Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Spears' Driver's License Case Dismissed
The criminal driving-without-a-license case against Britney Spears in Los Angeles has been dismissed.A mistrial was declared this morning (Oct. 20) when jurors said they couldn't come up with a unanimous decision following two full days of deliberations. Jurors were deadlocked 10-2 in favor of acquitting the pop singer of any wrongdoing.A couple of hours later, prosecutors said they would not pursue the criminal case further, and the case was dismissed.Spears hit a parked car last year while driving in California on her Louisiana license. Her attorney said she didn't meet the state's residency requirements and was within the law.But prosecutors said the 26-year-old needed a license because she was married, had two children and filed for divorce in Los Angeles -- and was ostensibly a California resident.
Alleged Guns N' Roses Leaker Pleads Innocent
A man accused of placing unreleased Guns N' Roses songs on the Internet pleaded innocent yesterday (Oct. 20) in Los Angeles federal court.Kevin Cogill, 27, is charged with violating federal copyright law. No date has been set for the trial, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.The FBI says that Cogill posted nine tracks from Guns N' Roses' upcoming album "Chinese Democracy" on the Web site antiquiet.com. Cogill was arrested in August at his Los Angeles home and released on bail the same day. He faces three years in federal prison if convicted, and five years if the court finds he posted the songs for commercial gain.Guns N' Roses said in a statement at the time of the arrest that while it did not condone Coghill's actions, "our interest is in the original source" of the material. Mrozek declined to comment on whether there would be any additional arrests."Chinese Democracy" is due Nov. 23 exclusively in Best Buy stores. The project has been delayed multiple times over the years as singer Axl Rose shed all his original bandmates.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Benedict Favre routine will ruin Brett's legacy
The Brett Favre Legacy Decimation Watch just took a turn.
For many of the observers cringing at the idea of Favre in a Jets uniform their fear was stoked by images of Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath performing miserably for the Chargers and Rams, respectively.
Nobody wanted to see the ol' gunslinger lose his fastball and take a bunch of hits on a 6-10 also-ran.
Favre fervor
Jay Glazer reported Sunday that Brett Favre leaked info to the Lions ahead of their game with the Packers in September. Read the story that got the controversy started. Also: Favre info leak story sparks reaction
But until Sunday, when Favre and the Jets scored only one TD in an OT loss at Oakland, Favre had put those fears to rest. He had thrown 13 touchdown passes in five games, leading the Jets to a 3-2 record and appeared to be transforming them into a playoff contender.
But Bad Brett — the guy who has thrown four picks and only one TD in his last two starts — has apparently given way to Odious Brett, a disgruntled, traitorous former employee guilty of what amounts to corporate espionage against his old company.
According to FOXSports.com's Jay Glazer, in a report citing several sources that was corroborated independently by two league sources, Favre spent between 60 and 90 minutes helping Lions coaches prepare for their Sept. 14 meeting with the Packers. The tutorial must have been a smash success. The Lions lost 48-25.
There is an irony here, of course. Favre would only be able to provide details of how the Packers approached different situations when he was the quarterback. Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 328 yards and three touchdowns against the Lions, is a different animal, more than happy to go to the check-down and avoid the high-risk improvisation that has come to define Favre. Rodgers' stewardship of the offense in high winds against the Colts on Sunday — 21 for 28 for 186 yards, no picks, one TD — stood in stark contrast to Favre's riverboat gambling that produced a 47.8 QB rating in Oakland.
There is nothing in the league rules to prevent a former player from providing proprietary playbook information to another team. But one might have thought Packer fans could rely on Favre's moral code to prevent it.
Guess not.
During his tempestuous summer battling Packers GM Ted Thompson through the media, Favre accumulated a whole lot of bitterness toward his former employer, feelings that must not have been assuaged by his move to the Jets.
And while Favre may feel completely justified in doing anything and everything to undermine his former organization, he must understand that you can't hurt the Packers without hurting the team's legendary fan base.
At the height of the summer soap opera in early August, hundreds of Packer fans braved a lightning storm to greet Favre at the airport when he arrived in Green Bay. Even as they slowly warmed to Rodgers, they made it clear that No. 4 would always be No. 1 in their hearts. Packers fans' love of and loyalty to Favre have never been in doubt.
Turns out that might be a one-way street.
Whatever affinity Favre may have for his longtime fans and for Green Bay apparently lost out to his deep, searing enmity for Thompson and the organization that he believes should have treated him like a Supreme Court Justice with a lifetime appointment to quarterback the Pack.
Packer fans are still rooting like crazy for Favre because the better he and the Jets do, the better the draft pick Green Bay will receive. The fourth-round pick becomes a third when Favre plays half the team's plays, a second if the Jets make the playoffs with Favre under center for 70 percent of the plays and a first if Favre leads them to the Super Bowl. The last two scenarios seem unlikely after that result in Oakland on Sunday.
Favre, however, is clearly not rooting for his old team. It's called the high road. Even though players' emotions can be pretty mixed up after they are dealt to another team, most of them are usually able to muster, "Hey, I've got a lot of friends in that locker room and I'll be rooting for them."
If Favre needs a road map from Wisconsin to that elusive high road he should take a look at the way Ned Yost handled his firing from the Brewers with 12 games to play despite being tied for the wild card.
"If anybody thinks that I've got sour grapes or I don't want this club to succeed, they're crazy," said Yost. "I'll be rooting them on every inch of the way and I hope they can win that wild card and go deep, deep into the playoffs and win the World Series."
