Start Me Up

The Presidents’ Day weekend sees the opening of the NASCAR season at Daytona and the NBA's mid-season party in Denver. Daytona marks the start of year two of Nextel's title sponsorship, as well as new liquor sponsors, in what otherwise has been a smooth and quiet start for the racing season. The NBA marks its midseason with mixed ratings success, continuation of CBA discussions and a bevy of marketing support around Sunday's game. Also, as the locales in Denver get ready to host the players and party-goers, the DENVER POST looks at the ever-increasing relationship between the league and hip-hop music and what it means for the game.

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h19
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DORTMUND, Germany (AFP) - Financially-troubled Borussia Dortmund are confident of coming up with the necessary funds to ensure their Westfalen Stadium is ready in time for the 2006 World Cup.

Six-time German champions Dortmund reported a loss of 27.2 million euros (35 million dollars) for the first half of the business year and admitted the club's future was on the line with debts estimated to reach 134.7 million euros (175.3 million dollars) by mid-2006.

The Westfalen Stadium, one of the 12 World Cup venues, needs to implement a costly electronical entrance system and put in more seats within the next 18 months, but the mayor of Dortmund, Gerhard Langemeyer, claimed there was no cause for concern. "I have no doubt that the necessary funds required will be found," Langemeyer told the Westfalische Rundschau.

Dortmund's Westfalen Stadium is the biggest stadium in Germany holding over 80,000 spectators and will host six World Cup games between June 9 and July 9 2006.

But it was not all good news for Dortmund on Saturday with second division club Eintracht Frankfurt considering legal action if Borussia are found guilty of putting forward false figures to obtain a license from the German Football League (DFL) last season.

Frankfurt finished third from bottom of the Bundesliga last season, ensuring their relegation from the top-flight, but could have remained in the Bundesliga if Dortmund had their license revoked.

"If it is confirmed that Dortmund put foward false figures we will look into seeking compensation," said Eintracht chairman Heribert Bruchhagen in Bild daily.

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h12
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GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- No one took the wipeout of the NHL season harder than Wayne Gretzky.

Gretzky, one of the game's greatest icons, said Wednesday he was concerned about its future despite assurances from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman that the league would be back in business in September -- taken by some to mean bringing in replacement players. hope I'm wrong," Gretzky said. "I hope they are negotiating, but my gut instinct -- and I don't have the answer to this -- is that this could be put on the shelf for a long time."

Gretzky, a managing partner of the Phoenix Coyotes, stepped in to help chairman Steve Ellman buy the team and keep it in Arizona.

Now, he worries about the effect on Sun Belt teams.

"Let's be honest -- Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, places like that, people are going to be mad and disappointed and upset, but eventually they'll come back 18,000 strong, and Hockey Night in Canada will still draw the ratings that they have," Gretzky said.

"But that's not our project. Our project now is places like Phoenix and Miami and Los Angeles, where we've been on the back burner, where we've worked so hard for so many years to try to establish a foundation. We've disappointed a lot of fans," added Gretzky.

"From the business point of view, we've probably disappointed a lot of corporate sponsorships, so only time will tell how we're going to win all those people back over."

Gretzky told reporters in the Glendale Arena that he realized the finality of the NHL's stand in a conversation with the commissioner Tuesday night. He also spoke with Bettman before the news conference.

Gretzky and general manager Michael Barnett alluded to the signings of marquee players like Brett Hull, Sean O'Donnell and Mike Ricci in the offseason and said that made it doubly difficult not to play any games. The 2003-04 club went 22-36-18-6, its worst record since the strike-shortened 1994-95 season, despite moving into a new arena in December 2003.

"We can't wait to get a team on the ice," Barnett said. "We have most of that roster signed for next year."

Team president Doug Moss said the $220 million arena, located a few hundred yards north of the Arizona Cardinals' football stadium still under construction, promises a bright future for hockey despite the setback.

The Coyotes have offset losses with dozens of revenue-producing events, including games of the Arizona Sting lacrosse club, prize fights and concerts by Prince, U2 and Usher. Two concerts by Elton John are scheduled in April.

