| 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.
Monday’s national sports time schedule
FOOTBALL
NFL
Miami at Pittsburgh, 8:30 p.m. BASKETBALL
NBA
Utah at New York, 7:30 p.m.
Minnesota at New Orleans, 8 p.m.
Washington at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Orlando at Portland, 10 p.m.
San Antonio at Sacramento, 10 p.m.
Phoenix at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.
Houston at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m. .
Little Niki's all grown up; Colts scoring leader 'in love with the sport again', and it shows
For a fan favourite, the Barrie Colts' Vladimir Nikiforov seems to take himself pretty seriously. It's not really a bad thing, though. After all, the speedy winger will be the first to tell you goofing off isn't exactly a great resume-builder for a major junior hockey player looking to take his game to the next level. Following a stellar first season with the Colts in 2005-06 that garnered the one they call 'Niki' an invite to the Dallas Stars rookie camp, things unravelled a bit, Nikiforov said. "After the first year, I was invited to the Stars camp, and I think I let it get to my head a bit," said the Lithuanian-born Long Island native, who amassed 55 points in the follow-up to his rookie campaign. "Things didn't end up working out, and last year I screwed around a lot.
Rivermen weekly
THIRD ANNUAL TEDDY BEAR TOSS NIGHT! The Rivermen invite everyone to bring a new or gently-used teddy bear to the game on Friday night and throw it on the ice when the Rivermen score so that less-fortunate children in the Peoria area can have a brighter Christmas. Firefighters Local 50 will be spearheading the bear collection this year and distributing the toys in time for the Holidays. Wrap your toy in a plastic bag to keep the moisture off its fur! Pucks 'N' Purses Night will take place on Friday as well, with local businesses setting up a female-oriented expo in the Civic Center halls just in time for holiday gift ideas and shopping tips - right guys? **nudge, nudge, wink, wink** If your business is interesting in having a table at the game, call Katie Kerr at (309) 680-3791 for more information.
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.
Coaches, players excited about Pete Hanna Center
Samford University unveiled its new $32 million Pete Hanna Center to the media on Wednesday and it was hard to tell who was happiest - the two basketball coaches who now have a state-of-the-art facility to recruit to, the athletics director who has a showcase for the program, or women's shooting guard Megan Wilderotter. "We have a bathroom in our locker room," said Wilderotter, a junior from New Orleans. "I know that sounds really weird, because most locker rooms should have bathrooms, but we didn't have one at Seibert. "The locker room is like quadrupled in size. I personally love Seibert, but now that we have this - it's great." The facility, which is scheduled to be open for its first athletics events on Monday at 5:30 for a women's and men's basketball exhibition doubleheader, features 5,000 chair-back seats on two levels.
Top Scoops
Historic outcome of the national election held on Saturday the November 24, 2007 shows that the Australian nation decided to emerge a new era of Australian politics. More than eleven years old John Howard’s government which considered as strong and stable has been cast off by the people of Australia with clear majority. The political career of Australia's second-longest serving Prime Minister, John Howard has been finally ended. Provided the postal votes, to be announced in couple of days, don’t change the current statistics, John Howard would loose his own seat of bennelong, New South Wales which he held since 1974. The well-known Australian journalist Ms. Maxine McKew who is a new recruit to Australian Labor Party is about to write a historical defeat for John Howard in a close context.
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.
|
