| Florida's Rainey arrested, charged with stalking By 2010-09-14T17:12:16ZGAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Florida receiver Chris Rainey has been charged with aggravated stalking, a third-degree felony.... hosted.ap.org |
Green escapes censure after gesture • Robert Green's gesture just 'emotion', says Avram Grant• Rafael van der Vaart a lone bright light for flat SpursIn the lead-up to this London derby it emerged that Robert Green had been consulting West Ham's club chaplain, Alan Bolding, in an effort to regain his confidence. Jesus saves but Green fumbles the rebound, as the old football joke might have gone. At the end of 90 minutes, during which West Ham's goalkeeper made several fine saves to contribute significantly to their first Premier League win of the season, Green looked up – not to the heavens but towards the Upton Park press box. He offered a distinctly secular straight-arm gesture to those he feels have been less than sympathetic during a trying period of form.It was a display of pique that his manager, Avram Grant, refused to censure, although the Football Association is expected to review the incident today. "Emotion is good, if you take it the right way. I don't think emotion is a negative thing in a player," Grant said. "He [Green] is my first choice and he will be my first choice until he will prove that he is not. He has been training very well. It is all about attitude because he has the talent."This could yet turn into a significant staging post in Grant's Upton Park career, as was indicated by the manager's own unrestrained spasm of touchline delight at the final whistle. Not only did West Ham, who were bottom of the table at the start of play, take all three points against a team they had not beaten for four years; they also performed with great energy and no little style. Their new front pairing of Victor Obinna and Frédéric Piquionne, with Carlton Cole dropped to the bench, looked encouragingly potent."We have a project, not just for one year, but to put West Ham in the right place," Grant said. "We don't have a lot of money to spend so we choose hungry players who want to succeed. You saw Obinna, you saw Piquionne."Piquionne scored the only goal after 29 minutes, rising above a flat-footed Vedran Corluka to head in Mark Noble's corner. The corner had been won by a speedy burst from Kieron Dyer, who was making his 10th start in three years on the right of midfield. He had been giving Gareth Bale one of his harder recent afternoons but Dyer left the field shortly after the goal, suffering from what Grant described as "dizziness", perhaps induced by almost making it through an entire half.If Grant feels his physically imposing team are on the rise, for Spurs things are less clear. "We had chances and it might have been different if they'd gone in," Harry Redknapp said, focusing in particular on a miss by Tom Huddlestone in the 55th minute, the midfielder failing to hit the target after rounding Green.In truth, Spurs looked flat. Denuded of attacking thrust by Bale's withdrawal to left-back in place of the injured Benoît Assou-Ekotto and by Aaron Lennon's dip in form ("a confidence thing," according to Redknapp), they were also worryingly vulnerable in the air at the back, where Michael Dawson, Ledley King, William Gallas and Younes Kaboul are out injured. A lone bright spark was provided by Rafael van der Vaart, in a largely thankless role behind the ineffective Peter Crouch. The Dutchman's passing and appreciation of space had his manager enthusing over the potential of a pairing with the injured Jermain Defoe.Assou-Ekotto will be fit for the home Champions League fixture against FC Twente on Wednesday, although only King of the injured centre-halves has a chance of joining him. Gallas suffered a groin tear in training on Friday and will not return until after the forthcoming international break."It's very important we get a win," said Redknapp. "It's a very open group. [Internazionale] would still be favourites but after that it's very tight. Twente have got some very good players but, when the crowd are up, White Hart Lane will be an intimidating atmosphere. Against Young Boys we attacked them from the start and that's how we've got to play our European games."Premier LeagueWest Ham UnitedTottenham HotspurBarney Ronayguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Crittenton eyes return with Bobcats after gun flap By MIKE CRANSTON 2010-10-02T15:56:52ZWILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) -- Javaris Crittenton had little chance to distinguish himself in his first two seasons in the NBA. Then he became famous last year for the wrong reason - as the "other guy" in the Gilbert Arenas gun saga.... hosted.ap.org |
NKorea loses bid to compete at gymnastics worlds By 2010-10-14T15:37:37ZLAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) -- North Korea will not be able to send teams to the 2012 London Olympics after international gymnastics officials rejected the federation's appeal of a ban imposed because a gymnast falsified her age.... hosted.ap.org |
Byrd takes lead at Justin Timberlake's PGA Tour event Jonathan Byrd shot an 8-under 63 on Friday at rain-softened TPC Summerlin to take the second-round lead at 13 under in the Justin Timberlake ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |