A very high tempo to start off the NHL game with lots of end-to-end skating with very little whistles. It was the special teams that were the stars of the show for Minnesota as their power-play and penalty kill came up strong to defeat the falling Los Angeles Kings 3-2 last Monday night in St. Paul. Minnesota Wild came out with one goal in mind, play physical. Derek Boogaard and the big bodies were active early in the game trying to send a message early. Along with that high-tempo and physical start comes a lot of sloppy play. Lots of transition hockey with no real room opening up in the neutral zone and no real good offensive chances for either team. Later in the first the Los Angeles Kings started controlling the puck in Minnesota's defensive zone. A pressing forecheck and great puck movement kept the Wild on their heels for a few shifts before Minnesota got some chances of their own.
A big reason for the offensive success is the return of captain Mikko Koivu from a hand injury that kept him out for the last two games. It was up-and-down hockey for for the first period and the game remained scoreless after the opening period. The second period started off just like the first period but an early penalty by Los Angeles's Ryan Smyth sent Minnesota on the power-play. The Wild took advantage as Owen Nolan buried a rebound off Jonathan Quick and Minnesota took a 1-0 lead early in the second. The Wild power-play was near absent in the first part of the season but now its the ninth best the NHL with a 19% success rate. However, the Kings came out storming after the goal by Nolan as desperation mode seem to kick in for Los Angeles and for good reason. The Kings have been falling lately and what seemed to be a locked in team for the playoffs now are a team fighting to stay in.
They came into the game just 2-7-1 in their last 10 and have dropped from 5th spot to seventh spot in the Western Conference standings. After a couple of offsetting penalties Brent Burns makes a beautiful move in a four-on-four situation drove to net and beat Quick upstairs to increase the lead for Minnesota to 2-0. However with another penalty to Nolan Los Angeles had a 5-on-3 for about one minute but the Wild and their penalty kill got the job down keeping the Kings off the score sheet. Minnesota wild had most of the momentum in the second period until a shot from Scott Parse at the blue line was deflected in past goaltender Niklas Backstrom and the Kings cut the lead in half to 2-1. It was a chippy end to the second period but it was a good ending for Minnesota earning two goals and most important a 2-1 lead heading into the 3rd.
It didn't last 90 seconds as Scott Parse for the second time tonight blasted a one timer past Backstrom to tie the game 2-2. It could have gotten worse, as the Wild was tagged twice on the same shift to give the Kings another 5-on-3 advantage this time for a full two minutes. Los Angeles perppered Niklas Backstrom with shot after shot, and the player of the game Greg Zannon, who is already in the top five in shot blocks in the league made a few key blocks on the powerplay to keep the Kings scoreless on the man advantage. Minnesota Wild got a powerplay of thier own and for the second time of the game the Wild take advantage this time from a Martin Havlat slapshot from the left point that beat Quick upstairs to put Minnesota ahead 3-2.
Los Angeles Kings wont go away quietly as they continue to pressure the Minnesota Wild and claw back into the game. The Los Angeles Kings had yet another opportunity on the power play late in the game but the penalty killers stood tall for Minnesota Wild conserving the one-goal lead with three minutes left to play. Los Angeles pulled their goalie with a minute to play and nearly tied it with a one-timer from Drew Doughty that changed direction but was fought off by Backstrom.
With that save Minnesota Wild defeated the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in a hard fought game for both teams.
French soccer club Olympique Lyonnais criticized the national government's failure to follow with European Union regulations regarding online gambling. Because French law still draw a distinction against foreign online casino operators – Lyon, as the team is commonly known, cannot accept sponsorship from gaming operators.
Lyon plays in France's ultimate soccer league and faced world power Real Madrid in a UEFA Champions League match in Spain last Sunday. Lyon managed a 1-1 tie, which advanced it past Madrid on aggregate goals, a stunning upset that team officials say may not be possible if French teams are forced to operate at a competitive disadvantage by betting online rules. Madrid wore shirts bearing the bwin brand, bringing the club a massive flow of cash. Lyon, which had a deal with BetClic, is forbidden to advertise the online casino site until French laws concerning online casino are revised.
There are 3 French online casino companies, Joagroupe, Tranchant, and Barriere, who have joined together to sue at least 14 online casino operators, regarding this issue. The 3 companies have also lodged a request with Paris' Criminal Court to put a block for at least two years against these online casino operators with regards to licensing. Essentially, the 3 companies have asked that these companies will not even be considered for French licensing for the next 2 years.
