Buffalo News

Bandits host Toronto in East finals Niagara Gazette Buffalo will host the Toronto Rock in the East Division finals at 7:30 pm at HSBC Arena with a trip to the National Lacrosse League championship game on the line. It will be the fourth time the two teams play this season, with Buffalo taking the ... Border rivals meet once againBuffalo News Rock-Bandits tilt could get nastyToronto Sun Bandits Ready for East Division FinalsWGRZ-TV all 5 news articles »

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Willie Mays turned 80 today, which is most probably not an event of major significance to most of my readers, but to all the baby boomers like me, it is certainly a monumental event.  It is not merely the fact of Willie’s advancing age, but the fact that our own ages are also advancing that is so shocking.  I grew up loving baseball and having the opportunity to watch Willie, Mickey Mantle, and Duke Snider all play centerfield at the same time.  Only Willie survives of this glorious threesome, Mickey left us nearly 16 years ago and the Duke departed about 2 months ago.   It was a golden era of baseball, with the more recent popularity of other sports such as football, basketball, and hockey, perhaps it is a golden era of baseball that is lost forever in the past.  It was an era that I feel fortunate to have witnessed.

It certainly appears that we are witnessing a changing of the guard in the NBA this playoff season, and this is very refreshing to me.  San Antonio, the #1 seed in the Western Conference, has already bit the dust at the hands of the upstart Memphis Grizzlies, and the defending Champion Los Angeles Lakers are currently trailing the Dallas Mavericks 0-3 in the second round.  The Boston Celtics are down 0-2 to the Miami Heat and they appear to be in dire straits without a big man in the middle.  I personally would love to see the Chicago Bulls winning the Eastern Conference and either Memphis or Oklahoma City advancing in the Western Conference. “New blood, you gotta love it” would make a great NBA advertising.  Speaking of Dire Straits:

The Kentucky Derby is this afternoon, and it is amazing to realize that it has been 33 years since the last Triple Crown winner, Affirmed in 1978.  Even more unbelievable is that is has been 44 years since baseball had a Triple Crown winner, Carl Yastrzemski for the Boston Red Sox in 1967.  Baseball’s National League has not had a Triple Crown Winner for 74 seasons, Joe Medwick for the Saint Louis Cardinals in 1937.  Here’s hoping that both Horse Racing and Baseball end these streaks soon.  Both sports could use the notoriety. 

It is nearing the time that the 2011 NFL season is going to be put in permanent jeopardy.  Last week’s NFL Player Draft was just a temporary appeasement and It appears that absolutely NOTHING is being done to settle the lock-out.   I, for one, am completely fed up with the whole sordid affair.  It is time for us fans to boycott the NFL and to turn our attention to the upcoming NCAA Football season.

It only took four minutes for the expansion team from Women's Professional Soccer's smallest market to score on the defensively strong former league champions Sky Blue FC from New Jersey.

Swedish international Caroline Seger tallied her second goal of the season, fed by rookie sensation, Alex Morgan. Later in the half, it was Morgan who would score on a pass by Brazilian superstar, Marta. Late in the second half, the same combination would reverse roles and Morgan got the goal, taking the Western New York Flash into half time with a 2-0 lead.

In fact, the Marta Morgan combination has become very effective in the past two-and-a-half games they've played together. On Sunday, at the Flash home opener, Morgan scored her first WPS goal assisted by Marta.

The two make an interesting tandem in that 25-year-old Marta is well established as the world’s best woman ever to play the game, while Morgan is just beginning to look like she could be the next Marta, or at least the next Mia Hamm, as the best U.S. player to come along since Hamm dominated the world and the women’s game.

The visitors made the game interesting for a few minutes by closing to within one goal after substitute Adriana scored on a spectacular high arching shot within a minute of entering the pitch. But it wasn't long before the M & M attack returned the game to a safe lead for the home team. 

So after two and a half games, Marta stands with three goals and four assists. Caroline Seger has scored twice, Morgan twice, Gemma Davison once and WPS Player of the Week (last week) Christine Sinclair has two.

Speaking of Sinclair, the 3-1 drubbing of defensive Sky Blue is even more impressive when Sinclair's absence is factored in. The most prolific scorer in Canadian national team history was in Montreal with her national side and thus unable to join the Flash for this match. 

Attendance was noticeably less than the home opener on Sunday. This might be a concern to the Flash front office since several of their home games are Friday evening contests. Fortunately, team owner Joe  Sahlen doesn't need the team to pay for itself. He has costed it out as part of the marketing budget for his company, Sahlen Packing Company.

Still, it seems to be a well-kept secret in Western and Central New York that the world's best women's soccer Still, it seems to be a well-kept secret in Western and Central New York that the world's best women's soccer team is within a 90 minute drive or less of any place in the region it claims to represent.

They put on an impressive and entertaining show, not only in terms of individual soccer skills on display, but also a well-coached team effort that seems to do what many coaches in all major sports fail to do more often than not: get their numerous stars to coordinate their efforts and play unselfishly.

Globe and Mail NHL, Glendale make interim deal to keep Coyotes in ArizonaFox NewsThe National Hockey League and the city of Glendale, Ariz., are expected to enter into another one-year interim agreement to work together on securing ownership for the Phoenix Coyotes to keep the team in Glendale. The Glendale City Council will vote …Hulsizer [...]

Time was not on the side of the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Goldwater Institute had them by the stones over the bond sale issue. Prospective owner Matthew Hulsizer, the NHL and the Board of Governors were losing patience with the sale process. Winnipeg, and the necessity of the NHL's 2011-12 schedule, were looming.

So the City of Glendale has apparently decided to reset the clock, have this moribund franchise remain in the desert for another season and see if they can make a deal with Hulsizer (or someone else) to keep the team local.

Via Scott Burnside of ESPN:

The City of Glendale released its council agenda Friday and multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.com that the city is looking at replicating an arrangement that cost the municipality $25 million this season to help cover operating costs while the National Hockey League finds an owner for the franchise for next season.

The proposal to extend the guarantee to next season is expected to pass -- one source told ESPN.com Friday it would be a "no-brainer" for the city to do so -- and could take some of the pressure off of the municipality to sell more than $100 million in bonds that are crucial to closing a deal with Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer.

The NHL is down with this plan, via Phoenix Business Journal:

"As we have for the past two-plus years, we have been working very closely with the city of Glendale to do everything possible to ensure the Coyotes' future in Glendale. At the city's request, we have agreed to pursue another one-year interim arrangement while we jointly pursue a long-term ownership solution. We remain confident that one exists, and we intend to continue to pursue it," said deputy NHL commissioner Bill Daly.

The Winnipeg Sun thinks there are other factors at play as well:

By not finalizing the deal midseason, Hulsizer couldn't benefit from the NHL's revenue sharing plan, nor could he collect on his arena management fee, payable by Glendale and pegged at nearly $20 million a year. So it's not believed Hulsizer is sweetening the pot.

Delaying the inevitable? A stay of execution? Perhaps. But Glendale buys some time with Hulsizer, solidifies its footing in the showdown with Goldwater and is no longer at the mercy of the NHL schedule. Meanwhile, the good people of Winnipeg may let their eyes wander over to the Atlanta Thrashers as the NHL's most portable team with Glendale and the League continuing to stubbornly push to keep the team in Phoenix.

Also on Friday: The Hulsizer group denied he was looking to buy the St. Louis Blues and had soured on the Coyotes. And why not: You don't see the St. Louis City Council grabbing its ankles for him like the accommodating folks in Glendale, do you?

Globe and Mail

NHL, Glendale make interim deal to keep Coyotes in Arizona Fox News The National Hockey League and the city of Glendale, Ariz., are expected to enter into another one-year interim agreement to work together on securing ownership for the Phoenix Coyotes to keep the team in Glendale. The Glendale City Council will vote ... Another $25M from Glendale to keep CoyotesBizjournals.com Glendale looking to renew contract to keep CoyotesTSN Arizona hopes to hang on to CoyotesGlobe and Mail ESPN -Phoenix Business Journal -ProGolfTalk all 156 news articles »

CBC.ca

Bruins Sweep Flyers, Red Wings Avoid Elimination by Sharks in NHL Playoffs Bloomberg The Boston Bruins completed a four- game sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers to advance to the Eastern Conference finals in the National Hockey League playoffs, while the Detroit Red Wings defeated the San ... Philadelphia Flyers, Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators On Brink; What ...SB Nation NHL Playoffs Picks Game 4 (Friday 5/6): Bruins Sweep FlyersThe Faster Times Bourne Blog: Changing course on the verge of being sweptYahoo! Sports (blog) Los Angeles Times -Toronto Sun -WDIV Detroit all 1,025 news articles »

A complete roundup of Friday’s National League action

The Glendale City Council will vote Tuesday on a new Phoenix Coyotes plan that involves the Arizona city coming up with another $25 million to keep the team from moving to Winnipeg. The city and National Hockey League say the new $25 million allotment gives the NHL (which owns the Coyotes) and city another season to sell the team to “a qualified ownership group that will be committed to retaining the team in Glendale”. That $25 million coupled with another $25 million Glendale paid to the National Hockey League on Monday could also help close a sale of the Coyotes to prospective buyer Matthew...

More and more, elite female athletes are taking on a challenge greater than sports. They're returning to the competitive world of sports while juggling motherhood.

Soccer moms have long led the charge. The U.S. Women's National Team has consistently featured mothers on its roster since 1994, when Joy Fawcett became the first "Soccer Mom" to give birth and continue playing at the highest levels of international soccer. Carla Overbeck and Danielle Fotopoulos also had kids while on the U.S. team, and more recently, three moms have played for the USA in defenders Kate Markgraf (mother of Keegan), Christie Rampone (mother of Riley and Reece) and Tina Frimpong (mother of MacKenzie). Though retired from competitive play, Mia Hamm joined the Soccer Moms Club when she and husband Nomar Garciaparra welcomed twin daughters in 2007. Four years ago, Brandi Chastain became mom to little Connor and three years ago Julie Foudy, former captain of the US Women's soccer team, had a baby girl named Isabel. Former captain Kristine Lilly returned to play after daughter Sidney was born. She retired from professional soccer at the beginning of 2011 and announced she is expecting Baby #2.

Obviously, competitive women aren't waiting until their athletic careers are over to start families. And while the physical and emotional challenges of motherhood can be difficult, most athlete moms wouldn't have it any other way.  WNBA player Lisa Leslie sat out a season with the Los Angeles Sparks to give birth to a daughter but she returned to the pro team for a year and had a great season before giving birth to baby #2 and retiring. Leslie's teammate, MVP and Rookie of the Year Candace Parker is also a new mom enjoying baby Laila while playing in both the Euroleague and the WNBA. Other WNBA moms share their favorite Mother's Day memories on WNBA.com. But Parker and Leslie are far from the first WNBA stars to have their basketball careers impacted by pregnancy. In previous seasons, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson, Taj McWilliams-Franklin and others have missed time, and occasionally entire seasons, to focus on their families.

After pitcher Jennie Finch had a son named Ace with husband Casey Daigle she competed with the Women's National Softball Team at the Beijing Olympics and played for the Chicago Bandits. She is expecting her second child this summer. US National teammate Jessica Mendoza continues to play for National Pro Fastpitch usually bringing young Caleb on the road with her.

When the U.S. women's hockey team beat Finland to win the bronze medal at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, forward Jenny Potter skated around the rink in celebration with her then 5-year-old daughter Madison in her arms. Potter's daughter was a fixture at the rink at an early age. A week after Madison was born in January 2001, Jenny was skating again. Three months later, she was back playing for the U.S. women's hockey team in the world championships. What's even more impressive is that Jenny did it all again. Just 83 days after having her second child, Potter helped the 2007 U.S. Women's National Team to a 9-0 victory over Kazakhstan in the opening game of the 2007 IIIHF Women's World Championship. 

Tennis player Lindsay Davenport had an amazing comeback after giving birth to her son Jagger. Just three months after the birth of her first child, Davenport became an instant and almost shocking success winning a number of high profile tournaments. She recently gave birth to her second child. Kim Clisjters came out of retirement after her daughter was born and famously won the U.S. Open as an unseeded player.

