tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536659597458582432024-03-05T15:05:47.271-08:00all about sports in here!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-86275493461192879822017-08-21T09:24:00.001-07:002017-08-21T09:29:48.960-07:00WOW, TERNYATA FAKTA MASKOT INI MENGEJUTKAN!<div style="text-align: justify;">
Di balik gegap gempita dan segala keriuhan <i>Sea Games 2017</i> tidak pula kita lupakan ada maskot yang terlihat menarik, perwujudan Harimau Malaya dengan tampang yang imut, muda dan terlihat segar, hanya saja ada sesuatu yang mengganjal.<br />
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Mungkin banyak yang tidak menyadarinya karena sesuatu ini datang dari 13 tahun lalu pada tahun 2004, tahu kah kalian?<br />
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Mungkin agar lebih jelas bisa kita lihat di gambar di bawah ini:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGRn4Aqqswm7hMKjm8nJT8j5nyPSxMtvmRKwztLzHe9RMfxwTDcAnI5RaTMOKsQ_KsEHGFRt4kVxY2AS6uAqaoEFFtIz-KLqqO8mGHHD4VngmCTSaHW0e83ZavjCl1zIv0ehsUMvLv8Kb/s1600/rimau+copy+wtr.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="793" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGRn4Aqqswm7hMKjm8nJT8j5nyPSxMtvmRKwztLzHe9RMfxwTDcAnI5RaTMOKsQ_KsEHGFRt4kVxY2AS6uAqaoEFFtIz-KLqqO8mGHHD4VngmCTSaHW0e83ZavjCl1zIv0ehsUMvLv8Kb/s320/rimau+copy+wtr.png" width="280" /></a></div>
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Nah, sudah kah kalian sadari?<br />
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Memang secara tampak dan desain terlihat jauh berbeda dan juga memang di Pekan Olahraga Nasional XVI Tahun 2004 yang diselenggarakan di Palembang Sumatera Selatan mempunyai binatang kebanggaan yaitu Harimau Sumatera yang mana di <u>Sea Games 2017</u> yang bertempat di Malaysia juga punya binatang kebanggaan yaitu Harimau Malaya, hanya saja yang menjadi pertanyaan ialah...<br />
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Apakah tidak ada nama lain? seperti Hari atau misal disingkat Harima alias Harimau Malaya dan lain sebagainya.</div>
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<span class="" id="result_box" lang="id"><span class="">Fakta lucunya <b>maskot Sea Games 2017</b> ini diresmikan pada tanggal 14 November 2015, bersamaan dengan logo dan tema permainan. Dan menurut mereka nama ini singkatan dari </span></span>Respect, Integrity, Move, Attitude and Unity dan di singkat menjadi Rimau.</div>
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Bagaimana menurut kalian? silahkan berkomentar</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-45067159738590355272014-09-16T18:50:00.001-07:002014-09-16T18:50:15.103-07:00Investment Gold Bars in Indonesia<br/>Investment Gold Bars in Indonesia<br/><a href="http://pejuangadsense.blogspot.com/feeds/213543603159368789/comments/default">http://pejuangadsense.blogspot.com/feeds/213543603159368789/comments/default</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-7160245596545007482014-09-16T18:35:00.001-07:002014-09-16T18:35:06.698-07:00How to Sell Back Your Gold Bars in Indonesia<br/>How to Sell Back Your Gold Bars in Indonesia<br/><a href="http://pejuangadsense.blogspot.com/feeds/1190901367878538674/comments/default">http://pejuangadsense.blogspot.com/feeds/1190901367878538674/comments/default</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-18660041723105846592014-09-16T18:20:00.001-07:002014-09-16T18:20:16.161-07:00How to Find Profit In Fishery in Indonesia<br/>How to Find Profit In Fishery in Indonesia<br/><a href="http://pejuangadsense.blogspot.com/feeds/652873306274136734/comments/default">http://pejuangadsense.blogspot.com/feeds/652873306274136734/comments/default</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-74862693322351356562010-06-14T11:37:00.000-07:002010-06-14T11:38:45.129-07:00Fabio Capello: I Didn't Make Mistakes And England Are On Track At World Cup 2010<div style="text-align: justify;">England manager Fabio Capello has insisted that there are no massive causes for concern after the Three Lions' 1-1 draw with the USA in their opening game of the World Cup on Saturday.<br /><br />Defender Ledley King looks set to be ruled out for the rest of the tournament after sustaining a groin injury and being replaced by Jamie Carragher at half-time against the Americans.<br /><br />And goalkeeper Rob Green blundered badly to hand the USA an equaliser, but Capello has been unequivocal in his assessment of the situation.<br /><br />As far as the Italian is concerned, he made the right selection calls at the weekend and there is nothing to be overly worried about in terms of the rest of the campaign.<br /><br />"I didn't make mistakes and I'm not worried for the future," he told reporters in South Africa.<br /><br />"We played a good game and, for me, the most important thing is to see the spirit of the team and also the physical condition of the players.<br /><br />"I was worried about the result because it is possible to lose a game like this.<br /><br />"We had seven or eight chances. That is good football.<br /><br />"But it is not enough just to create the chances. To win we have to score.<br /><br />"Twice we were in front of the goal, once with Shaun Wright-Phillips, once with Emile (Heskey). Alone, Absolutely alone."<br /><br />Capello was also taking an analytical approach when it came to how to deal with the error made by Green, a player with whom the Italian has been very happy in recent games.<br /><br />"We must think about this problem psychologically," the England coach added.<br /><br />"Goalkeepers make mistakes. This is part of football. You have to accept that.<br /><br />"I decided on Green because he played very well in the last game against Platinum Stars and also against Mexico at Wembley, and in the second-half last night he played very well and made a really important save. But a mistake remains a mistake.<br /><br />"Now I have to speak with him, then I will decide what to do."</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-71368518652087121952010-06-14T11:32:00.000-07:002010-06-14T11:37:09.351-07:00Japan 1-0 Cameroon: Keisuke Honda Tames The Very Domitable Lions<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">World Cup 2010 : 14 June</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Japan recorded their first ever World Cup win away from home soil on Monday, picking up a 1-0 victory over Cameroon.<br /><br />The first half was a miserable affair, yet it somehow produced a goal from Keisuke Honda. Stephane Mbia came closes for the Indomitable Lions in the closing stages of the match, striking a wonderful shot against the face of the Japanese bar.<br /><br />In keeping with many of the matches at South Africa 2010, the start to this encounter was extremely pedestrian, with neither side making any kind of offensive headway in the early stages of the game as possession was frequently given away cheaply in front of a disappointingly empty stadium.<br /><br />Genuine spells of pressure for either side were infrequent in the early stages, while ingenuity was an even scarcer commodity in the advanced areas of the field. Pierre Webo tried to bustle down the right channel for the Africans, but his cross was hacked away from the centre of the goal. For their part, the Japanese were retaining the ball better in the centre of the park, though posing no threat to Souleymanou Hamidou’s net.<br /><br />Half an hour of the match passed without a solitary shot mustered by either side, with the Indomitable Lions swamped in the middle of the pitch by waves of Japan defenders, who seemed to roll effectively wherever the ball was. Blue Samurai goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima provided hope for the Africans, fumbling a couple of deep free kicks only to be bailed out by his defenders.<br /><br />On 37 minutes, Eyong Enoh finally gave the crowd their first shot to cheer with a tame low drive from the edge of the penalty box trundling into the arms of Kawashima.<br /><br />Within seconds, Japan managed to grab the lead. Diasuke Matsui, on his unnatural right, was given room to cut onto his favoured left foot by Benoit Assou-Ekotto. The Grenoble man’s centre was then misjudged by Stephane Mbia, whose error allowed Honda to control the ball at the far post and slam into the net from six yards.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEgDxcOxo8OK0Zr33vjVDGuQTcpSDv-6IPclQ-IIEEQzDwnu3PEEh0BtabLNpoE-iw_chtlkGYsmBNKKLCrlzKtYM4cWtL5lrPKmkB5Ilq12bbu17zJIlZEPC0LnvygZgcRWTN1X6rIc8/s1600/the+blue+samurai+werent+exciting+but+they+were+good+enough+to+beat+the+indomitable+lions.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEgDxcOxo8OK0Zr33vjVDGuQTcpSDv-6IPclQ-IIEEQzDwnu3PEEh0BtabLNpoE-iw_chtlkGYsmBNKKLCrlzKtYM4cWtL5lrPKmkB5Ilq12bbu17zJIlZEPC0LnvygZgcRWTN1X6rIc8/s320/the+blue+samurai+werent+exciting+but+they+were+good+enough+to+beat+the+indomitable+lions.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482700058843615730" border="0" /></a><br />Samuel Eto’o, placed away on the right wing, had been anonymous in the first half, but it only took him four minutes following the restart to make an impression on the second period. Dancing away from a couple of challenges, he cut the ball back from the byline, but Maxim Choupo-Moting bent his shot wide of goal.<br /><br />Cameroon’s play was certainly brisker in the early stages of the second half, though they were still making little headway. Choupo-Moting cut in from the flank to shoot wide from the edge of the box, but Paul Le Guen’s side certainly didn’t look liable to level.<br /><br />Yasuhito Endo rather summed up the attacking threat Japan posed in the second half when he hammered a free kick too long for his team-mates when well positioned to deliver a dangerous cross. But the tenacious and well-drilled Japanese defence was such that there rarely looked likely to be any danger of the forwards needing to score again for the Asians to take three points.<br /><br />Le Guen acted by introducing Geremi and Mohammadou Idrissou, but the pattern of the game changed none.<br /><br />A rare Japanese attack nearly brought with it a second goal as Makoto Hasebe prodded a meaningful shot towards the corner of Hamidou’s goal from 25 yards. The goalkeeper got down to palm the ball clear and was partially saved as Shinji Okazaki, who was closing in on the follow-up, was deemed offside.<br /><br />Time was by now an extremely scarce commodity and Cameroon were thrusting forward at every opportunity. With only five minutes remaining a stunning hit from Mbia cracked the face of the crossbar as he took aim from 25 yards out. Had the Marseille man’s shot been six inches lower, it would have been a real contender for goal of the tournament, but the Indomitable Lions were left cursing their luck as Achille Emana’s deflected follow-up was deflected straight at the goalkeeper.