| Suns will use adjustable ticket pricing Amar’e Stoudemire is gone, but adjustable ticket prices based on demand have arrived for the Phoenix Suns this upcoming season. feeds.bizjournals.com |
Va. Tech blanks BC 19-0 to rebound from bad start By JIMMY GOLEN 2010-09-25T19:56:31ZBOSTON (AP) -- Virginia Tech cornerback Jayron Hosley intercepted Dave Shinskie in the end zone, and linebacker Davon Morgan stopped the Boston College quarterback at the goal line as time ran out in the first half to help the Hokies shut out the Eagles 19-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams on Saturday.... hosted.ap.org |
Huddlestone aiming to impress England • Champions League offers chance to impress Fabio Capello• Spurs midfielder highlights 'mental fatigue' of elite leagueTom Huddlestone feels top London-based footballers "can't do anything" in their free time because of the intensity of the spotlight on them but he knows it could burn more unforgivingly still if he achieves his ambitions with Tottenham Hotspur and England.The midfielder continued his eye-catching form in the Champions League victory over FC Twente at White Hart Lane on Wednesday and he is determined to rise to the mental challenge of Europe's premier competition and help Spurs advance into the knock-out phase.That would offer Huddlestone the platform to press his international claims. He was part of the stand-by squad for Fabio Capello's World Cup party, only to be discarded and, surprisingly, he has not been selected in either of the manager's squads so far this season. As ever, he will have his fingers crossed on Monday, when Capello names his players for the Euro 2012 qualifying tie against Montenegro at Wembley on Tuesday week. He may be extra anxious in light of Uefa's investigation into an incident in Wednesday's match in which he caught Twente's Marc Janko with an elbow."It was disappointing to miss out on the World Cup but Lampard, Gerrard, Carrick and Barry went before me and they are all playing at massive clubs in the league," he said. "You've just got to hold your hands up. Three of those players also play in the Champions League season in, season out and that's what cements their places in the England squad."So if I can play a lot of games for Spurs this season and we can progress quite far in the competition, then it just gives me more ammunition to get into the squad and stay there."Tottenham have, to borrow Huddlestone's phrase, "looked jaded" in the Premier League this season, as they adjust to the new experience of coping with the additional demands of the Champions League. The manager, Harry Redknapp, has already said the competition is a huge step up from the Europa League."Everybody wants to get into the Europa League and when they do, they want to get out of it," he said. "But the Champions League is special. That is the one."Huddlestone admitted the scrutiny which came with the Champions League was draining and it might have contributed to Tottenham's erratic domestic start. They entertain Aston Villa tomorrow."Mentally, it's tough, especially in the league games, when teams are just sitting in against us. Last year teams thought they could beat us and it was more of an open game, which is when we're at our best. But we've just got to get on with it."Mistakes are highlighted a lot more but the mental fatigue of the Champions League comes because players are a lot more clever and so you are working harder mentally than physically. All of it takes its toll."Huddlestone joked that one fringe benefit of such a packed schedule meant there was less time to get out and about in the capital. "The spotlight is very difficult, especially living in or around London. You can't do anything. People with cameras turn up even if you're out shopping in the afternoon."If there's ever any pictures in the paper, it's usually people in London, not Manchester or Newcastle. You've got to have certain limits but, if you're performing on the pitch, then most things off it sort of go by the wayside. It's when you're not performing on the pitch that people highlight it and use it to make excuses."Tottenham HotspurChampions LeagueDavid Hytnerguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Gateway raceway owner calls off merger Dover Motorsports, parent of Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill., won’t be merging with Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment Inc., the companies said late Wednesday. (DVD) feeds.bizjournals.com |
Exeter 9-12 London Irish | Premiership match report Exeter 9-12 London IrishLondon Irish returned to the top of the table tonight, taking away Exeter's unbeaten home record but making heavy weather of doing it. Ten minutes from time they trailed by three points until Ryan Lamb completed a perfect performance with the boot.After the brightest of starts to Exeter's time in the top division, there was a feeling that sides were starting to work them out. Leicester used muscle, Harlequins upped the pace. However, Irish never had a chance of exercising any superiority against a side which may not be easy on the eye, but know how to scrap.Tonight they were the perfect awkward squad, besting Irish in the tight and then looking to steal the win with a drop goal by their replacement fly-half, Ryan Davis, who had been on the pitch barely a minute. Unfortunately for the best gate of the season here, Ryan Lamb also had his kicking boots on.Delon Armitage, the England full-back, was back after the week off due under his England contract, but Irish are still short of an openside flanker and with James Scaysbrook early into the action for Exeter, the lack of balance showed from the start. Steffon Armitage could be ready for Sale next week, but Chris Hala'uifa was again in the No7 shirt, continuing life on the learning curve which started with Ospreys and the Heineken Cup defeat last week.Scrum-half Haydn Thomas also exposed a lack of experience at the set piece, darting through a hole that should have housed a back-rower, to offer Gareth Steenson an early chance to add to his mounting pile of penalties.Amazingly, the fly-half missed, but even with the wind in their faces, possession and pressure – if not the points – were all going Exeter's way. In fact, Ryan Lamb filched the lead for Irish during a rare visit to Exeter territory, but with Exeter also proving a handful in the scrum – even if Wayne Barnes did not think it was always done legally – control rested with the home side.Luckily for them, Barnes was equally harsh on Irish for collapsing first a scrum and then a maul. Steenson landed both penalties, but just when Sandy Park was gaining optimism, and thought their team was heading for a well-earned draw, Nick Kennedy nicked a lineout on Exeter's line and Lamb landed the resulting penalty.PremiershipRugby unionExeterLondon IrishMike Averisguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |