Three Manchester United players from the year of that Camp Nou triumph are still going strong

Bayern Munich have made five managerial changes since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's "Football, bloody hell" moment in 1999 left their players so poleaxed on the Camp Nou pitch that Pierluigi Collina had to persuade some of them to get up again to restart the game. Every member of their squad that night has since retired from playing or moved on from the club.

There is nothing particularly unusual about that. Bayern's turnover is just about par for the course, yet what has happened over the same 11-year period at Manchester United is remarkable. Not only do they still have the same manager, Sir Alex Ferguson's 24 years in charge being one of the wonders of the modern game, but at Bolton on Saturday they were able to call on three of the players who had featured in their historic treble success. Only Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs actually played in the Champions League final against Bayern, Paul Scholes famously missing it through suspension, but all three were influential at the Reebok Stadium. Giggs even laid on the opening goal.

While the trio are in their mid-30s now and have started only six games together in the past three years, their importance to United's current campaign goes far beyond the sentimental. Ferguson rested Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Park Ji-sung and Michael Carrick at Bolton in order to be able to name his strongest possible side in Europe, something he was only able to do because he had complete trust in his senior players' ability to bring their enormous experience to bear. "Between them they've got lots of experience and that's the vital thing," Ferguson said. "They also have good composure in possession and they know how important it is to keep hold of the ball."

All three have had to change their game subtly to adapt to the passing of the years. Giggs, the player Scholes imagines will be remembered as the best of the lot when they have all retired, has probably enjoyed the most success, cutting out the lung-bursting sprints and concentrating instead on a shrewd ability to make the right run at the right time.

Scholes has been forced backwards, to a position where he cannot score as many goals and consequently feels he is not contributing as much as he should, although his manager rarely complains. Neville, as a defender, is arguably having the hardest time of all in keeping up with younger, fitter opponents, but he still managed to get forward to good effect when he faced Milan's Ronaldinho in the last round of the Champions League.

Perhaps this longevity is simply a reflection of the depth of talent available for Ferguson to mine from the renowned 1992 youth team (although Scholes only joined that squad a year later, with Phil Neville), and perhaps it is the case that the last three of Fergie's Fledglings to leave the nest have simply never wanted or needed to play their football anywhere else.

Yet in the modern game, three one-club players lasting two decades at the top and winning everything in sight is a wonder in itself. Apart from Neville, Scholes and Giggs, there are only five others who have represented a single club more than 100 times in the Champions League.

The three players are also in United's top five for all-time appearances. Giggs is at the top, having sailed past Bobby Charlton's record of 758 and off into the 800s, while after Charlton and Bill Foulkes come Scholes and Neville. Giggs may never become quite as iconic a figure in English football as Charlton, being born Welsh proving something of a handicap in that respect, yet in terms of achievement and honours he seems likely to be just as revered by generations to come.

Whether he, Neville and Scholes start or play a role from the bench tonight at the Allianz Arena, their experience will continue to be invaluable as United seek a different treble this season.

Organic Valley Family of Farms, America's largest cooperative of family farms and one of the nation's leading organic brands, recently recognized 396 of its farmer-owners, nearly 24 percent of its total members, with quality awards. Organized in 1988, Organic Valley represents 1,652 farmers in 33 states and four Canadian provinces with the mission of saving family farms through organic farming. Approximately 300 of its farmer-owners descended upon La Crosse, Wis., last week to attend their annual meeting to discuss the cooperative’s current direction, issues and goals for the year ahead. Organic Valley dairy, produce, soy, egg, juice and feed crop farmers and Organic Prairie beef, poultry and pork farmers were recognized for 2009 quality achievements during an awards banquet on Friday of the annual meeting. Organic Valley honored its dairy farmers in Gold, Silver and Milk Quality Recognition categories. To achieve these honors, Gold Award recipients needed an average Somatic Cell Count (SCC) of less than 150,000; Silver Award recipients an average SCC between 151,000 and 200,000; and Milk Quality Recognition recipients an average SCC between 201,000 and 250,000. In addition, all levels had to achieve a Standard Plate Count average below 25 and a Preliminary Incubation Count averaging less than 30. All of the gold and silver winners received a plaque and the quality recognition winners received certificates for their accomplishments. The following farmers received the top milk quality Gold Award, the "Cream of the CROPP," in each region:

• Eastern Region: Meyer Family, North Hardwick Dairy LLC, Hardwick, Vt.
• Midwest Region: Kevin and Mary Jahnke, Jahnke Family Farm Limited Partnership, Lancaster, Wis.
• Western Region: Greg and Marci Bingham, Bingham Farms, Weston, Idaho

The following farmers received Organic Valley's Top Egg, Produce, Feed Crop, Juice and Soy Quality Awards: Egg Pool

• Midwest Region Omega-3: Michael Miller, M&M; Organic Farms, Wonewoc, Wis.
• Midwest Region: Chuck Voehl, Voehlganic Farm, Westby, Wis.
• East Region: Aaron Lapp, Allenwood, Penn.
• Kalona (Iowa) Pool: Marcus and Grace Kauffman, Kalona, Iowa