<br /><br />This late enterprise came too late to bring with it a levelling goal, leaving Cameroon to approach their next game against Denmark knowing that defeat will see them likely eliminated. Japan, meanwhile, can optimistically look forward to the Netherlands, despite showing little enterprise in their opening game.<br /><br /><a href="http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/news/japan-1-0-cameroon-keisuke-honda-taming-the-lions--fbintl_goal-japancameroonkeisukehondata.html"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">source</span></span></a><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-84331244319976791322010-05-22T12:11:00.000-07:002010-05-22T12:16:39.781-07:00How will live dealing affect online casinos?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://timscasinoreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/online_casino_canada.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 188px;" src="http://timscasinoreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/online_casino_canada.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;" class="articlecontents">Whichever time you look at, there has always been gambling. For example, there is evidence of keno, dice and mahjong being played in Ancient China from 2,000 B.C. onward. Different forms of gaming were also a popular pastime in the other major ancient civilizations of India, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome. Despite attempts to ban or control gambling because of its addictive nature, it has persisted until today. Sometimes it went underground, while other governments allowed commercialisation. Throughout, gambling has been seen as a social activity. The rich would gather in each others palaces and mansions to play or attend exclusive clubs. The poor would flock to "dens of iniquity" which were often run by criminal gangs tied into the worlds of prostitution and street drugs. This history is one long transfer of wealth from one individual to another. Before regulation, it was usually the criminal gangs that became rich. After regulation, those in positions of power took their commissions while governments subsidized the taxpayers through levies and taxes. But there was one constant thread. Whether you were an aristocrat lounging in a casino in an exclusive spa town in Europe or panning for gold in the 1840's and 50's, the majority of games depended on live dealing or the supervision of the betting by an employee of the House. In the more modern clubs and casinos, the dealers and croupiers have often been beautiful women, dressed attractively. In their own right, they were part of the attraction of the "place". The men would come, leaving their wives at home, to lose their money while ogling the girls.<p></p><p>Then along came the internet. There is nothing wrong with the quality of the graphics, animation and soundtrack. In most cases, they represent a brave attempt to create an experience similar to a real-world casino. But players can never suspend disbelief. They continue to sit at home or nursing their laptops in a hotspot with their attention fixed on a small screen. Nothing can replace the smell, noise and crush of people in a casino. Except, as the technology has matured and bandwidth improved, online casinos have begun to introduce live dealers for a range of your favorite <a href="http://www.favorite-casino-games.com/">casino games</a>. This has two advantages. Many people prefer to avoid the random number generators that drive the software versions of the games. RGNs are too perfect. They feel it is better to gamble where human beings shuffle the packs or spin the wheels because human beings make mistakes and are inefficient. Secondly, animations only go so far. Even though it is a small screen, a live video feed of a sexy lady dealing blackjack or running a roulette table brings in the business.</p><p>Live dealing has been increasingly common on sites serving Europe but the first online casinos in the US are now recruiting live dealers and launching their own service. You can only go so far to compete on animation and welcome bonuses. Web cameras are cheap and not much of a studio is required to create interactive play between dealer and you sitting at home. With your favorite <a href="http://www.favorite-casino-games.com/blackjack.html">casino games</a> now coming to you live, the pressure will be on the majority of the other casinos to innovate ad improve the interface and user experience. As bandwidth improves, your gaming experience will improve.</p></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-44976512971886352442010-04-25T10:39:00.000-07:002010-04-25T10:47:32.499-07:00Edward O. Thorp<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYy6esSdXCtOR_I7hz_ZdCHIw2pKFQ8mp0qg4cdXLUhz89x9Z4PvJiAlkO3_ri-c48nRV_YPG8Z1CPM4BjcFCuExcZ4lg3tr4k_hBnPrVUosDbRI3gKpWMc62BNjn2T1intkXCVP5Or5WY/s1600/edward-o-thorp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 318px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYy6esSdXCtOR_I7hz_ZdCHIw2pKFQ8mp0qg4cdXLUhz89x9Z4PvJiAlkO3_ri-c48nRV_YPG8Z1CPM4BjcFCuExcZ4lg3tr4k_hBnPrVUosDbRI3gKpWMc62BNjn2T1intkXCVP5Or5WY/s320/edward-o-thorp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464132430767670610" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.blackjackencyclopedia.com/library/edward-o-thorp.html"><br /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><style="text-align:><a href="http://www.blackjackencyclopedia.com/library/edward-o-thorp.html">Edward Oakley Thorp</a> is widely regarded, by professional players as well as the general public, as the Father of Card Counting. It was in his book, Beat the Dealer, first published in 1962, that he presented his Ten-Count system, the first powerful winning blackjack system ever made available to the public. All card-counting systems in use today are variations of Thorp's Ten-Count.</style="text-align:></div><style="text-align:><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">When Thorp's book became a best seller, the Las Vegas casinos attempted to change the standard rules of <a href="http://www.blackjackencyclopedia.com/">blackjack</a>, but their customers would not accept the changes and refused to play the new version of the game. So, the Vegas casinos went back to the old rules, but switched from dealing hand-held one-deck games to four-deck shoe games, a change that the players would accept. Unfortunately for the casinos, in 1966 Thorp's revised second edition of Beat the Dealer was published. This edition presented the High-Low Count, as developed by Julian Braun, a more powerful and practical counting system for attacking these new shoe games.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In 1961, Thorp and C. Shannon jointly invented the first wearable computer, a device that successfully predicted results in roulette. Thorp has an M.A. in Physics and a Ph.D. in mathematics, and has taught mathematics at UCLA, MIT, NMSU, and U.C. Irvine, where he also taught quantitative finance. For many years Ed Thorp wrote a column for the now-defunct Gambling Times magazine. Many of these columns were collected in a book titled The Mathematics of Gambling, published in 1984 by Lyle Stuart.</p></style="text-align:>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-50283110690941136272010-04-25T09:51:00.000-07:002010-04-25T10:24:13.309-07:00Stanford Wong<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-GUA18Vv_Htjgyf0M8AvQfF6R6iNq3Y899BCIX0B857Ty8qpaP_DmBxHq2mVC8N9mdcc3agmzgZNBU-WFxafBoxekoU4aJyLfWzJbHV8mV3i6gsKYrFJ6FWDwPBff6Y7WZ7ctIUsfR4d/s1600/standford-wong.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 318px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-GUA18Vv_Htjgyf0M8AvQfF6R6iNq3Y899BCIX0B857Ty8qpaP_DmBxHq2mVC8N9mdcc3agmzgZNBU-WFxafBoxekoU4aJyLfWzJbHV8mV3i6gsKYrFJ6FWDwPBff6Y7WZ7ctIUsfR4d/s320/standford-wong.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464127016824437122" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Stanford Wong self-published his first book, Professional Blackjack, in 1975. It was later published by the Gambler's Book Club in Las Vegas, then revised and expanded numerous times and published by Wong's own company, Pi Yee Press.</div><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wong is widely regarded as one of the sharpest analysts of systems and methods for beating the casinos. In Professional Blackjack, he described a never-before-revealed table-hopping style of playing shoe games, a method of play now known as wonging. Professional Blackjack had a profound impact on serious players because it provided card counters with an easy yet powerful method for attacking the abundant four-deck shoe games that had taken over Las Vegas. Many pros still think of card-counting opportunities as "pre-Wong" and "post-Wong."</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In his second book, Blackjack in Asia-a book priced at $2,000 and one of the rarest gambling books sought by collectors today - Wong discusses the unique blackjack games he had discovered in Asian casinos as a professional player, along with the optimum strategies he had devised for beating them. The book also included underground advice for exchanging currencies in these countries on the black market, as well as an account of his own hassles with customs officials when he attempted to leave the Philippines with his winnings. Of all of Wong's books, this is my personal favorite, as it reveals more of his anti-establishment personality than any of his later books.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In 1980, Wong published Winning Without Counting, priced at $200, and again, on a personal note, this is my second favorite book by Wong (and another collector's item if you can find one). He not only discusses many hole card techniques that had never before been mentioned in print-s-front-loading, spooking, and warp play-but he also delved into many clearly illegal methods of getting an edge over the house, including various techniques of bet-capping, card switching, card mucking, etc. He was widely criticized by those in the casino industry for the amusing way in which he discussed and analyzed such techniques, but anyone with half a brain could see that he was merely informing players with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wong subsequently published Tournament Blackjack (1987), Basic Blackjack (1992), Casino Tournament Strategy (1992), Blackjack Secrets (1993), and since 1979 has published various newsletters including Current Blackjack News, aimed at serious and professional players.