October 2011 - Last Word On Sports

Preview of Match Day 4 of the Champions League

Posted on October 31, 2011November 4, 2021 by Frank Giuliano

Match Day 4 will commence the return legs starting with the reverse fixtures from Match Day 3. In group H action, AC Milan travels to Bate Borisov knowing that a win will clinch their spot in the round of 16. The same can be said for FC Barcelona who travels to Plzen. In group E, Valencia, endangered of elimination, will host a very dangerous and unpredictable Bayer Leverkusen. The other match-up features Chelsea who can clinch qualification with a victory against Genk. Group F fixtures include Borussia Dortmund who will be aiming for the 3 points against Olympiacos in order to survive. In group A, Villareal finds itself in a must-win situation in a game in which they will face Manchester City. The game of the day features SSC Napoli taking on FC Bayern Munich in Germany. This will be a tough match for the Partenopei as in the last encounter, Bayern Munich proved to be a very tough for Napoli. The Napolitani are also currently in a poor run of form.

Here are the fixtures for Match Day 4:

Group E	Comments
Valencia v Bayer Leverkusen	This will be a tough match for Bayer Leverkusen as it is always difficult to come away with a result in Spain.
Genk v Chelsea	Chelsea should be able to claim the 3 points here as they are currently showing a good run of form.

Group F	Comments
Arsenal v Marseille	The Gunners are always a tough team to play in England, but how well they do against a tough Marseille side.
Borussia Dortmund v Olympiacos	Borussia Dortmund should claim all 3 points in this fixture.

Group G	Comments
Zenit v Shaktar Donetsk	Zenit could pull off an upset here in Russia. All in all, it should also be an even match-up.
APOEL v Porto	No comment.

Group H

Comments

Bate Borisov v AC Milan

With the exception of surprises, AC Milan will most likely win this match.

Plzen v Barcelona

Barcelona is a force to be reckoned with and therefore, will easily win this match.

Group A	Comments
Bayern Munich v Napoli	This is will be a very tough match indeed for the Italians as Napoli have demonstrated a dip in form of late.
Villarreal v Manchester City	How well will the yellow submarine from Villarreal do without their star striker Giuseppe Rossi?

Group B

Comments

Trabzonspor v CSKA Moskva

The surprising Turks might strike again in this match.

Internazionale v Lille

After losing to Juventus on Saturday, Inter are desperately looking for a win at the San Siro to boost up their spirits.

Group C	Comments
Manchester United v Otelul Galati	Manchester United will prove to be too much to handle at the Old Trafford.
Benfica v Basel	The Portuguese are favourites to win in this tie.

Group D	Comments
Lyon v Real Madrid	In front of their home crowd, Lyon will aim to put the Merengues under.
Ajax v Dinamo Zagreb	Tough call here but the Dutch from Amsterdam are slightly favoured.

That is the last word on soccer

Frank Luciano Giuliano

UFC 137: Don't Believe the Hype!

Posted on October 30, 2011November 5, 2021 by Mark Modeski

I have to admit, in terms of the actual fights last night I was a little disappointed; that said, in terms of the post-fight fall-out you really couldn’t ask for more. CroCop and BJ both hang up the towel, Diaz wins in “dominating-fasion” and then calls out GSP (and is subsequently awarded the fight), makes for something to talk about after watching some less than exciting fights. However, when you look back and think about things, I think the post-fight antics make more for good chatter than anything.

Let’s talk BJ’s “retirement” for starters. BJ was beaten to a bloody pulp – probably worse than I’ve ever seen. Afterwards he claimed that he doesn’t feel that he compete at the top level in the UFC anymore and will stepping aside as a result. My take, it’s sad to see BJ gone – but, I will bet dollars to doughnuts that you will see him back in the Octagon inside of two years. BJ is set to be the Brett Favre of MMA in my opinion.

CroCop’s retirement is so very sad to many – a true legend of the sport leaving the fight game. While, I do think it’s sad to see CroCop retire, he should have done it years ago. He has never looked overly impressive in the UFC, and suffered crushing defeats at the hands of some of some of the UFC’s less than elite (i.e. Gabriel Gonzaga, Brendan Schaub). Even in victory he has looked somewhat less than stellar. So, while it’s sad to see him go, this shouldn’t be a shocking revelation to anyone. Some people might look at this like pissing on a man’s grave, but I hate to see someone who helped shape a sport go out like this.

Nick Diaz. Nick Diaz beat BJ Penn in 29-28, he beat him on the feet with a 6 inch reach advantage, and BJ Penn looked like he was so gassed he could barely stand. I don’t want to detract from Diaz’s win, it was still impressive, but I think it’s important to look at the other side of the coin – it was a good win, not epic. If Diaz honestly thinks he’s going to have that easy of a time with GSP he is quite delusional; GSP has a bottomless gas tank, is much bigger than Diaz, has a similar stature and a lot of tools to beat an opponent. It looks like we’ll see in February if Diaz can back up his words, as Dana has granted him his title fight against GSP.

So, with all of that said – I just ask you to not believe all the hype! Remember it’s Dana White’s job to sell things, and he might make some issues seem bigger than they actually are to build buzz.

… and that is the last word.

Because We are the Champions, My Friend!

