Just as we were all starting to get a little tingle running up our spines about the All Star Saturday Slam Dunk Contest, the NBA Gods have decided to throw a spanner in the works..... And I LOVE it.
Brandon Jennings has pulled blaming a battle with a long term foot injury to be the reason. Taking his place is the high flying Toronto Raptor, DeMar DeRozan.
Now I would never accuse Brandon Jennings of pulling out because the pressure got to him, and if a player of his caliber isn't 100% healthy going into the contest then I'm sure the fans (and especially the Bucks), would rather see Jennings play a whole season fit and healthy then see him on the sideline for a few weeks due to a silly injury that didn't need to happen. But was I the only one not totally hyped by the video of Jennings best dunks, or thought that Jennings didn't really look all the psyched up about being in the event. If he can't put on a show or isn't tingling about throwing down that first dunk then I'm glad he's not in the competition, and with no disrespect or animosity towards the guy.
What it does do is give us the fans the chance to see if the 2010 dunk contest's runner up can go one better, and take the 2011 crown.
Last years contest was a bore. After all the showmanship, power and skill that Dwight Howard, Gerald Green and Nate Robinson had given us in previous years, the 2010 dunk contest was hyped up to be one hell of a show. Nate going for a 3rd title, “let Shannon dunk” being plastered all over the web and 100,000 fans in attendance, this was going to be big. But the show was bland. Shannon couldn't dunk, Wallace lacked power, and all the dunkers lacked creativity. The only part that could be called a show was when Robinson brought out some Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders to shake their pompoms while he dunked. DeRozan showed some spark but seemed to lack that edge that separates the good dunkers from the great ones, and Rozan was beaten out in the final as Robinson took a record 3rd slam dunk championship.
But now Rozan isn't an unknown and is familiar with the slam dunk spotlight. He seems this year in his dunks to have more power, and if he gets a good assistant to help him get creative then this guy could put on something special. There will be no “little man” in this years contest. But there will be a some young talent with the ability to take the roof off the Staples Centre. Can DeRozan beat Blake Griffin? Maybe not, but I have no doubt that all 4 of these dunkers can make Kenny Smith scream scream “The Dunk Contest is BACK”.
21 Jan 2011
Its Time To Change!!!!
Wrote this piece for a website application. Thought I might was well post it here too. Had to be under 500 words long. Trust me I could have gone on for much longer on this topic.
Its Time To Change!!!!
Money in European football has gone out of control. Its a FACT!!. With 10 days left in the January transfer window the total amount of money spent in the English Premier league alone is in excess of £68 million or $108,000,000 dollars. Yet when I look at this months transfers I find myself asking one very big question. WHERE THE HELL DID £68 MILLION GO?!
In 1996 Alan Shearer moved from Blackburn Rovers to Newcastle United for, what was then, a record transfer fee of £15,000,000. Shearer was Englands golden boy after a great Euro 96 tournament and taking Blackburn to the Premiership title in the 1994-95 season. Shearer went on to score 283 total goals for Newcastle, Blackburn and Southampton in 559 games. This January Darren Bent made the move from Sunderland to Aston Villa. Bent has scored 128 goals in 308 games so far in his career and has been capped 7 times for England scoring just once. Bent is a good striker, but he is some way off the standard that Shearer set for big name big money strikers.
Yet Bent's move from Sunderland to Villa Park has cost the Midlanders £18 million. Now times have changed, inflation has to have an effect on transfer fees, and I'm not trying to say that £15 million back in '96 is worth £15 million today. But can a distinctly average striker such as Bent really be valued at that amount of money, especially in this economic climate.
its not just transfer fees that have become ridiculous in the modern game. Players wages have gone beyond repair too. 2001 saw Arsenal sign defender Sol Campbell to the first £100,000 a week contract in history. Carlos Tevez was revealed to be being paid almost x3 that in net wages earning around £270,000 after tax at Manchester City. Big money takeovers like at Chelsea and Manchester City, and big money spending from clubs like Real Madrid have forced other clubs to try and compete financially or face losing the chance to play at the next level whether that be Champions League, Europa League or just staying in top flight football.
Do we need a CAP on wages and transfer fees. Yes, and soon. Is it right that one man should make enough in a season so he can retire for life after 38 games work. We need to put a lid on this pan and turn off the gas before we burn the house of competitive European football to the ground.
Was asked who I wrote this article for. Here is my answer.
