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Ohio State University Football is a winning proposition in more ways than one this year. Not only are the team members winning every game they play, but also several of their players are putting forth the right foot in a show of good examples and role modeling that brings back a measure of respect to the game at OSU. This more than makes up for the legacy of Maurice Clarett and other players in the recent past years who have been convicted of assault and battery and other evils.

Four Ohio State football seniors combined forces for the edification of the crowd gathering on Monday evening, October 30 at St. John Arena. They did this to give back to the Buckeye Football and Sports community that supports them throughout their season, win or lose. They took it upon themselves to get together and organize The Main Event, which was free and open to the public. Crowds adorned with buckeyes on a strong around their necks, scarlet and gray jerseys and all manner of other OSU paraphernalia, were just as excited about The Main Event as they were about OSU Football and the Buckeyes winning streak this year.

Roy Hall, David Patterson, Joel Penton and Stan White Jr., along with Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel and the former Ohio State University Buckeyes quarterback Craig Krenzel, returned the favor to the crowds in October in order to support their fans at The Main Event. The Ohio State University Football Athletes in Action and Central Ohio Fellowship of Christian Athletes supported this program.

In an effort to relate their own personal stories to the fans, the four players invited the general public to the Ohio State campus to listen to their candid panel discussion and witnessing format. The team members did their best to openly and freely share the accounts of Faith and Football, aiming to convey how Christianity affects their lives to the good, both on and off the field as a lifestyle. Senior fullback Stan White said that they wanted to show the fans that the team members are rooting for them also.

The evening began with a rousing rendition of songs and cheers from members of TBDBITL (The Best Damn Band in the Land), The Ohio State Marching Buckeyes Band and The Ohio State Cheerleaders and Brutus Buckeye. They cheered the crowds, spreading the joy and pride in a no-lose season of football, followed by insight into the lives of the players, coaches, and guest speakers.

Craig Krenzel said, "I'm excited to join Coach Tressel and the players to show my appreciation to the fans by sharing with them what is most important in our lives."

Coach Jim Tressel himself, at the end of the evening, got up and gave his own Christian Testimony in St. John Arena, in front of thousands of people. He said of The Main Event, "We hope this is something that will touch lives."

Other guest speakers from the annals of football included James Laurinaitis, Vernon Gholston, Marcus Freeman and many more OSU Buckeyes.

Senior defensive tackle and Co-captain David Patterson said that while the fans always see the players play football on Saturdays, he was also hopeful that when Buckeye Nation packed the house at St. John Arena to hear the team message on October 30th, that a certain spirit would lift up and go with the crowds into their daily lives. The Main Event was about life itself and its purpose, and OSU football was just the vehicle - a vehicle with an incredible winning streak. The team wins and has the integrity to talk up the good points of the other team as well, without gloating.

The first 1,000 people that entered The Main Event received a photo signed by one of the participating OSU Buckeye Football players. You might see some of these on eBay in the future, especially if the Buckeyes keep winning and then win the Rose Bowl on top of that. These players would then go down in Buckeye history as the team that not only won the title, but also did their best to win souls for Christ as well. It takes real guts to stand up and do either one of those things, especially in front of a Big Ten college football crowd.

By Ed Jennett


He has been fined over a dozen times. His fines have totaled in excess of $1.5 million. But the new rule that the NBA is about to introduce has absolutely nothing to do with Mark Cuban, the extremely controversial owner of the Dallas Mavericks.

The league is preparing to enact a rule that will further curb the behavior of outspoken team owners. Last week the NBA Board of Governors passed legislation at its meeting last week that is intended to regulate the behavior of team owners at NBA games. While it has not been said, it is incredibly obvious that the new rule is at the very least partially due to the actions and antics of Cuban. Last year during both the regular season and the NBA Finals, Cuban sat at courtside, participated in team huddles, and often verbally abused NBA referees. Perhaps realizing that showing up could not possibly be more pointless, and may have resulted in getting verbally abused himself, Cuban did not attend the meeting last week.

While the final language of the new impending legislation has yet to be finalized, it is expected that NBA Commissioner David Stern will soon make an announcement regarding it. Officially, the policy will be aimed at assuring that owners do not enter the basketball court, do not taunt NBA players or NBA officials, and in general maintain a level of decorum that is mandated by the league. Unofficially, the policy will be aimed at Cuban.

Last year during the NBA Finals Cuban was fortunate to only receive a fine of $250,000 for his numerous, and ridiculous, acts of misconduct. Despite the fact that he has been, to put it in the politest terms possible, a thorn in the side of the NBA Commissioner, Cuban told the local Fort Worth-Star Telegram that he did not know the content of the impending code of conduct for NBA owners. According to Cuban, when Stern was asked for the specifics of the code of conduct, he was not able to give any details about it.

Cuban also explained that some of the other owners are attempting to turn him into an example. He said that these owners do not like the way that he conducts his business, except for when the teams of these owners want him to speak to their customers and season-ticket holders to try to help sell their tickets and luxury suites. Apparently Cuban feels that it is in his best interests to continue to insult and anger the other owners that he believes already have it in for him.

While he clearly is a target, Cuban clearly causes the majority of his own problems. Last year after Game 1 of the Western Conference semi-final series against the defending NBA World Champion San Antonio Spurs, Cuban went onto the basketball court and began criticizing the selection process of the NBA for playoff officials. The Maverick owner of the Mavericks must have felt that the Spurs did not represent enough of a challenge for his team (despite the fact that they lost Game 1) and decided the only way that San Antonio would even be slightly competitive in the series against Dallas is if he criticized the league in order to force Stern to have the referees be biased against his team.

The most ridiculous and embarrassing aspect of the antics and outbursts of Cuban is that he actually sometimes has legitimate complaints and grievances against the NBA. If none of his complaints and grievances had any validity it would be much easier to simply dismiss and ignore him. It would also be much easier for the league to try to force Cuban to sell the Dallas Mavericks.

Cuban was completely right in his belief that the NBA should have an established process for how its referees are selected to officiate playoff games and that the top officials from each round should continue to advance and officiate the later rounds. However this correct opinion is easily, and unfortunately, ignored when it is being expressed by someone who is acting like an ignorant madman. Cuban would do himself, his team, and the league, if he were to follow the soon to be implemented code of conduct for owners. It might allow him to be taken seriously and listened to, which would likely result in improvements to the NBA. The Mavericks were a complete mess and an unfunny joke before Cuban purchased the franchise. He has since helped them become a perennial powerhouse. If he were to ever behave in a professional manner he would become just as an important asset to the entire league as well.

By Ed Jennett


The new synthetic ball that will be used by the NBA this season is definitely not a new and improved ball. This is clearly the opinion of the majority of NBA players, who have been complaining about the ball for the past month. NBA players have said that the new and not improved synthetic balls feel and perform differently than the old leather balls that the league has used in the past.

This strong opinion may in fact be a fact. That is according to the results of a study that had been requested by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. The study was conducted by physicists at the University of Texas-Arlington. The physicists have released the results of the preliminary tests. According to the physicists the new synthetic balls, which are made of a microfiber composite, do not behave like the old leather balls that the league has used previously. Numerous players had been complaining about the ball, specifically both the grip of the ball and the unpredictable bounce of the ball ever since training camps had opened.

The preliminary tests were performed after Cuban had contacted Dr. James L. Horwitz, who is the chairman of the Physics Department at the University of Texas-Arlington. Despite the fact that he is the person that initiated the tests, Cuban says that he does not have any intention of doing anything with the results of the tests.

When he was contacted by The Associated Press about the matter, Cuban said that he would do nothing with the results and added that he would support NBA Commissioner David Stern and the league to the fullest of his ability with the data gathered from the tests.

According to the preliminary test results, the new synthetic ball made of microfiber composites bounces 5 to 8 percent lower than the old ball made of leather did when the balls were dropped from a height of 4 feet. The preliminary test results also revealed that the new synthetic balls bounce 30 percent more erratically than the old balls than the old balls that were made out of leather. The preliminary test results were released by the physicists at the University of Texas-Arlington this past Sunday.

NBA Commissioner David Stern had dismissed the complaints of the players last week. Stern had also said that the NBA was going to continue to use the new synthetic balls. In his internet blog last week Cuban also said that the league should continue to use the new synthetic balls.

The old leather balls that were used by the NBA were manufactured by Spalding. Vice President of Marketing for Spalding, Dan Touhey, has said that the difference in bounce between the new synthetic balls and the old leather balls could be due to a couple of different issues. The first reason for a difference in bounce could be because of the surface that the two balls were bounce on. The second reason, which Touhey believes is the more likely reason, is because of the age of the balls that were used in the preliminary tests. According to Touhey, an old leather ball would bounce more than a new leather ball would. Touhey also explained that an old leather ball would also bounce more than a new synthetic one would.

Touhey also added that the leather ball that was used in the preliminary test had to be an older one. This is because Spalding has not shipped any new balls to NBA teams since August of 2005. He explained that because of this the ball is probably out of the spec of the NBA and if it was not that it had a greater likelihood of being so. Touhey added that there would have been a lot of wear and tear on the old leather ball that was used in preliminary test.

The preliminary test results also revealed something that is in direct contrast to what the NAB and Spalding have said about the new synthetic balls. NBA players have said that the new synthetic balls become slippery when they are wet. Both the NBA and Spalding have said that the new microfiber composite material is easier to grip when it starts to become damp. According to the results of the preliminary tests, the players are correct. The physicists have discovered that the new synthetic balls are less absorbent than the old leather balls are. This causes the new microfiber composite balls to be more slippery when they are wet.

According to Touhey, one of the strengths of the new synthetic balls is that they prevent the absorption of water. Water absorption causes the weight of the ball to change as the game goes on. Touhey says that Spalding and the NBA felt pretty strongly about their tests and the way that they were conducted. He believes that their test that were conducted gave the two companies accurate readings. Touhey added that Spalding and the NBA do not know is how the physicists wet the material of the balls. According to Touhey the tests of Spalding and the NBA attempted to replicate the rate of perspiration, in order to replicate game situations throughout all of their tests. He pointed out that it is possible that the physicists could have simply dunked the balls in a basin of water.

The study of the physicists recommends changing or frequently drying the balls during an NBA game. A spokesman of the NBA said that it is up to the discretion of the referees who are officiating the game to decide if the ball needs to be changed during the course of the game.

In addition, the physicists have recommended inflating the ball to 14.5 pounds per square inch, instead of the regulation 8.5 pounds per square inch, in order to address the problem of a lack of bounce. It is highly unlikely that this recommendation will be followed since the NBA and Spalding do not agree with the revelation of the results that the new synthetic balls do not bounce as high.

A common complaint of the new microfiber composite ball is that it will always feel new. In general, NBA players want to play with an old, used basketball.

By Ed Jennett


It took another embarrassing incident to force the league to finally take action. But the NBA finally is heading in the right direction when it comes to the ridiculous and disgusting conduct of some of its fans who attend league games in person. The Orlando Magic and the league have decided to ban for the season an obnoxious fan who yelled a racial slur at Houston Rockets backup center Dikembe Mutombo during a preseason game between the Rockets and the Magic in Orlando last week.

Hooman Hamzehloui is an Orlando Magic season ticket holder who for some reason felt that it would be a good idea to call Mutombo a monkey. There is no need to use the word alleged as many news outlets continue to do as Hamzelhoui has already admitted to doing this. His unintentionally hilarious, incredibly idiotic, and clearly untrue defense is that he did not realize that calling Mutombo a monkey was offensive. That leads to one very obvious question. If Hamzehloui did not think it was offensive to call Mutombo a monkey, why did he say that while he was heckling him. He certainly must not have thought that it was a compliment.

Unfortunately a lot of people will now think it is right to call Hamzehloui a monkey. That could not be any further from the truth. Because are actually quite intelligent, while Hamzehloui is definitely not.

Fortunately Mutombo is one of the kindest and most generous people in the world, not just the world of sports. Because of this he has forgiven Hamzehloui. Hamzehloui has apologized to Mutombo through a letter and has offered to do so in person as well. He has also said that he will not attend another game of the Orlando Magic until Mutombo gives the team his approval and that he would donate $5,000 to a charity that Mutombo chooses. While Mutombo said that it meant a lot to him that Hamzelhoui offered to apologize in person, that it was not necessary.

At the time of the comment Mutombo was justifiably furious. Mutombo yelled back at Hamzehloui and gestured at him from the basketball court, during the third quarter incident. Hamzehloui was ejected from the game. Mutombo was still understandably very angry immediately after the game. He said that the next time something like this happened he would go into the stands even if the league fined him for it.

Tim Frank, who is a spokesman for the NBA said that no action has been taken against Mutombo and that the matter was closed. This would probably be the worst aspect of the entire despicable incident, that the matter is closed. The NBA and the Orlando Magic took away the season tickets of Hamzehloui but they also refunded his money for the season tickets. There is no reason to refund the money of a person who has been banned due to their own reprehensible conduct. There is also no reason that the Orlando Magic and the NBA should not have banned Hamzehloui from ever attending a league game in person again.

This proactive line of thinking was what NBA Commissioner David Stern had in mind when he suspended then Indiana Pacers small forward Ron Artest for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs when he went into the stands an attacked a fan who he through threw a cup of beer at him. Stern was attempting to set a precedent so harsh that no NBA player would ever think about going into the stands again. But the actions of Stern were incredibly short sighted and only addressed the second issue that led to the embarrassing brawl. The fight between the players of the Indiana Pacers and the fans of the Detroit Pistons began when a Detroit Pistons fan threw a beer on Artest. The league chose note to address the causational issue of the near riot and has continued to pay for it.

Last season then New York Knicks power forward Antonio Davis justifiably went into the stands when he felt his wife and children were being threatened and attacked by fans in Chicago. Davis was suspended five games for his actions. Just as there was a lack of action in the sickening Detroit debacle, the league still did not do any thing about unruly fan behavior after the Chicago incident.

While taking away his season tickets was a big step in the right direction, it definitely is not enough. The best, and possibly only chance, the league has of controlling unruly fans at NBA games it to immediately ban for life any fan that causes any disturbance. If the NBA does not see that then it may be only a matter of time before the league sees another incident like the Brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

By Ed Jennett


It looks like the only functioning basketball brains in New York reside in the office of NBA Commissioner David Stern. The bumbling New York Knicks and their unprofessional former Head Coach Larry Brown have finally settled their divorce/dispute/separation/impasse/never-ending bad joke that managed to make the entire league look bad. But of course, it only happened because of the Commissioner.

Stern requested that the Knicks and Brown agree to a compromise on the remainder of his contract. After disgustingly making him twist, the Knicks fired Brown forty days after word spread throughout the entire basketball world that the team was going to fire him. The team probably would have dragged it out even longer to add to the torture and humiliation, but did not want the ongoing Brown saga to be a distraction for them at the 2006 NBA Draft.

But if the Knicks really thought that it was over the franchise is as delusional as it is inept. Knicks owner James Dolan decided that he was not going to pay Brown due to his frequent unprofessional and insubordinate conduct during his one season on the job. Under Brown the Knicks finished last in the putrid Eastern Conference last season and ended the year with a pathetic 23-59 record. That alone would have been enough to justify firing Brown.

However it was the reasons Dolan gave for refusing to pay Brown the $40 million dollars that he was owed for the remaining four years on his contract that made this situation bizarre. Dolan charged that Brown was intentionally losing games so that team President/General Manager Isiah Thomas would make the trades that Brown wanted. This assertion was supported by Brown using over 40 different starting lineups last year during an 82-game season.

After repeatedly being told not to bad mouth his own players in the press by the Knicks organization, Brown referred to young Knicks small forward Trevor Ariza as delusional. Brown was the delusional one if he thought that blatantly defying his bosses this way was a good career move.

Brown also instigated a feud with his best player, All-Star point guard, and fellow native New Yorker Stephon Marbury. This was obviously a bad idea as Marbury initially reacted in the same manner as the young Ariza, but the veteran eventually had enough and began bad mouthing Brown back in the press. The situation only became worse when the Knicks did not even reprimand Marbury. It was later revealed during the offseason that Thomas told Brown that he could discipline Marbury if he wanted to, even if he wanted to suspend him. Brown chose not to take action against his sparring partner. This was most likely because Brown had to realize how hypocritical it would be for him to do something to Marbury for retaliating in a feud that Brown had started. Especially since the Knicks had already old Brown to stop publicly criticizing his own players. Brown was actually lucky not to be disciplined by the team himself.

The most damaging, and shocking, allegation of Dolan was that Brown was undermining Thomas by calling other teams and making trade proposals with other teams for the Knicks that had the club giving up more than what Thomas was willing to. This clearly was undermining his immediate boss and would have been grounds for justifiable and immediate termination even if the Knicks had finished the regular season 82-0. While it would be difficult to prove these allegations, during the time that it was supposedly taking place, it was widely reported in the New York media that Brown was speaking with other teams regarding trades. In defense of Brown, whenever this was mentioned in any media outlet it sounded as if he was attempting to help the team and was simply speaking with his numerous friends that work for other teams around the league.

Dolan also alleged that after the nightmare season ended Brown wanted Thomas to waive several players including Marbury, fellow All-Star guard Steve Francis, rookie guard Nate Robinson, power forward Maurice Taylor, and small forward Jalen Rose. Francis is the second best player on the team and Brown pushed for the Knicks to acquire him before the trade deadline last season. Robinson is incredibly popular with the Knicks fans and provided one of the only highlights of the season by winning the Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend. Taylor and Rose have recently been waived by Thomas. Dolan claimed that wanting all of these players waived was an unreasonable request that Brown did not expect to be granted and was actually an attempt to force the team to fire him. This is definitely an example of the old saying be careful of what you ask for because you just might get it. Dolan supports this claim by pointing out that during his contract negotiations with the Knicks that Brown insisted on a clause that stated if there were any financial disputes between Brown and the club that Commissioner Stern would serve as the arbitrator. This clause was unheard of and eventually had to be invoked. Although it was only after Dolan refused to pay Brown.

In order to keep up his streak of bad decisions, Brown must have felt that simply being in the right was not a good enough position. He chose not to sue the Knicks for the $40 million he was owed, but for $53 million instead for breaching his contract and attorney fees.

While Stern would not reveal what the eventual settlement was, he did reveal that they no longer have any future obligation to one another. Stern also added that both sides have assured him that there will be no additional further discussion of the matter.

Stern had been expected to rule on the matter next week at the earliest. But fortunately the Commissioner wisely, and rightly, decided to end one of the biggest embarrassments from last season before the new season began. There was no statement released about what Stern would do if the Knicks continue to be arguably the biggest eyesore in the league. There was also no statement released on what Stern would do if Dolan lets Thomas twist for 40 days and then refuse to pay him for the remained of his contract after firing him following the 2006-2007 season.

Chief Christian Eze, Black Belt 1st Dan
Mr. Monday Okoro, Black Belt 2nd Dan
Chief Theo Muoneke, Black Belt 2nd Dan
Chief Austin Igwe Edeze, Black Belt 2nd Dan & 2 Golden Trophies
Right Honorable Chief Christopher Omo Isu, Black Belt 1st Dan
Dr. C. O. O. Chukwu, Black Belt 1st Dan
Hon. Maxwell Nwali, Black Belt 1st Dan
Hon. Oko Ude Uko, Black Belt 1st Dan
Mrs. Phyllis Ogo Ogah-Chukwwu, Black Belt 1st Dan

AWARD FOR NOMINEES
Mr. Olushola Luke Black, Belt 1st Dan
DSP Michael O. Oladeinde, Black Belt 1st Dan
Mr. B. Orodele, NUGA Secretary Genera, Black Belt 1st Dan
Enobong Idot, Sec. FGPC Akwa-Ibom State, Black Belt 1st Dan


AWARD FOR PRACTITIONERS
Boniface Akuma, head coach, EBSU, Black Belt 4th Dan
Kingsley Idam, Black Belt 1st Dan
Gabriel Idam Jr., Black Belt 1st Dan


In response to their various awards and induction into the Black Belt College as Honorary Fellows, the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, who is also Chairman of Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) of Ebonyi State, Nigeria; Chief Austin Edeze, thanked the Vice Chancellor for the occasion. He stated that by virtue of the awards, he has been further challenged in the advancement of combat sport, and he promised to take Tae Kwon Do to greater heights in the State of Ebonyi. As for his own part, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, the Right Honorable Chief Christopher Omo Isu, called for a proposal from the organizers of the event with the aim of instituting a zonal Tae Kwon Do championship for the South Eastern zone, right now being planned for end of the year 2006.

Congratulations to all participants in this celebration of good sports and sportsmanship! The Ebonyi State inaugural celebration of the International Year of Sports and Physical Education has been a great success. We hope that in each successive year of celebration, the world will recapture that same spirit of camaraderie that we witness and experience at each new Olympic Games.

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By Derek Wilson

This mid-week presents me with another interesting quandary. While many of Europe's - and indeed the world's - football fans will be eagerly awaiting the next round of Champions League fixtures I am suffering from decidedly mixed feelings. The game I will be going to watch in a couple of hours is Levski Sofia against Werder Bremen. I am delighted, as ever, to see Bremen. They are a wonderful side blessed with great players and an attacking attitude that makes them a joy to behold. But more importantly, for me at least, is their off field status. They are able to spend significant sums of money, yes, but not the stupid amounts that the top teams in England, Spain and Italy do. Heck, they are not even on the same financial level as Schalke, Borussia Dortmund and Hamburg in Germany, never mind Bayern Munich. And yet here they are only a couple of results away from knocking out Barcelona from the group stage in what will be one of the biggest shocks in modern European football. Why does that excite me so much while at the same time I try to ignore it?

Well to be brutally honest, for a football fan I have a strange attitude towards big/rich clubs, the Champions League in particular and most of all the G14 group. Okay they maybe play in the most glamorous club competition in the world, with the best players and they can produce some dazzling games. But I loathe them. I hate them all. I detest them with a passion I never knew I had for their greed and what they're doing to football. Yet when the games arrive I still find myself checking the results, noting the ups and downs and now, now that Bremen are on the verge of something great I am turning into a fan of these mid-week Euro struggles. I know I shouldn't do it and I know I should maintain my principles and be strong enough to say no. But just when your cute female friend has had a glass of wine too many and gets flirty, even though you know it's a terrible idea you crack and do it anyway...so I have cracked and decided that I will be following Bremen as much as I can in their Champions League campaign.

There is no question in my mind that the G14 are bad for football. They are obsessed with making money for themselves and they have forced UEFA to batter European competition out of all previous recognition just so they can play more games with each other and make more money. They, of course, claim that they are acting in the best interests of the game. That by providing more games between the big clubs they are supplying what the public want. But the public, in my view, do not want the Champions League in its current carnation. They want a proper sporting competition where the best teams can compete with each but they do so on a fair and level playing field not one that is artificially slanted in favour of the rich and those who were successful in the past. The G14's true attitude occasionally slips out when one of the anointed teams somehow fails to qualify for the competition. They simply change the rules needed to qualify as they did when Real Madrid and Liverpool missed out in previous years. Great for fans of Liverpool - being yet again in the tournament even though it was undeserved - but not many people remember Slavia Prague who were forced out of the seeded pot and into the non seeded group for the qualifying draw. As a result rather than getting a game they would likely win, they drew a Euro giant and lost out. Never mind though, they were never in the exclusive club in the first place and few people missed them. A similar outrage should have occurred when Manchester United lost to AC Milan in the first knock out stage a few years ago. The Milan president said it was a disgrace that two clubs like this should meet so early in the competition. He ignored the fact they were drawn together only because Man United weren't good enough to win their own group and that the competition had already reached its springtime stage. There were only a few months left in the football year, if March was unsuitable for one of these teams to be knocked out, just when was? But as this comment hinted at their true desire to protect their own access to the pots of gold TV and sponsorship bring, it also showed what they truly want beyond anything else - their own league, where none of their little club ever has to worry about being knocked out. Who wins it won't actually matter since they are all guaranteed the same number of games and whether you finish first or last the difference in prize money is negligible compared to what you earn from TV and sponsors simply from bringing your historic name to the party. And best of all, this will be a closed league where such trivial things as form and being the best from your country matters not. The league will not be run for the sporting aspect it will be run to keep the big clubs ticking over with cash. And if TV wants AC Milan rather than Chievo, if they want Liverpool rather than West Ham etc then there is no way the G14 will risk Cheivo or West Ham qualifying to the party ahead of one of the chosen few.

What further angers me is the trickle down effect of the greed shown by the biggest clubs. In Scotland the top 12 teams broke away from the rest of the league so they would not have to share TV income with teams who play in front of a few hundred loyal fans. These clubs are amongst the most prudently run in the country, they have no 'problem elements' or religious baggage as is so prevalent with other teams. Yet they have been cut off by clubs like Motherwell, Dundee United and Dunfermline, small clubs who battle against the odds and should know better than to discriminate against others. All this greed comes from the desperate desire to stay a few places ahead just incase they somehow make it into Europe for then the real money starts to flow. Most people in Scotland - indeed, I would say, almost everyone who does not support one of the Old Firm - hate the SPL and what it stands for. But they cannot turn their backs on their clubs, the clubs continue to look after their own interests and the circle of greed continues.

That is why I am so desperately hoping Werder Bremen win the next couple of games and knock out Barcelona. Okay Barca will still get to play in the UEFA Cup but that competition is now only a shadow of it's former self and the reason for that is clubs like Barca ruined it by effectively insisting they should only play in the big competition. So Werder have a wonderful chance in the coming weeks, not just to better themselves but also to deliver a bloody nose to one of the big boys who thought they were invincible. I can already imagine the TV companies and sponsors gnashing their teeth at the thought of Werder progressing rather than the mighty Barcelona. I can hear the pundits saying how big a shame it is that a club like Barca were knocked out before the dramatic knockout stages. But it's not a shame. If Barcelona get knocked out at the group stage they have no one to blame but themselves. They helped organise the rules of the tournament, they benefited hugely from the discriminatory seeding policy and yet they still might simply not be good enough to progress. How sweet would that be? From normal football fans all over Europe, good luck Werder!

The 2006 Major League Baseball season is now over, and one of the worst teams in the National League (well the second worst record) has the 2006 National League batting champion. That team is the Pittsburgh Pirates, and that National League batting title winner is none other than Freddy Sanchez.

Before this record season, nobody outside of Pittsburgh really knew who Freddy Sanchez was. After all, he did in fact start the 2006 season as a utility fielder / backup player. But the question is, how did a relatively unknown player at the beginning of the season turn into an National League All Star half way through the season, and end the season by winning the National League batting title?

Born on December 21st, 1977 in Hollywood, California, Freddy played baseball for his Burbank, California high school. During his senior year in high school Freddy Sanchez was declared most valuable player on his high school team. Although he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 30th round after high school, Sanchez did not sign. Instead, following high school Sanchez enrolled in Glendale Community College where he played for two years before later transferring to Dallas Baptist University, and later Oklahoma City University. Throughout his college years, Freddy continued to win assorted awards for his baseball talents.

In 2000, Freddy Sanchez was finally signed to play professional baseball by a Boston Red Sox scout. As a result, Freddy would spend the next two years quickly advancing through the Boston Red Sox's minor league system. Sanchez's skills were being refined, and his batting average was skyrocketing.

Freddy Sanchez was finally called up to play for the Major League Boston Red Sox team on August 2nd, 2002. In the game, Freddy went one for two with a solid single. Sanchez spent the majority of the next season bouncing back and forth between Boston's minor league Pawtucket organization, before he was ultimately traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 31st, 2003 in a deadline deal.

Sanchez was only able to play in one game on a Pittsburgh Pirate minor league team, the Nashville Sounds, before he suffered an ankle injury which caused him to be placed on the disabled list for the rest of the season. After showing a lot of potential early on, it seemed as if Freddy Sanchez's best days were gone. In the 2004 season, Freddy was side lined most of the season due to the ankle injury he had suffered the previous season.

All hope was not lost, as Freddy started to bounce back for the 2005 Major League Baseball season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2005, Freddy was able to play in a hundred and thirty two games, which is quite odd considering Freddy Sanchez was a backup player. In those one hundred and thirty two games, Sanchez managed to get a batting average of .291 with five home runs and thirty five runs batted in. Although his stats for the year were by no means remarkable, it showed that Freddy back on his way to reaching his full baseball potential.

The following season (2006) was Freddy Sanchez's break out season. Just like the previous season, Sanchez began the season as backup / utility fielder, and did not get much play during the first several games. An injury however soon took third baseman Joe Randa out, and Freddy Sanchez in. Joe Randa's injury is perhaps the best thing to occur to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in the 2006 season. Manager Jim Tracy of the Pittsburgh Pirates continually stated several times during the month of April that Freddy Sanchez's role in the Pittsburgh Pirates was a utility fielder / backup player. With Joe Randa out of the picture, Freddy Sanchez was able to show the baseball world what he was capable of.

Sanchez quickly earned the nickname "Steady Freddy" as he was capable of always getting hits. If there was a player you could count on to get a hit, it was Freddy. Although the Pittsburgh Pirates were one of the worst teams in Major League Baseball, Freddy Sanchez was still gaining rapid attention through out the baseball world.

Although his name appeared no where on the voting ballot for the 2006 Major League Baseball All Star game, Freddy Sanchez still managed to obtain over eight hundred thousand write in votes; the most of any Major League Baseball player. This ultimately led the National League team Manager, Phil Garner to utilize Sanchez in the game starting in the 5th inning.

The 2006 Major League Baseball All Star game was soon over, however Freddy Sanchez continued to amaze the public. His popularity increased as he delivered hit after hit, and incredible plays became the norm. Throughout the rest of the 2006 season, Freddy Sanchez found himself not only leading his team in batting average, but also the entire National League as well.

As the small market Pittsburgh Pirates team continued find themselves in last place, fans continued to come to every home game to support their All Star, Freddy Sanchez. While Jason Bay was the Pittsburgh Pirates' superstar for the past two years, it was evident that Freddy Sanchez had stepped up to take his place.

While Sanchez may not be able to smash home runs (he only hit six home runs in the 2006 season) Sanchez still has enough power to get the ball out in to the field. Freddy Sanchez managed to get an even two hundred hits in the 2006 season, as well as an impressive eighty five runs batted in. Sanchez also broke the Pittsburgh Pirates single season double record, when he smashed a very impressive fifty three doubles.

What will the future hold for Freddy Sanchez? Will he stay in Pittsburgh, or go to a better team. Personally, Sanchez is my favorite player (I'm a Pittsburgh Pirate fan) and I would hate to see him leave. He brought a lot of people to the last games of the season (Everybody wanted to experience Freddy Sanchez at bat) and a lot of attention to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was the 2006 National League batting champion, hopefully he will stick around and help the Pittsburgh Pirates become World Series champions in the near future.

Arsenal 1 Everton 1
28 Oct 2006

For three seasons now, this is how managers tell their teams to play Arsenal: put ten men behind the ball; do not give them any space; the main objective is to destroy, not create; tackle them hard, kick them if necessary; waste a lot of time... As Arsene Wenger told reporters, "It seems we will have that all season where teams play 4-4-2 everywhere they play and then come to play us and play 4-5-1."

That was what Everton did, and it worked again. It was hard to blame Everton though, as they were thrashed by the Gunners 7 - 0 only 18 months ago. David Moyes knew full well what Arsenal could do if you let them play. Reading let them play and look what happened to them. They were hammered. Even a team like Man U could not cope. Arsenal went to Old Trafford, Man U gave them space, and Arsene Wenger promptly handed the Red Devils their first defeat of the season.

The Arsenal manager was less than impressed by Everton's time wasting, "From first to last their goalkeeper was placing goal kicks from the left then moving them to the right and they were standing in front of the ball at free-kicks. It was negative but that's the game. It was like a film you have seen 10 times. It's becoming boring."

Simply take a look at the match stats, and you will see how dominant Arsenal were. 16 corners to Everton's 3. 26 goal attempts to Everton's measly 2. But Everton's defence held firm, despite an Arsenal onslaught in the last 15 minutes, when there were only two Arsenal defenders on the field. Wenger sent on Theo Walcott and Jeremie Aliadiere, which means there were four Arsenal strikers on the pitch. Wenger knew how important it was to get all three points as Chelsea and Man U had already won.

It was understandable that Arsenal fans were frustrated, but it was shocking to hear some fans venting their frustration on Captain Thierry Henry. But Henry was not going to stop playing the beautiful football now associated with Arsenal. As he told reporters after the match that he would rather "die" than to play ugly.

Arsenal probably had the upcoming Champions League match in mind on Saturday, and Henry was told to conserve energy. CSKA Moscow defeated Arsenal 1 -0 in Moscow, and it is important for the Gunners to win on Tuesday to not make a once easy group stage difficult.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said, "It was very frustrating, but we shouldn't have conceded the goal in the way we did. Everton deserve the credit for the way the defended. They were very intelligent and once they went 1-0 up they never came out. When you play like we play we have the ability to open up teams and punish them, but unfortunately we weren't able to do that today."

Everton manager David Moyes was proud of his players, "The lads showed great character and there is a bug doing the rounds and I may have to give them a few days off to recover. All the lads who have played with injuries and illness need a pat on the back for their performances. It's great for the lads to come here and get a result, especially the way they played against Reading last week."

Credits have to be given to Everton for a disciplined defensive display. I do not like the way they played, but it is possibly the only way they could play to get anything out of the match. American goalkeeper Tim Howard made an outstanding save to make sure his team earn a hard fought point at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal:
Jens Lehmann, Johan Djourou (Theo Walcott), William Gallas, Justin Hoyte (Mathieu Flamini), Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabregas, Aleksandr Hleb (Jeremie Aliadiere), Tomas Rosicky, Gilberto Silva, Thierry Henry, Robin van Persie
Goal: Robin van Persie 71.

Everton:
Tim Howard, Joleon Lescott, Phil Neville, Alan Stubbs, Joseph Ikpo Yobo, Mikel Amatriain Arteta, Tim Cahill, Lee Carsley, Simon Davies, Leon Osman, Andrew Johnson
Goal: Tim Cahill 11.

Referee: Riley, M
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Attendance: 60,047

Corners: Arsenal: 16Everton: 3
Goal Attempts: Arsenal: 26 Everton: 2
On Target: Arsenal: 12 Everton: 2

Bolton 0 Man Utd 4

Oops. I got this one completely wrong. So Wayne Rooney played his best match since last season and totally destroyed Bolton by scoring his second hat trick since joining the Red Devils. Based on this impressive display, Man Utd are actually better than I thought. Even though it is still early in the season, they look like the most likely challengers to Chelsea's title.

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce admitted that Rooney was too much for his side to handle, "Wayne Rooney has proved beyond doubt he's the best English player in the Premiership. His hat-trick was well deserved and it just shows the people who were writing him off were talking nonsense. Apart from the third goal, there was very little we could do to stop him. The first two were magnificent goals made of outstanding quality."

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, on the other hand, knew his faith in his young star would pay off, "It was going to happen sooner or later. I spoke to Wayne and told him to relax and keep concentrating. Once he got the first one, you could see the confidence coming back and after that, I was just hoping the ball would go to him all the time. There is a growing confidence within the club, we are looking very strong."

Bolton:
Jussi Jaaskelainen, Tal Ben-Haim, Nicky Hunt (Henrik Pedersen), Abdoulaye Meite, Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye, Stelios Giannakopoulos (Idan Tal), Ramos Ivan Campo, Gary Speed, Nicolas Anelka, Kevin Davies (Johann Smith), El Hadji Diouf

Man Utd:
Edwin Van der Sar, Patrice Evra (Gabriel Heinze), Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic, Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs (Darren Fletcher), Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha (John O'Shea)

Goals: Wayne Rooney 10, 16, Cristiano Ronaldo 82, Wayne Rooney 89.

Sheffield United 0 Chelsea 2

Too bad Sheffield United missed a penalty. After that, they just did not have a chance. And third choice keeper Henrique Hilario is taking full advantage of his rare appearance by saving the penalty. Who knows? If he keeps this up, he might play a bigger part in the team.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said of him, "Hilario is amazing. He is cool and comfortable in goal and I think the penalty save was a three-point save. If Hilario doesn't save it maybe we are in trouble."

The scary thing about Chelsea is that, even when they are not playing at their best, and they are not close to their full potential right now, they still win matches. I don’t like either Chelsea or Man U, but I am glad that this season is not a one horse race like the last two.

Sheffield United, on the other hand, seem out of depth at this level. Manager Neil Warnock said, "We are a little bit naive. Their players sometimes go down where we stumble on. We have to learn what to do in certain situations. We will be looking to add some quality in January but we need to stick in there in the meantime. We are easy to referee because we never try to convince him."

Sheffield United:
Paddy Kenny, Chris Armstrong, Leigh Bromby (Rob Kozluk), Claude Davis, Mikele Leigertwood, Keith Gillespie (Steven Kabba), Phil Jagielka, Alan Quinn, Michael Tonge (Nick Montgomery), Rob Hulse, Danny Webber

Chelsea:
Henrique Hilario, Wayne Bridge, Ricardo Carvalho, Renato Paulo Ferreira, John Terry, Michael Ballack, Joe Cole (Shaun Wright-Phillips), Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba (Salomon Kalou), Arjen Robben (Claude Makelele)

Goals: Frank Lampard 43, Michael Ballack 49.

Liverpool 3 Aston Villa 1

I expected Liverpool to come good, and what better place to do than at Anfield in front of their fans? And on top of that, beat the only undefeated team in the league. It was probably Liverpool's finest performance of the season. They played attacking football, and the third goal was a beauty. Aston Villa hardly got out of their own half in the first 45 minutes.

Liverpool:
Jose Manuel Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steve Finnan, Sami Hyypia, John Arne Riise, Xabi Alonso, Steven Gerrard (Robbie Fowler), Javier Sanz Luis Garcia (Boudewijn Zenden), Mohamed Sissoko, Peter Crouch (Jermaine Pennant), Dirk Kuyt

Goals: Dirk Kuyt 31, Peter Crouch 38, Javier Sanz Luis Garcia 44.

Aston Villa:
Thomas Sorensen, Gareth Barry, Wilfred Bouma, Aaron Hughes, Olof Mellberg, Isaiah Osbourne (Steven Davis), Liam Ridgewell, Stilian Petrov, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Juan Pablo Angel (Chris Sutton), Milan Baros (Didier Agathe)

Goal: Gabriel Agbonlahor 56.

By Tovash Hatcher

Since it's Halloween week, I have the scariest movie title..."The NFL just keeps getting better and better" (insert your own scream). If your Halloween night is a little less scary than normal, it's probably because witches, evil clowns, Jason, Freddy, Myers, and the other guys will be tuned in to the NFL waiting for next week's NFL action. Heck, even the ghosts, ghouls, and goblins will find themselves preparing for Halloween night by tuning in to the Monday night games pairing the Patriots and Vikings. Everyone is doing their part in keeping the professional game of football at the top of the watching list. I'm pretty sure that the man upstairs even puts off performing miracles for at least 4 quarters on Sundays.

I even blame the NFL for overshadowing this country's pastime...baseball. Did you know that there was a world champion that was crowned in the form of the St. Louis Cardinals? Congrats to Tony La Russa and the rest of the Cardinals for winning the 2006 title. But for some reason, I think the sports audience forgot to tune in to see it. I hold the NFL responsible for that too.

I was one to tune in on Sunday when I saw a guy in a Michael Vick costume pick apart the Bengals secondary like a fat man dissecting a turkey leg. Oh wait, that was Michael Vick? This just in, Michael Vick is now a precision pocket passer. Sarcasm is hard to interpret in print but that last sentence was totally just that. Michael Vick has been getting better behind center for the Falcons and it's beginning to be a little frightening to opposing teams. With 7 touchdown passes in the last 3 games, Vick is back to being that dangerous QB from Virginia Tech. Yesterday Vick and the Falcons took on the interception happy Bengals defense. Vick's numbers were pro-bowl like. He threw for 20/28 for 291 yards and those 3 TD passes. And for those of you who are still non-believers, he's done this against quality opponents in the tough AFC. If I can recall the Steelers are still the champs and the Bengals are teetering on the edge of greatness. Ok, enough with the Vick love because other superstars also played in yesterday's game as well. The Bengals have a wide receiver that somehow loves media attention. During the week, Chad Johnson changed his name to; get ready for this...Ocho Cinco?? What the hell? He made a prediction that he was going to run circles around Falcons' corner DeAngelo Hall. He predicted that he would end up scoring two TDs. Although he did get to paydirt once, Hall and the Falcons left Ohio with a 29-27 victory.

Let's do a quick tongue-twister. Try saying "unpredictable NFL" five times straight. Tough to do? It's tough for me to even think that analysts and experts can make their weekly picks with confidence. Some results of Sunday's action will haunt your soul and send chills down your spine. The next two games will shed some light on this theory of mine.

