The 35-year-old joined the Blues on loan in 1999 from Italian side Castel Di Sangro and signed a permanent deal a year later, costing the club £130,000.
Cudicini will provide competition for Heurelho Gomes who has been the subject of much criticism this season.
"Chelsea can confirm Carlo Cudicini has signed for Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer," read a Chelsea statement.
"The club would like to take this opportunity to thank Carlo for his years of service and wish him well."
Tottenham paid PSV Eindhoven £7m for Brazilian Gomes in the summer and he struggled with his form initially before a string of improved displays.
Monday, January 26, 2009
A wizard, a star
was in Melbourne recently when I spied an interesting advertising banner. It said: "Coming soon, Shane Warne the musical." I stopped. A musical about a cricketer. Really? But then it was Warne, a larger-than-life cricketer, who had the most colourful of journeys and a career of triumph on the field and controversy off it, inciting awe, wonder and criticism along the way. A musical? why not? And if I were asked to pick a soundtrack, Frank Sinatra's "My Way" would be the automatic choice.
Love him or hate him, we were definitely very lucky to have him. Warne may have self-destructed at times off the field, ruining his chances of being one of Australia's greatest captains, but on the field he was an undisputed legend, a legspinner of the highest class with a wizard's cricket brain. I still find it amazing that we had Warne, Murali and Kumble all at the same time, cricket's equivalent of the Three Tenors.
As a schoolboy, I first watched Warne play at the Sinhalese Sports Club back in August 1992. During the first innings he was mashed to all corners, conceding 107 from 22 wicketless overs. But when Sri Lanka came out to chase just 181 for victory, he showed his now famous instinct for grabbing the limelight at the right time, claiming 3 for 11 from 5.1 overs. We collapsed from 127 for 2 to 164 all out, one of our most painful defeats to this day. Yet, still, at that stage, there was no obvious indication that within less than a year Warne would be well on the way to becoming the greatest legspinner to play the game.
I may be no bowler, but I know one thing: the art of legspin is very, very hard to perfect. It offers the greatest opportunity for variety to bamboozle and deceive, but problems with control, accuracy and injuries are common. Warne surmounted nearly all these challenges with astounding success. His greatest strength was his control. He could bowl legbreaks of varying turn, a straight one, top spinner, the flipper and an occasional googly. This variety is amazing but it was the control of these variations that made him so potent. It allowed him to adapt every aspect of his bowling to suit the pitches he played on. He was a master of his own turn, line and length.
I remember well how he would tease you. In one over he could make you play stump to stump, from leg to off and back again. Right-handed batsmen would be greeted by big-turning legbreaks, which would result in them covering the line of the ball with their pads. Slowly, delivery by delivery, Warne would coax the batsmen to put their front pads across their stumps, setting them up for an lbw to his straight one.
He had many other ploys up his sleeve too. He would change the angle of delivery by going round the wicket. He would vary pace and flight, even drift, at will. He developed the flipper, a delivery that that had everyone guessing for a couple of seasons while his shoulder was at its strongest.
When a pitch did not offer him much, and if a right-hander got on top of him, he would resort to bowling round the wicket into the rough - a traditionally negative tactic that he enterprisingly turned into an attacking option, embarrassing many of us along the way, as apparently harmless deliveries sneaked through the back door.
He had no one tactic against me but he usually tried to cut out my lofted drive over mid-on. He then tried to put me under pressure, drying up the runs and then trying to tempt me to play an expansive drive outside off stump.
Playing him was never easy and always highly intense. He expertly scanned and analysed your technique and game plans, probing for chinks and weaknesses to exploit. He was a master of the mental game and loved playing mindgames. In between overs and deliveries he'd let you overhear snippets of conversations with his wicketkeeper and captain during which he explained your coming demise, openly announcing his tactics with a gleeful spark in his eye. He would cleverly manoeuvre his field, opening up spaces and trying to distract you. You knew it was all an act, but it still got you thinking.
The thing was, he was so often four to five steps ahead of us. Like a brilliant chess player who looks into the future, planning several moves ahead, Warne hunted down his prey over a series of overs, setting them up.
He backed his craft up with confident, intimidating and effective appealing - which bagged him a huge number of lbws. Every aspect of his bowling was thought through.
His talent and cunning aside, another reason for his success was undoubtedly the quality of the Australian pace attack, and Australia's powerful top-order batting. The quicks routinely made early inroads, creating pressure for Warne to exploit, and the batsmen added to this with mountains of runs, giving him the luxury of dictating terms.
Love him or hate him, we were definitely very lucky to have him. Warne may have self-destructed at times off the field, ruining his chances of being one of Australia's greatest captains, but on the field he was an undisputed legend, a legspinner of the highest class with a wizard's cricket brain. I still find it amazing that we had Warne, Murali and Kumble all at the same time, cricket's equivalent of the Three Tenors.
As a schoolboy, I first watched Warne play at the Sinhalese Sports Club back in August 1992. During the first innings he was mashed to all corners, conceding 107 from 22 wicketless overs. But when Sri Lanka came out to chase just 181 for victory, he showed his now famous instinct for grabbing the limelight at the right time, claiming 3 for 11 from 5.1 overs. We collapsed from 127 for 2 to 164 all out, one of our most painful defeats to this day. Yet, still, at that stage, there was no obvious indication that within less than a year Warne would be well on the way to becoming the greatest legspinner to play the game.
I may be no bowler, but I know one thing: the art of legspin is very, very hard to perfect. It offers the greatest opportunity for variety to bamboozle and deceive, but problems with control, accuracy and injuries are common. Warne surmounted nearly all these challenges with astounding success. His greatest strength was his control. He could bowl legbreaks of varying turn, a straight one, top spinner, the flipper and an occasional googly. This variety is amazing but it was the control of these variations that made him so potent. It allowed him to adapt every aspect of his bowling to suit the pitches he played on. He was a master of his own turn, line and length.
I remember well how he would tease you. In one over he could make you play stump to stump, from leg to off and back again. Right-handed batsmen would be greeted by big-turning legbreaks, which would result in them covering the line of the ball with their pads. Slowly, delivery by delivery, Warne would coax the batsmen to put their front pads across their stumps, setting them up for an lbw to his straight one.
He had many other ploys up his sleeve too. He would change the angle of delivery by going round the wicket. He would vary pace and flight, even drift, at will. He developed the flipper, a delivery that that had everyone guessing for a couple of seasons while his shoulder was at its strongest.
When a pitch did not offer him much, and if a right-hander got on top of him, he would resort to bowling round the wicket into the rough - a traditionally negative tactic that he enterprisingly turned into an attacking option, embarrassing many of us along the way, as apparently harmless deliveries sneaked through the back door.
He had no one tactic against me but he usually tried to cut out my lofted drive over mid-on. He then tried to put me under pressure, drying up the runs and then trying to tempt me to play an expansive drive outside off stump.
Playing him was never easy and always highly intense. He expertly scanned and analysed your technique and game plans, probing for chinks and weaknesses to exploit. He was a master of the mental game and loved playing mindgames. In between overs and deliveries he'd let you overhear snippets of conversations with his wicketkeeper and captain during which he explained your coming demise, openly announcing his tactics with a gleeful spark in his eye. He would cleverly manoeuvre his field, opening up spaces and trying to distract you. You knew it was all an act, but it still got you thinking.
The thing was, he was so often four to five steps ahead of us. Like a brilliant chess player who looks into the future, planning several moves ahead, Warne hunted down his prey over a series of overs, setting them up.
He backed his craft up with confident, intimidating and effective appealing - which bagged him a huge number of lbws. Every aspect of his bowling was thought through.
His talent and cunning aside, another reason for his success was undoubtedly the quality of the Australian pace attack, and Australia's powerful top-order batting. The quicks routinely made early inroads, creating pressure for Warne to exploit, and the batsmen added to this with mountains of runs, giving him the luxury of dictating terms.
McCullum signs on for New South Wales
New South Wales have secured a major coup with Brendon McCullum, the big-hitting New Zealand wicketkeeper, drafted in to the state's squad for the Australian domestic Twenty20 final in Sydney on Saturday. McCullum owns the most famous century in the format for his 158 off 73 balls in the opening match of the inaugural Indian Premier League and by playing for the Blues he will immediately qualify for the lucrative Champions League Twenty20 in October.
McCullum, who can also reach the tournament through his Kolkata Knight Riders franchise, will open the batting for New South Wales against Victoria at the Olympic Stadium. Australia rarely call on overseas talent to boost their squads, but David Gilbert, the Cricket New South Wales chief executive, said the move was an important one in preparation for the US$6 million tournament in India.
"With the potential losses the New South Wales squad may suffer depending on which two IPL teams qualify for the Champions League, it is vital that we strengthen our squad ahead of that tournament," Gilbert said. "Brendon is one of the most dangerous limited-overs batsmen in world cricket and will be a tremendous asset in terms of his considerable international experience and the match-winning ability he brings."
