Defense Gareth McAuley today claimed West Bromas aBand of Brothersa have impressed his remarkable form as he makes for the chance of more awards. The Northern Ireland global is favourite in my experience named the Baggiesa player of the year on Sunday at Birminghamas ICC when the club maintain their end-of-season dinner. And the centre-back, who was simply named player of the season by the Baggiesa disabled fans membership, says his connection together with his team-mates is responsible. He said: aI want to help keep on experiencing it since playing with these lads is like playing with your partners and you only donat want to allow them down."
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson hints at Robert Lewandowski swoop - ESPN.co.uk
Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested Manchester United may yet sign Robert Lewandowski, despite reports the Borussia Dortmund striker is bound for Bayern Munich.
Lewandowski stole the headlines midweek, scoring four goals against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals. The Poland international has become one of the hottest strikers in Europe as a result.
Ferguson believes that, following the announcement that Bayern have signed Mario Gotze for next season, Lewandowski may not be allowed to make the same move, and could instead transfer to Old Trafford.
"If the right player comes along you have to be prepared to make a move," Ferguson said. "I can find room for anybody here as long as they have the required quality.
"I am not sure Lewandowski will be sold to Bayern now. The Dortmund fans are not going to be happy [about the Gotze transfer] and I don't think they will sell to their main rivals.
Bayern, meanwhile, moved to quash reports from Bild that Lewandowski had agreed to terms with the Bundesliga leaders. The club "has no contract with Robert Lewandowski", a statement read.
Hatem Ben Arfa upbeat on Newcastle United future - ChronicleLive
And the French international also feels that United have a team to be envied – when they are able to name a full-strength XI.
And his only frustration now is that the games have run out for the Magpies in what has been a season of trials and tribulations.
However, the ex-Marseille star is confident that if Newcastle retain stars like Yohan Cabaye, Cheick Tiote, Moussa Sissoko, Papiss Cisse and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, they can push for a top-six finish in the Premier League again next term.
Ben Arfa – who turned in a good performance against QPR at the weekend and netted a goal from the penalty spot to bag three crucial points – told the Chronicle: "I think when you look at the individual players we already have, there are some fantastic talented players on that list.
"A few new players also came in during January and needed some time. But when we are all together next season we can really do well.
Ben Arfa missed large chunks of the campaign with a hamstring problem that ruled him out at key stages of the season.
But he responded well to an allotted rest period after United's 0-0 draw in Moscow in the Europa League against Anzhi Makhachkala.
A quick glance at Ben Arfa's top-flight stats this season shows he now has four goals and two assists in 18 matches, and it is clear that his absence has been a big factor in Newcastle's struggle.
Now the Frenchman just wants to look forward – and while staving off relegation is hardly a major achievement, the 26-year-old said: "We wanted to stay up and that's all that matters.
Ben Arfa, though, will first be hoping to sign off with a big finish against Arsenal in Sunday's last game of the season.
The finale will take place in front of another full house, and the possibility of finishing 10th in the table is still up for grabs.
Belmont Stakes 2013: Predicting Top 3 Finishers in Triple Crown's Final Leg
In what can be described as nothing short of a stunning display of dominance, Oxbow led from start to finish en route to a victory at the 2013 Preakness Stakes. With the win, Orb's pursuit of the Triple Crown was crushed and Oxbow entered his name into the hat of favorites for the Belmont Stakes.
Orb entered the race as the odds-on favorite, but it was Oxbow that was led by multi-time Preakness Stakes winners in jockey Gary Stevens and trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Stevens took home his third career Preakness Stakes crown, while Lukas corralled his sixth.
Just don't sell the field short before the action even begins; some horses that ran well in the Kentucky Derby but skipped the Preakness might contend as well.
Oxbow enters the race in fierce competition with Orb to own the label of the favorite, as both have won major races this season. With Oxbow taking the Preakness Stakes and Orb earning the Kentucky Derby nod, the top two contenders at the Belmont Stakes could be the previous winners.
Orb may have finished in fourth at the 2013 Preakness Stakes, but he was starting off of the rail in the No. 1 post. Not only is that unfavorable position, but it's a sign of things to come—no horse has won the event from the rail since 1994.
With this in mind, there's no reason to believe that Joel Rosario will be unable to ride Orb to yet another victory. After all, legendary trainer Claude R. "Shug" McGaughey has won at this event before, taking home the 1989 Belmont Stakes title.
If Orb starts in favorable position, there's a powerful possibility that he walks away with the victory. With that being said, confidence and focus is a key here, and Orb cannot be thrilled with the way the Preakness turned out.
Fresh off of a win at the Preakness Stakes, it's not hard to see why Oxbow will be a favorite at the 2013 Belmont Stakes. It certainly doesn't hurt that Oxbow has the supporting cast to lead a charge toward a victory.
