News sport : Kurt Busch begins process for NASCAR reinstatement

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Kurt Busch has begun his attempt to return to the Sprint Cup Series.


According to NBC Sports, Busch has agreed to terms set by NASCAR to be reinstated after his indefinite suspension following an accusation of domestic assault. Now, Busch must work to meet those terms, which NASCAR declined to identify.


“The outside experts, one of the things they had advised us from the beginning was no matter what actions we take … that it was very, very important for us to provide a road back,’’ NASCAR spokesperson David Higdon told NBC Sports “For those who are experts in this field, specifically in domestic violence, that is critical. We did follow that advice. We’re pleased that he has indicated he will begin the program that we have laid out for him.’’


The Delaware attorney general has not announced if Busch will be criminally charged from a September incident with ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll, who says Busch slammed her head against the wall of his motorhome. Busch denies the assault accusation, though a Kent County Commissioner said that it was "more likely than not" that Busch committed an act of abuse in a decision regarding a request for protection granted for Driscoll against the driver.


The commissioner's decision was made public on the Friday before the Daytona 500. After the decision, NASCAR suspended Busch indefinitely. Regan Smith has driven for him in the first two Sprint Cup Series races of the season.


According to Higdon, Busch will work with an outside expert who will report back to the sanctioning body as part of his efforts to get back behind the wheel of the No. 41 car. There is also no timetable for the process.


Following NASCAR's indefinite suspension, Chevrolet suspended its personal services relationship with the driver. Busch's car is sponsored by Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Gene Haas' company.


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News sport : Report: UNC exploited grad school admissions to gain eligibility for student-athletes

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(AP Photo/Gerry Broome) The academic scandal at the University of North Carolina has revealed yet another layer and this one involved the graduate student program.


According to a report by the News & Observer, UNC admitted student-athletes into the graduate program in order to keep them eligible for an extra semester.


The News & Observer detailed the admittance of former cornerback and kick returner Michael Waddell, who had a low grade point average and no GRE score, yet was admitted into the graduate studies program for a semester so he could gain a final year of eligibility. Waddell went on to be drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round in 2003.


He never attended classes, flunked out and became just another black mark for a university that was already scorched by a university-wide academic scandal that kept student-athletes eligible by enrolling them in “paper classes,” which required little to no attendance and just a paper at the end of the term to complete the course.


According to the latest report, Cheryl Thomas, the graduate school’s admissions director from 2002 to 2010, said that at least once a year the athletic department would contact her looking to place an athlete in the graduate program in order to save their eligibility. The other name she mentioned was Justin Knox, a basketball player who had graduated from the University of Alabama in 2010 but still had one year of eligibility remaining.


Knox was a good student, but left to pursue a professional career in Europe after his eligibility was up. He never received a degree.


A report released in October revealed that approximately 1,500 student-athletes at UNC were syphoned into bogus classes in order to preserve their athletic eligibility. The improprieties went on for 18 years and were far greater than anything the university had previously reported.


At the time, both the university and the NCAA released a statement about the infractions, but did not say when or if sanctions would be forthcoming. This latest news about improprieties in the graduate school will just be another factor to consider when determining punishment.


For more North Carolina news, visit TarHeelIllustrated.com.


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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!


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News sport : Reports: Justin Houston, Demaryius Thomas among franchise tags

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The Kansas City Chiefs weren't letting a 26-year-old coming off a 22-sack season reach free agency. So Justin Houston will get the franchise tag.


The Broncos felt the same way about receiver Demaryius Thomas. He'll get the franchise tag too, the Denver Post's Mike Klis reported. ESPN's Adam Schefter was first with the Houston news. Tim Twentyman of the Detroit Lions' official site reported the team won't use the franchise tag on Ndamukong Suh, which isn't unexpected since Suh would have cost almost $27 million to tag.


It has been previously reported that the Dallas Cowboys expect to tag receiver Dez Bryant. New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty and New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul are among the others who could also get the franchise tag. The deadline to use the franchise tag is 4 p.m. Eastern time on Monday.


In Thomas' case, and likely in Houston's case and the others who will be tagged as well, they're expected to get the non-exclusive tag. That means teams can sign them away at the price of two first-round picks. That sounds like a massive price, and it is, but maybe it shouldn't be viewed that way (aside from the fact that the NFL clearly has an unspoken understanding that messing with someone else's restricted free agents or franchise players will be looked down upon).


