Chicago Bulls
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Jabari Parker says a reserve role on the Bulls would be a 'huge adjustment'
Saying he declined to address reporters late Wednesday because he “just wasn’t prepared to answer questions” about his demotion, Bulls forward Jabari Parker answered almost all of them before practice Thursday. It’s the one he didn’t answer that seemed the most telling. Asked if, after two left...
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12 possible fill-ins for Bulls announcer Neil Funk, who sit out 20 games this season
We know Neil Funk, who is set to mark his 72nd birthday Dec. 29, will be scaling back his schedule as Bulls TV announcer this season. The Bulls have said there will be 20 Funk-free dates to fill with a rotating crew of substitutes alongside analyst Stacey King. They said the reduced workload is...
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An athletic Zach LaVine reflects on his strong preseason play: 'I feel in tiptop shape'
Preseason or not, Zach LaVine is turning heads with his play. After a disjointed return last season because it marked his first action since rehabbing his torn left ACL, LaVine is averaging 19.3 points in 23.3 minutes while shooting 50 percent, including 40 percent from 3-point range. LaVine also...
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With every expletive and hissyfit, Jimmy Butler makes sure that the Bulls continue to win the trade
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Jimmy Butler contrives to publicly rip young teammates. After demanding a trade over the summer but not getting it, Butler showed up Wednesday for his first Timberwolves practice and proceeded to rip everybody on and off the court from coach and basketball President...
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Hall of Famer Tex Winter, architect of the champion Bulls' triangle offense, dies at 96
Tex Winter, the Hall of Fame coach whose teachings of the triangle offense helped spearhead six Bulls championships in the 1990s, died Wednesday, the Bulls confirmed. Winter, 96, had been in declining health since suffering a debilitating stroke in April 2009. “I learned so much from Coach Winter,”...
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Fred Hoiberg: 'I loved our energy coming out of the gate' after lineup moves lead to preseason win
Dating back to the offseason and throughout training camp, Fred Hoiberg has declared his lineup an open competition. On Wednesday, the Bulls coach put Jabari Parker’s money where Hoiberg’s mouth is. Parker’s $20 million payday landed in a reserve role for the Bulls’ 104-89 victory over the Pacers...
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Bulls 104, Pacers 89
Photos from the Bulls' 104-89 win over the Pacers in a preseason game on Oct. 10, 2018, at the United Center.
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Quebec group taking shot at NBA expansion team for Montreal
A Quebec group wants to bring an NBA team to Montreal even though the league has no current plans to expand. The business group is led by former federal cabinet minister and senator Michael Fortier. He said Wednesday he has spoken with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, adding that his group has "taken...
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Bulls Q&A;: Is this the worst defensive team in franchise history? Who's on all-time interview team?
Typing this the morning of the preseason game against the Pacers, which means the Bulls still have two more chances to tune things up before the regular-season opener. From the looks of the first three games, there’s plenty of work. Is this the worst defensive team in Bulls history? — Josiah, Slidell,...
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Doug McDermott hopes to find stable home with Pacers
Doug McDermott sat down in a courtside seat at the United Center and smiled. “I feel like I was just here yesterday,” McDermott said Wednesday before the Bulls-Pacers preseason game at the United Center. Actually, it has been 17 months since the Bulls traded him along with Taj Gibson to the Thunder...
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Emotional Jimmy Butler reportedly challenges Wolves teammates at practice
Jimmy Butler is back with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and his first practice of the season had fireworks. He caused them — with his words and his play. Butler, who asked for a trade more than three weeks ago, practiced with the Timberwolves for the first time this season in Minneapolis on Wednesday....
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Wait, I thought the Bulls were done trying to tank
Heading into Wednesday night’s game against the Pacers, the Bulls have allowed 60 points in the first half of all three of their preseason games. Wait, I thought they were done trying to tank. No, wait again, the Bulls turned in that third straight awful effort in Charlotte on Monday in the wake...
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Candace Parker hired by Turner Sports as an analyst for NBA on TNT and NBA TV
If contributing to Turner Sports' NCAA men's basketball tournament coverage in March was an audition, two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker passed. Turner announced Wednesday that Parker has agreed to serve as an analyst and commentator for the NBA on TNT and NBA TV throughout the season in addition...
