Images: Philippa Grafton

The chance of an all Halifax College Cup final is still on after Halifax seconds brought James thirds’ heroic cup run to an end to progress to the semi-finals.

The sigh of relief from the Halifax players and support was audible as Elliot Ragan took advantage of James keeper Paul Charnock’s error to put his side 1-0 up and settle any thoughts of an upset on forty five minutes, left with the easiest of finishes after the Charnock fumbled a routine collection.

A tight game had seemed to be heading for stalemate before the error and it was a cruel blow for a side that had adjusted well to a more defensive style of play compared to their counter-attacking menace in the groups.

Before Ragan’s goal chances had been few and far between with Ben Rea skimming a post and Charnock forced into action after Luke Charles met Sam Dempster’s long throw and again to prevent a long-range Charlie Griffiths free kick.

Ragan’s impact would be felt again five minutes after his opener as he turned from goalscorer to provider. Despite there being a hint of offside in the build up, a wonderful run and pull back from the byline found Griffiths in stride to hammer the ball home and make it 2-0.

The second Halifax goal went some way to deflating their plucky James opponents who responded by throwing the big, goalscoring defender Nathan McCusker up top to cause a different kind of problem.

There was time for one more goal but despite James’ best efforts it was a third for Halifax as Craig Dean’s cross-come-shot squirmed its way in at the front post to leave it 3-0 to Harry Pearson’s seconds side.

Halifax’s joy was none more evident in the words of captain Harry Pearson ,“They sat deep and made it very difficult for us today” he said. “I’m pleased with the result and we’re looking forward to the next one”.

Despite the result, James captain Ruari Phillips praised his side’s guile and praised their workrate in the cup “They gave everything in every match, I couldn’t ask for anything more”. Pearson’s Halifax will go on to the face the winner of Thursday’s clash between Derwent firsts and Alcuin firsts in next week’s semi-final.

James thirds: Paul Charnock, Ruari Phillips, James Worthington, Nathan McCusker, Ben Li (Angel Sahi), Jack Fisher, Andrew Yates, Sam Clitheroe, Tom Prifti, Daniel Murfin (Graeme McSherry), Tim Green

Man of the Match: Ruari Phillips

Halifax seconds: Dean Hanson, Sam Dempster (Charlie Griffiths), Tom Patrickson, Alex Simon, Alex Bone, Ben Rea (Craig Dean), Luke Charles, Mark Lund, Alex Reid, Anton Ellis (Harry Pearson), Elliot Ragan

Man of the Match: Luke Charles

Halifax seconds were the team that everyone thought could crash the Cup party; going into the final week, they will be embroiled in a goal-scoring battle with Vanbrugh and James firsts. With the amount of footballing riches available to the college then, it’s little surprise that one of the Halifax second team players has stood out as a fantasy football star.

Denham could well have been one of the worst-kept secrets coming into the Cup. As the fifth most selected forward in the competition he was in some illustrious company as a player many put their faith in. Only Phil Taylor, Jon Sharpe and Ali Prince were selected in front of him and all of whom with a significantly higher price (or in the case of Graeme McSherry (£0.5m), someone to take a flyer on).

Even still, many couldn’t have imagined the return Denham would supply; Now with six goals and two man of the match performances to his name, Denham is well on his way to replacing Conor Brennan, who also spent time as a cross over player in his first year.

Best Value – Nathan McCusker (James thirds) – 27 points

Those who took a gamble on the towering James centre back have been rubbing their hands with glee for weeks. Simply known by some as “Brede” after his likeness to Fulham’s Norwegian giant, McCusker has been a slam dunk pick with a points total more akin to that of a first team defender.

Not only has McCusker kept opposing strikers quiet, his goal scoring touch is partly the reason why James thirds sit top of the topsy-turvy group two. His decisive goal in a turgid affair against Alcuin seconds sent the James faithful into raptures, securing their presence in the Plate and putting them in prime position for a Cup berth. You have to wonder whether he will continue to rack up the points should James progress to the Cup, but you can’t argue with a return of 13.5pts per £1m of value so far.

Worst Value – Tom Clarke (James firsts) and Jon Sharpe (Goodricke firsts)

Both players came in with a lot of buzz surrounding them yet both have failed to make their mark, leaving those who picked them scratching their heads to what has gone wrong.