The team lost 35 to 40 employees last summer to layoffs or attrition, but Moss doesn't plan on letting anyone else go and said the arena has about 100 full-time employees left.

Last year, about 82 percent of the team's gross revenues went to player salaries, and the Coyotes lost $35 million.

"When you're not paying those salaries, granted you don't have as much revenue, but you don't have as much expense, so our losses were much less (this year)," Moss said. "So this, unfortunately, will be the best year probably that this team has had in its history, and if that doesn't articulate how sad this situation is, I don't know what else to tell you."

He acknowledged that the Coyotes have dipped into their reserve fund, but stressed they haven't taken out much and said the franchise is financially sound.

"What we put it there for was a rainy day, and unfortunately we've hit that rainy day," Moss said.

The city of Glendale paid $180 million of the arena cost and owns the building.

In what seemed like another economic paradox, city manager Ed Beasley said the lockout also hasn't hurt the city, because planners anticipated a lockout when negotiating their 30-year lease with the Coyotes. The lost year automatically rolls over to the end of the lease, which now will last 31 years.

Beasley was satisfied with the pace of construction of the Westgate City Center, an adjacent commercial project being built by Ellman's construction company. Ground-breaking took place months later than anticipated, but Beasley said that was partly due to the city's desire to get everything right.

"That will open in time to be part of the 2006 [NHL] All-Star Game, the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and the 2008 Super Bowl," Beasley said. "From a business standpoint, the lockout is a bad day for hockey fans, but it also creates open dates and opportunities to show off our venue and bring in some entertainment that we don't often see in this region."

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h03
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A categoria feminina promete ser uma das sensações na 2ª etapa do Rip Curl Grom Search 2005 de surf, que acontece em Búzios, no Rio de Janeiro, nos próximos dias 26 e 27 de fevereiro. O campeonato, que visa revelar novos valores da modalidade em todo o Brasil, é oficializado pela Confederação Brasileira de Surf e aberto a surfistas com até 16 anos.

Os jovens talentos tentam a vitória nas categorias Grommets, Iniciantes, Júnior e Feminina. Entre as meninas, três destaques ocupam a ponta do ranking. A líder é Nathalie Martins, atual campeã brasileira júnior e integrante da seleção nacional no ISA World Júnior. Em 2º lugar está Bruna Schmitz, com Gabriela Teixeira na seqüência.

"Minha meta é garantir o título para poder estar no Mundial, conhecer a Austrália", comenta Nathalie referindo-se ao prêmio oferecido aos campeões do ranking da Mirim e da Feminina: passagens aéreas para a Austrália, para participar do Mundial 2006. "Os campeões terão toda a retaguarda na viagem. E na categoria feminina, a disputa promete ser emocionante", disse o diretor de marketing da Rip Curl no Brasil, Felipe Silveira.

www.surfasu.com.br

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h56
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A 1ª etapa da Copa North de Enduro a Pé acontece em Itatiba, São Paulo, amanhã, dia 20 de fevereiro. A prova acontece no Zôo Parque, onde os participantes poderão estar em contato com a natureza o tempo inteiro.

Mais de 20 postos de controle serão espalhados pelo local e 15 resgates estarão na trilha para auxiliar os competidores. As equipes, estimadas em 170, percorrerão trilhas na mata com obstáculos naturais, como riachos e trechos de lama.
Os competidores serão divididos nas categorias Graduados e Trekkers, que deverão estar equipados com planilha de navegação, bússola e lanternas. A equipe é penalizada caso chegue adiantada ou atrasada ao posto de controle.

"É um esporte de aventura, fácil de praticar e com todas as emoções de uma trilha repleta de desafios. Praticá-lo significa conhecer novos amigos e cultivar o interesse pela própria performance física e intelectual. Ao concluir a prova, cada equipe verifica sua performance e conhece sua pontuação, podendo compará-la com o enduro anterior", falou uma das diretoras de prova, Silvia Andreo.

