tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37508513449118859652024-03-12T16:46:11.624-07:00Sport Newsmadonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-77029706039531630872011-02-15T20:51:00.001-08:002011-02-15T20:51:51.638-08:00A Tennis Tradition Like Few OthersThis isn't exactly a boom period for tennis, and I didn't see a sold-out crowd on the days I visited the SAP Open in San Jose, including the final. It shoud be noted, though, that the tournament has a history dating back to the 19th century -- and that Milos Raonic's victory could be a sign of future greatness.<br />
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At 20, Raonic scored his first win on the ATP tour. In 1988, when the Bay Area tournament was based in San Francisco (and called the Transamerica Open), 16-year-old Michael Chang scored his first-ever tour victory here, and won his first and only major, the French Open, the following year.<br />
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John McEnroe was 19 when he won the Transamerica in 1978. It was just his second win on the tour, and he won his first major, the U.S. Open, the following year. Stefan Edberg also fit the pattern in 1985: 19 years old, third tour win, won his first major a few months later (the Australian, then held in December).<br />
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Who knows what this means for Raonic, but it's another shining-light moment for a Bay Area tournament launched way back in 1889, in Monterey. Over the years, covering much ground (including San Rafael, Albany and Berkeley), the list of champions included Ellsworth Vines, Fred Perry, Don Budge, Jack Kramer, Tony Trabert, Stan Smith, Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras.<br />
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For readers asking for more tennis coverage, these are difficult times all-around for newspapers, most of which no longer have the finances or staff to attend the majors. If you're badly in need of a fix, I'm writing a tennis column for the Sports Illustrated website (si.com), and the list is fully archived. Even if nobody's reading, it keeps me current with the sport. With people like Raonic, Alexandr Dolgopolov, Richard Berankis, Kei Nishikori and Grigor Dimitrov coming up on the men's side, the game looks to have a pretty solid future.<br />
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Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/threedotblog/detail?entry_id=83100#ixzz1E5uXYDQXmadonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-55510015839395262472011-02-15T20:47:00.001-08:002011-02-15T20:47:38.620-08:00Why the French Open needs to moveIf we move elsewhere, maybe the site is going to be bigger, [but] we're going to lose part of our soul.<br />
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These were the words of Rafael Nadal when he was asked last year whether the French Open should consider relocating in 2015. Rafa is nothing if not dramatic, but why would he want to change anything about Roland Garros anyway? It's been very good to him. Who knows what might happen in the shadow of the Sun King's palace in Versailles. The King of Clay's mojo might be totally thrown.<br />
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And Nadal isn't wrong. My favorite tournament is Wimbledon, for the same reasons he states. The history is tangible there; the thought of all the legendary moments that have gone before in Centre Court links what you're watching now to something greater and deeper. And I like having that sense at Roland Garros as well. Plus, the two big arenas, Chatrier and Lenglen, are excellent viewing spaces, with stands that are very close to the playing area and which help create the intense fan atmosphere that the tournament is known for.<br />
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But I still believe the French Tennis Federation should have moved the tournament. For all of the history on those grounds in the Bois de Boulogne, the event has outgrown them. It's difficult to appreciate and enjoy the atmosphere amid the crowds that pile into each side court and jam every walkway.<br />
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The USTA faced a similar decision in 1977. The U.S. Open's traditional home, the West Side Tennis Club, was even more overrun during its two weeks; fans had to walk over other fans who were lying down to a get a glimpse of the courts underneath the wind screens on the back fences. Three decades later, no one believes it was the wrong move to get out of Forest Hills. There was no choice.<br />
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Versailles, in particular, would have made a spectacular location, and it isn't an overly long distance from the city. It would have cost the federation more money to start from scratch, but that's money that could have been recouped in the years ahead at the larger facility. And though the tournament will remain on the Roland Garros grounds, it won't be the same Roland Garros. Two of its finest stadiums, the intimate Lenglen and the even more intimate, 4,000-seat Bullring, are going to be demolished anyway.<br />
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Most important, though, any new facility would have retained the true signature of the French Open: its red-clay courts. They say the mark of being French is speaking the French language -- nothing more, nothing less. Likewise, the mark of France's tennis tournament is nothing more or less than its surface. It's the only Grand Slam played on clay, and the sight of dirt is enough to make it feel like the French Open.<br />
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There is one player, at least, who disagrees with Nadal. "I hope they won't get in trouble by making this decision," Amelie Mauresmo said this week. "I don't know if the tennis aspect prevailed. I have some doubts. I was more in favor of a development, of an ambition, to move."<br />
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The "ambition to move." The U.S. Open has shown that ambition, as has the Australian Open, which went to Melbourne Park in 1988. Wimbledon has rightfully stayed put, but that hasn't stopped it from revamping and modernizing its landscape. It's hard not to think that the French have fallen short by comparison. Roland Garros is a wonderful spot, but the French Open would flourish anywhere in France.espn.go.commadonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-2942715391025861492011-02-15T20:45:00.001-08:002011-02-15T20:45:59.295-08:00Tennis center supporters hope for ace with new video>Proponents of the Tennis Center of Georgia at Berry College are now armed with a slick production video to tout the proposed project. They also have a higher price tag than was put forth a year ago, and there’s still no Plan B if bond funding does not come from the Georgia General Assembly.<br />
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Rome and Floyd County commissioners watched the new video Tuesday night and listened to a half dozen supporters of the project. City Commissioner Sue Hamler Lee may have summed up the presentation best.<br />
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“I think you just need to show that video to the right people,” she said.<br />
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The right people, according to County Manager Kevin Poe, would include committee chairmen, Gov. Nathan Deal and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle.<br />
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Tony Simon, a lobbyist with ConnectSouth — which has been retained to promote the project in Atlanta — said he is already working with a core group of lawmakers.<br />
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When the project was initially developed a year ago, a 74-court complex was proposed for 30 acres of Berry College-owned land northeast of Mt. Berry Square mall. The budget was pegged then at $13.6 million dollars.<br />
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On Tuesday night, commissioners were told the complex has grown to an 82-court facility with a working budget of $18.7 million.<br />
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Like last year, the real question is whether lawmakers in Atlanta can be convinced the project will be worth authorizing more than $7 million in state bond funds for the project.<br />
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“What realistically is the next step without state funding?” asked City Commissioner Duane Reid.<br />
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“We’ll look at what the alternatives are and move forward,” responded Poe.<br />
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Rome City Manager John Bennett said the state would benefit from the project through sales tax and should help share the cost.<br />
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Greg Sumner, chairman of the board of the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce, said the project would drive economic development.<br />
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“This project is not really about tennis; it’s about local and regional economic growth and the creation of the right jobs,” he said.<br />
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Read more: RN-T.com - Tennis center supporters hope for ace with new videomadonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-10228509122257230372010-12-01T06:51:00.000-08:002010-12-01T06:51:15.820-08:00Auburn’s Chizik, not team, in familiar spotAUBURN, Ala. (AP)—Auburn coach Gene Chizik has been here before. That’s a good thing because his players have not.<br />
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Chizik has the second-ranked Tigers in the thick of the national championship race, just two years after his criticized hiring. He doesn’t hesitate to share with players lessons from his experience as defensive coordinator for national champion Texas in 2005 or with unbeaten, though uncrowned, Auburn the previous season.<br />
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“Quite often, too,” offensive tackle Lee Ziemba said Tuesday. “None of us have been in this situation before and he has a few times. He does a good job of making sure our focus is in the right place, making sure we’re not looking ahead to different things and we’re focusing on the task at hand.<a name='more'></a><br />
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“He checks us frequently each week,” Ziemba said. “That really brings us to the place we’re supposed to be.”<br />
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Chizik has kept the Tigers (12-0) rolling throughout a season that began with modest expectations and threatened to veer off-track when much-publicized allegations surfaced involving the recruitment of star quarterback Cam Newton that so far haven’t implicated Auburn.<br />
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He will be the straight-laced, cautious-speaking and less famed counterpart to No. 18 South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier in Saturday’s Southeastern Conference championship game.<br />
