How about some Alexander Gustafsson highlights with your morning coffee? http://t.co/tVtcLvC2
MySportNews іѕ a sports news digest publication that compiles real time, on demand sports news, articles, аnd resources. This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more UFC news see: Brian Stann knocks out Alessio Sakara, then stops fight without help from referee .

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Authorities say the Kentucky-Louisville basketball rivalry boiled over at a Kentucky dialysis clinic when one patient punched another during an argument about the teams.

Georgetown police Lt. Robert Swanigan says the altercation began Monday with a verbal exchange between the 68-year-old Kentucky fan and 71-year-old Louisville fan. The men were arguing over who will win when the teams meet in the Final Four on Saturday.

Swanigan says the Kentucky fan, who was receiving treatment, flipped off the Louisville fan, and that the Cardinals fan punched him in the face.

Swanigan says police were called to the Georgetown clinic, but the Kentucky fan has declined to file charges.

He says police thought tensions would rise as Saturday’s game approaches, but the fight at the clinic was stranger than they expected.

Georgetown is about 13 miles north of Lexington, where the University of Kentucky is located.

MySportNews іѕ a sports news digest publication that compiles real time, on demand sports news, articles, аnd resources. This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more NCAA basketball news see: Louisville-UK rivalry sparks fight at Ky. clinic.

If you need a reminder of how Ryan Bader can knock people out, here he is, doing just that. http://t.co/Zr8d2o9m
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AMHERST, Mass. — It’s been 73 days since The Fight, the moment that by nearly every account completely altered Xavier’s entire season. The Musketeers were rolling, having just torn in-state rival Cincinnati apart with a 23-point victory — the eighth consecutive win to open the 2011-12 slate.

When Tu Holloway started talking trash to Ge’Lawn Guyn at the end of the rout, when Dez Wells delivered the push and when the team’s supposed leaders — Holloway and Mark Lyons — got up on the podium immediately after the game and failed to apologize for their actions, well, that’s when Xavier’s season began to crumble.

Chris Mack’s team followed with three consecutive losses — Wells was suspended for all three, Lyons for a pair, and Holloway sat out the loss against Oral Roberts.

But I’m here to tell you that this team would still be 17-10 and struggling to get to the NCAA tournament even if Holloway hadn’t said a word and Wells had stepped away at the Cintas Center on Dec. 10.

Not because transfer Travis Taylor hasn’t lived up to preseason expectations. Not because senior big man Kenny Frease has regressed on the court — or because Mack has gotten little help from a supporting cast that was supposed to give him the much-needed depth he didn’t possess a year ago en route to a 24-win campaign and a fifth consecutive A-10 crown.

It’s because there’s virtually no leadership on this team. These guys clearly don’t enjoy playing with one another — and that was blatantly and painfully obvious in Tuesday night’s demoralizing 80-73 loss at UMass.

It’s not about the fact that these guys lost their swagger that day on Dec. 10, because there have been stretches when Xavier has looked like the Xavier that many predicted to roll through the A-10 again. The Musketeers reeled off four straight starting on Jan. 7 at Fordham and culminating with a 68-55 victory against Saint Joseph’s on Feb. 18.

The college basketball pundits — yes, myself included — deemed them Back. But this team, with or without The Fight, was going to struggle when facing adversity.

They have the talent. In fact, I’d still say there are few — if any — backcourts that match up man-to-man with Holloway and Lyons. Frease has the natural and physical ability to earn a spot on an NBA roster — if he put his mind to it. Wells will be a star as soon as next season.

But take away The Fight and this group still lacks leadership and chemistry — two of the most important attributes of any championship-caliber team.

Mack has seemingly run out of answers. He’s played psychiatrist all season and can’t figure Holloway, Lyons and Frease out.

“It’s frustrating,” he said.

Holloway could only shake his head in disbelief after the latest setback, a game he told his teammates they had to have in order to go dancing again.

“I told them if we didn’t win tonight, we’re not going to the NCAA tournament,” Holloway said. “I think at this point our bubble might burst.”

Holloway and his teammates are fortunate. The Bubble is as lackluster as ever this season and Xavier, which sits in a three-way tie with Massachusetts and St. Joe’s for third place in the league, still has three regular-season contests and the A-10 tourney to show the selection committee it’s a worthy of a spot among the 68-team field.

