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It looks like next Monday might be the day Seattle gets a MLS club. Goal Seattle is reporting that a local footy pub is hosting a ’special “local professional soccer” announcement next Monday, November 12th, from Noon to 2:00 PM.’

He also adds that after talking with the pub, they confirmed the announcement involves MLS in Seattle and that this will be a ‘pre-announcement of the official announcement of the team at The Colombia Tower on Tuesday.

The timing makes perfect sense, as the league normally likes to use MLS and All-Star weeks for such major news.

If you are in the area and want to attend the Monday event, it is at:
George and the Dragon Pub
Located in the Fremont area of Seattle
206 North 36th Street, Seattle WA 98103
Tel: (206) 545-6864

No word on any plans in Philadelphia or St. Louis.

Labels: 2007 MLS Cup, MLS, MLS expansion, Philadelphia, Seattle, Seattle Sounders, St. Louis

Source: MLS Expansion - Seattle announcement on Monday

Nemanja Vidic

MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic signed a two-year contract extension through to 2012 with the Premier League champions on Thursday.
Vidic, 26, has formed a strong central pairing with Rio Ferdinand since joining in January 2006. United has let in just six goals in 12 Premier League matches this season.

"Nemanja has made a terrific impact at the club and has forged a partnership with Rio Ferdinand that was a major part in us winning the title last year," United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said.

Vidic has also scored five goals in 69 matches since United paid Spartak Moscow a reported seven million pounds (C$13.7 million) for him.

Source: Vidic extends contract with Man U

Like a pair of exhausted boxers, hugging close in anticipation of the final bell, neither Jamie Spencer nor Seb Sanders could yesterday slip in the extra jab that might make all the difference. Riding in direct opposition for the first time since Friday, and the last time before Thursday, both drew a blank – leaving Spencer three ahead in the race for the championship, with just five days to go.

Sure enough, he remains favourite with the bookmakers. But he is suspended today and tomorrow, and must watch helplessly as Sanders attempts to erase the deficit with six rides at Lingfield today, and a double shift tomorrow between Nottingham and Kempton. Coral cut Sanders to 11-10 from 6-4, easing Spencer from 1-2 to 4-6.

Sanders’s best ride today may be the flourishing sprinter, New York Oscar, but his mounts in both maidens set a clear standard on their best form. River Deuce improved to win in decisive fashion over course and distance last month, while a more reliable animal than Desperate Dan would be given credit for an encouraging run last time, only his third start since changing stable. And while some imagination is required to picture Almondillo winning a race, much the same could be said of the rabble against him today.

On Thursday morning, moreover, there is another potential lifeline for Sanders. Having won a photo against Spencer at Newmarket last Friday, he was aghast to see the placings reversed by the stewards after an inquiry into marginal interference. His mount’s trainer, Peter Makin, has appealed and the disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority has brought forward its hearing to ensure that the matter is resolved before the protagonists cross swords for the final time at Doncaster on Saturday.

This duel has sustained the Flat season through a period when it is normally hopelessly moribund, and now it seems that even the steeplechasers – who have been in such haste to ignite their new campaign – are making a respectful retreat.

It had been expected that both Voy Por Ustedes and Twist Magic would begin their journey towards the Queen Mother Champion Chase in the William Hill Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter today. In the event, however, neither was declared yesterday morning, on account of the fast ground.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Twist Magic, has already seen his champion, Kauto Star, produce a drowsy performance on his reappearance at Aintree nine days ago. That was Kauto Star’s first defeat (bar a fall at Cheltenham) since Monkerhostin beat him in this same Exeter race two years ago. Aware that Twist Magic would have to carry top weight today, in the absence of Voy Por Ustedes, Nicholls decided that the horse should seek a gentler start to his first season outside novice company.

He will not have made his decision lightly, having long had this target in mind, and considering Twist Magic very effective when fresh from a break. After all, the only alternatives he could suggest yesterday were a valuable handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on Sunday week, and a graduation race at Kempton.

Twist Magic volunteered himself as an obvious threat to Voy Por Ustedes when beating Fair Along by five lengths at Aintree in April, only his fourth start over fences. Fair Along had also finished second in the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham – where Twist Magic had fallen two out, still on the bridle – and will serve as an instructive proxy today, albeit he faces just four rivals.

They include Pablo Du Charmil, who showed a natural flair for fences in the novice chase at this meeting last year, and impressed in two further wins before disappointing against seasoned rivals at the Festival.

l Paul Cole’s unbeaten Pippa Greene has been installed as the 7-1 favourite by Coral bookmakers for the totesport November Handicap after 41 entries were received for the end-of-season feature at Doncaster. The Galileo colt is three from three so far in his fledgling career and this would undoubtedly be his toughest test to date. George Margarson has also declared Young Mick as he continues on the comeback trail following 12 months off the track.

Chris McGrath

Nap: Boxhall(Catterick 4.10)

NB: The Crazy Parson (Exeter 4.20)

Interesting? Click here to explore further

Source: Stalemate leaves Spencer in tense wait on sidelines

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jaguars quarterback David Garrard practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday and could return against Tennessee.

Garrard

Garrard ran without pain last week, but the real test was getting through his first practice since suffering a high ankle sprain Oct. 22 against Indianapolis.

“It’s going to be obvious if I can do it,” Garrard said before practice Wednesday. “If I can’t, then it’ll be obvious as well. I don’t want to be hobbling. I don’t feel like I’ll be able to play my game if I’m hobbling around or gimping around. I’ve never played like that.”

The Jaguars (5-3) started the season 4-1 thanks mostly to Garrard. He injured his left ankle early against the Colts and sat out the last two games. Quinn Gray started in his place.

Coach Jack Del Rio said Garrard needs to move well to have a chance to play Sunday against the Titans, who are fourth in the AFC with 22 sacks.

“They apply great pressure on the quarterback and he’s going to have to be able to move to protect himself,” Del Rio said.

Del Rio said it could be a game-time decision, but Garrard believes he might know one way or the other in the next few days.

“If I’m barely moving around practice at full speed and can barely keep up, then we’ll know then,” he said. “If I do fine, come in [Thursday] morning and it’s swollen and it’s really bothering me, then we’ll know then. You just have to go through the evaluation process.

“I have to be smart. There’s a lot of games left. I want to make sure the ankle’s right before I come back. I don’t want to get out there and damage it more and then I’m out for the rest of the season.”

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

Source: Jags’ Garrard practices, may play against Titans

Notes on the OU football team prior to Saturday’s game against Baylor.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) – When Oklahoma offensive lineman Duke Robinson got the rare opportunity to legally catch a pass, he had only one thing in mind.

“It would have been great to get a first down probably or get 20 or 25 yards or something like that, but I wanted to run somebody over,” said Robinson, a starting guard.

Robinson’s rare opportunity came early in the second quarter Saturday, when one of quarterback Sam Bradford’s passes was deflected at the line. That meant Robinson was no longer an ineligible receiver, and he grabbed it out of the air before picking up eight yards.

But instead of heading straight ahead into the open field, he veered off toward two Texas A&M defenders.
 
“That’s the best,” Sooners coach Bob Stoops said. “He could have had a first down if he’d have just ran straight ahead. He turns around and looks for the nearest guy to run into. That’s O-linemen for you.”

Robinson said teammates who joked that he ran toward defenders because he didn’t want to keep running were far from the truth.

“I wasn’t tired. I could have took it to the house if I wanted to,” Robinson said.

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Tight end Joe Jon Finley, who’d let his hair grow out and had worn it long since arriving at Oklahoma, now has a new, closely-shaven look.

Finley said he’d been considering getting it cut for a while and finally decided to have his roommate Jacob Gutierrez give him the buzz last Friday in their backyard.

“I’ve had it short my whole life until I got to college. I had it bald my senior year in football. Everybody back home knows me with short hair and they see me on TV and they’re like, “What the heck? What are you doing with long hair?”‘ Finley said. “Everybody here has never seen me with short hair, so it’s a little bit different.”

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Oklahoma unveiled a new wrinkle in its offense on Saturday when DeMarco Murray lined up in the shotgun, took a direct snap and ran the option with fellow tailback Chris Brown.

While the setup looked similar to Arkansas’ “WildHog” offense featuring Darren McFadden taking a shotgun snap, offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said the Sooners’ approach more closely resembled the zone-read offenses that former Texas quarterback Vince Young or former Missouri Brad Smith ran in college.

“It’s just trying to get him a few touches,” Wilson said. “Does it get bigger or less? We’ll see each week as it goes.”

