Saturday, December 19, 2009
Ryan discounts the technique-driven short-passing game
"I've definitely seen them play better," said Sweden captain and three-time FIFA Women's World Cup veteran Victoria Svensson about the new-look Americans. "Six or seven years ago, with Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy in the team, they would try to play the ball on the ground a lot more and pull teams apart that way... Now they just try to bang it up to Abby (Wambach)."
"Back then, you could get away with playing little passes all over the field and have success doing it. But in the modern game, a team that just knocks the ball around the middle of the park is going to get killed doing it," continued Ryan, who replaced 1991 world champion-turned-coach April Heinrichs in 2005 and signaled a shift from the technique-driven short-passing game to a more physical and direct style.
Federal court: Jury should hear case against Dorrance
A jury should hear the sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former North Carolina soccer player against her coach, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.
Melissa Jennings has accused her former coach, Anson Dorrance, of sexually harassing team members by asking about their sexual activity. Jennings, a walk-on reserve goalkeeper for two seasons, also said the harassment broke Title IX laws by limiting her ability to take advantage of collegiate athletics.
In a rare decision from the entire 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., 10 judges decided that Jennings should get a jury trial on the sexual harassment and Title IX charges. Two judges dissented.
Adidas over Nike
'Nike's work was engrained in the idea of beautiful football, but if you look at some of the performances of its sponsored teams and players, namely Portugal and Wayne Rooney, it was the antithesis,' says Karen Earl Sponsorship consulting director Tim Crow. 'Brazil's comparatively early exit also didn't have the effect Nike had hoped for.'
Can FC Gold Pride be fixed?
Its public knowledge that Albertin "William Bligh" Montoya has lost the FC Gold Pride locker room sometime last May. Will it be long before Brandi Chastain takes his spot?
Barbera heads to Ducati 2010 (Silly season continues...)

The news is not official yet but only lacks of the signature, Hector Barbera will be the only pilot of the newborn Team Jorge Martinez Aspar. The current pilot of April 250cc should sign a short contract, as reported by the Spanish website "Motocuatro". What slows down the negotiations were the spaces reserved for sponsors,they are Mapfre, Bancaja and Yellow Pages for Aspar Martinez and PepeTravel and 40 Principles of Barbera.
The agreement is for a season with an option for a second year, and Barbera will rise to the fifth category with Ducati on the grid. However it makes the position of Toni Elias, is still currently without a bike for 2010.
Alonso not expecting too much at home...

He finished third in Spain with McLaren last year after winning with Renault in 2006, finishing second in 2005, fourth in 2004 and second in 2003. Renault have made huge steps after recents tests in Barcelona, but the team are still not fully confident of challenging the leading runners.
Cooke looking good for Barloworld
Barloworld's Australian rider Baden Cooke finished second in the Euskal Bizikleta's 162.7 km second stage this weekend. The stage finished in a bunch sprint and was edged by Euskaltel's Koldo Fernandez, while Caisse d'Epargne's Jose Rojas finished third.

This weekend's result, gave the team the right optimism looking ahead to the next couple of races in the run up to the Tour de France, where Baden Cooke will be a sure protagonist.
Diary
Rugby:
15h15 - The First Currie Cup match of the weekend is Boland versus Griquas.
19h00 - The Lions take on the Valke.
19h00 - The Border Bulldogs meet the Griffons in a Currie Cup first division match.
From 9h00 - Under 13 Craven Week continues at Paarl.
Tennis:
From 14h00 - It's men's semi-finals at Wimbledon today. World number one, Roger Federer takes on the unpredictable Marat Safin. Rainer Schuettler faces number two seed Rafael Nadal.
Golf:
US PGA Tour: AT&T National Day 2
Euro PGA Tour: European Open Day 2
Cricket:
15h20 - The West Indies host Australia in the fourth ODI.
Motorsport:
Practice and qualifying for the GP2 Series ahead of the british Grand Prix.
Formula One practice sessions at Silverstone ahead of the British Grand Prix.
Massa sees a chance
Ferrari's Felipe Massa celebrated his 100th Grand Prix and made up for his late-race disappointment in Hungary by dominating the European Grand Prix at Valencia from start to finish. The win was only confirmed once stewards had investigated his second pit stop on lap 37, in which he was deemed to have been released unsafely into the path of Force India's Adrian Sutil. It resulted in a reprimand for the Brazilian and a hefty €10,000 fine.
The race was a quiet one in terms of drama, with most of it happening in pitlane, provided by Ferrari. Massa's 'incident' with Sutil was one, Raikkonen knocked over a pit-crew member during a refuel in another incident, sending the man to hospital, and retired with a spectacular blow-up shortly thereafter. In all honesty, Kimi was just having another 'nowhere' weekend, and it seems as if Massa has asserted himself as the pace setter at Ferrari. Ferrari are now faced with a few interesting calls to make, with the season ending the ! business end, and the two most asked questions in F-1 must be:-
1) Will Massa be the man to take the Ferrari charge to Hamilton in the season's climax -
2) Will Hamilton keep it together this year, or unravel in spectacular style as he did to lose the title in 2007. It's adding up to 'must-see' viewing.
2010 tickets have a price tag
The Cheapest ticket at the 2010 Soccer World cup will cost R140. The announcement was made by the 2010 LOC yesterday. LOC chairman Irvan Khoza says they agreed on R 7 as the rand dollar exchange rate. Since the exchange rate will fluctuate between now and then, Khoza says they will bear the cost if the exchange rate goes over R 7.
Good news for us the Host Nation, the cheapest tickets will be sold solely to us. Reports say tickets there are about 3.1 million tickets available. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale next year and will be sold at airport terminals and online. FIFA will also give away 120 000 complimentary tickets to South Africans, as they have instituted a new ticket fund.
Head of legal affairs Leslie Sedibe says these tickets will be given to nation builders and are likely to include people who built stadiums and roads ahead of the World Cup.
The Tournament will start on 11 June, a spectacle most can't wait! to see!
Friday, December 18, 2009
PDV's Bok column ahead of England
Peter de Villiers has some explaining to do after a relatively poor showing against Scotland last week, although it must be said the referee made it really tough.
Here's the coach's latest column as featured on www.sarugby.co.za.
The last week on tour is always tough, especially when it comes at the end of a long and hard season...
Earlier this week I said that my squad appeared mentally and physically tired after a demanding season of international and domestic rugby, which began in mid February with the Vodacom Super 14 concludes with Saturday's test against England. Our preparations on soft and heavy fields over the past three weeks, which is unusual to our players, has also had an impact.
Whilst members of the management team very carefully monitor the players to make sure they are fresh, mental exhaustion is a silent affliction that is not easy to detect. Physically the guys look strong and I have no doubt! that this group of players is capable of standing up to England at the weekend.
They have shown their mettle in the two previous tests against Wales and Scotland and, whilst the manner of winning was not always pretty, they have shown guts, character and determination when it has mattered the most.
If they can show similar resolve and improve on their accuracy and execution this weekend there is every chance of ending with a good win over England and becoming the first side return unbeaten from the Northern Hemisphere since 1997.
It will not be easy. We will face an England side that is full of talent and which will be determined to bounce back after its loss to Australia. They will also have the benefit of home advantage with a full house of 82 000 expected on Saturday.
For us, we have to go out there and play to our potential. Every player knows what he is capable of and must pulls his weight whilst every member of manageme! nt believes that the guys can unlock their potential if they b! uild a s olid foundation off which to play on Saturday.
Conditions and the home crowd will play a part as they have in Cardiff and Edinburgh and there will again be an air of expectation that the scalp of the world champions is there for the taking.
Whilst some may believe it to be a burden, we are proud of our world champion status and will try to defend it whenever we play. We are honoured to represent our country and will not surrender easily.
By Peter de Villiers
Man U remain at the top

