Sabtu, 31 Desember 2011

NFL Week 17 Picks

For many teams, this week's game will be their most important of the season. Week 17 will decide the final playoff spots that are available and the seeding of playoff teams. The only playoff team with nothing to play for is Green Bay. There is also the race for the first pick in the draft that will be decided this week. This is exactly what the NFL wanted and here are this week's picks.

Baltimore at Cincinnati
Baltimore 24, Cincinnati 17
The Ravens can lock up a first round bye with a win while Cincinnati can make the playoffs with a win. The Bengals were able to sell this game out which was good due to the magnitude of this game. The Ravens have not been that good on the road. However, Ray Rice will have a huge day as Jimmy Smith and Ed Reed will slow down AJ Green as the Ravens get a huge win and the Bengals miss the playoffs.

Tennessee at Houston
Tennessee 27, Houston 13
Houston has a shot at a first round bye while the Titans can make the playoffs if things happen just right on Sunday and a win. Mike Munchak has been rumored with the Penn State but has openly denied any interest in the job. The Texans still have not opened up the offense for TJ Yates and until they do, the Texans offense will be all Arian Foster which will let teams put eight in the box. Tennesse will dominate Houston, get a win, and make the playoffs as the sixth seed in the AFC.

Dallas at NY Giants
NY GIants 26, Dallas 24
The winner of this game wins the NFC East and is in the playoffs while the loser gets a head start on playing some golf down in Florida. The Giants have a lot of momentum after easily beating the Jets last week. The Cowboys' Tony Romo could finally get that big win on his resume if he gets a win Sunday. Eli Manning seems to be big in the big games and Sunday will be no exception. Lawrence Tynes will kick a game-winning field goal to put the Giants in the playoffs.

Upset Pick
Miami 28, NY Jets 17 [Jets miss playoffs]

Quickpicks
Detroit 31, Green Bay 20 [Detroit gets 5 seed as the Packers' starters are rested.]
San Francisco 27, St Louis 10 [49ers get 2 seed, Rams get first pick in draft]
Minnesota 20, Chicago 13
New England 34, Buffalo 20 [New England gets 1 seed]
New Orleans 35, Carolina 23 [New Orleans gets 3 seed]
Philadelphia 22, Washington 21
Indianapolis 21, Jacksonville 13 [Colts get second pick in draft]
Atlanta 31, Tampa Bay 14 [Atlanta gets 6 seed]
Pittsburgh 30, Cleveland 10 [Pittsburgh gets 5 seed]
Denver 24, Kansas City 17 [Denver wins AFC West, gets 4 seed]
Oakland 28, San Diego 23 [Oakland misses playoffs through bad luck with tiebreakers]
Arizona 17, Seattle 10

Jumat, 30 Desember 2011

Resmi. Diego Mengundurkan Diri Dari Pelita Jaya


Pemain Timnas U-23 Indonesia, Diego Michiels, dikabarkan memutus kontrak secara sepihak dengan klub tempatnya bernaung saat ini, Pelita Jaya Karawang.
Sebagaimana diketahui, Pelita Jaya Karawang saat ini diperkuat oleh lima pemain naturalisasi. Mereka adalah Diego Michels, Jhonny van Beukering, Victor Igbonefo, Greg Nwokolo, dan Ruben Wuarbanaran.
Namun, kini kabar mengejutkan datang dari Diego Michiels. Gunawan Tamsir selaku Ketua Umum Pelita Jaya mengumumkan bahwa Diego kini sudah tak berstatus sebagai pemain Pelita Jaya lagi karena sudah menandatangani surat pengunduran diri secara sepihak.
“Saya baru saja dihubungi oleh Bapak Gunawan Tamsir yang menyampaikan salah satu pemain Pelita Jaya yang memperkuat Timnas U-23 pada Sea Games yang baru lalu, Diego Michels telah menandatangani Surat Pengunduran diri secara sepihak dari Pelita Jaya FC,” demikian pernyataan yang dibuat Lalu Mara Satriawangsa Manajer Pelita Jaya, lewat akun resmi Facebook-nya.
Menurut pengakuan Diego, surat pengunduran diri tersebut sudah dipersiapkan sebelumnya oleh Ketua Komisi Disiplin PSSI Benhard Limbong. Terkait hal itu, Pelita Jaya rencananya akan melakukan somasi terhadap Diego. Jika tidak mendapatkan tanggapan, maka Pelita Jaya akan membawa masalah tersebut ke jalur hukum.
“Atas peristiwa tersebut, kami akan melakukan langkah awal dengan mensomasi Diego Michels, dan selanjutnya bila yang bersangkutan tetap tidak mentaati kontrak yang sudah disepakati, masalah ini akan kami bawa ke ranah hukum,” sambungnya.
Nama Diego michiels mendadak mencuat kala tampil cemerlang dengan mengantar timnas ‘Garuda Muda’ meraih medali Perak di ajang SEA Games ke-26. Dari delapan pertandingan yang ia lakoni bersama Timnas U-23, dua gol sukses disarangkannya.

Setelah Syamsir Alam dan Zainal Haq, Penarol Kontrak 2 Pemain Indonesia Lagi

Klub raksasa Uruguay, Atletico Penarol, dikabarkan telah menandatangani kontrak dengan dua pemain belia asal Indonesia, Manahati Lestusen dan Abdul Rahman Lestaluhu. Kedua pemain tersebut akan bergabung dalam skuad Sociedad Anonima Sportiva (SAD) yang akan bermain di Liga Junior Uruguay. 

"Mereka akan bermain untuk Penarol, seperti Syamsir Alam yang pernah bermain di sana," ujar Perwakilan Pelita Jaya yang juga Manajer Program SAD Uruguay, Adika Nuraga Bakrie seperti dikutip dari situs AFF, Jumat, 30 Desember 2011.

Penarol merupakan klub tersukses di Uruguay. Klub berjuluk Aurinegros tersebut telah mengoleksi 37 gelar Liga Uruguay. Selain itu, Penarol juga mengkoleksi 5 gelar Copa Libertadores yang merupakan kompetisi tertinggi di Amerika Selatan dan 3 gelar Piala Intercontinental.

Selain merekrut Manahati dan Abdul Rahman, Penarol juga dikabarkan akan memperpanjang kontrak pemain Indonesia lainnya, Muhamad Zainal Haq.

Sementara itu, sukses juga diraih pemain Indonesia lainnya, Syamsir Alam. Pemain Penarol tersebut dikabarkan akan bergabung dengan klub Divisi 2 Liga Belgia, CS Vise. Syamsir yang masuk dalam seleksi Pelatnas SEA Games 2011 lalu akan bergabung dengan Yandi Sofyan, Alfin Tuassalamony dan Yericho Christiantoko di CS Vise.

Rabu, 28 Desember 2011

Indonesia - Malaysia Gagas Liga Sepak Bola ASEAN

Indonesia dan Malaysia sedang menggagas terselenggaranya liga sepak bola se-Asia Tenggara. Hal ini disampaikan Menteri Pemuda dan Olahraga Indonesia Andi Malaranggeng bersama Menteri Belia dan Sukan Malaysia YB Dato' Sri Ahmad Shabery Cheek di Hotel Garden Palace Surabaya, Rabu, 28 Desember 2011.

Menurut Andi, ide kompetisi liga Asean itu tercetus ketika para menteri olahraga se-Asia Tenggara bertemu di Yogyakarta seminggu lalu. Mereka, kata Andi, sepakat menggalang persatuan lewat olahraga khususnya sepak bola. "Sekarang ini lingkup Asean makin terintegrasi, dan kami ingin makin mempererat komunitas ini melalui sepak bola," kata Andi.

Sepak bola, kata Andi, dinilai sebagai media yang tepat untuk merekatkan hubungan. Apalagi di setiap negara Asean, antusiasme penonton sepak bola luar biasa. Andi berharap ide ini dapat terealisasi pada 2013 atau 2014 mendatang. "Mengenai formatnya bagaimana, nanti biar dibahas oleh PT Liga Prima Indonesia Sportindo (LPIS) dan Malaysia Super League (MLS)," ujar Andi.

Jika liga Asean terwujud, Andi berharap dapat meningkatkan mutu sepak bola Asia Tenggara sejajar dengan Asia Barat atau Asia Timur. Selama ini, imbuh dia, level kemampuan antara belahan Asia itu masih timpang. "Siapa tahu nanti sepak bola Asia Tenggara makin maju dan mengalahkan mereka," ucap Andi.

Dato' Sri Ahmad Shabery Cheek menambahkan, penduduk Asia Tenggara sekitar 600 juta jiwa. Sebagian besar dari mereka, kata Dato', menggemari olahraga, khususnya sepak bola. Dia mencontohkan saat tim nasional Indonesia bertemu Malaysia dalam final SEA Games baru-baru ini. "Jalan-jalan di Indonesia dan Malaysia lengang karena warganya nonton final di televisi," ujar Dato'.

CEO PT LPIS Widjajanto mengatakan, dirinya diminta Andi Malarangeng untuk menjajaki ide tersebut. Sebagai langkah awal, kata dia, Indonesia dan Malaysia menyelenggarakan pertandingan Unity Cup yang mempertemukan Persebaya Surabaya melawan Kelantan FC.

Pertandingan kedua tim digelar dua kali, yakni di Kelantan pada Jumat pekan lalu dan di Surabaya pada Rabu malam ini. "Kebetulan saya dekat dengan CEO MLS Stuart Ramalingan, jadi bisa langsung mengawali ide tersebut," kata Widjayanto.