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An 'anxious' Jabari Parker downplays his preseason problems: I'll get back to playing the way I know I can'
Early in the third quarter of the Bulls’ listless preseason road loss to the Hornets on Monday night, coach Fred Hoiberg put the ball in Jabari Parker’s hands to facilitate the offense. The gesture was obvious. Here was a proud player with a new team — his hometown team to boot — who had missed...
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Giannis Antetokounmpo will win MVP, and 8 other bold NBA predictions for this season
Our 10 bold predictions for the upcoming NBA season actually began last week, when we explained why LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will miss the playoffs. But with a week left before the 2018-19 season gets underway, here are nine more predictions, beginning with the ascension of a new...
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Denzel Valentine likely to miss all 5 preseason games
Denzel Valentine didn’t practice Tuesday, the two-week mark since spraining his surgically repaired left ankle in the first practice of Bulls training camp. Coach Fred Hoiberg wouldn’t concede that Valentine will miss the entire five-game preseason schedule, which concludes Friday. But it doesn’t...
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Bulls defense continues to struggle in 110-104 preseason loss to Hornets
When training camp opened, the Bulls cited having only five preseason games as one big reason to create a sense of urgency. It isn’t showing on the defensive end. The Bulls’ chemistry got off to a poor start for reasons beyond their control first when Denzel Valentine went down with an ankle injury....
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Hornets 110, Bulls 104
Photos from the Bulls' 110-104 loss to the Hornets in a preseason game on Oct. 8, 2018, in Charlotte, N.C.
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'Jimmy is everything. I’m just lucky I fell into his hands.’ How Luol Deng’s boyhood coach made a big world seem small through sports.
This summer, Nikhil Lawry walked into a small high school gym in Chicago to work another day as a counselor at a basketball camp. Inside, he spotted a kid wearing a Brixton Topcats T-shirt. Lawry, who had played for youth club in England, couldn’t believe it. He did a double take. He took a picture...
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'An uplifting experience': Bulls associate head coach Jim Boylen relished interview opportunity with the Hornets
To avoid the logistical hassles of the Chicago Marathon, the Bulls flew to Charlotte on Sunday to practice there before Monday’s preseason game against the Hornets. It’s an organization Bulls associate head coach Jim Boylen knows well. That’s because in May, Boylen interviewed for the Hornets head...
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NBA fines Celtics' Marcus Smart and Cavaliers' J.R. Smith for shoving match
The NBA has fined Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart and Cleveland Cavaliers forward J.R. Smith for an on-court shoving match in their exhibition game. The league announced the fines Monday. In the first quarter of Saturday's game in Cleveland, Smith and Celtics forward Aron Baynes got tangled up...
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Tom Thibodeau on Jimmy Butler's trade request: 'Obviously, we're trying to get something done'
Jimmy Butler is still with the Minnesota Timberwolves, at least in an official sense. In reality, it remains a mess. Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau Friday acknowledged the team's efforts to grant Butler's trade request. "Obviously, we're trying to get something done," Thibodeau told reporters...
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Suns fire general manager Ryan McDonough on cusp of new season
The Phoenix Suns fired general manager Ryan McDonough on Monday, nine days before their season begins. James Jones and Trevor Bukstein will share the GM duties on an interim basis for the Suns. Jones is the team’s vice president of basketball operations and Bukstein was assistant GM under McDonough,...
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'I believe in my game:' Kris Dunn vows to have aggressive offensive mindset to keep opposing guards honest
By most accounts, Kris Dunn is the Bulls’ best individual defender. That the third-year point guard is assigned to guard so many dynamic players flips the discussion back to offense. At least that’s the way Dunn sees it. He offered a thoroughly thought-out answer to how he plans to balance the...
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ESPN's 'Basketball: A Love Story': A 20-hour show with only a second-hand perspective of Michael Jordan
While watching the Cubs not score runs against the Brewers and Rockies this week on ESPN, you may have noticed promos for “Basketball: A Love Story,” a 20-hour documentary set for five Tuesdays over the next six weeks beginning next week. Twenty hours is a whole lotta love, and there's no shortage...
