Borneo Sporty

How Would the Lakers Match Up with San Antonio?

2011-11-23T18:41:00.000-08:00

This is the last thing the Lakers should be reading or discussing. They're in the midst of a five-game losing streak. They aren't even sure whether they'll finish as a No. 2 seed or drop down to No. 4. And they've demonstrated such a riddling amount of inconsistency, that it's plausible they wouldn't even advance this far in the postseason to see such an outcome.

So why on Earth am I analyzing how the Lakers and San Antonio Spurs would match up in the playoffs? Give me a break. The Lakers will turn things around. They just have to prove that they will. As Kobe Bryant said, "Everybody wants to put the nail in the coffin, but we've been there before and it doesn't bother us."

That's why it's plausible that the Lakers and Spurs matchup Tuesday at Staples Center won't be the last time they meet this season. The Lakers can take care of their responsibilities, secure the No. 2 seed and meet the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. Or they may end the season on a seven-game losing streak, drop down to No. 4 and face a tougher road by playing the Spurs in the West semifinals. Either way, it would be one great series.

"I love those guys, but at the same time, I want to beat the hell out of them," Bryant said of the Spurs. "But I have a lot of a lot of respect for what they do and how they do it."

After the jump, I size up how each team could win.

Why the Lakers would beat the Spurs in the playoffs: The Lakers and Spurs have shared similar success, with the Lakers winning five NBA championships in the last decade and San Antonio three. The Lakers have often mentioned that the preparation for a playoff series is easier when they're familiar with the opponent. Obviously that history also applies to San Antonio, but here's where the Lakers have the edge: The Lakers have met the Spurs in the postseason this decade five times, and the Lakers have won four of those series.

This season, the Lakers have shown how that familiarity can pay off. There's no doubt that future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan has taken a backseat this season, willing to sacrifice his offensive production so he can facilitate a more up-tempo offense that runs through Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. But the Lakers have taken Duncan out of his comfort zone this season, with Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol helping to limit Duncan to 12 points on five-of-26 shooting in three meetings.

The Lakers' stiff defense hasn't applied only to Duncan. In their 1-2 regular season series with the Spurs, the Lakers have held San Antonio to an average of 89.66 points a game. That included poor shooting nights for Ginobili (three of 12) and Richard Jefferson (six of 14) in the Lakers' 97-82 loss Dec. 28, for Ginobili (five of 17) in the Lakers' 89-88 loss Feb. 3 and for Ginobili (three of 10), Parker (six of 14) and Jefferson (zero of three) in the Lakers' 99-83 victory March 6. The Lakers' defensive presence was a large reason they went 17-1 after the All-Star break and it could be a huge if they were to overcome San Antonio's homecourt advantage and sixth-best offense, averaging 103.83 points a game.

Why the Lakers would lose to the Spurs in the playoffs: The Lakers' effort in stifling Duncan has had little correlation to actual victories. For example, Duncan finished with a one-of-seven clip in two games this season, but one came in the Lakers' 97-82 loss Dec. 28 and the other came in the Lakers' 99-83 victory March 6. Their defense in general also did very little to stop San Antonio. That's because the Lakers performed abysmally on the offensive end.

The Lakers' 35.4% clip in their double-digit loss to September mostly pointed to Bryant shooting eight of 27, but only Bynum and Matt Barnes shot above 50%. Bryant also shot only five of 18 in the Lakers' one-point loss in February. Surely, two of the Lakers' games against the Spurs came when L.A.'s chemistry wasn't as sharp as it was after the All-Star break, showing why the Lakers blew out the Spurs so drastically. But the Spurs are quite familiar with the Lakers and could disrupt them enough offensively at least to cost them a game in the series. Considering that the Spurs would have homecourt advantage and own a two-game winning streak at Staples Center indicates they're capable of stealing a road game, that would be a lethal combination.

But here's more. The Spurs' bench has proven vastly superior to the Lakers'. San Antonio boasts George Hill (17.3 points on 56% shooting in his last seven games) and three-point specialists in Matt Bonner and Gary Neal, who have been instrumental to the team's league-leading 39.9% shooting from three-point range. The Lakers can count on only Lamar Odom off the bench, which also features a cold-shooting Shannon Brown, a tentative Steve Blake and a previously aggressive Matt Barnes, who hasn't looked the same since returning last month from surgery on his right knee. That's why it comes as no surprise that Jackson removed his reserves in the Lakers' win in March after they allowed San Antonio to creep back into contention.