France is meant to be opening up its online gambling market in order to comply with the European Union regulations regarding free trade within the EU. Although this has not yet taken place, Joagroupe, Tranchant, and Barriere are hoping that the 14 online casino operators that have already allowed French citizens to use their online casinos, will be penalized for doing so. Should the court agree, these companies will not be allowed to request licensing in France once the market opens up.
“Olympique Lyonnais is now faced with the fact that we cannot display our sponsors logo this Wednesday in Madrid, in a country which legally allows this type of publicity, and during a match where the main competitor of BetClic will appear on the shirts of Real Madrid!, Olympique Lyonnais questions the exact motivation for these media-related and financial restrictions which impede the French champions in their search for competitiveness.” statement by the French Soccer Club.
French law will not permit BetClic to sponsor a club or advertise in any way in France until the casino site is licensed. New regulations opening the French gambling market have been in the works, but French lawmakers are resisting calls by EC examiners to amend the rules to allow free competition as required by the European Treaty. As French online casino slowly becomes a reality the online gambling industry is watching with great interest as various scenes unfold.
The partnership deal represents a very large consumer base that could spell a competitive advantage over smaller operations in France. The French Senate Finance Committee's legislation is controversial in so much as the representative gambling groups don’t think that the rules that are coming provide fair, free and open markets for E.U. member states.
Soccer fans and online sports betting enthusiasts are having now a problem with their favorite team AC Milan when David Beckham's left Achilles' tendon was totally torn, and the doctor who performed the surgery said the England midfielder is expected to be out of action for about six months.
The soccer superstar David Beckham twisted his left ankle during the final minutes of AC Milan's 1-0 Serie A win against Chievo last Sunday and limped off the field before being stretchered away in pain and in tears. Although David Beckham is doing well after an operation at a Finnish hospital to fix his ruptured Achilles tendon and will leave with his wife Victoria Beckham. David Beckham's leg is expected to be in a cast for three to four weeks and in a support for around the same length of time, but the on-loan LA Galaxy midfielder already began practicing to walk with crutches.
The injury shattered David Beckham's hopes of becoming the first English player to appear in four World Cups and put his future on the national team in doubt. He will miss most of the MLS season. According to a Milan physician Jean Pierre Meersseman told Italy's Sky TV that David Beckham flew to Finland for surgery, where he will be treated by specialist surgeon Dr. Sakari Orava.
Dr. Sakari Orava said it would be four months before David Beckham could even try to run and six months before he could play again — in other words, mid-September, when the Galaxy will have only a half-dozen games remaining in what would be Beckham's fourth season in Major League Soccer.
Unfortunately, but the injury is so severe that David Beckham already knows he will not be going to South Africa World Cup which strats hat June 11, 2010 with his country this summer for a competition that would have given him the chance to close in on goalkeeper Peter Shilton's international appearance record of 125 caps.
David Beckham was scheduled to rejoin the team after the World Cup, but now it looks as though he might miss all of the 2010 MLS season. Ruptured Achilles tendons are no joke, and one has to wonder now how much incentive Beckham will have to go through a long rehabilitation just so he can finish his Galaxy contract in 2011.
Meanwhile, Fabio Capello, England's coach, told reporters that the injury was "a big blow" for David Beckham, significantly not stating that it was a big blow for England, considered one of the World Cup favorites. Reaction in the English media to David Beckham's absence from the South Africa's World Cup was consistent.
Most outlets expressed sympathy for him, but most also agreed with the BBC that David Beckham would have been little more than "a fringe player" in South Africa, "someone who — barring exceptional circumstances — would not have started any game at the World Cup."
As replacements go, some would argue that Aaron Lennon's fitness is more of a worry than David Beckham's unavailability. Aaron Lennon was the reason David Beckham was relegated to the bench in recent England games. He offers searing pace and more often than not an end product. He would be sorely missed should he not travel to South Africa.
After the announcement that Tiger Woods intends to break his silence last Friday, everyone is speculating about when the world's No. 1 golfer will return to golf. Tiger Woods played in a tournament in mid-November last year. Over Thanksgiving weekend, he was injured after crashing his sport-utility vehicle into a fire hydrant and a tree near his home outside of Orlando, Fla. In subsequent weeks, at least a dozen women claimed or were reported to have had affairs with him. Last December 2, Tiger Woods said via his website the TigerWoods.com that "I have let my family down," and 9 days later he said he would take an indefinite break from golf.
