FELIZ ANO NOVO !!!

FELIZ ANO NUEVO !!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h48
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FELIZ NATAL !!!

FELIZ NAVIDAD !!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h42
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“Si quieres que Ronaldinho, Deco y Eto'o descansen no puedes traer un paquete”

Johan afirma que no se les podrá dosificar si no viene un buen futbolistaCada vez que Johan Cruyff habla, algo dice. Y ayer no fue la excepción. Focalizó, entre otros temas de la actualidad, los fichajes y el premio recibido por Ronaldinho. Que cada cual saque sus conclusiones: “Si quieres que Ronaldinho, Deco y Eto'o descansen no puedes traer un paquete. Debe venir un buen futbolista. Si no, no se les podrá dosificar”.

También ofreció su particular punto de vista sobre el crack mundial azulgrana: “Yo creo que Ronaldinho, a nivel espectáculo, es el mejor jugador del mundo. Como Ronaldo... Puede hacer cosas con la pelota que casi nadie puede hacer, pero el fútbol es mucho más que eso”, arrancó diciendo. “Yo ahora no habría votado a Ronaldinho como el mejor jugador del mundo. Le habría votado el año que viene. Siempre he dicho que el segundo año aquí, para un jugador, es el más difícil. Dificilísimo, sin excepciones. Por tanto, para él también. Se está viendo lo que ha estado haciendo en los últimos dos meses, que no tiene nada que ver a lo suyo. No es que no me guste Ronaldinho, sólo pienso que estamos hablando de un gran jugador, pero que debe mejorar en los detalles, porque al final son los detalles los que hacen que un jugador sea el mejor”, sentenció. Cruyff, entrevistado por el periodista Antoni Bassas en el programa 'El Matí, de Catalunya Ràdio', fue más allá. “Creo que Deco y Shevchenko tienen lo que no tiene Ronaldinho, aunque Ronaldinho tenga esa capacidad para el espectáculo. Ellos sí que saben lo que tienen que hacer en cualquier momento del partido. Pero eso son los años. La experiencia. Eso es algo que no se puede comprar, ni naces con ella. Hay que ganarla. Deco sí que me encanta. Tiene una técnica muy bonita, es eficaz y además es muy fino, muy fino”, dijo.

El ex jugador y entrenador del Barça, forjador del mítico 'Dream Team', terminó de argumentar su posición a través de un breve análisis. “Hay veces que se pueden hacer cosas con la pelota, pero cuando no se puede, tienes que aumentar el rendimiento en otros aspectos del juego. Ronaldinho debería adaptar el juego a su necesidad, no tratar de adaptarse a las necesidades del Barça. ¿Por qué? Porque hasta ahora, vemos que si él se encuentra muy bien y las cosas funcionan, perfecto, que haga lo que quiera. Pero si las cosas no funcionan y él pierde muchas veces el balón, entonces el equipo lo acusa y tiene problemas porque es un equipo que necesita tener la pelota para jugar”, explicó. Insistió Cruyff en que no deseaba hacer polémica, pero ahí estaba su opinión. Justo después de que la sonrisa de Ronaldinho Gaúcho en la ópera de Zurich haya dado la vuelta al mundo con el trofeo del FIFA World Player en las manos.

Campeón de Europa

Johan luego mostró un mesurado optimismo de cara a la Champions. “El Barça puede ganar la Champions. ¿Por qué no? Recuerdo que cuando he jugado o he sido entrenador, me encantaba jugar contra los ingleses. Por eso no entiendo este miedo al Chelsea. Es un buen equipo, pero ¿por eso hay que asustarse? ¡No! Si el Barcelona es capaz de imponer su juego, los ingleses irán detras. La clave está en eso, en que el equipo imponga su juego”, puntualizó Cruyff, quien aseguró que “yo disfruto viendo a este Barça”.

Y añadió: “La mayoría de los jugadores disfrutan porque se juega un fútbol que les gusta. Lógicamente también hay días de partidos malos y en que las cosas no salen, pero esto es lo que la mayoría tiene que aprender”

“Estamos a las puertas de una gran época si desde fuera no se crean líos”

Johan Cruyff afirmó que “creo que estamos a las puertas de una gran época para el Barça. Parecida a la que viví como entrenador en el club, en la que se podrán ganar muchos títulos”. Aunque matizó que esto será posible “siempre que en el Barcelona puedan seguir mandando el club y los técnicos”. Cruyff precisó que estas bienaventuranzas “no se podrán cumplir si desde fuera se crean líos, pues aquí somos fenómenos en esto. Sobre todo hay que estar satisfechos de todo el equipo”.

Recomendaciones

Johan, quien un rato antes había descubierto las cuestiones referidas a Ronaldinho en la página anterior, se aprestó a dar una cátedra de ubicuidad periodística. “Aquí muchas veces la prensa escoge a un favorito cuando lo que debe hacer es apoyar a todo el equipo. La prensa defiende a un jugador a capa y espada y a otros, nada. No. El fútbol es para todos. El equipo es para todos, y sería una pena si desde afuera hay influencias que no deben haber. Cada uno tiene sus amiguetes y ya sabes como funciona esto. Al Barcelona hay que verlo como un club y no como una cosa propiedad de alguien en especial o una cuestión de peleas entre este jugador, que es mío y este, que es tuyo. No, todos los jugadores son nuestros”, simplificó.

Se apresuró Johan a llamar a la unidad. Algo que nunca está de más y que en definitiva, es la receta ideal para lograr cosas importantes. “Toda la junta debe trabajar a la par, como todos los integrantes del cuerpo técnico. Creo que en estos casos, todo el mundo tiene que aprender de quienes estuvieron antes. Lo que veo es que antes hubo división de opiniones, de gente, de imponer y creo que si no se ha aprendido de todo aquello para cambiar de una vez, al final el que lo siente es el club”, dijo. “Porque cuando se gana, ganan todos y cuando se pierde, pierden todos. Eso está fuera de discusión y es lo que hay que aprender”, añadió. Para el final, un reconocimiento: “Lo importante de Rijkaard y Txiki es sobre todo su calidad humana y su madurez, más allá de sus conocimientos y experiencia en el alto nivel. Ambos van en una misma línea y eso es vital. Sabiendo esto y conociéndoles se puede confiar”, aseguró

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h41
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LONDON (AFP) - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho insists he will be keeping his cool over a packed period of festive football even if the Blues drop points.

Mourinho's first season in charge at Stamford Bridge means he has not experienced playing four matches in just over a week - something that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and his Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believe will test Chelsea's title aspirations to the limit.

Chelsea host Aston Villa and Middlesbrough and travel to Liverpool and Portsmouth over the holiday period, and with a 16-strong squad of fully fit players following injuries to Ricardo Carvalho, Robert Huth, Celestine Babayaro and Scott Parker.

"It is normal when you play four matches in a few days, that you don't win every every match," said Mourinho whose side have a five-point lead over champions Arsenal, with United a further four points behind."So it won't surprise me if we drop some points over this Christmas period. It is difficult for everybody."So the short-term challenge is to get the maximum points possible from these four matches and control the five-point advantage we have in relation to the second position."

Villa travel to London on Sunday and manager David O'Leary is hoping midfielder Gareth Barry can turn back the clock and reproduce his form of two years ago in a bid to close the 18-pojnt gap on the leaders.Barry had one of his best seasons under Graham Taylor in 2002-2003 despite Villa only narrowing avoiding relegation from the Premiership.But since O'Leary came to the helm in May 2003 the former England Under-21 captain has struggled to recapture that level of performance.

O'Leary said: "For the last 18 months I've been hearing that the year before I came Gareth Barry was outstanding for Villa."We're still waiting for that Gareth Barry to come through. Maybe last season all the uncertainty about a new contract was on his mind and was a reason for his performances."But that has not been an issue this season and I am still waiting to see Gareth show his really best form."

Midfielder Lee Hendrie will return against Chelsea after completing a three-match suspension for his red card against Manchester City for violent conduct.

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MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said he will be without star striker Ruud van Nistelrooy for up to eight weeks.

The Dutch international, who has scored 12 goals so far this season to top the Old Trafford scoring chart, has been sidelined from United's last four matches and missed last Saturday's 5-2 home rout of Crystal Palace after going for a scan 24 hours earlier.

Van Nistelrooy's original calf injury has spread to his Achilles and Ferguson now hopes to have the 28-year-old goal machine back for February's first leg last 16 Champions League tie with Italian giants AC Milan. "We have said it is a six to eight-week programme we have got for him," Ferguson told Sky Sports News on Thursday. "We don't want to force him into a situation when we don't need to and hopefully we can have him ready for the AC Milan games."

Meanwhile, Gabriel Heinze and Cristiano Ronaldo return to the Red Devils squad for Sunday's clash with Bolton Wanderers.

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h29
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The Brazilian midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and has so far refused to sign a new deal with the Gunners.

But Wenger, who has Patrick Vieira, Gilberto, Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini competing for central midfield berths as well as Edu, is prepared to play a patient waiting game.

"At the moment, he will not sign for us," said the Frenchman. "The situation is in his hands so he will decide what he wants to do. "With Mathieu Flamini coming on well, with Gilberto coming back, and with Cesc Fabregas and Patrick Vieira, we have four or five central midfielders. If Edu stays, what do we do with all those players?"

Wenger will only be tempted to bolster his squad if Edu decides to sign a pre-agreement with an overseas club. "I will look through the [transfer] window and see who else is buying but I'm not a great fan as it's an inflated market most of the time with rushed buys," said Wenger. "For some teams in a difficult situation it's already too late as, once you are down there, it's very difficult. "So most of the time you rush your buys. You overpay as there is only a limited period to buy and the seller waits until the last two or three days."

Wenger made a similar declaration just 12 months ago, only to be tempted into signing Jose Antonio Reyes for what could eventually amount to a club record fee. However, he stressed: "We didn't overpay for Reyes because we were not desperate to buy as we were top of the league."

Wenger is not categorically ruling out a similar late move for a special bargain, although he insists there is no need for him to act to bolster his club's title chances. A new goalkeeper, as well as an experienced centre-back and some further support for the strikers would not go astray at Highbury. However, Wenger maintained: "If something exceptional comes up, you never say no but we are not in a situation where we need to buy a striker, midfielder or centre-back."

Edu, along with Campbell, Lauren, Jermaine Pennant and Dennis Bergkamp, is out of contract at the end of this season. And while Bergkamp's position will not be considered until April or May, any other talks will be delayed until after the festive period. "It's an intense period on the pitch but a flat period off the pitch. The agents are away over Christmas and some directors too, so it's difficult," said Wenger. "These situations will be sorted out in January, not in this period. Of course, we are concerned. That's why we want to keep them here. "But Sol will stay. We are at a very advanced stage and in a very positive situation."

Edu is still out injured, having returned to training but not yet being ready for full contact work, and he misses the Boxing Day clash against Fulham along with fellow absentees Gilberto, Pascal Cygan and Reyes, while Ashley Cole is banned. However, Freddie Ljungberg may return.

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h22
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Ledley King insists he has no intention of leaving Tottenham or seeking a new big-money contract.

language=JavaScript> The England defender has been linked with a White Hart Lane exit, with north London neighbours Arsenal known to be admirers. He gave an interview claiming that Tottenham must be 'moving in the right direction' to keep him at the club, but King has been quick to contextualise his remarks. 'Tottenham will always be my first love and I am very happy here,' he said on the club's official website. 'I only signed a new contract in the summer and am not interested in going anywhere else.'

The 24-year-old has come up through the junior ranks at White Hart Lane, signing for Spurs as a 17-year-old trainee in 1998.

However, after almost 150 appearances for the club the closest he has come to winning a trophy was when Tottenham were beaten finalists in the 2002 League Cup. The 11-times capped centre-half told the Daily Mail: 'The key to me staying at White Hart Lane is for the club to be challenging for trophies. 'We need to be moving in the right direction and as long as we are doing that there won't be a problem. 'The moment that I feel we are not is the time when I have to think about my future.'

Tottenham's current form has been sufficiently impressive to ease any fears King may have had, and they look to be making rapid progress under new boss Martin Jol. King's agent, Jonathan Barnett, had said that Tottenham would need to 'break the bank' with any future contract offer. But he said that his client remained happy at his current club, adding: 'As far as I am concerned Ledley loves being a Spurs player and there are no problems.'

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h16
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Wagner Ribeiro, representante del futbolista brasileño pretendido por el Real Madrid Robinho, afirmó que el acuerdo alcanzado con el Benfica ya "no tiene ningún valor", según el diario deportivo Record. "En caso de que el Santos quisiese vender al jugador, el documento sería válido. Como el club no aceptó la propuesta portuguesa, ese acuerdo se convirtió en polvo, no tiene ningún valor", afirmó Wagner.

La oferta del Benfica rechazada por el Santos ascendía 10 millones de euros para el club, dos para Robinho y uno para Ribeiro, aunque el club brasileño la consideró insuficiente, debido al interés de grandes clubes europeos, como el Real Madrid o el Chelsea inglés.

Para hacerse con los servicios del internacional brasileño, el Benfica guardaba como triunfo el documento firmado entre Ribeiro y el representante del fondo de inversiones portugués que pretendía llevar a Robinho a Lisboa, José Varandas.

Hasta junio
Ribeiro señaló que Robinho permanecerá hasta junio de 2005 en el Santos, pues el entrenador del actual campeón del campeonato brasileño de fútbol, Vanderlei Luxemburgo, ha renovado con vistas a ganar la Copa Libertadores de América de 2005, para lo que desea conservar a sus mejores talentos. "Robinho va a permanecer en el Santos hasta junio de 2005 para disputar la Copa Libertadores y sólo después irá a Europa", indicó.

Cuestionado sobre la posibilidad de que Robinho jugase en el Corinthians, Wagner señaló que no hay ninguna posibilidad de que esa operación se produzca. "La posibilidad de que eso suceda es cero. El sueño de Robinho es jugar en Europa, él no quiere vestir la camiseta de otro club brasileño", dijo el representante.

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It was one of the great upsets. A nation that had never previously won a game in a major international final tournament opened UEFA EURO 2004™ by defeating the hosts - and repeated the trick to lift the trophy.

Outside bet
Although Greece had qualified for Portugal as Group 6 winners ahead of Spain, they began the year quoted at 100/1 to become champions. They started 2004 with friendly triumphs against Bulgaria and Switzerland, but a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in April had many writing Greece off.

Opening win
However, that proved mere shadow boxing when Greece defeated Portugal 2-1 in the EURO opener. Georgios Karagounis's seventh-minute goal and Angelos Basinas's second-half penalty preceded Cristiano Ronaldo's last-gasp consolation.

Zidane heroics
Both sides were to progress - Portugal beating Spain in their group decider to pip Greece to first place after they lost to already-eliminated Russia. Two Zinedine Zidane set-pieces in added time sealed a thrilling 2-1 win for holders France against England, though both rivals were to end Group B above Croatia and Switzerland.

Italy out
In Group C Sweden and Denmark's final game, a 2-2 draw, took them through above Italy despite their last-gasp victory over Bulgaria. The Czech Republic came from 2-0 down to beat the Netherlands 3-2 in Group D, but both would enter the last eight, Germany drawing to their cost with major tournament debutants, Latvia.

Baroš tally
The opening quarter-final proved an epic, as Portugal scored a late equaliser to force extra time against England only for Frank Lampard to return the favour to make it 2-2 on 115 minutes. Portugal won 6-5 on spot-kicks, when goalkeeper Ricardo saved from Darius Vassell and then scored himself. Greece ended France's reign with a 1-0 win, the Netherlands ended their penalty shoot-out hoodoo to eliminate Sweden and the Czech Republic eased past Denmark 3-0. Milan Baroš scored twice to take his tournament tally to five, which no one would match.

Greece prevail
However, the Czechs were to bow out in the semi-finals against Greece, losing Pavel Nedved to injury and conceding the decisive silver goal to Traianos Dellas. Portugal's 2-1 win against the Netherlands sparked a night-long party across the nation for the third game running.

Zagorakis honour
It was Greece who were celebrating after the final in Lisbon, though. Angelos Charisteas struck the only goal 57 minutes in, and after lifting the trophy, captain Theodoros Zagorakis was named Player of the Tournament.

New coaches
Swiftly, though, the focus switched to 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification which meant new coaches for many of the major contenders. The Netherlands and final tournament hosts Germany turned to legendary strikers Marco van Basten and Jürgen Klinsmann respectively, Italy and Spain appointed experienced club men Marcello Lippi and Luis Aragonés, while France promoted Under-21 coach Raymond Domenech. Stepping out of the international game, however, were the likes of Zidane, Nedved and Luís Figo, the latter after playing in the EURO final on home soil.

World Cup shocks
Just to prove the unpredictability of the new international order, Greece began by losing 2-1 in Albania two months after winning in Lisbon. October also saw shocks with Liechtenstein coming from 2-0 behind to hold Portugal, before winning 4-0 in Luxembourg, their first-ever away victory. On the same day Andorra beat F.Y.R. Macedonia for their first competitive win, and Portugal recovered to stun Russia 7-1.

Group leaders
At the end of the year the eight groups were led by the Netherlands, Ukraine, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, England, Serbia and Montenegro, and Sweden - tellingly with no 100 per cent winning records remaining.

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By Andy Hall

	The forward (centre) scored his first international goal in 2004

For RC Deportivo La Coruña forward Albert Luque, 2004 was a happy year - his spectacular volley for Spain in the 2-0 win against Belgium on 9 October brought him his first goal for his country. He chats to uefa.com about the past year and the one to come and reveals that he is expecting his family Christmas to be a barrel of laughs.

uefa.com: How was 2004 for you on a personal and sporting level?

Luque: Last year, and in particular, last season was a very good one for Deportivo. We finished the league in third place and made the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League and that was a very positive experience for the team because we were so close to making the final. I just hope that we can be successful again this year, perhaps we haven't started as well as we would have liked but hopefully we'll make up for that by finishing well. On a personal level, I think it was a good year for me - I've not had any health problems which is good news and I have been enjoying my football. If I have the same luck next year then I will have no complaints.

uefa.com: Tell us a little about how you spend Christmas with your family?

Luque: Well I am quite far from my family for much of the year, I'm based in La Coruna which is 1,000km away from my family home in Barcelona. And so Christmas is always special for us and a time when we can all get together - my parents, my sister and my cousins. This year we are lucky in that we have a bit more time off - the Christmas break from the league is longer so I'll be spending some days with the folks. For me these holidays are some of the happiest days of the year.

uefa.com: Do you do anything in particular with your family?

Luque: Yes, we all get together - uncles, aunts, cousins in my grandmother's house - there are about 30 of us and we have a huge dinner, then there is always plenty of music and singing afterwards when we sing the usual Spanish Christmas songs. We always have a great time. There is usually a lot of jokes being told and I am looking forward to hearing the latest ones.

uefa.com: Do you receive football-related presents?

Luque: Both my parents are huge football fans but I can't remember any football-related presents in particular. The best present I have ever received was this year as I got a shirt signed by Michael Schumacher. I am huge fan of Formula One racing and one of his biggest fans.

uefa.com: What kind of things do you do to unwind from football?

Luque: This year, I'll be joining my parents, my sister, my girlfriend, cousins and nephews in Andorra to do a bit of skiing and maybe hire some snowbikes and have as fun as we can.

uefa.com: What you do on New Year's Eve?

Luque: I always try and be with the people I'm closest to because when the New Year comes in, the most important thing is to have the people you love with you. That's the best way to relax, disconnect and celebrate the start of the new year.

uefa.com: What are your wishes for 2005?

Luque: Good health and well being for my family and friends, I wish them the best of everything - and for me, in terms of sport, that football continues to be my life.

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21 April
The UEFA Executive Committee, meeting in Limassol, Cyprus, approves a recommendation to lift the current ban on home matches in Israel for all UEFA competitions. The lifting of the ban follows a recent UEFA delegation visit to Israel, and included a comprehensive presentation of all security measures in place. It also proposes that matches in Israel abide by specific conditions - namely that they are played in the Tel-Aviv area only, and that security guarantees be provided for every game.

22 April
UEFA's pioneering role at the vanguard of the European and world football movement is celebrated in a special ceremony in Limassol, Cyprus, marking the 50th birthday of European football's governing body. Football personalities past and present, as well as senior Cypriot political leaders, are in attendance. The ceremony includes the result of the UEFA poll to find the top European player of the past 50 years - won by Zinedine Zidane "This assembly is an ideal opportunity to remember the pioneers who built UEFA, and to retrace the main stages of our confederation's development," says UEFA President Lennart Johansson, before adding "We must continue to show the pioneers' spirit." The President of world football's governing body FIFA, Joseph S. Blatter, congratulates UEFA on its Jubilee. "UEFA has been a symbol of the unity and peace that has reigned in Europe over the past 50 years," he said.

23 April
Mr Johansson says that UEFA can reflect on 50 years of football history with pride, and view the last 12 months with a sense of satisfaction and achievement. Addressing the Ordinary UEFA Congress in Cyprus, Mr Johansson tells representatives of UEFA's 52 member associations that solidarity remains an important aspect of UEFA's activities. In addition, UEFA will continue to tackle violence, terrorism and racism, and maintain its fight against doping in sport. One of UEFA's crucial tasks in the coming years will be to balance the way in which it serves the game at both the vital grassroots level and the established élite level, in its best long-term interests, comments retiring UEFA Chief Executive Gerhard Aigner in his report on UEFA activities in 2003 to the Ordinary UEFA Congress in Cyprus. Mr Aigner says that UEFA can be proud of its work on behalf of the sport, but that the European game cannot rest on its laurels as there are many areas of concern that need to be addressed to guarantee football's health and longevity. Mr Aigner’s successor as UEFA CEO, Lars-Christer Olsson, says that one of UEFA's major tasks over the coming period will be to maintain unity and solidarity within the European football family. Mr Olsson emphasises that the game must remain a sport, and not become a type of élite entertainment industry.

Elections take place at the Ordinary UEFA Congress in Cyprus - and continuity is the outcome within UEFA's Executive Committee. Dr Viacheslav Koloskov (Russia), Marios Lefkaritis (Cyprus), Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder (Germany), Per Ravn Omdal (Norway), Dr Matthieu Sprengers (Netherlands) and Geoffrey Thompson (England) are re-elected by UEFA's 52 member associations, while Dr Franco Carraro (Italy), previously special advisor to the Executive Committee, is elected on to the committee as a member. These members will serve four-year terms. In addition, following Henri Roemer's departure from the Executive Committee midway through his term of office to become special adviser to the UEFA President and Chief Executive on European Union and global affairs, Joseph Mifsud (Malta) is re-elected and will serve the remaining two years of Mr Roemer's term. The existing four European members of the FIFA Executive Committee are re-elected - Dr Michel D'Hooghe (Belgium), Senes Erzik (Turkey), Dr Viacheslav Koloskov (Russia), and Michel Platini (France).

26 April
The countdown to UEFA EURO 2004™ in Portugal takes another step forward for Europe's refereeing élite with a special preparatory course in the host country at San Félix da Marinha, near Porto. "I hope you are proud to have been chosen, because we are proud of you," Mr Olsson tells the 12 referees, 24 assistants and four fourth officials. "There are thousands who would want to be in your shoes. You will be setting the standards for the years to come."

29 April
UEFA and the International Committee of the Red Cross officially launch their joint campaign for EURO 2004™ to Protect Children in War. For the first time, a EURO final tournament is being dedicated to one of the ICRC's campaigns. Four top referees - Pierluigi Collina, Anders Frisk, Markus Merk and Luboš Michel - are acting as ambassadors for the joint venture.

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FC Lokomotiv Moskva striker Dmitri Sychev has been named 2004 Russian player of the year in the 41st annual poll in weekly newspaper Football.

Goalscoring feats
The Russian international won the vote among 240 football writers, placed first by 63 experts, second by 56 and third in 34 ballots. That gave him a total of 335 points in a year when he scored 15 Premier League goals as Lokomotiv regained the championship from PFC CSKA Moskva. He also took his international goals tally into double figures with just 21 caps on the board.

Lima honour
FC Zenit St. Peterburg forward Aleksandr Kerzhakov finished second with 220 points, while his striking partner Andrei Arshavin ended up third with 202 after their club's thwarted tilt at the league title. Lokomotiv midfielder Francisco Lima was named the best foreign player in Russia, having finished sixth in the overall poll. CSKA had eleven players mentioned in the voting, while nine Lokomotiv squad members were nominated.

Nacka Skoglund
Date of birth: 24 December 1929 (died: 8 July 1975)
National team: Sweden
Clubs: IK Stjärnan, Hammarby IF (twice), AIK Solna (twice), FC Internazionale Milano, UC Sampdoria, US Città di Palermo, Kärrtorps IK

Skoglund's formative footballing years were spent with Stjärnan and Hammarby before he joined AIK in 1950.

Despite only featuring in a handful of league games, Skoglund was signed by Italian giants Inter in 1950, and he would settle in Italy, playing more than 240 league games in nine seasons and scoring 57 goals as well as winning Serie A championship honours at the end of the 1952/53 and 1953/54 seasons. Nicknamed Nacka, he would remain in Italy, subsequently playing for Sampdoria and Palermo before returning to Sweden to help Hammarby gain promotion to the top flight before retiring.

Although only capped eleven times as Sweden concentrated on players who played in their domestic league, Skoglund was still regarded as a very popular outside-left as he delivered accurate passes and enthralled crowds with excellent dribbling skills. He played at the 1950 World Cup finals in Brazil, and was later recalled for Sweden's six matches at the finals on home soil in 1958, scoring in the 3-1 semi-final defeat of the Federal Republic of Germany before losing 5-2 in the final to Brazil.

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O jogador César Sampaio fala sobre sua despedida do futebol em entrevista coletiva realizada no bairro da Lapa, zona oeste de São Paulo.

Escrito por fraja8 às 19h29
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Al igual que en Atenas, otra vez Tevez es figura: lo eligieron como el mejor jugador del año y se ganó el Olimpia de Oro: lo compartió nada menos que con Manu Ginóbili.

Si lo compraron en más de 20 millones de dólares, algo más que ponerse de novio con Natalia Fassi seguro que hizo. Si fue la figura de la Selección en la Copa América y los Juegos Olímpicos, es porque algo juega. Si muchos hinchas de Boca ya lo están extrañando, será porque no es un jugador más. Algo hizo Carlos Alberto Tevez (cumple 21 años el 5 de febrero) además de aparecer en los programas de chimentos y en las revistas del corazón para que lo eligieran anoche como el mejor futbolista argentino del año y el mejor deportista, este último premio compartido con Emanuel Ginóbili, figura del básquet (ver aparte). Anoche, por algo Carlitos se llevó la plata y el oro.

"Estoy muy contento con estos premios. La verdad es que no los esperaba. Se los quiero dedicar a mi familia, a mis amigos y a todos los que me apoyaron y me quieren. Fue un año duro y cerrarlo con este reconocimiento me pone bien", dijo Carlitos, quien estuvo en el Salón Pacífico del Hilton acompañado por su hermanita Déborah y otros familiares. De buen humor y vestido de negro, con el infaltable gorro para ocultar la cabellera que tan poco le gusta, Tevez llegó a la fiesta a las 21.44 y saludó a la prensa pero no hizo declaraciones.