1) The Eagles were finally able to get some home cooking on Sunday. After laying a goose egg on the road, the Philly fans at Lincoln Financial were ready to cheer their team on to victory...so it seemed. Without starting QB Byron Leftwich the Jags seemed to be destined to fall to the Eagles. Not so fast my feathered friends. The Jaguars' defense looked like the same Jags defense that ran thru Dallas and Pittsburgh to open the season. All of a sudden Donovan McNabb and the Eagles resemble a team that could be on the ropes for the season. Jacksonville scored early and often. They scored first by punching the ball in on a 15-yard TD scamper by Fred Taylor. That proved to be plenty since Mr. McNabb could not put together a good performance against the Jags to save his life. He was only able to throw for 18/34 with 161 yards. The Eagles were only able to get 2 field goals for the entire game. They fall to the Jaguars at home by the score of 13-6 and fall to third in the NFC East with a 4-4 record.

2) The World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers got to experience the "black hole" that is known as Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland as the Raiders played host. One word describes the way Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger...horrible. I'm telling you now, the man should be benched. If I'm Bill Cowher I'd bench Roethlisberger ASAP! Whenever a guy suffers a concussion the week before, I think it's his call on whether he should be playing or not. But when is enough, enough? The Raiders took back 2 interceptions for TDs, one which was for 100 yards by Raiders' CB Chris Carr. Roethlisberger was able to muster up one TD pass to Willie Parker. Who would have thought that by the end of Week 8, the Steelers and the Raiders would be deadlocked with a 2-5 record? One more thing, don't think that Oakland came out and dominated the Steelers with potent offense. Andrew Walter the Raiders' QB threw for a laughable 51 yards on 5/14 passing. It's ridiculous that the World Champs are playing this way. Pretty soon Steelers faithful will be calling for the head on the head coach which by the way, is the longest tenured coach in the NFL. Things will be quite interesting in the next couple of weeks in Steelers nation. The Raiders topped the Steelers 20-13 on their way to a 2-game winning streak.


And did the ghost of Troy Aikman return in the form of Tony Romo? After losing an embarrassing game to the New York Giants on Monday night, the Cowboys found themselves with a new starting QB and more problems. On Sunday night in front of the nation again the Cowboys went into Carolina to face the Panthers. For the 98% of you that began to count the Cowboys out for the season, you didn't know of the secret weapon that Jerry Jones had in store huh? Last night I watched a brand new Cowboy offense, special teams, and defense. Hell, even the head coach looked to be brand new. With the proverbial passing of the torch from Bledsoe to Romo, many critics believed that Tony Romo would not be the longtime answer for Dallas. Romo temporarily silenced all skeptics by throwing 24/36 for 270 yards with 1 TD and one INT. Here in Dallas everyone is going wild for Romo and the new found offense. One thing that I do like about Romo is this; he throws the ball to pro-bowl receivers!! Owens, Witten, and Terry Glenn got a good workout on the Panthers defense by coming up with grab after grab. The offensive line seemed to be rejuvenated also by not allowing the above average Panthers defense. The nation's favorite receiver, Terrell Owens, had 9 grabs that went for 107 yards. Julius Jones and Marion Barber helped keep the offense balanced by combining for over 150 yards on the ground. The Panthers didn't help their cause either. Dropped passes haunted receivers and turnovers were constant. All-world receiver Steve Smith was kept in check by Cowboys defensive back Terrance Newman. Dallas rallied in the 4th quarter to score 25 points and running away from Carolina with the final of 35-14. Head coach Bill Parcells told the media in the post game press conference that he actually enjoyed the game. Just 6 short days ago Parcells was "embarrassed" to even put that team out on the field.

Coaching legend Vince Lombardi once said that "winning isn't everything, it's the only thing". I guess winning does cure everything huh?

I'm Tovash Hatcher

By Derek Wilson

The Scottish Premier League is frequently a tight and exciting contetst with many battles being fought right until the end of the season. This year however things look to be pedestrian already and we are not yet in November. Champions Celtic had a quiet pre-season, making few moves in the transfer market. This was in contrast to Rangers where Paul Le Guen took over in a blaze of publicity, optimism and new signings of dubious quality. Many people looked at Le Guen's excellent managerial record and expected him to coast the league this year. This was showing scant respect not only to Celtic as champions but to Gordon Strachan's managerial abilities. Rather than rush into the transfer market early he waited his time. Stilian Petrov departed but Graveson and Venegoor of Hesselink arrived. Both of these players are quality of the highest order and not only help the cause by themselves but they also make better players of those around them. The result is that Celtic are now motoring along like a finely tuned machine while Rangers stutter from loss to draw to debacle. Rangers have shown occasionally (notably away to Livorno in the UEFA Cup) that they can play well and that there is hope for the future. Accordingly most fans are being patient with Le Guen but Celtic are already 12 points ahead of Rangers and all but the most optimistic Bear is admitting the title this year is already gone. So given that the great rivalry looks like being a mismatch for at least one more season is there any point in watching Scottish football for the rest of the year?

The answer to that question is that it depends on what you're looking for in your football. The entertainment value (even if it's the type of car crash can't help but look horror provided by Dundee United and Hearts) will be high but the quality low. As the respected Scottish football journalist Bob Crampsy once said, a 100-metre sprint between grandmothers would be close and competitive but the quality would ensure it's not worth watching. In truth the SPL is not that bad as it already has a hardy band of loyal fans that will pay through the nose to watch their teams fight and scrap. Not many new fans will be tempted along but the clubs, as shown by their ticket pricing, have already given up on that potential stream of new revenue anyway.

The battle to be best of the rest behind Celtic should now be led by Hearts. They turned themselves around when Vladimir Romanov took over as chairman and promised the investment needed not only to save their Tynecastle home but also to make the club a challenger on the European stage. At first all seemed well but when George Burley was sacked despite having a 100% record last season the first signs of trouble appeared. Despite the club finishing second and winning the cup last term there was a lingering feeling of underachievement. Failure in the European competitions this year seems to have enraged the Lithuanian banker and he has made it clear both through the press and with his actions that he intends to treat the club and the players as his own personal toys. That has forced the Scottish trio at the heart of the side - Gordon, Pressley and Hartley - to come out and criticise the owner for continually involving himself in on field activities. Hearts are presently second in the league but 10 points behind Celtic. With the players available to them they should be doing so much better but the constant meddling from above has taken its toll. The title is all but gone already and with several dissenting players liable to be sold in January it is not inconceivable to imagine Hearts free falling through the league in the coming months. That means that while Rangers will surely take enough points to claim the Champions League spot for the runners up the third spot and the UEFA place that goes with it could be up for grabs. If Hearts fail to hang on, the teams competing to represent Scotland in Europe will have to stumble over the line after slipping and sliding along the way.

Hibs are without a doubt the best team in the middle of the pack but their exciting youngsters never seem to produce on a consistent basis. They have lost their manager and look set to appoint John Collins to what will be his first challenge as the top man. Whether he can somehow produce regular results from his talented squad and how many of them depart in January will be the biggest factors for the rest of their season. Inverness and Kilmarnock are both a struggle to watch at times but they are both clinically efficient when it comes to defending and hitting on the break. These sides should be a good bet for the top six but it is hard to see either having the talent to take third. Instead the dark horses in this particular race may well be Aberdeen. They have a few excellent players but a whole lot of rubbish and a heap of expectation on their shoulders. If the likes of Smith and Anderson can carry them they have some hope but despite currently sitting fourth a mid-table finish is probably the best they can hope for. However if Hearts do implode there is no reason why Aberdeen shouldn't be looking to steal the UEFA place from under their noses.

It is at the bottom that things begin to get really interesting. Dundee United have been mediocre all season but are still within touching distance of both Dunfermline and Motherwell. Motherwell have gone on a mini-revival in the last weeks but they are still in trouble and with a managerial novice in charge of a wafer thin squad it would surprise no one to see them down at the bottom come the end of the season. Dunfermline are currently without a boss but they have a comparatively good squad and if they can somehow stop their key players picking up so many injuries they will be fine. Dundee United have recently appointed Craig Levein as their new boss but quite what is expected of him with the squad available is unclear. United have gone through manager after manager in recent years but the big problem seems to be that the players simply aren't good enough. Levein will be content if United can remain in touch with the rest of the pack until the January transfer window gives him the chance to change the playing staff. Falkirk and St Mirren will also end up somewhere in the bottom half but every so often they pick up some great and unexpected points. So long as they can balance this with taking their share from teams round about them they will be able to survive in the SPL for at least another season.

The trouble with the SPL is that despite its low quality no team can afford to risk the financial disaster which falling out of the league would inevitably bring. As a result no one is able or willing to forget the short term and gradually build a side with the aim of having them come good in 3-4 years time. This is reflected in the battle at the bottom - regardless of who goes down and who stays up there will be little change in the quality of football on show at Dunfermline, Motherwell or Dundee United in the coming years. But that concern does not stop the short-term battle against the drop being intriguing and with the European issue wide open and Hearts and Rangers both struggling there are many questions to keep the fans occupied over the coming winter. Scottish football may not be spectacular but parity of the competitors ensures there is always something to play for in some part of the league.

Pardon the cliche, but often times the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Stoughton's (Wis.) standout freshman swimmer Carly Meuer is a prime example.

Meuer, along with an up-and-coming underclassman class, is helping breathe new life into the Vikings' program with her stellar performances in the pool.

Sally MacLaren-Meuer, Carly's mother and Stoughton's Director of Aquatics, is helping establish a winning mentality at Stoughton with her work out of the pool.

A powerful one-two-punch, the mother and daughter tandem could invoke a monumental turnaround in the Stoughton swimming program.

As for Meuer, she's always felt comfortable in the water.

MacLaren-Meuer coached swimming in Washington when Meuer was a child and opted to bring her to practices instead of leave her at home with a baby sitter.

"She's probably the main reason why I swam and why I still am swimming," Meuer said. "I'd always be at the pool and she would always get me in the water and just play around. So she's the reason why I'm still swimming right now, because she's my hero."

Growing up, Meuer was regaled with stories of her grandparents and parents swimming and watched as her older siblings took to the pool competitively.

As Meuer began to come into her own as a swimmer, her mother moved the family to Wisconsin.
MacLaren-Meuer wanted to do something she was passionate about, and while it wasn't related at all to what she studied in college, she found and accepted the aquatics director post as Stoughton.

MacLaren-Meuer couldn't have been happier.

Her arrival came on the heels of Stoughton High School constructing a nearly $4.5 million state-of-the art natatorium and immediately started assisting the Vikings' swimming programs.

She soon began assembling a feeder program in Stoughton and continues to develop STAR (Stoughton Aqua Racers).

Meuer entered Stoughton High School as a freshman this year and made a splash in the pool from the beginning.

She established herself as one of the team's fastest swimmers and has a chance to make waves in just her first postseason.

With Meuer a charge in the pool and MacLaren-Meuer establishing more interest and generating younger swimmers out of it, the pieces are falling into place for Stoughton's program to build a winning tradition.

MacLaren-Meuer said now that the high school and STAR teams can host a variety of meets, something they couldn't previously do in part because of the old pool's depth and outdated facility, she hopes it will get younger kids interested in swimming and, perhaps, add competitive depth to the high school programs, all while boosting the morale of Stoughton's current swimmers.

"It's going to come around, because Stoughton built that pool, they're going to have that power (to become a strong swimming program)."
She reiterated that she can tell from the swimmers' behavior in practices and meets that they take pride in their facility and hopes that will soon translate over to results in the water.

That was a sentiment Meuer agreed with.

"I definitely think it's a plus, coming to practice everyday and having this huge nice, new facility," Meuer said. "And it's nice to be able to host meets, it's definitely a plus."
Meuer said she has seen first-hand younger kids' accelerated interest in swimming and thinks incoming freshmen will continue to improve the team over the next few years.

"I definitely think that we're getting more depth on the team," Meuer said. "Because of the depth, I think our program is improving immensely and I really think that this year, compared to other years, we've been more successful. With the feeder teams ... our depth will get better and, on top of what we already have for the rest of the team right now, that will be awesome."

While they know it's not an overnight process, both Meuer and her mother agree with kids starting to swim earlier in life and taking pride in their facility, the Vikings aren't far off from establishing themselves as a swimming contender.

When all is said in done, Meuer again hopes to prove the apple and tree cliche right.

"I really would enjoy being a coach and kind of following in my mom's footsteps," Meuer said. "I really enjoy being able to teach people about swimming because I think it's an awesome sport and it's so much fun to do."

By spreading attitudes like that, Stoughton may be on the rise sooner than later.
The Vikings travel to the Badger South Conference meet on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Monona Grove High School.

OK, they did only win 27 games last year. And they did trade Vince Carter, the human highlight reel. But all in all, when it comes to developing a competitive team in the NBA, one that has playoff potential you have to like what the Toronto Raptors have done, literally almost over night.

Because let's face it, even with Carter the team managed just 33 wins in each of the prior two years and just 24 the year before that. Yes it has been four full years since the Raptors have been seen in the NBA postseason.

But that just may be about to change.

Start with the smooth left-hander Chris Bosh. This guy is an NBA talent and Toronto recognized that 6-10 guys that can really play don't come along every day. The management signed the big guy up for maximum money, ensuring he would be around long enough for the team to build around. Though no one who follows the NBA was surprised by the offer, some were surprised that Bosh took it. But there in lies the real key, the most talented player on the roster sees that the team's new management has an understanding as to how to build a basketball team.

In fact, General Manager Bryan Colangelo has retooled the team so quickly that many have not even contemplated where this team stands. But Bosh noticed, and he signed on for the long haul.

First off, the team has always had the talented shooter Morris Peterson. The forward has played in all 82 games for four years running and last year began to put up some serious numbers, averaging nearly seventeen points per game.

But the team has a number of new players including their top draft pick, rookie Andrea Bargnani, a new point guard in TJ Ford who came over in the Charlie Villeneuva trade and a new center in Rasho Nesterovic, though the slow footed former Spur might end up coming off the bench. The team also acquired the athletic Freddie Jones from Indiana and Darrick Martin is in just his second season with the team. But the other side of the story is who they unloaded, the underachieving (at least while in Toronto) Vince Carter and the talented but winless forward Jalen Rose.

Where the team now stands is an International beacon for new talent. The team began by drafting the smooth moving big man, Bargnani, one of three Raptor regulars that was playing in Europe a year ago. The team also brought in Anthony Parker, a defensive stopper who had played in Israel and Jorge Garbajosa, a savvy veteran who can flat out shoot. The native of Madrid played in Spain and was a member of Spain's title team at the World Championships in Japan last fall. Throw in Nesterovic, back up point guard Jose Calderon of Spain and reserve forward Pape Sow of Darkar, Senegal and the boys from across the border are loaded with International flavor.

The young talent meshed well during the preseason, when the Raptors went 7-1. The overall talent level is so much better that the team knocked off the Celtics in Boston, in the seventh game of the exhibition season, and did so while resting the team's best two players, Bosh and Ford.

But it is a young team and the NBA is generally not kind to teams that are young. And the Raptors are only one year removed from last year's start. Dare we state the team was 0-9 and 1-15 out of the gate.

But those numbers make the 27 wins all the more significant. Throw in the fact that the team competes in the Atlantic Division and you have to think this team might top forty wins. Since only New Jersey is seen as a legitimate playoff team from the division, the Raptors have an excellent chance of climbing into second spot in the division, perhaps even into the top eight and a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

If they do not make the postseason this year, they still should be one of the NBA's most improved teams.

Nobody expected the 2006 World Series matchup between the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals to be very interesting. After all, the Tigers were a team that had won 95 games in the regular season, while the Cardinals won only 83. The Tigers led the ultra-competitive AL Central Division nearly the entire season until the Minnesota Twins caught and passed them on the very last day. The Cardinals, meanwhile, only really had to worry about the Houston Astros towards the end. The Tigers boasted an amazing starting rotation that included Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman, and Kenny Rogers. The Cardinals had Chris Carpenter. The Tigers were from the superior American League and would have home field advantage. The Cardinals were from the subpar National League, the league that hasn't won an All-Star Game since 1996.

But no matter how good, how dominant a team looks on paper, anything can happen out on the field. That's why they play the games, as the old adage goes. And when all was said and done at the 2006 World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals emerged as the best team in baseball thanks to winning four games to Detroit's one.

The Cardinals jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the series by taking the opener in Detroit by a score of 7-2. Rookie pitcher Anthony Reyes threw eight amazing innings for the red birds, scattering four hits and giving up just two earned runs. The St. Louis batters roughed up Detroit's Verlander, tagging him for two doubles, two home runs, and six earned runs in only five innings.

Detroit came right back in Game Two, however. The Tigers sent veteran Kenny Rogers to the mound, and it was his turn to dominate. Rogers gave up only two hits in eight innings, struck out five, and walked three en route to the victory. Meanwhile, Jeff Weaver of the Cardinals had a night to forget, giving up nine hits and three earned runs in five innings, including a first inning home run to Craig Monroe. The Tigers never looked back from that blast and went on to win 3-1.

Game Three saw St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa send ace Chris Carpenter to the mound for the first time in the series. Carpenter responded by turning in a stellar performance, going eight innings (the third game in a row that the winning pitcher lasted that long) and giving up just three hits while striking out six. The Cardinals offense, helped along by a timely fielding error by relief pitcher Joel Zumaya, pounded out five runs on just seven hits against starter Nate Robertson and reliever Fernando Rodney.

Game Four took place a day later than expected thanks to heavy rains in the St. Louis area. Jeff Suppan of the Cardinals faced off against the Tigers' ace Bonderman, but neither pitcher was dominant in their respective outings. Suppan yielded eight hits and three earned runs in six innings of work, while Bonderman gave up six hits and two earned runs in 5.1 innings. The hero of the game was St. Louis shortstop David Eckstein, whose double in the bottom of the eighth inning scored Aaron Miles for the go-ahead and eventual winning run. The Cardinals' 5-4 victory gave them a 3-1 series lead and three chances to close out Detroit for the World Series title.

Game Five was also played in St. Louis due to the 2-3-2 format used by Major League Baseball. LaRussa decided to start Weaver again instead of going with the rookie Reyes, whose turn it would have been in the rotation. The extra day off because of the rainout gave LaRussa that luxury, so he went with the seven-year veteran against Verlander of the Tigers. That move paid off in a big way as Weaver turned in eight solid innings, giving up just four hits and two runs in that span. The Cardinals were able to rough up Verlander for six hits and three runs in six innings as they cruised to a 4-2 win and the title. Eckstein, who hit .364 in the series, was named the MVP.

This was the 10th World Series championship for the St. Louis franchise, and their first since 1982. The 83 wins the Cardinals recorded in the regular season was the lowest total ever for an eventual champion.

Posted by JE

Saturday 28 Oct 2006

Sheffield Utd v Chelsea
As much as I want Chelsea to lose, it is very difficult to see Sheffield United beating them. Shevchenko has ended his goal drought and Drogba is playing the best football of his life. These two strikers alone cost more than the entire Sheffield United team, and I think they will be too much for the home side's defenders to handle.

My Predictions: Sheffield 0 Chelsea 3

Arsenal v Everton
If you saw how Arsenal demolished Reading last Saturday, you would be a brave man to bet against them against Everton. Even though David Moyes' side is playing well, Arsenal are once again playing their flowing football, and it would be tough any side to stop them right now. Arsene Wenger's side has also settled into their new home, the Emirates Stadium. I expect to see Everton trying to stuff the midfield and defend in number, but unless Arsenal just happen to have an off day, this should be a home victory.

My Prediction: Arsenal 2 Everton 0

Bolton v Man Utd
Man U were almost embarrassed by a third division side in the Carling Cup, but Sir Alex Ferguson only fielded a second string team for that fixture. Bolton are flying high this season. The strategy of making sure the defence is water tight and nick a goal (usually from set pieces) is working out well. The Reebok Stadium is a notoriously tough place to play, even for the big teams. Even though Man U are the leaders in the league right now, I have my skepticism of how good they truly are. I think Sam Allardyce's side has a good chance of beating them. It is quite remarkable that a Bolton victory would not really be considered an upset, it shows how much Bolton has come along in the last several seasons.

My Prediction: Bolton 1 Man U 0

Fulham v Wigan
These two teams are of roughly equal quality. Even though Fulham's home advantage makes them slight favorite for this fixture, I expect a tight match, without a lot of goal scoring opportunities.

My Prediction: Fulham 0 Wigan 0

Liverpool v Aston Villa
Liverpool have too much quality to continuously underperform, although their slump is a costly one. I do not believe that they have a chance for the title but a Champions League place is just as important. Aston Villa seem to have trouble winning matches, especially on the road, but they are still the only unbeaten team in the Premiership. With the match at Anfield, with their passionate fans, I think Liverpool will come good in this match.

My Prediction: Liverpool 2 Aston Villa 1

Portsmouth v Reading
Portsmouth have lost some steam of late, but they are still favorites for this match. Reading were absolutely outplayed by Arsenal last weekend, but show tremendous determination against Liverpool in midweek. Their passion is their most important asset. As well as Portsmouth have been playing, they are no Arsenal, so Reading have a chance here.

My Prediction: Portsmouth 1 Reading 1

Watford v Tottenham
Watford are way off the standard of the Premiership, though you must admire them for how hard they try. Tottenham are not playing as well as they did last season, but they still should have enough quality to take all 3 points against the relegation candidate.

My Prediction: Watford 0 Tottenham 2

Newcastle v Charlton
These are two teams in a whole lot of trouble. Based on form, they are both terrible. I give Newcastle an edge simply because of their home advantage.

My Prediction: Newcastle 1 Charlton 0

Sunday 29 Oct 2006

West Ham v Blackburn
How much worse can West Ham's season get? Now there are rumors that another South American player might join them. The players just do not show any enthusiasm out there. Blackburn, on the hand, are tough to beat. They are physical and no nonsense. I like their chances at Upton Park,

My Prediction: West Ham 0 Blackburn 2

Monday 30 Oct 2006

Man City v Middlesbrough
Man City are quite inconsistent, and to a lesser extent, so are Middlesbrough. The difference is Boro are improving.

My Prediction: Man City 2 Middlesbrough 2

By Tovash Hatcher

What's a guy to do about his favorite football team that constantly screws things up? Give me a minute because this should hit home for most of you Dallas Cowboy fans as well.

Remember the song "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands"? Well, if you're happy with the Cowboys clap your hands. Its ok, I didn't clap either. I am SO angry, frustrated, and ready to pull my hair out at this team that it's silly. They do everything backwards at Valley Ranch. For the record, you may see me use the word "we" when I reference this team because I'm a part of the paying audience that goes to Texas Stadium on Sundays and yell until I blackout and my throat is sore. I buy all types of Cowboys merchandise including tee-shirts, hats, and even a $250 Roy Williams jersey that I sometimes get embarrassed to wear because I hear so much junk from non Cowboys' faithful. However, I'm a true fan so I take in the bad along with the good. But how much good is there?

Over the years I've seen the most eye-popping and jaw-dropping stuff as a Cowboys fan. Check out this quick list of some amazing things:

-Three Super Bowl wins in 4 years
-The firing of head coach Tom Landry
-The Hall of Fame induction of Troy Aikman
-Michael Irvin getting busted with drugs (many times)
-Jerry Jones signing the most flamboyant player of all-time in Deion Sanders
-The firing on head coach Jimmy Johnson
-Three consecutive 5-11 seasons
-The signing of coaching legend Bill Parcells
-9 horrible quarterbacks since Troy Aikman
-The signing of loud mouth wide receiver Terrell Owens

Need I say more? Some are changes that have been good and others are needless. And I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel either. Let's put it this way, if the Cowboys lose on Sunday or Monday night, then the rest of my week goes bad. If we win, the week is ok until the next game or if news breaks of something going tragically wrong at Valley Ranch during the course of the week. It sort of reminds me of the Groundhog's Day ritual where Phil the groundhog is yanked out of the ground to predict the start of winter only by a glimpse of a damned shadow.

Just a few days ago the Dallas Cowboys organization began a new chapter when head coach Bill Parcells had his hand forced when he announced that 2nd string quarterback Tony Romo will be the new starter for "America's Team". Romo has been a backup for the past 3 seasons and is now ready to lead the Cowboys into the future. Parcells benched 14-year QB Drew Bledsoe for his lackluster and turnover prone play. Bledsoe threw a first half interception in the red zone of the Cowboys' Monday night game against the New York Giants. That interception may have been the last pass that Bledsoe may ever throw in the National Football League.

So what's a Cowboy fan to do? There are thousands of questions that fans of Cowboy country need and want to know. Seemingly, Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells have only answered just one. I'm interested to see what young and inexperienced, but bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Tony Romo can do as the new starting quarterback.

There is also a new structure in the works. That worldwide known stadium with the hole in the roof located on highways 183 and 114 in Irving, Texas is on its last days. I remember being a kid and hoping that I would one day set foot into the stadium. Now, after going to many games at Texas Stadium, I know I will miss the stadium but at the same time I can not wait for the new place to open.

Take it from me, being a Dallas Cowboy fan is tough work. The pregame, post game, and weekly rituals are wearing on my patience, especially since the Cowboys haven't put a team on the field that frightens opponents in a good while. As a matter of fact, the last time we've even sniffed the playoffs was in 2003, Bill Parcells' first season as head coach in Dallas.

My message to Cowboy fans is just be patient. Eventually the losing will be so bad that Mr. Jones will wake up and smell the loss column. Don't worry everyone, the winning will one day return to Dallas...hopefully.

I'm Tovash Hatcher

Nobody expected the Northwestern Wildcats football team to have an easy go of it in the 2006 season. They were coming off the shocking and tragic news that their head coach of seven years, Randy Walker, had died suddenly of a massive heart attack at the end of June. The powers that be then named former Walker assistant and Wildcat football alum Pat Fitzgerald as the new head coach. At 31, Fitzgerald was the youngest head coach in Division I-A history. And finally, the 'Cats had lost four-year starting quarterback Brett Basanez to graduation and the NFL (where he's currently a backup for the Carolina Panthers). These three factors combined to ensure that the cards were stacked against Northwestern right from the start of the season.

Nevertheless, things started out on a positive note as the Wildcats posted a 21-3 win over Miami (Ohio) in their first game under Fitzgerald. It was an emotional victory, one that was clearly in honor of Walker, and the players and coaching staff alike seemed pretty overwhelmed by it all.

The good feelings in Evanston didn't last long, as the Wildcats lost their home opener to New Hampshire, a Division II-A team that they probably should have beaten, by a score of 34-17. That put a damper on an otherwise memorable day that featured numerous pregame and halftime tributes to the memory of Coach Walker, with his family members on hand to participate.

The Wildcats bounced back to defeat Eastern Michigan the following week, 14-6. Now Northwestern was 2-1 and things didn't look bad at all. However, everything seemed to fall apart at the same time, and since that third game of the season, the Wildcats have lost five consecutive games. Coaches, players, and fans alike are searching for answers, particularly after a stunning loss to Michigan State last week.

The Wildcats were leading 38-3 with just under 10 minutes left in the 3rd Quarter and obviously seemed to have the game in hand. They had dominated floundering Michigan State the entire afternoon. Sophomore C.J. Bacher, who was supposed to take over for Basanez at the beginning of the year but was sidelined because of an injury, was performing like a seasoned veteran in his first career start. He completed 15 of 29 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns, plus he carried the ball in himself from 3 yards out to help stake Northwestern to their huge lead.

But somehow, Michigan State was able to come storming back. The Wildcats suffered a complete meltdown on the field and yielded 38 straight points to the Spartans in just 20 minutes of play. The Michigan State scores included two touchdown passes from quarterback Drew Stanton, two runs (from Stanton and A.J. Jimmerson), a blocked punt return for a touchdown from Ashton Henderson, and a 28-yard field goal from Brett Swenson with 0:18 left in regulation to seal the victory. This was an unprecedented collapse and marked the biggest comeback ever in Division I-A ball.

It would be difficult for any team to bounce back from a loss like that one, but the situation is even tougher for Northwestern. As I mentioned before, the Michigan State loss was the Wildcats' fifth in a row. It's hard for teams to bust out of losing streaks like that one. In addition, the Wildcats have to try to do it on the road against a Michigan Wolverines team that is undefeated on the season and is ranked #2 in the nation headed into the contest. It seems that the Wildcats are going to need a big miracle to have a chance against Michigan. Perhaps the best thing the team can hope for is not to be completely blown away by the Wolverines and to be able to walk off the field with some dignity left.

After Michigan, the Wildcats finish out the season with three more Big Ten matchups against Iowa, #1 Ohio State, and Illinois. They'll at least have the opportunity to finish the season with a win, as Illinois has had their own struggles this year.

What started out looking like a tough season for the Wildcats has turned into a nightmarish reality. Hopefully Fitzgerald can build on this experience and rally his troops for next year, because for all intents and purposes, 2006 is a lost cause for the 'Cats.

Posted by JE

The 2006 World Series is now well under way, and as fans root for their favorite team, a lot of discussions have been present about the friendship between Detroit Tigers manager, Jim Leyland, and the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, Tony La Russa.

Every baseball fan knows about the Cardinals manager, Tony La Russa, but what about Jim Leyland?

Born on December 15th, 1944 in Petersburg, Ohio, Jim Leyland began playing Major League baseball in 1963 for the Detroit Tigers. His Major League career lasted a mere year before he was transferred back to the Tigers' Minor League system for four years before he stopped playing baseball, and started his coaching career.

Leyland's coaching career started in 1970 in the Minor League system, and continued in the Minor League system for the next several years. In 1982, Jim Leyland moved from the Minor League system back to the Majors, as a third base coach for Tony La Russa's Chicago White Sox team. Leyland continued working as a third base coach for the next three seasons, before he was chosen to be the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

When Leyland came to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization for the 1986 season, it was not a pretty sight; the Pittsburgh Pirates had just come off from a 57-104 season, one of the worst seasons the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise had ever seen. The Pittsburgh Pirates will willing to give Jim Leyland a chance, considering it was nearly impossible to have a worse record for the 1986 season.

Jim Leyland's first season saw the foundation of what would become a superstar team in the early 90's. In the 1986 season, the Pirates made many player transactions, and with a group of young players, but still placed last in their division.

Over the next several years, Leyland helped the Pittsburgh Pirates develop into a superstar team. Players such as Andy Van Slyke, Bobby Bonilla, and a young Barry Bonds would help Jim Leyland lead his Pittsburgh Pirates team to three NCLS series, however the Pittsburgh Pirates were stopped in all three series.

After the early 90's, the superstar team that was the early 90's Pittsburgh Pirates was no more. Jim Leyland had lost most of his super star players, and as the team continued to progressively get worse and worse, Jim Leyland left the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 1996.

The following year, Jim Leyland came the Florida Marlins baseball organization. The same year, he helped lead the team to their first World Series championship. After a terrific season, the owner of the Florida Marlins sold most of the Florida Marlins team, and the following season was completely disastrous, which led Jim Leyland to leave Florida.

In 1999, Jim Leyland was hired by the Colorado Rockies, a team that had hopes that Jim Leyland would be able to lead their team to the World Series. Unfortunately, Leyland's career with the Colorado Rockies lasted only one season.

After the brief stint with the Colorado Rockies, Jim Leyland left managing teams, and in 2000 became a Pittsburgh area based scout for the St. Louis Cardinals for his old manager, Tony La Russa. He continued being a scout for the next several years.

In the fall of 2005, several Major League teams were looking for new managers. Jim Leyland was also rumored to be looking for a new management job. Rumors were running wild for the teams that Jim Leyland was applying for; many fans in Pittsburgh thought that since Leyland was still residing in Pittsburgh, he would take a job in Pittsburgh.

The 2006 season brought Jim Leyland as the manager of the Detroit Tigers. Quickly, he showed that he was back in business, and the season concluded with the Detroit Tigers having a record 95-67, which is amazing considering the Detroit Tigers had a 100 game losing season a few years earlier. It seems as if Jim Leyland has a knack for taking a horrible team and transforming them into a great team within a few seasons. Leyland almost did it with the Pittsburgh Pirates, then he did it with the Florida Marlins, and now he might possibly do it again with his old team the Detroit Tigers.

The 2006 World Series is still under way, but what else does the future hold for Jim Leyland?

By Derek Wilson

If you're one of the many that are desperately missing the intensive passion of the football World Cup, fear not, the competition in Euro 2008 is heating up already. There are seven qualifying groups of seven or eight teams with the top two in each pool progressing to the finals in Austria/Switzerland in summer 2008. It is understandable that the qualifiers bore many people because they feel it is all but certain who will compete at the finals. It is also fair to say that even when the qualifiers produce drama and excitement it is hard to hold the interest of the general public over the 14-month period needed to play them in. But these qualifiers seem slightly different already and with only a handful of competitive games left this international year now is as good a time as any to have a quick look at the groups. It is important to understand that as the finals tournament is being hosted in Austria and Switzerland, both of these countries qualify automatically. They take two of the sixteen places and with all due respect to them both, neither would have been favourites to make it through the qualifying - Austria would have been a complete write off, Switzerland a 50-50. The other interesting point is the shock winners of the last competition, Greece, being seeded first in the qualifying draw. The effect of these things is to condense the seedings and ensure the top few teams in each group are all highly competitive with each other, rather than producing the usual stroll for Italy, Germany etc. And finally the interest generated by such a successful European hosted World Cup means people all over the continent have caught the football bug. The World Cup spawned many temporary fans but many have stayed with the game and are currently enjoying the football feast. Long may it last!

Group A: we start with an utterly fascinating group. It contains three teams from the World Cup, Portugal, Poland and Serbia, and a couple of seasoned competitors in Finland and Belgium. All five of these countries have genuine ambitions to qualify and the bottom three seeds, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, are all awkward jokers that will feel they can shock the big boys at home. The story of the group so far is Portugal's poor form. They find themselves slightly adrift with only four points from three games. Even if they win their game in hand they will only join Belgium and Poland on seven points. Finland have made a remarkable start, taking eight points from four, but they will be cursing themselves for dropping points in Armenia. Had they succeeded there they would be on ten points alongside group leaders Serbia who already look in a strong position to reach their second consecutive finals. This group may only contain one truly glamorous side but it is guaranteed to be a battle to the death with a dramatic finale all but assured.

Group B: if the last group was interesting then presently group B is looking like the pick of the bunch. Not only is there a re-match between World Cup finalists France and Italy but Ukraine reached the quarter finals in Germany before losing to the Italians. Further adding to the mix is Scotland who currently top the group after an astonishing start brought them nine points from nine, including a win over France in Glasgow. They since lost in the Ukraine which allowed France to match them on nine points. The Ukrainians themselves are firmly in the hunt with six points from their three games but their one loss came in a six pointer against Italy. However Italy made a terrible start to the campaign by drawing at home to Lithuania and losing in Paris to France. They have since recovered with a great win in Georgia and the Ukrainian triumph but they are still a long way from secure sitting on seven points from four games. This group could well start to take shape soon and the Scots may struggle to keep up with the big boys. But this group should go right to the wire and with at least one of France, Italy or the Ukraine guaranteed to miss out on the finals tension will be high. Lithuania and Georgia are both tricky teams in their own right but neither will be able to pose a serious threat over the course of a whole campaign. The Faore Islands are loved by nearly everyone for their plucky attempts but they will not be upsetting many teams this time around.

Group C: finally we get a breather with a calmer group although it is questionable if meetings between Greece and Turkey can ever be described as anything other than riotous. Those two countries were expected to qualify from a relatively drab group and as both have taken full points from their three games there seems to be no shock in the offing. Norway, Bosnia and Hungary may well have thought themselves capable of putting in a challenge but early losses while the favourites were winning have probably killed their chances already. Norway are still in with a shout though but it would take something special for them to escape this group. Hungary are in a horrific state and currently lie second bottom of the group having lost in Valetta, giving Malta their first competitive win in several years. Moldova are firmly placed at the bottom of the table and that is a position they can expect to occupy over the coming months. There's plenty of real excitement elsewhere in the qualifying but this group is already one to forget.

Group D: perhaps the first group that looks to be delivering less than what was expected. The Germans and Czechs were clear favourites to progress and even though the Czechs dropped points against Ireland by only drawing, both of the big countries are clear at the top already. The Czechs lead by a point but have played one game more. The Germans, still on a high from their World Cup exploits, have a 100% record. Ireland gave them a bit of a challenge but essentially they are steamrollering everything in their path, most notably tiny San Marino who were destroyed by the playground score of 13-0. Ireland did well to take a point of the Czechs but largely they have been disappointing and while a loss in Germany would have been acceptable, being horsed 5-2 in Cyprus suggests they are in for another summer of looking on from the outside of a big tournament. Wales periodically threaten to compete but have been dismal once more and even the Slovaks have been disappointing, taking only six points from their four games. San Marino are bottom and must be wondering why they bother turning up every few months to have several goals rifled past them. The top of this group could yet become worthwhile but only if Germany or the Czech Republic collapse by themselves. No one else is putting any pressure on them, that's for sure.

Group E: there's nothing better than seeing a favourite stuck in a real mire and although Steve McClaren won't be overly happy, the rest of Europe is having a good giggle at England right now. After four games they have only seven points as a result of drawing at home to Macedonia and losing in Croatia. Macedonia are the surprise of the group, also being on seven points after four games. They should enjoy this while it lasts though as the big countries are likely to step up a gear next spring. They can take heart from knowing that they have both fixtures against England out of the way though. Croatia must be favourites to go progress at the minute as they sit on seven points from only three games. That includes a win over rivals England but also what could be a crucial point in Moscow. Which brings us nicely to the Russians. They were expecting a quick revival under international miracle worker Guus Hidiink but with that disappointing draw against Croatia and further dropped points at home to Israel they are likely to miss out yet again. Israel are also in the mix though, making it a four-way struggle rather than a simple three-way scrap. Israel have been getting better and better with every qualifying campaign and came within an ace of making the play offs for the World Cup. They are still outsiders to make it this time but with seven points from three games their start has given them every chance of causing a surprise. A lot of mud is still to be slung in this group but surely England and Croatia will be the ones left standing at the end. Estonia and Andorra will do little more than make up the numbers.

Group F: this group should have been a battle for second between the Scandinavian cousins of Denmark and Sweden while Spain romped home but that has not been the case. The Spaniards have made a disastrous beginning to the contest with two losses out of three. The Swedes on the other hand can hardly contain their delight at 100% record after four games and a massive five point lead over the second placed Danes. Denmark are on seven points from three games which leaves them sitting nicely but they still have to face Spain twice and it would be a brave man who rules the Spaniards out so early. Northern Ireland also have seven points but have played a game more. They must be kicking themselves they lost 0-3 at home to Iceland as a win over Spain and point in Copenhagen would have left them right in contention otherwise. They are still not out of it but with confusion often surrounding manager Laurie Sanchez's position it is hard to see them doing what is required on a long-term basis. Latvia, Iceland and Liechtenstein are also in the group but they will be little more than cannon fodder. This is a significant fall for Latvia who shocked everyone by qualifying for Euro 2004.

Group G: the final group does not disappoint in terms of excitement but it does look like being a battle for second place between Bulgaria and Romania. The Bulgarians have problems but with eight points from four matches they have made a reasonable start. However Romania are only one point behind them with a game in hand. A victory in that match would lift them to ten points, matching current group leaders Holland. The Dutch seem genetically incapable of going through any campaign without falling out and hating each other and this time is no exception. However they should still manage to stay ahead of at least one Eastern side to ensure they can go to the finals. Whether or not they will ever repeat their success of 1988 is doubtful but at least they'll be there. Sadly there is nobody else pushing for the second qualifying place. Belarus showed signs of improvement in the last campaign but with only four from four they will not be celebrating this time. Slovenia are in a similar position - higher expectations than usual but only a point a game from three matches is not good enough. Albania and Luxembourg will fill out the group but it would be a major surprise if either registers a significant victory throughout the group.

So that's that then. It's interesting to see just how many groups are truly competitive at the moment. Of course that will change as time goes on as it is hard to countries like Scotland, Macedonia and Northern Ireland hanging about near the top of their groups but a miracle could well happen for one of the less fancied teams somewhere. What is guaranteed though is that a majority of groups will come to a close conclusion. This is especially interesting as the Champions League groups also running just now are much more likely to produce cut and dried winners well before the last couple of games. It is a shame that UEFA do not spend as much time and money promoting the qualifiers as tight contests between committed internationals as they do the over hyped and over paid superstars which ballerina around on the European club stage. Regardless it is heartening to see European international football in such a healthy state. Fingers crossed it continues in 2007!

By Ed Jennett


Being unable to keep up in the new NHL has finally caught up with the Philadelphia Flyers. Following their worst start in the past 17 years, the Flyers shook up their shaky club last Sunday. Long time General Manager Bobby Clarke resigned, while Head Coach Ken Hitchcock was fired.