Any working man or woman that is sick of hearing footballers complaining that they're being "treated like slaves" or "not getting paid enough" or "being exploited". These players earn more a week then most do in a year, yet they demand more and more. Its for all fans of fair competitive football, with the magic still in it, of cup upsets and open title races. Its for football.
Its Time To Change!!!!
Money in European football has gone out of control. Its a FACT!!. With 10 days left in the January transfer window the total amount of money spent in the English Premier league alone is in excess of £68 million or $108,000,000 dollars. Yet when I look at this months transfers I find myself asking one very big question. WHERE THE HELL DID £68 MILLION GO?!
In 1996 Alan Shearer moved from Blackburn Rovers to Newcastle United for, what was then, a record transfer fee of £15,000,000. Shearer was Englands golden boy after a great Euro 96 tournament and taking Blackburn to the Premiership title in the 1994-95 season. Shearer went on to score 283 total goals for Newcastle, Blackburn and Southampton in 559 games. This January Darren Bent made the move from Sunderland to Aston Villa. Bent has scored 128 goals in 308 games so far in his career and has been capped 7 times for England scoring just once. Bent is a good striker, but he is some way off the standard that Shearer set for big name big money strikers.
Yet Bent's move from Sunderland to Villa Park has cost the Midlanders £18 million. Now times have changed, inflation has to have an effect on transfer fees, and I'm not trying to say that £15 million back in '96 is worth £15 million today. But can a distinctly average striker such as Bent really be valued at that amount of money, especially in this economic climate.
its not just transfer fees that have become ridiculous in the modern game. Players wages have gone beyond repair too. 2001 saw Arsenal sign defender Sol Campbell to the first £100,000 a week contract in history. Carlos Tevez was revealed to be being paid almost x3 that in net wages earning around £270,000 after tax at Manchester City. Big money takeovers like at Chelsea and Manchester City, and big money spending from clubs like Real Madrid have forced other clubs to try and compete financially or face losing the chance to play at the next level whether that be Champions League, Europa League or just staying in top flight football.
Do we need a CAP on wages and transfer fees. Yes, and soon. Is it right that one man should make enough in a season so he can retire for life after 38 games work. We need to put a lid on this pan and turn off the gas before we burn the house of competitive European football to the ground.
Was asked who I wrote this article for. Here is my answer.
Any working man or woman that is sick of hearing footballers complaining that they're being "treated like slaves" or "not getting paid enough" or "being exploited". These players earn more a week then most do in a year, yet they demand more and more. Its for all fans of fair competitive football, with the magic still in it, of cup upsets and open title races. Its for football.
19 Jan 2011
Easy Does It.
Leeds 1 – 3 Arsenal
19/01/11
FA Cup 3rd Round
After a thrilling first encounter at the Emirates Stadium, Leeds and Arsenal met last night in their FA Cup 3rd round replay at Elland Road with a capacity crowd in attendance. Fielding a similar side to the one that met Leeds 11 days ago Arsenals' only major change was the inclusion of Sami Nasri as replacement for Thomas Rosicky, while Leeds only had one change to their side with striker Becchio being replaced by Billy Paynter.
Leeds started the opening few minutes positively, with Max Gradel pulling a shot wide of the left post from the edge of the 18 yard box just half a minute in. But after the early enthusiasm of Leeds, Premiership class soon took over and with 5 minutes gone Samir Nasri tucked away Arsenals first with ease after Leeds failed to deal with Arshavin's ball through the Leeds defence, that bobbled into the path of the Arsenal youngster, allowing him to finish cooly into the bottom right hand corner. From then on Arsenal took control. Leeds could only poke balls away from the seemingly endless waves of Arsenal attacks, and when they could get a solid touch on the ball it was only to clear their lines and give themselves time to edge away from their own penalty box. Chances began to come easily for the Gunners and another goal seemed imminent as Arshavin let Song's cross run through under his boot from 5 yards out, and then firing low to Schmeichel's left from the edge of the box, forced a good save from the young keeper. Schmeichel was called on a number of times and looked in fine form as he saved Chamank's free header from close range, stretching out to get a solid parry on the effort. But Schmeichel's efforts were unable to prevent the Arsenal onslaught and after 35 minutes, Alex Song fired a lose ball from the right corner of the penalty area into the far top corner to double Arsenals lead.
After 35 minutes of barely having a touch, let alone a strike on goal, Leeds stunned Arsenal with a absolute cracker of a strike. A freekick from 25 yards out was never cleared from the edge of the Arsenal area, Snodgrass rolled the ball across and Bradley Johnson struck from 30 yards sending the ball into the top right hand corner to give Leeds fans hope of some FA Cup Magic. Johnson's strike seemed to inspire his team mates and they began to press and start to take the game to Arsenal right up to the break.