NFL Power Rankings

Week 16 was very important in clearing up the playoff picture but it has left a lot about this year up in the air. Here are the NFL power rankings going in to the final week of the season.
1. Green Bay Packers
Green Bay was able to lock up home field advantage last week against the Bears. The Packers will have nothing to play for and probably give their starters some rest. Green Bay biggest concern is the health of their offensive line which they will need for the playoffs.
2. New Orleans Saints
The Saints were very impressive against the Falcons. Drew Brees broke the single season passing yards record on Monday. The Saints have an excellent offense with Drew Brees at the helm of it. New Orleans should be able to rest some starters this week.
3. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have one of the best defenses in football. The 49ers got in a NFC high of 8 players in  the Pro Bowl. The 49ers should also be able to lock up a first round bye and be able to rest some starters since they are playing the Rams.
4. New England Patriots
New England proved that if Tom Brady struggles like he did against Miami in the first half, the Patriots will not last long in the playoffs. The Patriots have 8 players in the Pro Bowl which is deserving. The Patriots should lock up home field advantage this week.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh got a huge win against a depleted Rams team. Yes, it is only St Louis but the Steelers needed this type of win to gain some momentum before the playoffs. The Steelers are hoping for a win and a Ravens loss so they can get a first round bye instead of playing on the road in the first round of the playoffs.
6. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore could use some momentum going into the playoffs and a win Sunday in Cincinnati would certainly do just that. The Ravens biggest issue is inconsistency which they have occasionally had this year. The Ravens should probably give some players some rest if they go up big.
7. Detroit Lions
Detroit is one of the best teams in football and should be the fifth seed in the NFC. They play a Packers team that will probably rest their starters due to the coming playoffs so they should be able to get a win. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson have become the best QB-WR combo in all of football.
8. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have to play their most important game of their season this week against the Ravens. This will be a true test for the Bengals because the Ravens will be playing for a first round bye. The Bengals know a loss can keep them out of the playoffs. Andy Dalton should also be rookie of the year no matter what happens Sunday.
9. Houston Texans
The Texans are lucky that the lowest seed they can be is the third seed because of their offensive struggles. The Texans need to open up the offense for TJ Yates so he can be effective in the passing game. Gary Kubiak should probably rest key players like Arian Foster for the playoffs because of all their injuries.
10. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons did not play well against the Saints. Unfourtunately, the Falcons may have to play the Saints again in the first round. Mike Smith will have to decide on whether to rest his starters or not because they are almost locked in to the sixth seed.
Week 17 will be decisive in determining playoff seeds and who gets in. The NFL should be in for an exciting final Sunday.

Selasa, 27 Desember 2011

Pro Bowl Snubs

The rosters for the Pro Bowl in Hawaii were announced today. Of couse, teams like New England, Green Bay, and San Francisco had multiple players on the team. There are a few players that were unfourtunately snubbed. Here is my list of snubs for this season's Pro Bowl.

1. QB Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
Stafford has been the leader of the revival of the Lions this year. Stafford has been one of the most efficent quarterbacks this past season. Only Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees have been better than Stafford this season. Stafford has become an elite quarterback and has outplayed Eli Manning by a country mile this season. Stafford is probably one of the biggest snubs in Pro Bowl history.

2. TE Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots
Hernandez is the most underrated tightend in the whole NFL. The Patriots star tightend Rob Gronkowski made the team as a starter but that does not mean that Hernandez doesn't also deserve to make the team. Hernandez is forgotten about because of Gronkowski but the numbers Hernandez has put up make him more worthy than Antonio Gates. Hernandez was as important to New England's offense as Gronkowski and he was definately a major snub.

3. MLB London Fletcher, Washington Redskins
London Fletcher probably holds the NFL record for the most snubs from a Pro Bowl. Fletcher is the leader of the Redskins defense which is one of the best in the NFL. Fletcher has the most tackles in the NFL with 163. Fletcher has had a much better season then Brian Urlacher this season. London Fletcher once again got snubbed and hopefully finds a way on to the team.

These are the three biggest snubs of this year's Pro Bowl. These players should all be mad that they were not invited to go to Hawaii to be in the Pro Bowl. Hopefully, all these players will find a way onto the Pro Bowl rosters.

Where will Fielder land?

Prince Fielder is by far the best free agent still on the free agent market. Fielder is one of the best hitters in baseball. Fielder has been rumored with multiple teams but his price tag has prevented him from having any major suitors yet. The Seattle Mariners have shown interest in Fielder. However, the Mariners won't get Prince because they can't afford to get him over 20 million dollars a year. Seattle also plays at a pitcher-frienldy ballpark which won't interest Fielder. Lastly, Seattle is not ready to contend and this will not help them much in a tough AL West. The Chicago Cubs are another rumored suitor. However, they have turned their attetion to Padres 1B Anthony Rizzo so they are out of the Fielder race. The Baltimore Orioles are another team trying to sign Fielder. One positive for Baltimore is that Camden Yards has the short porch in right whch is a perfect fit for Baltimore. However, the Orioles won't be a contender with Fielder and Boras does not want Fielder on a team that can not win immediately. The Toronto Blue Jays also have shown that they are considering a move for Fielder. The biggest problem for Toronto might be a lack of money as there has been reports that they do not have as much money as people thought. Also, Toronto may want to give a player like Adam Lind a shot at 1B. Carlos Pena might be a more realistic target for the Blue Jays with their budget. The Texas Rangers have money to spend and have been linked with Fielder. Fielder would also be intrested in the short porch in rightfield at Rangers Ballpark. Fielder would be apart of argueably the best lineup in baseball if he went to Texas. However, the Rangers are focused right now on Yu Darvish but they could still make a move. That leaves one team that Scott Boras will be able to pull in and get to sign Fielder to the type of deal they are looking for. That team is the Washington Nationals. Washington has a fairly neutral park. However, the Nationals have a team that is ready to contend right now. Scott Boras also has good relations with Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo after deals with Rizzo for Jayson Werth, Stephen Strasburg, and Bryce Harper. The Nationals also have plenty of money to make this kind of move. Fielder can also know that the Nationals are a young team that can only improve. Prince Fielder is the most prized free agent remaining with teams like Washington, Texas, Toronto, Baltimore, and Seattle all pursuing him.

Senin, 26 Desember 2011

Resmi. Aji Santoso Gantikan RD Sebagai Pelatih Timnas U23

Persatuan Sepak Bola Seluruh Indonesia (PSSI) menunjuk asisten pelatih tim nasional U23 Aji Santoso sebagai pengganti Rahmad Darmawan yang akan resmi nonaktif pada 13 Januari mendatang. Aji Santoso akan dikukuhkan pada Januari mendatang dalam rapat Komite Eksekutif PSSI.

"Kemungkinan besar memang Aji karena dia asisten Rahmad. Tapi baru akan diputuskan dalam rapat Exco (Komite Ekskutif) 8 Januari nanti," kata Koordinator Tim Nasional Bob Hippy ketika dihubungi, Senin, 26 Desember 2011.

Aji mendampingi Rahmad Darmawan saat Skuad Garuda Muda meraih medali perak dalam ajang SEA Games XXVI November lalu. Mantan pelatih Persebaya Surabaya dan Persisam Samarinda ini nantinya akan didampingi Widodo Cahyono Putro. Aji akan melanjutkan program yang ditinggalkan Rahmad Darmawan.

Selain bakal menggantikan Rahmad Darmawan, Bob melanjutkan, Aji Santoso juga akan mendampingi pelatih tim senior yang saat ini masih dipegang Wim Rijsbergen. "Sudah otomatis nanti pelatih U23 menjadi asisten pelatih timnas senior," katanya.

Sebelumnya pelatih Semen Padang Nil Maizar disebut-sebut bakal menggantikan Rahmad Darmawan. Namun nama Nil Maizar sebenarnya tak pernah masuk bursa pelatih timnas U23. Nil Maizar hanya diplot melatih tim Indonesia Selection melawan PSV Eindhoven, yang belakangan batal ke Indonesia, bukan untuk tim nasional.

Aji Santoso sendiri belum bisa dikonfirmasi mengenai penunjukkannya sebagai pelatih tim nasional U23. Telepon selulernya tak aktif ketika dihubungi.

Eriyanto, Pemain Terbaik AC Milan Junior Sekarang Menjadi Gembala Domba

“Tanyakan kepada mereka, apa harapan dan cita-cita. Mau menjadi pesepakbola atau memilih karier lainnya. Bisa berhasil sebagai pemain bola, sekolah, atau profesi lainnya”  itulah pesan dari Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) kepada Andi Mallarangeng, saat menerima sejumlah anak-anak muda berbakat negeri ini, beberapa waktu lalu.

Eriyanto adalah salah satu dari anak-anak berbakat itu. Tak banyak yang mengenal nama remaja satu ini, dan itu sangatlah wajar, karena dia hanyalah seorang anak kampung yang sangat sederhana yang berasal dari Desa Nagrak Utara, Sukabumi. Namun tentu ada yang istimewa, jika ia dan sejumlah anak muda lainnya diterima oleh orang nomor satu Indonesia.

“Nama saya Eriyanto, umur saya 14 tahun. Setelah SMP saya putus sekolah dan berasal dari keluarga tidak mampu,” kata Eri, yang kemudian disusul rekan-rekannya, saat SBY meminta anak-anak muda itu memperkenalkan diri.

Cerita itu terjadi tahun lalu di bulan Oktober 2010, mereka yang diterima Presiden SBY adalah 17 bibit-bibit muda potensial asal Indonesia yang tergabung dalam The All Star Team Milan Junior Camp yang tahun lalu menjadi juara di Milan Junior Camp Day Tournament di markas AC Milan, Italia.