“No one has any answers now,” Holloway said. “We’re trying to figure it out. We’re all looking to each other to find the answers, but everyone’s eyes are big. No one knows.”

Xavier turned the ball over 16 times in the first half against UMass last night. They trailed by 20 points with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game before a late push made the score respectable. The backcourt duo of Holloway and Lyons, in what was certainly considered a must-win by many, combined to go 8 of 29 from the field with as many turnovers as assists and were dominated by a 5-foot-7 Hofstra transfer named Chaz Williams.

Holloway isn’t buying the excuse that he’s too quiet to lead. He says he did it a year ago, but it’s different now. Dante’ Jackson isn’t around these days to help — and Lyons and Frease just aren’t capable of providing support in that department.

“The difference with this team is me,” Holloway said, opting to take the blame for the team’s struggles. “Last year I willed us to win. I’m the same person, but now I’m not willing this team to victories. I’ll take the blame for this one.”

This was supposed to be a special senior season for Holloway. He contemplated leaving Xavier after last season, but decided to come back and did so with no shortage of preseason accolades. The wins against Vanderbilt and Purdue in late-November and early December, the ones in which Holloway rescued his team with huge shots down the stretch, feel like an eternity ago.

So, too, does The Fight.

“The fight may have set us back at first,” Holloway said. “But now it’s over with.”

And so too may be Xavier’s NCAA tournament hopes.

MySportNews іѕ a sports news digest publication that compiles real time, on demand sports news, articles, аnd resources. This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more college basketball news see: Fight with Cincy only the start of Xavier’s problems this season.

Finley franchise-tag fight still looms

Posted by Mike Florio on February 20, 2012, 4:46 PM EST

We reported during the season that the Packers and tight end Jermichael Finley eventually could find themselves in a fight regarding the question of whether, for the purposes of the franchise tag, Finley is a tight end or a wide receiver.

With the franchise tender for tight ends expected to be in the range of $ 5.4 million and the franchise tender for receivers expected to be in the range of $ 9.4 million, it’s a $ 4 million question.

The CBA doesn’t contain much guidance. Article 9, Section 2(a)(i) states that the tender will apply to the position in which the player “participated in the most plays.” The Packers undoubtedly would tender Finley as a tight end. Finley then would be required to file a grievance challenging the designation.

And then the grievance will entail splitting hairs, on a play-by-play basis, regarding whether Finley was a tight end or a receiver. Factors likely will include Finley’s location at the snap of the ball, whether he was in a two-point stance or a three-point stance, whether he was lined up in the backfield, whether he blocked or ran a pass pattern, and any other detail that would assist with the determination of whether he played as a tight end or as a receiver.

Of course, it will all be moot if Finley and the Packers work out a new deal. There’s still time for that to happen before the Packers have to pick a franchise-tag fight that the franchise may not want.

Maybe they can get it done by throwing in a couple hundred shares of stock.

Permalink 6 Comments Latest Stories in: Green Bay Packers, Rumor Mill, Top Stories

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1. gwahknows says: Feb 20, 2012 4:52 PM

   For starters, great attempt at humor there with the last line of the article. However, it was not funny. The Packers will sign Finley. He’s like 24 and could be a beast for the next 6 to 7 years. GET IT DONE TEDDY.
2. touchdownroddywhite says: Feb 20, 2012 4:54 PM

   It shouldn’t come down to anything more than how many plays Finley reported as an eligible receiver. . .
3. bobhk says: Feb 20, 2012 4:55 PM

   Maybe they can get it done by throwing in a couple hundred shares of stock.
   - – - – -
   Good one

   I’m sure Finley would appreciate that he can put it up on his wall and he gets to vote at the shareholder meeting..
4. sportsmeccabi says: Feb 20, 2012 4:57 PM

   He is neither a wide receiver or a tight end. He is a wide dropper.
5. claymath52 says: Feb 20, 2012 4:57 PM

   Sounds messy…
6. champion24 says: Feb 20, 2012 4:59 PM

   Dont receivers catch the ball?

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Ooh, highlights from UFC on Fuel, plus my whining about not getting to see the fights. http://t.co/hO324AKD
MySportNews іѕ a sports news digest publication that compiles real time, on demand sports news, articles, аnd resources. This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more UFC news see: Thursday Fight Night: TUF 3 champ Kendall Grove alive, kicking and with a new attitude.