Manchester United are back to the summit of the FA Premier League. The Red devils where 1-0 winners over a West Ham after Ryan Giggs got the only goal of the game.
Meanwhile Tottenham's clash with North London rivals Arsenal was not short of any drama as the first half proved to be very eventuful. The Gunners were reduced to 10 men after Emmanuel Eboue was booked for dissent toward the referee and then got a second yellow for flicking his foot at Spurs' Luca Modric which led to him being sent off.
A few minutes earlier Emmanuel Adebayor was stretchered off after he hurt his hamstring, the Togonese international is set to sit out for the next three weeks.
Despite being a player down Arsenal managed to hold on and claim a point, the result leaves them in fifth place, five points behind Chelsea who occupy the all important last Champions League spot.
Down South Liverpool proved why they have earned the title of the 'Comeback Kings'. The Red's beat Portsmouth 3-2 at Fratton Park on Saturday. They first half ended goaless but the second period was a contrast as all five goals where scored,.
David Nugent opened the scoring for Pompey in the 61st first minute, Red's defender Fabio Aurelio equalised for his team. Bizarrely Coach Rafa Benitez left Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and Dirk Kuyt on the bench. It was this trio that secured the win for Liverpool. Kuyt cancelled out Hermann Hreirdasson's 77th minute g! oal as Torres scored the winner when he headed the ball into t! he net i n injury time.
Liverpool remain in second spot two points behind United.
Cape sides look to upset Soweto giant's

Chiefs on the other hand will want all three points to close the gap on log leaders Supersport United, with two games left this season.
The Soweto team's coach Muhsin Etugral's future is still in the balance as his contract ends this season.
Santos Coach David Bright believes this uncertainty will probably have no bearing on the home side's performance.
"This kind of thing generally in football disturbs teams, for instance the players' concentration may not be at its best or they may not listen to the coach. However we can't take that as an advantage because they are still fighting for top spot in the league and we can't say what will happen."

Meanwhile Ajax Cape Coach Craig Rosslee and his Urban Warriors host Orlando Pirates at Newlands on Wednesday evening. Ajax have beaten Pirates twice this season.
Ross! lee believes this mental advantage could work in their favour.!
"They will have that in their back of their minds and they could use this as their opportunity to do reverse those results. On the other hand it might leave them exposed and we can them capitalize and get a good result out of the game."
Rossi ends guest tests and proves fast once again
Today 8 time motorcycle champion Valentino Rossi concluded two tests he had with Ferrari. On Thursday Rossi had a lot to say about his testing. "I can't wait to try the F2008 to see how much F1 cars have changed compared to my previous tests," Rossi was quoted as saying by Autosprint. "In 2005 I went quick: compared with equal conditions, I ran within 1.2 seconds of Michael Schumacher's lap times. Let's say that I'll be very happy if this time I can limit the gap down to one second."
In testing at Mugello, Rossi covered a total about 200 miles during the first day of the test, setting a fastest time of 1:22.550. 2007 F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen's best time was a 1:21.070 set in September of this year. One can just to do the math and see that he was only about 1.5 seconds off the pace. However Rossi let the world know "I have nothing to prove, neither to myself nor to others. I only had a big curiosity to know. Well, I'm more and more convinced that with a bit of ti! me I could have become a good F1 driver. It only remains to be seen how good, whether good enough to win or not. So I have no regrets, never had them: I did the right thing with staying in MotoGP, where I win and I hope to carry on winning for a long time."
Day 2 of his testing was struck by rain. Rossi completed just a handful of dry laps today before the rain arrived which hampered his efforts to compete with Raikkonen's fast time. When he tried to run in wet conditions with wet weather tires, he spun. Nevertheless, Rossi completed 56 laps with a best time of 1:24.04 in the dry and 1:33.56 in the wet. Still, not bad for the master on 2 wheels.
Carragher Backs Liverpool FC To Get Tough