Sharpe, valued at £8.8m, came into the competition off the back of a stellar grass season but the switch over to the JLD has seen his form take a dive; his return so far a mere 0.9pts per £1m of value. University first team forward Clarke has been overshadowed by strike partner James Offord and has found himself playing in a wider role than he’s normally accustomed. He showed flashes of his game-breaking capability with a mind-blowing strike against Wentworth seconds, but with a £9.6m price tag and the same return per £1m of value as Sharpe, he has disappointed so far.

Honourable Mention – Simon Reiss (Alcuin firsts)

Normally a defender, Reiss made good on Alcuin skipper Phil Bowers’ gamble to start him up front against Derwent thirds, bagging four goals, man of the match and a clean sheet bonus for 27 points.

Reiss eclipses the previous fantasy football record set by former Halifax firsts defender Shaun Evans in 2009, who scored 22pts in a 9-0 demolition of Vanbrugh thirds.

Images:Philippa Grafton

Four first half goals, including wonder strikes for Richard Baxter and Tom Clarke, helped James firsts to an easy win over Wentworth seconds.

Needing a win to stay in the hunt for qualification, James put on a footballing clinic,
wrapping the game up with a dominant first half display. James captain Simon Mole praised his sides work rate after the final whistle, mentioning that James “had to win big after the results today – it’s just a shame that one of the top three sides (in Group 1) has to go out”.

The quality of the opposition and the task facing Mark Eslick’s side was apparent right from the off – Angus O’Brien should have done more after meeting a Mcleod cross a few yards out, before Simon Mole stung the palms of Wenty keeper Jon Cook moments later. But after six minutes, O’Brien made amends, this time getting enough on the ball in a goal line scramble to claim the goal and give James the lead.

James would double their lead minutes later, Baxter delivering his audition for goal of the tournament with an exquisite twenty five yard strike; curling the ball into the top right corner and off the underside of the crossbar, leaving Wentworth stopper Jon Cook helpless.

Cook had a busy day but can take great credit with an inspired second half performance, making a number of saves to keep James from running up the goal count; the pick of the bunch undoubtedly a finger tip save high to his left to avert a Mcleod stinger onto the post on forty minutes. But even he could only watch as Tom Clarke rifled a left footed half volley high into the net from all of thirty yards, the ex-Yeovil Town player showcasing some of the ability that has made him Fantasy Football’s highest priced player.

The post-grads perhaps should have had more than just Lachie Murray’s consolation goal after Samik Datta was denied one on one by James stopper Sam Clitheroe and Nick Townson’s deflected shot was clawed out as it look destined to find the bottom left corner of the net. Yet it would be Mcleod who took centre stage again, notching his fourth goal in as many games, this time slotting away a penalty after being felled by Samir Dahirou.

With James three goals to the good, the introduction of Meadhad Obaid Alshamsi for Wentworth almost saw them hit back; the cultured midfielder playing an exquisite through ball for Datta before curling a free kick onto the bar late on. Alshami’s effort would be as good as it got, as a much quieter second half belonged to James Offord. Left with the easiest of finishes after Tom Clarke’s jinking run, Offord would grab his second double of the tournament late on, this time turning home Simon Mole’s driven cross from a few yards out.

Wentworth’s Rich Rhodes was honest in his post-match team talk, stating that the game was a “lesson learnt”, but praised the fighting spirit of his side. James will now look to produce a similar performance against Vanbrugh fourths next week as qualification from Group one comes down to the wire.

James firsts: Sam Clitheroe, Nick St. George, Matt Bainbridge (Simon Kreienbaum), Oscar Lynch, Sam Mellor (George Clarke), Simon Mole, Mark Mcleod, Richard Baxter, Tom Clarke, Angus O’Brien (Josh Brownlow), James Offord

Man of the Match: Oscar Lynch

Wentworth seconds: Jon Cook, Bo Han, Chris Lyons, Nick Townson, Lachie Murray (Mike Symes), Samir Dahirou, Tom Scott (Dan Horsfall), Samik Datta, Matt Beachem, Richard Rhodes (Meadhad Obaid Alshamsi)

Man of the Match: Alex Jones

Images: Peter Iveson

A sublime first two quarters set the women’s basketball on their way to clinching the Carter-James Trophy for York and capped-off an already wonderful season for the recently promoted side.

After already gaining promotion at the end of the Spring term, York perhaps produced their best performance of the season, looking assured as they brushed aside a Lancaster side a division above them in the North West BUCS equivalent. York Captain Lydie Mariutto was unable to single out a particular player for praise, pointing to a fantastic team performance as the key to York overcoming their Lancaster rivals 45-39.

