REAL MADRID: PORTUGAL CALLS UP THE INJURED CRISTIANO RONALDO

First To 50

The Lakers won their 50th game of the season last night defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-90. Another short night for the Lakers starters who were able to sit out the 4th quarter again. Kobe had 23 and Pau had 21 as the Lakers had five players score in double figures. Trevor Ariza, Josh Powell and DJ Mbenga scored in double figures off the bench. Minnesota played hard and gave their best effort but in the end the Lakers were just too much. L.A. has now won two in a row and has a commanding 8.5 game lead over the San Antonio Spurs. The road to the NBA championship looks like it will come through the Stap! les Center. If the Lakers can close out their next 20 games strong then they will be the favorites going into the playoffs.

UNC 0, South Carolina 1

Erin Sullivan scored on a header in the 16th minute as the University of South Carolina women's soccer team (1-0) held on to defeat top-ranked North Carolina, 1-0, in the season opener for both teams.

This will be the best women's league in the world

The St. Louis group is headed by Jeff Cooper, the East Alton attorney who has been working to bring an MLS team to St. Louis and recently tried to buy that league's Salt Lake City club.
"We're building on what the old WUSA was able to put in place and looking forward to adding to that," Cooper said. "That league made some mistakes that everybody realizes. This is a much more realistic league that will start out smaller and grow into a major league, rather than trying to start as a major league. … This will be the best women's league in the world."

Claims of cheating in W-League

"You hate when your team is cheated out of the best opportunity to be successful," Naimo said in a telephone interview. "It's foul play, there's no doubt about it."

Stunning title win for Sky Blue

Sky Blue FC have secured the inaugural Women's Professional Soccer league title by defeating premiers and favourites Los Angeles Sol in the final at the Home Depot Center in Carson.
The New Jersey-based side continued their improbable run to the title having scraped into the semi-finals with a win on the final day of the regular season.
A goal in the 16th-minute from USA midfielder Heather O'Reilly proved enough to separate the two sides despite the star quality of the home side which included Brazilian star Marta, Japan's Aya Miyama, China's Han Duan and experienced USA international Shannon Boxx.

Trust brings the glory

Tuesday, 30 September 2008
I don't think I have to say a lot about this legend. Everybody knows him and everybody likes him, some maybe not, but most of people love him very much :)

2 years of fasting (2006-2007), and he described the year of 2007 as a hell and the lowest part of his entire career. He told the press that he learnt something from the difficult time, he learnt how to accept the lose and grow more mature. Yes, When you win, everything seems perfect and everyone is your friend, but in trying times, only ! the true friends stand by you. Yamaha does it very well and listen to him very much. Yamaha never moaned and always trust his rider.

Rossi is much calmer now and Jeremy Burgess said even if he is so, he never gets into panic during the practice or during race if the problems occur, that's because he is (again) trust his team and crews can fix it. The most important thing I myself learn from his attitude is trust. He trusts his people very much, started from the engineers 'far-away' in Japan, Masao Furusawa, Davide Brivio, Lin Jarvis and of course his mentor Jerry Burgess. No wonder Yamaha is his second family.

Trust is the key to gain the success this year, he trusts bridgestone even he never use it before and Yamaha has no data at all about the tyres, but he and and his people made it work very well, why? the trust among those people... The difference between him and Dani Pedrosa regarding the tyre switch is that Pedrosa gained a wealthy data from H! onda Gresini before making the sudden switch, he just needs 's! mall adj ustment' to make the tyre works as Honda expected. Valentino and Yamaha started from the scretch to make it works as they wanted.

Valentino also trust his engine/bike will not let him down again, and slowly but sure he finds his rhytm again this year and the glory finally come sooner than expected.

Congratulation to him, Yamaha and his fans around the world...

Chelsea will want to bury demons

Tonight Liverpool face Chelsea for the third time in the Champions League semi-final stage. The Blues will be looking to change the past and get to the finals. Both teams are doing well in the league and hope to continue with that form.

The Reds have an amazing record at this stage of the competition as they have won last seven semi final games, but Chelsea will be hoping that it's third time lucky. The blues will be boosted ahead of the clash tonight as Frank Lampard is back as he withdrew from the team due to personal problems.

It seems that Chelsea will play their usual syle of football concentrating on defense, so it seems that this fixture is like to follow suit of the oth! er of the last few encounters with Liverpool, which leads to the questions do Chelsea different to they can beat Liverpool this time. Surely it will a dream for Roman Abramovich if Chelsea progress to the final in Moscow.

England Make Wobbly Start to Final Test

England have struggled to 180/5 at tea after losing wickets early on the first day of the third and final test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.

The Black Caps won the toss and sent the hosts in to bat first in partly cloudy weather conditions.

After the early losses of Allistair Cook and captain Michael Vaughan, opener Andrew Strauss and Kevin Petersen consolidated for England. Strauss looked solid before he was caught by Ross Taylor off the bowling of Kyle Mills for 37.

Pietersen is still there on 71 with Tim Ambrose at the other end on 36.

An all Williams ending..again?

The Williams sisters are on a collision course for the ladies final at Wimbledon. Venus Williams ended Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn's dream run with a 6-4 6-3 win, the seventh seed is chasing a fifth title at the All England Club. Her sister Serena was impressive with an easy 6-4 6-0 victory over Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska.

Whilst the media appear to be calling it a dead certainty, there will be many in the packed centre court stands that would love to see either the Russian 5th seed Elena Dementieva go through to her first final, or the remarkable Zheng Jie continue her giant-killing run, and as much as I cant see that happening, one just needs to think back to the Greek fairytale at Euro 2004 to know that sport can produce dreams that go all the way to the end.

Stoner feeling the heat?

Ducati rider Casey Stoner is continuing to demonstrate amazing speed during MotoGP testing, but the Australian needs to transfer that form and pace to race day if he wants to catch Valentino Rossi in this year's world championship.

Attempting to rebuild his confidence onboard his Desmosedici GP8 following his costly crash at Brno on Sunday, Casey Stoner again demonstrated the competitiveness of his current Ducati Marlboro package with a 1´55.855s lap of the Czech circuit on Tuesday.

The time was by far the quickest of any undertaken by the eleven riders in attendance, and second fastest, Valentino Rossi, was almost a second off the pace.

Stoner achieved a remarkable time of 1´55.904s on race tyres, faster than Rossi´s two-year old pole record.

Whichever way you view it, if the Aussie wants to defend his title, he needs to start winning, and with the current speed and confidence of Rossi, thats not going to be an! easy task.

"WP Can Win Currie Cup" - Paulse

Vodacom Western Province have what it takes to be Currie Cup champions this year. That's according to former winger Breyton Paulse who was one of the Province's most prolific try scorers.

Province ran the Valke ragged at Newlands at the weekend and eventually ran out 92 - 15 winners. Springbok lock Andries Bekker scored five tries, the most ever by a lock in the Currie Cup. He now moves up to second on the list of try-scorers in this year's competition.

Province are currently fifth on the log and need to beat the Boland Kavaliers, Griquas and the Lions with a bonus point to stand a chance of qualifying for the playoffs. Anything less will see them drop out of the running. Province are now breathing down the necks of the fourth-placed Free State Cheetahs who have lost their last two matches and who face a tough test against the Blue Bulls at Vodacom Park this weekend. The men from the Cape could even end as high as third if the Lion! s slip up over the next three weeks. So indeed, all to play for the star-studded WP side.

Paulse says he has reason to believe Province can go all the way if they keep playing the way they are: "Things are looking really positive all of a sudden and I've got no doubt Province can definitely do it if they pick up bonus points in their remaining games.

"They've got a bit of an easier route (to the semi-finals) which counts in their favour."

Paulse says the Cheetahs are a vulnerable team at the moment coming off those back to back losses and feels the team morale could be low. He's also been critical of coach Naka Drotske's selections, playing Kabamba Floors (who's a loose forward) on the wing and natural scrumhalf Tewis de Bruyn at flyhalf.

"Especially when you play guys out of position, you always have the risk of whether or not the gamble will come off."

Province's big win over the Valke on Saturday leaves them with! a better points difference than the Cheetahs (73 to 61) and i! f the si des are level on points at the end of the round-robin stage, Province go through on points difference.

Breakfast Headlines

The Proteas will shift into test mode next week after wrapping up the one day series against Bangladesh. The third and final one day match was abandoned without a ball being bowled yesterday. The first test against Bangladesh starts on Wednesday. Proteas coach Mickey Arthur told Supersport he's looking for his test batting line-up to hit form.