Posted on October 30, 2011November 4, 2021 by Grant Alexander

The Cardiac Cards! The Cinderella Cards! The Comeback Kids! How about the World Series Champs!!!

This is one fairy tale that didn’t end at midnight. In fact it will be etched into our minds forever, and in stone for eternity. They truly did the impossible, and it will go down as one of the single greatest “against all odds” Championship runs in baseball history. And here’s how it all started…

They did lose their top starter Adam Wainwright back in the preseason due to injury, and at one point in August were 10 1/2 games back of the wild card spot, but lets fast-forward to September. The 1st of September, or in the eyes of owners, managers, and coaches; team evaluation time. Is your team in the hunt? Coasting to a division title? Way down in the standings? Or the way they see it; time to push your players, over-rotate your top pitchers, and fight for every out. Time to rest your starters, and plan for the long postseason road ahead. Or time to jump ship, evaluate your rookies and assets, and get ready for next year. The Cards found themselves in the last of the three situations. They were 8 1/2 games back of the Atlanta Braves for the last spot into the playoffs, and it was time to look towards next season. Well, that was until the opinion of one wiley, veteran manager, named Tony La Russa. He looked at his group of guys as winners, as champions, and he set out to prove it. He was willing to fight to the last out and for every run, and they were willing to follow. Like a Commander leading his soldiers into battle, they were ready to fight, and fight they did.

They went 18-8 through the month of September, erasing the wild card deficit (also due to the Braves going 9-18 in Sept.), and clinching the last spot into the playoffs. They did it in dramatic fashion by winning the golden ticket on the last day of the regular season, and completing one of the greatest late-season comebacks in baseball history! But believe it or not, they were overshadowed. Their AL counterparts, the Tampa Bay Rays, overcame the same if not larger “insurmountable” odds during their late-season run. And won their golden ticket in even more dramatic fashion, by being down in the game, and down to their last strike in the ninth. I mean who actually rallies back to win when they’re down to their last strike?!? Foreshadowing aside, the Cards would never be “over” shadowed again. Queue the NLDS.

The NLDS pitted the Cards against the league best Philadelphia Phillies. The Cards were out-matched in this series, but they were flying high and had the whole city of St. Louis with them, including the wildlife. After losing 2 of the first 3, the Cards found themselves in a must win game 4. The Cards were up 1 in the 5th, their chances still looking bleak, when a squirrel ran across home plate while the redbirds were batting. The squirrel “helped” the Cards rally for 2 runs in the next inning to take the lead 5-2. The “Rally Squirrel” (much like the Florida Panthers’ rat) became a phenomenon throughout the city (and country to a lesser extent), sparking T-shirts, hats, a 25,000 follower Twitter account, and of course the Game 4 win. Game 5 saw both teams in a must win situation, which was apparent when they both sent their best pitcher to the mound. It was a good ‘ol fashion pitchers duel between Halladay of the Phillies, and Carpenter of the Cards. Carpenter pitched a masterful 9-inning shutout, becoming the first player to do so in a deciding game of the NLDS. Halladay was almost as good, going 8 innings and only giving up one run. That one run was enough, and Chris Carpenter’s Cardiac Cards were going to the NLCS!

The NLCS saw the Cards going up against their NL Central division rivals, the Milwaukee Brewers. The series wasn’t quite as dramatatic as the ALDS, but still provided plenty of excitement over the 6 games with both offences rolling with full steam. The 6 game series saw 69 runs on 118 hits, with 17 homeruns. Three of those homeruns came off of the bat of David Freese, as he propelled the Cards past the Brewers winning the series 4-2, and capturing the MVP award in the process. The Cardiac Cards were heading to the World Series! But meanwhile, on a diamond across the country, the Texas Rangers were also wrapping up their 7-game series in 6 against the Detroit Tigers. And MVP Nelson Cruz hit twice as many dingers as Freese, 1 of the 6 being a walk-off grand slam in the 11th inning of Game 2. The first one in MLB postseason history. The cards who battled hard to get here, were now up against their toughest challenge yet…

The World Series this year (like last year) didn’t have a dominate team like the Phillies. It didn’t have the New York Yankees, or the Boston Red Sox. And it didn’t have the viewership. Well, until one of the greatest games ever played forced the first Game 7 since 2002. Game 7 brought in the biggest audience since the Red Sox ended the curse of the Babe back in ’04. The series that nobody wanted to see, turned out to be one of the best ever. And for those who watched it from the begging were rewarded with some great baseball.

The series pitted two of the best managers in the game against each other. With both looking to out manage, and out micromanage each other. And with their ace’s on the mound in games 1 and 2, they were able to do just that. The Cards skip, La Russa, deployed a timely pinch-hit, to gain a one run win in Game 1. The Rangers skip, Washington, answered back. He was able to manufacture two runs in the top of the 9th inning of Game 2 via sac flies, to win Game 2. Game 3 saw the managers take more of a backseat, while the players duked it out with their bats. The two teams combined for 23 runs. The Cards scored 16 of them, which was two away from the World Series record set by the New York Yankees in 1936. A team record wasn’t set, but an individual record sure was.

