Senin, 30 April 2012

Daftar Klasemen Liga Spanyol Pekan Ke-35

Real Madrid masih memimpin klasemen sementara LIga Spanyol sampai pekan ke-35, mereka terpaut 7 poin dari peringkat ke-2 Barcelona. Zona Champions juga masih seru diperebutkan, berikut daftar klasemen La Liga Spanyol musim 2011/12 pekan ke-35:

Klasemen La Liga
No Team M M S K SG N
1 REAL MADRID 35 29 4 2 112-30 91
2 BARCELONA 35 26 6 3 104-26 84
3 VALENCIA 35 15 10 10 54-43 55
4 MALAGA 35 16 7 12 51-47 55
5 LEVANTE 35 15 7 13 51-48 52
6 ATLETICO MADRID 35 13 10 12 49-44 49
7 ATHLETIC BILBAO 35 12 12 11 49-46 48
8 OSASUNA 35 11 15 9 39-55 48
9 SEVILLA 35 12 10 13 41-42 46
10 MALLORCA 35 12 10 13 39-42 46
11 ESPANYOL 35 12 9 14 44-49 45
12 GETAFE 35 12 9 14 39-48 45
13 REAL SOCIEDAD 35 11 10 14 44-50 43
14 REAL BETIS 35 11 7 16 42-51 43
15 RAYO VALLECANO 35 12 4 19 50-67 40
16 GRANADA 35 11 6 18 32-52 39
17 VILLARREAL 35 8 14 13 36-49 38
18 REAL ZARAGOZA 35 9 7 19 31-60 34
19 SPORTING GIJON 35 9 7 19 38-64 34
20 RACING SANTANDER 35 4 14 17 24-56 26

Daftar Klasemen Liga Italia Serie A Pekan Ke-35

Juventus masih menjadi pemuncak klasemen sementara sampai pekan ke-35 ini, Milan masih menempel ketat dengan selisih tiga poin. Zona liga champions masih seru diperebutkan oleh empat tim, Napoli, Udinese, Lazio, dan Inter Milan mempunyai poin yang sama. Berikut daftar klasemen sementara liga italia serie A musim 2011/12 sampai pekan ke-35:
Klasemen Serie A
No Team M M S K SG N
1 JUVENTUS 35 21 14 0 62-18 77
2 AC MILAN 35 22 8 5 68-28 74
3 NAPOLI 35 14 13 8 62-43 55
4 UDINESE 35 15 10 10 47-35 55
5 LAZIO 35 16 7 12 50-45 55
6 INTERNAZIONALE 35 16 7 12 52-47 55
7 AS ROMA 35 15 6 14 55-50 51
8 CATANIA 35 11 14 10 45-47 47
9 PARMA 35 12 11 12 48-52 47
10 ATALANTA 35 13 13 9 40-36 46
11 BOLOGNA 35 11 12 12 38-42 45
12 CHIEVO 35 11 11 13 30-41 44
13 SIENA 35 11 10 14 43-40 43
14 PALERMO 35 11 9 15 48-54 42
15 CAGLIARI 35 10 12 13 36-42 42
16 FIORENTINA 35 10 11 14 34-41 41
17 GENOA 35 9 9 17 46-66 36
18 LECCE 35 8 11 16 39-53 35
19 NOVARA 35 6 10 19 29-61 28
20 CESENA 35 4 10 21 22-53 22

Minggu, 29 April 2012

Hodgson in the frame for England

Roy Hodgson is poised to become England manager and pip the people's choice Harry Redknapp.

The Football Association has broken its silence almost three months after clumsily parting ways with Fabio Capello, who left England with a win rate of 66.7% - the best in its history. But their choice for the 'impossible job' comes as a surprise after weeks of Tottenham's boss being touted as the next in line.

"Roy is the only manager we have approached and we remain on course to make an appointment within the timescale we set out soon after Fabio Capello's departure,'' FA chairman David Bernstein said today. "Further conversations will now take place with Roy and my Club England colleagues before any further announcements can be made.''

Shock, horror - Redknapp is out in the cold. Three wins in eleven games since Capello quit and now no England job after all.


Despite an immediate avalanche of support for the Tottenham boss from the media and public at large, the lack of any announcement meant Hodgson's credentials have begun to be talked up more in recent weeks. The expectation was that the F.A. would announce Redknapp's appointment at the end of the season once compensation had been agreed with his club.

Redknapp's cavalier attacking style has been a joy to watch, particularly when Spurs dismantled both Milan teams in last year's Champions League. Yet such an open approach could soon be found out and counteracted at international level.

Capello's tactics against Spain at Wembley in his penultimate match were rather the way forward: Safety first, frustrate your superior opponents, hit them on the break or from a set piece and resort to mass defence and denial of space. That does not sound like Redknapp.

Choosing between Hodgson and Redknapp was ultimately a choice between the head and the heart and the F.A. have courageously not bowed to public opinion, which when it comes to football can often be wrong.

Hodgson has the international experience, the flexibility to oversee the huge St George's Park project and base himself in Staffordshire, and the lack of a contract to unravel after this summer. He speaks many languages, has coached in Serie A amongst eight countries in all, reached a European club final and managed three national teams, including one at the World Cup Finals. So why was not he the automatic first choice for England?

The answer is he is too continental for England's liking. Anglo-Saxon culture is suspicious of Europe and of intellectualism. Rather a Redknapp who wrote a column for the soft-porn Daily Sport, than a Hodgson who discussed John Updike and Saul Bellow in the literary pages of The Observer. While Hodgson is a polyglot, Redknapp only speaks cockney.

In England, football is a game of passion instead of science and while both main candidates hailed from humble London backgrounds, Harry the son of a docker simply ticked more boxes in the tabloid mentality which dominates the national soccer discourse. He is an old-fashioned motivator in the Brian Clough mold rather than a modern coach Pep Guardiola-style, the last hurrah of England's footballing roots before European culture swamps it for good.

But Hodgson it is. And the additional responsibilities of overseeing the grand projet that is the new national training centre in Burton-on-Trent for England's various teams surely suit him better than they would Redknapp. The Spurs boss might well have been unwilling to swap his Poole mansion for the Midlands and may have got bored by the lack of matches in the international calendar.

For Hodgson, the press will probably be hostile from the off, having beaten their favourite to the job. He shows his insecurities in his face and voice which does not help, and memorably cried once on the touchline at Inter. The Fleet Street knives will be out in force, and the West Brom boss is unlikely to relish a possible repeat of his Liverpool experience when he never won over the supporters.

Euro 2012 will be a baptism of fire, especially as the players had looked forward to Harry revving up in the dressing room. There will be little time to get to know them beforehand and only Steven Gerrard and Scott Carson will be familiar faces.

That said, Hodgson's experience is there for all to see, and even those who would have preferred Redknapp have respect for his abilities.

As with any man in the hot-seat, the results will do the talking.

(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile

Tags

NFL Draft Winners and Losers

Fletcher Cox is the centerpiece of the Eagles excellent draft class.

253 players are now NFL rookies as this year's NFL Draft started and ended with the Colts taking a quarterback (Andrew Luck, Chandler Harnish). Some teams have done really well this weekend while other teams will regret some of their picks.

Winners

Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles had arguably the best draft this year as they made excellent picks throughout. Fletcher Cox will compete for a starting job with Mike Patterson and Cullen Jenkins at one of the two defensive tackle spots as Cox can be an impact player. Kendricks is a solid linebacker that can improve the Eagles linebacking corps even more as they have already traded for DeMeco Ryans. I am a huge fan of Vinny Curry as he will be a great third defensive end for Philly this year and I think he will be as good as Dwight Freeney in his prime. Nick Foles is a good choice in the third round as he could become the long term replacement for Michael Vick in Philly. Brandon Boykin gives the Eagles a good nickel cornerback and a deangerous return man which can allow them to protect DeSean Jackson by using Boykin instead of Jackson to return kickoffs and punts. Dennis Kelly is an off the radar that has a big frame and seems like he has a fairly high ceiling. The Eagles picked another player that I am big on in Marvin McNutt as he will give the Eagles a bigger receiver that can go up and get the ball to go along with the speedier DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. Brandon Washington is another developmental piece that can be a good swing offensive lineman immediately. Bryce Brown is a good pick in the seventh round as he can be a good backup for LeSean McCoy. The Eagles have had a very good draft and they will reap the benefits of it this season.