The PGA Tour, which runs the three major men's professional golf tours in the U.S., said it welcomed Mr. Woods's decision to play at Augusta. "He has invested a lot of time taking steps, both in his personal and professional life, in order to prepare for his return," said the PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem. Augusta is where Tiger Woods became a household name, winning the Masters in 1997 at age 21. He was not only the youngest-ever winner of the tournament, but he set records for 72-hole score with 270 and victory margin of 12 strokes. He also won at Augusta in 2001, 2002 and 2005.
In addition, it's a tournament where Tiger Woods often finishes near the top of the field even when he doesn't hit the golf ball particularly well. He hasn't missed the cut—when the field of players is pared down after the tournament's second day—at Augusta since his 1997 pro debut.
"The Masters is where I won my first major and I view this tournament with great respect, after a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta. I have undergone almost two months of inpatient therapy and I am continuing my treatment,When I finally got into a position to think about competitive golf again, it became apparent to me that the Masters would be the earliest I could play. I called both Joe Lewis and Arnold Palmer and expressed my regrets for not attending the Tavistock Cup and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. I again want to thank them both for their support and their understanding. Those are fantastic tournaments, and I look forward to competing in them again. I would also like to thank the Augusta National members and staff for their support. I have deep appreciation for everything that they do to create a wonderful event for the benefit of the game.” said Tiger Woods on his statement.
Tiger Woods apologized in public February 19, 2010, and since then speculation has focused on when he would return. Tiger Woods said that while he's returning to competition, he still has a lot of work to do in his personal life.
Augusta also is in many ways the most comfortable environment in which the golf master Tiger Woods could make his comeback. Augusta National exerts tighter controls on both the crowd and the media than any other event on the PGA Tour calendar. Crowds are typically significantly smaller than at the other major tournaments, and it's the only major tournament in the U.S. where reporters aren't allowed inside "the ropes," the area limited to players and their caddies, and officials.
Tiger Woods has won 14 major championships in hie career, the others being four PGA Championship titles, 3 U.S. Opens and three British Opens.
The tennis barbie statuesque Russian and the online sports betting favorite Maria Sharapova is making her first appearance since crashing out of the 2010 Australian Open first round. Maria Sharapova’s performance at the 2010 Australian Open last month wasn't the only thing getting bad reviews: message boards lit up with commenters slamming her outfit.
Maria Sharapova made 76 unforced errors and struggled throughout the game in no. 58. In the third and final set, it seemed that the 14th seed Sharapova was on her way to victory when she lead 2-0. But Maria Kirilenko fought back and took the set 6-4.
Maria Sharapova's lack of preparation for the Aussie Open was held as the main reason why she flopped royally. Critics pointed to her choice to compete at an Exhibition event instead of the two Aussie Open series events in Brisbane and Sydney as that which cost a positive start to the season in Melbourne. Maria Sharapova returned to the Australian Open this afternoon for the first time since winning it all in 2008. And Maria walked off the court a winner. Unfortunately for Sharapova, the winner was countrywoman Maria Kirilenko. Maria Kirilenko jolted the first Grand Slam of the 2010 season into overdrive in the first match at Rod Laver Arena, upsetting Sharapova 7-6 (4), 3-6, 5-3 in a 3 hour, 12-minute marathon during which Maria Sharapova committed 77 unforced errors.
Though Maria Sharapova was the richer, the taller and the louder of the 2 Russian Marias on the Australian Open’s Rod Laver Arena today, however, Maria Kirilenko was the blonder, the cuter and the sharper and the winner of todays 2010 Australian Open in the Women's Single 1st round.
Maria Sharapova said on an interview after her loss at the 1st round, "I could be disappointed or I could just take it as it is and just go back on the court and just keep working, I choose option two. A bad day's not going to stop me from doing what I love. I'll be back here on a Saturday of the second week, so you watch." Maria Sharapova, who missed last year's Australian Open because of a shoulder injury, committed 77 unforced errors and made her earliest exit at a Grand Slam since 2003, struggling with her serve and mobility.
Only twice before has the tennis superstar Maria Sharapova lost in the first round of a grand slam, at the 2003 Australian Open and the 2003 French Open. Back then, Sharapova had come through qualifying to make the main draw. In 2010, things were very different. Sharapova was appearing in Melbourne for the first time since she won the Daphne Akhurst Trophy a couple of years ago, since she missed last year’s tournament as she recuperated from an operation to fix the weakness in her shoulder.
