Chris McGrath: Long Run haunted by a ghost of Christmas past – The Independent

Irish Times

Chris McGrath: Long Run haunted by a ghost of Christmas past The Independent The KNVB Beker (Dutch Cup) fourth round game between Ajax and AZ was abandoned last night after AZ g… He stands on the threshold between present and past, life and legend. As the only horse to win the King George VI Chase four years running, … Master is worth bearing in mind for King George, says NichollsDaily Mail Paul Nicholls believes Kauto Star is still in the ascendant as he heads to …Telegraph.co.uk Nicky Henderson completes mission to prime Long Run for King GeorgeThe Guardian SkySports -BBC Sport -The Press Association all 146 news articles »

Sir Alex Ferguson hits out at Blackburn fans over Steve Kean – Daily Mail

Daily Mail

Sir Alex Ferguson hits out at Blackburn fans over Steve Kean Daily Mail By Sportsmail Reporter Sir Alex Ferguson has never previously witnessed the level of abuse heaped on Blackburn boss Steve Kean at Ewood Park on Tuesday night. The Rovers faithful have never taken to Kean but their relationship reached a new low in … Alex Ferguson hails Kean dignityThe Sun Fergie backing for KeanSkySports Paper round: Venky's 'cannot afford' Kean axeYahoo! Eurosport UK ChesterChronicle.co.uk -The Independent all 382 news articles »

Djokovic scoops overseas award – Mirror.co.uk

BBC News

Djokovic scoops overseas award Mirror.co.uk Tennis world number one Novak Djokovic has won the Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards in Salford. Djokovic was awarded the gong following a year in which he went 41 matches unbeaten and won … Grand Slam Tennis 2 Cover Stars RevealedTheGamersHub Tennis review 2011SkySports Tennis: Federer primed for Australian Open pushNew Zealand Herald Ninemsn -Liverpool Echo all 381 news articles »

The Neymar ‘Messi who?’ shirt might’ve been premature

The rise of Neymar has been rapid and slathered in hyperbole, making the Club World Cup final the perfect climax for comparisons between the 19-year-old Brazilian and Lionel Messi, as well as suggestions that Neymar might even be better. Except, instead of a showdown between the Ballon d’Or holder and the even younger gun pushed into being his challenger, it was a public flogging. Barcelona beat Santos 4-0 and Messi scored the match’s first and last goals.

Neymar, meanwhile, was so anonymous that a publication back in Brazil published a “missing child” poster with his pouting face on its cover. To be even more clear, our friends at Bola Nas Costas explained the match with a handy bit of photoshoppery…

So, given all that, maybe the Brazilian T-shirt maker Huck’s starry-eyed Neymar shirt with the text “Messi who?” was a bit premature. Or maybe it’s now more appropriate than ever as a reminder that everyone needs to calm down with the comparisons, especially given the gulf in class between the two teams they play for and the competition they regularly face. Or maybe it’s just a T-shirt.

Carrick will accept Fergie punishment after abandoning midfield to score – Daily Mail

Daily Mail

Carrick will accept Fergie punishment after abandoning midfield to score Daily Mail By Sportsmail Reporter Michael Carrick was ready to pay any fine Sir Alex Ferguson imposed on him after vacating the Manchester United midfield to score his first Barclays Premier League goal for almost two years. Carrick sealed Sunday's 2-0 win at QPR … Manchester United are over Champions League exit and focused on Premier League …Telegraph.co.uk Sir Alex Ferguson challenges Man Utd to end the year on topBBC Sport Pole position matters to FergusonThe Press Association Goal.com -The Guardian -The Sun all 612 news articles »

This is what Cesc Fabregas posted on Twitter after Arsenal’s loss

Immediately after Arsenal lost 1-0 to Man City in a match in which Samir Nasri was named Man of the Match and Robin van Persie dared to not score, Cesc Fabregas tweeted the above photo of himself with the Club World Cup trophy he won with Barcelona earlier in the day. His only comment paired with the photo:

?

Of course, Cesc was probably too busy celebrating Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Santos in the Club World Cup final — a tournament so unimportant that even typing out its full name feels like a waste of time — to realize his former club had just lost a match that put them out of the title race, according to Arsene Wenger. Which means this is just further proof that the universe has enjoyed conspiring to create jokes at Arsenal’s expense ever since that Invincibles business.

Cesc Fabregas now has three trophies and eight goals in 12 league matches (with 10 starts) in the few months since he joined Barcelona. He also hair ridiculous Cosmo Kramer hair.