Source from : LAKERSBLOG.com

Formula 1 Gossip and Rumours from International Media

2011-11-23T18:38:00.000-08:00

Red Bull are unlikely to be using their Kers power boost system in Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix, where the circuit has the longest straight on the Formula 1 calendar. Technical chief Adrian Newey admits the Milton Keynes-based team is finding it hard to come to grips with the device.

Interlagos, the Sao Paulo track that stages the F1 Brazilian GP, is to make changes following the death of a driver in a truck race earlier this month. A section of stand will be removed to enable the addition of a slow-down area on the outside of the high-speed corner leading to the main straight.

The Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi is also making changes after being severely criticised for a lack of overtaking opportunities. Chief executive Richard Cregan confirmed alterations between turns 6 and 9 will be completed before November's penultimate round of the 2011 F1 championship.

Paul di Resta claims he was hit several times by tyre "marbles" during the Malaysian GP. "In the middle of a fast corner, these lumps of rubber would be smacking into my hands as I turned the wheel," said the Force India driver. Tyre manufacturer Pirelli have responded by pointing out they were specifically instructed to provide tyres that degrade more quickly.

Nick Heidfeld's third-place finish in Malaysia means the German driver now holds the record for the most podium finishes without a win. Heidfeld has finished second or third 13 times, one more than previous record-holder Stefan Johansson. Ferrari is planning immediate action after their cars finished fifth and sixth in Malaysia. "We need to introduce some developments as soon as we can, maybe from the next race in China," team principal Stefano Domenicali is quoted as saying.

Source from : BBCSPORT.com

Valentino Rossi Has 'Fun' on 2012 Ducati Debut

2011-11-14T12:19:00.000-08:00

Valentino Rossi got his first taste of Ducati's MotoGP future after trying an early version of the factory's 2012 machine at Jerez on Friday. The bike (pictured) was seen in full Marlboro race livery and one of the most obvious differences, over the present GP11, is the addition of a large 'slash-cut' exhaust by Rossi's right boot.

The 2012 rules will allow a maximum engine size of 1000cc, compared with 800cc at present, although cylinder bore restrictions will limit ultimate performance and it is not yet confirmed that all manufacturers will chose to use the full 1000cc available.

With the Ducati test team concentrating on developing this year's GP11, Rossi was supported by some of his race team mechanics and engineers for the GP12 test. The seven time MotoGP world champion took to the circuit a few minutes after 11:00am and did a first run of six laps.

With that outing having been completed with no problems, the work continued apace for the entire day, by the end of which Rossi had turned 50 laps. “I'm happy,” Rossi said after the test. “I like the GP12. In my opinion, it's more enjoyable, more fun to ride. It was the first time we had it on the track, so we had some work to do, but the engine is nicer.

“It's a lot of fun, and you can do some nice slides. It's the bike we'll ride next year, so it was very important - and also very nice - to be among the first to take it on the track.” Rossi won all but one of the 990cc MotoGP seasons, from 2002-2006, after which the premier-class made an unpopular switch to 800cc engines.

Ducati is the first team to let its MotoGP race riders try a 2012 bike, with Rossi's team-mate Nicky Hayden (the 2006 world champion) due to ride the GP12 at Jerez tomorrow (Saturday).

Source from : CRASH.net

Argentine Soccer Star Lionel Messi Becomes Best Paid Player in History

2011-11-14T12:17:00.000-08:00

We are surprised it took this long. The kid is not only a kind, charming gentleman, but simply put an artist, when it comes to playing fútbol.

According to France Football, one of the world’s leading soccer magazines, Leo earns a whopping $44.1-million a year in salary and endorsement income, sending Galaxy’s David Beckham to the #2 spot, as he earns 3.4 million less than the phenom.

Close to Messi and Beckham is Real Madrid and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo, with a combined income of $40 million.

The rest of France Football Magazine top 10 money makers are Kaka (Real Madrid), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Ronaldinho (Flamengo), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan), Frank Lampard (Chelsea) and Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan).

