NFL ratings are facing yet another brutal blitz this fall — and few pundits are betting that they won’t get sacked. With ratings having plunged 8 percent in 2016 and nearly 10 percent last year, experts say this season’s ratings could fall even faster as the league continues to grapple with a
You aren’t seeing double … or maybe you are?
You aren’t seeing double … or maybe you are?
The A’s bested the Yankees in the first installment of a potential Wild Card Game preview Monday afternoon. Trevor Cahill wasn’t his sharpest in the early goings, but neither was his counterpart, and the A’s took advantage, tagging CC Sabathia for five runs (four earned) in 3 1/3 innings in a crucial 6-3 win at the Coliseum, which pulled the A’s within 3 1/2 games of the Yankees for the top American League Wild Card spot.
Advocacy for the new rule changes is coming from an unlikely source – one of the most fearsome hitters in NFL history.
One of the league’s most legendary – and in some circles notorious – hitters laments the end of old-school football. Yet, he’s for the rule change.
NORTON, Mass. – Bryson DeChambeau wanted to talk about gravity. Actually, he wasn’t sure just how much he should expound on it, fearing perhaps it would go over our heads. Those concerns probably were well-founded – most of us know gravity only as the thing that holds our well-struck 7-irons on earth instead of seeing the golf balls float away into space. To absolutely no one’s surprise, DeChambeau of course has a different perspective. “That gravity actually pushed outward and not inward,â€� he said. As he finished his sentence, a large set of puzzled faces stared back at him. “That’s going to throw you guys for a loop,â€� he acknowledged. By the way, this isn’t a new theory. DeChambeau first thought of it for his first science project — in grade school. Sixth grade, maybe 7th. He wasn’t sure of the year – but he did know it was pretty well-received by his teachers. “I had a couple of interesting theories about it,â€� he said, “and I described it very, very well.â€� What did all this have to do with DeChambeau winning for the second consecutive week in these FedExCup Playoffs and securing the No. 1 seed all the way to the start of the TOUR Championship? Hard to say. After all, giving his form – Monday’s Dell Technologies Championship win being a continuation of last week’s victory at THE NORTHERN TRUST — this seems more like a momentum thing, not a gravity thing. Of course, it just goes to the heart that DeChambeau sees things in a different light, that he’s willing to challenge, think outside the box, defy conventional thinking. Of course, we already knew that. Perhaps you’ve heard he uses single-length clubs. But with each win – he’s had four of them now in his last 31 PGA TOUR starts — the skeptics become believers. Even his dad Jon has come around on it. “When I was starting to do my one-length iron stuff, there were a couple of colleges that just stopped talking to me. Even my dad didn’t think it was a great idea,â€� DeChambeau said. “I love my dad to death, but we butted heads. But obviously it works now.â€� Asked if his dad uses single-length clubs now, DeChambeau smiled. “Yep.â€� Since when? “About a year-and-a-half.â€� That might have been about the time that DeChambeau hit a lull, missing 11 cuts in a 15-start stretch in the first half of 2017. But just over a year ago, he won for the first time on TOUR, the John Deere Classic. Now he can’t stop winning. As a result, his expectations are higher. The frustration he showed during a range session at The Open Championship in July was built on the fact that he now demands more out of his game. “Look, I was at a different level at that point in time relative to last year at this time,â€� DeChambeau said. “I was still hitting the ball in the fairways but it wasn’t up to my standard. And so I was trying to figure out why it wasn’t up to my standard. “I built something really, really consistent in the beginning of the year and I kind of lost it. Kind of got lucky finding it. And now I’m starting to understand why I was so good in the beginning of the year. “And that’s kind of a scary thought for me, at least, because it shows what I can do, and especially with the last couple of weeks. It’s a good combination.â€� I’ve always been a guy that’s been weird and unique relative to everybody else … I’ve always gone about my business trying to do the absolute best I can. Let today’s garbage be better than yesterday’s. And so I don’t view people’s criticism as a negative thing. I actually view it as a positive thing because what people can’t understand sometimes is actually a benefit to the person that does understand it. A week ago, he had entered the final round at THE NORTHERN TRUST with a four-shot advantage and kept everyone else at arm’s length. On Labor Day, he had to work a bit harder. He teed off one shot behind playing partner Abraham Ancer and the two were tied after seven holes. But birdies at the eighth and ninth holes gave DeChambeau a two-shot lead. He gradually built it to four. It was at that point that TPC Boston felt a lot like Ridgewood. While Ancer, seeking his first TOUR title, struggled to keep it, Australian Cameron Smith made a late charge to get within a shot. But DeChambeau’s final birdie, at the par-4 15th, sealed the deal. A 3-wood struck 309 yards, then a wedge to inside 9 feet, then the birdie putt. Lights out. “That was it,â€� DeChambeau said. “That’s how I play golf right there. Make that birdie and come off the green confident.â€� Right now, no one should have more confidence than DeChambeau. Two straight wins to start the Playoffs – only Vijay Singh (2008) has done that. No. 1 in the FedExCup, No. 7 in the world ranking. And expect him to get a call from U.S. captain Jim Furyk for a spot on the upcoming Ryder Cup team. Of course, there is only one guarantee that he’ll finish the season as the FedExCup champ – win at East Lake. If he fails to achieve that, the door could be open for somebody else, since points will be reset after the BMW Championship. But even if he doesn’t end the season winning golf’s biggest prize, he has won over all those skeptics. Not that they bothered him much anyway. “I’ve always been a guy that’s been weird and unique relative to everybody else,â€� he said. “… I’ve always gone about my business trying to do the absolute best I can. Let today’s garbage be better than yesterday’s. “And so I don’t view people’s criticism as a negative thing. I actually view it as a positive thing because what people can’t understand sometimes is actually a benefit to the person that does understand it.â€� Speaking of not understanding something – can we hear more about the gravity theory?
Caption Close The Texans worked out four cornerbacks on Monday. That includes former Buffalo Bills and Oakland Raiders cornerback Breon Borders, Chris Campbell, Michael Hunter and Jalen Myrick, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly. The 6-0, 195-pound Borders was a third team all
“Colin has been a Nike athlete since 2011,” Nike spokeswoman Sandra Carreon-John said on Monday. “Colin is one of a number of athletes being featured as part of our 30th anniversary of Just Do It.” She said Nike unveiled the campaign last week by releasing a film featuring Serena
NORTON, Mass. – Bryson DeChambeau has secured the No. 1 seed in the FedExCup through to the TOUR Championship after claiming the Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston. After a convincing victory at THE NORTHERN TRUST to open the four-event Playoffs stretch DeChambeau backed it up with another dominant display, prevailing by two shots over Justin Rose. The win assures the 25-year-old the top seed in the FedExCup not only at next week’s BMW Championship at Aronimink in Philadelphia, but through to the season finale TOUR Championship in Atlanta. The top five players at East Lake control their own destiny knowing a win secures the FedExCup. DeChambeau will also have the best chance to claim the season long championship without victory. After the points reset he would have a reasonable chance to win the FedExCup with a top-6 finish in Atlanta and mathematically has a chance finishing as low as T29 in the 30-man field. “I’ve still got to focus on doing the absolute best I can each and every week. I can’t get caught up in the fact that I’m No. 1,â€� DeChambeau said. “If a guy wins the first three Playoff events, if that was ever to happen, you’re still not guaranteed that you’re going to win the FedExCup. So no matter what there’s always a job to do. “I can’t get caught up in the fact that I won the past two weeks. Everybody starts at even par next week. We’re all fresh. And there’s going to be a winner on Sunday. So it could be anybody out of the 70 that are there. I’ve just got to play better than all of them.