at those days when he wasn’t sure if he’d latch onto a team.
Making the NHL is tough. Staying there can be even tougher. The pressures and expectations are enormous, especially the higher you go in the NHL draft. Be it patience, willing to change your game or the need to try over with another organization, players do whatever it takes to get that opportunity.
“The mental side of the game for a lot of these draft choices or these on-the-cusp, on-the-edge players is the hardest part,” Rockford coach Ted Dent said. “The physical aspect, keeping yourself in shape and being a good hockey player isn’t the battle. It’s usually the mental side of things, the expectations, the pressure they put on themselves, maybe their families, their agents or whatever comes with it. It’s a side that gets overlooked a little bit.”
“I did whatever it would take.”
Patrick Sharp spent a few years at the University of Vermont but for him, his career choice was clear: he was going to be a pro hockey player no matter what. Coming up through the Philadelphia Flyers’ system (Sharp was their 95th overall pick in the 2001 draft), finding an opportunity was tough the early 2000s. The Flyers had their goal scorers – John LeClair, Michal Handzus, Mark Recchi, Tony Amonte and Jeremy Roenick were among them. So to get a chance Sharp changed his game and came up as a fourth-line checker.
“I looked at the team I had in Philly – couple of Hall of Famers, a lot of all-stars. I realized that, although I was an AHL all-star and I was putting up points, I probably wasn’t going to do with the Flyers. I had to do what I could to make that team,” Sharp said. “Be more physical, fighting, I did whatever it would take.
“Every player has been a star at some level of their career. That’s why they’re in the situation they’re in,” Sharp said. “Each player has a different path, a different role. It’s important for that player to have communication and find out what they want from him. What’s going to help him get to that next level and apply it? It’s easy at a young age to think, ‘I’ve got a good game.’ It’s not always the case. It’s a 200-foot game, special teams. Communication’s the key.”
Jack Skille had a similar situation. Skille was highly touted coming out of the U.S. National Development Program and the Blackhawks selected him seventh overall in the 2005 draft. He left the University of Wisconsin-Madison early and would later sign an entry-level deal with the Blackhawks. For years, Skille said people tried to tell him he’d need a different game to stay in the NHL, but it took him time to realize that. Now a regular starter for the Vancouver Canucks in more of a checking role, Skille said he’s happy and having fun with the game.
“I think that was the biggest adjustment coming here and in the role I play: [realizing] less is more. It took me a long time, as a young kid, to realize that. It took a lot of mistakes over my career and a lot of growing pains to finally get to the point where I was like, what everyone’s telling me, less is more and they’re right. I finally bought into it and it’s been working,” Skille said. “It’s an adjustment because you’re used to sitting there, being one of the go-to guys and out there every single shift. But there’s something to be said for guys who don’t get frequent shifts out there and keep playing the same way with a lot of energy.”
The sounding board
Dent’s office is in a perfect spot at BMO Harris Center, located between the IceHogs’ locker room and the players’ lounge. From his office, Dent can gauge what mood his players are in, and which ones are down and could use a talk.
This is as much part of a minor-league coach’s job as the coaching itself. The Blackhawks’ organization has a mental skills coach who is sometimes in Rockford but, for the day-to-day, Dent is that guy.
“You try to form that bond and relationship with them. For them to get their feelings off their chest is a big thing because they hold so many feelings in, in a group setting,” Dent said. “You want to be that strong, tough guy like all hockey players.
But inside a lot of them have a lot of emotion that needs to get out. You try to be that sounding board for them and let them get some things out one-on-one.”
Crawford had his ears to bend when he was in Rockford – at that time Bill Peters was head coach and Dent was assistant. Crawford said those talks helped but ultimately, it came down to him.
“They’re not going to be there when you go home. They’re not going to make choices for you. You really have to learn that on your own,” Crawford said. “Maybe [you get pep talks] a little bit from your teammates but a lot of those guys, too, were guys I was growing up with and going through all that stuff with. It’s just one of those things where you get a feel for how you’re supposed to think and to battle through things and try to stay positive.”
"I expected to be in the NHL this year..._"
Michael Latta was happy when he was traded to the IceHogs in January. He’s getting more minutes, more opportunity than he was in his short stay with the Ontario Reign, the Los Angeles Kings’ minor-league team. But there’s no doubt Latta, who spent a few seasons with the Washington Capitals, wants another chance at the NHL.
“I expected to be in the NHL this year with LA. I really did. And it didn’t work out,” said Latta, who was selected 72nd overall by the Nashville Predators in 2009. “But I believe I can play in the NHL; I can be a factor in the NHL. So I’m really hoping I can get a chance up there just to show [the Blackhawks] what I can do. They don’t know me very well so it’d be nice to go up there and get a shot. Just get a chance to show them and see what they think.”
At the same time, Latta wants to play as much as possible. For bubble guys like him, that doesn’t always happen in the NHL. In Rockford he’s playing a lot of minutes, getting a lot of opportunities, and he’s taking advantage of it.
“I’d played eight minutes a night, which is fine. You’re living the dream, playing in the NHL. But I was excited to come down and get my scoring touch back, get some ice time, some power play time,” Latta said. “To come here and get it and start playing, it’s been special. It’s been a lot of fun. I’m just really enjoying it again. Hockey’s fun again.”
It’s not easy to make the NHL but the opportunity is worth it for many. For those trying to latch on, or latch on again, the work continues. For those who made it, there’s the appreciation for what it took to get here.
“Every experience teaches you something, even if it’s negative. The negative ones seem to stick with people more and that’s where you get to learn things,” Crawford said. “It’s tough, especially when there are stretches when you don’t get a sniff at coming up and it seems like you’re going to be there for the rest of your career. Then there are other times you’re really confident and you feel you should be in the NHL. That’s all about learning, learning to stay level headed and not get too down or too high. Just work hard, have fun.”
By CSN Staff
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
That the Bears may be moving on from quarterback Jay Cutler this offseason is not going to come as a surprise to many, but it appears the first steps towards Cutler's departure have begun.
Jeff Darlington of ESPN reported that the Bears are "actively started seeking a trade partner" for Cutler. NFL teams can't make trades official until March 9, but it sounds like the Bears are starting talks already.
Cutler has been the Bears' primary starting quarterback for the past eight seasons and totaled 154 passing touchdowns, more than 20,000 passing yards with six more rushing touchdowns against 109 interceptions in 102 games. He played five games in 2016 after suffering a shoulder injury.
The 33-year-old is heading towards his 12th year in the NFL. Darlington's report includes a mention that Cutler's contract does not include a no-trade clause.
How many 3-13 teams bounced back?
By Larry Mayer
Running back Jordan Howard and the Bears hope to make a big leap in the standings in 2017. (Photo/chicagobears.com)
If the Bears rebound from their lackluster 3-13 record in 2016 to make the playoffs in 2017, it wouldn't be an unprecedented accomplishment.
Of the 10 NFL teams that went 3-13 from 2005-15, two bounced back to earn postseason berths with 10-6 marks the very next year, albeit under very different circumstances.
The New Orleans Saints stumbled to a 3-13 record in 2005, but that was the year that Hurricane Katrina forced them to play every game on the road, including "home" contests at Giants Stadium, the Alamodome in San Antonio and LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
The Saints returned to the Superdome in New Orleans in 2006 with a new head coach in Sean Payton and a new quarterback in Drew Brees, winning the NFC South and beating the Eagles in the divisional playoffs before losing to the Bears in the NFC championship game.
A better blueprint to follow for the Bears is the Minnesota Vikings, who improved by seven games in the standings from 3-13 in 2011 to 10-6 in 2012, earning a wildcard berth. The Vikings went 6-10 in 2010 before falling to 3-13 just as the Bears did the last two seasons.
Minnesota clinched a wildcard berth on the final day of the 2012 regular season by defeating the Green Bay Packers 37-34, a result that eliminated the Bears from the playoffs.
Here's more information about how the last 10 teams that went 3-13 fared the next season:
• Eight won at least four games. The only exceptions were the Rams, who went 3-13 in 2007 and 2-14 in 2008; and the Browns, who were 3-13 in 2015 and 1-15 in 2016.
• Four posted a winning record. In addition to the aforementioned Saints and Vikings, the Buccaneers improved from 3-13 in 2009 to 10-6 in 2010 and the Titans improved from 3-13 in 2015 to 9-7 in 2016, but neither club made the playoffs.
• Two teams made the playoffs two years after going 3-13. The Redskins went 3-13 in 2013 and 4-12 in 2014 before winning the NFC East with a 9-7 record in 2015. The Raiders went 3-13 in 2014 and 7-9 in 2015 before earning a wildcard berth with a 12-4 mark in 2016.
Is McCarron a QB option for Bears?
By Larry Mayer
Instead of risking the third overall pick in the draft on a quarterback, I’d prefer to see the Bears trade their third-round pick to the Bengals for A.J. McCarron and fill holes at defensive end and defensive back in the first two rounds of the draft. What are your thoughts?
Joe P., Flemington, N.J.
I think it all boils down to the Bears identifying their quarterback of the future. Is it a veteran who may be available in a trade like the Patriots’ Jimmy Garoppolo or the Bengals’ A.J. McCarron? Or is it a prospect who will be available in the draft? Once that determination is made, the Bears need to do whatever is necessary to acquire that player. Simply put, that is the single most important decision that general manager Ryan Pace will face this offseason and it also will likely determine how successful the Bears are for years to come. McCarron, by the way, has appeared in eight games with three starts the past two seasons for Cincinnati, completing 79 of 119 passes for 854 yards with six touchdowns, two interceptions and a 97.1 passer rating.
Of the 10 NFL teams that went 3-13 from 2005-15, two bounced back to earn postseason berths with 10-6 marks the very next year, albeit under very different circumstances.
The New Orleans Saints stumbled to a 3-13 record in 2005, but that was the year that Hurricane Katrina forced them to play every game on the road, including "home" contests at Giants Stadium, the Alamodome in San Antonio and LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
The Saints returned to the Superdome in New Orleans in 2006 with a new head coach in Sean Payton and a new quarterback in Drew Brees, winning the NFC South and beating the Eagles in the divisional playoffs before losing to the Bears in the NFC championship game.
A better blueprint to follow for the Bears is the Minnesota Vikings, who improved by seven games in the standings from 3-13 in 2011 to 10-6 in 2012, earning a wildcard berth. The Vikings went 6-10 in 2010 before falling to 3-13 just as the Bears did the last two seasons.
Minnesota clinched a wildcard berth on the final day of the 2012 regular season by defeating the Green Bay Packers 37-34, a result that eliminated the Bears from the playoffs.
Here's more information about how the last 10 teams that went 3-13 fared the next season:
• Eight won at least four games. The only exceptions were the Rams, who went 3-13 in 2007 and 2-14 in 2008; and the Browns, who were 3-13 in 2015 and 1-15 in 2016.
• Four posted a winning record. In addition to the aforementioned Saints and Vikings, the Buccaneers improved from 3-13 in 2009 to 10-6 in 2010 and the Titans improved from 3-13 in 2015 to 9-7 in 2016, but neither club made the playoffs.
• Two teams made the playoffs two years after going 3-13. The Redskins went 3-13 in 2013 and 4-12 in 2014 before winning the NFC East with a 9-7 record in 2015. The Raiders went 3-13 in 2014 and 7-9 in 2015 before earning a wildcard berth with a 12-4 mark in 2016.
Is McCarron a QB option for Bears?
By Larry Mayer
Instead of risking the third overall pick in the draft on a quarterback, I’d prefer to see the Bears trade their third-round pick to the Bengals for A.J. McCarron and fill holes at defensive end and defensive back in the first two rounds of the draft. What are your thoughts?
Joe P., Flemington, N.J.
I think it all boils down to the Bears identifying their quarterback of the future. Is it a veteran who may be available in a trade like the Patriots’ Jimmy Garoppolo or the Bengals’ A.J. McCarron? Or is it a prospect who will be available in the draft? Once that determination is made, the Bears need to do whatever is necessary to acquire that player. Simply put, that is the single most important decision that general manager Ryan Pace will face this offseason and it also will likely determine how successful the Bears are for years to come. McCarron, by the way, has appeared in eight games with three starts the past two seasons for Cincinnati, completing 79 of 119 passes for 854 yards with six touchdowns, two interceptions and a 97.1 passer rating.
How many of their own free agents did the Bears re-sign last year?
Fred A., Bolingbrook, Illinois
The Bears re-signed 13 of their 23 free agents a year ago, including receiver
If the Bears lose Alshon Jeffery, will they get a compensatory pick?
Jurgen S.
