Your Mate ... (11/04)

The Rockhampton Panthers

The Rockhampton Panthers have recorded one of the biggest losses on record in central Queensland's AFL Capricornia competition, with Panthers assistant coach Rob Taylor saying that seven of their best players missed the game to attend a wedding.

The Boyne Island Saints obviously took advantage of the situation kicking 43-14-272 to the Panthers 3-1-19.

"A lot of the guys that have played football together for the Panthers football club for a lot of years and they're the mainstay of our football club", he said.

"But we're not offering an excuse, We brought a lot of under 17 players up and gave them a run",

"They got knocked off the ball fairly easy because their bodies weren't - they're not fully grown men yet and obviously they were playing experienced and talented footballers from Boyne Island".

Joonas Jokinen

Normal penalty kicks are apparently too boring for Finland U-16 player Joonas Jokinen, so in a match for Swiss club FC Baar, he decided to cap his off with a back flip.

Lucky for him, he made the penalty so he was saved the embarrassment of celebrating a miss with his preemptive gymnastics.

Police now involved in Storm betting plunge

Last night the NRL handed over ma report to police focusing on the Melbourne Storm wooden spoon betting plunge amid revelations punters obtained inside information to net nearly $200,000 in winning bets.

Ray Murrihy, the NSW Racing chief steward, carried out a report into the betting sting months ago, the contents of which were kept secret until they were uncovered yesterday.

In the report, Murrihy found: "privileged information was leaked and used for betting purposes", by punters who had prior knowledge of the Storm salary cap scandal.

One punter won $40,000 from the TAB by backing the Storm at 200/1 less than 24 hours before they lost all their points.

All up, the TAB paid out $70,000 on the Storm wooden spoon option.

Such was the extent of the plunge in three states, Bookmakers and the TAB were forced to suspend betting on the wooden spoon the day before the NRL stripped the club of all premiership points.

Spokesman for the TAB Glenn Munsie confirmed the agency paid out $70,000 on the Storm, but refused to comment when asked if the betting activity should have been passed on to police.

"It's not our job to investigate these things", Munsie said.

"We suspended betting when it was obvious something was happening and we handed over the bet details, which we are required to do".

The TAB and bookmakers in three states paid out a combined $200,000 on the Storm, but the complaints were few because they were saved from bigger payouts on Cronulla or the Cowboys if they had come last.

Record fines await star duo

According to reports, Aston Villa are expected to hand out the biggest fines in the history of football to two of their star players.

Defenders Richard Dunne and James Collins were at the centre of an alcoholic rage during a team-building trip to a spa hotel last week, in which the pair got drunk and set about insulting their team-mates and club coaching staff.

Both players have since apologised, but the Daily Mirror claims that Villa chiefs are so furious about the debacle, and after the disciplinary action is complete they are likely to fine the players up to an eye-watering £300,000 ($481,000 AUD) each.

Such a fine would be the biggest ever given to a player, and enough to sting even the wallets of the £50,000-a-week stars.

If the club goes ahead with the staggering fine, they could face a challenge from the players' union however. PFA rules stipulate that players' fines are to be a maximum two weeks' wages, yet a Villa spokesperson confirmed that "the end result is likely to be a fine of four to six week's salary".

It is also reported that the two players stayed behind in the hotel while their team-mates went paint-balling, with neither able to take part as they are recovering from injuries. Both were reportedly drunk by the end of the team's dinner that night, after which all the 'fun' began.

Miami players reduced to tears following loss

The Miami Heat took Monday's loss to the Chicago Bulls harder than most, with Heat coach Erik Spoelstra explaining that several players were reduced to tears following the team's performance.

In losing 87-86, it marked the Heat's third close loss to Chicago this season, topping off a frustrating week that started last Monday (AEST) with the squad's tough defeat at the hands of the New York Knicks.

The Heat now have lost four in a row.

After Dwyane Wade's last-second desperation jumper rimmed out, a catatonic Heat team sulked to the locker room. The Heat's season-long clutch struggles were made even more obvious by Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau who said after the game that Chicago has "guys who can close".

What's more important is this astonishing lack of clutch play from Miami's troika of LeBron James, Wade and Chris Bosh. All three had exemplary clutch statistics in the seasons leading up to 2010-11, but in shots taken with less than 10 seconds to go in the fourth quarter or overtime, with Miami trailing by three or fewer points, the Heat have gone 1 for 18 this season.

A falloff like that is remarkable and just about unprecedented in recent NBA history.

With the win, the Bulls have moved percentage points ahead of Miami in the Eastern Conference standings while sweeping the teams' season series three to nil.

NRL betting scandal deepens

The NRL betting scandal that has embroiled Bulldogs player Ryan Tandy and two others has deepened, with police searching for four more people.

The NSW Crime Command's Casino and Racing Investigation Unit are appealing for public assistance to identify four people shown in CCTV footage as part of ongoing investigations.

Strike Force Suburb from the unit was established to investigate alleged illegal betting activity surrounding the NRL match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and the North Queensland Cowboys in August lst year.

On Friday, police launched a public appeal to help identify four people depicted in CCTV footage who attended Sydney betting facilities in Beaconsfield, Ashfield and in the Queensland city of Townsville.

Police are not suggesting the people in the footage have engaged in unlawful activity but believe they may be able to assist detectives.

The investigation in question focuses on an incident relating to the Bulldogs-Cowboys match, which involved a plunge on a betting option that the first points of the game would come from a penalty goal.

Tandy was penalised two minutes into the game for impeding Cowboys playmaker Grant Rovelli in front of the posts.

The Cowboys were awarded a penalty, but did not opt for a kick at goal and instead scored a try from a quick tap.

Olympic logo "racist"

Iran has protested against the already London's controversial logo for the 2012 Olympic Games, saying the emblem is racist and spells the word 'Zion'- Zion is a biblical term that often refers to the city Jerusalem - the ILNA news agency reported.

Iran's national Olympic committee have made an official complaint about the logo to the International Olympic Committee (IOC),and are threatening to boycott the Games.

Mohammad Aliabadi, head of the national Olympic committee in the Islamic republic, said the logo undermined the event and accused the British organisers of indulging in "racism".

"Unfortunately, we all are witnessing that the upcoming Olympics ... faces a serious challenge, definitely spawned out of some people's racist spirit", Aliabadi said in a letter to IOC president Jacques Rogge.

"The use of the word Zion by the designer of the Olympics logo ... in the emblem of the Olympics Games 2012 is a very revolting act".

London 2012 chiefs expressed surprise at the claims.

A London 2012 spokeswoman said, "The London 2012 logo represents the year 2012, nothing else. It was launched in 2007 following testing and consultation, we are surprised that this complaint has been made now".

The IOC have confirmed that they have received a letter from the Iranian national Olympic committee but have backed London's position on the logo.

Your Mate ... (28/02)

Ashley Cole

Surrey police will question staff from Chelsea football club over reports that Ashley Cole accidentally shot an intern at the club's training ground.

A spokesman for Surrey police said they would be "contacting the club in due course to establish whether any criminal offence has been committed".

The England left-back, who was previously married to pop star Cheryl Cole, fired a .22 air rifle at 21 year old Tom Cowan, thinking it was not loaded.

The sports sciences student then began to bleed profusely from a side wound which was treated by Chelsea medical staff.

A club statement read, "We have fully investigated the incident and we are taking appropriate action. We will not be commenting further as it is an internal matter".

Cowan was reportedly just a metre and a half away from Cole at the time of the incident.

The type of air gun involved in the incident doesn't require a licence in Britain and Surrey Police didn't attend the scene.


Bryan Carrasco

The childhood torture "Stop hitting yourself" took on a new meaning when Chilean Under 20 football star Bryan Carrasco was caught on camera trying to perpetrate a heinous crime against fair play.

With Chile trailing Ecuador 1-0 in the last quarter of an hour, Carrasco grabbed the arm of Edson Motano, then hit himself in the face with it before diving to the ground to try to get his opponent sent off.

Luckily for Motano, and for fans of sporting justice in general, the referee spotted Carrasco's attempted subterfuge, and gave the free kick against the men in red.

As karma would have it, Chile went on to lose the match and also any chance of qualifying for the 2012 Olympics in London.

Your Mate ... (23/02)

Ricky Ponting

A furious Ricky Ponting took out his frustration at being run out in Australia's opening World Cup match by smashing a television set with his bat in the team's dressing room.

The incident during the Group A match against Zimbabwe was reported to the sport's governing body but an International Cricket Council source said "It was unlikely the matter would be taken any further".

On Monday, the Australian captain was found short of his crease at the non-striking end by a direct throw from the mid-wicket boundary by Chris Mpofu whilst attempting a second run.

Ponting was seen talking angrily to himself as he walked back to the pavilion and it appears his emotions spilled over once he was back in the dressing room, where he saw footage of his dismissal being replayed on TV.

Gujarat Cricket Association secretary Rajesh Patel confirmed the incident stating, "It's true. We have already informed the ICC and the Australian cricket authorities about the incident".

A Cricket Australia spokesman said Ponting had “accidentally” damaged the TV set soon after his dismissal in the 91-run victory.

Ponting has since apologised for damaging the television.

Carmelo's finally heading to Broadway

The Denver Nuggets have finally completed their long-awaited trade to send Carmelo Anthony to his preferred destination, the New York Knicks.

Amongst gaining Anthony, the Knicks will also receive Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Renaldo Balkman and Anthony Carter.

The Nuggets will be receiving Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, the Knicks’ 2014 first-round pick and two second-round picks New York acquired from the Golden State Warriors in the David Lee sign-and-trade.

The Knicks will also trade Anthony Randolph and Eddy Curry’s expiring contract to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who will send Corey Brewer to the Nuggets.

Anthony is expected to sign a three year, $65 million extension with the Knicks. If all the players involved in the trade report on time and pass physicals, Anthony’s first game with the Knicks is expected to be Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden.

