Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica
"America's Finest Sports Fan Travel Club, May We Plan An Event Or Sports Travel For You?"
We offer: Select opportunities, For your convenience, At "Very Rare but Super Fair" pricing
Because it's all about you!!!
"Sports Quote of the Day"
"Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan." ~ Tom Landry, Retired NFL Hall of Fame Member, Coach & Player
TRENDING: Why Mitch Trubisky has been so impressed by Tarik Cohen. (See the football section for Bears news and NFL updates).
TRENDING: Where does Patrick Kane rank among Hart Trophy candidates for 2017-18 season? (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: Bulls expected to reach buyout agreement with Dwyane Wade; State of the Bulls: Stacked 2018 draft class. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).
TRENDING: The Cubs put together the most powerful inning in franchise history but still lose; J.D. Power study shows White Sox offer top fan experience in Chicago sports. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: Back from the abyss, Every shoots 61 at Wyndham; Solheim Cup Friday foursomes pairings: Kerr paired with Lexi. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: NASCAR weekend schedule at Bristol Motor Speedway. (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR news and racing updates).
TRENDING: Notes from the rewatch: Have the Fire been figured out? Top Premier League story lines – Week 2. (See the soccer section for Fire news and worldwide soccer updates).
TRENDING: Candid Coaches: Getting real on marijuana legalization, testing in college football. What's Your Take? Please read this article and share your thoughts with us.(See the NCAAFB section for college football news and updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Why Mitch Trubisky has been so impressed by Tarik Cohen.
TRENDING: Why Mitch Trubisky has been so impressed by Tarik Cohen. (See the football section for Bears news and NFL updates).
TRENDING: Where does Patrick Kane rank among Hart Trophy candidates for 2017-18 season? (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).
TRENDING: Bulls expected to reach buyout agreement with Dwyane Wade; State of the Bulls: Stacked 2018 draft class. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).
TRENDING: The Cubs put together the most powerful inning in franchise history but still lose; J.D. Power study shows White Sox offer top fan experience in Chicago sports. (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
TRENDING: Back from the abyss, Every shoots 61 at Wyndham; Solheim Cup Friday foursomes pairings: Kerr paired with Lexi. (See the golf section for PGA news and tournament updates).
TRENDING: NASCAR weekend schedule at Bristol Motor Speedway. (See the NASCAR section for NASCAR news and racing updates).
TRENDING: Notes from the rewatch: Have the Fire been figured out? Top Premier League story lines – Week 2. (See the soccer section for Fire news and worldwide soccer updates).
TRENDING: Candid Coaches: Getting real on marijuana legalization, testing in college football. What's Your Take? Please read this article and share your thoughts with us.(See the NCAAFB section for college football news and updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Why Mitch Trubisky has been so impressed by Tarik Cohen.
(Photo/USA TODAY)
On Sept. 12, 2015, two current Bears were on the same field well before they became NFL prospects and promising pieces of a franchise’s core.
Two years later, Trubisky and Cohen are here in Chicago and have already provided glimpses into what the Bears’ offense could be in the not-too-distant future.
“Tarik’s always been a beast,” Trubisky said. “I’m glad we’re on the same team. He’s fearless, man.”
Cohen (seven carries 39 yards) and Trubisky (18/25, 166 yards, 1 TD) were the offensive stars of the Bears’ first preseason game. It was the biggest stage Cohen played on after that 2015 game in Chapel Hill, and in it the 5-foot-6, 181 pound rookie showed he belongs in the NFL.
“I’ve always said it’s all about heart,” Trubisky said. “You’ve got a bunch of measurables, but it’s all about heart and that’s what he goes out there and plays with. He’s fearless running the ball and he can take it the distance any given snap.
“It’s tough for me because if I hand it off to him I want to watch him run but I’ve got to carry out my fakes and stuff like that. But he’s a great teammate to have and what I love about him is he always practices hard. No one is outworking him. He’s practicing hard and he loves being out here playing this game.”
Mitch Trubisky isn't buying (or paying attention to) the hype around him.
By JJ Stankevitz
(Photo/AP)
Mitch Trubisky has to at least be aware of the hype he created with his standout preseason debut last week, right?
“I don’t know what hype you’re taking about,” Trubisky said. “I don’t pay attention to it.”
This is coming from a guy who earlier during training camp said he’s “so good” at tuning out the outside noise, whether it’s coming from social media or traditional media. But even if Trubisky was playing coy and is aware of what’s being said and debated about him, he didn’t sound like someone willing to buy into that hype.
“I think it’s just a small step in the right direction,” Trubisky said of his first preseason game. “I still got a lot of work to do. I was pleased with how I played, but plenty more mistakes are going on during practice for me that I need to work on and continue to improve in my game and make sure when I go out there that I’m doing my job to help other people do their job.”
The mistakes Trubisky identified he made in the Denver game are about what you’d expect from a rookie quarterback making the transition from a college spread offense to the NFL (like taking the wrong drop). The Broncos second/third/fourth-string defenses didn’t throw much at him, either, so a lot of his work on identifying blitzes and setting protections is having to happen in practice.
So there is plenty on which for Trubisky to work during practices and the Bears’ remaining three preseason games. Like coach John Fox — who said after Thursday’s game he wouldn’t blow up the depth chart for one preseason game — Trubisky wasn’t putting a whole lot of emphasis on what he did against Denver, as good as it may have been.
“I think it just showed me that I’m making progress, that I could go out there and lead and do my job like I wanted to show,” Trubisky said. “But it was just a small sample. It was the first game, and you just gotta continue to be consistent in reproducing it. that’s why we’re out here working and practicing.”
What you need to know from Bears practice: Kyle Long gets ankle checked out, expresses remorse for Monday fights.
By JJ Stankevitz
(Photo/USA TODAY)
Coach John Fox said Kyle Long expressed “remorse” and was “embarrassed” after being kicked out of Monday’s final training camp practice in Bourbonnais for sparking a pair of skirmishes with teammates.
Long hasn’t been available to the media since his pair of physical outbursts on Monday, and wasn’t at practice Wednesday. Fox said Long was at a doctor’s appointment to get his surgically-repaired ankle checked out, but is expected to be back at practice on Thursday.
Long’s father, NFL on Fox analyst Howie Long, addressed his son’s practice ejection on the Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday.
“He’s gotta get it under control,” Long said. “It’s one of those things where you’re coming back from injury and you’re switching positions, maybe you’re not where you want to be right now.”
Fox said “everything’s fine” with Long after talking with him, and understood where he could be frustrated by slowly being eased back into full team activities during practice (and possibly not playing in any preseason games).
“I think any time a player's injured, they get something that they love taken away from them,” Fox said. “It's been a minute, there's some pain and suffering that goes along with it and I'm sure those are things. But we have a lot of resources here, Kyle knows he's loved here, by his teammates and by everyone in the building. He'll get through it and we talked about that and I think he feels confident in that.”
From the sick bay
Cornerback Prince Amukamara didn’t participate in practice Wednesday due to a strained hamstring and is day-to-day, Fox said. Wide receiver Markus Wheaton had surgery on his fractured pinkie, too, Fox said.
There was some good news for the Bears on Wednesday, though, with Jeremy Langford and Mark Sanchez both participating in practice. Langford isn’t quite back to full health after spraining his ankle during a walkthrough in July, but sounded confident he can get back to that level.
“I think my main thing is getting back to 100 percent and being the player that I am and can be, and the rest will take care of itself,” Langford said.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Alex DeBrincat, Henri Jokiharju among ESPN’s Top 100 NHL prospects for 2017-18.
By Satchel Price
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56237179/800224748.0.jpg)
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Two members of the Chicago Blackhawks’ organization were named to ESPN’s Top 100 NHL prospect rankings for the 2017-18 season. High-scoring winger Alex DeBrincat (No. 50) and mobile defenseman Henri Jokiharju (No. 59) were the only two Blackhawks prospects to make the list.
It’s a step back from the previous year, in which the Blackhawks slotted four prospects into the Top 100. DeBrincat actually moved down this year from No. 47 to No. 50 despite a spectacular season in the OHL because Pronman hasn’t been impressed seeing DeBrincat against non-junior competition:
The issue for me isn't DeBrincat's 5-foot-7 frame, it is whether he's a good enough skater for that 5-foot-7 frame. To his credit, he battles well and wins more pucks than his frame suggests. His OHL resume suggests a top-end prospect, but when I've seen him at NHL and world junior camps, I haven't seen the same player show up.
That’s an understandable concern given that DeBrincat didn’t impress at the Blackhawks’ prospect camp in July. You’d expect an elite prospect to skate circles around his competition at a camp like that, but DeBrincat looked like just another guy, rather than one of the most productive OHL players in history.
Jokiharju is the other prospect to make the list, and Pronman was high on the Blackhawks’ first-round pick entering the draft. “I don't think his skill is top-end level, but he's going to be able to rack up a lot of points thanks to his vision, feet and decision-making,” Pronman wrote. “Despite not being a big guy, Jokiharju is quite effective defensively because he's very smart with his positional play.”
The list goes a full 100 deep, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has an ESPN Insider subscription (Pronman’s work is the primary reason I’m still subscribed, I’d probably pull the plug if he left).
Last year, the Blackhawks had DeBrincat (No. 47), Gustav Forsling (No. 66), Ville Pokka (No. 77), and Nick Schmaltz (No. 85) make Pronman’s list. Forsling and Schmaltz have graduated due to NHL experience, while Pokka fell off due to an underwhelming season in the AHL.
Last year, the Blackhawks had DeBrincat (No. 47), Gustav Forsling (No. 66), Ville Pokka (No. 77), and Nick Schmaltz (No. 85) make Pronman’s list. Forsling and Schmaltz have graduated due to NHL experience, while Pokka fell off due to an underwhelming season in the AHL.
Where does Patrick Kane rank among Hart Trophy candidates for 2017-18 season?
By Charlie Roumeliotis
(Photo/USA TODAY)
Patrick Kane is among the Hart Trophy candidates for the 2017-18 season, but what are his early odds to reclaim the title?
The 28-year-old Blackhawks star followed up an 106-point campaign in which he became the first American-born player to win the Art Ross and Hart Trophy by finishing tied for second in the NHL with 89 points last season.
But he's facing some tougher odds going into this year.
Bovada revealed Wednesday that Connor McDavid is the front-runner to repeat at 3/2 odds, followed by Sidney Crosby (5/2), Auston Matthews (17/2) and Alex Ovechkin (9/1). Kane ranks fifth at 14/1.
Here's the rest of the list:
- Vladimir Tarasenko: 15/1
- Evgeni Malkin: 16/1
- Carey Price, John Tavares: 20/1
- Jamie Benn, Steven Stamkos: 25/1
- Erik Karlsson, Nikita Kucherov: 33/1
- Jack Eichel, Ryan Getzlaf, Patrik Laine, Brad Marchand, Tyler Seguin: 50/1
- Nicklas Backstrom, Brent Burns, Braden Holtby, Phil Kessel, Artemi Panarin, Joe Pavelski: 60/1
A couple solid value picks would be Karlsson at 33/1 and Burns at 60/1, both of whom made strong cases to be in that conversation last year as defensemen.
You'll also notice Panarin as a darkhorse candidate. It will be interesting to see how Kane and Panarin fare without each other in the prime of their careers. Who knows, maybe they'll be sharing the stage together as finalists in Las Vegas next June.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Bulls expected to reach buyout agreement with Dwyane Wade.
By CSN Staff
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Dwyane Wade's homecoming may not last much longer.
According to Nick Friedell's ESPN report, the Bulls are expected to reach a buyout agreement with the 12-time NBA All-Star "at some point in the next few months."
The news comes two months after Wade picked up his player option, choosing $24 million over earning less on a more competitive team.
If Gar Forman and John Paxson indeed decide to buy D-Wade out, the "Three Alphas," which consisted of Wade, Jimmy Butler and Rajon Rondo, would all be out just one season after coming together.
The buyout may also mean more ping-pong balls in next year's stacked draft.
State of the Bulls: Stacked 2018 draft class.
By Mark Schanowski
(Photo/USA TODAY)
2018 draft class is loaded at the top
Quietly, you can bet Bulls' front office executives John Paxson and Gar Forman had a little celebration after hearing that prep star Marvin Bagley III was going to graduate from high school early and enroll at Duke for the 2017-18 season, making him eligible for the 2018 draft.
Bagley, a 6'11 power forward from Los Angeles, is being compared to longtime NBA star Chris Bosh, right down to his smooth left-handed shooting touch. Bagley averaged 24.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and two blocked shots during his junior season for Sierra Canyon H.S. He's also fared well against NBA competition at the highly-regarded Drew League in L.A. this summer. Bagley’s physical tools are off the charts, and you can count on Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski preparing him well for life in the NBA.
Most NBA scouts and execs expect the No. 1 overall pick to come down to either Bagley or Michael Porter Jr., who will play his one season of college basketball at Missouri. The 6'10 Porter averaged an amazing 34.8 points and 13.8 rebounds last season against Seattle high school competition. He's considered a more dynamic scorer than Bagley with more range on his jump shot. Some scouts believe he could quickly develop into one of the league's elite players with Kevin Durant-type length and shooting ability at the small forward position.
International swingman Luka Doncic is also highly coveted by NBA teams. The 6'8 swingman has excellent shooting range, and is also capable of creating his own shot with outstanding ball-handling ability. Forget the stereotype of European players being mechanical and unable to compete athletically, Doncic is capable of being an 18-20 point scorer in the NBA and should go in the top five next June. He's considered one of the best international prospects in the last decade.
Two 7-footers also will hear their names called early on draft night 2018. University of Arizona freshman DeAndre Ayton averaged 19.8 points and 12 rebounds in high school last season, while Texas freshman center Mohamed Bomba has an incredible 7-foot-9 wingspan. Sure, the NBA has moved away from the traditional low post center, but teams are still looking to acquire agile big men like Karl-Anthony Towns, Joel Embiid, DeAndre Jordan, Rudy Gobert and Hassan Whiteside. Depending on how they fare against top level college competition, Ayton and Bomba could round out the top five.
Other names to watch in the lottery portion of next year's draft include Texas A&M power forward Robert Williams, Michigan State's forward duo of Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson Jr., and the latest one-and-dones from John Calipari's Kentucky program, center Nick Richards and small forward Jarred Vanderbilt.
In case you missed it, ESPN released its preseason win total expectations for the Eastern Conference on Wednesday, and the Bulls were dead last with a projected record of 26-56. Now, I'm not sure a team with veterans Dwyane Wade and Robin Lopez and the three young players acquired in the Jimmy Butler trade with Minnesota will be quite that bad, but if you're going to rebuild, the idea is to get the best draft pick possible, and the Bulls appear to be on course for a top-five selection depending on how the lottery falls.
If the Bulls are able to land an elite talent like Porter Jr., Bagley III or Doncic in the draft, then use their $40-50 million in cap space to land a couple of quality free agents, the rebuild might not be as painful as some fans are fearing.
Last dance for LeBron in Cleveland?
Well-connected NBA writer Chris Sheridan dropped this bomb on Twitter Wednesday, quoting an NBA source, "This will be LeBron's final season in Cleveland. He is 100 percent leaving. Relationship with owners beyond repair." Don’t forget, Sheridan was the first national writer to report James was going to leave Miami to go back to Cleveland in 2014, so his reports definitely warrant a little extra attention.
Okay, we've already heard countless rumors about James planning to join the Lakers after next season. He's built a mansion in Brentwood, is close with Magic Johnson and will be able to bring another superstar with him to L.A. like Paul George or Russell Westbrook. Plus, the Lakers have a number of talented young players in place like Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. and a promising coach in Luke Walton.
Add in the likelihood Kyrie Irving will be traded before training camp opens and LeBron's long-standing poor relationship with Cavs' owner Dan Gilbert, and you have the perfect formula for another James' free agent decision next July. Although, I'm not sure why LeBron would want to go West, where Golden State is positioned to dominate the league for another five seasons, with strong challengers like the Rockets and Spurs still in place.
But if we've learned anything from watching James over the years, he's clearly a man who wants to align the odds in his favor. So don't rule out anything when it comes to James' free agent decision. If the Cavs make a home run trade for Irving, maybe LeBron decided to plays out his career in his home state. If not, look for him to find a team with the cap space to bring in another top star to run with him.
Back in 2010, the Bulls carved out the cap space to add two max contract stars, but lost out to Pat Riley in Miami. This time around they won't be on James' July travel itinerary.
One thing we know for sure. Where LeBron plays in 2018 will be the number one story throughout the NBA season.
CUBS: The Cubs put together the most powerful inning in franchise history.
By Tony Andracki
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
What a roller coaster.
After Jon Lester gave up nine runs in the top of the second inning, the Cubs stormed all the way back with the help of the most powerful inning in franchise history. But the comeback was to no avail as the Reds outlasted the Cubs in a 13-10 slugfest in front of 38,675 at Wrigley Field Thursday afternoon.
Ian Happ hit a solo homer in the second before the Cubs mashed four taters in the fourth inning, tying the franchise record for homers in an inning:
4th 4-HR inning in
May 12, 1930 (7th inning)
April 27, 2000 (1st inning)
June 21, 2008 (4th inning)
Today (4th inning)
Christopher Kamka
@ckamka
Back in 2008, it was Jim Edmonds, Mike Fontenot, Aramis Ramirez and Edmonds (again) homering in the fourth inning against the White Sox.
Thursday, it was Kris Bryant going yard first followed by Alex Avila, Happ and Javy Baez going back-to-back-to-back.
It was the first time the Cubs had hit three straight homers since Derrek Lee, Sammy Sosa and Michael Barrett turned the trick against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sept. 15, 2004.
Kyle Schwarber later got in on the yabo parade with an opposite field shot of his own in the fifth inning.
There was an entire montage of dingers and planes as the Chicago Air & Water Show prepared for the weekend.
After Schwarber's homer, Anthony Rizzo doubled home Bryant and Avila doubled home Rizzo to tie the game at nine.
From there, the Reds scored a pair of runs in the top of the seventh and added solo tallies against the Cubs bullpen in the eighth and ninth innings. The Cubs did not have another comeback left in them, though Joe Maddon was more than pleased with the effort from his players.
Maddon said when he went out to remove Lester from the game in the second inning, he told all the infielders he needed each one of them to hit a homer. The quartet combined for four homers, but Happ hit two and Rizzo hit none and the homers were "not transferrable" Maddon joked.
It's the first time the Cubs have lost with back-to-back-to-back homers since 1999 and also the first time they were defeated when hitting six homers since 1979.
Jon Lester’s injury sets off alarm bells around Cubs.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/AP)
Jon Lester had enough. Already down 8-0 in the second inning on Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field, the Cubs ace waved toward manager Joe Maddon in the dugout and seconds later walked off the mound with assistant athletic trainer Ed Halbur.
While the game turned into Home Run Derby, the Cubs announced Lester was being evaluated for left lat tightness, an issue that loomed larger than the offensive fireworks and bullpen meltdowns during a 13-10 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. It could suddenly put the defending World Series champs in a very precarious position.
Right around the time Lester would normally be in the interview room dissecting his performance, he was scheduled to be examined by Dr. Stephen Gryzlo in downtown Chicago. But something clearly looked wrong with Lester, who got only five outs, threw just 46 pitches and gave up seven hits and a walk to the 14 batters he faced.
“I don’t have anything specific yet,” Maddon said. “The thing that I saw today was that the velocity was down on everything a little bit. They did have a lot of soft hits over the infielders’ heads. The pitches were getting in, but they weren’t finishing.
“They were able to fight him off enough to get ‘em over infielders’ heads, so he was lacking that last thing that you normally have on your pitches that permits you to not have that happen, or get even weaker contact. Because he was making good pitches. They were just dumping ‘em on him.
“Obviously, something wasn’t right, because the cutters were like 84-85 (mph). That’s not quite right, so it might have been bothering him from the beginning. He didn’t say anything, though.”
Lester already changed the course of franchise history by deciding to sign with a last-place team after the 2014 season, and the Cubs are counting on him to be a separator in a National League Central race where three teams began the day separated by less than three games.
Lester’s six-year, $155 million megadeal essentially already paid for itself during the first two seasons, the Cubs winning 200 games, five playoff rounds and their first World Series title since 1908.
Lester – a three-time World Series champion who always seems to peak at the right time – will also have the occasional clunker. After getting two outs and giving up 10 runs to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the final game before the All-Star break, Lester came back refreshed and went 3-1 with a 3.26 ERA in his next six starts, putting up 45 strikeouts against eight walks.
“His velocity was a little down,” catcher Alex Avila said. “Maybe his side had something to do with it. But it seemed like in that inning the balls that they hit were just perfectly placed.”
Lester is also a model of durability, needing only five more starts this season to reach 31 for the 10th time in his career. At a time when the entire industry is searching for ways to keep pitchers healthy, the ultra-consistent lefty has exceeded the 200-inning mark in five straight seasons and in eight of the last nine.
The Cubs (63-57) stretched Mike Montgomery out to 61 pitches, watched the lefty swingman hold the rugged Cincinnati lineup scoreless for 4.1 innings and think he could be a long-term solution in their rotation. But this second-half surge started with pitching, and the rotation revolves around Lester’s blue-collar approach to his job.
In Lester’s mind, your arm might feel good on the day pitchers and catchers report to spring training, and it will only get worse from there, meaning a lot of it is about managing an unbelievably stressful grind.
“When a pitcher of his stature is potentially injured, of course, you’re a little bit concerned,” Maddon said. “But I don’t want to jump to conclusions, either. Let’s just go through the proper procedures, have the doc see him and then try to figure it out from there.
“So for right now, I’m not going to jump to any kind of negative conclusions.”
Joe Maddon thinks Ben Zobrist getting ejected would be a sign of the apocalypse.
By Tony Andracki
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
As the rest of the world readies for the upcoming solar eclipse on Monday, Joe Maddon is thinking about the apocalypse.
That's because Ben Zobrist very nearly got ejected from a ballgame Wednesday night, something that seemed essentially impossible just a few days ago.
When Zobrist squared around to bunt in the bottom of the ninth inning, he was peppered with a 96 mph fastball right on the leg. The Cubs veteran was initially awarded first base — which would've loaded the bases with nobody out — but then was called back by first base umpire Chris Conroy who insisted Zobrist did not pull back his bunt and thus the pitch was a strike.
Maddon raced out and very quickly got ejected from the game. He admitted it was the angriest he'd been in a Cubs uniform.
Zobrist also was giving the umpiring crew an earful about such a crucial play in a crucial spot of a tie game.
Zobrist was not ejected and the Cubs eventually won two batters later, but had the game continued, Zobrist would've had a tough time controlling his anger moving forward.
Envisioning Zobrist getting ejected elicited laughter from Maddon, who said it would've been more entertaining to see Zobrist get tossed than Kris Bryant's ejection last month.
"This would've been really good," Maddon said. "Because he would've had like contrived anger after the fact. Had the game continued, I really believe something may have occurred that we've never seen before.
"You got the eclipse coming up Monday. You got Zobrist arguing with an umpire and possibly getting kicked out and an eclipse within three or four days. That's where you worry about the apocalypse at that point."
Zobrist is one of the most mild-mannered players in the game and has never been ejected in his 12-year career. Maddon always says that whenever Zobrist is actually arguing with umpires, he must really have a point, especially on a religious day like Sunday.
However, the well-respected 36-year-old just had an issue over the weekend where he struck out looking in Arizona to end the game and petitioned hard for robot umps and an electronic strike zone.
"It keeps happening to Zo, of all people," Maddon said. "I mean, Zo does not deserve this. If any baseball player does not deserve that kind of inequities, it's him.
"Listen, I really believe had I not done that and the game ended differently, you might've seen Zo's first ejection."
It was Maddon's second ejection of the season and he expects to get fined after laying into the umpires 15 minutes after the game ended in his media session.
He said he has no grudges to carry over into Thursday and doesn't anticipate the umpires will, either.
Wednesday's ejection reminded Maddon of the time a few years ago when he "ejected" three umpires from a game on the South Side of Chicago when he was managing the Tampa Bay Rays.
But he doesn't get tossed as much now with instant replay really cutting down the need to argue.
"That thing yesterday is not reviewable," Maddon said. "So when it's not reviewable, that's where you could get upset. Check swings, hit by pitch in that situation. There's not a whole lot to get angry with anymore.
"Balls and strikes? But it's so hard to argue balls and strikes from the side [in the dugout]. I can see up and down; I can't see in and out. I'm really wrong a lot on in and out, so I don't even say anything anymore. And so again, it's just about moments like that that are not reviewable, those are the ones that I think can create a little bit of a stir.
"But it doesn't happen that often. I'm not looking for it just to go argue. I just thought it was egregiously bad yesterday."
There is currently a report filed with the league about the incident, though that is standard procedure for any ejection.
Maddon said twice during his postgame rant Wednesday that he's "playing nice in the sandbox" with the league. When asked about what he meant by that, he gave a cryptic answer:
"There's other things that nobody's aware of that I've been playing nice in the sandbox about."
WHITE SOX: Mazara homers, drives in 5 as Rangers top White Sox 9-8.
Stats AP
Nomar Mazara keeps driving in runs, and it's helping the Texas Rangers climb in the AL wild-card race.
Mazara had five RBIs, including a tiebreaking three-run homer in the fifth inning, and the Rangers held on to beat the Chicago White Sox 9-8 on Thursday night.
The Rangers (60-60) reached .500 for the first time since July 15 with their fourth straight win and seventh in eight games. The defending AL West champs, out of the division race behind Houston, pulled 1 1/2 games behind the idle Los Angeles Angels for the AL's second wild card.
''I trust what I got and the team's been rolling right now,'' said Mazara, who has 25 RBIs in his past 19 games and 82 for the season. ''We're putting a lot of good at-bats together. When I go up to the plate I don't try to do too much, stay as calm as possible.''
Mazara's 16th home run capped the Rangers' second four-run inning, which included two injury replacements on the mound for the White Sox in their fifth straight loss. Chicago, carrying the AL's worst record, dropped to 7-24 since the All-Star break.
The White Sox twice pulled within a run late after trailing 8-5, including in the ninth on Jose Abreu's 23rd homer, a solo shot. But Alex Claudio finished a two-inning save for the left-hander's sixth of the season.
Chris Beck replaced starter Reynaldo Lopez in the fifth and took a sharp comebacker from Adrian Beltre off the back of his right shoulder. The right-hander stayed in the game without getting checked and allowed Mazara's high drive to right-center.
After a trainer finally came out, Beck exited with a right shoulder bruise. Lopez (0-1) was removed because of soreness on his right side in his second start since coming up from the minors.
''There was no visible marks,'' manager Rick Renteria said of Beck. ''According to him it just scraped him. He didn't feel like it got him. But we weren't going to take a chance. That area is not where you want to take a chance.''
Austin Bibens-Dirkx (4-2) retired all five batters he faced after starter Tyson Ross walked a season-high six and allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings. Chicago pitchers walked a season-high nine.
Rangers backup catcher Brett Nicholas had his second homer in two starts, a two-run shot in the third, and a bases-loaded walk in the seventh. Mazara had a two-run single later in the third. He finished one RBI shy of his career high.
Austin Bibens-Dirkx (4-2) retired all five batters he faced after starter Tyson Ross walked a season-high six and allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings. Chicago pitchers walked a season-high nine.
Rangers backup catcher Brett Nicholas had his second homer in two starts, a two-run shot in the third, and a bases-loaded walk in the seventh. Mazara had a two-run single later in the third. He finished one RBI shy of his career high.
LOSING CONTROL AGAIN
Abreu's two-run single helped the White Sox build a 4-0 lead that they couldn't hold a night after giving up three runs in the bottom of the ninth in a 5-4 loss at the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chicago arrived in Texas about 5 a.m. local time.
RECORD-BREAKING STREAK ENDS
Nicky Delmonico went 0-4, ending a streak of reaching base in the first 13 games of his career. He was the first White Sox player to do that, according to Elias.
SHORT HOPS
The teams combined for 15 walks, matching the highest total in the majors this season. It's the third time, all since July 30. ... The rally from a 4-0 deficit was the largest comeback win for the Rangers this season. ... The White Sox have lost eight consecutive road games. ... Texas' Shin-Soo Choo has nine walks in his past seven games.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Nicky Delmonico went 0-4, ending a streak of reaching base in the first 13 games of his career. He was the first White Sox player to do that, according to Elias.
SHORT HOPS
The teams combined for 15 walks, matching the highest total in the majors this season. It's the third time, all since July 30. ... The rally from a 4-0 deficit was the largest comeback win for the Rangers this season. ... The White Sox have lost eight consecutive road games. ... Texas' Shin-Soo Choo has nine walks in his past seven games.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: RF Avisail Garcia was scratched from the lineup with left wrist soreness. ... Lopez said he felt something in the right side of his rib cage when he woke up. The right-hander said the pain might have been a result of the overnight flight. He was to be re-evaluated Friday. ... Beck was listed as day-to-day.
Rangers: LHP Jake Diekman struck out two on 13 pitches in a scoreless fifth inning and was the winning pitcher on a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco, his first appearance of the season. He underwent multiple surgeries to repair and rebuild his colon to treat a digestive condition.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP James Shields (2-4, 5.90) is winless (0-3) with a 7.54 ERA over his past seven starts. He is 7-3 with a 2.66 ERA in his career against the Rangers.
Rangers: RHP Andrew Cashner (7-9, 3.32) had a three-game winning streak snapped in a 2-1 loss to Houston in his last start, allowing two runs in seven innings.
Rangers: LHP Jake Diekman struck out two on 13 pitches in a scoreless fifth inning and was the winning pitcher on a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco, his first appearance of the season. He underwent multiple surgeries to repair and rebuild his colon to treat a digestive condition.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP James Shields (2-4, 5.90) is winless (0-3) with a 7.54 ERA over his past seven starts. He is 7-3 with a 2.66 ERA in his career against the Rangers.
Rangers: RHP Andrew Cashner (7-9, 3.32) had a three-game winning streak snapped in a 2-1 loss to Houston in his last start, allowing two runs in seven innings.
How Michael Kopech reminds the Birmingham Barons of Michael Jordan.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
No player has impacted the Double-A Birmingham Barons the way Michael Kopech has since … Michael Jordan?
Bloom acknowledges that nobody will ever surpass Air Jordan’s 127 games with the Barons in 1994. But the advent of social media has made Kopech an extremely popular attraction this season. Whenever he takes the mound, the team’s social media accounts see a significant increase in page views, engagement and impressions.
“Jordan-esque,” Bloom said. “Nothing will beat Jordan. LeBron could come down. But this reminds me of it. It triggers it. A jolt.
“Nothing stirred like this guy has and I do say, and I think Kopech will tell you the same thing, a big chunk of the reason is we have social media. We didn’t have that for Jordan. We did not have that for Aaron Rowand. There’s always a ying for a yang.
“That being said, it’s still gone beyond anything I’ve ever seen.”
It’s unavoidable to miss the Barons’ remembrance of Jordan’s season when he reportedly paid $350,000 to buy the club a luxury bus “The Jordan Cruiser and the Barons set records for attendance. The team drew 467,867 at their old stadium, Hoover Met, and Southern League attendance was more than 2.5 million.
Jordan’s image wearing a Barons No. 45 jersey can be found throughout Regions Field, including a massive banner near the home-plate entrance.
Kopech has been a focal point for White Sox fans since he was acquired in December.
Whether it’s his 100-mph fastball, his lofty prospect status or simply the fact he came over in the Chris Sale deal, eye balls have been drawn to Kopech all season. The right-hander has only increased the awareness with his steady presence on social media, including giving away game-used items to fans.
Throw in his recent dominance on the mound — Kopech has a 0.66 ERA and 54 strikeouts with only seven walks in his last 41 innings — and the hysteria is real.
The Barons determined early on this season that they would follow in the steps of several major league clubs and anoint the day he pitched at home Kopech Day. The White Sox, Seattle Mariners and Miami Marlins have all recently done the same for Sale, Felix Hernandez and Jose Fernandez.
Kopech has only lived up to the hype.
“He’s answering the bell,” Bloom said. “There’s definitely awareness in the city, in our followers, the Twitter universe.
“My daughter Chloe who has no idea about baseball, she asks me, ‘Is Kopech pitching?’
"That’s what has been created.”
J.D. Power study shows White Sox offer top fan experience in Chicago sports.
By Mark Strotman
(Photo/USA TODAY)
But while the product on the field hasn't yielded much (a full teardown and rebuild will do just that), according to one study the fans in the stands are still having an excellent time.
J.D. Power released their second annual 2017 Fan Experience Study, and the White Sox rank first in the Chicago market among all the major sports teams.
J.D. Power "measures fan satisfaction with their overall experience at major pro sporting events." The seven factors (in order of importance) are:
1. Seating area and game experience
2. Security and ushers
3. Leaving the game
4. Arriving at the game
5. Food and beverage
6. Ticket purchase
7. Souvenirs and merchandise
On a 1,000-point scale, the White Sox lead the Chicago market with an 809 rating, slightly above the MLS' Chicago Fire. Take a look at the chart here:
Of the 11 markets, Chicago was the only where a sport other than MLS or NHL led the way.
J.D. Power added these notes from Chicago:
- Sweeter on the south side: The White Sox (809) jump to the top of overall fan experience scores in the Chicago market, knocking the Fire (806) off its perch from last year and making it the only MLB team to rank highest in the study across all markets.
Not only did the White Sox finish first in Chicago, they fared pretty well among all markets. Only the New York Red Bulls (819), Los Angeles Galaxy (815), Houston Dynamo (814), New Jersey Devils (813) and the Florida Panthers (813) ranked higher.
- Hey, hey, what’s with the champs?: The Cubs (767) had a storybook season in 2016, but the “friendly confines” of Wrigley Field still aren’t living up to fan expectations, particularly when it comes to the food and beverage experience (695).
The team may not be winning this year, but you're guaranteed to have a great time at G-Rate Field.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Back from the abyss, Every shoots 61 at Wyndham.
By Will Gray
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
Matt Every doesn't mince words when describing what has been an especially lean part of a pro career that is now in its 11th year.
"The last couple years, a lot of people would have quit the game in my position with what has kind of crept into my game," Every told reporters at the Wyndham Championship.
For the two-time winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, it's not an exaggeration. Every is exempt through next season thanks to the second of his back-to-back wins at Bay Hill, but since then his game has fallen apart. He has struggled with what he described as "driver yips," and at one point over the last two years he withdrew or missed the cut in 18 straight events.
But things have slowly started to turn around for Every. An opening-round 64 at the FedEx St. Jude Classic in June was followed by a 65 last month at the RBC Canadian Open, and now the 33-year-old has taken his biggest stride to date with a 9-under 61 at Sedgefield Country Club that marked his lowest career round on Tour and gave him a two-shot lead.
"I have a high regard for my talent. Like, I know I'm as talented as anyone out here. OK, maybe like five guys are more talented than me," Every said. "So I couldn't let myself quit. There's a lot of low points, though, man. Just life. Everything that I've been through, I've brought on myself. So I don't need any sympathy or anything, it's just the way my path has been so far the last couple years."
After becoming a mainstay in the OWGR top 50 two years ago, Every's world ranking fell as far as No. 1255 in June. He entered the week ranked No. 183 in the season-long points race and likely needs a win or runner-up in Greensboro to advance to The Northern Trust next week. Every credited much of his turnaround to recent work with instructor Scott Hamilton, and his T-14 finish in Canada was his best result since winning at Bay Hill in 2015.
After a round that included only one missed green in regulation and a 105-yard hole-out for eagle, Every believes he's nearing the end of a drought that nearly derailed his career entirely.