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'Every bit as bad as we thought': Fred Hoiberg orders corrective practice; Zach LaVine sits with bruised quad
Zach LaVine sat out Thursday’s practice with his bruised right quad, a practice Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said would be corrective in light of Wednesday’s debacle against the Bucks in Milwaukee. “Generally, you come out of the game and you think things aren’t as good or bad as they seem,” Hoiberg...
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Bucks rookie guard Donte DiVincenzo received predraft help from Kirk Hinrich
Bucks rookie Donte DiVincenzo didn’t shoot well in his team’s preseason-opening victory over the Bulls on Wednesday, but he posted seven rebounds and six assists while flashing some of the defensive potential that has Milwaukee high on its first-round pick. That defensive potential has been bolstered...
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Derrick Rose's 30th birthday could give pause, lesson in perseverance
Derrick Rose turned 30 on Thursday. For a player who came to the Bulls at 19 as the No. 1 pick in the June 2008 draft and became the youngest most valuable player in NBA history at 22, Rose turning 30 could give pause. Especially because, after a slew of knee surgeries, Rose is now merely a rotation...
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Jabari Parker: 'I played like doo-doo' after Bucks blow out Bulls 116-82 in preseason game
Wednesday night didn’t represent your normal preseason game. For starters, it marked the first basketball game in the sparkling, $524 million Fiserv Forum, the Bucks’ new arena. It also represented the return of Jabari Parker, who spent his first four seasons in Milwaukee and, on Tuesday, he called...
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Bobby Portis undergoes 'The Grind' with Jimmy Butler's former trainer who once ripped GM Gar Forman
UNINTERRUPTED, the digital media platform LeBron James founded with his business partner Maverick Carter, released its latest episodes of “The Grind,” a series about athletes’ workouts. They star Bulls forward Bobby Portis, former Bull Tony Snell and none other than trainer Travelle Gaines. Yes,...
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Bulls Q&A;: How many games will the Bulls win this season? Will Bobby Portis sign a contract extension?
Typing this the day of the Bulls’ second preseason game. Or, as we in the media like to call it, The Jabari Parker Game. I really like the Bulls’ offense last game and the rhythm of the game. Fast plays, good athleticism and a young core with a lot of room for improvement. It seems like Fred Hoiberg’s...
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Bucks 116, Bulls 82
Photos from the Bulls' 116-82 loss to the Bucks in a preseason game Oct. 3, 2018, in Milwaukee.
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Despite ‘bitter’ ending in Milwaukee, Jabari Parker excited to face Bucks
Four years ago, the Bucks introduced No. 2 pick Jabari Parker at Milwaukee’s Public Market, part of that city’s identity and fabric. It appeared to be the start of a committed marriage, and Parker embraced his role within the franchise and community accordingly. Instead, Parker tore his left ACL...
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With Lauri Markkanen out, does Fred Hoiberg need to tell Bobby Portis to be more aggressive? 'Uh, Bobby’s always aggressive.'
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg playfully acted baffled by the question: With Lauri Markkanen out six to eight weeks, does Hoiberg need to tell Bobby Portis to be more aggressive? “Uh, Bobby’s always aggressive,” Hoiberg said. “I don’t have to tell him to be more assertive on the offensive end.” Preseason...
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Denzel Valentine taking long view on Bulls role while he recovers from ankle injury
When Denzel Valentine’s season ended early in April because he needed his left knee scoped, he made clear his views on his role for this season. “I definitely should be a starter coming in,” Valentine said at the time. This, of course, was before the Bulls signed Jabari Parker in free agency and,...
Most read sports stories this hour
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Will Kyle Schwarber be traded? 5 offseason questions for the Cubs about their outfielders
This is the fifth in a series of position-by-position analyses about the Cubs entering the offseason. 1. What is Albert Almora Jr.’s future? Given the pleas from his supporters for more playing time, it’s somewhat remarkable Almora played in a career-high 152 games with 479 plate appearances. Almora...
