Sunday, November 30, 2014

Bo Pelini fired after 7 seasons with Cornhuskers

The number of wins and losses didn't get Bo Pelini fired. It was the way some of those losses happened.
Pelini was dismissed as Nebraska's coach Sunday after a seven-year stint marked by an inability to restore the football team to national prominence and too many embarrassing defeats.
Pelini extended his streak of winning at least nine games every season with a 37-34 overtime win at Iowa on Friday, but he never won a conference championship and his teams lost four games in every season he completed. Pelini was 66-27 and led the Cornhuskers to three league championship games in the Big 12 and Big Ten.
''I didn't see enough improvement in areas that were important for us to move forward to play championship-caliber football,'' athletic director Shawn Eichorst said at a news conference.
''We just, for whatever reason, weren't good enough in the games that mattered against championship-caliber opponents. And I didn't see that changing. It wasn't a lack of effort by him or his staff or our wonderful players, but I think new leadership was in order.''
Associate head coach Barney Cotton, a Nebraska alum, will be the interim head coach for the Cornhuskers' bowl game.
Pelini was under contract through February 2019. Eichorst said the university will owe him a settlement of about $7.9 million, which can be reduced once he lands another job.
Asked for comment on Sunday's developments, Pelini wrote in a text to The Associated Press: ''I'm good. Thanks for asking!''
Eichorst said he alone would conduct the search for a new coach. He gave no timetable for naming a replacement.
Nebraska joins Florida as a high-profile program with a coaching vacancy, and others could arise soon. Eichorst said he wasn't worried about competing with other schools.
''Resources are not the question here at Nebraska,'' he said. ''That doesn't mean we're not going to be responsible and good stewards of our resources. I've seen people spend a lot of money and not do very much winning, so we're going to get it right.''
Eichorst said his decision to fire Pelini ''crystalized'' Saturday night. Eichorst said he met in his office for 20 minutes with Pelini on Sunday morning and their conversation was ''cordial and professional.''
''After I told him that we were going a different direction,'' Eichorst said, ''I think there was agreement that that probably was a good idea.''
A number of players expressed disappointment in the decision, with quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. tweeting, ''Biggest mistake you ever made.... Bo was the best coach I've ever had and I'll always appreciate the things you taught me.''
Pelini brought the Huskers out of the depths of the failed four-year Bill Callahan experiment that ended in 2007. But his four-losses-a-year habit and frequent losses on the national stage wore on a fan base that has filled Memorial Stadium for every home game since 1962.
Nebraska ranks fourth in career victories and has won five national championships, including three in the four years before Tom Osborne retired as coach after the 1997 season. The dominant run in the mid-1990s has been an albatross for the coaches who followed - first Frank Solich and then Callahan and Pelini.
Bad losses started to haunt Pelini after Nebraska moved to the Big Ten. The 70-31 pummeling by unranked Wisconsin in the 2012 conference championship game was the worst, followed closely by this year's 59-24 throttling by the Badgers in a game in which Melvin Gordon ran for a then-FBS record 408 yards.
Nebraska, as a ranked team, lost seven games by 17 or more points since 2011. No other ranked team has lost so many games so lopsidedly over that span, according to STATS.
''There are standards and expectations at Nebraska that are high both on and off the field and although we did win a bunch of games, we didn't win the games that mattered the most, and I think we gave Coach ample time, ample resources and ample support to get that done,'' Eichorst said.
Eichorst indicated he wasn't worried about the message he was sending by firing a coach who won 71 percent of his games. The dismissal was reminiscent of the one in 2003, when then-athletic director Steve Pederson fired Solich after a 9-3 regular season and after Solich had won 75 percent of his games over six years.
Pelini drew detractors almost as much for his volatile temper as for his team's performances in big games. He was reprimanded by chancellor Harvey Perlman for sideline meltdowns during a loss at Texas A&M in 2010. Last year, Pelini found himself in a storm after the website Deadspin released audio of Pelini's profanity-laced tirade against what he called fair-weather fans and two newspaper writers.
Pelini had initially endeared himself to Nebraska fans as defensive coordinator in 2003. After Solich was fired, Pelini was interim coach for the Huskers' Alamo Bowl victory over Michigan State. As he walked off the field in San Antonio, Husker fans chanted, ''We want Bo!''
Callahan was hired instead, and Pelini took defensive coordinator jobs at Oklahoma and LSU, winning the 2007 national title with the Tigers.
Osborne, as athletic director, picked Pelini to replace Callahan, saying an immediate defensive fix was needed.
After the Huskers shut out Arizona 33-0 in the 2009 Holiday Bowl, Pelini famously shouted, ''Nebraska's back and we're here to stay.''

AFC and NFC races tighten with Packers' win over Patriots

Come on, it’s more fun this way.
Who really wanted to watch the New England Patriots run away with the NFL this season? The Green Bay Packers’ 26-21 win against the Patriots makes the AFC more interesting. It makes the NFC more interesting too.
And, it’s possible we’ll be revisiting this matchup after both conference championship games in January. That would be fine because the teams played an entertaining game that lived up to the "Super Bowl preview" hype.
The Patriots fell to 9-3 with the loss. They’re still in great shape to win the No. 1 seed in the AFC, thanks to wins agasint the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos, but it doesn’t seem like such a lock anymore.
The Packers improved to 9-3 and with the Arizona Cardinals looking vulnerable after a loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the race for playoff positioning in the NFC is wide open. The Packers are tied for the best record in the conference and nobody wants to come to Lambeau Field in January.
The Patriots found out how hard it is to win in Green Bay. New England has been the best team in the NFL since the end of September, but the Packers are fantastic at home. Aaron Rodgers seems to be under the spell of the invincibility star at Lambeau Field. He was 24-of-38 for 368 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against a very good Patriots defense, extending an unbelievable streak: Rodgers hasn’t thrown an interception at home since Week 13 of the 2012 season. No kidding.
The Packers got great contributions from several receivers and 98 rushing yards from Eddie Lacy. Still, the Patriots had a chance to take a late lead, but Mike Daniels and Mike Neal came up with a huge third-down sack in the final minutes. Stephen Gostkowski missed a field goal and the Patriots never got the ball back.
Fortunately for the Patriots, the Super Bowl won’t be in Green Bay. It’s in Glendale, Ariz. in February. There’s no telling what will happen in the playoffs, but it wouldn’t be a big surprise if these two teams meet again there. And wouldn’t that be fun?

Ohio State's Kosta Karageorge found dead

Ohio State defensive tackle Kosta Karageorge was found dead.
Karageorge was reported missing on Wednesday by his family. A body was found Sunday afternoon near his apartment and Columbus (Ohio) Police confirmed it was Karageorge. He was 22.
Karageorge was a walk-on for the Ohio State football team and also wrestled. According to a police report, Karageorge's mother said he struggled with sports-related concussions and his sister said he had suffered one a month prior. His mother said he texted her Wednesday referencing the concussions and apologized for being an "embarrassment."
Ohio State held a moment of silence for Karageorge before Saturday's game against Michigan and a missing poster was displayed on the scoreboard at Ohio Stadium. After the game, coach Urban Meyer called Karageorge's disappearance "unbelievable" and said "All you can do is grab a knee and play hard."
"I know there's a lot of prayers on the team because a lot of the guys are friends with Kosta," Meyer continued. "He was only with us since August, so I didn't know him that well but talked to his mom a few times. Just come home safe, man."
The school released a statement Sunday afternoon.
"The Ohio State University Department of Athletics was shocked and saddened to learn today of the death of student-athlete Kosta Karageorge, a senior from Columbus," the statement said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Karageorge family, and those who knew him, during this most difficult time."
Kostageorge's family became worried for him when he left his apartment without any identification at approximately 2 a.m. on Wednesday. He hadn't been seen since.