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Chizik’s resume—including a rough two-year stint as Iowa State’s head coach before Auburn brought him back—hardly compares to Spurrier’s six SEC titles with Florida. He doesn’t offer folksy, clever digs at rivals and carefully toes a line with any public comments.<br />
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Plus, he’s an old defensive coach not an offensive trendsetter, whose philosophies ranged more along the lines of Run ‘N Stun than Spurrier’s old Fun ‘N Gun.<br />
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Chizik has experienced plenty of success, though this is his first foray into national title territory as a head coach.<br />
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“Coach Chiz has been there a lot,” cornerback Demond Washington said. “He’s used to these (situations) and some of us guys are not. He keeps our heads level. He tells us he’s been here before and don’t get distracted by the polls. Just keep going forward. Just keep fighting, clawing, and hopefully we’ll win it all.”<br />
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Chizik was part of 29 consecutive wins as a coordinator starting with Auburn in 2003. The Tigers went 13-0 the following season and finished No. 2 with the nation’s top scoring defense and earned him the Frank Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant.<br />
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Then he left to become the Longhorns’ assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator. They went undefeated and won the title in his first season behind Vince Young, a quarterback cut out of a similar mold as Newton.<br />
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Chizik said being able to draw from those experiences has helped during the current perfect run.<br />
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“There’s different challenges at different points in the year that you can pull from,” he said. “As we all know it’s extremely difficult to do. Just being blessed to have gone through it two other times, there’s things that I’m able to pull from to help our coaches and team understand at that point in time what in my opinion are the important things to keep you undefeated.”<br />
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But that Auburn team featured four first-round NFL draft picks the following spring. Texas had two first-rounders each of the next two years.<br />
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These Tigers have two really big stars in Newton and defensive tackle Nick Fairley, along with perhaps Ziemba. Still they have beaten five teams currently ranked in the Top 25, more than any other team in the country. SEC West rivals Arkansas (four) and LSU (three) are the only others who have beaten more than two.<br />
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Chizik believes this group shares one trait with those two previous teams: strong team chemistry. For this team that might have been reflected in eight come-from-behind victories.<br />
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“At the end of the day, I don’t feel like there’s very many championship teams out there for anybody that doesn’t have that chemistry,” he said. “We’ve got that.”madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-52265678161946722772010-12-01T06:49:00.001-08:002010-12-01T06:49:52.880-08:00Heisman Watch: All but locked upAuburn quarterback Cameron Newton seems a lock to win the Heisman, but one doesn’t have to go back that far for a reminder that things aren’t always want they seem.<br />
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This time a year ago, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy seemed to have the trophy all but wrapped up. That was before he threw three interceptions and was sacked nine times against Nebraska in the Big 12 championship game.<br />
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Still, unless Newton struggles through a monumental debacle against South Carolina in the SEC championship game, he figures to win in a landslide.<br />
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Gaudy statistics draw attention, but the Heisman typically is won (or lost) in big games. Records are nice, but they don’t matter as much when set against overmatched competition. What really matters is how a player fares against ranked opponents and archrivals.<br />
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No one has been better in big games than Newton.<br />
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Auburn has faced five opponents currently in the BCS standings—No. 7 Arkansas, No. 10 LSU, No. 16 Alabama, No. 19 South Carolina and No. 22 Mississippi State. Newton rushed for 176 yards and three TDs against South Carolina, 188 yards and three TDs against Arkansas and 217 yards and two scores against LSU. He passed for 216 yards and three touchdowns against Alabama. He had 206 total yards, passed for two touchdowns and also caught a pass against Mississippi State.<br />
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Newton hasn’t had a bad game and frequently has been spectacular; he has been responsible for at least two touchdowns in every game and has had at least four in seven games. He’ll win the Heisman unless he has an uncharacteristic meltdown in the rematch against South Carolina.<br />
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Here’s a look at this week’s top five:<br />
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1. QB Cameron Newton, Auburn: Barring a complete collapse against South Carolina in the SEC championship game or an NCAA ruling that he’s ineligible, Newton will be Auburn’s third Heisman recipient and the fourth junior college transfer to win it, joining Roger Staubach, O.J. Simpson and Mike Rozier. Newton had a brilliant game against Alabama, throwing three touchdown passes to rally the Tigers from a 24-point deficit to a 28-27 victory.<br />
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2. QB Andrew Luck, Stanford: He closed out the Cardinal’s regular season with four touchdown passes in a 38-0 victory over Oregon State. Luck set a single-season school record with 28 touchdown passes, breaking the record held by John Elway and Steve Stenstrom. Luck passed for 3,051 yards while completing better than 70 percent of his attempts; he has thrown just seven interceptions.<br />
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3. QB Kellen Moore, Boise State: He’s thrown at least two touchdown passes in every game this season while accumulating 3,269 passing yards and 30 touchdowns, with only five interceptions. His 54-yard completion to Titus Young in Friday’s loss to Nevada with less than 10 seconds left in regulation was an incredible play that will be overlooked because the potential winning field goal was missed.<br />
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4. RB LaMichael James, Oregon: The nation’s leading rusher (154.8 yards per game), James had 126 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 48-29 victory over Arizona. He has 1,548 yards and 19 touchdowns this season and has gained 100 yards in eight of the 10 games in which he has played. He’s not been held to fewer than 91 rushing yards.<br />
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5. WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State: Even playing on a tender ankle, Blackmon managed eight catches for 105 yards in last week’s 47-41 loss to Oklahoma. Blackmon leads the nation at 151.4 receiving yards per game. He’s had at least five catches, 105 yards and a touchdown in each of the 11 games in which he has played.<br />
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Olin Buchanan is the senior college football writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at olin@rivals.com.madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-78292807140642324462010-12-01T06:48:00.001-08:002010-12-01T06:48:36.999-08:00Viewer’s guide: The deciding weekendIf this week is as eventful as last week, fans will be in luck. That is, fans of just about every team other than Oregon and Auburn.<br />
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The final hurdles to the national championship game are set for the Ducks and the Tigers. Oregon goes on the road to face its biggest rival, while Auburn faces a team it beat by eight points at home in September.<br />
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In addition, the final Big 12 championship game will be played, ending a conference rivalry between Oklahoma and Nebraska that began in 1912.<a name='more'></a><br />
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Conference championships in the ACC, Big East, Conference USA and MAC also will be decided this week.<br />
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Here’s a look at the games this weekend that will determine conference titles and - potentially - spots in the national title game.<br />
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All times Eastern.<br />
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WEEK 14 VIEWER’S GUIDE<br />
FRIDAY<br />
MIAMI OF OHIO VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS <br />
MAC championship game in Detroit <br />
When: 7 p.m., ESPN2 <br />
Broadcasters: Joe Tessitore play-by-play, Rod Gilmore analyst <br />
The line: Northern Illinois by 16 <br />
Why you should watch: June Jones holds the record for a single-season turnaround by improving Hawaii from 0-12 to 9-4 in his first season at the school in 1999. If Miami wins the MAC title and its bowl game, Mike Haywood can match that feat. The RedHawks were 1-11 last season and have not been to a bowl since 2004. Miami has been without starting QB Zac Dysert, who is out for the season with a lacerated spleen, for the past two games. RB Thomas Merriweather rushed for 323 yards in those games. Without Dysert, Miami beat Akron and Temple. Despite Miami’s feel-good story, NIU is the heavy favorite and with good reason. The Huskies went 8-0 in league play, defeating MAC opponents by an average of 32 points per game. Northern Illinois is led by RB Chad Spann (1,239 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns) and QB Chandler Harnish (1,949 passing yards with 17 touchdowns, and 761 rushing yards with five touchdowns). NIU is making its first title game appearance since 2005 and is seeking its first title since 1983.<br />
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SATURDAY<br />
SMU AT UCF <br />
Conference USA championship game <br />
When: Noon, ESPN2 <br />
Broadcasters: Bob Wischusen play-by-play, Brian Griese analyst <br />
The line: UCF by 9.5 <br />
Why you should watch: The June Jones reclamation project at SMU continues. The Mustangs finished the regular season with the same overall record (7-5) and conference record (6-2) as a year ago, but thanks to Houston QB Case Keenum’s season-ending injury and a 21-18 win over division foe Tulsa on Oct. 9, SMU won the C-USA West this season. Jones built Hawaii into the nation’s top passing offense, but SMU has been more balanced, which is somewhat unexpected considering the gaudy passing numbers in C-USA. QB Kyle Padron has passed for 3,306 yards and 28 touchdowns this season, and RB Zach Line is the conference’s leading rusher. SMU has not won an outright conference title since winning the Southwest Conference in 1982. Meanwhile, UCF won the C-USA East title for the third time since 2005. East Carolina won the offense-dominated league on the strength of its defense in 2008 and ’09, and UCF has taken up that cause (because East Carolina sure hasn’t). The Golden Knights lead C-USA in total defense, scoring defense, rush defense and pass efficiency defense. True freshman QB Jeffrey Godfrey can make plays with his arm and his legs.<br />
