Monday, June 20, 2011

Gary Neville threw an awful first pitch at a White Sox game

Now that his testimonial match has been played and he's completely retired, Gary Neville is settling into a life of smiles and schmoozing as an ambassador for Manchester United. Odd as it may seem, his most recent task was to travel to Chicago and throw out the first pitch at Thursday night's game between the White Sox and Oakland A's at U.S. Cellular Field to promote Man United's match against the Chicago Fire on July 23.

After signing a few autographs, buttoning up his personalized White Sox jersey and shaking hands with crazypants White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, the former Man United defender took the mound to throw his ceremonial pitch. It seems a lifetime of playing football has left him unaware of his own arm strength, because he threw that pitch way over the catcher's head and almost hit a group of women standing well behind home plate.

Credit to Gary for getting as much muscle into that pitch as he did, though. Many first-pitch throwers can't even get it to the plate, let alone come dangerously close to pegging someone standing back by the seats in the leg.

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UBC staying could be good for both CIS and the CFL


This week's news that the University of British Columbia opted to continue playing against Canadian universities in CIS competition instead of joining the NCAA's Division II could have some interesting implications for the quality of both CIS and CFL football in years to come. It's a bit of an open debate whether the football in Division II is better quality than what's played in the CIS, but it's worth noting that 36 of the 47 players selected in last year's CFL draft came from CIS schools, while just two came from the Division II ranks. Part of that is obviously down to sample size (more Canadian players play in CIS than in NCAA Division II, so more of them are available for selection), but the quality of CIS football has been notably rising over the last few years. With UBC still in the ranks, there's a chance it could rise even further.

To be clear, that's not to say that the American system struggles to develop talent. Kent Ridley estimated last year that it's generally about 30-35 Canadians who head south to play American post-secondary football at any level (NCAA, NAIA or junior college) per year, so that system producing 11 of the 47 overall draft picks in 2010 is pretty good rate of return. It's worth noting the sharp divide in where that talent is drawn from, though; eight of those eleven players came from Division I FBS, while one came from Division I FCS (the old Division I-AA) and two came from Division II schools. I don't have hard data on how many Canadians played Division II football and were eligible for the draft, but the league certainly doesn't seem to be a guaranteed path to the top. That doesn't mean that CIS is necessarily better than Division II, but it's hard to conclude that Canadian prospects are definitively better going the Division II route (especially as they'd then have to adjust from American rules to Canadian rules to break into the CFL). Plenty of players from UBC have made the CFL under the current system, including Montreal linebacker Shea Emry (pictured above drinking from the Grey Cup last November: he actually switched to UBC to play a season of CIS football after spending three years at Division I FCS Eastern Washington University), so the current system has worked out pretty decently for many football Thunderbirds.

Another advantage from UBC remaining in CIS is that B.C. football prospects (and those wanting to come to B.C.) now have a choice of leagues, though. Burnaby's Simon Fraser University joined Division II last season, and all other B.C. CIS schools (the University of Victoria, Thompson Rivers University. The University of the Fraser Valley and UBC-Okanagan) don't currently play football. The Canada West conference currently has six football teams, including UBC. If UBC had left, CIS football would likely have had a much tougher time recruiting prospects from B.C., and given the strength of high-school programs in the province, that could have been a substantial loss for the league. The decision to stay means prospects in B.C. won't be forced to move out-of-province to play Canadian football, and that seems like a good thing from this corner.

It's also worth noting that UBC's decision is likely a significant win for CIS from a marketing standpoint. The organization keeps one of its founding (and most successful) members, and it retains a football presence in the Vancouver area, Western Canada's biggest market. UBC's press release on the decision also hinted at potential future CIS measures that could boost the league's profile, including expanding athletic scholarships. Perhaps most notably from a marketing perspective, CIS has a local school that can fly the flag at the Vanier Cup/Grey Cup pairing in Vancouver this year. Without a school involved in football locally, that could have been an awkward moment for CIS (and it might have led to poor attendance at the Vanier game, which certainly wouldn't help the league long-term).

UBC leaving certainly would have been a loss for CIS, but it's arguable that it would have been a loss for the CFL too. One less big school playing Canadian football hurts the prestige of the CIS game, and CIS and the CFL have been working together more closely lately. CIS football also helps promote the sport at the high school and community levels, and it provides a useful way to promote getting more kids involved in football (picking up fans for the CFL game in the process). Moreover, CIS serves as an effective conduit to the CFL for Canadian players, who don't have to relearn the three-down game in the pros. Some UBC players definitely still would have made the CFL if they'd gone to Division II, but the loss of CIS football in B.C. could have had negative impacts on everything from the grassroots to CIS as a whole. Thus, from this standpoint, it's probably a good thing for Canadian football that UBC's chosen to keep playing it.

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Serena moved up to No. 8 seed at Wimbledon, Venus No. 24

The seeding order at Wimbledon "follows the WTA ranking list, except where in the opinion of the Committee, a change is necessary to produce a balanced draw."

Serena Williams was seeded No. 8 and her sister Venus No. 24 in Wimbledon seedings released by the All England Club on Wednesday. The selection committee at the All England Club used the balance draw exception to move the sisters up from their current ranks of No. 26 and No. 33, respectively. All the other seeds followed this week's rankings. Did the committee make the right decision?

Yes and it was the rare judgment call that will satisfy everybody. Serena is the two-time defending champion and deserved a corresponding seed that protected her from playing top seeds early. Venus has won five Wimbledon titles in her career. Though her game has slipped of late, her past rightfully earned her a minor bump. You could even make the argument that Venus deserves to be higher.

The truth of the matter is that the sisters' seedings and draw don't matter as much to the Williamses as they do to the other women in the field. As long as the sisters were seeded, and they would have been given their current rankings, the issue was largely moot. Serena and Venus are draw-proof. As a No. 8 seed, Serena is protected against facing a top-four seed until the quarterfinals. Had she been, let's say, a No. 9 and drew Vera Zvonreva in the fourth round, nobody would be saying Serena got a tough draw. They'd be sympathizing with Vera and her bad luck, same as they will be for whoever gets Venus in the third round.

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Schiavone goes from set point to finals loss after umpire’s overrule

Francesca Schiavone thought she had a set point. When Li Na's ball sailed wide on a deuce point at 6-5 in the second set, the defending French Open champion believed she was one point away from forcing a third set in this year's final. Running through her mind could have been the thought of snatching away any momentum the Chinese player gained after cruising to a first set win and laying that seed of doubt in Li's mind that maybe, just maybe, she had blown her best chance to win a -- and then an abrupt change. Before Schiavone would have had a chance to run through the scenarios in her mind, the call was overturned.

Chair umpire Louise Engzell ran onto the court, inspected the ball mark left by Li's shot and overruled the call made by the linesman. Point, Li Na. Advantage, Li Na.

Schiavone argued. She insisted that the ball bounced wide of the line and that she should have won the point. Engzell looked again at the mark, which wasn't on the line as much as it was immediately adjacent to it. There was no clay in between the mark and the line, nor any indication from the mark that the ball had landed on it either.

Schiavone lost the ensuing argument. In frustration, she fully circled the mark as Engzell went back to the chair.

Schiavone lost the next point, leading to a tiebreaker. Then she dropped the next seven after that to lose the match in straight sets. In all, the Italian lost eight straight points after the overrule.

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NBC apologizes for omitting ‘under God’ from Pledge before U.S. Open

Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.

Rory McIlroy has almost certainly drained all the drama out of the on-course play at the U.S. Open. But outside the ropes, NBC led off its telecast with an immediately controversial pre-taped segment. Listen to the Pledge of Allegiance that runs alongside the patriotic images, and later to the one that overlays video of previous U.S. Open winners:

In case it's been awhile since you said the Pledge in elementary school, the first version left out the words "under God" and "indivisible." The second went even further, knocking out "one nation" as well.

The outcry on Twitter was immediate and almost universally negative. Perhaps this style was an artistic choice on the part of the segment producer, interweaving the Pledge with military and golf-related sound bites, but the decision to leave out "under God" is a curious one at best, and a highly controversial one, without doubt.

[Related: Rory McIlroy is no Tiger Woods, but maybe that's a good thing]

Later in the telecast, host Dan Hicks read the following statement during coverage: "It was our intent to begin our coverage of this U.S. Open championship with a feature that captured the patriotism of our national championship being here in our nation's capital for the third time. Regrettably, a portion of the Pledge of Allegiance that was in that feature was edited out. It was not done to upset anyone and we'd like to apologize to those of you who were offended by it."

Of note: "under God" was not in the original Pledge from 1892, which read, "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." The words "under God" were not added to the Pledge until 1954, when President Eisenhower signed Congressional legislation to that effect into law.

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Joe Cole offers you his services as a footballer

Dimitar Berbatov said he was too busy hiding in a women's bathroom at a McDonald's for this week's edition of...The Continental, so here's Joe Cole with a personalized offer just for you.

Hiya, I'm Joe Cole!

I really appreciate you taking the time to see me. I know you're probably busy doing business stuff and being important, but this means a lot to me. Really. I'm not just saying that. I know some people do, but I'm not hahaha!

Anyway, I'll just cut right to the chase so you can get back to sending fax mails and talking about water coolers. I want be a footballer for your club. I realize you must get people in here all the time, saying that to you and giving you those flower arrangements where the flowers are actually made out of delicious fruits, but I'm not going to do that. Because I ate mine on the way over here hahahaha.

So can I play for your club? Wait, my wife said I shouldn't ask that until the end. Let me tell you about my qualifications first. I've played for West Ham, Chelsea, England and Liverpool, who were nice enough to let me keep some shirts even though they kind of don't want me anymore, which is why I'm wearing this Liverpool shirt right now. I didn't steal it or anything, so please don't call the shirt police hahahaha.

As for references, Steven Gerrard said that I can do anything Lionel Messi can do, if not better. But just to be honest with you, that's not really true. Messi can speak Argentina and Spanish, but I can just speak England. So you should probably write that down somewhere on the Twilight book I just gave you. Just don't write it on any of the other words in there because it's a good book and you'll want to read it.

You should be aware that the Guardian named me the No. 1 most unwanted footballer in Europe. I'm not going to argue with that because everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I don't want to make them feel bad about theirs, but both my aunt and Harry Redknapp said that they would love to have me on their teams if they could afford me. My aunt doesn't even have a team though. She dresses her lizards in people clothes and makes Wikipedia videos about them hahahahaha. So can I play for your club now?

Oh, this is a post office and post offices don't play professional football? OK, I'll try next door then thanks anyway bye!

Photo: Getty

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Good things come in threes: Auburn’s championship bling has arrived

Back in 2004, Auburn was so hungry to commemorate its uncrowned, 14-0 season that it ordered up "National Champions" rings even when it wasn't the national champion according to the BCS or anyone else. So in response to the Tigers' actual national championship last year, it's no surprise that they decided to go all out on the jewelry:

Yes, according to the Twitter feed of wide receiver Emory Blake, that is not one but two "National Champions" rings to accompany the SEC championship ring, one of which includes what appears to be the Lombardi Trophy instead of the AFCA Coaches' Trophy that actually sits in the trophy case, but let's not split hairs here: That is some heavyweight swag that no doubt cost the university a very pretty penny in tough economic times. (Though, per NCAA rule, "no single award" for a national championship may exceed $415, or $325 for a conference championship. The rule also specifies that "each permissible awarding agency may provide only a single award for each championship to each student-athlete," which means Auburn is awarding both the BCS title and the Associated Press title with separate rings.) Over/Under on one of the rings' first appearance on eBay: Early to mid-October.

And no, smartass, there are no asterisks.

One place the university took care to get the trophy right down to smallest dimple: On the set of recruiting billboards in just put up in Atlanta, Montgomery and the heart of Crimson Tide country, Birmingham, intrastate trollin' of the highest order. Don't get mad, Bammers: Get even. (Seriously, road rage is unhealthy to yourself and everyone in your immediate vicinity.)

- - -
Hat tip: Kegs 'n Eggs
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Caroline Wozniacki, NFL Lockout, Rafael Nadal and Today's Top Sports Buzz

With July just around the corner, the sports calendar will be looking ahead to a few key events.

This is usually the time of year that NFL training camps start to make noise, but with the lockout, we're way behind. No free agency, no trades, no certainty about the 2011 NFL season.

But there has recently been some good news out there that the owners and players could be making progress. Hopefully those rumors become fact soon.

A switch over to July also means there will soon be a new Wimbledon king and queen. Who are the favorites?

Well, the names are pretty much the same for the men: Nadal, Federer, Djokovic. The women, on the other hand, have a much more wide-open field to determine a champ.

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2011 NBA Draft: Are the Houston Rockets Looking for a Center?