Produce Pool: Jonathan and Wilma Bontrager, Hillsboro, Wis. Feed Crop: Greg and Teresa Brawner, Brawner Farms, Hannover, Ind. Juice Pool: Roper Growers, Fla. Soy Pool: Quality Organic Producers Cooperative (QOPC), Iowa The following farmers received Organic Prairie's Top Beef, Pork and Poultry Quality Awards: Beef Pool: Fred and Linda Pedretti and Jason and Courtney Pedretti, Genoa, Wis. Pork Pool: Chuck Cornillie, Black Oak Farm, Byron, Mich. Poultry Pool: Clint, Gary and Bill Welsh, Welsh Family Organic Farm, Lansing, Iowa "Our Annual Meeting of all the farmer owners of Organic Valley is a gathering in which our family farmers across the country determine their future, have a say in their livelihoods and celebrate our collective success as a cooperative and for organic," said George Siemon, one of the founding farmers and chief executive officer for Organic Valley. "As such, it's the right time and place to present quality awards to recognize our strengths as individuals and as a whole. We're pleased to honor nearly 400 of our dedicated farmers who consistently went above and beyond to produce the best quality organic products possible last year." Organic Valley also awarded the Ray Hass Organic Pioneer Award to Jerome McGeorge for his pioneering spirit and visionary work in the organic community. The Ray Hass Organic Pioneer Award is an annual memorial award given to an individual who is a pioneer in the organic movement and in the Cooperative. The award is named after Ray Hass, a founding member of Organic Valley and one of the very first organic dairy farmers in the United States. Ray's vision of a farmer-owned organic cooperative and his tireless work advocating for family farmers were important and critical aspects to the success of the cooperative. Farmers, by state, receiving Organic Valley’s Gold Dairy Quality Awards for 2009: California Bill and Michelle Van Ryn, Gawne Organic Dairy, Stockton Idaho Greg and Marci Bingham, Weston Kyle and Marie Knapp, H&S; Dairy, Inc., Preston Iowa Monroe and Lydia Ann Herschberger, Bloomfield Indiana Roger and Lisa Garland, Vevay Mervin Hochstetler, LaGrange Alvin Shrock, Middlebury Harley Shrock, Topeka Kentucky James Huber, Mount Hermon Maine Steve Morrison, Charleston William and Sandra Osborne, Farmington Lewis and Loretta Nuite, Atikinson Paul and Michele Philbrick, Knox Garin and Sarah Smith, Skowhegan New Hampshire John and Beth Haynes, Claremont Kathy Harrington, Stonewall Farm, Keene New York Steven Bartlett, Earlville Cliff and Patti Brunner, Sunny Slope Farm, Cooperstown Richard and Lisa Bruno, Twin Farms, Cazenovia Kevin Fuess, O'Riskany Falls Siobhan Griffin, Raindance Farm, Schevenus Irene Hurst, Locke Les and Marge Miller, Richfield Springs Vaughn and Sue Sherman, Dryden Benjamin and Katherine Whitemore, Dead End Farm, Candor Nick and Erica Wood, Woodhaven Jersey, Dundee Robert and Rachel Yoder, Morrisville Ohio Dave Colvin, Creston Steve and Pat Gamby, Mt. Victory Elmer Graber, Millersburg Simeon and Laura Kanagy, Sunset Meadows, Shreve Mark and Geneva Miller, Millersburg Leroy and Rose Meyer, Ft. Loramie Jerry L. and Mary Miller, Elm Grove Acres, Fredricksburg Amos Jr. and Nora Nolt, Shiloh Ron Pohl, Coldwater Paul and Carol Schmitmeyer, Versailles Mark and Linda Weaver, Dundee Raymond Yoder, Jr., Dundee Joseph and Martha Yoder, Butler Oregon Thomas and Diana Brown, Myrtle Point Devin and Elena Johnston, Spring Valley Farms, Tillamook Ilene Knight, Bennett's Acres, Boring Gary and Connie Moore, Boring Richard and Jill Smith, Hermiston Pennsylvania Henry and Emma Beiler, Spring Mills Todd Swartz, Broad Acres, East Waterford James and Janet Byers, Mercersburg Clellen and Rhoda Leh, Towanda Wayne and Esther Weaver, Gray Stone Farm, Loysville Bobbie and Harvey Wood, Mansfield Vermont Alice and Laurance Allen, Wells River Scott and Randy Bidwell, Morrisville Stephen and Amelia Bothfeld, Fieldstone Organic Farm, Cabot Tom and Bonnie Boutin, Newport Center Dave and Elaine Callan, Mountain View Farm, Fairfield Morgan and Jennifer Churchill, Fairfield Leon and Linda Corse, The Corse Farm Dairy, LLC, Whitingham Allen and Sandra Cutting, Irasburg Andrew and Kathy De La Bruere, Derby Joseph and Emily Donegan, Charlotte Mike and Barbara Eastman, Addison Earl, Susan and David Fournier, Swanton Neil Fromm and Lenore Beers, Irasburg Bob Grenon, North Troy Roger and Patricia Le Blanc, Hazen Monument Farm, East Hardwick Tim Maikshilo and Kristen Dellert, Coventry Valley Farm, Coventry Mike and Teresa Menard, Fairfield Ben Moulton and Amanda Taylor, Knox Ridge Holsteins, Troy W. Silas Myrick, Bridport Marcel and Gaetane Patenaude, Maple Cedar View, Derby Line Meyer Family, North Hardwick Dairy, Hardwick Mike and Carol Pettis, Fair Haven Warren Rankin, Top Rankin' Farm, East Johnson Karl and Anita Sjolander, St. Johnsbury Paul and Kristine Stecker, Cabot Tyler Webb, Enosburg Falls Cortni and Alicia Whitehead, Fairfield Washington Walter and Irene Abplanalp, Ethel Jim and Janie Austin, Austin Farms, Oakville Gerald and Delores Bishop, Bishop Dairy, Chimacum Gary and Susan Burkhalter, Grays River Holsteins, Rosburg Matt and Robin Eldridge, Everson Ross McMahan, Randle Randy and Kimberly Peterson, North Fork Dairy, Arlington Allen and Cheryl Voortman, Pride and Joy Dairy, Granger Andy and Linda Styger, Chehalis Dean Wesen, Wesen Organic Dairy, LLC, Bow Wisconsin Daniel and Darlene Coehoorn, Rosendale Leonard DeFere, DeFere Family Dairy, Sturgeon Bay Robert and Jeann Farrar, La Farge Jim and Tammy Fahey, Edgar Marianne Hermann, Hixton Rich and Ila Holman, Breezy Hills Farm of Baldwin, Baldwin Martin and Wilma Hoover, Colby Kevin and Mary Jahnke, Jahnke Family Farm, Lancaster Ernerst L'Heureux, Fairview Farm, Iron River John and Anna Mast, Boyd William Morren and Patricia Laskowski, Hillsboro Mike and Julie Petherbridge, Petherbridge Family Farm, Dresser William Bogdonovich and Maria Stockbrand, Sunny Valley Farm, Willard Robert, Jeanette and Caleb Winkel, Winkel Farms, Waupun Organic Valley Family of Farms: Independent and Farmer-Owned Organic Valley is America's largest cooperative of organic farmers and is one of the nation's leading organic brands. Organized in 1988, it represents 1,652 farmers in 33 states and four Canadian provinces, and achieved $520 million in 2009 sales. Focused on its founding mission of saving family farms through organic farming, Organic Valley produces a variety of organic foods, including organic milk, soy, cheese, butter, spreads, creams, eggs, produce and juice, which are sold in supermarkets, natural foods stores and food cooperatives nationwide. The same farmers who produce for Organic Valley also produce a full range of delicious organic meat under the Organic Prairie Family of Farms label. For further information, call 1-888-444-MILK or visit www.organicvalley.coop, www.organicprairie.coop and the cooperative's farmer website, www.farmers.coop. Organic Valley is also on Twitter @Organic_Valley and Facebook www.facebook.com/OrganicValley.

What a claim to fame for Shaoxing, China. It holds the world record for most malware attacks coming out of the country with the national title in the same category. China, in fact, is host to more than 30% of all malicious attacks. Romania comes in at number two with 21%.

This, according to a recent intelligence report on internet security by Symantec.

Useful tidbits within the report include:

1. .xls and .doc files are typically the file type of choice used as attachments on suspect e-mails.

2. Engineering, education, the pharmacuetical industry, IT and retail are the top five targeted industries (and in that order) for spammers.

3. The riskiest file type is .rar, which make up less than one percent of all attached files. That being said, more than 96% of the time they are corrupted.

4. Hungary gets the most spam per e-mail account.

5. Great Britain is home to the most phishing attacks.

By the way, the honest folk of Shaoxing would probably like you to focus less on the malware claim to fame and more on the news that they'll be hosting the 2010 World Choir Games in July.

Hey, it is the world's biggest choir competition!

Globe and Mail

Phoenix Coyotes Playoff Preview: Bring On the Whiteout Bleacher Report With the Boston Bruins 5-0 victory over the Calgary Flames on Saturday afternoon, the Phoenix Coyotes clinched their first playoff spot since the 2001-02 ... The Coyotes earn their ticket to the dance and then blow out the Avalanche ...Fanster.com (blog) Michael Russo's Sunday Insider: Phoenix Coyotes are having fun in the sunMinneapolis Star Tribune Coyotes rout Avalanche on playoff clinching SaturdayExaminer.com Five for Howling (blog) -AZ Central.com -Arizona Republic all 267 news articles »

Tony Ray is making cards with toddlers Lizzie, Alex and Maya – none of them his own. Gary Collins is comforting James, whose dad has just popped out to feed the meter. Rufus is playing with the dolls' house, and Joe, Violet and Barnaby are creating a den. It's Friday morning at Dads and Littl'uns, the bi-weekly playgroup in Wimbledon, set up and run by dads.

• Fantasy Variation Analysis by Marcus Schmuecker at ChessBase Magazine Online
  Analyzes the innovative 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3!? dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 5.Nf3 Bg4! 6.Bc4 Nd7 7.c3! (instead of 7.O-O first).  This is probably the most important line to know since it is widely recommended for Black, including by Jovanka Houska in Play the Caro-Kann.
• Fantasy Variation EICC from ChessBase
  A collection of games featuring the line from the recent European Individual Championships.
• Analysis by Alfredo Cueva at ChessBase
  A reader's analysis of the line1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Bc4 Nd7 7.c3 b5 8.Bd3!
• Nepomniachtchi-Jobava by Knaak at ChessBase
  An interesting recent game from the European Ch that began with 3...Qb6 4.a4.
• Winning Moves in the Caro-Kann, Fantasy Variation by W.T. Harvey
  A collection of puzzles from fantasy variation games might make for good tactical training.  Also available in a more interesting form at Chess.com.
• Preview: Gambit Guide: Caro-Kann, Fantasy Gambit by Boris Alterman
  A good introduction to the basics of the line, especially for amateurs.  You can see the complete series online at ICC if you are a member.
• The Fantasy variation with 3.f3, Parts One, Two and Three, by kingscrusher
  Uses three videos to discuss a particularly intricate game arising from the Caro Kann Fantasy variation with 3...e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Be3.
• Confusing Names by Sverre Johnsen
  Discusses one of the author's losses as Black after 3...e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bf4 Nf6 6.Qd3 Qa5!?
• Fantasy (Opening Lanes #13) by Gary Lane
  Lane is a big fan of the Blackmar-Diemer, so he is naturally interested in the line as White.
• Gibraltar Chess Festival with annotations by Sunil Weeramantry
  You will find annotated the game Vachier-Lagrave-Zatonskih from the Gibraltar Chess Festival.  Identical content available at Chessville.
• Morozevich - Bologan, Russian League 2004 annotated by Boris Schipkov
  Features 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bf4 Ne7 6. Qd3 b6.
• NJKOs Lose to New York Knights by Michael Goeller
  Annotates the game Benjamin-Kacheishvili, USCL 2009 with 3...Qb6!?
• Canning the Caro, The Milner Barry Gambit, Part One and Part Two by Tim Mcgrew
  Covers the 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.f3!? gambit originated by British GM Milner-Barry, which can transpose. 
  

