maandag 27 juni 2011
Brazilian Serie A wrap: Corinthians thump Sao Paulo
Ben Lyttleton: Ivory Coast international Gervinho will flourish in the Premier League
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Deschamps regrets Juve departure
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Gasperini delighted by �beauiful� surprise
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Adrian Dantley: Nuggets Show Dantley the Door Following Bizarre Dispute
Adrian Dantley Fired By Denver Nuggets Over A Seat
Just when you thought the Denver Nuggets were headed in the right direction, an absolutely bizarre firing shows instability in their front office.
Adrian Dantley isn't just some nobody assistant coach who buys the donuts for the coaches on days they watch film. As a player he's a six-time All-Star, two-time scoring champ, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. The Nuggets obviously couldn't care any less about Dantley's reputation as they fired him on Monday.
What did he do you ask? Dantley didn't have an affair with one of the other coach's wives, he didn't take a swing at the owner, and he didn't make fun of Kenyon Martin's tattoo of lips on his neck. Oh, he did far, far worse: he refused to give up, get ready for this, his chair.
READ MORE: Are the Wizards the Most Exciting Team in League?
Sound the fire alarm and call the cops, he doesn't want to give up his chair. What a sign of complete disrespect. The way his mother raised him should be in question.
George Karl reportedly likes to rotate his coach's seats on the bench. With only three coaches allowed to sit on the bench, the others have to sit behind. Dantley wouldn't give up his seat, so they fired him.
Are you kidding me?
Dantley was asked about the firing and responded, "This had to do with a whole lot of backstabbing. I got fired because I wouldn't rotate. And people felt uncomfortable (about that)."
J.R. Smith can throw up gang signs, Carmelo Anthony can choke players, Kenyon Martin can cuss people out, it's all good. Birdman, make a fool of yourself even more and just cover your face with tattoos this year. As long as you're mature about giving up your seat on the bench, you're safe in Denver.
Denver Nuggets NBA Championships: 0
When your franchise is run like that, it's not too hard to see why.
David Daniels is an NFL Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and a Syndicated Writer. Follow him on Twitter.
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Michigan Basketball: Tim Hardaway Jr. Playing Well For Team USA
Michigan sophomore guard Tim Hardaway Jr. has been working hard on improving his game since the Wolverines NCAA tournament run ended in the second round with a nail-biting 73-71 loss to the Duke Blue Devils.
Last Thursday afternoon, Hardaway Jr. found out all of his hard work paid off when he was named to USA basketball’s under-19 world championship team. Hardaway Jr. told The Detroit Free Press the tryouts were difficult due to the high altitude in Colorado Springs, Colo.
“It’s very hard because of the altitude and getting used to it was tiring,” Hardaway Jr. said. “Everybody is getting winded real quickly, and the hardest thing is keeping your breath. Nothing you do can prepare you for it, even if you’re running, trying to stay in shape. Up here, it’s a totally different ballgame. It’s almost like you’re out of shape.”
Hardaway Jr. took a week off from basketball activities and then began working out with his father, former NBA player Tim Hardaway, at the South Miami Youth Center every morning. The Hardaway family lives in Miami, Florida.
“We’re working on ball-handling drills, ball-screen situations, a lot of the similar things that people saw me do last year, scoring from the wing,” Hardaway Jr. told the Free Press on June 16th. “But it’s mainly ball handling. I kind of realized that myself. I felt I wasn’t aggressive enough, and I could have helped out in the late run and more in a lot of those games we lost in the six-game losing streak.”
Strength coach Ed Downs is also working with Hardaway Jr. this offseason to increase his strength and stamina.
“His advice is to stay in shape, that’s the key thing they’re looking at,” Hardaway Jr, said. “You’re all in shape and running, and their gyms are hot.”
Hardaway Jr. averaged 14.9 points per game in Big Ten play and shot 37 percent form three-point land for the Wolverines in the 2010-11 season.
Hardaway Jr. scored 20 or more points in five of Michigan’s last 16 games and was not held below 10 points during that stretch. Hardaway Jr. scored a career high of 30 points on February 19 at Iowa when he went 5-for-7 from behind the arc.
His stellar play helped lift the Wolverines to an 8-3 finish to the regular season, a victory over Illinois in the Big Ten Conference Tournament, and a first round NCAA tournament romp of the Tennessee Volunteers.
The offense of the Team USA U19 team should suit Hardaway Jr. well, because he says its main focus is similar to John Beilein’s offense at Michigan.
“We try to get wide-open shots, and we’re running the court,” he said. “We still have a big man coming down and setting screens and there’s a lot of offensive movement, trying to move to keep the floor spaced-out. There’s a lot of slips and ball reversal. It’s no different from what we do.”
The eleven other players on the U19 team are: James Bell (Villanova); Anthony Brown (Stanford); Joe Jackson (Memphis); Keith Appling (Michigan State); Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut); Meyers Leonard (Illinois); Khyle Marshall (Butler); Doug McDermott (Creighton); Tony Mitchell (North Texas); Patric Young (Florida); and Mesa, Arizona prep Jahii Carson (Mesa High).
