Source: http://www.thesportsbank.net/basewars-chicago-cubs/talking-chicago-cubs-two-years-from-today/
Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Reds Colorado Rockies Florida Marlins Houston Astros Los Angeles Dodgers
2012年6月30日土曜日
Talking Chicago Cubs two years from today
Sure, I can sit here and regurgitate the news of the week as I normally do, or, I can try to change it up, get a little creative and try to have some fun. Because talking about this 2012 Cubs is just too hard, and I do not want to do it right now. So, [...]
Chewbacca does not live on Endor and Tomas Holmstrom will not play for Chicago
The man has three kids who play hockey in Novi. He’s so rooted in the community that, unlike almost every other Swede that’s ever suited up in the NHL, he says he wants to stay in the U.S. for a couple of years before deciding whether to move home or apply for permanent resident alien’s status—and he once suggested that he might apply for U.S. citizenship. He’s the man who will miss Nicklas Lidstrom the most, the man who will probably retire from hockey rather than go anywhere other than Detroit (and here’s hoping that the Wings raise his hockey pants to the rafters, two inches in front of a “shooter tutor”), but such is the free agent frenzy at present…
That ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers, after talking about the Blackhawks’ desire to land Ryan Suter, Martin Brodeur and Jason Garrison, dares to suggest the impossible:
If the Hawks miss on Suter, it’s not clear if they have another All-Star caliber player in mind. There’s no sure-thing second-line center on the market this offseason. Also, Chicago isn’t the only marquee franchise with money to burn. The Detroit Red Wings have about $24 million in cap space. They are in more need of a top defenseman after the retirement of Niklas Lidstrom and could use a forward or two with Jiri Hudler and Tomas Holmstrom becoming free agents on Sunday.
Speaking of Holmstrom, even at 39, he’d be an upgrade on the power play in front of the net. Hawks’ players talked of missing that kind of net presence every power play needs—they even tried 37-year-old Jamal Mayers there last season for basically the first time in his career. They were and still are, desperate.
Ten of Holmstrom’s 11 goals last season came on the power play. That would have led the Hawks. He would be a specialist, but a good one if he plays near to form. It’s the role that Brunette was unable to take ownership of despite some good moments—he just didn’t have enough of them. Holmstrom might retire if he doesn’t re-sign with the Wings, but couldn’t the Hawks make a decent offer for him to move west a few miles for one season? It makes sense on several levels.
No, just no.
That ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers, after talking about the Blackhawks’ desire to land Ryan Suter, Martin Brodeur and Jason Garrison, dares to suggest the impossible:
If the Hawks miss on Suter, it’s not clear if they have another All-Star caliber player in mind. There’s no sure-thing second-line center on the market this offseason. Also, Chicago isn’t the only marquee franchise with money to burn. The Detroit Red Wings have about $24 million in cap space. They are in more need of a top defenseman after the retirement of Niklas Lidstrom and could use a forward or two with Jiri Hudler and Tomas Holmstrom becoming free agents on Sunday.
Speaking of Holmstrom, even at 39, he’d be an upgrade on the power play in front of the net. Hawks’ players talked of missing that kind of net presence every power play needs—they even tried 37-year-old Jamal Mayers there last season for basically the first time in his career. They were and still are, desperate.
Ten of Holmstrom’s 11 goals last season came on the power play. That would have led the Hawks. He would be a specialist, but a good one if he plays near to form. It’s the role that Brunette was unable to take ownership of despite some good moments—he just didn’t have enough of them. Holmstrom might retire if he doesn’t re-sign with the Wings, but couldn’t the Hawks make a decent offer for him to move west a few miles for one season? It makes sense on several levels.
No, just no.
Francisco Cervelli Chad Moeller Jorge Posada Lance Berkman Reegie Corona Juan Miranda
Auburn Football 2012: A Preseason Scheme and Philosophy Analysis
Many an Auburn fan has contemplated the end results of two newly acquired coordinators for 2012. One of the most popular themes is which change will carry the most impact. The most popular prognostication has been on the side of Coach VanGorder’s defense.
While this is the most popular position, it is also very debatable.
Gus Malzahn had a great offense at Auburn in 2010, but that was not the case in 2011. For a variety of reasons, he became one of the most predictable play callers in the SEC. As a result, there is a very high ceiling for improvement on offense and defense for 2012.
Currently it does not appear Auburn will have much, if any, problems converting to the new philosophy and scheme. In fact, it appears the new philosophy and scheme have actually made learning and teaching a much less complicated process as illustrated by quotes from defensive line coach Mike Pelton.
Brian VanGorder is widely known for his aggressive, attacking defensive style. It is a system based upon flawless fundamentals and constant disruptive pressure. It is not an overly complicated scheme and is much more easily executed with precision than what Auburn was attempting under Ted Roof.
The closest comparison of this scheme in the SEC is the defensive scheme at LSU under John Chavez. It is a scheme that works as proved by the Broyles National Assistant Coach of the Year honors that both Chavez and Van Gorder have accumulated in their careers.
The principles of the new Auburn defensive philosophy are very simple. The first goal is to apply instant pressure on the quarterback and disrupt play in the backfield. This goal is to be achieved by being physical and winning the battle in the trenches.
Auburn will attempt to do this with one of the deepest defensive line rotations Coach VanGorder has ever had at his disposal at any level. The goal will be to physically attack the line of scrimmage using a deep rotation to wear opposition offenses down and eventually physically dominate them to the point of quitting.
