http://www.sportsnipe.com Frontpage Sports News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949544/yanina-wickmayer-xavier-malisse-suspensions-upheld-by-itf.html The International Tennis Federation has confirmed a one-year suspension for Belgian tennis players Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse. Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949543/schiavone-pennetta-give-italy-20-lead-in-fed-cup-final.html The opening day matches at the 2009 Fed Cup final witnessed host nation Italy cruise to a 2-0 lead as both Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone registered straight sets win over their respective American opponents. Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949542/cant-every-place-be-like-lincoln-nebraska.html OU Football News: Oklahoman article excerpt and link with links to additional articles Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949539/in-battle-between-fedor-brett-ufc-may-be-one-to-lose.html Or they might win. It depends on how you look at it so lets try to break it down. Saturday night the country will be able to watch Fedor Emelianenko on free TV. Network TV. He will be fighting Brett Rodgers on CBS in what should be a very short spectacle. Short though it may be, it will once again put Fedor on national television. Once again it will not be under the UFC banner. Strikeforce, a company destined for the "Round File," will temporarily usurp the seeming monopoly on North American MMA that the UFC currently possesses. Despite Dana Whites multitude of MMA organizational accomplishments, getting the UFC brand onto network TV has never been among them. The lack of UFC events on network television has also not been much of a priority for the UFC. Truth be told there really isn't much need for the UFC to venture out into those old, stale, has-been waters. Sticking with Spike and Pay-Per-View has proved to be an unbeatable formula. Don't let that fool you though. Dana White and the rest of UFC management will be paying close attention to what happens Saturday night. At least until Fedor Emelianenko clobbers Brett Rodgers. They will be watching because there is actually something on the line for the UFC. No they are not going to crumble or catapult, but a win for Rodgers would most certainly be a win for Dana and the UFC. A victory over Fedor adds further credibility to the UFC. Tarnishing the reputation of Fedor would justify Dana's continued failure to sign him. Though it might seem that Rodgers would have a lot to win by defeating Fedor, it is doubtful he would leave Strikeforce until Brett's contract is up and/or Strikeforce goes under. As a result any benefit Rodgers might receive would probably only be monetary. It is highly doubtful that Brett could win such a contest though. While Rodgers is 10 - 0 and has yet to taste defeat, he is still far too inexperienced to handle an opponent such as Fedor. At 30-1 Fedor is still hitting his stride. His only loss coming by way of stoppage due to cut. While being cut is a fair way to lose most fans would be hard pressed to identify the opponent that caused that damage. That is because few people in the world give whoever that was even passing credit.The Japaneese do not like to watch bloody athletes. Had the same fight he "lost" been in the United States, it is highly unlikely that it would have been called. In any event, should Rodgers pull off a miracle and beat Fedor, the UFC will be exonerated for not having signed Emelianenko. With his own champion on ice, little else would bring a smile to Dana White's face the way such a result would. One can only hope, for Dana's sake, that he enjoys a good frown. Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949538/michigan-wolverines-must-clinch-bowl-eligibility-against-purdue.html When you think of Michigan football, playing in a bowl game is really a given. The only question is, which bowl? For Michigan, the Rose Bowl is the ultimate prize. The next best thing would be the Capital One Bowl. The Alamo or Outback Bowls would ordinarily be considered somewhat of a disappointing year. One thing Wolverine fans could always count on though, was Michigan playing in a bowl game even in a disappointing year. That was until last year when a 3-9 Michigan team failed to qualify for a bowl game for the first time in decades. Under the current setup, a team generally needs six wins to become bowl eligible. Six wins is usually not a problem for a program like Michigan, so bowl eligibility generally isn't an issue. After starting 5-2, it didn't look like much of an issue this year either. Then came back to back blowouts against Penn State and lowly Illinois. After such a promising start to the season, the Wolverines suddenly find themselves fighting just to qualify for any bowl. With Wisconsin and Ohio State scheduled as their final two games, a victory over the Boilermakers really seems like a must win. The only problem is Purdue will be just as desperate for a win. At 3-6, they cannot lose another game or their bowl hopes are done. However, a win over Michigan can re-energize this team. Their remaining schedule will feature two winnable games in Michigan State and Indiana. So when Michigan and Purdue get it on later today, we will likely see two teams battling to make it to the Motor City or Champs Sports Bowl. While those may not be two of the most prestigious bowls, it doesn't take away from the importance for Michigan in qualifying for one of them. Qualifying for any bowl game gives your program 15 extra practices. That is almost like another spring season. Those practices are huge for building a solid program. Also, just from an appearance standpoint it is big. After failing to make a bowl game last year, qualifying for any bowl shows improvement. Not qualifying for a bowl makes it a hard sell to show this program is heading back to prominence. Watching Michigan and Purdue fight for a minor bowl game won't get a lot of national attention. However, that doesn't take away from the fact that this should be a really competitive game and one that is worth watching. After all, the loser is pretty much done with their postseason hopes. Who says college football needs a playoff? Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949537/player-ratings-arsenal-vs-az-alkmaar-41.html Apologies for lateness. Arsenal played stunning, easy on the eye, quick football, which stunned a doughty AZ Alkmaar. Arsenal were far too strong for their Dutch opposition, and it showed as Arsenal put four impressive goals past them.   Player Ratings Manuel Almunia:6.5 -Rarely troubled but when called upon, dealt with the AZ Alkmaar attack. Will be annoyed he didn't manage a clean sheet. Emmanuel Eboue:7.5 -Another chance at right back and the Ivorian didn't disappoint. Kept the right flank tidy and was very active in attack providing strong crosses. William Gallas:7 -Solid and tidy in the air. Thomas Vermaelen:7 -Little to do, but when needed the Belgium defender did the job. Kieran Gibbs:7 -A good performance from the youngster. Handy in attack and was relatively strong with the Alkmaar attack. Alexandre Song:7 -As usual this season, held the midfield well. Chopped down the Alkmaar midfield attack and was evident in attack. Cesc Fabregas:9 -A superb performance. Two great goals and always involved in the Arsenal play. Abou Diaby:8 -A strong effort from the Frenchmen. Was dangerous in attack and his height and power were more than useful. A lovely finish ensured he was on the score sheet. Samir Nasri:8 -Showed how sorely the Frenchmen has been missed. Showed great pace throughout the game and his quick feet and good movement was a constant nuisance for the Dutch. A superb goal too. Andrei Arshavin:8.5 -An excellent performance from the Russian magician. Involved heavily in three of the goals and also a constant threat with the ball. Robin van Persie:7 -A surprise not to see the inform Dutch not on the score sheet but he did link and create play well.   Substitutes Eduardo Da Silva:6 -Dangerous runs and good pace reminded of what impact he can create. Aaron Ramsey:6 -More playing time for the Welsh. It was evident the experience is helping him, as he passed and ran well. Tomas Rosicky:6 -Pacey, tricky and more playing time for the Czech Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949536/legend-earl-badu-continues-maryland-terrapin-walkons.html You'd be hard pressed to find a walk-on that isn't the student section hero of any college basketball program, but the Maryland Terrapins make a special point of cultivating off-the-street talent. And filtering it into significant roles off the bench . As we've discussed at nauseam, the Terps are very thin in the front court.  With Steve Goins injured and Dino Gregory out for the foreseeable future, Gary has three guys to play at the four and five spots: Landon Milbourne, James Padgett, and Jordan Williams. If one of those three gets in foul trouble, the next "big” off the bench is Jin Soo Choi.  If two guys get in foul trouble, the next "big” off the bench is Ersin Levent. Dave Neal couldn't be more proud.   Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949535/spain-set-to-axe-ampquotbeckham-actampquot.html The Spanish government announced proposals last Tuesday to axe the "Beckham Act" which currently affords tax relief for foreign stars who are plying their trade in La Liga and earning over a €600,000 a year. Amid the worsening global economic crisis, politicians have tabled a motion to increase the tax rate from 24 percent to the standard rate of 43 percent-a move which will affect some of football's biggest global stars. Predictably, the proposal has received a negative reaction in Spain. It has sparked fears that an increase in tax rate would be detrimental to Spanish football and would force some of the game's top players to move elsewhere. It would also leave many Spanish clubs facing inflated wage bills. The legislation was first introduced in 2002 by the Spanish government. The aim was to attract business executives into the country. The likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona exploited the new law to their advantage. David Beckham, who moved to Real Madrid in 2003, became the first foreign footballer to take advantage of the 24 percent income tax and subsequently it soon became known as the "Beckham Act." Overtly, those employed in the Premier League are taxed at a rate of 43 percent. It is a notable difference for those lucky enough to earn the ludicrous wages which have become the norm in modern football. The fear is that prestigious talents will now be deterred from moving to Spain with the new tax hike. As a result, it has been suggested by some quarters that it will diminish La Liga's global appeal. Barcelona president Juan Laporta added: "This could bring very negative consequences. It would prevent La Liga from being the best of the world and would have negative impact on other aspects, such as the amount of people in stadiums and it would make our product less attractive to television.” The director general at the Bernabeu backed up the claims by his Catalan rivals. Jorge Valdano spoke to Spanish radio this week saying: "It's clear that this would weaken our league compared to the English Premier League, and we can't resign ourselves to coming second,” he said. "You can't take action of this sort without consulting anyone in the soccer world.” It would also leave the bigger clubs in Spain with major headaches regarding the wages of some of their top stars like Real's Ronaldo and Barcelona's Ibrahimovic. Generally, the clubs negotiate contracts with players in terms of net wages opposed to gross wages. The change would leave clubs with bigger contracts with Ronaldo's deal costing Real Madrid a reported €2 million extra a year. Should the Socialist party ratify its plans to increase the rate, it would come into law on Jan. 1, 2010. Upon the revelations of the plans of the Spanish government, La Liga bosses threatened to take industrial action. However today, after the LFP met with 42 representatives of the teams in Spain's top two divisions, it announced that it would not be contemplating going on strike. Instead, in the intermittent period between now and next January, the LFP hopes to come to an agreement with the organisation when the two parties meet on Nov. 19. Real Madrid striking legend Raul has contradicted the opinion of his director general, stating his belief that players will still want to come to La Liga. "The great players will keep coming.” Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949534/will-real-arsenal-please-stand-up.html Saturday Last weekend, the gulf in class between Arsenal and Spurs was brutal. Robbie Keane, reportedly at the game, left The Emirates stadium with his tail between his legs after Van Persie's brace ensured that the bragging rights remained in the red half of North London. Spurs manager Harry Redknapp bemoaned defending akin to that which you might see the following morning on Hackney Marshes and the loss of Jermain Defoe through suspension. The truth was that Arsenal nonchalantly cruised to victory in second gear, oozing class and confidence. They can continue to build the momentum gained through a run of 12 unbeaten games by grinding out a win against an improving Wolves side which may have enough quality to escape relegation. Kevin Doyle proved during his last stint in the Premier League that he can score goals at the highest level. Sylvain Ebanks-Blake will need no motivation to do the same, after a slow start to the season for the Manchester United reject. Tottenham fans will be praying that Aaron Lennon is fit to face Sunderland at White Hart Lane, and the raw pace, skill and attacking instinct that he and Defoe possess should result in three points, especially in the absence of the robust Black Cats' midfield duo Lorik Cana and Lee Cattermole. Elsewhere, Manchester City will run riot at the Eastlands against a Burnley team which has proven to be completely toothless on the road. Expect a hatful of goals in this one! Martin O'Neill has been frustrated by the inconsistencies of his team's performances, but Aston Villa nevertheless remain a real contender for a place in the top six. Gabi Agbonlahor has been in inspired form recently and has five league goals to his name. While Gary Cahill will let know Villa fans know exactly what they are missing and continue to enhance his reputation under the beady eyes of national boss Fabio Capello, this fixture should bring a maximum return for the Midlands club. The most interesting tie of the day is arguably Portsmouth's trip to the North West. With eight goals from their last two games, Paul Hart seems to have found the right formula for Portsmouth's mish-mash of player. Their defence is still shaky at best, and they will need to rely on more goals upfront from Aruna Dindane, and more forceful creativity from the outspoken German Kevin-Prince 'Ghetto Prince' Boateng if their 600-mile round trip is to be worth the effort.     Sunday The one we've all being waiting for? Not really, actually. Although Chelsea vs Man United should make any footy fan's mouth froth, Chelsea just seem to have it all figured out. They are just a bit too good for SAF's troopers. Back the prolific pairing of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka to wreak havoc amongst a United defence that has been dealt hammer blows by Rio Ferdinand's physical frailty and Nemanja Vidic's brain cell breakdown. I will cut to the chase for the other three Sunday games: none will inspire, there won't be many goals, and the football will be drab. There should be relief in East London; the only relief at Hull and Wigan will be the half-time and full-time whistles...I do hope the pies are good!   Monday Everyone, from Alan Hansen to your average non-Scouse loves to rant about Liverpool's shortcomings. It's all getting a bit boring. To sum it all up: in Rafa they don't have quite so much faith any more, without Gerrard and Torres there is no spark, without Gillett and Hicks, the club may be brought back to life. Hold your horses! Benitez is still a great manager, Liverpool fans will back their team to the hilt, and Liverpool are not done with yet. Liverpool have only once been outplayed this season, and they can be expected to hand out a severe pasting to Birmingham on Monday night. Predictions: Aston Villa 2-1 Bolton Blackburn 2-2 Portsmouth Man City 6-1 Burnley Tottenham 3-1 Sunderland Wolves 1-2 Arsenal Chelsea 2-0 Man United Hull 0-0 Stoke West Ham 1-0 Everton Wigan 1-1 Fulham Liverpool 5-0 Birmingham   Winners: Rafa Benitez, London Clubs. Losers: SAF, Clubs beginning with the letter 'B' Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949533/talladega-takeoff-ryan-newmans-crash-good-for-nascar.html Ryan Newman sat down with NASCAR's vice president for competition Robin Pemberton and Sprint Cup director John Darby earlier this week to discuss his wild Talladega ride. Newman's docket was filled with just two items. The dynamics behind the crash that sent his car airborne and the length of time that it took rescue personnel to extricate him from the carnage. Although NASCAR officials would not disclose the details of the meeting, other than to say it was positive, Newman remains an outspoken advocate for safety and the critical need to stop the cars from taking flight during accidents. "From an aerodynamic standpoint, ultimately, our biggest thing is to keep the race cars on the ground," Newman said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. "Crashes have always been a part of racing. There are fans that like that. Sometimes that adds to extra excitement, don't get me wrong. When we can bounce off each other, get the car fixed, go back out and try to win a race, I understand that part of it. "Keeping the race cars on the ground is how we keep the drivers, and especially the fans, safe. We have crashes all year at every track, but only at Talladega do the cars leave the ground.'' Newman, the only full-time Sprint Cup driver to possess a four-year college degree, could just be the voice that NASCAR needs to listen to. With a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University, Newman not only harbors a need for speed, but he also understands the mechanics, kinematics, thermodynamics, and energy behind it. Hey NASCAR, sounds like Newman might actually know what he is talking about here; let's use that knowledge! During Wednesday's meeting, NASCAR officials affirmed they have already begun testing some things to help keep the cars from getting airborne, but is it enough to satisfy Newman and put the other driver's minds at ease? "From an engineering standpoint, whatever we can do speed-wise and aerodynamically to keep the cars on the ground is what we need to focus on," said Newman. "There has been testing done. I learned some of that stuff on Wednesday morning talking to Mr. Darby and Mr. Pemberton, that they have tested. "But I don't know that they have tested everything, I don't know if you can test everything. But obviously more testing needs to be done in order to make it safer for everybody." "The faster you go, the more likely you are to take lift. An airplane takes off at 160 miles an hour. We're going 40 miles an hour above that at times. There's plenty of potential for a car to take lift, whether it's going forwards, backwards, or sideways.'' The wreck at Talladega was not Newman's first, but it was in his words, it was "the worst hit I've ever had.” For years, Newman has been a strong advocate for safety modifications by NASCAR. After a crash during practice at Watkins Glen in 2003, where he sat in his vehicle for nearly two minutes before rescue crews even arrived, a furious Newman pushed for NASCAR to provide the traveling safety/rescue teams that other major series have been employing for years. He stated, "I don't know why we don't have a traveling safety crew." "Maybe it's a financial issue, which should never be an excuse when it comes to safety, but my point is, it's all about communication. If we could have a safety team in place every week, it would make a difference." "If we could communicate with those people week in and week out, they'd know where everybody's cut-off switch was. Some of these people don't know things that they ought to. Some of them are volunteers. Some of them get paid. For some of them, it may be the first time they've ever seen a race car. "It might be their free pass to the race track to be part of the safety crew. You never know. If we can create a little relationship with the team, I think it would be great for the sport and the drivers." Perhaps a permanent safety crew, one who trains strictly on the issues faced on a race track with stock cars and their driver's needs would have made the lengthy extrication process smoother for everyone involved, including the fans. We all watched anxiously as it took rescue workers nearly 15 minutes to get Newman out of the car. Radio communication was lost after the car came to rest on its roof, crippling the antennae. It wasn't until the car was gingerly turned right-side up that Newman could radio his crew that he was all right. The roof and roll cage were so badly crushed, that in order to get Newman out safely, the roof of the car had to be cut off and removed. "I want to make a point that I wasn't dissatisfied with the way I was taken out of the car," Newman said. "I just feel there were things that potentially could be done to make it easier for the next guy. That's my responsibility, because the next guy might be me again. You never know." "I know (the rescue process has) been an evolution, but the evolution is behind. I'm not mad at them, but I want it to be known from a driver's standpoint what can be done to make it better.” While we will never see the end of crashes on the track, Newman hopes the knowledge shared between he and NASCAR will help implement safer equipment and expedite the process of extricating drivers safely and efficiently post-crash. A mind such as Newman's is a terrible thing to waste! Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949532/flyers-hunt-kill-buffalo-dan-carcillo-shoots-often-scores-twice.html Written By: Mark "The Hard Hitter” Ritter On most nights, knowing you have to play in Buffalo is enough to make NHL players sick. For the Philadelphia Flyers, the situation was made worse as the Flyers have more than half the roster suffering from the flu. To further complicate matters, Simon Gagne, Daniel Briere, and Ryan Parent were all out with injuries, so it was imperative that the Flyers got some help from their depth players. The Flyers got a boost from an unexpected player when hired muscle Daniel Carcillo scored two goals in the Flyers' 5-2 win over Buffalo. Carcillo, who had not scored in his first 12 games of the season, played an inspired game, managing seven shots in just over 13 minutes of ice time. Coming into the game, the Flyers had to be worried about besting Buffalo's tough defense, which was ranked No. 1 coming into last night's match. Another obstacle for the Flyers was finding a way to beat Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller, who has some very solid numbers, posting a 9-1-1 record through 11 starts with a 5-0 record at home this season. Somehow, amidst all the illness and adversity, the Flyers were able to dig deep and gut out the win, registering 37 shots, 14 of which came in the second period. Flyers goaltender Ray Emery was flawless five-on-five, but he was unable to stop the Sabres on the power play, giving up two goals in five opportunities. Emery now sits at an impressive 8-3-1 on the season, with a 2.31 GAA and a .918 SV%. Clearly, the Flyers have their man in net. Two players who had solid games were defensemen Chris Pronger and Matt Carle. Pronger had a goal and an assist, registered four shots on net and was a +3 on the evening. Carle registered two shots on net and was also a +3 on the night. Pronger and Carle now have the best plus/minus ratings on the team, Pronger sits at +11 and Carle +14, which is very impressive. The Flyers have now scored 17 goals in their past three games, further bolstering their vaunted offense, which at 3.77 goals per game, ranks first in the NHL. Defensively, the Flyers are giving up 2.69 goals per game, which ranks them 11th overall. Clearly, the Flyers can do it all and seemingly have found their groove. Up next? The Flyers will host the struggling St. Louis Blues this evening, a team that is struggling to light the lamp. Coming into tonight's tilt, the Blues have scored just 30 goals in 13 games, which averages out to just 2.31 goals per game, ranking them 26th overall. For the Flyers, tonight's game will feel like a marathon. The Blues are a hard-working team and, given the Flyers lineup is riddled with the flu, it will be tough for them to compete at their top level facing back-to-back games. Hopefully, the Flyers can continue to get offensive contributions from their third and fourth lines. A total team effort will likely be needed if the Flyers are to be successful. Until next time, Peace! Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949531/seattle-seahawksdetroit-lions-preview-somebody-has-to-win.html The past two years have not been kind to either of these teams. Detroit is coming off a winless 2008 campaign, and the Seahawks struggled to four wins. This year hasn't looked all that much better. The Lions were able to snap their losing streak against the mess that is the Washington Redskins this year, but then promptly went out and lost to the St. Louis Rams, who had been winless prior to their 17-10 win at Detroit. Since then, the Lions have started another losing streak, which stands at four games coming into this weekend. The Rams are one of the two teams that Seattle has managed to defeat this season. Since the Jacksonville win, the Seahawks have been disastrous losing their last two games 65-20. Not exactly how the Seahawks were planning on following up their 41-0 win over Jacksonville. For Sunday, the biggest question for the Lions is if star wide out Calvin Johnson, who is listed as probable at this point, and quarterback Matthew Stafford will be able to go. Johnson, who missed the last three games, will prove important as the play of Stafford is dependent on Johnson and his big play abilities. Stafford is coming off of a knee injury that cost him two games, and a poor performance against the Rams. If Johnson is able to play it looks to improve upon Stafford's performance last week of 14-for-33 for 168 yards. In the four games played with Johnson, Stafford is 79-for-139 for 894 yards. Look for those two to try and re-establish a connection to improve upon the Lions woeful passing numbers. Detroit is averaging just 189 yards through the air this year. With Stafford and Johnson playing together, the passing game was an improved 223 yards per game. In addition to Stafford and Johnson, starting running back Kevin Smith is also banged up. Smith re-aggravated a shoulder injury in the loss to the Rams. All three are expected to play come Sunday. The Seahawks defense has been stronger against the run, 10th overall, than the pass, 18th, so it will be important for the Lions chances to have their passing game at full health. The Seahawks are looking to get an offense going that has struggled all year, averaging only 19 points a game. Injuries across the offensive line have hindered Seattle's ability to get a running game established, which was the coaching staffs desire entering the season. It hasn't worked out, as the Seahawks are ranked 29th in rushing offense. A healthier Matt Hasslebeck and core of healthy wide outs will be what the Seahawks need to rely on to put points up. Free agent acquisition T.J. Houshmanzadeh has been disappointing by his own standards, but you can see his passion and desire for winning. Like all good receivers, he believes he is open on every play, and wants to contribute as much as possible for the Seahawks. Some have looked at this from the perspective that it can hurt team chemistry, but it doesn't seem like it is bothering Hasslebeck. Everyone knows they have to start producing. The passing game has been more effective than running (ranked 17th), but the Hawks need more production out of their running game if they want to turn around the season. Despite the struggles the last few weeks, this sets up well for a Seahawks victory. For the first time this year, every active Seahawk on the roster was able to practice. After traveling to Dallas and enduring another rough game, a game at home against the struggling Lions is exactly what Jim Mora and the Seahawks need. Even with the return of Johnson, and the probability that Stafford and Smith are playing, the Lions will continue to struggle to put up points facing off against a Seattle D that has either looked great or terrible. The two shutouts against the Rams and Jaguars were impressive, but otherwise they are giving up 29 points per game. However, this is one of those games they have a chance to perform well. Look for the Seahawks to continue to play Jekyll and Hyde as they should take it to the Lions. But the question is; will they be able to build on it, or fall apart like they did after Jacksonville? Seahawks 28, Lions 7.   Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949530/los-angeles-kings-something-new-in-air.html LOS ANGELES-These days, the air smells different in the Los Angeles Kings ' dressing room at Staples Center . Over the summer, the "Event Level” corridor and most of the dressing rooms at Staples Center were renovated. Included in the renovations was the Kings dressing room which has a much more clean, modern look to it. The renovations include wood-like paneling, new carpet, a four-speaker stereo system, a mini-theatre where the players and coaches can watch and analyze video, and more. But the newly-remodeled dressing room is not the only reason the air smells different. Indeed, what you smell when you walk into the Kings dressing room is not just sweaty jerseys and equipment. These days, something quite new, at least to this crop of Kings, is in the air and the aroma is strong and unmistakable. That smell is the powerful scent of confidence exuding from the pores of every Kings player, something they have had since the first game of the season, despite playing their worst game in recent memory in a 6-3 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes on Oct. 3 at Staples Center. Since that time, the Kings have earned a 10-3-2 record and through games played on Nov. 7, 2009, the Kings find themselves in second place in the Pacific Division; just two points behind the San Jose Sharks . They are also fourth in the Western Conference, four points behind the conference-leading Colorado Avalanche , and they own the fourth-best record in the 30-team National Hockey League , with the Sharks, Pittsburgh Penguins , and the Avalanche ahead of them. Talk about a dramatic improvement from this time last season...the Kings were a measly 7-7-2 after 16 games in 2008-09 and did not earn their 10th win until Game 22 on Nov. 29; a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks . Although their debacle against Phoenix to open the season and their three-game losing streak on their first road trip back in October (losses to the New York Rangers , Detroit Red Wings, and Columbus Blue Jackets ), the Kings have been winning and often doing it in convincing fashion. Although the Kings have faced the Sharks twice already this season with mixed results (the Kings are 1-0-1 so far this season against the Sharks), Nov. 5 was circled on a lot calendars because the Kings would face their biggest test. That was the night superstar center Sidney Crosby would lead the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins into town to face the still-considered-to-be upstart Kings. Going into the game, much of the buzz surrounding the highly-anticipated contest was that it would be a measuring stick game for the Kings, who would get to see if they can finally stack up favorably to the best team in the NHL. When it was all over, not only did the Kings win, but they passed the test with flying colors in a stunning 5-2 victory. But it was not just that the Kings won the game that earned them high marks. Indeed, this is a team that went into the game truly believing that they can beat anyone and that feeling is even stronger now. "There's a different attitude, a different mindset, a different kind of quiet confidence about this group,” said center Jarret Stoll, who scored the game-winning goal and added an assist. "You add some veteran guys and that help is huge.” Veteran experience has made an impact this season, with the most important veteran addition to this young Kings team being right wing Ryan Smyth, who has been a major factor in center Anze Kopitar's explosion into the ranks of the elite centers in the league this season. "Experience is a big thing is this league,” Stoll explained. "When you have it, you rely on it. You respect the years these guys have put into this league and you listen to them. That's helped this club.” Kopitar has started the season smoking hot, already scoring 13 goals and adding 13 assists for 26 points in 16 games. He added to his point total against the Pens with two goals while he helped keep his superstar counterpart, Crosby, off the scoresheet. "This is the best I've ever seen him [play],” said right wing Dustin Brown, who scored a goal and contributed an assist in the game. "It's pretty fun to watch, I'll tell you that much. He's on fire.” "[Being the NHL's scoring leader is] really something,” Kopitar beamed. "But the bottom line is I'm just happy the team is winning. If I'm putting up points, it's more satisfying for me. It's a confidence booster and hopefully, we'll just keep it going.” Kopitar is the Kings' best example of the confidence that seems to be coursing through the veins of all the players. With Smyth creating more room for Kopitar to maneuver, along with Kopitar's added strength, speed and improved conditioning, one gets the feeling that he is going to score virtually every time he gets the puck and turns on the jets as he carries the puck up ice and into the attacking zone with speed. Further, Kopitar is now more effective in the neutral zone, in the defensive zone, and in physical battles along the boards. In short, he has become a complete player. If he can maintain this level of play, he will become the true, elite No. 1 center the Kings have lacked since Wayne Gretzky. And that is exactly what the Kings have been looking for from Kopitar. "We're looking for that line to be an elite line in the game,” said head coach Terry Murray. "When you have that kind of expectation put on you by the coaching staff and as an organization, there is a need to respond, and I'm seeing a more consistent kind of effort that shows he wants to be that kind of player.” "Now that he's up there as the top scorer in the National Hockey League, there's that kind of internal pressure and response from him also,” added Murray. "That's what drives players to the next level and that's where you become a great player, whenever you have those internal instincts takeover and it looks like, at times, they are.”   On this night, the Kings trailed the mighty Pens after two periods, 2-1, even though the Kings had put in a stronger performance. It was exactly the kind of game where Kings teams of the past would get down on themselves or lose faith and would let all that get to them in the third period. They would lose their composure, not to mention, the game. That has happened time after time after time throughout most of the Kings' 42 years of existence. But that would not be the case against the Pens, as the Kings put in what may have been their most dominating third period since the Gretzky Era, scoring four unanswered goals. "I thought, in the third period, that we finally got all of our people on board and every line was doing the right stuff,” Murray said. "We were calm,” Stoll stressed. "We knew we were down one. We were fine, we just had to play a little bit better, get more pucks in deep and get more shots. I think right from the third period when that started, you could tell that we had some momentum. "We were building and building and I think it was just a matter of time before we got that goal to tie it up. Nobody was uptight, nobody was too nervous in the third. We just kept pushing.” "There's been so many examples already this year that when we do that and think that way, we get that go-ahead goal and get the win,” Stoll elaborated. "It's very encouraging to be able to do that in the third. A lot of teams can't do that. Hopefully, we can continue to do that and better yet, be up in the third as opposed to being down.”   "Their goalie [Marc-Andre Fleury] was good throughout the first two periods,” said Kopitar. But we just kept pouring it on, getting shots on net and we knew-we were hoping more than we knew-that he was going to fold and we managed to score four goals. It was a big two points for us.” A big reason for their increased confidence is something that Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi has been working to build into his team. Character. "I think it's a mixture of character and never letting up,” said Brown. "I think it's a big positive for us, knowing that we can be down going into the third-I think we changed our game for the better. We got a lot of pucks deep, we cycled pucks. The two penalties we drew were because we got the puck deep.” "It's a big momentum boost for everyone on this team,” added Brown. "You don't want to play from behind too often, but it's good to know we can come out and play that way when need to.”   Back to that measuring stick question again ... was this game one in which the Kings could see where they stacked up against the best in the league? Depends on who you ask. "I'm going to say no,” said Murray. "They're a premier team, they're the Stanley Cup Champions and you need your top players to respond and to play well against the premier teams in the game. But I'd like to think that we respect every other team and give our best effort.”   "You don't go into a game looking at it like that, but after, you sit there, dissect the game and see where you measure up,” Brown said. "It was a big challenge. We were going into this game as if it was just another game. "But, in retrospect, they have a pretty good team. For us to come out and win the way we did is a huge momentum boost for us.” Even though the Kings are flying high after handing the Pens a resounding defeat, they seem to be keeping everything in the proper perspective. "I feel great about it,” said Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick. "It's a big accomplishment. They were 7-0 on the road going into this game, so it wasn't an easy feat. But at the same time, you have to take it with a grain of salt. It's just one game out of 82.” Prior to the game, superstar Crosby talked about that upstart team in the other dressing room and what they need to do to become a Stanley Cup contender. "You have to probably just beat some good hockey teams,” Crosby told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "Some teams that, maybe in the past, might go into the game you just want to find a way to survive and maybe squeeze a win out. I'm sure that's probably creeping into [the Kings'] minds.” "Beating good hockey teams builds confidence,” Crosby added. Although they still have a long way to go and have a lot of hard work ahead of them, the Kings can say, for a couple of days, anyway... Mission accomplished. This story was originally published on Frozen Royalty , where you can find more in-depth coverage of the Los Angeles Kings and the NHL . Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949529/2009-new-york-giants-this-years-dallas-cowboys.html Going into the 2008 season, the Dallas Cowboys were everybody's favorite to at least win their conference. They were coming off a season in which they were the number one seed and had a first round bye, but lost at home to a wild card team that also happened to be a division foe. Once the '08 season started, the Cowboys justified these expectations. For the first few weeks anyway. A midseason losing streak set up the debate of whether or not America's Team would even make the playoffs. Sound familiar? The New York Giants, the divisional foe that beat the Cowboys in that playoff game, entered this year pretty much the exact same way. Like the Cowboys, they also had the number one seed last season, a first round bye, and lost at home to a divisional foe. They stormed out the door winning their first five games, but have now slumped to 5-3. And like with Dallas last season, there is talk of big blue actually missing the playoffs for the first time since Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin's first season (2004). The Cowboys DID have an excuse for their midseason losing streak. Their quarterback, Tony Romo, who makes ballerina Tom Brady look like Chuck Bednarik, was out with an injured pinkie. The Giants, although dealing with injuries, have been able to overcome them, especially during their Super Bowl year. Last week in Philly, Eli Manning looked like a rookie again in the sense that if he didn't see anyone open and just threw the ball up. His performance last week nets him the nappy-headed-ho of the week award. Disciplinarian Coughlin is definitely a different breed of coach from Wade Phillips, who is a stringed marionette for owner Jerry Jones. Coughlin was always able to at least get the Giants winning no matter what injury befell the team (I don't count Plaxico's "absence" as an injury). Another difference is Coughlin will definitely not be on the hot seat for at least another year. He would definitely need two consecutive losing campaigns for that. Another striking similarity is that the Giants will move into a new stadium next season like the Cowboys did this year. That does make a difference in the eyes of fans who have to sell their first born to afford the PSL's. And if the losing does continue in the big apple, Super Bowl or not, it will always become a case of what have you done for me lately. Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949528/andre-agassi-ampquotopenampquot-shut-case.html It goes without saying that drugs are bad, even recreational drugs. That is why it is impossible to get them, right? If drugs are a cancer to our society, then, of course, as a society, we are doing everything in our power to counter them-protecting our children, our community, our cities, and our states. It is much the same for harmful weapons like guns. We do not allow children or citizens who may harm others access to something that presents such an immediate and present danger. Right?  As a people, as a community, we are doing everything in our power to create a safe environment for all people living within our boundaries. We treat everyone who breaks the law equally within our deliberate, yet passionate, justice system.  If you believe the preceding statements are true, then you live in la-la land with the rest of the self-appointed name-callers and blame-gamers who hug today's headlines. It is the holier-than-thou critics who instantly rise to criticize someone else's behavior who continually irritate the lining in one's stomach. Recently, Andre Agassi had the courage to stand up and confess his addition to methamphetamine during his professional tennis career. In fact, he states that in 1997 he was caught using crystal meth by the ATP during a routine drug test.   When he lied about the circumstances, saying he accidentally ingested the drug by drinking his assistant "Slim's” spiked soda, he compounded his guilt by lying. Because he imbibed inadvertently, according to his statement, his probable three-month suspension was dropped and the matter never came to light. Never assume you understand what motivates people to reveal their secrets. Andre Agassi chose to admit this infraction in his upcoming autobiography, Open, which will be released this week. What he reveals is that he was a young man in deep trouble. He needed help and turned, like so many young people do, to drugs. His father was an unforgiving, self-centered man who drove and abused Agassi. It appeared as well that Agassi's marriage to Brook Shields was built on an illusion.   Agassi's hatred of his father and subsequently tennis became reflected in his on court demeanor. Agassi was losing his grip on his tennis fortune, his life, his marriage, and ultimately on his integrity as a person. "Slim,” we learn in the course of reading, is the person who introduced Agassi to the illicit drug. Like most who come to depend on mood-enhancing substances, Agassi grew dependent upon the euphoria provided through crystal meth.   Agassi was the former No. 1 ranked player in the world in 1995, but by 1997, he had dropped to No. 141. He was barely playing tennis, mainly just appearing at tournaments to honor a commitment and collect a check. He was destroying himself deliberately.   The press treated him with disgust and disdain. Many blamed the Agassi free fall as a result of his marriage to Shields, saying the American's interest in tennis took a leave of absence after the April nuptials. There was no hint of the real problem-Agassi's addiction. So why confess it now? Why, after years of redemption and good work, would this man suddenly invite the level of abuse he currently endures?   It is laughable to listen to certain commentators suggesting that Agassi is doing it for the money and for the publicity. He does not need the money and this is not the kind of publicity any major sports figure seeks out. Martina Navratilova announced that she was shocked-as were we all. She goes on to compare Agassi to Roger Clemens, who is accused of using steroids throughout his Major League Baseball career. The difference is that anabolic steroids are performance-enhancing drugs.   If Clemens and others used these substances to give them an advantage over other athletes, then that is another matter. No one can claim that crystal meth in any way aides one's performance. Quite the contrary. It causes you to fall from No. 1 in the world to No. 141 in terms of tennis reality. The fact is that Agassi put his addiction behind him and devoted himself to redeeming his tennis career, his life and his commitment to his community. He became an ambassador for tennis and played on until his body could no longer tolerate the constant pounding and rigors of the tour. He created a foundation and devoted his considerable resources to fund a school for underprivileged kids in Las Vegas. His ambition is to improve educational resources for the entire state of Nevada.   To suggest that it is to Agassi's advantage to confess all is patently ridiculous. He is doing so to highlight a real problem in sports and in our society today. He sets himself up to show that it is possible to break a most addictive habit, reform, and come back from hell stronger than ever. He is illustrating an option and giving hope to the youth who suffer from low self-esteem and lack of parental support.   It is easy to sit back and do nothing and rest on your laurels. It is quite something else to risk everything you have accomplished to make a statement about rising above your circumstances and doing what you can to promote healing. These actions illustrate that there is more to this man than his tennis career. Andre Agassi wishes to continue to inspire young people by letting them know that the true danger lies in trying to escape the world rather than dealing with it head on... [Previous entries in this opinion series on the hot topic of Andre Agassi include Rob York's article yesterday on "How Andre Agassi Should Respond to His Critics" and Hotnuke's article "Andre Agassi Shocks the World with "Open" admission of Meth Addiction."] Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949527/dustin-off-next-race-dickies-500-at-texas.html With all the smoke and grass settled from Talladega, NASCAR stays in the southern portion of the United States as the series moves to Texas. There will be no restrictor plates, no bump drafting, and the big packs will only occur on the restarts. The Texas Motor Speedway is fast, wide, and has provided a lot of excitement since it opened in 1997. A Texas tornado could quite possibly be in the future for Sunday's race. Now, let me dust off the Dickies 500 and give you my views on who could be the drivers to watch once the green flag flies.   FAVORITES JEFF GORDON For once I can actually put this man in this category. Texas has been nothing but a house of horrors for Gordon and the No. 24 team. Crashes, handling, and mistakes have been the story for this team since the track opened. Finally, this past spring, the team broke through, and Gordon put his car and his team in victory lane. After 12 years of anguish, Gordon got to put on the cowboy hat and fire off his "six shooters." He will certainly be one to watch as he returns to the track of his last win. Gordon has come close to getting the second victory of the season, but just has not finished the job. He only has three more opportunities to get a win, and this weekend could possibly be the best opportunity. The No. 24 will be up front early and often, watch out for the DuPont Chevrolet.   CARL EDWARDS Now here's a driver with a chip on his shoulder. This time last year, Edwards was in a close battle for the championship, now he's just battling to get a victory. Edwards was the first driver to sweep both races at Texas, and it is no secret that Jack Roush has done well at this track. Do not count this team out, he could get that long awaited victory this weekend. The No. 99 team had it's moments of greatness during the season, but has not seen victory lane in 34 races. Now is the best chance for Edwards to get a win, and to finally do his signature back flip.   JEFF BURTON This is an interesting pick not because of the struggles of RCR this year, but because Burton is exceptionally good at Texas. Back in 1997, Burton got his first win in Cup competition at the inaugural race at this track. In 2007, he became the first driver to repeat as a winner. He has also won at the sister race track to Texas, Lowe's Motor Speedway. I predict to see the Caterpillar car near the front, and could shock everyone with a win. It has been a season of woes this year for the entire Richard Childress organization, and a win could certainly get them ready for the 2010 campaign.   SLEEPERS GREG BIFFLE Here's a guy that has really surprised me by not getting to victory lane once this year. After having such a stellar year in 2008, the fact that Biffle has yet to win a race is unbelievable. There have been moments where it appeared to finally happen, most notably at Michigan. Had he not run out of gas coming into turn three, he would have gotten that win by a big margin. However, Roush is very good at this track, and coming off the win last week at Talladega, the entire organization rallied and is set for battle. The No. 16 is for certain on my watch list.   