Other images from the world of women's sports clearly show the tide has turned. Legendary Czech cross county skier Katerina Neumannova collapsed on her knees at the finish line after winning gold in the 30-kilometre race at the 2006 Turin Olympics, her poles askew as she hugged her two-year-old daughter, Lucie. Former Ironman world champion Lori Bowden placed second at Ironman Austria, just 10 months after giving birth to her son Tyson. And pro cyclist Sue Palmar-Komar, a 2002 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, at age 41, had a sibling for her seven-year-old daughter Trinity. And who can forget long distance runner Paula Radcliffe who won the New York Marathon months after giving birth to daugher Isla. Kara Goucher is the newest marathon mom having completed this year's Boston race six months after having her son.

On the long list of athlete moms is Gold medal-winning swimmer Dara Torres, who made an amazing comeback while mothering toddler Tessa, and fellow swimmer Summer Sanders who is married to three-time Olympic skier Erik Schlopy with whom she has a daughter and a son.

Most of these working moms admit they can't do it alone. And while their spouses and families pitch in, they are also assisted by their leagues and teams. Potter said USA Hockey provides helpful financial assistance during Olympic years. And before the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) folded, the league mandated that home teams must provide child care for the mothers on visiting teams. The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) takes things to a whole new level. Since 1993, the LPGA has operated the LPGA Child Development Center, which travels to more than 25 tournaments per year. Bardine May, the Center's director, said the LPGA was motivated to provide child care so that its athletes didn't have to choose between playing the game and having a family.

There are many different kinds of mothers in this world. There are professionals and homemakers. Some are fashionable, some conservative, some are modern and some are cool. Fortunately some are competitive athletes as well.

Be sure to tell YOUR mom how much you appreciate her this Mother's Day.

crossposted on prettytough.com

@jschonb

dare to dream

Even though Brett Favre has once again crawled into retirement, the media will continue to provide every last ounce of coverage on the legendary quarterback.

The gray-haired gunslinger is not even safe in his quiet hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi from those seeking to keep his name relevant in NFL news. I'm sure he doesn't mind the attention, and that's why he's considering a comeback.

No, No. 4 won't step on the football field ever again unless he wants to spend the entirety of his retirement in a hospital. However, nobody ever thought a man who had such love for the game would ever completely walk away, especially after all those tears.

According to ESPN.com, Favre claimed that he may be interested in a coaching job or he might take the path of many professional sports stars and bring his football smarts to television as an analyst.

Either way, I'm sure one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time will find his way back into the national spotlight because anything he does is always big news.

In my opinion, he's more qualified to be a pee-wee football instructor than a NFL head coach, but if he wants back into the league he certainly has the credentials to be a tutor to young quarterbacks.

It would be interesting to see how Packers fans would react if he returned to Green Bay to work as an assistant.

If the coaching doesn't work out, television is always an option. If ESPN is full, I'm sure he'd find a spot a home with TNT because he definitely "knows drama."

Favre has plenty of experience performing on TV and, before too long, he'll be talking football in primetime with Troy Aikman and John Gruden.

He's a Wrangler guy. Always has been. Always will be. Brett Favre's also a football guy. Always has been. Always will be.

That's why you shouldn't be surprised that if he returns to the workforce; his occupation will have something to do with the game he's devoted his life to.

TSN

NHL extends agreement with Hockey Canada, CJHL Vancouver Sun Deputy Commissioner of the NHL Bill Daly announces top pick to the Edmonton Oilers during the NHL Draft Lottery Drawing at the TSN Studio April 13, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. TORONTO — The National Hockey League has signed a two-year contract ... Three Whalers Invited to NHL CombineMLive.com (blog) Hockey Canada and CJHL announce two-year extension of partnership with NHLThe Canadian Press NHL to PDX bid faces loonie competitionBizjournals.com (blog) Portland Business Journal -NHL.com all 22 news articles »

SB Nation

'Soccer Night in America' begins with Timbers-Union match: A fan's preview Yahoo! Sports The Portland Timbers are making quite a splash in the MLS during their inaugural season. The home games at Jeld-Wen Field are already drawing not only sold-out crowds, but large television audiences. Fans everywhere have been interested in seeing the ... Philly in Portland to kick off MLS weekendFox News Portland Timbers head coach gives shout out to fansOregonLive.com Philadelphia Union Visit Portland Timbers Tonight On National TVSB Nation Philly Philadelphia Inquirer -SB Nation -Major League Soccer all 191 news articles »

As the hit musical Dirty Dancing prepares to go on tour, our reporter joins young hopefuls at open auditions, and asks how a low-budget film became 'a cultural event that lasted decades'

You could probably argue that Flashdance is the better film, but it is Dirty Dancing that captured our collective heart. They call it "Star Wars for girls". It's not much on paper: a family goes on holiday, and its late-teenage daughters fall in love, one with a good'un – Patrick Swayze on career-defining form – and one with a bad sort. Steamy dancing occurs, that's the main thing. When the stage version opened in 2006, it had the highest pre-sell in West End history. Now, they're holding open auditions in the regions, for the national tour.

At 7.15 on Thursday morning, there is a snake of girls standing outside a dance studio in Edinburgh, standing in first position from muscle memory, wearing so much makeup that they look like those street performers in the festival who think it's entertaining to pretend to be a statue. I always thought the point of open auditions was just to drum up publicity for the show, but the Dirty Dancing tour has no need of publicity. It's already taken £8.5m in sales, when booking's only been open three weeks, and the show doesn't start until September. It sounds like a lot of money.

Guy Chapman is the most modest marketing man I've ever met, not just in theatre, but in any field. "Well, I come from opera. Everything sounds like a lot of money." Really, though, how does it compare to other musicals? "It is in a different league. Twenty-five per cent of people buying a ticket have never booked with that theatre before – so it's not people who go to Mamma Mia! or Sound of Music. It's the Take That/Kylie crossover, it's basically the pop audience. The theatre crowd are a bit more savvy, and they know they don't have to book straight away. The pop crowd will book the first day booking opens."

The Take That reference hits this demographic squarely on its head: women born between 1970 and 1980 are obsessed with this film. I have a theory about this. I stole it off a friend who is into Freudian psychoanalysis: the whole theme, the eponymous dirty dancing, is sublimated sexual energy, that much is obvious. That memorable moment when Swayze finally manages to heave, sorry, lift Jennifer Grey off the ground (to recap, they've tried the lift before, for a competition, and not pulled it off … after much ill-fortune, his holiday camp-dancing career seems to be over, and she's been relegated back to childhood … ) is a metaphor for losing your virginity. And it's clearly a female-crafted metaphor, proceeding not with a clear narrative urgency, as straight as a die to the irreducible explosion, but rather, with mis-starts and damp squibs and dance routines that don't go right because both people weren't doing the right thing at the right time and didn't have the right feelings for each other.

But that's just background: the edge comes from the fact that the metaphor is more embarrassing than the simple sexual awakening it's trying to sublimate. The audience is bound together by the shame of having enjoyed something so heavy-handed, and the more bonded you are, the more you enjoy it; the more embarrassed you are about enjoying it, the more bonded you are, until it has become more than a film, it's a cultural event that has lasted decades. There is one moment like this every generation: the swing scene in Sons and Lovers, and almost any scene with a horse in it in International Velvet. Sex substitution is a much darker art than actually writing a sex scene.

Having said all that, I am still surprised to see such a lot of girls queuing up to audition. When this film was released in 1987, almost none of these people were born. If we take as given that they wouldn't have been allowed to watch it before they were 10 (it has "adult themes"; even now the producers aren't encouraging schools to book), the film would have been 15 years old by the time a lot of them saw it. Was it really still iconic by the turn of the century?

"It was absolutely iconic," Adiza Shardow tells me. "I grew up watching this film". Alice Wilkins and Amy Harrison both say the lift is iconic. Their friend Leeanne Dobbie says the watermelon scene is iconic. They all say the watermelon scene is iconic, apart from the one who thinks it's a pineapple, while 21-year-old Adelle Burn distilled something else about Dirty Dancing, a subdivision within the sexuality umbrella: "It's on a par with Chicago, but that's raunchy sexy. This is more feel-good sexy". Elizabeth Pick, also 21, refines it further: "It's not your average dance routine, where everything's spot-on and perfect. It's quite grimy."

"Grimy, like, dirty?"

"No, grimy, like messy."

She is here with Kayleigh LeMay, Rebecca Clarke and Gemma Cutler, all 21, all from the Liverpool Theatre School and College. They all, variously, say they fancied Swayze, which is quite moving, given his premature death in 2009 from pancreatic cancer. It dawns on me that they're all convinced I have some kind of sway with the production, even though I keep telling them I don't. They think this is some kind of pre-audition, where someone tests your passion for the work before you're allowed to dance it, like in Miss World when they test your personality. But let's assume that they're telling the truth.

Apparently, at the Cardiff auditions a bloke turned up in a suit and danced in his socks, but most people here seem semi-professional, or at the least, ex-stage school. It's quite Darwinian, and incredibly hard. Two minutes in, the good ones are already at the front because the crap ones already don't know which way they're facing. I thought it would be like picking a horse in the Grand National, the differences would be minor, a couple of unlucky ones would fall over, and sooner or later, someone would end up winning. It's a bit more human than that. Dancing suggestively, besides being technically difficult, is challenging in some other, elemental way. That's why "dance like there's no one watching" is a well-known phrase. That's why you have to be drunk.

But this film hasn't just lasted because of the dancing. It was political for its time – and set against our neutered, advert-whipped Hollywood, it looks almost radical. Chapman says: "It's not like in Verdi, where the political reference is there, but no one ever thinks about it. This is explicit, if you listen." Since the abortion is what everybody talks about, that is not a bad place to start. Unwanted pregnancies are the main staple of teen drama, and you can tell a lot about a film from the way they're dealt with. In a straight feel-good event, such as Grease, they will vanish of their own accord; in something modern, such as One Tree Hill or Dawson's Creek, abortion won't even be on the table, there will just be a bittersweet adoption or an incredibly photogenic single parenthood. In Dirty Dancing, not only does Penny get pregnant, but she can't afford to get rid of it (who talks about the economics of reproductive health in films now?); she has to borrow cash from the heroine's father (class issues abound – if you can't tell a posh American from a regular one, just remember their doctors are incredibly well paid); she nearly dies getting a backstreet operation (again raising the politics of access to healthcare); even the unpleasant relationship that created the pregnancy feels like it's more about class than a gender point about how men are bastards. "Some people count, some people don't," says Max Cantor, whose film career was truncated by his death from a heroin overdose in 1991.

When they originally screen-tested the film, however, 39% of people didn't realise abortion was the subplot. History doesn't relate whether this is because they didn't notice it at all, or that they thought it was the main plot. That famous line about putting "Baby in the corner" ends with Swayze saying: "Somebody who taught me about the kind of person I want to be: Miss Frances Houseman", which refers us obliquely back to Baby's namesake, Frances Perkins, the first woman in the US cabinet. You'd almost have it as the Thinking Teen's teen movie, if it wasn't for all that ridiculous grinding.

Back at the auditions, I am amazed how stoic these girls are: they spend two hours cha-cha-chaing urgently in front of a huge mirror, trying to remember to look as if they're enjoying themselves without staring directly at anybody, trying to remember not to grin, trying not to give in to the humiliation of getting a high kick wrong, or just not high enough. Then they're handed back their CVs and invited breezily to leave, and they back out smiling graciously, as though leaving a tea party.

By the time they get further along, though – having been pulled out of the fray for a singing audition, and then failed that – emotions are a bit closer to the surface. All four of the Liverpool dancers (they were my favourites) got through the first round, and all four were turned down at the second. Someone told Kayleigh that she was perfect, but she looked too young. She took it on the chin, but looked distraught. "They know who they want. It's nobody's fault, it's just like interviewing for a job and not knowing one particular thing about a computer." I think the truth is that she didn't look, erm, dirty enough. But I didn't know whether or not that helped, so I didn't say it.

Other musicals that matter

Cabaret

Nobody needs a musical to tell them the Holocaust was bad, nor even that reasonable people might be bisexual. But one is so used to Weimar Germany as an impossibly distant place, and suddenly you have a VIP pass to its throbbing epicentre. And: Liza Minnelli (pictured). OK, it's still a musical. You can't watch this instead of reading Primo Levi.

