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Friday's Sports In Brief

2010-07-10T05:21:00.000-07:00

Done deal. LeBron James and Chris Bosh are members of the Miami Heat.

The Heat completed sign-and-trade deals with Cleveland and Toronto for their two newest superstars. The Heat sent two future first-round and two second-round picks to the Cavaliers for James, while packaging two first-round picks to the Raptors for Bosh.

James, Bosh and Dwyane Wade all signed six-year contracts, each leaving millions of dollars on the table in order to provide the Heat flexibility to build a championship roster.

NEW YORK (AP) _ The New York Knicks sent All-Star forward David Lee to Golden State in a sign-and-trade deal, giving the Warriors the marquee player they sought this offseason.

Forwards Anthony Randolph, Kelenna Azubuike and Ronny Turiaf go to the Knicks, who are moving closer to rounding out their roster for next season. New York also receives a 2012 second-round draft pick.

BASEBALL

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) _ Cliff Lee is suddenly in the starting rotation for the AL West-leading Texas Rangers, who pulled off a big deal despite bankruptcy proceedings and unsettled ownership.

The struggling Seattle Mariners sent the ace left-hander and reliever Mark Lowe to the Rangers for rookie first baseman Justin Smoak and three minor leaguers. Texas also receives cash as part of the deal for Lee, who can become a free agent after this season.

CYCLING

GUEUGNON, France (AP) _ Mark Cavendish made it two straight Tour de France stage victories, leading a sprint for the line as the main title contenders finished in a closely trailing pack.

The 25-year-old native of Britain's Isle of Man raised his hands in celebration at the end of the hot, mostly flat 141.3-mile sixth stage from Montargis to Gueugnon.

The HTC Columbia rider earned his 12th career Tour stage victory and fifth in all races this year _ clocking 5 hours, 37 minutes, 42 seconds to edge Tyler Farrar of the U.S. and Alessandro Petacchi of Italy.

The main title contenders crossed 3 seconds after Cavendish. Defending champion Alberto Contador was 28th, seven-time champion Lance Armstrong was 38th, and overall race leader Fabian Cancellara was 41st.

The heat appeared to be taking a toll on the riders as Carlos Barredo of Spain and Rui Costa of Portugal got into a fight after the finish. The cause of the fracas was not immediately clear, but video footage posted on the website of sports daily L'Equipe showed Barredo of the Quick Step team charging toward Costa and attempting to strike him over the head with a bike wheel. Costa, who rides for Caisse d'Epargne, tried punching Barredo in the face several times before both fell to the ground screaming at one another.

GOLF

OAKMONT, Pennsylvania (AP) _ Heavy rain that began with 100 of the 156 golfers still to begin or complete the second round caused play to be suspended at the U.S. Women's Open.

Play is scheduled to resume at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at Oakmont Country Club, with the third round to begin with threesomes teeing off at 2:30 p.m.

Normally, golfers play in pairs the final two rounds.

Sophie Gustafson was the leader on the course at even par when play was halted, but she had completed only one hole of the second round.

Cristie Kerr, coming off her 12-stroke victory in the LPGA Championship two weeks ago, and first-round leader Brittany Lang were the clubhouse leaders at 1-over 143. Kerr shot an even-par 71 on Friday and Lang followed her opening-round 69 with a 3-over 74.

SILVIS, Illinois (AP) _ Defending champion Steve Stricker broke the 36-hole record at the John Deere Classic with a two-round total of 126, which is 16 under at TPC Deere Run.

Stricker, playing in the morning, shot a 5-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Paul Goydos into the third round. Goydos sent a buzz through the golf world in the opening round by shooting only the fourth 59 in PGA Tour history.

Goydos couldn't maintain the deft putting touch that had enabled him to join golf's most exclusive club and he settled for a 3-under 68, leaving him at 127.

David Frost set the old 36-hole record of 127 in 2000.

LUSS, Scotland (AP) _ Darren Clarke was nearly flawless in miserable conditions in the Scottish Open, opening a four-shot lead on a dreary at Loch Lomond.

Clarke chipped in for birdie on the tough 16th and holed a series of 20-foot birdie putts on the front nine for a 4-under 67.

AUTO RACING

JOLIET, Illinois (AP) _ Kyle Busch pounced on Joey Logano on a restart in overtime, then pulled away to win the Nationwide series race at Chicagoland Speedway.

It was Busch's 37th victory in NASCAR's second-tier series, moving him into sole possession of second place in the series' career wins list. Only Mark Martin has more, with 48. Toyotas swept the top five spots as Logano finished second, followed by Brian Scott, David Reutimann and Jason Leffler.

SWIMMING

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Olympian Kate Ziegler has won the 800-meter freestyle with her second meet record at the Los Angeles Grand Prix.

Ziegler won the final in 8 minutes, 25.89 seconds, beating the field by nearly 5 seconds. In doing so, Ziegler lowered the meet record she set in Thursday's preliminaries on the Southern California campus.

Natalie Coughlin was beaten in the 100 freestyle by Kara Lynn Joyce, who touched in 54.69 seconds, 0.15 ahead of the 11-time Olympic medalist. Jessica Hardy was third in 54.93.

SPORTS AND DRUGS

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (AP) _ A new test that provides a breakthrough in detecting human growth hormone in blood is expected to become available soon and make it more difficult for athletes to use HGH without getting caught.

It's a test some experts consider so good, however, it could blunt the push for the urine-based test sought by some in baseball and football, possibly stalling promising research that has already cost many thousands of dollars.

Resource: etaiwannews

6 Tips For Fun at NFL Training Camp

2010-06-24T03:36:00.000-07:00

Summer is officially here and NFL teams have released their training camp schedules for the 2010 NFL football season. There is no better summer vacation for families than a visit to watch the players of the NFL prepare for the upcoming season.
Each year in late July the players, coaches, administrators, and assorted other NFL staff members make their way to training camp. For 3 to 4 weeks, the players and coaches work intensely to improve their personal and team performances. Its great to see the rigorous work that the players put in to prepare for the 16 game regular season.
Many of the 32 NFL teams hold their camps outside of their home city. For example, the Baltimore Ravens hold training camp 1 hour from Baltimore in Westminster, MD and the Chicago Bears hold theirs in Bourbannais, IL,1.5 hours south of Chicago.
On field practices are usually open to the public and are free of charge. This means that fans can watch the players at work -- participating in drills, 7 on 7s, and joking around with teammates, coaches, and even fans. Moreover, for fantasy football players, it is a chance to check out the players up close before the fantasy football draft.
All 32 NFL teams hold public practices, but each vary in their schedules, policies, and Here are 5 tips for getting the most out of your visit to NFL training camp: here are the training camp locations and dates.
1) Items for physical comfort. There are many things that you should bring to make sure you and your crew are as comfortable as possible. This is especially true if you are bringing kids with you. Remember, training camp is outside and occurs in the late July and early August. In many places, this means that it will be hot. Bottled water, snacks, sunblock, hats, and even seats like those you might bring to a kids soccer game. Different teams offer different seating arrangements and provisions for shade. All have some form of concessions, but they may be expensive and are not likely to be the healthiest options. (BTW, parking is typically free)
2) Confirm the time of the practice, the location, and get there early. The benefit to being there early is that you can watch the players come onto the field and stretch. You will quickly see each players personality in the time and way they enter the field. Its also a great chance to see the players up close, often times before they have their pads or helmets on. Great opportunities for pictures and sometimes autographs and short conversations. Make sure you allow some time for traffic, parking, and walking to the facility from the parking area. (Most teams offer information on their official websites regarding parking)
3) Bring a camera, felt tip markers and pens, and mini-helmets, pennants, hats, jerseys, t-shirts and other items that you would like autographed. Firstly, when we say bring a camera, we mean a real camera. While cell phone cameras have expanded our universe, for an NFL training camp, a real camera is a much better call. For example, zooming in may be the best way to get a close up of Peyton Manning as he works with backups and the quarterback coach on a far field. Or you may want more megapixels for the picture of you and Larry Fitzgerald during your visit to Flagstaff, AZ.
For autographs, the opportunities will vary based on team policies. Each team will have designated autograph sessions and some autograph opportunities are dependent on the personalities of various players. For example, each training camp, the Pittsburgh Steelers hold a Friday night practice at a local high school in Latrobe, PA. As the practice begins, the entire Steelers team walks out to the fences around the field and sign autographs for about 15 minutes.
4) Get a good night sleep and save your voice. A visit to an NFL training camp is an awesome fun and can be very tiring. Much like a trip to an amusement park -- excitement + sun + heat can make us all tired. Some of us may even become cranky. Make sure that you follow this tip as well the others to cut down on the likelihood of crankiness. Also, be ready to cheer for your favorites. Whether shouting hey to Ocho Cinco or joining in a rendition of Bear Down Chicago Bears with other fans, training camp is a great opportunity to show your team spirit.
5) Bring a football and other small games to play with. There is nothing more inspiring than watching pro football players practice. Its why you will see countless pigskins flying around and fans running patterns while the pros practice on the field.
Some teams may even provide kids zones full of activities or allow you to help with practice (fans at Raven's camp can shag field goal attempts on the side fields). Check your teams website to find out what type of activities they offer at their facilities. All will likely have souvenir shops so be prepared for that!
6) Dress like its a game! Players, coaches, and other fans will appreciate your full support during camp. Two a day practices are draining and enthusiastic fans can easily change the momentum around camp. Get your jerseys, team t-shirts, hats, and flags ready. Remember, the real season is just around the corner and we all could use a tune up.
Have a great time visiting training camp this summer. It is a great, low cost way to have a memorable summer vacation with the family. Also, all NFL fans and fantasy football players will have a chance to see the stars up close and get ready for the season ahead.
Family Fantasy Sports

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Joshua_Miller
Resource:EzineArticles

I’m hoping to make a comeback: Sreesanth

2010-06-09T23:41:00.000-07:00

Out of the Indian Test team for a while, medium pacer S. Sreesanth said he was fully fit and training hard at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to make a comeback.
“I am working very hard and I want to play for the country.
I am really hoping to make a comeback into team India,” Sreesanth told PTI.
The temperamental Sreesanth said young cricketers get much needed exposure by playing in IPL.
“IPL has given more opportunities for youngsters.”
On not being appointed as captain of the Kerala Ranji Trophy team, he said he was “disappointed“.
He said he had been working hard for improving Kerala cricket and helping the youngsters. “In the last season, I had led the state in one match,” he said.
“Though I have not taken a final decision, I might opt for playing for another State in the coming season,” Sreesanth, apparently hurt at not being appointed as captain, said.
Sreesanth said immediately after Raiphy Vincent Gomes was chosen as the Kerala captain, he had sent a congratulatory message.
“Even if I play for some other state, it is because I want to play more cricket so that I could do well and get into team India”, he said.
Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) had chosen 25 probables for the Ranji cricket team to be led by all-rounder Raiphy Vincent Gomes, recently. Sreesanth is in the probables list.

Resource:beta.thehindu.com

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Ladbrokes Bingo's Free Bingo World Cup

2010-06-09T02:59:00.000-07:00

Watch the match and enjoy Free Bingo at the same time at Ladbrokes Bingo.
This World Cup, Ladbrokes Bingo is giving away Super Free Bingo. During every single match of the World Cup between Friday 11th June – Sunday 11th July 2010, Ladbrokes Bingo is going to run Super Free Bingo. Bingo games will last 105 minutes and start at the same time as the scheduled match kick-off time.
There will be 14 games of Free Bingo per session and for every game you have a set allocation of 42 tickets. These are all Free Bingo tickets by default.
If you play and win on a Free Bingo ticket then you will win one of the following prizes:

1-line : £5
2-lines : £10
Full-house : £15

In every Super Free Bingo game you'll have the option to upgrade Free Bingo tickets to Superbooks tickets and win bigger prizes. Superbooks ticket are only 1p and if you play and win on a Superbooks ticket the prize money will increase to £60 and be split as follows:

1-line : £10
2-lines : £20
Full-house : £30

Don't forget you can select a combination of Free and Superbooks tickets and everyone is always playing with 42 tickets so it's fair for all. For example, if you buy 2 Superbooks tickets, you will then have 40 Free tickets.
Plus, you can even pre-purchase Superbooks tickets for these sessions.
Every full-house prize winner of Super Free Bingo will win an entry into a private bingo room for an exclusive night of Free Bingo on Friday 16th July between 20:30 right up until the Bingo Linx game at 10:30pm.
Deposit and spend £5 and get £20 free welcome bonus at Ladbrokes Bingo.

Resource:oddspreview.com

The Holliday Swap: Christmas Comes Early for Cardinals

2010-05-31T00:41:00.000-07:00

As you baseball fans may or may not know, Cardinals' manager Tony LaRussa recently made a very bold move: he flipped Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday in the batting order. For the first time in about seven years, Albert Pujols is no longer batting third in the lineup and has been moved down to the #4 (cleanup) spot; the last time Pujols started a game batting somewhere other than third in the lineup was on May 23rd, 2003 when he hit fourth against the Pirates. According to MLB.com and the Cardinals organization, Pujols made 1,046 consecutive starts at the #3 spot. However, LaRussa feels that, after all these years of Pujols batting in that slot, Holliday's arrival is a hitter that can finally provide a legitimate alternative.

If you follow the Cardinals, it is no surprise that this year's offense hasn't really been "productive" going into a month and a half into the elteason. Going into 38 games in their season (before the change was made), St. Louis had only scored 160 runs, which is equivalent to 4.21 runs per game. According to Baseball-Reference.com, that is good for 12th out of the 16 teams in National League; the only teams who have done worse offensively in that category are the Padres, Giants, Pirates, and Astros. For a team that's struggling to score runs, the Cardinals are doing pretty well in the standings.
In the NL Central, as of May 21st, they've just re-claimed their first place position and have the third best record in the National League. However, at 24-18, that really isn't saying much, and there is always room for improvement. Tony LaRussa realized that, going into a month and a half into the season, something needs to be done. I must say that this was a very ingenious move by him… and this is why. Do you guys remember much about the Rockies in 2007? Surely, most baseball fans remember the rally they had when they won 14 out of their last 15 games in the regular season, edging the Padres in extra innings in a tiebreaker and earning the NL Wild Card spot in the playoffs. They would eventually go on to sweep the Phillies and the Diamondbacks to become 2007 National League Champions. One of the key players who was a part of this huge comeback was Matt Holliday. During the 15-game span during the end of the season, he batted .400, with 6 homers and 18 RBIs, while upholding an on-base percentage of .493 and a slugging percentage of .800. With that being said, why hasn't Holliday done anywhere near as well as he did in the 2006 and 2007 seasons? Two words: Todd Helton.
The All-Star first baseman gave Holliday a whole lot of protection with the simple concept of Helton batting right behind Holliday. Since 2005, Helton hasn't really been that productive of a hitter in terms of home runs and RBIs, and it is quite ironic that Clint Hurdle was doing the same thing Tony LaRussa is doing now: moving the more fearful hitter around to get the other player to perform better offensively. Granted, Helton still hit well above .300 throughout his career until his injury in 2008, but we're talking about Todd Helton here. We're talking about a guy who averaged a .338 batting average, 33 homers, 113 RBIs, a .435 on-base percentage, a .610 slugging percentage, and 46 doubles from 1998 to 2005. He was going to be productive no matter where he was in the batting lineup. Now that LaRussa is taking Clint Hurdle's approach, I'm calling it a very nifty move. The only difference is that Matt Holliday is being protected by Albert Pujols instead of Helton. Another one of the main reasons that LaRussa pointed out about why Holliday is being moved up to third is because he is not doing so well with runners in scoring position. Entering Monday's game, Holliday was only 8-for-47 in such situations… and you can see it by simply looking at how many runs he brought in before being moved (14). He only has 4 RBIs in the month of May; can you say, "Wow!"? Other than his lack of bringing in runs, he's having a good offensive season otherwise. Hitting behind Pujols is a stimulant for just about any hitter, because no pitcher wants to face Pujols.
Holliday is going to get a lot more pitches to hit, and LaRussa hopes that this can create more chances for him to, not only drive in runs, but to get on base so that Pujols can drive him in. LaRussa had this to say regarding his switch: "We'll see. We've still got to make it work, but Matt's been a third-place hitter. He likes hitting third. We need to be more productive. So you identify, there's things we can work on, there's things we can improve, which we will improve. And there's other things like this that maybe there's a spark there for us. and getting Matt going would be a spark." "I prefer Albert hitting third, but I more prefer to get Matt going along with Albert and all the other offense we’ve got.“We've got to be more productive.
Things like this, maybe there’s a spark for us." Even with a small change like this, I am confident that St. Louis (particularly Holliday and Pujols) are going to do better with their roles being switched. With their starting rotation being rock solid and their closer doing well, there is no doubt in my mind we are going to see some improvement in the heart of the lineup. I mean, just take a look at what Holliday did tonight: hitting a key double that broke the 2-2 tie and giving the Cardinals the 4-2 lead, and the eventual 4-2 win. It was the first run-scoring hit in a week and his first extra-base hit with a man in scoring position since April 7 -- the second game of the season. On a side note, after the game, LaRussa had this to say about Holliday's extra-base hit: "I've said it a number of times, I think Matt's biggest problem is trying too hard, trying to force things. Get him a little bit more relaxed, a little more like himself, and all of a sudden, he does something good. [After getting] a little confidence, he's got a better chance to do better." What do you think? Are we going to see a little more productivity from Holliday? Only time will tell…
Read More.....armchairgm

Kelly Brook is the only allowable form of curvy and other news

2010-05-29T03:24:00.000-07:00

- Carrie Underwood's legs still aren't doing it for me. [Lainey Gossip]
- Mariah Carey quits a movie and everyone's first thought is she's pregnant not batshit crazy? How does that even happen? [Dlisted]
- Dane Cook gets Kanye'd on American Idol. [Popeater]
- Ashton Kutcher's Killers won't be shown to critics until opening day so no one can say it sucks until after they bought a ticket. [Huffington Post]
- Victoria Justice is, indeed, a fine young woman. [HollywoodTuna]
- Sienna Miller panty flash FAIL. [DrunkenStepfather: Site is NSFW]
- Megan Fox's Jonah Hex posters are old-timey whoretastic. [Popoholic]
- Gary Coleman's in the hospital again. Is it a brain hemorrhage? Because those things are hot right now. [StarPulse]
- Matt Lauer might have banged a tranny. [Celebslam]
- Madonna incorporates her love of getting banged into selling eyewear. Why not? [Just Jared]
- Jake Gyllenhaal is goddamn everywhere. [PopSugar]
- Justin Bieber will fucking cut you. [The Blemish]
Resuorce:http://thesuperficial.com/2010/05/kelly_brook_is_the_only_allowa.php

To find the best term life insurance agents

2010-05-29T02:27:00.000-07:00

To find the best term life insurance agents you have to check with your state’s insurance regulator for any complaints filed against the agent and the insurance agency that he or she is affiliated with. It is also important to do a background check on the credentials that each single term life insurance agent has. Make sure that these steps are completed before doing business with an insurance agent and giving out any of your personal information.A major number of provinces in the country require drivers to have car insurance. The rising number of road accidents prompts the government to implement necessary measures in order to protect motorists.Car insurance Ontario is something every person should have when driving for the sake of their safety and security.

Henin shocked in Madrid first round, Sharapova exits

2010-05-11T22:41:00.000-07:00

MADRID: Four-time French Open champion Justine Henin's preparation for the Roland Garros grand slam event suffered a shuddering jolt with a defeat by France's Aravane Rezai in the Madrid Open first round on Sunday.

Henin won the Stuttgart title on clay last week and is considered a dangerous outsider in Paris later this month but her first serve was inconsistent and Rezai, the world number 22, took full advantage with a 4-6 7-5 6-0 win as the Belgian's game collapsed. Henin beat Australia's Samantha Stosur in the final in Stuttgart last Sunday for her first title since she ended her 19-month self-imposed exile at the start of the year.
Maria Sharapova was another former world number one to fall at the first hurdle, the Russian 11th seed going down 6-4 6-3 to Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic. "It's a struggle trying to find the rhythm," a philosophical Sharapova, who was playing her first tournament since pulling out of the Sony Ericsson Open in March with an elbow injury, told a news conference. "I thought (Safarova) played really solid, good tennis and did everything she needed to win the match. More solid than me anyway," the 23-year-old added. "I certainly had my chances in the match and a few balls here and there that I maybe would have made if I had the matches under my belt." Safarova broke Sharapova's serve four times and the Czech is on course for a possible last-16 clash with sixth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva. "If you win against these top players, as I have the last couple of months, then you get your confidence and you realise you can be up there," the world number 35, who beat world number two Caroline Wozniacki in Stuttgart, told a news conference. "My dream is to be top 10 and it's a lot about believing in yourself." Fourth seed Venus Williams, also a former number one, plays qualifier Stefanie Voegele in the first round later on Sunday.

Sports Update: How will Lebron's elbow hold up?

2010-05-08T04:49:00.000-07:00

The NBA’s biggest story these days might be LeBron James’ right elbow, the most examined joint in Cleveland sports history which even has its own Twitter account (@LeBronsElbow). (Watch CNN's Sanjay Gupta talk about the injury.) The Celtics and Cavs play Games 3 and 4 in their Eastern Conference semifinals this weekend, the highlights for a busy weekend in sports (all times Eastern):

-Cavaliers at Celtics (ESPN. 7:00 PM) How will the three days of rest affect LeBron’s health? He’s been diagnosed with a bone bruise and strain in his right elbow and the series outcome will likely come down to how hard he can go with the pain. Game 3 is tonight. The series is tied at 1-1.

-Suns at Spurs (ESPN, 9:30 PM)
Why do the Suns lead the series 2-0? Simple teamwork,” says SI.com’s Ian Thomsen. “The Suns are delivering more production and energy across the board.” Phoenix is 34-9 over the last three months and can take a commanding lead tonight in Game 3 in San Antonio.

-Wigan at Chelsea (Sunday, 11:00 AM, Fox Soccer Channel)
It’s simple for Chelsea: The Blues will lift the Barclays Premier League title if they pick up three points at Stamford Bridge. A draw or loss opens the door for Manchester United, who play Stoke City. Chelsea leads Manchester United by a point with only Sunday’s games remaining in the schedule.

BY THE NUMBERS

.377
batting average for Tigers rookie outfielder Austin Jackson, who leads the American League in hitting.

286
Career wins for Robin Roberts, the Hall of Fame pitcher who led the Phillies to the 1950 pennant. Roberts died on Thursday. He was 83.

4
Goals for Red Wings forward Johan Franzen (along with two assists) in Detroit’s 7-1 win Thursday night over San Jose in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. San Jose will host Game 5 on Saturday night with an opportunity to advance to the conference finals.

[No Uniqe Content Here]

Sachin Tendulkar on Twitter @sachin_rt

2010-05-05T23:28:00.000-07:00

Finally, Sachin Tendulkar joined Twitter. He got really great response from fans. He is following only 2 people now and around 50 thousand fans following him and counting.
Zaheer Khan confirmed this is real ID by tweeting “Yes! Its true sachin tendulkar is on twitter on @sachin_rt”.
“The only record left for him to break is maximum number of followers. Welcome the one and only and my favourite Sachin Tendulkar,” tweeted Deepika Padukone.
“Sachin Tendulkar is on Twitter. We want him to beat Ashton Kutcher hollow. Spread the word. Follow Sachin,” said Riteish Deshmukh.
“The original rock star is here. Welcome Sachin Tendulkar. He is here. Give him all the love he deserves,” read Arjun Rampal’s post.
“A big welcome shout for the Sachin Tendulkar himself. Enjoy!” said celebrated director Karan Johar.
“Finally on Twitter, the god of cricket himself. A big welcome shout for Sachin Tendulkar himself. Spread the word,” wrote Shilpa Shetty.
“Good to see you here,” said Sania, a self-confessed fan of Tendulkar.
You should follow original Sachin at Twitter.

Troubled sport thrown into fresh turmoil by allegations against John Higgins

2010-05-04T00:49:00.000-07:00

To understand the penetrative, long-term impact of the allegations of frame-fixing that have dealt professional snooker a potentially mortal blow, one need only talk with Steve Davis, the sport’s greatest ambassador.
On the verge of tears after allegations that John Higgins, the world champion, was prepared to accept a six-figure bribe, Davis said: “After this, if Barry Hearn isn’t allowed to continue as WPBSA chairman, I’ll have to seriously consider my future in the game.” This from a veteran who has always maintained that voluntary retirement is unthinkable, so deep is his love of all things green baize.
The black Davis mood was created by the acrid stench that can only emerge from a high-profile alleged betting scandal, especially one that came to light on the eve of the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship final, the sport’s showpiece occasion. “My thoughts as a player, it’s the darkest day I’ve ever experienced,” Davis, 52, said. “I’m gobsmacked. The integrity of the game has been put in question. It’s at the lowest ebb it’s ever been.”
Hearn spoke to a tearful Higgins yesterday and said afterwards: “As much as I would class John as a nice guy, the game is at stake here.” Asked if Higgins could play again in the future if found guilty, Hearn said: “I think it would be a real problem for him.”