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mr. <a href="http://www.blackjackencyclopedia.com/library/stanford-wong.html">Stanford Wong</a> is a life legend of <a href="http://www.blackjackencyclopedia.com/">blackjack</a> and we highly recommend his website http://www.bj21.com/ to anyone seriously interested in blackjack game.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-21393945318012078532010-03-11T09:45:00.001-08:002010-03-11T09:45:57.663-08:00Roush satisfied with NASCAR action<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">CHARLOTTE, N.C.</span> —Team owner Jack Roush said Wednesday he’s satisfied with the penalty NASCAR levied against driver Carl Edwards for his intentional accident with Brad Keselowski.<br /><br />Edwards was in an early accident with Keselowski in Sunday’s race at Atlanta, and later returned to the track and deliberately wrecked Keselowski. The contact sent Keselowki’s car airborne, and NASCAR parked Edwards for the remainder of the race.<br /><br />On Tuesday, he was placed on probation for three races.<br /><br />“We are satisfied that NASCAR fairly considered all the circumstances in its decision to discipline Carl,” said Roush.<br /><br />Roush said he looked forward to a NASCAR-called meeting next weekend at Bristol between the two drivers and Keselowski car owner Roger Penske.<br /><br />“It is our hope to put this behind us at that time,” said Roush, who added the incident overlooked an otherwise good day in Atlanta for the Roush Fenway Racing team.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-78040755062834940462010-03-11T09:33:00.000-08:002010-03-11T09:39:42.784-08:00Francesco Totti's Roma Return Suffers Another Setback - Report<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lastampa.it/multimedia/costume/831_album/totti.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 207px;" src="http://www.lastampa.it/multimedia/costume/831_album/totti.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Francesco Totti is a long way from making his Roma return from injury as he continues to skip training with tendinitis, according to Leggo.<br /><br />Nothing more than physiotherapy is the order for Totti as inflammation to his right knee continues to keep him away from the training pitch.<br /><br />He is now expected to return towards the end of the month, giving him some time to prepare for the clash against Inter on March 31.<br /><br />The Giallorossi's medical staff are working hard to get the ace back in action, but they are unlikely to rush his return as the risk of worsening the injury is always present.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-22321075997677007412010-03-11T09:04:00.000-08:002010-03-11T09:19:49.132-08:00Cristiano Ronaldo & Portugal National Team Could Grow Mustaches For World Cup - Report<div style="text-align: justify;">The Portuguese national team could earn some publicity for their off-the-field antics this summer in South Africa. As reported by Spanish sports daily Sport, Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portuguese team could grow mustaches for the World Cup.<br /><br />The movement has been started by a Facebook group that has asked for the players to grow mustaches and the initiative has slowly begun to pick up steam as more than 2,000 fans have joined the cause.<br /><br />During Portugal's midweek international friendly against China, one could see a number of fans in the crowd holding up a large banner in support of the group and chanting, 'We want a Seleccion with moustaches in South Africa'!<br /><br />The movement is said to reference to what is stereotypically thought of as the 'traditional Portuguese man' and Sport has taken the liberty of displaying a doctored photo with some of the Portuguese players</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-58562848682856690112010-02-21T11:05:00.000-08:002010-02-21T11:07:32.306-08:00China’s Zhou Yang wins 1,500 short track gold<div style="text-align: justify;">VANCOUVER, British Columbia —Zhou Yang of China easily won the gold medal and set an Olympic record in women’s 1,500-meter short track speedskating.<br /><br />Zhou breezed to the finish line Saturday night in 2 minutes, 16.993 seconds, well ahead of Lee Eun-byul of South Korea, who earned the silver in 2:17.849. Park Seung-hi of South Korea took the bronze, finishing in 2:17.927.<br /><br />American Katherine Reutter finished fourth.<br /><br />Zhou’s victory was China’s second gold in women’s short track. Wang Meng won the 500, but she was disqualified in the semifinals of the 1,500.<br /><br />Zhou, the 18-year-old world-record holder, put her hands together in a thank-you gesture as she crossed the finish line of the eight-woman final. She is competing in her first Olympics.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />(<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/short_track_speed_skating/news?slug=ap-sho-shorttrack-womens1500&prov=ap&type=lgns"><span style="font-style: italic;">source</span></a>)</span><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-69631931282694165182010-02-21T11:02:00.000-08:002010-02-21T11:05:21.681-08:00Game to pay attention to: Mavericks vs. Magic<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xQNKKVJJe9rBeuyCcukqKrsiIDOVJJV0KLkYLED-KIiEMF3OVq3JTr2xEdO0_c5KwKWWzcAt0oxp4F8HdGY0UfcaLxeGG3sNxw5WbFRGUPgXLVq4w2zY9V9DGbJsEuYAcRKMrUxb2Y_k/s1600-h/magicoutlaw.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xQNKKVJJe9rBeuyCcukqKrsiIDOVJJV0KLkYLED-KIiEMF3OVq3JTr2xEdO0_c5KwKWWzcAt0oxp4F8HdGY0UfcaLxeGG3sNxw5WbFRGUPgXLVq4w2zY9V9DGbJsEuYAcRKMrUxb2Y_k/s320/magicoutlaw.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440774801488642002" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dallas at Orlando</span><br /><br />There are a lot of good games on tonight. Cleveland in Charlotte should be a brutal, competitive affair, Miami in Memphis should be solid, Atlanta and Phoenix will be good, as will Boston's trip to Portland.<br /><br />But I'm going orthodox with the Mavericks in Orlando. It's a nationally televised contest that should allow you non League Pass'ers to keep tabs on the other 11 games, and it features two teams trying desperately to stay relevant.<br /><br />The Magic's trade deadline was sometime last July, while the Mavericks were the first to strike in the rest of the NBA's trade deadline, procuring Caron Butler(notes) and Brendan Haywood(notes) for a package revolving around Josh Howard(notes) (or, as we should probably start calling him, "the NBA player that your uncle thinks every NBA player acts like").<br /><br />I thought I'd have a little burnout after a week like this, but I can't wait to lose myself in tonight's lineup. You're welcome to be burned-out, however. Either way, comment away.<br /><br />Dallas Mavericks: 33-21, 92.2 possessions per game (19th), 108.3 points scored per 100 possessions (12th), 106.6 points allowed per 100 possessions (16th).<br /><br />Orlando Magic: 93 possessions per game (15th), 108.9 points scored per 100 possessions (tenth), 102.9 points allowed per 100 possessions (fourth).<br /><br />All statistics courtesy of basketball-reference.com.<br /><br />Thants for hanging around this week.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />(<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie"><span style="font-style: italic;">source</span></a>)</span><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-20249904144908044742010-02-21T10:58:00.000-08:002010-02-21T11:02:30.834-08:00Junior Johnson not teaming with Jimmie Johnson any time soon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHo0xVvkvw8ggRWzQ93bykoNoUk8Ff0YMgaUDYXZeMSm0UDeHg1hH82sL_GThcGOqMc-U5WunryocmHbG15zI_RnCtW03q-IGzlpI3sxvaWf8PAnJKJW48ReNOuorUQK4k4fMGzChjNNN/s1600-h/oldnascar.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHo0xVvkvw8ggRWzQ93bykoNoUk8Ff0YMgaUDYXZeMSm0UDeHg1hH82sL_GThcGOqMc-U5WunryocmHbG15zI_RnCtW03q-IGzlpI3sxvaWf8PAnJKJW48ReNOuorUQK4k4fMGzChjNNN/s320/oldnascar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440773965202912690" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Ah, those tired old formula questions that journalists ask drivers. "How did it feel when you almost won the race?" is one of my favorites. Seems the retired drivers are not immune from this treatment; they just get different questions. For example: "If you were building a team right now, what current driver would you choose?"<br /><br />Racing legend Junior Johnson, who won fifty races as a driver and six Championships as an owner, gets this kind of thing fairly regularly. In 2008, a reporter for ESPN asked him to choose between Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, and Carl Edwards. Johnson had three championships, Carl had a great season and the cover of Men's Fitness, and Kyle had 8 Cup wins that season, and an attitude.<br /><br />And the winner was... drumroll please... Kyle Busch. (Insert record-scratch sound effect here.) "I like his hell-bent driving style," Johnson was quoted as saying. "He's going to do what he needs to do. You've just got to polish him a little." (A little?)<br /><br />Asked a similar question just a few days ago, Junior Johnson would choose ... Tony Stewart. Not four-time champion Jimmie Johnson. "I like Tony Stewart's kind of driving; and Jimmie Johnson's a great race driver, there's no question about it, but he's got one of the greatest mechanics I've ever seen come along, and I've had some great ones," Johnson said Sunday. (I hear his crew chief's nothing to sneeze at either.) But, Johnson continued, "I just think Tony, I would take Tony over the rest of them." ALL of them? Really? Wow.<br /><br />Which leaves me wondering what kind of a quandary Junior would be in if he were asked to choose between, say, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/blog/from_the_marbles"><span style="font-style: italic;">source</span></a>)</span><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-76369981703682158382010-02-21T10:51:00.000-08:002010-02-21T10:57:00.163-08:00Why does Apolo Anton Ohno yawn before his races?