Hitchcock was fired despite having recently signed a contract extension. The Flyers had started the season with a 1-6-1 record under him. The embarrassing start is the Flyers worst in 17 years. In addition to that dismal on-ice performance, the players were tuning Hitchcock out, according to Flyers chairman Ed Snider. While Hitchcock was forced out, Clarke resigned due to being burned out. When announcing his resignation Clarke stated that he no longer wanted to make the decisions that general managers need to make.

According to Clarke, the record of the club had nothing to do with his decision to resign. He stated that from the end of last season forward that he began feeling spent. Because of that he let other people in the Flyers organization make decisions that needed to be made instead of making them himself because he was unwilling. He added that he knew he did not do the right job for the franchise. Clarke had hoped to feel a renewed zest on the new season began, but that did not happen.

Clarke was replaced as General Manager by Assistant General Manager Paul Holmgren, who was named Interim General Manager. Holmgren had also previously been the Flyers Head Coach. Hitchcock was replaced as Head Coach by assistant John Stevens. In addition to having just been an Assistant Coach for the club, Stevens is a former Flyers player and was also the Head Coach of the Flyers AHL affiliate the Philadelphia Phantoms. Stevens coached the Phantoms to the AHL Calder Cup Championship in 2005. Many of the players from that AHL Calder Cup Championship Phantoms team are now playing for the parent club NHL Flyers.

The decision to fire Hitchcock was made last week following a humiliating 9-1 loss to the undefeated Buffalo Sabres during that week. The devastating defeat was one of the worst in the 40-year history of the franchise. Buffalo is also the team that eliminated the Flyers in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. The Sabres are a fast team that was clearly put together to thrive in the speed game of the new NHL. In direct contrast to that are the Flyers, who are an older, slower, more physical team that would have excelled in the seasons of the more recent past. While the team that Philadelphia put on the ice last season was typical of the physical, tough, and talented teams that had brought the franchise success in the past, it was obvious to everyone except the Flyers that the team would not have success in the new version of the NHL.

Hitchcock was disappointed that he was not given the opportunity to turn the team around and added that he felt that it was beginning to turn around. He also said that the statement of Snyder that the Flyers players were tuning him and his demanding style out was unfair.

That demanding style of Hitchcock had led to a great deal of success in the NHL, with both the Philadelphia Flyers and the Dallas Stars, his previous team. From 2002-2006 Hitchcock led Philadelphia to a 131-83-40 record during the regular season. He was not nearly as successful in the regular season, only leading the Flyers to a 19-18 record in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Hitchcock was far more successful during his long stint as the Head Coach of the Dallas Stars. From 1996-2002 Hitchcock led Dallas to a 277-166-60 record during the regular season. He had even greater success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, leading the Stars to 47-33 record in the postseason. The most impressive of those postseason performances came in 1999 when the Stars won the Stanley Cup. Dallas followed up that accomplishment by nearly becoming back-to-back champions. Hitchcock guided the Stars to the 200 Stanley Cup Finals where they lost to the New Jersey Devils.

Clarke initially joined the Flyers after being selected with the 17th overall pick of the 1969 NHL Draft. He played for the team from 1969-1984. During that time he became the team captain, the Flyers career leader in assists (852), points (1,210), and games played (1,140). Clarke led the team to the Stanley Cup Championship in 1974 and 1975. He also led the team to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1976 and 1980. Clarke received the Hart Trophy as the regular season Most Valuable Player for the 1973, 1975, and 1976 seasons.

Clarke served two different stints as the General Manager of the Flyers. The first stint was from 1984-1990, and the second was from 1994-2006. During those two time periods the Flyers were able to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals three times, in 1985, 1987, and 1997. However the Flyers were never able to win the Stanley Cup while Clarke was the General Manager. From 1998 to 2002 the Flyers were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs four out of five seasons. During that time they never finished lower than second in the Atlantic Division. The Flyers finished second in the Atlantic Division this past season before being eliminated by the Buffalo Sabres in a first round series that emphatically proved the Flyers were not able to compete in the new NHL with the type of teams that they had been traditionally putting together.

Halfway through the fantasy football season, I have three questions:

What happened to the fantasy 'studs?'

Why are defenses and kickers among the highest scoring performers?

Is this the most bizarre fantasy season ever?

As most fantasy football leagues begin their playoffs in week 14, we are officially at the halfway point of the fantasy football season. Right now, you are either champing at the bit to get to the playoffs and collect your winnings or trading away your entire team in a last ditch effort to salvage a playoff selection. Either way, this fantasy season has been one of the most unpredictable in recent memory.

First off, take a look at who's been scoring points and where the 'studs' that sat atop the rankings in all the fantasy football magazines have performed.

My league scoring is basic, and I'm sure is similar to many of your leagues. Four points for touchdown passes, six points for touchdown runs/catches and extra points for yards gained.

With this scoring system, five of the top 10 scorers in your league are quarterbacks. Five! That means only five of the top 10 scorers are these fantasy sure-thing running backs and wide receivers and the other half of the top players line up under center.

Maybe this wouldn't be so hard for me to believe if we haven't heard during the draft we NEED to dive in and get the running backs while they're available and not pick a quarterback until a later round. If you can snatch a big time wide receiver in the first round, maybe do it, but you really need to stock up on runners; that's the advice we've been given.

In many of the preseason magazines I read, the experts said don't draft a quarterback until the fourth or fifth round.

The reasoning was that runners get more points and there are only a few good running backs, so get 'em while you can.

This season, however, if you drafted Rudy Johnson in the first round over Peyton Manning, you look like a chump.

If you drafted Edgerrin James and passed over on the 'un-pass overable' Mark Bulger, you look like a chump.

Donovan McNabb, who yours truly grabbed in the fifth round of my league's draft (turns out the experts' advice paid off in my case), is the highest scoring fantasy player overall, surprising everybody by leading a monumental turnaround in the Eagle's organization after an abysmal 2005-06 season.

Now, I'm not going to lie and say I knew when I drafted him in the fifth round that he would end up being the highest scorer, but I did think the advice to hold off drafting a quarterback until later in the draft was a good idea because I knew everyone would pass over the top quarterbacks and there were bound to be some decent gun slingers left.

So it's just interesting because so many people say hold off on passers, yet they've ended up being the most important position this season because they score so many points.

You know it's a crazy fantasy season when John Kitna, who has led the woeful Lions to a single win this season, has more fantasy points than Terrell Owens, Shawn Alexander and Marvin Harrison.

Which brings me to this point -- while selecting fantasy players has always been unpredictable, what happened to the 'studs' that you used to always be able to count on. You know, the guys you throw in your lineup and never have to worry. They were always good for 10-15 points.

Where did they all go?

Randy? Terrell? Larry? Tiki? Are you there?

It seems that the list of fantasy 'studs' in the NFL is shrinking. If your league drafted like mine, think about the first round picks. In my 12-person league, only half of our first-round picks remain among the top-10 scoring players.

Johnson and Ladanian Tomlinson went one-two, but Alexander went third.

I know he's been hurt, but he wasn't exactly tearing it up beforehand, either.

I picked Tiki Barber with the fourth pick (I didn't want to pick Clinton Portis then because I wasn't sure about his shoulder). Needless to say, Barber didn't do much for me and is no longer on my team.

The Edge went with our sixth overall pick and, honestly, the guy who drafted him followed Edge to the desert and is now in last place.

Stephen Jackson and Cadillac Williams were also taken in our first round, and while Jackson is putting some points up, those those two aren't putting up enough points to warrant such high picks.

And if you picked up Lamont Jordan, Cadillac Williams, Jamal Lewis or Ruben Droughns in the first few rounds because you wanted your pick of the litter while the 'decent' running backs were still around, you're probably wishing you hadn't.

The rookies, including the 'sexy pick' Reggie Bush have been impressive for first-year players, but still haven't done much damage in fantasy football.

Every league probably had the guy who was overzealous and picked Bush up way before he should have been picked. I'll admit it, I picked bush early in the third round and regret my pick. He'll get a few points here and there for receiving yards, but he didn't warrant such a high pick, especially with a guy like Westbrook still on the board.

Joseph Addai has been impressive in his rookie year, but only has two touchdowns this season while not going over 100 yards. While he doesn't start, he does get a huge share of the carries and has been more productive than 'starter' Dominic Rhodes. As his career progresses, it looks like Addai may be the next 'stud' running back.

Laurence Maroney has had his moments, and has looked good. Dillon remains the starter, however, and it looks like they are relying more on Dillon in the running game and Maroney in the special team and return game.


As I said before, the 'studs' few and far between now. Guys like Sean Alexander or Larry Johnson, the supposedly two best picks prior to the season, haven't been doing the things they have in the past; the big plays and touchdowns fantasy owners expect.

In fact, if you purposely skipped a few spots and went for a supposed 'mediocre' back like Kevin Jones, Willy Parker or Brian Westbrook, you're sitting pretty. I don't think these guys were considered sleepers, but were just ranked lower on the cheat sheets.

These middle-round picks rank among the leaders in fantasy scorers.

And owners didn't hop all over these guys either. After the initial wave of running backs went early on, many fantasy owners saw guys like Westbrook and Jones drop all the way to the third and fourth rounds.

Part of the reason there has been such an upside-down turn of events in fantasy football this season is due to NFL teams employing a platoon running attack.

Best example, my boy Tiki Barber.

I honestly didn't want to trade him, I was, as the new cliche used all over ESPN goes, 'loyal to a fault.'

I believed in him. He seems like a nice guy and I know he is an elite runner, I just kept wanting to believe that one of these weeks he was going to break out and score like five TDs.

Finally, I came to my senses and traded him. Sure, he leads the NFL in rushing yards, but where are the touchdowns? You need to get paydirt Tiki, paydirt!!

I'm sure if you owned Tiki in your league, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

I liked that he put up tons of yards, but he doesn't deliver the big one that helps win close matchups. The main reason for that is second-year running back Brandon Jacobs who takes all the carries inside the 10 yard line.

Jacobs is a bruising back and has kept Barber, who had 11 total scores last year, from scoring a single touchdown. On the other New York team, Kevin Barlow Leon Washington and Brad Smith split duties as have Dillon and Maroney in New England, although Dillon did have a monster week seven.

It's frustrating to have a back that's part of a platoon backfield, but sometimes it can pay off. Saints running back Deuce McAllister has split many of his carries this season with rookie Reggie Bush. While Bush has taken some plays that would have gone to McAllister before his arrival, he's helped McAllister boost his productivity by acting as a decoy.

If you've started Dillon or Maroney at all this season, you've probably seen some positive results, especially from Dillon after this weekend.

While the backs can pay off at times, platoon backfields lead to inconsistent scoring. If you want to win in the playoffs, you need to score every week and have a back that gets 25 touches a game.

Some of the biggest surprises this season have been players that just established themselves as workhouse, 20-25 carries a game type of guys.

Willy Parker, all 5' 10" of him, has had 20 or more carries in four games this season and has caught 11 balls as well.

Parker has burst onto the scene this season and has surpassed most expectations by scoring five touchdowns this season and consistently producing points.

In St. Louis, Jackson has looked impressive in his campaign to re-establish the Rams' running attack, and ranks ninth in scoring among running backs.

And in San Francisco, Frank Gore has been getting lots of touches and is obviously the biggest weapon the 49ers have offensively.

Alright, enough about running backs, there used to be such things as 'stud' receivers too.

Randy Moss in Oakland, talk about a frustrating situation for a fantasy owner. Moss has looked better in the last two weeks, but he and his team have become nothing more than punchlines in the NFL.

Moss still has the talent, but many owners probably don't even start Moss anymore because he just doesn't produce. Maybe it's his team or maybe it's his work ethic, but something just hasn't been clicking.

The situation is obviously the same in Dallas with Owens.

In Cincinnati, the case has been very strange with Carson Palmer, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson.

All three got off to slow starts fantasy wise, but Houshmandzadeh has caught four touchdowns in the last four weeks.

Still, Chad Johnson, who was picked 15 overall in my draft, has scored less points than Brad Johnson, Andre Johnson or Keyshawn Johnson.

Johnson has not only been lackluster fantasy-wise, but he has been reserved this season. He hasn't been able to do celebrations because he hasn't been in the end zone, but he also hasn't done any hilarious interviews that basically amount to a standup act, with him keeping the reporters in stitches.

Johnson's behavior is, in some part, due to head coach Marvin Lewis asking him to tone down his usual antics earlier in the season. Johnson has complied, but now has returned to promising bigger plays and memorable celebrations.


He also insisted he not be addressed as Chad for the time being, but rather as 'Ocho-cinco.'

In Indianapolis, Peyton Manning has that offense working so fluidly that he can spread the ball around to the tight ends and wide receivers, which takes away points from both Harrison and Reggie Wayne, two former formidable fantasy prospects.

Now Brady Clark and former Minnesota Golden Gopher Ben Utecht see many of Manning's passes. That's especially true considering the frequency with which Indianapolis uses two-tight end sets.



As for Palmer, picked eighth overall in my draft, he has underachieved and scored less fantasy points than the captain J-E-T Jet, Jet, Jet Chad Pennington, who went undrafted.

Arguably the biggest bust this season is the guy with the clipboard on the Dolphins sideline, Daunte Culpepper.

A lot of people thought Culpepper would be able to return at 100 percent this season and start steamrolling his way back to the fantasy juggernaut he once was. Unfortunately neither his knee nor his confidence held up and Joey Harrington has taken the starting spot under center.

Culpepper was probably selected in the third or fourth round of most drafts, ahead of many guys who have been much better. Part of the fun of fantasy football is the joy of watching live as your player rips off a big gain or a touchdown.

If you had Culpepper, however, you probably clutched your knee while you painfully watched him wobble around and try to make plays.

At tight end, the biggest story of the year is Marques Colston, the rookie 'tight end' from New Orleans who routinely lines up spread out rather than in with the line, yet is listed as a WR/TE in Yahoo's system. This quirk in the system has allowed one team in your league basically to start three wide receivers. It probably wouldn't be as big of a deal if Colston hadn't established himself a main target in the Saints' passing game so early in his career. He has been a big reason why the Saints have been able to turn things around and produce an exciting offense week after week.

The tight end position has again served as its normal position of either the bane of a team's existence with a bad one or the feeling of another lucrative fantasy weapon with a good one.

Those teams with Colston, Antonio Gates, Jeremy Shockey, Algae Crumpler or Todd Heap basically have a guaranteed touchdown every other game.

With other tight ends, you may see some production here or there, but it's basically a crap shoot. A good tight end, while not always going to score, can really lift your team on weeks when your other positions don't. There's nothing better than edging an opponent because you have better players at the roster spots like tight end, defense and kicker.


On to the defenses and kickers, which leads to my second question.

Earlier this season, Yahoo listed both Rams' kicker Jeff Wilkins and Baltimore Defense as two of the top five 'Keys to Success.'

With as little focus and attention as these two positions normally receive, it's amazing that a team with either Wilkins or Baltimore probably has a winning record because just having either of those two gives a team a chance to win.

Both have put up 20 points in a week this season. Those aren't just roster spots that are filled, those are marquee fantasy selections. And to think, nobody ever could've called it. No magazine or expert predicted that Baltimore or Wilkins would be score so many points. Nobody said to pick up Wilkins because he'd score more than most running backs.

Four teams have scored more points than Peyton Manning in my league. In fact, Chicago's defense is the second-highest scorer in my league, trailing McNabb, who leads by plenty.

After that, the Ravens and then Arizona and Philly have scored more points than all but one of the first-round picks.

That's crazy. That's defenses carrying entire teams, and that normally doesn't happen in fantasy football.

As far as kickers go, Chicago's Robby Gould and San Diego's Nate Kaeding join Wilkins as the big-point kickers. All three are among the top scorers in my league, and all three have produced more points than all but one of the running backs and wide receivers in my league.

That also is crazy.

And that leads me to my final question, is this the most bizarre fantasy season ever?

I'm going to go ahead and say yes. I've been playing fantasy football for years now, and I don't remember a season in which everything was turned around and upside-down.

The reason everything is so strange this season has do due with everything I've just written about.

There are less fantasy running backs and receivers you can count on every week and positions that normally don't score the most points have been coming through with big weeks.

Never before in a season do I remember a defense or kicker making such a big impact. In fact recently defenses and kickers have been used as trade bait and in big time trades. People actually trade for these players because they score so many points.

The days of trading Barry Sanders for Emmit Smith are done.

Now it's Chicago D and Jeff Wilkins for Ladanian. If you pulled the trigger on that trade, you'd be giving your lineup a big boost.

Also, the draft this year just had a different feel to it.

Like I said before, in drafts, there's typically one or two players everyone wants and then it drops off from there. Well this year, it was the top three (Larry Johnson, Ladanian Tomlinson and Shawn Alexander), but nobody was really thrilled with any of them. They all had their issues with offensive lines and first-year starting quarterbacks and none of them seemed like a sure thing.

So instead of having a series of picks that everyone can assume well in advance, this draft was a bit of a toss up early on.

Some of the big name players have seen dips in their production this season, while many new running backs and receivers are making their marks.

For every Moss and T.O. that has seemed to fade away, young receivers like Reggie Brown, Bernard Berrian, Roy Williams and Andre Johnson have stepped up and made names for themselves.

The big names aren't delivering like they used to, but if you can get some of these guys on your team, you don't have to worry about the big names.

With all this being said, that's the best part about fantasy football. It's always a crap shoot. This season seems to be particularly different, but it's always about taking risks and waiting for the reward.

So whether you're suffering from or benefiting because of this unusual season, it's been an exciting one either way. For the next few weeks, continue to watch the trends, trade your big names that don't perform for smaller names that have and just enjoy watching quality football.


By Kevin Morales

Wednesday 25 Oct 2006 Fixtures:

Blackburn 0 Chelsea 2
With both sides fielding essentially their first teams, the managers treated this competition with a bit more seriousness than others. In the end, Chelsea actually out muscled the always physical Blackburn.

Blackburn
Brad Friedel, Stephane Henchoz, Zurab Khizanishvili, Jay McEveley, Aaron Mokoena, Lucas Neill, David Bentley, Brett Emerton, Morten Gamst Pedersen (Sergio Peter), Benni McCarthy (Francis Jeffers), Shabani Nonda (Jason Roberts)

Chelsea
Henrique Hilario, Khalid Boulahrouz, Ashley Cole, John Terry, Michael Ballack (Frank Lampard), Joe Cole (Shaun Wright-Phillips), Michael Essien, Ndjitap Geremi, Claude Makelele, Salomon Kalou, Arjen Robben (Didier Drogba)

Charlton 1 Bolton 0
Charlton seem to know how to play Bolton. Both their wins this season are at the expense of Sam Allardyce's side. But then again, Allardyce did rest several of his first team regulars, most notably Nicolas Anelka and El Hadji Diouf, and therefore Bolton just did not have that killer instinct. That killer instinct is crucial to Bolton's success as statistics show that while they have a mean defence, they have a poor scoring record.

Charlton:
Thomas Myhre, Talal El Karkouri (Osei Sankofa), Jonathan Fortune, Hermann Hreidarsson, Luke Young, Matt Holland, Bryan Hughes, Radostin Kishishev (Dennis Rommedahl), Marcus Bent, M, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Jerome Thomas (Darren Ambrose)

Bolton:
Ian Walker, Tal Ben-Haim, Nicky Hunt, Abdoulaye Meite, Andranik Teimourian (Johann Smith), Stelios Giannakopoulos, Gary Speed (Ramos Ivan Campo), Idan Tal, Kevin Davies, Henrik Pedersen (Jaroslaw Fojut), Ricardo Vaz Te

Crewe 1 Man Utd 2
Third division side Crewe almost caused the biggest upset of the round when they forced Man Utd to within 1 minute of the end of extra time to win the match. Sir Alex Ferguson's side was outplayed for most of the match, and it was mighty unlucky for Crewe to not at least force a penalty shoot out.

Sir Alex Ferguson used this occasion to test out some of the younger members of the team, and at the end, it was 18 year old Kieran Lee who scored the winner at the 119th minute. Lee, who made his debut for Man Utd, was a late substitute.

Crewe:
Ben Williams, Julien Baudet (Danny O'Donnell), Neil Cox, Jon Otsemobor, Andy Taylor (Lee Bell), Ryan Lowe, Isaac Osbourne, Ben Rix, David Vaughan, Nicky Maynard, Luke Varney

Man Utd:
Tomasz Kuszczak, Wes Brown, David Gray (Kieran Lee), Gabriel Heinze, Mikael Silvestre, David Jones, Richie Jones, Marsh (Barnes (Ryan Shawcross)), Kieran Richardson, Alan Smith, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Liverpool 4 Reading 3
Reading gave the Anfield crowd a big scare just when they thought their team was cruising to victory. Stand in captain, Robbie Fowler, gave Liverpool the lead. Then John Arne Riise and Gabriel Paletta extended the lead to 3 - 0, until Andre Bikey pulled one back for Reading. Peter Crouch added another one for Liverpool at the 77th minute. At this point, it was natural to think that the result was beyond doubt, but Reading mounted a tremendous fight back with two goals in four minutes. The last few minutes were high drama. At the end, Liverpool were just relieved to hang on to the score.

Liverpool:
Jose Manuel Reina, Daniel Agger, Gabriel Paletta, Lee Peltier (Smith), Jermaine Pennant, John Arne Riise (Dirk Kuyt), Mohamed Sissoko (Danny Guthrie), Stephen Warnock, Boudewijn Zenden, Peter Crouch, Robbie Fowler

Reading:
Graham Stack, Andre Bikey, Ulises De la Cruz, John Halls, Ivar Ingimarsson, Brynjar Gunnarsson (Sam Sodje), Steve Hunt, Glen Little, John Oster, Leroy Lita, Shane Long

Milton Keynes Dons 0 Tottenham 5
Jermain Defoe scored two in this comprehensive victory for Tottenham. "Defoe certainly got his teeth into us," MK Dons manager Martin Allen joked (refer to Defoe's ear biting incident on the weekend), "the finishing was quite frightening."

Milton Keynes Dons:
Adolfo Baines-Pilart, Drissa Diallo, Dean Lewington, Sean O'Hanlon, Jamie Smith, Keith Andrews (Gareth Edds), Lloyd Dyer (Leon Crooks), Jon-Paul McGovern, Izale McLeod, Clive Platt (Scott Taylor), Aaron Wilbraham

Tottenham:
Radek Cerny, Calum Davenport (Michael Dawson), Anthony Gardner, Tom Huddlestone (Aaron Lennon), Paul Stalteri, Reto Ziegler, Edgar Davids, Hossam Ghaly, Danny Murphy, Jermain Defoe (Robbie Keane), Ahmed Hossam Mido

Newcastle 3 Portsmouth 0
Newcastle finally had a good result, even if it was only a League Cup match.

Newcastle:
Steve Harper, Celestine Babayaro, Titus Bramble, Craig Moore, Nicky Butt (Kieron Dyer), James Milner, Charles N'Zogbia, Nolberto Solano, Steven Taylor (Peter Ramage), Obafemi Martins (Damien Duff), Giuseppe Rossi

Portsmouth:
David James, Andy O'Brien, Noe Pamarot, Linvoy Primus, Matthew Taylor, Sean Davis (Richard Hughes), Niko Kranjcar (Rudolphe Douala), Henriques Manuel Fernandes, David Thompson (Ognjen Koroman), Andrew Cole, Lomana Tresor LuaLua

The NBA has released its salary figures for the upcoming season, providing a great deal of fodder for critics and sports writers alike. Some of the data is downright mind blowing.

First of all, with the recent release for NBA players and each team, it became very obvious what a complete failure the Knicks are as a basketball franchise. It is one thing to miss the playoffs in the NBA, but it is another level entirely when you miss the postseason despite having the league's highest payroll.

Consider the following, the boys from New York have a salary commitment in 2006-07 of approximately 141 million dollars. That number is staggering, an incredible 47 million more than the number two franchise, the Philadelphia Seventy-Sixers. The number is more than twice that of 22 NBA teams and more than three times that of at least three teams, including a popular playoff contender, the Toronto Raptors.

Then when it comes to failures, the 76ers also have to be right there, given that they are the number two spenders and they too seem to have real difficulty even making the playoffs. Of course, the 76ers numbers are so high because the team happens to employ two of the highest paid players in the game. Chris Webber hauls in $20.7 million for a season's work while Allen Iverson takes home $18.2 million. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, Iverson is the only one of the two to be worth even close to those figures.

But when it comes to being overpaid, think of the numbers of Brian Grant and Stephon Marbury at $17.3 and $17.2 million respectively, and Jalen Rose at $16.9. Any paring of these folks creates a salary total great than that of the Charlotte Bobcats who come in as an entire team at $33.4 million. And those three folks together represent more dollars than the entire salary totals of the Atlanta Hawks, the up and coming Toronto Raptors, the slip-sliding Seattle Supersonics and the very competitive New Orleans Hornets.

For pay, Kevin Garnett tops the list, earning $21 million per season. Amazingly, Shaquille O'Neal is only fourth on the list, his $20 million salary trailing both Webber and Michael Finley, an overpaid sub for the San Antonio Spurs.

For the 2006-07 season, the NBA team median number of $61 million is certainly the best descriptor for the league. Take that number plus or minus ten percent and you have 19 of the thirty NBA teams, five teams (New York, Philadelphia, Dallas, Los Angeles and Portland) spending more than ten percent higher, and six teams Chicago, Seattle, New Orleans, Toronto, Atlanta and Charlotte) spending up to ten percent lower.

When it comes to bargains, consider two teams that many feel will be very competitive in the East. The 24th and 25th spenders on the list are Detroit, a powerhouse the last few years, and Chicago, a team many think will hit the Eastern Conference elite in 2006-07. Ironically, Detroit did not match the contract offer that Ben Wallace received form the Bulls, moving the Pistons down the list substantially when it comes to salaries - but not so substantially when it comes to being competitive. Likewise, it easy to see why the Bulls could make such a strong offer to Wallace since they still stand 25th in the league in spending even with his added dollars.

But when it comes to winning, spending does matter. Other than Detroit and Chicago, the other key teams for the coming year are all above the league median. Dallas comes in third, and San Antonio, Phoenix and Miami all are in the league's top ten of spenders.

So one might say you get what you pay for, for the most part, even if the numbers are staggering.

Tuesday 24 Oct 2006 Fixtures:

Chesterfield 1 West Ham 2
Nothing is going right for West Ham lately. While West Ham have lost five times to lower division teams in the last ten years in this competition, this was still a humiliating defeat for manager Alan Pardew, who is the odds on favorite to be the first Premiership manager to get the sack this season.

"Every manager lives and dies by his results and I'm no exception, but the fans need not be under any illusion: we're working very hard to put it right," said Pardew after the defeat. "We've been beaten fair and square, and that's not acceptable for me, for the team or for the club. We need to show the same intensity on Sunday that Chesterfield showed tonight."

This defeat was their eighth straight loss and is the club's worst run in 74 years.

Chesterfield:
Barry Roche, Alex Bailey (Jamie Lowry), Aaron Downes, Reuben Hazell, Alan O'Hare, Mark Allott, Paul Hall, Kevan Hurst, Derek Niven, Caleb Folan, Colin Larkin (Wayne Allison)

West Ham:
Robert Green, Christian Dailly, Anton Ferdinand, Danny Gabbidon, George McCartney (Paul Konchesky), Hayden Mullins, John Paintsil, Kyle Reid (Matthew Etherington), Nigel Reo-Coker, Marlon Harewood (Teddy Sheringham), Bobby Zamora

Everton 4 Luton 0
It was an easy match for Everton, but the victory was marred by defender David Weir's serious injury. Surprisingly Everton have not progressed past the fourth of this competition since the 87/88 season.

Everton:
Iain Turner, Joleon Lescott, Alan Stubbs, David Weir (Mark Hughes), Mikel Amatriain Arteta, Tim Cahill, Lee Carsley, Simon Davies (Victor Anichebe), Leon Osman, Andrew Johnson (James Beattie), James McFadden

Luton:
Marlon Beresford, Leon Barnett, Sol Davis, Kevin Foley, David Bell, Carlos Edwards, Keith Keane, Dean Morgan (Ahmet Brkovic), Steve Robinson, Warren Feeney, Rowan Vine (Adam Boyd)

Leicester 2 Aston Villa 3 (aet)
Martin O'Neill returned to Filbert Street to face his former club and it was a tough match for Villa. It was at the 119th minute that Gabriel Agbonlahor scored to ensure Villa's passage to the next round. There is a sense that the initial burst of motivation by O'Neill's arrival has worn off a bit at Villa. However, it is the results that count, and Villa is still unbeaten.

"I am delighted we won the game," O'Neill then praised his former club. "But I thought Leicester were magnificent this evening. We started brightly, got the goal playing some flowing football and I thought if we can get a second goal it might be a decent evening. I should have realized we don't get things too easy in this game."

Leicester
Paul Henderson, Nils-Eric Johansson, Patrick Kisnorbo, Alan Maybury, Gareth McAuley, Richard Stearman, Momo Sylla (Darren Kenton), Andy Welsh (Josh Low), James Wesolowski, Elvis Hammond (Eric Odhiambo), Iain Hume

Aston Villa
Stuart Taylor, Gareth Barry, Aaron Hughes, Olof Mellberg, Isaiah Osbourne (Wilfred Bouma), Liam Ridgewell, Steven Davis (Didier Agathe), Stilian Petrov, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Juan Pablo Angel, Milan Baros (Chris Sutton)

Watford 2 Hull 1
This was only time Watford have won this season in normal time. They still have not won in the Premiership. But a win is a win. "It was a bit hairy at the end but I guess you're going to get that when you haven't won for a while. But we've won, we're through and that's the main thing for me," said Boothroyd. "We need to get back to winning; we need to get some momentum going. It's a habit that we got used to last year, we've missed it and I've missed it a lot."

Considering Hull are at the bottom of the league table in the Championship, and Watford manager Boothroyd fielding a strong line-up for this fixture, this narrow win does not mask the feeling that Watford are likely to play the likes of Hull more regularly next season.

Watford:
Ben Foster, Jay DeMerit, Lloyd Doyley, Danny Shittu (Malky Mackay), Jordan Stewart, Damien Francis, Gavin Mahon, Hameur Bouazza, Darius Henderson, Tamas Priskin (Matthew Spring), Ashley Young

Hull:
Boaz Myhill, Andy Dawson, Damien Delaney, Sam Ricketts, Michael Turner, Ian Ashbee, Stuart Elliott (Nicky Barmby), Ryan France (Mark Yeates), Dean Marney (Darryl Duffy), John Welsh, Jon Parkin

West Brom 0 Arsenal 2
Impressive display by the youngsters of Arsenal. Who needs billions of pounds when you have Arsene Wenger?

By Tovash Hatcher

Last week I made a point to say that the NFL as we know it is back. Yesterday I witnessed close games, bad teams beating good teams, and eye-popping plays. Typical modern-day NFL huh? When Week 7 came to an end, I saw a league end up with both Super Bowl QBs getting banged up and now all winless teams now have Ws. Congrats to the Arizona Cardinals for being the first team to let the Oakland Raiders beat them.

Still think Donovan McNabb is the MVP so far? The Eagles, coming fresh off a shocker in New Orleans a week ago looked to steam roll over the Tampa Bay Bucs. But who got steam rolled is my question. If you were a witness to the Saints/Eagles last week, you saw the Eagles go down early, rally back, but still found a way to lose to the Saints by a field goal. 7 day later, the exact same thing happened. Deja vu anybody? The Bucs are lucky to have a corner that goes by the name of Ronde (Ron-day) Barber. The score at the half was the Eagles 0 and Ronde Barber 7. I guess Mr. McNabb thought that Barber played for the Eagles because he completed two passes to him that went for touchdowns...the other way. Barber and the Bucs took a commanding 17-0 lead over the Eagles before we witnessed another Donovan McNabb comeback. McNabb and the birds rallied from 17 points down to take a 21-20 lead over the Bucs that looked like the Eagles were going to steal a win away from Tampa. McNabb, who was throwing up on the sidelines between plays, was also able to throw up 3 TDs in a losing effort. He was also picked off three times including the two by Barber. The Eagles were green with envy when Matt Bryant, the kicker from Orange, Texas came out to attempt a 62-yard field goal. By making the field goal, Bryant did a number of things: 1) sent the Eagles home with their second straight devastating loss with time expiring, 2) gave the Bucs their second straight win after starting the season 0-4, 3) put himself in the NFL record books by making that 62-yard long field goal. He stands alone with the second longest kick ever made. The Bucs boot the Eagles out of Tampa by the score of 23-21.

When did Michael Vick become a passing quarterback? After watching that game I realized that the way the Falcons handled the Steelers on Sunday the rest of the teams on the Falcons' schedule could be in trouble. The most electrifying player in the NFL stepped up his game and looked like a 2006 version of Steve Young. Vick, who will probably remain with Atlanta for the duration of his career, added years to his football life by only running the ball 5 times against Pittsburgh. He introduced himself to his tight end Algae Crumpler who caught 6 balls for 117 yards and 3 TDs. Vick had never thrown more than 2 touchdowns in one game in 64 career contests. With the help of the Falcons' receivers, Vick was able to connect on 18/30 for 232 yards and a career-high 4 TDs. The game was pretty much a shootout and was absolutely fun to watch. Pittsburgh's QB Ben Roethlisberger had a real good game, well at least for the first half. By the way the game was going, Roethlisberger looked as if he was going to have a career game. The numbers were terrific, 16/22 with 238 yards and 3 touchdown passes. The 2nd half for Roethlisberger was short-lived however. The Falcons brought a safety blitz at the Steelers QB and 3 defenders converged on the hit. Two hit him in the head and one down below. The snake-bit quarterback lay motionless on the turf of the Georgia Dome for a few minutes. The medical staff brought the cart out and wheeled the QB to the locker room where he was diagnosed with a concussion. What's next for Roethlisberger? At the pace that his 2006 is going, I'm afraid to find out. The Steelers sent in backup QB Charlie Batch who at the time looked like a starter. He found receiver Hines Ward for two scores keeping Pittsburgh in the game.

The score ended up getting knotted up at 38 before going into overtime. Longtime kicker Morten Anderson broke the tie by sending a game-winning 32-yard field goal through the uprights. The Falcons gunned down the defending champions in a classic shootout by the score of 41-38.

This Monday night classic was supposed to be a battle of two teams that don't like each other. Doesn't it seem that every team that is a Cowboy opponent is some sort of rival to the Cowboys? But for some weird reason the Cowboys are still being called "America's Team". To borrow the words from singer Alanis Morissette "isn't it ironic"? On Monday night, the Cowboys were totally embarrassed in their own backyard. Not only did the Giants go in to Texas Stadium and pummel the Cowboys, but the Cowboys did not help their cause by allowing 6 sacks and turning the ball over 4 times. Cowboys QB Drew Bledsoe turned his starting position over to Tony Romo by turning over the ball in the red zone. Bledsoe did put the Cowboys on the board by scrambling for a 1-yard touchdown run. Tiki Barber and the rest of the Giants gave the Cowboys all they wanted. Barber ran the ball 27 times for 114 yards, while Eli Manning tossed two touchdowns. What was believed to be a game to watch on Monday night, ended up only being a joke. Head coach Bill Parcells told the media, "I'm ashamed to put a team like that out there [field]". Tony Romo came into the game and was able to show off his mobility by throwing 2 TDs, but also made a few bad reads resulting in 3 INTS. The Giants took one of the interceptions back the other way for a 96-yard touchdown. Kevin Dockery was the corner who picked off the Romo pass. The Cowboys stunk it up on Monday night by falling to the Giants 36-22.

Those were just a few games that had my attention. The Panthers dug themselves a grave on Sunday by losing to the Bengals on the final drive. Jake Delhomme threw a last minute, red zone interception sealing the Panther's fate. The Bengals held on to win 17-14 at home. And let's give a big hooray for Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers who took out the Miami Dolphins by the final of 34-24. This is the 2006 NFL where there are no dynasties and no one knows who'll win on any given Sunday or Monday. Stay tuned...

I'm Tovash Hatcher

24 Oct 2006
West Bromwich Albion 0 Arsenal 2

Jeremie Aliadiere, once so full of promise to become an Arsenal first-teamer, has found himself to be the forgotten man in recent times. Loaned out to Celtics, West Ham, and Wolves in recent seasons, the twenty-three year old striker returned to Arsenal with a point to prove. His performance in the fixture certainly helps remind his manager that he still has a lot to offer. His two goals made sure Arsenal cruise smoothly into the next round. As expected, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger fielded virtually a youth team for this Carling Cup fourth round match against West Bromwich Albion. It is hard to believe that Aliadiere was the most senior Arsenal player on the pitch, and it is encouraging to see this inexperienced side did so well.

Arsene Wenger was impressed by Aliadiere's performance, "Jeremie has had his injury problems in the past but this is the first time he has not been bothered with them. I think he showed what he was about and he looked very mobile and dangerous. I liked the way he played."

Wenger was equally delighted by his youngster's showing. "It is maybe one of the greatest satisfactions a manager can get to see young players develop," said Wenger. "Youth is often criticized but I've got a group of boys who want to achieve something and it's fantastic to help them try and do that." He then added, "I've got plenty of boys who have a lot of spirit and they showed that tonight. I thought Denilson and Alexandre Song, in particular, were excellent. I have always wanted to use this competition to give my young players experience. We were playing a good side and it could have affected their confidence to go out at such an early round but they came through very well."

The young Gunners played like their first team counterparts. Their counter attacks were brisk and dangerous. Center back, Philippe Senderos made a welcomed return following injury sustained during the World Cup. He and his Swiss international team-mate Johan Djourou formed a solid defensive unit. 17-year-old striker Armand Traore also made his first appearance due to Emmanuel Adebayor's injury. 19 year old Brazilian, Denilson, also made his debut. Signed from 3.4 million pounds, the Brazil U19 captain's impressive display showed why Wenger rates him so highly. Another debutant was an Englishmen, Matthew Connolly. Even Wenger was a bit worried before the game with so many inexperienced players, "I was worried that if it didn't work, we might lose and confidence would drop. But it was a great performance. Denilson has a tremendous presence and Jeremie was very mobile."

Aliadiere earned a penalty when Steve Watson foolishly fouled him in the area. And the French striker made no mistake in converting the penalty 12 minutes before half time. In the 50th min, Aliadiere reacted the quickest to score from Theo Walcott's free kick.

West Brom started the match brightly, but soon the youngster showed that they were a level above. Tony Mowbray, the new West Brom manager, admitted as much, "Arsenal's technical ability and athleticism are something we won't see in the Championship. It's a benchmark for us because Arsenal play where we want to be."

In the end, all can see that the future of Arsenal looks rosy indeed. With Fabregas signing a long term 8 year contract, and this batch of talented teenagers coming through the rank, maybe, just maybe, there is a way for Arsenal to compete with the seemingly unlimited supply of money at Stamford Bridge.


West Bromwich Albion:
Russell Hoult, Curtis Davies, Paul McShane, Paul Robinson, Steve Watson, Darren Carter (Diomansy Kamara), Richard Chaplow (Zoltan Gera), Jonathan Greening, Nigel Quashie (Martin Albrechtsen), Nathan Ellington, John Hartson
Substitutes not used: L Steele, R Wallwork. Booked: Watson, Robinson


Arsenal:
Manuel Rivero Almunia, Gael Clichy, Matthew Connolly, Johan Djourou, Philippe Senderos, Pereira Neves Denilson (Randall), Mathieu Flamini, Alexandre Song Bilong, Emmanuel Adebayor (Traore), Jeremie Aliadiere, Theo Walcott
Substitutes not used: M Poom, J O'Cearuill, J Simpson.
Goals: Jeremie Aliadiere 34 (pen.), 50

Referee: Atkinson, M
Venue: The Hawthorns
Attendance: 21,566

Corners:
West Brom: 7
Arsenal: 4

Goal Attempts:
West Brom: 9
Arsenal: 10

On Target:
West Brom: 1
Arsenal: 5

When the 2006 baseball season came to a close, not even the vaunted Yankees could manage to cross the 100 victory plateau. In fact the Bronx Bombers tied their crosstown rivals, the Mets, at the top with just 97 victories. The World Series finalist Tigers were next with 96 wins while the easily dispatched Minnesota Twins were next with 95.

Though it seemed surprising to see nary a 100 game winner in 2006, an analysis of baseball history indicates the 100 win seasons are not easy to come by. In fact, once the number is reviewed, it easy to see why Major League baseball plays 162 regular season games to determine who will participate in postseason play.

When it comes to the century mark, several major league teams have never attained that target number even once in their
history. Now to no one's surprise, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays recently finished their eight season without ever reaching the 100 victory level.

But the Rockies have never reached that figure in their 12 seasons of major league play. Nor have the Florida Marlins, despite their World Series prowess, ever won 100 games in their 12 year history.