Gee, you mean Yost didn't call up Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and give him the Brewers' signals?
Yost took his separation from the Brewers like a man. Favre has taken his separation from the Packers like a spiteful, petulant child.
If Packer fans are looking for sign ideas for their next home game (Nov. 16, Bears), here's an easy one for the Sharpie: Brat Favre.
For many of the observers cringing at the idea of Favre in a Jets uniform their fear was stoked by images of Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath performing miserably for the Chargers and Rams, respectively.
Nobody wanted to see the ol' gunslinger lose his fastball and take a bunch of hits on a 6-10 also-ran.
Favre fervor
Jay Glazer reported Sunday that Brett Favre leaked info to the Lions ahead of their game with the Packers in September. Read the story that got the controversy started. Also: Favre info leak story sparks reaction
But until Sunday, when Favre and the Jets scored only one TD in an OT loss at Oakland, Favre had put those fears to rest. He had thrown 13 touchdown passes in five games, leading the Jets to a 3-2 record and appeared to be transforming them into a playoff contender.
But Bad Brett — the guy who has thrown four picks and only one TD in his last two starts — has apparently given way to Odious Brett, a disgruntled, traitorous former employee guilty of what amounts to corporate espionage against his old company.
According to FOXSports.com's Jay Glazer, in a report citing several sources that was corroborated independently by two league sources, Favre spent between 60 and 90 minutes helping Lions coaches prepare for their Sept. 14 meeting with the Packers. The tutorial must have been a smash success. The Lions lost 48-25.
There is an irony here, of course. Favre would only be able to provide details of how the Packers approached different situations when he was the quarterback. Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 328 yards and three touchdowns against the Lions, is a different animal, more than happy to go to the check-down and avoid the high-risk improvisation that has come to define Favre. Rodgers' stewardship of the offense in high winds against the Colts on Sunday — 21 for 28 for 186 yards, no picks, one TD — stood in stark contrast to Favre's riverboat gambling that produced a 47.8 QB rating in Oakland.
There is nothing in the league rules to prevent a former player from providing proprietary playbook information to another team. But one might have thought Packer fans could rely on Favre's moral code to prevent it.
Guess not.
During his tempestuous summer battling Packers GM Ted Thompson through the media, Favre accumulated a whole lot of bitterness toward his former employer, feelings that must not have been assuaged by his move to the Jets.
And while Favre may feel completely justified in doing anything and everything to undermine his former organization, he must understand that you can't hurt the Packers without hurting the team's legendary fan base.
At the height of the summer soap opera in early August, hundreds of Packer fans braved a lightning storm to greet Favre at the airport when he arrived in Green Bay. Even as they slowly warmed to Rodgers, they made it clear that No. 4 would always be No. 1 in their hearts. Packers fans' love of and loyalty to Favre have never been in doubt.
Turns out that might be a one-way street.
Whatever affinity Favre may have for his longtime fans and for Green Bay apparently lost out to his deep, searing enmity for Thompson and the organization that he believes should have treated him like a Supreme Court Justice with a lifetime appointment to quarterback the Pack.
Packer fans are still rooting like crazy for Favre because the better he and the Jets do, the better the draft pick Green Bay will receive. The fourth-round pick becomes a third when Favre plays half the team's plays, a second if the Jets make the playoffs with Favre under center for 70 percent of the plays and a first if Favre leads them to the Super Bowl. The last two scenarios seem unlikely after that result in Oakland on Sunday.
Favre, however, is clearly not rooting for his old team. It's called the high road. Even though players' emotions can be pretty mixed up after they are dealt to another team, most of them are usually able to muster, "Hey, I've got a lot of friends in that locker room and I'll be rooting for them."
If Favre needs a road map from Wisconsin to that elusive high road he should take a look at the way Ned Yost handled his firing from the Brewers with 12 games to play despite being tied for the wild card.
"If anybody thinks that I've got sour grapes or I don't want this club to succeed, they're crazy," said Yost. "I'll be rooting them on every inch of the way and I hope they can win that wild card and go deep, deep into the playoffs and win the World Series."
Gee, you mean Yost didn't call up Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and give him the Brewers' signals?
Yost took his separation from the Brewers like a man. Favre has taken his separation from the Packers like a spiteful, petulant child.
If Packer fans are looking for sign ideas for their next home game (Nov. 16, Bears), here's an easy one for the Sharpie: Brat Favre.
Boston’s future is hardly dim
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The last time the Boston Red Sox lost a Game 7, to the New York Yankees in the 2003 American League Championship Series, within days CEO Larry Lucchino was meeting in a New York hotel room with Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks and general manager John Hart, discussing a possible trade for Alex Rodriguez.
That deal, of course, never came to pass – if it had, Jon Lester, who pitched gallantly but lost Game 7 to the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 on Sunday night, would be wearing a Rangers uniform today, and Madonna might still be married.
But that winter, the Red Sox hired a new manager, Terry Francona, traded for an ace, Curt Schilling, and signed a free-agent closer, Keith Foulke. The message was unmistakable, and would be reinforced in all the subsequent moves (trading Nomar Garciaparra; allowing Pedro Martinez and Johnny Damon to walk; trading for Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell among the myriad others) Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and Co. would make: Change is an essential component of success, especially for ultimate success.