A reader of Monday's post asked if I could post abstracts from the special issue (on Mindfulness meditation) of the journal Emotion mentioned in that post. I thought the abstracts were open access, but apparently they are not. Here I pass on a PDF of the introductory article by Williams that summarizes the contributions (Mindfulness and psychological process. Williams, J. Mark G.; Emotion, Vol 10(1), Feb, 2010. pp. 1-7.)

Below I show the table of contents and a few abstracts from the issue (email me if you have further requests).

Empirical explorations of mindfulness: Conceptual and methodological conundrums. Davidson, Richard J.; Emotion, Vol 10(1), Feb, 2010. pp. 8-11.
[Research on mindfulness is entering a new era and coming into the mainstream. The group of articles in this Special Issue exemplifies research on the impact of mindfulness on, or the relation between mindfulness and, different components of emotion processing and emotion regulation. Affective processes are a key target of contemplative interventions. The long-term consequences of most contemplative traditions include a transformation of trait affect. After all, if change was not enduring and did not impact everyday life, it would be of little utility. This brief commentary highlights several important conceptual and methodological issues that are central to research on mindfulness, particularly as it is applied to transforming emotion. The term “mindfulness” has been used to refer to an extraordinarily wide range of phenomena in this group of articles, ranging from mindfulness as a state, to mindfulness as a trait and finally mindfulness as an independent variable, that is, something this is manipulated in an experiment. It is imperative that we always qualify our use of this term by the methods we use to operationalize the construct. The measurement of mindfulness and the duration of its training, and the development of adequate comparison conditions against which to compare mindfulness training remain as important issues for further study. Moreover additional research attention on the potential targets within the emotion domain of contemplative practices is required. Great progress has been in this research area and we have much to look forward in the future.]

Dispositional mindfulness and depressive symptomatology: Correlations with limbic and self-referential neural activity during rest. Way, Baldwin M.; Creswell, J. David; Eisenberger, Naomi I.; Lieberman, Matthew D.; Emotion, Vol 10(1), Feb, 2010. pp. 12-24.  
[ To better understand the relationship between mindfulness and depression, we studied normal young adults (n = 27) who completed measures of dispositional mindfulness and depressive symptomatology, which were then correlated with (a) rest: resting neural activity during passive viewing of a fixation cross, relative to a simple goal-directed task (shape-matching); and (b) reactivity: neural reactivity during viewing of negative emotional faces, relative to the same shape-matching task. Dispositional mindfulness was negatively correlated with resting activity in self-referential processing areas, whereas depressive symptomatology was positively correlated with resting activity in similar areas. In addition, dispositional mindfulness was negatively correlated with resting activity in the amygdala, bilaterally, whereas depressive symptomatology was positively correlated with activity in the right amygdala. Similarly, when viewing emotional faces, amygdala reactivity was positively correlated with depressive symptomatology and negatively correlated with dispositional mindfulness, an effect that was largely attributable to differences in resting activity. These findings indicate that mindfulness is associated with intrinsic neural activity and that changes in resting amygdala activity could be a potential mechanism by which mindfulness-based depression treatments elicit therapeutic improvement....dispositional mindfulness and depressive symptomatology show opposite relationships with resting activity in the right amygdala, indicating that this may be a potential mechanism linking mindfulness-based treatments with reductions in depressed mood and relapse risk. That resting state activity differences largely explained the differences in emotional reactivity underscores the importance of understanding intrinsic activity within the brain. Perhaps it is fitting that mindfulness, a practice focused on observant contemplation rather than action, is associated with neural activity when an individual is just “being” rather than “doing.”]

Minding one’s emotions: Mindfulness training alters the neural expression of sadness. Farb, Norman A. S.; Anderson, Adam K.; Mayberg, Helen; Bean, Jim; McKeon, Deborah; Segal, Zindel V.; Emotion, Vol 10(1), Feb, 2010. pp. 25-33.
[Recovery from emotional challenge and increased tolerance of negative affect are both hallmarks of mental health. Mindfulness training (MT) has been shown to facilitate these outcomes, yet little is known about its mechanisms of action. The present study employed functional MRI (fMRI) to compare neural reactivity to sadness provocation in participants completing 8 weeks of MT and waitlisted controls. Sadness resulted in widespread recruitment of regions associated with self-referential processes along the cortical midline. Despite equivalent self-reported sadness, MT participants demonstrated a distinct neural response, with greater right-lateralized recruitment, including visceral and somatosensory areas associated with body sensation. The greater somatic recruitment observed in the MT group during evoked sadness was associated with decreased depression scores. Restoring balance between affective and sensory neural networks—supporting conceptual and body based representations of emotion—could be one path through which mindfulness reduces vulnerability to dysphoric reactivity.]

Effects of mindfulness on meta-awareness and specificity of describing prodromal symptoms in suicidal depression. Hargus, Emily; Crane, Catherine; Barnhofer, Thorsten; Williams, J. Mark G.; Emotion, Vol 10(1), Feb, 2010. pp. 34-42.
Cortical thickness and pain sensitivity in zen meditators. Grant, Joshua A.; Courtemanche, Jérôme; Duerden, Emma G.; Duncan, Gary H.; Rainville, Pierre; Emotion, Vol 10(1), Feb, 2010. pp. 43-53.

Examining the protective effects of mindfulness training on working memory capacity and affective experience. Jha, Amishi P.; Stanley, Elizabeth A.; Kiyonaga, Anastasia; Wong, Ling; Gelfand, Lois; Emotion, Vol 10(1), Feb, 2010. pp. 54-64.
[...findings suggest that sufficient mindfulness training practice may protect against functional impairments associated with high-stress contexts. ]

Differential effects on pain intensity and unpleasantness of two meditation practices. Perlman, David M.; Salomons, Tim V.; Davidson, Richard J.; Lutz, Antoine; Emotion, Vol 10(1), Feb, 2010. pp. 65-71.

A preliminary investigation of the effects of experimentally induced mindfulness on emotional responding to film clips. Erisman, Shannon M.; Roemer, Lizabeth; Emotion, Vol 10(1), Feb, 2010. pp. 72-82.

Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on emotion regulation in social anxiety disorder. Goldin, Philippe R.; Gross, James J.; Emotion, Vol 10(1), Feb, 2010. pp. 83-91.

Expressive flexibility. Westphal, Maren; Seivert, Nicholas H.; Bonanno, George A.; Emotion, Vol 10(1), Feb, 2010. pp. 92-100.

