MNT vs. Italy: Clint Dempsey Goal - Feb. 29, 2012

MNT vs. Italy: Highlights - Feb. 29, 2012

Studio 90: U-23 Men Set to Face Mexico in Frisco

USA v. Italy Player Ratings

By:  Matt Carlson

The first win against Italy ever.  That is big.  It was a friendly, so I don't know that I would go as far as Ian Darke who I am pretty sure said this was like "winning the World Cup."  Rather, I would tend to agree with Clint Dempsey's more measured analysis that this was a step in the right direction.  Still, though, it is big.  The USMNT won in Italy.  In Genoa.  Okay, forget it, everyone gets a "10"!

As usual, it is a 1-10 rating scale, with 1 being the worst rating and 10 being the best. Do you agree with the ratings or not? Do you just want to post a celebratory comment?  Do you just want an opportunity to bash Giuseppe Rossi again?  Put it in the comment section below.  CONTINUE READING AFTER THE JUMP.


HOWARD

7:  In the 5th minute, he came up with one of those big saves that we have come to expect from him.  I believe the game would have been vastly different if that ball goes in.  His long ball distribution could have been better, though.

CHERUNDOLO

5:  I feel like a broken record, but it was a solid game from 'Dolo.

GOODSON


5:  Goodson was shaky early, but he put that behind him.

JOHNSON (subbed off 76')

6:  Johnson was a breath of fresh air at the left back spot.  He gave the ball away a couple times, but he won more than he lost.  His speed is an asset the USMNT is lacking.  He made a pass during the sequence leading to the goal.  He was not perfect, but he looks useful in the offense.

BOCANEGRA

8:  I think Bocanegra is in contention for Man of the Match.  He won every ball that came his way and cut out several others.  He also saved a potential goal by blocking a shot.  He looked sharp and was in charge of a backline that drew ten offside calls.  I think Italy would've scored if Boca was not in the game.

EDU

6:  One of his best performances for the USMNT in recent memory.  He won a lot of balls and did not give it away as cheaply as he has been prone to do.

SHEA (subbed off 73')

4:  Shea was not too bad on defense, but he was just about useless on offense. Lots of aimless passes and dribbling from him.  Just as with Bedoya, I have yet to see what all the hype is about.

DEMPSEY (subbed off 90')

7:  Scored the game winner.  Looked confident on the ball.  One of the most energetic USMNT performances from Clint in a long time.  I think Dempsey is wasted on the wing.  He is most productive when playing the role he did tonight and I hope he stays there.


BRADLEY

8:  Clearly, the only reason Bradley plays is because his father used to be the coach.


WILLIAMS

5:  I would have liked to have seen more from Williams in the offensive end of the field.  He was a bit careless with the ball.

ALTIDORE (subbed off 79')

6:  I don't know what they put in the orange slices at half time, but Jozy was much better in the second half.  He was stronger on the ball, provided good hold-up play, and laid off the assist to Dempsey just like Klinsmann drew it up.

KLJESTAN (sub in 73')

4:  Sacha was put out on the wing and was not very involved.  He got caught on a couple long balls and failed to effectively clear one ball leading to a bit of danger for the U.S.

SPECTOR (sub in 76')

6:  Spector made a positive impact in a short amount of time.  He won two balls and blocked three dangerous shots as Italy pressed forward for the equalizer.

BOYD (sub in 79')

5:  Showed some energy in his first cap.

BUDDLE (sub in 90')

--:  Not enough time for a rating.

Yanks Abroad on TV

All Times EST.

Wednesday, February 29
2:45 pm - Italy vs USA - ESPN2/Galavision/espn3.com
10:00 pm - U23: USA vs Mexico (Bocanegra/Ponce, USA eligible) - TeleFutura

Friday, March 2
9:10 pm - UAG Estudiantes Tecos vs Club Tijuana (Castillo/Corona/Garza) - Galavision

NHL Betting: Struggling Original Six Rivals Meet in Montreal On Saturday

The NHL trade deadline came and went without Montreal or Toronto making any major moves, and given the way that both teams have performed as of late, it may be surprising that neither pushed the envelope. The two Original Six rivals clash at the Bell Centre on Saturday, and regardless of records, it is still an occasion when they meet up.

Maple Leafs Canadiens Odds – Saturday, 7:00 PM ET

A 4-2 loss at home to Washington on Saturday was Toronto’s eighth in nine games, and BetOnline players would once again point to the defense and goaltending, which has now allowed four goals or more in six of those games. Colby Armstrong and Tim Connolly managed to get on the scoresheet as Toronto tried to make a late comeback, but two allowed goals in the first four minutes of the game sealed their fate. James Reimer made 32 saves for the Maple Leafs, and good pay head players know that it isn’t all his fault as his defense has left him out to dry on numerous occasions and if the Maple Leafs don’t get on track soon, they’ll be looking at another postseason-less campaign.

The Canadiens fell 4-2 at Florida for their fourth straight loss, and they are all but out of the playoff hunt as they sit in last place in the Eastern Conference; a 10-point difference may be too much to make up. David Desharnais and P.K. Subban scored early, but then the Canadiens allowed the last four goals of the game, while Peter Budaj stopped 28 shots for Montreal, who were outshot 32-20. If Montreal were a 2012 March Madness betting option, they would be playing the role of spoiler for teams looking to make it to the postseason, and it’ll be interesting to see what the Canadiens’ next step is.

Montreal should be the NHL betting favorites at home, where they are 2-3 SU in their last five meetings with the Maple Leafs, with three of those games going over the posted total. The Maple Leafs still have to host Florida on Tuesday before heading to Chicago on Wednesday, while the Canadiens wrap up their road trip in Tampa Bay on Tuesday before returning home to face Minnesota on Thursday, and they would love nothing better than to deal a critical blow to their rivals’ postseason chances. But you have to wonder how motivated this team truly is, and they haven’t scored enough goals as of late, posting four during this skid. The Maple Leafs need to take advantage of the Canadiens here, and they’ll get their third win in a row at the Bell Center with a gritty performance. Take Toronto in your Saturday sports betting online picks.