Hair

There are political messages here, but they're so buried in hippie claptrap that this is a better example, not of a musical with a message, but of the power of a soundtrack. Would the Vietnam peace movement have been so popular without this album?

Rent

It seemed at the time that this was the fastest trajectory of disease-to-stage in epidemiological history, but now that I check, it was devised in 1994, by which time HIV had been known about for more than a decade. Still, if you look at La Boheme, upon which its plot is based, that was first performed in 1896. TB was identified in the 1020s. Things are definitely speeding up.

Footloose

Not such a political moment, but it has something of the Dirty Dancing about it: a plot in which the dance is almost a character in its own right. Kevin Bacon is a teen in a town where dance is banned. I know! Imagine!

The National Hockey League has signed a two-year contract extension with Hockey Canada and the Canadian Junior Hockey League.

My colleague Andy Giegerich today has a story about reignited efforts within Portland’s business community to draw a National Hockey League franchise to the Rose City. Andy does a nice job of breaking down what has to happen to get an NHL club into the Rose Garden, including the Herculean tasks of finding an owner and convincing Rose Garden owner Paul Allen to welcome another tenant. But the time is right, and the reason this issue is resurfacing now is all about opportunity. In a league in which contraction seems more likely than expansion, the scent of blood in the water is getting...

Nonprofit groups could play a major role in job training for youth if federal legislation moves forward. The Urban Jobs Act of 2011, an amendment to the 1998 Workforce Investment Act (WIA), would authorize grants to the National Urban League to allow local affiliates to provide education, job training and support services for young adults. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was in Buffalo to promote the legislation Friday afternoon during a news conference at CRUCIAL Human Services on Buffalo’s East...

• NBC’s Meet the Press: Tom Donilon, White House National Security Adviser; Rudy Giuliani, Fmr. Mayor of New York City; Michael Chertoff, Fmr. Homeland Security Secretary; Gen. Michael Hayden, Fmr. CIA Director; Bob Woodward, The Washington Post; Doris Kearns Goodwin, Presidential Historian; Katty Kay, The BBC; Mike Murphy, Republican Strategist.

• CBS’s Face the Nation: Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defense.  

• ABC’s This Week: Tom Donilon, National Security Advisor; Condoleezza Rice, Former U.S. Secretary of State; Husain Haqqani, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan; Liz Cheney, Co Founder, Keep America Safe; Tom Ricks, Foreign Policy Magazine; Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker; Jake Tapper, Senior White House Correspondent; Martha Raddatz, Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent; Pierre Thomas, Senior Justice Correspondent; George Will, ABC News.

• CNN’s State of the Union with Candy Crowley: Tom Donilon, National Security Adviser; Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN); Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary-General; Anita Dunn, former White House communications director; Tom Davis (R), former U.S. Representative.

• CNN’s Reliable Sources with Howard Kurtz: Jamie McIntyre, LineofDeparture.com; Peter Baker, The New York Times; Jane Hall, American University; Frank Sesno, The George Washington University; Brian Ross, ABC News; Matt Lewis, DailyCaller.com; Dana Milbank, The Washington Post; P.J. Crowley, former State Department spokesman.

• Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal: James Kitfield of National Journal, Martha Raddatz of ABC News, Peter Baker of The New York Times, Charles Babington of the Associated Press.

• Bloomberg’s Political Capital with Al Hunt: Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels.

• NBC’s The Chris Matthews Show: Richard Stengel, Managing Editor, TIME; Helene Cooper, White House Correspondent, New York Times; Elisabeth Bumiller, Pentagon Correspondent, New York Times; and David Ignatius, Washington Post columnist.

• Washington Watch with Roland Martin: Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and Executive Director of the National Football League Players’ Association (NFLPA) DeMaurice Smith.

•Platts Energy Week: former Shell Oil President John Hoffmeister.

• C-SPAN’s Newsmakers: Jack Gerard, President & CEO, American Petroleum Institute.  Guest reporters are Dina Cappiello of the Associated Press and Jim Snyder of Bloomberg News.

•Bloomberg & WJLA’s energyNOW!: Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of car rating website Edmunds.com and Mary Beth Stanek, Director of Environment and Energy at General Motors.

•Politico’s “Turn the Table” after the jump.

We’ll update as we get ‘em.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Reuters

NHL star Ovechkin to join Russia at worlds AFP ... for the second round of the World Ice Hockey Championships in Slovakia, the National Hockey League club announced on Friday. Ovechkin, the Capitals' captain, became available when the Tampa Bay Lightning ousted Washington from the NHL playoffs, ... Ovechkin set to join Russia at worldsThe Associated Press Capitals' Ovechkin joins Russia for worldsReuters Canada Ovechkin to join Russia at hockey worldsESPN (blog) Reuters -TSN all 162 news articles »

After ten years of a fruitless manhunt for Osama bin Laden, one would think the Obama administration would have gotten a big thumbs-up for hunting down the mastermind of the biggest terror attack in U.S. history.

Instead, the focus is on PR flubs. How trite!

Though Osama isn’t even fish food yet, armchair media quarterbacks are bashing the Pentagon for the evolving narrative of the Pakistan raid. Some demand photos of the badly disfigured Osama, who took a bullet in the skull, leaving part of his brain jutting from his head.

Wouldn't that be a grand propaganda tool for radical Islam?

Pontificators compare the Osama after-story to that of Private Jessica Lynch and Army Ranger Pat Tillman, two phony tools of the Bush II White House. Those comparisons don’t hold water.

Pentagon tall tale-tellers seized on the rescue from a hospital of the 19-year-old West Virginia soldier Lynch, who was injured when her Humvee flipped in Iraq, to try to build support for a war that the U.S. should never have fought. Lynch was said to have gone done with guns blazing. She was hailed as the first American POW rescued since WWI, and the first woman-ever.

Lynch was inundated with gifts, subject of an aggressive media campaign and star of of a fawning book, "I Am A Soldier Too: The Jessica Lynch Story," written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Rick Bragg. Commendably, Lynch finally set the record straight.

The Tillman spin job was a flat-out cover-up by Army brass determined to squash the truth that the former National Football League star was killed by one of our own.

The sagas of Lynch and Tillman were well-thought PR schemes designed to hoodwink the American public.

The Navy Seal operation in Abbottabad was conducted less than five days ago in the heart of “enemy” territory. Of course, confusion could be expected over what actually went down. A cover-up though, it isn’t.

The story has gone from intense firefight to the shooting of an unarmed Osama, though two rifles were reportedly in arm’s reach.

Liberal blowhards like filmmaker Michael Moore (full disclosure: I like Mike), talk of the “execution” of bin Laden. Talk is very cheap, especially when one is a half world away from the site of the Osama shooting.

In my book, I value the judgment of the highly trained Navy Seal team that was in the darkened room with Osama 1,000 times more than the opinions of Moore and his ilk. The truth will soon be out after a de-briefing by the Seals who performed their duty.

Meanwhile, the U.S. received an unexpected show of support for the death of Osama from the Dalai Lama, the global symbol of non-violence. At the University of Southern California, the Dalai Lama said: “Forgiveness doesn’t mean forget what happened. If something is serious and it is necessary to take countermeasures, you have to take countermeasures.”

Amen to that.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is now providing free online access to the documents filed in Tom Brady, et al. v. National Football League, et al., No. 11-1898 (8th Cir.): You can access the case filings...

Here are your Game 4 scoring chances from what was, by all accounts,, a terrible, terrible hockey game, made positive by the fact that a) the Canucks won and, b) it was close, so at least you could get away by saying it was exciting.

But, man, nobody could hit the net in the first couple of periods, it seemed. The 12-11 chance count is very low for a National Hockey League game. We've often complained this series about how the Canucks have been sitting on their one-goal leads, and there wasn't much of a change this game. The Canucks were out-chanced 9-3 when they were up by one. The good news is that they outchanced Nashville 9-2 with the score tied and remain a quite excellent team in that game state.

Corsi/Fenwick

Head To Head Ice Time

Shift Charts

Zone Starts

• I think my favourite takeaway from all this is that Aaron Rome was actually mildly competent last night, despite one brutal play in his own end late in the game where he failed to pick up a puck, leading to some Nashville pressure, and taking the penalty with the Canucks already a man down. But he was a plus-4 Fenwick, a plus-2 Corsi, a plus-4 chance differential and certainly didn't have protected shifts in the offensive zone. He started four there, five in the defensive zone. As terrible as he may have looked, he's either really good at bailing himself out, or we only notice his mistakes at this point. With competent underlying numbers, I really don't expect Alain Vigneault to move him up to the pressbox in Game Five. He was credited with zero giveaways.
  
• The Sedin twins didn't look great, but they were better. Henrik finally scored a goal (those empty net goals are hard. Ask Mikael Samuelsson) and the twins combined for four points. Less importantly, their chance count was a positive this time around and the Canuck Number One Powerplay looked dangerous again.
• Sigh, Ryan Kesler.

I rarely go into the weeds when some clown who clearly doesn't watch this team feels obliged to pretend he does, but I'm not letting Roy MacGregor walk away unscathed. 

First off, the picture should tell you everything about the guy. No where in that profile do I see "hockey", "NHL" or "sports" as an accolade; I do see one his articles that fawns over Luongo in the first round which is a bit strange considering his latest contribution to the halls of journalistic excellence.

Let's set the record straight.

Given that there is a country song for every occasion, perhaps the Vancouver Canucks should consider a little Garth Brooks before each game – and take to heart that chorus that tells them to "Stand straight, walk proud, have a little faith. …"

What a delightful little colloquialism. By that same token there is a thrash polka christian song for every occasion. But since the opponent is Nashville and they're nothing more than a city full of country music slaves, let's open with that.

The Canucks spent so much of this week denying that there is any issue over confidence when it came to holding leads that, unfortunately, the talk only served to confirm that there must be.

Permit me to rephrase: "We kept asking you guys about your confidence since that's the shitty narrative we created, so because I saw a third period lead evaporate, that is proof positive you're all a bunch of fragile spider monkeys with sticks. [STICKS FINGERS IN EARS, SINGS LOUDLY TO SELF, WRITES ANOTHER CHILDREN'S BOOK]

They get a lead; they can’t hold it.

In eleven playoff games they've "held the lead" and won in regulation five times. That's 45%, so let's crucify them for needing OT twice? Chicago needed the OT three times last year and, as we know, they sure sucked. But don't let any of this stop your asinine theme.

They might win the game, but every time they play they lose a little more faith in their position as not only the best team in the National Hockey League, but the most effective third-period team the regular season produced.

You may be the only one around still thinking the regular season means something in May. The Canucks personnel, our plucky coach and every other team still playing are on record saying the exact opposite. I don't see them hauling the Presidents' Trophy around with them do you? In fact if the regular season was 100% applicable to now, why are the Capitals golfing? (Helpful hint Roy: The Caps play in red and are usually found in Washington D.C.).

They had a .927 winning percentage in games in which they led in the third period. They scored 100 third-period goals – tops in the NHL.

But that was then and this is now. And this is the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Ah ha, look at you correcting yourself one paragraph later. That, sir, deserves a snackpack of applesauce.

Twice this week against the Nashville Predators the Canucks let third-period leads slip away – both tying goals absolute groaners – and had to settle matters in overtime, losing once and winning once.

It happened again Thursday night when, up 2-1 heading into the third, yet another groaner – even if somewhat less egregious than the previous two – found its way between Roberto Luongo’s pads to tie a game in the final frame.

Saturday's goal was a gift from God, a shot from behind the net which found the right bounces. On Tuesday the game tying goal was a result of Ward causing havoc in front and the puck bouncing off Alberts' skate. Fransen's shot last night was a laser no one in the arena realized went in, the refs included. So of the three equalizers in the past week, one was a "groaner" and two were legit hockey plays that any goalie would have had trouble with. Follow up question: would Edler's goal last night qualify as "groaner" for Rinne? What goal doesn't qualify as a groaner?

The victory was gratifying, as Vancouver has been by far the better team, but the late goal simply raised, once again, that old bugaboo concerning Luongo – can he win the games that truly matter?