¿Mal año? Este año la vida de Tevez estuvo a mil. Le pasaron tantas cosas que pocos se acuerdan de su arranque, con un título en el Preolímpico de Chile. Que después en junio se dio el gusto de eliminar a River de la Copa, con gol incluido, en el mismísimo Monumental. Que en julio disputó las dos finales más importantes a nivel continental: la de la Libertadores y la de la Copa América, aunque se quedó con las ganas en los penales. "Esto demuestra que los que me quisieron hacer mal, no pudieron. No estuve todo el año de joda y les agradezco a los periodistas deportivos que no me juzgaron por mi vida privada", agradeció Carlitos en una charla con Olé.

Tocó el cielo. En agosto, Tevez alcanzó su punto más alto en cuanto a su nivel. De la mano del Loco Bielsa, fue la gran figura y el goleador de los Juegos Olímpicos de Atenas. Jugó seis partidos, convirtió ocho goles y terminó con 8,75 de promedio Olé. Eso le valió el reconocimiento mundial y reflotó el interés de los clubes europeos por él. "Ganar la medalla dorada fue algo extraordinario porque se logró

algo que le faltaba a nuestro país y porque se cortaron 52 años sin conseguir el oro", explicó Carlos en aquel entonces.

Después de despedirse de Boca con la Copa Sudamericana en el bolsillo, Carlitos se dio el lujo de ser el cuarto futbolista (después de Pedro Dellacha, Diego Maradona y Oscar Ruggeri) en la historia de los Olimpia en llevarse el de oro. Y el tercero en ganar dos veces seguidas el de plata en fútbol, detrás de Maradona y Juan Román Riquelme. Además, también se recordará a la 51 edición como la primera que consagra a dos deportistas como los mejores del año. "Esto me pone muy feliz. Quiero también felicitar a Javier (Mascherano) y a Lucho (González), que estaban en la terna de fútbol conmigo y se merecían el premio", aseguró Tevez, quien es muy amigo de Mascherano, de la contra.

Ya se fue de Boca, ya viajó a Brasil y se presentó oficialmente el lunes a la noche en el Corinthians (ayer se informó que el DT Vanderlei Luxemburgo se quedará en Santos y entonces no está definido quién lo dirigirá en el 05). Ahí, en San Pablo, fue homenajeado y le dieron un premio como el mejor jugador sudamericano del año. Anoche, en plena Capital, se quedó con el oro. Otra vez figura estelar (elegido por el Círculo de Periodistas Deportivos) con el oro, como hace unos meses en Atenas. El pibe se va a Brasil bañado en oro.

Escrito por fraja8 às 19h19
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Angelos Charisteas, the scorer of the winning goal for Greece at UEFA EURO 2004™, has signed for AFC Ajax from Werder Bremen.

	Charisteas celebrates his EURO 2004™ winner

Bremen honours
The 24-year-old striker underwent a medical on Thursday and has signed a contract with the Dutch champions running until 30 June 2008. He joined Bremen from FC Aris Thessaloniki in summer 2002 and last season helped them to the German domestic double. He has won 38 Greek caps, having taken just two minutes to score on his debut against Russia, and in July claimed the only goal in the UEFA European Championship final against Portugal in Lisbon.

Cup tied
However, this season he has been used mostly as a substitute for Bremen, but appeared in five of their UEFA Champions League Group G games. That leaves him ineligible for Ajax's UEFA Cup campaign next spring, which begins with a two-legged tie against AJ Auxerre in February.

'Fantastic club'
Charisteas said: "Ajax are a step up in my career. They are a top European side, and I want to win as many prizes as possible with them in the next three-and-a-half years. I spoke to Ioannis Anastasiou [Ajax's Greek striker] and Petri Pasanen [Bremen's ex-Ajax player] and they told me that Ajax are a fantastic club to play for."

Escrito por fraja8 às 19h08
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Ronaldinho e Ronaldo já estão no Brasil

Gaúcho chega de madrugada em Porto Alegre, enquanto o Fenômeno desembarca no Rio

Ronaldinho Gaúcho, eleito pela Fifa como o melhor jogador do mundo, já está no Brasil. O craque do Barcelona chegou a São Paulo na madrugada desta quinta-feira e foi para Porto Alegre em seguida.Acompanhado por familiares, o jogador não falou com a imprensa. Segundo seus parentes, Ronaldinho quer descansar durante as férias e vai evitar aparições públicas.

O atacante Ronaldo, do Real Madrid, chegou ao Rio de Janeiro na manhã desta quinta-feira. O Fenômeno afirmou que acredita que o Real Madrid vai melhorar a partir de janeiro e não quis falar sobre a sua agenda no país.

Escrito por fraja8 às 15h06
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Em menos de 24 horas, Goiás e São Caetano definiram seus comandantes para a temporada 2005. O time goiano tirou Péricles Chamusca da equipe do ABC na noite da última quarta-feira. Sem perder tempo, o clube paulista anunciou esta manhã que fechou contrato com o ex-goleiro Zetti, que estava no Fortaleza.

Zetti dirigiu o Guarani nesta temporada antes de guiar o Fortaleza à Série A

Chamusca, que ganhou destaque no cenário nacional depois de conquistar a Copa do Brasil com o modesto Santo André, fez boa campanha no São Caetano. Fato, inclusive, que o ajudou a firmar sua carreira de treinador.

"O Péricles Chamusca, além de fazer um ótimo trabalho, tirou o São Caetano da 14ª posição e o colocou na briga pelo título (antes de perder 24 pontos no STJD por casua da morte de Serginho). Ele é jovem, com um currículo muito bom e também de boas conquistas", comentou Raimundo Queiroz, presidente do Goiás.

A apresentação do novo comandante do time esmeraldino está marcada para o dia 4 de janeira, data na qual o elenco também se reapresenta no Serra Dourada. O contrato de Chamusca tem duração de dois anos.

O ex-goleiro Zetti, por sua vez, chega ao principal momento de sua carreira. Depois de conquistar o vice-campeonato do Paulistão comandando o Paulista de Jundiaí (perdeu a final para o próprio São Caetano), o técnico levou o Fortaleza de volta à Primeira Divisão do Brasileiro ao ficar com o segundo lugar da série B 2004.

Junto com Zetti, deve chegar ao São Caetano mais dois membros da comissão técnica que o acompanha desde os tempos de Paulista: o preparador físico Fernando Francisco e o auxiliar-técnico Marcos Biazotto.
O tempo de contrato e a data oficial da apresentação do novo técnico do time do ABC ainda não foram divulgados, já que ele ainda está acertando alguns detalhes com a diretoria do clube.

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h59
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Roy Keane has declared himself ready to stay on at Manchester United beyond 2006. The United captain will now look to justify an extension to his contract, which expires in 18 months' time.

'I could not be happier at the club and my biggest challenge is to keep going as long as I can,' Keane told the Daily Mail. 'I have another year and a half left and I intend to see that out. If I am still able to play on after that, then I hope it will be at United. 'If I feel as good as this physically in a year's time, then I will hopefully try to play on.'

Keane has also revealed how he hopes a more controlled attitude on the field will benefit his team-mates. The Republic of Ireland international has had his fair share of scrapes and disciplinary problems during a 14-year career in England but his last red card was in February during the Champions League defeat in Porto. And although he has accumulated five cautions this season, the combative midfielder is convinced he will no longer be drawn into the kind of rash actions which frequently saw him sent off. Keane, infamously, exacted retribution on Manchester City midfielder Alf Inge Haaland after his opponent had falsely accused him of feigning injury several months before.

'We do have two or three important players injured but that is where the squad comes into it,' he told MUTV. 'I'm not sure I can play four games. The manager will look at the priority of getting the team right but physically I feel really good at the moment.'

Keane also praised Chelsea for the football they were playing but wondered whether being in an unfamiliar position at the top of the table would work against them as the tension increases later in the season. 'The way Chelsea are playing you have to give credit where it's due. Their team is a lot better than the ones over the last few years,' he added. 'Their manager this year (Jose Mourinho) seems to be stronger mentally but only time will tell if they can handle the pressure.'

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h48
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Dr. Mark S. Myerson uses a model of a foot and ankle to describe the surgery he performed on Terrell Owens at Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore.

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Terrell Owens had surgery on his right ankle Wednesday, and the doctor said there is a chance Philadelphia's star receiver could play in the Super Bowl on Feb. 6 -- if the Eagles make it that far.

"I think there is a reasonable possibility that he will return to play in about six or seven weeks. But that is not predictable," said Dr. Mark Myerson, who performed the surgery at a Baltimore hospital. "A lot will depend on his recovery and rehabilitation over the next month or two."

Myerson said two ankle ligaments were torn and that Owens also has a fracture a few inches below his knee that will heal on its own.

Under normal circumstances, Owens' injury would take eight to 10 weeks to heal, Myerson said. The receiver's conditioning could help him recover faster, the doctor said.

"While it is not unreasonable to hope that he returns to play in six weeks, it is not something we would expect," Myerson said.

Owens' injury on Sunday was a devastating blow to an Eagles (13-1) team that has dominated the NFC and has clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Owens, who had 77 catches for 1,200 yards, a team-record 14 TD catches and was named to the Pro Bowl, has missed just seven games in his nine-year career.

Myerson inserted two screws in Owens' ankle and a plate on the outside of the ankle during the operation, which lasted about an hour. He said there was no reason the expect the injury would lead to chronic ankle problems for Owens.

Myerson said he normally uses one screw to stabilize the ankle, but that "everything had to be done to gain maximum stability in the ankle in as quick a time as possible."

Owens could begin physical activity in four to six weeks.

"The risk is, (if) the screws fail, there has not been adequate ligament healing and that there's further injury against the ligaments," Myerson said.

Owens was on his way back to Philadelphia by the time Myerson held a news conference in the early afternoon at the hospital

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h36
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Johan Cruyff, unas de las voces más autorizadas del barcelonismo, considera que el actual equipo de Frank Rijkaard puede marcar una época y augura un ciclo de cuatro o cinco años de títulos. Pero para que se dé esta circunstancia pone una condición: el club debe aislarse del entorno. En unas declaraciones a 'Catalunya Radio', afirmó que este futuro se dará "si la directiva y los técnicos pueden continuar mandando y no se monta ningún lío desde fuera".

El ex técnico cree que se debe estar satisfecho con la plantilla aunque insistió en la influencia externa. "Sería una lástima que desde fuera hubiera influencias que no tendrían que existir. Ya se sabe cómo funciona, cada uno tiene sus cosas, sus amiguitos. Se tiene que ver al Barca como un club de todos, no un algo tuyo o mío. Los jugadores son nuestros. La junta directiva debe hacer su trabajo y tiene que aprender de las experiencias de los anteriores directivos. Se contaba con la opinión de mucha gente y así no funcionan las cosas".

El holandés tiene claro que para que el Barcelona conquiste el campeonato liguero, los futbolistas necesitan olvidarse de lo que han conseguido hasta ahora. "Deben afrontar la segunda vuelta con más tensión, con mayor presión, porque entonces estás más cerca de los premios. Se debe empezar de nuevo".Además, manifestó que el bloque se debe reforzar para compensar las lesiones sufridas desde que comenzó el campeonato. "Hay que fichar, pero sobre todo con cabeza. El problema es encontrar lo que buscan. Si quieres que descansen Deco, Ronaldinho, Eto'o no puedes traer a un paquete".

Elogios a Rijkaard
Cruyff aprovechó para elogiar el trabajo que está realizando su compatriota Frank Rijkaard como entrenador del equipo. Al margen de alabar sus conocimientos futbolísticos, se refirió a su "madurez y calidad humana. Eso es fundamental para un vestuario con buen ambiente. En este sentido, Frank tiene un don, tiene mucha calidad y en él se puede confiar".

También se refirió a uno de los debates que existe en el entorno barcelonista: la posibilidad de que el primer equipo luzca publicidad en su camiseta. No le gusta la idea, porque considera que si la conjunto pretende ser una excepción, entonces debe mantenerse sin publicidad y buscar otras fórmulas para incrementar sus ingresos económicos. Si no hay remedio, sugirió que "por un año se busque un patrocinador de aquí, como por ejemplo La Caixa. La Caixa es Cataluña y podría ayudar al Barca si tiene algún problema. El Barca también ayuda a La Caixa cada día".

Sobre las posibilidades ligueras que tiene el Real Madrid, ahora a trece puntos de los azulgrana en la clasificación, dijo que: "Le falta encontrar el equilibrio en el centro del campo. Cuando lo encuentren, tienen tanta calidad que podrán hacer muchas cosas".

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h23
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Vick, who has helped lead Atlanta to the NFC South title and the team's finest season in years, is now locked up for the next nine years.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the Falcons have a press conference set for 3:45 p.m. ET to make the announcement official. The new contract could offset the complicated six-year deal worth roughly $62 million, which he signed after becoming the top overall pick in the 2001 draft.

It is thought the new deal will drop his annual charges against the cap for the next couple of seasons.

Vick has a sprained right shoulder, which the Journal-Constitution says will keep him out of Sunday's game at New Orleans. The 11-3 Falcons can't help or hurt their standing as the No. 2 seed for the NFC playoffs, which begin next month

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h13
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Sacchi, en su presentación: "Yo no soy un mago"

El director general deportivo y vicepresidente del Real Madrid, Emilio Butragueño, presentó ante los medios de comunicación a Arrigo, Sacchi como nuevo director de fútbol del club blanco. El italiano afirmó en el acto de presentación que el entrenador del Madrid, Mariano García Remón, cuenta con toda su confianza y reconoció que "no es un mago", pero que trabajará duro para que el Real Madrid salga de la situación actual.

Emilio Butragueño quiso dejar claras al comienzo de la presentación las funciones de Sacchi en el organización del Real Madrid. El directivo blanco aseguró que el ex entrenador del Milan será "el máximo responsable deportivo del club en la sección de futbol".

LAS FRASES DE ARRIGO SACCHI

"Yo no estoy aquí para crear confusión"

"Debemos jugar bien porque jugando bien es más fácil ganar"

"García Remón será el responsable de las alineaciones"

"Si jugamos como ante el Sevilla, la Liga está perdida"

"El ciclo del Real Madrid no se ha acabado"

"Yo no soy un mago"

Confía en García Remón
Arrigo Sacchi mostró su total confianza en el actual técnico del Real Madrid: "Mariano García Remón tiene la confianza de todo el club y también la mía". El italiano dejó claro que el tema de alineaciones y concentraciones es un tema exclusivo del entrenador: "El entrenador tiene el respaldo del club y por tanto el mío. Es él quien hace las alineaciones. Yo seré su referencia. Las concentraciones, por ejemplo, son problemas del entrenador. He visto en él a una persona honesta. Eso sí, exigimos que los futbolistas den el máximo. Aquí estamos en el club más famoso del mundo, tienes ventajas pero también deberes. Vamos a dejar muy claro que el club pide seriedad. Yo no estoy aquí para crear confusión".

No hay final de ciclo
El nuevo director de fútbol del Real Madrid no piensa que la actual plantilla esté acabada: "El ciclo del Real Madrid no se ha acabado. No debemos pensar que nuestros jugadores estén viejos. Hay que dar confianza a los jugadores y al entrenador".

"Si jugamos como ante el Sevilla, la Liga está perdida"
Sacchi se mostró contundente sobre si el Madrid sigue teniendo opciones al título de Liga: "Si jugamos como ante el Sevilla, la Liga está perdida. Pero yo pienso que no vamos a jugar así. La temporada pasada el Barcelona estaba a 18 puntos del Real Madrid y al final le pasó en la clasificación. Por lo tanto, todavía hay margen. Debemos jugar bien porque jugando bien es más fácil ganar".

No entrenará al Real Madrid
Preguntado por si ha llegado al Real Madrid para sentarse en algún momento en el banquillo blanco, Sacchi dejó claro que no es esa su intención y que en su vocabulario ya no está la palabra 'entrenar': "Tomé una decisión y es no volver a entrenar. La vida es corta y hay que intentar hacer lo que uno quiere". Además, Emilio Butragueño cortó la intervención del italiano para reafirmarlo: "Sacchi no ha venido aquí para entrenar".

Es positivo
Sacchi contempló este miércoles la derrota de su nuevo equipo contra el Sevilla por 0-1: "Es un equipo que está dando menos de lo que puede dar. Debemos comprender por qué. Ayer fue un partido raro en el que el Sevilla jugó muy bien. No soy un mago, pero confío en mi mismo, en el club y en todos los colaboradores. Tengo una visión positiva".

"Es imposible tener un gran equipo sin estrellas. Lo ideal es tener estrellas que lo den todo y que estén cerca del proyecto del técnico. Eso sí, puedes tener a los mejores pero si no trabajan juntos con ilusión es difícil que se saque lo mejor", finalizó.

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h03
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Will San Diego Children Find Chargers Gear Under The Tree?

Tomlinson Jerseys Are Getting Harder To Find On Shelves

Sales of Chargers merchandise on NFLShop.com from April-November are up 20% over last year, and the team “ranks in the middle third of NFL teams” in sales from the site, according to Jennifer Davies of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. NFL Manager of Corporate Communications Dan Masonson: “They are moving up and could make a push for the top 10.” Davies notes the Chargers report “record sales” at Chargers.com and at their store at Qualcomm Stadium. Also, the Sports Fever store at a local mall sold out of AFC West Championship T-shirts and caps and has only a “limited quantity of [Chargers RB] LaDainian Tomlinson jerseys” available. The last time the Chargers cracked the top ten in merchandise sales was ’82, when they were seventh. Davies adds that sales of Patriots merchandise on NFLShop.com are up 35% since last year. Also, the Bengals jumped 28%; the Eagles increased by 33%; and the Steelers saw a bump of 20% (UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/23).

CATCH THAT STEELER: In Pittsburgh, Chuck Finder reports Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger’s reps plan to come to town next week –- their third such trip to Pittsburgh –- “to collect royalties and revenues from sales of unapproved Roethlisberger materials.” Roethlisberger’s agent Leigh Steinberg has Baltimore-based attorney Michael Freedman “on the lookout for infringements.” Freedman: “Hopefully [retailers] sell lots of (unapproved) Roethlisberger shirts for Christmas, because we plan to get paid.” Freedman noted that an official Roethlisberger item “should bear his signature, picture and the manufacturer’s tag of the three licensed producers: Fanatics Only, Reebok or NFL Players.” Freedman said that “all but one” of the merchants “have cooperated with his requests to cease sales” of unauthorized merchandise. Finder notes that if the stores “do not want to destroy or return the unlicensed materials to their distributors, they have been allowed to continue to sell their inventory and then pay royalties” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 12/23).

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h58
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Baseball's hot stove is heating up with a flurry of rumors and gossip. To keep you up to date, we've created a special edition of Hot Stove Truth and Rumors.

Moises Alou will join his dad in San Francisco and become part of the oldest outfield in the majors. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Armed with a "very substantial offer," letters from some of Houston's top civic leaders, a video presentation and a book outlining the virtues of Houston living, Astros owner Drayton McLane gave his recruiting speech to All-Star center fielder Carlos Beltran for two hours Wednesday. Although the Astros declined to divulge the offer, industry sources say Beltran's price topped $16 million per year based on the offers he has received and the current market. It is clear the Astros offered at least a six-year, $96 million deal.
-- Houston Chronicle

Mets GM Omar Minaya wants to bid, and bid aggressively for Beltran. Perhaps the Mets could actually steal Beltran from the Yankees when the overall expectation in the sport is that Beltran will wind up in The Bronx.
-- New York Post

The Cubs also have not scheduled a sit-down with Beltran. The reason is simple: Until they know if moving Sammy Sosa is fantasy or reality, their 2005 budget does not have room for Beltran's big contract. If the Cubs could have Sosa and Beltran in the same outfield, GM Jim Hendry already would have scheduled a meeting with Beltran.
-- Chicago Sun-Times

The Giants have reached an agreement with free-agent outfielder Moises Alou on a two-year contract that will not be finalized until he passes a physical on Monday. The second year of the contract is a player option. Alou would shift from left field to right and join Barry Bonds and Marquis Grissom in one of oldest outfields in major-league history. The 38-year-old outfielder also received offers from the Dodgers, Mets and Astros and will take less money to play for his father, Felipe. Alou would provide the potent right-handed bat his father declared the Giants needed to hit behind Bonds.
-- San Francisco Chronicle

It is more likely that Randy Johnson will join the Yankees before long. A friend described Johnson yesterday as frustrated that a deal had not been completed between the Yanks and Diamonbacks but confident that it would be, because both teams want to make the trade.
-- New York Times

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h55
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2004 In Review: Top-Selling Merchandise Items

As we prepare to bring ’04 to a close, THE DAILY this week is presenting several top ten charts for the year. Today, we offer the year’s top-selling merchandise items through December 12, according to SportScanINFO. Please see the media section for the top-grossing sports movies, and the facilities section for naming-rights deals signed this year. Note: The dual listing of a Yankees Authentic Game Cap represents two different products (SportsBusiness Journal Research).

RK	MANUFACTURER	ITEM	UNITS
1)	New Era	Yankees Authentic Game Cap	612,369
2)	Steiner Sports	Acrylic Baseball Cube	538,503
3)	Basset Hound	Red Sox World Series T-Shirt	522,598
4)	New Era	Red Sox World Series Cap	520,731
5)	New Era	Yankees Authentic Game Cap	408,782
6)	Twins Ent.	Yankees Headwear	360,814
7)	Twins Ent.	Red Sox Cap	293,246
8)	For Bare Feet	NBA Logoman Headband (White)	281,572
9)	For Bare Feet	NBA Logoman Headband (RWB)	261,345
10)	Twins Ent.	Yankees Washed Pink Cap	259,101

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h54
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Headed Down Court: ESPN And TNT NBA Ratings Down So Far

TNT's NBA Coverage Has Lost 12% Of Its Viewership So Far This Season

TNT’s NBA coverage is down 12% in total viewers so far this season, and ESPN has slipped 7%, according to John Dempsey of DAILY VARIETY. TNT is down 15% in men 18-49, “the demographic targeted by the net,” and has fallen 11% in men 18-34. ESPN is down 14% among men 18-49 and 6% in men 18-34. Sports Business Group President David Carter said the November 19 Pacers-Pistons brawl “is a symbol of the perception that the league is headed in the wrong direction. It’s part of the whole in-your-face presentation of players who embrace edginess and arrogance, cover their arms with tattoos and thump their chests after every slam-dunk.” But Dempsey notes ESPN and TNT are “counting on a boost in the numbers as the playoff races start to heat up in January and February”

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h53
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Cable Ratings Top Over-The-Air For Third Straight Year

Panthers-Falcons Part Of Successful Ratings Week For ESPN

Ad-supported cable this year through December 19 earned a record-high 52.7 primetime share, compared to the seven broadcast networks which saw their share earn an all-time low of 43.1, meaning basic cable will top broadcast networks for the third straight year, according to Nielsen Media Research data cited by Mike Reynolds of MULTICHANNEL NEWS. Meanwhile, for the week of December 13-19, ESPN registered the highest among cable nets, averaging a 2.8 Nielsen rating after earning a 9.5 for Ravens-Colts on December 19. The game’s 8.4 million viewers was the sixth-largest audience in cable’s history and ESPN’s fourth-largest ever. ESPN also garnered a 6.5 for Panthers-Falcons a day earlier (MULTICHANNEL.com, 12/23). The 12.1 million viewers who tuned in for Ravens-Colts topped all cable programs for the week. Panthers-Falcons was second with 7.6 million viewers (USA TODAY, 12/23).

IT’S NOT TV, IT’S RICH TV: HBO this year will become the first TV network in history to net $1B in profit, and Sanford Bernstein senior analyst Tom Wolzien said that the “only network that may be close to the billion-dollar benchmark is ESPN.” Kagan Research found that ESPN will post revenues this year of $2.4B, and ESPN’s four main networks will jointly sell over $1.25B in advertising in ’04. ESPN will post $770M in cash flow this year, while ESPN2 will add another $105M (John Dempsey, DAILY VARIETY, 12/23).

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h52
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Churchill Downs Partnering With Magna In European Simulcasts

CDI And Magna Partner To Simulcast Races Into European Nations

Churchill Downs is partnering rival Magna Entertainment Corp. (MEC) to “bring simulcasts of U.S. horse races to European countries,” according to Robert Schoenberger of the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL. The races form 18 U.S. tracks will be carried by a Magna subsidiary in Austria. Churchill Downs Simulcast Network President Karl Schmitt said that Congress’ revocation of laws placing a 30% tax on winnings of some foreign nationals on U.S. horse races “made the new venture attractive.” Schmitt added that Magna “offered a ready-built system for carrying races,” and the deal “gives both companies a better chance to attract new bettors.” Referring to the Preakness Stakes, Arlington Million, Santa Anita Derby and other events, MEC President & CEO Jim McAlpine said of the deal, “While we don't anticipate a material financial impact in the immediate future, we do expect European race fans to welcome a product that will feature such world-class events.” Schoenberger notes the European partnership “could be the first step to Magna/Churchill partnerships in other markets.” and Schmitt said that Asia is a “likely market because of the popularity of racing” (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 12/23).

MORE ON MAGNA: Youbet.com has signed an agreement with MEC that gives Youbet customers live video and wagering access to all of the horse races staged at Magna tracks in ’05. The agreement means that Youbet will once again carry content from the ten tracks Magna owns and operates outside of California (Youbet.com).

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2004 In Review: Top-Grossing Sports Movies

As we prepare to bring ’04 to a close, THE DAILY this week is presenting several charts for the year. The chart below shows this year’s top-grossing sports movies through December 19, according to The Movie Times (SportsBusiness Journal Research).

RK (Overall)	MOVIE	RELEASE DATE	TOTAL GROSS	STUDIO
16)	DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story	6/18	$114.24M	Fox
41)	Miracle	2/6	$64.33M	Buena Vista
43)	Friday Night Lights	10/8	$61.11M	Universal
94)	NASCAR: The IMAX Experience	3/12	$19.46M	Warner Bros.
104)	Wimbledon	11/17	$16.83M	Universal
143)	Against the Ropes	2/20	$5.86M	Paramount
162)	Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius	4/30	$2.54M	Franchise
234)	Still, We Believe: The Boston Red Sox Movie	5/7	$350,000	ThinkFilm

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American Michelle Gorgone rides the edge of her snowboard during a Parallel Giant Slalom competition.

Kobe Bryant lays up a shot against the Wizards.

Tony Amonte (11) tries to slip one past Polish goaltender Tomasz Jaworski.

The Rockets' Dikembe Mutombo (left) and Juwan Howard provide some tough defense.

The Jets' Jerald Sowell on the loose against the Seahawks.

Duke's J.J. Redick dishes off against the Sooners.