The USA U19 Team lost 101-72 to the Lithuania U19 Team in its first exhibition game Sunday night. Hardaway Jr. scored a team high 18 points in the loss. FIBA U19 World Championship play will begin Thursday in Valmiera, Liepaja and Riga, Latvia.
Team USA will be back in action Tuesday night against the Lithuania U19 team for another exhibition game.
Check out my new blog, Dirlam’s Dirty Dugout Sports Blog, which features this story along with other articles and video reports on the major sports. You can also follow my blog on Twitter, @DirtyDugoutBlog, which will provide you with the latest updates about what will be posted on the blog!
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Real Madrid Transfer Rumors: Real Madrid Invites Bids for Midfielder Kaka
According to Marca, Real Madrid is prioritizing the sale of Ricardo Kaka because the midfielder is not part of Jose Mourinho's plans in the next season. The former AC Milan midfielder has encountered a number of injuries in his time with Madrid and could be on his way due to the emergence of Mesut Ozil. Kaka has not been at his best in his time at Madrid and there is a good possibility that he could leave the club.
However, Kaka is undoubtedly a quality player who has the ability to break down the best defences in the world. Though he did not make an impact in the Barcelona game he played in, he is one of the midfielders who can cause a lot of problems to a team like the Blaugrana. The main reason why he has performed below his standard is due to injuries but with two months of rest, Kaka could be rejuvenated by the break and will be at full fitness for the next season.
Yet, if Real Madrid are certain that he is going to be sold in the summer to make way for other potential signings like Neymar, then it is expected that there will be some clubs interested in signing the Brazilian midfielder, though his injury woes mean that Madrid would have to sell him at a lesser price.
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Reports: Fabregas still on the table
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Tim Vickery: From Argentina to Venezuela, questions abound going into Copa America
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Terrelle Pryor: Will Teams Gamble On Former Buckeye As a Wildcat QB?
Terrelle Pryor Will Find An NFL Job Soon
As much as NFL teams love to preach discipline, integrity, and reliability, there's still nothing GMs and coaches love more than an incredible athlete.
For all the "character concerns" about Cam Newton, he still went first overall and Jimmy Smith was still a first round choice despite the rumors that several teams took him entirely off their boards because of his personality.
That's the reason I fully expect to see Terrellle Pryor in an NFL uniform this preseason.
Now just to be clear, I'm not saying he'll be a starter or even necessarily get any playing time this year or even beyond. But I'm certain a team will be wowed by his personal workouts, tape of him at Ohio State, and think he can fill a specific need, in goal line/short yardage situations, some form of Wild Cat, or even as a backup quarterback.
READ MORE: The 50 Most Colorful Personalities in NFL History
Pryor has tremendous size and speed and although he wasn't exactly Andrew Luck in the pocket his arm is not bad.
Other than his physical tools, Pryor really has no leverage with teams right now because he's coming out of a scandal that he created and isn't beloved by the scouts and experts. So no matter what kind of hard sell Drew Rosenhaus gives, he shouldn't be able to command a multi-year, seven-figure salary.
That should convince a handful of teams--especially ones who have extra draft choices to spend--to pursue him and try to craft a set of plays and packages centered on his skills.
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Dutch goalkeeping legend dies
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Serena Williams: Is Her Reign as Wimbledon Queen over for Good?
Wimbledon Dominance Not Quite Over for Serena Williams
Serena Williams has won four Wimbledon tournaments in the last ten years. She, along with sister Venus Williams, has dominated at Wimbledon for the past decade.
After multiple foot surgeries and a scary battle with blood clots in her lungs, medical ailments sidelined Serena for just shy of a year. It was unclear whether she would be physically or mentally ready to partake in Wimbledon 2011.
She came into this tournament with hopes of competing for her third straight Wimbledon championship, but was unable to make it past the fourth round. She was defeated by Marion Bartoli 6-3, 7-6 (6).
MUST READ: Wimbledon 2011: The Best Players That Have Never Won at the All-England Club.
While Williams had one of her earliest exits in the history of her time at the tournament, this tournament has to be considered a victory for her.
Her emotional victory in the first round was indicative of just how much making it back onto the court meant to Williams. Not only was it unclear whether she would ever be able to play tennis again, her life was in jeopardy just a short while ago.
She should return to full form by next year, barring another setback. She's down, but certainly shouldn't be considered a non-factor for this tournament in the future.
She wasn't 100%, she didn't win the tournament, but this was one of her best performances ever.
Stay tuned to Bleacher Report's Tennis Page for continuous coverage of all things tennis.
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NBA Rumors: Miami Heat Thrilled with Addition of Point Guard Norris Cole
NBA Rumors: Miami Heat Thrilled with Addition of Point Guard Norris Cole
When the Miami Heat approached draft night, the team had an obvious hole at the point guard position that needed to be plugged.
However, the club was armed with just one pick (no. 31), and after seeing Boston College point guard Reggie Jackson go to Oklahoma City at no. 24, they knew that they couldn't afford to sit back and take a chance.
The club was able to successfully move up three spots and into the back end of the first round in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves that netted them their man in Norris Cole.
MUST READ: Post-Draft Championship Odds For All 30 Teams
According to Tom Haberstroh of ESPN's Miami Heat Index, the club couldn't be more thrilled with their selection, and the team feels that Cole fits perfectly with the current roster.