He's won two game sevens in his career, backstopped the only sweep this team has had in its history and is playing just as well - if not better - than that Vezina-nominated chap at the other end of the ice, sitting one win away from a conference final. If the Cup is the only thing that matters, there are precious few goalies in that club to say they've won "the games that truly matter." It's a team sport Roy: your goalie can't win the whole damn thing anymore (see, for example, the NY Rangers). Perhaps a better question for another mind numbing piece of yours would be examining how the team failed in front of him during the last two years against Chicago and again in two games during the first round, but that's already been examined by authors and bloggers who watch this team. So if you want to whip out the mallet and beat the shit out of this horse, please do it away from the keyboard. Won't you please think of the children, your normal audience?

It is the albatross around his neck, the gorilla on his back, the animal inside his head. It is a cruel knock that he has never been allowed to shed – not even with a gold-medal victory in last year’s Olympics, when Sidney Crosby’s goal allowed the thousands of Luongo doubters to take their first breath since the puck dropped in overtime.

"A cruel knock" from the guy writing the drive-by hit piece? What's your encore: lighting a house on fire just to bemoan condemning the building?

Such is the reality of ridiculous expectations. Such is the hidden price of a 12-year contract that makes you, at $10- million (U.S.) a year, the game’s highest-paid player. Such is what happens when you are 32, considered one of the game’s premier goaltenders – a finalist for the Vézina Trophy during the regular season – and you have been unable to deliver a championship.

I can only assume you have the same compelling material ripping Ovechkin (the previous most expensive player in hockey) a new one, yes? Wait, you don't? That's right, I just had to explain to you where the Capitals play.

Perhaps it is because Luongo is so good, as well as so big, that his errors also seem larger than life. When a weak goal goes in, it looks … awful.

...opps, fell to the floor and was spasming under my desk. Now he's "so big"? Have you been hanging out with Pierre McGuire?

Luongo’s teammates are acutely aware that he is both extremely talented and at times inexplicably vulnerable. When Kesler was on the United States team that met Canada in the Olympic final, he spoke openly of knowing that Luongo "has a couple of areas that I think we can exploit – and I’m sure not going to keep any secrets."

Dusting off another classic? If you'd like to point to any quote where anyone claimed Luongo was impenetrable, feel free to share the insight. Otherwise every goalie has their weaknesses. Kesler would have been an idiot not to share those secrets and with teammates like Backes and Kane, believe me they didn't need insider tips to beat Luongo.

Luongo struggled in the Olympics against Slovakia – allowing a harmless backhander from an impossible angle to begin a comeback that almost succeeded – but did win the game that counted. It has not, however, counted for enough, as the questions remain and his teammates are forced, day after day, to say any problem lies with the team, not the goaltender.

That's quite the segue: against Slovakia on an Olympic team to the second round of the playoffs a year later. Completely identical situations. Also is it even remotely possible that when the teammates suggest problems lie with the team that they're - put the applesauce down for a second Roy, I don't want you spilling - telling the truth? I know it doesn't fit with your story, but I guess neither does being objective or thorough.

Of the late goals that slipped into the Vancouver net and sent games into overtime, Vigneault argued that "both were tipped in our net.

"Those are hockey plays, lucky breaks."

Or unlucky, if you happen to be the one wearing the largest pads on the team.

Gotcha. Luongo isn't allowed to let in another goal the rest of his life because, should he dare to look human, it confirms he is also unlucky which Roy has now plainly redefined as being Roberto Luongo.

It just seems, Daniel Sedin said before Thursday’s Game 4 against the Predators, "you’re up one goal, there’s one shot, one rebound, and they tie the game."

It doesn’t matter how they go in – off skates, off bodies, off rebounds – the goalie wears it.

And will wear it until he proves, once and for all, that he can win the Big One.

Besides exposing he doesn't watch Canucks games, Roy is also proving he doesn't watch the Preds either. I'm far from a Nashville expert, but most people who follow the sport know their resiliency is one of their assets. They grind you down and force mistakes. But in Roy's world it's more important to assess blame down to the individual while ignoring the basic team chemistry of playoff hockey. I'm sorry Nashville, all those goals you scored on Vancouver? It's not the result of hard work or opportunistic play, it's allllll because our goalie is "unlucky."

What's a shame is Roy could have taken the title of his piece - "Spurts of vulnerability" - and shown how every team is guilty of this, from Vancouver & Washington to Phoenix, Los Angeles or Pittsburgh. That no matter how you made the dance, hockey is a game of ebbs and flows; a dramatic comedy that surges high and plummets low, from one shift to the next, fueled by the madness of the line-juggling coaches, the skill of the players and, yes, good old luck. Instead he ran off with a tired narrative that was barely relevant a few years ago. Anyone who can read a stat sheet or simply watch a game could have told him that.

Perhaps Roy should stick to children's stories where his audience won't haul his ass to task when he careens off the road into the absurd.

As the public arena battle has raged between Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International, Texas entrepreneur Chris Milam has quietly been assembling the building blocks for his own project on the Strip.

Sources confirm that Milam has signed the minor league baseball 51s to a contract, which would have them move from Cashman Field to a spectacular site behind Mandalay Bay. I have posted a rendering of the proposed complex at right – it would include a ballpark, a stadium and an arena.

The so-called Las Vegas National Sports Center ultimately is designed to house a major league soccer franchise and, if the stars align, an NBA team, too. This may sound like pie in the sky – and anyone who has lived here for awhile has heard this before – but Milam seems as determined and deliberative as anyone before him.

The Legislature is expected to be involved soon, helping Milam pass a measure that would allow him to create a taxing district on the land, which he is negotiating to buy from banks. This could all happen as soon as next week. Considering the project's proximity to one of its properties, I can't imagine the MGM folks will be too upset with this one.

I have also posted at right an economic impact statement Milam commissioned from local economist John Restrepo. It shows some fairly impressive numbers, including the creation of 2,710 jobs. You can hear lawmakers crowing about that number during a session in which they haven’t had much to crow about.

Could this be one step closer to a pro sports franchise? Let’s hope so.

Stillwater team goes to nationals: Rutherford Elementary Lego League Robotics ... Stillwater Gazette In its third year competing, a sixth-grade Lego League Robotics Team from Rutherford Elementary School is going on to the First Lego League (FLL) national competition at the end of the month. ...

From Bristol to Brighton the festival season is in full swing

With the fabulously eclectic Mayfest kicking off in Bristol yesterday, Norfolk and Norwich starting today and the Brighton festival and Brighton fringe beginning tomorrow, the festival season is in full swing. The month will round off with Pulse in Ipswich. I'm particularly looking forward to Hilary Westlake's Dining With Alice and Graeae's The Iron Man at N&N; and will be heading to the Basement in Brighton for 5x5. There's also another chance to see Hydrocracker's The New World Order, five short Pinter plays played out in Brighton Town Hall that were a hit at the 2007 festival. I'm going to dip a toe in the Brighton fringe, too, with Billy Bud Sailor, a story of obsession and revenge performed in a bathroom.

There's plenty else happening down south. This year's Chichester festival begins with a rare revival of the lusciously scored musical She Loves Me and there is much to look forward to, including Trevor Nunn's revival of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Max Stafford-Clark revisiting Caryl Churchill's Top Girls and Jonathan Kent directing Sweeney Todd. At the Nuffield in Southampton, Sandi Toksvig considers the pressures on soldiers involved in military occupation in Bully Boy, which stars Anthony Andrews. The Globe's As You Like It heads out on a nationwide tour from the City Museum Gardens in Portsmouth. You've still got time to catch the superb Comedy of Errors at the Northcott in Exeter. Pants on Fire's irreverent Ovid's Metamorphoses is at the Drum in Plymouth until Saturday and then heads to Salisbury Arts Centre on Wednesday as part of an ongoing tour. The lives of those serving in Afghanistan is considered in Josh's Monsters which is out on tour and then heading to Pulse later in the month.

Let's head straight to Scotland where Mike Bartlett's viciously funny Love, Love, Love is at the Citizens in Glasgow. Good to hear that Headlong are reviving Bartlett's Earthquakes in London which will go out on tour in the autumn. The Mayfesto season of political work is underway at Glasgow's Tron and this week the main draw should be David Harrower's Slow Air about an estranged brother and sister. David Greig's Dunsinane, first seen at Hampstead theatre, is revived by National Theatre Scotland at Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum from next Friday. This week's A Play, a Pie and a Pint lunchtime theatre at Oran Mor is Andrew Dallmeyer's Thank God for John Muir about the aftermath of an industrial accident. There is some fantastic work for children in the Imaginate festival which takes over the Traverse and other Edinburgh venues from Monday.

In the north of England, John Ford's extraordinary tragedy of obsession and incest 'Tis Pity She's a Whore is revived at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds. At York Theatre Royal there's a revival of Arthur Miller's witch-hunt play, The Crucible. A Walk-On Part – The Fall of New Labour at Live in Newcastle is a dramatisation of Chris Mullins's diaries. Terry Hands directs Taming of the Shrew at Theatr Clwyd in Mold, and the popular 60s drama Spring and Port Wine is at the New Vic, Newcastle under Lyme. David Morrissey is in Macbeth in Liverpool. The Price plays Hull Truck, while David Lodge's Secret Thoughts opens at the Octagon in Bolton. An early Ibsen play, previously unperformed in this country, The League of Youth, opens at Nottingham Playhouse, while in Stratford-upon-Avon at the RSC Dominic Hill directs 1632 satire, The City Madam, and Patrick Stewart and Rupert Goold are previewing The Merchant of Venice. For something rather more contemporary, try Reckless Sleepers who are reviving one of their most celebrated shows, Schrodinger, at the Curve in Leicester. At the Royal and Derngate in Northampton, Hamlet the Musical should raise a smile. In Corby at the new Cube, Thickskin's Blackout is an adrenaline-fuelled examination of a young life gone wrong.

Heading into London, the excellent revival of Journey's End is at the Theatre Royal in Windsor. The big opening this week is Imelda Staunton and Penelope Wilton in Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance at the Almeida. I'm looking forward to Naomi Wallace's And I and Silence, a tale of segregation in the US southern states that premieres at the Finborough and the Simon Stephens-translated Jon Fosse play I Am the Wind at the Young Vic. At the same venue this week, you can also see Talawa's Flipping the Script project that features Walking to Obama about the pre-civil rights era in the US, and book your Michael Sheen Hamlet seats. The Edinburgh 2010 hit, Reykjavik, a multi-sensory exploration of memory, heads out on a UK tour from the Albany on Tuesday. The plays in Convictions at Soho have been written by ex-offenders, and Soho also plays host to Theatre Uncut this Sunday, which provides another opportunity to see the plays that premiered at Southwark Playhouse last month. The London Bubble's Blackbirds in Southwark Park from Monday tells the stories of Londoners who lived through the blitz and sounds pretty special.

Globe and Mail

AL: Tampa Bay's Price shuts down Blue Jays Coos Bay World Tampa Bay center fielder BJ Upton crashes into the wall as he makes a running catch on an eighth inning fly out by Toronto's JP Arencibia during Thursday's game. Associated Press Photo. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- David Price allowed one unearned run while ... Price Pitches Rays Past Toronto, 3-1The Ledger Jays missin' Bautista a lotToronto Sun American League: Rays' Price stays unbeaten against JaysAustin American-Statesman National Post (blog) -NorthJersey.com -UPI.com all 1,356 news articles »

Buffalo Bills season-ticket holders will have the ear of National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell. As he has done in multiple NFL cities, Goodell will participate in an interactive conference call with season-ticket holders, through a VIP forum, set for May 16. Bills season-ticket holders will be notified, via e-mail, how to participate. The session is expected to last at least 30 minutes. Fans can either ask questions or listen to the conference call. The session comes as the NFL and its players are involved in a labor dispute that has gone on for nearly two...

The Buffalo Urban League and other nonprofit groups could play a major role in job training for youth if federal legislation moves forward. The Urban Jobs Act of 2011, an amendment to the 1998 Workforce Investment Act (WIA), would authorize grants to the National Urban League to allow local affiliates to provide education, job training and support services for young adults. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was in town to promote the legislation Friday afternoon during a news conference at CRUCIAL Human Services on Buffalo’s East...

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy hopes star striker Kevin Doyle will return for the last two games of the season.

The Republic of Ireland international tore ligaments in his knee whilst on national team duty about six weeks ago and has now featured since.

