jonny on the ball

Tour de France Winner Tested Positive for Doping

2010-10-01T07:56:00.015+02:00

The UCI announced the suspension of threefold Spanish cycling professional Alberto Contador, the Tour winner of 2010’s race. Contador tested positive for illegal substance of Clenbuterol. And he might lose his Tour victory credentials. His suspension will last 2 years. Why should we sound surprised? It's happened before.

UCI announced the suspension of threefold Spanish cycling professional Alberto Contador.

Alberto Contador, the Tour winner of 2010’s race. Contador tested positive for illegal substance of Clenbuterol. And he might lose his Tour victory credentials. His suspension will last 2 years.

The suspension comes just before the World Cycling Championships in Australia in which Alberto Contador will not compete.

Alberto Contador was tested during a day of rest on 21 July 2010 in the French town of Pau. Clenbuterol is mainly used to treat horse for asthma like symptoms.

The Tour de France is the most prestigious bicycle race in the world, it is yearly held in France with the finish line at the Champs-Elysees. The winner can foresee a lifelong place in the cycling hall of fame. Contador and his Astana team placed himself three times on the top of the leader boards.

Three weeks of continues bicycling, every summer the Tour de France brings joy to bicycles race enthusiasts from all around the world. An almost inhumane exercise which leads to illegal use of substances forbidden to be used by competitors during the event.
.

It was not the first time the Tour medical committee took away the title from the winner, in 2006 Floyd LandisFloyd Landis had to give back his Tour the France trophy. Also Lance Armstrong Lance Armstrong was tested positive, but contra expertise proved UCI wrong and he was able to keep his titles.

http://www.albertocontadornotebook.info/

Freddie Flintoff calls it a day...

2010-09-16T16:31:00.037+02:00

England's Andrew Flintoff, regarded as one of the finest all-rounders of the game, on Thursday announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing down the curtains on a 12-year career which was marked by nagging injuries and controversies.

The 32-year-old Flintoff, who had announced his retirement from Test cricket after the 2009 Ashes triumph in the Oval Test, decided to quit all forms of the game with immediate effect because of a long-standing knee injury.

Flintoff, who played 79 Tests and compiled 3845 runs (ave 31.77) and claimed 226 wickets, was considered one of the most talented cricketers to emerge from England in recent times though there were some critic who felt he did not justify his immense potential.

In 141 one-dayers, Flintoff scored 3394 runs (ave 32.01) and took 169 wickets while he featured in seven Twenty20s claiming five scalps.

His achievements in the cricket field were at times overshadowed by a series of controversies, which ranged from waving his shirt during England's 2001-02 India tour to the infamous pedalo incident during the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.

After quitting Test cricket, Flintoff underwent a series of knee surgeries and hoped to return to action this season, but that was ruled out last month.
The Lancashire cricketer then aimed for Twenty20 stints in Australia and the Indian Premier League, where he plays for Chennai Superkings.

But Flintoff didn't have any option but to quit after the latest meeting with his surgeon, who told him that his body won't be able to stand the wear and tear of cricket any more.

"It is with both disappointment and sadness that I am today announcing my retirement from all forms of cricket," said Flintoff."

The decision to end my career came yesterday after consultation with medical advisers. I was told that the problems I have been trying to overcome in re-hab for the last year following the latest in a series of operations would not recover sufficiently to allow a comeback.

"Having been told that my body would no longer stand up to the rigours of cricket, I had no alternative but to retire," he added.

Flintoff said he would take a break before deciding his future engagements.

"I would like to thank my family, Lancashire Cricket Club, England, all my sponsors, friends and advisers for all the help and support they have given me throughout my career.

"Last, but by no means least, I am indebted to the encouragement and support I have always received from England's magnificent supporters. I will now be taking a break before deciding which future direction to take," he said.

Flintoff made his Test debut in 1998 against South Africa at Trent Bridge. In 2000 he hit 135 in the quarterfinals of the Natwest Trophy against Surrey. But his fitness started becoming an issue with England's management making it clear they were unhappy with his weight.

Flintoff soon responded with a 42 not out in a ODI match against Zimbabwe on his home ground at Old Trafford and collected the Man of the Match award.

In 2001, he lost his England place but he remodelled his bowling action and gained a place on the 200102 India tour. He flopped with the bat during the Tests, but the ODI series proved to be a turninng point in his career.

Entrusted with bowling the final over with India needing 11 to win, he ran out Anil Kumble and bowled Javagal Srinath with successive balls to win the match and took off his shirt in celebration, his was repeated by former India skipper Sourav Ganguly at Lords during the NatWest series.

In 2002 he also scored his maiden Test century but by the end of the year, averaged just 19 with the bat and 47 with the ball.

In the summer of 2003, Flintoff scored a century and three fifties in the five-Test series against South Africa at home, and continued to excel on the tour of the West Indies in March and April 2004 and was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year.

Although injury prevented him from bowling, he was called into the England squad as a specialist batsman for the 2004 NatWest ODI Series against New Zealand and the West Indies and he responded by scoring two consecutive centuries in the series and hitting seven sixes in one innings.

In February 2006, Flintoff was named captain of the England team for the first Test match against India. His contributions with both bat and ball ensured that he was named as the player of the series.

Flintoff continued to captain England during the seven ODIs in India, although he was rested for two matches. But a recurrence of his long-term ankle problem in May 2006 forced him to miss both the ODI series against Sri Lanka and the first Test against Pakistan.

He was thus ruled out for the entire series against Pakistan after it was learnt that Flintoff's rehabiltation had not been sufficient to quell the injury, and that further surgery would be required.

Despite injury concerns, Flintoff was later named for the ICC Champions Trophy, where he played as a specialist batsman, not as an all-rounder.

The zenith of Flintoff's career was the 2005 Ashes, in which he starred with bat and ball to topple the Australians and win back the urn after an 18-year hiatus.

Flintoff returned as captain of the England team for the 2006-07 Ashes series in Australia but it turned out to be a humiliating one as his side suffered five straight losses and thus lost the Ashes.

Flintoff was also no stranger to controversies and was once involved in an incident with water and a pedalo.

After England's loss to New Zealand in the 2007 World Cup, Flintoff fell off a pedalo and got into difficulties in the water early on Saturday morning following a drinking session. He was soon sacked as England vice-captain and banned for the Canada World Cup game.

In February 2009, the Chennai Super Kings of the Indian Premier League bought Flintoff for USD 1,550,000, making him the highest-ever-paid IPL player, alongside compatriot Kevin Pietersen.

However, Flintoff did not find success at the tournament, held in South Africa after the Mumbai attacks, as after a difficult first few matches he was sent home for surgery following another knee injury.

Andrew Flintoff - we all wish you well in whatever the future holds for you and thank you for all the entertainment that you gave to us.

http://www.andrewflintoff.com/

Can Man City follow Chelsea?

2010-08-27T07:14:00.018+02:00

As long as the owners of Manchester City continue to back their manager, the club will be champions fairly quickly as long as the manager is good enough. Ordinarily spending guarantees little, but spending when everyone else is saving looks a far more potent tactic.

Whether Roberto Mancini is good enough in this division remains to be seen. Rafa Benitez was able to win titles in Spain but not England, Phil Scolari was a world beater outside England and so on - pedigree in other countries provides no guarantee. So a heavy defeat of a Liverpool team in transition (not necessarily decline) proves little in that respect. With so many players looking to force their way into the team it would be more surprising if City had played with less obvious verve.

But given economic realities, it is a case of when and not if City will be champions. Based on the Chelsea model from Roman Abramovich's takeover in 2003 then it seems reasonable to suggest that City will be expecting to move up a couple of places this season - before another change of manager yields the title in 2011/12.