One can only wonder why it took this long. Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham sure are great players, but the two combined are still far from the sheer elegance of Messi’s game; A video of Messi’s goals for any given week this year, looks like a compilation of the most remarkable goals of the last ten years.

Messi has a scandal-free career, a genuinely humble demeanor, and is a role model who leads by example. La Pulga Messi is not just the best player of the moment, but without a doubt the most complete player soccer has seen in a long, long time.

The internet is full of videos showcasing Leo’s skills and talents (feel free to post your favorites in the comment section below), we decided to just choose one goal, our favorite of 2011, from a few weeks ago against Arsenal.

Barcelona are Superior to Real Madrid Because of their Creative Midfield

2011-11-14T12:14:00.000-08:00

Bernd Schuster believes Barcelona have the slight edge over Real Madrid ahead of their La Liga meeting. The second Clasico league meeting of the season is likely to be the first of four clashes within the space of 18 days, including a Champions League semi-final tie.

Schuster told Marca: "Both teams are pretty equal at the back and up front. However, Barcelona are superior in midfield with the creativity of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets. That makes them the better team at the moment."

He added: "Everyone knows that the season will be decided in the upcoming two weeks.

"This Saturday's match will be more important for Real Madrid than for Barcelona. If Barca lose, there won't be too much of a problem as they're still five points clear.

"I believe that Madrid have what it takes to beat Barcelona over one match, but I can't see them doing it over two games. Real are Barcelona's biggest rival both in Spain and in Europe."

The Camp Nou giants currently sit first in La Liga with 84 points from 31 games, while Real Madrid are eight points further adrift.

Source from : GOAL.com

MotoGP lose Talented Rider , Rest in Peace Simonceli

2011-11-12T16:45:00.000-08:00

Honda Gresini MotoGP rider Italian Marco Simoncelli eventually died after a crash at Sepang Circuit, Malaysia, Sunday (23.10.11). Similarly, an official announcement said. "It's official. He's dead. He gave up," said an official from Dorna who is the company's broadcasting rights holder of MotoGP.

Accidents involving Marco Simoncelli, Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi, also makes the Malaysian Grand Prix 2011 season is officially canceled.

At the start of the race, four of Honda rider directly in front after the red light goes out. Stoner, who started from second place, ahead of Pedrosa successful, as the holder of pole position, followed by Andrea Dovizioso, and Simoncelli. Only one lap only, Stoner, who last week had confirmed themselves into MotoGP world champion 2011, already more than 1 second ahead of Pedrosa.

But in the fourth position, said the fight occurred between Simoncelli with Rizla Suzuki rider Alvaro Bautista. They were preceded in some occasions, before the horror accident befall Simoncelli, who was involved in a clash between himself and Tech 3 Yamaha rider Colin Edwards, and Ducati rider, Valentino Rossi.

Upon entering the second lap in curve 11, Simoncelli crashed and involves the Tech 3 Yamaha rider Colin Edwards, and Ducati rider, Valentino Rossi.

The accident was caused horror Simoncelli helmet lying on the track with terlepat and he did not move, while Edwards dragged out the tracks and suffered a dislocated shoulder. Meanwhile Rossi survived, being able to control the motor so it only extends to the outer tracks and riding Ducati GP11.1 suffered only minor damage.

After the accident, directly marshal waving a red flag stopped the race mark. However, it seems things could not allow to do this race on Sunday, because the concentration of the condition of the medical team Simoncelli.

Souirce : Blogger Maps

Hot Corner : NBA's Best Coach is in Chicago

2011-11-12T16:43:00.000-08:00

I move that nominations for NBA Coach of the Year be closed with just one name -- Tom Thibodeau of the Chicago Bulls.

And don't be too quick to discount his worthiness for this award because he has the league's best player on his roster. Teams that have had the best player have not always produced. Consider the Michael Jordan-led Bulls before Phil Jackson came to the Windy City.

Yes, Derrick Rose is an amazing player who can take over a game whenever the notion strikes him. But, as LeBron James learned, it takes more than a superstar, or even three, to produce a championship.