Jets, Raiders could trade for Harbaugh

San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has been an undeniable success, taking his team to one Super Bowl and three NFC championships. But he's also a grinder who wears down his team, his fans, and most likely his own molars with unparalleled intensity.
So it's not surprising that Harbaugh and the 49ers may not be long for one another. What's surprising is that the Niners may well trade their head coach.
Going from a team with both a recent history and a lineage of success like San Francisco to either of the NFL's true compost plants would be quite the fall-off for Harbaugh. The Jets seem a long shot, but Harbaugh has roots in the Bay Area. Both teams would be in position to draft impact players next year, but would they have to give up those players to get Harbaugh?
Regardless, it appears that absent a dramatic turnaround in both the team's trajectory and management's attitude, Harbaugh's time in San Francisco is drawing to a close.

Sources: Cavs claim A.J. Price

The Cleveland Cavaliers claimed guard A.J. Price off waivers, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
The Cavaliers released guard Will Cherry to create the roster spot for Price, who was waived by the Indiana Pacers on Friday.
Price averaged 10.5 points in 19 minutes per game for the injury-depleted Pacers. The Pacers had signed Price under an NBA hardship exception earlier this month.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - NOVEMBER 30TH

1872 - First international soccer game, Scotland-England 0-0 (Glasgow).
1931 - Bill Walsh, Los Angeles California, NFL coach (San Fransisco 49ers) is born.
1942 - Bill Terry resigns as supervisor of NY Giants minor league system.
1948 - Baseball's Negro National League disbands.
1950 - Paul Westphal, NBA guard (Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns) is born.
1952 - Jackie Robinson charges NY Yankees with racism.
1956 - Floyd Patterson KOs Archie Moore in 5 for Heavyweight boxing title.
1959 - Joe Foss named 1st commissioner of AFL.
1961 - Billy Williams of the Cubs is voted NL Rookie of Year.
1962 - Bo Jackson, baseball/football player (KC Royals, LA Raiders) is born.
1981 - NY Yankee Dave Righetti wins AL Rookie of Year Award.
1986 - Ivan Lendl is 1st tennis player to earn over $10 million, lifetime.
1988 - NYC furrier sues Mike Tyson for $92,000 for non payment of purchase.
1991 - First world championship of women's soccer, US defeats Norway 2-1.
1993 - NFL announces 30th franchise - Jacksonville Jaguars.
1993 - Bob Wolf, agent (New Kids on the Block, Larry Bird), dies.

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett fractures ankle in win over Michigan

The season of Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett has been cut short by injury.
With the No. 6 Buckeyes leading 28-21 early in the fourth quarter against rival Michigan, the Heisman Trophy candidate went down with a gruesome-looking injury to his lower right leg that has been diagnosed as a fractured ankle. Barrett was tackled from behind and his lower leg was caught underneath a defender as he was pulled to the ground awkwardly.
Barrett stayed down on the field for several minutes as an air cast was applied to his injured leg. The redshirt freshman was then carted off the field and into the locker room for further evaluation.
Before Barrett was lifted onto the cart, Michigan senior quarterback Devin Gardner showed great sportsmanship and wished his rival counterpart well.
Barrett took over as Ohio State’s starter after senior Braxton Miller suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in preseason camp. He started the season off slow, but has been one of the nation’s best quarterbacks over the last few months.
Before leaving the game, Barrett threw for 176 yards and a touchdown while also running for 89 yards and two more scores. Entering Saturday’s game, Barrett threw for 2,658 yards, 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while running for 849 yards and nine more scores.
With Barrett sidelined, sophomore Cardale Jones – who started the season as the team’s third-string quarterback – now looks to be the man under center for the Buckeyes moving forward.
Jones was able to guide OSU to a 42-28 win over the Wolverines, but he will face a much tougher task against either Wisconsin or Minnesota in the Big Ten Championship Game on December 6.

No. 1 Florida State beats Florida 24-19

Dalvin Cook ran for a career-high 144 yards and No. 1 Florida State survived Jameis Winston's struggles to beat Florida 24-19 on Saturday night in Will Muschamp's final game as the Gators' coach.
The defending national champion Seminoles have won 28 games in a row, and completed consecutive undefeated regular seasons for the first time in school history. Florida State is the 16th team to accomplish the feat since 1950.
The Seminoles (12-0, No. 3 CFP) will face Georgia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game Dec. 6.
''Survive and advance,'' Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. ''That's what we did.''
Winston threw a career-high four interceptions, including three in the first quarter. He finished 12 of 24 for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Nick O'Leary had two second-quarter touchdown catches to give Florida State a 21-9 lead.
The Gators (6-5) jumped out to a 9-0 lead, but the offense struggled. Treon Harris threw for 169 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Florida's Austin Hardin missed two second-half field goals that would have given the Gators the lead. Both field goal attempts came after Florida State miscues.
Winston threw his fourth interception with 2:36 left in the third quarter when Brian Poole tipped the ball to himself on a throw intended for Travis Rudolph. Hardin missed the 52-yarder to the right five plays later.
Fisher called an odd fake punt that had defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. being stopped short on a rush to give Florida the ball with 11:48 left in the fourth quarter. Hardin missed a 42-yarder five plays later.
The Seminoles were held to a season-low 306 offensive yards and a season-low 125 passing yards. Winston's 125 passing yards was a career low.
Muschamp walked off the field for the final time as Florida coach arm in arm with his wife.
''We had our opportunities to get it done and we didn't get it done,'' Muschamp said. ''It falls on my shoulders and that's why they're looking for a new coach. I'm just a guy that did it the right way. I'll hold my head up. We just didn't win enough game.''

Georgia Tech beats Georgia 30-24 in OT

Georgia Tech beat Georgia for the first time since 2008 on Saturday with a 30-24 overtime win.
The Yellow Jackets sent it to overtime after a 53-yard field goal by Harrison Butker that barely cleared the crossbar. And by barely, we mean that if the field goal was from 54 yards, it might not have been good.
Georgia Tech got the ball to start overtime and Zach Laskey scored on a two-yard run but Butker's extra point was blocked, the second kick of his that was blocked. So because of the miss, Georgia just needed to score a touchdown and get the extra point for the win.
However, Hutson Mason was intercepted by D.J. White. Mason thought he had Malcolm Mitchell on a slant, but White jumped the route and picked off the pass to clinch the win.
Mason found Mitchell for a touchdown and a 24-21 lead with 18 seconds left in regulation on fourth down. The Bulldogs had gotten the ball to get the go-ahead score with 2:41 left after Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas fumbled while attempting a pump fake.
Thomas fumbled as the Yellow Jackets were simply trying to run out the clock after taking a 21-17 lead and recovering the ensuing kickoff. Tech pooch-kicked to prevent a long return but no one from Georgia took the initiative to field the ball and Tech picked it up off the bounce.
Oh, the game also featured three fumbles inside the one-yard-line, including a Thomas fumble that was returned 99 yards for a touchdown by Georgia's Damian Swann. Georgia Tech blocked a Georgia field goal, too.
The win gives Georgia Tech 10 wins and a boost heading into next Saturday's ACC Championship Game against Florida State. The loss means Georgia finishes the regular season at 9-3. The Bulldogs were eliminated from contention for the SEC Championship Game on Friday with Missouri's win. Had Arkansas beaten the Tigers, Georgia would have played either Alabama or Mississippi State next Saturday in Atlanta for the SEC title.