For a sport in need of renewed and additional television revenue, and desperate to attract new sponsorship income, such a story is poisonous.Hearn, who took over as chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) in December, said he was “absolutely mortified” by allegations that Higgins, three times the world champion, and Pat Mooney, his manager, agreed to manipulate the outcome of four frames in future minor events.
Higgins and Mooney, who was a WPBSA director until his resignation yesterday, were filmed by the News of the World, allegedly agreeing to accept £261,000 in return for frame manipulation.
Higgins and Mooney claim they are innocent and there is no suggestion or accusation that Higgins has ever thrown a match or been involved in any fraudulent activity during an 18-year professional career in which he has collected more than £5 million in prize money.
“Today is the start of the biggest match of my life,” Higgins said. “It’s not the World Championship that’s at stake, it’s something even more important, my reputation. I will fully co-operate with the snooker authorities.”
The News of the World has video evidence of a meeting with Higgins and Mooney that took place in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, on Friday. Higgins claims he was “really spooked” by what he thought were members of the Russian mafia, a sentiment echoed by Mooney. “I have never deliberately missed a shot, never mind intentionally lost a frame or a match,” Higgins said. “My conscience is 100 per cent clear.”
Yet regardless of where innocence or guilt may lie, Davis and Hearn are convinced that the whole sorry affair, and its timing, have caused immense damage for snooker, which given its recent financial and perception problems can ill afford such a hit.
There have been several betting furores in modern snooker history, but none has featured anyone as internationally recognisable as Higgins.
Many will be relieved that Hearn, who showed decisive leadership by quickly suspending Higgins from all WPBSA tournaments, is remaining at the helm after an initial period of soul-searching when the story surfaced. “I’m not prepared to see the sport die under this type of publicity,” he said. “I know in my heart of hearts I can put those things right. My first reaction was to walk away, but the second was ‘no, this means something to me’.
“So I’m staying and dealing with it, but I’m going to take it very seriously.We at the top of the game have a responsibility and my message to fans is that this is not going ruin our game.”
David Douglas, a former Metropolitan Police detective chief superintendent who was invited by Hearn to sit on the WPBSA board for his disciplinary input, will head the disciplinary inquiry.
One positive is the reaction of Fred Done, chairman of Betfred, the World Championship sponsor. “If Barry wants to do another five-year deal I will sign now,” he said. “I will continue supporting snooker and I’m confident the WPBSA will conduct a proper and thorough investigation.”
In February 2006, Quinten Hann, of Australia, was banned by the WPBSA for eight years after a similar undercover operation by The Sun revealed he had offered to throw his opening match against Ken Doherty in the 2005 China Open.
Although the match was subsequently played properly, after undercover reporters pulled out of the deal, a WPBSA disciplinary panel was shown transcripts and video footage of meetings between Hann and journalists in March and April 2005.
Hann was found to be in breach of the WPBSA’s rule 2.8, which states: “A member shall not directly or indirectly solicit, attempt to solicit or accept any payment or any form of remuneration or benefit in exchange for influencing the outcome of any game of snooker or billiards.”
Davis, who beat Higgins 13-11 in the second round of the championship nine days ago, put it succinctly. “How horrible a thought that from now on every time we miss a shot or make a mistake, someone who thinks there’s something going on will say, ‘I told you so,’ ” he said.

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IPL 3: Looking back at a party

2010-04-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

The third edition of the IPL went way beyond cricket- what with the cheergirls, the after-match parties, the older players shining bright and some close finishes.

It presents itself rather differently from the conventional, and with diamonds studded all over, the IPL trophy is one of the most ravishing beauties to behold. In the last two weeks though, one is given to understand that there's lot of dirt buried beneath that glitter. IPL 3 has been about cricket and big bucks, with a parallel game played outside the hallowed turf, rather inside the House. Oscar winner AR Rehman and Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu enthralled the audience at the DY Patil with a live concert, so did the next 22 performers in blue and yellow pyjamas in the Sunday night final --- the trophy went to Chennai but the game outside is just waiting for its new dawn. Lalit Modi has delayed his own final, gearing up to bat in the last bit of slog overs against a mounting asking rate of allegations. But, ultimately, he was suspended by the BCCI just hours before the IPL Governing Council meeting.
Coincidentally, the on and off-field activities have gone erringly similar - there has been big signings in millionaire Kieron Pollard who, without doubt, helped Mumbai wake up from deep slumber to take the title fight. On the other hand, it's the multi-million signings on the dotted line that has raised the doubt and summoned the taxmen. While Sachin Tendulkar has been hailed for single-handedly taking Mumbai so far, Modi is being castigated for his autocratic behaviour.
Maybe yes, maybe not, the multi-cultural and different nationality is being studied for the spate of run outs, 55-and over, during the IPL games but there has been another running debate, over proxy money, ownership and match-fixing, that has dominated the headlines.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni and others have been outspoken about the humid Chennai weather, the amount of sweat that drenches their T-shirt and cramps their legs. Yet not much thought has been given while scheduling day games in those areas but there's been a serious brainstorming in various quarters about the sweat equity of a certain damsel sitting in faraway Dubai.
The off-field activities have already spilled over the allocated window for the tournament; longer strategic timeouts have been made, and more demanded, threatening that the end is far from expected. There will be no pom girls in mini skirts cheering anymore, the especially flown-in ‘mischief girls' are all packing their suitcases after a hectic schedule of day and evening matches and IPL nights - from hereon, there will be just formally clad politicians raising the pitch of their protests.
And to get the basics right, this entire hue and cry is a consequence of a three-line tweet from Modi with intentions to reveal selective information of the new franchisee joining them next season. Ever since, reputations have been stripped naked in the Parliament and outside, with reiteration of an in depth probe.
Talking of a rebel match outside the field, the IPL has brought into limelight the alumni batch of yet another rebel league. Players like Ambati Rayudu, Ali Murtaza, R Satish have been the driving force behind Mumbai's resurgence and proved to be a great discount buy from the ICL.
Controversies apart, the IPL continued providing platforms to the unknown and throw up surprise packages. Saurabh Tiwary, Murali Vijay, R Ashwin, T Suman, R Vinay Kumar, Aditya Dole, Sumit Narwal, Manvinder Bisla, Naman Ohja came to the fore for their respective franchisees to make the points table wobble frequently.
Mohali, unfortunately, lost balance early and fell down. Yuvraj Singh versus Kumar Sangakkara was yet another controversy that added spice to the competition while the Mongoose lapped up attention on the cricket field after Mathew Hayden publicised it at the cost of Delhi bowlers.
Cricketwise, there was aplenty, there was series of hop-and-jump catches taken smartly at the rope.
This edition again proved that retired and people over 35 still savour the taste of T20 with Sachin, Kallis, Kumble, Dravid, Warne, Hayden all in queue.
There was thrilling last over batting from Pollard, Uthappa, Yusuf, Symonds, Dhoni; an Indian scored a century - fastest ever - and a pacer amidst the spinners taking centrestage wrapped up a hat-trick. And then, two of the new performing lot did get their deserving place in the World T20 Indian team.
IPL 3 introduced the IPL party nights and the awards night, with franchisees and player turning out in their best, adding overtunes to the cricket and taking it a step further. Indeed, IPL 3 was about cricket and big bucks. About cricket. And about the big bucks.

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ipl cheer girls

2010-04-21T06:16:00.000-07:00

The concept of Item Girls is not new in India. And after IPL T20, Cheer Girls have grown popularity amongst the people. Now, Leo One Music has come up with entirely innovative concept of Party Girls in India and Mr. Sandeep Shukla the owner of Leo One Music thinks it would be well- accepted by the party lovers. This concept has up-rooted prevalence in Western countries. Party Girls concept comprise of four girls who are professional and will perform in parties

Meet the cheergirls

2010-04-16T23:48:00.000-07:00

From queens of controversy to darlings of Indian advertising. But two years since their debut, you still don’t know who they are
Then come the girls. Twenty bleary-eyed figures take up their spots in the modest lobby. Some try napping on the couches while their managers work through check-in formalities; some stand on the hotel stairs and smoke. Most have something to complain about: They haven’t been able to sleep for more than 4 hours yet again, they’re hungry, it’s hot, their phones are acting up.
The cheerleaders, who auditioned in South Africa but have been culled from various countries, have been in India since the first week of March, when the third season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) kicked off. They’ve acquired cotton “Alibaba” pants and chunky silver jewellery. These jostle for space with GAP T-shirts and Louis Vuitton fakes on their petite frames.
Even a couple of weeks away from the end of the season, the girls have hectic schedules. Two groups of 20 girls each travel across the country for daily matches. Two league games each day means that both cheerleading groups work every day.
On an average day, the cheerleaders wake up at 6am, take a 9am flight for their next destination, check into a hotel at noon, grab a quick bite—a nap, if they’re lucky—before getting dressed to make an early entry into the stadium to avoid crowds. Slap that schedule with after-hour parties, and what you have is a 20-hour day.

Serena to make Rome comeback

2010-04-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

Serena Williams will make her injury comeback at the Rome International in May, organisers said.
The world number one has been given a wildcard as she was not on the original entry list for the tournament that runs from May 2-8.
It means that only US Open champion Kim Clijsters will be missing from the world's top 10 players.
Williams has not played since January due to a knee injury, but the Rome tournament will serve as a warm-up for a tilt at the French Open later in May.
The younger sister of Venus Williams has won on the Roman clay at the Foro Italico once before in 2002.

Tiger Woods is Masters favorite despite rustiness

2010-04-08T05:19:00.000-07:00

Tiger Woods will enter the unknown when he tees off in Thursday's opening round of the U.S. Masters for his first outing for nearly five months but he has been made the tournament favorite.

Sports

The world number one, who took a break from golf when his private life spectacularly unraveled at the end of last year amid allegations of extra-marital affairs, has been installed as 6-1 favorite by British bookmakers Ladbrokes.

Fellow American Phil Mickelson is rated at 14-1 with South African Ernie Els third best at 16-1.

"Tiger going off as a 6-1 chance prior to his problems would have been unheard of but we're prepared to take a chance following his self-imposed exile," Ladbrokes spokesman Nick Weinberg said in a news release on Wednesday.

Ladbrokes also offered special odds for other Woods-related incidents.

The 14-times major winner, a four-times champion at Augusta National, is 100-1 to record an ace and 5-1 to launch his opening tee shot into the trees.

Woods is 5-4 to register at least five birdies in his first round.

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Police take Shoaib's passport

2010-04-06T05:05:00.000-07:00

In a day of bizarre twists and turns, the controversy surrounding the proposed marriage of tennis star Sania Mirza with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik has become more complicated.
Mr. Malik on Monday publicly rejected the demand for a divorce from Ayesha Siddiqui, arguing that he had never married her, even as Ms. Siddiqui issued a public reiteration that she had enough proof to substantiate the claim of marriage.
Police recorded the statements of Mr. Malik, who is currently staying in Ms. Mirza's house, and those of Ms. Siddiqui.
With the police taking possession of Mr. Malik's passport and issuing an alert to all international airports to ensure that he did not leave the country, the Pakistan High Commission also got involved and assured all possible assistance to the cricketer.
Just before noon, the police walked into the house to talk to Mr. Malik, and by 4.30 p.m., the would-be couple addressed a press conference.
“There is no question of tendering any apology; there is no scope for postponement of marriage and no chance of an out-of-the-court settlement,” Ms. Mirza said, appealing against a trial by the media. Mr. Malik said Ms. Siddiqui was not the woman whose pictures were sent to him.
“Yes, the signature on the ‘Nikahnama' is mine, but the marriage never took place. I repeat, I have never met her. Why is she hiding behind the cameras?”
He said the charge that Ms. Siddiqui had suffered a miscarriage had to be proved. “I am not running away. I have come here to come clean and I have cooperated with the police.”
Ms. Siddiqui's advocate Waliur Rehman and her family doctor Syed Shams Babar said at a media conference that they had proof to substantiate the charges. “All we want is a public apology and a divorce. Nothing more.”
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Good manners guidelines ahead of India games

2010-03-21T22:21:00.001-07:00

The government of the Indian capital Delhi has prepared guidelines for residents which will warn them not to urinate or spit in public.
The list of dos and don'ts is being compiled to ensure that people of the city are charming hosts for the Commonwealth Games, officials say.
Authorities say a major media and advertising campaign is being planned to teach good manners to people.
Tens of thousands of tourists are expected to attend the games.
They are due to be held in Delhi from 3 to 14 October.
'Keep clean'
"We want to change Delhi's public culture; their behaviour towards each other and to guests… so that they are courteous," The Hindustan Times quoted Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit as saying.
"We want tourists to go back with the impression that Delhi is a sophisticated city," she said.
"We want to tell them don't urinate in public, don't spit, keep your houses and shops clean, keep public transport safe and such things," the newspaper quoted Delhi tourism chief Rina Ray as saying.
"This will tell every Delhiite that instead of being on the sidelines as a spectator, he or she can contribute to a better games."
The BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi says that spitting and urinating in public - primarily male traits - are a common sight across India.
A few months ago, Home Minister P Chidambaram also advised Indians to brush up on their manners and stop spitting and urinating in public places.
Critics say poor civic sense and a lack of public urinals are the main reasons why people indulge in such activities.
A number of states have tried to introduce measures to ban urinating in public in the past.
Three years ago the government of the state of Rajasthan banned graffiti and spitting and urinating in public.
Calcutta has also tried to introduce measures to penalise men for urinating in public.
In some places, images of gods and goddesses have been put up to deter people from urinating or spitting there.

Rafael Nadal’s pain-free return is a sight for sore eyes

2010-03-19T22:13:00.000-07:00

There is a peculiar degree of suspicion each time Rafael Nadal is asked about his fitness, as if the vogue is to doubt him even when he says he is feeling fine — and thank you for your concern.
Such disbelief ought to get to the 2008 Wimbledon champion, but the only irritation he shows is when he screws up his face during a rambling question. He answers everything sincerely in the hope that we trust him at his word.
One wonders why those who have reported Nadal’s astonishing success from the age of 17 and been won over by his bravery and sincerity are such unalloyed sceptics. Yes, he had to get his knees tended to after his quarter-final retirement against Andy Murray in the Australian Open in January, a match that was threatening to become the tournament’s masterpiece, and at the end of 2009 he was but a shadow of the stirring Nadal.
As of this week, his movement and stroke-making at the BNP Paribas Open has been a wonder to behold and he reached the last four with a 6-4, 7-6 win over Tomas Berdych, of the Czech Republic. Do not take one man’s word for it, but listen to Francisco Roig, the Spaniard who bears responsibility for Nadal for periods of the year when Toni Nadal, Rafael’s uncle and coach, takes time off for family commitments and to refresh his mind.

“I have never seen Rafa play like he has this year in my life,” Roig, a 41-year-old former tour pro, said. “In Qatar, in Abu Dhabi, in the first two sets against Andy [Murray] and this week, we have seen he is a more complete player, someone who is able to do more things with his game.”
So, what of the doom-mongers? “People have no idea,” he said. “To talk about these things, you have to be inside of the work day to day, to know what he can do. I see him on the practice court every day and I am surprised every day.
“I stand behind him and I do not know how a player can hit the ball so strong, so good. I have never seen anyone in this sport who can arrive at a ball with not a good stance and still generate so much power. That is something he has had all his life, but now we are adding to his game.”
There are no real trade secrets in tennis — once you have seen a player often enough, you sense what they do well and not so well.
Nadal, the world No 3, has never had a devastating serve, his ground strokes lacked on different surfaces the bite he could rouse from the clay, so they needed to acquire a flatter trajectory. The assault on his limbs from hard-court tournaments would always count against him. Roig believes that he has four, maybe five years at 100 per cent and then he may have to call it a day.
“Rafa has finished four years as the No 2 player in the world and one as the No 1,” he said. “And he still has the ambition to win the big tournaments. I asked him once how many grand slams [tournaments] he thought he would win and he said, ‘Six, seven?’. I said for a player of his talents, he should have between eight and ten because he is a better player than those who have that number, in my opinion.
“But tennis is much, much tougher now than it was three years ago, especially among the top players.”
Into the semi-finals here, where he plays Ivan Ljubicic, the veteran from Croatia, today there is a sense that Nadal is relishing his tennis again. Watching him in the doubles with Marc López one is taken by the intensity, the drive, the frustration when a single ball goes awry. There is a gleam about him.
“He feels he is a really good player again,” Roig said. “It has never been only power with Rafa, but ability also and people do not see that. It is not always nice the way he does it, he is not [Tim] Henman. This is a different tennis. Sometimes, at the important moments, it is more important to be a mechanical player than a smooth one. Rafa knows the importance of how much risk he can take, and what risk is beneficial.”
There are not many coaches who would speak the way Roig does, be he part-time or not. The essence of belief in his player is all pervasive.
He accepts that at the O2 arena in southeast London last November, when Nadal lost all three round-robin matches at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, he played “terrible tennis” but that the upheavals in his family life had not been given enough credence. Nadal is playing wonderful tennis again. His legs do not hurt. His mother and father get on. We should be delighted.

Coach class•

Age 41, Roig played on the ATP tour from 1987 to 2001, earning $1,458,035 (now about £970,000).• Won nine career doubles titles, seven with Tomas Carbonell, his compatriot, all on clay. Reached a career-high ranking of 23 in doubles, 60 in singles.• Has been part of the Rafael Nadal set-up for five years, having also coached Alberto Berasategui, Feliciano López and Albert Costa (a former French Open champion), the Spaniards.• Runs the Barcelona Total Tennis Academy with Jordi Vilaro and Alvar Margets, other Spanish coaching professionals.• Appointed coach to the Spain Davis Cup side in 2009, under the captaincy of Costa. Spain won the Cup last December.

Indians mulling multi-million pound football league on lines of IPL

2010-03-18T22:54:00.000-07:00

London, Mar 19 (ANI): Indians are planning a multi-million pound football league on the lines of the mega rich Indian Premier League.
They want to launch a two-month league within three years using big international names who are at the end of their contracts.
Three well-known football dealmakers, Pini Zahavi, Chris Nathaniel and Kia Joorabchian will help establish the competition.
A number of Indians have been linked with takeovers at English Premier League clubs but will now invest at home and bring players to them.
Football’s IPL is part of a wider strategy geared to bidding for the 2026 or 2030 World Cup. Moves are being made to attract top clubs for friendly cups over the next two years.
“It’s a very exciting concept. If players are out of contract there will be nothing to stop them coming,” The Sun quoted an Indian source, as saying.
“India saw how Major League Soccer got David Beckham. This would be on a much bigger scale,” the source added. (ANI)

Yahoo! buys Citizen Sports

2010-03-17T23:00:00.000-07:00

AFP - Yahoo! made a play for more sports fans on Wednesday with the purchase of Citizen Sports, a startup that makes sports-related applications for Facebook and Apple's iPhone.
Yahoo! announced the acquisition in a statement but did not disclose financial terms. Technology blog All Things Digital estimated the value of CitizenSports.com at between 40 million dollars and 50 million dollars.
According to Yahoo!, Citizen Sports has millions of users for its social network and mobile sports products.
Citizen Sports products allow users to play fantasy sports, check live scores and read news on such sports as American football, hockey, soccer, baseball, racing, rugby and cricket.
Yahoo! Sports is already the top sports news destination on the Web and the Sunnyvale, California, company said Yahoo! Sports content will be integrated into Citizen Sports products.
"Citizen Sports was founded with the intent to enable fans to access news, scores and fantasy games on the platform of their choice," Mike Kerns, founder and chief executive of Citizen Sports, said in a statement.
"We look forward to becoming a part of Yahoo! and bringing our social experiences to their 600 million users around the globe," Kerns said.
Besides making applications for Facebook and the iPhone, Citizen Sports has also developed products for MySpace, hi5 and mobile devices which use Google's Android platform.
San Francisco-based Citizen Sports was founded by Kerns and Jeff Ma in 2004.

Daredevils will have surprises for Mumbai Indians: Simmons

2010-03-17T02:33:00.000-07:00

New Delhi, – Delhi Daredevils assistant coach Eric Simmons said his team will have some surpises for Mumbai Indians in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Ferozeshah Kotla here Wednesday.
‘We have a few surprises for them (Mumbai Indians). We know that Mumbai Indians are a good side and they have depth both in their bowling and batting. We have a strategy for them and hopefully we’ll succeed with it tomorrow,’ said Simmons.
Simmons said the Ferozeshah Kotla track, which has been banned from hosting international matches for one year, will help both the the batsmen and the bowlers.
‘The pitch looks absolutely fine. We had a practice game here and yes, it is on the slower side but good enough to see some huge scores,’ Simmons said.
The South African also said that the fast bowler Ashish Nehra is yet to recover from an injury is unlikely to play against Mumbai Indians.
‘The Daredevils are one of the most balanced sides in the tournament. The strength of the side is not only the kind of overseas players it has, but also the experience of local talent which will make a huge difference in a tournament like this,’ he added.
Simmons admitted that there is a little chance for him to change the techniques of the young bowlers.
‘Technically, one cannot make drastic changes. Mostly, we are travelling and there is not much time. We can have some strategies which players can go through and you can also teach players how to deal with pressure,’ he said.

Erin Andrews stalker sentenced to 27 months

2010-03-15T22:14:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES - An Illinois insurance executive who secretly shot nude videos of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews was sentenced Monday to 2½ years in prison after giving a tearful apology that was harshly rebuked by his victim.
Michael David Barrett pleaded guilty in December to interstate stalking after prosecutors accused him of following the reporter to at least three cities and shooting the videos through hotel peepholes.
Barrett, 48, of suburban Chicago, agreed to a 27-month prison sentence after pleading guilty but it was up to the judge to decide how long he would actually serve.

Andrews urged the judge at the hearing for a harsher sentence and said she fears for her life every time she enters a hotel.
“You violated me and you violated all women,” Andrews told Barrett. “You are a sexual predator, a sexual deviant and they should lock you up.”
After the sentencing, she said, “Thirty months isn’t enough.”
Barrett admitted renting hotel rooms next to Andrews three times and shooting two videos of her while she was naked. He was accused of posting the videos online and trying to sell them to Los Angeles-based celebrity gossip site TMZ last year.
U.S. District Judge Manuel Real said he gave Barrett the maximum sentence under the law.
“The victim, Andrews, will be suffering with this problem for the rest of her life,” Real said. “There is no life sentence that can be imposed upon him, except his own guilt.”
Barrett cried as he addressed Andrews in court, saying he would spend the rest of his life regaining the respect of his friends and family and atoning for his mistakes.
“There are no words to tell Ms. Andrews how sorry I am for what I’ve done to her,” he said. “I hope someday she can forgive me.”
Andrews, visibly nervous as she spoke, said she had no sympathy for Barrett’s claim he was publicly humiliated.
“It’s my body on the Internet,” she said. “I’m being traumatized every single day for what he did. ... This will never be over for me.”
Barrett, who has until May 3 to surrender, was ordered to have supervised probation for three years after his release, during which he will be prohibited from contacting Andrews, her family or friends.
He will not be allowed to stay in a hotel without approval of a probation officer and if he accepts employment somewhere, Andrews will be notified. Barrett was also ordered to pay $5,000 in fines and $7,366 in restitution, but the judge said further restitution may be imposed to compensate ESPN.
Barrett’s lawyer, David Willingham, said his client is undergoing psychological treatment and “has sought the path of redemption.”
“Mr. Barrett has lost everything he built throughout his life,” Willingham said. “He’s lost his career, his fiancee and his life savings. He knows that he brought this on himself.”
Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have agreed not to pursue further charges against Barrett. However, he could face criminal action in other states stemming from other videos he allegedly shot of unsuspecting nude women through peepholes.
Andrews’ attorney, Marshall Grossman, has said there could be as many as a dozen other women that Barrett taped.
A sentencing memo filed last month in federal court says Barrett uploaded videos of 16 other women to an online account.

Barrett also allegedly conducted 30 Internet background checks that can produce birthdays and home addresses, the document said. The filing did not name the other alleged victims or say what information he obtained or how he may have used it.
Prosecutors claim that 32 videos provided by DailyMotion.com show Barrett “victimized approximately 16 other women in almost precisely the same way that he victimized” Andrews. They did not identify the women.
Andrews testified in December that Barrett’s actions had a devastating impact on her and her family because she is constantly reminded that his videos appeared online and is subjected to cruel taunts from sports fans when she works as a sideline reporter.
Andrews has agreed to appear on the new season of ABC-TV’s “Dancing with the Stars” — an offer she said ABC made before the stalking allegations. She said she doesn’t want to seclude herself from the public eye because other victims would get the wrong message.
“I did nothing wrong. Just trying to live my life,” she said.
“I had to deal with a lot of people who said I deserved it, that I had played to a certain audience.”
Her attorney said she will not file a lawsuit against Barrett.

Manny Pacquiao defends WBO title with points win over Joshua Clottey

2010-03-14T22:30:00.000-07:00

Joshua Clottey defends himself from a right-hand blow from Manny Pacquiao during the Filipino's WBO welterweight title defence in Dallas. Photograph: Chris Cozzone/AFP/Getty Images
Manny Pacquiao has defended his WBO welterweight title with a comfortable points victory over Joshua Clottey in Dallas. The Filipino scored a 120-108, 119-109, 119-109 but could not find Clottey's breaking point as he maintained his proud record of never having been stopped.
The Ghanaian entered the ring with a flamboyant dance but he failed to show as much imagination once the fight started and Pacquiao was always on top.
"He's a very tough opponent. He was looking for a big shot," Pacquiao said after the fight, which took place in front of a crowd of 50,994, the biggest in the US for 17 years.
Pacquiao also revealed the he still has hopes that a potential fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr may still go ahead. "I want that fight, the world wants that fight, but it's up to him," he told Associated Press.
The pattern Saturday's fight would take was established early in the first round when, despite Clottey's peek-a-boo defence, Pacquiao still managed to advance against his taller opponent and throw punches with both hands from all angles. It was the same style that gave him spectacular wins in his past three fights and though Clottey was clearly the bigger fighter, he rarely sought to use his reach advantage.
Clottey's corner was urging him to take some risks late on but even in the final round, when he needed a knockout to win, the Ghanaian only sparingly dropped his guard.