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Kamran Akmal hit two sixes in the final over as Pakistan pulled off a thrilling 4 wicket win over the West Indies with only one ball remaining in the first one day match. Chris Gayle scored his 17th century.
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England will be without pace bowler Ryan Sidebottom and could also be missing Stuart Broad when they face India in the first one day match on Friday. India will be missing in-form fast bowler Ishant Sharma.
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Nashua Cape Cobras coach Shukri Conrad continues his search for a fast bowler with raw talent when the Cobras roadshow hits the
Somerset West Cricket Club! at 4 o'clock.
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Santos pulled off a good result in rain and wind as they held Sundowns to a goalless draw in a league match at Athlone stadium. Golden Arrows striker Richard Henyakane scored his second hat-trick of the season as Ajax Cape Town suffered a 4-0 defeat in Durban. Chiefs beat SuperSport United 1-0.
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Premier League leaders Chelsea have been knocked out of the League Cup by Championship team Burnley as their fourth round tie went to sudden death penalties. Tottenham smashed Liverpool 4-2. Blackburn are also through to Saturday's quarter-final draw after a 2-1 win at Sunderland.
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Top seed Roger Federer says he's hoping for "a miracle" after being laid low by illness at the Masters Cup. He faces the in form Andy Murray tomorrow.
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England have beefed up their pack for Saturday's test against Australia at Twickenham. Phil Vickery returns at prop in place of Matt Stevens.
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Time is running out to check out! the Volvo Ocean Race experience at the V and A Waterfront. Th! e boats set sail on the second leg on Saturday from Cape Town to Cochin in India.

Injury setback for Stormers

The Stormers have been dealt a huge blow on Thursday, less than a month before the start of the Super 14.

Flyhalf Willem de Waal is unlikely to take part in any of the warmup matches before the all-important season-opening clash with the Sharks at Newlands on Valentine's Day. De Waal is struggling with a hand injury and team management says he won't be taking any contact until the first game.

Fullback, Conrad Jantjes, has now fully recovered from his groin strain and will be phased back slowly. He'll ! miss next Sunday's first warm-up match against English club Saracens at Newlands. Percy Montgomery, veteran of more than 100 tests for the Springboks, is likely to operate from fullback while Peter Grant is expected to wear the number 10 jersey.

Springbok tighthead, Brian Mujati, will play against the English powerhouse after recovering from a shoulder injury earlier than anticipated.

The Stormers' preparations have been further dented with the news that a few of its players are being investigated for allegedly getting their motorcycle learners licenses illegally.

Breakfast headlines

Rugby:

Die Vodacom Stormers se nagmerrie seisoen is nog 'n knou toegedien met 'n ernstige beseering aan Jean de Villiers. Die Stormers kaptein het vroeg die veld verlaat in die span se 34-11 nederlaag teen die Hurricanes. Die slegte nuus vanoggend is dat hy vir tot ses weke op die kantlyn sal wees. Die Chiefs is vanoggend bo op die Super 14 punteleer, gevolg deur die Sharks, die Bulls en die Hurricanes.

Cricket:

The IPL came alive over the weekend with two double headers at Sahara Park Newlands. My side, the Deccan Chargers, clinched an eight wicket win over Janine's Kolkata Knight Riders. Herschelle Gibbs top scored with 43 of 26 and man of the match, RP Singh took 4 for 22 in 3.4 overs, to win the match with 41 balls to spare. Yesterday's other contest was ruined by rain interuptions. Daniel Vettori took 3 for 15 in 3 overs to restrict the King's XI Punjab to 104 in 12 overs, but the Del! hi Daredevils innings was reduced to 6 overs after another rain interuption. Virender Sehwag hit 38 off 16 to reached the revised target of 54 in 4.5 overs. On Saturday, the Mumbai Indians beat the Chennai Superkings and the Bangalore Royal Challengers beat the Rajasthan Royals. Today it's Chennai versus Bangalore in PE. The next match in Cape Town is the Challengers against the Chargers on Wednesday.

Football:

Tim Howard stopped two penalty kicks to give Everton a 4-2 win over Manchester United in a penalty shootout. The Toffees have booked a place in the FA Cup final against Chelsea who beat Arsenal on Saturday. The match finished goalless after 120 minutes. Rio Ferdinand was philosophical after the loss and Everton's Phil Jagielka says he was fortunate not to giveaway a penalty during the match..

Formula One:

Sebastian Vettel gave Red Bull their first F1 win with a pole to chequered flag victor! y ahead of team mate Mark Webber in the rain-soaked Chinese Gr! and Prix on Sunday.

Cycling:

South African pro cycling outfit, Team Barloworld's Daryl Impey clinched the Tour of Turkey despite a big crash in the final 500 metres of the eighth and final stage.

Tennis:

Top seed and world number 50 Fabrice Santoro of France won the inaugural Soweto Open men's tennis tournament 7-5 6-4 against the unseeded Rik de Voest of South Africa.

World number one Rafael Nadal beat third seed Novak Djokovic 6-3 2-6 6-1 in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters.

2009 Pre-Season Testing: Sato, Loeb & BMW headline

Today Formula One kicked off its pre-season testing for 2009. All teams were present except for Toyota. On this first day of testing there were 3 items that caught the eye of many. After very limited running in 2008, former Super Aguri driver Takuma Sato topped the timesheets in his 2nd test for Toro Rosso in a bid to secure a race drive. He set a time of 1:20.763 seconds. Sebastien Loeb demonstrated the speed and skill that we all knew existed as he finished only 1.2 seconds slower that Sato's top time in his first F1 test with other drivers. Loeb's time was 1:22.003; good enough for 8th. Also, BMW! came to this test with a full 2009 spec aero package on a modified F1.08 as well as having the car fitted with 2009 spec slick tires and BMW's KERS system. Fastest BMW time was set by Robert Kubica (1:22.341). There will be a full test summary after the Barcelona 3 day test is complete.

photo by LAT via Autosport.com

Rafa Deserves Better Treatment By Liverpool

On May 17, 1990, Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 1-0 in the FA Cup Final replay to win the first silverware of Sir Alex Ferguson's 22-year reign at Old Trafford. It had taken the Scot three-and-a-half years to achieve it, but 32 trophies later the adoring Mancunian fans have no qualms about the bedding-down period Ferguson was granted.

Admittedly we live in different times, but consider Rafa Benitez's statistics for a second. From joining the club in June 2004 to Boxing Day 2007 - about the same time it took Fergie to win his single FA Cup - Liverpool won three trophies: the Euro! pean Cup in 2005 was followed by the Uefa Super Cup in the same year, and an FA Cup in 2006, when the Reds dramatically beat West Ham on penalties after one of the greatest finals ever.

Add to this a further Champions League final appearance, in 2007, and the runners-up spot in the Premier League last year - one of the most competitive seasons since the inception of the league - and you'd be questioning the sanity of those fans and sports writers now calling for Benitez's head because Liverpool can only manage sixth place in the league.

But the reality of the Spaniard's predicament is that he has yet to realise the one, burning ambition that drives everyone in the club: to break the 19-year drought since Kenny Dalglish's team lifted the old Football League trophy in 1990. That triumph was the club's 18th league title - a record they held alone until last season when arch-rivals Manchester United joined them on that mark.

Despite coming close! r last season than any of the intervening permanent managers (! Graeme S ouness, Roy Jones and Gerard Houllier), missing out by just four points in a season when they were beaten only twice, Benitez will remain a prisoner of the club's illustrious history until that hoodoo is broken.

Benitez's position has been further undermined by the boardroom battle between the club's two American owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

The pair bought into Liverpool together in February 2007, paying £229m to former chairman David Moores to take on the club and its debt. Since then they have alienated the fanbase with their perceived unwillingness to invest in the club - allowing the move to a 60,000-seater stadium in Stanley Park to stagnate, for example - and have publicly squabbled.

They have also actively unsettled their own manager. Just this week, Gillett gave an interview to a fans' group in which he blamed the Spaniard for the lacklustre start to the season, and in November 2007 the Americans offered Benitez's job to the! former German manager Jurgen Klinsmann.

After trying to hawk the club around the Middle East, with Dubai International Capital being a rumoured buyer, Gillett now looks likely to sell his 50 per cent stake to Saudi Prince Faisal, at least removing one obstacle from the manager's path.

Ultimately, though, it will be Benitez's relationship with the Kop that seals his future. Liverpool supporters will never forget the magical night in Istanbul in May 2005 when the team came back from a three-goal deficit at half-time to beat AC Milan to win the club's fifth European Cup, bragging rights they hold supreme in English football.

The wellspring of support generated by his early success at the club has not evaporated. "We love Rafa, although it's slightly tempered by dismay at some of his decisons," an Anfield regular told The First Post, citing his decision this summer to sell Xabi Alonso, a firm favourite of the fans.

"We loved Houllier! [Benitez's immediate predecessor] too, but it's more intense ! for Rafa . The starting point for supporters has always been to offer unconditional love to the team and the manager to spur them on."

With four games in eleven days coming up after the international break - the results of which hold the key to Liverpool's chances of silverware this season - Benitez will need all the support he can get.