No. 18 Ole Miss beats No. 4 Mississippi St 31-17

The unlikely duo of Jaylen Walton and Jordan Wilkins led Mississippi to a resounding Egg Bowl upset.
Walton had a 91-yard touchdown run and Wilkins, a running back, threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to lead No. 18 Ole Miss over No. 4 Mississippi State 31-17 on Saturday.
Bo Wallace threw for 296 yards despite completing just 13 of 30 passes.
Ole Miss (9-3, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) led 7-3 at halftime before its offense got going in the second half. It's the 10th time in 11 seasons the home team has won the Egg Bowl.
Wilkins' touchdown pass to Cody Core - with 9:14 remaining in the game - came on the second throw of his career after a pitch from Wallace, pushing the Rebels ahead by two touchdowns.
The loss by Mississippi State (10-2, 6-2, No. 4 CFP) means Alabama clinched the SEC Western Division. Dak Prescott threw for 282 yards and a touchdown.
It's the first time both teams came into the Egg Bowl ranked since 1999.
The loss is a severe blow to Mississippi State's hope of advancing to the inaugural College Football Playoff. De'Runnya Wilson caught eight passes for 117 yards and Fred Ross added six catches for 103 yards, but the Bulldogs were undone by an aggressive Ole Miss offense that wasn't afraid to take chances.
Walton finished with a career-high 148 yards rushing on just 14 carries. Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram caught five passes for 176 yards
Ole Miss had lost three straight conference games - including last week's 30-0 setback at Arkansas - before breaking through with a convincing win in the bitter instate rivalry.
''People thought we wouldn't be up for this game, but it's the Egg Bowl,'' Walton said. ''How can you not get up for the Egg Bowl?''
Mississippi State struggled in the first half with just 128 total yards. Prescott never appeared comfortable in the pocket, facing consistent pressure from the Ole Miss defense.
The Rebels came into the game giving up just 13.5 points per game, which ranked No. 1 in the country. Ole Miss lived up to the stats, using a swarming defense to contain Mississippi State's running game.
But the Rebels' offense took a while to get going.
Wallace was playing on a sore right ankle that he sprained during last week's loss to Arkansas. The ankle was heavily taped on Saturday and the injury appeared to slow the velocity on his throws. One promising drive early in the game ended when an errant pass was intercepted in the end zone by Taveze Calhoun.
But the Rebels broke through later in the first quarter on Wallace's 1-yard touchdown run, which was set up by a 46-yard pass from Wallace to Engram on the previous play.
Mississippi State's Evan Sobiesk made a career-best 45-yard field goal early in the second quarter, which pulled the Bulldogs within 7-3.
The third quarter didn't look anything like the first half, with the teams trading long pass completions to set up quick scoring opportunities. Wallace completed an 83-yard pass to Engram - which was the longest for the program since 2008 - to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Jeremy Liggins that gave the Rebels a 14-10 lead.
But it was Walton's 91-yard run that really gave the Rebels momentum. The play was designed for the 5-foot-8, 166-pounder to run right, but after a few steps he changed directions, shooting through the left side of the line before breaking a few arm tackles and then streaking down the left sideline for the score.
''I made one hard cut to see what I could get,'' Walton said. ''I remember one guy missed me and then there was nothing there.''

Blue Jays acquire Josh Donaldson in five-player deal with A's

Put away the Thanksgiving leftovers and finish wrapping those Black Friday gifts you bought for yourself, we have a blockbuster trade in Major League Baseball.
According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Oakland A's were closing in a major deal Friday evening. When the dust settled a short time later, Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan confirmed the A's were shipping All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for infielder Brett Lawrie, along with minor league pitchers Kendall Graveman and Sean Nolin, and shortstop Franklin Barreto.
It's a surprising deal in that Donaldson has become, in many ways, the face of the A's franchise and the backbone of what the organization seeks to be. A late bloomer, Donaldson has continued honing his craft to become an MVP contender in each of the past two seasons. Over those years, Donaldson has hit .277/.363/.477 with 53 home runs and 13 stolen bases over 1,262 plate appearances. He's also a strong defender at the hot corner, winning a Fielding Bible award in 2014.
With that said, this is Billy Beane we're talking about. It's been said he's looking to rework his roster after the A's fizzled out down the stretch in 2014, and when Beane gets in that mode no player is seemingly off limits. It's the type of deal the A's mastermind has been known to pull off, and it almost always comes out of nowhere. This one fits that description, and it also fits his M.O. of selling high and buying low, in this case meaning Donaldson and Lawrie.
The Blue Jays are obviously looking at this from a completely different perspective. After missing out on the postseason in 2014, they're going all in this winter. The signing of Russell Martin to a five-year, $80 million was just the beginning.
In the combination of Martin and Donaldson, they've landed what many would say were the heart and soul of the Pittsburgh Pirates and A's respectively. Two hard-working veterans whose careers are reaching their peaks.
Lawrie, 24, is the biggest name going to Oakland. He hit .247/.301/.421 with 12 home runs and 38 RBI in 282 plate appearances last season, and has never been able to put it together for an extended stretch, Injuries have hampered his efforts, but there's still reason to believe he too could fall into the late bloomer category, just like Donaldson.

Cubs' Pedro Strop 'doing fine' after auto accident in Dominican Republic

Chicago Cubs reliever Pedro Strop is reportedly "doing fine" after being involved in a two-vehicle accident in the Dominican Republic on Thursday night. Cubs officials confirmed late Friday that Strop avoided major injury in the accident, requiring only four stitches for a gash on his non-pitching arm.
Details were scarce after initial reports surfaced. Understandably, that had people holding their breath given the tragic events that have plagued baseball over the past five weeks. The accident is the third involving a baseball player in the Dominican Republic during that time.
St. Louis Cardinals prospect Oscar Taveras and his girlfriend Edilia Arvelo were killed in an accident on Oct. 26 that toxicology reports indicated may have been alcohol related. Then earlier this week, Rangers prospect Ronald Guzman was uninjured when he struck a motorcycle, killing the driver. Guzman was subsequently detained for questioning and has been ordered to remain in the Dominican Republic until the investigation has been completed.
MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has further details on Strop's accident:
Cubs officials say reliever Pedro Strop was “doing fine” after being involved in a two-vehicle accident in the Dominican Republic Thursday night. Initial reports were “very encouraging” regarding Strop, a Cubs official said Friday.
According to reports from the Dominican, the accident occurred in the San Cristobal province, west of the capital of Santo Domingo. Strop and a friend were in a car that crashed into a wall, and their vehicle and another vehicle involved were both destroyed.
To say Strop and his passenger were lucky would be an understatement.
Thankfully, they were able to walk with a scar or two and nothing more. But here's hoping all of us are just that much more aware on the roads, especially now with winter weather and the holiday season settling in here in North America.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - NOVEMBER 29TH

1922 - Minnie Miñoso, Cuban baseball player is born.
1924 - NHL's Montreal Forum opens.
1927 - Vin Scully, The Bronx New York,
American sportscaster (Los Angeles Dodgers) is born.
1929 - Don January, pro golfer (1976 Vardon Trophy) is born.
1934 - Chic Bears beat Detroit (19-16) in 1st NFL game broadcast nationally.
1957 - NY Mayor Robert Wagner forms a committee to replace Dodgers & Giants.
1962 - Baseball decides to revert back to one all star game per year.
1966 - First NBA game at Oakland Coliseum Arena - Warriors beat Bulls 108-101.
1969 - Mariano Rivera, Panama City Panama, pitcher (NY Yankees) is born.
1971 - First pro golf championship at Walt Disney World.
1976 - NY Yankees sign free agent Reggie Jackson to 5-year contract.
1987 - Joe Montana of 49ers completes NFL record 22 consecutive passes.
1987 - New Orleans Saints win, assuring their 1st winning NFL season.