Nick Perry will be a key part of a rebuilt
Green Bay defense.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers also had one of the best draft this year as they made tons of excellent moves to improve their defense especially. The Packers started out the draft by taking USC DE/OLB Nick Perry who was very productive at USC and I think will form a very dangerous combo with Clay Matthews at outside linebacker. In the second round, the Packers traded up to get Michigan State DT Jerel Worthy who should be an effective immediate starter for the Packers at defensive end in the Dom Capers 3-4 defensive scheme. The Packers then traded back into the second round and picked up a successful college cornerback in Vanderbilt's Casey Hayward. Hayward knows how to intercept the football as he can immediately be a nickel cornerback, a long term starter, and allow the Packers to move Charles Woodson to safety. The Packers used the first of their two first round picks on Iowa DT Mike Daniels who can develop into a solid 3-4 defensive end opposite of Worthy. The other pick was used on Maine S Jerron McMillian who is a developmental player that can be an effective NFL safety if he improves his tackling. Terrell Manning was a steal in the fifth round as he gives the Packers more linebacker depth and the possiblity of putting Nick Perry at defensive end instead of outside linebacker on some plays. The Packers picked some offensive players by taking Florida State OT Andrew Datko and Chattanooga QB BJ Coleman. Datko can provide the Packers some good offensive line depth while Coleman will be a developmental quarterback that will get to learn behind Aaron Rodgers as the number 3 quarterback. The Packers had an excellent draft which has set them up as a favorite to win the Super Bowl.

Melvin Ingram will be a key player for the
Chargers defense.
San Diego Chargers
The Chargers made some great picks in this year's draft as they look to go back to the playoffs after missing the postseason the last two years. The Chargers were able to find a very pass rusher in South Carolina OLB Melvin Ingram. Ingram was a steal at pick 18 as he can definitely be an immediate force for the Chargers defense. Kendall Reyes can be the long term for replacement Luis Castillo as he has all the makings of a strong 3-4 defensive end. Brandon Taylor is a good young safety that has good ball skills and has the making of a very good safety. In the fourth round, the Chargers took UL Lafayette tightend Ladarius Green. Green will be able to compliment Antonio Gates well and replace him in the long term as this is a little bit of a steal. Johnnie Troutman is more of a developmental player for the Chargers as he could provide some decent depth on the offensive line. The Chargers made a couple of great impressive picks in the seventh by taking Michigan C David Molk and Michigan State RB Edwin Baker. Molk was a four-year starter at Michigan and has the leadership to be a very good center for a long time. Baker can be a good second running back behind Ryan Matthews as it also gives the Chargers a good security blanket if Matthews continues to get hurt due to the loss of Mike Tolbert to Carolina. The Chargers have had a very good draft which can help get back to the summit of the AFC West.

Losers
Could Pete Carroll be on the hot seat.

Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks draft is headlined by reaches throughout as a draft like this could cost Pete Carroll his job in the long term. The Seahawks made a huge reach in the first round by taking a poor motor, character issue player in West Virginia pass rusher Bruce Irvin. Carroll is not good with dealing with players that have character issues so I really do not get why Carroll made this move. Then, they traded down to take Utah State ILB Bobby Wagner when he could have had a much better inside linebacker a little earlier in Cal's Mychal Kendricks. Russell Wilson is a high character guy but the Seahawks already have plenty of quarterbacks so this just seemed a little wasteful. Robert Turbin may have been the Seahawks only quality pick as he can be better than Marshawn Lynch is in a couple of years and still be an immediate factor. Jaye Howard could be a decent run stuffer but he probably fits better in a 3-4 defense with his speed than a 4-3 defense. Korey Toomer is an off the radar player that they could have probably gotten as an undrafted free agent instead off as a fifth round pick. In the sixth round, the Seahawks made a couple of decent additions to the secondary in Northwestern State's Jeremy Lane and Kentucky's Winston Guy. The Seahawks used their last two picks on a couple of defensive lineman that seemed like sure undrafted free agents. Pete Carroll will have to have better drafts in the future if he wants to keep his job.

Zach Brown is a part of a poor Titans draft class
Tennessee Titans
Mike Munchek almost got the Titans to the playoffs this season but a draft like this will not help their chances of getting to the upcoming season's playoffs. I am not a fan at all of Kendall Wright as despite a better 40 at his pro day, I do not think that he will be a good receiver as I think he is a slot receiver at best and more likely, a bust. Zach Brown is one of the only good picks they made as he has some potential to become a very good linebacker but there are definitely some character and motor concerns. I think Mike Martin benefited more from the Brady Hoke Michigan defense as I do not think he will be a starter in the NFL and could also be a bust. Coty Sensabaugh was a part of the Clemson defense that allowed tons of points including when they were blown out by West Virginia in the Orange Bowl. SMU TE Taylor Thompson is a huge risk as he has not played tightend since high school and may not be able to make an impact at his college position on the defensive line. Oklahoma State safety Markelle Martin is a good value pick in the sixth round and one of the bright spots of the draft as he could definitely become a NFL starter. Scott Soloman is an off the radar player who was a likely undrafted free agent. The Titans are definitely going to be disappointed with this draft as they will only get a couple of solid players out of it.

Raiders fans won't be happy with the Raiders' draft.
Oakland Raiders
A lot of the reason why Oakland is on this list is because they traded away their first rounder as a part of the deal that sent Carson Palmer to Oakland from Cincy. When you do not have a first or second round pick, you are already in a hole but they still did not do well with the remaining picks. Tony Bergstrom was a decent pick as he could be a good offensive guard but they had bigger needs that should had been addressed with that pick. Miles Burris could be a decent linebacker but there were better players that Oakland could have got. Jack Crawford would probably fit better in a 4-3 defense and not a 3-4 scheme as he is more of a developmental pick. Juron Criner should bea number 3 or 4 receiver during his career as he could be a solid slot guy. Chris Bilukidi is a way off the radar guy that could have definitely been picked up as an undrafted free agent instead of being taken in the sixth round. Nate Stupar was a probably undrafted free agent so they could addressed a different position with this pick. When you do not have a first or second round pick in the draft, you are probably not going to have a good draft and the Raiders are a perfect example of that as Reggie McKenzie did not have a good first draft as Raiders GM.

Turkish delight mixed with regret

Germany has announced it will not bid for Euro 2020, leaving Turkey with a clear field to host the tournament.

Tuesday the 15th of May is the deadline for bids to be received at UEFA headquarters, but if no other nation submits an application, it is probable the announcement of the winning Turkish bid will be brought forward from December 2013 or January 2014.

Having missed out on Euro 2016 by a single vote, in an election UEFA President Michel Platini was strongly rumoured to have influenced in favour of his home nation, Turkey should be celebrating winning the rights to host 2020.

However, Istanbul is also in the running for that summer's Olympic Games, yet the city's bid, which the Turkish government is understood to prefer to the European Championships, will be shot down in flames should no other European nation bid for Euro 2020. UEFA and the IOC have made it clear that no country will host both major tournaments within the space of a couple of months.

Bulgaria-Romania and the Netherlands ruled themselves out last month, apparently in the belief Turkey was a shoe-in, while the Deutscher Fussball Bund implied the same as it withdrew its bid this week, claiming it was time for other nations to host the competition.


The opposition now looks non-existent. Italy is beset with fan violence and match-fixing, while Spain's acute economic woes mean the country has more pressing concerns with an unemployment rate of 24.4%.

Noises about joint bids from Hungary & Romania and from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia have gone quiet recently, leaving Azerbaijan & Georgia as the last potential challengers.

The Azerbaijani capital Baku however, is also bidding for the 2020 Olympics, the deadline for whose bids falls on the 23rd of May, a week after that of Euro 2012.