Three Goals from U.S. U-23 MNT Training

Studio 90: MNT Prepare to Face Italy

Whitbread gets assist in Norwich's 2-1 loss to Manchester United

Whitbread with Norwich

*He got an assist and was Norwich's Man of the Match in a 2-1 loss to Man U.

*In my minimal posting from the weekend, I overlooked this.

*Highlights after the jump...

N-M footyroom.com by footyroom

Studio 90: U-23 Move into 2nd Week Of Camp in Frisco, Texas.

Extended Highlights of AZ Against Heerenveen

Altidore almost had a third (3:35).  Check out his teammate (Zomer) giving Jozy the outstretched arms at the end of the play for not passing.  Zomer later is deserving of some ouststretched arms for his part in a Hereenveen goal (4:51).  Link after the jump.

Link with obligatory Bruce Springsteen background music:  http://eredivisielive.nl/video/41423-samenvatting-az-sc-heerenveen.html

Dempsey with Fulham v. QPR

Highlights after the jump.


Link: http://www.fulhamfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/1112Highlights/0,,10415~2625322,00.html

The game of Sachien

                                                         

   India's cricket greats have begun talking about a topic that was considered unthinkable a year ago - Sachin Tendulkar's retirement from the sport.Or, at least, the need for the record-breaking batsman to quit one-day cricket to prolong his Test career, like former Australian captain RICKY POINTING did this week.

"Maybe his time has come," former World Cup-winning captain Kapildev said of the "Little Master" on the news channel. 

"Every player has his time. Age is not on his side as it was earlier." Tendulkar, who turns 39 in April, is not only the world's leading batsman in both the Test and one-day formats, but also the longest-serving international cricketer, having made his debut in 1989. Fans have been left on tenterhooks as Tendulkar, who has scored a record 51 Test and 48 one-day centuries, struggles to reach the unprecedented milestone of 100 international hundreds.

Tendulkar, who turns 39 in April, is not only the world's leading batsman in both the Test and one-day formats, but also the longest-serving international cricketer, having made his debut in 1989.

Fans have been left on tenterhooks as Tendulkar, who has scored a record 51 Test and 48 one-day centuries, struggles to reach the unprecedented milestone of 100 international hundreds. 

"Sachin has to ask himself whether it's helping him as a one-day player or if it's helping the Indian team," Ganguly told a new channel.

"If Sachin can't get an answer to these questions, he has to go. "Tendulkar, who has played a record 458 one-day internationals, has turned out in just 18 ODI matches in the past two years, including nine in India's triumphant World Cup campaign in February-April 2011.

He still managed to record the first ever double-century in ODI- 200 not out against South Africa in February 2010 - and was the star performer in India's World Cup win with 482 runs, second only to Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan's 500.

"It affects everyone's form if Tendulkar keeps coming in and going out of one-day tournaments," Ganguly said. "I said after the World Cup that Sachin needed to look at his one-day career because he had achieved everything in one-day cricket."Ganguly dismissed batting legend Sunil Gavaskar's suggestion that the selectors should talk to Tendulkar about his one-day future.

"I don't see any of the selectors stepping in," Ganguly said. "They are not going to stand in front of Sachien Tendulkar and say 'Listen little champ, you need to go'. That is never going to happen."

The Indian daily urged former players to lay off Tendulkar, saying the decision to quit or not should be left to him.

"A lot has been said - especially by former sportspersons who themselves stayed on well beyond their use-by date - about Tendulkar's ODI career," the paper wrote.

"Whatever the intentions, these gems of seemingly timely advice are clearly uncalled for. Sachin has served the country with exceptional pride and genius for far too long and he deserves the right to choose his own time of departure."A poll published by the Times of India on Thursday revealed that 57 percent of 47,000 respondents wanted Tendulkar to quit one-day cricket and 41 percent urged him to continue.

Struggling India & says Warner

After helping Australia secure their place in the finals of the one-day cricket series, opening batsman David Warner says he's surprised by how poorly India are playing given the talent in their side.

Warner found some form at the SCG to top score with 68 as Australia romped to a 87-run win over India on Sunday.

Gomez scores in Santos' 2-1 loss to Chivas

Gomez with Santos

*He scored in a 2-1 loss to Chivas.

*Highlights after the jump...

Altidore scores a brace in AZ Alkmaar's 3-3 draw with Heerenveen (updated with 2nd goal video)

Altidore with AZ Alkmaar
*He scored 2 in a 3-3 draw with Heerenveen.
*Highlights after the jump...


Goals here because 2nd video went down.

NBA Bets: Jazz vs. Rockets - Magic vs. Thunder Highlights

Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets betting Preview for February, 29th.

Coming off a six-game homestand and the All-Star break, the Rockets haven’t hit the road since Valentine’s Day and a doublestrong NBA Picks series history prevents us from showing the visitors any love tonight in the Delta Center.

Not only is Houston 1-9 SU and 2-8 ATS in this building when they arrive off back-to-back homers but the Jazz are 14-6 ATS as dogs or favorites of less than 8 points in this matchup since 2007.

And though we don’t quite get the Jazz in that same ‘AWESOME’ role that we will on Friday when they host the Heat, the Rockets do arrive with no rest and will most definitely be affected by some of the ‘Air Up There.’ Yes, it’s a leap year but there’s no need to look before you lay (the small spot) tonight in Salt Lake as the Rockets land in a tough spot with all that ‘Air Up There’.

Orlando Magic vs. Oklahoma City Thunder betting preview for March, 1st.