Friday, November 28, 2014

Ray Rice wins appeal, eligible to play

Ray Rice has won his appeal against the NFL and is eligible to play immediately.
Rice had been suspended since Sept. 8 following the public disclosure of a videotape that showed Rice striking his then-fianceé in an Atlantic City elevator. Rice had been suspended for two games prior to the release of the videotape, but in the wake of public outrage — Rice knocked Janay Palmer unconscious with a punch — the NFL suspended Rice indefinitely.
The NFL maintained that it had not seen the incriminating videotape when commissioner Roger Goodell levied the two-game suspension this past summer.
However, Rice argued that the NFL was in possession of all the facts of the case at the time of punishment, and that he was in effect being punished twice for the same offense. Rice appealed the NFL's decision at a hearing in early November, a hearing at which Goodell testified.
At that hearing, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome indicated that in discussions with Goodell, Rice had confessed to hitting Palmer. But Goodell and the NFL maintained that Rice had been less than truthful in his account of the night in question.
Rice was released by Baltimore in September and is currently a free agent. He is eligible to be signed by any team, though there is considerable question about whether he'll be able to contribute to a team on the field or overcome what would surely be substantial protest against him off it.

Rose scores 21 in return as Bulls top Celtics, 109-102

Jimmy Butler hit four free throws late in the game and finished with 22 points, Derrick Rose scored 21 points and the Chicago Bulls pulled out a 109-102 win over the Boston Celtics on Friday.
Pau Gasol had 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Joakim Noah added 15 points with 14 boards for the Bulls, who had lost four of their previous six games. Boston has lost six of seven.
Jared Sullinger led Boston with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Avery Bradley had 18 points and Brandon Bass 16 with nine boards. Rajon Rondo had eight points, seven rebounds and nine assists for the Celtics.
With the score tied at 100, Jeff Green's driving basket put the Celtics ahead with 2 1/2 minutes left. After each team failed to score on a couple of possessions, Butler's two free throws tied it with 80 seconds to play.
Rondo missed two free throws and Sullinger front-rimmed an attempted 3 before Butler's two free throws moved the Bulls ahead for good, 104-102, with 51 seconds left. Noah then nailed a short jumper on their next possession.
Boston missed 17 of its first 20 shots in the final quarter before Sullinger's conventional 3-point play tied it at 100 with 3 minutes to play. He was fouled driving down the lane by Noah, who was attempting to draw a charge.
The Celtics held a 91-85 edge after three periods when Sullinger made a 3 with four-tenths of a second left in the quarter.
Rose was held to seven points in the opening half before the 2010-11 MVP scored 12 in the opening 4 minutes of the second half, tying it at 68 with a 3 from the right wing. After he went to the bench with 4:52 left in the third, he didn't return until 7:02 remained in the game.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Rose played his third straight game after missing four with a strained left hamstring. Coach Tom Thibodeau said recent criticism is fair of Rose's decision to miss games with injuries. ''Yes. Because it's really not that important and I've told him this: 'Whether it's praise or criticism, it's all the same.' It's really what he thinks.'' he said. ''Only he knows if he's putting everything he has into each and every day. Once he know he's done all you can do, you should feel good about it. I've told him this many times, 'If he's injured, I don't want him out there, and if he's healthy, I want him to go.' Hopefully we're moving forward.''
Celtics: G Marcus Smart missed his eighth straight game with a sprained left ankle. ''He pulled himself out (of practice) after a few minutes on Wednesday,'' coach Brad Stevens said. ''The ankle was still tender.''
UP NEXT
Bulls: At Brooklyn on Sunday.
Celtics: Host San Antonio on Sunday.

Manziel on fight: Accosted by 'very intoxicated, very aggressive person'

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel has told his side of the incident involving him, his entourage and the fan who reportedly asked Johnny Football for a hug.
Police intervened in the incident, which turned aggressive at an apartment party last weekend, Manziel — who was not directly involved in the scrap with the fan — said Friday that he and his friends were a victim of a drunk and overbearing fan.
"... At this point in the night this was a very intoxicated, very aggressive person that approached me in the lobby, putting his hands on me, kind of toying with me as I got back, just kind of trying to kind my own business and get upstairs to my room," Manziel said, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "As this man kept attempting to come at me, just being extremely aggressive, and as we tried to coax him into getting into his elevator and going on about the night, the guy got very aggressive and luckily for us ... security was able to get things under wraps."
Manziel disputed that he was rolling deep that night with an entourage, explaining that the group he was with was much smaller.
"[He] came at my roommate. It all happened very fast," he said. "There was no entourage with me. I was with one other person and my mother was upstairs, so it's about as much entourage as you get being with my mom.
"As it escalated and it got a little out of control, security got it under wraps and I was able to get up into my room."
Per to the Plain Dealer report, Manziel's face showed no signs of beating, which would dispute the account of Chris Gonos, the man who approached Manziel and said he "smashed" Manziel's face. Manziel would not say if any of Gonos' punches hit him, or whether he threw any punches at the fan himself. Gonos had claimed that Manziel sucker punched his brother.
Manziel said neither he nor roommate Dana Kirk plan to press charges at this time and that he expected the security video to corroborate Manziel's account of the story.
Browns head coach Mike Pettine has said that, "barring unforeseen circumstances," the incident will not have an effect on Manziel's playing time. That time lately has been zilch, so, yeah.

