One of the Biggest HITS I've Seen In A Long Time!

 WHAT A HIT!

On Sunday morning while cleaning up after a monster party at the Sports Shmuck's palace, I was interrupted by a large "WHOAAAAAAA" by my brother and a friend. They were watching the Arkansas vs LSU College Football match on ESPN HD. When I rushed up all I saw was two guys on the floor looking rather dazed and sore. The crowd was going off their heads and the referees were discussing the incident. All I was thinking was   'Show the God damn replay'. Once the penalty was given, the crowd went berserk, and the replay was shown. Check it out below. How someone was not hurt during that collision I will never know. These young kids throw everything at each other to be in the spotlight. These two guys deserve every hit they get on youtube!

Blaze Set The Jungle On Fire, Wallabies Finish Tour With Big Win, Windies Demolished In First Test

HATS OFF ALL ROUND

PERTH FEEL THE HEAT
 

Big Hats Off must be given to the the Gold Coast Blaze who traveled to 'The Jungle' in Perth and came away with the victory. The Gold Coast franchise has been on fire of late winning it's last three games, two of them against the Wildcats. Should we be surprised? I certainly am not! They have had a good team over the last few years but the team never gelled like it is now. Last year fingers were pointed at the coach and the unusual signing of Shane Heal who was clearly on his last legs. The Blaze were moving in the wrong direction. Now with super coach, Joey Wright,  the team is firing on all cylinders and enjoying their hoops. The Wildcats had not been beaten in their previous seven home games. This didn't phase the Blaze at all. After a high scoring first quarter the Wildcats slowed the game down to a tempo that suits them the most. However Gold Coast showed they are able to play that game too. Low scoring quarters allowed Perth back in the game and were able to take a one point lead into the final break. In the last quarter, Perth's offense collapsed. The Wildcats only scoring 12 points in the quarter. The Blaze too strong in the dying stages eventually winning 82-78. I really like the look of the team. Two good imports who can both put large numbers up, James Harvey who is an Australian Boomer, and some good young talent in Adam Gibson (Boomer) and Chris Goulding. Are they any chance of winning the competition? That remains to be seen!

WALLABIES SMASH THE WELSH

On their last game of the Grand Slam Tour the Wallabies put on a show for their fans back home. After being slammed by the critics and old Wallabies for being soft and having no pride in their jersey. I was one of them, but did believe that the team was good enough to inflict such damage. The 33-12 win showed the world that the Wallabies are a completely different team to the side that lost to Scotland a week ago. This win will give them all the confidence in the world that they can match it with the best at the World Cup. The Wallabies defense was outstanding, leaving the Welsh without a try on the score sheet. Great effort in such hostile conditions. Matt Giteau picked himself up after last weekend's humiliating loss and played an outstanding game leaving him with man of the match honours. Genia also played a fantastic match proving he is the most promising half back in the world. Lets hope the Wallabies hold their head high when they return home. I am looking forward to the Super 14 competition, it should be a ripper with some of the recruiting done.

SHOULD THE WINDIES GO HOME?

The West Indies have got to be kidding right? Are they just here for a holiday? It certainly looks like it. Australia posted a first innings total of 480. Nothing spectacular! I probably thought Australia could have posted a larger total, it seemed as if they took the foot off the gas. The traveling team from the Caribbean could not post enough runs to avoid the follow on and Australia threw them into bat again. Needing 252 runs to put the Aussies back into bat should be accomplished in professional sport, one would think. They could not even do that! To not score 480 runs in two innings of cricket is a disgrace. We can't take away the fact our bowlers were ruthless. Hilfenhaus took 5 wickets for 70 runs over two innings. That's a great spell. It's a pity he will be out for the second test. This could be a humiliating series for the Indies unless they pick their act up. Losing Taylor won't help their situation at all. It's great though to see Australia back to their best even if it is against a woeful West Indies team. Any Australian victory is a great one, Right?

$1million fine for Serena? Penney Returns In Fine Form and Del Potro Again Too Tough For Fed

SERENA FACING HEFTY FINE

Serena Williams could possibly be forking out $1million for her antics at the US Open. The International Tennis Federations Grand Slam committee are close to finalising Serena's case. It has been almost 12 weeks since the outburst occurred. This would have to be one of the largest fines in sport? I agree with it though. What she did that day was unsportsmanlike and put a sour image on womens tennis and tennis in general. She is a role model and should've known better. Serena Williams has earnt over $25million dollars in her tennis career, so I'm sure it's just pocket money when you think of all the money she has earnt through endorsements. Do you think the fine is too harsh or does she deserve every bit of it?

PHOTO: http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26406107-10389,00.html

PENNEY RETURNS IN STYLE

Kirk Penney has made an outstanding comeback to the NBL after sitting on the sidelines for nine games with a back injury. Proving last years MVP title was no fluke, Penney chimed in with 22 points in only 20 minutes. Over a point a minute, very impressive! He also had 6 rebounds and 5 assists. If he played 35 minutes he may have had a triple double. It wasn't only his statistics which helped the Breakers get the win. Penney's presence on the court allowed Oscar Foreman(23 points) and Rick Rickert(16 points) play their role better than when he was out. More than anything it allowed CJ Bruton take a break from being the one man show. Let's hope Penney can stay healthy so the fans can continue to see such great talent. Breakers stormed away in the fourth quarter eventual winners 94-77.