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Will Kris Bryant leave? 5 offseason questions for the Cubs about their infielders
This is the fourth in a series of position-by-position analyses about the Cubs entering the offseason. 1. Does Kris Bryant stay with the Cubs? If so, at third base? Relax, folks. The Cubs, like most teams with plenty of young talent several years away from free agency, attempt to sign those players...
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Chili Davis’ firing looks like the Cubs are telling pricey Joe Maddon this is his one last shot
During his end-of-season press conference earlier this month, Theo Epstein declared that “launch angle is not a fad,’’ and he proved it by forcing manager Joe Maddon to launch batting coach Chili Davis or to just shut up while Epstein launched Davis himself. Yeah, Davis was a scapegoat for a failure...
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3 keys for the 1st-place Bears in their Week 6 matchup at the Dolphins
Coming off an early open date, the Bears are rested, healthy and alone in first place in the NFC North. We’ll pause here while you read that unfamiliar sentence again. What a different season this has been so far. Now Matt Nagy’s team will aim to extend its winning streak to four games with this...
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7 things to know about the 'Steve Bartman game,' 15 years later
The “Steve Bartman game,” otherwise known as Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series between the Cubs and Marlins at Wrigley Field, was 15 years ago this Sunday. Here are some things to know about the game and the aftermath. 1. The ball’s journey After Luis Castillo’s foul ball with...
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Cubs fire hitting coach Chili Davis after 1 season
The persistent inconsistency of the Cubs’ offense in the second half of the season cost hitting coach Chili Davis his job after only one season. Davis, 58, was informed of his dismissal Thursday — nine days after the Rockies eliminated the Cubs in the National League wild-card game. The Cubs scored...
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'He really believed in me': A scout's discovery of Tarik Cohen and the Bears' vision for what's ahead
It was less than 45 minutes after the Bears’ 48-10 throttling of the Buccaneers and yet somehow Tarik Cohen’s usually sharp recall was short-circuiting. The Bears running back had been asked to detail his touchdown catch — a 9-yarder from Mitch Trubisky in the second quarter. But alas, Cohen was...
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Blackhawks blow late lead against Wild, lose second straight game in OT
It’s October and there are still 78 games to play. Doesn’t matter. This one is going to leave a bruise. “It hurt,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. The Hawks blew a 2-0 first period lead and a 3-2 lead in the third period before the Wild beat them 4-3 in overtime Thursday night at the Xcel...
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ESPN's Mike Greenberg clears the air on 'Mike & Mike' breakup
About 10 years ago, Mike Greenberg told Golf Digest that breaking 80 was among the top three things he hoped to accomplish before he died. (The top two: family happiness and seeing cancer cured.) Greenberg has scooted under that limbo bar, even shooting a 77 at Muirfield in Scotland. But at times...
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'I didn't know Chicago was so aggressive': Khalil Mack is still getting used to his new star status (while shopping for furniture)
After a whirlwind month, Khalil Mack needed the chance to exhale. What a September it had been. Traded to the Bears on the first day of the month, Mack followed by giving his new team and his new city an exhilarating four-week production surge. Five sacks. An interception returned for a touchdown....
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Brad Underwood's 2nd roster, with 8 newcomers, means another Illinois team requires patience
As a young junior-college coach for eight seasons in Dodge City, Kan., and Daytona Beach, Fla., Brad Underwood had to learn how to handle young rosters year after year. At that level of college basketball, it’s an annual roster full of freshmen. “You learn to adapt when you’re a junior-college...
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Jabari Parker says a reserve role on the Bulls would be a 'huge adjustment'
Saying he declined to address reporters late Wednesday because he “just wasn’t prepared to answer questions” about his demotion, Bulls forward Jabari Parker answered almost all of them before practice Thursday. It’s the one he didn’t answer that seemed the most telling. Asked if, after two left...
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With every expletive and hissyfit, Jimmy Butler makes sure that the Bulls continue to win the trade
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Jimmy Butler contrives to publicly rip young teammates. After demanding a trade over the summer but not getting it, Butler showed up Wednesday for his first Timberwolves practice and proceeded to rip everybody on and off the court from coach and basketball President...