Not necessarily. Compensatory draft picks are awarded based on a formula that assigns a numerical value to every free agent in accordance with his compensation, play time and postseason honors with his new team. Teams that lost more or better free agents than they acquired the previous year are eligible to receive compensatory picks. So if Jeffery signs elsewhere and doesn’t have a Pro Bowl-caliber season or the Bears sign a handful of free agents who perform well, they won’t receive any compensatory picks next year.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Reports: Bulls telling teams they won’t trade Jimmy Butler.
By Dan Feldman
(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
The Bulls reportedly weren’t making Jimmy Butler available for a trade last month.
As the trade deadline approaches, it seems that hasn’t changed.
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:
"Takes 1 blockbuster offer to change, but Bulls are rebuffing Butler inquiries/have told teams they have no plans to trade him, per source."
10:26 AM - 21 Feb 2017
Brian Windhorst of ESPN:
The teams that talked to the Chicago Bulls today were told, “Just about everybody on our roster is available, but Jimmy Butler is not.”
The Bulls are not obliged to stand by that, and there’s no indication they’ve assured Butler anything. If they’re offered a package more valuable than Butler, they’ll trade him.
But that’s a lot of value.
Butler is playing like a superstar, 27 and locked up for two more seasons after this one. Not many teams have the assets to trade for someone like that.
Plus, Chicago could use the designated-veteran-player rule to re-sign him. No other team would hold that advantage if it trades for him.
So, Butler is probably valued more by the Bulls than any other team. But if another team with significant assets makes a suitable offer, I doubt Butler remains unavailable.
After a short break, Butler is ready to race to the finish.
By Sam Smith
(Photo/chicagobulls.com)
"We have a good enough team; now we just have to go out there and show everybody"
The Bulls and Jimmy Butler can’t wait to get to Friday, and not just for a chance at revenge against the Phoenix Suns, who less than two weeks ago ran out and ran away from a staggering Bulls team near the end of what would be a 2-4 Western Conference road trip. The Bulls recovered with two narrow wins going into the All-Star break, and now wait out the Thursday NBA trade deadline and their future.
The Bulls are 28-29 heading into this sprint to the finish line and hopefully the playoffs, a dash of sorts to destiny for the team.
There’s been much uncertainty this season with trade rumors, team meetings, flexible rotations and questions about the future. That likely will become more focused over these next 25 games.
“I am optimistic,” said Butler, who left for a short vacation following the All-Star game in New Orleans Sunday. “We have a good enough team; now we just have to go out there and show everybody. String together (effort and enthusiasm) every single night; we do it in practice.
They have an All-Star starter in Butler, and championship veterans in Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. They have veteran interior strength with Robin Lopez and Taj Gibson to make up a duo that’s put the Bulls among the league leaders in rebounding all season. Their half court, three-point shooting deficient game could prove more provocative in the playoffs.
Still, there are questions that should be answered these last 25 games:
--- What will the Bulls see from Wade? The veteran has began to miss more games, lately though with illness, seven this calendar year. He’s on pace now to play fewer than 70 games after playing 74 last season, though he still is averaging about the same 19 points. Last season, Wade built up toward the playoffs and rolled back the clock with brilliant playoff play that nearly carried Miami to the conference finals. Is it still in him?
--- Is Rondo a buyout possibility? It seemed so months ago, but he doesn’t exactly fit the profile of the scoring guard off the bench for a playoff team, and he’s proven valuable for the Bulls reserves. He’s become a top team mentor for the young players and still a player who’ll push the ball. It seems he could be valuable in a playoff series.
--- What happens at power forward? Bobby Portis moved in for Nikola Mirotic before the break with Mirotic having back problems. Portis averaged almost 14 points per game the last three and shot well. He showed three-point range and with his hustle on defense he could move ahead of Mirotic. It seems Cristiano Felicio has solidified his place behind Lopez.
--- Can Doug McDermott bring the road back home? The mercurial shooting forward who could be the late season X-factor with his shooting had a strong close to the run up to the break, averaging about 15 points the last four games and shooting 40 percent on threes. He’s still the team’s best three-point shooter, and he’ll need a big finish to solidify his place. February has been his best scoring and shooting month thus far this season.
--- Jerian Grant, Michael Carter-Williams or Denzel Valentine at point guard? Coach Fred Hoiberg relied on Grant most before the break as a player who can shoot threes to play off Butler and eventually Wade, who tend to control the ball and play more in the mid range. Grant improved his three-point shooting to 44 percent in February with four double figuring scoring games. Valentine has that potential, but seems to be a place behind Grant, playing just five minutes in the win over Boston. Carter-Williams has had offensive highlights, but doesn’t balance Wade and Butler as well at times. He had back to back 20-plus scoring games and then three points and four points, though eight minutes in the latter. He’s only shot 18 percent on threes this month and 21 percent for the season. It seems likely that spot along with Rondo’s play remains a shifting situation based on matchups and who might be going well. No one has truly pulled away from the others.
As currently comprised, the Bulls, who play in Cleveland Saturday on the national ABC-TV game, still have it at their disposal to make something of this season.
And, fair or not, much still falls on Butler, the team’s dominant figure on offense and defense. He says despite what anyone may think, he’s ready to bolt out of the All-Star starting blocks to the finish line.
“I need rest,” he said before leaving New Orleans. “It doesn’t mean I’m going to get any.”
Which Butler says is fine with him. He’s ready. He likes comparisons to Clark Kent, the mild mannered Superman alter ego, whom Butler says he mirrors off the court. The cape is for the game.
“Like Clark Kent,” Butler said with a laugh. “He never sleeps. I watched Smallville. He’s always up.
“Nothing surprises me,” said Butler, “but would I be in disbelief, yeah (about where the team is the way we it started the season combined with the season he is having). It’s here, it’s happening right now, so we have to figure out a way to turn it around to where we can (make a run). What do I have to do better?
“I can always do more,” said Butler. “Always remind people what to do out there, how to guard a guy; not a statistic but that’s part of what I can do. Everybody doing what they are supposed to be doing, whatever is asked to help us win games. You may not like that sometimes. That’s the part of the game you have to have. Coach always says the role players are going to be the ones that really win it; that’s fact."
The Bulls are 28-29 heading into this sprint to the finish line and hopefully the playoffs, a dash of sorts to destiny for the team.
There’s been much uncertainty this season with trade rumors, team meetings, flexible rotations and questions about the future. That likely will become more focused over these next 25 games.
“I am optimistic,” said Butler, who left for a short vacation following the All-Star game in New Orleans Sunday. “We have a good enough team; now we just have to go out there and show everybody. String together (effort and enthusiasm) every single night; we do it in practice.
“We’re home. We want to start on the right foot. Everyone has had rest now, but come in ready to go, locked in. The season isn’t over yet. You can’t really say it hasn’t been challenging. We can be in the playoffs and go from there. We have a big month ahead of us.”
Jimmy Butler in regards to Friday's game against the SunsIt’s likely with the inconsistency plaguing the team much of this season that the team’s direction could be determined in a big way over this stretch. Make the playoffs and make some noise, and perhaps minds and ideas crystalize on moving forward. Perhaps that happens this week, though it seems quiet for now. With the Bulls seventh in the Eastern Conference and a game behind sixth place Indiana and with a 6-1 record against the Cavaliers, Raptors and Celtics, the Bulls are one of those teams you don’t want to necessarily face in the first round.
They have an All-Star starter in Butler, and championship veterans in Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. They have veteran interior strength with Robin Lopez and Taj Gibson to make up a duo that’s put the Bulls among the league leaders in rebounding all season. Their half court, three-point shooting deficient game could prove more provocative in the playoffs.
Still, there are questions that should be answered these last 25 games:
--- What will the Bulls see from Wade? The veteran has began to miss more games, lately though with illness, seven this calendar year. He’s on pace now to play fewer than 70 games after playing 74 last season, though he still is averaging about the same 19 points. Last season, Wade built up toward the playoffs and rolled back the clock with brilliant playoff play that nearly carried Miami to the conference finals. Is it still in him?
--- Is Rondo a buyout possibility? It seemed so months ago, but he doesn’t exactly fit the profile of the scoring guard off the bench for a playoff team, and he’s proven valuable for the Bulls reserves. He’s become a top team mentor for the young players and still a player who’ll push the ball. It seems he could be valuable in a playoff series.
--- What happens at power forward? Bobby Portis moved in for Nikola Mirotic before the break with Mirotic having back problems. Portis averaged almost 14 points per game the last three and shot well. He showed three-point range and with his hustle on defense he could move ahead of Mirotic. It seems Cristiano Felicio has solidified his place behind Lopez.
--- Can Doug McDermott bring the road back home? The mercurial shooting forward who could be the late season X-factor with his shooting had a strong close to the run up to the break, averaging about 15 points the last four games and shooting 40 percent on threes. He’s still the team’s best three-point shooter, and he’ll need a big finish to solidify his place. February has been his best scoring and shooting month thus far this season.
--- Jerian Grant, Michael Carter-Williams or Denzel Valentine at point guard? Coach Fred Hoiberg relied on Grant most before the break as a player who can shoot threes to play off Butler and eventually Wade, who tend to control the ball and play more in the mid range. Grant improved his three-point shooting to 44 percent in February with four double figuring scoring games. Valentine has that potential, but seems to be a place behind Grant, playing just five minutes in the win over Boston. Carter-Williams has had offensive highlights, but doesn’t balance Wade and Butler as well at times. He had back to back 20-plus scoring games and then three points and four points, though eight minutes in the latter. He’s only shot 18 percent on threes this month and 21 percent for the season. It seems likely that spot along with Rondo’s play remains a shifting situation based on matchups and who might be going well. No one has truly pulled away from the others.
As currently comprised, the Bulls, who play in Cleveland Saturday on the national ABC-TV game, still have it at their disposal to make something of this season.
And, fair or not, much still falls on Butler, the team’s dominant figure on offense and defense. He says despite what anyone may think, he’s ready to bolt out of the All-Star starting blocks to the finish line.
“I need rest,” he said before leaving New Orleans. “It doesn’t mean I’m going to get any.”
Which Butler says is fine with him. He’s ready. He likes comparisons to Clark Kent, the mild mannered Superman alter ego, whom Butler says he mirrors off the court. The cape is for the game.
“Like Clark Kent,” Butler said with a laugh. “He never sleeps. I watched Smallville. He’s always up.
“Nothing surprises me,” said Butler, “but would I be in disbelief, yeah (about where the team is the way we it started the season combined with the season he is having). It’s here, it’s happening right now, so we have to figure out a way to turn it around to where we can (make a run). What do I have to do better?
“I can always do more,” said Butler. “Always remind people what to do out there, how to guard a guy; not a statistic but that’s part of what I can do. Everybody doing what they are supposed to be doing, whatever is asked to help us win games. You may not like that sometimes. That’s the part of the game you have to have. Coach always says the role players are going to be the ones that really win it; that’s fact."
“We have to do the things we talk about, the things we can control, getting back in transition, rebound, not turning the ball over, defending, and in that position you can win. You have to go out and do it; talk is what it is, just talk.”
Jimmy ButlerIt’s time to act on everything that’s been repeated for four months.
CUBS: Addison Russell planning to become next Cubs superstar.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Addison Russell earned his manager’s trust by playing “boring” defense, always making the routine plays at shortstop with textbook fundamentals. Even Russell’s agent called him an “old soul,” already serious about his craft and driven by quiet determination and husband-and-father responsibilities.
“Ever since I was a little kid,” Russell said, “I always wanted to be on the big screen.”
Now Russell will try to make the leap to superstar, as one of the many personalities on a Cubs team that can crossover nationally and live forever in Chicago, just like the ’85 Bears, the way Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo have built their brands.
“We got great ballplayers, beautiful faces on this team,” Russell said. “Just talent galore in this clubhouse, and that’s really cool to see, because these guys handle themselves like real, true professionals.”
The start of spring training is a reminder that Russell has still only spent one wire-to-wire season in The Show. He turned 23 last month and has already become a World Series champion, the youngest player in franchise history to start an All-Star Game and the first Cub shortstop to reach 95 RBI since Ernie Banks in 1960.
Russell’s World Series grand slam helped him accumulate the most postseason RBI (14) in club history – after putting up 11 game-winning RBI for a 103-win team. FanGraphs also had Russell tying San Francisco’s Brandon Crawford for the major-league lead with 19 defensive runs saved at shortstop.
“Really, the sky’s the limit,” manager Joe Maddon said. “This guy is scratching the surface. He is that good. Know thyself – I think that’s what’s happening with a lot of our young guys. They’re understanding themselves better. And as they do, their game’s going to continue to improve.
“So with Addie, listen, he could be an annual All-Star, there’s no question. Beyond that, he’s just such a gifted athlete, so quick, and he cares so much. And he’s really turned out to be a good self-evaluator, so all those are components to creating a superstar.”