After two rounds of NCAA tournament play, Gonzaga University is likely the most exciting story, not only because they are making their first-ever trip to the Sweet Sixteen, but also because they have played in arguably the most exciting basketball games of anyone left in the field. A day after Gonzaga's 82-76 victory over the University of North Carolina, coach Kelly Graves said, "If I wasn't the coach and down there sweating all last night -- if I was just a fan -- I would've really appreciated that gam. I thought it was a well played basketball game at a high pace and just a high level. Hopefully, that's the kind of game that we'll see tomorrow for both teams -- I anticipate it will be another track meet." Texas A&M; coach Gary Blair - who Graves called, "the master of hyperbole" -- was a bit more confident about what their game would look like. "You will have a high scoring ball game tomorrow just like the North Carolina game," said Blair. "I don't think either one of us can shut the other one down." Ultimately, Texas A&M; shut themselves down in the first half, shooting poorly and turning the ball over 13 times. Nevertheless, Gonzaga's thrilling 72-71 victory over Texas A&M; Monday night was just as exciting as the coaches predicted, although nobody would have guessed that Gonzaga would win with star point guard Courtney Vandersloot committing 11 turnovers. "By far this is the hardest second-round game that we’ve had to play since I’ve been in the NCAAs," said Blair. "They executed, we didn’t guard very well the first 20 minutes and then we put the pressure on them after the half. Then they started turning the ball over. As a result Vandersloot had an uncharacteristic game of six assists and 11 turnovers. But we were turning it over ourselves. It was a hard fought ball game, the crowd was into it and it was just a great atmosphere. Hopefully the television cameras didn’t start going from game to game to game because the game of the night was right here." Kevin Pelton tweeted it was among the best basketball games he'd seen at Hec Ed all year. Steve from Women's Hoops Blog said it might have been the best women's college basketball game of the year. Given all of that, for Matt Zemek to tweet that it was a terrific advertisement for women's basketball seems more than justified. Graham Hays elaborated on the broader significance of this upset for women's college basketball beyond David beating Goliath -- Gonzaga's transition from "mid-major" to major competition status. Mid-major? Gonzaga Bulldogs pull major women's NCAA tournament upset - ESPNThe biggest upset of the tournament's first three days, seventh-seeded Gonzaga's 72-71 victory against No. 2 seed Texas A&M;, might represent something more than a big win for the little guys. Instead, it's the culmination of a different story, one Gonzaga coach Kelly Graves has been working on for a decade. Beating North Carolina and Texas A&M; to reach the Sweet 16 might mark the rise of the game's newest major. For all of the talk about the lack of parity in women's college basketball and this tournament ultimately being the "UConn invitational", the fact that teams like Gonzaga and 11th-seeded San Diego State University have cracked the Sweet Sixteen says that the game is in fact growing and that there is more talent outside of Storrs than critics think. Perhaps the personification of the "growing talent among lesser knowns" narrative is the performance of Vivian Frieson against Texas A&M.; Chances are that you've already heard about her game winning shot, but it was the entirety of her performance prior to that and throughout the season that makes her so impressive. When asked on Friday if there was a player on his team who does not receive the national attention she deserved, Gonzaga coach Kelly Graves quickly noted the versatile Frieson as a player who is able to provide the team with whatever they need on a given night. Playing with the current West Coast Conference Player of the Year and Wade Trophy candidate Courtney Vandersloot as well as former WCC Player of the Year and WNBA prospect Heather Bowman, it's obvious why Frieson hasn't gotten much attention.  Then in Monday night's game, there was the added shadow of Texas A&M; wing and WNBA prospect Tanisha Smith. Yet Frieson managed to outshine them all, even without the last shot. She was likely left off of the WNBA's list of prospects because at 6'0" she's undersized even for Division I basketball, but if she's not on the WNBA radar now, she should be. And it's hard to imagine that she won't be whenever the season ends for her. In a year in which UConn has been dominant thus leading people to say women's college basketball lacks parity, that a relative unknown led a "mid-major" to the Sweet 16 for the first time is a credit to the game. Statistically, Frieson was responsible for nearly 45% of Gonzaga's last night, which more than made up for the fact that Vandersloot was a non-factor. How impressive is that? Over the course of the season, Frieson and Vandersloot combined for 40.9% of the team's total production. So essentially, Frieson picked up Vandersloot's slack plus a little extra. That's quite remarkable, not only in terms of talent, but also the mentality that enables one to shoulder so much of the burden for their team once their leader is rendered irrelevant. So if she didn't do that during the season, could it be that this was just a one-off thing? A senior on an adrenaline rush who simply didn't want to go home? Possibly, but the thing is that she put up big performances against strong, but very different post players, in consecutive games. Against North Carolina's tall and athletic front line, Frieson came up with a double-double in addition to 3 blocks and 3 assists. She had an outstanding defensive rebounding rate of 27%, impressive given most of UNC's posts had 4-5 inches on her. Monday night against TAMU, she had 23 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks, and 3 steals.  While the rebounding percentage wasn't quite as good, she had a very good free throw rate of 57.14% and an assist rate of 20.39%. Although her passing numbers aren't quite that of even an average point guard, she showed that she can be quite an adept ball handler and passer, both making entry passes from the wing and executing the high-low from the top of the key. At no time was coach Graves' faith in her ballhandling ability more evident than the Texas A&M; game when she was the lead handling the ball from the point at times with Vandersloot out, most notably receiving the inbounds pass on the team's final possession that led to her double-pump, fade away, game-winning shot. What makes her impressive as a WNBA prospect is that in having multiple skills to offer and lead her college team, she could find a place in the pro game. That she has the capacity to literally take over a game against top competition when the stakes are high speaks volumes about her ability as a player. Would she be as impressive in the WNBA as she was this past weekend? Likely not -- she'd likely be a role player that brings energy and a multitude of skills to a team off the bench, at least to start her career. However, if you look at the role a player like Le'Coe Willingham played for the Mercury last year -- running the floor, getting scoring opportunities in transition -- there's no reason to believe Frieson couldn't give that to a team. That's to say nothing of her defensive effort that results not only in the blocked shots that show up in the box score, but also changing a number of other shots. She's a legitimate player and -- given that most teams consider this draft thin -- worth a look at least in training camp. She's clearly a player that can find ways to help teams win and that has to mean something at the professional level. The bottom line of what Frieson's performance represents is this: there is more talent in women's college basketball than most people commonly assume. Yes, UConn has by far the highest concentration of talent in the nation, but perhaps the greatest credit to the game is that players like Frieson are able to step up and dominate tournament games in which the stars didn't shine so brightly.

12th Rector Cup

http://www.chesslaw.org.ua/Eng

8 players top women chess event

Report by Chessdom.com

The traditional chess tournament Cup of the Rector will be held on the stage of the Palace of Students of the National Law Academy of Ukraine, Yaroslav the Wise, March 26th - 29th 2010. It is an 8 player women chess tournament, featuring some of the strongest women players. Among participants are the Olympic Champions Inna Gaponenko and Anna Ushenina, the vice-champion of Europe Lilit Mkrtchian, the leader of the national woman team of Israel Masha Klinova, the vice-champion of Europe among girls Anna Burtasova, the current champion of Ukraine Evgeniya Doluhanova, the champion of Europe as a member of the youth team of Ukraine Anastasiya Karlovich and the multiple champion of Ukraine among girls Liza Soloviova.

Thus, the resulting tournament will be the strongest women event held in Ukraine in the last years. The tournament will be round robin with 7 rounds, 45 minutes for each player to finish the game with extra 10 seconds for each move from the start.

All games will be in live broadcast on the official web site of the tournament www.chesslaw.org.ua/Eng.

Mkrtchian Lilit WGM/IM 2503
The member of the National Team of Armenia. The vice-champion of Europe in 2002 and 2009. The participant of ¼ of final of the World Woman Championship, 4-times winner of Armenian Championship. Champion of Europe as a member of Armenian Team (2003), vice-champion of the world among girls under 16. The winner of the Cup of Nona Gaprindashvili, the winner and prize-winner of many international tournaments.

Gaponenko Inna WGM/IM 2472
The member of Olympic and National Team of Ukraine since 1994. The winner of the World Chess Olympiad (Italy, 2006), the vice-champion of Olympiad as a member of the National Team (Germany, 2008) the 2-times bronze prize-winner of Woman World Championship as a member of National Team of Ukraine (Russia, 2007 and China, 2009), the bronze prize-winner of the Woman European Championship as a member of Ukrainian team (Serbia, 2009), the participant of the World Championship (Russia, 2008), the Champion of the World among girls (1994), the winner and prize-winner of many international tournaments.

Ushenina Anna WGM/IM 2452
The member of Olympic and National Team of Ukraine. The winner of the World Chess Olympiad (Italy, 2006), the vice-champion of Olympiad as a member of the National Team (Dresden, 2008), the bronze prize-winner of the Woman European Championship (Bulgaria, 2008), the bronze prize-winner of Woman World Championship as a member of National Team of Ukraine (Russia, 2007 and China 2009), the winner and prize-winner of many international tournaments.

Soloviova Liza WIM 2315
The multiple champion of Ukraine among girls (2003-2009), the vice-champion of Europe among girls under 14 years old (Croatia, 2007), the winner and prize-winner of many international tournaments.

Klinova Masha WGM 2303
The leader of the Olympic and National Team of Israel since 1992, the participant of nine World Chess Olympiads, two World Championships and five European championships, the 2-times champion of Israel, the winner and prize-winner of many international tournaments.