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NHL Face-Off, Day 99: Bettman Schedules BOG Meeting Jan. 14

Without CBA By January 14, Stanley Cup May Not Be Up For Grabs This Season

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has scheduled a BOG meeting for January 14 and may “use the occasion to announce the cancellation of the 2004-05 season,” according to David Shoalts of the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL. The meeting is “not expected to produce any dramatic new proposals to end the lockout.” NHL Exec VP & CLO Bill Daly: “I do not believe we will be divulging the nature of our agenda. There has been no change in our position that we will not be announcing a drop-dead date on the season.” Shoalts notes one topic of discussion “may be the distribution of money from [the owners’] lockout fund, which is said to be more than [US$300M]. At least 23 of the NHL’s 30 clubs have hefty bank loans [which mostly] were taken out to cover the purchase of a franchise and/or to build a new arena.” A source said that to date, the NHL “has not been handing out large amounts from the fund” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 12/23).

DROP DEAD TIME? In Ft. Lauderdale, Michael Russo cites two league sources as saying that if a new CBA is not reached by January 14, the NHL BOG is “expected to recommend to [Bettman] that the season be canceled.” More Daly: “I would hope we would have some serious negotiations between now and Jan. 14, but I’m not singularly in control of that process so we’ll have to see how that plays out” (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 12/23). In L.A., Helene Elliott writes the meeting “might be a ploy by the NHL to pressure the union into thinking cancellation is imminent, and therefore elicit concessions from players.” Bettman has the authority to cancel the season without BOG approval, but he would “probably talk to governors before taking that step and gauge the reaction of clubs that are generally profitable and might want to play a short schedule” (L.A. TIMES, 12/23). In N.Y., Sherry Ross notes the announcement of the meeting “comes at a time when there had been growing rumors that some owners were going to push for a new counterproposal from the NHL in order to salvage the season” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/23).

UNION: The NHLPA has no plans to resume negotiations, and Lightning C & player rep Tim Taylor said, “It’s been quiet this week, and we’re just waiting to see if (the owners) come back with anything new. I expect that we might hear something soon, after we get past Christmas, and it should really start to heat up once we get past New Year’s Day” (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 12/23).

BOOK ‘EM: In Newark, Matthew Futterman reports the NJSEA is “already planning on not having any hockey games this season and is looking for other events” at Continental Airlines Arena. NJSEA President & CEO George Zoffinger: “We’ve started booking the whole year. We don’t see any reason why we need to hold dates any longer.” Futterman writes Devils President, CEO & GM Lou Lamoriello “is aware of the [NJSEA’s] plan and has not objected” (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 12/23).

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NBA Appealing Arbitrator’s O’Neal Ruling In Federal Court

NBA Takes The Court To Challenge Arbitrator’s Decision

Arbitrator Roger Kaplan Wednesday reduced Pacers F Jermaine O’Neal’s suspension stemming from the November 19 Pacers-Pistons brawl to 15 games from 25, while upholding the season-long suspension of Pacers F Ron Artest and the 30-game suspension of Pacers F Stephen Jackson. In N.Y., Liz Robbins reports the NBA will challenge the ruling this morning in U.S. District Court, maintaining that Kaplan “has no jurisdiction to rule on the matter.” If Judge George Daniels upholds Kaplan’s ruling, O’Neal would be eligible to play beginning with Saturday’s Pistons-Pacers game. Kaplan ruled that O’Neal’s actions were “out of character and his earlier behavior was ‘vastly different than Artest’s.’” Kaplan: “His career in the NBA has been a positive one. He is the recipient of a couple of awards, attesting to his character, community involvement and citizenship.” NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter said, “We’re extremely pleased that Jermaine will have the opportunity to play, although we respectfully disagree with the decision on the other three players. We are also pleased that the arbitrator has affirmed the right of players to appeal disciplinary measures” (N.Y. TIMES, 12/23).

LEAGUE REAX: In response to the ruling, NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik issued a statement saying, “The operative language of our [CBA] provides that any dispute involving a suspension imposed upon a player ‘for conduct on the playing court’ may be appealed only to the Commissioner and not to an arbitrator. As a result, we have consistently maintained that the arbitrator has no legitimate role in this matter. While we obviously agree with Mr. Kaplan’s decision upholding virtually all of the suspensions, we don’t agree with his conclusion that the conduct did not occur on the playing court, and we have no choice other than to challenge it in federal court” (NBA). Mavericks coach Don Nelson, on the ruling: “The commissioner decides punishment for on-court problems, period. It’s in the [CBA].” Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban added that the appeal by the NBPA “was more of a ploy and that the NBA never had any intentions of abiding by any decision from an arbitrator” (Eddie Sefko, DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/23).

POWER FORWARD: ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, on whether Stern could look at the case again following Kaplan’s decision: “By doing so, what you’re doing is insinuating that the arbitrator should have been heard to begin with, thus limiting or minimizing your power as commissioner of the NBA. David Stern is not about to do that. That’s why they will both be in Federal Court (today) because ... he knows it is something that could be used as a tool by the (NBPA) in the impending (CBA) talks” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 12/22).

A ROOTING INTEREST? On Long Island, Anthony Rieber writes if the ruling is upheld and O’Neal plays Saturday, “that would be a Merry Christmas” for ESPN, which is televising the Pistons-Pacers rematch (NEWSDAY, 12/23).

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One-Two-Three: A Trio Of MLB Franchise Notes

McClatchy Claims That Pirates' Final Decisions Go Through Him

Pirates Managing General Partner Kevin McClatchy, in the final part of a two-part interview with Dejan Kovacevic of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, said of speculation that co-Owner G. Ogden Nutting and his son, BOD member Robert Nutting, have taken control of the team: “I am clearly running the franchise. I am the managing general partner, which is the control person for a [MLB] franchise. ... They are involved, but they’re not making the decision at the final point. I’ve got to make that decision. I’m responsible” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 12/23).

BEANE BALL: ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian, on smaller-market MLB teams having to trade players before they become free agents because of an inability to resign them in the open market: “Baseball cares, but baseball hasn’t done enough to address the issue. ... They tried in the last basic agreement, and they’re going to have to try a lot harder in the next basic agreement to make sure teams like the A’s don’t have to trade ... two of their best players [Ps Mike Mulder and Tim Hudson]” (ESPNews, 12/22).

CUBS: Former Cubs Assistant Trainer Sandy Krum has filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court claiming he was “wrongfully terminated in retaliation for whistle-blowing on a fellow employee.” Krum, who is seeking over $100,000 from the team, said that he was fired at the end of this past season because he informed Cubs VP & GM Jim Hendry in mid-August that former Cubs Head Trainer Dave Groeschner “was operating without an Illinois license.” Groeschner was fired at the end of the season for unspecified reasons. Hendry in a statement said, “We have not seen any claim from Mr. Krum and so cannot comment further” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/23).

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Jets Stadium Opponents File Suit; Giants Continue NJ Talks

Opponents File MSG-Backed Lawsuit Against Jets Over “Push Poll”

Opponents of the proposed West Side stadium for the Jets Wednesday filed a lawsuit claiming the team “conspired with the city” and the Metropolitan Transit Authority to conduct a “‘push poll’ to mislead the public about” the stadium’s impact on traffic, according to Michael Saul of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. “Push” questions are phrased to “subtly influence – rather than gauge – public opinion.” The lawsuit, which is being paid for by MSG, cites an April 16 e-mail message in which Jets VP/Development Thad Sheely wrote he “made a few changes in the order of the ‘push’ questions for the inveterate drivers.” N.Y. Mayor Michael Bloomberg spokesperson Jennifer Falk said, “The survey questions were reviewed and approved by a professional survey consultant and were appropriate. In any event, the so-called ‘push questions’ – a term used by the Jets, not the city –- were not relied upon in the analysis” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/23). Falk called the lawsuit “another ill-disguised and frivolous attempt by Cablevision to rehash their earlier baseless allegations” (NEWSDAY, 12/23).

GIANTS: NEWSDAY’s Bob Glauber reports acting New Jersey Gov. Richard Codey met with Giants execs Wednesday to continue discussions about a proposed $700M stadium to be built adjacent to Giants Stadium. An official familiar with the meeting, in reference to the West Side proposal, said, “There’s no public money involved in this. That’s unlike a certain other NFL team in a certain NFL city that’s talking about figures that are astronomically higher than what this is about. There’s a significant contrast there” (NEWSDAY, 12/23). In Newark, Politi & Futterman report Codey “will not accept any deal that does not include rent payments from the Giants.” While the team has proposed paying only $1 a year to the state as rent, two Giants sources said that the team “is willing to move” on the issue (STAR-LEDGER, 12/23).

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2004 In Review: New Facility Naming-Rights Deals

As we prepare to bring ’04 to a close, THE DAILY this week is presenting several charts for the year. The chart below details new facility naming-rights deals signed this year.

FACILITY	RIGHTS HOLDER	PRICE	LENGTH (in years)	TENANT(S)
Bank of America Stadium	Bank of America	$140M	20	NFL Panthers, Continental Tire Bowl
Qwest Field	Qwest Communications	$60-100M	15-20	Seahawks, A-League Seattle Sounders
Monster Field	Monster Cable Products Inc.	$6M	4	49ers
Ameriquest Field at Arlington	Ameriquest Mortgage	$75M	30	MLB Rangers
Busch Stadium	Anheuser-Busch Cos.	unknown	20	MLB Cardinals

NOTES: Seven of the 23 naming-rights deals signed in ‘04 were from companies in the financial services sector. Three came from telecom. Again showing the volatility in the naming-rights market, four companies that signed deals in ‘04 were replacing a different company name on the building. There are still 44 existing or planned MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, MLS or WNBA venues that do not have a corporate name.

MINOR LEAGUE: Nine companies pledged a total of nearly $30M for naming rights to minor league stadiums while eight companies pledged a total of more than $25M for naming rights to minor league arenas.

SERVED QUICKLY: ES-O-EN Corp., which owns 56 Taco Bells in Idaho, Utah and Oregon, inked a $4M, 15-year deal with Boise State Univ. to put the Taco Bell brand on the school’s arena. Taco Bell joined Papa John’s as the only QSR in the U.S. to have its name on a sports facility.

SCHOOL DAZE: Texas-based Trinity Mother Frances Health System became at least the fifth company to put their name on a high school sports facility, signing a 12-year, $1.92M deal with the Tyler Independent School District to name their new football stadium Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium (SportsBusiness Journal Research).

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Facility Notes

In Indianapolis, Kristen Leigh Porter reports “a light green tarp attached to metal poles bracketed into concrete walls” now covers the visiting team's court entrance at Conseco Fieldhouse. A light gray tarp covers the Pacers' entrance. The coverings “come in the wake of a league mandate precipitated” by the November 19 brawl at the Pacers-Pistons game. The tarps are part of a three-game test (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 12/23).

REPAIR: In K.C., Benita Williams reports Jackson County (MO) Sports Complex Authority commissioners this week voted to ask the Chiefs and Royals to push back for two years repairs at Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums that must take place by December 31, 2006, to honor their leases. The delay would “give the county time to address proposals to meet the teams' long-term needs, including a sales tax.” Royals Senior VP/Business Operations Mark Gorris said that while some projects can be put off, various technology upgrades — including some to the video board — “must occur sooner for the ballclub to compete with other teams.” Gorris: “We want to do what's in the best interest of the community. We've been flexible (about the repairs) in the past, but at the same time we want to make sure we can compete. That's what our fans really want” (K.C. STAR, 12/23).

RENOVATE: In DC, Jim McElhatton reports Turner Construction has been awarded an $18.4M contract to renovate RFK Stadium to accommodate the Nationals. Turner won the project over four other finalists. It was “not clear” if Turner was the low bidder. DC Sports & Entertainment Commission CEO Allen Lew said, “It wasn't a question of low bidder. It was a question of their experience and familiarity with the building” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 12/23).

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Weiberg Questions AP’s Accusations; Columnists Applaud Move

AP Pulling Poll Came As No Surprise To Weiberg

Big 12 Commissioner & BCS Coordinator Kevin Weiberg “disputed an AP assertion of ‘unauthorized and unlawful’ use of the poll over the BCS’ seven-season history and expressed disappointment” in the AP for the “tone of its letter announcing the withdrawal from the BCS formula,” according to Thomas O’Toole of USA TODAY. Weiberg: “We strongly deny allegations that we used the poll in an unauthorized manner. I feel like there has been a lot of communication over the seven-year period. I was not surprised by the notion that the Associated Press might decide it did not want to have its poll included. But I certainly was surprised by the method of communicating to us” (USA TODAY, 12/23).

BETTER OFF DEAD? American Football Coaches Association Exec Dir Grant Teaff, whose group handles the USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll, said, “The BCS may decide not to keep the coaches poll and that’s their prerogative, but our position hasn’t changed. The reason we got involved seven years ago is because our coaches didn’t think the mythical champion was satisfactory. The system we have is better than the system we had. This system is still the best we’ve ever had.” Big East Commissioner and former BCS Coordinator Mike Tranghese said that the formula’s “problems don’t mean the BCS is going away.” Tranghese: “We’re not heading toward a playoff. We’re just going to have to put our heads together and come up with an alternative way of picking teams for the 1-2 game” (Marcus Nelson, PALM BEACH POST, 12/23).

COLUMNIST REAX: In N.Y., William Rhoden writes, “I applaud the AP because the news media should not be actively involved in the bowl business. Or, for that matter, the business of determining the most valuable player of a game, of a tournament, of a series. This is also the policy of The New York Times, which does not allow reporters to vote for awards and honors” (N.Y. TIMES, 12/23). The N.Y. Times cited its editorial policy in removing itself as one of the computer polls in the BCS rankings in June (THE DAILY). USA TODAY’s Christine Brennan: “The AP’s strong decision to dump the BCS is the best thing that could have happened to college football. Perhaps it will force the BCS to re-evaluate the havoc it has wreaked on a game so many of us love” (USA TODAY, 12/23). In DC, Michael Wilbon: “Finally somebody closely associated with big-time college football has stood up to the powers-that-be and said, ‘This stinks, and I don’t want to be a part of it any longer.’ Good for the AP for showing some guts — something the college presidents as a group have never demonstrated when it comes to Division I-A football” (WASHINGTON POST, 12/23). In Phoenix, Mark Faller writes, “The very existence of an AP poll begs the question of whether the AP and its member newspapers ... is truly being impartial. ... It puts each news organization with a vote in the awkward position of helping to make news” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 12/23).

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Wayne Embry’s Book Takes Shots At Commissioner And Others

In his new book, “THE INSIDE GAME: RACE, POWER AND POLITICS IN THE NBA,” written with MARY SCHMITT BOYER of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, basketball HOFer and former NBA GM WAYNE EMBRY “fires some verbal darts” at NBA Commissioner DAVID STERN and Mavericks coach DON NELSON, among others, according to Kerry Eggers of the PORTLAND TRIBUNE. Embry “accuses Nelson of racially prejudiced remarks.” Nelson’s response to Embry’s charges, through Mavs reps, was, “I’m not going to go there.” Embry, who served on the NBA BOG and competition committee, also served on a panel to address “problems of the NBA game in the late ’90s.” Embry says he “proposed inviting a social scientist to the meeting to give a refresher course in sociology and got a cold response from Stern.” At a competition committee meeting soon after, Embry “raised his hand as the commissioner was speaking. Stern stopped in midsentence and said, ‘Here goes Wayne, picking on me again.’” Embry writes that, a few minutes later, Stern said to him, “Wayne, you should think about retiring.” Writes Embry: “I knew my days in the NBA were numbered. He controlled so much that happened in his NBA, and I had the feeling he did not like to be questioned about how the league was run.” Stern had no comment on Embry’s charges, but said, “Wayne is great for the league”

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Whether they came on the scene and left in a flash, or stayed in the spotlight for the entire year, the following list — in alphabetical order — presents ten notable newsmakers from ’04.

Kobe Went From A-List Marketer To One Of Most Despised Athletes In ‘04

KOBE BRYANT: The fall from grace of one of the most marketable players in the NBA continued in ‘04. Criminal rape charges were dropped, but Bryant still faces a civil lawsuit. Outside the courthouse and on the court, Bryant squabbled with coach Phil Jackson, and his infighting with Shaq helped send O’Neal to Miami. Late in the year, a feud with Karl Malone went public and further hurt Bryant’s reputation.

BRIAN FRANCE: All eyes were on the son of Bill France Jr. as he took over NASCAR at the start of the season. The 42-year-old has proven to be aggressive and progressive in bringing change to NASCAR and earned solid marks in his rookie year at the helm of America’s top racing circuit.

MALCOLM GLAZER: The owner of the Buccaneers seemed to use each month of ‘04 as an opportunity to boost his stake in British soccer club Manchester United. And each new deal brought increased uproar across the pond among fans intent on blocking any takeover attempt.

BOB JOHNSON: It was a busy year for one of the NBA’s newest owners. He created a brand, a team identity and a regional sports network, and has a new downtown arena being built on schedule and on budget. His NBA colleagues are watching closely to see if one of the top minds in media and marketing can use his talents successfully in Charlotte, a market soured on the NBA.

SMARTY JONES: He came up a few lengths short of winning the Triple Crown, but Smarty Jones still left the horse racing industry abuzz. Before being retired and put out to stud, Smarty had earned $7.6M in just nine career starts. Not exactly horse feed.

PHIL KNIGHT: Announced in November that he will step aside at year-end and turn the job of President & CEO over to WILLIAM PEREZ, who has spent most of his career hawking such brands as Raid and Windex.

LARRY LUCCHINO: The CEO of the Red Sox made headlines throughout the year, from his vision behind the opening of Petco Park in San Diego, to his aggressiveness in expanding the Red Sox’ off-the-field business, to his role in finally bringing a World Series championship to Boston after 86 years. He’s smart and tough, and everyone seems to be keeping an eye on him.

MICHAEL PHELPS: Phelps lived up to the hype by winning six Gold and two Bronze Medals in Athens, bringing a sigh of relief from sponsors that had spent big figuring the swimmer would make a huge splash. The same sponsors stayed loyal to him after he was charged with DUI in November.

A-ROD: George Steinbrenner unloaded $100M in cash to make Alex Rodriguez a Yankee. Still, it was a few dollars short of earning a trip to the World Series.

SPIDER-MAN: Spiders do sometimes get entangled in their own webs. The superhero was stung by public outcry from fans who didn’t want to see “Spider-Man 2” plugged on MLB diamonds (THE DAILY).

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As we sign off for ‘04, we leave you with some of the more memorable, meaningful or just plain funny quotes from our “Quote of the Day” selections from over the past year. The date reflects when the quote appeared in the attributed publication. Enjoy.

“What now? That’s a great question.”
— NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, after the league and union rejected the latest round of proposals (THE DAILY, 12/15).

“I’m here to talk to any and all powers. We’ll make them an offer they can’t refuse.”
-- Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, on speaking with execs at MLB’s winter meetings in Anaheim about the city’s desire to land an MLB team (PALM BEACH POST, 12/12).

“Nothing’s going to change. The owners are making too much money off guys hitting home runs and the players are making too much money off home runs.”
— Former MLBer Mark Grace, on the steroids controversy (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 12/3).

“I don’t think anybody will ever spend this kind of money on a sports team ever again.”
— N.Y. Daily News columnist Mike Lupica, on Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner (ESPN, 11/29).

“Dick’s one of the giants of this industry and an injury to him or his family affects us all.”
— TWI Vice Chair Barry Frank, on Dick Ebersol (USA TODAY, 11/29).

“We’re not trying to sell sex.”
— AEG CMO Shawn Hunter, on 17-year-old Maria Sharapova appearing in ads for the WTA Championships with the text, “The closer you sit, the hotter it gets” (L.A. TIMES, 11/10).

“The folks in Alabama are breathing a sigh of relief tonight.”
— TNT’s Ernie Johnson, on Charles Barkley realizing that he is ineligible to run for governor of Alabama in ’06 because he will not have lived in the state long enough (TNT, 11/2).

“I won’t say what I really think about the genius that started the season on election day since it’s probably the same person that started the season on Halloween in previous years. There’s only a presidential election once every four years. We start on that day. Genius.”
— Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/2). 

“Nobody likes an eight-second ride.”
— The copy in an anti-rodeo poster from PETA, which featured ESPN2 “Cold Pizza” contributor and former Cowboys cheerleader Bonnie-Jill Laflin posing topless and rolling in the hay (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/21).

“Next time we have to put a team together, and stop looking at this as marketing players.”
-- U.S. men’s basketball coach Larry Brown, on the Bronze Medal- winning Olympic men’s basketball team (Portland OREGONIAN, 8/28).

“Hard to believe John’s actually crammed a couple extra logos on his shirt for tonight.”
— ESPN’s Mike Tirico, during the August 2 “Battle at the Bridges,” on John Daly, who wore logos on the front and back of his shirt, and on both sleeves (ESPN2, 8/2).

“When you start talking about 3’s, 4’s and 5’s, it sounds like interest rates, not (rights fees) increases.” — Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, on speculation about the percentage increase for NFL TV rights fees (USA TODAY, 7/23).  

“I didn’t realize that many people read the New York Times!”
— IRL team owner Roger Penske, expressing surprise at the attention received by his first person piece about unifying the IRL and Champ Car World Series (ESPN.com, 6/26).

“I’m probably in the minority, but I would’ve loved to see Mantle on steroids.”
— A man in a NEW YORKER editorial cartoon (NEW YORKER, 6/28 issue).

“While I’m not suggesting that ESPN wants to be without the NFL, they would live without it.”
— Disney President & COO Robert Iger, on ESPN’s NFL rights negotiations (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 6/9).

“The Tampa Bay Lightning didn’t win the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup last night.”
— The first line of a Tampa Tribune editorial the morning after the Lightning defeated the Flames in Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 6/8).

“They were so unwatchable that the last game was the most viewed basketball game in the history of ESPN.”
— NBA Commissioner David Stern, when told by Bob Costas that the games in the Pacers-Pistons Eastern Conference Finals were unwatchable (“On The Record,” HBO, 6/4).

“Baghdad.”
— Former FBI counter-terrorism expert Oliver Revell, when asked whether the IOC could have chosen a worse place than Athens to host this summer’s Olympics (“Real Sports,” HBO, 5/18).

“My fans are drinking Pepsi, not Budweiser. So that clearly puts them in a better decision making position.”
— Jeff Gordon, after Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans threw trash at his car following his controversial win at Talladega on April 25 (MOTORSPORT.com, 4/25).

“Get ESPN to cover it!”
-- AFL Soul co-Owner Jon Bon Jovi, when asked by ESPN’s Mike Greenberg what the AFL has to do next to market itself (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 3/21).

“I’m not rooting for the Blue Devils because I went there. If I root for them it’s because it’s good for ratings and good for CBS.”
— CBS Sports President Sean McManus, when asked if he was rooting for Duke in the NCAA tournament (“Bullseye,” CNBC, 3/18).

“You remember what network you’re working for? You’re working for Fox. Around here NASCAR is a sport.”
— FSN’s Chris Rose to Max Kellerman, who said his new FSN show, “I, Max,” would cover everything except golf, tennis and NASCAR (“BDSSP,” 3/17).

“It’s nice to come up here and be on the side of the angels.”
-- MLB President & COO Bob DuPuy, after a March 10 Senate Commerce Committee hearing on steroids (WASHINGTON POST, 3/11).

“I’m still waiting to be convinced about NASCAR. I don’t think you can see the logo at 120 miles per hour.”
— Monster Worldwide Founder, Chair & CEO Jeff Taylor, on the viability of motorsports sponsorships (THE DAILY, 3/4).

“Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball. They could, for example, have tighter shorts.”
— FIFA President Sepp Blatter, on what female soccer players could do to increase the popularity of the game (Manchester GUARDIAN, 1/16).

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THE DAILY and SportsBusiness Journal asked various people in the industry to offer predictions for the New Year. The following presents some of their answers. For more predictions, as well as what issues will be on their radar screen in ’05, see Monday’s issue of SBJ.

STEROIDS: Sports Illustrated CMO JEFF PRICE: “Congress legislates change in the MLB steroid policy, institutes revolutionary law that players can’t use them.” Genesco Sports Enterprises co-Founder JOHN TATUM added, “I believe 2005 will be a challenging year for the sports business in terms of public relations. Right now, we are only seeing the tip of the performance-enhancing drug issue and I believe there will be many more revelations in 2005 about illegal substance abuse.” HBO Sports President ROSS GREENBURG said MLB “will rid themselves of the Barry Bonds home run fiasco by throwing his statistics out a window.”

NFL RIGHTS: HBO’s Greenburg: “The NFL will complete their negotiations with ABC and ESPN with yet another hefty 30-35% increase for Sunday and Monday night. The Thursday and Saturday package will be a race between Time Warner and NBC Universal, significant rights fee attached. Meanwhile, Major League Baseball will also look to shake up their network and cable deals and will enjoy yet another year of ratings success and prosperity.” Alan Taylor Communications CEO & Managing Partner TONY SIGNORE said, “ABC walks away from ‘MNF’ after 35 years. NBC gets back into the NFL.” Also, “NASCAR’s marketing appeal grows in key global markets in Europe and South America.”

MORE PREDICTIONS: Visa Senior VP/Event & Sponsorship Marketing MICHAEL LYNCH: “PETER UEBERROTH and DAN DOCTOROFF will work their magic and give New York City a serious run for the 2012 Games against Paris and London.” Also, “‘Branded integration’ explosion in sports media given TiVo, audience fragmentation, etc.”....Relay Sports & Event Marketing CEO WALLY HAYWARD: “Smaller clients and brands will turn to sponsorship and event marketing strategies versus traditional advertising methods to stand out against their competition.”....OLN President GAVIN HARVEY: “Advertisers and audiences rediscover winter sports as the U.S. Ski Team, led by Bode Miller, soars to its best performance in more than 20 years.” Also, “More advertisers experiment with sponsorships in the video-on-demand environment.”....SGMA Int’l Exec VP TOM COVE: “With a more mature market controlling more than 40% of the disposable income in the United States, we are looking for more people spending more money to stay more fit. Looking forward, we see things like home gyms being sold at Home Depot, physicians writing prescriptions for exercise, corporate tax breaks for companies that promote physical activity, and the return of mandatory phys ed in schools.”....BBDO, N.Y., Exec Creative Dir JIMMY SMITH: “The Eagles win the Super Bowl” (Editors’ note: Smith’s prediction came before the injury to TERRELL OWENS).

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Names In The News

In Atlanta, Michelle Hiskey reports the FALCONS lead the NFL “in how much they contribute to their community, most of it to benefit children.” The team donated over $2M this year and also led the league with about 700 player appearances and eight nonprofit foundations started by athletes and coaches. The club also has the “largest staff devoted to community work” with seven full-time employees (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 12/23).

EARLY CALL: In Boston, gossip columnists Fee & Raposa report the PROVIDENCE JOURNAL “had a DEWEY Defeats TRUMAN-like snafu Tuesday,” declaring the PATRIOTS the victors over the DOLPHINS in the paper’s first two editions, despite the Dolphins winning the game late 29-28. The headline over the game story read, “Pats Stay The Course,” with the subhead, “New England Handles Miami, Keeps Pace With Pittsburgh” (BOSTON HERALD, 12/23).