That approach has resulted in two World Series titles in four seasons and a bid for another that was thwarted by the Rays, a team now marked as the rising power in the American League East since they’ve vanquished the Red Sox and Yankees.
The Red Sox acknowledged the Rays’ superiority in this series. “I know you never really say the better team won and all that stuff,” said Dustin Pedroia, whose first-inning home run Sunday accounted for Boston’s only run, “but in October, the best team always wins, and they beat us.
“We just ran out of magic.”
But no one doubts for a moment that the Red Sox, who advanced this far despite major injuries to Lowell, David Ortiz, J.D. Drew and Beckett (incidentally, the four highest-paid players still on their roster) and a contentious divorce from Manny Ramirez, will be reloaded and as formidable as ever come next spring.
And the Rays, despite the splendor of B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria and David Price and Garza, don’t hold a monopoly on talented kids.
“This is going to sound weird coming from me, because I’m in the same boat,” said Lester, who gave up just three runs in seven innings but was outdueled by Matt Garza, “but we’ve got a lot of youth that learned a lot this year. There are some veterans who are going to come back, and depending on where we go this offseason, some veterans we’re going to pick up along the way. But I don’t see why we’re not in this position every year for a long time.”
Lester, who turns 25 in January , won 16 games this season , threw a no-hitter and established himself as one of the premier young left-handers in the game. He looks around the clubhouse, sees how the homegrown players are increasingly occupying key positions in the organization – Jonathan Papelbon and Justin Masterson, Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury, Kevin Youkilis and Jed Lowrie, Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden in the pipeline – and celebrates how the organization’s philosophy has changed since he was drafted by the previous regime in 2002.
“I think the coolest thing is not what they come up here and do, but that the organization now is giving us the chance,” Lester said. “When I first got drafted, it was a joke. Everybody kept saying, ‘You’re just going to be traded, don’t get used to being here, you’re just going to be traded.’ Well, yeah, I almost was traded twice. I’m very glad it didn’t happen. To be a part of this group is unbelievable.”
The Red Sox thought about trading Lester last winter for Johan Santana and decided against it. That doesn’t mean Epstein won’t use prospects to achieve his desired goals this winter, whether it is to land an established pitcher (Jake Peavy or Matt Cain?) or their catcher of the future, but the emergence of a new generation of Red Sox players underscores the GM’s commitment to build from within.
“We’ll be fine,” Pedroia said. “We’ve got a lot of good players on our team. Pitching is obviously the key, and we have that. Everyone in our division is going to get better and so are we. Obviously, we’re looking forward to playing these guys [the Rays] for a long time, because they’re going to be good for a long time.”
There is obvious age on the Red Sox roster, some hefty contracts, and injury concerns. Lowell, who underwent hip surgery, will be 35 next season. Drew (back), Ortiz (wrist) and another injured veteran, Julio Lugo (quadriceps), will be 33. Youkilis turns 30 in March. Beckett, who had issues with his elbow and oblique muscle, enters the last year of a three-year deal that pays him $10.5 million next season; the club holds an option of $12 million on him for the 2010 season – assuming he is restored to full health, an extension will be on the docket in coming months.
“Crazy, man,” Ortiz said. “I’ve been here six years, and this is the first year I’ve really been bothered by injury. I tried to fight back. I tried to work, man. I tried my best. It’s not going to be roses and flowers all the time. Bad things happen. You learn from it.
“[But] I’m pretty sure Beckett will be ready to go next year. Mikey Lowell. Julio Lugo. Myself. And most of the time, [the Red Sox] go into the offseason and get some help, which everybody needs because everybody gets stronger.
“Now we’ve got a new team in the East. They have a lot of talented players. They played amazing this year. They did a great job, those kids, man. They deserve to be where they are.”
Epstein addressed one need for 2009 back at the trading deadline, when he acquired Jason Bay in the deal for Ramirez, once it became clear that Ramirez had little interest in coming back and the Sox were through placating him. Falling short this season without him obviously raises the question of how much he was missed.
Manager Terry Francona indirectly revealed how he felt when he said that despite the disappointment of losing, “this is probably the funnest couple months maybe I’ve ever had.”
Those were Manny-free months, of course. Ortiz had a different response. Miss Manny?
“Of course,” he said. “You know Manny is the kind of guy who knows how to get it done. No problem. Manny is one of the best hitters in the game. Who wouldn’t miss Manny? I mean, I’m not going to lie to you.”
The Red Sox hold a perpetual option on Tim Wakefield; at 42, and with the knuckleballer’s shoulder issues each of the last two seasons, that becomes a trickier decision. Mike Timlin will be gone; so will Schilling, who did not pitch at all this season and eventually had shoulder surgery. The Red Sox rotation is strong with a healthy Beckett, Lester and Daisuke Matsuzaka, but they will be in the market for another starter, though it is highly unlikely they’ll be in the mix for CC Sabathia.
It would surprise no one if the Red Sox try to lock up Pedroia, Papelbon, Lester and Youkilis with multiyear deals. Their biggest roster decision involves Jason Varitek, their captain and catcher. Varitek hit a big home run to help the Red Sox win Game 6; it was his only hit of the series. The Red Sox left six men on base in the last three innings; Varitek struck out twice.
Asked if this might have been his last game with the Red Sox, Varitek’s voice broke.
“I’d rather not talk about it,” he said, turning away.