“I’m extremely happy for Carmelo”, Anthony’s agent, Leon Rose said.

“We are very appreciative to the Denver Nuggets organisation for their efforts in assisting Carmelo get to New York. Carmelo is excited and looking forward to playing for the Knicks".

It has been said that Nuggets coach George Karl pushed team officials to make the deal with the Knicks, over a straight trade with the New Jersey Nets because it would better position the Nuggets to contend for the playoffs this season.

Opinion: 'Sepoy' certainly not invincible

'Sepoy' the $1.60 favourite for Saturday's feature race, the Group 1 Blue Diamond, may look to be unbeatable, but as in all 2 year old racing this is far from the truth.

'Sepoy' has demolished his rivals at his last two starts, and has looked as professional as any juvenile in recent history, hence starting a heavy favourite for the race. But betting on 2 year old racing is fraught with danger, as often punters get carried away with the media hype surrounding one individual horse – and take their eye off the ball with the problems surrounding these youngsters.

Because these young horses run on fear and adrenalin, it is nearly impossible to predict how they will react to certain situations in big races. Whether it be running through a small opening, or coming off of opponents heels in the final metres, uncertainty certainly play's it's role, and the jockey becomes of vital importance in these tight situation.

Keep in mind the affect a new jockey, Kerrin McEvoy, will have on the horse. Mark Zahra has ridden the horse at every start and knows all of the quirks the colt may or may not have. Come Saturday when McEvoy asks for one final effort of Sepoy, will the colt notice a difference in his hands, in his riding style? It is impossible to know.

One major factor in the performance of these juveniles is shin soreness, as it has no boundaries and can pull up the heavily backed favourite or the despised outsider of the field.

Whilst it regularly affects horses as old as four or five, shin soreness is far more prevalent in a 2 year old horse, as that young horse’s bones are still developing.

When shin sore, a youngster will run like a Camel.

Shin soreness is, in reality, a hairline fracture of the cannon bone, so it’s quite a serious injury – yet it is a regular occurrence in the 2 year old – and some of the best 2 year old’s in the country have been beaten at long odds on, simply through shin soreness.

Punters need to be aware that this problem exists – as it’s a silent murderer of your money, as there is no visible way for the poor hapless punter to know the horse is shin sore before it enters the barrier.

One final thought before departing with your hard-earned on Saturday. Remember the Blue Diamond two years ago and a colt by the name of 'Real Saga'.

The most bombproof juvenile in the country appeared to be Real Saga, the horse who had it all; a turn of foot, composure under pressure and courage. After dominating the lead up races in Melbourne and Sydney, Real Saga didn't win either the Blue Diamond or the Golden Slipper. He was clearly the best racehorse, but problems in both races lead to him losing, and the money of the nation washed away.

I'm not saying it is impossible for Sepoy to win the Blue Diamond on Saturday, as he may prove to be the superstar of this year. But taking the short odds of $1.60 come race day seems imprudent.

Remember, no matter what the media say, there is no such thing as a certainty in racing.

Free Kick training needed for French team

French amateur club FC Mulhouse have reportedly been having a few communication problems of late, particularly, whose job it is to shoot at goal from a free kick.

The "three-striker" deception play, which would have taken hours to perfect on the practice pitch, resulted in pure embarrassment for all involved.

Your Mate ... (15/02)

Tiger Woods

Former world number one Tiger Woods will be fined after spitting at the hole during the Dubai Desert Classic at the weekend.

The European Tour said in a statement on Monday, "Tournament director Mike Stewart has reviewed the incident and feels there has been a breach of the tour code of conduct and consequently Tiger Woods will be fined".

Officials will now write to the 35-year-old American's management team but are unlikely to publicly disclose the amount of the fine.

A 14-times major winner, Woods was caught spitting several times by television cameras in the final round, after returning a three-over-par 75 to finish seven strokes behind winner Alvaro Quiros of Spain.

Former tour professional Ewen Murray, now a commentator with Sky Sports, voiced his displeasure with the former world number one.

"You look at his work ethics and he is a credit to the game and an inspiration to all of those who are trying to become professional golfers but there are some parts of him that are just arrogant and petulant",

"Somebody now has to come behind him and maybe putt over his spit. It does not get much lower than that".

Murray's Sky colleague Robert Lee is on the European Tour's board of directors and he was equally appalled at Woods's behaviour in Dubai.

"Could you imagine Jack Nicklaus looking down at a four or five-foot putt and then turning to the side and (spitting)? It would never happen", said former tour professional Lee.

"It's a lack of class, appalling",

"He needs to have a bit more class about him and think about what he is doing".

Woods later apologised for his spitting incident on Twitter, stating that he "just wasn't thinking".

The Good, The Bad and The...(14/02)

The Good – D.A Points

American D.A. Points clinched his first PGA Tour title with a two-shot victory at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Sunday, after covering his last five holes in a stunning three under par.