Stevens enters this race having won the Belmont Stakes in 1995, 1998 and 2001. For what it's worth, the 1995 title came alongside none other than Lukas.
Individually, Lukas has won the Belmont Stakes on four separate occasions. He won the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes consecutively in 1994 and 1995.
One of the most surprising finishes at the 2013 Preakness Stakes was held by Mylute. Starting out of the No. 5 post, Mylute ended up finishing third and surprising the field by finishing ahead of Orb by a relatively wide margin.
Mylute is guided by jockey Rosie Napravnik, a 25-year-old from Morristown, N.J. Not only is she one of the fastest-rising jockeys in the world, but she's on pace to reach the height of legends with a win at Belmont.
Napravnik and trainer Tom Amoss appear to have limitless potential together, which will shine through in Elmont, New York. Together, they could join the ranks of history and place Napravnik in a class of her own in terms of modern riders.
Link: The IOC officially approves the 2004 for Manolo Martinez-Olympic bronze
Scouting Rumoured Manchester City Transfer Target, Malaga's Isco - Bleacher Report
If Málaga allow Manuel Pellegrini to leave for the vacant Manchester City job, per Sky Sports, then 21-year-old attacking midfielder Isco becomes a prime target for the Sky Blues, according to Danny Griffiths at The Metro.
Rather than have their answer to Andrea Pirlo, Valencia management were punting on Éver Banega as a playmaker, a role he's had varied success in.
Alejandro Domínguez never lived up to expectations after dominating in Russia, and he constantly went missing under Unai Emery.
Emery claimed Isco's fluctuating weight (something Cazorla struggled with early in his career) was the reason why the youngster never made it at Valencia, per AS.com:
AS.com: Have you heard about Unai Emery's comments about you in his book 'Winning mentality'? He said you had a tendency to put on weight.
Isco: Emery can say what he wants. I think he made a big mistake with me, not just in not giving me confidence, but also in the way he treated me. Perhaps he didn't give me confidence because I didn't win over his confidence.
Despite the setback, Isco knew his self-worth with the FIFA Technical Study Group highlighting him as an outstanding player during the 2009 U-17 FIFA World Cup and 2011 U-20 World Cup.
Two years later, Al Thani, frustrated by the lack of equality in La Liga, stopped funding Málaga, leaving the club in the red and incurring a one-year ban from European competitions.
The first few games of Isco's Málaga career must have been surreal knowing he was playing alongside a masterful technician in Santi Cazorla, one of the best players in the world.
With Cazorla moving to Arsenal last summer, Isco was handed the reigns, and he's had more freedom to operate in his second season for the Andalusian club.
A 7.9 shots per league goal is not even in the ballpark of Real Valladolid's crafty 30-year-old, Óscar, whose SPLG is 3.9.
Though, Isco has repeatedly shown exceptional positional awareness, especially against struggling defenders like Pepe, who was outwitted by the Spaniard's smartness.
When the Málaga midfielder is on song, he takes over games as evidenced with braces vs. Zenit Saint Petersburg and Levante.
It's not just the goals, he can conjure up moments of sheer brilliance, and he was No. 1 in dribbles per game (4.8) during the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.
He has the passing range and the aptitude to seamlessly switch to a midfield conductor, which is what Andrés Iniesta does for Barcelona.
If Málaga wanted to keep Isco, they would have inserted a €90 million buyout clause, which is what Barcelona did with Thiago Alcântara.
Isco's €35 million buyout clause, via his recent contract extension, is pleading for a prospective buyer to trigger it this summer.
When Pellegrini became the Málaga manager, after being unceremoniously ousted at Real Madrid, he requested his former Villarreal player Cazorla, the current Arsenal star, who is finally receiving the world-wide recognition he should have always had.
23-year-old Japanese international Hiroshi Kiyotake, of Nuremberg, doesn't just have vast marketing value, but he has more league assists with inferior players (10) than David Silva (8), who plays alongside some of the most expensive strikers in the world.
Atlético Madrid's 21-year-old midfielder Koke is a more complete footballer, averaging more tackles per game (2.3) than Isco (1.4) and threads more penetrating passes, hence why the Atléti midfielder has seven more assists.
If Mancini was still the manager, then buying Isco is unnecessary as the chances of him being lost in the shuffle is high.
However, if Pellegrini is the manager, you have to project that he'll put Isco, who has FIFA Ballon d'Or potential, in the best situation to succeed.
Via: The IOC officially approves the 2004 for Manolo Martinez-Olympic bronze
2013 Preakness Payout: How Top Favorites and Longshots Made out
The owners of Affirmed can crack the proverbial champagne, as the Triple Crown drought will continue pushing into its fourth decade after Saturday's 138th Preakness Stakes.
