| #13 Sun Devils Play Host to Wildcats in 81st Duel in the Desert
TEMPE, Ariz. - After suffering a 44-24 loss to USC on Thanksgiving, Arizona State hopes to bounce back against its in-state rival Arizona in the battle for the Territorial Cup. ASU enters the contest 9-2, 6-2 in Pac-10 play. Arizona is 5-6, 4-4 in conference play after a 34-24 win over Oregon on Nov. 15. ON THE AIR
The Sun Devil Sports Network will carry all 12 of ASU's football games live on its 10-station radio network, including flagship station Sports 620 KTAR AM. Tim Healey (play-by-play) and former Sun Devil quarterback Jeff Van Raaphorst (color analyst) will call the action. LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION
ESPN2 will televise the Duel in the Desert to a national audience. Mark Jones will handle play-by-play while Bob Davie will serve as color analyst. Stacey Dales will patrol the sidelines.
Six FC Thun players accused of having sex with minor
THUN: Swiss authorities on Tuesday accused six current and three former FC Thun soccer players of having sexual relations with a minor. Five other individuals, who are not soccer players, also have been accused, the office of the investigating magistrate of the Bernese Alps said. Most of the suspects acknowledged they had sexual relations with the girl, the magistrates office said. The accusations opened a formal case against the individuals, after police of canton (state) Bern last week temporarily arrested a dozen FC Thun players and others on suspicion of having sex with a 15-year-old girl. Under Swiss law, the action formally opened criminal proceedings against the suspects. Should the prosecutor then conclude there is sufficient evidence, formal charges could be brought. Authorities identified none of the men by name, in line with Swiss privacy laws.
England's McClaren given boot
England has the wealthiest soccer league in the world, with matches screened across the globe and business tycoons from the United States, Russia and Asia lining up to own the clubs. So why can't England put 11 Englishmen on the field to succeed on the international level? Steve McClaren became the latest coach to pay the price Thursday, getting fired after England's 3-2 loss Wednesday at home to Croatia meant the team failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championship. While the likes of World Cup champion Italy, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Portugal will be out to try to take the title away from Greece, England's stars — including David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen — will have to watch the games on TV. The Football Association now has plenty of time to search for a coach who can lift the nation credited with establishing the modern game to the same level.
Hectic schedule delights Gunter
Cardiff and Wales defender Chris Gunter is delighted to get his season back on track after four games in nine days. The full-back, 18, had been struggling for a place at Ninian Park before impressing in Wales' draws with the Republic of Ireland and Germany. He then returned to the Bluebirds side for Saturday's vital win over Ipswich and Monday's 0-0 draw at Leicester. "It's been unbelievable, I didn't expect to play for Wales then to get back for Cardiff was superb," he said. .
Published November 29, 2007 Hooping it up: Over 400 kids sign up for recreation league basketball but high numbers ...
As a record-breaking soccer season winds down for the Pickens Recreation Department, another season gets ready to hit high gear with 440 boys and girls ready to play basketball this winter.
With soccer leagues ending in early November for all but All-Star players, basketball players and coaches are already in full swing with practices at area schools.
Recreation Department Director Greg Walker said the county had 300 soccer players this year, comprising 27 teams ranging in age from four to 14.
"We’ve had success at the (soccer) playoffs," Walker said. "We sent five All-star teams, and our Under-12 girls were in the finals and the Under-10 kids in the semi-finals. For being so late starting a soccer program, we’re really starting to make some noise at the district level.
TV-RADIO NOTEBOOK: NFL is very fortunate how schedule plays out
In the spirit of this holiday season, let us resolve to take NFL commissioner Roger Goodell at his word regarding the eight-game NFL Network schedule that began Thursday night with the Colts-Falcons. That means we will stipulate to Goodell's assurances that the NFL did not rig the schedule to ensure the league-owned network would have attractive matchups and, more importantly, games it could employ to apply maximum pressure on cable carriers that don't carry the service, such as Time Warner, Charter and Cablevision. And so, given that assumption, we are left to conclude that the NFL this season is not conniving, merely fortunate. Next Thursday, NFL Network will air Packers-Cowboys, a potential preview of the NFC title game. The game will air on over-the-air TV in the teams' home cities but not in some of their most important secondary markets � among them Waco, Austin and San Antonio, all serviced by Time Warner Cable, and Madison, Wis., a Charter Cable market.
Balanced schedule on NHL agenda
The NHL owners have a busy agenda as they gather this week in picturesque Pebble Beach, Calif., but they'll still find time to squeeze in a little golf. The annual two-day board of governors meeting, the most important of the year, goes tomorrow and Friday and should finally bring about a new format for the schedule. It means every team will play one another starting next season. "There's quite a large sentiment for change," said Edmonton Oilers president and CEO Patrick LaForge. Other main items on this week's agenda include: - A vote on the sale of the Predators to a local group in Nashville. - A thorough discussion of the on-ice product. Scoring is down, but what should be done? - A look at the finances, including last season's final numbers and an early season projection on this season's revenue figures.
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