Tennis ace Ian Ritchie facing big task in world of rugby as Twickenham’s new … – Mirror.co.uk

Mirror.co.uk

Tennis ace Ian Ritchie facing big task in world of rugby as Twickenham's new … Mirror.co.uk ENGLISH rugby has turned to tennis for the man it hopes can sort out the mess at Twickenham. Ian Ritchie, highly regarded chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, is to take on the … Ritchie ready to get stuck inThe Press Association New RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie must put all his energy into reviving …Telegraph.co.uk New RFU boss has positive outlookEatSleepSport Daily Mail -BBC Sport -The Guardian all 211 news articles »

Andrei Arshavin conducts greatest Q&A ever, part XXVII

The latest installment of Andrei Arshavin’s ongoing interactions with the readers of his official website is just, well, it’s wonderful. So let’s just get right to it.

1. From Fifka777
Andrey, after Cesc left the team, do you keep your personal contact with him?
AA: A few days ago Cesc came to our training ground; we had an opportunity to communicate with each other.

So…did you? That kind of makes it sounds like Andrei just gave him the finger and ran away.

3. From Nikneimus
Hi Andrey. My name is Sergey, I’m forty-four, I live in Uzbekistan (Bukhara). We watch football and support Russia — we worry, we pray, we rejoice! Russia goes to the Euro 2012. Guys, you all deserve a lot of credit, you all did your best and achieved the result. We are all happy for you! Congratulation. We watched the draw, it seems like you have pretty good chances. We would like to invite you to visit our old city of Bukhara which is 3 000 years old. Our city is a tourist attraction and we have a very well-developed tourism industry.
We have unique architecture and, well, of course, pyramids — there are things here worth looking at! There are a couple of decent hotels here and a lot of little ones .People are warm, hospitable and the city is quiet, calm (unlike
the Caucasus, there are no terrorists here). A lot of vegetables and eastern sweetmeats. Come with the whole team, their families, relatives and friends. Ask your tour operators a tour to Bukhara, people from all over the world come here. The silk road – Khiva, Samarkand, the palace of the emir of Buhara built by ancient masters in the form of a scorpion and the highest in Central Asia minaret tower of death, all these great things are here. The burial tomb of Tymur the
conqueror is in Samarkand. There are also some interesting places in Khiva. Best regards,
c********@ya.ru 03.12.2011
AA: I’ve long wanted to visit Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

And how could you not? Sweetmeats, Andrei! Sweetmeats!

4. From Ramon95
Andrey, top of the day,
I want to tell you that you’re a great guy and a good player. Tell me who can you point out in the national teams of our rivals at the Euro 2012: Poland, Greece and the Czech Republic?
AA: The Poles have Lewandowski, Piszczek and two goalkeepers from Arsenal, the Czech Republic -Rosicky, Greece – their experienced captain.

Yes, Greece’s captain is so experienced that he doesn’t even need to be referred to by name (it’s Giorgos Karagounis, by the way) or any other significant identifiers. Just “experienced captain” — which, to be fair, is definitely better than saying “that guy with the hair.”

5. From lizaveta99
What’s going on, Andrey, why don’t you answer my questions? Who picks them up for you, your admin? : D
AA: Were there many questions?

Even when Andrey answers your questions, he doesn’t answer your questions, lizaveta99. Life just isn’t fair.

6. From Queen
What do you think has to be changed in the world for it to become better?
AA: Money abolished.

Succinct, topical and anarchistic. Probably not what the Queen wanted to hear, though.

7. From Queen
What does your intuition tell you right now, Andrey?
AA: At the moment I do not talk to it.

…why not? Did it insult you? Say something about your family? Maybe it disagreed that money should be abolished? How does one get in a fight with their intuition anyway? Why are my ears bleeding?

8. From Queen
Andrey, complete the phrase: “At some point in my life, I’ll surely …
AA: I don’t even know what to say…

OK. I figured it out. “Queen” is actually Andrei’s intuition.

9. From Roni2000
Hi Andrey! The question is: Is it true that in your childhood and adolescence you lived
on Favorskogo str.14 – 1 (near the school ?111)?? It’s just that I live in this house and want to know if it’s true or not.
AA: No, I never did.

Is someone in Russia going around selling houses by telling potential buyers that “Andrei Arshavin lived here”? This could be a far-reaching and very lucrative scam.

11. From Blaise
Andrey, do you remember your classroom teacher Svetlana Vyacheslavovna Sosnina? Well, now she’s our classroom teacher and often talks about all the football players. Regards from our class =)
AA: She was not our classroom teacher. It was Natalia Semenovna who was in charge of our class — the math teacher. And Svetlana Vyacheslavovna taught literature and Russian.

Who is spreading these lies about Andrey’s childhood?!!?

12. From Queen
Andryusha, looking back what do you see there?
AA : My behind

That’s Andrei’s way of telling Queen/his intuition to stop asking questions already.

13. From Queen
If you were a bird, where would you fly?
AA: Into space.

Of course.

14. From nelli15012001
Hello Andrey, My name is Nelli. My friend Roma and I are your huge
fans! We had a bet — I said your favorite type of car is BMW, and he says that it is Mercedes. Who is right?
AA: Mercedes

What kind of degenerate gamblers bet on that sort of thing? Have you ever once turned to your friend and said, “Hey, I’ll bet you a dinner that Leo Messi likes Gap Kids more than Armani Exchange.”? (He does, but that’s besides the point.)

