Tragedy overshadows on-field Premier League drama

LONDON (AP)—Off-the-field tragedy overshadowed on-the-field drama in the English Premier League on Sunday.
Liverpool prevented Manchester City from pulling further clear at the top of the standings but an eventful 1-1 draw featuring an own-goal equalizer from Joleon Lescott and the third red card of Mario Balotelli’s City career seemed unimportant after news hours earlier that Wales manager Gary Speed had been found dead at age 42.

The Anfield crowd observed a minute’s silence before the game in honor of Speed. Asked to do the same, the fans at Swansea’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa instead opted for an impromptu minute’s applause and chanted Speed’s name.

Villa goalkeeper Shay Given was in tears thinking of his former Newcastle teammate, while Wales striker Craig Bellamy was so upset he was left out of Liverpool’s squad.
“It is a devastating loss for football and my heart goes out to Gary Speed’s family,” Villa manager Alex McLeish said. “We would have understood if Swansea had wanted to cancel the game. We would certainly have agreed with that.”
Four members of Speed’s Wales squad were involved at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium in south Wales. Ashley Williams, Neil Taylor and Joe Allen started for the home side and James Collins lined up for Villa.
“We decided from our end that we wanted to play as a mark of respect for Gary because he was a great man of football,” Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers said. “It is just so sad. He had been doing a fantastic job for Wales, and it’s a sad day for football.”
The match was drab, with substitute Leroy Lita firing narrowly wide with Swansea’s best chance.
The game at Anfield was more eventful as Liverpool did old rival Manchester United a favor by becoming only the second team this season to stop unbeaten City winning in the Premier League.
It meant that second-place United did not pay too dearly for dropping two points against Newcastle on Saturday.
Vincent Kompany put City ahead in the 31st minute when he glanced a header into the top corner from David Silva’s corner kick, but Lescott’s outstretched leg deflected Charlie Adam’s shot past goalkeeper Joe Hart just two minutes later.
Balotelli charged about the field after replacing Samir Nasri in the 65th minute, getting his first yellow card for pulling back Glen Johnson by the shoulder and the second six minutes later for leading with his arm while challenging Martin Skrtel for an aerial ball.
Sent from the field, Balotelli seemed to remonstrate with manager Roberto Mancini before being escorted down the tunnel by a policeman. But Mancini said he had no concerns over the striker, who reportedly damaged the door to the away team’s changing room.
“He didn’t deserve the second yellow card,” Mancini said. “We don’t have any problem. Mario is young. I think he was disappointed with the yellow card.”
Hart then made saves from Luis Suarez and—with a spectacular one-handed stop—from substitute Andy Carroll. Silva could have won it for 10-man City at the other end with a breakaway but his shot was blocked on the line by one of a trio of covering defenders.
“Manchester City are a top side and have top players and we knew it would be difficult,” Adam said. “But we stuck to our guns and we played well.”
With 11 wins and two draws from 13 games, City leads defending champion United by five points. United, which last season surpassed Liverpool’s 21-year-old record of 18 English titles, drew 1-1 with Newcastle following the award of a contentious penalty to the visitors.
Liverpool is in sixth place, ahead of Arsenal on goal difference. Arsenal drew 1-1 with Fulham on Saturday when Gunners defender Thomas Vermaelen scored at both ends.
Also Saturday, third-place Tottenham moved to within two points of Manchester United when Emmanuel Adebayor scored twice for a 3-1 win at West Bromwich Albion, and Chelsea beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 through three first-half goals.

Wigan beat Sunderland 2-1 and was replaced at the bottom of the standings by Blackburn, which lost 3-1 at Stoke. Everton rose to eighth place as Marouane Fellaini and Apostolos Vellios scored second-half goals for a 2-0 win at Bolton, while Norwich trail the Toffees only on goal difference after a 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers.