Even Joe Carter failed to lift the Toronto Blue Jays to the century mark during their run of World Series titles. The Blue Jays completed their 29th season this year and still they have never reached the 100 win plateau.

The Brewers, Padres, and Nationals completed their 37th straight season without reaching the total in 2006. But the mark for futility falls with both the Rangers and Angels who made it 45 years in 2006 without so much as one century win season.

Four teams have attained the 100 victory mark in their history but go back much further since their last time crossing the magic threshold. The Boston Red Sox may have broken their World Series hex in 2004 but the team just finished their 60th straight season without winning 100 games. However, the Sox futility pales that of the Chicago Cubs who now have gone
71 straight years, the Chicago White Sox who have failed for 89 straight years, and the bottom dwelling Pirates who have now gone 97 straight seasons without winning 100 games (those Pirates did win 110 of 152 games in 1909).

The Tigers nearly ended their 22 year snide this year - in 1984 Detroit went 104-58. The Mets also came close to ending their drought which began with a 100 win, 60 loss season in 1988. And the one team everyone seems to love to hate, the Yankees may have missed the victory standard in 2006 but the team has just a two year hiatus from that level having gone 101-61 in
2004.

A 100 win season represents a basic 62% win threshold, a number that many think should be well within reach. But the data indicates otherwise, making the reasons for the decision to play a 162 game regular season all the more obvious.

And when it comes to 100 win seasons, the number is actually one that is attained far more rarely than the casual fans realizes.

By Derek Wilson

Michael Schumacher did not quite produce one more miracle, or piece of breathtaking cheek, to somehow claim an 8th world driving title. Instead he showed off his consummate talent by working his way from the back of the grid to finish fourth in Sao Paolo but the big title was already destined for Spain. Fernando Alonso's lead in the rankings going into the race was so secure that it was little more than a parade for him and a chance for everyone else to watch Schumi one last time through tear stained hankies. Tear stained hankies? Well perhaps not but certainly people are beginning to realise the enormity of Ralf being the only Schumacher in racing next year. The simple reason is that while Michael Schumacher may not have been easy to love when he was racing - his win at all costs attitude which bordered on cheating, his clinical efficiency and rightly or wrongly his plain 'Germanness' meant that he would always be more respected than adored - he will now be missed hugely when he is not there. That's not to say F1 will not be worth watching next year, there are supremely talented drivers still competing. But there comes a realisation when a sporting God retires that perhaps it wasn't quite as boring as it seemed to watch the same guy winning all the time when he was producing superlative performances so far beyond the ability of anyone else it seemed incomprehensible.

Now Schumacher has gone but there are still some world superstars left who dominate so much as to deserve not only our unadulterated adulation and respect but also love while they are still actually performing. By the very nature of its position in the hearts of everyone football will always throw up the biggest stars. But due to the nature of football it is almost impossible for one man to clearly be the best in the world for any more than a couple of years at a time. Perhaps it is a result of football being a team sport or perhaps eventually too many kicks takes a toll eventually. Zinedine Zidane was one of the best players ever to grace the planet but even he was only the true king of the game for a few years. We have already seen that Ronaldinho can do things with a football that seem to be physically impossible on a practice ground, never mind a Champions League tie. However even he has fallen a little from the majestic pedestal he graced a couple of years ago. He'd still walk into any team in the world but even though he is performing at 99% of his wonderful ability, everyone can see his time as the best player in the world is gone. He might come good again, of course. But at the present time there is no one worldwide superstar who causes all others to bow down before them.

So if the world's most popular sport cannot provide the world's best superstar where do we look? Most of you will already know the answer and that is tennis and golf. Both games are physically demanding and require huge amounts of dedication and focus but crucially both are individual sports. There is no chance of the teammates dragging you down or an opponent giving you a dead-leg with a knee to the thigh (or not in the tennis I see anyway). Step forward Tiger Woods and Roger Federer as people who have previously been accused of making their sport boring with their dominance but instead should be revered. Woods in particular suffered at times in the media for making golf tournaments - majors at that! - little more than processions. But that is not his fault. He simply judges his season to try and peak at the four big tournaments and when he does so there is no one that can live with him. Yes, on a tournament-by-tournament basis perhaps it could be more entertaining to watch a shoot out between six average players on an average course. But when one man dismantles a major golf course and walks home with a double figure lead, that should in no way be described as boring. It is instead one of the finest demonstrations of golfing prowess you will ever see and should be applauded.

Roger Federer is also so far ahead of the competition that it looks embarrassing at times. But again, no one would say that men's tennis is not competitive. Indeed below Federer it probably has more strength in depth than it has ever possessed and that is why there is no one true challenger to the Swiss. Perhaps if men's tennis was in a truly abysmal state but it had one more Sampras who could regularly take on Federer and win he would get more credit when he does actually triumph. It is not his own fault that a strong group of players continually beat each other but he just sumptuously destroys all before him when he faces them. His record speaks for itself and the fact that he frequently goes through Grand Slams losing only a set or two shows that he simply is just that much better than everyone else. Again it is not boring, it is something to be savoured.

What everyone should remember when watching these two athletes is that we are actually lucky enough to be alive when history is being made. When the best golfer and tennis player can be seen taking to the course and court week in week out it should be viewed as a blessing that we can watch them beat mere mortals, not a penance. It will be something to tell your grand children about that you saw Woods hole 'that' putt to win his 19th major or when Federer confirmed himself as the best tennis player that there has ever been. And if you doubt that now, just look at F1. Next year the race is wide open and will no doubt be exciting. But something is missing. And that something is that the best driver ever is no longer competing. Whoever wins that F1 championship will be a worthy winner, no doubt, but people will all acknowledge that he, whoever, is not as good as Schumacher. In golf and tennis we still have the truly best performing at their peak - so let's just enjoy it while we can.

22 Oct 2006

Man Utd 2 Liverpool 0

Oh boy, it looks like Liverpool's title hope has ended, and it's not even November yet. It is rare to see a Liverpool side that surrendered so meekly to their old rival at Old Trafford. Man U did not play particularly well; and I am sure even they were surprised that the match was won so easily. Now 11 points behind both Man U and Chelsea, Liverpool have lost four consecutive away matches. Rafa Benitez constant tinkering of the starting eleven will be scrutinized more than ever. When a team is not playing well, it is probably a good idea to stick with the same personnel to get the momentum going. Liverpool's negative approach to this match was also a huge disappointment.

Paul Scholes got on the score sheet again on his 500th appearance for the Red Devils. Will Steve McClaren try to tempt him back for England?

Man Utd
Edwin Van der Sar, Patrice Evra (Wes Brown), Rio Ferdinand, Gary Neville (John O'Shea), Nemanja Vidic, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha

Goals: Paul Scholes 39, Rio Ferdinand 66.

Liverpool
Jose Manuel Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steve Finnan, Sami Hyypia, Xabi Alonso (Peter Crouch), Steven Gerrard, Mark Gonzalez (Jermaine Pennant), Javier Sanz Luis Garcia, John Arne Riise, Mohamed Sissoko, Dirk Kuyt

Tottenham Hotspurs 1 West Ham United 0

West Ham is another team that is in a lot of troubles. Befitting a London derby, the contest was a feisty one. 5 players were booked in the first half. The return of Aaron Lennon and Edgar Davids has given the Spurs midfield a much needed bite.

Tottenham Hotspurs:
Paul Robinson, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Pascal Chimbonda, Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone, Ledley King, Edgar Davids, Jermaine Jenas, Aaron Lennon (Hossam Ghaly), Jermain Defoe (Robbie Keane), Ahmed Hossam Mido

Goal: Ahmed Hossem Mido 45.

West Ham United:
Robert Green, Anton Ferdinand, Danny Gabbidon, Paul Konchesky, Hayden Mullins, John Paintsil, Yossi Benayoun (Carlton Cole), Javier Mascherano (Carlos Tevez), Nigel Reo-Coker, Marlon Harewood (Christian Dailly), Bobby Zamora


Blackburn Rovers 0 Bolton Wanderers 1

Bolton goalkeeper, Jussi Jaaskelainen, was the hero as he saved two penalties in the last three minutes of the match. It was tough on Blackburn as they played well enough to deserve at least a point. Apart from the two missed penalties, they also had a goal disallowed in the first half.

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes said, "Obviously with two penalties at the end you expect to take something out of the game. We feel Zurab Khizanishvili had a perfectly good goal not given; the ball was clearly over the line. But I think anyone who saw our performance today would feel we deserved something out of the game."

Bolton remain third in league as Allardyce praised his keeper, "Jussi Jaaskelainen made a hero of himself today by saving two penalties and got us three crucial points. If you're talking about top keepers he's up there with Petr Cech and Edwin Van der Sar."

Blackburn Rovers:
Brad Friedel, Zurab Khizanishvili, Lucas Neill, Andre Ooijer, David Bentley, Brett Emerton, Morten Gamst Pedersen (Jason Roberts), Robbie Savage (Aaron Mokoena), Kerimoglu Tugay (Sergio Peter), Benni McCarthy, Shabani Nonda

Bolton Wanderers:
Jussi Jaaskelainen, Tal Ben-Haim, Nicky Hunt, Abdoulaye Meite, Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye (Quinton Fortune), Ramos Ivan Campo, Kevin Nolan, Gary Speed, Nicolas Anelka (Stelios Giannakopoulos), Kevin Davies, El Hadji Diouf (Ricardo Vaz Te)

Goal: Ivan Campo 62.

Middlesbrough 1 Newcastle United 0

Newcastle's poor season continues as Yakubu scored the winner five minutes from time to condemn the Toons to their fourth defeats in five Premiership matches. This is the second worst start to a season. (The worst being Ruud Gullit's short time in charge). Manager Alan Pardew must not feel that secure at the moment. The fans are also calling for the head of Chairman Freddie Shepherd.

Middlesbrough:
Mark Schwarzer, Andrew Davies, Emanuel Pogatetz, Andrew Taylor (Robert Huth), Jonathan Woodgate, George Boateng, Lee Cattermole, Stewart Downing, Yakubu Ayegbeni, Jason Euell (Massimo Maccarone), Mark Viduka (Fabio Rochemback)

Goal: Yakubu Ayegbeni 85.

Newcastle Utd:
Steve Harper, Stephen Carr, Craig Moore, Peter Ramage, Nicky Butt, Damien Duff, James Milner (Charles N'Zogbia), Scott Parker, Antoine Sibierski (Shola Ameobi), Steven Taylor, Obafemi Martins

As a football fan, there's nothing quite like watching your favorite team snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with a last-second field goal. Conversely, if you're a fan of the other side, there's nothing worse than seeing your team go down in defeat thanks to a perfect kick. Either way, though, those late field goals make for some exciting finishes, and the early games of Week 7 in the NFL featured no less than three of these stunning buzzer-beaters. Let's take a look at what happened.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Philadelphia Eagles

The underdog Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked like they were in control of this game over the Philadelphia Eagles. They had a 17-0 lead in the 3rd Quarter on the strength of not one, but two Ronde Barber interceptions returned for touchdowns (for 37 yards and 66 yards, respectively). But you can never count out the Eagles as long as they have Donovan McNabb calling the signals out on the field. McNabb overcame a poor start to throw for three touchdowns to launch the Eagles into the lead by a score of 21-20. The final TD pass, a 52-yarder to Brian Westbrook, came with just 0:46 left on the game clock and seemed to be a dagger through the Bucs' heart.

But the Bucs never gave up. The ensuing kickoff was fielded from a yard deep into the end zone by Michael Pittman, who then turned on the jets and brought it all the way out to the Tampa Bay 36. From there, rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski remained poised and was able to connect on two passes to move the ball to the Philadelphia 44. With just 0:04 seconds left in regulation, Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden was faced with two choices: send everyone downfield and heave a Hail Mary, or attempt a 62-yard field goal. Both were desperation moves and both had little chance of succeeding. Gruden opted for the field goal despite kicker Matt Bryant's trouble with attempts of 40 yards or more. But Bryant drilled the kick, the third-longest field goal in the history of the NFL, and lifted the Bucs to an improbable 23-21 victory.

Kansas City Chiefs over San Diego Chargers

After jumping out to a 14-0 lead in the 1st Quarter, the Kansas City Chiefs were unable to hold off Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson, and the rest of the San Diego Chargers for long. The Chargers' high-powered offense stormed back to make a game of it as Rivers threw scoring strikes of 1 and 37 yards to favorite targets Antonio Gates and Tomlinson, and Tomlinson passed for another. Add to that two field goals from Nate Kaeding, and the Chargers suddenly found themselves locked in a 27-27 tie with 5 minutes left to play in the 4th Quarter.

After the Chiefs failed to score on the ensuing possession, the Chargers got the ball back. But they were only able to move the ball 22 yards on their drive before having to punt. That gave Kansas City possession at their own 18 with 0:33 left in regulation. Quarterback Damon Huard then reeled off three quick completions of 15, 19, and 18 yards to bring the Chiefs to the San Diego 30. The special teams unit came on to try a 48 yard field goal, only to get flagged for a false start on the play. Kicker Lawrence Tynes had to try again from 53 yards out, and he nailed it to send the Chiefs to a 30-27 win.

Larry Johnson had another solid game for the Chiefs and outperformed counterpart Tomlinson, at least on the ground. Johnson carried the ball 28 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Huard, meanwhile, completed 15 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns in place of the injured Trent Green.

Atlanta Falcons over Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers came into Atlanta desperately needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. After a Week 6 victory over Kansas City moved the Steelers' record to 2-3, they were looking to hit the .500 mark. Things look at lot rosier from a 3-3 standpoint than from 2-4.

The game started out well enough for the Steelers. They staked themselves to a 17-7 lead in the 2nd Quarter and took a 24-21 lead into the locker room at the half. But then things started to unravel for Pittsburgh. First, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was knocked out of the game after a hit Atlanta's Chauncey Davis. Then, the defense couldn't contain Falcons' quarterback Michael Vick. Vick, known more for his scrambling capabilities and mobility outside the pocket than for his passes, threw four touchdowns on the day. And finally, the deciding blow came in overtime with the score knotted up at 38 all. That's when Atlanta kicker Morton Andersen came on to boot a 32-yarder in sudden death to seal the win for the Falcons.

The Steelers not only lost the game and their starting quarterback, but also wasted an incredible effort by wide receiver Hines Ward who caught 8 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns. The only positive that the Steelers can take out of this game is that backup QB Charlie Batch was again impressive in relief of Roethlisberger. Batch was 8-of-13 for 195 yards and two touchdowns in two quarters of work. If Roethlisberger is unable to go against the Raiders next weekend, the Steelers ought to be in good hands with Batch.

Posted by JE

22 Oct 2006
Reading 0 Arsenal 4

One telling statistic of the match is the absence of any booking. There was not a single yellow card, which is rare by Premiership standards, but more significantly, that means that Reading did not play "ugly" enough against Arsenal. Perhaps it was because of Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's accusation earlier in the week that made Reading a bit more cautious in their challenges. The point is, if you actually play football against Arsenal instead of kicking them off the ball (read Bolton or Blackburn), you better be damn good. Reading were not that good, not even close. It was apparent from the very first minute that the gulf of class was just too big for Reading to bridge.

Cesc Fabregas made a good run with the ball into the box, easily evaded the challenge of former Arsenal trainee, James Harper, before pulling it back for Thierry Henry. Henry showed great composure to simply pass the ball into the corner of the net which gave Reading keeper, Marcus Hahnemann no chance whatsoever. Only 58 seconds has passed when this happened. Reading knew they faced a very steep uphill battle.

Reading showed that they were no pushovers against Manchester United and Chelsea, but against this Arsenal side rampaging through their defence time and time again, it was clear it was just a matter of time that Arsenal would add to their lead. At the 39th minute, Aleksandr Hleb rounded off a fine Arsenal move by blasting the ball past Hahnemann to make it 2 - 0.

Reading came out of the second half with a positive attitude but within five minutes, the match was effectively over. Arsenal's third goal was a thing of beauty. Stringing passes after passes together, moving from side to side, the speed, the movement, and the precision were pure Arsenal. Hleb ran to Henry's exquisite through ball, and just when everyone thought he was going to shoot, he passed it to van Persie, who was left with a simple tap in. The Arsenal supporters chanted, "Have you ever seen Chelsea play like this?" I would have to say no.

Arsenal let the gas off a bit after the third goal and gave Reading a spell of possessions. You have to give credits to Steve Coppell's men, who remained resilience throughout, and never gave up. Even their fans showed their supports as they also knew that their team were up against one of the best teams in the world.

Hahnemann was fortunate to not get sent off as he took down Fabregas after the Spaniard once again made a penetrating run to receive Henry's excellent through ball. Henry then coolly converted the resulting penalty.

After this master class display, Arsenal look like genuine title contenders. They are only 5 points behind joint leaders Man Utd and Chelsea, with one game in hand. The ease of their victory at the Madejski Stadium is also a psychological boost when both Man U and Chelsea had to battle hard here.

Steve Coppell said of Arsenal, "They are not in our league, even though we are in the Premiership," and when asked to compare Arsenal to Man U and Chelsea, Coppell said, "Their football is more fluent."

But he is not too downbeat, "With the quality they have, on the field and on the bench, we were always going to be chasing the game. We played as well as we were allowed to. There was a spell in the last 15 minutes when we did really well, despite being 4-0 down."

Arsene Wenger is optimistic that his team will get even better, "I'm not sure if that was our best performance of the season. We can improve - the team is getting better."

Reading:
Marcus Hahnemann, Ulises De la Cruz (Brynjar Gunnarsson), Ivar Ingimarsson, Nicky Shorey, Ibrahima Sonko, James Harper, Steve Hunt, Ki-Hyeon Seol (John Oster), Steven Sidwell, Kevin Doyle, Shane Long (Glen Little)

Arsenal:
Jens Lehmann, Johan Djourou, William Gallas, Justin Hoyte, Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabregas, Aleksandr Hleb (Emmanuel Adebayor), Tomas Rosicky (Alexandre Song Bilong), Gilberto Silva, Thierry Henry, Robin van Persie (Theo Walcott)

Goals: Thierry Henry 1, 70(pen.), Aleksandr Hleb 39, Robin van Persie 50

Referee: Wiley, A

Venue: Madejski Stadium

Attendance: 24,004

Corners:
Reading: 10
Arsenal: 2

Goal Attempts:
Reading: 3
Arsenal: 17

On Target:
Reading: 1
Arsenal: 10

By Derek Wilson

There are times as a sports fan - or probably more accurately, a football fan - that you have to make hard choices. Everyone knows that you should support your local team regardless of how good or bad they may be. Ditching the local pub side playing in the third division to watch some glamour boys playing in the top flight may be tempting when you arrive in a new city but is it really rewarding? Well I guess it depends on which city you arrive in. Should you land in Munich, for example, supporting Bayern seems an infinitely better prospect than dragging yourself along to 1860. Not only do they better football but they actually win things and can compete successfully in Europe. In Manchester however, the natural choice may seem to be United. They play in the astonishing Old Trafford, they have glorious players but yet...any time they don't win the European Cup or at least the Premiership they have failed. And that colours the attitude of their fans. Merely watching Wayne Rooney destroy some poor defender on a fortnightly basis is not enough, United have to win every competition in sight as well. The outcome of this is that the result becomes everything. You don't go and enjoy the occasion, enjoy the time with friends and then get a bonus by actually winning something occasionally. Winning is the default setting and everything else is not actually good enough.

I am reasonably proud to say that if any of my football following friends or I found ourselves in Munich or Manchester for an extended stay we would inevitably end up following 1860 or City. It would just be the right thing to do. So why then, having moved to Berlin, did I even try to follow Hertha BSC rather than a local team? The obvious (and acceptable) reason is that Hertha are the only Berlin club in the national leagues. Very few of even the hardest of 'local team only' people would insist on watching local amateur football as opposed to national professionals. They play in the majestic Olympic Stadium, have some of the best players in Germany and compete at the right end of the Bundesliga. I prefer them to win rather than lose, for the good of Berlin, but generally view them with utter ambivalence. But two trips to my local club, FC Union Berlin, while not quite having me hooked to their fortunes, already get the blood pumping more for them than Hertha. They play in a crumbling wreck of a stadium and are in the Regional Liga Nord. There is absolutely no logic to my feelings but the best explanation I can muster is that small is beautiful.

Firstly, Hertha are on the wrong part of town. That is they play in the Olympic Stadium that is miles out of the western side of the city. Even if you lived in the centre of Berlin, never mind the East, that's a trek by the S-Bahn. Then there is the Olympic ground itself. Football is not suited for stadiums with running tracks and unless the vast majority of the 76,000 seats are full then there is no atmosphere whatsoever. Furthermore the club pleaded poverty and had the redevelopment of their ground subsidised by the government while they blew millions on wages of players who cared little for the club and even less for each other. They had no desire to fight for each other and this was reflected in some utterly abysmal displays last season. Finally, there is just a 'big team' mentality that exists around Hertha. Their fans believe that by rights they should now be one of the biggest teams in Germany even though for decades they were little more than amateur strugglers. However when you compare their crowds to other European cities it is clear Berlin cares not for Hertha. They average around 45,000 from a city of over 3m. In Glasgow, Rangers and Celtic pull in over 100,000 between them in a city of only 600,000.

But FC Union Berlin offers everything you could ask for in a club. Okay their location is not the best either in terms of travelling. But it is in the lovely old town of Koepenick and this area in the heart of the East means they have a fierce local pride amongst their followers. The stadium may be falling down but like most fans I prefer to stand anyway. The fact that the ramshackle ground holds 18,000 defies belief but it only takes around a third of that number of provide an excellent atmosphere. It is ludicrously cheap to get in, the queues for beer and wurst are short and there is no trouble watching the game with a pint in your hand. The players are utterly committed to each other and the common cause and they all have a great relationship with the supporters. And even if Union don't win? It doesn't matter that much, no one was really there for the victory anyway. People go because it passes their Saturday afternoon in a familiar and friendly environment and because the team they support always plays with passion even if the skill is not quite there.

Of course supporting a big club has its moments and if you are bred into that type of clubs I'm sure you develop the same type of relationship with them as you do with a smaller team. But as someone who has only ever stood on the terraces of a small team in Scotland and a medium sized club in Sweden, I find it hard to get worked up too much beside 30,000 bored Berliners and 40,000 empty seats in the Olympic Stadium. I could be tempted along to Hertha's games against big opposition but I'll be there strictly as a neutral for the entertainment. My football passion will be saved for the more localised surroundings of Union's 'Stadium in the Old Forest'.

21 Oct 2006

Wigan Athletic 4 Man City 0

That was unexpected. Wigan finally won their first match in seven games. Emile Heskey, making his 350th Premiership appearance, scored only 67 seconds into the match, and Wigan never looked back. As well as Wigan played, it was a shambolic display by Manchester City. Even their own supporters turn on them who chanted "You're not fit to wear the shirt".

Wigan boss Paul Jewell hopes that this emphatic win will kick start their season, "There are a lot of new players here who are settling in and we will get better as the season goes on."

Wigan:
Chris Kirkland, Leighton Baines, Emmerson Boyce, Arjan De Zeeuw, Fitz Hall (Andrew Webster), Kevin Kilbane, Paul Scharner, Josip Skoko (Denny Landzaat), Luis Antonio Valencia (Gary Teale), Henri Camara, Emile Heskey

Goals: Emile Heskey 2, Richard Dunne 4 og, Henri Camara 65, Luis Antonio Valencia 67.

Man City
Nicky Weaver, Richard Dunne, Matthew Mills (Darius Vassell), Micah Richards, Joey Barton, Dietmar Hamann (Paul Dickov), Michael Johnson, Stephen Jordan, Trevor Sinclair, Bernardo Corradi, Georgios Samaras

Charlton Athletic 0 Watford 0

A bottom of the league clash with both teams failing to convert their chances. Ben Foster, the Watford keep on loan from Man Utd once again bailed his team out. The result might be fair and probably unsatisfactory to either team, both managers should be encouraged by the chances their teams created.

Charlton manager Iain Dowie, who was booed by his own fans at the beginning of the match, said, "We looked comfortable for most of it, outside the last 10 minutes when we went a bit gung-ho. I can't fault the spirit - there were some big performances out there."

Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd knows the importance of taking their opportunities, "I'd have preferred three points because we have had great chances to win the game. We have to start taking them - if you're getting into those areas, then you would expect the ball to go in the back of the net."

Charlton Athletic:
Scott Carson, Souleymane Diawara, Talal El Karkouri, Hermann Hreidarsson, Luke Young, Amady Faye, Matt Holland, Andy Reid, Darren Bent, D, Dennis Rommedahl, Jerome Thomas (Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink)

Watford:
Ben Foster, Jay DeMerit, Lloyd Doyley, Danny Shittu, Jordan Stewart, Damien Francis, Gavin Mahon, Hameur Bouazza (Chris Powell), Darius Henderson, Tommy Smith, Ashley Young

Everton 2 Sheffield Utd 0

No surprise here. Things are looking grim for Sheffield United. I just don't see how they can avoid relegation.

Everton:
Tim Howard, Joleon Lescott, Phil Neville (Victor Anichebe), David Weir, Joseph Ikpo Yobo, Mikel Amatriain Arteta, Tim Cahill (Leon Osman), Lee Carsley, Simon Davies, James Beattie (James McFadden), Andrew Johnson

Goals: Mikel Amatriain Arteta 13, James Beattie pen. 33.

Sheffield Utd:
Paddy Kenny, Chris Armstrong, Leigh Bromby, Claude Davis, Mikele Leigertwood, Keith Gillespie (Steven Kabba), Phil Jagielka, Alan Quinn (Chris Morgan), Michael Tonge, Rob Hulse, Colin Kazim-Richards (Danny Webber)

Aston Villa 1 Fulham 1

Aston Villa remain unbeaten but Martin O'Neill would not be happy about the two points dropped, yet again, at home. Gareth Barry put in a fine performance in front of the watching England manager, Steve McClaren, and could possibly force himself back into the England squad.

Aston Villa:
Thomas Sorensen, Gareth Barry, Aaron Hughes, Martin Laursen, Olof Mellberg, Liam Ridgewell, Steven Davis (Isaiah Osbourne), Stilian Petrov, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Juan Pablo Angel (Chris Sutton), Milan Baros (Didier Agathe)

Goal: Gareth Barry pen. 26

Fulham:
Antti Niemi, Carlos Bocanegra, Zat Knight, Ian Pearce, Franck Queudrue, Liam Rosenior, Moritz Volz, Michael Brown, Claus Jensen, C, Brian McBride (Collins John), Tomasz Radzinski

Goal: Moritz Volz 45.

Chelsea 2 Portsmouth 0

Andriy Shevchenko finally scored, and so did Michael Ballack. Chelsea totally dominated the match. Portsmouth have lost three out of their last four games. Fortunately for them, their next opponents Reading are not likely to be as dominant as the superstars of Chelsea.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp said of Shevchenko, "For 32 million pounds; he's entitled to be decent, isn't he.'

Chelsea:
Henrique Hilario, Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Renato Paulo Ferreira, John Terry, Michael Ballack (Khalid Boulahrouz), Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben (Joe Cole), Andriy Shevchenko (Claude Makelele)

Goals: Andriy Shevchenko 55, Michael Ballack 57.

Portsmouth:
David James, Sol Campbell, Noe Pamarot, Linvoy Primus, Matthew Taylor, Niko Kranjcar, Henriques Manuel Fernandes (Andrew Cole), Gary O'Neil, Miguel Pedro Mendes (David Thompson), Nwankwo Kanu (Sean Davis), Benjani Mwaruwari

Goal: Benjani Mwaruwari 69.

Was there any surer thing six weeks ago than a World Series champ from the big apple? The Yankees and Mets for the first time in history each won their respective leagues with the best record in baseball. During the good old days before 1969, this feat alone would have been enough to lock up a subway series. In fact for about half of the years between 1923 and 1962 the Yankees topped the American league and the Giants or Dodgers won the National. Back then the best record in the league was not just a paper championship but the pennant, signed sealed and delivered.

Now, of course, in the era of the Wild Card and a three round tournament to decide a championship its not so simple. More than any city New York has dominated the wild card era. The Yankees won the inaugural American League Wild Card and two of the first three while the Mets won back to back Wild Cards in 1999 and 2000. In the current playoff format the Yankees have been to the playoffs each year since the 1994 strike and have won 4 championships, 6 pennants, 10 division championships including 9 in a row and two wild cards.

The Mets have not enjoyed as much success in the same span but they have won the NL pennant once with one division championship-ending Atlanta's death grip on the honor-and two wild cards. In 2000 New York enjoyed the ultimate supremacy over baseball by hosting the first subway series the 1950's. The 2000 World Series was not without drama with a thrilling Game 1 extra inning victory for the Yankees, the climax of the personal war between Roger Clemens in the bat throwing incident and finally a 9th inning heroic series winning single by Luis Sojo in game 5.

Unfortunately New York's glory days for the most part ended in 2000. The Yankees have continued to make the playoffs and after 9/11 roused from mediocrity to contest an unforgettable world series into the 9th inning of game 7 but fell short. In 2003 the Yankees won another epic battle with Red Sox but were shut out by stifling pitching and timely hitting against the Marlins. In 2004 their collapse against the Red Sox is a thing of legend, celebrated as the greatest moment in Red Sox history and mourned as the worst for the Bronx bombers. Since then the Yankees have been beaten in consecutive first round series against the Angels and this year against the Tigers.

There is a very logical pattern to Yankee futility since the 2000 series. A number of the Yankee greats of the glory years retired or aged into greater ineffectiveness. Guys like Paul O'Neill, Scott Brosius, Tino Martinez and Bernie Williams anchored the team with solid gutsy play during the championship years but since then they have disappeared along with their heroic October feats. Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are the only players left from the championship years and only Jeter, Rivera and Posada continue to perform at an all star level on a regular basis. The soul of the team that won world titles during the 90's is gone.

First to go was the pitching. The 1996 championship starting pitchers were Andy Pettite, Jimmy Key, David Cone and Kenny Rogers; Pettite was the last of these four starters to leave the team in 2003. Some pitchers came and went over the years but still contributed to the success like David Wells, Roger Clemens and Orlando Hernandez. While they are undoubtedly great pitchers and competitors none of today's starters seem to have the unshakable nerve of David Cone, the wily showmanship and mastery of Orlando Hernandez or Andy Pettite's consistency. Randy Johnson's great performances are by and large behind him and he has never seemed comfortable in the pin stripes. Mike Mussina has been the most consistent pitcher since 2000 but much like his near perfect game against the Red Sox, he always seems to be one finishing stroke away from greatness. Mussina always wins 15 games a season but never 20. The other starters in the Yankee stable show youth and promise for the future but with the exception of Chien Ming Wang no young starter has been used consistently.

During the championship years opposing teams had to score their runs against the Yankee starters, which in itself was no easy task, or else they faced the almost certain doom of the Yankee bullpen. The combination of Ramiro Mendoza, Jeff Nelson, Mike Stanton and Mariano Rivera could effectively end a game in the 6th inning. While Rivera remains one of the best closers in baseball and is a certain first ballot hall of famer, the rest of this relief corps is gone. In its stead Scott Proctor, Kyle Farnesworth, Ron Villone and Octavio Dotel have time and again folded in crucial moments, allowing teams to tie and move ahead in games against good teams.

The vaunted Yankee hitting of yore always relied on clutch hits by an endless conveyor belt of workman like heroes. Jim Leyritz, Scott Brosius, Tino Martinez, Bernie Williams, Luis Sojo and many others provided unforgettable October moments winning playoff games and championships. None of these players hit over .300 consistently or 50 homeruns but they came through in heart pounding intense moments. The current battery of hitters-Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon-meanwhile is a parade of players with MVP like numbers. Each of these players has had moments where they came through as heroes but consistently in October, the Yankee offense has turned cold. A-Rod's October woes are notorious in New York but Giambi and Sheffield have also performed playoff Houdini acts.

While the current Yankee team can definitely be considered a success story by the standards of perrennial losers like the Brewers, Devil Rays, Royals or Rangers, the character of this team is not of the type that wins championships. The Yankees can expect division titles and 95+ win seasons but they will consistently lose to younger, hungrier teams-teams like the Yankees used to be. The Angels in 2002 and 2005, the 2003 Marlins, 2004 Red Sox and 2006 Tigers all have a similar profile. All of these teams have dogged starters who become absolute magicians in the October spotlight against the Yankees. Kenny Roger's will and craftsmanship against the Bombers in game 3 is a highlight that will not soon be forgot. Nor will Josh Beckett's gem in game 6 of the '03 series. Meanwhile consistent all stars like Curt Schilling and John Lackey continue to baffle them. The bullpen's of these teams have all been incredibly impressive. Joel Zumaya, Scot Shields, Mike Timlin and Todd Jones have put up crucial zeroes in late innings, forcing the Yankees to lose their patience and make ugly desperate swings seeking the homerun ball.

With the exception of the Red Sox power-which rivals that of the Yankees, the Angels, Tigers, Diamondbacks and Marlins have all relied on contact hitting, agressive baserunning and clutch RBI hits and sacrifices. Certain faces appear over and over again earning success against New York. Chone Figgins, Curtis Granderson and David Eckstein constantly get on base, steal and score runs. Clutch hitters, known for contact more than power, appear over and over again winning games in crucial situations not with towering home runs but line drive singles, sinking liners and bloops. I have a theory that the Yankees cannot beat any team with Craig Counsell, Ivan Rodriguez or Magglio Ordonez.
What we see and learn from the Yankees is that the moneyball theory of outspending your opponents does not work. A talented young pitcher with determination backed by a good defense and bullpen can put toss an entire lineup off all stars into the ash can. The Yankees must go younger and cheaper, developing a tight knit unit with chemistry that is hungry for success. The Yankees must not be afraid to fail, which is something that they have not been thus far willing to do.

The Mets, meanwhile have had no such qualms. In 2003 the Mets hit a low point with a humiliating record of 66-95 finishing last in the NL East-including a crushing 6 game season sweep delivered by the crosstown Yankees. The Mets team in '03 was in a rebuilding phase, dramatically different from the World Series team of 2000. Gone were the theatrics and gambles of Bobby Valentine's stewardship, replaced by the low key approach of Art Howe. Most of the 200o pitching staff including Al Leiter, Rick Reed, Bobby J. Jones, Bobby M. Jones and Mike Hampton were all long gone. Also gone were Jay Payton, Edgardo Alfonzo and Robin Ventura. Mike Piazza remained but injuries to his knees led to decreased performance and a call for the catcher to move to first base. The Mets also brought in Japanese sensation Kaz Matsui-a Japanese position player who insisted on playing first, a position he was completely unable to fill. The 2003 team floundered but it also marked the beginning of a rebuilding process that would culminate in this year's team.

With Omar Minaya as the new general manager and Willie Randolph as the new manager the Mets began to deal for super stars, aquiring Carlos Beltran in 2005 in the wake of his momentous postseason performance with the Astros in 2004. In 2006 the Mets brought in Carlos Delgado and Paul LoDuca were acquired from the Marlins to bring experience and power to the lineup. Pedro Martinez left the 2004 champion Red Sox to pitch for the Mets, joining Tom Glavine in what would become a powerful lineup. Billy Wagner came in as the new closer and These players would prove to be the seasoning, however, for what is essentially a homegrown team.

Jose Reyes, David Wright, Cliff Floyd, Chris Woodward and Endy Chavez are all Mets prospects who have enjoyed success with the team. Players like LoDuca and Jose Valentin have enjoyed unparalleled success with the new team and after a competative season in 2005 the 2006 broke through to new heights. The 2006 Mets teams took sole possession of first place on April 6th and held it for the rest of the season. The Mets consistently pummelled division rivals including the hated Braves and were the first team in the Major Leagues to earn a playoff berth. The Mets split the season series with the Yankees at 3 games a piece and were the class of the National League during the regular season. The Mets sent 6 players to the 2006 All-Star game, a club record. The Mets played in 2006 with a dynamic style of play that the club has lacked since the teams of the late 1980's. They were fast and aggressive and delivered clutch hits at the right moments. As the regular season wound down, however, their fortunes reversed and they lost Martinez and Hernandez from their pitching staff. Nonetheless the 2006 played heroically relying on timely offense and a fantastic bullpen to sweep the Los Angeles Dodgers. As they geared up to face the Cardinals, a team the Mets beat in the 2000 NLCS, many hoped the same formula would continue to bear fruit.

In the Cardinals the Mets faced a team similar to the Tigers team which beat the Yankees. Both teams relied heavily on pitching and defense to win games. Both were managed by masterminds of the game, Jim Leyland and Tony LaRussa-friends off the field. Both teams also fumbled down the stretch and were not given much chance to reach the fall classic. Unlike the Tigers, however, the Cardinals have more playoff experience; the Tigers have not been to the playoffs since 1987 while the Cardinals have earned a berth in every year since 2004 winning the NLDS in all 3 years and the NLCS in 2004. This experience would show itself as the series wore on.

In the first game Tom Glavine stifled the Cards and the Mets took the game 2-0. It appeared as though the Mets would make quick work of the series. During the second game the Mets consistently put up leads as they sought to put a hammerlock on the series but the Cardinals kept coming back, tying the game at 6 going into the 9th. Inexperienced closer Bill Wagner would then give up the game winning homerun and two more runs en route to a 9-6 defeat. Thanks to a rainout before game 1 the momentum the Cardinals seized in game 2 carried into Game 3 and the Mets were completely dominated by Jeff Suppan and were defeated 5-0. Suddenly the assets which had gotten the Mets to the League Championship, pitching and timely hitting were beginning to fail against determined veteran pitchers and clutch hitting performances. The Mets got the series back on track in game 4, however, battering Brad Thompson for a 12-5 victory. Jeff Weaver stifled the Mets however, seizing back the momentum in a 4-2 victory. John Maine staved off elimination in an equally heroic performance in game 6 that tied the series at 3 games apiece. The theme of dominant pitching continued into game 7 as Jeff Suppan kept the Mets completely off balance. Although New York scored 2 hits and a run off of Suppan in the first, they would not get another hit until the 9th. For the Mets Oliver Perez surprisingly had an equally dominating performance, getting out of jam after jam to limit the Cards to one run through 8 innings. By the 9th inning the game would be decided by the better bullpen. Finally in the 9th Aaron Heilman folded, giving up a 2 run homerun to Met killer Yadier Molia before a stunned Shea Stadium crowd and though the Mets loaded the bases in the bottom half of the frame, Adam Wainwright struck out Carlos Beltran to preserve the 3-1 victory and propel the Cards to the World Series.

The Mets and Yankees were both defeated by the same formula. Both teams were held completely off balance by dominating pitching. The Yankees chased braking balls from Kenny Rogers and Jeremy Bonderman that dove off the plate at the last second. The Yankees were also blown away by fireballers like Zumaya and Justin Verlander. The Mets meanwhile lost two crucial games because they could not solve one pitcher-Suppan. The Cardinals were outclassed offensively by the Mets and only won 83 games this season to the Mets 97 but one pitcher was able to completely grind that offense to a halt. Jeff Weaver provided another admirable performance to win a third game. This formula allowed the Cardinals to only post one offensively effective performance, scoring 9 runs in game 2. Both series clearly illustrate that pitching still wins championships. It is up to both teams to adapt if they hope to win in the future.

The Yankees have a postseason of soul searching ahead. The team must be completely overhauled to become youngers and faster with more reliable pitchers. That means the Steinbrenner formula of buying high priced aging stars must end. Many of the current hitters should be let go including Rodriguez, Sheffield and Williams. The farm system needs to be rebuilt so the team can be rejuvenated. Joe Torre escaped the block this year but he and Brian Cashman have only one year to show serious progress.

The Mets have less work to do. They should take a strong measure of pride from their season-start to finish. The loss of Martinez and Hernandez made their chances of winning it all this year a long shot, despite their talented offense and bullpen. This team has all of the elements of a championship team however. It has chemistry, talent, youth and a hunger for success. If the team is kept together with healthy arms and postseason experience now under their belt, they could very well be champions next October. Both teams could win it all next year with the right adjustments. But wait-isn't that what everyone thought a month ago? If there's anything that should be learned about baseball, it's that it is completely unpredictable. There will always be another hot Tigers or Cardinals team ready to rise out of obscurity.

October always means the playoffs for Major League Baseball, as well as the World Series. It means the conclusion of the longest of the "big four" professional sports seasons here in the U.S. -- a regular season that began in April, dragged out through 162 regular season games, and culminates with two playoff series before the championship.

Because of the length of the baseball season, I've always felt that the World Series lacked any real drama. Many teams and their fans have known that the 2006 World Series was out of reach long ago. For example, the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals could pretty much say goodbye to their playoff hopes way back in June. In those four months, I doubt that baseball fans in those cities have paid much attention to the pennant chase.