Starting from the sixth post, underdog Oxbow came from 16-1 pre-race odds (via Bovada) to end Orb's quest for history. The Kentucky Derby winner was unable to find that extra gear against the nine-horse field, getting lost in a sea of horses down the stretch en route to finishing fourth.
But Saturday's story was all about Oxbow. Jockeyed by Gary Stevens and trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Oxbow got off to a roaring start. The three-year-old colt took the lead from the opening gate and never once relinquished the advantage for a wire-to-wire triumph. You can take a look at the full results of Saturday's race on the video embedded below.
Meanwhile, the run was one of disappointment for Orb, who burst onto the scene with a dominant performance at Churchill Downs. Shug McGaughey's top colt came in as the heaviest favorite in a Preakness since Big Brown and was thought of as a legitimate Triple Crown threat.
However, it was clear that the horse didn't have an extra gear to come from behind as the folks at Pimlico Race Course saw one of the more shocking upsets in the sport's recent history.
As always is the case in major horse-racing upsets, the payout fallout is often as intriguing as the race itself. With that in mind, here is a look at the complete results for the 2013 Preakness Stakes along with the payout for each of the three top finishers:
Of the horses thought most likely to prevent Orb's run at a Triple Crown, Oxbow was at or near the bottom of the list. The D. Wayne Lukas-trained horse was one of three thoroughbreds ending the event for the legendary racing figure and had the second-highest odds of any entrant in Saturday's race.
Then the race started, and it became clear just what fine form Oxbow was in on Saturday. The colt burst out of the starting gate and was dominant from the outset. Oxbow's wire-to-wire win was the first time since Aloma's Ruler captured the 1982 Preakness that any horse has led the entire way, per Derby Contenders' Twitter feed:
Perhaps, we should have seen this coming, though. The 77-year-old Lukas is arguably the greatest trainer in the sports history, a man now with a record 14 Triple Crown victories. Speaking on NBC's telecast after the race, Lukas noted his penchant for shocking the world.
And while it's easy to have 20/20 hindsight, Oxbow's post draw also indicated a strong impending performance. As ESPN Stats & Information points out, the No. 6 post has produced the most Preakness winners in the storied race's history:
For those who had faith in history repeating itself from a gambling standpoint, Oxbow was obviously a major win for anyone who took a chance. The $32.80 payout for a win bet is one of the largest in history and a signal that anything truly does happen in horse racing.
Oxbow's scamper to a dominant win may have shocked the world, but Orb's fall from grace disappointed it. The Kentucky Derby winner came into Saturday's race with the largest hype of any horse in a half-decade and it felt anticlimactic seeing Orb drop from contention down the stretch.
Granted, Orb was racing against a good bit of history. There hadn't been a Preakness winner from the inside post since Tabasco Cat in 1994—and that's the only one over the past five-plus decades. Even in smaller fields, the inside post is a death knell for plenty of top-notch horses, as opponents scamper to get inside position.
And as Chris Brown's Smart Football Twitter feed pointed out, starting on the inside gate left Orb squeezed a little too tight at a couple different points:
Nevertheless, it was obvious Orb did not have that extra gear on Saturday. Even when Joel Rosario finally got his horse some breathing room, the burst to the front was just not there. A horse that came in as -500 to finish inside the top three (per Bovada) came up one spot short.
Speaking after the race, trainer Shug McGaughey said he was disappointed mostly because of the fan letdown, per John Clay of the Lexington Herald-Leader:
It's a great sentiment from McGaughey, who is one of the sport's most beloved faces. But as we begin the lead-up to the Belmont Stakes, the sport again feels like something major is missing. There was no second triumph for McGaughey, Orb or any of the folks who spent countless dollars riding the hot hand.
Mylute was a fast-riser up the odds boards heading into Saturday's race, and it was likely a little puzzling for those who hadn't been paying attention. The three-year-old colt had run 10 races in its short career and only won twice—and not once during this calendar year.
Mylute's biggest banner performance of the 2013 racing season was a fifth-place spot in the Kentucky Derby. And while that made the Tom Amoss-trained horse the second-highest Derby finisher in this Preakness field, that was something of a backhanded compliment. This field had three different new shooters at the starting gate, all of which put this field in massive flux prior to Saturday.
However, the major reason Mylute being bet hard made sense was the presence of jockey Rosie Napravnik. The 25-year-old Napravnik came into the Preakness Stakes with an intricate knowledge of how Pimlico works. Her first victory was at the legendary track, where the New Jersey native spent much of her youth building up a strong reputation.
