The Sports Lounge

America knows the Brit is coming

2009-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

David Haye is ready to conquer America. The new WBA heavyweight champion has all the attributes to become box office stateside in a weight division that has lacked star quality and charisma in recent years.
The blue-ribbon weight class has also been lacking class, with the Klitschko brothers a league apart from the other big men. Nikolai Valuev has struggled to prove he has much beyond his massive size, whilst John Ruiz lives up to his moniker of ‘the quiet man’ in more ways than one.
America has not taken to the undemonstrative Ukrainian brothers, so the charismatic and charming Haye is sure to grab attention. He can box, too; his dismantling of Valuev in Nuremberg was as technically and tactically astute performance as the weight division has seen for some time which can only help his boxing odds in the long run.
Haye must first recover from a hand injury and dispose of Ruiz in a mandatory title defence, but one of the Klitschkos surely waits in a massive unification bout. Germany, where the brothers are hugely popular, is a possible location, but Golden Boy representatives know a Haye-Klitschko showdown could be a major Las Vegas event.
It would be highly marketable, partly because Haye has already mastered the art of pre-fight trash talk - his wearing of a tastelessly provocative t-shirt ahead of his aborted clash with Wladimir earlier this year has already added an edge to a prospective meeting.
More importantly a clash with Wladimir or Vitali would be winnable for Haye. Both fights would be competitive and if Haye was to win, he would certainly become a major boxing name in the States – if he is not already.

Olympic golf will help US medal haul

2009-10-12T04:10:00.000-07:00

The news that golf is to be included in the 2016 Olympic schedule is a good development for American sport. It is an exaggeration to say the US needs all the help it can get, but being beaten into second place in the medal table at Beijing, for the first time in 16 years, came as a shock.

China’s rapid sporting improvement is sure to be maintained, although the benefit of home advantage always helps the host nation improve their haul. It might be sometime before USA again tops a games medal table, but the inclusion of golf will help.

However, American golf medals are not guaranteed at Rio. Gold would almost certainly head their way in the men’s event if it was purely a team affair – the US are the Ryder Cup holders and have beaten the rest of the world in six of the last eight Presidents Cups – but it is scheduled to be an individual tournament.

This would still favour USA. Tiger Woods would lead a strong team of seven in a 60-man field that is made up of the top 15-ranked players and the next 45 players in the rankings with a maximum of two players from any nation.

The tournament is planned to be a standard four-round, 72-hole affair, which leaves open the possibility of surprise medal winners. The US team will still expect representation on the medal podium, certainly more than China will.

South Korea might be the happiest nation – they have five of the top 15-ranked women and can be surer of medals, as a 40-year old Woods might not prioritise the event.

Mayweather back to his best

2009-09-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

Floyd Mayweather's unanimous points defeat of Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas has confirmed that the Pretty Boy is back and back to his best. A 21-month absence is not the ideal preparation for a tough fight against a skilled opponent, but Mayweather showed he had lost none of his speed or defensive skills. More impressively, he punched with power, flooring his opponent in the second round.

Marquez might have moved up two weight divisions for the bout - ask Ricky Hatton about the perils of handing Mayweather a height and reach advantage - but he is still a class act who has been a world champion boxer at three different weights. Mayweather dominated throughout and the Mexican was left looking every one of his 36 years by the end of the fight.

Another veteran waits in the wings. 38-year old 'Sugar' Shane Mosley made a very public statement of intent at the bout's climax, calling out Mayweather for a welterwight showdown. Mosley is high on confidence after his destruction of Antonio Margarito in January and knows that he needs to beat Mayweather to get credibility to go with his WBA welterwight belt. The undefeated Mayweather is the best in the business, with the best boxing betting odds and everyone knows it.

Manny Pacquiao should be the logical next step for Floyd. 'Pacman' made short work of Oscar de la Hoya and Ricky Hatton at higher weights and would be Mayweather's toughest fight. It would also be the most marketable, as Pacquiao is rated the best pound-for-pound fighter in the wold due to Mayweather's temporary retirement.

Floyd's trainer, uncle Roger, thinks Mosley will make a better fight, but this is evidence that the Mayweather camp knows Pacquiao is the biggest threat. Should the Filipino star dispose of Miguel Cotto next month, the promoters need to secure a match with Mayweather. Pretty Boy v. Pacman, the fight we all want to see.

Serena motivated for next season

2009-09-15T05:18:00.000-07:00

Serena Williams’ on-court outburst in her US Open semi final defeat by Kim Clijsters might be bad news for her rivals. The biggest threat to the 11-time Grand Slam winner’s status as the world’s best player is her own motivation. That doesn’t seem to be a problem at the moment.

There was always the suspicion that both Serena and her sister might fall out of love with the sport, exhausted by the tour treadmill and enticed by their interests in fashion and other areas. Even their father expected them to retire early and avoid the burnout and injury-enforced climax to careers that were experienced by major rivals Justine Henin and Martina Hingis.

However, both players, Serena especially, are still going strong. 11 years separates her first and latest major victory, which reveals a longevity that looks set to continue. If Serena’s ill-judged tirade at the line judge in Flushing Meadows is anything to go by, the fire in the belly is still burning strong.

Her outburst was the bad manifestation of her famed fighting spirit. We saw the best of it at Wimbledon, when she somehow fought back from match point down to beat an inspired Elena Dementieva, which helped her become the first player to win three Grand Slams after saving match in the tournament.

Williams will have plenty to prove next season. She will want to show that her outburst was a one-off and that she can play with humility, although she will also be privately fuming at the injustice of the foot-fault call itself and the reaction of some commentators.

Kim Clijsters has stolen some of Williams’ limelight and it is no bad thing to have another rival to keep her honest in major Womens' tennis tournaments. She will be desperate to get back on the trophy-winning trail. All are big motivating factors – bad news for her rivals.

Fairytales can happen

2009-07-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Stewart Cink’s dramatic British Open win at Turnberry can be taken as evidence that fairytales rarely happen in sport. Tom Watson was one putt away from becoming the oldest ever winner of a major tournament, which would perhaps have been the biggest upset in golf history. The golfing gods had other ideas.

Watson’s near-miss came just a year after Greg Norman nearly tore up the form book at Royal Birkdale. Norman let slip a two-shot final round lead, seemingly confirming that veteran champions returning for one last shot at glory do not prevail.

However, golf does a habit of producing unexpected winners. It is 10 years since Paul Lawrie, the unheralded Scot, won a play-off against Jean van de Velde and Justin Leonard at Carnoustie after making up a 10-shot final round deficit against the Frenchman.

Ben Curtis and Shaun Micheel were genuine outsiders in winning the 2003 British Open and US PGA titles, whilst Cink himself was far from a favourite at Turnberry, having missed the cut in three of his last four majors.

Major upsets are of course not restricted to golf – Goran Ivanisevic winning the 2001 Wimbledon title and New York Giants upsetting New England Patriots at the 2008 Super Bowl spring to mind – but the sport certainly lends itself to unexpected results.

Golf is the most individual of sports. Participants play against themselves as much as they do against each other, with weather conditions always a big factor. A sudden loss or gain in form in one weekend can upset the usual hierarchy.

It is ironic that recent golfing upsets at majors have taken place in the era that has been dominated most by one player. Punters should look a long way down the entrants’ list when they look for alternatives to Tiger Woods at next month’s US PGA Championship at Hazeltine.

The most dramatic chapter in the chronicles of Roddick

2009-07-07T04:46:00.000-07:00

The 2009 men’s Wimbledon final needed something special in order to come close to the drama of last year’s showdown between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Andy Roddick helped to ensure the climax to this year’s event was just as memorable.

It might have lacked the quality of Nadal’s battle with Federer, but the match was still a rollercoaster ride that broke numerous records. Its 77 games represent the most in a Wimbledon final and the deciding set was the longest in Grand Slam final history. Roddick will find no consolation in the fact his own tally of 39 games was the highest ever in a Wimbledon final.