<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxHJewJTB43KEZ8LnaAIGSSzriDVSPbjM5sOC0nqug3KmUSAx7v2A64LBKON7YKAAM0tIKNzSpabTB9EjV1Y0q9FFWwpooMC7o5ewa1vAD_JWlegkO0bkRqi0SOvKJjnd3SyC_Law9pOQ/s1600-h/yawnapollo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxHJewJTB43KEZ8LnaAIGSSzriDVSPbjM5sOC0nqug3KmUSAx7v2A64LBKON7YKAAM0tIKNzSpabTB9EjV1Y0q9FFWwpooMC7o5ewa1vAD_JWlegkO0bkRqi0SOvKJjnd3SyC_Law9pOQ/s320/yawnapollo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440772468464239906" border="0" /></a><br />VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Seconds before the biggest moment of his career, the excitement and adrenaline were finally too much for Apolo Anton Ohno. He couldn't hold it in any longer.<br /><br />He yawned.<br /><br />Television viewers were stunned by the American's apparently lackadaisical approach to the race, which would determine whether he would become the Winter Olympian with the most medals in U.S. history. (He did, with a bronze.)<br /><br />British Open golf champion Stewart Cink even Tweeted that Ohno's action made him yawn, too, as he watched on TV.<br /><br />Yet some sneaky investigation by Yahoo! Sports revealed there is madness behind Ohno's moribundity.<br /><br />A friend of Ohno's – who asked not to be named because, er, "Apolo might not like it" – revealed that the yawning lets extra oxygen into his lungs in the seconds before bursting across the ice.<br /><br />Or maybe he's just bored.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-14472356910747434602009-12-08T08:54:00.000-08:002009-12-08T08:54:41.658-08:00History-maker Messi seeks first Club World Cup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rfY6rf2CXC0VOs6BxKwxaciTegCCMnujKa97Gjb9Xk6_COiLuPkiBJbvedv_jXThyphenhypheneLEMus4lpKrWI3ZIhTKs5ZS2w0QuNLrFAoqRQaMRDckgZ1-YRH6kHMweMMOhWSFsCNm1fEgzSnl/s1600-h/messi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rfY6rf2CXC0VOs6BxKwxaciTegCCMnujKa97Gjb9Xk6_COiLuPkiBJbvedv_jXThyphenhypheneLEMus4lpKrWI3ZIhTKs5ZS2w0QuNLrFAoqRQaMRDckgZ1-YRH6kHMweMMOhWSFsCNm1fEgzSnl/s320/messi.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>ABU DHABI (AFP)</b> - Barcelona will go into the FIFA Club World Cup as favourites to win the competition for the first time, but winger Lionel Messi says they must learn the lessons from their last involvement.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Club World Cup is the only international honour missing from Barcelona's well-stocked trophy cabinet after their previous attempt to win it, in 2006, ended in a 1-0 defeat to Brazilian side Internacional.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I think the most important lesson we've learned is not to be over-confident and to get to know our opponents in depth," said Messi, in an interview with the FIFA website on the eve of the December 9-19 tournament here.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The last time we maybe thought that the other sides were a bit below us and that's something we can't afford to let happen again if we want to be champions."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Victory in the tournament would crown a remarkable year for current Spanish league leaders Barcelona, who last season won the Champions League, Spanish league and King's Cup to claim an unprecedented treble.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It has also been an unforgettable 12 months for Messi, who last week became the first Argentine player to be named European Footballer of the Year when he was awarded the prestigious Ballon d'Or by France Football magazine.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"It's one title the club has never won and it's one title that?s eluded most of the players at Barca," said Messi.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"It's also the last competition of what's been a historic 2009 and we want to end the year in style. On a personal level, I'm really looking forward to it because it will help me keep on developing."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Barcelona's strongest challenge is likely to come from Messi's homeland, with South American champions Estudiantes set to enter the competition at the semi-final stage alongside the Catalan club.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Estudiantes won the Intercontinental Cup, the precursor to the current competition, by beating Manchester United in 1968 and finished runners-up in the two years afterwards.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Their participation in Abu Dhabi marks a return to the event after a 39-year absence, but a strand of continuity running between the sides can be found in the shape of Estudiantes midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron, whose father Juan Ramon starred in the 1968 victory over United.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"It's an enriching experience for all of us, for the older players, who will be leading the way, and the younger ones, who'll be taking up the baton in the future," said Veron.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"You have to make them aware of what it means to be there, how fantastic it is. It's also important that nobody sits back and says 'I've made it now'. With a tournament like this you have to want to come back and experience it again."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The competition's other teams cannot boast players with reputations to match Messi or Veron, but all - with the exception of host club Al-Hahli - are continental champions.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">South Korean side Pohang Steelers (Asia), Congolese outfit Tout Puissant Mazembe (Africa) and Mexico's Atlante (CONCACAF) will provide the biggest threat to the two heavyweights.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Auckland, who play Al-Hahli in the tournament's opening game on Wednesday, are the reigning champions from the Oceania region.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We didn?t score a single goal in 2006 and that was a big disappointment for us," said Auckland captain Ivan Vicelich.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We've prepared well this year though, and we're going to score a lot of goals. We've been talking about this match for weeks now and we need to go out and execute our gameplan."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The winners of the match between Al-Hahli and Auckland will join TP Mazembe, Atlante and Pohang Steelers in the quarter-finals, where a potential meeting with Pep Guardiola's Catalan conquerors Barcelona will be at stake.<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-56732962328727625422009-12-08T08:49:00.000-08:002009-12-08T08:49:53.620-08:00Panathinaikos fires coach over after league slip<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-6fhjYlStg4nirmNuJ84wcNqedMKyuOfJjM-OYAuLnIhgMFvCdghXXCLVJIGJjW4841WnUnwLhHf3TNM6AroTEIi07RIh1f_3le_U0gxv4f7TqcHRqr0B0uHFC19UZao377jWSZiAfrG/s1600-h/tencate2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-6fhjYlStg4nirmNuJ84wcNqedMKyuOfJjM-OYAuLnIhgMFvCdghXXCLVJIGJjW4841WnUnwLhHf3TNM6AroTEIi07RIh1f_3le_U0gxv4f7TqcHRqr0B0uHFC19UZao377jWSZiAfrG/s320/tencate2.jpg" width="124" /></a>ATHENS</b>, Greece (AP)—Panathinaikos has fired Dutch coach Henk Ten Cate after the club lost its lead in Greek championship to rival Olympiakos.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a statement Tuesday, the club named Nikos Nioplias as his replacement. Nioplias is currently the coach of Greece’s under-21 national team.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Olympiakos took the lead in the Greek title race after beating Panathinaikos 2-0 on Nov. 29. It leads the standings with 33 points from 13 games, one point ahead of Panathinaikos.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 54-year-old Ten Cate, a former Chelsea assistant manager, took over in Athens last season but failed to break the dominance of Olympiakos which has won every league title but one since 1997.<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-90339411166419101862009-12-07T08:42:00.000-08:002009-12-07T08:42:45.900-08:00History of Golf & Golf Equipment<i>Golf originated during the 15th century.</i><br />
<br />
Golf originated from a game played on the coast of Scotland during the 15th century. Golfers would hit a pebble instead of a ball around the sand dunes using a stick or club. After 1750, golf evolved into the sport as we recognize it today. In 1774, Edinburgh golfers wrote the first standardized rules for the game of golf.<br />
<br />
<b>Golf Balls</b><br />
Golfers soon tired of hitting pebbles and tried other things. The earliest man-made golf balls included thin leather bags stuffed with feathers (they did not fly very far).<br />
<br />
The gutta-percha ball was invented in 1848 by Reverend Adam Paterson. Made from the sap of the Gutta tree, this ball could be hit a maximum distance of 225 yards and was very similar to its modern counterpart.<br />
<br />
In 1898, Coburn Haskell introduced the first one-piece rubber cored, when professionally hit these balls reached distances approaching 430 yards.<br />
<br />
According to "The Dimpled Golf Ball" by Vincent Mallette during the early days of golf the balls were smooth. Players noticed that as balls became old and scarred, they traveled farther. After a while players would take new balls and intentionally pit them.<br />
<br />
In 1905, golf ball manufacturer William Taylor was the first to add the dimple pattern using the Coburn Haskell ball. Golf balls had now taken on their modern form.<br />
<br />
<b>Golf Clubs</b><br />
Golf clubs have evolved from wooden shaft clubs to today's sets of woods and irons with durability, weight distribution and graduation utility. The evolution of clubs went hand in hand with the evolution of golf balls that were able to withstand harder whacks.<br />
<br />
<b>Carrying & Caddies</b><br />
During the 1880s, golf bags first came into use. "The beast of burden" is an old nickname for the caddie who carried golfers' equipment for them. The first powered golf car appeared around 1962 and was invented by Merlin L. Halvorson.<br />
<br />
<b>Golf Tees</b><br />
The word "tee" as it relates to the game of golf originated as the name for the area where a golfer played. In 1889, the first documented portable golf tee was patented by Scottish golfers William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas. This golf tee was made from rubber and had three vertical rubber prongs that held the ball in place. However, it lay on the ground and did not piece (or pegged) the ground like modern golf tees.<br />
<br />
In 1892, a British patent was granted to Percy Ellis for his "Perfectum" tee that did piece (pegged) the ground. It was a rubber tee with a metal spike. The 1897 "Victor" tee was similar and included a cup-shaped top to better hold the golf ball. The Vicktor was patented by Scotsmen PM Matthews.<br />