The Magic’s early struggles this year makes them attractive in this rematch, especially knowing Orlando is 8-2 SU and ATS at home with same-season revenge versus unrested Western Conference opposition.

Stan Van’s group is also 11-2 SU and 9-4 ATS at home in this series, including 6-0 SU and ATS with same-season revenge of 8 or more points. More surprisingly, as of press time the young Thunder are 2-6 ATS versus non-rested opposition, including 0-4 ATS on the road.

Durant and company may have shot down the Magic, 97-89, in OKC on Christmas Day but, as usual, this trip to Orlando’s kingdom won’t have a fairytale ending for the visitors.

And like the Nuggets above, we’ll take full advantage of tonight’s NHL Picks short line – or possible home dog scenario – as the Magic were previously favored by an average of over 10 PPG in the last three series meeting in Florida.

With Orlando on a nice 6-1 ATS run prior to visiting Washington on 2-29, the Thunder perform a disappearing act that would make David Copperfi eld envious.

Corona scores in Tijuana's 1-1 draw with Toluca

Corona and Castillo with Tijuana

*Joe scored in a 1-1 draw with Toluca.

*Highlights after the jump...

NCAA Basketball Preview: Oklahoma ST vs. Kansas Betting

The 5th-ranked Jayhawks may look almost invincible right now (16-2 SU last 18 games before facing Mizzou on 2-25) but these are the spots where major NFL Betting picks upsets occur, especially in Last Home Game situations on strong home courts like Gallagher-Iba Arena.

We put our powerful database to the task in evaluating this matchup and were frankly surprised by the spate of one-sided numbers favoring the hosts.

For openers, the Cowboys got dry-gulched at Lawrence, 81-66, just over two weeks ago and Kansas has cashed in only six of 20 tries against avenging foes playing their Last Home Game.

Continuing in that role, Okie State stands 10-1 SU and 9-2 ATS in LHG’s if owning a less-than .720 win percentage on the season.

The Pokes are also a near-perfect 5-0-1 ATS in LHG’s as dogs or favorites of fewer than 4 points. But we’re not done.

In the last twelve series meetings, OSU has grabbed the cash nine times, gone 8-3-2 ATS on this court, and posted a money making with 11-4 ATS effort when playing with revenge – including 5-1 ATS at home.

Cowboys’ head coach Travis Ford has also contributed to his team’s success at Stillwater: he’s gone 43-12 SU and 33-22 ATS home versus Big 12 foes, including 7-3 SU and 8-2 ATS with same-season revenge of 4 or more points.

Add ‘em all together and there’s only one way to look here at the Golf Picks. With Kansas arriving off a huge revenge showdown against Missouri while Texas awaits (KU just 2-7 ATS before the Longhorns), OSU sends out its seniors with a satisfying upset win.

U-23 MNT vs. San Antonio Scorpions: Highlights - Feb. 24, 2012

Behind the Scenes with the US Men's Soccer Team + Pepsi MAX

NCAA Basketball Prediction: Colorado vs. California

Colorado may have played like a big pile of buffalo chips in its inaugural Pac-12 football betting season but CU’s basketball team has flexed some unexpected muscle en route to its current 10-4 league mark.

Picked to finish in a tie for 10th place before the college basketball betting picks complete this season, the Buffs reside alone in third place with just over a week left on the conference schedule.

Most impressive has been their 7-0 SU and 5-2 ATS at home versus Pac-12 foes where the altitude at Coors Events Center works in Colorado’s favor… especially against teams with little depth like California.

The Bears, who hadn't won a conference title in 50 years, are poised to claim their second in three seasons (Cal holds tie-breaker over Washington) if they can sweep their final three contests, all on the road predicted by the Best betting sites.

The visitors beat CU in Berkeley earlier this year but were less than impressive in the 57-50 win.

Today’s revenge scenario plays to Buffalo head coach Tad Boyle’s strength: he’s 11-4 ATS overall at home and 9-4 ATS seeking revenge, including 6-0 ATS versus a foe off a win (check Cal result at Utah Thursday night).

The road has also been unkind to Cal in this series as the Bears are an empty-handed 0-3 SU and ATS at Boulder of late – not good news against a team that’s won four of its last five games SU (prior to facing Stanford on February 23) and should take the court before a sellout crowd here.

With pressure mounting as California looks to stave off the Huskies for the top seed in the upcoming Pac-12 tourney, look for the Bears to take a s**t in the Rocky Mountain woods.

Yanks Abroad on TV

All Times EST.

Saturday, February 25
7:45 am - West Ham United (John) vs Crystal Palace - FOX Soccer Plus/FOXSoccer2Go.com
9:30 am - Cologne vs Bayer Leverkusen (Yelldell) - GolTV
10:00 am - Chelsea vs Bolton (Ream) - FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes (delay, 11:59 pm - FOXSoccer2Go.com)
10:00 am - Queens Park Rangers vs Fulham (Dempsey) - FOX Soccer Plus/FOXSoccer2Go.com
10:00 am - Wigan Athletic vs Aston Villa (Guzan/Lichaj) - FOXSoccer2Go.com (delay, 4:00 pm - FOX Soccer Plus)
10:00 am - Middlesbrough (Hines) vs Reading - FOXSoccer2Go.com (delay, 6:00 pm - FOX Soccer Plus)
12:30 pm - Werder Bremen vs Nurnberg (Chandler) - ESPNDeportes/espn3.com
1:00 pm - Evian Thonon Gaillard (Westberg) vs AS Nancy Lorraine - FOXSoccer2Go.com
6:00 pm - Chiapas (Ruelas) vs UAG Estudiantes Tecos - Azteca America
6:00 pm - Monterrey vs Puebla (Beasley) - Galavision
8:00 pm - Pachuca (Torres) vs UANL Tigres (Bornstein) - Telefutura
8:00 pm - San Luis (Orozco) vs Atlas (Bocanegra) - Galavision
10:00 pm - Atlante (Guadarrama) vs Club America - Telefutura
10:00 pm - Club Tijuana (Castillo/Corona/Garza) vs Toluca - Azteca America