Manchester United Fans To Be Searched For Beach Balls At Liverpool

Manchester United fans travelling to Anfield to watch their team play Liverpool at the weekend will be searched as normal as stewards look for beach balls.

Red Liverpool beach balls have sold out from the Anfield club shop, with staff suspecting United fans are snapping them up as they plan a 'tribute' to the goal Darren Bent scored for Sunderland against the Reds at the weekend.

Bent's effort deflected off a red beach ball and past Pepe Reina into the net for the game's only goal at the Stadium of Light.

The beach ball had been thrown onto the pitch by a Liverpool fan. Although the goal should not have stood, Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has been philosophical about what happened claiming that his club do not want to change things.

"It will be the normal search policy," a Liverpool spokesperson told The Sporting Life.

Any beach balls found on supporters will be c! onfiscated.

Mata Waits On New Deal

Juan Mata's father and agent want Valencia to up their contract offer, amid claims that Liverpool are ready to make a move for the forward.

The Spain international is in talks with Los Che over a new contract and only last week his father, Juan Mata senior, stated that a deal was close.

But now it appears things have not moved on as expected and Mata could be forced to seek a move if the club does not match his expectations.

"We want Valencia to recognise the kid's true quality, and it's not only a matter of money," Mata senior is quoted by The Sun.

Mat! a himself admits he is attracted by Liverpool, but is leaving his future in the hands of his father.

"This matter is all down to the club and my agent," he said.

"Rafa Benitez is a big coach but I just want to concentrate on my game without any distractions.

The 21-year-old's current deal runs until 2012.

Young Girl from Thailand

I like its style, sexy and easy going. A cute from Thailand. She also a model photo is being peripatetic alien corporation apprentice is by fashion.

Sexy Girls In Blue Bikinis

Sexy girl sleeping with a bikini, looks very nice.

Hindle renews Shootout sponsorship

By Graeme Jones

TORONTO, ON -- Hindle Exhaust Systems, a worldwide leader in performance exhausts and one of Canada's strongest motorcycle racing supporters, has returned as title sponsor of the Canadian Fastest Streetbike Shootout for the third straight year.

Hindle has been backing the Shootout from day one and has remained a staunch supporter of the sportbike drag racing scene. Its new line of drag racing exhaust systems shows that it is serious about its involvement in the sport.

"Hindle is happy to return as title sponsor of the Streetbike Shootout," noted Lee Hindle. "We feel that drag racing is a growing field, and as a result we have invested a lot of time and money to create our brand new Sidewinder and Street Megaphone series."

Hindle's new Sidewinder and Street Megaphone systems are already available for the Suzuki Hayabusa and GSX-R1000, as well as Kawasaki's ZX-10 and ZX-12.
For more info on all of Hindle's products, visit http://www.hindle.com or e-mail info@hindle.com. Hindle products are distributed in Canada through Parts Canada (www.partscanada.com) and in the U.S. through Parts Unlimited (www.parts-unlimited.com) and Street & Competition (www.street-n-comp.com).

Inside Motorcycles // www.insidemotorcycles.com

Extreme Team rides in June

From The Prostate Extreme Team

OAKVILLE, ON -- The Prostate Cancer Extreme Team has announced the second event for its 2006 "Tour of Hope" fundraising campaign. On Saturday, June 24 the Prostate Extreme Team will be looking for motorcycle enthusiasts from across Ontario to come out and join fellow riders in the Flamborough area to help raise awareness and funds for Prostate Cancer Research.

This poker ride will begin at the Flamboro Valley Campground, and travel the scenic backroads of the majestic Flamborough region. You can visit their website at www.flamborovalley.com.

A minimum event pledge of $50 is required along with a $25 registration fee. A BBQ lunch will be provided after the ride, along with an extensive prize table and a great opportunity to meet other motorcycle enthusiasts,! all riding for a great cause. The fee for your first poker hand is $20, additional poker hands will be $10 each.

The Prostate Cancer Extreme Team is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising both awareness and funds for the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada. Prostate Cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in men, and will affect one in seven men in the course of their lifetime. If left untreated Prostate Cancer can be life threatening, however with early detection, the cure rates are as high as 95 per cent. All men over the age of 40 are potentially at risk and should speak to their doctor about annual testing.

The Prostate Cancer Tour of Hope consists of the "Snow Ride of Hope," " Bike Ride of Hope" and "ATV Ride of Hope".

For more information on the Prostate Extreme Team's upcoming events, or to download pledge and registration forms please visit www.prostateextrem! eteam .com.

Inside Motorcycles // www.insidemotorcycles.com

Grading the Bengals Draft

There are a lot of people who believe you cannot truly grade an NFL draft class until after five years. Which is a very valid argument, the "studs" of this draft class may turn out to be duds, only time will tell. But we still take a time to grade the draft, which is exactly what we at NKYSportsWorld will do:

Bengals Draft Grade: B- The Bengals landed a huge OT in Andre Smith in the first round with Eugene Monroe still on the board. We will be watching this to unfold throughout the years as negativity spread about Smith's maturity after the season. But most indications were that Smith was the #1 OT on their board. There is a huge upside, and you cannot discount what he did on the field for Alabama. USC LB Rey Maualuga was projected for many to be a first rounder but fell down the draft board to the Bengals in the second round, some say that Maualuga has some bad habits of roaming and losing focus on his position. But Maualuga can bring that swag! ger and intensity to the AFC North and a Bengals defense who has been lacking that vocal leader.
Smith and Maualuga along with DE Michael Johnson, TE Chase Coffman, and P Kevin Huber were all great picks at their position in the draft. Questions can be raised surrounding Bernard Scott, RB out of Abiline Christian. His numbers may be a little lower for the Bengals only having five arrests on his record thus far. An evening with Chris Henry could help pull those numbers up! Overall the Bengals drafted for their needs, with all of us scratching our heads last year in the second round and beyond we can be optimistic this year that we filled some voids that this team needed to fill.

Here is what some others had to say:

ESPN's Mel Kiper: B
The Bengals had a lot of picks and they did a good job getting good quality with their quantity. Andre Smith, Rey Maualuga and Michael Johnson are great ways to start a draft for any team. Thes! e guys could fill big holes for the Bengals. The fourth-round ! selectio n of offensive lineman Jonathan Luigs was a little high, but it wasn't crazy. The late-round picks weren't anything to write home about, but they did a good job of getting strength in numbers and getting some depth for their team.

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco: B+
For a team that has been ripped for poor drafting the past decade or so, they did a really nice job. This draft might just make them a playoff team.

Sporting News' Clifton Brown: A
Love this draft, if tackle Andre Smith and middle linebacker Rey Maualuga keep their heads on straight. Smith might be the best tackle, and Maualuga has first-round talent. Defensive end Michael Johnson is highly skilled but must be more consistent, and tight end Chase Coffman could be a nice target for Carson Palmer.

NBC: B -
Was there every any doubt the Bengals would draft the player with the most off-field question marks? Left tackle Andre Sm! ith is a massive talent, but is massive risk for an undisciplined team. He fills a huge position of need, and second-round pick USC Rey Maualuga was a great value, adding toughness to an emerging defense. Cincy went boom or bust with other picks like DE Michael Johnson and RB Bernard Scott, who was been arrested five times! The Bengals just can?t change their stripes.


USA Today's Larry Weisman: B
OT Andre Smith carries question marks, but he is a superior blocker. LB Rey Maualuga slipped into the second round and should bring toughness to the middle of a leaky run defense. Some saw DE Michael Johnson as a first-round talent, and the Bengals got him in the third. TE Chase Coffman is a steal in the third.

Jay Canty Commits to Xavier

Jay Canty, a small forward out of North Carolina, has committed to Xavier University. Canty will join Jordan Latham as the second recruit signed for the 2010 class at X.

Canty averaged 22 points last season and is ranked 124 overall on the Rivals150, 3-stars by Scout, and a scout grade of 88 by ESPN.

The only thing that scares me off is that High Point was the only other school to offer him a scholarship. I know some recruiting sites rank! ed him as good prospect but it's interesting that no big name schools recruited him hard, especially schools in North Carolina such as Wake Forest, N.C. State, etc.

Latham (6'8) and Canty (6'5) are much needed recruits for 2010 as Xavier will be guard heavy in 2010 with Crawford, Holloway, Redford, Lyons and Jackson still around.

NKU Norse News

The NKU athletics department is hosting a Halloween Hoopla tomorrow night at the Bank of KY Center on NKU's campus. You can come watch the men's and women's team intra-squad scrimmage and they will also have a three point shooting contest and dunk contest. (I remember a time when no Norse ball players could dunk!) They encourage you to wear your halloween costumes. They will give out a prize to the best costume and will also have candy for the little trick or treaters. Best of all, they will be serving free Gold Star Chili and Pepsi to all attendees.

Check out all of the details here.