"I will say this: my good stuff right now is so much better than my good stuff two years ago," Every said. "I can hit big golf shots now, and it's fun. It keeps me coming back."
'There is no love lost': Inkster vs. Sorenstam.
By Randall Mell
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
They’re giants of the game.
This Solheim Cup intrigues on a number of levels, but it starts at the top now that Suzann Pettersen is on the sidelines.
Annika Sorenstam vs. Juli Inkster.
They won’t hit a shot this week, but Europe’s Sorenstam and America’s Inkster do more than control the pieces on the game’s chessboard as captains here at Des Moines Golf and Country Club. They’re in charge of pairings, devising strategies and creating what they hope will be winning atmospheres.
While they respect each other and are intent on upholding the Solheim family’s honorable intentions creating this biennial international team event, they want to beat each other.
They’re both Hall of Famers, rivals from way back.
They’re highly competitive athletes, who don’t like losing, especially to each other.
“There’s a sense that there is no love lost between the two, that they're just from two completely different worlds in the way they live life, their philosophical approach to life, and playing golf,” said Kay Cockerill, a Golf Channel analyst and friend to Inkster. “I just think it's a very interesting dynamic between the two. It will be interesting if we see any kind of head bumping or intense conversations between the two, which could very well happen.”
It happened two years ago in Germany, but it ended up being overshadowed by the furor surrounding Pettersen and the lack of concession to Alison Lee, which fueled the United States’ historic comeback in singles.
Before that, there was Inkster’s Saturday showdown with Sorenstam over whether Sorenstam violated the captain’s agreement by giving advice to European players. Inkster and Sorenstam squared off in a heated discussion before the afternoon fourballs, with Sorenstam insisting she was wrongly accused. The agreement states that only captains can give advice during the competition. Sorenstam was a vice captain.
“I was extremely hurt,” Sorenstam said back then. “I knew the lesson from Colorado. I was insulted, and I addressed it with Juli.”
Back in Colorado two years before that, Sorenstam was accused of relaying advice to a player through a European caddie.
“Juli is not a confrontational person,” said Pat Hurst, an American assistant captain and long-time friend to Inkster. “But Juli’s going to protect her team, stick up for her players, no matter what.”
Sorenstam was more of a loner on tour in her prime, with the distance she kept as a competitor helping to cultivate her intimidating aura.
Inkster was more approachable, immensely popular, someone who moved easily from one group to another on a practice range, teasing and prodding players and caddies alike.
Sorenstam dominated her era, which overlapped with Inkster’s. They were as different as players as they were as people.
Sorenstam, 46 was a big hitter, the cool Swede who won with cold precision, with an intimidating aura that felt like it gave her a two-shot lead before she reached the first tee.
She won 72 LPGA titles, more than anyone not named Kathy Whitworth (88) and Mickey Wright (82). She won 10 majors, more than everyone but Patty Berg (15) and Wright (13). She won with a sledgehammer.
Inkster, 57, won as much with grit as she did talent. She won 31 LPGA titles, seven majors.
While Sorenstam’s record towered over most anyone she stared down, there was no staring down Inkster.
“Juli is one of the few people that, probably, can show up Annika, and has shown her up on the golf course,” Cockerill said. “I think Annika really looks up to and admires Juli and respects her, and she’s, perhaps, one of the few people that could intimidate Annika.”
Sorenstam and Inkster played against each other in six Solheim Cups.
Inkster’s American teams won four of them.
Inkster was 2-0 vs. Sorenstam in those matches. She routed Annika 5 and 4 in the leadoff singles match in Scotland in 2000. She teamed with Beth Daniel to take down Sorenstam and Carin Koch, 1 up, in fourballs in 2003. That was the first time the Solheim Cup was played in Sweden, Sorenstam’s homeland.
Memorably, Inkster also denied Sorenstam a chance to win the U.S. Women’s Open at Prairie Dunes in 2002. Sorenstam took a two-shot lead into the final round, but Inkster put up a 66 on her and beat her by two shots.
It may be history, as they say, but history keeps score.
Sorenstam and Inkster are both champions, but they took such different paths to their trophies. It makes for a compelling back story in how they’ll shape a path to the trophy that is awaiting at this week’s end, the Solheim Cup.
The captain’s matchup adds to the heightening drama in these matches.
“The Solheim Cup’s intensity level has been increasing, and the rivalry has been getting bigger and more intense as the years have been going along,” said Golf Channel’s Karen Stupples, a two-time Solheim Cup player from England. “It’s the little things that happen during the course of the matches that forms big rivalries, and that makes it really interesting for the fans and spectators watching it on TV.”
Sorenstam and Inkster’s matchup makes it more compelling.
Friday foursomes pairings: Kerr paired with Lexi.
By Randall Mell
(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)
U.S. captain Juli Inkster is sending out two of her most formidable pairings in the opening foursomes sessions Friday at the Solheim Cup.
While European captain Annika Sorenstam has more Solheim Cup rookies on her team, she will be opening with a more veteran mix.
“I don’t know about Annika, but we’re just ready to get it going,” Inkster said. “It’s been a year and a half preparing for this.”
Inkster is sending out two rookies in the morning session, Sorenstam just one.
“We decided to go out with some more veteran players early on, that have been around,” Sorenstam said. “We shared our philosophy early on, and they’re going with our plan.”
Inkster will lead off with Cristie Kerr and Lexi Thompson in the first match at 9:10 a.m. ET. They were undefeated (2-0-1) as partners in Germany two years ago. They’ll meet the veteran English duo of Charley Hull and Mel Reid, who teamed to put the first point on the board for Europe in Germany.
“I wanted to get a veteran team out there first and see what happens,” Inkster said.
Inkster is sending out two Solheim Cup rookies in the opening session, with KPMG Women’s PGA champion Danielle Kang making her first appearance in the event. She will team with Lizette Salas in the second match off at 9:22 a.m. ET. They’ll meet Solheim veterans Carlota Ciganda of Spain and Caroline Masson of Germany.
Austin Ernst, also making her first Solheim Cup appearance, will go off at 9:34 a.m. ET with fellow American Paula Creamer, who is teeing it up in her seventh Solheim Cup. That duo will meet Europe’s best player, Anna Nordqvist of Sweden, who is teamed with Georgia Hall of England, the only Solheim Cup rookie Sorenstam is sending out in the opening session.
Inkster’s second power pairing, Stacy Lewis and Gerina Piller, will go off at 9:46 a.m. They were 2-0 together in Germany. They will meet Scotland’s Catriona Matthew and France’s Karine Icher. Matthew has won more Solheim Cup points (19) than any other player in these matches. Icher is 5-4-1 in Solheim Cup play.
Inkster is sitting Michelle Wie, Angel Yin, Brittany Lincicome and Brittany Lang in the morning session.
Yin is Inkster’s third rookie, a true LPGA rookie, but she will get out in afternoon fourballs.
Inkster was asked if she intended to use all of her players on the first day.
“Yes,” she said.
Sorenstam?
“I won’t say,” she said.
Sorenstam has four rookies, with three sitting out the morning session with veteran Jodi Ewart Shadoff of England: Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom, Denmark’s Emily Pedersen. England’s Florentyna Parker.
Friday foursomes pairings
9:10 a.m.: Mel Reid-Charley Hull (Europe) vs. Cristie Kerr-Lexi Thompson (USA)
9:22 a.m.: Carlota Ciganda-Caroline Masson (Europe) vs. Danielle Kang-Lizette Salas (USA)
9:34 a.m.: Anna Nordqvist-Georgia Hall (Europe) vs. Paula Creamer-Austin Ernst (USA)
9:46 a.m.: Karine Icher-Catriona Matthew (Europe) vs. Stacy Lewis-Gerina Piller (USA)
NASCAR weekend schedule at Bristol Motor Speedway.
By Jerry Bonkowski
(Photo/Getty Images)
Get ready for plenty of fender banging and close racing this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The Food City 300 Xfinity Series race is Friday, and the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race is Saturday.
This will be the 114th Cup race held at Bristol. Kevin Harvick won this race last summer, while Jimmie Johnson won there last August.
This will be the 71st race in Xfinity Series history at Bristol. Austin Dillon won this race last August. Erik Jones won the spring race.
Here’s the weekend schedule at Bristol Motor Speedway:
(All times Eastern)
Thursday
10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Xfinity garage open
1 – 1:55 p.m. – Xfinity practice (NBC Sports App)
3 – 3:55 p.m. – Final Xfinity practice (NBC Sports App)
Friday
7:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. – Cup garage open
9:30 a.m. – Xfinity garage opens
10 – 11:25 a.m. – Cup practice (NBC Sports App)
12:30 – 1:55 p.m. – Final Cup practice (NBCSN)
3:40 p.m. – Xfinity qualifying (multi-vehicle, three rounds) (NBCSN)
5:15 p.m. – Xfinity driver/crew chief meeting
5:45 p.m. – Cup qualifying (multi-vehicle, three rounds) (NBCSN, Performance Racing Network)
7 p.m. – Xfinity driver introductions
7:30 p.m. – Food City 300 Xfinity race (300 laps, 159.9 miles) (NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday
11 a.m. – Cup garage opens
5:30 p.m. – Cup driver/crew chief meeting
6:50 p.m. – Cup driver introductions
7:30 p.m. – NASCAR Cup Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race (500 laps, 266.5 miles) (NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Kyle Busch dominates to win Truck race at Bristol in overtime.
By Daniel McFadin
After starting from the rear to begin the final stage, Kyle Busch marched through the field and survived an overtime finish to win the Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Busch won the first two stages of the race but was caught speeding on pit road after Stage 2. Busch had his No. 46 Toyota in the lead by the time the field came to 33 laps to go in the UNOH 200.
Busch led a race-high 109 laps from the pole to score his third truck win of the year. It’s his fifth truck win at Bristol in 11 starts.
Busch’s march through the field came primarily in the top lane, which did not have the PJ1 traction agent that the bottom lane was treated with. He passed Matt Crafton to take the lead.
“I knew once we got that penalty I had to go somewhere other than where everyone else was,” Busch told Fox Sports 1. “I just started grooming the top and it took about 15 laps for it to come in. Then it started going and it was pretty fast.”
Busch is going for a sweep of NASCAR’s weekend at the half-mile track. He will compete in Friday night’s Xfinity race and Saturday night’s Cup race. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver swept all three races in 2010.
“It was a lot of fun to come through the field like that,” Busch said. “It kind of gave me some ideas about the rest of the week. Probably showed a lot too.”
Following him in the top five were Matt Crafton, John Hunter Nemechek, Grant Enfinger and Ben Rhodes.
Stage 1 winner: Kyle Busch
Stage 2 winner: Kyle Busch
WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Nemechek finished third for his seventh top five of the season … Enfinger finished fourth on the day his crew chief was suspended for the race and he was docked 10 points for failing post-race inspection at Michigan … Rhodes finished fifth for just his second top five and top-10 finish in the last six races .. NBCSN analyst Parker Kligerman finished eighth for his third top 10 in five starts this season.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Jennifer Jo Cobb was parked by NASCAR on Lap 76 for not meeting minimum speed and finished 30th … Kaz Grala left the race after the end of Stage 2 due to engines problems. He finished 28th … Justin Haley and Austin Wayne Self brought out the final caution with five laps to go in the original distance when Haley washed up the track and forced Self into the wall, severely damaging Self’s No. 44 truck. Self finished 24th.
NOTABLE: The race didn’t begin until 10:44 p.m. ET after a rain delay. The race was originally set to start at 8:46 p.m. ET … Harrison Burton and J.J. Yeley each had one unsecured lug nut following the race.
NEXT: Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 3 on Fox Sports 1
WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Nemechek finished third for his seventh top five of the season … Enfinger finished fourth on the day his crew chief was suspended for the race and he was docked 10 points for failing post-race inspection at Michigan … Rhodes finished fifth for just his second top five and top-10 finish in the last six races .. NBCSN analyst Parker Kligerman finished eighth for his third top 10 in five starts this season.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Jennifer Jo Cobb was parked by NASCAR on Lap 76 for not meeting minimum speed and finished 30th … Kaz Grala left the race after the end of Stage 2 due to engines problems. He finished 28th … Justin Haley and Austin Wayne Self brought out the final caution with five laps to go in the original distance when Haley washed up the track and forced Self into the wall, severely damaging Self’s No. 44 truck. Self finished 24th.
NOTABLE: The race didn’t begin until 10:44 p.m. ET after a rain delay. The race was originally set to start at 8:46 p.m. ET … Harrison Burton and J.J. Yeley each had one unsecured lug nut following the race.
NEXT: Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 3 on Fox Sports 1
Christopher Bell still leads Truck points after Bristol.
By Daniel McFadin
Christopher Bell continues to lead the Camping World Truck Series points standings after finishing seventh in the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Bell has a 42-point lead over Johnny Sauter.
Completing the top five are Matt Crafton (-53), Chase Briscoe (-81) and Ben Rhodes (-146).
Grant Enfinger is seventh (-172) in the points after he finished fourth. Enfinger had been penalized 10 points prior to Wednesday’s race after his truck failed post-inspection last week at Michigan.
If not for the penalty, Enfinger would be sixth in the standings, one point up on Ryan Truex.
Click here for the point standings.
SOCCER: Notes from the rewatch: Have the Fire been figured out?
The Food City 300 Xfinity Series race is Friday, and the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race is Saturday.
This will be the 114th Cup race held at Bristol. Kevin Harvick won this race last summer, while Jimmie Johnson won there last August.
This will be the 71st race in Xfinity Series history at Bristol. Austin Dillon won this race last August. Erik Jones won the spring race.
Here’s the weekend schedule at Bristol Motor Speedway:
(All times Eastern)
Thursday
10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Xfinity garage open
1 – 1:55 p.m. – Xfinity practice (NBC Sports App)
3 – 3:55 p.m. – Final Xfinity practice (NBC Sports App)
Friday
7:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. – Cup garage open
9:30 a.m. – Xfinity garage opens
10 – 11:25 a.m. – Cup practice (NBC Sports App)
12:30 – 1:55 p.m. – Final Cup practice (NBCSN)
3:40 p.m. – Xfinity qualifying (multi-vehicle, three rounds) (NBCSN)
5:15 p.m. – Xfinity driver/crew chief meeting
5:45 p.m. – Cup qualifying (multi-vehicle, three rounds) (NBCSN, Performance Racing Network)
7 p.m. – Xfinity driver introductions
7:30 p.m. – Food City 300 Xfinity race (300 laps, 159.9 miles) (NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday
11 a.m. – Cup garage opens
5:30 p.m. – Cup driver/crew chief meeting
6:50 p.m. – Cup driver introductions
7:30 p.m. – NASCAR Cup Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race (500 laps, 266.5 miles) (NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Kyle Busch dominates to win Truck race at Bristol in overtime.
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo/Getty Images)
After starting from the rear to begin the final stage, Kyle Busch marched through the field and survived an overtime finish to win the Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Busch won the first two stages of the race but was caught speeding on pit road after Stage 2. Busch had his No. 46 Toyota in the lead by the time the field came to 33 laps to go in the UNOH 200.
Busch led a race-high 109 laps from the pole to score his third truck win of the year. It’s his fifth truck win at Bristol in 11 starts.
Busch’s march through the field came primarily in the top lane, which did not have the PJ1 traction agent that the bottom lane was treated with. He passed Matt Crafton to take the lead.
“I knew once we got that penalty I had to go somewhere other than where everyone else was,” Busch told Fox Sports 1. “I just started grooming the top and it took about 15 laps for it to come in. Then it started going and it was pretty fast.”
Busch is going for a sweep of NASCAR’s weekend at the half-mile track. He will compete in Friday night’s Xfinity race and Saturday night’s Cup race. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver swept all three races in 2010.
“It was a lot of fun to come through the field like that,” Busch said. “It kind of gave me some ideas about the rest of the week. Probably showed a lot too.”
Following him in the top five were Matt Crafton, John Hunter Nemechek, Grant Enfinger and Ben Rhodes.
Stage 1 winner: Kyle Busch
Stage 2 winner: Kyle Busch
WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Nemechek finished third for his seventh top five of the season … Enfinger finished fourth on the day his crew chief was suspended for the race and he was docked 10 points for failing post-race inspection at Michigan … Rhodes finished fifth for just his second top five and top-10 finish in the last six races .. NBCSN analyst Parker Kligerman finished eighth for his third top 10 in five starts this season.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Jennifer Jo Cobb was parked by NASCAR on Lap 76 for not meeting minimum speed and finished 30th … Kaz Grala left the race after the end of Stage 2 due to engines problems. He finished 28th … Justin Haley and Austin Wayne Self brought out the final caution with five laps to go in the original distance when Haley washed up the track and forced Self into the wall, severely damaging Self’s No. 44 truck. Self finished 24th.
NOTABLE: The race didn’t begin until 10:44 p.m. ET after a rain delay. The race was originally set to start at 8:46 p.m. ET … Harrison Burton and J.J. Yeley each had one unsecured lug nut following the race.
NEXT: Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 3 on Fox Sports 1
WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Nemechek finished third for his seventh top five of the season … Enfinger finished fourth on the day his crew chief was suspended for the race and he was docked 10 points for failing post-race inspection at Michigan … Rhodes finished fifth for just his second top five and top-10 finish in the last six races .. NBCSN analyst Parker Kligerman finished eighth for his third top 10 in five starts this season.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Jennifer Jo Cobb was parked by NASCAR on Lap 76 for not meeting minimum speed and finished 30th … Kaz Grala left the race after the end of Stage 2 due to engines problems. He finished 28th … Justin Haley and Austin Wayne Self brought out the final caution with five laps to go in the original distance when Haley washed up the track and forced Self into the wall, severely damaging Self’s No. 44 truck. Self finished 24th.
NOTABLE: The race didn’t begin until 10:44 p.m. ET after a rain delay. The race was originally set to start at 8:46 p.m. ET … Harrison Burton and J.J. Yeley each had one unsecured lug nut following the race.
NEXT: Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 3 on Fox Sports 1
Christopher Bell still leads Truck points after Bristol.
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo/Getty Images)
Christopher Bell continues to lead the Camping World Truck Series points standings after finishing seventh in the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Bell has a 42-point lead over Johnny Sauter.
Completing the top five are Matt Crafton (-53), Chase Briscoe (-81) and Ben Rhodes (-146).
Grant Enfinger is seventh (-172) in the points after he finished fourth. Enfinger had been penalized 10 points prior to Wednesday’s race after his truck failed post-inspection last week at Michigan.
If not for the penalty, Enfinger would be sixth in the standings, one point up on Ryan Truex.
Click here for the point standings.
SOCCER: Notes from the rewatch: Have the Fire been figured out?
(Photo/USA TODAY)
It's easy to blame injuries for the Chicago Fire's recent slide. It might even be justifiable.
However, a theme has begun to emerge in the team's recent defeats beyond the fact that they've all been on the road. It started when Orlando was able to hold off the Fire despite only playing with nine men in Florida back on June 4. It continued when FC Cincinnati shut out the Fire and won in penalties in the U.S. Open Cup. New York City FC pulled off a win despite playing down a man for a majority of the game.
It seems the problems that burned the Fire in the middle part of the season have cropped up more frequently as teams have evolved the tactics to bother them. MLSsoccer.com's Matt Doyle had his own take on the Fire's recent struggles:
Given that the Fire are going to win possession in most games as long as Dax McCarty and Bastian Schweinsteiger are playing, teams have put less emphasis on trying to win the midfield battle and more emphasis on limiting the ways the Fire can hurt them. Before Wednesday's 4-1 loss at Montreal, a team built to play on the counter, the 3-1 loss in Columbus came as a result of turnovers and counters from the Crew. The Crew typically emphasize possession, but conceded it to the Fire and burned them on the break. Montreal did the same.
Here's a look at how the Fire's makeshift defense coped with Montreal's attack and where on earth Nemanja Nikolic has gone to.
New-look back line
There may not have been a good solution to being so shorthanded defensively, but it didn't look like Veljko Paunovic found one. With Brandon Vincent already out, Matt Polster going down a day before the game and Joao Meira going down with an injury five minutes into the game, it was an emergency situation for the defenders.
Johan Kappelhof slid to right back and Jonathan Campbell stepped into the starting lineup at center back. That meant when Christian Dean subbed in for Meira, none of the Fire's regular defenders were in their regular positions. Kappelhof was the only regular starter and he was playing at a different spot. That's basically a disaster scenario for Dean, who joined the Fire officially a week before the game. He stepped into a game five minutes after he started when he wasn't expecting to play that early and did so when the rest of the Fire's defense was out of sorts as well.
So naturally, Dean's first touch as a Fire player led to a Montreal goal. His attempted clearance isn't really that bad. It wasn't a scuff or a whiff, but it wasn't clean. Ignacio Piatti was in position to take advantage of the lucky break when it bounced off his chest. That's not good for Dean's confidence, but he did have some positive moments to go with some shaky ones.
Dean was credited with eight ball recoveries, second most on the team to McCarty. He did get burned by Matteo Mancosu in a one-on-one situation in the 28th minute, but Matt Lampson came up with a big save. Dean finished with 65 out of 77 passes completed and showed he can use size well in aerial challenges and has decent speed. Him and Campbell both had trouble with Ignacio Piatti and Mancosu on the break. In short, Dean wasn't put in a spot to succeed given the circumstances, but showed both why he has potential and why he wasn't able to break in as a regular for Vancouver.
Djordje Mihailovic's first start
One of the things that has been brought up as the Fire's weaknesses continue to show themselves is that the team doesn't have an central attacking midfielder. Michael de Leeuw has occupied this role, but is more of a forward than a playmaker.
Mihailovic, 18, has flashed his talent in substitute appearances, but was given a chance to be the solution to the Fire's problems in Montreal. No pressure, kid.
The Fire's midfield is built around deep-lying midfielders in McCarty and Schweinsteiger and Mihailovic seemed to struggle to get involved. He drifted all over the field, but didn't really make his mark on the game. He was active in pressing Montreal when needed.
Mihailovic completed 16 of 18 passes in the first half, but only three of the completed passes were forward and none were near the box. This isn't the impact a player in that position is supposed to have on a game. In the second half he moved wide right and completed eight of 15 passes.
It wasn't a memorable first start, but the good news is Mihailovic didn't have any glaring mistakes on the ball. He has the talent. Getting experience like he did on Wednesday will help him be more assertive in the future.
Nemanja Nikolic's goal drought
Speaking of players having trouble getting involved in the game, Nemanja Nikolic has had his fair share of relative inactivity during his now six-game goal drought.
Nikolic had led the league in shots and goals, but has fallen off in both categories. David Villa is now two goals ahead of Nikolic for the league lead with 18. Villa (103) and Giovinco (97) have surpassed Nikolic in shots (80).
The Hungarian striker has started every MLS game for the Fire this year. In 12 of the first 18 matches he had multiple shots on target. In the last six matches he hasn't done that once, with a total of four shots on target in those six matches and none in the last two.
Even when the Fire scored four against New England two games ago, Nikolic wasn't a big factor in the match. So how much of that is Nikolic and how much of that is the Fire's recent slump?
Fire general manager Nelson Rodriguez gave his view on that topic on Tuesday.
"This is no secret, Nemanja does his best work in the box," Rodriguez said. "So one thing that has not been as consistent or as much quality is our delivery of the ball to Nemanja in and around the area. That is a phase of the game that we have definitely not recovered since the (Gold Cup) break. Now, having said that, our goal against Columbus, if Michael doesn’t score, Nemanja does. He’s making the same run, he’s right in position. I think that’s more incumbent upon how we’re playing and what we’re doing than it is Nemanja himself.
"We have to better support him in and around the box for him to regain his form.”
Nikolic had one shot. It was a difficult header from just inside the penalty box when he was tightly marked. It barely registered as a scoring chance. That was one of two touches Nikolic had in the box against Montreal.
