CHICAGO -- For the first time since being fired by the Chicago Bulls last summer, Tom Thibodeau received a big ovation at the United Center on Friday night as he made his return with Team USA.Thibodeau, who coached the Bulls to a 255-139 regular-season record over five seasons, is an assistant coach on Mike Krzyzewskis staff. Krzyzewski, Dukes head coach and a Chicago native, was pleased to see Thibodeau received so warmly.Hes the best as far as preparation and [being] a team player, and the fans appreciate it, Krzyzewski said after Team USAs 80-45 exhibition win over Venezuela on Friday. [The reaction] was great. I love the fact that my town gave the guy who gave them his heart and soul for the number of years hes been here and acknowledged that. Thats a great, great thing. Im proud of my city for doing that.Bulls All-Star and Team USA swingman Jimmy Butler was sitting next to Krzyzewski on the dais after the game.Krzyzewski was upset that his long answer about Thibodeau had not allowed Butler, who grew into one of the best two-way players in the game under Thibodeau, to comment.Its OK, Butler said, smiling. You got it. You said everything I would have said.The Team USA homecoming for Thibodeau is a precursor to what will likely be an even bigger ovation when his new team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, come to Chicago next season. As he has done since being fired, the veteran coach tried to focus on the positive accomplishments that came from his five years with the Bulls.When you look back, you think [of] all the great memories that you had, Thibodeau said during Thursday practice of being back in the United Center. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to coach here, great history, great tradition and we had great guys. It was very enjoyable to coach that team.Thibodeau was fired from the Bulls in large part because of a broken relationship with the front office. In his time away from a full-time job, Thibodeau said he visited 13 different teams and was a frequent guest at various pro and college games.The basketball lifer was always appreciative of how hard his teams played on a nightly basis and still takes pride in the success he and his players had.Its sort of the nature of the league in terms of it doesnt last forever, Thibodeau said. And that group was a special group of guys. From where it started, and unfortunately the injury [to former MVP Derrick Rose] derailed it some. But that being said, it was a very prideful group, a very proud group.Thibodeau continued: They never gave in, they never succumbed to the circumstances no matter who was out. They always found a way to fight. They found different ways to win, different guys stepped up. Thats sort of the way the league works. Over time, people leave [in] free agency, change teams, so Im happy for those guys that theyre going to get another opportunity, and I think theyve earned it. Those opportunities came because of the success that they had.Initially, Krzyzewski joked that he and the rest of Team USAs coaching staff paid fans to cheer for Thibodeau before the game.[Jim] Boeheim, Monty Williams and I gave about 5,000 people money so that they would cheer for him, and it worked, Krzyzewski said.Then the Hall of Fame coach got serious about what he thinks of Thibodeau and what he accomplished in Chicago.[Butler] plays for Chicago, and I grew up in Chicago ... its an amazing sports town, Krzyzewski said. It loves its athletes and its coaches. And they should love Tom. Tom brought great basketball here when it was not going well. And then really injury-wise -- if one thing, especially with Derrick, if he had been healthy, there probably, there could have been another [championship] banner or two here, and the fans realize that. And then things change -- hes gone off, he holds no resentment. Hes been real comfortable [here].Actually were staying a block from his apartment, Krzyzewski added. And for us, its good because then he stays there. Kevin Faulk Womens Jersey . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters. Andre Tippett Womens Jersey . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. https://www.patriotssportsgoods.com/ . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. Kevin Faulk Patriots Jersey .1 million pounds ($61.2 million) on Saturday, giving the beleaguered English Premier League champions a major lift. Andre Tippett Patriots Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. CHASKA, Minn. -- Bubba Watson did not make the U.S. Ryder Cup team, nor was he one of captain Davis Love IIIs at-large selections. But the two-time Masters winner still got his wish to be a part of the U.S. Ryder Cup effort as Love named him as his fifth vice captain.Watson, who finished one spot outside of the eight automatic qualifiers and is ranked seventh in the world, was passed over for Ryan Moore, who will make his first Ryder Cup appearance after finishing second to Rory McIlroy on Sunday following a sudden-death playoff at the Tour Championship.Watson will join Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk and Tom Lehman as assistants and was already at Hazeltine National on Monday afternoon.Love said Watson had offered his services last week prior to the Tour Championship and again on Sunday night when Love called him to tell him he was not being picked.Incredible gesture, Love said during a news conference Monday. Were still in disbelief. We have a lot of emotion over Arnold Palmer (who passed away Sunday), a lot of emotion over a last-minute pick, but what Bubba did really shows how together the U.S. team really is. Were excited to have him.Moore, 33, a five-time winner on the PGAA Tour, maintained throughout the weekend that he did not believe he would be a pick, regardless of the outcome.ddddddddddddHe declined a chance to practice with a team a week ago after a stretch of seven straight tournaments. A former U.S. Amateur and NCAA champion, Moore was about to board a plane with his family back to his home in Las Vegas when Love reached him by phone Sunday night.Moore headed home and then got to Minnesota on Monday afternoon.It was a tough decision, Love said. We waited until the last minute to catch a hot player. Ryan, obviously, week after week after week was the hottest player. Since the PGA Championship, and even before, hes been the most consistent.Moore won the John Deere Classic last month and then had top-10 finishes at both the Barclays and Deutsche Bank Championship in addition to his close call against McIlroy.He joins Brooks Koepka as the only rookies on the U.S. team. Darren Clarkes European team, which arrived early Monday, has six rookies, including Masters champion Danny Willett.The Ryder Cup begins Friday morning. ' ' '