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OREGON AT OREGON STATE <br />
When: 3:30 p.m., ABC <br />
Broadcasters: Brad Nessler play-by-play, Todd Blackledge analyst <br />
The line: Oregon by 16 <br />
Why you should watch: The “Civil War” is an underrated rivalry nationally. In recent seasons, it has been competitive (the teams have split the past 12 games). This season, Oregon State is in danger of missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2005, and Oregon is looking to seal its spot in the national championship game. If Oregon State is going to pull the upset, the Beavers will need to find a way to capitalize if Oregon starts slow. The Ducks led Cal only 8-7 at halftime and trailed Arizona 19-14 after two quarters. Oregon State might have trouble keeping up with Oregon’s offense. In seven games without star WR James Rodgers, Oregon State has averaged only 314.3 yards and 2.8 touchdowns per game.<br />
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SOUTH CAROLINA VS. AUBURN <br />
SEC championship game in Atlanta <br />
When: 4 p.m., CBS <br />
Broadcasters: Verne Lundquist play-by-play, Gary Danielson analyst <br />
The line: Auburn by 5 <br />
Why you should watch: This is a matchup few saw coming in the preseason. South Carolina is here for the first time in school history, but Steve Spurrier was 5-2 in the title game while at Florida. Auburn is here for the first time since the Tigers’ 2004 undefeated season. This time, if Auburn wins the SEC championship, the Tigers will play for a national title. Auburn won the first meeting 35-27 at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 25, but South Carolina had a disastrous fourth quarter to end the game. The Gamecocks carried a 27-21 lead going into the final frame, but four turnovers helped Auburn win the game. QB Stephen Garcia fumbled twice, Spurrier yanked him and freshman backup Connor Shaw threw two interceptions. South Carolina leads the SEC in run defense and has improved its pass defense in recent weeks. Cam Newton, who may have locked up the Heisman last week against Alabama, has proven he doesn’t need to rush for 150 yards for Auburn to win important games. He was 13-of-20 for 216 yards and three touchdowns as the Tigers rallied past the Crimson Tide.<br />
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VIRGINIA TECH VS. FLORIDA STATE <br />
ACC championship game in Charlotte, N.C. <br />
When: 7:45 p.m., ESPN <br />
Broadcasters: Sean McDonough play-by-play, Matt Millen analyst <br />
The line: Virginia Tech by 4 <br />
Why you should watch: Jimbo Fisher led Florida State to its first win over Florida since 2003 last week. Could the Seminoles’ first ACC title since 2005 be next? For the first time, the ACC championship game won’t be in Florida. Either the change of venue or the combination of two enthusiastic fan bases has been a boon to ticket sales. This will be a rematch of the first ACC championship game in 2005, when Florida State shocked then-No. 5 Virginia Tech 27-22. To pull another upset, FSU will need to stymie the Hokies’ rushing attack. The Hokies - who have won 10 in a row - also have a ball-hawking secondary; Tech has 20 interceptions this season.<br />
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NEBRASKA VS. OKLAHOMA <br />
Big 12 championship game in Arlington, Texas <br />
When: 8 p.m., ABC <br />
Broadcasters: Brent Musburger play-by-play, Kirk Herbstreit analyst <br />
The line: Oklahoma by 4 <br />
Why you should watch: Nebraska’s final Big 12 game will come under fitting circumstances, as the Huskers face their old Big 8 rival. Nebraska hasn’t won a conference championship since 1999. The Huskers’ starting quarterback remains a mystery. Bo Pelini said the position will be determined during practice. Cody Green was 10-of-13 for 80 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a touchdown in last week’s 45-17 win over Colorado; normal starting QB Taylor Martinez sat out with an ankle injury. Oklahoma, meanwhile, is hopeful RB DeMarco Murray can return from a knee injury that limited him against to Oklahoma State. The Sooners will need as much help as possible against Nebraska’s defense. A week after throwing three interceptions against Oklahoma State, OU QB Landry Jones faces a defense with 18 picks this season.<br />
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CONNECTICUT AT USF <br />
When: 8 p.m., ESPN2 <br />
Broadcasters: Dave Pasch play-by-play, Bob Griese and Chris Spielman analysts <br />
The line: USF by 2 <br />
Why you should watch: Connecticut was a trendy sleeper pick for the Big East title heading into the season. The season hasn’t been ideal for the Huskies or the Big East, but Randy Edsall’s team has the BCS in its grasp. The Huskies own every tiebreaker, but only if they win this game. In the Big East this season, nothing is pretty, so the Huskies are an underdog to USF, which might be without its starting quarterback. True freshman walk-on Bobby Eveld came on for B.J. Daniels in the second half against Miami last week and led the Bulls to a 23-20 overtime win. Daniels is continuing to recover from a quad injury while Eveld prepares as the starter. There’s no mystery in what Connecticut will do on offense: The Huskies will hand the ball to RB Jordan Todman.<br />
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David Fox is a national writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at dfox@rivals.com, and you can follow him on Twitter.madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-1925399157797725132010-12-01T06:47:00.000-08:002010-12-01T06:47:22.369-08:00Expansion leads to more league title gamesIowa coach Kirk Ferentz knows a Big Ten title game is coming next season, but that doesn’t mean he has to like it.<br />
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“I’ve never seen a great advantage from a coaching standpoint,” Ferentz said. “I think this is just a sign of the times and the way and direction that college football is going.”<br />
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Ferentz is right. The Big Ten and Pac-10 are the latest conferences to join the league title game movement. With the addition of Nebraska from the Big 12 in 2011, the Big Ten will split into two six-team divisions and conduct a conference championship game in Indianapolis. The Pac-10 is adding Utah from the Mountain West and Colorado from the Big 12 next season to grow to a 12-team, two-division conference with a title game. The league also will change its name, to Pac-12, to reflect its growth, but the Big Ten has no such plans.<a name='more'></a><br />
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This is championship weekend in college football. The SEC (Auburn-South Carolina), ACC (Virginia Tech-Florida State), Big 12 (Nebraska-Oklahoma), Conference USA (SMU-UCF) and Mid-American Conference (Northern Illinois-Miami of Ohio) will conduct title games, putting a figurative cherry on top of their seasons.<br />
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Some would say that it’s about time that the Big Ten and Pac-10 got in step with the times. The SEC will play its 19th league title game Saturday after giving birth to the concept in 1992. It was a modest beginning at Birmingham’s Legion Field, with Alabama beating Florida 28-21. The event moved to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta in 1994 and has become one of college football’s showcase events and generates an estimated $14 million annually for the SEC.<br />
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Since then, the championship game concept has grown. The Big 12 added a title game in 1996. The MAC joined the club in 1997, and the ACC and C-USA got on board in 2005.<br />
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“It’s a chance to celebrate the conference,” Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said. “It’s a culminating event. And I think it will extend the watchful eye of the fan base on through early December. That hasn’t been the case with our season usually ending before Thanksgiving.”<br />
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The title game also will pad the Big Ten’s bottom line. Delany won’t estimate how much revenue the event will generate, but it may not match the SEC’s take—at least in the early stages of the event.<br />
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“I don’t think the Big Ten championship game will be as lucrative as the SEC’s,” said Patrick Rishe, associate professor of economics at Webster University in St. Louis who is the founder of Sportsimpacts.net, a sports consulting firm that specializes in marketing research and economic-impact studies for sporting events. “The fan avidity among SEC fans is unmatched in college football.<br />
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“That said, the Big Ten championship game will likely become a close second in terms of stature and prominence, given the history of the schools and the positive marketing power that the Big Ten Network exercises during the season by promoting the Big Ten brand.”<br />
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The Big Ten will hold its inaugural game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Delany said he isn’t sure if the league will choose a permanent site, which the SEC has done, or rotate the event, as the Big 12 and ACC have done.<br />
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“My inclination is to look at multiple cities, but I am not 100 percent sure on that,” Delany said. “I think what we wanted to do at first was get a city that we were really familiar with and knew it was world-class with the Super Bowl coming [after the 2011 season]. Then, wait until spring when our men’s and women’s basketball tourney contracts come to an end, along with our football championship, and look at those as a collection of important events that are sought-after.<br />
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“We will take that opportunity in the spring with our ADs, talk to our presidents and the coaches a bit to decide what the best way is to apportion these events. I don’t know if it will be one city, two or more.”<br />
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The Pac-10 already has decided that its event will be held on the campus of the team with the best record.<br />
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“We think that will serve as incentive during the regular season,” Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott said. “And that will only add value to the regular season and make it that much more attractive for TV.”<br />
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The Pac-12’s game figures to lag behind the SEC and Big Ten in terms of revenue and prestige. But that may not last for long, thanks to Scott.<br />
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“I think the Pac-12’s game may rival the other two in the near future, given the aggressive marketing initiatives of their new leadership team,” Rishe said.<br />
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While the Big Ten and Pac-12 will add championship games in 2011, the Big 12 will pull the plug on its season-ending event after Saturday’s game in Arlington, Texas. The conference will contract from 12 to 10 teams with the departures of Nebraska and Colorado, and Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe estimates his league will lose about $4.5 million to $5 million in ticket revenue from the event.<br />
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But Beebe said he feels the loss of ticket revenue will be offset by additional inventory of regular-season games that are attractive to TV. The league is moving from eight to nine conference games in a round-robin scheduling format that will see each Big 12 school play every other team in the league.<br />
Beebe said he sees the loss of a title game as “taking a step forward. This group kind of likes being different. Everyone else has copied what the Big 12 and SEC created 15 to 19 years ago. This isn’t something we planned. We tried to keep all 12 together. But when we ended up with 10, all of a sudden there was enthusiasm for not having that game, which always has been controversial in our league.”<br />
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The NCAA requires a conference to have 12 teams to conduct a league title game. The Big 12 could petition the NCAA to still play the title game with 10 schools, but Beebe said there is no interest in doing so from its members.<br />
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“There is a lot of excitement about positioning ourselves as a true conference, where everybody plays all the other schools for a true champion in a round-robin schedule,” Beebe said.<br />
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It’s debatable whether Big 12 coaches will miss the game.<br />
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“If we are undefeated and racing for the national championship, no, I won’t miss it,” Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops said. “If we are out of the national championship picture, then it is pretty neat and special to have that game. Does that make sense?”<br />
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The ACC has no plans to end its league title game, though it hasn’t been well-received since its inception in 2005.<br />
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“I am not really sure [why the event hasn’t caught on],” Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said. “Maybe fans felt like it was hard to travel to Florida for the ACC title game, and then head back to Florida for a bowl. Some fans may have felt stretched to make both [trips].”<br />
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The event was held the first three seasons in Jacksonville, then moved to Tampa for the past two seasons. Regardless of location, attendance for the most part has been spotty. The attendance in Tampa was especially abysmal, with 27,360 attending in 2008 and 42,815 in ’09. Rishe said the ACC’s game might be “a poster child” for proof that title games aren’t a guaranteed success.<br />
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“The first year, we had excellent attendance [72,749 for Florida State-Virginia Tech],” ACC commissioner John Swofford said. “Then with some of the matchups we have had from a geographic standpoint, we didn’t have a lot of alums from that regard. What we have to do as a conference is find the right mix that makes that game successful year in and year out, regardless of what teams are there.”<br />
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The ACC game moves to Charlotte this season. The league hopes the more central location will help attendance.<br />
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“We thought all along it would be a positive move,” Swofford said. “And all indications are is that it will be. We are closing in on a sellout. Charlotte is a high-energy city, and the stadium is right downtown and it is the geographic center of our league. Eight of our schools are within 300 miles, so it is a relatively easy drive for a lot of our fans. There are just a lot of pluses there as our game evolves and develops.”<br />
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If the new location isn’t a panacea, Swofford may consider proposing the ACC title game follow the lead of the Pac-12 and play on the campus of the team with the best regular-season record.<br />
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“We have considered it some in the past,” Swofford said. “Larry [Scott] at one of our meetings took me aside and asked me our thinking. I told him I would suggest they give that [playing on campus] serious consideration.<br />
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“Geographically, the Pac-10 and ACC are somewhat alike. You have to take that into consideration. I think that is a very reasonable decision by the Pac-10 to give that a try. And we will keep an eye on that, as well, in case Charlotte is not the success we think it will be.”<br />
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While the Big 12 is abandoning its event, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the league re-expands in the future and reinstates the title game to get back in line with the Big Ten, SEC, Pac-12 and ACC, leaving only the Big East among the “Big Six” conferences that doesn’t conduct a league championship game. In fact, there could be a day when all six major conferences are conducting league title games. Could that lead to the beginnings of a playoff?<br />
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“Some people who are into structure look at it that way,” Delany said. “We pushed hard to get the Rose Bowl in the BCS in ’97 and ’98. Keep the Rose Bowl healthy and alive, and grow it, improve and enhance the bowl system.<br />
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“If the Rose Bowl is healthy, that would make the establishment of a NFL-style playoff more difficult. I don’t see our expansion to a championship as anything other than a move intended to strengthen the Rose Bowl and the conference’s regular season. It’s the same objectives we had when we went into the BCS. It’s really not tied to a football playoff.”<br />
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The conference title games may be the next-best thing, at least for now.<br />
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Tom Dienhart is a national senior writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at dienhart@yahoo-inc.com, and you can click here to follow him on Twitter.madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-89743971321541197502010-12-01T06:46:00.000-08:002010-12-01T06:46:01.871-08:00Adelaide groundstaff pathetic, says PietersenSYDNEY, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Batsman Kevin Pietersen labelled groundstaff at Australia's Adelaide Oval "pathetic" after England's practice session was forced indoors due to rain just two days before the start of the second Ashes test.<br />
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The former captain was unhappy that the nets were uncovered for a period during afternoon showers on Wednesday and vented his frustration on his Twitter account (www.twitter.com/kevinpp24).<br />
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"What should a groundsman make sure he does two days out from a test match?," he said to his 94,000 followers in his first tweet. "Cover the nets when it rains maybe?"<a name='more'></a><br />
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He ended with: "PATHETIC!"<br />
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Pietersen was fined by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in September for using the social networking Website to announce he had been dropped from the team for the first time in his career.<br />
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Earlier on Wednesday, Australia were able to complete their nets session in the open air.<br />
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Under pressure fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus, who took one wicket between them in the drawn opening test, watched from the sidelines as possible replacements Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris impressed.<br />
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Vice captain Michael Clarke gave Bollinger and Harris a vote of confidence.<br />
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"They're both class acts, no doubt," Clarke told reporters. "They've both had success in international cricket, whether that be one day or tests.<br />
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"They're both looking forward to an opportunity, and the selectors have obviously got a tough job."<br />
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Johnson was heavily criticised by Australian media for his wicketless performance in Brisbane, where he conceded 170 runs, and his place looks most at threat.<br />
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However, with Australia taking just one English wicket in two days of toil in the field only paceman Peter Siddle, who took a hat-trick and 6-54 in the first innings, can consider his place safe.<br />
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"We've got a pretty good squad, we've got five fast bowlers to choose from plus Watto (Shane Watson) and a couple of spinners, Xavier (Doherty) and (Marcus) North, Katto (Simon Katich) and maybe a couple of part-timers," Clarke said.<br />
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"We're confident we can get the right 11 and take 20 wickets out there."<br />
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Clarke spent a long time in the nets on Wednesday, proving his fitness after back trouble. He also worked on his batting with skipper Ricky Ponting after scoring a disappointing nine runs at the Gabba.<br />
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"I was getting him (Ponting) to throw me a few balls and get him to have a look and see what his thoughts were," Clarke said.<br />
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"He was just mentioning that I was a bit low in my stance, so I just tried to stand a little bit taller and see if it worked.<br />
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"I felt a little bit better, if you saw my net session I struggled at the start there and felt like it got better throughout a pretty long net session so that was good." (Reporting by Patrick Johnston in Singapore; Editing by Peter Rutherford; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-54144368723622886322010-12-01T06:24:00.000-08:002010-12-01T06:24:15.161-08:00Patriots offensive line jelling in time for JetsFOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP)—Tom Brady(notes) found himself in a strange position—on the ground after being sacked.<br />
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It took an unusual defensive alignment to do it.<br />
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On the first series of the New England Patriots’ game on Thanksgiving, Detroit Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh(notes) raced in from the middle linebacker position and pulled down the star quarterback who rarely has been tackled, hurried or knocked down in the past month.<br />