Burtasova Anna WGM 2301
The vice-champion of Europe among girls under 18 (2005). The champion of Russia among girls under 18 years old (2005) and under 16 years old (2002), the 2-times winner of “Femida” (2006, 2007), the winner of the international tournament Thessaloniki (Greece, 2009) and International chess tournament in Mondariz (Spain, 2005).

Doluhanova Evgeniya WGM 2297
The champion of Ukraine (2009), the participant of the European Championship among women (Croatia, 2010), the winner of the Open Cup of Russia (Suzdal, 2009). The bronze prize-winner of the championship of Ukraine among women (2004), the silver prize-winner of international chess tournament “Femida” (2005), the bronze prize-winner of “Cup of Rector” (2006).

Karlovich Anastazia WGM 2180
The champion of Europe as a member of the youth team of Ukraine (Hungary, 2000), multiple winner and prize-winner of Ukrainian championships among girls, participant of European championship among women (Dresden, 2007). The bronze prize-winner of “Cup of Rector” (2008). The winner and prize-winner of many international tournaments.

Chris Jericho is the WWE's World Heavyweight Champion -- at running his mouth.

Sure, he's a great in-ring performer, but Jericho does some of his best work on the mic, where he cuts down opponents with some of the best heel promos since the heyday of The Rock.

In NHL terms, the 5-foot, 10-inch Jericho is a chirper and a grinder -- much like his father, former NHL left-winger Ted Irvine. Dubbed the Baby-Faced Assassin when he played for the Los Angeles Kings (1967-70), Irvine was a tough, hard-checking forward with good hands who found his greatest success during the five and half seasons he played with the New York Rangers (1970-75). He spent his final two seasons with the St. Louis Blues before retiring and moving his family back to his native Winnipeg, Manitoba.

As Jericho recalled in his hilarious autobiography, "A Lion's Tale," his family would go to his grandparents' place every Saturday night to watch the "Holy Trinity of Childhood Television": "Bugs Bunny/Roadrunner Hour," followed by "AWA All-Star Wrestling," then "Hockey Night in Canada." While Jericho played puck growing up, his fate was all but sealed the first time 7-year-old Chris watched the AWA on TV with his chain-smoking grandma.

Father Ted took his 8-year-old son to his first pro match at Winnipeg Arena, and 11 years later the man now known as Jericho started training at the legendary Hart Brothers School of Wrestling where he learned to give bumps, take bumps and stretch opponents with brutal submission holds. After wrestling in Canada, Japan, Mexico (where he became an actual heartthrob), ECW and WCW, Jericho joined the pinnacle of sports-entertainment, WWE, in 1999.

All of Jericho's hard work has paid off not only in the ring -- where he'll defend his World Heavyweight title against Edge on March 28 at WrestleMania 26 -- but also as the lead singer of the hard-rock band Fozzy, whose recent "Chasing the Grail" has received the best reviews of the band's decade-long career.

We spoke to Jericho about his dad, hockey in the wrestling locker room, the potential return of the Jets to Winnipeg, his connection with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sidney Crosby(notes) ... and whether or not he'll use Edge's spear move to finish off his challenger at what amounts to the WWE's Stanley Cup finals.

Q. You were six and a half years old when your dad left the NHL. Do you remember going to any of his games?

JERICHO: I don't remember going to a lot, but I remember going to a few in Madison Square Garden. More specifically. I remember I didn't like it because it was so loud. I also didn't like the fact that when he was skating on the ice playing that he wasn't looking at me and waving. I remember just thinking, "Why won't he look up at me and wave? It's just rude." For me, it was just my dad -- I didn't really notice the difference. Now I realize how special and cool it was that he played in the NHL for 10 years. At the time, I just didn't really realize it. You know, your dad's your dad; you don't realize how cool it is he played in the NHL.

Do you remember meeting any of his teammates?

I remember Gilles Marotte stuffed me in a garage can once. Bob Plager gave me a cigarette when I was 5 -- I was brought up the right way.

I remember all those guys from the '70s; more so from the St. Louis Blues because I was a little bit older: Garry Unger, Ed Staniowski, Brian Sutter when he first came in, Bernie Federko. All those type of guys I remember being around or playing with their kids, stuff like that.

In "A Lion's Tale" you write, "Even though I'd been playing hockey since I was four, I really wasn't very good. Of course I was a hockey fanatic; there wasn't much to do in the Peg in the winter other than play hockey, drink beer, and fight, and at four years old I was too young to fight." When did you finally hang up the skates?

I played all the way until I was 18, in high school. ... I played right wing.

I made the high school hockey team when I was 16, but I wasn't really good enough to hang. I wasn't really into it. I was more into wanting to train and get into wrestling, more than anything, and play in my band.

When did you move back to Canada?

I moved to Canada when I was 7. When my dad retired from the NHL, I moved to Canada full time.

You grew up as a Winnipeg Jets fan and your dad was a radio commentator for their games. Were you sad when they left town?

Yeah, it was terrible, man. It was terrible.

It's funny, because they left in [1996] and every single year since then there's been rumors, "The Jets are coming back! The Jets are coming back!" It's always -- c'mon, it's just a big fantasy. I know everything about the Jets, and the bottom line is I think out of 20 seasons they played there, they made money two of them.

When they left, I think the average fan attendance was 11,500. As anything, when something is taken from you, you tend to glorify it and remember it being something much bigger and much better than it really was.

After the Jets left, did you follow the Phoenix Coyotes at all?

No, there's no connection. When your ex-girlfriend leaves town and moves to a different city, you don't follow her there. When it's done, it's done. There's no connection to the Jets and there never really was except for a few guys who still played.

Who knows, maybe the Coyotes will return to Winnipeg.

I've heard the Thrashers, too. Every year you hear something -- Pittsburgh, Nashville. I think it's just somebody sitting around wishing the Jets would come to Winnipeg. The bottom line is, they built a new arena there and it's not big enough to house an NHL team, so it's not going to happen. I'm not saying it's never going to happen, but it's not going to happen anytime soon.

I've seen you tweet photos from Tampa Bay Lightning games. Are you a fan of that team now?

I go to Lightning games because I live in Tampa, and my son's playing hockey now, so he likes to go to the games sometimes. But Calgary's more my team. But when you live in Florida, when you live in Tampa, there's just not a lot of focus on the NHL here. When you go to Calgary or Edmonton or wherever, it's on the front cover of the newspaper, it's all over the place, it's on the newscasts. When you move down to southern Florida, it's not quite the same.

I kind of lost touch with hockey over the past couple of years. It's bad, because I still enjoy watching the games. I loved watching the [gold medal] Olympic game -- I thought it was the best game I might have ever seen. It was amazing. I still follow a little bit, but it's not quite the same.

I've seen [WWE wrestler] Dolph Ziggler tweet about hockey -- specifically the Olympics and the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters. Any other WWE guys follow hockey?

He's from [Cleveland], so that's probably why. Christian's a big hockey fan and Edge as well -- most of the Canadian guys. But Christian still follows it quite closely; he's a big Leafs fan. And Tony Chimel, the ring announcer, is a huge Flyers fan. So, there's a few hockey fans here and there.

Any predictions about who will win the Stanley Cup this year?

No, like I said I really don't know much about what's going on. It's a shame; it's just hard to follow. The Flames are fighting for a playoff spot; they're the only team I'll check out when I read the paper. But it would be good for the game for Pittsburgh to win again because Crosby's obviously the keeper of the keys now.

If that's the case, I think I know the answer to this next question: Ovie or Sid?

Crosby, because he's Canadian.

Sorry, my inner Don Cherry is coming out.

Is there a hockey equivalent to a jobber?

There's no such thing as a jobber in wrestling. That's just a stupid term that somebody made up.

I mean, [in hockey] you got journeymen that come in and out, maybe just a guy who plays in the minors and gets called up for a few games and goes back down again. Somebody who's worthy enough to be in the league and good enough to do what every kid dreams of doing but isn't quite skilled enough to stay there. Kinda [like] the wrestling enhancement guys are guys that were there to make other guys look good. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't, they drift in and out of the system, and get hired and fired and rehired. There's a lot of similarities.

You have your franchise players, you have your supporting players, you have the guys who drift in and out of the show -- it's kinda the same thing.