Two strokes behind the leaders going into the final round, Points spectacularly holed out from 100 yards to eagle the par-five 14th on the way to a five-under 67 on the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

With his scorching run in bright sunshine after the turn, the 34 year old Points, charged past overnight leader Steve Marino and U.S. Ryder Cup player Hunter Mahan to post a winning total of 15 under.

"Pebble Beach may be the most iconic place in America to play golf and to win here is just a dream come true", a beaming Points said greenside after earning the winner's cheque for US$1.116 million.

"I'm so grateful to have this opportunity".

Points was able celebrate to a double victory on Sunday as he also triumphed in the pro-am competition with his playing partner Bill Murray, the U.S. actor and comedian.

The Bad – DeMarcus Cousins

While the Sacramento Kings played in Phoenix today, rookie centre DeMarcus Cousins was waiting to learn his fate after being involved in a post-game altercation with a team-mate the previous night.

Cousins started the altercation with Kings forward Donte Greene in the team’s locker room because he was upset Greene passed the ball to point guard Tyreke Evans instead of Cousins for the final shot in a 99-97 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

After Cousins boarded the Kings’ plane for their scheduled flight to Phoenix late Saturday, Coach Paul Westphal told the 20-year-old centre he would not be accompanying the team, per orders from general manager Geoff Petrie.

Cousins was listed as inactive for Sunday’s game, but has yet to be officially suspended because Kings officials are still reviewing the situation.

While Cousins’ team-mates get along well with him and hang out with him away from the court, they’re often frustrated by his moodiness and immaturity when things aren’t going his way, sources have said.

Concerns about Cousins’ maturity and character helped drop him to the fifth pick in last year’s draft. The Kings even hired Cousins’ former high school coach to help ease his transition to the NBA, but that hasn’t stopped the young centre from being involved in other incidents.

In other similar episodes, Cousins and Kings assistant coach Truck Robinson have had numerous heated exchanges during preseason practice and Cousins was also fined $5,000 by the Kings in October after responding to some trash talking from strength and conditioning coach Daniel Shapiro, by saying he was going to hurt him.

The … Legend – Jerry Sloan

Jerry Sloan, the NBA's longest serving coach at one club, has stepped down from the Utah Jazz after 23 seasons in charge.

Sloan, who turns 69 next month, ranks third for the most wins for a coach in NBA history with a 1,221, which includes a stint as coach of the Chicago Bulls.

Only Don Nelson with 1,335 wins and Lenny Wilkens with 1,332, rank above Sloan on the all-time NBA victory list.

"My time is up", Sloan said. "It's time to move on…this will be tougher than I thought".

Despite Sloan's lengthy time on the bench, he never won an NBA title, coming closest when the Jazz lost to the Bulls in 1997 and 1998, but Sloan never let his failure to claim the ultimate prize diminish his love of the pursuit.

Sloan's years in the same job rank fourth on the all-time US sport list among managers and coaches of professional teams, trailing Connie Mack's 50 in baseball and 29-year NFL stints by Curly Lambeau at Green Bay and Tom Landry at Dallas.

During Sloan's time with Jazz, there were 245 coaching changes among other NBA clubs. When Sloan's tenure began, NBA franchises in Memphis, Toronto, Orlando, Minnesota and Charlotte had not yet been created.

Cavaliers in a league of their own

Forget the Cleveland Cavaliers current horrendous NBA record; they are now officially as bad as any team in any professional sport.

Cleveland’s losing streak has now reached 26, and has matched the 1976-77 Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ record for consecutive ineptitude today with a 103-94 loss to the Detroit Pistons, who were apparently a beatable opponent for the cellar dwelling Cavs.

Instead, Cleveland’s season slipped further into shame.

The Cavs, with a record of 8-45, remain winless since December 18th and they have now lost 36 out of their last 37.

The Cavs fell 99-96 on Tuesday in Dallas, but only when they failed to execute in the closing seconds, it seemed as though they had forgotten how to win.

Including the loss to Dallas, Cleveland had played well in its previous three games, losing by a combined 21 points and actually came into the match-up against Detroit as favourites.

Coach Byron Scott has been heartened by his young team’s efforts in recent times, and with eight straight home games ahead, the time seems right for Cleveland to get back in the win column.

Cleveland's next chance to end the unimaginable slide will be on Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers.

If the Cavaliers can’t end their streak against Los Angeles on Saturday, the Cavs then host the Washington Wizards, who have their own horrendous winless streak.

It is sure to be one hell of an emotional game, and LeBron James will certainly keep watching.

Your Mate ... (09/02)

Christina Aguilera

With millions of eyes on her on one of the biggest days on the American sporting calendar, pop singer Christina Aguilera used Wikipedia for the lyrics to the US national anthem in a highly embarrassing gaffe.

Known for her emotional and powerful performances, Aguilera seemed to perform an incorrect version of ‘Star Spangled Banner’ which appears on the aforementioned website.

Aguilera sang, "What so proudly we watched at the twilight’s last gleaming", a line she had already sung earlier with a slight variation.

The second time she sung the line, she replaced the word "hailed" with "watched".

The actual line she was meant to sing was "O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?”