Sunday, February 26
8:30 am - Arsenal vs Tottenham (Friedel) - FOX Soccer/FOX Deportes (delay, 11:59 pm - FOXSoccer2Go.com)
8:30 am - Norwich City (Whitbread) vs Manchester United - FOX Soccer Plus/FOXSoccer2Go.com
11:00 am - Cardiff City (Gestede) vs Liverpool - FOX Soccer (delay, 1:30 pm - FOXSoccer2Go.com)
5:00 pm - Guadalajara (Ponce) vs Santos (Gomez) - Telemundo

Wednesday, February 29
2:45 pm - Italy vs USA - ESPN2/espn3.com

Friday, March 2
9:10 pm - UAG Estudiantes Tecos vs Club Tijuana (Castillo/Corona/Garza) - Galavision

Bolton's Stu Holden discusses his soccer rehab in No Holden Back 01

Kljestan and Altidore face off in AZ Alkmaar's 1-0 win

Kljestan with Anderlecht and Altidore with Alkmaar
*Sacha went the distance and Altidore was a sub in AZ Alkmaar's 1-0 win.
*Highlights after the jump...


Video link

U-23 MNT vs. FC Dallas: Highlights - Feb. 22, 2012

College Basketball Betting: Auburn vs. Arkansas

Woo Pig Sooie, indeed. Arkansas let us down in a major way when someone forgot to let the Hogs out in a 30-point home loss to Florida last Saturday, Arky’s first loss (and worst loss EVER) at Bud Walton Arena this betting season.

More bad news for Hog lovers comes in the form of the Razorbacks’ dreadful 0-8 SU and 1-7 ATS mark on the road.

That cruel stat ties into head coach Mike Anderson’s black-and-white home-road dichotomy, where he is 65-48-3 ATS at home in his college basketball betting career but only 42-52-2 ATS away, including 31-46-2 on the conference road.

Wait, it gets WORSE: the Hogs amble into town off an Alabama revenger (1-7-1 ATS versus avenging foes after Tide) with Ole Miss revenge up next (1-4 SU and ATS away versus avengers before Rebels).

Whew! Auburn will turn up the defensive heat here as the Tigers are 7-1 SU in games where they limit opponents to 60 or fewer points (Hogs have been held to that number three times in their last eight games).

The lone exception came Jan. 25 against – you guessed it – Arkansas, when the Tigers lost 56-53.

Auburn is currently on a surprising 10-2 ATS run in the tough SEC and has gone 7-1 ATS with 3-plus days rest this season. The clincher? The Tigers have cashed in ten of the last 11 meetings (one tie) with the Hogs.

We don’t know what you’re having for dinner this evening but they’ll be serving pork BBQ at Auburn Arena.

Roster for US v. Italy

GOALKEEPERS (3) : Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (7) : Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Michael Parkhurst (FC Nordsjaelland), Jonathan Spector (Birmingham City)

MIDFIELDERS (6) : Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Jose Torres (Pachuca), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim)

FORWARDS (5) : Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund), Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)

Link to the announcement by US Soccer after the jump.

  http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Mens-National-Team/2012/02/Klinsmann-Names-US-Roster-for-Italy.aspx

Yanks Abroad on TV

All Times EST.

Thursday, February 23
1:00 pm - Club Brugge vs Hannover (Cherundolo) - DirecTV (ch2. 483/483-1)
2:45 pm - Derby County (Doyle) vs Leicester City - Fox Soccer Plus/FOXSoccer2Go.com
3:05 pm - Anderlecht (Kljestan) vs AZ Alkmar (Altidore) - DirecTV (chs. 485/485-1)
3:05 pm - Schalke (Jones) vs Viktoria Plzen - DirecTV (chs. 482/482-1)

NCAA Basketball Betting: All Eyes On Kentucky, Syracuse at Top Of National Rankings

The argument over whether or not the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats or No. 2 Syracuse Orange deserve the top spot in the national rankings at this point is already a matter of heated debate, and with the March Madness betting tournament right around the corner, all eyes will be on the country’s top two teams to see which team makes a mistake first. Both teams have suffered just one loss to this point in the year, and are looking to wrap up the top seeds in their conference as two of the sports betting favorites to enter the national title tournament as conference champions.

Vanderbilt Commodores @ (1) Kentucky Wildcats

Saturday, 12:00 PM ET

A one-point loss at Indiana back in early December is the only blemish on an otherwise perfect record for a Kentucky team that many wondered about heading in to this year. Of course, a relatively easy SEC schedule hasn’t provided much competition for the top-ranked team in the country, but the fact that the Wildcats handled both Kansas and North Carolina earlier in the year is enough merit to appreciate them in the top spot. Kentucky will host Vanderbilt and Georgia before visiting the No. 11 Florida Gators in an SEC showdown to close out the season, and they could be caught looking ahead when they play a Commodores’ team that is coming off consecutive road wins and should be good to at least cover the per head number.

College Basketball Betting Pick: Vanderbilt Commodores.

Viginia Tech Hokies @ (4) Duke Blue Devils

Saturday, 12:00 PM ET

After securing the ACC title a year ago, the Blue Devils were expected to take a backseat to a more experienced, deeper North Carolina team this year, but that hasn’t been the case. Duke stole an 85-84 road win against the Tar Heels with a last-second three-ball, and have remained in contention for the top spot with four-straight wins overall. The Hokies have lost three-straight on the road and are just 4-9 overall in ACC play this season, so it’s hard to imagine them getting in Duke’s way at this point.