Russell said he’s working with Boras Corp. on potential endorsements with Pepsi and Audi. He visited a Nike headquarters in Oregon to help design his custom cleats and custom glove. He also posted images from the White House on his social-media accounts, which have nearly 549,000 followers combined between Twitter and Instagram.
“The opportunities are coming, which is great,” Russell said. “It’s a whole new playing field. I’m glad that I’m getting to see a different side of baseball, where I can actually find a couple talents off the baseball field. It’s all interesting stuff.”
It’s also taken some getting used to, as he almost had trouble remembering how many “Addison Russell Days” there were in Florida, between events at Pace High School and with the Santa Rosa Board of County Commissioners.
“This whole fame thing is really new to me,” Russell said. “Walking everywhere, people want autographs and stuff. Different airports, different cities, it’s very humbling. It’s a great blessing. I’m just a small-town guy, so it hit me pretty hard.”
Like the moment Russell realized what the Cubs just did, after the whirlwind of riding in the championship parade down Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue, standing on stage in front of millions at the Grant Park rally and going to Disney World.
“I remember this past offseason, going into my mom’s room and laying down on her bed,” Russell said. “That’s when all the memories of this past year – all the way from spring training (to) the All-Star Game and then the World Series run – it all hit me at once. It was overbearing, kind of, and I started crying.
“That’s when it sunk in. It was just a magical moment.”
Why Brett Anderson called Cubs fans ‘f------ idiots’ and loves the idea of pitching at Wrigley Field.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
On an October night where you could literally feel Wrigley Field shaking, Brett Anderson fired off a message on his personal Twitter account: "Real classy cubs fans throwing beer in the Dodgers family section. Stay classy f------ idiots."
The Cubs had just clinched their first National League pennant since the year World War II ended, beating Clayton Kershaw and playing as close to a perfect game as they had all season. Anderson kept up the entertaining commentary during the World Series, previewing Game 7 – "We can all agree that we're happy it's not Joe West behind the plate tomorrow" – and tweaking his future manager: "Aroldis (Chapman) might puke on the mound from exhaustion."
In another generation, a veteran pitcher might walk into a new clubhouse and wonder about any awkwardness with a hitter he once drilled with a fastball or some bad blood from a bench-clearing brawl. But overall today's players share the same agents, work out together in the same warm-weather offseason spots and understand the transient nature of this business. When pregame batting practice is filled with fist bumps, bro hugs and small talk between opponents, it becomes trying to remember what you said on social media.
"I'm kind of a sarcastic ass on Twitter," Anderson said Monday. "I kind of sit back and observe. I'm not a huge talker in person. But I can kind of show some of my personality and candor on some of those things.
"You look at stuff (when) you get to a new team. I'm like: ‘Wow, man, did I say anything about anybody that's going to piss them off?' But I think the only thing I said about the players is that Kyle (Hendricks) looks like he could have some Oreos and milk after pitching in the World Series.
"But that's kind of the guy he is. Just the calmness that he shows is something that we can all try to strive for."
Anderson essentially broke the news of his signing – or at least tipped off the media to look for confirmations – with a "Wheels up to Chicago" tweet in late January. The Cubs guaranteed $3.5 million for the chance to compete against Mike Montgomery and see which lefty can grab the fifth-starter job. Anderson could max out with $6.5 million more in incentives if he makes 29 starts this season.
After undergoing surgery to repair a bulging disc in his lower back last March, Anderson made three starts and didn't earn a spot on the NLCS roster.
"I obviously wasn't in the stands," Anderson said. "Supposedly from what I was told – it could be a different story – but there was just some beers thrown on where the families were. I'm going to stick to my family and my side.
"I wasn't calling out the whole stadium. (It wasn't): ‘Screw you, Cubs fans.' It was just the specific (incident) – whoever threw the beers on the family section. Everybody has their fans that are kind of rowdy and unruly.
The Cubs had just clinched their first National League pennant since the year World War II ended, beating Clayton Kershaw and playing as close to a perfect game as they had all season. Anderson kept up the entertaining commentary during the World Series, previewing Game 7 – "We can all agree that we're happy it's not Joe West behind the plate tomorrow" – and tweaking his future manager: "Aroldis (Chapman) might puke on the mound from exhaustion."
In another generation, a veteran pitcher might walk into a new clubhouse and wonder about any awkwardness with a hitter he once drilled with a fastball or some bad blood from a bench-clearing brawl. But overall today's players share the same agents, work out together in the same warm-weather offseason spots and understand the transient nature of this business. When pregame batting practice is filled with fist bumps, bro hugs and small talk between opponents, it becomes trying to remember what you said on social media.
"I'm kind of a sarcastic ass on Twitter," Anderson said Monday. "I kind of sit back and observe. I'm not a huge talker in person. But I can kind of show some of my personality and candor on some of those things.
"You look at stuff (when) you get to a new team. I'm like: ‘Wow, man, did I say anything about anybody that's going to piss them off?' But I think the only thing I said about the players is that Kyle (Hendricks) looks like he could have some Oreos and milk after pitching in the World Series.
"But that's kind of the guy he is. Just the calmness that he shows is something that we can all try to strive for."
Anderson essentially broke the news of his signing – or at least tipped off the media to look for confirmations – with a "Wheels up to Chicago" tweet in late January. The Cubs guaranteed $3.5 million for the chance to compete against Mike Montgomery and see which lefty can grab the fifth-starter job. Anderson could max out with $6.5 million more in incentives if he makes 29 starts this season.
After undergoing surgery to repair a bulging disc in his lower back last March, Anderson made three starts and didn't earn a spot on the NLCS roster.
"I obviously wasn't in the stands," Anderson said. "Supposedly from what I was told – it could be a different story – but there was just some beers thrown on where the families were. I'm going to stick to my family and my side.
"I wasn't calling out the whole stadium. (It wasn't): ‘Screw you, Cubs fans.' It was just the specific (incident) – whoever threw the beers on the family section. Everybody has their fans that are kind of rowdy and unruly.
"That just happened to be a situation. But you like those people on your side. I played in Oakland, and they had some of the rowdiest fans. In the playoffs, it seemed like ‘The Black Hole' for the Raiders games.
"You have your bad seeds in every fan base. When people are rowdy and cheering on their team and have one too many beers, the next thing you know, you're throwing them.
"Just visiting (Wrigley), it's a fun crowd, because it's such an intimate setting and you feel like they're right on top of you and it's so loud."
Imagine the matchup nightmare the Dodgers could've been if their pitching staff hadn't been so top-heavy and manager Dave Roberts could've confidently gone to someone other than Kershaw, Rich Hill or closer Kenley Jansen. The Dodgers had made Anderson the qualifying offer after a solid 2015 season – 10-9, 3.69 ERA, 180-plus innings, a 66.7 groundball percentage – and he grabbed the $15.8 million guarantee.
Anderson turned around and did the knock-on-wood motion at his locker, saying he felt good after completing a bullpen session with catcher Willson Contreras at the Sloan Park complex. Anderson is a Tommy John survivor who's also gone on the disabled list for a stress fracture in his right foot, a broken left index finger and a separate surgery on his lower back.
"Yeah, it's frustrating," Anderson said. "When I'm healthy and able to go out there and do my work, I feel like I'm a pretty good pitcher. I don't think I've ever been able to put everything as a whole together in one season. I've had some good spots – and some good seasons here and there – but hopefully I can put it all together and have a healthy season and do my part."
The Cubs are such a draw that Shane Victorino signed a minor-league deal here last year – even with more than $65 million in career earnings and even after a fan dumped a beer on him while he tried to catch a flyball at Wrigley Field in 2009.
Anderson wanted to play for a winner and understood the organization's pitching infrastructure. He saw his pitching style as a match for the unit that led the majors in defensive efficiency last year. He was even intrigued by Camp Maddon and the wacky stunts in Mesa.
"It's obviously an uber-talented group," Anderson said. "(It's also) seeing the fun that they're having. I'm more on the calm and cerebral side, but I think doing some of the things that these guys have in store for me will hopefully open me up a little bit and break me out of my shell.
"'Uncomfortable' is a good word, especially for me. You don't want to get complacent. You don't want to get used to rehab. You want to go out there and do new things and try new things and meet new people and have new experiences. All things considered, the Cubs offered the best mix of everything."
"You have your bad seeds in every fan base. When people are rowdy and cheering on their team and have one too many beers, the next thing you know, you're throwing them.
"Just visiting (Wrigley), it's a fun crowd, because it's such an intimate setting and you feel like they're right on top of you and it's so loud."
Imagine the matchup nightmare the Dodgers could've been if their pitching staff hadn't been so top-heavy and manager Dave Roberts could've confidently gone to someone other than Kershaw, Rich Hill or closer Kenley Jansen. The Dodgers had made Anderson the qualifying offer after a solid 2015 season – 10-9, 3.69 ERA, 180-plus innings, a 66.7 groundball percentage – and he grabbed the $15.8 million guarantee.
Anderson turned around and did the knock-on-wood motion at his locker, saying he felt good after completing a bullpen session with catcher Willson Contreras at the Sloan Park complex. Anderson is a Tommy John survivor who's also gone on the disabled list for a stress fracture in his right foot, a broken left index finger and a separate surgery on his lower back.
"Yeah, it's frustrating," Anderson said. "When I'm healthy and able to go out there and do my work, I feel like I'm a pretty good pitcher. I don't think I've ever been able to put everything as a whole together in one season. I've had some good spots – and some good seasons here and there – but hopefully I can put it all together and have a healthy season and do my part."
The Cubs are such a draw that Shane Victorino signed a minor-league deal here last year – even with more than $65 million in career earnings and even after a fan dumped a beer on him while he tried to catch a flyball at Wrigley Field in 2009.
Anderson wanted to play for a winner and understood the organization's pitching infrastructure. He saw his pitching style as a match for the unit that led the majors in defensive efficiency last year. He was even intrigued by Camp Maddon and the wacky stunts in Mesa.
"It's obviously an uber-talented group," Anderson said. "(It's also) seeing the fun that they're having. I'm more on the calm and cerebral side, but I think doing some of the things that these guys have in store for me will hopefully open me up a little bit and break me out of my shell.
"'Uncomfortable' is a good word, especially for me. You don't want to get complacent. You don't want to get used to rehab. You want to go out there and do new things and try new things and meet new people and have new experiences. All things considered, the Cubs offered the best mix of everything."
What Joe Maddon wants to see next from Javier Baez.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
In an alternate universe, Javier Baez might have become the goat after committing two errors in a World Series Game 7. But the young Cubs played without a sense of panic and wanted to write their own history.
But there have also been times where manager Joe Maddon would like Baez to be a little more boring. The next stage of Javy Being Javy would be showing more of the consistency that made Addison Russell an All-Star shortstop at the age of 22. It may also partially explain why Maddon for now still sees Ben Zobrist as his primary second baseman, even after Baez started all 17 postseason games at that position.
“You definitely continually speak about (how) you want guys to make the routine play routinely,” Maddon said Sunday at the Sloan Park complex. “I’ve often talked about lack of chrome. Gary DiSarcina (with the Angels) was the guy that really embedded that thought in my head, because he was so chrome-less and he was so good at the routine play. I used to always yell that at my infielders in instructional league: ‘No chrome!’
“Having said all that, Javy comes from a different background, and he has a flair about his game, so I don’t necessarily want to subtract that. But just have him understand the routine stuff has to be made routinely well.
“He’s very capable of that. I think as his game continues to develop and mature, you’ll see him make less mistakes, whether it’s that or sometimes even on the bases. He’ll make a spectacular play on the bases and then again do something that you don’t like. But I think that’s just part of his nature and his game.”
Zobrist delivered a World Series MVP performance after signing a four-year, $56 million contract last winter with the idea that focusing on one position – instead of moving around as a super-utility guy – would help him age better.
“Last year, I played 147 games,” said Zobrist, who will turn 36 in May. “I don’t know what that number’s going to look like. You got to stay healthy. There were probably only a few games that I missed because there was physically something that was keeping me from playing.
“We’ll play it by ear. Some of those will have to do with if I’m a little tired and the matchup is right, maybe they’ll choose to give me an off day on certain days. But I know that there’s other times last year where – whether you’re tired or not – you got to be in there because that’s the matchup that works best for the club. So just make adjustments as the weeks and series go on.”
Maddon is already thinking of ways to rest Zobrist – who played into early November after helping the 2015 Royals win the World Series – on a team with so many versatile athletes. The Cubs could also try to go back to last year’s model, putting Baez wherever their scouting-and-data projections predicted the ball would be hit most that night.
“We have to balance a lot of different things out,” Maddon said. “(Javy’s) going to play some second, of course, and so will Zo. Zo’s going to be out there primarily, and then we’ll work Javy in there. But Zo can also do what he’s done in the past and play some outfield.