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Blackhawks hope to find a hidden gem among their 7 undrafted players
The Blackhawks have had success with undrafted players, hitting big on Artemi Panarin and Antti Niemi in recent years as well as Hall of Fame goalie Ed Belfour a few decades ago. This season, the Hawks have seven undrafted players: Alexandre Fortin, Dominik Kahun, David Kampf, Chris Kunitz, Brandon...
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How can Willson Contreras fix his power woes? 4 offseason questions for the Cubs about their catchers
This is the third in a series of position-by-position analyses about the Cubs entering the offseason. 1. How does Willson Contreras fix his power woes? Contreras’ premature excitement over his long drive that resulted in only a double against the Reds on Sept. 16 exemplified the frustration over...
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Cubs roster outlook for 2019: Who's likely to return and who's likely to depart
Now that the season is done, the Cubs will have a busy offseason refining and reworking their roster. Here are the current players, listed with their contract status and their possible futures with the Cubs. Who’s likely to return: Pitchers Tyler Chatwood Signed through 2020. Couldn’t hurt to seek...
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Bears Q&A;: Who is for real in the NFC North? Will they continue to rotate O-linemen? When will Adam Shaheen return?
Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions weekly. Who is for real in the NFC North? Injuries are keeping the Packers down, the Vikings’ running game is MIA and their defense is uneven and the Lions are, well … the Lions. Can the Bears pull this off if Mitch Trubisky is just mediocre and doesn’t turn...
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Path to the playoff? A closer look at Notre Dame's 6 remaining games
Notre Dame has emerged as a College Football Playoff contender after back-to-back blowout wins against Stanford and at Virginia Tech. ESPN, CBS Sports and USA Today project the Irish to be one of the four playoff teams. The No. 5 Irish (6-0) are keeping the hype in perspective. “We talk about it...
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12 possible fill-ins for Bulls announcer Neil Funk, who sit out 20 games this season
We know Neil Funk, who is set to mark his 72nd birthday Dec. 29, will be scaling back his schedule as Bulls TV announcer this season. The Bulls have said there will be 20 Funk-free dates to fill with a rotating crew of substitutes alongside analyst Stacey King. They said the reduced workload is...
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Northwestern hoping unusual surgery gives Vic Law a 2nd wind in his 5th season
A tall, slender, well-dressed fellow grabbed the microphone during Big Ten media day to ask Northwestern coach Chris Collins a question. “This Vic Law guy seems very interesting, seems like a dynamic guy,” the man said. “I want to know how you’re going to use him this year.” Collins shot back:...
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The Chicago Marathon's best signs
While most of the attention rightfully goes to the runners, some praise should be reserved for the Chicago Marathon's unsung heroes: People who made clever signs.
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An athletic Zach LaVine reflects on his strong preseason play: 'I feel in tiptop shape'
Preseason or not, Zach LaVine is turning heads with his play. After a disjointed return last season because it marked his first action since rehabbing his torn left ACL, LaVine is averaging 19.3 points in 23.3 minutes while shooting 50 percent, including 40 percent from 3-point range. LaVine also...
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Fantasy football keep, drop or trade: Odell Beckham Jr., Kenyan Drake and Jordan Howard among underachievers
A quarter of the season is in the books, and fantasy football players should have a good sense of who’s a roster keeper and who’s a dud. But sometimes injuries, offensive changes and other factors muddy the picture. And let’s be honest: You’re less likely to part with an underachiever if you spent...
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Akiem Hicks 'very relieved' he wasn't suspended for Sunday's Bears-Dolphins game
Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hicks said Thursday he is “very relieved” the NFL didn’t suspend him for pushing an official in the 48-10 victory over the Buccaneers on Sept. 30 at Soldier Field. Hicks was ejected from the game in the second quarter after a scuffle with a Bucs player. After an official...
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Cristiano Ronaldo accuser's lawyers demand proof documents are false
Attorneys for a Nevada woman accusing Cristiano Ronaldo of rape challenged the international soccer star's legal team on Thursday to prove that documents cited in European media reports about their 2009 encounter in Las Vegas are false. Anything that proves that documents were altered, fabricated...