Wozniacki battles past American King at Indian Wells

2010-03-12T22:48:00.000-08:00

(elu sports ) - Second seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark battled back from 4-1 down in the third set to scrape past American Vania King 5-7 6-2 6-4 at the Indian Wells WTA tournament on Friday.
The 19-year-old Dane broke her unseeded opponent in the seventh and ninth games of the third set before sealing victory in two hours 28 minutes when King hit a backhand long.
"I just kept fighting for every point," a relieved Wozniacki said in a courtside interview at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden after booking a third round spot at the $4.5 million event.
"Vania was playing really, really good and it was a tough match but I am so happy I came through."
King had never beaten a top-10 player in 11 previous attempts but appeared on track for the biggest win of her career when she hit a backhand down the line to take the first set.
Wozniacki came from 0-2 down in the second set by breaking King's serve in the third, fifth and seventh games to level the match, but the American gained early momentum in the third.
Hitting penetrating ground strokes from the baseline mixed up occasionally with delicate drop shots, she broke the Dane in the fourth game to lead 3-1.
King then comfortably held serve to take a commanding lead before Wozniacki steadily regained control.
Asked what her strategy had been when she trailed in the final set, the Dane replied: "I just kept thinking she still has to win eight points.
"As long as I am still there, I keep on fighting and running."
In other matches on Friday, 22nd-seeded German Sabine Lisicki made an early exit when she retired from her match against American Jill Craybas trailing 4-6 7-5 2-0.
Fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland advanced when Russian Anna Chakvetadze also retired at 6-2 5-3 while 18th seed Zheng Jie of China beat Romania's Sorana Cirstea 6-3 7-5.

Indian Premier League 2010: It's showtime as extravaganza targets record audience

2010-03-11T21:40:00.000-08:00

Starting on Friday in Mumbai, where defending champions Deccan Chargers play Kolkata Knight Riders, we will see the first proper IPL, that is, an IPL planned for more than nine months and executed in its home country.
The hype in India will have reached fever pitch on Friday night by the time an hour-long opening ceremony is closed by Lionel Richie singing Dancing on the Ceiling.

Richie, the king of middle-of-the-road groove, is not the image you readily associate with the IPL, but once the opening ceremony is over we will be exposed to a tournament that has spent the past few weeks launching initiative after initiative to tap into new markets.
It was reported in India on Thursday that more than 100 brands now have associations with the IPL. Watching a match will be like walking down an aisle in Tesco, as players are used as sandwich boards. Teams even have their own official chewing gum partners.
Fans will be able to watch live on YouTube and tweet their thoughts with other viewers around the world. At the same time ITV will be returning to cricket for the first time since the 1970s. Then there were only three channels on the television. Now the IPL will be shown on freeview on ITV4. It's not just the cricket that has changed.
YouTube and the IPL will share advertising revenue from an untested broadcast model that will be monitored closely by almost every other major sports body in the world. On Friday YouTube will announce deals in Britain with Lebara and Brylcreem. The endorsements keep on rolling.
In India the focus will be more traditional, in a Twenty20 sense that is.
Gideon Haigh, an Australian cricket writer, said this week that Twenty20 was a "TV property masquerading as cricket". That will be proved emphatically by Indian television companies, particularly the Hindi-language channel Colors.
They talk of a "Super Bowl-style atmosphere" and have plans for an IPL Rockstar reality show and will screen the post-match parties (which, naturally, have their own sponsors). It is this balance between cricket and showbusiness that the IPL has trademarked.
It is why English cricketers spend their time in the IPL goggle-eyed, like schoolkids chasing autographs, when they see the lifestyle it offers.
Stepping into the unknown this year will be two English batsmen who have moulded their talents to be successful in Twenty20. It is a sign of his progress over the past year that Bangalore expects more from Eoin Morgan than from Kevin Pietersen, who joins the IPL after the Bangladesh tour at the end of March.
Michael Lumb is the other new English name. Picked up by Rajasthan Royals, Lumb impressed in their pre-season training camp in January and then slapped the England bowlers around in Abu Dhabi for the Lions.
Now the Hampshire batsman will stand in for Graeme Smith in the early matches when Rajasthan, the first IPL winners, start their campaign in Mumbai on Saturday.
"Being out there for the auction gave me a feel for the enormity of the IPL," Lumb said. "I wasn't aware before of how massive it is until I saw the auction and how many different television channels were showing it.
"Speaking to some of the other players they tell me stories of playing in front of 60,000 people and that you can't hear yourself talk. So yes it is going to be huge playing out here."
Will it be huge over here? There should be no problem accessing the tournament for the majority. It never really caught on when it was shown by Setanta. Then again, Setanta never really caught on either. ITV access will help and fans are more familiar now, in year three, with the teams than they were in 2008.
Modi's mantra is that "eyeballs equals success". He certainly has access to viewers. Now it's time to deliver something they want to see.
IPL Players to Watch
Royal Challengers
English interest: Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan. Star names: Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Cameron White, Jacques Kallis.
Chennai Super Kings
English interest: With Andrew Flintoff injured, there isn’t any. Star names: MS Dhoni, Matthew Hayden, Muttiah Muralitharan.
Deccan Chargers
English interest: None. Star names: Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Herschelle Gibbs.
Delhi Daredevils
English interest: If he gets a game, Paul Collingwood. Star names: Virender Sehwag, AB De Villiers, Dirk Nannes.
Kings XI Punjab
English interest: Ravi Bopara. Star names: Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Yuvraj Singh
Kolkata Knight Riders
English interest: Owais Shah. Star names: Sourav Ganguly, Chris Gayle, Brad Hodge
Mumbai Indians
English interest: Graham Napier Star names: Sachin Tendulkar,JP Duminy, Kieron Pollard
Rajasthan Royals
English interest: Dimitri Mascarenhas, Michael Lumb. Star names: Shane Warne, Shaun Tait, Graeme Smith.

New sports centre to replace Lido

2010-03-10T04:16:00.000-08:00

Work has begun on a new £12m sports centre to replace the historic Matlock Lido.
The cornerstone has been laid to kick start the building of the new development, which will open in summer 2011.
The Lido is one of the oldest swimming pools in Derbyshire but council bosses have promised its replacement will be a state-of-the-art facility.
It's being built on an area of land off the A6 between Matlock and Darley Dale.
Geoff Stevens, the deputy leader of Derbyshire Dales District Council, said it was a significant day for Matlock.

He told BBC Radio Derby's Andy Potter: "I'm personally excited and delighted. It's absolutely fantastic to get to this stage and see the work actually starting.
"The Lido was one of the first public pools to be built in Derbyshire, which was very forward-thinking of Matlock Council at that time.
"But things have to move on and once that centre closes and this one opens, there will be no comparison between the facilities.
"It also opens up the regeneration of Matlock town centre so it has several aspects to it."
People in Matlock have been waiting a long time for the new building following the closure of Sherwood Hall Leisure Centre in 2007 and Mr Stevens acknowledged it had been a difficult time. He said: "We know people have had a bit of pain and so have we but we always had this goal to have the centre here.
"Sherwood Hall was an old drill hall which had passed its sell-by date. In this facility they are going to have one of the best leisure centres in Derbyshire."
The new sports centre will feature a swimming pool, a fitness centre and a cafe.

How Vancouver came of age

2010-03-05T21:31:00.000-08:00

Fans at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Photograph: Gene J Puskar/AP
At some point during the night of 19 February, something changed in Vancouver.
The Olympic games were a week old, and by and large, those paying attention to the media coverage of the event were lead to believe that the entire thing was a resounding failure. First, tragically, was the pre-games death of Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, whose horrific crash during a training run quickly became early fodder for questions surrounding Canada's aggressively titled Own the Podium campaign, and which would cast a dark pall over the following 17 days. Then, there was the hydraulic malfunction during the opening ceremony, followed by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky's bizarre evening tour of downtown Vancouver in the back of a pickup truck in the pouring rain. In the days that followed, the weather would continue to be an issue, causing postponements and ticket cancellations, which, combined with the bleak beginning, seemed to solidify the idea that these games were somehow cursed.
And that's ignoring the protests. As spectators made their way to BC Place stadium to take their seats for the opening ceremony, a throng of protesters marched through the downtown core. They chanted "Shame on Canada" and branded placards with slogans that railed against everything from the lack of affordable housing, to the continued excavation of the oil sands in northern Alberta, from which came the fuel to power the games.
So as the first week wore on, there was an overbearing sense that Canada ought to be ashamed of itself – that Vancouver's games were nothing but an expensive propaganda campaign, designed to push the nationalistic fervor for Canadian pride into everyone's face. The Own the Podium brashness seemed somehow "un-Canadian," and drew scorn from all corners, including domestically – especially because Canada's athletes seemed to be, at best, only renting it.
As Simon Barnes wrote for the Times:
"It is customary at the Olympics to say that the nation holding them has 'come of age'. China 'came of age' in 2008; Australia "came of age" with the Sydney games of 2000 … But Canada has not come of age in Vancouver 2010."
It was as if Canada was upset at the rest of the world crashing its party, rather than being pleased to host invited guests.
Then, everything kind of changed.
A poll taken prior to the games revealed that only about half of British Columbia residents felt that Olympics would be beneficial for the province. On Friday 19 February, that poll could not have seemed any more inaccurate. Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to Vancouver's downtown core that night in the most impressive showing of what effectively amounted to the city embracing the games wholeheartedly for the first time. The daytime crowds prior to that night were large, but it was the infectious, positively celebratory feeling of that night that was new. Since then, the criticism has been quieter, and the games were labelled the one thing that initially looked impossible: a success.
For Vancouver, the No Fun City, the games have given it reason to further tout itself as "world-class" – a familiar self-imposed label that has always seemed overly insecure. And while many of the benefits of the games are as easy to list as the detriments, one potential benefit has to do with exactly what Barnes addressed: a "coming of age" for Vancouver.
After the 1994 riot that followed the Vancouver Canucks losing the Stanley Cup to the New York Rangers, John Masters described the crowd as:
"[A] large group of citizens who don't feel that the society in which they live is theirs … For many, when the party turned ugly Tuesday, the fleeting feeling of having belonged to something was lost."
Understandable, in a way – it was a riot, after all. But the feeling of belonging to something is exactly what suddenly made the Olympics an event that was no longer dominated by negativity. It is what made the tongue-in-cheek, cringingly nationalistic closing ceremony, an event that almost made sense (giant inflatable beavers and all) – that feeling of, for once, being a part of a large shared experience. It's also a feeling that's difficult to find in Vancouver, a city often fragmented by its neighbourhoods, and defined more by its geography than by its citizens.
The Olympics were never going to make Vancouver any more of a tourist destination than it already is. Instead, these games have given Vancouver a taste of what living in a world-class city actually feels like: the vibrancy and togetherness that defines the world's great metropolises did, if only for a moment, flicker to life here.

Zambia: One Hundred Days before the FIFA World Cup—What is Zambia Doing?

2010-03-04T21:49:00.000-08:00

There is now less than 100 days before the FIFA 2010 World Cup kicks off in South Africa. Here in Zambia there is little or nothing that is being done by authorities to take advantage of this big event in our front yard. What exactly is wrong with our leaders?
A fortnight ago I visited the ministry of tourism to find out what they were planning, here in Zambia, as far as the world cup was concerned. There seemed to have been no one particularly responsible for this.
After running around and bouncing from office to office I was referred to the Zambia Tourism Board Managing Director who was too busy and still waiting for a call from him.
My take is that since Zambia is pretty much a neighbor to South Africa, the government should have taken front seat in attracting tourists as they come to watch the big game.
The region will be expecting a lot of tourists from around the world who will be spending quite a substantial amount of money. Zambia could take advantage of these visitors by promoting some of our best tourism destinations.
In fact, it is perhaps only in Zambia that you can experience Banji jumping, water rafting, canoeing, sky diving, gliding, game hunting, etc all in one destination.
These sports can all be experienced right around the Mosi-o-Tunya Falls in Livingstone. The Mosi-o-Tunya Falls is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
The Zambian experience does not just end with Livingstone. Zambia is a home to thousands of species of beautiful and colorful birds.
We have some of the best wildlife in our national game parks. There is the spectacular South Luangwa National Park with hundreds of kilometers of wildlife.
Not far from this park there is Mfuwe also with its different specifies of antelopes. Then there is Kafue and Mosi-o-Tunya National Parks in the south with its elephants, giraffes, and zebras.
These are just some of the few things one can experience in Zambia the real Africa. It is a land filled with beauty.
When you arrive in Zambia you are greeted with smiling and friendly people right at your entry point. Zambia’s people are so friendly.
The country has many cultures with many different ethnic groups speaking different languages countrywide. Many of these regional groups have amazing traditional ceremonies that attract hundred of thousands of visitors.
If you are planning on coming to the FIFA World Cup make sure you visit the Lwiindi-Gonde Ceremony of the Tokaleya people in Southern Province around that time.
Can you imagine the support we could drum up if the government was on top of the game? We could have restarted our national airline and really branded ourselves during this period.
I have not seen a single advert or program in our media regarding the 2010 World Cup. Maybe they have placed some in Europe, North America, Asia, or South Africa.
In any case, the Zambian government needs to step up in the remaining three months before the kick off. As a country we are hungry of money and we can use the revenue from the tourists.
While Rupiah is still in China he better should get those Chinese to come to Zambia to spend some bucks. And while he is still in the region he should stop by in Europe so that we can have the Europeans come in numbers as well.
Rupiah and his buddies still have time to redeem themselves. Let us all stand up tall for mother Zambia.

Vancouver Winter Olympics: Amy Williams says victory 'has not sunk in yet'

2010-03-02T21:35:00.001-08:00

Amy Williams, Britain's first solo Winter Olympics champion in 30 years, has said her gold medal triumph still has not sunk in after returning home.

But proudly wearing her Olympic medal from winning the skeleton at the Vancouver Games, she said it was the stuff that dreams are made of, adding: "It is absolutely amazing."
"I do not think I have still got a sentence to describe it. It is just absolutely amazing. I cannot really believe it is real but this is making it real by the second," she said at a Team GB press conference at Heathrow.

"To have it around my neck and touching it is everything that dreams ever existed of."
Williams, 27, was Britain's only medallist at the Games and carried the British flag at the closing ceremony.
She revealed that her gold medal has so far won her an upgrade to first class on the flight home. It has also put her centre stage amid a whirl of press conferences, receptions and a victory parade in her home town of Bath tomorrow.
Williams dominated the Vancouver event - leading from her first run - to win by an emphatic 0.56 seconds.
Now that she is out of the bubble of the Olympic Village, Williams said she was looking forward to doing something normal like having a cup of tea with friends.
"I am looking forward to getting back to Bath, bringing the medal back to my friends and family and showing it off to them," she said.

China makes historic breakthrough in winter sports at Vancouver Olympics

2010-03-01T21:29:00.000-08:00

China's Sun Linlin (L), Wang Meng (2nd L), Zhou Yang (front in R) and Zhang Hui celebrate after the women's 3000m relay final of short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, Feb. 24, 2010. China's team won the title of the event with a world-record-breaking time 4:06.610. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Following consecutive two-gold finish in both Salt Lake City and Turin, China made historic breakthrough in winter sports as it claimed five titles plus two silvers and four bronzes at the Vancouver Games which concluded all competitions here on Sunday.
"We have made important breakthrough at these Games," said Xiao Tian, deputy chef de mission of the largest ever Chinese Winter Sports Delegation in history.
Having sent a total of 90 athletes to the Games, China shared a seventh place at the medal tally with Sweden while tying its own 11-medal performance in Turin four years ago.
And its record medals also marked the first top-eight finish for the summer sports powerhouse in the Winter Olympics.
"Actually the five-gold finish was within my expectation before we set off for the Games, but I couldn't say that at that time because I would not want to put any pressure on the athletes," Xiao added. "Now I can speak out."
While Xiao admitted he had not expected the Chinese clean sweep in four women's short track speed skating events where Wang Meng became the first Chinese skater to win three golds at one single Winter Games.
"That was amazing," Xiao said. "The Chinese women's relay team impressed me most by taking their first gold in this event after so many years' hard work."
The 1-2 finish in the pairs figure skating by Shen Xue/Zhao Hongbo and Pang Qing/Tong Jian was also a remarkable achievement.
"The 37-year-old Zhao and his teammates not only won the medals, but also well demonstrated Olympic spirits and sportsmanship."
Although narrowly missing golds in the freestyle aerials, the Chinese could be contented with a silver and a bronze from Li Ni'na and Guo Xinxin in the women's category as well as a bronze from Liu Zhongqing in the men's.

Another pair of bronzes in the speed skating women's 500m and the women's curling, where the reigning world champion China only made its Olympic debut, completed the Chinese medal run in Vancouver.
"Despite the good results at these Games, we still have a long way to go in the development of China's winter sports," said Xiao. "It's impossible for us to reach the same level as we have done in summer sports, but we will try to minimize the gap as much as we can."
"As to my knowledge, Chinese athletes' good performance at the Games has aroused great interest to winter sports of the people back home. We should try our best to transfer their enthusiasm into participation in the sports."

Beer stain tarnishes Canada’s golden girls

2010-03-01T04:51:00.000-08:00

It may be small beer in comparison with the stories of triumph and tragedy that have been created over the past fortnight, but the celebrations that followed Canada’s victory over the United States in the women’s ice hockey final left the gold medal- winners with nagging hangovers.

More than half an hour after their 2-0 win yesterday morning, the Canada players ambled back on to the ice, still clad in their uniforms and armed with cans of beer, bottles of champagne and cigars. One player, Rebecca Johnston, tried to drive the ice- resurfacing machine.

More damagingly, Marie-Philip Poulin, the scorer of both goals, was photographed with can in hand. Given that she is 18 and under the legal drinking age in British Columbia, which is 19, it is clear that the Canadians were a little too open in toasting their success.

Many people will think that the IOC is making a mountain out of a molehill by even looking into the impromptu party, but Hockey Canada moved quickly to save face. It issued a statement saying: “The members of Team Canada apologise if their on-ice celebrations, after fans had left the building, have offended anyone. In the excitement of the moment, the celebration left the confines of our dressing room and shouldn’t have. The team regrets that its gold-medal celebration may have caused the IOC or Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) any embarrassment.”

The IOC seemed unsure yesterday whether it would be investigating the matter. Mark Adams, the IOC director of communications, said the body would look into it but it was not an investigation, while Gilbert Felli, the executive director, said there would be an investigation. Either way, a slap on the wrist is the likely outcome.

The IOC is drafting a letter to send to COC requesting an explanation, but Adams said: “There was a quick apology from the athlete and I think we have pretty much drawn a line under it.”

Public opinion seemed split between those who viewed the players as setting a poor example and those who felt the players were entitled to let their hair down.

Probably, the most pertinent comment came from Steve Keogh, the COC spokesman, who said: “It’s not exactly uncommon in Canada.”

Just hours before Canada’s gold-medal triumph, Jacques Rogge, the IOC president, suggested that the female version of the game may be axed unless it becomes more competitive.

Unless, in other words, the women become more like the men. The cigars and beer cans may be regarded as a step in that direction, and defenders will point to alcohol often playing a part in celebrations in other sports.

If anyone requires a dose of perspective as they damn the drinkers, they might choose to look at the feats of Joannie Rochette, who won the best bronze medal of these Olympics in the figure skating. Rochette began competing here only two days after her mother, Therese, died of a heart attack. It made for a gripping free programme, with every onlooker willing the 24-year-old through.

An early mistake drew gasps, but the Canadian recovered to take a medal in a competition dominated by the graceful genius of Kim Yu Na, the Toronto-based winner from South Korea. She set a world record of such vertiginous standards, beating Mao Asada, of Japan, by a massive 23 points, that she must surely rank alongside the likes of Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and Roger Federer in the pantheon of greats. And she is 19.

Having decided not to speak until the end of her competition, Rochette opened up about her traumatic Olympics. “Even though I was trying to be an athlete focused on my goals, emotions just took the best out of me,” she said. “I didn’t know if I could skate. My legs were shaking. I didn’t feel like it, but I’m glad I did. That’s what my mom would have wanted.

“Sometimes she was a pain in the a**, but she was my biggest fan and my best friend. She was with me every step of the way.”

Today’s highlights

Skiing Men’s slalom (6pm)
Speed skating Men’s team pursuit finals (8.51pm)
Bobsleigh Four-man final run (10.40pm)
Curling Men’s final, Canada v Norway (11pm)

Sports Illustrated Cover Model Brooklyn Decker to Appear in Movie with Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Kidman

2010-02-26T21:21:00.000-08:00

Sports Illustrated bombshell Brooklyn Decker and the lovely Mrs. Andy Roddick has got herself a ticket to Hollywood after bagging a role in a movie alongside famous actors Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler, and Nicole Kidman.
Brooklyn Decker started of the year on a good note after landing on the cover of the much coveted Sports Illustrated 2010 edition and now she’s going to be in a movie!

The 22 year old model will act in the film “Just Go With It” and it will be released on Valentine’s Day next year.According to reports, Brooklyn will play Adam Sandler’s love interest.
Decker tweeted: “That’s why I’m in L.A. now and so excited to get started! The cast has been AMAZING and welcoming. I can’t stop gushing about everyone involved!”.
We can’t wait to see this hot lady sizzle on screen.

PCC criticised over McCann coverage

2010-02-23T21:24:00.000-08:00

A group of MPs have made a raft of recommendations to curb the "chilling" effect of libel actions on newspapers.
The Culture, Media and Sport Committee's wide-ranging report into press standards, privacy and libel also made recommendations to beef up the powers of the Press Complaints Commission (PCC).
It criticised the PCC for failing to do more to act over "false and damaging" newspaper coverage relating to Madeleine McCann's disappearance, an episode during which the report said self-regulation had not worked.
It said the Press watchdog should be re-named the Press Complaints and Standards Commission, with powers to fine members and suspend printing in the cases of the worst rule-breakers.
The report described the McCann case as "an important test of the industry's ability to regulate itself, and it failed in that test".
It said the newspaper industry's assertion that the McCann case was a one-off event showed that it is "in denial about the scale and gravity of what went wrong, and about the need to learn from those mistakes".
It continued: "In any other industry suffering such a collective breakdown - as for example in the banking sector now - any regulator worth its salt would have instigated an inquiry."
Committee chairman John Whittingdale said there was also a "serious concern" over the "increasing evidence that in recent years investigative journalism is being deterred by the threat and cost of having to defend libel actions...
"This report's recommendations are therefore designed to reduce the cost of libel actions and to correct the balance which has tipped too far in favour of the plaintiff. At the same time, we want to see the self-regulatory system under which the Press operates strengthened in order to increase its credibility and ensure that standards are maintained."
Stephen Abell, director of the PCC, said: "The PCC accepts that the report contains criticisms of some of its structures and practices, which will need to be given due consideration."

Cuttack caught in cheer girls row

2010-02-22T22:53:00.000-08:00

Cuttack, The selection of Barabati Stadium as a home venue of IPL franchisee Deccan Chargers for two of their matches has triggered a new controversy far from the battle of the willow.
It’s all about cheerleaders who are now caught in a moral conflict in Orissa.
A fringe political outfit, Kalinga Sena, is taking a tough stand on the issue, saying the role of cheerleaders is “immoral”. It has sought a ban on cheerleaders during the IPL matches in Cuttack.
In response, the Sports and Games Lovers of Orissa has said there was “nothing immoral” with cheerleaders’ performance. It only adds glamour to the event, it said.
The Sports and Games Lovers of Orissa is an outfit comprising members of sports associations affiliated to the Orissa Olympic Association, the apex state sports body.
Kalinga Sena has announced its vow to disrupt the IPL matches if cheerleaders are allowed in Cuttack. “If cheer girls’ dance is not dropped, we will not allow the matches to be held,” Kalinga Sena president Hemanta Rath has warned.
However, Sports and Games Lovers of Orissa convener Pratap Satpathy said: “Cheerleaders have become an integral part of the IPL format for all venues. So there can be no exception in the case of Cuttack. More so, there is no rational behind Kalinga Sena’s opposition, as there is nothing immoral in it. It smacks of a cheap publicity stunt.”
Orissa Cricket Association secretary Asirbad Behera has also downplayed the threat, saying: “Our basic objective is to make Barabati Stadium a permanent venue for IPL matches.”

Bingo Hideout girls excited to read possibility of Bridget Jones III

2010-02-21T22:17:00.000-08:00

\The Bingo Hideout office has been buzzing since hearing that Bridget Jones III may be made. The girls in the office are all massive fans of Bridget Jones Diary, and so it was with much excitement that we read that producers are in negotiations for a third film based on the trials and tribulations of the popular thirty-something ‘singleton’. It is hoped that Renee Zellweger will reprise her Bridget role, though according to some reports in the press there are possible issues regarding Zellweger’s need to gain weight to play the lead character that are hindering a new film being made.
Weighty issues?
Although Renee Zellweger’s representatives are claiming there is not a problem, there are stories on the internet claiming that the actress is refusing to gain weight for the role. Recent pictures of the popular actress featured in the Mail show her looking stick thin at a Film Festival in Berlin, Germany and apparently this is where a possible issue could be, The claim is that Zellweger is demanding that the storyline be changed to incorporate her slimmer figure rather than gain massive amounts of weight as she has done in the past to play Bridget. Renee Zellweger’s camp however, portray her as the perennial professional who will be true to character come what may – weight gain included. Whichever the Bingo Hideout girls really don’t care a jot if Bridget is scrawny or more of a normal size, just as long as she is back!
Lashings of Darcy for the ladies!
For anyone who has been resident on another planet for the past 10 or so years, Bridget Jones has become almost an iconic best friend for many women who closely associate with the sometimes comic problems and chaotic situations that Bridget finds herself in. On the flip side Bridget Jones is an antipathy to some feminists, who see the character created by novelist Helen Fielding as too dependent on men and on her own appearance. Of course all of the girls in the Bingo Hideout office are not at all concerned about such things, we just want a huge chunk of our favourite chick flick heroine with a huge carton of popcorn at the cinema ...........and of course more glorious film footage of the gorgeous Colin Firth as Bridget’s love interest Mark Darcy ! Come on Bingo Hideout girlies are you with us? What are you views on the prospect of another Bridget Jones movie?