Having gained a reputation for their defensive mean streak in recent years, Rafael Benitez's side have kept just four clean sheets in 11 games this season. Only two shut-outs have come in eight Premier League games, with Liverpool shipping 12 goals in that period.
Carragher himself has attracted some fierce criticism following a series of below-par performances.
But the 31-year-old is adamant he and the defence as a whole will improve over ! the coming weeks.
He said: "We aren't playing well as a back four and I'm not playing well personally.
"I need to hit better form and hopefully that will come in the next few games. Over the last five or six years we have been renowned as a team who have kept a lot of clean sheets and for keeping it tight. I think that's why we get a bit more criticism because people don't expect it of Liverpool – and rightly so.
"We take the plaudits when things are going well so you have to take the criticism when it's not going well.
"I know I need to improve myself and we also need to improve as a team."
Benitez believes he saw signs during Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea that Carragher and centre-back partner Martin Skrtel are close to recapturing their form.
"If you analyse the performance of the centre-backs, it was clear to see they were much better at Chelsea and that was the positive thing to take from the game," sai! d Benitez. "Skrtel is a really good player and Carra was doing! better again. Maybe you could say something about the second goal but the signs, for me, were much better.
"It was a difficult game for the central defenders to play and you know that when you come up against the top sides you must keep it tight.
"We paid for one mistake (in midfield) but, in the main, I was very pleased with the performances of Skrtel and Carra and they were doing the right things."
Liverpool resume after this week's international break with a trip to Sunderland on Saturday week, with Benitez keeping his fingers crossed his players return back from their national teams without injury.
Aurelio - Blame Us Not Rafa

The Reds are in the midst of a crisis following Tuesday's home defeat by Lyon in the UEFA Champions League which condemned them to their fourth successive defeat in all competitions.
Wednesday's aftermath has seen question marks raised over the future of Benitez and the Spanish tactician will have to mastermind another European fightback to keep the Reds' Champions League hopes alive.
And Aurelio insists the players are ready to do just that as he targets maximum points from the rest of their games in G! roup E.
"We must concentrate on winning our final three games in Europe, pressure is building on us," the defender said.
"But the players know that we are the only people who can change what is going wrong.
"We know what we have to do. We have to change the feeling that we are not a strong team now, especially after what we achieved last season."
Blame For Benitez
The Reds arrived at Craven Cottage buoyant after an impressive victory over Manchester United last weekend, but were bought crashing down to earth as goals from Bobby Zamora, Erik Nevland and Clint Dempsey sealed a 3-1 win for the home side.
Liverpool were also reduced to nine men following red cards for Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher, but Nicholas says the Liverpool manager must shoulder the blame following some strange tactical decisions.
He said the removal of Liverpool's goalscorer Fernando Torres on the hour mark when the scores were level was the turning point in the match.
"Stunning," said Nicholas after the match.
"After 60 minutes he took Torres off, the only guy who looked like scoring, the only guy who was interested.
"He took a c! ouple of kicks on the ankle and he was rubbing his knee a couple of times, but what it told me after 60 minutes at 1-1 is that he was already thinking about Lyon."
That game with Lyon is a crucial Champions League encounter in France on Wednesday night, but Nicholas feels Benitez sacrificed Liverpool's chances at Fulham because he was too preoccupied with that game.
Nicholas argued that Benitez has decided to prioritise the Champions League over the Premier League - and that is not good enough for a club like Liverpool.
"Momentum is everything in football," Nicholas continued.
"Rafa, year after year, is taking that momentum away. You get a fantastic and thoroughly deserved win against Manchester United and you think this team, even without Stevie Gerrard, can get a little bit of momentum.
"He's taken it all away from them today, he's taken all of the goodness that you've seen last weekend and he's taken it all back out.!
"Even as a neutral we want Liverpool to be in the ! frame be cause we need a big Liverpool in there.
"He's going to have to question himself about going to Lyon and trying to find a victory. If he doesn't get that victory, where does it leave him?
"He could be out of the Champions League and he's more or less got one foot out of the door for the Premier League.
"You're sitting there thinking 'this is Liverpool Football Club', you should be going into every game to win the football match.
"It's as if there's an acceptance today that says they're now going to concentrate on the Champions League.
"Not good enough."
Nicholas also had praise for Fulham for their victory and for their under-fire striker Zamora, who troubled the Liverpool defence all afternoon.
"His energy was fantastic," he added.
"He ran into every corner he could, he stretched Carragher as often as he could because he knew Carragher was their best defender. If he could take him out of ! that central area there would be opportunities.
"He was their outstanding player, he gave every ounce he could and he was a threat all day."
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Yukie Nakama Asian Sexy Girl