Nikolic dropped into midfield at times and completed 15 of 17 passes for the match. Five of those passes were in his own half. He had just two touches after halftime until he was subbed out in the 63rd minute. The service wasn't there and Nikolic isn't the kind of forward to go on a long run to create a chance or score on his own.
Top Premier League story lines – Week 2.
Top Premier League story lines – Week 2.
By Nicholas Mendola
(Photo by Keith Tsuji/Getty Images for Premier League)
That match isn’t even in our top five as a pair of Top Four battles await Sunday and Monday.
Can heated rivalry help Chelsea find its form?
Tottenham – Chelsea (Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, NBCSN) [ STREAM ]
The Blues took a long time to recover from Gary Cahill‘s early red card as Chelsea lost 3-2 to Burnley on Opening Day, and know they could find themselves six points behind Tottenham after just two weeks of the Premier League season. The rivalry between Spurs and Chelsea has risen several notches in the past couple years, and Chelsea will also be hampered by suspensions to Cahill and Cesc Fabregas.
Everton starts murderer’s row of fixtures at the Etihad
Manchester City – Everton (Monday, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN) [ STREAM ]
Man City, Chelsea, Spurs, Manchester United: Those are Everton’s next three matches following a win over Stoke and Thursday’s Europa League win over Hajduk Split (The Toffees head to Croatia on Aug. 24). The good news, if there is any, is that Man City didn’t look terrific in its win over Brighton and Hove Albion. The bad news? Everton’s top men, aside from new boy Gylfi Sigurdsson, almost all played in the win over Hajduk.
Arsenal’s beleaguered defense heads to the road
Stoke City – Arsenal (Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC) – [STREAM]
The Gunners may boast wins over Chelsea and Leicester City this month, but Arsenal conceded thrice to the Foxes and needed drama to boost three points from Opening Day. Stoke fell 1-0 at Everton but was far from a pushover.
Can Town make it 2-for-2 versus the Toon?
Huddersfield Town vs. Newcastle United (Sunday, 8:30 a.m. ET, NBCSN) – [ STREAM ]
Rafa Benitez’s Opening Day plans were shuttered by Jonjo Shelvey‘s poor red card, and the Spaniard won’t have his best midfielder at The John Smith’s Stadium when Newcastle faces a Town team that won 3-0 at Crystal Palace. The road sides won when these two met in the Championship last season.
Liverpool’s stumbling defense meets old pal Benteke
Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, NBCSN) – [ STREAM ]
Jurgen Klopp‘s men stumbled out of the gates, even if their last minute concession against Watford in a 3-3 draw arguably shouldn’t have stood up to the linesman’s view. Benteke scored twice as the Eagles won at Anfield last season, and will certainly be up for irking his old boss once more.
First female ref set to take charge in Bundesliga.
By Associated Press
(Photo/Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
After a decade in Germany’s second division, Bibiana Steinhaus will make Bundesliga history this season by becoming the first woman to referee in the country’s top flight.
The 38-year-old police officer is among four referees to have been promoted by the German football federation (DFB) into the league’s elite group of 24.
“For every referee, whether man or woman, the dream is to be able to referee in the Bundesliga. I worked very hard toward that goal and had some setbacks over the past few years, so I’m very happy about the referees’ commission’s confidence,” Steinhaus said when her promotion was announced in May. “It shows that the performance-principle also applies in the field of referees.”
The daughter of a referee, she began by officiating women’s games for the DFB in 1999. Steinhaus then became a FIFA referee in 2005 and earned her place in the second division in 2007, as the first female referee in German professional football, before securing her latest promotion.
During that time, Steinhaus has handled women’s World Cups and European Championships, along with the gold medal match between the United States and Japan at the 2012 Olympics in London. Last June, she took charge of the women’s Champions League final between Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain.
Of her 80 matches in Germany’s second tier, all but one went off without a hitch for Steinhaus. After sending off Kerem Demirbay in 2015, the then-Fortuna Duesseldorf midfielder reportedly told her: “Women have no place in men’s football.”
Demirbay was roundly criticized for the remark and handed a three-game ban with two further games suspended. Duesseldorf also made Demirbay referee a girls’ game to ensure he understood the message.
Demirbay apologized both publicly and to Steinhaus directly for his comment, and said he was “very happy that she accepted my apology.” The 24-year-old player is likely to meet Steinhaus again this season if she takes charge of any games involving his current club, Hoffenheim.
However, Steinhaus is already aware that she may be treated differently to other referees. During Bayern Munich’s game against Chemnitzer FC in the German Cup last Saturday, she had one of her bootlaces untied by Bayern winger Franck Ribery as he pretended to put the ball in place for a free kick.
She laughed it off by giving Ribery a couple of playful punches in response, but it is debatable whether the France winger would have untied the bootlace if he had been dealing with a male referee.
“She laughed, that’s positive,” Ribery told broadcaster ARD afterward. “It was a joke, but you always have to respect the other.”
It wasn’t Steinhaus’ first run-in with someone from Bayern. As the fourth official during a league game in 2014, she shrugged off Pep Guardiola‘s hand from her shoulder as the then-Bayern coach got animated over a decision.
Premier League player Power Rankings – Week 1
By Joe Prince-Wright
(Photo/nbcsports.com)
It is time to take stock of the Premier League’s opening weekend and select the top 20 players who dazzled to open up the 2017-18 campaign.
Let us know in the comments section below if you agree with the selections of the top 20 players in the PL right now.
1. Romelu Lukaku (Man United)
2. Steve Mounie (Huddersfield)
3. Nemanja Matic (Man United)
4. David Silva (Man City)
5. Alexandre Laczette (Arsenal)
6. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
7. Dele Alli (Tottenham)
8. Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
9. Wayne Rooney (Everton)
10. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
11. Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)
12. Christian Eriksen (Tottenham)
13. Alvaro Morata (Chelsea)
14. Kyle Walker (Man City)
15. Stefano Okaka (Watford)
16. Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield)
17. Sam Vokes (Burnley)
18. Jay Rodriguez (West Brom)
19. Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea)
20. Ryan Bertrand (Southampton)
NCAAFB: Candid Coaches: Getting real on marijuana legalization, testing in college football. What's Your Take?
By Dennis Dodd
(Photo/Graphic illustration by Michael Meredith)
Should college football players still be tested and punished for using marijuana?
Following in the footsteps of our college basketball brethren here at CBS Sports, college football writers Dennis Dodd, Chip Patterson and Barrett Sallee spoke with one-fifth of the 130 active coaches leading FBS teams entering the 2017 season. They asked for honest opinions on everything from NCAA rules to social issues to their peers in the profession. We will be sharing their candid thoughts over a two-week period leading into the season.
Following in the footsteps of our college basketball brethren here at CBS Sports, college football writers Dennis Dodd, Chip Patterson and Barrett Sallee spoke with one-fifth of the 130 active coaches leading FBS teams entering the 2017 season. They asked for honest opinions on everything from NCAA rules to social issues to their peers in the profession. We will be sharing their candid thoughts over a two-week period leading into the season.
Marijuana is slowly but surely being legalized across the United States -- either for medicinal or recreational use. But the NCAA -- and individual universities -- still test college athletes to determine whether they smoke weed and punish them accordingly. Yes, even in states like Colorado where marijuana is legal. That led us to ask coaches, under the condition of anonymity, to share their stances on marijuana and whether players should still be punished for using it.
Should marijuana be legalized nationwide?
| Answer | Responses |
|---|---|
| No | 52 percent |
| Yes | 35 percent |
| No opinion | 13 percent |
Should college athletes still be tested and suspended for marijuana use?
| Answer |
Responses
|
|---|---|
| Yes | 74 percent |
| No | 18 percent |
| No opinion |
8 percent
|
Explain yourselves
- "No, [it should not be legalized]. I think it's a gateway drug, and I've got kids. Right now, in [my team's state], marijuana and opiates are a bad, bad killer."
- "I'm to the point where -- if you get a caught smoking marijuana and it's illegal -- we're going to punish you. [However], it doesn't recognize the standards in our society today. We've got several states where it's legal. I have a ton of players. I came back from spring break. They decided to have their offseason drug test. Thirty of my players [tested positive]. They just went home for spring break. What do you think they're going to do? Look at what we did: We drank a lot of beer, and we weren't even of age. They're going to smoke a little bit. The sad thing is they're going to go home and their parents are going to be smoking. Let's not kill ourselves on something that's no longer in effect. I hate to test them after summer because these kids' parents grew up smoking pot. It's very socially accepted."
- "I think it should be legal. Why? It's legal all over our country. It's legal for people who are sick. What we should do is make it legal, but there's got to be a certain [threshold]. Everything that leads to bad decisions goes back to what? After midnight -- with alcohol. I think we have it all reversed. I'm more [against] alcohol than I am marijuana. We drug test all these kids, so why don't we breathalyze them? Nobody says, 'You're dying, grab some whiskey.' You'll die faster."
- "Absolutely [they should be tested]. A lot of times these things are established before you ever meet these kids. When a kid has never done it before college, usually I can correct it if it's a learned behavior. But when he's out 12 years old smoking with Uncle John and Cousin Rudy, it's deep rooted. If I let you do this, I'm setting you up for failure. Right now, the two organizations that say you can't [smoke] are the NFL and NCAA. You're involved in one and want to be in the next one. … I really believe marijuana is a gateway drug."
- "I've really come to the conclusion [that] what is socially acceptable is so different than the rules in our game. It doesn't fit. My daughter in [one state] has told me there are more marijuana stores than McDonald's."
- "I think it's going to be legalized soon. I have come full circle as a man on that. We lose a lot of money. We're helping the cartels grow [by not legalizing]."
- "Our jails are full of people [who have been arrested for marijuana]. There are people losing their lives, dying every day. I know there are a lot worse things out there including things that are legal, including drinking, that are at the same level if not higher. We have to stop testing for it because it is legalized in states of competing universities. That's not fair for those teams to have to be able to manage those kids when it's legal in those states. I also believe that if it's legalized it doesn't become as cool anymore and the numbers go down."
- "A guy's mind doesn't stop forming until he's 26. If he's smoking a lot, it can change. We have to figure out what it [does] to our minds."
Breaking it down
Pot has been called the new six pack. Outrageous? Apparently not to the Candid Coaches. Our respondents reflect society. Marijuana is becoming more socially acceptable. Slightly more than half the states -- 26 -- have legalized marijuana at least in some broad form. That 35 percent of our coaches believe pot should be legalized nationwide is more than a trend.
You see, it really doesn't matter what your politics are. The change is coming. The NCAA has been testing for drugs for decades. Marijuana is just not that big a deal anymore.
Maybe the association woke up to the incongruity of testing itself. The hit rate for NCAA drug positives remain in the 2-3 percent range. If you think only 2-3 percent of players have illicit substances in their systems then you're as dumb as the testers themselves. To get caught you either have to be stupid or sloppy. The science of masking drug use has always been ahead of drug testing itself.
Then there is the drug itself. Marijuana is not performance enhancing. Anything but. The NCAA said so in 2014 in one of the most progressive statements the association has ever made. "Street drugs are not performance-enhancing in nature ..."
Perhaps that's why an amazing 18 percent of the Candid Coaches said either marijuana should not be tested for any longer or players should not be suspended for using it. Times truly have changed.
It's important to note in this survey that the minority of voters on both questions were the most passionate.
It's both a common sense and ethical argument. If a regular citizen can posses and consume pot, why can't a college football player?
The entire process is inconsistent. Most Power Five schools conduct in-house drug testing, so do their conferences, and so does the NCAA. That's three layers. But other schools and conferences don't have the budget or will to test. Are their players more high? Are more pot heads a competitive advantage -- or disadvantage? See how silly this argument is becoming?
Then there is the issue of the consequences of drug use and the varying punishments from one school to another. As noted above, the NCAA long ago began decriminalizing marijuana. Look, it's just not that big a deal anymore.
It's clear the ice is melting around the issue. Whether you like it or not, marijuana is becoming more acceptable. Pot indeed may be becoming the new six pack. "We drank a lot of beer [when we were in school], and we weren't even of age," a coach said. "[These days] they're going to smoke a little bit."