2010 Olympics

2010-02-20T03:36:00.000-08:00

Great Britain's Penny Coomes and Nicholas Buckland perform in the figure skating Ice Dance compulsory dance, "Tango Romantica", at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Olympics on February 19, 2010. AFP PHOTO YURI KADOBNOV (Photo credit should read YURI KADOBNOV/AFP/Getty Images)

Tiger Woods: his televised apology begs the question of sincerity

2010-02-20T03:02:00.000-08:00

Tiger Woods had bought a new shirt. But, rather like a schoolboy on his first day of term, it appeared to be at least one collar size too large.

The starch-stiff collar appeared to swamp his shrunk neck.
Was this a detail overlooked by his handlers? Or did they mean it to be too large, calculated to lend him a look of vulnerability?

A vulnerability which might appeal to the kind of middle-aged women who were hand-picked to sit in the front row of his rather awkward-looking audience at the TPC Sawgrass Club House at Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida?
And that, perhaps, was the trouble with Tiger Woods' marathon 'mea culpa'. Certainly, he said sorry. In fact he kept on saying sorry. He wouldn't stop. As the numerous television and radio commentators said afterwards, he seemed sincere.
But a small voice kept asking if every word and every gesture had been arranged, down to the smallest detail.
Every word had a purpose and nothing had been left to chance. It was the same voice which kept asking whether this was a public apology to his family or to the sponsors who made his fortune.
There was only one point when things seemed to go awry. Half way through, the screen went blank.
The disembodied voice of the golfer was heard to continue pleading for forgiveness but the face of Nike, and once of Accenture, was gone.
A technical glitch? A mishap befalling the micromanaged comeback? Perhaps.
When pictures returned to the screen seconds later, the viewer was no longer looking straight in Tiger's poker face.
Instead the worldwide audience of millions, was peering over his blazered shoulder at the audience.
There in the front row was his mother Kutilda, willing her son to success. Behind her were various besuited men, the soul of golfing middle America.
And then it became apparent what was about to happen. Tiger wasn't just there to say sorry.
No, he was there to be forgiven as well.
And there they were, the forgivers, waiting to do their bit. Once he'd finished his confessional in front of the Presidential blue velvet curtain, he stepped down from the lectern to be embraced first by his mother and then rest of his visibly moved retinue.
He was forgiven. Or, to be more precise, he and his business associated arranged that he would be forgiven by the hand-picked audience.
The apologies had not so much flowed from him as been released by his staccato voice, as if by a series of sluice gates.
"I want to say to all of you, simply and directly, that I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behaviour," said the 14-times Major champion, after his three-month silence.
To ensure there was no doubt he spelt it out: "I was unfaithful, I had affairs, I cheated. What I did was unacceptable."
As Woods spoke he looked down at his typed confession, straight ahead at the camera, occasionally flicking his eyes at his mother.
But was he looking to her for support? Or were those glances merely part of a continuing act, to give the impression that even he was no rock, no island?
"I had affairs and I cheated. What I did was not acceptable, and I am the only person to blame," he continued.
Nonetheless his words had the ring of truth. They addressed what many have said – that the superstar was arrogant and had lost touch with reality.
"I knew my actions were wrong but I convinced myself that the normal rules didn't apply," he said.
"I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I only thought about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a normal married couple should live by. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt that I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have to go far to find them."
"I was wrong. I was foolish. I don't get to play by different rules."
Perhaps 45 days in therapy have begun to change him, we were invited to think.
He admitted: "I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife’s family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me. I’ve had a lot of time to think about what I’ve done. My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before. It’s now up to me to make amends."
Still, the supercool Woods rarely seemed near to cracking. Those who had hoped for a tear or a broken chord were left disappointed.
The closest he came was when defending himself and his family against inaccurate press reports and defending his right to privacy.
"Elin never hit me that night, or any other night," he growled. "There has never been an episode of domestic violence."
He appealed for the "paparazzi" to stop hounding his family. It sounded like an attack.
Of his marriage, Woods said that he and his wife "have a lot to discuss ... But what we say will stay between the two of us.
"I understand people have questions. I understand people want to know if Elin and I will stay together. Every one of these questions and answers are between Elin and me."
There was the deal: 'I give you this statement, you stay off our backs', he appeared to say.
Woods also took the opportunity to quash rumours that he would return to golf soon, saying: "I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out that it will be this year."
And he surprisingly apologised to his fellow golf professionals, saying that he should treat the game with the respect it deserved.
But while he apologised to all, everyone knew that it was the apology to the most wronged, his wife Elin, was the only one that really mattered.
It was strange, then, that she was the one person who was not there.

BBC to launch free mobile apps

2010-02-18T21:30:00.000-08:00

Corporation to roll out official applications, beginning with BBC News in April and BBC Sport in May

BBC News for mobile phones provides breaking news in text, video and audio for free
The BBC has announced a new range of free applications that will deliver its online services to mobile devices, starting with BBC News in April. The BBC is also considering an iPlayer application for release later in the year.
BBC Sport will follow News, lauching its application in May. Both apps will be launched in a UK and a global version.
Announcing the new mobile services today at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the BBC's director of future media and technology, Erik Huggers, said: "It's been 12 years since the launch of BBC Online, but as media converges and technology accelerates, licence fee payers are increasingly using sophisticated handheld devices to access information. They tell us that they want to access the digital services that they have paid for at a time and place that suits them."
A range of unauthorised BBC applications are already available and fairly popular. According to the second largest app store GetJar, an unauthorised version of BBC Mobile was downloaded 110,032 times by January.
The new official applications now give licence payers an authorised alternative as mobile phones become more powerful and connectivity more accessible. In December, the official mobile BBC site attracted 1,851,000 visitors.

BBC News
BBC News for mobile will not only provide users with updated breaking news including video and audio, it will also allow them to send comments and pictures directly to the newsroom. However, the demo of the new app reveals that the user integration isn't as prominent as with the BBC's international rival CNN.
The simple and intuitive navigation of the BBC News app can already be tested online. "The main screen uses a carousel structure so you can quickly catch up on the news by sliding each row sideways to skim through the latest stories. You can also personalise the experience by reordering the rows to put your favourite news section at the top," says David Madden of the future media and technology mobile team in a blogpost.
BBC News will first be available on Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch, followed by the BlackBerry OS and Google's Android later in the year.

BBC Sport
Starting with the football World Cup in South Africa, the sport app will focus on the live match experience. Content that is broadcast on TV by the BBC will be available for football fans as well as on-demand clips of every goal scored in the tournament. Users will also be able to access content from BBC Radio 5 Live, and live text commentaries from BBC presenters and blogs.
The 2010/11 English football season, Formula One and coverage of other sports will be added later in the year. While the UK version of the spoart app will be free, the global version will be released separately by BBC Worldwide and, in line with other international BBC Worldwide services, will feature advertising.

How will news organisations react?
The BBC iPlayer is already optimised for mobile browsers, and available for Nokia's Ovi app store, but there are plans to make further versions available for other smartphones available to UK audiences only.
While news organisations have pinned their hopes on smartphone applications as a way to make revenue, the BBC will offer its applications for free. Recently, News Corporation's James Murdoch said that a "dominant" BBC threatens independent journalism in the UK.
Should the BBC charge for its mobile applications or does its licence fee already include them? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

Puma Roars Away With New Solar Powered Smartphone

2010-02-16T21:50:00.000-08:00

Puma, the large German sports apparel manufacturer, is getting itself into the mobile phone space in Europe in a green way. The company has partnered with Sagem Wireless, a maker of “connected lifestyle devices,” to unveil the Puma Phone. What makes it so eco-friendly you ask? The integrated solar panel on the backside of the mobile for charging it.
The Puma Phone mobile, according to Puma, is an “active smartphone.” What that means, we think, is that the phone is targeted towards those engaged in an active lifestyle. One imagines slobs sitting around on their laptops all day typing stories will enjoy this phone as well. Key features on this device, which will be available beginning in March, include a 2.8-inch touchscreen display, integrated 3.2-megapixel digital camera, pedometer, GPS tracker, stopwatch and a “spin and scratch music player and integrated radio.” No details were available on how long it will take for the built-in solar panel to charge the phone.

“Just as Puma is unlike any other sportlifestyle company out there, the Puma Phone is unlike any mobile phone on the market,” said Jochen Zeitz, CEO of Puma, in a statement. “We want to engage with our community in a way that is consistent with everything PUMA stands for. Blending together the influences of sport, lifestyle and fashion, the Puma Phone reflects the joy, spontaneity and individuality that the Puma brand is known for.”

'Twilight' star Robert Pattinson is 'allergic' to one part of the female anatomy but loves his dog

2010-02-15T03:12:00.000-08:00

Details MagazineRobert Pattinson appears in a photo shoot surrounded by women for Details Magazine.
His vampire alter ego may be prince charming, but "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson does not worship women in quite the same way.
In fact, he is downright repulsed by some of their parts.
In a new interview with Details magazine, in which Pattinson was photographed with several scantily-clad female models, the British actor reveals why the shoot wasn't exactly his cup of tea. "I really hate vaginas. I'm allergic to vagina," he tells Details. "But I can't say I had no idea, because it was a 12-hour shoot, so you kind of get the picture that these women are going to stay naked after, like, five or six hours."
Pattinson says he was thankful he was hungover during the ordeal, presumably because he had an excuse for not conversing with the models.
He did, however, take solace in the fact that the shoot wasn't overly pornographic, comparing its style to that of vintage pornography.
"If you look at porn in, like, the eighties, there was something kind of quaint about it, quite sweet -- like this little naked community," Pattinson tells the magazine. "The people who made it liked it, they had respect for it. Not remotely like the porn that's available now...It's just everything, everywhere.""
His aversion to contemporary porn aside, Pattinson does devote much of his brain power to women. According to Details, he talked during the interview about, "Jimi Hendrix, French fries, girls, art, beer, his cousin the philosopher, girls, truth, God, his dog, girls..."
Though he seems to have the female species firmly on the brain, Pattinson's strongest relationship is with another species entirely.
"The only emotional connection of relevance is with my dog," he tells Details. "My relationship with my dog, it's ridiculous."
At least his tween fans have nothing to be jealous of.

Suri Cruise sports red lipstick

2010-02-12T23:53:00.000-08:00

Red lipstick is often associated with grown up glamour, but Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise's three-year-old daughter Suri Cruise has developed a taste for the cosmetic.
Suri was allowed to wear shiny red lipstick on a trip to the theatre with her mother Katie Holmes this week.
The vampish shade was at odds with her demure yellow hairband and cardigan, reported Daily Mail online.
Suri might have picked it up earlier that day at a cosmeticsstore in New York, where she was seen picking out different products.
Her love of make-up and high heels has brought criticism that her mother and father Tom Cruise are encouraging her to grow up too quickly.
She has been seen tottering around in several different pairs of heels, dangly clip-on earrings, and carrying a collection of handbags that a grown-up girl would envy.
Her wardrobe of designer clothing is said to be worth more than 2 million pounds.

Cricket gets IOC approval, can bid for 2020 Olympics

2010-02-12T03:55:00.001-08:00

Cricket’s push to be a part of the Olympic Games received a major boost with International Olympic Council granting recognition to ICC.
The IOC in its meeting here voted to recognise the International Cricket Council and the federations of sport climbing and power boating.
“They are recognised federations by us, which now means that they can take part in IOC events,” IOC director of communications Mark Adams said after the meeting held ahead of the Winter Olympics here.
“It could be seen as a first step towards becoming Olympic sports,” he added.
After today’s IOC decision, cricket — most likely its Twenty20 version, can now bid to join the 2020 Olympic Games though ICC has not made it clear, which format it will push for.
ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat has welcomed the decision and termed it as the first step towards cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics.
“We are very proud and very pleased that we have been recognised by the IOC and that was the first step in the process (to be included in the Olympics) that we have engaged in. The IOC gets through a thorough process before they provide the recognition,” Lorgat said.
Cricket was granted the status of a recognised Olympic sport in 2007, for sports not in the Olympic programme but, which conform to certain criteria, pending a decision for a permanent slot in the Games.
Former players including Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh, Stephen Fleming, Kumar Sangakkara, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman have called for Twenty20’s inclusion in the Olympics.
Cricket was part of the 1900 Olympics in Paris and has not appeared since then. The game was part of the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games and its Twenty20 version is set to feature at this year’s Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

Google Buzz isn't new and isn't needed, say rivals

2010-02-10T21:33:00.000-08:00

The service, which allows Gmail users to update their status and easily share content from YouTube and Picasa, is seen as Google's attempt to compete more closely with Facebook and Twitter.
But it has attracted stinging criticism from rivals, including Microsoft and Yahoo!, which say Google Buzz is nothing new.
"Busy people don't want another social network," said Microsoft, which owns a stake in Facebook, in a statement. "What they want is the convenience of aggregation. We've done that. Hotmail customers have benefitted from Microsoft working with Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and 75 other partners since 2008."
Yahoo! also said it had a similar service already in place, Yahoo! Buzz. "Two years after #Yahoo launched #Buzz, Google follows suit. Check out the original: buzz.yahoo.com," wrote Yahoo! on its official Twitter account.
It also highlighted the features available in Yahoo! Updates, which enables people to share their status, content and online activities with friends and family across Yahoo! and the web.
"There are now more than 200 Yahoo! and third-party sites that feed in to Yahoo! Updates, like Flickr, Twitter, YouTube and Yelp," said Yahoo! in a statement. "It allows people to see and share updates such as when they've uploaded photos, changed their status, buzzed up a news story or posted a new restaurant review.
"Expanded integration with Facebook means that people can connect with Facebook friends on Yahoo!, and share Yahoo! content with Facebook friends as well. Ultimately, Yahoo! sees social as an enabler and as a dimension that is part of everything we do, and everything people do online."
Even Paul Buchheit, the former Google engineer who created Gmail and founded social network FriendFeed, weighed in on the debate. "This seems vaguely familiar," he said. "There's a FriendFeed in my Gmail!"
Google said the launch of Buzz would enable Gmail user to better understand the real-time nature of the web. "The stream of messages has become a torrent," said Bradley Horowitz, Google's vice-president of product development. "There is no way to parse that amount of information that ranges from the ridiculous to the sublime. We think this has become a Google-scale problem."

Roddick’s wife on cover of SI swimsuit issue

2010-02-09T22:36:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK - Model Brooklyn Decker landed the coveted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover this year.
The 22-year-old wife of tennis star Andy Roddick said being chosen for the front is “the news of a lifetime.”
The cover photo of Decker smiling in a yellow bikini is a departure from the more sultry look that SI had gone for the past few years, she said. She compared it to covers from the 1980s or ’90s, when Elle Macpherson won her covers with a friendly, sun-loving look.

SI keeps the cover photo a secret — even from the models — until less than 24 hours before it’s revealed. Decker said now the mad dash was on to find outfits for TV appearances that will come with the gig. (Her closet of swimsuits wasn’t right for winter, she joked.)
As for Roddick? He’s relieved the five-time SI Swimsuit model can check the cover-girl box and won’t be as nervous next February when the next edition comes out.
Decker says she is an avid sports fan, and, as a teenager in North Carolina, ran hurdles for the track team, played soccer and participated in competitive cheerleading. She has no great diet or exercise secret, she said, other than to be active and eat sensibly.
“I still don’t know the formula for the cover,” she added. “It’s luck, the perfect suit and perfect storm to get it.”
Decker said, though, that because Sports Illustrated encourages a natural look — less makeup, toned muscles, curvy shape — it’s easier to get a great photograph. “This celebrates the girls and their personalities. I think it’s why they get such beautiful pictures.”

Sachin Tendulkar scored his 46th Test century against South Africa in the first test match in 2nd iningas

2010-02-08T23:46:00.000-08:00

Sachin Tendulkar scored his 46th Test century against South Africa in the first test match in 2nd iningas
Sachin Tendulkar scored his 91th international century, 45 centuries in ODIs and 46 in Test matches. The 34-year-old player is still extending his record onwards. He scored his century after playing 177 balls. This century proves that Sachin Tendulkar has got back his form and if he can remain his from till the end of this match then I am sure that India will get an easy victory by an innings margin and stay at the top of the ICC Test ranking.

Super Bowl XLIV betting props

2010-02-05T23:32:00.000-08:00

Every year the Super Bowl features more betting options than regular season games. From the coin toss to which coach will throw the challenge flag first, sports betting sites usually have every type of bet imaginable.In addition to in-game bets, most sports booking sites feature cross-sport bets between the Super Bowl and events from many of Sunday's games in other sports. Our gallery highlights some of the action that Boston teams are involved in, along with some of the more obscure bets. The current spread is listed in the description and you can choose who will win each prop. No betting required here.

Half-Naked Hot Chicks and Beer: The Sexist Guyland of the Super Bowl Beer Commercial

2010-02-05T01:13:00.000-08:00

In guyland, beer is the official drink, beer ads are the constitution and the Super Bowl is the annual holiday.
Yes, it’s beer day on Sunday. It’s the second biggest eating day of the year after Thanksgiving, and I’d put a Vegas wager on it being the biggest beer-drinking day. It’s also the biggest celebration of beer ads, which unlike beer’s buzz, live forever due to YouTube. It’s a day that brought us Wassup, the Budweiser Frogs, and of course, the Cat Fight.
After watching dozens of beer ads over the last few days, I can report that the land of beer is a fun and raucous place. It’s a land where drunkenness, laughing, burping, irresponsibility, pranks and rule-breaking reign supreme. There are no awkward silences, no need to speak in words, no need to remember to say or do anything in particular or face the consequences. Heck, there are no consequences. It’s a world where women have fun entertaining men. It’s an escape from the tyranny of work and manners, from the ill-fitting harnesses of the digital age on our inner human cave animal. Can’t you just hear the whole nation sighing in relief?
I understand the merits of the golden liquid, with its bubbles on a quest for freedom. But beer ads don’t really bother with that. They sell an escape to fantasy masculinity. And boy, while there might be more women drinking beer and watching the Super Bowl than ever, and more ads directed to them in some ways, most beer ads -- especially the sexy ones -- are like masculinity on steroids.
Beer ads have always been about sex. In the beer ads of my youth, long-haired women in skimpy outfits danced to rock music, while guys stood around holding beers. Women smiled at men, and the men grinned at each other. (When I went to my first parties, as a teenager, I actually wondered if I was going to have to behave like that.)
Those ads look pretty tame today. In last year’s Miller Lite Cat Fight, which got over six million views afterward, women leave a lunch table to rip off their clothes and fight in their undies, mud-wrestle, then make out. “The first beer commercial that starred actual soft-core porn actresses," is how the TV Munchies blog hailed it. “Bravo Miller Lite! We’ve never been thirstier!” The follow-up Cat Fight ad features a scantily clad Pamela Anderson joining in a pillow fight.
Sportswriter Robert Lipsyte points out that "Because of their insecure young male demographic, ads tend to be so aggressively and cartoonishly hetero that 1) there is no orientation issue, and 2) there is no threat of actually having to perform. You can watch sexy women the same way you watch football players -- from a superior remove.”
There is another change from the sexy ads of a few decades ago. Today's ads are so over the top it’s clear they’re somewhat ironic. At the end of the cat fight ads, for example, the women, who are also drinking beer, roll their eyes. The ads create a knowing wink fantasy bubble that’s enhanced by the fact that everyone knows they’re getting away with something naughty. Mmm, delicious.
It’s also surely about advertisers giving a nod to the "other” audience. They know women are in the game now, and are figuring out ways of keeping them drinking too. Women account for 25% of beer consumption, and almost half of the Super Bowl audience. Given that almost 96 million people watched last year’s Super Bowl, the second-most-watched broadcast ever, that’s a lot of women. According to Forbes, even back in 2005, 10 million more women watched the Super Bowl than the Academy Awards.
There’s a lot of money at stake too. The average 30-second spot sold for $2.5 to $2.8 million this year and Anheuser-Busch (which makes Miller Lite) has spent $311.8 million advertising at the event from 1990-'09.
Some marketing wonks suggest those precious dollars should cater more to this valuable co-ed audience. Marketing expert Gerry Myers points out that most Super Bowl ads are aimed at males, yet most money is spent by females. He writes, "Though many women love football, and a lot of men enjoy seeing the new commercials, women focus more on the commercials... and men more on the game." Myers believes the ads should focus more on women.
And some ads do. The Clydesdales ads played well with women, for example (though rumor has it there won’t be any this year since they didn’t test well). And one of this Sunday's Miller Lite commercials features a man who skips his softball game to attend his wife’s book club because she’s serving Bud Light.
But I doubt the book club ad will play as well as the cat fight. So it’s almost certain that beer advertising will spin ever more elaborate gender fantasies, rather than walking the middle line.
Take this new Andes beer ad (not for the Super Bowl) by Saatchi & Saatchi in Argentina. It features guys at a bar using a new high-tech contraption, a sound-proof “teletransporter” with sound effects of hospitals, traffic jams and crying babies. As one AdFreak blogger wrote, it "lets men convince annoying girlfriends when they call, that they’re not, in fact, at the bar." The contraption was actually installed at bars around the city of Mendoza, and the ad presumably features real footage of guys.
Or there’s this Ariana beer ad, in which a woman opens a beer with her boobs. Or this Bavaria beer ad, in which a girl in a bikini mimics the way a guy moves the beer bottle around in his hand. As one TV Munchies blogger wrote, “This explains why so many young Brazilian dudes get their peens caught in beer bottles."
Everyone knows these ads are ridiculous fantasies that are enjoyable to the target gender and deeply sexist to the other. Advertisers seem to be trying to get around that by making them so over the top that no one with any sense of humor could accuse them of sexism. Take this brilliant meta ad from Quilmes, for example. At the risk of being called a humorless feminist, let me say that while the tactics of music, movement, smiling and fun work on me because I am human, and while I might indeed laugh at them, I still know they do a lot of gender damage. What’s more influential then fantasy?
But anyone who thinks "Ads that depict raucous males drinking beer and giving a bartender babe a hard time are passé," is just plain wrong.
The fantasy is that men, in particular, can have it all. Because the ads wink at viewers, and because they're so over the top, men can get away with enjoying the pleasures of a sexist fantasy world, while an equal number of women sit in the audience. They can have their beer and drink it too.

Resource : McFarlane Football Figures

Sonic's Olympic Effort Hits App Store

2010-02-02T23:38:00.000-08:00

Is it some kind of bust up? Are Sega and Nintendo's new-found allies already in relationship counseling, as we speak? Or, is it merely the result of some entirely obvious but nonetheless frustrating licensing issues?
Whatever the case, those of you who have enjoyed Sonic and Mario's recently Olympic exploits on some unnamed Nintendo consoles will be pleased to know that Sonic's solo effort-- appropriately titled Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games-- has hit the App Store the world over, just in time for kick-off in Vancouver on February 12th.

As you might expect, this icy effort from Sega plonks the blue spiky one straight in the middle of Vancouver 2010, and his gang of charming (Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Dr. Robotnik) and not so charming (Shadow, Vector, Blaze, Metal Sonic and Silver) co-stars help him compete in the likes of snowboarding, curling, figure skating, and skeleton.
Indeed, if our preview back in December is anything to go by, Sonic's Olympic effort could well be worth a download, since Sega added a four-player mode via Bluetooth just hours after it first hit the App Store. Expect a review determining whether Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games lives up to its early hype, or turns frighteningly frosty, in the very near future.

MOE to set up Youth Sports Academies to promote sports excellence

2010-02-01T22:13:00.001-08:00

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Education (MOE) is setting up Youth Sports Academies (YSAs) to provide centralised training for talented athletes at the secondary and junior college/centralised institute levels and promote sports excellence.
The YSAs will enable graduates of the Junior Sports Academies (JSAs), and other students in MOE secondary schools, junior colleges or centralised institute to receive a high level of training in their chosen sport.
The YSAs will complement the Singapore Sports School by providing a developmental pathway for students who are talented in sports but enrolled in regular schools in the system.
For a start, MOE will set up three academies in April, each catering to one sport. The three sports are badminton, wushu and table tennis.
The YSAs will be housed in schools and institutions with facilities or expertise to support the training of these athletes.
The hosts for the first three YSAs are: Bedok South Secondary (badminton), Meridian Junior College (wushu) and MOE’s Co—curricular Activities Branch (table tennis).
There will be three admission points for the YSAs — at Secondary 1, 3 and junior college 1/centralised institute level 1. The MOE said this is to take into consideration students who are "late developers".
For the first year, the YSAs will cater to students in Secondary 1 only. The selection trials will be held in March. The YSA programmes will be conducted after school hours.
In 2008, MOE piloted four JSAs. Another eight new JSAs were set up in 2009. The first batch of 144 JSA athletes completed their two—year training programme at the end of 2009. They are now enrolled in 63 secondary schools, including the Singapore Sports School.