Red Sox first-half report card

We're at exactly the midway point of the 2008 season for most teams around Major League Baseball, so I decided to issue the inaugural Red Sox Report Card courtesy of the Sports Brief. With a 49-32 record, the Red Sox currently hold the 3rd highest winning percentage in all of baseball. The team is one game off the pace of last year's record at the midpoint of the season, but lest we forget, this has been done despite a slew of injuries. But without further adieu, I take you position by position starting with…

Offense

Catcher – Jason Varitek (.231/7/25)
Grade: C

I understand the nuthuggers who point to Varitek's due diligence as captain and starting catcher of the Red Sox. He does his homework, always has his pitchers prepared, and caught the 4th no-hitter of his career earlier this season with Jon Lester on the hill. Sure, I give him all the credit in the world for that. But the guy has been miserable offensively, and it's pissed me off ! two-fold because I tolerated it for most of the first-half on one of my fantasy teams. The last three years have been woeful for 'Tek at the plate, starting in 2006 when he hit .238 and missed 59 games due to injury. He bounced back, ever so slightly, with a .255 clip and 17 homeruns in '07, but a .131 average this June is downright paltry. Theo better be searching for the heir apparent, because this is becoming a trend, and not one that can be tolerated much further.

First Base – Kevin Youkilis (.303/13/47)
Grade: A-

Personally, I hate the guy after having dealt with him last season as a member of the media. But I'll give him his props, because he's delivered so far in '08. The average and defense are becoming somewhat expected, but the power has been a pleasant surprise as he's 2nd on the team in RBI and has a slugging of .539 and OPS of .913. Pretty solid numbers that could very well earn him a spot on the All-Star team. While he isn't a bona f! ide slugger at that position, he delivers in the field to make! up for it. The question, as always, will be whether or not he can continue at this torrid pace. I seem to think he'll turn the corner this year, especially with Sean Casey backing up. A serviceable veteran who can deliver will allow Francona to be more liberal in giving Youkilis much needed days off. I think he finishes right around .300 with 25 homers and 90 RBI to go with it.

Second Base – Dustin Pedroia (.289/7/34)
Grade: B

Pedroia struggled throughout May, hitting .260 and seeing his average hit as low as .260 on June 12 and 13. He's been leading the All-Star voting at 2nd for most of the season, and at that time, I couldn't believe people would actually give him the nod with such brutal numbers. But he's been on a tear of late, hitting .442 over the last twelve games (23 for 52) and you have to appreciate his intensity, although like Youkilis, it's a tired act at times. But Pedroia is a gamer, and while his average is down from last season, the power! is up and he's been more of a run producer. A grade of B might be a bit harsh, but after his ROY campaign in '07, it's difficult to let May's production – or lack thereof – slip without a slap on the wrist.

Third Base – Mike Lowell (.287/11/41)
Grade: A-

I grade Lowell a little higher than I probably should here, solely because I think he's been phenomenal since returning from his wrist injury that sidelined him for almost all of April. At the time of the injury, he was 6 for 30 and hitting a lowly .200. Since returning, he's hitting .300 (60 for 200) and has 11 homeruns in 230 at-bats on the season. To put it in perspective, his current numbers in '08, when matched up with the number at-bats he had last season (589) would have him on pace for 28 HR, 41 2B, and 105 RBI; that's seven more bombs, four more doubles and 15 less RBI. While the average is lower, let's not forget the early hole he was climbing out of.

I mention this for thos! e of you that thought last year was a fluke and more a testame! nt to it being a contract year. I think Lowell is showing he's got plenty of juice left in that swing. And with his defense seemingly more consistent that last season, I'm quite happy with his production thus far.

Shortstop – Julio Lugo (.274/1/17)
Grade: C-

Consider this me officially clamoring for Jed Lowrie as the new everyday shortstop for the Boston Red Sox. Lugo's average may be almost 40 points higher than last year's final tally, but he was driving in runs in '07; this year he's not. He's a punching Judy hitter and that's it. He's not stealing bases or scoring runs as frequently as a guy making $9M/year should. Consider this: he's second to last in runs scored among regular starters, Coco Crisp has more stolen bases despite considerably less playing time, and Dustin Pedroia, who is by no means known for his speed, has only two less steals than Lugo (8 to Lugo's 10). Lugo sucks, and so does his contract.

Left Field – Manny Ramirez (.291/1! 5/49)
Grade: B+

I'm actually quite pleased with the way Manny has played so far in '08. His power numbers are up considerably from last year, when he only hit 20HR and drove in 88 runs. Right now he's on pace for 30/98, which is still a bit low for Manny standards, but if he's stays healthy, I think he'll finish similar to his 2006 campaign when he finished at .321/35/107. He had a rough month of May, which is why the average is down a bit, but before the season I said he'd be the MVP of the American League and there's still half a season to go. He may not quite reach that level, but I think he'll be in the discussion when all is said and done.

Center Field – Jacoby Ellsbury (.275/5/23 and 34 stolen bases)
Grade: A
As a leadoff hitter, you need a guy who can get on base and score runs. That's exactly what Ellsbury has done. He's 7th in OBP among leadoff hitters, which is modest. But he leads the AL in steals and is second to Willy Tavera! s (35) in all of baseball. As far as scoring runs, Ellsbury ha! s crosse d the plate 53 times, good for 5th in the AL and 16th overall. This is more than impressive for a guy playing in his first full major league season. Let's not forget, he's doing all this for the 3rd best team in all of baseball, the defending World Series champs, and after a two month stint at the end of last season in which he could have arguably been World Series MVP and saw his stock rise dramatically. That's a lot of pressure for a 24-year old kid, but add in the way he's utilized that speed to cover ground in the outfield and that's some electrifying stuff.

Right Field – JD Drew (.308/14/45)
Grade: A

Drew has been my favorite player for years because he's a five tool guy that makes the game look easy when he wants to. Last year was tough to watch, especially since I had a first hand glimpse at the field and in the clubhouse. But this year, Drew has lived up to the hype and delivered when the Sox need him most with the absence of David Ortiz. H! is OBP (.414) and OPS (.987) are the highest since his 2004 season, when he put up a .436 and 1.005, respectively. And his average and slugging (.573) are the highest since '01 when he finished with a line of .323/27/73/.613. He's only on pace for 134 games, but the depth of the Red Sox outfield allowed Francona to sit Drew some days when otherwise he might have asked the $15M man to play. And in the month of June, Drew has been hot at a .359 clip with 10 homers and 23 RBI. I think by season's end, barring any significant injury, Drew will finish as a .300/30/100 guy, and his resurgence will also allow the Red Sox to slow the recovery process of David Ortiz and ensure that the burly DH is fully healthy before returning this season. When he does, that will be a scary offense with four significant run producers in the 3-6 spots of the order.

Outfield – Coco Crisp (.271/5/22)
Grade: B-

Crisp has been respectable filling in as a 4th outfield for the R! ed Sox thus far, and the fact that management has convinced hi! m to co- exist with heir apparent Jacoby Ellsbury speaks volumes about that clubhouse. I don't think he's done much in raising his stock significantly, but I'm not sure the Sox are looking to deal him anymore considering the injury to Ortiz. It seems to be at least a month before he returns, and even then, it's tough to say how significant his playing time will be to start. The Sox need Crisp to solidify the outfield late in games and also give Ramirez a spell as DH now and then. And with his speed (12 of 15), it makes pitchers fret even more when he's in the lineup along with Ellsbury and Lugo.

DH – David Ortiz (.252/13/43)
Grade: B

He's been injured and missed all of June, so it's hard to say. But I'll grade him for his body of work up until that point. After a horrific month of April, during which he his .198, hit only 5 homeruns and drove in 21 runs, Ortiz acquitted himself well in May. He hit .318, clubbed 8 bombs and drove in 22. That month of April ! certainly skewed his overall numbers, particularly his average, but he was coming on strong offensively. His walk and strikeout numbers were no different than the norm, so it's safe to say that Ortiz was putting the ball in play as consistently as he had in the past; it was just a matter of getting them to fall. It will be interesting to see how effective he is when he returns, but the offense has not missed a beat without him, so hopefully that will afford him more time to fully recover and rehabilitate.

Bench – Kevin Cash, Sean Casey, Brandon Moss, Alex Cora, Jed Lowrie
Grade: B

Cash has been a significant upgrade from Doug Mirabelli, who couldn't crack the Mendoza line in 2006 and barely made it in '07. Casey is hitting .350 in a part-time role, but his addition to the clubhouse has been tremendous. I think Moss needs more playing time to truly show his ability at this level, but he won't find that in Boston for a couple years. In the interim, ! I think he's been serviceable at best but is still a threat as! a left- handed bat off the bench. Cora is certainly invaluable now for his defense late in games with Lugo's troubles in the field. He's a professional, and as always has filled in wherever and whenever. And let's not forget Lowrie, whose out of .310/1/7 over 17 games more than impressed me. As I said earlier, I wish this kid was the everyday shortstop, but at $9M/year, it'll be tough to supplant Lugo unless he pulls a Shawn Chacon on Theo Epstein, who can't be far away from having an Ed Wade moment in the dining hall at Fenway.