The best way to beat a VanGorder defense is to simply dominate them along the line. If an offense can accomplish dominance along the line of scrimmage, then they have a good chance of consistently moving the ball against a VanGorder defensive scheme.
To analyze how effective Auburn’s defense will be in the SEC this season, a simple evaluation of opposition offensive lines will go a long ways.
The new Auburn offensive scheme can best be described as a variation of the Spread Multiple West Coast Offense. It is a less complicated offense to absorb mentally with a big emphasis on proficient execution. Scot Loeffler has been on the cutting edge development of this type of offense for years.
The learning curve for this offensive system is usually much quicker for offensive linemen in particular. The receivers bear the brunt of the learning curve when this system is initially put into place. It is an almost infinitely adaptable offensive scheme.
The new Auburn offense does not require offensive linemen to be dominant physically. It does require them to be physical and execute at a high level of proficiency. It is one of the most innovative and successful offensive schemes in the NFL today.
Auburn will supplement this scheme with a variation of the Split Backs Offense that some will remember as a form of the Veer Offense from the days Bo Jackson owned the gridiron on the plains. This is about as old school, smash mouth of an offense as it can get. It can be run out of the shotgun, pistol or under center positions for the quarterback.
This combination brings a variety of options to the field that makes play calling options almost infinite. An exceptional play caller can easily attack any defense with these options and keep that defense on its heels most of the time.
With the multitude of offensive aggression that is available from these schemes, any form of defense can be successfully attacked. This multiplicity gives the offensive play caller the immediate advantage over any singular defensive scheme.
Taking all of this into consideration, it appears Auburn will stick to the time-tested SEC formula of stopping the run and running the football.
Great passing teams will likely have some success against the new defensive scheme if they can thwart the rush long enough to execute. The Auburn offense will face multiple eight and nine man fronts from teams that focus on stopping the Auburn rushing game.
The formula for success in 2012 will likely come down to how well the defense controls the short passing game and how well the offense is able to execute the short passing game. Auburn should have a premier rush defense and one of the most powerful rushing offenses in the nation for 2012.
Mark Eaton Trent Hunter Andy Hilbert Bruno Gervais Dustin Kohn Andrew McDonald
Red Wings GM Ken Holland talks ‘holes’ with Pleiness; Hudler is g-o-n-e
Red Wings GM Ken Holland has some serious needs to fill on Sunday, but he told the Macomb Daily’s Chuck Pleiness (via RedWingsFeed) that his team does not believe that it’s dealing from anything other than a position of strength going into July 1st:
“We’ve got cap space, we’ll explore the market, but it’s got to make sense,” Wings general manager Ken Holland said Friday. “We have lots of pieces in place, players ready to step up and play a bigger role. Some of this has to be internal evolution.”
And Detroit has some major holes to fill, namely on the blue line and perhaps another top six forward. This offseason the Wings lost defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom (retirement) and Brad Stuart (trade). They could also lose Jiri Hudler to another team that’s willing to offer the winger more money.
“We don’t have as many holes as some people think,” Holland said. “I attribute that to the development of Brendan Smith. You’re not going to replace Nicklas Lidstrom. He’s going to be replaced by all defensemen picking it up. Brad Stuart is a loss. I look at the addition of Kyle Quincey, the development of Brendan Smith, Jonathan Ericsson. We got Nik Kronwall, Jakub Kindl is 25, Ian White had a good year. We don’t have big names, but we have good players. Jonathan Ericsson is developing into a shut-down defenseman.”
So what does Holland’s assessment mean given that Nicklas Lidstrom’s retired?
“We’ve got cap space, we’ll explore the market, but it’s got to make sense,” Wings general manager Ken Holland said Friday. “We have lots of pieces in place, players ready to step up and play a bigger role. Some of this has to be internal evolution.”
And Detroit has some major holes to fill, namely on the blue line and perhaps another top six forward. This offseason the Wings lost defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom (retirement) and Brad Stuart (trade). They could also lose Jiri Hudler to another team that’s willing to offer the winger more money.
“We don’t have as many holes as some people think,” Holland said. “I attribute that to the development of Brendan Smith. You’re not going to replace Nicklas Lidstrom. He’s going to be replaced by all defensemen picking it up. Brad Stuart is a loss. I look at the addition of Kyle Quincey, the development of Brendan Smith, Jonathan Ericsson. We got Nik Kronwall, Jakub Kindl is 25, Ian White had a good year. We don’t have big names, but we have good players. Jonathan Ericsson is developing into a shut-down defenseman.”
So what does Holland’s assessment mean given that Nicklas Lidstrom’s retired?
Jamie Lundmark Nick Spaling Pikka Rinne Mathieu Carle Lars Eller Hal Gill
US Soccer Star Landon Donovan Is Selling His Manhattan Beach Compound For $4 Million
LA Galaxy star Landon Donovan is selling his California mansion for $4.26 million, Zillow reports.
There have been rumors of Donovan making a permanent move to the English Premier League. But there's no evidence that he's offloading his ocean-side pad to move across the pond.
The five-bedroom, seven-bathroom compound features a "main home" and a "lower home."
The coolest parts: a theater, a wine cellar, and a killer pool.
