| Pele: England lacks good players
Pele believes England is too quick to blame its managers for underachieving - instead of admitting that the soccer-mad country is starved of talent.
The national team's only significant triumph remains the 1966 World Cup, which it hosted, and is now in danger of missing its first major tournament since the 1994 World Cup after last month's defeat in Russia maintained a patchy qualifying campaign for the European Championship.
Manager Steve McClaren, fighting for his future after 15 months at the helm, needs Israel to deny Russia three points on November 17 and for his team to beat Croatia four days later at Wembley.
"England has few very good players," three-time World Cup winner Pele said on Wednesday.
"When those players get injured in a tough, long tournament they don't have a player to replace them - that is the big problem in England.
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.
Harvard bends but won’t break
BOSTON - Statistics can always be analyzed and proved, but they don't always tell an accurate story.The numbers suggest that Harvard University's hockey team, for instance, must have left this year's trademark defense back at the Bright Center when it hopped the bus for Tuesday night's game at Boston University.The Crimson, who'd allowed only six goals in their first six games, were outshot, 16-4, in the first period, 12-4 in the third, 40-20 for the game.And they won on Doug Rogers' overtime goal, 2-1.��Certainly, there were periods in the game where we were under a lot of pressure,'' Harvard coach Ted Donato said after his team improved its record to 5-2 by winning its first game outside the ECAC. ��(But) our defense did a pretty good job. I thought a lot of their shots were from the perimeter, and we didn't allow them a lot of second and third opportunities, even when they did get shots.''Terriers coach Jack Parker, his team 3-7-2 this season, all but dismissed the statistics as a mirage - meaning he agreed with Donato.��This is phony stuff here,'' Parker said, peering at the final stats.
Teams will study what Eagles did against Patriots
Maybe a little too much. To be certain, the Eagles' strategy on both sides of the ball did plenty to disrupt the Patriots and nearly resulted in one of the greatest upsets in NFL history. To be certain, the teams left on the Pats' schedule and those they could face in the postseason have a great deal to ponder in reviewing all that the Eagles did to make for a long and unnerving night for Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and everyone else in Patriot Nation. But of those clubs, which are capable of generating the same relentless blitz pressure that the Eagles did on Brady, while playing man-to-man coverage, and control the ball by mainly attacking the middle of the field through the air as A.J. Feeley did so effectively? Not many. The Baltimore Ravens, who face the Patriots in Week 13 on Monday Night Football, have some talented linebackers who can blitz well, but their banged-up and inconsistent secondary could easily be overwhelmed by one of the most talented groups of receivers in the league.
FootballGenerals.com Debuts Weekly Pro Football Head Coach Rankings - Belichick, Dungy, Phillips at Top After Week 12
Statistically, the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick has been the best coach in professional football this year, according to the website FootballGenerals.com. Launched today, FootballGenerals provides the only statistical, weekly rankings of NFL head coaches, along with coach-related news. .
Canadian Olympic athletes to be paid for medal wins
Canadian athletes that reach the podium at any future Olympic Games will be financially compensated up to $20,000 per medal, officials said Monday. The new Athlete Excellence Fund was announced in Ottawa by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC). Canadian athletes will receive $20,000 per gold medal won at any Olympic Games, said the COC. Silver winners will be compensated $15,000 per medal and bronze winners will earn $10,000. "We've had a program of subsidizing athletes in the past but we've never recognized the medal wins with specific dollars," COC president Michael Chambers told CTV Newsnet on Monday. He said countries like the U.S., Australia, England, France and Spain already give their athletes money if they win at the Olympics.
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