Yukie Nakama model photo girl with bikini style. She is a Japan girl which sexy, clever and smart. Yukie wants to be professional model, travel around the world and can happy life.
Elite coverage for Harleys and classics
From Aviva Elite
Toronto, ON -- Elite Insurance Company, a member of Aviva Canada Inc. and one of the country's leading specialty lines insurers, has begun to provide coverage for antique motorbikes and Harley-Davidson cruisers in Ontario.
The new insurance product, Road Wings, has been offered through selected brokers since the beginning of the riding season in April.
"We are excited about this new business opportunity and we are confident that it will be a success," said Maurice Tulloch, senior vice president, Traders General and Elite Insurance. "We have been approached by both brokers and bike owners in the past to fill this gap in the market. There are 120,000 motorcyclists in Ontario and Road Wings has been tailored to fully meet their needs."
Aviva Elite has not only designed a competitive product for Ontario's road riders but is also offering several discounts, including a multi-bi! ke discount and a discount for Experienced Riders. It will work closely with certified repair shops across the province to ensure that authentic parts are made available to Harley-Davidson owners. Those who have a claim within the first three years of ownership will be reimbursed for the full value of their bikes rather than the depreciated value.
"We have had great success writing policies for Harleys in Quebec since 1998 and expanding to classic bikes and Harleys in Ontario is a natural progression for us," said Tulloch.
The brokers selling the Road Wings product are:
Mantha Insurance Brokers, Contact: Paul Mantha, 295 Montreal Road, Vanier (Ottawa area), 1-800-269-2728
Southland Insurance Brokers, Contact: Ross Nesbitt, 13126 Tecumseh Road East, Tecumseh, ON, 519-735-8000, rnesbitt@southlandonline.com
Dalton Timmis, Contact: Dan Avon, 1-888-385-8466, 4125 Upper Middle! Road, Burlington, ON
Elite Insurance Company (Aviv! a Elite) is a member of Aviva Canada Inc., one of the country's leading property and casualty insurance groups and a subsidiary of Aviva plc, the world's fifth largest insurance group with more than $554 billion CDN in assets and 51,000 employees around the globe.
KTM and Stoneridge join forces
From KTM Canada
ST-BRUNO, QC -- KTM Canada has announced a partnership with STONERIDGE, the ALDO Group's urban footwear brand. For the second year in a row, the ALDO Group has signed on as the main sponsor of the KTM racing team in Canada.
"In term of image and values, KTM's association with STONERIDGE is a natural fit," said Andy White, KTM Canada national race manager.
STONERIDGE specializes in high quality fashion footwear and accessories and carries various high-end brands such as PUMA, Diesel and Converse. With 16 locations across Canada, STONERIDGE brings customers a wide variety of the latest styles in fashion footwear.
As part of its sponsorship, STONERIDGE is offering a contingency program with up to $41,000 available to KTM riders who are involved in motocross, offroad or supermoto racing. To be eligible for the 2006 STONERIDGE / KTM Contingency Program, a rider must compete in! CMRC National Motocross, CMA National Enduro, FMSQ / CMA / PNWMA Hare Scrambles (Masters Class) or CMRC National Supermoto in the Pro Unlimited Class; display the official STONERIDGE sticker on their KTM orange front fender for the duration of the 2006 racing season; and race a 2005 or 2006 year KTM motorcycle for the duration of the 2006 racing season.
To be eligible for the cash bonus, contingency winners will have to buy a pair of STONERIDGE or ALDO shoes at one of the numerous STONERIDGE or ALDO retail stores in Canada and fax the purchase receipt to KTM Canada. For store locations, click on www.aldoshoes.com.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
2009 NFL AFC North Draft Results
It's always good to know your competition, so below is a recap of how the teams in the AFC North Division drafted:
Baltimore Ravens
1 23 Michael Oher OT Mississippi
2 57 Paul Kruger DE/OLB Utah
3 88 Lardarius Webb CB Nicholls State
5 137 Jason Phillips ILB TCU
5 149 Davon Drew TE East Carolina
6 185 Cedric Peerman RB Virginia
Cleveland Browns
1 21 Alex Mack C California
2 36 Brian Robiskie WR Ohio State
50 Mohamed Massaquoi WR Georgia
52 David Veikune DE Hawaii
4 104 Kaluka Maiava LB Southern Cal
6 177 Don Carey CB Norfolk State
191 Coye Francies CB San José State
195 James Davis RB Clemson
Pittsburgh Steelers
1 32 Evander Hood DT Missouri
3 79 Kraig Urbik OG Wisconsin
3 84 Mike Wallace WR Mississippi
3 96 Keenan Lewis CB Oregon State
5 168 Joe Burnett CB Central Florida
5 169 Frank Summers RB UNLV
6 205 Ra'Shon Harris DT Oregon
7 226 A.Q. Shipley C Penn State
7 241 David Johnson TE Arkansas State
Despite recent splurge of young arms, Reds still loaded with young guns...
NKYSportsWorld first Guest Columnist Brian-
Over the recent weeks, the Cincinnati Reds have traded away a couple of very talented young arms, from their minor leagues most notably Zach Stewart and Josh Roenicke who were included in the Scott Rolen deal. They also traded away Robert Manuel to Seattle for Wladimir Balentien. For many organizations, this splurge of talent would be devastating to the young crop of talent within the minor league system. However, the Reds have been building this very slowly, and have acquired a good stock of young arms within the minors that are still left despite these trades.
A few examples of these young arms are two young men now patrolling the back end of the Riverbats bullpen in Louisville, Logan Ondrusek and Enerio Del Rosario. Both the 24 year old Ondrusek, who stands 6 feet seven in stature (ala Aaron Harang) and the 23 year old Rosario began the season in Single A.
After successful stints in both A (2-! 0 O.96 ERA in 13 games, pitching 18.2 innings, allowing 7 hits, 2 ER, 7 BB. and 12 SO) and also in AA ( 2-1 1.65 ERA in 24 games, pitching 32.2 innings, allowing 21 hits, 6 ER, 12 BB, 24 SO and 7 saves). Ondrusek now finds himself as one of the closers for the Triple A Bats, where he has been spectacular ( 0-0 0.00 ERA in 7 games, pitching 8.1 innings, allowing 5 hits, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO and 4 saves).
Del Sorario has been equally as impressive in his ascent to Triple A Louisville from Single A Sarasota, in A (2-1 1.98 ERA in 31 games, pitching 50 innings, allowing 40 hits, 11 ER, 6 BB, 33 SO, and 7 saves), while in AA( 0-0 1.59 ERA in 4 games, pitching 5.2 innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO and 1 save). Del Rosario also now finds himself enjoying success with the Triple AAA Bats ( 0-0 1.13 ERA in 5 games, pitching 8.0 innings, allowing 5 hits, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO, and 2 saves). Ondrusek and Del Rosario are only two examples of the youthful talent that is conj! ugated in Louisville.
Along with these two, 22 yea! r old st arter Travis Wood has found his way to Louisville, after compiling impressive numbers in Double AA ( 9-3 1.21 ERA in 19 games, all starts, pitching 119 innings, allowing 78 hits, 16 ER, 37 BB, and 103 SO). Wood has also enjoyed success in Louisville,( 2-1 2.55 ERA in 4 games, all starts, pitching 24.2 innings, allowing 19 hits, 7 ER, 12 BB, 14 SO). These three young arms along with International League leader in holds with 16, 26 year old left handed Pedro Viola, and also 25 year old left-handed starter Matt Maloney, who made his major league debut earlier this season, and the Reds have a solid group of young arms waiting on the horizon.
The success of these young arms must have made it much easier for Walt Jocketty to pull the trigger to bring much needed leadership to a team in tailspin. Championship teams are not built over night, and require the right mix of talent, whether youthful or not. The steps are being taken to build this team as a contender for more ! than just one year.
The Sports Brief's UFC Rankings (7/14/08)
This will probably mark the final "UFC" Rankings here on the Sports Brief. On July 19th (this Saturday) Affliction launches their debut show with one of the best cards in MMA history, that features the likes of Fedor, Sylvia, Barnett, Rizzo, Arlovski, Rothwell, (best group of heavyweights ever assembled), Lil Nog, Vitor Belfort, Matt Lindland, Babalu, and others. We will change formats to an all MMA Ranking following that event. But for now here are the best fighters that the UFC have to offer.
Heavyweight:
1. Randy Couture
2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
3. Fabricio Werdum
4. Brandon Vera
5. Frank Mir
6. Heath Herring
7. Cheick Kongo
8. Gabriel Gonzaga
9. Brock Lesnar
10. Shane Carwin
No changes since last month. Gonzaga earned a win in UFC 86 over Justin McCully, but not one that will move him up. Check back next month as the boys from Affliction will dominate this ! weight class.
Light Heavyweight:
1. Forrest Griffin
2. Quinton Jackson
3. Chuck Liddell
4. Lyoto Machida
5. Wanderlei Silva
6. Maurcio 'Shogun' Rua
7. Thiago Silva
8. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
9. Keith Jardine
10. Rashad Evans
Forrest shakes up the light heavyweight division with his victory – controversial or not – over Rampage. Let's hope there's a rematch soon, but a number of intriguing matchups lie ahead. Liddell v. Evans in September and the return of Shogun, both Silvas and Machida will be exciting. Anderson Silva makes his debut at 205 this weekend, as does Brandon Vera, so it will be interesting to see what kind of players both are in this stacked division.
Middleweight:
1. Anderson Silva
2. Dan Henderson
3. Rich Franklin
4. Yushin Okami
5. Patrick Cote
6. Nathan Marquardt
7. Ri! cardo Almeida
8. Thales Leites
9. Chris Leben
1! 0. Micha el Bisping
Knocking on the door: Jason MacDonald, Nathan Quarry, Damain Maia
The Cote v. Almeida fight was underwhelming, disappointing and we almost wish it didn't happen. But nonetheless, Cote is now in line for a title shot, which is baffling considering Silva v. Okami has been rumored. With Silva fighting on Saturday, you assume his next fight would be in September or October, leaving Cote waiting in the wings until the end of the year. He needs to take another fight like Thiago Alves did.
Welterweight:
1. Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Thiago Alves
4. Josh Koscheck
t-5. Matt Hughes
t-5. Matt Serra
7. Diego Sanchez
8. Karo Parisyan
9. Mike Swick
10. Marcus Davis
Koscheck earned one of the bloodiest decisions ever over Chris Lytle in UFC 86. He's entrenched in the middle of this weight class. GSP vs. Fitch for the title is com! ing on in August. If GSP wins look for him to face BJ Penn.
Lightweight:
1. BJ Penn
2. Sean Sherk
3. Joe Stevenson
4. Kenny Florian
5. Roger Huerta
6. Tyson Griffin
7. Clay Guida
8. Frankie Edgar
9. Nate Diaz
10. Gray Maynard
Knocking at the door: Spencer Fisher, Matt Wiman, Rich Clementi
Stevenson and Griffin both took home wins over a week ago. Not entirely familiar with lightweights in other organizations, but from all accounts they are better than everyone not in this top tier. Should be interesting to see the UFC continue to develop their 155 pound class.
Opey's New Music Video
Good friend of the Sports Brief, Opey Tha Poet, has just released his latest music video. Please check it out and tell your friends about it. And hey you might just recognize some of the extras.
100 Scariest Movie Moments

