29.9.06

Preview: Chelsea vs. Aston Villa

RivalsDM

Jon Obi Mikel hopes to make his first Premiership start for Chelsea against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Michael Ballack started in the midweek Champions League win over Levski Sofia but is serving a domestic three-match suspension.

Joe Cole is recovering from the knee injury he suffered in pre-season.

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is set to name an unchanged squad for Saturday's visit to Premiership champions Chelsea.

O'Neill has no fresh injury problems and is likely to name the same 16 who maintained Villa's unbeaten start to the campaign with victory over Charlton last weekend.

The only selection poser appears to be whether or not to recall defender Martin Laursen in place of either Olof Mellberg or Liam Ridgewell.

Last season's leading scorer, Milan Baros, is again almost certain to be on the substitutes' bench.

It will be O'Neill's first meeting with Jose Mourinho since Celtic were beaten by Porto in the 2003 UEFA Cup final.


Chelsea (from): Cech, Ferreira, Boulahrouz, Carvalho, Terry, A Cole, Bridge, Geremi, Makelele, Essien, Diarra, Lampard, Ballack, Mikel, Robben, Kalou, Wright-Phillips, Drogba, Shevchenko, Cudicini.

Aston Villa (from): Sorensen, Mellberg, Laursen, Ridgewell, Barry, Davis, Gardner, Petrov, McCann, Agbonlahor, Angel, Moore, Baros, Whittingham, Berger, Hughes, Gardner, Taylor.

27.9.06

Police Claim Owens Tried to Harm Himself

But Publicist Disputes Reports of Suicide Attempt
AP
DALLAS - Flamboyant Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens tried to kill himself by overdosing on pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened, according to a police report obtained Wednesday.Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.

Publicist Kim Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that the police have gotten the story wrong. She said she was with Owens, who was having trouble because he'd mixed his pain pills with supplements. She said she called for help because he was becoming unresponsive.

Etheredge did not immediately respond to repeated calls and e-mails from The Associated Press.

The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time (he) stated, `Yes."'

The report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.

Police Lt. Rick Watson said during a brief news conference that he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken. "This is a high-profile person. We looked into it, and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."

NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.

"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.

Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The AP filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.

"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."

At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.

The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that (his) prescription pain medication was empty and observed (Owens) putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said. The friend attempted to pry them out with her fingers.

The report also said the friend told rescue workers that a prescription for 40 pills was filled on Sept. 18, and that Owens "had only taken five pills up to this date."

According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called Tuesday evening regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center, where the police report said he was treated "for a drug overdose." Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.

Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.

When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.

He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.

Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.

Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee .

Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia , against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.

Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was going down.

While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and today was only Tuesday.

"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.

Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.

A hospital spokeswoman said early Wednesday there was no patient registered as Terrell Owens, although federal privacy laws allow people to block their name from being released. Owens' publicist and agent, and the Cowboys, did not return repeated calls from The Associated Press. No teammates or Cowboys officials were seen entering the hospital late Tuesday night.

Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown.

Owens, already a top receiver with the San Francisco 49ers , burst to prominence in 2000 for his celebration of two touchdowns on the star logo at midfield of Texas Stadium in a game against the Cowboys. A Dallas player blind-sided him after the second one.

The legend of T.O. grew when he celebrated another touchdown by pulling a Sharpie from his sock and autographing the ball in a 49ers game at Seattle . He's also borrowed a cheerleader's pompoms, done sit-ups on his driveway before TV cameras and mocked Ravens tough guy Ray Lewis ' celebration in a game against Baltimore .

Before a Monday night game against Dallas last season, Owens took part in a risque promotional stunt with one of ABC's "Desperate Housewives" that later prompted an apology from the network.

Owens was heavily praised while with the Eagles for playing well in the February 2005 Super Bowl, seven weeks after ankle surgery. However, his relationship with quarterback Donovan McNabb deteriorated soon after and the organization suspended him in midseason and later got rid of him amid contract complaints and other personality squabbles. Team owner Jeffrey Lurie said later that, even with the Super Bowl trip, he regretted having ever signed Owens.

Police Claim Owens Tried to Harm Himself

But Publicist Disputes Reports of Suicide Attempt
AP
DALLAS - Flamboyant Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens tried to kill himself by overdosing on pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened, according to a police report obtained Wednesday.Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.

Publicist Kim Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that the police have gotten the story wrong. She said she was with Owens, who was having trouble because he'd mixed his pain pills with supplements. She said she called for help because he was becoming unresponsive.

Etheredge did not immediately respond to repeated calls and e-mails from The Associated Press.

The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time (he) stated, `Yes."'

The report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.

Police Lt. Rick Watson said during a brief news conference that he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken. "This is a high-profile person. We looked into it, and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."

NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.

