Football: Big Four Becomes Big Two….And Slightly Smaller Four?

Just a week after Manchester City’s mauling of their more illustrious neighbours at Old Trafford set many tongues wagging about a changing of the guard at the top of the English game, came arguably a more noteworthy result - Arsenal beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
In successive weeks Chelsea losing away at QPR and at home to Arsenal - the weakest Arsenal side on paper since the beginning of Arsene Wenger’s reign - has pulled the Blues away from the Manchester clubs. With the aforementioned Arsenal being stripped of many of their prized assets in the Summer, the big four (regardless of make up) has become a big two, and a new quartet of teams seems to have formed on the next rung down the ladder.
This quartet of teams (Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea & Liverpool) jostling for 3rd and 4th places (and thus money spinning spots in the Champions League) arguably find most common ground in their capacity for shipping goals. Arsenal travelled to Manchester United and leaked eight, Spurs welcomed City to The Lane and Edin Dzeko helped himself to four goals all of his own, on Saturday Chelsea allowed Arsenal to plunder five at Stamford Bridge and Liverpool travelled to Spurs and conceded four.
Equally all four have irresistible offensive weapons, although this is rather more to be expected of any prospective top six team than their leaky defences. Arsenal’s Robin Van Persie has picked up the baton from Cesc Fabregas and raised his game to the extent that he has now scored 28 goals in 27 league games this calendar year and 10 in the current season. Gervinho has settled well on the wing and has built up a rapport with Van Persie already, while Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey are capable of opening up most defences. Spurs have their very own “Van The Man”, in the shape of Rafael Van der Vaart who is just one shy of equalling the club record for scoring in the most successive premier league games (six) as well as laying on many goals as well. Emmanuel Adebayor’s scoring has tailed off since his initial three in the first two matches since he joined on loan from Manchester City but he remains a useful outlet and target man. And Gareth Bale and Luka Modric combine to make up around £70 million worth of creative quality. Chelsea, of the four, are the side with the least obviously totemic figure in an attacking sense currently, as Fernando Torres still hasn’t settled yet. However Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard are both proven goalscoring options and remain class acts despite a slight drop off from their absolute primes, while Daniel Sturridge shows plenty of promise and Juan Mata already looks a canny signing. At Liverpool, the prolonged absence(albeit with a brief return) of captain Steven Gerrard is somewhat made up for by the performances of the Kop’s newest icon, Luis Suarez.
At the beginning of the season, after two defeats and a goal difference of minus seven, it was thought that Spurs would finish in 6th place at best. However five wins in six league games have followed. A little later, Arsenal’s defeat away at Blackburn and at Spurs as well as that disastrous visit to Old Trafford left them in the bottom half of the table and pencils were being sharpened in readiness for Arsene Wenger’s managerial obituary. However seven wins in eight games in all competitions, capped off by the thrilling win at the Bridge have raised expectations in that corner of North London. Chelsea have been sucked into the pack by their most recent defeats and by virtue of their inability to keep a clean sheet in the league all season. Liverpool has been the most consistent team of the four this season, without the thrilling highs that the other three have shown but with the most clean sheets of the four and having mostly been in the 5th and 6th positions since the season’s beginning.
Quite what will unfold over the course of the season for the quartet is anyone’s guess as they continue to confound with their swashbuckling football and disregard for frugality. However with Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal having played 10 games apiece and having 19, 18 and 16 points respectively, Spurs, with 19 points from their 9 games, have a chance to capitalise. In addition to their game in hand, their next six fixtures read: Fulham (A), Aston Villa (H), West Brom (A), Bolton (H), Stoke (A), Sunderland (H). Only one of these teams currently reside in the top half of the table, and that team is Aston Villa, in 9th position. At White Hart Lane that fixture would be seen as a potential three points by Harry Redknapp and his men and there is a real chance that these six fixtures could yield anything between twelve and the full eighteen points. In the same period of games, all three of the other teams play Manchester City, the current runaway leaders and Chelsea and Liverpool square off at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool and Spurs, without the distraction of European football at the top table, have an opportunity to force Chelsea and Arsenal out of the top four by the end of the season for the first time in a decade, but there will surely be many more twists and turns in this story before that time. Did someone say Newcastle United......?!