Marshall's perfect season ends in OT, 67-66, to Western Kentucky

Brandon Doughty threw a Conference USA-record eight touchdown passes, the last in overtime to Jared Dangerfield followed by a 2-point conversion pass to Willie McNeal that lifted Western Kentucky over No. 19 Marshall 67-66 Friday.
Marshall's Rakeem Cato had seven touchdown passes but threw four interceptions.
Doughty broke the previous conference record of six TD passes set on eight occasions.
Western Kentucky (7-5, 4-4) foiled Marshall's bid for the fourth perfect season in school history.
Marshall (11-1, 7-1) saw its 13-game home winning streak snapped and likely lost its chance to earn a place in the New Year's bowls.
Marshall already has qualified for next week's conference championship and will meet the winner of Saturday's game between Rice and Louisiana Tech.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - NOVEMBER 28TH

1895 - America's 1st auto race starts; 6 cars, 55 miles, winner avg 7 MPH
1925 - NHL goalie Georges Vezina collapses & dies 4 months later of TB
1939 - James Naismith, creator of basketball, dies at 78
1942 - Paul Warfield, NFL/WFL wide receiver (Cleveland, Miami, Memphis) is born
1957 - Warren Spahn of the Braves wins Cy Young Award
1958 - Dave Righetti, San Jose California, baseball pitcher (Yankees, Giants) is born
1972 - LA Dodgers trade Frank Robinson to California Angels
1981 - Bear Bryant wins his 315th game to out distance
Alonzo Stagg & become College Football's winningest coach
1989 - Rickey Henderson signs record $3,000,000 per year Oakland A's contract

Megatron returns: Calvin Johnson dominates the Bears in win

Someday, Calvin Johnson will slow down and let cornerbacks have a chance. This is not that day, no matter how un-Megatron he has looked at times this season.
Johnson, who had just one 100-yard game and one touchdown since Week 1 coming into Detroit's traditional Thanksgiving game, put on a show against the Chicago Bears. He had 11 catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns and the Detroit Lions won 34-17, rallying after a poor start to keep the pressure on the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North.
Johnson became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 10,000 career receiving yards, doing so in his 145th game.
The Lions are a different team with a healthy Johnson. He's one of the greatest receivers of all time, even though an ankle injury slowed him for much of this season. He looked just fine on Thursday.
Playing against a Bears secondary that often let him have a free release off the line, Johnson dominated. His first touchdown came on a seam route in traffic. The other was an acrobatic grab in the end zone in which he managed to get in bounds. He moved very well and looked strong. He made Matthew Stafford look good, too. Stafford had 391 passing yards. This performance from Johnson should give the Lions hope that their offense, which has been one of the least productive in the NFL this season, is ready to turn it around.
There's nothing turning around for the Bears. Chicago had a strangely conservative game plan, often calling short passes. They didn't even try to establish the run against the Lions' front. At one point before a meaningless final drive, Cutler had 217 yards on 42 attempts, a very low number for a quarterback like him. Perhaps the Bears are tired of watching Cutler lose his mind and throw deep downfield into double coverage. He still made a few of those incomprehensible throws, including one on a fourth-quarter interception when the Lions led 31-17. That pretty much put the game away.
The Bears are done this season, but the Lions have some life. They play three straight losing teams before a Week 17 showdown at Lambeau Field. If Johnson keeps playing like he did Thursday, maybe that will determine the NFC North championship.

Kick to the face leaves Gonzaga's Josh Perkins with a broken jaw

The deepest Gonzaga team Mark Few has ever coached is down a man because of a kick better suited for an MMA octagon than a basketball court.
Backup point guard Josh Perkins suffered a broken jaw during Gonzaga's NIT semifinal victory over Georgia Wednesday night when Bulldogs guard Kenny Gaines caught him flush in the chin with his shin. Gaines flew at Perkins because he was spotted up for a corner 3-pointer, but the Gonzaga freshman shot-faked and drove, leading to the violent collision.
The injury will require Perkins to have his jaw wired shut and will sideline him indefinitely, ESPN.com reported Thursday morning. Sucking food through a straw is a brutal fate under any circumstances, but it has to be especially cruel on Thanksgiving.
Remarkably, Gaines only received a common foul for his kick even though the slightest unintentional elbow to the head typically merits a flagrant foul these days. Referees reviewed the replay and decided it wasn't worth a flagrant since there was no intent to injure from Gaines.
Perkins, one of the jewels of a star-studded Gonzaga freshman class, was averaging 6.3 points and 4.3 assists in 22.8 minutes while backing up WCC player of the year candidate Kevin Pangos. The pass-first point guard had proven to be an impact addition for an unbeaten Gonzaga team expected to be one of the West's top teams this season.
Without Perkins, Pangos will have to play exclusively on the ball and has no obvious backup. Gonzaga coach Mark Few could burn freshman shooting guard Silas Melson's redshirt to gain more guard depth or he could wait until Vanderbilt transfer Eric McClellan becomes eligible after the fall semester.
Regardless, the loss of Perkins hurts. Chances are the broken jaw will sideline Perkins for at least a couple months, but the Zags have to hope he can return in time to still make an impact this season.

Nathan the Bloodhound: The 2014 National Dog Show Champ

Nathan, a playful Bloodhound whose stadium ring antics won over the crowd, also won the favor of the Best In Show judge to win “The National Dog Show Presented by Purina®” during the annual Kennel Club of Philadelphia cluster at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. The #8-ranked All-Breed showdog in America, GCH Flessner’s International S’cess, MT (aka Nathan) was selected by Best in Show Judge Edd E. Bivin, of Fort Worth, TX from among the seven canines emerging from the 1,500-dog competition at the tradition-rich, all-breed show.
“He just came out and shined today,” said owner-handler Heather Helmer. “Kissing the Judge, stretching and scratching – he always pulls those antics and he knows I think it’s funny, that’s why he does it.”
Coverage of the show and Nathan’s triumphant moments were broadcast to a holiday audience totaling some 20 million on NBC Thanksgiving Day from noon-2 p.m.(in all time zones) following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. NBC will air an encore presentation of the two-hour special Saturday, Nov. 29, in primetime from 8-10 p.m.
“He’s a gorgeous Bloodhound type,” said Bivin, who received an unexpected lick while examining the dog. “He does a lot of things that the breed standard asks for. All of his antics are entertaining, but that has nothing to do with it. He showed well.”
A top-tier showdog, Nathan won the Hound Group at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show earlier this year and now has 24 Best In Shows. The top-ranked hound in America, Nathan is now among the favorites to add the Westminster Best In Show title to his resume this coming February.

Diamondbacks land Cuban Yasmany Tomas on six-year, $68.5M deal

The pursuit of free agent outfielder Yasmany Tomas took a quick and stunning turn on Wednesday. Expected to become the richest Cuban defector to date, with a $100 million contract seemingly within reason, Tomas agreed on a six-year, $68 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to a report from MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez.
Though he'll earn a higher yearly average, Tomas' deal falls short of Rusney Castillo‘s seven-year, $72.5 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, which ultimately topped deals signed by Yasiel Puig, Yoenis Cespedes and Jose Abreu. Castillo's deal was viewed by many as a starting point for Tomas in terms of total money, but apparently the market didn't develop as envisioned.
In the other surprising twist, Arizona was only viewed as a periphery player at best in the Tomas sweepstakes as recently as Wednesday afternoon. New D-Backs general manager Dave Stewart discussed his interest with Zach Buchanan of the Arizona Republic earlier in the day, stating that no formal offer had been issued, though both sides understood what the other was looking for.
How quickly things change.
Though all 30 teams have expressed varying degrees of interest and were present at at least one of his workouts, the Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants were the teams most often linked to Tomas. With San Francisco losing Pablo Sandoval this week, they were expected to ramp up efforts to sign the 24-year-old third baseman and outfielder, but instead he ends up with their division rivals from Arizona.
While it hasn't been a great week at the office for Giants general manager Brian Sabean, the Tomas signing solidifies a nice start to the Dave Stewart and Tony La Russa regime in Arizona, which began with a trade to acquire right-hander Jeremy Hellickson from Tampa Bay. In Tomas, they get a young player with position flexibility and exciting raw power that should continue to develop and play very well at Chase Field. Tomas is a potential cornerstone whose prime seasons will be locked up at a surprisingly affordable price.
Here's more on Tomas from Baseball America:
Tomas is a big-boned, heavy-framed player, but he moves around surprisingly well for his size, with slightly below-average speed. While he will have to keep his weight in check, Tomas should profile in either corner outfield spot, with a plus arm to play right field.
Since Tomas is 24 and played five seasons in Cuba for Industriales of Serie Nacional, he is exempt from the international bonus pools. He was a standout at the 2013 World Baseball Classic, and he excelled in Cuba that season by hitting .289/.364/.538 with 15 home runs, 34 walks and 52 strikeouts in 324 plate appearances. During the 2013-14 season (his last one in Cuba), Tomas had a down year, hitting .290/.346/.450 in 257 plate appearances with six home runs, 21 walks and 46 strikeouts in 257 trips to the plate.
For a team that wants to win right away, but still has some rebuilding that needs to be done, Tomas is essentially the perfect fit. He's young, he should be ready to make a quick impact, and he can be built around without his contract hampering the payroll too much. On day one, this looks like a winner for Stewart, but the next 2,190 days will tell us a lot more.