With Wolves facing a relegation battle, McCarthy hopes that Doyle can return for the trip to Sunderland and the home clash with Blackburn Rovers after admitting that Sunday’s Black Country derby with West Bromwich Albion is too close.

“We’re still looking at Kevin being fit for the last two games and we’re sincerely hoping he will be,” he said.

Wolves currently sit 19th on the league table and face the drop if they cannot record at least a point at home on the weekend.

 

Click here for the No1 coverage of all the gossip and transfer news around Wolves.

Jaromir Jagr hasn't played in the NHL in three season now, but he is the kind of player fans do remember. Recently, Montreal radio station CJAD announced that "a well-placed NHL source tells CJAD Jagr would put Montreal on his short-list of teams he'd love to hear from for a return to the NHL."

The rumors of Jagr coming back to the NHL surface every year. Recently, Sovetsky Sport's Pavel Lysenkov met with Jagr in Slovakia, where Jagr is playing for the Czech National team in the IIHF's World Championships, and asked him a few of questions, including some of ours.

Here is what Jagr said about his future:

"I have to see. There is time. I haven't thought about it. My contract just ended, and if I have a good offer [from Avangard] I will certainly consider it. Maybe some other teams will make me offers. As for the NHL, we'll see. I think that if I want to play in the NHL, I will come and I will be able to play in the NHL. I am not saying I will play on the first line, but I will be able to play."

After the interview, Avangard Omsk announced that they had made an official offer to Jagr to stay in Russia for one more year. Jagr is expected to sign a contract with the KHL team this summer.

If he does return to the Russian league, at least he won't have to face his former coach, who reportedly tried to fight him after one of the KHL playoff games.

A teammate of Jagr told SovSport anonymously last month that then-Omsk coach Raimo Summanen "went after Jagr with his fists after [a Game 6 victory] in Magnitogorsk. He was jumping around [Jagr], challenged him to a fight."

Jagr didn't want to fight his coach.

"I didn't want to talk about it," Jagr told us. "And now the time has passed. No one can understand what was going on apart from those who were with the team. And what happened with that coach was the last time it would ever happen to me, I hope. It was quite an experience for me. This sort of thing happened for the first time for me. And I hope it was also the last time. Bad experience.

"It's just difficult to describe. I wish I could have more time to explain exactly what happened, but we just don't have the time. We did have a good result as a team, but it was so difficult for every player psychologically to work with this coach. He's good as a coach, he has a good system. But if you make a mistake, or not even, if you simply lose a game what happens after that with this coach I have no words to explain. He is a good coach, but not a good person. During the regular season he never yelled at me or told me something bad. But I saw it happening to other guys. And I asked them to tolerate it because we were showing good results. But it was also tough to see how he psychologically tried to kill his players.

"And it was my big mistake that I asked the guys to tolerate that. I should have spoken to the coach earlier to tell him he simply cannot act like that. And I think the guys were waiting for me to tell that to the coach. And I didn't."

So, was it true Summanen wanted to fight Jagr?

"Everything that has been written has some truth to that. Not everything. I don't want to talk about it."

We also asked Lysenkov to ask Jagr about his take on the amount of head injuries in the NHL. He was on the receiving end of a hit to the head by Alex Ovechkin in last year's Olympics in Vancouver.

This is what Jagr said about the number of injuries in the game:

"You know, it is a very difficult question. On one hand hockey is a very physical contact sport. On the other, hockey is also a huge business. You employ a lot of players paying them a lot of money. You don't want them to get injured. Imagine you pay someone like Sidney Crosby a lot of money and you don't know when he is going to play again. The NFL had the same problem and they aggressively addressed it making changes," he said.

"Hockey players are now a lot bigger than they were before, a lot stronger. It's not the same game it was 20 years ago. Just look at the guys playing now! The game is a lot faster now with a lot more skill. And because it is faster and players are bigger and stronger, there will be more injuries and those injuries will be more severe. I don't know what can be done to eliminate that."

This October marks the 21-year anniversary of Jagr's NHL debut. And he's still as famous a name as you'll find in the game.

Christopher Price profiles 'throwback' TE Lee Smith, taken in the fifth round of the draft.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick referred to him as an "outstanding blocker." Phil Ratliff, Smith’s position coach at Marshall, added to that on Thursday, calling him a "throwback" who was "far and away the most respected player on the team because of how hard he practices and how hard he plays."

Ratliff knows something about the sort of player that appeals to the Patriots -- while as a player at Marshall, he was a college teammate of eventual New England football legend Troy Brown. "Lee is the kind of player the Patriots draft -- a quality person who takes to system and does whatever it takes to succeed," Ratliff said. "New England is getting another leader -- he’s a natural-born leader."

 "A lot of people don’t realize he had a good tight end that played in front of him — this past year was the first year he really had a chance to thrive in the passing game," Ratliff said. "At 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, so a lot of people don’t realize how good he in the passing game. When you think of Lee Smith, you think of a big, pounding blocker. That’s what he is, but he has capability in the vertical passing game. He’s got soft hands and a knack for getting open -- and he will get better."

"All I can tell you is this -- people can all the negative things they want about him, but Lee, when he came to us, he was a guy who was a leader," Ratliff said. "He was a guy who got it. It was unbelievable. When he got into our system, he got structure, and just took off from there. "What happened in the past is in the past. He’s gone beyond that. He’s the most mature guy I have ever coached. He has a family and kids -- all that stuff is in the past. It’s so irrelevant to what he is now. It really is."

"I will tell you one thing -- they have a very impressive tight end group," Ratliff said of New England. "[But] there’s no challenge for him that’s too big. He won’t back down. Those guys are all really good players, but whatever is asked of Lee, he’ll roll with it. He’ll do whatever he needs to do, and take care of business. That’s just how he is."

Ryan Osborne (TCU Daily Skiff) Patriots 7th-round draft pick Malcolm Williams is packing his bags for the NFL after unlikely football journey.

"I'm living in a dream right now," said Williams, who was drafted by the New England Patriots with the 219th overall pick in the seventh round of the NFL Draft Saturday afternoon. "It's the best thing that can happen to me."

Williams offered a simple, timeless phrase to sum up his journey from airport bag collector to NFL draftee.

"Hard work pays off," Williams said. "That's all you can really say."

TEAM TALK

• The New England Patriots 2011 Draft: Notes, stats and trends from the team.
• PFW in Progress - 5/05/11: This edition continues to recap the 2011 NFL Draft. (2 hour program.)

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss helps fans get to know CB Ras-I Dowling, after speaking with Virginia cornerbacks coach Chip West.
• Ian Rapoport notes Ryan Mallett has always dazzled with his strong arm and throwing ability.
• Ian Rapoport reports PGA star John Daly has offered guidance to Pats QB Ryan Mallett about overcoming past and the pitfalls of being a celebrity.
• Ian Rapoport continues his 'The Making of Mallett' series with an explanation of why QB Ryan Mallett left Michigan for Arkansas.
• Jeff Howe opens up his draft column for a string of second-guessing offerings before everyone's vision becomes crystal clear in hindsight.
• Mike Reiss discusses Vic Carucci's article about how the Patriots and Colts each take a different approach when it comes to drafting QBs.
• Jeff Howe points out that Bill Belichick carried out his 2011 draft philosophy with the future in mind.
• Jon Fucile from WickedGoodSports offers some examples of Bill Belichick's trade down lifestyle.
• Mike Reiss offers a list of Pats players who have Twitter accounts, after ESPN's "Outside the Lines" program discussed Twitter's impact on sports.
• Tom E. Curran's Quick Slants with Nate Solder. (2.47 min. video)
• Mike Reiss offers the transcript of his weekly online chat. Terrific insight here as usual.
• Tom E. Curran scouts out how the Jets did in the draft.
• Mike Reiss reports Tedy Bruschi will join former Titans coach Jeff Fisher and others to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa.
• Mike McDermott posts a photo of Tom Brady hugging 77-year old fan Loraine Pitka at a promotional event last week.  In this ESPN Page 2 picture, she's got a solid grip on his arm.
  
• NESN reports Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen were photographed walking the red carpet at the metropolitan Museum of Modern Art Benefit Gala.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Matt Williamson, Scouts Inc.(ESPN) Soon to be stars: Patriots LB Brandon Spikes.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) John Daly, Ryan Mallett forge a friendship.
• Evan Silva (ProFootballTalk) Our discoveries, after tracking pre-draft visits and workouts.  "No team puts in more face time than the Patriots."
• NFL Live (ESPN) Patriots draft-day decision-making discussed after interview with RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis. (4.39 min. video)
• Nathan Jahnke (Pro Football Focus) First thoughts on each of the first round picks in the 2011 NFL Draft.
• Wes Bunting (Nat'l Football Post) Second/third-round breakdowns.
• Gregg Easterbrook (ESPN) The 2011 TMQ draft review.
• Adam Schein (Fox Sports) Explaining the draft's inexplicable.
• John Clayton (ESPN) Running theme developing.
• Khaled Elsayed (Pro Football Focus) The Top 101 players of 2010: No. 101-81 -- No. 80-61 -- No. 60-41 -- No. 40-21 --  Top 20.  This list is whacked.
• Dan Arkush (Pro Football Weekly) Playing the NFL draft name game. Who has the coolest names in the draft?
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Rashard Mendenhall loses endorsement deal with Champion.
• AP (The Gainesville Sun) Former Florida WR Reche Caldwell arrested for marijuana possession.

LABOR LUNACY

• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Goodell says the league, players need to be talking in order to strike a new deal.
• Adam Teicher (Kansas City Star) Goodell and Hunt paint a dark picture of an NFL without a labor deal.
• Eric Edholm (Pro Football Weekly) Agents:Teams have tampered with undrafted players during lockout.
• Rick Horrow (Fox Sports) Rookie wage scale concern. (1.04 min. video)

After a moment to consider the question, Georges Laraque said that, yes, there were similarities between life on the road as a National Hockey League player and life on the trail of a federal election campaign.

Niles North's Rosen Wins National Chess Championship

From Roy MacGregor at the Globe & Mail: They get a lead; they can’t hold it. They might win the game, but every time they play they lose a little more faith in their position as not only the best team in the National Hockey League, but the most effective third-period team the regular season produced. They had a .927 winning percentage in games in which they led in the third period. They scored 100 third-period goals – tops in the NHL. But that was then and this is now. And this is the Stanley Cup playoffs. Twice this week against the Nashville Predators the Canucks let third-period leads slip away – both tying goals absolute groaners – and had to settle matters in overtime, losing once and winning once. more

Jeff Teague played a few more minutes per night as a second-year man during the 2010-11 regular season than he did as a rookie the year before. He scored more points per 36 minutes, improved his field goal and 3-point shooting percentages, showed an improved touch out to about 15 feet, and rebounded a little more often. He assisted on a slightly lower percentage of his Atlanta Hawks teammates' baskets, but he also turned the ball over a bit less.

On balance, then, the numbers say that Teague got better this year; this is to be expected as a player moves from Year 1 as a professional to Year 2. But whether you like your measuring sticks advanced — a regular-season Player Efficiency Rating of 14.6 put him below the league average of 15 — or, um, unadvanced, I guess ("Larry Drew must have seen something he didn't like to only give the kid 14 minutes a night!"), you were hard-pressed to argue that Teague is really a key piece for the Hawks right now.

Sure, he'd had a couple of nice late-season games — 24 points, five steals, three assists and three blocks against the Portland Trail Blazers in March, for example, or 21 points on 10 shots in just 21 minutes against the Indiana Pacers just before the start of the playoffs. But the consensus opinion seemed to be that, whether he deserved a crack or not, he wouldn't really be a player to be reckoned with this postseason.

Then, starting point guard Kirk Hinrich hurt his leg as the Hawks closed out their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Orlando Magic. The severe right hamstring strain would render him a spectator for at least the start of Atlanta's second-round matchup with the top-seeded Chicago Bulls, and there were no other legitimate options for Drew at the one, so Teague was pushed into the starting lineup for just the 11th time in 150 career NBA games.