You could see that familiarity on display throughout Saturday's festivities. Napravnik expertly navigated Mylute through a sea of horses midway through the race, emerging and blowing past Orb en route to a third-place finish.
While not quite the history-making victory Napravnik was hoping for, she did become the highest-finishing female jockey in Preakness history. And as Amoss points out, Mylute looks like he's only going to get better going forward, per Derby Contenders' Twitter feed:
Link: The Barca beats Espanyol the Catalonia Cup on penalties
NBA Business Rumors: Latest Buzz Heading into Draft Lottery.
With the NBA draft lottery impending, there is plenty with buzz regarding what teams may or may well not do with their first-round possibilities. Even though the draft order has yet to remain determined, that hasn't stopped squads from inquiring about possible moves and getting prepared in advance.
There is usually some sort of flurry of trades around draft amount of time in the NBA, so it's interesting to remember that teams are presently posturing. Whether or not rumors come to fruition is anyone's guess as there's a simple lot that goes into at your residence trade, but it's certainly fun to take a position.
The Orlando Magic include the best odds concerning securing the No. 1 overall pick at 25 %, according to SI. com, but it is far from a guarantee. The Charlotte Bobcats, Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns and Brand-new Orleans Hornets round out the highest five. All of all those teams have different must have and mindsets, but it's certainly possible that some of them could trade out of your top spot if they ensure it is.
According to Sam Amico from FOX Sports, with so much uncertainty surrounding the the top draft this year, it wouldn't be surprising to find the No. 1 pick get traded.
While trading the pick obviously depends on who wins the lottery, Amico's assessment makes a whole lot of sense. There is commonly a surefire top options, but things aren't quite so paper this year. Most guessed that Kentucky center Nerlens Noel would probably go first, but he might out until Christmas thanks to his ACL injury. Kansas guard Ben McLemore is a other option, but he just doesn't feel like No. 1 pick material a result of the amount of holes inside his game.
There is usually very little drama concerning the top pick, so a trade or at least talk of a exchange is welcomed. Every team has different opinions in regards to a guy like Noel, so although the team that gets the superior selection may not prefer him, there's another team that might be willing to give upward a king's ransom in order to draft him. Whatever the result, this promises to be about the most intriguing drafts in recent memory.
Things didn't go as reported by plan for the Portland Trail Blazers this coming year as they missed the playoffs and are slated to pick Virtually no. 10 if the lottery is chalk, but they have been in a pretty positive position.
They already have a legitimate star in electricity forward LaMarcus Aldridge, and Rookie of 12 months Damian Lillard figures being a big-time point guard for a few years to come. With a lot of youth and talent already relating to the roster, Portland has choices when it comes to the condensation.
According to Joe Kotoch from ProBasketballDraft. com, the Blazers need center depth and may just be willing to part making use of their lottery pick if the appropriate deal comes along.
Portland already has a starting five fitting to a playoff team with Aldridge, Lillard, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum and additionally J. J. Hickson, but depth is certainly a problem and the main reason why the Blazers only journeyed 33-49. Hickson had a great year as he averaged nearly 13 points and 10 rebounds per game, but he isn't a traditional center at only just 6'9".
The Blazers accomplish have 2012 first-round decide on Meyers Leonard behind her, but they are taking their time concerning developing the talented seven-footer. Developing another center could a smart move for Portland, especially since it's unlikely an immediate-impact player is available around the No. 10 go with. It is unclear which often centers the Blazers will be targeting, but it is probably worth monitoring.
Perhaps no team is more firmly entrenched around no man's land as opposed to the Utah Jazz. Utah narrowly missed the postseason and has now the lowest odds involving any lottery team in regards to landing the No. 1 pick. They also own a Golden State Warriors' Virtually no. 21 selection, so they certainly have some options.
In order for Utah to seriously become a player inside Western Conference, it needs to manufacture a big splash on condensation night.
According to Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune, Jazz overall manager Dennis Lindsey is usually weighing all options, including potentially moving up in order to nab a desired person.
The Jazz already have a lot of depth in their top court with players such as Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Enes Kanter, Derrick Wedding favors and Marvin Williams. Utah's guard play suffered this year, though, so it could certainly work with a bona-fide point guard as well as a shooting guard who may take over games. It's unclear if those categories of players exist in this approach class, but the Jazz won't find them at Certainly no. 14 or No. 7.
If Utah can potentially get into the top 10, then probably Michigan's Trey Burke or simply Indiana's Victor Oladipo end up options. The Jazz have to have a player who can part of and contribute immediately for guard, and trading up is probably the easiest way to make that happen.