Wilson said the Sooners were able to install the package during the bye week between the Iowa State and Texas A&M games, and he doesn’t want to spend so much time practicing it that the core offense suffers. He said the package incorporated existing blocking schemes.

“We don’t want it to be so much that it’s a burden for us,” Wilson said. “You want it to be where it can make plays for us and gives them other things to prepare for. At the same time, you lose one of the best threats on our football team who’s that guy with the ball in his hands and throwing it.”

In the formation, quarterback Sam Bradford lines up as a wide receiver.

Wilson said the package does have a buzzword to indicate that two running backs are on the field, but it’s top secret for now.

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Stoops said he got a chance to talk to Adrian Peterson on the phone after the former Sooners tailback broke the NFL record with 296 yards rushing against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

“He said he woke up (Monday) expecting to feel real sore, and he goes, “Coach, I felt pretty good,”‘ Stoops said. “That’s what happens when you rush for about 300. You’re not on the ground a lot.”

While at Oklahoma, Peterson set the NCAA freshman record with 1,925 yards rushing in 2004. In only three years in college, he had 4,045 yards rushing.

“I just think naturally he’s a young guy leaving here as a junior. He’s just naturally going to keep, I believe, maturing, hard as it is to believe, physically,” Stoops said. “Those guys, as they get into their mid-20s, they just gain more strength, more power and really physically mature. I don’t think he’s done. He’s just an exceptional talent.”

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To take a big step forward in the national title race, the Sooners could sure use some help from Stoops’ brother, Arizona coach Mike Stoops.

Oregon, which is No. 3 in the BCS standings this week, plays its next game at Arizona on Nov. 15 and would likely need to lose one of its final games to fall behind Oklahoma, which is fifth in the BCS.

So does the Sooners coach see a chance for an upset?

“They did last year, right?” Bob Stoops said. “I’m sure they realize that and I do believe overall they’re a better team this year, though their record may not show it. There’s always that chance, for sure.”

Arizona won 37-10 at Oregon last season, but got off to a 2-6 start this season before back-to-back wins against UCLA and Washington. The Wildcats will need to win their final two games to match last season’s 6-6 record.

“It is fun to see them working their way through it, being down and coming back,” Bob Stoops said. “They haven’t been far off. It’s pleasing to see them win some big games and then come back. I’m sure it’s given their team some confidence and more life, and hopefully they just keep improving.”

Source: Robinson’s Run, Murray and More

Bison Vision, a new multimedia platform that will include video interviews, highlights of Bucknell Athletics events and more, made its debut this week. Fans can link to the site, which is housed on the University’s Web site, through BucknellBison.com.

The initial content on Bison Vision includes interviews with Bucknell head coaches Kathy Fedorjaka, Pat Flannery, Ben Landis and Heather Lewis, as well as an upbeat video highlighting Bucknell’s recent honor of being named an “All-American Sportsmanship School” by the Institute for International Sport.

Additional content will be added periodically throughout the year.

Source: Bison Vision Makes its Debut

Source: Video:Man U’s 4-0 win against Dynamo Kiev

With Eric “The Big Ego” Lindros announcing his retirement, the sticks and stones are being flung around the hockeysphere left and right about the career of the polarizing centerman.

Over at The FanHouse, I muse about how Lindros changed the game. As much of a douche as Lindros is/was, we all know that he and his style of play had a profound impact on the NHL.

For worse, teams decided to load up on big slugs and SIZE, over skill and speed. Before Lindros, Cam Neely and Mark Messier were your basic power forwards, and most players were prized for their skills rather than their brute strength. Once Lindros came on the scene, it was all about BIGGER is BETTER, and teams skipped over skilled, smaller players to draft slugs like Brett Lindros, Chris Wells, etc etc … Thankfully, after being smacked upside the head a few times, teams realized that players like Martin St. Louis are hella valuable and now NHL clubs are focused more on skill than pure size.

So, is Eric worthy for the Hall of Fame? My own preference would be ‘YES’, but that is without fully examining his case. I believe the effect Lindros had on the game trumps his final numbers and lack of any Stanley Cup success.

Over at The Daily Examiner, one scribe relays a story about Lindros and his habit of ‘peeking’

The bathroom was relatively crowded — in fact there were only two side-by-side urinals available. I took my urinal just like I would if I didn’t think the number one pick in 1991’s NHL Entry Draft was about to take the next one.