When Roman Abramovich bought out Chelsea in 2003, he took over a team that had edged past Liverpool on the final day of the season to finish fourth under the Italian manager Claudio Ranieri. Much of the upsurge in Chelsea's fortunes over the previous decade had been debt financed and this was dealt with in the £140m purchase. Abramovich's largesse in the summer of 2003 ran to further transfer spending of about £120m on eight players. Damien Duff for a then club record £17 million, English youngsters Wayne Bridge, Joe Cole, and Glen Johnson, Argentine pair Juan Sebastián Verón (£15m even after a poor time in Manchester) and Hernán Crespo, Frenchman Claude Makélélé and Romanian star Adrian Mutu.

In many ways the Chelsea situation in 2003 can be equated to Manchester City in 2010. In both cases previous transfer debts were dealt with and that left a squad that looked like a solid top six team - but a further £120m or so transfer spending spree turned them into a team capable of being champions.

Many people have since equated the summer 2003 Chelsea situation to the summer of 2009 when Mark Hughes was manager at City, but given Chelsea's higher squad start point a more appropriate connection can be made to this year. In 2008/9 City finished in 10th place - so it would be inappropriate to compare a mid-table team to a top four team.

In Chelsea's case Ranieri took Chelsea into the Champions' League semi-final and into second place in the league in 2003/4. It was clear that he was going to be sacked even before the league season had finished - and it must have been hard on Ranieri knowing that his team was still improving when it was already at such a high base. Jose Mourinho arrived and spent another large chunk in making Chelsea the dominant domestic club for a couple of years and providing a high baseline that other have benefited from.

So in all probability the long Manchester City trophy drought is nearly over, with belts still being tightened domestically it must be an odds-on shot that City will be champions in the next three years. Although there is a possibility of the title this season, I suspect more strengthening from the higher ground of a Champions' League qualification next summer will deliver the title in 2012.

So will City be champions this year or next year or will they fall short... or will it be Manchester United or Chelsea again?

http://www.mcfc.co.uk/

World Cup singer dies at 34

2010-06-09T10:15:00.022+02:00

Opera tenor Siphiwo Ntshebe, who had been asked by Nelson Mandela to sing at the opening of the World Cup has died at age 34 of bacterial meningitis.

Ntshebe had been asked by the Nobel Peace Prize winner to sing a song called ”Hope” at the June 11 opening ceremony of the World Cup in Johannesburg.

He was preparing for rehearsals when he contracted meningitis and was admitted to Livingstone Hospital in his hometown of Port Elizabeth, where he died.

”This is such a sad, tragic story,” said Sony Music Entertainment chief executive officer Keith Lister, according to the Sapa news agency.

“Within days of realising his dreams he was struck down like this. It is a great loss. For someone who has worked as hard as he has, who has trained, and then to have it taken away right at the moment of the acknowledgement of his talent and success...”

Ntshebe had just finished recording an album containing a spoken message from Mandela. He had signed a multi-album deal with Epic.

The “Hope” track has already been included on the official World Cup album, set for worldwide release.

Siphiwo is a true South Africa World Cup legacy, gone too soon. May his spirit lead us to 11th June 2010.

May his soul rest in peace and may Siphiwo‘s spirit of hope centre us all,” said Lebo M, producer of the World Cup opening ceremony.

http://www.siphiwo.org/ The Official Website of Siphiwo Ntshebe.

Top 10 players that may miss out on World Cup 2010

2010-06-04T12:45:00.037+02:00

The squads for the teams involved in the World Cup have now been announced and there are some notable absentees. Here is my top 10 picks of players that should have made it to World Cup 2010 but somehow failed to.

No 10. Rio Ferdinand

England have confirmed that their captain Rio Ferdinand is out of the World Cup with a knee injury and Tottenham Hotspur's Michael Dawson has been called up as a replacement

No 9. Alexandre Pato

The Brazilian striker narrowly misses out on Dunga’s 23 man team after failing to rediscover his fine early season form for AC Milan. Quick and incisive, the diminutive forward would have hoped to go to the World Cup 2010 and make a name for himself just like another young Brazilian compatriot, Ronaldo, did 8 years ago. With age on his side, waiting another 4 years will be scant consolation for Pato.

No 8. Adriano

Another Brazilian striker to have faced the chop. Adriano is in the mould of a big burly target man and it wasn’t too long ago that he was terrorizing defences in Italy’s Serie A. Unfortunately, he seems to have suffered emotional setbacks and has lost interest in the game. A transfer to the less demanding Brazilian league has also not worked out for him. I guess he will not be feeling too sad at missing out on World Cup 2010 then.

No 7. Alessandro Del Piero

The little Italian has graced countless major tournaments for the Azzuri. However, he seems to only perform at club level for Juventus and has never really set the world stage alight. He will not get another chance now, as the Italians have lost patience with their maestro.

No 6. Michael Ballack

The German captain got injured in the FA cup final for Chelsea and has been ruled out of World Cup 2010. Despite not being as influential as he once was, Ballack has enormous fighting spirit and tones of experience that would have served Germany well.

No 5. Ruud Van Nistlerooy
The Dutch scoring legend was a surprise omission from Holland’s World Cup team. With 33 goals in 64 international appearances, his knack of finding the net will be sorely missed at World Cup 2010. Not to worry, Dutch fans will be treated to the comparable finishing ability of Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt, oh, wait a minute…

No 4. Michael Owen

After bursting onto the World Cup scene 12 years ago with a fine solo effort against Argentina, Owen has struggled with an abundance of hamstring problems. Now a lot older, and slower, Owen will still be missed due to his boyish good looks and England's lack of a prolific strike partner to Wayne Rooney.

No 3. David Beckham

The poster boy of world football is injured and misses what is his final chance at a World Cup appearance. Despite retaining his good looks, his skill levels have gone downhill with age. That will hardly stop female fans asking “Where’s Beckham” in June though.

No 2. Francesco Totti

Roma fans adore their captain and for good reason. When he plays, they win. Too bad his ego is as inflated as all the balloons you will see at World Cup 2010. The tournament will not be graced by his leadership qualities nor his thunderous long range shooting. Italy’s coach Marcelo Lippi obviously thinks these are small sacrifices in comparison to squeezing his big head on the plane to South Africa.

No 1. Ronaldinho
Still only 30, the former World player of the year is a massive talent. Too bad that in recent times he tends to prefer the ladies to showcasing his skills with a football. Very sad news too for fans around the world because; if he was up to it he could have dazzled World Cup 2010.

Euro 2012 Draw

2010-02-07T11:16:00.033+01:00

The World Football Cup is due to start soon and yet we have another competition on the horizon.

For all you Euro footie fans the draw has taken place an the suspense is now over.

The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2012, will be the 14th European Championship for national football teams sanctioned by UEFA. The final tournament will be hosted by Poland and Ukraine between 8 June and 1 July 2012.

The joint Poland/Ukraine bid was chosen by UEFA's Executive Committee on 18 April 2007, in Cardiff, Wales. This bid defeated the other shortlisted bids from Italy and Croatia/Hungary, becoming the third successful joint bid for the European Championship, after those of Belgium/Netherlands, for Euro 2000, and Austria/Switzerland for Euro 2008.

This will be the last European Championship finals in which only 16 nations will participate, with Euro 2016 being the first European Championship finals with 24 competing nations. Qualification for the final tournament will be staged between September 2010 and November 2011.

.
The groups are as follows:-
.
Group A: Germany, Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan
.
Group B: Russia, Slovakia, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, FYR Macedonia, Armenia, Andorra
.
Group C: Italy, Serbia, NORTHERN IRELAND Slovenia, Estonia, Faroe Islands
.
Group D: France, Romania, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Belarus, Albania, Luxembourg
.
Group E: Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Moldova, San Marino
.
Group F: Croatia, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Georgia, Malta
.
Group G: ENGLAND, Switzerland, Bulgaria, WALES, Montenegro
.
Group H: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus, Iceland
.
Group I: Spain, Czech Republic, SCOTLAND Lithuania, Liechtenstein
.

