It has been nearly seven years since Curtis Martin last put on a helmet for the New York Jets. Martin of course was acquired as a free agent in 1997 from the bitter rival New England Patriots. This was the last time New York had an elite running back. LaDainian Tomlinson really does not count [...]
Just when things were finally starting to look up for the New Jersey Devils, they were hit with yet another large injury to try and overcome. This one could sting even worse to the one to Martin Brodeur. The Devils will be without Ilya Kovalchuk for at least two weeks, but potentially up to a month, with a shoulder [...]
The Milwaukee Brewers have named Logan Schafer to be the fourth outfielder on the 25-man roster. With that being said, is Schafer the right person for the job? Schafer will back up left fielder Ryan Braun, center fielder Carlos Gomez and right fielder Norichika Aoki. Unlike in years past, the Brewers have elected to start [...]
We have seen J.R. Smith develop this year into one of the top candidates for sixth man of the year. He will likely miss out on the award this year to Jordan Crawford. The reason for that development? You could point to Jason Kidd as a major factor in Smith’s development. Kidd has struggled shooting [...]
The Texas Longhorns will be trying to get their fans excited for the 2013 season by turning their spring football game into more of an event with the planned Texas Football Fan Fest. The festivities will begin around 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, March 30 when the team arrives at the northwest corner of Darryl K [...]
Unless you’ve been living under a rock this past weekend, you should be well aware of the fact that one of the four No. 1 seeds within the 2013 NCAA Tournament has already been eliminated. The Wichita State Shockers took care of business against No. 1 Gonzaga on Saturday, advancing to the Sweet 16 with a [...]
College basketball fans could not have asked for a better way to get their Sunday started when it comes to the 2013 NCAA Tournament as the Round of 32 matchup between Ohio State and Iowa State went down to the final seconds before Aaron Craft hit the game-winning three-point shot with .5 seconds left. The [...]
No. 7 San Diego State vs. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast Yes, you read those teams names correctly. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast advanced through to the third round, after not just shocking No. 2 Georgetown, but absolutely manhandling the Hoyas. The Eagles led by as much as 19 points in their win on Friday [...]
The Washington Nationals had their 2012 season end in devastating fashion, coming within one out of the NLCS before surrendering four runs and the series to the St. Louis Cardinals. Judging by their activity in the off-season, it appears as though Washington is determined to move forward. With a young core, this team has the [...]
Only four years after leaving Manchester United on a £80 million transfer, it appears that forward Cristiano Ronaldo could flip a 180 and rejoin the Red Devils this summer. According to reports, Ronaldo has been linked to rumors of a £55 million transfer that would reunite him with Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United. Before [...]
Watch Out for These Soccer Players in 2013
Think Soccer isn't a Big Deal in America? Don't Tell These Players That
Don't be Surprised if These EPL Players get Traded
Only a day after news broke that long-time defender Jamie Carragher would retire at season’s end, Liverpool has come to terms with fellow defender Martin Kelly on a long-term contract extension. The deal was announced by the club on Friday. With Carragher out of the picture moving forward, the Reds needed to lock down Kelly, [...]
Watch Out for These Soccer Players in 2013
Think Soccer isn't a Big Deal in America? Don't Tell These Players That
Don't be Surprised if These EPL Players get Traded
The relationship between Mario Balotelli and Manchester City has become volatile after the striker’s training ground disagreement with manager Roberto Mancini. It’s clear that a parting of ways needs to happen in order for both parties to begin the healing process. The only problem at this point is who will be willing to pay anything in the area of the £37 million that City is expecting in return.
Many believe that Balotelli is headed for AC Milan, who appear willing to do just about anything to bring the Serbian international aboard as they attempt to move up the Serie A table.
Balotelli recently served notice on his rented property in Alderley Edge, making many believe that he’s ready to find a new residence as he continues his soccer career elsewhere. According to reports, he has already moved his possessions out of the house, so the writing appears to be on the wall.