Mariutto was instrumental in leading York to a comfortable eight point first quarter lead, providing a creative attacking outlet that was a cut above her Red Rose counterparts. Excellent link up play with Christin Kircheubel, Mariutto driving to the to the basket before setting the easy two for her team mate, brought the biggest cheer of the half.

The home side extended their lead to twelve points after dominating the second quarter, but the game only really came to life with the resumption of the second half. After the lesson dealt out to them in the first two quarters, Lancaster desperately needed a quick response and they got one courtesy of standout Vasiliki Makou. Her eight unanswered points for the Red Rose dragged them firmly back into the game, the pick of the bunch being a superb spin a lay up to shut the gap to four points.

Despite Makou’s efforts, she was the only bright spark in a Lancaster side having trouble finding a way through a well-organised York defence. With Katharine Missenden in particular proving a menace on her return in the fourth quarter, York had found their groove once again. Missed opportunities from the foul line, a staple scene from the tense nature of the game, nearly allowed Lancaster a way back in, but with just under four minutes on the clock York landed the decisive blow.

Steffania Mataragka, given the space to pick her spot, didn’t think twice about shooting for three; a sublime jump shot later and the match (plus the Carter-James Trophy) was effectively in York clutches. Lancaster would make one final stand, reducing the gap to four points courtesy of a trip to the free throw line, but perhaps fittingly, one of York’s most successful clubs clinched the points and the Roses tournament that the home side thoroughly deserved.

Images: Philippa Grafton

Two goals either side of half time for Tom Ragan set the Men’s Football seconds on their way to victory on Roses Sunday.

Stellar midfield performances from Ash Daly, Rob Shanley and Jacob Tapper underpinned the York comeback, but it will be James Offord who will be remembered for striking the crucial blow. Coming off the bench, Offord sealed the much deserved win for the White Rose almost with his first touch, coolly converting an Elliot Ragan pull back to the delight of the home crowd.

Despite dominating the second half, it was nearly all so different for York. Captain Dom Petschak, playing his final university game, bemoaned his sides slow start but was pleased with his sides resilience. “We came out (and played) in the second half, I couldn’t fault the work rate”.

Tom Ragan’s efforts for his first goal epitomised his captain’s words, flicking the ball on near the half way line before striding clear, keeping his cool to round the Lancaster keeper to even things up after York were rocked by a second minute Lancaster goal.

With another goal shipped on the twenty minute mark, courtesy of a juking run and finish from a Lancaster centre midfielder, York could have caved in, but instead upped their work rate to wrestle back control of the game. The decision paid dividends almost immediately, Winger Will Taylor winning a corner before whipping in a great delivery for Shanley, his header missing the left post by a matter of inches.

York would get what they deserved just after the restart; the excellent Daly splitting the defence with a slide rule ball which Ragan calmly finished low to the keepers left from a few yards out. Daly was again instrumental in playing Will Taylor with the very next attack, but caught in two minds, his drive across goal failed to test the keeper or find a York shirt.

York ‘Keeper Toby Owen was a spectator for much of the second half, but would be forced to make his only save of the half on seventy five minutes, staying sharp to divert a close range header away from goal. It set the stage for Offord to have the last laugh; the James frontman finding himself at the right place at the right time to volley home from close range from Elliot Ragan’s cross, wheeling away in delight to cap the comeback and avenge last year’s away defeat.

Images: Peter Iveson

Two scores in the first quarter from Lancaster Wide Receiver Jazon Klaus dashed hopes of a York Centurion’s victory on Roses Friday.

In the biggest match of either universities’ season and with Lancaster keen to avenge a defeat earlier in the year, the game had all the makings worthy of a classic. But the combination of some squalid Yorkshire weather, dropped passes and defensive lapses leading to big plays undoubtedly contributed to York’s downfall.

On a day in which starting Quarterback Tim Blades struggled to ignite the White Rose, his assessment of York suffering from “mental errors, which lead to Lancaster pulling off some lucky plays” was encapsulated in a first quarter to forget.

Right from the opening kick-off, York were on the back foot; Klaus finding blocks down field to rip off a monster eighty yard kick return for the opening score. Dogged defence in the consequent possessions saw York force Lancaster into consecutive three and outs and – after some excellent work from the Special Teams unit– York gained excellent field position with Lancaster driven back to their own two yard line. Yet on the biggest stage of the year, York must have felt as if it was Groundhog Day instead of Roses Friday as Klaus notched his second long distance score.