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“If we give him time,” Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins(notes) said, “there’s nothing he can’t do.”<a name='more'></a><br />
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In the last five games, Brady has been sacked just three times while throwing 12 touchdown passes and no interceptions. That’s a drastic turnaround from a three-game stretch in which he was sacked 10 times.<br />
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On Monday night, the Patriots veteran offensive line must face a New York Jets defense that is showing improvement in pressuring the quarterback. With three sacks in Thursday’s 26-10 win over Cincinnati, they have nine in four games and at least one in each game this season. Led by Jason Taylor’s(notes) four sacks, New York has 11 players with at least one.<br />
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So trouble could come from anywhere when the teams who share the AFC East lead with an NFL-best 9-2 record renew their rivalry.<br />
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But the Patriots front five, plus blocking tight end Alge Crumpler(notes), have spent the season improving in the face of personnel changes.<br />
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Mankins missed all of training camp and the first seven games in a contract dispute. Nick Kaczur(notes), set to take his place at left guard, didn’t play at all before going on season-ending injured reserve with a back injury on Oct. 12. Right guard Stephen Neal(notes) has missed the last three games with a shoulder injury. Dan Connolly(notes), who had started in place of Mankins, shifted sides to take Neal’s spot.<br />
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“Everybody’s excited for Logan to be back,” Crumpler said. “He’s a good piece of our offense. He’s come in and played extremely well in the time that he’s been back.”<br />
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Brady has been sacked just 16 times in 11 games, a pace of 23.3 for the season. That follows an outstanding 2009 season in which he was sacked a career-low 16 times. That protection has allowed Brady to stay healthy. Keep in mind, he missed all of the 2008 season after being hit by Kansas City’s Bernard Pollard(notes) in the opener.<br />
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But it takes more than just five 300-pounders holding off strong defenders to keep the franchise quarterback upright.<br />
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“As usual, it comes down to the entire team,” coach Bill Belichick said. “The passing game—part of it is protection, part of it is getting open, part of it is the quarterback seeing the ball and seeing the coverage and seeing the matchups and all those. It all has to fit together.”<br />
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Even running back Danny Woodhead(notes), a shade under 5-foot-8, has kept pass rushers off Brady.<br />
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“You’ve got to take the advice of your coaches and go out there and do the best you can,” Woodhead said, “whatever it may be.”<br />
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The line also has helped the running game with BenJarvus Green-Ellis(notes) and Woodhead hitting holes then shifting to avoid pursuing linebackers and defensive backs.<br />
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“We run the ball well when we have to, especially late in the ballgames,” Crumpler said, “and that’s been really critical for us in terms of our second-half play.”<br />
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In their last three wins, the Patriots have gone into the fourth quarter with leads of 21-10, 23-3 and 28-14. By running the ball, they’ve been able to control the clock and limit the chances of opposing offenses.<br />
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“It’s been tough having Steve out of there, but Logan’s played well,” Belichick said, “Dan’s played well. I think the line has done a good job.”<br />
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Crumpler, a 275-pound, 10-year veteran added before this season, has made it even better.<br />
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“Alge’s a big, physical player that’s able to hold up against defensive lineman, which is a challenge for tight ends, and also block the more athletic, skill players—linebackers and, occasionally, the safeties,” Belichick said. Tight ends “can be blocking anybody from a 350-pound nose tackle on a wham play to a 195-pound defensive back on an outside run.”<br />
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Dante Scarnecchia is also a big reason the line has played so well for so long.<br />
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As offensive line coach since 1999, he was there in 2001, when left tackle Matt Light(notes) was drafted in the second round and Neal was signed as a free agent. He was there in 2003, when center Dan Koppen(notes) was picked in the fifth round. He was there in 2005, when Mankins was chosen in the first round. He was there in 2008, when Connolly joined the team as a free agent, and finally, he was there last year when right tackle Sebastian Vollmer(notes) was drafted in the second round.<br />
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“Dante does a good job with details, a lot of fine coaching points, fundamentals,” Belichick said. “He really teaches the guys how to block from step one and how to handle all the different schemes that we have and also that we have to see from other teams.<br />
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“Players work hard. They work together. The offensive line is really a combination of the coach and all the players and the quarterback seeing the same thing at the same time. That’s not easy to do, but that’s what it takes.”madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-83644057451743528762010-12-01T06:17:00.000-08:002010-12-01T06:17:34.729-08:00Chargers deny report that AEG is buying a stakeSAN DIEGO (AP)—An attorney for the San Diego Chargers denied a report by a Toronto radio station that billionaire Philip Anschutz will buy 35 percent of Southern California’s only NFL team.<br />
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The report Tuesday immediately elevated speculation that the Chargers could be headed to Los Angeles. Sports and entertainment powerhouse Anschutz Entertainment Group has proposed building an NFL stadium in downtown Los Angeles, but it is only at the conceptual stage.<br />
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The Chargers recently announced that owner Alex Spanos is looking to sell a minority stake to help with estate planning. The 87-year-old Spanos, a billionaire developer who lives in Stockton, revealed two years ago that he suffers from dementia.<br />
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“There is no truth to the rumor out of Toronto that the Chargers have agreed to sell a portion of the team to Mr. Anschutz,” Chargers attorney Mark Fabiani said in a statement late Tuesday night.<br />
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The Fan 590 reported Tuesday that Anschutz “has or will purchase” 35 percent of the Chargers.<br />
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AEG officials weren’t available for comment.<br />
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“At this moment, no sale of the minority interest in the team is imminent,” Fabiani said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. “And if a sale is made, it would be made public and the new owner would be required to go through the NFL approval process.”<br />
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The Chargers have long been rumored as a possible tenant if a new stadium is built in Los Angeles. The team began play in 1960 as the Los Angeles Chargers of the AFL. After attracting small crowds at the Coliseum, it moved to San Diego prior to the 1961 season.<br />
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The Chargers have been trying to get a new stadium built in San Diego County since 2002.<br />
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The team is currently exploring options to build a $750 million stadium on a downtown parcel east of Petco Park, the home of the San Diego Padres. That site has been described as the last, best chance for the team to build a replacement for aging Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley. The Chargers could eventually seek hundreds of millions of dollars in public assistance.<br />
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Spanos and his wife, Faye, own 36 percent of the team. Their four children each own 15 percent. Dean Spanos is the team’s president. Two minority owners own the other 4 percent. Fabiani has said the Spanos family will continue to hold a controlling majority stake.<br />
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Between Feb. 1 and April 30 of each year through 2020, the Chargers can announce their intentions to leave if they pay off the bonds used to expand Qualcomm in 1997. That figure is currently around $26 million.madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-57887814492724510422010-12-01T06:15:00.000-08:002010-12-01T06:15:09.466-08:00Tulowitzki gets $157.75 million, 10-year dealNEW YORK (AP)—As the Yankees resumed contract talks with Derek Jeter(notes), another All-Star shortstop finalized a huge deal.<br />
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Troy Tulowitzki(notes) tore up his current agreement with the Colorado Rockies and agreed Tuesday to a 10-year contract worth $157.75 million—the eighth-biggest deal in baseball history.<br />
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“I’m really lucky,” Tulowitzki said. “I can’t wait to be here my entire career.”<br />
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His previous contract had three years and $25.75 million in guaranteed money remaining, meaning the new deal added $132 million and seven seasons. Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement prohibits extensions, forcing the sides to sign a new contract.<br />
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Tulowitzki wanted to emulate his idol, Baltimore’s Cal Ripken Jr., who played in just one city, and not his mentor, St. Louis slugger Matt Holliday(notes), whose departure from Denver a couple of years ago after 11 years with the Rockies deeply affected him.<br />
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“I didn’t want that to happen to me,” Tulowitzki said. “I wanted to stay here for my career and not deal with all the other stuff. I’m sure he’s in a great place now and I know he’s happy but at the same time, this is where I want to be.”<br />
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Tulowitzki’s contract trails two of Alex Rodriguez’s(notes) deals ($275 million and $252 million) and agreements for Jeter ($189 million), Joe Mauer(notes) ($184 million), Mark Teixeira(notes) ($180 million), CC Sabathia(notes) ($161 million) and Manny Ramirez(notes) ($160 million).<br />