Couple Reportedly To Wed While In Mexico

NAMES: “Page Six” reports Viacom co-President & co-COO LES MOONVES and CBS “Early Show” anchor JULIE CHEN are “heading to Mexico this weekend to get married” (N.Y. POST, 12/23)....THE MARKETING ARM’s MILLSPORT group won “Partner of the Year” honors at FRITO LAY’s ’04 SALTY AWARDS. Millsport was recognized for its work on two programs – the LAY’S CHALLENGE, an event-marketing program, and the LAY’S TOUCHDOWN DANCE, a retail and consumer promotion that culminated at the Super Bowl in Houston (The Marketing Arm).

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2004 In Review: The Year’s Top Ten Sports Business Stories

The following presents a list of the top sports business stories of ‘04 as selected by the editors of THE DAILY and SportsBusiness Journal. See Monday’s issue of SBJ for more on the impact each item had and continues to have on the industry.

RK	STORY
1)	Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl flash
2)	NFL moves the TV needle, again, netting billions
3)	Lockout puts the NHL on ice
4)	The Red Sox: A story for the ages
5)	Meltdown in Detroit results in NBA brawl
6)	The Expos finally find a new home
7)	BALCO impacts integrity of almost all sports
8)	Turnaround artist Ted Forstmann buys IMG
9)	Nextel and the changing face of NASCAR
10)	Athens Games generate a trove of headlines

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UEFA President Lennart Johansson has insisted that sporting and ethical values must continue to take priority over financial interests in football.

Selfish attitudes
In his traditional Christmas message, published in the latest edition of the official UEFA publication uefadirect, Mr Johansson said such values needed to be upheld although, as he said, "This is not easy in a world where selfish attitudes seem to be replacing traditional values." Football, he emphasised, "is much more than a game.

Open UEFA
"Dialogue and consultation are essential working tools for a democratic organisation such as ours, allowing everyone to be heard and to defend their own interests," Mr Johansson said. "That is why UEFA has opened up fully to all components of the game through committees, panels and other bodies. In doing so, the idea is not to abandon the traditional 'pyramid' structure on which UEFA was founded, as this is clearly the best way to keep global interests to the fore," he added.

EURO highlight
Mr Johansson looked back on UEFA's Jubilee year with considerable affection - in particular the UEFA EURO 2004™ final round in Portugal during the summer. "What I remember is the incredible atmosphere that pervaded Portugal for over a month," the UEFA President said. "Everywhere you went there were decorated houses, flags flying people singing and entire families in the street sharing their joy and excitement.

Timely reminder
"In the year when UEFA celebrated its Golden Jubilee, EURO 2004™ was a most timely reminder of football's broad appeal and social importance, demonstrating that it is much more than a game," he added. "And for those of us in the driving seat, EURO 2004™ was also an extraordinary sign of encouragement for our task to accomplish UEFA's core mission of promoting football and safeguarding its values and interests."

2004 initiatives
The UEFA President highlighted a number of initiatives taken up during 2004. "We have introduced a club licensing system designed to improve infrastructure and the standard of football in general," he said. "We have also set up an assistance programme intended to strengthen the national associations and to help them better perform their centralising and regulatory role.

EU dialogue
"Dialogue with the European Union authorities has been pursued, resulting in better overall understanding of the importance of football in society and agreement on appropriate ways to promote its collective interests," Mr Johansson continued. "And after extensive consultations with all parties concerned, a new UEFA Cup format has also been introduced."

Football pleasure
Mr Johansson thanked all areas of the European football family for their contribution to football's well-being. "I hope that the powerful images from EURO 2004™ will remain firmly fixed in their minds, to remind them that a game that can give so much pleasure deserves their utmost efforts," he said.

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FC Sochaux-Montbéliard have awarded Moroccan striker Jaouad Zairi and French goalkeeper Teddy Richert two-year contract extensions, keeping both at the French club until 2008.

Regular role
Zairi joined Sochaux from FC Gueugnon in 2001/02, and the 22-year-old, who helped his country to the final of the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, has gradually won a regular first-team role. This season he has appeared 15 times in Ligue 1 and four times in UEFA Cup, scoring three goals overall.

Crucial contribution
Richert, 30, was the hero in April as Sochaux claimed their first trophy since 1938, making a number of important stops as Guy Lacombe's side defeated FC Nantes Atlantique on penalties in the final of the Coupe de Ligue. That victory earned Sochaux a place in the UEFA Cup and, having finished second in Group D, the French outfit next face Greece's Olympiacos CFP in the Round of 32 in February.

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Spain's stunning victory at the FIFA Futsal World Championship finals in Chinese Taipei brought to an end another fantastic year of progress for Futsal in Europe.

Revenge gained
The successful defence of Spain's global title came after a 2-1 final victory against Italy, the team who had beaten them by the same scoreline in last year's UEFA European Futsal Championship semi-finals. All five European contenders made it to the last eight but it was the Spanish who really caught the eye, summed up by Javi Rodríguez being voted the tournament's second best player although the Azzurri could claim the third best in Vinicius Bacaro. Both, however, finished behind top-ranked player, Brazilian Falcão.

High hopes
The thrilling climax came after a busy 12 months on the international stage, although the club scene has continued to thrive. With the finals of the European Championship in February there is no sign that the world's fastest growing indoor sport is resting on its laurels. Indeed, at the start of 2004, UEFA Futsal Committee chairman Petr Fousek revealed to uefa.com that the game's leading lights were seeing real progress being made, and not just in terms of the standard of play. "It all bodes well for the future - for the development of the game as a whole, from attendances to attracting sponsors," he said.

Czech finals
Fousek is especially looking forward to the European Championship finals in the Czech Republic, claiming it "promises to be a great competition", especially with Spain and Italy due to meet again in the group stage. In all, 33 nations entered this year, but only eight would make it. After a preliminary stage, the qualifying round was held between 27 January and 1 February.

Potential shown
While the leading nations were predictable qualifiers, the achievement of the Netherlands and Hungary in reaching the finals was particularly notable. And, although they did not win through, teams like Slovenia, Belarus and Bosnia-Herzegovina also showed their potential. However, proof of the élite's dominance was underlined earlier in the year when Italy's Adriano Foglia was voted the world's best.

Dramatic ending
In the 2003/04 UEFA Futsal Cup, defending champions Playas de Castellón FS were aiming for a hat-trick of titles but were to find domestic rivals Boomerang Interviú FS in their way in the second qualifying round. The two met in a decisive match on 21 March. Needing just a draw to progress, Boomerang were 2-1 down as the game entered its final minute. However, with 25 seconds remaining, Javi Limones scored a dramatic, and decisive, equaliser.

Final class
Boomerang did not look back and were unstoppable in the final against SL Benfica, also making their first appearance at this stage following the elimination of two-times previous finalists, Action 21 Charleroi. After two thrilling legs, on 24 April and 1 May, Boomerang's 7-5 aggregate success ensured a third consecutive Spanish triumph.

Popular event
Qualifying began for the 2004/05 UEFA Futsal Cup in September, with a preliminary round required due to the increased numbers taking part. The following month, the 31 remaining sides took part in the first qualifying round, and unsurprisingly defending champions Boomerang were among the eight winners who will compete at the next stage in March.

Coming together
Before that will come the European Championship finals in Ostrava, during which a special Futsal workshop will be staged where representatives of the 18 European countries that have no national team as yet, will be present. With some of the finest Futsal minds from across the continent also involved, the two-day event will do much to increase the game's profile.

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Estonia coach Jelle Goes has been given an extended contract until November 2005 after impressing since his appointment as caretaker of the national team in October.

Thanks offered
The 34-year-old first took charge for two FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, the 2-2 away draw against Latvia and the 4-0 defeat in Russia. "I am happy about the deal," said Goes, who will hope to build on Estonia's seven points from five matches to date in Group 3. "I would like to thank the federation, players and technical staff for their commitment."

Rapid rise
Goes, who began coaching when he was 18, will also have a contract with the Estonian Football Association as technical director of coach education, and has until the end of 2006 to implement and finish the first UEFA Pro coaching course in Estonia. The Dutchman came to Estonia four years ago to work as technical director as well as to coach the Under-21 national team.

Kristal retires
Meanwhile, Estonia's most capped international Marko Kristal has decided to end his playing career after more than 13 years with FC Flora, aside from brief spells in Sweden with Elfsborg IF and Finland with FC Lahti. The 31-year-old midfield player, who has represented his country 142 times, will take over as the Tallinn club's technical director, and will also help to coach youth players.

'Interesting challenge'
"It may seem like a very early retirement, but I have been playing for quite a while," Kristal told uefa.com. "Injuries have troubled me too much. To be honest, I did not have too many interesting offers either and Flora's proposal seemed like a very interesting challenge."

Illustrious company
Kristal lies ninth in the list of the world's most-capped players. He made his international debut in June 1992 against Slovenia and has scored nine goals. In March 2001 at the age of 27, Kristal became the youngest European player to reach 100 international caps, a record previously held by Franz Beckenbauer who achieved the feat as a 30-year-old. Kristal could be set for a grand farewell on 20 April, when Estonia welcome Norway to the A. Le Coq Arena.

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9 March
UEFA's Jubilee celebrations continue apace. Swiss Post unveils and issues a special stamp in commemoration of the European body's 50th birthday.

12 March
The UEFA Champions League continues to go from strength to strength - much to the satisfaction of UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson. Mr Olsson reveals that audience figures are increasing across Europe. "The format from this season was a new approach, and it has already proven to be a success. We have had some exciting matches for the fans in the stadiums, and for those watching on TV. So the UEFA Champions League is a strong brand and a strong product," he says. Mr Olsson adds that the new UEFA club licensing system will "safeguard the long-term development of European football" when it is introduced from the 2004/05 season.

19 March
The UEFA Appeals Body rejects an appeal lodged by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) against the regularity of the UEFA EURO 2004™ second leg play-off match played against Russia in Cardiff in November. The appeal was based on the grounds that Russian player Yegor Titov, was ineligible to play due to his positive doping test after the first leg in Moscow. The Appeals Body bases its decision in particular on the failure by the FAW to present evidence of any implication of the Football Union of Russia in the alleged doping infringement. The body mentions that the relevant UEFA regulations do not provide for a provision under which a team may be punished in the event of one of its players being tested positive.

22 March
The new-style UEFA Cup will feature a central branding concept when it is launched at the start of 2004/05. UEFA's Executive Committee hears at its meeting in Dublin that the central branding concept for the second major European club competition, will apply for an initial period of two years. The competition will not be centrally marketed, unlike the UEFA Champions League.

25 March
Mr Olsson repeats UEFA's insistence that clubs must have sound financial foundations if they want to play in European competitions in the future. Writing in the official UEFA Champions League magazine, Champions, Mr Olsson warns clubs that UEFA would be entitled to exclude from its competitions if they do not fulfil the requirements of the new Europe-wide licensing system. "Too many sides are not planning for the long-term future of the club and think only about the very immediate outlook," Mr Olsson says. "Under our new club-licensing system, clubs will have to prove to their national associations that they have sound finances if they are going to play in European competition. We are determined to be firm about this," he added.

26 March
UEFA's aim of achieving uniformity in refereeing decisions at UEFA EURO 2004™, takes an important step forward. Members of the UEFA management join representatives of the UEFA Referees' Committee, top European referees, coaches and prominent ex-players Zvonimir Boban and Emilio Butragueño, for a round-table discussion focusing on referees' instructions for the final tournament. Talks centre on uniform interpretation of the offside law and when players are deemed to be in active play. Among the other topics are limiting player protests and dissent, punishment to be given for denying goalscoring opportunities, the conduct of coaches and fourth officials in the technical area, goal celebrations, the warming up of substitutes and smoking on the substitutes' bench.

26 March
UEFA and its joint venture company Euro 2004, S.A. win a major court case in the High Court of Justice in London against a firm illegally offering tickets for sale for UEFA EURO 2004™, against the individuals behind it and against their purported sources of tickets. "The order issued by the High Court reflects its acceptance of the lawfulness and importance of the ticketing terms and conditions, and provides a clear legal mandate for UEFA's continuing efforts to stamp out unauthorised and illegal sales of UEFA EURO 2004™ tickets in breach of those conditions," a UEFA statement says. In the order, Select Promotions and its principals are ordered to desist from offering for sale and offering to buy or trade in any way, EURO 2004™ tickets whether via the internet or in any other manner.

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Costa Pereira
Date of birth: 23 December 1929
National team: Portugal
Club: SL Benfica

Alberto da Costa Pereira was one of Portugal's great discoveries in the African colonies. Born in Nacala, Mozambique, he joined Benfica in 1954. He was a tower of strength in their biggest triumphs, though prone to the occasional unpredictable error.

Costa Pereira won seven league titles with Benfica and played in four European Champion Clubs' Cup finals - the victories of 1961 and 1962 and the defeats of 1963 and 1965. In the latter game, against FC Internazionale Milano in the rain in Milan, Costa Pereira was injured early in the game and had to leave the pitch. He played 24 times for Portugal.

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English Premiership strugglers Blackburn Rovers FC have agreed to sign South Africa captain Aaron Mokoena from KRC Genk.

Fee agreed
The versatile 24-year-old has completed a trial successfully and will join for an €850,000 fee in January, subject to being granted a work permit. He first moved to Europe in 1998/99 with Germany's KFC Uerdingen 05 and subsequently played for AFC Ajax before a loan to Belgian side KFC Germinal Ekeren, who then became KFC Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen after a merger, joining Genk in 2003.

Hughes confirms news
Blackburn manager Mark Hughes is planning to make a number of transfer window signings with his side just one point above the relegation zone. "Aaron is the captain of South Africa and can play in central defence or the centre of midfield," Hughes told Blackburn's website. "He has impressed us during training. He is a great athlete with pace, a good organiser, a very vocal character and he will be a good addition. We have agreed a deal with Genk and with the player."

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Middlesbrough FC will be without George Boateng for up to two months as the influential midfield player recovers from a broken toe.

'Major blow'
The 29-year-old sustained the injury in Saturday's 3-0 Premiership victory against former club Aston Villa FC, and is expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks. "It's a major blow," said Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren. "It's going to really test us [over the festive period] with four games in ten days. But each time this team has surprised me and come through and we need them to do that again."

Midfield problems
Boateng joins Spanish international midfield player Gaizka Mendieta, among others, on Middlesbrough's injury list, and McClaren admitted absentees have hit the UEFA Cup contenders hard. "We're very light now," he said. "But we've done it before, we've missed Mendieta and [Ugo] Ehiogu for a long while and others have stepped in.

Imminent returns
"We've got a couple of players coming back," McClaren continued. "Ugo Ehiogu and Malcolm Christie are training again and Stuart Parnaby could be soon." The English side face Grazer AK in the UEFA Cup Round of 32, with Boateng hoping to be fit by the first leg in Austria on 16 February.

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As the cold winter nights draw near, it is nice to be able to bask in the some of the warm memories of UEFA EURO 2004™.

Incredible atmosphere
There are many different moments that spring to mind, beginning with the performances on the field, but what I remember most of all is the incredible atmosphere that pervaded Portugal for over a month. Everywhere you went there were decorated houses, flags flying, people singing and entire families in the street sharing their joy and excitement.

Timely reminder
In the year when UEFA celebrated its Golden Jubilee, EURO 2004 was a most timely reminder of football’s broad appeal and social importance, demonstrating that it is much more than a game. And for those of us in the driving seat, EURO 2004 was also an extraordinary sign of encouragement for our task to accomplish UEFA's core mission of promoting football and safeguarding its values and interests.

Major initiatives
At European level, a number of major initiatives have been taken in this direction. We have introduced a club licensing system designed to improve infrastructure and the standard of football in general. We have also set up an assistance programme intended to strengthen the national associations and to help them better perform their centralising and regulatory role. Dialogue with the European Union authorities has been pursued, resulting in better overall understanding of the importance of football in society and agreement on appropriate ways to promote its collective interests. And after extensive consultations with all parties concerned, a new UEFA Cup format has also been introduced.

Open UEFA
Dialogue and consultation are essential working tools for a democratic organisation such as ours, allowing everyone to be heard and to defend their own interests. That is why UEFA has opened up fully to all components of the game through committees, panels and other bodies. In doing so, the idea is not to abandon the traditional 'pyramid' structure on which UEFA was founded, as this is clearly the best way to keep global interests to the fore and to ultimately ensure that sporting and ethical values always prevail over purely financial considerations. This is not easy in a world where selfish attitudes seem to be replacing traditional values.

Working for unity
As the year comes to a close, I would like to thank everyone – including my colleagues on the Executive Committee, and in the committees, national associations, leagues, clubs and other institutions – who is working to look after the health of the game and especially its unity. I hope that the powerful images from EURO 2004 will remain firmly fixed in their minds, to remind them that a game that can give so much pleasure deserves their utmost efforts.

Happy new year
I would like to end with a personal message. I was very touched by the many kind greetings I received for my 75th birthday. As I will be unable to reply to each individually, I would like to use the occasion of this end-of-year message to thank everybody who expressed their friendship in this way. I wish all of you a happy new year.

Lennart Johansson

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Steven Gerrard has told Liverpool he would be happy to stay at Liverpool for the rest of this season and the next two years.

language=JavaScript> The Anfield captain's exit would signify a major setback for the Merseysiders, who lost Michael Owen to Real Madrid in the summer. The 24-year-old has been linked with Chelsea and Real Madrid, but Gerrard is eager to land a major trophy as skipper of Liverpool and has already resisted the chance to leave this year.

Chelsea looked to be on the brink of signing the England midfielder after Euro 2004, but Gerrard stated at the end of June that he would remain at Anfield for the new Barclays Premiership season. His form has been inspirational since, moving into a more advanced midfield role over recent weeks and stunning goals against Olympiakos and Portsmouth, while also inspiring the victory over Arsenal.

'I'm signed here for this season and another two so there is no situation. There's a lot of speculation in the papers but that's not down to me,' Gerrard told Sky Sports News. 'As club captain all I want to do is help us get back up the table and into the Champions League again. 'To win a trophy as skipper would also be a dream come true.'

Gerrard challenged the club to match his ambition with their summer signings, and although they have suffered badly through injuries, new boss Rafael Benitez has kept the team in with a chance of reaching the Champions League. Should Fernando Morientes join from Real Madrid during the transfer window, then Liverpool would be increasingly confident of finishing in the top four. And Gerrard has urged the Anfield board to dig deep into the club's coffers and sign the Spain international next month.

The Reds are desperate to strengthen their attacking options, after French forward Djibril Cisse suffered a broken leg earlier in the season. Morientes has already expressed a willingness to come to England, while Real have admitted they will listen to offers for the the front man. And Gerrard is convinced the 28-year-old could help their climb up the table, in which Liverpool currently lie sixth. 'He's a great player,' said Gerrard. 'He scores goals in the league, in cup competitions and also the Champions League.'

Morientes has ironically been pushed to the fringes of the Madrid squad following Owen's arrival, improving Liverpool's prospects of securing his signature. 'I don't think he'd be able to play for us in Europe this season, but if we are able to get hold of him, we'd be getting ourselves a great player,' Gerrard added. 'Rafael Benitez knows what he wants and he knows how to strengthen the squad he's got, and if the right players become available at the right price, I'm sure we will strengthen. 'It would certainly be nice to see a few new faces in January to freshen things up.'

Gerrard believes the 36-times capped forward would quickly make his mark on Merseyside. 'He'd have Spanish coaches, a Spanish manager and we've got three or four Spanish players here now so they'll help him settle in,' added Gerrard. 'We've got a great team spirit and I'm sure if he did come, he'd enjoy it.'

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A ginasta gaúcha Daiane dos Santos bateu seu Ford Ká na manhã desta quinta-feira, em Porto Alegre, onde passa as festas de fim de ano com sua família. A colisão foi leve e serviu apenas para amassar a traseira do carro de Daiane, sem produzir vítimas.

Daiane foi homenageada pelo governo do Rio Grande do Sul na última segunda

Não é a primeira vez que Daiane tem problemas com seu carro. Há alguns anos, voltando de uma festa em Curitiba, a atual campeã mundial de solo bateu, também sem maiores conseqüências, e teve seu carro guinchado.

Na manhã desta quinta em Porto Alegre, após o acidente, Daiane não pôde contar com a "invisibilidade" que os vidros com "insulfilm" de seu carro lhe confederem e teve de dar autógrafos a fãs que a reconheceram enquanto esperava a chegada da polícia para que um boletim de ocorrência fosse feito.

Além dos problemas com seu carro, Daiane tem provocado dores de cabeça na comissão técnica da seleção com um novo presente que ganhou recentemente de seu patrocinador: uma moto.

"Eu já guiei no início do ano. É muito legal. Mas minha família, o pessoal da ginástica não gosta, dizem que eu vou cair, me machucar, esfolar o joelho", disse Daiane em Birmingham (Inglaterra), onde foi medalha de ouro no solo. "O Oleg não sabe, mas eu vou andar um pouco com ela lá em casa. Ou melhor, perto de casa. Mas não vai ter perigo, não, a moto nem corre muito." >makeFooter('');

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O técnico da seleção brasileira, Carlos Alberto Parreira, fez um balanço da temporada 2004 do futebol brasileiro e mundial, no qual destacou o bicamepeonato nacional do Santos, a eleição de Ronaldinho Gaúcho como o melhor do mundo pela Fifa e, é claro, a campanha de sua equipe nas eliminatórias para a Copa do Mundo de 2006.

Parreira considera justos título do Santos e eleição de Ronaldinho Gaúcho em 2004

Para o treinador, o Santos ganhou com méritos o Campeonato Brasileiro. "Foi o time que mais investiu, que trouxe mais jogadores de fora e não falhou na hora da decisão. Com certeza, foi merecido."

Parreira destacou o trabalho de Luxemburgo à frente do time santista e escolheu quem foram os principais nomes do torneio nacional. "Acho que Robinho, Washington, Jadson, Ibson, Dagoberto, enquanto teve condições, e o Elano, que foi uma confirmação, foram os destaques."

Depois de votar no holandês Van Nistelrooy, do Mancheste United, como melhor do mundo da Fifa (o treinador não pode votar em um jogador da seleção de seu país na eleição), Parreira comentou o fato dos treinadores de Alemanha, Inglaterra, Holanda e Itália terem preterido Ronaldinho Gaúcho em detrimento do francês Thierry Henry, do Arsenal.

"Acho que isso é normal, porque ele é europeu e foi o jogador que mais fez gols e deu assistências na campanha que levou o Arsenal ao título inglês", comentou.

Mesmo assim, Parreira vê com justiçe a eleição do brasileiro do Barcelona. "Mas a eleição não é feita só pela Europa, temos também a América do Sul e a África, que são mais adeptas do futebol-arte, como é o do Ronaldinho."

Sobre a seleção brasileira, o treinador não demonstrou estar desapontado com a campanha nas eliminatórias. No momento, o time está em segundo lugar, com 20 pontos após 11 jogos, dois atrás da líder Argentina.

"Queríamos terminar o ano de forma invicta (a seleção foi derrotada por 1 a 0 pelo Equador na última rodada, dia 17 de novembro), mas estamos em segundo, com quatro pontos de vantagem sobre o terceiro (o próprio Equador), e fomos campeões da Copa América. Acho que o ano foi positivo", concluiu.

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Pitcher Carl Pavano addresses a press conference at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx after being signed to a four-year contract by the Yankees.

New York Yankees' right-handed 28-year-old starting pitcher Carl Pavano wears his new team's cap as he speaks at a news conference held to announce Pavano as the Yankees' newest free agent signing, at Yankee Stadium, December 22, 2004. Pavano, who was 18-8 with a 3.00 earned run average in 31 starts and an All-Star in 2004 for the Florida Marlins signed a four-year contract said to be worth $39.95 million.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h48
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NFL Network went on the air — "launched" as they say in the business — 13 months ago. But it truly might have arrived via a newspaper cartoon that ran a few months after that.
    Woman seated on a witness stand: "First we got the satellite dish. Then the NFL package. But the marriage really unraveled when the NFL Network started."
    Judge: "Wow, you get the NFL Network? Awesome! Mind if I come over sometime?"
    Man (wearing "Football is Life" T-shirt): "Not at all. It's 24 hours a day, you know." You know you've made it as a television entity when it is even suggested that viewing habits can become obsessive to the point of breaking up a marriage.
    It happened at least once with ESPN. A Texas woman really did cite the omnipresent sports cable network as an electronic co-respondent in her divorce case. So far, this is not on NFL Network's agenda, at least not publicly.
    "We want to unite, not divide," Rich Eisen, host of the prime-time centerpiece show "NFL Total Access," wryly noted. 

What they really want is to grow and get you to watch, and toward that end NFL Network (there is no "The" there) has succeeded. Wildly. Owned and operated by the NFL, which put up $100 million in seed money to get things started, the network dished out its first broadcast on Nov. 4, 2003 to DirecTV's 12 million satellite subscribers. That was it.
    Since then, with cable giants Comcast, Charter Communications and, most recently, Adelphia carrying NFL Network on their digital packages, the high-definition signal now reaches about 25 million subscribers, that is, homes capable of getting it. Although the number of viewers is unknown (ratings usually require 40 million homes), big-name sponsors are plentiful, and the league is thrilled with such exposure. No cable network achieved 25 million within one year. By comparison, NBA TV, which started five years ago, has 8 million subscribers. And last month, NFL Network was cleared to be shown in Canada.
    "I think we're knocking the lights out of every kind of metric you have," said NFL vice-president Steve Bornstein, who doubles as president and CEO of NFL Network. "The households, how fast you reach them. We're really pleased with the [network's] maturity, the look and the sophistication."
    NFL Network has a lot going for it, namely, the NFL. A football-shaped variation of the league logo adorns the glitzy, shiny, more-big-screens-than-a-cineplex "Total Access" set, the on-air command center. When it comes to packaging, marketing and promotion, the NFL is master of the sports universe, primarily because it peddles a commodity that is easy to package, market and promote.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h44
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Baseball fuels disparity

As a Steelers quarterback, Roethlisberger can become as synonymous with Pittsburgh as Brett Favre is with Green Bay. As a Pirates ace, Roethlisberger could only become a glorified farmhand who's ultimately fed like a Happy Meal to the gluttonous wonder known as Boss George.

When George Steinbrenner's Yankees are done landing Randy Johnson and, most likely, Carlos Beltran, their payroll will look as if it spent a few months in Victor Conte's lab. Steinbrenner will have hurdled the $200 million barrier and started sprinting toward the big three-oh-oh, burning $27 million more on starting pitchers in 2005 than the Pirates are expected to spend on their entire roster.

That's not counting the Yankees' acquisition of Barry Zito in June, when Jaret Wright becomes their latest $20-million-plus middle reliever. "When you have a $220 million payroll, you can hide $18 million mistakes," Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy said Monday by phone. "When you're at $40 million, you have to be perfect."

Steinbrenner hasn't won a title in four long years, so he isn't waiting for Santa to grab his fresh toys and to junk those (Javier Vazquez) he's tired of playing with. Never has a big-boy franchise carried such an absurd advantage over the field, leaving the small baseball/football markets to worship at the NFL's equal-opportunity shrine.

