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The top spinning white mass skips across the off green field turf. One hop, two hops, the ball is heading down the line for a double. Suddenly a glove appears and halts the progress of the projectile with a loud smack. Nick Punto jumps to his feet, in his home pinstriped whites and fires to first with a perfect throw. Another big inning is squashed by some solid Minnesota Twins defense.

The Detroit Tigers are a nice story. The Oakland Athletics are a ho hum story, and the New York Yankees are a never-ending story. The incredible, infectious, edge of your seat story this year in the America League is the Minnesota Twins.

The Twins have just become the first team in baseball history to gain first place for the first time, this late in the season. In other words, the Minnesota Twins have just pulled into a tie for first place for the first time this year in the American League Central with the Detroit Tigers after 159 games. Both teams are currently, 95-65, with two games left to play.

For the Twins it has not been an uphill climb, it has been a full Mount Everest campaign. On May 27th, the Twins were 12 ½ games behind the Tigers. Beginning June 8th the team put together a winning streak. They won 15 out of 16 games and were still 11 games back.

For us Twins fans, yours truly, the frustration was incredible. Here your team reels off 11 in a row, your catcher Joe Mauer is flirting with .400 and Francisco Liriano cannot lose, yet you still cannot gain any ground. On July 15, the club was 12 games out and fourth place in the division.

Finally, at the end of July the Twins started to make up some ground. By August 7 they are 10 ½ out, however it looks like the wheels are about to fall off the magic bus. Francisco Liriano leaves the mound at Comerica Park grabbing his left forearm. He has pitched just four innings and the Twins are pounded in a key game at Detroit, 9-3. Liriano the 22-year-old rookie phenom is 12-3 and a key cog in the Twins attempts to get their season turned around. An MRI reveals no damage and the hope is Liriano can pitch again this season after some rest. Liriano goes on the DL for the first time this year.

Incredibly, bad news for a club that has already seen starting left fielder Shannon Stewart out for the year, and their heart and soul, Torii Hunter trying to play with a stress fracture in his left foot.

So how does this gutty team respond to the news about Liriano and a major hole in their rotation?
They pack their lunch pails, bring extra picks and ropes, and win the next two games from the Tigers.

By Mid August the AL wild card front-runner Chicago White Sox have been struggling. The Twins have two key series against their hated nemesis, and the pressure is mounting for the former champions White Sox. The Minnesota Twins are in a pennant race.

Being from Minneapolis, I had the pleasure of going to game 1 and game 7 of the 1991 World Series. I did not attend any of the games in 1987, however followed that pennant race as well. In the previous championship years of 1987 and 1991, there was no wild card team. The Twins had to win the division to make the playoffs. In 1987, they battled a mediocre Kansas City team for the title and it was not that close of a race.

In 1991, the excitement was the Twins, going from last in their division the previous year to first place. They battled the Oakland Athletics down the stretch; however, they had a comfortable lead late in the year. A 15 game winning streak that summer has a tendency to put some ground between you and other contenders.

This was the first time in my life the Twins were in ESPN ticker update, scoreboard watching, box score reading pennant race. This is what every childhood dream baseball fan should feel, once in their life.

The club went into the White Sox series, like champions that could not be denied. On August 26 th, the Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on a game winning single in the top of the ninth by Jason Bartlett to go up ½ game in the standings.

The Twins look to be in the driver seat for the wild card heading into September with their hot play and Liriano due to come back to the rotation. As the club finally is getting a glimpse of the coveted peak, the team is hit with a starting rotation avalanche.

Brad Radke has a stress fracture discovered in his arm and Liriano's return to the rotation lasts only two stellar innings. Where is the big Saint Bernard dog with that barrel of rum under his neck? This fan needs a huge gulp, while he wallows in what might have been. Does anyone want to have a pouting, pity party?

However, something happened on the way to that season ending pouting, pity party. Ron Gardenhire must have cancelled the Minnesota Twins invitations. The club just kept winning and the Tigers and Sox just kept losing.

Wait a minute; Radke is going to try to start again this year to pitch with a stress fracture in his arm. What are they going to do, have somebody pull his arm back like a tree branch and let it whip forward?

On Monday night, the White Sox's are playing in a time zone to the East and early in the Twins game the fans are staring at the out of town marquee. By the fifth inning the 18,108 in the crowd goes nuts. The White Sox have officially gone belly up. They did not just loose to Cleveland, they never made it to the right park apparently, loosing by almost two touchdowns, 14-1.

The Twins can clinch their fourth playoff berth in five years with a win. The club does not let the crowd down and wins 8-1 for their first home field clinch at the Metrodome. There is a celebration on the field and rightly so.

The quest is not over yet and amazingly, the team still has a chance at the division title. One game separates the Tigers and Twins in the standings. Officially, the Twins need to be up by one game, as Detroit owns the tiebreaker.

Radke climbs on the hill Monday night to face the 99 loss, Kansas City Royals. There is concern from this writer that a pitched ball will still have Radke's arm attached to it as it heads for the plate. Radke winds up for the first pitch and let it fly. Strike barks, the home plate umpire. Was there any doubt in this storybook season? Radke pitched five innings and threw 57 pitches. He faced the minimum in four out of the five innings and ended up giving up three hits, one unearned run over five innings.

Heading into the ninth, the Twins are losing 1-0 and Detroit has already lost. Are the Twins going to blow their chance for the summit? With two outs, Joe Mauer hit is a fly ball to left, back, back, back, it is into the first row of the bleachers. Home run, tie game! The club loads up the bases in the 10th and one of the little piranhas, as Ozzie Guillen calls them; named Bartlett comes up big again with a base hit and a win. The Minnesota Twins have tied for first place. The 159 game mark is the latest a team has every gained first place in the division for the first time.

What an adventure this season has become for every person in the Upper Midwest who calls himself or herself a Twins fan, it is a dream come true. It is Saturday morning and I am going to the game today. The Twins and Tigers are tied for first place with two games to go. Can a fan ask for anything more?

This Minnesota Twins team has some serious talent and can make a run at the title. They have a manager of the year candidate, Ron Gardenhire and an MVP candidate in Justin Morneau. Along with a potential AL batting champion in Joe Mauer, who currently leads the American league in hitting and finally, the front runner for the AL Cy Young in Johan Santana.

I have the perfect ending for this storybook season, and it ends with a Minnesota flag at the top of Mount Everest.

By K R Kocon

By Tovash Hatcher

Back in 2003, I was playing basketball at my alma mater with some guys on our basketball team. Playing with those guys I thought I was really doing something. On a backdoor cut, I felt a pop in my right calf. Let me tell you something; it hurt like hell and I went down faster than a runaway criminal getting caught on the TV show Cops. I went to the hospital and the doctor diagnosed a torn calf muscle. He prescribed a week's rest and a bottle of Hydrocodone for my pain. I'm pretty sure that you've had this same prescription at some point of your life but those pills are very strong and if taken in high quantities, can be dangerous.

Everyone can remember where they were when the 9/11 tragedy took place. I pride myself on having the best memory for being a guy and I can also vividly remember where I was when I first learned that Terrell Owens had to be rushed to the ER for stomach issues. I was on the couch watching TV when I saw the breaking news alert and immediately began to text message all my friends of the breaking news. Tuesday night Owens was taken to Baylor Medical Center where doctors attempted to induce vomiting. Antennas went up in my head similar to the old show "My Favorite Martian". All my attention focused on this situation that night and just could not put my finger on why Owens had to go the hospital for a stomach pump. The first thing that I thought was that TO went to a Hibachi restaurant and ate the wrong part of the Fugu blowfish. But that wasn't the case because Wednesday morning, God blessed me to get out of bed and turn I the tube. What did I see? I'll be honest with you for a minute, at the moment when my brown eyes came in contact with are the words "TO" and "suicide", my heart literally skipped a beat. Keep in mind that I was just waking up, but it felt like I was losing a friend. No sports fan wants to live in an era where a sports figure commits suicide. And it would have been even bigger if a man of his "statue" were to do such a thing to himself. I went back on the TIVO and carefully read the bottom crawl and it confirmed that Terrell Owens had attempted suicide. This just in, Terrell Owens lives. According to a re-released police statement, Owens did not attempt suicide but "accidentally overdosed" on a mixture of Hydrocodone and some other dietary supplements. Owens had suffered a broken right ring finger in the game versus Washington on September 17th and was taking the Hydrocodone for pain.

So now what TO? Will you be able to play on Sunday against the Titans? America's owner has brought you into his home and out of the rain so to speak. Meaning, he took you in when nobody else wanted you. Remember Mr. Owens that you told the Atlanta that the Falcons didn't want you. And the team that you wanted to go, the Denver Broncos, didn't want you either. So the star of the NFL now has a star on his helmet and thankfully not on his casket. On Wednesday morning after the all news came out that Owens was leaving the hospital, questions around the Dallas/Ft. Worth area were at an all-time high. Who called 911 for him? Why would he try to kill himself? What did he take to drive him to that? Was he actually depressed? And the one question that all Cowboys fans REALLY and ONLY care about asking is... (drum roll please). Will Owens take the field on Sunday? That's the only thing that the majority of the Cowboy fandom cares about around here, well at least it seems that way.