Hosts since 1980
Euro 1980: Italy
Euro 1984: France
Euro 1988: West Germany
Euro 1992: Sweden
Euro 1996: England
Euro 2000: Belgium & Netherlands
Euro 2004: Portugal
Euro 2008: Austria & Switzerland
Euro 2012: Poland & Ukraine
Euro 2016: France


(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile

Tags

Football Fat Cats are 1, 2 & 3

London football owners/investors fill the top three positions in The Sunday Times's Rich List for 2012, the annual parade of the wealthiest individuals living in Britain.

Lakshmi Mittal, part-owner of Queen's Park Rangers, remains Britain's richest man according to the survey, with an estimated wealth of £12.7 billion. Visitors to this summer's Olympic Games in London will see one example of his benevolence, the £19million  ArcelorMittal Orbit tower (right), a permanent sculpture overlooking the Olympic stadium and Britain's largest piece of public art.

Meanwhile QPR sit fourth from bottom equal on points with 18th-placed Bolton and in serious danger of relegation with only two games to play - at home against Stoke and away at title-chasing Manchester City.

Mittal owns a third of the club but delegates day-to-day involvement to his son-in-law Amit Bhatia.

QPR's recent woes were the subject of a riveting fly-on-the-wall documentary, "The Four Year Plan", transmitted on BBC2. The film showed now departed owners Flavio Briatore and Gianni Paladini stumbling their way through various managers as the club struggled to win promotion. On one occasion, Briatore memorably was filmed issuing instructions on whom to substitute during a match. the influx of big money has also brought confusion and insecurity: Rangers have changed their coach 14 times in the last six years.

The major shareholder in QPR is Malaysian Air Asia founder Tony Fernandes, who bought the 66% stake owned by Formula One men Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone last year.



Alisher Usmanov, the Uzbek-born tycoon who owns just under 30% of Arsenal's shares, is second on the rich list, with £12.3 billion of assets, followed by the most famous of English soccer's megabucks owners, Chelsea's Roman Abramovich, with £9.5 billion.

(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile


Tags

NBA Playoff Preview

Be Ready for a Durant-LeBron showdown in the Finals
The NBA playoffs are under and already we have a big storyline with the Bulls losing Derrick Rose in game one against the 76ers. These playoffs should be exciting so what will happen.

Round One Predictions
Iguodala is ready to knock out the top seeded Bulls
Eastern Conference
8 Philadelphia 76ers over 1 Chicago Bulls in 6
2 Miami Heat over 7 New York Knicks in 5
3 Indiana Pacers over 6 Orlando Magic in 6
4 Boston Celtics over 5 Atlanta Hawks in 6
The Bulls are taking on a deep 76er team that will be difficult now that the Bulls are without star point guard Derrick Rose. Andre Iguodala will help get the 76ers to the next round while the Heat should be able to walk by the Knicks. The Magic are a ressilliant bunch but the Pacers are built to get past the first round of the playoffs and with a healthy center in Roy Hibbert and abunch a good, young players; stamina will allow the Pacers to move on. The Celtics and Hawks have had some great playoff series and there is no reason to expect less but the Celtics are playing well and a Al Horford-less Hawks just are not good enough to get by Boston.

Jefferson will win this matchup against Duncan

Western Conference
8 Utah Jazz over 1 San Antonio Spurs in 6
2 Oklahoma City Thunder over 7 Dallas Mavericks in 5
3 Los Angeles Lakers over 6 Denver Nuggets in 7
5 Los Angeles Clippers over 4 Memphis Grizzlies in 6
How about both number one seeds going in the first round. Some would say that the Spurs won't make another early exit but the Jazz have the one thing that allowed Memphis to pull the upset last year, size and tons of it. The Jazz have tons of dominate big man with Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors, and Enes Kanter. The Jazz will dominate the boards and whenever you do that, you will win games and win the series. The Mavs just are not as good as last year and the Thunder will be able to cruise to the next round. The Nuggets will be a real challenge for the Lakers due to Denver's depth and Ty Lawson but the Lakers are too experienced to not get by the first round. The Clippers are a perfect matchup for Memphis and Chris Paul will help lead the Clippers to the Western Conference semis.

Conference Semifinals
KG will help eliminate Philly
Eastern Conference
4 Boston Celtics over 8 Philadelphia 76ers in 6
2 Miami Heat over 3 Indiana Pacers in 5
The Celtics are a good team and a legitimate contender but they will be challenged by the youth and depth of the 76ers. Veterans like Paul Pierce and Ray Allen know how to make big shots and in this northeast showdown, that will be the difference as the Celtics will be headed for the Eastern Conference Final. The Pacers are a good team but the Heat are a truely elite team with of course the big three but also they have a better gropu of players surrounding James,Wade, and Bosh than last year. The Heat have the ability to get that NBA Championship and they will take another step to get closer to the NBA Finals.

Durant will get past Kobe in the semis.
Western Conference
5 Los Angeles Clippers over 8 Utah Jazz in 5
2 Oklahoma City Thunder over 3 Los Angeles Lakers in 5
The Clippers-Jazz series should be great as both these teams have tons of talent but the one difference is at point guard with the Clips having Chris Paul and the Jazz having Devin Harris. Paul is a way better player than Harris and that will make this series not as close as it seems as Chris Paul will take one LA team to the Western Conference finals. The other LA team, the Lakers, will be headed for the exit doors when they play the Thunder as Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant will be a ble to dominate while Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins will be good enough to slow down Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum as OKC will head for the Western Conference final.

LeBron and Miami will defeat Pierce and Boston
Conference Finals
2 Miami Heat over 4 Boston Celtics in 6
2 Oklahoma City Thunder over 5 Los Angeles Clippers in 6
The Heat and the Celtics will provide a great matchup in the Eastern Conference finals as it will be the original big three against the South Beach big three. The Celtics have the advantage at the point but the Heat have the better players at every other position as the Heat know they are so close to the Finals. This will be the Heat's year to win the Eastern Conference and return to the NBA Finals with the goal of winning a championship. Thunder vs Clippers will be a great showdown as these two are becoming two of the Western Conference powerhouses. Both teams are loaded with stars like Durant, Russell Westbrook, CP3, and Blake Griffin. The Thunder have a great scorer off the bench in sixth man of the year award favorite James Harden. Harden will be huge in this series and help send the Thunder to a final against Miami.

NBA Finals
2 Miami Heat over 2 Oklahoma City Thunder in 7
This has been my pick for the NBA season all year and I'm not going to change it now as these two teams are definitely the best in the NBA this year. The big matchup in this year's finals will be between the two big stars, LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Durant and LeBron are the two best players in basketball and this will be the ultimate matchup on the biggest stage before they pair up in London for the Olympics. Dwayne Wade will be matchuped on Russell Westbrook as the Heat ahave the one lineup that lines up well with OKC. Bosh will be able to have more success down low than anyone else as Ibaka and Perkins will be worn down froma tough playoffs. The Heat have some playmakers off the bench that can make an impact as Udonis Haslem will provide some offensive rebounds while Joel Anthony will play strong defense. James Harden will makes some shots but at the end of the day, LeBron will outplay Durant and bring a NBA Championship to Miami.
LeBron will defeat Durant and win the title for the Heat.

Sabtu, 28 April 2012

Live Coverage NFL Draft: Day Three, Part Two

This is the end of our draft coverage as I hope you enjoy the rest of the draft.

The Redskins have taken SMU CB Richard Crawford while Indy has taken Vandy DE Tim Fugger.

The Bucs have made their only surpsing pick in taking Utah State RB Michael Smith over guys limkke Chris Polk who is falling like crazy right now.

The Vikings have taken NC State ILB Audie Cole while the Titans have taken Rice DE Scott Soloman.

The Rams take a linebacker in Hawaii's Aaron Brown.

Indianapolis has picked up Georgia offensive guard Justin Anderson.

Kellen Moore and Case Keenum are the most notable players that have not been drafted yet.

Carolina closes out the sixth round by taking Wisconsin punter Brad Nortrem who was most likely going to be a undrafted free agent as Drew Butler, the best punter in the draft, is still on the board.

The Colts have taken Ohio WR LaVon Brazill as he some big play ability and could be a good slot guy or fourth receiver in the long term.