Funny video with MMA folks talking Valentine’s Day http://t.co/tcSIwJds – SC
MySportNews іѕ a sports news digest publication that compiles real time, on demand sports news, articles, аnd resources. This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more UFC news see: Tabbed No. 1 welterweight prospect, Jake Ellenberger sounds pretty confident about upcoming fight.

LONDON, Feb 1 – Some of Britain’s poorest regions are battling each other and neighboring France to boost their local economies by hosting Olympic athletes at training camps before this year’s Games.

Britain has budgeted to spend 9.3 billion pounds ($ 14.68 billion) on staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games, mostly on facilities in London, and the capital is expected to hog most of the benefits.

But regional authorities dealing with government funding cuts and high unemployment rates want a slice of the cake.

“Clearly it’s difficult times that the country is going through in terms of austerity but the Olympics are a once in a lifetime opportunity so we have to find a way to make the most of that opportunity,” said Rob Young, 2012 Games regional coordinator for northwest England.

“It’s a case of trying to take the glass half-full approach.”

Britain is economically divided between a wealthier south, especially London, and the relatively poorer north, where many economic and unemployment “blackspots” can be found.

Aware of the economic disparity, British Olympic organizers – the London Organizing Committee (LOCOG) – have tried to spread the benefits to eight English regions outside London and to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

LOCOG offers a grant worth up to 25,000 pounds for every Olympic and Paralympic Committee that chooses to base their athletes in British regions prior to the Games in July and August.

But Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), quasi-governmental organizations put in charge of attracting international Olympic Committees to Britain, have been cut as Prime Minister David Cameron’s government tries to reduce a ballooning public sector.

Regional coordinators such as Young, who were employed by the RDAs, have continued to work out of hollowed offices as the agencies were being disbanded and staff laid off.

But their attempts to persuade international athletes to train and spend money in British regions has been made harder by French authorities who saw an opportunity to do the same.

EUROPEAN OLYMPICS

Dominique Dupilet, head of the local council for Pas-de-Calais, a region only 21 miles from England’s coast, said France had invested around 100 million euros ($ 130.91 million) in regional sports, infrastructure and tourism facilities to attract athletes and tourists to visit before and during the Olympics Games.

Dupilet caused a stir when he put out a video, widely quoted amongst British media, saying “the second the Olympic games were announced for London we hoisted the British flag at (Pas-de-Calais) council”.

With just over an hour on the train to London, Calais is closer to London than many British regions.

“In 2011, 40 countries, including France, benefited from our ’2012- facilities – some 2,500 athletes from all disciplines,” said Dupilet, underlining Calais sports facility credentials.

But with the 25,000 pound LOCOG grant application deadline set to expire at the end of February, British regional coordinators are hoping to persuade a handful more countries to base themselves in Britain and shun France, which does not offer a similar reward.

“For the smaller nations, the feedback is that the grant has been critical for them in terms of being able to do these sorts of programs,” said Young, citing the case of northwest England hosting a boxing team from Nauru, the world’s smallest republic with population of around 10,000.

ECONOMIC BENEFITS

It is impossible to quantify exactly how much training camps contribute economically, but anecdotal and circumstantial evidence suggests they provide a significant boost.

“Our conservative estimate for Games-related business contracts (in the region) is around 390 million pounds,” said Tracy Croft, regional coordinator for the east Midlands in central England.

A case-study examining spending by the Australian swimming team – which agreed to use Manchester as a training camp for the 2009 World Championships, 2012 Olympics and 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games – estimates the local economy will benefit by up to one million pounds in net spend by the Australian squad.

“Alongside the direct economic benefits of the training camp, the region benefited indirectly from the training camp, as the team made use of local social and leisure facilities, including visits to the cinema, tickets to local sporting events, eating out, and shopping,” the northwest report said.

However, regional coordinators say the benefits from the training camps stretch beyond boosting local businesses.

“Japan has been using Loughborough University over a period of couple of years and it generally brings a positive influence to the town,” Croft said.

“We’ve been able to do some work with schools around Japanese language and Japanese culture in the region. As well as spend in the local economy, it’s how do you maximize the social impact the visitors and having that link with the country.”

MySportNews іѕ a sports news digest publication that compiles real time, on demand sports news, articles, аnd resources. This article was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more Olympic sports news see: UK regions fight each other, France to host athletes.