Would a team consistently picking near the bottom of the draft who had cap room really be that unwise to give up two first-round picks for someone like Houston? If Houston was in this draft somehow, he'd be a top-five pick without question. He has made three Pro Bowls in four NFL seasons. All-Pro pass rushers who have plenty of prime years left don't become available often. That's probably why the Chiefs would match any offer anyway, which is their right with Houston as a franchise-tagged player. The same could said for a team like the Seattle Seahawks and the franchised receivers. Assuming the Seahawks could fit a Bryant or Thomas under the cap, wouldn't one of those elite receivers do more for them than any two late first-round picks would?


The point of the franchise tag is that it virtually guarantees you'll keep that player. It'll be interesting to see if an NFL team ever tries to pry one away.


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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!






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News sport : Angels ace Garrett Richards won't be ready for opening day

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(USA TODAY Sports) The Los Angeles Angels will have to wait a little bit longer for the return of their ace Garrett Richards.


Richards, who suffered a torn patella tendon in his left knee last August, had hoped to be ready for opening day, but Angels manager Mike Scioscia admitted Sunday that's not happening. Richards, 26, is preparing as if he'll be ready for opening day, but his skipper and the Angels won't let him rush back into game-action.


From MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez:



"He knows it," Scioscia said. "He's not going to be able to rush it because our medical staff is not going to let him. There's a progression. He has to pass every plateau. It's great that he's going to shoot for being ready by Opening Day, he's working very hard to be ready by Opening Day — but he's not going to be ready Opening Day."




If Richards indeed starts the season on the disabled list, the Angels' rotation will be Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Matt Shoemaker and three guys -- Hector Santiago, Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano — vying for the last two spots. The likes of Jose Alvarez, Cory Rasmus, Drew Rucinski and Alex Sanabia are darkhorse candidates.




The Angels can go the first time through the rotation without a fifth starter because of a scheduled day off on April 9, after the season-opening three-game series in Seattle. If Richards is ready two weeks into the season, which seems realistic, he'd miss two or three turns.



Despite what Scioscia said and despite Richards being two or three weeks behind his fellow Angels pitchers, Richards told reporters Sunday that he's keeping opening day in his sights: "That's not going to change, regardless of what anybody in here says." Ambition is good, so long as there's checks and balances.


If last season was any indication, Richards will be essential to the Angels' hopes of repeating as AL West champs. Richards went 13-4 with a 2.61 ERA before injuring himself while covering first base. His breakout season not only gave the Angels a homegrown front-of-the-rotation arm, but it made him a Cy Young contender.


A guy like that, the Angels would much rather have at full-strength in September than on opening day.


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News sport : Detroit Lions decide not to place franchise tag on Ndamukong Suh

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In the end, the Detroit Lions just couldn't justify placing the franchise tag on defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.



It would have cost the team a one-year tender of $27 million, which — along with the bloated salaries of Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford — would have crippled the Lions' salary-cap situation and perhaps hindered their chances to re-sign Suh and even Nick Fairley, another key free agent.


The reason his cap figure was so high was because Suh's cap number was $22 million a year ago in his redone deal, and the franchise rules require a 20 percent kicker over that number.


The Lions are playing with fire, but they clearly still harbor hopes they can re-sign Suh to a long-term deal. They'll have until March 10, which is the opening of free agency, to lock up Suh or risk losing him to the open market, where the money could exceed what the Lions can afford.


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News sport : For baseball players in the offseason, workouts depend on their role

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JUPITER, Fla. – Predictably, a gym full of baseball players preparing for the 2015 season is a far different scene than what you'd see at your local gym. There's no one struggling on a treadmill. Instead of the bench press being the most prevalent exercise, the room is dominated by squats, deadlifts and lunges; all lower body exercises. There are a lot of people using foam rollers and doing shoulder strengthening routines.


And while there is a lot of commonality in terms of exercise selection and philsophy, each player is training for his needs and role on the diamond.


Just like an infielder doesn't throw regular bullpen sessions and an outfielder doesn't practice turning double plays up the middle, offseason workouts shouldn't be uniform for every professional baseball player. You can't simply ask how a baseball player works out. You need to specify, at the very least, the player's position. And even then, it's not as simple as saying every player at a certain position should train the same way.