99. Creepshow
98. Zombie
97. Cat People (1982)
96. The Birds
95. Jurassic Park
94. Child's Play
93. Pacific Heights
92. Village of the Damned
91. Shallow Grave
90. Night of the Hunter
89. Alice Sweet Alice
88. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
87. Black Christmas (1974)
86. Wizard of Oz
85. Blood & Black Lace
84. Blue Velvet
83. The Others
82. Terminator
81. The Howling
80. Poltergeist
79. Dracula (1992)
78. The Brood
77. Signs
76. Evil Dead
75. Candyman
74. Wi! lly Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
73. Blood ! Simple72. Them!
71. The Sixth Sense
70. The Stepfather
69. Re-Animator
68. The Black Cat
67. Duel
66. The Tenant
65. Marathon Man
64. Near Dark
63. Deliverance
62. The Wolf Man
61. The Devil's Backbone
60. The Beyond
59. Fatal Attraction
58. Cujo
57. House of Wax (1953)
56. Single White Female
55. The Vanishing (1993)
54. The Changeling
53. Demons
52. The Phantom of the Opera
51. The Dead Zone
50. The Last House on the Left (1972)
49. Diabolique
48. The Thing (1982)
47. Nosferatu (1929)
46. The Sentinel
45. The Wicker Man (1975)
44. The Game
43. It's Alive!
42. An American Werewolf in London
41. The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
40. Black Sunday
39. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
38. Peeping Tom
37. House on Haunted Hill (1959)!
36. Cape Fear (1962)
35. Aliens
34. The Hitcher (1986)
33. The Fly (1986)
32. Pet Sematary
31. Friday the 13th
30. Blair Witch Project
29. Serpent and the Rainbow
28. When a Stranger Calls (1979)
27. Frankenstein (1931)
26. Seven
25. Phantasm
24. Suspiria
23. Rosemary's Baby
22. Don't Look Now
21. Jacob's Ladder
20. The Ring (2002)
19. Hellraiser
18. The Haunting (1963)
17. A Nightmare on Elm Street
16. The Omen (1976)
15. Freaks
14. Halloween (1978)
13. Scream
12. Misery
11. Audition
10. Wait Until Dark
9. Night of the Living Dead
8. Carrie (1976)
7. Silence of the Lambs
6. Shining
5. Texas Chainsaw Massacre
4. Psycho (1960)
3. Exorcist2. Alien
1. Jaws
Saturday, December 12, 2009
French Ligue 1 Saturday Review