The smart money (and dumb money like mine, too) pegged Teague's insertion as unfavorable for Atlanta. The thinking was that Derrick Rose, Chicago's MVP trigger-man, would eat the still-ripening Wake Forest product for breakfast (no LeBron), pacing the Bulls to a blitzkrieg of the Hawks en route to the Eastern Conference Finals.

But a funny thing happened on the way to a too-easy blowout: Jeff Teague has played like a man bent on making a reputation for himself. And he's actually doing it.

In Atlanta's stunning Game 1 upset, Teague hustled for nearly 45 of the game's 48 minutes, using his quickness and athleticism (and, as Zach Lowe noted at The Point Forward, quite a bit of help from Josh Smith and Al Horford) to hound Rose into some early misses. Combine the defensive effort with his not-eye-popping-but-steady-enough contributions on the offensive end — 10 points on 5-for-11 shooting, five assists and, most importantly, just one turnover — and the series' most glaring mismatch turned into a much more even affair than most expected, helping the Hawks wrest home-court advantage from Tom Thibodeau's team.

The Bulls evened the series Wednesday night with an ugly Game 2 victory, but Teague turned in another strong performance. As Bret LaGree wrote at Hawks blog Hoopinion, he again "did as good a job on Derrick Rose as can reasonably be expected" defensively, and stepped up his offensive game, making 50 percent of his field-goal attempts and going 6-for-7 from the foul line to score 21 points, and posting three assists, three rebounds, two blocked shots and no turnovers in just under 40 minutes of run.

At times on Wednesday, Teague looked like the steadiest, most collected player on the court for Atlanta. Admittedly, that's not saying a ton when you consider how scattered the Hawks played. But it's damn sure not nothing, especially for a second-year bit-parter making just his second playoff start against the league's newly minted "it" boy.

The showing impressed CBSSports.com's Royce Young:

Teague's effort in the first two games of this series is probably the second best thing the Hawks are taking back with them to Atlanta (a win being the first). [...] In Game 2, he outplayed the guy that was just handed the MVP trophy by David Stern before the game.

That, along with the snatching of homecourt in Game 1, means the Hawks have a chance.

It also drew the comedic ire of Matt McHale at Bulls blog By the Horns:

Oh, and could somebody, anybody, do something about Jeff Teague (21 points, 7-for-14, 6-for-7 from the line, zero turnovers)? Teague is playing so well that the Bulls are praying for Kirk Hinrich to miraculously heal overnight.

While Hinrich works on getting back on the court, the staunch defender, cerebral player and former Bull is doing what he can to prepare Teague for what he'll see on the court, according to Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Drew's decision to bring Kirk Hinrich to Chicago despite not having hopes of playing him because of his hamstring injury proved fruitful. Hinrich, a former Bull, offered Jeff Teague and others insight on the Chicago roster.

"He's always in my ear, every timeout, telling me things I can do, how I can guard Derrick Rose on a certain play or what he sees on offense, plays to call, things like that," Teague said.

To be fair, this reservoir of goodwill and positive impressions could dry up in the space of 12 hours. It's possible that Teague has difficulty sustaining his sound, careful offensive play and turns in a less-than-stellar performance, as inexperienced point guards often do in the postseason. That wouldn't be shocking at all; in fact, it's what many of us probably expect to happen sooner or later (and more likely sooner).

More to the point, it's very possible that Rose, after some rest and a couple of days of treatment on his ailing ankle, comes out tonight and plays like the MVP we watched for the last six months. If he's that aggressive, that sharp, that quick and that adept at finishing, there's very little that Teague (or anyone else, for that matter) can do to stop him, no matter what advice Hinrich gives or how much help the Hawks' bigs can offer. If that happens, Chicago will probably win Game 3, re-take home court advantage, and once again be viewed as the team in the driver's seat.

But irrespective of how tonight's game turns out, it's immutable fact that Jeff Teague has made an awful lot of people stand up and take notice of his talents over these last two games. Where many non-Hawks fans once looked in his direction and saw a slightly below-average first-round pick who has yet to bear fruit, a national audience is now seeing what more ardent Atlanta backers like the guys at Peachtree Hoops have long argued was really there:

Sure, Jeff Teague is inconsistent offensively and probably would be for a while in an offense where he'd be the 4th option at best, but the ability to hold his counterpart to a minimal carnage vs. the Hawks has been long undervalued.  Of the 9 games he's started as a Hawk, I recall at least 3 that he was the BEST HAWK on the floor.  [...] Teague has proven that he belongs on the court with the best players in the league in all situations (starting, closing, clutch, defensive stops, etc).

If the coming-out party came in a series that wasn't widely considered to be one of the uglier second-round matchups in recent memory, maybe more people would've shown up and taken note of just how impressive Teague's been. Oh, well. More punch and pie for the rest of us.

Here is the press release: TORONTO (May 5, 2011) - The National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) announced today that Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks, Daniel Sedin of the...

Welcome back to Better Know an MLS Player -- a new running feature where we pose a ridiculous series of questions to an MLS player in an effort to help you better know them. Last time, we started things off with Sporting KC striker Teal Bunbury, and now we bring you part two of our roughly 540-plus part series. So join us now as we better know LA Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez!

1. Starting off with a difficult question, what makes you awesome? (Note: If we find your answer boring, we will photoshop you into an image of awesomeness.)

Omar: That's a tough one... Probably my height.  There's a misconception that all Mexicans are really short.  Well, I'm Mexican and I'm 6' 5".  I also have an uncanny ability to make any normal social situation extremely awkward.  I kinda pride myself on that... even though I can't really avoid it!

[Ed. Note: We're ruling that answer not boring...and kind of sad.]

2. What's the best part about being a professional footballer in the U.S.?

Omar: It's a really exciting time to be in the league.  It's expanding and gaining more and more recognition every day.  A few years ago, the MLS wasn't what it is today.  I'm proud to say I play for the MLS, specifically The Galaxy!  Also, the day-to-day training schedule isn't too bad either... especially when you are living in Los Angeles!

3. You were on Giada De Laurentiis' Food Network show. You got to eat her food and breathe her air. Please explain every single reason why this was the greatest experience ever.

Omar: First and foremost, she's so awesome.  Sweet, down-to-earth and really friendly.  And of course, her cooking is incredible.  We had a Greek Feast: sweet and spicy meatballs, Greek pizza and lots of wine.  Can't go wrong with that.

4. Do you use "I was the 2009 MLS Rookie of the Year" as a pick-up line? If so, does it work? If not, what is your preferred method of seduction? (Follow up: Did you casually mention this fact to Giada?)

Omar: I've never used it as a pick-up line but I may add it to my repertoire now that you mention it.  Method of seduction?  Kill 'em with kindness.  As for Giada, I'm friends with her husband so I don't think he'd be too keen on me trying to hit on his wife...

5. At 6'5", you're just two inches shorter than Peter Crouch. Are you also an expert at doing the robot or does that extra two inches make the difference?

Omar: Have you seen my John Wall?!  That beats the robot any day.

6. You took Landon Donovan, Todd Dunivant and Mike Magee to a Boyz II Men concert not too long ago. Why did this happen?

Omar: I didn't actually take them.  We all surprised Landon for his birthday.

7. What has been your weirdest experience with MLS fans? (Note: If you don't have one that's particularly weird, feel free to use your imagination.)

Omar: I did an appearance at Best Buy not too long ago.  There was a female fan who told me that on her Bucket List - things she wanted to do before she died - was to ask me out on a date.  And naturally, I made the situation really, really awkward.

8. What's your favorite David Beckham story that we wouldn't necessarily know about? Has he bought you dinner yet?

Omar: The first time he had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich was a year ago!  And yes - he has taken us on a few team dinners.  Always a good time.

9. Pretend you're a journalist and make up a completely fictional transfer rumor.

Omar: Omar Gonzalez: Bought by FC Barcelona... as a Striker!

10. If you had supreme power, what's the first thing you would do to improve MLS?

Omar: MORE MONEY FOR ALL PLAYERS!

11. Cristiano Ronaldo: Untalented or extremely untalented?

Omar: He's not not talented.  (I can't hate on him...sorry.)

12. There's a lot of competition in central defense on the U.S. national team. Since playing well isn't always enough to get the recognized, if (and this is purely hypothetical) Bob Bradley were susceptible to bribes, what would you bribe him with to ensure a starting spot for yourself?

Omar: I'd be his butler, indefinitely!  You gotta do what you gotta do...

13. And finally, the Andrei Arshavin Q&A Tribute Question: From zinja -- "As a future engineer, I'm interested in this question: if I stand with my feet on the rails, put pantyhose on my head and throw the ends on the wires, will I be able to go as a tram?"

Omar: :)  Does a bear s*** in the woods?

So there you have it. Omar refuses to betray his friends by hitting on their hot TV chef wives, he does the John Wall, confirms that Davey Becks has bought his Galaxy teammates dinner (more than once!), wants more money for ALL MLS players, makes all situations incredibly awkward and knows how to handle a question from an Andrei Arshavin fan. Well done, Omar. And thank you.

Still want to know why the Galaxy boys took Landon Donovan to a Boyz II Men concert or just how Omar made that Best Buy situation so awkward? Well, ask him yourself. He's @Omar4Gonzalez on Twitter. You can also find the Galaxy @LAGalaxy. And watch Omar and his Boyz II Men loving teammates play the New York Red Bulls in a battle of the first place teams on Saturday night.

Photo: Omar's Twitter album

Exeter have delighted, Saracens have excelled, London Irish have had their moment while Wasps have floundered and only Jimmy Gopperth has kept Newcastle alive

Leicester Tigers

Last season 1st (and champions) Current position 1st

Have they lived up to expectations? Nothing short of retaining their title will satisfy the Tigers but there is still work to be done. The Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat to Leinster highlighted certain issues, not least a suspicion that Ben Youngs and Toby Flood are feeling the effects of a hectic season. If they do happen to meet a resurgent Northampton in the play-off semi-finals, victory is far from certain. That said, Anthony Allen, Manu Tuilagi, Scott Hamilton, Thomas Waldrom and Martin Castrogiovanni have all done enough to merit a Twickenham finale.

Highlight of season Still to come, they hope, but their 37-6 victory at Bath was sweet.

Player of the season Anthony Allen

Predicted finish Finalists

Saracens

Last season 3rd (losing finalists) Current position 2nd

Have they lived up to expectations? No other contender is finishing faster than Sarries. Their bonding trips to Florida and the Oktoberfest may have raised eyebrows but the benefits are increasingly evident. One more win in their final game will equal the record of 18 regular season wins since the introduction of a 12-team Premiership in 1999, although losing to Quins on Saturday might suit if it secures a home semi-final against Gloucester. They have scored 28 fewer tries than Leicester but boast the meanest defence of any of the top four teams. Taking into account a glut of injuries, Brendan Venter's relocation back to South Africa and the Gavin Henson saga, this has been a cleverly judged campaign.

Highlight of season Their late-season surge, which currently extends to eight successive league wins.

Player of the season Ernst Joubert

Predicted finish Champions

Gloucester

Last season 7th Current position 3rd

Have they lived up to expectations? Yes, particularly if you saw their woeful opening-day defeat at Exeter. Consistency still eludes them and their defence has the occasional wobble but with ball in hand they can be deadly. Although Saracens blew them away in Watford recently, they are deserved play-off participants. In Freddie Burns, Charlie Sharples, Johnny May and Ryan Mills they also have a posse of talented young English-qualified backs. Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu this week scooped three awards at the club's end-of season awards: player of the year, player's player and try of the season.

Highlight of season Hard to look past their extraordinary 41-41 draw at Welford Road last month.

Player of the season Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu.

Predicted finish Semi-finalists

Northampton Saints

Last season 2nd Current position 4th

Have they lived up to expectations? They would not swap their present position but promise still has to be translated into silverware. Their first-choice XV is good enough to beat anyone, particularly up front, but their strength in depth has been less evident. If they ultimately falter, fingers will also be pointed at their half-backs. As Perpignan discovered, though, they can be mighty foes when Messrs Tonga'uiha, Hartley, Mujati, Lawes, Dowson, Ashton and Foden are all firing. Their lineout fell apart at Welford Road back in January but the Tigers will still be wary.

Highlight of season Reaching the Heineken Cup final for the first time in 11 years.