For the fans of the also-rans that made it to the postseason only to be eliminated shortly thereafter -- the Minnesota Twins, Oakland A's, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres -- I'm sure things aren't much rosier. If you're a Mets fan, would you be anxious to see the St. Louis Cardinals face off against the Detroit Tigers in the upcoming World Series, or would you be too busy recovering from the major letdown of losing to the underdog Cards in the NLCS? I suspect that far more New York fans fall into the latter category than the former.

And then there's the rest of the country. Detroit and St. Louis are two of the smaller market teams in the Major Leagues. I think the average fan would have a hard time naming a handful of starters from either ball club. Albert Pujols of the Cardinals is the only legitimate superstar in either lineup, but I don't think he alone is enough of a draw. I know I won't be tuning in just to see Pujols play. The only other St. Louis Cardinals players I can think of without checking the roster are starting pitcher Chris Carpenter and center fielder Jim Edmonds.

I do a little better with the Tigers. For them, I can name outfielder Magglio Ordonez, catcher Ivan Rodriguez, and pitchers Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman. I'm sure there are other players on the team whose names I would recognize, but I just can't generate them on my own. I consider myself an average baseball fan, so I'd be willing to bet that fans in other parts of the country suffer from the same lack of knowledge about these two World Series contenders.

Another reason that this particular World Series matchup lacks drama for me is that I don't even think the Cardinals should be there in the first place. The team only won 83 games all season long (compared to 95 for the Tigers), but still made it into the playoffs by virtue of the mediocre division they belong to. The Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates were way off the pace and were non-factors, while Houston and Cincinnati provided the only real challenges. The Astros won 82 games on the season; the Reds won 80. The Tigers obviously had a much tougher time reaching the World Series, as the Twins won the AL Central with 96 wins, and the third-place White Sox had 90. St. Louis wouldn't have even been on the radar in that division!

I'm sure television producers and sportswriters are hard at work trying to find a couple of human interest angles to help promote the World Series. When no one really cares about the outcome of a particular sporting contest, the next best thing to do is push a few personal stories in an attempt to attract viewers. I guess I'll pay attention long enough to see what these journalists come up with, and then decide if I'll even bother reading the recaps and box scores in the newspapers or online after the games.

Otherwise, I'm just counting down the days until the World Series is over because I'm ready for this baseball season to end. It was an awful one for my hometown Cubs, and a disappointing one for my hometown White Sox, so next year can't get here fast enough. Until then, it doesn't matter to me whether the Tigers or Cards win the championship. They can flip a coin to decide, for all I care!

Posted by Mishmash Musings

Saturday 19 Oct 2006

Wigan Athletic v Man City

Neither team is playing well at the moment, but Wigan especially, are not getting the results. Sitting just one spot above the relegation zone, although with one game in hand, Wigan still have much to do to emulate last season's success. When the two teams met last season, Wigan did a home and away double over Man City.

Manchester City are still having problem on the road, but Wigan have one of the poorest home scoring records.

My Prediction: Wigan Athletic 0 Man City 0

Charlton Athletic v Watford

Charlton are too good to be at the bottom of the table. I think Iain Dowie's side will finally win here to break their five match losing streak.

Watford got hammered by Arsenal last weekend, but you cannot fault their effort. They will try hard again against Charlton, and if they want to stay in the Premiership, they have to win this kind of bottom of the league 6 pointers.

My Prediction: Charlton Athletic 2 Watford 0

Chelsea v Portsmouth

In the morale boosting win in mid week against Barcelona, Chelsea showed people how tough they are defensively. Even though Barcelona were not close to playing their best, Chelsea completely stifled Barcelona's attacking artists. On the other end, Didier Drogba is having the best time of his career, overshadowing his illustrious striking partner, Andriy Shevchenko. Shevchenko will probably come good soon, but Drogba is the man of the moment.

Portsmouth are performing above all expectations. Eight matches in, they are fourth in the league. But I think against the Blues at Stamford Bridge is probably too much for Harry Redknapp's side. That being said, I still hope for a mini miracle for Portsmouth to upset Chelsea.

My Prediction: Chelsea 0 Portsmouth 1

Everton v Sheffield Utd

Everton, playing at home, should be too strong for Sheffield United.

My Prediction: Everton 2 Sheffield United 0

Aston Villa v Fulham

Amazingly, Aston Villa are still unbeaten in the Premier League, in fact they are now the only unbeaten team in the league. Martin O'Neill's has sorted out the defence, but now he needs Villa's offensive to work as well. Fulham are tough to play against, and they have a decent away record.

My Prediction: Aston Villa 1 Fulham 0

SUNDAY 20 Oct 2006

Man Utd v Liverpool

Manchester United had a comfortable win the mid week Champions League match against FC Copenhagen. The encouraging thing was Wayne Rooney seems to be getting his form back. However, I still have doubts about the Man U defence.

Liverpool are once again doing well in Europe and very inconsistent in the Premier League. I don't expect Liverpool to be stuck in mid table come May. They have to start some sort of a run soon if they want to qualify for the Champions League again. Arsenal came to Old Trafford and revitalized their season. Can Liverpool do the same?

My Prediction: Man Utd 0 Liverpool 1

Blackburn v Bolton

These are two very physical teams who play very direct football. I expected to see a lot of tough tackles and long balls.

Bolton have moved up to the third spot with some good wins, and I think they can continue their run.

My Prediction: Blackburn 1 Bolton 2

Middlesbrough v Newcastle

Middlesbrough had a good win against Everton last weekend, but they cannot seem to string a run together. On the other hand, Newcastle are having a tough time this season to win at all.

My Prediction: Middlesbrough 2 Newcastle 0

Tottenham v West Ham

Tottenham are slowly getting their acts together. They do have a good squad and they should not be in the lower half of the table.

West Ham are in all kinds of trouble right now. They also have a decent squad, but nothing is working. Manager Alan Pardew is the hot favorite to be the first Premiership manager to get the sack.

My Prediction: Tottenham 1 West Ham 0

Reading v Arsenal

Reading gave Chelsea a bit of trouble last weekend before losing. Of the three promoted teams, Reading have adapted to the Premiership the best, kind of similar to Wigan last year.

Arsenal lost the mid week Champions League match in Moscow due to an incorrect referee decision, but I don't think that would derail the Gunners' recent charge.

My Prediction: Reading 0 Arsenal 2

Still only 19 years old, Cesc Fabregas is already an established first team member of the Arsenal squad. More importantly, the talented youngster from Spain is considered to be the future of the club. Fabregas signed an eight year contract today, which will tie him to the club until 2014. He will still only be 27 by then.

Signed from Barcelona in 2003, Fabregas has made a huge impact on the English club. Fabregas made his debut for the Gunners in the Carling Cup tie against Rotherham United at the tender age of 16 years and 177 days, making him the youngest person ever to play for Arsenal. He set another record in his second ever appearance against Wolverhampton Wanderers as his goal in that match made him the club's youngest-ever goal scorer. Following the departure of Patrick Viera, the then 18 year old midfielder stepped up to fill the big void like an experienced veteran. It is very rare that someone this young could already be such a complete midfielder. Generally, young prodigies tend to be attackers, where pace and explosiveness are the important factors. Midfielders, on the other hand, usually take years to develop as the midfielders need to have a much more all around game. Still a teenager, Fabregas has shown that he is one of the very best midfielder in the Premiership, if not the world.

It is also a big boost for Arsenal, as Spanish giant Real Madrid were keen to sign the rising star. Real declared their interest in both Fabregas and Jose Antonio Reyes in the summer. While Reyes failed to settle in London and was delighted to return to Spain in a loan move, Fabregas is happy at Arsenal.

The teenager is delighted to have signed the long term contract. "I am so happy here and I am delighted to have signed this new contract that will keep me at the club for years to come," he said.

He recognized how much the club and the manager have done for him.

"I wanted to pay back the club, especially Arsene Wenger for the support and faith he has shown in me," he said. What is important now is for the team to realise its potential and win trophies. That is our main aim; that is my aim as well."

Fabregas' agent Joseba Diaz had earlier told Spanish website sport.es that the midfielder had put pen to paper.

"It is a fabulous contract for the player and also for the club," he said.

"Cesc feels very happy with how much Arsenal value him and in the knowledge that Arsenal are going to build their future around him."

Almost every summer, Arsene Wenger has to fend off numerous attempts from big clubs to sign his star players. There was the Nicolas Anelka episode in 1998. Signed for under a million pounds, he was eventually sold to Real Madrid for a cool 22 million pounds. There was the Patrick Viera's will he/won't he saga for several summers, before Wenger let the aging midfield general go to Juventus for an excellent price of 13 million pounds. Wenger knows his footballers, and there is no doubt about his business sense. The players who left Arsenal were never quite able to scale the heights they achieved at Arsenal. That is one of the reason Thierry Henry decided to stay after several months of speculations of him going to join Barcelona. Wenger is also known for nurturing young talents. That is one of the main reasons why Theo Walcott decided to join the club.

Cesc Fabregas knows he has a bright future at the club, especially after being handed the No. 4 shirt, the shirt used to be worn by Viera, this season. In addition, his international career has also taken off since joining Arsenal. He was picked for the Spain squad for the World Cup.

Cesc Fabregas' Profile:

Full name: Francesc FABREGAS SOLER

Position: Attacking Midfielder
Born: 04 May 1987, Vilessoc de Mar, Catalonia, Spain
Country: Spain
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 70 kg

Joined Arsenal: Thursday, 11 September 2003
Debut: Comm. Shield v Man United (n) 8th Aug 2004 (Won 3-1)
Previous Club: FC Barcelona (youth)
Honors: 2004/05 English FA Cup

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

By Derek Wilson

As the Champions League has arrived at the half way stage, how are things looking for your country's representatives? Is it time to start planning a party for May or is it back to the drawing board already? Here's the group-by-group view.

Group A: In a way this group is shaping up just as expected. Chelsea are doing well and Sofia are all but out already. But it is the middle two teams that are providing the real interest. Werder Bremen's mid-week win over Levski lifted them to four points and while Barcelona may have assumed they would stroll through this group, they are now looking edgy. Their loss at Chelsea means it is distinctly possible they will be behind Bremen going into the last two games. If Bremen can then defeat Chelsea - who should have qualified by then - at home in their penultimate fixture, Barca will be staring elimination in the face unless they can beat the Germans in the last match. Given their triumphant march to the title last season, a first round exit would be absolutely unthinkable for the Catalans. They still have enough time to salvage the situation but they have to realise the game starts properly now. Chelsea will be delighted at their form, especially having lost to Barcelona last year. If they can keep this up they will be able to threaten the final having lost twice at the semi final stage in the last three years. Their quest would be helped greatly if they can knock Barcelona out now so that should ensure they give everything in the next game rather than rely on picking up later points against Levski Sofia.

Group B: If there was ever to be proof that Germans and Italians should never be written off then this group provides it. Despite having a seemingly average team, Bayern Munich have romped to the top with three wins out of three. This achievement is all the more remarkable given they have defeated both of their main rivals, Inter Milan and Sporting Lisbon, away. With the Bavarians looking set for the last sixteen already the other three teams are scrambling for second place. Spartak Moscow are not out of things yet but it is hard to see them finding the quality to compete at this level. However the Moscow winter has stopped tougher visitors than Inter Milan and if Spartak can win this next game they will be back in the hunt. But it looks as though Inter will do enough, just, to progress so long as they can avoid a total disaster at home to Sporting later in the competition. The men from Lisbon are currently handily placed on four points but with journeys to Munich and Milan waiting they needed a much better start if they were to succeed.

Group C: This group is the runt of this years Champions League litter. The two bottom seeds, Bordeaux and Galatasary, are hopelessly out of their depth and while Liverpool and PSV are both competent enough teams it is hard to see how either will make an impact come the knock out stages. That being said, no one gave Liverpool a chance when they won the competition in 2005 and PSV also reached the semi finals that year. But in terms of what to watch, avoid this group like the plague. The top two area already through and the only thing of interest left is the battle for the UEFA Cup spot which takes place in Bordeuax when Galatasary visit France in a few weeks.

Group D: Oh dear oh dear. If UEFA had any way of banning Olympiakos and Shaktar Donetsk from the Champions League it would surely do so. Actually that is perhaps a little unfair. Both are capable of playing well and giving their opponents a tough time but neither are good enough to compete properly at this level. This year Roma and Valencia were lucky enough to find themselves in this group and it is the Spaniards who are currently leading. They are not the side they were when they reached the final a few years ago but they are certainly becoming impressive again. No one will want to play them in the next round. Roma are also on the verge of being home and dry and it would take a huge shock for them to be knocked out from their current position. Paint drying will be more interesting than this group in the coming weeks.

Group E: This one had the potential to be exciting but is on the verge of turning into a damp squib. Dynamo Kiev will be incredibly disappointed with their efforts - three losses and a goal difference of minus ten - while Steaua Bucharest would have been in with a great chance if only they could have held Real Madrid in Romania this fixture round. Instead they were destroyed by three goals and unless they can produce an unlikely turnaround when the teams meet again in Spain then this group will be decided early as well. The majestic Lyon are currently topping the table with a 100% record, eight goals for and none against. Who said this was a tough competition? But they always do well at this stage, it remains to be seen if they can finally do themselves justice in the knock out stages.

Group F: At last, another group that still has some meat left in it. FC Copenhagen are struggling somewhat but they are the epitome of a team that is only here for the beer. No goals and not much hope either but their fans are wonderful. Manchester United are Champions League veterans on the other hand and they are taking this group at a canter. The way the fixtures worked out, their only real challenge in the opening half was in Lisbon and they defeated Benfica by a single goal. They are one more win away from putting their feet up and that should come in Copenhagen in the next round. The Celtic-Benfica contest for second would have been a lot more interesting had the Portuguese not been stranded at the bottom with one point. They can still redeem themselves by beating Celtic in the return fixture but nothing less than a win will keep their interest alive. Even that might not be enough as Celtic have been solid at home and should take something off Manchester United's reserves or even win in Copenhagen. Celtic have never escaped a Champions League group but they are now odds on favourites to match the achievement of arch rivals Rangers last year.

Group G: A contest! Not only that but a proper three-way contest. CSKA Moscow won the UEFA Cup recently so they can clearly play the game but they were still expected to be the weak relation here. Instead, they have more than held their own and a win over Arsenal put them top of the group. If they can hold the Gunners to a draw in the Emirates Stadium in the return match they will be looking very good to qualify. Arsenal, not for the first time, had all kinds of excuses to explain away the loss in Moscow but they were simply outplayed. It is not yet beyond comprehension that last year's finalists could go out at the group stage. FC Porto hammered Hamburg in their last match and assuming they can beat the Germans again they will also be feeling confident. Hamburg have been utterly dismal both at home and abroad all season and they will be eager to forget this campaign. But for neutrals this game is heading for a mouth-watering conclusion - do or die in the last game when Porto play Arsenal and Moscow will still need a result in Hamburg to progress. This is the Champions League as it should be.

Group H: This group is the equivalent of the pretty girl next door that gradually takes your attention away from the stunner on TV. AC Milan are a well known European aristocrats at this level but Lille, Anderlecht and AEK Athens are all street fighters. Anderlecht in particular seem to be serial underachievers in the Champions League yet due to being virtually the only club in Belgium they appear year after year. They may still be in contention after the next round - they will inevitably lose in Milan, giving AC a prominent position to go through in doing so - but only if AEK can beat Lille in Athens. If Lille win they are all but through with Milan while alternatively a Greek win would through the group into chaos. Any of the smaller three sides could go through so some exciting games would be guaranteed even if the quality will not be too high. However Lille knocked Manchester United out last season and they should possess just that little bit more than their competitors. This one is more worthy of attention than some groups but it is some way from the dream football one imagines is played in the Champions League.

It is clear that UEFA were obliged to extend the Champions League to such an extent that it was all but impossible for the big clubs to miss out. The result is that the group stages, particularly early on, are dull and even the big clubs aren't too interested. They know that even if they lose at the beginning they still have several chances for redemption. The biggest point of interest is Barcelona. Many teams naturally coast when they can but they don't always manage to jump out of it quickly when danger arises. Barcelona v Chelsea in the next round is the match of the tournament so far as it will show whether the champions can strike back. If they can't, UEFA will be devastated to lose such a big draw so soon in the competition but fans in West London and Bremen may afford themselves a chortle. Many groups are finished as a contest already but there should still be excitement generated by Group G - three teams of roughly equal ability and all in with a chance. This is the one group where quality sides - Arsenal, Porto and CSKA Moscow - should all be in with a chance of qualifying going into the last match. This is what the Champions League is all about as it is the one chance for a league system to match the drama afforded by a straight knock out format and it will be a great night!

Roman Abramovich wanted him. The Russian billionaire trailed the prolific Ukrainian striker for over two years before finally able to acquire him. It was the ultimate trophy signing, even for Chelsea. Shevchenko, the former European Footballer of the Year, was in many people's eyes the best striker in the world. His scoring record in the defence tight Serie A is unbelievable, and his former club, AC Milan, was adamant that the striker was not for sale and the superstar declared his loyalty to his club and his fans. Eventually, the power of money prevailed. Mr. Abramovich wined and dined Mr. Shevchenko. Mrs. Abramovich shopped with Mrs. Shevchenko. The 30 million pounds offer for the then 29 year old was too good for even AC Milan to turn down. It was never clear how much Chelsea's manager, Jose Mourinho, wanted Shevchenko. There is no question that he was the billionaire chairman's acquisition, and not the manager's. Now that Shevchenko is at Chelsea, along with another huge signing, Germany captain Michael Ballack, it should be safe to assume the Blues are going to destroy every opponent, right? Not exactly.

Shevchenko has only found the net once in the Premiership, and seemed unable to adapt to the way Chelsea play. It is always difficult for foreign players to adapt to the Premiership. Arsenal's manager, Arsene Wenger believes that even good players need at least half a season to get used to the pace, the physicality, and the mentality of Premiership football. Some of the greatest players in the Premier League had a rough time in the beginning. Dennis Bergkamp took a while to score his first goal, and so did Thierry Henry. Robert Pires needed half a season to adapt. It is only two months into the season; maybe it is too early to judge Shevchenko. On the other hand, some big signings from abroad never got used to the Premiership, notably Juan Pablo Veron of Man U or Sergei Rebrov, Shevchenko's former Dynamo Kiev teammate, of Tottenham Hotspurs. So can Shevchenko adapt to the Premiership? Only time will tell.

Apparently, one of the main reasons Shevchenko wanted to relocate to London was to learn English, so that he could communicate with his American wife in her native language. I am sure Mrs. Shevchenko appreciates her husband's intention, but are Chelsea the right club for him, for footballing reasons? At AC Milan, he was supported by the likes of Kaka, Pirlo, and Rui Costa, who are all excellent passers of the ball, and they consistently fed their star striker delicious through balls. At Chelsea, there is Frank Lampard, who likes to take his chance to shoot. He looks like a hero when he hits the target, but it is just a waste of possession when he misses, which unfortunately for Chelsea (and England) is most of the time. Then there is Claude Makelele, whose defensive function is similar to Pirlo at Milan, but without Pirlo's offensive abilities. Essien is also a defensive player, though the African likes to attack, he is not known for his delicate passing. Joe Cole and Robben like to run at opponents, in other words, they are quite selfish. Finally, Michael Ballack has his own problems of adapting to the English game, and Mourinho still has to figure out how to work both Ballack and Lampard in the same lineup. Deprived of those penetrating through balls, Shevchenko is left to chase after long balls, which is definitely not his style. It is more Didier Drogba's style, which is why he is doing so well now. Drogba's fine form now is another example of foreign players needing a season or so to adapt, as he was considered a big waste of money last season, although I believe that his form is more due to the presence of Shevchenko distracting the opponents than his own doing.

It comes back to Shevchenko being an Roman Abramovich buy rather than a Jose Mourinho buy. Say what you want about Mourinho (and there is a LOT you can say about this guy), he knows his system. If Shevchenko continues to underperform, it would be very interesting to see if Mourinho would drop him. The manager likes to be the one, and the only one, in charge. So how would his billionaire chairman react if that happens, especially if Mourinho fails to deliver the Champions League trophy at the end of the season?

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18 Oct 2006
Champions League group A
Chelsea 1 Barcelona 0

Didier Drogba continued his great form to score the winner for Chelsea. The Ivory Coast striker received a good pass from Ashley Cole, made a clever turn before unleashing a powerful drive into the net to score the only goal of the match. Drogba was excellent throughout the match. He tirelessly involved in attack and defence, and was instrumental in stifling Barcelona's chances. In stark contrast was his striking partner, Andrei Shevchenko, whose goal drought seems to be putting increasing pressure on the Ukrainian's confidence.

Even though this victory might ultimately be of no great consequence, it was still a sweet revenge for Chelsea after being eliminated from last year's competition by the Spanish side. The pressure now is on Barcelona to get a result at home in two weeks' time.

Frank Rijkaard's side did not show their normal flair, with Ronaldinho making little impact. Khalid Boulahrouz followed him like a shadow throughout the match, and was very impressive in keeping the usually influential Brazilian quiet. On the other side, Ashley Cole had quite a few problems with young Leo Messi, who was booed by the Chelsea supporters every time he touched the ball, which was peculiar since Messi was the one floored by del Horno last season and the Chelsea defender clearly deserved his red card. But then again, anyone who supports Chelsea, at least t he current Chelsea, is peculiar to me.

Third choice keeper Hilario was not really tested enough by Barcelona. The few saves he had to make were all routine saves. Hilario got to play because of the head injuries suffered by Chelsea's first and second choice keepers. It was funny to see people making a big deal out of Chelsea having to play their third choice keeper, as if Hilario had never played football before. The fans even applauded when the keeper simply picked a ball up off the ground. I guess they were pleasantly surprised that Hilario contained himself enough to not throw the ball into his own net. That being said, Barca should have challenged him a lot more than they had done.

The problem with Barcelona is still that they really miss Samuel Eto'o, who is out for at least five months. Against a well organized defence, such as Chelsea's, Eto'o's presence would have made the Chelsea defence's job a lot more difficult and allowed Ronaldinho and Messi more room to operate.

Andrei Shevchenko still finds it hard to impose himself. He wasted a golden opportunity to put Chelsea two goals up. His positioning is fine but he's finishing is just not there.

Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, was his usual arrogant self when he hailed his side's effort,

"It is a great victory, not just the three points but the way we got the three points.

"I just feel sorry we could not kill the game before, because we had many, many chances to score the second goal.

"For the difference between the two sides, I think 1-0 is short. Now we have to think about finishing top."

While Didier Drogba was delighted to score against Barca,

"I was waiting for this for two years now because it was difficult for me to play against Barcelona and not score in four games," he said. "The first game I was sent off. I was happy because my team won [that tie], and last year was very difficult for me because I was on the bench and supporting my partners and they were unlucky not to win. Today we played as a team and with good spirit."

Rijkaard, though, was gracious in defeat,

"Chelsea were maybe bit more unpredictable last year and that's maybe why we are disappointed not to have got anything from the game. They were quicker on the break and faster and this year it's a bit more deliberate.

"We are obviously sad because losing an important game like this is always sad. What we have to do is get on with our own jobs and get some energy for the games ahead. We have got to be confident that we can go out and look for the right results in order to get to the next stage of the Champions League.

Chelsea
Henrique Hilario, Khalid Boulahrouz, Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole, John Terry, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Claude Makelele, Didier Drogba (Salomon Kalou), Andriy Shevchenko (Arjen Robben)

Barcelona
Victor Valdes, Rafael Marquez, Carles Puyol (Presas Oleguer), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Andres Iniesta), Anderson Luis de Souza Deco, Jose Edmilson, Gaucho Ronaldinho, Xavier Hernandez Xavi, Gianluca Zambrotta, Eidur Gudjohnsen (Ludovic Giuly), Lionel Messi

Referee: De Bleeckere, F

Venue: Stamford Bridge

Attendance: 45,999

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17th Oct 2006
CSKA Moscow 1 Arsenal 0

A dubious decision to disallow Henry's late goal condemned Arsenal to their first defeat in seven matches. With the score at 1 - 0 to CSKA Moscow, Henry scored what he thought was an equalizer four minutes from full time, but the referee, M E M Gonzalez adjudged that the Arsenal skipper controlled the ball with his arm, and gave him a yellow card instead. Television replays show that Henry used his chest to control the ball, and the referee got it wrong. It was a frustrating night for Arsenal even before that referee error. Manager Arsene Wenger was right to complain about the poor conditions of the pitch, just like Frank Rijkaard was right to complain about Chelsea's pitch last season. For a Champions League match, it should be a basic requirement that the playing surface be of a certain standard. The muddy conditions seriously dampened Arsenal's sleek passing game and CSKA Moscow were the better side throughout the match.

Brazilian Daniel Carvalho de Silva scored the winner from a 20 yard free kick. After the goal, CSKA Moscow defended intelligently to deny Arsenal any opportunity. Although apart from Henry's disallowed goal, Gilberto Silva also had a goal ruled out.

Thierry Henry was understandably furious after the match, "The referee saw a handball when there wasn't a handball. You will have to ask him why this is so.

"He gave me a yellow for a deliberate handball but if you can see that on the replay I'll give you whatever you want.

"I know it was a clean and clear goal. The keeper and defenders did not call it, only a linesman 60 yards away."

"I asked the referee and the linesman at the end what they saw and they could not tell me what they saw.

"I was fuming; he should have given me a red card for deliberate handball, that would have been the cherry on the cake.

"I just hope that what goes around comes around and it'll be our turn next time."

Arsene Wenger also had a lot to complain about.

"It was a very intense game and we battled back in difficult circumstances, one of which was the quality of the pitch," the Arsenal manager said. "This was an October pitch in Russia.

"Uefa has to look into that because it is not acceptable to play on pitches like that in the Champions League. CSKA are a good side. They deserve a better pitch as well because then they would be much better."

Wenger felt that refereeing of the match was not up to standard,

"The referee has not seen anything; I felt it was a goal." He said of Henry's disallowed goal. "We have to accept sometimes that referees give goals because they do not see things.

"Now we have something new - they cancel goals because they saw things which did not exist. That's a problem."

Russia has always been a tough place for Arsenal. They have lost all three of their matches played there. But Wenger believes that they will be triumphant when the Russian team visits the Emirates Stadium in the next match.

"A Russian team could win the Champions' League in the next decade. Russia's a football country and they have as much money now as everywhere else and they are producing good teams," he said. "But I feel we'll show we can beat them in the second game."

Arsenal needs to win their next match against the Russian side or they will be under pressure from Porto, who won their match against Hamburg. Three matches in, CSKA Moscow are on top of the table, Arsenal 2nd and Porto 3rd.


CSKA Moscow
Igor Akinfeev, Alexey Berezutsky, A, Vassily Berezutsky, V, Sergey Ignashevich, Deividas Semberas, Evgeniy Aldonin (Milos Krasic), Daniel Carvalho da Silva (Ivan Taranov), Alexandro Dudu Cearense, Elver Rahimic, Yuri Zhirkov, Silva Nascimento Vagner Love (Ivica Olic)

Goal: Daniel Carvalho da Silva

Arsenal
Jens Lehmann, Johan Djourou (Gael Clichy), William Gallas, Justin Hoyte, Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabregas, Aleksandr Hleb, Tomas Rosicky (Theo Walcott), Gilberto Silva, Thierry Henry, Robin van Persie (Emmanuel Adebayor)

Referee: Gonzalez, M E M

Venue: Lokomotiv Stadium

Attendance: 36,500

18th Oct 2006
Champions League Group Stage

Chelsea versus Barcelona is becoming one of the biggest rivalries, or one with the most hostility, in European football. Chelsea won round one when they knocked Barca out of the competition in the 04/05 season. Round two went to Barca after Ronaldinho scored one of his magical goals. But it is not just that they are two of the biggest clubs in the world, with Barca with their history and fan base, and Chelsea with owner Roman Abramovich's Russian money. Controversies surround each of the previous meetings, from a respected referee having to retire due to death threats, to Chelsea deliberately making their pitch muddy to stifle Barcelona's passing game, to dubious goal decisions, to players getting red cards. Round three begins tonight at Stamford Bridge.

Admittedly, this fixture does not carry as much importance as last two years', since this is just the group stage and both clubs look likely to progress to the knock out stage. But the grudge factor is still there, and each seeing each other as the biggest obstacle to the Champions League trophy, both would like to score an early psychological blow to their opponents.

With the addition of Andrei Shevchenko and Michael Ballack this season, Chelsea, at least on paper, look to be even stronger than last season. But the jury is still out on the two new signings. The presence of Ballack seem to undermine Frank Lampard's contribution to the team, eve though Lampard is definitely off form right now, it is still obvious that he plays better when Ballack was suspended. While Ukraine international, Shevchenko is one of the most prolific Champions League scorers in the world, he still has not adapted to the Chelsea style of play. Sending long ball for him to chase is very different from the penetrating service he used to receive at AC Milan. However, his presence seems to have benefited Drogba. The Ivory Coast striker has been in fine form this season.

Chelsea's two main keepers are both out injured from the Reading match over the weekend. Petr Cech, one of the best keepers in the world may be out as long as six months, which is a huge blow to Chelsea. So for tonight's match, manager Jose Mourinho may have to rely on his third choice keeper Hilario. Is he the weak link? Alberto de Silva, a football journalist in Portugal, seems to think so,

"He is a man who will always do a job to the best of his ability, but he's not a great talent," De Silva told BBC Sport.

"I'm sure Mourinho thought he would have to use him at some point this season, but not in the Champions League against Barcelona."

"Mourinho found in him a good companion, not a classic goalkeeper," De Silva said.

"He is someone he can talk to and confide in, a real ally in the squad. And he has the maturity and experience to cope with hardly being in the team."

On the other hand, Barcelona's star striker, Samuel Eto'o is out with a long term injury, but manager Frank Rijkaard does have former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen to call upon.

Ronaldinho is getting his form back after a lackluster World Cup. He had a good performance in the 3-1 win over title challengers Sevilla over the weekend. Leo Messi is also playing well. With so many world class attacking talents, Barca present a very different challenge to Chelsea than what they are used to in the Premiership. Chelsea is playing an increasingly narrow game, but Barca love the use the width of the pitch, so it will be interesting to see how Mourinho deals with this.

Ronaldinho, recently nominated again for the FIFA World Footballer of the Year award, is looking forward to facing Chelsea.

"The Barcelona team is growing with every match we play. All together we are improving game by game," he said.

"I am so looking forward to the game. This soccer match is an event, and as always I will try to entertain.

"The motivation is high for Champions League games like this one, but you can't beat playing in these matches.

"The fans value triumphs against the biggest teams so much, so we are going to go out there and try and make them happy."


My Prediction: Chelsea 1 Barcelona 1

17th Oct 2006
Manchester United 3 FC Copenhagen 0

At the end it was a comfortable victory, but there were some nervous moments early on for Man Utd. Sir Alex Ferguson's side started the match with intention to attack. Within the first minute, Louis Saha was clear on goal, but Copenhagen keeper, Jesper Christiansen, made a superb save to deny Man Utd a dream start to the match. Christiansen continued to impress with a string of tremendous saves.

Man Utd dominated the early going, but gradually FC Copenhagen took over the midfield with some sleek passing. Michael Carrick, the 18million pound new signing, again failed to make his presence felt, and lost possessions far too easily. In fact, one of his mistakes almost led to a Copenhagen goal. Even though Copenhagen displayed some skills in the buildups, they lacked bite to their finishing.

It was an open game from the start with both sides not afraid to attack. Wayne Rooney, made captain in the absence of Gary Neville, seemed to have shrugged off his recent slump, and he almost scored his first Champions League goal in two years when he just narrowly failed to connect with a brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo cross.

About five minutes before half time, Saha made a simple pass to Paul Scholes outside the box, and Scholes fired a powerful shot into the corner to make it 1 - 0 to Man U. Scholes, who has retired from international football, has been very impressive this season. It would be interesting to see if he could be persuaded into wearing the England shirt again, especially with Frank Lampard not delivering the goods. In the first minute after the re-start, Ronaldo's corner hit the back foot of John O'Shea and gave Christiansen no chance. With two goals up, Man U were in complete control.

Alan Smith and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came on as substitutes. Both are coming back from long term injuries. Then Kieran Richardson came on for the excellent Paul Scholes. In the 83rd minute, Richardson capped a fine Man U display by scoring from 25 yards out. Christiansen dived the wrong way and the ball slipped into the net under him, which marred an otherwise good overall performance.

Sir Alex Ferguson was proud of his young team. He said: "I think they have proved themselves. They have grown up.

"They don't want to have any more embarrassments and they played well into the bargain.

"We had to make sure the pace of the game was quick and I think it was a good performance and a good result.

"I said at half-time we had to kill the game off. We should have done it in the first half with the opportunities we had."

He was also happy with Wayne Rooney's performance. "He's quite possibly the youngest player to captain United, he was fantastic and his form is back, as we expected.

"He had joked about it last season - he said within earshot of Roy Keane that he should be captain and that Keane was finished - Roy didn't exactly enjoy that but it was just a wind-up."

Rooney added: "We're really pleased, we got three goals and three points and it was an important win. We had a lot of chances but at the end of the day we're just happy to get three points. Obviously there were a few injuries and Giggsy was ill so just before we went out I got the armband. I was pleased with that but it wasn't the main issue of the night. My form is getting better; I was pleased with how I played against Wigan and again in this game. I think I'm more or less back to my best and my performances are okay."

With three wins out of three, Man U only have to win at Copenhagen in the next match to ensure qualification to the second round.

Man Utd
Edwin Van der Sar, Wes Brown, Patrice Evra, John O'Shea, Nemanja Vidic, Michael Carrick (Ole Gunnar Solskjaer), Darren Fletcher, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes (Kieran Richardson), Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha (Alan Smith)

FC Copenhagen
Jesper Christiansen, Michael Gravgaard, Brede Paulsen Hangeland, Lars Jacobsen, Oscar Wendt, Atiba Hutchinson, Tobias Linderoth, Hjalte Bo Norregaard (William Kvist), Michael Silberbauer (Martin Bergvold), Marcus Allback, Fredrik Berglund (Razak Pimpong)

Referee: Wegereef, J

Venue: Old Trafford

Attendance: 72,020

Each year, the caliber of play in the major leagues is categorized by specific numerical thresholds. For hitters, there are five marks that garner the most attention. There is the 200 hit season, the .300 batting average, 100 runs scored or driven in, and 40 or more homers. All players reaching those thresholds are considered to have had excellent seasons.

Pitching also has its set of numbers as well. For starting pitchers, the most notable yardstick is a 20 win season. But three other numbers represent excellent performances, 200 innings pitched, 200 strikeouts, and in today's juiced up era, an ERA below 3.00. Again, all pitchers reaching these marks are considered to have had superb seasons.

When folks look at the 2006 season, there is talk of the quick exit of the Yankees as being one of the season's biggest surprises. But the biggest surprise in fact this year was represented by a very rare situation for baseball when starting pitchers and their victory totals are studied.

This past year, neither the American nor the National League produced a single 20 game winner. The misstep in the American League was minuscule as two pitchers, the Minnesota Twins Johan Santana and the New York Yankees Chien-Ming Wang each won 19 games.

But in the National League, though 11 pitchers won 15 or 16 games each, 16 represented the best mark by any pitcher. Aaron Harang of the Cincinnati Reds, Derek Lowe and Brad Penny of the Los Angeles Dodgers, John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves, Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs, and Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks created a six way tie in taking home that top honor in winning just 16 games each.

The fact that there were no 20 game winners in either league was a major league first if strike years are excluded. In fact, only six other times in major league history has the league leader in wins not won at least 20 games in a season. And never before has a league winner led their respective league with just 16 wins.

Prior to this year, three times in each league, the top pitcher had won only 18 or 19 games. For the National League three pitchers won 19 games in 1931, one pitcher won 19 in 1983, and one pitcher won 18 games in 1987. In the American League, three pitchers won 18 games in 1955, two won 18 games in 1960, and one won 19 games in 1982.

In fact, in ML baseball history, there have been 18 occurrences when the league leader won 30 or more games, meaning there has been three times as many 30 game winners leading the league as years where the top winner had fewer than 20 wins. And nine of those 16 times, the league leader won 32 games or more, or twice as many games as the top National League winners in 2006.

In comparison, twice in baseball history, the top two winners combined for at least 76 wins, roughly twice the number of the top two American League hurlers in 06 and nearly 2.5 times as many as the top two pitchers in the National League. In 1908, Ed Walsh won 40 games and Christy Mathewson 37, while in 1904, Jack Chesbro won 41 games and Joe McGinnity 35. Of course today's pitchers seldom get 35 starts during the entire season.

For many the biggest surprise was the Yankees going down so early. But for the baseball purists, 2006 goes down as the year that pitching may really have been as bad as everyone claimed it to be.

By Tovash Hatcher

Ok boys and girls, the NFL actually was a little competitive on Sunday and Monday night. Now that's the NFL that I'm used to!! Games came down to final kicks, quarterbacks struggled, superstars flourished, and coaches were their usual selves. Being a football fan, week 6 was even a little too unpredictable for yours truly. "That is why they play the game" I guess.

Show of hands of how many of you stayed up to watch the Monday night game pairing the Cardinals against the best team in the NFL Chicago Bears. Back in 2004, the New York Yankees had the Boston Red Sox down 3 games to none. Believe it on not, the Sox came back to capture the series 4 games to 3 and ultimately win the World Series. In 1995 Reggie Miller single-handedly shot the Pacers right back into a seemingly Knicks' win by hitting two 3 pointers with less than 8 seconds remaining in a game. If you are a fan of the game, there's no way you could have turned the game off when the Arizona Cardinals had a 20-0 lead on the Bears, right? If you went to bed early figuring that the game was over try not to be shocked the rest of this report. Despite 6 Rex Grossman turnovers (4 INTs, 2 fumbles), the Bears and that nasty defense was able to steal the game that felt like the Super Bowl to the Cardinals. Rookie Matt Leinart was very impressive on the big stage by going 24/42 with 232 yards and 2 TDs. The Cardinals got nothing from RB Edgerrin James who carried the ball 36 times for only 55 yards. Credit that to the Bears defense. James is on the wrong side of the record books with that performance. That many carries and only producing that few amount of yards resulted in James setting an NFL record. Late in the 4th quarter the Bears ran a punt back for a touchdown and captured the lead at the same time at 24-23. With just under 5 minutes remaining, Matt Leinart was able to get the Cardinals into field goal position. With 49 tics to go, the sure-footed Neil Rackers came out to put a bandage on the Cardinals' wounds and try to salvage a win for the Cards. The kick hooked wide left and the Bears pull off an amazing comeback win on Monday Night Football. Cardinals head coach Dennis Green was livid after the game saying that they knew how the Bears were going to come out ready for that game. And that was the watered down version.

Picture the movie King Kong. The locals capture a cute blonde, tie her up, and placed her at the top of a cliff where she is donning a white dress that's probably not her size and by the way, it's a little dirty at the bottom. Did I mention shoes? Well, she didn't have any on. All of a sudden, a rumbling comes from deep in the woods. A huge ape appears out of nowhere and snatches up the young woman and disappears into the woods. The Dallas Cowboys played the role of King Kong Sunday afternoon against the Houston Texans. Coming off a tough loss in that hornet's nest know as Lincoln Financial in Philadelphia, the Cowboys got a chance to get some good home cooking in Texas Stadium. The Houston Texans owed a 1-0 series lead against Dallas and were looking to go up 2-0. And let me go on record to say that the Texans are nowhere near being a good football team. They faced a Cowboy team that was a little angry. The first half wasn't an indication on how the Cowboys dominated this team. In fact, I yawned all the way thru it. The Texans added a late field goal and headed to the locker room with a 6-3 lead. Boos echoed from the crowd in Texas Stadium as the fans did not enjoy watching such a lack-luster 1st half performance. I guess Mr. Parcells had a few words with the team because I saw a different Dallas Cowboys team in the 2nd half. The boys put up 31 consecutive points and did it in an impressive fashion. Terrell Owens, a constant media magnet, was constantly in the end-zone on Sunday. Owens grabbed 3 TD passes including 2 from Drew Bledsoe and one from backup QB Tony Romo. That kept the Cowboy faithful on their feet. Owens also made a play on one of the touchdown passes by adjusting to a ball that was caught in between two Texans defenders. He then followed the score up by doing a TO-type touchdown celebration. Bledsoe played a mistake free game by throwing 17-28 for 168 yards and 2 TDs. Cowboys RB Julius Jones also had himself another good game as well by gaining 106 yards on the ground. Everyone knew that the Cowboys had to come out and win this game in blowout fashion. Did anybody order a sacrificial lamb with fries and a drink? The Cowboys devour the Texans 34-6.