Cleveland uses the first of their two back to back sixth rounders on Texas ILB Emmanuel Acho and the second pick on Boise State DT Billy Wynn. Billy Wynn will be one of the biggest steals in the draft for Cleveland as Wynn will be a quality NFL starter for a while so this is a great pick by Mike Holmgren, Pat Shurmer, and company. Cleveland is having a good draft.

The Jets use the second of the back to back picks on Baylor offensive guard Robert T. Griffin.

The Jets have used their first of back to back sixth round picks on Baylor running back Terrance Ganaway as Washington's Chris Polk continues to fall.

The Giants have taken a young offensive tackle in UAB's Matt McCants.

The Eagles have taken Miami (FL) offensive guard Brandon Washington who has some potential to be a starter but will at least provide offensive line depth.

The 49ers take an off the radar player in West Oregon's Jason Slowey.

The Ravens have made a good pick at receiver in Miami's Tommy Streeter. Streeter can definitely be an impact player for the Ravens as he complements Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith.

Ohio State defensive back Nate Ebner is headed for New England as Bill Belichek renovates the Patriots defense.

The Lions have taken a cornerback in New Mexico State's Jonte Green.

The Texans have picked up Purdue offensive tackle Nick Mondek.

The Eagles have picked up an excellent receiver in Marvin McNutt as his size will allow him to be a big play threat. McNutt is a big steal at this point in the draft for the Eagles who are having one impressive draft. McNutt will bring a little more size which will help as they already have the speedy DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin.

The Redskins get more offensive line help as they take South Dakota's Tom Compton.

The Falcons take a safety in Mississippi State's Charles Mitchell.

Cincy has picked up a power running back in Ohio State's Dan Herron as he can be a good compliment to BenJarvus Green-Ellis for the Bengals. Back to the Ryan Lindley pick, I think Lindley will at least be a Rex Grossman with a ceiling of a Brett Favre. Good pick for the Cardinals.

The Raiders have reached for a center in Chris Bilukidi who would have most likely been an undrafted free agent.

Kentucky OLB Danny Travathan has been taken by the Broncos.

The Jets have taken Wake Forest S Josh Bush.

Dallas has picked up Oklahoma TE James Hanna.

Arizona has made a good move picking up young QB Ryan Lindley who has a high ceiling while the
Vikings picked Michigan State WR BJ Cunningham. The Bears went and got a cornerback from Nevada.

The Chiefs went and got a good running back in Texas A&M RB Cyrus Gray.

Live NFL Draft Coverage: Day Three

The Seahawks have continued the safety theme with Kentucky's Winston Guy.


The 49ers pick up a safety in Michigan State's Trenton Robinson.

The Saints pick up a guard in Syracuse's Andrew Tiller who worked under a former Saints offensive coordinator in Doug Marrone (Marrone is Syracuse's head coach).

The Bills have added another offensive lineman in Oregon OG Mark Asper.

The Jags and Cardinals have takent cornerbacks with Jacksonville taking Florida State''s Mile Harris and Arizona taking Presbyterian's Justin Bethel.

Tampa Bay takes a cornerback in West Virginia's Kieth Tandy while Blair Walsh becomes the third kicker to be drafted as he is headed for Minnesota.

The Redskins take a running back that was off the radar in Florida Atllantic's Alfred Morris. They did not need to take a running back as this is just a wasteful pick for a guy who would have probably been an undrafted free agent.

One big headline: Will Kellen Moore be drafted? Stay Tuned.

Seattle has taken a cornerback in Northwestern State's Jeremy Lane.

The Rams open the sixth round by taking Missouri Western kicker Greg Zuerlein. This seems like a little bit of a reach for a probable undrafted free agent.

The Colts end the fifth round by taking a running back in Mississippi State's Vick Ballard though I would have taken Washington's Chris Polk.

The Ravens take a cornerback in Cal Poly's Asa Jackson.

Oakland has taken Nick Foles's main target in Arizona's Juron Criner. Criner has showed some flashes and could be a good slot receiver. Also, Adam Schefter has reported that the Redskins will cut QB John Beck.

The Bengals get a quality safety in Boise State's George Iloka. Iloka should be a solid producer at the next level for Cincy.

The Bengals have picked a receiver in California's Marvin Jones with the first of their two back to back fifth round picks.

Green Bay has made a good pick in NC State OLB Terrell Manning while the Falcons have also done well in Troy DE Jonathan Massaquoi  while the 49ers also get a linebacker in Notre Dame's Darius Flemming. Manning and Massaquoi are two good value picks here in the fifth round.

The Saints have taken a safety in Samford's Corey White.

Houston takes the Lou Groza award winner in Texas A&M kicker Randy Bullock who has the potential to be really good.

The Browns have gotten a high ceiling offensive guard in Ryan Miller who could be a reliable NFL starter. Miller is a name to watch.

The Steelers have taken a speedy playmaker in Florida RB Chris Rainey who can be a return man and a player that can turn out a big run to change momentum.

Oakland has taken another defensive player in Penn State DE Jack Crawford.

The Falcons have taken Wisconsin FB Bradie Ewing who has shown some ability in the passing game.

The Bengals take a good cornerback in Iowa's Shaun Prater as they gain even more secondary depth.

The Dolphins have taken a linebacker in Oregon's Josh Kaddu so he could possibly develop into the pass rusher opposite of Cameron Wake.

Philly takes an offensive tackle in Purdue's Dennis Kelly while Seattle takes another linebacker in Idaho's Korey Toomer.

The Cowboys had added to their wide receiver in Virginia Tech's Danny Coale who will try to take a role similar to that of Laurent Robinson.

Another offensive guard comes off the board, this time it's Washington's Senio Kelemete and the Cardinals.

The Rams have taken an offensive guard in Rokevious Watkins out of South Carolina.

San Diego adds an offensive lineman in Penn State's Johnnie Troutman.

Detroit takes Chris Greenwood, a cornerback out of Albion College who has been rising up draft boards.

Buffalo has picked up a hard working linebacker in TCU's Tank Carder as he will be able to be a decent player for the Bills who are making some good picks today.

The Chiefs have found a safety in Alabama's DeQuan Menzie as he could provide deptha nd possibly be paired up with Eric Berry in the secondary.

Tennessee has taken SMU's Taylor Thompson who is moving from the defensive line to tightend so he is a developmental player. He could be like Spencer Havner was a couple of years ago for Green Bay.

Carolina has made an excellent pick in Coastal Carolina cornerback Josh Norman. Norman has great size for a cornerback and should be able to guard the bigger receivers in the NFL. Meanwhile, Buffalo has found a very good offensive tackle in Florida State's Zebrie Sanders who can definitely make an early impact and possibly start his rookie year.

Another Nevada linebacker has been drafted as OLB Brandon Marshall is heade for Jacksonville.

The Redskins have improved their offensive line as they pick Iowa offensive guard Adam Gettis.

There are a couple good defensive players that are still on the board in Boise State DT Billy Wynn and Coastal Carolina CB Josh Norman as both have all the talent to be NFL starters for years.

Tampa has found an inside linebacker in West Virginia's Najee Goode.

Detroit has taken another linebacker in Temple's Tahir Whitehead while Minnesota has found a good defensive back in Notre Dame's Robert Blanton who can be put at cornerback or safety.

To begin the fifth round, the Colts make a good pick to improve the defensive line in Alabama DT Josh Chapman who can be very effective while Denver takes a defensive end in Tennessee's Malik Jackson.

The Packers have picked Mike Daniels and Jerrod McMillian. Greg Childs will be a good receiver for the Vikings while Dallas finds a safety.

The Giants have found a young offensive tackle in Auburn's Brandon Mosley. Mosley has a high ceiling and can be developed into a very good player.

The Ravens have taken a safety in Christian Thompson out of South Carolina State as they will try to develop him to replace Ed Reed. We will see if that actually happens or if they look at safety earlier next year.

Oakland needs defensive help and they have taken San Diego State OLB Miles Burris.

The Vikings have found a fullback that can catch the football in USC's Rhett Ellison.