From the hospital to Valley Ranch, the scene shifted. The media was there along with tons of national and local reporters. Cameras, ink pens, and microphones filled the media room and the questions poured out. In the meantime, the Dallas PD is also having their press conference around the same time. All attention was in Valley Ranch where Owens was. But did anyone pay attention to the news headline that what I've called the Columbine part 2 took place on the same day? If not let me fill you in real quick. A guy takes about 6 high school girls hostage at a high school. He uses two girls as human shields from the police. He kills one of the girls, a 16-year old, before turning the gun on himself. If you knew that was going on congratulations to you. But I can honestly tell you that the local news channels ran TO stuff all day. Hell, I had to go online just read about the tragedy in Colorado. No matter the athlete or their troubles, he or she should not come before any shooting concerning children and/or a school.

So now what TO? Who's going to speak for you next, the butler? This Kim character that you've hired as your "publicist" needs to go. She actually made you look like a genius with the idiotic things she said at the press conference. "Terrell has 25 millions reasons to be alive". WTF??? What, rich people don't become suicidal? If I could dig up the River Phoenix I would (drug overdose qualifies as suicide to me). Or how about this line, which I loved by the way, "A man of his statue". I didn't know you even had a statue TO. What, is it next to the Tom Landry statue outside of Texas Stadium? I think that you can keep her around but please get a real publicist. She is a knockout and even after 18 hours of being at the hospital and not having a shower of any kind, I think she's a keeper. Just don't let her speak for you again. I mean she can tell her side of the story but after that, zip it.

Don't get me wrong, I am a TO supporter and I want this Cowboys/Owens marriage to work but when Owens uttered the words "get your popcorn ready" at his first Cowboys presser, I didn't know that this show would be that good. And to all the women out there that don't like sports, at least our soap opera runs thru the weekend. Enjoy the show, uh, I meant game on Sunday.

I'm Tovash Hatcher

By Kevin A. Morales

Believe it or not, and I'm sure many of you won't, but the Milwaukee Brewers are going to the playoffs next year.

Sure, I'm from Milwaukee, so I'm biased, but with a struggling National League Central, a host of young talent that got a full year under their belts this season and a select few solid veterans returning, something good is a brewin' in Milwaukee.

First, why did the Brew Crew finish so poorly this season?

Milwaukee finishes the season ranked second in the majors in strikeouts with 1,211. That's a big problem. A huge problem. But that isn't the problem.

Why do I say that?

Well the Florida Marlins are the only team to rack up more whiffs than the Brewers, and, up until about a week ago, the Fish were making a push at the playoffs. Joe Girardi is being considered for Manager of the Year and I think teams around baseball respect the Marlins as a green, but tough team to beat.

So, while the strikeouts need to go down in order for the Brewers to succeed, it isn't Milwaukee's biggest concern heading into this offseason.

The Brewers are third-to-last in baseball in batting average as well, but that isn't the problem either, as Houston is making an incredible run at the playoffs right now with an even worse overall batting average.

So what gives?

If my prediction about next season will be right, the Brewers absolutely must improve their defense and get a quality starter this offseason. Those two issues cost the Brewers more games than anything this season.

The defense is probably the more important issue.

If you watched the Brewers at all this season, you were on the edge of your seat anytime a ball was hit anywhere.

Double plays are routine for other teams, but Brewers fans have to cross their fingers and just hope we can get it off.

Tony Gwin Jr. ran right past a ball in center field during his first start in Arizona and once this season a team was able to score the game's tying run because Gabe Gross and Brady Clark bumped into each other trying to catch a fly ball to right-center.

Milwaukee has committed 115 errors this season, sixth-most in the majors. Most of the errors obviously came from Milwaukee's talented infield, which the Brewers will have next year, assuming they keep David Bell.

Bill Hall, Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder need to be in the lineup everyday next season, so it's up to the that infield to just start to get it done defensively.

Manager Ned Yost, who knows better than anyone how many times sloppy defense led to the Brewers' demise this year, said spring training will feature intensive defending training next year.

"Our main focus in years past [during Spring Training] has been pitching and hitting. Our focus this spring is going to be defense and base running," Yost recently told MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.

"Usually, you work on your defense a little bit, you work on your base running a little bit, then halfway through the workout you stop and you hit for the second half. I haven't got it all planned out, but next spring, when we get through with our base running and defensive work, if we have time to hit, we will."

I'm glad to hear Yost mention base running, as the Brewers do feature a speedy lineup that could really make a difference on the basepaths. The Brew rank 12th among all teams in times caught stealing, however, and, if there was a stat for number of players thrown out trying to go from first-to-third, I'm sure Milwaukee would rank high in that category as well.

Anyway, the gloves should look better next season. Weeks looked much more solid defensively as the season wore on, and let's remember this was only his first full season in the majors.

Hall will benefit from finally having a position. Assuming they keep Hall at shortstop next season, he will be much more sound because he'll be used to playing short and not third base.

At first base, Fielder has really looked good. He can reach and is flexible for such a big guy, I'm really impressed with his play over there.

There are no excuses for making errors, but they happen. The Brewers are young, but the more experience the young guys get, the better the defense will be.

But it doesn't matter how much they cut down on errors or improve their base running, if the Brewers don't snatch at least one other quality starter this winter, it's gonna be the same old story next year.

The Brewers' pitching is so frustrating because it's not bad, it's just inconsistent. Ben Sheets is a premier pitcher in baseball (109 strikeouts in just 100 innings), he just can't stay healthy. For the past three seasons he's has extended visits to the D.L. and then it always takes a start or two to get back into the swing of things when he does come back.

Little sidenote here, I personally thought Milwaukee should have traded sheets midseason so they could get rid of his big contract, bring in some younger pitching prospects and, most importantly, keep the R.B.I. machine that is Carlos Lee.
But that's a different topic.

Fact is, if Sheets stays healthy, Chris Capuano (an 2006 All-Star pitcher) doesn't fall off in the second half next season and Tomo Ohka can put two-consecutive quality starts together, we have a good chance at making it to the postseason.

True, the staff as a whole has a 4.81 ERA, but we've had minor league pitchers up for most of the season. Those games are always the worst. When you've got guys who have only been pitching in AAA starting a good chunk of games, nothing good is going to come of that.

The thing I'm leading up to with all of this is that if the Brew can resolve some of these problems, it's all good in the hood.

Go get a quality starter this summer Brew, you did trade Carlos Lee, which cleared up a lot of cap room.

Some of the free-agent pitchers this summer include Ted Lilly of Toronto, Texas' Vincente Padilla and Mark Redman.

Those three I think the Brewers can make a run for.

Barry Zito, Mike Mussina and a few others are free-agents, but let's be real here. The Brewers probably can't afford their contracts and the city of Milwaukee doesn't players think "wow, it would be awesome to live in Milwaukee!"

In the pen, Milwaukee should be re-signing Francisco 'Coco' Cordero, who has been almost lights out since coming over in the Lee trade.

If we can bring in a good starter, we can put Dave Bush in the bullpen, where he would be much more efficient.

Bush has pitched well at times this year, including an eight-inning, eight-strikeout performance against the Giants a few days ago, but he is too inconsistent to take the mound once every four or five days.

Milwaukee's middle relievers show promise, especially Jose Capellan and the ageless Rick Helling. A good and healthy starting rotation would make a huge difference for those guys next year. Yost wore out the 'pen throughout the season and you could really tell.

Like I wrote before, the Brewers strike out way to much. Strikeouts kill rallies and momentum.

The batting average is so low because of the strikeouts. If Milwaukee's hitters can just put the ball in play, you have to assume half, or at least a third of those balls will end up being hits.

The biggest thing Milwaukee has done so far to address the problem is announce that hitting coach Butch Wynegar will not be asked to coach again next season.

I support that decision 100 percent. The Brewers have a lot of good bats on the roster. Hall has established himself as one of the best hitters in the National League; he should have been an All-Star. He has the 12th-best slugging percentage of national leaguers with over 40 at-bats and his 34 home runs are 11th-best in the N.L.

Fielder has arguably been the biggest surprise at the plate for the Crew this season, he is tied with Florida's Dan Uggla for most home runs by a N.L. rookie this year (26) and boasts the second-highest slugging percentage.

Most impressive by Fielder seem to be his intangibles. He plays hard day-in and day-out, and is the only Brewers' rookie not to be placed on the D.L. this year. He is a spark plug in that clubhouse and, from what I can tell in interviews, is a smart, team-first player.

Weeks' swung a solid bat while healthy this season, and will probably bat third in the lineup next season. Weeks is a solid contact hitter, who can hit for power as well. He batted .279 in 359 at-bats and had a slugging percentage clip of .404.
Tony Gwin, who's official rookie year will be next season, looked impressive in his limited at-bats with the Brewers.

After being called up midseason, Gwin has shown off what his dad taught him, batting .286. It's not even the stats that get me excited about this guy, it's how comfortable he looks at the plate. He just looks and carries himself like a hitter, something you've got to credit to T.G. Sr. Even more impressive, if gwynnn had 600 at bats and has 206 hits, his batting average would be .343 (206/600).

There have been a handful of others that have had solid seasons at the plate, including Gross, who started the year as a pinch hitter.

Clark has been consistent, batting .263, but he doesn't drive in enough runs for an everyday player.

David Bell's bat has been hot since coming over in a trade with Philadelphia in July, but the Brewers may opt not to keep Bell next year, once J.J. Hardy is back from injury.
With regards to the strikeouts, Weeks and Hall really need to get on track. They could do so much for the offense if they could just put the ball in play half the times they strike out.

And with the speed on this team, even sacrificing or getting on with a fielder's choice would be better than striking out.

The one thing the Brewers could do during the offseason is bring in some more R.B.I. threats.