Thibodeau has gotten everybody on his roster to buy into the defense-first philosophy that has been the staple of his career. This group has taken off and quickly reached for the potential that had James considering the Bulls last summer.

Would the Bulls have been better had The King graced their roster? Who knows? But I'm figuring Thibodeau would have made it work.

Source from : AL.com

Is Barcelona Soccer's Greatest Team Ever?

2011-11-12T16:39:00.000-08:00

More than most sports, soccer has a way of exalting its past. Time and pre-HD pictures have a way of making history seem better than it was. Which is why the fact that some are wondering whether Barcelona this year is the greatest club team ever is a testament to what's going on at the Camp Nou.

Domestically, Barcelona has won 18 of 20 Liga games and is on pace to gain 104 points, which would shatter the previous record of 99 it set just last year. At the current rate, Barca will score 122 Liga goals, pulverizing the previous mark of 107, and concede just 21, the second-lowest total for a 38-game season. In the Champions League, it's been smooth sailing as well, with four wins and two draws in the group stage.

But what sets this Barcelona apart from other dominant teams in recent history is the way it plays the game, which is, at once, breathtaking to watch and unlike any other top side in Europe. In a single game, a top team beating up on a weaker opponent might typically control 60% of possession—65%, at most. Barcelona has averaged 73% possession in La Liga and 72% in the Champions League.

It's not that having more of the ball automatically makes a team better: Inter won the Champions League last year despite having just 45% possession throughout the competition. Possession stats matter, however, within the context of what a club is trying to do. And Barca's game revolves around keeping the ball endlessly, which serves three functions. First and foremost, when the opposition doesn't have the ball, it can't score. Second, a lack of possession wears teams down mentally, because there is no time for them to switch off. And last, it plays to Barca's strength: with gifted players, Barca keeps them in a position to hurt the opposition—that is, have the ball at their feet—for a long time.

Barcelona's possession obsession is a way of maximizing the skill set of this squad, filled with creative, undersized players with a keen understanding of passing and movement. It's a sterling example of the old truism: Tactical systems and styles of play should suit the players at your disposal. Put Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola in charge of, say, Manchester United or A.C. Milan and odds are that one of three things would happen: He'd change his philosophy, he'd have to bring in a raft of new players or the team simply wouldn't be very good.

But there are a number of wrinkles to the way Mr. Guardiola has worked this season, his third as Barcelona's manager. For a start, he's rotating his squad less and using fewer players. Barcelona's 11 most utilized men have been on the pitch for 80.8% of the time in the club's La Liga matches. Last year, the figure stood at 72.5% and the year before, when Barca won the Champions' League, it was 72.3%. (As a metric it's somewhat imperfect, since injuries to starters—Barca haven't had many this year—can skew the results, but it's still telling.)

The implication, of course, is that while Barcelona benefits from this great chemistry, a regular's prolonged absence might have disastrous effects, especially since the squad looks rather thin in certain positions. If one of the two central defenders—Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique—needs a breather, Mr. Guardiola's preferred solution is shifting Eric Abidal into the middle or moving Sergio Busquets back from midfield and inserting Seydou Keita. He can do that as long as one guy is missing. But it becomes difficult to do with multiple absences. And the situation won't improve if, as it appears likely, Gabriel Miltio, Barca's only other veteran central defender who's hardly played this year, is sold in the January transfer window.

It's a similar story up front. When one of Lionel Messi, David Villa or Pedrito is out, Mr. Guardiola either turns to 20-year-old Bojan Krkic or moves Andres Iniesta into the front three, inserting the ever-dependable Mr. Keita into midfield. It's the kind of approach that might blow up in Mr. Guardiola's face is Barcelona hits a rough patch with injuries and suspensions.

There's another downside of this approach. If newcomers don't acclimate right away, the way Mr. Villa did, they're stuck in a vicious cycle: They don't play well, so they don't play often, which makes it more difficult for them to play well when they do get to play. Argentina captain Javier Mascherano, a $35 million summer acquisition, has suffered from this quandary. Despite his pedigree, he looks out of place in the Barca midfield—he's started just three league games in the past two months—yet without more playing time, it becomes more difficult for him to integrate. This may explain why half of the 22 men who have appeared for Barcelona in the league this year have come through the club's youth system, where they were drilled in the Barca way.