Albert Pujols, the clear cut winner of game 3’s slugfest, jacked the ball three times throughout the course of the 9 innings. Tying records set in a World Series game for; most homeruns (3), most hits (5), and most RBI’s (6). And breaking records set in a World Series game for most consecutive innings with a hit (4), and most total bases (14). His teammate, David Freese, was pretty good with the stick too, getting two hits, and extending his postseason hitting streak to 13 games. The streak would end there making it the longest in Cardinals history. The reason it ended – Derek Holland. He came on the mound to pitch Game 4 for the Rangers, and he meant business. He shut the Cards out for 8 innings as the Rangers went on to win Game 4 by a score of 4-0.

With the series tied at 2, Game 5 saw the managers back in action, as Cards manager La Russa, made one of the biggest managerial errors ever. The game was tied 2-2 in the 8th inning when La Russa, looking for his closer (Motte), accidentally brought out two other pitchers due to a mixup with his bullpen. The Rangers took advantage of the mixup and cashed in two runs, winning the game 4-2. Game 6 headed back to Busch Stadium, and with it brought one of the most entertaining games I’ve ever watched. And experts are saying that is the single greatest baseball game ever played.

The game started out looking like an Abbott and Costello routine. It was some of the sloppiest baseball I have ever seen! Both teams combined for 5 errors, and I thought that was lenient. Bill Buchner would have been proud. But the nerves settled down as the game wore on, and the runs started to pour in. Texas lead 5 times in this game, and none more significant then when they scored three runs by hitting back-to-back homers (Beltre, Cruz) in the top of the 7th inning to go up 7-4. After giving one back in the 8th, Texas went into the bottom of the 9th, with their smoke-throwing closer (Feliz) on the mound, a 3-2 series lead, and up in the game 7-5. The Cards were down to their final 3 outs, and Texas was 3 outs away from being crowned the World Series Champs for the first time in history. But this is the 2011 Cards were taking about, the Cardiac Cards, the team of destiny! This was their year, and this was their night!

Pujols started things off with a one out double. Then Berkman took a four ball, free pass. And just like that the tying run was on first base. Allen Craig was up next, but went down swinging to a Neftali Feliz fastball, and the Cards were down to their last out. Hometown hero David Freese strolls to the plate with the season resting on his shoulders. Like his name suggests, he is cool, and calm at the plate. And with 2 strikes, 2 outs, in the bottom of the 9th, down 3-2 in the series, Freese makes history. He hits a long fly ball, over the head of Cruz, and off of the wall for a triple. Busch Stadium erupts as two runs cross the plate, sending the game into extra innings. The look on Rangers President Nolan Ryan’s face, said it all. But they were beaten, not broken.

Texas fought back and put up 2 runs of their own in the top of the 10th. But like I said before, this night belonged to the Cards. After two singles to start the inning, a well aimed bunt scored one run. Then with two out, and a man on, Cards slugger Pujols, stepped to the plate. Washington didn’t want to take any chances with the big hitter, so he signaled the intentional walk to get to the wiley veteran Lance Berkman. Old grey beard himself stepped up to the plate, and with 2 out and two strikes, made Washington pay for his decision. He singled up the middle, bringing in the tying run and locking the game (again) at 9’s. And this time, like the Russian in Rocky IV, they were broken. How can you beat a opponent who won’t stay down? So in the bottom of the 11th, who else; but already hero, David Freese, steps to the plate, and carves his name deeper into the history books. He hits the 4th ever, walk-off homerun, in World Series Game 6 history. Sending the Cards to Game 7 in heroic fashion. The Cards also set two World Series Records. The first, being the only team to come back twice from deficits in both the 9th and 10th innings. And the second, they are the only team to score in the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th innings consecutively.

Game 7 was just a formality. The series was won in Game 6 and everybody knew it. Texas made an attempt at the game, by scoring 2 runs in the first off of Cards ace Chris Carpenter. But Freese, once again, said don’t bother. He hit a two-run double in the bottom half of the inning, breaking the post season RBI record in the process. This time the Rangers listened. Carpenter, with some help from the bullpen, shut them down the rest of the way. And at one point it even seemed like the Rangers were afraid to pitch to the Cards offense. They hit two St. Louis batters, and walked another three, giving St. Louis 2 runs without them even hitting the ball! The Cards cruised to a 6-2 victory. And with the the last out still warming the pocket of Cards outfielder, Allen Craig’s glove; pandemonium broke out in Busch Stadium.

The players were jumping, hugging, and diving on each other. And would later go down to the locker room and celebrate by soaking each other (and everything in sight), in beer and champagne. The fans broke into a frenzy. From the stands, to the parking lot, to the hotel tower, to the parking garage; unabated inebriation. The Cardinals have done the impossible! Completing one of the most remarkable, improbable, memorable, come-from-behind, World Series victories ever! shattering countless team, and personal records in the process. Freese again won MVP honours, and will likely be bronzed somewhere in the city. The Cards brass, well, they stood out on the field for hours after the game and into the night, just soaking it in. The St. Louis Cardinals have won the World Series!

…and that is the last word.