A perfect example are relief pitchers and starting pitchers. While starters, especially those established in the major leagues, have the benefit of a routine and significant downtime during the season, relievers typically go into games not knowing if they'll be needed.


"If [relief pitchers] expect their schedule to be neat and pretty, they’re never going to get the work in that they need," Eric Cressey said. Cressey is the offseason strength and conditioning coach for numerous major and minor league players including Cleveland Indians pitcher Corey Kluber and Miami Marlins closer Steve Cishek.


"I use the analogy of making deposits at a bank. You make a bunch of deposits in the offseason, and once the season gets going, every time you go out and throw you take out a little bit of a withdrawal. You don’t need to make a deposit every day, but you need to do just enough to make sure your account balance stays where it needs to be."


Marlins pitcher Steve Cishek is one of the relievers who works out with Eric Cressey.(Getty Images) The workout for a pitcher is more than just shoulder strengthening exercises, though pitchers obviously need to have a strong rotator cuff. For the rotator cuff to function properly (and help minimize injury risk), the scapula (your shoulder blade) needs to be able to move freely. If it doesn't, shoulder issues can arise.


"Basically, a lot of guys, their shoulder blades sit too low," Cressey said. "That’s why if you walk into a major league clubhouse you’re going to see a lot of guys with that lower right shoulder, so pitchers tend to lose their upward rotation in their shoulder blade over the course of a season. Their lats get really gritty and there’s a lot of things that keep pulling that shoulder girdle down. So we need to work hard on maintaining [scapular] upward rotation.”


The lack of a routine is why relievers need to be as proactive as possible about training. The irregular schedule isn't conducive to a regimented plan of exhausting workouts, especially in-season. A reliever can't tell his manager he's unavailable because his legs are sore from a debilitating squat session, while a starter can afford to be more aggressive with workouts on days he doesn't throw.


Frequency is incredibly important, even if the workouts are just 20-30 minutes to stay fresh for a possible relief appearance later that night. Fresh, of course, being a relative term given the grueling demands of a 162-game MLB schedule.


“The guys that are a little bit trickier are closers, setup guys, guys who could conceivably throw three days in a row ... " Cressey said. "You can’t just kick the can down the road and say ‘you know what, hey, we’ll lift after you’ve thrown three days in a row because we know you won’t throw on that fourth day. You want that fourth day to be rest.”


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Mata, Di Maria not justifying price tags

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Juan Mata and Angel Di Maria are the two most expensive players in Manchester United's history.


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Manchester, England – Juan Mata and Angel Di Maria are the two most expensive players in Manchester United's history, costing a combined 97 million pounds ($150 million) last year as the club looked to regain their status as England's top team.


So far, they aren't living up to their price tags - and there's a chance neither will be in United's lineup when the team visits Newcastle in the Premier League on Wednesday.


Mata, bought for 37.1 million pounds ($57 million) by David Moyes, has mainly been used as a substitute by new manager Louis van Gaal this season despite a decent scoring record when he has started for United. A World Cup and European Championship winner with Spain and twice Chelsea's player of the year, the playmaker is a forgotten man at Old Trafford these days.


Di Maria took over from Mata as United's costliest player when he was signed from Real Madrid for 59.7 million pounds ($92


million), but his form has dipped after an encouraging start.


Van Gaal hasn't found the best position for the Argentina midfielder, who admitted before the 2-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday that he was still in the “settling-in process” in English football. Di Maria was poor by his high standards against Sunderland and was substituted at halftime -quite a fall from grace for a player who was man of the match in last season's Champions League final.


“I cannot deny what I see and we have to give Angel a little bit more time to adapt to the Premier League,” Van Gaal said. “The rhythm of the game is so high here, much higher than in other countries. He has to adapt to the culture and we have to give him time to adapt and also to lift his confidence again.”


With Adnan Januzaj impressing as Di Maria's replacement against Sunderland, the Argentine may even find himself on the bench at Newcastle as United look to keep its place in the Champions League qualification places.


United's fight with Arsenal and Liverpool for third and fourth place looks set to go to the wire this season, with the three clubs separated by two points. It could be more exciting than the title race, as Chelsea has a five-point lead - and a game in hand - over second-place Manchester City heading into the full midweek program in the league. – Sapa-AP






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Kane spurred on by Cup final failure

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Harry Kane has promised Tottenham will use the pain of the League Cup final defeat to fuel their challenge for future trophies.