FED EXPRESS DERAILED

Early this morning Roger Federer continued his struggle against Argentinian sensation Juan Martin Del Potro. It took the Argentine 3 sets to beat the champion from Switzerland, 6-2,6-7, 6-3. Del Potro has beaten Federer twice now in their last two encounters, previously in the US Open final. This win sends Juan through to the semi finals by the tightest of margins. His games won ratio to games lost beat Andy Murray's by one 44-43. This will be his first Masters semi final. I wish him all the best as he tries to conquer the world. I give him a great chance in the finals. I bet the Poms are spewing with home town hero Andy Murray not reaching the finals. I love it!

PHOTO: http://www.thesportsjournalist.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/del-potro.jpg

AI Retired From The NBA

NBA BREAKING NEWS

In shocking news from the NBA, Allen Iverson has decided to throw the towel in and call his retirement. This is monster news as Iverson was still being considered by some teams to fill their void. However it was not enough for Iverson to stick around. It is a shame as many people would have loved to see him have one more crack. Iverson stated in his press conference that "I still have tremendous love for the game, the desire to play, and a whole lot left in my tank. I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level." Does this suggest he will continue to play somewhere in Europe. How bout the NBL chips in and gets him downunder to draw some crowds. In my dreams! What are some of your favourite Allen Iverson moments?

PHOTO: http://newzar.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/allen-iverson-tattoos.jpg

6 Warriors Tear The Mavericks Up, New Jersey's Losing Streak Hits 14, Bird Escapes Jail Term and Goodbye Liverpool!

NBA ACTION

NBA giants the Dallas Mavericks have been cut down by 6 brave Warriors. Monta Ellis and Anothony Morrow were brilliant in a massive road win for the franchise. Ellis scored a season high 37 points and was helped by Morrow's 27. Ellis was fearless today taking it to the rim at will not caring who was in his way. On the other hand Morrow was on fire from downtown hitting 6 of 8 threes. That guy can flat out shoot the rock. He has such a quick release, yet so accurate. Today Dallas totally fell into the run and gun style of the Warriors and couldn't get out of it. They were poor, turning the ball over and forcing up bad shots. The Mavericks turned the ball over 18 times to the Warriors 21. Stephen Curry was big time in the clutch, hitting a three ball and a floater over Dirk which was sweet. Dirk was held without a field goal for the last fifteen minutes of the game. That's crazy when you think he is the go to man for the Mavs. The final score was 111-103.

New Jersey have slumped to a 0-14 record. They are three losses away from equalling the worst record in NBA history. Today they couldn't match the intensity of the Denver Nuggets eventually going down 101-87. I really do feel for the Nets as they have had so many injuries and have had some heartbreaking losses. I really do hope they can string a few wins together or have atleast one.  Devin Harris is back and Courtney Lee returned to action today so maybe there is some sort of hope in the coming games.

BIRD FREE TO FLY

Ex Cronulla Shark player Greg Bird has escaped a jail sentence today. The judge was said to believe the story of the girlfriend being the agressor. How much was she paid to tell the judge such utter bullshit? She is an absolute idiot to let such a coward be free. Greg Bird deserves all the punishment in the world. He knew he was in the wrong when he tried to dump it on his best mate. Surely the judge should have considered that. It all doesn't make sense. Football players get away with anything these days! What do you think?

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Early this morning Liverpool continued it's horror season by bowing out of the Champions League tournament. Even with one more match to play Liverpool can't qualify. They are copping a bagging from the United and Chelsea fans. I love a good rilvary between fans, especially in the soccer there is so much love and hate. One of my favourite jabs are "Liverpool meet Europa League, Europa League meet Liverpool" a persons reply was "they better get to know each other well". Barcelona took care of business at home against Italian power houses Inter Milan. Two goals in the first 30 minutes from Barcelona put the game out of reach for Inter. Final score 2-0.

Travelling Wigan Fans Refunded and Rugby League All Star Game Rule Changes

WIGAN REPAY FANS

Wigan Athletic Football Club have vowed to refund the fans which traveled to White Hart Lane to witness the 9-1 massacre against Tottenham. The Wigan players felt they let their most loyal fans down and admitted the result was "embarrassing". If I was a fan I would have been disappointed and felt like the trip was a waste of time and money. I now pose the question to you all. Do you recall any other sporting fixture throughout the history of sport that fans should have had their money refunded to them? A recent one would have to be the Irish fans that traveled to France to watch their team get screwed by a handball decision which cost them a spot in the World Cup. Have your say. Has it ever happened to you?

HAVE YOUR SAY

The Rugby League All Star Game between the All Stars and the Indigenous All Stars will feature new rules and some new broadcast features. The first new rule being brought to the February 13 fixture is that after a try is scored a team can either choose to:

1. kick for goal OR
2. take one play and go for the extra try. Which will result in an extra four points to the teams total. 

This is heading along the lines of the NFL. In the NFL they either take the one point field goal or get one play to try for the two point conversion. How do we think this is going to go? I think it could be exciting. It would be interesting to see some of the plays coaches come up with to score in one play. I think the NRL is trying to make the game more exciting and who knows it could one day decide a match. I don't think a team would use it much unless the game was on the line or a team felt they had their opposition on the ropes. On the All Star night there will be four referees. If they can't get it right on the night they never will! I'd love to see a stuff up. The coaches on the night will also be wearing microphones for the home viewer to listen to, and the one I love the most is that the video ref will be explaining his decision to the broadcast team. If Phil Gould is involved there could be some heated arguments going on in the box. How good would that be? It's all set for an interesting night. 