So England are in one of the smallest groups and have a favourable draw and have managed to avoid some difficult countries. Just like the World Cup draw, Fabio Capello will be happy with the other teams in the same group. The other home nations have difficult groups but could do well and perhaps qualify through the play-offs.
.
The Official Euro 2012 website address is: http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro2012/

Roger Federer

2010-02-01T18:17:00.007+01:00

Roger Federer has won his fourth Australian Open and 16th major title overall after accounting for Scotsman Andy Murray in straight at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night.

The Swiss world No.1 triumphed 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 in front of the sell-out crowd.

After the match, Murray broke down during his speech when accepting the runners-up trophy and jokingly mentioned Federer's weepy speech from after the 2009 Australian Open final, which he lost to Rafael Nadal.

Federer was always in control of the championship decider and told Murray in front of the crowd after the match that he, too, will win a major title one day.

The victory will no doubt again spark many to say that 28-year-old Federer is the greatest athlete in any individual sport in history, having won two more majors than Pete Sampras to lead the all-time list.

Is Federer the best?

Thierry Henry

2010-01-18T20:15:00.019+01:00

FIFA have announced that France striker Thierry Henry will not be punished for his handball in last November’s World Cup qualification play-off against the Republic of Ireland.

The world governing body’s disciplinary committee concluded there was “no legal foundation” for them to deal with the case. The decision means Henry will not face a ban for any matches of this summer’s World Cup finals.

“The disciplinary committee reached the conclusion that there was no legal foundation for the committee to consider the case because handling the ball cannot be regarded as a serious infringement as stipulated in article 77a) of the FIFA disciplinary code,” said a FIFA statement listed below:-

"Article 77 Specific jurisdiction

The Disciplinary Committee is responsible for:

a) sanctioning serious infringements which have escaped the match officials’ attention."

So that's it! He has now been cleared but what will the supporters think and how will they react when he runs out at the World Cup Finals? How will affect his future career?

What is this telling our kids? Cheat then say you're sorry after the match, and get away with the crime! Brilliant well done FIFA.

http://www.fifa.com/

Bad Guys of Sports

2009-12-31T10:34:00.035+01:00

Who are the "bad boys of sport"? I have listed a few below.

Mohammed Ali
White America did not like him but Ali did not care. He relinquished his name Cassius Clay saying it was his "slave name" and changed it to Muhammad Ali. "I don`t have to be what you want me to be; I`m free to be what I want," Ali would say.

He threw his Olympic Gold medal into the Ohio river. His argument was if it could not make him equal to a White, of what use was the medal. His best anti-establishment act to date has been his refusal to fight in Vietnam.

The US Govt prosecuted him for draft dodging, and the boxing commission took away his license. But three and a half years later, he was back in the ring.

Ian Chappell

Ian Chappell was aggressive, resourceful and casual. He had tremendous self-belief and conviction and was never afraid to speak his mind. He stood up against the Australian Cricket Board for players rights. In 1974, the gate collections from the Melbourne Test were a quarter of a million dollars, but the players were given a paltry two hundred dollars each for the game.

He cried foul, and changed the whole payment system for the Aussies. Perhaps he is the only critic of Sir Don Bradman, for the ex-Aussie captain thought Bradman was running the ACB as his own.

John McEnroe

McEnroe was a champion tennis star - with 154 singles and doubles titles, including 17 Grand Slam Championships (7 Singles and 10 Doubles), in addition to leading the United States to five Davis Cup titles. But he is most remembered for his outburst on the field, more specifically, `You cannot be serious!`

While most tennis players would grudgingly go on with the game, he would question the umpire & linesmen. Racket throwing, racket breaking, swearing, and eventually ending up paying huge fines was what McEnroe did best. Yet, he was loved.

Mike Tyson

Tyson is usually calm but at times goes hostile. And when that happens, god save people around him. From biting Evander Holyfield`s ears during a bout to biting Lennox Lewis` thighs during a press conference, this hulk of a man has done everything.

In between, he served a three year jail term for raping Desiree Washington, a beauty queen, in 1991. He comes out of the jail, and here are his first words: `Where is Desiree, I am so angry at her, I want to rape her now.`

Ben Johnson

It took Ben Johnson just 9.78 seconds to shake the World - he won the 1988 Seoul Olympics 100m Gold. The line up he beat included Carl Lewis and Linford Christie. And that was no mean achievemnet. But two days later, the World shook again. This time, he was stripped off his Gold medal after testing positive for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid.

Johnson twice tried a comeback after Seoul Olympics but was found guilty of doping violations each time. Today, Canadians do not like the mention of his name. As for Johnson, he is an athletics coach at Toronto Track and Field Centre at York University and at 41 still lives with his mother in Toronto.
.

Others include the cricketers Shane Warne and Brian Lara , Dhanraj Pillay, the mercurial Indian hockey striker, footballer Diego Maradona.

Genius begets eccentricty, they say. And from the looks of it, it just might be true. How else can one explain the behaviour of a Brian Lara or John McEnroe or Mohammed Ali. But does this mean that a calm and composed Sachin Tendulkar is not a genius?

How about Vishwanathan Anand? Sergi Bubka? Or a Pete Sampras? Even as the question remains unanswered, we move on to some sportsmen who have behaved really bad. So much so, parents do not want their children to watch them play.

Famous Football Fathers and Sons...

2009-12-22T15:22:00.025+01:00

Paolo and Cesare Maldini Cesare Maldini is a former Italian centre half and captain of AC Milan. He later went on to coach the national U-21 team. Prior to that, he proudly wore the national soccer uniform for 14 years, making his debut in the year 1988. Cesare retired in 2002 with 126 caps and 7 goals to his credit. His son, Paolo Maldini, was one of the best defenders of all time.

He shares the record for most caps in the Italian national team. Paolo spent 25 seasons of his career playing for AC Milan, during which he won seven Italian Serie A championships, five UEFA Champions League Cups and one FIFA World Cup.

He is remembered for his lightning pace, precise tackling and strong influence, both on and off the pitch. Paolo captained Milan to the 2003 Champions League Title, a feat achieved by his father forty years ago...

Franz and Stephan Beckenbauer Franz Beckenbauer or The Emperor, helped Germany win the World Cup back in 1974. Regarded as the greatest German footballer ever and one of the best footballers in the world, he was known for his precise passes and cool headed play making. Beckenbauer's pet name recalls the way he dominated the football pitch, much like an Emperor!

After retiring, he took on the job of coaching the German national team, which went on to win the 1990 World Cup. Beckenbauer is said to have invented the role of the modern sweeper or libero. Having made 103 appearances for West Germany, he won the World Cup as captain in 1974, and again as manager in 1990!

Beckenbauer found a place in the National Soccer Hall of Fame and was voted second, behind Johan Cruyff, in the European Player of the Century election in 1999.

Beckenbauer continues to be an influential figure in German and international football. His son, Stephan Beckenbauer, began his career with Bayern Munich, before transferring to TSV 1860 Munich. He is now back with Bayern Munich, this time as coach, and that's his soccer uniform.

Frank Lampard, Senior and Junior Frank Lampard Senior played left back at West Ham United for eighteen years. Thereafter, he became the assistant coach of the Hammers, while his son, Frank Lampard Junior, began playing for Upton Park. Frank Junior currently plays for the Premier League club Chelsea and the England national team.

He is Chelsea's top goal scorer with 130 goals, the most by any midfielder in the club's history! With more than 190 goals scored to date, Frank Lampard Junior is the highest scoring midfielder in Europe, and continues to make his mark...

Chris and Stuart Broad both played cricket for England. Brian Christopher "Chris" Broad (born 29 September 1957, Knowle, Bristol) is a former England Test cricketer and current Test official. An opening batsman, Broad had a 25-match long international Test career during which he hit six centuries, together with 34 One Day International matches with a respectable over 40 average. His son Stuart represents the same teams as his father, England and Nottinghamshire.

A left-handed batsman and right-arm seam bowler, Broad's professional career started at Leicestershire, the team attached to his school, Oakham School; in 2008 he transferred to Nottinghamshire, the county of his birth and the team for which his father played.