Nathan Bracken (Bangalore Royal Challengers), Brett Lee (Mohali), Simon Katich (Kings XI Punjab) and Dominic Thornely (Mumbai Indians) were New South Wales players who were part of the opening season of the IPL while Michael Clarke remains a target for the franchises. David Warner, the boom limited-overs opener, has signed with Delhi Daredevils for the second tournament and Moises Henriques has agreed to join McCullum's team.
The McCullum news is another blow for Victoria, who are likely to lose Brad Hodge with a leg injury sustained during their victory over Queensland in the preliminary final on Wednesday. The Bushrangers, who gained a place in the Champions League with the win, will also be without the big-name players David Hussey and Cameron White, who are on Australian one-day duty.
Queensland's Andrew Symonds said the signing was against the spirit of the game. "That's not Australian to me," Symonds said in the Courier-Mail. "Is that what New South Wales cricket is having to do? I am trying to understand the modern world."
Greg Shipperd, the Victoria coach, said the rules on overseas players "don't seem to be particularly clear". "Our view was not to play them domestically at this point in time but today's decision obviously might reopen that door," he told AAP. "These rules are emerging and they're flipping and flopping at different times so we'll just go with the flow and roll with the regulations as they are unfolded to us."
New Zealand Cricket officials cleared McCullum's move and he will miss Otago's last group game of the State Shield one-day competition. However, the squad members for the Chappell-Hadlee Series will not be available for the finals of that tournament. McCullum, who has played 143 ODIs and 18 Twenty20 Internationals, will be able to use the Sydney match to fine tune for the five one-dayers against Australia starting on February 1.
McCullum, who can also reach the tournament through his Kolkata Knight Riders franchise, will open the batting for New South Wales against Victoria at the Olympic Stadium. Australia rarely call on overseas talent to boost their squads, but David Gilbert, the Cricket New South Wales chief executive, said the move was an important one in preparation for the US$6 million tournament in India.
"With the potential losses the New South Wales squad may suffer depending on which two IPL teams qualify for the Champions League, it is vital that we strengthen our squad ahead of that tournament," Gilbert said. "Brendon is one of the most dangerous limited-overs batsmen in world cricket and will be a tremendous asset in terms of his considerable international experience and the match-winning ability he brings."
Nathan Bracken (Bangalore Royal Challengers), Brett Lee (Mohali), Simon Katich (Kings XI Punjab) and Dominic Thornely (Mumbai Indians) were New South Wales players who were part of the opening season of the IPL while Michael Clarke remains a target for the franchises. David Warner, the boom limited-overs opener, has signed with Delhi Daredevils for the second tournament and Moises Henriques has agreed to join McCullum's team.
The McCullum news is another blow for Victoria, who are likely to lose Brad Hodge with a leg injury sustained during their victory over Queensland in the preliminary final on Wednesday. The Bushrangers, who gained a place in the Champions League with the win, will also be without the big-name players David Hussey and Cameron White, who are on Australian one-day duty.
Queensland's Andrew Symonds said the signing was against the spirit of the game. "That's not Australian to me," Symonds said in the Courier-Mail. "Is that what New South Wales cricket is having to do? I am trying to understand the modern world."
Greg Shipperd, the Victoria coach, said the rules on overseas players "don't seem to be particularly clear". "Our view was not to play them domestically at this point in time but today's decision obviously might reopen that door," he told AAP. "These rules are emerging and they're flipping and flopping at different times so we'll just go with the flow and roll with the regulations as they are unfolded to us."
New Zealand Cricket officials cleared McCullum's move and he will miss Otago's last group game of the State Shield one-day competition. However, the squad members for the Chappell-Hadlee Series will not be available for the finals of that tournament. McCullum, who has played 143 ODIs and 18 Twenty20 Internationals, will be able to use the Sydney match to fine tune for the five one-dayers against Australia starting on February 1.
Friday, January 23, 2009
WWE Interview: Randy Orton's life as "the bad guy"
How careful do you have to be when punting your boss in the head?
Well, if you're Randy Orton, the most hated heel in the wrestling industry and your boss is billionaire bad boy Vince McMahon, the answer (backed up by the sick thud of replay) is not so safe.
And that's just how WWE wanted to lead into their second biggest pay-per-view of the year, with Orton kicking McMahon in the head to the shock/cheers/boos/disbelief of the millions of Raw fans who scrambled for their DVR remote to watch the kick again.
"If you watch the replay, I wasn't too careful. I definitely let him have it," Orton admits when talking about what transpired Monday night. "My wife DVR'd it for me because I had to watch it for myself. My foot still hurts. And if that's the case, I'm sure he has a nice migraine right now."
ESPN caught up with Orton as he prepared for the 30-man Royal Rumble match to talk about what it's like playing the role of a heel, the story behind his new tats, and the future of The Legacy.
Well, if you're Randy Orton, the most hated heel in the wrestling industry and your boss is billionaire bad boy Vince McMahon, the answer (backed up by the sick thud of replay) is not so safe.
And that's just how WWE wanted to lead into their second biggest pay-per-view of the year, with Orton kicking McMahon in the head to the shock/cheers/boos/disbelief of the millions of Raw fans who scrambled for their DVR remote to watch the kick again.
"If you watch the replay, I wasn't too careful. I definitely let him have it," Orton admits when talking about what transpired Monday night. "My wife DVR'd it for me because I had to watch it for myself. My foot still hurts. And if that's the case, I'm sure he has a nice migraine right now."
ESPN caught up with Orton as he prepared for the 30-man Royal Rumble match to talk about what it's like playing the role of a heel, the story behind his new tats, and the future of The Legacy.
Brazil's wingback conundrum
Cafu and Roberto Carlos are two of football's greatest-ever wingbacks, and Brazil's search for their long-time successors is proving difficult
Over the course of a decade, the make-up of a national team can change radically as new players emerge and established ones fall from grace. Nowhere is this truer than in Brazil, where the production line of talent appears almost endless. Yet from 1995 until the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, two members of A Seleção showed that dynasties can endure even the fiercest of competition by making their positions their own.
The men in question are, of course, Cafu and Roberto Carlos who, at right- and left-wingback respectively, played a vital role in what was a golden era for Brazil. Indeed, such was the contribution of these two icons that by the time they ended their international careers, they had become their country's two most-capped players.
However, two and half years after Germany 2006, no clear successors have emerged, despite a plethora of options on both flanks. FIFA.com runs the rule over the main contenders for two positions that remain crucial to the continued success of Brazil.
Cafu's heir apparent
One full-back with a strong claim to that title is Maicon of Inter Milan. The player's speed and attacking verve have been a highlight of recent Brazil games, and his coach Dunga has expressed admiration on numerous occasions. For all of that, the player is facing stiff competition for his place and continues to divide opinion among the fans.
One of his main rivals is Daniel Alves of Spanish giants Barcelona. By playing a pivotal role in the rise of Sevilla a few years back, he became one of the most sought-after talents in European football, before finally signing for the Catalan side in 2008. And while he has yet to replicate his dazzling club form for Brazil, his goal against Argentina in the final of the Copa America 2007 (which Brazil won 3-0) remains a potent reminder of his all-round ability.
A bit more unusual is case of Roma's Cicinho, a starter for Brazil during their successful FIFA Confederations Cup campaign of 2005 and cover for Cafu at Germany 2006. At the time he seemed a certainty for the right-wingback position, but he has not had an international call-up since Dunga's first game in charge, back in August 2006.
Rafinha, meanwhile, put himself in the frame by getting a starting berth ahead of Ilsinho at the Men's Olympic Football Tournament Beijing 2008, his three years' experience with German side Schalke giving him the edge despite being only 23. However, Ilsinho is fast garnering goals and experience at Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk and remains a viable option for Dunga.
The only candidate on this list who plays his football in Brazil is Flamengo's Leo Moura. The 30-year-old, who has already played for five other top clubs in his homeland, is currently enjoying the form of his life. Indeed the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) have named him the best right-back in the national championship for the last two seasons. His first call-up came in January 2008, and he remains a genuine contender for the role.
Filling Roberto Carlos' shoes
On the left side of defence, the competition is fiercer still. Gilberto, currently with English side Tottenham Hotspur, was back-up for Roberto Carlos at Germany 2006 and began the Dunga era in the starting XI. However, in recent months the 31-year-old looks to have slipped down the pecking order behind Kleber and Marcelo.
For his part, Kleber is currently showing with Santos that he has few equals in his position, which explains why the 28-year-old started for Brazil in their last few games of 2008. His steady performances have managed to quieten the clamour that was hitherto building for the inclusion of the younger Marcelo, who looks to have cemented his first-team place at Real Madrid. Only 18 when he was called up for Dunga's first game in charge in 2006, he has still to convince the coach that he is the best man for the job.