Although Cole didn't receive much love on draft day, he was one of the crop's biggest sleepers, and Miami is reportedly intrigued by his defensive prowess and extraordinary speed.
Mario Chalmers may price himself out of Miami's market with his impending free agency, and it's very possible that Cole winds up as the starting point guard for the Heat next season.
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Fantasy Football: Why Tomo Romo Is on My Wishlist
I don’t have Tony Romo in my top tier of fantasy quarterbacks. In fact, I have six quarterbacks ranked ahead of him in my early 2011 fantasy football quarterback rankings.
While I don’t think Romo will be as good as those six quarterbacks, I think he’ll be a better value.
Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Michael Vick and Tom Brady will likely be selected within the first four rounds of fantasy drafts. Meanwhile, Tony Romo will likely go in the fifth or sixth round. If he can stay healthy, there isn’t much separating their ability.
Romo had 36 touchdowns passes in 2007. In 2008 and 2009, he threw 26 touchdowns each year. He was on pace for 29 last year before breaking his collarbone.
Romo has a lifetime completion percentage of 64.1 percent and a passer rating of 95.5. He has averaged 269.5 passing yards per game since 2007.
Romo also has some of the best weapons in the entire league. Not many quarterbacks have a trio of options that can match Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and Jason Witten. They are all big, fast and powerful. Throw in Felix Jones and possibly Roy Williams and you have the makings of a very potent offense.
Romo’s last four games before getting injured were all impressive:
Week 2: 374 yards, one TD
Week 3: 284 yards, two TDs
Week 5: 406 yards, three TDs
Week 6: 220 yards, three TDs
Drafting Romo is ideal because it allows you to address your running back and wide receiver slots before adding your quarterback. With minimal drop-off from the likes of Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, you put yourself in a good spot to compete for a fantasy championship.
Also check out:
2011 Early Fantasy Football RB Rankings
2011 Early Fantasy Football WR Rankings
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Bradley: Mexican wave of support too much
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West Virginia Football: Holgorsen Has a Good Week in Recruiting
Since West Virginia University, athletic director Oliver Luck announced Dana Holgorsen as head football coach there are many questions swirling about Holgorsen’s ability to lead the Mountaineers into the future.
Of particular interest is Holgorsen‘s, along with his new staff, ability to recruit at WVU. If the most recent verbal commitments are any indication, Holgorsen is doing just fine.
Since Holgorsen was promoted to head coach WVU has received five verbal’s for the 2012 recruiting class QB Brandon Napoleon, OG Tyler Orlosky, CB Albert Reid, WR Deontay McManus, and CB Da’Quan Davis
Napoleon is from Jersey City, New Jersey. Orlosky is from Lakewood (Cleveland), Ohio, Reid is from Washington D.C, McManus and Davis are both from Maryland.
That brings the total of verbal commits for the 2012 recruiting class to 10. None of the five players that committed when Bill Stewart was the head coach have de-committed since Holgorsen was named head coach.
Holgorsen has already proven that WVU could become a destination for recruits in the state of Texas. In addition, having helped sign the 2011 recruiting class Holgorsen and company will still be a force in the state of Florida.
Both Florida and Texas are represented in the current recruiting class.
When Holgorsen was hired in December, he stated that recruiting was different in the southwest compared to the east. In the southwest, it was typical for schools to have completed their recruiting class by mid-summer.
Holgorsen noted that in the east recruiting was more of a media magnet than he was accustomed to, and recruiting stretched until signing day in February.
Mountaineer fans are getting their first view of Holgorsen and his version of recruiting. Holgorsen appears to be combining the eastern and southwestern approaches to recruiting.
Holgorsen is demonstrating his ability to adapt to the existing landscape.
Longtime Mountaineer fans might recognize Brandon Napoleon’s last name, his father Eugene played for the Mountaineers. The elder Napoleon was a Mountaineer from 1987 through the '89 season.
One of the most famous WVU football teams of all time was the 1988 squad that went 11-0 in the regular season and lost the national title in the Fiesta Bowl to Notre Dame.
Ryan Nehlen, grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Nehlen is listed as a starting wide out on Holgorsen’s most recent depth chart. The elder Nehlen was the head coach and architect of that 1988 team.
It is worth noting that the younger Nehlen is a walk-on at WVU.
Another walk-on, Reggie Rembert Jr., is the son of All-American wide receiver Reggie Rembert from that 1988 squad.
Add Holgorsen’s ability to maintain ties to WVU’s past to his list of early accomplishments.
There are 79 players on the depth chart, of that 79, 20 are from the Mountaineers’ home state. Morgantown and Parkersburg provide the most players to the depth chart; both cities show four former high school players.
OFFENSE
- Matt Lindamood - Parkersburg
- Chad Snodgrass - Cross Lanes
- Josh Jenkins - Parkersburg
- Cole Bowers - Ona
- Tyler Rader - Cross Lanes
- Andrew Goldbaugh - Wheeling
- Ryan Nehlen - Morgantown
DEFENSE
- J.B. Lageman - Huntington
- C.J. Huffman - Hurricane
- Tyler Anderson - Morgantown
- Casey Vance - Seneca Rocks
- Wes Tonkery - Shinnston
- Lucas Henn - Morgantown
SPECIAL TEAMS
- Corey Smith - Bunker Hill
- Cody Nutter - Parkersburg
- Trent Lusk - Morgantown
- Michael Molinari - Parkersburg
I can remember a time, not that long ago, that the WVU football team struggled to put 20 players on the roster from West Virginia much less post 20 players on the depth chart.