More Info: The boat falls in Miribilla in a final heart attack
If You’re Not A Fan Of Tim Tebow, Perhaps This Ham-fisted Love Column By Chuck Norris Will Change Your Tune
If you're like no one, the only reason you don't think Tim Tebow is a good NFL quarterback is because Chuck Norris hasn't come out in his defense yet. Luckily for you, Chuck Norris took a break from being a pseudo-sensation seven years ago to pen a column on why everyone in the NFL is wrong about Tebow, and how the Jaguars need to give him a chance.
The column appeared in NewsBusters, a fittingly conservative outlet. As you might expect, it's a bit misguided and tends to gloss over many of the important elements of the Tebow narrative in favor of phrases like "Tim Tebow is a winner — plain and simple!" (Spoiler alert: that's the last line of the article.)
Norris believes that the Jaguars would be a great fit for Tebow. Why? Certainly not because that's the team that other people have suggested in the past, because Chuck Norris doesn't repeat what other people say — something something something Chuck Norris joke. It's because:
To put it simply, it's because Tim could help turn that mediocre team into a championship one. Tebow works miracles on the field, and his inclusion would embolden the spirit of the Jaguars' players and fans.
This is the crux of many an argument made by Tebow supporters — that Tebow can turn any team around — and it simply does not make sense. Football, more than any other American sport, is a team game. That's why players get cutor re-signed to lesser deals way more often than they get traded — NFL teams know that the team concept outweighs any individual. The quarterback may be the team's most important player, but as we saw in the playoffs last year, anybody can derail a season. The idea that Tebow, or any one player, makes a team is ridiculous.
What sportsman ever could forget how that amazing second-year QB came back from a 15-0 disadvantage to the Miami Dolphins to lead the Broncos to an 18-15 overtime victory and then led Denver to six wins in its next seven games and into the playoffs…
[Reminder: The teams that Tebow beat included the Raiders (2011 season record of 8-8), the Chiefs (7-9), the Jets (8-8), the Bears (8-8), the Vikings (3-13) and those Dolphins (6-10). So, nobody over .500.]
– an amazingly gifted football player, an inspiration to his team and the possessor of intense determination and strategy to bring any team to victory — no matter what the odds.
I have been an athlete all my life, being a six-time undefeated world middleweight champion in the martial arts, and I know a winner when I see one.
[Well, if a dude who beats the shit out of people believes that Tim Tebow can suddenly throw a spiral, then I guess we'll have to believe it. Shad Khan, what are you waiting for? Some sort of quote from Martin Luther King Jr.?]
So let me respectfully challenge Khan to consider these words from Dr. King:"There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right."
Steve Politi I'll have a single-malt witch hazel. RT @starledger: Bar mixed rubbing alcohol w/ food coloring and served as scotch http://t.co/CifVa05TrI
Grant Wahl Lyon has outscored teams 223-10 and is 35-0-1, but this won't be a 10-0 final. Still 0-0 with Wolfsburg 22 minutes in.
Gregg Doyel Sigh RT @EyeOnGolf: European Tour CEO apologizes for using the term 'colored athletes' http://t.co/htu8bMHV2w
Holly MacKenzie More talk of Reggie Bullock being a 1st rounder, as he should be. RT @kpelton: the latest Insider Draft 5-on-5: http://t.co/2xWhEL3h41 ($)
Link: The agent of Jupp Heynckes: "If Florentino Perez calls us, we'd take the offer"
NBA Star Terrence Williams Arrested for Alleged Gun Threats
Boston Celtics guard Terrence Williams has been arrested for making threats with a gun and is currently under investigation by Kent, Wash., police for a domestic violence case.
According to the Seattle Times, Williams—who played high school basketball at Rainier Beach in Seattle—was taken into custody following an argument with a woman who has informed police to be the mother of his 10-year-old son.
At approximately 1:55 p.m., during a scheduled visitation of the boy, Williams exposed the gun in a downtown Kent parking lot, made threats and left before law enforcement could arrive.
The staff of the Kent Reporter found that Williams was taken into custody without issue. Police detective Melanie Frazier said this concerning Williams' arrest: "We investigate and treat all cases such as this very seriously regardless of the status of those involved."
With the investigation ongoing, details are still emerging. This is certainly concerning for Williams' NBA career, as the former lottery pick has bounced around the league during his first four seasons.
After getting selected No. 11 overall by the New Jersey Nets in 2009, the former Louisville Cardinals star has spent time with the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, Boston Celtics, Springfield Armor of the D-League and Guangdong Southern Tigers in China.
His most recent contributions in the Association came as a backup point guard coming off Boston's bench. He turned a 10-day contract into a two-year deal that has an non-guaranteed option for the upcoming 2013-14 campaign.
It remains to be seen if general manager Danny Ainge will exercise it. The 25-year-old holds career averages of 4.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
RotoExperts On The Radio: Is Patrick Corbin For Real?