Then there is Flamengo defender Juan, who, after three years with limited opportunities in England and a similarly quiet period in Brazil, looks to be finally fulfilling the potential he showed as a graduate of the Sao Paulo youth academy. He was first called into the squad in August 2008, the same year he was voted the best in his position in the Brasileirao, and if the 26-year-old can maintain his current level, calls for his inclusion can only grow.
A little further down the order come Sevilla's Adriano and Maxwell of Inter Milan. The former was a FIFA U-20 World Cup winner in 2003 and figured in Dunga's early squads, only to be overlooked thereafter. Complicating his quest for the No6 jersey is the fact that he currently operates in midfield for his club.
Maxwell, meanwhile, has a lower profile at home having left for Dutch giants Ajax while still a youth player at Cruzeiro in 2001. His main international experience was a run in the U-23 side during Brazil's unsuccessful qualifying campaign for the Men's Olympic Football Tournament Athens 2004, but he is hoping his form in Italy will earn him a long-awaited senior Brazil debut.
Hexagonal hots things up
Matchday one of the final 'hexagonal' round of CONCACAF qualifying pits old adversaries in heated clashes. Join FIFA.com for a closer look.
The six surviving nations in North, Central America and the Caribbean will begin their ten game round-robin (known in the region as the 'hexagonal') on 11 February as the bid for a place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. USA host arch-rivals Mexico in frosty Ohio, Trinidad and Tobago head for hot atmosphere in El Salvador and Central American titans clash as Costa Rica welcome Honduras to San Jose.
The six surviving nations in North, Central America and the Caribbean will begin their ten game round-robin (known in the region as the 'hexagonal') on 11 February as the bid for a place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. USA host arch-rivals Mexico in frosty Ohio, Trinidad and Tobago head for hot atmosphere in El Salvador and Central American titans clash as Costa Rica welcome Honduras to San Jose.
African leader wants it all
The spotlight shines south this week as South African mikkaeel maintains a cool head in the CAF driver seat, while the top 20 rankings are shaken up.
When it comes to football, Africa's current FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC) online leader is convinced of a few things: going to and winning May's FIWC Grand Final in Barcelona, and watching South Africa win this year's FIFA Confederations Cup.
With online competitors numbering over the 350,000 mark, there's no doubt that the FIWC is tougher than ever before. However, the 23-year-old South African remains confident and consistently features in the top 15, never losing Africa's top spot on the leaderboard. "With some hard work, I'm sure I'll qualify and win the tournament this year," says mikkaeel, (real name Abubakr Akhalwaya Ebrahim).
Despite currently residing in Leeds, the Johannesburg native has already booked front-row tickets for the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009 and is eager to see Brazil's Kaka and Pato in the flesh. Could mikkaeel witness Bafana Bafana (The Boys) raise the FIFA Confederations Cup after winning his very own FIFA title one month prior? In football, virtual or real, anything is possible.
Week 10
European dominance in the top five succumbed to increasing pressure from Central America and the Caribbean in Week 10. jpcuracao, from the Netherlands Antilles, claimed second while Mexican's zzerecero and floera64 went fourth and fifth respectively.
dutchrevenge held on to first place despite the surge on Europe and countryman the-return1 claimed third. Belgian MASSOUD_4030 (sixth), Germany's Ihleburg (seventh) and Frenchman LIL-GAME77 (eighth) temporarily hold onto the remaining three UEFA spots.
Saudi Arabia's Hussain_H (ninth) and Australian ThE_HaUnTeD_07 (14th) have their hands firmly on the two available AFC tickets. The pair of potential grand finalists should keep an eye on jamodamo (20th) though. The Australian has been sneaking up the table and is just 299 points behind Asia's number two. In the Oceania zone, nzjoker maintained his footing at the top of the hill despite slipping in the world rankings.
A pair of Brazilians guard South America's two online tickets to the Grand Final. dignitasmath (13th) and playArtShev (26th) will have to clutch onto those Playstation®3 controls extra-tight with the likes of SSS-Pires_BR and buffo2k8 lurking in the shadows.
For the seventh consecutive week, Africa's champion is mikkaeel. Egyptian Legend_never_die (36th) is the closest threat, some 812 points in the background.
Will Week 10's champions fend off challengers long enough to cement online victory, and with it a coveted birth at the Grand Final? Only time will tell.
FIFA 09 fans remember, there are two ways to qualify: claim one of the thirteen online places, or win one of the remaining live qualifiers. To view a listing of live qualifier venues and dates click on the link to the right
Fifa ranking
Ranking Name Points Country
1 dutchrevenge 7904 Netherlands
2 jpcuracao 7332 Netherlands Antilles
3 the-return1 7240 Netherlands
4 zzerecero 7048 Mexico
5 floera64 6946 Mexico
6 MASSOUD_4030 6939 Belgium
7 Ihleburg 6882 Germany
8 LIL-GAME77 6800 France
9 Hussain_H 6628 Saudi Arabia
10 TULIOmaravilha9 6426 USA
11 mikkaeel 6391 South Africa
12 AdamW 6327 England
13 dignitasmath 6289 Brazil
14 ThE_HaUnTeD_07 6248 Australia
15 beanz007 6186 England
16 locoIvor 6164 Netherlands
17 Ayhan1991 6147 Germany
18 semedo 6079 France
19 VamosMexico 6011 USA
20 jamodamo 5949 Australia
21 DHARIUS11CARTEL 5887 USA
22 Jad_3 5872 Northern Ireland
23 Clones_ 5863 England
24 wedding657 5861 Turkey
24 RaFaBoX_001 5861 Mexico
26 playArtShev 5843 Brazil
27 TheSicilian 5840 USA
28 teamraveloson 5836 France
29 norefo 5817 France
30 SeNSaTIoN9 5767 England
31 camionidelmondo4 5764 Netherlands
32 undercover_king 5752 Netherlands
33 MAYOKO10 5732 Greece
34 RATOdaBOLA10 5719 USA
35 i-90- 5681 Spain
36 Legend_never_die 5579 Egypt
37 Arsenal_Skills14 5575 Albania
38 THE_BOSS_4030 5559 Belgium
39 dannytaylor 5485 England
40 SSS-Pires_BR 5455 Brazil
41 DrFIFA 5447 Canada
42 Erpakow1 5386 Mexico
43 VanBasten_9184 5334 Austria
44 Ibbo 5305 England
45 playergenius 5243 Mexico
46 Raulinho7 5226 Norway
47 michs09 5215 USA
48 ARNON_CAIXEIRO 5173 Brazil
49 solid_4 5151 Chile
50 Jonyteknoska 5134 Spain
51 I--iNViNciBLe--I 5066 Turkey
52 iNaRa111 5058 France
53 EL_GRAN_DANY 5054 Argentina
54 stipp- 5049 Brazil
54 tayfun1980 5049 Turkey
56 nico_ultras 5012 Germany
57 FEaumomaea 5007 Brazil
58 dextens 4967 France
59 DERGHAM1995 4955 Egypt
60 Ganza1987 4938 Spain
61 higuain_86 4906 Spain
62 Jerem234 4905 France
63 marabout54 4810 France
64 biggballa_22 4802 England
65 HarryDorner_9183 4783 Austria
66 USAF-jamaican80 4742 France
67 Fifaminator 4670 USA
68 MexicoNieva 4655 Mexico
69 Algerie_19 4636 Algeria
70 UTM-RaSta-BoB-fr 4590 France
71 jet13500 4563 Belarus
72 restebien973 4549 France
73 kaly728 4547 Hong Kong
74 f45fm 4519 Peru
75 sebandriri 4503 France
76 hamster80 4485 Singapore
77 Ozzyuno 4484 England
78 cesar28 4446 Spain
79 bisonstar 4444 Germany
80 Stix94122 4438 USA
81 TheWhiteAngel9 4395 Norway
82 polezi 4376 Brazil
83 lpblwk 4373 Australia
84 travailleur 4327 France
85 DarthChe 4269 USA
86 samsam75011 4267 France
87 cabilloUSA 4247 Saudi Arabia
88 herzex 4231 Spain
89 gio1016 4223 USA
90 zykon-neo 4222 Germany
91 sami-n 4204 Algeria
92 hun_csoki 4145 Hungary
93 Chopsiie 4142 Australia
94 rbt503 4129 South Africa
95 juanma89m 4086 Italy
96 neosportsea 4082 Brazil
97 cocosboys 4081 France
98 neSoFiFA 4072 Bosnia-Herzegovina
99 PAC104LIFE 4060 USA
100 XX_chuyin86_XX 4046 Mexico
1 dutchrevenge 7904 Netherlands
2 jpcuracao 7332 Netherlands Antilles
3 the-return1 7240 Netherlands
4 zzerecero 7048 Mexico
5 floera64 6946 Mexico
6 MASSOUD_4030 6939 Belgium
7 Ihleburg 6882 Germany
8 LIL-GAME77 6800 France
9 Hussain_H 6628 Saudi Arabia
10 TULIOmaravilha9 6426 USA
11 mikkaeel 6391 South Africa