Atas prestasi tersebut, Bendera Merah Putih berkibar di Stadion San Siro, Italia. Bukan gelar juara saja yang berhasil diraih. Dua remaja potensial Indonesia terpilih menjadi yang terbaik. Putra asal Bali, I Putu Angga Eka Putra terpilih sebagai pemain terbaik, dan Eriyanto asal Sukabumi, terpilih sebagai kapten terbaik.

Pemilihan pemain dan kapten terbaik bukan sekadar pemanis seremonial. Menurut pelatih The All Star Team Milan Junior Camp Indonesia, Yeyen Tumena, yang menilai mereka adalah mantan pemain Milan, misalnya Franco Baresi dan Paolo Maldini.

Satu tahun kemudian, di penghujung 2011, perjalanan hidup Eriyanto, sang kapten terbaik pilihan para legenda AC Milan, masih berada di luar jalur yang tidak sesuai cita-citanya. Cahaya Eriyanto (16 tahun) yang dulu menjadi kapten terbaik Milan Junior Camp Day Tournament 2010 kini kian redup, gara-gara urusan administrasi.

Putra pasangan Bapak Uli (42) dan Ibu Rha Suleha (37) gagal masuk timnas U-16 Championship 2012. Penyebabnya adalah Eriyanto terlambat menyerahkan berkas administrasi. Padahal bergabung dengan timnas U-16 adalah cita-cita sekaligus kesempatan yang bisa menjadi jalan untuk membangkitkan eksistensi Eriyanto di dunia sepak bola.

Eriyanto yang dulu disanjung Baresi dan Maldini dan pernah makan bersama dengan Presiden SBY dan Ibu Ani, kini menjalani hidup seperti anak kampung seperti sedia kala. Sepulang sekolah di SMAN 1 Nagrak, Eriyanto mencari rumput untuk memberi makan domba-domba peliharaannya. Pengalaman bertemu Baresi, Maldini, dan SBY pun tak ubahnya bunga tidur, yang hilang tanpa bekas begitu kesadaran indrawi pulih.

“Setelah pulang dari turnamen di AC Milan Junior, tidak ada yang menawari untuk bermain sepak bola atau masuk pemusatan latihan seperti lazimnya calon bintang sepak bola lainnya. Saat ini saya hanya berlatih di kampung dan kegiatan lainnya seperti sekolah” begitu yang diucapkannya dihadapan Gubernur Jawa Barat, Ahmad Heryawan.

Menurut Eriyanto, beberapa kali ada tawaran untuk bermain di Jakarta dan kota lain. Namun, menurut Eriyanto, ia tak bisa mengambil kesempatan itu karena keterbatasan administrasi. Yang belum terjawab adalah apa yang dimaksud Eriyanto dengan keterbatasan administrasi.

Gubernur Jawa Barat, Ahmad Hermawan, sangat menyayangkan talenta yang dimilki Eriyanto tak terakomodasi. Gubernur juga meminta Pemerintah Kabupaten Sukabumi memerhatikan dan memberikan kemudahan dan fasilitas bagi Eriyanto untuk mengembangkan kariernya.

Satu tahun sudah berlalu sejak Eriyanto dan beberapa talenta muda sepak bola negeri ini diterima SBY. Satu tahun sudah berlalu sejak SBY berpesan kepada Andi Mallarangeng untuk memerhatikan perkembangan Eriyanto dan rekan-rekannya. Namun, keadaan Eriyanto saat ini masih seperti dulu. Harapannya untuk menjadi pemain sepak bola sesuai talenta yang dimilkinya masih jauh dari harapan.

Tahun ini, setelah tidak ada perubahan, orang nomor satu Jawa Barat, Ahmad Hermawan meminta kepada Pemkab Sukabumi dengan permintaan yang hampir sama yang pernah diucapkan SBY kepada Andi Mallarangeng. Dan, nasib Eriyanto masih sama saja.
Kalau mereka yang diberi legitimasi oleh rakyat untuk mengelola negeri ini hanya memberikan janji-janji kosong saja, bagaimana talenta-talenta potensial ini memberikan prestasi lebih untuk bangsa ini. Jangan sampai, Eriyanto dan "Eriyanto-Eriyanto" lain bernasib seperti tokoh utama film Rambo, yang berjaya di negeri orang dan terabaikan justru ketika berada di negeri sendiri.

George's Premier League Predictions Boxing Day 2011

Last time out George got 4 results right including 2 perfect scores in last weekend's games and will be out to add some cheer to your Christmas and New Year.

Saturday 26th December 2011

Chelsea 2 v Fulham 0
Bolton 0 v Newcastle 0
Liverpool 3 v Blackburn 1
Man Utd 2 v Wigan 0
Sunderland 2 v Everton 2
West Brom 2 v Man City 3
Stoke City 2 v Aston Villa 0

Tuesday 27th December 2011

Arsenal 2 v Wolves 0
Swansea 1 v QPR 0
Norwich 0 v Tottenham 1

Friday 30 December 2011

Liverpool 2 v Newcastle 1

Saturday 31 December 2011

Man Utd 4 v Blackburn 1
Arsenal 2 v QPR 0
Bolton 1 v Wolves 1
Chelsea 2 Aston Villa 1
Norwich 2 v Fulham 2
Stoke City 2 v Wigan 1
Swansea 1 v Tottenham 1
West Brom 2 v Everton 1
Sunderland 0 v Man City 2

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Minggu, 25 Desember 2011

Real Madrid ke Indonesia Mei 2012

Klub sepakbola raksasa Spanyol, Real Madrid akan menyambangi Indonesia bulan Mei 2012. El Real akan melakukan pertandingan uji coba melawan tim nasional Indonesia.


"Real Madrid sudah memasukkan agenda kunjungan ke Indonesia Mei 2012. Makanya, kita berharap rencana itu terealisasi," kata Staf Khusus Menpora, Faisal Abdullah di Jakarta, kemarin.


Kepastian adanya kunjungan Real Madrid itu pada saat Menteri Pemuda dan Olahraga, Andi Alifian Mallarangeng menandatangani program Kerja sama antara Liga Pendidikan Indonesia (LPI) dengan Real Madrid Foundation (RMF) di kantor Real Madrid Foundation Stadium Santiago Bernabeu Madrid, Spanyol, Kamis (15/12).


Menurut Faisal, penandatanganan nota kesepahaman ini berkaitan dengan rencana pendirian sekolah sepakbola gratis di Indonesia yang akan dimulai Januari 2012.


"Ini merupakan buah dari penjajakan kesepakatan yang sudah dilakukan sejak April 2011. Dari kerja sama ini diharapkan akan lahir pemain berkualitas yang dapat meningkatkan prestasi sepakbola Indonesia di masa mendatang," kata Faisal yang mendampingi Andi Mallarangeng saat penandantangan LPI dan RMF tersebut.


Mengenai sekolah sepakbola gratis, kata Faisal, akan dibangun di tujuh kota yakni Jawa Timur, Yogyakarta, Samarinda, Jayapura, Banjar Baru, Jakarta dan Makassar. "Pemerintah berharap seluruh kota di Indonesia diadakan sekolah itu. Tapi, dari tujuh kota itu akan kita lihat perkembangannya," ujar Faisal.


Program ini tidak hanya berfungsi sekedar ajang mencari bakat, tetapi diupayakan agar pembinaan sepak bola anak-anak mampu meningkatkan prestasi belajar dan juga standar kesehatan bagi perkembangan olahraga. Lantas siapa saja yang berhak menghuni sekolah gratis itu? Kata Faisal, pihak pemerintah akan menggelar seleksi melalui kompetisi.


Namun, teknis pelatihan dan manajemen sekolah akan langsung di bawah otoritas Real Madrid. "LPI saat ini sedang mempersiapkan sarana dan prasana serta struktur pelaksanaannya," ungkapnya.

Sabtu, 24 Desember 2011

Naldo, Pemain Muda Asal Yogyakarta Dikontrak Madrid 3 Tahun

Siswa SSB Marsudi Agawe Santosa (MAS) Yogya dan Diklat PSIM, Ronaldo Dasilva Lolombulan mengaku bangga dan gembira terpilih menjadi pemain yang berkesempatan belajar sepakbola di Mortalaz Madrid, Spanyol selama tiga tahun.

“Ini impian saya sejak kecil bisa menggembleng kemampuan sepakbola di luar negeri. Saya siap meninggalkan rumah dan orang tua selama tiga tahun untuk mengembangkan karir sepakbola di Madrid,” ungkap putra bungsu dari pelatih Inyong Lolombulan saat dihubungi KR, Kamis (22/12).

Terpilihnya Naldo ke Madrid dengan beasiswa Kementerian Pemuda dan Olahraga itu melalui proses yang panjang. Naldo yang merupakan siswa SMP 13 Yogyakarta terjaring ikut seleksi dari keikutsertaannya dalam Liga Pendidikan Indonesia (LPI) 2011.

Pemain yang terjaring itu kemudian menjalani program Lipio Camp 2011 di Cibubur, beberapa waktu lalu. Seleksi diikuti total 96 peserta. Mereka disaring menjadi 22 pemain yang akhirnya diambil delapan pemain, termasuk Naldo.

Berdasarkan informasi awal, dari delapan itu masih akan diciutkan lagi menjadi empat pemain. Tapi dari informasi terakhir, delapan pemain ini akan diberangkatkan semua ke Madrid. “Ya saya memang mendapat kabar delapan pemain akan diberangkatkan semua ke Madrid,” ungkap Naldo.