FLASH MOBBING

Flash Mobbing is a sport in its own right. It is performed in a team, at the one location on a specific day and time. It is unreal to watch. It happens all over the world. Just recently there was one held in Australia, at the famous Bondi Beach. Check it out below. If you enjoy this one be sure to check out others on www.youtube.com

 

KOBE'S FREAKSHOW

FREAK SHOW IN L.A

 

Just in, this is crazy! Kobe's circus shot against the Thunder today!

NBL Action, Tottenham Spurs Run Riot and This Time Garnett's Buzzer Beater Counts

Sports Shmuck has just gotten back from his holiday to Perth. Great weather, great friends and an awesome time! The Sports Shmuck even attended Railway Stakes Day at Ascot which was unreal. Snipers Bullet taking out the 1 million dollar race, leading from start to finish. Great effort. I'm back now, enjoy the blog!

 

NBL ACTION

What a weekend of basketball Australia produced. Inconsistency is the word that springs to mind when thinking about this years NBL. Over the weekend there were a mixed bag of results that had fans across the nation scratching their heads. If someone is willing to explain some of these results please do so. 

1. Firstly, Cairns who had the most atrocious live basketball match shown on Fox Sports against Townsville last week somehow play the game of their lives against New Zealand. The Breakers came out firing in the first quarter taking a 9-2 lead and things were looking ugly for the Taipans. Cairns coach, Aaron Ferne, mixed up the starting lineup leaving Phil Jones and Rich Melzer on the bench. Didn't make sense seeing that the scoring output this season has been so bad. Maybe this tactic lured NZ into a false sense of security. Melzer had a blinder, easily the best game he has played all year. It actually looked like he wanted to be there and win! Cairns win 77-64. NZ still without a win on the road.
2. Two nights later New Zealand travel to Townsville to complete the second leg of the 'sunshine swing'. After watching NZ play on Wednesday night you would think that the Crocs would be sharpening their teeth to sink into the Breakers. The Crocs got a beat down by a more hungry NZ side. John Rillie returning to the 'Swamp' for the first time since his illustrious career there, helped spur on the Breakers to victory. I can bet you he was a happy man that night. Any chance to go to an old stomping ground and get the win is always satisfying. This was extra special for the team from across the Tasman as it was their first road win of the season. With Penney on the comeback they are going to be extra tough. NZ win 85-73
   
3. Gold Coast played host to the Perth Wildcats on Friday evening. Perth came out firing on all cylinders taking an 18 point lead at the half time break. Smooth sailing one might say. A third quarter meltdown by the boys from the West allowed the Blaze to produce a miraculous comeback and have the game all tied up at the end of the third quarter. How does a professional basketball team only score 5 points in a ten minute quarter? Sorry but that is pathetic, especially with the caliber of players on the Wildcats roster. The Blaze were too tough in the fourth. A big three with 40 seconds to go by Aaron Maxey put the Gold Coast side up by three. Mr Clutch K-Lisch tried to be the hero again but this time failed. Blaze 84-Wildcats 79. The Cats seem to be struggling on the road and need to pick their act up if they are to gain that top seed in the playoffs. I definitely would not like to be playing a Grand Final series at the Jungle. 
   
4. Finally the four game weekend came to an end with the bottom of the table clash between the Melbourne Tigers and the Cairns Taipans. Melbourne are desperate for a win, right? Obviously not! Cairns who got a big win against the Breakers take down the Tigers at the Cage. What is going on this year with the Tigers. A club with such a proud history has hit rock bottom. Was bringing in Julius Hodge the right decision? Is Anstey going to be able to take them back to the promised land? Or is it all too late for the Tigers? I think the season may just be over for the Tigers. Chris Anstey will come back but won't be in peak fitness and will not be playing 40 minutes a game straight away. Cairns with a big double this weekend. Can this keep up for the Taipans? I'm not a believer
   
 

 EPL RIOT

The Tottenham Spurs have run in an incredible 9 goals early this morning in their game against Wigan Athletic. I can't remember the last time 9 goals have been scored by the one team in the EPL. It must be some sort of record Anyone care to share if there has been? Jermaine Defoe scored 5 of the 9 goals. Check out the highlights from the 9-1 victory. There were six goals scored in a 20 minute period. Now that is entertainment!
PHOTO: www.foxsports.com.au 

NBA ACTION

 

Kevin Garnett has shown everybody that his buzzer beater was no fluke against the Warriors by producing a shorter version against the Knicks. The Celtics fought back from being 8 points down at one stage in the third quarter against a spirited New York side. Boston coming off a loss at home to the Orlando Magic penciled this in as a must win game on the calendar. They were lucky to get out alive. Al Harrington hitting two free throws with 4.7 seconds left in regulation sent the game into overtime. With limited time left on the clock, Paul Pierce runs a simple pick and roll with KG, takes a dribble to his right, and gets double teamed. Pierce uses his smarts and kicks it out to an open Garnett who drills an open jumper from just inside the three point line. New York are kidding right? How does someone get so open when the game is on the line? That's the Knicks for you this year, they don't know how to win close games! Check out the game winner below.