College Basketball Betting Pick: Duke Blue Devils

(2) Syracuse Orange @ Connecticut Huskies

Saturday, 9:00 PM ET

After registering a school-record 20 straight wins to open the year, many are still bitter that Syracuse was dropped to No. 2 following its first loss, but there is still time for things to change. This will be the Orange’s final game before the NHL trade deadline, and with their toughest contest remaining at home against the No. 17 Louisville Cardinals’ team that they already proved that they can beat on the road there is a good chance that they can be boosted back up. With just three wins in their past 10 games, the Huskies are in big trouble in the Big East, and will hope for a strong showing against Providence and Pittsburgh over their final two games just to finish the year at .500 following another loss to Syracuse.

College Basketball Betting Pick: Syracuse Orange

Video: Ricardo Clark Interview at Stabaek

Wednesday Night Yanks Abroad/USMNT Link Drop

*Sebastian Lletget Added to U.S. U-23 MNT Camp Roster

*Shea scores winner, gets sent off as U.S. U-23s top FC Dallas in scrimmage

*Clark signs loan deal with Stabaek

*Terrence Boyd "definitely USA"

U-23 MNT Begin Camp in Frisco

Let’s guess the roster

By Jared Launius

...because, well, there's not much else going on and, well, everyone else is doing it.

U.S. Soccer tweeted this morning that Klinsmann will be announcing his roster for next week's friendly against Italy in Genoa tomorrow. Seems a little late on, no? The players, of course, already know, so it's not like they'll be getting there late. But, if memory serves, hasn't Klinsmann usually released his rosters earlier than six days before the friendly?

Anyway, this doesn't matter. We will have a roster to over-scrutinize tomorrow, and I need to guess the names we will over-scrutinize. It's important, you know?

Goalkeepers
Tim Howard (Everton), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa)

Klinsmann got a nice long look at Nick Rimando in January, so my hunch is that Guzan, who has – bares mentioning – played a club game more recently than has Rimando, will get his first Klinsmann camp run out. Howard, of course, will man the box for the full 90 against Italy.

Defenders
Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Tim Chandler (Nurnberg), Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Clarence Goodson (Brønby), Jonathan Spector (Birmingham), Zak Whitbread (Norwich), Michael Orozco Fiscal (San Luis), Edgar Castillo (Tijuana)

Oguchi Onyewu, I think, was probably in this team before the unlucky central back tore some knee ligaments last weekend. My guess is, with Goodson, Whitbread and Orozco Fiscal all in tow, no replacement will be named. Tim Ream, I think, deserves some time to settle in at Bolton, with whom he has yet to appear in a league game.

Yes, Michael Orozco Fiscal and Edgar Castillo. Both have been playing fairly regularly in Mexico and I think Klinsmann will be keeping his hands – for the most part – off MLS players this go round, as they are just settling into preseason with their clubs.

Zak Whitbread, who has been a regular in Norwich's surprising run to eighth in the Premier League table, deserves a runout for the first time with the full national team, I think. I recall Bob Bradley calling the British-American in last year and Whitbread declining. It will be interesting to see if there was anything to that.

Alfredo Morales is also a possibility here, I think.

Midfielders
Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Jose Torres (Pachuca), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla)

No big surprises from this group, I don't think. Jones seems a near lock to get a run out – as he did in January – to keep him fresh as he serves out the rest of his eight-game Bundesliga suspension. It helps that Schalke is a few-hour flight from Genoa.

Brek Shea is away with the U.S. U-23s for the first time (quick side note – why isn't Tim Chandler in U-23 camp? Thoughts, anyone?), leaving Damarcus Beasley as the likely fill-in on the left wing if Klinsmann deploys a 4-3-3.

Michael Bradley, I think, deserves a start against the national team from his club country. Bradley has fully regained MB90 status at Chievo, who are a mildly surprising 10th in the league table.

It will be incredibly silly if Sacha Kljestan is kept out of this group again. That's that.

Forwards
Landon Donovan (Galaxy), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Edson Buddle (Galaxy)

Klinsmann has listed Donovan as a forward in every camp he's held so far, so I expect that to continue. I'd be shocked if both Donovan and Buddle weren't strongly encouraged by manager Bruce Arena to stay with Galaxy as they gear up for their March 7 CONCACAF Champion's League tie. I certainly couldn't blame him, as Donovan is just now coming back from his Everton loan and Buddle has only been with Galaxy for a few weeks after a long, strange search for a Euro-based team in January.

Juan Agudelo and Teal Bunbury are also away at U-23 camp, so it would be interesting to see what would happen if Buddle and/or Donovan aren't available.

Tuesday Yanks Abroad Link Drop

*Onyewu out 2 months with knee surgery

*According to German publication Bild, Chandler must give Nurnberg a clear answer on what he wants for his future so both parties can proceed accordingly.

*Cherundolo nearing automatic contract extension with Hannover

*Eintracht Frankfurt outcast Ricardo Clark is currently doing well on trial at Stabæk,

*Spector got a yellow card and went the distance in a 3-1 win over Barnsley

*Trophy Hunt: Yanks in Contention for Domestic Cup Glory

*USMNT-Italy Roster Prediction

*De la Fuente gets second chance in Mexico

Video: Robbie Rogers suffers a concussion

I wasn't able to find the video, but Matt (see post below) found it for me. The play that leads to the clash starts at :35

GOOOOAAAAALLLLL!!!!!

By:  Matt Carlson

You guys love goals.  The top five most viewed videos of all-time on this site are goals.  Interviews, news items, Alex Morgan in body paint – nothing else even comes close.  You love you some goals.  By contrast, goalkeeping videos don’t get as much love.  Unless it is a penalty shot save, goalkeeping highlights typically are much lower on the views.  Even assists get more looks than impressive shot stopping.   It’s not a surprise, I suppose.  I’m guilty of the same mentality.  Maybe American goalkeepers have been so good in the last fifteen years, USMNT fans have gotten used to it.  Maybe USMNT fans have been so desperate for a world class scorer that we are conditioned to view all goals scored by an American over and over and over to see if we have finally found our talisman.  Maybe it is just the simple fact that good goalkeeping is generally boring.