Nick Rogerson

Football: Stoke-Newcastle

How long before Newcastle can be considered genuine top six contenders? Alan Pardew's men have made an impressive start to the season despite losing three key men over the summer. Remarkably, a victory over Stoke tonight would see the Magpies leapfrog Chelsea into third place, just a single point behind Manchester United. The campaign passes the quarter mark with this fixture and, with other contenders stuttering, Newcastle are poised to finish a lot higher than many pundits predicted back in August.

But a trip to Stoke, currently 11th, has become the acid test for top six hopefuls. Tony Pulis' men have already beaten Liverpool and earned draws with Chelsea and United at the Britannia Stadium this season - so Newcastle's resolve will certainly be tested.

It has all the makings of a thrilling contest - tune in tonight at 8pm BST, 4pm ET.

NFL: Eye-Brow Raising Week 8

With the undefeated Green Bay Packers, the revived New York Jets and several other talented teams on their bye week for Week 8, there was a sense heading into the weekend that it might be one of the less gripping days of the season.

Think again. From the St Louis Rams' shock victory over Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints to the Philadelphia Eagles' thumping 34-7 win over divisional rivals the Dallas Cowboys, Week 8 served up a real feast. The Pittsburgh Steelers also enjoyed a memorable Sunday, beating the much-hyped New England Patriots 25-17.

These results have made life particularly interesting in the AFC, where the Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals all sit on a 5-2 record. The Steelers are 6-2 while the Jets are 4-3 and look ready to put a run of wins together. The Bills deserve a special mention, considering that a year ago they made a woeful 0-8 start to the year. But Sunday's 23-0 win over the Washington Redskins in Toronto kept Buffalo well and truly in the playoff picture.

Week 9 promises more unmissable action. Game lines will appear later in the week.

NFL: Bills Continue Playoff Push With Thumping Win Over Redskins

Buffalo Bills 23  Washington Redskins 0

The Buffalo Bills felt very much at home on their annual visit to Toronto, battering the injury-ravaged Washington Redskins and keeping their playoff surge firmly on track. Tight end Scott Chandler caught two touchdown passes and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 262 yards while the Bills defense kept Washington off the scoreboard with their best afternoon of the season.

And so the Bills’ run goes on. Heading into the season, expectations were understandably low after a 0-8 start last year on the way to a disappointing 4-12 record. But the Buffalo players have been reading from a different script, making the trip across the border really significant for the first time since the Bills Toronto Series began. The atmosphere outside the Rogers Centre was telling, with a real air of expectation – entering Sunday with a 4-2 record, Buffalo fans are dreaming big.

This was a must-win game for the Bills, given the remaining obstacles in their schedule, including two clashes with divisional rivals the New York Jets and trips to the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots, another AFC East powerhouse. And on their second drive of the game, the Bills took the lead with an eight-play, 80-yard drive, featuring two fine catches from receiver David Nelson and a 20-yard touchdown pass from Fitzpatrick to Chandler.

The Redskins’ recent injury woes have been well documented, with Tim Hightower, Santana Moss and Chris Cooley all sidelined. It has left head coach Mike Shanahan with limited resources to work with – and he got little production from any of the remaining offensive weapons.

Quarterback John Beck threw for just 66 yards in the first half and the ground attack – 24 total yards – was equally well snuffed out by the Bills defense. The Redskins best opportunity came after a Fitzpatrick fumble presented Beck with excellent field position. But Washington failed to cash in as Graham Gano’s field goal attempt was brilliantly blocked by Buffalo’s Spencer Johnson.