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h54
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Diretores da NHL, a liga profissional de hóquei no gelo da América do Norte, se reunirão com representantes do sindicato dos jogadores neste sábado. A reunião, em Nova York, é uma nova tentativa de chegar a um acordo coletivo, e ainda pode salvar a temporada 2004-05.

Segundo a imprensa norte-americana, a NHL e o sindicato teriam acordado em princípio um contrato que inclui um teto salarial de US$ 45 milhões (aproximadamente R$ 120 milhões). Nenhuma das partes confirmou nada, a não ser a realização da reunião neste sábado.

A questão do teto salarial é o principal problema para que um acordo seja alcançado. Na última segunda-feira, o sindicato dos jogadores deixou de se opor totalmente à criação do teto, mas não conseguiu chegar a um acordo com a liga sobre qual deveria ser esse valor. Isso levou Gary Bettman, comissário da NHL, a anunciar o cancelamento da temporada na quarta-feira. Se a reunião deste sábado não conseguir salvar a temporada, a NHL se tornará a primeira grande liga profissional na América do Norte a perder uma temporada inteira devido a disputas trabalhistas. >makeFooter('');

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h52
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Harry Kewell is craving the chance to show his value to Liverpool in the Carling Cup final.

Harry Kewell: Comeback trail (MatthewLewis/GettyImages)

The former Leeds winger is poised to emerge from the despair in long-term injury to play in Liverpool's most important sequence of matches this season.

Two months on the sidelines, with Achilles and groin problems, have sharpened Kewell's desire to make an impact on Liverpool's season. He is determined to disprove the speculation coming out of his native Australia that his season may well be over, and that he requires an operation, and disprove it in the best possible way.

Kewell never played in a cup final during his time at Leeds, although he was a mainstay of the side which reached the Champions League semi-finals.

And as such the chance to face Chelsea next Sunday at the Millennium Stadium is made all the more alluring. He could even return in time for Tuesday's Champions League game with Bayer Leverkusen, another opportunity to shoot down the critics who feel Kewell has underachieved at Anfield.

Defiantly, Kewell said: 'I don't really care what people say. I have had a bit of grief from the media about my form, but I just try to ignore it. 'It is is always someone's turn to be brought down a peg, and I guess, recently, it has been mine. People who have a go might think they're getting to me, but they're not. The digs just make me stronger.'

Kewell has felt uneasy spending so much time away from his wife - actress Sheree Murphy - and two young children, who have remained at the family home in Wetherby while he has spent a long time on his own in a rented Liverpool flat.

But he has now bought a house near Manchester and revealed: 'I just missed them all so much. 'Taylor and Ruby were getting a bit confused. They thought that when I wasn't at home, I lived inside the TV, that was the only other place they ever saw me. 'Now I will be at home nearly every night and be able to walk the kids to their pre-schools in the morning. I'll help out at dinner time and give the kids their baths.'

A return of 12 goals in 72 games has been a disappointment, and Kewell has not been able to sustain the high level of performance to which Leeds became accustomed. He is eager to impress new boss Rafael Benitez who repeatedly harks back to the day Kewell terrorised Jaap Stam, and the Spaniard believes that Kewell's return can boost Liverpool's season just at the right moment.

Benitez said: 'He should be able to play against Bayer Leverkusen, and then he would be available for the squad against Chelsea.'

Kewell would just be happy to be involved in Cardiff as Benitez approaches what will also be his first cup final in England, a tough clash with Jose Mourinho's outfit who are still going for four trophies. Chelsea have already beaten Liverpool twice this season and are out of sight of the Anfield men at the top of the Premiership. But Liverpool have been underdogs in two recent cup finals in Cardiff and won them both.

In 2003 they won the league cup by beating favourites Manchester United, and two seasons earlier they came from behind to snatch the FA Cup from Arsenal's grasp thanks to Michael Owen's memorable double. There is no Owen this time, but Fernando Morientes should start, and then there is the Kewell factor.