With Lancaster’s Canadian Quarterback Len Dewhit forced from the pocket trying to avoid being sacked, his hopeful heave down the side line eluded the York secondary, falling into the hands of a grateful Klaus, who sprinted the remaining distance to grab a spectacular ninety six yard score.

There is a saying in Football that “defence wins championships”, but York’s offense wasn’t able to give them the chance, Blades struggling to escape a consistent Lancaster pass rush. York were able to see out the half with the deficit limited to twelve points, most notably with a magnificent stop on their own six yard line after Lancaster rolled the dice to try and convert on fourth and short, but the gap should have been less. In what was perhaps York’s best shot at a first half score, Wide Receiver Zef Rucinski was left to rue a mental lapse; turning the Lancaster Cornerback inside out with his route running, before dropping what should have been a regulation catch and, at least, a considerable gain in yardage.

The opening to the third quarter saw no lift in the weather, or the amount of production on the offense for either side as Lancaster began to fall foul of the officials, notably drawing a fifteen yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct after converting a rare first down. Then, almost out of nowhere, Lancaster landed the knockout punch. After York’s replacement Quarterback Kyle Taylor, marched the Centurions downfield only to fall short on a crucial fourth and one, Klaus completed a stellar performance, this time cutting through the middle of the York line on a handoff to race away for a sixty yard run and touchdown.

York’s reward for persistence did come late in fourth quarter and in the space of two jaw-dropping plays. First, Tight End Gareth Dowse showed brilliant awareness to haul in a one handed catch close to the side line for a big gain, before Tom Marks went thirty yards on bludgeoning run in the consequent play to nab York’s solitary score for the day. It would prove scant consolation to a York side that sensed a missed opportunity as they exited the field.

Despite the defeat, the 2010/2011 will be looked back upon as the season remains the Centurion’s most successful in their short history, finishing the season with a 4-4 record in the British Universities American Football League (BUAFL) and a playoff berth.

A successful sporting period was led by the men’s firsts lacrosse, triumphing in the BUCS Northern Conference Cup with a hard fought 11-6 victory over divisional rivals Leeds men’s firsts. Cup victory was made all the more sweet as York dealt Leeds, who has been previously been unbeaten, their first loss of the season and went one better than their league result where they only managed a draw.

York had looked elimination in the face at the semi-final stage – two scores down in the third quarter before a miraculous late rally to pip Durham seconds – but the turnaround in fortunes will give them the much needed confidence to take into the showdown with Lancaster’s lacrosse side at Roses, whom York defeated 19-6 in 2010.

Switching to the indoor sports, the men’s table tennis firsts also fired a warning shot to Lancaster in preparation for Roses, defeating our historical rivals 10-6 to also bask in cup glory. In what has been to a season to remember for the ping pong heroes, finishing a close second to Durham in BUCS Northern Conference 2B, York produced a stunning display when it mattered most to take down a side that romped home to victory in the equivalent BUCS division over the other side of the Pennines.

The women’s basketball firsts made it a triple header of wins for York, sauntering home to league glory in BUCS Northern Conference 3B and putting the ghost of last season to rest, where they missed out on promotion by half a point. A twelve point gap between nearest challengers Newcastle seconds underlined a side that could be in the process of resurrecting their fortunes after relegation two years ago. A strong intake of freshers and the retention of some key third year players formed the base for York to realise their potential, according to captain Lydie Mariutto. Mariutto enthused at the prospect of rekindling a rivalry with Newcastle firsts, who they edged out by three points in a run to the semi-finals of the cup this season.

The breadth of success across a variety of sporting disciplines again highlights the ever increasing diversity of sport on offer at York, which totals fifty nine clubs. With a home Roses tournament looming and both universities investing in sports – York with £9 million development on Heslington East and Lancaster scheduled to open their new £20 million development this summer – both institutions are looking to add a sporting dimension to their university experience, already boasting strong academic reputations.

The results leaves York in 49th in the latest BUCS standings, five places down on 2009/2010 but a mere eight points behind Lancaster (who sit 47th). York remains a considerable distance in front of Varsity rivals Hull (69th) and cross city rivals York St John (96th).

Images: Justyn Hardcastle

Two goals for man of the match Graham Kimber sealed a comfortable Alcuin firsts victory over Wentworth, the midfielder displaying a creative verve that proved the difference in unlocking a spirited defence keen to improve on their impressive first half showing against tournament favourites Halifax firsts last week.