Selain Naldo, tujuh pemain lainnya terdiri dari M Dimas Drajad (SMPN 3 Gresik), Dwi Candra Riskamana (SMPN 4 Semarang), Thomas Kristianda (SMPN 4 Semarang), Carli Xaronika (SMPN 1 Selo Kampar Riau) dan Aldo Claudio (SMPN 223 Jakarta).

Sebelum berangkat ke Madrid, mereka akan mengikuti pemusatan di Semarang mulai 1 Januari tahun depan. Mereka akan digembleng teknik dan fisiknya, pembekalan bahasa Spanyol dan mengenal seluk-beluk hidup di luar negeri selama 3 bulan.

Persija LPI Seleksi Pemain Keturunan Bali - Australia

Skuad Persija Jakarta (versi IPL) akan mendapat tenaga baru. Tim asuhan Jaya Hartono tersebut tengah menyeleksi pemain berdarah Bali-Australia, Amadeus Suropati.

Persija sebenarnya bukan satu-satunya klub Indonesia yang meminati Amadeus. Arema Malang juga sempat membidik mantan pemain Forrestfield United, tim asal Liga Australia tersebut. Dengan tinggi badan 186 cm dan berat 85 kg, sosok Amadeus dipandang cocok untuk menempati pasukan serang Persija.

"Kami senang ada seorang anak bangsa yang bermain di liga luar dan mau mencoba latihan. Kami masih menyeleksinya untuk bergabung dengan Persija," ungkap Jaya seperti dilansir situs resmi Liga Prima Indonesia.

Meski demikian, Jaya belum bisa memberi jaminan bahwa pemain yang 31 Desember nanti berusia 26 tahun ini bisa bergabung dengan timnya. Maklum, Amadeus baru satu kali berlatih bersama Emmanuel De Porras dkk.

"Saya harus melihat dia dalam beberapa latihan, apakah cocok dengan pemain lain atau tidak. Namun, tidak menutup kemungkinan jika cocok dia bisa masuk dalam tim," tuturnya.

Cardinal Stupidity

Every offseason there are good moves, bad moves, and that one move that is just stupid. This year's stupid move was made by the St. Louis Cardinals. The St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a two-year deal with 34-year-old outfielder Carlos Beltran worth 26 million dollars. A player that only had his first full season without injury since 2008 is not worth 26 million dollars. The Cardinals see Carlos Beltran playing in right field but also playing occasionally in center. The Cardinals are crazy to think Carlos Beltran still can play center field. Beltran does not have the range to play in center. The Cardinals have Jon Jay for a reason and that is to play center field. If they want someone to give Jay a day off occasionally in center field, then they show go after a veteran like Rick Ankiel. Carlos Beltran has always been known as a power hitter. However, Beltran's home run production is declining very quickly. Beltran will not hit over 20 home runs in a single season in St Louis. Carlos Beltran is not going to be a surprise like Lance Berkman. Beltran also hit for an average of .300. If the Cardinals think he will do that again, they are out of their minds. The only other time Beltran hit in a full season for an average of over .300 was in 2003. If the Cardinals wanted a power hitter, they should have gotten Jason Kubel or Josh Willingham before they went off the market. Cardinals fans, get ready for Beltran to put up a statline of .270,15 HRs, and 70 RBIs. This does not sound like a player that is worth even close to a two-year deal worth 26 million dollars.

Jumat, 23 Desember 2011

Persebaya Tahan Imbang Juara Liga Malaysia

Persebaya sukses menahan Juara Malaysia League Soccer (MLS) 2011, Kelantan FA dengan skor 1-1 dalam pertandingan persahabatan Piala Permai Malaysia-Indonesia di Baharu, Malaysia, Jumat, 23 Desember 2011. Kelantan sempat unggul terlebih dahulu di menit ke-62 lewat gol yang diciptakan oleh Indra Putra. Namun berhasil disamakan oleh sepakan terukur Andik Vermansyah di menit 85.

Kedua tim langsung menggebrak sejak pluit tanda dimulainya pertandingan dibunyikan. Kelantan FA yang diperkuat sejumlah pemain timnas Malaysia beberapa kali berusaha menekan lini pertahanan Persebaya. Namun, rapihnya barisan pertahanan yang ditunjukkan tim berjuluk Bajul Ijo cukup menyulitkan lini depan Kelantan untuk mencetak gol.

Persebaya mencoba beberapa melakukan serangan balik cepat dengan memanfaatkan kelengahan lawan. Namun penyelesaian yang kurang sempurna dari Andik Vermansyah dan kawan-kawan membuat sejumlah peluang emas berakhir sia-sia. Hingga babak pertama berakhir, kedudukan masih imbang tanpa gol.

Memasuki babak kedua, Kelantan terus gencar melakukan serangan. Beberapa kali serangan kelantan mengancam gawang Persebaya. Namun, Kelantan baru berhasil unggul di menit ke-62 lewat gol yang dicetak Indra Putra memanfaatkan bola liar di dalam kotak penalti.

Namun, kemenangan Kelantan yang sudah di depan mata berhasil digagalkan Andik Vermansyah. Pemain yang memperkuat skuad Timnas Indonesia SEA Games XXVI tersebut mampu menyamakan kedudukan saat laga memasuki menit ke-84.

Gol tersebut tercipta melalui aksi individu Andik yang mengecoh dua pemain bertahanan Kelantan. Pemain kelahiran Jember, Jawa Timur, tersebut kemudian melakukan tendangan terukur yang tidak dapat terjangkau kiper Kelantan. Skor berubah 1-1.

Hingga laga berakhir, tidak ada lagi gol yang tercipta. kedua tim harus puas berbagi angka dalam laga ini. Laga ini sendiri merupakan laga pertama yang selanjutnya akan dilanjutkan untuk laga kedua pada 28 Desember 2011. Laga kedua dijadwalkan akan digelar di Surabaya, Indonesia.

Mulai Musim Depan, SCTV Siarkan Liga Champions Eropa

UEFA telah memberikan hak siar Liga Champions untuk musim 2012/2013 sampai 2014/2015 di Indonesia kepada SCTV. Selain itu, SCTV juga akan menyiarkan pertandingan Liga Europa.

Dilansir situs resmi UEFA, SCTV akan menyiarkan pertandingan-pertandingan Liga Champions melalui saluran SCTV dan Indosiar. Sedangkan untuk jaringan TV kabel akan disiarkan melalui Nexmedia. Sebelumnya, hak siar Liga Champions di Indonesia dimiliki oleh RCTI dan Indovision.

Untuk siaran Liga Champions, SCTV akan menyiarkan satu pertandingan secara langsung dan dilanjutkan dengan program highlights di tiap malam pertandingan. Selain itu, SCTV juga akan menyiarkan tiga siaran tunda di tiap pekannya.

Sementara itu, Indosiar akan menyiarkan minimal dua siaran tunda tiap pekannya. Sedangkan Nexmedia akan menyiarkan satu pertandingan secara langsung serta sisa pertandingan secara tunda.

Untuk ajang Liga Europa, SCTV juga akan menyiarkan satu laga secara langsung, dua laga secara tunda, dan program highlights. Sementara Nexmedia akan menyiarkan semua sisa pertandingan secara tunda dan satu pertandingan secara langsung.

Dalam rilis tersebut juga disebutkan UEFA mengucapkan rasa terima kasihnya pada RCTI dan Indovision yang selama ini memegang hak siar Liga Champions dan Liga Europa di Indonesia.

Dicoret PSSI, Persipura Bakal Ikut Liga Oceania

Persipura Jayapura bakal mengikuti liga negara-negara Oseania atau Australasia, sebuah benua yang terdiri dari banyak negara, bila saja dikeluarkan dari Persatuan Sepak Bola Seluruh Indonesia (PSSI).

Langkah itu akan diambil sebagai protes kepada PSSI bila tidak mau mengakomodasi klub-klub yang menginginkan perubahan untuk sepak bola Tanah Air. “Wacananya bergabung bersama liga negara-negara Oseania, bukan Australia. Ini kalau tidak ada peluang Persipura berada terus di bawah PSSI,” kata La Sya, Ketua Harian Persipura Jayapura, Kamis 22 Desember 2011.

Dia mengatakan memang sulit dan pasti bertentangan dengan aturan umum bahwa sebuah klub negara lain boleh ikut berlaga di kompetisi negara berbeda. “Tapi mau bagaimana lagi, wacana itu bisa saja. Ini hanya satu jalan keluar yang dipikirkan,” ujarnya.

Menurutnya, bila jadi bergabung, nuansa politis antara Papua dan negara-negara Oseania akan makin terasa. “Jika tidak diterima di Indonesia, ya gabung saja dengan mereka. Tapi tentu ini akan sangat berat karena akan dilihat penuh nuansa politis, tapi dengan cara ini kami bisa lebih baik,” katanya.

Oseania ataupun Australasia merupakan benua yang terdiri dari negara-negara seperti Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, dan negara Kepulauan Pasifik, di antaranya Fiji, Nauru, Kribati, Tahiti, Samoa, Palau, dan banyak lagi.

Oseania merupakan benua dengan luas daratan terkecil dengan jumlah penduduk kedua terkecil setelah Antartika. “Kompetisi di sana lebih teratur dan profesional. Kami kan maunya ikut liga yang benar-benar profesional.”

Mantan Kapten Persipura era tahun 90-an, Fernado Fairyo, mengatakan rencana tersebut tidak salah. “Liga di sana lebih berbobot, pemain Persipura juga tidak kalah sama pemain negara lain,” katanya

Baginya, dengan berada di kompetisi negara berbeda, Persipura bisa menilai lagi kemampuannya bertarung. “Kalau di Indonesia kita sudah tahu kemampuan klub lain, tapi saya kira wacana ini baik untuk Persipura menjajal kekuatan tim negara lain. Kenapa tidak kalau badan atau organisasi sepak bola di Asia atau dunia mengizinkan itu,” ujar dia.