The Giants have taken a tightend in Clemson's Adrien Robinson.

Houston has made steal of a pick in taking Nebraska's Jared Crick. Crick is a very explosive defensive lineman who can make a huge impact on the defensvie line in Houston. This probably means first rounder Whitney Mercilus will be at OLB.

Ron Brooks will give Buffalo another cornerback though they could have taken an offensive lineman instead while Detroit has made a good pick by taking Oklahoma linebacker Ronnell Lewis. Lewis was a part of a very good Oklahoma defense and should make an impact in the NFL.

Brandon Boykin is a good pick for Philly as his return ability can allow him to make an immediate impact plus he can come in and be a nickel cornerback right off the start.

Good pick for the Saints as they get a replacement for Robert Meachem in Nick Toon. Toon has the size to be a playmaker in New Orleans.

The Texans have picked another receiver in Kershawn Martin.

Cleveland has taken an inside linebacker in Nevada's James-Michael Johnson.

The Redskins have surprisingly taken a linebacker in Keenan Robinson.

The Vikings have taken a did receiver in Arkansas WR Jairus Wright.

San Francisco has found a good young guard in Joe Looney. Looney has a HGH ceiling and could get a chance to start even.

The Bengals have found a good blocking tightend in Orson Charles who will help out their running game.

Tennessee has found a cornerback to replace Courtland Finnegan in Sensebaugh but I think they should have taken Josh Norman.

The Cardinals have are a great value pick in Bobbie Massie who is a very good offensive lineman and should make an immediate impact. Massie has finally stopped falling. Dallas and Seattle have both made additions to their front 7.

Pittsburgh habe found a.new nose tackle in Alameda Ta'amu. This is a good young nose tackle that can make an immediate impact. Chicago has found a FB while San Diego ha found the long term replacement for Antonio Gates in Ladarius Green.

The Broncos have taken a young center in Baylor's Phillip Blake.

The Chiefs have found a receiver in Devon Wylie though they did not need a receiver.

Seattle has picked an excellent young running backbone Robert Turbin. I think Turbin all be a very good NFL starting running back du to his excellent combo of speed and strength.

The Bills have picked up Florida State linebacker Nigel Bradham.

Carolina has brought in a good defensive lineman in Frank Alexander. Alexander was productive at Oklahoma and is a good pick by Carolina. They have also picked up a good young receiver in Joe Adams.who can provide another deep threat for Cam Newton.

The Redskins have taken another quarterback who will be the backup to RG3 in Kirk Cousins. Cousins can be developed into a trade chip or an injury replacement for RG3.

Despite better cornerback options being available, the Broncos take Omar Bolden but I think Josh Norman would have been a better pick.

Today's draft coverage will not have every pick consistently.

Ben Jones will be a good young center for Houston that will provide very good depth while Travis
Benjamin gives the Browns a receiver though there are better options.

The Ravens have found a young guard in Geno Gradkowski out of Delaware.

The Dolphins have taken another Miami Hurricane in Lamar Miller. Miller has great speed and could be that explosive running back despite the fact that they have Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas. Miller is a good fit in the Dolphins new offense.

The Rams have added another speedy receiver in Wake Forest WR Chris Givens. He is a developmental player.

Plenty of good players like Ole Miss's Bobby Massie, Miami's Lamar Miller, and Michigan State's Kirk Cousins are all remaining as there are players be had today.

George's Premier League Predictions April 28 2012

Last time out George got 5 results right and 2 perfect scores.

Saturday 28th April 2012

Everton 1 v Fulham 1
Stoke City 2 v Arsenal 2
Sunderland 1 v Bolton Wanderers 2
Swansea City 3 v Wolverhampton Wanderers 0
West Bromwich Albion 3 v Aston Villa 2
Wigan Athletic 0 v Newcastle United 1
Norwich City 1 v Liverpool 2

Sunday 29th April

Chelsea 1 v Queens Park Rangers 0
Tottenham Hotspur 2 v Blackburn Rovers 1

Monday 30th April 2012
Man City 1 v Man Utd 1

Tuesday 1st May 2012

Liverpool 1 v Fulham 1
Stoke City 2 v Everton 1

Wednesday 2nd May 2012

Chelsea 2 v Newcastle United 1
Bolton Wanderers 1 v Tottenham Hotspur 0
Last time's Premier League predictions

Jumat, 27 April 2012

Live NFL Draft Coverage: Day Two

That is it for our day two coverage of the draft.

The Raiders make big Utah offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom their first pick and the final pick of day two as Bergstrom has the frame to be a high ceiling.

Despite a positive test for marijuana, Jayron Hosley goes in third round to the Giants. Other then the positive test, Hosley is a great worker and should be a good NFL cornerback as he also was very productive at Virginia Tech.

The Bengals have gone the best available route with Clemson DT Brandon Thompson which gives them more depth on the defensive line.

The Colts take the explosive T.Y. Hilton out of FIU. Hilton could be just like Pierre Garcon was for the Colts as he can be a return man to.

Atlanta takes a tackle from the state of Mississippi but it is Lamar Holmes out of Southern Miss and not Bobbie Massie out of Ole Miss.

The Patriots have gone after more pass rush help with Jake Bequette out of Arkansas.

The Saints get a big DT in Akiem Hicks from the University of Regina. Hicks has been playing up in Canada. He was able to dominate and he could be a really good player in a few years.

The Saints finally have their first pick in the draft now so it will be interesting to see what they do.

The Eagles have found a good young quarterback in Nick Foles. Foles will get some time to develop before getting his chance to start.

John Hughes is not on my radar as this is a reach for Cleveland.

The Steelers know how to develop linebackers and they pick up a successful one in Miami (FL) Sean Spence. Spence can be developed into a good player in Pittsburgh

Detroit finally has picked a cornerback and ended up getting some great value in ULL's Dwight Bentley who can be immediately a nickel/dime cornerback.

The Ravens have picked up a good running back in Bernard Pierce as I think he is one of the more underrated players in the draft.

The Bengals have found a good big receiver in Mohamed Sanu as he is a good pick, especially after the idiotic prank call someone pull on him yesterday. This is a good story.

Mike Martin benefited from being coached by Brady hoke which is why he has now come off the board.

Dallas has gotten a good 3-4 defensive end in Tyson Crawford as he should be a solid NFL player.

Arizona gets some secondary help in Oklahoma cornerback Jamall Fleming as he will be at least a good nickel cornerback in the NFL.

The Bears need offensive line help but instead they take Oregon State safety Brandon Hardin.

The Dolphins have found a good TE in Michael Egnew but I think they should have gone after a wideout like Marvin McNutt, Joe Adams, or Nick Toon.

The Jets get Arkansas State's Demario Davis who comes from a successful Arkansas State team. Davis has been rising up draft boards and gives the Jets another young pass rusher.

The Texans will upgrade their offensive line as they gain some depth with Miami OH's Brandon Brooks.

Bobby Massie might have found his destination in the Houston Texans.

The Seahawks are the team that has taken Russell Wilson. Wilson will get some time to develop and if Matt Flynn does not work out, the Seahawks will have Wilson. This is the first pick that is not a reach for Seattle. Howver, Wilson might not have too much of a chance in Seattle as I think Matt Flynn will be a very good NFL quarterback. Wilson's leadership is truely impressive and he could be a great leader in the Seattle locker room with his character and leadership.

Bobby Massie rose up a lot of draft boards supposviely but instead, he is still on the board here in the third round.

The Chiefs have gotten a high ceiling offensive tackle in Donald Stephenson as he was able to successfully protect Landry Jones at Oklahoma. The Chiefs have made a good pick.

San Diego needed a safety and they got one who knows how to play in LSU's Brandon Taylor. Taylor can be a good partner in Eric Weddle.

Russell Wilson has definitely become a major storyline in this draft as we wait to see where he will go.

The Dolphins have got a good young 3-4 defensive end in Olivier Vernon who could be a good complementary pass rusher to Cameron Wake.

Josh Leribeus is a high upside player for the Redskins but he also could be a bust so this is a definite gamble for the Redskins.