RYAN NEWMAN Here's a driver with not only a chip on his shoulder but more motivation than any driver in the garage to win. Last week, Newman was on his roof and then blasted NASCAR for the race at Talladega. This week, it is a little different story. Two days ago, the shootings at Fort Hood were on everyone's mind as the nation saw terror on it's own home front. With Newman sponsored by the U.S. Army, it had to hurt a lot more as he represents all the troops home and overseas. He does not only want to win the race for him, but also the soldiers suffering the loss of their brothers and sisters at the Fort Hood. A win by Newman will not only erase last week's incident, but will be a boost to the entire country. Watch out for the Stewart/Haas driver.   The saying is "Everything's bigger in Texas" and that will certainly come true Sunday afternoon. Coverage of the Dickies 500 begins on ABC with NASCAR Countdown at 2:30 PM. Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949526/carolina-hurricanes-are-todays-worst-nhl-teambut-its-fixable.html It's official. The Carolina Hurricanes are definitely the worst team in the NHL right now. With a mere seven points and eleven straight losses, the 'Canes have begun a season that was highly anticipated as what could be another Cup season 2-10-3. On the scoresheet, the 'Canes are last or nearly last in every category. They are last in the NHL in points, wins, goals against, and powerplays allowed per game. They are 29th in goals for, 24th in powerplay goals, 28th in powerplay scoring, 24th in powerplay goals against, and have been shut out three times, behind only Nashville with four. In their past ten games, the Hurricanes have just three points, coming from overtime losses against Pittsburgh, the New York Islanders, and Minnesota. The Hurricanes are also 0-5-0 in their last five, being outscored 22-6, including 5-1 and 5-2 home beatdowns against St. Louis and San Jose. On the injury side of things, Carolina has been hit hard, too. Erik Cole was out for a month with a broken leg, Tim Gleason has been on and off with a back injury this season, and team leaders Eric Staal and Ray Whitney also both missed last game. But success and failure is measured by more than the stat sheet. There have been bright spots in this mess. 20-year-old Brandon Sutter has three goals in four games since being called up from the AHL, and defenseman Joni Pitkanen has also been providing some much needed offense while still keeping tabs on his opponents. The Carolina Hurricanes have the players, coaches, and fans to overcome this slide, and they have the firepower to salvage the season. It's a new day, a new month, a new week. It's time to start the turnaround. Maybe not 11 straight wins, but a 2-1 or 3-1 week. All they need is a boost in confidence, and the eluding two points might be possible. The 'Canes can turn this around. And here's how they might be able to do it...   How to Salvage the 2009-10 Carolina Hurricanes' Season Which the pressure of eleven straight losses weighing down their backs, the Hurricanes just really need to relax, forget, and start over. If they can get their confidence and energy back, the wins will come, in time. All they need to do is start over, right now, like tonight, in Columbus. One of the most efficient ways to refresh and re-energize is to mix things up a bit. Switch up the offensive lines and defensemen pairings, change the roster, try some new plays and formations. Get the team excited and ready to go. That's what Paul Maurice and the rest of the coaching staff need to do, and quickly. The minor leagues is a place to start. The AHL's Albany River Rats are never a top team in their league, but there are plenty of young, fresh prospects there that might be able to give the 'Canes a jump. The coaching staff has already tried it twice in the past two weeks, with Brandon Sutter and Zach Boychuk, and both of them have had among the best performances of the team. Who knows what wingers such as Jerome Samson (4g, 9a, 13pts), Drayson Bowman (4g, 6a, 10 pts), or Patrick Dwyer (5g, 4a, 9pts), or defenseman Jamie McBain, could do? Anther solution to get some changes back into the lineup is to move around the lines. That was done Friday night against Toronto and in turn gave the 'Canes their best performance in two weeks, despite a 3-2 loss. Young Brandon Sutter is already playing with veteran and captain Rod Brind'Amour, and perhaps the addition of Zach Boychuk, a teammate of Sutter's in Albany, could provoke a little spark. Gritty Scott Walker is also the only 'Cane with a positive +/-, and maybe a brawn-speed pairing with Sergei Samsanov, who scored against the Leafs, and playmaker Erik Cole could work. Offseason newcomers Tom Kostopoulos (Montreal) and Stephane Yelle (Boston) have been together all season, but the line has yet to find a groove in the scoring. Perhaps they aren't meant to be together? On defense, unit leader Joe Corvo is a -9, and maybe he could use a break from the top pairing. Instead, hard-skating Joni Pitkanen might be a better fit to keep up with top-line attackers. Corvo could move down to the second pairing with confidence-lacking Aaron Ward, and Albany's young Jamie McBain might be an idea to pair up with Niclas Wallin in an attempt to replace stagnant Andrew Alberts. Anyhow, here's how the new lines could work out in my mind, in no particular order, while Staal and Whitney are on reserve. OFFENSE Sergei Samsanov - Scott Walker - Erik Cole Chad LaRose - Matt Cullen - Stephane Yelle Tom Kostopoulos - Jussi Jokinen - Tuomo Ruutu Zach Boychuk - Brandon Sutter - Rod Brind'Amour   DEFENSE Joni Pitkanen - Tim Gleason Joe Corvo - Aaron Ward Jamie McBain - Niclas Wallin   So, now it comes to the crucial question: Will the Hurricanes be able to turn their season around? Maybe. But can they? Of course.   All questions, comments, considerations, or corrections are welcomed. Much thanks also to Raleigh's News & Observer for their similar article published on Friday, which was the inspiration for this article. Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949525/bengalsravens-revenge-flacco-should-have-cincinnati-cautious.html Sunday's matchup between the 5-2 Cincinnati Bengals and the 4-3 Baltimore Ravens has the potential to be one of the best games to watch in Week 9. Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is arguably coming off one of his best performances of his career, after throwing for 233 yards and five touchdowns against the Chicago Bears. The Ravens are coming off an impressive 30-7 win against the Denver Broncos, handing them their first loss of the season and ending their three-game losing skid. A few weeks ago, the Bengals defeated the Ravens 17-14 after for their third-straight win against a division rival, to increase their AFC North record to 3-0. This time around, the matchup should be just as intense to watch, if not better. Here are a few factors to watch for in Sunday's game.   Ravens Want Revenge, But Bengals Have Won Seven of Last 10 Games Sure, the Ravens may have swept the Bengals last season. In fact, the Ravens outscored the Bengals 51-13 in the two games they played against each other. However, the Bengals are in a position to sweep the Ravens for the second time in three seasons. What's even worse for the Ravens is over the last 10 matchups between the two teams, the Bengals have won seven times.  Still, the fact that the Ravens were never losing until Palmer found wide receiver Andre Caldwell in the end zone with 22 seconds left in the game has to be frustrating. With the way Week 5 finished, why wouldn't the Ravens be hungry for blood against the Bengals this time around? Despite the tough loss, the Ravens still believe they should have finished on the winning end against the Bengals a few weeks ago. They know how important it is to win Sunday and stay in the hunt for the AFC North title. With the way the first meeting went, there's every reason in the world to believe Sunady's matchup between the Bengals and Ravens is going to be a dogfight and come down to who performs better in the fourth quarter.   Joe Flacco's Success on the Road All the fans and analysts who said Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco would fall under the category of "sophomore slump" in his second season in the league may want to consider a second opinion. Flacco has fallen nothing short of spectacular as the leader of the Ravens offense this season. In seven games, he's completed 66 percent of his passes, throwing for 1,849 yards and 13 touchdowns, one shy of his total from last season. In Week 5, Flacco struggled on offense, throwing for just 186 yards and a touchdown. He also threw two interceptions to Bengals cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph. However, his success on the road this season may be a reason why the Bengals defense needs to be extra cautious towards him Sunday. In each of his three road games; against the San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, and Minnesota Vikings, Flacco has thrown for two touchdowns and is averaging 278.6 yards per game. The Bengals defense is allowing 253.4 yards per game, which ranks them 30th behind the Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans. Questions? Comments? Email djp746@gmail.com Make Sure To Check Out WhoDeyBengals.com! Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949524/for-dallas-cowboys-nfc-east-road-ahead-all-uphill.html The NFC East is boiling down to the Big Three and the Big Mess. Dallas, Philadelphia, and New York will duke it out for the Division Title, while the Redskins just duke it out. (Of course, this assumes the Giants will right their listing ship soon.) All Dallas Cowboys fans get nervous as the holidays approach and the dreaded month of December looms like a team of deranged reindeer with bloody eyes, furiously driven by a band of renegade elves. The way the 'Pokes have played in December and January in recent years makes it hard to enjoy Santa's bounty, even if it does include a wall-covering flat screen HD television. Who wants to see Wade Phillips and Jerry Jones explain and excuse all over themselves in such vivid detail, anyway? But I digress. The thing to do here is look at the schedule of the three legitimate contenders, compare them, and ask yourself, "Does my team have a snowball's chance in the hot place of getting to 10 or 11 wins and either winning the division or securing a wild card spot?" So, here goes... For the New York Football Giants, the remaining schedule looks like this: 11/8, SAN DIEGO, 4:15 PM 11/15, BYE 11/22, ATLANTA, 1 PM 11/26 (Thu), @Denver, 8:20 PM 12/6, DALLAS, 4:15 PM 12/13, PHILADELPHIA, 8:20 PM 12/21 (Mon), @Washington, 8:30 PM 12/27, CAROLINA, 1 PM 1/3, @Minnesota, 1PM   No cakewalk there, with six, maybe seven legitimate playoff contending teams on the docket. The remaining opponents have a .630 winning percentage to date. The Giants are currently 5-3, with a bye week yet to come. Next, the Philadelphia Eagles. 11/8, DALLAS, 8:20 PM 11/15,@San Diego, 4:15 PM 11/22, @Chicago, 8:20 PM 11/29, WASHINGTON, 1 PM 12/6, @Atlanta, 1 PM 12/13, @New York Giants, 8:20 PM 12/20, SAN FRANCISCO, 1 PM 12/27, DENVER, 1 PM 1/3, @Dallas, 1 PM   The Eagles' homestretch run is brutal. Nine games left and eight of them against teams expecting to make a playoff run. Five of the nine games are on the road, and that last one, in Dallas, could conceivably be for all the NFC East marbles. Their upcoming foes have combined for a .600 winning percentage. The Iggles are currently 5-2, tied with the 'Pokes atop the East. The Dallas Cowboys fare no better in the stretch run. They have posted a 5-2 record to date, having played one of the NFL's most favorable schedules through seven games. But business picks up in town this Sunday, and the breaks are few and far between from there on. Here's how the Cowboys' remaining schedule looks: 11/8, @Philadelphia, 8:20 PM 11/15, @Green Bay, 4:15 PM 11/22, WASHINGTON, 1 PM 11/26 (Thu), OAKLAND, 4:15 PM 12/6, @New York Giants, 4:15 PM 12/13, SAN DIEGO, 4:15 PM 12/19 (Sat), @New Orleans, 8:20 PM 12/27, @Washington, 8:20 PM 1/3, PHILADELPHIA, 1 PM   Oakland and Washington represent the only patsies on the remainder of the 'Pokes' schedule, and Washington is a division rival, and that always means something . The Cowboys' remaining opponents have posted a .560 winning percentage to date. December is the deal. That's the month that haunts the Dallas Cowboys. They need to put to rest the Ghosts of Christmases Past and close strong. Easy for me to say. It won't be easy for them to do. Three of the five games in December are on the road, including tough trips to New Orleans (currently undefeated) and New York. The two weeks they do get to stay home, Norv Turner bring his Chargers, always a bit desperate themselves come the holidays, to town. Then, the Eagles will plan to ruin yet another new year in Big D. The task begins Sunday in Philly, the scene of the Merciless Massacre of 2008, the game that should have cost Wade Phillips his job and did cost Pacman Jones and Terrell Owens theirs. A win Sunday puts Dallas in the driver's seat on an NFC East bus headed downhill with no brakes. Better to be steering than steered on such trips.   