PHOTO: nba.com

KG's Full Court Shot Doesn't Beat The Buzzer and France Go Through To The World Cup Courtest of Controversial Goal

 FULL COURT SHOT WAVED AWAY

At the half time buzzer of the Celtics/Warriors match Kevin Garnett of Boston threw up a full court prayer only for it to go straight through the hoop. After looking at the replay the referees decided to dismiss the basket as he still had the ball in his hands when the red lights came on. Your kidding me right. Let it count you losers! One hander in midair, its amazing. Check it out below!

THIERRY HENRY: NEW HAND OF GOD?

France have advanced to the world cup through an extra time winner by William Gallas. However the goal was not to come without controversy. The Irish players charged at the referee once the ball was in the back of the net. They were claiming that Thierry Henry used his hand to trap the ball before laying it off to Gallas to finish off. I'll let you judge for yourself below. In other games, Greece are going to South Africa after beating the Ukraine 1-0 and Portugal travelled to Eastern Europe to beat Bosnia 1-0. I bet Ronaldo is happy about that! Portugal have proved many critics wrong by winning without their superstar. Just how far can they go in the World Cup with him available? Guus Hiddink couldn't create a miracle with his Russian team as they bombed out of the World Cup qualifying by losing to Slovenia.

Knicks Want To Talk With Iverson, Gaels Smash San Diego State and Australian Tennis 'You Are Kidding'

NBA NEWS

Just to follow up on my Allen Iverson article on the 9th November, he has been waived by the Memphis Grizzlies after playing only three games. Iverson can't seem to buy a trick. However there may be hope as the New York Knicks have reportedly been wanting to talk to AI. I think this would be a great move by the struggling Knicks. I mean what more could go wrong for the Knicks with Iverson in the team, another loss, more issues on and off the court? He would suit their run and gun offense and it will allow him to get his shots up and use the open floor to his advantage. I wonder if New York City will open their arms for the 'Answer'. What do you think? Do you think NY should take Iverson or is he just bad news wherever he goes?

Jameer Nelson has to be the unluckiest guy in the NBA. He just can't seem to string a season together let alone consecutive games. He is one of the best point guards going around when he is healthy. Yesterday he was injured in the fourth quarter against the Charlotte Bobcats. Why is Jameer Nelson playing in the fourth quarter against the Bobcats? If Orlando put their heads down in the opening three quarters they would have smashed Charlotte. Instead they get into a grind and have their starters on late in the game which results in a big time player getting injured. Nelson will undergo arthroscopic surgery tomorrow on torn cartilage in his left knee, resulting in him missing the next 4-6 weeks.

COLLEGE HOOPS

Last night on ESPN the St Marys Gaels put on a show against San Diego State winning 80-58. St Marys is like a boarding house for Australian basketballers. Over the last 5 years they have played host to some of Australia's most exciting youngsters. Patrick Mills was a superstar at St Marys. Last night on the television you could see posters of him all around the gym. The commentators would not stop talking about him throughout the entire match. I bet they were wishing that he was still around to help the Gaels get to the tournament. However this year a new breed of Australian has hit the town, Matthew Dellavedova. This kid is the real deal. Matthew has already played for the Boomers and played extremely well might I add. He is super quick on the defensive end, getting right up in the grill of his opposition. He did a fantastic job on New Zealand superstar Kirk Penney in the Oceania two game series. Matt was probably the shining light that came out of that series. As a freshman he brings a wealth of experience to the Gaels roster. Ben Allen, another Aussie, has also stepped his game up, about time Benny boy. Allen was named West Coast Conference Player of the Week as he was one assist shy of a rare triple double( 10 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds). The Gaels are now 2-0.

MY BEEF

Australian Tennis is going great guns right? Yeah right, no chance! This will make you laugh then. Our best two players are having a lovers tiff at the moment because Bernard Tomic did not want to hit with Lleyton Hewitt at Wimbledon. John Newcombe has spoken to the media about it all and stated in the Daily Telegraph, "The problem is you get a situation like this that needs the two players themselves to communicate rather than their entourages firing bullets". This is totally correct. I'm sure a grown man like Hewitt can sort this one out for the good of Australian Tennis, surely he doesn't need his parents for this one. I mean Tomic you are a kid, who do you think you are to say no to one of Australia's greats? This is where the youth of sport worldwide don't have respect for the people who have come before them. This is why most of the time they get beat. On the rare occasion we see young guys like LeBron James or Rafael Nadal come onto the scene. Tomic is no where near their caliber. Grow up the both of you, because for Australian Tennis to survive they are going to need the both of you.

 

RON ARTEST AT HIS BEST

YOU ARE KIDDING

Check this out for sportsmanship. Watch carefully as Ron Artest throws Trevor Arizas shoe off the court. It's classic!

Cloud Over Brett Lee's Future in Test Cricket and an Eagle Swoops on Big English Deal

HAVE YOUR SAY

Brett Lee has had his ups and downs over the last few years. Lee has been plagued with injuries forcing him off tours and having to watch from the stands. When he isn't injured he is one of Australia's best bowlers, if not the BEST. The media are questioning him on whether it's time to retire from test cricket and focus on limited overs cricket. His latest injury, a flare up of a previous elbow injury, has further placed doubt in the mind of selectors and Brett himself on how many years he has left in his Test career. Before the injury occurred Ponting was praising Lee and suggesting that Brett was back in the test mix. This is so dissappointing for Brett and his fans. I'd love to see him back out there for the test series this summer. He is just so lethal and keeps batters on the back foot at all times. It will be a sad day when Brett pulls the pin on the baggy green. I still think he has it in him, he just needs to get his body right. That is what professional sport does to you though, it's never an easy ride. How do you feel? Do you think Brett still has got it? Or should he let the youth take over?