Lester said it was hardly his place to advise Epstein what to do but didn’t hesitate to say what he would do if asked.
“Sign him,” he said. “Obviously having an offensive catcher is a bonus, but I think what he does behind home plate, especially for the young guys and all the other pitchers, and what he does in the clubhouse is priceless.
“It’s priceless. It really is. I hope he comes back. I really do, not only for myself but for this organization. He’s Mr. Red Sox. He is what exemplifies the Red Sox: work ethic, fighting till the end, never giving up. That’s priceless for me.”
Lester was the winning pitcher when the Red Sox completed their sweep of the Colorado Rockies in last year’s World Series. Sunday night, he watched another young lefty, Rays rookie Price, disappear at the bottom of a joyous scrum.
“This is another building block in our development on the big-league level,” Lester said. “You have to sometimes come to realize that it’s not always going to be peaches and cream. It’s not always going to be winning the World Series, and top of the world.
“You’re going to have your ups and downs. Now guys have been in this position, and we’ve experienced what it’s like to lose. We’ll see how we respond to this, myself included.”
That deal, of course, never came to pass – if it had, Jon Lester, who pitched gallantly but lost Game 7 to the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 on Sunday night, would be wearing a Rangers uniform today, and Madonna might still be married.
But that winter, the Red Sox hired a new manager, Terry Francona, traded for an ace, Curt Schilling, and signed a free-agent closer, Keith Foulke. The message was unmistakable, and would be reinforced in all the subsequent moves (trading Nomar Garciaparra; allowing Pedro Martinez and Johnny Damon to walk; trading for Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell among the myriad others) Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and Co. would make: Change is an essential component of success, especially for ultimate success.
That approach has resulted in two World Series titles in four seasons and a bid for another that was thwarted by the Rays, a team now marked as the rising power in the American League East since they’ve vanquished the Red Sox and Yankees.
The Red Sox acknowledged the Rays’ superiority in this series. “I know you never really say the better team won and all that stuff,” said Dustin Pedroia, whose first-inning home run Sunday accounted for Boston’s only run, “but in October, the best team always wins, and they beat us.
“We just ran out of magic.”
But no one doubts for a moment that the Red Sox, who advanced this far despite major injuries to Lowell, David Ortiz, J.D. Drew and Beckett (incidentally, the four highest-paid players still on their roster) and a contentious divorce from Manny Ramirez, will be reloaded and as formidable as ever come next spring.
And the Rays, despite the splendor of B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria and David Price and Garza, don’t hold a monopoly on talented kids.
“This is going to sound weird coming from me, because I’m in the same boat,” said Lester, who gave up just three runs in seven innings but was outdueled by Matt Garza, “but we’ve got a lot of youth that learned a lot this year. There are some veterans who are going to come back, and depending on where we go this offseason, some veterans we’re going to pick up along the way. But I don’t see why we’re not in this position every year for a long time.”
Lester, who turns 25 in January , won 16 games this season , threw a no-hitter and established himself as one of the premier young left-handers in the game. He looks around the clubhouse, sees how the homegrown players are increasingly occupying key positions in the organization – Jonathan Papelbon and Justin Masterson, Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury, Kevin Youkilis and Jed Lowrie, Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden in the pipeline – and celebrates how the organization’s philosophy has changed since he was drafted by the previous regime in 2002.
“I think the coolest thing is not what they come up here and do, but that the organization now is giving us the chance,” Lester said. “When I first got drafted, it was a joke. Everybody kept saying, ‘You’re just going to be traded, don’t get used to being here, you’re just going to be traded.’ Well, yeah, I almost was traded twice. I’m very glad it didn’t happen. To be a part of this group is unbelievable.”
The Red Sox thought about trading Lester last winter for Johan Santana and decided against it. That doesn’t mean Epstein won’t use prospects to achieve his desired goals this winter, whether it is to land an established pitcher (Jake Peavy or Matt Cain?) or their catcher of the future, but the emergence of a new generation of Red Sox players underscores the GM’s commitment to build from within.
“We’ll be fine,” Pedroia said. “We’ve got a lot of good players on our team. Pitching is obviously the key, and we have that. Everyone in our division is going to get better and so are we. Obviously, we’re looking forward to playing these guys [the Rays] for a long time, because they’re going to be good for a long time.”
There is obvious age on the Red Sox roster, some hefty contracts, and injury concerns. Lowell, who underwent hip surgery, will be 35 next season. Drew (back), Ortiz (wrist) and another injured veteran, Julio Lugo (quadriceps), will be 33. Youkilis turns 30 in March. Beckett, who had issues with his elbow and oblique muscle, enters the last year of a three-year deal that pays him $10.5 million next season; the club holds an option of $12 million on him for the 2010 season – assuming he is restored to full health, an extension will be on the docket in coming months.
“Crazy, man,” Ortiz said. “I’ve been here six years, and this is the first year I’ve really been bothered by injury. I tried to fight back. I tried to work, man. I tried my best. It’s not going to be roses and flowers all the time. Bad things happen. You learn from it.
“[But] I’m pretty sure Beckett will be ready to go next year. Mikey Lowell. Julio Lugo. Myself. And most of the time, [the Red Sox] go into the offseason and get some help, which everybody needs because everybody gets stronger.
“Now we’ve got a new team in the East. They have a lot of talented players. They played amazing this year. They did a great job, those kids, man. They deserve to be where they are.”