"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.

Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The AP filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.

"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."

At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.

The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that (his) prescription pain medication was empty and observed (Owens) putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said. The friend attempted to pry them out with her fingers.

The report also said the friend told rescue workers that a prescription for 40 pills was filled on Sept. 18, and that Owens "had only taken five pills up to this date."

According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called Tuesday evening regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center, where the police report said he was treated "for a drug overdose." Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.

Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.

When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.

He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.

Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.

Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee .

Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia , against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.

Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was going down.

While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and today was only Tuesday.

"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.

Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.

A hospital spokeswoman said early Wednesday there was no patient registered as Terrell Owens, although federal privacy laws allow people to block their name from being released. Owens' publicist and agent, and the Cowboys, did not return repeated calls from The Associated Press. No teammates or Cowboys officials were seen entering the hospital late Tuesday night.

Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown.

Owens, already a top receiver with the San Francisco 49ers , burst to prominence in 2000 for his celebration of two touchdowns on the star logo at midfield of Texas Stadium in a game against the Cowboys. A Dallas player blind-sided him after the second one.

The legend of T.O. grew when he celebrated another touchdown by pulling a Sharpie from his sock and autographing the ball in a 49ers game at Seattle . He's also borrowed a cheerleader's pompoms, done sit-ups on his driveway before TV cameras and mocked Ravens tough guy Ray Lewis ' celebration in a game against Baltimore .

Before a Monday night game against Dallas last season, Owens took part in a risque promotional stunt with one of ABC's "Desperate Housewives" that later prompted an apology from the network.

Owens was heavily praised while with the Eagles for playing well in the February 2005 Super Bowl, seven weeks after ankle surgery. However, his relationship with quarterback Donovan McNabb deteriorated soon after and the organization suspended him in midseason and later got rid of him amid contract complaints and other personality squabbles. Team owner Jeffrey Lurie said later that, even with the Super Bowl trip, he regretted having ever signed Owens.

20.9.06

Tiger Woods' Fury at Naked Pictures

Woods Mad Over Stories About His Wife
By DOUG FERGUSON AP
STRAFFAN, Ireland (Sept. 20) - Tiger Woods was outraged Wednesday at an Irish magazine and a tabloid that linked photos of his wife to various pornography sites, and his agent was studying the merits of a lawsuit.The publisher, Dubliner Media Limited, issued an apology saying it was a satire and didn't expect anyone to take it seriously.
Woods was among those who did.
"My wife, yes, she has been a model prior, and she did do some bikini photos," Woods said. "But to link her to porn Web sites and such is unacceptable, and I do not accept that at all. Neither does our team."
The Dubliner magazine wrote in its September issue about Elin Nordegren, his Swedish wife of nearly two years.
"Most American golfers are married to women who cannot keep their clothes on in public," the magazine wrote. "Is it too much to ask that they leave them at home for the Ryder Cup? Consider the evidence. Tiger Woods' wife can be found in a variety of sweaty poses on porn sites."
The Irish Daily Star gave it front-page treatment Wednesday with the headline, "Tiger's Fury at Naked Pictures."Inside the tabloid, it reprinted photos of Nordegren in a bikini, along with a nude photo of a woman purported to be Nordegren. Woods vehemently denied it was his wife when it first came out three years ago.
"The publisher and staff at The Dubliner acknowledge that the satirical article was inappropriate and wish to sincerely apologize to Tiger Woods, his wife, Elin Nordegren and other Ryder Cup players and their families for any offense they may have taken to it," said the statement.
Mark Steinberg, his agent at IMG, said he was debating whether to pursue a lawsuit.
"It's ridiculous," Steinberg said from IMG headquarters in Cleveland. "I can't say much now because of prejudice, because I'm not sure what we'll do in the future. Everyone knew it (the nude photo) wasn't her. It's plain as day. You can see it's not factual. It's kind of ironic they bring it up this week."
It was the first topic Woods brought up at his news conference leading to the Ryder Cup, which starts Friday at The K Club. He was not scheduled to speak to reporters until Thursday, but asked to move the session to Wednesday.
"I thought Tiger handled that extremely well," U.S. captain Tom Lehman said. "He dealt with it first thing today. He got it out of the way so that we all move on. I think the whole team understands his frustration. Nobody likes that. But it was kind of like, 'I want to say something ... and let's get back to the business of the Ryder Cup."'
Woods said his anger has nothing to do with the Irish people or the gallery that came to the golf course, even on Wednesday when the course was closed for three hours in the morning because of 40 mph wind and rain.
"I know the media can be a little bit difficult at times, but when you ... it's hard to be very diplomatic about this when you have so much emotion involved, when my wife is involved in this," Woods said. "As I said, I don't want that to deter from the beauty of this event."
Woods said making public his feelings was a matter of sticking up for his wife.
"You do things for the people you love and you care about," Woods said. "My father got ridiculed for years, and I always felt for my father and my mother the same way. My wife, we're in it together. We're a team, and we do things as a team. And I care about her with all my heart."
Phil Mickelson was asked how the U.S. team felt about the stories.
"I don't think it shows too much about your profession," Mickelson replied, pausing for effect. "Other than that, I just heard about it recently."

