This Bush-for-Baseball-Commissioner thing is taking me in a bunch of different directions. Not bad for a random thought hatched over Christmas-Day Chinese food with my family.
One commenter questions my suggestion that Bush's unpopularity would not necessarily bother people or cause them to stop watching baseball. He raises a really interesting question about contextual popularity or unpopularity of public figures that is beyond the scope of this forum. But sports links are everywhere, so I thought I would respond:
George W. Bush, the President, is unpopular. Many, many people do not like his policies, his politics, or the manner in which he conducts himself in the Office of the President of the United States. But that does not necessarily translate into a general dislike of George W. Bush, the Person (whom I do not know). It will translate with some people. Many will respond negatively to anything Bush does, especially those who believe he is unintelligent. Many also see Bush not only as following bad policies, but as following illegal (and thus impeachable) policies. The commenter captured the latter point when he used the analogy of the CEO of Enron not becoming beloved as President. The CEO of Enron was unpopular not because he did a bad job as CEO (lots of CEOs do a bad job), but because he did illegal things.
Note, however, that those objections to Bush as commissioner are based on his ability, as opposed to his popularity--the assumption that because he is a bad president, he would be a bad commissioner. Maybe so. But if we focus solely on popularity, I do not know whether or not I would dislike or disagree with Bush's ideas and views in a different context, such as running baseball. Maybe we share a dislike for the wild card, inter-league play, the designated hitter, and the obscenely small strike zone (to cite a few examples). And maybe I would appreciate his frat-boy-charming personality wielded towards ends I like.
The converse of this phenomenon--athletic popularity translating into political popularity--is at the heart of the growing trend of former professional athletes running for public office. The most recent examples were Lynn Swann's unsuccessful run for governor of Pennsylvania and Heath Shuler's successful run for U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina, as well as Charles Barkley's continued promises/threats to run for governor of Alabama in 2010. All are counting on name recognition, reputation, and popularity built in one context carrying into a different context. Shuler, of course, had to overcome the fact that he was not a very good NFL quarterback.
In any event, we hope the voters will consider the candidate on the merits (on his ability to perform in office) before supporting him and not automatically assume that popularity and likability on the playing field means likability in public office. So why should the reverse not be true--unpopularity (again, distinct from competence) in political office does not automatically mean unpopularity in a sports-related job?
Sunday, December 31, 2006
TOP 3 GOALS FROM THE PRIME EURO FOOTBALL LEAGUES FOR 2006. THE VIDEO
SFS gives you an intetresting video which highlights the Top 3goals scored up till now in each of the prime Football leaguesin Europe starting with Spain - "La Liga" , followed by Germany,Italy ...etcNote its a compilation by a global football fan & its his choice of goals,however they are not bad at all. Check it out!Which goal is your best of 2006? I´m sure we coincide.SFS wishes to expand its
Happy New Year's!
First off, hope your 2006 was great and hope your 2007 is even better!
Anyway, things look a little different here, as I was upgrading some stuff, but that knocked out my header and I'm not sure how to get it back yet!
So hopefully I'll be able to get that figured out, in the meantime if anyone has switched and knows how to help, I'd be grateful!
Happy New Year's!
Anyway, things look a little different here, as I was upgrading some stuff, but that knocked out my header and I'm not sure how to get it back yet!
So hopefully I'll be able to get that figured out, in the meantime if anyone has switched and knows how to help, I'd be grateful!
Happy New Year's!
Saturday, December 30, 2006
VILLAREAL. ITS NEW SIGNNING MATIAS FERNANDEZ BEST "AMERICAS" PLAYER
Spanish club VILLAREAL has signned Chilean star MATIASFERNANDEZ to boost its forward line & give the team the liftneeded for the rest of the season - MF seen pictured below trainingon the right with his new teammates.Well, the new signning, Matias Fernandez has been voted by thespecialist football press as the "Best Americas Football Player 2006"The voting ended : M.Fernandez 62 votes; Rodrigo (
More on Bush as Commisssioner: Someone is Reading
Jonathan Weiler at Sports Media Review responds to my earlier post about George W. Bush being the next Commissioner of Major League Baseball.
Weiler suggests this will not happen (or at least should not happen) for three reasons:
1) Baseball commissioner no longer can be a celebrity/figurehead position. The big-time-business nature of modern professional sport requires a saavy, hands-on, somewhat visionary, detail-oriented, technocrat/manager, all things we can agree (whatever one's politics) Bush is not.
2) Bush is wildly unpopular and divisive, particularly in the Blue States, so it might be a bad PR move for baseball.
3) Bush was not really a "baseball guy" when he was involved with the Rangers and was not involved in day-to-day baseball operations, so he does not even bring that to the table. Mostly, he was the public face of the team, whose name (Papa was POTUS at the time) carried weight.
All good points that weigh against MLB making such a move. And, as Weiler notes, I was half joking in the original post. But not entirely. So let me respond to each as a way of defending the idea:
1) MLB long functioned in a decentralized (federalist, if you will) system in which the separate league commissioners did much of the day-to-day management and the commissioner sat atop the pyramid as the public face. That no longer is true, a result of one of Selig's innovations to centralize operations and make it more akin to the NFL and NBA set-up. So the role of commissioner is, indeed, different, requiring more of a hands-on manager. But I could envision MLB (although perhaps not the other major professional sports) still going the celebrity/figurehead route. I think it has to do with baseball still being the highest-profile sport, even if the NBA is more popular.
Plus, we have something of that in place now. Selig is the public face of the game (for better or worse). But he delegates a lot of responsibility, and limelight, to his underlings, notably Robert DuPuy and (when he was in the job pre-2005) Sandy Alderson. Certainly we see and hear more of them than of David Stern's deputies (with the exception of punishment chief Stu Jackson, but that is a different problem). Is it conceivable to have Bush as commissioner and an experienced and high-profile baseball exec (say, Theo Epstein?) as President/COO or Chief of Baseball Operations?
2) Yes, Bush is unpopular. But presidents have a way of becoming more popular once they leave office (see, e.g., Nixon, Richard). I would not envision a significant number of people finding Bush so distasteful that they will boycott baseball if he is commissioner. Most fans would even say it is bad form to boo or heckle Bush at a game. In other words, I am not sure his political unpopularity would carry-over into this new role.
3) Yes, Bush is not a hands-on baseball guy. But he is a good politician, something that would help MLB in its dealings with Congress (steroid eruptions, anti-trust rumblings) or with state and local governments (ballpark deals, etc.). As I said in # 1, MLB might believe that such political skill at the head, with a skilled baseball person at the right hand, is a good way to go.
Again, I am or endorsing it. Just suggesting the possibility.
Weiler suggests this will not happen (or at least should not happen) for three reasons:
1) Baseball commissioner no longer can be a celebrity/figurehead position. The big-time-business nature of modern professional sport requires a saavy, hands-on, somewhat visionary, detail-oriented, technocrat/manager, all things we can agree (whatever one's politics) Bush is not.
2) Bush is wildly unpopular and divisive, particularly in the Blue States, so it might be a bad PR move for baseball.
3) Bush was not really a "baseball guy" when he was involved with the Rangers and was not involved in day-to-day baseball operations, so he does not even bring that to the table. Mostly, he was the public face of the team, whose name (Papa was POTUS at the time) carried weight.
All good points that weigh against MLB making such a move. And, as Weiler notes, I was half joking in the original post. But not entirely. So let me respond to each as a way of defending the idea:
1) MLB long functioned in a decentralized (federalist, if you will) system in which the separate league commissioners did much of the day-to-day management and the commissioner sat atop the pyramid as the public face. That no longer is true, a result of one of Selig's innovations to centralize operations and make it more akin to the NFL and NBA set-up. So the role of commissioner is, indeed, different, requiring more of a hands-on manager. But I could envision MLB (although perhaps not the other major professional sports) still going the celebrity/figurehead route. I think it has to do with baseball still being the highest-profile sport, even if the NBA is more popular.
Plus, we have something of that in place now. Selig is the public face of the game (for better or worse). But he delegates a lot of responsibility, and limelight, to his underlings, notably Robert DuPuy and (when he was in the job pre-2005) Sandy Alderson. Certainly we see and hear more of them than of David Stern's deputies (with the exception of punishment chief Stu Jackson, but that is a different problem). Is it conceivable to have Bush as commissioner and an experienced and high-profile baseball exec (say, Theo Epstein?) as President/COO or Chief of Baseball Operations?
2) Yes, Bush is unpopular. But presidents have a way of becoming more popular once they leave office (see, e.g., Nixon, Richard). I would not envision a significant number of people finding Bush so distasteful that they will boycott baseball if he is commissioner. Most fans would even say it is bad form to boo or heckle Bush at a game. In other words, I am not sure his political unpopularity would carry-over into this new role.
3) Yes, Bush is not a hands-on baseball guy. But he is a good politician, something that would help MLB in its dealings with Congress (steroid eruptions, anti-trust rumblings) or with state and local governments (ballpark deals, etc.). As I said in # 1, MLB might believe that such political skill at the head, with a skilled baseball person at the right hand, is a good way to go.
Again, I am or endorsing it. Just suggesting the possibility.
FC BARCELONA NEWS & TRANSFER GOSSIP. BELLETI TO AC MILAN?
As said yesterday, little news while "La Liga" is on its Xmasbreak. What news is generated is mostly rumours & gossipof possible transfers & signnings in the "Winter market"as teams attempt to better their squads.One of those teams aimimg to better themselves is Italianside AC MILAN & they have looked at FC BARCELONA& Brazilian defender BELLETI as a future asset.Italian paper "La Gazzeta dello
Friday, December 29, 2006
New Year's Day and BCS Bowl Predictions
I'll save my National Championship game prediction for another day, but for now I'll give you my thoughts on all of the New Year's Day games and the BCS games.
Outback Bowl: (17) Tennessee vs. Penn St.
If Penn St. can get the ball in the hands of guys like Derrick Williams, Jordan Norwoodh, and Tony Hunt, they have the offensive weapons to compete with the Vols. The problem, of course, is getting the ball to them, as Anthony Morelli hasn't exactly torn up the Big Ten. He's completed only a little over 50% of his passes, with a 10:8 TD:INT ratio. That's not good enough to beat a solid SEC team in Tennessee. TENNESSEE 31-21.
Cotton Bowl: (10) Auburn vs. (22) Nebraska
I'm not sure what was up with Auburn getting stomped by Georgia in the 2nd to last game of the year, but ok. One of the biggest problems Auburn was having was that Kenny Irons was playing hurt and was just not as effective down the stretch, which obviously caused some problems. However, after a month or so off, that should be behind him. For the Huskers, I love their offensive balance, but Auburn will be one of the best defenses they've faced all year. AUBURN 24-20.
Gator Bowl: (13) West Virginia vs. Georgia Tech
Not that Reggie Ball was really very good, but things should be even worse offensively with him not playing because of academic reasons. Which is ok because West Virginia's defense isn't that good... but it's not ok because West Virginia's offense is very good. And Georgia Tech won't be able to score enough with their backup QB to keep up with the Mountaineers. WEST VIRGINIA 34-13.
Capital One Bowl: (12) Arkansas vs. (6) Wisconsin
Surprisingly Arkansas comes into this game losers of two straight and with some off-field distractions from parents who think their freshman TE should be catching 60 balls. Um, yeah. This one looks a lot like last year's Capital One Bowl, when most people (myself included) thought Auburn would be able to abuse Wisconsin, and the opposite happened en route to a 24-10 Wisconsin victory. However, I think McFadden & Jones are better than Kenny Irons, and PJ Hill isn't quite Brian Calhoun yet. ARKANSAS 24-23.
Fiesta Bowl: (7) Oklahoma vs. (9) Boise St.
This is pretty much uncharted territory for Boise St., but they come with lots of firepower. Foremost is Ian Johnson, whose numbers are eye-popping. Over 1600 yards rushing, 6.4 YPC, and 24 TD. But if you focus on him Jared Zabrasnky (it seems like he's been there forever) can hurt you either throwing or running the ball. Boise averaged nearly 40 PPG this year, so they can score in a hurry. But they haven't faced anyone like Oklahoma yet this year. Somehow the Sooners are at 11-2 (and should be 12-1), even after Adrian Peterson went down. Paul Thompson has actually been very good at QB, and Adrian Peterson will be back. Enough said. OKLAHOMA 35-20.