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Harry Kane has promised Tottenham will use the pain of the League Cup final defeat against Chelsea to fuel their challenge for future trophies.


Mauricio Pochettino's team were unable to emulate their New Year's day win over Chelsea as the Blues eased to a 2-0 win at Wembley on Sunday.


It was a bitterly disappointing day for the north London club, who had hoped to win their first silverware of the Pochettino era.


Instead, Kane and his team-mates had to watch Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho cavort around Wembley as he celebrated the first trophy of his second spell in charge at Stamford Bridge.


Those painful images are already burned on Kane's memory and the young forward is determined to use them to ensure there is no repeat the next time Tottenham are within touching distance of winning a competition.


“It's the worst feeling in the world losing, and losing in a final on the big stage even worse,” Kane said.


“It's disappointing. The lads gave it everything and I thought we played well.


“But in these big games you don't always get the luck you need and I felt Chelsea did with a couple of deflected goals which on another day wouldn't go in.


“When you see Chelsea lift that trophy at the end it gives you that fire in your belly to be back here and lift a trophy.”


Losing at Wembley to their London rivals capped a dismal week for Tottenham, who also crashed out of the Europa League against Fiorentina on Thursday.


But, with a top four finish in the Premier League still a possibility for Spurs, Kane revealed Pochettino told his players to be proud of their efforts so far this season.


Asked what was said in the dressing room, Kane said: “Just to be proud of ourselves. We've come a long way. It's a very young team with a new manager.


“I thought we gave a good account of ourselves. A lot of us were playing in our first final.


“To be in a final in the first season is great. But we have got to learn from it.”


On a personal level, Kane's lacklustre performance in his first major showpiece occasion was something of a letdown after his brilliant breakthrough season.


The 21-year-old had scored 24 goals before Sunday. But he was easily subdued by Chelsea defenders John Terry and Gary Cahill.


“I'm always disappointed when I don't score, but it's tough. Chelsea are a good side. I've said that before. They have one of the best defences in the league and showed that here,” Kane said.


“We gave it a go and played the way we wanted to, but it just went their way.


“I'm enjoying everything this season. It shows we are doing well when people are interested in you.


“But we have got to move on. We have a game on Wednesday and hopefully I can get on the scoresheet and get back to winning ways.”


After scoring Chelsea's first goal – his first in a major final – on the stroke of half-time and delivering a rock-solid display in defence, Terry was hailed once again as the best English defender of his generation.


But the 34-year-old wasn't so overcome with emotion that he would consider coming out of international retirement.


Terry retired from England duty in 2012 after being stripped of the captaincy following allegations he racially abused then QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.


Asked if he would make an England return, Terry said: “No. It's the simple answer, I don't want to go into it right now.


“Being back at Wembley, the atmosphere, the stadium, it's one of the best I have played in, but it's never crossed my mind.


“I have drawn a line under it and the England squad can move on now.” – AFP






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City must adapt and change

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For all Manchester City's attacking riches, the champions' out-dated tactics are not lighting up the Premier League and they are in serious danger of losing their crown.


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London - If you were to ask Premier League fans which attacking players they would like their clubs to sign given a limitless budget, the likes of Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and David Silva would be at the top of most wish lists.


Put them in a rigid 4-4-2 formation like City manager Manuel Pellegrini, however, and they may not be so keen.


For all Manchester City's attacking riches, the champions' out-dated tactics are not lighting up the Premier League and they are in serious danger of losing their crown.


After playing with two strikers and neglecting the midfield battle during Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League defeat by Barcelona, Pellegrini attracted criticism.


By opting to stick with the same formation against a re-energised Liverpool on Sunday, the Chilean scored an own goal as stunning goals from Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho helped Brendan Rodgers's side to a 2-1 victory.


With Yaya Toure alongside Fernandinho in the centre and David Silva and Samir Nasri on the left and right, City were over-exposed in midfield and not the creative force many would have predicted.


Liverpool's attacking trio of Coutinho, Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling skipped around City's uninspired formation at will, leading to further suggestions they need to change their approach.


Pellegrini, however, does not agree.


“The formation was not the problem. It was the best decision. In the first half it was a close game,” he told reporters. “When they won the game we were playing with just with one striker so that wasn't the problem.