16.9.06

Bush: I know there's nothing to worry about

Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) - New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush and his family appear to have accepted gifts, money and other benefits worth more than $100,000 from two marketing agents while the Heisman Trophy winner was still playing at Southern California, according to a report posted Thursday on Yahoo.com.

After practice Friday, Bush responded to questions about the report much the same as he did when the allegations of improper benefits first were reported earlier this year.

"I'm not worried about any of these allegations or anything like that," he said. "Because I know what the truth is, like I said from day one. Once the smoke clears, everybody's going to see we did nothing wrong."

The report says Michael Michaels, a marketing agency investor who wanted to represent the football star, and current Bush marketing agent Mike Ornstein lavished Bush and his family with gifts while he was still at USC, each hoping to entice him to sign with them once he left school.

Bush eventually chose Ornstein, which caused a falling out between Michaels and Bush's family.

Speculation over whether Bush and his family received money arose earlier this year in reports that his mother and stepfather didn't pay $54,000 in rent during the year they lived in a house owned by Michaels, who later said the family promised to repay him once Bush went pro.

The NCAA prohibits student-athletes and their families from receiving extra benefits from agents or their representatives. Any improper benefits could lead to NCAA sanctions against USC and retroactively cost Bush his college eligibility and Heisman Trophy.

"Obviously it does affect you just because it is out there," Bush said. "But at the same time I know there's nothing to worry about.

"It makes you want to go out there right away and tell your side of the story. Show everybody the facts, the truth. But you can't do that. That wouldn't be the right way to do it."

The report was based on an eight-month investigation by Yahoo Sports, citing documents and interviews with on-the-record sources close to the situation. It lists several instances in which Bush and his family appear to have received financial benefits, including:

- Suits for Bush's stepfather and brother to wear during the Dec. 10, 2005 Heisman ceremony in New York, a makeover for his mother for the event and limousine transportation - all paid for by Ornstein.

- Two hotel stays by Bush, one in Las Vegas and another in San Diego, during March 2005. In both instances, the rooms were paid for by Michaels.

- $13,000 from Michaels' fledgling firm, New Era Sports & Entertainment, to purchase and modify a car for Bush.

- $595.20 in round-trip airfare from San Diego to Oakland in November 2005 for Bush's stepfather, LaMar Griffin, his mother, Denise Griffin and younger brother to attend the USC-California game at Berkeley. The charges were put on a credit card belonging to Jamie Fritz, one of Ornstein's employees.

Ornstein said he believes that when Fritz paid for airfare and a limousine for the Bush family's trip to the Cal game, the money was eventually paid back. Asked whether he was aware that such loans could constitute an NCAA violation, Ornstein told Yahoo: "I have no idea."

A phone message left by The Associated Press for Bush's attorney, David Cornwell, and Ornstein were not immediately returned late Thursday.

Ornstein denied to Yahoo any wrongdoing on his and Bush's behalf.

"Reggie Bush never received an extra benefit from Mike Ornstein other than what he was allowed to get from the NCAA when he worked with us," Ornstein told Yahoo. He added Bush was an intern at his marketing company in the summer of 2005. "I feel pretty damn good about that."

The NCAA and Pac-10 are investigating whether any rules were broken when Bush's family lived in the home owned by Michaels. Cornwell also said earlier this summer that FBI agents interviewed him about "potential federal crimes" by phone in June. The FBI would neither confirm nor deny whether a federal investigation was under way.

The NFL players union also is investigating the rent payments.

In a statement released by USC counsel Kelly Bendell, the school said it is cooperating with the probe but "cannot comment on any matter that is the subject of an ongoing NCAA and Pac-10 investigation."

Saints spokesman Greg Bensel told the AP the team would not comment on matters involving Bush when he was in college.

"It doesn't involve the Saints," he said.

The allegations would have no effect on Bush's professional football career, a person within the NFL with knowledge of Bush's standing in the league told the AP. The source asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation.

Bush was expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, but the Houston Texans bypassed him and took North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams. Bush went to New Orleans with the second pick.

15.9.06

The best - and worst - NFL stadiums

Elliott Kalb / FOXSports.com
Less than a decade ago, there were so many outdated and old NFL stadiums that it would have been easy — too easy — to select the worst. The cookie-cutter stadiums from the early 1970s like Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium and Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium are not missed.