Because of goals and assists, Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey have been getting most of the attention from USMNT soccer fans right now.  Their play has even spawned debates over who is the better player, with fans taking sides akin to ‘tweens joining Team Edward or Team Jacob.   In all the excitement, however, many USMNT fans seem to have forgotten about another player who has also been playing at a high level in England and for a much longer time.  CONTINUE READING AFTER THE JUMP.

Two weekends ago, while Donovan was getting his sixth assist in his final Premier League game of his loan with Everton and Dempsey was rattling the crossbar with a thirty yard swerving missile leading to an own goal against Stoke, the longest tenured American in the Premier League was between the pipes for Tottenham’s shutout of Newcastle.  Brad Friedel, who will be forty-one on May 18, made a full stretch fingertip save of a free kick and an impressive reaction save belying his age to preserve the shut out.   The shutout put Spurs ten points clear of Arsenal for third place, which is a Champions League spot, and they still have an outside chance at the Premier League title.  No other American is having this level of individual or team success this season, yet Friedel is getting very little attention by comparison.

I think we forget about Friedel a bit because he retired from international football in 2005.  We know he is not on the radar for a call up, so he has gotten less of our interest in the last seven years.  Although nearing the end of his career, Friedel is not just hanging in there biding his time until they give him his gold watch. He’s having a great season.   As an example, he stopped thirteen shots against Fulham earlier this year earning Man of the Match honors.   Friedel has made the fifth most saves in the Premier League this season, but Spurs have the third lowest goals against and are on pace to give up fewer goals than last season.  Friedel has ten Premier League clean sheets, one behind league leader Joe Hart of Manchester City. For his career, Friedel has 126 shutouts in the Premier League which is eighth all-time and third among active keepers. Spurs’ goalkeeping coach, Tony Parks, toldtottenhamspurs.com that “for a 40-year old man to play at the level he plays at is phenomenal.” To give some context to what Friedel is doing this season, it is important to remember that Friedel was out of contract at end of 2010-2011 season and Aston Villa reportedly only offered him an incentive based one-year contract. Friedel took a pass and moved to Spurs on a free transfer in a move seen by many as him going to Spurs to be a backup. So, unwanted and aging at the end of last season, this season Friedel is again among the best in the league.

In addition to his success this season, Friedel is also on the verge of achieving an amazing personal milestone.  Friedel has made 299 consecutive Premier League starts at keeper and is on pace to make it 300 against Arsenal this coming Sunday.  To put this in perspective, the next longest streak is held by former England International, David James, at a measly 166 matches.  James is not in the Premier League this season and is not likely to close the gap on Friedel anytime soon.  Tottenham goalkeeping legend, Pat Jennings, who played until he was 41, recently told the Spurs website, “Brad has been unbelievable.  At this age, to be on a run of approaching 300 matches without missing a game is fantastic.  I don’t think anyone will ever get near that record.”  In case you were wondering, the oldest goalkeeper to play in the Premier League was John Burridge at 43 years, 163 days. Friedel is on a two-year contract with Tottenham, so who knows?


There have been many successful Americans abroad over the years.  Currently, Dempsey is making it happen, Donovan has twice left Everton sad at his departure, and Howard is an outstanding keeper who is making his own mark, but I think that Friedel has had the best club career of any American abroad, to date.  I know Friedel has not played for top sides and he does not have many trophies, but the fact that he has maintained his position as a starting keeper in the Premier League for so long, particularly when the league is short of patience for goalkeeping mistakes, is strong evidence.  Friedel is getting up there, so we may not have much longer to appreciate him.  Yes, goals are more fun, but, perhaps, one of the reasons that they are is because there are people like Brad Friedel out there preventing goals from being scored.  Friedel is somewhat a victim of his own success when it comes to attention as it can be argued that the better keeper you are the less exciting your performances are.  So, spare a moment to look in on the Spurs’ match this Sunday and wherever you are watching give a clap for Friedel.  Hopefully, you will be bored to death.

Jemal Johnson scores in Dover Athletic's 3-1 win

Johnson with Dover Athletic
*He scored a penalty in a 3-1 win over Truro City.
*Highlights after the jump...


play starts at 5:10

Monday Night Yanks Abroad Link Drop

*Ocegueda chooses US over Mexico

*Jozy Bench Watch: Looking at AZ's Numbers Before & After

*Onyewu has sprain on knee

*Is Juan Agudelo's development in jeopardy with the Red Bulls?

*Analyzing Donovan's second Everton loan

*Santos' Gomez fired up to face Schmid and Seattle

*Tab Ramos Names 26-Player Roster for U.S. U-20 Camp

NHL Game Preview for Saturday February 25, 2012 – Chicago Blackhawks @ Los Angeles Kings

Online Betting Overview

The Los Angeles Kings seem to be following a familiar pattern from year to year. Just when the March Madness betting starts to get underway, the Kings are fighting for their playoff lives. At the beginning of the last few seasons, the Kings have started out strong. By March, Los Angeles is clinging to slim playoff hopes and then by the time the end of the season rolls around the Kings are completely out of the race. It has been frustrating because Los Angeles has made the necessary investments to get better. The Kings retained star goaltender Jonathan Quick and brought in Mike Richards from the Philadelphia Flyers to improve the offense. But yet the Kings are clinging to slim playoff hopes and the team is trying to put together a winning streak that will get it into the top eight in the Western Conference.