One way or another, Balotelli seems prepared to never play for the Blues again. He is moved out, there’s no mending ties with Mancini and has been mentioned as a target for Milan nonstop since the run-in between the two. By all appearances, Balotelli has clocked out and is just waiting for his ride out of town to show up.
It’s time for a change of scenery for Balotelli. Unfortunately, the huge price tag hanging over his neck could make moving him a challenge. If it’s not Milan, there are other teams who could use his skill set. Here’s a look at five clubs that could be in the market for Balotelli before the January transfer window closes.
Only six points away from relegation, Norwich City needs to make a big, blockbuster move if they want to make some sort of impact in the EPL. Even with the addition of Nottingham Forest keeper Lee Camp, the Canaries are still in desperate need of a ground-breaking move that will help them assert themselves as contenders. Adding a player like Balotelli would make that instant impact, but the price tag might be too big.
The Gunners have been struggling this season as they continue to lack firepower from the striker position. With Theo Walcott now secured for the long-term, it’s time for Arsene Wenger and Co. to turn their attention to making their front line more of a consistent threat. If all else fails for City, they could also look to unload Balotelli and his volatile character on Arsenal.
I find it hard to believe that City would be willing to send Balotelli to Old Trafford, but it might be their only option when it comes to financial terms. Manchester United has always been willing to spend big money in order to land talented players, especially if Sir Alex Ferguson sees them as a fitting piece to his ever-changing puzzle. The addition of Balotelli could also help dispel the belief that Robin van Persie is the Red Devils’ one-man show.
Only a few points behind Juventus on the Serie A table, Napoli are going to need an offensive boost with the potential transfer of striker Edinson Cavani looming in the not-so-distant future. Especially if Cavani makes the move, Napoli would have the pounds to add Balotelli into the mix and bring a new feel to the Serie A race. If they want a game-changer, Balotelli would definitely provide that.
As soon as Balotelli had his disagreement with Mancini, rumors began to swirl that the striker would be headed for Milan. The only thing standing in the way of him heading for No. 6 on the Serie A table is monetary compensation, as City is asking £37 million in return for his services. Milan is trying to move the pieces necessary to make this rumor a reality, and is considering selling Ignazio Abate in order to raise the extra cash. If City does move Balotelli, there’s a 99-percent chance it’ll be to Milan.
Gil Alcaraz IV is a Network Manager/NFL featured columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @GilAlcarazIV, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
Watch Out for These Soccer Players in 2013
Think Soccer isn't a Big Deal in America? Don't Tell These Players That
Don't be Surprised if These EPL Players get Traded
With only 16 games remaining in the current season, the EPL power rankings continue to shift around each week as teams ebb and flow through the year.
While the majority of the league is shifting and swapping spots, 19-time league champions Manchester United have stood strong at the top of table. With a record of 18-1-3, the Red Devils currently hold the No. 1 spot with 55 points, leading No. 2 Manchester City by seven points as they attempt to defend their 2012 EPL title.
Meanwhile, there are several teams sitting at the bottom of the table that could fall victim to relegation at the end of the year. Among the most likely to be headed down at season’s end are No. 20 Queens Park Rangers (14 points), No. 19 Reading (16 points) and No. 18 Aston Villa (19 points). Late-season surges from one or all of those three teams, though, could force other struggling clubs like Wigan Athletic (19 points) or Newcastle United (21 points) into relegation. Either way, three have to go.
With the January transfer window nearing a close, finding points every weekend will be critical for each one of the aforementioned clubs. Certain teams have gone out to land key acquisitions in hopes of giving themselves the boost they need to make a push up the table. Others, however, have stood by idly, hoping that their current talent pool would be enough.
There’s still plenty of time left for teams to make a move up or down the table. The difference between wins and losses will be as critical as ever. In the meantime, here are this week’s power rankings.
Plain and simple, Aston Villa needs to start scoring goals. They’re tied for last in the EPL in goals scored with 17 and can’t seem to get any sort of solid goaltending on the other side of the field. Not many expected relegation for the Lions at the beginning of the season, but fate apparently had other plans. They need a turnaround in a big hurry before it’s too late.