3D-1 to Manchester United as Arsenal game makes TV history

2010-02-01T03:23:00.000-08:00

Football fans were treated yesterday to the first game to be broadcast live in 3D.
A few hundred supporters watched Manchester United beat Arsenal 3-1 in nine secret 3D locations around the country.
Fans in plastic specs said their vantage point must have been almost as good as the ones enjoyed by managers Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger in the dugouts at the Emirates Stadium, North London.
Lifelong Arsenal fan Alan Howe, 66, who watched the game at a pub in the capital, said: "I have HD at home and I thought nothing could get better than that. But this certainly is. It's mind-boggling."
United fan Josie Haigh, 28, a solicitor from Huddersfield,West Yorks, said: "It's amazing. The close-up shots are really good. It feels like you are being sucked into the screen."

Ben Smart, 27, a Man U supporter from Leeds, said: "What a game. It feels even better to win in 3D."
The identity of the nine pubs in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin where the game was shown in 3D had been kept top secret so that they weren't swamped by fans.
Sky, which is running the pilot scheme, says 3D home sets will be on the market in the next six months. Companies hope to sell sets costing between £700 and £1,000.
Sky HD customers have boxes that are already 3D enabled and those paying for the premium package will be able to watch 3D television at no extra cost.
An HD box is £49 and the glasses retail at £50.

Sania Mirza's engagement called off

2010-01-27T22:11:00.001-08:00

Sania Mirza hasn't had the best of starts to the 2010 season - on and off court. A broken service game is one thing, but a broken engagement or a broken heart, is quite another.

Earlier in the week, the 23-year-old's father Imran, who coaches Sania and manages her career, called off his daughter's engagement to Mohammed Sohrab Mirza. Sania was formally engaged to the fellow Hyderabadi and longtime friend, now studying business in the United Kingdom, at a luxury hotel near her home last July. The Indian star categorically refused to get into the why and what of the matter, but confirmed her engagement was off. "We were friends for half a decade, but found ourselves incompatible during our engagement period. I wish Sohrab the best in life," she said. Even before the two got engaged, questions were doing the rounds about whether Mohammed could cope with the demands of being life-partner to a widely-travelled, hugely-popular athlete. Sania, who has been struggling with the differences for the last couple of months, hasn't taken the break-up well as her results on court show. However, she's doing what she always does at a time of crisis - surround herself with family and friends. As it stands, Sania will have to turn her focus to the courts, and in time might find comfort there. She flies out to Kuala Lumpur late on Friday, where she leads India's challenge in the Fed Cup Asia Oceania Group II competition, starting February 2.

Celebrity fit club

2010-01-23T02:22:00.000-08:00

Now that the holidays are over, it's time for Tinseltown to hit the ground running ... and shed those pesky holiday pounds. It's that time of year for New Year's fitness resolutions, so click through to get some celebrity inspiration ... There's no turning back now, Ben! Former "O.C" star Benjamine McKenzie's new series "Southland" may have been canceled, but the actor still has to keep himself camera-ready. See who else gets their kicks from a good run...

Zee Reports 74% Rise in Third-Quarter Profits, Looking to Increase Stake in Ten Sports

2010-01-19T21:20:00.001-08:00

On Tuesday, giant media company Zee Entertainment posted a 74.49% rise in its net profit for the December quarter. The company also announced that it in the process of consolidating its stake in Ten Sports at 95%.
The total earnings of the company, however, have actually declined to Rs. 563.2 crore up-to December 31, 2009, as compared to the earnings during the same period for 2008 which stood at Rs. 585.7 crore. All the figures were revealed by the firm in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.
"Zee's performance over the last couple of quarters is reflective of its ability to grow viewership and revenues even under difficult market conditions. Now that the economy and sentiments have improved, we will continue building our product portfolio for creating value in the long-term", Zee chairman Subhash Chandra said.
In its board meeting yesterday, Zee Entertainment Enterprises gave its approval to raise stake in Taj TV, Mauritius and Taj Television.

IPL 3 auction to open amidst public frenzy!

2010-01-18T21:45:00.000-08:00

Mumbai: An interesting mix of players, including Indian Cricket League returnees, would go under the hammer at the third Indian Premier League auction during which the franchises would choose from a list of 66 to fill just 12 available slots."Well there are a lot of buy-outs which are still in progress. I expect no more than 12 slots at the maximum to be available unless there are a few last moment surprises," said IPL's Chief Operating Officer Sundar Raman ahead of the auction that is to be held at a suburban hotel here.A buy-out means paying a contracted player his dues before the expiry of the contract in order to free him of his obligations towards the team.
Each franchisee has USD 750,000 at its disposal for buying new players at the auction featuring cricketers from all nine Test-playing countries.The players bought would be contracted for only one season, specifically till December 31 of 2010, and that includes the Champions League Twenty20."In the first year we devised a three-year contract. We had said that at the end of three years, with the addition of franchises, the entire process would change. The changes will be effected after this season of IPL," the IPL official has said. Raman reckons exciting West Indian talents -- hard-hitting batsman Kieron Pollard and fast bowler Kemar Roach -- would be among the most sought after

sachin aganest 44th senchury

2010-01-17T21:31:00.000-08:00

Sachin 44th senchury maked aganest

India 1st innings

G Gambhir c †Mushfiqur Rahim b Shahadat Hossain 23 74 44 3 0 52.27

V Sehwag* c Tamim Iqbal b Shakib Al Hasan 52 70 51 9 0 101.96

R Dravid b Shahadat Hossain 4 17 10 1 0 40.00

SR Tendulkar not out 105 166 11 2 63.25

VVS Laxman st †Mushfiqur Rahim b Shakib Al Hasan 7 50 30 0 0 23.33

Yuvraj Singh c Rubel Hossain b Shakib Al Hasan 12 41 31 0 1 38.70

KD Karthik† c Raqibul Hasan b Shahadat Hossain 0 5 3 0 0 0.00

A Mishra lbw b Shahadat Hossain 14 49 41 1 0 34.14

Z Khan c Raqibul Hasan b Shakib Al Hasan 11 28 18 2 0 61.11

I Sharma c †Mushfiqur Rahim b Shahadat Hossain 1 24 0 0 4.16

S Sreesanth not out 1 11 0 0 9.09

CES 2010: World Cup in 3D

2010-01-06T02:04:00.000-08:00

ESPN, one of the world's biggest sports broadcasters, will film 25 of the World Cup matches in 3D at this year's tournament in South Africa.
It is the first time that a 3D broadcast will be seen in anyone's home, after years of technology experts predicting that 3D would take off.

The announcement was made as television companies prepare to unveil their latest 3D sets at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The likes of Sony, LG and Samsung are all expected to announce that 3D televisions will be available for sale in the States and Britain in a matter of months, after unveiling prototypes a year ago.
It is unclear when the ESPN broadcasts will be available outside of the States, but an ESPN spokesman said it was unlikely to be available to British viewers until after the World Cup.
Though British viewers are unlikely to see the games in 3D in their homes, some will be able to see them on large public venue screens thanks to a deal between Sony and Fifa.
Viewers will not only need to invest in an expensive new television, they will also need to wear special dark glasses to enjoy the full experience.
3D content became ever more popular during 2009, with some of the most popular films, notably Up and Avatar, enjoying great success at the box office. However, 3D in people's homes has never taken off because of the special equipment involved.
Sky has promised that it will launch a 3D channel later this year, following the success of its HD programmes. Customers with the most expensive HD Sky boxes will be able to view any of the programmes – as long as they have a 3D television.
Sky is expected to concentrate on 3D films, though it is possible it will experiment with football in 3D.

Floating Stadium of Singapore

2009-12-22T22:48:00.001-08:00

The Float at Marina Bay, also known as Marina Bay Floating Platform, is the world's largest floating stage. It is located on the waters of the Marina Reservoir, in Marina Bay, Singapore.
Made entirely of steel, the floating platform on Marina Bay measures 120 metres long and 83 metres wide, which is 5% larger than the soccer field at the National Stadium. The platform can bear up to 1,070 tonnes, equivalent to the total weight of 9,000 people, 200 tonnes of stage props and three 30-tonne military vehicles. The gallery at the stadium has a seating capacity of 30,000 people.
But do they have boats cruising around during the games to catch all those balls that were kicked outside the field?Read More....

Tiger Woods’ wife Elin Nordegren will stand by her man, friend says

2009-12-21T21:23:00.000-08:00

Tiger Woods’ wife Elin Nordegren intends to stand by her man following the recent scandal surrounding his love life and stay married to the golfer for the sake of their children, a friend has said.

Ms Nordegren, a former model, is said to be devastated by her husband’s alleged adultery but wants the marriage to continue. The couple have a daughter Sam, two, and son Charlie, ten months.
"She is a child of divorce and that’s not something she’s likely going to want to do to Sam and Charlie," a friend told People magazine. "She really believes in the importance of parents staying together."

IDF chief's guard now suspected of 'attempted sodomy'

2009-12-06T21:46:00.000-08:00

Court extends Captain A.'s remand by four days at consent of his lawyers, while suspicions against him reduced due to additional findings received over past few days

The Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court on Sunday extended the remand of Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi's security guard, who is suspected of sexually attacking a young woman at the Tel Aviv Port about 10 days ago, by four days.
A police representative expressed his hope that the investigation would be completed by Wednesday, allowing the police to submit a prosecutor's statement ahead of an indictment.
The suspicions against Captain A. were reduced Sunday to "attempted sodomy" instead of sodomy, following additional findings received over the past few days.
The suspect's lawyers and the police reached an agreement on the four additional detention days. The police also agreed to the attorneys' request to hold additional inquiries, including a further questioning of witnesses and checking whether A. acted under the influence of drugs.

The police representative told the court that he hoped the investigation would be completed by Wednesday, but stressed that the police maintained the right to ask for further detention on remand.
The officer's lawyers said that he still denies the allegations, despite the fact that traces of DNA from his body were found during an examination of the complainant.

Comcast confirms NBC buy

2009-12-04T22:37:00.000-08:00

Comcast Corp. announced Thursday it plans to buy a majority stake in NBC Universal for US$13.75 billion, giving America's largest cable TV operator control of the TV network, an array of cable channels and a major movie studio.

Although the deal could mean that movies might reach cable more quickly after showing in theatres and that TV shows could appear faster on cellphones and other devices, it was already raising concerns that Comcast would wield too much power over entertainment.
If the deal clears regulatory and other hurdles, Comcast would rival the heft of The Walt Disney Co. — which Comcast CEO Brian Roberts already tried to buy.
Comcast, which serves a quarter of all U.S. households that pay for TV, would gain control of the NBC broadcast network, the Spanish-language Telemundo and about two dozen cable channels, including USA, Syfy and the Weather Channel. It also would get regional sports networks, Universal Pictures and theme parks.
In agreeing to buy 51 per cent of NBC Universal from General Electric Co., which has controlled NBC since 1986, Comcast hopes to succeed in marrying distribution and content in a way Time Warner Inc. could not.
AOL and Time Warner are undoing their ill-fated marriage Dec. 9. Time Warner has already shed its cable TV operations.
Deal in production for months
Comcast's Roberts and GE chief executive Jeff Immelt have been discussing the deal for months, and the final weeks came down to GE's persuading French conglomerate Vivendi SA to first sell its minority stake.
Comcast is eager to diversify as it faces encroaching threats from online video and more aggressive competition from satellite and phone companies that offer subscription TV services.
For entertainment viewers, the deal means Universal Pictures movies could get to cable faster. TV shows could appear on mobile phones and other devices faster as part of Comcast's plans to let viewers watch programs wherever they want. Comcast already is letting subscribers watch cable TV shows online in trials, with a nationwide launch in December.
Comcast pledged Thursday that NBC Universal shows that now cost money over its cable video-on-demand service would be free for three years after the deal closes.
Comcast also said it would maintain free over-the-air television signals from NBC stations — a business model that is eroding because of falling advertising revenue. Comcast also pledged to improve public interest programming. And it said it would not let its business interests affect NBC News.
Competition worries
But consumer advocates worry about the deal, saying people could end up paying more for TV. Subscription-TV operators such as DirecTV Group Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc.'s FiOS service would be negotiating with a direct rival on how much they have to pay to carry NBC Universal's content.
Consumer groups worry that as a result, fees that are already creeping up could rise even faster, with the costs passed to customers in their monthly pay-TV bills.
NBC Universal is profitable, with operating earnings of $1.7 billion US on revenue of $11.2 billion US in the first three quarters of 2009, despite weakness in the fourth-place NBC broadcast network and at Universal Pictures, ranked sixth in North American box office gross this year.
Comcast wants the company largely for its lucrative cable channels. It is seeking more programming to beef up its video-on-demand offerings and rely less on cable revenue as it loses subscribers to rival providers.
Meanwhile, GE needs cash to prop up its financing unit, GE Capital, which was devastated in last year's financial meltdown.
GE retains minority stake
Under the deal, expected to close in a year if regulators and shareholders of both companies approve, GE would buy Vivendi SA's 20 per cent stake in NBC Universal for $5.8 billion US — with $2 billion payable in September 2010 if the deal hasn't closed by then, and the remaining $3.8 billion at closing. NBC Universal is to be separated into a new joint venture.
Comcast would buy a 51 per cent stake of the new company by paying $6.5 billion US in cash and contributing $7.25 billion worth of cable channels it owns, including E!, Style and Golf Channel.
GE would retain a 49 per cent stake, with the option of unloading half of this interest in 3 1/2 years and all of it in seven years. The new company or Comcast could buy out GE. The new NBC Universal would borrow $9.1 billion US that would partially go toward covering the money GE owes Vivendi.
Comcast would get to name three people to the board and GE two, and Comcast would manage the joint venture. Jeff Zucker would remain NBC Universal's CEO and report to Comcast chief operating officer Steve Burke. NBC Universal's headquarters are expected to stay in New York.

EA Sports Active More Workouts video game review

2009-12-02T21:35:00.000-08:00

EA's new fitness game builds on the solid foundations of its predecessor to offer a more well rounded home exercise experience.

Ever since Wii Fit (and later Wii Fit Plus) demonstrated that there were oodles of cash to be made from fitness applications, developers have been falling over themselves to create the next big workout video game. It now seems that a new fitness title is released every other month. While their sheer numbers certainly prove that this genre of game has become big business, no game of this type has yet presented a credible challenge to the Wii Fit franchise's dominance of this market. The only title that has come anywhere near close is EA Sports Active which was released earlier this year and has since sold nearly two million units. Now, with the festive season upon us, and the promise of an ever expanding girth brought on by parties, dinners and calorie-rich Christmas pudding, EA has released a sequel in the form of EA Sports Active More Workouts. If the title seems unimaginative, take heart in the fact that at least this fitness game does exactly what it says on the box.

EA Sports Active More Workouts doesn't really offer an experience that differs all that much from its predecessor. Rather, it builds on the solid foundations of EA Sports Active, while expanding its content to include larger workout challenges, stretching and cool-down periods and exercises that target more areas of the body. The overall formula here is the same as before; players use the Wii Remote and Nunchuck in conjunction with a resistance strap and a leg band to perform exercises that are aimed at toning muscles and burning fat. At the time of this writing, EA Sports Active More Workouts is only available as a stand-alone entity; newcomers to the franchise will have to fork over around £15 for the game's accessories, which are currently sold separately. It's unclear at this time whether it will ever be sold as a bundle, but the cost of EA Sports Active: More Workouts and the EA Sports Active accessory pack add up to the same cost as the first game anyway. Veterans, for their part, will save a little bit of cash and will be able to import their fitness profile from EA Sports Active over to their new game.
Aside from a couple of tweaks, the experience of exercising is the same as before. Players tuck the Nunchuck into the pocket of the leg-strap in order to perform exercises below the waist (such as lunges) and most of the longer cardio exercises. The Wii Remote and Nunchuck are used for upper body exercises, both on their own (for cardio boxing or squash) and with the resistance strap for toning exercises (bicep curls, lateral raises and so forth). There is the option to use a balance board, although owning one isn't essential to play the game. Each exercise is introduced with a brief video in which the player is shown what to do and also what position to stand in. Players can set the difficulty of their exercises as well as set goals for burning calories or hours spent working out. All throughout the workouts, the players will be encouraged by a virtual trainer whose gender they can pick from the start, and whose psychotically cheerful demeanour will eventually cause them to fantasise about hurling a brick through their television's screen.
With the core experience basically untouched, EA Sports Active More Workouts differs from it predecessor by the depth of new content and a handful of cosmetic changes. Owners of the first game will notice a couple of tweaks right from the loading screen; the soundtrack is a little more sedate and all of the scenery has changed. The avatars now mirror the player's activities in an island paradise which not only looks better than the slightly bland track and field environment from the first game, it also offers some new activities. Another big change is that the first game's 30-day challenge has been replaced by a new 6-week challenge, presumably to increase the possibility that exercising in the living room will become more of a long-term commitment. Once again, the challenge also encourages players to fill in details about their daily diet and activities to help build up a more accurate trajectory of their progress. However, all set workouts now have warm up and cool down periods, which corrects a potentially harmful omission from the first game – especially for players who habitually worked out on the hardest settings.
The new game offers around 35 new exercises in total; some are evolutions of exercises in EA Sports Active (such as cardio boxing with moving targets) and some are only available with the balance board (such as step-ups). There are also a lot of brand new exercises which use the peripherals in new and interesting ways and allow players to target areas of muscles on their bodies. Probably the most noticeable collection of new exercises – which were conspicuous by their absence in the first game – are those that target stomach muscles such as crunches and (horrendous) leg raises. There are also a large selection of exercises which take advantage of the game's tropical paradise setting such as water skiing, paddle surfing and obstacle courses involving flotation devices.
Unfortunately EA Sports Active More Workouts carries over a couple of gameplay drawbacks from the original title. The Nunchuck and Wii sometimes takes longer to register one leg than the other during lunge exercises. The journal entries are improved somewhat, but they're still too just general to offer any worthwhile nutritional advice and the workouts have too much of a heavy reliance on calorie counting. As far as the peripherals are concerned, the fabric leg-strap is still a solid piece of kit, but the resistance strap is fairly useless as a toning implement. It's a shame that the new game doesn't offer a better peripheral that could actually help build muscle on the upper part of the body – especially when the rest of the game seems to offer a more well-rounded exercising experience than its predecessor. The only other problem the game has is that it may seem like a bit of a cash-grab to anyone who bought the first instalment in the series; asking full price for what could be offered as DLC (at a substantially lower cost) on either Xbox Live or PSN may cause a little consternation.
Then again, maybe not. The arrival of EA Sports Active More Workouts barely six months after its predecessor hasn't caused fans of the original to start a boycott, after all - which if anything proves fitness games just don't have the same hold over players as zombie shooters. Niggles aside, it's a huge improvement on EA Sports Active. While EA hasn't tinkered too much with the foundations of the franchise, the tweaks, tucks and additional content make EA Sports Active More Workouts feel like a far more effective fitness package than its predecessor. For players who want to work up a sweat in front of their consoles it's one of the best titles available. Read More....

Contenders for BBC Sports Personality award revealed

2009-11-30T22:01:00.000-08:00

Sports Personality of the Year
Venue: Sheffield Arena Date: Sunday, 13 December Time: 1900 GMT Coverage: Live on BBC One, BBC Radio 5 live & BBC Sport website.
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year top-10 shortlist has been revealed.
It features Formula One champion Jenson Button, cycling star Mark Cavendish, world champion diver Tom Daley and Manchester United great Ryan Giggs.
Athletics is represented by two more world champions, heptathlete Jessica Ennis and triple jumper Phillips Idowu.
Heavyweight boxer David Haye, England cricket captain Andrew Strauss, tennis ace Andy Murray and world gymnastics champion Beth Tweddle make up the 10.
The 10 nominees will be put to a public vote on the night of the live show, which will be broadcast from Sheffield Arena at 1900 GMT, Sunday 13 December on BBC One.
The public will be able to vote for their BBC Sports Personality of the Year by telephone and details of the numbers to phone will be given out during the programme which will be presented by Sue Barker, Gary Lineker and Jake Humphrey.
Before the big event there will be an Inside Sport preview show this Wednesday, 2 December, at 2245 GMT on BBC One.
All the contenders made a big impact in the sporting arena this year.

Button won six of the season's first seven grands prix and held on to his lead to become Britain's 10th F1 world champion, while on two wheels Cavendish became the first Briton to win six stages in one Tour de France.
Sheffield's Ennis swept aside the opposition to win the heptathlon at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, where Idowu finally realised his full potential by taking triple jump gold.
Another first-time world champion was 15-year-old Daley, who won the 10m platform event in Rome, while Tweddle tumbled her way to World Championship gold in the floor event at London's O2 Arena.
Tennis star Murray continued where he left off in 2008, reaching a career-high ranking of two at one point in a year where he won six tournaments including two Masters events.
Strauss led from the front to finish as leading run-scorer as England reclaimed the Ashes, while Giggs, who turned 36 on Sunday, was crowned the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year as he won his 11th Premier League title with Manchester United.
The shortlist was put together by a panel of 26 sports editors from national and regional newspapers and magazines.
Carl Doran, editor of Sports Personality of the Year, said: "I think you'll agree it's an outstanding list and underlines what an exceptional year it has been for British sport.
"Overall there are nine sports represented and for the first time since Steven Gerrard in 2005 we have a footballer on the list in Ryan Giggs.
"You only have to look at those who just missed out like Bradley Wiggins, Victoria Pendleton, Tony McCoy and Andrew Flintoff to see how strong the line-up it is. British sport is in tremendous shape as we get closer to the 2012 Olympics."

He added: "We've our best ever line-up and some amazing surprises for our biggest ever show in front of 11,000 people at the Sheffield Arena.
"We have some very special awards that are likely to bring the house down, in particular our Lifetime Achievement Award which will honour a true world superstar.
"There'll also be live performances, surprise appearances and the greatest collection of sporting talent you're likely to see in one place. Not forgetting one of the closest races for the main award for years."
Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport, said: "The reaction of viewers and those members of the public who have been able to attend the event in the last three years has been fantastic and we hope this year in Sheffield will continue that trend.
"It's been another great year of sport and the event promises to be another show to remember.
"It's a tremendous cast list and a great experience for the audience in the venue, and we hope this year will be a classic."
Last year's event at Liverpool's Echo Arena was watched by a television audience of 9.8m, with triple Olympic cycling gold medallist Chris Hoy beating Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton and double Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Rebecca Adlington to the honour.
The other awards to be presented on the night will include:
- Team of the Year
- Coach of the Year
- Overseas Personality
- Young Personality
- Helen Rollason Award
- Unsung Hero Award
- Lifetime Achievement
Watch a full preview of this year's top 10 on Sports Personality of the Year: The Contenders, BBC One, Wednesday 2 December 2245 GMT Read More......

Advocating for Girls’ Sports With a Sharp Tongue

2009-11-29T21:34:00.000-08:00

HAVERFORD, Pa. — Few girls who play sports in suburban Philadelphia would recognize Robert H. Landau, but many coaches and athletic directors know that spotting him in the bleachers could spell trouble.

With a sharp tongue, a refusal to compromise and a well-honed sense of injustice, Landau is that familiar breed of community activist with a knack for pushing public officials over the edge. His specialty is girls’ sports, and his targets are usually wealthy public schools from the Main Line suburbs that pride themselves on being progressive and fair in offering a rich array of opportunities.
No slight to girls is too small for Landau to take on. His victories range from the momentous to the less obvious, like forcing his daughters’ school district to provide more athletic choices, pressuring leagues to showcase their title games and getting a school mascot to perform at their games.
Landau’s complaint against Haverford High School — over issues like publicity for and scheduling of boys’ and girls’ basketball games — has upset even those who would otherwise support him.
“I am like: ‘Buddy, you know what? You just threw the wrong punch,’ “ said Bobbi Morgan, the women’s basketball coach at Haverford College, who used to coach the girls’ team at Haverford High School. “I never worked anywhere where it was better.”
School officials declined to comment because the case was still open, although some elements have been resolved.
“Quite frankly, I shouldn’t have to do this,” Landau said. “But it’s there. What possible argument is there that I’m wrong?”
Landau estimated he had filed at least 30 complaints, most contending unfair treatment of girls, with the Office for Civil Rights, the division of the federal Education Department that enforces the gender-equity law known as Title IX. His work has led to a change in practices at the school and district level in suburban Philadelphia.
Landau, who owns a lighting business, started as a parent activist and never stopped. Now 63, he has two daughters who have been out of school about 20 years and four grandchildren.
Local administrators say Landau keeps them on their toes.
“He has challenged schools and challenged the leagues to reflect on their practices,” said Scott Eveslage, the principal of Welsh Valley Middle School in the Lower Merion School District. Eveslage was once the athletic director at two high schools in leagues Landau had singled out.
Although Landau has not always won — the Office for Civil Rights found insufficient evidence to pursue at least two of his allegations — his frequent filings have been effective. The civil rights office does not reveal the names of complainants, but officials confirmed that they had investigated several school districts that Landau takes credit for bringing to their attention.
Landau is a rabid fan of Cheltenham High School girls’ basketball, and his commentary during games often turns heads. The coach, Bob Schaefer, said, “He’s yelling things that you might be thinking, but he just belts it out.”
When it comes to speaking out about unfairness, Landau can be just as passionate. He boasts that athletic directors regularly hang up on him, and relishes the time he made a cheerleading coach cry.
Some wonder if this confrontational style works against him. Filing a complaint without building relationships can lead to hard feelings, said Carol Tracy, the executive director of the Women’s Law Project in Philadelphia.
“Since the vast majority of schools are out of compliance with Title IX, realistically none of us are going to sue every one of them,” she said.
Landau’s activism began in 1989, when his daughter started playing field hockey at Cheltenham. “Karen kept coming home saying she had a different coach every day,” he recalled.
Landau learned that many of the boys’ coaches had full-time jobs as teachers in the district, but the girls’ coaches did not. “In my own limited way, I somehow realized this was not good,” he said.
He also found that the girls had few options. “It used to be that you either played field hockey or tennis,” his daughter Karen Bleznak said. “And in the winter, you played basketball.”
A neighbor who worked for the Office for Civil Rights encouraged Landau to file a complaint. He did, and the school district eventually added girls’ soccer and volleyball, and built softball fields. Rich Marburg, who was Cheltenham’s director of student services from 1985 to 2004, said that high turnover also affected boys’ teams, and that the school district probably would have improved its girls’ programs without prodding.
“We just did some things that we were going to do anyway,” Marburg said.
Soon, parents at other schools enlisted his help, and Landau continued to spot unfair treatment.
Girls typically played basketball in the afternoons, and the boys in the evenings. Cheerleaders performed only at boys’ games. Boys played their title games at arenas like the Palestra at the University of Pennsylvania, and girls were relegated to school gyms. His complainted have helped eliminate those inequities.