The Chicago Blackhawks have had more ups and downs than a world class roller coaster this season. While the Blackhawks are 3-6-1 in its last 10 games, the pay per head sports experts are quick to point out that the Blackhawks are on a three-game winning streak. But that record also means that, prior to the three-game winning streak, the Blackhawks had gone at least seven in a row with a loss. The Blackhawks also started the season strong, but the team’s inconsistency has cost it points and position in the standings. Now Chicago is just trying to maintain itself so that it can make the post season.

Los Angeles Kings

It is hard to understand why a team with players like Mike Richards, Anze Kopitar and Jonathan Quick can have so many problems winning hockey games. But a bodog review of the Kings’ last 10 games shows a record of 4-5-1 and current two-game losing streak. The Kings play a solid defensive game but it just cannot put the puck in the net consistently. The lack of offense is what has been killing the Kings all season and it is something that should not be happening considering the firepower that is on the Los Angeles roster.

Chicago Blackhawks

The NHL trade deadline 2012 is fast approach, but Chicago fans are not expecting much movement by the team. What the Blackhawks need is defensive help, but to get that Chicago would have to give up some of its offense. Without the offense, Chicago does not win hockey games. Goaltender Corey Crawford has been under siege all season long and the effects are finally starting to show. The Blackhawks need to start playing some team defense or it will be a short playoff run in April.

The Bottom Line

The Los Angeles Kings have the upper-hand in defense for this game and the Blackhawks have the upper-hand in offense. The Blackhawks play its worst defense on the road, and that is not a good sign for this game.

Sports Betting blog Pick: Los Angeles Kings

Video: Is "Tim Ream" that hard to pronounce?

Thought this was pretty funny...

Saturday Yanks Abroad Round Up

Chandler with Nurnberg
*He played in a 2-1 win.


Howard with Everton
*He got a clean sheet in a 2-0 win.

Ream with Bolton
*He made his debut in a 1-0 win over Millwall.


Spector with Birmingham
*He played in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea.

Johnson and Williams with Hoffenheim
*Both played in a 1-1 draw with Mainz.





szólj hozzá: N2-1C

szólj hozzá: MillWall 0-2 Bolton


Chelsea 1 - 1 Birmingham All Goals by Anatolly7

h 1-1 m by Futbol2101

Findley scores in Nottingham Forest's 2-0 win

Findley with Nottingham Forest
*He scored in a 2-0 win over Coventry City.
*Highlights after the jump...



نوتينغهام فورست 2-0 كوفنتري سيتي by farid19s

Taylor scores a late goal in Paderborn's 2-2 draw

Taylor with Paderborn
*He scored in a 2-2 draw with Dynamo Dresden.
*Highlights after the jump...

Go to 3:05 to see the goal

NCAA Basketball Picks: Texas A&M vs. Missouri

The Big 12 road this season (1-6 SU) but with a much-needed boost from the ‘6th Man,’ they may be able to ambush No. 3 Missouri in Reed Arena today.

Texas A&M is this season’s poster child for a team that consistently comes up short on the scoreboard against conference foes while walking away with the cash: 4-9 SU but 10-3 ATS.

The Aggies snapped a 4-game SU losing streak (including a 23-point hammering by Iowa State) with Tuesday’s win over hapless Texas Tech – while simultaneously filling the coffers with a current 7-1 ATS run.

We won’t buck that kind of performance, especially with a Mizzou squad that finds itself in a dangerous spot: the Tigers are off a double revenger win over Oklahoma State with a double revenger versus Kansas State looming on the horizon.

Worse, the visitors will face an A&M team still seeing red over a 70-51 thrashing suffered at Columbia back in mid-January.

The Aggies just so happen to own an outstanding 7-1 ATS mark on this court when playing with sameseason, double-digit loss revenge, a stat that looks might strong next to Missouri’s 0-3 ATS effort versus sub .600 opposition this year.

The return of A&M F Khris Middleton, a preseason All-Big 12 pick, should shore up the Aggie defense – and with the hosts planning to slow the game pace to a crawl, the ‘Under’ could be worth a look, too.

High-flying Tigers fall back to earth with a resounding thud today.

Betting Pick: Texas A&M over Missouri by 3

Yuvraj tweets good news in cancer fight

Yuvraj Singh's malignant lung tumour is almost out of his system following his first cycle of chemotherapy, the Indian cricketer said on Thursday.

"Got very good news from Dr Lawrence today! The tumour is almost way out of the system," said the 30-year-old on his Twitter account.

Yuvraj was told last year that he had a golf ball-sized non-malignant tumour but that diagnosis was changed this month to a cancerous condition called "mediastinal seminoma".

One of the cleanest strikers of a cricket ball, the middle-order batsman is not a regular member of India's test team but is an automatic choice in their limited-over sides.

Yuvraj was instrumental in India's 2007 World Twenty20 victory in South Africa and hit England fast bowler Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over in one match.

He was also named player of the tournament in India's successful 50-over World Cup campaign on home soil in February, March and April last year.

Last month Yuvraj said he was reading Lance Armstrong's 2000 autobiography 'It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life'.

"I'm sure it will motivate me and pull me through," the Indian added.

American cyclist Armstrong is one of sport's best-known cancer survivors.

Read More >>

March Madness Mock Bracket Puts Big 10 in Favorable Position

The March Madness betting tournament is just over three and a half weeks away, and for handicappers, that means that now is the time to put together mock drafts. For the second consecutive year, the world’s greatest playoff tournament will have 68 instead of 64 teams qualifying and battling for a right to be named National Champion in the single elimination tournament. We aren’t sure who will be placed where just yet, but after reading our sports betting colleagues columns, we elected to write our own column on which major conferences should be happy entering the tournament. Today we’ll be looking at which conferences should look forward to the tournament and which conferences should be disappointed.