Baseball has revenue sharing and luxury taxes that amount to flattened bugs on Steinbrenner's windshield. Football has a hard salary cap and a one-size-fits-all payout of network money. Where small-market baseball fans often feel condemned to a life of pre-Fourth-of-July playoff elimination, the NFL deals in the currency of hope.

Milwaukee fans can hop in their cars, flee the Brewers, and drive toward the promise of Favre. Kansas City fans can forget their 104-loss Royals and remember that the Chiefs can build a runaway offense and stand a few defensive acquisitions away from contention.

Of course, it doesn't always work this way: The A's, Twins and Marlins have won their share of money games on nickels and dimes. But their success comes at a price. Would the Marlins have made the playoffs again if they paid Ivan Rodriguez? Would the A's have surrendered Tim Hudson to one contender and Mark Mulder to another if they owned a network the size of Steinbrenner's?

"The A's lost two MVPs in (Jason) Giambi and (Miguel) Tejada and still made the playoffs," McClatchy said. "They proved it can be done, but that you can't make any mistakes in doing it. ... I'd get a whole lot smarter if I had another $120 million to spend."

In Pittsburgh, Steelers fans will suffer through lousy seasons at Heinz Field yet never confront the unforgiving truth that some teams spend tens of millions more on talent every year. Next door, in PNC Park, Pirates fans wallow in despair. They don't count the days until pitchers and catchers report. They count the days until the next pitcher or catcher has to be dealt to keep the budget from exceeding Alex Rodriguez's per diem.

Yes, there's a reason Scott Boras' picture is posted at so many small-market borders. His latest A-Rod, Beltran, could never consider spending an entire career in a Kansas City, or continuing it in a Pittsburgh, not with the agent firing at a $200 million target.

"Scott Boras will not be pulling up to our parking lot," McClatchy confirmed.

Too bad. It's an awfully nice stadium, but one that couldn't stop the Pirates from losing $30 million in three years. McClatchy can't afford to hand over his $13.3 million revenue-sharing cut to Boras; it has to go into development, the Pirates' only long-term shot.

"Baseball has made progress in dealing with disparity," McClatchy said, "but not enough. If the Yankees and Red Sox are in the ALCS every year because they're outspending everyone, that's not good for the game. It's like the old song about hope and faith — your fans have to have that."

The Pirates haven't been to the World Series in a quarter century, and their fans have endured 12 consecutive losing seasons. Meanwhile, the Steelers are 13-1, looking at 15 years of Roethlisberger spirals, and standing tall as Pennsylvania's best Super Bowl bet now that Terrell Owens is down and out.

Life in small-town America is better when your top gun is a quarterback rather than an ace.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h33
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ESPN DEVELOPING ORIGINAL MOVIE BASED ON LIFE OF JACK JOHNSON

ESPN today announced that it is developing a movie based on the life of late boxer Jack Johnson, the first African-American world heavyweight champion. The movie, which will premiere some time in '05, will be produced by Gerald Abrams and written by Paris Qualles. Abrams' credits include "Nuremberg," "Out of the Ashes" and "44 Minutes," while Qualles worked on "The Tuskegee Airmen," "Blood Brothers" and "Hannibal" (ESPN).

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h21
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IF IT’S IN THE GAME, IT’S IN THE GAME: REEBOK ALIGNS W/ ELECTRONIC ARTS

Reebok today announced a multi-title sponsorship agreement with Electronic Arts, under which videogame users will be able to check out the latest Reebok apparel while playing EA games, beginning with “NFL Street 2,” which hits retail December 26. Hidden within “NFL Street 2” are secret codes to access special characters like skateboarder Stevie Williams, a Reebok endorser. Reebok apparel that will be featured in the game includes NFL-licensed apparel and the Pre-Season Bringback footwear collection (Reebok).

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h18
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Every NBA team has the Cleveland Cavaliers' first visit of the season circled on the schedule. The Cavaliers, after all, bring Lebron James, the game's newest and biggest star, the anointed heir apparent to Michael Jordan as the best basketball player on the planet.

So, when the Nets sales and marketing staff looked at their unsold inventory of tickets two weeks ago, the last things they expected to find were thousands of quality seats available for tonight's game against the Cavaliers.Just like that, a mass e-mail was sent to 15,000 frequent visitors to the Meadowlands Sports Complex offering half-price seats for a game that, in most years, would be considered a hot ticket.

"There is always a line that you have to be careful not to cross because you don't want to cannibalize or cheapen your product," said Leo Ehrline, the Nets vice president for sales and marketing. "We are just trying to do some things to stay below the line and make sure people know what is going on here."

It's been that kind of season for the Nets: Even a visit from a superstar like James requires a special effort to get bodies into seats. Three months after the team's rookie principal owner, Bruce Ratner, decided not to spend $90 million to re-sign all-star power forward Kenyon Martin, much of the goodwill the team built with its fans the past three seasons remains in serious disrepair.

Of course, it doesn't help that the Nets are -- in fans' minds -- lame ducks, with Ratner trying to move the franchise to Brooklyn. The organization has had to spend every ounce of its marketing might to minimize the damage. Now once-heralded Vince Carter is coming to the rescue, as Ratner tries to create a hint of buzz about a franchise that was quickly returning to afterthought status in the country's most competitive entertainment market.

"It's a step in the right direction," former Nets owner Don Unger said of the Carter acquisition. "The man made a mistake, and he's trying to correct it."

This is not the way Ratner is used to doing business. For two decades he amassed a fortune building commercial and office real estate, mostly in Brooklyn. His standard operating procedure was simple because his target market hundreds of companies and government agencies already doing business in New York was small and specialized. Usually he would have most of his buildings rented to a major tenant before he even put a shovel in the ground.

As Ratner has learned quickly, selling real estate and selling basketball tickets have about as much in common as hairstyles of Richard Jefferson and Donald Trump. "Basketball is a consumer product and for me that is very different," Ratner said in an interview last week. "The product on the floor is the critical item. We had a hard-working team and a good one, but not the kind of team that sparks interest."

The dearth of excitement about the Nets was plain to Ratner as he wandered the stands at the Continental Airlines Arena this season, introducing himself as "Bruce," signing autographs, trying to show people he cared about the franchise.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h14
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ADIDAS BECOMES OFFICIAL KIT SPONSOR OF INDIAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

INDIANTELEVISION.com reports that adidas today signed a deal to become the official kit sponsor of India’s Premiere Hockey League, which is being organized by the Indian Hockey Federation, ESPN Star Sports and Leisure Sports Management. Under the deal, adidas will provide all playing, training and travel apparel for players, officials and administrative staff of the field hockey league

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h07
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BUZZER BEATERS

Sporting News this week features Packers QB Brett Favre on the cover, with the header "The Mess in the NFC."

Sports Illustrated this week features Heat C Shaquille O'Neal on the cover of its year-end double issue.

ESPN The Magazine this week features Magic F Grant Hill on the cover, with the header "New Release: Grant Hill 2.0."

Sporting News	Sports Illustrated	ESPN The Magazine

Churchill Downs Inc. and Magna Entertainment today announced a partnership to simulcast more than 230 horse racing events from their racetracks in Great Britain, Ireland, Austria and Germany via Magna's MEC Sport & Entertainment GmbH (CDI).

ESPN.com today unveiled "Can John McCain Save Sports?," a multimedia package featuring the Arizona Senator's comments on several sports issues. McCain, on whether MLB is doing enough to address its steroid problems: "No, and I'm deeply disappointed in a man I admire enormously, Don Fehr. I also believe that [MLB Commissioner Bud] Selig and the owners are getting a free ride here. ... There's no doubt that baseball right now has meaningless enforcement" (ESPN.com, 12/22).

As first reported in The Daily, XM Satellite Radio today tapped Millsport, the sponsorship and event consulting unit of The Marketing Arm, as its agency of record (XM Satellite Radio).

ESPN Star Sports has inked a three-year satellite and cable deal to air the Australian Open in Asia (TENNISWEEK.com, 12/21).

Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment today named former NFLer and CBS NFL analyst Brent Jones a spokesperson for the December 30 Silicon Valley Football Classic presented by Movie Gallery (Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment).

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HIGHEST-PAID U.S. PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES OF 2004

The following lists the highest-paid U.S. professional athletes for seasons beginning in 2004. Salary figures are based on the pay from the player's team and do not include endorsements. Sources: USA Today, Dallas Morning News

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Finalmente alçado à bola da vez no Corinthians, Tite tenta aproveitar o fracasso da negociação da MSI com Vanderlei Luxemburgo para se valorizar.
Segundo o seu procurador, Gilmar Veloz, o técnico gaúcho tem propostas de Flamengo, Grêmio e "uma oferta milionária do futebol japonês".

Essas cifras podem ajudá-lo a levantar seu salário no Corinthians, cerca de R$ 100 mil mensais -bem menos que os polpudos R$ 450 mil por mês com que a empresa de Kia Joorabchian acenou a Luxemburgo só no primeiro ano."Na semana passada, o Tite conversou com o Corinthians e deu prioridade a eles, mas estou autorizado a ouvir propostas de outros clubes."

Tite tem pressa em resolver o assunto, já que alguns de seus pretendentes demonstram irritação com a demora.

No Flamengo de Márcio Braga, que o considerava prioritário para o cargo de técnico, o vice de futebol empossado, Gerson Biscotto, afirmou que Tite não mostrou interesse pela proposta rubro-negra."Não fecharemos nada com nenhum clube antes de ouvir o Corinthians. Ele fez um excelente trabalho e se identificou com o clube a com a torcida", reafirmou Veloz.

Escrito por fraja8 às 22h25
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O técnico Luis Fernando Montoya, que levou o Once Caldas ao título da Copa Libertadores da América neste ano, foi baleado nesta quarta-feira na cidade de Medellin, na Colômbia, e está em estado crítico.

A police officer escorts a man arrested under charges of shooting Colombian soccer coach Luis Fernando Montoya at a police station in Medellin, 185 miles northwest of Bogota, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004. Montoya, who led Once Caldas to South America's club championship, was shot during an attempted robbery of his wife after she withdrew a large sum of cash from an ATM machine, said Gen. Alberto Ruiz, operations chief for the National Police. Police arrested four suspects and recovered the gun believed to have been used in the attack, Ruiz said.

A police officer escorts two women arrested for shooting Colombian soccer coach Luis Fernando Montoya at a police station in Medellin, 185 miles northwest of Bogota, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004.

Escrito por fraja8 às 22h22
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En el Cilindro, Diego Simeone le contó a Olé qué hacía de pibe cuando jugaba la Acadé.

Se mueve por sensaciones, como le gusta decir a cada rato. Y por eso, después de dejar la desbordada conferencia de prensa en las oficinas céntricas de Blanquiceleste, Diego Simeone se entusiasma con la idea de pisar el Cilindro de Avellaneda. El templo que visitaba desde chico con bandera, gorro o vincha (para los tres juntos no daba) y que no recorría desde el 20 de junio del 92. "Fue un partido justo contra Vélez, empatamos 1-1 con un golazo del Betito Carranza a Chilavert", recuerda. La memoria, se entiende, a veces flaquea y se agrava en un tipo que viajó más de diez horas y llegó a las 6.30 de la mañana para encarar un raid mediático: ese partido, en realidad, terminó 1-0. Apenas se mete en el vestuario local, se enciende. Otra vez lo mueven los sentimientos. Encara para la derecha y entra en una sala: "Acá, cuando tenía siete u ocho años, vine para conseguir autógrafos de los jugadores. Me acuerdo de que había una camilla...", precisa. Y se desvive por encontrar a alguien que confirme su versión. Su papá, Carlos, aporta que ese día se llevaron la firma del Ropero Díaz pero no logra aportar datos de la escenografía. José Lubrano, quien está en el estadio desde el 53 y es el actual intendente del Juan Domingo Perón, termina dándole la razón.

—¿Qué sentís acá adentro?

—Se me vinieron encima muchos recuerdos. Imágenes antiguas de jugadores, partidos. Y también sueños que se van formando mirando todo. Esperando que las cosas salgan como uno desea.

—¿Te imaginás lo que puede ser el recibimiento?

—No me gusta imaginarme cosas que después no se dan como uno espera. Pero es evidente que la cabeza camina y los sueños están. Lo único que espero es hacer las cosas bien acá adentro. Siempre creí que en la vida no hay que esperar nada, hay que dar. Yo a Racing no le di nada todavía, así que no puedo esperar nada. Sí imagino un estadio lleno.

Su lugar en el mundo. Se acaba la producción de fotos dentro del campo, es la hora de pasar a la tribuna donde vivía el Simeone hincha. El Cholo vuelve a picar en punta, deja atrás a todos, sube 21 escalones de la popular y se detiene. "Justo acá, justo acá es. En este sector (NdeR: la esquina que está arriba de la salida del túnel local) venía cuando era pibe. Como era chiquito veía los partidos subido al hombro de mi viejo", dice y un brillo le cruza la mirada. Y, a los 34 años, repite rituales que tienen 26 de antigüedad. Se queda contemplando la cabecera local. "Lo primero que miraba era la Guardia Imperial. Mi viejo me pegaba cada codazo y me decía: ''mirá el partido''. Pero como a todo chico, lo que me llamaba la atención era la gente, las banderas, los movimientos, el colorido. Muchas veces sólo venía a ver a la Guardia Imperial. Los domingos era como lo último divertido del fin de semana, porque después ya había que pensar en el colegio", explica. Unas fotos más y la pregunta amable: "¿Algo más?". Resignado a responder otra tanda, el Cholo se sienta en los escalones. Pedazo de cemento que sería un gran souvenir para los hinchas. "Esta no es una piedra cualquiera, acá se sentó el Cholo", dirían los fanáticos. Por el bien del Cilindro, no daremos precisiones de su ubicación.

—¿Estás ansioso?

—Sí, porque quiero encontrarme con mis compañeros para ver de qué manera me adapto a ellos, cómo engancho en el grupo, cómo me aceptan. Todo eso es un cierto temor, no sé si llamarlo así. Inquietud es más preciso y creo que es de hombre tener todas estas sensaciones.

—¿Por qué volviste?

—Mi vuelta se produce seguramente un poco antes de lo que teníamos previsto con Fernando Marín, pero se dieron las condiciones. Y si vuelvo, lo hago por Racing y también por él, que fue el hombre que me motivó y me ilusionó con este proyecto. Me subo porque el entusiasmo que me queda por seguir jugando a la pelota es mucho.

—¿Qué te motivó a vivir en la Argentina, cuando mucha gente quiere irse?

—Todos ustedes. Si viven en la Argentina, ¿por qué no puedo hacerlo yo? Más allá del nombre, que me hace un poco más popular. Consideré un montón de cosas, hice un balance y espero no equivocarme. Eso me lo dirá el tiempo.

—¿Hubieras vuelto al país si no era en Racing?

—Nunca lo había pensado porque no apareció una oferta ni un proyecto que me moviera. Racing y Marín sí lo hicieron. Jugar en Racing siempre lo tuve como un sueño. Un sueño de los que uno dice se puede dar o no... Bueno, se dio. Me emociono de sólo pensar en el primer partido de local, creo que contra Instituto (NdeR: es Olimpo) y teniendo la posibilidad de jugar. El hecho de haber venido de chico a esta cancha... Hoy verme de hombre jugando en el equipo del que soy hincha, la verdad es que me emociona.

—¿Influyó que no fueras titular en el Atlético de Madrid?

—Eso adelantó los tiempos.

—¿Imaginás el retiro con esta camiseta número 14?

—Sí, salvo que me vaya a jugar al Milan. Por ahí me pueden vender (se ríe). Creo que estoy cerca de dejar de jugar y éste es el lugar indicado para hacerlo. Quiero agradecer también lo del número, porque lo tenía un compañero (NdeR: era del pibe Hernán Barcos) y ha estado muy gentil en dármelo, al menos por un tiempo.

—¿Esperás una despedida como la que tuviste en España?

—Espero ganármela.

—¿Qué puesto preferís?

——Me considero mediocampista. He jugado por el medio, por derecha y por izquierda. No tengo una predilección. También he jugado como defensor, pero eso es más una emergencia. Me consideré siempre un volante.

—¿Alguna vez le pusiste un plazo a tu retiro?

—¿Qué es la edad? Yo lo veo a Sensini (38 años) y me da una fuerza bárbara. La edad va por cómo te sentís y lo que demostrás. El tema es cuando están los hinchas gritando y salís jugando.

Diferente. Simeone conoce el juego. Maneja todos los tiempos, es muy respetuoso en el trato y sale de lo común a la hora de hablar. Como cuando la pregunta apunta a si ya se cruzó con los hinchas de Racing en la calle: "No tuve tiempo, porque me la pasé arriba del auto y hablando con ustedes. Por ahora lo más divertido que me pasó fue cuando en la conferencia de prensa alguien le gritó a un fotógrafo que insistía en pararse y tapaba a las cámaras: ¿Qué querés, hacerle un book? Brillante. Esas salidas son típicamente argentinas".

—¿Qué te queda pendiente?

—Jugar la Copa Libertadores. Nunca pude y me encantaría. Para eso hay que sumar y ése es el objetivo. Tenemos que enchufarnos con mis compañeros para estar peleando el campeonato hasta las últimas fechas.

—¿Y la Selección?

—Ahora sólo pienso en el presente, y el presente me pide exigirme muchísimo para darle cosas a Racing. Por ahora, miro el 4 de enero, cuando comience a entrenarme con el plantel. Por ahora...

Escrito por fraja8 às 22h11
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For any player that took part in UEFA EURO 2004™, it has been a long year.

Tough year
Joaquín Sánchez of Real Betis Balompié and Spain is one such player, and with more than 50 matches under his belt in 2004, the 23-year-old will welcome the Christmas break with open arms.

'Life is good'
"Being eliminated from EURO 2004™ was particularly tough," he told uefa.com "We did not expect to lose against Portugal and that was a huge blow. But on a happier note, I am pleased to have been in good health and close to the people I care most about. Having the support and love from Betis fans and to know that I am an idol to them makes me very, very happy indeed. In all honesty, life has been very good to me and knowing that makes me smile."

Family festivities
So how will the festivities begin? "On Christmas Eve, the whole family gets together; there are about 60 or 70 of us so you can imagine what it's like," Joaquín said. "We are all quite big fans of flamenco and music - we love to sing by a roaring fireplace and enjoy a really good meal. These are really unforgettable days for us because the entire family comes together and that makes us feel very united. This year might be a bit different as my girlfriend will be joining us for Christmas and I will be spending New Year's Eve with her and her family.

Nowadays, due to my job, I prefer to stay at home and be with the family Joaquín Sánchez

Less partying
But things are a little different now he is a professional footballer. "I cannot go out partying like I used to. Nowadays, due to my job, I prefer to stay at home and be with the family," he said. Still, there will be plenty of celebration, continuing until the Night of the Three Kings (5 January), an important event in Spain.

Exciting times
"It's still exciting for me," he said. "Perhaps not so much as when I was ten, I suppose that's the case for most adults. But I still enjoy myself, especially with my nieces and nephews - and I have many relatives. When the day arrives, I love to see each of them and give them a present and watch the excitement on their faces. And besides, they usually ask for quite expensive presents from 'Uncle Joaquín'!"

Happy memories
The Christmas period will doubtless bring back happy memories for a player whose adult life has more than a little glamour. "We have all been children during our lives and lived through these special days," he said. "When I see the kids opening their presents I think, 'Crikey! I wish I was ten again!' Christmas is an unforgettable time and when you try to ensure that they are happy it takes you back to your own childhood."

Favourite gift
His favourite present? "A little motorbike that my father bought for me when I was about ten or eleven," Joaquín said. "I remember getting up at five in the morning and going down to the living room...that day was amazing, we spent so long riding about on that motorbike that we nearly broke it!"

New Year wishes
Looking ahead, Joaquín has some wishes for 2005. "In sporting terms, I would like Betis to finish the season as high up the table as possible and hope that everything goes well for us. Other than that, I wish for good health, all the love in the world for my girlfriend and happiness for all my family and friends."

Escrito por fraja8 às 22h01
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84.9

Passer rating for Jake Plummer since joining the Broncos, the highest for any Denver QB with at least 500 attempts. John Elway finished his career at 79.9. 

1,213

Career receiving yards for Vikings wideout Randy Moss against the Packers, his most against any team. 

.845

Winning percentage of the six NFL teams that already have clinched division titles.

 

Escrito por fraja8 às 22h00
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Pistons center Ben Wallace eyes a rebound.

The Lakers' Lamar Odom goes strong to the hoop.

Kentucky's Sheray Thomas (23) falls into Louisville's Ellis Myles.

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h57
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1. The Yankees have formed a partnership with Steiner Sports Marketing to hawk game-used bats, balls, bases, hats, lineup cards and other items on the Web and at the team's shops. So far the most popular item is Jason Giambi's used syringes.

2. Boudreaux's Butt Paste, a diaper-rash reliever, has signed an extension to its primary sponsorship deal with a NASCAR Busch Series team. Boudreaux's will sponsor the No. 93 car driven by Kim Crosby, who will be the third full-time female driver in Busch Series history. Still, some women's groups are upset at the apparent implication that child-rearing is a women's job.

3. The NBA Referees Association will remove the sections of its Web site that explain and interpret league rules. The NBA reportedly felt that its referees should not publicly comment on or interpret the rules in response to fans' questions. The controversy apparently began when one ref conceded in print that he'd never heard of a travel.

4. It seems the media may have jumped the gun on the supposed Anna Kournikova-Enrique Iglesias nuptials. People magazine reports that the pair is, in fact, not married. The most surprising aspect is the fact that Anna apparently announced her retirement from professional tennis in March. The 10 Spot honestly did not know that; we assumed she was recovering from some injury. Then again, it's not like Anna did all that much playing even when she was active, given the pesky fact that one needs to win to advance. Still, how long can we refer to her as "Russian tennis star Anna Kournikova," the billing she still draws? Is there a statute of limitations?

Anna Kournikova's got a ring, but it may not be of the wedding variety.Did Anna & Enrique tie the knot? Or not? ... Butt Paste. That's about all we can reveal right here ... Steinbrenner upset with Dodgers? ... BCS mess ... Go Fishin' ... and more.

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h54
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26 February/2004
It is announced that the former President of UEFA and current Honorary President of European football's governing body, Jacques Georges, has died at the age of 87. Mr Georges was President of UEFA from 1984-90. Mr Georges presided over an eventful period for European football, including the Heysel stadium disaster in Brussels in 1985, following which UEFA took various measures designed at improving safety and security at major football matches. "This is a very sad day for all of us," says current UEFA President Lennart Johansson. "He led UEFA and European football through some troubled waters in the 1980s and into a new era."

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h44
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O volante Josué, ex-Goiás, recém-contratado pelo São Paulo, disse nesta quarta-feira que espera usar o novo clube como uma vitrine para poder chegar à seleção brasileira."Tudo depende de seu trabalho, mas a mídia está mais voltada para o eixo Rio-São Paulo. Quero muito disputar a Libertadores", disse o jogador, em entrevista à rádio Globo.

De acordo com o atleta, a estrutura do clube do Morumbi foi um dos principais fatores que pesaram em sua decisão."Hoje no futebol brasileiro você tem que olhar a estrutura da equipe, se ela paga em dia, cumpre com suas promessas. Hoje são poucas. Foi uma decisão fácil. Se não é a melhor, o São Paulo é uma das melhores equipes do Brasil", explicou.

No novo time, Josué vai reencontrar os ex-companheiros de Goiás Grafite, Danilo e Fabão. "Eles me deram muita força, me disseram que o clube é muito bom. Vivo a expectativa de reencontrar velhos amigos", afirmou.

Reforço

O São Paulo tem interesse no atacante do Grêmio Cláudio Pitbull, que tem contrato até junho do próximo ano. A estratégia é que o jogador fique no São Paulo por um ano.

A Folha de S.Paulo apurou que a negociação com os gaúchos poderá envolver outros atletas, como o goleiro Márcio, que disputou o Brasileiro pelo Grêmio, e o meia Souza.Também hoje, a CBF confirmou a participação do São Paulo na Copa Sul-Americana em 2005.

Tricolor renova com Roger e Daniel Rossi

Após dispensar cinco atletas, São Paulo acerta permanência do goleiro reserva e do volante que agradou Emerson Leão.

Ao mesmo tempo em que dispensou cinco jogadores, os dirigentes do São Paulo definiram que o goleiro Roger o volante Daniel Rossi irão continuar no clube do Morumbi na próxima temporada.

O eterno reserva de Rogério Ceni aceitou receber o salário oferecido pela diretoria - cerca de R$ 25 mil mensais - e ficará no Tricolor até 31 de janeiro de 2006. Apesar de não ser titular, Roger é considerado muito importante para o grupo, principalmente para disputar outra Libertadores. Sempre que requisitado, ele vai bem.

Neste Brasileiro, o goleiro jogou apenas duas partidas, contra Juventus e Internacional, ambos no Rio Grande Sul, e teve uma participação fundamental.

Já a renovação com o volante foi um pedido pessoal do técnico Emerson Leão. O jogador estava totalmente desacreditado e buscava clubes para atuar em 2005. O treinador, no entanto, enxergou potencial do atleta durante os treinamentos e até o utilizou nos jogos contra o Vitória e Goiás, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro.

Daniel Rossi, que é oriundo das categorias de base do próprio Tricolor e foi campeão da Copa São Paulo de Juniores em 2000, assinou um novo contrato com o clube do Morumbi até o dia 23 de janeiro de 2006. "Estou há nove anos aqui, mas é como um recomeço para mim", afirmou.

Negócios
Após Gabriel, Adriano, Zé Ramalho, Ramalho e Nildo deixarem o elenco são-paulino, os atacantes Rondón e Márcio devem ser os próximos.

O venezuelano, que tem contrato com o São Paulo até julho de 2005, recebeu uma proposta para voltar ao seu país e defender novamente o Deportivo Táchira. O diretor de futebol do clube Juvenal Juvêncio está próximo de definir essa situação. "Eles querem o jogador para a Libertadores", afirmou o dirigente.

Já Márcio, que afirmou ter características parecidas com o atacante Washington, artilheiro do último Campeonato Brasileiro, deverá ser emprestado ao Marília. Outros que podem ser emprestados são os meias Souza e Vélber, além do atacante Jean, que têm contratos mais longos com o clube.

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h40
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Bernd Schuster
Date of birth: 22 December 1959
National team: Federal Republic of Germany
Clubs: FC Augsburg, 1. FC Köln, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid CF, Club Atlético de Madrid, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Pumas)(as a player), SC Fortuna Köln, 1. FC Köln, CD Xerez, FC Shakhtar Donetsk, Levante UD (as head coach)

Schuster lists among the few who have played for the three traditional giants of the Spanish game. He burst on to the international scene with some superb displays in the Federal Republic of Germany's UEFA European Championship win in Italy in 1980. Then at Köln, the next year he moved to Barcelona.

He concentrated on club football after falling out with the German national team set-up and thus won only 21 caps. He won the Spanish league with Barcelona in 1984/85 but was a European Champion Clubs' Cup final loser against FC Steaua Bucuresti two years later.