The Only NFL Picks You Need – Week 8

Posted on October 30, 2011November 4, 2021 by Ben Kerr

The picks are back, baby! We have dug ourselves out of an ugly 0-4-1 hole and now sit at 16-14-4 on the season. Week four was missed due to technical difficulties (would have went 11-6). In week’s five and six I went exactly .500 (13-13). I saw this coming and that’s why I sat those week’s out and not because I am supremely lazy. Either way the picks are here to stay for the rest of the season , so tune in every weekend for the freest picks on the Internet. This figures to be a tough week with a lot of crooked numbers on the board but let’s take a shot.

(Home team in caps)

Indy +9 over TENNESSEE – This is a large number to cover especially in a divisional game. The line is slightly inflated because of the Colts blowout last week at the hands of the Saints. It is tough to know how they will respond to such a thorough beating, especially as a winless team with no hope. But if we try to factor that in then we exclude the fact Tennessee got a similar beating at home against Houston. What matters is that the Titans have only put up over 26 points once on the season and that was with a defensive TD. The Colts on the other hand were playing very competitive before last week, never losing by 9 or more in the previous 5 weeks.

Minnesota +3.5 over CAROLINA – The “Wasted Career” game of the week. Adrian Peterson continues to run hard for a 1-6 team that really is not even that good at run blocking anymore. Steve Smith has rejuvenated his career with the best QB he has ever had a chance to play with. At a position where you are totally dependent on the quarterback for your success Steve Smith has had impressive run with a bunch of poor QB’s. I don’t know if there is anything more impressive than what Steve Smith has done the last 10 years. For this week I like Peterson because Carolina has the worst run D in the league and I liked how they were able to play against the Packers last week.

HOUSTON -9.5 over Jacksonville and NEW YORK GIANTS -9.5 over Miami – usually I would have a hard time looking at those points and then grabbing the favorite. But these two dogs are special – they can’t score TD’s. Jacksonville has 6 TD’s all season and this includes their Hail Mary against Carolina right before half-time. They also rank dead last in yards per drive and passing offense. Miami is in shambles from top to bottom and Matt Moore hasn’t helped the situation. They have scored four TD’s in five games since week one. This includes only one TD in 2.5 games since Matt Moore took over at QB. If these teams do decide to score some points on Sunday the Giants and Texans have shown the ability to score into the 30’s.

New Orleans -13.5 over ST. LOUIS – The Saints aren’t always the most reliable road team, and this time they are coming off a blow-out win and have a big re-match versus Tampa next week. If Sam Bradford was starting this game I wouldn’t like it. But I just can’t back A.J. Feely at this point. The Rams suck and their QB isn’t even playing. New Orleans scored 62 points last week and the Rams have scored 56 points all season. What more do you need to know?

BALTIMORE -12.5 over Arizona – Maybe I am insane for backing the Ravens and so many points after last week. But I just don’t like backing Kevin Kolb. It’s that simple.

BUFFALO -4.5 over Washington – Buffalo is technically the home team here but I am not sure how much advantage is gained from playing in the large and lonely Skydome. I hate everything about this game, but I will lean towards the rested team over the squad with all the skill position injuries. One good point I heard this week is that maybe because the Bills don’t totally suck this year for the first time in forever the Toronto fans will actually show up to the Skydome to cheer them on this week. Maybe.

Detroit -1.5 over DENVER – This is not a lead pipe lock but I can’t see any reason to take Denver here. Detroit has struggled on offense recently, especially on 3rd down. They also can’t run the ball at all. This makes them one-dimensional and puts too much pressure on Stafford. Stafford is proving he has a great arm but is not the most accurate passer. So when you have an all pass offense you are not doing to have many sustained drives with an inaccurate QB. But on the other hand you have the Denver offense. They had 0 points for over 50 minutes last week against Miami, and while the Detroit offense is struggling the defense is a solid unit. How does a team that was a 5 point favorite over Atlanta last week go to only a 1.5 favorite at Denver the next week. I like Detroit here, whether Stafford or Hill is starting at QB.

Cleveland +9 over SAN FRAN – 9 points is way too much for Alex Smith to handle. He won’t know what to do with all those points. I am afraid that the Cleveland offense which doesn’t make any big plays is going to be bottled up by the San Fran D because they can’t stretch the field. I am really afraid of the San Fran special teams making one big play and blowing this one wide-open. But then I think of Alex Smith and 9 points and I know what to do.

SEATTLE +1 over Cincy – This line has dropped from 3 points down to 1, and most people have been taking Cincy! Makes me wish I wrote this on Thursday. Seattle only getting 1 point is an ugly proposition but I think Cincy’s 4 victories have them slightly over-rated. Seattle is a tough place to play and as unlikely as it may seem I think this is Cincy’s second toughest game of the season.

New England -2.5 over PITTSBURGH – This is a real tough game to pick but I am happy to grab it at 2.5. At 3 I might go for the Steelers. Here is what I think I know. The Patriots score 30 points every game. The Steelers usually don’t have an answer to stop Brady so I don’t see why they would have one now. So it is up to the Steelers offense to score with the Pats. As bad as the Patriots defense is I just don’t feel very good about the Pittsburgh attack right now. Even when they were hanging 30 on Arizona last week I never felt like they were a power house.

Dallas +3 over PHILLY – Did the bye week make everyone forget that Philly is not a good team? I know that Andy Reid usually has his team prepared after a bye but how much better could they really have gotten? To me Dallas is clearly a better team. I would say this is close to 50-50 for who wins the game. So getting the 3 points is just gravy.