While Liverpool fans would love to see their captain Steven Gerrard lift a trophy at the expense of the club many feel will be his next destination, they would also relish a demonstration of Kewell's true ability. If there have only been glimpses of his class so far, the platform of a cup final would seem tailor-made for the Australian to make a new start to his Liverpool career.

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h47
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Shevchenko: Staying at San Siro (TonyMarshall/Empics)

The AC Milan and Ukraine striker will return to Old Trafford, scene of his winning spot-kick in the 2003 Champions League final shoot-out, next Wednesday.

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h43
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Owen Hargreaves has hailed the impact of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal as he prepares to face a potentially all-foreign Gunners line-up in the Champions League.

The England midfielder believes Wenger's decision to name no British players in his squad to face Crystal Palace on Monday was a sign of the times, but he insists that to criticise the French manager would be wrong.

With Ashley Cole out through illness and Sol Campbell injured, the Arsenal foreign legion thrashed Palace 5-1.

Both Cole and Campbell would have been automatic choices, if fit, and Hargreaves feels Wenger has received undue criticism.

As a Bayern Munich player, Hargreaves will face the Gunners this Tuesday in the Champions League.

He told The Independent: "I think it is good for the fans to identify with players, to have English players, but football has changed so much. "I think Arsenal have done so well in the past with foreign players. "There are so many teams with foreign players, even ours. We have maybe three Germans who player every week and the rest are foreign."

It remains to be seen whether Campbell and Cole recover in time to face Bayern, but Hargreaves is confident that, even if Wenger again chooses to sideline his remaining British players, the future remains bright for the Gunners.

"I think Wenger would be a fantastic manager to play for, all the players that I know who have played for him are big fans of his," he said. "If you look at the team he has built there it doesn't seem that those players want to leave because of Wenger and I think that speaks for itself. "His players are loyal to him and he protects his players. "He has done that very well in the past and the success he has brought to the team has been remarkable."

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h40
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Apesar de jogar em casa, o Arsenal não conseguiu mais que um empate de 1 a 1 com o Sheffield United, oitavo colocado da segunda divisão inglesa. Com o resultado, os "Gunners" terão que disputar uma segunda partida contra o Sheffield, no estádio do adversário, para definir o classificado para as quartas-de-final da Copa da Inglaterra (FA Cup).

Devido ao cansaço e a alguns desfalques, o técnico Arsène Wenger teve que colocar em campo muitos reservas. E isso se fez sentir na produtividade da equipe, que fez uma partida irregular. O setor mais afetado foi a defesa, que teve sérios problemas nas jogadas aéreas.

O primeiro tempo foi muito equilibrado e tenso. A melhor chance de gol foi criada por Dennis Bergkamp, que mandou um bom chute de fora da área, que saiu raspando o travessão do Sheffield. Aos 36 minutos, um empurra-empurra resultou na expulsão do mesmo Bergkamp. Em seguida, entradas duras se sucederam por parte de ambas as partes.

Na segunda etapa, mesmo com um jogador a menos, o Arsenal começou a dominar a partida. A equipe passou a exercer maior pressão a partir dos 22 minutos, com a entrada em campo de Robert Pires. E foi o francês que abriu o placar para os "Gunners" 12 minutos mais tarde, tocando para as redes em um rebote do goleiro Paddy Kenny.

O Arsenal parecia capaz de segurar a vantagem, com o Sheffield United partido para o ataque de maneira desorganizada. No entanto, aos 44 minutos, Philippe Senderos colocou a mão na bola após um bate-rebate dentro da área, e o juiz marcou pênalti.

Andy Gray bateu com calma, garantindo o empate.

As outras sete partidas das oitavas-de-final da Copa da Inglaterra serão realizadas ainda neste fim de semana. O maior destaque é Everton x Manchester United, que verá o astro Wayne Rooney voltar pela primeira vez ao estádio de seu ex-time. A FA Cup é disputada em jogo único, mas, em caso de empate, uma segunda partida é marcada, com mando de campo invertido.