Epstein addressed one need for 2009 back at the trading deadline, when he acquired Jason Bay in the deal for Ramirez, once it became clear that Ramirez had little interest in coming back and the Sox were through placating him. Falling short this season without him obviously raises the question of how much he was missed.
Manager Terry Francona indirectly revealed how he felt when he said that despite the disappointment of losing, “this is probably the funnest couple months maybe I’ve ever had.”
Those were Manny-free months, of course. Ortiz had a different response. Miss Manny?
“Of course,” he said. “You know Manny is the kind of guy who knows how to get it done. No problem. Manny is one of the best hitters in the game. Who wouldn’t miss Manny? I mean, I’m not going to lie to you.”
The Red Sox hold a perpetual option on Tim Wakefield; at 42, and with the knuckleballer’s shoulder issues each of the last two seasons, that becomes a trickier decision. Mike Timlin will be gone; so will Schilling, who did not pitch at all this season and eventually had shoulder surgery. The Red Sox rotation is strong with a healthy Beckett, Lester and Daisuke Matsuzaka, but they will be in the market for another starter, though it is highly unlikely they’ll be in the mix for CC Sabathia.
It would surprise no one if the Red Sox try to lock up Pedroia, Papelbon, Lester and Youkilis with multiyear deals. Their biggest roster decision involves Jason Varitek, their captain and catcher. Varitek hit a big home run to help the Red Sox win Game 6; it was his only hit of the series. The Red Sox left six men on base in the last three innings; Varitek struck out twice.
Asked if this might have been his last game with the Red Sox, Varitek’s voice broke.
“I’d rather not talk about it,” he said, turning away.
Lester said it was hardly his place to advise Epstein what to do but didn’t hesitate to say what he would do if asked.
“Sign him,” he said. “Obviously having an offensive catcher is a bonus, but I think what he does behind home plate, especially for the young guys and all the other pitchers, and what he does in the clubhouse is priceless.
“It’s priceless. It really is. I hope he comes back. I really do, not only for myself but for this organization. He’s Mr. Red Sox. He is what exemplifies the Red Sox: work ethic, fighting till the end, never giving up. That’s priceless for me.”
Lester was the winning pitcher when the Red Sox completed their sweep of the Colorado Rockies in last year’s World Series. Sunday night, he watched another young lefty, Rays rookie Price, disappear at the bottom of a joyous scrum.
“This is another building block in our development on the big-league level,” Lester said. “You have to sometimes come to realize that it’s not always going to be peaches and cream. It’s not always going to be winning the World Series, and top of the world.
“You’re going to have your ups and downs. Now guys have been in this position, and we’ve experienced what it’s like to lose. We’ll see how we respond to this, myself included.”
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tennis: Nadal within grasp of milestone
Rafael Nadal moved within two more wins of retaining the year-end No 1 ranking when he struggled past Ernests Gulbis 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the third round of the Madrid Mastersyesterday.
Next up for Nadal, champion in Spain in 2005, will be 15th-ranked Richard Gasquet after the Frenchman overcame 23 aces by American Mardy Fish to win 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3.
"I'm probably playing with less pressure than usual so whatever happens, things are good," said Nadal, who has a slight nag in his right leg despite three weeks of rest.
Nadal received a four-set test from Gulbis en route to the Wimbledon title, and yesterday's match was similarly troubling for the Spaniard. But Gulbis often followed a crisp winner with an unforced error.
Nadal, who has never been a fan of the Spanish capital's high altitude and the extra speed it brings to the hard court, had trouble keeping up with the Latvian as he stuck his shots down the line to break for 2-0 in the second.
A ragged Nadal eventually netted to force a deciding set in the mainly baseline contest.
"He played very well in the second set but all the match was very tough because he played very aggressive," Nadal said.
Several crosscourt forehands gave Gulbis a break opportunity in the third game, but Nadal held and broke in the next game as Gulbis smashed a forehand long. Nadal served out and pumped his fists in relief at the end of his two-hour, 22-minute opening match.
He has a 5-0 record against Gasquet.
"My record is good against him but it's always a tough match with him," the Olympic champion said.
In other second-round matches, US Open finalist Andy Murray advanced, but 11th-seeded James Blake and No 13 Fernando Verdasco lost.
Murray moved on when Simone Bolelli of Italy retired with an apparent shoulder injury while trailing 6-0, 2-1.
"I've been playing really, really well in practice the last few weeks," said Murray, who picked up his first Masters Series title in Cincinnati in August. I'm probably mentally fresher now than in the US Open."
Murray will next play Marin Cilic of Croatia, who beat Verdasco 6-2, 6-3.
Gilles Simon of France won 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to keep Blake winless in five appearances at the tournament. Simon saved four break points in the second set and converted two of his own before dominating the final set.
Blake has only a few tournaments left to qualify for the Masters Cup. He is in ninth place in the standings for the top-eight event.
In first-round play, the winners included French Open semifinalist Gael Monfils, American qualifier Robby Ginepri, Spanish qualifierMarcel Granollers, German Philipp Kohlschreiber, Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, Victor Hanescu of Romania, and Swede Robin Soderling.
- AP
Next up for Nadal, champion in Spain in 2005, will be 15th-ranked Richard Gasquet after the Frenchman overcame 23 aces by American Mardy Fish to win 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3.
"I'm probably playing with less pressure than usual so whatever happens, things are good," said Nadal, who has a slight nag in his right leg despite three weeks of rest.