12 AdamW 6327 England
13 dignitasmath 6289 Brazil
14 ThE_HaUnTeD_07 6248 Australia
15 beanz007 6186 England
16 locoIvor 6164 Netherlands
17 Ayhan1991 6147 Germany
18 semedo 6079 France
19 VamosMexico 6011 USA
20 jamodamo 5949 Australia
21 DHARIUS11CARTEL 5887 USA
22 Jad_3 5872 Northern Ireland
23 Clones_ 5863 England
24 wedding657 5861 Turkey
24 RaFaBoX_001 5861 Mexico
26 playArtShev 5843 Brazil
27 TheSicilian 5840 USA
28 teamraveloson 5836 France
29 norefo 5817 France
30 SeNSaTIoN9 5767 England
31 camionidelmondo4 5764 Netherlands
32 undercover_king 5752 Netherlands
33 MAYOKO10 5732 Greece
34 RATOdaBOLA10 5719 USA
35 i-90- 5681 Spain
36 Legend_never_die 5579 Egypt
37 Arsenal_Skills14 5575 Albania
38 THE_BOSS_4030 5559 Belgium
39 dannytaylor 5485 England
40 SSS-Pires_BR 5455 Brazil
41 DrFIFA 5447 Canada
42 Erpakow1 5386 Mexico
43 VanBasten_9184 5334 Austria
44 Ibbo 5305 England
45 playergenius 5243 Mexico
46 Raulinho7 5226 Norway
47 michs09 5215 USA
48 ARNON_CAIXEIRO 5173 Brazil
49 solid_4 5151 Chile
50 Jonyteknoska 5134 Spain
51 I--iNViNciBLe--I 5066 Turkey
52 iNaRa111 5058 France
53 EL_GRAN_DANY 5054 Argentina
54 stipp- 5049 Brazil
54 tayfun1980 5049 Turkey
56 nico_ultras 5012 Germany
57 FEaumomaea 5007 Brazil
58 dextens 4967 France
59 DERGHAM1995 4955 Egypt
60 Ganza1987 4938 Spain
61 higuain_86 4906 Spain
62 Jerem234 4905 France
63 marabout54 4810 France
64 biggballa_22 4802 England
65 HarryDorner_9183 4783 Austria
66 USAF-jamaican80 4742 France
67 Fifaminator 4670 USA
68 MexicoNieva 4655 Mexico
69 Algerie_19 4636 Algeria
70 UTM-RaSta-BoB-fr 4590 France
71 jet13500 4563 Belarus
72 restebien973 4549 France
73 kaly728 4547 Hong Kong
74 f45fm 4519 Peru
75 sebandriri 4503 France
76 hamster80 4485 Singapore
77 Ozzyuno 4484 England
78 cesar28 4446 Spain
79 bisonstar 4444 Germany
80 Stix94122 4438 USA
81 TheWhiteAngel9 4395 Norway
82 polezi 4376 Brazil
83 lpblwk 4373 Australia
84 travailleur 4327 France
85 DarthChe 4269 USA
86 samsam75011 4267 France
87 cabilloUSA 4247 Saudi Arabia
88 herzex 4231 Spain
89 gio1016 4223 USA
90 zykon-neo 4222 Germany
91 sami-n 4204 Algeria
92 hun_csoki 4145 Hungary
93 Chopsiie 4142 Australia
94 rbt503 4129 South Africa
95 juanma89m 4086 Italy
96 neosportsea 4082 Brazil
97 cocosboys 4081 France
98 neSoFiFA 4072 Bosnia-Herzegovina
99 PAC104LIFE 4060 USA
100 XX_chuyin86_XX 4046 Mexico
Another Big Night For Bynum
Although Andrew Bynum didn't fire in a career-high 42 points like he did the night before against the Clippers, he still led the Lakers in scoring, posting 23 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in another win for L.A
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Inaugural Minutes: Picking a hardwood Cabinet and bailing out the SEC
The Minutes does solemnly swear for the rest of the season to faithfully execute a weekly rundown of 40 names, games, teams and minutiae making news in college basketball. So help me Wooden (1).
Barack Obama
Our new President was nicknamed "Barry the Bomber" on his high-school basketball team.
My fellow Americans, this is a great moment in our hoops history. A basketball-loving president takes office Tuesday, performing an ankle-breaking crossover from the two terms of his baseball-favoring predecessor. The transition game is on.
The new guy regularly plays pickup ball. (The Minutes wonders whether Secret Service will intervene in the event of a hard foul. Then again, not even Rick Mahorn would dare lay out the leader of the free world on a drive to the hole.) His brother-in-law, Craig Robinson (2), is the head coach at Oregon State. He's been known
to fill out an NCAA tournament bracket or two (for entertainment purposes only, of course).
So when they play "Hail to The Chief," basketball fans will have someone else to think about other than Robert Parish. Barack Obama (3) is a baller.
On with the inauguration. And with the inaugural Minutes of '09
Here we are, 2009: our first ever black president has been inaugurated and the Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl for their first time in franchise history. So what has the ninth year of the 21st century brought the X Games? Well, for starters they've upped the pipe four feet, from 18-feet to the new superpipe 22-foot-wall standard. So expect, uh, bigger things in 2009. Aside from higher airs out of the pipe, the slopestyle course is as beefed up as it's ever been. One reason is that the final jump of the course this year will also serve as the location for the big air comp.
Dave Lehl
Will Shaun White defend his superpipe title? He has shown he's not invincible this season, but remains the favorite.
And the riders this year? How are they looking? Here's a few I predict will podium at X Games 13:
Men's Field:
Shaun White (Pipe, Slopestyle): White sits at the top for both Pipe and Slope. Don't be mad at it. The fact is he's the only rider this season to consistently make the podium in both disciplines wherever he competes, be it the Dew Tour, the Burton European Open, or as I'm calling it, X Games 13. Look for at least one first place finish by White, but don't act surprised if he takes both.
Danny Davis (Pipe, Slopestyle): Last season Davis fell off the map—set back by an ankle injury—but the Michigan-bred hero is back in top form this season. After besting Shaun White at the first Dew Tour stop in Breckenridge mid-December, Davis went on to land first place at the Burton European Open slopestyle in Laax last week. With a clear determination to climb his way back to the top, expect Danny to bring the heat in both the pipe and slope disciplines here at X Games 13.
Kevin Pearce (Pipe): Last season Pearce unquestionably had the best competitive season of any rider, winning or placing in just about every major event and ultimately taking the 2008 TTR Title. At X Games alone, he was the sole rider to compete in three disciplines—pipe, slope, and big air. But this year Pearce has been slow to warm to that top podium spot and has been unable to land a first place win, until just last week at the European Open where he dominated the superpipe. Despite Pearce's absence from so many podiums this season, he remains a huge contender for pipe at X Games 13. I believe the key for Pearce is a matter of focus.
Torstein Horgmo (Slopestyle): With a his slopestyle win at the Mount Snow Dew Tour stop, Horgmo has upped his confidence (if that's possible), and will try to switch back 1260 his way to X 13 Gold. As well, the Norwegian DC rider will likely rely on a version of this trick when he competes in the big air comp.
Andreas Wiig (Slopestyle): Wiig has yet to land a first place this season, but dude has been steady lurking in the slopestyle arena, consistently falling in top five slope wherever he competes. Still, I don't expect a first place from Wiig here at X 13, though it wouldn't be a crazy scenario if the seasoned Scandinavian pulled out an upset.
Others I'm banking on: Mikkel Bang (slope), Louie Vito (pipe), Scotty Lago (pipe or slope), Mason Aguirre (pipe), Peetu Piiroinen (pipe or slope).
Women's Field:
Dave Lehl
Jaime Anderson is going for a slopestyle three-peat this year at X Games 13. Spencer O'Brien will try to stop her.
Gretchen Bleiler (Pipe): The Grand Lady of Aspen herself, always the local favorite and always a contender for first, expect Gretchen Bleiler to pull out all the old tricks—including her signature crippler. You'd think with all the love the crippler has earned Bleiler over the years that other riders would incorporate something similar into their routine—but they haven't, and Gretchen only continues to improve hers with more amplitude and finesse. Expect Bleiler to battle it out with Kelly Clark and Hannah Teter for first.
Kelly Clark (Pipe): In the women's field, as opposed to the men, the runs are easier to predict because the riders tend to change it up less. Just like Bleiler will bring the crippler, it's safe to say Clark will bring us a fill of frontside airs, perhaps throw in a frontside 9, and likely a cab 7. These are all stock for Clark, and a reason why she and Bleiler (and Hannah too, though not so much this season) are always fighting it out for first.