During his tenure, Bill Stewart made it a point to recruit the Mountain State and sign as many players as he could from West Virginia. It remains to be seen if Holgorsen will continue that philosophy in the future.
The depth chart will certainly change by the time the season opener rolls around; Holgorsen has even stated as much in recent interviews.
The Mountaineer football team has come a long way since the end of last season. Still, there is a long way to go to reach the goals that the Mountaineers have set for the 2011 season.
Strange how everything new becomes old and everything old becomes new again.
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Dutch goalkeeping legend dies
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UFC on Versus 4 Results: Ranking the Top 10 Welterweights in the UFC
Total Chaos!
That is pretty much the best way to sum up the UFC welterweight coming off Charlie Brenneman's upset victory over Rick Story.
Story had a ton of momentum and then cracked the top 10 worldwide rankings a month ago with his victory over Thiago Alves.
Then, due to some insane matchmaking shuffles, Story ends up taking on Brenneman and getting outpointed by the decorated wrestler.
It was not a tremendous surprise based off of the stylistic match-up- but it sure leaves rankings an absolute mess to figure out.
That is why I will go ahead and do it for you. Do not worry. I am right. You're welcome.
I present the top 10 welterweights in the UFC.... (and if you are wondering, yes, Nick Diaz counts)
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Manchester United Transfer Rumors: 8 Additions Who Can Bring Another EPL Title
After winning the English Premier League last season, one question remains for Manchester United: will they be able to replace their lost talent and make another run at the title?
With the retirement of Edwin van der Sar and Paul Scholes and the expected departure of John O'Shea and Darron Gibson, United is losing quite a bit of talent.
Phil Jones, Ashley Young and David de Gea are on their way in, so it's not like the Red Devils are preparing for a drop in the EPL.
They very well may still be at the top of the EPL, but Liverpool has improved, Chelsea will most likely improve, and Manchester City and Arsenal aren't going anywhere.
Here's a look at some players that could put United over the hump and help them repeat this season.
Note that this isn't necessarily a list of the most likely players to join United, but a list of players who have both been linked to Man U and would greatly improve the team's weaknesses.
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J.League wrap: Gamba power to big win
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zondag 26 juni 2011
Deschamps regrets Juve departure
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Fans protest at under-fire River Plate
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UFC Live 4: Charlie Brenneman Dominates Rick 'The Horror' Story
UFC Live 4 on Versus featured the co-main event of Pennsylvania’s own Charlie “The Spaniard” Brenneman against Rick “The Horror” Story.
Brenneman entered the arena to a screaming ovation. Chants of “Spaniard” reverberated through the Consol Center as if Brenneman was Maximus from the movie Gladiator.
Opposing Brenneman in this clash is the welterweight phenom, Rick Story.
Riding a wave of momentum unlike any other within the UFC welterweight division, “The Horror’s” impressive victory over Thiago Alves at UFC 130 earned the Washington native a spot in the night’s co-main event.
Not only facing a solid opponent in Brenneman, Story also had to compete against the obviously biased Pennsylvania crowd who were faithfully in “The Spaniard’s” corner.
As the first round began, both MMA practitioners worked their stand-up skills from the outside. An eerily similar fight strategy employed by both fighters, take-downs and dirty boxing prevailed in this matchup.
As the first round continued, Story began to stalk Brenneman, throwing explosive punches and leaving himself open for a take-down.
Taking advantage of the wide strikes, Brenneman secured a take-down on “The Horror,” establishing cage dominance and earning points within the judges’ eyes at the conclusion of Round 1.
With neither fighter possessing an elevated jiu-jitsu game, this lack of ground work was more of a softening up experience with tight head punches and body shots.
Continuing to utilize his excellent wrestling background, Brenneman executed superior take-downs on the established grappler.
Surprisingly, Story could not prevent the take downs of Brenneman. Even though “The Spaniard” did not damage Story on the ground or threaten with a submission, he clearly dominated the first two rounds.
Story’s offense needs to develop into an all-around fight game. Limited in his Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills, Story could not sweep Brenneman when laying flat on his back.
However, with that said, Story did threaten with a reverse triangle choke late in Round 3, transitioning into the mount on top of Brenneman with only one minute remaining.
However, Story’s limited jiu-jitsu allowed “The Spaniard” to escape from any threat and reverse “The Horror’s” position.
A tremendous effort by Charlie Brenneman, “The Spaniard” fought a sound fight and was deserving of the victory.
On the flip side, Rick Story needs to balance out his fight game. A two-dimensional fighter, Story relies on his strength and power to deliver explosive punches and work his dirty boxing skills.
Additionally, Story’s wrestling, up until this matchup with Brenneman, secured many victories for the rising star.
Tightening up his punches, delivering an array of leg kicks, and working on his jiu-jitsu talent will have Rick Story back into title talk very soon.
A matchup against Rich Attonito or Jake Ellenberger would be the next logical progression for Story.