KANSAS CITY +3.5 over San Diego – Norv Turner taking his team on the road to Arrowhead for Monday Night Football against a division rival with a decided home field advantage and the game is on Halloween. Oh Yeah!

Last week: 8-4-1

Season: 16-14-4

Inside the NFL – Day Three – Putting the Bills in Perspective

Posted on October 29, 2011November 4, 2021 by Ben Kerr

Buffalo Bills – Sometimes it is worth while to throw out an early season result when trying to evaluate a team. In the case of the Bills they dominated a KC team in week 1 that has subsequently proven they showed up unprepared for the season. If we remove that result we can focus on the other games to get a clearer picture of what the Bills are.

In weeks two and three they were down big against Oakland and New England, but were able to rack up second half points and steal victories. In week four they went on the road to face a tough Bengals defense and came up a little short. Week’s five and six had the Bills face off against the NFC East. They split their matches versus the Eagles (win) and Giants (loss). In both games turnovers were the difference.

Can we draw on these games to get a clearer picture of the Bills? I think the weeks two and three games most clearly illustrate the type of team the Bills are and will be. In both games they fell behind without putting up much resistance. They rode an offense that can produce quick plays to second half comebacks. These games display the Bills biggest strengths and weaknesses. The Bills defense is really not a strong unit. They lack any physicality and they have no way to pressure the passer. They have two really strong players on the D-line but they have yet to take over a game. Their single strength appears to be the ability of their secondary to cause turnovers. But when the Bills are not causing turnovers they struggle to stop their opponent. Their ability to win both games highlighted the strength of their offense. They can spread the field and carve defenses up with quick passes. Fred Jackson can run from the spread and is a major threat in the passing game as well. Because the offense is running so smoothly on the short game the long ball has been opened up.

In week three they got a big turnover early to get a lead on Cincy. But when the turnovers dried up the low-power Bengals offense was able to grind out the points needed for a ‘W’. The Bills were unable to move the ball effectively against the first good defense they had to face all season and Fitzpatrick ended with less than 200 yards passing.

Against the Eagles the Bills forced five turnovers. Their offense was able to run on the Eagles, but the Bills real accomplishment was being able to turn the Eagles turnovers in TD’s. With the Eagles playing from behind they were able to gain 489 total yards which highlighted the Bills inability to get stops when not causing turnovers.

When the Bills played in New York they gained an early lead but turned the ball over when it mattered most and ultimately were only able to produce seven points in the second half. On the defensive side the Bills again gave up over 400 yards and this time were gashed on the ground by Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw who had 100 yards and three TD’s.

We can see some trends developing. The Bills are a team with a strong offense but no defense to fall back on when they are not scoring. They have given up 23 or more points to every opponent since KC. So what does this mean for the Bills going forward? It means they will rely on their offense to carry them the rest of the season. I have my doubts this can happen. Ryan Fitzpatrick is the real breakout start for the Bills this season; he is playing better than he ever has. I am not sure how much longer he can play at this high level. Chan Gailey, Head Coach of the Bills, and Fitzpatrick have fully employed Gailey’s style of offense with much success early on. But whenever a team is winning with scheme early you have to cautious. Often the league will catch up with these teams and then it is on the players to win their match-ups. The other breakout star is Fred Jackson. He is the Bills most important player and his ability to break long-runs is what makes this scheme dangerous and does not enable the defense to focus on getting to Fitzpatrick.

Because of their less-than-stellar defense, winning road games will be difficult – the Bills are 0-2 on the road ignoring the opening week. This is offset by Ralph Wilson stadium and what might be the best home field advantage in the league. When the Bills are on top of their game no fans go crazier than Bills fans. For the Bills to make the playoffs they may have to run the slate in home games and steal one on the road. This would put them at 10 wins. The road steal is an easy pick: @ Miami week 11 (the rest of the road slate is very tough). But before we arrive at week 11 we get to see if this Bills team really means business during the next two weeks. They play two home games against Washington and the Jets. Winning the Jets division match will be crucial, but the game against the Skins may be the tougher match-up. The Bills will have to play this game without their Ralph Wilson crowd and instead play in the dead atmosphere of the Skydome. Yes, that it what it is called.

If the Bills escape these next two games 2-0 then I will start to buy them as a playoff team.

Check back each week for my predictions.

And that is the last word.

Inside Serie A – Weeks 8, 9 and 10

Posted on October 29, 2011November 4, 2021 by Frank Giuliano

Week 8 Review of the Serie A

Week 8 provided far more excitement compared to week 7. FC Internazionale finally scored their first goal on home turf that gave the Nerazzurri their first win at the Giuseppe Meazza 1- 0 against the flying donkies Chievo-Verona. Thiago-Motta returned to the line up and scored a beautiful header. Juventus FC tied Genoa 2-2 at the Juventus Stadium. The Bianconeri had a roaring start and took the lead from an on-form Alessandro Matri six minutes in to the game. Marco Rossi equalised for the Grifone with an unlikely mistake from Italian international defender Giorgio Chiellini. Matri then gave Juve the go-ahead goal with his second of the night in the second half. At the end of the game in the 90^th minute, Chiellini’s slack defending cost the Bianconeri the 3 points as Caracciolo equalised with a great solo effort. SSC Napoli tied 0-0 at Cagliari. AC Milan took advantage of Juventus’ and Napoli ties, even though it didn’t start like that at bottom of the table side Lecce. The Rossoneri were surprisingly losing 3-0 by the first half! But in the second half, Massimiliano Allegri’s side woke up with the introduction of Kevin-Prince Boetang who immediately made an impact scoring his first career hat-trick tieing up the game 3-3, and in the final minutes, Mario Yepes, in for the injured Thiago Silva, scored the game-winner to give Milan a huge comeback win 4-3! This could be Milan’s turning point of the season.