Rose Bowl: (8) USC vs. (3) Michigan
I think USC is a bit underrated... their defense is good, and they really do have a solid, balanced offense. If John David Booty has time, he's extremely accurate and has the great WR weapons to throw to. However, as I've said before, on a neutral field I think Michigan is the best team in the country. Michael Hart is a tough runner, Chad Henne makes good decisions with the ball, and Mario Manningham is one of the top WR in the nation. And then there's the defense, led by CB Leon Hall. I really like USC, but I love Michigan. MICHIGAN 31-23.
Orange Bowl: (5) Louisvilla vs. (15) Wake Forest
Wake Forest has been perhaps the surprise team of the country, and they do a lot of things well, but I don't think they match up with Louisville. Louisville has one of the most explosive offenses in the country, with Brian Brohm, Harry Douglas, Mario Urrutia, and a bevy of solid RBs who have stepped up after Michael Bush's injury. I think they'll score early and often, and put a little damper on what was a fine season for Wake Forest. LOUISVILLE 41-20.
Sugar Bowl: (11) Notre Dame vs. (4) LSU
I think we all remember last year, where Notre Dame was getting tons of hype, went into the BCS confident, and then got run off the field by a much better Ohio St. team. This year, I see some more of the same, though not quite as much hype about Notre Dame in the media. But one thing remains the same... Notre Dame is a solid team with a good offense, but they are not as talented as their opponent. LSU's two losses this year came at Auburn and at Florida... not bad. They have a great, fast defense that should be able to put pressure on Brady Quinn, forcing him into some mistakes. Offensively, JaMarcus Russell has grown better and better with each game, and they should be able to put up points against a still porous Notre Dame defense. LSU 34-21.
Outback Bowl: (17) Tennessee vs. Penn St.
If Penn St. can get the ball in the hands of guys like Derrick Williams, Jordan Norwoodh, and Tony Hunt, they have the offensive weapons to compete with the Vols. The problem, of course, is getting the ball to them, as Anthony Morelli hasn't exactly torn up the Big Ten. He's completed only a little over 50% of his passes, with a 10:8 TD:INT ratio. That's not good enough to beat a solid SEC team in Tennessee. TENNESSEE 31-21.
Cotton Bowl: (10) Auburn vs. (22) Nebraska
I'm not sure what was up with Auburn getting stomped by Georgia in the 2nd to last game of the year, but ok. One of the biggest problems Auburn was having was that Kenny Irons was playing hurt and was just not as effective down the stretch, which obviously caused some problems. However, after a month or so off, that should be behind him. For the Huskers, I love their offensive balance, but Auburn will be one of the best defenses they've faced all year. AUBURN 24-20.
Gator Bowl: (13) West Virginia vs. Georgia Tech
Not that Reggie Ball was really very good, but things should be even worse offensively with him not playing because of academic reasons. Which is ok because West Virginia's defense isn't that good... but it's not ok because West Virginia's offense is very good. And Georgia Tech won't be able to score enough with their backup QB to keep up with the Mountaineers. WEST VIRGINIA 34-13.
Capital One Bowl: (12) Arkansas vs. (6) WisconsinSurprisingly Arkansas comes into this game losers of two straight and with some off-field distractions from parents who think their freshman TE should be catching 60 balls. Um, yeah. This one looks a lot like last year's Capital One Bowl, when most people (myself included) thought Auburn would be able to abuse Wisconsin, and the opposite happened en route to a 24-10 Wisconsin victory. However, I think McFadden & Jones are better than Kenny Irons, and PJ Hill isn't quite Brian Calhoun yet. ARKANSAS 24-23.
Fiesta Bowl: (7) Oklahoma vs. (9) Boise St.
This is pretty much uncharted territory for Boise St., but they come with lots of firepower. Foremost is Ian Johnson, whose numbers are eye-popping. Over 1600 yards rushing, 6.4 YPC, and 24 TD. But if you focus on him Jared Zabrasnky (it seems like he's been there forever) can hurt you either throwing or running the ball. Boise averaged nearly 40 PPG this year, so they can score in a hurry. But they haven't faced anyone like Oklahoma yet this year. Somehow the Sooners are at 11-2 (and should be 12-1), even after Adrian Peterson went down. Paul Thompson has actually been very good at QB, and Adrian Peterson will be back. Enough said. OKLAHOMA 35-20.
Rose Bowl: (8) USC vs. (3) Michigan
I think USC is a bit underrated... their defense is good, and they really do have a solid, balanced offense. If John David Booty has time, he's extremely accurate and has the great WR weapons to throw to. However, as I've said before, on a neutral field I think Michigan is the best team in the country. Michael Hart is a tough runner, Chad Henne makes good decisions with the ball, and Mario Manningham is one of the top WR in the nation. And then there's the defense, led by CB Leon Hall. I really like USC, but I love Michigan. MICHIGAN 31-23.
Orange Bowl: (5) Louisvilla vs. (15) Wake Forest
Wake Forest has been perhaps the surprise team of the country, and they do a lot of things well, but I don't think they match up with Louisville. Louisville has one of the most explosive offenses in the country, with Brian Brohm, Harry Douglas, Mario Urrutia, and a bevy of solid RBs who have stepped up after Michael Bush's injury. I think they'll score early and often, and put a little damper on what was a fine season for Wake Forest. LOUISVILLE 41-20.
Sugar Bowl: (11) Notre Dame vs. (4) LSUI think we all remember last year, where Notre Dame was getting tons of hype, went into the BCS confident, and then got run off the field by a much better Ohio St. team. This year, I see some more of the same, though not quite as much hype about Notre Dame in the media. But one thing remains the same... Notre Dame is a solid team with a good offense, but they are not as talented as their opponent. LSU's two losses this year came at Auburn and at Florida... not bad. They have a great, fast defense that should be able to put pressure on Brady Quinn, forcing him into some mistakes. Offensively, JaMarcus Russell has grown better and better with each game, and they should be able to put up points against a still porous Notre Dame defense. LSU 34-21.
AC MILAN TEMPTING SERGIO RAMOS?
Little news is generated while "La Liga" is on its Xmas break, but what is said by two leading Spanish sports dailys - "as & marca" is interesting & suspicious at the same time.The news is that AC MILAN representatives meet up in a Seville hotel with Rene Ramos, rep. & brother of REAL MADRID & SpanishInternational defender SERGIO RAMOS.Apparently the sirens were played & the Italiansvoiced their
Thursday, December 28, 2006
NFL Picks Against the Spread: Week 17
My final week of mediocrity as I continue my quest for .500. I need a superhuman effort here, which probably won't happen, but youneverknow. Let me hold onto my dreams. I have a simple strategy in place... if a team that has something to play for is playing a team that has nothing to play for, I'll usually pick them.
Giants (-2.5) over Redskins
The Giants were my preseason NFC Super Bowl pick, so maybe this is just me holding out hope that that can somehow come through. But still, they have some talent, how do the Giants lose 6 of 7 games?
Bengals (-6) over Steelers
See: something to play for/nothing to play for rationale.
Titans (-3) over Patriots
I didn't think I'd be taking the Titans to cover when they were favored against the Patriots this season, but funny things happen. Funny things such as Vince Young being really good and the Titans winning a lot. And the Patriots having the division locked up.
Raiders (+12.5) over Jets
That's a pretty wide point margin, and the Raiders defense is ok. Jets will win, but I like the Raiders to at least keep this one reasonably close.
Vikings (+2.5) over Rams
Part homer pick. I can't pick against the Vikings when they're the underdogs at home!
Jaguars (+2) over Chiefs
Jags against a good team? That's worked out pretty well for them so far.
Seahawks (+3.5) over Bucs
Neither team has anything to play for... even though Seattle will probably rest some starters the Bucs just aren't very good.
Lions (+12.5) over Cowboys
This goes under the "the NFL is too weird to pick the favorite with this big of a spread" rationale. Hey, it makes sense to me at least.
Texans (-4) over Browns
Charlie Frye wasn't exactly a Pro Bowler, but at least he was better than Derek Anderson. The Browns lost by 15 points last week to Tampa Bay. The Texans beat the Colts. If all is right with the world, that should mean something.
Panthers (-3) over Saints
See: something to play for/nothing to play for rationale.
Broncos (-10.5) over 49ers
See: something to play for/nothing to play for rationale.
Chargers (-13.5) over Cardinals
Even the Chargers backups are good enough to cover the spread against the Cards.
Colts (-9) at Dolphins
Colts should be playing angry after an embarrassing loss to the Texans last week... plus, it doesn't hurt that the Dolphins options at QB are Joey Harrington and Cleo Lemon.
Falcons (+8) over Eagles
I just like the Falcons to be able to cover in this game. It doesn't make sense because of the way the two teams are playing, just the gut feeling I have.
Bills (+9.5) over Ravens
The Ravens look like they have the 2 seed in the AFC, which is nice. But the Bills are a scrappy team that has been playing pretty well. I'm not sure they'll be able to beat the Ravens in Baltimore, especially if the Ravens starters play, but I like them to cover in this game.
Packers (+3) over Bears
See: something to play for/nothing to play for rationale.
Last Week: 8-7
Season: 101-110-8
Giants (-2.5) over Redskins
The Giants were my preseason NFC Super Bowl pick, so maybe this is just me holding out hope that that can somehow come through. But still, they have some talent, how do the Giants lose 6 of 7 games?
Bengals (-6) over Steelers
See: something to play for/nothing to play for rationale.
Titans (-3) over Patriots
I didn't think I'd be taking the Titans to cover when they were favored against the Patriots this season, but funny things happen. Funny things such as Vince Young being really good and the Titans winning a lot. And the Patriots having the division locked up.
Raiders (+12.5) over Jets
That's a pretty wide point margin, and the Raiders defense is ok. Jets will win, but I like the Raiders to at least keep this one reasonably close.
Vikings (+2.5) over Rams
Part homer pick. I can't pick against the Vikings when they're the underdogs at home!
Jaguars (+2) over Chiefs
Jags against a good team? That's worked out pretty well for them so far.
Seahawks (+3.5) over Bucs
Neither team has anything to play for... even though Seattle will probably rest some starters the Bucs just aren't very good.
Lions (+12.5) over Cowboys
This goes under the "the NFL is too weird to pick the favorite with this big of a spread" rationale. Hey, it makes sense to me at least.
Texans (-4) over Browns
Charlie Frye wasn't exactly a Pro Bowler, but at least he was better than Derek Anderson. The Browns lost by 15 points last week to Tampa Bay. The Texans beat the Colts. If all is right with the world, that should mean something.
Panthers (-3) over Saints
See: something to play for/nothing to play for rationale.
Broncos (-10.5) over 49ers
See: something to play for/nothing to play for rationale.
Chargers (-13.5) over Cardinals
Even the Chargers backups are good enough to cover the spread against the Cards.
Colts (-9) at Dolphins
Colts should be playing angry after an embarrassing loss to the Texans last week... plus, it doesn't hurt that the Dolphins options at QB are Joey Harrington and Cleo Lemon.
Falcons (+8) over Eagles
I just like the Falcons to be able to cover in this game. It doesn't make sense because of the way the two teams are playing, just the gut feeling I have.
Bills (+9.5) over Ravens
The Ravens look like they have the 2 seed in the AFC, which is nice. But the Bills are a scrappy team that has been playing pretty well. I'm not sure they'll be able to beat the Ravens in Baltimore, especially if the Ravens starters play, but I like them to cover in this game.
Packers (+3) over Bears
See: something to play for/nothing to play for rationale.
Last Week: 8-7
Season: 101-110-8
Ninth Circuit Ruling Isn't Just About Steroids in Baseball
The Ninth Circuit's ruling, as discussed by Howard Wasserman earlier today, has broad implications regarding the ability of the government to seize evidence in all criminal investigations that go beyond just a few baseball players alleged to have taken steroids. While the opinion is 115 pages long, here are some of the pertinent facts taken directly from the opinion:
Violations of due process and Fourth Amendment privacy rights get me fired up fairly easily, and this case deals with the latter. Simply, by allowing investigators to use the initial warrant as a basis for gathering gobbs of incriminating information with respect to non-targeted individuals, the investigators, in effect, were able to use a generalized search warrant to obtain evidence without probable cause. The court used the difficulty of retrieving and separating electronic data as an excuse to allow federal investigators full discretion to not only retrieve private and confidential information about thousands of individuals that are not even the subject of the warrant and for which there is no probable cause, but to also determine when there is "intermingling" such that an on-site search would be impracticable. This puts way too much discretion in the hands of federal investigators. Even further, the court didn't place any limitations on the government's use of incriminating evidence obtained with respect to non-targeted individuals.