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Jeter and the Yankees hadn’t met for three weeks before Tuesday’s session, which was divulged by a baseball official familiar with the discussion. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the team and agent Casey Close didn’t make any announcements.<br />
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“I feel confident that Derek will remain with the Yankees, and my brother does, as well,” Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said, without confirming the meeting took place.<br />
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New York offered Jeter a $45 million, three-year contract at the start of the negotiations. Going into Tuesday, Jeter had not yet made a formal proposal.<br />
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Before Tuesday, Close had suggested a contract averaging about $23 million for four or five seasons, the baseball official said, but the numbers were suggested loosely by Close and should not be interpreted as a precise request.<br />
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“We want to keep him. He’s very important,” Steinbrenner said. “I certainly hope he remains with us and he certainly should.”<br />
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In other moves, two right-handed relievers came off the free-agent market when they agreed to salary arbitration: Frank Francisco(notes) with the Texas Rangers and Jason Frasor(notes) with the Toronto Blue Jays. Teams offered arbitration to 33 free agents last week, but the rest declined.<br />
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After finalizing a $21 million, three-year contract with infielder Juan Uribe(notes), the Los Angeles Dodgers also traded infielder Ryan Theriot(notes) to the St. Louis Cardinals for reliever Blake Hawksworth(notes).<br />
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San Francisco found its new shortstop, reaching a preliminary agreement with Miguel Tejada(notes) on a $6.5 million, one-year contract. The deal is pending a physical.<br />
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Houston agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract with catcher Humberto Quintero(notes), and Texas gave Japanese right-hander Yoshinori Tateyama a one-year contract that includes club options for 2012 and 2013.<br />
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AP Sports Writers Greg Beacham, R.B. Fallstrom, Janie McCauley and Arnie Stapleton, and Associated Press writer Dionisio Soldevila contributed to this report.madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-43446731893130278682010-12-01T06:13:00.000-08:002010-12-01T06:13:45.568-08:00Willes: Character of B.C. players decisive factor for BuonoWally Buono's nickname within the B.C. Lions is The Riddler and, while you wonder if anyone has the stones to call him that to his face, there were moments during Tuesday's presser when he lived up to his moniker.<br />
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A question, for example, was asked about the decision Buono faces with his kickers, Paul McCallum and Sean Whyte. He paused for a moment, then formulated an answer which started in Fort Langley, turned left at Surrey, crossed the Fraser into Burnaby, doubled back to Coquitlam and ended up at Science World.<a name='more'></a><br />
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Here was the gist of the answer. We have two kickers. One's young. One's old. Tough one.<br />
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It just took about 48 minutes to get there.<br />
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But later, during a wildly revealing session, Buono explained his decision to return as the Leos' head coach and this time he was as clear and direct as he's been in his eight years here. The 60-year-old CFL institution admitted he had several dark nights of the soul this season, particularly during his team's crushing start, but ever time he considered quitting, he kept coming back to the same place.<br />
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Buono might have been ready to pack it in. But, the team wasn't. Virtually every week they'd go out, get kicked in the groin, then stumble back to Surrey. And every week they'd return to practice as if they were 7-1, not 1-7.<br />
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At first Buono was confused by this. Then he began to realize that these kids – the Steven Blacks, the Solomon Elimimians, the Travis Lulays, the Jovan Olafioyes – weren't trying to impress him.<br />
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This is who they are.<br />
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That's also when Buono decided he had to stick around. That's when he knew he had to stick around.<br />
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“I couldn't figure out why they stuck together,” Buono said. “Then I figured out, these are good character people who want to get better and want to become a good football team. There was no other reason. It was too hard. There were too many gut-wrenching losses.<br />
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“If I'm not the head coach, all these guys have to re-adjust. Believe me, you guys see me. I don't do s—-t here. I blow the whistle. But, at least there's a consistency when they come back.”<br />
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And they have hope which, considering everything the Lions endured this past season, is an impressive accomplishment..<br />
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Buono's return, of course, had been predicted by the soothsayers in the final stages of the regular season so Tuesday's announcement didn't exactly register as a surprise. But a couple of the other things the coach said certainly did.<br />
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For starters, he took full blame for some of the personnel decisions which crippled the Lions at the start of the season.<br />
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“Casey (Printers) was a failure,” he said. “He didn't work out. That way my fault. I'm not blaming anyone but myself.”<br />
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He also copped to a some other miscalculations and when the future of some of his coaches was raised, specifically offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelain, Buono put on The Riddler's tights again.<br />
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But, mostly, he spoke about his affection for his team and, when you think about it, it's a pretty cool story. Buono has been in this game as long as the rouge. During that time, he's never been mistaken for Alan Alda on the sensitivity meter.<br />
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But there was something about these kids – their drive, their passion, their resiliency – that got to him.<br />
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OK, the thought of delivering a Grey Cup champion to David Braley at the new B.C. Place in 2011 factors into his decision and Buono's ego would tell him he's just the man for that job.<br />
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But there's something deeper to this; something that transcends championships and individual glory, and you just had to listen to Buono to understand that..<br />
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“In Italian they use the term testa dura,” said Buono. “I'm a hard head.<br />
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“But when you see Solomon Elimimian (at the outstanding player awards during Grey Cup week) how can you next get excited? Maybe I'm learning to be less of a coach and more of a mentor.<br />
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“I've been accused of being distant and cold. Maybe that's changed.”<br />
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We'll remind him of that if this team gets off to another 1-7 start in 2011. In the meantime, Buono is back and you can't help but share in his excitement.madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-31880199022527710472010-12-01T06:11:00.002-08:002010-12-01T06:11:53.832-08:00Why America’s World Cup could runneth over in 2022Considering what happened the last time the United States led with its chin trying to land a global sporting event, some people might be dismayed to see it sticking it out there again.<br />
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Hold on. There are still some very good reasons why a nation’s reach should exceed it’s grasp on occasion—even if, in this case, we’re talking about feet.<br />
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Americans love winners, no matter the game, and unlike the coffee klatch that laughed off Chicago’s bid and awarded the 2016 Summer Olympics to Rio a year ago, this one isn’t a done deal. The U.S. bid committee hoping to bring the 2022 World Cup to these shores actually has a chance.<a name='more'></a><br />
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For one thing, the bunglers who were running the U.S. Olympic Committee then won’t be anywhere near Zurich, Switzerland, come Thursday, when soccer’s governing body—known by its acronym, FIFA—announces the host nations for both the 2018 and 2022 cups. And for another, the committee has restocked the top of its lineup, replacing suddenly not-so-popular Barack Obama with Bill Clinton, everybody’s favorite ex-president, and Oprah with actor Morgan Freeman.<br />
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(Brilliant bit of casting, that last one, the English might say—if they weren’t so busy sorting out headaches of their own trying to lock up the 2018 cup. After all, FIFA executives were so smitten by Nelson Mandela nearly a decade ago that they shed all their misgivings and awarded South Africa this past summer’s World Cup; given Freeman’s striking resemblance—he played Mandela in the movie “Invictus”—some of those same voters just might think Mandela is throwing his weight behind the U.S. bid this time around. But we digress.)<br />
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More than a few handicappers have made the United States the favorite, ahead of Qatar, Australia, South Korea and Japan. That’s because the stadiums, hotels and infrastructure are already in place if the tournament kicked off tomorrow, and the only time the United States played host, in 1994, the games were best-attended ever.<br />
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Besides, Qatar is too hot in the summer, Australia is in a tough time zone for too many fans and while South Korea and Japan co-hosted the cup in 2002— and each could pull it off separately in 2022—there’s already a groundswell building to make sure Asia’s next slot goes to China, likely in 2026.<br />
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Because FIFA’s politics are so Byzantine, and a few of its voting members still just crooked enough, it’s impossible for anyone but blood relatives to make an accurate assessment. So for the sake of argument, let’s assume the United States can win and move on to the only other important question:<br />
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Do we really want to win the bid?<br />