The outside of the house
The pool at night
The pool during the day
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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'U-S-A! U-S-A!' Watch The Crowd React To An Air Force Veteran Getting Drafted Last Night
There was a great moment early in the second round of Thursday night's NBA Draft.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, who appear to be sending the pick to the Dallas Mavericks, took Florida State senior forward Bernard James with the 34th overall pick.
James, the oldest player drafted this year at the age of 27, served six years in the United States Air Force and three tours overseas prior to attending FSU. James was stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Qatar.
The Prudential Center crowd in Newark, New Jersey, reacted accordingly (via Larry Brown Sports).
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NBA Draft 2012: A Critical Look at Golden State Warriors' Picks
The Golden State Warriors and GM Bob Myers got off on the right foot in the 2012 NBA Draft, Myers' first draft as the new GM. Not only did Myers get his guy, Harrison Barnes, as the Dubs first pick, he drafted some good quality players to stock the lean bench.
There were no flashy trades with the Warriors' four picks and they did not take the steps to poach a proven small forward like Andre Iguodala or Rudy Gay. Could this happen in the future? When will Dorell Wright be moving to a different team? Those questions will be answered in the offseason.
But here is a report card of the Warriors draft. The grades are based on the talent of the players selected and where they were selected. These are initial grades, as we have not yet seen them on the floor interacting with other players. That will be another story.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1241372-nba-draft-2012-a-critical-look-at-the-warriors-picks
Cincinnati Reds Colorado Rockies Florida Marlins Houston Astros Los Angeles Dodgers Milwaukee Brewers
10 Matches to Make in the UFC Flyweight Division
The UFC flyweight division is set to explode, pending the championship bout between Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez. Flyweights have already proven to be immensely exciting, which is causing many MMA fans to salivate at the possibilities.
The UFC needs to continue to sign flyweights, so these matchups will include fighters not currently in the UFC. Here are 10 fights that should be made, with no fighter's name being repeated.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1240651-10-matches-to-make-in-the-ufc-flyweight-division
San Jose Sharks New Jersey Devil New York Islanders New York Rangers Philadelphia Flyers Pittsburgh Penguins
2012年6月29日金曜日
Ten-Year Extension For Jonathan Quick
LOS ANGELES – The 2012 Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms with goaltender Jonathan Quick on a 10-year contract extension, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the new deal cannot be signed until July 1.
Quick, in addition to being a Stanley Cup Champion, is also a Conn Smythe winner, Vezina Trophy Finalist, NHL All-Star and Kings MVP who will call Los Angeles home through the 2022-23 season.
Quick had a record-setting year in 2011-12 for the Kings and ranked amongst the NHL’s best in every major goaltending category. He was even better during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs as he led the Kings to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship.
added 4:16pm, via Pierre LeBrun tweet, Told first 7 yrs of Quick’s deal worth $7 M per year before tapering off in final 3 years to bring down cap hit ...
Quick, in addition to being a Stanley Cup Champion, is also a Conn Smythe winner, Vezina Trophy Finalist, NHL All-Star and Kings MVP who will call Los Angeles home through the 2022-23 season.
Quick had a record-setting year in 2011-12 for the Kings and ranked amongst the NHL’s best in every major goaltending category. He was even better during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs as he led the Kings to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship.
added 4:16pm, via Pierre LeBrun tweet, Told first 7 yrs of Quick’s deal worth $7 M per year before tapering off in final 3 years to bring down cap hit ...
Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/ten-year_extension_for_jonathan_quick/
Atlanta Trashers Carolina Hurricanes Florida Panthers Tampa Bay Lightning Washington Capitals Arizona Diamondbacks
US Olympic Men's Gymnastics Team: Experienced Jonathan Horton Is a Vital Leader
In a sport dominated by teenagers, gymnast Jonathan Horton has something most of his potential U.S. teammates don’t have: Olympic experience. For that reason, he has to be at the 2012 Summer Olympics, unless he scores low on Day 2 of the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials.
At the end of Day 1 on Thursday, Horton was No. 4 all-around, with a score of 271.35 after six rotations. He was also the best on the team on the rings, scoring 46.35.
He’s on the outside looking in when it comes to being the top American gymnast, and he has less of a chance than John Orozco and Danell Leyva to bring home a gold medal. However, Horton won an individual silver in the high bar and team bronze in Beijing.
That competitive experience is invaluable on a team of teenagers.
If somebody who is 26 can be called a seasoned veteran, that’s what Horton is. It has shown in the last year, as he recovered from a serious foot injury to be the oldest competitor at the 2012 trials.
“I think there's a sense of calm about him,” coach Tom Meadows said to ESPN. “I can see a difference in him. There's a little bit of a different mentality. There's apprehension, but at the same time, I can see the calmness in him. He's much more under control.”
Horton is the only returning gymnast from 2008, so he’s been there before and will be able to guide his younger teammates through the pressures of the world’s biggest stage. He’s no slouch in the gym, either.
Along with his high bar silver in Beijing, Horton won all-around gold at the 2010 national championships and 2011 World Cup.
However, an uncharacteristic slip on the high bar during the first day of competition and mediocre scores on the subsequent two rotations leave Horton needing a better performance on Saturday to assure the selection committee doesn’t overlook him.
Leadership will be important in guiding a young U.S. team to success, but the committee won’t want to burn a spot on a less-than-effective gymnast just because he is a good leader.