They didn’t win, but a draw against a tough Spurs team was enough to get QPR out of the bottom of the EPL power rankings. They showed some fight and kept Tottenham from netting a single goal despite their No. 4 standing. The Hoops are likely headed for relegation, but at least they aren’t going down without a fight.
The loss of Demba Ba is only going to do even more damage to this team as they continue to attempt a massive revival following their horrendous start to the season. Even with several transfer acquisitions, Newcastle is in a bad spot and will need a big late-season push to stay avoid relegation.
Despite their struggles and placement near the bottom of the EPL table, Wigan is definitely better than their record has shown so far this season. They continue to put up impressive performances, but can’t manage to land themselves in the win column consistently. The Latics have won only one of their last nine games, which could punch their ticket to relegation at season’s end.
With the help of Dimitar Berbatov, the Cottagers have fully found a way to start scoring consistent goals. They’re the top scorers throughout the bottom half of the table, and have the firepower to land in the win column more often than they are. If only they could find a way to play defense, too.
After a tough, hard-fought outing against Chelsea, Southampton is showing some late-season spunk and appears ready to do what it takes to keep themselves away from relegation. Considering how tough their season started, it’s promising to see that they’ve notched four straight draws. Wins are what will save them, though.
Reading scored a much-needed 3-2 victory last weekend over West Brom as they attempt to keep themselves alive and away from relegation. They might still be three points away from 17th place on the EPL table, but the Royals are now on the right path and have a little bit of confidence heading into the latter part of the season.
The other half of last weekend’s biggest disappointment, Norwich is limping towards the finish line after an outstanding start that included wins against Arsenal and Manchester United. Their biggest issue at this point in the season is a lack of scoring, which isn’t helped by the fact that they appear uninterested in making a transfer window acquisition. It seems like they’ve settled for mediocrity.
Injuries and rough patches have been real sore thumbs for the Hammers this season. They ended a four-game winless streak with a victory on New Year’s Day, but followed that up with a recent 3-0 slaughter at the hands of a surging Sunderland team. It hasn’t been an easy year for West Ham, and it likely won’t get any easier.
Imagine if Jon Walters could score for his own team the way he scores for others. After he scored two own goals on the way to a 4-0 thrashing courtesy of Chelsea, Stoke City is wondering whether they’ll ever find some sort of offensive production this season. They’ve scored the second-least amount of goals this season and are headed for a disappointing finish on the year.
A surprising loss to Reading has West Brom wondering where their headed as the end of season comes into their line of sight. Despite sitting in a good spot at No. 7 on the EPL table, injuries are wearing this team thin, which could keep them from making a legitimate push for the Top 4.
It’s already bad enough that one of the EPL’s top clubs is so far outside of the Top 4. To make matters worse, they just lost a completely winnable game against Manchester United and are now that much closer to watching this season go to waste.
On top of pulling off a dominant 3-0 win over West Ham on Saturday, Sunderland is finally playing like a team and appears ready to make a late-season run. Not that they have a legitimate chance at making the Top 4, but at least they’re landing Abdou Mangane on loan to bring a certain physicality to the defense.
The long-term signing of Theo Walcott is a huge get for the Gunners, who need an extra surge as the end of the season draws near. It’ll be even bigger if the club can land someone like Edinson Cavani via the transfer window. Arsenal has been having some mid-season struggles, but could easily push for a Top 4 finish if they can string together some wins.
It’s been quite a while since Swansea has seen the losing end of a match, having ending four of their five last games in a draw. Since Michu’s return, everything seems to be clicking as they continue to move up the table and towards a stronger finish in the final EPL standings.
At this point, the Spurs are still in the Top 4. That, however, could change soon if this slump continues much longer. Coming off of a disappointing draw with QPR, Tottenham needs to get the ball rolling before Everton takes over that final coveted spot near the top of the EPL table.