In August 2006 he was voted the Cricket Writers' Club Young Cricketer of the Year. He was a vital member of the victorious 2009 Ashes squad, and he won Man of the Match in the fifth Test at the Oval, after figures of 5/37 in the afternoon session of the second day.

The History of the Football

2009-12-10T19:43:00.074+01:00

The history of footballs is one surrounded in a mist of questionable facts and legends, which makes it hard for anyone to say for certain how the football ball evolved throughout time.

As legend has it, football started in a rather grim setting during the middle ages. In Europe and more specifically, in England, the first forms of "mob football" were played after public executions, when the head of the poor victim was thrown in the crowd and the mob started kicking it aggressively. With a lot of executions being performed during that period in England, it is easy to understand why the Brits took this sport as their own. Still, leaving legend aside, let's pass on to the fact-based history of soccer balls.

Since the history of the football game can be traced back to ancient times, it's quite clear that the footballs used back then were improvisations made out of daily used materials. The Aztecs used small, bouncy rubber balls in their basketball-football game of hoop kicking, whereas Chinese warriors would often enjoy a game of no-rules football using sewn up leather balls stuffed with light materials.

However, leather footballs were a luxury those days (who would spare a fine piece of leather for some silly game, when it could have been used for clothing, making bags out of or using it in armors?).
.

The most common type of football in ancient times, at least in Europe and Asia, was made out of animal bladder. Since pigs were the most common source of food for winter sustenance, their bladders were often extracted, cleaned, inflated and kicked around.
.

Although pig-bladder football balls were quite resistant, they were extremely light and could not have been used for more than a simple game of "hold the ball in the air", so calling them "footballs" is an overstatement at best.

Good thing that particular sport did not evolve or we would still be playing soccer with balloons. When someone, somewhere had the idea to use stuffed leather in order to create a kicking object, we could very well state that it meant the start of a new era in the history of football balls and the football game.
.

Leather balls were harder, more controllable and more durable, although not as elastic as the rubber balls used in the Americas. However one of the biggest problems of that period's soccer balls, be they made of leather, rubber or bladder, was that they were highly irregular in shape and size, which made them less controllable.
.

In 1836, Charles Goodyear did us all a favor and patented vulcanized rubber and although his invention was to be used in more important areas at that time, it also helped taking the history of footballs one step forward, with the introduction of the first vulcanized rubber footballs (which were also designed by Goodyear, reportedly a fan of the game) in 1855.

From 1855 until today, the history of the football game evolved tremendously and so did its "work object", which evolved more in a century than it did in the entire history of footballs prior to this period.
.

Modern technology and the exponentially rising popularity and financial strength of football all worked together in bringing state-of-the-art super soccer balls and taking the history of footballs one step further.
.

We could say that the trend was always renewed each four years, with the introduction of a new World Cup football ball. It has been almost a tradition to have a new and improved football at each World Cup, each with its own characteristics.
.

For example, the World Cup footballs used in 2002 in Korea and Japan were lighter than those used as standard before and made out of a material that would be more controllable, favoring technically skilled players and thus, rising the entertainment value.
.

In 2006 at the Germany World Cup, a new football was introduced, which sparked the anger of many, including veteran Oliver Kahn the German keeper.
.

The football, as Kahn and many other keepers would notice, is "built in favor of the striker" meaning that it has several characteristics that make shots stay on the ground and thus, having more chances to hit the goal.
.

On the other side of the fence, many strikers stated that the 2006 World Cup football was extremely comfortable to shoot and that it did not have the usual unintentional mid-air swerve that most other balls had. Some would say that is what the beautiful game needs more of ?....... Goals!

Will the 2010 world cup ball be different again or has technology reached it's peak?

Great Sporting Upsets....

2009-12-08T20:46:00.028+01:00

1) US defeat USSR Hockey 1980

The "Miracle on Ice" was a medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on February 22. The United States men's national ice hockey team United States team, made up of amateur and collegiate players and led by coach Herb Brooks, defeated the Soviet Union team, which was considered the best hockey team in the world.

The US went on to win the gold medal by winning their final match over Finland, who finished 4th. The Soviet Union took the silver medal by beating Sweden in their final game. As part of the its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2008, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) picked the Miracle on Ice as the number-one international hockey story of the century.

2) Giants Defeat Patriots In Super Bowl XLII

That's all anyone can do now. The Giants, a team that was counted out and discounted time after time this season, are the Super Bowl champions.

"It's in this room, right here," linebacker Antonio Pierce said. "The best team won. What else can you say?"

The 17-14 win in Super Bowl XLII was as improbable and as crazy as any of the 11 straight wins away from home this. They beat the perfect team and were the 11th seed in all of the playoffs !

3. Greece Win Euro 2004

Greece defied all the critics and all the bookmakers to sensationally win Euro 2004 beating the hosts Portugal in the final and knocking out defending champions France in the Quarter Finals.

Betting shops had Greece at 100/1 before the tournament and their victory has to be one of the biggest sport betting upsets of all time!

4) Buster Douglas defeated Mike Tyson 1990

Nicknamed "Kid Dynamite","Iron Mike"and "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson won his first 19 professional bouts by knockout, 12 in the first round. He unified the belts in the splintered heavyweight division in the late 1980s to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Tyson lost his title when he lost to 42-to-1 underdog James "Buster" Douglas in February 11, 1990, in Tokyo, by a KO in round 10. Shock horror!

5. Jack Fleck Beats Ben Hogan in 1955 U.S. Open
How confident were people that Ben Hogan would win his record fifth U.S. Open title? After Hogan made par on the final hole, NBC signed off the air, declaring Hogan the winner even though Fleck, an unknown municipal-course operator from Iowa, trailed by just one stroke.

Hogan even flipped the ball to a USGA official and said "This is for the Golf House," referring to a museum. Fleck, however, wasn't quite finished: needing a birdie on 18 to force a playoff, his 7-iron approach just cleared the bunker and landed eight feet from the pin.

He then sank the putt to tie the score. Hogan, who had been sipping scotch in the Olympic Club locker room, dropped his head and cursed softly. The next day, Fleck beat the game's greatest player by three strokes in an 18-hole playoff. "I can't believe it, Ben," Fleck said as he and Hogan walked off the final green. What clubs did Fleck use to beat his idol? The Ben Hogan signature series.

6. Wrexham v Arsenal - F.A. Cup 1992

The F.A. Cup has a habit of throwing up shocks and this example is one of the greatest in the competitions history. In 1992, Wrexham defeated the league champions Arsenal in the Third Round, Wrexham having finished bottom of the Football League the previous season.

Arsenal took the lead in the game through Alan Smith but Wrexham stormed back to send the Gunners crashing at the Racecourse Ground at odds of 25/1!

7. Senegal 1 France 0 - 2002 World Cup

In a story that virtually mirrored the story of Italia 90, The defending champions were beaten in the opening game by an African team making their first appearance at a World Cup finals (Cameroon were making their second appearance when they beat Argentina).

Fulham's Papa Bouba Diop scored the only goal of the game to stun the footballing world at odds of 10/1.

Punters steamed into France in every game in Group A assuming that a change in fortune was round the corner but it never came and France limped out of the World Cup at the group stage with 1 point and no goals scored.

8. Cameroon v Argentina 1990 World Cup

Italia 90 was one of the most exciting World Cups in the last 30 years and it threw up a classic upset in the opening game. Argentina were defending their title won in Mexico in 1986 but were stunned by Francois Oman Biyiks header as Cameroon went onto to win 1-0.

Cameroon were 12/1 to win the game but the Argentineans still went on to reach the final where they lost to West Germany. The lasting memories from Italia 90 however will be the likes of Roger Milla dancing round the corner flag, Toto Schillaci banging in goals, the site of Roberto Baggio terrorising defences and Gazzas tears!

9. Dream Team Stunned By Argentina in 2004 Olympics
The US men's basketball team, known as the Dream Team were humbled in Athens in the 2004 Olympic, semi-finals by Argentina, beaten 89-81.

