NFL Update

With six weeks left in the NFL season, the match-ups are starting to heat up. Three teams hold the league’s best record at 8-2. In the AFC, the New York Jets and New England Patriots are tied for that position and in the NFC; the Atlanta Falcons are alone at the top, for now.

There are seven teams that are a game behind at 7-3. Those teams are the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Green Bay Packers.

The New York Jets are coming off another thrilling comeback win 30-27 against the Houston Texans. Mark Sanchez connected with Santonio Holmes in the back left corner of the end zone with 10 seconds left to play to lift the Jets to 8-2. This win marked the fourth consecutive week the Jets have staged a come back to win in the final moments of the game. Sanchez is continuing to have a breakout season and Jets management looks brilliant in trading for Holmes for only a 5^th round pick. The Jets look to continue their winning ways this Thursday on Thanksgiving night against the Cincinnati Bengals in the New Meadowlands Stadium.

The New England Patriots are coming off another great dual with the Indianapolis Colts winning 31-28. The Patriots’ James Sanders intercepted Peyton Manning at the New England 6 yard line with 31 seconds remaining to clinch the win. Tom Brady was brilliant for the second straight week, coming off a 350-yard, three-touchdown performance against Pittsburgh. Brady had only six incompletions in 25 passes and threw for two TDs as the Patriots built a 17-point lead and held on. The win kept the Patriots tied with the Jets atop the AFC East; they meet in two weeks. The Patriots next game is Thursday on Thanksgiving against the Lions in Detroit.

In the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles grabbed hold of the NFC East with a 27-17 win against the New York Giants. Michael Vick played great again as he continues his comeback as an elite quarterback in the NFL. The Chicago Bears improved to 7-3 as their intimidating defense shut out the Miami Dolphins 16-0. The Green Bay Packers stayed tied with the Bears for the lead in the NFC North by dominating the Minnesota Vikings 31-3. The Vikings then fired Coach Brad Childress by starting off 3-7 and making decisions about Randy Moss without referring to ownership.

The NFC South seems to have the most competition in the League with the Falcons at 8-2 and the Saints and Bucs sitting a game behind at 7-3. The Falcons had a convincing win against the St. Louis Rams as Matt Ryan and Roddy White look to be the best connection in the NFL. The defending Super Bowl Champion Saints are starting to get on a roll as they now have a three game winning streak and face the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. The Bucs, arguably the league’s most surprising team, won convincingly 21-0 against the San Francisco 49er’s. They have a tough upcoming schedule against teams Baltimore, Atlanta, and Washington. This exciting division race looks to be coming down to the last week.

With six week’s left in the season anything can happen, especially in the NFL. Playoffs are approaching and excitement is in the air. Is your team looking like a contender or pretender?

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Manchester United Update

From 2006 through 2009, Manchester United had fixed themselves a position atop the English Premier League standings, proving their dominance year after year.  Last season, Chelsea unseated the champions and stole possession of the Premier League crown.  It is no surprise to see Chelsea on top the standings once again, however, United sits just four points behind the lead with a match scheduled for Saturday at Aston Villa.  A win at Villa may not be too difficult to come by, having not lost since opening day of the 1995-’96 season.

Villa’s manager, Gerard Houllier realizes the circumstances of the upcoming match: “Villa have not won against United (at home) for a long time. I would say that at some stage it has to stop.  We must make sure we don’t give them too much respect.  They are so good, we must not watch them play.”

On the opposite side, Manchester has six draws on the season and two in their last five games.  In order to gain momentum and have an opportunity to challenge Chelsea, they must begin to grind out victories.  Darren Fletcher, widely acknowledged as one of the top midfielders in the game, has told his Manchester United team-mates it is time to end the succession of draws that has halted their progress this term.

Much has been made about the 25-game unbeaten streak dating back to last season’s loss in the title game to Chelsea; however, the players will not look at that as an impressive feat.  Fletcher added, “People are talking about us not losing but we have drawn too many, especially away from home.”

United must keep pace with Chelsea in an effort to make their December 19^th home match-up with The Blues a pivotal game.  The Red Devils must take one game at a time; however, they realize the type of pressure they are under to win because another draw will keep them from putting the pressure on Chelsea to win as well.

Fletcher added, “Overall, you would be better winning two games out of three and losing the other one rather than winning one and drawing two.”  And he’s quite correct.

