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The Chicago Cubs and president of baseball operations Theo Epstein have agreed to a five-year contract extension.Epsteins initial contract -- signed in 2011 as a five-year deal worth $18.5 million -- was set to expire at the end of this season, and his status was one of the few unanswered questions of the Cubs season so far.Its everything I could have asked for. There is no place Id rather be, Epstein told reporters Wednesday. Im thrilled this worked out.Epstein and Cubs owner Tom Ricketts first discussed the extension during spring training and then at various points during the summer.I told him I thought he was the best in the game at what he did, and he told me no matter what I paid him he wasnt going to leave Chicago, so we were off to a good start, Ricketts said. The time and energy to do it the right way has paid off with a team that should be successful for years to come.While terms of the deal were not disclosed,?Todays Knuckleball reported that it will pay Epstein a little less than $50 million over the five years, although incentives could take him over that number.I think its in the range, its competitive and where it should be for someone who I think is the best baseball executive in the game, Ricketts said.?The thing that Ive seen the last five years is how well he handles people, how well he chooses people for his [front office] team, how well he chooses players for his team. And his ability to judge character and put together the right human resources on the same team has been truly remarkable.?The National League Central champions are on pace to finish the season with the best record in baseball by a wide margin. They head into the postseason as a team without a glaring weakness: great offense, stellar defense, outstanding rotation, the best relief corps in baseball and a canny manager in Joe Maddon.The teams 100-and-counting wins this season marks the first the time club has broken the century mark since 1935.Epstein was a former front-office man for the Boston Red Sox,?becoming the youngest general manager in MLB history in 2002. He is widely credited with building the squads that won the 2004 and 2007 World Series.Epstein resigned from Boston in 2011 to become president of baseball operations for the Cubs. During Epsteins first three years at Wrigley, the team finished in last place in the NL Central. Last season, it advanced to the National League Championship Series as a wild-card team but was swept by the New York Mets.Epstein said this was a pretty easy negotiation because he wanted to stay in Chicago.I told [Ricketts] if we couldnt work out a contract it would get awkward, because I would still keep showing up to work as an employee at will ruining my leverage, Epstein said.The team also gave extensions to general manager Jed Hoyer and vice president of amateur scouting and player development Jason McLeod. Cheap Raptors Jerseys . The International Olympic Committee released the official list of bid cities on Friday after the deadline for applications had passed. The candidates -- all previously announced in their own countries -- are: Almaty, Kazakhstan; Beijing; Krakow, Poland; Lviv, Ukraine; Oslo, Norway; and Stockholm. Wholesale Raptors Jerseys . JOHNS, N. https://www.cheapraptors.com/ . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Raptors Jerseys China .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. Raptors Jerseys 2019 . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. ATLANTA -- Lamar Jackson picked up another trophy for his marvelous season.The Louisville quarterback got a glimpse of the one he really wants.On a red-carpet night in Atlanta, Jackson captured the Maxwell Award as the nations top college player Thursday night and signaled himself as the clear favorite for the Heisman Trophy.Jackson already won the Walter Camp Award, also given to the best player.Im shocked. Ive got butterflies. I never had those before, the sophomore said, posing with his Maxwell Award after a ceremony at the College Football Hall of Fame, where eight other award winners were announced.In an interesting twist, Clemsons Deshaun Watson claimed the Davey OBrien award as the nations top quarterback for the second year in a row -- beating out Jackson.Now its on to New York, where theyre both finalists for college footballs most prestigious individual award.Hes a tremendous player himself. Hes done lot of great things, Jackson said of Watson. If he does (win the Heisman), oh well. Best man.Both quarterbacks got a look at a 25-pound Heisman Trophy on display in the Hall of Fame.Jackson was impressed by the size.Its a big trophy, he said. Im going to need to do some more push-ups.Maybe not.Watson hasnt given up on his dream of claiming the Heisman before he heads off to the NFL. He wont return for his senior season, having already earned his college degree in just three years.I have a lot of confidence in the way Ive played over the course of the season, said Watson, who finished third in the Heisman race a year ago behind winner Derrick Henry of Alabama and runner-up Christian McCaffrey of Stanford.While the Maxwell voting is a solid indication of how the Heisman race might go, its no guarantee. In fact, only two of the last five winners -- Henry and Marcus Mariota in 2014 -- went on to capture the more illustrious award.Watson is holding out hope that hell pull out a come-from-behind victory over Jackson, who had been considered the overwhelming favorite until the Cardinals lost their last two games.Even with that, Jacksons numbers are mind-boggling. He passed for 3,390 yards and 30 touchdowns, and rushed for 1,538 yards and 21 TDs.Watson guided Clemson to another Atlantic Coast Conference championship and a second straight appearance in the College Football Playoff. The Tigers will meet Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal on New Years Eve.As for his Heisman chances, Watson said confidently, Im expecting to win. I always expect to have success.Hes already a huge success -- on and off the field. Watson took his last final exam Wednesday in a political communnication class.ddddddddddddext Thursday at this time, I will have a degree in hand and be a graduate, he said. It feels great.Also during the awards ceremony televised by ESPN:- Top-ranked Alabama picked up a couple of honors leading into its Peach Bowl semifinal against Washington, which will be held at the nearby Georgia Dome. End Jonathan Allen claimed the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player, while offensive tackle Cam Robinson earned the Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman. Allens latest award -- he already won the Bronko Nagurski and Ted Hendricks -- further justified his decision to return to Tuscaloosa for his senior year. I couldnt imagine my senior season going better than this, he said.- DOnta Foreman provided a bright spot to Texas dismal season by winning the Doak Walker Award as the top college running back. He rushed for more than 2,000 yards and defied skeptics who said he would have to change position in college. With everything going on in our program, he said, referring to the firing of coach Charlie Strong, Im glad to bring this back to the Texas community.- Oklahomas Dede Westbrook claimed the Biletnikoff Award as the nations outstanding receiver after teaming with quarterback Baker Mayfield for 74 receptions, 1,465 yards and 16 touchdowns in a Big 12 championship season. Mayfield was a finalist for both the Maxwell and Davey OBrien but didnt win either.- Adoree Jackson of Southern Cal, decked out in a blue tux, picked up the Jim Thorpe Award as the nations best defensive back and doled out fashion tips afterward. One bit of advice: Dont spend a lot of money on the shoes. Im an H&M sort of guy, he said. They look good but theyre pretty cheap.- Zane Gonzalez of Arizona State received the Lou Groza trophy as the top kicker, while the Ray Guy Award for best punter went to Utahs Mitch Wishnowsky, the latest in a wave of Australians who have revolutionized the position.In addition, Colorados Mike MacIntyre was recognized as the previously announced winner of The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award, Pittsburgh running back James Connor earned with the Disney Spirit Award as most inspirational player for overcoming cancer, and retired coach Steve Spurrier received the Contributions to College Football Award.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .---For more AP college football coverage: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '