All Sport Live

FRUSTRATION with North Melbourne’s rejection of a new life on the Gold Coast has been replaced by community support for a home-grown team in Australia’s largest regional centre, with the AFL confirming its plans for a second club in southeast Queensland by 2011.

Speaking at a season launch on the Gold Coast, AFL commercial operations manager Gillon McLachlan declared the league wanted a Gold Coast team "as soon as possible" and that the AFL commission, at a meeting later this month, would consider a proposal to issue a 17th licence.

While the notion of a 17th team on the Gold Coast is not new, local AFL figures Richard Griffiths and Graeme Downie said it was significant the league had reaffirmed its intentions after last year’s decision by the Kangaroos to remain at Arden Street.

Downie, a prominent Gold Coast businessman and former chairman of the Brisbane Lions, predicted that the local community would more easily embrace a home-grown team than a transplanted club still clinging to its Melbourne roots.

"The fact that the Roos rejected the approach to go to the Gold Coast is seen by locals as a rejection of the Gold Coast," Downie said.

"I don’t think there is any doubt that locals would prefer to start afresh with a brand new franchise."

The AFL’s plans to colonise the Gold Coast have been fast-tracked, in part, by the success of the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL.

Downie said the Titans, a start-up team named and embraced by local rugby league supporters, was a "terrific model" to follow.

"The Titans have done a great job in winning the hearts of locals and we shouldn’t be ashamed in taking the positives out of the way they went about establishing their franchise," Downie said.

"With a relocated team from Melbourne, a lot of that community involvement and sense of local ownership wouldn’t be there."

Griffiths, the AFL Queensland chief executive, said it was important for supporters living on the Gold Coast to know the league was serious about issuing a 17th licence.

When the idea was first raised by AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, it was seen by some as little more than bluff tactics to influence a divided North Melbourne board.

"The community was obviously disappointed that the Kangaroos made a decision that relocation to the Gold Coast wasn’t in their best interests but, to be honest, the prospect of a unique, Gold Coast-owned football club has helped them move on," Griffiths said.

"There was a feeling that if the Kangaroos came here, it would be a divided board and less than 100 per cent commitment by the club. The perception might have been that we were receiving a reluctant footy club. Now we have got the opportunity of having our very own, home-grown team and I think the community will really embrace it."

McLachlan agreed this was "absolutely the upside" of the decision by Kangaroos president James Brayshaw and his board to stay in Melbourne. While the AFL would remain open to a change of heart by the Kangaroos if Brayshaw’s financial rescue plans failed, McLachlan said it was important to "deliver certainty" to North Melbourne members and Gold Coast AFL supporters alike.

"We have to move on," McLachlan said from the Gold Coast. "The door is always open but James Brayshaw and his board are moving strongly down a different path and so are we.

"In 30 years’ time there will be 1.5 million people living on the Gold Coast and we need to have a team here."

The AFL has honoured a contractual obligation for the Kangaroos to play three "home games" on the Gold Coast this season, against St Kilda, West Coast and Brisbane. Griffiths said it was unlikely crowd numbers would suffer as a result of the club’s decision, given the appeal of the opposition sides.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire last year raised concerns about plans for a 17th team. The AFL clubs can block the move to issue a 17th licence if 12 or more vote against the proposal. "We need to take the clubs with us," McLachlan said.

 

Source: Titans model for new Coast club

“When we got knocked in the mouth, I don’t think we responded very well. That was definately the toughest team we’ve played.” - Tom Izzo after a grinding 51-41 Michigan State victory over Illinois. He did praise at least one player, however: “Thank God for Travis Walton.”

Filed under Illinois

Source: ScoutTV: Post-Illinois

England

v

Republic Of Ireland

 

 

2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifier
7.45pm, Tuesday 5 February 2008
St.Mary’s Stadium, Southampton FC
Live on Sky Sports

Stuart Pearce has named his England Under-21 squad for next week’s game with the Republic Of Ireland.

The Young Lions will be hoping to continue where they left off in late 2007, when victory over Bulgaria in Milton Keynes was followed by an impressive draw against Portugal in Agueda to leave Pearce’s team in a strong position to qualify for next year’s Championships.

There are two new call-ups to the squad for the game, with Stoke City defender Ryan Shawcross (left) and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O’Hara both named by Pearce for the first time.

Shawcross has been in impressive form for the Championship outfit whilst on loan from Manchester United, scoring six goals along the way and he recently made that move permanent with City paying a fee of £1 million for him.

O’Hara has also shown his worth since breaking into the first team at White Hart Lane. The left sided midfielder had been on loan at Millwall earlier in the season, but has now forced his way firmly into the first team reckoning under Juande Ramos.

The London born ace has previously been capped by England at U16 and U17 level.

The England Squad

Name

Club

DOB

Caps

Goals

Goalkeepers

Joe Hart

Manchester City

19.04.87

9

0

Tom Heaton

Manchester United

15.04.86

0

0

Joe Lewis

Peterborough United

06.10.87

0

0

Defenders

Craig Gardner

Aston Villa

25.11.86

4

0

Michael Mancienne

QPR (on loan from Chelsea)

08.01.88

2

0

Joe Mattock

Leicester City

15.05.90

2

0

Nedum Onuoha

Manchester City

12.11.86

13

1

Ryan Shawcross

Stoke City

04.10.87

0

0

Steven Taylor

Newcastle United

23.01.86

24

4

David Wheater

Middlesbrough

14.02.87

4

0

Midfielders

Lee Cattermole

Middlesbrough

21.03.81

2

0

Tom Huddlestone

Tottenham Hotspur

28.12.86

24

2

Adam Johnson

Middlesbrough

14.07.87

4

1

Aaron Lennon

Tottenham Hotspur

16.04.87

2

0

James Milner

Newcastle United

04.01.86

35

4

Fabrice Muamba

Birmingham City

06.04.88

6

0

Mark Noble

West Ham United

08.05.87

9

3

Jamie O’Hara

Tottenham Hotspur

25.09.86

0

0

Andrew Surman

Southampton

20.08.86

2

1

Forwards

Cameron Jerome

Birmingham City

14.10.86

8

0

Luke Moore

Aston Villa

13.02.86

4

0

James Vaughan

Everton

14.07.88

1

0

Theo Walcott

Arsenal

16.03.89

13

4

Statistics including Portugal v England, 20 November 2007

Source: Pearce names squad

England

v

Republic Of Ireland

 

 

2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifier
7.45pm, Tuesday 5 February 2008
St.Mary’s Stadium, Southampton FC
Live on Sky Sports

England Under-21 Head Coach Stuart Pearce has revealed how he hopes the experience gained from his players in their bid to qualify for the European Championships next year can only stand them in good stead for possible future appearances at senior level.

Pearce named his squad for next week’s qualifier against the Republic Of Ireland on Thursday afternoon and is looking to pick up another three points to propel the Young Lions towards the play-offs.

With a mixture of more experienced players at this level and younger players who are just breaking through, Pearce feels that England are in a good position for the future.

“It’s a strong squad for an important game that we have to win to get into the play-offs,” he said, ahead of Tuesday’s game at Southampton FC’s St.Mary’s Stadium.

“If I can get the team to the Championship and give the experience to the players, then they can gain from that and it can only help the full side in the future.

“If we get the World Cup in 2018, many of these players will be at their peak and the experiences they have had in the past will go with them.

“We need to make sure players get as much experience at the younger age groups as possible.”

With senior Manager Fabio Capello also announcing his Three Lions squad on Thursday, Pearce’s squad was affected by the selection of striker Gabriel Agbonlahor for the game with Switzerland on Wednesday.

Given the Aston Villa man’s form for both club and country over the last few months, that came as no surprise to Pearce and the player goes with everyone’s best wishes although he feels there is ample talent to replace him.

“Gaby’s going with the seniors and we’ve got five or six injuries on top of that, but there’s a lot of experience here,” he added.

“Gaby’s got extreme talent so I’m delighted to see him take the step into the seniors.”

Tottenham Hotspur winger Aaron Lennon was also named in the Under-21 squad, after previously being involved in the senior ranks and Pearce feels that he will benefit more by playing games in the Under-21s, whilst still under the watchful eye of Capello.

“We need to see him play, Fabio Capello is very interested in seeing him,” revealed Pearce.

“From my point of view, if a player is of the age to play in the Under-21s, they will get more experience actually playing than not getting a game with the seniors.

“He’s only got two caps for the Under-21s and you wouldn’t say he has been a regular for the seniors over a period of time. It’s the first time I would have worked with him so I’m looking forward to it.”

The England Squad

Name

Club

DOB

Caps

Goals

Goalkeepers

Joe Hart

Manchester City

19.04.87

9

0

Tom Heaton

Manchester United

15.04.86

0

0

Joe Lewis

Peterborough United

06.10.87

0

0

Defenders

Craig Gardner

Aston Villa

25.11.86

4

0

Michael Mancienne

QPR (on loan from Chelsea)

08.01.88

2

0

Joe Mattock

Leicester City

15.05.90

2

0

Nedum Onuoha

Manchester City

12.11.86

13

1

Ryan Shawcross

Stoke City

04.10.87

0

0

Steven Taylor

Newcastle United

23.01.86

24

4

David Wheater

Middlesbrough

14.02.87

4

0

Midfielders

Lee Cattermole

Middlesbrough

21.03.81

2

0

Tom Huddlestone

Tottenham Hotspur

28.12.86

24

2

Adam Johnson

Middlesbrough

14.07.87

4

1

Aaron Lennon

Tottenham Hotspur

16.04.87

2

0

James Milner

Newcastle United

04.01.86

35

4

Fabrice Muamba

Birmingham City

06.04.88

6

0

Mark Noble

West Ham United

08.05.87

9

3

Jamie O’Hara

Tottenham Hotspur

25.09.86

0

0

Andrew Surman

Southampton

20.08.86

2

1

Forwards

Cameron Jerome

Birmingham City

14.10.86

8

0

Luke Moore

Aston Villa

13.02.86

4

0

James Vaughan

Everton

14.07.88

1

0

Theo Walcott

Arsenal

16.03.89

13

4

Statistics including Portugal v England, 20 November 2007

Source: ‘Help for the future’

Damon Stoudamire informed the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday that he will be signing with them later this week, according to his agent.

Stoudamire

Aaron Goodwin told ESPN.com that Stoudamire, who will clear waivers and become a free agent Thursday at 10 p.m. ET after his buyout from the Memphis Grizzlies, has committed to join the Spurs after also considering the Phoenix Suns and the Toronto Raptors, with whom Stoudamire won NBA Rookie of the Year honors in the 1995-96 season.

Once he officially becomes a free agent, Stoudamire will join San Antonio for a pro-rated share of the $1.2 million veteran minimum. That computes to roughly $545,000 if Stoudamire spends the rest of the season with the defending champions.

It was not immediately clear if Stoudamire will be signed in time to play Thursday night in Phoenix against the Suns, but San Antonio definitely has an immediate need for reinforcements in the backcourt. Tony Parker has been ordered by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to sit indefinitely to rest a heel injury that, according to Popovich, has reduced the reigning NBA Finals MVP to “60 or 70 percent [capacity] for about a month.”

The Spurs’ Big Three of Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan have all missed time with injuries during the first half of the season, contributing to an 11-13 slump since their 17-3 start that had dropped San Antonio to sixth in the West entering Wednesday’s play. The Spurs have also lost the first two of nine games on their annual “Rodeo Road Trip,” which has historically sparked their trademark second-half surge.

Stoudamire initially expressed strong interest in joining the Boston Celtics as a veteran counterpart to second-year playmaker Rajon Rondo, but it appears that the Celtics are banking on the future availability of Los Angeles Clippers guard Sam Cassell. It’s widely expected that the Clippers will consent to buying out Cassell if they can’t move him before the Feb. 21 trading deadline and Cassell remains close to this day with Celtics forward Kevin Garnett after their time together in Minnesota.

The Suns wanted Stoudamire — who played collegiately in the area for Arizona — as the reliable backup to Steve Nash they’ve been seeking for years. Stoudamire was also intrigued by the idea of playing behind Jose Calderon in a coming-full-circle return to the Raptors, who have been forced to look for a third point guard because of T.J. Ford’s ongoing injury absence.

San Antonio will be hoping that Stoudamire’s arrival will enable them to bring Parker back slowly, with the hope of getting him fully healed in time for the playoffs. The 34-year-old hasn’t played in a game since Dec. 30, after Memphis made a commitment to give the bulk of its backcourt minutes to rookie Mike Conley and Spanish newcomer Juan Carlos Navarro.

Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here.

Source: Agent: Spurs to ink Stoudamire

Oklahoma native spent last three years on Kansas staff

  Lowery File (PDF) | Lowery Bio

Jan. 31, 2008

NORMAN, Okla. – Oklahoma head soccer coach Nicole Nelson announced Thursday the addition of Kara Lowery to the Sooners’ coaching staff.  On top of being an assistant coach at the University of Kansas for the past three years, Lowery also has five years of head coaching experience at Emporia State and St. Gregory’s University. She is a Ponca City, Okla, native and graduated in 1997 from Southern Nazarene University.

“Kara is a tremendous addition to our staff,” said Nelson, who enters her first year at OU’s helm in 2008 and is also an Oklahoma native. “She has experience as a head coach and in the Big 12 Conference and those things are invaluable as we begin the rebuilding process. Kara was considered by some of the top programs this offseason for head coaching and assistant jobs.  So I feel very fortunate to have her join the Sooner soccer staff.”

Lowery joined Kansas as an assistant coach in January 2005 and primarily trained the field players while serving as the camp coordinator while working other administrative duties.  The Jayhawks enjoyed three top five Big 12 finishes during her tenure in Lawrence, including the 2005 season that saw KU tie for second place in the conference standings.

“I would like to thank Coach Nelson for the opportunity to come back to our home state and make winning championships a Sooner soccer tradition,” Lowery said. “The University of Oklahoma’s commitment to excellence, along with Coach Nelson’s vision for the program, made it very clear that this is a program that will rise to national contention right from the start and I’m very excited to be a part of it.  I would also like to thank Mark Francis at the University of Kansas; my time there will always be cherished.”

In 2007, Kansas posted a 7-10-4 overall record, but finished third in the standings with a 5-2-3 mark in Big 12 play.  The Jayhawks won 11 games during the 2005 and 2006 seasons, and Lowery coached two All-Americans and 10 All-Big 12 honorees in her three seasons.

Prior to her stint at KU, Lowery was named the Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Coach of the Year following one season at Emporia State. In 2004, she led the Hornets to their first winning season in the program’s four-year history.  Emporia State finished the 2004 season 10-8-2 overall and third in the MIAA.  The Hornets were also ranked as high as fifth in the NSCAA/adidas Central Region rankings.

Lowery’s other head coaching stop came at St. Gregory’s University in Shawnee, Okla., where she directed the program to four straight appearances in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament from 2000-2003.  Lowery also coached St. Gregory’s to the NAIA Tournament in 2001. During her four-year tenure, the Lady Cavs compiled a 30-38-6 overall record.

In 2001, Lowery was also involved in the Oklahoma Olympic Development Program, where she served as the head coach until she left for her appointment at Emporia State in 2004. She began her collegiate coaching career as an assistant in 1998 at Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla. and finished in 2000.

On the playing field at Southern Nazarene University, Lowery earned was an honorable mention All-American as a freshman and sophomore and was named a second team All-American as a junior and senior. 

She received her bachelor’s degree in biology from SNU in 1997 and currently holds a USSF “A” Coaching License.

Source: Lowery Named Soccer Assistant

The Indian cricket board has told its players to behave themselves following the row involving Harbhajan Singh.

On Tuesday, Harbhajan had a charge of racially abusing Australia’s Andrew Symonds downgraded to abusive language by the International Cricket Council.

“We have told the players not to get into altercations,” said Indian cricket board secretary Niranjan Shah.

India play Australia in a Twenty20 match on Friday ahead of a one-day series, which also includes Sri Lanka.

Spinner Harbhajan had been found guilty of calling Symonds, Australia’s only mixed-race player, a “monkey” during the second Test in Sydney this month.

However, Tuesday’s appeal hearing ruled there was not enough evidence to convict Harbhajan of racial abuse, but instead charged him with using abusive language.

Harbhajan pleaded guilty and consequently escaped a three-match suspension but he was fined half his match fee.

New Zealand judge Justice John Hansen, who considered the appeal, indicated that even if Harbhajan’s accusers had proved he had made the racist remark, a ban would not have been upheld.

Hansen felt Symonds’ sledging of Harbhajan had effectively removed his right to be offended.

Shah now expects the matter to be finished and is confident the controversy will not affect future India-Australia cricketing ties.

“I don’t think this will have any repercussions for the future,” he said.

“So many such incidents have happened in the past, there have been heated exchanges in the middle and teams have gone on from there.”

Source: India players ordered to behave

HAVING been knocked out of the World Twenty20 by India and on the losing end of their only other 20-over clash, Ricky Ponting says Australia have a score to settle.

Cricket’s shortest form is the only version in which Australia are not the world’s best, and one which, until recently, Ponting admitted they had not taken overly seriously.

But the success of last year’s World Cup and the concept’s immense and unwavering popularity - as evidenced by a crowd forecast of 85,000 for Friday night’s MCG clash - has sharpened Australia’s focus.

"After the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa when we all recognised the popularity of the game then I think we all have started to take a little bit more notice of it,” Ponting said.

"And with that I think everyone’s had a bit more chance to play some more Twenty20 cricket … this game, the way I feel about it anyway, it’s really grown on me.”

For a side not used to losing, India’s mastery of Australia in their only two previous Twenty20 meetings has upped the motivation level.

"India had the upper hand over everybody in the World Cup,” Ponting said.

"They played some excellent cricket through there and were deserved winners obviously of the Twenty20 world championship.

"They knocked us off in the semi-finals and they beat us in Mumbai before we came back here … so for us maybe there are some scores to settle.

"Maybe we do want to get out there and keep a really close eye on us and our Twenty20 cricket.

"We are going to be playing more of it and there’s definitely room for improvement for Australia.”

Ponting is also mindful of the possibility for the match to set the tone for the upcoming limited-overs tri-series, which also involves Sri Lanka.

He recalled his side’s Twenty20 thrashing by England at the start of their unsuccessful 2005 tour, which in hindsight he believes gave the hosts vital self-confidence before they wrested the Ashes from Australia.

"We turned up for a bit of a warm-up, hit-out sort of thing,” he said.

"England turned up really primed and trying to set a bit of an example on how they were going to play their cricket through the summer, so that caught us off-guard a little bit.

"I guarantee tomorrow that that won’t be the case, we won’t be caught off-guard at all, we’ll be going out there absolutely flat-out.”

Ponting arrived in Melbourne with some fitness doubts, after lower back pain which plagued him during the Adelaide Test continued to trouble him in the days since.

"I’ve been pretty much flat on my back for the last couple of days trying to give myself the best chance to recover,” he said.

But, after expressing doubts over whether he would be able to train, he stretched and jogged on Thursday under the eye of team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris before batting in the nets.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said while the visitors would be taking the match seriously, they also viewed it as a chance for those not in the Test squad to become accustomed to Australian conditions.

Nine of the 18-member squad have come just for the limited-overs matches.

Agence France-Presse

Source: Twenty20 ‘hit and giggle no more’

With Texas looming, No. 11/10 Sooners move to 4-2 in Big 12 play  

 Final Stats |  Coach & Player Quotes |  Game Notes   1st 2nd F KU 22 29 51 OU 35 32 67  
  Oklahoma vs. Kansas Photo Gallery
  SoonerVision Game Highlights  
 Stats Comparison OU KU  Points 67 51  FG Made-Attempted 24-54 21-52  FG Percentage 40.4 44.4  3P Made-Attempted 5-14 3-9  3P Percentage 35.7 33.3  FT Made-Attempted 14-17 6-10  FT Percentage 82.4 60.0  Rebounds 37 28  Assists 13 14  Turnovers 25 25  
 OU Leaders  KU Leaders  Stevenson 15 Points 13  McCray  C. Paris 13 Rebounds 8  Boogaard  Robinson 4 Assists 3  2 players  Roethlisberger 3 Steals 2  McCray  3 players 2 Blocks 4  Boogaard  
• 2007-08 OU Women’s Basketball Central
• Oklahoma Season Statistics | Big 12 Conference | NCAA
  NORMAN, Okla. (AP) – Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale chalked up the latest outing in a baffling stretch of basketball to a simple case of growing pains.

Nyeshia Stevenson scored 15 points, Courtney Paris extended her double-double streak to 79 games and the 11th-ranked Sooners routed Kansas 67-51 on Wednesday night, but it was a 25 in the turnover column that jumped off the stat sheet.

"It’s just a continuing progression," Coale said. "We’re just so young. You get a lead and feel that cushion and it’s really hard to teach yourself to play at the same pace regardless of what’s going on. I thought we did that at times and then we didn’t at times."

Oklahoma could afford to be sloppy against the Jayhawks (12-8, 1-6 Big 12), who are tied for last place in the Big 12 with Missouri. The Sooners (14-4, 4-2) led by 13 at halftime despite committing 17 turnovers and coasted through the second half without improving much.

A 13-1 run early in the second half put the game away, with Jenna Plumley’s 3-pointer extending the Sooners’ lead to 50-27. Oklahoma’s advantage eventually expanded to as much as 26 points before Kansas started whittling away late.

"It seems like we’re in this thing where it’s feast or famine," Coale said. "We’re either going to not turn it over a lot, we’re going to make all our free throws and not make 3s at all or we’ll make 3s and we’ll turn it over a lot."

The Sooners went 5-for-14 from 3-point range, a modest 36 percent but still an improvement following a 4-for-30 stretch over their previous three games. In their last game against Georgia, Oklahoma went without a 3-pointer for the second time this season. Before those two shutouts, it had been four years since Oklahoma failed to make a 3-pointer in a game.

In exchange, Oklahoma matched its season-high in turnovers — and everyone was to blame. Nine of the 10 Sooners players committed at least one turnover, with point guard Danielle Robinson leading the way with nine. Only Rose Hammond, who played the final 5 1/2 minutes, didn’t turn the ball over.

The sloppy play followed a strong two-game stretch in which the Sooners routed Texas Tech 78-39 and then beat No. 17 Georgia 65-57 and seemed to be getting back on track after suffering two early losses in Big 12 play.

"We’re not going to shake it off. There’s a lot of little things we can work on," Paris said. "Like coach said earlier, we’ve got to come out more focused, no matter who we’re playing. … We’ve got to be able to adjust and just get the work done."

Paris had 10 points and 13 rebounds, but needed until there was only 4:37 remaining to reach double figures in points with a pair of free throws. The reigning AP player of the year came out of the game on the next deadball.

"I thought we crowded her, I thought she rushed at times. I think probably more times than not, she’ll finish most of those," Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "You don’t have the career she’s having by missing a lot of those little ones right around the rim. … I think we’ll take some of the credit. I don’t think we can take all of the credit."

Paris’ twin sister, Ashley Paris, and Amanda Thompson also scored 10 points apiece.

Danielle McCray scored 13 points to lead Kansas, which matched Oklahoma in the turnover column and lost to the Sooners for the 10th straight time. Krysten Boogaard added 11 points and Chakeitha Weldon scored 10 off the bench.

Oklahoma started pulling away with a 9-0 run midway through the first half that Plumley capped with a 3-pointer to make it 20-10 and never allowed the within 10 points in the final 26 minutes even with the lackluster play.

"They realize when they don’t play up to their potential and they come back and work on it," Coale said, "and that’s how we keep getting better."

Source: Oklahoma Rocks Jayhawks, 67-51

As anyone who reads this blog knows, I’m a huge Ian Poulter fan. I have been since I first noticed him last year in a lime green retro look, channeling Bing Crosby at the Masters.

The bodacious Brit is an awesome golfer by any standard, but the thing I’ve always liked most about him is the way he has fun with it. Dressing it up and playing it down… he always appeared to be enjoying himself while he entertained the audience. But now it seems he may not have been having all that much fun after all.

Over in Dubai, where many of golf’s greats are gathering, Ian has been getting gobs of attention. Not for his outrageous outfits, but because he declared that if he played to his full potential, he, and he alone, could beat Tiger. Well, I don’t know about you but I’m hoping his “full potential” doesn’t preclude the awesome outfits.

Judging from the photo above I don’t think I have much to worry about.

Source: Ian Poulter - Finally Dressed for Success ?