Now, it's hard to find a bad NFL stadium experience. It's even more difficult to select the top five. Let me state right now that I won't rank the Superdome, longtime home of the New Orleans Saints. I am thrilled that the city is coming back. One of the great stories coming into the 2006 season is Saints owner Tom Benson's proclamation that he has sold 65,000 season tickets.

There will not be a better NFL stadium experience than on Sept. 25, when the Superdome returns to hosting NFL action. I'm also going to have to pass on ranking the spanking new Cardinals Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. I'm looking forward to being there in mid-October. The retractable roof will surely be a relief in the two September games. Sentiment and climate aside, here are the best and worst places to see an NFL game.

Also, this is the perfect place to commend the NFL for its ban on Gary Glitter. His "Rock and Roll (Part 2)," is played to excess at many stadiums, but the NFL has asked teams to stop playing the song in the aftermath of Glitter's conviction for child sexual abuse. There has to be a better song to get people revved up, anyway. The music choices should be more regional. In Philadelphia, for instance, at Lincoln Financial Field, they play Boz Scaggs' "Lido Shuffle" to mark a big hit by Eagles defensive back Lito Sheppard. You know what? It works.

The Best

Everyone gets to bask in the sunshine at Tampa Bay's home stadium. (File / Getty Images)

1. Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. At the risk of angering the great fans of the Kansas City Chiefs, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers, nothing beats attending an NFL game in Tampa, Florida. Raymond James Stadium is a joy — players, fans, and media all love it. A tip of the cap to Bucs' executive vice presidents Bryan and Joel Glazer for overseeing the $3-million pirate ship in Buccaneer Cove. You can't miss the 103-foot long ship. Eight cannons celebrate Tampa touchdowns. The weather is great. The food is great. The location is great.

2. Gillette Stadium in New England. You've heard the phrase, "worst to first." No NFL stadium was worse than the stadium that preceded Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. Long, metal benches to see mostly bad teams, culminating with long, long walks to parking lots that feed into one-lane roads ... that was the way sturdy New Englanders used to see their NFL. Gillette Stadium is one of the most fan-friendly stadiums in America. Maybe it's because I always am in need of an ATM that I love Gillette, you can't walk more than a few feet in any direction without finding a Bank of America machine. How about those two giant HDTV screens above each end zone? The atmosphere is electric, sometimes charged from the music of Ozzy Osbourne, sometimes from Mother Nature's snow. I love this place.

3. Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. It's a sea of red when the Chiefs play at home. This place, like its cousin Giants Stadium, has aged gracefully. The Chiefs played the St. Louis Cardinals in the inaugural game at Arrowhead back in August of 1972. Kansas City was ahead of its time back then, building separate baseball and football facilities. There is history here, and passion. I may be a Raiders fan, but I can appreciate the Chiefs' organization and their great players through the years. I can certainly understand the love that Chiefs' fans have for Arrowhead.

4. Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. This stadium opened in 1996 and is located right in the center of Charlotte. Your sense of sight will notice everything in the Panthers' colors (black, silver, and blue). Your sense of smell will be satisfied with Carolina barbeque aromas. There is nothing wrong with that.

5. Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Again, let me state that I'm not a Packers fan, so the appeal of the place is a little lost on me. Still, St. Patrick's Cathedral is impressive even to non-Catholics. Same thing here. The Atrium at Lambeau offers much more than the usual team shop. There is Curly's Pub, with its interactive game zone. There is the Packers Hall of Fame. Mostly, however, the place is known for the "Cheeseheads" — those passionate fans for the team (named for the cheese packers and manufacturing workers in the area). Do you enjoy seeing a game with thousands of people wearing large, yellow, foam hats? Even if you do, be prepared to spend lots of time getting into and out of the place. No one here seems to mind the bitter cold for many of the games, or as the late NFL Films announcer John Facenda called it, "the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field."

The Worst

Too corporate? You never forget who bought the naming rights where the Redskins play. (Jamie Squire / Getty Images)

1. FedEx Field in Landover, Md. The Redskins have an insanely loyal fan base, as evidenced by the following: the team has sold out every ticket to every home game since 1966. For much of that time, the team played in Washington, D.C., at RFK Stadium. It's where the Washington Nationals have played baseball the past two years, and the Senators played decades ago. It rocked for NFL football. But since 1997, the team has played in Landover, Md., at FedEx Field. The place has the largest seating capacity in the league, with room for 91,704. Of course, it will take you hours to get out of the place. I'm sorry, but the ride from downtown D.C. just takes too long. The place is too big, too corporate. There are fewer "Hogs" and more pigs in the stands.

2. Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. The fans were so vulgar and there were such displays of drunkenness (no, fans, inebriation is not a right) that the team — to its credit — has instituted a jerk line to call out idiots who cross the line. Fans can use their cell phones to rat out their neighbors. Will it help? I'm skeptical. I realize that Cincinnati fans aren't the only ones who exhibit boorish behavior (Philly fans practically wrote the book on it). Besides those issues, however, there are things to dislike about PBS. I found it difficult to navigate in a car to a suitable lot, and to find the entrance to the stadium. Fans screaming about disrespect ("Who dey! Who dey! Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals?") is hardly worthy of great NFL chants.

3. Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. I'm not a big fan of domes, and this is probably the worst. I can't help but like the RCA Dome, where the Colts play. Plus, that will be gone in a few years, and there's no sense beating a dead horse (Colt?). The Metrodome is a quirky baseball stadium and a poor NFL venue. There's no getting around it. The Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, by the way, is a top-10 NFL facility. The Metrodome is a little dark, a little dreary, and can in no way match the top places to see a game.

4. Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens. It's too far from Miami. It rains — heavily — too often during some part of the day. The fans are from all over the country. You see way too many Jets jerseys and Patriots jerseys and Colts jerseys. I can't remember a time when the noise was deafening like at Arrowhead or RFK or Mile High.

5. Meadowlands Stadium (Giants Stadium to you and me) for Jets games. One day soon, the Jets will share the cost of a new stadium with the Giants. For now, they rent. It shows. It's still Giants Stadium. The J-E-T-S chant gets old quickly, especially when the team doesn't contend.

Elliott Kalb's latest book, "Who's Better, Who's Best in Golf?" is available now and he can be reached at talkto@elliottkalb.com.

6.9.06

Barcelona announce Unicef shirt deal

Barca announce Unicef shirt deal

Barcelona forward Ronaldinho in club colours
Ronaldinho and co will wear the new shirt from next Tuesday
Champions League winners Barcelona have signed a shirt deal with international children's welfare body Unicef.

Barca president Joan Laporta announced the historic deal in Paris on Wednesday - Unicef's will be the first name to appear on front of the club's shirt.

"It's an historic agreement which shows the world our club is more than just a club," said Laporta, who was re-elected as Barcelona president in August.

"It's an initiative with soul. Barca can help the children of the world."

He added: "It's an historic moment as it is a prestigious logo and not just a publicity brand.

"It's an honour to wear the Unicef logo because it's an agreement without precedent for Unicef as well."

Founded in 1899, Barcelona have always resisted the temptation to have a paying shirt sponsor, although the team has advertised Catalan station TV3 on the left sleeve since 2005.

4.9.06

Agassi's incredible journey ends

Ian O'Connor / Special to FOXSports.com

On a U.S. Open practice court, of all places, I thought Andre Agassi was done. This was in the afternoon haze of August 26, 1997, when a tennis champion big on starpower made a confession on an off-Broadway stage that spoke to his certain demise.

Agassi was out on Court 4 hitting practice balls with his coach, Brad Gilbert, surrounded by the standard surplus of towel boys and yes men, when someone asked him where he had spent the previous night — the night the USTA stadium was being christened in the name of Arthur Ashe.

Agassi admitted he went to see In the Company of Men, and that he thought the film was pretty good. "Slightly better than Face-Off," he decreed.

Everyone was at the ceremony to honor the great Ashe, everyone but Andre. He apparently was upset that the USTA president Harry Marmion had forgotten to recognize him in a roll call of past champions at an Open function.

Agassi figured he'd teach all of tennis a lesson. So he headed to the movies, grabbed a bucket of buttered popcorn and let his fellow champs stand in tribute to the most dignified statesman the game has known.

I thought Agassi came across as a hopeless loser that day. He was 27 years old, and I would've bet the winning purse that Agassi would never, ever grow up.

But now he's a 36-year-old retiree, eliminated from his final Open and final tournament, and yet the beneficiary of the most stunning changeover the sport has seen. Against all odds, Agassi leaves tennis as a responsible adult, as the ultimate guy who "gets it."

If he's not a statesman to match Ashe, he's close enough. Agassi built a school for underprivileged, overlooked kids in his Las Vegas hometown, kids who are now expected to aim for college. The school stands among the most profound works of philanthropy ever carved by an athlete's hands.

The students wear uniforms at Agassi's school, and how perfect is that? As a foolish little boy, a rebel without a cause, Agassi had skipped three Wimbledons because he didn't care to conform to their conservative dress codes.

"We've created a school that has taken these children from a year to two years behind in education," Agassi once said, "and brought them up to speed. The success has been incredible."

As incredible as the rise of Agassi from wasteful phenom to accountable champ, his transformation runs far deeper than a scalp that once sported bleached, rock-star hair and now barely offers an old man's stubble.