League Championship Series Set To Begin

October baseball is starting to heat up as both League Championship Series are beginning this weekend. The ALCS starts Friday night as the defending World Series Champion New York Yankees travel to Texas to take on the Rangers. In this best of seven series, the first two games will take place in Arlington, Texas and then shift to the Bronx, New York. The NLCS starts Saturday night as the San Francisco Giants go into Philadelphia to take on the Phillies. The first two games are in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before shifting to San Francisco, California.

In the ALCS, Game 1 will start Friday night with the Yankees CC Sabathia going up against the Rangers C.J. Wilson. Sabathia went 21-7 with a 3.18 ERA for the Yankees this year while Wilson went 15-8 with a 3.35 ERA for the Rangers.

Game 2 Saturday night, will feature a rising star in Phil Hughes pitching for the Yankees going up against the Rangers Colby Lewis. Hughes had an impressive season for the Yankees going 18-8 with a 4.19 ERA while Lewis went 12-13 with a 3.72 ERA for the Rangers.

Game 3 in the Bronx on Monday, will be one to watch as two of the games toughest lefties will compete. Texas has Cliff Lee going for them as the Yankees counter with veteran Andy Pettitte. Lee is the Rangers number one starter but, can not start until Game 3 because he just beat the Tampa Rays in Game 5 of the ALDS Tuesday night. With Tuesday night’s win Lee improved to 6-0 with a 1.44 ERA in the postseason. Pettitte is the all-time postseason leader in wins with 19 to go along with a 3.87 ERA.

This should be a fantastic series as the Yankees look to capture their 28^th championship of all time while the Rangers are striving for their 1^st ever championship.

In the NLCS, Game 1 will start Saturday night with the Giants Tim Lincecum going up against the Phillies Roy Halladay. This should be the pitching match-up of the year as Lincecum is coming off a complete game shutout with 14 strikeouts in the NLDS and Halladay coming off a no-hitter in the NLDS. Don’t miss this game!

In Game 2 Sunday night, the Giants will turn to Jonathan Sanchez with the Phillies countering with Cole Hamels. Sanchez is part of the Giants young pitching core on the rise and Hamels was the World Series MVP two seasons ago for the Phillies.

Game 3 on Tuesday will feature the Phillies Roy Oswalt competing against the Giants Matt Cain. Oswalt was a trade deadline pick up by the Phillies that has greatly benefited them. Since July 31^st, the Phillies are 30-5 in games started by Halladay, Oswalt or Cole Hamels. This series is all about pitching as both teams have a top of the line staff. This is shaping up to be one of the best pitching match-ups we’ve seen in a long time.

Who will we see in the World Series?

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New Yorks Knicks Preview

With preseason upon us I feel it’s time to talk some basketball once again.  The New York Knicks this year are poised for a bounce back season after the acquisitions of Amar’e Stoudemire, and Raymond Felton through free agency and Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf and Kelenna Azubuike through trade with the Golden State Warriors.

These weapons, paired with the impeccable outside shooting of Danilo Gallinari as well as secondary players such as newly acquired big man Timofey Mozgov from Russia, Wilson Chandler, and rookies Landry Fields, and Andy Rautins have the Knicks set for a playoff push.

Still stewing in the minds of a lot of Knicks fans is the whole ‘The Decision’ fiasco with LeBron James choosing to “take his talents to South Beach.”  After the end of the 2009-2010 season, Knicks management as well every Knick fan believed that arguably the best basketball player in the league at the moment was going to be seen in the orange and blue.

But that all came to a screeching halt on July 8, 2010 when he decided to play for the conference rival and sometimes hated Miami Heat.  Though many fans saw this as a loss of an off season, this gave GM and President of the Knicks Donnie Walsh new energy to shake things up on the Knicks as a team.  The signing of Amar’e Stoudemire and the blockbuster trade that sent fan favorite and beloved Knicks forward David Lee to the Golden State Warriors for Randolph, Turiaf, and Azubuike.  Add in the international signing of Timofey Mozgov, 24, 7’1 center out of Russia whose raw talent, defensive prowess, and nose for the ball could lead to a solid front court for the Knicks this year and in the future as well.

I’d like to take a second and break down the Knicks overall.

Raymond Felton who came out of the University of North Carolina is a ball hawk who is in on just about every play and has the ability to carry out Coach D’Antoni’s offense very well. Wilson Chandler is just 23 years old and is versatile in that he is 6’8 and can dribble, shoot and even guard bigger players, and he stands to see some time when Azubuike comes back who is as flexible as Chandler.