Week 9 Review

In mid-week action, Atalanta put Inter’s one game winning streak to an end tieing 1-1 in Bergamo. Wesley Snejider opened the scoring and Denis equalised for Atalanta. Juventus FC got past ACF Fiorentina 2-1 in Torino with Leonardo Bonucci opening the scoring. Stefan Jovetic continued his good form for the Viola tieing the game up 1-1 in the second half. Then, Alessandro Matri scored a beautiful right foot blast, after a great effort assist from Simone Pepe, who won it for the Bianconeri. SSC Napoli got out of their mini slump with a 2-0 defeat over Udinese. Ezequiel Lavezzi and Christian Maggio netted for the Partenopei. At the San Siro, it was The MILAN SHOW where the Rossoneri dominated from start to finish in a thumping 4-1 win over the ducali of Parma with goals from an unlikely source – Antonio Nocerino scored his first ever hat-trick (and will most likely be his only). Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the 4^th goal and Sebastian Giovinco getting a consolation goal and continues to lead Serie A with six goals.

WEEK 10 Preview

Week 10 is going to be a very good week for Italian Soccer. AC Milan travels to AS Roma in the stadium where the Rossoneri clinched the Scudetto last season. Allegri’s men are looking to continue their fine form of late. The Giallorossi are looking for to return to winning ways after suffering a deafeat in mid-week. The biggest fixture of the weekend will be the Derby d’Italia in which Juventus FC will face to Internazionale FC at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium in Milan. The Nerazzurri desperately need the three points as it would be a morale-boosting victory to beat their big rivals who sit in first place. Good news for Juventus, Gianluigi Buffon will be back for this tie, who will be looking to win to stay in front of the pack in the Serie A. ACF Fiorentina hosts Genoa. The Viola are winless in 4 games. The Fiorentina players state they are standing behind their head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic. Udinese are looking to keep pace with the pack, hosting a stubborn Palermo side. Catania Calcio host SSC Napoli. The Partenopei will have some issues in Catania who has a very good home record. In their last home encounter, Catania defeated Inter 2-1.

Here are the results of Week 8 and 9, and the fixture list for Week 10:

Week 8		23/10/11
Bologna	0-2	Lazio
Cagliari	0-0	Napoli
Fiorentina	2-2	Catania
Inter	1-0	Chievo
Juventus	2-2	Genoa
Lecce	3-4	Milan
Parma	1-2	Atalanta
Roma	1-0	Palermo
Siena	2-0	Cesena
Udinese	3-0	Novara

Week 9		26/10/11
Atalanta	1-1	Inter
Cesena	1-1	Cagliari
Chievo	0-1	Bologna
Genoa	2-1	Roma
Juventus	2-1	Fiorentina
Lazio	1-1	Catania
Milan	4-1	Parma
Napoli	2-0	Udinese
Novara	1-1	Siena
Palermo	2-0	Lecce

Week 10		30/10/11
Bologna	–	Atalanta Bologna
Cagliari	–	Lazio Tie
Catania	–	Napoli Catania
Fiorentina	–	Genoa Fiorentina
Inter	–	Juventus Tie
Lecce	–	Novara Novara
Parma	–	Cesena Parma
Roma	–	Milan Tie
Siena	–	Chievo Siena
Udinese	–	Palermo Udinese

That is the last word on Soccer.

Frank Luciano Giuliano

Inside the NFL – Day Two

Posted on October 28, 2011November 4, 2021 by Ben Kerr

Yesterday we spent some time reviewing the Patriots and Vikings. Today let’s take a closer look at Atlanta and Tampa Bay.

Atlanta – Much was made about Atlanta’s poor start early on, but after week seven Atlanta sits with a 4-3 record coming off back to back victories. I am not a huge Atlanta supporter, but they were probably never as bad as was perceived. Atlanta is a team that has a style they have to play to be successful. They aren’t devoid of talent but they aren’t over-flowing with it either. They play a steady game avoiding turnovers and penalties and it usually works out for them. Let’s start with last season; Atlanta went 13-3 but they were never that good. They were a 10-6 type team that squeezed out one or two more victories than they should have in close games and also got to play the NFC West (4-0). So coming into this season the perception should have been one of them being an average, to above average team, not a world-beater like I think most thought.

