Giovinco: ‘The Italian Messi’

This summer one of Europe’s finest young talents will be strutting his stuff at the Beijing Olympics as part of the Italian national side. The youngster’s name is Sebastian Giovinco and if you haven’t heard of him yet, you soon will.

The 21-year-old is a Juventus player but spent last season on loan at fellow Serie A club Empoli where he certainly caught the eye. At 5 ft 4, the attacking midfielder is nicknamed the ‘Atomic Ant’ and for what he lacks in size, he more than makes up for in ability. Despite the youngster having played just 3 senior matches (1 start) for the Juventus first team, he is held in extremely high regard by the club and particularly the fans.

A recent contract dispute with the club led to a fans protest as it was suggested that Arsenal were to set to move for the player with Robin Van Persie perhaps heading to Turin. A poll launched on the Juve fans vecchiasignora.com website ended with a staggering 89.5% voting in favour of snubbing a potential Van Persie player-exchange offer for Giovinco from the Gunners. This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise as the wonderkid has been hailed as the future of the club and heir to club legend Alessandro Del Piero.

NASCAR Rookie Standings 2007

2007 Busch Series RotY standings

1. David Ragan (#6) – 199 points
2. Marcos Ambrose (#59) – 181 points
3. Juan Pablo Montoya (#??) – 165 points
4. Kyle Krisiloff (#14) – 164 points
5. Brad Coleman (#18) – 121 points
6. Brad Keselowski (#88) – 118 points
7. Robert Richardson (#28) – 84 points
8. Justin Diercks (#??) – 51 points
9. Sam Hornish, Jr. (#12) – 35 points
10. Timothy Peters (#??) – 27 points
11. Bobby Santos III (#91) – 21 points
12. Brian Conz (#??) – 0 points

2007 Truck Series Rookie Standings

1. Tim Sauter (#07)– 123 points
2. Aaron Fike (#??)– 122 points
3. Willie Allen (#13)– 115 points
4. Blake Bjorklund (#8)– 110 points
5. Joey Clanton (#09)– 91 points
6. Jason White (#7)– 77 points
7. Tyler Walker (#??)– 51 points
8. Kelly Bires (#??)– 49 points
9. Peter Shepherd (#50)– 32 points
10. Kevin Hamlin (#4)– 26 points
11. Casey Kingsland (#??)– 5 points
12. Brian Sockwell (#54)– 1 point

Vince Young Awards

• 2007 Pro Bowl
• 2002 Pete Dawkins Trophy
• 2005 Rose Bowl MVP
• 2005 Manning Award
• 2005 Maxwell Award
• 2005 Davey O'Brien Award
• 2005 Cingular All-America Player of the Year
• 2005 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year
• 2005 Consensus First-Team All-American
• 2006 Rose Bowl MVP
• "4 weeks" 2006 NFL Rookie of the Week Awards
• 2006 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
• 2006 Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year

who’s Dustin Pedroia?

Dustin Luis Pedroia currently play for the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball.
Dustin Pedroia became the regular second baseman for the Red Sox in 2007. He has been known to be solid defensively. Pedroia's track record throughout his college and minor league career suggested continued success in the major leagues. However, early in the season, his batting average had fallen as low as .172. Such an average along with the great hitting of fellow teammate Alex Cora (who even batted above .400 at a point), had left Pedroia in a platoon role early in this season.

However, Pedroia has since picked up his batting average. On May 1st, his average was at a season-low .172, but Pedroia had raised his average to .322 by June 18th, aided by a 13-game hitting streak and a five-hit game against the San Francisco Giants on June 15, 2007.

Due to his production, he was named American League Player of the Week for May 28-June 3, and American League Rookie of the Month for May. So that no reason to throw out his name from Rookie of the Year nominates.

MLS Rookie of the Year Candidates

Adam Cristman, New England Revolution - Here is a guy that should get more votes and looks than he will get. He has played wonderfully so far this season I think. Stepping in for Taylor Twellman when he was gone with the national team for a few games. Four goals and four assists have made Cristman a fairly strong candidate for Rookie of the Year this season. This forth round pick has given prof that New England is still one of the best clubs at drafting young talent.