Hall and Fielder have combined for 176 R.B.I., but that just won't do it. Hall will probably bat fourth next season, depending on how much Fielder's power has increased.

Fielder will probably bat fifth, but the Brew need someone to fill that sixth spot.

Geoff Jenkins used to be a good option, but wow has he looked old this season. He doesn't look good at all at the plate, and I'm sure his confidence has been shot since being relegated to the bench after the All-Star break.

J.D. Drew and Magglio Ordonez are very productive free-agnet corner outfield options this winter, but everyone is the majors with a need at those positions will be making a bid.

The Brewers might be able to make a play for Ordonez, who has spent a lot of time in the Midwest and doesn't hail from another N.L. Central team.
Milwaukee did sign Carlos Lee from the Sox a few years back, so I could see this signing happening as well.

Ordonez would be a nice addition at either right or left field.
Kevin Mench has stunk it up since coming over from the Rangers, and Ordonez is far superior to Gross, Clark or Jenkins.

We'll see how that turns out, however, as the Lee signing seemed like a once-in-a-blue moon kind of move for Milwaukee.

Ben Grieve, who used to be good with the A's, and Raul Mondesi are both out there, but nothing but question marks surround those two.

If Milwaukee can't get Ordonez or Drew, they might want to take a good look at former minor league Player of the Year Gabe Kapler, who just hasn't panned out since playing in the majors.

So, Milwaukee has the talent. Hall, Fielder and Weeks will carry the offense next year, saving for another year full of strikeouts. The rest of the lineup was consistent this year, and that's all they'll have to do next year, be consistent to get the lineup around to the big guns.

The pitching is there, they just need to get consistent. Another starter is a must in order to keep Milwaukee in games and give the 'pen some rest.

Assuming the defense improves, as I'm sure it will, the Brewers have all the tools on their team to compete.

Perhaps the biggest thing going for Milwaukee, however, is the current level of parody in the National League, and the Central Division in particular.

The Brewers have played well against the Cardinals and Reds this season and found themselves battling with Houston for third place in the division all year long.

Up until about the beginning of September, the Brewers were only 4-5 games out of the wild card race. Seeing the way Houston has made a late-season push for the wild card spot, I'm more than confident Milwaukee can make a similar run next year. Maybe they won't even have to wait until the last two weeks of the season.

St. Louis will still be St. Louis next year, but the Brewers have played well against them and the rest of the division will no longer see the Cardinals as "untouchable" after their recent slide.

Basically, the National League Central and wild card will be wide open next year, as it was this year, barring any really significant trades or pickups.

So, in rather long-winded fashion, I've outlined why the Brew will be contenders next year. They're better than you think, and if the youngin's and the front office step up, they'll prove it next year with a playoff spot.

17 September 2006
Manchester United 0 Arsenal 1

What a cracking game! The best part was the Gunners came out all guns blazing. I really did not expect them to play so well. When Arsenal are allowed to play their game, as they were on Sunday, they is no better team to watch. Going into the match with only 2 points from 3 matches, it was a must win game for Arsenal. If Man U won the match, they would have gone 13 points ahead of the Gunners. Even though it is still so early in the season, a 13 point gap would still probably be too much catch up.

With Man U having a perfect 100% record, and the match being played at Old Trafford, Arsenal were the slight underdogs. In addition, our captain and talisman, Thierry Henry, was out injured. Manager, Arsene Wenger had no choice but to abandon his favored 4-4-2 formation, and put five across the midfield, using the young Togo international, Emmanuel Adebayor as the lone striker up front. On the Man U side, Wayne Rooney was back from a three match suspension, but the in form Ryan Giggs was not available due to injury.

The match started in a frantic pace. Both teams committed to attacking football. I must say this played into Arsene Wenger's hand, as this allowed Arsenal to actually play their football. Most teams play really defensively against the Gunners and to be honest, that is the best strategy against us. Aston Villa played that way and got a result, Manchester City played that way and got a result, and so did Middlesbrough. So, that is why Arsenal usually play better against the bigger teams, as the results from last year's Champions League demonstrate.

We should have gone in front early on, when United's keeper, Thomasz Kuszczak brought Adebayor in the box. Kuszczak was lucky not to get a red card. Credits must be given to referee Poll (Alex Ferguson's favorite referee...), who made the correct decision this time, as replays showed that Kuszczak's intent was not to bring down Adebayor, and Rio Ferdinand was next to him, so he was not the last defender. I had such a bad feeling before the penalty, really. And you know what, Gilberto Silva's spot kick was weak, and Kuszczak save it. Zero to hero is thirty seconds.

Arsenal gradually took over the midfield. Cesc Fabregas was once again outstanding. Aleksandr Hleb and Freddie Ljungberg on the sides also played well. I predicted that Arsenal would have to play through the middle a lot, and that was what happened. Lucky for us, Alex Ferguson, for some reasons, picked John O'Shea to play in the middle for United. Roy Keane he is not. He was totally outplayed, and I was quite surprised that when Fergie made the substitutions in the second half, O'Shea got o stay on. Instead, Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney came off. There were boos all around the stadium. Shortly after the substitution, O'Shea gave the ball away, and if Adebayor was a bit more experienced, or if Henry was playing, we would have gone up already.

The pace of the second half slowed down considerably, but it picked back up in the last fifteen minutes. Both teams wanted to win. It was a nail biting finale. In the 85th minutes, Cristiano Ronaldo carelessly gave the ball away, Febregas cooling split open the United defence, like he had been doing all afternoon, with a pass to Adebayor. This time Adebayor made no mistake and scored a goal that might turn the Gunners' season around.

In the last couple of minutes, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer almost equalized for United (how does that guy do that all the time? It is one of the most frustrating things in the world: to watch either Solskjaer or even worse, Teddy Sheringham, save Man U in the last minute of the match...). Jens Lehmann, the nutty Lehman, produced a tremendous save to deny it.

Man Utd: Tomasz Kuszczak, Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville, John O'Shea, Mikael Silvestre (Patrice Evra), Darren Fletcher, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes (Michael Carrick), Wayne Rooney (Ole Gunnar Solskjaer), Louis Saha

Arsenal: Jens Lehmann, Johan Djourou, Emmanuel Eboue, William Gallas, Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabregas, Aleksandr Hleb (Julio Cesar Baptista), Fredrik Ljungberg, Tomas Rosicky, Gilberto Silva, Emmanuel Adebayor (Mathieu Flamini)

Referee: Poll, G
Venue: Old Trafford
Attendance: 75,595

Visit my blog at http://nuggerton.blogspot.com/

16th September 2006
Watford 0 Aston Villa 0

It is quite a miracle that Watford are even in the Premier League at all. They were the pre-season relegation candidate for the Championship League last season, but manager Aidy Boothroyd got them promoted. They are once again the pre-season relegation candidate, can Boothroyd perform another miracle? Rooted at the bottom of the league table, Watford are finding points in the Premiership much harder to come by.

Ever since Martin O'Neill took over as manager, he had injected self-beliefs into the players. It is such a stark contrast to the end of former manager David O'Leary's regime. That is why O'Neill is so highly respected in the game. He took over a mess of a team, and within weeks, he was able to make a huge difference.

The opening 15 minutes or so, Aston Villa dominated the play. They played with purpose and creativity. There were some lovely diagonal passes and penetrating through balls. However, Watford played their defensive line really high up, which was a very risky strategy, but it worked. Every time Villa produced a good through ball, they were caught in the Watford offside trap. Aston Villa has to shoulder some of the blame though, as their forwards, such as Gabriel Agbonlahor and Luke Moore, are pacy enough not to jump the gun so often. O'Neill, standing at the byline, obviously thought so, as he was livid at his players whenever they wasted a good opportunity by not paying attention to the positions of the defenders.

After the first quarter of an hour, Watford gradually exert their home field advantage as they began to dominate the proceeding. It was long ball after long ball into the Villa box. The play is simple, but that does not mean it is easy to deal with, especially with the two big Watford center halves, Danny Shittu (hehe) and Malky Mackay coming forward whenever possible. The aerial assaults did produce some of heart stopping moments for the Villa supporters. Fortunately for them, Villa keeper, Thomas Sorensen had an outstanding game. He made three world class saves to deny Watford their first victory of the season. The best of the three was the point blank range reflex save from Mackay's goal bound header.

Sorensen's Watford counterpart, Ben Foster, also had an excellent game. He also made three vital saves. On loan from Manchester United, Foster is one of the key factors that Watford won promotion last season. Watford really got lucky that they got this very talented younger keep. He is highly regarded by Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United's manager, and he is loaned out to get Premiership experience with the view of one day becoming Man U's number one keeper. So this is really a win-win-win situation for all parties.

Watford demonstrated their passion, their industry, and their heart. But ultimately, at this level, technique counts even more. Even though the aerial assaults were tricky to deal with, there is quite a big difference in the quality of Premiership defenders and Championship defenders. Aston Villa dealt with it. It is going to be tough for Watford to avoid relegation, even though they did send out a message to the rest of the league that it is not going to be easy to play at Vicarage Road after this performance.

As for Aston Villa, the future looks optimistic. The fans understandably do not expect too much for this season, as it is really a season of rebuilding. I see good things coming from this Aston Villa team this season. You cannot underestimate confidence, and with Martin O'Neill in charge, there is a renewed sense of confidence on and off the pitch that a brighter and better future is in the horizon. Given one or two good signings in the next transfer window, Villa look a good bet to finish in the top half of the table.