Matt Orford from the Manly Sea Eagles has shocked the NRL by leaving to go to England and take up a lucrative contract. Orford has signed a three year deal with the Bradford Bulls worth $1.5 million. That is ridiculous money, no wonder Australian players are flying over there. A previous Dally M Player of the Year, Matty would have been stupid not to take it up. This sort of money sets these players up for the rest of their life. Australia must do something fast because that is two big name players in the last week England have taken from the NRL. Jarred Hayne this years NRL Dally M winner will be on $500000 this year, imagine what England could offer him! What do you think Australia should be doing to keep our stars on our shore?

Manning v Brady Lives Up To The Expectations

BLOCKBUSTER IN INDIANAPOLIS

Sunday Night Football produced one of the all time greatest comebacks by Payten Manning and the Colts. There was massive hype regarding the Indianapolis Colts vs New England Patriots who have two of the greatest quarterbacks of this decade on their playing rosters. Manning and Tom Brady gave the fans just what they had been asking for. Long touchdown passes by Brady and short and sharp bullets by Manning. The game had it all. It was entertainment plus in the opening half with many touchdowns and not much defense being played, or we could just say the quarterbacks were just that good. The offensive lines held strong and gave Tom and Payten plenty of time to get their passes off. 


The second half though, especially the third quarter was sloppy. A few turnovers by New England both on the Colts goal line proving costly. Manning gave the Pats every chance to win the game with a horrible pass intended for Reggie Wayne. It all came down to the last two minutes though. The game was so tight that with two minutes left the New England Patriots had the ball 4th and 2 on their own 30 yard line. The Pats were up six. Normally a team would punt and make their opposition have to run 80 yards to win the match. For some unknown reason, which will be spoken about for the rest of the year, Bill Belichick insists they go for it instead of the punt. With no time outs remaining the ball is thrown by Brady only to be juggled when the catch is made by Kevin Faulk. In juggling the ball he was pushed back behind the first down markers. Belichick could not challenge the play leaving the Colts with the ball in the Pats 30 yard line down six with two minutes to play. In comes Manning who tears them apart and the Colts win by one.

 I seriously can't believe the decision made by Belichick. It just doesn't make sense. In such a big game for the Pats it would have made sense to trust your defense and make the Colts win the game from their own 20 yard line. Bill also used crucial timeouts in the wrong situations, one of them just before the snap to talk the 4th and 2 situation over with Brady. If he saves that time out he would have been able to challenge the play. Damn that would have been one hell of a challenge. It looked so close. In an interview on espn.com, Belichick stated "if we make that play we would have been able to run down the clock to the end or close enough". Sorry Bill you didn't. Gambling is a bad habit and boy did you lose. Here are some game notes I took while watching the match:

1. Brady was on fire throughout the match hitting targets left, right and centre. He just seems so calm and collected all the time. His pass to Randy Moss was incredible, he landed that piece of leather on a dime. If he keeps throwing like that the Pats will be humming by playoff time. He works so well with Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Welker is a machine and made many big time plays for his side. 
2. Payten Manning was up and down today. He threw a couple of really dud balls or as the espn commentators call it a 'duck'. Two of them being interceptions which were clearly off the mark. However during the first half he was throwing the ball well, it was his receivers who were making a mess of it. When the pressure is on though I'd look no further then putting Manning in my pocket. His no huddle offense is amazing to watch. So sharp and crisp. That last quarter was so good to watch him work his magic.
3. Even though the Colts defense was decimated by injuries they hung tough especially in the fourth quarter. The Colts on average have only allowed their opposition 13.5 points per game. Tonight they allowed 34 and still won. Robert Mathers must be given kudos for his fourth quarter effort. He single-handedly gave the Colts one last chance with some deflections and pressure on Brady.
   

All in all a great match to sit and watch on my day off work! I hope you all enjoyed it, sorry to all the Pats fans but I know who you will all be cursing on. I'm sure the Pats will be in the finals. Check out the game highlights below courtesy of www.nfl.com
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d8143b6c2/NFL-GameDay-Patriots-vs-Colts-highlights

NBA ACTION SATURDAY

NBA ACTION

What a day in the NBA. Where do I start? How can I go past Brandon Jennings 55 point game. This kid is a freak. Check out the highlight package below, he goes off! When you play with so much confidence, games like this one today can happen. Jennings was the 10th overall pick this year for the Milwaukee Bucks. He opted not to go to college, instead going straight to Europe to have a season there and develop his skills while earning some money. Who needs an education these days right? People called him crazy and critics were on his back about how college would have done him the world of good. Bet they ate their words today. Jennings and Bogut are developing a nice combination with Michael Redd on the sidelines with an injury. Bogut had another solid game with 19 points and 11 rebounds. But it was Jennings who shot 21/34 field goals and had 29 points in the third quarter alone. That is out of this world. Some teams don't have 29 points as a team in a quarter these days let alone by one guy.
PHOTO: http://www.sbnation.com/2009/11/14/1157740/Brandon-Jennings-55-points-Buck-Warriors