<br />
American patents for golf tees include: the first American patent issued to Scotsmen David Dalziel in 1895, the 1895 patent issued to American Prosper Senat, and the 1899 patent for an improved golf tee issued to George Grant.<br />
<br />
In 1774, the first standardized rules of golf were written and used for the first golf championship, which was won by Doctor John Rattray on 2nd April 1744 in Edinburgh, Scotland.<br />
<br />
1. You must tee your ball within one club's length of the hole.<br />
<br />
2. Your tee must be on the ground.<br />
<br />
3. You are not to change the ball which you strike off the tee.<br />
<br />
4. You are not to remove stones, bones or any break club for the sake of playing your ball, except on the fair green, and that only within a club's length of your ball.<br />
<br />
5. If your ball comes among water, or any watery filth, you are at liberty to take out your ball and bringing it behind the hazard and teeing it, you may play it with any club and allow your adversary a stroke for so getting out your ball.<br />
<br />
6. If your balls be found anywhere touching one another you are to lift the first ball till you play the last.<br />
<br />
7. At holeing you are to play your ball honestly for the hole, and not to play upon your adversary's ball, not lying in your way to the hole.<br />
<br />
8. If you should lose your ball, by its being taken up, or any other way, you are to go back to the spot where you struck last and drop another ball and allow your adversary a stroke for the misfortune.<br />
<br />
9. No man at holeing his ball is to be allowed to mark his way to the hold with his club or anything else.<br />
<br />
10. If a ball be stopp'd by any person, horse or dog, or anything else, the ball so stopp'd must be played where it lyes.<br />
<br />
11. If you draw your club in order to strike and proceed so far in the stroke as to be bringing down your club; if then your club shall break in any way, it is to be accounted a stroke.<br />
<br />
12. He who whose ball lyes farthest from the hole is obliged to play first.<br />
<br />
13. Neither trench, ditch or dyke made for the preservation of the links, nor the Scholar's Holes or the soldier's lines shall be accounted a hazard but the ball is to be taken out, teed and play'd with any iron club.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-20225780152369567092009-12-06T02:35:00.000-08:002009-12-06T02:35:39.053-08:00Woods takes golf into a year of uncertainty<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>THOUSAND OAKS</b>, Calif. (AP)—Practically every new twist in the shocking tale of Tiger Woods includes an aerial view of his Florida home where his troubles began, when he pulled his SUV out of the driveway and drove it into a tree.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">More questions arise when one surveys the expanse of grass across the street — the practice range at Isleworth.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps the most pressing: When will Woods slip into his spikes, step out of his house and hit golf balls again?<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is no telling when the world’s No. 1 player will choose to return to the PGA Tour and the massive galleries that, most certainly, will not gaze upon him quite the way they did at his previous 253 tour events.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Woods has been out of the public eye since the car crash and subsequent allegations of extramarital affairs took Tigermania into startling new territory during Thanksgiving weekend. He went 13 years without a hint of scandal, the first $1 billion athlete with barely a blemish, guarded with the media even in good times. That’s not likely to change now.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family,” Woods said while confessing to “transgressions” on his Web site last week. “Those feelings should be shared by us alone.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The greater mystery is his future.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I think he’s held at a different standard than everybody else out there,” Kenny Perry said Friday at the Chevron World Challenge. “This will be interesting to see how he handles this, though. This is a totally different knock on him when he gets out there and plays next year.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Until the crash in the wee hours of Nov. 27, anticipation about 2010 in golf was geared toward Woods’ pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’ record in the majors, especially a year with Pebble Beach (U.S. Open) and St. Andrews (British Open) in the rotation.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">That has been replaced by uncertainty and uneasiness.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A sport that promoted its wholesome image as its biggest asset now has a tawdry mess on its hands because of its star player, who happens to be among the most famous athletes in the world.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“What’s interesting to me about this situation is that while its bad in the short term, for golf, on a global basis, it has moved from being a sport to having iconic, celebrity status, and a whole host of other people are now interested,” said John Rowady, president of rEvolution, a Chicago-based sports marketing and media agency.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“And it may be a sport that is not prepared for that kind of publicity.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The timing was not the greatest. The PGA Tour is struggling to find title sponsors at four tournaments and renew deals with at least a half dozen others. It also will start negotiations on a network TV deal that ends in 2012.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I think one of our biggest selling points for the corporate world is that we are relatively controversy-free,” Geoff Ogilvy said at the start of the year. “We don’t generally have too many golfers getting into trouble like some other athletes in other sports do. We’re pretty squeaky-clean like that. It’s been like that for a long time. It doesn’t really seem like it’s going to change.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem has been silent during all this. He hasn’t made himself available for comment except for a statement in support of Woods’ family and the player’s request for privacy.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Asked if Finchem would take questions about concerns for golf’s image or whether it would affect business, spokesman Ty Votaw said the tour does not comment on “hypothetical situations, conjecture and guesswork.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the start of the decade, Finchem was at Pebble Beach talking about how golf was in good hands. He cited the new arrivals of Adam Scott, Charles Howell III, David Gossett, young players who represented the values inherent in golf.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">No need to mention Woods.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">No one ever imagined his name would be splashed across anything but the sports pages, except for being on the cover of Time magazine in 2000 during one of the greatest summers of golf.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Padraig Harrington was quick to distinguish between Woods as a player and a person.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It’s very much a private matter there,” Harrington said. “He wasn’t … speeding or had a DUI and hurt somebody. It really is a family matter. Hopefully, that’s the worst that golf could ever do. But how it reflects on golf? I suppose things like this have happened before at times, and we move on.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I would still say golf—I know this may be saying it from inside the sport—is constantly the No. 1 sport with the moral ethics and things like that. So I think we’re in a very strong position going forward.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Woods’ corporate sponsors said they are standing by him. Most sports marketing consultants believe the scandal involving his personal life will have little bearing on TV ratings or contract negotiations. No one can be sure, however, just as no can predict where or when he will return to golf.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“There’s no impact on the sport itself other than the fact its best asset is a little damaged right now,” said Michael Gordon, CEO of Group Gordon Strategic Communications, a crisis PR firm in New York.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“But it starts with Tiger. He’s at the top of the pyramid,” Gordon said. “When Tiger is hurt, other assets could get hurt, too—potentially the PGA Tour, sponsors, his family. It’s a little bit of a domino affect, and he’s the first domino.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">His peers at the Chevron World Challenge—the tournament Woods hosts but did not attend—have largely been supportive without passing judgment, perhaps because they realize that Woods is their meal ticket. They are playing for $5.75 million this week, a snapshot of life on the PGA Tour made possible by Woods and his enormous appeal.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Total prize money was $65 million the year Woods turned pro in 1996. They played for $275 million this year.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Stewart Cink is among those who have jokingly suggested Woods is not human, having won 82 times around the world and 14 majors. After losing to him by a record margin at the Match Play Championship last year, Cink said, “I think maybe we ought to slice him open to see what’s inside. Maybe nuts and bolts.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Woods twice mentioned in statements during the last week that he was, indeed, “human.” Will that make him seem more vulnerable as a player?<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I don’t think that whatever comes out of this will affect his golf because he’s a professional, and part of being a professional is to separate your personal life from what you do on the course,” Cink said. “I’ve had plenty of times when I came to the golf course in a tournament, and I was just a wreck off the course. … And you have no choice but to just leave that. It’s not always real easy, but he’ll find a way, and he’ll be fine.