Watford: Ben Foster, Lloyd Doyley (Jay DeMerit), Malky Mackay, Danny Shittu, Jordan Stewart, Damien Francis, Gavin Mahon, Darius Henderson (Hameur Bouazza), Marlon King, Tommy Smith (Tamas Priskin), Ashley Young
Booked: Mackay.
Aston Villa: Thomas Sorensen, Gareth Barry, Martin Laursen, Olof Mellberg, Liam Ridgewell, Steven Davis (Craig Gardner), Gavin McCann, Stilian Petrov, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Juan Pablo Angel, Luke Moore (Milan Baros)
Att: 18,620
Ref: M Dean (Wirral).

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16 September 2006
Bolton 0 Middlesbrough 0

Just a couple of seasons ago, Bolton had to battle hard to stay in the Premier League. Now the fans expect their team to qualify for Europe. Not that that is an unrealistic hope. Bolton manager, Sam Allardyce, has really bought some real quality players at bargain prices in recent year. For example, Ivan Campo from Real Madrid; Stylianos Giannakopoulos (Stelios) from Greek outfit Olympiakos; Gary Speed from Newcastle; El Hadji Diouf from Liverpool. His newest signing, former Arsenal and Real Madrid striker, Nicolas Anelka. The jury is still out on whether Big Sam can unleash the undoubted talent of the Incredible Sulk. As an Arsenal support, I still have a love/hate relationship with Anelka. On one hand, the guy was simply brilliant when he helped us win the 1997/1997 League and FA Cup double. On the other hand, the manner he departed did not endear him to any Gooners. (The same thing can be said of the Ashley Cole saga). However, we did get a cool 22 million pounds for him.

Against Middlesbrough, Anelka still looked a bit short of match fitness. He did have a very good opportunity inside the first two mintues but took the ball too far as he tried to round Mark Schwarzer, the Middlesbrough goalkeeper. One thing must be said, Anelka was not Sam Allardyce's first choice transfer target. It was Andy Johnson, who eventually signed for Everton. While Anelka has failed to make an impact thus far, Johnson has already scored five for Everton this season. It would not be so bad if Bolton were not so devoid of offensive options. Even though Allardyce has assembled a very cosmopolitan side, with players from all over the world, their way of playing is still very English, very direct. But the young, makeshift Middlesbrough defence, marshalled by their own new signing, Jonathan Woodgate had answers for every questions asked.

Gareth Southgate, the Middlesbrough manager, took a bit of a gamble to bring the injury-prone Woodgate to Riverside. Signed for Real Madrid two seasons ago, Woodgate had a torrid time in Spain. He made only fourteen appearances for Real, and conceded an own goal on his debut. When the new manager, Fabio Capello came in, it was no surprise that Woodgate was shipped out. But it is a good chance for Woodgate to re-establish himself, especially at a club he supported as a child. He was in commanding form on Saturday, leading the inexperienced side, with youngsters like Lee Cattermole, Adam Johnson, Morrison and Andy Davies. Southgate loaded the midfield with five men, and it frustrated Bolton. While Diouf did cause some troubles on the wings, for the most part, Bolton seemed devoid of inspiration. In fact, the best chance of the game fell to Middlesbrough. Yakubu, the lone striker, had a golden opportunity when Jason Euell played him through. Bolton keeper, Jaaskelainen missed the ball completely, but Yakubu's shot was wide of the left hand post.

Bolton are always difficult to beat at the Reebok Stadium, but they missed an opportunity to take advantage of a depleted Boro team. It was more like 2 points lost than 1 point gained. If they want to qualify for Europe, at least through league position, they cannot afford to drop points in such fixture. Big Sam wanted to be the England manager, but he really must prove that he has the tactical nous to take advantage of such situations.

Like Bolton, Middlesbrough are also aiming for European qualification this season. Judged by the performance on Saturday, I think Gareth Southgate had his tactics spot on, and when some of the injured players come back, Boro do have a chance of finishing up there this season. I am impressed by this Boro team, especially after that opening day defeat by the Premiership new boy Reading. Having gone two goals up, Boro let Reading score three to win the match. (I must say I was quite happy with that result, as I went to a school near Reading, and I always have a soft spot for the club). They played very well against Arsenal by drawing 1-1. (A result that I was not happy about at all!).

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When I got the notion to scribe this piece, I was going to write about basketball. I had it all planned: I was going to go off about the subject of multi-millionaire pros who have never been in an NBA game before. But, I was privileged enough to see a classic boxing match, and with it came a new topic, and a question (to be revealed momentarily).

I recently got to see a fight of legendary proportions. It has been 25 years since "Sugar" Ray Leonard defeated Tommy "Hitman" Hearns in round 14 out of 15, to win the WBC and WBA Welterweight Titles. This fight was a roller coaster, with both guys taking control over and over again. This was a time when boxing was slowing a bit. The big names, such as Muhammed Ali, were stepping down, and lesser known, but still good, fighters were stepping up. At this time, the lighter divisions were stock piling some real talent: Sugar Ray, Hitman, Marvin Hagler, et cetera.

In 2002, I got to see a pay-per-view fight between an "is" and a "has-been". Lennox Lewis fought the older, slower, and the past his prime, Mike Tyson. Now, at the outset, this sounds like the fight of the year. But, in reality, my cat fighting a moth would have been more exciting. During his first eleven years in the big time, 1985-1996, Tyson lost one bout, which was his infamous loss to Buster Douglas. In the last nine years, he lost five of his 12 bouts. True, he was slightly weird at that point, but Lewis had seven inches on him, and a reach that was a foot longer, and everyone knew that Lewis was going to pound him, and he did.

As a result, I do not remember the exact figure, but Tyson got a huge purse of money just for showing up. Now, the question I mentioned comes in here. What has happened to the world of boxing? I wonder if it is mere coincidence that the steady decline in the sport's true entertainment factor equals the decline of the career that was Sugar Ray. It may be just that... lightning striking twice and all that. But is it?

DEFINITION: the true entertainment factor is the thing that makes us sit and watch something that we do not watch often, but simple drags us in. So, let us look into the life of Ray Charles Leonard.
Sugar's career started in 1977. He fought over three years (almost 30 bouts) without a lose. In 1980, Sug ran into a brawler named Roberto Durand. They go the full 15 rounds, and Durand is given the win by unanimous decision. Sugar lost the match, the WBC welterweight belt, and his confidence. So, Sugar challenged Durand for a rematch. Sometime between June and November of 1980, Sugar Ray Leonard went from a very skilled boxer, to a showman. This is where, I think, the sport started to fall.

In the rematch, Sugar set out to humiliate Roberto Durand. Ray's newly-patented facial expressions, and hand gestures turned the fight into more of a mockery. "NO MAS! NO MAS!" That was it. Midway through the bout, Durand cries out, in his native tongue, "NO MORE! NO MORE!", because he is being embarrassed.

It looks to me that this bout turned a page in sports history. Pete Maravich signed the first million dollar contract. Joe Namath guaranteed victory. Right in the with them, Sugar Ray Leonard made a once proud sporting event, and, seemingly, made it into a Broadway performance.

At this point, if you have managed to stay on this long, some of you have thought of another flamboyant boxer named Ali. You may ask, "Isn't he the first real showman of boxing?" Yes and no. He had loads of mannerisms that screamed for attention. But there are two differences. Most of the highly-entertaining Ali-isms occurred outside the ring. Sugar Ray was just the opposite. And, Ali made the flamboyant boxer popular. Sugar Ray brought that style of boxing into the here and now.
Now, things are so bad that a guy can win, place, or show, he will still make millions. This is the same reason so many people like college sports over the pros. There is no, and little if any, pay off for winning, other than recognition and a possible title. The game, whichever it is, is more pure. Thanks to boxing and my beloved sport, basketball, you need three things to make it big in the realm of professional sports: a catchy handle, a promoteable attitude, and controversy.

I watched Mike Tyson because he was Mike Tyson, and I was curious. Now, I long for the days of boxing at its finest, like the Leonard/Hearns match. Ray had to pocket his showboat, and just fight. It was beautiful. It is a shame.

On May 24th the New York Yankees starting lineup featured Derek Jeter, Gary Sheffield, Jason Giambi, Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano and fan favorite, Bernie Williams. The lineup won a scintillating 8-6 contest with the Boston Red Sox in the unfriendly confines of Fenway Park. Certainly most small market teams would give their eye teeth to have a lineup with this crop of stars and future hall-of-famers. Nonetheless, for the Yankees and their legions of fans, the absence of Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui, allstars whose replacements-Melky Cabrera, Terrence Long and Kelly Stinnett-no one had ever heard of on opening day, left the issue very much in doubt against the Red Sox tremendous offensive power. But when Kyle Farnsworth blew a fastball by David Ortiz with a full count and the bases loaded late in the game, somehow we all knew that like John Lennon once said, everything was gonna be alright. At various times throughout the long season, injuries have often hamstrung the Yankees' lineup and they found themselves feeling like a National Leage team with strong 1-5 hitters and questionable 6-8 hitters rounded out by Sal Fasano's .133 batting average in the #9 spot. In fact almost every major star on the team and a good portion of their bench have been out with injuries at one point or another. Johnny Damon has enjoyed a career year but his broken foot has forced him to miss time in the field. Sheffield and Matsui both spent their summers on the disabled list and every so often A-Rod caught the flu. No one has seen or heard from Carl Pavano in years-but he still gets a paycheck. Hell, even Bubba Crosby got hurt. Still, these are the Yankees, the team of the 200 million dollar payroll. Other teams and their fans were loving every minute of it.