The other concern is that Barcelona is somewhat one-dimensional. The average height of the front five is just 5-foot-7, with Mr. Villa the relative giant at 5-foot-9, and there is no big man on the bench to provide an aerial threat. Mr. Guardiola has addressed this issue by moving the 6-foot-2 Mr. Pique or the 6-foot-3 Mr. Busquets up front in key moments of games, but it's obviously not the kind of thing he can do for 90 minutes. The decision to dispense with size and power up front may have something to do with what happened last year, when Barcelona spent a fortune to bring in 6-foot-5 striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, only to let him leave after just one season. Mr. Ibrahimovic, despite not playing badly, often looked like a fish out of water at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona is defying much of the conventional wisdom of modern soccer, which calls for physical, athletic players, a balanced team and ability to vary one's style. All of which points to the fact that if Barca keep this up, we will have witnessed something truly extraordinary. Barca isn't just breaking records. It's shifting paradigms.

Source from : Wall Street Journal

Lionel Messi created 47 goals again in one season for Barcelona

2011-11-12T16:12:00.000-08:00

The game against Almeria this weekend confirmed Barcelona’s eight point lead over rival Real Madrid before the El Clasico. What was notable in that game was that Lionel Messi scored his 46th and 47th goals for this season.

47 goals in one season in all competitions is a record that was achieved by the Brazilian Ronaldo back in 1996/1997 – which was equaled by the little Messiah already last season.

This season Messi has a minimum of nine games to become the outright leader in top goal scorers.

Leo Messi has scored 29 goals in La Liga, seven in Copa del Rey, eight in UEFA Champions League and three in the Spanish Super Cup. He also scored four hat-tricks against Sevilla (Spanish Super Cup), Almeria (league), Betis (cup) and Atletico Madrid (league).

Last season, Messi also managed to equal Ronaldo record from the same year of scoring 34 league goals for the club. This season, Argentina’s little man is only five goals short of repeating that feat.

Messi has become the top scorer for Barca in European competitions with 33 goals.

Pep Guardiola has rightly asserted that Messi is the best player he had ever seen after Barca won the 2009 UEFA Super Cup.

Messi is on a contract with Barcelona with a buy-out clause of €250 million and he make around €9.5 million a year. His current contract runs until 2016.

10/11 La Liga Top Scorer’s Battle

The El Clasico will be a chance for Barca to make it six consecutive wins in a row against the capital club. It will also be a face-to-face for the league’s two scorers to get their noses in front to become the top scorer. Messi’s 29 goals this season is matched by the Portuguese ace Cristiano Ronaldo.

Source from : SOCCERLENS.com

Valentino Rossi, The Legend of Moto GP

2011-11-12T08:27:00.000-08:00

Valentino Rossi is a legend in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Fans around the globe cheer for the charismatic Italian and he responds with flamboyant post-race celebrations and riding style that always attracts attention. The Doctor became a Champion of all three GP series, 125, 250, as well as the final year of classic 500cc racing. Rossi joined Mike Hailwood and Phil Read as the only men to have accomplished this task.

Valentino has been going by the motto of "one year to learn, one year to win" throughout his GP career. Rossi began racing GP in the 125 class in 1996. The following year he became the youngest ever GP champion at age 16, winning 11 rounds along the way. He was moved up to the 250 class in 1998 where he finished 2nd with 5 wins. In 1999 he once again become a champion, (the youngest 250 champ to date), dominating the series with 9 victories.

Next up: 500GP aboard the venerable Honda NSR. In 2000 young Rossi finished behind Kenny Roberts Jr. and returned in 2001 with a mission: To become a 500 GP champion. He did just that. After a year long battle with rival Max Biaggi, he wrapped up the championship with 11 victories and established himself as one of the greatest GP racers of all time.

The most dominating rider since in the modern era, the unthinkable happened when Rossi lost his title to Nicky Hayden in 2006. Rossi's failure came when he crashed during the season finale at Valencia, losing his points lead to Hayden. Sporting the Excalibur motif on his 2007 preseason factory Yamaha, the unspoken message from Rossi was loud and clear: The once and future king is dead set on recovering his crown.