As long as Horton shows that he can hang with the kids—which he can—he will get a spot in London.
Brad Davis Logan Morrison Mike Stanton Josh Bailey Mark Eaton Trent Hunter
Celtics, Hornets among 2012 NBA Draft Winners
Another NBA Draft is in the books. After all the rumors, projections, incorrect mock drafts, and soaring/dropping stocks, it is time to look at which teams had the best nights at the 2012 NBA Draft. Click here for my team-by-team drafts grades. 2012 NBA Draft Winners New Orleans Hornets: They won the draft lottery and [...]
Source: http://www.thesportsbank.net/nba-draft-stock-report/celtics-hornets-among-2012-nba-draft-winners/
Milwaukee Brewers New York Mets Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants
Link Bank 6-28-12: SCOTUS, Healthcare, Ann Curry, NBA Draft, Lebron on Oprah
Ann Curry will leave her post as Today co-host. She made the announcement herself on Thursday morning’s program. “This is not easy to say, but today is going to be my last morning in a regular role on Today,” Curry said through tears. “This is not how I expected to ever leave this couch after 15 years,” she [...]
Tampa Bay Rays Texas Rangers Toronto Blue Jays chicago blackhawks columbus blue jackets detroit red wings
Austin Rivers to Hornets: Scouting Report, Video Highlights and Analysis
One of the most polarizing picks in the draft, Austin Rivers is a player with a high ceiling that will take some time to fully develop his talents.
He was regarded as a top-two prep prospect going into college, but enters the NBA with tempered expectations after an up-and-down freshman season. Even with his dad being Celtics coach Doc Rivers, there are certainly holes to pick in his game.
Yet at 6’4’’ and 200 pounds and after averaging 15.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in his lone season of college, it’s hard to argue that he is full of potential.
What Rivers Brings to the Team
Rivers is going to be a project in his rookie season, but he has incredible potential to become a strong player in the next two to three years as he becomes more comfortable with the ball in his hands.
While he may be a tad undersized for a shooting guard, he makes up for it with elite strength and incredible leaping ability. His quickness gives him the ability to blow by defenders, and his muscle allows him to finish strong.
He has natural scoring instincts and dribble-drive abilities that will certainly translate at the next level.
His decision-making is questionable, and it remains to be seen if he is capable of handling the point guard duties full-time.
He showed lapses in focus on the defensive end at times—that area of his game has to improve in a hurry. With his frame and athleticism, that is certainly something that can be fixed.
What Experts are Saying
Matt Kamalsky of DraftExpress.com believes Rivers still has some maturity issues to overcome, but believes Rivers is capable of becoming one of the next great guards in the NBA:
One of the top freshman scorers in the country, Rivers had an up-and-down season relative to expectations that ended prematurely just as he appeared to be getting things rolling. His swagger, skill level, and scoring ability were unmistakable, even early on, but scouts also got an eyeful of his average decision-making, poor body language in the face of adversity and bouts with inefficiency from the perimeter.
It's pretty clear that with the proper coaching, Rivers can be a star down the line, but he is far from a finished product entering the NBA.
Rookie Impact
At the ripe of age 20 when he first enters an NBA court, it’s going to take time for Rivers to adjust to the speed and physicality of the pro game.
I wouldn’t be shocked to see him average more turnovers per 48 minutes than any other rookie in the NBA. Yet as he continues to fine-tune his game and gain more confidence in his scoring abilities, Rivers will end up being a strong contributor by the end of the season.
Will he win Rookie of the Year? Doubtful.
Pick Analysis
New Orleans picking up Anthony Davis was already a franchise-changing move. However, the impact of an elite shooting guard like Austin Rivers could vastly turn the tide for the Hornets.
Rivers has the agility and speed that will not only pose a threat when he penetrates into the key, but also to pull up for the shot with his coveted jab-step move. At 6’5, 203-pounds, Rivers' biggest asset is that he can create his own shot, which he showed off time and again at Duke.
John Madden Petr Kalus Colton Gilies Justin Falk Robbie Eal Joe Callahan
German Soccer Player's Model Girlfriend Was Asked To Not Dress Too Sexy At The Euro Cup Semis Today
Lena Gercke, the model girlfriend of German midfielder Sami Khedira, was asked by the German FA to tone down her look at the Germany-Italy game, and not dress "too sexy," according to the Daily Mail.
German tabloids are saying the "national sports chiefs fear the model has overshadowed the other wives and girlfriends during the tournament." And this is apparently causing animosity between teammates.
This is what Gercke was wearing to Germany's game versus Portugal, which angered the German FA, who said her shorts were too skimpy. Quite frankly, we don't think her outfit is too revealing at all:
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Jonathan Albaladejo Andrew Brackman A.J. Burnett Steve Garrison Phil Hughes Damaso Marte
Michigan's Lead Sports Neurologist Says The Big 10 Isn't Serious About Athletic Concussion Research
According to The University of Michigan's lead sports neurologist, Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, the Wolverines won't be involved in a joint partnership between the Big 10 and the Ivy League on the study of concussions in sports.
Why?
Kutcher says one reason is that no one has contacted the team's athletic program about it.
"I know of no other program other than Nebraska that's participating," Jeffrey told Business Insider. "It's a bit confusing to where they exactly are in the process."
Right now, it seems like the Big 10 is in the very beginning of the process. As we hit the heart of the collegiate summer break, the conference simply may not have gotten to contacting all the schools' athletic programs just yet.
