World Cup News: Uruguay is Likely to Win in Group A

With the Football World Cup rearing its head at the corner, many people are now making quite a few winning predictions and analysis on the World Cup Betting Odds. The World Cups’s championship landscape might change since crowd favorite

Uruguay, despite its small size, packs serious firepower with striker Diego Forlan, a creative scorer for Spain's Atletico Madrid, leader in the European leagues for scoring during the 2008-09 season. Forlan will be teamep up former Ajax Amsterdam forward Luis Suarez, as part of the main Uruguay offensive. Suarez has played sufficiently for his Dutch squad to draw interest from powerful teams like Barcelona and Manchester United. In the World Cup Brackets, Uruguay is the heavy favorite in Group A that includes South Africa, Mexico, and France.

France is the heaviest team in terms of elite players. However, not many would want to bet on the French squad as their high profile players were virtually played low during the qualifying matches. South Africa also ranks high in the World Cup Soccer picks list. Being a defensive-grounded team, it is a surprising move that Coach Carlos Alberto Parriera is trying to implement a quick passing attack system for his runners. Mexico does not sit well with hardcore football fans after their disastrous qualifiers last season. As a move, Mexico dropped Coach Sven Goran Eriksson in favor of Javier Agguire.

Having said all that, Uruguay will likely come out on top in the Group A rankings. France is a close second but with its volatile players, there is no way of saying for sure. South Africa, however, is a live underdog.

A Decade of Manny Pacquiao

One can make viable and laudable arguments why Pacquiao deserves the honor of being named the Fighter of The Decade. He has impressive wins over legendary figures of the sport. His wars with Mexico’s finest are in the record books and will be known to future generations. His climb through the weight scales and the fashion of which he conquers a division is matched only by a handful.

Long before he was called the Pacman, Pacquiao is baptized as the Destroyer. And aptly so. As young boxer, Pacquiao’s wins were garnered by the raw power of his left hand. But through this past decade, we all saw how Manny became the man he is and the complete boxer we might never witness.

When Manny Pacquiao realized that boxing was his ticket of getting out of poverty, he honed his skills with so much zeal that his handiwork became stuff of legend. His exploits in the ring is fueled by poverty, no doubt. But even after he got out of that hole and up the ladder of the social strata, his passion for boxing never wavered.

As esteemed trainer Freddie Roach pointed out, Pacquiao “is like a sponge.” Give him new tricks to learn and he will master it.  And he became an adept of the sport that Roach ultimately believes that Pacquiao will never reach his maximum potential because he is always on the learning curve, eager to soak up all the wisdom he can digest. But the evolution is apparent. As one boxing expert puts it, Pacquiao has transformed from a “whirlwind slugger to a boxer-puncher.” But will we ever see him come full circle with his boxing skills and greatness? One can only wonder.

Pacquiao’s Decade Run

The Boxing Writers Association of America has recently named Manny Pacquiao as the best fighter in the past 10 years (2000-2009). In that period, Pacquiao amassed a total of 23 wins against one loss and two even bouts, with 20 victories by way of knockout (87% knockout rate).

The following is a list of Pacquiao’s best fights from each year, from 2000-2009.

Pacquiao TKO. Nedal Hussein (2000)

Oct. 14, 2000; Antipolo City, Philippines – Pacquiao went up against then undefeated Nedal Hussein (18-0) and got a tough fight from the Australian. Hussein probably used every illegal tactics against Pacquiao, but a lean straight left from Hussein knocked Pacquiao down in the 4th. Pacquia recovered and rallied with combinations until in the 10th, when his punches created a huge gash in Hussein’s cheek.  The ringside doctor ruled Hussein could no longer continue. With Pacquiao leading on all scorecards, he was given the TKO victory.

Pacquiao KO Lelhohonohlo Ledwaba (2001)

June 23, 2001; Las Vegas, USA – Pacquiao’s first fought in the United States as a quick replacement against then IBF super bantamweight champion Lelhohonohlo Ledwaba (33-1-1). This bout also marked the beginning of the Pacquiao-Roach relationship. In the fight, the skillful and more talented Ledwaba was simply overwhelmed by the Filipino’s combination of aggression, speed, and raw punching power. Pacquiao’s decked the South African in the second round, and followed up with barrages of power punches and lightning fast combinations. Ledwaba was finally knocked down again in the sixth after getting tagged with a powerful left. Shortly after, Pacquiao knocked him out.