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Clinton’s answer, in an editorial for Sports Illustrated that’s well worth the read, was a resounding “yes.” You’d expect as much, since he’s also leading the charm offensive as honorary chairman of the bid committee.<br />
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But he’s got some good reasons, among them a commitment to stage the “greenest” cup ever, a goal that could spur U.S. efforts to master the emerging technologies likely to provide energy and jobs in the future. Granted, it’s not as ennobling a mission as going to the moon, but it’s a start.<br />
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For Major League Soccer, which got its foothold as a result of the 1994 cup, it’s a chance to leverage interest in the sport and the national team into better sponsorship and TV deals as well as better players. For the dozen cities whose stadiums make the final cut, it’s a stimulus program.<br />
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Strictly from a sports standpoint, it means drawing a line in the sand for American soccer.<br />
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Almost everything about the game here has grown dramatically these last two decades. There are four million registered youth players and a fan base that is more diverse, much more sophisticated and now 90 million strong. Deep-pocketed sponsors like Nike and Adidas have poured millions into player development at every level.<br />
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Yet progress on the field has only come in fits and starts. The United States always had world-class goalkeepers, because the skill-set is familiar. And because the most promising players now routinely go overseas to hone their craft, there’s finally a pool of qualified defenders and midfielders for U.S. coach Bob Bradley to draw from.<br />
<br />
But after all this investment of time and money, and with all due respect to Landon Donovan, the United States still hasn’t come up with even one game-changer. And in a game where goals are as precious as diamonds, there’s little chance of ever winning it all without one.<br />
<br />
A soccer writer years ago summed up the appeal of the world’s most-watched tournament this way: “There is no greater drama in sports than watching a soccer team try to validate its national character in the World Cup.”<br />
<br />
For a nation of 300 million still clinging to the founding myth of rugged individualism, that shouldn’t be too tall of an order. Especially with a dozen years to get ready.<br />
<br />
Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.orgmadonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-90820852305067173722010-12-01T06:11:00.000-08:002010-12-01T06:11:03.481-08:00the Washington Huskies that C.J.It’s been no secret among the Washington Huskies that C.J. Wilcox has an uncanny shooting touch.<br />
<br />
He’s been called the best shooter on the team, and displayed that Tuesday night with a career-high 20 points in the Huskies’ 102-75 victory over Long Beach State at Hec Edmundson Pavilion.<br />
<br />
Wilcox, a redshirt freshman, led all scorers and dazzled the home crowd with his long-range shooting. He finished with six of the Huskies’ 14 3-pointers on the night and was 7 of 9 from the field overall.<a name='more'></a><br />
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“He is one of the best shooters I’ve ever played with or against,” teammate Isaiah Thomas said.<br />
<br />
Wilcox’s oncourt success can be traced back to his days growing up in Pleasant Grove, Utah.<br />
<br />
He developed his shot at an early age with guidance from a father who played college basketball for BYU. Since the fifth grade, Wilcox said he would take around “a thousand shots a day,” working on perfecting his shooting form.<br />
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Last year when he arrived on campus at Washington, Wilcox encountered difficulty adjusting to the college game and decided it would be best to redshirt.<br />
<br />
That decision appears to be paying off as Wilcox has quickly developed into a key contributor for the Huskies this season, and is making a strong impression on his teammates and coach Lorenzo Romar.<br />
<br />
“He has one of the nicest jump shots and gets his feet set as well as anyone I have seen,” Romar said.<br />
<br />
Romar compared Wilcox’s shooting style to Celtics guard Ray Allen.<br />
<br />
“He works really hard,” Romar said. “His dad did a phenomenal job with him teaching him the fundamentals of shooting.”<br />
<br />
Thomas joked that if he had Wilcox’s shooting ability, he wouldn’t stop shooting.<br />
<br />
After playing only three minutes in a loss to Michigan State, Wilcox has shown his resilience by being able to bounce back with a big performance.<br />
<br />
After his break-out game Tuesday night, and the amount of praise from his teammates and head coach, it is becoming clear why the Huskies are excited about the future of Wilcox.madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-82932258912267410132010-12-01T06:09:00.001-08:002010-12-01T06:09:50.499-08:00Clarke works hard ahead of 2nd Ashes testADELAIDE, Australia (AP)—Michael Clarke’s industriousness and Mitchell Johnson’s absence were revealing aspects of the Australian cricket team’s preparations Wednesday for the second Ashes cricket test against England.<br />
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Clarke, who has been struggling with both injury and form, batted longer in the nets than the rest of Australia’s batsmen combined, taking throw-downs and advice from coach Tim Nielsen and captain Ricky Ponting.<br />
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At the end of the session he declared himself fit for the test which starts Friday and said his laborious innings of 9 from 50 balls in the first test at Brisbane was due to tight bowling and not a back injury.<br />
<br />
Fast bowlers Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus, whose places in the Australian team are under siege, did not bowl Wednesday while selection rivals Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris went through vigorous sessions.<br />
<br />
Ponting worked intensely with his vice-captain in the nets, advising Clarke to try a more upright batting stance.<br />
<br />
“I was just working on a few things and obviously Punter’s (Ponting) seen me bat for a long time now through my career and picks things up at training,” Clarke said. “So I was getting him to throw me a few balls and get him to have a look and see what his thoughts were.”<br />
<br />
Clarke said he adjusted his stance and was happy with the results.<br />
<br />
“I felt a little bit better, if you saw my net session I struggled at the start there and felt like it got better throughout a pretty long net session, so that was good,” he said.<br />
<br />
Clarke said Johnson had decided not to bowl Wednesday to freshen himself for the second test. He backed the left-armer to bounce back to form after a poor first test in which he finished with figures of 0-170. Australia was in a commanding position in the series-opening test at Brisbane with a 221-run first-innings lead, but the bowling attack failed to make any inroads into England’s second innings as the tourists amassed 517-1 to save the match. Johnson, who also dropped a catch, drew the ire of many frustrated Australian fans in the wake of the drawn first match.<br />
<br />
“Mitch is fine. He’s had a bat today. Again he wasn’t bowling today, in preparation for the test, to allow his body to have a bit of a rest,” Clarke said. “All of us face criticism throughout our career, sometimes more often than not, especially when you’re not scoring as many runs or taking as many wickets as you’d like. But he’s faced it before; I’m sure he’ll face it again.”<br />
<br />
Clarke said Johnson was after another opportunity at Adelaide.<br />
<br />
“If he gets his chance, I’m sure he’ll grab it with both hands,” Clarke said.<br />
<br />
England’s South African-born batsman Kevin Pietersen complained that the practice wickets got wet because they were uncovered when it rained, writing to his Twitter account that it was “PATHETIC!!!!!!!” that his time in the nets had to be restricted as a result.<br />
<br />
But curators at the Adelaide Oval said getting the covers over the main wicket square was the priority when a thunderstorm swept across the ground in the early afternoon and promised the wicket and the nets would be in a decent shape on Thursday.<br />
<br />
Clarke expected the pitch to be in a good shape for the match, and expected the Australian bowlers to take advantage of the conditions in the second test.<br />
<br />
“We’re confident we can get the right XI and take 20 wickets out there,” he said.madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-51874443127165060612010-12-01T06:08:00.001-08:002010-12-01T06:08:03.835-08:00On the Matt: Early basketball surprisesGoldandGreenNews.com<br />
<br />
Though Colorado State may be only three games into the 2010-11 basketball season, there have been quite a few surprises from the Rams thus far. This week On the Matt, I take a look at all the things the Rams have done in their two wins and lone loss that most people didn't expect.<br />
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And make sure to check GoldandGreenNews.com tonight for discussion CSU's game against Drake to tip off the MWC/MVC Challenge.<br />
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<br />
Dominance in the post<br />
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We all knew heading into the season that Travis Franklin and Andy Ogide would be the two key players for CSU, but I don't think anyone expected each to be averaging 18 points per game three games into the year.<br />
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Franklin leads the Rams with 18.7 ppg, while also bringing down over 5 rebounds per contest. Ogide is also standing out on the glass with 6.7 rebounds per game.<br />
<br />
For the past two games, Franklin has broken 20 points, thanks in large part to an increased ability to maneuver through defenders he lacked a year ago along with doing a better job at the free throw line shooting 70 percent.<br />
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Junior college transfer Will Bell has also been a nice surprise, providing a solid backup at the power forward spot. Now, if only Trevor Williams could step things up.<br />
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Field goal percentage<br />
<br />
Believe it or not, CSU ranks No. 7 in the country in field goal percentage. Not too shabby, eh?<br />
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Franklin, Ogide, Pierce Hornung and Dwight Smith are all shooting over 70 percent from the field and the Rams as a whole are at .521 on the season. On top of that. Bell, Dorian Green and Jesse Carr are all over 42 percent.<br />
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I know it's still early in the year, but if you look at the 2009-10 season for CSU, the Rams finished the year at 43 percent from the floor.<br />
<br />
Keep it up and maybe Andy Katz's thoughts on the Rams making the NCAA Tournament might not be so far-fetched.<br />
<br />
High scoring<br />
<br />
The Rams only scored 77 points in five games last season. Three games into 2010-11 and CSU has done that in all match ups.<br />
<br />