Let's take a poll question real quick: Did the Eagles have a chance against the red hot New Orleans Saints in the Superdome? While sitting at home on my couch eating hamburger helper, I had the clicker in hand keeping an eye on the Eagles/Saints match-up. I'll be the first to say that the Los Angeles Clippers of the NFL used to be a cute little football success story. NOW, THE SAINTS PUT FEAR INTO THE REST OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. At 5-1 New Orleans is a real contender in this league. They have what it takes to win at just about every position on the field. The wide receiving core, led by veteran Joe Horn is solid. Rookie WR Marques Colston is having himself a magical season so far as well. And who can forget about Reggie Bush and his presence on the field? The Saints will be a playoff discussion this year, trust me. On Sunday they were able to finish off a game where the Eagles and their great offense made a comeback. McNabb was able to quickly carve up the Saints defense by throwing 2 TD strikes and tying the game up at 17-17. Philadelphia then went ahead 24-17 early in the 4th quarter on a Reggie Brown TD run. However, the Saints showed a ton of maturity by not panicking and scoring on a Joe Horn reception. They knotted the score up at 24-24. With time winding down in the 4th quarter the Saints trotted out John Carney to attempt a 31-yard field goal. The time expired as the kick sailed thru the uprights for a HUGE 27-24 New Orleans Saints victory.

As the season gets older, the games just keep getting better. I'm already counting down the days to Sunday. Enjoy the rest of the week.

I'm Tovash Hatcher

The 5-0 Chicago Bears came into the Arizona desert with a certain amount of swagger in their step. This was to be expected, as the defense was one of the best in the league and the Rex Grossman-led offense was averaging 31 points per game. The Bears, like nearly everyone else, figured that the game against the 1-4 Cardinals and their rookie quarterback Matt Leinart would be a cakewalk, a chance to show off in front of a national Monday Night Football audience.

But things didn't quite go the way the Bears expected, at least for the first three quarters of the game. On Chicago's opening drive, Grossman went deep for favorite target Bernard Berrian, but missed him by about a foot. Who knew that that would be the closest the Bears offense would get to making a big play the entire night? The Bears went three-and-out and punted the ball away.

Leinart and the Arizona offense took the field at their own 23 yard line, and everyone basically waited to see what the Bears defense would throw at the rookie in just his second NFL start. But Leinart took the first snap out of the shotgun and found dependable wide receiver Anquan Boldin for a quick five yards. On the next play, running back Edgerrin James was stopped for a one-yard loss, and that would be the only stop that the Chicago defense would make on the entire drive. The Cardinals then reeled off 10 consecutive plays for positive yardage, with the drive culminating in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Leinart to Bryant Johnson. All of a sudden, the Cardinals were up 7-0 after putting together a nice 77-yard drive that took 6:52 off the game clock.

After both teams posted a couple of defensive stops, the Cardinals forced Grossman into the first of what would be four interceptions on the night. Grossman, looking to make something happen, tried to force the ball to Muhsin Muhammad despite tight coverage. Aaron Francisco stepped in front of Muhammad, grabbed the ball, and returned it 44 yards the other way. The Cardinals offense would start the next drive from the Chicago 25, and two plays later, working out of the shotgun, Leinart would connect with Boldin for a 26-yard touchdown. Now it was 14-0 Cardinals, and the Bears were clearly stunned and playing back on their heels.

Things would pretty much continue in this vein through most of the 3rd Quarter. Then, with the Cardinals up 23-3, the offense began a drive at their own 15 yard line. After James was stopped in the backfield for no gain, Chicago defensive end Mark Anderson got to Leinart on the next play and stripped the ball away. Safety Mike Brown was right there to scoop the ball up and waltz three yards into the end zone. With just :08 left in the 3rd Quarter, the Bears had just made it a 23-10 game.

That was still a comfortable lead, and if the Cardinals defense continued playing the way they had been for most of the game and if the offense could just run as much time off the clock as possible whenever they had the ball, Arizona would be in great shape.

The Cardinals defense did all they could to help the cause. They continued to swarm Grossman at every opportunity and came up with another big interception on a 4th down play deep in Arizona territory. Then they came up with another interception a couple of series later. When all was said and done, the Cardinals defense created 6 turnovers on the night (all on Rex Grossman): four interceptions and two fumbles. The result of these turnovers was that the Bears offense gained a total of 168 yards on the night and scored three points of their own, and the Cardinals were still leading 23-10 with just over 5 minutes left to play in regulation.

Then the unthinkable happened. The Cardinals gave the game away. Arizona had the ball at their own 40 and were embarking on what could have been the game-killing drive. All they had to do was run three or four minutes off the clock, and get into field goal range or pin the Bears deep in their own territory with a good punt. Towards that end, the offensive coordinator was calling in running plays. On the first play of the drive, James was dropped for a loss of one yard. On the second play, Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher got to James and knocked the ball loose. It was picked up by Charles Tillman who took it 40 yards the other way for a Chicago touchdown. The score was now 23-17 with 5:00 left to play.

The Cardinals began their next drive on their own 19 and managed to move the ball 14 yards while taking 1:43 off the game clock before having to punt. Devin Hester, the rookie return man that Chicago drafted in the second round, fielded the punt at the Bears 17 yard line. He got a couple of good blocks, then turned on the jets and took off. Eighty-three yards later, he was standing in the end zone and the Bears had just pulled off a miracle. Robbie Gould's extra point made the game 24-23 in favor of Chicago. However, there were still nearly three minutes left, which was plenty of time for the Cardinals to get into field goal range.

And the Cardinals did just that. Leinart never looked like a rookie out there. Instead, he had so much presence and command that it felt like we were watching him in his senior year at USC. He took the Cardinals all the way to the Chicago 23 yard line, setting up a 40-yard field goal attempt for Pro Bowl kicker Neil Rackers. In an ending that couldn't have been scripted any better for Chicago fans, Rackers missed pulled the kick to the left and the Bears walked away with the win.

It was an ugly victory, but it just goes to show how determined the Chicago team is. They tried hard for the entire 60 minutes and never gave up despite being thoroughly outplayed for three quarters of the game. When the offense couldn't get anything going, the defense stepped up and made things happen. And Devin Hester did exactly what the Bears expected him to when they drafted him: he created a spark on special teams and sealed the victory. From here on out, don't expect coach Lovie Smith's team to be surprised by any other opponents. The Bears will go into their bye week with plenty of things to work on.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, are left to stew in another gut-wrenching loss.

By Kevin Morales

* Let's start with Monday Night Football. What a game! Everyone across the country, whether fans of the Bears or Cardinals or not, were glued to their TVs until the very last play of the game last night.

Personally, I was rooting for the Cardinals because I hate how Bears fans all of a sudden think Chicago is the best team ever, but it was just a classic football slugfest that caught everyone's attention regardless of the outcome.

Tony Kornhieser, columnist for the Washington Post and color man for the Monday Night crew has recently been writing columns about how he thinks Monday Night Football may have already reached its peak with ratings because MNF is hitting a stretch of, supposedly, less than exciting matchups.

Well, if the games continue to be as hard fought and exciting as last night's, I don't think Tony and ESPN have anything to worry about.

Now back to the game.

First of all, how good did Matt Leinart look in that first quarter? I know he's a rookie, and I'm not quite ready to say he's going to be a great NFL quarterback just yet, but even the harshest critic has to admit that he looked cool, calm and collected while picking apart that Bears secondary for two first-quarter touchdowns -- the first TDs the Bears have given up in the first quarter all season!

He impressed me with his legs too. Everyone knows this Bears D is one of the best in the league, but Leinart rolled out and sidestepped his way to giving Arizona a 14-0 lead over the team many have already crowned as Super Bowl champs.

While Leinart looked good, I have to inquire, what is wrong with Edgerin James? I know his O-line is subpar and teams don't have to respect the Cardinal passing game like they did in Indianapolis, but still. I expect more from a former Pro Bowler. I mean, even when Edge did have running room and got to the holes, he looked sluggish. There were a few times when he had a big hole in front of him and got tripped up or went a different direction and just didn't make the big plays we've come to expect from him.

And speaking of offensive players with lackluster play, let me take a moment to address the Bears' entire offense.

I have to admit, I was happy to see the choke job those guys displayed last night.

I'm sick of hearing sports columnists, fans and fans that happen to be my friends, talk about how the "Bears have the best offense in the NFL."

Really? The Bears? I'm sorry, I just don't buy it.

Let's start with "Sexy Rexy" Grossman.

I've been hearing for weeks now how Grossman has finally come into his own as an NFL quarterback and how he's the best quarterback in the league. People have been comparing him to legit NFL stars like Brett Favre and Peyton Manning.

Listen, I think Bears fans have a reason to say this has been a successful season for Grossman just because we're six weeks in and he's still healthy!

But to say it's successful because Grossman has come into his own and become one of the best? No way! If you've watched the Bears this season, you've seen Grossman in action. He should have had double the number of interceptions he had at Minnesota and he should have had two more than he had last night because the Cardinal DBs can't seem to haul in passes thrown right at them.

In my opinion, Grossman has had one great game, one abysmal game and a few mediocre games that would have been abysmal had the defenses capitalized on his mistakes like they could have.

He's got potential to be a good quarterback, but not great. When I can say I've watched an entire game and Grossman didn't throw an errant pass right to the opposition, then I'll be a little easier on him. But if you watched him play last night, you asked yourself at least 10 times "Rex, what was that?"

Then there's the new kid on the block Bernard Berrian. Bears fans, he's a rookie! He's looked good early on, I'll admit it. But with teams loading up on Mushin Muhammad on the other side, it isn't all that difficult for him to get open (see Reggie Wayne). Once defenses start giving Berrian some attention, we'll see how good he looks.

Berrian, who didn't get double teamed at all last night, still didn't do anything against a lackluster Arizona defense.

To be fair, I do think the Bears have a great defense that will carry them into the playoffs, but I'm not buying their offense. Don't tell me they are anywhere close to the best offenses in the league.

If the argument that they have only had success against bad defenses doesn't sway you, now people can say the Bears have looked terrible against a bad defense as well.

While I think the Bears D can only take them so far, they sure did the job yesterday. I, and the entire city of Chicago, needs to praise them for never giving up, stepping up their play and ripping the win out of the Cardinals' talons (Do Cardinals have talons?).

Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher was a man possessed in the second half of that game and proved why he is the face of that franchise. His play, which I believe sparked that entire defense, is just another reason why he will be considered among the great lineage of Bears linebackers once his career is complete.

It takes a once-in-a-lifetime player to make such a difference in a football game without even touching the ball, and Urlacher definitely is one of those. If he doesn't make that strip of James late in the fourth, the Bears don't win.

I know the entire defense is great, but he is the greatest of the great.

I was intrigued by his post game comments about how Arizona wasn't even blocking him.
What? They weren't blocking Brian freakin' Urlacher? How can that be?

Well, the Arizona O-line, which has come under intense scrutiny from fans, media and even head coach Denny Green laid a big ol' egg last night.

First, no one picked up Mark Anderson on Leinart's fumble that led to Chicago's first touchdown of the game.

If you watched the game you saw how, literally, absolutely nobody touched Anderson off the line and he had a full head of steam when he blindsided Leinart to cause the fumble.

That's unacceptable.

I know the Cardinals tackle thought there was a blitz coming up the middle, but there wasn't. Green was quoted as saying how half of his lineman make over $3 million and they need to step up their play. This is what he was talking about.

How do you let the guy standing right in front of you ran past without touching him?
Not acceptable.

Furthermore, where was Edge? People say he's among the best pass blockers in the league, but he was no where to be seen on that play.

The O-line was bad all day long, however, especially in the running game. I know I ripped James a bit before, but the O-line isn't helping him at all.

In the most critical moment, the third-and-two late in the fourth quarter that would've sealed it for the Cardinals, the line couldn't make a big enough hole for James to get two yards.

C'mon, it's two yards! Are you kidding me? At the biggest moment in the biggest game of the season for Arizona they can't suck it up and give James enough room for a two-yard gain? You've got to be kidding me.

The special teams play from both Chicago and Arizona was interesting last night as well. First, how fast is Devin Hester? He found the gaping hole in the less-than-spectacular punt coverage from Arizona and was gone in an instant.

While I wanted Arizona to pull it out, I was amazed when Hester stepped up for his team and delivered an unbelievable return.

On the flip side, Neil Rackers, you're a kicker, make field goals.

Last season, Rackers was the best kicker in the league. What a difference a year makes.

Not only did Rackers miss what would have been a game-winning field goal last week, but he missed his first attempt of the game last night and then went wide left again on the last kick.

He better be careful because kickers are replaceable and on a short leash. As a kicker, you don't do as much as the other players, so when your number is called, especially on a game-winning 41 yarder, you are expected to deliver. When you don't, for two weeks in a row, coaches and owners get mad and you get a pink slip.

The next thing you know, the Cardinals will have signed some old kicker from way back to take your place. Oh wait, the Falcons already signed Mort Anderson. Well, I'm sure there's someone out there.

Hell, they might be better off just signing Doug Flutie and having him drop-kick a few field goals in.
And speaking of coaches, I genuinely do feel bad for Green. I know his play calling was questioned last night after he went Schottemhiemer-style late in the game, but what was he supposed to do?

Remember, he's got a rookie at the helm. If he continues to throw and Leinart fumbles again or throws a pick, can you imagine the scrutiny Green would be under?

Instead of accusing him of being too conservative, people would say "what were you doing having your rookie QB throw late in the game?"

Also, is it too much to ask to have your running attack be able to pick you up a few yards -- especially late in the game when the D-line is tired and battered?

I don't think Green should take most of the blame for last night's result. Some, sure, but not most.

He didn't fumble like Leinart and James. He didn't do a bad job of blocking. If I were him, I would've ran the ball late too.

Green's frustration came out after the game in his postgame press conference when he had what can only be described as a meltdown. Now, remember, this is the second-consecutive game Arizona lost when they had a 14-point lead in the first quarter. Two-straight games where they led by two TDs in the first quarter and they ended up losing. It apparently made Green's blood boil and inspired these comments after the game:
"The Bears are who we thought they were!" he said, yelling at the top of his lungs and pounding on the podium at his postgame press conference. "Now, if you want to crown them, then crown their ass! But they are who they thought they were! And we let them off the hook!"

If you've actually heard it on the radio or seen it on TV, you know Green went off the deep end. And, honestly, I can't really blame him.

The pieces are in place in Arizona, they just need to get over the hump. And when you can't do that week after week on football's biggest stage, that will get to anyone.

* Whew! Alright, that was quite the ramble, but let's move on past MNF. How about those Tigers? Geez, if you could describe anyone's season as "rollercoster," it would be these guys.

Kudos to them, however, for sticking with it mentally. It's easy to give up mentally when you go through the type of plunge they did late in the season, but they've pulled it together and believed they belong in the postseason.

What the Tigers have done, especially for a team like Milwaukee (my favorite), is show just how much quality starting pitching can do for you.
Seriously, how old is Kenny Rogers? He's old. Look at him. But he can still go seven, eight innings and keep his team in the game.

Teams don't need guys that are going to strike out 20 every game, they need consistency and guys that can stay healthy won't give up the big plays.

Granted, that's easier said than done.

* What do you think when you hear "Miami Hurricanes?"
I'll tell you what I think: criminals, arrests, drugs, pompous athletes who don't understand there is more to life than sports and who think they can get away with anything.

I don't care about how good the athletes are at the 'U' and I don't care how many national championships they've won.

All I know is that throughout my life Miami has had the stigma of being a team associated with the things I mentioned before.

The Hurricanes are still associated with those thoughts and the stigma's cloud, which appeared to be breaking up under the coaching of Butch Davis and Larry Cocher.

Unfortunately, the players and program apparently haven't changed over the years, which is evident by the brawl or "riot" as Jim Rome calls it with the players from Florida International University.

I'm sure most of you reading this have already seen it on TV, and agree how disgusting a display it was.

Players hitting other players with helmets? Gang-stomping an opposing player on the ground? Even hitting each other crutches?

In the infamous words of Vince Lombardi, "what the hell's going on out here?"

I don't care who started it, it's just unacceptable. Here are players who are receiving full rides to a big college, playing in front of tens of thousands of people (including children) who admire them and, for some, they are players trying to make it to the next level.

Long story short: life isn't (or wasn't) that hard as a D-I football player.

And I hate to say it and make it a racial issue, but most of the scenes shown on ESPN and TV stations across the country depict black athletes fighting and beating on other black athletes.

Not only does the fight reinforce the stereotype of athletes (and athletics) being all about big dumb guys with over-inflated egos and too much bravado, but it also gives an avenue for racists stuck in the pre-civil rights era to feel secure in their opinions.

You know the same people who think African-Americans are good athletes but that's about it, yeah, they loved seeing that fight. Something like that just adds fuel to their ignorant fire. And I hate to say it, but Southern Florida is probably just about the worst place for that to occur.

What might be even more absurd than the fight itself may be Miami's handling of the situation.

"We didn't start it," was the official statement following the game.

Hmmmmm, I'm pretty sure that excuse didn't work in grade school when you got into a tiff with the kid sitting next to you, and I'm pretty sure that's the lamest excuse I've ever heard coming from a Division I football program regarding something that happened on the field.

I mean, everyone has already seen it. Miami's reputation, which preceded this incident, has already been further soiled, so just man up Miami.

Quit coming up with excuses, man up and just admit your players messed up.

This kind of stuff always seems to happen with the Hurricanes (third time this season alone they've had an on-field altercation), so everyone knows it's not an isolated incident.

Man up, apologize and take action, that's what a respectable program and school would do.

No such luck with the 'Canes, however, who one-upped their elementary excuse by handing out pitiful penalties.

While FIU, who no one cares about because they are FIU, kicked players off the team and suspended 18 (I believe) players, Miami's big swooping penalty came in the form of extending safety Anthony Reddick's suspension to "indefinitely."

Are you kidding me? That's the big punishment that's supposed to start to change the culture of thuggism in the Miami program?

That is terrible.

If a smaller school like FIU -- which will feel the effects of dismissing starters much more than Miami -- can release its players, I think Miami has to do the same thing.

I know they suspended 12 players, but that's not enough. Players who participate in that sort of thing don't deserve a spot on the roster or a scholarship.

I mean think about it, if you're a Miami alum who has donated your hard-earned cash to endow a football scholarship and you see the player who is playing due to your scholarship money stomping somebody or smacking them with crutches or a helmet, what are you thinking?

I'm thinking that I can't believe I donated my money to support this cocky, misbehaved and self-serving kid who thinks it's alright to participate in a fight on the field.

If that were me, I wouldn't be donating anymore, at least not to the football program.

And make no mistake about it, a fight like that will have a devastating trickle down effect.

Do you think TV stations will want to carry that team as much? Do you think merchandisers or equipment outfitters will want their company associated with the Miami Hurricanes? Do you even think fans and alumni will want to continue to support a program like this? I don't think so.

And the saddest part is, as long as Miami keeps letting its players off the hook like this by throwing out lame excuses and handing down soft penalties, the program won't change anytime in the near future.

I think the NCAA has to step in and do something. I know they want to leave it up to the schools to self-impose penalties, but obviously Miami isn't taking a hard enough stance.

The NCAA is so, so strict on players taking money and gifts or benefiting in any way (including things as simple as rides to class) from fans, boosters, administrators and coaches because they want to protect the sanctity of the game and amateur status.

If that's what they want to do, this, a much more serious and dangerous infraction, has to be addressed and dealt with by the NCAA.

Take a moment and think back to the months leading up to when you got your driver's license.

Driver's education classes, getting your permit, counting down the days to freedom.

When the day finally did come, you incessantly tried to curb the nerves and remember what you learned: fasten your seatbelt, check your mirrors, hands at 10 and two.

The significance of driving is drastically different for 15-year-old Tyler Kelley, of
Oregon, Wis., a suburb 15 minutes southeast of Madison.

The high school sophomore won the first-ever Roto Rooter Bandits series this year at the Madison International Speedway, winning three races and leading the points standings from the first week until the last en route to becoming the youngest driver to win a track championship at MIS.

And while winning races versus opponents twice his age is impressive, it's what happens off the track and in the garage that truly make driving meaningful for this up-and-coming driver.

Kelley realized early on in life, he was a gearhead.

His passion for racing started when he was seven. Tyler tried the conventional games kids play, but soccer and T-ball just didn't catch his interest.

That's when Tyler's father, Rick, made a simple decision that changed Tyler's life.

Rick was raised in Indiana -- a state that's penchant for racing is surpassed only by its infamous basketball tradition. Rick could see his son needed an outlet, and, as Rick's father had done with him back in Indianapolis, Rick decided on a whim to take Tyler to a race.

"One Friday night we didn't have anything to do, so I thought, 'I'll take Tyler to an auto race," the elder Kelley said. "So when I did, I took him out to Madison (MIS) and that was his first exposure to auto racing. And he just loved it, even at that young of an age."

As Tyler grew older, his interest and involvement with auto racing grew with him. Rick took him to more races the next year and Tyler quickly met drivers who took the bright-eyed kid under their wings and showed him the ins and outs of the sport.

"I know, even at eight or nine years old, Tyler would sit in the stands and just dream about someday racing at Madison," Rick said.

Kelley drove in his first race at the Sugar River Raceway, in Brodhead, racing go-carts with other kids his age. At 10 he began racing Box stock and then Silver stock.

While Tyler found success at each level he raced, he also found that racing brought him and his father closer together.

Back when it all started, Rick would come home from work and Tyler wasn't interested in playing video games or watching TV, he wanted to go work on the cars with his dad.
"The first thing he would say is, 'Let's go to the garage, let's go to the shop.' That was a good bonding time when the two of us would be in the shop together."

"I'd rather be working on my cars than doing anything else," Tyler said. "Some of the guys out there go to movies or hang out with their friends, but I'm always in the shop."

Now that Rick got him started, Tyler has taken the resonsibility of racing on his own shoulders.

In addition to working on his cars, he also goes out on hs own and finds businesses to sponsor him. He works with fellow racers and professionals to get his cars ready to race.

All the work and time spent in the shop paid dividends this summer, when Tyler won the Bandits series.

When he got to stand in the winners circle and hold the checkered flag for the first time, it was at the track where his dream of racing began just a few years before.

The hours of hard work in and out of the shop not only helped bring he and his father closer together, but it also has taught Kelley about responsibility and ownership. In the future, in racing or out of it, Kelley 's experiences at such a young age will provide him with the knowledge and confidence to do whatever he puts his mind to.

For now, however, he's content just working on his cars and getting ready for next year

And now that Tyler has realized his dream of racing and standing in the winner's circle, he's got another yet another important goal in his sights -- getting his license and driving himself home from the track.

In this day and age, any competitive athlete has their own tricks up their sleeves in order to get ahead of their competition. While each and every athlete has their own exercise and diet programs that they follow, many competitive athletes also use a wide variety of vitamin and mineral supplements to help their bodies be more competitive.

One such supplement that a lot of athletes and bodybuilders have been using lately is called creatine. Creatine is a substance that was originally identified in the year 1832 by Michel Eugène Chevreul who named the substance after the Greek word "Kreas" which means flesh.

Although it was discovered over a hundred and fifty years ago, creatine supplements have only existed for a short time. This is because for a long time, people did not understand exactly what creatine did for the body, and also the fact that creatine was very hard to synthesize. What exactly does creatine do, you ask? Well, for a very short and simple answer, creatine helps supply energy to your muscles.

Where does it come from? Well, without taking creatine supplements, the substance creatine can either be ingested into your body through meats that you eat, or your own body can synthesis the chemical in your liver. It is very interesting to note that even though vegetarians do not eat meat, their bodies will still synthesis enough creatine in their liver. The more creatine your body has, the better your body can hydrate the muscles in your system, and the better hydrated your muscles are, the more powerful the muscles are.

As mentioned before, creatine is usually only either created by a person's liver, or ingested with meats. Recently however, creatine supplements have found their way on to store shelves across America, and as such, athletes and body builders of all ages have found out how creatine can help them.

Since creatine helps supply energy to muscle tissue, the more creatine your body has available, the more energy can be supplied to your muscles. This is possible because creatine helps allow your muscle room to grow. After taking several dosages of creatine supplements, a user will notice that their muscles appear to be getting quite larger; this is due to the fact that the muscles are actually getting filled with water, which allows the muscles to work longer and harder than previously before. The water that the creatine puts into the muscles not only allows the user to work the muscles harder, but it also adds weight to the user. A user can experience rapid weight gain if they take several dosages of creatine, along with lots of water in a small amount of time.

In the past decade, several studies have been produced about the effects of taking creatine for short amounts of time. Nearly all of these studies have suggested that taking creatine supplements will help athletes with their workouts, while minimizing any potentially harmful side effects. The studies also state that while creatine supplements will be able to help athletes improve their workouts, it will not do anything for those seeking cardiovascular training. Actually, studies suggest that because a person's body who takes creatine tends to retain water, this leads to athletes such as runners and swimmers actually getting slower.

Although many people consider creatine supplements to be performance enhancing drugs, such as steroids, they are still perfectly legal to use for most athletes in the United States. Other countries, such as Germany and France have banned the usage of creatine supplements from being used by professional athletes, a move quite baffling by most creatine users. While creatine helps muscles get hydrated and work harder, creatine is usually only to be used for short periods of time. If a user continues to take creatine supplements for a very long time, they will gain a large amount of weight, most of which is only water that is being stored in the muscles.

Athletes that use creatine tend to think of it as a 'helping hand supplement', more than a 'performance enhancing drug'. The creatine effectively hydrates the athlete's muscles so that the athlete can work the muscles longer and harder, which lead to more muscle development. As such, many athletes and bodybuilders believe that creatine supplements are one of the biggest discoveries in the world of supplements in the past several decades.

The serve is one of the most difficult yet most important shots in a tennis player's game. Every point in a tennis match starts out with a serve, and roughly half those serves are yours to hit! If your serve is a liability rather than a weapon, then a tennis match is almost impossible to win!

The serve should be a strong tool in the arsenal of a good tennis game. A good serve acts as a foundation to a strong tennis game. It forces the returner into a defensive position and allows the server to push forward and control the point. A good serve also gives you confidence to play more competitively against your opponent. If you can hold (or win) your service game, that puts a lot of pressure on your opponent to hold his or her serve.

For beginning players, the serve can seem like a difficult or almost impossible shot to master. Of course, it seems simple enough in thought: just toss the ball and smack it into the diagonal box on the other side of the court. Yet, such a shot takes skill, precision and lots and lots of consistency. Consistency, of course, means practices. Lots of it! In fact, a good serve will probably require many hours of practice over a long period of time and literally thousands and thousands of practice serves. Players need to become comfortable in the service stance (usually standing sideways with the serving arm in back) and train their arm to make a consistent service motion. Practicing is not only about honing your placement, it's also about training your body. For professional tennis players, the service motion is instinctual, a part of their body's mechanics. I'm sure whole books could be written on perfecting the service motion (although I'm not sure anyone would really read it!), but a real easy way for beginners to improve their serve is to practice the toss. The toss. It is one of the most important yet overlooked components of a good serve. By perfecting your toss, you will be halfway to a great serve!

When thinking of a good serve, most people concentrate on cocking back the arm, brushing the ball to create spin and snapping the wrist. While the service motion is a key part of the serve, concentrating only on the racket leaves out half of the service. Yep, that fuzzy green ball. What it is doing during the serve is just as important as what your racket is doing. Having the perfect service motion isn't going to mean a thing if you toss the ball too low or too height. You will end up hitting a beautiful ball...right into the net.

A consistent and well-placed ball toss will make the serve amazingly easy. It's surprising (yet not uncommon) to see good players still struggling on their serve. They will hit wild balls or get into serving slumps where they dump serve after serve into the net and just can't seem to fit all the pieces together. Some players never figure out the serve, and it becomes a great handicap to them. What should be their most powerful shot becomes a burden, and they give away countless points with double faults. Many of these problems stem from a poor ball toss. Just think: if you can toss the ball well, half of the serve is already done. All you need to concentrate on is a good service motion. But on the flip side, a poor and inconsistent toss will plague you and hurt your serve and your whole tennis game. You might get some good serves in with wild tosses, but you will never get the consistency and confidence that make winning so much easier.

So, let's get into the mechanics of a good toss. Obviously everybody can toss a ball. Beginning players may think any toss is good as long as the serve goes in. Not exactly. While there is leeway in what makes a good toss, there are a few ground rules to follow. First, a good toss should pass the Goldilocks test. Not too height, not too low. Just right. Not too far forward, not too far back. In other words, nothing extreme. If you have to take three steps forward to hit a serve, or lean way way back, your toss is in the wrong spot. Having said this, there is no single correct toss. Each player has a different comfort zone for hitting his or her serve. Some players enjoy tossing the ball very high, while others toss it just height enough to hit the perfect spot. Your toss can also change depending on what type of serve you want to hit. Throwing the ball farther behind you will garner more spin (with the right service motion). Throwing the ball forward will allow the player to hit with more power and advance into the court more easily. Also, players often throw the ball a little to the left or right depending on exactly where in the box they want the serve to land. However, even though there is not one perfect toss, all good tosses share common traits. Players should toss the ball high enough so that they can extend their bodies as they hit the serve. The taller you can make yourself, the more room you have to hit the ball and the more power you can utilize. If you are hitting a flat serve (with little or no spin) tossing the ball forward is also a good idea. A forward ball forces the player to hit...forward, which also generates more power.

More than anything else, the toss must be consistent. That doesn't mean the serve has to hit the exact same spot in the court every single time, but a player who tosses a service ball to the right, then to the left, then behind then forward will never ever be able to enjoy a consistent serve. They will never be able to train their arm to hit a great serve, because they will always have to compensate for a crazy toss. Their game will advance slower than someone with a consistent toss who is allowed to concentrate more on their service motion.

OK, so it is clear that the toss is one of the most important aspects of a good serve. Now, it's time to practice. Luckily the toss is extremely easy to practice. You don't need a court or even a racket. All you need is a ball and somewhere without a low ceiling. Students of tennis should practice their toss. It may seem strange to just toss a ball into the air, but think of it as just another component of your training, like taking time to practice a full forehand swing with follow through or doing sprints to increase speed. You can practice your toss on a court, at home or even in your backyard.

Ready to practice? Good. Now, toss the tennis ball. Concentrate on where you want your toss to be. Stand as if you were at a baseline ready to serve to your opponent. If you're not at a court, imagine it in front of you. You can practice with a racket in your hand, or just pretend you're holding one. Only you know where your comfort hitting zone is. Imagine where it is in the air in front of you. Create an imaginary box where you want the ball to reach. Now, toss. Don't rush the practice. Concentrate on height and depth. Start moving your racket (real or imagined) to the ball. Is this where you want your toss to be? If not, are you tossing the ball too low? Too high? Too far to one side? If the toss is not right, how can you correct it? A ball that is too low needs to be tossed with a little more power. A ball too far to the right or left needs to be centered. I know all this seems obvious, but you'd be surprised at how few players take time to really practice their toss. They'll spend hours a week working on lobs, which they may hit a few times during a real match, but won't even think of practicing the toss, which they must hit half of all the points they play. So keep practicing. Just because you had one good toss doesn't mean you're done! Keep tossing. The point is not only to toss it well, but to toss it well consistently. Give yourself a number as a goal, such as ten, and try to have ten tosses in a row that meet your standard. As your toss becomes more consistent, increase your goal. Once you can toss the ball twenty times in a row into your imaginary box, you have effectively achieved a good toss.

Another good way to practice is to serve. Use a second serve and concentrate only on the toss. Feel how your racket meets the ball. Where is your body? Are you forced to extend at a weird angle? Is your arm fully extended or bent when you make contact with the ball? Is your timing off because the ball is too low or too height? Keep serving. It doesn't really matter if the ball goes in the box or not. You're only concentrating on the toss and if it's in the right place. Once you get the toss, the rest of the serve will come. Trust me.

The toss is not something you have to practice every day. For beginning players, however, it is an extremely important component of the game and something they should work to perfect right away. The serve is hard enough without the burden of an erratic toss. Once you feel your toss is stable and consistent, you can gradually tone down the practice and work harder on your service motion. However, don't forget about the toss. Practice every once in a while to fine tune. Also, if you start having difficulty with consistency, or your serve just doesn't seem to be working, go back to the toss. Even advance players should take a minute and evaluate their toss. Is it high enough? Does it work for or against the serve? If you realize your toss isn't consistent and clean, well...start practicing!

There you have it, a whole article on how to toss a tennis ball. As I've said before: it may seem obvious that a good toss is practically a requirement for a good serve, but so few players actually strive to work on their tosses. This is a reminder to all beginning and even intermediate and advance players: keep the toss in mind. You'll be amazed at how much easier and consistent your serve is when you toss that tennis ball just right!

Tuesday, 17 October 2006

CSKA Moscow v Arsenal

Swedish international Freddie Ljungberg is out, and so is Julio Baptista. So Arsene Wenger has called up 19 year old Brazilian Denilson to the squad. Denilson is the captain of the Brazil Under 19 team. Signed from Sao Paulo on the transfer deadline, the youngster has yet to make his first appearance. Based on the manager's past records of spotting talents, I am looking forward to seeing the young Brazilian in action.

Right back Emmanuel Eboue is still injured, but Gael Clichy is expected to return. Returning from a long injury, Clichy had a bit of a match practice on Saturday as a late substitute for the Watford match. Although several midfielders are injured, Wenger is unlikely to employ Theo Walcott in this European fixture. Walcott made his first start against Watford, and was very impressive. However, his manager is adamant that he will not rush the development of the hugely talented young star.

Arsenal and CSKA Moscow have never met in any European competition. Arsenal are on a four match winning run in Europe and are unbeaten in seven matches.

Arsene Wenger has high hope for his team in the Champions League this year. Narrowly losing to Barcelona last season, Wenger believes that his side can go a step further.

"We can do it this year," he said.

"I've said that since the start of the season. We've shown, and this is most important, that we can believe we can do it through our results.
What we need now is the consistency.

"I believe that first of all you need the new players to integrate into the team.

"Frankly I considered at the start of the season that we would see the real impact of a guy like Emmanuel Adebayor this year. He has made a big improvement.

"Tomas Rosicky has settled in quickly and he is a very impressive player, William Gallas of course brings something special to the team.

"The challenge of course is massive - but the quality is there."

"They are a good side," said Wenger of the Russian side. "They've some good Brazilians and also seven players from the Russian national team, which is a solid combination.

"While I feel we can beat them, you always have ingredients in Moscow during October that you cannot master.

"I've heard the quality of their pitch has been destroyed by a tournament, and it is already cold there now."

Having got maximum points from the first two matches, Arsenal are in a good position to qualify for the knock out stage.

"A victory would nearly qualify us, so of course we will really go for it," Wenger said.

"We want to qualify as soon as possible, because it is always a relief. You can go into the winter and focus on what is coming next."

My Prediction: CSKA Moscow 0 Arsenal 2


Man Utd v FC Copenhagen

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gary Neville are expected to play after sitting out the Wigan match on Saturday. Ryan Giggs is not expected to start but could play a part.

Man U and FC Copenhagen have never met before in any European competition. Man U are on top in their group, having won their opening two matches, while FC Copenhagen only have one point out of a possible six, and are at the bottom of the group with Benfica.

Man U have played well so far in the Premier League, but some might suggest that they have only played against easy opponents, and they lost the match against Arsenal, the only heavyweight they have faced.

There are signs that Wayne Rooney is getting his form back, based on his fine performance against Wigan. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Norwegian striker is also in fine form. Having scored five times already this season, he makes the transition to the post Ruud van Nistelrooy era much smoother. Some doubted that Solskjaer would ever be able to recapture his form from a long term knee injury which made his miss almost three seasons of football.

"There were one or two moments when I looked in the mirror and thought 'are you fooling yourself?'," Solskjaer said.

"But later, when I started to write my thoughts into my diary I would tell myself it was not right to be so negative and I never went to bed thinking I wasn't going to make it.

"I do realise the older I get, the closer I am to the finishing line. You start to understand your career is not going to last forever. I treasure goals more now. I just want to make the most of everything."

My Prediction: Manchester United 3 FC Copenhagen 0

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Yesterday, the reigning-NFL-champion Pittsburgh Steelers (2-3), routed the visiting Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) by a score of 45-7--putting to rest, for the time being, any speculation that the Steelers' hopes of winning back-to-back Super Bowls were already dashed. Finally, it seems, there is something to cheer about in Pittsburgh, after star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger lost three consecutive starts for the first time ever (high school college, or pro), having thrown precisely zero touchdowns passes in said outings. What's more, division rivals Baltimore and Cincinnati each lost their second games in a row, putting the Steelers within one game of tying for first place in the AFC North.

The Steelers' turnaround--if it holds--could not have been more drastic and could not have come at a better time and place. As late as about 4:00PM EST on Sunday afternoon, hotheads among the Steelers faithful were calling for Roethlisberger--only, what, 28-7 as a starter, a 90.1 career passer rating, and the youngest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl--to get the sack after three of the most humiliating performances in his career. (You'd think they were the ones to fly of their bikes and stop an oncoming car with their heads. Or maybe Roethlisberger's offseason motorcycle accident somehow damaged Steelers fans' brains.) More importantly, the Steelers' playoff hopes were already fading: at 1-3 with a division loss to the Bengals, the Steelers found themselves tied in their division with the lowly Cleveland Browns, looking up at Baltimore and Cincinnati, who seemed at the time to be two of the very best teams in the league. Some particularly pessimistic Steelers fans (myself included) had already thrown in the Terrible Towel: this team didn't look like it could win six games on the season, let alone make the playoffs to contend for a second Super Bowl title.

That is, not unless things changed, and quickly. Which, it seems, is what they did. Whoever showed up yesterday was NOT the team that dropped three straight. It was certainly not the team that was scoring only 11 points per game during its three-game funk. Whatever Dan Rooney did to get his Super Bowl champs out of their undisclosed locations and back on the field, give the man credit.

Of course, it must be said: every bit of good news about the Steelers must be accompanied by a disclaimer. As soon as you say something good about this team, they roll over and die, and as soon as you count them out, they make you look like an idiot. So, in keeping with history, my predictions: the Steelers will lose to Atlanta by a field goal next week, Ben will throw a costly late interception, and the Steelers will finish (let's be generous) 8-8.

Steelers fans more faithful than I may commence throwing their empty cans of I.C. Light. And Steelers players may commence proving me wrong.

People are looking forward to UFC 64: Unstoppable on October 14, 2006 for good reason. First, the UFC Lightweight Champion is going to be crowned when Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk takes on former TUF 1 competitor, Kenny Florian. Then of course there's the main event of the evening- Rich "Ace" Franklin versus Anderson "The Spider" Silva. Most experts are calling this one Franklin's toughest test to date.

So what should you expect? Read on to find out.

Rich "Ace" Franklin vs. Anderson "The Spider" Silva

What Franklin brings to the table.- Rich Franklin is a new age mixed martial artist. In other words, he can do everything (as his 19 stoppages and 20-1 record reinforce). Franklin has above average submission and jiu- jitsu skills (he's ended 9 of his 21 fights via submission), better than average technical striking skills with excellent power (he's ended 10 of his 21 fights via knockout), and better than average wrestling/ ground control skills. Further, he's big for a middleweight- before dropping down he was pretty much cleaning up the light heavyweight division- and he comes to fight with cardio that is simply hard to match.

In the only fight of his MMA career that went to a decision against David Loiseau, Franklin looked nearly just as strong ending the fight as he did beginning it. In addition, he's determined and tough. Against Loiseau, he fought more than three rounds with two broken hands, never failing to hit Loiseau when he got the chance to despite this.

Beyond this, Franklin is extremely aggressive, which lends to both excitement and a tendency to sometimes get clipped.

The knock on Franklin is that he can't take a punch. However, this isn't truly deserved. Franklin isn't a guy with a granite jaw. In other words, he does go down when he gets hit hard (such as against Evan Tanner, David Loiseau, and Lyoto Michada). Still, in two out of three of those bouts, Franklin persevered through the barrage of punches that followed and showed good recovery skills. Therefore, his toughness can't be questioned, though it's not like his skull is going to come up on any news stories as being larger than average (circa Kosaka).

What Silva brings to the table.- Sports an overall MMA record of 16-4 with nine (T)KO's. Formerly with Chute Box Academy and now Muay Thai Dream Team, Silva is an outstanding technical striker that brings hard and fast punches, knees, and kicks to his opponents. He also holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu, and has proven to be able to hang in there on the ground against some pretty excellent competition (former UFC champion, Carlos Newton, for example). However, despite his skill on the ground, Silva has been submitted twice.

Beyond this, Silva is known as someone who trains hard. Cardio has never been a problem.

In the Octagon.

Could be a great one. Both fighters have excellent power, but Silva is the better technical striker. Expect some nice exchanges on the feet from both fighters early on until Franklin realizes that he'd be better off on the ground.

Then expect Ace to get him there.