How about San Antonio fielding a full strength line up for the first time in a week get beat by Oklahoma. With Tim Duncan and Tony Parker out of the line up during the week, the Spurs beat Dallas Mavericks at home. How is this possible to go down to the Thunder. I'll tell you why. These kids on the Oklahoma team bust their guts night in and night out. They don't care who you are or where they are playing you, they want to win. The Thunder are 5-4, if someone told me they would have had a winning record after 10 games I would have laughed in their face. Kevin Durant is leading his team every night. He is averaging 27 points per game and 7.5 rebounds a night. However this year it is the supporting cast that is helping him out. Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook are making sure it's not all about Kevin. Even in their losses this year they have been competitive, even going down to the Lakers in overtime. Will their wheels fall off during the season or are they in for the long haul. Only time will tell but they sure are exciting too watch.
PHOTO: http://www.nba.com/playerfile/kevin_durant/index.html



I don't know if you were able to witness this live but on Friday Dwayne Wade dunked on Anderson Varejao something fierce. It was one for the ages! D-Wade is on fire and there is no putting him out at the moment. Today he hit the game winning three pointer against New Jersey on the buzzer. This guy has ice in his veins. Check the video below for Wades dunk on Big Anderson. I love it when he steps over him, you can tell how pumped he is! So Awesome, the crowd goes bananas especially on the replay!
PHOTO: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/basketball/story/1334254.html

Redemption for the Kangaroos, The Socceroos Take A Big Step Towards Asia and Tiger Wins The Australian Masters.

BIG HATS OFF

The Aussies have successfully redeemed themselves from their World Cup loss to the Kiwis by winning the Four Nations final last night. The Kangaroos staved off a competitive England outfit to win the match 46-16. After England hit the lead 16-14 early in the second half, Australia clicked into gear and ran an absolute muck in the final 20 minutes. A freakish tap back by Billy Slater allowed Cameron Smith to pounce on the ball for a try underneath the sticks. Billy the Kid is an absolute star. He scored three tries and had the helping hand to ignite the Kangaroos. Brett Morris grabbed another double. This tour has no doubt solidified Brett's position on the wing for years to come. With the Morris boys firing it seems as if NSW could be of more competition in this years State of Origin. Congratulations must also be given to Darren Lockyer who became the most capped Kangaroo, what a way to finish off your representative career. Thanks for the memories Locky!

PHOTO: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/wallabies-wallop-england-at-four-nations/article1363998/

Kudos has to go to the Socceroos for coming from a goal down to win their Asian Cup Qualifier in Oman. After going down a goal in the 17th minute the Aussies dug deep to produce one of their own. In the 43rd minute Luke Wilkshire put one in the back of the net for the Australians. Mark Schwarzer again was the hero for Australia saving many shots on his line. He does this time and time again, it is becoming a regular occurrence for Schwarz. When Mark retires he will be a national hero. Lets hope he keeps his form up for the World Cup in South Africa. Oman became frustrated through not being able to put one past Schwarz, which allowed Brett Emerton to steal one for the Aussies in the 82nd minute. This gave Australia a 2-1 lead and there was no looking back.

Another quick Hats Off must go to our Kiwi friends the All Whites for making it to the World Cup after beating Bahrain 1-0 in front of 35100 fans. A Rory Fallon header off a Leo Bertos corner ensured NZ they were going to South Africa. Well done guys but I hope the Aussies draw you in their group so they can get an easy win!

PHOTO: http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/2009InsideFFA

Finally Tiger Woods has to be commended for having a great final round to reclaim the lead and take out the Masters. Tigers third round of 72 put him in a dog fight on the last day of play. This is what champions live for! I bet Tiger was sitting at home on Saturday night thinking, 'I'm going to show Australia that I'm here to win this and I'll prove I'm this good.' Boy did he do that! A final round of 68 gave him the right to wear the Golden Jacket. I'm sure the event organisers had as big a grin on their faces as Tiger did. When asked if he will come back and defend his title, he said "I'd love too". I bet their grins got even larger! Tiger was all class throughout his time in Australia and just shows that not all champions in their sport are arrogant and don't care about their fans. I hope all future sport stars can look up to Tigers Woods and Roger Federer and take a page out of their book. Congratulations to tournament organisers for putting on such a successful event and hopefully showing the world of Golf that Australia can hold such a large event.
PHOTO: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/thetoydepartment/TigerWoods.jpg

Orlando No Match For Fired Up Cavs and Big Dell Calls It Quit

NBA ACTION

The Cavs had a point to prove today, that they should have been in the final last year. LeBron was fired up from the get go and dominated the match finishing with 36 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Dwight Howard from the Magic wasn't allowed to be heavily involved due to early foul trouble which helped the Cavs set the tempo. Once they get rolling they can be deadly and Orlando felt the wrath today! Rashard Lewis was sorely missed who is still serving his suspension. I wish they let Shaq and Howard be more physical today, there were so many soft calls on the big fellas. Let them play for goodness sake. This is such a good rivalry and I hope it continues throughout the season.

PHOTO: http://imagecache5.art.com/p/LRG/11/1151/Q4OM000Z/lebron-james-2004-multi--exposure.jpg

New Jersey have started with zero wins from their first eight matches which is one of their worst starts in franchise history. New Jersey have struggled fielding five guys on the court let alone winning a match. Just recently Douglas-Roberts was diagnosed with swine flu and many of their big stars including Devin Harris and Yi JianLian are injured. Let's hope they can get everyone healthy and start winning some games.

