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James vanRiemsdyk

COLORADO SPRING, Colo. - James vanRiemsdyk, the No. 2 pick in the NHL draft, headlines the U.S. team for the world junior hockey championship later this month in the Czech Republic.

VanRiemsdyk, from the University of New Hampshire, was chosen by the Philadelphia Flyers in the draft behind Pat Kane, who is currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks and will not participate in the world junior tournament.

The six-foot-three, 211-pound vanRiemsdyk has six goals and nine assists in 15 games for New Hampshire.

The U.S. team includes eight players - seven forwards and one defencemen - returning from the team that lost in a shootout to Canada in the semifinal of the 2007 world junior championship in Sweden and settled for a bronze medal.

"The good news for USA Hockey is our players go in expecting to be in the final," coach John Hynes said Wednesday in a conference call. "We’ve been in the semis the last five years and we’ve lost some really tight hockey games."

The U.S. last won the world junior title in 2004.

The Canadian Hockey League players on the team are Plymouth Whalers goaltender Jeremy Smith and defencemen Jonathon Blum of the Vancouver Giants, Kevin Montgomery of the London Knights and Bobby Sanguinetti of the Brampton Battalion.

Blum leads all Western Hockey League defencemen in points with seven goals and 26 assists.

The seven first-round NHL draft picks on the team are: vanRiemsdyk (Philadelphia), Sanguinetti (New York Rangers), Blum (Nashville), forwards Kyle Okposo (New York Islanders) and Max Pacioretty (Montreal) and defencemen Ian Cole (St. Louis) and Chris Summers (Phoenix).

The University of Minnesota has four players on the team and the University of Michigan has three.

"I think we have a lot of guys on our team that are willing to play for the team and sacrifice for the team," Hynes said.

"The team is going to carry the flag. I don’t think there’s one or two players we’re going to rely on."

The U.S. is in Pool B at the world junior championship with Russia, Kazakhstan, Switzerland and Finland and opens against Kazakhstan on Dec. 26.

Canada, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Denmark are in Pool A.

Source: U.S. announces WJHC team

Today’s top transfer rumors:

Internazionale have shown an interest in wonderkid Lionel Messi but the young Argentinean has rejected any potential offers coming in for him. He admitted to being flattered with the interest shown in him and with the admiration coming from Inter’s president Massimo Moratti but has decided that Barcelona is where he will remain for the foreseeable future. In an interview with the Argentinean press he said, “I have Barcelona in my heart and I expect to stay here for a long time.”

Wigan’s new manager Steve Bruce is hoping to sign a new striker in January and his priorities at the moment are linked to Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink at Celtic and Wolves’ Andy Keogh. Wolves signed Keogh in January this year for £600,000 from Scunthorpe. Celtic meanwhile brought Dutchman Vennegoor of Hesselink in 2006 for a deal worth around £3.4m. He has impressed since playing in the SPL though and Celtic will surely not want to let him go.

Meanwhile I’ve heard that should Wigan end up going down this year Welsh midfielder Jason Koumas could leave them to join Everton who are keeping an eye on him. Sunderland are also said to inspecting him too. Everton are also linked with Norwegian striker Thorstein Helstad who is valued at £1.5m.

According to the Daily Express newspaper Chelsea are reportedly ready to splash the cash in the transfer window. With Andriiy Shevchenko and Wayne Bridge linked with moves away from Stamford Bridge Avram Grant is considering bids on Royston Drenthe who only joined Real Madrid in the summer, Nicklas Bendtner from Arsenal, Nicolas Anelka from Bolton and Benni McCarthy from Blackburn. Real Madrid are apparently prepared to negotiate a swap deal, with Chelsea midfielder Florent Malouda trading places with Drenthe.

Various newspapers are claiming today that Manchester City, who you can bet on spending big during the transfer window, are prepared to meet the £17m asking price for Javier Mascherano. The Argentine was going to sign for Liverpool permanently in the New Year after they paid the sum to owner Kia Joorabchian. However, with the confusion and uncertainty surrounding Rafa Benitez at the moment Mascherano has already said that should the boss go then he will too. Watch this space.

Source: Transfer Roundup: Inter Milan, Barcelona, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Liverpool, Wigan, Everton

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) - Profits from the sale of No. 21 jerseys and other Sean Taylor items at official Washington Redskins stores will go to the trust fund established for his 1-year-old daughter, Jackie.

Taylor, a 24-year-old safety, was shot at his Florida home last week and died the next day.

The Sean Taylor Memorial Trust Fund was set up to provide for Jackie’s education and health care; she will receive any remaining money in three stages after she turns 25.

Redskins owner Dan Snyder guaranteed an initial contribution of $500,000, plus the retail profit donations announced Wednesday.

Contributions to the fund can be mailed to the Sean Taylor Memorial Trust Fund, c/o The Washington Redskins, 21300 Redskins Park Drive, Ashburn, Va., 20147.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Source: Taylor jersey profits going to trust fund

The course featured 24 women and girls and was setup as part of the AFN’s Coaching Pathways Programme which aims to tackle and understand the barriers faced by Asian and other minority groups in accessing mainstream coaching provision.

AFN research shows that a lack of quality coaching provision and limited pathways are the main factors that are inhibiting the progression of Asian players and coaches into mainstream football with the CCP project looking to harness the huge hidden potential in Asian communities by delivering targeted coaching courses.

The AFN’s Kuljit Randhawa commented: “We knew that if we designed a course sensitive to the needs of Asian women and girls and communicated it through the right channels then we would achieve a high attendance rate.

“We weren’t at all surprised with the response and enthusiasm for the course. There is a need for more Asian women coaches, which in turn would bring about better coaching opportunities at grassroots level, and provide positive role models for Asian communities and beyond.”

Namzin, from Elite Youth FC, was delighted to have taken part in the Level One course which also included a session on First Aid: “We really enjoyed the course and are pleased that the AFN set it up as, otherwise, we probably wouldn’t had the opportunity to become coaches.

“It’s important for us to be role models for the next generation of players and coaches.”

The course featured females from a variety of different Asian backgrounds with Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian and Vietnamese communities all represented and the Essex FA’s Nick Perchard said: “We have been working with the Asian Football Network for a number of years to try to increase the number of Asians involved in all aspects of the game.

“One of the priorities is to increase the number of female asian coaches so that there are people working on the ground who can act as role models and we’re delighted by the success of the course and even more so by the desire of the coaches involved in the course to get involved in the programmes deliver by Essex FA.

“It is our hope that many of these newly qualified coaches will work in the grassroots game and encourage more people from ethnic minorities to become involved.”

For more information on the AFN go to www.asianfootballnetwork.org.uk.

Source: Asian Pathway

Reporter Mike Sullivan has a story on the individual game of Erving Walker …

Filed under Florida

Source: CTK Sharpshooter Among Best Offensively

Carlos Medlock scored 18 points and Justin Dobbins added 14 to rally Eastern Michigan to a 72-63 victory over Illinois State Tuesday night, snapping the Eagles’ two-game losing streak.

Jesse Bunkley added 10 points for the Eagles (4-4), who recorded their first win over a Missouri Valley Conference school since they beat Drake in the 1997-98 season.

Filed under Illinois State

Source: E. Michigan 72, Illinois St. 63

JUSTIN Langer became Western Australia’s most prolific batsman in four-day domestic cricket as the Warriors set their sights on inflicting Tasmania’s third outright loss of the Pura Cup at Bellerive Oval.

Batting a second time after deciding against enforcing the follow on, WA ended day three at 0-146, holding a lead of 314 runs.

Langer was on 86, taking his overall tally for WA in Pura Cup/Sheffield Shield matches to 8919, eclipsing the previous record held by ex-Australian batsman and current WA coach Tom Moody (8853).

The former Test star will resume with fellow opener Chris Rogers (54 not out) with WA looking for quick runs before giving their bowlers - who are one short with Ben Edmondson (side strain) out injured - the bulk of the final day to claim the maximum six points that would send them to within two of competition leaders Victoria and NSW.

Lanky quick Steve Magoffin (5-53) claimed the spoils with the ball for WA, bagging his first five-wicket haul of the season as Tasmania were dismissed for 343 in reply to the visitors’ imposing 8(dec)-511.

Captain Dan Marsh likely saved the struggling Pura Cup champions from being sent back in to bat after a fighting century, his first of the season.

The 34-year-old batted flawlessly for nearly five hours, sharing a vital 110-run stand with George Bailey (68) for the fifth wicket before holding the Tigers tail together long enough to get close to the follow on.

The home side will need a few more of their batsman to stand up if they are any chance of claiming a comeback win - or at the very least holding out WA.

Bogged down in fifth place on the ladder with just six points nearing the mid-point of the season, the Tigers are quickly running out of time to kickstart their title defence.