Maria Sharapova rallied from 5-2 down in the deciding set, holding serve and then breaking Kirilenko to stay in the match. She dropped her own serve after giving Maria Kirilenko double match point. Maria Kirilenko said about beating Maria Sharapova, "It's never easy. I'm good friends with Maria, but I tried my best to win today -- I came here quite confident."
UFC fighter Frank Mir's longstanding grudge with former wrestler Brock Lesnar shows no signs of dissipating, and in a radio interview last week, Frank Mir raised the stakes by saying that if he gets a third fight with Brock Lesnar, he'll be motivated by a desire to break Brock Lesnar's neck and see him die in the ring! That might not sound like a big deal at first, but the problem is that he didn’t say it in the “Dude, you're totally dead” kind of way that B.J Peen did.
During a radio interview with former WCW commentator Mark Madden, he stormed: "I want to fight Brock Lesnar. I hate who he is as a person”. Frank Mir said it in the extremely detailed and very literal way, as in, "I'd rather go ahead and say what's on my mind than to sit there and come up with some PC 'Oh, the guy is a great fighter and I have a lot of respect for him.' If I don't mean it, why is it even coming out of my mouth? ... I want to fight Lesnar. I hate who he is as a person. I want to break his neck in the ring. I want him to be the first person that dies due to Octagon-related injuries. That's what's going through my mind."
Those comments are disastrous, and they don't reflect the good sportsmanship that Frank Mir usually stand up for. Perhaps Frank Mir is just trying to play up his rivalry with Brock Lesnar, but he says he truly hates Brock Lesnar, whom he beat in 2008 and who beat him in 2009.
In the Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar UFC fight galnce, Brock Lesnar retained his UFC heavyweight title in dominating fashion and avenged his only loss with a dominating second-round stoppage of Frank Mir at Las Vegas. The former collegiate wrestling champion easily threw his more experienced opponent to the ground early in each of the two rounds and rained punches to the head of his over matched foe.
In the second round, the blows were too overwhelming, and referee Herb Dean had to step in to rescue the semiconscious Frank Mir. Brock Lesnar improved to 4-1, while Mir dropped to 12-4. Brock Lesnar used his superior size and strength to keep Mir pinned to the mat in each of the two rounds. The UFC heavyweight champion was able to land numerous hard punches on Mir and opened up an assortment of cuts and bruises on his arch rival, who had submitted Brock Lesnar in his first UFC bout nearly 18 months ago.
Four days after scorning it, Frank Mir joined the bandwagon of cookie-cutter responses. The former heavyweight titleholder raised hackles with officials at the Ultimate Fighting Championship after saying he would go into a fight against Brock Lesnar with death on his mind. Now the company has forced Mir to eat his words in a press release issued today by UFC:
"I would like to apologize to Brock, his family, the UFC and the UFC fans for my stupid remarks. I respect Brock, all the other fighters, and the sport of mixed martial arts. I'm sorry that I stepped out of line." Frank Mir apologized in an interview.
Perhaps now Frank Mir can simply focus on his real fight. He faces Shane Carwin at next month's UFC 111 show for an interim heavyweight belt. On the other hand, Brock Lesnar can wait.
Less than a month after he begins his first regular season game in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens, Michael Oher’s life story showed and has had been nominated in Oscars. Though it's hard enough being a rookie offensive tackle in the NFL- mastering complex blocking schemes and dealing with lightning-fast 280-pound defensive ends - without bracing for the opening of a major motion picture based on an adopted African football player Michael Oher story. This one's about a football prodigy, Michael Oher played by the well-cast Quinton Aaron a homeless African-American teenager who was taken in by the Tuohys, a wealthy, white Memphis family which they became his legal guardians.
Sandra Bullock which won recently in an 82nd Oscars as Best Actress is a natural in the tricky role of irrepressibly bossy Leigh Anne Tuohy, who easily convinces her amused husband and 2 kids to provide and african boy with a place to stay. Those that are die-hard football fans know about the player, but will now have the chance to learn about the man through his story.
Like many of these inspirational films, The Blind Side is based on real events. Michael Oher played by Quinton Aaron, who looks like a walking refrigerator, is recruited into private Wingate High School on a scholarship at the urgings of its football coach despite the fact that his grade point average is basically nil. His imposing size makes him appear to be a natural for the football team, although in his debut practice sessions it’s apparent that he’s not designed for confrontational sports. “Looks like Tarzan; plays like Jane,” the coach sighs. Michael is later compared to Ferdinand, the bull of a famous children’s story, who would rather sit under his tree and watch the flowers grow than charge wildly across the pasture as other bulls do.