This decision can't be the right result. What happened to the requirement of "particularized" search warrants? This decision has nothing to do with whether baseball should have a stricter steroid policy or no policy, nor whether all steroid users in baseball should be ousted. This ruling affects every citizen, because virtually all confidential records and information is stored and intermingled in electronic form on computers (hospital records, employment records, etc.). Isn't the more logical and reasonable approach to have a magistrate review and segregate the intermingled electronic data BEFORE allowing the government to seize and review it? --especially in circumstances when the evidence is not in jeopardy of being destroyed. That is the only way to ensure a proper balance between the government's criminal investigatory efforts and the privacy rights of non-targeted individuals.
1. On April 7 and April 8 of 2004, search warrants were issued authorizing the seizure of drug test records and specimens for ten named Balco-connected players. The warrants authorized the search of computer equipment, computer storage devices, and—where an on-site search would be impracticable—seizure of either a copy of all data or the computer equipment itself. “[L]aw enforcement personnel trained in searching and seizing computer data” (designated “computer personnel”) were responsible for choosing the appropriate course of action to capture the electronic data sought. If seizure of all data or equipment was necessary, “appropriately trained personnel” would review the data, retaining the evidence authorized by the warrant and designating the remainder for return.
2. During the search, a CDT director identified a computer directory containing all of the computer files for CDT’s sports drug testing programs. This directory, labeled by its original compiler as the “Tracey” directory, contained numerous subdirectories and hundreds of files. Seeing this, Agent Abboud recommended copying the entire directory for off-site analysis, because of the time and intrusiveness involved in searching the voluminous directory on site. Knowing that the warrant required them to rely upon the advice of a computer analyst—here the advice of Computer Investigative Specialist Agent Joseph Abboud—agents copied the directory and removed the copy for later review at government offices. Before he left the premises, Agent Novitzky reviewed with CDT directors the evidence seized during the search. The documents seized included a twenty-five-page master list of all MLB players tested during the 2003 season and a thirty-four-page list of positive drug testing results for eight of the ten named Balco players, intermingled with positive results for twenty-six other players.
3. On May 5, using information culled from the Tracey directory, the government applied for and obtained new search warrants to seize all specimens and records relating to over one hundred non-Balco players who had tested positive for steroids.
Violations of due process and Fourth Amendment privacy rights get me fired up fairly easily, and this case deals with the latter. Simply, by allowing investigators to use the initial warrant as a basis for gathering gobbs of incriminating information with respect to non-targeted individuals, the investigators, in effect, were able to use a generalized search warrant to obtain evidence without probable cause. The court used the difficulty of retrieving and separating electronic data as an excuse to allow federal investigators full discretion to not only retrieve private and confidential information about thousands of individuals that are not even the subject of the warrant and for which there is no probable cause, but to also determine when there is "intermingling" such that an on-site search would be impracticable. This puts way too much discretion in the hands of federal investigators. Even further, the court didn't place any limitations on the government's use of incriminating evidence obtained with respect to non-targeted individuals.
This decision can't be the right result. What happened to the requirement of "particularized" search warrants? This decision has nothing to do with whether baseball should have a stricter steroid policy or no policy, nor whether all steroid users in baseball should be ousted. This ruling affects every citizen, because virtually all confidential records and information is stored and intermingled in electronic form on computers (hospital records, employment records, etc.). Isn't the more logical and reasonable approach to have a magistrate review and segregate the intermingled electronic data BEFORE allowing the government to seize and review it? --especially in circumstances when the evidence is not in jeopardy of being destroyed. That is the only way to ensure a proper balance between the government's criminal investigatory efforts and the privacy rights of non-targeted individuals.
Federal Government May Review MLB Player Drug Tests
In a lengthy 2-1 opinion in United States v. Comprehensive Drug Testing, Inc., the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that the federal government could keep and review (under direction and supervision of a Magistrate Judge) records of drug- tests from more than one hundred Major League Baseball players. As part of its BALCO investigation, the government issued grand-jury subpoenas and obtained search warrants for computer files and paper information held by CDT and another company, Quest Diagnostics; both companies had performed drug tests on MLB players in 2003 pursuant to a contract with MLB. The government was looking for (and actually entitled to seize) only information on eleven specific players.
But in the course of the search, agents came across "intermingled" files and documents containing information on many other players who were not believed to have any connection to BALCO, in addition to the eleven targets. Under the majority's holding, the government may be able to retain and use initially non-seizable evidence that was initially mixed-in with seizable evidence. That determination will be left to the Magistrate.
For MLB's purposes, the impact of the ruling is not clear. News outlets are talking about the effect this could have on the investigation into perjury before the grand jury by Barry Bonds, apparently on the assumption that the records may show that Bonds did use steroids prior to giving his testimony. The absence of such evidence to this point may explain why the perjury investigation has not gone anywhere. Prosecutors generally (and properly) are reluctant to pursue perjury charges in a he said/he said situation; non-testimonial evidence that Bonds took performance-enhancing drugs might strengthen the case.
The records also could show just how pervasive steroid use is in baseball. The testing done in 2003 was anonymous and not under threat of penalty and MLB has downplayed what those tests showed.
Finally, since the BALCO grand jury has been famously leaky, there is a good chance that the names of some of these hundred players are going to get out to the public at some point.
But in the course of the search, agents came across "intermingled" files and documents containing information on many other players who were not believed to have any connection to BALCO, in addition to the eleven targets. Under the majority's holding, the government may be able to retain and use initially non-seizable evidence that was initially mixed-in with seizable evidence. That determination will be left to the Magistrate.
For MLB's purposes, the impact of the ruling is not clear. News outlets are talking about the effect this could have on the investigation into perjury before the grand jury by Barry Bonds, apparently on the assumption that the records may show that Bonds did use steroids prior to giving his testimony. The absence of such evidence to this point may explain why the perjury investigation has not gone anywhere. Prosecutors generally (and properly) are reluctant to pursue perjury charges in a he said/he said situation; non-testimonial evidence that Bonds took performance-enhancing drugs might strengthen the case.
The records also could show just how pervasive steroid use is in baseball. The testing done in 2003 was anonymous and not under threat of penalty and MLB has downplayed what those tests showed.
Finally, since the BALCO grand jury has been famously leaky, there is a good chance that the names of some of these hundred players are going to get out to the public at some point.
REAL MADRID NEWS - INTER DE MILAN GOES AFTER BECKHAM
Have to be careful these days as there are plenty of rumours flyingabout, specially concerning DAVID BECKHAM. According toSpanish daily "as", Italian club INTER will make a determinedoffensive for the services of the Englishman.Real Madrid has given Beckam until 1.01.07 to decide if herenews his contract with them, if not, he is free to listen tooffers & take the best one, as his spell ends in 1
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Who's the best NFL Rookie QB?
Maybe it's just my bad memory, but it seems to me like there have been more rookie QBs making appearances this season than normal. There is Vince Young, the #3 pick in the draft who had led the Titans back into the playoff race. There's Matt Leinart, who's shown some flashes for the lowly Cardinals. There's Jay Cutler, who took over the Broncos and has them playing well again and in the playoff race. Then there's even Bruce Gradkowski, who started for Tampa Bay after Chris Simms went down, and Tarvaris Jackson, who's gotten some time in Minnesota. But who's been the best? Let's look at each one.
First just a quick look at Tarvaris Jackson. As you may know, I love the guy. But obviously, he's not really in the Young/Leinart/Cutler category yet, as he's only started 1 game. But I'll talk about him a little anyway. He's mobile, he's got a strong arm, quick release, and for the most part has made pretty good decisions. He hasn't had much experience at all at very high level of football (he played at D2 Alabama St. in college. No offense to D2 football, because everyone there is still much, much better than I ever was at football). So the fact that he's played some and not embarrassed himself is encouraging in and of itself.
But moving on to Bruce Gradkowski. I include him only because he is a rookie. However, before he was replaced he really wasn't that good. He completed 54% of his passes and had a 1:1 TD:INT ratio, which isn't good, but not awful. But he had only 5.06 YPA, which is really bad. Of QBs that have taken the most snaps for their team, it was by far the worst in the NFL. Second worst was 5.76 YPA by Joey Harrington. So Gradkowski doesn't really deserve to be with Leinart/Young/Cutler either.
So next is Jay Cutler, the lowest picked of the three first-round QBs. He's only made 4 starts, but he has impressed. His first game was subpar as he did throw 2 INT, but he has thrown 2 TD in each of his 4 games, which is excellent. He's been accurate (57% completion in 105 passes), he's obviously getting the ball in the endzone (8:4 TD:INT), and he's getting the ball downfield. He has a 7.34 YPA, which would be 7th in the NFL if he qualified. After the offense struggled a little bit with Plummer at the helm, they are hitting their stride with Cutler and becoming more explosive. The Broncos have averaged over 25 PPG in his 4 games. As I have mentioned before on here, I think Shanahan made a very good move here and the Broncos will be served better by having a guy like Cutler who gets the ball downfield more as their starting QB.
Then there's Matt Leinart, who was taken one spot ahead of Jay Cutler in the draft. He's been starting since week 5, so there's a solid sample size there. There have been a lot of up and downs for Leinart (which is almost a given considering he plays in Arizona). The highs have been Chicago, where he played a very solid game and drove the Cards down for what looked like would be the winning FG, and Minnesota, where he threw for over 400 yards. There's also been lows, such as the 3-game stretch against Oakland, Green Bay, and Dallas where he threw 1 TD and 5 INT. But overall he's been pretty accurate (56.8%) and has about an even TD:INT ratio. About what you'd expect from a QB playing behind the Arizona O-Line, which has been spotty.
Last is Vince Young. If you listen to Merril Hoge, VY is an awful QB who will never amount to anything. Fortunately, most people don't listen to Merril Hoge. I don't like to say a QB just "wins games" because football is the ultimate team game and no one player "just wins games", but that said I don't think anyone in Tennessee is complaining about taking Young over Leinart. His passing abilities haven't quite caused anyone to confuse him with Dan Marino, but his running ability combined with the passing have been superb. He's been ok throwing it... about 53% completions, 12 TD, 11 INT, 6.14 YPA... not great numbers by any means, but not impossibly bad numbers. But then throw in that he's run for over 500 yards and 6 TD, and he becomes a pretty darn good QB. Of course, it's pretty freakin' hard to ignore that the Titans have won 6 straight games and are suddenly back in the playoff race. That's a point in his favor.
So what does it all mean? Well, basically it just means that the three first-rounders all look really good and should have bright futures. I truly would have no real qualms ranking them 1-2-3 in whatever order you like. If I had to rank them (and I don't, but what's the point of this if I don't?!), I'd probably stick with my pre-draft ranking of them:
(1) Jay Cutler
(2) Matt Leinart
(3) Vince Young
Agree? Disagree?
First just a quick look at Tarvaris Jackson. As you may know, I love the guy. But obviously, he's not really in the Young/Leinart/Cutler category yet, as he's only started 1 game. But I'll talk about him a little anyway. He's mobile, he's got a strong arm, quick release, and for the most part has made pretty good decisions. He hasn't had much experience at all at very high level of football (he played at D2 Alabama St. in college. No offense to D2 football, because everyone there is still much, much better than I ever was at football). So the fact that he's played some and not embarrassed himself is encouraging in and of itself.
But moving on to Bruce Gradkowski. I include him only because he is a rookie. However, before he was replaced he really wasn't that good. He completed 54% of his passes and had a 1:1 TD:INT ratio, which isn't good, but not awful. But he had only 5.06 YPA, which is really bad. Of QBs that have taken the most snaps for their team, it was by far the worst in the NFL. Second worst was 5.76 YPA by Joey Harrington. So Gradkowski doesn't really deserve to be with Leinart/Young/Cutler either.