Lindell extended the Bills’ lead with a 37-yard field goal midway through the second quarter, sparking the thunderous sound effects that greeted each Buffalo score. The thunder was back just before half-time as Lindell struck again – this time from 44 yards – to stretch the score to 13-0. But for a London Fletcher interception in the end zone, the first half damage would have been worse. Fletcher pulled off a timely diving catch to pick off a pass intended for Stevie Johnson.

Things quickly got worse for the Redskins in the third quarter. The impressive Fred Jackson added to a strong first half performance with a 43-yard run, taking his rushing tally for the season past the 1,000-yard mark. That set up Fitzpatrick within striking distance and he made no mistake, finding Chandler alone in the end zone for his second touchdown of the afternoon.

The Redskins’ desperation was crystal clear in Shanahan’s decision to throw the ball on 4^th down with almost four minutes remaining in the third quarter. It proved a costly error as the Bills defense sacked Beck, who finished with 208 passing yards and two interceptions. One possession later, the Redskins quarterback was picked off by free safety George Wilson.

With Washington incapable of mounting any kind of comeback, the game fizzled out in the fourth quarter. Beck threw another interception with 7:48 to go – this time finding the Bills’ Jairus Byrd – and Buffalo iced the win with another Lindell field goal.

For the Redskins, this was a day to forget in a hurry and perhaps an ominous sign for the next few weeks. The Bills, however, mean business. At 5-2, they are level with the mighty New England Patriots at the top of the AFC East and look genuine playoff contenders. Exciting times await.

NFL: Bills leading Redskins in Toronto

The injury-hit Washington Redskins have been dealt more pain in the first half against the Buffalo Bills in Toronto, with a Scott Chandler touchdown and two Rian Lindell field goals putting the Bills up 13-0 at half-time.

This was a must-win game for the Bills, given the remaining obstacles in their schedule, including two clashes with divisional rivals the New York Jets and trips to the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots, another AFC East powerhouse. And on their second drive of the game, they took the lead with an eight-play, 80-yard drive, featuring two fine catches from receiver David Nelson and a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to tight end Chandler.

The Redskins’ recent injury woes have been well documented, with Tim Hightower, Santana Moss and Chris Cooley all sidelined. It has left head coach Mike Shanahan with limited resources to work with – and two sluggish, scoreles quarters suggest that the weeks ahead will be tough for Washington supporters.

Quarterback John Beck threw for just 66 yards in the first half and the ground attack - 24 total rushing yards - was equally well snuffed out by the Bills defense. The Redskins best first half opportunity came after a Fitzpatrick fumble presented Beck with excellent field position. But Washington failed to cash in as Graham Gano’s field goal attempt was brilliantly blocked by Buffalo’s Spencer Johnson.

Lindell extended the Bills’ lead with a 37-yard field goal midway through the second quarter, sparking the thunderous sound effects that greeted each Buffalo score - and added another from 44 yards with the final play of the half. Those sound effects are sure to reappear in the second half as Fitzpatrick looks to press home his team's advantage.

With Beck taking a pummelling at the hands of the Bills linemen, the 13-0 lead looks like a mountain to climb for the Redskins in the second half.

NBA: Hunter Talks to Bill Simmons About NBA Lockout

There is still no sign of the 2011/12 season starting but this podcast with Billy Hunter, executive director of the NBPA, sheds more light on the situation.

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/7491/b-s-report-billy-hunter

Football: Ferguson Shattered as City Soar into Pole Position

Roberto Mancini has often spoken about the gap that separates his Manchester City team from Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United. Prior to the season, the Italian assessed the gap to be two yards, then after nine games of the campaign it had been cut to just a single yard in Mancini’s eyes. But after handing United a 6-1 thumping at Old Trafford on Sunday – their heaviest home defeat since 1955 – City can legitimately claim to be top dogs. It is now Ferguson’s men who have yards to make up in pursuit of City.

As afternoons go, Mancini can have enjoyed few better and, as post-game bottles of wine go, he can have enjoyed few sweeter. Ferguson, however, has plenty to address and little time to do so before a tough trip to Goodison Park at the weekend. While Johnny Evans’ dismissal contributed heavily to the humiliationg scoreline, familiar problems reared their ugly heads during the defeat.

