City mourns passing of hockey legend Ab McDonald

By Paul Friesen

https://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/city-mourns-passing-of-hockey-legend-ab-mcdonald

September 5, 2018

Cancer may have taken Winnipeg hockey legend Ab McDonald, but it can’t take the legacy, the friendships or the memories he leaves behind.

One of Winnipeg’s all-time hockey greats, McDonald died, Tuesday, at the age of 82.

The four-time Stanley Cup winner played 15 seasons in the NHL, before joining his hometown Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association in 1972, becoming the team’s first captain and scoring the first goal in franchise history.

Those who saw him play can consider themselves lucky, and those who knew him even luckier.

Friend and former teammate Joe Daley was one of them.

“You really wouldn’t know what Ab did for a living, if you didn’t know – he was so humble,” Daley, a fellow Winnipegger, said, Wednesday. “I never, ever heard him brag about the Stanley Cups or anything like that. He was never bigger than the game or the team he was with.

“I played with him in the minors, I played with him in the NHL, I played with him in the WHA – and he was always the same. He was, ‘OK, what can I do to contribute? Who can I help today?’ ”

Daley became close with McDonald early in his career, getting advice from his older teammate for everything from hockey to finances.

The former goalie and his wife last saw McDonald just over a week ago, his illness confining him to his bed at home.

“I put my arms around him, and geez… it was hard,” Daley said. “I’m glad I had a good visit with him. We were able to tell him how I really felt. Of course, he knew that all along, I’ve told him so many times what he meant to me.

“As a person, there was none better.”

One of the city’s great ambassadors for the game, McDonald was never shy about making public appearances or reminiscing about former teammates or opponents, regaling those around him with a story and that ever-present smile.

A star with the St. Boniface Canadiens of the Manitoba Junior League, Alvin Brian McDonald began his NHL career with Montreal in the 1957-58 playoffs, winning three consecutive Stanley Cups with the Canadiens.

After a trade to Chicago, he won a fourth straight title, scoring the Cup-winning goal for the Blackhawks in 1961.

He also played for Boston, Detroit, St. Louis and expansion Pittsburgh, where he was the first team captain in Penguins franchise history.

He registered 430 points in 762 career NHL games, 50 in 84 playoff games, and played in five all-star contests.

His WHA career included 70 points in 147 games, with eight more in 18 playoff games.

“He wasn’t Bobby Hull and he wasn’t Reggie Fleming, but I’ll tell you what, he was a monster contributor to a lot of teams,” Daley said. “Generally when you’re captain you’re pretty influential in the dressing room and dealing with guys. But his career was pretty awesome, and we lose sight of that.”

McDonald’s passing comes just a month after that of perhaps his closest friend, former Chicago teammate Stan Mikita.

Daley recalled McDonald couldn’t make it to Mikita’s funeral because of his own failing health.

“He and Stan were so close, and now he’s going to have a chance to say hello to him again,” Daley said. “It’s almost eerie when you think of Stan going so recently, and now Abbie’s right there behind him.”

The Winnipeg Jets issued a statement mourning McDonald’s loss and crediting him with helping to reconnect the current team to the Jets of the past.

“We at True North Sports and Entertainment and the Winnipeg Jets hockey club are saddened to learn of the passing of Mr. McDonald,” True North chairman Mark Chipman said. “He was a legend in this city’s hockey history… his reputation as an outstanding teammate carried over into his life after hockey. Off the ice, Mr. McDonald always represented our hockey community proudly.

“He will be greatly missed.”

The Blackhawks, Penguins and Canadiens expressed similar sentiments through statements or on Twitter, as did current Jets captain Blake Wheeler.

“On behalf of all of us who currently wear the Jets logo, I’d like to extend our condolences to the friends and family of the original captain – Ab McDonald,” Wheeler tweeted. “He was a true ambassador for the game and our franchise, as well as a Stanley Cup champion.”

McDonald retired after the 1973-74 season. He was inducted to the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1996 and is an honoured member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.

He is survived by wife, Pat, five children, seven grandchildren, one great-grandson – and too many friends and admirers to count.

“We knew it was coming, and you’re strong until it happens,” Daley said. “But we’ll make it. In his honour. He wouldn’t want us feeling any other way.”