The first thing I noticed, upon seeing Lindros in person standing, was that he was taller (and skinnier) than I expected. I guess height helps in hockey because it allows you to see things from a less obstructed perspective.

As I did my thing, I felt something bearing down on me from an unobstructed perspective. It was Lindros, and, yes, he was sneaking a peek

Eeepp O.o

Labels: Eric Lindros, flyers

Source: Eric Lindros Calls it a Career

By: Jason Petrina

For race car model enthusiasts, there is nothing more satisfying than building a race car model from the ground up, and then entering a race and winning! This hobby has been around for sometime, and it continues to grow in popularity. Building RC models is one thing – building race car models that win races are altogether different. If you are a beginner, it is important to realize that while this is a fun hobby, the races are serious, and often there are cash prizes at stake. So, before you buy a cheap kit and enter a race, do your homework and find out all that you need to know.

There are many kits available that include all of the necessary parts to build your model race car. You can also choose to buy all of the parts separately, and design your own race car model – adding parts and components that will give you an advantage over the competition. Beginners are better off starting with a kit. This will allow them to learn what they need to know, without spending quite as much money. Buying each component of a race car model separately can be costly – especially if you don’t purchase the correct parts to begin with.

Race car model kits can easily be found in hobby stores or on the Internet. These cars can be built to win races, if you know what you are looking for when you shop. Remember that quality really isn’t measured in dollars, in most cases. So just because a kit is expensive, this does not mean that you are more likely to win races. There are other factors to consider besides price. Searching online for RC models is a great idea because there is such a large selection to choose from. For sure, you will be able to find the race car model that fits your budget and your taste.

The body of the RC model makes a great deal of difference – whether you are using a kit, or building the race car model from scratch. Plastic and metal are generally your two choices. Some race car models are even made out of ceramic or wood as well. For durability, metal RC models are the best - however for racing, you might want to consider plastic, because it is lighter. The lighter the car, the faster it will go. You should also note that you may find you have less control over a lighter weight car in turns. Only you can decide which is best for your car, and the races you plan to enter.

Body design is another factor. You want your race car model to be very aerodynamic, which makes it less resistant to wind drag. If the RC model is aerodynamic, it will go faster than a race car model that isn’t. The close the car sits to the ground, the more aerodynamic it is. Aerodynamic cars also have smooth curved lines instead of sharp squared lines. The motor of the race car model is the next thing to consider. Determine whether your model race car will be nitro powered or electric. For racing, nitro powered race car models are recommended. An electric race car model really doesn’t stand a chance against one that is nitro powered.

Eventually, you will want to build your own race car model from the ground up. You need a plan and a design to start with. Attend as many race car model races as you can – even if you aren’t participating. Make it a habit to talk to the other racers – especially the winners. Find out how they built their cars, special components or parts they’ve added, and ask for tips on controlling the car as well. Often, it isn’t the way the car was built that wins a race – it is how the car was controlled during the race!

Jason Petrina is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com

Source: Race Car Model Building Tips

London 2012 stadium

London 2012 organizers today unveiled the design for the Olympic Stadium, the flagship venue for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The unique 80,000 seat stadium will be the centre-piece for the 2012 Games hosting the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the athletics events. Following the Games it will be converted down to a 25,000 seat permanent stadium and become a new home for athletics.

The main features of the design are a sunken bowl built into the ground for the field of play and lower permanent seating, designed to bring spectators close to the action; 25,000 permanent seats with an additional 55,000 seats as part of a temporary structure located at the top; a cable supported roof which will stretch 28 metres the whole way around the Stadium, providing cover for two thirds of spectators; a fabric curtain will wrap around the stadium structure, acting as additional protection and shelter for spectators.

"We talk a lot about milestones, but few will be more exciting than this, the unveiling of the Olympic Stadium, which will be the centre piece of our Olympic Park," said Seb Coe, the chair of the London 2012 organizing committee.

"The stadium will stand for everything we talked about in the bid: it will be inspiring, innovative and sustainable – the theatre within which the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will be played out and leaving behind top class sporting and community facilities after the Games."

"We genuinely believe that this creates a new blueprint for building Olympic stadia – one which integrates Games time requirements with a long term legacy vision."

The organizers say construction of the $1-billion US stadium will begin next year, will be finished by the summer of 2011 and will be on budget.

Source: London 2012 stadium design unveiled