Nebraska, a school that has already agreed to conduct athletic research, is now leading the way to reaching out to other athletic programs, according to Kerry Kenny, the Big 10's Assistant Director of Compliance. Kenny told Business Insider that Dennis Molfese, the director of Nebraska's Brain Imaging Center, was in the process of contacting other athletic programs and asking them to participate in the joint study.
As of last week, Kutcher said that there were no signs the Big 10 "would engage with the athletic community." That could obviously change over the coming days and weeks.
It's clear that the Big 10 and the Ivy League want to do meaningful and important work in the study of concussions with the athletes at such a young age so they could track their progress over the coming decades. The schools in the Big 10 (and the University of Chicago) already have an academic and clinical research collaborative called the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) and there have been studies on concussions in athletic medicine as recently as last December.
Kutcher proposed the idea of a conference-wide study of athletes and concussions three years ago, but at the time the Big 10 "didn't see urgency in studying athletes in this way."
At some point after being rebuffed by the conference, Kutcher and Michigan became a lead school in another research group, the National Sports Concussions Outcome Study (NSCOS). The University of North Carolina, UCLA and the Medical College of Wisconsin are other participating schools that received a $400,000 grant from the NCAA in March to pursue research.
Kutcher said he's received virtually complete participation from Michigan's athletes in his voluntary concussion studies for the NSCOS. He also said that he's inviting other schools to join the NSCOS, including Big 10 athletic programs.
The Big 10's Kenny said that the conference's aim is to pool the research already being done by the 20 schools that make up the Big 10 and Ivy League to "try to address research on a broader scale."
The agreement between the conferences attempts, Kenny said, to commence "a longitudinal study of over 17,000 student athletes" and that this agreement would certainly not prevent other schools like Michigan from continuing their ongoing studies. These long-term studies would then be compiled and combined into a "large centralized data platform so that so all the individual schools can share data."
Whether that includes Kutcher and the University of Michigan's athletic program is yet to be seen. "We don't want to prevent research, but collaborate," Kenny said.
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London 2012: Great Britain Makes Right Decision to Leave David Beckham off Team
Great Britain manager Stuart Pearce was forced to make a tough decision regarding the Olympic team fate of David Beckham. Give credit to him for making the right one.
Beckham was not one of the three overage players selected for the squad by Pearce, according to Martin Rogers of Yahoo! Sports. Instead, Micah Richards, Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy were chosen to represent the home nation at the marquee event.
It's a disappointing turn of events for Beckham, who worked hard to help London land the games and expressed his desire to play on the team. He handled the decision like a consummate professional, though, saying he will transition to being a fan.
"Everyone knows how much playing for my country has always meant to me," Beckham said. "So I would have been honored to be part of this unique Team GB squad. Naturally I am very disappointed, but there will be no bigger supporter of the team than me. And like everyone, I will be hoping they can win the gold."
It wouldn't have been a surprise to see Beckham make the squad, perhaps for sentimental reasons more than anything else. Pearce's decision shows he's more interested in winning games than helping to write a good story.
At 37, Beckham simply isn't the same dynamic playmaker he was during his prime. His pinpoint passes and amazing free kicks made him a fan favorite in England. Those skills have slowly faded as his body finally started feeling the toll of his long career.
The midfielder, who's from London, has tallied just two goals and four assists in 14 games for the Los Angeles Galaxy this season. That lack of production against lesser competition probably played a role in Pearce's choice to look elsewhere.
Richards will give the squad a boost at the back after another strong season with Manchester City. Giggs and Bellamy should fill the veteran presence and leadership role that Beckham would have likely assumed if he made it.
While fans would have enjoyed getting to see Beckham play for his home country in one more major tournament, he wouldn't have brought enough to the team to make it worth taking up a valuable spot on the limited roster.
Pearce wants his team to have a strong showing at the Olympics and Great Britain certainly has a chance to win a medal. As with any big tournament, depth is key. Having that extra defender is more important than making room for Beckham, who probably wouldn't have made a major impact.
It was likely a tough call to make for Pearce, but he can rest assured he made the correct one.
Pat Burrell Jhan Marinez Anibal Sanchez John Baker Brad Davis Logan Morrison
Evening Line
“We’re at that point where we have to do better in the playoffs. We have to win the Stanley Cup. That’s what our mission is and Adam’s been to the Finals twice—once as a player and once as a coach—and we want to win a Cup together.”
-Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals during the press conference introducing Adam Oates as the Washington Capitals coach. More from Chuck Gormley of CSNWashington.
-Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals during the press conference introducing Adam Oates as the Washington Capitals coach. More from Chuck Gormley of CSNWashington.
Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/evening_line374/
Wade Belak Martin Erat Marcel Goc Jamie Lundmark Nick Spaling Pikka Rinne
2012年6月28日木曜日
Bleacher Report Has EYE-POPPING Revenues – No Wonder Turner Is About To Snatch It Up (TWX, AOL)
Sports site Bleacher Report is in the process of selling itself to Turner for ~$200 million, it has been reported and we can confirm.
One reason why: in a year when most ad-supported online outlets have seen a disappointing sales, Bleacher Report has not.
According to one source close to Bleacher Report, the site is on track for $40 million revenues in 2012.