Pacquiao TKO Jorge Eliecer Julio (2002)

July 8, 2002; Memphis, USA – In his second title defense of the IBF super bantamweight title, Pacquiao demolished Jorge Julio (44-3) inside two rounds.  Julio, a notable boxer with more than decent punching power, was no match for the blinding speed and tenacity of Pacquiao, who was improving under the tutelage of Roach. Julio went down twice in the second round and was getting chopped with another barrage from Pacquiao when the referee called a halt to the bout.

Pacquiao TKO Marco Antonio Barrera (2003)

Nov. 15, 2003; San Antonio, Texas – Pacquiao went up against the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera (57-3) in the former’s first fight as a featherweight. In a very action-packed, seesaw slugfest between two aggressive fighters, Barrera displayed more technical flair. However, Pacquiao’s tenacity and Barrera’s willingness to engage gave the Filipino the upper hand. As the fight wore on, Pacquiao’s power punches and combinations took a toll on Barrera, leaving him too weak to battle in the 9th round. But the Mexican prodded on until the 11th round when Barrera’s corner threw the towel after seeing their man helpless and totally battered in the face of a Pacquiao onslaught.

Pacquiao Draw Juan Manuel Marquez (2004)

May 8, 2004; Las Vegas – In a fight that would end in a controversial draw, Pacquiao started strong and hammered Juan Manuel Marquez (42-2) three times to the canvas in the first round. With many people sensing a Pacquiao victory, the tide was suddenly turned when Marquez, a brilliant counterpuncher, would stage a comeback and win most of the following rounds. Although the fight was declared a draw, one judge revealed that he made an error on the scorecards that would have given Pacquiao victory. Judge Burt Clements scored the first round 10-7 for Pacquiao when it should have been 10-6. Two judges scored the bout 115-110, with one judge favoring one fighter over the other.

Erik Morales UD Pacquiao (2005)

March 19, 2005; Las Vegas – In a classic battle that deserves a spot in the boxing’s records, Mexico’s Erik Morales (47-2) finally put a halt to Pacquiao’s string of victories over Mexican fighters. Morales efficiently used the ring and outbox a very game but obviously overmatched Pacquiao, who struggled to land his blows on the Mexican. The fight revealed that Pacquiao is solely dependent on his left hand, which prompted coach Roach to train Pacquiao to use his right hand as major offensive weapon. Ten months later, Pacquiao and Morales met again and in a very exciting bout, Pacquiao avenged his loss with 10th round knockout. They met again in 2007, with Pacquiao finishing the series with a TKO in the 3rd round.

Pacquiao UD Oscar Larios (2006)

Aug. 2, 2006; Manila, Philippines – Pacquiao never took Oscar Larios (56-5-1) seriously. But Larios proved that he was not just some bum by starting out strong and nailed Pacquiao with powerful combinations that had him pressed against the ropes. Pacquiao was able to recover and turned the tables when his punches created a gash over Larios’s left eye. The fight went the distance, with Larios going down in the 7th and 12th rounds. Larios was gracious in defeat and acknowledged Pacquiao’s greatness in the ring.

Pacquiao KO Jorge Solis (2007)

April 13, 2007; Texas, USA – Then undefeated Jorge Solis (32-0-2) challenged Pacquiao for the latter’s WBC Internetional Featherweight title, but was soundly defeated in eight rounds. The taller and lankier Solis had a good start, effectively using his jab to set his combinations. Pacquiao suffered a small cut under the left eyebrow in the 6th round when they accidentally butted the heads. Pacquiao sensed the urgency to finish the fight immediately, as the cut will bother him soon enough. In the 8th round, Pacquiao unleashed a torrent of punches that sent Solis to the canvas. Shortly after, Pacquiao knocked out Solis with a stinging left straight to the head.