Olympique Lyonnais came from behind to beat Toulouse 2-1 and move to the summit of Ligue 1.
Moussa Sissoko capitalised on Mathieu Bodmer's mistake to put Toulouse ahead after nine minutes, but 18-year-old Yannis Tafer levelled seven minutes after the break with his first league goal.
Bafetimbi Gomis headed the winner after 72 minutes which took them past Bordeaux, who can reclaim top spot by avoiding defeat against Rennes.
Valenciennes twice came from behind! to beat Marseille 3-2 and prevent the south-coast club going top.
Marseille twice took the lead, through Fernando Morientes and Mamadou Niang, in the first half, but both times were pegged back, courtesy of levellers from Milan Bisevac and David Ducourtioux.
And VA's persistence was rewarded when they snatched all three points seven minutes from time when Rafael Schmitz headed home.
Emir Spahic scored a late winner to give Montpellier a 1-0 win over fellow Ligue 1 new boys Boulogne-sur-Mer which took them fourth, level on points with Marseille.
Paris St Germain had to settle for a 1-1 draw at in-form Lorient.
Arnold Mvuemba put the hosts ahead after 40 minutes but Guillaume Hoarau levelled in the dying seconds of the first half.
Gonzalo Ruben Bergessio scored a last-minute winner to give struggling St Etienne a surprise 2-1 victory in Monaco.
The visitors went into the match third from bottom in the table and eight points be! low their opponents but took the lead in only the third minute! through Boubacar Sanogo.
Sebastien Puygrenier equalised for Monaco 10 minutes after the break but instead of building on the goal the hosts ended the match with nothing after Bergessio's late intervention.
Youssouf Hadji's first-half double gave Nancy their first win in four Ligue 1 matches, 2-1 against Sochaux.
The Moroccan scored a penalty after two minutes and doubled the advantage six minutes before half-time, and the hosts held on despite Marvin Martin's 81st-minute consolation.
Second-half goals from Benoit Pedretti and Cedric Hengbart helped Auxerre to a 2-0 victory at the Stade de l'Abbe Deschamps and left Grenoble rooted to the bottom of Ligue 1, still without a point after seven games.
There was an ugly incident in the 20th minute as Grenoble's David Jemmali hacked Auxerre forward Ireneusz Jelen to the floor, with the Pole retaliating by hitting out at the Tunisian defender. The referee was left with little option but to send off both pl! ayers.
Tsonga makes it to semis

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was made to work hard in the PTT Thailand Open needing three sets to get past Marco Chiudinelli.
The defending champion fought back from a set down to eventually see off the Swiss qualifier 6-7 (7/9) 6-3 6-4 in two hours and 21 minutes.
Frenchman Tsonga will now face Viktor Troicki in the last four. The Serbian fourth seed had an easier time of things against American John Isner, claiming a 7-6 (7/3) 6-2 victory over the eighth seed.
Gille! s Simon also had to battle back from a set down to overcome Evgeny Korolev of Russia, the second-seeded Frenchman eventually prevailing 4-6 6-3 6-4.
His next opponent will be sixth seed Jurgen Melzer, who was a straightforward 6-4 6-2 winner over Andreas Beck in their quarter-final clash.
Jenson Button still in dreamland after clinching Formula One world title

Jenson Button will touch down in England on Tuesday morning in a private jet belonging to his vanquished team-mate Rubens Barrichello and head for the rather more prosaic charms of Bluewater shopping centre just off the M25.
Talk about coming back down to earth with a bang. A day of PR duties, driving punters around a bespoke circuit in a Mercedes sports car, awaits Britain's latest Formula One world champion, but sitting in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt hotel in Sao Paulo yesterday, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase 'What goes around comes! around,' Button seemed about as far removed from the soulless Kentish mall as it was possible to be.
In fact he was clearly still in dreamland.
Sixteen hours earlier he had claimed the title with a performance of courage and verve that he ranked as the best of his life. To say that the intervening hours had passed by in a blur was clearly an understatement.
After running what he reckoned to be "a half marathon" around the Interlagos paddock chased by hordes of journalists and photographers, Button had joined the rest of his Brawn team at their post-race party at 3P4, a trendy Sao Paulo nightclub just a stone's throw from the grave of one of his illustrious predecessors: Ayrton Senna.
He didn't stay long. As Team Button – father John, physiotherapist Mike Collier, manager Richard Goddard and the rest – quaffed Champagne in a private upstairs area overlooking a heaving dance floor, where ! Carnival-esque dancers resplendent in full headdress gave the ! party a local flavour, Button headed back to his hotel room alone and emotionally drained.
"It was great to see all the guys," he explained, "and they were on top form, but it was a bit hectic for me. It was so full on that I headed home early. I got back here at 1am and just chilled in the room for about three hours, on my own. I wanted a bit of alone time."
In between phone calls to his girlfriend Jessica Michibata – otherwise engaged on a modelling assignment in Japan – and his mother Simone, Button tried to take in the enormity of what he had just achieved. Notes from the Prime Minister, statues mooted for his birthplace of Frome, even his ongoing contract wrangles with Brawn, all could wait until the morning.
"I was up until about four just lying in bed with a big grin on my face," he said. "I only slept for about three hours. I couldn't sleep for any longer. I just wanted to be awake to enjoy it. I think most drivers, wh! en they win the world championship, go out and have an absolutely crazy evening. But we all celebrate in different ways."
So much for Button's playboy image. The new world champion has matured beyond all recognition since he parked his yacht in Monaco's harbour before he had even won a race.
He said he would endeavour not to let his new-found success go to his head. "I won't buy myself any expensive gifts. Father Christmas has been kind enough already. But I will change in certain ways; become more confident in my own ability.
"Strangely enough, the times when I thought about what I could achieve in Formula One, and how good it would be to win the world championship, were always in the gym when I was training.
"That's what spurred me on with my fitness and with racing, and making racing my life, because it does become your life. You can't win unless it does become your life.
"That's something I di! dn't realise when I started in the sport, and that's why I ! found it very difficult in my early years."
Button, whose salary dropped from £8 million to £3 million after Honda pulled out last December, can expect it to double at least as a result of his championship heroics. Goddard's hand is immeasurably stronger as he seeks to extract the maximum for his client. Button, though, claims it is not about the money.
"I want the No 1 on my car – on a Brawn car. It's not about the money, I just want to win. I think this team will stay strong. Next season I think you will see the Ferraris, McLarens and Red Bulls up there – and I think Brawn can challenge them. We're not one-season wonders by any means."
If Button does do it again next year he would be the first Briton ever to win back-to-back titles. "Really?" he said. "That would be exceptional.
Everyone wants to defend their title. But I'm not thinking about that now. I'm just going to enjoy the moment.
"I've only been wor! ld champion 24 hours but so far it feels pretty damn good."
UAE League Saturday Review