We’ve all been known to use Wikipedia as a source from time to time, but in front of an estimated one billion people, it’s probably not the smartest idea.

The Western Bulldogs

A number of Western Bulldogs players have been caught behaving badly outside a Hong Kong nightclub after a video of the drunken players was posted on YouTube.

The footage shows the players holding up traffic and stopping vehicles outside ‘Bar George’ in Hong Kong's Lan Kwai Fong.

In the video, players prevent a van from moving while Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney opens the side door of the vehicle.

A taxi is then stopped as former Bulldog's player Tim Callan sits on the bonnet of the vehicle drinking.

"We are extremely frustrated and disappointed by what has occurred”, Bulldogs management said after the incident, and have put all players under notice.

"On the video several players can be seen acting in a manner deemed to be completely in contrast to the expected behaviours of Western Bulldog players".

In an era where video phones and hand-held cameras are common items, it seems drunken escapades such as this are going to be caught more readily.

This serves as just another reminder to any professional sportsman that they are going to be under constant scrutiny in public whether it be in Melbourne, or overseas.

Soccer player trains with bullet in his brain

Former Club America striker Salvador Cabanas returned to the pitch to train with Paraguayan champions Libertad a year after getting shot in the head in a Mexico City bar and less than a month after the alleged shooter was finally caught.

The 30-year-old still has a ways to go in his recovery, but the fact that he's even out there at all, kicking the ball and jogging around, is pretty amazing. And all with the bullet still lodged in his brain.

Courtesy of Reuters:

"It's an honour to have him with us. We want to do everything we can to help him in his recovery", Libertad's Uruguayan coach Gregorio Perez said, adding it would also be a motivating factor for his squad.

"We're prepared to have him with us daily... It's important for his recovery to participate", Perez told Primero de Marzo radio.

Perez can definitely use this as motivation for his team mates at Salvador. If the players aren't trying hard enough, or they're sick or running laps? Just point out that the guy who took a bullet to the head is doing more than they are.

The Headlines ... that weren't

A new segment to 'The Sports Hub', "The Headlines ... that weren't" will take a look at the big news in sports ... if things had happened just a little differently.

The Headlines ... that weren’t

CHOKE-OVIC LOSES IN FIVE

A normally composed Novak Djokovic lost the Australian Open final on Sunday, with Andy Murray pulling off a stunning comeback winning in five sets.

Murray, who is widely renowned for his lack of mental fortitude, finally put it all together and pushed the demons of finals-past away, over-powering Djokovic around the court.

The doubters that circled the Murray camp have certainly been silenced, and the weight of a nation lifted off of Murray's shoulders.

ST KILDA PLAYERS LAUDED BY DEMETRIOU

At a press conference held yesterday, AFL Boss Andrew Demetriou has praised the St Kilda Football club for going a day without making the Herald Sun front page.

After a summer of St Kilda players acting like ‘Motley Crue’, Demetriou said it was great to see them finally settling down, and embracing a life of sobriety and abstinence.

St Kilda past greats have also gathered in support around the club and have pleaded with fans to open their hearts (and wallets) in a show of solidity.

Ross Lyon and Nick Riewoldt refused to comment on the matter.

LIVERPOOL HAVE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IN SIGHTS

Liverpool fans have gathered at Anfield to show their support of the board and the players, after years and years of heartbreak and anger.

Whilst sitting a mediocre seventh on the table, the transfer of Fernando Torres to Chelsea has given fans hope, and the future is looking much brighter.

Mid-table mediocrity is now a figment of the imagination, and the Champions League is now well and truly in their sights.

The decade of Liverpool silverware has just begun.

Player Profile: Milos Raonic

Milos Raonic is a 20 year old Canadian professional tennis player who in recent weeks has drawn comparisons to a young Pete Sampras, his idol growing up.

Raonic moved with his family to Canada at the age of 3 from Titograd, Yugoslavia which is now known as Podgorica, Montenegro, and began playing tennis at the early age of 8 at the Blackmore Tennis club in Richmond Hill, Ontario.

When asked why he chose tennis over Ice Hockey, widely known as Canada's national sport, he said it provided an individuality, and he felt he could spend more time training and focusing on his own game.

It has been said that his dad used a ball machine at either 6:30 a.m. or 9:00 p.m to train with because court fees "were a lot cheaper at this time".

Since turning pro in 2007 at the age of 17, Raonic has had gradual success on both the ITF Futures and the ATP Challenger series, with his large serve, heavy ground strokes and accurate volleying developing with every tournament he plays.

After finding his feet at the top level, Raonic has since qualified for several ATP World Tour events including the U.S. Open and the Australian Open.

At only his second Grand Slam appearance, Raonic showed his growing game and true potential when defeating 10th ranked Mikael Youzhny on his way to the fourth round. Despite losing to David Ferrer, Raonic received rave reviews for his performance at the Australian Open, with John McEnroe referring to Raonic as "the real deal" on Twitter.

Raonic is curenntly Canada's highest ranked player, and has tennis greats such as Martina Navratilova touting him as "a new star".