Kabar Persipura akan ke liga negara-negara Oseania datang setelah tim juara Indonesia Super Liga 2010/2011 itu dijegal bertarung di Liga Champions Asia. Persipura juga dipastikan akan mendapat sanksi karena membelot dari Liga Prima Indonesia ke ISL.

PSV Eindhoven Batal ke Indonesia

Dualisme kompetisi yang tak kunjung kelar membuat klub sepak bola elit asal Belanda, PSV Eindhoven, batal berkunjung ke Indonesia. PSV membatalkan kunjungan karena PSSI tak bisa menurunkan para pemain terbaik untuk melawan mereka.

"Karena krisis yang saat ini terjadi di PSSI dan tidak adanya pemain lokal yang kredibel untuk berkompetisi," demikian yang tertulis dalam keterangan pers dari Saujana Media, promotor yang berencana mendatangkan PSV Eindhoven ke Indonesia, Jumat, 13 Desember 2011.

Seperti diketahui saat ini terjadi dualisme kompetisi, yaitu Indonesian Premier League dan Indonesia Super League. PSSI hanya mengakui Indonesian Premier League sebagai kompetisi resmi.

FIFA, sebagai induk sepak bola dunia, juga telah mengeluarkan larangan kepada para pemain Indonesia Super League memperkuat tim nasional. Selain itu para pemain Indonesia Super League juga dilarang mengikuti kegiatan PSSI.

Masalahnya, sejumlah pemain bintang dan punggawan tim nasional, seperti Christian Gonzales, Bambang Pamungkas, Boaz Salossa, dan Firman Utina justru bermain di Indonesia Super League. Mereka tak bisa memperkuat tim nasional atau pertandingan yang digelar PSSI dengan pihak ketiga.

Hal inilah yang dipersoalkan Saujana Media. PSSI semula menjanjikan akan menurunkan para pemain bintang untuk melawan PSV Eindhoven. Klausul ini tertuang dalam kontrak yang diteken PSSI dengan Saujana Media selaku promotor PSV Eindhoven.

Namun PSSI tak bisa menurunkan bintang-bintang tersebut karena mereka bermain di Indonesia Super League. "Sangat disesalkan karena kami telah dijanjikan pemain-pemain terbaik, tapi sampai sekarang tidak dipenuhi PSSI." tulis Saujana Media melalui keterangan persnya.

Tanpa para pemain bintang tersebut, dipastikan pertandingan bakal sepi penonton yang berimbas langsung pada penjualan tiket. Pertimbangan finansial inilah yang membuat mereka membatalkan rencana mendatangkan PSV Eindhoven.

"Kami tidak yakin tiket untuk pertandingan Jakarta Selection (melawan PSV Eindhoven) nanti bisa meringankan beban keuangan membawa PSV Eindhoven ke Jakarta." tulis Saujana Media dalam keterangan persnya.

Pembatalan pertandingan ini dipastikan akan mencoreng nama Indonesia di Eropa. Klub-klub raksasa Eropa yang semula berniat melakukan kunjungan ke Indonesia, bakal berpikir ulang karena tidak stabilnya sikap PSSI.

NBA Predictions

It has taken a while to get to this point but we are only a couple of days away from the NBA's regular season openers on Christmas Day. Last year's NBA season was one of the best seasons ever. With a lot of player movement this offseason, there is a lot of excitement around this season. It took a while to get through the lockout to get here but the season is about to begin. Here is my preseason rankings, awards, and finals predictions.
Preseason Rankings
1. Miami Heat
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
3. Chicago Bulls
4. Dallas Mavericks
5. LA Clippers
6. Boston Celtics
7. New York Knicks
8. Memphis Grizzlies
9. LA Lakers
10. Atlanta Hawks
11. Orlando Magic
12. San Antonio Spurs
13. Denver Nuggets
14. Indiana Pacers
15. Philadelphia 76ers
16. Portland Trail Blazers
MVP: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Kevin Durant will have another huge season this year. Durant will lead his team deep into the playoffs and Durant will average 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists per game this year. Numbers llike this and his leadership on the Thunder will let him win this award.
Coach of the Year: Frank Vogel, Indiana Pacers
Rookie of the Year: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
Breakthorugh Player of the Year: Toney Douglas, New York Knicks
Finals Prediction: Miami over Oklahoma City in 7
This year will be an exciting season. The title window has closed for San Antonio, and the Lakers. The Indiana Pacers will be better than expected and could get even the fourth or fifth seed in the East. Memphis is another team on the rise this season after a great postseason last year. Miami and Chicago will reign supreme throughout the season in the East while Oklahoma City is slightly better than Dallas and the Clippers. Oklahoma City and Miami will meet in the NBA Finals in a compelling battle of stars. Miami will win its first championship with the big three this season. NBA fans should be preparing for another exciting season.

Time to Move: MLB Edition

Major League Baseball is fortunate to have twenty-seven franchises who have very supportive cities supporting those teams. The Miami Marlins also has a new stability in having a new stadium in downtown Mami. However, there are two franchises that are in bad situations and these two franchises should probably be relocated. Those two franchises are the Oakland Athletics and the Tampa Bay Rays. Both these teams have some common problems of a bad stadium situation and low attendance.

Oakland Athletics
The Athletics is used to moving as they moved from Philadelphia to Kansas City in 1955, and then to Oakalnd in 1968. The A's currently have a bad stadium situation due to playing at the old Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The city of Oakland does not have the ability to support a proffesional team anymore. Oakland has become a city that has a lot of problems with crime and this should not be a city that a MLB team should be in. Oakland also has had to limit their payroll due to being in Oakland. It is now time for the Athletics to move to San Jose. San Jose deserves a MLB team. San Jose has proven they can support a major sports team like the San Jose Sharks of the NHL. San Jose is a growing city with a lot of wealthy people which can help sell luxury boxes. MLB should move the A's to San Jose as soon as possible.

Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay is a more interesting situation then Oakland. Right now, the Rays are stuck in Tropicana Field in the Tampa suburb of St. Petersburg. One problem with this is that the stadium owners will not allow the Rays to move into Tampa until the lease is over. However, they could make a move outside of Tampa and the Tropicana Field owners could not stop the Rays. Also, there is no guarentee that the Rays attendance would rise in Tampa as the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers have struggled there. MLB should move the Rays out of Tampa Bay but the bigger question is where do the Rays go then. There are four cities that I feel would be candidates to get the Rays. Those four cities are Charlotte, Norfolk, Indianapolis, and Birmingham. Of those four cities, MLB should move the Rays to Charlotte. The city of Charlotte has proven they support their sports as a MLB team is the only major sports league team they do not have. Charlotte is a growing city with a young fan base there and in the suburb of Raleigh. Charlotte also has proven they can have a MLB team due to their strong support of the Durham Bulls. It would be great if the Rays could stay in Tampa but Charlotte is a better fit for the Rays.

Kamis, 22 Desember 2011

NFL Week 16 Picks

Last week was exciting but this week has the potential for some great games. People could be talikng about this Christmas holiday as a great NFL weekend.

Atlanta at New Orleans
New Orleans 35, Atlanta 27
The last Monday Night football game of the season has the potential to be the best one of the year. Matt Ryan is playing excellent right now as the Falcons get ready for a game that can put them in the playoffs. Sean Peyton is going to make sure the Saints are motivated to get this win in pursuit of a first-round bye. This game will be a shootout but the Saints will have the advantage due to the noise of the Saints' fans in the Superdome.

NY Giants vs NY Jets
Jets 17, Giants 13
The battle of New York is the perfect headline game on Christmas Eve this year. The Jets need this win to maintain their Wild Card spot in the AFC. The Giants can not afford to lose as a loss will eliminate them from playoff contention. Rex Ryan is going to have his players motivated. Eli Manning has been great this year in the big games. The Jets will be able to slow down Eli Manning as Shonn Greene will have a huge game and lead the Jets to victory.

Philadelphia at Dallas
Dallas 24, Philadelphia 21
Both of these teams have clear shots at winning the NFC East. The Cowboys have a shot at winning the NFC East this week while the Eagles have the belief that they can still make the playoffs. Tony Romo will have the pressure on him to win the big games in December. Michael Vick will want to have a big game but the Cowboys will be able to get lots of pressure on him as the Cowboys beat the Eagles and clinch the NFC East.

San Diego at Detroit
Detroit 27, San Diego 23
The Lions can lock up a wild card spot with a win Saturday night against San Diego. Phillip Rivers will show up knowing that his Chargers need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson will have a huge game. Rivers will do well but he won't be able to do well enough to win as Detroit will lock up a playoff spot.

Upset Pick:
Kansas City 27, Oakland 24

Quickpicks
Houston 34, Indianapolis 14
Denver 30, Buffalo 17 (Denver wins the AFC West)
Cincinnati 28, Arizona 14
Tennessee 21, Jacksonville 7
New England 41, Miami 20
Pittsburgh 24, St. Louis 3
Washington 22, Minnesota 13
Carolina 19, Tampa Bay 7
Baltimore 30, Cleveland 15
San Francisco 27, Seattle 10
Green Bay 34, Chicago 9

Matt Barkley

Matt Barkley has proven this past season that he is one of the best quarterbacks in all of college football. Barkley won't have one more game this season due to USC being in the last year of a bowl ban. At 4PM this afternoon, Matt Barkley will announce his decision on whether he will stay at USC for his senoir year or leave for the NFL. Barkley has reasons to choose to stay and go. Barkley will have to consider the fact that USC is going to be a contender for a national title next season if he returns. Barkley also has the chance to be a starter for all four years on campus. Barkley could definately win the Heisman next year if he returns to USC. The money that Barkley could get is not as much as it used to be but getting at least ten million dollars is hard to turn down. However, Barkley has the potential to be the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft if he returns. Barkley might be able to start in his rookie season in the NFL if he decides to enter this year's NFL Draft. Barkley could also see going to the NFL as a new challenge for him. Matt Barkley has the potential to be better than past USC quarterbacks like Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and Mark Sanchez. I think Matt Barkley has a tough decision because both options are good ones. However, Barkley will return because the chance to win a national title at USC is too hard to pass up.