“What happens – and I hate to say it like (this) – but baseball has a very cruel way of determining things. I don’t want it to be any injuries. I’d rather have to figure all of this stuff out on a daily basis. Javy was so significant to the conclusion of last season. He’s going to be very significant again this year and years to come.
“It’s all in theory right now. Of course, he’s going to play. Of course, he’s going to play a lot. How it’s going to balance out? We’re not 100 percent sure yet. But he’s pretty darned good.”
WHITE SOX: Renteria expects bright future for White Sox.
By Scott Merkin
(Photo/chicagowhitesox.com)
Presidents Day came this year only a few days after White Sox position players reported to Camelback Ranch for their first full squad workout of Spring Training. And it's Rick Renteria, the man in charge of the White Sox day-to-day activities, who is providing this short state of the team to coincide with this holiday.
Renteria managed the Cubs in 2014, where he presided over their ongoing rebuild, and he now takes over on the South Side in the early stages of the same sort of rebuild. The White Sox don't have a president among their front office hierarchy, so it's Renteria's task to put forth three main messages via MLB.com concerning the White Sox going into the 2017 season. Here is what Renteria had to say.
Renteria managed the Cubs in 2014, where he presided over their ongoing rebuild, and he now takes over on the South Side in the early stages of the same sort of rebuild. The White Sox don't have a president among their front office hierarchy, so it's Renteria's task to put forth three main messages via MLB.com concerning the White Sox going into the 2017 season. Here is what Renteria had to say.
"You can certainly look forward to our club coming out with a commitment to give you a tremendous effort. Hustle, and be prepared to go out there and execute and play the game the way we hope fans and both the game require us to play. I hope we are able to back up our words.
"I think that the young players moving forward are important. They are the future. The organization has committed to the future. That's why a lot of the changes have occurred. We all are hoping to be patient when we need to and let them go when we have to. I think those things will take care of themselves. Players many times dictate how fast or slowly they move forward, and hopefully we can be a part of that. Hopefully we are just here to help them be the best they can be as soon as possible.
"In terms of success [for 2017], you know it would be foolish of me to give you an outcome number. I just know that we are focused right now on making sure that these guys are going to be prepared to execute the game the way it is supposed to be done and see where that ends up, allowing what the numbers will be at the end of the day.
"A lot of the ability of a club to overcome anything has to do with how quickly they come together; their personalities, albeit different, can still mesh. I think myself and the coaching staff and everyone that has been working here since we started a few days ago is kind of on the same page. We're all thinking of doing the same thing. We're trying to have the best communication we possibly could have. We're going to try to motivate, we're going to try to inspire, we're going to try to do everything we can to make sure that these guys move forward as quickly as they possibly can. And understand that there's going to be some hiccups along the way, but I think we have the ability to understand those hiccups and deal with them, and then learn from them and move forward."
Veteran outfielder Peter Bourjos eyes role with White Sox.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
As he surveyed the landscape this offseason, Peter Bourjos thought he and the White Sox would make for a good fit.
“I always liked playing in Chicago,” Bourjos said. “It was a good fit and then spring training is here. I have two young kids. So packing them up and going to Florida wasn’t something I wanted to do either.
“We definitely look at all those options on paper. Evaluate what might be the best chance of making a team and this is definitely one of them. It seems like a good fit on paper.”
If he’s healthy enough, Charlie Tilson will get the first crack at the everyday job in center field. Tilson, who missed the final two months of last season with a torn hamstring, is currently sidelined for 10 days with foot problems. Beyond Tilson, the White Sox have prospects Adam Engel and Jacob May with Cabrera slated to start in left field and Avisail Garcia pegged for right. Leury Garcia is also in the mix.
But there still appears to be a good shot for Bourjos to make the club and manager Rick Renteria likes his veteran presence for the young group. Bourjos has accrued six seasons of service time between the Phillies, Los Angeles Angels and St. Louis Cardinals.
“Bourjy has been around,” Renteria said. “He knows what it takes. He understands the little nuances of major-league camp and how we have so many players and we want to give them all a look. We want to see Bourjos, we want to see him out there.”
Bourjos, who turns 30 in March, has an idea what he wants to do with his chance. A slick defensive outfielder, Bourjos wants to prove he’s a better hitter than his .243/.300/.382 slash line would suggest. He said it’s all about being relaxed.
“Offensively just slow everything down and not try to do too much,” Bourjos said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself and it hasn’t translated. I think last year I got in a spot where I just tried to relax in the batter’s box and let everything go and what happened happened. I had success with that.
“I now realize what that feels like and it doesn’t work. Just take a deep breath and be relaxed in the box and good things are going to happen.”
Gio, Geo and Gio: White Sox spring training has its own version of 'Who's on First?'
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Giovanni Soto pitched to Geovany Soto at White Sox camp on Monday morning, and the Internet loved it.
“It’s kind of surreal that he has the same name, last name,” Geovany Soto said. “It’s kind of weird calling him Gio and he’s calling me Geo. It’s kind of weird.
“With the physicals, doctors, the people for the drug testing, we’ve been confused in all three of those. I’m expecting that to happen. Hopefully I can get a big check on his name and cash it.”
The social media world isn’t alone in its enjoyment of the topic as both players smiled while discussing it on Monday.
Giovanni Soto said the players met two seasons ago when he pitched for the Cleveland Indians and the catcher was in his first stint with the White Sox. They grew up about 20 minutes apart from each other in Puerto Rico and now spend time together in the offseason. But what has made the scenario even more confusing is that White Sox prospect Lucas Giolito is seated only a few stalls away from Giovanni Soto in the clubhouse.
“It’s kind of weird, especially in the clubhouse and on the field because when someone says Geo, we turn around to see if it’s for him or for me,” Giovanni Soto said. “And we also have Giolito, and people call him Gio. It’s weird, but it’s funny too.”
Both Sotos could make the team’s Opening Day roster.
Geovany Soto, who signed a minor league contract in January, is the most experienced catcher in camp and is favored to win a job. Giovanni Soto, who was claimed off waivers from the Cubs in November, is one of several relievers competing for a spot and could make the club if the White Sox decide to carry two left-handers in the bullpen. And while Giolito is expected to start the season at Triple-A, he could reach the majors at some point causing more pandemonium.
“There’s a lot of Geo going on with Giolito, Giovanni and then me,” Geovany Soto said. “And can get pretty hectic. But yeah, it’s fun for us.”
Golf: I got a club for that..... Power Rankings: The Honda Classic.
By Sam Belden
One of the tougher courses in the PGA Tour rotation, PGA National, isn’t likely to yield many low numbers -- the winning score has reached double digits under par just once in the past six years, when Rory McIlroy fended off a charging Tiger Woods on the back nine in 2012. The town of Palm Beach Gardens should be in for some weather towards the end of this week, so don’t expect things to be much different this time around.
POWER RANKINGS: The Honda Classic
1. Adam Scott
At last year’s Honda Classic, Scott was on fire, signing for a 65, a 66 and two 70s to clip Sergio Garcia by one stroke and take home his 12th PGA Tour win. That week, he delivered one of his strongest putting performances of the year and was solid across the rest of the board, setting him up for a great defense this week. He also tied for 12th at the 2014 Honda Classic, so it’s not like the win was a one-off. Furthermore, Scott has fared well in both of his official starts this year, notching a tie for ninth over in Singapore last month and a tie for 11th at the Genesis Open last week.
Everything appears to be aligning in Scott’s favor this week. If he can stay focused, he’s got a great chance to become the Honda Classic’s first back-to-back winner since Jack Nicklaus in 1978.
2. Russell Knox
Since breaking back onto the PGA Tour at the end of 2013, Knox has never missed a cut at PGA National, notching back-to-back podium finishes in 2014 and 2015. He came within a whisker of winning the whole thing three years ago, ultimately losing to Russell Henley in a stacked playoff that also included Rory McIlroy and Ryan Palmer. In terms of recent results, he’s notched a pair of top 20s in his last three starts, and he ranks in the top 15 on the PGA Tour in both driving accuracy and greens in regulation.
Last year, Knox showed us how talented he really is by reeling off an impressive multi-win season. It wouldn’t be surprising in the least to see him finally nab a victory on a course that’s been so kind to him in the past.
3. Rickie Fowler
Fowler has gone 5/7 in his career at PGA National, logging a total of four top 25 finishes over that stretch. He notched a tie for sixth at last year’s event, turning in a very solid putting performance while also ranking fourth in the field in driving distance. Thus far in 2017, he ranks first in strokes gained: around-the-green and 30th in greens in regulation, good signs as he heads to a tough course. While his recent form has been somewhat uneven, he had it going in his last start, striking his way to an impressive tie for fourth at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Despite his recent inconsistency, Fowler appears to be trending in the right direction, so he can definitely make a run at PGA National. There just might be a shock of orange in the winner’s circle before this week is done.
Everything appears to be aligning in Scott’s favor this week. If he can stay focused, he’s got a great chance to become the Honda Classic’s first back-to-back winner since Jack Nicklaus in 1978.
2. Russell Knox
Since breaking back onto the PGA Tour at the end of 2013, Knox has never missed a cut at PGA National, notching back-to-back podium finishes in 2014 and 2015. He came within a whisker of winning the whole thing three years ago, ultimately losing to Russell Henley in a stacked playoff that also included Rory McIlroy and Ryan Palmer. In terms of recent results, he’s notched a pair of top 20s in his last three starts, and he ranks in the top 15 on the PGA Tour in both driving accuracy and greens in regulation.
Last year, Knox showed us how talented he really is by reeling off an impressive multi-win season. It wouldn’t be surprising in the least to see him finally nab a victory on a course that’s been so kind to him in the past.
3. Rickie Fowler
Fowler has gone 5/7 in his career at PGA National, logging a total of four top 25 finishes over that stretch. He notched a tie for sixth at last year’s event, turning in a very solid putting performance while also ranking fourth in the field in driving distance. Thus far in 2017, he ranks first in strokes gained: around-the-green and 30th in greens in regulation, good signs as he heads to a tough course. While his recent form has been somewhat uneven, he had it going in his last start, striking his way to an impressive tie for fourth at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Despite his recent inconsistency, Fowler appears to be trending in the right direction, so he can definitely make a run at PGA National. There just might be a shock of orange in the winner’s circle before this week is done.
4. Sergio Garcia
Garcia’s recent consistency makes him a prime candidate to perform at the Honda Classic this week. His Dubai win was just the latest in an impressive stretch of five top 20 finishes in his last six starts dating back to last October’s CIMB Classic. He’s also got some nice history at PGA National, compiling a 6/6 record since the tournament moved there in 2007. That run includes a pair of top 10s in the last three years, including a narrow loss to Adam Scott at last year’s event.
To go along with his strong form and great track record, Garcia currently ranks third on the PGA Tour in greens in regulation. If he can bounce back from a so-so week at Riviera, he should have plenty of opportunities to score at the Honda.
To go along with his strong form and great track record, Garcia currently ranks third on the PGA Tour in greens in regulation. If he can bounce back from a so-so week at Riviera, he should have plenty of opportunities to score at the Honda.
5. Justin Thomas
In his career at the Honda Classic, Thomas has gone 1/2 with a tie for third in last year’s edition, finishing just four strokes behind winner Adam Scott. That week, he drove his way to four consecutive rounds in the 60s, all of this in spite of a sub-par putting performance. While his last two starts haven’t been very impressive in that regard, we need to remember who we’re dealing with here; this is a guy who won the Sony Open by seven shots last month. If he’s feeling motivated, then the talent is certainly there.
6. Daniel Berger
Berger has come close to winning the Honda Classic in the past, dropping a sudden death playoff to Padraig Harrington in his tournament debut back in 2015. He followed that impressive result up with a missed cut in last year’s edition, so he should have plenty of motivation to bounce back this time around. He hasn’t been in the greatest form lately, but he has picked up a pair of top 15 finishes in the new year: a tie for 14th at the SBS Tournament of Champions and a tie for seventh at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Despite his missed cut last year, all signs point to Berger making a successful comeback performance at PGA National this week. Never count out a player who can roll the ball as well as he can.
Despite his missed cut last year, all signs point to Berger making a successful comeback performance at PGA National this week. Never count out a player who can roll the ball as well as he can.
7. Louis Oosthuizen
Oosthuizen has been at or near the top of his game in his two most recent starts. Earlier this month, he fired four consecutive rounds in the 60s en route to a solo third at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and just last week, he backed that up with a fifth-place finish at the World Super 6 Perth. That kind of form does a lot to offset his questionable history with the Honda Classic, which includes a pair of withdrawals due to injury. With both his body and his game cooperating, the bet here is that he does some damage at PGA National this week.