Agassi was clueless enough once to plunge from No. 1 in the world to No. 141, to end up playing in bush-league Challenger events where players were allotted three balls — and only three balls — for a single match.

Andre Agassi matured into one of the greatest tennis players ever. (DON EMMERT/AFP / Getty Images)

He got fat before he got fit. He got fired by Nick Bollettieri. He bounced from Barbra Streisand to Brooke Shields before finding bliss and stability in the form of Steffi Graf, whose steely focus Agassi never had.

"The way Steffi went about her tennis," Pete Sampras said, "I think Andre saw that and grew from it."

Agassi grew into a dedicated athlete, husband and father.

"Andre chiseled away the things from his character he wished to get out of the picture," said his long-time trainer, Gil Reyes. "He had to prove his substance, and he has."

Substance over style? Wasn't this the guy who made "image is everything" his calling card? Wasn't this the easily-distracted star who would tank a set — even quit on a match — whenever his weakening spirit moved him?

"No matter how tough the matches got later in his career," Reyes said, "Andre never gave up. He made you beat him."

Agassi retired with eight Grand Slam titles, and with the grand distinction of being only one of five men to win all four majors and the first to do it since Rod Laver (Sampras never won the French). Agassi stands as the only man to have captured Grand Slam titles on four different surfaces.

He proved to be a chameleon in more ways than one. Through all sorts of metaphysical wanderings, Agassi reinvented himself at least a dozen times.

Players who once scoffed at his conduct came to respect him. Ivan Lendl, who once called a young Agassi "a haircut and a forehand," would later call an aging Agassi "a great role model for kids."

James Blake, who lost an epic quarterfinal match to Agassi in last year's Open, said this of the victor: "He's really a true gentleman, one of the friendliest guys in the locker room. Andre's someone that you can tell your kids to look up to and be proud of it."

Image turned out to be nothing. Nine years ago, I wasn't the only one who didn't see the possibilities.

Andre Agassi went from being a loser who skipped the Ashe tribute to a winner who deserves a tribute of his own.

Award-winning columnist Ian O'Connor is a regular contributor to FOXSports.com

1.9.06

Greece sizzles while U.S. shooters struggle

/ Associated Press
SAITAMA, Japan (AP) - Vassilis Spanoulis scored 22 points Friday as Greece used a sizzling stretch of shooting across the middle two quarters to turn a 12-point deficit into a 14-point lead and beat the United States 101-95 in the semifinals of the world championship.

The Greeks (8-0) can add a world title to the European championship they won in 2005 with a victory over either Spain or Argentina in Sunday's gold medal game. Those teams, also undefeated, met in Friday's second game.

Dwyane Wade and the rest of Team USA will return to the court Saturday hoping to match the bronze medal they won at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. (Dusan Vranic / Associated Press)

"They played like a champion plays," United States forward Shane Battier said of Greece.

Mihalis Kakiouzis added 15 for Greece and 6-foot-10 Sofoklis Schortsianitis — nicknamed "Baby Shaq" — added 14, shooting 6-of-7. The Greeks shot 63 percent (35-of-56) from the field and made 31 of 44 shots across the final three periods.

"Basketball is not just about dribbling and shooting," said Greece coach Panagiotis Yannakis, who took a congratulatory call from Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis after the game. "You can come off the bench with a clear mind and give the best of your talent and that's what our players did today."

The Greeks - with no current NBA players on their roster - danced in a circle at halfcourt after their victory over an American team put together after a series of recent failures.

"Big players play big games," said guard Theodoros Papaloukas, the MVP of the European final who had 12 assists Friday. "And today I think we played very good."

Done in again by their inept 3-point shooting — and they weren't much better from the foul line — the Americans will fall short of a championship in a major international tournament for the third straight time.

The United States (7-1) will return to the court Saturday against the loser of the Argentina-Spain game, hoping to match the bronze medal it left Athens with in 2004.

"Those guys are hurting," said USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo, who was put in charge of the program after a sixth-place finish in the 2002 worlds preceded the disappointment in Athens. "It's probably a better thing we have to come back tomorrow and play again instead of sitting on this for two days."

Carmelo Anthony scored 27 points for the Americans, who couldn't overcome their 32 percent shooting from 3-point range or 59 percent from the foul line. Dwyane Wade added 19 and LeBron James had 17, but the three U.S. captains were unable to avenge their disappointment from Athens.

"To lose any game is a shock to us," Anthony said. "We came in with the mentality to win the game and the gold medal."

The United States hasn't even played for a world championship since winning the last of its three titles in Toronto in 1994. Mike Krzyzewski — who was looking for gold after winning bronze with the 1990 team — and a few American players walked to midcourt to congratulate the Greeks, while most of their teammates quickly headed to the locker room.

