| Rodriguez's HR in 9th sends Yankees past Orioles, back into first place Alex Rodriguez hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning, his second of the game, and the New York Yankees rallied for a 4-3 victory over the ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Daily Playoff Pitch: Giants the big winners; Tampa Bay has an advantage Tampa Bay positioned itself for a big finish. Look who has the best record in baseball (hint: They don't play in the AL East). If it's Friday ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Robert Kitson: Welsh giants best Heineken Cup bet The English sides must do better but Ospreys and Cardiff Blues could be the stiffest threat to a Clermont-Toulouse monopolyBarely has one European side departed a sodden Wales than 24 teams from the same continent begin the long, mud-spattered haul towards Cardiff next May. As with the Ryder Cup, it pays not to assume a predictable journey. Logic suggests the 16th edition of the Heineken Cup will again be drenched in celebratory French champagne but, as in matchplay golf, the spirit of the Marquis de Sade is never far away.Exquisite torture is a fair way to describe a tournament which grows ever harder to win. In the case of Pools Two and Three, simply qualifying for the last eight will demand such reserves of willpower that survivors will feel they have withstood half a dozen hurricanes. Clermont Auvergne, Racing Métro, Leinster or Saracens? Munster, Ospreys, Toulon or London Irish? Even those clubs who finish third will be suffused with quiet pride.The bookmakers, never knowingly wrong, are backing Toulouse, closely followed by Leicester and the French champions Clermont. It is worryingly easy to see Stade cruising through their less fiendish pool, securing a home draw and becoming only the second side in history, after Leicester in 2002, to retain their European crown. People forget, though, that Guy Novès's side were beaten by Cardiff Blues en route to last season's triumph and should also have lost to Harlequins at The Stoop. There is a difference between favouritism and invincibility.It is upon this narrow peninsula of hope that every English, Welsh, Irish, Scottish and Italian side currently sits. All of them know the maths – the superior French playing budgets, the presence of 30 internationals in Clermont's nominated squad list of 38 – but take the view that only 15 players can take the field at any one time (aside from the Ospreys, obviously). "If the English clubs have their best side available there is no reason we cannot have two, three or even four in the last eight," insists Richard Cockerill, Leicester's director of rugby.Cockerill's optimistic Tiger line is understandable following the Premiership's meagre return of just one quarter-finalist last time. Sensibly, he also takes the view that a trend is not a trend until it actually occurs: "You'd like to think the English sides will do better. Clearly there's a disparity in terms of what we can spend on the squads but there always has been. That shouldn't be an excuse. The French dominated the tournament last season but the year before they had only one quarter-finalist. One year is a blip, two years might be more of an issue for us."For Northampton and London Irish, in particular, there is every chance to slip in a few early body-shots to their opponents. A first weekend victory is no guarantee of success – Munster have twice won finals in Cardiff having lost their opening pool games seven months earlier – but a home win for the Exiles over Munster this Saturday would constitute a real statement. "At this level, where players are so evenly matched, it is not just about tactics and skill – it is about the mental and emotional fatigue of being under scrutiny in every game," says Toby Booth, Irish's shrewd head coach. The Exiles – priced at 66-1 by Paddy Power – and the Saints will be stronger for last year's experiences.Whether Bath have the front-five steel to mount a concerted challenge will be tested from the outset against Biarritz, nothing if not big and strong up front. Leicester, too, will need their wits about them: their squad is potentially good enough to mount a knockout assault but injuries are complicating Cockerill's life. The Tigers should also be wary of underestimating Benetton Treviso, powerful up front and now replete with 23 internationals following the rationalisation of the Italian domestic structure. The days of the inevitable Italian pushover are gone.A stirring era of green success also appears to be on the wane. Ulster might yet be the highest-flying Irish province in the pool stages, particularly if Ruan Pienaar takes to his new surroundings in Belfast. I fancy the Ospreys, Toulon and Irish to gang-tackle Munster out of Pool Three, particularly with Paul O'Connell currently injured, and Leinster will need to start well against the French league leaders Racing Métro. Scotland? Since 2004 Glasgow and Edinburgh have played 35 away games and lost 32 of them. "It's about time we did a bit more than we're doing," is the succinct verdict of Glasgow's coach, Sean Lineen.All of which could leave the Welsh regions as the stiffest challengers to the Gallic giants. My hunch is that the Ospreys and the Blues will both make the last eight, alongside Northampton, Clermont, Bath, Perpignan, Biarritz and Toulouse. The Ospreys' Alun Wyn Jones argues that qualifiers from a competitive pool become more battle-hardened – "Hopefully it is going to be our time soon ... once we get to a semi-final anything can happen" – and this is the year to prove it. If not a Clermont-Toulouse final looms, more of a Massif row than a Celtic classic.Heineken CupToulouseClermont AuvergneOspreysCardiff BluesLeicesterRugby unionRobert Kitsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Broadcasters adapt as focus on concussions changes By NANCY ARMOUR 2010-10-13T09:17:21ZThe violent hit that left Cincinnati Bengals receiver Jordan Shipley with a concussion was an illegal one, earning Cleveland Browns safety T.J. Ward a $15,000 fine.... hosted.ap.org |
Semenya struggling for sponsorship • South African runner overlooked for endorsements• There isn't spare money, says coachCaster Semenya is finding it hard to get sponsors despite being a world champion, her coach said today."It is tough for Caster," said Michael Seme. "If you look overseas you will see other world champions featuring in a lot of advertising campaigns and you see their faces up on billboards but that doesn't happen for Caster."Semenya, who underwent gender verification tests after winning the 800m gold at the world championships in August 2009, does not have as much financial backing as she would have liked, Seme said."Caster does receive help from Nike while the Department of Sports and Recreation and the University of Pretoria help out with her education but there isn't spare money," Seme said. "For instance, if she requires special equipment she can't just go out and get it."Reports in South Africa about Semenya's financial situation have sparked a campaign by a group of fans to raise one million rand (£90,000) for the runner by December."People love her," said Thobeka Magcai, spokesperson for the campaign. "She has been through such a lot at such a young age and we just want to show our support for her and say that we want to see you back on the world stage, winning medals."Semenya, who is studying towards a sports science degree at the University of Pretoria, pulled out of the recent Commonwealth Games in Delhi because of a back injury. "Caster's treatment is going well and she has just started some light training," Seme said. "But we are taking it slow to allow her back to heal properly."Caster SemenyaAthleticsguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |