Friday's Sports In Brief

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

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

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

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

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

- 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

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

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?

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.

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Sachin Tendulkar on Twitter @sachin_rt

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)