“I think they scored two beautiful goals, both from the edge of the box and impossible for Joe Hart to save. It was a close game, we had chances - David Silva, Kun (Aguero) hit the post and had another chance.”


City's hopes of defending their Premier League title now hang in the balance this season as leaders Chelsea boast a five-point advantage with a game in hand.


“It's three points less, when we drop points it's difficult to try to reach the top of the table,” Pellegrini said.


“We must try to continue, to win the next game and as many games as we can, and we'll see where we finish.”


Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, busy sliding around the Wembley turf after League Cup success against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, will have no complaints if Pellegrini sticks to his misfiring formation. – Reuters






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Liverpool out to maintain impressive run

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Liverpool look to make it 12 straight unbeaten in the league when they host lowly Burnley.


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London – Liverpool look to make it 12 straight unbeaten in the league when they host lowly Burnley. The Reds are two points off a Champions League qualifying spot after beating champions Manchester City on Sunday.


Fresh off a win over the reigning champions, the Premier League's hottest team casts an eye towards the other end of the table as they attempt to extend an impressive run in midweek.


Liverpool beat Manchester City 2-1 on Sunday to make it 11straight league games without loss. The win lifted the Reds to fifth place, two points behind Manchester United in the final Champions League qualifying place.


There's little time to celebrate though for Brendan Rodgers' team as Burnley go to Anfield on Wednesday.


And while the Clarets are in the relegation zone after winning just one of their last 10 league matches, Liverpool know it won't be easy.


All they have to do is remember back to Boxing Day and a struggle to record a hard-fought 1-0 success in the reverse fixture at Burnley.


“We have just got to keep going now,” Jordan Henderson said after the City game. “We've got another big game on Wednesday against Burnley and that will be tough for us as we found out when we went there.


“They'll make it difficult but this result will give us great confidence. We've got momentum and we've just got to keep building and finish strongly.”


Manchester City try to get their title hopes back on track by hosting last-place Leicester. The holders are five points behind leaders Chelsea, who also have a game in hand.


Even though they've won just three of eight games in 2015, City manager Manuel Pellegrini isn't ready to concede just yet.


“I think we never give up about the title,” he said. “We must try to improve out play first and after that try to win our next game.


“I hope that the team will recover and we can win on Wednesday. Every point we drop is more difficult.”


Chelsea follow up their League Cup final victory with a visit to West Ham. It's a match-up of teams going in opposite directions.


The Blues' six-game unbeaten run has given them breathing room at the top. West Ham are down to ninth after just one win in 10 and were booed off by the home fans following Saturday's 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace.


“We have to take responsibility for Saturday's performance, and use the big negative as a big push, as motivation for a tough game against Chelsea on Wednesday night,” manager Sam Allardyce said. “We have to make sure Saturday doesn't dent our confidence, which is the last thing we want.”


Southampton, who've fallen to sixth after winning once of the past five games, visit Crystal Palace on Tuesday, while Aston Villa host West Brom and Sunderland are at Hull.


On Wednesday, third-place Arsenal seek a seventh league win in eight when they travel to QPR, Manchester United are at Newcastle, Tottenham try to rebound from their League Cup loss at home against Swansea and Stoke host Everton. – Sapa-dpa






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Rodgers heaps praise on Coutinho

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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes it is “frightening” to discover how much Philippe Coutinho is worth now.


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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes it is “frightening” to discover how much Philippe Coutinho is worth now after the Brazilian scored the winner in a potentially decisive 2-1 victory over Manchester City


The forward's goal kept the Merseysiders within touching distance of the Premier League top four and diminishes City's own hopes of retaining their crown with them five points behind Chelsea having played a game more.


But it was Coutinho's strike from the left corner of the penalty area 15 minutes from time that continued his personal rise.


The 22-year-old, who arrived from Inter Milan in 2013 for £8.5 million (11.7 million euros) signed a new five-year contract last month and has added goals to his game following Rodgers' request.


The Liverpool manager also told how this victory was particularly pleasing given the late night trip home from Turkey where his side were knocked out of the Europa League to Besiktas on Thursday.


“It was a brilliant result and an equally brilliant performance,” said Rodgers. “We thoroughly deserved it, the players were relentless. It was very pleasing.