However, Roddick will be content by his Wimbledon performance, which firmly returns him to the big-time. He has long yearned to become more than a one-off Grand Slam winner, and although the wait for his second major continues, he will now be confident that it is an achievable aim.

His straight sets defeat by Federer in this year’s Australian Open, just his second appearance in a Grand Slam semi final in eight attempts, suggested the gap between himself and the elite was bigger than ever.

He has made great strides in the rest of the year. New coach Larry Stefanki has improved his fitness, mobility, technique (especially on the previously weak backhand) and, most importantly, his tactics.

Roddick has always been a clever player, employing decent court sense to show he was more than just brute power. Stefanki has taken this to a new level – the plan of calculated attack that outwitted Andy Murray in the Wimbledon semi finals was perfectly executed. Federer continually struggled to read Roddick’s serve variations and approaches to the net.

A second Grand Slam will still be tough to achieve. Federer is perhaps back to his best and at a year older than Roddick is unlikely to clear a path to the top in the imminent future. The more junior Nadal and Murray will surely only continue to improve.

Roddick has improved enough to suggest that he belongs in that elite company, which he always wanted to be regarded among. He can ensure that this year’s US Open eclipses the 2009 Wimbledon final as his best chance of again lifting major silverware.

The James Blake Wimbledon mystery

2009-06-23T02:57:00.000-07:00

James Blake’s Wimbledon campaign has again ended in the first week of the championships. The American number two has never progressed past the third round at the grass Grand Slam in seven appearances, a remarkable record for a player consistently ranked in the world’s top 20.

In truth Blake has under-achieved at all four majors – three quarter final appearances from 30 Grand Slam entries is a poor reflection of his talents – but his disappointing Wimbledon record is particularly puzzling.

Blake has the game to perform well on grass. His easy movement and neat footwork, key ingredients for success on the surface, combined with his excellent return of serve and ability to hit winners, suggests he should be a grass court specialist. He is also more comfortable at the net than many players.

The inconsistency that plagues Blake is perhaps a factor for this under-performance on grass. He is a shot-maker who likes to hit winners, in contrast the counter-punching style that other top players adopt. There is less margin for error on grass and the desire to win points early means Blake gives away points as much as he wins them outright.

This approach on grass seemed this year to be paying off; Blake reached the final at Queen’s club, the grass court Wimbledon warm-up event, pushing Andy Murray close in two tight sets. He had laid the platform for a good Wimbledon campaign.

Instead Blake bowed out on the first day, losing in straight sets to world number 79, Andreas Seppi. The Italian played well, showing why he reached the third round at Wimbledon in 2008, although Blake did not make him work particularly hard for the win.

The frustration that so often accompanies Blake’s poorer displays appeared early, suggesting his poor overall Grand Slam record is partly due to a lack of mental focus. He needs to find the remedy, as time is running out for Blake to do himself justice at the major tournaments.

US Open preview

2009-06-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

The US Open starts later this month and the whole field knows who the man to beat is. Tiger Woods has regained full fitness and is expected to win his 15th major at Bethpage, New York.

Woods has only one PGA tour win to his name since winning last year’s US Open, but few doubt he is ready to reacquaint himself with a major trophy.

Woods tied for sixth place at April’s Masters but showed enough form to suggest he is ready to lead from the front at Bethpage. He missed the 2008 Open and PGA Championships due to the knee problem that became apparent in his dramatic win at Torrey Pines but showed few signs of rustiness at Augusta by producing his best round on the final day.

A lack of match practice should therefore not be a problem for the reigning champion. He will be mentally fresh after missing so much golf and fully motivated to get back to winning ways at a major after winning two of the last nine.

His biggest challenge is likely to come from his compatriots. Before Woods won at Torrey Pines last year, there had not been an American winner of the US open since Jim Furyk in 2003. I expect a home winner this time around.

Masters champion Angel Cabrera will be high on confidence, especially having won the US Open in 2007. With regards to golf betting, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia and Pádraig Harrington will lead the European charge, whilst previous winners Retief Goosen and Geoff Ogilvy cannot be discounted.

However, the in-form players on the PGA tour are the domestic stars. Sean O’Hair, Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker are recent tournament winners who will fancy their chances at New York, whilst the ever-reliable Furyk and Kenny Perry are sure to be competitive and would make popular champions.

The same can be said of Phil Mickelson, who has confirmed his participation despite his wife’s battle with cancer. The US Open is the only domestic major that Mickelson is yet to win and he will receive generous support in a tournament that he can perform in with some pressure off.

Roddick shows signs of improvement on clay

2009-05-19T01:36:00.000-07:00

Easter is probably not Andy Roddick’s favourite time of year. It is when the ATP tour leaves behind the US hard courts for the clay of Europe, meaning the American’s battle for silverware and ranking points becomes instantly more difficult.

Roddick might have the second best win percentage on clay by an American (behind Wayne Odensnik), but the slowest surface of all does not suit his serve-orientated game.

He has only once got past the second round of the French Open, on his first appearance, in 2001, and Roddick could be excused for viewing the clay court part of the season as simply the portion that comes before the grass tournaments – he has won four times at Queen’s club and reached two Wimbledon finals.

However, he has this season looked more at home on clay. Roddick found some good hard court form, reaching the Australian Open semi finals and winning at Memphis, but his quarter final effort at the Madrid Open was just as encouraging.

True, his second round opponent Nikolay Davydenko withdrew due to injury, but Roddick showed he can produce some good tennis on the red stuff in taking eventual winner Roger Federer to a final set.

Roddick’s baseline hitting has improved since he teamed up with Larry Stefanki, although he still needs to find a way of staying in rallies. The unforced error count needs to reduce, but Roddick hit some good winners against Federer.

More worrying than Roddick’s discomfort on clay is his head-to-head record with the leading players. He might have the better of his meetings with Novak Djokovic, notably at the Australian Open and Indian Wells, but the Madrid defeat to Federer means he has lost 16 of their 18 meetings. He has also won two of his meetings with Rafael Nadal, from seven clashes overall.

With regards to French Open betting, all this suggests Roddick will struggle to make an impression at Roland Garros. He should view progress into the second week as a notable achievement and look forward to addressing his head-to-head record with the top two on grass – preferably in the Wimbledon final.

Fight of the year yet to happen

2009-05-04T02:41:00.000-07:00

Many boxing pundits suggested the IBO light-welterweight title clash between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton was going to be the fight of the year. It was also billed as the battle for the tag of ‘pound-for-pound king’. It was neither of these; the fight of the year is still to come, when Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr face-off to see who is the best boxer on the planet.

Of course a lot still has to happen until that bout materialises. Mayweather must first beat Juan Manuel Marquez in July and there is then the question of venue, purse and other matters the promoters must sort out.

However, it is the fight all boxing fans want to see, a showdown that will surely live up to the billing. Mayweather, unlike the one-dimensional Hatton, has the defensive skills to cope with Pacquiao’s stunning hand-speed and timing. It will be a classic.

Pacquiao’s coach Freddie Roach has suggested Mayweather is scared of his man – why not wait until the Filipino disposed of Hatton and go straight for the star man rather than Marquez? – but this is perhaps a way of stirring up ‘Pretty Boy Floyd’. He will not take kindly to someone else taking his top-dog status in such style.
Pacquiao destroyed Hatton. To concentrate on the Brit’s shortcomings diminishes Pacman’s achievement – he carries his strength through weight divisions without losing his lightning-quick hand and foot movement – and there is only one man who deserves the right to take him on.

Roach has raised the possibility of welterweight champions Miguel Cotto and Shane Mosley coming down a division to face Pacquiao, but it is a sign of Pacman’s stature that he can wave aside these excellent fighters and hand-pick the unbeaten and previously peerless Mayweather. It's a safe boxing bet that this truly will be the fight of the year.