Australian batsman Hughes dies from head injury

Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes died Thursday from a ''catastrophic'' injury to his head, two days after being struck by a delivery during a match.
Australia captain Michael Clarke, trying to compose himself several times, read a brief statement on behalf of Hughes' parents, brother and sister at a news conference at St. Vincent's Hospital that was broadcast live around Australia.
''We're devastated by the loss of our much-loved son and brother Phillip. Cricket was Phillip's life, and we as a family shared that love of the game with him ... We love you,'' Clarke read, holding back tears before leaving the room.
Hughes was wearing a helmet Tuesday when he was hit after attempting to hook a short-pitch ball from New South Wales fast bowler Sean Abbott.
Dr. Tony Grabs, a surgeon and director of trauma services who treated Hughes at St. Vincent's, said the 25-year-old cricketer had died from a rare injury - there have been only 100 documented cases of vertebral artery dissection - which resulted in severe bleeding on his brain.
''We did a CAT scan of the head to determine what we could do,'' Grabs said. ''This occurred very early and it was recognized we had to make an intervention to help get the pressure down in the brain. He had extensive surgery to remove some of the skull from around his brain to help allow the brain to expand so it wasn't compressed.''
Australian team doctor Peter Brukner said Hughes' recovery did not go as hoped.
''Over a period of the first 24 to 48 hours he did not make very much improvement and unfortunately, as a consequence of the injury, he died,'' Brukner said.
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said Hughes was immensely talented and dearly loved: ''Without doubt, he was a rising star whose best cricket was still ahead of him.''
''The word tragedy gets used too often in sport, but this freak accident is real life tragedy,'' Sutherland said. ''Just days short of his 26th birthday, Phillip has been taken away from us too soon. He will forever be remembered as one of the elite few to have worn the baggy green cap, cap number 408.''
Also at the news conference, doctors said Hughes was in the care of two specialist doctors before an ambulance and paramedics arrived at the Sydney Cricket Ground, making their delayed response less relevant, Brukner said. It took two phone calls and 15 minutes for an ambulance to get to an unconscious Hughes.
''I think ambulance waiting time is really more relevant when the injured person is not being treated,'' Brukner said. ''I think by any standard or observation, he was receiving excellent quality treatment. Hence, he arrived at the hospital in excellent condition.''
Brukner announced the death earlier Thursday in a statement, saying Hughes never regained consciousness. The statement was issued shortly after Australian opener David Warner, one of the first players to help Hughes when he collapsed on the field, had left the hospital in tears.
Hughes' mother and sister were at the match when he was he was hurt, and kept vigil at the hospital. Clarke, a close friend, was among dozens of former and current teammates and stars of the game who visited the hospital to offer their support.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott described Hughes as a ''young man living out his dream,'' adding ''it's a very sad day for cricket and a heartbreaking day for his family.''
Messages of support poured in from all around the world after Hughes stumbled, leaned over and then collapsed after being hit behind the left ear when he mis-timed a short-pitch delivery while batting for South Australia against New South Wales in a Sheffield Shield match.
Deaths are rare in cricket, although Hughes is the second player in two years to sustain a fatal blow.
Darryn Randall, who was 32 and a former first-class player in South Africa, was killed after being struck on the side of the head during a Border Cricket Board Premier League match in the Eastern Cape last year.
At the Australian Open golf tournament not far from St. Vincent's, a large gallery following Adam Scott heard of Hughes' death and some wiped tears from their eyes.
Hughes played 26 test matches for Australia after making his debut in 2009, but despite a sparkling start to his international career at 19, he was not able to earn a regular spot in the starting lineup.
After making 75 in his first test innings against South Africa in Johannesburg, he posted centuries in each innings of his second test, becoming the youngest player ever to do that in test cricket. But he struggled on the subsequent tour of England and was in and out of the Australian team four more times. He was on the verge of another test recall when he was fatally struck.
The injury sparked debate about short-pitch bowling in the game.
Bouncers, where a fast bowler aims to push the batsman back toward the stumps with a ball that lands halfway down the pitch and rears up above chest or head height, are still a regular and acceptable part of the game.
The International Cricket Council revised its laws on short-pitch bowling in the early 1990s, putting restrictions on the number of short-pitch balls allowed per over to stamp out bowlers merely using the delivery to intimidate batsmen.
Sutherland said Sean Abbott was being counseled, had visited Hughes in the hospital and had been consoled by Clarke and members of Hughes' family.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - NOVEMBER 27TH

1870 - NY Times dubs baseball "The National Game".
1941 - Joe DiMaggio is named AL MVP.
1947 - Joe DiMaggio wins his 3rd MVP, beating Ted Williams by 1 vote.
1950 - Red Sox sign shortstop Lou Boudreau as a player to 2-year contract.
1958 - Mike Scioscia, baseball player/manager (LA Dodgers, Angels) is born.
1960 - Gordie Howe becomes 1st NHLer to score 1,000 points.
1971 - Nick Van Exel, NBA guard (LA Lakers) is born.
1975 - Red Sox's Fred Lynn is 1st rookie to win MVP (AL).
1978 - Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies baseball player.
1997 - Lions' Barry Sanders becomes NFL's 2nd all-time rusher.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