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Greg Norman, who preceded Woods as golf’s biggest draw, understands scrutiny into one’s personal life, having disclosed in October that his 15-month marriage to tennis star Chris Evert was ending.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He believes golf is bigger than any one player and will be fine. And while he can empathize with Woods’ public life on display, Norman doesn’t feel sorry for him.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Hey, he’s the No. 1 player in the world,” Norman said Saturday at the Australian Open. “Publicity is going to follow you no matter what you do, whether you win tournaments, lose tournaments and whatever happens.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Woods has started at Torrey Pines every year since 2006 when healthy. Tournament director Tom Wilson said he recently met with PGA Tour security consultants about what needs to be done, if Woods chooses this event to mark his return.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We might need to add a few chairs in the media center,” Wilson said.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If keeping together his family—wife Elin and two children—is a priority, Woods might wait longer.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Is this going to make him stronger? We’ll find out,” Perry said. “Is this really going to get inside his head a little bit and really going to mess with him? I don’t know how the crowd is … going to attack him. Are they going to verbally abuse him out there? We don’t know.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I don’t think it’s going to change our tour next year at all,” he said. “Only time will tell.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Woods has tried to quell minor issues in the past with one sentence in a news conference or one posting on his Web site. Though three statements have been posted on his Web site since the accident, they’ve done little to answer lingering questions. As a result, media outlets have shown no signs of scaling back in their hot pursuit of information.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“When you get nonsporting media spending money on stories, whether they’re true or false, it’s just fanning the flames,” Rowady said.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Either way, he said the next few months will go a long way, starting with Woods returning to golf. He said Woods will need to raise his game not only on the course, but for the tour and its sponsors, his own sponsors and TV partners.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If it’s true that golf is a gentleman’s game, it benefits by the way he finishes this process,” Rowady said. “How he comes out and eventually speaks and plays could be an asset, and then it heightens the awareness. What’s surprising to me is how quickly people are willing to tear him down. I don’t know that anyone benefits by making Tiger Woods into a villain.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news;_ylt=Av7sMt8Xu92eJ2kxwz7eBbsogsUF?slug=ap-tigerwoods&prov=ap&type=lgns">source</a>) <br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-53765320038711749022009-12-06T02:31:00.000-08:002009-12-06T02:31:35.342-08:00Given save can transform City fortunes - Hughes<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><b>MANCHESTER</b>, England (AFP) - Mark Hughes says Shay Given's penalty save that secured Manchester City an unlikely 2-1 victory over Chelsea here on Saturday could be the turning point in the club's entire season.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Republic of Ireland international kept out Frank Lampard's late effort to ensure goals from Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Tevez cancelled out a Chelsea opener, courtesy of an Adebayor own goal, and ended City's run of seven consecutive Premier League draws.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://onthebreak.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/mark_hughes_blackburn1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://onthebreak.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/mark_hughes_blackburn1.jpg" width="136" /></a>This win at a rain-sodden Eastlands also cut Chelsea's lead at the top of the table to two points over champions Manchester United and opened up the possibility, however distant, of City competing for the title in the second half of the campaign.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the end of a week in which Hughes also led his team to the League Cup semi-finals with victory over Arsenal, the manager agreed the penalty save could have huge long-term significance.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Quite possibly," said Hughes when asked if it could be a turning point.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"It was a fantastic save. There are a lot of things you don't expect to happen and you don't expect Frank Lampard to miss a penalty."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Former Manchester United, Chelsea and Wales striker Hughes added: "We made a real effort this week to work exceptionally hard because, as I keep saying, you can't take short cuts, you can't not put the work and effort in or you get beaten by the top teams in the Premier League.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We now know what it takes to win against the bigger teams. Once we get the knowledge of how to beat the lesser sides, we will be okay."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Victory left big-spenders City sixth in the table, 11 points adrift of Chelsea, and Hughes said: "Arsenal and Chelsea are there to be beaten, they are the challenge for us.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We want to supersede them at some stage and at the moment we are just challenging, trying to make it difficult for them."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hughes, however, refused to include City in the title race just yet, saying: "We're not talking in terms of winning titles. We are trying to progress.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We are talking about a team that 12 months ago was looking at relegation. We spent money, yes, and that will always be quoted when Manchester City are mentioned but we are just trying to be better than we were."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hughes also praised match-winner Tevez, himself an ex-Manchester United forward, who has put in some strong recent performances after overcoming early-season fitness and injury problems.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"He has been fantastic," said Hughes after seeing Tevez beat Petr Cech with a 56th-minute free-kick awarded for a foul by Ricardo Carvalho.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"And he is now getting back to the levels of fitness he needs to have."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Carlo Ancelotti laid the blame for Chelsea's defeat firmly at the door of referee Howard Webb, who he accused of making mistakes in the build-up to both of City's goals, although he stressed the loss was no cause for concern.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We're disappointed," said Ancelotti. "The referee made two important mistakes. I think Micah Richards did handle the ball and the second situation, I think Carvalho kicked the ball clear, it was a clear situation.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I'm surprised. I consider Webb a fantastic referee with experience yet he made those two mistakes, but I don't want to speak about this. It happened and we move forward."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He added: "We don't need a reaction. We are top of the league by two points, we don't have reason to be worried."<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-90019927408876032372009-12-06T02:28:00.000-08:002009-12-06T02:28:47.445-08:002010 World Cup Exclusive: North Korea's An Yong Hak - We Will Fight For Second Place In Group Of Death<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>North Korea</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Midfielder An Yong Hak is looking forward to facing Portugal, Brazil and the Ivory Coast at the 2010 World Cup and has targeted second place.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Group G was immediately named The Group of Death on Friday after the draw in Cape Town and few are giving North Korea, playing in only their second World Cup and their first since 1966, a chance.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">An, who was an ever-present in the team’s qualification campaign, knows that it will be tough but is excited about the challenge.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“When I saw Group G, I smiled a bitter smile,” An told Goal.com.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“As I said before, I want to play against the big teams because there are no weak teams in the World Cup. But I'm excited that we will play against Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast. If we don’t play these teams at the World Cup, when can we?”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 31 year-old agrees that Brazil should top the group but is ready to fight to make it to the second round.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I think, even Brazil will not have an easy time but they will finish first. Then North Korea will compete with Portugal and Cote d'Ivoire for second place in the group, hopefully.”<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“There are so many star players so I can't say just one. Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba, Robinho, Deco and the Toure brothers.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I know that playing against such players is not easy task but I will never give up and I will do my best to keep the ball off them.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(<a href="http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/news/2010-world-cup-exclusive-north-koreas-an-yong-hak--fbintl,goal-worldcupexclusivenorthkorea.html">source</a>) <br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-16638737313406895482009-12-01T06:52:00.000-08:002009-12-01T06:52:57.298-08:00Virgin to take Manor name<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.formula1blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Manor-588.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="http://www.formula1blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Manor-588.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