The Jags have madea big shock and taken a punter in the third round with Cal's Bryan Anger. Punters are not day two caliber players and the Jags could have probably gotten him in the sixth or seventh round.

Once again, a wide receiver reach this time by Buffalo as they take TJ Graham when they could have had McNutt, Toon, or Adams.

Devier Posey is not a third round pick and a huge reach by the Texans as they should have taken Marvin McNutt, Nick Toon or Joe Adams.

Ronnie Hillman is a good running back and a solid pick for the Broncos with the injury concerns of Knowshon Moreno.

The Vikings fill a need in speedy UCF CB Josh Robinson. Robinson is a high upside player who could be an effective player in Minnesota.

Trumaine Johnson gives the Rams another good young cornerback as the picks will now start flying in.

The Colts will have a great pair of tightends in Fleener and now Dwayne Allen. The Colts should have addressed another need though instead of getting a tightend.

As we enter the third round, there are some good players still available like Montana CB Trumaine Johnson, Miami RB Lamar Miller, Ole Miss OT Bobby Massie, and Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins.

The Giants took the best player left on the board in Rueben Randle as he can good, immediate replacement for Mario Manningham.

The Packers have taken a successful cornerback in Casey Hayward. Hayward has good leadership and knows how to play a zone cover scheme. Hayward can be a good cornerback for Green Bay though I prefer Trumaine Johnson to him. Overall, Green Bay is having one of the better drafts.

I do not get the pick of LaMichael James for the 49ers. The 49ers do not need a running back and he will probably a kickoff return specialist. I think James will be a bust though he could be a Darren Sproles type player if he develops some talent in the passing game.

One player that is a surprise to still be on the board is LSU's Rueben Randle. Randle will be an effective playmaker at receiver and will be a steal no matter where he is picked now.

The Ravens have found a big offensive guard in Iowa State's Kelechi Osemele. Osemele has a lot of potential as an offensive guard as he is a semi-reach.

Vinny Curry is a steal for the Eagles as they have Jason Babin, Trent Cole, and now Curry at defensive end. The Eagles have arguably the best defensive line in all of football. Curry will be a great pass rusher who reminds me a lot of Dwight Freeney.

LSU S Brandon Taylor could be the potential pick for the Eagles.

Tampa Bay has climbed into the second round to get Nebraska linebacker Lavonte David. David is an excellent player that knows how to track the ball and has a great work ethic. David will be an impact NFL player as he also has great speed. The Bucs are having a fantastic draft.

Denver has their quarterback of the future in Arizona State's Brock Osweiler. Osweiler has a very good arm and has all the capabilities to be a franchise quarterback. Osweiler will get a great chance to learn behind Peyton Manning.

Could Denver go get a quarterback of the future like Brock Osweiler.

The Steelers have gotten a high ceiling offensive tackle in Mike Adams. Adams has some real red flags as he has tested positive for marijuana at the combine, was involved in the memorabilia scandel, and has concerns with his work ethic. However, the Steelers could be able to help turn around Mike Adams as he has showed a desire to do exactly that.

Atlanta have found a very good guard/center for the future in Peter Konz as he will get to leran from some very good players. This is a great pick by the Falcons as Konz will be a steal as a center for the future.

Lavonte David and Dwayne Allen are candidates to be selected by the Falcons.

Detroit went and reached for a wide receiver in Ryan Broyles. Broyles will be a good player though he has had some injuries. Broyles can be a very productive receiver as Detroit is putting together a lot of good offensive pieces.

The Lions will probably look at Vinny Curry and Trumaine Johnson as Curry would be a great long term replacement for Kyle Vanden Bosch.

The Bengals have added some depth at defensive tackle in Devon Still. Still will get to learn behind a couple good defensive tackles as Still has shown good penetration ability.

The Bengals will probably think about LSU WR Rueben Randle.

The Titans have upgraded their linebacking corps in Zach Brown. Brown has a lot of speed and also had over 100 tackles this year as he is a tremendous athlete. Brown could become another great linebacker but the Titans should have gone with Lavonte David.

The Packers make another great pick to improve the defensive line in Jerel Worthy as we was very productive. He can make an immediate impact in the NFL as he should be a good 3-4 defensive end. Green Bay is putting together a very good draft class.

Green Bay will probably look at Jerel Worthy, Devon Still, and Trumaine Johnson as they look to improve their defense.

The Rams have found a good young running back in Isaiah Pead. Pead should be a decent running back but I think he could be a good third down running back due to his passing game ability. Green Bay has traded up to the Eagles' spot as we see another trade.

San Diego now has a versatile defensive lineman in Kendall Reyes who has a high ceiling as he could be a very good 3-4 defensive end as he will get to learn from Luis Castillo. San Diego is having a very good draft.

Trumaine Johnson is a candidate to go here due to the Chargers' need at cornerback.

Wow, New England has taken a huge reach in Illinois safety Tavon Wilson as he could have even been an undrafted free agent.

The Patriots will probably look at a cornerback in Trumaine Johnson or a 3-4 defensive lineman in Jerel Worthy.

The Seahawks needed another inside linebacker and they make another reach in Utah State's Bobby Wagner. Seattle is once again making a reach as Pete Carroll is making reaches like Al Davis used to do.

Lavonte David, Trumaine Johnson, and Dwayne Allen are all potential picks for Seattle.

The Eagles have found another linebacker to put beside DeMeco Ryans in Mychal Kendricks. Kendricks has a lot of talent and should be another upgrade at linebacker with Ryans.

The Bears find another playmaking wide receiver to put beside Brandon Marshall in Alshon Jeffrey. Jeffrey knows how to get the ball and he has the potential to be a great receiver that could be a bigger threat than even Justin Blackmon. I think Jeffrey will be a great receiver in the NFL as he could be the third best receiver at least when we look back at this draft behind Justin Blackmon and Michael Floyd.

The Bears need an offensive tackle and both Bobby Massie and Mike Adams are available.

With former great Chief G Will Shields announcing it, Kansas City finds a good offensive guard in Jeff Allen who has a good ceiling as he could be a good interior lineman to open up holes for Jamal Charles. Chicago has moved up to the Rams' former spot as the Rams keep trading back.

Kansas City will probably look at Claifornia's Mychal Kendricks and Illinois's Jeff Allen.

The Jets have found a receiver to put with Santonio Holmes in Stephen Hill. Hill has great speed and size but his route-running will need some development due to the triple option offense at Georgia Tech. Hill has a high ceiling and I think he will be a very good playmaking receiver in the NFL.

The Jets have moved up a couple slots as they definitely have a player in mind, possibly WR Stephen Hill.

The Dolphins have found an offensive tackle to pair up with Jake Long in Jonathan Martin who will be a very good right tackle as he was very successful at Stanford.

The Bills will be the team that takes Cordy Glenn as he could move to offensive tackle or stay at guard as he is a steal as he should have gone in the first round. Glenn can be a good player on the offensive line for the Bills. The Dolphins will probably look at Stephen Hill to replace Brandon Marshall.

Buffalo might end up taking Jonathan Martin or Cordy Glenn to improve the offensive line.

Carolina has found an offensive guard in Midwestern State's Amini Silatoly. Silatolu was dominate at the FCS level last year and has the potential to be an excellent player as he has a great frame to become a high quality player as Cordy Glenn continues to fall along with Stephen Hill and Jonathan Martin.

Carolina will probably look at Cordy Glenn and Stephen Hill with this pick.

The Rams have found a young cornerback to pair beside Courtland Finnegan in Janoris Jenkins. Jenkins has great talent and this is the perfect fit for him as Jeff Fisher can definitely help Jenkins off the field.

St Louis will probably look at Cordy Glenn to fill their need at offensive guard with the second of their three picks in the second round.

Jacksonville has filled their need at defensive end with Andre Branch as he great versatility and speed which could make him an effective defensive end. Branch is an underrated player that is a good pick for the Jags.

The Browns have made a little bit of a reach at offense tackle in Mtichell Schwartz as Jonathan Martin, and Bobby Massie were still on the board as I had them plus Zebrie Sanders and Mike Adams ahead of Schwartz on my draft board.

Please comment if you have any questions about the draft.