ESPN?s Chad Ford believes the Houston Rockets could be major players on draft night.  The team isn?t ruling out any options, and they could move up by trading a veteran.  Ford offered his opinion during a recent fan chat:

?Daryl Morey is always trying to make a play. From what I can gather, everyone in Houston is on the table. Everyone. It's a good strategy. I don't think the Rockets are married to moving up. Nor are they married to getting vets. They're just looking for the best possible deal. I wouldn't be shocked to see Kevin Martin or Luis Scola moved. If they keep 14, look for them to try to add a center or point guard. Bismack Biyombo, Nikola Vucevic and Jimmer are options there. If they move up, I agree that Valanciunas could be the guy.?

Adding Jimmer Fredette would be a good decision for the Rockets over a center.  The team doesn?t have much depth after Kyle Lowry, so if Jimmer is on the board at No. 14 he?d fit a pressing needs in Houston.

The team could also benefit from some rebounding help, since Chuck Hayes is a free agent, but that still doesn?t change the fact that a point guard is a must during this year?s draft for Houston.

For more 2011 NBA Draft coverage, stay tuned to Bleacher Report for updated NBA mock drafts, NBA Draft rumors, NBA Draft results and draft grades.

Andrew Bock

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How good is this? Djokovic, Federer to meet in French Open semi

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic will meet Friday afternoon in a blockbuster French Open semifinal. You want storylines? Take your pick:

? Djokovic is undefeated in 2011 and is seeking to extend that streak to 42, which would tie John McEnroe for the best ever. His overall win streak would be at 44, two behind the all-time record held by Guillermo Vilas.

? If he wins, Djokovic will become the No. 1 player in the world, regardless of what Rafael Nadal does in the rest of the tournament. He would become the first player in seven years not named Roger or Rafael to hold that ranking. (The last? Andy Roddick on Feb. 1, 2004.)

? Federer is playing for his record 17th Grand Slam title and his first since the 2010 Australian Open.

? This will be the third straight major in which the two will play in the semifinals. Djokovic won the other two meetings, including the epic victory at the U.S. Open in which he saved multiple match points.

? Djokovic is the reigning Australian Open champion.

? Federer had been the invisible man at this year's tournament. While all talk was about Djokovic and Nadal, Federer was mentioned as an afterthought. A 16-time Grand Slam champion and No. 3 seed! Now he gets a chance to slip into the finals and derail the ascendency of his recent nemesis who himself is playing for a piece of tennis history? "I'd like to spoil the party," Federer said.

? Oh, and by the time this match gets underway, there's the chance that Federer and Djokovic could be playing for the right to face five-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in the championship match.

Bart Scott, take it away:

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Why Terrelle Pryor isn't coming north, but Mitch Mustain is

Joe Fortenbaugh of the National Football Post had an interesting piece today that asked the question, "Should Terrelle Pryor head for Canada?" (For those unfamiliar, Pryor is currently the quarterback at Ohio State and he's become prominently embroiled in the scandal that's already led to the resignation of head coach Jim Tressel, pictured above right talking to Pryor during a 2010 game against Eastern Michigan.) Pryor already is set to miss the first five games of the 2011 NCAA season as a penalty for accepting improper benefits, but he could wind up missing the whole year depending on what the separate NCAA probe into his actions (including his car and license issues) finds. As Fortenbaugh writes, "It's time to get the hell out of Dodge."

Pryor's options for doing that are limited, though. He's missed the NFL's regular draft, and although he could declare for a supplemental draft, teams are often unwilling to concede high picks in the regular April draft to claim prospects in a supplemental draft. Given that Pryor has never really blown people away at the NCAA level, Fortenbaugh's quite right that he probably isn't going to be a high pick at the moment and that he could probably stand to improve his skills further to try and stay in the NFL long-term. However, there are several factors that make him unlikely to do so in the CFL.

The first, and perhaps most important, is the elimination of the NFL option window in the 2010 CFL collective bargaining agreement (something that's already been an issue in some contract negotiations). Before that came in, players could sign a one-year CFL deal with a team option for a second year, but even if the team exercised that option, they had the chance to go try out for the NFL before it kicked in. That led to players like Stefan Logan only spending one year north of the border before heading to the NFL's greener pastures. With that window now closed, players have to commit to the CFL for a minimum of two years, which makes it harder to sign NFL hopefuls like Pryor. If that window was still around, we'd probably see more of the current undrafted free agents who can't sign NFL deals (thanks to the lockout) coming north; as it stands, it's only the real bubble guys who are willing to put their NFL dreams on hold for at least two years who are signing north of the border.

However, what's almost as important is that the quarterback position is notably different in the CFL than any other position. At receiver, running back, linebacker, defensive end or almost anywhere else, a raw, athletic prospect with NFL potential can step in and likely at least see some snaps. It takes time to fully adjust to the CFL game, so many don't necessarily dominate right away, but they can at least get on the field. That's generally not the case at quarterback. Keep in mind that the CFL only has eight teams, and six of those teams have firmly established and talented veterans starting at quarterback heading into training camp. The exceptions are Winnipeg and Toronto, but their situations aren't all that bleak, either; Winnipeg does have an experienced if injury-prone starter in Buck Pierce and a high-potential backup in Joey Elliott, while Toronto has two guys with notable experience (Steven Jyles and Cleo Lemon) competing for the starting job. There's nowhere in the CFL where Pryor would currently get the chance to even battle for a starting role, unless some team got hit with a rash of injuries at quarterback the way Winnipeg did last season.

Quarterback injuries do happen, and they do often change things, but having a whole flood of them at once is unusual. If Pryor could assure himself of getting a backup job and being in place to step in if the starter struggled or got hurt, then the CFL might make sense for him at this point. That seems unlikely, though, as most teams already have their backup spot pretty well decided. The only places I could perhaps see Pryor competing for the backup spot right now are Edmonton, Saskatchewan or B.C., but all already have plenty of candidates under consideration. Moreover, many of those candidates have CFL experience, and adjusting to the CFL can be even more difficult for quarterbacks than it is for anyone else (thanks to the wider field, the 12-man coverage and route-running schemes and the vastly different playbook), so I wouldn't bet on Pryor getting much of a look as even a number-two option right now.

Keep in mind that NCAA success doesn't always guarantee CFL success, either; former Florida QB Chris Leak and former Boise State pivot Jared Zabransky are still in the league, but haven't done a ton of good things to date, and while former Iowa QB Drew Tate has had some success in limited duty in Calgary, he's very much a backup to Henry Burris right now. The CFL can be a land of opportunity for quarterbacks to show what they can do; it worked for Warren Moon and Doug Flutie, after all. However, it took both of them some time to catch on, and both did it in an era when there wasn't as much depth already in the league at the quarterback position. It's hard to see Pryor even getting playing time inside two years, and I doubt he'd want to sign for more than that, so there's a good chance he won't be following that path.