The Doctor fell short in 2007, however, losing his supremacy to Ducati's Casey Stoner and finishing the season third in the championship. In 2008 Rossi took Fiat Yamaha and switched to Bridgestone rubber, the same slicks as Stoner. The result was yet another dominating season from The Doctor and another MotoGP crown.

The following year Rossi repeated the feat, scoring yet another world title. The Doctor had to work for it, however, with his greatest competition coming from across the garage in teammate Jorge Lorenzo.

Michael Jordan is the legend of Basketball

2011-11-12T08:24:00.000-08:00

Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a former American professional basketball player, active businessman, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. His biography on the National Basketball Association (NBA) website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.". Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.

After a standout career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of the Tar Heels' National Championship team in 1982, Jordan joined the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1984. He quickly emerged as a league star, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring. His leaping ability, illustrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in slam dunk contests, earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness". He also gained a reputation for being one of the best defensive players in basketball. In 1991, he won his first NBA championship with the Bulls, and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a "three-peat".

Although Jordan abruptly retired from basketball at the beginning of the 1993–94 NBA season to pursue a career in baseball, he rejoined the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three additional championships (1996, 1997, and 1998) as well as an NBA-record 72 regular-season wins in the 1995–96 NBA season. Jordan retired for a second time in 1999, but returned for two more NBA seasons from 2001 to 2003 as a member of the Washington Wizards.

Jordan's individual accolades and accomplishments include five MVP awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances, three All-Star Game MVP awards, ten scoring titles, three steals titles, six NBA Finals MVP awards, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He holds the NBA records for highest career regular season scoring average (30.12 points per game) and highest career playoff scoring average (33.45 points per game). In 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN, and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press's list of athletes of the century. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame on April 6, 2009 and was inducted on September 11, 2009.

Michael Jordan wowed us year after year with breath taking abilities while still managing to attain every accolade possible. MVP, Finals MVP, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA, All-Star, Slam-Dunk Champion and Olympic Champion are awards that highlight Jordan's memorable career.

Many people, including MJ himself, wonder how all that greatness would translate to today's game. In the era of the "Black Mamba" and "King James," one has to wonder how Jordan would fare. Well, wonder no more! The following list tells you exactly how a prime Michael Jordan would fare on each team in the NBA today, including their playoff result.

Why Lionel Messi Is The Great One

2011-11-12T08:21:00.000-08:00

Barring illness or sudden injury, Lionel Messi will break the Spanish record for most goals in a single season. The Barcelona forward notched two in Saturday's 3-1 win over Almeria, bringing his total to 47 in all competitions. That equals the mark set by the legendary Hungarian Ferenc Puskas in 1960, matched by the original Ronaldo in 1997 and Messi himself last year. Given that he is averaging more than a goal a game and—depending on whether his club reaches the Champions League final—that he has between nine and 12 matches left, it appears a certainty he will make history this season.

Soccer doesn't have the same numbers fetish as other sports. In fact, the only real statistic most casual fans know is that Pele scored 1,000 goals. That's mostly because there was plenty of worldwide hype in 1969, as the Brazilian superstar bore down on "O Milesimo." Yet "O Milesimo" was something of a media creation: Pele's total included exhibition games and tours, a bit like that of another Brazilian striker, Romario, who reached the milestone in 2007. (The other two members of the 1,000 goal club, Austrian Franz Binder and another Brazilian, Arthur Friedenreich, are somewhat more obscure.)

Generally speaking, that's soccer's attitude to records: They're a bit of fun, nothing more. And that's probably a good thing, since, generally speaking there's an apples-and-oranges problem. Comparing different eras is hard enough, and it becomes nearly impossible when you throw in different leagues of different standards, let alone exhibitions and non-competitive games.

That said, Messi's record will be special. Spain's Liga is universally regarded as one of the top two leagues in the world, and all but three of Messi's games this season have been either in the league, the Champions League or against top-flight clubs in the Spanish Cup. He also tied this mark last season, suggesting this year is by no means a fluke. He has 23 assists, also a league-best, which means he either scored or created more than half of Barcelona's already-astounding 132 league goals. In statistical terms, we're talking Wayne Gretzky in 1982: a dominant player on a dominant team pulverizing records.