Time running out for Kenny

2009-04-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Masters was an excellent tournament with a thrilling finish. The tense three-way play-off between Angel Cabrera, Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell produced a record-breaking winner, but not the one that many expected as the event reached its climax.

Cabrera became the lowest-ranked Masters winner since rankings were introduced in 1986, but with just two holes to go it seemed Perry was going to be the man to rewrite the record books.

The 48-year old from Kentucky would have upset the golfing odds and would also have been the oldest man ever to don the famous green jacket, but successive bogies on the 17th and 18th holes opened the door for Cabrera.

The final day was a rollercoaster ride – the Argentinian appeared out of the running after dropping three strokes between holes four and 10 – and also threatened to be defined by stunning comebacks by Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.

However, it was Perry’s shaky finish that will be remembered, not least by the man himself. Perry admitted afterwards that ‘it just seems like when I get down to those deals, I can’t seem to execute’.

This was perhaps a reference to his bogey on the final hole of the 1996 US PGA, a slip-up which resulted in another runner-up play-off finish in a major, and although Perry tried to be positive in defeat, he is aware that he is gaining a reputation as a nearly man.

His advanced years mean that the clock is ticking on his bid to win a major, although he should at least be encouraged by the fact the last time he finished in the top three of a major, at the 2003 US Open, he went on to secure two top-10 finishes in the remaining majors of the year.

Perry will therefore head to Bethpage State Park next month hopeful that strong showings at the big ones again come in groups. If he is to go one better, he will need to hold his nerve better at the crucial moment.

NBA First Round Preview

2009-04-18T02:36:00.000-07:00

The second season in the Association is finally here as the NBA Playoffs kick off with eight games over the next two days. As usual, there are no shortage of intriguing storylines to keep us interested over the next two months. Among them, the most captvating has to be the injury to Kevin Garnett and how that affects the defending champions. The Boston Celtics managed to edge out the Magic and grab the second seed without their defensive leader, but no one is giving them any sort of shot against Cleveland, the NBA's best team. One thing is for sure whether or not the Celtics have Garnett: they will go down guns blazing. Here is a breakdown with my prediction for each first round series.

Eastern Conference

(1) Cleveland (66-16) vs. (8) Detroit (39-43)
LeBron James has been nothing short of spectacular during his five-year career in the NBA, but this season we have all been witnesses as the King has taken another step in his amazing progression. Cleveland went from the fourth seed in the East last year to the best team in the entire league. Part of that has definitely been a result of the savvy signing of Mo Williams, who has emerged as a legit #2 behind James. But, even he has followed LeBron's lead as he has created a bunch that thoroughly enjoys playing with each other, and has thoroughly enjoyed dominating opponents, especially at home where the Cavs were 39-2. They enter the playoffs as the heavy favorite to get to the Finals in the East

When describing the Detroit Pistons of 2008-09, the exact opposite of Cleveland's season would be an appropriate description. Head coach Michael Curry is over his head with this position, and could be on the chopping block as soon as this season ends. The loss of Chauncey Billups has allowed numerous youngsters to emerge, but remains a trade that Denver wins. For a team that has made six straght Conference Finals, losing more games than they won must seem like a culture shock. The only good thing going for this group is that they have a future where they will plenty of space in the cap to sign someone who will become their franchise player. As for the present, however, there isn't much hope that Detroit wll be able to salvage a successful season. In this series, they will be lucky to win more than one game.
The Lounge Says: Cavs in 4
(2) Boston (62-20) vs. (7) Chicago (41-41)
Even though the loss of KG isn't expected to really hurt the Celtics until later on in the postseason, it will be very interesting to track Boston's body language right off the bat in this series. Facing a young team with nothing to lose, Boston needs to have their intensity at its highest from the beginning. Given the nature and history of this team, that shouldn't be a problem. Many of their key contributors have grown accustomed to the increased expectations, but for guys like Mikki Moore and Glen "Big Baby" Davis, judgement day has arrived. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo know all about this grind, but Moore and Davis are experiecing this gauntlet for the first time, and how they react from the beginning will determine Boston's ceiling. The Celtics went a very solid 17-5 wth Garnett on the shelf, proving they can suceed without their defensive stopper. WIth no one giving them a chance at a repeat, the Celtics can play in April and May pressure free, with hope that they can make it to June.

For most of the season, Chicago was on the outside looking in for the playoff race. However, a hot 11-4 finish to the season allowed the Bulls to get in, and put themselves in position to get the sixth seed if not for a terrible loss to the Raptors at home on the final day of the season. It's been a tremendous rookie season for Derrick Rose, who has lived up to the hype and already guided this team to the postseason in his first season at the helm. Undoubtedly, the midseason trade to acquire Brad Miller and John Salmons helped out quite a bit. The Bulls really started to peak at about the time they made that trade in Sacramento, and are playing with house money at this point. In their only meeting when KG was out, Chicago beat Boston at home 127-121 in overtime, so they enter this series knowing they can compete. The Bulls will be able to keep this series extremely competitive, but are still a couple years away from being in Boston, Orlando, or Cleveland's league.
The Louge Says: Celtics in 6

(3) Orlando (59-23) vs. (6) Philadelphia (41-41)
By all accounts, the Magic had a wonderful season; they emerged as a legitimate contender to the Cavs and Celtics, fighting with them toe-to-toe for much of the season. They did that by surrrounding Dwight Howard with an array of shooters, who lit it up during the season. Their depth of consistent jump-shooters gives them plenty of options in case someone starts slumping. Yet they enter the playoffs on their worst stretch of the season having lost four of their last six, and with their two best perimeter threats, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, nursing injuries. The loss of Jameer Nelson has been dampened a bit through the acquisition of Rafer Alston, but they still sorely miss him. Orlando managed to right the ship to a certain extent with a 25-point win over the Bobcats in the season finale. Luckily for them, they are meeting a team that was equally as shaky down the stretch.

Philadelphia managed to sneak into the sixth spot thanks to an overtime win over the JV Cavaliers team on the last day of the season. Before that, the Sixers had lost six straght to blow any chance they had of catching the Heat in the fifth position. All things considered though, Philly did well to grab this spot without having Elton Brand for most of the season. This team relies heavily on slashers like Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, and Andre Miller to handle the bulk of their offensive load. They key -- obviously -- will be if they can contain Howard inside. That responsibility will be handled by Samuel Dalembert and Mauresse Speights. Neither one jumps off the page offensively or defensively, which explains the team's makeup in general. With a .500 record, and significant holes, the only thing to expect from this group is mediocrity.
The Lounge Says: Magic in 6

(4) Atlanta (47-35) vs. (5) Miami (43-39)
After a spirited effort in the first round against Boston last season, the Hawks managed to string together a solid 82-game season to earn their way into home court advantage in the first round. You could call Cleveland, Boston, and Orlando the elite tier, but Atlanta is at the top of the notch below those three. Getting to where those teams are will require sustained success in the postseason, which s possible thanks to the body of work that's been accomplished in the regular year. At Phillips Arena, Atlana compiled an impresive 31-10 record, which could be the difference in this series. The Hawks have made it this far because of balance, boasting six guys that average double figures in points. They have muscle in the middle with Al Horford averaging nearly a double-double, perimeter threats with Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson each hitting about two 3-pointers every night, and one of the game's most exciting high flyers in Josh Smith.