As for Brenneman, this victory is the biggest win of his young career. Continued evolution of his overall skill-set will provide “The Spaniard” with continued opportunities within the UFC welterweight division.
Keep an eye on both of these rising stars.
I welcome your comments.
Todd Seyler
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Young completes Manchester move
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Santos celebrate Copa success
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Nate Marquardt: Dana White Must Have Good Reason to Fire UFC Fighter
Nate Marquardt Suspended and Ultimately Fired by UFC Owner Dana White
In Dana White I Trust.
It?s been quite the tumultuous weekend for Nate Marquardt, who was scheduled to fight in the main event in just less than an hour on UFC Live on Versus.
After failing the weigh in, which cost him his Live on Versus main event spot, White immediately took action in this short Tout.com clip.
So, not only is Marquardt out of the main event, but he?s out of the UFC completely.
Now, things get juicy!
Everyone is wondering why he failed his weigh in and UFC.com offered this tidbit.
?Due to late medical licensing issues, Nate Marquardt has been pulled from Sunday's UFC Live main event in Pittsburgh. Stepping in to face Rick Story on the main card will be Pennsylvania's own Charlie Brenneman, and the Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry bout has been elevated to the main event slot,? according to Thomas Gerbasi on UFC.com.
Medical reasons? I?m not buying it.
White definitely had good reason to send Marquardt packing. He is a phenomenal business man and would not do anything to jeopardize the integrity of his promotion, which leads me to believe Marquardt certainly did.
Not many would even dare to question White for his decision in the first place. This is a man who could probably tear apart some of the fighters he employs.
White would make Marquardt look like Lord Farquaad from Shrek inside the caged Octagon.
Actually, that?s exactly what Dana should have done in light of Nate failing the weigh in and surrounding UFC Live on Versus with this controversy.
He should have taken Marquardt into the Octagon himself and pummeled him to bits and pieces and send him packing the right way.
Now that would have been must-see TV!
Marquardt learned the hard way, you don't mess with White.
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Michigan basketball recruit still in coma from plane crash
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Schalke still considering Jens
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Ipswich seek Swansea embargo
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McLeish: Young gone, Downing to stay?
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Do the Philadelphia Phillies Need the Old Chase Utley to Be a Real Threat?
The Philadelphia Phillies have been without Chase Utley for the majority of the 2011 season. The Phillies still have the best record in baseball, so do they really need a healthy Chase Utley to win the 2011 World Series? Not quite.
The Phillies are 48-30, 2.5 games better than any other team in the MLB. This impressive start has been mainly due to their pitching staff.
The Phillies are the best pitching team in baseball, posting a 3.07 ERA. The Phab Phour, The Core Four, R2C2—whatever you want to call them—Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt have been marvelous (despite Oswalt's injury problems).
These four guys, along with young gun Vance Worley (2.83 ERA) have established themselves as the best pitching rotation in baseball.
The Phillies have great pitching, but the same cannot be said about their hitting.
The Phillies have been characterized as a team that scores almost solely from the home run, but they can't do that this year.
The Phillies are in the bottom half of the league in runs, batting average, home runs and just about every other statistical category.
The offensive problems for the Phillies have been due in part to injuries, including to star second baseman, Chase Utley.
Utley has played in only 29 of the team's 78 games. He is batting .269, 27 points less than his career average of .292. Utley is working his way back to becoming an everyday player, but he is not the only key to the Phillies winning the World Series.
The Phillies are still doing well, despite scoring just over four runs per game—and even less than that recently.
The Phillies will need some more offense when they face a good pitching team like the San Francisco Giants, who knocked them out of the postseason last year. This offense CAN come from Utley, but they need it from other areas too.
Jimmy Rollins was the MVP in 2007, hitting around .300, with 30+ home runs and 20+ triples. Rollins is hitting .250 this season, with seven home runs and one triple.
If Rollins were to start hitting well from the top of the lineup, the Phillies could begin to score early runs. Scoring early is important, because the Phillies are 30-11 when they score first.
Another area that needs to step up their game offensively is the outfield. Shane Victorino is doing well, hitting .292, but the corner-outfielders are horrendous.
The starting corner-oufielders were Raul Ibanez and Ben Francisco in the beginning of the season. Ibanez is hitting only .232, despite hitting almost .400 for over a week earlier in the season. Francisco is hitting only .223.
Domonic Brown came off the DL in May, and he was supposed to help the outfield both offensively and defensively. Brown is hitting a mere .208, however, and his offensive game has been terrible.
Michael Martinez was called up from the minors and he has played the outfield quite a bit, but he is batting a pathetic .190.
The outfield used to be a strong point for the Phillies, but they have let the team down this season.
The Phillies have so many issues offensively that it can't be blamed solely on Utley. Even if Utley was hitting well, the outfield is hitting so poorly that they have often been situated behind catcher Carlos Ruiz this season.
Even though Utley would be a useful part of the team, they don't necessarily NEED him to be successful if the rest of their lineup hits as they are capable of.