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Soccer Safety: Precautions to Avoid Injuries

In contact sports, the number of sports injuries is always on the higher side. Taking safety measures while playing contact sports will ensure that one does not suffer from grievous injuries, and is also able to avoid causing injuries to other players. One contact sport where these safety measures have an important role to play is soccer, for there are always high chances of injuries happening on the soccer field.
There are many advantages of playing different sports, among them is being healthy and fit. Group sports entice a lot of people for it helps to make friends and instills team spirit. Due to the many advantages, it is seen that a number of people have turned towards sports to keep themselves fit, physically and mentally. However, along with reaping benefits of sports, one will also have to take protective measures to reduce the risk of injuries. In this write-up, we will concentrate on preventing injuries while playing soccer. Although physical contact between players is not a planned part of the game, the contact is inevitable during a sport like soccer. The injuries can range from minor to major.

If one has to look at the sports from the spectators point of view, it may not necessarily seem to be a sport where one can be seriously injured. This can be attributed to the fact that there are some players who have mastered the art of gliding through the matches without any physical contact with other players. However, this is true for very few players as most of them have suffered cuts and bruises or have crashed into the ground or have bounced off due to a collision with another player. Hence, safety precautions to be taken while playing soccer have gained immense importance.

Prevention of Soccer Injuries

In soccer, there is a sudden and quick change of direction which leads to contact with the other players. At times, some players can become reckless. Therefore, safety measures have to be in place to protect the player.

Using Protective Gear

The soccer equipment has an important role to play in preventing soccer injuries. If one observes the players when they are on the field, it will be noticed that very few players will have taken the pains to wear the entire set of necessary protective gear. However, to protect oneself from injuries, it makes sense to wear the complete set of protective soccer gear.

Soccer Shoes: Soccer shoes are available in three types, namely molded cleats, ribbed soles, and screw-in cleats. It is recommended that one opts either for molded cleats or ribbed soles. The use of screw-in cleats should be limited and should be used when one is playing in a wet field or on a field with tall grass in it. It is often seen that players do not use the right-sized soccer shoes. Using the right-sized shoes will help in minimizing injuries to a good extent.

Shin Guard: It is seen that shins are the most injured part of the body in a soccer match. The shin guard helps in preventing the common soccer injury, namely the injured shin bone. They protect the legs up to the knees. They can be bought in plastic, rubber, and other forms. Often socks are used to cover the shins which lends necessary protection to the lower legs.

Mouthguard: Other than leg injuries, it is the dental injuries that are commonly seen in soccer. Although it is not mandatory to wear a mouthguard, it is recommended that one wears mouth guards to prevent orofacial injuries. This will also help in protecting the other players from concussions, in case of a collision.

Goalie Gear: Goalies are prone to injuries, therefore, they will have to wear the goalie gear to protect themselves from soccer balls, kicks, collisions, etc. Equipment is also available to protect the wrist, hand, and fingers, which can get severely injured when the goalie is trying to prevent the soccer ball from making its way into the goal post. The clothes a goalie wears should have light padding, so that the other parts of the body are protected as well.

Protecting Yourself and Others

In all the excitement of playing soccer, soccer players often do not inspect the soccer field before taking to it. Making sure the field does not have holes or any other obstacle which can cause injury is important. Obstacles, if any, should be stored away from the field to keep injuries at bay.

The goal post should be well padded to prevent head injuries caused by possible and accidental collision with the post. Although goal posts are firmly entrenched in the ground, it is important to lock the posts so that it does not trip on the players.

It is the duty of the coaches to make sure that all the rules of the game are followed, while the game is being played. At the same time, it is the duty of each player to make sure that he adheres to the rules of the game. It will not only help in preventing injuries to other players but also to oneself. One of the rules followed by most of the leagues is not to use the sliding tackles from behind. This has caused serious injuries in the past, therefore, it has been prohibited.

Care should be taken when one is using heading techniques. There have been many injuries when a player has tried to head the ball and hurt another player in the process. It can also lead to neck injuries due to the impact. Along with head and neck injuries, one has to make sure that one protects the teeth, mouth, and tongue while heading the ball.

Along with taking care when one is heading the ball, one should be careful and avoid head-on collisions. The first precautionary measure that has to be taken is not to charge down the field without paying attention to the position and movements of other players. The next measure is to keep the head up and always be attentive of the players from your team as well as from the opposing team.