PHOTO: http://img2.allposters.com/images/PHO/AAGZ191_8x10-2006Logo.jpg

Andrew Bogut has had a monster game for the Milwaukee Bucks to help beat the Denver Nuggets 108-102. Bogut dominated with 23 points and 10 rebounds and why don't you add 4 blocks in. A great game from the big Aussie. It's about time he starts to produce for the amount of money he is being paid. Denver have struggled on the road and I'm sure they will be looking forward to getting back home and winning some games in front of their own fans.

PHOTO: http://blogpistolero.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/andrewbogut.jpg

HATS OFF

Big Wendell Sailor has retired from Rugby League, feeling as if he has done his job of getting his reputation back on track. I must say as much as I dont like Wendell Sailor he has done a great job for the community and for young children looking to play Rugby League. He could have thrown in the towel after the drug ordeal but he stuck to his guns and got himself back in the game. St George Illawarra threw him a life line and he used it to show everyone he is a good man, a family man. "Personally for me I'm content and I'm happy and I'm just happy with the way people responded to me" Sailor said on Fox Sports Australia. I'm sure we will see Dell on our TVs very soon running his mouth on the commentary team for Channel Nine.

PHOTO: http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2008/08/30/va1237327516752/Wendell-Sailor-Dragons-beat-the-Eels-6225631.jpg

While on the topic of Rugby League, Australia has lost another key player to the English Super League. This time Melbourne Storm's Dallas Johnston has signed with Catalans for three years. What a huge loss for the NRL. He is easily one of the best locks in the game. Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy stated "he is the toughest player I've ever seen" (Fox Sports) which is a great acknowlegement from a coach of his calibre. Dallas Johnston claimed it was "too good to refuse". He was one of my favourite players in the NRL, I wish there was something the NRL could do to keep their marquee players.

PHOTO: http://www2.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Melbourne+Storm+Training+Session+5YQNhqXzlz4l.jpg

NBA Action

NBA ACTION

What a day in the NBA! Buzzer beater called no good, Dwayne Wade goes off for 41 and Dallas came back and smashed Houston in the second half.

What a finish to the Chicago/Denver fixture! After missing the second free throw on purpose, Chauncey Billups put the Nuggets up by one with 0.3 seconds remaining. Chicago took a timeout to set up a hail mary. Brad Miller popped out received the ball and let it fly. The basket was good and sent the United Centre into a frenzy. However all the celebrations turned sour as after looking at the video replay Brad Miller had not let the ball go in time. It was a fair call! Denver getting a big road win.

PHOTO: http://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/Refs_Overturn_Brad_Millers_Buzzer_Beater_to_Beat_Nuggets_Wrong_Call/1541850/

Dwayne Wade has again led his team to victory at home against the Washington Wizards. This year the Heat are on fire and have D-Wade to thank for it. He is playing like the MVP of the league at the moment. He is averaging 28 points a game and 4.8 assists for the first six matches. If he keeps this up the Heat will be in the playoffs and Wade could have himself the MVP trophy. Today he had 41 points, some of them towards the end of the fourth when his team needed him most. A notable mention to Gilbert Arenas who had 13 turnovers. This places him in the Wizards record books for most turnovers. Great record to hold if you ask me.

PHOTO: http://tothetin.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/dwade.jpg

The Dallas Mavericks this year are making life hard for themselves. Coming back from big deficits seems to be the norm for Dirk and the Mavs this season. Today the Houston Rockets came out on fire! Brooks, the point guard for Houston, lit Dallas up in the first quarter. He is so small but usES his lightning speed to blow by his opponents. The first half by the Rockets was one of the most entertaining halves of basketball I've seen by an NBA team in a while. Their second half however was one of the worst. Dallas changed the whole game by slowing the Rockets down and played a half court game in which Houston could not compete with. Dallas eventually winning by a comfortable 18 points. A notable mention goes to David Anderson, an Aussie playing for Houston. I felt he held his own in the match and had a great first half. The commentators gave him a bit of a wrap which was good. He just needs to find his feet in a league played totally different to the way the Europeans. Keep it up David.

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Tiger Woods Is In The House, Aussie has Career Night in the NBA and Can Kevin Sheedy Still Coach?

HATS OFF

Kudos must be given to Tiger Woods for coming to Australia to participate at the Australian Masters. Who wouldn't though for a $3.25 million appearance fee. Tiger arrived on his private jet yesterday landing in Essendon airport, before being whisked away to the Crown Casino where he will stay while in Melbourne. Australian Golf feel as if it was the right thing to do and that they will benefit from his visit. They certainly have done so. They are predicting Tiger will bring sell out crowds of 20000 people a day to Kingston Heath. Lets hope he makes the cut! Stuart Appleby, one of Australia's top golfers, feels the appearance fee is worth every cent. "It's a big investment but I think it's a real smart one" Appleby said. One way Tiger can repay Australian Golf is by putting on a show and taking out the Masters.
PHOTO: http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2009/04/25/1225704/022968-tiger-woods.jpg