One former big-name NCAA quarterback has already signed in Canada, though, and for him, the CFL makes substantially more sense. Much like Pryor, Mitch Mustain was a hotly-recruited prospect coming out of high school, and both even won national player of the year awards in high school, but that's where the comparisons stop. Pryor may not have hit the numbers many thought he was capable of yet, but he took Ohio State to three straight BCS bowls. Mustain wound up at Arkansas, started as a true freshman and wound up going 8-0 (in a run-focused offence that featured future NFL stars Darren McFadden, Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis), but was replaced by Casey Dick towards the end of the year. He then transferred to USC and battled Aaron Corp as current New York Jets' quarterback Mark Sanchez's backup, and he even had a chance to be the starter in 2009, but lost out to another hyped freshman, Matt Barkley. Now, after dealing with some legal trouble around a charge of suspicion of selling prescription amphetamines, he's signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and is busy adapting to the differences of life in Canada at their training camp.

Unlike Pryor, Mustain (pictured above in a 2009 USC practice) doesn't currently have a lot of NFL hype around him, so the CFL is a more attractive option for him. He'll likely be battling for the third quarterback spot at best (behind starter Kevin Glenn and backup Quinton Porter), but his high school career and flashes of talent he demonstrated in college certainly suggest there's potential there. With time and development, there's a chance he could adjust to the CFL, become a good starting quarterback down the road and perhaps even make the NFL some day. (It probably won't hurt Mustain that Hamilton's new offensive coordinator is legendary CFL quarterback Khari Jones, either.) Whether he gets anywhere in the CFL is an open question, but unlike Pryor, he's got plenty of time and incentive to do so.

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Sunday, June 19, 2011

Video: Federer comforts embarrassed fan who tumbled onto court

For all of Busted Racquet's French Open coverage, click here and follow us on Twitter.

An enthusiastic Roger Federer fan fell onto the court after trying to snap a picture of the tennis great following his quarterfinal win at the French Open. The woman was uninjured, though slightly embarrassed.

Thankfully, Federer was more sympathetic than the news anchors reporting the story in the clip below. The 16-time Grand Slam winner walked over to the woman, gave her a hug and briefly posed for a one-on-one photo:

I hope one of the pushy gentlemen caught that on their camera before Federer walked away. It'd be a shame to fall on the court and have nothing but a skinned knee and viral video to show for it.

One thing's for certain, though: That Roger Federer fan is *puts on sunglasses* head over heels.

Racquet clap to Open Source.

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Random musings of footballers before they fall asleep…

Antonio Cassano

If I have to hear Palombo tell me one more time about how sad he was when Sampdoria got relegated, I'm going to stab myself in the eye with Giuseppe Rossi. ... Seriously, how can a person be as rich as he is and still be so boring? ... Maybe if I eat my finger, I can get out of this conversation. ... His neck stars look like something Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue did to him. ... Where is Mario Balotelli when you need him? ... Oh, there he is. Why is he driving his Maserati right at us at an incredibly high rate of speed...

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

If this guy was on my team I would kick his face off of his face...

Ronaldo

I need an adult! I need an adult!

Maradona

There are several things bothering me right now. ... First, who knew this Al Wasl thing was more than just one match? That info would've been useful before I signed that contract without reading it. ... Then, there are the dinosaurs running FIFA. Dinosaurs should not be running anything. Because they are dinosaurs. ... Then, there's the fact that I'm not still manager of Argentina. I don't care if they end up winning the Copa America without me. I would've done it while wearing two watches. ... Then, everyone still makes cocaine jokes about me ALL THE TIME. Yes. I did cocaine. A lot of it. And it almost made my heart explode. Get over it. ... Now. I have to figure out a way to keep the Italian tax authorities from confiscating these headphones...

Photos: AP, Reuters

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How good is this? Djokovic, Federer to meet in French Open semi

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic will meet Friday afternoon in a blockbuster French Open semifinal. You want storylines? Take your pick:

? Djokovic is undefeated in 2011 and is seeking to extend that streak to 42, which would tie John McEnroe for the best ever. His overall win streak would be at 44, two behind the all-time record held by Guillermo Vilas.

? If he wins, Djokovic will become the No. 1 player in the world, regardless of what Rafael Nadal does in the rest of the tournament. He would become the first player in seven years not named Roger or Rafael to hold that ranking. (The last? Andy Roddick on Feb. 1, 2004.)

? Federer is playing for his record 17th Grand Slam title and his first since the 2010 Australian Open.

? This will be the third straight major in which the two will play in the semifinals. Djokovic won the other two meetings, including the epic victory at the U.S. Open in which he saved multiple match points.

? Djokovic is the reigning Australian Open champion.

? Federer had been the invisible man at this year's tournament. While all talk was about Djokovic and Nadal, Federer was mentioned as an afterthought. A 16-time Grand Slam champion and No. 3 seed! Now he gets a chance to slip into the finals and derail the ascendency of his recent nemesis who himself is playing for a piece of tennis history? "I'd like to spoil the party," Federer said.

? Oh, and by the time this match gets underway, there's the chance that Federer and Djokovic could be playing for the right to face five-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in the championship match.

Bart Scott, take it away:

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How good is this? Djokovic, Federer to meet in French Open semi

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic will meet Friday afternoon in a blockbuster French Open semifinal. You want storylines? Take your pick:

? Djokovic is undefeated in 2011 and is seeking to extend that streak to 42, which would tie John McEnroe for the best ever. His overall win streak would be at 44, two behind the all-time record held by Guillermo Vilas.

? If he wins, Djokovic will become the No. 1 player in the world, regardless of what Rafael Nadal does in the rest of the tournament. He would become the first player in seven years not named Roger or Rafael to hold that ranking. (The last? Andy Roddick on Feb. 1, 2004.)

? Federer is playing for his record 17th Grand Slam title and his first since the 2010 Australian Open.

? This will be the third straight major in which the two will play in the semifinals. Djokovic won the other two meetings, including the epic victory at the U.S. Open in which he saved multiple match points.

? Djokovic is the reigning Australian Open champion.

? Federer had been the invisible man at this year's tournament. While all talk was about Djokovic and Nadal, Federer was mentioned as an afterthought. A 16-time Grand Slam champion and No. 3 seed! Now he gets a chance to slip into the finals and derail the ascendency of his recent nemesis who himself is playing for a piece of tennis history? "I'd like to spoil the party," Federer said.

? Oh, and by the time this match gets underway, there's the chance that Federer and Djokovic could be playing for the right to face five-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in the championship match.