If the March Madness college basketball tournament were to begin today, the two conferences that would benefit the most from the selection process would be the Big 10 and the Big East. Starting with the latter, for the second consecutive year, the Big East would have a minimum of eight teams battling for position. Last season, the Big East sent 11 of a possible 16 teams to the tournament, with the Connecticut Huskies coming away with the National Title. This season, the Big East should be sending eight teams including powerhouses Syracuse, Georgetown and defending National Champion Connecticut. Well, the National Champion Huskies deserve to have an asterisk beside their name, as they have struggled considerably in the second half of the bookie software season. In fact, it may take a Big East Conference Championship win, to help the Huskies secure a spot in the March Madness Tournament Predictions.

On the other hand, in this latest mock bracket, the Big 10 reigns supreme, as they will have nine of a possible 12 teams enter the tournament. The big four of Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Michigan will lead the way. Michigan and Michigan State are both of particular interest to NBA fans, as neither school was seen as being that strong, prior to the start of the season. Nevertheless, the Spartans, turned heads in week 14 of the NCAA season, when they knocked off the aforementioned Ohio State Buckeyes. The victory over their conference rivals, vaulted the Spartans into seventh in the AP 25 rankings, while pushing the Buckeyes down to ninth. With the Big 10 Conference Tournament directly around the corner, fans could see the Spartans coming away with the Conference Championship, and even a first overall seed once March Madness begins.

As we noted above, a couple conferences are overjoyed at how many schools they are sending to the tournament, but other conferences are disappointed in the amount of teams they get to send. The SEC and Big 12 are two conferences that fill out the latter category, as although they have strong schools, only five from each conference are projected to enter the tournament. By all accounts, the more schools you send to the dance, the better the revenue sharing becomes for the following season. Then again, if a team from the SEC or Big 12 does in fact win the National Title that will show handicappers that having the most schools and having the best school doesn’t always come from the same conference.

Yanks Abroad on TV

All Times EST.

Thursday, February 16
1:00 pm - AZ Alkmaar (Altidore) vs Anderlecht (Kljestan) - DirecTV (chs. 485/485-1)
1:00 pm - Legia Warsaw vs Sporting Lisbon (Onyewu) - DirecTV (chs. 484/484-1)
1:00 pm - Vitoria Plzen vs Schalke (Jones) - DirecTV (chs. 483/ 483-1)
3:05 pm - Hannover (Cherundolo) vs Club Brugge - DirecTv (chs. 483/483-1)

Friday, February 17
2:30 pm - TSG Hoffenheim (Gyau/Johnson/Williams) vs Mainz (Jeffrey) - TBD
9:10 pm - UAG Estudiantes Tecos vs Atlante (Guadarrama) - Galavision

Video: Donovan is Everton's Player of the Month

U.S. Soccer Interview with Jurgen Klinsmann

NBA Free Pick: Denver Nuggets vs. Memphis Grizzlies

The Nuggets make their second trip to Bluff City in less than three weeks and their 10-1 SU and 9-2 ATS mark in this series when playing with revenge more than suggests they’ll be all in this time around.

In the first meeting, the Grizz caught Denver napping in the second half and rallied from a 12-point halftime defi cit for a 100-97 overtime win. Memphis opened as a 1-point favorite before the Nuggets closed as a 1-point choice.

That previous result just may have Memphis go off as chalk this time around and that’s fi ne with us as Denver is 6-2 ATS when taking this betting season.

With the Grizzlies an unexplainable 1-11 SU and 3-8 ATS at home after jostling with the Jersey Boys, look for the visitors to deliver the victory tonight at FedEx Forum.

NBA Free Betting Pick: Denver over Memphis by 6

NHL Betting: Maple Leafs Aim To End Vancouver Jinx

The Vancouver Canucks have been consistently one of the best teams in the NHL over the past few years, but when it comes to Toronto, the Canucks have been downright dominant as they haven’t lost to the Maple Leafs since November 2003. They’ll look to run their winning streak over the Maple Leafs to 10 when Toronto wraps up a three-game swing through Western Canada on Saturday night.

Maple Leafs Canucks Odds – Saturday, 7:00 PM

Toronto’s (28-22-6 as of Monday) odds on last Saturday night may have seemed like a BetOnline scam after the fact, as the Maple Leafs were blown out 5-0 at home by Montreal on a night where they retired the jersey of former captain Mats Sundin. It was their third straight loss, but they had dropped the first two games of the skid by one goal apiece; this time, the Maple Leafs gave up four goals in the second period and failed to beat Carey Price, who stopped 32 shots for the Canadiens. The Maple Leafs went 0-of-5 on the power play and lost despite outshooting the Habs 32-18, and it was a performance that is sure to make players that work with price per head software skeptical of Toronto’s chances to make the postseason, even though they sit in eighth place in the Eastern Conference heading into the week before visiting Calgary and Edmonton.

The Canucks (34-15-6 going into Monday’s games) had a three-game winning streak snapped in a 3-2 shootout loss in Calgary, wrapping up a four-game road trip. Cody Hodgson and David Booth got on the scoresheet, while Roberto Luongo had 16 saves for the Canucks, but he allowed Olli Jokinen and Jarome Iginla to get the better of him in the shootout, while only Alex Burrows could score for Vancouver. The Toronto game will end a three-game homestand for the Canucks, who have gone to overtime or the shootout in nine of their last 12 games. Players that use bookie software may take that into account on Saturday.

Vancouver is obviously going to be the favorites in this contest, given how they have owned the Maple Leafs in recent years. The Canucks have scored 19 goals in their last four meetings with the Maple Leafs, who are 12-13-2 on the road this season, have lost their last two away games and that performance at home on a special night isn’t offering any encouragement. The Canucks will be getting ready to embark on another road trip and would like to leave their fans with positive thoughts, and they’re solid home team with a 15-6-4 record before Phoenix and Colorado come to town this week. On Saturday night on “Hockey Night In Canada”, go with Vancouver in your betting sports news report.