While the rest of baseball might not have empathized with the Yankees injury plight, it did make for some interesting drama right up until, oh say...the third week of August. Joe Torre managed to continue his wizardry by guiding his much maligned team to yet another division title in a year where injuries should have had the Yankees spending this postseason exactly where the pundits expected-in front of the TV. This season has been a testament to the resilience of the Yankees, their unflappable coach and the will of their captain, Derek Jeter. The team from the Bronx first weathered the onslaught of a revamped Blue Jay's team before landing the knockout in the form of a timely sweep at home in early August. Next came the Red Sox. It was Boston's division to lose this year and they indeed wilted behind injuries of their own, mismanagement and a five-game sweep at home that no one will ever forget. While the Red Sox faded the Yankees soared ever higher, past the Detroit Tigers and into the rarified atmosphere they share with the New York Mets as the best teams in baseball.

Given the drama of this year's race for the A.L. east it seems strange that the last weeks of the season should be spent puttering towards homefield advantage in the playoffs against the lowly Orioles and Blue Jays. Yet that's where they've been. On September 27th fans were given a rare treat-a completely healthy Yankee line up. Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu, Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano teed off on Baltimore pitching. As a side bar, Chien-Ming Wang-whose exploits this year should make Cy Young voting a lot tougher than it's probably going to be-won his league-tying 19th game of the year, frustrating batters with a power sinker that they can rarely get out of the infield. By some constellation of fate, the Yankees have managed to win the regular season pennant with a patchwork team of all stars and nobodies and now play meaningless baseball with every glitzy ingredient that George Steinbrenner's millions can muster. The pitching, hitting and defense is firing on all cylinders and with a deep bench, the Yankees have a depth and versatility not seen since the dynasty teams of the late '90's.

With the cross-town Met's poised to rip through National League like cheap confetti the real possibility of another Subway Series, this time with two potential champions, emerges. Don't get me wrong, It's no sure thing; both teams have questionable pitching and offense can dry up like the Sahara in the bright lights and facing the fiery arms of baseball's playoff gauntlet. But take one look at the calendar and another at the standings; its a very good time to be a New York baseball fan.

The recent dramatic recovery of the Yankees' suspect health has made for some interesting decisions for Torre. Stars have come back to the team, but their replacements have played excellent baseball and all contributed to this year's success. Hideki Matsui is a clutch hitter who launches doubles all over the field and has a keen sense for where the ball is going to drop on tough plays in left field. Yet who can forget the timely hitting of Melky Cabrera? The Got Melk? t-shirts fans sport around Yankee stadium testify that the replacement left fielder has won their hearts. How many runs has Cabrera created with his patient eye, clutch hitting and savvy baserunning or how many has he cut down at the plate with his cannon of an arm? It goes without saying that no one will ever forget his catch on Manny's would be homerun in 1-0 game at Fenway, particularly not Manny himself.
Bernie Williams has played a very respectable centerfield and come up with hits in moments when the Yankees needed them. He hasn't had a year like 1996, but anyone who hears the adoration he gets with each trip to the plate, would think that Bernie is having the year of his life. Yet with the acquisition of Bobby Abreu and the return to health of Johnny Damon, Bernie has had to assume part-time right and center field duties. Sheffield's recent return hasn't made it any easier for Bernie as he is not likely to see much time at DH either. For now he plays while Jason Giambi recuperates his left wrist but when the playoffs come around, there isn't much place for Bernie. But this is October, and that changes things and no one knows it better than Bernie Williams and Joe Torre. Williams is clutch and he's inspiring to teammates and fans.

What does Joe Torre do with Cory Lidle and Jaret Wright? Both have had bad games and both have had brilliant games. Lidle shut down the Red Sox 2-1 in game 5 of the sweep but the Yankees have won consistently when Wright has pitched. Throw in Darrel Rasner and Jeff Karsten's, young arms that have both won games for the Yankees and impressed their manager. It doesn't get much better in the bullpen. The acquisition of fireballer Brian Bruney, along with Scott Proctor, Kyle Farnsworth and the game's best closer, Mariano Rivera, has given Torre the option of 4+ innings of non-stop fast balls in short relief. Mike Myers and Octavio Dotel bring all the funky breaking pitches you wave a poorly time swing at. Then there's long relief options from TJ Beam and Ron Villone. The bullpen has experienced quite a population problem. So with only 9 starting positions and 9 innings per game, what's a manager to do?

For Joe Torre, these are clearly good problems to have.

-Rich Carriero

by Deborah Rosalind Nieto

It was Socrates who said, "I know that I do not know." But how many soccer coaches would actually take to heart this great mind's words and humbly admit that they have mistakes and lessons yet to learn in coaching the game? It is high time you unlearn a few habits whether you are a veteran coach or a rookie who is still developing philosophies in this sport.

1st Foul: You shout or give instructions to your players during the game.

Injury: First, there is a great propensity that your instructions get drowned in the crowd's noise, making it hard for your player to process well what you are saying. Second, assuming that, indeed, your players have good sense of hearing, they may lose their focus on the game. Third, you make a crutch of yourself, teaching your team to depend too much on you. Fourth, besides shouting specific instructions to your players, you may unintentionally blurt out frustrations, thus putting more tension on your team.

Goal: Whether you are dealing with children or teenagers, you must trust them to remember what you have trained them to do. Let them make their own decisions in playing the game as this will make them more independent and confident in playing. This also gives them the idea to become more attentive during practices as you would not be shouting instructions during the game to help them make the right moves. Instead of giving instructions, uplift their spirit by praising their great moves and shouting motivational phrases like, "You can do it, guys!" or "Go,team!"

2nd Foul: You cheer when the opposing team makes a mistake.

Injury: This shows some degree of immaturity on your part. Besides the fact that it does not promote sportspersonship, this may send a message to your players to become aggressive. They will take the game personally as they might treat the opposing players as enemies. Keep in mind that you are playing with the other team, not against them. The last thing you want to happen is to have a feud with any team you'll be playing with. Also, I'm sure you won't be pleased if other coaches would laugh or cheer if you yourself had a bad call.

Goal: You don't have to be too friendly and cheer when the other team makes a goal. You can simply refrain from reacting when a referee makes a bad call against the opposing team. After every game, make it a point to shake hands with the other coach. You are not obliged to commend his players, but it pays to keep a friendly relationship with him and his team, right?

3rd Foul: You curse or fight with the referees.

Injury: While this is not new among many soccer coaches, it is never right to swear or fight with a referee when he makes a bad call. Apart from setting a bad example to players, parents are not at all amused when their children's coach--the person whom they see as their children's mentor--behaves in a very aggressive way.

Goal: If the referee made a bad call which you are sure of is wrong, you may point this out at the end of the game. Hard as it may to keep your cool, express your concern in a good manner and make it a point to shake hands with the referees after every game.

4th Foul: You punish and embarrass a player for misbehaving or violating your rules.

Injury: This may come as an attack to the person than an attack to his behavior. This may hurt his self-esteem and send him rebelling more instead of realizing his own mistakes. Remember that like schoolteachers, you do not earn the respect of your students by being a strict and fearful figure.

Goal: Punishing can be done but only as a last resort. Coaching soccer does not simply entail teaching your players the necessary skills in the game, but being emotionally connected to them and communicating your feelings in a diplomatic way. Remember that sometimes, it is not what you say; it is how you say it.

Talk to your players focusing on the issue at hand and making sure that you listen to their concerns. Besides avoiding punishing your players, you may go the extra mile and give them rewards. You may give incentives to players with excellent attendance in trainings or hand out special awards to acknowledge their exemplary behaviors and skills. This not only encourages good behavior and mastery of skills but, more importantly, makes them realize their uniqueness and value, thus boosting their confidence.

5th Foul: You overemphasize the importance of winning the game.

Injury: Let us not get hypocritical here, all teams want to win. Yet coaches must be cautious about how they express this desire as this may come to the players as the only gauge of whether they are good players or not. We all know that winning a game does not automatically mean the team has played well. Also, your players may even resort to cheating or excessively aggressive play just to gain that much coveted victory.

Goal: While communicating your desire to win the game, emphasize also the significance of teamwork and fair play. Tell them to have fun while applying the skills you have trained them to master. Do not forget that doing one's best is better than being declared as the best.

It is essential to have a talk with your players RIGHT AFTER every game. This is the perfect time to assess with them the game they have just played. Make sure to ask each one of them how she feels about her own performance. Don't forget to commend your players if you see some improvements in their game.

6th Foul: You tell your players what they should do without asking them questions.

Injury: Scolding your players without asking them about their concerns may aggravate any existing problems. The same is true if you give endless trainings and drills without asking your players for suggestions or letting them express what certain skills they have difficulty mastering. As for your rituals before a game begins, you may go on giving a long sermon without really communicating with your players. This may not help when they are too nervous, thus adding up to the tension they may feel. Also, if a player feels that you don't fully understan his emotions, he may not listen to your lenghty lecture at all.

Goal: If you believe a player's behaviour is a problem, take time to ask her first what issues she may be having, whether related to soccer or not. Make sure that you're sending her a message that you're ready to listen and you'll exert effort to understand her side. Then, make suggestions, not orders. Be sincere and tell her your concerns. Express to her your desire to make good things happen both for her and for the team. This way, you not only solve the problem at hand but you also get to earn the trust of your player, thus making her run to you should future problems arise.