Patrick Corbin continued to defy all expectations with a stellar performance at Colorado this week. Did that outing fully convince everyone Corbin is the real deal? Mark "Dr. Roto" Bloom and Adam Ronis have the answers. The RotoExperts are on Sirius/XM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87) weekdays from 6 to 11 a.m., Monday nights from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET, Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET and Sundays from 7 to 10 a.m. ET.
Dan Levy Yes that's ESPN's flagship show asking followers if they want to produce @SportsCenter the same day the company got rid of hundreds of staff
Dan Levy Of all poorly timed promotions RT @SportsCenter: Want to help produce SportsCenter? @JaguarUSA & #YourTurnSC will put fans in TV driver seat
SportsCenter Want to help produce SportsCenter? @JaguarUSA & #YourTurnSC will put fans in the TV driver's seat Wednesday night. Don't miss it!
Link: Ross Brawn back rolling
Crowne Plaza Invitational Play Suspended Due to Inclement Weather on Day 2
Inclement weather was just about the only thing that could stop Matt Kuchar in Friday's second round of the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational.
Kuchar was five-under par through 15 holes and standing in good position on the 16th green when officials suspended play at Colonial due to an impending storm in the area (h/t Jimmy Burch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). The 34-year-old Kuchar is the highest-ranked player who made the trip to Fort Worth this week, and he's looked it as the course has mostly stayed in low numbers.
Kuchar will return to the course Saturday morning to finish his final three holes, where he will take a one-stroke lead over Graham DeLaet.
Weather played a major factor throughout Friday's second round, as play was suspended twice due to thunderstorms in the area. In all, 18 groups (54 golfers) that did not finish their rounds on Friday and will have to come back early Saturday morning.
For those in contention, the rain out will be a massive inconvenience. The second round will resume at 7:15 a.m. ET, bringing the golfers back to the course less than 12 hours after play was suspended. Kuchar, who was unhappy with the decision to suspend play, was noticeably dejected about returning to the course so soon.
"That's a bit of a bummer," said Kuchar (per ESPN). "It's no fun to wake up at 4:30 to get out here and play three holes."
Assuming Kuchar finishes his round at even-par or better, he will likely be in the last group of Round 3—giving him a lengthy wait in the clubhouse. If all holds, he would be paired with DeLaet, who followed up his opening-round 64 with a three-under 67 on Friday. The 31-year-old Canadian is coming off an excellent performance at the Byron Nelson and seems to be hitting his groove.
Other notables on the leaderboard include 19-year-old Jordan Spieth, whose expertise on this course dates back to his days at the University of Texas.
Saturday's third round will commence at Colonial as normally scheduled. There are no plans at this time for a Monday finish.
Via: The representative of Lewandowski reiterated that Poland will play at Bayern
World’s Longest-Serving Bat Boy Has been At It For 55 Years (And Counting).
That University of Memphis takes the concept of 'bat boy' to your ridiculous extreme. Here's Stan Bronson Jr., 84, who has been on the job for the Tigers' baseball team since 1958. Yep, he's celebrating 55 years for the reason that team's bat boy, which makes him your longest-serving person in that position on the globe, ever. The Guinness Book of World Records says so, so it will have to be true.
During Bronson's initial season as bat boy at Memphis, Stan Musial and Ted Williams were playing with the major leagues. The Russians introduced Sputnik 1 that 365 days. Chess champion Bobby Fischer was 14 yrs . old. You get the idea.
Bronson, who has some learning disability, mild palsy together with a speech impediment, has never been paid by the University. His medical needs are taken care of by the team cross trainers, he has a lifetime pass to your university cafeteria, and this late mother, Irma, left him the family house in a believe in.
"I remember his mother telling us just once, that when Stan was an exceedingly young child, that your beloved physician told her that Stan's life span would be eight or nine years, " proclaimed [Memphis associate athletic overseer Bob] Winn. "We believe that, really, quite frankly, this athletics has kept Stan lively and going. "
Within a interview recently on NPR, Bronson said that he came to Memphis around 1958 after being fired in the athletics department at Rhodes College.
"Coach Murphy explains to the story that Stan proclaimed, 'I need a position, '" recounted longtime Memphis partner athletic director Bob Winn. "Coach Murphy stated, 'Well, son, I'm sorry but I don't have profit my budget to fund anybody else. And Stan stated, 'Don't need money. Have to have a job. '"
Inspiring narrative and all, but shouldn't the university have been completely paying him something in the process? Last year the company held a fundraiser that will help with Bronson's future medical costs (he doesn't have a medical insurance, and is not on social security, due to the fact he's never worked). And recently they retired this number.