Argentina had a 43-38 half-time lead and never allowed their more glamorous opponents to overtake them as the Americans tried desperately to avoid a shock defeat.

10. Bangladesh v Australia - 18th June 2005

Bangladesh pulled off what may be the greatest shock ever in cricket betting with a five-wicket victory over world champions Australia in a One Day International in Cardiff in 2005. The Tigers were aided by a magnificent century by Mohammad Ashraful and surpassed Australia's 249 for 5 with 4 balls to spare.

Ashraful was the games top run scorer 6/1 and the huge upset was complete in when Jason Gillespie was hit for the winning runs in a victory that was priced at a massive 20/1 before the game.

The Americans had been gold medallists in every Olympics since 1992 when NBA players started competing in the Games and were the massive favourites at 1/6 to win their 4th successive title even before the Olympics began.

2010 World Cup Draw

2009-12-04T20:11:00.031+01:00

The World Cup draw has finally taken place in Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa. Now the speculation, calculation and analysing of each team and group can take place.

Before the draw Spain and Brazil were joint favourites to win with odds of 9/2, after the draw Spain have been quoted at 4/1 and Brazil 11/2

The seeded Countries are Argentina, Brazil, England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the hosts South Africa. That leaves teams like France (1998 winners), Portugal and Greece as potential "banana skins" for those seeded teams!

Who's in the "easy group" and who is in the "group of death"? Which team are the favourite to win and who's for the early bath? The bookies have Brazil as favourites, but there is no surprise there and who to go home early? Perhaps North Korea?

One of the hardest groups is Group G. This includes Brazil (one of the favourites), Ivory Coast (great African side), along with the inclusion of Portugal makes this the "Group of Death", for me.

The first match between the hosts South Africa and Mexico will be in Johannesburg on the 11th June with the knock out stages commencing on the 26th June, climaxing to the final back at Johannesburg, also referred to as Jozi, Joburg or Egoli (place of Gold) a month later on the 11th July which is located on the eastern high-lying plateau in South Africa referred to as the Highveld.

There has been alot written about Brazil being the only country to win the tournament outside of their own continent. On that principal the highest ranked team would be the Ivory Coast at 22/1 will be a good bet, if they can get out of their tough group.

England are in Group C and have got a favourable draw and will start the tournament on the second day of the competition on the 12th June against the USA.

Spain and Italy appear to have a good chance to progess to the second stages.

However there is bound to be many twists and turns throughout the tournament.

That's why we all love the game! Bring it on. I'm on countdown already.

All the teams and groups are listed below:-

GROUP A. 1. South Africa 2. Mexico 3. Uruguay 4. France

GROUP B. 1.Argentina 2. Nigeria 3. South Korea 4. Greece

GROUP C. 1.England 2. United States 3. Algeria 4. Slovenia

GROUP D. 1.Germany 2. Australia 3. Serbia 4. Ghana

GROUP E. 1.Netherlands 2. Denmark 3. Japan 4. Cameroon

GROUP F. 1.Italy 2. Paraguay 3. New Zealand 4. Slovakia

GROUP G. 1.Brazil 2. North Korea 3. Ivory Coast 4. Portugal

GROUP H. 1.Spain 2. Switzerland 3. Honduras 4. Chile

All the details regarding the 2010 World Cup Website can be found on the link below:-

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/

Mauresmo calls it a day...

2009-12-03T20:44:00.010+01:00

Former Wimbledon and Australian Open champion Amelie Mauresmo has retired from tennis today after admitting she was no longer capable of putting in the effort to train for major competitions. The 30-year-old French player leaves after a 16 year career that has seen both highs and lows.

Two Grand Slam titles in 2006 were the pinnacle of hard work and effort which saw Mauresmo reach the No.1 spot as the best female tennis player in the world. After a winning drought in 2007 and 2008, Mauresmo came back this season to win her 25th singles title in Paris.

However, going out of the US Open this year in the second round to Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak was the final straw for the player, who officially decided to hang up her racket today. “It’s a bit sad, but this is the right decision,” the Associated Press reported Ms Mauresmo saying, “I had to make a decision, which became evident in the last few months and weeks. When you grew older, it’s more difficult to stay at the top.”

The French star revealed that she did not wish to train anymore and that she was no longer able to make the commitment to tennis: “If I were able to enter the court, play and shine, of course I could continue, but to achieve this you need to put in such hard work. And I’m not capable of that.” Tennis players have been tempted out of retirement in recent years to make triumphant comebacks.

Belgian Kim Clijsters won the US Open after two years out from tennis earlier this year in September. Justine Henin has also given the nod that she will return to the game after retiring at the peak of her game last year.

Good luck to you Amelie and thank you for all the entertainment that you have given us all over the years. I wish you a fabulous future in whatever you do.

Cheat or honesty?

2009-12-01T20:15:00.106+01:00

What Makes People Cheat?

Cheaters seem to be everywhere these days in sports, boardrooms, and in the government.

Are you a cheater? You may not think so. Sure, you may not be perfect, but you probably consider yourself a reasonably honest person.

Experts in many different fields of education, sports, and law, for instance -- believe that cheating has become more accepted in recent years.

We have got professors and scientists who cheat, journalists who cheat, CEO's who cheat, lawyers who cheat and sportsmen and women who cheat. It seems like everybody is doing it.

If cheating is more common, why are we more likely to cheat than previous generations? What does cheating do to us? How does it harm ourselves, society, our families.

Is Cheating Really Worse These Days?

Some experts say that some amount of cheating is inevitable in any culture. When the first human beings set out the first rules for ethical behavior, there was no doubt some scheming person who started working out ways to bend them a little.

Apparently levels of cheating in a society can rise and fall. Some experts think that they are on the rise. It's hard to find definitive numbers to establish that cheating is more common across the board.

This idea that there are only a few bad apples in the barrel, is undermined by the fact that in reality, in many, many different sports, there are only a few good apples.

According to most experts, that most cheaters are not usually looking for public attention Some people cheat to keep up, or to get by.

We are all in a desperate struggle against each other to make it to the top. Failure is disastrous. Experts have noticed that the pressure starts when we're young.

For some parents, not getting their child into the right school or college spells social and economic ruin. They are pushed by their parents to get perfect grades, play sports, join a dozen extracurricular clubs, and take up esoteric hobbies or rare musical instruments in order to stand out to admissions officers.

For young people, the pressure is greater than ever, and the competition is greater than ever, it makes cheating in school an attractive option. That pressure doesn't let up when people get out of school.

Many people feel insecure in their jobs and worry about the future. If staying afloat takes a little cheating, many people are willing to do it.
.

Everybody is doing it

The more people do it, the more it becomes accepted. The more it's accepted, the more people do it. If you are in an environment where cheating is the norm, a lot of people will just go along with it.

In fact, if you feel like everyone is cheating, then not cheating seems bad. You are just shooting yourself in the foot. you will suffer while all the other cheaters get ahead. Being scrupulously honest may seem like a nice idea, but to some people it's pointless, as quaint and as practical as ditching your computer and writing with a quill. That the same is true for athletes who feel pressured to use performance enhancing drugs.

Only a tiny minority of athletes actually want to use these drugs, but everyone sees them as tools of the trade. The advantage conveyed by these drugs can be so great, that it is not the difference between coming in first and coming in second or third.

It is the difference between coming in first and not making the team at all. No one wants to be the first one to quit using drugs on principle. Many athletes feel like they can not afford to unilaterally disarm.

In addition, cheating sets an example for others and that this is especially true of athletes using drugs. A lot of this does not trickle down, it cascades onto our children. Many youngsters in many different countries have cycled on anabolic steroids.

To think that there is no connection between elite athletes using drugs and our kids using them is the height of naiveté.

But role models closer to home might make a big difference, too. No one can know whether a parent who steals cable is more likely to raise a child who starts cheating in school. But it might
be true.