Before and after every training, talk to your players and ask suggestions related to your trainings. Ask them what they think they should focus on. It will also be wise to meet them individually. Ask each player what particular skills he has difficulty mastering. This way, you can group your players according to their strengths and weaknesses. To put it simply, you may partner a good passer with a player who has trouble passing. This way, you not only coach your players by directly teaching them skills, but you also help them teach and help each other.
More often than not, players are nervous before a game, especially if it's a big one. You may end up making the butterflies in their stomach eat them alive if you talk too much or over-coach. Instead, ask them about certain concerns they may have. Do they feel more pressured than ever? Do they think they have a mere chance of winning the game they are about to play? You may believe you know your players perfectly well that you can interpret the nonverbal signals they are sending, but you can never go wrong if you ask and confirm your own beliefs. After they have expressed their concerns, you can work from there and know what message to tell them. This way, whether you lose or win the game, you will sure reap the benefits of establishing rapport with each of your players.

Coaching soccer may not mean the same to different coaches. But whether you are a seasoned coach or a fresh one, it pays to reassess your relationship with your players and the skills and values you are teaching them. You may think you are showering them with words of wisdom or exemplifying behavior fit for the title "Coach of the Year", yet it won't hurt to ask them what they think of your coaching styles. Remember always that as a coach, you are a big chunk of the foundation on which your team stands. After all, you happen to be a critical part of their skills and values formation which means there's no room for injuries, but only goals.

By Ed Jennett


Among the top shooting guards in the league are two of the best players in the NBA, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. Along with Cleveland Cavaliers small forward LeBron James, Wade and Bryant are the only ones in the league who can make argument that they are the very best player in the NBA. In addition to the cream of the crop, the Top Twenty Rankings for shooting guards is filled with both current and future All-Stars.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers: Bryant remains the best at his position, and probably the league, for now. His 81-point game against the pitiful Toronto Raptors will be what most people remember from the 2005-2006 season about Bryant, but his most impressive feats came in the playoffs. Bryant bought into the team concept of Head Coach Phil Jackson and nearly led the Lakers to an upset of the heavily favored Pacific Division champion Phoenix Suns.

Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat: A year from now Wade may have taken over as both the best shooting guard in the league and the best player in the league. He also may have another championship ring, as his Miami Heat are once again one of the favorites to win the NBA Championship. The superb Wade is the main reason why.

Ray Allen, Seattle Super Sonics: Arguably the best pure shooter in the game. No one noticed how great Allen was last season because of how horrible the supposedly Super team in Seattle was. Allen averaged a career high 25 points per game last year, and during the last game of the regular season, he broke the NBA record for most three-pointers made in a season with 269. He did this while averaging an impressive 41 percent three point field goal percentage.

Vince Carter, New Jersey Nets: The come back is official. In addition to his Half Man, Half Amazing nick name, Carter should also be dubbed with the moniker of The Renaissance Man. After forcing the Toronto Raptors to trade him by being an injury prone, lazy, unprofessional cancer, Carter was impressive in his first half season with his new team the New Jersey Nets. Carter clearly reclaimed his lost super star status last year, his first full season in New Jersey, by staying healthy for the Nets and averaging 24.2 points, 4.3 assists, and a career-high tying 5.8 rebounds.

Michael Redd, Milwaukee Bucks: The only other man in the game who can lay claim to being the best pure shooter. If he had returned home to his native Ohio he and LeBron James probably would have beaten the Pistons and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals against Wade and the Miami Heat. Instead he decided to re-sign with the Milwaukee Bucks, and ironically ended up facing the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs and not the second round of the playoffs. Redd averaged over 27 points per game against the dominant defense of Detroit while shooting over 52 percent.

Jason Richardson, Golden State Warriors: Richardson is one of the best players in the league that no one talks about. Playing for a perennial losing team like Golden State will cause that. While the rest of the NBA was ignoring him, Richardson averaged a career-high 23 points last season.

Larry Hughes, Cleveland Cavaliers: Many people have forgotten about Hughes because of his injury wrecked first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Hughes, however, had proven himself to be a legitimate All-Star the previous year while playing for the Washington Wizards. If Hughes can remain healthy this season LeBron James will have one of the best second stars in the league to help him try to get into the Conference Finals.

Richard Hamilton, Detroit Pistons: Hamilton is receiving a great deal of recognition because of all of the success that the Detroit Pistons have had the last few years. While a lot of that recognition is warranted, Hamilton has still not yet ascended into the ranks of the elite shooting guards.

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs: Ginobili was set back some what by injuries last year, which could have partially been related to the great success he had both in the NBA and internationally. Ginobili had won an NBA title and an Olympic Gold Medal before last season began so he had to be worn down, which probably contributed to his injury plagued season.

Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks: Johnson did a great job for the Atlanta Hawks and showed that he is worthy of the large contract that they signed him to. Despite his impressive season however, Johnson is not worth what the Hawks had to give up when they acquired him in a sign-and-trade with the Phoenix Suns. The only way that the Hawks will be able to avoid looking foolish for trading Boris Diaw, a trade exception, and two first round picks to Phoenix for Johnson is if he were to make the All-Star team every year for the next decade. He is a very good player, but that is not going to happen.

Gerald Wallace, Charlotte Bobcats: Due to the arrival of lottery pick small forward Adam Morrison, Wallace will be the full time shooting guard for the Bobcats this season. Wallace has always been athletic and an excellent defensive player, but last season he displayed an improved offensive game as well. Since Morrison is a poor defensive player, Wallace will continue to guard the better wing player of the opposing team

Ben Gordon, Chicago Bulls: Gordon is probably the best fourth quarter scorer in the entire NBA. If Gordon can rebound from his sophomore slump of a year ago and improve his defense, he has the potential to develop into an All-Star.

Bonzi Wells, currently unsigned: Wells and his since-fired agent greatly miss calculated when they passed on numerous contract offers from the Sacramento Kings. Wells is now a man without a team despite his phenomenal performance for the Kings in the first round of the playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs. His bungled contract negotiations and well-earned bad reputation will most likely lead to Wells taking a one-year contract with a team, and trying free agency again next offseason.

Raja Bell, Phoenix Suns: Ruben Patterson once referred to himself as the Kobe Stopper, but Bell is the man who has come closest to earning that distinction. In addition to nearly knocking Bryan senseless, Bell provides the Suns with rugged defense, and is the unsung hero on the Suns squad of stars.

Wally Szczerbiak, Boston Celtics: The sharp shooting swing man is one of the best second bananas in the league. After spending years keeping defenses from collapsing on Kevin Garnett, Szczerbiak picked up right where he left by keeping defenses from collapsing on Paul Pierce once he was traded to the Boston Celtics.

Cuttino Mobley, Los Angeles Clippers: After briefly being on the move with two quick stops in Orlando and Sacramento, Mobley has found a home again with the Clippers. While he is rarely given any credit for it, the tough, under sized scorer was a major contributor to the Clippers breakout season last year.

Shane Battier, Houston Rockets: Battier is a defensive specialist with a vastly underrated offensive game. Ironically he will get to show off that offensive game while playing for a defensive-minded Head Coach in Jeff Van Gundy. Battier will give the Rockets the third offensive option that the team desperately needs behind Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.

Jerry Stackhouse, Dallas Mavericks: As long as Stackhouse continues to come off of the bench in Dallas, he has to be figured the most likely candidate to win the Sixth Man of The Year Award. Whether or not he starts Stackhouse is an explosive scorer that the opposing team will have a difficult time containing.

Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers: Iguodala has all of the ability in the world, but has yet to put it all together and perform at a high level on a consistent basis. Every night he should be a shut down defender and a scoring option for the Sixers. Iguodala needs to develop consistency and take his game to the next level.

Kevin Martin, Sacramento Kings: The most likely candidate for the Most Improved Player of the Year award. Martin will take over for Bonzi Wells as the Kings starting shooting guard, and will most likely take over for the departed Peja Stojakovic as the Kings number one scoring threat.


Other players receiving consideration: Stephen Jackson, Indiana Pacers; Desmond Mason, New Orleans Hornets; Jamal Crawford, New York Knicks; Eddie Jones, Memphis Grizzlies; Quentin Richardson, New York Knicks

by Derek Wilson

Another Ryder Cup has been played and there is another European victory to celebrate. However while it is nice to receive confirmation that Europe are still a superior team to those from across the water, the question has to be asked; does it really matter? Golf at the highest level is an individual sport. Sure it's great to win the Ryder Cup once every couple of years but majors are what count - and in that regard Europe is sadly lacking.

That is not to say the Ryder Cup is not an important trophy - of course it is, it is an honour to represent your country or continent and you can tell from the reaction of the players that they take it very seriously. However that does not disguise the fact the team competitions in golf are little more than novelties. They may be nice to win but ultimately the vast majority of people who will be remembered for their actions in the Ryder Cup will be viewed in that context because they never produced the goods in majors. Step forward Colin Montgomerie as the prime example. Monty is undoubtedly a wonderful golfer and his performances at the Ryder Cup have been nothing short of breath-taking. If only he knew what kept his putting so true in the team environment while it wavers in the majors. But Montgomerie will be so fondly remembered in the Ryder Cup precisely because all his major memories are sad. He's often played well in majors, the US Open especially, but he has always fallen just short. It is generally not down to bottle either. This year he made a bad approach on the 18th that cost him his major but previously he had been denied by the brilliance of others, namely Ernie Els. And remember the PGA play off he lost to Elkington in '95? Yes of course he lost the play off but he made three consecutive birdies on holes 70, 71 and 72 to get there. You simply do not do that without bottle and a hell of a lot of talent. But Monty could never quite make the step from being a very good player to being a great player and it showed in the majors. Sergio Garcia must look at his own wonderful Ryder Cup record in comparison with his poor showing in majors and see an eerie and worrying similarity.