After making early inroads into the Tasmanian top order on day two, Magoffin claimed three more scalps to move up to fourth on this season’s wicket-takers list.

He now has 21 scalps at an average of 18.85.

Left-arm chinaman Brad Hogg, in line for selection for the Boxing Day Test with Stuart MacGill to undergo hand surgery, had little joy bowling on a pitch giving little assistance to spinners, finishing wicket-less with figures of 0-95 from 32 overs.

AAP

Source: Langer record sinks Tassie

The 2008 Australian Open is expected to have the best field in the tournament’s 103-year history, since only one of both top 100 ATP and WTA players won’t compete. That one player is world No.40 Vera Dushevina of Russia who was forced to withdraw due to a right-foot injury.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley is thrilled with the strength of the lineup.

"At this stage, it's the strongest field in the event's history and we're sure this will equate to one of the most exciting tournaments yet," said Tiley.

Don't forget that the women's field has four former singles champions in Lindsay Davenport, Justine Henin, Amelie Mauresmo, and defending champion Serena Williams. The 2004 champion and world’s best-ranked player Justine Henin will be No.1 seed at the January 14-27 tournament. (via CBS Sports)

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Source: Australian Open to have the strongest field ever

Calgary skyline

The upcoming Davis Cup tie between Canada and Mexico will be held at the Corral in Calgary, Tennis Canada announced Tuesday.

Taking place from February 8-10, 2008, it’s mark the fifth time in Davis Cup history that Canada has played a home tie in Calgary.

Canada is undefeated in four prior visits to Calgary including three sweeps, its most recent coming in February 2007 when Canada dominated Colombia 5-0 and did not drop a set. Canada also defeated Brazil 3-2 in a 2003 World Group playoff, and swept Peru (2003) and Chile (2002).

"The team is very excited to head back to Calgary for our next Davis Cup tie in February," said Martin Laurendeau, Davis Cup captain and coach. "We will be playing a Mexican team which has a great record against us but we definitely intend on keeping our undefeated record in Calgary intact."

Historically, Canada has a 5-18 overall record against Mexico. The two teams last faced each other in April 2006 on outdoor clay courts in Mexico City. A win for Canada would pit them

Source: Davis Cup: Canada faces Mexico in Calgary

WHL

The Tri-City Americans kept pace with the high-flying Spokane Chiefs, but they needed another overtime win to do it.

Kruise Reddick scored at 1:47 of overtime to give the Tri-City Americans a 3-2 Western Hockey League win over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday.

Tri-City, 21-6-0-0, won for the fourth straight time in overtime while Seattle dropped to 0-5 in the extra period.

The Americans are five points behind the Chiefs in the WHL’s U.S. Division with two games in hand. The Chiefs, 5-2 winners in Edmonton Tuesday, lead the WHL with 47 points.

Elsewhere in the WHL it was: Brandon 5 Regina 2, Saskatoon 3 Kootenay 1, Swift Current 4 Red Deer 1, Kamloops 6 Portland 4 and Chilliwack 6 Prince George 3.

At Seattle, Josh Schappert gave the T-birds an early lead when he stuffed in his third goal of the season after a perfect feed from Jan Eberle at 8:19 of the first period.

A goal by Greg Scott made it 2-0 for Seattle at 5:18 of the second period with his ninth of the season. T.J. Fast cut the margin in half with his fourth goal of the season at 15:31 of the second period.

Colton Yellow Horn’s 17th goal of the season, on a 5-on-3 power play, evened the game at 3:00 of the third period.

Riku Helenius made 34 saves for Seattle, 11-10-5-1.

Chiefs 5 Oil Kings 2

At Edmonton, Drayton Bowman scored his league-leading 26th goal as Spokane beat the Oil Kings for their ninth win in 10 games.

Wheat Kings 5 Pats 2

At Regina, Scott Glennie scored twice and Jay Fehr added three assists as Brandon beat the Pats in a matchup of the two top teams in the East Division.

Blades 3 Ice 1

At Saskatoon, the Blades broke open a close game with two goals late in the second period in a win over Kootenay.

Broncos 4 Rebels 1

At Swift Current, Sask, the host Broncos snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over Red Deer.

Blazers 6 Winter Hawks 4

At Kamloops, B.C., right-winger Tyler Shattock scored two goals, leading the Blazers to a victory over Portland.

Bruins 6 Cougars 3

At Chilliwack, B.C., Evan Pighin had two goals and two assists and Oscar Moller added four assists as the Bruins downed Prince George.

Source: Americans need OT to beat Thunderbirds