Pacquiao TKO Oscar dela Hoya (2008)

Dec. 6, 2008; Las Vegas – When Oscar dela Hoya was left with no Floyd Mayweather for a rematch, he challenged Pacquiao in a welterweight showdown. Prior to the fight, many boxing pundits viewed that Pacquiao was way out of his league, citing the obvious physical advantages Dela Hoya possessed. However, speed and extreme movement negated all advantages Dela Hoya had. The Golden Boy was getting peppered with lead lefts and his face was at the end of a brutal punishment. With his ward taking a beating without fighting back, trainer Nacho Beristain pleaded Oscar to quit, which he did at the end of the 8th round.

Pacquiao KO Ricky Hatton (2009)

May 2, 2009; Las Vegas – in a fight that showed a very well-rounded and greatly improved Pacquiao, the Filipino proved to be more than a match for Britain’s Ricky Hatton (45-1). Pacquiao used Hatton’s own aggression, tagging the Brit with right hooks every time Hatton charges in. Hatton was downed twice in the 1st round and seemed he recovered in the second round when Pacquiao let loose a left hook that landed on Hatton’s chin and knocked him out cold. It took awhile before Hatton regained consciousness. Hatton’s career has been in a limbo since.

Within the past decade, Pacquiao became the only boxer ever to win seven titles in as many weight classes and the only fighter who have four lineal championships to his name. He may have been defeated, but like all true champions before him, Pacquiao understood that from defeat, lessons are learned and through those lessons, an individual acquires the blueprint to be better.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MANNY PACQUIAO FOR BEING NAMED FIGHTER OF THE DECADE (2000-2009)!

Fresh News From NFL and MLB

The list of the NFL undrafted free agents is rapidly growing. It is quite hard for team managements to sign players that, though skillful, are viewed as liabilities than assets. The San Francisco 49ers are also having a hard time to look at their list to see who would eventually become a part of their team and who would get the boot.

Here is a comprehensive list of the 49ers undrafted players:

Shay Hodge, WR, Ole Miss

Scott Long, WR, Louisville

Chris Maragos, S, UW

Patrick Stoudamire, DB, W. Illinois

Jared Perry, WR, Missouri

Jarrett Brown, QB, WVU Le

LeRoy Vann, KR, FAMU

Mike Balogun, LB, Oklahoma

Tramaine Brock, DB, Belhaven

Keaton Kristick, OLB, Oregon State

On the baseball field, the Tampa Bay Rays gave the New York Yankees a quick yet clinical but brash dose of some good old baseball action. Those whose handicaps have cost them more than a dime, it is high time they calculate their odds using a baseball whip.

The Tampa Bay victory over the Yankees has definitely altered the universal Odds to win the World Series. Coming in highly favored against the Rays, the New York Yankees may have lost a slight of its edge en route to the World Series. But it would be foolish to discount the Yankees.

That said, the Rays were blazing hot; filling the bases and stealing points and hitting home runs. Simply put, the Rays’ five-man rotation is unbeatable and New York Yankees basically fell prey to the Rays.

Odds say the Rays will be in the World Series. Who’s there to argue?

Pacquiao is still #1

A lot of people have been making a big fuss over the recent remodification Yahoo! Sports has made (read: Kevin Iole) on their pound-for-pound rankings. While this writer never really wanted to join in on the mix, a number of people have sent their questions with regards to the issue and would like to hear the thoughts of yours truly. So in view of a large public demand (more or less 6 people), here are my two cents.

The pound-for-pound list is a glorified catalogue ranking the best fighters of today if they were in their prime and of the same size, height, weight, and reach. Aside from abilities and overall boxing skills, the quality of opposition is also scrutinized and how they won against their opponents is also looked at very closely.

The top dog remains the top dog until he is either beaten, retires, or somebody from another division has outperformed him. As for the case of Floyd Mayweather, who was the holder of the P4P throne until he semi-retired in 2007, he was (still is) on the top of his game and was undefeated. His feats inside the ring and the quality of opponents he fought (Castillo, Gatti, Judah, Dela Hoya, and Hatton) and the way he defeated them are stuff of legend to say the least.