Though he has one of the sweetest swings in the game, Oosthuizen has gone without a PGA Tour victory since his major-winning week at St. Andrews back in 2010. If he gets some breaks, he’s more than capable of bringing an end to that drought this week.
8. Charles Howell III
Though he has one of the sweetest swings in the game, Oosthuizen has gone without a PGA Tour victory since his major-winning week at St. Andrews back in 2010. If he gets some breaks, he’s more than capable of bringing an end to that drought this week.
8. Charles Howell III
Incredibly, Howell is currently on a run of seven consecutive top 15 finishes, a stretch that dates back to the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open last November. While the Honda Classic hasn’t been one of his strongest tournaments from a historical perspective, he’s still 6/7 since the event moved to PGA National in 2007, picking up a top 10 finish along the way. Course history buffs may roll their eyes nevertheless, but you can’t deny his form -- not when it helped him to outplay his track record at Riviera. He also ranks inside the top 50 on the PGA Tour in three different strokes gained categories.
Howell has taken his characteristic consistency to new heights this season. While his form won’t be this good for the entire year, he appears to be all systems go this week, so expect him to shoot some solid scores.
9. Luke Donald
Donald will enter the week on a wave of back-to-back top 25 finishes, with a tie for 23rd at Pebble Beach and a tie for 17th at Riviera. Now, he’ll prepare to keep it going at PGA National, where he’s gone 6/6 over the years. That stretch includes a total of four top 10 finishes, so with his game trending in the right direction, he should feel very confident. He ranks sixth on the new PGA Tour season in strokes gained: putting, so birdies won’t be hard to come by.
The stage appears set for Donald to make a run at his first PGA Tour win in nearly five years. The Englishman is at his best on and around the greens, and with that part of his game peaking, we shouldn’t be surprised if he remains in contention well into the weekend.
10. Russell Henley
With five top 25 finishes in his last six starts, Henley has been getting consistent results in the new PGA Tour season. Despite that, he’s actually fallen in the Official World Golf Ranking over that stretch, and his highest finish was a tie for 10th at the RSM Classic. Also, while he won the Honda Classic in 2014, his results since then -- a tie for 44th and a missed cut -- have been decidedly underwhelming. Still, if you look at his entire record, Henley checks enough boxes to warrant an endorsement for this week’s event.
With some decent form and a solid stat line, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Henley post another strong finish at the Honda Classic. Maybe he'll do the improbable and snap his win drought too.
DJ's Honda absence good for guys wanting 'W'.
By Randall Mell
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
The Honda Classic is a respite from Dustin Johnson.
Johnson, who vaulted to world No. 1 with his victory Sunday at the Genesis Open at Riviera, isn’t in the field this week. That’s a good thing for more than one PGA Tour pro wanting to win.
Daniel Berger, who nearly won the Honda Classic as a rookie two years ago, was asked who he finds the toughest player to face when that player’s at the top of his game.
“The hardest guy for me to beat would be Dustin,” Berger said. “I know, obviously, he’s No. 1 in the world, but the times I’ve played with him, like I played with him at Augusta last year, and I played with him a few other times, you really have to not pay attention to him, because he hits the ball so incredibly far.
“When you play with him, it’s like another level of speed that he has. You almost end up swinging out of your shoes trying to catch him, and the guy just doesn’t even know. He just keeps going and going and going.”
Johnson has won four times in the last eight months. In his last 16 starts, he has finished third or better in eight of them.
Johnson isn’t the lone star taking the week off. None of the top six in the world is playing at PGA National. Adam Scott, the defending champion, is the top ranked player in the field at No. 7 in the world.
Berger was also asked Tuesday who wins if each of the top six players in the world are at their best.
“You can’t really pinpoint a guy,” Berger said. “It seems like when any one of those guys are on, they are not impossible to beat, but they are hard to beat.”
Tour Confidential: Who are really the top five players in the world right now?
GOLF.com Staff
NASCAR: Power Rankings: Daytona 500. (CS&T/AA note:A different ranking based on DraftKings Fantasy ratings)
By Pearce Dietrich
Rankings below are based on a mixture of expected output and DraftKings’ NASCAR salaries for that day. The ordering is not based on highest projected fantasy totals, but rather by value of each driver.
(fppk = average fantasy points per $1,000 of salary. The typical median fppk for a 2016 race was in the 3s. Plate tracks tend to be lower and short tracks tend to run higher due to the amount of laps.)
1. Denny Hamlin ($9,600) – After Earnhardt Jr.’s disappointing plate track runs last year, it’s clear: Hamlin is the best restrictor plate racer in NASCAR. Hamlin won the 2016 Daytona 500, and he has top 10 finishes in eight of the last 12 plate races. (3.9 fppk)
2. Joey Logano ($9,900) – Anyone can wreck and anyone can score a top 10 finish at a plate track. Wins are not as egalitarian, neither is Logano. With wins in three of the last eight plate track races, the new king of the plate tracks refuses to share victory lane. (4.2 fppk)
3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ($10,600) – It feels good to type Junior’s name in the rankings. Last year, the plate tracks were rough on the 88 car. That’s a plate track for you, top of the world in 2015, bottom of the Earth in 2016. Narrative street says he wins his comeback race for his 11th plate track victory. (3.5 fppk)
4. Brad Keselowski ($10,300) – Consistency and plate tracks do not go together, yet somehow Team Penske has won five of the last eight races at Daytona and Talladega. The previous narrative was that BK was better at Talladega, then he won the 2016 summer Daytona race. (4.3 fppk)
5. Kyle Busch ($9,400) – Both of his legs were broken in a wreck at Daytona in 2015. One would assume that this would linger in the back of Rowdy’s mind, but he’s a racer. In 2016, Busch had three top 3s and an 11th plate finish at the plate tracks. (5.0 fppk)
6. Austin Dillon ($8,200) – However you slice it, some drivers are good at restrictor plate tracks. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Xfinity series or the Monster Energy Cup. In 12 plate races as a full time Cup driver, Dillon has 11 top 15s. (3.6 fppk)
7. Kevin Harvick ($9,700) – DraftKings players may erroneously downgrade Harvick at plate tracks based on the nature of the race. Harvick cannot produce at the his customary, superior level. However, in the last 15 plate races, Harvick has 13 top 15s. That’s dominant. (5.7 fppk)
8. Clint Bowyer ($7,800) – Normally, when a driver changes teams, they get a freebie year. After the last two years, it’s put up or shut up time for Bowyer. With a win at Daytona, Bowyer can be his usual laid-back self this season. It’s possible, he has the 3rd best average finish at plate tracks. (4.2 fppk)
9. Martin Truex, Jr. ($9,000) – For DraftKings purposes, all that matters at Daytona is the 200th lap. Last year, the JGR Toyotas were running first through fourth on the last lap. They practice together, they run together – they win together. Truex’s second place finish stings, but not for fantasy players. (5.4 fppk)
10. Jimmie Johnson ($10,000) – Last season is a distant memory. Only Daytona matters this week. This isn’t necessarily a must play Johnson week for me, but over the last five Daytona races, Johnson has the highest driver rating (101.1). (4.2 fppk)
11. Kyle Larson ($8,500) – From 2014-2015, Larson was probably the worst plate racer ever. That was then, this is now. In 2016, Larson scored three top 10s at plate tracks. Did he figure it out? No. He learned to stop worrying and love the restrictor plate. (4.4 fppk)
12. Matt Kenseth ($8,700) – A great philosopher once said, “Go make yourself some friends or you’ll be lonely,” or maybe that was a Danish pop band. The point is that in a plate race, Kenseth has NASCAR’s premier team, the JGR Toyota’s, blocking for him and pushing him. (4.3 fppk)
13. Kurt Busch ($8,800) – In 63 restrictor plate races, Kurt has zero wins. That’s the longest drought among active drivers. Wins are overrated in DraftKings Fantasy NASCAR. Kurt’s top 10 percentage at plate tracks is tied for the best (53%). (4.0 fppk)
14. Ryan Newman ($7,500) – Daytona is goofy, atypical racing. It’s hard to predict, and it’s hard to find statistical indicators that you can trust. Newman has 60 official plate races under his belt. It’s not just experience; his 18 top 10s at plate tracks ranks 8th among the field. (3.8 fppk)
15. Michael Waltrip ($6,100) – It’s time for the former Daytona 500 champion to dust off his firesuit. Mikey may not win, but this is not an honorary run. Every year he scores big points at the plate tracks. Waltrip has topped 40 points in five of his last nine plate races. (6.7 fppk)
16. A.J. Allmendinger ($7,600) – He’s a road course racer. He’s a flat track guy. He’s a plate racer? His lowest fantasy point performance at a restrictor plate track in 2016 was 41 points (47.75 avg. pts). He had a 44 and 48 point race in 2015 at the plate tracks. (3.9 fppk)
17. Ryan Blaney ($7,300) – We’re looking for a little more consistency in his sophomore year, but this is Daytona. I’m not counting on it this week. Blaney is the unofficial third Penske car, and Penke has been crushing at the plate tracks. (3.3 fppk)
18. Michael McDowell ($5,800) – Last year, McDowell’s best starting position at a plate track was 31st. That’s what we want, place differential. McDowell is not known as plate track expert, but last year he avoided the wrecks and scored 58, 34, 63 and 47 pts. (4.3 fppk)
19. Chase Elliott ($9,200) – Are Talladega and Daytona different? Yes, but not entirely. It’s fine to separate Talladega and Daytona stats, if you live on narrative street. If you live in the real world, Elliott wrecked twice at Daytona last year, but finished 12th and 4th at Talladega. (4.1 fppk)
20. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. ($7,000) – No one terrifies DraftKings NASCAR players more than “Wrecky” Stenhouse. All he needs to do is avoid the big one. Which he has done; he hasn’t wrecked at a plate track in two years. Stenhouse rolls into Daytona with back-to-back 5th place finishes at plate tracks. (3.4 fppk)
Note: Pearce Dietrich Disclaimer: I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above.
Stewart-Haas Racing’s debut with Ford has Kevin Harvick smiling.Rankings below are based on a mixture of expected output and DraftKings’ NASCAR salaries for that day. The ordering is not based on highest projected fantasy totals, but rather by value of each driver.
(fppk = average fantasy points per $1,000 of salary. The typical median fppk for a 2016 race was in the 3s. Plate tracks tend to be lower and short tracks tend to run higher due to the amount of laps.)