Landau’s interests have never been limited to girls’ sports. Early in his advocacy, he sued his daughters’ school district in federal court, contending that it did not provide adequate help to Karen, who has a learning disability. Although he lost the case, he said the district later expanded its offerings to students with learning disabilities. In the 1990s, Landau also successfully pressured the district to increase its hiring of minority teachers.

Landau said he was happy to bear the brunt of criticism to protect parents who do not want their complaints to reflect poorly on their children.
“A lot of people would complain about him, but if there was a problem, of any kind — sports, or if it grew into other things — they called him,” his wife, Jane Landau, said.
Landau has never been paid for his advocacy, but it worked in his favor in 1996, when he faced federal charges of defrauding a commercial loan company as the owner of a janitorial supply business. Landau repaid the $120,000 he owed the loan company, and later pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Although Landau was facing prison, the judge, citing his local involvement, sentenced him to time in a halfway house and under house arrest, according to news reports.
“I made a business mistake, I got snagged, and that was that,” Landau said. “I have no excuse. It makes me human. More human than most.”
This year, Landau filed a federal disability law complaint against Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa. A student with disabilities, he said, told him the college could not accommodate his limitations. A report by the Office for Civil Rights found that many of Landau’s allegations had merit. In September, Moravian reached an agreement with the civil rights office to set up a timetable to make its facilities accessible.
Landau, who has filed similar complaints against other colleges, said he could envision a day when he no longer investigated high school sports.
“We’ve about fixed everything in the Philadelphia suburbs,” he said. “If I see something, I’ll complain. But at this point, most people have acquiesced to doing the right thing.”Read More.....

Child crushed to death on sports field

2009-11-27T21:46:00.000-08:00

A six-year-old Auckland girl died on a sports field this afternoon, crushed to death apparently by a scrum machine.
The girl died at Auckland's Tamaki College while her family was enjoying a touch tournament.
A Northern communications spokesman declined to say what the sporting equipment was but TV3 News said the girl was killed by a scrum machine.
The girl suffered extensive injuries and ambulance personnel were unable to revive her.
"Family members at the scene are understandably very distraught by the tragic circumstances," police said.
The Labour Department and police would investigate.
The girl's family had asked for privacy during their grieving period.
A St John Ambulance spokesman said the girl was dead when they arrived at the scene. Read More.....
- NZPA

Four years' jail for raping sleeping woman

2009-11-26T21:47:00.000-08:00

A man raped a sleeping woman months before he went on to commit a series of indecent assaults during schoolies week.
Tomas Getachew, 26, was jailed in the Victorian County Court today for raping a 25-year-old woman he met at a social function in June 2007.
Getachew had attacked the woman at a friend's house while she was sleeping and intoxicated.
She awoke to find him assaulting her, the court heard.
A jury found him guilty in April of rape.
Judge Duncan Allen jailed him for four years and nine months.
He must serve a minimum two years and nine months.
Five months after committing the rape, Getachew, formerly of Clayton, assaulted several victims during schoolies week at Lorne in Victoria's south-west.
He was working as an unlicensed bouncer at a hotel when he followed the victims down to the beach and assaulted them.
He was jailed in the Geelong Magistrates Court for one year on several charges, including three of indecent assault.
He has already served his sentence on those counts.
The court heard Getachew migrated to Australia in 2002 as an Ethiopian refugee.
Judge Allen took into account his severe psychiatric illness and the impact this had on his lack of remorse and denial of guilt.
The judge described the rape as opportunistic, "ugly and vicious" on a vulnerable woman.
But he said Getachew's state of mind reduced his moral culpability.
Judge Allen said Getachew would have a good chance of rehabilitation if he received proper treatment.Read More.....

Five-Time Olympic Speedskating Champion Loses Blood-Doping Appeal

2009-11-25T21:43:00.000-08:00

Germany’s most successful winter Olympian will miss the Vancouver Games. Claudia Pechstein, the five-time Olympic speedskating champion and winner of nine medals, lost her appeal against a two-year ban for blood doping. Interestingly, she never failed a drug test.
The punishment stems from blood samples taken at the World Allround Championships in Hamar, Norway, last season. Pechstein’s blood profile had included abnormal levels of immature red blood cells or reticulocytes, which the BBC reports suggest she had a blood tranfusion.
”It remains unimaginable for me how I could get banned for one single indication that is also very contested scientifically,” Pechstein said, according to the Associated Press.
But the Court of Arbitration for Sport, in issuing its delayed ruling, said Pechstein’s blood levels ”could not be reasonably explained by the various justifications submitted by the athlete nor by a congenital medical condition.”
The 66-page C.A.S. ruling (a full version can be downloaded here) indicated the panel could not find any signs of blood disease or anomalies that would account for the unusual levels.
”The panel finds that they must, therefore, derive from the athlete’s illicit manipulation of her own blood, which remains the only reasonable alternative source of such abnormal values.”
In rejecting Pechstein’s appeal, the court set her suspension date at February 8, 2009, meaning she will not be able to compete until February 2011, quite possibly ending the 37-year-old Pechstein’s skating career. Her lawyer said he would take Pechstein’s case to the Swiss supreme court.Read More.......

Girl helped organise gang rape of classmate

2009-11-24T21:48:00.000-08:00

A 14-year-old girl in the US may face criminal charges after allegedly helping to organise the gang rape of a classmate.
The teenager, who cannot be named, has told media that she and her 14-year-old classmate planned to have consensual sex with the three alleged attackers, aged 16, 17 and 20, at a house in Monroeville, Alabama, last Monday.
But local prosecutor Tommy Chapman said the teenager, who is in a relationship with one of the three men, was now being investigated as an accomplice in the assault.
"The victim told police that the attack did begin as consensual contact," Mr Chapman told local newspaper the Press Register of Mobile.
"But when all three suspects began to join in, she told them no repeatedly, but they did not stop."
The girl was injured so badly she required surgery and had to spend three days in the intensive care unit.
Police allege the girls and the alleged attackers — Steven Scott, 20, DeShon Riley, 16, and Justin Williams, 17 — left school early on the day of the attack and walked to the house.
When they arrived at the house, police allege Scott, Riley and Williams took turns to rape one of the girls.
The other girl now under investigation has told police the three then tried to rape her, but that nothing happened.
The alleged attackers are being held on charges of felony rape.Read More........

Gut Punch: Immediate Analysis Of Houston Texans Loss To Tennessee Titans

2009-11-23T21:54:00.000-08:00

Coming off of a bye week and two weeks of hype after a close loss to the Colts, the Houston Texans returned home to face a 3-6 Tennessee Titans team. A home game against the last place team in your division should be as good a get well recipe as grandma's chicken soup.
But, alas, it was not meant to be. The Titans came into Reliant Stadium on Monday Night Football and found a way to win 20-17.
Let's just get this part out of the way. Vince Young might not be the best passer, but he does win games. (Question: What is uglier? Vince's passing attempts or his post game brown suit with buttoned shoulder flaps? You decide.) Young is now 22-11 as an NFL starter and 2-0 in Houston. Sure, he was 11-22 for 116 yards, but he scrambled for 73 yards and picked up what seemed like every third down conversion.
Only the most delusional Young supporter would argue it was the sexiest game, but quarterbacks are ultimately measured by victories and Young came away with yet another close victory. You really can't argue with that.
When the Titans got the ball back after a late fourth quarter punt, it seemed like this was the type of game Vince Young was made for. Tie game, three minutes to go. That's VY's time. It simply cannot be argued. It might be frustrating as all get out for Texans fans, but at the end of the day, VY led his team to victory.
But, did the Titans win or the Texans lose? In my mind, there is a difference. Let's first see if the Titans won the game (clearly, they did win the game but this analysis is slightly different).
The Titans most dangerous weapon is Chris Johnson and he ran for over 150 yards. Granted, nobody has really slowed Johnson down this season, but the Texans consistently led him pick up handfuls of yardage time and time again.
In the passing game, there were only a handful of attempts that Young threw down field. The longest completion was 27 yards to Bo Scaife. No receiver had more than 4 catches or more than 42 yards. But Young was able to scramble and run options plays for first downs time and time again.
Nothing pretty, nothing fancy, but the Titans did enough to get a victory. But, is that winning or not losing? Let's continue our analysis.
On the other hand, Steve Slaton was not only a non-factor in the running game (5 carries for 21 yards) but he dropped a key third down pass from Matt Schaub in Titan's territory.
That play occurred was on third and ten, and it's not a given Slaton could have gotten the first down, but a fourth and three or four at least leaves the option of going for the conversion on the table. Fourth and ten equals punt. That is a catch that must be made. Houston punted and Young and Johnson did enough to get a field goal attempt.
Second, and perhaps most egreiously, Kris Brown missed two field goals. Yes, neither was a gimme attempt. But a kicker isn't paid over $1.4 million to miss two field goals on home against a hated rival on Monday Night Football. Kicking is a results-oriented profession, and Brown has looked, in a word, bad recently.
All this season I have railed against running back Chris Brown. I've said he's not tought enough and he's not good enough to play for the Texans. Look like I might have not have been broad enough in my vitriol against players named Chris or Kris Brown.
Kris Brown has cost the Texans two chances to tie games late with missed field goals. That is inexcusable. Chris Brown has cost the Texans two chances to tie games by failing to score touchdowns. That too is inexcusable. Look for left tackle Duane Brown to be the only player sir-named Brown playing for the Texans next season.
Third, is there any question Dunta Robinson is a shadow of the former Pro Bowl player? He gave up Young's only touchdown pass when he simply could not cover rookie Kenny Britt on a crossing pattern. He was flagged for defensive holding. Robinson missed tackles on Young and couldn't cover a single Titan effectively. Guess Rick Smith got lucky that Dunta foolishly didn't sign a long term contract.
If you ask me, the Texans did more to lose the game than the Titans did to win the game. Is that just a matter of semantics? Perhaps. Does it make me or any other Texan fan feel any better? No, not really. And, in the end, doesnt Tennessee get another victory at the expense of the Titans? Again, yes.
Look, I know there were some cheap shots by the Titans that were not penalized. Courtland Finnegan took some swings at both Brown and Slaton in pile ups. Kyle Vanden Bosch catapulted himself helmet first at Matt Schaub numerous times. Schuab was driven to the turn a number of times by Titan defensive linemen.
Yes, none of these were flagged, but whining about the refs blowing this game might make you feel better but is only masking the real problem. This is football and the Titans plays a certain way. The Texans play a certain way. At the end of the day, however, all that matters is the win or the loss.
Is all hope for the season lost? No. Houston remains in the playoff race at 5-5. James Casey played well in the absence of Pro Bowl caliber tight end Owen Daniels. But that's for another day. All that matters today is the devastating and deflating loss to the Titans in a game the Texans lost more than the Titans won.Read More.........

Olympic chief slams 'missing' minister

2009-11-22T22:14:00.000-08:00

Australian Olympic chief John Coates has slammed the Federal Sports Minister Kate Ellis, claiming she has "gone missing" since the release of the Crawford report which rejects calls for increased Olympic sports funding.
Coates, who initially labelled the report "disrespectful" and "insulting" to Australia's Olympic achievements, has been disappointed by the lack of response from Ellis since she released the report last Tuesday.
"I don't know if she is taking it seriously," Coates told Network Ten today.
"She certainly hasn't engaged with us since she's become the minister on this issue."
The report dismissed the Australian Olympic Committee's calls for an extra $100 million a year for 10 years for elite sports, saying that money would be better spent elsewhere.
It also rejected the AOC's goal of reclaiming "top five" status on the medal table at the 2012 London Olympics and future Games as not sensible and not an appropriate measure of Australian performance.
The report had 39 wide-ranging recommendations now open to public debate and Ellis said last week the government would likely deliver its response early next year.
However, Coates believed she should be talking to the AOC about the issues and he took a crack at her for taking time to arm-wrestle professional wrestler Hulk Hogan last week.
"In the week that she's released the report she has been arm-wrestling with steroids while we're out there taking it seriously," he said.
"We will certainly come back and respond professionally to this report.
"We want to have a debate with her, but she has gone missing."
While, it did not recommend cutting Olympic sports funding, the Crawford report suggests more should be done for the grass roots of popular sports to ensure greater participation at a time when the nation faces a growing obesity problem.
It also said there was no evidence big events like the Olympics inspired children to take up sport.
Coates disagreed, and said more funding was needed at both the elite and grassroots levels of sport.
"We acknowledge that more needs to be done to address obesity through the department of health through additional funding, but not at the expense of funding directed to people who are our role models," said Coates.
"When Cathy Freeman won in Sydney, Little Athletics memberships went through the roof.
A spokeswoman for the Minister of Sport said: "John Coates and the AOC are important stakeholders in Australian sport."
"In line with this, the Minister has had two direct conversations with Mr Coates since the Government received the Independent Sport Panel report and the Minister has requested to sit down with Mr Coates and discuss the recommendations."
"There is a history of kids who take up basketball because of Andrew Gaze, kids who are swimming because of Kieren Perkins and Ian Thorpe.
"All of our sports provide those role models. We just have to put the two together."Read More....

Kings owner will no longer operate WNBA franchise

2009-11-20T22:31:00.000-08:00

SAN FRANCISCO The Sacramento Monarchs folded on Friday, a shocking and disappointing development for the WNBA and one of its original eight franchises.
The decision was largely based on the Maloof family's desire to focus all its energy and efforts on the NBA's Sacramento Kings. Maloof Sports & Entertainment had owned both teams.
Now, the WNBA is left scurrying to try to find a new owner for the organization and a suitable market: with the most logical place being the Bay Area, perhaps in Oakland or San Jose.
League president Donna Orender said in a statement Friday that the league is in discussions with potential investors to relocate the Monarchs to the San Francisco area in time for next season.
The Monarchs franchise was one of the league's original eight teams and it won the WNBA championship in 2005 and the Western Conference title the following season.
The Monarchs' Web site - elusports.blogspot.com - for most of the day carried a message reading, "PICTURE YOURSELF as a 2010 MONARCHS Season Ticket Holder." It was changed by the afternoon, when the site carried only Orender's statement.
While it was difficult to reach anyone in the franchise's offices Friday, the team said it would not comment on the situation further and directed inquiries to the WNBA. Some employees work for both the Kings and Monarchs, so it was unclear how many jobs might be affected.
"We enjoyed our time with the WNBA and the Monarchs," co-owner Joe Maloof said in a statement. "We are extremely proud of an amazing run that included six straight playoff appearances and the 2005 WNBA Championship. All of our resources are now dedicated to bringing the Sacramento Kings back to championship caliber form."
Sacramento had several familiar faces when it comes to women's basketball in the area: former Stanford star Nicole Powell, Olympic gold medalist Kara Lawson, and Courtney Paris, the former Oklahoma star from nearby Piedmont, Calif.
The franchise is scheduled to have the second pick in the 2010 WNBA draft.
"The Bay Area has been a desirable market for the WNBA and the availability of the Monarchs provides an opportunity to move a well-known franchise and broaden its fan base within Northern California," Orender said in the statement. "Maloof Sports & Entertainment, owner of the Monarchs, has deemed it essential to focus all of its resources on the Sacramento Kings at this time. We understand this decision was a difficult one for them and appreciate the vision, leadership, and support of the Maloof family over the past 10 years."
Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment, which runs the NHL's San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion - a potential WNBA venue - could be an option explored by the WNBA. The Oakland-based Golden State Warriors are in support of the idea of a WNBA team playing in Oakland, but would not affiliate themselves with a franchise. That would have to be worked out with the City of Oakland and Alameda County. The Warriors play at Oracle Arena.Read More......

Semenya will compete again, says sports minister

2009-11-19T22:16:00.000-08:00

JOHANNESBURG: South Africa's sports minister said overnight he believes that world 800-metre champ Caster Semenya could compete again in women's athletics, after a storm over testing to determine her gender.
"In my view Caster Semenya's future is in her hands. She can decide to run as a girl, which she is," Makhenkesi Stofile said, according to the Sapa news agency.
The ministry said earlier in a statement that Semenya's lawyers, South Africa's government and the world athletics governing body IAAF had reached "total agreement" on her title won amid a storm over her gender at the Berlin championships in August.
The parties also agreed that scientific tests into her gender will be remain confidential, but their statement have no clear details on the runner's competitive future.
But the IAAF said Wednesday that gender testing was not yet complete for the athlete, a first year sports science student who grew up in a rural village in northern South Africa.
Her rapid speed gains this year prompted questions about the gender of the runner, who has a deep voice and a muscular physique.
Leaked test results said Semenya was a hermaphrodite, sparking anger from the South African public and government, who have rallied behind the athlete.
The IAAF has numerous options when it considers the results of her testing -- they could ban her from competing again, require that she undergo surgery, or take no action.
The entire board of Athletics South Africa (ASA) was suspended by the national Olympic committee this month over its handling of the Semenya row, after ASA boss Leonard Chuene admitted he knew about gender tests conducted on the athlete prior to the world championships.
ASA has apologised to the nation for the debacle, after a damning investigation by the ruling African National Congress.Read More....

Olympic dreams hit for six by funding row

2009-11-18T22:07:00.000-08:00

THE long-awaited Crawford report into sport says Australia has to stop being an international over-achiever and learn to be satisfied with a ''realistic'' top 10 Olympic result.
In 39 controversial recommendations to the Federal Government, the businessman David Crawford says Olympic success is expensive and funding would be better directed to big professional sports and those which reflect the national psyche.
The report drew immediate criticism from the president of the Australian Olympic Committee, John Coates, who said Mr Crawford, who is on the board of BHP Billiton and Lend Lease, and his panel were not qualified to comment on elite and international sport. The report rejected a plea from Olympic and Paralympic sports for an immediate injection of $100 million to halt the recent funding decline.
The report says the money could be better spent on sports with stronger participation, such as Australian rules, cricket, rugby league, rugby union, football and netball.
''The panel strongly believes the public needs to be educated to think differently about what constitutes Olympic success,'' the report says.
''This will mean more explicitly defining elite sporting success in the context of prioritising those sports which capture the country's imagination and represent its spirit and culture. These are the sports where our performance on the national and world stage is important to our sense of success as a nation.
''There should be debate about which sports carry the national ethos. Swimming, tennis, cricket, cycling, the football codes, netball, golf, hockey, basketball, surfing and surf lifesaving are among the most popular sports in Australia, a part of the national psyche.''
Mr Crawford did not mention track and field, which has strong Olympic memories through Herb Elliott, Marjorie Jackson, Betty Cuthbert, Cathy Freeman and Steve Hooker. He criticised funding of sports such as canoeing, taekwondo and archery.
The report says that based on attendance, ratings, sponsorship and participation, cricket, Australian rules and rugby league deserve more funding.
But Mr Coates said the report was disrespectful and ignorant. The big professional sports already accessed the public purse through superior sporting infrastructure and benefited financially from big crowds at games and broadcast revenues.
''Is Mr Crawford saying that BHP and Lend Lease should not aspire to be number one and they should close down their overseas operations and concentrate on aspects of their business that are the bits publicly supported in Australia?'' Mr Coates said.Read More.....

San Diego’s World Cup bid hopes for boost from petition drive

2009-11-17T21:42:00.000-08:00

A petition drive was launched Monday in support of San Diego’s bid to be one of the cities where World Cup matches would be played if the United States is selected to host the soccer tournament in 2018 or 2022.
San Diego’s World Cup push was announced by Mayor Jerry Sanders at the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park. He was joined by officials from the San Diego Sports Commission, San Diego Lodging Industry Association, San Diego County Hotel-Motel Association and San Diego Surf Soccer Club.
The link to the petition to potentially bring World Cup matches to San Diego can be found on the front page of the city’s Web site at Online Sports News . By 2 Monday afternoon, more than 2,500 people had signed the petition.
The City Council is scheduled to make San Diego’s World Cup bid official during its meeting Tuesday.
San Diego is one of 27 cities being considered to host World Cup matches if the tournament comes to the U.S. The U.S. Bid Committee, a consortium of American soccer organizations and supporters, has been established to try to convince the Federation Internationale de Football Association that the U.S. should host the tournament in 2018 or 2022.
The U.S. Bid Committee will narrow the number of cities where World Cup matches would by played to 18 by the end of next month. FIFA is scheduled to announce the host countries for 2018 and 2022 in December 2010.
If San Diego is selected, it would have to agree to offer the use of a stadium, hold a festival and pay for public safety. The cost for each city hosting World Cup matches is estimated at $12-$15 million.
The World Cup, the world’s most widely viewed sporting event, is held every four years and is comprised of 64 matches played by 32 international teams in more than a dozen cities throughout the host nation.
According to a report to the City Council, holding a World Cup in the U.S. would generate a $350-$550 million economic benefit for each host city and a $6.4 billion economic impact nationally.
The last World Cup was held in Germany in 2006. The 2010 World Cup is being held in South Africa. It then goes to Brazil in 2014. The tournament was last played in the U.S. in 1994.Read More.....

Wii may provide actual exercise: study

2009-11-17T01:48:00.000-08:00

The new active Wii video games from Nintendo may be creating a healthier generation of couch potato, according to a new study.
Some of the Nintendo Wii sports games and activities included in the Wii Fit series, both of which require video-game enthusiasts to get up off the couch, may increase energy expenditure as much as moderate intensity exercise without ever leaving the TV room, researchers said at the American Heart Association (AHA) scientific meeting in Orlando.
"It's a very easy and fun way to start exercising," said Motohiko Miyachi, head of a physical activity program at the National Institute of Health and Nutrition in Tokyo, who led the study.
The Nintendo-funded study found that about one-third of the games and activities included in the Wii sports and Wii fit packages require an energy expenditure of 3.0 METs or above, which is considered to be moderate intensity exercise, according to AHA exercise guidelines.
METs are metabolic equivalent values -- a standard method of estimating energy expenditure, researchers said.
While this study does not prove health benefits of these games, Miyachi speculated that increased time spent playing them "may contribute to prevention of cardiovascular diseases."
The most effective exercise in the study was the single-arm stand featured in the Wii Fit, which came in at 5.6 METs -- just shy of vigorous activity defined as 6.0 or greater.
If that too closely resembles actual exercise for the calisthenically challenged, then the Wii sports boxing game is the way to go with an energy expenditure of 4.5 METs.
Both the Wii tennis and baseball games produced moderate intensity expenditures of 3.0 METs. But would-be golfers looking to get exercise are still going to have to walk the course as the video version produces only 2.0 METs.
Miyachi, who said he enjoys the Wii tennis and baseball games, hopes to measure the physical activity expended playing the new Wii resort games and called on other video game makers to develop more active entertainment.
Noting the growing obesity epidemic in the United States and Japan, Miyachi said some physical activity, even of the video variety, is better than none.Read More.....

Children's Day SMS to exchange greetings

2009-11-13T22:03:00.000-08:00

Children's Day celebration begins in India on November 14 to mark the birth anniversary of country's first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.Not only in India, several other countries in the world also observe November 14 as Children's Day.To celebrate the spirit of children and their talent and to promote kids' welfare, the UN General Assembly in 1954 recommended that all countries around the world set aside a day for this purpose on a date they considered appropriate. The day would be seen as a symbol of worldwide fraternity and understanding.After introduction of technologies in the daily life, the celebration of all the festivals and important days become cheaper and easier.As entire country has been geared up to celebrate the birth anniversary of Chacha Nehru as Children's Day, people are also looking for text SMS to exchange the greetings.Several website are available on internet in this regard. Here are Some Childre's Day SMS for you:Pt Jawaharlal Nehru ke janam divas aur cricket me Sachin Tendulkar k shandar 20 years. Is historical din per aap sabhi ko hardik badhaiyan.Teacher Teacher, aaj naa kuch kehna humkoAaj hum khoob mauj udayenge,Saal bhar toh aapki humni suni…Aaj hum baate aapko apni batayenge..Happy Children's Day Teacher!Chacha ka hai janamdivasSabhi bacche aayengeChacha ji ke phool gulab se..Hum bache sama sab mehkayenge!Happy Children's Day Read More....

Sky to cry foul as Ashes and football qualifiers set for return to free TV

2009-11-12T21:40:00.000-08:00

The England team celebrate after winning the Ashes at The Oval. Photograph: Paul Harding/Action Images
A furious backlash from sport's governing bodies will greet tomorrow's recommendation that the Ashes and international football qualifiers be added to the list of events reserved for live broadcast on free-to-air television.
The proposals, which, if adopted by the government, would represent a serious blow to Sky, could become the latest ammunition in the escalating battle between Rupert Murdoch and No 10, and lead to claims from sports that they are being used as a political football – or cricket ball.
The independent review panel strongly rebuts any suggestion that the government has influenced its thinking during its 10-month review, but the temptation to hit Murdoch's bottom line in retaliation for the Sun's switch in support from Labour to the Tories will inevitably be seen as a factor in the government's deliberations over whether to accept its conclusions.
But the move will be cheered by the majority of viewers and free-to-air broadcasters including the BBC and ITV, which say that more than eight in 10 people support the principle of protecting events.
As revealed in the Guardian on Monday, the whole of Wimbledon fortnight is also likely to be added to the list of protected events, along with Open golf and rugby union internationals in Wales.
The Epsom Derby and the rugby league Challenge Cup final are expected to be dropped from the list. It is also believed that the B-list of events that must be shown in highlights form on freeview TV will also be axed.
Governing bodies will claim that the recommendations of the independent panel, chaired by former FA executive David Davies, will hit their revenues by hundreds of millions of pounds, reducing investment in grassroots sport and potentially damaging the government's post-Olympics sports participation targets.
Those who campaigned against the controversial removal of live Test cricket from the list of protected live events in 1998, a move they say harmed the visibility of the sport, will cheer the move to relist the Ashes. They point to figures showing that 7.4 million people watched the climax to the 2005 series on Channel 4, while fewer than 2 million watched the jubilant scenes from the Oval this year on Sky.
In 2005 Sky signed an exclusive deal to cover all domestic and international cricket, later renewing it until 2013 at a cost of £300m. Cricket authorities claim that money has been invested in a range of projects that have boosted participation at clubs, in schools and among women.
The Davies panel is a mix of broadcasters, sports figures and academics including Eamonn Holmes, Colin Jackson and Dougie Donnelly. The key qualifying characteristic for protection they alighted upon is that of "national resonance", which is understood to have led to the conclusion that international football qualifiers in each of the home nations should also be listed.
The Scottish FA has railed against such a move, claiming it would hit revenues by £12m a year, while the financial consequences for the English FA would also be dire. The FA is already facing the need to cut its cost base as a result of the collapse of its £150m contract with Setanta last June for the broadcast of live FA Cup and England matches, the repayment schedule on loans taken out to finance the new Wembley stadium, and the need to fund a faltering bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
The sports bodies will attempt to convince culture secretary Ben Bradshaw and sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe, who will put the issue out to a 12-week consultation once they have examined the review's conclusions, that it has been too narrow in its scope and failed to take account of the financial impact on sport.
The review was ordered last year by the then culture secretary Andy Burnham, who was keen to examine the issue in the wake of the success of the Beijing Olympics on the BBC, which was watched by more than 41 million people.
The ECB is likely to call for an independent economic analysis of the impact of the decision, arguing that an estimated £120m-£150m of the value of its contract with Sky is driven by the exclusivity premium around the Ashes.
It will also argue that the BBC did not bid for live rights in 2005 or 2008, citing scheduling issues, and even claim that listing the Ashes could damage the future of Test cricket if Sky chooses to invest in other forms of the game instead.
The length of existing contracts means any changes will only come into play following digital switchover in 2012.Read More.........

MUMBAI: The cyclone over the Arabian Sea on Wednesday was "likely to intensify further"

2009-11-11T22:06:00.000-08:00

MUMBAI: The cyclone over the Arabian Sea on Wednesday was "likely to intensify further" and cross the Indian coast between north Maharashtra and
south Gujarat in the early hours of Thursday, says the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Now named Phyan, the cyclone was about 250 km directly west of Goa at 2:30am Thursday, the IMD said on its website, even as it it issued an "orange" alert. That is one step below the red alert put out for a really severe cyclone. At that hour, Phyan was 420 km south-southwest of Mumbai and 670 km south-southwest of Surat in south Gujarat.

"The system is likely to intensify further and move north-northeastwards and cross south Gujarat and north Maharashtra coast between Mahuva and Dahanu by early hours of Nov 12," the website reported. Fishermen have already been asked not to go out to sea, and oil rigs in Bombay High were battening down, according to local media reports. The IMD expects that maximum sustained surface wind speed under the influence of Cyclone Phyan will be 70-80 kmph around 11.30pm on Wednesday, gusting up to 90 kmph. The weatherman said Wednesday morning that the cyclone will lead to "rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and isolated extremely heavy fall (over or equal to 25 cm) over Konkan and Goa and Madhya Maharashtra during next 36 hours". "Rainfall at many places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places is likely over coastal Karnataka during next 24 hours. Rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls (over or equal to 25 cm) is likely to commence over south Gujarat from today (Wednesday) afternoon". "Squally winds with speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph are likely along and off Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra coasts during next 36 hours. Sea condition will be very rough over along and off Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra coasts. Squally wind speed reaching 55-65 gusting to 75 kmph is likely to commence along and off south Gujarat coast from today afternoon."Read More.....

Deepika Yuvraj reunited

2009-11-10T21:50:00.000-08:00

Bollywood diva Deepika Padukone, who has been in news for her reported break up with current beau Ranbir Kapoor, was apparently reunited with her ex-beau Yuvraj Singh... not in real life but on stage. The dusky beauty was performing at the Sahara Indian Sports Awards in Mumbai where the entire Indian cricket team was present. Read More....

Officials announce plans for National High School Sports museum in Easton

2009-11-09T22:03:00.000-08:00

Calling the Lehigh Valley the “biggest high school sports area in the country,” Robert Ferraro Sr. formally announced plans to bring a High School Sports Hall of Fame museum to Downtown Easton to bolster the corridor as a tourism destination.
“The Lehigh Valley is unique in its support from the community for sports,” said Ferraro. “You’ll read in Texas where you’ll have 20,000 people for a high school football game, but none of them will come to a volleyball game.”
Ferraro Sr. is an Easton native and former head wrestling coach at Bucknell University who founded the National High School Coaches Association in 1989.
The city will raze the former Perkins restaurant and Marquis movie theater to make way for a 350-space parking deck, 36-space surface lot and eight-bay bus terminal on the South Third Street location.

The city tentatively plans to front the intermodal facility with a shell building for the bus ticket office and space that it will lease to the NHSCA for offices and the hall of fame museum.
Ferraro Sr. says his organization will privately raise the money for the interior, which he said will be constructed by Tuskes Homes.
While the NHSCA would welcome state funding, Ferraro isn't counting on it.
“If we had public money, that would be great, but we’re not depending on it,” he said.
Plans for the interior include areas for memorabilia as well as a theater and training facility. Ferraro hopes that the museum could follow along with the scheduled opening for the intermodal facility in late 2011.Read More......

No, really: Onion, Comedy Central team on TV pilot

2009-11-08T21:42:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (AP) - ESPN had better watch its back.Comedy Central has ordered a pilot from the satirical news magazine The Onion.The prospective half-hour scripted series will be based on The Onion's Sports Network, an online video series that parodies sports shows - especially those on ESPN.Onion News Network director Will Graham says in a statement to expect "the most intense sports coverage humanity has yet witnessed."A spokeswoman for Comedy Central says the pilot constitutes the first collaboration between the two comedy institutions.The Onion, founded in Madison, Wis., was long famous for its mock headlines when it launched the "ONN" in 2007. That's its online video department.Read More...

Pinnacle of the Past, Just $2.1 Million

2009-11-06T22:04:00.000-08:00

MY mission today is to offer my clear-eyed take on the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport. But the price keeps getting in the way. This removable-roof version of the Veyron coupe costs 1.4 million euros, or roughly $2.1 million. I say roughly, because the Bugatti’s price can fluctuate about $14,000 a day simply from one-cent adjustments in exchange rates.
For that price, a rare species of car owner gets a rocket that gleams across the planet’s surface faster than any true production automobile that has come before. The Bugatti shifts occupants around like a Star Trek transporter: from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in 2.7 seconds, to 125 m.p.h. in just over 7 seconds and on to a top speed of 253 m.p.h. — though 401 kilometers per hour has a better bullet-train ring to it.
Particulars include 1,001 horsepower, 16 cylinders, 8 liters of engine displacement, 4 turbochargers, all-wheel drive and a dual-clutch automatic transmission. Only 150 Grand Sports will be built, tacked onto 300 editions of the Veyron coupe, making the Bugatti the automotive equivalent of a Fabergé egg. A $450,000 deposit gets that egg rolling at Bugatti’s atelier in Molsheim, France.
As a fast-car fanboy, this is where I should need a squeegee to wipe the drool off the page. But while the Saudi sheiks who’ll buy the Grand Sport want my advice as much as they want electric cars, the Bugatti ultimately doesn’t do it for me.
Though I generally test cars for a week, I was granted barely an hour’s audience with the Bugatti. But as with my previous test of the coupe, my impression was of a car so overqualified for public roads that even the ultra-rich would be better off with a more approachable sports car.
Bugatti’s main achievement was making a car that weighs nearly 4,400 pounds — 1,100 more than a Corvette or Porsche 911 — accelerate and handle so well. The second achievement, and no small feat, is how a midengine exotic with more power than a Formula One racer manages to feel comfortable and pliable even in city traffic. With just a little instruction, your grandmother could drive this car at 150 m.p.h. while knitting a Nomex racing suit.
Press the gas pedal, thwack the paddle shifters and the next thing you know the aero wing emerges from the rear deck — a sign that you’ve already crested 137 m.p.h.
To run safely at speeds above 233 m.p.h., drivers must insert a second, special key that lowers the body and closes the front diffuser flaps Batmobile-style. That key, I might add, stayed hidden in the pocket of John Hill, Bugatti’s American market manager, who rode shotgun with me.
•
The convertible buttresses the lost roof with reinforced doors and carbon-fiber bracing, including supports in the roof-mounted air intakes to bolster rollover protection. With near-zero storage space (and nary a cup holder), the removable transparent hardtop must be stashed in a garage, perhaps on a chinchilla throw. The carries a flimsy canvas roof for sudden downpours, but it’s not recommended above 100 m.p.h., lest it fly off like a bad toupée.
I definitely prefer the targa-top Grand Sport to the Veyron coupe, because it lets you hear the 16 cylinders churning behind your head, along with the quad turbochargers slurping air and burping off the excess.
The car comes with a great cocktail-party boast: if your Veyron, at rest, were passed by a $500,000 Mercedes McLaren SLR doing 100 m.p.h., you could floor the accelerator and still reach 200 m.p.h. before the Mercedes could match its speed.
That kind of physics-textbook problem is where my issues begin. At speeds where cars from a $40,000 Nissan 370Z to a $90,000 Porsche 911 become your wingmen, delivering pure blasts of driving joy, the Bugatti feels bored to death. The artillery-shell acceleration is diverting, but the Bugatti leaves you nowhere else to go, except directly to jail.
Many Bugatti buyers surely have access to racetracks, yet I’m equally sure that 90-some percent of them won’t have nearly enough driving talent to exercise this car. Mostly, I picture Euro-poseurs needing valet assistance to back up the Bugatti in Monaco, while jaws drop and the owner barks orders into his diamond-encrusted cellphone. When your car makes a Lamborghini seem tasteful, there’s a problem.
As with the New York Yankees or most Picasso paintings, I respect the Bugatti as an engineering exercise and a conglomeration of overpriced talent. Yet I might argue that any $2 million car should be powered by hydrogen, electricity — even nuclear fusion — not a gas engine blown up to overkill proportions. The Bugatti isn’t the future of the fast car; it’s the past writ in extra-large type.
I try to avoid the pointless game of adding up the many cars you could have for the price of one exotic. The truth is that the exotic-car buyer is quite proficient at math. He wants what he wants, and he can afford it.
But this time I’ll make an exception. For half the Bugatti’s price, one could buy four genuine exotics that I find better looking and more rewarding: the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo, Audi R8 V-10 and Aston Martin DBS. That would still leave $1 million for a 10-car garage filled with classics like a Jaguar E-Type and a Corvette Sting Ray fuelie.
But once again, why would a Bugatti prospect care what I think? I’d be the guy tracking exchange rates on the Veyron, hoping to save enough to get a free Hyundai.
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INSIDE TRACK: Right at home on a richer planet.Read More....

Australia beat India by three runs in fifth ODI despite Sachin Tendulkar's heroics

2009-11-05T22:03:00.000-08:00

A magnificent 175 from Sachin Tendulkar overshadowed a maiden century from Shaun Marsh, but it was Australia who came out triumphant by three runs in the fifth one-day international against India in Hyderabad.

Marsh was twice dropped but made the most of those reprieves as he powered to 112, while opening partner Shane Watson (93), Cameron White (57) and Ricky Ponting (45) all made substantial contributions to power Australia to a massive 350 for four.
Tendulkar replied in style and, aided brilliantly by Suresh Raina (59), brought India within sniffing distance of victory, but Australia kept their heads as India were bowled out for 347 with three deliveries to spare.

The win gave Australia a 3-2 lead in the seven-match series.
The visitors began well, with Watson getting them off to a flyer as he smashed the new-ball bowlers around.
He blasted first-change bowler Munaf Patel for a four and a six in his second over to quickly close in on a half-century and clobbered Ashish Nehra for another four and six to reach the milestone off just 40 deliveries.
Watson motored along nicely once past the 50 mark, completely dominating an opening stand with Marsh worth 145.
Australia's free scoring was finally curbed with the introduction of Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh, the two bowling accurately in tandem and asserting a degree of control.
But a ragged performance from India in the field stalled the breakthrough as Marsh, who had begun unconvincingly, was dropped on 29 by Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Harbhajan, the wicketkeeper failing to grasp a top-edge chance.
Watson was dropped by Yuvraj off his own bowling on 90, but did not last long thereafter as he fell short of a century, slog-sweeping Harbhajan straight to Ravindra Jadeja at deep midwicket.
Marsh was again reprieved just after reaching his half-century with Virender Sehwag making a mess of a fairly straightforward chance at cover.
Ponting was then bowled by Praveen Kumar, but Marsh began to score fluently from then on - his second 50 came off just 41 deliveries - and celebrated exuberantly once he reached his century.
He fell while trying to up the scoring, but White and Michael Hussey (31 not out) provided the flourish at the death.
White was snared off the last ball, but the Victorian had done the damage, putting on 80 off just 43 deliveries for the fourth wicket with Hussey.
India's reply began in usual sprightly fashion with Sehwag providing the initial thrust.
The opener had clubbed 38 off 30 deliveries when Doug Bollinger, who had grassed him earlier when the batsman was on 21, held a splendid catch running back from short fine-leg to send back the opener.
Debutant seamer Clint McKay then struck vital blows in the top order, sending back Gautam Gambhir and Dhoni cheaply, while Yuvraj was snaffled by Watson as the home side slipped to 162 for four.
Tendulkar, who had needed seven runs at the start of the innings to reach 17,000 in ODIs, was tentative at first, but once he passed that milestone he opened up to play another superb innings.
Tendulkar was joined by Raina, the left-hander providing excellent support as the match swung India's way under their charge.
Tendulkar, who had smashed Nathan Hauritz for consecutive sixes in an over, reached his 45th ODI century off just 81 deliveries and continued to flay the bowlers around as India closed in on the target.
Australia too were far from flawless in the field, White spilling Raina while the batsman was on zero proving costly.
Raina went on to add 137 for the fifth wicket with Tendulkar, reaching his 12th ODI half-century with a towering six of McKay.
The match turned again with Watson snaring the left-hander and his replacement, the feisty Harbhajan, in the same over.
India had needed 52 from 45 deliveries at the dismissal of Raina, but Jadeja (23) kept the chase on course until he lost Tendulkar, McKay's third victim.
India then unravelled with Jadeja run out and Nehra going quickly.
Eight were needed from the last over, but Praveen Kumar was run out while attempting a second run, the wicket handing Australia victory. Read More.......

Team India to overtake Man United

2009-11-04T22:26:00.000-08:00

The BCCI’s latest money-spinning ploy might even leave one of football’s biggest brands, Manchester United, behind. Daily sports news
According to a report, the BCCI, which has invited fresh bids for Team India's logo sponsorship, might overtake Manchester United, as far as jersey-sponsorship deals go. The Red Devils' current T-shirt sponsorship deal is for approximately Rs 650 crore for four years, whereas BCCI is offering 170 international matches for the next four years starting January 1, 2010 and expecting around Rs 800 crore. online sports
Putting Twenty20 on par with ODIs and Tests, the Board is asking for a minimum reserve price of Rs 3 crore for each India game. In comparison, Sahara India, who have been the sponsors for the last 10 years, have paid a little more than Rs 400 crore in the last four years.
The fresh bidding process already has Sahara in two minds. Sahara's spokesperson Avijit Sarkar, when asked if his company would bid again, told The Times of India, "We have not decided yet."
The Board is also looking to raise at least Rs 25 lakh for each under-19 fixture, while the target for the women's team is Rs 10 lakh each for all three formats. Rights holders will have to give a bank guarantee of the entire bid money.
Sources told the newspaper that if the bidders are buying logo rights for the men's team along with under-19, India-A and women's teams, they are expected to deposit a security amount of Rs 50 crore by November 22, two days before the actual date of submitting the tenders. If bidders just want the senior men's team rights, the security amount payable will be Rs 48 crore. Read More....

Sports projects given £5.5m boost

2009-11-03T21:38:00.000-08:00

Sportscotland has announced £5.5m towards three major new sporting projects in Tayside and Fife ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

A new centre, complete with a 50m swimming pool, is to be built in Dundee to replace the city's Olympia Centre and will receive £3m of the cash. online sports
A further £1.5m will go towards the creation of a new leisure centre in Glenrothes.
In Kirkcaldy, £1m will be given to help build a new sports hall and 25m pool. Daily sports news
The projects follow a Scottish Swimming report earlier this year which found a need for more pools in the region that were suitable for use as training centres for performance swimmers.
In Glenrothes, the new centre will include an eight-lane 25-metre competition pool, training and teaching pool with moveable floor, as well as a teaching/remedial pool.
'Real differences'
An 85-station fitness suite will also be created with an eight-court sports hall and a purpose-built aerobics studio.
The new centre in Kirkcaldy will also feature a 25m main swimming pool, smaller teaching pool with moveable floor, health suite, full-size sports hall, play centre, and 60-station fitness suite.
In Dundee a replacement centre will be built to replace the Olympia and will feature the new 50m pool, dive pool, fitness suite and cafe.
The projects were announced by Sports Minister Shona Robison and sportscotland chair Louise Martine CBE.
Ms Robison said the new facilities would help create healthier communities.
She added: "With the Commonwealth Games coming to Glasgow in 2014 we have a once in a lifetime chance to make a real difference to the lives of all our communities.
"I am passionate and determined that the legacy is accessible to all, so that long after the event the benefits of a more modern, healthy and inclusive Scotland are clearly visible and enjoyed by all." Read More......

Ponting hails 'outstanding' Bollinger

2009-11-02T22:07:00.000-08:00

Ricky Ponting has credited his bowlers, and particularly Doug Bollinger, with rescuing Australia in Mohali to level the series 2-2. The Australians appeared to be in trouble when India were 78 for 1 in the 15th over, chasing 251 for victory, but in his fifth ODI Bollinger grabbed three wickets to set up Australia's triumph. online sports
"I thought Bollinger was outstanding," Ponting said after the match. "He came on and his wickets probably brought us back into the game."
Bollinger finished with 3 for 38 from his nine overs and helped restrict the scoring while his fellow left-armer Mitchell Johnson leaked runs. Shane Watson grabbed three wickets in the lower order when India were threatening a late fightback, and combined with two sharp run-outs from Ponting it added up to a strong performance in the field.
"It was good to get a couple of run-outs," Ponting said. "Yuvi and I had a chat in the field and he called me a little bit slow, but I got one back on him tonight. We have worked hard on our fielding and I thought it has been at its best in the whole series tonight. Daily sports news
"It's surely a good win for us, coming up short with the bat, but bowling and fielding very well. Peter Siddle got only five overs in the game which means we thought things out really well. The series is level again, it has been up and down all the way through and no team has been able to grab the momentum."
Ponting said it was disappointing that Australia had failed to make the most of a strong start with the bat - four of their top five scored 40 or more. However, nobody else reached double figures and the innings fell away dramatically, with the final wicket falling for 250 in the 50th over.
"We felt we had missed out on a few runs out there with the bat," he said. "At one stage it looked like we would get close to 300, but we didn't capitalise on the Powerplay. We lost a few wickets leading up to our powerplay again and that's been a bit of a problem for us through the series so far. But the boys bowled exceptionally well tonight."Read More......

Cricketers’ ’surprise’ outings, Chandigarh police complains

2009-11-01T22:07:00.000-08:00

Chandigarh, Nov 1 (IANS) Chandigarh police Sunday complained to the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Sunday about the “surprise” outings of Indian cricket players from the hotel where they are staying here. Daily sports news
“First Yuvraj Singh, breaking all the security barriers, stepped out of Taj Hotel at around 7.30 p.m. He went away in a friend’s car. Not only this, after sometime, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh also went out of the hotel without informing anybody,” Superintendent of Police (Security) H.S. Doon told IANS late Sunday evening.
“I have got a report from Deputy Superintendent of Police Roshan Lal, who is in charge of the players’ security. On the basis of the report, I have written a complaint to PCA president seeking action against these players,” he said. online sports
“In order to ensure foolproof security of players, we want cooperation from them. But such incidents make things really difficult for us,” Doon added.
Police sources told IANS that Chandigarh police is also planning to write to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), raising this issue of breach of security cover with them.
Hotel staff said that Yuvraj had gone out with a friend to meet his father Yograj Singh, who lives in the city.
The Indian team had reached hotel Taj here Sunday evening. They will play the fourth match, of the ongoing seven-match Hero Honda Cup, against Australia at the PCA stadium in neighbouring Mohali town, around 10 km from here, Monday. [LM1]Read More.....

Sports Watch: do you really need the money, Andre Agassi?

2009-10-30T01:12:00.000-07:00

Rick Broadbent charts this week's heroes and villains of the sporting world

10) Andre Agassi (down) Daily sports news
Why do it? No, not the drugs, although that is bad enough, but why confess now? Does he really need to flog a biography when he has made $100million in endorsements and married Steffi Graf. Even more depressing to the sports fan is his admission that he hated playing tennis. Agassi recalled that Steffi once gave him a look that said "Doesn't everybody?" Us naive fools believed they loved it. Whatever next? Benny hates Dancing Queen? online sports
9) Sir Alex Ferguson (falling like a stone)
This is rich. To recap: Fergie said a referee was unfit. He apologised. Kind of. To get off a ban. He felt so guilty he then abused another referee for being influenced by the home crowd at Anfield. Which makes a change from being influenced by a rather small man with the manners of the Mitchell brothers. Sports Watch believes Agassi could not have created the sort of mindblowing topspin attempted by Taggart II even when in the grips of crystal meth.

8) Mike Ashley (down down)
The Newcastle Chuckle Brother now wants to sell the naming rights for St James' Park. This has provoked horror but Sports Watch thinks our Geordie cousins should get over themselves. Times change. That is life. Roker Park is no more. Nor is Highbury. White Hart Lane and Anfield are on their last legs. In terms of Ashley's follies, this is small beer. Theatre of Dreams/Fitful Sleep/Vaudeville? Delete as applicable.
7) Joleon Lescott (non-mover, or at least limited)
Is it us?
6) Pepe Reina (down)
We like a good celebration and Reina's 90-yard sprint to give David Ngog a hug for adding a second against the Dark Lords was up there with the best of Roger Milla. Given the way Reina mistook a large red, inflatable for a white football the previous week, Sports Watch is impressed that Reina did shin up a floodlight in pursuit of the Sky blimp.
5) Paula Radcliffe (Up)
She's back. Radcliffe will run the New York Marathon this weekend, her first marathon for a year, and will almost certainly win. This is because she is one of Britain's few active sporting legends. Dullards damn her because she was unfit on the two days that coincided with her Olympic chances. Expect dramatic brilliance.
4) David Shepherd (up)
With football's Respect campaign now renamed Shoot-Any-Idiot-Who-Refuses-To-Add-Multiplied-Time-And-Play-On-Until-The-Cows-Come-Home-Or-Alternatively-Scholesy-Has-A-Half-Decent-Game-And-Scuffs-The-Winner, how nice it was to hear the eulogies about one of cricket's best-loved figures. An umpire no less. Cricket remains a game where officials are not routinely abused by managers for their own inadequacies.
3) Arsene Wenger (up)
Yes, he is a one-eyed visionary who subscribes to nonsensical conspiracy theories about bullies from tough northern towns like Blackburn kicking his fey artists to death. But anyone who watched Arsenal's kids stay up past their bedtime to dump Liverpool out of the Carling Cup with the sort of swashbuckling delights not seen since The Flashing Blade was on the box knows the truth.
2) Ryan Hall (new entry)
The man from Big Bear has a bugbear about money. Hence, if he wins the New York Marathon on Sunday (expect him to be in the top five), he will give away his $130,000 cheque. Hall says he had an epiphany during the Olympic marathon last year, is inspired by Eric Liddell (the religious one from Chariots of Fire) and is, altogether, a rare and exceptional bloke.
1) Valentino Rossi (new entry)
Sports Watch's favourite high-pitched megastar who paid a £26million tax bill and said he was serene before celebrating his latest MotoGP world title with a live chicken. This is different to the time he celebrated with a man dressed as a chicken on the back of his bike. Or, indeed, the time he nipped into a Portaloo on his victory lap. The most colourful man in sport who is inexplicably overlooked by certain newspapers that cover, er, snooker. Read More.....