Children who have parents who cheat are probably more likely to cheat themselves. If people in positions of authority or role models are cheating, then I think it sends a signal to young people that cheating is OK.
.

What Does Cheating Do to Us?

Many people might argue that cheating is a victimless crime. Who's being hurt? Cheating has a real and corrosive effect on society. Society is premised on people accepting and obeying the rules. Why do we stop at a stoplight on a desolate road in the middle of the night? Or why do not we steal a pack of gum when we know that the cashier is not looking?

Part of it may come from the fear that we're secretly being watched. But another reason is that most of us have agreed to be bound by the rules of our society. Cheating breaks those rules, and the effects can be far-reaching.

Cheating is harmful because is betrays your responsibility to the community. It can make community standards fall apart. Imagine being treated by a doctor who never took an exam in medical school without a cheat sheet? Or finding out that your home team only won because they had the most effective doping regimen? We all rely on the fact that people like doctors and athletes are what they seem, that they are qualified and have earned their position.

Although there's little firm evidence, some experts think that cheating in one part of your life may lead to cheating in others. People who cut corners early in life, such as cheating a lot in school may bring that habit to the workplace.

Cheating also forces you to lie to yourself. Many cheaters develop rationalizations for why they cheat.

Some say that, we say that we should lie on our taxes because we think tax rates are too high. Some say that we are cheating in school not because we could not do the assignment on our own but because it is much faster to copy.

The more excuses you need to justify your behavior, the more compromised your ethical compass. You may ultimately wind up feeling like a fraud, unworthy of the things you have.

Don't cheat !

If you get a B while everyone else got an A because they were cheating, that is a good B to have. We need to put less stress on individual achievements and relax a little. Parents can recognise that life is not a linear set of accomplishments. People can find their way, and a child does not need to jump through every hoop perfectly in order to lead a secure and successful life.

Many people feel pushed into cheating because everyone else is doing it. They do not want to be the lone person who does things honestly. But if you are in that position, take a stand, and be a honest person. You may feel better about yourself if you do!

Sporting brothers and sisters

2009-11-28T22:09:00.062+01:00

The Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, are widely regarded as the greatest sporting siblings in the world, but who else is there?

Plenty of us play sports but few ever make it to the ranks of professional. Even fewer are those who make it and are able to dominate at the highest level. Now imagine the odds of siblings making it to the pros and excelling at a Hall of Fame level. There have been some formidable sports siblings before, but often one of the siblings is great and the other is average or more often than that both siblings are just average.

Venus and Serena Williams - Tennis

The Williams sisters are two professional American tennis players: Venus Williams born 1980, seven-time Grand Slam title winner (singles), and Serena Williams born 1981, eleven-time Grand Slam title winner (singles), both of whom were coached from an early age by their father Richard Williams. There is a noted professional rivalry between them, the Williams Sisters rivalry.

Both sisters had the honor of being ranking by the Women's Tennis Association at the World number one position. There is no other sport, where two siblings were both ranked at the number one position. In 2001, Serena Williams and Venus Williams were ranked number one and number two respectively. Twenty three Grand Slam Titles for Serena and nineteen for Venus, so far.

Other siblings in professional tennis have included include Maleevas(3), Everts, McEnroes, Jensens, Safins, Mal and Mashona Washington and Bryans unadjusted career earnings

Eli and Peyton Manning - American Football

Elisha Nelson "Eli" Manning (born January 3, 1981) is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning. He played college football at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) after attending prep school at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. He was drafted as the first overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, but immediately traded to the New York Giants, who traded 4th overall pick Philip Rivers. Manning won the most valuable player award in Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008

Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. One of only two three-time NFL MVPs, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the Tennessee Volunteers. He is the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and the older brother of current New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

Steve and Mark Waugh - Cricket (Australia)

Stephen Rodger Waugh, AO (born 2 June 1965 in Canterbury, New South Wales) is a former Australian cricketer, and fraternal twin of former Australian cricketer Mark Waugh. Steve Waugh captained the Australian Test cricket team from 1999 to 2004. He is the most capped Test player in history with 168 appearances. He is known amongst friends as "Tugga" (as in tug of war), and amongst the public as "Iceman" for his ability to remain calm and cool in high-pressure situations throughout his career. Dean Waugh, another of Steve's brothers, is also a cricketer, having played first-class and list A cricket in Australia. He is known for his philanthropic work, and he was named Australian of the Year in 2004.

On 30 September 2009, Steve Waugh was one of five new members inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

The so the list goes on.....

Michael and Raf Schumacher - Formula One Racing

Rory and Tony Underwood - Rugby

Gary, Phil (Football) and sister Tracy Neville (Netball)

Jack and Bobby Charlton - Football

David and John Lloyd - Tennis

Different types of fitness

2009-11-21T21:43:00.030+01:00

Many people have ideas that "fitness" is "just fitness" and that's that. If you "are" or "are not" fit. It is not that simple. So is a cyclist is as fit as a boxer? It is a different type of training to reach their goal that is suited to that specific event.

So how do these differences come about? Well, there are different aspects of fitness and each of these aspects of fitness are developed in different ways and each can have a different effect on your chooses sport. The different types of fitness are outlined below:

Cardio-respiratory endurance - is the ability of the heart and lungs to get oxygen to the muscles, so that the muscles can perform for a long time. This type of fitness can be developed by exercising in your training zone at lease three times per week for a duration of at least twenty minutes.

Stamina - This is a combination of muscular endurance and cardio-respiratory endurance.

Muscular endurance - is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to perform for a long time. This can be developed through weight lifting and exercises such as press ups, sit-ups etc. One very important point to note about developing muscular endurance is that you must exercise with high reps and low weight to get the desired effect.

Strength - is the greatest force a muscle can produce in pushing, pulling, lifting or striking actions. This type of fitness is usually developed by following a weight lifting program. An important point to remember is to exercise with low reps and high weight.

Power - is how ability of the body to produce an explosive effort. It is created by combining speed and strength.

Speed - is how quickly muscles can move the joints. Speed can apply to the movement of the whole body, or to the movement of a part of the body, like the arm.

Flexibility or suppleness - is the ability to stretch muscles so that a joint has a large range of movement. Flexibility can be affected by injury, muscle,tendons, ligaments and skin.

You need to be specific to your sport - there is not point in developing your stamina if your a long jumper; you would be looking to develop flexibility and power. In terms of general fitness the most important aspect would be cardio-vascular stamina which brings major benefits to your heart and lungs and so improves your overall health.

Warm up and cool down

2009-11-20T19:49:00.031+01:00

There is no doubt that time spent on warming up and cooling down will improve an athlete's level of performance and accelerate the recovery process needed before and after training or competition. As a result, the coach must encourage the athlete to regard the warm up and cool down as an essential part of both the training session and competition itself.

Warm Up

Muscle stiffness is thought to be directly related to muscle injury and therefore the warm up should be aimed at reducing muscle stiffness.

Warming up should at least consist of the following:

* 5 to 10 minutes jogging - to increase body temperature.

* 10 to 15 minutes dynamic stretching exercises - reduce muscle stiffness

* 10 to 15 minutes general and event specific drills - preparation for the session or competition.

e.g. for a runner *Lower leg drills * Leg drills * Technique drills

*4 to 8 easy run outs over 30 to 60 metres - focus on correct running technique (Tall, Relaxed, Smooth and Drive)

* Dynamic stretches are more appropriate to the warm up as they help reduce muscle stiffness.

* Static stretching exercises do not reduce muscle stiffness.

What are the benefits of a warm up?

