FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) Saying his team "followed every rule to the letter," New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick described in detail how his team prepares its footballs on game day and defended his players from chatter that they made it to the Super Bowl by cheating.
"At no time was there any intent whatsoever to try to compromise the integrity of the game or to gain an advantage," Belichick said in an unscheduled availability on Saturday afternoon, eight days before the Patriots will play the Seattle Seahawks for the NFL championship.
"Quite the opposite: we feel like we followed the rules of the game to the letter," he said. "We try to do everything right. We err on the side of caution. It's been that way now for many years. Anything that's close, we stay as far away from the line as we can."
Speaking once again with authority on a topic he previously professed ignorance of, Belichick said the team conducted an internal study on the process of getting game balls ready.
Most of the steps are designed to make them tackier, which has a noticeable effect on how it feels, he said, but the process could also affect the pressure inside the ball, which is harder to tell by touch.
"I'm not a scientist. I'm not an expert in footballs; I'm not an expert in football measurements," Belichick said. "I'm just telling you what I know."
The Patriots reached the Super Bowl for the sixth time in Belichick's tenure when they beat the Colts 45-7 in the AFC championship game on Sunday. But later that night, Indianapolis TV station WTHR reported that some of the game balls provided by New England for the use of its offense weren't sufficiently inflated.
The NFL said its initial investigation confirmed that some of the footballs used in the first half of the conference title game were underinflated. On Thursday, Belichick deferred questions on the game balls to Brady; the quarterback also denied any impropriety.
Wide receiver Matthew Slater, who also serves as the team's union rep, said Saturday that the players had been instructed by the NFLPA not to comment on the situation.
But in the slow news off-days before Super Bowl week, the allegations received disproportionate attention - and Twitter hashtags such as "Deflategate" and "Ballghazi" - along with comparisons to the videotaping scandal of 2007, when the Patriots were hit with unprecedented penalties after Belichick was caught recording opposing coaches sending in signals from the sidelines.
Belichick denied that there is a pattern of rule-breaking, or even of pushing the rules to their limit.
"It was wrong. We were disciplined for it. That's it. We never did it again. We're never going to do it again," Belichick said of the scandal that came to be known as "Spygate." "And anything else that's close, we're not going to do either."
A football lifer who only seems happy on the sidelines, if at all, Belichick is known for an absolute attention to detail that prepares his team for every imaginable situation.
But instead of getting ready for the Super Bowl, he said he has spent far too much time the past week studying the science and learning about "bladders, air gauges, stitching, pressure, game day football preparation, rubdowns and so forth."
"I'm embarrassed to talk about the amount of time that I've put into this relative to the other important challenge in front of us," he said. "It sounds simple, and I'm not trying to say that we're trying to land a guy on the moon, but there are a lot of things here that are a little hard to get a handle on."
But Belichick seemed most emotional when he came to the defense of his team. Among the questions he and his players have been asked this week is whether they cheated to get to the Super Bowl.
Belichick praised his players, who went 12-4 in the regular season, won an 11th division title in 12 years, made a fourth straight trip - and ninth overall - to the conference championship game, and have a chance for a fourth NFL title in his tenure.
"They're a physically and mentally tough team that works hard, that trains hard, that prepares hard and have met every challenge that I put in front of them," he said.
"This team was the best team in the AFC in the regular season. ... The best team in the postseason, that's what this team is. I know that because I've been with them every day. And I'm proud of this team."
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Follow Jimmy Golen on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/jgolen .
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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL
MSNBC.com | Sun, 25 Jan 2015 03:30:00 +0000
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Not that they did before, but it's official now: No one wants to get in front of Shea Weber's shot.
The Nashville Predators defenseman fired the hardest shot of 108.5 mph at the NHL All-Stars skills competition on Saturday night, taking advantage of five-time champion Zdeno Chara's absence.
"I knew I got it," Weber said. "But it's tough. You never know how hard it is until it registers on the gun. But it felt like I got pretty much all I could into it, and (you) just kind of hope for the best."
Fighting his nerves since he doesn't practice high-velocity shots, Weber missed the entire net on a 101.8-mph drive with his first attempt. That nullified that try.
Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin - who stole the show at Friday night's draft by pleading to be picked last so he would win a new car - had led the competition with a pair of 101.4-mph drives.
But then Weber stepped into his final shot to win the event.
He said it felt strange with the 6-foot-9 Chara - who holds the record of 108.8 mph set in 2012 - not participating.
"Obviously, he's the guy to beat all the time," Weber said. "He's got the big shot. Honestly, I was nervous because there's some guys out there that can rip it."
The team captained by Columbus Blue Jackets forward Nick Foligno defeated one led by Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, 25-19. The teams meet in the 60th All-Star game on Sunday.
A capacity crowd roared with laughter, booed former Columbus players such as New York Rangers star Rick Nash, and gave Weber a standing ovation.
"We had a blast," Foligno said. "The boys did awesome. I wasn't sure how it was going to go but we got off to a great start."
The other premier event at the skills competition featured Ryan Johansen of the hometown Blue Jackets winning the breakaway challenge.
Johansen pulled Blue Jackets trainer Mike Vogt's 7-year-old son, Cole, out of the stands to score a goal to the delight of the crowd. In addition, the center endeared himself to Ohio State fans by pulling off his Blue Jackets sweater to reveal a No. 5 Ohio State football jersey - similar to one worn by injured star quarterback Braxton Miller - on his first shot.
Johansen also employed a star-laden V-formation to the net on his third and final attempt.
"On the ice we're out there goofing around, having fun, making each other laugh while showing our moves and skills - things we don't normally do on the ice," Johansen said. "I've really enjoyed meeting these guys off the ice. It's amazing how similar we all are."
Moments after Johansen and Cole Vogt scored their tandem goal, Philadelphia's Jake Voracek did exactly what Johansen did - except instead of a little boy he grabbed diminutive Calgary rookie Johnny Gaudreau and guided him toward scoring a goal.
The breakaway event began with St. Louis goalie Brian Elliott turning his back on an opposing player - Blues teammate Vladimir Tarasenko - and then taking a selfie of the two as the puck went into the net. The crowd again roared with laughter.
Ovechkin, who won the first three of the five times the breakaway has been held, struck out on three baseball swings off high passes from Tarasenko. Patrick Kane, who won in 2012 after donning Clark Kent glasses and a red Superman cape, didn't compete in the breakaway but had the fastest time in accuracy shooting.
In the fastest skater event, in which players were paired off and raced around the perimeter of the rink against the clock, Team Foligno went 5-0 - winning all four races and pocketing an extra point for Tampa Bay's Jonathan Drouin posting the fastest time of 13.103 seconds.
Toronto's Phil Kessel, who was dealt by Team Toews for Tyler Seguin on Friday in a duplicate of a real 2009 deal between Boston and Toronto, surprised many by edging the Dallas Stars star in the first speed pairing of the event.
In a matchup of Blackhawks teammates, Kane beat Toews by breaking four plates at the corners of a net almost 3 seconds faster - in a time of 13.529 - to push Team Foligno to a 10-1 lead through three events.
The two close friends shared a laugh later when they met at mid-ice.
"We're always competitive with each other in all aspects of the game," Toews said. "Tonight, he got the best of me. I had the chance to take it from him, and it just slipped away. It happens."
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Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RustyMillerAP
MSNBC.com | Sun, 25 Jan 2015 03:35:00 +0000
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The World Cup of Hockey is making a long-awaited return in 2016.
And the NHL intends to host it every four years.
"We decided that bringing back the World Cup was vitally important," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced Saturday during the league's All-Star game weekend festivities.
"We're going to let this evolve. We believe after giving the event such a good start that we're going to build off it."
To begin with, the 2016 tournament will feature eight teams with all games played in Toronto.
The tournament will start Sept. 17 and end with a best-of-three final series, with the last possible date set for Oct. 1.
The World Cup will overlap training camps, and push back the start of the regular season to the second week of October.
The players' union is on board as a full partner.
"We have an opportunity here to build this game, and build this culture and create something that everybody on both sides can be immensely proud of," NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr said. "We view this is a first step, although a very important one."
The league also announced the Bruins and Canadiens will play in the Winter Classic next year on Jan. 1 at Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL's New England Patriots.
The return of the World Cup was the highlight announcement.
It will feature a new wrinkle, with two of the teams made up of multinational players. One team will consist of North American-born players 23 and younger. Another will consist of European-born players whose countries aren't represented.
The other six teams will be Canada, the United States, Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic and Finland. Teams will be split in two divisions.
The World Cup and its predecessor, the Canada Cup, have been held seven times since 1976 through 2004.
Bettman foresees holding the World Cup every four years and adding more countries.
The timing of the 2016 World Cup comes two years before the Winter Olympics will be held in South Korea. The NHL has not yet determined whether it will allow its players to compete in the Pyeongchang Games because of concerns over travel and time differences.
Bettman said the World Cup announcement "has no bearing on whether we will return to the next Olympics."
Players are excited about the return of the World Cup.
Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane recalled watching the U.S. winning the tournament in 1996.
"We have a lot of pride in playing for our country," Kane said. "Being able to be part of something special as this, especially in a hockey hotbed like Toronto, I think it'll all come together and be a great tournament."
Canada has won five of the seven tournaments, with Russia winning in 1981.
The one caveat players had is they don't want the World Cup to be held at the expense of competing at the Olympics, which NHL players have done since the Nagano Games in 1998.
"Olympics are Olympics," Slovenian-born Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar said. "I don't know if that would be a good trade off."
The inclusion of two mixed national teams intrigued players.
Some wondered how Canadians and Americans can set aside their longstanding cross-border rivalry.
"It definitely would be a little bit uncomfortable," said Calgary Flames rookie Johnny Gaudreau, who is from New Jersey. "But at the same time, it would be a great experience getting to play against guys who have been playing in the NHL for a long time."
There would be an even larger mix of nationalities on the European All-Star team, which has the potential to feature players from as many as nine countries.
Buffalo Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons - the only Latvian currently in the NHL - was stumped by the question of which nation's anthem would be played before games.
"That is a good question. I didn't even think that far," Girgensons said. "Maybe flip a coin."
Each team will play three pre-tournament games, including the potential of some being played in Europe. There has also been discussion of having all eight teams play their final pre-tournament games in Buffalo, New York, a two-hour drive from Toronto.
Bettman provided updates on other topics:
- The NHL expects billionaire businessman Bill Foley to launch a season-ticket drive next month to determine whether there is enough interest to establish a franchise in Las Vegas.
- Seattle Mayor Ed Murray met with Bettman last week to discuss the possibility of establishing a team there. Bettman called it "a nice chat," but noted Seattle lacks a feasible facility for an NHL team.
- The falling Canadian dollar could put a dent into the NHL's salary cap projection of $73 million for next season. Should the loonie stay at its current level of about 80-cents U.S., the cap could drop to $71.7 million.
- The NHL's other outdoor games next year will feature Minnesota hosting Chicago at TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota on Feb. 21, and Colorado hosting Detroit at Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies, in Denver on Feb. 27.
MSNBC.com | Sat, 24 Jan 2015 21:26:00 +0000
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) In a span of just 48 hours, LaMarcus Aldridge resigned himself to thumb surgery, reversed himself and decided to play through the pain, then led the Portland Trail Blazers to victory over the Washington Wizards.
"He can't sit out. He doesn't want to sit out. He loves this game and figures if he's got something to give, he's going to give," teammate Wesley Matthews said.
The Blazers surprised many on Saturday when the team announced on Twitter that Aldridge had decided to put off surgery and would play that night against Washington.
He responded with a team-high 26 points and nine rebounds in a 103-96 win to snap a two-game losing streak.
He was sore after the game but said he was OK.
"I'll just play until it's intolerable. Tonight, I thought it was tolerable," he said. "It was hurting a little but it wasn't too much. I'll just keep going until I feel like I'm not playing as good as I can, or I can't take it."
The 6-foot-11 power forward leads Portland with averages of 23.3 points and 10.2 rebounds. He's one of just three NBA players averaging at least 23 points and 10 rebounds.
Aldridge had said on Thursday that he needed surgery to repair a ligament in his left thumb and was expected to miss from six to eight weeks.
He hurt his thumb when his hand came down on the knee of Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins in the second quarter of the Blazers' 98-95 victory on Monday night.
"You can't say enough," coach Terry Stotts said about Aldridge's return. "That was big time. Not only coming back and playing through the injury but then not favoring it, going hard, not shying away from contact, being aggressive on both ends of the court - I mean, that was big time."
The injury looked like a big blow to the Blazers, who were already dealing with a depleted front line. Center Robin Lopez is out with a fractured right hand and center Joel Freeland is sidelined with a strained right shoulder.
Starting small forward Nicolas Batum left Thursday night's 90-89 loss at home to the Boston Celtics after he aggravated a right wrist injury that had been bothering him. Batum did not play against Washington.
Going into Saturday's victory, Portland had lost five of six games.
Aldridge said the close loss to the Celtics impacted his decision, and that his doctors told him there was "no harm in giving it a shot." In the past two days he'd been able to move his thumb, which also factored into the decision.
"My idea now is to play the rest of the season," he said. "But if it gets too much where I can't handle it or I'm not playing at a very good level then I'll stop. But hopefully it goes well for us."
If he gets through the season, he'll have the surgery in the offseason, he said.
In his ninth NBA season, all with Portland, Aldridge recently moved into second on the franchise list for both points (11,782) and rebounds (5,095). He trails only Clyde Drexler with 18,050 points and 5,339 rebounds.
Blazers guard Damian Lillard said he greeted Aldridge with applause when he came into the locker room after his return was announced.
"I can't even sit here and tell you how big it is just for him to be out there," Lillard said. "Sixty percent, 70 percent LaMarcus Aldridge is better than no LaMarcus at all."
The Blazers embark on a four-game road trip that starts Monday against the Nets.
MSNBC.com | Sun, 25 Jan 2015 07:23:00 +0000
Even as the Chicago Cubs lost one game after another, Ernie Banks never lost hope.
That was the charm of "Mr. Cub."
Banks, the Hall of Fame slugger and two-time MVP who always maintained his boundless enthusiasm for baseball despite decades of playing on miserable teams, died Friday night. He was 83.
The Cubs announced Banks' death, but did not provide a cause.
Banks hit 512 home runs during his 19-year career and was fond of saying, "It's a great day for baseball. Let's play two." In fact, that sunny finish to his famous catchphrase adorns his statue outside Wrigley Field.
"His joyous outlook will never be forgotten by fans of the Cubs and all those who love baseball," Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement.
And on a cold winter night Friday in Chicago, the ballpark marquee carried the sad news for the entire town to see: Ernie Banks. "Mr. Cub." 1931-2015.
"Words cannot express how important Ernie Banks will always be to the Chicago Cubs, the city of Chicago and Major League Baseball. He was one of the greatest players of all time," Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement. "He was a pioneer in the major leagues. And more importantly, he was the warmest and most sincere person I've ever known."
"Approachable, ever optimistic and kind hearted, Ernie Banks is and always will be Mr. Cub. My family and I grieve the loss of such a great and good-hearted man, but we look forward to celebrating Ernie's life in the days ahead."
In a statement Saturday, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama expressed their condolences "to the family of Ernie Banks, and to every Chicagoan and baseball fan who loved him." The president said Banks became known as much for his optimism and love of the game as his home runs and back-to-back National League MVPs.
"As a Hall-of-Famer, Ernie was an incredible ambassador for baseball, and for the city of Chicago," President Obama said. "He was beloved by baseball fans everywhere, including Michelle, who, when she was a girl, used to sit with her dad and watch him play on TV. And in 2013, it was my honor to present Ernie with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
"Somewhere, the sun is shining, the air is fresh, his team's behind him, and Mr. Class - "Mr. Cub" - is ready to play two."
Though he was an 11-time All-Star from 1953-71, Banks never reached the postseason. The Cubs, who haven't won the World Series since 1908, finished below .500 in all but six of his seasons and remain without a pennant since 1945.
Still, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977, the first year he was eligible, and was selected to baseball's All-Century team in 1999.