Al Ain regained their place at the top of the standings despite sharing a 2-2 draw with Al Jazira in the last match of round four.
Al Ain opened the scoring only eight minutes into the game when Salem Abdulla's free-kick was headed home by Ismail Ahmed past Al Jazira goalkeeper Ali Khaseef.
Al Jazira levelled the scores five minutes after the break through Ivory Coast striker Antoni Nantcho with a powerful shot from inside the area just three minutes before he succ! essfully converted a spot-kick.
However, Al Ain equalised one minute after the hour mark when Ali Al Wohaibi sent a cross from the right which was headed home by Argentinian striker Jose Sand who scored his seventh goal this season.
Elsewhere, Emirates climbed to seventh as they defeated Ajman 3-1.
Algerian striker Karim Karkar gave the lead to Emirates after only five minutes before Ajman levelled the scores at the half-hour mark through Samir Ibrahim.
However, Karkar gave the lead for Emirates on 35 minutes before Moroccan striker Hassan Tair made it 3-1 for Emirates on 58 minutes.
Portsmouth 4 Wigan Athletic 0

The Premier League game between Portsmouth and Wigan Athletic at Fratton Park.
Bob Dylan used to say that chaos was one of his closest friends. It doesn't seem to suit Wigan Athletic, but on this performance, at least, it does Portsmouth.
They are still bottom of the league, despite a hat-trick from Aruna Dindane and one goal from Frederic Piquio! nne which secured Paul Hart's side their first home win, but they are no longer welded there.
"We are staying up, we are staying up," the home support sung. And they believe it too.
However you look at it, this match would be about overcoming adversity. Portsmouth's preparations were undermined by the distraction of having a transfer embargo foisted upon them, whilst Wigan have had to deal with the fallout from manager Roberto Martinez's comments about Sir Alex Ferguson and the ignominy brought upon them when Marlon King was sent down for sexual assualt.
Before the game started, Paul Hart's strikers had yet to score a Premier League goal. After 90 minutes both Dindane and Piquionne had registered their names on the score-sheet. But more important, in the grand scheme of things, was that Portsmouth had yet to win at home. This one marked their 50th league win at Fratton Park. It had taken a ! long time coming.
Hart only had to wait until the 35! th minut e, when captain Michael Brown conjured a perfectly weighted ball through a gaggle of scrambling day-glo orange shirts. Dindane was through at pace, using the outside of his boot to chip over an on-rushing Kirkland for his first goal at the club.
Portsmouth's second was similarly incisive. Dindane found a gap between Titus Bramble and Charles N'Zogbia, and Piquionne tore free. Avram Grant, sitting next to Sulaiman Al Fahim, almost fell out of the directors box as Kirkland came off his line to meet the challenge, but the goalkeeper left his legs open and Piquionne found the gap.
Seventy-three per cent of Pompey's goals have been conceded in the first half, so having made the break without David James so much as having to make a serious save would have bred optimism in all but the most pessimistic of Portsmouth fans.
Hart and his backroom staff certainly had a spring in their step as they led their side off the pitch, ! and the euphoria will have grown as Kanu, on for an injured Piquionne, found Dindane for Pompey's third. When Kanu was brought down by Boyce, and Dindane struck from the spot, Hart simply stood there, arms aloft, drinking it in.Friday, December 11, 2009
10 million tourist aim by India at 2010 games
by hulal
Preparation for commonwealth games in India is going at a rapid speed. There are so many planning planned by Indian government for the commonwealth games 2010 in India. Several stadiums have developed as venue of commonwealth games 2010 hosted by india.10 million foreign tourist footballs are expected by the tourism ministry of India. The union minister of tourism and culture Ambika Soni said that in 2005 there are 3.92 million tourists are came and this figure was also increase in 2006, approximately 4.43 million tourists are came to India. Developing adventure tourism, rural tourism, medical tourism and shopping tourism are those sectors which are undertaken by the government for the development.
For the Shopping tourism the government has declare four places that is Noida, Hydrabad, Aurangabad and Bhubneshwar which has to be developed as shopping tourism destination. This planning will give great opportunity to local artisans for the sell of! their traditional art facts. This can also become the main cause in promoting our cultural heritage of our country. This plan will also provide the relief to the people of rural areas by providing job opportunities for the making of traditional art facts.
Jawaharlal Nehru stadium is the main venue of common wealth games2010 in India. The government of Delhi has decided to build a longest dedicated flyover in Delhi. This longest flyover links between Jawaharlal Nehru stadium and the games village which is 5 kilometers away from the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium.
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About the Author
nikhil has got experince of writting internet content like articles.
Watch TV, Movies, Sports Online
by Yesu Das
I am a self proclaimed sport addict. I love everything about sports…tuning in for the big game with a big drink and a bag of chips. Getting together with friends, watching alone or catching the old ball game with my dad are some of the best memories of my lif!. Who can resist a friendly wager with a friend who cheers for a rival team? And what is better than reading the paper the next day when your team wins? A few years ago when I had to move abroad for my studies, I started feeling the pain of no longer being able to watch the best games from my favourite football, basketball, hockey and baseball teams. This made living abroad such a drag for me. Sports are such a huge part of my life that it feels like someone ripped out a piece of my soul. The local cable company here wanted a ridiculous amount of money for the official sports package and then I had to watch the sports that THEY chose for me! After several months of searching and spending lots of m! oney on stupid systems and scams, I finally found a solution that allows me to watch sports, movies and my favourite television shows for free on my PC http://dcinanni.watch2000.hop.clickbank.net/ I now have the pleasure of watching my favourite team whenever and wherever I want. And the best thing is that it's right on my PC so I can chat and speak with my friends from home while watching the game. Want to connect your PC to the TV…no problem! This has improved my life as I am no longer home sick. If you are living away from home and want to get online tv, or if you are sick of cable companies taking your money and providing bad customer support and service, make the same decision that I did, and download the revolutionary TVonPC today! http://dcinanni.watch2000.hop.clickbank.net/
About the Author
I am a mareketing-communication professional originally from North America now living in Europe. Love to use these pages to share a little about my interes! ts and discoveries.
Schiavi: "Cattiveria e aggressività"