1. Denny Hamlin ($9,600) – After Earnhardt Jr.’s disappointing plate track runs last year, it’s clear: Hamlin is the best restrictor plate racer in NASCAR. Hamlin won the 2016 Daytona 500, and he has top 10 finishes in eight of the last 12 plate races. (3.9 fppk)
2. Joey Logano ($9,900) – Anyone can wreck and anyone can score a top 10 finish at a plate track. Wins are not as egalitarian, neither is Logano. With wins in three of the last eight plate track races, the new king of the plate tracks refuses to share victory lane. (4.2 fppk)
3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ($10,600) – It feels good to type Junior’s name in the rankings. Last year, the plate tracks were rough on the 88 car. That’s a plate track for you, top of the world in 2015, bottom of the Earth in 2016. Narrative street says he wins his comeback race for his 11th plate track victory. (3.5 fppk)
4. Brad Keselowski ($10,300) – Consistency and plate tracks do not go together, yet somehow Team Penske has won five of the last eight races at Daytona and Talladega. The previous narrative was that BK was better at Talladega, then he won the 2016 summer Daytona race. (4.3 fppk)
5. Kyle Busch ($9,400) – Both of his legs were broken in a wreck at Daytona in 2015. One would assume that this would linger in the back of Rowdy’s mind, but he’s a racer. In 2016, Busch had three top 3s and an 11th plate finish at the plate tracks. (5.0 fppk)
6. Austin Dillon ($8,200) – However you slice it, some drivers are good at restrictor plate tracks. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Xfinity series or the Monster Energy Cup. In 12 plate races as a full time Cup driver, Dillon has 11 top 15s. (3.6 fppk)
7. Kevin Harvick ($9,700) – DraftKings players may erroneously downgrade Harvick at plate tracks based on the nature of the race. Harvick cannot produce at the his customary, superior level. However, in the last 15 plate races, Harvick has 13 top 15s. That’s dominant. (5.7 fppk)
8. Clint Bowyer ($7,800) – Normally, when a driver changes teams, they get a freebie year. After the last two years, it’s put up or shut up time for Bowyer. With a win at Daytona, Bowyer can be his usual laid-back self this season. It’s possible, he has the 3rd best average finish at plate tracks. (4.2 fppk)
9. Martin Truex, Jr. ($9,000) – For DraftKings purposes, all that matters at Daytona is the 200th lap. Last year, the JGR Toyotas were running first through fourth on the last lap. They practice together, they run together – they win together. Truex’s second place finish stings, but not for fantasy players. (5.4 fppk)
10. Jimmie Johnson ($10,000) – Last season is a distant memory. Only Daytona matters this week. This isn’t necessarily a must play Johnson week for me, but over the last five Daytona races, Johnson has the highest driver rating (101.1). (4.2 fppk)
11. Kyle Larson ($8,500) – From 2014-2015, Larson was probably the worst plate racer ever. That was then, this is now. In 2016, Larson scored three top 10s at plate tracks. Did he figure it out? No. He learned to stop worrying and love the restrictor plate. (4.4 fppk)
12. Matt Kenseth ($8,700) – A great philosopher once said, “Go make yourself some friends or you’ll be lonely,” or maybe that was a Danish pop band. The point is that in a plate race, Kenseth has NASCAR’s premier team, the JGR Toyota’s, blocking for him and pushing him. (4.3 fppk)
13. Kurt Busch ($8,800) – In 63 restrictor plate races, Kurt has zero wins. That’s the longest drought among active drivers. Wins are overrated in DraftKings Fantasy NASCAR. Kurt’s top 10 percentage at plate tracks is tied for the best (53%). (4.0 fppk)
14. Ryan Newman ($7,500) – Daytona is goofy, atypical racing. It’s hard to predict, and it’s hard to find statistical indicators that you can trust. Newman has 60 official plate races under his belt. It’s not just experience; his 18 top 10s at plate tracks ranks 8th among the field. (3.8 fppk)
15. Michael Waltrip ($6,100) – It’s time for the former Daytona 500 champion to dust off his firesuit. Mikey may not win, but this is not an honorary run. Every year he scores big points at the plate tracks. Waltrip has topped 40 points in five of his last nine plate races. (6.7 fppk)
16. A.J. Allmendinger ($7,600) – He’s a road course racer. He’s a flat track guy. He’s a plate racer? His lowest fantasy point performance at a restrictor plate track in 2016 was 41 points (47.75 avg. pts). He had a 44 and 48 point race in 2015 at the plate tracks. (3.9 fppk)
17. Ryan Blaney ($7,300) – We’re looking for a little more consistency in his sophomore year, but this is Daytona. I’m not counting on it this week. Blaney is the unofficial third Penske car, and Penke has been crushing at the plate tracks. (3.3 fppk)
18. Michael McDowell ($5,800) – Last year, McDowell’s best starting position at a plate track was 31st. That’s what we want, place differential. McDowell is not known as plate track expert, but last year he avoided the wrecks and scored 58, 34, 63 and 47 pts. (4.3 fppk)
19. Chase Elliott ($9,200) – Are Talladega and Daytona different? Yes, but not entirely. It’s fine to separate Talladega and Daytona stats, if you live on narrative street. If you live in the real world, Elliott wrecked twice at Daytona last year, but finished 12th and 4th at Talladega. (4.1 fppk)
20. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. ($7,000) – No one terrifies DraftKings NASCAR players more than “Wrecky” Stenhouse. All he needs to do is avoid the big one. Which he has done; he hasn’t wrecked at a plate track in two years. Stenhouse rolls into Daytona with back-to-back 5th place finishes at plate tracks. (3.4 fppk)
Note: Pearce Dietrich Disclaimer: I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above.
By Dustin Long
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Although Kevin Harvick didn’t win Sunday’s Clash, he couldn’t hide his smile as he walked down pit road after finishing fifth in Stewart-Haas Racing’s first race since switching to Ford.
“This is by far the best we’ve run speed-wise … in the race since I’ve been at Stewart-Haas Racing,’’ Harvick told NBC Sports. “I’m really looking forward to a really strong week.’’
NASCAR’s opening weekend proved to be a good one overall for Stewart-Haas Racing in its debut with Ford.
Danica Patrick finished fourth in the Clash with Harvick fifth. Clint Bowyer, who joined the team this year, was fourth in qualifying. Harvick was seventh.
It wasn’t a perfect weekend, though. Kurt Busch wrecked in the Clash after he was turned by Jimmie Johnson. Busch was 22nd in qualifying and Patrick was 24th. Still, it could have been much worse after all the work to switch from Chevrolet to Ford in the offseason.
“It’s a great effort, considering everything these guys have gone through all season long, switching manufacturers and everything that goes with that,’’ Bowyer said after his qualifying effort Sunday. “That’s a lot. That’s a huge undertaking and these guys did it without fail.
“The Ford bunch and the Roush Yates horsepower I knew was going to be something we could lean on. We just came up a little bit short, but that’s two of our cars in the top seven.
“I watched Kevin in that Clash. I liked what I saw there. He could push and move (Brad Keselowski) and (Clash winner Joey Logano). On a track like this, those are your teammates and we’re going to work together and win this damn thing. That’s what we’re here for.”
Logano said he and Harvick, his new Ford teammate, worked well together toward the end of the Clash.
“We’re able to work really well together because we’re both going to be aggressive to get to the front, and we both understand we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do to win,’’ Logano said. “I think that’s a good driver to work with on a speedway, and it’s not the first time we’ve worked together.’’
While Harvick walked away smiling Sunday, he wasn’t the only one from Stewart-Haas Racing who was enthused.
“It feels good to be competitive again,’’ Bowyer said. “I was down here last year (with HScott Motorsports) and we were way off the pace. It was crushing because you know deep down you don’t even have a chance, and when you’ve got a car like this – a hot rod like this and a team like this – I’ve got a chance.”
SOCCER: Nemanja Nikolic channels his inner MJ in jersey number.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Jersey numbers can be a big deal in soccer. Who is the team's No. 10? Who is the No. 9?
Nemanja Nikolic, a forward who joined the Chicago Fire this offseason as a Designated Player, didn't have the choice of either number that is famously associated with marquee attacking players because both were taken by returning players on the Fire. Instead, he landed on a number more famous in Chicago sports than in soccer.
Nikolic will be wearing 23.
The Fire announced the jersey numbers for the 2017 season with Nikolic's 23 a part of the list. Every returning player kept the same number as last season.
It goes without saying that wearing the No. 23 in Chicago comes with an extra bit of notoriety. Ever since Michael Jordan donned the No. 23 for the Chicago Bulls, it has been a common sight to find the best player on a Chicagoland high school basketball team wearing No. 23. That doesn't translate to the world of soccer, but in Chicago fans will notice.
A spokesman for the club said the number was more coincidence than intentional MJ reference, but if Nikolic has a good season don't be surprised to see signs at Toyota Park referencing Nikolic's jersey number.
In the preseason some of the players have been wearing different jersey numbers from what they will in the regular season. Nikolic has been wearing No. 9 in preseason matches.
Here is a list of the other newcomers and the numbers they will be wearing:
Jorge Bava: 1
Dax McCarty: 6
Djordje Mihailovic: 14
Juninho: 19
Daniel Johnson: 20
Stefan Cleveland: 30
Champions League Wednesday: Leicester’s last stand; Porto-Juve.
By Andy Edwards
(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Previewing Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League round-of-16 action…
Leicester City vs. Sevilla
There’s no two ways about it: Leicester’s season — and perhaps their status as a Premier League club — is quickly spiraling out of control. The Foxes, just nine months after winning the PL title, sit 17th in the league table, one point clear of relegation, with 13 games still to play. Chances are, they won’t be back in the Champions League anytime soon, making Wednesday’s round-of-16 first-leg clash away to Sevilla all the more a monumental moment in the club’s history.
Where has hasn’t it gone wrong for Claudio Ranieri‘s side this season? If you’re of the mind that one player — N'Golo Kante in Leicester’s case — doesn’t make a team himself, then we’ll have to go one step further in diagnosing the stunning regression seen at the King Power Stadium this season: Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, who combined to score 41 goals in the PL last season, have managed all of eight together in 2016-17. It’s the loss of Kante, though, that has left the defense forever exposed (43 goals conceded in 25 PL games, after conceding 36 in 38 all of last season), and the goal-getters forever feeding on scraps (24 goals scored, compared to 68 last season).
Porto vs. Juventus — from the AP
Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci will be left in the stands for Wednesday’s Champions League match against Porto as punishment for his outburst aimed at coach Massimiliano Allegri.
Allegri announced the move on Tuesday at the pre-match news conference, saying he had agreed it with club officials as “a fair decision, out of respect for the squad, the fans and the club.”
Bonucci became embroiled in a heated argument over substitutions with Allegri after a 4-1 win over Palermo on Friday.
Allegri also will punish himself for his angry reaction to Bonucci, announcing a donation to charity.
Wayne Shaw resigns amid pie-eating scandal.
By Joe Prince Wright
(Photo/Getty Images)
The legend of Wayne Shaw is no more.
On Tuesday, less than 24 hours after non-league club Sutton United met Arsenal in the fifth round of the FA Cup, Shaw resigned as their goalkeeper and goalkeeping coach.
Shaw, 46, caused headlines around the world when the 280-pound goalkeeper was shown on TV eating a pie during the second half of Sutton’s 2-0 defeat to the Premier League side.
Now, it appears that the incident was something more sinister.
Both the FA and the UK Gambling Commission are investigating the stunt as bookmakers Sun Bets had offered 8-1 odds for Shaw to eat a pie during the game. Shaw had admitted he knew about the bet and thought he would do it for “a bit of banter” adding that “a few of the lads said to me earlier on, ‘What is going on with the 8-1 about eating a pie?’ I said, ‘I don’t know, I’ve eaten nothing all day, so I might give it a go later on.'”
Speaking to Sky Sports on Tuesday a sad and disappointed Sutton manager, Paul Doswell, explained that Shaw offered his resignation and has left the club.
“It’s been very disappointing,” Doswell said. “I woke up this morning to this storm of criticism. It’s something we’ve dealt with quickly at the club. Wayne himself has offered his resignation to the chairman this afternoon and that’s been accepted. It’s a very sad end to what was a good story.”Doswell and Shaw know each other from their time throughout the non-league scene as they also worked together at Eastleigh in the past and are great friends.
Sutton’s manager continued to explain the situation about Shaw and revealed the man dubbed as “The Roly Poly Goalie” around the world has been inconsolable.
“I’m devastated,” Doswell said. “The chairman is devastated. I’m not going to try and hide the fact that we are all very emotional about it. I’ve spoken to Wayne on the phone this afternoon and the guy is in tears, crying down the phone. It is a very, very sad situation. It is hard to talk about the positives today on the back of what has happened because someone has lost their job because of this. The club cannot be seen to accept that situation.
“Ian Baird [team manager] and myself try and run the most professional non-league club we can be, we’ve always said that. To then find out someone has been eating a pie, it may be funny to some people but it shows me in a bad light, Ian in a bad light and the club in bad light. Then to find out it was done with regards to some 8-1 bet, obviously that exacerbated the problem, really. The chairman was very clear with me this morning on how he felt and I back the chairman 100 percent.”In Sutton’s finest moment which saw the club mentioned around the world as the fifth-tier team knocked out AFC Wimbledon and Leeds United on their way to their last 16, Shaw’s resignation has marked a sad end to their fairytale FA Cup run.
NCAABKB: 2017 NCAA Associated Press Basketball Rankings, 02/20/2017.
AP
RANK
|
SCHOOL
|
POINTS
|
RECORD
|
PREVIOUS
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gonzaga (59) | 1618 | 28-0 | 1 |
| 2 | Villanova (5) | 1556 | 26-2 | 2 |
| 3 | Kansas (1) | 1503 | 24-3 | 3 |
| 4 | Arizona | 1356 | 25-3 | 5 |
| 5 | UCLA | 1316 | 24-3 | 6 |
| 6 | Oregon | 1297 | 24-4 | 7 |
| 7 | Louisville | 1267 | 22-5 | 8 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 1138 | 23-5 | 10 |
| 9 | Baylor | 1108 | 22-5 | 4 |
| 10 | Duke | 1014 | 22-5 | 12 |
| 11 | Kentucky | 943 | 22-5 | 13 |
| 12 | West Virginia | 908 | 21-6 | 9 |
| 13 | Florida | 822 | 22-5 | 15 |
| 14 | Purdue | 207 | 22-5 | 16 |
| 15 | Cincinnati | 733 | 24-3 | 18 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 713 | 22-5 | 11 |
| 17 | SMU | 554 | 24-4 | 19 |
| 18 | Virginia | 427 | 18-8 | 14 |
| 19 | Florida State | 419 | 21-6 | 17 |
| 20 | Saint Mary's (Cal) | 375 | 24-3 | 22 |
| 21 | Notre Dame | 322 | 21-7 | 25 |
| 22 | Butler | 295 | 21-6 | 24 |
| 23 | Creighton | 178 | 22-5 | 20 |
| 24 | Maryland | 159 | 22-5 | 23 |
| 25 | Wichita State | 153 | 25-4 | NR |
Others receiving votes: VCU 39, Northwestern 25, Iowa State 22, South Carolina 12, Southern California 10, Dayton 9, Middle Tennessee 8, Oklahoma State 7, Minnesota 5, Monmouth 2, Miami (Fla.) 2, Virginia Tech 1, Vermont 1, Michigan 1.