Despite Silva's black belt in Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu, Franklin's superior wrestling and ground control skills are likely to eventually take over. Though it may take a few rounds, expect Franklin's strength and ground dominance to eventually wear on Silva mentally. This will cause him to make a mistake.

Rich Franklin doesn't tend to miss mistakes.

Franklin wins via fifth round submission.

Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk vs. Kenny Florian

What Sherk brings to the table.- Brings a 30-2-1 overall MMA record into this bout with eight (T)KO's and 13 submission victories. Simply put, Sherk is outstanding at takedowns, takedown defense, and ground control. However, he also has solid submission skills (as his 13 submissions will attest to) and good stand up (fast hands).

Beyond that, Sherk is very strong for this weight class and has good cardio. He's beaten fighters the likes of Nick Diaz and Karo Parisyan in the past.

Remember, this is a guy that went the distance with Matt Hughes. Further, he doesn't seem to have any real weaknesses.

What Florian brings to the table.- Sports a 4-2 career MMA record with three submissions and one (T)KO to his credit. Florian is an outstanding jiu- jitsu/ submission fighter. Further, he has excellent grappling skills and is an above average striker that uses elbows efficiently.

Florian was fighting in a higher weight class than he should have before going lightweight; therefore, those losses on his record may not mean much. In terms of weaknesses, we're talking MMA experience here.

In the Octagon.

Very hard one to call. Florian has better jiu- jitsu skills than Sherk, but Sherk is the better and stronger wrestler/ ground control guy. On their feet, despite Sherk's experience advantage, Florian may be better rounded because of his Muay Thai skills.

Here's the upset special.

Florian via (T)KO due to a cut caused by an elbow in round four.

Jon Fitch vs. Kuniyoshi Hironaka

What Fitch brings to the table.- Brings an overall MMA record of 11-2 into this bout with four (T)KO's and three submission wins. Fitch is extremely well rounded and has beaten some excellent fighters including Thiago Alves (TKO), Josh Burkman (submission), and Shonie Carter (submission due to strikes).

He's good on his feet, but his bread and butter seems to be ground and pound.

What Hironaka brings to the table.- Brings an overall MMA record of 10-2 into this one with two TKO's and four submission wins. He's an outstanding fighter with a jiu- jitsu pedigree. Though he hasn't fought in either of the premier shows (Pride or UFC), he has beaten the likes of Nick Diaz and Renato Verissimo in the past.

In the Octagon.

Very tough one to call. These guys are very well- matched. Still, expect Fitch's experience in the Octagon and harder punches to be the difference.

Fitch in a close decision.

Cheick Kong vs. Carmelo Marrero

What Kongo brings to the table.- Sports an overall MMA record of 9-2-1 with seven (T)KO's and two submission wins. Kongo is a great athlete with immense power. Along with this, he's an excellent striker that has shown the ability to escape submissions (he did this in his last match against Christian Wellisch). It's hard to tell if he has truly solid submission skills or not because he hardly ever tries to employ them.

Kongo has the stuff to fight for a championship one day.

What Marrero brings to the table.- Brings an overall MMA record of 5-0 into this bout with one (T)KO and two submissions. However, he's accumulated his record in smaller shows against lesser competition.

In the Octagon.

Kongo just has too much athleticism for Marrero.

Kongo wins via knockout in round one.

Spencer Fisher vs. Dan Lauzon

What Fisher brings to the table.- Sports an 18-2 overall MMA record with 10 (T)KO's and seven submission wins. Fisher fights out of the Miletich Camp. Translation- he's a tough guy. If it comes to a choice, he usually chooses to trade, but has shown the ability to mix it up on the ground (he did submit Thiago Alves in an earlier UFC event).

What Lauzon brings to the table.- Brings a 3-0 overall MMA record into this one (all wins have come via submission). Still, he hasn't faced much in the line of competition, even if he is the brother of Joe Lauzon (who just knocked out Jens Pulver).

In the Octagon.

Fisher just has too much experience for Lauzon.

Fisher wins via TKO in round two.

14th Oct 2006

My Predictions:
Arsenal 3 Watford 0
Aston Villa 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0
Liverpool 2 Blackburn 2
Man City 0 Sheffield United 0
Middlesbrough 0 Everton 1
Portsmouth 2 West Ham 0
Reading 1 Chelsea 0
Wigan 1 Manchester United 2

Actual Results:
Arsenal 3 Watford 0
Aston Villa 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Liverpool 1 Blackburn 1
Man City 0 Sheffield United 0
Middlesbrough 2 Everton 1
Portsmouth 2 West Ham 0
Reading 0 Chelsea 1
Wigan 1 Manchester United 3

So I got 5 correct results, and 3 perfect score lines, which I am happy with.

Reading 0 Chelsea 1

For a while I thought Reading might actually have a chance in their incidents filled match against Chelsea. The match ended with 10 Reading players and 9 Chelsea players on the pitch, and John Terry was the goalkeeper for Chelsea.

Petr Cech got injured and had to be substituted before the 1st minute of the match. It was unfortunate for Ingimarsson to deflect Frank Lampard's free kick into his own net. Mikel, making his debut for Chelsea, stupidly got 2 yellow cards and was sent off. With an extra man, Reading began to apply more pressure on Chelsea, but Terry and Boulahrouz stood firm at the heart of the Chelsea defence.

Bikey of Reading also got his marching order after collecting 2 yellow cards, although the second yellow card was a rather harsh decision. Then Cech's replacement, Carlo Cudicini, bizarrely got injured in similar fashion, perhaps even more seriously, with only 1 minute left of the match. Chelsea had used up all three substitutions, so Terry had to be the stand in keeper.

Portsmouth 2 West Ham 0

West Ham have not scored in over 7 hours now after losing to Portsmouth. Manager Alan Pardew is under increasing pressure. Is he going to be the first manager sacked this season? I would think so.

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Primus, Campbell, Stefanovic, O'Neil, Pedro Mendes, Fernandes, Taylor, Mwaruwari (Cole 77), Kanu (LuaLua 66).Subs Not Used: Kiely, Pamarot, Davis.
Booked: O'Neil, Campbell, Pedro Mendes, Johnson.
Goals: Kanu 24, Cole 82.
West Ham: Carroll, Spector, Gabbidon, Ferdinand, Konchesky, Benayoun (Mascherano 86), Reo-Coker, Mullins, Etherington, Zamora (Harewood 70), Sheringham (Cole 70).Subs Not Used: Green, Dailly.
Booked: Reo-Coker, Sheringham, Etherington, Konchesky.
Att: 20,142.
Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).

Wigan 1 Manchester United 3

Manchester United recover from one goal down to beat Wigan. Leighton Blaines scored an magnificent 30 yard free kick to put Wigan ahead in the 5th minute. But Wayne Rooney produced his best performance in months to inspire a superb come back for Man U.

Wigan: Kirkland, Boyce, Hall, De Zeeuw, Baines, Teale (Valencia 69), Landzaat, Scharner, Kilbane (Todorov 69), Camara (McCulloch 60), Heskey.Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Jackson.
Goals: Baines 5.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown (Giggs 45), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Solskjaer, Carrick, O'Shea, Scholes, Rooney, Saha.Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Smith, Richardson, David Jones.
Booked: Ferdinand, O'Shea.
Goals: Vidic 62, Saha 66, Solskjaer 90.
Att: 20,631.
Ref: S Bennett (Kent).

Middlesbrough 2 Everton 1

Boro ended Everton's unbeaten start to the season with goals from Yakubu and Viduka, although the home fans had to endure some nervous moments towards the end of the match, as Everton went all out attack.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Davies, Huth, Pogatetz, Taylor, Cattermole (Parnaby 83), Euell, Boateng, Downing (Arca 90), Yakubu, Viduka.Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Rochemback, Maccarone. Booked: Cattermole.
Goals: Yakubu 27 pen, Viduka 71.
Everton: Howard, Hibbert (Beattie 33), Yobo, Lescott, Nuno Valente (Van der Meyde 90), Davies (McFadden 75), Carsley, Neville, Cahill, Arteta, Johnson.Subs Not Used: Wright, Weir.
Goals: Cahill 77.
Att: 27,156
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).

Aston Villa 1 Tottenham 1

With Everton losing at Riverside, Aston Villa become the only undefeated side in the Premiership. Villa striker, Angel, had a torrid day. Angel missed a penalty and then scored an own goal. It was Gareth Barry who preserved Villa's unbeaten run when he produced a superb strike late in the game.

Aston Villa: Taylor, Hughes, Mellberg, Ridgewell, Barry, Agbonlahor, McCann, Petrov, Davis (Berger 77), Angel, Baros (Agathe 65).Subs Not Used: Olejnik, Laursen, Bouma.
Goals: Barry 81.
Tottenham: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson (Stalteri 52), Davenport, Assou-Ekotto, Jenas, Zokora, Murphy, Ghaly (Lennon 59), Berbatov (Davids 77), Defoe.Subs Not Used: Cerny, Keane.
Sent Off: Davenport (73).
Booked: Ghaly.
Goals: Angel 76 og.
Att: 42,551.
Ref: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

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Arsenal 3 Watford 0
Saturday 14 Oct 2006

Still without a win in the Premier League, Watford faced a daunting London derby against a confident Arsenal side at the Emirates Stadium.

A pre-match celebration of Arsene Wenger's 10 year anniversary at the helm of the club prepared for an upbeat mood for Arsenal. And it seemed like Kolo Toure was determined to score a goal for his boss on this occasion. Inside the first five minutes, from a free kick almost on the half way line, Toure surprised everyone and tried a speculative effort, which went high and wide. You might expect something like that from Thierry Henry, but defender Toure? Even his teammate, Cesc Fabregas, was bemused by it. At the 33rd min., Fabregas sent a free kick inside Watford' penalty area. Emmanuel Adebayor's deflected header went towards Toure, but the ball hit Jordan Stewart to make it an own goal.

Before the goal, Ben Foster made several important saves to keep Watford in the game, as Arsenal completely dominated the first half. Foster, loaned from Manchester United, has been Watford's hero in many matches, and I believe it is just a matter of time the younger keeper gets an international call up. Another future international, Theo Walcott, got his first start for Arsenal. After scoring two excellent goals against Germany for the England Under 21, all eyes were on the teenage prodigy. Playing on the left wing, he justified his selection by constantly making dangerous runs and making intelligent passes. He first set up Tomas Rosicky for a powerful strike, which was saved superbly by Foster. Then his brilliant pass sent Fabregas free before the Spanish international narrowly missed the target. If there is one criticism of Wenger, it is that he has not developed enough English talents. He is very careful in protecting and nurturing Walcott and the 17 year old might turn out to be the brightest of all English talents.

Just before half time, Adebayor flicked a pass to Henry, and the Arsenal captain held off Jay DeMerit and stroked the ball pass Foster to make the score 2 -1 and effectively ended Watford's hope of getting anything from the match.

With the view of the mid week Champions League match against CSKA Moscow, Arsenal made sure they did not expend too much energy in the second half. Even so, the darting runs and outside shooting of Rosicky constantly threatened the Watford defence. In the 67th minute, Fabregas once again sent Henry free with yet another fantastic pass. One on one with Foster, Henry showed that he is a team player by passing the ball to Adebayor, who made it 3 - 0.

Watford did have a few chances in the match, especially in the first half. However they did not make the opportunities count. The Watford players have never played against opponents of this caliber, and it was a good learning experience for them. As manager Aidy Boothryd said after the match,

"I am very pleased we are making chances and I'd be more upset if we weren't creating those. But at this level, if you don't take your opportunities you will be punished."

He is proud of his team and remains optimistic, "A lot of teams come here and just lay down but we kept going and created a lot of openings. But against these sort of sides you have to take them. This is a whole new level for us and it's only a matter of time before we get that first win."

Boothryd's counterpart, Wenger, has reasons to be happy,

"It was a match against a very good Watford side, who made it very difficult for us at time and we needed a great performance to win. I think we gave that today.

"Overall we did well with the problems they gave us. They are a good team and they look like they can score goals but I was happy with the way we coped.

"Theo Walcott is a young boy, only 17, but he handled his first Premiership start very well and he did well."

Arsenal: Jens Lehmann, Johan Djourou, William Gallas (Gael Clichy), Justin Hoyte, Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky (Robin van Persie), Gilberto Silva, Theo Walcott (Aleksandr Hleb), Emmanuel Adebayor, Thierry Henry
Subs Not Used: Almunia, Song Billong.

Goals: Stewart 33 og, Henry 43, Adebayor 67.

Watford: Ben Foster, Jay DeMerit, Lloyd Doyley, Danny Shittu, Jordan Stewart, Hameur Bouazza (Chris Powell), Damien Francis, Gavin Mahon, Tommy Smith (Darius Henderson), Marlon King, Ashley Young
Subs Not Used: Lee, Mackay, Spring.

Booked: Smith.

Att: 60,018.

Ref: H Webb (S Yorkshire).

Venue: Emirates Stadium


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SATURDAY (14th October 2006)

Wigan vs Manchester United

Wigan is still unbeaten at home this season, although their two home matches were against two newly promoted teams, Watford and Reading.

Manchester United seem to have returned to the winning way after a slight hiccup. Gabriel Heinz is injured, but there is a possibility that Ryan Giggs could play a part. Cristiano Ronaldo could be out with a slight ankle injury.

If Man U want to challenge for the title, this is the kind of match they have to win, and I expect Sir Alex Ferguson's team to get all 3 points.

My prediction: Wigan 1 Man U 2

Arsenal vs Watford

After the 1 - 0 victory at Old Trafford, Arsenal have knocked up four straight wins in all competitions. More importantly, they have started to win at the new Emirate Stadium. Three key players, Freddie Ljungberg, Emmanuel Eboue and Julio Baptista are all injured, but Left-back Gael Clichy is back in the squad.

Watford have drawn four of their last seven matches, including the last three. There is no question that they play with passion and determination, but I am not sure that that is enough at this level, especially against a team like Arsenal. It is frustrating for Watford manager, Adrian Boothroyd, to see his team play their hearts out but almost inevitably drop points due to lack of experience and techniques.

I expect Watford to defend in numbers, which is the only way to play Arsenal. However, with confidence high at the Arsenal camp, I fully expect Arsene Wenger's side to win this one.

My prediction: Arsenal 3 Watford 0

Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur

What more can you say about Martin O'Neill's motivational skills? The same players who played so badly under David O'Leary are now one of only two unbeaten teams in the league.

Tottenham is clearly struggling this season. The sale of Michael Carrick to Man U might be more significant than expected. Ledley King is probably going to play, but Jermain Defoe is doubtful.

Aston Villa have an 100% home record this season, while the Spurs have lost all three of their away matches. I doubt the Tottenham strike force could cause the improving Villa defence too much problem, since Tottenham still have not scored a goal away from home.

My prediction: Aston Villa 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0

Liverpool vs Blackburn Rovers

Liverpool is once again quite inconsistent this season, but their home form has been good. It is never easy to play Liverpool at Anfield. Steven Gerard did not play in the midweek international fixture, so he should be fresh.

Blackburn is improving as the season gets going, and I expect them to give Liverpool a physical game.

My prediction: Liverpool 2 Blackburn 2

Manchester City vs Sheffield United

This fixture is important for both teams who have genuine concerns for relegation. Not only do they feel that they have a good chance of getting all 3 points, they want to take all 3 points off their opponents. Man City have not been getting results, and it would be a mini disaster if premiership new boys Sheffield United beat them.

I admire the way Sheffield United play, but like the other newly promoted team, Watford, I think that Sheffield United are not good enough to stay in the premiership.

My prediction: Man City 0 Sheffield United 0

Middlesbrough vs Everton

Gareth Southgate's Middlesbrough have played well against the good teams, but dropped point against the weaker teams. Jonathan Woodgate is out injured, but Robert Huth could make his debut for Boro.

Andy Johnson has been on fire for Everton, but his hamstring problem could rule him out of the game. Everton were unlucky to drop two points against Man City in their last match, but along with Aston Villa, they are the only remaining undefeated sides. If Johnson plays, then Everton have a very good chance of getting a result at Riverside.

My prediction: Middlesbrough 0 Everton 1

Portsmouth vs West Ham

Portsmouth have played well above all expectations to be occupying the 4th spot in the league table, but have lost the last two matches. Manager Harry Redknapp will face his former club West Ham in this fixture.

West Ham are in all kinds of trouble. After a win in the first match of the season, they have only earned two points since. Manager Alan Pardew is under a lot of pressure. In addition to the poor results, the fans are questioning his ability to handle top class players as his two new signings, Argentine World cup stars Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, are unable to settle in.

My prediction: Portsmouth 2 West Ham 0

Reading vs Chelsea

Reading have adapted to the Premiership much better than the other two newly promoted teams. Following an impressive draw against Man U, they now have a series of tough fixtures. Even though Chelsea is the hot favorite for this match, I am rooting for Reading. I have a soft spot for Reading and I hate Chelsea.

My prediction: Reading 1 Chelsea 0


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Thierry Henry, the Arsenal captain, is once again nominated for the FIFA World Player of the Year award, and he will undoubtedly lose out to someone who plays in either the Italian or the Spanish league, most probably Ronaldinho.

Voted by national coaches and captains, the World Player of the Year award is supposedly the most prestigious individual award in world football. But considering that Frank Lampard of Chelsea was the runner up last year, it is difficult to give this award too much weight. Lampard is on the shortlist again this year, but coming off a very poor World Cup, he has virtually no chance of winning, or does he?

Henry, who has been the most brilliant player in the world for the past four or five years, only came in second twice. This year, Henry is once again a contender. He is the only player on the list that was in both the finals of the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA World Cup. However, one cannot help but notice that the apparent bias against players who play in the English Premier League. No Premiership player has ever won the award.

Brazilian Ronaldinho, who plays for Spanish giant, Barcelona, has won the award two years running. He is on the shortlist again. Although he did not have a good World Cup, he will still be the hot favorite for the award by leading Barcelona to a League and Champions League double.

Chelsea, with six nominees, are the most represented club. Both Barcelona and AC Milan boast four players apiece. Arsenal have three with Thierry Henry, new signing Tomas Rosicky, and goalkeeper Jens Lehmann. Lehmann had a great season, a good World Cup, and broke the record of consecutive clean sheets in the Champions League. However, the award has never gone to a goalkeeper, although Lehmann's countryman, Oliver Kahn came close in 2002 following an excellent World Cup.

It is questionable that some of the player deserve to be on the list. Frank Lampard, for one, should not be there. Luis Figo is way past his prime, and Philipp Lahm's inclusion also makes me scratch my head.

I am surprised the Cesc Fabregas is not nominated. He has been simply amazing for Arsenal in the Premiership and the Champions League. The youngster is one of the best midfielders in the Premiership and in the world. Did I mention that Lampard should not be on the list?

This is a World Cup year, so inevitably a player's World Cup performance carries a lot of weight in the voting. In that regard, Owen Hargreaves should at least be on the list. From boo boy to hero, he was easily the best England player in the World Cup. Italy won the World Cup, so Italian players will sure be shown favoritism. However, the Italians on the list are either defenders or defensive midfielders. The award has never been given to a defender. Fabio Cannavaro, who captained Italy to World Cup glory, has the best chance of making it to the final three. Zinedine Zidane, a previous winner, had a roller coaster World Cup. His almost single-handedly guided France to the World Cup final, but then in a moment of madness, got himself sent off to let Italy lift the trophy. I would be very surprise if Zidane made it to the final three.

My prediction: 1. Ronaldinho 2. Fabio Cannavaro 3 Thierry Henry.

The Shortlist for the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year:

Adriano (Inter Milan, Brazil)
Michael Ballack (Chelsea, Germany)
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus, Italy)
Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid, Italy)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Portugal)
Petr Cech (Chelsea, Czech Republic)
Deco (Barcelona, Portugal)
Didier Drogba (Chelsea, Ivory Coast)
Michael Essien (Chelsea, Ghana)
Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona, Cameroon)
Luis Figo (Inter Milan, Portugal)
Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan, Italy)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool, England)
Thierry Henry (Arsenal, France)
Kaka (AC Milan, Brazil)
Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen, Germany)
Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich, Germany)
Frank Lampard (Chelsea, England)
Jens Lehmann (Arsenal, Germany)
Alessandro Nesta (AC Milan, Italy)
Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan, Italy)
Franck Ribery (Marseille, France)
Juan Roman Riquelme (Villareal, Argentina)
Ronaldinho (Barcelona, Brazil)
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United, England)
Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal, Czech Republic)
Andriy Shevchenko (Chelsea, Ukraine)
Lilian Thuram (Barcelona, France)
Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan, France)
Zinedine Zidane (retired, France).


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By Ed Jennett


The Western Conference of the National Hockey League has four legitimate Stanley Cup Contenders this season. In addition to that, it is clearly superior from top to bottom as Western Conference teams that will miss the playoffs this season would have a much better chance of making it to the post season if they played in the Eastern Conference.


Predicted order of finish:

1. Anaheim Ducks: If he can beat you, he should join you. This must have been the thinking of the Ducks when they acquired All-Star defenseman Chris Pronger from the Edmonton Oilers this past offseason. Pronger was the main reason that Anaheim lost in the Western Conference Finals to Edmonton last season. The former Hart Trophy winner as the Most Valuable Player of the League joins fellow All-Star Scott Niedermayer on the Anaheim blue line. Both players have also won the Norris Trophy for the best defenseman in the league. Anaheim also has a dynamic duo in net with goaltenders Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Ilya Bryzgalov. The Ducks may have removed Mighty from their team name, but they are clearly the mightiest team in the Western Conference.

2. Calgary Flames: Last season Calgary won the Northwest Division due to allowing the fewest goals in the league. This stellar defense covered up for the third-worst offense in the league until the Flames were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks last year. Calgary added dynamic offensive left wing Alex Tanguay in the offseason to help take the pressure off of All-Star right wing Jarome Iginla and help raise the scoring of their teammates. Goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff won the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the league last year and should contend for that award again this season.

3. Nashville Predators: Nashville is poised to take the step from playoff contender to Stanley Cup contender this year. Last season the Predators were a fast and skilled team that was eliminated by the bigger and tougher San Jose Sharks in the first round of the playoffs. Nashville responded to this expose of its shortcoming by signing hulking centers Jason Arnott and Josef Vasicek during the offseason. The Predators also signed high-scoring winger after J.P. Dumont after the Buffalo Sabres decided to walk away from his arbitration award. Just as important as those additions is a return. Starting goaltender Tomas Vokoun has returned to the team with a clean bill of health after missing the playoffs due to a blood clot. Nashville is set to win its first division title and advance in the playoffs.

4. San Jose Sharks: The unstoppable duo of center Joe Thornton and right wing Jonathan Cheechoo may now become an unstoppable trio with the addition of left wing Mark Bell. Thornton was incredible after being acquired during the season from the Bruins last year, he won the scoring title and the MVP award, and helped Cheechoo win the goal-scoring championship. There are no limits to what the trio can accomplish this season. The worst part for opposing teams is that they will not be able to key on the top line of the Sharks. The second line of San Jose features talented center Patrick Marleau and scoring wingers Steve Bernier and Milan Michalek.

5. Dallas Stars: The lone team in The Lone Star State is the lone team in the National Hockey League determined to become older. Dallas decided to bring in dependable veterans in defenseman Darryl Sydor and winger Jeff Halpern, along with injury-prone center Eric Lindros. The rest of the league is trying to get younger and faster. However the biggest problem for the Stars may be their goaltending. Starter Marty Turco is always spectacular in the regular season, but always falls apart in the playoffs.

6. Detroit Red Wings: The days of Detroit dominance in the regular season are over with. For now. The Red Wings will take a few steps back this season due to the retirement of Steve Yzerman and the free agent loss of Brendan Shanahan. Talented young forwards Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg will be expected to step up this season, but they will still have a lot of veteran help. Defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Chelios, 36 and 44 respectively will still be huge contributors to the success of the team, as will 41-year-old goaltender Dominik Hasek.

7. Edmonton Oilers: It could have been, and should have been, a great season for the Oilers. Edmonton made it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals last season, despite losing number one goaltender Dwayne Roloson in the first game of the series. The Oilers were poised to be an elite team this season after having snuck into the playoffs last year as the eighth seed. But it was not to be as several key players decided that they would rather play elsewhere. First superstar defenseman Chris Pronger asked the team to trade him. Then free agents Michael Peca, Sergei Samsonov, and Jaroslav Spacek left Edmonton as well. The Oilers still have enough talent left to sneak into the playoffs again, but another lengthy postseason run is highly unlikely.

8. Colorado Avalanche: While they are no longer the powerhouse that arrived from Quebec a little over a decade ago, the Avalanche still has enough talent to make it into the playoffs. Barely. Due to the salary cap, Colorado has lost several key players from the teams that had won their division title nine times in ten years. Captain Joe Sakic remains with the team, as do high scoring wingers Milan Hejduk and Marek Svatos. But there is little depth behind them. Goaltender Jose Theodore is capable of having MVP worthy seasons. If he has one this year Colorado might be able to right behind the elite teams in the conference instead of having to struggle to gain one of the final playoff spots.

9. Columbus Blue Jackets: The Blue Jackets played well last season when the team was reasonably healthy. Unfortunately that did not happen until after Christmas though and the team was unable to make up for enough of their early losses to qualify for the playoffs. Columbus did play over .500 during that period though. This season the Jackets will have newcomers Anson Carter and Fredik Modin to put on a second line to support their top trio of Rick Nash, Nikolai Zherdev, and Sergei Federov. Besides Adam Foote and Bryan Berard, the team is very young on defense and also has young goalie Pascal Leclaire in net. All of that youth will allow too many goals and will cause Columbus to just miss the playoffs.

10. Minnesota Wild: The Wild finally decided to go on a wild spending spree this offseason. The weak point of the team has always been its poor offense, so Minnesota signed free agent scorers Pavol Demitra and Mark Parrish, as well as offensive defenseman Kim Johnson. These new players might not be a good fit for defensive-minded Head Coach Jacques Lemaire however.

11. Phoenix Coyotes: Since it is debatable if their forwards will be able to provide enough offense, the Coyotes have put together a mobile defense that can help pick up the slack. Phoenix signed two-way All-Star defenseman Ed Jovanovski and also traded for puck-moving defenseman Nick Boynton. Offensive-minded d-men Derek Morris and Keith Ballard were already on the club, which will now possess one of best defenses in the league. The foursome will take a great deal of pressure off of 39-year-old goaltender Curtis Joseph.

12. Los Angeles Kings: Apparently All-Star defenseman Rob Blake really loved his time in Los Angeles. Blake returned to the rebuilding Kings after five years with the highly successful Colorado Avalanche. He can serve as a tour guide to new Head Coach Marc Crawford and new starting goaltender Dan Cloutier. The duo may be new to Los Angeles but they are familiar with one another after spending the last few years together with the Vancouver Canucks. Cloutier received a great deal of the blame for the playoff failures of the team, but his former and current coach obviously has faith in him.

13. Vancouver Canucks: The team that obviously did not have faith in Cloutier replaced him with All-Star netminder Roberto Luongo. The Canucks acquired Luongo by sending controversial All-Star right wing Todd Bertuzzi to the Florida Panthers. While the trade solved the goaltending problems of Vancouver, it also destroyed the strongest past of the team, which was the number one line of Bertuzzi, left wing Markus Naslund, and center Brendan Morrison. Combined with the free agent loss of arguably their best defenseman Ed Jovanovski, the Canucks are a shell of the team that they used to be. Luong may have moved from the Southeast to the Northwest, but he will feel like he is still playing for the abysmal Panthers, because the Canucks will be just as bad.

14. Chicago Blackhawks: The Blackhawks probably would have been better off continuing with their penny-pinching ways as the free agents they signed last offseason were busts. Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin and defenseman Adrian Aucoin were All-Stars on their previous teams, but turned into embarrassments in Chicago. This offseason the Blackhawks signed two-way centers Michal Handzus and Bryan Smolinski, who while solid players, are not capable of turning this team around.

15. St. Louis Blues: The best thing that can be said about the Blues is that center Dough Weight loves playing for the franchise so much that he returned their after having won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes. Weight will not be looked upon as a veteran to help a young team get over the top as he was in Carolina. In St. Louis he will be one of the veterans who are just holding down the fort until the younger players on the club are ready for larger roles.

By Ed Jennett


Do not expect any big surprises in the Eastern Conference this season. While there was the usual (and unusual) wheeling and dealing during the offseason, none of it was enough to significantly change the balance of power in the Eastern Conference.

Predicted order of finish:

1. Ottawa Senators: The window of opportunity may be closing shut on the underachieving Senators. For the last several years Ottawa was has followed up incredibly impressive regular seasons with equally incredible flops in the playoffs. This past offseason the Senators lost All-Star defenseman Zdeno Chara and talented winger Martin Havlat to free agency. While Ottawa has the offensive depth to still dominate without Havlat, who only played 18 games last season, it is impossible for the Senators to replace Chara, who was their best defenseman. The Senators top scoring line of Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, and Dany Heatley should still be able to lead them to one of the top spots in the regular season this year, but another spring time heart ache is definitely on the horizon.


2. New Jersey Devils: Rumors of a Devils demise were clearly just that, rumors. The Devils were about to start the season over the cap and having to sign a few free agents. While the rest of the hockey world panicked over the supposed impending catastrophe New Jersey General Manager Lou Lamariello simply worked his usual magic. First Lamariello traded veteran defenseman Vladamir Malakhov in a salary dump. Then he requested and received salary cap relief by placing veteran forward Alexander Mogilny on the long-term injury exception list. Lamariello then used the Devils new found cap space to re-sign leading scorer Brian Gionta and four other veterans. New Jersey essentially brings back the same team that dominated the entire league until running into Carolina in the playoffs last year. Devil domination will once again be the familiar theme this season.


3. Carolina Hurricanes: The Hurricanes were a surprising upstart last season, this year they will be the most targeted team in the league. Fortunately for the defending Stanley Cup Champions they have managed to keep the core of the team intact. Carolina has started the year out slowly, partially due to the fact that they have been without star forward Cory Stillman and solid defensean Frantisek Kaberle. Once they return however, it is arguable that the team the Hurricanes will put on the ice is superior to the one that won the Stanley Cup. Up front the team is loaded with centers Rod Brind’Amour and Eric Staal, as well as wingers Erik Cole, Justin Williams, Ray Whitney and Scott Walker. In net, young goaltender Cam Ward will be the starter all season and could be even better than he was last year.

4. Buffalo Sabres: There is no way of knowing for sure, but it is possible that Buffalo would have won Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals last year if four of their top six defensemen had not missed the game due to injury. Although they lost veteran defenseman Jay McKee and veteran forward Mike Grier to free agency, the Sabres are returning most of the team from last season. Buffalo has the best one-two goaltending punch in the Eastern Conference with Ryan Miller and Martin Biron. McKee was replaced with the signing of Jaroslav Spacek. The Sabres are a quick, fore-checking team, so they will not have a problem making up for the loss of the gritty Grier.


5. New York Rangers: In a hilarious display of irony, the most over hyped franchise in hockey history finally exceeded expectations. The Rangers were picked to miss the playoffs last year, but not only did they make the playoffs, they nearly won the division, losing by one point on the last night of the regular season. The Rangers will follow up with yet another impressive season this year, yet they will once again fail to live up to lofty expectations. Unrealistically, the Rangers have been picked by many to win the Atlantic division. Apparently those experts have forgotten that the defending Atlantic Division Champion New Jersey Devils swept the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs last year. Veteran winger Brendan Shanahan was brought in as a free agent to help with scoring and leadership. Shanahan will be a major help to new Rangers captain forward Jaromir Jagr in leading the club into the playoffs for the second year in a row.

6. Philadelphia Flyers: The Flyers are both a team of talent and a team of questions. Philadelphia has two phenomenal offensive players in center Peter Forsberg and left wing Simon Gagne. But Forbserg missed 22 games due to injury last year, while Gagne missed eight. Forsberg spent the offseason recovering from ankle surgery, while Gagne spent the offseason negotiating a new contract. On defense, Philadelphia is too slow for the speed game of the new NHL. In net, Robert Esche is the clear cut starter only because Antero Niittymaki is out until the middle of the season while he recovers from hip surgery. Once he is healthy and returns to form it is unclear who will be the Flyers starter.

7. Atlanta Thrashers: The Thrashers would be an elite team, but … Atlanta has two great wingers in Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa, but they don’t have a first line center to play with them. Starting goaltender Kari Lehtonen has the potential to be an All-Star, but he can not stay healthy. The Thrashers have a very underrated defense, but their lack of forward depth will cause way too many problems for the D-men. Despite all of their flaws the Thrashers have the talent to earn one of the last playoff spots.

8. Montreal Canadiens: The Canadiens will take their usual spot of sneaking into the playoffs again this season. Montreal has talented, but small forwards, and two good, but not great goaltenders in David Aebischer and Cristobal Huet. Fortunately for the Habs there are so many clear cut have nots in the Eastern Conference that the final playoff spot is theirs by default.

9. Tampa Bay Lightning: There is a price for success, and Tampa Bay has clearly paid it. Tampa Bay won the Stanley Cup with mostly young key players which could have lead to a dynasty. Unfortunately for the Lightning in order to have a destiny it is necessary to re-sign the key young players. Tampa Bay has managed to do that, but it has come at the expense of losing other important players such as goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin and defenseman Pavel Kubina and Darryl Sydor. The Lightning is attempting to replace Khabibulin this season with Marc Denis, but their weak defense has not been addressed.

10. New York Islanders: The Islanders managed to make themselves the joke of the season before they even played a game. General Manager Neil Smith was fired after 40 days on the job and replaced by backup goaltender Garth Snow. Then starting goaltender Rick DiPietro was signed to a 15-year $67 million dollar contract. The only positive things for the Islanders are that they have some decent talent on the team and that there are worse teams in the Eastern Conference.

11. Toronto Maple Leafs: The Maple Leafs appear to be as clueless on the ice as the Islanders are off the ice. Toronto looks like it is trying to get younger by replacing veteran goaltender Ed Belfour with young netminder Andrew Raycroft. But the Maple Leafs also brought in veteran center Mike Peca during the offseason. The team looks like it wants to start bringing up younger players in the organization, but there are not many good ones in their system. Raycroft was awful for the Boston Bruins last year and will have a difficult time rebounding this season with another poor team in front of him.

12. Florida Panthers: The last thing that a bad team should do is trade away a young franchise goalie, but that is exactly what former General Manager Mike Keenan chose to do. Not surprisingly, Keenan was fired by the Panthers on the eve of training camp. The trade netted Florida talented and troubled right winger Todd Bertuzzi. If Bertuzzi refrains from getting suspended for sucker punching his opponents, the Panthers will be much better offensively this season. Unfortunately without Roberto Luongo Florida will give up way too many goals so the impact of Bertuzzi will be minimized.

13. Pittsburgh Penguins: The Penguins are on their way to becoming a powerhouse, but it will not happen this season. Center Sidney Crosby is an incredible young player and will form a great one-two punch when rookie center Evegni returns from a shoulder injury. But the two youngsters will most likely be the best players on the team and are not ready to carry Pittsburgh into the playoffs, yet. If starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury finally plays up to his potential the Penguins might be able to challenge for the last playoff spot.

14. Boston Bruins: If the Bruins had not decided to finally spend some money this offseason, they would have ended up as the worst team in the Eastern Conference. The large contracts given to All-Star defenseman Zdeno Chara and center Marc Savard were only enough to make the Bruins the second worse team in the Eastern Conference though. They also added forward Shean Donovan and defenseman Paul Mara, but none of these additions will be enough to get the Bruins out of the conference cellar.

15. Washington Capitals: Center Alexander Ovechkin is quickly on his way to becoming the best player in the league. Last season he was the only legitimate offensive threat so he was always the focus of the defense of his opponents. Ovechkin still finished his rookie season with 56 goals, 57 assists, and 113 points. Plus he missed only one game despite the punishment he received on a nightly basis. Ovechkin should receive less abuse this season with veteran Richard Zednik and young Alexander Semin helping with the scoring, and enforcer Donald Brashear protecting him.

Let's think back to why Sven Goran Eriksson was considered not good enough to manage England. The media and the fans believed that with the players available to the Swede, England should have done better than three quarter final showings in three major tournaments. The team should have played more entertaining football, at the very least. It did not matter that England had only lost one qualifying match under Eriksson's management. It did not matter that before Eriksson took over, England were a mess under Kevin Keegan. People were outraged that the FA made Eriksson the highest paid international manager in the world. They were outraged that Eriksson did not display the "passion" that they wanted to see, even though his calm demeanor was exactly what people admired when he was first appointed. Under Eriksson, England at least always got the results against lesser opponents. Look at the teams that had beaten Eriksson's England in competitive matches: Brazil, who went on to win the tournament, in the 2002 World Cup; Portugal in the 2004 Euro Championship; Northern Ireland in the 2006 World Cup Qualifying match; Portugal again in the 2006 World Cup. One would not consider Brazil or Portugal to be inferior to England. Only the defeat against Northern Ireland would be considered an upset. The point is, even though one could say that Eriksson's team was not entertaining enough, there is no doubt that his team did achieve solid results. So when the FA decided that a change of management was needed, it would be logical for them to find a replacement who could improve on the already solid results, and on top of that, provide some entertaining football. Luiz Felipe Scolari, the man who defeated Eriksson in three successive tournaments, was a good choice. It was no fluke that he beat Eriksson three times in a row. He was generally considered to be an improvement over Eriksson. His only weakness was that he did not speak English. The deal fell through when Scolari decided that the English media was too intrusive to his liking.

Now, at that point, the FA should have waited until the end of the World Cup to decide on a replacement. It is almost inevitable that quality international level managers would become available after the World Cup. But no, the FA rushed into hiring the next manager for reasons that I do not understand. There were still quality candidates available. Gus Hiddink was one. Hiddink did miracles with South Korea in the 2002 world cup by guiding the team to its first ever semi-finals. Then, as manager of Australia, he took them to their first ever World Cup finals. Considered to be the most sought after manager in the world, Hiddink is, in my opinion, the best choice for the England job. He speaks English fluently; he is familiar with world football; he has vast international experience; he has managed at the highest level; and he has the tactical nous and the motivational skills to transform teams of underdogs into world beaters. The only problem: he is not English. But then again, the FA considered Scolari in the first place, so that should not have been a problem, but for some reasons, Hiddink was never in the frame for the England job. The next best candidate was Martin O'Neill. He is not English either, but close enough. While not as accomplished as Hiddink, O'Neill also has a reputation of transforming underachievers. It was one of those rare opportunities that O'Neill was available at all. He was interviewed by the FA, but was surprisingly passed over. He is now managing Aston Villa. He took over a shamble of a team from David O'Leary, and look at them now. The players played with confidence, but more importantly, they are still undefeated.

The FA passed over two of the best managers in the world for Steve McClaren, the then assistant manager of England. It was such a strange decision with such bad timing. At the World Cup, the players were playing under Eriksson, yet they knew that McClaren would be their new boss. I would think that that seriously undercut Eriksson's authority during the campaign. Compare McClaren to Scolari, or Hiddink, or O'Neill, he has neither experience nor the results at any level to justify his appointment. The new manager should be an improvement over the old one, but one could not help but see McClaren simply as Eriksson lite. The same thing, but not as good.


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Croatia 2 England 0
11th October, 2006

Steven McClaren asked his players for an "England performance" of passion and pride before the match. Either the players were too incompetent to carrying out the manager's instructions, or the manager was just a bad motivator, because there was no passion on the pitch, and certainly no pride at the end of the match, as the traveling fans chanted, "What a waste of money" and "You're not fit to wear the shirt".

True to his words, McClaren decided to gamble on the 3-5-2 formation. However, his plan backfired big time. Even as captain John Terry claimed before the match that they have practiced it for nine solid days, the back three never truly felt comfortable. It was evident even before Eduardo Da Silva scored the opening goal for Croatia. For a three men defence to work, it is important not to play too close together or too far apart. Terry and Jaime Carragher were constantly pulled out of position. The reason England held on until the 61st minute was mainly due to their goalkeeper, Paul Robinson. Robinson made a series of exceptional saves to keep England in the game. But when Kovac once again pulled Terry out of position, his cross was met with an unmarked Da Silva. The Brazilian's header looped over the hapless Robinson to make the score 1-0 to Croatia.

It was unlucky for Robinson to concede as he was gunning for his 7th consecutive clean-sheets to equal the legendary Gordon Banks' record. But his nightmare night had only just begun. Eight minutes after conceding the goal, he moved to clear Gary Neville's back-pass, but the ball hit a divot on the six-yard line and bobbled embarrassingly over his foot. Gary Neville scored his first goal in an England shirt, but it is one that he would likely want to forget. McClaren claimed that the second goal killed the game for England,

"At 2-0 that really kills the game; it was very difficult to come back from that. But I was more disappointed that we conceded the first goal from a cross. Once that happened we were chasing the game."