Bart Scott, take it away:

Angelina Jolie Erica Leerhsen Angela Marcello Paz Vega Rebecca Mader

Wimbledon 2011: Caroline Wozniacki Gatecrashes Novak Djokovic Press Conference

Women's world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki gatecrashed her friend Novak Djokovic's pre-Wimbledon press conference yesterday to tease him about his "losing streak."

Djokovic had gone 43 games unbeaten before Roger Federer beat him in the semifinal of the French Open.

"You had this losing streak of one, so what are you going to do to change that?" asked Wozniacki.

"Well, you know what? I will try to look up to some women players who have been so consistent with their wins—for example, like Caroline Wozniacki. I don't know if you've heard about her," replied Djokovic. "She's been winning so much. I'm going to try to look some of her matches and try to break this losing streak of one, you know, try to get on the right path."

Wozniacki then asked Djokovic who his favourite female player was, to which he replied that it was "a secret," but added, "I think I already discovered one of my favourite women's players. I just said her name. She's actually my neighbour, as well...she actually lives in the street where you come from. From time to time we have coffee there on the beach and just relax and have lunch, have a jog."

Unsurprisingly, the tour and tournament officials failed to see the funny side of the skit, and had a quiet word to Wozniacki, who announced, "I cannot even talk anymore. They're pulling me."

She then left the rest of the press pack to get on with asking their "serious" questions.

Of course, it's not the first time Wozniacki has had a joke in her press conference—check the video to see her at the Australian Open.

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Denver Broncos: Oakland Raiders Rivalry Should Be Much Different This Season

One day soon, when the lockout actually wants to cooperate—and you know, when we actually have a season to look forward to—maybe then this Broncos vs. Raiders thing will actually matter.

Maybe then, it could actually match that of the Packers vs. Bears rivalry that the NFL constantly salutes—when Brett Favre is out of the picture, of course.

Or maybe then, it could even match that of the Patriots vs. Jets rivalry that basically brings a week full of dazzling Rex Ryan quotes, and a stern Bill Belichick that seems unfazed by it all.

Broncos and Raiders fans certainly do live in hope.

But for now, Oakland vs. Denver is pretty insignificant. In fact, it's so fragile that I'm not even sure it can be called a rivalry anymore. Really, it's more like a game between two sponges with a few star players on either side. And in the end, both pots are probably a little guilty of calling the kettle black. Or at least that's how the rest of the AFC sees it anyway.

Don't get me wrong, though, last year's games between Denver and Oakland were fun. Historically, they always have been. It was cute to watch Jason Campbell suit up in his first rivalry game and play for 202 yards and two touchdowns in a 59-14 win at Mile High. And it was just as fun seeing Tim Tebow make his first real start for the Broncos, even if he looked more like a running back in disguise, rather than the skilled quarterback the Broncos thought they were getting.

Yeah, he fooled Pat Bowlen alright.

But there's been a lot of tedious, repetitive and boring moments for Broncos fans to endure recently. Come to think of it, most are immune to it now. Josh McDaniels was holding on tight when the Broncos failed to show up in Week 7's snoozefest. So was Knowshon Moreno, and just about every defender who allowed Darren McFadden to score three touchdowns and rush like he'd just gotten off the subway.

Then again, it's probably no consolation either that the Chiefs are perhaps a step above each team right now.

But something has been missing in this rivalry for a very long time, though: skill—or at least some form of talent that isn't named Nnamdi Asomugha. It's something that the Packers and Bears can always acclaim to, just about any day. That's even more true now, since Jay Cutler has found a comfortable niche in Chicago. And it's something that just about every rivalry can look forward to, the media and fans too.

Except for Denver and Oakland, of course.

There is change in the waters though...kind of. Josh McDaniels could be blamed for that change I guess, and so could Tom Cable to a lesser extent. Or if you're tired of blaming Al Davis for the Raiders carousel of problems in the past ten years, maybe you'd like to point the finger at Oakland's management entirely. Up to you.

There are three realizations that Bronco-maniac's should come to terms with, however. They aren't all good, but they aren't all bad. Yet they should make this rivalry the least bit meaningful, if it is only temporary.

There Might Actually Be Good Quarterback Play

Can there actually be a balanced performance between Kyle Orton and Jason Campbell when they meet? Or are we destined for an eternity of one or the other?

It's time for each quarterback to get hip.

Campbell officially got the better of the Broncos last season, easily. He played for over 440 yards, whereas Orton was sacked four times, and left to wallow on the bench the second time around. None of that happened because Campbell was lucky, it happened because the Raiders actually have a great pass-rush, while the Broncos have a doughnut.

But it's leveled up for Orton immensely—not because Brandon Lloyd is expected to do great things again, but because Von Miller was selected in the first round. Jason Campbell should have a much tougher time in the pocket this season, only if everyone on the Broncos starting roster can stay healthy throughout training camp.

The Raiders can counter this added pressure if they want to, though. That's why Oakland drafted two offensive linemen in the draft.

Orton and Campbell also have to watch their back, a lot. Tebow is on the way if things go pear-shaped this season in Denver, and Campbell hasn't entirely won the starting job from Bruce Gradkowski, Charlie Frye or Kyle Boller as long as the Raiders have still failed to crack .500. Some say it's motivation for Orton and Campbell. Really, it's more of a reason to perform well on the big stage.

No Nnamdi Asomugha, Maybe

Here's one problem if you're a Raiders fan: Nnamdi Asomugha has way too much attention around the league.

That doesn't automatically mean drastic change is on the horizon, though. The Raiders don't rely on Asomugha like other teams rely on defensive playmakers. The AFC West as a whole is a strategic genius when it comes to making him a non-factor in games, and that's basically why he chalked up zero interceptions against Denver last season.

But it does mean that the Broncos may at last have some freedom in the air; good news if you're Jabar Gaffney, bad news if you're Raiders defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan. It's already obvious that Brandon Lloyd could become Denver's next best receiver threat, but here's the problem: When you have an insecure quarterback like Orton, taking Asomugha out of the picture equals a much calmer teammate.

There may be no overall benefit for the Broncos even if Asomugha does wander, however. The Raiders had the second best passing defense last season, and that's thanks in part to guys like Rolando McClain. This was also the same team that kept Knowshown Moreno clueless in the backfield while the passing game was thrown onto center stage; a defensive chore that has somehow become easier as time goes on.

As a side note, Oakland does need to decide on Asomugha pretty soon. The lockout is a road block, but leaving Asomugha on the free agent list risks his value becoming stale. There's a lot of teams that won't engage in a bidding war, especially for a cornerback who is often kept quiet in games due to strategic reasons. It will interest trigger happy teams like the Jets, but the free agent market could be quite fickle for Asomugha.