Player of the season Soane Tonga'uiha

Predicted finish Semi-finalists

Bath

Last season 4th. Current position 5th

Have they lived up to expectations? For their ambitious owner Bruce Craig, the answer has to be no. It was evident from relatively early in the campaign that other teams had more tight-five oomph and injuries to Butch James and Olly Barkley were equally damaging. Steve Meehan has been eased aside as head coach and Sir Ian McGeechan will be expected to guide the club into the play-offs next year. Nick Abendanon and Matt Banahan are maturing into fine players and Carl Fearns is an encouraging summer arrival. If Danny Cipriani wants to find somewhere in England to rebuild his reputation he need look no further.

Highlight of season Smashing Wasps 43-10 at Twickenham last month.

Player of the season Matt Banahan

Predicted finish 5th

London Irish

Last season 6th Current position 6th

Have they lived up to expectations? At the start of November, Irish sat atop the Premiership table and looked certainties for the play-offs. Once again soft mid-winter pitches slowed their progress and one or two players shrank when the going got tough. They also badly missed the experience of the underrated Declan Danaher and Sailosi Tagicakibau. Next season they will be without Seilala Mapusua, who is off to Kubota Spears in Japan. The challenge for the innovative Toby Booth will be to ensure the Exiles remain equally competitive without their midfield anchor.

Highlight of season Beating the Ospreys to end a ruinous 10-game losing streak in all competitions.

Player of the season Alex Corbisiero.

Predicted finish 6th

Harlequins

Last season 8th Current position 7th

Have they lived up to expectations? Not yet. They are finishing the season strongly but have too often lacked the ability to finish their forwards' approach work. Two draws and seven losing bonus points, more than any other team in the league, betrays a campaign of near-misses; the good news is that they are a young side who look set to improve further next year. If Joe Marler and George Lowe continue to progress they will be candidates for national recognition sooner rather than later.

Highlight of season Beating Munster at Thomond Park to reach the Amlin Challenge Cup final.

Player of the season Chris Robshaw

Predicted finish 7th

London Wasps

Last season 5th Current position 8th

Have they lived up to expectations? Rarely have Wasps caused their supporters more angst. Very little has gone right on or off the field, to the point where the future looks worryingly murky. Showpiece games in Abu Dhabi and at Twickenham attracted plenty of attention but heavy defeats in both fixtures swiftly diluted the promotional benefits. The Andy Powell saga, the departure of the director of rugby, Tony Hanks, a succession of injuries, a crumbling pack ... hoicking Josh Lewsey out of retirement betrayed the collective yearning for former glories. A failure to qualify for the Heineken Cup may offer short-term breathing space but the rebuilding job could take a while.

Highlight of season Beating Toulouse in the Heineken Cup pool stages.

Player of the season Joe Simpson

Predicted finish 8th

Exeter Chiefs

Last season Championship play-off winners Current position 9th

Have they lived up to expectations? To their lasting credit, the Chiefs have confounded almost everyone. Not only have they stayed up, they have claimed some significant scalps – Saracens, Northampton, Gloucester, Harlequins – along the way. At no stage did they appear relegation candidates, with Rob Baxter and Ali Hepher proving a shrewd managerial combo. The matchday atmosphere at Sandy Park also compared favourably with any ground in the Premiership. With a raft of new signings to bolster the existing settled squad, this could be just the start.

Highlight of season All of it.

Player of the season Tom Johnson

Predicted finish 9th

Sale Sharks

Last season 11th Current position 10th.Have they lived up to expectations? Mike Brewer was hired as head coach to oversee a dramatic improvement but it ended bitterly. The Sharks have won only six league games all season and Brewer's no-nonsense regime prompted their linchpin Charlie Hodgson to agree a summer move to Saracens. The arrival of Steve Diamond appears to have steadied the ship but the landscape has changed drastically since Sale were crowned Premiership champions in 2006. The promise of James Gaskell is undeniable but the loss of Carl Fearns to Bath is another significant blow. The only way is up.

Highlight of season The departure of Brewer.

Player of the season Sisa Koyamaibole

Predicted finish 10th

Newcastle Falcons

Last season 9th Current league position 11th

Have they lived up to expectations? Alan Tait has done his best but the Falcons looked short of firepower from the outset. Barring a last-weekend disaster they should now be safe but it is a brave man who insists they will prosper next season. Only the accurate kicking of Jimmy Gopperth, the Premiership's leading points-scorer, has kept them afloat; no team in the league, Leeds included, has scored fewer tries. Luke Fielden, Ally Hogg and Tim Swinson all deserved better but Micky Young's switch to Leicester will hardly boost battered northern morale.

Highlight of season Beating Leeds 22-5 at Headingley in February to boost their survival hopes.

Player of the season Jimmy Gopperth

Predicted finish 11th

Leeds Carnegie

Last season 10th Current position 12th

Have they lived up to expectations? Neil Back had challenged Leeds to push on towards the top half of the table. It never looked like happening, particularly when Hendre Fourie, Steve Thompson and Marco Wentzel were missing. The departure of the director of rugby, Andy Key, did little to improve things and, ultimately, Leeds possessed insufficient quality to compete with their wealthier rivals. How they must have cheered when Bedford looked like upsetting Worcester last week; it is now hard to see them escaping. If they do finish bottom, they will have to rely on the Cornish Pirates overcoming Worcester over two legs in the Championship play-off final.

Highlight of season Beating Northampton would rescue a wholly forgettable campaign

Player of the season Hendre Fourie

Predicted finish 12th

Major League Baseball held tryouts this week at the Eagles Praha Baseball Club in Krc, Czech Republic. Fifty-two athletes, ages 15-19, and selected by the Czech Republic national baseball federation, represented the top cadet and junior national team talent from the Czech Republic on Wednesday, May 4th. Sixty-two athletes, representing baseball clubs from Lithuania, Ukraine, [...]

In celebration of the Diversity in YA Fiction Tour, enter to win a copy of two, randomly selected books by participating authors!

Join the authors this month in San Francisco, Austin, Chicago, Cambridge and New York. See schedule and details!

To enter the giveaway, comment here or email me (scroll and click envelope) and type "Diversity" in the subject line. Deadline: midnight CST May 27. Note: author-sponsored; U.S. entries only.

Cynsational Giveaway Reminder

Enter to win a signed copy of The Owl Keeper by Christine Brodien-Jones (Delacorte, 2010). First prize: a hardcover copy. Second and third prize: paperback copies. To enter the giveaway, comment at this link or email me (scroll and click envelope) and type "Owl Keeper" in the subject line. Deadline: midnight CST May 27. Note: Author sponsored; U.S./Canada entries only. See also Christine on Writing Scary But Not Too Scary for Tweens.

More News & Giveaways

An Address and a Map Discovering Your Genius as a Writer by Tim Wynne-Jones from The Writers' League of Texas. Peek: "...I’m talking about the genius that each of us possesses to some degree: a natural ability or capacity or quality of mind; the special endowments which fit each of us for our work."

Children's Choice Book Awards Announced (PDF) from The Children’s Book Council (CBC) in association with Every Child A Reader, and the CBC Foundation. Rick Riordan was named author of the year, and David Wiesner was named illustrator of the year. See the complete list of winners.

JanePeddicord.com Space Blog: Where Kids Question the Cosmos. Peek: "SpaceBlog is place for kids to ask questions, to exchange ideas, and always to discover more about space. Of course, educators, parents, and space enthusiasts of all ages are welcome to join in, too!" Learn more about Jane Ann Peddicord.

Author Interview: Tim Tingle by Marie Penny at The Hub from YALSA. Peek: "My mentor, the Choctaw tribal storyteller Charley Jones says, 'tell the stories', but make sure the origin is acknowledged. The Choctaw tribe is very open, you don’t have to be Choctaw to tell the story, but you must respect the tribal origins." Source: American Indians in Children's Literature.

Lee B. Hopkins Poetry Award Teaching Toolbox: teacher guides and book trailers for the LBH award books.

The Interminable Agency Clause by Victoria Strauss from Writer Beware. Peek: "...language inserted into an author-agency agreement whereby the agency claims the right to remain the agent of record not just for the duration of any contracts it negotiates, but for the life of copyright." See also On Agency Agreements by Jennifer Laughran from Jennifer Represents...

Spaghetti Agents by Nathan Bransford. Peek: "They sign up a bunch of writers even when they're unsure about a project, they throw the manuscripts at publishers, and they see what sticks." See also Nathan on Separating Confidence from Self-Doubt.

Book Talking and Preparing for Focus Meeting by Little, Brown editor Alvina Ling from Blue Rose Girls. Peek: "....because I only have between 1 and 2 minutes to present each title, the presentation needs to be really tight. I want to touch on the summary of the book...."

Castellucci Joins 'Los Angeles Review of Books' as YA and Children's Editor by Wendy Werris from Publishers Weekly. Peek: "'So few venues review YA and teen books regularly, and even then it’s usually bestsellers and known authors, so this is an opportunity to assign reviews to the quieter books and older titles,' Castellucci says."

From Publishers Marketplace: "Nikki Loftin’s debut novel The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy, pitched as Coraline meets Hansel and Gretel, about a young girl whose seemingly delightful new school hides frightening secrets, to Laura Arnold at Razorbill, in a two-book deal, for publication in Summer 2012, by Suzie Townsend at Fineprint Literary Management (World)." Congratulations, Nikki!

Twitter Tutorial: The Long Version by Lynne Kelly from Will Write for Cake. Peek: "It's not okay to pitch your novel or query an agent or editor via Twitter, but following them is a great way to find out what's going on in the publishing industry and with their own work...."

Attention New Yorkers: anticipated budget cuts in NYC would effectively shut down many libraries, reduce hours and staff. Please stop by your local library or click to your local library website to sign a petition to save the libraries. See Queens Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and New York Public Library.

Pay-It-Forward ARC Giveaway Contest from Dawn Metcalf. Enter to win advanced reader copies of Dreamland Social Club by Tara Altebrando and Luminous by Dawn Metcalf (both Dutton, 2011). Deadline: May 7. See more information.

Career Planning: Who, Me? by Kristi Holl from Writer's First Aid. Peek: "...making a writing budget–the nuts and bolts of figuring out how much income you need, where it’s going to come from (all possible sources,) and what to do to get it. You’ll want to study this too." Note: Kristi references Chip MacGregor's excellent post Strategic Planning for Writers, but her pep talk/insights/summary are worth considering, too.

Author Advances: How Much You'll Get and When by Author/Agent Mandy Hubbard. Peek: "If you sell a book to one of the big six publishers, and it's a single book deal, and it's something deemed more quiet or literary, you may see $7,500-$10,000. if it has a bigger commercial hook, but still seems a little risky, you may get $15,000." Note: keep in mind that authors also make money from royalties, sub rights sales, public speaking, etc.

Career Insurance: Five Ways to Sell Your Next Book Before Its Written by Roni Loren from Fiction Groupie. Note: emphasis on series writing. Peek: "Unless you're writing the next blockbuster of the century, one book does not a career make. One book is just the gun going off at the starter gate." Source: QueryTracker.netBlog.

2011 Jane Addams Children's Book Awards from Mitali Perkins. The younger children's category winner is Emma’s Poem: The Voice of the Statue of Liberty by Linda Glaser, illustrated by Claire A. Nivola (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), and the older children's category winner is A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story by Linda Sue Park (Clarion). See honor books. Note: "Since 1953, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award honors books published in the U.S. during the previous year that engage children in thinking about peace, justice, world community, and/or equality of the sexes and all races. The books also must meet conventional standards of literary and artistic excellence."

From Publishers Marketplace: "Brian Yansky's Fighting Alien Nation, the sequel to Alien Invasion and Other Inconveniences, which continues the story of the survivors of an alien invasion, again to Candlewick, with Kaylan Adair to edit, by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger (world English). Congratulations, Brian!

For Writers: Race and Science Fiction and Fantasy by Mary Anne Mohanraj from Whatever. Peek: "...it’s easy to be paralyzed by that fear, to retreat back to only writing characters who are just like you, or so vague that they can’t possibly be mistaken for anyone real. But again — that makes for bad fiction. If you’re going to write well, you have to get past those fears." See also Your Process of Creating Characters Across Culture or Class from Mitali Perkins from Mitali's Fire Escape.