“Getting back at 4:30am in the morning on Thursday and not getting home to 6am and then to prepare for a game against the champions is not easy. You have to take your hat off to them for the way they dealt with that.


“It's a big one but there are still a lot of games to go. It was a significant win because it keeps us in the chase.


“Coutinho is operating on a very high level. His performances in particular since he signed his contract have been a joy to watch.


“He came in at 19, is still developing. He's a sensational footballer. To beat Joe Hart from that angle with that power was phenomenal.


“He is a player that has always assisted and made the final pass, he's a very selfless player, he's a very humble guy. There are improvements he can make, he is playing at a football club who adores him and loves it here.


“He has a humility, wants to work and is an absolute joy to work with. He was £8.5 million a few years ago, it's frightening to know what he's worth now.


“To keep them to one shot on target in a game they wanted to win was incredible.


“We can only focus on Burnley, we just have to concentrate on the next game and finish as high as we possibly can.


“If we can get into the top four it is better achievement than last season. We just need to keep collating the points.”


Jordan Henderson's 10th-minute opener had been cancelled out by Edin Dzeko 16 minutes later before Coutinho found the winner.


Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini refused to concede that his side's title challenge is over despite this result meaning they failed to put any pressure on Chelsea who competed in the League Cup final with Tottenham.


“It is not over,” he said. “You never know in football.


“Liverpool scored very good goals. We also missed some good chances. It was a close game where Liverpool played very well.


“We are worried about our team, not anyone else. It is important to carry on playing in the same way. We scored nine goals in the last two Premier League games, that's why I played the same team.


“Were Liverpool more energetic? The only way to explain is that they played well.


“We have to see the reaction in the next game. I hope the team will recover.


“I'm concerned that we are losing the ball too much - pressure is a factor. There is much we must analyse to improve.


“Of course it is difficult to reach the top of table if you lose three points. But we must keep going and try to return to our normal performance and see where it takes us.” – AFP






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News sport : Lightning make big moves: trade Connolly, Gudas and acquire Coburn in different deals

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It's 2:00am on the East Coast on what's now officially trade deadline day. Do you know where your favorite team's players are?


Well, if you don't, then you might want to look in the cities of Boston, Philadelphia, and/or Tampa Bay because all three teams were involved in late night trades. Tampa Bay was the catalyst for two separate, yet significant deals.


Let's start with the first deal to go down: Tampa Bay trades forward Brett Connolly to Boston for a second round pick in both the 2015 and 2016 drafts.


Boston needs a jump start to their at times stagnant offense. They're hoping Connolly can provide that; however, it's not like Connolly was tearing up the Lightning this season. He's got 12 goals and 3 assists in 50 games played. Now that's at the NHL level. Prior to this year, Connolly spent two seasons with the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) where he racked up 120-points in 137 games played. The potential is there, but can Claude Julien bring it out of him?


The good thing for the Bruins is that he's cheap. According to NHL Numbers, he's a $851,000 cap hit. His contract is up at the end of the season; however, he's scheduled to be a restricted free agent, allowing Boston more control over his future.


As for the return, the Bolts get two second rounders in 2015 and 2016. Tampa Bay has drafted increasingly better during Steve Yzerman's tenure as GM. All else fails, he can flip the picks for something else in the future.


For the Milbury Scale, I give this ... ONE MILBURY!



The Milbury Scale 2014 - 1 Milbury

Minutes after the Connolly trade was announced, ish got real.


Rumors flew around about the Philadelphia Flyers desire to trade defenseman Braydon Coburn. Ron Hextall finally found a buyer in Tampa Bay, and the return was hefty. The Lightning sent Radko Gudas, a first round pick and a third round pick, both in 2015, to Philly.


Coburn, 30, has spent the better part of 9 seasons with Philadelphia. During that time he's played 576 regular season games and earned 161 points; he averages 21:57 TOI. He leads the Flyers in penalty kill TOI at 3:01 per game. Coburn comes with a hefty $4.5-million cap hit that expires at the end of next season. Reports are that he had a modified no movement clause and agreed to waive it to come to Tampa Bay.


In order to get him, the Bolts parted ways with defenseman Radko Gudas, and 2015 draft picks in the first and third rounds. Back in early January, Gudas underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and at the time was projected to be out at least four months. That prognosis has not changed as of late and the Flyers probably won't see the ornery d-man until next year. With that being the case, his $992,000 cap hit will go on the Long Term Injured Reserved list. In salary, Gudas is owed $1-million for this year and $1.4-million the next; after that, he'll be a restricted free agent.