Two New Head Coaches

Neither the Broncos or Raiders are guaranteed playoff teams this year. That's an obvious fact. Sure, it's partially due to youth and a plate of raw inexperience on each roster, but it's also due to some personnel changes on the front lines that each team was quick to pursue earlier this offseason.

John Fox and Hue Jackson will both Motorola-up for their first game as respective head coaches in Week 1. In his first season in Denver, Fox hopes to bring a new winning attitude to the Broncos, but that's easier said than done when the team has a quarterback controversy the size of the entire West Coast. Jackson, well, his job is a little easier. The Raiders know where they are going, and so do the fans. He just has to put the pieces together and hope for the best.

But as much as I'd like to say both of these coaches will succeed, truth is, both of these teams will be somewhat different. Fox has left a lot of questions somewhat unanswered this offseason, and it's likely he will give Tebow a shot somewhere along the line. That should mean a variety of play action calls, and a few different rush plays that Josh McDaniels left aside, but we'll leave it at that.

Jackson, on the other hand, is a tough call. He's an offensive coordinator at heart, but on the outside Jason Campbell may not give him everything. Darren McFadden is one of several runners expected to lift in 2011, but the wide receiver game still lacks that punch that would easily elevate the Raiders to the Chiefs level—or at least keep them on par with the Chargers.

No one is really certain on how lenient and tolerant Fox will be either. During his final year in Carolina, quarterback swaps became second nature. Yet in Denver, benching a possibly inconsistent player like Knowshon Moreno leaves the window open for even more hurt. It isn't likely Fox will become the villain in Denver, either. McDaniels was good at that. Fox, well, he's loved. And that kind of positive connection goes hand in hand with John Elway's pursuit for the crown.

Broncos Should Be Much More Focused on the Pass

Maybe losing to the Raiders twice last season will help the Broncos move forward even faster, or at least regroup and think twice. OK, so that theory may be a little out there, but the Broncos draft plan in April may just indicate a change in progress, if nothing else.

Denver chose two tight ends in the later rounds earlier this year. The chances of Julius Thomas and Virgil Green seeing serious game time is slim to nil, but after Kyle Orton showed all the symptoms of a quarterback missing his best friend—a tight end—expect Thomas or Green to be thrown in, no questions asked.

Last time the Broncos met the Raiders, Knowshon Moreno was kept quiet. He had just four carries, in comparison to his Week 7 flop that saw him earn 14 attempts. That, and the fact that Moreno is still unstable, should automatically mean that the Broncos have learned from their mistakes. It doesn't mean John Fox won't rush the ball entirely, however, but it does mean the Broncos will call on Orton more.

Follow Ryan Cook on Twitter or send him an email: ryan.cook392@gmail.com.

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U.S. lose first ever Gold Cup group stage match

Clarence Goodson attempts to fly away from the embarrassment.

A week after losing 4-0 to Spain at home, the U.S. lost a Gold Cup group-stage match for the first time ever. It was nowhere near as bad as that match against Spain and if the referee was different or the U.S. converted one of their great scoring chances late in the match, the result against Panama (currently ranked 67th by FIFA) could've been different than the 2-1 loss that is was. But it was a loss. And that's becoming a familiar result for the U.S.

Going back to the loss to Ghana that knocked them out of last summer's World Cup, the U.S. have won just two of their last 11 matches (over South Africa and Canada). When Bob Bradley had his contract renewed for another four years after that loss to Ghana and the loss to Brazil that followed, USSF president Sunil Gulati attempted to justify the decision by saying, "In the end I came to the conclusion that the experience and the record, the work over the last four years, overcame any issue about staleness. We can overcome that."

Apparently not.

Immediately after the U.S. were eliminated from the 2010 World Cup, I wrote that being coached by Bob Bradley finally caught up to this team. If he makes it to 2014, it will be an amazing feat. It might also make a few people cry.

Photo: AP

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Saturday, June 18, 2011

Obama, Boehner play a presidential round of golf in D.C.

The best golfers in the world are at Congressional for the U.S. Open, but the most powerful ones played a few miles south at Andrews Air Force Base.

About 9:30 on Saturday morning, President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner teed off for a friendly round of golf that also included Vice President Joe Biden and Ohio Governor John Kasich. Four hours later, the Obama-Boehner team beat the Biden-Kasich on the 18th hole, claiming an enormous $2 bounty.

The purpose of the outing wasn't to solve any of the many problems facing the nation's top leaders; no, it was simply to break down a few walls and calm a little of the overheated rhetoric that dominates when politicians pound at each other via sound bite, not face to face. Whether Obama and Boehner discussed anything of note is between them, though they did share a golf cart. (Obama drove.) No word on who paid for the beers and hot dogs at the turn.

Boehner is by far the superior golfer, with a handicap of about 8.6. Obama, on the other hand, plays to about a 17.

Now, this outing will certainly prompt cries of "he should be focusing on the economy!" and the like; every president who's ever teed off has faced the same criticism. We could tell you that it's probably a good idea for the most powerful man in the world to blow off a little steam now and then, but chances are your opinions on this president or the Republican leader of the House, pro or con, are already set in stone. Which is why you weren't invited.

So all players left the course with smiles on their faces. Best-case scenario: they realize the other side isn't the devil and work toward mutually acceptable solutions. Worst case: whenever they sit down at the negotiating table, they bore the heck out of everyone else by trading stories about their round.

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Cantona will coach the NY Cosmos in Scholes’ testimonial

It's been five months since Eric Cantona was announced as the "director of soccer" for the re-imagined New York Cosmos. In that time, he's done some PR work for the brand, but it's taken this long for an announcement that he will finally be directing some actual football. And he'll be doing it as manager of a yet to be named senior squad that will face Manchester United in Paul Scholes' testimonial match on August 5.

Since Scholes has no idea who he will actually be playing against in his farewell match, he's decided to highlight the managerial showdown between Alex Ferguson and his former player. From the AFP:

"I hope they enjoy the night, especially seeing the boss and Eric battling it out in front of the dug-outs."

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, meanwhile, is relishing the prospect of seeing Cantona in the opposing dug-out.

"Neither of us will want to lose this one, it is sure to be a great night and a well deserved recognition for Paul," he said.

Battling it out in front of the dugouts? Now I'm imagining the two kung fu kicking each other into submissions. Who needs the mystery team of all-stars that the Cosmos will surely field when you can have that?

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‘Fake Manny’ may be a better singer than real Manny

Yahoo! Sports' Martin Rogers tracked down this Manny Pacquiao-clone in Las Vegas.

Allan Manuel, a 23-year-old Filipino from Houston, is about as good as it gets when it comes to look-a-likes. And in the singing department, he may have one-upped the real Pacman. Pacquiao just released a CD last week featuring a collaborative effort with Dan Hill. The Pacquiao CD features seven versions of Hill's 1977 hit "Sometimes When We Touch."

Watch Manuel belt out the love ballad and then check out the real thing.

You can watch the Pacquiao-Mosley pay-per-view right here on Yahoo! Sports.

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The Bebe era at Man United is officially over

After one glorious season with Manchester United, where he played a vital role in their historic 19th league title and second place finish in the Champions League, the Bebe era at Manchester United is now over. The unforgettable, once homeless Portuguese third division legend that Sir Alex Ferguson bought sight unseen is taking his talents to Turkish side Besiktas. He played in three Carling Cup matches, one FA Cup match, two Premier League matches and one Champions League match. He scored two goals. Though only a loan deal, there have been rumors that it is likely to become permanent at the end of next season.

From PortuGOAL.net:

In a statement released to the Turkish stock market, Besiktas announced that they have paid the Premier League champions a ?1m fee to take the 20-year-old on loan for the 2011-12 campaign, although there was no mention of whether an option to make the deal permanent was included.

Bebe joined United last August in a shock ?9m move from Vitoria Guimaraes, where he had spent just five weeks, having signed from Estrela da Amadora earlier in the summer. However, the forward made little impact at Old Trafford during his debut season, making just seven first-team appearances and spending much of the season in the reserves.

All good things come to an end, as they say. Perhaps one day Bebe will make a triumphant return to the Premier League and dominate even more than he already has. We will never forget you or the lessons you've taught us, Bebe. Namely, that for every Chicharito, there is a Bebe.

Photo: Getty

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DTotD: Diego Lugano’s two-footed lunge into Robin van Persie

With the Netherlands in town for a friendly on Wednesday, Uruguay's Diego Lugano decided that there would be no better time to do his best Nigel De Jong impression. He chose Robin van Persie to be his unknowing partner in the demonstration and appeared to totally ignore the ball as he lunged at Robin's ankles with both feet.

The most amazing part, however, is that none of the officials saw it, so Lugano wasn't even booked for this.

Though van Persie played on, it's debatable whether you could say he proved to be OK. The match ended 1-1, so they decided to finish with a penalty shootout even though, again, it was only a friendly. And in that shootout, van Persie blasted his attempt well over the crossbar. So it seems Lugano's tackle might have crossed some wires in his feet.

Video via 101gg

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Random musings of footballers before they fall asleep…

Michael Ballack

So the national team doesn't want me anymore? ... I see how it is. ... Who's going to fight with Lahm for the captaincy now? No one. That's who. ... Stupid, Jogi Low. ... They're going to miss me at Euro 2012. ... Schweinsteiger is going to have to find someone else to cut the crusts off his Nutella sandwiches. Cause I'm not going all the way to Poland just to do that. ... Idiots. ... If Jogi keeps staring at me like that, I'm going to slap his face like I'm Lukas Podolski and he's Michael Ballack...

Gigi Buffon

Now...what's her name?

Freddy Adu

This is bullspit! ... Bob Bradley finally gets some sense and invites me to a U.S. camp and I can't even make the bench for these Gold Cup matches even though these motherflubbers playing instead of me lose to Panama and can only score one goal on Guadeloupe! ... What the fudge is a Guadeloupe?! ... I should be playing instead of these fools! ... Respect The Adu! American Pele! ... I used to date JoJo...

Didier Drogba

Time for the disgraces. ... First, someone tried to make it look like my head is causing an eclipse. That's a lunar f***ing disgrace. ... Then, I got married in Monaco and Kalou got so drunk at the reception that he tried to sing at the reception. That was a tone-deaf f***ing disgrace. ... Then, Kitier Katba was supposed to be the ring bearer, but his cat tuxedo was too small for him. That was a feline obesity f***ing disgrace. ... Then, there were those times those referees who probably give dead turtles as wedding presents cheated us out of the Champions League. That...that was a...

Photos: Reuters, Getty

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CFL Camp Countdown: Calgary looks to continue their run

Over the next few weeks, the CFL's conducting a series of media conference calls to preview each team heading into training camp. I'll be sitting in on each call and recapping some of the highlights here. If you've got a particular question about a specific team you'd like me to try and get in, let me know via Twitter or e-mail. First up, a recap of the highlights of Tuesday's conference call with Calgary Stampeders' president Lyle Bauer and coach/general manager John Hufnagel. You can find the full audio file of the call here.

— Bauer started things off with the usual sort of optimism you'd expect, commenting "We're obviously very excited about the upcoming season and the job general manager/coach Hufnagel has done." However, he went on to add some more interesting comments about the special things in store for the Stampeders this season. He proved quite enthusiastic about the organization doing events with the 2011 Hall of Fame inductees Sept. 14-18, saying "It's a great honor to host those stars and be a part of it." He also said that the team's involvement in this year's Touchdown Atlantic game represents a chance for the Stampeders to improve their national presence. "We're looking forward to being involved in that."

— Bauer also made some interesting comments on the proposed renovations to McMahon Stadium, saying that other stadium news around the league (see Hamilton, Winnipeg, B.C. and Saskatchewan) both proves the difficulties in getting renovations done or new stadiums built and shows how much facility upgrades are needed in many areas. "As you've seen from stadium developments around the league, we're going to have to work very, very hard to keep pace," he said.

— Hufnagel (pictured above on the sidelines in August) started on an intriguing note, discussing the day's news that the Stampeders had officially signed 2010 third-round picks John Bender and J'Michael Deane (offensive linemen out of Nevada and Michigan State respectively). Both were thought to have some NFL interest in them, so their availability wasn't guaranteed. However, Hufnagel said he knew at the time of the draft that both were likely to sign soon, which allowed him to focus on selecting players that filled other needs. "They gave us a strong indication a deal would be done in the near future," Hufnagel said. "We had earmarked to get a receiver and a defensive lineman in the draft." They did that and more, of course, taking Calgary Dinos receiver Anthony Parker third overall and then picking Bishop's Gaiters defensive lineman Junior Turner ninth overall.

— Hufnagel said the NFL lockout and its prevention of teams from signing undrafted free agents may boost the Stampeders' roster this year, and it may have played a role in Bender and Deane coming north, as they weren't able to find out if NFL teams had much interest in signing them.