If Raonic continues to play the way he did throughout the Australian Open those comparisons to Pete Sampras might not seem so far fetched. He has his entire career ahead of him and with his heavy serving and supreme volleying, the sky truly is the limit.

A-League undergoing change

In what will be the A-League's most fundamental revamp since it's inception, the start of next season will be shifted by several months to avoid clashing with other popular sporting codes.

The competition is rumoured to be changing it's start to September or October, having begun in August for its first six seasons.

The change is designed to avoid the first six weeks or more of the season being affected by AFL and NRL finals, with all A-League clubs complaining that they find it almost impossible to generate excitement during other codes sporting finales.

In its first season the FFA spent $5 million on marketing to ensure the competition received enough exposure, and was rewarded with average crowds that increased for the first three seasons.

But despite the standard of play this season being hailed as the highest yet, crowds have slid in the opposite direction.

Sydney chief executive Edwin Lugt said the clubs had not been told officially that the season is set to move, but welcomed the notion.

"Assuming this happens, I think the clubs would support it unanimously", Lugt said.

"We know, and FFA research proves it, that the amount of publicity we get goes up strongly once the other codes finish".

The Good, The Bad and The...(31/01)

The Good - Bubba Watson

Bubba Watson held off late charges by fellow American Phil Mickelson and Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas to clinch his second PGA Tour title, in what was an emotional one-shot victory at the Farmers Insurance Open.

Left handed Watson coolly birdied the par-five last to keep his challengers at bay, as he closed with a sparkling five-under-par 67 on the tricky South Course at Torrey Pines.

"It means a lot", a tearful Watson, whose father Gerry died late last year after a lengthy battle with lung cancer, said greenside. "My dad is not here. Mom, I love you".

Asked if his breakthrough win at last year's Travelers Championship had helped him at Torrey Pines, Watson replied, "No. It's hard every time you look at it",

"You've got Phil, you've got the guy who won last week, Vegas. All I thought about today was keeping my head down. And I did that".

Mickelson, a three-times champion here, closed with a 69 to secure second place while PGA Tour rookie Vegas, winner of last week's Bob Hope Classic, bogeyed the last for a 68 and a tie for third at 13 under with American Dustin Johnson (66).

The Bad - Andy Murray

Andy Murray once again froze on tennis' biggest stage, but instead of shedding tears as he did last year he simply shrugged off his failure in last night's Australian Open final.

Murray embraced Novak Djokovic at the net after his straight sets thumping, but then echoed the defeatist body language he had displayed in the match by saying he would not lose any sleep over his latest flop.

Murray has now lost three major finals, failing to win a set in any, and Britain's wait for a first men's grand slam singles champion since Fred Perry in 1936 continues after a display in which the Scot only became animated when yelling at his box to "Be quiet".

After the match Murray seemed to handle the heart breaking loss well, especially after being reduced to tears in last year's Melbourne final against Roger Federer.

Murray went on to say that a grand slam title might not be the be all and end all for him.

"It's not something I lose sleep over at night", said the 23-year-old Scot, also thrashed by Federer in the 2008 U.S. Open final.

"It's going to be tough for a few days. I want to try and win one, of course. But if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen".

The ... Overstatement - Tony Mundine

Australian boxing great Tony Mundine has made the extraordinary claim that Sonny Bill Williams can be the next Muhammad Ali.

His startling appraisal came after rugby star Williams' unanimous points decision victory over Sydney brawler Scott Lewis at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on Saturday night.

Mundine said he should think long and hard about making boxing his primary occupation following this year's Rugby World Cup.

"I said to (Williams) in 12 months time he could be the second Ali. He could be anything", Mundine said.

"I saw him about 12 months ago, I really thought he moved like Ali",

"He needs more fights ... If he keeps on boxing seriously, he will be the second Ali".

Mundine Snr could hardly have made a bigger call about Williams' potential, comparing him to the charismatic fighter many consider the greatest.

Maybe Mundine's comparison was ego based rather than talent based, or is it possibly that Williams could one day float like a butterfly and sting like a bee?

Your Mate ... (28/01)

The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India)

India is no stranger to suffering sporting humiliation, but when it’s most famous ground, Eden Gardens, was declared unfit to host matches in next month's World Cup, their cricketing foundations were shaken.

After a renovation program at Eden Gardens had fallen months behind schedule, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said another stadium would have to be found to hold the India-England clash on February 27.

"Regrettably, Eden Gardens has not made sufficient progress to justify the level of confidence required to confirm that the venue would be ready in good time", ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said in a statement.

Three other fixtures in the World Cup, which runs from February 19 to April 2 in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, are also scheduled to take place at the ground.

The decision was a major blow for India's image and the estimated 64,000 spectators who were expected to pack in to the legendary stadium.

"All venues had ample time in which to prepare for World Cup matches", said Lorgat.

"We had been understanding and had provided extensions to the deadline dates but unfortunately we are now at a point where we must carefully manage our risks".

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which oversees the multi-billion-dollar sport in India and is seen as dominating the game worldwide, distanced it from the failure to rebuild Eden Gardens on time.