Chief among them is the lack of creativity in midfield, where weaknesses from last season remain glaringly obvious, particularly with the phenomenal David Silva pulling the strings in City’s midfield. Silva, who produced the pass of the decade to Edin Dzeko for the sixth and final goal, was once on United’s radar and Ferguson must rue not pulling the trigger on a deal for the Spaniard.

Anderson and Darren Fletcher have both been solid performers for United but as a partnership it just does not work – the recent victory over Norwich was a perfect example. Both harry and chase but neither is suited to taking control of a game. On Sunday, once City settled, Gareth Barry, Yaya Toure and Silva took charge, exploiting Ferguson’s decision to take on the visitors’ three-man midfield with just two central midfielders. Meanwhile, the energy and vision of Tom Cleverley has been missed during his injury layoff but, while his return will be a boost, United cannot rely on a 22-year-old for all their midfield guile.

Ferguson must also decide on his first choice strike pairing for the biggest games on the fixture list. Selecting Danny Welbeck over Javier Hernandez was a surprising choice given that the Mexican’s pace and movement causes nightmares for defenders and his partnership with Wayne Rooney is firmly established. It is all the more perplexing when you consider that Hernandez has played a total of 39 minutes across the last two league games – at Liverpool and home to City – and United failed to score in either game until he came off the bench. That is simply not enough playing time for one of the Premier League’s deadliest finishers.

A manager with as much experience as Ferguson has earned the right not to be openly questioned but he completed a hat-trick of head-scratching decisions by giving Evans the nod at centre-back ahead of Phil Jones, a more mobile and composed option. United fans feared the worst when Evans’ name appeared on the teamsheet, flooding cyberspace with predictions of impending doom – and with good reason. The Northern Ireland international put his team on the back foot by giving away possession, setting up a City counter attack, and then allowing Mario Balotelli time to slot home the opener.

Evans’ red card was another reminder that he remains at sea at the very highest level. For a physical tussle at Stoke or Bolton, a case could be made for him as the most suitable replacement for Nemanja Vidic, but against a team as technically gifted as City, it was a huge gamble. With Rio Ferdinand also looking off the pace, Jones’ confidence would have been a real asset.

But take nothing away from City, who were committed, organized and ruthless. The trio of Silva, James Milner and Micah Richards led the race for Man of the Match honours but several others were not far behind. In contrast to some of Ferguson’s blunders, Mancini was spot on with every tactical move – from putting faith in Balotelli’s temperament to leaving Samir Nasri on the bench in favour of the more industrious Milner. United were not only outplayed but also outcoached.

To read the rest of the article, visit http://www.insidefutbol.com/2011/10/24/ferguson-must-address-man-utd-failings-as-man-city-run-riot/51379/

Football: United-City Title Race Locked In For Next Decade

"All derbies are big now, that is the nature of the landscape."
                                                                                             Sir Alex Ferguson, October 4

It has taken just six weeks of the Premier League season for a consensus to emerge that the battle for the title will be a two-horse race between Manchester United and Manchester City. Noisy neighbours no more, Roberto Mancini's men have made the expected step up this season, matching United stride for stride, win for win and goal for goal.

With the Manchester derby more hotly anticipated than ever before, the rivalry has huge potential. The combined star power is mind-blowing. City have dominated the transfer headlines over the past few years by splashing out more than £150M on the quartet of Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Carlos Tevez, with plenty more arrivals also boosting the club’s trophy hunt. But it is easy to forget that United's big guns Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young, Nani, Jones and improving goalkeeper David De Gea did not come cheap either over the years.

And closer examination of the two squads and the two transfer budgets confirms that their title scrap this season will not be a one-off. Neither club is fading off the map any time soon - if anything, both will be stronger next year and even stronger the year after. With Chelsea unquestionably aging despite their solid start, Arsenal forced into an overhaul of their squad and Liverpool still one or two stars short, the future looks distinctly red and sky blue.

United provided a glimpse of the future in the second half of the Community Shield when Ferguson turned to his youngsters and sent out a team with an average age of 22. Young, at 26, was the oldest player in a red shirt until Dimitar Berbatov came off the bench late on.

Phil Jones, 19, has adjusted so seamlessly at the centre back that Rio Ferdinand is struggling to regain his place for club and country. Chris Smalling has proved that he is an option at both right back and centre back, Tom Cleverley is the closest United have come to a Paul Scholes replacement and Danny Welbeck has forced his way ahead of Berbatov and Michael Owen in the pecking order with his lively displays. This second coming of the Fergie Fledglings has caught England boss Fabio Capello’s attention too.

Over at the Etihad Stadium, City also have a youthful look, with goalkeeper Joe Hart showing maturity beyond his years, Aguero having the biggest impact of any summer signing and even Mario Balotelli producing displays that suggest he is growing up.  Throw in Samir Nasri and Adam Johnson, who are both just 24, and Mancini has a core group that could lead the City charge for at least the next seven or eight years.

To read the rest of this article, visit http://www.insidefutbol.com/2011/10/20/man-city-and-man-utd-set-for-decade-of-premier-league-domination/51183/ 

Football: Ferguson Team Selection Dents Rivalry Claims

Kevin Keegan has been known to let his emotions run wild at times over the years, from his outburst against Sir Alex Ferguson on Sky Sports in the heat of the 1996 title race to the low points of his stint as England manager. But when Keegan claimed Manchester United’s team selection at Anfield on Saturday was an insult to Liverpool, it was easy to understand his dismay. With one teamsheet, Ferguson had shot down the hype surrounding the clubs’ rivalry and, with it, the notion that Liverpool were once again a force to be reckoned with.

The decision to leave Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Nani on the bench was perplexing at best. While Ferguson can point to Rooney’s questionable mindset after confirmation of his three-game international ban and Hernandez’s draining trip to represent Mexico against Brazil, surely the bottom line is that the United boss would have picked both if he had felt the need to. Instead, he took the calculated gamble that an under-strength team would still have the quality to outduel Liverpool – and that will have been a tough reality check for Reds fans.

This was a game that had received plentiful hype in the build-up, with Ferguson taking the surprising step of claiming it was a notch above Real Madrid-Barcelona as a rivalry. Such a boast was rendered ridiculous after the 90 minutes on Saturday and the fact that Rooney, in explosive form throughout the first two months of the season, spent close to 70 minutes on the bench.

Liverpool, meanwhile, were in no mood to rest star names, handing Steven Gerrard a first start of the season after recovering from a groin injury and unleashing Luis Suarez as the spearhead of their attack. The popular opinion on Merseyside is that a top four finish should be the minimum expectation this season, particularly after the vast sums spent this calendar year, but, again, Ferguson seemingly did not assess the threat to be so high.

On the one hand, picking Ji-Sung Park, Ryan Giggs and Darren Fletcher could be taken as a compliment to Liverpool’s up tempo style of play. After all, Ferguson usually places his trust in this trio for games against Chelsea and Arsenal. But why at the expense of Rooney, Hernandez and Nani? It would have been possible to play a 4-5-1 formation that featured at least five of these key men. And the experiment of playing Phil Jones in central midfield for the first time this season was another move that hardly suggested the game was “do or die” in Ferguson’s eyes.

Predictably, once United sent on the attacking cavalry, the game swung their way. It took Hernandez just five minutes to make his mark, heading home from Nani’s corner. If Ferguson’s plan had been to contain Liverpool for 70 minutes then go for the jugular in the latter stages, it almost paid off. But that does not exactly mesh with his description of a fixture worthy of “El Clasico” comparisons.

Read the rest of the article at http://www.insidefutbol.com/2011/10/17/fergusons-man-utd-team-selection-dents-liverpool-rivalry/51017/

Football: Neville Happy To Weigh In On England Woes

For those who questioned whether Gary Neville would be bold enough to criticise former team-mates, it will have been both surprising and refreshing to read his comments on the current England team.

Neville wasted little time dismissing England's Euro 2012 chances, pointing to a lack of creativity.

For the former Manchester United man's thoughts, visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15232130.stm

MLB: Championship Series Dominate Week Ahead

All year, it was assumed that the Philadelphia Phillies were on a collision course for either the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox in the 2011 World Series. But, with the field narrowed to just four teams, all three of these contenders have been left to watch the action from the sidelines.

Boston flopped so badly down the stretch that they failed to reach the post-season at all while the Yankees and Phillies were edged out by the Detroit Tigers and St Louis Cardinals respectively. And so, we have Tigers-Texas Rangers and Cardinals-Milwaukee Brewers to look forward to, with the two winners advancing to the World Series.

Texas took Game 1 of their series 3-2 on Saturday night while St Louis and Milwaukee kick off on Sunday afternoon. We like the prospects of a Rangers-Brewers World Series but look forward to plenty more drama before we get there.

NFL: Week 5 Picks

The first bye week of the NFL season cuts the weekend schedule down to 13 games. We pick the most enticing betting lines.

Eagles (-3) @ Bills: Philadelphia are due a bounce back from their 1-3 start while the jury is still out on the Bills. The Eagles also know that a loss puts their post season hopes in serious jeopardy and that motivtion should be enough to spark a timely win. Pick: Eagles

Raiders (+5.5) @ Texans: Don't be fooled by last weekend's results for these two teams. Oakland have been impressive this year and just came up against a Patriots team that proved a match-up nightmare. Houston, meanwhile, stuttered to a win over depleted Pittsburgh. Plus, the Texans have no Andre Johnson. Pick: Raiders

Chargers (-3.5) @ Broncos: The free-scoring San Diego offense is always tough to pick against. Phillip Rivers is due a big passing day and Denver have done little thus far to suggest they can compete on the same level as the Chargers. Hard to believe San Diego won't win by at least a touchdown. Pick: Chargers

Packers (-5.5) @ Falcons: Not the easiest game to call because you fear for Atlanta unleashing their fury after last year's playoff loss. But Green Bay just has so many weapons that you can't go wrong picking the champs to cover in this one, especially with Aaron Rodgers out to stuff Brett Favre's words down his throat. Pick: Packers

Basketball: Regular Season To Take Hit On Monday

No NBA lockout meetings are scheduled for this weekend and that means no hope of salvaging the first two weeks of the regular season. If Commissioner David Stern follows through on his threat, the November 1 opener will be one of many games to be cancelled.

Several sources believe that the owners and players have made too much progress to throw a full season away, predicting that a shortened season beginning in Dec is a good bet at this stage.

One thing is for sure, though. The wait for NBA basketball goes on for at least another six weeks.

Football: Squeaky Bum Time for Henry and Red Bulls

Three months ago, Thierry Henry and the New York Red Bulls were sitting pretty at the top of MLS' Eastern Conference. Then the wheels came off, with an eight-game winless run allowing the chasing pack to first close the gap, then surge ahead.

The good news for the Red Bulls, who currently occupy fifth spot in the East but only trail the leaders by five points, is that they still have three weeks to save their season. That means they have enough time to at least clinch one of the four playoff wild card spots or even top the conference.

If New York are to do so, though, much will depend on a trio who made their names in English football. Former Arsenal talisman Henry's importance to the Red Bulls’ cause needs little explanation. The Frenchman leads the team with 13 goals, provides the bulk of the cutting edge up front and represents the star quality that brings fans flocking to watch the team.

But Henry cannot do it all himself and needs more from two team-mates who also gained experience across the pond. First, his strike partner Luke Rodgers has plenty to prove. The 5"8 poacher bounced around the Football League, starring for Shrewsbury Town, Crewe Alexandra, Port Vale, Yeovil and Notts County while also making headlines for questionable off-field behaviour. But Rodgers now has the chance to make real strides. At 29, his best football should still be ahead of him and he has the perfect mentor in Henry.