Maurice Edu, Toronto FC - I am beginning to think that Edu may be the best player on Toronto’s roster right now. The number one pick in the draft is showing us why more and more with his play. Thee goals and one assists in 17 games for Edu. He has become one of the league’s better defensive midfielders too. I think his chances of winning the Rookie of the Year award are fairly good as long as he keeps playing the way that he does. He doesn’t have to lead Toronto into the playoffs to win this award either I think.

Robbie Findley, Real Salt Lake - Here is a guy, drafted in the second round by LA and then later traded to Salt Lake when the Galaxy were roster dumping before Beckham’s arrival. Five goals on the year, Findley actually is one of the goal scoring leaders for Real this season (that isn’t saying much really). His chances in winning the award rest solely on how much more goals he scores this season.
Michael Harrington, Kansas City Wizards - The number three pick in the draft is showing his worth for the Wizards. Three goals and three assists. The better the Wizards do, the better the chances Harrington’s chances are at winning this award.

Players who's going to impact the NFL

The NFL draft is one of the most exciting times of the season for us NFL geeks. As the pre-season begins, it is time to discuss how these drafted players are going to impact the league. Each year, there is a player or two that stands out and really has an impact. Some of these players were expected to have a big influence, e.g., Reggie Bush, and some come out of nowhere, e.g. Marques Colston. This year should be no different; although I am not going to try and guess which seventh-round pick may have a positive effect on his team, I will mention some guys that could be this year’s high-impact offensive rookies. Some you know, and some you will get to know really soon:

* Marshawn Lynch - With the departure of Willis McGahee, Marshawn Lynch should step right in as the starting running back for the Buffalo Bills. Lynch is a good inside runner who can burst through the initial hole. He also has the ability to get to the corner and eat up yardage on outside runs. The thing that makes Lynch unique is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. If he can pick up the pass blocking assignments, he has the potential to be great and help his team from day one.

* Calvin Johnson - Some are touting Johnson as the best WR prospect in years. This tall, fast, physical receiver has landed in Detroit where he can be a star immediately. He’s in the perfect situation as he has a proven star, Roy Williams, playing opposite him. Williams should help him avoid double teams.He is also in Mike Martz’s pass-happy offense, and Jon Kitna is going to love throwing to this super star!

* Anthony Gonzalez – Gonzalez is just what the doctor ordered in Indianapolis. The Colts offense is designed to have three great receivers. With the loss of Brandon Stokley to Denver, the Colts needed a third receiver and they found him in Anthony Gonzalez. He is a smart receiver that runs good routes and isn’t afraid to go over the middle. He is not your typical home run hitter, but Indy has Wayne and Harrison for that. Gonzalez should have 50-60 catches, which will loosen things up for Manning and the other offensive weapons.

* Tony Ugoh - It seems odd that we have two rookies on this list from the Super Bowl Champs. The Colts didn’t expect Tarik Glenn to retire this off-season but are glad they drafted Big Tony Ugoh as his replacement. Tony will be thrust into the starting line-up and expected to protect Manning’s blindside. He needs to work hard on his footwork and his ability to get to the second level. He has to get the job done from day one or Manning may look like David Carr, on his back.

* Brandon Jackson - Jackson reminds me of another Green Bay runner, Ahman Green. He is quick and shifty with the ability to run up the middle and outside. He also has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. With a lack of experienced RBs, the Packers will count on Jackson to learn quickly and make an impact. He is the future in Green Bay, and the future has to be now.

These are the guys that have a real chance to be high-impact rookies. Guys like Adrian Peterson and Robert Meacham will struggle this year, although they may have great careers. Do you have other rookies you believe will be big contributors this year? I would love to hear from you.

Acie Law, Strengths and Weaknesses

Acie Law is the Atlanta Hawks point guard rookie. In his four seasons at Texas A&M University, Law scored 1,653 points and was credited with 540 assists. Nicknamed "Captain Clutch" for his ability to take over the game late.

Strengths:
Law’s mental game may be his greatest asset, as he possesses all those intangible qualities that great point guards enjoy. He makes his teammates better, understands spacing and passing lanes, and uses his body and feet well to finish around the rim.