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: Please take a moment and share your thoughts and take with us. We are still discussing the pros and cons of this issue and will publish our collective findings next Friday. We look forward to hearing from you.
The Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
CFT 2017 Preseason Previews: College Football Players to Fall in Love With.
By Kevin McGuire
You see, it really doesn't matter what your politics are. The change is coming. The NCAA has been testing for drugs for decades. Marijuana is just not that big a deal anymore.
Maybe the association woke up to the incongruity of testing itself. The hit rate for NCAA drug positives remain in the 2-3 percent range. If you think only 2-3 percent of players have illicit substances in their systems then you're as dumb as the testers themselves. To get caught you either have to be stupid or sloppy. The science of masking drug use has always been ahead of drug testing itself.
Then there is the drug itself. Marijuana is not performance enhancing. Anything but. The NCAA said so in 2014 in one of the most progressive statements the association has ever made. "Street drugs are not performance-enhancing in nature ..."
Perhaps that's why an amazing 18 percent of the Candid Coaches said either marijuana should not be tested for any longer or players should not be suspended for using it. Times truly have changed.
It's important to note in this survey that the minority of voters on both questions were the most passionate.
It's both a common sense and ethical argument. If a regular citizen can posses and consume pot, why can't a college football player?
The entire process is inconsistent. Most Power Five schools conduct in-house drug testing, so do their conferences, and so does the NCAA. That's three layers. But other schools and conferences don't have the budget or will to test. Are their players more high? Are more pot heads a competitive advantage -- or disadvantage? See how silly this argument is becoming?
Then there is the issue of the consequences of drug use and the varying punishments from one school to another. As noted above, the NCAA long ago began decriminalizing marijuana. Look, it's just not that big a deal anymore.
It's clear the ice is melting around the issue. Whether you like it or not, marijuana is becoming more acceptable. Pot indeed may be becoming the new six pack. "We drank a lot of beer [when we were in school], and we weren't even of age," a coach said. "[These days] they're going to smoke a little bit."
Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Take: Please take a moment and share your thoughts and take with us. We are still discussing the pros and cons of this issue and will publish our collective findings next Friday. We look forward to hearing from you.
The Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica Editorial Staff.
CFT 2017 Preseason Previews: College Football Players to Fall in Love With.
By Kevin McGuire
(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
A new college football season is nearing, and it will feature some terrific playmakers you should be well aware of. Odds are you are familiar with some of the players you should know, but now is a good a time as any to introduce the experienced and the brand new fans of college football to some of the top players to keep you entertained in 2017. You will have a blast watching these players do their thing this season and you will want to watch every game they play for the chance to witness greatness.
Without any further adieu, here are the players that will keep you most entertained this fall.
Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
In a season that has a number of good running backs around the country, Penn State’s Saquon Barkley may be the best there is. Penn State’s offense may be the best in the Big Ten, and Barkley is one of the reasons why. Barkley has shined in big games for the Nittany Lions the past two seasons, including in the Big Ten championship game against Wisconsin and Rose Bowl against USC, and he will have his opportunities to lead Penn State to some big wins this season with his moves.
Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
Leonard Fournette may have been the star attraction out of LSU’s backfield the past few years, but Derrius Guice made a name for himself last season as one of the top running backs in the SEC. Now, Guice steps into the leading role without any question and he should be the main cog in LSU’s offense this fall while the Tigers try to get a passing game figured out.
Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
Keeping with the running back theme (and there are a number of others that could have been mentioned), we stay in the SEC to remind you that Georgia still has Nick Chubb ready to carry the ball. Chubb should be a key player in Georgia’s season, even though he will be splitting running calls with Sony Michel. But Chubb’s ability to burst through the line and get downfield with authority will be an essential ingredient to Georgia’s offensive game plan.
Derwin James, S, Florida State
Some will argue Florida State’s best player may actually be the best player in the nation. Derwin James is ready to make plays on every snap, and after missing the bulk of the 2016 season due to a knee surgery, James is ready to make up for some lost time. Jimbo Fisher and the Seminoles will have James lining up all over the field, and he will be a key player in the highly-anticipated Week 1 matchup with Alabama.
Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
Ed Oliver’s recruiting to Houston took the recruiting world by storm, and he has had quite the impact in his young career at Houston. Expect more of the big man to destroy the line of scrimmage this fall. Oliver would be a beast to contain in any conference, but do not look past his performance in the AAC this fall. Oliver will continue to show just how much fun watching a defensive tackle can be this fall.
Quinton Flowers, QB, USF
If there was one thing Charlie Strong really needed to be successful at Texas, it was his Longhorn version of Teddy Bridgewater. Now at USF, Strong has his quarterback in Quinton Flowers. Flowers is among the top players from the Group of Five and will give the Bulls as good a chance as any to not only win the AAC, but also guide the Bulls to a New Years Six bowl game.
Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
Louisville’s quarterback may have won the Heisman Trophy last season, but a brutal finish to the season has left the reigning Heisman Trophy winner laying in the shadows this offseason it seems. Expect that love affair with the dynamic quarterback to be rekindled quickly as Jackson looks to pile up big numbers to start the season once more to remind us all why he captured the nation a year ago. History may be against Jackson’s chances of winning the Heisman Trophy again this season, but do not be surprised if he manages to return to New York as a Heisman finalist.
Honorable mentions: Sam Darnold (QB, USC), Justin Jackson (RB, Northwestern), Baker Mayfield (QB, Oklahoma), Nick Bosa (DE, Ohio State), Mike Weber (RB, Ohio State), J.T. Barrett (QB, Ohio State), Josh Rosen (QB, UCLA), Royce Freeman (RB, Oregon), Jordan Whitehead (S, Pittsburgh), Da’Shawn Hand (DE, Alabama), Myles Gaskin (RB, Washington)
NCAABKB: Here are the top 10 games on the Big Ten's weird 2017-18 conference schedule.
By Matt Norlander
The Big Ten Tournament is a week earlier than usual, so the regular-season schedule may look strange.
The Big Ten's conference slate will play out more sporadically and unlike any other league in college basketball this season. Why the drastic change to the schedule? Come next March, the Big Ten is holding, for the first time, its league tournament at Madison Square Garden. But the Big East is contracted to play in the World's Most Famous Arena in the week leading up to Selection Sunday, as it's done for nearly 40 years.
This means the Big Ten will play at MSG the week prior -- holding its conference tourney abnormally early, at a time when the handful of other automatic bids getting decided come from small, one-bid leagues. The Big Ten Tournament will actually start in February, on Feb. 28, and wrap up March 4. This will bring a refreshing change of pace to the end of college hoops' regular season, but might also make things tricky for Big Ten teams.
Ending the season earlier means that Big Ten teams that make the NCAAs will be sitting for their next game for nearly two weeks.
Making time, and room, for such an early league bracket has prompted the Big Ten to push the start of conference play this season to Dec. 1. It's going to be a wonky year, and it will certainly be interesting to follow how the Big Ten plays out, given it will sprinkle in a usual dose non-conference games amid the early start in December.
All of this is preamble to the league announcing its 2017-18 schedule. Every Big Ten will play one game at home and one game on the road during the first week of league play. So here are the 10 games to circle on your calendar -- or at least, they're the ones that look most interesting now. TV channels and tip times for these games are still to be determined.
Purdue at 
Maryland (Dec. 1)The first day of league play offers an interesting tilt, as Purdue brings back almost everyone of impact ... except Caleb Swanigan, who finished No. 2 in CBS Sports' national player of the year race last season. A road game for the Boilermakers against a Maryland team with a strong sophomore class: Kevin Huerter, Justin Jackson and Anthony Cowan. Cowan impressed at July's Under Armour All-American Camp.
Northwestern at Purdue (Dec. 3)Purdue gets no easy start to the league season. Talk to Big Ten coaches, and they'll tell you Northwestern has the potential to be a top-three team in the league. Purdue does as well, and this could be an early litmus test for both programs. If Purdue loses two days prior in the league opener at Maryland, winning here could be borderline necessary in order to have a shot to win the league.
Minnesota at Northwestern (Jan. 10)Two programs that have not been traditional powers, but both of which are expected to flirt with 25 wins this in 2017-18. Minnesota was a No. 5 seed in last season's NCAA Tournament and brings back most of its roster. The Gophers won 24 games last season. The program has been around for 122 years and never had back-to-back seasons of 24 wins or more.
Northwestern at 
Indiana (Jan. 14)Yes, plenty of Northwestern intrigue -- but let's inject some Indiana flavor here. Archie Miller's Hoosiers are fairly enigmatic heading into 2017-18. By mid-January, we'll have a solid idea of this team's NCAA Tournament chances. If Northwestern is playing up to expectations, this will be a solid opportunity for IU.
Purdue at Indiana (Jan. 28)A rivalry's renewal, as Purdue sets up as the strongest team next season -- but winning in Assembly Hall could be a tough ask if Indiana's able to grow into a respectable, tough ball club by this point.
Michigan State at Maryland (Jan. 28)Maryland's growth will be a plot line to track throughout the Big Ten's schedule. The Terps have future pros on this roster, and holding serve at home against a likely top 10 team in Michigan State would be massive.
Wisconsin at Maryland (Feb. 4)Just a hunch: This game could be the type of tilt that goes a long way to determining if Wisconsin can finish as a top-four team in the Big Ten for the 17th consecutive season. The Badgers bring back All-American candidate Ethan Happ, but a lot of new guys will see 20-plus minutes.
Purdue at Michigan State (Feb. 10)If these two wind up as the best in the conference, then obviously this will be a headlining game of that weekend. We could have Miles Bridges in the midst of a player of the year campaign, and if Purdue really is keeping pace with MSU to win the Big Ten, then this game could have No. 1 seed implications for the NCAAs.
Michigan State at Northwestern (Feb. 17)The Wildcats are coming off a program record 24 wins last season. Excluding 2016-17, the most combined wins in back-to-back years in school history is 40, when the 2009-10/2010-11 teams won 20 games apiece. Northwestern needs to barely break .500 this season to set a new mark. A home chance here against MSU could be worth a seed line come Selection Sunday.
Michigan at 
Penn State (Feb. 21)Here's the curveball. Penn State is the sleeper of the league this season, while Michigan is coming off a charmed run to the Sweet 16 -- and most notably returns Moe Wagner, who tested NBA waters but decided to come back. If Michigan is a up and down this season (which wouldn't be a shock; Derrick Walton Jr. and D.J. Wilson will definitely be missed), this could be a crucial road game.