The Americans, who put together a national team program this year for the first time after their recent failures, now will be forced to qualify for the 2008 Olympics next summer in the FIBA Americas tournament in Venezuela.

The United States seemed in control after Joe Johnson's 3-pointer gave the Americans a 33-21 lead with about 6 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter. It was around then that James told his teammates on the bench: "They don't know what to do."

Well, they figured it out in a hurry.

Greece scored nine straight points, pulling within three on Theodoros Papaloukas' drive with 3:51 left and forcing Krzyzewski to call timeout. Dwight Howard converted a three-point play, but the Greeks answered with a 13-2 surge, featuring eight points from Schortsianitis, to open a 43-38 advantage and force Krzyzewski to call a second timeout.

Greece hit nine straight shots - its only miss in the last 5 minutes was a heave from halfcourt as time expired - and led 45-41 at halftime. The Greeks shot 56 percent (15-of-27) in the half.

The Americans were 2-of-10 from behind the arc - after going 10-for-40 in their quarterfinal victory over Germany - and trailed at the break for only the second time in the tournament. Italy had a nine-point cushion in a group play game.

"We didn't make the right adjustments," United States center Chris Bosh said. "They ran the same play. We made it easy for them."

The United States also had nine turnovers - about two below their tournament average for a game - and was 11-of-17 (65 percent) at the foul line.

Greece kept it up in the third quarter, hitting 14 of its 18 shots, including all four 3-pointers in the first 5 minutes. Kostas Tsartsaris' 3-pointer with 5:45 left in the period gave the Greeks a 65-51 lead - the biggest deficit the United States faced in the tournament.

After shooting 4-of-12 in the first quarter, Greece was 25-of-33 (76 percent) in the second and third and led 77-65 heading to the final period.

"It seemed like they didn't miss the whole third quarter," Wade said.

Anthony, Wade and James combined for the first 18 United States' points in the quarter, and the Americans eventually got as close as 95-91 on Kirk Hinrich's 3 with 36 seconds to play. But the United States missed its final two attempts from behind the arc, capping a 9-of-28 night.

Top 10 signs you're a fantasy football addict

Roger Rotter / FOXSports.com

Getting married recently has remedied many of my bad habits, such as eating with my mouth open, letting laundry pile on the floor and failing to put items back in the refrigerator after I've made myself a sandwich and have retired to the couch for an afternoon of TV. Thankfully, my wife knew that "in sickness and in health" also means that my addiction to fantasy football may never be cured.

Still, there's much to be said for being responsible, though not just with your fantasy football team. Based upon my experience and hearsay, here are 10 signs that will let you know if you are a fantasy football addict. That can be good or bad, depending on your point of view!

Top 10 signs you're a fantasy football addict

10. You check your fantasy team's box score while the rest of the family opens holiday gifts.

There's nothing wrong with checking your fantasy team's performance in the fantasy title game. Just make sure it doesn't coincide with opening holiday gifts together with family. But is it mere coincidence that the fantasy championships arrive at the same time as the winter holidays? Or is this a test by league executives and TV programming gurus to see where your faith truly lies?

Yet there's much to celebrate if you win titles and put championship rings on your fingers. It's a wonderful feeling when you check the box score at midnight on Christmas Eve and your team has defeated your most despised rival. Good cheer to all! Who cares about gifts, right?

9. You'd rather watch a Thanksgiving Day blowout instead of feasting at the dinner table.

Though you live out of town hundreds of miles away from your parents, you cannot pull yourself away from the TV and avoid watching Detroit get thumped 49-0 by Denver late in the fourth quarter. Who needs to give thanks at the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day when you can thank the Lord for creating fantasy football after your player scores three touchdowns in a game? Hey, touchdowns still count for fantasy in lopsided games.

8. You miss work for one straight week waiting for the DirectTV installer to stop by when he never does.

It's imperative that you have to watch 1,536 hours of football to stay atop of your fantasy league and expertly switch channels at every break in the action without missing a play.

7. You arrive an hour late at a date with a hottie because you were picking up players on the waiver wire.

She's gone and so are your chances of scoring with a future lingerie model. But you secured the player who will land you a championship. Thank you, Kurt Warner and Larry Johnson.

6. You're the best man at your friend's wedding and you remember to take your cell phone to consummate a trade, but not the ring, on the morning of the wedding.

You never know when the frantic owner who wants to unload a star after one bad week for three mediocre players will change his mind.

5. While your wife is busy preparing for a romantic night out on your Paris honeymoon, you sneak away to check your fantasy team in the hotel lobby. (This really did happen. ... What can I say? I'm an addict, too!).

Remember, due diligence is what keeps a fantasy marriage going!

4. You list your fantasy football winnings as a tax deduction for work-related expenses.

Yes, those 50 man hours you spend per week on the work computer come in handy!

3. The $100 US Savings Bond that was supposed to go to a nephew was spent on a fantasy football entrance fee.

You know you'll win the league and then split the earnings later ... or maybe 10 years later.

2. You spend more time studying for your fantasy football game than your college final history exams.

Twenty years later, will I remember which Congress bill passed in 1904 or that I won at fantasy football in 2005?

And finally, here's the No. 1 sign that you're a fantasy football addict:

1. Your biggest fantasy involves a trophy, and it's not found in the Playboy Mansion.

Tyson's become another Vegas sideshow

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Some crowded around the ring with cell phone cameras in hand. Others sat at a bar not 20 feet away drinking beer. Still others ignored it all and smoked cigarettes and played slot machines.

Mike Tyson used to put on displays. On this day, he was just on display.

Mike Tyson spars with his trainer Jeff Fenech during the first workout of a boxing exhibition at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. (Marlene Karas / Associated Press)

Down the street, tourists watched lions and dolphins between breaks at the slot machines. In the Aladdin hotel, they didn't need to move from their seats at the bar to see another curiosity in a makeshift ring.

The former baddest man on the planet has been reduced to this - just another freak show on the Las Vegas Strip.

The signs said he was in training, and that was enough to lure a few hundred people to the makeshift ring set up just outside the casino's buffet restaurant. Training for what was a question better left unanswered.

Tyson once made $35 million for one fight and more than $300 million in his career before blowing it all. Now he's a casino sideshow, trying to make a few bucks the only way he knows how in a sport he no longer can stand.

"I truly hate fighting," Tyson said. "I've got a bad taste in my mouth."

On this day, Tyson is contrite, seemingly embarrassed his life has been reduced to this. He says he's uncomfortable going out in front of people masquerading as the fighter he once was when he knows it's all really a charade.

But he owes his creditors millions, needs the money desperately and took up the casino on its offer to make some.

So he gets into the ring to throw a few punches at the mitts of trainer Jeff Fenech as tourists take pictures.

"I'm looking to make a buck like anyone else," says Tyson.

There's talk of a series of three-round exhibition fights to earn that buck. It's a time-honored tradition in boxing, where no one gets hurt and the former champ who is down on his luck gets a small taste of the money he used to make.

Tyson is 40, but he's an old 40. Look past the bizarre tattoo that stretches across the left side of his face, and there's a weariness on his face that comes with years of hard fighting and even harder living.

It's been 20 years since Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion ever by knocking out Trevor Berbick. I remember watching him that night and later seeing him walk around the Las Vegas Hilton with the WBC title belt wrapped proudly around his waist.

His world quickly became filled with riches, women and fame in such abundance that the one-time street tough from New York had no chance of handling it all. He went to prison for rape only to come out bigger than ever, but his new life spiraled out of control almost as quickly.

He doesn't want anybody's sympathy, isn't even sure why they still care. They do, though, because they remember what he once was.

"I had a great life. I had 20 lives. No way should they be sympathetic to me," Tyson said. "Unfortunately I'm not a wealthy person."

He still manages to drive a BMW, though he's quick to say that in the day he would drive Ferraris and Bentleys. The problem was he would buy several and give them away to the hangers-on that were always around in his prime but were nowhere to be seen on this day.

He owned mansions, too, and not just one. When you're heavyweight champion of the world, you think the money will never stop flowing.

"I blank all that out of my mind," Tyson said. "If I think or dwell on that I can't be the person I want to be in life."

Which is?

"A simple guy."

Unfortunately, nothing will ever be simple for Tyson. He's always been tormented by demons he's been either unable or unwilling to control, and he seems as confused over his future as he was in his past.

He was embarrassed by his knockout loss to an Irish stiff named Kevin McBride the last time he got into the ring 14 months ago, and vows never to fight for real again. But here he is training next to a bank of slot machines trying to get in some kind of shape so he can make a few bucks off of his name with the PRIDE mixed martial arts organization, a Japan-based promotion making its U.S. debut at the Thomas and Mack Center on Oct. 21.

It's sad, but that's the way it is. When I look at Tyson it's all I can do not to picture him ending up like Joe Louis, who worked as a casino greeter and often was brought out drooling in his wheelchair to ringside so high rollers could say they saw the Brown Bomber.

People loved Louis. For some reason, they're still fascinated with Tyson.

"People truly believe and support me," he said. "I realized that over time. I don't know if it's for sympathetic reasons or just something that they can relate to me in life."

Tyson seems happy to be talking about it, happy somebody still cares. He doesn't really want to be doing this, but the offer of a free hotel suite and some cash brought him up from Phoenix, where he spends most of his time.

Now it's showtime, time to walk into the casino and go to work.

"Life," he says, "has changed so much."