Some Essentials Not To Be Overlooked

Now is the time to check the measures that have to be taken to avoid personal injuries during soccer. The first measure that is to be taken is to maintain the fitness levels. If one is not at the optimum fitness level, the chances of injuries rise incredibly. One will have to have a fitness program in place, which will include aerobic exercise along with strength training. The other aspect of the fitness program is flexibility. If one has not trained in a long time, it is best to increase the training period gradually. This will help in building up the fitness levels.

Stretching is an important part of the fitness regime, which is a 'must do' part of the precautions to be taken when one is playing soccer. However, it is commonly seen that most players do not stretch before as well as after the game. When the muscles are stretched properly, tearing and pulling of ligaments and muscles are prevented. Hence, stretching has to be a part of the warm-up as well as cool-down. However, before you stretch before a practice or a game, it is important that you warm up the muscles a little. If the muscles are cold, it increases the chances of injury manifold.

Dehydration is often the cause of muscles cramps. Therefore, it is important that the player is well hydrated. However, it does not mean that one gulps down huge quantities of water at one go. Water should be consumed by sipping small quantities. Often, dehydration causes cramps. In case of a cramp, it is best that the player leaves the field and comes back only after the cramping feeling has subsided completely.

Following basic soccer ethics will go a long way in preventing soccer injuries. Here is a list of DOs and DON'Ts:

* Passing negative or personal comments about the players from the opposing team can insinuate a verbal battle, which in turn can turn physical and violent. Hence, it is necessary that one refrains from passing any hurtful comments.
* Often fights between team members ensue because a particular player does not pay attention to the spirit of the game. At the end of the day, it is important to note that one is after all playing only a game. Avoid cheating in the game. When a match is lost, you will learn from the mistakes, which will help in improving your game to a large extent, rather than cheating and winning the game.
* As a sports player, each soccer player should have and display sportsman spirit, which is the most important soccer etiquette. This should clearly be evident in case of a defeat. Defeat should be accepted with dignity. It is important that the opponent team is congratulated on their win. While accepting the congratulatory wishes, the winning team members should refrain from taunting the members of the opposing team and remember it is 'just' a game.
* Players should avoid getting into brawls on the field as well as off the field. Often it is small spats which become ugly. All that happens on the soccer field is best left there itself.

In spite of taking all the required soccer safety precautions, accidents are bound to happen given the nature of the game. Hence, it is important to have first aid kits handy in case of an untoward accident so that the basic treatment can be handed out to the player before he gets proper medical attention. Last but not the least, it is the duty of the players to protect themselves and the other players during the game of soccer and avoid any untoward incident.

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http://www.buzzle.com/articles/soccer-safety-precautions-to-avoid-injuries.html

Danica Patrick’s Sprint Cup Debut is Huge One: Fan Take

Danica Patrick makes the move up from NASCAR's Nationwide Series to the faster Sprint Cup circuit Feb. 12, 2012, at Daytona. On NASCAR's biggest stage, the most prominent female driver in the sport will make her debut in the fastest stock car race in America.
The move by Stewart-Haas Racing was inevitable and premiering the newest member of the team at the Daytona 500 is the perfect way to usher in a new era. Daytona will be the first of 10 races on the senior circuit for Patrick. A majority of her appearances in the Spint Cup will be during the Chase for the Sprint Cup when points will matter less and less.

Every time Patrick gets behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup car, it will be a media event. Every lap she leads will be dissected to help determine her future in 2013. If she races well and gets loads of experience in 2012, a full-time racing schedule for the Sprint Cup is a foregone conclusion.

Patrick will also run a full-time schedule on the Nationwide Series. However, the biggest race of her career will happen very early in the season. The Daytona 500 has the largest payout, biggest spectacle and is the most special race of the year for NASCAR.

Patrick's success won't just hinge on her time at Daytona. Trevor Bayne won the 2011 version of the event and just now won his second race of the year, Bayne's first on the Nationwide Series, Nov. 5 at Texas. USA Today reports it was Bayne's first win in 76 tries on the Nationwide circuit.