Performance may be improved, as an appropriate warm up will result in an:

* Increased speed of contraction and relaxation of warmed muscles

* Dynamic exercises reduce muscle stiffness

* Greater economy of movement because of lowered viscous resistance within warmed muscles

* Facilitated oxygen utilization by warmed muscles because hemoglobin releases oxygen more readily at higher muscle temperatures

* Facilitated nerve transmission and muscle metabolism at higher temperatures; a specific warm up can facilitate motor unit recruitment required in subsequent all out activity

* Increased blood flow through active tissues as local vascular beds dilate, increasing metabolism and muscle temperatures

* Allows the heart rate get to a workable rate for beginning exercise

*Mentally focused on the training or competition

Cool Down

Cooling down should consist of the following:

* 5 to 10 minutes jogging/walking - decrease body temperature and remove waste products from the working muscles

* 5 to 10 minutes static stretching exercises

* Static stretches are more appropriate to the cool down as they help muscles to relax, realign muscle fibres and re-establish their normal range of movement. These stretches should be held for approximately 10 seconds.

What are the benefits of a cool down?

An appropriate cool down will:

* aid in the dissipation of waste products - including lactic acid

* reduce the potential for DOMS (Delayed onset muscle soreness)

* reduce the chances of dizziness or fainting caused by the pooling of venous blood at the extremities

* reduce the level of adrenaline in the blood

* allows the heart rate to return to its resting rate

In Conclusion

Exercise keeps you fit and healthy.

If you have arthritis, exercise helps keep your joints and muscles strong, your bones and joint tissues healthy, and gives you more energy to keep up with daily activities.

Your doctor or other health professionals can help you design a fitness program that meets your individual needs.

To get the most benefit from your program, remember these tips:

* Make exercise a part of your daily routine.

* Do all types of exercises (range-of-motion, strengthening, and fitness)

* Know when to stop or cut back on your exercises.

Most of all have fun whatever you do!

Top Ten biggest sporting upsets of all time

2009-11-15T18:54:00.033+01:00

What makes sport in general so great is the fact that you never know what's going to happen?

We know what should happen, but it's the unpredictability which makes everything that much more exciting. There's nothing better than a huge shock result to get people talking - and there have been some absolute crackers over the years...

1. Cassius Clay v Sonny Liston: The brash 22-year-old upstart shouldn't have stood a chance against the heavyweight champion of the world, but Clay - who changed his name to Muhammad Ali the day after the pair's first fight in 1964 - did the unthinkable and took the title from his bigger, more experienced opponent. It was a result that sent shortwaves through the world of boxing and turned Clay into the biggest sports star on the planet.

2. NY Giants v New England Patriots: The Patriots had reached the final of Superbowl XL II with an unblemished record and were hot favourites to finish the season with a 19th straight victory, but they didn't count on one of the biggest upsets in the history of the game. Eli Manning's pass to Plaxico Burress with just over 30 seconds left on the clock created the winning score as the Giants ran out unlikely 17-14 winners.

3. Foinavon wins the Grand National: Beginning the race as a rank outsider at odds of 100/1, even the horse's owner didn't bother making the trip to Aintree to watch! It was all going to form until the fence just before Canal Turn. One horse fell, setting in motion a domino effect that left carnage as all the leaders were thrown from their horses. Foinavon was so far back at this point that jockey John Buckingham had time to steer around the mess and take the lead. He held on for the most unlikely victory in the history of horse racing. In his honour, the fence where the leaders all fell was named after Foinavon.

4. Wimbledon v Liverpool: The final of the FA Cup in 1988 was supposed to be a walkover for Liverpool, the crowning glory in a season which had seen them lift the First Division trophy a couple of weeks earlier. But the Crazy Gang, who had been playing Fourth Division just five years previously, ripped up the form book as Lawrie Sanchez popped up to head home an unlikely winner for the underdogs. The game will also forever be remembered for Dave Beasant's penalty stop from John Aldridge - the first time a spot-kick had ever been saved in an FA Cup final.

5. USA v USSR ice hockey: The 1980 Olympics saw a team of amateur and collegiate players from the US go up against the highly-favoured, well-organised team of what were to all intents and purposes professional players from the Soviet Union. The Americans weren't given a cat in hell's chance of winning, but surprised everyone - themselves included - by running out 4-3 victors in what became known as the ''Miracle on ice''. The US team went on to win gold while their Cold War foes had to settle for silver.

6. Dennis Taylor v Steve Davis: Probably the one match on the green baize that EVERYONE remembers, whether you like snooker or not! It pulled the all-time record TV audience for a snooker match - one that will most likely never be beaten. More than 18 million stayed up until the early hours of the morning back in 1985 to watch Irishman Taylor defeat the undefeatable Davis in a match that went down to the last black ball of the last frame. The images of Taylor waving his cue above his head and wagging his finger will live long in the memory.

7. Goran Ivanisevic v Pat Rafter: Ivanisevic only made it to Wimbledon in 2001 with the aid of a wildcard entry. The man ranked 125 in the world was actually CRYING while still trying to serve for the match, which he eventually won 9-7 in the fifth set against Aussie Rafter. It wasn't the prettiest of finals, but it capped a quite incredible two weeks for the Croat.

8. Hereford v Newcastle: The FA Cup has thrown up some classic giant-killing acts over the years, but this was the biggest of the lot. Hereford were playing in the Southern League - the equivalent of today's Blue Square Premier - when they came up against First Division Newcastle in the third round in 1972. A 2-2 draw in the first game meant a replay at Hereford's Edgar Street ground, where more than 14,000 people witnessed maybe the greatest goal in the competition's history. Ronnie Radford picked up the ball in midfield, played a one-two and unleashed a 30-yard thunderbolt into the top corner eight minutes from time to level the scores - cue pitch invasion number one. Hereford went on to win it in extra time with Ricky George's strike - cue pitch invasion number two!

9. Bangladesh v Australia: The minnows of Bangladesh pulled off what was probably the biggest shock in the history of cricket when they somehow beat world champions in a one-day game in 2005. The Aussies were up first and posted 249-5, which should have been enough to see off the lowest-ranked one-day side in the world. But Mohammad Ashraful's century helped little Bangladesh to a five-wicket victory with four balls to spare. The Aussies had been 100/1 ON to win before the start of the match.

10. This is where you come in: There must be a whole load more classic upsets that shocked the world of sport which didn't make this list. So come on - which is the biggest one I have missed that simply has to be in your top 10?

Chelsea win

2009-11-09T07:56:00.028+01:00

Chelsea have gone five points clear at the top of the English Premier League after a 1-0 victory over reigning champions Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

John Terry, captain of both Chelsea and England, was the hero for the West London side, who last won the Premier League title in the 2005-06 season, with his 76th-minute header from a Frank Lampard free-kick securing all three points.

Terry's goal had a hint of controversy. The free-kick which lead to the goal was awarded for a challenge by Darren Fletcher on Chelsea full-back Ashley Cole.

But Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was far from happy with the decision to give the free-kick, made by referee Martin Atkinson. Ferguson was also angry that United defender Wes Brown was apparently impeded as the winning goal was being scored. He said:
"Clearly, Darren Fletcher's won the ball - Ashley Cole's never touched and has jumped up in the air - and then (Didier) Drogba's pulled Brown to the ground for the goal. The referee's position to make the decision was absolutely ridiculous - he can't see anything. He's got a Chelsea player (Joe Cole) standing right in front of him - and he doesn't even move. It was a bad decision, but there's nothing we can do about it. You lose faith in refereeing sometimes, that's the way the players are talking in there - it was a bad one"

Terry's header was on its way in to the Manchester United net, Blues striker Didier Drogba tried to help the ball along whilst in an offside position. Yet he missed the ball completely, ensuring the goal was not disallowed.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti was angry too, but his anger was directed at the United players, Rio Ferdinand was not amongst those players as he is out injured at the moment, who he claimed had attempted to get Blues defender Ricardo Carvalho sent off. Ancelotti explained:

"The Manchester players protested a lot. I don't know why. I don't like this. At the end of a very difficult match, all the players worked very hard - and sometimes it can happen.

Topping the table with 30 points from 12 games, Arsenal are second on 25 points and Manchester United are third, also with 25 points, Chelsea will be pleased that their excellent defensive record at Stamford Bridge is continuing. They have conceded only one goal in six league games at home this season, having won all six games, and that goal was conceded during the first game of the season against Hull City."