Related:

Home is where the hockey hero is-

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/home-is-where-the-hockey-hero-is-389360831.html

Le'Veon Bell's agent leads him down perilous path with Steelers

By Tim Benz

https://triblive.com/sports/columnists/timbenz/breakfastwithbenz/14052273-74/tim-benz-leveon-bells-agent-leads-him-down-perilous-path-with-steelers

September 5, 2018

Ramon Foster and Le'Veon Bell (USA Today Sports)

Le'Veon Bell plays hard, practices intently and performs well.

During interviews, the Pittsburgh Steelers running back comes off as engaged and personable.

Yet between his financial demands, drug suspensions and social media activity, Bell somehow has turned himself from an athletic hero into a stunningly easy target of fan scorn.

On the financial front, the easy thing to do is blame his agent, Adisa Bakari, for Bell's current absence from the team.

For at least a moment, let's rationalize this away by saying Bell is a good kid who is getting bad advice from a greedy representative looking for his cut.

"The more Le'Veon gets, the more (the agent) gets," Steelers offensive lineman Ramon Foster said.

Foster's right. That's the business model. But who cares. Let's blame Bakari anyway.

"If it's his agent then, hell, I wouldn't sign with him," Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey said.

Many NFL players may disagree with that. They might like an agent who strives to get a client every penny. But what if that agent leads a client down a path where that player sacrifices on-field accomplishments for dollars in a potential Super Bowl season?

Or into contractual gridlock? Or into a position of higher risk than potential reward?

Because you could argue Bakari is doing all of those things to Bell.

Bell said in March that the plan was to play the whole 2018 season despite receiving the franchise tag from the Steelers. Bakari echoed that in July after the franchise tag became official because the goal was to see Bell have the best season of his career heading into free agency.

SiriusXM NFL Radio

✔@SiriusXMNFL

Q: Le'Veon will take the same approach as last year...he will not participate in the off-season and he will be there Week 1?

A: Barring something exceptional...that is correct.

-@LeVeonBell's Agent @AdisaBakari

1:23 PM - Jul 17, 2018

• 44
• 31 people are talking about this

Twitter Ads info and privacy

Note that "barring something exceptional" line.

Bakari said on SiriusXM on Wednesday that "something exceptional had happened."

Yeah. I'd love to know what that was, too.

Most assume what happened was that another running back, Los Angeles' Todd Gurley, received $45 million guaranteed a week after Bell officially got the tag. The Rams also gave Aaron Donald $86 million guaranteed. Khalil Mack got $90 million guaranteed after his trade to the Bears.

Indeed. That's exceptional stuff.

So does this mean Bell is now adding "highest-paid defensive player" to his resume as well as "highest-paid running back and wide receiver" in an effort to exceed Donald and Mack?

And if Bell needed to perform well back then to earn big money, how is he suddenly aided by sitting?

It also was widely believed Bakari planned to get a dollar amount close to that $45 million figure in free agency for his client before Gurley got it anyway.

What's the difference now?

What's Bakari intimating there? That on July 17 he was telling Bell to report on the tag and risk playing despite the $33 million the Steelers had reportedly offered, but because Gurley got to the $45 million mark first, suddenly the risk wasn't worth it?

Bell still needs to report for at least six games this season. If Bakari's goal is to shield Bell from injury as long as possible, why was he encouraging Bell to run the risk of playing for the first 10 games three weeks ago, but he isn't now?

Either way, he's leaving the $14.55 million franchise tag on the table in the name of chasing a greater reward next offseason.

Either way, he may lose financially if a catastrophic injury occurs. Whether the payoff was $33 million, $45 million or $1 billion, it wouldn't have changed the amount of physical risk involved or the amount of money he was leaving behind.

So why the change of heart, Adisa? Was it perhaps because you were bluffing? Was it possibly because before the franchise tag deadline expired, you never really thought you could get that much in the first place, so the franchise tag didn't look so bad?

If Bakari needed proof that another player could get that dollar figure before Bell, then he didn't genuinely believe he could get it from another team on the open market in the first place, and he was being disingenuous to his client.

Then there was Bakari's derisive remark during that same interview, inferring the Steelers would run Bell nonstop and that they wouldn't be willing to preserve his body.

Well, yeah. No kidding. That's what happens when you drag your client into a walk year instead of taking the security of numerous, long-term offers. The team then doesn't care what happens when you assure the player is going to leave after the season. That's kind of how it works.

Bakari told the hosts of that show to "read between the lines."