Starting Pitching

Josh Beckett – (7-5, 3.73, 97K, 1.11 WHIP)
Grade: B

I said from the beginning of spring training that my concern was Beckett did not apply himself this past offseason. After a lower back injury that forced him to start 2008 on the DL and some instances of inconsistency since his return, it appears that may have been the case. Nonetheless, Beckett has begun to acquit himself of late, turning in a solid m! onth of June during which he's gone 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA. He's posted quality starts in three of his four starts and surrendered only 26 hits in 27 innings to go with a 22:5 K to walk ratio.

Jon Lester – (6-3, 3.13, 65K, 1.33 WHIP)
Grade: A-

He threw a no-hitter against Kansas City on May 19 and has been absolutely superb in the month of June. Over his last four starts, Lester is 3-0 with a 1.63 ERA. He's only walked 3 batters in 27.2 IP, and his 39 walks in 103.2 IP this season is a big reason he's found success. Lester is no longer falling behind in counts, nibbling on the corners when he's ahead or getting rattled as easy. He's pitching to contact and working deeper into games which is a far cry from the Jon Lester of old, who at times needed 100-plus pitches just to qualify for a win. It's been a significant boost to the rotation, particularly with the absence of Curt Schilling and injuries to Daisuke Matsuzaka and Clay Bucholz.

Dais! uke Matsuzaka – (8-1, 3.46, 56K, 1.42 WHIP)
Grade: B-

I'm still not sold on Daisuke being more than a decent 2 or solid 3 starter in the American League. His record is deceiving, in my opinion, because he hasn't been able to make it past the 5th our out of the 6th inning in 7 of his 12 starts due to high pitch counts. His K:BB ratio (65:46) is pathetic, especially given that he's pitched 65 innings this season. And to top it off, he got lit up in his first start back from the DL. Thankfully the Red Sox have considerable depth in starting pitching or else this would have been a costly top of the rotation guy. Hopefully he's settles down and pitches to his capabilities, but for now, I'm still disappointed thus far.

Tim Wakefield – (5-5, 3.88, 69K, 1.25 WHIP)
Grade: A-

This guy is like everyone's favorite pet dog. No matter what happens in the world around you, he'll always be there right by your side. Quality starts in 11 of 16 games, his lowest ERA since 2002 and he's gone seven or more innings eight t! imes. Every year it seems he may be the odd man out, but injuries happen and they rarely seem to happen to Wake. Thus, he remains in the rotation and not only that, but he delivers. These are solid numbers for any major league pitcher, never mind a 41-year old knuckleballer. He's been so good of late, I keep thinking about adding him to my fantasy team, but never pull the trigger. After his 5th quality start in a row, it may be time, but regardless, it's hard not to appreciate his consistency year in and year out. To have him pitching above expectations is an added bonus, especially given the rash of injuries.

Justin Masterson – (3-1, 3.43, 32K, 1.19 WHIP)
Grade: A-

I'd say Tuesday's game against Arizona was Masterson's first true test of adversity, and he delivered. After surrendering a 2-run shot to Chad Tracy in the 3rd inning, the youngster was facing a 4-1 deficit and en route to his worst performance as a big leaguer thus far. But he answere! d the bell with three consecutive shutout innings, keeping his! team in the game. The result? Boston came back with four in the 8th to take a 5-4 win.

Masterson has show tremendous stuff so far in his rookie campaign, and I think the Red Sox brass will be hard pressed to send him back to the minors. When Bartolo Colon returns, I'd like to see Masterson move to the bullpen and shore up innings 6-8 with Delcarmen, Hansen and Okajima. If Colon fails to return and deliver, Masterson should stay in the rotation while Clay Bucholz continues his development in Triple-A. I said it last year and I'll say it again. Throwing a no-hitter is a tremendous accomplishment, but it's not a right of passage. Just ask Bud Smith.

Bartolo Colon – (4-2, 4.09, 26K, 1.39 WHIP)
Grade: B+

No one was expecting much, but Colon has been a welcomed addition to the staff. Until his recent stint on the DL, he'd been solid and serviceable as a back of the rotation guy. While he still hasn't shown glimpses of his Cy Young stuff from 2005, he! was progressing nicely and settling in. I was watching the game against Philadelphia which eventually put him on the DL, and I could see in the 1st inning, during which he surrendered homeruns to Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard, that something was wrong. He was only throwing 84-87 and the ball was up. Hopefully the DL stay will cure what ails him, because the Sox were enjoying the depth with him in the mix. For little to no money at all, this has been an absolute steal. Let's hope he returns to form.

Bullpen – Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, Mike Timlin, Craig Hansen, Javier Lopez, David Aardsma
Grade: B

It's been a case of good and bad for the Red Sox bullpen. Papelbon has been good all season despite a few minor hiccups that typically happen with closers. But he's reliable and about as much of a shutdown closer as you'll see in baseball. Delcarmen was terrible to start the season, but with 10 shutout innings in June and 11 str! aight scoreless appearances, he's returning to old form. Okaji! ma, howe ver, has been awful. I hate to say teams have figured him out, but he's been awful in June averaging 2 hits per inning pitched. Francona simply can't rely on him in the 8th inning at this point, and you have to wonder if he needs more rest.

In the second tier of relievers, Hansen has delivered some encouraging outings, while others have shown he's still learning. His save against the Reds on FOX television impressed me, more so because he found himself in a tight jam and didn't crack. He appears to be maturing as a pitcher, and I think come September and October, he'll be a valuable piece of that bullpen.

Lopez and Aardsma have been nice complimentary pieces to the bullpen. Both have been consistent all season long and present solid options out of the bullpen for Francona. Particularly when regular late inning guys are in need of rest, it's comforting to see these back of the bullpen guys have put up solid numbers.

As far as Mike Timlin goes,! I think it's time he joined Curt Schilling on the CNLP (Can No Longer Perform) list. He's finished, and has become more a liability than anything else in a big league game. I wouldn't trust him at my brother's little league practice. Offer a buyout and have him retire as a member of the Red Sox. They can put together a nice little ceremony and let the team honor him. All he's doing now is taking up a roster spot that someone else deserves.

Overall – A-

The team has overcome several injuries including the loss of Ortiz. Despite that, it owns the 3rd best record in the majors, has held off a first-half surge from the Tampa Bay Rays, solid play from Baltimore and New York, and the Blue Jays are somewhat dormant, but possess enough talent to wreak havoc in the division. The AL East is as competitive as it has ever been, so to be in this position at the midway point, on pace for 98 wins, is certainly impressive. The Yankees have played much better over the! last couple months and are 14-9 in the month of June. With Ch! amberlai n added to the rotation, I'm excited to see how Boston and New York match-up later this season. I'm also excited to see if the Rays can continue this play through the rest of the season. It should be an interesting second half, one that will leave at least a couple of these teams on the outside looking in come playoff time.

So there you have it. The mid-season report card for the Boston Red Sox. Let me know your thoughts on any of the grades, players, or comments above.

-Bess

NBA Awards '08-'09

The NBA season is over, and the playoffs will begin tomorrow, with or without KG. So it has become a tradition for me to unveil my NBA regular season awards, with or without KG. I'm not going to do an elaborate break down for each award, because 1. you probably wouldn't read it and 2. I'm still bummed out about Garnett. If you have questions or comments leave a... (for lack of a better word) comment at the bottom and I'll get back to you. On with the show...

MVP
1. Dwyane Wade, Heat
2. LeBron James, Cavs
3. Kobe Bryant, Lakers
4. Chris Paul, Hornets
5. Paul Pierce, Celtics

Honorable Mention:
Dwight Howard, Magic
Brandon Roy, Blazers
Chauncey Billups, Nuggets

Yeah I went there, D-Wade is my MVP. I know everyone in the world has LeBron, because he's the best player in the world and on arg! uably the best team in the world. Well, Wade has a far weaker supporting cast, and is the only player in the league to average 30+ points per game. Not many people thought the Heat would be a playoff team (I did check the archieves), and he got them to a 5 seed. In addition to finishing 1st in points, Wade was 2nd in steals, 8th in assists, and 16th in block shots. That's right 16th in the league in blocked shots.

LeBron led his team in total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Only the 4th time in league history has that happened. Dave Cowens, Scottie Pippen, and Kevin Garnett are the only others to accomplish that ridiculous feat. Yeah fine, he might be the MVP.

Alright no more break down after picks.