"I don't think the BCCI should be blamed for this", BCCI spokesman Rajiv Shukla said in a brief statement.

"These things happen. I am sure the organising committee will choose a suitable venue soon for that game. But there is no doubt the remaining matches in Kolkata will be held on schedule".

The Good, The Bad and The...(25/01)

The Good - Lleyton Hewitt

After years of growing up and feeling more patriotic disliking Lleyton Hewitt rather than supporting him, it is with great pleasure I finally put him under the heading of "The Good".

Over this past month Hewitt has shown his tactical nous, his strong opinions and his great tennis brain are finally paying dividends...as a special comments man.

Hewitt has added a great insight into the mentality of the current day tennis player, as opposed to the old school Jim Courier and his fellow colleagues.

Although still very much learning the caper, Hewitt has shown throughout the Hopman Cup and the Australian Open that a career in the tennis media should be a certainty once his agonising tennis career ends.

The Bad - Kevin Muscat

Melbourne Victory skipper Kevin Muscat's horror weekend tackle should be his last A-League act, after the match review panel deemed it worthy of at least a six-match ban.

The tackle left Melbourne Heart winger Adrian Zahra with partial tears in several knee ligaments, wiping him out for the rest of Heart's inaugural A-League season.

Muscat's fate will be decided by a disciplinary committee hearing in Sydney on Thursday night.

The panel met on Monday and declared the tackle which ended Zahra's season an act of serious foul play.

They believed it warranted at least an extra five-match sanction, on top of the mandatory one-game ban for a red card offence.

Muscat is a passionate and loyal Melbourne Victory player, but what he did not only hurt his club, it hurt the image of football in Australia and most importantly his already tarnished image.

The...Bigots - Richard Keys and Andy Gray

British broadcasters have been caught in a sexism scandal after making comments about a female assistant referee during the Premier League clash between Wolverhampton and Liverpool.

Sky Sports commentator Richard Keys and special comments man Andy Gray made the "unacceptable remarks" about Sian Massey after believing their microphones had been turned off.

The pair told of their surprise that Massey had been appointed to the match, and blasted her knowledge of the game.

Keys said, "Somebody better get down there and explain offside to her",

Gray replied, "Can you believe that? A female linesman. Women don't know the offside rule",

Keys then replied, "Course they don't. I can guarantee you there will be a big one today. Kenny [Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish] will go potty. This isn't the first time, is it? Didn't we have one before?".

The pair have since sent out a statement expressing their regret and have apologised for the comments, but is that really enough considering the highly sensitive atmosphere we live in at the moment?

Dominant Tomic through to second round

Promising Australian youngster Bernard Tomic has claimed the biggest scalp of his short career to reach the Australian Open second round for the third successive year.

After gaining entry into the Grand Slam event through a wildcard, Tomic played impressively in gunning down world No.44 Jeremy Chardy 6-3 6-2 7-6 at Melbourne Park's Hisense Arena.

Tomic gained control of the match early on and showed more poise than his experienced French opponent throughout, breaking Chardy three times and not dropping his own serve.

The two-time junior grand slam champion unveiled a highly improved serve and evidently stronger ground strokes, and seemed pleased with his performance.

"It is the greatest feeling just to play in this tournament", a clearly ecstatic Tomic said.

"It got a bit scary in the third, but I'm glad I pulled it off in three. Anything could have happened in that fourth set".

Tomic's task now gets harder, booking a second-round date on Thursday with Spanish No.31 seed Feliciano Lopez who defeated Columbian Alejandro Falla in straight sets.

Last second fight taints Clippers beating Lakers

Although the Clippers were just a few seconds away from finishing off the Lakers and their seven-game winning streak, Blake Griffin and Lamar Odom refused to stop wrestling for one last rebound.

That competition in final seconds led to a short confrontation, leading to a minor shoving match, which then led to a major scrum and four ejections as the Lakers lost to their cross town rivals.

While Randy Foye made a free throw to put the Clippers ahead 99-90, Griffin slammed aggressively into Odom’s back while seeking position for a possible rebound. Odom then grabbed Griffin’s jersey and verbally expressed his displeasure.

“Maybe I over reacted, but I just feel like if you’re up 9 (points), a ram in the back at that point?” Odom asked.

“Any other time, I get it. You play hard, you’re strong, whatever, but the ram in the back (while) up 9? I don’t get it, so I’m just going to have to react”.

Griffin ducked his head and tried to walk away from the confrontation, and that’s when Griffin's team mate Baron Davis shoved Odom firmly in the chest, leading to both teams circling under the hoop.

“I was just helping my teammate and being a backup”, Davis said.

“People take shots at Blake (Griffin), and they’ve been doing it all season, but it wasn’t nothing. It was just playing tag”.

Although no punches were thrown and order was quickly restored, the officials held a conference before ejecting Odom, Griffin, Davis and Ron Artest, with the decision visibly baffling Griffin and Artest, whose offense wasn’t clear.

“I have no idea how they make their decisions, whimsically, I think”, Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.