Point of View in Picture Books in Celebration of National Picture Book Writing Week from Paula Yoo from Write Like You Mean It. Peek: "Look at picture books that are written from different points of view. Compare a picture book written in first person versus third person limited. What are the differences?"

"Birthing a Book: Revelations about the Publishing Process," the transcript of a chat with Bonny Becker from the Institute of Children's Literature.

I Live in the Middle of Nowhere. How Can I Promote My Book? by Kristina Springer from Author2Author. Peek: "...it's hard to get a book faced out at the book store for more than a couple of months. So what can I do?"

Hunger Mountain Critique Auction

Hunger Mountain Critique Auction: Bid for a chance to win critiques from authors, illustrators, and agents from picture books to YA and beyond. See details on:

• 50-page YA manuscript critique with author Holly Cupala;
• illustrator's portfolio critique with Julian Hector;
• picture book critique with agent Jill Corcoran;
• full childrens/YA manuscript critique with agent Elena Mechlin; 50-page middle grade/YA manuscript critique with author Sara Zarr;
• picture book/poetry for children critique with Janet Wong;
• 30-page middle grade/YA critique with agent Joan Slattery;
• newly listed 50-page middle grade critique with agent Erin Murphy;
• 50-page middle grade/YA critique with agent Ammi-Joan Paquette;
• children's/middle grade/Y​A critique with agent Emily Van Beek;
• YA novel (20-page) or poem/story critique with author G. Neri;
• 50-page children's literature critique with author Sara Pennypacker.

Note: Hunger Mountain is the Vermont College of Fine Arts Journal of the Arts, featuring an in-depth focus on children's-YA literature.

Cynsational Screening Room

Check out the book trailer for Bats at the Ballgame by Brian Lies (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010).



Edit Letter Fun: Butcher or Coddler? from lynnekelly2000.



More Personally

This week I turned in my revision of my upcoming YA Gothic fantasy novel, which will be the next fully prose addition to the Tantalize series.

To the left, we see Bashi in the guet room, helping to guard the manuscript as I read through it, tweaking text.

To the right, we see Leo, lounging on Greg's copy of the draft in the parlor. Greg, the kitties, and I read the manuscript out loud to catch typos, missing words, and other minor issues. I'm especially include to skip right over two-letter words like "to," "of," "on," and "so."

See also Official Writer Cat Bios.

I'm pleased to announce that actress Kim Mai Guest will be reading as the character Quincie P. Morris for the audio edition of Blessed for Listening Library/Random House.

Kim Mai also performed as Quincie in the audio production of Tantalize (Listening Library, 2008).

Reminder: all blurb requests must come from editors or agents. Never authors. No exceptions.

Tantalize Reviewed by Anna from Troublingly Good Teen Lit. Peek: "This book could help teens who find themselves with more responsibility than they can handle, or whose parents/guardians are absent. It could also help teens who feel they may have a drinking problem."

Holler Loudly Reviewed by Becca Huttman from South Sound Book Review Council. Peek: "This is a cute story that is just fun. It has lots of action, adventure and fun illustrations."

Holler Loudly Reviewed by GAHome2Mom from Loving Heart Designs. Peek: "...a wonderfully humorous book to share with any young child."

Check out the Holler Loudly Teacher Guides by Shannon Morgan for PreK, Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2!

Personal Links of the Week:

• The Beginning: Or As Nike Advertises: Just Do It from Bethany Hegedus
• Possibly the Best Thing About My Job from Jennifer Ziegler
• The Right Word from Brian Yansky
• Look for the "No" to Find the "Yes" by Lindsey Lane from The Meandering Lane
• Interesting Stats on Librarians by Naomi Bates from YA Books and More
• Look for Susan Salzman Raab's latest "To Market" column, "Social Media: Time Well Spent - and Time Consuming" in the May/June 2011 SCBWI Bulletin.
• Cynthia Leitich Smith at Wikipedia

Cynsational Events

Diversity in YA Fiction: Austin Tour Stop 7:30 p.m. May 9 at BookPeople. Featuring authors With authors Bethany Hegedus, Malinda Lo, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Cindy Pon, Dia Reeves, and Jo Whittemore, and moderated by Varian Johnson.

Chris Barton will be signing Can I See Your ID? True Stories of False Identities, illustrated by Paul Hoppe (Dial, 2011) at 7 p.m. May 14 at BookPeople in Austin. See discussion guide. See also Chris on Unbridled Silliness and Carefully Researched Truth-telling.

The Chills and Thrills Book Tour will be stopping at 2 p.m. May 15 at BookPeople. Turn out for authors Mari Mancusi, Tera Lynn Childs, Sophie Jordan, Jordan Dane, Lara Chapman, Jennifer Archer, and Tracy Deebs.

The First Annual BooksmART Festival will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 11 as part of Arts & Letters Live from the Dallas Museum of Art. Peek: "Come spend the day with authors, illustrators, musicians and actors, and enjoy talks, workshops, gallery tours, and entertainment, designed to appeal to every member of the family and every age group." Featured children's-YA book creators include Rick Riordan, Norton Juster, Laurie Halse Anderson, David Wiesner, Jerry Pinkney, Gene Luen Yang, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Duncan Tonatiuh, Antonio Sacre, Joe McDermott, Jan Bozarth, and Ann Marie Newman.

Authors Jennifer Ziegler and Cynthia Leitich Smith will speak to YA readers at 2 p.m. June 18 at Bee Cave Public Library in Bee Cave, Texas. Mark your calendars for book talk and pizza!

Austin Bat Cave Offers YA Writing Workshop with Margo Rabb from May 31 to July 5. See more information.

Manchester City defender Micah Richards has found an unlikely ally in Brazilian legend Carlos Alberto.

After a promising start to his career the 22 year old has struggled to hold down a first-team place at club level, and has taken over four years to accumulate 12 senior international caps.

However Carlos Alberto, who played right-back for the great 1970 World Cup-winning Brazilian side, believes Richards is a special talent.

He said: "I look a lot at my position and at Micah Richards. You see, in my position, right-back, I think I was the first attacking right-back, the first attacking full-back in the world, just because I had the physical condition so that it felt possible to go attack, defend, attack, defend - no problem.

"I watched Richards from his England debut at 17. This was impressive, as he was marking Arjen Robben. Robben didn't get past Richards, and I've seen in the Premier League twice before with Thierry Henry - Richards accelerated past him, and he was frightened to see such a talent at 17.

"He is only 22 and has the experience and knows what he wants and where he wants to go. He reminds me a little bit of myself. He can play with the ball well. I know his original position was midfield.

"To me, possibilities for him to become captain of the English national team seem a very obvious path for such a player. But to become the best in his position in the world would only fulfil the promise I saw in him as a 17-year old.

"Talent and ability like that is rare and I've seen football across the world. He even went out of the national team and has not complained or made noise, he is just concentrating on playing well for his club. And this is the best.

"This one's future is very bright."

 

Click here for the No1 coverage of all the gossip and transfer news around Manchester
City.

Steve Smith avoids talking about his future with Panthers National Football Post Smith met Cam Newton last week at a kickball tournament. “In college he was a different type of quarterback, but in this league there is no such thing as a different type of quarterback. You are either a playmaker or you're not at quarterback,” Smith ... and more »

The 2011 Euroleague Final Four tips off at noon ET on Friday in Barcelona, bringing together the four top teams in European basketball for a weekend in which nearly all of the NBA will be represented in the Old World. The Final Four offers a good opportunity for NBA personnel to gauge prospects playing in the games, as well as do some digging on other players whose teams didn't make it.

Euroleague is a tournament held in addition to the normal league seasons for these clubs, much like soccer's Champions League. Thirty-two teams are whittled through group play and a knockout tournament until we have a Final Four. This year's edition features teams from the continent's top three leagues -- Spain's Real Madrid, Italy's Montepaschi Siena and Greece's Panathinkaikos -- and Maccabi Electra from Israel.

Interestingly, none of the 2010 Final Four teams made it back this year. Ricky Rubio's Barcelona club, which holds the 2010 Euroleague title, was knocked out by Panathinaikos in the quarterfinals. Olympiacos, the 2010 runner-up, was knocked out by Montepaschi in the same round. CSKA Moscow and Partizan Belgrade, the two other 2010 finalists, didn't survive group play.

The games will be shown on NBA TV beginning at noon ET on Friday. Here's a quick look at the teams.

REAL MADRID

Madrid features a few players known to NBA fans, led by Sergio Rodriguez, the former Blazers, Kings and Knicks point guard affectionately known as "Spanish Chocolate" for his bombastic style. Madrid also have Sergio Llull, a Rockets point guard prospect who could transition to the NBA within a couple of years, and Ante Tomic, a Croat 7-footer whose rights belong to the Jazz.

The important Madrid player in terms of prospects, though, is Nikola Mirotic. The 20-year-old Montenegrin power forward has declared for and will likely remain in the 2011 NBA Draft, but is considered a threat to remain in Europe for a few years, dropping him from lottery consideration.

MACCABI ELECTRA

Maccabi is coached by American David Blatt, who led the Russian national team to some rousing success and is considered one of Europe's finest young coaches. The roster includes Jeremy Pargo, Richard Hendrix and David Blu, formerly known as David Bluthenthal, a memorable USC forward about a decade ago. (And yes, he changed his name to "David Blu.") West Virginians will recognize D'Or Fischer.

NBA scouts will be watching 21-year-old Serbian center Milan Macvan and also legend Greek center Sofo Schortsanitis, but only because he's impossible to look away from.

MONTEPASCHI SIENA

NBA fans can rekindle their deep love affairs with Marko Jaric and Malik Hairston. Others can enjoy the stylings of Greek guard Nikos Zisis, whose nickname is "Lord of the Rings." Montepaschi also boasts aging Lithuanian legends Rimas Kaukenas and Ksistof Lavrinovic. But the player NBA scouts will be watching -- and should be signing -- is Bo McCalebb, who led Partizan to the Final Four last year. The University of New Orleans product is among the best guards in Europe.

PANATHINAIKOS

One of Greece's superlative powers -- Olympiacos is the other -- has no shortage of Greek stars, led by Dimitris Diamantidis. This team is built more to win than to showcase young talent, but Nick Calathes, who played at Florida and whose right belong the Mavericks, is someone to watch. Other than Calathes, Mike Batiste, an Arizona State product, is the top American.

***

Montepaschi and Panathinaikos tip off at noon ET on NBA TV; Maccabi and Madrid will follow. The winner will play Sunday for the Euroleague championship.

Calls for a change in direction for the Washington Capitals are increasing following a disappointing second round collapse in the National Hockey League Stanley Cup playoffs, The Washington Post reported. Despite advancing past the New York Rangers 4-1 in the first round, the Caps lost all their momentum in the second round and were swept away 4-0 by the Tampa Bay...

5 MAY 2011

Compatriots: Yesterday, I went down into the heart of the tornado damage area in NW Alabama. There are many little communities that have been by-passed and virtually forgotten by the relief efforts. I found two in extreme north Marion County--Shiloh and Clifty Creek. The local volunteers at the fire station in Shiloh community were very happy to see supplies coming in. I told them we would be back. They asked who "we" were and I told them The League of the South. They asked for the website address and other info and said they would not forget us. Moreover, they said they would let the storm victims know as well. This is what it means to be "servant leaders," something we claim to be.

As of this afternoon (5 May), we have raised exactly $4,375. That's in only four days of fundraising. Thanks to you all for your generosity. The largest single donation has been $1000--I challenge someone to top it! These poor folks we are serving really need and appreciate it.

Sara has really worked hard as our official Purchasing Agent, though she is not satisfied with her performance (she thinks she can save even more on her purchases). My 82-year-old Mama (a proud LS member) sent a good deal of cash to buy my gasoline for these trips--she still works a 40-hour week). My youngest daughter has been volunteering as a cook in Tuscaloosa to help feed the workers there. I'm really proud of my family, both biological and League!

I had intended to have the 2011 LS national conference agenda finalized by next week, but it looks as if I'll have to delay it because of our relief work. Once it's completed, I'll notify everyone and we'll post it on our www.dixienet.org website.

Hang in there,

FSI,
Michael Hill

Click here to donate!

The front-running Bay Hawks and Wellington Saints kept up their unbeaten starts to the National Basketball League season on Friday night.