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h37
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By Andrew Haslam

	Borja Valero's goal gave Spain Under-19 success

The usual contenders dominated UEFA's youth competitions in 2004, with Italy, Spain and France all collecting more silverware, although there was disappointment for the European hopefuls in the Olympic Games.

Italian joy
The UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals took place in Germany, although without holders the Czech Republic who were eliminated by Switzerland in the qualifying round. Italy, winners in 2000, regained their crown in style, overcoming nine-man Serbia and Montenegro 3-0 in the final with Cesare Bovo, Daniele De Rossi and Alberto Gilardino on target in Bochum.

Senior success
Portugal pipped Sweden to third place, in the process clinching Europe's fourth and final place in the men's Olympics tournament alongside the two finalists, and hosts Greece. Gilardino and Sweden's Johan Elmander who both scored four times in the U21 finals, have subsequently established themselves in their country's senior squads.

Youngest scorer
A number of players from the U21 finals impressed at UEFA EURO 2004™, Swiss striker Johan Vonlanthen becoming the youngest ever scorer in a UEFA European Championship finals when he struck against France aged 18 years 141 days. Philipp Lahm appeared in every minute of Germany's three games and Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger also featured for Rudi Völler's side.

Bronze consolation
Italy were unable to repeat their U21 success at August's Olympics, however, although Claudio Gentile's side did defeat Iraq in Athens to take the bronze medal having lost 3-0 to gold medallists Argentina in the semi-finals. The other three European sides failed to progress beyond the group stage.

Spanish celebrations
Italy were also unable to retain their U19 crown, Spain taking the honours at the final tournament in Switzerland thanks to a spectacular late winner from Borja Valero in the Nyon final against Turkey. The Spanish had overcome Ukraine on penalties in the semi-finals, with Turkey defeating their Swiss hosts 3-2 after extra time.

World stage
The four semi-finalists, together with Italy and Germany - the third-placed sides in the finals' group stage - will join hosts the Netherlands in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship next sunmmer.

Potent trident
It was the hosts who emerged victorious at the U17 finals in May, France winning all five games to lift the trophy. The French front three of Jérémy Menez, Hatem Ben Arfa and Samir Nasri took most of the plaudits, scoring seven goals between them.

Nasri delight
Nasri claimed the dramatic winner in the final against Spain, the Olympique de Marseille forward ending the Iberian side's hopes with a fine last-minute goal to give his side a 2-1 victory in Châteauroux. The 2003 winners Portugal overcame England on penalties after a remarkable third-placed play-off had finished 4-4.

Meridian challengers
The top three and Turkey - who reached the finals but were unable to earn a place in the last four - will be Europe's representatives in the UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup, to be staged in Turkey in February 2005. Nigeria, Cameroon, Egypt and Sierra Leone, Africa's top four U17 sides, will form the opposition.

Busy year
The U17 and U19 finals will be held in Italy and Northern Ireland respectively in 2005, with the Meridian Cup, the World Youth Championship and the FIFA Under-17 World Championship in Peru also on the agenda. The next calendar year looks set to be as eventful as its predecessor.

2004 UEFA youth football roll of honour:

UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Winners: Italy
Runners-up: Serbia and Montenegro
Third place: Portugal
Fourth place: Sweden

UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Winners: Spain
Runners-up: Turkey
Third place: Switzerland and Ukraine

UEFA European Under-17 Championship
Winners: France
Runners-up: Spain
Third place: Portugal
Fourth place: England

Olympic Games men's tournament
Gold: Argentina
Silver: Paraguay
Bronze: Italy

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h34
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OGC Nice's Maurice Cohen has been re-elected as the Ligue 1 club's president until December 2007. The 49-year-old media businessman has served in the role since 2002, when he rescued the club from serious financial difficulties, and has begun a long-term rebuilding progamme. "We started to found a real professional, good-looking and prudent side," Cohen said after being re-elected by the club's board on Tuesday evening. "Now we'll keep make it grow, but in easy stages."

Also in France, Paris Saint-Germain FC were the big-name casualties in the Coupe de Ligue round of 16 on Tuesday after losing 1-0 at second division Montpellier Hérault SC, Fodé Mansaré scoring the only goal from the penalty spot five minutes from time. UEFA Cup contenders LOSC Lille Métropole were also eliminated, going down 4-2 on penalties at RC Strasbourg, while AS Monaco FC needed a late goal from Emmanuel Adebayor to see off EA Guingamp.

The Dutch Eredivisie has signed a television rights deal worth a total of nearly €210m over three seasons. RTL has gained rights for live Friday matches and some highlights, while the subscription package for live matches has gone to Versatel, who replace Canal+. Meanwhile, John de Mol's Talpa company have gained a highlights package, beating off public broadcaster NOS, who had held the right for 40 years, save for three months during 1996. However, NOS keep the radio rights as part of a contract that will earn the 18 Eredivisie clubs €69.9m a season. AFC Ajax general manager Arie van Eijden said of that figure: "It represents an average rise of about 70 to 75 per cent."

English Premiership side Blackburn Rovers FC have confirmed that former French international Youri Djorkaeff will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of December. The midfield player signed a three-month deal at Ewood Park in last September after leaving Bolton Wanderers FC in the summer, but has been sidelined for the past two months with a hamstring problem and it has been decided by mutual consent not to prolong his stay.

In Portugal, João Carlos Pereira has been relieved of his duties at A. Académica de Coimbra's coach, currently in 17th in the Portuguese SuperLiga. The coach had a meeting with the chairman José Eduardo Simões where an agreement was reached, although it is not yet known if Pereira will remain at the club in another role. "Pereira was an excellent choice last year but this year things are a little bit different," said Simões in a press conference, with his successor expected to be named on Thursday.

Serbo-Montenegrin international Ivica Iliev has signed a contract which will keep him at Serie A side FC Messina Peloro until 2008. Iliev joined the Sicilian club from FK Partizan last summer, signing a one-year deal. The 25-year-old forward has not scored any goal in 13 league appearances but has been one of the most consistent player in the squad so far for Messina, who lie in 14th place in Serie A with a match in hand.

Belgian First Division side K. Sint-Truidense VV have signed Finnish striker Jari Niemi. The 27-year-old, who reached an agreement with R. Standard de Liège to end his contract earlier this week, has agreeed a one-and-a-half year deal with his new club.

Aalborg BK goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen has been voted goalkeeper of the year by his fellow custodians in Denmark's top two divisions. The 27-year-old finished one vote ahead of Brøndby IF's Casper Ankergreen, with Peter Skov Jensen of FC Midtjylland third.

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h30
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Manchester will be the venue next month for the draw for the 2005 UEFA European Women's Championship final round, which takes place in north-west England in June.

Draw ceremony
The draw ceremony and unveiling of the newly-designed trophy for WOMEN'S EURO 2005, will take place at the City of Manchester stadium on Thursday 19 January at 13.45 local time (14.45 CET). The final tournament will be staged from 5-19 June next year.

Dignitaries present
UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson and UEFA women's football committee chairman Karen Espelund will attend the draw, while England's Football Association (FA) have announced that minister for sport and tourism Richard Caborn and FA chairman and UEFA vice-president Geoff Thompson will be present. The ceremony will be transmitted live on uefa.com.

Final-round format
Eight nations are taking part in the final round - host country England, Denmark, Finland, France, title-holders Germany, Italy, Norway and Sweden - and they will be drawn into two groups of four. Each team will play each of the other teams in the same group according to the league system, with three points for a win, one point for a draw and no points for a defeat. The winners and runners-up in each group will play the semi-finals and the winners of the semi-finals will contest the final.

Media activities
UEFA said on Wednesday that the draw will be followed by media activities such as a press conference, photo call and interview opportunities with the coaches and players present from the participating nations. Media representatives wishing to attend the final-round ceremony and the press conference afterwards are requested to apply for accreditation directly to Alex Stone, tournament press officer at the FA, via e-mail: alex.stone@TheFA.com In order to facilitate coordination, media are also asked to inform Alex Stone of individual interview requests.

Final-round venues
The City of Manchester stadium will host the opening England game on Sunday 5 June. The other Group A matches will be played at Ewood Park, home of Blackburn Rovers FC, and at Bloomfield Road, ground of Blackpool FC. Ewood Park is also the setting for the final on Sunday 19 June. Preston North End FC's Deepdale stadium and Warrington Wolves RLFC's newly built Halliwell Jones stadium will host the Group B games, and will each stage one semi-final.

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h28
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Young forward Daniel de Ridder has signed a new contract to keep him at AFC Ajax until 2007.

Moving up
The 20-year-old worked his way up to the first-team selection from Ajax's youth department, making his full debut in an away game against Roda JC on 21 January 2004, and scoring his first goal against Willem II on 16 May.

Extended deal
De Ridder had originally been contracted until 2005, but has now committed to the Amsterdam club until June 2007. "It feels good that Ajax has faith in me," he said. "I will do my absolute best to contribute to the battle for the championship, Dutch Cup and UEFA Cup."

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h26
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Celtic FC have signed two teenagers from Icelandic side KR Reykjavík. Midfield player Theodor Elmar Bjarnason and striker Kjartan Henry Finnbogason have agreed two-and-a-half year deals with the Scottish champions.

Celtic appeal
Bjarnason, 17, said: "I have been on trial with quite a few clubs and Brøndby [IF], [SC] Heerenveen, Feyenoord and Stoke [City FC] all offered me a contract. But after coming to Celtic I had made up my mind where I wanted to go."

Fees to pay
Celtic are likely to have to pay a fee for the 18-year-old Finnbogason - who has recently been on on trial with FC Girondins de Bordeaux and has been capped for Iceland at Under-21 level - as he still has a year of his contract to run. There will also be compensation to pay for Bjarnason, who has played for his national U19 side, even though his deal ended this season.

O'Neill 'delighted'
Manager Martin O'Neill said: "I am delighted to have the two lads on board. We know all about them now and both have very good potential, so we're hopeful they'll do well. I know there's been a lot of interest in them and I'm really pleased that they are coming to Celtic."

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h25
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Denmark winger Jesper Grønkjær has joined Club Atlético de Madrid after a disappointing spell in England with Birmingham City FC.

Derby debut
The 27-year-old arrived in the Spanish capital yesterday and has now completed the switch after passing a medical. Grønkjær had long been linked with a move to Atlético, who finished their 2004 programme last night with a 1-0 home defeat by Real Betis Balompié. His debut is likely to come in the derby against Real Madrid CF on 9 January.

European ambition
“I am very happy to come to Spain to play for Atlético,” said Grønkjær, who added that he hoped to help his new club qualify for European competition next season. Grønkjær joined Birmingham from Chelsea FC for €3.2m last July after three-and-a-half seasons with the London club. He has a contract in Madrid until summer 2007

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h23
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Portugal's remaining two UEFA Cup contenders are busy reshuffling their squads ahead of the resumption of the competition next February, and their keenly awaited domestic meeting on 8 January.

Going home
Sporting Clube de Portugal have agreed to the transfer of 26-year-old midfielder Tinga to Brazilian side SC Internacional. The player has reportedly agreed a four-year contract with the Porto Alegre club in his homeland, with Sporting receiving part-ownership rights to Internacional midfield players Cleiton Xavier and Labarthe in return.

Trio to sign
Meanwhile, SL Benfica are to hand contracts to three promising youngsters, the 19-year-old midfield players João Vilela and Hélio Roque, as well as 18-year-old defender Tiago Gomes. All have already trained with the Lisbon club's first team, and were in action last night in a 4-1 victory against AD Oliveirense in the Portuguese Cup fifth round.

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h22
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Club Brugge KV completed a hat-trick of Belgium Super Cup triumphs with a 2-0 win against RSC Anderlecht at their Constant Vanden Stock stadium in Brussels.

Twelth victory
Belgian Cup holders Brugge are four points ahead of league champions Anderlecht in the First Division table and goals from Sebastian Hermans and Rune Lange ensured they won the Super Cup for the third year running, and the 12th time overall.

Young lineups
Both teams were without several regulars, Anderlecht deprived of Walter Baseggio, Aruna Dindane and Christian Wilhelmsson, while Brugge had to do without Boško Balaban, Peter Van der Heyden and Olivier De Cock. Youngsters like Jonathan Legear of Anderlecht and Brugge's Jonathan Blondel and Hermans were given their chances to shine.

Brugge ahead
Anderlecht took the initiative from the start, but an eighth-minute misunderstanding between defenders Olivier Deschacht and Vincent Kompany left 21-year-old Hermans one-on-one with goalkeeper Jan Van Steenberghe and the attacker made no mistake.

Victory sealed
Legear went close twice before the break, however Anderlecht could not level and in the second half Gert Verheyen nearly doubled the lead, but shot wide when through on goal. Brugge goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen made a vital save from Anderlecht substitute Oleg Iachtchouk in the 74th minute, and six minutes later Blondel's cross was turned in by Lange. Legear and Iachtchouk had late chances, but victory was Brugge's.

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h20
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O técnico da seleção brasileira, Carlos Alberto Parreira, não poupou elogios ao meia-atacante Ronaldinho, que na segunda-feira venceu o francês Thierry Henry e o ucraniano Andryi Shevchenko na eleição de melhor jogador do mundo da Fifa em 2004.Pentacampeão do mundo em 2002 com a seleção brasileira, Ronaldinho ajudou o Barcelona a vencer o Levante por 2 a 1, ontem, pelo Campeonato Espanhol, temporada 2004/05.

"A eleição foi merecida. O Ronaldinho representa o que existe de melhor no futebol mundial", disse o treinador da seleção brasileira, em entrevista à rádio Jovem Pan.

Parreira disse acreditar que o rendimento da seleção brasileira poderia ter sido melhor em 2004. Neste ano, a seleção conquistou o o título da Copa América-2004, disputada no Peru, e terminou em segundo lugar nas eliminatórias à Copa 2006, que será disputada na Alemanha.

A Argentina está na liderança com 22 pontos. O Brasil vem logo atrás com 20."O ano poderia ter sido melhor, mas temos que lembrar que existem problemas, como a falta de tempo para treinar. Disputar as eliminatórias é sempre difícil. Basta ver que, dos dez países que disputam a competição, todos continuam com chances de classificação para a Copa", finalizou o treinador.

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h19
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Com um gol do brasileiro Júlio Baptista, um dos principais destaques da partida, o Sevilla foi a Madri e venceu o Real, sem Roberto Carlos e Ronaldo, no estádio Santiago Bernabéu por 1 a 0, na noite desta quarta-feira, no complemento da 17ª rodada do Campeonato Espanhol.

Júlio Baptista arranca para marcar o gol da vitória do Sevilla sobre o Real Madrid

A vitória coloca o Sevilla, que também conta com os brasileiros Daniel Alves e Renato, na terceira posição da competição, com 31 pontos, um a menos que o Valencia e 11 atrás do líder Barcelona.

Já o "galáctico" Real Madrid mais uma vez decepcionou e agora caiu para a quinta posição, com 28 pontos. A equipe ainda tem um jogo a menos que os rivais, já que a partida contra a Real Sociedad, válida pela 15ª rodada, foi interrompida a poucos minutos do final por causa de uma ameaça de bomba no Bernabéu. O confronto, que estava empatado por 1 a 1, será completado dia 5 de janeiro.

O Real entrou em campo sem Roberto Carlos, supostamente machucado, e Ronaldo, que está voltando de contusão e ficou no banco de reservas. Esta foi a segunda partida consecutiva que o lateral-esquerdo ficou fora da equipe titular.

O primeiro tempo começou com um Real Madrid perdido na defesa e um Sevilla encontrando espaços no ataque. Logo aos 19min, Júlio Baptista recebeu dentro da área e, com liberdade, deu um toque sutil na saída do goleiro Casillas, abrindo o placar.Mesmo em desvantagem, o time merengue não se encontrava e o Sevilla pressionava, criando boas jogadas, principalmente com Baptista e com Daniel Alves. Com isso, Casillas, autor de importantes defesas, se tornou o melhor homem em campo no primeiro tempo.

Já a segunda etapa foi um pouco diferente, com o Real Madrid, agora com Ronaldo na vaga de Beckham, partindo para cima em busca do empate. Mesmo assim, o time da casa deixava espaços para os contragolpes do retraído Sevilla, que até chegou a incomodar, mas sem sucesso.
Aos 38min, em um lance discutível, o Real empatou a partida, mas o árbitro anulou a jogada. Ronaldo recebeu em velocidade dentro da área e bateu cruzado, indefensável. O brasileiro tinha condições legais de jogo, mas Raúl, que também estava na área, apareceu impedido, fazendo o árbitro invalidar o gol salvador do Real.

Vice-líder
Enquanto o Real Madrid tropeçava em casa, o Valencia marcou 3 a 0 no Espanyol no estádio Mestalla e garantiu a segunda colocação na competição, somando 32 pontos, dois a mais que o próprio Espanyol.

Jogadores do Valencia comemoram gol de Baraja, o 1º da vitória sobre Espanyol

No primeiro tempo, Baraja, em cobrança de falta perfeita, colocou o time da casa em vantagem. Depois de reclamarem com o árbitro, o visitante perdeu dois jogadores, Tamudo e Serrano, que foram expulsos.

Mesmo com nove em campo, o time de Barcelona dificultou a vida do Valencia, que não conseguia ampliar. O atual vice-líder só confirmou a vitória nos minutos finais, com dois gols de Mista, aos 37 e 42min.

O Osasuna assumiu a sexta posição ao derrotar o Numancia por 2 a 0, contando com boa atuação de Morales, que marcou duas vezes no segundo tempo para garantir a vitória de sua equipe.

A decepção ficou com o Deportivo La Coruña, que recebeu o Zaragoza no estádio Riazor e perdeu por 3 a 2, de virada. Cani fez o primeiro do visitante no primeiro tempo.

A segunda etapa foi movimentada, com Amo e Luque virando para o ex-time de Djalminha e Rivaldo. Mas, com gols de Milito e Villa , o Zaragoza virou e conquistou a vitória fora de casa.

Em Bilbao, o Athletic dominou a partida e goleou o Mallorca por 4 a 0. Yeste marcou duas vezes (sendo uma de pênalti), enquanto Ezquerro e Curpegi completaram o placar.

A outra goleada da rodada foi protagonizada pela Real Sociedad, que foi a Málaga e enfiou 5 a 1 no adversário. Kovacevic (2), Nihat (2) e Labaka marcaram para o time de San Sebástian, enquanto Valcarce descontou.

Com gol de Pacheco, aos 41min do segundo tempo, o Albacete se salvou da derrota e conseguiu o empate por 2 a 2 com o Villarreal. Já o Getafe, com dois gols de Riki, bateu o Racing Santander por 2 a 0.

Escrito por fraja8 às 21h16
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Pouring It On: A-B Lets German Beer Be Served At World Cup

A-B Allowing Bitburger To Flow During ’06 World Cup

Anheuser-Busch, which “has exclusive rights to sell beer in and around World Cup stadiums,” has agreed to let German brewery Bitburger serve its products at stadiums during the ’06 FIFA World Cup, according to the AP’s Roy Kammerer. The deal with Bitburger allows A-B to advertise its Budweiser brand on billboards inside stadiums during the World Cup, which will be visible to worldwide television audiences. But Bitburger becomes a “presenter” of the World Cup on German TV, “which allows its logo to be shown briefly every time play resumes.” Bitburger spokesperson Dietmar Henle said, “Both sides are winners here”

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K2 Looking For Brand Extensions With Rawlings Unit

Rawlings Branching Out Into Energy Drink Field

K2 is “moving forward with new branding deals involving” its recently acquired Rawlings brand, including the launch of two sports energy drinks, according to Christopher Tritto of the ST. LOUIS BUSINESS JOURNAL. EX2, a pre-workout creatine energy drink, and Drench, a post-workout rehydration drink, are both being manufactured by Quantum Nutritional and sold in about 5,000 retail locations. K2 VP/Licensing & Promotions Robert Strand: “We expect Americans will spend about $40[M] in the functional food market by 2008. We want to tap into that.”

APPAREL IS THE FUTURE: Strand indicated that Rawlings’ “biggest licensing opportunity going forward will be in the apparel market.” K2 President of Licensing & Promotions Scott Dickey: “Licensing is one of the revenue streams that is very underdeveloped. Other companies in our space, such as Wilson, Head and [Spalding], have substantial revenue from licensing streams and we think we can, too.” Strand said Rawlings has 15 licensing deals that bring in “more than seven figures in totality” in revenue. The company continues to operate its uniform and technical apparel businesses internally, but Strand and Dickey are looking to “partner with experts in particular fields to license and market Rawlings-branded headwear, activewear, outerwear, women’s wear and accessories.” Tritto notes one “effort in this area is the upcoming launch” of licensed Rawlings-branded sports cleats

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2004 In Review: Most-Searched Athletes On The Internet

As we prepare to bring ’04 to a close, THE DAILY this week is presenting several top-ten charts for the year. Today, we offer this year’s most-searched athletes on the Internet, according to Lycos. Please see the media section for the top online sports destinations, and the franchise section for the top-drawing NFL regular-season games (SportsBusiness Journal Research).

Most-Searched Athletes on the Internet in '04
Rank	Athlete	Sport	Change from '03
1	Anna Kournikova	Tennis	-51%
2	Kobe Bryant	Basketball	-92%
3	Maria Sharapova	Tennis	+364%
4	Serena Williams	Tennis	-28%
5	Amy Acuff	Track & Field	NA
6	Michael Jordan	Basketball (retired)	-56%
7	David Beckham	Soccer	-52%
8	Amanda Beard	Swimming	NA
9	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Motorsports	-33%
10	Allen Iverson	Basketball	-69%

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Marketplace Round-Up

Nextel Senior VP/Marketing Mark Schweitzer, on the Sprint-Nextel merger’s impact on the company’s title sponsorship of NASCAR’s top series: “While the deal anticipated that the name might need to change, there is a restriction on the number of times and on NASCAR’s flexibility in doing so. As we look at what the right thing to do for 2006 and beyond, it will come after research with the fans and in the garage” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/22).

FAR BEYOND DRIVEN: TELEVISION WEEK’s Wayne Friedman reports Toyota “is believed to be paying a whopping $16[M] for product placements and ads” on the first 13 episodes of NBC’s “The Contender,” which begins airing in February. At an estimated $200,000 per spot, Toyota is spending $10.4M in media and more than $6M in product integration fees. The $16M total exceeds sponsorships for CBS’ “Survivor” and Fox’ “American Idol,” which both had deals in the $10-14M range (TELEVISION WEEK, 12/20 issue).

RODEO: The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Minneapolis-based private equity investment firm Grit Rock Ventures have formed Pro Rodeo Tour LLC, a new venture that will market media, sponsorship, merchandise and other properties of the PRCA and its affiliates. Former Wild CEO Jac Sperling serves as Grit Rock Chair & CEO (Grit Rock Ventures). In this week’s SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, Terry Lefton reports Johnsonville Brats has become the official sausage of the PRCA under a one-year deal that includes TV ads on ESPN and CBS, as well as on-site signage

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Double Trouble? Christmas Day Games Rife With Controversy

Kobe-Shaq Tilt Leading NBA’s Christmas Game Marketing Charge

For 48 hours before ABC’s Heat-Lakers broadcast on Christmas Day, the network’s “entertainment shows, after ad breaks, will have pop-up promotions for the game — something ABC has done for the NBA Finals, not regular-season games,” according to Michael Hiestand of USA TODAY. The promos will include the cast of “Desperate Housewives.” Meanwhile, TNT during halftime of T’Wolves-Spurs on Thursday will air an interview with Charles Barkley and Lakers G Kobe Bryant. Barkley: “If he doesn’t say what I want him to say, I’m going to reach across the table and slap the hell out of him. I just want to ask him what he wants people to know, because right now he’s getting killed” (USA TODAY, 12/22).

NO MIRACLE: Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban, on Heat C Shaquille O’Neal comparing himself to a brick wall and Bryant to a Corvette hitting that wall if the two come in contact during the game: “I love it. I want to see the Corvette hit the wall. Storylines are good. There’s a reason why people like to watch cars go around in circles. And it’s not because they like watching cars going around in circles” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/22).

IT’S SHOWTIME? ESPN’s Steve Delsohn said when Lakers Owner Jerry Buss traded O’Neal, “he envisioned a team that would resemble the Lakers during the ‘Showtime’ years.” Buss: “I wanted to see a different look with the Lakers. This was my ambition. Maybe I’m influenced too much by the ‘80s, but I really want to see an up-tempo team” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 12/20).

ROUND TWO? ESPN will air Pistons-Pacers at 12:30pm ET Christmas Day, marking the first match-up between the teams since the brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills November 19. Pistons coach Larry Brown said on “PTI” yesterday, “To have the league showcase that game with both teams 12-11 after what happened really makes me sick. I can see Kobe and Shaq playing against each other because that is news. Those two are the greatest players to play in our sport. But for our game to be shown on TV, to have people wondering what’s going to happen, bothers me a little bit” (“PTI,” ESPN, 12/21). USA TODAY’s Michael Dodd notes no alcohol will be sold at Conseco Fieldhouse for the game, as “Indiana state law prohibits its sale on Christmas Day” (USA TODAY, 12/22).

Raiders-Chiefs On TV For Entertainment Purposes

COUCH SITTING: Like the NBA, the NFL is also offering two nationally-televised Christmas Day games, Raiders-Chiefs on CBS at 5:00pm ET, and Broncos-Titans on ESPN at 8:30pm ET. Chiefs Owner Lamar Hunt, on playing on Christmas Day: “The truth is, we’re in the entertainment business. If it wasn’t us, the NFL, it would be somebody else playing. I think there’s always going to be sports on Christmas. Look at the NBA. Look how much attention they’re giving their NBA game on Christmas. That will be a highly watched game.” More Hunt: “If the game was more meaningful for us or the Raiders, I’m sure we would really get some good ratings. I think we’ll do pretty well at any rate.” But Hunt added of Christmas Day games, “I don’t think we should go out of our way. If Christmas is on a Thursday or something, there’s no need to force it” (K.C. STAR, 12/22).

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Achilles’ Heel: FCC Posts Olympics Complaints On Web Site

FCC Posts Complaints About NBC’s Olympics Coverage On Web Site

The FCC has posted on its Web site “all nine of the complaints it says it has received about NBC’s coverage of the Athens Olympics,” but has blacked out the names of the complainants, according to Lisa de Moraes of the WASHINGTON POST. Complaints include the use of foul language during a U.S. women’s beach volleyball match and some content of the Opening Ceremony. One letter stated of the ceremony: “How could NBC be allowed to show the male genitalia on national television?” de Moraes notes complaints also include NBC’s commercial content, including previews for “The Exorcist” and NBC’s now-cancelled animated primetime series “Father of the Pride.” Also mentioned are airing of ads for erectile dysfunction drugs, but it is “not clear from the letters if those ads even appeared during NBC’s Olympics coverage.” Another letter focused on NBC’s profile of Gold Medal-winning swimmer Amanda Beard, in which she was “described as a sex symbol, a notion supported by a slo-mo video of Beard emerging from a pool.” An NBC spokesperson said, “It’s puzzling that we had 203 million viewers who watched over 17 days and more than 1,200 hours, and got no such complaints last summer during the Games”

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2004 In Review: Top Online Sports Destinations

As we prepare to bring ’04 to a close, THE DAILY this week is presenting several top-ten charts for the year. The chart below shows this year’s top online sports destinations, according to Nielsen//NetRatings (SportsBusiness Journal Research).