Danilo Gallinari averaged over 15 points per game last year and this year being fully healthy he is headed towards an important year for his career and the Knicks organization.  He was taken in the top 10 a few years ago and people questioned whether the Italian player could play NBA ball.  I think after last year’s performance, this year this kid is bound for glory.

The forward position is an interesting one because the Knicks haven’t yet found their true center.  Who knows if Mozgov, who is young in both experience and age, can pull it together? I think that all signs point to Mozgov being able to adjust.  Obviously Amar’e Stoudemire or STAT as he goes by, is ready to prove he is worth the hype and the money he got paid.  And boy do I think he is.  He can shoot, rebound, block shots, and find his teammates like not many other players in the league.  Couple that point with Anthony Randolph, who was taken by the Warriors after one year of college and with a lot of projected potential, he is figured to bring much length to the defense at a stellar 6’10, and blessed with lights out shooting ability the sky is the limit.

As Mozgov grows into his position, the acquisition of Ronny Turiaf is important I think.  After overcoming heart issues, he has grown into a scrappy player who is always willing to go the extra mile for the team.  I like to compare him to Jerome Williams who was a fan favorite and always was willing to sacrifice his body for the team.

As most Knick fans know, this is a pivotal year for not only the team but management and coach D’Antoni.  I feel as if the Knicks have a legitimate shot at the Playoffs this year.  Though they have gotten better, so too have the Miami as they are now the ‘Dark Side’ of the NBA, with their big three of Bosh, James, and Wade.  Only time will tell what will happen with the Knicks this season but in my eyes, I feel as if fans should have faith because this may be the turning point.

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New Jersey Devils 2010-2011 Preview

The 2010-2011 NHL season is steadily approaching, and with that comes many goals and expectations for all teams and fans around the world.  I’d like to take a look at the New Jersey Devils and what is and isn’t expected of them this year.

As most avid hockey fans know, the New Jersey Devils have been arguably one of the most winningest franchises in NHL history over 15 years.  With Lou Lamoriello, who has been the GM since 1987 the Devils are perennial post-season participants just about every season.  And it is believed to be more of the same on the horizon as the devils take the ice this October for the new season.

The Devils have added new and old faces to the organization, by re-acquiring Jason Arnott (who was with the team during their famous 2001 Stanley Cup winning year), and the acquisitions of Henrik Tallinder, Anton Volchenkov, and the new coach of the Devils former player John Maclean.  Though the losses of Paul Martin and Rob Niedermayer hurt the team, I think they are a solid team over all.

Don’t think I’m forgetting the biggest signing of the off season, a man by the name of Ilya Kovalchuck.  One of the most prolific scorers in the NHL today re-joins the Devils after a strange and arduous negotiation period, that took months and many let downs to orchestrate.  On July 19, Kovalchuck signed a 17 year,  102 million dollar contract which was later rejected by the NHL, and for awhile seemed as if there was no deal immanent, but eventually after much coercion from the NHL Players Association and the New Jersey Devils, the Devils and Kovalchuck agreed on a contract of 15 years and 100 million dollars, which was accepted by the NHL but did lead to a 3 million dollar fine to the Devils and the loss of 2 draft picks in the 2010-2011 entry-draft.

Nevertheless, The New Jersey Devils seemed poised for another big season and hopefully a playoff push that will take them further than the 1^st round.   I predict a top 3 finish in the Eastern Conference as well as a great season from Kovalchuk and of course the staid force in Martin Brodeur.  With an influx of young players and a strong base of talented veterans it seems as if the Devils will make the Prudential Center shake with excitement.  For information about tickets to New Jersey Devil games, or any other NHL team, visit Premiere Global Sports today.

UFC 119: Frank Mir’s Knee of Victory

In front of a sold out crown at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Frank Mir proved once again why he is still a force to be reckoned with in the octagon.

Frank Mir defeated Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic with a devastating knee to the head late in the third round of their heavyweight main event fight. After being booed for the majority of the fight, Mir finally gave the crowd what they wanted with just under a minute left in the match. Cro Cop went in, and Mir put him right back down. Grabbing the back of Cro Cop’s head and forcing a vicious thrust to the head with his right knee, Mir sent him straight to the canvas.

Don’t hit a man while he’s down is not a rule to live by in the MMA. Frank Mir quickly jumped on Cro Cop and finished him off with a quick left-right to the chin before the match was ended by referee Herb Dean.