But The Blind Side is much more than just a young man and a football dream. It’s about coming to terms with the wide disparities between the haves and the have-nots in America. It’s about how one family, prodded by a dynamic whirlwind who is the mother, not only made a difference in the life of one person, but in their own lives as well.
The Blind Side’s harsh realities shatter Leigh Anne’s played by Sandra Bullock illusions about an America of equality and brotherhood. Rather than accepting that, however, Leigh Anne sets her mind to changing things in her own small corner of the universe. Conversely, Michael Oher’s expectations of his own possibilities grow by leaps and bounds, nurtured by the loving family who surround and encourage him, giving him a family life that he never knew.
The story from The Blind Side was also a book written by Michael Lewis in 2006 called The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. It was at that point that the many people became enamored with the story of Michael Oher, and now the incredible true story is being turned into a story of hope, courage, and survival that is definitely going to be one of those inspiring films this fall. Don't be fooled into thinking that the story of The Blind Side is just about football, and as a football enthusiasts, you could come away loving the story of Michael Oher.
The Philadelphia 76ers have officially announced that Allen Iverson will not return for the rest of the season of NBA. Allen Iverson has mostly been absent from the team for a month, returning to Atlanta to be with his family as they deal with an undisclosed illness of his 4-year-old daughter, Messiah. According to Yahoo sports, Allen Iverson will not be with the Philadelphia 76ers on their current West Coast road trip and could have played his last game for the team.
Allen Iverson is with his family to deal with medical issues concerning his daughter, but his constant in-and-out of the lineup this season has led team officials to believe a permanent break is best for the organization. Sources say Sixers coach Eddie Jordan addressed the players on Sunday, and told them there’s a chance Iverson may not return to the team. However, Sixers ownership, general manager Ed Stefanski and Jordan haven’t sat down and formally come to that decision, but sources with knowledge of the Sixers plans believe the franchise is leaning in that direction.
“After discussing the situation with Allen, we have come to the conclusion that he will not return to the Sixers for the remainder of the season, as he no longer wishes to be a distraction to the organization and teammates that he loves very deeply. It has been very difficult for Allen and the team to maintain any consistency as he tries to balance his career with his personal life.” Said Sixers ownership, general manager Ed Stefanski.
“It was tough to leave her and my wife and kids,” Iverson said. “But I do have a commitment and an obligation to be with my team and to do my job. But it is rough. I think this is the only thing I do in life where for a couple hours during the game I don’t think about nothing but basketball.” Allen Iverson said at a Feb. 15 `10 practice that it was emotionally draining to leave his family to play basketball. Allen Iverson will not return to the 76ers this season, and now, in all sports betting sites and basketball fans, the question becomes whether or not Iverson will return to the court for any team ever again.
About Allen Iverson: Not much of us know that Allen Iverson has had to overcome struggles and obstacles that most can only imagine. Raised by his hard-working mother and his father was in prison, Allen Iverson lived in poverty his entire childhood. Nicknamed "The Answer", Allen Iverson is one of the greatest guards of his generation and one of the most productive scorers in the history of basketball. He has played his whole career with the Philadelphia 76ers and has been fundamental to the development of the team over the past decade. His efforts have not been without reward as he has made it to number 53 on SLAM Magazine's Top 75 NBA players of all time.
Over this 10 year period he has remained the leading scorer for the team averaging 23.5 points per game in his first season and averaging 28.0 points per game over his whole career. Here he trails behind Michael Jordan by only 2.1 points per game. His productive scoring has led to him being 4-time NBA regular-season leader, with 26.8 points in 1999, 31.1 points in 2000, 31.4 points in 2002 and 30.7 points in 2005. He achieved a career-high on February 12, 2005, when he scored 60 points against Orlando Magic and despite his critics who call him a “ball hog” he looks set to remain the 76ers leading points scorer for some years yet.
Just when you thought that the golf master Tiger Woods saga was almost over with a quite wild controversies including the car accident, the mistress rumors and another mistress. And just recently in his public statement, Tiger Woods apologized for his behavior and also discussed his PGA plans for the future.
Regardless of Tiger Woods to be a young man to retire, especially considering how many feel about his rank in the world of golf. His former golf coach, Butch Harmon, is sure that Tiger Woods will be back on the golf tournaments again. Tiger Woods has seen surprising support from golf experts and from his many business associates, especially in light of the nature of the scandal surrounding him.