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h31
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SÃO PAULO (Reuters) - O brasileiro Ricardo Mello foi derrotado pelo espanhol Rafael Nadal por 2 sets a 1 (2-6, 6-2 e 6-4) e está fora do Brasil Open, disputado na Costa do Sauípe, Bahia. Com isso, o torneio terá uma final espanhola, já que Nadal enfrentará seu compatriota Alberto Martín na decisão.

Mello chegou a estar perto da vitória quando abriu uma vantagem em 4-2 no terceiro set. Mas ele permitiu que o espanhol voltasse ao jogo e vencesse a partida em um voleio jogado na rede pelo brasileiro.

Adversário de Nadal na final, marcada para às 21h30 (horário de Brasília) do sábado, Martín alcançou a quarta decisão de sua carreira ao derrotar o australiano Peter Luczak por 2 sets a 0, com 6-2 e 6-3.

"São duas semanas de muita dureza, nas quais fiz boas partidas. Estou muito satisfeito com meu jogo", declarou Martín, de 26 anos, que não conseguiu fazer uma boa pré-temporada em dezembro e, após o Aberto da Austrália, passou dez dias somente treinando em Barcelona.

Depois de três maus resultados nos primeiros torneios do ano, Martín, atual número 61 do ranking de entradas, agora tenta manter sua invencibilidade em finais na carreira, já que levou o título nas três decisões de que participou: Bucareste e Casablanca, em 1999, e Mallorca, em 2001.

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h26
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Vanderlei Luxemburgo, e atacante Ronaldo, em Madri. Luxemburgo acredita que o interesse da mídia pela festa de casamento de Ronaldo está prejudicando a preparação de sua equipe para jogos importantes no Campeonato Espanhol e na Copa dos Campeões

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h24
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O nadador Thiago Pereira, de 19 anos, durante o aquecimento para a disputa da Superfinal da Copa do Mundo de Natação, realizada no Parque Aquático do Minas Tênis Clube, na cidade de Belo Horizonte

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h23
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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Randy Johnson was sitting at his locker after Friday's workout, talking to reporters, when The Boss walked into the clubhouse and met the Big Unit for the first time since adding him to his pinstriped collection of All-Stars.

``Hi, big man,'' George Steinbrenner said.

``How, you doing, Mr. Steinbrenner?'' Johnson responded. ``Glad you're here. Glad you're cleaned up, and glad you're here,'' Steinbrenner said.

Johnson was puzzled.

``I haven't cleaned up. I haven't even taken a shower yet,'' he said.

``I know,'' Steinbrenner, ``but I mean -- ''

Then, the Big Unit realized The Boss meant that Johnson had trimmed most of his facial hair to conform to Steinbrenner's rules.

A few minutes earlier, New York manager Joe Torre pretty much said Johnson will start the season opener against Boston on April 3 at Yankee Stadium, a game that possibly will match the Big Unit against former Arizona teammate Curt Schilling.

``It's not a bad guess,'' Torre said. ``And the reason that I'm not officially saying that is because when we do tell you that, I really want to be in a position to tell the guy who is pitching two, three, four and five at the same time.''

Mike Mussina started last year's season opener, an 8-3 loss to Tampa Bay in Tokyo.

Johnson is 5-2 in 12 opening-day starts, and hasn't been passed over for one since 1997, when he was coming off back surgery and Seattle's Jeff Fassero beat the Yankees' David Cone 4-2 at the Kingdome.

Mussina is 3-3 in seven openers, and two of the other three members of this year's rotation have made opening-day starts. Kevin Brown is 3-3 in seven games and Jaret Wright got a no-decision for Cleveland in 1999.

``Mike Mussina's been opening-day starter before. I would assume that he would be until I was told otherwise because of his stature here,'' Johnson said. ``It's obviously a great honor. It doesn't mean it's going to happen, yet.''

Johnson had spoken with Steinbrenner by telephone after Arizona traded him to New York last month and received what he called a ``nice letter'' from The Boss. But the Big Unit had not spoken with him in person since November 2001, at Bank One Ballpark, after Johnson came out of the bullpen on no day's rest to beat the Yankees in Game 7 of the World Series.