Follow Gene's Dallas Cowboys and NFL musings at silverandblueblood.com   Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949523/preview-arizona-fall-league-rising-stars-game.html Here is what I wrote back in June after I had just done a recap of the major league draft: "Here is my suggestion for Bud Selig in order to give the draft some juice. Unless you are a real die-hard baseball fan, other than Stephen Strasburg, you don't know 99 percent of the players drafted in the first round. "The MLB Network should show a high school or college "Showcase Game of the Week.” Once a week broadcast a game that features a projected first-round pick. "This will allow fans to get to know some of the players their team is interested in. I think this will really help the draft.” Major League Baseball and the MLB Network has followed my suggestion...to an extent. Since we are there is no high school or college baseball to showcase right now, the MLB Network has decided to do the next best thing. Tonight at 8:15 ET, the MLB Network will televise the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars game. This is exactly what I was talking about when I suggested the MLB Network show a rising stars game for high school and college players. This is really great for the game of baseball. This will allow fans a chance to see some of the future stars of the game. How often do casual fans get to see their teams top prospects play before they reach the major leagues? Now that the MLB Network is televising this game, who should you be looking for? Here are 10 players in tonight's game that you should keep an eye on.   East 1. Buster Posey, C Organization - San Francisco Giants Arizona Fall League Stats - .218/.317/.364 in 14 games Posey was called up by the Giants in September, but for reasons only known to the Giants organization he didn't play much. In seven games, Posey only hit .118 with the big club. Don't be fooled, this guy can hit. All signs point to Posey being the Giants' starting catcher in 2010.   2. Josh Vitters, 3B Organization - Chicago Cubs Arizona Fall League Stats - .360/.385/.460 in 12 games The former No. 3 pick in the 2007 draft has been tearing up the Arizona Fall League. Vitters should be ready to take over the starting third base job in Chicago once Aramis Ramirez is done with his contract after the 2011 season.   3. Grant Desme, OF Organization - Oakland A's Arizona Fall League Stats - .373/.453/.827 in 18 games That sound you just heard was Desme just breaking another window. In just 18 games, Desme has 10 home runs in the Arizona Fall League. Desme has "light tower power” and for those of you think he is a typical A's Moneyball player...he is not. In the minor leagues in 2009, Desme had 42 SB's.   4. Starlin Castro, SS Organization - Chicago Cubs Arizona Fall League Stats - .433/.462/.550 in 17 games. The Cubs might have a star on their hands with Castro. The 19-year-old non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic is currently leading the Arizona Fall League in hitting. He is also tied for third in SB's with five. Watch for Castro tonight. He might be the most exciting player on the field. Castro also played in the Future's Game in July.   5. Drew Storen, P Organization - Washington Nationals Arizona Fall League Stats - 0.93 ERA, nine K's, and two saves in 9.2 IP Not only does Storen do a good job of updating his Twitter page , but he also might be the future closer for the Nationals. If the East is leading in the ninth inning, look for Storen to close out the game.   West 1. Jason Castro, C Organization - Houston Astros Arizona Fall League Stats  - .143/.260/.214 in 11 games Ready or not, here Castro comes to the Astros. Because the Astros have no established catcher in their organization, Castro might be rushed to the majors in 2010. Castro hit .300 with a .826 OPS in the minor leagues in 2009.   2. Yonder Alonso, 1B Organization - Cincinnati Reds Arizona Fall League Stats - .275/.298/.375 in 13 games Alonso was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2008 draft and if he is going to play in Cincinnati, he is going to have to learn to play another position. I don't think Joey Votto is going anywhere for a while. Alonso had a .838 OPS between Rookie and Single-A in 2009.   3. Dustin Ackley, OF Organization - Seattle Mariners Arizona Fall League Stats - .300/.378/.375 in 11 games The No. 2 pick in the 2009 draft is someone to watch tonight. The former Tar Heel star has all the tools to be a star in the majors. I have gone on record in saying that Ackley would be the best player to come out of the 2009 draft.   4. Jordan Danks, OF Organization - Chicago White Sox Arizona Fall League Stats - .333/.378/.485 in 18 games. The White Sox have done well with one Danks at the major league level, so why not give another Danks a try. Jordan is the younger brother of White Sox LHP John Danks. Danks made the jump to Double-A in 2009 and while he didn't tear up Double-A pitching (.243 avg.), he could get his shot with the big club in 2011.   5. Tanner Scheppers, P Organization - Texas Rangers Arizona Fall League Stats - 3.00 ERA and nine K's in nine IP. Scheppers was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2008, but decided to go back to college. While in college, Scheppers tore his rotator cuff in his pitching shoulder. With doubts about his health, Scheppers slipped to the 44th pick in the 2009 draft. Now healthy, Scheppers is showing everyone why he was on the highest regarded pitchers in the draft. Conspicuous by his absence on this list is Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg was supposed to start this game for the East squad but was scratched because of a strained neck muscle. The Reds and the Cubs have the most players in this game with four. You can view the complete rosters for both teams here .    Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949522/bayern-vs-schalke-its-time-for-real-fcb-to-turn-up.html "Did you sleep well?” Van Gaal asked the assembled pressmen, "because I didn't.” Bayern have already played half an hour against Schalke and the scenario is one which is becoming ridiculously familiar to the FCB supporters: 0:0. A scenario which does not surprise even the most hopeful and positive Bayern fan is a different line up every game. Once again, Louis Van Gaal has decided to experiment with his lineup. Holger Badstubber usually plays in central defence. This time, however Van Gaal has decided to try on three central defenders, using one on the wing. He has put Martin Demichelis, Daniel Van Buyten and Holger Badstubber in the defence alongside Philipp Lahm. The midfield consists of both Mark Van Bommel and Anatoliy Tymoschuk. Tymoschuk can play as a defensive midfielder as well as an attacking midfielder. Thomas Muller and Bastian Schweinsteiger retain their positions in midfield. The frontline has also begun to look familiar and rather tiring. Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni who have a combined age of more than 60 years form the attack for today. For Schalke, things are looking pretty at the moment. They currently occupy fourth position which would get them into Europe and help them to, atleast partly get out of their financial troubles. They have started with a pretty familiar line up with Kevin Kuranyi upfront. If Kuranyi scores today, he will score his 100th Bundesliga goal. I wonder whether Joachim Low is watching the game. Schalke have started with a resulote defence consisting of the evergreen Marcelo Jose Bordon, Benedikt Howedes as well as Heiko Westermann. A point to be noted is that Schalke have come back from deficits in their games against Bayer and Hamburg to earn draws. That means if Bayern go into the lead, they have to make sure that the lead is turned into an unassailable one. My reason for saying this is because Bayern were 1-0 up at one point through a Daniel Van Buyten goal. The match is currently tied at 1-1 as Joel Matip equalized for Schalke. The man standing at the sidelines is none other than Felix Magath. Any surprises there? Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949521/brawn-gp-season-review-part-one-supremacy.html Here is my first instalment of my season review of Brawn GP's marvellous 2009 season. I think I will usually do three races at a time (as I did for my 2008 Honda season review). However, this being the first instalment and rather lengthy, I think I'll make this one the first two Grand Prix of the season. As a bloke who's supported Honda since Jenson joined in 2003, I've seen the lows of 2005 and 2007/08, and I've seen the highs of 2004 and late 2006. However, nothing could prepare me for the 2009 World Championship! AUSTRALIA 2009 After losing Honda in December 2008, the lads at Brackley showed us that they could make a quick car. The BGP001 blew everyone away in the last pre-season test which led to many placing high expectations on the shoulders of this brand new team. However, the 2009 season began as it would continue...steeped in controversy! Brawn GP, along with Williams and Toyota, were told that all of their hard work may well have been for nothing! A soured beginning to Brawn GP's first race saw the new car in front of the Stewards on a tense Thursday. Rival teams accused the three 2008 midfielders of finding a loophole in F1 regulations which allowed them to run a different diffuser and possibly shoot them up the grid to become front runners. The Albert Park stewards ruled in favour of Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams, but Ferrari, Red Bull and Renault then lodged an official protest, questioning the legality of the designs. This meant a probable hearing of the FIA's International Court of Appeal. Brawn GP didn't let this news bring them down though and Friday practice proved to be another mesmerising event. Both cars finished the practice sessions in positions that were unthinkable just one year earlier. Saturday Qualifying When questioned on Friday as to whether Jenson saw himself as the favourite for Sunday he replied, "Well I still think of us as the underdogs really." Considering those thoughts I can only guess that Jenson was as happy as I was to see that he had stuck his car on the front of the grid for the first time since Melbourne 2006. Button's achievement also marked the first time any team had been on pole position with their first car built since Jackie Stewart for Tyrrell in Canada in 1970. In qualification rounds one, two and three, the Brawns finished first and second. Rubens initially had Jenson's number but a fantastic last session from the Brit proved too much for his team mate. Rubens was able to put in the fastest time of qualifying though with a mesmerising 1:24:783 (Jenson's pole time was 1:26:505). Sunday Race Jenson stormed off into the lead whilst poor old Rubens's car went into anti-stall throwing the unfortunate Brazilian back to fourth place. The two Ferraris took advantage of KERS and got off to a rocket start, but after three laps Jenson was 4.4 seconds ahead. As the coverage continued, it became clear that Rubens had been in a scrap in turn one and had damaged his front wing. This, on top of the immense pressure Vettel was putting on Button from the onset nearly killed me! The race then turned into a head to head between Button and Vettel, with each trading fastest sectors. Whilst the battle at the front developed, Rubens had some work to do. He first dispatched Niko Rosberg and then Kimi Raikkonen. However, Rubens again damaged his car passing the Fin leading me to believe the Brazilian's laps were numbered! Jenson put in fast enough laps to beat Vettel in the pit stops and Rubens had got up to P7 by the end of his stop. When Kubica joined the front runners thanks to a good tyre choice, the fight turned into a three way battle for the win with the gap getting ever smaller and my heart leaping from my chest! The contest for P1 got better and better with Vettel eating away at Button whilst holding off Kubica. I truly thought Kubica was fast enough to take both leaders when a mistake made trying to pass Vettel took both runners out! An absolutely fascinating end to the race saw Jenson lead the last three laps behind a safety car. For the first time since Fanjio in 1954 Jenson Button won a race for a debuting car! He thanked everyone, and looked moved on the top spot of the podium. Rubens was like an excited little boy! Apologising to Ross Brawn about the damage he had caused to the car! A great weekend topped with my hero on the top spot and my team leading the constructors! Since 2006, the race winner at Melbourne has won the World Title, and 2009 was no different! MALAYSIA 2009 Saturday Qualifying Both Brawns seemed to struggle in Q1, but after some worrying moments Rubens finished the first session on top. Jenson did a good job to finish P7, but yet again his team mate was doing a better job early on. However, this time Jenson didn't wait until Q3 to impress. The Brit had small fights with Trulli, but finished Q2 convincingly first with a a mesmerising 1:33:784 (which proved to be the fastest time set on Saturday!). Rubens was strong but couldn't go any higher than P6. The final session was a battle between Jenson, Rosberg, Trulli, Vettel, and Rubens. The Brazilian Brawn man was initially fast, but he then dropped off the boil and could only finish P4. Meanwhile Jenson yet again shocked everyone by racing to his first ever back to back pole position.   