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"You cannot not communicate.
Sky Sports finally confirmed their UK NFL coverage for 2009 today.
Negotiations on a new 3-year deal were completed over the weekend and live NFL games will soon be back on our screens.
Under the deal gives Sky will air two live games in primetime every Sunday night, plus the Wembley match between the Buccaneers and Patriots, each of the playoff games, the Super Bowl, and the Pro Bowl.
There will be a range of support programming through the season and Sky will cover additional Thursday, Friday and Saturday night matches later in the season.
Sky Sports will also follow the latest NFL news on Sky Sports News and skysports.com.
Coverage starts with Thursday night’s (10th September) season opener between Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sunday’s first double-header feature is yet to be decided.
So we can relax and continue to enjoy NFL live on Sky Sports.
Posted by Wordmobi
I can’t think of a single instance of a team relocation to another city solving that team’s problems. Can you?
Now I can recall quite a few moves:
- Kent Invicta to Southend
- Cardiff Blue Dragons to Bridgend
- Huyton to Runcorn to Prescot to St Helens
- Blackpool to Trafford to Chorley to Blackpool
- Nottingham I think moved to Rotherham
That’s just from memory and doesn’t include any of the myriad London moves, the ludicrous Gateshead-Hull merger or the infamous Sheffield-Huddersfield fiasco.
Not a single one worked. So as much as I want Celtic to succeed, I cannot share Mr Seibold’s optimism. I just hope he’s right.
I note the Crusaders are intent on taking a game to Wrexham in 2010 and that’s a location which might just be their ultimate salvation.
Posted by Wordmobi
Morocco overpowered Belgium 46-12, to take the Euro Med Challenge trophy at the Stade de la Meditérrannée in Beziers.
The game was played in searing temperatues as a curtain-raiser before the Super League clash between Catalans and Hull, on Saturday.
The Moroccans greater experience of regular competition in France was too much for an enthusiastic Belgian outfit to contain, although they were in contention for an hour.
Three unanswered touchdowns in the final quarter settled the outcome in favour of the Moroccans, who were captained by former Catalans Dragons forward Younes Khattabi.
The Belgians, who have made encouraging strides in the competition, had an extremely hardworking front row and scored three unconverted tries while also missing out on another two when losing the ball in sight of the try line.
Coach Marc Delreux said, “I was proud of my players’ efforts, ability to keep their cool and to give a good show in front of a more experienced team of regular French elite players. The experience will do us good.”
Posted by Wordmobi
Warrington Wolves fans are celebrating their team’s long awaited return to Wembley by snapping-up tickets at a record-setting pace.
The Wolves clocked record sales figures for the first day with over 9,000 Challenge Cup Final tickets sold so far and today’s sales set to continue until 10 tonight (Monday).
The Wolves last Wembley appearane was in 1974 and the clash with the Giants has really fired the imagination of RL fans jaded by the dominance of the so-called bif four.
Craig Spence, Communications Manager at the RFL, said: “Clearly the Warrington fans are getting behind the club with these record ticket sales which is great to see. Huddersfield have also shown really strong sales over the first day. This will be a great day out for both sets of fans and neutrals alike.”
Posted by Wordmobi
Lee Briers has tasted semi final football on four occasions now, with all – even his solo victory – ultimately ending in bitter disappointment.
Just how much his subsequent career was impacted by the crushing disappointment of being shouldered aside by Bobbie Goulding after steering his hometown club to the 1997 Wembley showpiece final will probably only ever be know by Mr and possibly Mrs Briers; the rest of us can only speculate.
The 18 year old Briers stepped in after the impetuous Goulding was banned for throwing a punch in Saints defeat of Wigan. His performances in the first team earned him kudos all around with many calling for him to permanently replace Goulding.
In the event, Goulding returned to kick the Bradford Bulls to death in the final and the bad blood eventually saw Briers leave to join Warrington.
A bridesmaid ever since Briers desperately longs to cap his career with a Wembley win. Now he stands on the threshold again having won over sceptical new Wolves coach, Tony Smith, to earn a starting half back role against Wigan.
Victory at Widnes’s Halton Stadium would give him the Wembley stage, how much sweeter that might be he were to face the Saints. It would be a career come full circle and a chance for real closure.
Posted by Wordmobi
Don’t waste too much brainpower pondering what’s up with the #Redsox. The answer is pitching … or is it?
Sure the reputedly deep Boston pitching is down to number one and two starters plus three number fives. But ask the question why.
Josh Beckett and Jon Lester are their only credible pitchers. Redsox fans can at least rely on them to go six-plus innings consistently.
Tim Wakefield’s all star first half of the season has taken its toll on the forty year old and he will do well to pitch again this season.
As for the others: Brad Penny is being, well, Brad Penny, and following up a half decent first half by imploding.
John Smoltz’s recovery was always going to be a long shot, a huge bonus if he came through in September. Well maybe he still will but the signs don’t look good. Tonight’s outing against the Yankee’s red hot left handed bats could make or break his prospects with the sox.
And that brings us to Clay Bucholz and the crux of the problems; the Redsox seeming inability to accurately value their prospects’ talent.
Does Bucholz hurl a mean ball? Sure. He’s even living off a no hitter. But what he plainly lacks is bottle and composure.
You know … the stuff we all remember seeing Lester demonstrate as he grew from prospect to starter.
The Sox continued dalliance in cashing in the Penny/Bucholz ticket before trading deadline may well cost them a playoff spot as Tampa and Texas snap at their heels.
But to compound that dalliance by trading the glue that was holding the rickety pitching together – Masterson – was just one gamble too far.
Masterson’s long relief, his ability to bridge the gap between a poor start and the solid closers Bard and Papelbon at least gave the Redsox bats a chance to turn a game around.
It’s time for the Sox to get real … this is a flawed team, made so by complacency over the development and trade value of prospects.
Unless the Dice Man rides to their rescue this could be a short season.
Posted by Wordmobi
Catalans Dragons captain Greg Bird will miss Friday night’s clash with Salford after being suspended for one match and fined £300 by the RFL’s disciplinary committee.
Bird was adjudged found guilty of reckless striking on prop Ryan O’Hara in the engage Super League club’s 34-0 victory over Celtic Crusaders last Saturday.
Posted by Wordmobi