15. From Phantom
Do you continue to communicate with Eboue after he moved to Turkey. I’ve
heard recently that during the game against Besiktas, people threw bottles and coins at him…
AA: I’ve heard this story. After he left us, he just once came to the Arsenal training ground. My wife is on good terms with his wife. She is invited to Artem’s birthday.

But Emmanuel is not! I see a trend developing here. It seems Andrei is only willing to talk to former teammates when they come and visit him at training.

17. From Queen
Andrey, hi! I’m watching “Disco of the 90-s” which is held in St. Petersburg,
and therefore I have a question for you. What kind of memories do you have from the 90-s? Do you remember anything in particular? Regina;)
AA: Back then I thought more about football and studying so I didn’t know that I lived through some horrible years for my country. I didn’t know that people might have just gotten killed on their way home. It was everywhere around. What do I remember?
I guess there were groups of people near every metro entrance with one goal —to mug and to beat. They acted according to a plan. A little thug came over and began getting in your face, of course, you sent him to hell, and then there jumped up a group of his thug-friends from around the corner:) Your feet in such situations were your best friends

So Andrei spent the ’90s killing thugs and running away from their friends. That sounds about right. More unsettling than Russia in the ’90s? The fact that this was Queen’s sixth question already.

18. From serg2009
Hi, Andrey Sergeyevich! This is Belokurov. How are you doing? Haven’t talked to you for quite a while…
AA: Oh,.hi. How are you!

Well, if you came to Arsenal’s training ground, Andrei would be much more willing to communicate with you, Belokurov.

23. From Moonray
Andrey, many celebrities voice over cartoon characters. Would you like to voice over some cartoon character? For example, from the well-known Soviet cartoons? Who would you prefer? Looking forward to your response.
AA: I never thought about it. If this proposal comes, I would consider it.

YES PLEASE

24. From Xander
Hi, Andrey !!!!! During the friendly match Greece – Russia there was
a small skirmish after a foul on Anyukov. It’s very interesting why you pushed
Katsouranis away! It’s just that usually in such situations you are the one who calm everybody down… Apparently at that moment he really got the better of you! Answer
if it’s not a secret! P.S. Good luck in every game!!!!!
AA: He, like all Greeks and Italians, loves to wag their arms.
Perhaps they have such a mentality. So I told him – you can talk with
words, but don’t wag your arms here.

That’s right. If you go wagging your arms around Andrei, he will send you to hell like those metro station thugs in the ’90s. And then he’ll run away from all your fellow Greeks. And Italians.

Photo: Getty

London 2012: BBC Newsnight claims of Olympic fix are ‘without merit’ – BBC Sport

Telegraph.co.uk

London 2012: BBC Newsnight claims of Olympic fix are 'without merit' BBC Sport Claims made by BBC's Newsnight that results may be fixed at the 2012 Olympics are "unsupported by any credible evidence" an International Boxing Association committee has said. The Special Investigation Committee (SIC) probed allegations the Azerbaijan … London 2012 Olympics: Azerbaijan cleared after inquiry into BBC's 'gold medals …Telegraph.co.uk BBC slammed for investigation into 2012 boxing fix as AIBA finds no evidenceDaily Mail Committee come down on AIBA's sideThe Press Association The Guardian -The Sun -Sydney Morning Herald all 73 news articles »

Vonn wins first World Cup race in U.S., celebrates by Tebowing

For all her dominance on the ski slopes, Lindsey Vonn had never won a major race in her home state of Colorado. Heck, she had never even won a World Cup competition in the United States.

So when she crossed the finish line with the fastest time in Wednesday’s super-G at Beaver Creek, Colo., Vonn rejoiced. Then, like any good Colorado native, she honored the state’s newest folk hero. For when Lindsey got to the medal stand, she celebrated her victory by taking a knee and Tebowing.

[Rewind: Lindsey Vonn to attend homecoming dance with 15-year-old]

She had permission to do it from Tim Tebow’s brother, Robby. The two met at the ESPY Awards this summer and have become close friends since. (They are not dating, the newly single Vonn insists.) Before she went up the hill for the race, she said she asked Tebow’s brother whether it was all right if she celebrated with Tim’s patented, and much celebrated, pose.

“I asked him if Tim would be upset if I did it,” Vonn told reporters. “I said that if I won in Colorado, I would do it, ‘Go Broncos.’ And I did it. Gotta represent.”

Vonn finished 0.37 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher and extended her lead in the overall World Cup standings. It was the 46th career victory for the Vail native, tying her for third on the all-time list.

“I still don’t believe it, really,” said Vonn. “Getting a chance to win at home, with a home crowd here, it’s just more than I could’ve expected.”

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