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Reports: Gunners reject Barca�s Fab bid
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FIFA blasts Brazil�s poor World Cup progress
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Worthington welcomes British football team
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Chicago Blackhawks: Developing Troy Brouwer from Late-Round Pick to NHL Champ
The Chicago Blackhawks were able to harvest a lot of potential for recently departed forward Troy Brouwer. The 'Hawks seventh selection in the 2004 NHL Draft fetched a first-round selection (LW Phillip Danault) in this weekend's draft.
It hurts to see another member of the 2010 Stanley Cup winners heading out of town. However, Chicago got quite a return on their late-round flier on Brouwer.
Let's take a look back at how Brouwer developed from a late-round pick to a legitimate NHL power forward.
June 27, 2004: 18-year-old Brouwer is drafted with the 214th overall pick by the Blackhawks after Brouwer puts up 49 points for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL.
June 6, 2006: Coming off a season at Moose Jaw that saw Brouwer score 49 goals and 102 points in 72 games, the 'Hawks sign him to an entry-level contract and send him to Norfolk of the AHL. Brouwer goes on to log 79 points in 66 games, earning spots on the AHL All-Rookie team as well as the second all-star team.
Dec. 23, 2006: Brouwer makes his debut with the Blackhawks, seeing limited action against the Avalanche. He appears in 10 games in the 2006-07 season without registering a point.
March 23, 2008: Brouwer records his first NHL point at the United Center against the Blues, but is up just two games before going to Rockford, the 'Hawks new AHL affiliate.
Oct. 21, 2008: Brouwer is recalled by Chicago after starting the season in Rockford.
Nov. 3, 2008: Brouwer scores his first NHL goal in a win over Colorado. Playing in 69 games for the Blackhawks, Brouwer ends the season with 10 goals and 16 assists. He is also third on the club with 125 hits.
July 6, 2009: Brouwer re-signs with Chicago, a two-year, $2.05 million contract.
May 29, 2010: After posting 22 goals and 18 assists in the regular season, Brouwer scores two goals and adds an assist in the Blackhawks' 6-5 victory over the Flyers in the opening game of the Stanley Cup Finals. His 189 hits are once again good enough for third on the club.
Feb. 16, 2011: Brouwer has a goal in a Chicago win over Minnesota. This proves to be his last goal in a Blackhawks' uniform. He does finish the regular season with 17 goals to go with 36 points, and his 262 hits leads the team and is fifth in the league.
June 24, 2011: Looking at a contract in the $2.5 to $3 million range, Brouwer's rights are traded to the Washington Capitals for the 26th overall selection. The 'Hawks select LW Phillip Danault.
Whether you regard Brouwer as fulfilling expectations this season or not, it's hard to deny that this seventh-rounder steadily developed into an NHL-caliber player in the course of his Chicago tenure. Brouwer's progression would be envied by even higher-round prospects (see Beach, Kyle).
Brouwer also turned out to be a good character guy and leaves a lot of friends and fans in Chicago as he heads east. If the 'Hawks can develop their current draft picks, Danault included, in a similar fashion as they did Brouwer, we can expect good things for the future of the organization.
Good Luck, Troy. Thanks for helping bring a Stanley Cup to Chicago.
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Collins ready to fight drop
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Brazilian Serie A wrap: Ronaldinho fires, Cruzeiro break through
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MLB: Albert Pujols and Each Team's Biggest Concern Moving Forward
The first three months of the 2011 MLB season are nearly in the books.
Pitchers are getting hot, hitters are starting to find their stride, and teams are trying to find a perfect balance between the two.
This so-called equilibrium does have its ups and downs, faltering through injury and succeeding by consistency.
Where certain MLB franchises manage to fall along this imaginary assembly line is left in the hands of baseball's competitive nature.
Teams are going to fight to win.
And with all these trial and tribulations, successions and failure that corrupt the win column, who's to blame?
Who can make or break their team's campaign?
With that said, here are each team's biggest concern heading into the second half of the 2011 season.
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Football great Ivic dies aged 77
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College Football: Power Ranking the Top 25 Impact Players for 2011 in the NCAA
In 2010, Cam Newton carried the Auburn Tigers to a BCS National Championship win. Being the winner of the prestigious Heisman Trophy award, he was an easy choice for the top impact player for 2010.
In 2011 there will be another player at the top of the list. This is basically my version of a preseason All-American list, with players placed in order of potential 2012 NFL draft stock.
This list will not include transfer players or players with little experience.
Join me and others in the comments section after reading for additional discussion.
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Boston Red Sox: Lack of Back End Pitching Is Hurting the Team
There's an old saying in sports: offense wins games, defense wins championships.
In baseball, pitching wins titles, and for the Boston Red Sox, their pitching has come under the microscope in recent weeks due to a lack of depth and injuries.
Jon Lester may be Boston's ace pitcher, and in 16 starts on the season, leads the team in starts, wins and strikeouts.
Josh Beckett may be the biggest surprise on the season after battling a serious of injuries that caused him to spend several stints on the disabled list last year.
Beckett leads the entire league with a 1.86 ERA but has missed his last two starts due to a stomach virus. Beckett is expected to return to the rotation against the team many picked to meet Boston in the World Series, the Philadelphia Phillies.
Clay Buchholz, who was rumored to be on the trading list the last couple of years, turned in a Cy Young caliber season last year (17-7 with a 2.33 ERA) and has won his last five starts this year. After going five innings and allowing two hits and a run in a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, Buchholz ended up on the 15-day DL due to stiffness in his back.