Richard Deitsch The best piece I've read today. RT @runofplay: Here's your new column on Mister Alex Ferguson: http: //t. co/l2dzLpc7LO
Bruce Feldman Whoa.. $9. 7 million? RT @ByThomasOToole Coach K made how much? @ByBerkowitz tells you this eye-popping figure: http: //t. co/CDjdYtwWka
More Info: The Tottenham negotiates by Villa
Vassilis Spanoulis’ Euroleague job interview, photo: What’s the note?
Is Vassilis Spanoulis throwing straight down a gauntlet? As the Euroleague endorsed website leads its interview with the Captain by describing your ex as having "taken his place on the list of all-time greats of the game of basketball by leading Olympiacos Piraeus to just your second Euroleague repeat title within the last two decades, " the below picture appears relating to the site's front page.
Provided that Olympiacos' trophy was utilized Britain, does anyone else sense a subliminal meaning here, perhaps to other 'League…?
More Info: Falcao negotiates with the Monaco, which already welcomes you
Trey Burke NBA Unite 2013: Measurements, Analysis in addition to Draft Projection.
At the league's scouting combine, the talented point guard do not participate in drills, as reported by Jeff Goodman of CBS:
Nonetheless, he can still solidify his standing among the top picks in the draft by doing well in interviews and placing strong measurements in Chicago.
While this week is not a make-or-break moment to your All-American, Burke is certain to take delivery of plenty of attention only at that event. Here is a review of the player's profile heading into the majority of the draft season.
A lack of height is about the biggest things preventing Burke from as a possible elite point guard in the NBA. He was only detailed at 6'0" on Michigan's official website and might have been even smaller than her listing.
Fortunately, his official measurements were a lot better than originally thought. According to be able to Nick Baumgardner of MLive. com, the guard said he measured at 6'1" with a wingspan of 6'5".
Considering how well your 6'0" Chris Paul has done in the past, it is certainly possible for Burke to determine the same level of success or near to it at the next level.
The point guard ended up being outstanding during his sophomore season for the Wolverines, totaling 18. 6 items and 6. 7 provides help per game. His contributions relating to the court helped him end up being the consensus National Player within the Year.
Of course, it was eventually more than just his statistics that have been so impressive. He was one within the quickest guards in America income beat almost anyone to the lane where he could finish at the casing. If given space, he could hit three-point shots regularly.
In addition, he is also a decent passer who continually established open shots for this teammates. Finally, the toughness and will to win that had been on display during the NCAA tournament is not something that needs to be ignored.
While he may not an elite defender, his strength and speed will allow him to stay in front of opponents and do enough to aid his team.
There is little doubt that Burke will be the top point guard on the board, but his actual draft position are going to be highly dependent on the lottery and team require.
If a team such as the Orlando Magic wins that lottery and decides they can need a point protect, Burke could end up being the primary player selected in the whole draft. However, a much more likely scenario is that Nerlens Noel in addition to Ben McLemore go Certainly no. 1 and No. 2 in many order.
After that, Burke will discover a spot where they are needed, which will likely be somewhere between the Certainly no. 3 pick and that No. 10 pick.
Nevertheless, the college star will be selected at some point in the lottery and should go on to enjoy a very successful NBA occupation.
LA Clippers' Top Free-Agent Target at Every Position
The Clippers do not have enough cap space to make an offer to Al Jefferson, but they do have the pieces to acquire him via trade. The Utah Jazz are in desperate need of a point guard, and the Los Angeles Clippers have one of the most sought-after point guards on the market in Eric Bledsoe.
A deal involving Bledsoe, Caron Butler and Grant Hill for Al Jefferson and the 21st pick in the draft could entice both teams. Bledsoe would give Utah their point guard of the future, while Caron Butler provides wing depth for the season, not to mention Hill and Butler's contracts both expire next summer.
Jefferson would provide the Clippers with the type of inside scoring they currently lack. For as great as Blake Griffin is, the team is unable to throw the ball to him in the post late in the shot clock and expect him to get an easy look. Jefferson would provide the Clippers that luxury and would also take some of the defensive focus off Griffin.
Furthermore, this would also allow the Clippers to trade DeAndre Jordan in order to upgrade on the wing, or hold on to him as their defensive center off the bench.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson targeting two summer signings - Goal.com Singapore
The Red Devils' boss has revealed that the Premier League champions will be looking to add two new players to their title-winning squad when the transfer window opens in July
The Red Devils were only confirmed as this season's Premier League winners on Monday after beating Aston Villa 3-0, but Sir Alex is already looking towards adding to his team for the new campaign in August.
The United boss told reporters: "I don't think that we need to rebuild at all – possibly two players, if possible. It depends of course. If a player came along that we felt met our criteria, I think we'd push the boat out and get him irrespective of how many players we had.