Europe are currently better as a team because they players spend more time in each others company on tour, they have shared experiences - often harsh ones - of roughing it together by sharing cars to drive between events and crashing on floors to save hotel bills. They are together in a way that makes them pull through as a team. The Americans do not have the strength in depth that they used to but the best players in the world were all in stars and stripes last weekend. It did not stop their team being embarrassed. The reason for this is surely becoming clear. Those at the very top of the game, those who America would need to play well to win the Ryder Cup, are simply so focused on their own careers, their own game and their own lives to work as a team. Tiger Woods is clearly the best golfer in the world but it is equally as clear that he hates being forced into a team event. He clearly feels uncomfortable playing for something more than himself and given his dedication to Team Tiger for the 103 weeks between Ryder Cups it is hardly surprising. At least Tom Lehman had the sense not to play him with Phil Mickelson this time. Hal Sutton did in the last Ryder Cup held in America, as he believed that his two big guns could not fail to shoot down the Europeans. He failed to remember that people are not simply machines, no matter how mechanical their golf swing, and combining two guys locked in an intense sporting rivalry and who barely speak to each other unless it's unavoidable was never going to prove successful. This latest loss will hurt Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson et al but not for long. They American individuals that comprise their team would be delighted to win a Ryder Cup but none would swap it for a major victory. When Woods is chasing down Jack Nicklaus in an attempt to be the greatest golfer of all time, who is going to compare their Ryder Cup records? No one. The comparison will be made in regard to four events and the Samuel Ryder trophy is not presented for winning any of them.

So what does winning the Ryder Cup mean for European golf? It is a shot in the arm but they won by an equally convincing margin in America two years ago and there have been no major wins since then. There was one major in the European team this time (Jose Marie Olazabel) and there is only one other European major winner in the last 10 years, Paul Lawrie picking up an unlikely Open. In contrast Americans have won 29 of the last 40 majors. This is golf at the highest level, this proves who is on top, and it is still the American dog that is barking loudest. When the depth of the teams on display at the K Club are analysed you could conclude that Europe has superior strength in depth. Take out the two or three outstanding Americans and Europe has a clear edge in the very good player stakes. But that is not enough. Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald can win the Ryder Cup on a regular basis but until they pick up a claret jug, green jacket or a US Open or PGA title they will continue to be seen as also rans at the highest level. In golf you play for yourself against the course and best man wins. The only teammate you have in a real competition is the caddie. Until Europeans start doing it on that level, the Ryder Cup will just be a pleasant distraction from being second rate.

The Motocross des Nations, an international motocross race, was held at Matterly Basin in the United Kingdom on Sunday. The event features teams of three riders representing various nations from around the globe. The United States team was initially set to feature 2006 Toyota AMA Motocross champion Ricky Carmichael, 2006 Toyota AMA Motocross Lites champion Ryan Villopoto, and Factory Kawasaki's James Stewart.

Carmichael, a veteran of several Motocross des Nations teams, including last year's winning effort, was a late scratch from the lineup due to an injury he sustained at the final round of the motocross series. That opened the door for Carmichael's Makita Suzuki teammate Ivan Tedesco to step up and take Carmichael's place. This was a controversial decision on the part of team manager Roger DeCoster because Tedesco had been injured for most of the summer. There were concerns that Tedesco wasn't in race shape, and wouldn't be able to come in and ride well enough to help Team USA.

DeCoster's justification for the decision seemed logical: Tedesco rides the same bike that Carmichael rides, and since Carmichael's bike and setup had already been shipped overseas, it would be easier to send Tedesco than to send a different rider, different bike, and different setup. In addition, Tedesco was no stranger to the Motocross des Nations event, having pulled his own weight with the 2005 team.

Tedesco looked good on the first day of practice, but of course that didn't mean anything in the long run. DeCoster wouldn't know if he had made the right decision until after the gate dropped for the real motos on Sunday.

The Motocross des Nations format is a little different than what most racing fans are used to. Instead of the usual two motos on the day, there are three. Each rider participates in two motos, which meant that there would be two riders per nation in each of the three races. The scoring would be cumulative by position, with the lowest score winning (as in golf). The official score would only take into account five results, so each country could drop its worst score on the day.

Team USA sent Stewart and Villopoto to the line in Moto One. Stewart jumped out to a great start right behind Belgium's Stefan Everts, who grabbed the holeshot. However, Stewart would hit the dirt after a mistake on the second lap, which would allow Everts to run away with the win. Stewart eventually worked his way back up to second place, with Villopoto putting in an outstanding ride for third. The USA was in great shape after that first race.

Moto Two featured Tedesco and Villopoto on the line for the Americans. Tedesco made everyone forget about Carmichael for a split second as he nailed the holeshot and got out to a good lead right off the bat. Villopoto also got a good start and was battling in the top-five. But then Villopoto made a costly error that allowed a couple riders to get past him, while out front Tedesco was quickly tiring from giving it his all. Fortunately, Villopoto made it back to second place by the time the checkers flew, and Tedesco managed to hold on for sixth place. The U.S. was still leading in the point standings with just one race to go.

Stewart and Tedesco took the line for Moto Three. They both got mid-pack starts and would have to work their way up from there. Stewart did just that by getting up to second place before being passed by Everts again. Then the team strategy became apparent as both Stewart and Tedesco rode conservatively for most of the race, knowing that if Stewart finished in second, the U.S. would lock up the Peter Chamberlain Trophy. That's precisely what happened in the end, as the United States riders combined for the country's 17th all-time Motocross des Nations championship.

American motocross fans have to be encouraged by last weekend's showing. There had been some concern over the United State's ability to compete in the event without Carmichael leading the charge, but those fears were quieted by a great group of young riders. It seems that the U.S. has a very deep talent pool in professional motocross, and will be a strong force on the international scene for many years to come.

By Ed Jennett


The straw that stirs the drink. The engine that makes the car go. The quarterback. All of these are accurate descriptions of the most important players on the basketball court, the point guards. Not only is this the most important position in the NBA, it is also the deepest.

Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns: It is all there for Nash this season. The chance to lead the league in assists again. An opportunity to win a third consecutive MVP Award. A shot at the NBA Finals. But despite the greatness of the best point guard in the league, all of this could depend on the health of his best teammate, center Amare Stoudemire. Without Stoudemire, Nash may not be able to lead Phoenix out of the Western Conference.

Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers: Unfortunately for Iverson and the rest of the league, the Sixers were unable to find a trade that they liked for him. Iverson has been incredible in averaging over 30 points and 7 assists the past two seasons, but it is all wasted playing for an abysmal Sixers team. Despite the constant beatings that he takes on the court, Iverson does not appear to be slowing down.

Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards: While he could still improve his passing, Arenas is an unstoppable scorer. Since he has improved every year since he came into the league, it is probably just a matter of time before Arenas is as well known for helping teammates score points as he is for scoring them himself.

Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets: Due to advancing age and the after effects of microfracture surgery, Kidd is no longer the same player that led New Jersey to back-to-back NBA Finals. His passing, rebounding, and defense are still other worldly however and are more than enough to keep in the elite section of the Top Twenty Rankings.

Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons: Some of the credit for his success has to go to his past and present coaches, and his teammates, but the success of Chauncey Billups can not be denied. Last season Billups was an MVP candidate and the best player on the best team in the Eastern Conference.

Tony Parker, San Antonio: Parker is another player that has to share some of the credit for his success. Parker has become a sensational player for San Antonio, but he plays for a great coach, and has two other All-Stars on the roster. Unfortunately he missed a chance to prove himself on another team when he got hurt while playing for France during the FIBA World Championship.

Mike Bibby, Sacramento Kings: Bibby is probably the most underrated point guard in the league because he plays for small market Sacramento. The Kings realize how important he is to their franchise, however. It is not a coincidence that he is the only player remaining from the team that nearly defeated the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals several years ago.

Baron Davis, Golden State Warriors: Davis is a scoring and passing machine, but is unable to stay healthy. He is a perfect fit for returning Head Coach Don Nelson, who always employs an open, run-and-gun style. If Davis can remain healthy, the team might see a repeat of their brief half-a-season of success that they experienced when he was first traded back home to California.

Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets: It is inevitable that Chris Paul will be the best point guard in the league. That inevitability will become reality much sooner that people realize too. Paul was the clear cut Rookie of the Year last season, and was impressive playing for the United States National Team this past summer. Paul is a hard worker and a winner, as he ascends higher in the Top Twenty rankings he will also take the Hornets higher in the standings.

Stephon Marbury, New York Knicks: Marbury will have a huge bounce-back season this year now that he will no longer be feuding with now former Knicks Head Coach Larry Brown. Marbury will also be aided by the fact that the team will be coached by his close friend, mentor, and neighbor, Knicks President, General Manager, and Head Coach Isiah Thomas. He will also benefit from the fact that his Starbury line of apparel and footwear will make him one of the most popular players in the league.

Steve Francis, New York Knicks: Francis will be the beneficiary of so many other Knicks receiving attention. With little attention being paid to him, it will be much easier for Francis to return to his All-Star form as he will essentially just be one of the guys. Francis also feuded with Brown in New York during the half season he spent after being traded there before the trading deadline, so he will also not have to deal with problems from his own coach again this year.

Sam Cassell, Los Angeles Clippers: After Bibby, Cassell is probably the most underrated point guard in the league. Cassell always put up solid, but not spectacular numbers. He is always a huge contributor and clutch performer, but he is never the main man on his teams. None of that matters though. Cassell is one of the best leaders and best clutch performers in the NBA, regardless of position.

Jason Terry, Dallas Mavericks: After being freed from the black hole of basketball known as the Atlanta Hawks, Terry has finally proven that he is for real. Most people viewed Terry as an overrated player who just put up some numbers on a bad team. The talented Terry replaced Steve Nash in Dallas and helped the Mavericks get further in the playoffs than they did with Nash at the helm.

Kirk Hinrich, Chicago Bulls: Hinrich is a tough and talented point guard, and the young leader is also the glue of the Bulls. It is no coincidence that the team finally became respectable again after he took over the play calling.

Andre Miller, Denver Nuggets: Miller is not nearly as a good a player as he appeared to be when he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The incorrect reputation that Terry had as a player getting numbers on a bad team is correct with Miller. While he is solid, Miller has never come close to duplicating his stats with the Cavaliers, where he was one of their tops scorers while averaging double digit assists. At least Miller has proved the old adage that somebody has to score some points in an NBA game is true.

Mike James, Minnesota Timberwolves: When finally given the chance to start for a team that believed in him, Mike James showed everyone what he is really capable of. Unfortunately for James, the Toronto Raptors changed management during the season last year, which ultimately led to him having to switch teams again. Fortunately for James, he ended up in Minnesota with Kevin Garnett. No matter how bad the Wolves are this year they will not be as bad as the Raptors

Devin Harris, Dallas Mavericks: If Terry was not on the team, Harris would be starting and excelling for the Mavericks. The big, versatile, young point still gets a lot of time on the floor by backing up Terry and by playing in a small, hybrid backcourt with him. The duo played so well together in the playoffs that they could possibly be the starting backcourt for Dallas this season.

Raymond Felton, Charlotte Bobcats: Despite having to split time with Brevin Knight, Felton still showed that he has a very bright future ahead of him, and an almost as impressive present. Felton was thought of as a pass only point guard, but has shown that he can score as well.

Luke Ridnour, Seattle Super Sonics: Ridnour may not be able to score, but he is excellent at running a team. With high scoring All-Stars in shooting guard Ray Allen and small forward Rashard Lewis on his wings, scoring is not necessary for Ridnour anyway.

Jameer Nelson, Orlando Magic: Nelson benefited more than anyone from Francis being traded to New York, which is saying a lot because Francis had turned into a loafing cancer in his last days in Orlando. Nelson has managed to make Magic fans forget the three time All-Star that they never got to really know by quickly stepping up and becoming the leader of the team.

Other players receiving consideration: T.J. Ford, Toronto; Shaun Livingston, L.A. Clippers; Deron Williams, Utah; Damon Stoudamire, Memphis; Jason Williams, Miami

The thinking is arguably radical but Scottish football has flirted at the edge of change for two long; switching between ten or twelve teams in the top flight and now the plastic excitement generated by the 'battle' for the top six. It is time to stop rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It is time, as the saying goes, for something completely different. Last year was an abomination in terms of the league campaign. It would be easy to say that the emergence of Hearts as (possibly faux) title contenders shows that Scottish football is back on the right track. What remains to be seen is quite what Vladimir Romanov has in plan for Hearts. The light is maybe flickering at Tynecastle but the future is not necessarily now bright.

The new vision for Scottish football should be a complete break from the accepted norm of league competition. It could create a league unrivalled in keeping interest in the season alive and become TV gold. The idea is this. Copy America. Rather than decide league places over a long drawn out campaign turn the 'regular season' into foreplay for the main event. Decide the majority of the places - certainly the meaningful ones - by means of a play off competition. A six week long orgy of football packed with tension and drama. The fans may take some time to get used to it but there is no doubt they would love it.

Firstly, reduce the national leagues to two divisions of sixteen. The remaining league teams form regional leagues with the Highland, Southern etc league and with any Junior teams who want to compete. Introduce a proper pyramid system so that teams can find their true level in the game and cut costs for those smaller teams by ridding them of the necessity to travel all over the country. In the national leagues (we'll call them the 'Premier' and 'First' for arguments sake) clubs play each other twice to secure their final league placing. Then the fun begins. The bottom four Premier teams join with the top four teams of the First to play a mini league. Each club faces each other once, giving them a total of 37 games in the league competition. The top four in the mini league are in the Premier for the next season whilst the remainder go to the First Division. The teams ranked 1st to 8th in the Premier then enter a knockout tournament based on seeding to decide the final league places. The quarters are 1st v 8th, 2nd v 7th and so on. The ties are played over two legs and the higher seed decides whether to play the home or away tie first. The winners always progress to the next round but the losers will also have more games in the knock out to calculate their final position. Everyone in the top eight will play 36 games by the seasons end. It works like this, based on the final positions of the 2004/5 season and assuming the higher seed always wins:

Quarter finals:
Rangers beat Inverness
Celtic beat Kilmarnock
Hibs beat Motherwell
Aberdeen beat Hearts

Semi final round (1):
Rangers beat Aberdeen
Celtic beat Hibs

Semi final round (2):
Hearts beat Inverness
Motherwell beat Kilmarnock

Final round (1):
Rangers beat Celtic - Rangers finish first, Celtic second

Final round (2):
Hibs beat Aberdeen - Hibs finish third, Aberdeen fourth

Final round (3):
Hearts beat Motherwell - Hearts finish fifth, Motherwell sixth

Final round (4):
Kilmarnock beat Inverness - Kilmarnock finish seventh, Inverness eighth.

Sound ridiculous? It is, in a way, yet it also turns Scottish football into a wonderful competition again. The dying League Cup can finally be scrapped. It is good at the minute to give the non-Old Firm clubs a chance at glory but it is no longer needed when six out of fourteen 'normal' teams will come within a good month of being declared Scottish Champions. Aberdeen and the Edinburgh teams can still produce significant support on the big occasions and other teams can do so as well, albeit on a slightly reduced scale. There will not be many bigger occasions than league deciders and it is natural that there will be shocks along the way to give the smaller teams a chance at glory. The instigation of two-legged play will also do wonders for our teams in Europe - Dundee United and Dunfermline recently both fell victim at home having done the hard work away. How much of that was down to inexperience of having played in that situation? The Scottish Cup will exist in its present form but it can be played throughout the entire season. No longer is losing a third round cup tie in January going to signal the end of the year for medium size clubs - the big prize is winnable right down to the death.

TV will adore important games that throw up a do or die situation and the money should be split in a fairer way. Total the average crowds of the top 32 clubs and then pay the TV income out as a percentage of their contribution to this number. For example, if the total of averages is 200,000, Rangers provide 50,000 (25%) so they receive 25% of the TV money. This not only rewards clubs for encouraging their own fans to the game but it will persuade clubs to open their gates to more away fans. Visiting fans that go to McDiarmid Park for example will count as St Johnstone supporters when it comes to calculating the TV cash. If the Saints are willing to let large numbers of away fans into the match, they will be rewarded for it later. This may appear slightly skewed but the distribution of play off ticket money can level it out. The total costs of policing, stewarding etc for both games are combined and once subtracted from the ticket revenue, the remaining cash is split equally between the two clubs involved in the fixture.

What is to encourage the adoption of this method of playing, particularly by the Old Firm? This is the hard bit. The appeal to everyone else is a chance to make more money and be successful. For the Old Firm initially, their revenue may reduce slightly and success will be a bit harder to come by. The appeal is to their sense of Corinthian spirit that football is a game played for the sake of sport, not continual incrimination of a turnover which dwarves everyone else. It brings football back down to what it should be - an exciting sport where upsets and shocks occur and anyone can emerge triumphant from the season. The Old Firm will win less titles that is for sure, but their natural resources will mean that they still win more than anyone else and it is highly unlikely they will miss out on European football altogether. The strength of the game in Scotland improve immeasurably not only due to the excitement of the product and the flow of domestic wealth but because more teams will occasionally make the Champions League and more teams, having played more two legged football, will succeed in reaching the UEFA Cup group stages.

The revolution awaits but will anyone be brave enough to seize the chance? Probably not. The Old Firm will baulk at the thought of even missing out on the Champions League for a season and some critics will point out that the first thirty games are relatively meaningless. They will not be vital, that is true, but they are still important in getting a good seeding and besides, they will not be any more trivial than the vast majority of league games played in Scotland at the present time. Some clubs may also be concerned at potentially 25% of the top flight being relegated. That is valid point but to counter balance this there is no automatic relegation and by forcing the teams who would previously have waved to each other whilst going in opposite directions to engage in competition, a true meritocracy is created for membership of the elite top 16. As for the teams 9th-12th - sadly they do have to sit on the outside of the party and look in but mid-table dullness has been a problem forever and can never be truly solved. But what more incentive is there to go out and attack to try and win games if the difference between eighth and ninth is a chance at the title and a longer summer holiday? Football is a way of life for thousands of Scottish people and it is time they once again had a national game of which they can be proud. All it takes is the bravery to make the first step.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish were outplayed by the Michigan Spartans for 45 minutes on Saturday night in East Lansing. But then the Irish squad showed something that had been a little lacking through the first three games of the season: pluck. Yes, the plucky Irish refused to accept a second imminent defeat, and steadily worked themselves back into game, coming back to win 40-37 in almost unbelievable fashion.

For the second straight week, the Notre Dame offense looked completely out of synch in t