Nadal received a four-set test from Gulbis en route to the Wimbledon title, and yesterday's match was similarly troubling for the Spaniard. But Gulbis often followed a crisp winner with an unforced error.
Nadal, who has never been a fan of the Spanish capital's high altitude and the extra speed it brings to the hard court, had trouble keeping up with the Latvian as he stuck his shots down the line to break for 2-0 in the second.
A ragged Nadal eventually netted to force a deciding set in the mainly baseline contest.
"He played very well in the second set but all the match was very tough because he played very aggressive," Nadal said.
Several crosscourt forehands gave Gulbis a break opportunity in the third game, but Nadal held and broke in the next game as Gulbis smashed a forehand long. Nadal served out and pumped his fists in relief at the end of his two-hour, 22-minute opening match.
He has a 5-0 record against Gasquet.
"My record is good against him but it's always a tough match with him," the Olympic champion said.
In other second-round matches, US Open finalist Andy Murray advanced, but 11th-seeded James Blake and No 13 Fernando Verdasco lost.
Murray moved on when Simone Bolelli of Italy retired with an apparent shoulder injury while trailing 6-0, 2-1.
"I've been playing really, really well in practice the last few weeks," said Murray, who picked up his first Masters Series title in Cincinnati in August. I'm probably mentally fresher now than in the US Open."
Murray will next play Marin Cilic of Croatia, who beat Verdasco 6-2, 6-3.
Gilles Simon of France won 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to keep Blake winless in five appearances at the tournament. Simon saved four break points in the second set and converted two of his own before dominating the final set.
Blake has only a few tournaments left to qualify for the Masters Cup. He is in ninth place in the standings for the top-eight event.
In first-round play, the winners included French Open semifinalist Gael Monfils, American qualifier Robby Ginepri, Spanish qualifierMarcel Granollers, German Philipp Kohlschreiber, Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, Victor Hanescu of Romania, and Swede Robin Soderling.
- AP
Rooney does the double - again
On fire Wayne Rooney scored twice as England took a further step towards qualification for the World Cup 2012 in Minsk on Thursday.
Steven Gerrard fired England ahead just 11 minutes into their 3-1 win over Belarus with a superb 30-yard cracker that will go some way to calming the midfield storm surrounding Gerrard and Lampard currently taking over the English media.
Instead of boosting England's confidence the early lead saw lack of defensive focus for Capello's side that eventually led to Belarus' Sitko equalising in the 28th minute.
But it was Rooney, as has been so often the case during the last few games, that rescued England when he turned in a cross from Wigan's Emile Hesky just five minutes after the break.
The Manchester United striker then hit home a brilliant third goal from a Steven Gerrard pass to give England coach Capello yet another win.
The victory for this new look national side gives England a perfect record of 12 points after winning the opening four games in World Cup qualification - a feat the side has never managed before.
Steven Gerrard fired England ahead just 11 minutes into their 3-1 win over Belarus with a superb 30-yard cracker that will go some way to calming the midfield storm surrounding Gerrard and Lampard currently taking over the English media.
Instead of boosting England's confidence the early lead saw lack of defensive focus for Capello's side that eventually led to Belarus' Sitko equalising in the 28th minute.
But it was Rooney, as has been so often the case during the last few games, that rescued England when he turned in a cross from Wigan's Emile Hesky just five minutes after the break.
The Manchester United striker then hit home a brilliant third goal from a Steven Gerrard pass to give England coach Capello yet another win.
The victory for this new look national side gives England a perfect record of 12 points after winning the opening four games in World Cup qualification - a feat the side has never managed before.
Madonna, Guy Ritchie To Divorce
Madonna's spokeswoman says the singer and her husband, filmmaker Guy Ritchie, will divorce after seven-and-a-half years together.A statement e-mailed to the Associated Press from spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg says the couple has agreed to divorce, and asks the media to respect their privacy.The statement, co-signed by Ritchie's representative, says the couple had not agreed to a settlement.Madonna and Ritchie married in December 2000 at a Scottish castle. The couple have two children: Rocco, 8, and David Banda, 3, who was adopted from Malawi in 2006. Madonna also has a 12-year-old daughter, Lourdes, from her relationship with personal trainer Carlos Leon.The couple are reportedly worth some $525 million, the bulk of that belonging to Madonna. Ritchie has an estimated $35 million fortune. They own homes in London, Los Angeles and New York, and a 1,200-acre retreat in Wiltshire, England.
Madonna will perform concerts today and tomorrow in Boston as her "Sticky and Sweet" tour continues. Ritchie's latest movie, "RocknRolla," recently opened to mixed reviews.
Madonna will perform concerts today and tomorrow in Boston as her "Sticky and Sweet" tour continues. Ritchie's latest movie, "RocknRolla," recently opened to mixed reviews.
Spears Scores Record-Setting Hot 100 Jump
Another week, another record-breaking jump to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Britney Spears makes a near-maximum 96-1 rise with "Womanizer," returning to the top of the list for the first time since her debut single "...Baby One More Time" hit No. 1 in January 1999.This is the third time in the past two months that the mark for the biggest jump to No. 1 has been shattered. On the Hot 100 dated Sept. 6, T.I. soared 71-1 with "Whatever You Like" and last week he sprinted 80-1 with "Live Your Life."Spears' single is spurred by first-week download sales of 286,000, the biggest opening-week tally by a female artist since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking digital downloads in 2003, besting Mariah Carey's take for "Touch My Body" by just over 200 units. In between her nearly 10-year gap between No. 1s, Spears has placed four other top 10s on the Hot 100, the last being "Gimme More," the first single from her last set, "Blackout." That song jumped 68-3 last October with first-week download sales of 179,000."Womanizer" previews Spears' sixth studio set "Circus," due Dec. 2 via Jive.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Jelena Jankovic putting fear into opponents as the No. 1
Jelena Jankovic is enjoying the respect she gets as the top-ranked player in women's tennis.