Law has developed an unbelievable reputation as a “clutch” performer, beginning with his game-winner against Texas. In his senior season, he hit a three-pointer to beat Kansas in Lawrence, and two simply unbelievable three point shots in a double-overtime loss to Texas (both threes extended the game an extra period). Law’s unafraid of the big shot, and seems to thrive when there’s a lot at stake.

Weaknesses:
Law needs to improve his consistency from the outside as a shooter to take a big step forward in his game. He’s already a great penetrator, but he needs the shooting game to complement it. Law also will need to add some upper body strength if he’s going to be able to be effective in the same way he was in college.

Lions Sign Wide Receiver Calvin Johnson

The Lions have finally signed their superstar wide receiver.
Rookie wide receiver Calvin Johnson has finally signed, while JaMarcus Russell is still holding out.

The Lions signed the star receiver to a six-year $64 million deal with $27.2 million fully guaranteed. The Signing allows Johnson to finally get to camp for workouts, he's already missed eight days of training camp.

"I know the expectations are really high, but I'm hoping I can live up to them," Johnson said. "Now that I'm here, I can start working on that."

Johnson and the team agreed to terms and signed the contract early Friday, said Lions executive vice president Tom Lewand.

"It's good to be on the field and not be dealing with contract stuff any more," Johnson said. "At first, I was trying to be patient, but it's been pretty nerve-racking for the last few days."

Johnson was regarded by some as the best player in the draft after catching 78 passes for 1,202 yards and 15 touchdowns during his All-America junior season at Georgia Tech. He won the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation's top college receiver.

Anthony Gonzalez

Anthony Gonzalez was born in Avon Lake, Ohio. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, in the 2007 NFL Draft.Gonzalez is a receiver who teamed with Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn, Jr. in 2005 to give the Buckeyes three big-play receivers on what was one of the most explosive offenses in the country. His acrobatic 26-yard catch at Michigan in the 2005 regular season finale set up the game-winning score with 37 seconds to play. His role in 2006 increased with the departure of Holmes to the NFL via the 2006 NFL Draft. Gonzalez was selected with the 32nd pick of the first round by the Indianapolis Colts.

Batum; The Smooth Swingman

A silky-smooth swingman who does just about everything well with a natural feel for the game. Has a high basketball IQ and can play several positions on the floor. Excellent defender with quick hands and feet, long arms and good athletic ability. Has a diverse offensive game with the ability to pull up off the dribble, hit from outside, and penetrate to the rim. Shows a good stroke from the outside and has excellent confidence to shoot through cold spells. Needs to add weight which will allow him to go inside and finish as well as make him a stronger defender.

Nicolas Batum is a French basketball player born December 14, 1988 in Lisieux. He is considered one of the most talented young players in Europe and a possible NBA draft lottery pick. He was voted the most valuable player in the U18 Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim 2006.

The 6 ft 8 in (2.03 meter) Batum primarily plays the small forward position, although he is capable of shifting to either of the guard positions as well.

He delivered an impressive performance at the 2007 Nike Hoop Summit scoring 23 points (9/13 FG, 3/5 for 3 pts) in 28 minutes. He also grabbed four rebounds and recorded four steals. Batum Dunk Video

Jeffrey Earnhardt

Jeffrey Earnhardt (born June 22, 1989 in Mooresville, North Carolina) is the next to oldest grandson of the late seven time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt. He is the son of former NASCAR driver Kerry Earnhardt. Jeffrey was signed in 2007 to drive for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (DEI) in the Busch East Racing Series.

Earnhardt's first race came in the Hornet Division at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Virginia. He scored 3 feature wins and finished in the top 5 in division points, winning Rookie of the Year. The following year he moved up to the Sportsman division at the Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Virginia, finishing the season in the top 10 of the division standings. He also competed in the late model season finale at the track as a teammate to RCR developmental driver Allison Duncan.

In 2006, General Motors created a driver developmental search program wherein they looked for who they believed to be the stars of the future and invited them to test a late model and a Busch car at 2 different tracks with the best moving on. Jeffery made the final cut, and in January of 2007 it was announced that Earnhardt would be joining the family business, driving a #1 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Busch East Series for the entire 2007 season. He will also compete in the Bailey's 300, an all-star late model race at Martinsville Speedway.