Defensive Player of the Year
1. Dwight Howard, Magic
2. Dwyane Wade, Heat
3. Kobe Bryant, Lakers
4. LeBron James, Cavs
5. Gerald Wallace, Bobcats

(that will also be my All-NBA Defensive Team)

6th Man of the Year
1. Jason Terry, Mavericks
2. Nate Robinson, Knicks
3. J.R. Smith, Nuggets
4. Michael Beasley, Heat
5. Travis Outlaw, Blazers

Rookie of the Year/ 1st Team All-NBA Rookie
1. Derrick Rose, Bulls
2. O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies
3. Russell Westbrook, Thunder
4. Brook Lopez, Nets
5. Eric Gordon, Clippers

2nd Team All-NBA Rookie
Michael Beasley, Heat
D.J. Augustin, Bobcats
Kevin Love, Timberwolves
Mario Chalmers, Heat
Rudy Fernandez, Blazers

What a deep rook! ie class. Those are my top 10, but I'm leaving out Marc Gasol, Jason Thompson, Anthony Morrow, Courtney Lee, and even Greg Oden.

Most Improved is a Joke, I will not even waste my time on it. It is the biggest slap in the face award in the history of awards. If you have ever won a "Most Improved Award" just know that it is a nice way of them saying that you sucked before. Moving on.

Coach of the Year
1. Rick Adelman, Rockets
2. Nate McMillan, Blazers
3. George Karl, Nuggets
4. Erik Spoelstra, Heat
5. Mike Brown, Cavs

All- NBA 1st Team
Dwyane Wade, Heat
Kobe Bryant, Lakers
LeBron James, Cavs
Paul Pierce, Celtics
Dwight Howard, Magic

All-NBA 2! nd Team
Chris Paul, Hornets
Brandon Roy, Blazers
Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
Tim Duncan, Spurs
Yao Ming, Rockets

All-NBA 3rd Team
Tony Parker, Spurs
Chauncey Billups, Nuggets
Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets
Kevin Durant, Thunder
Pau Gasol, Lakers

-Keefe

A Cutter AND a Spitball?

I first saw this on Boston.com, but pretty interesting stuff. Check it out below, Mariano Rivera vs. the Angels Game 3 of the ALCS.

You got to love the camera catching it then quickly panning to something else, with Chip Carey not men! tioning a thing about it. It's not baseball unless you cheat. Bonds, Clemens, A-Rod, Manny, and now Rivera! The best OF, IF, starting pitcher, and now closer of the past 20 years. Hooray Baseball!


-Keefe

UAE League Saturday Review

Al Wasl had a slow start in this year's UAE League as they shared a 3-3 draw with minnows Bani Yas in round one of the league.

Bani Yas, who joined the top flight this season, had a quick lead in the game against the 2007 champions as they opened the scoring after only four minutes when Omani midfielder Fawzi Bashir sent a cross to Farid Ismail who scored to give his side an early lead.

However, Al Wasl levelled the scores three minutes later when Brazilian striker! Alexander Oliveira passed the ball to Said Al Kas who fired a powerful shot past Bani Yas goalkeeper Ayoub Omar.

Al Wasl took the lead when Oliveira was fouled inside the area and Panama striker Blas Perez successfully converted the spot-kick on 22 minutes.

Bani Yas equalised on 57 minutes through a powerful header from Senegalese striker Andre Senghor but Issa Ali put Al Wasl ahead once again on 72 minutes.

Bani Yas should have levelled the scores three minutes before the end when Senghor was denied by the woodwork but eventually equalised in the last minute through their Ivory Coast striker Modibo Diara.

Emirates stunned five-time league champions Sharjah with a 3-2 victory in the other match tonight.

Sharjah fell behind after only 24 minutes when Emirates striker Adnan Hussain received a cross from Musallam Ahmed which was followed by Hussain past Al Wasl goalkeeper Ahmed Mubarak.

Emirates doubled their advantage nine minutes la! ter when Moroccan striker Hassan Tair sent a neat cross to Mus! allam Ah med who followed the ball from close range into the net.

Sharjah pulled a goal back in the second half when Brazilian striker Marcelo Oliveira headed home a cross from Hamid Ahmed in the 54th minute.

However, Emirates regained their advantage through Adnan Hussain on 77 minutes before Sharjah scored their second goal on the night in the last minute through Salem Saif.

The first round will be concluded on Monday when defending champions Al Ahli play against Al Wahda and Al Ain meet Al Nasr.

England out of U20 World Cup

England Under-20s needed a late equaliser from Alex Tchuimeni-Nimely to stave off defeat against Uzbekistan.

But they still crashed out of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt at the group stage

The Manchester City youngster produced a fierce left-footed finish from a narrow angle with two minutes remaining to spare England's blushes after Ivan Nagaev's 77th-minute breakaway opener.

There was drama in stoppage time as England goalkeeper Elliott Parrish, upfield for a corner, lashed a! right-footed effort over the bar from eight yards when presented with the chance to keep his side in the tournament.

Monaco has to work hard for win

Fourth seed Juan Monaco was pushed all the way by Jan Hernych before progressing to the second round of the If Stockholm Open.

The Argentinian won the first set 6-2 but then lost the second 7-5 before edging the third by the same score in just under two hours 10 minutes.

Monaco served 10 double faults - compared to his Czech opponent's four - but he edged it.

However, sixth seed Benjamin Becker crashed out to fellow German Simon Greul 2-6 6-3 7-5.

The! re was a further shock when seventh seed Alberto Montanes was knocked out in straight sets by Leonardo Mayer.

Montanes had a poor all-round game against his Argentinian opponent ranked 31 places beneath him but it was Mayer who won through 6-4 6-3.

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez enjoyed a straightforward 6-3 6-2 victory over Alberto Martin in one and a quarter hours.

Joachim Johansson served 21 aces as he overcame a ranking deficit of more than 400 places to defeat Peter Luczak 7-5 6-2.

Gambrinus Liga Saturday Review

Jablonec moved level on points with Teplice at the top of the Gambrinus Liga with a 1-0 win at Brno as the leaders were held 2-2 by Mlada Boleslav.

Jan Vosahlik scored the winner for Jablonec in the 20th minute as they joined Teplice on 26 points.

Teplice twice came from behind to claim a point despite playing the last 20 minutes with 10 men following the dismissal of Jakub Mares.

Ludovic Sylvestre put Boleslav in front in the 19th minute only for an own goa! l from goalkeeper Miroslav Miller to bring Teplice level two minutes later.

Jan Chramosta restored the visitors lead only two minutes after that, but Vlastimil Stozicky secured a draw for Teplice and preserved their unbeaten start to the season with a 64th-minute equaliser.

Banik Ostrava moved to within two points of top spot with a 3-1 win at home to Bohemians 1905.

Martin Lukes (15) and Miloslav Strnad (33) put Banik 2-0 in front before Milan Skoda halved the deficit eight minutes after the break.

Mario Licka added a third in the 62nd minute to make the game safe.

Elsewhere, Renato Kelic scored as Liberec beat Pribram 1-0 and Slovacko won 2-0 at home to struggling Kladno.

Bangladesh cruise to easy win

Bangladesh claimed a 2-1 series lead with a comfortable four-wicket win in the third one-day international against Zimbabwe in Mirpur.

Opener Tamim Iqbal was the architect, claiming 80 runs from 72 deliveries as the Tigers overhauled their 197 target with more than nine overs to spare.

He shared a 98-run second-wicket stand with Mohammad Ashraful (63) and, though they contrived to lose four wickets for 19 runs, the result was never really in doubt as they duly reac! hed 198 for six.

Earlier, Hamilton Masakadza was the only Zimbabwe batsman to make a sizeable contribution as the tourists were all out for 196.

The opener plundered 84 from 79 balls but no other tourist could reach 30 as Nazmul Hossain and Enamul Haque Jnr chipped in with three wickets apiece.

Bangladesh now need one more win to clinch the series.

Result of EURO 2008 B

June 8th

Group B First Match at Ernst Happel Stadium

Austria 0 : 1 Croatia ( L.Modric pen 4' )

Referee: Pieter Vink - Holland

Spectators: 51,428

Statistics:

Shot on target: 6-1

Shot off targe : 9-8

Possession : 53-47 %

Corner Kicks : 4-7

Off-Side:0-3

Fouls: 17-18

Yellow Cards : 3-1

Red Card :0-0

Group B Second Matche at Worthersee Stadium

Germany 2 : 0 Poland ( Goals : L. Podolski 20', 72' )

Referee: Tom Henning Ovrebo - Norway

Spectators: 30000

Statistics:

Shot on target: 5-5

Shot off targe : 6-6

Possession : 52-48 %

Corner Kicks : 4-3

Off-Side: 5-4

Fouls: 14-16

! Yellow Cards : 1-2

Red Card :0-0

Online Football Blogs

by Jane Hilton

With today's technology, the Internet has made it easier for Football die-hards to talk about their beloved game through football blogs. Blogs have become a very popular trend. Everyday Joe's can blog about football, basketball, their mothers cooking, and dance recitals. I have even seen blogs that are written in a horse's perspective. Football blogs are very popular and you can find blogs on college, high school, pro, or semi pro football.