Gilchrist backs India's T20 events

2009-10-28T23:11:00.000-07:00

A day after Australia captain Ricky Ponting and coach Tim Nielsen criticised lucrative Indian domestic T20 tournaments - Indian Premier League and Champions League - former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist differed from his countrymen and threw his weight behind the slam- bang version of the game.While Ponting and Nielsen openly held the domestic T20 tournaments responsible for injuries to the Australian players ahead of the second Oneday International in Nagpur on Wednesday, Gilchrist said that injuries were part and parcel of the game. The lefthanded batsman said that the domestic T20 tournaments couldn't be held responsible for injuries to James Hopes, Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson.Hopes and Lee missed the game on Wednesday.Daily sports news "Injuries can happen at any time in a player's career. There have been instances when players have been resting for six months at a stretch and they have suffered an injury the moment they got back to international cricket. But it is true that the international calendar has intensified to an extreme level and the International Cricket Council ( ICC) needs to monitor the cricket calendar," he said.Here to promote the University of Wollongong, Gilchrist also sympathised with the administrators of domestic T20 tournaments. "I feel sorry for the organisers of the domestic T20 tournaments. Not only do they have to keep shuffling their events so that it doesn't clash with the international calendar, but they also have to cope with other issues like security threat etc.," he said."The Champions League was originally supposed to be held in 2008, but it had to be cancelled due to the security scare that engulfed the country during that time.online sports Even the ICC Champions Trophy had to be postponed due to safety concerns in Pakistan in 2008, resulting in the further cramming up of the international cricket calendar this year." Gilchrist was, however, quick to point out that it was entirely up to players to choose where they want to play. "It is solely dependent on cricketers whether they want to play for their country or earn some quick buck. I salute Ponting's dedication for his country even after having represented Australia for so many years. He pulled out from the cash rich leagues to stay fit and concentrate on his international cricket," the 37- year old said.On the debate whether Test cricket was dying a natural death with the introduction of T20, Gilchrist, one of the most aggressive players to have played the shortest format of the game, said that Test cricket was the ultimate form of cricket. "Test cricket can never die. Most cricketers are desperate to play Test cricket.The same question had cropped up when ODI format burst into the scene. But no format can displace Test cricket from its designated position," he said."Just because Test cricket doesn't have capacity crowds at the stadiums doesn't mean that it has no follower. We have a passive love for the format. T20 and ODI cricket will only enhance the game's purest form - Test cricket," said the IPL Deccan Chargers' captain.On Deccan Chargers' poor performance in the recent Champions League, Gilchrist said that his team performed below his expectations. "We failed to live up to the standard set by us in the IPL- II in South Africa. We should have been much more competitive against the top domestic teams from across the globe. But this was an eye- opener for us ahead of IPL- III, and we hope to use this experience to prepare ourselves to aptly defend the trophy next year," he said.Read More....

It's not cricket only: Aussie Tour & Tourism

2009-10-26T22:36:00.000-07:00

It need not be a coincidence that the ongoing tour of India by the Australian cricket team coincides with the commencement of India’s tourist Daily sports news
season for the foreign traveller. If it’s pleasant enough to play cricket during the day, then it should be quite comfortable for the foreign tourist to take in the sights and sounds of what our tourism department describes as ‘Incredible India’. Three weeks of cricket-cum-tourism can add up to a memorable experience for those tourists who want to combine fun and games with sightseeing and shopping. Packaged cricket-cum-sightseeing tours for the fans have now become the fashion. October-November of 2008 saw the Barmy Army — as English cricket fans are known — following the team led by Kevin Pietersen all over India. online sports This year, the Aussie cricket fans will be following Ricky Ponting’s team all over India while holding up and waving large toy kangaroos to demonstrate their unequivocal support for their team. The Aussie-tour itinerary takes in the metros of Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad and the smaller urban centres. One can imagine the Aussie tourists not just enjoying the win at Vadodara but also going around the 110-acre Sayaji Baug Park and appreciating Nandalal Bose’s murals of the Battle of Mahabharat and the story of that ultimate devotee Meera, depicted on the walls of the central hall of Kirti Mandir. The second ODI begins on October 28 at India’s Orange City of Nagpur where the fans could have themselves photographed at the Zero Mile marker, which indicates that this is the exact geographical centre of India. The sixth ODI is at Guwahati where the fans can take in the 10th-century Kamakhaya Temple and the Kaziranga game sanctuary, famous for the one-horned rhino. The final ODI is on November 11 at Mumbai, the ideal take-off point for the journey back home. The logistics might be demanding but what are travel agents for! Join Club Mahindra Today : 7 Days Of Holidays, Every Year For Next 25 Yrs. Sign Up Now & Enjoy. : ClubMahindra.com/Fun-Family-Forever Read More.....

Superb pitching seals Yankees' destiny as AL champs

2009-10-26T00:05:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK -- It was 12:01 AM when the clock struck midnight for the Los Angeles Angels. It is, of course, somewhat ridiculous to cast a club with the game's seventh-highest payroll, and one that won the second-most games in the majors during the regular season, in a Cinderella role. But the Angels' payroll of $116.7 million is just 56 percent of the Yankees', and the 97 games they won were six fewer than the Yankees, and even as they won, by one run apiece, two of the three games in Anaheim to narrow the Yankees' ALCS lead to 3-2, there was a sense that if the Angels were somehow able to win two in a row and take the series, it would be a shocking, almost historic accomplishment. Not the equivalent of the Red Sox' recovery from a 3-0 deficit to win the 2004 ALCS, perhaps, but something close to it. But then Mariano Rivera struck out Gary Matthews Jr. with an 89 mile-per-hour fastball one minute after Sunday had become Monday, and the Angels, slipperless, flew home to California for the winter. Daily sports news
The Yankees won Game 6 using the same formula they used in most of their other victories in the series -- all of them, in fact, except for the 10-1 aberration that was Game 4. First, they received a stellar performance from their starting pitcher, in this case Andy Pettitte, who set a record with his 16th postseason victory. (Of course, all postseason "records" set these days are slightly bunk because teams play more games now than even not so long ago, but still). Over 6 1/3 innings of work, Pettitte allowed seven hits and one earned run, and threw 64 of his 99 pitches for strikes. That total might have been aided by home plate umpire Dale Scott's rather generous strike zone, but the Angels after the game did not complain, insisting that Scott's zone was consistent for both sides. Pettitte also made an amazingly athletic play for a 37-year-old man in the top of the sixth that saved at least one run, and maybe two. With the Yankees leading 3-1 and Vladimir Guerrero on second and Torii Hunter on third, Kendry Morales smashed a ball up the middle that bounced once and then headed directly toward Pettitte's skull. Pettitte reacted quickly, blocking the ball with his glove and then calmly picking it up and throwing Morales out at first. online sports
The second part of the formula was that the Yankees were able to take advantage of the insanity that seemed to strike the Angels again and again in crucial moments, as it had struck the Twins during the ALDS. In Game 6 alone, the Angels made three distinct mental errors (four if you count Chone Figgins' being called out after bunting into his own foot in fair territory to lead off the sixth, which was likely just unlucky), each more inexplicable than the last. In the second inning, Guerrero, who had just hit a lead-off infield single, allowed himself to be doubled off first by Nick Swisher on what ought to have been nothing more or less than a routine fly out by Kendry Morales, calling to mind names such as Gomez, Punto and Abreu, who had this postseason already made bizarre base running blunders from which the Yankees had benefitted.
Then, in the ninth, with the Yankees clinging to a 3-2 lead and the outcome of the game and the series still very much in doubt, Swisher tried to bunt Robinson Cano over to with no outs, but Howie Kendrick dropped pitcher Scott Kazmir's throw at first base. The next batter, Melky Cabrera, tried to bunt over both base runners, and Kazmir picked the ball up and nearly threw it into the stands. By the end of the inning, the Yankees were up 5-2, and the game was essentially over with Rivera on the mound. "They capitalized on every mistake we made," Hunter said afterward, speaking of both this game and the series as a whole. "Defensively, I thought we were sound, but when we got into this series things just happened. It was probably mental."
"Everybody came to play," said a dejected Figgins, who sat slumped in his corner locker still wearing his full uniform, dirt occasionally flaking off of his uniform pants onto the navy blue carpet. "I didn't think anybody approached anything differently. They pitched great, and we made some mistakes."
In their four victories, the Yankees' starting pitchers -- Pettitte, A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia, who won Games 1 and 4 and was named the series' Most Valuable Player -- combined to pitch 28.2 innings and allowed just five earned runs, for an ERA of 1.57. The Yankees' offense was, however, generally not the juggernaut that it had been during the regular season, particularly with runners in scoring position -- they were 2-for-8 in that situation Sunday -- and the Angels had real chances to win every game but Game 4, chances that were often thwarted by their own ineptitude. "At times we played good baseball," said manager Mike Scioscia, "At times we shot ourselves in the foot. The Yankees are a team that you can't give extra outs to. We did it in a couple of games. And obviously it cost us."
The Yankees' Game 6 win meant that they will be able to start Sabathia in Game 1 of the World Series against the Phillies in New York on Wednesday, and they ought to have every reason to believe that Element No. 1 of their winning postseason formula -- their superb starting pitching -- will remain in place. The Phillies, though, are a veteran group, and the defending champions, and it seems unlikely that they will make as many mistakes as the Angels and Twins did, allowing the Yankees to take advantage of them. (Of course, it had seemed unlikely that the Angels, the Yankees' primary nemesis this decade, would make as many crucial blunders as had the Twins in the ALDS, and they did.) To win their first World Series title since 2000, New York's offense will have to click in a way in which it really hasn't yet this postseason, except during one game, and that will mean hitting with men on base. The Yankees hit eight home runs in the ALCS, yes, but all but two of them were of the solo variety, and those two outliers were both two-run shots.
All of that, of course, is Wednesday's worry. "I said it was going to be a dogfight, and it was," said Figgins, blithely overlooking the fact that dogfighting metaphors are frowned upon in sports in this post-Vick era. "They came out on top, but they know it wasn't easy." It might not have been easy for the Yankees, but thanks to their starting pitchers and the Angels' gaffes, it wasn't all that hard. The Phillies, whose offense nearly matches the Yankees and who have a shutdown, lefthanded ex-Indian ace of their own in Cliff Lee, should present a much more significant challenge. There are, in other words, no potential Cinderellas remaining in this year's playoffs.
Read more.....

ODI future hinges on India-Oz series

2009-10-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

From Sunday, the next 17 days will tell us if one-day cricket is indeed dead.
India square off against Australia in seven ODIs, but it will not just be another series — the very future of the 50-over format will be at stake. Daily sports news
If the recent Champions Trophy in South Africa was an indication, things do not look too bright for ODIs. Struggling to cope with the T20 onslaught, they seem to be losing popularity among younger viewers. online sports
The upcoming series between the world champions and the country that generates a major share of the game’s revenue may indicate what lies ahead.
The marketing men think ODIs are safe, at least in India.
“We’ve data to show that whenever India plays at home against quality teams, the interest is always high,” said Abhishek Verma, head of marketing and communications, Neo Sports, the company that holds the TV rights for all cricket played in India. “So it’s a wrong assumption that interest in one-day cricket is fading. Even in the Champions Trophy, India’s matches against Pakistan and Australia got good viewership.”
But then those were just two matches in a 15-match competition.
As a whole, the tournament was not a success with Indian viewers.
The India-Australia series will begin on a good note though. Demand for the about 20,000 tickets for the first ODI — in Vadodara on Sunday — is high.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s side will replace Australia as the world’s top ODI team if it wins the series 4-3 or better. But for the administrators, the real victory will be seeing full houses and soaring TRPs.Read More......

Saina is PSPB Sports Person of the Year

2009-10-23T01:31:00.000-07:00

Ace shuttler Saina Nehwal walked away with the Sports Person of the Year award for 20

08-09, while World billiards champion Pankaj Advani and cricketer Virender Sehwag shared the honour for 2007-08 at the ninth PSPB annual awards in on Wednesday night.Daily sports news
The Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) gave away the awards for 2007-08 and 2008-09, but the function lost some of its gloss as many awardees were not present at the function due to various reasons.online sports
However, Advani, chess ace Abhijit Gupta, badminton players Shruti Kurien, Trupti Murgunde and India table tennis player Subhajit Saha among others were present.
Meanwhile, former India table tennis player Monalisa Mehta was conferred the Lifetime Achievement award for 2007-08 while ex-hockey goalkeeper Romeo James took the honour for 2008-09.
Awards for the 2008-09:
Sports Person of the Year: Saina Nehwal (badminton).
Elite Sports Person for the Year: Pankaj Advani (billiards and snooker), Gautam Gambhir (cricket), Anup Sridhar (badminton), Abhijeet Gupta (chess).
Meritorious Sports Person of the Year: Chetan Anand badminton), Ishant Sharma (cricket), Bajjit Singh (hockey), V Raghunath (hockey), A Sharath Kamal (table tennis).
Lifetime Achievement Award: Romeo James (hockey)
Awards for the 2007-08:
Sports Person of the Year: Pankaj Advani (billiards and snooker), Virender Sehwag (cricket).
Elite Sports Person for the Year: Chitra K Soman (athletics), A Sharath Kamal (table tennis), Prabhajot Singh (hockey), Gautam Gambhir (cricket).
Meritorious Sports Person of the Year: Rajpal Singh (hockey), Koneru Humpy (chess), Tushar Khandekar (hockey), Ishant Sharma (Cricket), Abhijit Gupta (chess).
Lifetime Achievement Award: Monalisa Mehta (table tennis).Read More....

Hicks eyes sale of Texas Rangers

2009-10-22T00:04:00.000-07:00

Liverpool football club co-owner Tom Hicks has moved a step closer selling his Texas Rangers baseball team.

Houston businessman Jim Crane and his team have visited the Rangers Ballpark and met officials from the baseball and business operations of the US team.
Hicks Sports Group said it had been a "routine and part of the normal due diligence process", AP reported. online sports
Hicks and LFC co-owner George Gillett said last month they were looking for new investment in the Anfield club.
In 2007 Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett paid £174m for the Premier League club, which is carrying a large amount of debt. Daily sports news
Asset sales
Texas Rangers president Nolan Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels were among those showing Mr Crane around the stadium.
Mr Hicks has previously said that he would be willing to sell his controlling interest in the Rangers.
Earlier this year his Liverpool co-owner Mr Gillett agreed to sell one of his major US assets to help ease financial pressures at the Premier League club.
Mr Gillett agreed to sell his 80% stake in the NHL's Montreal Canadiens ice-hockey team to the Molson brewing giants in a deal reported to be worth at least $550m (£332.9m). Read More......

Dynamo hoping for win-win situation

2009-10-20T22:58:00.000-07:00

Before crucial MLS finale, Orange face must win in El Salvador

Already wrapped up in a heated four-team race for the MLS Western Conference crown with the playoffs looming, the Dynamo find themselves in yet another must-win situation.
Not only do they face elimination from the CONCACAF Champions League, the most important international club tournament in the region, but a win tonight in their Group A finale might not be enough to get them to the next round. online sports
With that in mind, the Dynamo will enter their game at Salvadoran club Isidro Metapán pressed to do what they never have accomplished in their four CONCACAF tournaments — win away from home.
“We know exactly what we have to do,” said Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear, whose team is 0-5-5 all-time on the road in CONCACAF play.
Isidro Metapán, whose 0-5 record and minus-17 goal differential make it the worst team in the 2009-10 edition, looks to be the weakest international foe the Dynamo ever have faced, suggesting the feat shouldn't be hard to accomplish.
But even if the Dynamo do close out the group stage in victorious fashion, they will be left to hope Mexican club and Group A leader Pachuca does its part at home against second-place Arabe Unido of Panama. sports news
The Dynamo, who sit third in the standings with seven points, also need Pachuca (12 points) to defeat Arabe Unido (10 points) in order to advance to the quarterfinals.
The combination of results would allow the Dynamo to tie Arabe Unido for second place in points, with the MLS side moving on because of the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The Dynamo tied Arabe Unido 1-1 at Panama on Aug. 26 and won the home leg 5-1 on Sept. 22. Only the top two teams per group advance to the quarterfinals, set to begin in March.
Any other combination of results ousts the Dynamo.
The Dynamo want to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League for a second consecutive year. The team also reached the semifinals of the CONCACAF championship, then known as the Champions' Cup, in 2007 and 2008, when it did not include a group stage.
Winning the Champions League comes with the title of best team in the North and Central American and Caribbean region and, more importantly, a berth in the increasingly prestigious FIFA Club World Cup.No room for apathy
Logic dictates that if the Dynamo play a strong lineup at Metapán, victory should come against a team that has lost its last two games by a combined score of 10-0.
“We expect them to have a ‘not interested' attitude, but they are professionals,” Kinnear said. “We have to be ready.”
Similarly, with Pachuca, a three-time CONCACAF winner, enjoying an overwhelming home-field advantage and one of the strongest lineups in the tournament, Arabe Unido seems unlikely to escape Estadio Hidalgo with any points.
The Dynamo know better than to get their hopes up, however.
“Nothing is guaranteed,” Kinnear said.
The Dynamo find themselves in a tight spot after dropping points at Arabe Unido, which they led and could have beaten had it not been for three ejections and a last-minute defensive lapse, and at home against Pachuca in a 1-0 loss last month.
That the team has won just once in its last seven games in MLS play, allowing the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and Seattle Sounders to catch up in the standings, only complicates the picture.
The Dynamo, Galaxy and Chivas USA entered the final week of the regular season tied for first in the West with 45 points each. Chivas has a game in hand on them, and Seattle trails the three by only one point.
Winning the conference guarantees a team home-field advantage for the first two rounds of the playoffs.Different-looking lineups
If the Dynamo are serious about advancing in CONCACAF play, Kinnear should consider using his strongest lineup against Metapán.
But with the team coming off a grinding 0-0 tie against the Galaxy at Robertson Stadium on Sunday and set to visit Chivas USA in the season finale with the conference championship possibly on the line, he will have to give the decision much thought.
One key starter from Sunday's game who likely will see time against Metapán is Brian Ching, who was red-carded late and will be unavailable against Chivas USA. One who won't is Brian Mullan, who is suspended because of his accumulation of yellow cards.
“We've just gotta focus on getting a win in Metapán, and from there our focus is Chivas,” Dynamo defender Geoff Cameron said. “We want to win our next two games.”Read More.......

NASCAR's Johnson to film series with HBO Sports

2009-10-15T23:17:00.000-07:00

CONCORD, N.C. — There's two sides to Jimmie Johnson, the three-time defending champion often perceived to be a stiff, corporate spokesman who has sucked the drama out of NASCAR.
But he plays hard away from the track, where those who know him well insist he's a laid-back California guy who loves a good party.
The public will get to judge for themselves next year when Johnson, who is trying for a NASCAR record fourth consecutive title this season, opens his life for HBO online sports' award-winning "24/7" program. The four-episode series will air beginning in January and focus on Johnson's preparation for the 2010 season-opening Daytona 500.
"I'm confident that my personality will come out, and for those who may think I'm boring, they'll see a different side of me," Johnson said Thursday from his office at Hendrick Motorsports.
The show will mark HBO's first in-depth venture into NASCAR, and it will be the first time its "24/7" franchise will stray from boxing.
Ross Greenburg, president of HBO Sports, didn't have any hesitation about choosing Johnson for the first non-boxing documentary.
"You know, they also said Oscar De La Hoya was boring," Greenburg said.
"This gentleman has won three Cups in a row, is regarded as most by the greatest driver in the world. We look for personality, and when I came to visit him, it was a nonstop chatter box who has a lot to talk about. I think he's ready."
The project was brought to HBO by Creative Artists Agency on behalf of Johnson, who signed on with its sports division in 2008 for a marketing, licensing and endorsement deal. CAA asked Johnson for a list of projects he'd like to do and "24/7" was at the top.
He and his wife, Chandra, had become hooked on the series during the Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather edition, and Johnson wanted a chance to do a similar project.
"I think it would be awesome to show what goes on in my life, the team, NASCAR, and truthfully to hit new fans," Johnson said.
Johnson is also hoping he can parlay the show into another gig at HBO — a guest spot on "Eastbound and Down."
"That would be awesome," he said. "I carry that show around in my bag, and I'd love it if we could figure out a way to get me on there."
But one thing at a time, Greenburg laughed, and first up will be at least 1,000 hours of filming to create the four 30-minute episodes. Cameras have already filmed a bit with Johnson and his wife, and the project will pick up steam as they head into the offseason and then to Daytona next year.
Although Johnson said his wife isn't comfortable around cameras, he's confident they'll adapt. And he's trusting the experience will be much different from what good friend Nick Lachey experienced doing "Newlyweds" for MTV with his now-ex, Jessica Simpson.
"I feel that this is much different than a reality show," he said. "It's certainly our real life but it's more of a documentary than a reality show. That's a big difference. And Nick would kill me, too."
The show will have total access to Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports, and the No. 48 race team in its preparation for NASCAR's biggest race of the year. Greenburg expects an adventure or two with the notoriously intense crew chief Chad Knaus, who has little time for media when the pressure is on. Knaus can also be super secretive when it comes to strategies and planning, and the exposure could potentially unnerve him.
"We laugh about it, but it's going to be interesting," Greenburg said. "If Chad has trouble with it, that will be part of the story, too: Chad can't handle this.
"He may bite Jimmie's head off at times, and tell Jimmie to get these cameras out of here. Hopefully, we're rolling when that happens."sports news
But Greenburg is most excited to expose NASCAR to a new audience.
"There's so much to this sport that people don't see," he said. "That happened in boxing (with "24/7") and that happened in pro football (with "Hard Knocks"), and we want to just bring it all out in NASCAR. Jimmie doesn't have to be Floyd Mayweather and start throwing money around and making it rain, but we are going to show a different side of Jimmie Johnson to America and I think that people will maybe change their tune."Read More.......

Priory keeps pre-Wimbledon event

2009-10-14T22:58:00.000-07:00

The leading players in women's tennis will be returning to the Edgbaston Priory Club in 2010 to take part in the AEGON Classic tournament.
It was feared that the event would be leaving Birmingham as part of the new British Tennis Series. sports news
But the Lawn Tennis Association has agreed a one-year deal, with a view to the club improving facilities in the hope of securing a longer contract.
Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova won the Classic title in 2009.
"The British Tennis Series events are a key opportunity for people to see top international tennis in Britain," said the LTA's chief executive Roger Draper. online sports
We are at an exciting stage of the development of Edgbaston Priory
Edgbaston Priory Club chief executive Robert Bray
"We are delighted to be taking the AEGON Classic back to Edgbaston Priory and Birmingham in 2010."
The LTA, the club and Birmingham City Council are to have discussions on how best to develop the tournament site and the event in the future.
"We have a long tradition of hosting international tennis and we are delighted to have reached an agreement with the LTA," said Edgbaston Priory Club chief executive Robert Bray.
"We are at an exciting stage of the development of Edgbaston Priory and we look forward to exploring further with the LTA and the City Council the ways in which we can provide a suitable venue for future events."
The Priory has been hosting a pre-Wimbledon event since 1982, with past winners including Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Maria Sharapova. Read more........

Junior Seau back again

2009-10-13T22:45:00.000-07:00

Veteran LB signs on for 3rd stint with Patriots

FOXBORO - After hosting a reality show, Junior Seau decided he wanted actual reality a little bit more. To the 40-year-old, that still means life as a professional football player.
Seau signed a contract with the Patriots [team stats] yesterday, according to a news release from Versus, the network that is airing the show, “Sports Jobs with Junior Seau.”
A source said Seau signed his contract for an undisclosed amount before noon. The Patriots have not confirmed the much-rumored deal has been struck, nor have they indicated which player they would release to make room for Seau on the 53-man roster. online sports
Asked to discuss Seau’s signing, coach Bill Belichick deadpanned, “Did I miss it? Did we announce anything? We don’t have anything to say about it.”
During a break at the NFL owners meetings, Robert Kraft was asked about Seau joining the team.
“I hope he will . . . at some point he will be,” Kraft said. “He is a unique individual with a unique physical frame and unique mental acumen. sports news I’d love to have him part of our team.”
Seau, a 12-time Pro Bowler and perennial retiree, is returning to the Pats for the third time. He last played for Belichick in 2008, joining a depth-starved team for four late games.
Seau had previously said he would play only the final six games of the season and only for the Patriots. It’s not clear what changed.
He was not available for comment, but did thank his past and future employers in a release.
“I’m very fortunate and honored to be involved with two class organizations - the New England Patriots [team stats] and Versus,” Seau said.
Seau has 1,512 tackles, 56 sacks and 18 interceptions over his 19-year career. A cerebral player and strong locker room presence, Seau would add leadership to a young group of inside linebackers that includes second-year star Jerod Mayo.
Over the past few months, Seau has been adding a different kind of experience. For his much-hyped reality show, Seau has worked odd sports jobs. He has been run over by a bull as a rodeo clown, worked as a bat boy for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and caddied for LPGA player Natalie Gulbis.
Seau has filmed eight episodes of his 10-episode show that debuts Dec. 2 at 10 p.m. He plans to work within his football schedule to film the final two.
When Seau was in town to publicize the show recently, he had a physical and worked out for the team. While director of player personnel Nick Caserio wouldn’t confirm the move, he did appear impressed by Seau’s performance in the workout.
“The reality is, we’re just trying to see where the player’s level of physical conditioning may be and whether he’s in good enough shape to make it through a practice,” Caserio said. “So, he looked like he’s kept himself in shape and that’s where we were. We wanted to make sure more than anything from a physical standpoint, with the medical information, that he was healthy.”
Defensive coordinator Dean Pees was reluctant to talk about a player not yet on the roster. But looking back to Seau’s past play, he compared working with him to coaching stalwarts such as Tedy Bruschi [stats], Mike Vrabel and Rosevelt Colvin.