“I can see Lamar and Griffin (getting ejected), but Ron, it was just ridiculous”.

The Lakers have now split the two games between the two rivals this season.

Chelsea eye Pienaar

Chelsea are poised to sign Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar for about $5.5 million, foiling Harry Redknapp's hopes of taking him to Tottenham Hotspur for nothing at the end of the season.

The South Africa midfielder, who is out of contract at the end of the season, would have preferred a move to White Hart Lane but the Merseysiders' desperation for funds to reinvest in the transfer market will force a straight cash deal to the league champions.

Spurs have been leading the chase for Pienaar for most of the season but Chelsea's surprise slump in form has made Carlo Ancelotti look for a quick fix.

Chelsea will sanction the spending on Pienaar, fearing they could slip out of the Champions League places.

Captain invloved in bust up

Two North Melbourne players came to blows yesterday as pre-season tension blew up on the training paddock at Arden Street.

North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey and experienced defender Daniel Pratt locked up in a heated brawl after the latter fell heavily on his teammate.

"He clearly couldn't handle being run down from behind", Pratt told his club's website www.kangaroos.com.au.

"I tackled Boomer and the ball went to ground and I just tried to climb over him to get to the ball. There may have been contact with his head on the way through. He didn't like it".

Teammates were forced to separate the duo, after Harvey said he reacted to what he thought was a cheap shot from Pratt.

"I ran off to defend the incoming play and Boomer came at me from behind and threw me to the ground", Pratt said.

"I thought it was pretty funny, but Boomer didn't".

By the end of the training session, the fighting Kangaroos had made peace, and North Melbourne's 2011 campaign resumed.

No science behind wristbands

Australian authorities say the California-based company behind the wildly popular wristbands and pendants “Power Balance” has no business claiming that they improve balance, strength and flexibility.

And they have even got Power Balance to admit it.

The company released a statement saying; “We admit that there is no credible scientific evidence that supports our claims”, and "we have also agreed to give refunds to customers who believe they were cheated".

The company’s admission has now hopped across the globe since its agreement with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission was announced on December 22, and critics railed against the company on Twitter and those who had believed in the bracelet’s power.

It was an answer sought by many who had seen the advertisements and wondered if the colourful silicon bands actually worked.

The company began selling bracelets in 2007 embedded with holograms that were purportedly designed to interact with the body’s natural energy flow.

Since then, the colourful wristbands, have become omnipresent, donned by Los Angeles Lakers’ Lamar Odom, English soccer star David Beckham and many others.

Certified athletic trainer Ralph Reiff said of the bands, “I couldn’t look in the mirror and 100 percent say it’s a product I can put my brand reputation behind”.

Reiff said he believes there’s no reason to think the wristbands could produce a biological benefit, and that any benefit is purely psychological.

“It’s just like a pair of lucky socks”, Reiff said. “It’s a lucky charm, and if you believe in it, then it’s excellent”.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission took action after an independent review panel in September found that the Power Balance claims were misleading and breached the therapeutic goods advertising code.

The Therapeutic Goods Complaints Resolution Panel demanded that Power Balance drop claims from its website that the bands improved flexibility, balance and strength.

Opinion: Test Cricket’s player of the decade

For the last decade no wicket in all of cricket has been more highly prized than that of Jacques Kallis. Kallis has been the colossus of the South African team, a figure whose intimidating presence conjures calm in team mates and dread in opponents.

Kallis’ batting exploits often get forgotten amongst the media circus surrounding higher profile batsmen such as Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar, but for the past decade, he has stood broad shouldered above the rest and helped South Africa become the cricket powerhouse it stands as today.

Few contemporary players are a better fit for the idea of the traditional cricketer. Kallis is an elegant yet forceful batsman, who has at his disposal both a sure technique and a mind impermeable to distraction.

Perhaps the biggest compliment one can pay him is that Kallis has been so consistent throughout most of his career, that his runs have almost been taken for granted. In the first three years of his Test career Kallis struggled, but thereafter, his career has taken off stunningly, with his average in the last decade exceeding 62, and accumulating almost 11, 000 runs.

For Kallis’ critics who believe that this average has been inflated by matches against weaker opponents such as Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, even with those matches excluded, Kallis' average over the last decade is the best in the world (59.47), almost four runs clear of the second-placed Ponting.

Not only has Kallis amassed nearly 11, 000 runs this past decade, he has snared 270 test wickets at an average of 32, a highly respectable figure for a full time opening bowler. Though his role as a bowler has diminished with each passing season, he will be remembered as a purveyor of surprising pace and swing.

A fine leader on the field and a mentor to his younger South African team mates, Kallis has brought his country to the top of the game, and helped build a new generation of stars.

Kallis has shouldered the role of the fulcrum around which the wheel must try to turn, and South African cricket has never been running smoother. A key component with both bat and ball, he is arguably the greatest and most influential test cricketer of this past decade, and the all-round legacy of Jacques Kallis should be talked about next to greats such as Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Ian Botham and Kapil Dev.