Top Online Sports Destinations for '04
Brand or channel	Total cumulative sessions in the U.S. (in millions)
ESPN.com	1,159,710
Yahoo! Sports	834,180
MLB.com	332,571
eBay Sports	324,947
SportsLine.com	301,137
NFL Internet Network	256,841
SI.com	249,644
AOL Sports	218,382
Fox Sports on MSN	214,976
NASCAR.com	211,961

NOTE: Traffic to SportsLine.com does not include traffic to its network of sites, which includes the NFL Internet Network and PGATour.com

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Media Notes

News Corp. Extends Southern Hemisphere Rugby Rights Through 2010

BLOOMBERG NEWS’ Dan Baynes reports News Corp. and South Africa’s M-Net/Supersport have inked a TV rights deal through 2010 with the Southern hemisphere rugby union for $323M. News Corp. secured rights to the New Zealand, Australia and U.K. markets while M-Net/Supersport acquired rights to Africa. News Corp.’s current ten-year, $555M rights agreement expires at the end of ’05 (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 12/22)....Comcast SportsNet Chicago has signed 26 new MSOs in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana, effective January 1, growing its subscriber base to over 3.4 million from 50 affiliates, (Comcast SportsNet)....The PBR has extended its multiyear contract with OLN to remain part of the network’s Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday evening lineups (PBR).

Notes From Bristol: ESPN To Air Weekly Documentary In ‘05

ESPN Original Entertainment (EOE) has ordered 30 episodes of “Timeless,” a half-hour, weekly documentary series that “profiles sports stories from the past and present” and will debut January 1, according to TV WEEK’s James Hibberd. “Timeless” is based on a three-part newsmagazine special of the same name that aired in March, which drew “lackluster ratings.” Completed episodes include pieces on a California cross country team comprised of children of Mexican immigrants, a Buddhist monk golfer and Princeton chess players who play against inmates. EOE Exec Producer Michael Antinoro: “It’s for nontraditional and traditional sports fans. There are a lot of really compelling sports stories that there is not a home for on our other shows.” EOE is in talks with Eagles LB Dhani Jones to host the series (TV WEEK, 12/20 issue).

ESPN TO GO: In a Q&A with BROADCASTING & CABLE’s Ken Kerschbaumer, ESPN Mobile Senior VP Manish Jha said of the ESPN-branded phones that will debut in ’05, “One of the things we’re going to try to do, which hasn’t been done very well in the marketplace, is hide the complexity of the technology from the fan. Asking people to launch a browser if they want to see certain types of information on the phone or asking them to go to a messaging gateway to send or receive messages is not the optimal fan experience. We want to create a sports experience and let the different protocols work behind the scenes” (B&C, 12/20 issue).

ACTIVATION: ESPN.com has launched “Get Active on ESPN.com,” a collaboration with Active.com that allows users to learn about and register for events in multiple participatory sports. Active.com is a division of The Active Network and is an official partner of Little League Baseball, NFL Youth Football and MLS Soccer Camps (ESPN).

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NHL Face-Off, Day 98: Poll Says Canadians Fault The Players

Canadian Poll Shows That Fans Are Siding With Owners

In a TSN-commissioned poll by Ipsos-Reid of 1,000 Canadians December 17-20, 59% of respondents “side with the owners in the NHL lockout, down only slightly from a similar poll in September, when support was at 60[%],” according to David Shoalts of the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL. Only 16% of respondents support the players, down from 20% in September. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points. Also, about 50% of respondents “would blame the players” if the entire season is cancelled, compared to 21% blaming the owners. The NHLPA disputed a question in the poll which stated, “The dispute is over cost controls. The players’ position is that their salaries should continue to be set by the free market; the team owners say that they need some new cost controls, including a cap on players’ salaries. In your view, who is being more fair and reasonable in this dispute — the players or the owners?” NHLPA Senior Dir of Business Affairs Ted Saskin said in a statement: “Anyone conversant with our proposals would know players are in no way asking for a free market and have already proposed significant new cost controls on top of an across-the-board 24[%] salary rollback representing over $500[M] in reductions to contracts previously committed to by owners”

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League Notes

BLOOMBERG NEWS’ Scott Soshnick reports arbitrator Roger Kaplan this morning reduced Pacers F Jermaine O’Neal’s suspension from the November 19 Pacers-Pistons brawl to 15 games from 25. Kaplan upheld the season-long suspension levied on Pacers F Ron Artest and the 30-game suspension of Pacers F Stephen Jackson, while also ruling against Pacers G Anthony Johnson, who appealed to recoup about $120,000 in lost salary (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 12/22).

SUBSTITUTION: Soshnick also reported that the National Basketball Referees Association is “removing the Rules and Ask-A-Ref portions” of its Web site and changing its Web address from nbarefs.org to www.probasketballrefs.com or www.thenbra.com after complaints from the NBA. NBRA spokesperson Lamell McMorris: “The NBA felt that its referees should not publicly comment on, or offer interpretations of, the league’s playing rules, and asked us to stop doing so.” Soshnick reported the league also said that the old Web address “infringed on its intellectual property rights” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 12/21).

FAIR SHAKE? While the Dolphins, who reportedly want to offer their head coaching job to Louisiana State Univ.’s Nick Saban, interviewed NFL Senior VP/Football Operations & Development Art Shell in order to comply with the NFL’s minority interview requirement, Fritz Pollard Alliance Chair John Wooten said, “If Art Shell says he got a fair shake, I’ve got to say he got a fair shake.” Wooten added that “if that’s what Shell says, there will be no protest from the Alliance, even if the Dolphins hire” Saban. NFL VP/PR Greg Aiello said that Shell “has decided that any further comment on the Dolphins situation would be handled through” the league. Aiello said that Shell “felt that he had a ‘good’ 4 ½-hour interview” (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 12/22).

Average ’04 MLB Salary Down 2.5%, First Drop In A Decade

The average MLB player salary for ’04 was $2,313,535, down 2.5% from $2,372,189 in ’03, marking the first decline in average salary since a 4% drop in ’95, the year after the strike that caused the cancellation of the World Series, according to the AP’s Ronald Blum. The only other decline since the MLBPA began tracking salaries in ’67 was an $86 drop in ’87, “when owners were found to have conspired to hold down salaries among free agents.” The MLBPA has “spent the last two years trying to determine whether to file a new collusion grievance,” but MLBPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr has not “determined what to attribute the drop to.” Fehr: “We’ve been looking at things closely the last couple of years and we’ll have to see how things play out. It’s too early to tell”

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Tie Goes To The Runner: Twins Turning Around Finances

FSN Deal Helping Twins Break Even For 2004

After losing $10M in ’03, the Twins “are at the break-even point for 2004,” according to Tom Powers of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. Twins President Dave St. Peter said the team is “pretty close [to breaking even]. There’s the new [CBA] and the overall health of the industry. The luxury tax dollars, an increase in our licensing revenue, and we signed with Fox Sports Net North, the first time we’ve had what I’d call a real market TV deal locally. ... We are in a period of short-term stability.” Meanwhile, Powers notes the Twins’ season-ticket sales “are where they always are in December — flat.” But the “good news is that the fan base no longer is shocked by the departure of many longtime” Twins players. St. Peter said that fans “now seem almost numb to it.” St. Peter: “More so than a couple years ago. They’ve learned to put their trust in our people. [Twins GM] Terry Ryan and his staff still pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat to keep us competitive”

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Pirates’ McClatchy Discusses Club’s Finances In Interview

McClatchy Says Pirates Turning Corner Financially

Pirates Managing General Partner Kevin McClatchy, in part one of a two-part interview with Dejan Kovacevic of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, said after losing $30M during the first three years in PNC Park, the franchise is “much more stable than it was. We’re in much better financial shape. We’ve sort of turned the corner a little bit. We didn’t have the losses in 2004. We were able to make some money and pay down some debt.” When asked how much profit the team made, McClatchy said, “I wouldn’t say it was huge, but it was turning the corner.”

PAYROLL: McClatchy, on the team’s payroll, which is expected to be around $35M next season: “My anticipation now is that attendance is going to go up this year, and payroll is going to go up. They work together and, unfortunately, they were working apart for two years. That really set us back, so we had to do some things that were tough. But we’re taking care of that and we’re putting more money into the minor-league system and player development because we think that gives us the best shot of winning.” When asked if he could “envision a scenario in which the payroll would again top $50[M],” McClatchy replied, “Yes, I can. All we have to do is win, and people will come out.” McClatchy, on the $13.3M the Pirates received from revenue sharing in ’03: “We didn’t pour all of it into the [minor-league] system. We have spent more there than we had. Much more. But we’re also trying to get the team back afloat, to balance the ship with our debt.”

EYE ON ARIZONA: Kovacevic asked of the D’Backs, “They have more than $200M in debt, but spent almost $80[M] on free agents last week, right?” McClatchy: “We don’t want this thing to be where Arizona is now. They’re sitting on so much debt. ... Come talk to me in a year or two about where Arizona’s going to be.”

COLD FRONT: MLB would be the only of the big-four sports without a salary cap if the NHL implements one, and Kovacevic asked McClatchy if that could apply “pressure to produce a more equitable deal when the next [CBA] is negotiated.” McClatchy: “Yes. ... The game is not where it needs to be. ... There needs to be increased revenue sharing. ... A cap is necessary, too, but I’m not sure a cap is going to happen”

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Oilers Lay Off Six More Employees As NHL Lockout Continues

The Oilers have temporarily laid off six more employees in the “first mass staffing cut since the lockout began,” according to Robin Brownlee of the EDMONTON SUN, who notes the team’s front office “is down by about 15 people from last season.” Included in the most recent cuts are Information Coordinator Steve Knowles and Strength & Conditioning Consultant Daryl Duke. Equipment Manager Sparky Kulchisky was laid off last month. Oilers VP/Marketing & Communications Alan Watt said that Knowles, Duke and others “could be recalled if the lockout ends” (EDMONTON SUN, 12/22). Appearing on ESPN’s “OTL Nightly” last night, Oilers Exec VP & GM Kevin Lowe said the Oilers “are kind of like the Green Bay Packers in the NFL. If the Oilers can’t survive, there’s a lot of other teams that can’t survive, so to be overly dramatic, this (lockout) is about the survival of the Oilers going forward in the (NHL)” (“OTL Nightly,” ESPN, 12/21).

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Kaiser Asking Court To Give Him Right To Buy 50% Of Broncos

Bowlen To Meet Kaiser In Court Again

Former Broncos Owner Edgar Kaiser has filed a request for specific performance in Denver District Court seeking 50% ownership of the team “because of an alleged breach of contract by current owner Pat Bowlen,” according to Mike McPhee of the DENVER POST. Kaiser recently won a legal victory when a federal court decided that Bowlen had “violated the right-of-first-refusal” that Kaiser was owed when Bowlen offered John Elway 10% of the team for $15M. Kaiser in the new action claims Bowlen also violated the right-of-first-refusal clause when he bought out the roughly 50% ownership shares held by his siblings, William Bowlen and Mary Elizabeth Jagger. Kaiser wants Denver District Judge Morris Hoffman to enter a "specific performance" decree giving Kaiser the chance to buy those shares of the team for $50M. But Bowlen’s attorneys dispute Kaiser’s right to specific performance, noting that the judge in the Elway decision said his “ruling was made subject to approval by the NFL owners.” Hoffman ordered the parties to agree by Friday to a trial date before July 11

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2004 In Review: Top-Drawing NFL Regular-Season Games

As we prepare to bring ’04 to a close, THE DAILY is presenting several top-ten charts for the year. Below we offer the top-drawing NFL regular-season games (SportsBusiness Journal Research).

Top-Drawing NFL Regular-Season Games in '04
Game	Teams	Attendance
Mon., Sept. 27	Cowboys-Redskins	90,367
Sun., Oct. 10	Ravens-Redskins	90,287
Sun., Sept. 12	Buccaneers-Redskins	90,098
Sun., Dec. 12	Eagles-Redskins	90,089
Sun., Oct. 31	Packers-Redskins	89,295
Sun., Dec. 5	Giants-Redskins	87,872
Sun., Nov. 14	Bengals-Redskins	87,786
Sun., Oct. 24	Lions-Giants	78,841
Sun., Nov. 28	Eagles-Giants	78,830
Sun., Nov. 21	Falcons-Giants	78,793

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Franchise Notes

In Akron, Brian Windhorst reports Quicken Loans Chair Dan Gilbert’s final agreement to purchase the Cavaliers “is close and could be struck before New Year’s, but odds and ends might tie the deal up longer.” Gilbert visited Cleveland and the franchise on Tuesday, while Cavaliers Owner Gordon Gund “spoke to players for the first time since announcing the team was on the verge of being sold two weeks ago.” Several players noted Gund said that he “is seriously considering keeping a stake in the team” (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 12/22).

JAGS: A FLORIDA-TIMES UNION editorial states that the “only way to avoid having [Jaguars’] games blacked out on local television is for one out of every 13 Jacksonville residents to buy a season ticket.” With Alltel Stadium’s capacity being reduced by about 10,000 seats next season, Jaguars Owner Wayne Weaver “is right to take action so the fan base isn’t punished for having a supersized stadium” (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 12/22).

FC MEANS FAIRLY CHEAP: MLS FC Dallas will lower overall ticket prices next season when they begin play in the new 21,193-seat Frisco Soccer & Entertainment Center. With the price changes, 82% of tickets are equal to or lower than the comparable ’04 price at the Cotton Bowl. The team will also offer a $9 reserve seat, which is 25% lower than the cheapest general admission seat offered last season. Nearly 20% of seats are priced $10 or less. The team’s new average ticket price of $13.35 is the second lowest in MLS when compared to ’04 league figures (FC Dallas).

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DC Council Approves Amended Financing Package For Ballpark

MLB Ready To Move Forward After Financing Package Passes

The DC Council Tuesday voted 7-6 to approve a financing package for a proposed ballpark for the Nationals along the Anacostia River that contains several amendments to the original deal DC Mayor Anthony Williams signed with MLB, according to Nakamura & Heath of the WASHINGTON POST. A gross receipts tax on large businesses and a utilities tax on businesses and federal offices will provide funding to pay off the bonds that will finance part of the construction of the ballpark, while the city “will continue to search for private financing to cover at least 50[%] of the cost.” DC and MLB will “share the cost of insurance against cost overruns,” and the city will be liable for $5.3M, one year’s rent at RFK Stadium, if the new ballpark does not open by March ’08, compared to $19M or more in the original deal. DC Council Chair Linda Cropp, who proposed an amendment last week requiring 50% of the cost be privately financed, said, “We provided a better deal” (WASHINGTON POST, 12/22).

PRIVACY PLEASE: In DC, Eric Fisher reports the legislation “acknowledges a previous public-financing bill structure as the option of last resort if no viable and certifiable source of private money is found.” Meanwhile, a proposal to issue revenue bonds against curbside parking around the ballpark “has received preliminary certification” from DC CFO Natwar Gandhi and will stand as “the de facto source of private funds until a better option presents itself” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 12/22). DC Administrator Robert Bobb said that the district has already received “more than six proposals for private financing and that it would issue a request for more proposals by the end of the week” (Katharine Seelye, N.Y. TIMES, 12/22).

A BUD-DING FRIENDSHIP: MLB Commissioner Bud Selig in a statement said last week’s amendment put forth by Cropp “was a critical issue because it changed the transaction and did not commit the government to the financing agreed to in the stadium agreement. With the city once again assuring financing as well as continuing to agree to split the costs with MLB on damages incurred by moving into a new stadium after the target date, we can now focus our attention on bringing baseball back to Washington this coming season” (MLB). Selig in an interview yesterday said, “First, we get killed all these years for not going to Washington. Now, we get killed for going there” (WASHINGTON POST, 12/22). MLB President & COO Bob DuPuy: “I’m satisfied that legislation today complies with our agreement, and we can move forward” (USA TODAY, 12/22). DuPuy added the private-financing provision “was obviously the major area of concern for us. We were gravely concerned our stay in Washington was going to be a short one” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 12/22).

A BETTER DEAL? In DC, Wilgoren & Kovaleski write the “only guaranteed savings for the city ... is an agreement to split the cost of insurance premiums –- estimated to be at least $4[M].” Cropp’s office indicated the city could save at least $193.5M with the changes, but other officials said that the figure “was based on estimates that seemed vague or highly speculative.” The officials added that it is “hard to quantify the potential cost savings without knowing the eventual date of the stadium’s completion or whether private financing will come through.” DC Fiscal Policy Institute Dir Ed Lazere: “These are relatively minor savings in a bill that could cost upward of $600[M]” (WASHINGTON POST, 12/22). Also in DC, Thomas Boswell writes Cropp’s “most valuable contribution may ultimately be her insistence that baseball agree to limit Washington’s liability for compensatory damages” to $5.3M if the ballpark is not complete for the ’08 season. One person involved in the timeline for building the ballpark said, “Getting the stadium done for ’08 is already out of the question. It can’t be done and it won’t be close. I’d put a ballpark opening in ’09 at 50-50.” Boswell notes if that view is correct, Cropp “may save the District” $15-30M (WASHINGTON POST, 12/22). DC Council member Carol Schwartz, who voted against the plan, said, “We’ve gone from the world’s lousiest deal to still the world’s lousiest deal. I congratulate baseball’s major-league negotiators and condemn our own minor-league negotiators. They cleaned our clock” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 12/22). Lake Forest (IL) College economics professor Robert Baade: “When we consider city deals with major league sports teams, a better deal does not make it a good deal” (WASHINGTON POST, 12/22).

IN FAVOR: DC Chamber of Commerce President Barbara Lang said that “many of her organization’s initial reservations have been eased” by the potential private financing, which “could help ease the burden on businesses that would be taxed to pay for” the ballpark (WASHINGTON POST, 12/22). A WASHINGTON POST editorial states of baseball in DC, “There’s cause for optimism that it will work. The Washington area has the interest, the money and above all the people to make baseball succeed here. The financing plan relies on a business tax and levies on the stadium’s operations. The hope is that baseball will, over time, pretty much pay for itself and then some” (WASHINGTON POST, 12/22).

PRAISE FOR CROPP: In DC, Eric Weiss writes under the header, “At The End Of The Day, Cropp Owns The Deal.” Weiss: “In the end, Cropp appeared to have it her way. Even her opponents wound up acknowledging that she had tapped a vein of resentment in the city that took Williams and baseball supporters by surprise. By Monday, everyone seemed to be kowtowing to Cropp. Baseball officials, who had insisted on dealing with the mayor, were working to assuage her concerns” (WASHINGTON POST, 12/22). Also in DC, Tom Knott writes the ballpark deal “will be the lead item on [Cropp’s] mayoral platform. She will be the person who stood up to [MLB] and placed a governor on a fiscally impudent mayor” (WASHINGTON TIMES, 12/22).

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Louisiana Officials Say They’re On Task Despite Tags’ Doubts

Tagliabue Feels Saints’ Talks Have Regressed Over Last Year

Despite NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue saying in Monday’s L.A. Times that he was concerned “that negotiations to keep the Saints in New Orleans have ‘moved backward’ in the past year,” Superdome Commission Chair Tim Coulon said that Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco “is sticking with her plan to reopen talks with the Saints after the NFL regular season ends,” according to Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE. Tagliabue said the Saints situation does not “look like it’s any better today than it was a year ago. If anything, it looks worse.” Tagliabue added that the arrival three years ago of the Hornets “may be partly to blame for the Saints’ inability to get a satisfactory stadium deal.” Tagliabue: “There seems to be some negative byproduct of a second major-league franchise in town.” But Coulon said, “Our plan is to present a proposal in early January to the Saints. Our initiative is going to be to present a long-term deal for the Saints to stay in Louisiana.” The Times story noted that with the announcement of a new stadium for the Colts, the Saints “are likely at the top of the list of franchises that could relocate to [L.A.]”

The Sky Is Falling In: City Unhappy With Wrigley Netting

Building Commish Wants Plan For Fixing Wrigley’s Falling Concrete

Chicago Buildings Commissioner Stan Kaderbek said that “safety nets installed at Wrigley Field to catch falling concrete cannot remain in place unless the Cubs have a comprehensive plan to remedy crumbling concrete after the 2005 season,” according to Fran Spielman of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Kaderbek acknowledged that there “probably isn’t time for the Cubs to remedy” the problem in time for the ’05 season. Engineering firm Wiss, Janney, Elstner & Associates in a report concluded that protective netting is an acceptable solution to the falling concrete, but Kaderbek has asked the firm to “lay out the option for repairs in 2006 and beyond” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/22). Kaderbek: “I think it is irresponsible to say that netting is a solution. ... They have to convince me why it is OK, even for one more season” (Gary Washburn, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/22). Cubs President & CEO Andy MacPhail in a statement said, “The recent report has assured us the park is safe without netting, but we want to take additional precautions to ensure the safety of our fans. We plan to keep appropriate systems in place for the 2005 season as we explore other long-term needs of the ballpark” (Cubs).

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MLB Facility Notes: Petco Park Gets Round Of Touchups

Padres Making Minor Changes To Petco Park

In San Diego, Bill Center reports the Padres will spend close to $3M before next season on improvements to Petco Park. Enhancements include “modifying the aesthetically challenged batter’s eye in center field, adding a small video screen to the out-of-town scoreboard in right and replacing the glass-and-metal railing along the front row in the upper deck.” The team will also upgrade signage throughout the ballpark and is reviewing concession operations (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/22).

OCEAN FRONT PROPERTY: In S.F., Matier & Ross report the Giants have asked the city of S.F. that SBC Park “be reassessed for tax purposes to less than the $250[M] price tag” assigned to the ballpark when it opened in ’00. The team currently pays over $4M annually in property taxes on the ballpark plus another $6M in payroll, parking and other taxes, but “nobody is saying just how big a tax break the Giants are looking for.” Giants Senior VP & General Counsel Jack Bair said, “Ballparks, arenas and similar facilities tend to depreciate in value — more like a car than a house.” Matier & Ross note as part of the reassessment, the Giants could be “required to disclose confidential information” such as “how much revenue the team gets from the 100 or so nonbaseall events held each year at the ballpark” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 12/22).

GOING GREEN: The White Sox will begin replacing the blue seats at U.S. Cellular Field with green seats as part of Phase V of the facility’s renovation plan. The new green seats will be installed in the Club Level, Scout Seats and bleachers before next season. The remaining seats, beginning with the Upper Deck, will be installed during the ’05 season and before the ’06 season. Aisle seats will feature one of the club’s historical logos (White Sox).

Diamond Seller Puts Retail Space In American Airlines Center

American Airlines Center’s Club Level To Get Diamond Wholesaler

In a “novel effort to connect a high-end merchant and premium seating customers,” Center Operating Co. signed a three-year sponsorship with Mariloff Diamond Wholesale, which will display and sell diamonds and fine jewelry on American Airlines Center’s Platinum Club level, according to Don Muret of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Mariloff Dir of Business Development Bob Kelley said that the company “is paying $66,000 for the first year of its deal, and the second and third years are negotiable.” The deal has a three-year option. Kelley added Mariloff already does business with several corporations that have suites in the arena. Kelley: “The dynamics of the Platinum Club fit our client base, age 26 to 50, young professionals to middle age.” Mariloff spent about $75,000 to build a permanent showroom inside the arena, and is “thought to be the first jeweler to operate a permanent location in a sports facility” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/20 issue).

NCAA Okay With Indy Stadium Plan Despite Proposed Gaming Tie

Brand Staying Out Of Funding Debate For Proposed Indy Stadium

The NCAA will not oppose Indianapolis’ funding package for a new downtown stadium “even though it includes proposed revenue from gaming,” according to the AP’s Michael Marot. NCAA President Myles Brand said, “The NCAA never gets involved with how states or cities fund stadiums. That’s their choice. We don’t have any say in it.” Brand added, “It’s not the NCAA’s business to be cultural critics or a cultural task force. Our job is to make sure it doesn’t influence college athletics.” Marot noted the NCAA in February reached an agreement with Indianapolis to make the city “a permanent backup site for” Final Fours and it will also be “included in the rotation for men’s and women’s Final Fours for at least the next 30 years” (AP, 12/21).

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The AP Pulls Out Of The BCS, Creating More Confusion

AP Pulls Poll Due To Concerns With The BCS Selection Process

The AP “pulled its football poll from being used” by the BCS as part of the formula to select the teams for the national title game and the three other BCS bowls, according to Mark Blaudschun of the BOSTON GLOBE. The AP in a statement said its inclusion in the BCS has “harmed AP's reputation and interfered with AP's agreements with AP poll voters." Big 12 Commissioner and BCS Coordinator Kevin Weiberg said in a statement, “We respect the decision of the [AP] to no longer have its poll included in the BCS standings. ... We will discuss alternatives to the [AP] poll at the upcoming BCS meetings and plan to conclude our evaluation of the BCS standings formula, including any other possible changes, by our April meeting.” SEC Commissioner Mike Slive: “This makes it clear we in the BCS have some work to do and some hard decisions to make” (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/22).

NOT A PARTNERSHIP: The AP in a letter to Weiberg went as far as to say the use of the AP poll was “unauthorized and unlawful.” The letter added, “By stating that the AP Poll is one of the three components used by BCS to establish its rankings, BCS conveys the impression that AP condones or otherwise participates in the BCS system. Furthermore, to the extent that the public does not fully understand the relationship between BCS and AP, any animosity toward BCS may get transferred to AP. And to the extent that the public has equated or comes to equate the AP Poll with the BCS rankings, the independent reputation of the AP Poll is lost.” Read the full text of the letter (THE DAILY).

ETHICAL CONCERNS: AP Sports Editor Terry Taylor said that the decision was made by a group of AP editors and execs, and was “based on personal and professional misgivings by some of the voters.” In N.Y., Pete Thamel noted the decision was “prompted by reading and hearing stories from voters of ethical concerns and harassing e-mail and phone calls” from fans wanting their teams to be voted higher. Taylor: “It had just gotten to a boiling point. It was causing a problem for our members.” Taylor also pointed to the decision by the Charlotte Observer earlier this month to pull out of the AP poll. Observer Exec Sports Editor Mike Persinger: “My issue was with the ethics of reporters determining where all that money went. I didn’t think that was right” (N.Y. TIMES, 12/22). Persinger today writes that, if asked, the newspaper will rejoin the AP voting since it is no longer tied to the BCS (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/22). Dallas Morning News reporter Brian Davis appeared on ESPN2's “Cold Pizza” this morning and said, “We're talking about millions of dollars swinging with these decisions. The fact that that much pressure is put on the AP poll, I just think that is something that reporters in general should not have that pressure on them. It's basic ethics” (“Cold Pizza,” ESPN2, 12/22).