Leeds started the second half as they finished the first, with energy and aggression as they began to try and take the game to the away side. Arsenal still created chances with Song unable to finish after a wonderful through ball from Nasri, but the Championship side for the most part held off the the Premiership big boys. Leeds created a few chances but without really testing Arsenal's goal.
With 70 minutes gone Arsenal looked to seal the win, bringing on Fabregas and Van Persie to grab athe goal that would wrap up the tie, and they delivered in style. Fabregas released Bendtner on the right hand, who delivered the ball into the area, as Van Persie met the ball at the far post and headed the ball back across the keeper to give Arsenal the 3-1 lead they had been looking for. From then Arsenal took over the tie again staying in control over a demoralised Leeds side. Although the Yorkshire side tried to keep creating chances and take control they were never allowed to get a grip on the tie and again the class between the two sides became very apparent. As the final whistle blew Leeds fans cheered what was still a very impressive performance from the underdogs, but at the end of the day Arsenal were too good for them.
Arsenal will now face Huddersfield on the 30th of January while Leeds' attentions will be turned back to gaining promotion back to the Premiership for next year.
19/01/11
FA Cup 3rd Round
After a thrilling first encounter at the Emirates Stadium, Leeds and Arsenal met last night in their FA Cup 3rd round replay at Elland Road with a capacity crowd in attendance. Fielding a similar side to the one that met Leeds 11 days ago Arsenals' only major change was the inclusion of Sami Nasri as replacement for Thomas Rosicky, while Leeds only had one change to their side with striker Becchio being replaced by Billy Paynter.
Leeds started the opening few minutes positively, with Max Gradel pulling a shot wide of the left post from the edge of the 18 yard box just half a minute in. But after the early enthusiasm of Leeds, Premiership class soon took over and with 5 minutes gone Samir Nasri tucked away Arsenals first with ease after Leeds failed to deal with Arshavin's ball through the Leeds defence, that bobbled into the path of the Arsenal youngster, allowing him to finish cooly into the bottom right hand corner. From then on Arsenal took control. Leeds could only poke balls away from the seemingly endless waves of Arsenal attacks, and when they could get a solid touch on the ball it was only to clear their lines and give themselves time to edge away from their own penalty box. Chances began to come easily for the Gunners and another goal seemed imminent as Arshavin let Song's cross run through under his boot from 5 yards out, and then firing low to Schmeichel's left from the edge of the box, forced a good save from the young keeper. Schmeichel was called on a number of times and looked in fine form as he saved Chamank's free header from close range, stretching out to get a solid parry on the effort. But Schmeichel's efforts were unable to prevent the Arsenal onslaught and after 35 minutes, Alex Song fired a lose ball from the right corner of the penalty area into the far top corner to double Arsenals lead.
After 35 minutes of barely having a touch, let alone a strike on goal, Leeds stunned Arsenal with a absolute cracker of a strike. A freekick from 25 yards out was never cleared from the edge of the Arsenal area, Snodgrass rolled the ball across and Bradley Johnson struck from 30 yards sending the ball into the top right hand corner to give Leeds fans hope of some FA Cup Magic. Johnson's strike seemed to inspire his team mates and they began to press and start to take the game to Arsenal right up to the break.
Leeds started the second half as they finished the first, with energy and aggression as they began to try and take the game to the away side. Arsenal still created chances with Song unable to finish after a wonderful through ball from Nasri, but the Championship side for the most part held off the the Premiership big boys. Leeds created a few chances but without really testing Arsenal's goal.
With 70 minutes gone Arsenal looked to seal the win, bringing on Fabregas and Van Persie to grab athe goal that would wrap up the tie, and they delivered in style. Fabregas released Bendtner on the right hand, who delivered the ball into the area, as Van Persie met the ball at the far post and headed the ball back across the keeper to give Arsenal the 3-1 lead they had been looking for. From then Arsenal took over the tie again staying in control over a demoralised Leeds side. Although the Yorkshire side tried to keep creating chances and take control they were never allowed to get a grip on the tie and again the class between the two sides became very apparent. As the final whistle blew Leeds fans cheered what was still a very impressive performance from the underdogs, but at the end of the day Arsenal were too good for them.
Arsenal will now face Huddersfield on the 30th of January while Leeds' attentions will be turned back to gaining promotion back to the Premiership for next year.
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