So next is Jay Cutler, the lowest picked of the three first-round QBs. He's only made 4 starts, but he has impressed. His first game was subpar as he did throw 2 INT, but he has thrown 2 TD in each of his 4 games, which is excellent. He's been accurate (57% completion in 105 passes), he's obviously getting the ball in the endzone (8:4 TD:INT), and he's getting the ball downfield. He has a 7.34 YPA, which would be 7th in the NFL if he qualified. After the offense struggled a little bit with Plummer at the helm, they are hitting their stride with Cutler and becoming more explosive. The Broncos have averaged over 25 PPG in his 4 games. As I have mentioned before on here, I think Shanahan made a very good move here and the Broncos will be served better by having a guy like Cutler who gets the ball downfield more as their starting QB.Then there's Matt Leinart, who was taken one spot ahead of Jay Cutler in the draft. He's been starting since week 5, so there's a solid sample size there. There have been a lot of up and downs for Leinart (which is almost a given considering he plays in Arizona). The highs have been Chicago, where he played a very solid game and drove the Cards down for what looked like would be the winning FG, and Minnesota, where he threw for over 400 yards. There's also been lows, such as the 3-game stretch against Oakland, Green Bay, and Dallas where he threw 1 TD and 5 INT. But overall he's been pretty accurate (56.8%) and has about an even TD:INT ratio. About what you'd expect from a QB playing behind the Arizona O-Line, which has been spotty.
Last is Vince Young. If you listen to Merril Hoge, VY is an awful QB who will never amount to anything. Fortunately, most people don't listen to Merril Hoge. I don't like to say a QB just "wins games" because football is the ultimate team game and no one player "just wins games", but that said I don't think anyone in Tennessee is complaining about taking Young over Leinart. His passing abilities haven't quite caused anyone to confuse him with Dan Marino, but his running ability combined with the passing have been superb. He's been ok throwing it... about 53% completions, 12 TD, 11 INT, 6.14 YPA... not great numbers by any means, but not impossibly bad numbers. But then throw in that he's run for over 500 yards and 6 TD, and he becomes a pretty darn good QB. Of course, it's pretty freakin' hard to ignore that the Titans have won 6 straight games and are suddenly back in the playoff race. That's a point in his favor.So what does it all mean? Well, basically it just means that the three first-rounders all look really good and should have bright futures. I truly would have no real qualms ranking them 1-2-3 in whatever order you like. If I had to rank them (and I don't, but what's the point of this if I don't?!), I'd probably stick with my pre-draft ranking of them:
(1) Jay Cutler
(2) Matt Leinart
(3) Vince Young
Agree? Disagree?
REAL BETIS. NEW COACH LUIS FERNANDEZ
Ex At.Bilbao & Espanyol coach & International Frenchplayer LUIS FERNANDEZ has accepted to take overthe reigns of bottom of the ladder Spanish team REALBETIS, after its coach Javier Irureta resigned before Xmas.Known for his straight talking & team binding skills,Fernanndez has the tough task of taking his new teamout of the dangerous relegation zone & rebuild theconfidence lost.
South african sport newspapers
South African sport newspapers are written in two of the most important languages: english and afrikaas and have over 1 million readers every day. Football, rugby and cricket are the sports with most fans in South Africa and are the main subjects in the south african sport newspapers.Die Burger: http://www.dieburger.com/Pages/Sport.aspx
Business Day: http://www.businessday.co.za/news/sports.aspx?Page=BD4P19&MenuItem=BD4P19
Cape Argus: http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=3159
City Press: http://www.news24.com/City_Press/Sport/Home/0,,186-245,00.html
Mail & Guardian: http://www.mg.co.za/sport.aspx
The Herald: http://www.theherald.co.za/herald/sport/hsport.htm
Rapport: http://www.news24.com/Rapport/Sport-Rapport/Home/0,,752-796,00.html
Volksblad: http://www.news24.com/Die_Volksblad/Volksblad-Sport/Home/0,,5-84,00.html
SEVILLE FC SIGNNING NEWS - KERZHAKOV
Young 24 year old International Russian & team ZENIT player,ALEKSANDER KERZHAKOV is on his way to Spain to shut histransfer & signning for current UEFA CUP, EURO SUPERCUP & Spanish League leaders SEVILLE FCHis a well known player to Seville having played someincreidible matches & scored goals against the Spanishside.
Sports Prediction for the New Year
A random prediction for the new year: George W. Bush will be the next Commissioner of Major League Baseball.
Current Commissioner Bud Selig announced earlier this month that he will retire when his contract expires at the end of 2009 (although apparently, back in in 2003 he said the same thing about retiring in 2006, so stay tuned). Bush will be out of a job at 12:01 p.m. on January 20, 2009. And he will need something to do, since one cannot imagine him monitoring foreign elections and fighting world health battles.
Baseball commissioner always has been a job that has attracted people from politics and public service. Commissioner A.B. "Happy" Chandler served as Kentucky's Governor and U.S. Senator both before and after his term in baseball. Chief Justice Fred Vinson considered resigning from the Supreme Court to take the job after Chandler's term ended in 1951. Names such as Mario Cuomo and George Mitchell have surfaced in the past as potential candidates. And, of course, Bush used to own the Texas Rangers, so he combines a political background with baseball-insider status, which would make him very appealing to the owners.
And there is the fact that this may be the job Bush wanted all along. Recall that Commissioner Fay Vincent was forced out of the job in 1992 by an owners' vote of no confidence and replaced, on an "interim" basis, by Selig, then owner of the Milwaukee Brewers. This move was the prelude to the owners' hard-line stance in the 1994 players' strike that forced the cancellation of the 1994 World Series and a one-month delay in the start of the 1995 season. And a search for a permanent commissioner went along. According to Vincent's 2002 book, The Last Commissioner, Bush let both Selig and Vincent (who was a friend of Papa and Barbara Bush) of his interest in the job. Selig purportedly told Bush that he was "his man but that it will take some time to work out." At the same time, Bush was considering running for governor of Texas. With the clock ticking (and Vincent suspecting, ultimately not incorrectly, that Selig wanted the job for himself), Bush gave up on the commissioner's job and ran for public office. He won the Texas governorship in 1994 and the rest, as they say, is history.
It would be an interesting turn for Bush to get his dream job--17 years, and many world events, later.
Current Commissioner Bud Selig announced earlier this month that he will retire when his contract expires at the end of 2009 (although apparently, back in in 2003 he said the same thing about retiring in 2006, so stay tuned). Bush will be out of a job at 12:01 p.m. on January 20, 2009. And he will need something to do, since one cannot imagine him monitoring foreign elections and fighting world health battles.
Baseball commissioner always has been a job that has attracted people from politics and public service. Commissioner A.B. "Happy" Chandler served as Kentucky's Governor and U.S. Senator both before and after his term in baseball. Chief Justice Fred Vinson considered resigning from the Supreme Court to take the job after Chandler's term ended in 1951. Names such as Mario Cuomo and George Mitchell have surfaced in the past as potential candidates. And, of course, Bush used to own the Texas Rangers, so he combines a political background with baseball-insider status, which would make him very appealing to the owners.
And there is the fact that this may be the job Bush wanted all along. Recall that Commissioner Fay Vincent was forced out of the job in 1992 by an owners' vote of no confidence and replaced, on an "interim" basis, by Selig, then owner of the Milwaukee Brewers. This move was the prelude to the owners' hard-line stance in the 1994 players' strike that forced the cancellation of the 1994 World Series and a one-month delay in the start of the 1995 season. And a search for a permanent commissioner went along. According to Vincent's 2002 book, The Last Commissioner, Bush let both Selig and Vincent (who was a friend of Papa and Barbara Bush) of his interest in the job. Selig purportedly told Bush that he was "his man but that it will take some time to work out." At the same time, Bush was considering running for governor of Texas. With the clock ticking (and Vincent suspecting, ultimately not incorrectly, that Selig wanted the job for himself), Bush gave up on the commissioner's job and ran for public office. He won the Texas governorship in 1994 and the rest, as they say, is history.
It would be an interesting turn for Bush to get his dream job--17 years, and many world events, later.
SPANISH FOOTBALL RUMOURS. XAVI ALONSO & RIQUELME
SFS is back & hopes its readers have enjoyed the break. But SpanishFootball continues & sporting paper "as" throws us a rumour &gossip to start the day.His worth 21M€ approx & his contract ends in 2009, he plays forLIVERPOOL & his name is XAVI ALONSO. This player is the Nº1objective for ATLETICO DE MADRID, the English club has´ntreceived direct contacts , but Alonso immediate circles has
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
I'll be super busy as I'm sure most will over the next couple of days, but hopefully all you great readers have a great holiday!
Friday, December 22, 2006
NFL Picks Against the Spread: Week 16
As I continue on my quest of mediocrity, we only have 2 weeks to go, which makes .500 unlikely. But I can still dream.
Chiefs (-7) over Raiders
Sometimes I'm actually glad I don't get the NFL Network.
Redskins (+2) over Rams
The Jason Campbell has been pretty underwhelming so far, as Campbell has barely completed 50% of his passes and has 7 TD to 5 INT. But amazingly enough, Ladell Betts is only 67 yards away from 1000 this season and has been tearing it up lately. I'll take the Skins in a mini-upset to knock the Rams out of the playoff race.
Bucs (+3) over Browns
Bill Simmons just sort of hit the nail on the head: "Did you ever think they could have a Week 16 game devoid of NFL playoff implications, fantasy playoff implications AND "the loser has the inside track for the No. 1 pick" implications?" I hope I don't get so bored that I'd be forced to watch this game.
Bills (-4.5) over Titans
I love what Vince Young is doing, but I'm not sure he should really get the praise for the win last week, being that it was the defense that scored the TDs. Regardless, I think the Titans magical run ends in Buffalo, against a surprisingly ok Bills team led by JP Losman. Bills win in the "If we win this we might actually have a chance for the playoffs" game.
Saints (+3) over Giants
It just makes sense in the NFL that a week after the Saints lost at home to Washington they would go on the road to beat the Giants. That's just the way things work in the NFL.
Patriots (+3) over Jaguars
Don't look now, but the Pats are 5-1 on the road this year. Besides, at 10-4, amazingly enough, they're still not guaranteed a playoff berth, because the Jets could still win the division and knock NE out. Unlikely, but it could happen. So the Patriots motivation will be there, though admittedly it's hard to pick against the Jags against a good team, because they usually beat those.
Colts (-9.5) over Texans
Texans suck. The end.
Lions (+5.5) over Bears
The Bears have HFA in the NFC all locked up at this point, leaving nothing to play for. Of course, the antagonist could say the Lions have been playing like there's nothing to play for for the last 5 years. But I'm not going to go there.
Falcons (-6.5) over Panthers
Don't look now, but Chris Weinke is 1-17 in his career as a starter. And he's lost 17 straight starts after winning his first one. And this is his 4th year earning an NFL salary. There are worse jobs in the world than the backup QB.
Steelers (-3.5) over Ravens
Unfortunately for the Steelers, even after another miracle run to end the regular season they'll be missing out on the playoffs. Which generally tends to happen when you start 2-6 and lose even to the Oakland Raiders. Along with the Steelers streak, some concerns about McNair's health make me lean with the Steelers here in Pittsburgh.
Cardinals (+4) over 49ers
Don't know why but I just feel like the Niners will lose this game. I don't have any real rationale, just a feeling.
Seahawks (+4.5) over Chargers
Seahawks are a 4.5 point underdog at home? Hmmm. Like the Patriots, they have a relatively comfortable division lead but they're still not guaranteed a playoff spot. I think they'll be able to break their 2 game losing streak, or at least keep this game within 5 points by the end.
Bengals (+3) over Broncos
This is a tough game to call. Two solid teams fighting for their playoff lives. However, I'll just look at the QBs here. Carson Palmer is superb, and while I think Cutler will be excellent, he's still a rook. Slight nod to the Bengals, though I don't have a lot of confidence about it.
Eagles (+7) over Cowboys
Eagles are playing pretty darn good football right now. With Brian Westbrook getting the ball early and often, and Jeff Garcia limiting mistakes, I think the Eagles will keep this a tight ballgame.
Dolphins (-2.5) over Jets
Eric Mangini, you had a good first year run. 9-7 is nothing to be ashamed of.
Last Week: 7-8
Season: 93-103-8
Chiefs (-7) over Raiders
Sometimes I'm actually glad I don't get the NFL Network.
Redskins (+2) over Rams
The Jason Campbell has been pretty underwhelming so far, as Campbell has barely completed 50% of his passes and has 7 TD to 5 INT. But amazingly enough, Ladell Betts is only 67 yards away from 1000 this season and has been tearing it up lately. I'll take the Skins in a mini-upset to knock the Rams out of the playoff race.
Bucs (+3) over Browns
Bill Simmons just sort of hit the nail on the head: "Did you ever think they could have a Week 16 game devoid of NFL playoff implications, fantasy playoff implications AND "the loser has the inside track for the No. 1 pick" implications?" I hope I don't get so bored that I'd be forced to watch this game.
Bills (-4.5) over Titans
I love what Vince Young is doing, but I'm not sure he should really get the praise for the win last week, being that it was the defense that scored the TDs. Regardless, I think the Titans magical run ends in Buffalo, against a surprisingly ok Bills team led by JP Losman. Bills win in the "If we win this we might actually have a chance for the playoffs" game.
Saints (+3) over Giants
It just makes sense in the NFL that a week after the Saints lost at home to Washington they would go on the road to beat the Giants. That's just the way things work in the NFL.
Patriots (+3) over Jaguars
Don't look now, but the Pats are 5-1 on the road this year. Besides, at 10-4, amazingly enough, they're still not guaranteed a playoff berth, because the Jets could still win the division and knock NE out. Unlikely, but it could happen. So the Patriots motivation will be there, though admittedly it's hard to pick against the Jags against a good team, because they usually beat those.
Colts (-9.5) over Texans
Texans suck. The end.
Lions (+5.5) over Bears
The Bears have HFA in the NFC all locked up at this point, leaving nothing to play for. Of course, the antagonist could say the Lions have been playing like there's nothing to play for for the last 5 years. But I'm not going to go there.
Falcons (-6.5) over Panthers
Don't look now, but Chris Weinke is 1-17 in his career as a starter. And he's lost 17 straight starts after winning his first one. And this is his 4th year earning an NFL salary. There are worse jobs in the world than the backup QB.
Steelers (-3.5) over Ravens
Unfortunately for the Steelers, even after another miracle run to end the regular season they'll be missing out on the playoffs. Which generally tends to happen when you start 2-6 and lose even to the Oakland Raiders. Along with the Steelers streak, some concerns about McNair's health make me lean with the Steelers here in Pittsburgh.
Cardinals (+4) over 49ers
Don't know why but I just feel like the Niners will lose this game. I don't have any real rationale, just a feeling.
Seahawks (+4.5) over Chargers
Seahawks are a 4.5 point underdog at home? Hmmm. Like the Patriots, they have a relatively comfortable division lead but they're still not guaranteed a playoff spot. I think they'll be able to break their 2 game losing streak, or at least keep this game within 5 points by the end.
Bengals (+3) over Broncos
This is a tough game to call. Two solid teams fighting for their playoff lives. However, I'll just look at the QBs here. Carson Palmer is superb, and while I think Cutler will be excellent, he's still a rook. Slight nod to the Bengals, though I don't have a lot of confidence about it.
Eagles (+7) over Cowboys
Eagles are playing pretty darn good football right now. With Brian Westbrook getting the ball early and often, and Jeff Garcia limiting mistakes, I think the Eagles will keep this a tight ballgame.
Dolphins (-2.5) over Jets
Eric Mangini, you had a good first year run. 9-7 is nothing to be ashamed of.
Last Week: 7-8
Season: 93-103-8
REAL MADRID - GAGO . THE NEW REDONDO?
Its official, GAGO is a REAL MADRID player . He was presentedto media today.Cost 20.5M€ & signs for 6 and a half seasons.The new Fernando Redondo?
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Packers defeat Vikings
My goodness, what an ugly game. First off, my condolences to those neutral fans that watched the game, because it wasn't pretty. But rest assured knowing that you didn't suffer nearly as much as me. There is nothing I hate worse in sports, and very few things I hate worse in all of life than when the Vikings lose to the Packers. It's a physically painful feeling. Anyway, some thoughts from the game:- Tarvaris Jackson wasn't overly impressive by any means in his first NFL start, but the conditions were pretty tough. On the road against an archrival, pumped up crowd, national TV, poor weather, etc. But still, he didn't play well.
But that was just the tip of the iceberg as far as offensive problems. First off, the Offensive Line was atrocious. Penalties, whiffed blocks, etc. Artis Hicks was getting used and abused all game, and whoever Aaron Kampan was going up against was getting beat consistently. Jackson very rarely had time to set his feet and throw, which is generally a problem. The poor Line play also caused the running game to suffer, as there was rarely holes.
When Tarvaris did have time to throw, sometimes it didn't matter where the ball was because the receivers could not get separation at all. Or when they did, something still went wrong, like in the first quarter, when Tarvaris threw a beautiful deep ball, and Troy Williamson overran it and made a terrible attempt at it.
There were problems with the whole offense up to and including the playcalling, and it showed obviously, as the Vikings mustered 3 first downs. Just simply atrocious all the way around.
- There's all this talk about Brett Favre rallying them in the 8th Annual "Brett Favre's Last Ever Home Game", but in reality Favre played a pretty awful game. Most of his completions came simply when there was no pass rush (which is certainly a common theme for the Vikings) and he could pick apart the zone, like most NFL QBs can do. (obviously he had a few solid throws in coverage, including the one on the final drive that got them in Vikings territory). When he threw into coverage, things usually didn't go as well. And in Favre Fashion, he threw 2 bad INTs. One was a pass that went right to Fred Smoot who had the clear path to the endzone for the game's lone TD. On his next pass he just threw it up and Darren Sharper picked it off. Let's not give Favre all the credit, because this game was one strictly by their defense.
- As usual, Pat Williams and Kevin Williams dominated in interior of the line on run plays. Just a couple of absolute dominators there.
- Antoine Winfield was also excellent. Solid in coverage (except for the long play on the final drive), absolutely awesome in run support, and even a big special teams hit. And this guy has never been to a Pro Bowl? That's a crime.
- The Vikings need to consider sending Bubba Franks a Christmas gift, because he was awful. I have never seen a TE play such an awful game.
- On the subject of the announcers, I do like Cris Collinsworth. Honestly, he may very well be the best color man I've heard all season. Though I'm not sure if that speaks to the quality of Collinsoworth's work or the lack of quality in everyone else's.
- Have I mentioned that I hate losing to the Packers? GAH!! As Brett Favre is known to do he practically gave this game to Minnesota, and they just didn't take it. Horrible offensive effort, but that's pretty much to be expected when a rookie is making his first start on the road. If this was Tarvaris' 3rd or 4th start I'm not sure things go that poorly. Hopefully Tarvaris can play well next week to bring momentum into next year and show the team that he can be the guy at QB. Not much else to play for at this point.
- For the record, I HATE THE PACKERS.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Links I Enjoy
I don't really have much to write about today, so I'll do what all good people do in that situation... hand some links out to others more talented than me, at least on this day.
First, a non-sports note... did anyone ever watch the TV show Arrested Development? I just rented a DVD of it and watch the first 6 episodes... great, great show. If you haven't seen it, I implore you to check it out. Er, finish reading this first, then check it out.
Zach from The Big Picture continues his solid work with his blogger interviews, this time with Matt Uffords from With Leather. As with his first one, he really does a great job and it's an interesting look at the blogger with some info you probably didn't know.
Terrell Owens missed the Pro Bowl. Oh darn.
Goodbye Brad Radke, a man of true class. It was a lot of fun watching him pitch for the Twins for so many years, especially this last year when he was in such enormous pain.
Passion & Pride always has all the Sixers news you need... which is good because they're usually too depressing for me to write about these days.
Just another example of why I love Fire Joe Morgan.
The Peter King Manlove Translator. Brilliant.
You have your Mauer Sideburns, now get your Childress Mustache! Just seems like the fitting way to end this.
First, a non-sports note... did anyone ever watch the TV show Arrested Development? I just rented a DVD of it and watch the first 6 episodes... great, great show. If you haven't seen it, I implore you to check it out. Er, finish reading this first, then check it out.
Zach from The Big Picture continues his solid work with his blogger interviews, this time with Matt Uffords from With Leather. As with his first one, he really does a great job and it's an interesting look at the blogger with some info you probably didn't know.
Terrell Owens missed the Pro Bowl. Oh darn.
Goodbye Brad Radke, a man of true class. It was a lot of fun watching him pitch for the Twins for so many years, especially this last year when he was in such enormous pain.
Passion & Pride always has all the Sixers news you need... which is good because they're usually too depressing for me to write about these days.
Just another example of why I love Fire Joe Morgan.
The Peter King Manlove Translator. Brilliant.
You have your Mauer Sideburns, now get your Childress Mustache! Just seems like the fitting way to end this.
SPANISH LEAGUE FOOTBALL - ROUND 16 RESULTS
All the Round 16 matches have been played & "La Liga"takes its a breakThe big surprise was the defeat of Real Madrid 0 - 3 to Recreativode Huelva. They were super psyched after a bus full of Recrefans overturned killing 4 people on their way to Madrid. Sad day thatspurred on the team in their memory. It was the worst gameof the season for Real who was out of place & out of playSeville FC won 4 -
Titans Sued for Mascot's Behavior
This story isn't as interesting as Tara Conner, but last Friday, ex-Saints fourth string quarterback Adrian McPherson filed a lawsuit against the Tennessee Titans because their mascot hit him with a golf cart while he was warming up on the sidelines before the second half of an August exhibition game. The short 4-page complaint (actually three because the fourth page contains the signature block), which can be accessed at The Smoking Gun, does not state what his injury was, but does seek $5 million in compensatory damages and $15 million in punitive damages. It's unusual to make a request for relief for that amount of money without even describing the injury. But according to an AP release, McPherson incurred "a deep bruise" in his right knee, and the Saints cut him three weeks after the incident. The complaint, however, spins it a little differently stating that McPherson was forced to miss the remainder of the pre-season, and was ultimately placed on injured reserve which meant he was forced to miss the entire NFL season.Assuming the person performing as the mascot is an employee of the Titans and not an independent contractor, the Titans would be vicariously liable for personal injury proximately caused by his unreasonable conduct. Driving a golf cart into an opposing team's player warming up on the sidelines is most likely negligent. But McPherson has the burden of proving his damages. What's a knee bruise worth to a fourth string quarterback? Definitely not $5M. McPherson alleges that the injury forced him to miss the entire NFL season. However, the Titans will argue that the reason he missed the season is that he was cut by the Saints as the fourth string QB and would have been cut anyways, not because of the knee bruise. The Titans can also point to the fact that he now plays in the Arena Football League, and no other NFL team was interested after he was cut.
What is unfortunate for the Titans, however, is that damages are typically a question of fact for a jury to decide, especially in this situation because it involves determining McPherson's worth as a player as well as the issue of whether he would have made the Saints' roster if he had not been injured. So unless this mascot is an independent contractor, the court would probably not dismiss it as a matter of law on the liability issue.
My prediction is that the Titans will sit on this case for awhile. If McPherson continues playing in the AFL, it tends to establish that the injury he incurred was not that severe. And if he doesn't ultimately get picked up by an NFL team, it tends to show that he would have been cut by the Saints anyways.
SPANISH FOOTBALL - ROUND 16 - "LA LIGA"
Round 16 of "La Liga" kick off last night before the Xmas break.Two matches were played :Valencia 3 ( Vicente - pictured - Villa & Morientes ) - Mallorca 1(J.Gutierrez)At.Bilbao 0 - Zaragoza 0Rest of matches to be played:Racing - VillarealOsasuna - LevanteCelta - R.SociedadGimnastic - EspanyolReal Madrid - RecreativoSeville FC - DeportivoFc Barcelona - At .Madrid ( Thursday)
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Billy King: No Level of Incompetence that won't be tolerated
As I mentioned earlier and you almost certainly have heard many times, Allen Iverson was traded. The official deal is Allen Iverson and Ivan McFarlin for Andre Miller, Joe Smith (and his expiring contract), and two first-round draft picks. Allen Iverson was the reason I first became a Sixers fan, so it's tough to see him go, especially when he's still playing great basketball. He's incredibly quick, a great finisher, gets to the line, and will give you all he's got each and every game. Maybe he's not big on practice, but I think that's forgivable considering the beating he takes game in and game out.