That's a lot of money for a news site!Blog
For some context: The Huffington Post didn't have those kinds of revenues when it sold to AOL for $315 million, for example.
(If our source isn't exaggerating; he is close to the company that's selling, after all.)
Those revenues make it easy for Turner to pull the trigger.
Another reason, pointed out by Peter Kafka at AllThingsD: Turner lots tons of sports inventory when it gave up Sports Illustrated before this Spring. It sells NBA.com inventory but it doesn't own it. It is about to lose PGA.com's inventory.
Another interesting tidbit: We've heard that some of BR's cofounders were reluctant to sell the company and wanted to try expanding into new verticals.
Investors essentially said to them: are you nuts? That's a lot of money!
And yeah, it is.
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Australian Swimmer Under Fire For Allegedly Racy Swimsuit Picture
One of Australia's most successful Olympic swimmers was blasted by Australian news sites and swimming fans for posting a "racy" picture of herself on Twitter... wearing a swimsuit.
Though not as conservative as her competitive swimsuits, the photo Stephanie Rice uploaded via Instagram can hardly be described as racy. See for yourself:
The photo caused a minor uproar on Twitter, with some Australians calling for Rice to be dropped from the team.
i feel that stephanie rice posting a photo of herself in swimwear has brought disgrace to the australian swim team and she should be dropped
— mendy menendez (@allyouzombies) June 26, 2012
Rice won three gold medals at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and will be looking to add to that total in London.
The 24-year-old will compete in the 200-meter and 400-meter medley events, as well as the 4x200-meter medley team event.
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Brad Davis Logan Morrison Mike Stanton Josh Bailey Mark Eaton Trent Hunter
NBA Draft 2012: 6 Prospects Who Would Be a Luxury to Have
For these participants in the 2012 NBA draft, perceived value is mostly affected by placement.
If selected early, these guys would be considered overrated reaches. Yet the teams waiting outside the lottery and toward the draft's bottom are eagerly hoping to find value here.
One man's trash is another man's treasure, and these collegiate stars will offer plenty of upside, leadership, immediate production or all of the above.
Years from now, we could very well look at this draft saying, "How in the world did these guys fall so far?" The franchises that passed them up will regret "the one that got away," while those that procured their services with low picks and slim rookie contracts will be thankful they did.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1237948-nba-draft-prospects-who-would-be-a-luxury-to-have
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ALL OR NOTHING: The Rockets Just Made Another Massive Trade In Their Tireless Pursuit Of Dwight Howard
The Houston Rockets are not giving up their hot pursuit of Dwight Howard.
Houston sent Samuel Dalembert and the No. 14 pick in Thursday's draft to the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 12 pick, Jon Brockman, Shaun Livingston and Jon Leuer, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
This trade improves the Rockets' draft positioning (they now have No. 12, 16 and 18) and their chance at moving up in the lottery.
It comes just a day after Houston sent Chase Budinger to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the No. 18 pick.
They can now build a package around those three picks to get inside the top 5.
Houston plans on moving into the lottery by landing the Charlotte Bobcats' No. 2 pick. With that in hand, the Rockets believe they can build a package enticing enough for the Magic to send Howard to Houston.
The Bobcats have not shied away from the fact that they would be very willing to trade out of the No. 2 slot.
Regardless of what package the Rockets send Orlando for Howard, the Magic will probably ask they take Hedo Turkoglu's big contract off their hands ($23.6 million over the next two seasons).
Shipping Dalembert to the Bucks and bringing in those three other players creates nearly $1.5 million in extra cap space for 2012-13, facilitating the addition of Turkoglu.
The Rockets are clearly going for broke even though Howard is adamant about not wanting to play in Houston. At worst, the Rockets have positioned themselves to refill their roster with three quality guys or move up and simply keep whomever they take in the top 5.
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NBA INSIDER: There Are Only Three Players In The NBA Who You Wouldn't Trade For Anthony Davis
Interesting note from ESPN's NBA insider Chad Ford about just how valuable New Orleans' #1-overall pick is right now.
Here's what Ford wrote in a big back-and-forth with Bill Simmons on Grantland today:
Big men like Anthony Davis come along once or twice a decade. I think there's only three players in the NBA right now that teams WOULDN'T trade for Davis: LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul. Normally Dwight Howard and Deron Williams would be in that discussion, too, and so would Derrick Rose. But with Howard and Williams threatening to bolt and Rose's injury woes, I think the Magic, Nets and Bulls would all pull the trigger.
That's really high praise for a guy who hasn't played a second in the NBA.
Ford also revealed a bit of news: the Cavs made a blockbuster offer of the 4th pick, 24th pick, 33rd pick, 34th pick, and (maybe) Tristan Thompson for the 1st pick. But the Hornets turned them down.
Davis is a really unique player — he's a 7-footer with the skill set of a guard and the intuition of a classic shot-blocker.
His value is also boosted by the relative weakness of this draft.
Even though there are a dozen or so players who could be solid rotation players in the NBA, Davis is probably the only guy with a chance to become a bonafide superstar.
Read the entire Grantland post here >
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The 8 Big Stories Everyone Can't Stop Talking About Going Into Thursday's NBA Draft
If reports from recent days and weeks hold up, Thursday's NBA Draft will be pretty exciting.
A number of teams are looking to make trades.
They're looking to dump big salaries, get rid of disgruntled/no longer fitting stars, or drop down in the draft order and pick up someone they deem cheaper but of equal value.