The 23-year-old Serb, who arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday looking for her fourth straight WTA title at the Zurich Open, is the topic of conversation for many of her rivals on tour.
"Maybe I have more intimidation," Jankovic said. "Because some of the players when I played in Moscow, they say it's impossible to beat her."
The performance that has others doubting themselves is her Kremlin Cup semifinal comeback Saturday against fifth-ranked Elena Dementieva. After losing the first set 6-0, Jankovic bounced back to take the next two sets 6-1, 6-0.
"One quality that I have is that I don't give up," Jankovic said. "You believe in yourself and feel that you can do anything because this is the confidence that you have from winning a lot of matches."
Jankovic has now won 12 matches in a row, collecting titles in Beijing, Stuttgart, Germany, and Moscow.
She admits the globe-trotting is tiring, but returning to the top ranking last week - after a week as No. 1 in August - can be inspirational.
"With a good, positive mind and attitude, I feel that I can do anything on the court, the feeling I have in this moment," said Jankovic, who has been training even harder since recovering from a knee injury after Wimbledon in July.
"I wasn't able to practice for three weeks and I got completely out of shape. I lost the muscle so quickly," Jankovic said. "That is my body type so I have to work very hard in the gym to keep my body strong."
While her performance level intimidates opponents, Jankovic believes her 1.77-meter (5-foot-9½) physique does not.
"The girls in the top 10 are all very tall, very strong, and I am one of the smallest and weakest ones," she said. "So I have to work harder than them to be up there."
Jankovic has long had a reputation for hard work. Her 72 wins in singles was a WTA Tour-best in 2007, and she has a 63-16 record heading into the Zurich Open, an indoor hard court event.
A year ago, she was exhausted by the time of the season-ending WTA Championships in Madrid, Spain. Not this time.
"I feel ready to finish the year and I feel very motivated," said Jankovic, who is almost certain to end 2008 as No. 1.
This year's WTA Championships, in Doha, Qatar, from Nov. 4-9, is Jankovic's next competitive stop after Switzerland.
"I would love to win," she said. "That would really be the crown."
Whether Venus Williams joins Jankovic among the elite eight players in Doha will depend on her results this week. The 28-year-old American is ninth in the standings after Vera Zvonareva reached the final in Moscow last week, losing to Jankovic in straight sets.
The Russian stepped up the pressure on Williams by securing a late wild card entry to the Zurich tournament.
"I am not going to be entering any extra tournaments," Williams said. "If someone can enter more tournaments and play better than me then I'm going to wish them a lot of luck.
"If I play well enough to earn my place then I'll deserve to be there. You know, I'll probably get in."
Williams has a first-round bye and opens against Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine. Jankovic begins Thursday against either Nadia Petrova of Russia or Flavia Pennetta of Italy
The 23-year-old Serb, who arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday looking for her fourth straight WTA title at the Zurich Open, is the topic of conversation for many of her rivals on tour.
"Maybe I have more intimidation," Jankovic said. "Because some of the players when I played in Moscow, they say it's impossible to beat her."
The performance that has others doubting themselves is her Kremlin Cup semifinal comeback Saturday against fifth-ranked Elena Dementieva. After losing the first set 6-0, Jankovic bounced back to take the next two sets 6-1, 6-0.
"One quality that I have is that I don't give up," Jankovic said. "You believe in yourself and feel that you can do anything because this is the confidence that you have from winning a lot of matches."
Jankovic has now won 12 matches in a row, collecting titles in Beijing, Stuttgart, Germany, and Moscow.
She admits the globe-trotting is tiring, but returning to the top ranking last week - after a week as No. 1 in August - can be inspirational.
"With a good, positive mind and attitude, I feel that I can do anything on the court, the feeling I have in this moment," said Jankovic, who has been training even harder since recovering from a knee injury after Wimbledon in July.
"I wasn't able to practice for three weeks and I got completely out of shape. I lost the muscle so quickly," Jankovic said. "That is my body type so I have to work very hard in the gym to keep my body strong."
While her performance level intimidates opponents, Jankovic believes her 1.77-meter (5-foot-9½) physique does not.
"The girls in the top 10 are all very tall, very strong, and I am one of the smallest and weakest ones," she said. "So I have to work harder than them to be up there."
Jankovic has long had a reputation for hard work. Her 72 wins in singles was a WTA Tour-best in 2007, and she has a 63-16 record heading into the Zurich Open, an indoor hard court event.
A year ago, she was exhausted by the time of the season-ending WTA Championships in Madrid, Spain. Not this time.
"I feel ready to finish the year and I feel very motivated," said Jankovic, who is almost certain to end 2008 as No. 1.
This year's WTA Championships, in Doha, Qatar, from Nov. 4-9, is Jankovic's next competitive stop after Switzerland.
"I would love to win," she said. "That would really be the crown."