Associated Press
(Photo/Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Eron Harris will not score another point for Michigan State this season.
The senior guard, though, did deliver an assist to the Spartans with a tear-jerking speech after finding out his college career was over because of a season-ending knee injury .
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, still emotional a day later, said Harris provided his inspirational perspective at a team meeting Sunday by sharing his thoughts while being taken off the court at Purdue on a stretcher.
“I realized my career is over,”‘ Izzo recalled Harris saying as the coach fought back more tears. “That was … that was hard.”
It will be really difficult for the Spartans (16-11, 8-6 Big Ten) to extend their Big Ten-record NCAA tournament streak to 20 if they can’t overcome the loss of Harris, who made a team-high 43 3-pointers this season and was just one of three players scoring in double figures.
Michigan State, tied for fifth place in the conference, hosts Nebraska on Thursday night and No. 16 Wisconsin on Sunday. The Spartans close the regular season on the road against Illinois and No. 24 Maryland before the Big Ten tournament, where they may need some wins to avoid missing college basketball’s showcase for the first time since 1997 when Izzo was in his second season in charge of the program.
“We only have two weeks left on the regular season and a ton to play for,” Izzo said.
He knew this season would be a struggle before it started.
Izzo was without seven players from last year’s team, including national player of the year Denzel Valentine, in the biggest turnover he’s had since 2001 when he lost as many players off his team that went to a third straight Final Four and won four straight Big Ten titles.
The Spartans, already thin in the post with Deyonta Davis’ decision to enter the NBA draft after his freshman season, took hits when 6-foot-9 seniors Gavin Schilling and Ben Carter needed knee surgeries that relegated them to the sideline this entire season.
Miles Bridges, one of the top freshmen in the country, missed seven games during the middle of the season with an ankle injury. Harris, one of just two healthy seniors, getting knocked out of the lineup just adds to the season-long list of woes that leads Izzo acknowledging this has been his most challenging season .
Senior Alvin Ellis, who started one game as a freshman and one as a sophomore, may step into the lineup to replace Harris. The guard is averaging just 6.6 points, but scored 18 last week in a win over Ohio State and a career-high 20 in the Big Ten-opening win at Minnesota.
“I’m expecting to play a bigger role,” Ellis said. “I’m trying to pick it up for (Harris).”
Izzo has always appeared to be a coach that gets the most out of his players, who rarely are ranked among the nation’s best. He also thinks tough schedules set up his teams to have success in the NCAA tournament. This season, however, a grueling schedule and a string of setbacks before the Big Ten season might end up haunting him if the team’s overall record is not good enough to get into the tournament. And, traveling the team for 13,600 miles over 22 days in November may end up being one of Izzo’s regrets when he looks back at this season.
Michigan State lost to No. 4 Arizona, No. 9 Baylor, No. 11 Kentucky and then-No. 5 Duke along with Northeastern, without Miles, a defeat that looks worse now than it did back in December because the Colonial Athletic Association team has fallen to .500 by losing nine of its last 11 games. The Spartans do have a quality win from their nonconference schedule, beating No. 25 Wichita State.
As the regular season approaches the end with just 10 healthy players on scholarship, Izzo insisted he won’t mention the school’s NCAA streak to his team.
“I haven’t put that pressure on them,” he said. “Don’t plan on putting that pressure on them.”
Player of the Year Power Rankings: Frank Mason III goes #BIFM, takes control of race.
The senior guard, though, did deliver an assist to the Spartans with a tear-jerking speech after finding out his college career was over because of a season-ending knee injury .
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, still emotional a day later, said Harris provided his inspirational perspective at a team meeting Sunday by sharing his thoughts while being taken off the court at Purdue on a stretcher.
“I realized my career is over,”‘ Izzo recalled Harris saying as the coach fought back more tears. “That was … that was hard.”
It will be really difficult for the Spartans (16-11, 8-6 Big Ten) to extend their Big Ten-record NCAA tournament streak to 20 if they can’t overcome the loss of Harris, who made a team-high 43 3-pointers this season and was just one of three players scoring in double figures.
Michigan State, tied for fifth place in the conference, hosts Nebraska on Thursday night and No. 16 Wisconsin on Sunday. The Spartans close the regular season on the road against Illinois and No. 24 Maryland before the Big Ten tournament, where they may need some wins to avoid missing college basketball’s showcase for the first time since 1997 when Izzo was in his second season in charge of the program.
“We only have two weeks left on the regular season and a ton to play for,” Izzo said.
He knew this season would be a struggle before it started.
Izzo was without seven players from last year’s team, including national player of the year Denzel Valentine, in the biggest turnover he’s had since 2001 when he lost as many players off his team that went to a third straight Final Four and won four straight Big Ten titles.
The Spartans, already thin in the post with Deyonta Davis’ decision to enter the NBA draft after his freshman season, took hits when 6-foot-9 seniors Gavin Schilling and Ben Carter needed knee surgeries that relegated them to the sideline this entire season.
Miles Bridges, one of the top freshmen in the country, missed seven games during the middle of the season with an ankle injury. Harris, one of just two healthy seniors, getting knocked out of the lineup just adds to the season-long list of woes that leads Izzo acknowledging this has been his most challenging season .
Senior Alvin Ellis, who started one game as a freshman and one as a sophomore, may step into the lineup to replace Harris. The guard is averaging just 6.6 points, but scored 18 last week in a win over Ohio State and a career-high 20 in the Big Ten-opening win at Minnesota.
“I’m expecting to play a bigger role,” Ellis said. “I’m trying to pick it up for (Harris).”
Izzo has always appeared to be a coach that gets the most out of his players, who rarely are ranked among the nation’s best. He also thinks tough schedules set up his teams to have success in the NCAA tournament. This season, however, a grueling schedule and a string of setbacks before the Big Ten season might end up haunting him if the team’s overall record is not good enough to get into the tournament. And, traveling the team for 13,600 miles over 22 days in November may end up being one of Izzo’s regrets when he looks back at this season.
Michigan State lost to No. 4 Arizona, No. 9 Baylor, No. 11 Kentucky and then-No. 5 Duke along with Northeastern, without Miles, a defeat that looks worse now than it did back in December because the Colonial Athletic Association team has fallen to .500 by losing nine of its last 11 games. The Spartans do have a quality win from their nonconference schedule, beating No. 25 Wichita State.
As the regular season approaches the end with just 10 healthy players on scholarship, Izzo insisted he won’t mention the school’s NCAA streak to his team.
“I haven’t put that pressure on them,” he said. “Don’t plan on putting that pressure on them.”
Player of the Year Power Rankings: Frank Mason III goes #BIFM, takes control of race.
By Rob Dauster
(Photo/Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
1. Frank Mason III, Kansas: For my money, Mason solidified his standing as the National Player of the Year front runner, the guy whose award it is to lose, this week. He was the spark of a comeback from 14 points down in the final three minutes against No. 12 West Virginia and led the Jayhawks back from 12 points down – six in the final three minutes – at No. 9 Baylor on Saturday, the win that solidified what will very shortly be the 13th straight Big 12 title for Bill Self.
Against West Virginia, he had 24 points, five assists and four boards. Against Baylor, Mason played arguably his best game of the season, finishing with 23 points and eight assists in a game where the Jayhawks struggled to find offense for long stretches.
But more to the point, what Mason provides this team is more than the numbers. There’s a competitiveness and a toughness that he brings. At the risk of being too cliché for my own good, he’s a winner and a leader that will drag his teammates along with him even when they aren’t playing well. He’s not the best player on Kansas — that would be Josh Jackson — and he’s probably not even the most valuable — hello, Landen Lucas — but there is no one that is more responsible for the fact that Kansas has won nine of their 12 Big 12 wins by seven or fewer points and seven of those nine by less than five points.
Mason’s numbers are sensational — 20.3 ppg, 5.0 apg, 4.2 rpg, 50.4 percent 3PT — but his numbers simply do not tell the whole story here.
#BIFM indeed.
2. Josh Hart, Villanova: Last week, I tried to make the point that Josh Hart’s Player of the Year bid was going to die on the vine because his season was devoid of moments. That happened before Frank Mason led Kansas to wins in two thrilling comebacks, both of which were games between top ten teams that were the most important matchups of that day. Hart? Played at the same time as Kansas-Baylor on Saturday. He’ll play at the same time as Louisville-North Carolina on Wednesday. Saturday’s matchup with No. 23 Creighton would’ve drawn every eyeball in the sport … if Mo Watson Jr. hadn’t gotten hurt.
He’s a terrific player having a career-year for an awesome team. I don’t think he’s going to be the Player of the Year.
3. Caleb Swanigan, Purdue: Swanigan had one of his best games of the season, going for 24 points, 15 boards and five assists as the Boilermakers beat Michigan State on Saturday. I’m not sure what else there is to say about Swanigan at this point in the season. He’s the best big man in the country, and I’m not quite sure it’s all that close.
4. Lonzo Ball, UCLA: Ball has changed the culture of the UCLA program, at least for this year, and he’s done it with his unselfishness and his ability to create offense out of nothing. But more important than that, since the comeback against Oregon, the one where UCLA game up 0.65 points-per-possession in the final 14 minutes of the game, the Bruins have allowed 0.915 PPP in wins over Oregon State and USC. They become a real title contender again when they are consistently buying in defensively like that.
5. Nigel Williams-Goss, Gonzaga: Williams-Goss averaged 24 points and seven assists in two wins last week, including a 30-burger against San Francisco. He’s the star and the go-to-scorer of the only undefeated team in the country.
6. Luke Kennard, Duke
7. Justin Jackson, North Carolina
8. Donovan Mitchell, Louisville: I wrote about the ACC Player of the Year race in my weekly takeaways column on Monday, but I wanted to elaborate on it.
With all due respect to Bonzie Colson, John Collins and everyone else in that league, I think there is a pretty clear-cut top three for the ACC Player of the Year race. And if I had to pick ACC Player of the Year, it would probably be Justin Jackson over Donovan Mitchell by a whisker — depending on what happens Wednesday night — with Luke Kennard in third.
But if we’re ranking for National Player of the Year, I think that Kennard is first, Jackson is behind him and Mitchell is third out of that group. Hell, having Mitchell ranked eighth overall is somewhat debatable; that’s how poor he played, at least compared to his ACC counterparts, before the start of ACC play.
9. Ethan Happ, Wisconsin: Happ ranks fifth in KenPom’s Player of the Year rankings. My only issue with that: It doesn’t factor in that his foul shooting is a real problem, one that has, at times, forced him off the floor in crunch-time. That’s a pretty big concern for a guy that, in all other facets of the game, is criminally-underrated.
10. Josh Jackson, Kansas: What can’t Jackson do on a basketball court? He’s a pro shooting guard that is playing the four for Kansas. He blocks shots at the rim and gets steals on the perimeter. He’s lethal in transition. He’s a spot-up three-point shooter, he can make plays off the dribble and he’s a talented, albeit at times careless, passer. He’s tough, he’s competitive, he’s not afraid of a big moment or a big game.
It’s hard to argue against the fact that he’s been the best player for Kansas over the course of the last month or two. That’s the same Kansas team that Frank Mason III plays for.
JUST MISSED THE CUT
Johnathan Motley, Baylor
Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame
De’Aaron Fox, Kentucky
Lauri Markkanen, Arizona
Melo Trimble, Maryland
Malik Monk, Kentucky
Dwayne Bacon, Florida State
Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina
Joel Berry II, North Carolina
Jock Landale, Saint Mary’s
Alec Peters, Valparaiso
NCAAFB: SEC sees significant improvement in replay accuracy with new command center.
By Jon Solomon
Collaborative replay has already paid solid dividends for conferences after one season.
Last season was the first in which the NCAA let conferences use people other than the stadium replay official to assist on reviews. The SEC had three replay officials at a command center in Birmingham, Alabama, to help the stadium replay official for all reviews. Shaw said he determined that collaboration helped 18 of the 226 reviews produce a correct outcome. The SEC declined to specify Shaw’s methodology for how he evaluated that a correct outcome was due to collaboration.
“In anybody’s business, if you can get an 8-percent increase in productivity, that’s huge,” Shaw said. “We’re very pleased with it. We think we got better as the year went on.”
The NCAA Football Rules Committee is expected to continue collaborative replay as an experiment in 2017. Collaborative replay is clearly here to stay. The long-term question is picking the best model if the conferences ever elect to follow the same procedures.