In WrestleMania 19, you mocked Shawn Michaels by using all his signature moves. Think you'll turn the tables on Edge and try a spear on him?

Probably not. I don't think I could do it properly; I'd probably hurt myself.

Every match has to have some kind of selling point, some kind of angle to it. Ours is the most basic of basic: He has a move that he wants to use on me, and if he uses it, it's going to be very effective. Can he do it? People enjoy that -- sometimes basic is best. ... It's become one of the good selling points of the match, and it's definitely one of the most anticipated matches on the show, I'd have to say.

Since a spear is basically a tackle, that means you didn't play football growing up?

I didn't play football.

So, maybe a two-handed slash across Edge's surgically repaired left Achilles tendon?

Maybe something along those lines, for sure.

Christopher Porter is a journalist living in Silver Spring, Md. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisPorter and read his interview with Shawn Michaels.

Success on the road could go a long way toward helping the Calgary Flames return to the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season.

Image: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2010/03/coinop325.jpg (http://postercauseproject.bigcartel.com/product/coin-op-poster-designed-by-army-of-trolls)Artist Army of trolls (Gary Lucken) has created a beautiful poster featuring embellished pixel art versions of classic arcade...

Trying to wash the bad taste of a shut out from their mouths, the Islanders will play host to the Calgary Flames tonight at the Coliseum.

Mark Flood has been called up to replace Dustin Kohn.

Please tell me Sean Avery will get a talkin' too about that hit!! Thank you!

Artist Army of trolls (Gary Lucken) has created a beautiful poster featuring embellished pixel art versions of classic arcade cabinets, including some unlikely choices like Bomb Jack and Giga Wing, available for purchase through the Poster Cause website. Not only is the $25 poster arguably an act of charity toward your wall, purchasing it also contributes to a for-real charity!All of the profits…

0 comments Source: www.joystiq.com

Icethetics, the go-to source for NHL jersey news, posted its first JerseyWatch 2010 report today with news that Reebok will produce new sweaters for 11 teams next season -- some third jerseys, some new home/away jerseys.

Above is mockup from Icethetics of the Buffalo Sabres' potential new third jersey next season, as the Buffaslug dies its overdue death and the current alternate sweater becomes the new home jersey (a white version will become the new roadie). This is an "estimation" of what's been leaked about the Sabres sweater, which may only be used for the team's 40th anniversary season.

Icethetics reports that the Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs are all altering their wardrobe in one way or another next season. Read Icethetics for the full report, but here are a few pullouts:

Columbus: Following up on a Dispatch report, the blog writes that the new Blue Jackets' third jersey will feature the cannon used in the team's alternate logo and obnoxiously inside the arena.

Nashville: Gone are the blue and orange, as Icethetics reports that "the Predators will turn the alternate jersey they launched this season into their new home sweater. The road sweater is listed as TBD but a safe assumption is that it will be a light version of the new dark jersey." That's change we can believe in.

Pittsburgh: Icethetics confirmed via Reebok that the powder blue third jerseys are done after this season; and while they haven't confirmed anything with the manufacturer, "it's probably a safe bet that the Pens will dig into their past once again for this sweater - likely going with one of the darker blue options."

Great stuff for gearheads, and definitely check out the intrigue and outrage over the Rangers' third jerseys for 2010-11.

Almost half of the people using Facebook or Twitter are hitting those sites first thing in the morning according to a new study from Retrevo.

Retrevo surveyed 1,000 people that used to Web and found 42% of their respondents are going to Twitter or Facebook first thing in the morning. Of that, about 15% of the respondents say it's how they get their news in the morning.

Follow the Chart Of The Day on Twitter: www.twitter.com/chartoftheday

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The Boston Bruins, coming off of their sound 4-0 beating of the Atlanta Thrashers, announced on Wednesday that they signed defenseman Andrew Ference to a three-year contract extension worth $6.75 million. The 31-year-old, who arrived in Boston in February of 2007 with Chuck Kobasew via a trade with the Calgary Flames, has notched 24 goals and [...]

Gary "Army of Trolls" Lucken, whose awesome pixel art poster was given away to Edge subscribers last June, has a new 'Coin Op' print paying tribute to eleven attractive arcade cabinets (e.g. Space Innvaders, Gauntlet, Golden Axe, Bomb Jack) done up in his isometric pixelart style.

The Switzerland-based artist teamed up with The Poster Cause Project, which features and sells a new limited edition poster each month for charity (similar to eBoy's 'Poverty Is Modern' poster for Amnestry International), to offer copies of the 11x17 full-color piece for $25.

All profits from the poster's sale will go to SpecialEffect, a UK-based charity dedicated to helping young people with disabilities enjoy computer games. You might recognize the charity from its recent launch of Gamebase, a site catering to both gamers looking for disability-friendly releases and developers hoping to make their titles more accessible.

[Via @attractmode]

The men rocked the house four times, the excitement of March Madness creating a buzz inside Arco Arena and forging memories into the Sacramento sports landscape.

Sellouts. Fight songs. Big names. Buzzer beaters.

The NCAA Tournament's four trips to Arco for first- and second-round games in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2007 boasted all that and more.

And now come the women, ready to take the Arco stage for the first time. Georgia (25-8) faces Stanford (33-1) at 6 p.m. Saturday and Xavier (29-3) takes on Gonzaga (29-4) at 8:30 p.m., with the winners meeting Monday night for a Final Four berth.

For all the NCAA history at Arco, this could be the last time March Madness passes through the building. NCAA officials expressed concern about the facility last year, with Arco coming up short in a bid to land men's first- and second-round games in 2011, 2012 or 2013.

So local officials hope to savor the women's event, a bid awarded before the NCAA shared its reservations about Arco, knowing this could be the last dance between an aging building and an event that never seems to grow old.

"It certainly could be it," said Sacramento Sports Commission executive director John McCasey, the man behind the capital city landing the past NCAA tournaments.

"It's all new facilities (now). They're really putting an emphasis about being in downtown, near the hotels and restaurants, where fans and people can create a synergy and literally walk to the venues."

So if a new arena is built in the downtown railyard, the NCAA could return. Until then, embrace the moment.

A look back at past NCAA tournaments in Sacramento:

• 2007: UCLA and Indiana supplied the rich basketball heritage, Washington State brought an intriguing story line, and Vanderbilt supplied the spark every sub-regional needs.

The mighty Bruins dispatched Weber State, then held off Indiana with a stifling defensive effort to advance to the regional semifinals. UCLA and guards Arron Afflalo and Darren Collison eventually reached the Final Four.

Washington State's surprising success, driven by coach Tony Bennett and fueled by guards Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver, ended with a 78-74 double overtime second-round loss to Vanderbilt and standout guard Derrick Byars.

"That was one of the best college games I've ever been involved in," Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said.

• 2002: North Carolina Wilmington, a lowly No. 13 seed, busted up the bracket with a stunning 93-89 upset of fourth-seeded USC.

Indiana, which wound up losing in the national title game to Maryland, ended the Seahawks' season in the second round. Oregon rode guards Luke Ridnour and Frederick Jones and forward Luke Jackson to its first Sweet 16 trip in 42 years with a 92-87 second-round decision over Wake Forest.

Someone asked Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser how the Ducks' stars compared to the top talent in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"Well, I haven't seen a lot of them," he said. "But today, they probably could have played for the Kings, much less Duke."

• 1998: Future King Mike Bibby and legendary coach Lute Olson passed through town with the Arizona Wildcats en route to the Final Four. Maryland and coach Gary Williams also brought an impressive team to Arco.

Arizona and Maryland advanced to the Sweet 16. But it was Illinois State that supplied the best first-round memory, with the Redbirds' Dan Muller scoring on a layup with 1.8 seconds left in overtime to beat Tennessee 82-81.

"Ten years from now, I'm sure I'll remember it as a very exciting moment," Muller said. "By then, it won't be a layup. It'll be a 30- or 40-footer."

• 1994: Clifford Rozier was Louisville's All-America center. But it was forward Dwayne Morton who carried the Cardinals to a 60-55 victory over Minnesota in the second round.

Morton sank all seven of his field-goal attempts, including five three-pointers, and went 7 of 8 from the free-throw line to finish with 26 points.

Morton's only miss? A meaningless free throw with one tick left on the click.

"This is the best game I've ever seen him play," Rozier said. "I think he just played from the heart."