``He said, `Nice job,' `` Johnson remembered.

Steinbrenner has not made many public comments this offseason. Asked about Johnson on Friday, he responded: ``He's just a gamer.''

In his three days at Yankees camp, Johnson has devoted much of his time to interviews. In the past, he's been know to shy away from reporters.

He's just starting to learn about what it's like to be part of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry.

``I wasn't part of and have never been a part of the whatever you guys want to call it, the Hatfield-McCoys,'' Johnson said. ``As far as the stuff that goes back and forth amongst the players ... you won't see me getting too caught up in that. I make light of it, if you will.''

Johnson said his job with the Yankees was to ``teach and learn.'' Then, he combined ``logo'' and ``slogan'' into a word of his own.

``I'm kind of like the NYPD slogo,'' he said, ``serve and protect.''

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h16
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Colorado Rockies pitcher Javier Lopez pitches as storm clouds cover the first day of spring training for the Rockies at Hi-Corbett Field in Tucson, Ariz.,

Colorado Rockies pitcher Chin-hui Tsao, from Taiwan, throws as storm clouds cover the first day of spring training for the Rockies at Hi-Corbett Field in Tucson, Ariz

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h12
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A last-minute equaliser from Jérémy Clément saved ten-man Olympique Lyonnais from defeat away to Ligue 1 title rivals AS Monaco FC, and left the French champions eight points clear at the top.

Monaco pressure
Didier Deschamps's Monaco knew that victory alone would haul them back into the championship race and they came out all guns blazing in the first half. Javier Saviola tested visiting goalkeeper Grégory Coupet after just five minutes and Brazilian defender Maicon twice forced the France international into impressive saves as the principality club asserted control.

Essien dismissal
They found it hard to keep up the same level of pressure after the restart, but that soon changed when Lyon's Ghanaian midfield player Mickaël Essien was dismissed for elbowing Mohamed Kallon in the 65th minute. It was the first red card the visitors had received all season and despite dogged defending they eventually cracked, with Monaco's Julien Rodriguez turning in a Maicon corner with six minutes left.

Champions' resolve
But the champions displayed incredible resolve, and substitute Clément headed in Juninho Pernambucano's free-kick in the game's dying seconds to avoid only their second reverse of the campaign. The result leaves Monaco nine points behind the leaders in third place, although they still have a game in hand. Second-placed LOSC Lille Métropole travel to FC Metz tomorrow.

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h46
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O carrasco da seleção brasileira na Copa do Mundo de 1990, na Itália, vai se aposentar. O atacante Claudio Caniggia, de 38 anos, anunciou neste sábado que está pendurando as chuteiras. Ele foi o autor do gol da vitória da Argentina sobre o Brasil nas oitavas-de-final do Mundial de 90.

"A verdade é que depois de sete meses de inatividade, apesar de treinar todos os dias e estar bem fisicamente, decidi parar de jogar. Tive algumas ofertas, mas nenhuma delas me convenceu. Agora tenho que ver onde vou morar", disse Caniggia à Radio del Plata, da Argentina.

O jogador, que fez fama no River Plate e no Boca Juniors, e que atuou por equipes de Itália, Escócia e Portugal, passou os últimos meses tentando ganhar dinheiro no Qatar. E não gostou da experiência.

"Minha última experiência no Qatara foi um aborrecimento. Não me agregou nada profissionalmente, apenas na parte financeira. Mas estive só, sem minha família. Agora estou na Escócia, mas na verdade eu ando bastante por toda a Europa. Vivo em Glasgow porque os meus filhos estão na escola, mas aqui eu morro de frio", disse Caniggia.

O jogador estreou profissionalmente em 1985, no River Plate. Depois, se transferiu para a Itália, onde jogou no Verona, Atalanta e Roma. De volta à Argentina, Caniggia defendeu o Boca Juniors. Já no ocaso da carreira, foi para o Benfica, de Portugal, o Dundee e o Rangers, da Escócia, e finalmente o Qatar Club.