So about the trade. I don't really like it much. Certainly it's not an awful deal, but in many ways I don't see the point. Andre Miller is a nice PG, and a good distributor. But like Iverson he's 31 years old and his deal runs for 2 more years after this one. Honestly, all I can see Miller doing is improving the Sixers just enough to lessen their shot at the #1 pick. I wouldn't really be surprised if the Sixers turned around and traded Miller.
Then there's Joe Smith, who is simply in it for the expiring contract. OK.
Last, and perhaps most importantly, are 2 first-round picks. These are obviously nice, but they'll be late first rounders sometime in the 20s. It's a deep draft, which is good, but what do you normally get from picks in the 20s? Based on my unscientific research, generally role players or occasional starters. Every once in a while there's a guy like Josh Howard, but then there's also the guys that never make it. And that is what they got for Allen Iverson, who by the time he's done with be one of the top 50 (certainly) players ever to play the game, and who's still playing at a very high level.
It's increasingly evident that the problem in Philadelphia was not Allen Iverson, it's Billy King. Seriously, look at this Philly team right now.
- Andre Iguodala - ok, no complaints here. He's a nice up-and-coming player on both ends of the court.
- Kyle Korver - great shooter, no defense. Solid role player.
- Chris Webber - basically on one leg, limited mobility, and with an albatross contract. An awful defensively player and poor fit for Philly's personnel.
- Samuel Dalembert - an athletic post with no real offensive skills and seems to be the same player he was 2 years ago.
- Rodney Carney - promising young player who's nowhere near ready yet.
That's about it. Kevin Ollie starts, but he sucks. Louis Williams could be good someday, but he's not yet. Stephen Hunter is a decent big man off the bench. The starting lineup is below average, and there is no depth. This was the team surrounding around Allen Iverson.
At the end of the day, Allen Iverson is a Denver Nugget, and they become my 2nd favorite team. But the problems for the 76ers run a lot deeper than Allen Iverson, and they start in the front office with Billy King. The man with seemingly no plan, and from the looks of it no real clue on how to piece together a team.
Here's a great post at The 700 Level, and I'll quote a part I really like:
I'll remember the crossover on Jordan, the high arching kiss off the glass, the step over Tyronne Lue, the cupped hand to the ear, the sleeve, the tattoos, the MVP. I'm not talkin' bout practice, I'm talkin' bout the warrior.
Allen Iverson had his flaws. Philadelphia loved him anyway. Thanks for the memories.
Indeed. Thanks AI, you'll be missed by this 76ers fan.
Bye Bye Bubba Chuck
It's official, Allen Iverson is officially a member of the Denver Nuggets.
As a Sixers fan, it will be hard to watch AI play in another uniform. More analysis later, but I don't feel up to it right now.
As a Sixers fan, it will be hard to watch AI play in another uniform. More analysis later, but I don't feel up to it right now.
REAL MADRID. GAGO WILL HAVE TO WAIT
NEW FLASH - 20.12.06. Boca & Real come to an agreement.The price 20M€ - 6.5 seasons.Just when you thought it was a shut case, it seemsit was not at all. Below Boca Juniors President, Macri,leaves Madrid without an agreement for the transferof its star player GAGO to Real Madrid.Boca wants 22M€ & Real will only pay 18M€, but Real has timeup its sleeve. They have until the 31 of Jan 2007 to sign
Monday, December 18, 2006
Knicks/Nuggets Suspensions handed down
For the record, here are the suspensions:
Carmelo Anthony - DEN - 15 games
Nate Robinson - NY - 10 games
JR Smith - DEN - 10 games
Mardy Collins - NY - 6 games
Jared Jeffries - NY - 4 games
Nene - DEN - 1 game
Jerome James - NY - 1 games
Isiah Thomas - NY - 0 games
In addition both teams were fined $500,000.
Some of the suspensions I thought were just right, some I thought were too harsh, and then there was some parts thought the penalty should have been harsher (or there should have at least been a penalty).
First, the longest one, Carmelo Anthony. This was too long, I think. First off, it was not a sucker punch. I can understand that from the angle most commonly shown it does look like a punch, but from the reverse angle his fist is not closed, showing it was more like a hard slap than a punch. Still obviously not a good thing, but not as bad as everyone is quite making it out to be.
Then there's Nate Robinson. Honestly, I don't know why he did not get a longer suspension, or at least the same length as Carmelo. Certainly the foul and reaction of JR Smith started things, but Robinson is the one that escalated it by immediately getting in JR Smith's face and then throwing the reverse bodyslam on him. After that, Robinson continued jumping around and getting in the faces of the Nuggets player. Robinson, as much as anybody, caused this thing to get as big as it was.
Smith with 10 games, I don't really have a problem with that in relation to what the other guys got. Same for Jeffries, James, and Nene. Mardy Collins getting 6 games I felt was a little harsh, because if the fight hadn't escalated he wouldn't have gotten suspended at all, and he didn't really have a role in the fight. I mean, it was a hard foul and a flagrant foul, but I've certainly seen a lot worse.
Then, in my eyes, the most egregious error of them all... the fact that Isiah Thomas did not get suspended at all. Now, I'm not a professional lipreader, but the videos show he said this to Carmelo Anthony right before the whole thing started: "Don't go to the basket right now." Of course, Thomas says he said it not as a threat but as a lecture on sportsmanship. Yeah, I bet. As great as a player that Isiah Thomas was, he's a clown off the court.
The other thing that I find funny... according to the Knicks and Nate Robinson, this all escalated because they felt the Nuggets were trying to run up the score and had some starters still in. Yes, being 9-17 and being booed at home constantly is not that embarrassing, but having a team have 4 starters in in the 4th quarter of a 19 point game is just way too much to handle. Makes sense to me.
Also, kudos to Carmelo Anthony for at least issuing an apology and recognizing that he was over the line. Unfortunately, no such thing has been heard from Nate Robinson or Isiah Thomas, and I doubt they will be forthcoming either.
Carmelo Anthony - DEN - 15 games
Nate Robinson - NY - 10 games
JR Smith - DEN - 10 games
Mardy Collins - NY - 6 games
Jared Jeffries - NY - 4 games
Nene - DEN - 1 game
Jerome James - NY - 1 games
Isiah Thomas - NY - 0 games
In addition both teams were fined $500,000.
Some of the suspensions I thought were just right, some I thought were too harsh, and then there was some parts thought the penalty should have been harsher (or there should have at least been a penalty).
First, the longest one, Carmelo Anthony. This was too long, I think. First off, it was not a sucker punch. I can understand that from the angle most commonly shown it does look like a punch, but from the reverse angle his fist is not closed, showing it was more like a hard slap than a punch. Still obviously not a good thing, but not as bad as everyone is quite making it out to be.Then there's Nate Robinson. Honestly, I don't know why he did not get a longer suspension, or at least the same length as Carmelo. Certainly the foul and reaction of JR Smith started things, but Robinson is the one that escalated it by immediately getting in JR Smith's face and then throwing the reverse bodyslam on him. After that, Robinson continued jumping around and getting in the faces of the Nuggets player. Robinson, as much as anybody, caused this thing to get as big as it was.
Smith with 10 games, I don't really have a problem with that in relation to what the other guys got. Same for Jeffries, James, and Nene. Mardy Collins getting 6 games I felt was a little harsh, because if the fight hadn't escalated he wouldn't have gotten suspended at all, and he didn't really have a role in the fight. I mean, it was a hard foul and a flagrant foul, but I've certainly seen a lot worse.
Then, in my eyes, the most egregious error of them all... the fact that Isiah Thomas did not get suspended at all. Now, I'm not a professional lipreader, but the videos show he said this to Carmelo Anthony right before the whole thing started: "Don't go to the basket right now." Of course, Thomas says he said it not as a threat but as a lecture on sportsmanship. Yeah, I bet. As great as a player that Isiah Thomas was, he's a clown off the court.
The other thing that I find funny... according to the Knicks and Nate Robinson, this all escalated because they felt the Nuggets were trying to run up the score and had some starters still in. Yes, being 9-17 and being booed at home constantly is not that embarrassing, but having a team have 4 starters in in the 4th quarter of a 19 point game is just way too much to handle. Makes sense to me.
Also, kudos to Carmelo Anthony for at least issuing an apology and recognizing that he was over the line. Unfortunately, no such thing has been heard from Nate Robinson or Isiah Thomas, and I doubt they will be forthcoming either.
FABIO CANNAVARO - BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD 2006
The speculation is over & its official: Real Madrid ´s &Italian defender CANNAVARO is the FIFA WORLDPLAYER 2006, ahead of ZIDANE & RONALDINHO.He took the hotfavourite spotin the last coupleof days, aheadof Ronaldinhowho was favouredwith Spanishpress letting thenews out. withhis flight to Zurichafter the JapanWorld Club finals.SFS will not getinto the debateof whetherCannavaro deserves to win or
Mexican sport newspapers
Mexican newspapers have a political afilliation and write mainly about the political and social events in the country. Mexican sport newspapers have an important part in the mexican press and write about popular sports in Mexico like football and baseball. Mexican sport newspapers support the most important football teams like Club America, Chivas de Guadalajara and UNAM Pumas.
El Norte: www.elnorte.com
La Jornada: http://www.jornada.unam.mx/deportes
La Cronica de Hoy: http://www.cronica.com.mx/deportes.php
El Diario de Chiuhuahua: http://www.eldiariodechihuahua.com/secciones.php?IDSECCION=deportes
El Diario: http://www.diario.com.mx/secciones/deportes/
El Diario de Yucatan: http://www.yucatan.com.mx/?cx=10&f=20061218
Frontera: http://www.frontera.info/Deportes/
El Imparcial: http://www.elimparcial.com/Deportes/
El Informador: http://www.informador.com.mx/informador/modules/xfsection/index.php?categorytitle=Futbol
Novedades: http://www.novedades.com.mx/deportes
El Universal: http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/deportes/
Sunday, December 17, 2006
NFL Week 15 Recap
Aside from the start of the Tarvaris Jackson Era, some other things did happen this weekend in the NFL. I'll recap in a way that only I can... hit on some things in a mildly sarcastic manner until I get bored. Because that's just the way things work around here.- So anyway, another example of how I don't understand the NFL. Last week the Saints went into Dallas and absolutely destroyed the [now] 9-5 Cowboys. This week they came back home and lost to the [now] 5-7 Washington Redskins. I suppose that makes perfect sense to someone, somewhere, but not me.
- Joey Harrington: 5/17, 20 yards, 2 INT. Good to have you back!
- I think it's time to remind everyone that the Carolina Panthers were a popular preseason Super Bowl pick. And here they lost 37-3! 37-3! I know Jake Delhomme was out and Chris Weinke sucks... but 37-3?
- Tampa Bay scored 31 points on the Chicago Bears? Rex Grossman bails out the Bears defense and special teams? The NFL can be so weird sometimes.
- It looks like Andy Reid has finally discovered that a run game is not such an evil thing... 19 carries for Brian Westbrook, 8 more for Correll Buckhalter, another win for the Philadelphia Eagles. Coincidence? Well, maybe. But I tend to think not.
- As I predicted, another loss to Tennessee for the Jacksonville Jaguars. 2/3 of their losses this year are to either Tennessee (quietly 7-7) or Houston (not so quietly sucking again). And Vince Young didn't even need any late-game heroics this week.
- Oakland's offense sucks badly. No need to expound on that. They're just awful, and yet somehow they were favored this week. Um, yeah.
- At least Brett Favre didn't disappoint. 0 TD, 3 INT. And the Packers still beat the Lions. Please Detroit, I beg you, keep Matt Millen around as long as possible!
- Yay for the NFL!
The Tarvaris Jackson Era has arrived
14/23, 177 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT in a little over a quarter.
Take notice.
Take notice.