In a thoroughly one sided affair, Wentworth came within inches of turning the game on its head in a spectacular opening minute. With their first attack of the match, Anthony Woodhead nearly put in his claim for goal of the tournament, hitting an audacious looping half volley from all of twenty five yards which slammed onto the cross bar. Unfortunately for Wentworth, Woodhead’s effort was as good as it got for the Post-Grads as the Alcuin’s cutting edge took hold.

The excellent Paul Desoisa opened the scoring, notching his first goal of the cup with a swerving right-footed finish on ten minutes, before Kimber produced a goal almost identical in nature, as he was given time to steady himself when gathering a Will Taylor pass before rifling home into the top right corner.

Taylor was becoming a handful on the flank and it would be his industry which would wrap up the game just before half time. After winning the corner, his delivery found the head of Bradley Wood at the back post, the defender heading against the bar before staying alert to tap home the rebound.

Wood’s opposite number Dan Horsfall, who was impressive against Halifax, had another good half and coped well with the threat of lone Alcuin striker Alex Brown. Horsfall would nearly turn provider with some hopeful long range deliveries late in the half; after ballooning an ambitious long range free kick high and wide, he made amends two minutes later, lofting a teasing cross to the back post which Tom Doe should have finished.

Wentworth were finding it difficult to gain any sort of hold on the game and the early minutes after half time saw no alleviation of Alcuin pressure.

Playing with nine men behind the ball for the majority of the game, a staple for many third teams in the cup, Alcuin took little time in capitalising on the free space they had. A jinking run from Kimber allowed him to tee up Alex Brown, the big man making no mistake with his weaker right foot to finish low to Humberto Bezares Arango’s left.

Kimber capped his performance by saving his best till last with a strike of real quality; bringing down a lofted pass with aplomb, the midfielder thumped a twenty yard effort into the left hand side of the net to score the best goal of the game.

Despite a good result, Alcuin captain Phil Bowers was honest in his assessment of the match, mentioning that Alcuin “didn’t get out of second gear for much of the game, but was pleased with the result” and will need to up their game further for their meeting with Halifax firsts next week. Wentworth can now focus on putting their arduous run against the two first teams in group behind them with a clash against James seconds next week, in a game they will need to win to keep their dreams of a plate berth alive.

Alcuin firsts: Chris Boyd, Will Dodgson (Joe Smith), Harry Billimore, Bradley Wood, Jonathan Lane, Phil Bowers, Paul Desoisa, Danny Matthews (Josh Allen), Will Taylor, Graham Kimber (Alex Wright), Alex Brown

Man of the Match: Graham Kimber

Wentworth thirds: Humberto Bezares Arango (GK), Matt Taylor, Alex Jones, Dan Horsfall, Nick Townson, Shivraj Kalyn (Ricky Lawton), Andy Sutton, Tom Doe, Mutlu Cukurova, Anthony Woodhead (Dan Harrison), Mohammed Elsherif (Rick Falk)

Man of the Match: Anthony Woodhead

The reigning champions face an uphill struggle if they are going win the cup for an unprecedented third year in row, but write Alcuin off at your own peril. The switch to Astroturf could aid their fluid playing style and the backline is back to full strength, with Paul Reiss returning to the side after recovering from a broken leg in the Winter term.

For Alcuin to win it all they need to find a killer instinct in front of goal – Alex Brown should get the nod after leading the line for much of the year, while winger Will Taylor will act as Alcuin’s best creative outlet.

Halifax firsts await in the group stages, but progression to the Cup should be a formality.

Favourites – Halifax firsts

We’ve been here before. Rewind back to 2010 and Halifax were installed as favourites to win it all. Call it a sense of entitlement, blame squad dynamics or blame something else, but however you see it, it was a tournament to forget. Docked points after fielding an ineligible player and being stunned by Vanbrugh firsts in the groups, Halifax could only limp through to the semi-finals, where they were given a footballing lesson by eventual champions Alcuin firsts. Their league form this year has also been less than spectacular, failing to capture either of the termly leagues. So what makes Halifax such strong favourites?

Because in this year, no one will have more quality – throughout their whole squad – than they will.