The New Orleans Hornets will definitely take Anthony Davis with the first overall pick.
Thomas Robinson or Bradley Beal look poised to go next, but to which team and in what order are still up in the air.
After that, it's really anyone's guess.
Dwight Howard could be gone from Orlando by the end of the night
The Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets really, really, really want Dwight Howard.
Houston has loaded up with three first round picks, hoping to sweeten a potential deal with the Magic, even though Howard insists he doesn't want to play there.
As for the Nets, they still desperately want Howard. Despite reports that Brooklyn is stopping at nothing to get into the lottery and pick up Kansas forward Thomas Robinson to be part of a Howard deal, they have little to offer a lottery team in return so it looks rather far-fetched.
We still have no idea what the Charlotte Bobcats will do with the No. 2 pick
Ever since the lottery was figured out and New Orleans was awarded the No. 1 pick NBA Draft intrigue has centered around Charlotte at No. 2.
Lately Florida's Bradley Beal seemed to be the likeliest selection, but after acquiring another guard in Ben Gordon from the Detroit Pistons Charlotte may very well take Thomas Robinson to shore up the front line.
Or they could trade out of the second spot with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which are really high on Beal.
Speaking of trades, there could be a whole slew of them Thursday night
Anthony Davis seems to be the only sure thing in this draft so with a bevy of teams holding multiple picks expect a ton of player movement.
A bunch of teams have given similar grades to multiple players. Sacramento, Portland and Milwaukee have all reportedly expressed interest in moving out of the lottery.
But there's also another big reason why there could be plenty of transactions as the night goes on...
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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Bleacher Report Has EYE-POPPING Revenues – No Wonder Turner Is About To Snatch It Up (TWX, AOL)
Sports site Bleacher Report is in the process of selling itself to Turner for ~$200 million, it has been reported and we can confirm.
One reason why: in a year when most ad-supported online outlets have seen a disappointing sales, Bleacher Report has not.
According to one source close to Bleacher Report, the site is on track for $40 million revenues in 2012.
That's a lot of money for a news site!Blog
For some context: The Huffington Post didn't have those kinds of revenues when it sold to AOL for $315 million, for example.
(If our source isn't exaggerating; he is close to the company that's selling, after all.)
Those revenues make it easy for Turner to pull the trigger.
Another reason, pointed out by Peter Kafka at AllThingsD: Turner lots tons of sports inventory when it gave up Sports Illustrated before this Spring. It sells NBA.com inventory but it doesn't own it. It is about to lose PGA.com's inventory.
Another interesting tidbit: We've heard that some of BR's cofounders were reluctant to sell the company and wanted to try expanding into new verticals.
Investors essentially said to them: are you nuts? That's a lot of money!
And yeah, it is.
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Bradley Beal: Ranking NBA Draft 2012 Destinations for Coveted Florida Prospect
Bradley Beal has made quite a name for himself after just one tumultuous season with the Florida Gators. Now, he's as high as No. 2 on some draft boards, trailing only Anthony Davis, and seems to be a lock to be selected in the first four picks of the 2012 NBA draft.
If Beal got to make the decision, where would he want to go? Two teams are known to covet him quite a bit: the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers.
I'm including the Charlotte Bobcats as a potential landing spot, but only for posterity's sake because anything can happen during the NBA draft.
Here are the best fits for Beal.
3. Charlotte Bobcats
Although this most likely isn't going to happen, as the Charlotte Bobcats are looking to either draft Thomas Robinson or move down in the draft order, it is still a possibility that the team picking at No. 2 has a change in heart and decides to select the shooting guard.
Beal would actually be a pretty decent fit on the Bobcats, but I can't move Charlotte out of the third slot because the chances of it happening are rather outlandish at this point.
The former Florida Gator has the all-around offensive game to become the go-to player in the Bobcats "offense." That word is in quotations because I'm still not sure that it actually exists for Michael Jordan's team.
He and Kemba Walker could form a formidable duo in the backcourt down the road, but there would be an inordinate amount of attention paid to him, given the lack of other options on the squad.
This is also a slightly worse fit than the other two landing spots because of the recent acquisition of Ben Gordon, who would block Beal's ascension to the starting lineup for the majority of his rookie season, if not longer.
2. Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are currently the favorites to land Beal, as they own the No. 3 pick in the draft and both the New Orleans Hornets and Charlotte Bobcats are looking in other directions.
Of course, this could all change if the Cleveland Cavaliers jump past the team from the nation's capitol. Beal should be hoping they do, even though the Wizards are by no means a bad fit for him.
Playing with John Wall would be a great situation to land in as the former No. 1 pick is still developing and already one of the league's premier assist-men, averaging eight per game as a second year player with less-than-adequate teammates.
Wall's deadliness in transition would help make up for Beal's lack of elite athleticism and Beal could help quite a bit in half-court sets.
He can't complain if he lands with the Wizards, even if they're only the second-best fit.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
The best fit for Beal is going to the team that is trying to trade the No. 4 and No. 24 picks for the right to move up past the Washington Wizards and draft him.
While the Cleveland Cavaliers may not have been able to win a title before LeBron James, they could become a playoff team once more if they land Beal, who fills the biggest hole in the lineup. Assuming he immediately becomes a starter, Cleveland could be a looking at a starting five of Kyrie Irving, Beal, Alonzo Gee (assuming he's brought back now that he's a restricted free agent), Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao.