In his golf records, Tiger Woods has a 64 worldwide wins including 56 wins in a PGA Tour, 12 major championships. Top-ranked Tiger Woods, who rebounded from major reconstructive knee surgery to win six times on tour in 2009, was named PGA Tour Player of the Year for the 10th time in voting. He previously won the award in 1997, 1999-2003 and 2005-07.
In April of 2001, Tiger Woods won The Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club by two strokes over David Duval, becoming the first player in modern-day history to hold all four major championships simultaneously. The achievement became known as the "Tiger Slam". In the 2003 TOUR Championship, Woods made the cut for a PGA Tour-record 114th straight time. With his victory in the WGC-American Express Championship, and Tiger Woods became the first player in PGA Tour history to win five or more events in 5 successive years.
Moreover, In 2007, Woods won his seventh consecutive PGA Tour event, dating back to the 2006 Open Championship, coming from two strokes behind in the last round to claim the Buick Invitational. He also won the PGA Championship, his 13th major title, for the second straight year thanks to a second-round 63 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. More remarkably, Woods won 30% of the PGA Tour events he entered and held down the top spot in World Golf Ranking for all but 32 weeks over the 10 years. He has remained No. 1 for 239 consecutive weeks.
Although Tiger Woods failed to win a major title in 2009, he recorded 14 top-10 finishes in 17 starts and finished first or second nine times. For the sixth time in his career, he won at least six events, tying Sam Snead. Tiger Woods then went 5-0 to help lead the U.S. to victory over the International Team in The Presidents Cup in San Francisco. He concluded the year by winning the JBWere Masters in Australia. In Tiger Woods public statement, he mentioned his golf plans, “I want to thank the PGA Tour, Commissioner Finchem and the players for their patience and understanding while I work on my private life. I look forward to seeing my fellow players on the course, I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be.”
South Africa regularly hosts major international sporting events, and since 1994 has successfully managed some of the biggest - including the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the 2003 Cricket World Cup, the Women's World Cup of Golf in 2005 and 2006 and, in January 2006, the only street race in the inaugural A1 GP World Cup of Motorsport. But the Soccer Football World Cup, the world's biggest sporting event after the Olympic games - in terms of television audience, bigger than the Olympics - is in a class of its own.
For four weeks in 2010, South Africa will be the centre of the world. The 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan was the most extensively covered and viewed event in television history. Germany 2006, and South Africa 2010, promise to draw even bigger audiences. In choosing South Africa to bring the World Cup to Africa for the first time, Fifa was not only looking at what the country already offers - world-class transport, telecommunications, tourism and sporting infrastructure, and a people renowned for their hospitality and passion for the beautiful game.
However, FIFA World Cup won't be complete without the soccer hearthrob David Beckham. Therefore, David Beckham has no fear Wayne Rooney will burn himself out ahead of England's bid for 2010 FIFA World Cup glory. While David Beckham will be trying his hardest to ensure there are no European celebrations this year and AC Milan turn round their 3-2 UEFA Champions League deficit to Manchester United in the decider at Old Trafford in three weeks, as a Red Devils fan and an England player, the 34-year-old has vested interest in Rooney maintaining his present high standards. And, while plenty have expressed concern over Rooney's ability to maintain top form until mid-July, David Beckham is not among them.
David Beckham feels Wayne Rooney could be challenging for the coveted Ballon D'Or if England make an impact at South Africa 2010 soccer tournament. Neither he, nor Sir Alex Ferguson, have held back from their belief that Rooney has now joined Lionel Messi, Kaka and former United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo in the elite group of players currently regarded as the world's best.
There are ten venues being used for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa across 9 cities with several new stadiums being built ready for the tournament. In total there are five new stadiums being built with the others being the subject of major face lifts to fall in line with FIFA standards and ensure the best World Cup for fans possible.
* Johannesburg – Soccer City Stadium
* Johannesburg – Ellis Park
* Nelspruit – Mbombela Stadium
* Rustenburg – Royal Bafokeng
* Bloemfontein – Free State Stadium
* Cape Town – Green Point Stadium
* Durban – Moses Mabhida Stadium
* Polokwane– Moses Mokaba Stadium
* Port Elizabeth – Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
* Pretoria – Loftus Versfeld
Soccer is a sport that is popular in sports betting sites and online casino all around the world and more people bet on soccer every year then any other sport.