But the vacuum he created after going into a 2-year layoff was quickly filled by Manny Pacquiao, the consensus #2. Pacquiao started his run with a split decision victory over archrival Juan Manuel Marquez and along the way, bested former Mayweather foes Dela Hoya and Ricky Hatton in a much devastating fashion, and defeated two top welterweights, Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey. Pacquiao also achieved two difficult feats within the same period – to become the first boxer to win seven titles in seven different weight divisions and the only fighter with four lineal (the man who beat the man) championships under his belt.

In contrast, Mayweather only fought twice since his return. Those two bouts are not enough to catapult him to the top rankings. For one, Mayweather fought an aging lightweight champion in Juan Manuel Marquez. Virtually, Marquez was not just a bloated fighter at welterweight; he was slower, sluggish, and obviously smaller than Money May. Add to the mix is the fact that Mayweather went two pounds over the catch weight agreement and opted to keep them instead and pay the penalty.

Simply put, despite the boxing clinic Mayweather put on Marquez, you cannot really credit Money May if you look at it pound for pound.

Mayweather’s victory over Shane Mosley is much more different despite the latter’s advance in age. Mosley is the lineal champion at welterweight (the division where they fought) and coming off from a knockout victory over then much feared Antonio Margarito over a year ago. Mosley was a real threat and he showed it on the second round. Mayweather’s domination of Mosley thereafter showed how truly great Mayweather is. The victory also gave Mayweather the lineal championship, whether he acknowledges that or not.

But one has to wonder, since you can’t count the Marquez victory, does the Mosley win really enough to overtake Pacquiao? Quite simply, no.

Pacquiao’s the top dog until he is either beaten, retires, or somebody from another division outperforms him in terms of the quality of opponents and the fashion of their victories.

Enough said.

Nowitzki, Artest Make West an Interesting Playoffs Pool

The first round of the NBA playoffs showcased a lot of great moments for the stellar and non-stellar players alike. Dallas Mavericks, in their first meeting against their bitter rivals, the San Antonio Spurs, did came out with a bang as the Mavs went on to score 100-94. But more impressive is the 32-year old Dirk Nowitzki. The German-born NBA superstar made all but two of his 14 attempts at the basket and never missed any of his 12 free throws.

But do expect the Spurs to rally with a strong comeback, as they always do. If basketball is an everyday affair, it might be best that fans get their NBA tickets as early as possible. The Spurs and the Mavericks are just a couple of the best reason why they should.

On the same conference, Ron Artest displayed a shade of Dennis Rodman when he shut down Oklahoma Thunder’s scoring leader, Kevin Durant. In a very imposing play of basketball defense, Artest held Durant so good that the latter only scored 7 out of 24 shots. If this goes any further, expect the Lakers to start another title run.

Three Bucks Say Mosley Will Win

A number of people are not giving Shane Mosley much of a chance to win in his upcoming bout against former world champion and pound-for-pound Floyd Mayweather, Jr. From the common men in the streets to the gurus of the sport, majority says that Mosley just don’t have it to beat Mayweather.

One of those people is Freddie Roach, mentor of seven-division champion Manny Pacquiao.

“I think Mayweather would outbox him. I think Mayweather would win that fight. It’s a very competitive, good fight,” the four-time BWAA Trainer of the Year recipient said. But he also made clear that he wants Mosley to win.

Roach would go on and say that Mosley prefers to have his opponents come to him and not the other way around. Against Mayweather, Mosley is expected to do the opposite. And chasing Mayweather has its pitfalls for the pursuer.

No matter how boring Mayweather’s style of boxing is, he has won all his 40 bouts. Mosley seeks to end that streak. A herculean task for the third boxer to be endowed with the moniker “Sugar,” but Mosley can get the job done. Chances may be slim, but he can probably pull an upset and then square off with the other top dog of the welterweight division, Pacquiao.

Shane Mosley is the first elite welterweight Money May will face. 