OK, Adisa. I'm holding up my index, middle and ring fingers right now. You should read between those lines instead.

MORE SPORTS

Kevin Gorman: Le'Veon Bell's absence bad for business

Twitter users, Steelers fans sound off on Le'Veon Bell's defiance

First call: Ex-Steelers CB Ike Taylor comes to Le'Veon Bell's defense

Steelers RB James Conner, backups ready to go in place of Le'Veon Bell

Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey sounds off on Le'Veon Bell 

Le'Veon Bell unlikely to play Sunday; agent hints at longer absence

By Jeremy Fowler

http://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/

September 5, 2018

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers players are livid over Le'Veon Bell's extended absence, which might last months.

"He f---ed us," one veteran told ESPN as he walked out of the locker room on Wednesday.

Barring an unforeseen development, the All-Pro running back is not expected to play Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, according to a source, and agent Adisa Bakari hinted that Bell might be willing to wait it out longer to preserve his long-term health.

Bell hasn't signed his $14.5 million franchise tag and can become a free agent in 2019 as long as he signs it by Week 11.

"If you don't want to be here, it is what it is. Hold out 10 weeks," center Maurkice Pouncey said.

On Monday, Pouncey told ESPN that Bell would show up to work on Wednesday, and to "count on it."

"I just felt confident that he was gonna come," Pouncey said Wednesday, "But now that he didn't, obviously it's Le'Veon over the Steelers, and we're the Steelers and we're going to play as the Steelers. ... Now when it's game time and you that you have $14 million looming out there, and you're still not here and your team really wants you here? At this point, we got [James] Conner."

Conner will start in Bell's place in Week 1 against the Browns.

The team hoped Bell would show up for work this week, but Bakari told NFL Live that Bell is "going to do the things necessary to protect his value long-term."

A source told ESPN that the Steelers have no plans to rescind Bell's tender, and league sources say a trade would be difficult to execute because of Bell's position and teams' unwillingness to inherit a franchise-tagged player.

General manager Kevin Colbert -- who issued a statement Monday that the team was "disappointed" Bell hadn't signed the tender -- will not be made available for comment, but the Steelers issued a statement through director of communications Burt Lauten.

"We are not going to discuss any conversations through the media," Lauten said. "If Adisa would like to talk further, he has the phone number to our offices."

But players -- especially those who block for Bell -- have no issues discussing.

"In the ultimate team sport, we've created a league of individuals," guard Ramon Foster said. "I know the league is all about get your money, get paid, I love it. ... But at least let us know [you weren't coming].

"Right now, we're just dealing with the aspect of, 'Are you going to do it for us or are you really going to wait it out?' Because this is one of those things where we as an offensive line, as a team -- Pounce urged him to come in and now nothing. There are so many guys [here] who are sacrificing everything."

View image on Twitter

Ramon Foster

✔@RamonFoster

12:54 PM - Sep 5, 2018

• 15.2K
• 7,489 people are talking about this

Bell touched the ball a league-high 406 times while playing on a $12.12 million franchise tag last season, and he told ESPN in January that he wouldn't touch the ball another 400 times without a contract that matches his worth as a player.

The Steelers and Bell have failed to reach a long-term agreement in each of the past two summers. Each week Bell skips, he forfeits $852,941.

"Le'Veon has several years ahead of him in football. We know right now his days in Pittsburgh are precarious at best. We also know how he's been utilized in the past by the Steelers organization," Bakari told NFL Live.

"That's nothing to say negative about the Steelers. They had one of the best players to have ever played this position and they rely on him heavily for the production he can provide, but in doing so, you take away from his future years."

If Bell returns well into the season, Pouncey said he will tell him what's up and ask if he's ready.

Meanwhile, he wants Conner to excel.

"Stars are made every year, so hopefully it aligns for him," Pouncey said.

The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook made no changes to the line or total in response to the news of Bell's no-show Wednesday. The Steelers are 3.5-point favorites at Cleveland in Week 1 (opened at -6.5) and remain 10-1 to win the Super Bowl.

ESPN's Ben Fawkes contributed to this report.

Don't blame Le'Veon Bell, blame system

By Mark Madden

https://triblive.com/sports/columnists/markmadden/14046354-74/mark-madden-dont-blame-leveon-bell-blame-system

September 4, 2018

Pittsburgh is predictably cheesed off at Le’Veon Bell because he hasn’t yet signed his franchise tender, or shown up.