For Patrick to have a successful season, she needs to build on each race. Getting intense on-the-job training at Daytona will be her first test. If she can use that experience and turn it into several victories on the Nationwide Series, Patrick's year in 2012 will certainly be deemed worthy of more time in NASCAR.

In her first race since giving up IndyCar, Patrick finished 11th at Texas . Before that race, she had one top five and three top 10 finishes on the 2011 season.

The 2012 NASCAR season may be the most notable in history depending upon how Patrick does. I can't wait to see how she does.

William Browning has been a NASCAR fan since the days of Cale Yarborough in the late 1970s and early 1980s on the Winston Cup circuit. He currently lives in Branson, Mo.

From:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=AhBX6qyePJq5jSVfJd94K93ov7YF?slug=ycn-10371811

UFC 138 Results: Mark Munoz vs. Chris Leben

Before UFC 138 ever started, Mark Munoz said that he believed he was finally hitting his stride and was ready to make a statement in the middleweight division.

The former two-time NCAA champion wrestler did exactly that with a hard-fought performance and victory over Chris Leben to cap off UFC 138.

In what had to be one of the craziest rounds of the year, Munoz and Leben went after each other with reckless abandon during the first five minutes of their fight, throwing the fact that they had 25 minutes to battle out the window.

Leben on a couple of occasions looked to put Munoz away with guillotine chokes, as well as launching his signature sledgehammer lefts and rights. Meanwhile, Munoz played a very smart and tactical strategy putting Leben on his back and wailing away with what has become the most vicious ground and pound in the sport.

Munoz has learned so much about MMA since he started fighting that some wondered if he was going away from his wrestling too much, but he fought Leben with the best strategy available to him and he says that was the game plan all along.

“I had to get my angles, utilize my wrestling, hit my single leg and use my ground and pound. That’s what I did,” Munoz said.


MMAWeekly.com

The first round was a dogfight with back and forth exchanges, and both Leben and Munoz tried to gain a slight upper hand. As the fight wore on, however, Leben’s gas tank started to drain and Munoz was able to kick into overdrive.

A right hand came crashing down on Leben’s eye courtesy of Munoz, and a large gash was opened up as the former “Ultimate Fighter” season 1 competitor started to wear a crimson mask of blood. A brief doctor’s check allowed the fight to continue, but Munoz was unrelenting in his attack.

Seeing Leben as a wounded animal, Munoz went in for the kill and threw punches with all of his force behind him, looking for the finish. The second round horn sounded, but that was all she wrote.

As Leben’s corner checked on him, he simply said that he couldn’t see and that was all they needed to signify the fight was over and declare Munoz the winner.

“Chris Leben is a tough, tough competitor,” Munoz said about his opponent. “I knew I had to look out for his left hand, and he came with it. I had to get rid of my brawling instincts and I had to stick to my wrestling, so that’s what I did.”

While it certainly wasn’t the highlight finish he was looking for, Munoz punished Leben and definitely earned the victory. Following the fight, Leben paid Munoz credit for his evolved fight style and his ability to get the victory.

“Hard to fight when you’re choking on blood. He got me good,” Leben stated. “Munoz is a National Champion wrestler, he’s as good as they come on the ground and I definitely need to evaluate my ground game after that performance. He did a fantastic job on the ground. It takes a man to know to know when they’re beat and he beat me tonight.”
The win marks Munoz’s fourth win in row and two straight over top ten level competition. Munoz has always been known as one of the most respectful competitors to ever step foot in the Octagon, so it’s no surprise that even when he asks for a title shot, it’s a polite request.

“I paid my dues in this weight class and I think I deserve a title shot,” Munoz said. “The thing is, Anderson Silva is by far the best pound-for-pound fighter. I give him all the respect and honor, but I think I deserve a title shot right now. I consider him a friend, but right now I would love to get a title shot.”

Munoz and Silva have spent considerable time training together in the past, although recently the two middleweights haven’t worked together. The UFC’s reigning middleweight champion would appear on a collision course for a rematch with Chael Sonnen, but if the UFC opts to go another direction Munoz seems to be the perfect choice.

From:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=mmaweekly-dac8d1698e5504dba89d1abf36f53cd1

LSU beats Bama in battle of field goals, 9-6 in OT

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP)—The defenses lived up to the billing in the latest Game of the Century. Neither No. 1 LSU nor No. 2 Alabama could reach the end zone Saturday night, not even with extra time.

The Tigers aren’t complaining.

They now have the inside track to the BCS title game.

Drew Alleman kicked a 25-yard field goal in overtime to lead LSU to a 9-6 victory over Alabama, which missed four field goals and squandered another scoring chance by throwing a goal-line interception—simply too many mistakes to overcome in a fierce defensive struggle that didn’t produce a lot of style points.
Or any points, for that matter.

“It didn’t go by the script,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “The key is to keep fighting, to find a way.”

Find a way, these Tigers did.

With a lot of help from the Crimson Tide.

“It’s a difficult pill to swallow,” said receiver Marquis Maze, who was hobbled by a leg injury and wound up at the center of two key miscues in the fourth quarter. “If everybody executes in the red area, that wasn’t even a close game. The defense played outstanding.”

Alabama missed four field goals, including Cade Foster’s 52-yard attempt after the Tide got the ball first in the extra period. LSU appeared to win the game on Michael Ford’s run around left end after taking a pitch, but he stepped out of bounds at the 7.

Two plays gained nothing, so LSU (9-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) sent on Alleman to attempt his third field goal of the game on third down. Alabama (8-1, 5-1) tried to freeze the junior kicker by calling timeout, but he calmly knocked it through to set off a wild celebration by the visiting team.

A small contingent in purple and gold chanted, “LSU! LSU! LSU!” The players ran to the far end of the field to celebrate with their band and the fans who made the trip from Louisiana.

“Before I went to bed last night, I was preparing for it,” Alleman said. “It’s every kicker’s dream, and I got to live it.”

The crowd of more than 100,000 at Bryant-Denny Stadium—most of them dressed in crimson—sat in stunned silence as LSU celebrated its victory in only the 23rd regular-season matchup between the top two teams in The Associated Press rankings.

LSU still must win its last three regular-season games—No. 8 Arkansas is the toughest test—and then would have to get through the SEC championship game. But the Tigers are the clear favorite after winning another huge game away from home, emerging with the victory in a matchup between two teams generally considered the best in the land.

And what if the BCS formula pits LSU against Alabama again in the national championship game?

“I’d be honored to face that team again,” Miles said.

The Crimson Tide isn’t giving up.

“They only beat us by three,” Maze said. “I hope we get that chance.”

If a rematch doesn’t work out, Alabama will long be moaning about how this one got away. Foster missed two first-quarter field goals, and Jeremy Shelley had one blocked before Shelley finally made one from 34 yards. Alleman kicked a 19-yarder on the final play of the first half, leaving the teams tied at 3 even though the Crimson Tide clearly had the upper hand.

Interceptions set up both field goals in the second half. Foster made one from 46 yards after Jarrett Lee threw his second pick of the game, then Alleman connected from 30 yards after AJ McCarron’s ill-timed throw was picked off by Morris Claiborne.

“Defense wins ball games,” Claiborne said. “That’s all I’ve got to say about that. You come out and you prepare hard and play like we did tonight, and you come out on top.”

Outside of the kicking woes, Maze was involved in a pair of decisive plays that helped finish off the Crimson Tide. First, with Alabama threatening at the LSU 28, he took a snap in the wildcat formation and tried to surprise LSU with a pass. Tight end Michael Williams broke into the clear near the goal line, but Eric Reid hustled back to snatch it away as both players tumbled to the ground at the 1.

Reid wound up with the ball, the officials ruled it an interception and a replay upheld the call.

LSU failed to pick up a first down, and it looked as though Alabama would get it back in good field position to take another crack at the LSU end zone. But Maze, favoring his leg, couldn’t catch the long line-drive punt. He turned away from it around his own 40 and the ball rolled all the way to the Alabama 19.

Afterward, he said his injury had nothing to do with it—the ball struck a wire that allows a television camera to hover above the field.