Hats Off must be given to Nathan Jawai from the Minnesota Timberwolves who had a career night against Portland. While his 16 points in 21 minutes weren't good enough to help the Timberwolves get the win it could mean more minutes for the Aussie from Cairns. Jawai has had a tough time since joining the NBA. He has played for three teams already and not getting much playing time. He has been criticised for putting on too much weight and not having a great international series against New Zealand. Lets hope this is the kick start he needs to get his NBA Career going. The Timberwolves who are struggling this year may allow Jawai to get some more minutes. The more exposure he can get the better chance he may have his contract extended or be seen by other clubs.
PHOTO: http://www.nbaloud.com/images/nathan-jawai-dunk1.jpg

HAVE YOUR SAY

Western Suburbs AFL have signed Kevin Sheedy to coach the new club, Greater Western Sydney. He is the only man who could win the hearts of a population area where Rugby League and Soccer are the dominant codes. The problem is can the man still coach? His coaching record is amazing. He coached the Essendon football club for 27 years, winning four premierships. After Sheedy left Essendon they have slowly slipped away from what they once were. I think he is going to need a great assistant to help him along his ways. Kevin will love this challenge and will do everything in his power to make it work. In 2012 they will make their debut, I can't wait for the grudge matches between the Swans and the Greater West. It will be a marketers dream!

PHOTO: http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,26326303-5005401,00.html

Allen Iverson Certainly Not Memphis' Answer, Aussie Teams Go On Global Rampage, All Australian Team in the NBL No More!

MY BEEF

Seven games is all it has taken for Allen Iverson to ask to have some time in Atlanta for personal matters. AI is kidding himself. What a whinger. Iverson is lucky enough to have a team this season so he should be grateful Memphis asked him to join their squad. Memphis are in a rebuilding stage with many young up and coming superstars on their roster. Oj Mayo and Rudy Gay could benefit from having Iverson as their mentor. If Iverson wasn't only looking to help himself, Memphis could have benefited from having him run their offense. However, Iverson still wants to be the man that plays 30-40 minutes and put up 20 shots. Sorry AI your time is up and it's time for the young stars to take your place. So the question on everyone's mind is 'Will Allen Iverson Play Again This Year?'. I seriously don't think so! He just can't handle the fact he isn't the man anymore. I guess he should have never left Philadelphia where they would have never stopped loving him.

HATS OFF

Over the weekend, the Wallabies, Kangaroos and the Australian Cricket Team all produced big victories in their respective sports. The Wallabies(Rugby Union) started their European tour with a bang beating England at Twickenham 18-9. Adam Ashley Cooper and new scrum-half sensation Will Genia scoring for the Green and Gold. Hopefully this is the start of a great tour for the Wallabies after a rough year against the All Blacks. The Kangaroos(Rugby League) have booked themselves a spot in the Four Nations final after demolishing the French in the second half, eventually winning 42-4. Only leading 8-0 at half time, the Aussies came out firing running in six tries to one. A double to both the Morris boys and a hat trick to Michael Jennings must put doubt in the mind of selectors on which combination to go with in the final. Personally I think Hodges must be dropped and use either Jennings or Morris in the centres with Inglis on the other side of the park. The Aussies will face the Poms as they upset New Zealand in the other game, 20-12. Last but not least the Australian Cricket Team has beaten India in game six of their series. This is an incredible feat as half of the team had been sent home and Ricky Ponting only had 13 healthy bodies to choose from. Australia won by an impressive six wickets. A five wicket spell produced by Doug Bollinger gave the Aussies only 170 runs to chase. The Aussies took 41.5 overs to chase it down only losing four wickets. This is a series the Aussies will remember for a long time and will give all the youngsters all the confidence in the world for their future endeavors.PHOTO: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/resize/index/id/131511/w/300/h/225/site_1_rand_1404834629_wallabies_england_getty_b_091108.jpg
PHOTO: http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-league-news/jennings-helps-aussies-run-riot-over-french-3118429
PHOTO: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01515/Watson_1515058c.jpg

NBL ACTION

The Melbourne Tigers have signed American import Julius Hodge to help bolster their lineup for the duration of the season. The Tigers are struggling at the bottom of the ladder registering only three wins from their first nine games. All the talk before the season was that the Melbourne Tigers would be the first NBL team to win the competition with an All Australian lineup. Well it's not to be. Mark Worthington was big on the idea of being involved in such a feat. Sorry Mark your team was just not good enough. Is this move going to work for the Tigers? Julius demands so much ball, so many shots, and for him to pretty much be the man in the spotlight. Hasn't Julius run into someone thinking along the same lines. Wortho and Julius will try to put that all behind them and get on with winning some games. I'm looking forward to seeing if Worthington can do so, after the first nine games has seen him being the one to take the big shots and see so much ball. On the other side of the Tasman the Kiwis are also struggling to put some wins on the table after a horrible week. The Breakers lost both of their games against the Blaze and the Wildcats. Just announced today is that their star player Kirk Penney is still three weeks away. This is horrible for the Breakers who were the premiership favourites before the season started. Their import is also not producing and looks to be on the outer any time soon, and I'm guessing it's going to be sooner rather than later as they need to start winning. A rumour has suggested the Breakers could call on John Rillie, former Australian boomer, to join their team in place of Penney. Wouldn't they have one of the most lethal outside shooting teams ever seen. With Rillie, Bruton and Penney sitting outside the three point line I don't think too many teams will be playing a zone.
PHOTO: http://nbl.com.au/
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