In reality, apart from one Wayne Rooney strike, England never came close to scoring in the entire match. On the other hand, Croatia brutally exposed the shortcomings of McClaren's system, especially on the flanks. Croatia's coach, former West Ham and Everton center-half, Slaven Bilic, couldn't believe his luck when he found out that McClaren chose to use the 3-5-2 system,

"I was hoping England would venture into the 3-5-2 formation because I knew it would give us much more room to attack. I was thinking before the game that if they did that then we would walk away with the three points and I was right."

After going two goals down, the desperate England manager made a triple substitution: Defoe on for Parker, Richardson on for Crouch, and Wright-Phillips on for Carragher, and reverted back to the old 4-4-2 formation. But by the point, Croatia were already playing keep ball.

Frank Lampard once again failed to impress, and Wayne Rooney had another quiet game.
It was another dreadful performance from England, and McClaren will no doubt attract a torrent of criticisms for his tinkering of formations. Only a few months into his reign, the England manager is already under pressure. It took former manager, Sven Goran Eriksson, four and a half years to lose a qualifying match, but this was only McClaren's fifth match in charge. Many fans are already demanding the termination of his appointment.

Croatia (4-4-2): Pletikosa (Shakhtar Donetsk); Simic (Milan), R Kovac (Juventus), Simunic (Hertha Berlin), Corluka (Dynamo Zagreb); Rapaic (Standard Liege), N Kovac (Salzburg), Modric (Dynamo Zagreb), Kranjcar (Portsmouth); Eduardo da Silva (Dynamo Zagreb), Petric (Basel). Substitutes used:Leko (Monaco) for Da Silva, 81; Babic (Bayer Leverkusen) for Kranjcar, 88; Olic (CSKA Moscow) for Rapic, 71.

Booked: N Kovac.

Goals: Eduardo 61, Gary Neville 69 og.

England (3-5-2): Robinson (Tottenham); Ferdinand (Manchester United), Terry (Chelsea), Carragher (Liverpool); G Neville (Manchester United), Carrick (Manchester United), Parker (Newcastle), Lampard (Chelsea), A Cole (Chelsea); Rooney (Manchester United), Crouch (Liverpool). Substitutes used:Defoe (Tottenham) for Parker, 71; Richardson (Manchester United) for Crouch, 71; Wright-Phillips (Chelsea) for Carragher 71.

Referee R Rosetti (Italy)

Att: 38,000.


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The Pittsburgh Steelers certainly have dug themselves a hole starting the season with a 1-3 record; no one can deny that. However, when something like this happens people tend to jump to conclusions that make little to no sense. First, the season is not over. Remember that the nucleus of this team is one that started last season with a 7-5 record only to win their final eight games (including three straight road playoff games).

Beyond team projections, here, there has been another set of troubling rumblings. Namely, people seem to be throwing Ben Roethlisberger under the bus.

Has Big Ben played well thus far? Heck, no. He's been terrible, in fact. But after watching an episode of Around the Horn where JA Adande indicated that the team might be better off with Charlie Batch at quarterback, some perspective sure is needed.

First, all the tales being told about Ben Roethlisberger's inability to carry a team are simply not true (some of the media seem to actually believe that the running game carried Roethlisberger last season). Yes, every quarterback needs a good team around them, and Roethlisberger has had a better one than most young quarterbacks get through his first couple of seasons. Still, the implication that he was carried over the last two seasons is preposterous.

For proof, just take a gander at their 2005-06 playoff run.

Last season, Ben Roethlisberger was the team's main force during all three road playoff games; he is the reason why they made the Super Bowl. The proof is in the pudding; simply look at the stats.

At Cincinnati, Roethlisberger was 14-of-19 in the passing department for 208 yards and three touchdowns.

At Indianapolis, in a game that he took over rather early on, Roethlisberger completed 14-of-24 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns (one pick).

Still, the AFC Championship game was perhaps his best performance. Roethlisberger simply carried the entire load, completing 21-of-29 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns.

By the way, that running game he supposedly needs to survive was somewhat non- existent in the aforementioned playoff contests. Remember that Pittsburgh's leading rusher, Willie Parker, had the following rushing totals in those three games- at Cincinnati (38 yards), at Indianapolis (59 yards), and at Denver (a whopping 35 yards).

So enough about Big Ben's inability to lead a team to the promised land when he's the featured guy. His past just doesn't jive with that; Roethlisberger has already proven otherwise.

Of course, this all leads to one question. What really is the problem? Why does Big Ben have a 41.7 passer rating so far this season?

Here are some things that are definitely impacting him, followed by some things that may be impacting him.

First and foremost, Ben Roethlisberger just hasn't practiced all that much. The injuries he sustained in the offseason (and the appendectomy he had in season), simply haven't allowed him enough time to get ready. Being ready in the football sense means mentally (getting on the same page with his receivers and getting reps), and physically (he hasn't worked out enough). Beyond that, Hines Ward, his best wide receiver, hasn't practiced much either (which in turn makes it even harder for the two of them to get on the same page).

Roethlisberger has also lost a lot of weight due to the aftermath of his injuries (part of the physical readiness noted above). This is impacting him when pass rushers grab on (he used to be able to rip away from them; not so much lately, though).

He's also been up against some very good teams. Jacksonville, Cincinnati, and San Diego aren't exactly chopped liver.

With all that being said, no. . . the lack of a running game hasn't exactly helped.

Then there's the possiblies (no, there is no such word). You know, Roethlisberger might possibly be experiencing some emotional issues tied to the car crash (only he knows). It surely wouldn't be so unusual. And here's another possibility.

Maybe he's just in slump.

Again, we can only guess.

Regardless, Charlie Batch is not the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers as Adande eluded to; that distinction belongs to Ben Roethlisberger. He's been through a lot this year, and if the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to go anywhere this season or beyond, it's going to be because of him.

So, let's give the guy a chance and stop saying he's a product of the system. Everybody is a product of the system, but as far as Big Ben's play last season, he was as good as they came when it counted.

Ben Roethlisberger is an elite quarterback, not a guy that rode Jerome Bettis's coattails. Give him some time and understanding.

Frank Lampard made his first appearance for England way back in 1999. It was Kevin Keegan, then manager of England, who gave the 20 year old Lampard his debut against Bulgaria in Sunderland. "It was a strange game," he said. "It didn't really sink in." And he had to wait quite a while before he got to put on the England shirt again. "There were times when I didn't think I'd get to this stage, because I was sitting on one cap watching Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Steven Gerrard and David Beckham being the mainstays of the team for a couple of years. I just had to keep working and wait for the breakthrough." A lot has happened since then. A transfer from West Ham to Chelsea, winning two Premiership titles, picked as the Footballer of the Year, Lampard is now an automatic choice. Tonight, he is going to win his 50th international cap in the Euro 2008 qualifying match against Croatia. As he approaches the half century mark in international appearances, he knows that all eyes will be on his performance. He had a poor World Cup, and he failed to make an impact in the FYR Macedonia match.

"We lacked a little edge against Macedonia," he said last night. "We spoke about it the next day and the manager talked about what was wrong from his point of view. We saw a few clips of the game and it was there to see. But we had to get over it quickly because there was another game coming up.

"You know in your mind how you've played," he said. "I've had good games where I've had bad statistics, and the other way round. On Saturday I had a lot of the ball, as much as I'd expect to get at home against Macedonia, but when I saw the statistics I wasn't happy with how much I gave it away. Maybe I tried to force a pass here and there when it would have been better to keep it simple."

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is suspended; Joe Cole and Owen Hargreaves are out injured. Lampard is expected to be the driving force of a five men midfield consists of Scott Parker of Newcastle and Michael Carrick of Manchester United in the middle, Carrick's Man U teammate Gary Neville on the right, and Ashley Cole on the left.

"If we play with Scotty Parker and Michael Carrick in there, I suppose it would give me more freedom to get forward," Lampard said. "If we have just one holding midfield player, or we use another kind of system, there would be more responsibility to get involved in midfield and trying to get a grip on the game rather than getting into the box."

A lot has been said about the incompatibility of Lampard and Gerrard. Some argue that they are too similar, and that they basically do the same things. Now that, Gerard is not available, it gives us perfect opportunity to judge Lampard's credential to be an automatic selection.

"A lot's been made of it," Lampard replied when asked of his poor showing for England, "but I think when someone criticises you it's a normal reaction to not agree with it. It's something you have to take on your shoulders when you play for England. You learn that very quickly along the way. I think it's important with criticism that you don't get overtaken by it. You have to stay level-headed and concentrate on yourself, and that's what I'm doing.

"If you look at anyone who's got 50 caps, it's never a clear run with everything going great. Sometimes you have to play an important part, sometimes you have to work for the team, sometimes the ball doesn't go in the net, as it didn't at the World Cup, and that's just part and parcel of being a footballer. There's never been a player who didn't go through those phases. What's important then is that you work hard for the team and for yourself. Maybe I'll score [against Croatia] and maybe I won't, but if I'm part of a winning team I'll be happy."

Probable England line up:
Paul Robinson, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville, Michael Carrick, Soctt Parker, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Wayne Rooney, Peter Crouch.


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By Tovash Hatcher

Can it get any crazier? If you are a Philadelphia Eagles fan, this is one of the best weeks of your life! This game turned out to be about one thing...not T.O. but T.D. (total domination). The Eagle defense turned out to be sensational against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. All week the local and national networks did their best in hyping this game up to be the best of the season. Do you think it turned out to be just that? While watching the game, I actually felt like I was playing in it. Exhausted at screaming at my TV!! Being a Cowboys fan I was a little angered at the outcome. Let me change that, I was FURIOUS at the outcome. The Cowboys actually looked silly on Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia. We have a receiver who is cursing after every play, a quarterback who may need laser surgery on his eyes to correct his colorblindness, and a head coach who doesn't game-plan well. But I promise I will not be one-sided when analyzing this game and others down the road. With 2 minutes to go in the first half, the Cowboys had a 4-point lead and the ball. They also had all 3 timeouts remaining. To my understanding coach Parcells wanted to go into the locker room with a lead. But why not try to build on that 4-point lead? The Cowboys had the ball with less than 3 minutes remaining in the 2nd quarter and refused to do anything with it. The Cowboys could have at least attempted to get into field goal range to try for the 3. That's what you have the self-proclaimed "most accurate field goal kicker in NFL history" for! Just throw the ball down field, use your timeouts, and kick the ball before the half. Simple formula. If you watched the game, one may argue that throwing the ball was a little tough yesterday due to the Eagles swooping in on the Cowboys' offensive line. They teed off on Bledsoe all day. The Eagles blitzed, and blitzed, and blitzed some more. A mixture of poor blocking and bad reads by Bledsoe contributed to lack of an effective passing game by Dallas. So I guess I answered my own question about the reason why the Cowboys coaching staff was not trying to score at the end of the first half. It just angered me that they were also getting the ball back at the start of the 2nd half as well.

Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens were supposed to be the two players on the field that required the most attention. On Sunday, those two players did get a lot of attention but one player actually contributed to his team. In 1999 Donovan McNabb was welcomed by Philadelphia with a hearty chorus of boos upon being drafted by the Eagles. After throwing for 354 yards and two touchdowns against Dallas, Philly fans are ready to pronounce McNabb the mayor of Philadelphia. He put every pass where it needed to be, he led the Eagles offense to 31 points, and did it all without throwing an interception against a very tough Dallas defense. Terrell Owens didn't have a game to remember for the Cowboys. Catching just 3 balls for 45 yards, Owens caught more attention than Bledsoe passes on the sidelines. Owens threw tantrums on the Cowboy sideline like a 4-year-old boy who didn't get the toy he wanted in a happy meal. And it seemed that every FOX camera was focused on Owens. My goodness, I bet that FOX even has a camera or two in Owens' house as well. We'd probably see how many times Owens uses the restroom or how many time he gets "advice" from his in-home "publicist". Throughout the course of that game the many shots of T.O. on the sidelines started to work my nerves. But there was one time where the cameras caught Owens mouthing "Why am I here?" with his arms up in the air. That was my question as well especially after seeing Bledsoe get sacked 7 times and throwing 3 interceptions. And all this is done by an Eagles team that was supposed to be banged up??? At the end of the day, it was the quarterback and the offensive line for Dallas that took multiple punches to the mouth. On another note, Terrell Owens caught his first pass in the second half. A 25-million-dollar wide receiver should have a little more focus in the game plan you think? Some people in the city of Dallas are crying conspiracy theory. Bad game all round for Dallas and a tremendous game for the Eagles and their defense. The undefeated Chicago Bears indeed have company at the top of the NFC. I give tons of props to the Philly birds as they spanked the Cowboys 38-24. Lookout NFC, the Eagles are once again soaring above expectations. E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles!!

There were other games played on Sunday as well, and the Saints/Bucs game actually turned out to be a dandy. With Tampa Bay having to go to a backup quarterback since Chris Simms went down to that ruptured spleen, the Saints were shoe in to win right? Bruce Gradkowski, a 23-year-old rookie from holy Toledo made the most of his first NFL start. He completed 20 of 31 passes and threw for 225 yards and 2 touchdowns. The second TD pass from Gradkowski went to Alex Smith for what seemed to be the game clinching score putting the Bucs up 21-17 with under 6 minutes in the 4th. A wise woman once told me that the New Orleans Saints have been "kissed by God". I sat and thought about that comment. The Saints have a good record, a promising new head coach, a solid quarterback, and you-know-who. I think Hurricane Katrina blew in good fortunes for this New Orleans Saints team. Reggie Bush made like Hurricane Katrina on Sunday by blowing by the Tampa Bay Buccaneer players on a 65-yard punt return for his first NFL touchdown. I can go out on a limb and say that he has tons of paydirt in front of him. Bush and company outlast last the Bucs 24-21 and improve to 4-1 on the season. This Sunday the Saints host Mr. McNabb and the Eagles. This will be the second true test for the Saints which should be another good game on FOX.

Snow in October? The Denver Broncos have the weather to thank for the win on Monday night against the Baltimore Ravens. Poor Steve McNair had a Drew Bledsoe-like game by throwing 3 interceptions to the Broncos. Denver also eliminated the Ravens strength by shutting down Jamaal Lewis and allowing just 43 yards to the running back. Tatum Bell showed that the weather wasn't a problem by rushing for 92 yards on 19 tries. Jake Plummer managed the game well for the Broncos by completing 13/24 for 165 yards. He wrapped the game up by finding Rod Smith in end zone. Both teams have good football ahead of them and give some credit to the Broncos defense for keeping the Ravens' ground game at bay. They are holding all opponents to 10 points or less and have a great kicker to knock in 50-yard kicks when that offense sputters. And believe me, it's not the best offense in the world either. The Broncos have a ball control type offense and that is what wears down opposing defenses. I'm not too sure that the Broncos shaky offense can get them far, but that defense is doing a pretty good job for them in the meantime. As for the Ravens, Brian Billick shouldn't be bothered by his team's first loss of the season. The running game will be better next week, maybe. The Ravens face a tough front four in the Carolina Panthers and look Jamaal Lewis to be a little better.

I'm Tovash Hatcher.

When Archie Manning went to the University of Mississippi in the 1960s, he had no way of knowing, of course, that he eventually would be the patriarch of the First Family of Football. Manning just wanted to get through school, preferably playing football.

While Manning was at Ole Miss, he began to become a top-rated quarterback. After his freshman year, one in which he contended with seven other first-year students, the legendary John Vaught named Manning the starting quarterback for the upcoming season. During this time, Manning also began dating Olivia Williams, who was from a much higher social class. Manning wrote decades later that he was in awe of his relationship, viewing Olivia as quite the catch and himself as a clumsy kid from a small town.

In 1971, Manning became the second player selected, after Jim Plunkett, in the National Football League draft. The New Orleans Saints would become his football team for 11 seasons on the field and many more off. Manning eventually would marry Williams and the two would have three sons: Cooper, Peyton, and Eli.

Cooper was a wide receiver who went to Ole Miss, but a degenerative spinal condition derailed his hopes of a football career. Peyton and Eli are known to anyone who is remotely interested in sports. Peyton went to the University of Tennessee, much to the horror of Dad’s old pals, and now is the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts while Eli returned to Archie’s alma mater and now leads the offense for the New York Giants.

In a book that John Smallwood put together with the help of the Manning family, Smallwood makes the argument that football needs the Mannings. It is not their passing ability that football needs; it is their character. Dad is by all accounts a good guy. He played for the hapless Saints, who never had a winning season during his tenure, and then went on to become a football nomad for a few years before settling down. Mom and Dad were active participants in the New Orleans community and their sons’ lives, and they hold very traditional, very conservative values.

Their sons, for their part, also exhibit these qualities. The rumors of partying that have followed Eli for the past couple of years can be discounted with a shake of the head. He is just a kid having fun, but surely he will settle down. This family is Americana, and the NFL needs that right now.

At a time when players get arrested regularly and the league substance abuse policy seems to be a joke, the Manning family represents what older football fans want in players. They are good community members and seemingly good people. Peyton donates millions of dollars to charity or his alma mater every year. He does not do it with great fanfare, donating $10 per passing yard or some such silliness that other players do.

Archie, still a visible figure around football, speaks for his family and gives the media a gracious smile and sound bite, even when any respectable person would understand the desire for privacy. When Peyton and Eli became the first brothers to start at quarterback against each other this year, the media loved it, and the Manning family allowed the intrusion into their lives.

What good, solid American could not appreciate the quarterback comparisons that showed a montage of pictures of the boys as they grew up, after all. And what about the childhood footage with Peyton in tears because an older boy tackled him? Those moments are ones that the NFL can exploit to bring back into the fold fans who have become disgruntled by multi-million dollar players who live flashy lives and do usually bad, but always supposedly entertaining, touchdown dances. The slice of middle America that the NFL in the past counted among fans has been drifting farther away as they feel disconnected from the players. These fans stretch their budgets to buy tickets for games, and lately they have felt less obligation to support the home team.

The Mannings bring an air of gentility to a sport known for its roughness and violence. They are men who make other men believe the sport has been resurrected and make women love the game. They are, after all, Southern gentlemen, and that is what makes them necessary to the sport.

By Julia Mercer

The Cincinnati Bengals need help. Unlike in previous seasons when the help was on the field, this time it is off the field where the Bengals could use some assistance. Mainly, they need to stop getting arrested! When two popular ESPN co-hosts ran a poll on what fake story would headline the 2006 season, the Bengals won. Their headline? "Bengals Eat for Free Night at Cincinnati Jail."

That story should embarrass the Bengals players and coaches, and I am sure that it does. I am sure that Marvin Lewis and Carson Palmer are wondering what happened, too. At a time when the top story surrounding the Bengals should be the great return Palmer has had this season after a devastating injury in January, the story is on Odell Thurman and how he now is suspended for an entire season. The worst part about the Thurman fiasco is that it is his second chance!

The National Football League handed Thurman a four-game suspension during the off-season because he violated the substance abuse policy. Basically he had a drug test that came back negative. Now, was he smoking marijuana or using cocaine? Who knows? The Bengals personnel involved with Thurman put on poker faces and said the defense would prepare without him. That was an unfortunate career move for Thurman because he was coming off a phenomenal rookie season in which he showed amazing promise.

Then came the word 14 days ago that Thurman was in trouble again, only this time the police were involved. Thurman was driving in Cincinnati in the early morning hours Monday, September 25, and he came up to a police blockade. The police suspected Thurman of drinking, which was true. His blood alcohol level was more than twice the Ohio limit.

Two fellow Bengals, one of whom also has been arrested in the past year (four times to be exact), were with Thurman. Apparently none of the three of them thought calling a cab or designating a driver would be a good idea. Instead they decided to put the people of Cincinnati at risk by driving drunk.

The Bengals wasted no time in dealing with Thurman. Marvin Lewis, the fourth-year head coach, announced that Thurman would be suspended without pay for the rest of the season. The only problem with this suspension is that it came too late. Chris Henry, who this week begins his suspension for a violation of league policies, was first arrested in December 2005. He has been arrested three times since then for charges ranging from possession or marijuana to domestic battery. And yet he is only now getting into serious trouble for his actions.

Once may be excusable based on age or maturity or some other factor, but players who get into trouble repeatedly cannot be excused. Their behavior simply is not acceptable, and the NFL, and the Bengals, need a show of force to let their players know that the team will not tolerate misconduct.

In the short run, the team defense is hurt. They have to replace Thurman and consider whether or not he will ever find the straight and narrow. As Chad Johnson continues to get double and triple coverage from opposing defenses, Chris Henry was a good threat as a secondary receiver. That threat now is gone, though thankfully for the team they have an excellent receiving corps.

Unfortunately as in many circumstances, the ones who are hurt are the other players. The ones who are still on the field have to deal with deficiencies on the team roster because of the players who have made poor choices. At least one can take solace in the fact that these players do lose their salaries.

The Bengals are losing the ability to claim any kind of moral credibility in the city of Cincinnati, a city deeply in need of role models. That, perhaps, is most unfortunate because the team has had a history of players like Ickey Woods and Anthony Munoz who have been wonderful to this blighted community long after their playing days were over. The Bengals of today seem less inclined to be good citizens, which only hurts the franchise and the city. Well, I suppose it is welcome to the new NFL.

By Julia Mercer

After the lackluster showing against FYR Macedonia at Old Trafford on Saturday, England manager Steve McClaren asks his players to give an "English performance" of pride, passion, attitude and character when England take on Croatia in Zagreb on Wednesday.

"The sign of a good team is the reaction after a disappointing result," said McClaren, who saw England stumble to a draw with Macedonia on Saturday.

"I said after the Macedonia game the reaction from the players has to be positive and I'm looking for an English performance - a performance of pride, passion, attitude and character. I'll be picking a team that epitomises that.

"This is a big, big test for the team. Afterwards I'll know a bit more about them but I know the pride and the attitude they have got in playing for England. I want to see that pride and passion above all."

Scott Parker, the Newcastle United midfielder, could win his first international cap. It seems likely that McClaren is going to use the 3-5-2 formation. If that is the case, Parker will play in the five men midfield.

"He has really impressed me in training this week," the England manager said of Scott Parker. "He has come on and matured in the last couple of years.

"He epitomises what the English game is all about: he can play, he can pass, he can tackle and he's got character and attitude."

Steven Gerard, the Liverpool captain, is suspended for the Croatia match. Another player who will not feature in the match is Tottenham Hotspurs defender Ledley King. King suffered an injury to his knee after the Macedonia match, and will not travel to Zagreb.

"Obviously there was a problem after the game with Ledley, as there has been in the past and his knee blew up and had fluid on it," said McClaren. "We were always thinking about alternatives in case Ledley didn't make it, which he hasn't."

The good news is Rio Ferdinand will return. The Manchester United defender has recovered from a back problem, and is expected to start alongside Chelsea defender, John Terry.

Terry is determined to prove that there will not repeats of the poor showing against FYR Macedonia.

"We know it will be a tough match against Croatia," said the England skipper. "It is a hostile place to come and they have a good record but we are very much looking forward to it now. The game cannot come soon enough for us because we want to bounce back straight away from Saturday's draw. We have come here for three points and to get our campaign under way again."

Terry's Chelsea teammate, Ashley Cole, however, seems to set his sight a bit lower.

"Certain people expected us to win at the weekend - and we should have won - but we've taken four points from two games with a good team who get the ball down and pass," said the former Arsenal full back. "Now we've got Croatia and, although you want to win every game, if we take a point out there and beat them at home, we should be in a good position to qualify."

If the 3-5-2 formation is adopted, McClaren will probably deploy Cole on the left of the midfield, and Gary Neville on the right, which I think is a very negative approach, especially with Parker, another defensive midfielder, in the middle. But McClaren seems reluctant to start with the pacy Shaun Wright-Phillips. Will it be too cautious for England's own good?
Frank Lampard will make his 50th appearance in an England shirt. After some recent disappointing performances for England, the Chelsea midfielder knows he has to assume more responsibilities as Gerard will not be available.

"It's obviously a big loss for us, any team misses Steven Gerrard because he's such a fantastic player, Lampard said.

"But when you talk about the England squad you have to look further than any individual. It's a moment for someone else to come in and show they are worthy of a place in the team."

Michael Carrick is also expected to start. "We have got to get it out of our systems as quickly as possible. The measure of the team is how we respond to the first disappointment under the new manager. There is no denying it was a huge disappointment. We all wanted to win but we haven't done it and we can't change that now. We have to move on and it is a test for us in Croatia."


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Is England the new Spain? A team full of world famous players, thanks to the global coverage of the English Premier League, but always fails to deliver. The players talked of winning the World Cup or the European Championship as if they deserve the winner's medals simply because of who they are. After three successive quarter final failures, and manager Sven Goran Eriksson's termination, Gary Neville, one of the senior players, finally had the sense to admit that maybe they should think of themselves as underdogs. It is a correct attitude, but there is one problem. I simply don't believe that the England players would think of themselves as underdogs.

Not only do the England players earn more in one week than most of their fans earn in a year, they are treated as superstars at home. The modern day England players enjoy such celebrity status that their predecessors could not even imagine. The New Hollywood is the new term coined to describe the nowadays football culture. Do you expect the real Hollywood superstars to think of themselves as underdogs? Neither do I.

However, one cannot blame the players' performances on the evolution of the modern game. Players from other countries are in more of less the same situation. But why do England play so badly with a squad of players so well known all over the world? Maybe the players are simply not as good as they or the fans think. The English Premier League likes to advertise itself as the best league in the world. The players in the league seem to think so. A lot of the supporters tend to think so. I think that the Premier League is the most exciting league to watch. But do I think that it is the best league in the world? Well, it depends on your definition of the word "best". In terms of entertainment, yes, I wholeheartedly believe that it is the "best" league in the world. But in terms of techniques or tactics, is it still the best league in the world? I seriously doubt it. The football culture in England just does not favor overly technical or tactical approaches. The pace of the game is just too fast (which is why it is so exciting to watch) to allow the players, even from an early age, to develop their techniques. The Serie A, the Italian league, on the other hand, is all about techniques and tactics (that is why it is so boring to watch). Maybe that has something to do with the success of the Italy in major tournaments.

Even if the Premier League is the "best" league in the world, that does not really translate into English players are good. English clubs have done well in European competitions in recent years, but if you look at the squads of the top clubs, there are not that many English players. Arsene Wenger famously fielded an Arsenal team without a single Englishmen. Although that drew some criticisms, Wenger was absolutely right when he suggested that club sides have no obligation to the national team. The clubs pay the players to win trophies for their supporters, and that is the bottom line.

Wayne Rooney is undoubtedly a world class talent, and it is only natural to make him the center point of a team. But it is almost embarrassing that England almost always fail to function whenever Rooney is injured, or sent off (let's face it, it has happened before, and it will inevitably happen again), or out of form (like right now). Is England just a one man team? What happen to the other supposedly "world class" players when they put on the England shirts? You would expect these players to be able to do the simple things right, like pass the ball to a teammate… but even something as fundamental as that is beyond these superstars. I honestly don't remember when was the last time England actually played well. They have gotten some good results, for example the 1 - 0 victory over Argentina, but they did not play well at all in that match. In fact, they were very lucky to win that one. Oh yes, that 5 -1 demolition of Germany in Germany. Now, that was a good performance, except that that happened over 5 years ago.


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By Robert Rousseau

At 8 P.M. Eastern, Ken Shamrock will take his final shot at hated archrival Tito Ortiz. How do we know it's his final shot at "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy"?

Shamrock has announced that he will retire after the bout. Besides, grudge matches like this usually end after the trilogy.

The best part about this main card (Ortiz vs. Shamrock 3) is that it will be available on cable television (Spike TV), so you don't even have to buy it to watch. If you did have to purchase it, you'd have to wonder if the fun from watching Ortiz and Shamrock's mutual disdain for one another was worth the money. Said more plainly, you'd have to ask yourself if there was any real reason to think that their third fight would turn out any different than their first two contests (both going to Ortiz, one albeit way too quickly).

Still, there are some interesting under card matches, most of which involve past TUF (The Ultimate Fighter Reality Television Show) participants.

Enough said. Here's to previewing the main fight card.

Seth Petruzelli vs. Matt Hamill

What Petruzelli brings to the table.- This TUF 2 competitor sports a 5-2 overall MMA record with four wins coming by way of knockout (he's got good stand up). Along with this, he exhibited some very nasty kicking ability on the show. However, two of the high caliber fighters he's gone in with- Gan McGee and Brad Imes (in a TUF bout that didn't count on his record)- he's been defeated by, even if he did come through against UFC Hall of Famer, Dan Severn.

What Matt Hamill brings to the table.- Another TUF competitor (TUF 3). Hammill is inhumanly strong with freakish wrestling and ground control skills. Further, he hits like a bear. However, he has very little MMA experience (only has a 1-0 record), rather weak jiu- jitsu skills, and fights with his hands way too low, leaving himself open to big shots. This begs the question, is he ready?

In the Octagon

Petruzelli is solid and certainly capable of knocking Hamill out. However, Hamill has been working out with Tito Ortiz and has probably been drilling and drilling his stand up. If Hamill gets his hands on Petruzelli, he's going down. The question is, can Petruzelli knock him out before this happens?

Very tough one to call, but figure on the answer to that being, 'no'.

Hamill in a close decision.

Jason MacDonald vs. Ed "Short Fuse" Herman

What MacDonald brings to the table.- Brings a 16-7 overall MMA record into this contest (1 TKO and 14 submission wins), all coming via small markets. Still, he's been in with a lot of very good fighters and beaten a handful of them including, Bill Mahood (submission- lost once to him also), Joe Doerkson (submission), Gideon Ray (decision) and Jerry Spiegel (TKO). In short, MacDonald has very good jiu- jitsu skills.

What Herman brings to the table.- Ed Herman was involved in one of the greatest mixed martial arts bouts I've ever seen against Kendall Grove in the TUF 3 finale, losing a very close decision. He sports a 10-4 career MMA record with 3 (T)KO's and 3 submission victories. Herman is an excellent wrestler with awesome ground control skills and strength. Further, his submission skills are above average, and he's got that cocky attitude of a winner.

In the Octagon.

Another tough one to call. If Herman comes into this fight in better shape than he did against Kendall Grove, he should win. If not, expect him to get caught in a submission.

Herman wins via decision.

Chris Price vs. Kendall Grove

What Price brings to the table.- Sports an undefeated MMA record at 7-0 (3 (T)KO's and 1 submission victory). Still, he hasn't fought against any high quality fighters yet (the wins have all come in small market bouts). Price would like to bang in this one if he gets the chance.

What Grove brings to the table.- This TUF 3 winner brings an overall MMA record of 6-3 (1 TKO and 4 submission wins) to this bout. Grove improved as much as anyone while on the show. He's got great cardio (ala his coach on the show, Tito Ortiz), very good submission/ jiu- jitsu skills, and nice reach to go along with some improved striking skills.

In the Octagon.

Very little is known about Price due to the competition he's faced. Still, it's hard to imagine Grove losing this one after improving so much while on the show.

Grove wins via 1st round submission

Ken Shamrock vs. Tito Ortiz

What Shamrock brings to the table.- Ken Shamrock is a legend in this sport. His career MMA record is 26-11-2 (with 2 (T)KO's and 22 submission wins). Still, he's lost five of his last six matches (two of these losses came at the hands of Tito Ortiz, even if one of the matches was stopped way too prematurely). Despite that, Shamrock is still very strong and dangerous with submissions (he can catch anyone, I mean, anyone, at any time). Beyond that, his striking skills are better than they've probably ever been. All that said, he's just gotten old.

What Ortiz brings to the table.- Brings an overall career MMA record of 14-4 to this bout (with seven (T)KO's and two submission wins). Ortiz is a great wrestler and ground control fighter. Further, once he gets you down, he's the best in the division at pounding you out. Beyond that, his stand up, once a weakness, is now perhaps even above average for the division.

In the Octagon.

Could Shamrock pull off the unthinkable? Yes, he's that good with submissions. What are the chances of that?

Pretty small.

Expect Ortiz to weather a striking barrage from Shamrock early on and eventually take him down. Then the pounding will commence.

Ortiz wins via 2nd round TKO.

It would seem that the National Hockey League team, The Pittsburgh Penguins have a new owner. It was disclosed that on Thursday evening of last week, Jim Balsillie has purchased the Pittsburgh Penguins for an undisclosed amount (speculation reigns supreme in the guess that he dropped a cool $175 million USD for the rights to the NHL franchise team).

Jim Balssilie, the co- chief executive officer of the company RIM (Research In Motion), located in Waterloo, Ontario Canada which is company that is maker of the Blackberry met the press in the Pittsburgh home of the Penguins just before their season opener. He states that he will not move the team, but of course, the deal has to be approved by the leagues board of governors (a process that should be finished by the end of the fall). The team declared that the Melton Arena would be their home for years to come and has hopes to build a new arena in the near future or so the fans in Pittsburgh hope.

The two time Stanley Cup winners during the 1990s, The Pittsburgh Penguins declared bankruptcy and were purchased in 1999 by a group that was led by Mario Lemieux.. Lemieux retired at the end of last season and he and his group subsequently put the team up for sale after the season was over.

It is said that Mario Lemieux is against the team moving any where, but rumours have been swirling around that Jim Balsillie intends to move the team up to Hamilton, Ontario Canada (closer to his Waterloo home), but whether these rumours are true or not, remain to be seen. Lemieux believes it is very important to keep the team in Pittsburgh and one of the factors for Balsillie to purchase the team hinges on the building of a new arena in the Pittsburgh area.

The mayor of Hamilton, Larry DiAnni has not substantiated these rumours of the franchise moving here. In fact, when interviewed, he said, quite angrily, that he knew nothing of these plans to move the Penguins to Hamilton. Whether he was in favour of the move, he did not say.

Hamilton, Ontario Canada has wanted to have and has tried for years to obtain an NHL franchise for the city. Out shadowed by both the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabres franchises(who would both lose revenue should Hamilton get a team), the city of Hamilton has been unsuccessful in their quest for obtaining an NHL team and thus, the recent new expansion teams were awarded to Ottawa (the Ottawa Senators) and Tampa Bay (Tampa Bay Lightening). Currently, the closest the city has to a franchise is the Hamilton Bulldogs (from the American Hockey League, which is the farm team of the Montreal Canadians). The city has added to their quest for an NHL team by building a world class arena (the Victor K Copps Coliseum) in hopes of obtaining a franchise in the future.

The only team that has been playing in the National Hockey League in the city was many years ago in the past. The Hamilton Tigers were located here, but during the early 1920s, the team was moved to New York City, renamed the New York Americans and became the first professional hockey team to play out of the newly built Madison Square Gardens.

The city of Hamilton continues on its quest for a National Hockey League team and wonders if this time their dream will come true? The city would certainly welcome a franchise, but would it be supported enough by fans? An average home game of the Bulldogs sees about 5,000 in attendance whereas at a Toronto Maple Leaf game, the attendance jumps to 20,000. Is the city of Hamilton just crying wolf again? Will the Penguins move to Canada? Will the city of Hamilton show enough interest in an actual National Hockey League franchise or is interest waning in the idea? These questions will probably never be answered.

So it would seem that Jim Balsillie has a new team on his hands and that Hamilton is left waiting and hoping for a National Hockey League Franchise yet again unless some sort of miracle happens. Where is the fairy godmother when you need her?

Southeastern Conference match ups this past weekend showed once again why they have the strongest football conference in the country and why football in other parts of the nation do not compare with the talent top to bottom that the SEC has.

First, there was the Auburn-Arkansas game. No one even paid attention to this game. Everyone thought that the Auburn Tigers, until yesterday ranked in the top five in the country would pounce the Razorback, especially since the game would take place in Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn. Well, guess what? It did not happen! The University of Arkansas team surprised everyone, except maybe themselves and their most diehard fans, and upset Auburn 27-10. Arkansas was until yesterday unranked. Now they find themselves at the number 17 spot on the top poll, which is a new experience for them.

Then there was the Georgia-Tennessee game. Yes, as a member of Bulldog Nation, it broke my heart. I was worried about the game after Georgia had trouble with quarterback rotation issues in the Colorado and Ole Miss games. Going into halftime, though, I thought Georgia had a comfortable lead and that we could hang on and win. Then came the second half.

The University of Tennessee, ranked number 13 against the tenth-ranked Bulldogs, came back from the first half with a new vigor. The defense was alive and hitting hard from the very beginning of the second half. And Georgia fell apart. We fumbled. We had an interception. We could do nothing right, save a beautiful 99-yard return by Thomas Brown. Of course, Brown only slightly overshadowed the 87-yard punt return that put Mikey Henderson in the end zone earlier in the game.

Even with all of the turnovers and the pressure against Georgia, the game showed what SEC fans already know - that the conference is tough. Any team can beat another and cause a shake-up. There can be no slacking off in Southeastern Conference football.

And it simply is not that way with other teams throughout the land. When I look at teams like the University of Southern California, it shocks me that they have been ranked so high the last couple of years. They repeatedly need late-game heroics to win against terrible teams. They needed to cheat to beat Notre Dame (and I am no Notre Dame fan, either!). They claim more national championships than they have one. Wait a minute. What did you say? That is right, folks. They claim more national championships than they have one.

In 2003, Louisiana State University (an SEC team, no less) won the Bowl Championship Series national championship game, yet USC claims a national title that year because they won the Rose Bowl. In 2004, USC did win the national title game, but they deny that they should have to share the honor with Auburn, also ending the season with an undefeated record and a major bowl win. USC wants to have it both ways, but they cannot. The bottom line is that they won the 2004 title, and that is it.

But USC is not the only culprit of this type of over-exaggeration that plagues teams in poor conferences. A sports writer for the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky recently wrote a column to explain why Louisville should be ranked so high. His reasons were not because of the coaches or players on the team this year. Instead he talked about almost having an undefeated season and almost beating West Virginia. Well, in football, as in most places almost does not count. The reality is that Louisville did lose the only game they played against a great opponent last year. When you play poor teams, it is easy to win them all, which is why purists in football will remain SEC fans. Okay, so a few of them count the Big 10, too, but that is as far as it goes. While the average fan may love the long passes of the West Coast teams, diehard football fanatics understand that the fundamentals and the slug-it-out matches in the SEC are what makes the game great. That is why those teams appear year after year in the top 25 and why competition remains so fierce around the league, even among the bottom of the SEC barrel.

The defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers certainly didn't expect to open the 2006 season with a 1-3 record, but that's exactly what they've done thanks to a lackluster performance during their nationally televised matchup against the San Diego Chargers. The Steelers' offense was completely shut down in the second half and the defense was unable to hold off Philip Rivers' passing attack as Pittsburgh ended up dropping their third straight game by a score of 23-13.

That the loss came after the Steelers had jumped out to a 13-7 lead has a lot of people speculating that Pittsburgh won't even make a return trip to the playoffs, let alone have the opportunity to defend their title in Super Bowl XLI in Miami. But is it really time to panic yet? Probably not, and here's why.

Granted, 1-3 with three straight losses isn't the way that any NFL team wants to end up through the first quarter of the season. However, this record doesn't necessarily mean that the Steelers' playoff hopes are over. After all, the Steelers didn't exactly tear up the league last season. Yes, they had a record of 3-1 after four games last year, but they did lose three in a row at some point as well. During a particularly tough stretch of games in Weeks 11, 12, and 13, the Steelers dropped consecutive games to the Baltimore Ravens (13-16 in OT), the Indianapolis Colts (7-26), and the Cincinnati Bengals (31-38). Those three losses put the Steelers' record at a mediocre 7-5, and it looked like a playoff berth was in jeopardy.

But the Steelers came roaring back to life and finished strong. They reeled off four straight wins in the regular season and managed to make it into the playoffs as a wild card team. They continued their winning streak in the postseason too, of course, and ended up as Super Bowl champs.

In other words, the Steelers' three straight losses doesn't mean they should pack it in for the rest of the season. There's still plenty of time to get things back on track.

The first order of business in Pittsburgh should be to find out what's going on with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. As every sports fan knows, Roethlisberger was in a well-publicized motorcycle accident during the offseason and then had an emergency appendectomy just prior to the first game of the regular season. He hasn't been able to practice or play as much as usual, and is having a tough go of it this year. Roethlisberger's stats are ugly: He has completed 55 out of 102 pass attempts for just 569 yards. Big Ben has yet to throw a touchdown pass this year, but has been picked off a total of seven times thus far. All of this translates to a horrific QB rating of 41.7. Roethlisberger is the leader of the Steelers' offense, and he needs to step up and start getting things done.

The second thing the Steelers have to do is start winning the "winable" games. Their previous losses to Jacksonville and Cincinnati came against strong teams and are perhaps excusable. But the Steelers have a better, more experienced unit than the Chargers and should have won that game. Looking ahead at the rest of the 2006 schedule, the Steelers have a couple more tough m