Na seleção argentina, ele disputou 50 partidas e marcou 16 gols, tendo como principais títulos o vice-campeonato mundial em 90 e a Copa América de 91.

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h41
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Numa disputa caseira dos 400 m medley, melhor para Thiago Pereira. O melhor brasileiro das Olimpíadas de Atenas superou o compatriota e amigo Lucas Salata e ficou com a medalha de ouro na prova da Copa do Mundo de natação, que está sendo disputada na piscina do Minas Tênis Clube, em Belo Horizonte, neste sábado.

Thiago Pereira fica com o ouro nos 400 m medley da Copa do Mundo de BH

A quarta medalha de ouro de Pereira em Copas do Mundo marcou o nadador do Minas Tênis Clube. "Essa medalha tem um sabor especial porque ganhei aqui em casa", disse o brasileiro.

"Não dava para ouvir muita coisa, eu conseguia ouvir a torcida gritando mais no nado peito, mas mesmo assim eles passaram uma energia legal", completou.

Os dois rivalizaram durante toda a prova, mas Pereira liderou tranqüilo a segunda metade da prova e fechou com o tempo de 4min15s69.

Salata acabou cansando no final e foi superado pelo romeno Rasman Florea, que terminou na segunda colocação. Salata teve que se contentar com o bronze.

"Meu tempo foi pior que em Nova York, mas o importante é que consegui superar os meus adversários e ficar com a medalha de ouro", explicou Pereira ao final da prova. "Estava muito cansado no final da prova, mas não poupei nada, dei tudo o que eu tinha", completou.

A chuva que cai sobre a cidade de Belo Horizonte atrapalhou nem foi notada pelo brasileiro. "Nadar na chuva não tem muito problema, o que atrapalha é o frio enquanto a gente está esperando antes da largada", explicou.

Já Salatta ficou insatisfeito com o resultado na prova. "Não estou muito feliz porque piorei demais o meu tempo, tive uma amidalite e tomei antibióticos, acho que isso afetou um pouco, mas é muito legal ganhar medalha no Brasil".

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h34
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Uncertain future

Bruschi released from hospital after mild stroke

BOSTON (AP) -- The stroke suffered by the New England Patriots' Tedy Bruschi didn't keep him hospitalized for long. The question now is if it will keep him off the playing field.

One of the team's most popular players, the 31-year-old Bruschi was released Friday from Massachusetts General Hospital after spending two days there recovering from a mild stroke that caused numbness, blurred vision and severe headaches.

He waved and smiled but didn't comment to reporters as he stepped into a waiting sports utility vehicle and drove off. Patriots spokesman Stacey James did not respond to questions about whether Bruschi would be able to play pro football again.

Experts say his return will depend on the stroke's cause and severity. A mild stroke isn't necessarily a career-ending event for a professional athlete, but the risk is higher for someone who takes the punishment of an NFL linebacker.

Doctors pointed to Bruschi's quick release from the hospital, along with reports that he was walking and talking normally a day after the stroke, as hopeful signs that he may be able continue his career. Still, his prognosis remains uncertain because all strokes cause some level of brain damage and can raise fears of a recurrence.

"There really is no good stroke," said Dr. Larry Brass, a professor of neurology, epidemiology and public health at the Yale University School of Medicine.

Brian Mullen of the NHL's New York Islanders, who had an unsuccessful comeback attempt two years after suffering a mild stroke in 1993, said the first big hit was on his mind from the moment he stepped on the ice.

"I think the biggest thing you've got to overcome is your own mind," Mullen said. "It definitely gets in your head. You ask yourself, 'Am I doing the right thing for my family?"'

Bruschi, a nine-year veteran, has been a key member of the defense that helped New England win three of the last four Super Bowls. On Sunday, Bruschi played in his first Pro Bowl in Hawaii.

His wife, Heidi, called 911 on Wednesday, saying he was experiencing "blurred vision, numbness on the right side of his body."