As for the draft picks, who the hell knows what Philly will do with them. Maybe they'll keep them. Maybe they'll trade them in a different deal. Maybe they'll burn the picks on eventual draft busts.


I'm giving this a Milbury Scale of 3 Milburys.



The Milbury Scale 2014 - 3 Milbury

Why? Because I think Philadelphia might have actually won this deal. I like Gudas, warts and all. He's annoying and physical, everything that the Flyers love on their roster. Plus they've stocked up on good draft picks in a deep draft. Also, it's late and I might not be thinking clearly...


(Major s/t to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet for cryptically tweeting that we should all stay up even though it was pretty late. These trades followed not too long after.)


- - - - - - -


Jen Neale is a staff writer for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter!










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Di Maria will come good - Rooney

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Manchester United winger Angel Di Maria has struggled recently after a bright start to life in the Premier League.


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Angel Di Maria had long since departed by the time Wayne Rooney struck twice to challenge Louis van Gaal’s claims that Manchester United lack a 20-goal striker.


Di Maria was hooked at half-time after yet another poor performance. It was a humiliating exit for United’s record £59.7million signing.


Van Gaal insists he just needs time to adapt to the Premier League but there are concerns about the manner in which the Argentine has faded after a bright start. His contribution against Sunderland was negligible for a player of his pedigree. It has raised questions over whether Di Maria and his family have settled here, particularly after raiders targeted their Cheshire home last month.


However, Rooney has no doubts the former Real Madrid man has what it takes to be a success. ‘Today was one of those days that every footballer has,’ said the United captain. ‘He is a great player, he has shown that, and you don’t lose your talent overnight. I’m sure he will be a big player for us between now and the end of the season.’


After hearing his manager talk of the need for a striker capable of scoring 20 goals a season, despite playing him in midfield for much of the campaign, Rooney gave Van Gaal a reminder of what he does best. The England striker’s brace took his league total to 10 and made him the first player in history to hit double figures in 11 successive Premier League seasons.


‘I was obviously pleased the manager played me up front and delighted to get the two goals,’ said Rooney. ‘I’m ready to play there if and when he wants me to.’


Rooney scored his first from the spot after Wes Brown was controversially sent off by Roger East for fouling Radamel Falcao, when replays showed it was John O’Shea. Sunderland intend to appeal against the red and must do so by 1pm today in the hope it is overturned and Brown will be available to face Hull tomorrow. With East insisting it was not mistaken identity, and that he sent off Brown for fouling Falcao in the act of shooting, the red card cannot be transferred to O’Shea.


Sunderland boss Gus Poyet said: ‘Wes is confused because the referee said he sent him off because he made contact with Falcao but he didn’t. He sent him off for something that didn’t happen.’


MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): De Gea 6; Valencia 6.5, Smalling 6, Evans 5, Rojo 6; Herrera 5.5, Blind 6.5; Di Maria 4 (Januzaj 46min, 7), Rooney 7.5 (Mata 86), Young 7; Falcao 6 (Fellaini 68, 6). Subs not used: Lindegaard, Carrick, McNair, Wilson. Booked: Valencia.


Scorer: Rooney 66, 84.


SUNDERLAND (4-1-4-1): Pantilimon 6; Reveillere 5.5, O’Shea 5, Brown 6, Van Aanholt 6; Cattermole 6.5; Johnson 5.5, Larsson 6, Gomez 5, Wickham 5.5 (Vergini 67, 6); Defoe 6 (Graham 67, 5.5). Subs not used: Bridcutt, Fletcher, Graham, Coates, Mannone, Watmore. Booked: Van Aanholt. Sent off: Brown.


Man of the match: Wayne Rooney.– Daily Mail






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I felt like a kid - Mourinho

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he felt “like a kid” after claiming the first trophy of his second Stamford Bridge tenure.


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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he felt “like a kid” after claiming the first trophy of his second Stamford Bridge tenure with a League Cup final victory over Tottenham Hotspur.


A deflected John Terry strike and a Kyle Walker own goal gave Chelsea a 2-0 win at a rain-soaked Wembley on Sunday and earned Mourinho his third success in the competition after two triumphs during his first spell as the west London club's manager.