If people would really think about it, the last time Mayweather fought against a legitimate welter was almost four years ago, against Carlo Baldomir. And while Baldomir is a true welterweight, he is not and will never be in the top echelon of the said division.

If you look at Mosley, the guy is not a mere paper titleholder of the house, he is the MAN. Whether you have Pacquiao in the top spot at welterweight, Mosley is the lineal champion and that alone is a clear indication of how elite he is.

As far as skills are concerned, Mosley may not be overwhelmingly gifted in contrast with his next opponent, but he has the power, the experience, and the physical attributes to make it an interesting matchup.

Shane Mosley is the hungrier of the two. 

Both boxers say they are out to fight with the best. Of this, only Mosley can backup with his resume. He has fought a prime Oscar Dela Hoya, Vernon Forrest, Fernando Vargas, Miguel Cotto, and Antonio Margarito (who was avoided by many prior to the controversial hand wraps issue). After the Margarito bout, no one seemed to want to share the ring with him.

The long absence from the ring has no doubt added fuel to his hunger of proving that he is still the best and his record shows that he is more than willing to fight with the best. If hunger is a huge motivation, Mosley will destroy Mayweather for sure.

Shane’s age will come in to play. 

At 38 years old, Mosley is no doubt in the twilight of his career and is seeking a few more fights to notch on his belt. Many would say that his skills have eroded through the years and the long layoff will certainly affect his performance on May 1st. That said, it would be so wrong to write Mosley off because of his age.

When he fought Margarito last year, many boxing analysts assumed that his age will put him at a big disadvantage. Mosley, old as he may be, did not look like a 37-year old when he pummeled the Mexican into submission. If history does repeat itself, it may very well on May 1st.

If Mayweather thinks he is fighting an old man, he might be in for a surprise.

Taken from 8 Count News.

My First Pair of (Pseudo)Basketball Shoes

I am a basketball nut since my childhood years, which pretty much explains my fascination for basketball shoes, especially Jordans. But I have never amassed any collection of sneakers, as much as I consider myself a sneakers aficionado.

Back when I was a child, my dad really pushed me to be a tennis player. He would bring me along every time he plays (or not, as long as his destination is our local tennis court). While my dad really tried to rub the tennis gusto on me, basketball had the more gravitational pull as far as sports is concerned. He even bought me a complete tennis set, racquets, shoes, and all, in a failed attempt to lure me in his preferred sport.

On the other hand, I was getting much better at basketball and when I was 11 years old, I entered my first basketball tournament. Of course, like any kid would have done, I asked my dad if he could get me a pair of basketball shoes (to be specific, I asked for the one with the star on the logo).

Being the supportive father he is, my dad did get me a pair of crazy kicks.

A pair of low-cut, vintage, classic, black Robertson sneakers.

One could only imagine the embarrassment I was to feel during game time, considering the way I bragged about me getting the pair that I wanted.

So I paraded and played, and went on to be one of the leading scorers that day. That alone would have made my day. But when I got home, I got a big surprise that I would never forget – my dad bought me the pair I wanted right after the game.

We went on to become third best team in our category in that particular tournament.

New Orleans Saints' Defense Crucial Against Manning

New Orleans Saints are looking good and are a strong candidate to win 2010's Super Bowl. Saints' head coach Sean Payton may display and unusual calm as he leads his team to their first ever Super Bowl appearance, but do not be misguided. He will drive this team to victory.

And before you start making your Super Bowl Prop Bets on the New Orleans, know that they have the finest record with a 13-3 run at the NFC, which is capped with a title. Expect QBs Drew Brees and Mark Brunell to really get the thing going for the Saints. Confidence is pretty much going on for them after an impressive run at the NFC.

While odd makers are not keen on giving the Saints some slack despite of their notable stint, expect the Super Bowl Odds to change slightly to their favor as the countdown to Super Bowl continues.

The obvious underdog this coming Super Bowl, the Saints will face stiff and hardened competition against the Indianapolis Colts and its star QB Peyton Manning. The Saints will want to heavily depend on their defense to push Payton Manning to make errors in the game. And the Saints absolutely have the capability to force and pressure the QB to fumble the ball and turn the tide to their favor.