</div><br />
"FIA entry list shows Manor GP rebranded as Virgin Racing"<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Manor GP team are to be rebranded Virgin Racing ahead of their Formula One debut next season.</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The effective confirmation, which has long been an open secret in F1 circles, came on Monday as the FIA announced its entry list for the 2010 World Championship.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">An announcement from the team will come on Tuesday when team boss John Booth and Virgin supremo Sir Richard Branson officially reveal their plans.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The FIA's entry list reveals the names of 12 teams, with the name Virgin Racing amongst the newcomers, joining Lotus F1 Racing, Campos Meta 1 and US F1 Team.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 13th entry remains unresolved, although Sauber are widely expected to be granted a place on the grid following a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Monaco on December 11.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last week, Peter Sauber regained control of the team he founded, four years after selling out to BMW.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The German manufacturer, which announced its withdrawal from the sport in July, reached a deal with Sauber having pulled out of an earlier agreement with Qadbak Investments.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, the deal will only go through if Sauber is awarded the 13th and last place.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I am very relieved about that development," said the 66-year-old Swiss. "It would have been a crying shame had one of the best Formula One factories closed down.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Regarding the slot on the grid, I am very confident we will be given a final confirmation very shortly."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If they are granted the place, Sauber will rejoin at the expense of Toyota, which in turn announced the withdrawal of its team at the end of last season.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Complicated</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The situation is complicated by the fact that Toyota withdrew despite having earlier signed up to the sport's latest Concorde Agreement, which in effect committed it to F1 until 2012.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There remains speculation of a potential takeover, yet it is unclear whether a buyer would automatically be granted an entry on the basis of Toyota's prior commitment.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Formula One Commission are due to discuss the matter in Monaco on Wednesday.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">An FIA statement said: "Toyota Motorsport GmbH remains formally bound by the Concorde Agreement to put forward a team for participation, though it has indicated that it will not be in a position to do so.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"An announcement will be made regarding this entry in due course."<br />
</div><br />
(<a href="http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12433_5736274,00.html">source</a>)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-25423432364793341452009-12-01T06:33:00.000-08:002009-12-01T06:33:00.006-08:00Messi wins Ballon d'Or<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://vftt.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/lionel-messi-bacelona-1-zaragoza-0-10862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://vftt.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/lionel-messi-bacelona-1-zaragoza-0-10862.jpg" width="241" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has been named the European Footballer of the Year.</b><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Argentinean won the Ballon d'Or by a record margin from last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Argentinian won an unprecedented treble last season as the Catalan side won the Champions League, the Liga title and the Copa del Rey.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Messi was the top scorer in last year's Champions League with nine goals, including a goal in the 2-0 final defeat of Manchester United in Rome.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Messi, who tallied 473 of a possible 480 points, largely dominated the voting and won with a record-margin of 240 points. Real Madrid winger Ronaldo had 233 and Xavi had 170.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Honestly, I knew that I was among the favourites because Barcelona had a fruitful year in 2009," he told France Football magazine.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"But I didn't expect to win with such a margin. The Golden Ball is very important to me.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"All the players who won it were great players, and some great players never won it."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Barca teammates were also recognised with midfielder Xavi taking third place with 170 points while Iniesta was fourth on 149.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In fifth place was Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, who left Barca to join Inter. He was Barca's other scorer in the 2-0 final win over United.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Votes cast<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona) : 473 points<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Manchester United then Real Madrid) : 233 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Xavi (Spain, Barcelona) : 170 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Andres Iniesta (Espagnol, Barcelona): 149 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon, Barcelona then Inter): 75 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. Kaka (Brazil, Milan then Real Madrid): 58 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, Inter then Barcelona): 50 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">8. Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United): 35 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">9. Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea): 33 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">10. Steven Gerrard (England, Liverpool): 32 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">11. Fernando Torres (Spain, Liverpool): 22 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">12. Cesc Fabregas (Spain, Arsenal): 13 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">13. Edin Dzeko (Bosnia, Wolfsburg): 12 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">14. Ryan Giggs (Wales, Manchester United): 11 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">15. Thierry Henry (France, Barcelona): 9 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">16. Luis Fabiano (Brazil, Sevilla), Nemanja Vidic (Serbia, Manchester United), Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid): 8 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">19. Diego Forlan (Uruguay, Atletico Madrid): 7 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">20. Yoann Gourcuff (France, Bordeaux): 6 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">21. Andrei Arshavin (Russia, Arsenal), Julio Cesar (Brazil, Inter), Frank Lampard (England, Chelsea): 5 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">24. Maicon (Brazil, Inter Milan): 4 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">25. Diego (Brazil, Werder Bremen then Juventus): 3 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">26. David Villa (Spain, Valence), John Terry (England, Chelsea): 2 pts<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">28. Franck Ribery (France, Bayern Munich), Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast, Barcelona): 1 pt<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">30. Karim Benzema (France, Lyon then Real Madrid): 0 pt<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Previous winners:<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1956 - Stanley Matthews, Blackpool<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1957 - Alfredo Di Stefano, Real Madrid<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1958 - Raymond Kopa, Real Madrid<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1959 - Alfredo Di Stefano, Real Madrid<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1960 - Luis Suarez, Barcelona<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1961 - Omar Sivori, Juventus<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1962 - Josef Masopust, Dukla Prague<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1963 - Lev Yashin, Dynamo Moscow<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1964 - Denis Law, Manchester United<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1965 - Eusebio, Benfica<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1966 - Bobby Charlton, Manchester United<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1967 - Florian Albert, Ferencvaros<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1968 - George Best, Manchester United<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1969 - Gianni Rivera, Milan<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1970 - Gerd Mueller, Bayern Munich<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1971 - Johan Cruyff, Ajax<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1972 - Franz Beckenbauer, Bayern Munich<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1973 - Johan Cruyff, Barcelona<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1974 - Johan Cruyff, Barcelona<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1975 - Oleg Blokhin, Dynamo Kyiv<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1976 - Franz Beckenbauer, Bayern Munich<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1977 - Allan Simonsen, Borussia Moenchengladbach<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1978 - Kevin Keegan, Hamburg<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1979 - Kevin Keegan, Hamburg<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1980 - Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Bayern Munich<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1981 - Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Bayern Munich<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1982 - Paolo Rossi, Juventus<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1983 - Michel Platini, Juventus<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1984 - Michel Platini, Juventus<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1985 - Michel Platini, Juventus<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1986 - Igor Belanov, Dynamo Kyiv<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1987 - Ruud Gullit, Milan<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1988 - Marco Van Basten, Milan<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1989 - Marco Van Basten, Milan<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1990 - Lothar Matthaeus, Inter<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1991 - Jean-Pierre Papin, Marseille<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1992 - Marco Van Basten, Milan<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1993 - Roberto Baggio, Juventus<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1994 - Hristo Stoitchkov, Barcelona<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1995 - George Weah, Milan<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1996 - Matthias Sammer, Borussia Dortmund<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1997 - Ronaldo, Inter<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1998 - Zinedine Zidane, Juventus<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1999 - Rivaldo, Barcelona<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2000 - Luis Figo, Real Madrid<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2001 - Michael Owen, Liverpool<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2002 - Ronaldo, Real Madrid<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2003 - Pavel Nedved, Juventus<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2004 - Andriy Shevchenko, Milan<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2005 - Ronaldinho, Barcelona<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2006 - Fabio Cannavaro, Real Madrid<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2007 - Kaka, Milan<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2008 - Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2009 - Lionel Messi, Barcelona<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153665959745858243.post-17329685555673912082009-11-28T11:22:00.000-08:002009-11-28T11:22:19.804-08:00Police chief: Woods' wife helped after accident<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://oneasianworld.com/blog/tiger%20woods%20and%20elin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://oneasianworld.com/blog/tiger%20woods%20and%20elin.jpg" width="170" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Tiger Woods was injured early Friday when he lost control of his SUV outside his Florida mansion, and a local police chief said Woods' wife used a golf club to smash out the back window to help get him out.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The world's No. 1 golfer was treated and released from a hospital in good condition, his spokesman said. The Florida Highway Patrol said Woods' vehicle hit a fire hydrant and a tree in his neighbor's yard after he pulled out of his driveway at 2:25 a.m.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Windermere police chief Daniel Saylor told The Associated Press that officers found the 33-year-old PGA star lying in the street with his wife, Elin, hovering over him.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"She was frantic, upset," Saylor said in a briefing Friday night. "It was her husband laying on the ground."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">She told officers she was in the house when she heard the accident and "came out and broke the back window with a golf club," he said, adding that the front-door windows were not broken and that "the door was probably locked."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"She supposedly got him out and laid him on the ground," he said. "He was in and out of consciousness when my guys got there."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Saylor said Woods had lacerations to his upper and lower lips, and blood in his mouth; officers treated Woods for about 10 minutes until an ambulance arrived. Woods was conscious enough to speak, he said.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"He was mumbling, but didn't say anything coherent," Saylor said.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Florida Highway Patrol said alcohol was not involved, although the accident remains under investigation and charges could be filed.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Woods was alone in his 2009 Cadillac when he pulled out of his driveway from his mansion at Isleworth, a gated waterfront community just outside Orlando, the patrol said.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Woods' injuries were described as serious in the patrol's report, though his spokesman, Glenn Greenspan, issued a statement that Woods was treated and released.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Left unanswered was where Woods was going at that hour. Greenspan and agent Mark Steinberg said there would be no comment beyond the short statement of the accident posted on Woods' Web site.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Asked at an evening news conference if the couple could have been arguing, Saylor said he had no knowledge of that. The couple, married five years, have two children.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The accident came two days after the National Enquirer published a story alleging that Woods had been seeing a New York night club hostess, and that they recently were together in Melbourne, where Woods competed in the Australian Masters.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The woman, Rachel Uchitel, denied having an affair with Woods when contacted by the AP.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I resent my reputation is getting completely blasted in the media," she said during a telephone interview late Friday. "Everyone is assuming I came out and said this. This is not a story I have anything to do with."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Uchitel said she was in Melbourne two weeks ago with clients and never saw Woods the entire time she was there.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A representative of the National Enquirer declined comment.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Patrol spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Montes said the accident was being investigated as a "traffic crash."<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We don't believe it is a domestic issue," she said.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Woods, coming off a two-week trip to China and Australia earlier this month, is host of the Chevron World Challenge in Thousand Oaks, Calif., which starts Thursday. He is scheduled to have his press conference Tuesday afternoon at Sherwood Country Club. Steinberg said he did not know if Woods planned to play next week.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Florida Highway Patrol said tapes of the 911 call won't be released until they can be reviewed, probably Monday at the earliest.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The accident report was not released until nearly 12 hours after Woods was injured. Montes said the accident did not meet the criteria of a serious crash, and the FHP only put out a press release because of inquiries from local media.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Montes said the patrol reports injuries as serious if they require more than minor medical attention. Air bags in the SUV did not deploy.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two troopers tried to talk to Woods on Friday evening, but his wife said he was sleeping and they agreed to come back Saturday, Montes said.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said charges could be filed if there was a clear traffic violation, although troopers still do not know what caused Woods' SUV to hit the hydrant and the tree.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Damage to the front of Woods' SUV was described as "medium" by Saylor.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Not real extensive, but not real light," he said.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Woods rarely faces such private scrutiny, even as perhaps the most famous active athlete in the world.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He usually makes news only because of what he can do with a golf club. Few other athletes have managed to keep their private lives so guarded, or have a circle of friends so airtight when it comes to life off the course.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">His wife was awarded a $183,250 settlement and an apology from an Irish magazine that published a fake nude photo of her, and Woods received a $1.6 million settlement in a lawsuit against the builder of his yacht — named Privacy — for using his name and photos of the boat as promotional material.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Woods is approaching $100 million in career earnings on the PGA Tour, and Forbes magazine reported that combined with endorsements, appearance fees and golf course design, he has become the first athlete to top $1 billion.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Woods' $2.4 million home is part of an exclusive subdivision near Orlando, a community set on an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course and a chain of small lakes. The neighborhood, which is fortified with high brick walls and has its own security force, is home to CEOs and other sports stars such as the NBA's Shaquille O'Neal.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Woods has won 82 times around the world and 14 majors, becoming the first player of black heritage to win a major at the 1997 Masters when he was 21. He attended the Stanford-Cal football game last Saturday, where he tossed the coin at the start of the game and was inducted into Stanford's sports Hall of Fame at halftime.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">He won six times this year after missing eight months recovering from reconstructive surgery on his left knee. Even though he failed to win a major, Woods said he considered this a successful year because he did not know how his knee would respond.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/glf_woods_accident">source</a>) <br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15333558309833528441noreply@blogger.com1