Let’s look at their style. Atlanta likes to run the ball. This helps them because they are one of the few teams that like to pound the rock so they can be tough to prepare for. They also like to throw over the middle to the TE short, or outside-the-numbers short routes – often coming back to the QB – to the Wide Receivers. And Matt Ryan is under center a lot. Their lack of spread formations limits their big play ability and their ability to put up huge points. I don’t think it is a coincidence that Atlanta has pulled out two wins in the two games Julio Jones has missed. I think Jones can be a terrific player, but he was brought to Atlanta because of their perceived lack of explosiveness. He was then forced into the lineup and Atlanta began running plays that featured Julio Jones, instead of plays that fit their offense. While Jones’ numbers looked fine Atlanta overall was not clicking. With Jones out Atlanta gave up their forced attempts to be explosive and got back to running their offense.

Jones is a terrific athlete but I am not sure he is a very polished receiver. His route running and ability to catch the ball in-stride coming out of breaks does not appear to be at a top-notch NFL level. Even though he was not quite as fantastic I am not sure the discarded Michael Jenkins was not a better fit for this offense.

Regardless of his abilities Atlanta’s offense works best in tight games or games where they have the lead. Then they can dictate the pace of the game and call all the plays they are most comfortable with.

Their defense is an average unit. There may be time for them to improve as the season goes along but I do not see them as dominant. The one player who appears like he can take over games is DT Jonathan Babineaux. He suffered a knee injury early in the season and has not been a force on the line since. They are best when playing in their base defense and have not generated enough pressure this season to perform well when they are spread out.

How does this help us analyze Atlanta? We can see that the Chicago game was one that got away from them. They fell behind early and got out of their offensive rhythm which led to turnovers. They also lost to Green Bay – a team that was able to spread them out and attack their depth in the secondary. Look for Atlanta to be in every game for the rest of the season. And don’t be shocked if their season doesn’t end on January 1st.

Tampa Bay – There are two stories to tell about Tampa Bay; First, is of their offense and their forced attempt to utilize one of their key members, just like Atlanta, and the other is a match-up issue. First things first:

Tampa is better without Lagarette Blount. His downhill running style could be an asset to their offense but the way they use him hurts the team. When he is available they act like they are a run first, grind-it-out team. In reality they are Josh Freeman’s team. When they win or lose it is because of him and the ball should be in his hands. Give Josh the ball and spread it out. Put Lagarette into the fold and feel free to use him late in the game when you have a lead. He is a complementary player, not a feature player.

The other issue I recognized while watching them play division games. Clearly the coaching staff is very familiar with their own division and is able to game-plan very well to stop the tough offenses they have to face. They were able to play two very close games against Atlanta and New Orleans while they haven’t really been close in any of their non-division games against decent competition (Detroit – San Fran – Chicago).

Remember this when considering Tampa and their defense, but this also applies for the rest of the league’s defences. Part of the reason scoring has been so high is that defenses need to scheme and execute almost perfectly to stop NFL offenses. This was made more difficult given the shortened off-season. But with division opponents, where few changes have been made, the scouting has already been done. Consequently, the scores are lower and the results are tighter. You could say this is the same as every year, but I think it will be more pronounced this year. Especially early on.

Check back tomorrow for “Inside the NFL – Day Three”.

And that is the last word…

College Football Picks, Week 9

Posted on October 28, 2011November 4, 2021 by Lindsay Higgins

#11 Michigan State @ #14 Nebraska: I’m really torn on this. Is Michigan State going to experience an emotional letdown after last week’s thrilling last-second victory over Wisconsin, or will they have gained confidence from it and come out firing, feeling like they can beat anyone? I’m gonna go with their defense over Nebraska’s somewhat struggling offense. (Oh, and a side note- the Spartan’s mascot, with that ginormous head, is creepy).

Missouri @ #16 Texas A&M: I’m in the same quandry predicting how the Aggies will react to last week’s upset of then-#3 Oklahoma. Missouri, however, is far less dangerous than Nebraska. I won’t be shocked if it’s close, I also wouldn’t be shocked by a blowout, but A&M will win.

Purdue @ #18 Michigan: I’m not sure how Purdue pulled off the Illinois upset last week; I’ve been less-than-impressed with the Boilermakers this season. Michiganshould get back on track Saturday after their Week 7 loss to Sparty followed by their off week.

#10 Arkansas @ Vanderbilt: Arkansas by at least two TDs.

#12 Virginia Tech @ Duke: VT by at least two TDs.

Washington State @ #7 Oregon: Oregon by at least two TDs.

Baylor @ #3 Oklahoma State: I’m going to go out on a limb and pick this as my upset of the week. Baylor.

#9 Oklahoma @ #8 Kansas State: K-State has a good football team, but I can’t see Oklahoma losing two in a row. I’m taking the Sooners.

Illinois @ #19 Penn State: Interesting game. Illinois was ranked until losing to Purdue last week; Penn State has a good record but hasn’t played anybody all that impressive aside from Alabama, a game they lost. I’m taking Penn State at home in a close one.

#22 Georgia @ Florida: Ah, the game formerly known as The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Another tough one to pick. Georgia has been unimpressive to me, although admittedly I haven’t seen an entire Georgia game in a few weeks now. Florida has lost three in a row, but two of those losses were to #1 LSU and #2 Alabama. If Florida has QB John Brantley healthy for the game, they should be able to get themselves back on track. If they have to play one of their true freshman backups again, the Dawgs can take it.

#25 West Virginia @ Rutgers: A conference game soon to be a non-conference game – maybe. My pick is WV.