CANNAVARO IS THE NEW FAVOURITE FOR THE FIFA WORLD PLAYER 2006
News Flash from Spanish media.Spanish radio - Cadena Ser - has put the news out that they have"information" that Real Madrid & France Football 2006 player,CANNAVARO will be the FIFA WORLD 2006 winner. Theyeven give us the votes; 1.Cannavaro 498 2.Zidane 4543.Ronaldinho 380.This is speculation,as we remember that earlier in the week, anotherSporting media - AS - gave the news that Ronaldinho
SPANISH FOOTBALL - "LA LIGA" - ROUND 15 RESULTS & SCORERS
The rest of Round 15 - "La Liga" - matches have been played tonight.Here are the results & the scorers.RECREATIVO hosted SEVILLE FC & went down 1 - 3 to a"smooth" & opportunistic visitor, who took its chances well & heldtight when pressured.REAL SOCIEDADmeet GIMNASTICDE TARRAGONA& clinched the 3points with a goalby RIVAS - pictured -that placed thefinishing scoreline 3-2The high scoring game was
Australian sport newspapers
Australian newspapers write about social, political, national and international issues. Australian sport newspapers have a very important part in the australian press. Australian sport newspapers write about popular sports in Australian like: cricket, soccer(football), rugby, golf, tennis, baseball, hockey, cycling and many others. Australia has one of the best olympic teams and has many olympic titles in sports like: swimming, cycling, water polo, beach volleyball, field hockey, diving, rowing and tennis.
The Australian: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/index/0,,2722,00.html
The Cairns Post: http://www.cairnspost.com.au/sport/
Sydney Morning Herald: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/
Canberra Times: http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/display.asp?class=sport
The Age: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/
Adelaide Now: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/sport/
The Border Mail: http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/bm/sport/
The Courier Mail: http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/
Herald Sun: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport
Murray Pioneer: http://www.murray-pioneer.com.au/sport.htm
The Sunday Telegraph: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/
The Sunday Times: http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/sport/
The West Australian: http://thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=4
WORLD CLUBS FINAL. FC BARCELONA LOSES TO PORTO ALEGRE
It just could not be. FCBARCELONA did nt getthe midfield workinglike it usually does & thatmay have been due to thetiredness & the fact thatin football maintainingthe high level of playthat Barça has as usedto is extremely difficult.But this does´nt take away the merit & greatplay of INTERNATIONALOF PORTO ALEGRE,who played their style & in a brilliant counter- attack scored viaADRIANO & sealed
Saturday, December 16, 2006
SPANISH LEAGUE FOOTBALL - "LA LIGA". SATURDAY ROUND 15 RESULTS
Three games played tonight of Round 15 of the Spanish 1º Division.AT.BILBAO continued with their newly found form & defeated 2-0DEPORTIVO. JAVI MARTINEZ pictured above scored the 2 goals forhis side.RACING DE SANTANDER came back to grab the victory1 -2 against MALLORCA.Mallorca scored first viaJANKOVIC & Racing foughtback with goals fromRUBEN & BALBOALastly ZARAGOZA meet VALENCIA CF & we saw a
FORMULA 1. FERNANDO ALONSO A NEW PATH
Spanish two time & current FORMULA 1 World ChampionFERNANDO ALONSO is finally in his new car & racingunder the McLAREN - MERCEDES team. His ex- employerRenault eased its tough contractual conditions so Alonso canfinally join other F1 drivers in their important pre -seasontrails, most in the Spanish Circuit of Jerez de la Frontera.Initial sensations were good with Alonso doing 94 laps &racing in
Austrian sport newspapers
Austrian press is well represented with many newspapers, tabloids and magazines. Austrian sport newspapers have a very important part along political, religious and social newspapers. Austrian sport newspapers write about winter sports, where men an women have many olympic and world titles, and football where most important teams are Austria Vienna, Sturm Graz and Grazer AK.
Kronen Zeitung: www.krone.at/sport
Kurier: www.kurier.at/sport
Der Standard: http://derstandard.at/sport
Die Presse: http://www.diepresse.com/taneu/sport.htm
Kleine Zeitung Karnten: http://www.kleinezeitung.at/sport/index.do
Vorarlberger Nachrichten: http://www.vol.at/specials/sport
Oberosterreichischen Nachrichten: http://www.nachrichten.at/sport
Austria Today: http://www.austria-today.at/cgi-bin/at_res.pl?res=sports
Friday, December 15, 2006
NFL Picks Against the Spread: Week 14
Well, in case you noticed I've been absent here for the past couple days, due mainly to having finals to take and all that stuff. But, I'm happy to report that I'm back, finals are over, and I'm on Christmas vacation. I think that's something we can all be happy about. But enough talking, let's get to the picks.
Cowboys (-3.5) over Falcons
How quickly those bandwagons go. One bad game by Tony Romo and we haven't heard much talk about him. A couple of wins by the Falcons in a row and everyone thinks Michael Vick is good again. Well, almost everyone.
Dolphins (+1) over Bills
It's the second half of the season, which means the Dolphins are pretty much unbeatable. JP Losman is finally looking like an actual NFL Quarterback, but the Dolphins are looking like a tough out right now. Jason Taylor has been the best defensive player in the NFL this year, and Joey Harrington is doing just enough to win games. I'll take Miami here.
Saints (-9.5) over Redskins
I just can't get the picture out of my mind of the Saints just pulverizing the Cowboys defense last week. Brees is playing unbelievably well, Deuce is running well, Reggie Bush is a weapon no matter how he's used, and the receivers are making plays. This is the best offense in the NFL right now, and they are fun to watch.
Panthers (+2.5) over Steelers
This just sorta seems like the way things go for the Panthers. Three straight losses where they have not looked good at all leaving them on the edge of playoff contention, it just makes sense in the NFL today that they should beat a Pittsburgh team that is playing pretty well lately. Certainly they have the talent to do it, at least.
Bears (+13.5) over Bucs
Bears should win easily but this line is just too big for me. Sorry, I'll take the Bucs to cover.
Vikings (-3.5) over Jets
Mostly a homer pick. I do think the Vikings will win, but I would be a lot more confident if Brad Johnson wasn't starting. I'm not sure Chad Pennington is good enough to carry the offense, which is what QBs have to do against the Vikings, because their run defense is historically good, led by Pat Williams, who better get a Pro Bowl spot this year. He's an absolute beast.
Browns (+11.5) over Ravens
See the Bears description. Just a little too big of a spread for me in a League where a lot of funny things have happened this year.
Titans (+3.5) over Jaguars
For all of the Jags impressive victories, they've also lost twice to Houston and once to Tennessee this year. I've definitely become a Vince Young believer, and I think that with this game in Tennessee the Titans will pull it out. That's just how the Jags season has gone this year.
Texans (+11) over Patriots
Much like the Bears and Ravens game, this spread is a little big for me. Especially since New England is coming off of a game in which they lost 21-0.
Lions (+5) over Green Bay
Even if no one else will say it, I will... it's not just the rest of the offense that's the problem in Green Bay, Brett Favre plays a pretty big part in it as well. Uncatchable passes, poor decisions, etc. Not that they have anywhere better than him right now that should be playing because they definitely don't, but Favre is a shell of his former self at this point.
Broncos (-3) over Cardinals
Interesting battle of the rookie QBs, though I think this one is decided by the fact that Denver's defense is better than the Cardinals defense. But man, did you ever think that after the start the Broncos had this year, especially defensively, that they'd be 7-6 and on the outside looking in as far as the playoffs are concerned? I certainly didn't, but again, it's the NFL, so I should probably just expect the unexpected now. Which I guess means I should be picking the Cards instead of the Broncos. Oh well.
Rams (+2.5) over Raiders
Oakland is the favorite? OAKLAND? They're 2-11, have lost 6 straight, and haven't scored more than 14 points during that losing streak. And they're the favorite? Certainly the Rams are no world-beaters, but I'm not taking the Raiders to beat the spread in a game that they're favored to win. No sir.
Eagles (+5.5) over Giants
I can see it now... Garcia continues his strong play, gets rewarded with a multi-year deal from some team looking for that veteran influence at QB, then he sucks again. It's almost too predictable.
Chiefs (+8.5) over Chargers
As awesome as the Chargers look at times, they can also be pretty inconsistent. And with the Chiefs loss last week their backs are firmly against the wall. Which isn't a good reason to pick a team to beat the spread, but that's all I got right now.
Colts (-3) over Bengals
Honestly, I have no idea what to say about this that everyone doesn't already know. It should be very high scoring and very entertaining. I'll take the home team, even if their run defense is incredibly bad.
Last Week: 7-7
Season: 86-95-8
Cowboys (-3.5) over Falcons
How quickly those bandwagons go. One bad game by Tony Romo and we haven't heard much talk about him. A couple of wins by the Falcons in a row and everyone thinks Michael Vick is good again. Well, almost everyone.
Dolphins (+1) over Bills
It's the second half of the season, which means the Dolphins are pretty much unbeatable. JP Losman is finally looking like an actual NFL Quarterback, but the Dolphins are looking like a tough out right now. Jason Taylor has been the best defensive player in the NFL this year, and Joey Harrington is doing just enough to win games. I'll take Miami here.
Saints (-9.5) over Redskins
I just can't get the picture out of my mind of the Saints just pulverizing the Cowboys defense last week. Brees is playing unbelievably well, Deuce is running well, Reggie Bush is a weapon no matter how he's used, and the receivers are making plays. This is the best offense in the NFL right now, and they are fun to watch.
Panthers (+2.5) over Steelers
This just sorta seems like the way things go for the Panthers. Three straight losses where they have not looked good at all leaving them on the edge of playoff contention, it just makes sense in the NFL today that they should beat a Pittsburgh team that is playing pretty well lately. Certainly they have the talent to do it, at least.
Bears (+13.5) over Bucs
Bears should win easily but this line is just too big for me. Sorry, I'll take the Bucs to cover.
Vikings (-3.5) over Jets
Mostly a homer pick. I do think the Vikings will win, but I would be a lot more confident if Brad Johnson wasn't starting. I'm not sure Chad Pennington is good enough to carry the offense, which is what QBs have to do against the Vikings, because their run defense is historically good, led by Pat Williams, who better get a Pro Bowl spot this year. He's an absolute beast.
Browns (+11.5) over Ravens
See the Bears description. Just a little too big of a spread for me in a League where a lot of funny things have happened this year.
Titans (+3.5) over Jaguars
For all of the Jags impressive victories, they've also lost twice to Houston and once to Tennessee this year. I've definitely become a Vince Young believer, and I think that with this game in Tennessee the Titans will pull it out. That's just how the Jags season has gone this year.
Texans (+11) over Patriots
Much like the Bears and Ravens game, this spread is a little big for me. Especially since New England is coming off of a game in which they lost 21-0.
Lions (+5) over Green Bay
Even if no one else will say it, I will... it's not just the rest of the offense that's the problem in Green Bay, Brett Favre plays a pretty big part in it as well. Uncatchable passes, poor decisions, etc. Not that they have anywhere better than him right now that should be playing because they definitely don't, but Favre is a shell of his former self at this point.
Broncos (-3) over Cardinals
Interesting battle of the rookie QBs, though I think this one is decided by the fact that Denver's defense is better than the Cardinals defense. But man, did you ever think that after the start the Broncos had this year, especially defensively, that they'd be 7-6 and on the outside looking in as far as the playoffs are concerned? I certainly didn't, but again, it's the NFL, so I should probably just expect the unexpected now. Which I guess means I should be picking the Cards instead of the Broncos. Oh well.
Rams (+2.5) over Raiders
Oakland is the favorite? OAKLAND? They're 2-11, have lost 6 straight, and haven't scored more than 14 points during that losing streak. And they're the favorite? Certainly the Rams are no world-beaters, but I'm not taking the Raiders to beat the spread in a game that they're favored to win. No sir.
Eagles (+5.5) over Giants
I can see it now... Garcia continues his strong play, gets rewarded with a multi-year deal from some team looking for that veteran influence at QB, then he sucks again. It's almost too predictable.
Chiefs (+8.5) over Chargers
As awesome as the Chargers look at times, they can also be pretty inconsistent. And with the Chiefs loss last week their backs are firmly against the wall. Which isn't a good reason to pick a team to beat the spread, but that's all I got right now.
Colts (-3) over Bengals
Honestly, I have no idea what to say about this that everyone doesn't already know. It should be very high scoring and very entertaining. I'll take the home team, even if their run defense is incredibly bad.