Anythng regarding the Heat begins and ends with Dwyane Wade. The man was simply brilliant this year, averging 30 points and seven assists while single-handedly shouldering the load of improving the Heat by 28 wins from a year ago. Any other season, his accomplishments would have warranted an easy MVP selection. He will probably finish second to LeBron this season, but can atone for that if he can perform in the playoffs like he did in the regular season. Miami's chances hinge on whether Wade can receive some quality support from his teammates. Rookie Michael Beasley has put together his best stretch of the season over the last two weeks, providing some hope that someone else is capable of carrying the load. Udonis Haslem is a tried and tested playoff veteran who's been through the battles with Wade before. Jermaine O'Neal is getting paid a lot of money, and isn't producing like he's worth it, but this is where he can start over and show that the $20+ million he's getting is worth it. Ulimately, Miami will only be able to advance if Wade has a superhuman series.
The Lounge Says: Heat in 7
Western Conference

(1) Los Angeles (65-17) vs. (8) Utah (48-34)
Like Cleveland, the question concerning the Lakers is whether the field is good enough to derail them and stop the inevitable LeBron-Kobe showdown in the Finals. LA has two major upgrades over last year's unit that won the West. First, the installation of Trevor Ariza into the startng lineup gives the Lakers a legitimate defensive stopper at the 3, a spot where they burned into the ground by the Celtics when they had Vladimir Radmonovich. Secondly, having Andrew Bynum at center restores the balance for this team. Bynum has looked pretty damn good since his return from injury, which should instll even more fear into the rest of the Western Conference, which aside from Portland, has looked exceedingly average lately. The only headache surrounding this team is Lamar Odom's diminished role. He's handled it well to this point, but come playoff time, it could be a different story. I've gone this long without mentioning the team's two best players, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, which tells you all you need to know about how stacked this team is. Bryant is the best closer in the game, and Gasol has become a bona fide star in this league.

With the exception of Deron Williams, the rest of the Jazz have been a really disappointing group to follow. They've battled injuries for most of the year, but have had plenty of time to overcome it. It's no longer an excuse. Following a 10-game win streak that spanned February and March, Utah finally looked completely healthy and was headed toward a deep run in the playoffs. Since then, the wheels have slowly fallen apart, as Utah has gone 2-6 in its last eight. The main bug-a-boo for the Jazz has been their atrocious play on the road where they won only two road games against playoff teams all year. That doesn't bode well as they prepare to face the Lakers. The pressure Utah has to face while trying to hold serve at home will be much too overwhelming to handle. With Carlos Boozer opting out of his contract, and Paul Millsap craving a big pay day for his breakout year, things will be more interestng Utah in the offseason than in the postseason.
The Louge Says: Lakers in 5

(2) Denver (54-28) vs. (7) New Orleans (49-33)
When listing the teams in the West that have the best chance of upsetting the Lakers, everyone seems to have the Nuggets at the top of the list. That's mostly because of Chauncey Billups who has provided much-need leadership to a team that has been notoriously unorganized. The implementation of Bllups has allowed Carmelo Anthony to retain his scorer mentality, and be Denver's number one option, something that wasn't always clear when AI was around. Billups has also really helped the team on the defensive end, a place where the Nuggets have always struggled. Outside of Billups, the improvement of Nene and the great defensive skills of Chris Andersen have helped immensely. Denver hasn't advanced to the second round since their epic 1995 team so getting there has to be considered a success even though this team has bigger dreams.

After a breakout season a year ago, the Hornets suffered through an up-and-down campaign and fell down the standings because of it. They were never able to string together a long stretch where they were playing their best ball and they slid all the way down to seventh because of it. Chris Paul and David West could never get any consistent help from a third player. Tyson Chandler regressed miserably from a great season a year ago, and is probably the biggest reason New Orleans is in the tough position they are in. The synergy he had with Paul last season made them a dynamic duo. This year, they just haven't been in sync. Coach Byron Scott has complained throughout this season because of a lack of effort. If he can't get a 110% effort at this point in the season, something is terribly wrong. There's a good chance this season is goinig to end in disappointment for the Hornets, who had such a great outlook coming into this season.
The Lounge Says: Nuggets in 6

(3) San Antonio (54-28) vs. (6) Dallas (50-32)
The Spurs have been great in odd-numbered years, winning their championships in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007, but it's looking more and more probable that the streak is going to end there. Manu Ginobli will not be available for any part of the playoffs, putting even more pressure on Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. There is no doubt they can handle it as they have been through the rigors of the playoffs many times. Things start to get complicated after those two. Roger Mason slips into the role of the third option; he got off to a tremendous start this season, but has gradually tailed off down the stretch. The Spurs will need him to be at his absolute best if they hope to make a long run. Popovich elected to rest Duncan throughout the regular season with the hope that he would remain fresh for another run. It remains to be seen if that strategy will work or not. Despite all these reasons to feel skeptical, San Antonio won over 50 games and will add another Southwest Division title to the rafters.

In each of the last two years, the Mavericks have lost in the first round, slowly falling from their perch as Western Conference champions. They still managed to win 50 games for the ninth straight year, and enter this series with seven wins in their last nine. That hot stretch allowed them to fend off Phoenix and pass New Orleans and Utah to move up to sixth. Dirk Nowitzki was named the Western Conference Player of the Month, and with Josh Howard healthy, things are starting to fall into place for Dallas. They've got one of the greatest point guards ever in Jason Kidd as well as the best sixth man in the game wth Jason Terry, capable of going for 30 on every given night from the bench. There's a lot of reason to feel optimistic about the Mavericks advancing, especially because they know the Spurs so well. They managed to split the season series, meaning things could be equally as tight this time around.
The Lounge Says: Mavericks in 7
(4) Portland (54-28) vs. (5) Houston (53-29)
It's safe to say that the Blazers have exceeded all expectations by earning home court in the first round. They began the year just hoping to sneak into the playoffs and improve on last year's 41 wins. Earning a top-4 seed in the loaded Western Conference didn't seem like a realistic opportunity for another couple years. The fact that they were able to do this while enduring Greg Oden's struggles is huge. Portland remains an extremely young team, but one that is as dangerous as anyone in the West. Portland won their last six games of the year, and had 18 wins after trailing by double digits, demostrating they are wise well beyond their years. Brandon Roy is a star in this league, and LaMarcus Aldridge has become a solid number two option in the paint. Mix in a bunch of guys that are still improving, and this is only the beginning for the Blazers.

Even without T-Mac, the stigma surrouding this group remains the same: find a way to get out the first round. Houston managed to play pretty well in McGrady's absence, but this is where the legacy of Yao Ming and Ron Artest will be made. On paper, this was the second best team in the West in the preseason. Taking McGrady out of the equation dramatically alters that outlook, but this group will still be severely criticized if they fail to make it out of the first round again. With Ming and Artest, there is still enough talent for this team to progress, but they were granted any favors by having to face the Blazers. Houston blew a double digit lead to Dallas to put themselves out of the running in the Southwest, which makes them have to begin their playoff journey on the road. Facing arguably the hottest team in the West, the Rockets will fall short of the conference semfinals again.
The Lounge Says: Blazers in 6

Champions League Semis Has a Decidedly EPL Feel

2009-04-16T01:49:00.000-07:00

The final four of the UEFA Champions League is now set, and with the exception of Barcelona, it's one big Premiership party. Thanks to an extremely clutch goal from Cristiano Ronaldo, three English teams fill out the semifinal slots, which means there's a good chance we could be seeing an All-English final in Rome for the second year in a row. Europe's premier club championship has been relegated to an EPL battle royale with the 2006 champions trying to crash the party. In one semifinal, the champions of Spain will be pitted against Chelsea, a club that has become prone to defensive meltdowns recently, while bitter rivals Arsenal and Manchester United collide in another. Here's a look at each team's outlook as they prepare for their upcoming tilts in two weeks.

Manchester United: The defending champions looked to be in dire straits after Porto earned a hard-fought draw at Old Trafford in the first leg, but thanks to the FIFA Player of the Year, they got what they needed to steal a 1-0 game in Portugal. Ronaldo's boot from over 30 feet has to be the goal of the tournament to this point, and thanks to an inspired defensive effort, they managed to subdue their opponents and advance with a 3-2 aggregate. Ronaldo's goal keeps United's dream alive for an unprecedented quintuple trophies and a shot to become the first club to ever repeat in this tournament. Facing Arsenal, a team they know very well, Sir Alex Ferguson's team has to feel good about their chances to advance.