The frightening part in all this is that Messi is still just 23. Based on the trajectory of the average player—not that there is anything average about him—he has not yet entered his prime, which usually falls between 25 and 28. If his next six seasons are anything like his previous six (and he remains in Spain), he will be on the verge of breaking Telmo Zarra's all-time Liga goal-scoring record before he turns 29.

Perhaps the most striking thing about Messi, though, is his size: 5-foot-6 and 148 pounds. At a time when players are getting bigger and stronger, it seems counterintuitive that a man so small should thrive.

West Ham manager Avram Grant has his own theory. "With footballers getting larger, more mobile and more athletic, there's a premium on space," he says. "To create chances, you need room. Because of Messi's control, quickness and agility, he needs less room than others."

Indeed, Messi's ability to sail through crowded penalty areas with the ball seemingly super-glued to his foot is the stuff of YouTube highlight reels. But he is also a deadeye finisher and a creative passer who slots perfectly into Pep Guardiola's system at Barcelona. There is no denying Messi benefits tremendously from playing for such an attacking, pass-and-possession-oriented side. Lining up alongside other prolific forwards like Pedro and David Villa—who have 20 and 21 goals, respectively, this season—helps take some of the pressure off. And because they're on the same wavelength and complement each other well, it has a multiplier effect both on Messi's numbers and Barcelona's fortunes.

In that way, he's also like Gretzky, who had the luxury of sharing time on the ice with hockey's equivalents of Messi's supporting cast: Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson and Mark Messier.
Suspending the Soap's Star

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney was suspended for two games last week for swearing at a camera while celebrating a goal in his club's 4-2 comeback win at West Ham. The four-letter expletive—accompanied by an angry-sounding "Come on!" as if Rooney were challenging the television camera to a fight—was clearly audible to viewers around the world. Rooney appealed, citing the fact that he apologized shortly after the match, and insisted his outburst was also the result of abuse he had taken from the home crowd, but the ban was upheld Wednesday. He served the first game of his suspension in United's 2-0 win over Fulham Saturday, and he will sit out next weekend's FA Cup semifinal against Manchester City. (The suspension doesn't apply in the Champions League, so he is expected to start against Chelsea on Tuesday night in the second leg of United's quarterfinal.)

Gordon Taylor, head of the Professional Footballers' Association, the English players' union, criticized the suspension.

"Whilst the use of foul and abusive language is not condoned, there is an acceptance by all parties within the game that 'industrial language' is commonly used," he said in a statement. "If sanctions are to be imposed in such circumstances then this has to be done in a balanced and consistent manner and participants made aware of this fundamental change in approach."

Taylor is correct in saying that the rules need to be clearly laid out. And as anyone who has watched (or played) soccer at any decent level can confirm, foul language is common.

The difference, however, is that Rooney is not just a soccer player. He's an actor in an unscripted soap broadcast around the world on a weekly basis. And he's rewarded handsomely, not just to play the game, but to be on stage. Manchester United's television revenues in 2010 were close to $100 million—some of which pays his salary.

While it may be unrealistic for broadcasters to demand that players maintain a PG rating on the pitch, it's reasonable for them to demand that a guy who walks up to a microphone and rattles off a series of live F-bombs is punished—especially the way they bankroll the sport. Given that this was evidently unclear to Rooney and Taylor before last week, maybe the United striker should have been let off with a warning and a fine. But from now on, ignorance—or crowd abuse, for that matter—should not be an excuse.

Source from : The Wall Streer Journal

Welcome to Borneo Sporty, Another Professional Themes

2011-11-12T07:59:00.000-08:00

Borneo Sporty is an innovative themes with main operations base on blogger platform, providing carrier grade services and products to the most demanding content/Media Owners, VAS providers , telecom operator and enterprises in now 7 countries.

Hi-Tech Company with years of experience in VAS, ICT and Telecommunication industries. With highly qualified and passionate engineers and professionals we provide State of the Art Product combining Innovation, New technologies and Performances. LinkIT is connected to leading operators, Content/media Provider and Owners, handling over 40 millions Mobile billing transactions everyday and growing. Our Passion to inspire Technology have allowed us to help our Client Capitalize Technology.

Warm Regards,
Borneo Templates