When searching for a football blog you might be looking for one of two things, information or intelligent conversation. Like many things found on the web, not everything is 100% correct. A blog is a personal diary/information of what is happening in someone's life, the world, or on the web. Blogs allow the reader to read someone's personal information, sometimes a blog will allow for comments and communication with other blog readers.

Football blogs can be about anything from "A Day in the! Life of a College Football Star" to "I Love the Dallas Cowboys". Searching for a football blog can be tricky. It will more than likely take a lot of time ready and analyzing the publisher to see if the information the present is both knowledgeable and informative. Once you have found a football blog, make sure there are other blog readers that share your views. If the Author is writing to people who only like a 3/4 defense and you want information about a 4/3 defense you might not find it there. The same is true if you are reading a football blog tailored to College Football and you want information on Arena Football.

With everything on the Internet, have fun and enjoy someone else knowledge and opinion. Make sure and remember that there is a real person siting behind the words with real feelings and opinions. Blogs can be fun, enjoyable, and very informative. But, blogs can also be hurtful and full of false information.



About the Author!
Jane Hilton writes reviews on various sports blogs In th! is piece of write up he highlights one of the upcoming sports blog named sprots.stanjames.com that proves handy for guys who want to know football blogs.

Oggi doppia seduta per la Prima Squadra.

Di Pasquale Campanella
Fonte: triestinacalcio.it

Trieste 13/10/2009

Il programma allenamenti della settimana fino a sabato 17 ottobre:

La rifinitura pre-gara verrà svolta venerdì sul campo della Statale 202 nel pomeriggio di venerdì
Doppia seduta per il gruppo di Mario Somma nella giornata di oggi: la squadra si è regolarmente allenata questa mattina ad Opicina e replicherà nel pomeriggio.
Questo nel dettaglio il programma completo degli allenamenti della Prima Squadra alabardata per la s! ettimana dal 13 al 17 ottobre 2009.

Martedì 13: Mattina: ore 10.00 - Campo di Opicina
Pomeriggio: ore 15.00 - Campo di Opicina

Mercoledì 14: ore 15.30 - Campo di Opicina

Giovedì 15: ore 15.00 - Campo di Opicina

Venerdì 16: ore 15.30 - Campo di Opicina - In serata ritiro presso Hotel Daneu di Opicina

Sabato 17: Decima Giornata Serie B Tim 2009/2010 - ore 15.30 - Stadio "Rocco" - TRIESTINA - GALLIPOLI

De Rossi-Lippi alla Juve?

di Rocco Fortunato

fonte:laroma24.it

Secondo il sito tedesco di calciomercato la Juventus starebbe lavorando ad un'ipotesi-shock per il prossimo mercato: Daniele De Rossi insieme a Marcello Lippi dal 2010 in bianconero. La dirigenza torinese starebbe lavorando seriamente al centrocampista della Roma, cercando di battere la concorrenza del Chelsea che vorrebbe il giocatore già a gennaio. Certo, al momento lo scenario improbabile allo stato delle cose, considerando anche che De Rossi ha più volte ribadito di voler restare alla Roma.

La Juve non alzerà l'offerta di circa 40 milioni che il Chelsea avrebbe proposto alla Roma per il centrocampista campione del Mondo. Lastrategia bianconera è quella di un'offerta economica di 20 milioni di euro e una contropartita tenica. Nell'ambito dell'operazione, quindi, potrebbero finire in giallorosso Poulsen, Tiago, Molinaro e Ariaudo. Inoltre, la Juve sarebbe favorita sul Chelsea in consider! azione dei tanti bianconeri presenti in Nazionale, e delle inc! ertezze di De Rossi sul suo futuro alla Roma.

Modena è ora di dare continuità.

di Marco Fundoni

Dopo la vittoria esterna di domenica, contro il Toro, ci si aspetta il salto di qualità dai canarini di Apolloni.

Un inizio di campionato tra alti e bassi, vittorie importanti contro squadre destinate alle zone alte della classifica, ma anche sconfitte con squadre decisamente alla portata dei gialloblu. Domenica è arrivata una vittoria importante, ma non inattesa, infatti in questo campionato ! il Modena si è conquistato di diritto l'etichetta di "Ammazza grandi". Sono crollate ai colpi degli 11 di Apolloni, oltre il Torino, anche Reggina ed Empoli mentre l'ultima retrocessa dallo scorso campionato di A(Lecce) è riuscita solo a strappare un pareggio ai modenesi. Risultati molto incoraggianti, che però non spiegano i tonfi verificatisi contro squadre decisamente alla portata degli uomini di Apolloni, come Ancona, Ascoli e Grosseto. Domenica ci sarà l'esame capolista - il Frosinone, che sta sorprendendo tutti mantenendo una posizione di testa solitaria - partita fondamentale, che ci permetterà di vedere se questo Modena ha le carte in regola per poter dare continuità ai risultati, ma soprattutto di fare questo salto di qualità tanto atteso e sognato da una città che non vede l'ora di tastare nuovamentei campi dell'olimpo del calcio italiano.

Mister Campilongo a fine gara

www.empolifc.com

Abbiamo ottenuto un buon pareggio contro una squadra esperta.

Credo che l'Empoli abbia offerto una buona prova in particolare nel primo tempo quando ha fatto buon possesso palla, producendo buone occasioni da ! gol, la piu' eclatante quella culminata con l'incrocio dei pali colpito da Saudati.

Nella ripresa, abbiamo subito un gol su palla inattiva e questo ci ha tolto un pizzico di sicurezza: provvidenziale la rete realizzata da Claudio Coralli che ci ha permesso di agguantare un pareggio e di portare cosi' a casa un punto utile.

Di Michele: «Il Toro siamo tutti»

fonte: Tuttosport

«La voglia di tornare in A deve compattarci. Tifosi, aiutateci»

TORINO, 19 ottobre - Davi! d Di Michele , ad Ascoli il Toro doveva solo vincere per non spalancare lo spettro della crisi: impre­sa compiuta.
«Chi gioca contro il Toro dà sempre il 200%. Ora abbiamo una consapevolezza in più: possiamo vincere anche senza giocare bene».

Ora si attende il ritorno al gol di Di Michele...
«Non mi nascondo, è un mo­mento un po' così ma vedrete che tornerò anch'io a segnare. E comunque il Toro non è solo Bianchi e Di Michele. Gasbar­roni ha sempre fatto gol in car­riera e presto romperà il ghiac­cio pure col Toro. Vantaggiato vede la porta come pochi e adesso ci darà una grandissi­mo aiuto. Belingheri s'è sbloc­cato e dimostrerà fino in fondo quanto vale: e come lui altri centrocampisti lasceranno il segno in fase realizzativa».

Tutto vero, però non c'è To­ro senza Di Michele...
«Non è così, siamo tutti impor­tan! ti, però vorrei esprimere un ragionamento. Di Michele può anch! e farti vincere qualche partita, però da solo non ti fa perdere: invece io passo dall'8 in pagella al 4, come se non ci fosse una via di mezzo. Col Mo­dena ho beccato un votaccio e ci sono restato un po' male, lo ammetto: nemmeno contro il Padova, dove avevo sbagliato tutto tutto tutto e mi ero pure fatto cacciare, avevo preso 4».

Che sincerità! Complimenti.
«Ogni calciatore è consapevole della prestazione che ha dispu­tato, le pagelle possono condi­zionare di più l'umore dei tifo­si che il diretto interessato. Da capitano del Toro auspico mag­gior equilibrio. I tifosi devono sapere che per noi pareggiare in casa equivale a perdere. Non devono mai dimenticare che se non vinciamo siamo due volte incazzati: per la delusione che arrechiamo a noi stessi e il dispiacere che diamo alla no­stra gente. Vorrei che tutti as­sieme fossimo ancor più com­patti: penso all'ambiente, alla critica, alla squadra, tutti ab­biamo una gran voglia e biso­gno di tornare in ! serie A. In certi momenti di difficoltà se si resta uniti diventa più facile superare gli ostacoli».

#018 Super Sintesi della 18a di A e 20a di B

#109 Highlights della 29^ giornata di Serie A

Poche sorprese e molte conferme nel ventinovesimo turno di campionato. Inter e Juventus ormai sembrano fare una corsa a sé. Ventidue le reti e risultati importanti in ogni zona della classifica. Il risultato più clamoroso è sicuramente il successo esterno della Juventus a Roma per 1-4. In coda spicca il successo della Sampdoria a Torino per 1-3. Ma vediamo nel dettaglio le partite:

Catania – Lazio 1-0: Bella partita al Massimino soprattutto nella prima frazione di gioco. Il Catania dimostra la sua voglia di fare gioco contro una Lazio apparsa a tratti timorosa. Da segnalare il rigore parato da Bizzarri a Pandev. Gli etnei dopo un mese esatto tornano alla vittoria casalinga e guadagnano tre punti importanti per la salvezza visti i risultati della giornata. La Lazio invece va incontro alla seconda sconfitta di fila, la prima in trasferta dopo due successi consecutivi esterni.