Beal and Irving would have the potential to form one of the league's elite backcourts just a few years down the road.
The shooting guard's presence would lessen the offensive burden that the former Duke floor general has to shoulder, something that Beal is more than capable of doing.
Beal will succeed regardless of what jersey he ends up putting on, but Cleveland would offer him the best combination of surrounding players, playing time and winning potential.
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Tottenham Hotspur Transfer News: Gareth Bale Signs New Deal for Spurs
Tottenham fans around the world can breathe a sigh of relief—Gareth Bale is staying on at the club.
In what has already been a tumultuous few months for Spurs, Bale's contract renewal comes as a welcome distraction and a huge confidence boost for the club—agreeing to remain at White Hart Lane until 2016.
Tottenham released the news via their official website:
The Club is delighted to announce that Gareth Bale has signed a new four-year contract, committing his future to the Club until 2016.
Spurs have already had to deal with so much over the past few months, including speculation about Bale's departure from White Hart Lane, which surely makes the re-signing of the winger so much sweeter.
From their failure to qualify for the Champions League to the sacking of Harry Redknapp to Luka Modric's imminent departure, Tottenham have done well to work through this and secure their star winger, whose impact to the side cannot be underestimated.
Bale himself is a winner of the PFA Player of the Year Award an inclusion in to the PFA Premier League Team of the Year in the past two seasons as well as the UEFA Team of the Year last year.
But more importantly, he is a huge boost for Tottenham, and commented about the club in the news release of his contract extension:
I’ve been here for five years now and I’ve enjoyed every minute. The fans have been great to me and I’d love to re-pay them and do the very best for them. The Club is progressing and I want to be a part of that, so it was great to get the deal done.
I love the Club and the fans and I want to play my part in trying to get us back into the Champions League—where we belong. We’ve a good, young squad and we need to work together to get back on the biggest stage again.
Bale is expected to remain at White Hart Lane until 2016, though no specifics are known yet about the contract itself.
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2012年6月27日水曜日
College Football Playoff: Selection Committee Criteria Eliminates Need to Watch
The world is rejoicing as college football has got the playoff that it so desperately "deserved." The dreadful wrongs of the BCS have been righted. At least that is how it seems if you pick up the paper, turn on the computer or check out the Twitter. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it; and all of that jazz.
Except, as we've been told all along: The devil is in the details. As the Presidential Oversight Committee pushed the playoff through there is still much to resolve with respect to the structure of the playoff. Rotational usage of six sites, distribution of revenue, getting the green light from the NCAA to play and of course, how the selection committee operates.
Nicole Auerbach, from USA Today, tweeted out the criteria for the selection committee. So while we do not know how the committee will be constructed, we do know how they will be instructed to make their decisions.
Selection committee will rank 4 playoff teams based on: W-L record, strength of schedule, head-to-head & if team is conference champion.
— Nicole Auerbach (@nicoleauerbach) June 26, 2012
First and foremost; hats off for the criteria. The actual usage of criteria is more than the Harris Poll, Coaches' Poll or AP Poll afforded voters. Instead of a mishmash of resume voting, eyeball test voting and power ranking voting, the selection committee has created a standard metric by which to rate all teams.
The problem here is the metric sucks.
This is a computer print out. It is a blind resume test. It does not tell you who is better than anyone from an on-the-field standpoint. This is the type of "system" that would put 2009 Cincinnati ahead of 2009 Florida because they won the Big East and did not have a loss.
As we discussed yesterday, evaluation of the actual on-the-field product has to be a big part of the selection committee's job. This criteria does not allow for that element. This criteria, if it is the way the system to be used, should be plugged into a computer and they can spit out four teams come season's end.
College football does not have parity. Numbers do not tell the true story of what a team is. This shouldn't be about a data set, it is about which teams are the four best in the nation. It takes some game tape and legitimate evaluation to do that; something this criteria does not push.
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Betting Options Exist
Have you ever checked out the Online Sportsbooks? With the NFL talking starting to ramp up, now may be the time to get all the insider information you may possibly need for a successful season.
You just can’t go in to the season expecting a winning record without doing research on the teams that take the field every week.
Online Sports Betting continues to attract the wagering fan and offers numerous options that are available to such fans.
Poker rooms, sportsbooks and gaming options exist for all types of bettors with reviews on each one of them.
Take some time out while the hockey season takes a break and discover the options you have available with a single click of your mouse.
You just can’t go in to the season expecting a winning record without doing research on the teams that take the field every week.
Online Sports Betting continues to attract the wagering fan and offers numerous options that are available to such fans.
Poker rooms, sportsbooks and gaming options exist for all types of bettors with reviews on each one of them.
Take some time out while the hockey season takes a break and discover the options you have available with a single click of your mouse.
Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/betting_options_exist/
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Amar'e Stoudemire Fined $50,000 For Calling A Fan A Gay Slur On Twitter
The NBA has fined Amar'e Stoudemire $50,000 for tweeting a gay slur at a fan over the weekend, Marcus Spears of Yahoo! reports.
On Sunday, Deadspin reported that a fan told Amar'e he needed to step his game up on Twitter.
Amar'e DM'd him back, writing, "F--- you, I don't have to do any thing f--."
Stoudemire later apologized to the fan, but the NBA still handed down a stiff punishment.
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