For 2008 Espn has reported that Earnhardt will drive 8 races for DEI in the Busch Series in 2008 ,therefore by maintaining his rookie status in that series and contiune running Busch East.from ESPN

Who's behind Johnson

Probably the 2nd most talented WR in the draft behind Calvin Johnson is Robert Meachem(born September 28, 1984 in Tulsa, Oklahoma). This guy was extremely raw, and had a huge junior season for Tennessee last year. At 6’ 3” and 220 pounds he is the prototypical NLF wideout. He also gets the luxury of playing in one of the most productive offenses in the NFL. Mark this guy down as a definite sleeper pick in any draft, and don’t hesitate to select him over veteran receivers in the late rounds. Colston and Meachem could prove to be a formidable 1-2 punch in the NFL for years to come, and with Brees chucking it around, and McAllister and Bush in the backfield, this could prove to be something very special. Combine his size with 4.4 speed and watch for this guy to possibly make a big impact in 2007.

Jimmy Clausen

James Richard "Jimmy" Clausen (born September 21, 1987, in Thousand Oaks, California) is an American football player. He is a quarterback at the University of Notre Dame. and is one of the candidates to replace Brady Quinn as Notre Dame Fighting Irish starting quarterback.

Clausen, who graduated high school one semester early, enrolled at Notre Dame on January 16, 2007. He will compete for the starting quarterback job with then-junior Evan Sharpley and then-sophomores Demetrius Jones and Zach Frazer when spring practice starts.

Mark Anderson

Mark Anderson (born May 26, 1983 in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is a defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played for the Hornets at Booker T. Washington High School. He attended the University of Alabama (where he became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.). He was selected with the 159th overall pick (5th round) in the 2006 NFL Draft. Despite not being an official starter in the Bears Cover 2 defensive scheme, Anderson has thrived in his role as a third-down pass rusher, and during the 2006 regular season he totaled 12 sacks, a Chicago Bears rookie record, which was previously held by Brian Urlacher. Anderson also received consideration in 2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year, finishing second in the voting

Acie Law

Acie Law IV (born January 25, 1985) is a basketball point guard who finished a four-year college career at Texas A&M University in 2007. In his four seasons at Texas A&M, Law scored 1,653 points and was credited with 540 assists. Nicknamed "Captain Clutch" for his ability to take over the game late, Law is well known among Aggie basketball fans for "The Shot," his buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat the archrival Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on March 1, 2006, as well as for his play in the Aggies' stunning 69-66 upset win against Kansas (the only Big 12 South team to win at Allen Fieldhouse) on February 3, 2007.

On June 28, 2007, Law was taken 11th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks.

Greg Oden vs. Kevin Durant: Tale of the Tape

You've probably heard and read enough about Greg Oden and Kevin Durant to the point where the draft can't come soon enough. We agree. So we won't waste your time here with things like points, rebounds, steals and blocked shots, but we'd like to try to enlighten you on why those numbers are just a small part of what these young men, expected to go 1-2 in Thursday night's NBA draft, are about and why they are so special.

The Courant checked in with Texas coach Rick Barnes and Ohio State associate head Coach John Groce last week to tell us something we may not know about Oden and Durant and what the NBA can expect. Something that impressed them - or not - around the time their college careers began. The coaches obliged, and it was confirmed: Oden and Durant are special. There are no two ways about it.

The NBA will love them, commissioner David Stern in particular, because they are high-character guys. They lived up to the hype that has been following them since high school, and now the greatest basketball league in the world is set to welcome them and the excitement they'll bring.

But everything you've been hearing - and reading - about these guys being once-in-a-lifetime players? It could be true. If you ask their coaches, there's no doubt it's true.

Randy de Puniet

Randy de Puniet (b. 14 February 1981) is a French motorcycle road racer. 2006 was his first season in MotoGP, for the Kawasaki factory team, where he remains for 2007. At Barcelona he took his first front-row start, and finished a career-best fifth. Up to Donington, he has started all but one other race on the third row.

De Puniet was French 125cc champion in 1998, moving up to the world championship a year later. In 2001 he moved up to the 250cc World Championship. He earned two podium finishes in 2002 to earn a factory Aprilia ride for 2003. He took his first win at Catalunya, coming 4th overall with 3 wins. In 2004 he was third with a single win, spending 2005 with an Aprilia ran by Jorge Martinez Aspar.