â€� While his seeding won’t change next week, DeChambeau still has goals he’s chasing. He joined Vijay Singh (2008) as the only player to win the opening two Playoff events in the history of the FedExCup and now has a chance to set more record marks. No one has ever won more than two of the four Playoff events in one season, although there has now been a multiple winner in eight of the 12 seasons. DeChambeau is also expected to join the U.S. Ryder Cup team as a captain’s pick this week. ROSE BLOOMING AHEAD OF ARONIMINK RETURN It might be pretty hard to take favoritism away from Bryson DeChambeau at next week’s BMW Championship but one man could … Justin Rose. The Englishman finished runner up at the Dell Technologies Championship with a final round 3-under 68 leaving him 14 under. Given he opened Monday’s final round with back-to-back bogeys it was an impressive fight back and left Rose third in the FedExCup and importantly all but assured to stay in the top five of the standings by the TOUR Championship. The top five at East Lake hold their destiny in their own hands, knowing a win in Atlanta secures the FedExCup. But Rose won’t be taking the BMW Championship easy … he has history at the course and as such looks a serious threat to stop DeChambeau’s streak. The Englishman won the 2010 Quicken Loans National when the Philadelphia course hosted the event and was T15 the year after in his title defense. “You’re trying to win these amazing golf tournaments, but in the back of your mind you’re trying to secure yourself into a great position going into the final one at East Lake in Atlanta,â€� Rose said. “So far job done. I’ll be going to Aronimink next week, a course I’ve won at, obviously have confidence, and see if I can get it going. “This result gives me a realistic chance coming into East Lake, no matter what. OBSERVATIONS SMITH SECURES FIRST TOUR CHAMPS … Young Australian Cameron Smith (69) grabbed his second third place result of the FedExCup Playoffs and as such secured his first trip to East Lake for the TOUR Championship. Smith had a chance to force some pressure on DeChambeau down the stretch after a birdie on the 16th hole but dumped a 7-iron into the hazard on the 18th hole as he tried to force the issue to make eagle on the par-5 finisher. Smith moved to eighth in the FedExCup standings and will now try to channel the vibes from Billy Horschel’s FedExCup run in 2014 where he went close at TPC Boston in similar fashion before winning the last two Playoff events and the FedExCup. SEASON OVER … Only 70 players move on to the BMW Championship meaning 30 players have been eliminated this week. Ryan Moore’s final round 2-over 73 proved costly as he dropped to 71st on the standings, missing out on a trip to Aronimink by just three FedExCup points. Ted Potter Jr. – the winner at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am – was the last man in. Several players proved clutch down the stretch including Peter Uihlein – who finished with three straight birdies – to move on. For all the FedExCup news check the FedExCup update here. NOTABLES TIGER WOODS – Starting the day with an outside chance at victory Woods failed to make a deep move. Three birdies in his opening 11 holes wasn’t really applying pressure and then three dropped shots in his last five holes left him with an even-par 71 to finish 7 under and T24. He sits 25th in the FedExCup. JORDAN SPIETH – Still without a win this season after final round 1-under 70 left him 10 under and T12. He jumped inside the top 30 of the FedExCup to 27th. DUSTIN JOHNSON – Protected his world No. 1 status with an impressive final round 7-under 64. Moved to 11 under and T7 to stay second in the FedExCup. PHIL MICKELSON – Entertaining 8-under 63 in the final round moved the veteran to 10 under T12 and to ninth in the FedExCup. TONY FINAU – A 10th top 10 this season without a win after 3-under 68 final round left him 12 under and T4. Fourth in the FedExCup. BROOKS KOEPKA – Had a chance to go to number one in the world if he could best Dustin Johnson, instead finished one behind him at 10 under T12. JUSTIN THOMAS – Defending champion had two eagles on the way to a 6-under 65 to finish at 7 under and T24. QUOTABLES Hopefully I can keep riding this wave.I’ve got to take this momentum into Philadelphia.I was having a hard time just getting in the zone.I was pretty amped up. You feel the adrenaline. SUPERLATIVES Low round: 63 by Phil Mickelson (T12). Longest drive: 371 yards, by J.B. Holmes (T49) at the seventh hole. Longest putt: 57 feet, four inches by Marc Leishman (T21) at the par-3 16th hole. Easiest hole: The 531-yard, par-5 18th played to a 4.500 average including four eagles. Hardest hole: The 514-yard, par-4 14th played to a 4.408 average including just four birdies. CALL OF THE DAY For play-by-play coverage of the PGA TOUR, listen at PGATOUR.COM. SHOT OF THE DAY