And then there is Teemu Tainio, the former Tottenham midfielder. The Finn joined the Red Bulls in March and his midfield partnership with Rafael Marquez ranks among the league's best on paper. But with Marquez spending time in the back four, they have had limited opportunities to gel. Tainio must turn the corner in the final three games and become a more dominant presence.

Only the MLS could have brought together these three players, from very different backgrounds and with contrasting levels of success, and they will be expected to play leading roles down the home stretch as the Red Bulls bid to avoid one of the worst collapses in league history.

The testing run of results has clearly taken its toll on manager Hans Backe and his players. Marquez hardly helped matters when, after a 3-1 loss to Real Salt Lake, he said: “I almost didn’t commit any errors, so I am not worried. I think I am playing at my maximum level, and doing everything I can. I don’t have, unfortunately, four defenders on my level that can help me out.”

For the rest of the article, visit http://www.insidefutbol.com/2011/10/05/thierry-henry-co-under-microscope-at-ny-red-bulls/50335/

Basketball: Regular Season In Grave Danger

Tuesday was billed as a very important day in the NBA CBA negotiations. Kind of do or die. It ended with glum faces all round, putting the start of the regular season in major doubt.

If a deal hasn't been struck by Monday, Commissioner David Stern will be forced to start cancelling portions of the schedule. The season is slated to start on November 1 with the champion Dallas Mavericks facing the Chicago Bulls but hope of that game taking place as planned has faded fast.

All signs point to talks dragging on throughout the month, meaning that a shortened season is far and away the likeliest outcome. Stay tuned for updates.

Football: Bradley Ready for Egypt Test

On a scale of difficulty, raising the profile of football in the United States must rank on a par with managing a highly-rated team amid a different culture and language. So for Bob Bradley, the former US national team boss, taking over as Egypt manager should not be as overwhelming as it might seem.

The 53-year-old, who was also linked with the Aston Villa job earlier in the year, has been presented with both a challenge and an opportunity. On the one hand, though Egypt have established a proud international record, with three consecutive African Cup of Nations (ACN) triumphs sending expectations through the roof,  the golden era is in danger of fizzling out as senior players opt for retirement and results dip alarmingly.

Bradley has been identified as the man to stop the rot and he enters a dressing room that is still recovering from the shock of failing to qualify for the 2012 ACN, which is an indication of how this mighty squad has fallen. Restoring confidence will be no easy feat.

Then throw in the cultural and linguistic difficulties for an American working in the Middle East along with the political instability that has rocked the country – clearly, Bradley will take time to get his bearings and adjust. In that sense, it is no bad thing that Egypt missed the boat for next year’s ACN in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. Bradley will have close to nine months to survey the options at his disposal before the journey towards the 2014 World Cup begins.

But amid all the obstacles lies a huge opportunity. This appointment is a huge boost for the profile of the sport in the US and speaks volumes for the progress Bradley made in his four and a half years at the helm. Given that the sport is so often competing against basketball, baseball and the NFL, the headlines are not exactly plentiful and Bradley’s achievements have somewhat gone under the radar.

From victory over Mexico in the Gold Cup final in 2007 and success in CONCACAF qualifiers to a second place finish in the 2009 Confederations Cup – beating Spain along the way – Bradley had a huge impact as US boss. The Americans also produced a creditable showing in South Africa last summer, drawing 1-1 with England in the group stage and reaching the last 16 before bowing out to Ghana. Bradley’s final act was to guide the US to another Gold Cup final, which ended in a loss to Mexico.

Previous examples of American coaches entrusted with managerial roles for other nations are thin on the ground – there are just a handful of other instances and one of those was back in 1930.  So if Bradley can surpass expectations in the Egypt job, doors will open for other US coaches. If nothing else, it is a reminder that the rest of the football world has been paying close attention to the Americans’ improvements.

For the rest of the article, visit http://www.insidefutbol.com/2011/10/04/new-egypt-boss-bob-bradley-flying-us-coaching-flag/50279/