Arsenal: Since finishing as the runner-up to Barcelona in the 2006 competition, the Gunners have struggled to post a meaningful result, both domestically and in Europe. But, thanks to a favorable draw that avoided any of the true giants, Arsenal finds itself in the final four. After giving up an early goal to Villareal in the first leg, Arsenal took control of the quarterfinal tie, and scored the final four goals to claim a convincing victory. However, their luck has run dry and they aren't avoiding the big dogs anymore as arguably the biggest one of all stands in front of Arsene Wenger's club. With the first leg of the semifinals on the road, it's imperative for Arsenal to get off to a quick start and put the champions on their heels.

Barcelona: This offensive machine cruised into the semifinals after a stress-free 4-0 win over Bayern Munich in the first tie at home two weeks ago. Bayern needed a miracle at home to extend the tie, but could only come away with a 1-1 draw. That was more than enough for Barcelona to advance. Lionel Messi has spearheaded the offense and is firing on all cylinders, leading the competition with eight goals, including two in the quarterfinal round. Last season, this club fell to an English side that became the eventual champions, losing 1-0 on aggregate to United. This club hopes to avenge that defeat by taking on an equally imposing side in Chelsea. It sets up for quite a blockbuster matchup, but one where offensive opportunities should present themselves.

Chelsea: The Blues endured quite a scare at Stamford Bridge against Liverpool, mostly because of a defense that broke down on numerous occasions. Chelsea has allowed seven goals in their last two matches, suffering through a 4-3 win over Bolton where they blew a 4-0 lead at the 70th minute, and an epic 4-4 draw against Liverpool that was just enough to advance. The lack of defense that has been exhibited by this team is a red flag with Barca coming up. Despite being worlds away on the map, Chelsea is very familiar with Barcelona as this will mark the third time in five years that they will knock heads. They have split the previous two meetings, and will take a spirited effort from Chelsea, especially on defense, if this team wants to get the upper hand.

A Changing of the Guard?

2009-04-09T01:30:00.000-07:00

The San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers may have the same record at 50-28 in the tightly contested Western Conference, but they are headed in opposite directions with the playoffs approaching. San Antonio has, and always will be, a force to be reckoned with as long as they have Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, but father time is quickly catching up to them. No team in the league can measure up to the uncomparable pedigree Parker and Duncan have put together in their careers. Portland, meanwhile, has a bright future, with many of their key contributors still improving and learning how to handle success. But, the young Blazers, who are headed to the postseason for the first time since 2003, proved just how much they have grown this season with a 95-83 win over the Spurs, clinching their first win in the Alamo City in 12 tries.

One of the many stumbling blocks for an emerging contender is the ability to beat playoff teams on the road. This is no different when talking about the Blazers, who win under 50% of their games away from home (19-21). In the early going against San Antonio, Portland was struggling and looked overmatched, allowing 33 points in the first quarter and falling behind by as many as 19 in the second. Looking assured of getting another L on the road against a quality team, the Blazers did what they do best: continue to fight and mount a comeback. For the 17th time this season, Portland came back from a double digit deficit to win, doing so by dominating the Spurs 73-42 over the game's final 31minutes. This was no ordinary win for the league's second youngest team; Brandon Roy called it the biggest road victory of his career. In addition, it put the Blazers in a three-way tie for third in the Western Conference and greatly enhanced Portland's chances of hosting a first-round playoff series where they are 31-7 this season.

The uplifting victory completed a 3-1 road trip for the Blazers, the last two coming via double digit comebacks on consecutive nights. With only one game left on the road against the lowly Clippers this season, Nate McMillan's squad can is in a good position to improve its rapidly rising playoff seed at home. Wednesday night's win completed a 3-1 season series win over the Spurs, granting the Blazers the tiebreaker over San Antonio in playoff positioning. Having won seven of their last nine, the Blazers escaped the bottom tier of the playoff race, and are in a legitimate position to have Wednesday's season finale against the Denver Nuggets decide the divison title, and possibly the West's two seed in the playoffs.

On the other end of the spectrum are the Spurs, who have lost four of six to fall into that tie with the Blazers and the Houston Rockets. Once considered a lock to get a top three seed in the playoffs, San Antonio is falling apart, both literally and figuratively. The injuries have been piling up for this veteran team, and it's beginning to take its toll. Tim Duncan has been nursing a sore ankle the entire second half of the season, and Gregg Popovich has treaded conservatively with his playing time. Throughout the stretch run, he has elected to sit Duncan down in the hopes of keeping him fresh for the games that matter. Facing Portland was a game the Spurs badly needed; it marked the first time game San Antonio had since Manu Ginobli was ruled out for the season and was a statement game against a team threatening their throne. Needing a big performance from Duncan, the Big Fundamental wasn't himself, scoring just four points in 24 minutes before Popovich decided he had seen enough.

Down seven in the fourth quarter, Duncan was shut down and benched for good, too ineffective to stay in the game. With no Ginobli nor Duncan, the Spurs had no answers and succumbed to the energized Blazers down the stretch. The loss dropped San Antonio to a pedestrian 18-16 without Ginobli this year, signalling some tough times could be in store for this team once the playoffs roll around. The Spurs managed to make the West Finals with a hobbled Ginobli a year ago, but will have an extremely difficult time replicating that with a less-than-100% Duncan and no Ginobli this year.

All is well in Tigerland

2009-04-06T03:34:00.000-07:00

Tiger Woods is back where he belongs. Winning a tournament and dominating the field in a final round comeback, it was like he has never been away. By claiming the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando with a typical Woods performance, he extinguished any lingering doubts that his long injury lay-off would affect his chances at next month's Masters.

He started the final round at Bay Hill five shots adrift of Sean O'Hair but clawed the deficit back with a thrilling display of inspired golf, attacking the pin at every opportunity. He showed the necessary endurance for the forthcoming major as well as proving his trademark determination is still intact.

A feature of Woods' 66th PGA Tour win was the way his rivals fell away in the closing stages, which, as ever, was a by-product of the pressure Tiger's final round charge produces.

Pádraig Harrington was in with a shout going into the final round, but the Irishman could not contend with the heat Woods was exerting and carded late bogeys to finish over par for the tournament.

This represented a psychological blow for Woods, who is aware that Harrington, winner of both majors that the American missed through injury last year, could provide the biggest threat at Augusta.

Woods will want to prove that Harrington's wins at the Open and PGA Championship were simply a case of trophies being on loan until the rightful owner reclaimed them, and his win at Bay Hill laid down a good marker.

However, Harrington should still go into the Masters high on confidence and remind himself that Woods' recovery in the Palmer event was not representative of his recent displays at Augusta – Woods could not close the gap between himself and the eventual winner in coming second and third in the last three Masters tournaments. Golf betting for this one could be split down the middle.

Williams domination to continue at Miami

2009-03-23T04:10:00.000-07:00

The Williams sisters’ domination at the Miami Masters is the sort they threatened to have in tournaments across the world when they burst on to the scene. Their often light tour schedule has prevented this, but they have retained a stranglehold on the Sony Ericsson Open throughout their rollercoaster careers.

Venus and Serena have between them won eight of the last 11 Miami Masters titles, with the younger sister, as is the case in their overall records, having the edge. Serena has won there five times, from 2002 onwards, and is defending the title for the second consecutive year. Venus’ three wins came between 1998 and 2001.

Their success at Miami should come as no surprise. It is their local tournament, played a few miles down the coast from their Palm Beach homes, and the Williams sisters perform best on familiar ground, although Venus is most comfortable on the grass of Wimbledon.

The hard courts at Key Biscayne suit their styles and both players like to take advantage on their preferred surface before the women’s tour moves to Europe’s clay courts in the run-up to the French Open.