"Having spoken with the Glazer family [the owners] I think there's every intention we want to kick on, yeah," he added.
"Absolutely. I hope so. It has been fantastic [gaining extra revenue from sponsors] and that's credit to the commercial people, they've done a great job and of course the football team has been [the] platform for that. But they're capitalising on such a great profile of the club – there's no doubt, worldwide it seems to me to be getting bigger.
"We're happy where we are at the moment, that's for sure," said Sir Alex. "We've attracted some really good sponsors, interesting and valuable partnerships because all the sponsors we're combining with have got the same philosophies as ourselves in terms of trying to make their product the best in their business – that's what we're trying to do."
NBA Draw up 2013: Highlighting 1st-Round Prospects Flying Under the Radar.
Whilst the 2013 NBA draft discussion up to now has revolved around Nerlens Noel, Dan McLemore, Victor Oladipo along with Otto Porter, there are a lot of future NBA talents going unrecognized come july 1st.
That's not to say that one particular four players isn't worth the top selection on June 27, but there's plenty more value to be enjoyed once you dive deeper into the first round.
Before a disappointing performance inside Final Four (two tips, two assists and five turnovers), Syracuse point guard Erina Carter-Williams' stock was flying on the ceiling.
The 6'6" floors general averaged 11. 9 ideas and 7. 3 assists per game last season to be a sophomore, struggling from the field on occasion but making up correctly with sensational defense together with a selfless style of enjoy.
Carter-Williams demonstrated tremendous ct vision in two seasons together with the Orange, and his length was enter in Jim Boeheim's vaunted 2-3 zone defense.
The knocks against Carter-Williams are that they needs to bulk up in order to match up with NBA guards and therefore he must improve and turn into a more consistent shooter being more effective at the subsequent level.
While it's hard so that you can argue the 21-year-old is able to dominate right away, given his size and ability to penetrate with a quick first step in the offensive end, Carter-Williams looks poised being a lottery pick and eventually a positive change player in the NBA.
After a quiet freshman year at North park State, Jamaal Franklin exploded on to the scene in 2011-12, playing increased minutes and boosting his scoring output coming from 2. 9 points so that you can 17. 4 points each and every game.
A long, particular sports shooting guard, the 6'5" Franklin are at his best when he's slashing on the basket or making a good play above the rim. His leaping ability is actually impressive, and his rebounding prowess is exceptional in a 2-guard.
The X-factor to get Franklin is his competition. Scouts and coaches aren't going to be questioning his motor anytime soon, and that's key for his development within the next level.
Like Carter-Williams, although, Franklin has to increase his jump shot to be able to truly make a difference on the offensive end in the NBA. But given his athleticism and preference to win, there should be inevitably that he'll continue to enhance in that area.
Another talented guard few are talking about this summer is Lehigh's K. J. McCollum, who is perfect known for helping head the Mountain Hawks in an upset win over Duke inside first round of your 2012 NCAA tournament.
Being a senior this past months, McCollum absolutely lit this up for Lehigh, averaging nearly 24 points per sport on 49. 5 percent shooting within the field and 51. 6 p . c shooting from beyond this arc.
The knock on McCollum is often a significant one, however. He hasn't played since last January after suffering your foot injury, and there are factors about his health and whether or not he's worth a first-round choices.
Assuming he can make contact with being the player he was before the injury, some NBA team will land an efficient scoring guard this kind of tool also impact the online game defensively. McCollum averaged some. 6 steals per game for a junior.
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Monday, June 3, 2013
Dusty Hernandez-Harrison vs. Eddie Soto: Preview and Predictions
As is the case with many talented, young fighters, glaring deficiencies haven't surfaced so far in Dusty Hernandez-Harrison's career.
There are subtle things that Hernandez-Harrison can improve on, such as not pulling straight back and establishing distance with his jab, but that will most likely come with more experience.
It's hard to call it a weakness, but as of right now, Hernandez-Harrison is most lacking in the experience department. By facing Soto, he is putting himself on the right path to boosting his opposition level.
If Soto is able to take Hernandez-Harrison into new waters, we may get a better idea of what the young D.C. fighter's weaknesses truly are.
In fights against Jose Gonzalez and Danny O'Connor, Soto overexerted himself with bobbing and weaving and then lunged into his opponents. This, coupled with a suspect chin, is one of Soto's most glaring weaknesses.
He needs to move more efficiently and try to show Hernandez-Harrison different angles. Against Gonzalez, Soto came straight forward while dropping his right hand, which allowed his opponent to knock him out with a crisp left hook.
Soto needs to work intelligently and enter into striking distance with his guard up. He shouldn't turn the fight into a home-run derby in hopes of knocking Hernandez-Harrison out with one punch.
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