"After hitting his 500th home run, Ernie summed up his feelings by saying: `The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."' Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson said in a statement. "That was the essence of Ernie Banks. There was no one who adored the Cubs and the city of Chicago more than Ernie."
Banks' infectious smile and non-stop good humor despite his team's dismal record endeared him to Chicago fans, who voted him the best player in franchise history. One famous admirer, actor Bill Murray, named his son Homer Banks Murray.
In 2013, Banks was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom - by Obama, a noted White Sox fan,. The award is one of the nation's highest civilian honors.
"Ernie Banks was more than a baseball player. He was one of Chicago's greatest ambassadors. He loved this city as much as he loved - and lived for - the game of baseball," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. "This year, during every Cubs game, you can bet that No. 14 will be watching over his team. And if we're lucky, it'll be a beautiful day for not just one ballgame, but two."
Banks' No. 14 was the first number retired by the Cubs, and it hangs on a flag from the left-field foul pole at the old ballpark.
"I'd like to get to the last game of the World Series at Wrigley Field and hit three homers," he once said. "That was what I always wanted to do."
But even without an opportunity to play on the October stage, Banks left an indelible mark that still resonates with fans and athletes from all sports.
"Ernie Banks... We are going to all miss you. (hash)Legend," quarterback Russell Wilson tweeted as he and the Seattle Seahawks were getting ready to defend their Super Bowl title.
Banks was playing for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues when the Cubs discovered him in 1953, and purchased his contract for $10,000. He made his major league debut at shortstop on Sept. 17 that year, and three days later hit his first home run.
Tall and thin, Banks didn't look like a typical power hitter. He looked even less so as he stood at the plate, holding his bat high and wiggling it as he waited for pitches. But he had strong wrists and a smooth, quick stroke, and he made hitting balls out of the park look effortless.
When he switched to a lighter bat before the 1955 season, his power quickly became apparent. He hit 44 homers that season, including three against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 4. His five grand slams that year established a major league record that stood for more than 30 years before Don Mattingly hit six in 1987.
Banks' best season came in 1958, when he hit .313 with 47 homers and 129 RBIs. Though the Cubs went 72-82 and finished sixth in the National League, Banks edged Willie Mays and Hank Aaron for his first MVP award. He was the first player from a losing team to win the NL MVP.
Banks won the MVP again in 1959, becoming the first NL player to win it in consecutive years, even though the Cubs had another dismal year. Banks batted .304 with 45 homers and a league-leading 143 RBIs.
He led the NL in homers again in 1960 with 41, his fourth straight season with 40 or more. His 248 homers from 1955-60 were the most in the majors, topping even Aaron and Mays.
"Mr Cub. What you have done for the game of baseball the city of Chicago and everyone you have ever touched will never be forgotten. RIP," tweeted Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
Though Banks didn't break the 40-homer barrier again after 1960, he topped the 100-RBI mark three more times, including 1969, his last full season. Then 38, he hit .253 with 23 home runs and 106 RBIs, and was chosen an All-Star for an 11th time.
On May 12, 1970, he hit his 500th home run at Wrigley Field, becoming only the eighth player at the time to reach the plateau.
Banks retired after the 1971 season. He owned most of the Cubs' career slugging records, some of which still stand today.
Known mostly for his power at the plate, Banks was a solid fielder, too. He is best known as a shortstop, where he won a Gold Glove in 1960, but he switched to first base in 1962. He played 1,259 games at first and 1,125 games at shortstop.
Born and raised in Dallas, Banks would be bribed to play catch by his father, who always wanted him to be a baseball player. Banks grew to love the game and was a standout in high school, along with participating in football, basketball and track and field.
He joined a barnstorming Negro Leagues team at 17 and was spotted by Cool Papa Bell, who signed him to the Monarchs in 1950. Banks played one season before going into the Army. He returned to Kansas City after he was discharged, playing one more season before joining the Cubs.
"He was one of the great crossover baseball players of his day," the Rev. Jesse Jackson said. "His personality was a racial bridge builder. He treated all people with dignity and respect. He never stopped reaching out to bridge the racial chasms."
MSNBC.com | Sat, 24 Jan 2015 16:04:00 +0000