RG3 may be done in Washington, but he doesn’t have to be done for good

Robert Griffin III has been benched in Washington, which means his career there is all but over.
The writing was on the wall when Jay Gruden, hired as head coach in part because of his work with offenses in general and quarterbacks in particular, boldly called out RG3’s “fundamental flaws” a couple of weeks back. Rookie coaches don’t blast franchise quarterbacks unless the quarterback is not long for the franchise.
Gruden smartly knew the only way to keep the rest of his locker room behind him was to call out Griffin for the lousy play and worse decision-making that players were seeing, and seething over, on film each week. It’s too easy for fans and media to see a frustrated DeSean Jackson pouting on the field and figure he’s a diva just interested in getting the ball. The truth is, he was wide open, repeatedly, and Griffin couldn’t find him.
It's also too simple to frame things as a personality conflict, like the crowd of football neanderthals was hating on poor, nice Robert. That wasn't all true, or at all fair, either. A QB doesn't have to be liked by the other guys, he just has to be competent. The NFL is a job, and guys want the job done well long before they want a friend. At this point, that makes Colt McCoy popular.
Washington gave up a ransom for the Heisman winner out of Baylor – trading three first-round picks and one second-rounder to the St. Louis Rams to select RG3 second overall. The fallout for that will sting for years. In the end, the Redskins got a guy who wasn’t close to comparable to first overall pick Andrew Luck.
Not even three full seasons in and RG3 is slowed by injuries and more painfully hampered by a lack of development. Whether Luck-Griffin winds up in the Manning-Leaf bin (minus Leaf’s off-field and legal troubles) of draft history choices remains to be seen.
That the above sentence could even be written would have been impossible to imagine as recently as two years ago, when Griffin was revitalizing the Washington franchise and thrilling the nation's capital and the nation at large with what appeared to be revolutionary ability.
He had 4.3 speed, a strong arm, a dynamic presence on the field. He filled up almost as many commercials as Peyton Manning. Everyone loved him.
Now what?
Griffin's contract calls for Washington to decide by May whether to pick up an $18.4 million extension for the 2016 season. So that isn't happening, which means he's done for that team.
His future will come down to how Griffin handles what must be a humiliating setback. He’s known almost nothing but success, so the emotional toll here could be significant. Does he wallow, or rededicate? We’ve seen too many top quarterback picks go bust who never really fought for a second chance.

Upset of North Carolina shows Butler hasn't lost its way

Having lost 14 games in its Big East debut last winter and endured two head coaching changes in a span of 16 months, Butler entered the season at somewhat of a crossroads.
Interim coach Chris Holtmann faced pressure to provide stability at a time of crisis and to show that last season's woes were an aberration and not the new reality for a proud program.
A 74-66 victory over fifth-ranked North Carolina on Wednesday doesn't mean that Butler is back to the level it achieved at the height of the Brad Stevens era, but it is a big step toward assuaging concerns about the future of the program. The Bulldogs toppled the Tar Heels in a blue-collar fashion reminiscent of some of the memorable upsets previous Butler teams have pulled off.
Defense and rebounding were again Butler's hallmarks as the Bulldogs out-worked the taller, more athletic Tar Heels on the offensive glass, blanketed All-American candidate Marcus Paige and yielded only 38.7 percent shooting from the field. Between gobbling up 29 offensive boards and forcing 19 turnovers, Butler had so many more possessions than North Carolina that it was able to overcome Kellen Dunham's nightmarish 3 of 17 shooting and win anyway.
Much of the offense Butler did generate came from a former walk-on guard and an unheralded freshman. Alex Barlow scored 17 points and hit four threes despite expending much of his energy defending Paige, while freshman forward Kelan Martin validated his strong start to the season against subpar competition by putting up 17 points and six rebounds against one of the nation's most storied programs.
Butler's victory improves its record to 4-0 under Holtmann, the assistant coach who took over the program the day before the start of practice last month when second-year coach Brandon Miller went on medical leave. The Bulldogs will have a chance for more marquee wins too this week as they ensured themselves a date with either Oklahoma or UCLA in the Battle 4 Atlantis semifinals on Thursday.
By upsetting North Carolina, Butler also sustained a sizzling start to the season for the Big East, which is a remarkable 37-2 overall including victories over the Tar Heels, Michigan, VCU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Florida State. Rebuilding Marquette is the only Big East team to have lost a game so far this season.
The Tar Heels joined the list of Big East victims because they failed to match Butler's effort or concentration.
Time and time again, they were beaten to loose balls. Time and time again, they made lazy passes or didn't value the ball. And time and time again, they appeared to expect to win the game on sheer talent alone rather than through out-working their opponent.
North Carolina fell behind by as many as 14 points in the second half before its sense of urgency kicked in and it finally began matching Butler's intensity. Paige scored four of his five field goals in the final four minutes but it was too little too late as the Tar Heels never got any closer than three points and never had a possession with a chance to tie or take the lead.
This was North Carolina's second holiday tournament loss to Butler as the Tar Heels also dropped a Maui Invitational semifinal to the Bulldogs in Stevens' final season. Big as that win was for Butler, this one was far more significant.
Only a few weeks ago, it wasn't clear if Butler had the talent to compete in the Big East night in and night out or the coaching stability to recruit new players capable of doing so. Now the Bulldogs own one of the new season's biggest upsets and find themselves back on more solid footing.

Devon Still responds to child support allegations

Cincinnati Bengals lineman Devon Still said on Wednesday that allegations he hadn't paid child support for his cancer-stricken daughter since August were untrue.
Channing Smythe, the mother of 4-year-old Leah Still and Still's former girlfriend, said in a New York Daily News article that she and Leah were living with a friend to avoid being homeless. Smythe is being represented by Gloria Allred and the lawyer delivered a letter to the NFL on Tuesday asking if Still was in violation of the league's personal conduct policy.
Leah Still was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in June. Her upbeat attitude and relationship with her father became a story that crossed sports lines when the league was in need of positive headlines earlier this season. Sales of Devon Still's jersey have raised more than a million dollars for cancer research.
“I don’t consider him a deadbeat dad,” Smythe told the paper. “I know he loves and cares for his daughter and he is there for her. I just need him to help me financially.”
Leah Still, who lives in Delaware with her mother, attended a Bengals game earlier this month
Here's what Devon Still said about the allegations in a statement released by the team:
“My daughter’s battle with cancer has been inspirational to many all over the world. When she gets older I want her to be able to look back and read about her positive impact on the world, not about the private issues her parents were going through. I am not going to retaliate against the mother of my daughter, and the untruthful reports in the New York Daily News article, by criticizing her character. I am going to continue to allow the court system to handle this matter, as it has been doing the past couple of months.”Still has been present during his daughter's fight, traveling from Cincinnati to Delaware for her treatments. He has also obviously been involved in raising awareness for her cause.
But according to Smythe and Allred's allegations, Still is not getting it done on the money side.
 
From the NYDN:
Allred’s letter said Still has paid some child support in the past. The letter also said Smythe has a family law attorney who recently demanded that Still immediately pay his outstanding child support. Still, who is expected to earn about $570,000 for the 2014 season, then allegedly called Smythe and told her he would not pay any amount at all and would see her in court.
“I have an outstanding medical bill for Leah for an ambulance for her,” Smythe said in her declaration. “I have been unable to pay the ambulance bill, and it is not covered under insurance. If I were receiving child support for Leah I would be able to pay this bill, but since Leah’s father is refusing to provide child support I am unable to pay the bill for the ambulance.”
According to the newspaper, Still and Smythe broke up after Leah was born in 2010.

FBI investigating threatening letter sent to Ole Miss

Fans tend to take rivalries a bit too far from time to time. This is one of those times.
The FBI is investigating an anonymous threat made toward the Ole Miss campus this week, a few days before Saturday’s Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and heated in-state rival Mississippi State.
Ole Miss reportedly received a handwritten letter on Tuesday with threats to damage the Grove, the famous tailgating area in the center of campus.
The letter reads:
"What's going to happen to y'all on the field Saturday Aint nothing compared to what's going to happen on your beautiful campus. You won't be one of the most pretty campus's Next year. A lot of shrubs and trees are going to die; especially in the grove. Can't stop us." (SIGNED) "Hail State go to hell TSUN"
The school and FBI are taking the letter seriously and are investigating its origins while encouraging fans to report any suspicious behavior they may spot on Saturday.
"This longtime football rivalry has separated families and friends for generations, but while it's spirited, our attention has been focused mostly on the football field," Ole Miss police chief Calvin Sellers said. "We encourage everyone to remember that this is a game, after all, not a time for hate. We are hopeful that passions have not escalated to the point that someone is prepared to do damage to a landmark for which all Mississippians take great pride."
Ole Miss, ranked No. 18 in the latest College Football Playoff, hosts No. 4 Mississippi State in Oxford. Beyond a year of bragging rights in the rivalry, the stakes are huge for the Bulldogs’ chances of staying in the Top 4 of the College Football Playoff rankings.