! Roma – Juventus 1-4: Successo rotondo della Juventus contro una Roma incerottata. Le due squadre nonostante le numerose assenze danno vita ad una bella gara. Bianconeri spietati soprattutto nella ripresa. Per la Roma seconda sconfitta interna della stagione. La vittoria manca ai capitolini da quattro partite. I bianconeri allungano la loro brillante striscia positiva a sette risultati utili consecutivi (6 vittorie ed 1 pareggio). Per loro quarta vittoria di fila fuori casa.

Bologna – Cagliari 0-1: Quarto successo esterno della stagione per il Cagliari contro un Bologna apparso poco concentrato. Nel girone di ritorno, in dieci gare, gli emiliani hanno ottenuto solo due vittorie, un pareggio e ben sette sconfitte. Il distacco dalla zona retrocessione è di due punti. Il Cagliari ormai sembra aver raggiunto la salvezza, anche se non matematica. Per i sardi quarto successo esterno del campionato e vittoria che tor! na dopo quattro partite.

Chiev o Vr – Palermo 1-0: Partita povera di emozioni a Verona. Il Chievo sfrutta meglio le sue occasioni e porta a casa tre punti importanti visti i risultati della giornata. I clivensi ora hanno sei punti di vantaggio sul terzultimo posto. Il Palermo, ridotto in dieci uomini per l'espulsione di Cassani, produce poco. I rosanero dopo due vittorie tornano a perdere. Occasione persa per i siciliani per avvicinarsi ancora di più alla zona Uefa.

Fiorentina – Siena 1-0: Derby toscano molto combattuto fra le due storiche rivali. Al Campo di Marte i viola hanno la meglio e tengono il passo del Genoa per la lotta per il quarto posto. I padroni di casa tornano alla vittoria interna, per loro decimo successo tra le mura amiche. Il Siena subisce la seconda sconfitta di fila ma non perde punti dalle dirette rivali per la zona retrocessione, il suo vantaggio resta di sette punti sulla terzultima.

Genoa – Udinese 2-0: Continua il meraviglioso campionato del Genoa che crede veramente al quarto posto. Partita nervosa nel finale con le proteste dei friulani per i presunti errori arbitrali del signor Ayroldi. Per i liguri, trascinati dalle prodezze di Sculli e Milito, seconda vittoria consecutiva. L'Udinese paga la stanchezza dell'impegno in coppa Uefa, dove ai quarti incontrerà il Werder Brema. I friulani hanno raccolto pochissimi punti nelle ultime sei trasferte, solo 3 punti con tre pareggi ed altrettante sconfitte.

Inter – Reggina 3-0: L'Inter archivia nei primi dieci minuti la pratica Reggina e chiude nel secondo tempo con un bellissimo gol di Ibrahimovic, sempre più leader della squadra. Per i nerazzurri decimo risultato utile consecutivo, con ben otto vittorie e due pareggi. Il distacco dalla Juventus resta di sette punti. La Reggina produce le sue occasioni ma non può nulla contro il sempre attento Julio ! Cesar. Per i calabresi decima sconfitta esterna della stagione! e vitto ria che ormai sembra essere un tabù per i granata. I tre punti mancano da sedici partite. Il quart'ultimo posto è a sei punti, tutto è ancora possibile visto il trend delle squadre che stanno davanti.

Lecce – Atalanta 2-2: Incontro entusiasmante al "Via del Mare", con le due squadre che danno vita ad una bella partita. I salenti in vantaggio subiscono la rimonta dei bergamaschi per poi acciuffare il pareggio nel finale di gara. Il Lecce sciupa l'occasione di agganciare il Bologna e di scavalcare il Torino. I giallorossi non vincono da sette turni e per loro si tratta del secondo pareggio interno consecutivo. L'Atalanta torna a far punti in trasferta dopo due sconfitte esterne. I lombardi ormai sembrano certi della salvezza avendo raggiunto la famosa quota di 40 punti.

Torino – Sampdoria 1-3: Ancora una volta il Toro cade in casa, questa è la settima sconfitta interna della sta! gione, e la seconda consecutiva. Per i granata è un'occasione persa visto il ko interno del Bologna. La Sampdoria conferma invece di attraversare un buon momento grazie anche alle prestazioni di Cassano e Pazzini. Per i doriani questo è il secondo successo esterno del campionato, in trasferta non vincevano dal 14 Dicembre 2008, 0-2 contro la Reggina. I Genovesi continuano la loro risalita in classifica.

Napoli – Milan 0-0: Non ci regala reti il posticipo del San Paolo. Le due squadre si affrontano senza alcun timore e soprattutto i partenopei vanno vicini al gol in diverse occasioni. Dubbia la posizione di fuorigioco di Hamsik, ma l'errore è giustificabile visto il margine di spazio tra i giocatori. Buona in sostanza la prova dei giocatori di Donadoni. Il Milan è veloce nelle ripartenze ma troppo impreciso negli ultimi metri. Per il Napoli si tratta del secondo pareggio consecutivo; le domeniche senza vittoria sono ora undici! . Il Milan ottiene il suo quarto punto nelle ultime due trasfe! rte, ma perde due punti dalla Juventus e dal Genoa ora rispettivamente a +7 e -4 punti.

Classifica dopo 29 giornate: Inter 69, Juventus 62, Milan 55, Genoa 51, Fiorentina 49, Roma 46, Cagliari e Palermo 42, Lazio 41, Atalanta 40, Sampdoria 38, Napoli e Catania 37, Udinese 36, Siena 31, Chievo Vr 30, Bologna 26, Torino e Lecce 24, Reggina 20.

Il campionato ora si ferma per gli incontri di qualificazione ai Mondiali del Sud Africa del 2010 della Nazionale. Questi gli impegni degli Azzurri: sabato 28/3 alle ore 20.45 a Podgorica, Montenegro – Italia. Mercoledì 1/4 alle ore 20.50 a Bari, Italia – Repubblica d'Irlanda. Il campionato torna il 5 Aprile con un programma all'inglese:

Prossimo turno, 30^giornata 5 / 4 / 2009 ore 15.00: Atalanta – Fiorentina (ore 13.00), Cagliari – Catania, Juventus – Chievo Vr, Palermo – Torino, Re! ggina – Genoa, Roma – Bologna, Sampdoria – Napoli, Siena – Lazio, Udinese – Inter (ore 19.00), Milan – Lecce (ore 21.00).

Buon calcio a tutti……..

Amarocord 1994-95 (Parte 1)

E' il 1994-1995. Il dopo-mondiale statunitense.
La Juventus ha cambiato volto e la nota "Triade" è la svolta societaria per vincere.
E' il primo campionato con i 3 punti a vittoria.
E' l'anno dei disordini di Genova che portarono alla morte di Vincenzo Spagnolo.
E' l'esordio di Batistuta tra i goleador del campionato italiano.
Noi oggi riviviamo due giornate: l'esordio e la quindicesima giornata.

Giornata 1


da studio Alfredo Provenzali
da Brescia per Brescia- Juventus Riccardo Cucchi
da Torino per Torino-Inter Livio Forma
da Parma per Parma Emanuele Dotto
da Firenze per Fiorentina - Cagliari Bruno Gentili
da Bari per Bari-Lazio Enzo Foglianese
da Roma per Roma-Foggia Giulio Delfino
da Genoa per Sampdoria-Padova Paolo Paganini
da Napoli per Napoli - Reggiana Tonino Raffa

Giornata 15

da studio Alfredo Provenzali
(Campi principali)
da Parma per Parma - Juventus Sandro Ciotti
da Roma per Roma-Bari Riccardo Cucchi
da Torino per Torino - Fiorentina Bruno Gentili
da Cagliari per Cagliari - Inter Enzo Foglianese

Noi ci vediamo fra una settimana per il gran finale

Convocazioni n° 5

Convocazioni dal 31 Agosto al 6 Settembre 2009

Naz. Under 21 - Qualificazioni Europeo 2011
Venerdì 4 Settembre
Galles U21 - Italia U21
Radiocronista: Giuseppe Bisantis

Nazionale - Qualificazioni Mondiali 2010
Sabato 5 Settembre
Georgia - Italia
Radiocronista: Riccardo Cucchi
Seconda voce: Francesco Repice

Questi eventi verranno classificati nella parte "Coppe Nazionali e internazionali" per i calcoli della SuperClassifica