Everton put up a strong fight against Swansea City this past weekend, but couldn’t muster a goal as the match ended in a draw. Only three points behind the slumping Spurs, this could be a golden opportunity for the Toffees to get into the Top 4. The biggest concern at this point is getting actual wins, seeing as Everton has more draws (10) than wins (nine) on the season.
After picking up a huge 4-0 victory over Stoke City last weekend, Chelsea is riding a huge wave of momentum as the season surges on. Frank Lampard is taking care of business amidst transfer rumors and is making the most of his time with the Blues. Albeit being against a middle-of-the-road team like Stoke, it was another big win for Chelsea that should keep them in the hunt for the title.
The other Manchester team and reigning champions aren’t willing to let the EPL powerhouse run away with yet another league title. They’ve only been a step or two behind Manchester United all season long and kept themselves in the running with a resounding victory over Arsenal this past weekend.
Another notch in the win column and another three points keeps the Red Devils atop the EPL standings – shocking right? Sir Alex Ferguson has his players running on all cylinders and plenty of things in the works as we get into the meat of the January transfer window. With the way this team is playing, I don’t see anyone putting together a strong enough run to steal the league title in 2013.
Make sure to follow Gil Alcaraz IV on Twitter and like him on Facebook.
Watch Out for These Soccer Players in 2013
Think Soccer isn't a Big Deal in America? Don't Tell These Players That
Don't be Surprised if These EPL Players get Traded
Time is running out for Arsenal to make an impact move during the January transfer window, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have a few options already in their crosshairs. One potential target that the Gunners have been linked to is Napoli striker Edinson Cavani. Before Arsenal shows any real interest in Cavani, though, [...]
Watch Out for These Soccer Players in 2013
Think Soccer isn't a Big Deal in America? Don't Tell These Players That
Don't be Surprised if These EPL Players get Traded
The race for Loic Remy is finally over. Queens Park Rangers have won the derby to acquire the services of Remy from Marseille, signing the striker to a four-year deal that is expected to pay him anywhere from £80,000 to £110,000 per week. Newcastle United appeared to have outlasted the tug-of-war for Remy before QPR [...]
Watch Out for These Soccer Players in 2013
Think Soccer isn't a Big Deal in America? Don't Tell These Players That
Don't be Surprised if These EPL Players get Traded
The Los Angeles Galaxy won the MLS Cup in 2012, and should be favorites to do so again in 2013 if they can finish the offseason as strong as they’ve started it. The latest push for a back-to-back-to-back run for the Galaxy came on Wednesday in the form of striker Robbie Keane signing a new, [...]
Watch Out for These Soccer Players in 2013
Think Soccer isn't a Big Deal in America? Don't Tell These Players That
Don't be Surprised if These EPL Players get Traded
Arsenal and manager Arsene Wenger aren’t ready to rest on their laurels this season. Despite the fact that the Gunners are in the process of signing forward Theo Walcott to a new, long-term deal, they still have their sights set on making a move during the January transfer window that could help them make the [...]
Watch Out for These Soccer Players in 2013
Think Soccer isn't a Big Deal in America? Don't Tell These Players That
Don't be Surprised if These EPL Players get Traded
Since the January transfer window opened, Manchester United has found itself in the middle of more rumors than you’d expect from one team. When it comes to manager Six Alex Ferguson and Co., though, nothing is ever out of the question. The latest name that has been linked to the Red Devils is that of [...]
Watch Out for These Soccer Players in 2013
Think Soccer isn't a Big Deal in America? Don't Tell These Players That
Don't be Surprised if These EPL Players get Traded
Manchester United has become synonymous with scoring this season, but that doesn’t mean that manager Sir Alex Ferguson is satisfied with what his current roster has to offer. With the January transfer window wide open, the Red Devils are looking to make some moves to secure their position atop the EPL standings. One of those [...]
Watch Out for These Soccer Players in 2013
Think Soccer isn't a Big Deal in America? Don't Tell These Players That
Don't be Surprised if These EPL Players get Traded
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