One of English football's most successful clubs in recent years, Chelsea are owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. He will be very happy indeed if, come the end of the season, the English Premier League, the current table can be viewed as it does today.

http://www.chelseafc.com/page/Splash

Leaving Formula One

2009-11-05T07:38:00.016+01:00

Nine years after BMW’s return to Formula 1 with Williams, and four years after the formation of the BMW Sauber F1 Team, the Bavarian carmaker is pulling out of Formula One at the end of the 2009 season.

In all those years, BMW has not managed to win the world championship—a major disappointment for the Bavarians. Instead of pushing the brand’s sporty image (Munich engineers cultivate an attitude of unquestioned superiority), Formula 1 saw BMW as the eternal runner-up, and at times worse. While the company’s executives enjoy hanging out at F1 events, the disappointing performance of the team amounted to a loss of face.

Perhaps even more important, quitting Formula 1 will save BMW an estimated $350–400 million every year. That’s a very welcome relief given the company’s weak financial performance of late.

Unsurprisingly, BMW attempts to play the well-worn “green” card: “More and more, premium is defined by sustainability and environmental consciousness. We want to serve as a model in this area” submits BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer, adding: “The commitment to Formula 1 does not reflect our goals any more.”

This explanation strikes us as somewhat disingenuous, given that Formula 1, under the guidance of the controversial FIA head Max Mosley, has successfully pushed for the hybridization of the race cars. But BMW was unhappy with Mosley for several reasons, not least his goal to limit the racing teams’ budgets in order to keep cost under control. This would have favored smaller teams.

Mario Theissen, one of BMW’s most promising top executives, and responsible for Formula 1 since 1999, is deeply disappointed: “We would have liked to carry on,” he admits, adding: “But from a corporate perspective, I understand the decision.”

So do we. That said, it’s a major loss for Formula 1—and we are happy to report that BMW’s commitment to motorsports remains unchanged in other racing series, such as Formula BMW, ALMS, and the Superbike championship.

http://www.formula1.com/

Sporting Quotes...

2009-10-30T07:09:00.020+01:00

Some sporting quotes make sense......

1) "If practice makes perfect, and no one is perfect, why practice?"

2) "Somewhere behind the athlete you've become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back... play for her."

3) "Winners don't wait for chances, they take them."

4) "Pain is only temporary but victory is forever."

5) "There is no glory in practice, but without practice, there is no glory."

Famous Sports Quotes....

1) "I'll let the racket do the talking." (John McEnroe)

2) "I'm tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok." (Shaquille O'Neal)

3) "Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them -- a desire, a dream, a vision." (Muhammad Ali, American Boxer)

4) "My dad has always taught me these words: care and share. That's why we put on clinics. The only thing I can do is try to give back. If it works, it works." (Tiger Woods)

5) "Doctors and scientists said that breaking the four-minute mile was impossible, that one would die in the attempt. Thus, when I got up from the track after collapsing at the finish line, I figured I was dead." (Roger Bannister) (After becoming the first person to break the four-minute mile, 1952)

Other Quotes.

1) "Coffee isn't my cup of tea." (Samuel Goldwyn)

2) "Drawing on my fine command of the language, I said nothing." (Robert Benchley)

3) "I'm an excellent housekeeper. Every time I get a divorce, I keep the house." (Zsa Zsa Gabor)

4) "Ninety percent of the game is half mental." (Jim Wohford)

5) "Nobody goes there anymore because it's too crowded." (Yogi Berra)

Best Sports Drink?

2009-10-22T20:36:00.026+02:00

What drink is best for getting and staying hydrated during exercise? Should you choose water? Are sports drinks best? What about carbonated soft drinks or juice? Beer, tea or coffee?

Water
The natural choice for hydration is water. It hydrates better than any other liquid, both before and during exercise. Water tends to be less expensive and more available than any other drink. You need to drink 4-6 ounces of water for every 15-20 minutes of exercise. That can add up to a lot of water! While some people prefer the taste of water over other drinks, most people find it relatively bland and will stop drinking water before becoming fully hydrated. Water is the best, but it only helps you if you drink it.

Sports Drinks
Sports drinks don't hydrate better than water, but you are more likely to drink larger volumes, which leads to better hydration. The typical sweet-tart taste combination doesn't quench thirst, so you will keep drinking a sports drink long after water has lost its appeal. An attractive array of colors and flavors are available. You can get a carbohydrate boost from sports drinks, in addition to electrolytes which may be lost from perspiration, but these drinks tend to offer lower calories than juice or soft drinks.

Juice

Juice may be nutritious, but it is not the best choice for hydration. The fruit sugar(fructose) reduces the rate of water absorption so cells don't get hydrated very quickly. Juice is a food in its own right and it's uncommon for a person to drink sufficient quantities to keep hydrated. Juice has carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and electrolytes, but it is not a great thirst quencher.

Carbonated Soft Drinks
When you get right down to it, the colas and uncolas of the world are not good for the body. The acids used to carbonate and flavor these beverages will damage your teeth and may even weaken your bones. Soft drinks are devoid of any real nutritional content. Even so, they taste great. You are more likely to drink what you like, so if you love soft drinks then they might be a good way to hydrate. The carbohydrates will slow your absorption of water, but they will also provide a quick energy boost. In the long run, they aren't good for you, but if hydration is your goal, soft drinks aren't a bad choice. Avoid drinks with lots of sugar or caffeine, which will lessen the speed or degree of hydration.

Coffee and Tea
Coffee and tea can sabotage hydration. Both drinks act as diuretics, meaning they cause your kidneys to pull more water out of your bloodstream even as the digestive system is pulling water into your body. It is a two-steps-forward-one-step-back scenario. If you add milk or sugar, then you reduce the rate of water absorption even further. The bottom line? Save the latte for later.

Alcoholic Beverages
A beer might be great after the game, as long as you were the spectator and not the athlete. Alcohol dehydrates your body. Alcoholic beverages are better for hydration than, say, seawater, but that's about it.

In Conclusion........

Drink water for maximum hydration, but feel free to mix things up a bit to cater to your personal taste. You will drink more of what you like. In the end, the quantity of liquid is the biggest factor for getting and staying hydrated.

Button right on track..

2009-10-20T12:16:00.027+02:00

Jenson Button and his Brawn GP team were crowned Formula One champions on Sunday in a Brazilian Grand Prix won by Red Bull's Australian Mark Webber.

Button finished fifth to become his country's 10th world champion, with closest rival and team mate Rubens Barrichello suffering a late puncture and crossing the line eighth after starting his home race on pole position.

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, the 22-year-old German who had needed to finish in the top two to have a chance of staying in the reckoning, took fourth place.

Brawn, who had needed only a point to be sure of the championship, become the first team to take the constructors' crown in their first full season.

Poland's Robert Kubica was second for BMW-Sauber with McLaren's outgoing world champion Lewis Hamilton taking third place after starting 17th.

Congratulations to Jenson on a fabulous season...

http://www.formula1.com/

Our National Sport Suffers again!

2009-10-10T11:24:00.031+02:00

The British National teams live matches are rarely shown on BBC or ITV but sold to the highest bidder.

Sky TV wins and the average person who cannot afford the monthly fee, looses out.

This is a sign of the times that our National Teams live matches are hardly shown on non pay-to-view TV!

Fans' groups (including me) have called the move an “outrage” with customers being charged between £4.99 and £11.99, depending on how soon they sign up, for Saturday's match against Ukraine.

England have already qualified for the tournament in South Africa next year.

It follows the collapse of pay-TV company Setanta which had been due to broadcast the game.

The government should step in and allow all citizens to see our sportsmen and women perform for Britain free and not have to pay. France are patriotic and show all their games on Free TV so why can we not? Money is the root again!

Come on Mr Brown, give us back our right to watch Sport for the licence fee we pay.

After all, Mr Brown your initials are G.B. So put the great back into Great Britain...

How can we expect our youngsters to be excited about our National game?

Why do I get all worked up?...... It's just typical!