Mir entered the bout 13 lbs lighter, and in far better shape, then in his most recent fights. After losing 2 of his last 3 fights to opponents who out-sized him, Mir took a different approach at UFC 119. It looks like he learned his lesson after being pummeled by the likes of beastly Brock Lesnar in UFC 100 and Shane Carwin in UFC 111. A vegetarian diet and rigorous endurance exercising proved to be the right formula to top one of the world’s elite, but aging, martial artist in Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic.

On the other hand, let’s show some remorse for Cro Cop. Once haled as the best fighter in all of Russia, as well as all of Pride Fighting Championship, age and injury has become a factor. Not to mention the fact that he agreed to the fight less than 6 weeks prior, as a replacement for injured Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Getting thrown into a fight with such little time to train may not have been the best idea for the 36 year old.

After the fight, Cro Cop was very apologetic to all of his fans for his lack-luster performance. “I’m sorry like a dog! I could eat myself alive! I can only congratulate Mir, he really caught me with that knee,” Cro Cop said to Croatian site Index.hr. This likely spells then end for one of the most decorated fighters in this sport.

As for Mir, what does the future hold for the 31 year old trying to KO his way back to the top? He clearly did not show what it takes to be a UFC champion in this victory over Cro Cop. I know it, every fan watching in attendance or at home knows it, and without a doubt UFC President Dana White knows it. “I have no clue about Frank,” said White, in a post-fight interview. “To talk the stuff he does and then fight like he fought that’s a little frustrating.

In my opinion, if Frank Mir has the determination to continue his rigorous training regimens, he will get his chances to get back to the top. This however will not be an easy road, nor will it be a short one. Fighting Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was the fight Mir needed to re-establish himself. But that’s not what he got. Instead, he fought an end of the line fighter in Mirko Cro Cop, and barely kept the crowd awake (except for that devastating knee KO, of course).

Perhaps once Nogueira is done recuperating from injury, fight fans will get the match they wanted. Until then, only the future will tell what’s in store for Frank Mir.

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NY Rangers 2010-2011 Season Preview

With training camp well underway, let’s take a look at a team gearing up for another season and a return to playoff contention.

After a disappointing end to the 2009-2010 campaign, the New York Rangers look to bounce back from a heartbreaking, playoff eliminating loss in the final game of the season and continue to push forward to claim a top eight spot in the Eastern Conference.

As the core of last season’s team remains intact, the Rangers and Coach John Tortorella believe the key additions they have made in the off-season will give them the support they need to stake their claim in the Atlantic Division. With several of the Eastern Conference teams making solid improvements this summer, the Rangers will have to keep focused on out-working and out-playing the opposition.

One man who can’t wait for October is franchise goaltender, Henrik Lundqvist. After another upsetting end to the season, Lundqvist remains optimistic about the season to come as he puts his reputation on the line in a recent interview. “Absolutely. We will (be in the playoffs). I promise, we will bounce back”, Lundqvist said in an interview with WFAN last week.

One thing all Rangers fans can be sure of is that King Henrik will have more rest this season. With management bringing in veteran goaltender Martin Biron this off-season, Coach Tortorella finally has a solid backup he can rely on. With nothing more than experimental backups last season, Lundqvist started 72 exhibition games, second only to Martin Brodeur’s 76. Without a trustworthy backup to take the load off, for at least 20 games throughout the season, there’s only so much one man can do before fatigue kicks in and performance staggers.

Moving to the offensive side, All-star forward Marian Gaborik looks to pick up where he left off with his team-leading 42 goals last season (20% of the teams’ goals scored all season). The question remains: who else will escalate their game and put goals up on the board? Last season that question went unanswered as the team relied heavily on Gaborik’s dominating shot throughout. This summer saw some new faces arrive at the Garden. Bringing in forwards Alexander Frolov from the L.A. Kings, grinder Todd White from Atlanta, and Norwegian sniper Mats Zuccarello-Aasen, seems to be the answer for the upcoming season, or at least that’s what they hope. The burden still falls on the underachieving likes of Captain Chris Drury, Sean Avery, and Brandon Dubinsky to pick up the slack. If only every player would play up to their potential and undeserving salaries…

Another concern for another consecutive season is the Rangers dismal, undisciplined defense, which remains young and learning. With the summer resigning of both Marc Staal and Dan Girardi, both look to get back on the ice with fellow youngsters Michael Del Zotto and Matt Gilroy. The youth on the Rangers defense has put a huge chip on every one of their shoulders. Staal and Girardi must grow into their new contracts and make their names known as a premier defensive pairing in the NHL. The potential is sky high for 20 year old Michael Del Zotto as he gets ready for his sophomore year and Matt Gilroy will be looking to secure his spot as an every game player this year.