Rex Ryan not allowed to talk about visiting sick dad Buddy on bye

Halfway through a story by the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta calling for the ouster of paranoid, in-over-his-head general manager John Idzik, there is a bombshell: The New York Jets failed to let head coach Rex Ryan speak on details about visiting his ailing 83-year-old father during the Jets’ bye week.
Wait, what?
Yes, Mehta asked Ryan about the trip to visit cancer-stricken Buddy Ryan, one of the most respected defensive coaches in NFL history, and a Jets PR official intervened. The Daily News, and Mehta specifically, has been rough on the Jets this season and in the past — namely about Idzik, whose bumbling of the team’s roster has left the talent pool bare.
Mehta writes:
Asked who made the decision to prevent a willing Ryan from sharing stories about his father, the media relations official said, “I don’t have to tell you.”
Ryan has always given his players the freedom to speak their minds, but the organization has muzzled the coach with a change on the horizon. He will be the fall guy on Black Monday.
This is incredible. It’s also speculation, but the fact that the PR official refused to let Ryan speak about his dad shows just to what level the paranoia has risen. Idzik has been vilified around New York, with billboards calling for his removal, including one that demands owner Woody Johnson fire Idzik or sell the team.
The remarkable thing is that Ryan, who was asked about Idzik indirectly on Tuesday, actually shielded the GM from further criticism when asked about the state of the roster, even though Ryan could end up being the first fall guy.
“I think we have a lot of talent on this football team,” Ryan said.
When Ryan has been muzzled this thoroughly, it’s clear that this is not the same bombastic, antagonizing, free-speaking and free-wheeling coach the Jets hired to be the antidote to the New England Patriots and a player’s coach the locker room can rally around.
Instead, he sounds like a beaten man. One who has been neutered and who knows it might not even be worth trying to fight that fact, knowing what will happen in five weeks when the NFL season ends.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - NOVEMBER 26TH

1868 - First baseball game played in enclosed field in SF, at 25th & Folsom.
1908 - Lefty Gomez, baseball pitcher is born.
1941 - Amateur tennis champ Bobby Riggs turns pro.
1943 - Jan Stenerud, Norway, NFL place kicker (Kansas City Chiefs) is born.
1960 - Minneapolis-St Paul baseball club takes the name Twins.
1961 - Pro Baseball Rules Committee votes 8-1 against legalizing the spitball.
1963 - Cincinnati 2nd baseman Pete Rose wins NL Rookie of Year.
1965 - Dodgers 2nd baseman Jim Lefebvre is voted NL Rookie of Year.
1980 - Mike Schmidt is unanimous choice as NL MVP.
1982 - Howard Cossell calls his last fight after being
disgusted by Larry Holmes-Tex Cobb mismatch.
1984 - After 518 goals & 14 years with Mont Canadiens, Guy Lafleur retires.
1995 - Dolphins QB Dan Marino sets NFL record with 343rd touchdown pass.
1996 - Baseball owners approve interleague play, 26-4.
1997 - Washington Capitals final game at USAir Arena, retire Rod Langway's #5.
2007 - Sean Taylor, American Football Player (b. 1983) was shot in the upper leg
by an armed intruder at his home in Palmetto Bay, Florida, where he had been
recuperating from a football injury. His femoral artery was hit and severed,
causing a mortal wound.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

NHL team values zoom upwards per Forbes

Forbes released its annual NHL team valuations Tuesday. Though some team officials gripe at these, saying that they're off for whatever reasons -- the news is generally positive. First, the good according to Forbes:
"Fueled by a new Canadian media deal with Rogers Communications that begins with the 2014-15 season, the average NHL team value rose 18.6% during the past year, to an all-time high of $490 million. The 12-year, $4.6 billion agreement, which gave Rogers rights to all NHL games in Canada, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Stanley Cup Final, on all of its platforms, in all languages, is worth 2.6 times more annually than the league’s previous Canadian deals."
Now the sort of bad -- which we already knew ... that the NHL lags behind other major North American pro sports because these television deals don't exactly equate to what MLB, the NFL or the NBA get from their respective partners:
"The Rogers media deal notwithstanding, the NHL remains the most tribal of the four major North American team sports because the NBA, NFL and MLB still have much bigger equally-shared national media and sponsorship deals."
And the mistake:
"Still, 29 of the 30 teams rose in value, and the one exception, the Florida Panthers (down 21%), was due to a mistake I made last September in reporting the sale price of the team as $240 million, which we used for our value of the team two months later. But subsequent to the publication of our 2013 valuations I learned that the true sale price was $160 million (the widely reported price of $250 million at the time of the deal included future operating losses that should not be included in calculating an enterprise value). Had we used the correct sale price of $160 million the value of the Panthers would have increased 19%."
So for those who were chirping for the Panthers to move out of South Florida because of one game where they had miserable attendance ... chill.
Now that we have that all out there, nothing on their list is truly a major, super big surprise. The big market teams are worth more than the smaller market teams. Also, the falling Canadian dollar is not accounted for, since it says it uses the 93 cents per-US dollar figure from the 2013-14 season. It's currently (as of Tuesday anyway) at 89 cents per-US dollar.
Either way, when the NHL says business is on an upward tick, it's not kidding. Granted, we often bemoan how it could be better -- which it can. Yes, the league is locked into these super long-term television deals now, which have equated to a short-term windfall, but may look bad by the time they're up.
But at least for the moment, mostly everyone seems happy.
Note the Islanders massive increase in value -- which likely stems from a pending move to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, away from that haven called Uniondale.
 
Below is the Forbes list of franchises and their values.
 
Rank
Team
Current Value (millions)
% Change from 2013
`1
Toronto Maple Leafs
1,300
13
2
New York Rangers
1,100
29
3
Montreal Canadiens
1,000
29
4
Chicago Blackhawks
825
32
5
Vancouver Canucks
800
14
6
Boston Bruins
750
25
7
Philadelphia Flyers
625
25
8
Los Angeles Kings
580
29
9
Detroit Red Wings
570
21
10
Pittsburgh Penguins
565
18
11
Washington Capitals
500
21
12
Edmonton Oilers
475
19
13
Calgary Flames
451
7
14
San Jose Sharks
425
5
15
Dallas Stars
420
26
16
Ottawa Senators
400
5
17
Minnesota Wild
370
12
18
Anaheim Ducks
365
22
19
Colorado Avalanche
360
7
20
Winnipeg Jets
358
5
21
New Jersey Devils
330
3
22
New York Islanders
300
54
23
Buffalo Sabres
288
15
24
Nashville Predators
250
22
25
St. Louis Blues
235
27
26
Tampa Bay Lightning
230
28
27
Arizona Coyotes
225
12
28
Carolina Hurricanes
220
18
29
Columbus Blue Jackets
200
14
30
Florida Panthers
190
- 21