Aaron Fike

Aaron Fike (born November 24, 1982) is a NASCAR driver from Galesburg, Illinois. He is the driver of the #1 Toyota Tundra Craftsman Truck Series truck and the younger brother of former NASCAR driver A. J. Fike.

Fike began racing in 2001 in the USAC Silver Crown Series. He became the youngest driver to win a Silver Crown race (breaking Jeff Gordon's record), and finished tenth in points, earning him the Rookie of the Year award. The next season, he won seven midget feature races in addition to winning the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association championship. He also won a race in the IRL Infiniti Pro Series.

In 2003, Fike won the World Championship Midget Feature in Auckland, New Zealand, and the USAC Night Before the 500 race. He made his stock car debut in an ARCA RE/MAX Series race at South Boston Speedway. He finished 9th. He began racing part-time in the Busch Series in 2004 in the #43 Curb Agajanian Performance Group car, and for GIC-Mixon Motorsports. His best finish that year came at the Stacker 200 Presented by YJ Stinger, where he finished 17th.

For 2005, Fike signed a driver development contract with Brewco Motorsports, and split time in their #66 Duraflame Ford Taurus with Greg Biffle. He recorded his first top-ten finish at the Salute to the Troops 250 Presented by Dodge, where he finished eighth. He also ran 17 races with the #43, his best finish in that car being a 14th at Homestead. At the end of the year, he was released from his contract at Brewco. He started 2006 driving the #43 for Curb, but soon signed with Kevin Harvick Incorporated for a limited schedule. He was released after two races, and drove for Red Horse Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2007, where he had four top-ten finishes, before he was arrested in the parking lot of Kings Island in July 2007 for possession of drug-related materials.[1] On July 11, 2007 Fike was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR.

Nani (Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha)

Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha (born 17 November 1986 in Praia, Cape Verde), better known as Nani, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger. He currently plays for Manchester United. Nani is often compared with fellow international and Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo notably for his dribbling skills and his speed.

Nani was born in Cape Verde, but migrated with his family to Portugal at an early age. He grew up in the Amadora district of Lisbon and started his career in junior football at Real de Massamá before joining the youth setup at Sporting. Manuel Fernandes has been a friend of Nani's since childhood and the pair used to kick a ball about together on the streets of Lisbon.

Personal information

Full name : Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha
Date of birth : November 17, 1986 (1986-11-17) (age 20)
Place of birth : Praia, Cape Verde
Height : 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position : Winger

Vince Young

Vincent Paul Young, Jr. (born May 18, 1983[1] in Houston, Texas), commonly Vince Young, or "VY", is an American football player. He is a dual-threat quarterback, and the current starting quarterback for the National Football League Tennessee Titans. Young was drafted by the Tennessee Titans as the #3 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft on April 29, 2006. He was awarded honors in his rookie season: NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and a roster spot on the AFC Pro Bowl team. EA games announced on April 17, 2007 that Vince Young will be on the cover of the Madden football video game for 2008.

Young played college football for the University of Texas Longhorns before turning professional. As a college junior, he was one of three finalists for the 2005 Heisman Trophy, finishing second to Reggie Bush and ahead of Matt Leinart in the final vote. Young was named the best college football player of 2005 by College Football News, based upon their statistical analysis.[2] Following the Heisman voting, Young led his team to a BCS National Championship on January 4, 2006 in a classic thriller against the defending BCS national champion University of Southern California Trojans in the 2006 Rose Bowl. The game featured two Heisman Trophy winners as Young's opponents: both USC quarterback Matt Leinart and USC running back Reggie Bush. The game was called one of the most-anticipated games in the history of college football.[3] In perhaps the most spectacular individual college football performance ever,[4] Young completed 75% of his passes for 267 yards and also managed to run for more yards than Bush; he totaled 200 yards at 10 yards a carry.

Young decided he would forgo his last year of NCAA college eligibility and become a professional player by entering the 2006 NFL Draft. This decision made him the second player in Longhorn coach Mack Brown's eight year term as head coach of the Texas Longhorns to enter the NFL with eligibility remaining