Venus and Serena should both be fresh after skipping the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and will be ready to take advantage of a field that has no natural hierarchy.

Anyone can beat anyone in the women’s top 20 at the moment, with the exception of Serena. The world number one showed in winning January’s Australian Open that she is nearly unbeatable on her day and she rightly starts this tournament as hot favourite.

World number three Jelena Janković is struggling badly with her game, whilst Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina were their usual inconsistent selves at Indian Wells. Ana Ivanović showed some form in reaching the final of that tournament but remains hard to predict in big games. The chances of an all-Williams final at Miami are further increased by the pull-out of Maria Sharapova.

Major Conference Tournament Predictions

2009-03-10T03:38:00.000-07:00

Nine bids to the Big Dance have already been confirmed; Northern Iowa, East Tennessee State, Morehead State, Radford, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Virginia Commonwealth, Cornell, Gonzaga, and Siena can all sit pretty until Selection Sunday, and watch as a whopping 22 more conference tournaments play themselves out over the next six days. Beginning Tuesday, some of the more prominent conferences begin play, headlined by the new 16-team, Big East field taking the court at MSG. The Big East Tournament has long been one of the most exciting conference tournaments each and every year. After an especially strong regular season, this year's version should be just as special. Connecticut, Pittsburgh, and Louisville are all in the hunt for No. 1 seeds, giving the conference the opportunity to get three out of four, an unprecedented number. Here are my picks for that conference as well as the other BCS conference tournaments.

ACC

North Carolina over Wake Forest

The Demon Deacons crash the highly anticipated third bout between Duke and Carolina by upstaging the Devils in the semis. Wake played miserable in Cameron but will earn redemption, thanks to their trio of James Johnson, Chas McFarland and Al-Farouq Aminu inside. Duke has improved immeasurably in the past few weeks, meaning it will take a great performance from Dino Gaudio's team. Their edge in the paint will make it difficult for the small Blue Devils to compete with. The Heels coast their way past Clemson to reach the final where Wake gives them everything they can handle before bowing out down the stretch. Carolina's performance should earn them the No. 1 overall seed in the Tournament with a Greensboro/Memphis path to the FInal Four. Boston College will play their way in while Miami's bubble bursts.

Big East

Louisville over Connecticut

With all the talk about the Huskies and Panthers, Rick Pitino's team managed to come through the back door to steal the regular season title in this heavyweight league. Since an embarrassing loss to Connecticut, the Cardinals have won eight of nine, and positioned themselves to make a deep run, both in this tournament as well as the NCAAs. Their road to the title in New York will be tough, with surging Villanova as a probable semifinal opponent. Titanic matchups will be seen all day over the course of this tournament, making it a must watch from the first day. Jim Calhoun's Huskies will upend Pittsburgh in the semis, -- no way the Panthers can beat UConn three times in one season -- but fall short of their first Big East Tournament title since their national championship year of 2004. As for bubble teams in this league, Providence will need a win in the second round to secure a bid.

Big Ten

Michigan State over Purdue

The bubble picture gets especially messy in this conference where Michigan State, Illinois, and Purdue are locked in while the rest of the league is nearly indistinguishable. At least two bids are up for stake here between Penn State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan, and even Northwestern with their late season push. The Nittany Lions look like they have the best shot at making run, coming off a big win over Illinois and facing Indiana in the opening round. John Beilen has been known to pull some rabbits out of the hat, so watch out for the Wolverines as well. Michigan has some big-time wins on their resume, but feel really good about their chances if they can get to the semis. However, no one in this league can match the Spartans pound for pound, and they should take this without too much resistance.

Big 12

Oklahoma over Kansas

The Sooners haven't been the same since Blake Griffin got his concussion against Texas, but now that they have had time to acclimate again, they should reassert their dominance over the league. Griffin has worked his way back into game shape, and will be a man on a mission. With the tournament in Oklahoma City, OU won't be short on fan support either. Should the Sooners win, it would create an interesting argument between them or Louisville for that final No. 1 seed that's in question. Bill Self has done a tremendous job with his young Jayhawks, and they look to be a team that could make major noise in the Dance.

Pac-10

UCLA over Arizona State

The Bruins have played better over the last couple weeks, and are by far the most proven team in March this league has to offer. The top-seeded Washington Huskies haven't won the Pac-10 in 50 years, so you have to wonder how they will handle prosperity. ASU took both games against UCLA in the regular season, but you have to think the Bruins won't go scoreless over the last eight minutes of regulation like they did in Pauley in the first meeting. The Washington State Cougars could be a team to watch foras they are a dangerous floater as the No. 7 seed. They beat UCLA in Pauley just a couple weeks ago, and could face the Bruins again in the quarterfinals.

SEC

Tennessee over LSU

Like the Big Ten, this league has a bunch of teams that are crowded in the bubble. LSU appears to be the only team that is in regardless of what goes down in Tampa. Tennessee has worked their way toward the right side of the bubble, but could help themselves plenty by at least reaching the finals. Just when you thought Bruce Pearl had this team playing to their capability, they go out and lose to Alabama in their final home game of the season. The Vols have been a frustrating group this season, but I think they can put it together now. With no one else in this conference playing too well either, it makes the task less daunting. The Tigers have struggled , losing their last two games of the season and could be a bit of a question mark. Their performance in this tournament will have a huge impact on their seeding. This conference has been pretty quirky this year, but it's hard to project teams like Kentucky or Florida to make a splash when they have been so inconsistent all year.

Roddick secures U.S. Davis Cup victory

2009-03-09T03:53:00.000-07:00

Andy Roddick continued his fine start to 2009 by defeating Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka in straight sets to give the U.S. team an opening round victory in the Davis Cup.

The American’s ran out 4-1 winners overall, with Roddick’s victory ensuring that there wasn’t too much final day drama or tension. James Blake then defeated Marco Chiudinelli to complete the comprehensive victory.

Roddick – who is ranked 6th in the world – never looked in any trouble during his 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 victory and certainly didn’t show any nerves after team-mate Mike Bryan piled the pressure on him prior to the match.

Roddick described how Bryan came up to him before the match with Wawrinka and said ‘I guarantee victory’. Roddick admitted that he got ‘tighter and tighter’ when his fellow American was talking, but in the end Bryan ‘ended up looking smart’ because of the comfortable win.

As for Roddick, well he really is having a fantastic time at the moment. He also confirmed his place as one of America’s greatest Davis Cup players as he has now moved past Andrei Agassi with his 31st victory in the competition.

He now sits in 2nd place on the U.S. team’s all-time list, with John McEnroe ten victories ahead of him. At 26-years-old though, Roddick has time on his side to catch the American legend. Perhaps certain betting tips will be backing him to do so in the coming years.

Next up for the U.S. team is a quarter-final tie against Croatia after they defeated Chile in the first round. This doesn’t happen until after Wimbledon though, so Roddick will be hoping for a lot more individual success before he represents his country in the Davis Cup once again.

By Thomas Rooney – A sports writer who blogs about tennis and internet gambling for Betfair

Tiger Returns!

2009-02-25T00:49:00.000-08:00

Golf is finally relevant again as Tiger Woods comes back from an eight month absence in the WGC-Acenture World Match Play Championships, which kicks off with first round action today. Featuring 64 golfers divided into four brackets, this is the sport's version of March Madness, complete with a bracket challenge and everything. The unique event has experienced unprecedented buzz ever since Woods hand picked this event to make his return. It will require Tiger to win six matches in four days, beginning with Australia's Brendan Jones, but if any golfer is capable of doing this, it's him.