When healthy, the top three of the Boston Red Sox rotation might be one of the best in baseball, the back end of the rotation however, may be their Achilles heel.
Daisuke Matuszaka was lost for the season due to right elbow surgery, and John Lackey, who signed a five-year deal worth $82 million before the start of the 2010 season, has been a complete disappointment so far.
In 44 career games with the Red Sox, Lackey is 19-17 with a 5.88 ERA. In 11 starts so far this year, including a stint on the DL, Lackey has allowed at least three or more earned runs in eight games, including one game of eight runs and two of nine.
Due to injuries, the Red Sox have reverted to 44-year old relief pitcher Tim Wakefield to cover the immediate need at starting pitcher and have also gone with Alfredo Aceves and Andrew Miller to band-aid the back end of the rotation.
Since Beckett and Buchholz have gone down with sickness and injuries, the Red Sox are just 3-5 and have lost their first place lead over the Yankees.
With the trade deadline coming up quickly and down a starting pitcher in Dice-K, Boston needs to add depth to the back end of their rotation.
Currently, only two of the five Opening Day starters are on the Red Sox rotation.
With all their offense and a rebound year for Jacoby Ellsbury, the Red Sox pitching is their biggest need, and at some point this year, will have to be addressed.
For Red Sox fans, hopefully sooner rather than later.
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Soccer chief comes to Neill�s defence
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Donovan keen to start Gold Cup final
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Jonathan Bornstein's Dreadful Defending Gives Mexico Gold Cup Glory
Jonathan Bornstein put on one of the worst displays of defending I have ever seen tonight.
The United States put in an all-around good performance besides No. 12, but archrivals Mexico clinched the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the North American spot in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. They will join Brazil, Japan and Spain as one half of the field is complete.
It is Mexico's second straight Gold Cup triumph, but this time they actually beat the top team the Americans could offer, well, at least it was to start.
Throughout the game, I was hearing comments about this being a complete defensive collapse by the United States, but that was simply not the case. At all times, 10 of 11 American players were playing spectacular. Bornstein was always the one outlier of that group.
He started on the bench, a spot he did not even deserve, but right after Michael Bradley set the Americans off to a momentous start, Steve Cherundolo was forced off with a left ankle sprain. This paved the way for the defender from Tigres UANL to completely blow the game on his own.
The United States handled the early pressure and stuck two away from Bradley and Donovan, but once Cherundolo went down, it was over.
Bornstein was beaten every time down the field. His inclusion had already screwed everything up with Bocanegra being forced to move farther out wide and moving Eric Lichaj to the right side. The defense fell apart and could do nothing to make up for Bornstein's dreadful mistakes out wide. It was a domino effect.
While I throw a lot of blame on Bornstein, can the USSF please just end our suffering and bring in a real coach? Bob Bradley is not the man to lead this team into the future, nor was he ever that man!
While I am irate about the performance of Bornstein, some of the blame has to be put on Bradley for a question I have been asking since the day the Gold Cup roster came out: Where was Timothy Chandler on this roster?
We all hopefully know of the 21-year-old German-born defender. Like Jermaine Jones, he was born in Germany but has an American father, and he has been making a name in the German leagues. He has been playing phenomenally for Nurnberg and played incredibly defending Ezequiel Lavezzi against Argentina, yet he was not on this Gold Cup team. Why? Is Bornstein really considered a better player? I hope not.
Some of Bradley's decisions were great in this tournament, but I really fear for the national team if this is the man leading the Stars and Stripes toward Brazil 2014.
I tip my hat to Mexico. While I feel like the scoreline does not truly reflect the overall game, they were phenomenal and in the end the better team. The United States defense blew it. Mexico's all-around performance was near flawless. The better team, today at least, is representing CONCACAF in the Confederations' Cup. As Stuart Holden said afterward, the Americans are, at full strength, as good or better than Mexico.
American fans, I'm sure many of you are as upset as I am. I want to hear who or what you blame for the loss in the final.
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zaterdag 25 juni 2011
Michelle Obama and family go on African safari
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Juve keen to keep Aquilani
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Barton believes Carroll can shine
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FC Barcelona: Thiago Alcantara Is Better Than Cesc Fabregas
Thiago Alcantara is the son of Brazilian World Cup Winner Mazinho.
Thiago Alcantara is also the man of the match in the European Championship Final at under-21 level having scored the pick of the two goals, with a 45 yard free-kick.
Cesc Fabregas is merely the guy who passed to Andres Iniesta.
Bit harsh perhaps, but in my eyes, Thiago is better than Fabregas. He is more composed in possession, better at controlling the play and more skillful too. Fabregas may have years of experience to back his claim, but that is about it. No trophies at club level and a string of poor performances—all when it mattered most.
Also in Thiago's favour is his confidence, something Fabregas has been lacking recently; ultimately, I will be chastised for this opinion. So, if you want to criticise me properly, you can get the whole story at this link:
Arron is a senior editor on Barca Blaugranes, the fastest-growing Barcelona community on the web. Visit us here
Follow me on Twitter @aduckling_10
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Creditor: U.S.-Mexico play-by-play analysis
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FDA recommends lower doses of anemia drugs
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2011 NHL Draft Results: New York Islanders Get Their Defensman in Scott Mayfield
After passing up on Dougie Hamilton with the fifth overall pick, the New York Islanders addressed the blue line in the second round, picking up Scott Mayfield from the USHL.