Benfica dan Porto Paling Serius Gaet Andik


Daftar klub yang mengincar Andik Vermansyah makin bertambah. Jika sebelumnya LA Galaxy, Benfica, Real Madrid, Novara, dan Reggina, kini raksasa Liga Portugal, FC Porto mengaku juga menginginkan gelandang serang Persebaya dan timnas U-23 itu.

Hal ini dibenarkan CEO Persebaya 1927, Saleh Mukadar jika satu diantara tiga klub Eropa tersebut selain Benfica dan Novara adalah FC Porto.

Namun, Saleh menegaskan apabila klub-klub tersebut serius menginginkan Andik maka Persebaya hanya mau melepas sang pemain dengan status pinjaman terlebih dahulu karena Andik masih terikat kontrak hingga 2013.

"Yang serius (mendekati Andik) FC Porto dan Benfica. Pelatih kita (Divaldo Alves) inginnya dia main di Portugal karena dia berasal dari sana," kata Saleh, Jumat (16/12/2011).
"Kalau Andik ke Novara pasti beli putus. Mungkin kami akan pinjamkan ke FC Porto. Kami siap membayar kontraknya, tetapi gaji Andik mereka yang bayar," Jelasnya.

Saleh menambahkan sebelum melepas Andik pihaknya akan mencarikan agen terlebih dahulu guna menjaga Andik selama berada di luar negeri. "Masih sempatlah karena bursa transfernya buka Januari," tukas Saleh.

Rabu, 21 Desember 2011

Players that are Ready for the Premier League

Not all top English Premier League players started right up at the top. Premier League clubs must constantly be looking at the top talents at the lower levels to improve their team. There are many players that are premier league caliber but there are a few that stand out.

FW Robert Snodgrass, Leeds United Age: 24
This Year: 8 goals, 9 assists in 21 games
Potential Destinations: QPR, Everton, Wigan
Robert Snodgrass has proven that he should be playing in the Premier League. He is an excellent playmaker as a winger. Snodgras would be a good pickup for QPR, Everton, Wigan, West Brom, and Bolton. Snodgrass has been rumored with a move to Wigan but is probably still stuck at Leeds for right now.

ST Billy Sharp, Doncaster Age: 25
This Year: 9 goals, 3 assists in 15 games, November Player of the Month in Npower Champ.
Potential Destinations: Southampton, Ipswich Town, QPR, West Brom, Everton
Billy Sharp is one of the best goalscorsers in England's second tier. Sharp is a very good strikers and deserves a chance to play in the Premier League. However, he may have to join a team that have been ruomored with him, like Southampton and Ipswich, and win promotion to get to the Premier League.

CB/LB/RB Liam Ridgewell, Birmingham Age:27
This Year: 1 goal in 12 games
Potential Destinations: QPR, Stoke, Newcastle, West Brom
Liam Ridgewell is a very good defender and should be in the Premier League. Ridgewell's time with Birmingham seems almost up as he should be headed back for the Premier League in January. I think Ridgewell will be in a QPR uniform by the end of January though Newcastle has had plenty of interest.

FW Marvin Emmes, Middlesbrough Age: 23
This Year: 7 goals, 1 assist in 20 games, August Player of the Month in Npower Champ.
Potential Destionations: Swansea, Norwich, QPR, West Brom, Wolverhampton
Marivn Emnes has become a Premier League caliber goalscorer this season. Emnes has all the talent to move up to a top flight Premier League team. Swansea had some interest in the summer but the quickest way right now for Emnes to get to the Premier League is through promotion.

CB Matthew Bates, Middlesbrough Age: 25
This Year: 1 goal only 7 FC in 19 games, September Player of the Month in Npower Champ.
Potential Destinations: Swansea, West Brom, Norwich, QPR, Bolton
Matthew Bates is one of the best defenders playing in England that is not in the Premier League. Swansea has shown some interest and that might return in January. Like his teammate Emnes, Bates will have to probably win promotion to the Premier League if he wants to be in the top flight guarenteed next year.

RB Nathaniel Clyne, Crystal Palace Age: 20
This Year: Only 3 Fouls Commited in 11 games, October Player of the Month in Npower Champ.
Potential Destinations: Manchester United, Newcastle, Everton, Stoke, Fulham
Nathaniel Clyne is one of the best rightback prospects in the world. Clyne has drawn interest from teams like Manchester United because of his potential. Clyne will be in the Premier League soon. The only question will be if its in January or over the summer.

CM Mark Noble, West Ham Age: 24
This Year: 3 goals 2 assists in 20 games
Potential Destinations: Fulham, Sunderland, Aston Villa
Mark Noble could be a starter as a central midfielder on probably half of the in the Premier League. West Ham would love to keep him though. Fulham is reportedly set to make a bid and that could very well happen. If not, promotion will be Noble's best route back to the Premier League.

CB James Tomkins, West Ham Age: 22
This Year: 1 goal 1 assist in 19 games
Potential Destinations: QPR, Newcastle, Wolverhampton
Tomkins is a must-have player for a lot of Premier League teams. Tomkins  has proven that he should be in the Premier League but West Ham to keep him for their run at promotion. Tomkins will probably force his way out in January to QPR or Newcastle though another team could emerge.

ST Carlton Cole, West Ham Age: 28
This Year: 7 goals 2 assists in 17 appearances
Potential Destinations: QPR, Stoke, Fulham, Galatasary
Carlton Cole is a player that would love to move beack to the Premier League soon. Carlton Cole has been rumored with many different teams. Cole will most likely stay with West Ham for its run at promotion back to the Premier League.

Theses are some players that could be candidates to be the next Shane Long or Max Gradel and move to a top flight league somewhere, most likely being the Premier League. All these players should be in the Premier League in the near future.

Kecewa Dengan Sepakbola Indonesia, Diego Ingin Bermain di Belanda

Diego Michiels angkat bicara soal dualisme kompetisi yang ada di Indonesia sekarang. Pemain naturalisasi itu mengaku kecewa tak bisa masuk tim nasional. Diego bermain untuk klub Pelita Jaya yang mengikuti Liga Super Indonesia, bukan liga di bawah PSSI.

“Saya kecewa karena tujuan awal saya ke Indonesia ingin bermain di tim nasional,” kata Diego saat ditemui di Surabaya, Minggu, 19 Desember 2011.

Pemain bertahan jebolan Divisi II Liga Belanda Go Ahead Eagles itu memutuskan hijrah ke Indonesia untuk memperkuat tim Garuda Muda setelah lolos seleksi awal tahun 2011 kemarin. “Saya merasa menjadi orang Indonesia dan saya senang tinggal di Indonesia,” kata pemain yang memiliki darah Indonesia dari ayahnya, Robbie Michiels.

Menurut dia, adanya dua kompetisi di Tanah Air terjadi karena pengusaha-pengusaha yang memimpin PSSI maunya bekerja sendiri–sendiri. “Alangkah bagus jika mereka bisa bekerja sama memajukan sepak bola,” kata pemain berambut gaya rambut mohawk ini.

Saat ini Diego memilih berkonsentrasi dengan The Young Guns. “Sekarang, saya fokus bermain di Pelita dan berusaha membawa tim ke level yang lebih bagus,” kata pemain kelahiran Deventer, Belanda, 8 Agustus 1990 itu.

Diego berambisi suatu saat nanti bisa bermain di klub besar di Belanda, Feyenoord Rotterdam, yang menjadi impiannya sejak kecil. “Saya ngefansdengan klub itu dan ingin bermain di sana,” ujarnya.

NFL Power Rankings

What a crazy week of football. Last week was odd, from Green Bay losing to Indianapolis winning and power outages at Candlestick Park. Here is my top ten in the NFL for this week with the NFC dominating the AFC.
1. Green Bay Packers
Green Bay had an off game offensively against the Chiefs. Aaron Rodgers will look to make a quick turnaround against a Bears team that is struggling. The pressure is now off to go perfect because of the loss so that should help the Packers.
2. New Orleans Saints
The Saints are playing excellent right now as Drew Brees has emerged as a serious candidate to win the MVP. The Saints will play an Atlanta Falcons team Monday night in which New Orleans has a great chance to impress.
3. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are playing very well right now. The 49ers' defense only allowed 3 points against the Steelers. San Francisco's defense has allowed them to be a Super Bowl contender.
4. New England Patriots
New England was finally able to beat Denver. The Patriots need their defense to improve before the playoffs or this team does not have much of a shot at winning a Super Bowl if Tom Brady doesn't play like an MVP which he has the ability to do over three games in the playoffs.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh was dominated by the 49ers on Monday night football. The Steelers risked the health of Big Ben which was not a bad decision by Mike Tomlin because Roethlisberger does a great job at protecting himself. The Steelers will be motivated to dominate the Rams Saturday.
6. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens were embarresed Sunday night by the Chargers. The Ravens have had this problem before on the road at Jacksonville and Tennessee. The Ravens should probably rest Ray Lewis till the playoffs.
7. Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta is playing like the team that was a number one seed in the NFC last year right now. Matt Ryan is playing like he for the last few years. This Atlanta team is proving that they are a sleeper to win the Super Bowl.
8. Detroit Lions
Detroit got a huge win in Oakland to put them on the brink of making the playoffs. Ndamukong Suh's performance will be important for the Detroit defense. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson is the best quarterback-wide receiver tandem in all of the NFL.
9. Houston Texans
Houston proved that their offense is completely reliant on Arian Foster. Foster is the most important player to any team in the NFL right now.
10. Dallas Cowboys
The expectations are rising in Dallas after a dominating victory in Tampa. Tony Romo will have to play well down the stretch for Dallas to make the playoffs.
The loss for the Packers takes a lot of pressure off. San Francisco excelled against the Steelers. Atlanta is a team with a lot of momentum and they have the talent to pull of a win against the Saints. New England proved that this team goes as their passing game goes. The Cowboys have a great chance to seal this division up this week.