Only time will tell what the future holds for the Broadway Blueshirts. I know I’m ready for another exciting year of hockey as opening night at Madison Square Garden inches closer and close.

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Team USA Basketball’s Return to Dominance?

This past weekend has wrapped up another international basketball tournament, the FIBA World Basketball Championship.  Believe it or not, team USA left Istanbul with the gold.  Could this prove to be a return to the gold medal podium for good for our all-star studded cast?  Let’s take a look at the post-tournament wrap-up.

In the Gold Medal game, Team USA defeated Turkey 81-64 to take the gold.  Lithuania defeats Serbia 99-88 in a grueling third place game and Argentina edges Spain in a 5^th place game.  2006 silver medalists, Greece, didn’t even qualify for the elimination round.

It doesn’t take an NBA aficionado to realize that almost every international team in the tournament was what sports analysts call a “B” squad.  Off-season injuries as well as the grueling summer free agency period kept many of the worlds best basketball players out of this month long tournament in Turkey.

Team USA rolled through most of the competition without key players Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Dwight Howard.  Defending champions Spain, also without their superstar and NBA champion Pau Gasol who decided to take the summer off to rest his healing injuries.  Also some notable players that were missing from the tournament were China’s Yao Ming, France’s Tony Parker, Germany’s Dirk Nowitzki, and Argentina’s Manu Ginobili.

Despite the absence of some of the top players there was still plenty of competition.  After a not so stellar start to the tournament’s group round play, where USA just edged Spain by 1 point, they began to gain steam through their remaining games leading to the elimination round, winning every game by at least twenty points, led by All-star and scoring leader Kevin Durant.  The elimination round began with a mauling of Angola, followed by strategic victories over Russia and Lithuania, leading to the gold medal game against Turkey.  By this point, they had all the momentum needed and their hard work paid off with an 81-64 victory in the championship game.

Short-handed, as most teams were, this tournament proved to be exciting, fast-paced and competitive.  Underrated teams, such as Lithuania who pulled a dominant upset over top-rated Argentina, showed all viewers what it is like to play like a team.  Perhaps, team USA is all the proof we need.  Talent and determination, paired with strategic coaching and guidance, is exactly what it takes to take a team all the way.

USA’s dominance in the sport of basketball has indeed returned.  The competition will always be there internationally, year after year, but it seems that whoever we put on the court wearing a team USA jersey will put in the work and effort needed to win the gold.

The 2012 Olympics in London are the next test for team USA basketball.  You can be sure to expect the NBA elite to take part in this tournament and Premiere Global Sports can bring you there.  Offering several incredible packages to the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England, Premiere Global Sports will put you in the front seat to watch your team bring home the gold.

Sunday Football is Back

Your NFL Sunday’s are back this weekend but, first you’ll get a Thursday night treat. Thursday Night will open up the NFL season with a rematch of the NFC championship game last year. The Minnesota Vikings will travel to New Orleans to take on the Saints. This highly anticipated game will air on NBC. The Vikings brought back quarterback Brett Favre this off-season having dreams of a Super Bowl run. The Saints will look to win their home-opener by also raising the championship banner from last year’s amazing Super Bowl victory. This Thursday night showcase of the NFL will be the first of many exciting games this year.

Following Thursday night’s game, the rest of the NFL will play Sunday September 12th and two games on Monday Night September 13th. All teams will be in action, as some notable games are the Carolina Panthers at the New York Giants, the Indianapolis Colts at the Houston Texans, the Green Bay Packers at the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Dallas Cowboys at the Washington Redskins. The two Monday Night Football games are airing on ESPN. The first game will be the Baltimore Ravens at the New York Jets in the New Meadowlands Stadium. The second game will be the San Diego Chargers at the Kansas City Chiefs.

Both the Giants and Jets are opening their new Stadium, The Meadowlands, for everyone to see. The Giants will show off their big blue pride Sunday afternoon and the Jets will show their gang green spirit Monday night. Both teams hope to open their Stadium with wins.

This is gearing up to be a fantastic opening week in the NFL. Get ready for kick-off this weekend and don’t miss any of the action. Premiere Global Sports is a great resource whether you are looking for tickets to the game, a memorable travel package or a turn-key tailgate experience. For more information please click here.