An estimated 700,000 people per year in the United States suffer strokes, which occur when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. The vast majority result from clots that block the brain's arteries. Another type involves bleeding in or around the brain, sometimes due to ruptured blood vessels.

The hospital and the Patriots have not said what kind of stroke Bruschi suffered.Experts said it could be weeks before doctors pinpoint the stroke's cause, and Bruschi's professional future won't be any clearer until they do.

"Even if the affects of the stroke are mild, and we hope they are, the crucial thing is determining the cause," said Dr. Robert Adams, a spokesman for the American Stroke Association.

The damage from a stroke depends on several factors, including how long before it was treated, what part of the brain the stroke occurs in and the intensity of the rehabilitation.

Brass said Bruschi's apparently quick recovery could be a sign of a specific type of stroke in which the symptoms last less than 24 hours and leave no lasting damage. A traumatic injury to a part of the body can also damage blood vessels and lead to clotting, but that wouldn't be a big risk once the blood vessel healed.

Tests could also reveal a predisposition to blood vessel tears or other factors which would make a return to the field risky, Brass said.

Strokes among people as young as Bruschi are relatively rare, with about 30,000 to 40,000 occurring annually in people ages 18 to 50. A cause is difficult to pinpoint in many of those cases because the possibilities aren't as obvious as they are in older people, who often have cholesterol problems.

"It's like your car breaking down after 5,000 miles," Brass said. "Something's wrong."

Mullen underwent surgery to correct the heart problem that caused his stroke. He said when he first came back, his teammates shied away from hitting him until he insisted they take their whacks. Eventually, he said, he stopped fearing that his body couldn't take the punishment.

He looks back at his difficult decision to retire and wonders if he should have kept trying, he said. But he added that the stroke changed everything.

"As an athlete, up to that point, you feel invincible," Mullen said. "Something like that happens, and it shakes up your whole life."

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h33
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Ningún técnico acudió a la reunión del Barça con el agente y hermano de Ronaldinho

El FC Barcelona le propuso a Roberto de Assís, hermano y agente de Ronaldinho, un contrato indefinido que permitiera al jugador brasileño acabar su carrera en el Barça. Esa propuesta se realizó en una reunión a la que asistieron el presidente Joan Laporta, el vicepresidente Ferran Soriano y el directivo Alejandro Echeverría y que se celebró en casa del presidente, en Sant Cugat. Junto a Roberto de Assís acudió también su hermana Daisy.

No fue la primera vez que se hablaba de este tema, ni será la última. La intención del Barcelona es asegurar a sus cracks una carrera blaugrana hasta que cuelguen las botas. El contrato vendría a ser de alrededor de diez años. A la reunión no se convocó ni a Sandro Rosell, vicepresidente deportivo, ni a Txiki Begiristain, director técnico ni a Frank Rijkaard, entrenador del primer equipo.

La ausencia de Rosell se produce poco después de que el vicepresidente y el presidente se entrevistaran en privado más de seis horas en un restaurante barcelonés para sellar una paz–tregua hasta el próximo mes de junio. Tras la entrevista de ambos, se manifestó que Rosell ejercería sus funciones de vicepresidente deportivo, pero en la reunión con el agente de Ronaldinho para hablar sobre el futuro del crack y ante una propuesta tan importante, no se contó con Sandro Rosell.

Después de la tregua, ésta es la ocasión más notoria en que no se cuenta con Rosell para un tema del ámbito estrictamente deportivo. Hay que tener en cuenta, además, que existe un innegable vínculo entre Sandro Rosell, Ronaldinho y su hermano, al ser el vicepresidente azulgrana el principal autor del fichaje del brasileño por el Barcelona. Rosell, de momento, mantiene su promesa de no hacer declaraciones.

A la reunión tampoco asistió el secretario técnico del FC Barcelona, Txiki Begiristain, ni el entrenador, Frank Rijkaard. Ningún técnico se sentó en la mesa de esa negociación que aspira a blindar a Ronaldinho por los próximos diez años, con la intención de que el brasileño concluya su carrera deportiva en el FC Barcelona

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h28
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