It ended a 914-day wait for silverware for the 52-year-old Portuguese – the longest of his managerial career – and he expressed hope that it was a sign of things to come for his nascent Chelsea team.


“For me it's very important to feel that I'm a kid,” said Mourinho, whose previous trophy had been the 2012 Spanish Super Cup he won with Real Madrid.


“Before the game I had the same feelings as my first final, I don't know how many years ago. It's important for me to feel the same happiness after the victory. It's important for me to feel that I am a kid at 52 years old.


“I know I have a team to build, which is what we are doing, but I feed myself with titles. It's difficult for me to live without winning things, even knowing that we are doing the work to be stable for many years.


“I need to feed myself with titles. It's important for me, it's important for the boys. For the club it's one more cup.


“But it's the first one of the new team. You have Petr Cech, John Terry, (Didier) Drogba, and after that everybody belongs to a new generation of players. So as a team, very, very important.”


One of Chelsea's new generation to feature prominently at Wembley was 20-year-old French centre-back Kurt Zouma, pressed into action as an auxiliary holding midfielder in the absence of the suspended Nemanja Matic.


“It's very difficult for a central defender to play there,” Mourinho said.


“Because central defenders, they don't (usually) have pressure from behind. They are pressed in their faces, not pressed from behind.


“In that position, you're surrounded by players. You have to think quick, you have to decide quick. It's very, very difficult, but our new Marcel Desailly, he worked hard during the week and did a fantastic job for us.”


Mourinho's first League Cup success, in 2005, proved the precursor to back-to-back league titles, but although Manchester City's 2-1 loss at Liverpool earlier left Chelsea five points clear in the Premier League with a game in hand, he said there was still a long way to go.


“We have lots of difficult matches to play,” he said. “Twelve matches to play, still difficult.”


Spurs had stunned Chelsea 5-3 when the sides last met at White Hart Lane on New Year's Day and they started positively, with Christian Eriksen hitting the bar from a free-kick and Harry Kane testing Cech with a low shot.


But Terry's goal arrived with cruel timing just before half-time and after Walker had inadvertently deflected a shot from Diego Costa into his own net in the 56th minute, Tottenham's fight faded.


However, Spurs head coach Mauricio Pochettino said he was proud of his team's display and with 21-year-olds Kane and Eric Dier and 20-year-old Nabil Bentaleb among those getting their first taste of a major final, he urged his players to build on the experience.


“We respected our style, our philosophy,” said the Argentine, who joined Spurs after leaving Southampton at the end of last season.


“For us I think we need to take a lot of positive things. I think we are a very young squad. Today, 23 and a half years the average (age) on the pitch and for many players, the first final.


“I think we are in a good way. It's sure that we will play a lot of finals in the next few years.” - AFP






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Spurs will rise again - Pochettino

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Mauricio Pochettino is confident his young Tottenham squad will be involved in many more cup finals in the years ahead, despite losing the Capital One Cup final to Chelsea.


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Mauricio Pochettino is confident his young Tottenham squad will be involved in many more cup finals in the years ahead, despite losing the Capital One Cup final to Chelsea yesterday.


The Spurs manager was impressed by what he saw from his side as they outplayed Chelsea for spells of the game at Wembley but conceded either side of half-time.


Pochettino said: ‘We are a very young squad: today, 23.5 average age. For many players, they will play a lot of finals in the next few years.


We played much better in the first half, and we respected our style and philosophy. We have to take a lot of positives.


‘We finished the game stronger than them. We created, in the last 12 minutes, many chances. We were in the game if we’d scored.’


Pochettino admitted that playing a Europa League tie in Florence three days before the final was not ideal preparation, but added: ‘It’s not an excuse. We need to improve and learn. We will do that from this final. This group has a very bright future.


‘For us, it’s one step forward because the team is very young. For many players, it was the first final. Before the game, when we were on the pitch, I asked Harry Kane if it was his first time at Wembley and he said yes. But it’s a good experience for our team.’


Pochettino, in his first season in charge at the club, said it was an honour to be on the touchline alongside Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.


‘I admire Mourinho, he’s one of the best managers in the world,’ Pochettino revealed. ‘When I was a player I played against him. And now, to stay face to face in the final at Wembley, it was a dream. I have a lot of respect for him.’ – Daily Mail






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