What a difference a fortnight makes.

On March 13, the Sharks went into the last game of their homestand having set an NHL record with three consecutive third-period comeback victories. Two of these comebacks even happened against probable playoff teams.

The Sharks had a comfortable double-digit lead on the Phoenix Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings, and with 15 games to play, a top-two seed in the Western Conference seemed a given. When they started the game that afternoon with a 2-0 lead over the Florida Panthers, the problems of their slow starts appeared to be in the rear-view mirror.

That is when their very season started to unravel.

Florida came back with a goal in all three remaining periods—including the short overtime—to win the game. The Sharks' poor finish was followed by them falling in a 3-0 deficit against rival Anaheim the very next day, a game they lost 4-2, and their worst loss of the season, an 8-2 debacle in Dallas, just two day after that.

The Sharks continued the pattern of poor starts by falling into a 2-0 deficit in the first five games of the road trip, and the team lost five games in a row in regulation—a first for every player on the roster except veterans Evgeni Nabokov and Patrick Marleau.

And more to the point—in the NHL's ridiculous method of tracking standings, at least—they were behind Phoenix for the division lead: San Jose was one point back but with two fewer games played, or a half-game ahead by the standards of a more rational sport. Phoenix also led in the first tie-break, wins.

Along the way, the Sharks were losing to some very mediocre competition, including the worst team in the league. Only one of the six opponents, the Vancouver Canucks, is currently in the playoff picture; only one other team, the Calgary Flames, has any real chance of getting in.

During the stretch, San Jose gave up a whopping 27 goals and scored just 12. The Sharks' power play was two for its last 20 chances, and gave up exactly as many shorthanded goals in that span.

Even two of the Sharks' season-long unbeaten streaks—when Marleau, Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton combine on a goal and when the Sharks get into more than one fight—were broken.

Ironically, the Sharks were never out-shot during the stretch, and even the trademark giveaways that kill the team did not appear to be problems on the stat sheet. However, the Sharks' turnovers always seemed to be more costly than those of their opponents.

More telling, however, was that San Jose was out-hit in the first four of the six-game streak, and the Sharks' opponents blocked more shots in every game. In the last two, the opposition outworked the Sharks to the tune of a whopping 46-10 edge in this ultimate indicator of how much a team is willing to sacrifice to succeed.

It is these willpower issues that have brought about early playoff departures for San Jose in the past four seasons. It may be better the Sharks have these struggles now, but they did struggle in February and/or March in all four of those seasons.

The Sharks had one more chance to keep the road trip from being a complete failure Tuesday night in Minnesota. To read a recap of how they fared against former assistant coach Brad Richards' Wild, please visit Shark-Infested Blogger.

I grew up and fell in love with a Rangers team that was much different from this one. Back then the outfield was the offensive strength of the team, much like it was for most teams.

I remember watching Juan Gonzalez, Ruben Sierra, and the fan-favorite Rusty Greer. Jose Canseco was also out there for a little while, but we’ll just forget about him.

In recent years, the outfield has been somewhat of a revolving door.

Injuries and ineffectiveness have led to a tremendously large number of players roaming the outfield grass in Arlington. This year’s outfield should be one of the most exciting groups in recent memory.

Josh Hamilton has gone from being one of the biggest stories in baseball to being somewhat of a question mark. He struggled early last season mostly because he was impatient, and pitchers took advantage of it.

He also had a couple of major injuries that caused him to miss significant portions of the season. He played in only 89 games, barely more than half a season. His absence was reflected in his numbers, producing only about half of what he did in 2008, and only a third of the home runs.

It is hard for me to fault a guy for getting injured the way Josh did. He is a full-speed ahead type of player, and it cost him most of last season.

Playing in left field should help prevent some of those injuries, but Josh also needs to play smart, because he helps no one sitting on the bench.

Julio Borbon will be manning the middle of the outfield and will likely lead off, though he may not face the toughest lefties out there. He fits the bill much better than Ian Kinsler and both should benefit from the change in order.

Borbon was electric in his debut late last season. In only 46 games, he had 49 hits and 19 stolen bases. His .312 average is perfect for the top of the order, but we all know his greatest asset is his speed.

In the short stint he had at the end of last season, he was able to steal a base almost every other game. I realize it doesn’t exactly work this way, but multiply his 19 steals by 4 to give him a little more than a full season, and he would have 70-80 steals.

Now if we are a little more realistic we might say 50-60, but that is a lot more speed than the Rangers used to have.

He also has a great coach in Gary Pettis to help improve. Right now he has raw speed; with a little more coaching and technique, he may very well get to 70-80.

Borbon is also only 24, so he should be holding down these two important spots for some time.

Nelson Cruz was a prospect that we all heard a lot about coming up, but he never really lived up to the billing until last year.

Cruz had a career season, nearly doubling his offensive production with career highs in hits, doubles, home runs, and steals. His 33 home runs were three and half times his previous high, and his 20 stolen bases was 7 times his previous best.

Having now shown the player we had all hoped for these many years, Cruz should only improve.

The increased offensive firepower will protect him more, and he should be more comfortable. He also got injured near the end of the season, which hampered him a little bit.

It is not at all unrealistic to see Cruz as a 30-30 guy in the near future.

The all-important fourth outfielder in this group is David Murphy. He has been one of the many unsung heroes on this team since he came to Arlington in 2007.

He has been the ultimate utility outfielder. Filling in when injuries arose, and not letting the offense lose a beat.

He had career highs in hits and home runs, despite his average being down a few points. The decline in some of his numbers can likely be attributed to hopping around the outfield and the batting order.

Murphy has been the ultimate team player in going where the team needs him, and simply producing. He will see plenty of playing time this season.

Vladimir Guerrero is a welcome addition to this team if he does nothing more than just not hit against us. He has had tremendous success in Texas and hopefully that will only get better as he makes it his home.

He will likely play mostly as the DH, though he has been clear in saying he wants to play the field, too, when it is possible. It will be hard for him to upend Cruz, but should still see the field just to keep everyone fresh.

As much as I have hated Vlady, I have always loved his style of play. He just goes after it, and wants to put the ball in play. Good things happen when you do that.

This outfield is probably the most exciting we have had in sometime. They have the ability to put up some serious power numbers, and with the Rangers new interest in manufacturing runs, which I love, they should also steal a lot of bases.

As a group they have a good amount of speed and a great amount of talent. If they play to their potential, they may just take some of the attention away from what is definitely one of the best infields in baseball…

With the Draft fast approaching, it's time to start looking at some potential players for the Patriots. I'm going to put profiles of 2 players a day- one offense, one defensive- and gain a better understanding of the players in the draft.

Jamar Chaney is a versatile LB from Mississippi State, one who has played both ILB and OLB during his time in college. Our Linebacking core needs a lot of help and Chaney's versatility should provide all around depth. At ILB he should be an immediate contributor on special teams. His speed and strength together make him a formidable and promising prospect. With Tyrone McKenzie as a question mark and Gary Guyton as an okay starter, Jerod Mayo is the only great linebacker on the team- and with a 3-4 defense, great inside linebackers are necessary. Chaney would provide depth and could be that player that stands next to Mayo for years to come.

Measurements and Quotes after the jump.

WalterFootball.com Scouting

Height: 6-1. Weight: 242.
Projected 40 Time: 4.64.
Combine 40 Time: 4.51.
Benchx225: 26. Vertical: 39.
Projected Round (2010): 2-3.

3/2/10: Jamar Chaney quietly pieced together a great Combine, notching a 4.51 40 (fastest for any linebacker), a 39-inch vertical and 26 reps of 225.

1/8/10: Capable of playing most linebacker spots, Jamar Chaney recorded 90 tackles, 4.5 TFL and two sacks as a senior.

2/19/09: Missed almost all of the 2008 season with a leg injury. Started 27 of the previous 29 games before he got hurt.

