Daily Archives: July 25, 2006

Serie A clubs get away with murder !

Posted on July 25, 2006
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Another day, another result in the Italian Serie A scandal as the four clubs learn of their new results following the appeals process. The four Serie A clubs found guilty of match-fixing were hoping for leniency from the judges. The four clubs, Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina were all found guilty by the Italian football federation of committing sporting fraud in the 2004-05 season. BBC Sport

Juventus (who were stripped of their last two league titles in 2005-06 and 2004-05 and denied entry into the Champions League, have been relegated to the second division with a 30-point deduction for the start of the new season. However following the appeal they have only been docked 17 points for the new season BUT do still begin in Serie B.

Lazio and Fiorentina who had also been demoted to Serie B have been re-instated to Serie A but have had their points deductions increased from 12 to 19 for Fiorentina and seven to 11 for Lazio. AC Milan remain in Series A. I find the whole thing preposterous to be honest and you have to wonder if there wasn’t anything underhanded in the appeals process for Lazio and Fiorentina to get away with murder.

Despite Italy winning the World Cup earlier this month, very few people who love football wanted Italy to win following the allegations of match fixing in Serie A – why can’t these big teams just play bloody football and if you win you win, lose you get b*****ed !!! Ok I know we are talking millions of Euro’s here but there have to be standards. Only time will tell if the reputation of the league in Italy has been tarnished for ever or as I think, we will all forget about it all within two seasons !!!…

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Zimmer Men – Marcus Berkmann

Posted on July 25, 2006
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It’s been 10 years since Marcus Berkmann brought us his highly acclaimed comical Rain Men, a book I hasten to add I haven’t yet read ! Please don’t ask me where I was when it come out or how the hell did I miss it, I simply can’t remember! However, given the standard of his latest offering “Zimmer Men”, a humorous look at old age and village cricket, I’ll have to get hold of a copy and see what I’ve been missing all these years!

Buy Rain Men Paper Back Edition | Buy Hard Back Edition Now

Due for release in the first week in July, I urge you to reserve yourself a copy of the funniest cricket book I’ve ever read, so funny in parts it hurts! Both the hard cover and paperback editions are released within days of each other, unusual these days but at least you have the choice.

The book could well have been written with thousands of village cricketers in mind as we all know countless of examples taken from the book. There will always be a player who thinks age hasn’t had any affect on his or her ability to perform week in week out, a player who thinks he’s a Steve Waugh but in reality not even in the class of Phil Tufnell.

Zimmer Men is an ideal summer reading book, something you can pick up and sit in the garden while whiling away the hours in the summer sun. Berkmann tells us how he started off in cricket, despite never being any good at it, the emphasis was always on taking part not actually being able to score runs or take wickets! How things changed in the Captain Scott XI and why he left to find himself another team.

Berkmann takes a …

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Jimmy Connors takes on Roddick

Posted on July 25, 2006
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Very interesting news in the tennis world today as Jimmy Connors, arguably the greatest tennis player/entertainer to have graced Flushing Meadows or Wimbledon, has agreed to coach fellow American Andy Roddick. I’ve always thought that Connors should get more involved in the game despite his dalliances with commentary for US and UK television (Wimbledon this summer). It will be interesting to see if Roddick adapts his game to Connors style or just gain a little more grit and determination.

I have to admit I didn’t expect Jimmy to turn to coaching and by the looks of things he didn’t either !! Roddick’s best results came in 2003 when he won the US Open and in 2004 was a losing finalist at Wimbledon. He’s a power baseliner and despite being a right hander, he shares his new coach’s double handed backhand style. Add to this a huge first serve and an amazing kick serve to follow, his ferocious forehand completes the package. All that’s required now is Connors to work his magic and turn him in to an all out winner. We certainly need someone to take on the magnificent Federer and Nadal in the near future. Good luck to them both and great to see Jimbo back in the limelight !!!…

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