Lacking its iconic athlete, the sport still had exciting moments, particularly an entertaining Ryder Cup and Padraig Harrington's impressive run, but it lacked considerable fervor without the game's best player. Padraig Harrington won two consecutive majors, but his victories at the Open and the PGA deserve to come with the obligatory asterisk, and even he would probably admit that. In his final tournament before reconstructive surgery, Woods took down the world's best at the U.S. Open while hobbling on one leg. Now that he's back and physically stronger than ever, it's time to see if Harrington really is how good he played in the second half of the year.

More importantly, television ratings were down as the sport lacked its main draw. The two majors Harrington was victorious in lacked a casual audience, and they will finally return now that Tiger is back just to see how the globe's most marketable athlete will perform. Woods' chief rival, Phil Mickelson, was erratic at best, -- just look at Riviera -- but a slew of up-and-coming golfers have begun to emerge. Camillo Villegas, Anthony Kim, and Rory McElroy are all rising stars in the game, and finally have the appropriate measuring stick to compare themselves against. Adam Scott and Justin Rose know a lot about being rising stars trying to challenge Tiger's throne, and each has failed mightily.

Despite the inevitable rust that will persist in his game, no one in the world can match Tiger's mental strength nor his competitive drive. Woods is so dominant that he can control a golf tournament on those two qualities alone. With his name in the tournament field, all the other golfers must now take note and look over their shoulder again. Though he's been handed a tough draw, Woods will only have to beat one golfer at a time, and there's not a single golfer you could give an edge to head-to-head against Tiger. While he was injured, Woods still managed to win 10 of 13 events, and he's said that his short game has gotten better since the surgery. The rest of the field better watch out.

The Most Disappointing Team in America?

2009-02-24T02:43:00.000-08:00

Already on the outside looking in for an at-large bid, the Georgetown Hoyas stumbled through another huge opportunity to boost their profile, falling to sixth-ranked Louisville 76-58. The 18-point loss was the latest in a string of listless performances that has come to characterize this group. Once ranked as high as ninth in the nation, the Hoyas have fallen off a cliff in the last two months, sleepwalking through a 2-9 stretch that has them at 14-12, almost assuredly requiring a Big East Tournament title to get in the Dance. To say Georgetown is the nation's most disappointing team would be an understatement; the two-time reigning champions of the toughest league in the country currently sit behind 11 teams in the standings.

It's difficult to assess where (and how) things turned so sour for this powerhouse, but it has gotten real ugly pretty quickly. John Thompson III had done a commendable job in restoring the glory back to this once proud program, and even though Jeff Green and Roy Hibbert had bolted to the NBA in recent years, the Hoyas still seemed plenty healthy with top recruit Greg Monroe coming in. Wins over Memphis, Syracuse, and a statement-making 74-63 win at Connecticut validated those claims and had the Hoyas in good position to contend for a 3-peat.

Since then, however, Georgetown has losses against Seton Hall, Cincinnati (twice) as well as double digit losses at home to Pittsburgh, Louisville, and West Virginia, teams the Hoyas were supposed to contend with. Thompson's team has three games left in the regular season, and must find some sort of rhythm so that it can have a prayer of salvaging its season in New York.

The Lounge's Seed Report:

#1's: Pittsburgh, Oklahoma, Connecticut, North Carolina
#2's: Memphis, Louisville, Marquette, Missouri
#3's: Duke, Villanova, Michigan State, Clemson
#4's: Kansas, Arizona State, Purdue, LSU

Mickelson welcomes the return of Woods

2009-02-24T01:04:00.000-08:00

As we all know, Tiger Woods is set for his comeback after eight months out injured this week and it has been dominating the majority of golf news.

The World No.1 has revealed how he is ‘excited’ about returning to competitive action as are the majority of golf fans around the world.

Fellow professionals have also had their say on Woods’ return, with Paul Casey saying that it is ‘very important’ for the sport that Woods is back.

Anthony Kim echoed these sentiments by saying that it is ‘great for golf’ that his fellow American is going to be back on a golf course, mainly because the ‘ticket sales will go up’ with everyone desperate to see the great man in action.

What of one of Woods’ biggest rivals though? What does Phil Mickelson think of his return? It has been well reported over the years that the pair don’t always see eye to eye, so his views on the situation will be interesting to hear.

Well, to be honest he has taken a similar stance to everyone else who has commented about it. The 38-year-old said that ‘we need him back’ and that everyone he knows is ‘excited’ that he is competing again.

Being the competitive individual he is though, Mickelson’s attention soon turned to admitting that it is now going to be ‘harder to win tournaments’ now that Woods is back. However, he then stated how he is relishing the ‘challenge’ that lies ahead.

Another significant factor of Woods’ return according to Mickelson is that of the interest he generates for the sport. Golf courses all over the world will benefit when Woods is playing because at the moment ‘the sponsors have been struggling’, meaning that Woods’ comeback is ‘critical for the sport’.

By Thomas Rooney - A sports writer who blogs about golf tournament news

DeJuan Blair Crashes Hasheem Thabeet's Party

2009-02-17T00:15:00.000-08:00

Monday's titanic showdown between the top-ranked Huskies and fourth-ranked Panthers was supposed to be a forum for Haseem Thabeet to showcase his Player of the Year credentials, and assert that the Connecticut Huskies would be fine without injured guard Jerome Dyson. Thabeet had spent the last two weeks dominating headlines around college basketball, averaging 15.8 points, 14 rebounds, and over seven blocks in his last five games. His hot stretch, along with Connecticut's No. 1 ranking, and some serious backing from Jim Calhoun had elevated him into discussion as a potential Player of the Year candidate. Facing heated rival Pittsburgh in front of a national audience, Thabeet was primed to bolster his case against a big-time opponent and hammer down the Huskies intentions of winning the Big East title.

Instead, Thabeet was mercifully exposed and outclassed by the less heralded, but wickedly talented sophomore DeJuan Blair, who carried the Panthers with 22 points and 23 rebounds to lead Pittsburgh to a grinding, physical 76-68 win in Hartford. Blair was a man on a mission all night long, but on the perimeter, it was Sam Young who was Pittsburgh's go-to guy, leading all scorers with 25 points. It was almost exclusively Young or Blair offensively for the Panthers, yet one of the nation's top defenses couldn't find an answer to stop either one. The upset victory not only calls to Thabeeet's claim as the premier big man in the Big East, but also UConn's perch atop the conference now that the Huskies are tied with Pittsburgh at two losses in league play.

The 6-7, 265 pound Blair was unintimidated by the freakishly long Thabeet, and took it right to the opposing center down low. An area usually reserved for the Tanzanian junior, the interior became Blair's house for operation. Throughout the night, he was able to constantly keep the nation's most prolific shot-blocker guessing, rendering him useless on defense for the entire game. Blair used an array of brute strength underneath, and some nifty moves on fadeaway jumpers to keep Thabeet on his heels all night. Instead of trying to go over Thabeet and his unprecedented height, Blair used his strength to go through him, earning easy baskets on offense and great position for boards. Every missed shot under the basket seemingly belonged to Blair, who sent a message early when he wrestled a loose ball away the 7-3 center and knocked him down hard to the XL Center floor.

The night didn't get much better for Thabeet, especially offensively, as he finished 1-5 from the field, with only five points and four rebounds before fouling out after only 23 minutes of action. Again, it's Blair who deserves the credit for that by bodying him up, and making him post as far away from the basket as possible. All season long, Thabeet has earned his cake by cleaning up easy shots, through point-blank lay-ups or dunks. He's been able to get by and put up close to 14 points a game by using this strategy, simply because no one could challenge him. Last night, Thabeet met his match and was given very few free points. For the first time all year long, Thabeet was put in a position where he had to create offense on his own, and he fell flat on his face.