Sunday Race With clouds covering the sky the prospect of early rain was high. The race began with a very big worry for we Brawn fans as Jenson had his front wing and nose changed, (as the original nose intended for the race had been left out in the rain and been damaged). All this aside, the start was mixed for Brawn GP. Rubens shot up the pack and put himself in fifth place. Jenson, on the other hand, struggled to get away and fell at the mercy to a brilliant Rosberg start. By the first corner Jenson was in P4 fighting with Alonso, and Rubens was in P6. Alonso and Button fought it out until turn 13, when the Brit put an excellent move on the double world champ to take third place. Both Brawns then went on a bit of a charge! Rosberg was flying out at front, but the Brawns put in fastest laps, Rubens on lap 8 and Jenson on lap 11. When Rosberg pitted on lap 15, Jens was in second and Rubens third. Just two laps later, thanks to Trulli pitting, Jenson was once again in front. Then Jenson showed us why he deserved the title by putting in super times when it really mattered. Jenson entered a world of his own and put in two outstanding laps before pitting for new dry tyres. In fact, Jenson had driven so well that he re-joined in front of his competitors after his stop. Rubens was first, but still needed to stop. Jenson had done a fantastic job and was effectively first! On lap 20 Rubens pitted, but unfortunately struggled to get away with gear troubles; he re-joined in P4. Then on lap 21 the heavens opened and all of the teams dived into the pits for wet tyres. And that is where it all went a bit mental! Both Brawns came back in for intermediate tyres after watching Glock excel on them, but both were also forced to fit full wets just a few laps later. Jenson eventually ended up in P1 and Rubnes found himself in P5, the safety car was called out and after a few spins the race was red flagged. Despite keeping us all on tenterhooks, the race was never re-started and for the first time in his career, Jenson was a back to back winner! From weak starts, both drivers excelled, the team made genius decisions and Jenson and Rubens led the Driver's Championship after the first two rounds. After two Grand Prix weekends, it looked as if 2009 was going to be decided very quickly. Despite initial speed from Rubens, Jenson seemed to come best on Sunday. I didn't know what to expect for the future, all I knew was that I was thrilled at its progress so far! Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949520/cardinals-need-to-s-or-get-off-pot.html So what is it going to be, Cardinals? We had been waiting since 1947 for you to get back around to hosting a playoff game. Then, you managed to get to the Super Bowl on a historic postseason hot streak. Don't leave us now, we haven't even gotten around to calling you a good team yet! At least let us get sick of your success first. We are more than ready for that final hurdle to be cleared. Saying we are eager to see you put together three or four division championships in a row is an understatement. We are downright starving to see you become the consistently dominant team that you have the talent to be. A 4-3 record is not bad, especially considering you have already had a three-game winning streak and are a magnificent 3-0 on the road. We've seen you whoop the perennial super power New York Giants and made the Seahawks look like a high school team. Yet it is now or never, Cardinals. Anquan Boldin is dangerously close to the magical age of decline (30), and Kurt Warner turns 90 in December. For real, how much longer can the dynamic quartet of Fitzgerald, Boldin, Breaston, and Warner stay together? NFL life is fleeting, we need more than not bad. All that passing prowess, plus a young and talented duo in the backfield. What is the reasoning behind Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower not getting on the field at the same time at least a couple of times a game again? Please remind me, because I fail to see how opponents could stop that. We should be tearing opponents apart! This team has the firepower to post a 50-burger every time out. More than offensive weaponry, I want to see intensity. Not every other game, but every snap. Play as if you have something to prove even when you don't. Less talented teams can always accomplish more with the proper amount of determination and desire. Imagine what you can be with the combination of superior talent AND conviction. If you can't imagine I'll go ahead and spell it out for you-Super Bowl champions. This article also appears on NFL.com's BlogBlitz Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949519/auction-practice-safe-olympic-sex.html Good news for people looking for that special Olympic souvenir: There’s a block of about 5,000 condoms that were snatched up by a collector, who’s hoping to turn a profit with them at an upcoming auction. And just in time for Christmas. 100,000 condoms were distributed during the games, with this guy somehow ending up with 5% of them. His wildly optimistic plans for getting laid fell short, and now you can have these condoms for a mere 5,000 yuan ($730) minimum bid. The auction, very tastefully named the "Exceptional Auction of China Sport Collection,” will take place November 29th. With each condom possibly going for just 14 cents, that's a great value. –AFP, via Sports Rubbish. Honestly, I hate condoms, and I think women do, too. If she really wanted to feel that level of rubberized protection, she can go out to the driveway and hump the tires on my Hyundai. They have extra treads, you know, for her pleasure. And also for superior handing in wet conditions. Same thing, really. Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949518/itf-confirms-1year-ban-for-wickmayer-malisse.html The International Tennis Federation has confirmed a one-year suspension for Belgian tennis players Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse. Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949517/mickelson-takes-shanghai-lead-over-tiger.html The back nine Saturday at the HSBC Champions changed names atop the leaderboard, as Phil Mickelson made three birdies over the last five holes for a 5-under 67 that took him from a two-shot deficit to a two-shot lead over Tiger Woods and Nick Watney in the final World Golf Championship of the year. Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949516/jon-stewart-unveils-his-conspiracy-theory-about-glenn-beckamprsquos-appendicitis.html Last night on The Daily Show Jon Stewart delivered the perfect spoof of Glenn Beck and his Fox News program. Calling himself a concerned American ... Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949515/private-health-insurance-ampquotworst-product-in-american-historyampquot-former-industry-shill.html He's not the first former health insurance company ex-employee to speak of the extent to which the health insurance industry will go to ensure ... Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949514/man-who-never-died.html Though essentially unknown even by many Christians, Elijah holds several interesting distinctions in Scripture. Yet as we have seen already with Moses, even the giants ... Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949513/iran-arrests-foreign-journalists.html Three journalists, one of them foreign, were arrested at Wednesday’s mass demonstrations in Tehran by a regime determined to suppress all independent sources of ... Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949512/lamborghini-reventon-roadster.html At the Frankfurt Motor Show, in addition to the MP4-12C, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and the Ferrari 458 Italia will be presented to a new Lamborghini ... Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949511/controversial-lockerroom-sign-isnt-unique-to-chiefs.html It turns out the message on the infamous signs placed this week outside the locker room in the Chiefs practice facility isn’t original. Coach Todd Haley said signs with an almost identical message were placed in practice facilities for the Jets and Cowboys when he was an assistant ...The National Football Post » Hot News and ... found this 5 hours ago on kansascity.com Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NFL, Kansas City Chiefs, Todd Haley, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949510/concussion-keeps-tampa-bay-lightning-rookie-defenseman-victor-hedman-out-against-montreal.html By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer Friday, November 6, 2009 MONTREAL — Not even a concussion could dull Victor Hedman's sense of humor. Asked Friday about the difference between playing in North America and Europe, the Lightning's rookie defense­man and Swedish native ...IllegalCurve.com found this 4 hours ago on tampabay.com Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NHL, Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949509/stoner-secures-pole-in-valencia.html Casey Stoner claims pole position for Sunday's final race of the MotoGP season in Valencia Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949508/high-school-football-team-near-fort-hood-copes-tragedy.html by Terrance HarrisFiled under: High School, Youth SportsKILLEEN, Tex. -- The scene here at Leo Buckley Stadium late Friday night was reminiscent of most high school football venues across the country, as the Shoemaker Grey Wolves dealt with the reality their season was over. Tears were shed, hugs were exchanged between players, coaches and players, coaches and coaches. Then the coaches thanked the seniors for great effort. But this was no ordinary season-finale ritual for the Grey Wolves. Just over 24 hours earlier, many of them weren't sure if their parents or loved ones were injured -- or worse, killed -- in the deadly shooting rampage at Fort Hood, the nation's largest military base.High School Football Team Near Fort Hood Copes With Tragedy originally appeared on Fanhouse Backporch on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949507/fedor-emelianenko-vs-brett-rogers-mma-twitter-mailbag.html by Michael David SmithFiled under: Strikeforce, M-1 GlobalMMA Twitter universe is getting excited for Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers Saturday night on CBS, and that's reflected in the latest installment of our MMA Twitter mailbag.But what's particualrly interesting is how many fans I'm hearing from who are concerned about whether this CBS show will be a success: Below we address fans' questions about how strong a rating CBS needs and what kinds of ads CBS has sold.Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers: MMA Twitter Mailbag originally appeared on Fanhouse MMA Blog on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949474/college-football-betting-odds-amp-point-spreads-november-7th-2009.html Here is a rundown of today’s college football betting odds and point spreads from ATS Consultants for November 7th 2009. If you are looking for free college football betting picks on a daily basis be sure to sign-up for the ATS newsletter, featuring unmatched sports wagering information, free picks and expert analysis. The College Football season [...] Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949473/south-carolina-vs-arkansas-pick-odds-amp-point-spread-november-7th-2009.html South Carolina vs. Arkansas Free Pick: Arkansas -7.0 (-110 odds) - point spreads Sat November 7th 2009 12:20p Visit Touthouse.com for more college football betting picks from Fairway Jay South Carolina is perceived as a pretty strong defensive team, but some disturbing numbers are appearing as the season wears on against the Gamecocks. So. Carolina’s run defense the last [...] Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949472/new-orleans-saints-vs-carolina-panthers-pick-odds-amp-point-spread-november-8th-2009.html New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers +13.5 (-110 odds) - NFL point spreads Sun November 8th 2009 4:05p Visit Touthouse.com for more NFL picks and expert football picks from Matt Fargo Carolina won for the third time in four games at Atlanta last week and the gameplan was run to perfection. The Panthers have now outgained their [...] Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949471/tennessee-titans-vs-san-francisco-49ers-pick-odds-amp-point-spread-november-8th-2009.html Tennessee Titans vs. San Francisco 49ers Free Pick: Tennessee Titans +4 -110 odds - point spreads Visit Touthouse.com for more NFL football picks from Ben Burns We easily cashed our complimentary ticket on Tennessee last Sunday, while also going 7-2 with premium selections. Vince Young got the start instead of Kerry Collins and the team responded with a [...] Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949470/free-college-football-picks-amp-predictions-november-7th-2009.html Below are free college football picks & college football predictions for November 7th 2009 from Touthouse.com handicappers. If you are looking for free college football picks on a daily basis or premium NCAA football predictions from our college football betting experts visit Touthouse.com each day for exclusive sports betting information and insight. Click here for today’s [...] Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949275/portland-takes-down-san-antonio-9684.html BOX SCORE Sent Nov. 6, 2009 9:55 AM to Sheed Since it's a national game tonight I can actually do a recap if you want a break Received Nov. 6, 2009 10:03 AM from Sheed That would be splendid my friend   I still managed to almost miss the game when my fiancée informed me that watching Rihanna talk about getting beat up by Chris Brown was far more interesting than the Blazers playing against the Spurs. This was letting me know that the television would not be available. I felt what could only be the onset of spontaneous combustion. Luckily a hastily cobbled together guilt trip did the trick. I tuned in just after the tip, and remain happily non-combusted. First things first: the lineup. Portland started the game with Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy, Steve Blake, and Andre Miller. Due to a couple quick fouls (shocking), Oden managed to play just under four minutes before Joel Przybilla stepped into the game. The new lineup did more than just work effectively. It breathed life into this team and the fans. I had written down the word "energy," then crossed it out and replaced it with "EXUBERANCE!" The team seemed lively and frustration free for the first time all season. Things seemed to flow easily. Miller and Blake were working well with each other. With Oden out, Portland gave up on that demoralizing offensive strategy where they attempt to force-feed Greg in the post even when it is apparent he doesn't really want the ball and his teammates don't really want to give it to them. (I'm a big supporter of a more organic approach to Oden's offensive development. When he feels good and really demands the ball on his own will, give it to him. Otherwise treat him like Przybilla.) Oh ball movement, how we've missed you. Blake and Miller starting the game had another benefit a lot of fans will like: it made room for Jerryd Bayless to get his first minutes of the season. The exclamation point on the quarter came with Martell Webster slamming in a missed three-point attempt by Rudy Fernandez at the buzzer. Just like that, the frustrations of the season seemed distant. The fans and team breathed a sigh of relief, realizing the Blazers are still pretty good, and things were fun again. Now to rain on the parade just a bit. Starting Miller and Blake worked great tonight, but don't expect this to be an unstoppable Blazer strategy. San Antonio's starting shooting-guard, Keith Bogans, may not have been able to take great advantage of being guarded by a point guard. Some other 2-guards will. The same goes for small forwards getting checked by Roy. The good news is that now we know that Blake and Miller can make things work. This is an option coach Nate McMillan can use in some situations. In any event, Portland looked too athletic and too hard working for the San Antonio to keep up with. When it was announced that Tony Parker wouldn't return in the second half due to an ankle sprain, the game seemed to be in the bag. I even contemplated making a run to get some of those new tacos that Sheed and Kellex have been raving about. The Spurs, being the Spurs, kept working. Somehow Portland's 17-point lead was cut to just three with five minutes left in the game. Roy quickly responded. When the Spurs decided to force the other Blazers to beat them, they did. Thank God for that, I'm not sure I could have handled watching the Blazers lose this game after appearing to dominate a vast majority of it. There was even more goodness throughout the game. Oden looked-dare I say-confident, playing active defense and even pulling off some nice post moves against TimBot in the post. It was great to see Oden hit a pair of free throws in the waning moments of a tight game. Przybilla (13 rebounds, six offensive, in 18 minutes) had his best game of the season. In Miller's first start, he had the second highest plus-to-minus ratio on the team (plus-14), sunk some clutch free throws, and the team won. Roy doesn't get mentioned as often as he should because it's so normal for him to perform at a high level, but yeah, he remains a quiet master at work. When his teammates have it going, he is happy to facilitate. When they go cold or the team is in desperate need of buckets, he shifts smoothly into takeover mode. The rest I've condensed into easy to read Bust-a-Bucket format, with some of the usual irrelevant coverage. Gregg Popovich's face in HD (Yikes) Not much from LaMarcus Richard Jefferson's dunk = Oden hater fuel Oden! Przybilla! Blake & Miller! Enthusiasm transplant Clutch free throws Rip City uniforms   IRRELEVANT THOUGHTS The uniforms-I must have some of that. What are the rules regarding grown men wearing jerseys these days? Is it acceptable in any context outside of attending a game? Hilarious National Announcer Comment of the Night-Paraphrasing Hubie Brown here, "[Travis] Outlaw, to me, is one of the best in the league at scoring off the bench. He does it EVERY night.” Outlaw's scoring output by game this season: 19, 12, 4, 4, 23, 9. Mr. Consistent. Unusual Fan Sign of the Night-We have a tie. One woman behind the bench was holding a sign that said "I Want a Ticket on the L-Train," which was disturbing. Some other guy had a poster featuring six Blazer players wearing cowboy hats. I don't believe there was an accompanying pun or explanation. Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949274/chelsea-vs-manchester-united-could-decide-title.html The big game is upon us. If Chelsea beats Manchester United on Sunday, the title is ours.  Isn't that a stupid thing to say. Maybe, but I very strongly feel that this game and the reverse fixture have a big impact on the title race. It so happens every season that the difference between the champion and the runner-up is just the points gathered from the mini-league of the top four. Getting wins in the mini-league not only creates the gap between us and the rivals, but also psychologically puts us on course for the title. We started this season on a very positive note by beating Man Utd, and that too on penalties. That win set us up for a fantastic start to the league. This season, Chelsea does not look beatable. I know Wigan and Villa beat us, but we don't look beatable. If we play Wigan and Villa again, we can probably pound them. The other rivals do look beatable. Liverpool doesn't look like they'll record a win in the next six months. Man Utd have been riding on their luck for too long. There is a difference between this season's Man Utd team, and that of the previous seasons. In the previous seasons, when they were in a spot of bother, they were helped by moments of individual brilliance from Ronaldo and Tevez. Plus, they carried their lucky charm every time they stepped on the pitch. This season, it is not the moments of individual brilliance that's helping them, it's more about the referees, lovely mistakes by opponents at the most inopportune time, and acts of God. Which is why, I find Man Utd beatable. I know I'm not even considering Arsenal here. If they're still a threat in February, I'll talk about them. I think this is the right time for us to play Man Utd. Firstly, we are in top form. Secondly, our top form was checked by Atletico mid-week. Thirdly, we've got some of our injured players back. Fourthly, the morale is high after the suspension of the transfer ban. As per BBC, for Man Utd, Berbatov, Vidic, and Giggs are doubtful while Neville, Ferdinand and Park are sure to miss. And, CSKA just scored three goals in one half at holy Old Trafford. I'm all gung-ho about this match. I have a feeling that we'll beat them and beat them well. We've got Drogba on fire, Lampard back among goals, Anelka working very well with Drogba, Deco has been a fine No.10 for us and so on. We're ripe for this match. The only concern is the defence, which looks a bit shaky and unconvincing at times. If we don't make mistakes, I don't think Man Utd have it in them to break our defence and beat them. On the other hand, I think we can beat them even if they don't commit any mistakes. Like last season, I think Fergie will come to London to get a draw. If he does that, he'll get beaten for sure. Chelsea would go all out for a win. And, if we go one up, we must go for more. Especially because, our defence has been a bit shaky. Back in the TSO days, we could live with 1-0 because our defence was just incredibly accurate and play to the tactical plan. With our current shape of defence, I'd try for 2-0 once we get to a 1-0. Don't worry if Man Utd gets a lead. I just read that 20 of the 28 goals that we scored this season were scored in the second half. I think 2-1 would be the result. Man Utd would get their goal from somewhere; cheeky set pieces, lucky rebounds, whatever. Drogba would surely score and Joe Cole to score on his 250th Chelsea appearance and on his 28th birthday. Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949273/skater-joubert-france-wins-nhk-trophy.html NAGANO, Japan (AP) -- Brian Joubert of France won the NHK Trophy on Saturday, earning his first Grand Prix title of the season with a strong performance in the free skate.... Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949272/glatch-loses-us-trails-italy-10-in-fed-cup.html REGGIO CALABRIA, Italy (AP) -- American Alexa Glatch lost to Flavia Pennetta 6-3, 6-1 Saturday to give Italy a 1-0 lead over the United States in the Fed Cup final.... Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949271/sammy-sosas-new-face.html This photo was posted on SI.com yesterday; there is no indication that it was in any way altered. His lady friend’s breasts? That’s another story. We’re punting on the roundup and ballin’ this weekend. If you’re looking for early morning laughs, this should do the trick: Boise State 45, Louisiana Tech 35. The Bulldogs were just 3-5. And the Broncos want to know why they’re disrespected? Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949270/how-iraq-war-destroyed-us-economy.html Wars reduce the GDP, destroy jobs, reduce productivity, and increase the trade deficit! If wars are 'bad' for the economy, then how are they sold ... Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949269/spurs-parker-expects-to-be-out-week.html Tony Parker says the sprained ankle that knocked him from Friday night's 96-84 loss against the Trail Blazers isn't as severe as others he's suffered. Complete Spurs coverage Pounding The Rock found this 8 hours ago on mysanantonio.com Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, San Antonio Spurs, Portland Blazers, Tony Parker Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949267/live-text-england-65-australia.html England take on Australia at Twickenham at 1430 GMT before Wales meet the All Blacks in Cardiff at 1715 GMT. Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/949260/cornell-business-school-home-all-sorts-savory-juices-sad-whimsy.html Yes, this has nothing to do with sports whatsoever. This is just completely embarrassing and awful and you won't be able to stop reading it: You're my hero!!!! My knight in shining armor!!! My... Sport Snipe - Sports News - Headline News