Jamie Anderson (Slopestyle): If it's Kelly Clark vs. Gretchen Bleiler for pipe, the other story is Jaime Anderson vs. Spencer O'Brien for slopestyle. Anderson brings more podium experience to the table, and her ability to hold it together under pressure at major events like the X Games is evident—she will be going for a three-peat in slope this year.
Spencer O'Brien (Slopestyle): The 20-year old, 2008 Transworld Female Rookie of the Year currently ranks first in overall slopestyle points for the Dew Tour. Her riding has been nothing but on point this season, and it'd be a surprise if O'Brien failed to podium here at X Games 13.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Golf rankings
Rank Player Events Earnings
1 Zach Johnson 2 $1,161,250.00
2 Geoff Ogilvy 2 $1,149,237.10
3 Adam Scott 2 $552,866.70
4 DavisLoveIII 2 $523,500.00
5 Anthony Kim 1 $523,500.00
6 David Toms 1 $475,200.00
7 Sean O'Hair 2 $399,970.90
8 Brian Gay 2 $282,866.70
9 Justin Leonard 1 $261,000.00
10 Charles Howell III 1 $259,200.00
11 Boo Weekley 2 $252,800.00
12 D.J. Trahan 2 $218,487.14
13 Ernie Els 2 $210,850.00
14 Kevin Na 1 $205,200.00
15 Kenny Perry 2 $200,968.00
16 K.J. Choi 2 $194,970.90
17 Chez Reavie 2 $175,380.00
18 George McNeill 1 $174,150.00
19 Steve Marino 1 $174,150.00
20 Johnson Wagner 2 $162,000.00
21 Dustin Johnson 1 $152,000.00
22 Bill Haas 1 $145,800.00
23 Webb Simpson 1 $145,800.00
24 Camilo Villegas 1 $132,000.00
25 Will MacKenzie 2 $132,000.00
26 Ryuji Imada 2 $121,046.66
27 Cameron Beckman 2 $111,380.00
28 Stewart Cink 2 $93,237.15
29 Carl Pettersson 2 $92,000.00
30 Scott Piercy 1 $87,970.91
31 Tim Clark 1 $87,970.91
32 Jeff Klauk 1 $87,970.91
33 Bob Estes 1 $87,970.91
34 Nathan Green 1 $87,970.91
35 Tim Herron 1 $87,970.91
36 Rory Sabbatini 1 $87,970.91
37 Marc Leishman 1 $87,970.91
38 Shigeki Maruyama 1 $87,970.90
39 Richard S. Johnson 2 $82,718.00
40 Steve Lowery 2 $76,258.00
41 Trevor Immelman 1 $71,000.00
42 Andres Romero 2 $65,800.00
43 Parker McLachlin 2 $64,000.00
44 Daniel Chopra 2 $59,500.00
45 Vijay Singh 1 $59,500.00
46 J.B. Holmes 2 $57,500.00
47 Greg Kraft 2 $57,500.00
48 Ryan Palmer 1 $56,000.00
49 Marc Turnesa 2 $54,000.00
50 Troy Matteson 1 $43,380.00
51 Jerry Kelly 1 $43,380.00
52 Briny Baird 1 $43,380.00
53 Luke Donald 1 $43,380.00
54 Cliff Kresge 1 $43,380.00
55 Steve Stricker 1 $43,380.00
56 Bart Bryant 1 $29,237.15
57 Greg Owen 1 $29,237.14
58 Jimmy Walker 1 $29,237.14
59 Tadd Fujikawa 1 $29,237.14
60 Hideto Tanihara 1 $21,600.00
61 Arron Oberholser 1 $21,600.00
62 Michael Letzig 1 $21,600.00
63 Scott Sterling 1 $21,600.00
64 Brendon Todd 1 $21,600.00
65 Azuma Yano 1 $15,444.00
66 Wil Collins 1 $15,444.00
67 Glen Day 1 $15,444.00
68 Chris Stroud 1 $15,444.00
69 Brian Davis 1 $15,444.00
70 Michael Allen 1 $15,444.00
71 Harrison Frazar 1 $12,879.00
72 Ted Purdy 1 $12,879.00
73 Tim Wilkinson 1 $12,879.00
74 Alex Cejka 1 $12,879.00
75 Casey Wittenberg 1 $12,258.00
76 Kevin Streelman 1 $12,258.00
77 Tommy Gainey 1 $12,258.00
78 Joe Durant 1 $11,718.00
79 David Mathis 1 $11,718.00
80 Tom Pernice, Jr. 1 $11,718.00
81 Matt Bettencourt 1 $11,718.00
82 Troy Kelly 1 $11,178.00
83 John Merrick 1 $11,178.00
84 Arjun Atwal 1 $11,178.00
85 Jarrod Lyle 1 $11,178.00
86 Paul Azinger 1 $10,800.00
87 Jeff Overton 1 $10,800.00
88 Spencer Levin 1 $10,584.00
89 Tag Ridings 1 $10,368.00
90 Jeff Quinney 1 $10,368.00
91 Tim Petrovic 1 $10,368.00
92 D.A. Points 1 $10,152.00
93 Matthew Borchert 1 $10,044.00
1 Zach Johnson 2 $1,161,250.00
2 Geoff Ogilvy 2 $1,149,237.10
3 Adam Scott 2 $552,866.70
4 DavisLoveIII 2 $523,500.00
5 Anthony Kim 1 $523,500.00
6 David Toms 1 $475,200.00
7 Sean O'Hair 2 $399,970.90
8 Brian Gay 2 $282,866.70
9 Justin Leonard 1 $261,000.00
10 Charles Howell III 1 $259,200.00
11 Boo Weekley 2 $252,800.00
12 D.J. Trahan 2 $218,487.14
13 Ernie Els 2 $210,850.00
14 Kevin Na 1 $205,200.00
15 Kenny Perry 2 $200,968.00
16 K.J. Choi 2 $194,970.90
17 Chez Reavie 2 $175,380.00
18 George McNeill 1 $174,150.00
19 Steve Marino 1 $174,150.00
20 Johnson Wagner 2 $162,000.00
21 Dustin Johnson 1 $152,000.00
22 Bill Haas 1 $145,800.00
23 Webb Simpson 1 $145,800.00
24 Camilo Villegas 1 $132,000.00
25 Will MacKenzie 2 $132,000.00
26 Ryuji Imada 2 $121,046.66
27 Cameron Beckman 2 $111,380.00
28 Stewart Cink 2 $93,237.15
29 Carl Pettersson 2 $92,000.00
30 Scott Piercy 1 $87,970.91
31 Tim Clark 1 $87,970.91
32 Jeff Klauk 1 $87,970.91
33 Bob Estes 1 $87,970.91
34 Nathan Green 1 $87,970.91
35 Tim Herron 1 $87,970.91
36 Rory Sabbatini 1 $87,970.91
37 Marc Leishman 1 $87,970.91
38 Shigeki Maruyama 1 $87,970.90
39 Richard S. Johnson 2 $82,718.00
40 Steve Lowery 2 $76,258.00
41 Trevor Immelman 1 $71,000.00
42 Andres Romero 2 $65,800.00
43 Parker McLachlin 2 $64,000.00
44 Daniel Chopra 2 $59,500.00
45 Vijay Singh 1 $59,500.00
46 J.B. Holmes 2 $57,500.00
47 Greg Kraft 2 $57,500.00
48 Ryan Palmer 1 $56,000.00
49 Marc Turnesa 2 $54,000.00
50 Troy Matteson 1 $43,380.00
51 Jerry Kelly 1 $43,380.00
52 Briny Baird 1 $43,380.00
53 Luke Donald 1 $43,380.00
54 Cliff Kresge 1 $43,380.00
55 Steve Stricker 1 $43,380.00
56 Bart Bryant 1 $29,237.15
57 Greg Owen 1 $29,237.14
58 Jimmy Walker 1 $29,237.14
59 Tadd Fujikawa 1 $29,237.14
60 Hideto Tanihara 1 $21,600.00
61 Arron Oberholser 1 $21,600.00
62 Michael Letzig 1 $21,600.00
63 Scott Sterling 1 $21,600.00
64 Brendon Todd 1 $21,600.00
65 Azuma Yano 1 $15,444.00
66 Wil Collins 1 $15,444.00
67 Glen Day 1 $15,444.00
68 Chris Stroud 1 $15,444.00
69 Brian Davis 1 $15,444.00
70 Michael Allen 1 $15,444.00
71 Harrison Frazar 1 $12,879.00
72 Ted Purdy 1 $12,879.00
73 Tim Wilkinson 1 $12,879.00
74 Alex Cejka 1 $12,879.00
75 Casey Wittenberg 1 $12,258.00
76 Kevin Streelman 1 $12,258.00
77 Tommy Gainey 1 $12,258.00
78 Joe Durant 1 $11,718.00
79 David Mathis 1 $11,718.00
80 Tom Pernice, Jr. 1 $11,718.00
81 Matt Bettencourt 1 $11,718.00
82 Troy Kelly 1 $11,178.00
83 John Merrick 1 $11,178.00
84 Arjun Atwal 1 $11,178.00
85 Jarrod Lyle 1 $11,178.00
86 Paul Azinger 1 $10,800.00
87 Jeff Overton 1 $10,800.00
88 Spencer Levin 1 $10,584.00
89 Tag Ridings 1 $10,368.00
90 Jeff Quinney 1 $10,368.00
91 Tim Petrovic 1 $10,368.00
92 D.A. Points 1 $10,152.00
93 Matthew Borchert 1 $10,044.00
Captain Corey
Corey Pavin would do well as Ryder Cup captain if he follows Paul Azinger's blueprint.