The Tiger got it out to around midfield on their final possession of regulation, then had to punt it away. Alabama took over with only 52 seconds left and settled for overtime.

“Our season was at stake,” Claiborne said. “We knew where we want to be at the end of the season.”

Unlike Notre Dame’s infamous 10-10 tie with Michigan State in another 1-2 matchup in 1966, when the Irish ran out the clock at the end of the fourth quarter, this one could not end that way.

Though even with extra time it will go down as the second-lowest scoring No. 1 vs. No. 2 game in the 75-year history of the AP poll. The fewest points in a 1-2 game is zero, the famous Army-Notre Dame scoreless tie in 1946.

“When you get blown out, you’ve got lots of issues and problems,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “I don’t think anybody could watch that game and say Alabama doesn’t have a really good team and didn’t play a really good game. We just didn’t win.”

The buildup to the game resembled a Super Bowl, especially with both teams getting a couple of weeks to prepare. A crowd of 101,821 squeezed into Bryant-Denny Stadium. Tens of thousands more converged on Tuscaloosa without tickets, content to just tailgate, soak up the atmosphere and watch the game on televisions set up outside the stadium.

Two ferocious defenses played as well as advertised. Alabama came in allowing just 6.9 points and 44.9 yards rushing per game, leading the nation in both categories, and the second-fewest passing yards. LSU wasn’t far behind in any of those areas.

The Crimson Tide finished with 295 yards, while the Tigers won with just 239.

The Game of the Century it wasn’t, at least in the first half. Alabama missed three field goals. LSU was called for a pair of facemask penalties and Lee threw the first of his two interceptions. Both teams were flagged for silly penalties, such as substitution infractions and an offsides on Alabama that extended LSU’s only decent drive of the first two quarters.

With the defenses dominating, it became clear the game would come down to which team could take advantage of its rare opportunities.

Advantage, LSU.

For all of Alabama’s heralded recruiting classes under Saban, it was clear the Crimson Tide didn’t devote a lot of time to finding a kicker. Foster was wide right from 44 and 50 yards before Saban switched up. The coach sent in Shelley, his short kicking specialist, for a 49-yard try, but that didn’t work out so well, either. He drove it low—right into the outstretched hands of the LSU defender Bennie Logan.

Finally, the Tide drove it close enough to actually make one.

Trent Richardson slipped out of the background to haul in his second long pass completion of the first half, a 39-yarder down to the LSU 19. The next three plays produced only 2 yards, so Shelley trotted out again to a few nervous groans from the crowd. Those turned to cheers of relief when he knocked it through, giving Alabama the lead with just under 4 minutes left in the half.

It didn’t hold up.

Jordan Jefferson, who wound up taking most of the snap instead of Lee, guided the Tigers down the field, most notably on a 34-yard completion to Russell Shepard when Alabama botched its deep coverage and left only one guy to cover two receivers.

That gave LSU first-and-goal at the Alabama 8, its first serious scoring chance of the game. The Tide’s defense stiffened, even after being called for holding, and LSU came uncomfortably close to running off too much time.

With 8 seconds left and one timeout remaining, the Tigers handed off to Spencer Ware from the 2. He powered into the middle of the line, tried to keep his legs going but was eventually whistled down while LSU frantically signaled for a timeout. The clock stopped with 1 second left, though the officials put an extra tick back on.

Alleman knocked through the chip shot to send the teams to the locker room tied at 3.

Richardson, a Heisman Trophy candidate, had a solid game with 23 carries for 89 yards and five catches for 80 yards. It wasn’t enough to win the game, and it may not be enough to win the Heisman, either.

Jefferson did just enough, completing 6 of 10 passes for 67 yards and running 11 times for 43 yards.

Alabama no longer controls its own fate in the race to get to the title game.

LSU took care of that.

“Whoever the folks are who make those decisions will make those decisions based on the full body of work of every team in the country and choose which teams are the best,” Saban said. “I really can’t speculate on a hypothetical situation and it’s really not our focus right now, anyway.”

From:
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recap?gid=201111050073