BECOMING PART OF THE STORY: Austin American-Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls said, “I never felt like our poll should have been an integral part of the BCS. That's not how our poll was supposed to be used. I'm not surprised it's come to this. Hopefully, this'll create enough pressure on the BCS conferences that they'll scrap the system and start a playoff." Tim Griffin of the San Antonio Express-News, also an AP voter, added, “I had a problem with becoming part of the story where I dictated who would be playing for the national championship or who would play in a $14[M] game, rather than reporting the story. We had already talked about maybe asking not to be included next year if the BCS continued using the AP poll." In Houston, Jerome Solomon notes that the Houston Chronicle pulled out of the AP poll this season but “participated in every other year of the BCS” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 12/22).

FOX BOX: The DALLAS MORNING NEWS' Davis notes that Weiberg recently brokered a new four-year, $330M TV deal with Fox for the Orange, Fiesta and Sugar bowls from 2007-10. The new contract also calls for a fifth BCS game. Fox Sports Senior VP/Communications Lou D'Ermilio said, “Our agreement with the BCS doesn't kick in for two years. We're confident the BCS will have [a] fair and thoughtful formula to determine school standings” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/22). Meanwhile, SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL’s Andy Bernstein reports Fox’ BCS rights deal allows the net to “pull one game of its choosing each year off broadcast television and put it on a cable channel, as long as that channel reaches 70 million homes” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/22).

SECRET FORMULA: ESPN.com’s Ivan Maisel reported that BCS commissioners are “considering appointing a blue-ribbon committee of athletic directors and other executives to name the teams that will play in the national championship game” (ESPN.com, 12/21). One unnamed conference commissioner said of creating a committee to select the teams, “That would at least bring some accountability to the process” (WASHINGTON POST, 12/22). American Football Coaches Association Exec Dir Grant Teaff said that he was not surprised by the AP’s move. Teaff: “The AP has been sort of a reluctant partner in the BCS from the very beginning. I remember [former SEC Commissioner] Roy Kramer telling me that the AP was concerned about its people making the news instead of reporting the news” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 12/22).

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THE DAILY Goes One-On-One With New Balance CEO Jim Davis

New Balance CEO Jim Davis

As CEO of the privately owned and close-knit New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc., JIM DAVIS has defied convention and conformity in building his brand.  While worldwide sales have grown progressively, the company has been steadfast in its mission: “To be the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance athletic and active-lifestyle products while operating in a socially responsible manner.”  As the athletic shoe with a soul, New Balance remains dedicated to domestic manufacturing, to performance and fit over fashion and to an “endorsed by no one” philosophy while nurturing its retail partnerships and supporting grass-roots initiatives.  Davis spoke recently with SportsBusiness Journal New York bureau chief Jerry Kavanagh.

Question: Where is your hometown?

Davis: Brookline, Massachusetts.

Q: What is your degree in, and from where?

Davis: B.S. in biochemistry, Middlebury College, 1966.

Q: Who is your favorite band?

Davis: The Rolling Stones.

Q: What is your favorite movie?

Davis: I’m not big on movies.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote?

Davis: Anything that refers to tenacity, to never giving up, I strongly believe in.

Q: Where is your favorite vacation spot?

Davis: The north shore of Boston.

Q: What is a typical day off like?

Davis: If I’m not doing something with my family, I’ll be fooling around with my cars.  I collect cars.

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Q: What is your best business call?

Davis: That’s a tough one.  I think it goes back to making certain that we look for the best folks that we can find -- building a strong team.

Q: What’s the best business advice you have received?

Davis: To have mutual respect within the organization. To make certain that everybody feels comfortable and that the person on the factory floor is no different from the person occupying an office in the executive wing.

Q: New Balance claims, “Although we have grown substantially over the past five years, we have not lost sight of who we are or from where we came.” Who are you?

Davis: We’re New Balance. We make shoes that perform well and fit well.

Q: How did you go from biochemistry to making sneakers?

Davis: I had aspirations to be a doctor, but I realized I hated school.  It was coincidence.  I was selling equipment having to do with biology and chemistry.  I went to buy a small company, and New Balance was the first one I looked at.  I just passed, though.  I knew a little about sporting goods but nothing about footwear.  But a year later, it was still available, so I bought it.

Q: New Balance has come a long way from that day in ‘72 -- the day of the Boston Marathon -- when you bought the company.  Worldwide sales increased from $210M in ‘91 to $1.3B in ‘03.  What’s behind the success?

Davis: It’s always the organization.  We’re very fortunate to have a group of managers that have been with us a long, long time.  We have virtually no management turnover and, as a result, there’s a lot of stability in the organization and we get to know retailers very well.  And through that we get to know the consumer.

It’s a whole amalgam of things, but primarily we have a great team, our factories are run extremely well, we have great people in the factories -- they’ve been with us on average well over ten years -- and so I think that’s what makes us a successful organization.

Q: PETER DRUCKER, the author of numerous books on business management, wrote, “There is only one valid definition of business purpose: to create a customer.”  How does New Balance create a customer?

Davis: Through product and customer service.  We have by far the strongest customer loyalty of any one of our competitors.  Once a person starts wearing New Balance, they very seldom will go away.  In large part, it’s due to the fact that the shoes fit very well.  We’ve been making widths for years, which has forced some of our competitors to do the same thing.  But they really don’t do it to the same degree that we do.

Q: Wells Fargo Securities analyst JOHN SHANLEY wrote last year that “Nike and Reebok are fascinated with capturing [the] fashion-oriented market.  New Balance sticks to reliability and performance in their running shoes.  It’s that simple.”  Is it that simple?

Davis Feels Non-Conformist Approach Working For New Balance

Davis: I wish it was.  To a large extent, he’s right. It’s a simple concept, but it’s not that easy to achieve. Obviously, we have to take fashion into consideration to some degree, but not necessarily to the same degree that our competitors will.  They’ll chase things whereas we probably would not do that.  We’ll stick to our guns and make a product that, first, performs and fits properly.  And then, if it looks great, that’s fine.

Q: Function over fashion?

Davis: Right.  We’re fairly consistent in that.

Q: That philosophy is contrary to that of your competitors.  It’s a non-conformist approach, isn’t it?

Davis: Yeah, I guess.  The endorsement of athletes, domestic manufacturing, or the mere fact that we are a private company makes us a little bit different, too.

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Q: What does New Balance’s “endorsed by no one” stance mean?

Davis: We don’t endorse athletes.

Q: The footwear is not endorsed by athletes?

Davis: Right.

Q: The shoes speak for themselves?

Davis: That’s the whole idea.  In other words, the amount of funds that you might pay an athlete go into building better products.

New Balance Keeping Up By Focusing On The More Discerning Consumer

Q: In ‘03, New Balance controlled 11% of the sneaker market.  How do you compete with Nike and Reebok, which spend millions on marketing, advertising and celebrity endorsements?

Davis: We try to attract a more discriminating customer.  We would target you before we’d target 14-year-old kids.  And those guys -- that’s where the endorsements work.  But you don’t care who wears the shoes as long as it performs well for you.  That’s your main concern.  A kid wants to be cool and wear, you know, what MICHAEL JORDAN used to wear.  That’s the main difference in our approach to the marketplace.

Q: Sporting Goods Intelligence said New Balance is “the easiest company to do business with.”  Why is that?

Davis: We make it a point to try to customize programs for the retailer.  We will work with them as much as we possibly can to accommodate them.  We think that’s important.  And if we make it easier for them to work with us, they’ll sell more of our products.

Q: How much of your manufacturing is done in the U.S.?

Davis: About 25%.

Q: And that is also contrary to your competitors?

Davis: Correct.

Q: Saucony CEO JOHN FISHER, in an interview in USA Today, said, “The technology of shoemaking became so costly that it was only available in Asia.”  New Balance is the sole major U.S. sneaker brand still manufacturing to some extent in the United States.  What are the advantages there?

Davis: We started out as a manufacturing company.  It’s always been part of our culture.  We’ve always maintained it here.  But it’s really turning into a big plus.  We’re getting into what’s called lean manufacturing [which] is something that was implemented by Toyota.  We’re working very closely with some folks from Toyota to improve on that process.  What we will be able to do in a relatively short period of time is to really cut down the lead time between receipt of order and delivery of products.

Right now, we make products for inventory.  But in the near future, we will be making products for the customer. In other words, if you order a shoe today, we want to be in a position to build it and deliver it to you within a couple of days.  And that’s going to turn out to be a huge sales advantage.  We may even increase our domestic production if that works.

Q: New Balance also emphasizes a grass-roots approach, targeting high school and Division III teams.  How successful has that been?

New Balance Approaching Basketball The Same Way It Approached The Running Market

Davis: Let me give you a little anecdote here.  We’ve been trying to introduce basketball for a long time and it’s very difficult, especially in that sport, if you don’t endorse athletes because a kid is not going to go into Foot Locker and buy a shoe unless there’s some big name behind it -- in most cases.  So, we thought we would approach basketball the same way we approached running 30 years ago, by working very closely with teams.  And we were more successful doing this than we thought.  I think the product was well-received.  The coaches feel comfortable with New Balance, and our competitors, strangely, are more interested in Division I teams than they are in high school teams.  So, to answer your question, it’s worked out very well for us.

Q: You have a relationship with MLL.  How did that come about, and where are you with that?

Davis: We’re one of the primary sponsors of the sport. And we also made an acquisition in lacrosse, a company called Warrior, which is the premier lacrosse company in the country.  There’s something about lacrosse.  It’s not like the other sports, and if we’re smart, we’ll keep it sort of pure, the way it is now, and not get caught up in what’s happened in the major leagues in general.

Q: What was behind New Balance’s “It’s Supposed to Be a Game” campaign, which attempted to stimulate discussion on values in sports?

Davis: It was a one-time ad that we ran in USA Today as a result of what’s been going on in sports lately.

Q: That’s not an ongoing theme?

Davis: No, but we have a campaign that’s coming up that’s along the same lines.  It pays tribute to the coach and not so much the glamour of the professional athlete.

Q: New Balance is forming ventures in Taiwan to build up a bigger presence in the Chinese market.

Davis: We have a licensee in China right now.  We have one in Taiwan also.  We have a joint venture in Taiwan.  And we will more than likely form a joint venture in China as well.

Q: I would think that will pay off with the Olympic Games coming to Beijing in ‘08.

Davis: That’s the whole idea.  You want to be certain you have a strong presence in ’08.

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Executive Transactions

Sirius Satellite Radio Promotes Cohen To VP/Sports Programming

Sirius Satellite Radio promoted Dir of NFL Programming STEVE COHEN to VP/Sports Programming, reporting to Exec VP/Programming JAY CLARK. Cohen will oversee the entire sports department and be responsible for new sports programming initiatives (Sirius)....The Leffler Agency promoted VP/Agency Operations CHRISTINE RAYNOR to COO (Leffler Agency).

MORE CHANGES AT ELY: Callaway Golf Senior Exec VP DICK HELMSTETTER has been promoted to Vice Chair, a position that GOLF WORLD BUSINESS reported is not Vice Chair of the BOD, but rather “simply vice chairman of the company.” Helmstetter “takes over responsibility for the company’s research and development efforts” and will also oversee int’l sales. Also, Top-Flite President & COO BOB PENICKA will add the role of Callaway Senior Exec VP with “responsibility for the entire company’s day-to-day operations.” Penicka will relocate to Carlsbad, California from Chicopee, Massachusetts (GOLF WORLD BUSINESS, 12/21).

HORSE TALK: NTRA COO GREG AVIOLI was named Exec VP/Legislative & Corporate Planning and will establish an NTRA office in DC. The NTRA also announced the following changes: VP/Breeders’ Cup & Event Marketing DAMON THAYER will serve as VP/Breeders’ Cup Event Management; VP/Legislative & Industry Affairs PEGGY HENDERSHOT was named VP/Legislative & Corporate Planning; Special Assistant to the Commissioner TERRY MEYOCKS was named VP/NTRA Racing & Industry Memberships. The NTRA also announced the following promotions: FRITZ WIDAMAN to Senior Dir of Marketing & NTRA Purchasing; CONNIE BISHOP to Senior Dir of Finance; TIM SCHRAM to Senior Dir of HR; and PAMELA WHITE to Senior Manager of Sponsorships. Associate Counsel RAGAN MONTEMAYOR will become a Dir (BLOODHORSE.com, 12/20).

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Names In The News

INVESTING OWNERS: Mavericks Owner MARK CUBAN bought 500,000 shares of media market researcher RENTRAK CORP. for $4.5M (Mult., 12/22)....NHL Panthers Owner ALAN COHEN, who recently bought 500 acres of farmland in Ocala, Florida, “spent more than $2[M] for eight mares at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, two mares privately, and a two-year-old filly.” Cohen, on buying the horses: “I really don’t have any goals concerning this. The main thing I want to do is enjoy myself and enjoy the farm with my family. Who knows what will happen. I may wind up with a thousand horses or 20” (THOROUGHBRED TIMES, 12/21).

Serena Working Hard Off The Court As Well

MODEL BEHAVIOR: In Miami, Madeleine Marr reports SERENA WILLIAMS premiered her ANERES clothing line last Wednesday at Miami Beach’s Forge restaurant. VENUS WILLIAMS served as one of the models, “sporting low-rise jeans and a purple ribbed turtleneck. She later wowed onlookers in a cashmere camel trench.” Aneres will be available soon in select South Florida boutiques (MIAMI HERALD, 12/22)....In Chicago, gossip columnist Michael Sneed reports former NBAer DENNIS RODMAN will reportedly be the first athlete to pose for PETA’s “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” ad campaign. PETA spokesperson KARLA WAPLES said Rodman’s ad is “due for publication in late January” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/22).

FUNNY BUSINESS: ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser, on reports of Texas Tech basketball coach BOBBY KNIGHT being interested in the USC head coaching job: “There is an interesting wild card in this. On its way to being produced is a sitcom about Bobby Knight’s life. Maybe he would actually like to be in Southern California and participate on that if it’s green-lighted” (“PTI,” ESPN, 12/21)....NASCAR driver RUSTY WALLACE appeared on CBS’ “Late Show” last night, where he said of NASCAR fining DALE EARNHARDT JR. for swearing on camera: “You know, if they had that in effect in 1989, I would have lost about 300 points” (“Late Show,” CBS, 12/21)....“The Tonight Show” last night included a segment called “Holiday Products To Avoid.” NBC’s Jay Leno: “I think this is pretty sleazy. A major sports personality is trying to jump on (the SpongeBob SquarePants) bandwagon with his own cuddly toy. This is SPONGEBOB COSTAS” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 12/21).

NAMES: In Tampa, Katherine Smith reported Buccaneers WR MICHAEL CLAYTON and “American Idol” winner FANTASIA BARRINO “have been somewhat of an item for a while now. Barrino has been spotted at several Bucs home games and also attended the Nov. 28 game against” the Panthers in her home state of North Carolina (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 12/21)....In N.Y., gossip columnists Rush & Molloy report that former Yankees broadcaster CHARLEY STEINER, who recently left the team for the Dodgers, is selling his East 74th Street apartment for $1.1M (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/22).

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Turnstile Tracker

THE DAILY today concludes our ’04 “Turnstile Tracker,” which estimates that over 476 million fans attended sporting events in the U.S. and Canada during the ‘03-04 sports year. Presented today are the full ’03-04 figures for a number of sports, broken down by league. While exact numbers were not always available, the data serves as the most detailed estimate of the number of attendees for these events (THE DAILY).

		REGULAR SEASON	PLAYOFFS	ALL-STAR OTHER	TOTALS
Horse Racing
	Thoroughbred, Harness, Quarter	30,590,676	n/a	n/a	30,590,676
Rodeo
	Rodeo (NSPR) United States	26,300,000	n/a	n/a	26,300,000
	Rodeo (CPRA) Canada	636,252	n/a	n/a	636,252
Total					26,936,252

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O técnico Luis Fernando Montoya, que levou o Once Caldas ao título da Copa Libertadores da América neste ano, foi baleado nesta quarta-feira na cidade de Medellin, na Colômbia, e está em estado crítico.

Montoya, durante disputa do Mundial Interclubes em Tóquio: estado é crítico

A informação foi confirmada pelo gerente do hospital onde Montoya recebeu os primeiros socorros, Jorge Iván Rojo.

Segundo o primeiro boletim médico emitido pelo hospital Caldas de Antioquia, Montoya deu entrada no hospital com sinais de ter levado dos tiros no pescoço.

"Sua condição é muito crítica. É um paciente que pode se recuperar, mas as possíveis seqüelas serão muito graves", disse Rojo.

Segundo o gerente, Montoya foi transferido para a clínica Américas de Medellin, onde foi internado em uma unidade de tratamento intensivo.

Montoya deixou o comando do Once Caldas depois da final do Mundial Interclubes, no domingo, dia 11 de dezembro. Na ocasião, a equipe colombiana foi derrotada, nos pênaltis, pelo Porto.

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***

Re: BCS Unlawful Use of the AP Poll

Dear Mr. Weiberg:

The Associated Press ("AP") has become aware of your unauthorized and unlawful use of AP's college football poll results (the "AP Poll") in preparing the Bowl Championship Series ("BCS") rankings of college football teams. Due to the process by which the BCS rankings are determined, your forced association of the AP Poll with BCS has harmed AP's reputation and has interfered with AP's agreements with the AP Poll voters some of whom have indicated that they may no longer participate in the AP Poll due to BCS's use of the AP Poll. Similarly, BCS's incorporation of the AP Poll into its rankings violates AP's copyright in the AP Poll, and misappropriates the effort that AP expended in producing the AP Poll.

As you are no doubt aware, AP and BCS have had several discussions in which BCS has requested that AP assist it in preparing its rankings. AP has denied BCS's requests each time.

BCS's continued use of the AP Poll interferes with AP's ability to produce the AP Poll and undermines the integrity and validity of the AP Poll. BCS has damaged and continues to damage AP's reputation for honesty and integrity in its news accounts through the forced association of the AP Poll with the BCS rankings. By stating that the AP Poll is one of the three components used by BCS to establish its rankings, BCS conveys the impression that AP condones or otherwise participates in the BCS system. Furthermore, to the extent that the public does not fully understand the relationship between BCS and AP, any animosity toward BCS may get transferred to AP. And to the extent that the public has equated or comes to equate the AP Poll with the BCS rankings, the independent reputation of the AP Poll is lost. BCS's actions violate AP's rights under the Lanham Act and state trademark and other laws. Additionally, as briefly noted above, several AP Poll voters, or the news organizations for which they work, have indicated an intention to not participate in the AP Poll for so long as BCS uses the AP Poll in producing the BCS rankings. BCS's continued use of the AP Poll directly threatens the existence of the AP Poll.

BCS's systematic harvesting of the facts gathered at great effort and expense by AP allows BCS to easily produce its rankings without expending such effort. BCS free-rides both on AP's investment in gathering the information contained in the AP Poll, and on the relationships that allow AP to conduct the AP Poll. In addition, the AP Poll is protected under the Copyright Act of 1976, 17 U.S.C. 101, et seq. BCS's unauthorized incorporation of the AP Poll into the BCS rankings directly infringes AP's copyrights and is not exempted from infringement by any provision of copyright law.

AP hereby demands that BCS immediately cease and desist from all current and future use of the AP Poll in producing the BCS rankings and that BCS confirm to AP that it has done so by December 31, 2004. AP reserves all rights with regard to BCS's actions.

We look forward to your response. Please direct all future correspondence on this matter to me or to AP's legal department.

Sincerely,

George Galt

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NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Yankees finalized their $4 million, two-year contract with second baseman Tony Womack on Tuesday.

Womack, who gets $2 million annually, hit .307 with five homers and 38 RBIs last season for the St. Louis Cardinals. The 35-year-old set career bests with a .349 on-base percentage and a .385 slugging percentage.

He replaces Miguel Cairo, who started at second down the stretch for the Yankees. Womack's deal was agreed to Dec. 7, but was subject to a physical and finalizing contract language.

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Edgar Kaiser Jr., former owner of the Denver Broncos, has filed papers in Denver District Court seeking 50 percent ownership of the National Football League team because of an alleged breach of contract by current owner Pat Bowlen.

Kaiser recently won an important but financially limited victory in federal court involving ownership of the Broncos. On Friday, Kaiser filed documents stating that Bowlen violated a right-of-first- refusal clause in a 1984 sales agreement with Kaiser.Bowlen violated the agreement, according to Kaiser, when he bought out the roughly 50 percent ownership shares of the team held by his siblings, William Bowlen and Mary Elizabeth Jagger.

Kaiser wants Denver District Judge Morris Hoffman to enter a "specific performance" decree giving Kaiser the chance to buy those shares of the team for $50 million."(This pleading) is simply an attempt to revive his specific performance claim and thus get a state court bite out of what has been up to this point a federal court apple," wrote Bowlen's lead attorney Dan Reilly.

In the federal lawsuit, U.S. District Senior Judge Richard Matsch told the parties in January 2002 that he couldn't issue a "specific performance" decree if Kaiser prevailed in his federal lawsuit because any share of the team gained by Kaiser would be subject to approval by the other NFL team owners.

Matsch said he had no jurisdiction over them and couldn't order them to approve Kaiser.However, a federal jury in February ruled in favor of Kaiser. It decided that Bowlen had violated the right-of-first-refusal clause when he offered former quarterback John Elway 10 percent of the team for $15 million, with the agreement that Bowlen could buy Elway out two years later for $20 million plus 8 percent interest. Elway refused the offer.

Matsch, on Dec. 10, ordered Bowlen to make the same offer to Kaiser as he had made to Elway. On the "specific performance" issue, Matsch said his ruling was made subject to approval by the NFL owners.Matsch's reconsideration on the specific performance remedy made all the difference in Kaiser's state lawsuit,according to his lawyers.They now argue that the same remedy should be made available to Kaiser in his claim "to challenge two transactions by which 50 percent of the Denver Broncos was sold in violation of Kaiser's right of first refusal."

Kaiser sold his 60.8 percent ownership in the Broncos to Bowlen in 1984 for $65 million. Bowlen's three siblings later bought out the remaining 39.2 percent from two Steamboat Springs businessmen.In 1987, Bowlen and his siblings dropped Pat's share to 30 percent and the other siblings to roughly 23 percent each. William Bowlen and Jagger eventually sold out their shares to Pat and brother John Bowlen.

That final sale to Pat and John is the transaction Kaiser claims violates his right to first refusal.On Tuesday, Hoffman ordered the parties to agree by Friday on a trial date sometime before July 11, 2005.

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h22
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“No jugamos bien y sufrimos, pero del equipo siempre puedes esperar un golazo de calidad como el de Eto'o”Frank Rijkaard reconoció tras el encuentro que si el Barça sumó tres nuevos puntos fue por la enorme diferencia de potencial entre el conjunto barcelonista y el Levante. “Nosotros no jugamos bien y ellos sí, pero decidió la calidad individual que tenemos. Fue un momento brillante de Eto'o, que marcó un golazo”, aseguró el técnico azulgrana, que posteriormente rechazó que su equipo tenga fortuna. “Yo no creo en la suerte y sí en el talento. Con los jugadores que hay en la plantilla siempre puedes esperar una acción que cambie un partido”, remarcó.

El holandés sabía que sería un encuentro complicado. “Era el último partido del año, festejamos el premio de Ronaldinho, el rival no tiene un gran nombre pero juega un fútbol notable... Antes de salir ya sonó la alarma”, comentó Rijkaard, que desveló que reservó a Márquez “por precaución, pensé que era mejor no correr riesgos”. El técnico consideró que el equipo acusó la ausencia del mexicano, sobre todo en las transiciones defensivas: “Perdimos muchos balones y después sus jugadores tuvieron mucha libertad. Y sufrimos porque tienen calidad, con Jofre y Ettien, que son muy profundos, Celestini, Rivera... El Levante es la demostración de que se trata de una Liga muy complicada”.

Rijkaard admitió que el Barça completó uno de sus peores partidos. “Nuestro juego fue muy estático, no he visto los movimientos habituales, con 'Ronnie' buscando el centro, 'Gio' doblando por la banda, cambios de juego, combinaciones... No fue nuestro día”, explicó el holandés, que agradeció el apoyo del público: “Nos ayudó porque vio que lo pasábamos mal”.

Una vez más, Frank negó que el equipo esté agotado. “Si estuviéramos cansados no podríamos reaccionar como lo hicimos tras el gol del empate. Hicimos un esfuerzo para buscar la victoria y últimamente lo hemos hecho en varios partidos”, indicó el entrenador azulgrana, quien no obstante afirmó que las vacaciones navideñas resultarán muy positivas: “Nos servirán para volver frescos y afrontar lo que queda. Con la mentalidad y el espíritu que tiene esta plantilla, estoy seguro de que aguantaremos bien hasta el final de la temporada”

"Este premio es de todos nosotros"

Ronaldinho dedicó la consecución del FIFA World Player “a los compañeros y a la afición” y dijo que “si pudiera le daría un trocito a cada uno"Ronaldinho celebró ayer con la afición del Barça su subida a los altares mundiales del fútbol gracias al premio FIFA World Player. Y lo hizo con un breve pero emotivo discurso que pronunció sobre el césped del Camp Nou pocos minutos antes del inicio del partido ante el Levante. “Quiero dar las gracias por este premio a mis compañeros y a la afición, porque este premio es mío, y de vosotros. Es nuestro, del Barça, de todos. Si pudiera, le daría un trocito del trofeo a mis compañeros y a cada uno de ustedes (por los aficionados)”, fueron las palabras del crack, a las que siguió una enorme ovación teniendo en cuenta que ayer había en la grada 51.368 espectadores.

La celebración había empezado por la mañana en el Estadi, donde 'Ronnie' se reencontró con sus compañeros tras recibir elpremio en Zúrich. El crack hizo el camino hacia el vestuario cargado con paquetes y una caja de embutidos, y hasta llegar a la caseta todo fueron felicitaciones. Ya dentro, la plantilla festejó el premio del '10' y también hubo una celebración aparte, algo “privado”, como explicaron fuentes del club, posiblemente el juego del 'amigo invisible'.

En Brasil, la gala de FIFA se vivió con gran alegría. Y es que además de al Gaúcho, también se premió a Marta, la tercera mejor jugadora del mundo, a Falcão como el mejor jugador de futsal, a la CBF por el partido de Haití, y a Zé Colméia como el mejor jugador de del videojuego de FIFA. En 'O Globo' se aseguraba que al azulgrana se le premió “por el espectáculo de su juego típicamente brasileño, lleno de fantasía, elegancia, y al mismo tiempo eficiente”. El mismo presidente de Brasil, Lula da Silva, siguió la gala por la TV y felicitó al jugador por su “año glorioso”.

Amistoso el día 29

Ronaldinho estará en Porto Alegre para las fiestas de final de año y el 29 de diciembre jugará un amistoso en el estadio Beira Rio para celebrar los 40 años del Trianon, un equipo de barrio de esta ciudad cofundado por su hermano Roberto, quien por cierto ayer se hizo socio del FC Barcelona. Le acompañó Txiki Begiristain

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h58
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