“I don’t think we have enough data yet [for uniform guidelines],” national officiating coordinator Rogers Redding said. “That’s another reason for extending the experiment for another year, to get a better sense of what’s best.”
The SEC and ACC used a centralized command center in 2016. The Big Ten studied, but didn’t use, centralized replay. Instead, the league relied on the referee looking on a tablet and collaborating with the on-site replay official. The Big Ten will use that model again in 2017.
“My best people are head referees,” said Big Ten officiating coordinator Bill Carollo. “That’s why they get promoted. That’s why they get paid a little more money. Using the referee allows better communication to a coach on why a call stands or is overturned.”
As an experiment in 12 games, the Big Ten used replay officials from a command center to make calls that didn’t count. In a very small sample size, two of the 30 reviews in those games would have resulted in a different call than the replay official and referee actually made, Carollo said.
One of the different calls resulted in the ejection of Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith for targeting against Michigan. The Big Ten announced after the game that targeting shouldn’t have been called.
“One of my top referees went over there and said, ‘We can confirm it, it’s targeting,’” Carollo said. “They went too fast. I said, ‘Guys, you have to actually see the shot that says you can confirm it or the shot that says you’re going to overturn this.’ The ref trusted his guy a little too much up in the booth. That was a big one that another set of eyes would have caught.”
The ACC had 30 percent of its reviewable plays reversed in 2016, up from 24 percent a year earlier. ACC officiating coordinator Dennis Hennigan said no conclusions can be drawn from that change, and he doesn’t have a way to quantify how much collaborative replay helped.
“It’s adding another set of eyes to the replay,” Hennigan said. “We were very happy with the way it worked out.”
The SEC had almost 43 percent of its reviewable plays reversed last season, a significant spike from 37 percent in 2015. That’s the SEC’s biggest one-year increase for reversals since 2010.
It’s important to remember collaborative replay simply passes the subjective question about a call on the field to other people. While more eyes may help, it doesn’t guarantee the correct answer.
“It was not perfection because perfection is in the eye of the beholder,” Shaw said. “You’re never going to solve gray [area] plays. If we had our coaches at the table, they might vote 7-7 on a gray play. The goal is to solve incorrect outcomes.”
With more eyes to help, the SEC had only slightly more play stoppages last season. The average review length increased by six seconds to 1:22. The average times during the first two weeks exceeded 1:40.
“We had to get a handle on that,” Shaw said. “I think at first, and it’s only human nature, the replay guy in the stadium was a little concerned about Big Brother looking over his shoulder. But it’s not just Big Brother telling you the answer. It’s a collaborative process. As we progressed through the season, our replay guys in the stadium liked the collaboration.”
| Conference | Stoppages Per Game | Reviews Reversed | Average Review Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEC | 2.23 | 42.90% | 1:26 |
| Pac-12 | 2.43 | 39.70% | 1:01 |
| AAC | 1.84 | 39.60% | 1:16 |
| Sun Belt | 1.71 | 37.50% | 1:28 |
| Big 12 | 2.61 | 34.40% | 1:37 |
| Mountain West | 2.04 | 33.10% | 1:49 |
| Big Ten | 2.23 | 30.90% | 1:11 |
| ACC | 2.46 | 30.30% | 1:21 |
| MAC | 2.85 | 29.30% | 1:03 |
| C-USA | 1.41 | 26.30% | 1:25 |
| 2016 Average | 2.18 | 34.50% | 1:20 |
The Pac-12 experimented with a command center in 2016 to monitor replays only for Oregon and California conference games. No decision has been made yet on whether the Pac-12 will use collaborative replay full-time in 2017, league officiating coordinator David Coleman said.
“It was a good experience for us,” Coleman said. “It gave us an opportunity to advise and consult and make sure our replay staff in those two locations was considering everything they needed to get a call right. We see the possibility of it growing in the future. Obviously, there are costs involved. That has to be considered.”
The Big 12, which was the only Power Five conference not using collaborative replay in 2016, will adopt centralized replay next season. Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said the league intentionally waited a year to monitor the experiments by other conferences.
The Big 12 is budgeting about $1 million to lease space to build a command center in Irving, Texas, where the Big 12 office is located. Some of that cost is due to building a small studio unrelated to replay, Bowlsby said.
Big 12 replay officials worked the most controversial game of 2016. Oklahoma State lost to Central Michigan on a Hail Mary and lateral with no time left after an untimed down. By rule, the MAC on-field officiating crew and Big 12 replay officials should not have allowed the play to happen. The MAC and Big 12 officials were suspended two games.
That finish is “exactly the type of play you’re hoping [collaborative replay] will help,” Big 12 officiating coordinator Walt Anderson said. “Let’s get a few more people and maybe somebody else will have an idea of that rule. We’re training a little different this offseason so the expectation is replay officials are aware of every penalty enforcement on the field.”
Unlike the SEC, which intentionally keeps Shaw away from collaborating on replay calls due to conspiracy theorists, the Big 12 will use Anderson and assistant officiating coordinator David Warden. If a call is difficult to determine, Anderson or Warden will make the final decision. That’s an approach used by the NFL, whose top officiating executives review plays.
“I think it lends itself to more credibility,” Anderson said. “It’s not that I don’t make mistakes. I make mistakes because I’m a human. But nobody spends as much time studying this game from an officiating standpoint than I do.”
As for conspiracy theorists who might question the officiating coordinator weighing in on replay calls, Anderson laughed and said he’s used to those fans.
“I think most of them would say, whether Walt’s involved or not, they still think it’s a conspiracy,” Anderson said. “We’re always favoring Texas or we’re always favoring Oklahoma. God, whoever is the highest-seeded team, that’s the one [fans think] they’re going to make sure wins. That even exists for the officials on the field making decisions in real time. They think they’re conspiring or people are betting on the game. That [thinking from fans] is going to exist. The bottom line is just get the play right.”
In the ACC, Hennigan wasn’t one of the two or three replay officials communicating with the stadium replay official. “Certainly, if I’m in the video center and I think an incorrect decision is being made, I will get involved,” he said. “I’m not going to sit back and let what I think is a mistake go uncorrected.”
The American Athletic Conference plans to use collaborative replay for the first time in 2017. The league hasn’t decided on its model, though it’s leaning toward the Big Ten approach with the referee assisting via a tablet.
“I really like the game to be worked on the field at the stadium by the officials we assign,” AAC officiating coordinator Terry McAulay said. “That’s not to say the other way is bad.”
But Carollo expressed concerns that command centers located in conference offices create conflicts of interest.
“I don’t like the structure of a collaborative center down the hallway from the commissioner because the conference may have something to gain if a certain team wins or loses – money-wise, playoff-wise, bowl-wise,” Carollo said. “Of course the conference wants certain teams to win. Conferences don’t make calls, but there is some pressure. That’s why we separate our officials away from the conference office. I want neutrality. That’s what the coaches want.”
Said Hennigan: “I didn’t see any of that pressure [in the ACC command center]. One thing officials have, whether they’re on the field or in the replay booth, is integrity. A good official is not affected by outside pressure.”
Carollo envisions a day when all Power Five or FBS replay calls come from one or more NCAA command centers. There would be no conference affiliation attached to these centers. The replay officials would all be trained the same way for consistency, an approach that’s now possible since College Football Officiating, LLC made Jim Blackwood the first national replay director.
“Why does every conference have to spend a million dollars for collaboration?” Carollo asked. “I’m not sure the MAC or Mountain West or Sun Belt all need their own centers. I don’t think they can afford it, and I don’t like the makeup.”
| FBS Season | Stoppages Per Game | Reviews Reversed | Average Review Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2.18 | 34.50% | 1:20 |
| 2015 | 2.14 | 31.60% | 1:17 |
| 2014 | 1.94 | 28.40% | 1:15 |
| 2013 | 1.81 | 29.30% | 1:14 |
| 2012 | 1.73 | 28.20% | 1:20 |
| 2011 | 1.63 | 28.30% | 1:22 |
| 2010 | 1.68 | 23.80% | 1:21 |
| 2009 | 1.7 | 26.80% | 1:20 |
| 2008 | 1.55 | 24.60% | 1:20 |
| 2007 | 1.48 | 26.20% | 1:45 |
| 2006 | 1.44 | 25.10% | 1:49 |
| 2005 | 1.26 | 30.20% | 1:55 |
The Open Championship in precarious position regarding Trump, Turnberry.
By Kyle Porter
The R&A will have quite a decision when it comes to Turnberry 2022 and beyond.
The R&A has itself what those of us in the United States like to call a bit of a situation. It was recently announced that The Open Championship would turn to Royal St. George’s in 2020 following stops at Royal Birkdale, Carnoustie and Royal Portrush.
Then, in 2021, it is all but guaranteed that The Open will go to St. Andrews for the 150th anniversary of the tournament. Then ... well, R&A CEO Martin Slumbers doesn’t want to think about what is happening after that.
Here is the problem: Turnberry is a likely candidate for another Open. It has hosted four, most recently in 2009 when Stewart Cink defeated Tom Watson in a playoff. Normally the courses in the Open rotation go around a decade before grabbing another major. The issue for Slumbers? It is now owned by United States President Donald Trump.
“We are clearly now in uncharted territory as we’ve never had this in our game,” Slumbers told The Scotsman. “Sitting presidents have attended U.S. Opens, but we have not had a sitting President of the United States at an Open Championship. We’ve had royalty, but for all of us in the game, we are in uncharted territory here with the president’s family owning golf courses. We’re all learning as we go through this.
“But we are talking about the President of the United States, and with all senior people in the world, I think it’s polite and respectful to listen to them and work with them. It’s very important that we work with the president if Turnberry did come back on. That would just be foolhardy not to.”
To pile on to this, Trump has done a seemingly terrific job of redesigning Turnberry and keeping its major championship bona fides.
It will be interesting to see which way the R&A goes with this. Many in Europe have distanced themselves from Trump and his views (including, it was thought, the R&A). But Turnberry is Turnberry, and it has been battle-tested for majors. Plus, Trump is no longer just some guy running for office. He’s the President of the United States.
What might make it easier on the R&A is that Trump has no shot of hosting as a sitting president unless he gets reelected. There would be much less attention paid if Trump had already moved beyond the Oval Office.
That 2022 Open is certainly a long way away, but the R&A is clearly already thinking about what it wants to do. The great news for them (and I say that sarcastically) is that no matter what they decide, somebody is going to be upset.
Then, in 2021, it is all but guaranteed that The Open will go to St. Andrews for the 150th anniversary of the tournament. Then ... well, R&A CEO Martin Slumbers doesn’t want to think about what is happening after that.
Here is the problem: Turnberry is a likely candidate for another Open. It has hosted four, most recently in 2009 when Stewart Cink defeated Tom Watson in a playoff. Normally the courses in the Open rotation go around a decade before grabbing another major. The issue for Slumbers? It is now owned by United States President Donald Trump.
“We are clearly now in uncharted territory as we’ve never had this in our game,” Slumbers told The Scotsman. “Sitting presidents have attended U.S. Opens, but we have not had a sitting President of the United States at an Open Championship. We’ve had royalty, but for all of us in the game, we are in uncharted territory here with the president’s family owning golf courses. We’re all learning as we go through this.
“But we are talking about the President of the United States, and with all senior people in the world, I think it’s polite and respectful to listen to them and work with them. It’s very important that we work with the president if Turnberry did come back on. That would just be foolhardy not to.”
To pile on to this, Trump has done a seemingly terrific job of redesigning Turnberry and keeping its major championship bona fides.
It will be interesting to see which way the R&A goes with this. Many in Europe have distanced themselves from Trump and his views (including, it was thought, the R&A). But Turnberry is Turnberry, and it has been battle-tested for majors. Plus, Trump is no longer just some guy running for office. He’s the President of the United States.
What might make it easier on the R&A is that Trump has no shot of hosting as a sitting president unless he gets reelected. There would be much less attention paid if Trump had already moved beyond the Oval Office.
That 2022 Open is certainly a long way away, but the R&A is clearly already thinking about what it wants to do. The great news for them (and I say that sarcastically) is that no matter what they decide, somebody is going to be upset.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, February 22, 2017.
emoriesofhistory.com
1962 - Wilt Chamberlain (Philadelphia Warriors) attempted 34 free throws in a game against St. Louis.
1969 - Barbara Jo Rubin became the first woman to win a U.S. thoroughbred horse race.
1980 - The U.S. beat the U.S.S.R. 4-3 in Olympic hockey en route to a gold medal.
1985 - George Gervin (San Antonio Spurs) scored his 25,000th career point.
1992 - Don Nelson (Golden State) won his 700th games as a coach.
1993 - Glenn Anderson (Toronto Maple Leafs) became the 36th NHL player to score 1,000 points.
1995 - The NFL and CBS Radio agreed to a new four-year contract for an annual 53-game package of games.
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