Teams unveiling new rides for 2009
Renault team manager Flavio Briatore, center, and drivers Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet showcased the new R29 Monday in Portugal.
PORTIMAO, Portugal -- The Formula One teams and drivers are taking their first full-fledged steps into the unknown this week as they begin to come to grips with the new 2009 cars, which are considerably different from the 2008 models.
Six of the F1 teams have unveiled their new cars in recent days.
Ferrari started it off, showing its new F60 on Jan. 12 in Mugello, Italy. Three days later, Toyota's TF109 made its debut on the Internet. Then the McLaren Mercedes MP4-24 was shown to the media at McLaren's futuristic base in England on Friday.
The Renault R29 and the Williams Toyota FW31 made their debuts at the new Portimao track in the Algarve area south of the Portuguese capital of Lisbon on Monday, and the BMW Sauber F1.09 was launched in Valencia, Spain, on Tuesday.
McLaren, Renault, Williams and Toyota are testing their new cars this week in Portimao, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso's hybrid car.
BMW Sauber, meanwhile, is testing privately in Valencia. Ferrari was supposed to test in Portugal but switched venues to Mugello.
As reported earlier on ESPN.com, there have been a number of rule changes this year. Some of the first things that strike you about the new cars are the wide front wing, the narrow, high rear wing, and the absence of the plethora of aerodynamic tweaks on the bodywork and wings.
With the new cars barely completed before their first public showings, many of the drivers got their first looks at the machines at virtually the same time as the public and the media.
"I expected [the Ferrari F60] not to be as nice as we have always had," Felipe Massa said, comparing the new Ferrari to past models. "Although the regulations seem to make the car worse from a graphic point of view, I think the car is very nice.
"I hope it will be a fast car and a nice car -- I would always rather have an ugly car that was fast rather than a nice-looking car that was slow."
The new cars especially look different from a head-on view.
"I think it looks great," Heikki Kovalainen said of the McLaren MP4-24. "Whatever the regulations changes are, I think the team has managed to make a beautiful car."
Nelson Piquet gave the new Renault its first shakedown on a rainy day in Portugal.
"It feels great to be in the R29, even though the weather was not great," he said after his first day in the car. "Today was all about adding miles to the car, collecting data and learning as much as we could. Hopefully the rest of the week will allow us to build on the progress we have made today."
Piquet's teammate, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who slimmed down over the winter by doing plenty of bike riding, had yet to drive the new car. But when asked for his opinion of the Renault R29, he said that, like "all the 2009 cars, it is a little bit strange to see because of the rear wing and the front wing."
"But I like the car," Alonso added. "It does not matter if it is nice or not nice, it only matters if it is quick. And this we will find out in three or four weeks. But at the moment, I am happy with the work of the team, and we are all optimistic so far."
With the new rules banning mini wings, side deflectors, horns, flips, strakes, vanes, and the other aerodynamic bits and bobs, the 2009 cars look a lot cleaner than last year's models.
Kimi Raikkonen
AP Photo/Lorenzo GalassiKimi Raikkonen shook out the cobwebs recently on the F60, named as such for Ferrari's 60th year in F1.
"The look of the cars from the last two or three years, they were sorted out with nice detail," Toyota's Timo Glock said. "Now, when you see the car, you think they are missing something. But in the end, our car looks pretty nice.
"First of all, you have to deal with the front wing and rear wing. It looks a bit strange, but when 18, 20 cars are on the grid, everyone will get used to it. All the cars will look pretty similar as the regulations are pretty tight, so there isn't room for maneuver. But it is a bit strange to look at when you see it for the first time."
Tight as the regulations are, the teams already have found a few loopholes through which they can slide some aerodynamic tweaks.
"It's like weeds in a sidewalk crack," Renault's chassis technical director Bob Bell told ESPN.com. "If we can find the tiniest opening [in the regulations], we will take advantage of it."
Those wide front wings are going to result in more accidents and bent wings this season as the drivers get used to the new dimensions.
"The front wing is very, very wide this year," Toyota driver Jarno Trulli said. "Being wide means it's very easy to have contact with another car, and instead of wheel to wheel, you might have wing to wing."
Toyota test driver Kamui Kobayashi got the honor of turning the first laps in the TF109.
"I am happy with the new car," he said. "It has been an interesting experience to drive with [Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems] for the first time, and we are understanding more about the system all the time."
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone had this to say about the new generation of F1 cars:
"With fashion, you have to get used to things. I am pleased we have slicks again, but I don't like the small rear wings. But let's see if they do the job."
For racing purists, the return of slick tires that replace the ungainly looking, grooved, dry-weather tires F1 had used since 1998 is a welcome sight.
The drivers are happy about it, as well. Although they raced on slick tires in the lower categories, none of the current drivers except Trulli was around in F1 when slicks were last used. So this is something new for most of them.
"I think slicks are the right way to go," Kovalainen said. "It gives you a little bit more grip, especially in the slow speed corners."
The drivers who competed in F1's feeder series GP2 (and before that, F3000) have relatively recent experience with fast cars on slick tires, but only Glock (and Sebastien Bourdais, if he re-signs with Toro Rosso) has the combined experience of slick tires and high-powered single-seaters, thanks to his days in Champ Car.
However, Glock doesn't believe he will get any advantage from that.
"For us as drivers, we know what we have to do behind the steering wheel," he said. "Going back to slicks is easier than going from slicks to grooves. They are hard to understand. You learn with driving experience in karts and up to GP2, and then suddenly you have to go on grooved tires, so it makes it harder to understand the tires. Going to a tire that is easier to understand means no one will have a problem."
Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is one of those who raced in GP2, and he thinks he will adapt quickly to F1 slick tires.
"I have always found I am quite good at learning and understanding with tires, and knowing how to use them," he said. "So I don't think I will be at a disadvantage."
Although the grip levels and the predictability of handling characteristics of the grooved tires improved over the years, the tires had a snap breakaway point that made it difficult for the drivers to find the limit of adhesion.
The drivers are going to be a lot busier in the cockpit this season, and they will have more input in the final performance output of the car.
This is for two main reasons: the introduction of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems and the new adjustable front wing.
"If the systems will work at 100 percent," Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali said, "the drivers will have an extremely big delta performance, which will find its expression in tenths of a second."
KERS, which is optional, will allow the car to store energy created by the heat released from the brakes; the energy then will be on tap for the driver to use at his discretion. For as long as nearly seven seconds each lap, the driver can push a button for an 80-horsepower boost in power.
The drivers can do this in one 6.7-second spurt or in segments totaling 6.7 seconds. They are not allowed to store unused boost for the next lap.
So when is it best to use KERS? Obviously, drivers are going to use it off the starting line to try to get a jump on the cars around them. But after that, it becomes more complicated.
"Driver overload is going to be an issue this year," McLaren chairman Ron Dennis said. "There is an awful lot of functionality that is under the control of the driver, and this is going to be a challenge for the drivers to be able to cope with everything and get the best out of everything.
"It is not going to be, with KERS, as simple as pressing the button -- it will be a question of optimizing its use throughout a lap, not just on a straight."
Alonso quipped that the drivers should get paid more this year because of the extra work they will have to do.
Hopefully we don't have any reliability problems. We have been very, very fortunate in the past.
-- Lewis Hamilton
Like the other teams, McLaren has been working with its drivers at tests on just how and when to depress and hold the KERS power button.
"To get the most out of KERS, you have to deploy it as early as you can on the straight," McLaren chief engineer Tim Goss said. "As soon as the car comes out from being traction limited and power limited in the corner, then you want to deploy KERS."
McLaren gives the drivers a detailed chart showing how well they use KERS on each lap they test the system.
Massa says KERS will be used primarily to improve lap times and secondarily as a tool to protect the lead or pass a car in front.
"KERS is not made for overtaking; it is made for performance," he said. "So we will use it every lap. Especially if you are in front of somebody and the guy may be quicker than you. You will try to use it in every straight, which is maybe the only opportunity the other one has to pass you.
"If you are in front of somebody and you know you have maybe two overtaking opportunities on the track, you will use them on these parts because you know the guy can pass you there."
The other new addition that will keep drivers busy fiddling with levers and switches in the cockpit is the adjustable front wing. Twice each lap, a driver will be allowed to increase the angle of his front wing by 6 degrees.