Could the Browns find their receiver in Stephen Hill, Alshon Jeffrey, or Rueben Randle.

The Broncos get a good defensive tackle in Cincinnati's Derek Wolfe. Wolfe was a very productive player in college and he should definitely fit in with the Broncos defense.

Brock Osweiler could be the pick for the Broncos as they look for a quarterback of the future though Jerel Worthy could be the possible pick at defensive tackle.

The Ravens have found a very good player to replace Jarrett Johnson in Alabama's Courtney Upshaw. Upshaw is a great pick for the Ravens as Baltimore has made a great steal in the second round pick. Upshaw can be another dominate pass rusher for the Ravens along with Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs.

The Colts have now brought Andrew Luck's tightened to Indy in Coby Fleener. Luck-Fleener can be just like Manning-Clark.

The Rams have found their receiver in Brian Quick but I think they should have taken Stephen Hill, Alston Jeffrey, Rueben Randle, or Marvin McNutt ahead of Quick, especially Hill or Jeffrey.

Day two of the NFL Draft is about to start as some great prospects like Alabama's Courtney Upshaw, Georgia's Cordy Glenn, Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill, and Stanford's Coby Fleener are all still on the board. Personally, I think Hill and Greener will be tonight's first two picks. The one player that could change that is North Alabama's Janoris Jenkins as a lot of teams want him due to his great potential. We are in for an exciting night of the NFL Draft.

NFL Draft Coverage

We will once again have exclusive live coverage of the second and third rounds tonight.

Man City v Man Utd Free Bet Offer with bet365

bet365 has a fantastic free bet offer to add to the excitement as Man City welcome rivals Man Utd to the Etihad Stadium in what promises to be a pivotal game in the title race.

Place a pre-match bet on the Manchester derby on Monday 30th April and you will receive a free In-Play bet to the same stake on the big match. To qualify for your free In-Play bet, simply place a bet before kick-off, then once the game starts place another bet on any In-Play market.

If your FIRST In-Play bet loses bet365 will refund this stake, up to the same value as your largest pre-match bet. As always, there'll be plenty to choose from with over 60 In-Play markets available throughout the game including Next Goal, Match Goals, Total Corners, Half-Time Result, Full-Time Result and much more.

With an extensive range of pre-match and In-Play markets and a fantastic free bet offer, bet365 is the number one place for all your Soccer betting.


About bet365

bet365 is one of the world’s largest online gambling groups with over seven million customers worldwide. bet365 offers a Sports Betting experience that’s unrivalled. The Group employs over 1,700 people and is the UK’s seventh largest private company.

At the iGaming Business Affiliate Awards 2012, bet365 won Best Overall Affiliate Programme, Best Sportsbook Affiliate Programme, Best Overall Affiliate Manager and Best Sportsbook Affiliate Manager, following on from similar success at the 2011 ceremony.

In the 2011 eGaming Review Awards, bet365 was named In-Play Sports Operator of the Year and Sports Betting Operator of the Year. In both 2010 and 2011, bet365 came top in eGaming Review’s Annual Power 50.

Kamis, 26 April 2012

Live NFL Draft Coverage: Day One

It has been a great first round as players like Cordy Glenn and Stephen Hill will be steals tomorrow while we had the Seattle surpise in Bruce Irvin. However, the moves for guys like Trent Richardson and Morris Caliborne will be the headlines. Tomorrow, we will continue with day two of our draft coverage.

The Giants have got themselves a running back in Virginia Tech's David Wilson. Wilson has very good speed and agility. Wilson also has decent strength and produced in college. Wilson will be an effective NFL starting running back and should be at least as good as the Texans' Ben Tate.

The Giants could at Stanford TE Coby Fleener, Stanford OT Jonathon Martin, and Ole Miss OT Bobby Massie. Georgia's Cordy Glenn has some versatility which makes him a candidate for this pick also.

The Bucs get a running back to put some pressure or take LeGarrette Blount's spot in Doug Martin. Martin is a good all-around running back and has playmaking ability in the running and passing games.

Jonathon Martin and Bobby Massie are both candidates to be picked by Tampa Bay as they need a right tackle.

Wow, the 49ers have made a little bit of a reach for AJ Jenkins who is more of a late second early third round player. I have Stephen Hill, Alshon Jeffrey, Reuben Randle, and Marvin McNutt ahead of him on my board. Jenkins can be a good slot receiver and has the playmaking ability necessary to be a good slot receiver.

The Bucs have also traded back into the first round as Denver once again trades down and this time, out of the first round.

The 49ers will probably go after Georgia Tech WR Stephen Hill.

The Vikings have made an upgrade at safety as they get Notre Dame's Harrison Smith. Smith is a good safety ahd should be a good upgrade for the Vikings as he can also be a good leader.

Minnesota could look at S Harrison Smith, CB Janoris Jenkins, WR Stephen Hill, DT Devon Still, and DT Jerel Worthy.

Green Bay makes a great pick and selects Nick Perry out of USC. Perry produced last year and has all the abilities that you would look for in a great pass rusher. Perry will have a great career. Meanwhile, the Vikings have traded back into the first round as they jump in at the Ravens spot.

Green Bay will now look at Courtney Upshaw and Nick Perry as they could both be good fits opposite of Clay Matthews.

Kevin Zeitler was ahead of Cordy Glenn on the Bengals' draft board. Glenn would have been the better choice but Zeitler is a good player that can be a quality NFL guard.

The Bengals will probaly look at Georgia offensive guard Cordy Glenn.

Houston gets another pass rusher in Whitney Mercilus as this could mean that he will be a 3-4 defensive end opposite JJ Watt due to the prescence of Brooks Reed and Connor Barwin at outside linebacker.

Houston will probably look at taking a receiver opposite of Andre Johnson. That man will most likely be Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill.

The Patriots will now get to pair Jerod Mayo up with Dont'a Hightower as he could be a very good linebacker wherever he ends up being put.

New England has once again traded up, this time with Denver as the Patriots are taking advantage of their surplus of picks.

The Steelers are the team that finally takes David DeCastro as they needed to improve the offensive line. DeCastro will be the next Steve Hutchinson as he should go to multiple Pro Bowls.
Detroit has found the heir to Jeff Backus at left tackle in Riley Reiff. This is the perfect scenario for Reiff to develop in. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh will probably take Albama ILB Dont'a Hightower and he would be a great addition to an excellent linebacking corps.

Detroit might look at taking Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith as he would be a good partner for Louis Delmas.

Once again, it is great to see our Armed Forces honored for their service. Thank you to all servicemen and servicewomen.

The Browns have their quarterback in Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden. Weeden will be a 29 year-old rookie but he could be a middle-of-the-road NFL starting quarterback.

As Jones is headed for Foxboro, will Cleveland take Weeden or is Stephen Hill the receiver that Cleveland really wants.

New England will now probably take Chandler Jones as the main question is: will Cleveland take Brandon Weeden?

Tennessee makes a big mistake and takes Baylor's Kendall Wright. Wright will not be Mike Wallace or DeSean Jackson and he will be a bust in the NFL. Wright will struggle to do well in the NFL as he will be a slot receiver at best.

Tennessee could go after a guy like Syracuse's Chalder Jones, Illinois's Whitney Mercilus, or Stanford's David DeCastro while the Patriots have traded up to the 21st spot in the hope of taking Chandler Jones.

The Bears have found a pass rusher to go opposite of Julius Peppers in Shea McCllelin. McCllelin should be a solid NFL player but I do not think he will be much more than that.

The Bears will probaly take David DeCastro or Riley Reiff as they need offensive line help.

The Chargers now get a pass rusher in Melvin Ingram who has great game speed and should be a dynamic 3-4 pass rusher.

I have had San Diego taking an offensive guard and DeCastro is the likely pick for the Chargers.
.
The Bengals get another cornerback in Dre Kirkpatrick though this is not a good fit as the Bengals already are loaded at cornerback with veterans. A cornerback on day two or early on day three would have made more sense. However, Kirkpatrick could be key if Leon Hall doesn't recover from his injury.

The Bengals could be the team that finally takes David DeCastro as he is still the best player left on the board.