"I was very pleased with the talent we had at our free-agent camp in DeLand, Florida," he said. "Whether or not those players did want to think of testing the NFL waters, because of the muddy waters this lockout has created I'm not aware of what their actual thoughts were. With the two players we just signed, I know it created a lot of confusion for them over the past two weeks since the NFL draft, because with no lockout, they would have known what their destiny was. Here, they had to make a decision, and we're very fortunate with the decision they made."

— Although Deane and Bender have the size to potentially play tackle, both are expected to get a look at guard first in training camp. "They'll come in and compete, first at the inside positions at guard," Hufnagel said. "We'll see how they compete at guard, and then we'll evaluate them at the tackle positions."

— A pair of players not likely to be a crucial part of training camp are veteran running back Jesse Lumsden and newly-drafted RB Matt Walter; Lumsden thanks to injury and Walter thanks to his plans to return to the CIS ranks this fall (Update: plans that changed later in the week). Still, both could be interesting parts of the Stampeders' future. Hufnagel said Lumsden won't be available for much of the year, but could help the team down the stretch. "His prognosis is that he will not be ready at the earliest until the end of September, although his rehab is going well."

— One of the Stampeders' most interesting draft picks was Canadian quarterback Brad Sinopoli, who they took in the fourth round. He was the only quarterback picked in this draft (although Edmonton signed Marc Mueller as a free agent shortly thereafter, and Toronto still has Danny Brannagan on their roster). Hufnagel said Sinopoli was selected strictly on talent, not based on any marketing desire to have a Canadian quarterback. "Let me be very clear, I drafted Brad based on his ability," he said.

— There's a widely-held theory that Canadian quarterbacks need more work to adjust to the CFL than American ones, as they don't often get as much position-specific coaching in the high school and college ranks, but Hufnagel said Sinopoli's background in CIS football may even be an advantage for him.

"I don't see his challenges being any different than any other quarterback trying to make the transition from college to the professional level," Hufnagel said. "He may have an advantage, as he has an excellent understanding of what the Canadian game is all about."

— Hufnagel said adjusting to the extra player on each side and the larger field in Canadian football can be extremely difficult for young quarterbacks, and Sinopoli won't have to deal with that. "The composition of the game, the 12th player on offence and defence, it's one more player they have to take into account when they're seeing the field and reading the defence," he said.

— Sinopoli likely won't be making contributions right away, though. Reigning CFL most outstanding player Henry Burris is firmly ensconced at the top of the depth chart, and Drew Tate proved a very capable backup last year. Hufnagel said he doesn't plan to expand Tate's role beyond short yardage and mop-up duty situations yet, but he's been impressed with what he's seen so far.

"Drew did our short yardage package for us and he did it really well," Hufnagel. "I don't see that package expanding. I want to play our best quarterback as long as I can. Drew's an excellent quarterback; his time will come."

— When asked about defensive end Mike Labinjo, pretty much all the information Hufnagel offered was a short "he's on our roster." That doesn't appear to be the case for long, though; Allen Cameron reported that the Stamps seem likely to cut ties with him Wednesday.

— Labinjo is likely being released because of the Canadian depth the Stampeders have picked up on the defensive line. In addition to Turner, they traded the 14th overall pick to Edmonton for Canadian defensive end Brian Bulcke (the sixth-overall selection in last year's draft), and they also drafted Akwasi Antwi in the fourth round. They also have Corey Mace, Justin Phillips, Ian DeGannes-Shaw and Miguel Robede.

— The acquisitions on the line speak to the Stampeders at least partially drafting to fill positions of need, but Hufnagel said their strategy also incorporates best-player-available principles. "It's a combination of both," he said. "We rank players on ability, so you talk about best player available, but we also rank our needs going into the draft, and we talk about how to try and get both."

— One area of focus for the team this year will be the secondary, which lost all-star cornerbacks Brandon Browner and Dwight Anderson in the offseason. Hufnagel said former practice roster player Johnnie Dixon and free-agent signing Geoff Tisdale are the top candidates for the cornerback positions at the moment, but he's confident in the team's depth. "We signed some excellent candidates we believe will come in and compete," he said.

— The Stampeders are coming off a league-best 13-5 record, but will face some issues thanks to the offseason departures of mainstays like Browner, Anderson and left tackle Ben Archibald. Hufnagel said that's to be expected, though. "Pro football in the age of free agency, you're going to have change," he said. "You can't be scared of it."

— Despite that league-best record, the Stampeders fell to Saskatchewan in the West Final last season, and they've suffered notable offseason losses. Hufnagel said the team doesn't have too far to go, though. Their crucial focus this season will be improving their late-season play and putting themselves in positions to win.

"We need to be better at the end of the year than we were at the end of last year," Hufnagel said. "When you come to playoff football, anything can happen."

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Guy dressed as a cow scores first goal at LiveStrong Sporting Park

Lance Armstrong and former Sporting KC trialist Chad Ochocinco were among the more than sold-out crowd of 19,925 at LiveStrong Sporting Park's grand opening on Thursday night. One of the 19,925 people not only came dressed as a cow (and it wasn't Ochocinco!), but did what neither Sporting KC nor the Chicago Fire could do during the match: Score a goal.

Even with Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Neilsen getting sent off in the 67th minute and nine minutes(!) of injury time, the match still ended in a scoreless draw. And though we normally condemn pitch invaders around here, cow man deserves our praise for doing all he could to make the first match in this $200 million stadium memorable. But all he got was arrested.

Photo: @RealBrandon_Z

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U.S. lose first ever Gold Cup group stage match

Clarence Goodson attempts to fly away from the embarrassment.

A week after losing 4-0 to Spain at home, the U.S. lost a Gold Cup group-stage match for the first time ever. It was nowhere near as bad as that match against Spain and if the referee was different or the U.S. converted one of their great scoring chances late in the match, the result against Panama (currently ranked 67th by FIFA) could've been different than the 2-1 loss that is was. But it was a loss. And that's becoming a familiar result for the U.S.

Going back to the loss to Ghana that knocked them out of last summer's World Cup, the U.S. have won just two of their last 11 matches (over South Africa and Canada). When Bob Bradley had his contract renewed for another four years after that loss to Ghana and the loss to Brazil that followed, USSF president Sunil Gulati attempted to justify the decision by saying, "In the end I came to the conclusion that the experience and the record, the work over the last four years, overcame any issue about staleness. We can overcome that."

Apparently not.

Immediately after the U.S. were eliminated from the 2010 World Cup, I wrote that being coached by Bob Bradley finally caught up to this team. If he makes it to 2014, it will be an amazing feat. It might also make a few people cry.

Photo: AP

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