Fifa World Rankings For December 2011

Fifa's World Rankings for December 2011 were published today at FIFA HQ in Zurich, Switzerland.

2010 World Cup winners Spain remain on top followed by the Netherlands, Germany and Copa America champs Uruguay. England are in 5th.

Ranking Team
1 Spain
2 Netherlands
3 Germany
4 Uruguay
5 England
6 Brazil
7 Portugal
8 Croatia
9 Italy
10 Argentina
11 Denmark
12 Russia
13 Chile
14 Greece
15 France
16 Côte d'Ivoire
17 Switzerland
18 Sweden
19 Japan
20 Bosnia-Herzegovina

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Selasa, 20 Desember 2011

Pemain Muda Indonesia di Amerika Serikat Diminati Persija dan Persebaya

Di tengah pergolakan di tubuh PSSI, dua klub Indonesia Primer League (IPL) yaitu Persija dan Persebaya mencoba mengundang Claudius Dipo Alam untuk melakukan trial di klub mereka.

Seperti yang diketahui, Dipo Alam adalah pemain Indonesia yang mencoba berkarir di Amerika Serikat. Pemain yang kini berusia 22 tahun tersebut pernah memperkuat klub Legends FC dan Turbo FC, dan ia juga pernah menjalani trial di Chivas USA U-17 dan Chivas USA U-19.



Dengan karirnya yang cukup mentereng sebagai pemain Indonesia di luar negeri, Persija dan Persebaya mencoba untuk menggaetnya. Persija, melalui CEO Pintor P. Gurning, bahkan telah mengirim surat resmi kepada Dipo untuk mengundangnya melakukan trial, berikut isi suratnya:

Dear Dipo,

We writing to you regarding our offering for trail in Persija Jakarta for 2nd round Indonesian Premiere League competition season 2011/12 in March based on schedule. Persija will make a player selection for 2nd window transfer. We hope this letter make a good relation in the future.

Looking forward for your reply and thanking you for your attention.

Sincerely yours,

Pintor P. Gurning
CEO of PT. Persija Jaya



Namun, Dipo Alam menyatakan bahwa dirinya belum memastikan akan mengambil tawaran tersebut, karena dia masih berusaha untuk masuk ke tim Universitas New Mexico. Dipo berjanji akan memberikan kepastian jawabannya tahun depan.



New Mexico sendiri adalah klub yang baru meraih gelar juara pada bulan November 2011 kemarin. New Mexico meraih gelar juara dengan mencatatkan rekor 20 pertandingan tidak terkalahkan di sana.

"Saya senang berada di sini, saya di New Mexico sekarang, berusaha untuk masuk ke tim karena New Mexico adalah juara tahun lalu. Dan mengenai Persija, saya berpikir untuk mengambil tawaran tersebut dan mencoba bermain di Indonesia agar lebih dekat dengan keluarga," kata Dipo.

"Persebaya melalui Llano [Mahardika] juga telah menghubungi saya untuk menjalani trial. Saya belum memutuskan apapun saat ini. Tetapi tahun depan saya akan memutuskan di mana saya akan tinggal."

FIFA : ISL Ilegal

Gembar-gembor PSSI bahwa Liga Super Indonesia (LSI) adalah liga ilegal ternyata benar. Sebab, FIFA mengatakan bahwa kompetisi Indonesia yang sah dan legal saat ini adalah yang dikelola PSSI, yakni Liga Primer Indonesia (LPI).

Demikian disampaikan Departemen Media FIFA, dalam emailnya yang dikirim kepada wartawan Republika Abdullah Sammy, Selasa (20/12).

Dalam email tersebut diungkapkan bahwa FIFA telah melakukan pertemuan dengan petinggi PSSI dan AFC terkait situasi terkini di PSSI. 

Surat bersama FIFA dan AFC tersebut akan segera dikirim pada akhir minggu ini. Hal itu dilakukan karena FIFA dan AFC sangat berhati-hati dalam menganalisis kondisi atau polemik di PSSI.

"Merujuk pasal 18 statuta FIFA, PSSI harus mengontrol semua kompetisi dan harus mengambil tindakan terhadap liga ilegal seperti ISL," tulis Departemen Media FIFA.

Senin, 19 Desember 2011

Pemain ISL Tidak Disertakan Lawan PSV

Pemain sepak bola yang tampil di Liga Super Indonesia kemungkinan tidak akan dipanggil memperkuat tim Indonesia Selection saat melawan PSV Eindhoven, 9 Januari 2012 mendatang. Hal itu disampaikan koordinator tim nasional, Bob Hippy, di Hotel Sultan, Senin, 19 Desember 2011.

"Sesuai aturan, hanya pemain yang bermain di kompetisi resmi yang akan bermain untuk tim nasional. Kalau di luar itu, kan, bukan urusan saya. Saya hanya punya satu istri yang akan diurus. Saya tidak akan urus tetangga," kata Bob Hippy memberi analogi.

Bob belum mau merinci komposisi pemain dan pelatih yang akan memperkuat tim Indonesia Selection saat melawan juara Liga Belanda 21 kali itu. "Belum tahu. Dua hari ini mungkin akan dibicarakan. Siapa yang akan bermain dan siapa yang akan melatih," katanya.

Bob juga enggan menanggapi pernyataan promotor yang menginginkan pemain langganan timnas Indonesia untuk masuk ke tim Indonesia Selection. Seperti diberitakan sebelumnya, mayoritas pemain langganan timnas, seperti Bambang Pamungkas, Cristian Gonzales, atau Firman Utina bermain di kompetisi Liga Super yang dinilai ilegal oleh PSSI.

"Pada dasarnya kami ingin pemain terbaik Indonesia yang bermain melawan PSV Eindhoven. Itu ada di kontrak yang kami buat," kata promotor, S.T Arasu.

Arasu mengaku tidak ingin mencampuri kebijakan internal PSSI yang melarang pemain LSI untuk memperkuat tim nasional. Promotor, menurutnya, menyerahkan sepenuhnya kepada PSSI untuk memilih pemain melawan PSV Eindhoven meskipun pada dasarnya menginginkan pemain langganan timnas seperti Bambang Pamungkas memperkuat tim. "Kalau ternyata bukan pemain terkenal Indonesia yang melawan PSV, mungkin kami akan evaluasi kontrak," ujar Arasu lagi.

PSV direncanakan akan bermain melawan tim Indonesia Selection pada 9 Januari 2012 dan menghadapi Jakarta Selection pada 12 Januari 2012. Dalam proposal yang diajukan promotor, mereka meminta PSSI memasukkan pemain terkenal Indonesia. Selain itu, promotor juga berencana memasukkan mantan pemain tim nasional Inggris, Andy Cole, dan penyerang tim nasional Malaysia, Safee Sali, untuk memperkuat tim Indonesia Selection agar menarik penonton.

"Itu kan proposal mereka (promotor). Mereka menyarankan. Keputusan kan ada di pelatih yang akan kami tunjuk nanti," kata Bob Hippy.

PSV saat ini berada di peringkat kedua Eredivisie Belanda, berjarak satu poin dari pimpinan klasemen, AZ Alkmaar. Sesuai kontrak, dalam kunjungan ke Indonesia, mereka akan membawa pemain tim utama, seperti Orlando Engelaar, Ola Toivonen, Wilfred Bouma, dan Andreas Isaksson. Tim akan dipimpin langsung pelatih kepala, Fred Rutten, dan didampingi asisten Philip Cocu, yang merupakan mantan pemain timnas Belanda.

Andy Cole Perkuat Indonesia Lawan PSV Eindhoven

Mantan pemain tim nasional Inggris, Andy Cole, direncanakan akan memperkuat tim Indonesia Selection'saat menghadapi klub Belanda, PSV Eindhoven, di Stadion Gelora Bung Karno, Senayan, Jakarta, pada 9 Januari 2012. Satu pemain asing lain yang ditambahkan ke tim Indonesia adalah penyerang tim nasional Malaysia, Safee Sali.

"Kami ingin pertandingan nanti menjadi pertandingan serius bagi PSV Eindhoven. Makanya, kami menambah dua pemain itu untuk memperkuat Indonesia dan menarik penonton," kata ST Arasu, promotor pertandingan dari Saujana Media, di Hotel Sultan, Senin, 19 Desember 2011.

Arasu memastikan PSV akan diperkuat pemain inti, seperti penyerang Ola Toivonen, penjaga gawang Andreas Isaksson, dan gelandang Orlando Engelaar. "Kami sudah menyepakati itu di dalam kontrak. Mereka akan bermain dengan tim utama," Arasu menambahkan.