This will be used to give a driver more downforce as he closes in on the car in front, which upsets the airflow to the wings of the car following.
"The idea is that when he comes in behind another car and starts to suffer any kind of wake effects, he can wind in a little more front wing and get a bit more front grip," McLaren senior aerodynamicists James Ingalls said. "And then as soon as he can successfully overtake, he can then reset the front wing to where it was before."
Operated by an electronic/hydraulic system, it will have a fail-safe mode so the wing will remain locked in one position should the switch gear fail. Thus there is a safety setting to prevent the flaps from flopping around.
A member of the video game generation, Hamilton is looking forward to driving the new-generation cars.
"I have a few other buttons to play with, which is more fun for me," he said. "I've always liked gadgets, so I have a few more devices I can play with.
"We don't really know to what effect the new controls will have, so for sure the team and the driver that gets on top of it more than the others will have a slight advantage. That is what we are working toward."
Kimi Raikkonen tried all the various 2009 systems in hodgepodge form on the 2008 test mule car and is looking forward to seeing how they all work together on the Ferrari F60 this week in Italy.
"These are the biggest changes for many years in F1," he said. "I don't have an idea how it will be all together. We have tried the tires, but it was last year's car. We tried to take the downforce off to get it more close to where it should be this year, but it is still not the same car, so with everything together, we should know better how it works. But it is interesting, and hopefully it will improve the racing, and that will be much better for all of us.
"For sure it will be difficult for the teams to get everything working well together. We don't have much testing before the season and no testing during the season. So it is up to the teams, and it will be whoever gets everything working and gets the best out of the package."
After the Williams FW31 made its debut, the team's technical director, Sam Michael, told ESPN.com that it is going to take several months before Williams knows how well its new car stacks up against the competition.
"I don't think we will know until the first four or five races," Michael said. "It has been the biggest change, particularly to the aerodynamics, since the 1980s. It has been a fascinating development period, and it is still continuing. Now for the first time, we are seeing what the other teams did with their cars."
Testing is always important, but that is especially the case this year because the cars are so different because of all the rule changes.
But preseason testing has been restricted. The teams are allowed only 20 test days between the beginning of the year and the first race.
Hamilton, for example, will get only a few days in the new MP4-24 before the season opener in Australia on March 29.
"I have, like, only seven days in the car," he said, "and so we are going to make sure that we really extract the most from those days. Hopefully we don't have any reliability problems. We have been very, very fortunate in the past. In two years, we have not had any reliability problems, so I am confident the team have done a great job."
And with testing being banned during the season, the drivers will be spending more time in the driving simulators and more time discussing things with their engineers as they try to extract every last ounce of performance from the new systems and new cars.
Plus, the cars and their components will spend more time on testing rigs in the teams' factories.
Still, it is hard to beat good old-fashioned track time.
"If you don't have everything under control by the last test of the winter, there is no more time to do anything," Alonso said. "If the KERS is still not working by the last test, it is better that you remove the system and race without for the rest of the season.
"You cannot arrive on the Friday in Malaysia or Bahrain and think about testing a new solution for the KERS. It is too late."
James Blake took the necessary time off to recuperate from a wearisome 2008 season.
SYDNEY, Australia -- James Blake often says that he learns as much, if not more, from a loss as a win. Usually he tries to apply those lessons in his very next match.
In this instance, though, he waited 12 months. Blake, the two-time defending champion in Sydney last year, lost disappointingly in the first round. He flew to Melbourne, made the most of his extra practice time and proceeded to have his best-ever performance at the Australian Open, reaching the quarterfinals before falling to Roger Federer.
This year, Blake decided to mimic the conditions, minus the loss. He logged some match time in the exhibition Hopman Cup in the western Australian capital of Perth, then went directly to Melbourne for 10 days of structured training with his coach, Brian Barker.
"This is to tailor-make the preparation," Blake said by phone from Melbourne. "Sydney's great, and I have played well there in the past, but I felt like I couldn't plan the way the days would go. You never know if a match is going to be short or long. This time I know exactly when I'm going to have long days and when I'm going to rest up."
Rest became Blake's watchword late last season when he hit a wall after almost four years without a significant break. He played into December 2007 with the victorious U.S. Davis Cup team, and that season melted into the next, with its condensed schedule dictated by the Olympics. By the time the U.S. Open rolled around, Blake was burned out and unable to muster his usual energy level for his favorite tournament. He would finish 2008 without a tournament title for the first time in four years.
Barker said Blake's long journey back from serious injury and illness in 2004, followed by a sustained period in the top 10, finally caught up with him.
"Most top players, including James, think they can keep doing more and more and always handle what's in front of them," Barker said. "When you're happy to be alive and happy to be healthy and happy to be playing some of the best tennis you've ever played, you're not going to be really excited to take a break. I was going to talk to him about it, but he brought it up to me first."
Blake took September off, bowing out of the Davis Cup semifinals in Spain, and played just seven matches down the stretch. Now he's set to attack the first Grand Slam of the season with fresh legs, a refreshed mind and a new apparel sponsor. After spending 10 years -- his entire professional career -- with Nike, Blake signed with Fila and is starting a co-branded clothing line that will include tennis, golf and casual sportswear.
Blake's new duds for Australia will be white and Carolina blue, a natural choice given his longtime admiration of Michael Jordan. And like No. 1 Rafael Nadal, Blake is abandoning his trademark sleeveless look this season. "I'm even wearing a collar," he said. "Guess I'm getting older."
Having carefully planned his lead-up to the season's first Grand Slam, Blake still doesn't know who his first opponent will be. He drew a qualifier, and might be happy about that relative breather later on, as his quarter includes last year's finalist and one of this year's favorites, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, and Great Britain's Andy Murray.
Federer recently voiced an idea that has been kicking around the players' lounge for some years, proposing that the Australian Open be scheduled a couple of weeks later so players would have more time to warm up for it. Blake said he can see the value in that, but added that he understands the tournament's position, too.
"It would definitely be better for the players if it was later, but then the kids are back in school and people aren't on holiday," he said. "The Australian is unique. It's a real test of who's done the hard work in the offseason, who's fit and who's working their way in."
One small drawback of being in the Southern Hemisphere next week is that Blake will miss the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, with whom he shares two significant experiences: growing up in a mixed-race family and seeing his autobiography become a best-seller.
One of Blake's freshman-year roommates at Harvard, Peter Gage, is director of the inaugural parade. Another friend actually scored one of the coveted tickets to the ceremony for Blake, "but the job gets in the way, and I'm glad to have a job," he said.
Blake appeared at two Obama fundraisers during the campaign but has not met the new president, who is reportedly a serious tennis fan and appreciates Blake in particular.
The 29-year-old watched the election returns at home in Connecticut with his mother and a few close friends. His wider circle of friends, who knew how much Obama's victory meant to him, besieged him with text messages and phone calls when the results became official. "It's a time of a ton of expectations and great opportunities," Blake said.
Blake carried Obama's first book, "Dreams From My Father," in his tennis bag last spring and said he found Obama's account of his youthful search for identity moving and note-perfect.
"It made it really easy to read," Blake said. "I got the feeling that he felt the same way as I did. As you're growing up, you don't notice you're different until people start forcing you to notice. You feel normal until someone tells you you're not. … My parents always told me there was nothing different about me, nothing wrong, that I was just as good as the next person."
RECRUITING INSIDER
There are a few prospects rapidly rising in the latest version of the 2009 player rankings. Florida-bound Kenny Boynton is among them. Paul Biancardi
Joel Casamayor TKO10 Michael Katsidis, March 22 at Cabazon, Calif.
If Katsidis is on the card, you can pretty much be assured a slugfest. But folks had their doubts about the quality of this bout because Casamayor, defending the lineal lightweight championship, had looked awful in his previous fight and had been known to stink out his opponents. So the sheer thrills and drama of this slugfest came as a surprise. It started fast, with Casamayor dropping Katsidis twice in the first round, and the excitement never let up. Katsidis fought his way back into the bout and was beginning to wear down Casamayor, who was then knocked out of the ring and onto the apron by a body shot in the sixth round. Katsidis led on two scorecards heading into the 10th when Casamayor knocked him down with a left Katsidis never saw. With his big heart Katsidis continued, but after he ate another flush shot referee Jon Schorle called off the exhilarating bout and Katsidis suffered his first defeat. Moments after the stoppage, HBO's Kellerman summed it up perfectly: "What a shocking turn of events," he said. "When it looked like, by the fourth or fifth round, that Katsidis was beating the fight out of Casamayor, that the script was being written that the young, new fighter on the scene was going to emerge as lightweight champion -- for the old lion to pull off that kind of knockout was incredible."
Tomasz Adamek W12 Steve Cunningham, Dec. 11 at Newark, N.J.