Last Week: 7-7
Season: 86-95-8
EUROPEAN COMPETITION DRAWS. SPANISH TEAMS
The next phases of European Football Competition: theChampions League & UEFA Cupdraws; were held earlierthis afternoon with the following results for Spanish Clubs.Champions League:FC Barcelona - Liverpool FCReal Madrid - Bayern MunichInter de Milan - Valencia CFFeb 20 - 21 2007UEFA Cup:Livorno - EspanyolGirondins - OsasunaSteau B - Seville FCSpartak Moscow - Celta de VigoGreat matches indeed!
John Rocker and Free Speech (Again)
John Rocker is back. Rocker, remember, is the former reliever who went on an anti-homosexual, anti-immigrant, anti-grunge, anti-unwed-mother, anti-New York, anti-7-Train diatribe in a 1999 Sports Illustrated article. This got him a one-year (later reduced by an arbitrator) suspension from Major League Baseball, made him a pariah among fans, and was the first step in a strangely precipitous decline in his pitching ability that had him out of baseball a few years later. Rocker was the subject of a lengthy interview on Deadspin.com, apparently triggered by the correspondent's desire to learn what Rocker thought of the Michael Richards controversy.
The interview shows that Rocker has not changed his mind about many things. He is writing a book containing "more conservative Republican rantings." Muslims are too sensitive and easily offended. He is promoting a campaign called "Speak English." The SI story did not present the correct version of his comments or events and took things out of context. Michael Richards will bounce back and work again, although Rocker was not given such leeway even after he apologized. His girlfriend is Black and two or three of his best friends are Dominican or Puerto Rican. And Jeff Pearlman, the author of the article, is a "liberal Jew from New York" with an agenda. The last point prompted this response from Pearlman on espn.com's Page 2.
One problem with trying to develop a framework to discuss athletes' speech is that for every Muhammad Ali, John Carlos, Tommie Smith, Toni Smith (the college basketball player who in 2003 turned her back to the flag during the national anthem as a war protest), or Carlos Delgado, there is a Rocker. The former involve (at least viewed with a modern lens) involves unpopular, but at least arguable political stands that the majority generally recognizes as within the realm of acceptable debate and dissent. The latter made comments that, while political in the broad sense and unquestionably constitutionally protected, run afoul of what society considers acceptable discourse. And MLB and its teams, as entities with their own expressive interests, may want to make clear their objection to the former but not the latter.
But both are within the bounds of constitutional protection and we do not draw legal lines between them in the pure First Amendment context of government action--neither Ali nor Rocker could be subject to legal penalty for his respective expression. So, if we are discussing a framework (albeit not a First Amendment one, obviously) for what professional leagues should or should not do in response to athletes' off-field speech, do we still have to avoid such lines? It follows that, if we believe (as I think most people do, now) MLB should not punish Carlos Delgado for his war protest and Muhammad Ali should not be stripped of his title for refusing military induction on relio/political grounds, it becomes more difficult to justify Rocker's suspension for his comments.
The interview shows that Rocker has not changed his mind about many things. He is writing a book containing "more conservative Republican rantings." Muslims are too sensitive and easily offended. He is promoting a campaign called "Speak English." The SI story did not present the correct version of his comments or events and took things out of context. Michael Richards will bounce back and work again, although Rocker was not given such leeway even after he apologized. His girlfriend is Black and two or three of his best friends are Dominican or Puerto Rican. And Jeff Pearlman, the author of the article, is a "liberal Jew from New York" with an agenda. The last point prompted this response from Pearlman on espn.com's Page 2.
One problem with trying to develop a framework to discuss athletes' speech is that for every Muhammad Ali, John Carlos, Tommie Smith, Toni Smith (the college basketball player who in 2003 turned her back to the flag during the national anthem as a war protest), or Carlos Delgado, there is a Rocker. The former involve (at least viewed with a modern lens) involves unpopular, but at least arguable political stands that the majority generally recognizes as within the realm of acceptable debate and dissent. The latter made comments that, while political in the broad sense and unquestionably constitutionally protected, run afoul of what society considers acceptable discourse. And MLB and its teams, as entities with their own expressive interests, may want to make clear their objection to the former but not the latter.
But both are within the bounds of constitutional protection and we do not draw legal lines between them in the pure First Amendment context of government action--neither Ali nor Rocker could be subject to legal penalty for his respective expression. So, if we are discussing a framework (albeit not a First Amendment one, obviously) for what professional leagues should or should not do in response to athletes' off-field speech, do we still have to avoid such lines? It follows that, if we believe (as I think most people do, now) MLB should not punish Carlos Delgado for his war protest and Muhammad Ali should not be stripped of his title for refusing military induction on relio/political grounds, it becomes more difficult to justify Rocker's suspension for his comments.
SPANISH FOOTBALL - "LA LIGA" - ROUND 14 FIXTURE
Here´s is the fixture for Round 14 of the Spanish League:At.Madrid - GetafeDeportivo - At.BilbaoEspanyol - Real MadridR.Sociedad - NasticZaragoza - ValenciaLevante - CeltaMallorca - RacingVillareal - OsasunaRecreativo - Seville FCBetis - Fc BarcelonaStay tuned & surf in later to see how Barça, R.Madrid & Valenciafair in the Champions League draw later on today.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Leaking Information: National Security and Sports Security
Bobby Chesney, Heidi Kitrosser, Jalk Balkin, and Marty Lederman all blogged recently about a case brewing in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York involving a federal subpoena issued to the ACLU seeking confiscation of "any and all copies" of secret government documents leaked to the organization. The ACLU this week moved to quash the subpoena. The crux of its argument is that a subpoena to seize all copies of these documents is the functional equivalent of an injunction against publication of the contents of the documents, which generally is prohibited by the First Amendment and the landmark Pentagon Papers case. This is only the latest of many controversies involving federal-government efforts to punish leaks by pursuing and seeking to punish, in various ways, the recipients (often the media) of leaked information.
What's it got to do with baseball (or any other sport for that matter)?
One recent example of such pursuit involves San Francisco Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada (a former journalism-school classmate of mine, although I did not know him) and Lance Williams, authors of the 2006 book Game of Shadows. The book reveals, in detail, Barry Bonds' alleged steroid use, based in part on leaked testimony and evidence from the grand jury investigation into BALCO. The book put teeth into the widespread belief that Bonds used steroids to produce his dramatic late-career evolution into the greatest hitter who ever lived (sorry, Teddy Ballgame); may have committed perjury before the grand jury; and may have evaded federal tax laws by not disclosing certain income. Fainaru-Wada and Williams have been sentenced to federal prison for contempt for refusing to reveal the source of the leaked evidence (although they remain free pending appeal).
What is interesting about the Fainaru-Wada/Williams case is the interplay among the myriad ways that the federal government could pursue leaks to the media and the publication of leaked information on one hand, and the First Amendment on the other. And, once again, a free-speech issue plays itself out in a controversy over our beloved sports. (Full Disclosure: I am supervising an FIU College of Law student writing a law review article on this interplay in the Fainaru-Wada/Williams case).
How can government punish a particular leak and, since law works through deterrence, stop leaks in the future? Consider several options and their constitutionality:
1) Enjoin publication of the leaked information. Not allowed under the First Amendment, unless the information to be published concerns specific troop locations and movements or similar information that could immediately threaten lives. Certainly not satisfied in Bonds' case, where the information concerns Bonds' allegedly unlawful/unethical activities.
2) Punish publication after the fact. As I discussed here, Bonds tried this when Game of Shadows was about to be punished. He sought an injunction that the authors and publisher be made to give up any profits on the book, arguing that, because it was based on leaked information, it constituted an unlawful or unfair business practice. The argument failed (properly) because of a key First Amendment principle that one cannot punish (by criminal, civil, or other liability) the publication of truthful information, lawfully obtained, on a matter of public concern. Since nothing prohibits the receipt of leaked grand jury testimony (as opposed to actually leaking it) and cheating in baseball is a matter of public concern, Fainaru-Wada and Williams were protected from such an injunction.
3) Convene a grand jury to investigate the leak, with an eye towards punishing the leaker; subpoena the reporters to testify and reveal the leaker's identity. If the reporter reveals the leaker, the government can prosecute the leaker--and the reporter can forget about ever getting a confidential source to talk again. If instead, as generally will happen, the reporter refuses to reveal the leaker's identity, jail the reporter for contempt of court for refusing to cooperate with the grand jury.
This is, of course, precisely what happened in this case. But the practical effect is the same: Reporters will be extremely reluctant in the future to receive and publish leaked confidential information, even on matters of as great public concern and import as cheating within The National pastime, for fear of having to reveal their sources. And potential sources will be similarly reluctant to leak, despite the public good to be served. The government gets, in a sense, what it wants: No more leaks or at least no more publication of leaks.
The ACLU case now reveals a fourth way. Suppose, in the Game of Shadows case, the government had learned of the leaks to the Chronicle reporters before the book came out, while they still were writing the book. And suppose the government issued to them a similar subpoena, demanding any and all copies of the testimony and evidence from the grand jury. The practical effect would be to freeze Game of Shadows (and any newspaper stories based on the material) in its tracks--just like an injunction against the book.
We shall see how the ACLU subpoena plays out. But, as always, there is a sports link.
What's it got to do with baseball (or any other sport for that matter)?
One recent example of such pursuit involves San Francisco Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada (a former journalism-school classmate of mine, although I did not know him) and Lance Williams, authors of the 2006 book Game of Shadows. The book reveals, in detail, Barry Bonds' alleged steroid use, based in part on leaked testimony and evidence from the grand jury investigation into BALCO. The book put teeth into the widespread belief that Bonds used steroids to produce his dramatic late-career evolution into the greatest hitter who ever lived (sorry, Teddy Ballgame); may have committed perjury before the grand jury; and may have evaded federal tax laws by not disclosing certain income. Fainaru-Wada and Williams have been sentenced to federal prison for contempt for refusing to reveal the source of the leaked evidence (although they remain free pending appeal).
What is interesting about the Fainaru-Wada/Williams case is the interplay among the myriad ways that the federal government could pursue leaks to the media and the publication of leaked information on one hand, and the First Amendment on the other. And, once again, a free-speech issue plays itself out in a controversy over our beloved sports. (Full Disclosure: I am supervising an FIU College of Law student writing a law review article on this interplay in the Fainaru-Wada/Williams case).
How can government punish a particular leak and, since law works through deterrence, stop leaks in the future? Consider several options and their constitutionality:
1) Enjoin publication of the leaked information. Not allowed under the First Amendment, unless the information to be published concerns specific troop locations and movements or similar information that could immediately threaten lives. Certainly not satisfied in Bonds' case, where the information concerns Bonds' allegedly unlawful/unethical activities.
2) Punish publication after the fact. As I discussed here, Bonds tried this when Game of Shadows was about to be punished. He sought an injunction that the authors and publisher be made to give up any profits on the book, arguing that, because it was based on leaked information, it constituted an unlawful or unfair business practice. The argument failed (properly) because of a key First Amendment principle that one cannot punish (by criminal, civil, or other liability) the publication of truthful information, lawfully obtained, on a matter of public concern. Since nothing prohibits the receipt of leaked grand jury testimony (as opposed to actually leaking it) and cheating in baseball is a matter of public concern, Fainaru-Wada and Williams were protected from such an injunction.
3) Convene a grand jury to investigate the leak, with an eye towards punishing the leaker; subpoena the reporters to testify and reveal the leaker's identity. If the reporter reveals the leaker, the government can prosecute the leaker--and the reporter can forget about ever getting a confidential source to talk again. If instead, as generally will happen, the reporter refuses to reveal the leaker's identity, jail the reporter for contempt of court for refusing to cooperate with the grand jury.
This is, of course, precisely what happened in this case. But the practical effect is the same: Reporters will be extremely reluctant in the future to receive and publish leaked confidential information, even on matters of as great public concern and import as cheating within The National pastime, for fear of having to reveal their sources. And potential sources will be similarly reluctant to leak, despite the public good to be served. The government gets, in a sense, what it wants: No more leaks or at least no more publication of leaks.
The ACLU case now reveals a fourth way. Suppose, in the Game of Shadows case, the government had learned of the leaks to the Chronicle reporters before the book came out, while they still were writing the book. And suppose the government issued to them a similar subpoena, demanding any and all copies of the testimony and evidence from the grand jury. The practical effect would be to freeze Game of Shadows (and any newspaper stories based on the material) in its tracks--just like an injunction against the book.
We shall see how the ACLU subpoena plays out. But, as always, there is a sports link.
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