Dyson's injury cannot be underestimated, either, however. The team's second leading scorer and best perimeter defender, he was sorely missed. Panthers swingman Young's 25 points and four 3-pointers swing the perimeter edge towards Pittsburgh as well. Without their stopper away from the basket, the Huskies defense took a huge hit, and the electrifying Young abused them with one of his best individual performances of the year. Dyson's absence has put a big dampener on this team's ceiling as they have to dig further into the bench to find a guard that can score and guard the opposing team's big perimeter threat anywhere near the way Dyson did. Senior A.J. Price is still a wonderful leader in the backcourt, and he did everything he could to help carry the Huskies offensively -- scoring 18 points and dishing eight assists -- but even he was overshadowed when the game was on the line.

Tied at 61 heading down the stretch, it was Pittsburgh's Levance Fields that finally made an entrance, choosing the best time to score all 10 of his points. He hit back-to-back three-pointers with under three minutes to go, giving the Panthers a lead they would never relinquished. That was followed by Fields hitting four clutch free throws in the final minute to seal the deal despite being only a 59% shooter from the line. Both shots from behind the arc came on pick-and-rolls where Connecticut's defense overplayed on Blair cutting inside. Fields was left open on consecutive possessions and didn't miss the mark, helping the Panthers earn a huge win.

Rather than being another celebratory night for Thabeet and the Huskies, it was Blair and the Panthers who walked off the floor pounding their chests, overcoming a 56-51 deficit in the second half to win in riveting fashion. Pittsburgh's blueprint towards attacking the Huskies big man worked to perfection, and has finally provided a model other teams can use when trying to score on Thabeet. Without Dyson, and a bruised (mentally) star in Thabeet, the Hukies are now suddenly on shaky ground after looking so dominant in their 12-game winning streak. Pittsburgh's win anoints them as the big dogs of the Big East for the time being, and unseats the nation's top team for the fifth time this season.

Duke/UNC Offers Nothing New, and That's the Way It Should Be

2009-02-11T00:08:00.000-08:00

For the 226th time, the North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils will take the court against each other, and this one, like many others before them, is must-see television. College basketball's best rivalry will be renewed at Cameron Indoor Stadium, as the two teams take part in their seventh meeting with both teams ranked in the top ten in this decade alone. North Carolina is 21-2 and ranked third, while Duke is 20-3 and boasts the number six spot in the AP Poll. More importantly, these two giants are tied at the top of the ACC standings, and seeking to be at the top by themselves.

Since losing two of three early on in the new year, the Tar Heels have returned to the form that brought them the #1 spot in the preseason, but it has not come easily for this ultra-talented group. Roy Williams' group has endured a fair share of adversity this season despite the gaudy record. It began when North Carolina lost super stud freshman Tyler Zeller and underrated defensive specialist Marcus Ginyard for the year. North Carolina has struggled adjusting without two big pieces, yet they remain a Final Four caliber team despite it. The Heels are not yet a stalwart defensive team, but they would be a lot closer if they had Ginyard and his tough-minded play and the size of Zeller inside. Even so, North Carolina has been able to make up for it, like they always have, with their unmatched offensive efficiency.

Five guys average double figures in points as part of an attack that's second in the nation, averaging 92 points a game. Reigning POY Tyler Hansbrough leads the way, hoping to go a perfect 4-0 at Duke for his career. He leads the ACC in scoring, and has dominated Duke in the paint countless times in meetings past. He's joined inside by Deon Thompson, giving the Heels two productive post players inside. Against the small Blue Devils, Thompson and Hansbrough have the potential to crush Duke all night. On the perimeter, Danny Green and Wayne Ellington can stroke it. If those guys are able to get it going, the Blue Devils will be in a Catch-22 defensively all night.

Mike Krzyzewski's team enters this game with a 2-2 record in their last four after a dominating 18-1 start. The Blue Devils dodged a huge bullet when they escaped Miami in overtime, but the ante has been raised exponentially here. Duke has been way too reliant on three-point shooting, and seeing as how they are only 182nd in the country in that category, it's a little startling that this team could be in contention for a number one seed. They shot a school-record 39 three-pointers in their last game, but have only gone 28-101 from behind the arc in their last four games. Kyle Singler and Gerald Henderson remain the only two players on the team that can create their own shot inside the arc. While Henderson has blossomed into a star, Singler is struggling.

The Blue Devils' leading scorer has appeared to have hit a bit of a wall. He's shooting 19-66 (29%) over his last four games, including a horrid 5-23 performance in the overtime win against the Hurricanes. Singler's shooting woes have been mirrored by the rest of the team; Duke has shot under 40% in three of their last four games. With shooting like that, the Blue Devils could be in real danger against the explosive Tar Heels. The Clemson Tigers, a solid NCAA Tournament team, but no UNC, took down the poor Devils by 27 last week, using a pressure D to stifle their opponents. You wonder if that loss is still in the heads of the Blue Devils as they enter this game where an overpowering offense could be their doom.

For Duke to have any chance, it will be their rugged defensive pressure that has to take them there. With their offense sputtering, the Blue Devils are becoming even more reliant on their defense to keep them in games. The stingy unit allows an ACC-best 61 points a game, and will be put to the ultimate test by the array of weapons North Carolina has. Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek are Duke's two biggest guys, and will be the ones asked to slow down North Carolina's big men. It's the hardest challenge they've had all year, and the odds are stacked against them. It will be interesting to see how they respond to it.

Tonight's battle pits strength against strength, with North Carolina's offense taking on the Blue Devil defense. Given the unmatched history between these two, it's no surprise that the game will provide an intriguing sub-plot. It's just another showdown between Duke and North Carolina where conference supremacy and bragging rights on Tobacco Road are on the line.

What does 2009 have in store for Andy Roddick?

2009-02-10T04:14:00.000-08:00

Andy Roddick is someone that is desperate to succeed in sport. The American has changed coaches constantly, refreshed his fitness regime regularly and altered his style of play in a bid to have success on the tennis court.

It seems as if this may be paying off as he made an excellent start to the year by reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open. He showed signs that he is in some decent form and will be keen to continue this in the coming months.

Roddick still finds it impossible to defeat the likes of Roger Federer, but this can be said about the majority of players other than Rafael Nadal. Even on this front though, you get the feeling that he is moving closer.

So, what changes as he made to his game ahead of the new tennis year? Well, under his new coach Larry Stefanki, his diet is much more disciplined and this has resulted in him losing a total of 15 pounds. Then, with the leaner look, he reached his first Grand Slam semi final in two years.

Whether this means prolonged success for the American is a different matter though. However, Roddick is convinced that he has the right coach to increase the chances of this happening. He says that Stefanki has a track record which ‘speaks for itself’.

In terms of winning a Grand Slam in 2009, Roddick says that it is ‘impossible to predict’ what might happen and that his game could go ‘one of two ways’. However, having made a good start in the Australian Open, Roddick truly believes that he can ‘build on that’ in the coming months.

As with the majority of other sports, momentum is very important in tennis and Roddick will be hoping that he can gather some to result in a Grand Slam victory by this time next year.

By Thomas Rooney - a sports writer who blogs about tennis betting for Betfair - check them out for the grand national odds

Tainted

2009-02-09T00:35:00.000-08:00

It was a great sports weekend, with Kobe vs. LeBron, action packed college hoops, including Davidson's 43-game conference winnning streak going up in smoke, and one last taste of the NFL with the Pro Bowl. Still, the biggest thing from the weekend was a downer as news of Alex Rodriguez's failed drug test from 2003 finally became public. A-Rod is the latest player of our generation to get caught for cheating, but if he failed the test six years ago, why didn't I hear about it then? A lot has happened over that period of time, but if I had known about Rodriguez's doping back then, it would have been revolutionary because steroid testing hadn't even been enacted yet. Imagine the uproar if one of the league's up-and-coming players got busted by a system the MLB was only experimenting with, which were the circumstances surrounding A-Rod's failed test. Instead, I spent the last six seasons watching one of baseball's best talents (from April to September) and someone who I thought was clean, live a lie. Over the years, we've gotten used to the idea of many big-time players doping, but it still doesn't make it right.