The Jets get a high ceiling DE/OLB in UNC's Quinton Coples as he all the abilities but the one question about him is his motor. His motor will decide how good of a NFL player he will be.

David DeCastro and Melvin Ingram are both candidates to go to the Jets.

The biggest stunner in a while, Seattle takes a huge risk and takes West Virginia's Bruce Irvin. This is not a first round player but more like a day two player. What a huge mistake by the Seahawks as he has some huge red flags and is a low motor player. However, Irvin might be able to be a good defensive end if he improves his work ethic and if he doesn't screw up off the field.

Seattle will now probably go after Stanford's David DeCastro, though who knows how far he might fall despite the fact that he should be the next Steve Hutchinson.

Surprise, the Rams take LSU DT Michael Brockers. The Rams need someone beside Kendall Langford at defensive tackle but I am not sold on him. DeCastro and Reiff would have both been better picks for the Rams.

The Rams will probably go after an offensive lineman, either David DeCastro or Riley Reiff.

Fitzgerald's endorsement has led to Michael Floyd becoming a Cardinal as he reminds me of former Arizona and current Baltimore WR Anquan Boldin.

David DeCastro and Melvin Ingram are two possibilites though Arizona might decide to take Michael Floyd due to Larry Fitzgerald's public endorsement of the Notre Dame wide receiver.

Fletcher Cox will be an Eagle as he has tons of talent and should be a very good defensive tackle in the 4-3. He will also be helped by the fact that the Eagles have Jason Babin and Trent Cole at opposite defensive ends.

The Eagles have traded up to the Seahawks pick as Seattle will get the Eagles' first round pick and a couple other late round picks. This is probably for Fletcher Cox as they look to improve at defensive tackle.

Lots of people will call the Chiefs' pick of Dontari Poe a reach but I think he can become a great nose tackle that is as good as the Patriots' Vince Wilfork and the Ravens' Haloti Ngata. Poe can be a great young player

David DeCastro will probably be the pick for the Chiefs as they need an elite guard like DeCastro.

The Bills have surprised me and drafted South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Gilmore has the potential to be a good cornerback as he should be a starter for a while. Gilmore could get some time to develop as Drayton Florence and Terrence McGee still have a year or two left as starters.

I would expect Michael Floyd to now go to Buffalo as the Bills could use another receiver.

Luke Kuechly is a great NFL prospect and Carolina will get to put him with Jon Beason and Thomas Davis. Kuechly will be a great linebacker as Carolina has the best linebacking corps in the NFC.

Four players that are possible picks for Carolina:  Dontari Poe (most likely not but I think they should), Fletcher Cox, Dre Kirkpatrick, and Stephon Gilmore (I have Kirkpatrick rated ahead of Gilmore but many prefer Gilmore).

Tannehill is now the quarterback of the future for the Dolphins as I think he has the potential to be as good as Donovan McNabb or Ben Roethlisberger (without the character issues).

This will probably be the Ryan Tannehill pick though you never know what can happen (Aaron Rodgers, Brady Quinn)

Mark Barron has come off the board early as he has gone in the seventh pick to Tampa Bay. Barron has the potential to be an Adrian Wilson type player as he knows how to pursue the ball but he could also be as good as Ed Reed or Brian Dawkins.

Tampa Bay could look at Boston College ILB Luke Kuechly as he would fill a need for them.

In a draft filled night, the Cowboys have gotten LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. Claiborne can be an elite cornerback due to his very good bal skills and all around skills as this could mean an extension for Mike Jenkins will not happen.

The Rams will only get a second round pick from Dallas with the first round pick swap.

Justin Blackmon is now a Jaguar but the biggest news is that Dallas has traded up to the sixth spot as St Louis has traded down the board to Dallas's spot plus some other picks (probably a second and third or fourth round pick involved). This probably means that the Cowboys want LSU CB Morris Claiborne.

Minnesota now has a great left tackle in Matt Kalil who will be able to start over there for the next decade.

Tampa Bay and Jacksonville have swapped first round picks as the Bucs will get a fourth round pick also. This will allow the Jags to get a big time receiver for Blaine Gabbert in Justin Balckmon who could be a Pro Bowl receiver a few times in his career.

Minnesota is going to takeetiher Matt Kalil or Morris Claiborne. I think they will get their left tackle in Kalil with this pick

It is now official, the Browns traded up to get Trent Richardson, Richardson has all the talent to be a great playmaker in this division as the Browns will be able to run the football at a very high level. Richardson is the best running back to come out of the draft since Adrian Peterson and he reminds a lot of Shaun Alexander when he was in his prime.

RG3 is now a Redskin as the draft is about to get interesting.

We all knew it was coming but it is now official, Andrew Luck is an Indianapolis Colt

If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will answer it.

It is less than 20 minutes before Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III become the latest quarterback duo to go 1-2 off the board as both these guys will be franchise quarterbacks.

The Vikings will get a fourth, fifth, and seventh round pick from the Browns so the Vikings will get some more young players to develop.

Tonight's coverage is already starting as the Browns have swaped the fourth overall pick for the Vikings' third overall pick as the Browns will take Alabama RB Trent Richardson as was reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter. This is a great move for both teams as this guarentees the Browns that they will get Richardson while the Vikings will get some more picks though we do not know which picks yet.

The latest updates will be at the top of the screen.

Virginia Tech's Coaching Vacancy

Seth Greenberg was surprisingly fired by Virginia Tech a few days ago as they do not have much time to find a replacement for Greenberg. The Hokies are a good up-and-coming team that will interest some coaches but it will probably be impossible to get a big name like Shaka Smart. So, who are the candidates for the Virginia Tech job.

The Favorite

Murray State Head Coach Steve Prohm
Prohm had tremendous success in his first year as head coach of Murray State as the Racers won the Ohio Valley Conference, won over 30 games, and won a NCAA Tournament game. Prohm was able to take advantage of each of his players' best abilities which allowed Isaiah Canaan to become one of the best players in the country. Prohm has also shown an ability to recruit well in the southeast which could be key if he wants to make the Hokies into a top ACC school every year. The last head coach Virginia Tech hired from Murray State was a man that has made himself into a Hokie legend, Frank Beamer. Prohm could be the coach that helps get Virginia Tech back to the tournament.

The Contenders

American University Head Coach Jeff Jones
Jones has built American University into a powerhouse program in the Patriot League as he has had 4 20+ win seasons over the last five years. Jones also has some ACC head coaching as he was the head coach at Virginia from 1990-1997 where he was very successful including an Elite Eight appearance in the 1995 NCAA Tournament which was the peak of his career at UVA. Jones has shown a an very good ability to build a program but he might not be the best fit for the Virginia Tech job.

Richmond Head Coach Chris Mooney
Mooney has turned Richmond from an Atlantic 10 Conference bottom feeder to a contender for a NCAA Tournament bid. Mooney has taken Richmond to the Sweet 16 in the 2011 NCAA Tournament and has a former player currently in the NBA (the Orlando Magic's Justin Harper). Mooney also knows how to recruit in ACC country due to the experience he has gained as head coach of the Spiders. Mooney would be a great hire for the Hokies but this may not be the opportunity that he decides to take.

Duke Assistant Head Coach Chris Collins
Collins has gotten to learn how to coach from one of the best coaches in the history of college basketball, Coach K. Collins also had one of the smartest minds currently coaching in the NBA as his dad, 76ers head coach Doug Collins. Collins has shown an ability to recruit as he was key in helping the Blue Devils bring Jon Scheyer to Duke. Collins is a great young coach that has a lot of potential to be a great coach especially in the ACC ude to his Duke experience. Virginia Tech would get a very good head coach if they decided to pluck Collins away from Durham.

The Sleeper

Robert Morris Head Coach Andrew Toole
Toole might be the best young head coach that no one has heard of due to the fact that he coaches at Robert Morris of the Northeast Conference. Toole has already shown some ability to recruit and develop players which has allowed Robert Morris to be competitive in the Northeast Conference. Toole also would be intrigued by the chance to make a big jump from the NEC to the ACC. Toole could be the next big time head coach that just needs the chance in a major conference to show how good he is.