2017-18 Big Ten conference schedule
| Date | Game |
| Friday Dec. 1, 2017 | Purdue at Maryland |
| Friday Dec. 1, 2017 | Illinois at Northwestern |
| Saturday Dec. 2, 2017 | Indiana at Michigan |
| Saturday Dec. 2, 2017 | Ohio State at Wisconsin |
| Saturday Dec. 2, 2017 | Penn State at Iowa |
| Sunday Dec. 3, 2017 | Nebraska at Michigan State |
| Sunday Dec. 3, 2017 | Northwestern at Purdue |
| Sunday Dec. 3, 2017 | Rutgers at Minnesota |
| Sunday Dec. 3, 2017 | Maryland at Illinois |
| Monday Dec. 4, 2017 | Wisconsin at Penn State |
| Monday Dec. 4, 2017 | Michigan at Ohio State |
| Monday Dec. 4, 2017 | Iowa at Indiana |
| Tuesday Dec. 5, 2017 | Michigan State at Rutgers |
| Tuesday Dec. 5, 2017 | Minnesota at Nebraska |
| Tuesday Jan. 2, 2018 | Indiana at Wisconsin |
| Tuesday Jan. 2, 2018 | Michigan at Iowa |
| Tuesday Jan. 2, 2018 | Penn State at Maryland |
| Tuesday Jan. 2, 2018 | Nebraska at Northwestern |
| Wednesday Jan. 3, 2018 | Rutgers at Purdue |
| Wednesday Jan. 3, 2018 | Illinois at Minnesota |
| Thursday Jan. 4, 2018 | Maryland at Michigan State |
| Thursday Jan. 4, 2018 | Ohio State at Iowa |
| Friday Jan. 5, 2018 | Wisconsin at Rutgers |
| Friday Jan. 5, 2018 | Northwestern at Penn State |
| Saturday Jan. 6, 2018 | Nebraska at Purdue |
| Saturday Jan. 6, 2018 | Illinois at Michigan |
| Saturday Jan. 6, 2018 | Indiana at Minnesota |
| Sunday Jan. 7, 2018 | Michigan State at Ohio State |
| Sunday Jan. 7, 2018 | Iowa at Maryland |
| Monday Jan. 8, 2018 | No games (CFP) |
| Tuesday Jan. 9, 2018 | Wisconsin at Nebraska |
| Tuesday Jan. 9, 2018 | Purdue at Michigan |
| Tuesday Jan. 9, 2018 | Penn State at Indiana |
| Wednesday Jan. 10, 2018 | Rutgers at Michigan State |
| Wednesday Jan. 10, 2018 | Minnesota at Northwestern |
| Thursday Jan. 11, 2018 | Iowa at Illinois |
| Thursday Jan. 11, 2018 | Maryland at Ohio State |
| Friday Jan. 12, 2018 | Nebraska at Penn State |
| Saturday Jan. 13, 2018 | Michigan at Michigan State |
| Saturday Jan. 13, 2018 | Purdue at Minnesota |
| Sunday Jan. 14, 2018 | Ohio State at Rutgers |
| Sunday Jan. 14, 2018 | Northwestern at Indiana |
| Monday Jan. 15, 2018 | Maryland at Michigan |
| Monday Jan. 15, 2018 | Illinois at Nebraska |
| Monday Jan. 15, 2018 | Minnesota at Penn State |
| Tuesday Jan. 16, 2018 | Wisconsin at Purdue |
| Wednesday Jan. 17, 2018 | Ohio State at Northwestern |
| Wednesday Jan. 17, 2018 | Iowa at Rutgers |
| Thursday Jan. 18, 2018 | Michigan at Nebraska |
| Thursday Jan. 18, 2018 | Minnesota at Maryland |
| Friday Jan. 19, 2018 | Illinois at Wisconsin |
| Friday Jan. 19, 2018 | Indiana at Michigan State |
| Saturday Jan. 20, 2018 | Purdue at Iowa |
| Saturday Jan. 20, 2018 | Penn State at Northwestern |
| Saturday Jan. 20, 2018 | Ohio State at Minnesota |
| Sunday Jan. 21, 2018 | Rutgers at Michigan |
| Monday Jan. 22, 2018 | Nebraska at Ohio State |
| Monday Jan. 22, 2018 | Michigan State at Illinois |
| Monday Jan. 22, 2018 | Maryland at Indiana |
| Tuesday Jan. 23, 2018 | Wisconsin at Iowa |
| Tuesday Jan. 23, 2018 | Northwestern at Minnesota |
| Wednesday Jan. 24, 2018 | Nebraska at Rutgers |
| Wednesday Jan. 24, 2018 | Indiana at Illinois |
| Thursday Jan. 25, 2018 | Penn State at Ohio State |
| Thursday Jan. 25, 2018 | Michigan at Purdue |
| Friday Jan. 26, 2018 | Wisconsin at Michigan State |
| Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 | Iowa at Nebraska |
| Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 | Rutgers at Penn State |
| Sunday Jan. 28, 2018 | Michigan State at Maryland |
| Sunday Jan. 28, 2018 | Purdue at Indiana |
| Monday Jan. 29, 2018 | Northwestern at Michigan |
| Monday Jan. 29, 2018 | Nebraska at Wisconsin |
| Tuesday Jan. 30, 2018 | Indiana at Ohio State |
| Tuesday Jan. 30, 2018 | Minnesota at Iowa |
| Tuesday Jan. 30, 2018 | Rutgers at Illinois |
| Wednesday Jan. 31, 2018 | Penn State at Michigan State |
| Wednesday Jan. 31, 2018 | Maryland at Purdue |
| Thursday Feb. 1, 2018 | Northwestern at Wisconsin |
| Saturday Feb. 3, 2018 | Minnesota at Michigan |
| Saturday Feb. 3, 2018 | Michigan State at Indiana |
| Saturday Feb. 3, 2018 | Purdue at Rutgers |
| Saturday Feb. 3, 2018 | Iowa at Penn State |
| Sunday Feb. 4, 2018 | Wisconsin at Maryland |
| Sunday Feb. 4, 2018 | Illinois at Ohio State |
| Monday Feb. 5, 2018 | Indiana at Rutgers |
| Tuesday Feb. 6, 2018 | Michigan State at Iowa |
| Tuesday Feb. 6, 2018 | Michigan at Northwestern |
| Tuesday Feb. 6, 2018 | Nebraska at Minnesota |
| Wednesday Feb. 7, 2018 | Ohio State at Purdue |
| Wednesday Feb. 7, 2018 | Maryland at Penn State |
| Thursday Feb. 8, 2018 | Wisconsin at Illinois |
| Friday Feb. 9, 2018 | Minnesota at Indiana |
| Saturday Feb. 10, 2018 | Purdue at Michigan State |
| Saturday Feb. 10, 2018 | Iowa at Ohio State |
| Saturday Feb. 10, 2018 | Northwestern at Maryland |
| Saturday Feb. 10, 2018 | Rutgers at Nebraska |
| Sunday Feb. 11, 2018 | Michigan at Wisconsin |
| Sunday Feb. 11, 2018 | Penn State at Illinois |
| Tuesday Feb. 13, 2018 | Michigan State at Minnesota |
| Tuesday Feb. 13, 2018 | Maryland at Nebraska |
| Tuesday Feb. 13, 2018 | Northwestern at Rutgers |
| Wednesday Feb. 14, 2018 | Iowa at Michigan |
| Wednesday Feb. 14, 2018 | Illinois at Indiana |
| Thursday Feb. 15, 2018 | Purdue at Wisconsin |
| Thursday Feb. 15, 2018 | Ohio State at Penn State |
| Saturday Feb. 17, 2018 | Michigan State at Northwestern |
| Saturday Feb. 17, 2018 | Indiana at Iowa |
| Saturday Feb. 17, 2018 | Nebraska at Illinois |
| Saturday Feb. 17, 2018 | Rutgers at Maryland |
| Sunday Feb. 18, 2018 | Ohio State at Michigan |
| Sunday Feb. 18, 2018 | Penn State at Purdue |
| Monday Feb. 19, 2018 | Minnesota at Wisconsin |
| Monday Feb. 19, 2018 | Maryland at Northwestern |
| Tuesday Feb. 20, 2018 | Illinois at Michigan State |
| Tuesday Feb. 20, 2018 | Indiana at Nebraska |
| Tuesday Feb. 20, 2018 | Rutgers at Ohio State |
| Wednesday Feb. 21, 2018 | Michigan at Penn State |
| Wednesday Feb. 21, 2018 | Iowa at Minnesota |
| Thursday Feb. 22, 2018 | Wisconsin at Northwestern |
| Thursday Feb. 22, 2018 | Purdue at Illinois |
| Friday Feb. 23, 2018 | Ohio State at Indiana |
| Saturday Feb. 24, 2018 | Michigan at Maryland |
| Sunday Feb. 25, 2018 | Northwestern at Iowa |
| Sunday Feb. 25, 2018 | Michigan State at Wisconsin |
| Sunday Feb. 25, 2018 | Minnesota at Purdue |
| Sunday Feb. 25, 2018 | Illinois at Rutgers |
| Sunday Feb. 25, 2018 | Penn State at Nebraska |
The Cubs gave Rick Renteria a World Series Ring.
By Craig Calcaterra
(Photo/Getty Images)
It was revealed, in the course of a Jerry Reinsdorf interview the other day, that the Chicago Cubs gave Chicago White Sox manager Rick Renteria a World Series ring.
Renteria, of course, managed the Cubs for one season — in 2014 — and was fired when Joe Maddon became available after exiting his contract with the Rays. Renteria did an OK job with the Cubs — they were 73-89, which was seven games better than they had been the year before, and in the normal course would never have been fired after that showing — but the thinking by the Cubs front office was that they wanted Maddon, and not Renteria, to be in charge of taking a young and talented team from the land of rebuilding to the land of contention. Which Maddon did, far more quickly than most expected.
It’s a nice gesture by the Cubs, and I have no issue with it at all. If you can do a nice thing that costs you little or nothing, it’s always good to do it. And, based on his comments before yesterday’s White Sox-Dodgers game, Renteria did appreciate it. He’s been nothing but gracious since his undeserved (even if understandable) firing by the Cubs. He’s a high-road guy.
Still, I’m wondering what the inspiration for it was, because as far as I know, it’s pretty unusual for a team to give a former manager a ring in this situation, especially if the former manager had no greater history with the club (Renteria never played or coached in the Cubs system before 2014). At the time the judgment — put bluntly — was that the Cubs had a better chance to win with Maddon than Renteria, so it feels sort of . . . revisionist for them to be doing this now. Or even disrespectful on some unintentional level. Isn’t it sort of like the ex who dumped you for someone else a couple of years ago giving you a gift on their wedding day? How would that make you feel? “Glad I helped make you a better person for your new partner,” no one would say, ever.
In reality, I imagine that the thinking is a benign and somewhat cosmic “it takes a village” kind of thing and that the Cubs brass believes that anyone who had even a small hand in what became the 2016 Cubs should be rewarded. And, like I said above: nice gestures are good things and this is a nice gesture.
Still, there’s an element to this that strikes me as weird. Almost as if it’s a guilt-assuaging move on some level. “Er, uh, sorry for that awkwardness when we dumped you for the prettier girl a couple of years back. No hard feelings?”
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, August 18, 2017.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1915 - Braves Field was inaugurated with Boston defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1.
1956 - The Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Braves combined for a National League record of 10 home runs. The Reds won 13-4. Bob Thurman (Cincinnati Reds) hit three of the home runs.
1960 - Lew Burdette threw a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies. The final score was 1-0.
1973 - Hank Aaron set a major league record with his 1,378th extra base.
1980 - George Brett of the Kansas City Royals had his batting average reach the .400 mark. 1981 - Herschel Walker of the University of Georgia took out an insurance policy with Lloyd’s of London. The all-American was insured for one million dollars.
1982 - The longest baseball game played at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL, went 21 innings before the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Cubs 2-1.
1987 - Earl Campbell announced his retirement from the National Football League (NFL).
1992 - Larry Bird, after 13 years with the Boston Celtics, announced his retirement.
1995 - Tom Henke (St. Louis) became only the seventh major league player to record 300 saves.
1996 - Frank Thomas (Chicago White Sox) became the fourth player to reach 100 RBIs in each of his first six seasons.
1996 - Wade Boggs became the 41st major league player to get 2,000 career singles.
1956 - The Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Braves combined for a National League record of 10 home runs. The Reds won 13-4. Bob Thurman (Cincinnati Reds) hit three of the home runs.
1960 - Lew Burdette threw a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies. The final score was 1-0.
1973 - Hank Aaron set a major league record with his 1,378th extra base.
1980 - George Brett of the Kansas City Royals had his batting average reach the .400 mark. 1981 - Herschel Walker of the University of Georgia took out an insurance policy with Lloyd’s of London. The all-American was insured for one million dollars.
1982 - The longest baseball game played at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL, went 21 innings before the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Cubs 2-1.
1987 - Earl Campbell announced his retirement from the National Football League (NFL).
1992 - Larry Bird, after 13 years with the Boston Celtics, announced his retirement.
1995 - Tom Henke (St. Louis) became only the seventh major league player to record 300 saves.
1996 - Frank Thomas (Chicago White Sox) became the fourth player to reach 100 RBIs in each of his first six seasons.
1996 - Wade Boggs became the 41st major league player to get 2,000 career singles.
******************************************************************
Please let us hear your opinion on the above articles and pass them on to any other diehard fans that you think might be interested. But most of all, remember, Chicago Sports & Travel, Inc./AllsportsAmerica wants you.
No comments:
Post a Comment