When the talks for the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather ended over the issue of Olympic-style random blood testing, many boxing fans and writer included, got disappointed.

No other fight has the gravity of the matchup between the current Pound-for-Pound king and the former holder of the throne since the times of Sugar Ray Leonar, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Roberto Duran.

It is quite easy to see why fans would want this fight and why the sport of boxing needs this mega bout to happen.

But with the drug testing issue effectively halting the negotiations, Lady Luck has opened great windows of opportunities that are certainly a treat times two for those who follow the sport.

After the failed negotiations with Mayweather and his side, Pacquiao’s camp moved on and quickly found a replacement in tough welterweight Joshua Clottey. Ghana’s face of boxing and former IBF welterweight champion Clottey is certainly a no pushover and does present a tough challenge for the reigning WBO welterweight champion.

It may not be a huge seller compared to a fight that bills Pacquiao and Mayweather, but this proves that Pacquiao takes on all comers and the best available boxer at the time was Clottey. It is utterly pointless to bring in the names of Yuri Foreman, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Paulie Malignaggi as quick substitutes.

The possibility that the Pacquiao-Clottey fight will sell big is huge, despite the lack of popularity points by the Ghana native. One major reason is they will be fighting in the Cowboys Stadium. That and the fact that Pacquiao got a free publicity boost from former US President George W. Bush.

That said, a greater fight looms over the horizon. It is not yet a done deal, but it is the next best thing to a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown. WBC welterweight titlist Andre Berto withdrew from his face-off with Shane Mosley after tragedy struck Haiti, his home country. Berto lost several members of his family after a killer earthquake devastated Haiti and its people.

With Berto’s withdrawal, cruel as it may seem, has left a sweet offering for boxing fans worldwide. Berto left a void that only Mayweather could fill and may be the opportunity he needs to get the respect he wanted for so long.

A possible collision between Mayweather and WBA welterweight boss and the division’s lineal champion Shane Mosley is almost as great and as big as a fight with Pacquiao. From every perspective, this is Mayweather’s ticket out of the blood testing mess and all that cherry-picking allegations and Mosley’s trail to a huge payday before he announces his probable retirement.

So while the boxing world may never get the fight they want, at least for the time being, we are treated to a sort of elimination tournament in the welterweight house. Four of the world’s best welterweights will clash for supremacy and recognition in the welterweight division.

The winner of Pacquiao-Clottey can set a huge stage of a boxing match with the victor of Mayweather-Mosley. And if that happens, it will be a huge shake up in the welterweight standings. For starters, two major belts will be unified (WBA and WBO). Second, the lineal championship is at stake. Third, there is a big chance that the pound-for-pound rankings will alter should Pacquiao lose to either Clottey or the winner of Mosley-Mayweather.

And all these can happen in a span of less than two months after The Event.

Can it get any better than this?

Top Three NFL PLayers Entering 2010

Tony Romo, Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys. Romo never ended his impressive streak through the final stretch of the season, capping his total output with a 24-of-34 for 311 yards and a couple of touchdowns and perhaps an entry to the NFL Playoff Brackets. Consequently, Romo's performance ratings havebeen over 1000 for the five of the last six weeks. For critics who have been shouting "Romo can't win when it counts!" are served with the Silence Pie.

Jamaal Charles, Running Back, Kansas City Chiefs. That's the type of unprecedented football madness that will make next year's fantasy football draft boards and the NFL Playoff Schedule a bit different. Charles went berserk (and lucky) versus the Broncos yesterday, gaining the rarely done 10-yards-per-carry average on a day when he cap his game with 25 carries. He topped it all with 259 yards,totalling his coverage over 1,000 yards for the season in a year where he was not able to average more than six carries a game until they hit Week 10. That's sick.

Derrick Johnson, Linebacker, Kansas City Chiefs. Two Chiefs? That's correct, two Chiefs made the top three. Johnson intercepted Kyle Orton TWICE, and deliver them both to the flush for six. Or maybe it was twelve,. Defensive players who are capable of scoring are rare gems and he is no exception, which makes him a very strong candidate for the MVP.