The 6'4'' Mayfield will need to bulk up to become the physical rearguard the Isles covet. Here is a breakdown of Mayfield as a prospect based on my notes from earlier this season.
Scott Mayfield, Youngstown (USHL), 6'4'', 203 Pounds
Scott Mayfield is an impressive talent with ideal size for the blue line.
Mayfield has elite hockey instincts, a phenomenal reach and is a very strong skater. He needs to become more physical and make less mistakes when pinching in on the offensive rush.
He will attend the University of Denver next year, which will provide him a great opportunity to refine his skills and hopefully add some muscle to his lanky frame.
Mayfield is one of the best American prospects to come out of the 2011 NHL Draft Class.
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2011 NBA Draft Grades: Jonas Valanciunas Contract Officially Bought Out
Toronto Raptors Buy Out Jonas Valanciunas European Contract
The big concern about big man Jonas Valanciunas going into the 2011 NBA draft was that his contract over in Europe still had some time left on it and it looks like he wasn?t going to be bought out.
The problem than was that even though he would get drafted high he was most likely going to have to spend another year over in Europe, and even though it would be good for him developmentally, he wouldn?t have the chance to help a team right away.
Many people felt the risk was worth it though being that he displayed the most potential out of all the big men in the NBA draft, and many think he is going to be a star given time.
The Toronto Raptors took the chance on Valanciunas none the less, and it looks like it paid off.
GM Bryan Colangelo told Mike Ganter and the Toronto Sun that the contract situation has been taken care of.
?I can confirm the buyout is in place,? Colangelo said a few hours after he looked on like a proud parent as Valanciunas was introduced to the Toronto media.
The 7-foot Lithuanian centre was brought to the Air Canada Centre straight from the NBA draft headquarters in Newark, N.J. The team presented him with his No. 17 jersey ? the first genuine smile one onlooker said he had seen since the draftee arrived. The number is actually Valanciunas? age when he signed his first pro contract.
Now that Valanciunas is officially a member of the Toronto Raptors I expect that we will see big things out of him right away. Like I said, many considered him to be one of the most talented players in the draft, and now we won?t have to wait to find out.
Stayed tuned to Bleacher Report for all things NBA Draft from Live Results to Grades and Trade Rumors.
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Young completes Manchester move
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Enigmatic Debate: CM Punk or Y2J?, Crimson's Streak, P2P RAW, Destination X
Hello Enigmatic Bleachers, welcome to the second edition of the Enigmatic Debate.
In case you missed last week’s edition, three months ago, I began posting a slideshow discussing numerous wrestling related topics.
Known as the Drive/Off, I enlisted the help of fellow B/R Writers.
This time around, the Enigmatic Debate will feature numerous writers from the Enigmatic Generation of Wrestling site.
Our goal is to cause uproar of reaction and debating.
We believe debates are healthy and a natural part of being in the Internet Wrestling Community (IWC). With each passing week, there’s a set of outrageous, factual, or unexpected news, to hit B/R from dirt sheets.
Naturally, most of the IWC flock to the comment section to voice our opinions on the subject at hand.
The comment section
As writers, we’re here to challenge the thinking of readers by presenting topics too difficult to give a simple answer. We’ll also include weekly thoughts on the programming and pay per views.
Please visit, http://theenigmaticgenerationofwrestling.wordpress.com/, for the latest news/articles from the featured writers.
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River Plate fans stage protest at Monumental
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River Plate fans stage protest at Monumental
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Inter: Tevez too expensive
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Brent Burns, Brian Campbell traded on first day of draft
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Fans protest at under-fire River Plate
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Young praises Villa, relishes United chance
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Wimbledon 2011: The Tour Diaries with Ana Ivanovic Around SW19
The faces in the crowd at Wimbledon are always something to savour. Some of them are beautiful, some of them are a little odd, a lot of them are fantastically colourful.
This video features Ana Ivanovic and wanders around the All-England Club on Day Five to check them all out.
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Falcao hints at Chelsea future
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Birmingham appoint Hughton
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Football great Ivic dies aged 77
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2011 NHL Draft Results: 5 Biggest Surprises from the First Round
With the first round of the 2011 NHL entry draft now complete, I think it is a good time to look at the most surprising moves that occurred throughout the day.
With several trades made and a few players falling in the rankings, there were some big surprises that happened, including a huge bomb dropping in San Jose.
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Roddick ousted, Sharapova, Venus roll at Wimbledon
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Birmingham appoint Hughton
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vrijdag 24 juni 2011
Copa Libertadores: Santos 2 Penarol 1
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NHL Draft 2011 Grades: Winners and Losers from Day 1
Day One of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft has come and gone and 30 excellent prospects are now members of the NHL family.
Each player was picked for a reason and they will fit in on their new club either now in the immediate future.
This slideshow will break down the winners and losers from day one, and it will grade the pick overall.
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N.Y. votes to legalize gay marriage
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