Colorado @ #21 Arizona State: ASU by at least 14.

Iowa State @ #20 Texas Tech: TT flies under the radar a bit, probably because it’s one of several ranked teams in the Big 12. They should beat the Cyclones handily.

Ole Miss @ #23 Auburn: Auburn’s ranking goes to show you just how dominant LSU is. Auburn lost to them 45-10 last week, and they’re still ranked. I expect the Tigers to rebound this week against a weak Ole Miss team.

#13 South Carolina @ Tennessee: The Gamecocks suffered a major blow last weekend when RB Marcus Lattimore’s season ended due to a knee injury. They shouldn’t miss him all that much against a mediocre Tennessee team.

#5 Clemson at Georgia Tech: Clemson has tough opponents in three of their next four games (Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, and South Carolina). A lot of teams have had trouble stopping the Yellow Jackets’ triple-option, but I think Clemson’s defense is up to the task. Not one of my more confident picks, but I’m taking Clemson.

#6 Stanford @ USC: USC looked very good beating Notre Dame last week, but Stanford is on another level altogether (apologies to B.Kerr). I can’t see them beating Stanford.

#15 Wisconsin @ Ohio State: I expect the Badgers to be angry and ornery after last week’s loss to Michigan State, and I don’t think the Buckeyes have the skill to handle it.

Leave My Game Alone!

Posted on October 28, 2011November 4, 2021 by Grant Alexander

Well it looks like the critics have put fighting on the back burner and taken up a new crusade – mandatory visors. They want to make visors mandatory for every player entering the NHL. Visors are currently optional, and some players do wear them, but they are planning to “grandfather” them in, like they did hockey helmet. So if you are in the NHL and not wearing one, you never have to, but every new player joining the league, must. So basically every player will be wearing a visor in ten years time, depending on how stubborn the next Craig MacTavish is (last guy to play without a bucket).

I am, surprise, surprise, completely against it. Just like my stance on taking fighting out of hockey. Stop childproofing the game I love! I understand there is an issue of player safety, and I’m all for it. I don’t want to see things like blind-side headshots, nor do I want to see players swing their sticks like baseball bats. But come on, lets be reasonable; hockey is a fast-paced, physical sport, and there are risks to it. But that’s why I play and love it. I love the risk/reward that the game of hockey offers. If I wanted to cry every time somebody touched me I’d play basketball or soccer.

Look, all I’m saying is that if you don’t like it, don’t play it, there’s always ringette. Leave my game alone! The funny thing is, the large majority of writers, analysts, and advocates that are on the side of light contact, visors, and no fighting, don’t play hockey. I used to have a friend that would say, “If you don’t play hockey, I don’t want to hear your opinion”. I used to think that was a rude, closed-minded point of view, but now I’ve come to think, to a certain degree, he has a point. Sometimes you just can’t fully understand something until you’ve done it. And this leads me to the visor debate.

Safety is the main argument for those in favour of visors. I concede that it would prevent some eye and face-related injuries. It’s not that much of a stretch considering it’s mandatory to wear cages and visors from minor hockey all the way to pro. In minor hockey a player must wear a cage, or a cage and visor combination. In junior hockey a player can opt for just a visor, removing the full or bottom cage. And obviously in professional leagues (or any men’s or adult leagues) a player can wear any of the above, or nothing at all.

What’s wrong with the system we already have in place? The current system assures kids are fully protected, allows teenagers a little more freedom regarding their safety, and allows adults to make their own decision. What’s wrong with allowing adults to make their own decision, you ask? Well nothing, except for the fact that most of them chose not to wear the visor. The reason is that it impedes your vision. The technology these days is good, but it’s not good enough. You might retort, “Well if you play your whole life with a visor, it shouldn’t impede your vision because you would be used to it”. Not the case at all. You don’t wear a visor 24/7 so it’s still obtrusive to your vision when you put it on. And if you don’t play the game, you wouldn’t know that. And if your livelihood depends on your success as a hockey player, why would you want to handicap yourself? And then you might say, “If it’s mandatory for everyone, then it would still be an even playing field”. Really? So the answer is to handicap everyone? Make the league a shadow of it’s former self? What’s next, neck guards? Plastic blades? Full body armour? Bubble wrap?

I want to see the best this game has to offer, and if it comes at the price of a few stitches so be it. Watching a player get stitched up on the bench is something we all used to be proud of, as Canadians, and as hockey fans. And for the record I still am. And I know the players that are passionate about the game would agree, and they still wear their war wounds with pride, as they should. Yes, they do get millions of dollars to sacrifice their bodies, but even if they didn’t, they’d be down at the local rink doing it for free. Some say, “The tough guy, macho thing, is dead. Common sense now reins supreme, and we have ways to get the same result without putting yourself in harms way”. That may be true. And there is nothing wrong with using your intelligence to make calculated decisions. But sometimes you just want to feel alive, do anything for the thrill of victory, or show your team what they mean to you. So you’ll dive and block that shot, crash the net hard, or grab the biggest guy on the ice after he bumped your goalie. Sometimes a guy just wants to be a guy. You say, “That you don’t understand what that means and that its just a cliché saying”. And I say, “If you don’t understand it, maybe hockey’s not for you. Leave it for the guys that do understand”.

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Month: October 2011