But if there’s a villain in this drama, it’s not Bell.

It’s the NFL Players Association for agreeing to a CBA that includes a mechanism to keep free agency from being free. The NFLPA cheated Bell.

Other major sports have either/or free agency: When a player’s contract expires, he either stays via a mutually agreed-upon new deal or seeks his fortune elsewhere.

But, in 1993, the NFL CBA instituted the franchise tag: A free agent can be forced to stay with his team via its application.

There is no other word to use besides “forced.” It’s a lucrative form of servitude: Those franchised get a one-year salary equivalent to the average of the top five-paid players at his position or 120 percent of his previous year’s salary, whichever is higher.

But make no mistake, it is servitude. If you get tagged, you have one option regarding employment.

The franchise tag is a hallmark faux pas of pro sports’ least-effective union, sharing that dubious spotlight with contracts that aren’t guaranteed.

This is the second straight year Bell finds himself shackled to Pittsburgh.

Odell Beckham Jr., Aaron Donald, Todd Gurley, Khalil Mack and Aaron Rodgers all got paid. Bell didn’t. That doubtless fuels his frustration.

Bell can’t negotiate a long-term pact with the Steelers (or anybody) until completing 2018. It’s yet another of the franchise tag’s booby traps.

Bell’s only recourse is to not play.

It’s an expensive tactic: Each of Bell’s game checks is worth $855,000. He’s scheduled to make $14.5 million in 2018.

Bell must be signed for the season’s last six games to burn the year and get to free agency. (Or a third franchise tag, which would pay Bell $17.45 million and is thus highly unlikely.) Waiting that long to report would cost Bell hefty cash, but it would protect his body and make him more attractive to suitors next offseason. (Unless Bell gets badly hurt. Then, he’d be badly screwed.)

Would Bell do that? Would he skip the Steelers’ first 10 games?

It’s what James Harrison suggested on Fox Sports. (Did Harrison know something when he said that?) It doesn’t make sense for Bell to merely miss a game or two. If that’s proving a point, I have no idea what that point might be.

If I were Bell, I’d have shown up Monday.

If I were Bell, I’d have taken that five-year, $70 million deal the Steelers offered.

But I can’t criticize Bell’s approach, or him chafing against the restrictions of being tagged. It’s his life, his career.

Yinzers who aren’t burning their Nikes want the Steelers to rescind Bell’s tag, make him a free agent, and go with James Conner as the No. 1 back.

That wouldn’t help Bell, not now. Caps are set. (But all it takes is one team.)

That wouldn’t help the Steelers, either.

Conner is a romantic story because he’s a Pitt kid who’s conquered heavy obstacles, including cancer. But Conner hasn’t proven himself to be a No. 1 back, let alone on a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Conner may have to do as a stop-gap. The Steelers can beat Cleveland on Sunday with Conner starting.

But they can’t win a Super Bowl with Conner starting.

There’s no upside to the Steelers rescinding Bell’s tag. There’s no point to revenge politics. Wait it out.

The Steelers are in chaos, which they almost always are.

Bell is a frequent offender, not least because of his two drug suspensions.

But Bell is doing nothing wrong now. If his holdout continues deep into the season, he’s protecting his body and health in hope of an even bigger payday later. The risk is his.

Give Bell credit for the courage of his convictions. Maybe he’ll get a Nike endorsement.

Ramon Foster says Bell needs to be “all in” on winning a Super Bowl. That’s easy for a guard in decline making $2.675 million to say.

The system forced Bell into this.

Blame the system. Blame free agency that isn’t free.

Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).

MORE SPORTS

Kevin Gorman: It's a 'Hard Knocks' life for Steelers with Le'Veon Bell a no-show

Podcast: Tim Benz, Kevin Gorman on what could go wrong for Steelers in Week 1

SI cover boy Miles Sanders on Pitt-Penn State: 'Just another game'

Tim Benz: Mike Tomlin gives us more questions heading in Steelers' opener

Penguins Predictions: How consistent is Sidney Crosby?