NFLDraftScouts.com Scouting

40 Yrd Dash: 4.54
20 Yrd Dash: 2.54
10 Yrd Dash: 1.54

225 Lb. Bench Reps: 26
Vertical Jump: 39
Broad Jump: 10'04"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.29
3-Cone Drill: 6.90
40 Time Range: 4.54-4.5

Some Quotes about Chaney:

03/14/2010 - TOP RATED NFL DRAFT SCOUT INSIDE LINEBACKERS: Jamar Chaney, Mississippi State, 6-1, 242, 4: He started at inside and outside linebacker in college and was just beginning to show outstanding pro potential when his progress was interrupted in 2008 by a broken leg. He returned in 2009 to lead the team with 90 tackles, including 4?? for a loss, two sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. After making the Senior Bowl with a late invitation, Chaney impressed scouts in practice and was named defensive MVP in the game after collecting eight tackles and a fumble recovery. - Frank Cooney, The Sports Xchange, NFLDraftScout.com/CBS Sports/USA TODAY

Chaney put up great combine numbers and supported his off the field work with a great season on the field. While he had a leg injury in 2008, he appears to be back in peak form. He could provide immediate depth on our team and, as shown by his stellar Senior Day performance, he gets the job done on the field against elite competition. Chaney may be the mid-round steal of the draft.

Verdict: Absolutely worth a 4th round pick. If that pick is made by the Patriots, who knows, but he will be a quality contributor in the NFL.

Chelsea felt the fates had conspired against them in recent weeks but they should have known it is Portsmouth who have monopolised the hard luck story this term. While the visitors hoisted themselves out of their untimely lull in form and back to within a point of the summit here, the locals were left to survey the wreckage of a drubbing. The ignominy is merely prolonged in these parts.

They now have broken bones, together with bruised egos, to show for a miserable campaign. Ricardo Rocha ended last night in hospital with a suspected fractured cheekbone after an aerial challenge from Florent Malouda, who had led with his arm but with eyes fixed on the ball. The Portuguese was carried off on a stretcher with an oxygen mask pressed to his face. Tommy Smith then left dazed and bloodied at the interval with a broken nose after Daniel Sturridge appeared to catch him with an elbow.

The Portsmouth assistant manager, Paul Groves, suggested "nothing untoward" had occurred in the second collision, though the possibility remains that the off-the-ball incident could yet prompt retrospective sanction – potentially a three-game ban – from the Football Association once video evidence has been scrutinised. Hermann Hreidarsson had been more animated in his protest at Malouda's escape with nothing more than a caution, with Pompey's sense of injustice merely exacerbated by the reality that it was the Frenchman's two goals in the second half that prised the floodgates open. Fortune has long since deserted this stretch of the south coast.

Chelsea will care little. They could have scored at will in the second period, and virtually did, as confidence flowed back into their game, though it should not be forgotten that the thrashing could not have come to pass without an element of farce. David James, otherwise outstanding, provided the unwanted comic moment with a first-half air-kick at Deco's headed pass, the ball skipping up from the quagmire on the edge of the area with Didier Drogba trotting in to tap home.

It was a piece of theatre to rival Paul Robinson's infamously fluffed clearance from Gary Neville's back-pass with England in Zagreb in 2006 and James could be thankful Fabio Capello was at White Hart Lane last night rather than here. Prospective England players will wince at errors such as that in the build-up to the World Cup. This club's head groundsman of 21 years, Bob Jones, retired after this game. He deserved to go out on a better note.

The visiting players departed in better spirits, their conviction that the league title can still be claimed pepped by a conclusive victory. Their goal difference now sits level with Manchester United's, at 47, and victory in their remaining seven games – including at Old Trafford on Saturday week – will secure the title.

The irony was that theirs had been far from the slick and stylish performance that had graced Ewood Park in the first half on Sunday, a display that had gone on to degenerate after the interval and ended in talk of crisis and impending doom. This was the opposite: a sloppy start was exorcised by the opening goal and, thereafter, they roused themselves and steadily gathered steam.

Buoyed by James's error, and mustering bite on the break at last, they ran riot after the interval. Malouda, inevitably inflicting more pain, gathered Frank Lampard's pass and was allowed to veer into the area before thumping his finish emphatically beyond James. The home support were still querying why the Frenchman was on the pitch in bellowed chorus when he rammed in his second after James parried Lampard's strike. "We stayed focused and this will have improved our confidence," said Ancelotti.

Drogba's rasping near-post goal – his 30th of the season – and Lampard's header deep into stoppage time completed this side's biggest away win of the season so far, all memories of their disjointed first half long forgotten. The last time Ancelotti visited this stadium his Milan side salvaged a late 2-2 draw in a Uefa Cup tie 18 months ago. His new team were never in danger of being hauled in.

The Italian conceded that he would be in a better position to judge whether this team's blip is over after Saturday's visit of Aston Villa. For Avram Grant focus has long since been fixed on the FA Cup semi-final against Harry Redknapp's Tottenham Hotspur. The manager skipped his post-match duties to visit Rocha in hospital, presumably to console a player who has played six times for Pompey and, in that time has lost his debut 5-0, been sent off twice and carried off once. His return to English football has been traumatic.

Portsmouth do not anticipate the centre-half playing again this season. "He hasn't had much luck," conceded Groves. This team will struggle to sell any of its players in the weeks ahead, regardless of the green light granted them by the Premier League yesterday, given that their squad appears more threadbare with every match. This troubled league season cannot end soon enough.

When First Lady Michelle Obama decided to launch the "Let's Move" campaign to fight childhood obesity, she brought much needed attention to a crisis facing millions of children.  It's a special concern for children of color because new research shows Black and Hispanic children are disproportionally at risk for nearly a dozen factors that increase their chances to be obese. But children of color are far from the only ones in danger. Experts estimate one-third of American children are currently overweight or obese, and these rates have tripled among children ages 12 to 19 since 1980. Some adults may see a heavy child as a sign of a healthy eater, or think that for children, extra weight is mainly just a cosmetic issue. But serious risks for overweight children go far beyond appearance.

Diseases once associated only with adults, like type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, are on the rise at younger and younger ages. Overweight children are at greatly increased risk of being overweight adults, so for many children, this may be more than just a "chubby" phase they'll someday outgrow. As many as 80% of overweight children may be set up for a lifetime of increased health risks that come with being overweight. The most pressing risk, cardiovascular disease, remains the leading killer in America. If childhood obesity trends continue, experts predict they could cut two to five years off the lifespan of the average child in America-making this the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Right now our country spends $150 billion a year treating obesity-related diseases-nearly 10 percent of all medical spending. Many experts label the current level of childhood obesity an epidemic that threatens our future national health, productivity, and security unless something can be done to stop and reverse the trend.

There are many reasons childhood obesity is on the rise. American children have been immersed in the same "supersized" culture that snares adults, surrounded by high-calorie, high-fat food that's plentiful, cheap, and often served in unrealistically big portions. And today's children and teenagers are  much less likely than past generations to spend free time running around outdoors and much more likely to spend it on the couch watching TV, playing video games, or surfing the Web, often with snacks and sodas right next to them. Very few children get the 60 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week recommended by the Surgeon General.

Even schools have become part of the problem. Many districts have cut back on gym time and recess, often as a tradeoff for more instructional time to prepare for state testing. The quality of school meals and easy availability of snacks and sugary drinks in many school vending machines were some of the first targets in the war on child obesity, and there's been progress.  Some major school food suppliers are making improvements in response to Mrs. Obama's campaign.  Advocates for better nutrition hope that as more people become aware of the risks to children's health, more industries, schools, restaurants, and communities will make a big difference for America's children.

As these kinds of changes occur in a range of child environments, Mrs. Obama and others stress the biggest influence in children's eating habits will come from home. It has been parents who have told their children to eat their vegetables or go outside and get some fresh air. Mrs. Obama has shared some of the simple changes she and the President have made in their own family's lifestyle, including watching portion sizes, packing more fruits and water in their daughters' lunches, limiting TV time, and, famously, starting a vegetable garden at home. We know our beautiful children come in all shapes and sizes. But by being aware of the serious health risks many overweight children face and of the long-term value of a balanced diet, and of regular exercise for all children, we can help make sure all our children grow up to be as healthy as possible. Making healthy food and exercise part of family life is the right place to start, and will be good for many adults too!  Teaching good habits to children early can have lifelong consequences, and someday our children-and grandchildren-will thank us.

Photo credit: Yourdon

Jay Bouwmeester signed with Calgary to get his first taste of playoff hockey, yet he's done little to help his chances of getting there.

On a Flames team full of players who've failed to live up to expectations this season, Bouwmeester may be the most disappointing of all given his salary and the reputation he brought as being one of the league's most complete blueliners.

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