di Filippo Capurso
Fonte: uslecce.it
Francesco Lodi: "Se Totò ha fatto tanti gol è merito di tutta la squadra"

di Orazio Resta
fonte: udinese.it
Francesco Lodi è stato l'ultimo ad arrivare in casa bianconera quando il campionato era già iniziato, ma è riuscito a guadagnarsi spazio in diverse occasioni e ha fatto gustare ai tifosi friulani un antipasto di quello che è capace di fare. "Non sono al top della condizione e posso migliorare ancora molto. La squadra sta bene e lo abbiamo dimostrato in occasione della partita contro l'Inter dove abbiamo avuto anche l'occasione di vincere. Dobbiamo ripartire da quella! prestazione".
Il prossimo avversario dei friulani si chiama Atalanta: "Non dobbiamo guardare la classifica degli orobici, finiremmo per essere tratti in inganno. Ho giocato contro il Bari di Conte l'anno scorso quando ero ad Empoli. Bisogna stare molto attenti perchè sta riproponendo lo stesso modulo anche a Bergamo con gli esterni alti e larghi. Sarà una partita dura perchè Conte fa giocare bene le sue squadre e noi vogliamo prenderci l'intera posta in palio".
Di Natale è diventato l'orgoglio del Friuli e di tutti i suoi compagni di squadra: "Ci sentiamo e ci vediamo tutti i giorni ed è sempre pronto a darmi consigli. Quello che sta facendo qui ad Udine è grandioso. Vorrei un giorno arrivare al suo livello. Mi viene da sorridere quando sento le voci di improbabili ritorni in Nazionale quando Totò da solo ha segnato 9 reti in 7 partite".
Nonostante la grande partenza del suo capitano, l'Udinese non corre il rischio di diventarne dipendente. "Se ha fatt! o più gol di tutti vuol dire che è il merito è anche della squ! adra che lo mette nella condizione di rendere al massimo. Adesso Di Natale sta attravesando un momento di grazia, in cui ciò che tocca diventa oro, ma anche gli altri attaccanti stanno facendo bene. Nessuno sottolinea il lavoro che fa Floro Flores quando fa alzare tutta la squadra o di quando Pepe corre sulla fascia per l'intera partita".
Il bene dell'Udinese prima di tutto: "Quando sono arrivato ho trovato un gruppo molto unito che mi ha aiutato in ogni circostanza. Io cercherò di conquistarmi un posto e di convincere l'allenatore con le mie prestazioni, ma l'importante è che l'Udinese faccia bene".
Reggina-Ancona: prevendita
CALCIO, LIVORNO; RUSSO: CON PALERMO MODULO NUOVO MA CONTA TESTA

di Davide Pampanin
fonte. repubblica.it 17/10/09
"Dovremo giocare senza paura e a gran ritmo dall'inizio alla fine. Mettendo pressione al Palermo per tutti i 90 minuti". Loafferma il tecnico del Livorno Vittorio Russo alla vigilia del match contro la formazione rosanero. "Non siamo noi a doverci adattare a loro, ma anzi dovremo fare la partita e tenere sempre alto il ritmo", dice Russo.
che, però, qualcosa cambierà dal punto di vista tattico. Abbandonato il 4-4-2 che finora non aveva portato grossi risulta! ti soprattutto in fase offensiva e nei rifornimenti agli attaccanti si passa al 3-5-2, con gli esterni più alti proprio per assistere meglio Lucarelli e Tavano. "Durante la sosta - spiega l'allenatore - abbiamo lavorato molto sulla tattica e siamo pronti per questa partita. Ci saranno alcune modifiche al nostro tipo di gioco, ma quello che più conta è la testa: dovremo giocare con intensità e senza paura".
Sergio Ramos:contro il Milan sarà una grande partita

Fonte:Ac Milan
Sergio Ramos difensore del Real Madrid a pochi giorni dalla sfida di Champions contro il Milan parla della partita:sarà un grande partita,molto bella la Champions e una competizione speciale e questa sfida arriva in un momento importante per noi. Il Milan e una squadra dura da affrontare e poi Ronaldinho sembra essere tornato in forma.Sono m! olto felice di potermi confrontare contro un campione come lui
10 Gennaio 1960 - 10 Gennaio 2009
10 Gennaio 1960 - 10 Gennaio 2009
Cinquanta anni fa nasceva tutto il Calcio.
Erano le 16 circa del 10 Gennaio 1960 e nasceva la nostra trasmissione preferita.
Campo principale era un Milan - Juventus. Radiocronaca di Nicolò Carosio!
Tutto Il Calcio Blog fa gli auguri alla nostra trasmissione preferita! Con una sola parola: GRAZIE!
Ecco il video che annuncia "l'inizio dei festeggiamenti"