Back in Bay Area, playoff pursuit continues for Andrew McCutchen

By Ann Killion

https://www.sfchronicle.com/giants/annkillion/

September 3, 2018

Andrew McCutchen #26 of the New York Yankees scores beating the throw to Jonathan Lucroy #21 of the Oakland Athletics in the top of the first inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 3, 2018 in Oakland, California.(Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images North America) 

Andrew McCutchen was back in the Bay Area on Monday after a whirlwind three days that included a trade from the Giants to the Yankees, a beard-shaving session with his son Steel, a cross-country flight, two appearances in pinstripes at Yankee Stadium and a flight back to the Bay Area.

“I’ve just got to get acclimated,” McCutchen said before Monday’s game at the Coliseum. “Getting to know names, learning it all in a very short period of time. But everyone’s pumped. Excited.”

What’s not to be excited about? McCutchen finds himself in a postseason race with the most storied franchise in baseball history.

Finding his way onto a contender was what McCutchen hoped for when the Giants traded for him in January. That was the first time in his career, after nine seasons as the face of the Pirates, that he had to walk into a new clubhouse and learn new names and faces and routines.

He had hopes then of reaching the postseason. But, though he was one of the team’s most consistent players, it became clear that wasn’t going to happen in San Francisco.

“That’s always what you want, but we just weren’t able to make that push,” he said.

But from his vantage point, he doesn’t think the Giants need to tear down anything and start over. To him, injuries were the tale of the season.

“We didn’t have our horses,” he said. “We had all our guys together for maybe three weeks.”

He thinks the young Giants players got valuable experience and that the fans that he loved playing in front of wouldn’t tolerate a massive rebuild. He believes the team is going to be fine, and he fully enjoyed his experience there.

Now he’s clean-shaven for the first time in a long time, wearing No. 26 and batting leadoff. He shaved — in order to adhere to the Yankees’ “facial hair” policy — while holding his young son Steel because McCutchen was worried he would be unrecognizable; but all is good, Steel still knows dad without the whiskers.

In Monday’s 6-3 loss to the A’s, McCutchen went 1-for-4. He had a stolen base and scored the game’s first run.

After McCutchen was traded, he posted a heartfelt message on social media thanking the Giants and their fans. It was accompanied by a photo of the huge poster of him that hung over one of the entrances of AT&T Park, along with the words, “To see this every day I came to the stadium was surreal and it gave me chills every time!”

When McCutchen left San Francisco, the sign was still up. It no longer is.

“I didn’t see it coming down,” he said. “I probably would have cried.”

Ann Killion is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: akillion@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annkillion

Why Cutting Landry Jones was the Right Move

By Patrick Gelesh

https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2018/09/01/why-cutting-landry-jones-was-the-right-move/

September 1, 2018

Landry Jones #3 of the Pittsburgh Steelers passes against the Tennessee Titans during their preseason game on August 25, 2018 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh Steelers have decided to part ways with Landry Jones. We all knew something had to give with the quarterback group in Pittsburgh. Mason Rudolph is a rookie and a work in progress but showed potential at times. But Josh Dobbs was the most impressive non-starter to take the field for the Steelers this preseason and honestly can do things Landry Jones can’t. Like consistently throw the ball to the guys in black and gold, and using his feet to get out of the pocket and keep drives alive.

Last year in the AFC Divisional Playoffs, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles scrambled for 35 yards and multiple first downs against the Steelers defense. The game is changing, so having a quarterback that can turn broken plays into positive ones is a priceless commodity. The Steelers should know, that’s when Ben Roethlisberger is at his best; making plays happen. So, besides the obvious reason; that Dobbs out-played Jones this preseason. Why did this move make sense for the Steelers?

Even though there was some trade interest in Jones, cutting him was the right move. It all boils down to money. Jones was due $2.2 million this season, and cutting him only leaves the Steelers with a $300,000 dead money salary cap hit. In comparison, Josh Dobbs is making $704,781 this season and Mason Rudolph is making $713,066. Combined their salaries don’t equal what the Steelers were due to pay Landry Jones.

When you look at the big picture and realize Vance McDonald recently converted $2.91 million of his salary into bonuses to clear up an additional $2.18 million in cap space for the Steelers. Toss in the $1.9 million the Steelers just saved by cutting Jones, and that’s $4.0 million of newly acquired cap space the Steelers can use to pursue a player didn’t make the cut on from another team or to make a trade with.

Don’t be surprised if the Steelers have a trade in mind or a new free-agent in their crosshairs, the front office isn’t freeing up 2018 cap space just for fun. Look for the front office to be very active in the coming days.