Tapi, Arasu enggan merinci total biaya yang dikeluarkan untuk mendatangkan juara Liga Belanda sebanyak 21 kali itu. "Yang pasti, dua pertiga dari biaya total terpakai untuk mendatangkan mereka, mulai dari tiket mereka, hotel, dan kebutuhan lainnya," kata Arasu.

Selain melawan Indonesia Selection, PSV juga akan menghadapi Jakarta Selection pada 12 Januari 2012 di Stadion Gelora Bung Karno. Kemudian, mereka akan menggelar coaching clinic. Pelatih PSV, Fred Rutten, juga akan berdiskusi dengan beberapa pelatih lokal.

"Tapi kami belum memutuskan pelatih lokal yang akan ikut diskusi itu. Selain itu, kami juga akan memilih dua pemain di bawah usia 19 tahun untuk ikut berlatih bersama tim PSV selama lima hari di Jakarta," ujar Arasu.

PSV pernah mengunjungi Indonesia pada 1988. Saat ini tim itu menempati posisi kedua Eredivisie Belanda di bawah AZ Alkmaar dengan selisih satu poin. Pada pertandingan terakhir di liga, klub itu menang 5-1 melawan Heerenveen.

RD Dipastikan Berlabuh ke Pelita Jaya

Tanda tanya besar seputar Rahmad Darmawan pascamundur dari pelatih tim nasional U-23 akhirnya mulai terkuak. Meski tanda tangan kontrak secara resmi belum dilakukan,  klub milik keluarga Bakrie, Pelita Jaya, mengaku mantan pelatih tim nasional U-23 itu sudah setuju bergabung dengan The Young Guns untuk dua musim ke depan.

“Kami sudah dapat persetujuan dari Coach Rahmad. Insya Allah, tanda tangan kontrak akan dilakukan pada 13 atau 14 Januari mendatang,” kata Direktur Pelita Jaya Karawang Rahim Soekasah saat dihubungi melalui telpon selulernya, Senin 19 Desember 2011.

Rahim mengatakan Rahmad akan dikontrak untuk dua tahun. “Targetnya juara liga,” katanya. Namun target itu tidak ditetapkan di tahun pertama atau tahun kedua. “Kalau target bisa dicapai di tahun pertama itu semakin bagus.” Pelita Jaya kini mengarungi Liga Super Indonesia yang menurut PSSI ilegal.

Rahmad akan diberi kewenangan penuh dalam menangani Pelita. “Ia juga berhak mengganti pemain sesuai dengan keinginannya. Tapi untuk sekarang belum ada pembicaraan ke arah sana,” kata Rahim menjelaskan.

Untuk mendapatkan persetujuan Rahmad, Rahim mengaku turun langsung. Karena mengenal sejak masih menjadi pemain, Rahim mengaku tidak mengalami kesulitan dalam mendekati mantan pelatih Persipura Jayapura, Sriwijawa FC, dan Persija Jakarta itu. “Sudah puluhan tahun saya kenal Rahmad,” katanya.

Rahmad Darmawan mundur tepat di tengah kisruh yang melanda PSSI. PT Liga Indonesia yang dicabut kewenangannya mengelola liga oleh PSSIngotot menjalankan Liga Super. Adapun PSSI menunjuk pengelola liga baru yang menggulirkan Indonesian Premier League. Saat mundur, Rahmad mengaku alasannya karena gagal membawa timnas merebut medali emas seperti yang ditargetkan PSSI. Sempat juga terdengar kabar dia akan berguru kepelatihan di luar negeri.

PSSI Siapkan Pelatih Klub IPL untuk Tangani Timnas

PSSI mulai menggodok sejumlah nama untuk diproyeksikan sebagai pelatih tim nasional. Ada kemungkinan pelatih yang terpilih nanti adalah mereka yang berkiprah di Indonesian Premier League (IPL).

Diterangkan Koordinator Timnas Bob Hippy, pihaknya berencana memanggil sedikitnya 20 pelatih untuk membicarakan masa depan timnas, antara lain untuk mencari pengganti Rahmad Darmawan yang tidak akan bertugas lagi sebagai arsitek timnas U-23 per Januari.

"Pertemuan ini untuk membahas program-program timnas sekaligus mereka mempresentasikan program mereka bila menjadi pelatih timnas. Nantinya di antara mereka akan dipilih sebagai pelatih timnas di kelompok umur yang berbeda," ujar Bob kepada wartawan di Hotel The Sultan, Jakarta, Senin (19/12/2011).

Saat ditanya siapa saja calon pelatih-pelatih tersebut, ia mengisyaratkan figur dari klub-klub yang saat ini bermain di IPL atau yang berada dalam naungan PT. Liga Prima Indonesia Sportindo (LPIS).

"Tentunya dari yang ready stock. Istilahnya, saya punya istri, tidak mungkin ambil istri tetangga. Saya tidak akan memilih pelatih lain kecuali pelatih IPL," jawabnya.

Beberapa nama yang hampir dijadikan kandidat adalah pelatih Semen Padang Nil Maizar, pelatih Madiun Putra Hanafi, eks arsitek Manado United M. Al Hadad, serta dua asisten pelatih U-23, Aji Santoso dan Widodo C. Putra. 

Pertemuan tersebut akan diadakan pada hari Selasa (20/12) besok di Hotel Century. Setiap kandidat akan diberi kesempatan untuk memaparkan visi misi dan program-programnya. 

"Kami ini sebagai penyeleksi saja. Keputusan kami serahkan pada Komite Eksekutif PSSI," jelas Bob.

MLB Free Agency Grades

This has been one of the most exciting offseasons for baseball in a while. With the Pujols deal, the Marlins spending a lot and a lot of other things; this has been one hectic offseason. Let's look at the biggest deals of this offseason so far.

1. Albert Pujols to the Angels for 10 years, $254 Million Grade: B+
The Albert Pujols deal is the biggest deal of the offseason without a doubt. Albert Pujols still has at lest five more all-star years left in him. Pujols makes the Angels immediately a legitimate candidate to win the World Series this season. Pujols lets the Angels trade another first baseman like Mark Trumbo or Kendrys Morales. This deal will not be as good when Pujols gets into his upper thirties and lower forties. One thing that has gone unoticed is that Pujols will be able to attract the Latino population in Los Angeles which has been traditionally Dodgers fans. This deal could also let the Angels to expand their fan base.

2. Jose Reyes to the Marlins for 6 years, $106 million Grade: B
Jose Reyes will instantly provide the Marlins with a leadoff hitter that they really needed. Reyes's defense at shortstop will be an upgrade over Hanley Ramirez. The signing of Reyes has helped to bring a certain buzz o the Marlins that should help in the ticket office for their new stadium. This signing might now force the Marlins to now trade Hanley Ramirez because of his lack of interest in moving from shortstop to third base. Ramirez is an important player and the Reyes signing has now put the Marlins on bad terms with Hanley Ramirez.

3. CJ Wilson to the Angels for 5 years, $77.5 million Grade: C
CJ Wilson was the other big signing that the Angels made at the end of the Winter Meetings. CJ Wilson has been very good for the Rangers over the last two years after being moved from the bullpen. Wilson has a good arsenal of pitches. However, he has relied on a good defense and the Angels aren't exactly know for defense. Wilson's arm may also have not much life left in it and this contract may not be worth it by the end of it. However, Wilson will not have the pressure of being a number one or two starter in the Angels' rotation which may let him relax more.

4. Mark Buehrle to the Marlins for 4 years, $58 million Grade: A+
Mark Buehrle might be 32 years old but he is not a power pitcher which should give him great longevity. Buehrle will be able to pitch well for the whole contract. Buehrle is one of the most underrated pitchers in all of baseball. Buehrle is going to be able to pitch at a high level for a lot longer like Andy Pettitte. Buehrle helps to fill out the rotation with Josh Johnson, Anibal Sanchez, Ricky Nolasco and Chris Volstad. The Marlins will be able to match up with the rotation of the other NL East teams. In four years, this deal will be seen as one of the best deals of this offseason.

5. Jonathan Paplebon to the Phillies for 4 years $50 million Grade: A-
Jonathan Paplebon is one of the best closers in baseball. The Phillies needed to either resign Ryan Madson or go and get a new closer. They decided to go get Paplebon who has been a reliable closer for a while. Paplebon will be a perfect fit in Philadelphia because he has already been in the pressure cooker of Boston. Paplebon will not have to face as much pressure in Philly as he did in Boston.

6. Aramis Ramirez to the Brewers for 3 years $36 million Grade: B
Aramis Ramirez is very good third baseman. Ramirez is one of the most offensive players in all of baseball. Ramirez has the potential to drive in 100 RBIs next year in a lineup that desperately needs him. Ramirez's defense is pretty good right now also. However, Ramirez may not be able to stay as a 25HR, 90RBI hitter by the end of the contract. There is a chance he could become a defensive liability for the Brewers in the third year of this deal. Ramirez's production will be important as the Brewers will try to win a weaker NL Central.

7. Jimmy Rollins to the Phillies for 3 years, $33 million Grade: A
Jimmy Rollins wanted to get a five-year-deal this offseason but he always wanted to return to Philadelphia. Rollins decided to take a team-friendly contract and return to Philadelphia. Rollins is essential to the Phillies lineup as he one of the best leadoff hitters in the majors. Rollins also still has a great arm for a shortstop. Rollins will start to decline but he will still be able to be a very good shortstop at the end of this contract. Ruben Amaro got this deal done for a great price which will let them spend money on extending Cole Hamels, bringing in a couple more relievers, or signing a corner outfielder like Carlos Beltran.

This offseason has been one of the most exciting offseasons ever with all the money that has been spent. This offseason will only get better with the Prince Fielder negotiations, the Yu Darvish signing, and the future, impending trade of Gio Gonzalez.