As of this morning, CSU ranks No. 35 in the country in average points per game and the Rams are out scoring opponents by a total of 31 points.<br />
<br />
Eikmeier's struggles<br />
<br />
It was assumed that sophomore guard Wes Eikmeier, a transfer from Iowa State, would be that key component to the CSU basketball team to help balance guard and post play. However, it's been a tough start for the Nebraska native.<br />
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Eikmeier, who has started all three games for the Rams, has the lowest shooting percentage amongst starters at .273 and his three-point shooting hasn't been exactly up to par, making only 4 of 14 attempts.<br />
<br />
I think he'll bounce back alright, but maybe starting Carr or Adam Nigon against Drake could help ease some nerves and get Eikmeier back in rhythm coming off the bench.madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-23566156569141607082010-12-01T06:03:00.001-08:002010-12-01T06:03:30.107-08:00West Indies 45-1 v Sri Lanka - lunchKANDY, Sri Lanka, Dec 1 (Reuters) - West Indies were 45 <br />
for one wicket at lunch on the first day of the third and <br />
final test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. <br />
<br />
Scores: West Indies 45-1 v Sri Lanka <br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
(Editing by John O'Brien; To comment on this story email <br />
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-35302158184837181342010-12-01T06:02:00.001-08:002010-12-01T06:02:27.713-08:00Troy Tulowitzki: Signs Big ExtensionUpdate: Tulowitzki signed a seven-year, $134 million contract extension with the Rockies on Tuesday that will carry through the 2020 season, the Denver Post reports.<br />
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Recommendation: Tulowitzki is already the face of the franchise, and this deal cements his future as the centerpiece of the organization. Despite missing 33 games last season, the man known as Tulo hit .315 with 27 homers and 95 RBI.<br />
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RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.commadonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-89083677924178594372010-12-01T06:01:00.001-08:002010-12-01T06:01:35.738-08:00Ryan Theriot: Traded to the CardinalsUpdate: Theriot has been traded to the Cardinals for Blake Hawksworth(notes), Ken Gurnick from MLB.com reports.<br />
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Recommendation: The Cardinals have talked about wanting to improve the offense they got from their middle infield, so this should be viewed in that light. But is Theriot really that much of an improvement? He has a career .354 OBP, but the last time he was at that level or above was in 2008. Meanwhile, his range had diminished enough at shortstop for him to get displaced by Starlin Castro(notes) last summer. He’ll probably split time between second and shortstop for the Card<a name='more'></a><br />
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RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.commadonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-43819295978674865382010-12-01T06:00:00.001-08:002010-12-01T06:00:27.078-08:00Miguel Tejada: Agrees to Join GiantsUpdate: Tejada agreed to a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Giants on Tuesday, ESPN Deportes’ Enrique Rojas reports. The deal also includes roughly $500,000 performance incentives.<br />
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Recommendation: The Giants are counting on Tejada to help fill the void left by the departure of Juan Uribe(notes) and (likely) Edgar Renteria(notes). He had some nice moments down the stretch for the Padres last season, but finished the year hitting just .269/.308/.362 and has some obvious defensive deficiencies at this stage in his career.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.commadonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-29764062919698353782010-12-01T05:59:00.000-08:002010-12-01T05:59:18.769-08:00Orlando Hudson: Declines ArbitrationUpdate: Hudson declined abritration from the Twins, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.<br />
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Recommendation: He’ll be a Type B free agent, which may help him find a team earlier than the last two winters when his Type A status kept some teams away. In a thin middle infield free agent market, he could find several suitors this time around.<a name='more'></a>madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-57654109574150513992010-12-01T05:58:00.003-08:002010-12-01T05:58:14.877-08:00Owen Daniels: Status for Thursday UnclearDaniels (hamstring) did not practice Tuesday, the team’s official site reports.<br />
<br />
Recommendation: Though coach Gary Kubiak has left Daniels’ playing status open-ended for Thursday, it seems unlikely at this point after missing two days of practice in a short week. Still, check back later to be absolutely sure.<a name='more'></a>madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-60588935741708858082010-12-01T05:58:00.001-08:002010-12-01T05:58:14.433-08:00Owen Daniels: Status for Thursday UnclearDaniels (hamstring) did not practice Tuesday, the team’s official site reports.<br />
<br />
Recommendation: Though coach Gary Kubiak has left Daniels’ playing status open-ended for Thursday, it seems unlikely at this point after missing two days of practice in a short week. Still, check back later to be absolutely sure.<a name='more'></a>madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-18905511371361600372010-12-01T05:55:00.001-08:002010-12-01T05:55:40.510-08:00Jahvid Best: Misses PracticeUpdate: Best (toe) did not practice Tuesday, the Detroit Free Press reports.<br />
<br />
Recommendation: Best did not touch the ball in last week’s loss to the Patriots and had just three carries at Dallas the week prior. His turf toe is clearly bothering him, and even if he’s active again this week, we expect to see a heavy dose of Maurice Morris(notes), Aaron Brown or both.<a name='more'></a>madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3750851344911885965.post-20192637264598404052010-11-22T21:18:00.000-08:002010-11-22T21:20:00.428-08:00Cincinnati's Joey Votto easily wins NL MVP awardNEW YORK (AP) -- Joey Votto and Albert Pujols had a long conversation behind the batting cage before a game a few years ago.<br /><br />"There's something about a star player of that magnitude kind of pulling you in and saying, it's OK, we can talk, don't be a rookie right now, we're going to talk like men," Votto said. "I think he made me feel comfortable and a little more confident."<a name='more'></a><br /><br />Lesson learned.<br /><br />Votto was overwhelmingly elected the National League's Most Valuable Player on Monday, ending the Pujols' two-year reign.<br /><br />A first baseman who helped the Reds reach the postseason for the first time in 15 years, Votto received 31 of 32 first-place votes and 443 points in voting announced by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.<br /><br />Pujols, the St. Louis Cardinals' first baseman, was second with the remaining first-place vote, from Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and 279 points after winning the award in 2005, 2008 and 2009.<br /><br />"I tried to keep my head down for almost a year there, and it was nice to speak to somebody who's been there and done that when it comes to everything," Votto said. "For him to give me time of the day and to talk about defensive stuff and ways to improve my game was very generous of him, and he certainly didn't have to do that."<br /><br />Votto was a first-time All-Star, finishing second in the NL in batting average at .324 and third in homers (37) and RBIs (113). He led the NL in slugging percentage (.600), topped the major leagues in on-base percentage (.424) and had 16 stolen bases in 21 chances.<br /><br />Pujols batted .312 and led the NL in homers (42) and RBIs (118).<br /><br />"After the season, when I looked at my numbers and at Albert's numbers, I thought: 'Holy cow! He's beaten me in a lot of them,'" Votto said. "He beat me in runs, he beat me in RBIs, home runs, I think a couple others. I beat him in a few of the qualitative stats.<br /><br />"I don't know - I think it was a tossup. I think that it was as close as it can get. I'm not going to go on a limb and say, 'Oh, yeah, I played a heck of a lot better than him because I beat him in batting average, but we all know that batting average is kind of an overrated statistic.'"<br /><br />The NL Central standings probably were the difference.<br /><br />"Most importantly, we won," Votto said.<br /><br />Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez was third with 240 points after winning the NL batting title with a .336 average. San Diego's Adrian Gonzalez (197) was fourth, followed by Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki (132) and Philadelphia pitcher Roy Halladay (130),<br /><br />Balloting was completed before Votto went 1 for 10 with one RBI and Philadelphia swept the Reds in the first round of the playoffs.<br /><br />Now 27, Votto didn't become a major league regular until two years ago. Following the death of his father in August 2008, he went on the disabled list and missed 21 games the following year partly because of depression and anxiety.<br /><br />"I had a really, really difficult time I guess getting over the death of my father," Votto said. "It's still difficult for me sometimes now. It's hard when you lose someone in your life that means so much. It was a difficult 2009 and quite a bit less difficult in 2010, and I think that was definitely a big reason why I was able to stay on the ballfield every day and succeed and make progress and feel better about life."<br /><br />Votto earned the final spot on the NL All-Star roster by beating out Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, Carlos Gonzalez and Atlanta closer Billy Wagner in fan voting.<br /><br />"I got there and I saw my peers," Votto said. "I saw the A-Rods and the Pujolses and the Jeters. And I thought, 'Well, I just got 14 million votes for the fan voting and I'm still the small fish in the big pond.'"<br /><br />He joined Ernie Lombardi (1938), Bucky Walters (1939), Frank McCormick (1940), Frank Robinson (1961), Johnny Bench (1970, 1972), Pete Rose (1973), Joe Morgan (1975-76), George Foster (1977) and Barry Larkin (1995) as Reds to win the award. The Reds' 12 MVPs are tied with the Giants for second in the NL behind the Cardinals (17). In the AL, the New York Yankees have won 20.<br /><br />"Joey is an outstanding younger player that works extremely hard both on and off the field and I'm proud to welcome him to the family," Pujols said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.<br /><br />The AL winner will be announced Tuesday. Josh Hamilton of Texas is the front-runner.<br /><br />Pujols has 10 straight top-10 finishes. His three wins and four second-place finishes match those of Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial.<br /><br />Votto, a bargain with a $525,000 salary, will be eligible for arbitration for the first time. Neither Votto nor Gonzalez ($406,000) had MVP bonus provisions. Pujols gets $100,000 for finishing second. By finishing fourth, Adrian Gonzalez gets a $100,000 raise to $6.3 million next season.madonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01513083826965146555noreply@blogger.com