On paper, the cruiserweight world championship fight figured to be an excellent one given the boxers' contrasting styles. But who could have expected a late-year epic, the greatest fight in the brief history of Versus-televised boxing and a title bout that ranked not far behind the first Evander Holyfield-Dwight Muhammad Qawi battle as the division's most exciting fight? Adamek earned the split-decision victory on the strength of three knockdowns (in the second, fourth and eighth rounds), but Cunningham dished out tremendous punishment of his own -- including the all-action fourth, when he battered the iron-chinned Adamek for nearly the entire round before getting clipped and going down late. For 12 rounds, there was terrific ebb and flow and loads of furious exchanges.
Manny Pacquiao W12 Juan Manuel Marquez II, March 15 at Las Vegas
Almost four years after their epic draw for the featherweight championship, Pacquiao and Marquez finally met again in a junior lightweight championship bout and delivered a sensational fight. The showdown between two of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world had everything fans could have hoped for. Simply put, it was another tremendous battle filled with skill and will, blood and heart. As the ninth round came to a close, HBO's Lampley exclaimed, "They trade shots. What a war! Both men trying desperately to win the round!" But the truth is, it went like that all night. In the end, the controversial split decision could have gone either way, but the outcome didn't spoil the spectacle. There was blazing action throughout, and all but two rounds were tightly contested -- the third, in which Pacquiao nailed Marquez with a left hand to knock him down, and Marquez's big 12th round.
Antonio Margarito TKO11 Miguel Cotto, July 26 at Las Vegas
Of all the national rivalries in boxing, few generate as much passion as Mexico versus Puerto Rico, and this awe-inspiring fight took its place among the rivalry's greatest bouts. From the moment the welterweight title fight was signed until the moment Cotto took a knee for the second time under a heavy assault in the 11th round -- with his uncle and trainer, Evangelista Cotto, throwing in the towel to finish it -- the fight surpassed the considerable expectations heaped upon it. "That is a modern boxing classic," HBO's Max Kellerman gushed at the fight's conclusion. Although Margarito landed shots early, the faster Cotto stayed in control and outboxed him in a fast-paced fight. But the granite-chinned Margarito, with his relentless pressure, walked Cotto down, seemingly turning the tide in the sixth round. Bleeding from his mouth and nose, Cotto was beginning to fade until finally taking that second knee under a hail of blows for his first defeat. With both eyes swollen, Margarito was smiling nonetheless after winning one of the most anticipated, and subsequently best, fights of the year. "An epic fight with an epic conclusion," HBO's Jim Lampley said moments after the stoppage. "The first loss of Cotto's career and another triumph for Mexico in the ongoing war with Puerto Rico." It was the sort of fight that makes putting up with all the political nonsense in boxing tolerable -- because every now and then you get to watch something truly special.
Israel Vazquez, right, was bloodied, but Rafael Marquez was beaten in the fighters' epic third meeting.
Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez had already etched their names in boxing history with their back-to-back junior featherweight wars in 2007.
Marquez, the former bantamweight champion, had moved up in weight to challenge Vazquez for the title in their first explosive confrontation in March and won the fight of the year candidate via seventh-round TKO when Vazquez could not continue because of a serious nose injury. Had the fighters not faced each other again in 2007, the bout might have stood the test of time as the year's best.
Five months later, however, their August rematch trumped the first fight. This time, Vazquez regained the title via sixth-round knockout in a battle that was even more sensational, ferocious and action-packed than the first installment. It was universally hailed as the fight of the year.
Rafael's Fights of the Year
Year Fight
2008 Israel Vazquez W12 Rafael Marquez (III)
2007 Israel Vazquez TKO6 Rafael Marquez (II)
2006 Somsak Sithchatchawal TKO10 Mahyar Monshipour
2005 Diego Corrales TKO10 Jose Luis Castillo (I)
2004 Marco Antonio Barrera W12 Erik Morales (III)
2003 Arturo Gatti W10 Micky Ward (III)
2002 Micky Ward W10 Arturo Gatti (I)
2001 Micky Ward W10 Emanuel Burton
2000 Felix Trinidad TKO12 Fernando Vargas
Fans were bracing for another hot fight when Vazquez and Marquez met again on March 1, 2008 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., the site of their first bout almost one year to the day earlier. At the top of telecast, Showtime's Steve Albert set the stage.
"If the tiebreaker between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez turns out to be the fight of the year, it won't surprise a single boxing fan," Albert said. "That's because Vazquez-Marquez I and II were bloody and brutal battles that featured power punching, knockdowns, changes in momentum and the highest level of skills."
So how could the rubber match possibly meet the incredibly high standard set by the first two encounters? It seemed impossible, yet the Mexican stars found a way to exceed every expectation by delivering an extraordinary battle for the ages, a bout that had all of the drama, excitement, blood, heart and skill of their first two fights -- and then some -- not to mention so many more rounds of sustained action.
In the end, it was Vazquez who sealed the razor-thin split-decision victory on the strength of a 12th-round knockdown seconds before the final bell, allowing him to hang on to the 122-pound world championship in an electrifying give-and-take thriller.
The instant classic was a raging battle with blistering action throughout, and it placed the Vazquez-Marquez rivalry into the pantheon of boxing's greatest trilogies alongside such famous pairings as Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier, Evander Holyfield-Riddick Bowe, Tony Zale-Rocky Graziano, Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales and Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward.
Is it any surprise, then, that Vazquez-Marquez III was also the clear choice as the 2008 ESPN.com Fight of the Year?
From the opening round, when the fighters began to trade furiously, you could sense it was going to be another special fight. After one big exchange, Albert had the feeling, too. "Here we go again," he said.
Marquez appeared to take the early rounds, including the fourth, which proved to be a round of the year candidate. Marquez dropped Vazquez in the round, but he was rocked himself later in the frame.
Back and forth they went all night, although Vazquez was narrowing the scores through the middle rounds and Marquez was docked a point for a low blow in the 10th after receiving multiple warnings from referee Pat Russell.
It all set the stage for an epic finish. Sensing correctly that he needed the 12th round, Vazquez was all over Marquez in the bruising stanza. Finally, with seconds remaining, Vazquez sent Marquez staggering into the ropes, which kept him from going down, and Russell calmly and rightfully ruled it a knockdown just before the final bell.
"This crowd was treated, as we all were, to a very special night of boxing," Showtime's Al Bernstein said as the crowd cheered.
What made it so special, besides the awesome action, is that unlike most trilogies, each of the Vazquez-Marquez fights, which came uninterrupted by other bouts for either man, exceeded the previous fight. That is unheard of.
"The historical significance of the trilogy is still sinking in," Vazquez said a month after the fight. "None of us will know the true impact until several years from now, but I truly believe that this trilogy will stand the test of time. I think it will be remembered for many, many years."
Sri Lanka Scramble Home To Final Victory
Sri Lanka scrambled home to a two-wicket win to take victory in the One Day International tri-series final over Bangladesh in Mirpur.
South Africa Go 1-0 Up With Final Over Win
South Africa took a 1-0 series lead with a three-wicket win in the first One Day International against Australia at...
Mumbai Take 38th Ranji Trophy Victory
Mumbai have won their 38th Ranji Trophy title with about a session to spare on the final day, reaffirming their reputation of being...
West Indies Name 'A' SideTo Face England
The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has named their 'A' squad to face England in a three-day tour match in St. Kitts...
Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI,
KarachiButt century powers Pakistan to win
Salman Butt was named Man of the Match for his unbeaten century, as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the first ODI in Karachi © AFP
Brady blasts Ireland reports
Liam Brady insists it remains Stephen Ireland's decision to continue his Republic of Ireland exile.
Russia bid for World Cup
Russia have officially entered the race to host World Cup 2018, and look set to go head-to-head with England.
Reid retains Republic hope
Andy Reid has stressed his determination to break back into the Republic of Ireland squad.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Barclays Premier League on Fox Soccer Channel: JANUARY 2009
| Sat. | Jan. 17 | Chelsea | Stoke City | 10:00 a.m. |
| Sat. | Jan. 17 | Hull City | Arsenal | 12:30 p.m. |
| Sat. | Jan. 17 | Manchester City | Wigan | 8:00 p.m.* |
| Sun. | Jan. 18 | Tottenham | Portsmouth | 11:00 a.m. |
| Tue. | Jan. 27 | Portsmouth | Aston Villa | 3:00 p.m. |
| Tue. | Jan. 27 | Sunderland | Fulham | 5:00 p.m.* |
| Wed. | Jan. 28 | Wigan | Liverpool | 2:30 p.m. |
| Wed. | Jan. 28 | Manchester City | Newcastle | 5:00 p.m.* |
| Sat. | Jan. 31 | Aston Villa | Wigan | 10:00 a.m. |
| Sat. | Jan. 31 | Fulham | Portsmouth | 4:30 p.m.* |
| Sat. | Jan. 31 | Middlesbrough | Blackburn | 8:00 p.m. |
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