Whether Venus Williams joins Jankovic among the elite eight players in Doha will depend on her results this week. The 28-year-old American is ninth in the standings after Vera Zvonareva reached the final in Moscow last week, losing to Jankovic in straight sets.
The Russian stepped up the pressure on Williams by securing a late wild card entry to the Zurich tournament.
"I am not going to be entering any extra tournaments," Williams said. "If someone can enter more tournaments and play better than me then I'm going to wish them a lot of luck.
"If I play well enough to earn my place then I'll deserve to be there. You know, I'll probably get in."
Williams has a first-round bye and opens against Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine. Jankovic begins Thursday against either Nadia Petrova of Russia or Flavia Pennetta of Italy
Tennis: More big names likely to join Dementieva
Expect at least two other players ranked in the world's top 25 to follow big drawcard Elena Dementieva into the field for January's international women's tournament.
The Monaco-based world No 5 Russian is the highest-ranked player to have appeared in the ASB Classic and is certain to be the top seed.
The US$220,000 ($353,550) Classic - part of the "international"-rated series of tournaments on the rejigged WTA as opposed to the big money "premier" events - is allowed just one player in the world top 10.
In the past five years, the Classic's top seeds have, at the time of entering the event, been No 14 (Paola Suarez), No 26 (Amy Frazier), No 9 (Nadia Petrova), No 12 (Jelena Jankovic) and this year No 22 (Vera Zvonareva). Those numbers justify the delight of tournament director Brenda Perry at snaring one of the world's finest.
"Elena brings a commanding presence to the court with a captivating mix of intensity, passion, power and femininity," Perry said
But the tournament will need more than one player demonstrably superior to the rest of the field, so Perry has the feelers out for others to add some muscle to the event, and ensure Dementieva doesn't get an easy time of it.
Among those she's likely to be pursuing are Petrova, now world No 13 but who enjoyed her time in Auckland and wanted to return last year, only to be counted out because of her top 10 ranking.
World No 15 Caroline Wozniacki, the rapidly rising 18-year-old Dane, is much in demand, while No 14 Daniela Hantuchova and No 18, Belarusian teenager Victoria Azarenka, have been in Auckland before.
The 2005 Classic winner, Slovenian Katerina Srebotnik, is No 21, loves coming to Auckland where she has good friends, and is a strong chance to return. More names are expected within the next two weeks.
Dementieva deserves a pat on the back for entering Auckland. Under the new WTA rules, top 10 players can enter only one "international" tier event in the first half of the year.
That means if they lose form or suffer an injury they cannot drop to a lower-level tournament to regain form or fitness, instead being obliged to stick with the premier grade tournaments.
Dementieva, who turns 27 today, is celebrating a good year on the circuit. Apart from winning the Dubai title in February, she won the Olympic Games gold in Beijing, beating Serena Williams (No 3), Zvonareva (No 8) and Dinara Safina (No 2) in successive matches.
But her ambition remains to reach world No 1. She has been as high as No 4 and her desire to make it to the top remains undiminished.
"This is the biggest motivation for me," she said yesterday. "It's been a great year so far. I do believe I can reach the No 1 position."
The Monaco-based world No 5 Russian is the highest-ranked player to have appeared in the ASB Classic and is certain to be the top seed.
The US$220,000 ($353,550) Classic - part of the "international"-rated series of tournaments on the rejigged WTA as opposed to the big money "premier" events - is allowed just one player in the world top 10.
In the past five years, the Classic's top seeds have, at the time of entering the event, been No 14 (Paola Suarez), No 26 (Amy Frazier), No 9 (Nadia Petrova), No 12 (Jelena Jankovic) and this year No 22 (Vera Zvonareva). Those numbers justify the delight of tournament director Brenda Perry at snaring one of the world's finest.
"Elena brings a commanding presence to the court with a captivating mix of intensity, passion, power and femininity," Perry said
But the tournament will need more than one player demonstrably superior to the rest of the field, so Perry has the feelers out for others to add some muscle to the event, and ensure Dementieva doesn't get an easy time of it.
Among those she's likely to be pursuing are Petrova, now world No 13 but who enjoyed her time in Auckland and wanted to return last year, only to be counted out because of her top 10 ranking.
World No 15 Caroline Wozniacki, the rapidly rising 18-year-old Dane, is much in demand, while No 14 Daniela Hantuchova and No 18, Belarusian teenager Victoria Azarenka, have been in Auckland before.
The 2005 Classic winner, Slovenian Katerina Srebotnik, is No 21, loves coming to Auckland where she has good friends, and is a strong chance to return. More names are expected within the next two weeks.
Dementieva deserves a pat on the back for entering Auckland. Under the new WTA rules, top 10 players can enter only one "international" tier event in the first half of the year.
That means if they lose form or suffer an injury they cannot drop to a lower-level tournament to regain form or fitness, instead being obliged to stick with the premier grade tournaments.
Dementieva, who turns 27 today, is celebrating a good year on the circuit. Apart from winning the Dubai title in February, she won the Olympic Games gold in Beijing, beating Serena Williams (No 3), Zvonareva (No 8) and Dinara Safina (No 2) in successive matches.
But her ambition remains to reach world No 1. She has been as high as No 4 and her desire to make it to the top remains undiminished.
"This is the biggest motivation for me," she said yesterday. "It's been a great year so far. I do believe I can reach the No 1 position."
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