A quick skim through the squad list makes grim reading for their opponents in every department as Halifax look stronger than they were last year. Conor Brennan and Tom Ragan will lead the line in what will be their last year for Halifax, capping a run which has seen them both rise from their seconds side two years ago. Behind them, Jack Beadle, who is so dangerous in a true number ten role, will complete the best midfield line-up in the competition alongside Matt Mawdesley and Ash Daly. Part of another strong class of first years, Mawdesley will be a menacing midfield presence which should give licence for dead-ball specialist Daly to venture forward and try his luck from distance if needs be.

The only area of real concern is at the back, but it is a minor one. Halifax have taken steps to address their lack of height at the back, which cost them so dearly in their semi-final match up with Alcuin firsts, by adding giant Tom Patrickson to anchor a potential back three line up completed by Dan Turley and Dom Petschak.

A fortunate draw has found them placed in Group 4 alongside much changed defending champions Alcuin firsts who should be their only real test at the group stage. Beyond that, if they perform to their potential, it could be their cup to lose.

Next in Line – Derwent firsts & Goodricke firsts

The Great British weather saw to these two title chasing teams avoid each other in the league formats, but both are here on merit as potential champions elect.

Workmanlike, with a dash of finesse, is probably the best way to describe a Derwent side that takes all the momentum of winning the Spring League into the Cup. The back end of the term perhaps saw them at their best; a hard fought smash-and-grab victory over a stubborn Alcuin side in a game marred by dreadful pitch conditions put them in a position for the title, before they sealed it with a 1-0 victory against a resilient Wentworth, thanks in no small part to the reflexives of Goalkeeper Seb Treasure (and midfielder Matt Hallam).

Derwent did an excellent job in finding replacements for the core of the side they lost to graduation in 2010 and gained two out and out strikers that they craved, striking gold in the additions of first year duo David Kirk and Dan Atherton. Experience will be key to a Cup charge but Derwent have two players of high calibre to help them out. The experience and creative verve of Hallam will act as the attacking catalyst for both Kirk and Atherton while they will be able to call on Dom Henney who has enjoyed success in a target man role this year.

Goodricke were perhaps the surprise package of the Winter term and proved they were capable of taking the step up after narrowly exiting the cup in the quarter finals last year, losing in a mammoth penalty shoot-out to Halifax firsts. Much like Derwent, even though they might not have the big names from University Football, they are more than capable of getting the best of what they have, epitomised in a underrated midfield. In what it lacks in a vocal point, the midfield makes up for it in versatility; one potential cup line up could see Nick Dheir and fresher Luke Inness anchoring the midfield, allowing college stalwart Sam Lewis a free role to fully utilise his attacking wares. But however they decide to start, opposition teams will be doing everything they can to limit the revelation of the League in forward Jon Sharpe, whose Olympian pace and eye for goal will be key to a Goodricke title charge.

Choosing a favourite from the two is tough, but Derwent may carry the slightest of edges courtesy of finding the ‘softer’ side of the draw for a potential route to the final – a semi-final showdown with Halifax firsts looming for Goodricke. The final matches of the competition are never a formality for any side, but if Halifax firsts suffer a case of cold feet again this year, it could be one of these two filling their spot as favourites.

Outsiders – James firsts

Could this finally be the year that James emerge from being also-rans and capitalise on their potential? It’s not going to be easy, but if it’s going to happen, now is undoubtedly the time.

James will be the first to admit that they have under achieved in the leagues, suffering swathes of inconsistency over the course of the two terms, but the chance for several third years to step up when it matters and the inclusion of two UYAFC stalwarts could be the inspirational tonic needed spur them on.

James have a solid spine to their side with Goalkeeper Sam Clitheroe, Defender Oscar Lynch and Midfielder Richard Baxter, but the inclusion of UYAFC ever-presents Mark Mcleod and Tom Clarke, perhaps the two best players in competition, could provide the difference when everything is on the line. Some observers have suggested that Mcleod has been overshadowed in his previous Cup appearances by former free scoring team mate Mark Johnson; but without Mcleod next to him, there is no doubt that he wouldn’t have performed as well as he did. No one brings more to the table in terms of raw talent than the former UYAFC 1sts captain, his distribution bettered by no one and fired on by his impending graduation, 2011 could be the year that he comes to life.

Clarke, formerly on the books of League One outfit Yeovil Town, brings his considerable calibre to the college scene after turning heads with his first season with UYAFC. Naturally for a player competing against intra-mural players, he has the potential to run riot; equally comfortable on either foot, supreme awareness and bags of pace (which will be even more effective on the surface of the JLD), every team will need to compensate for him.

James have to remain focused -any mistakes akin to their group stage loss to Langwith firsts last year would leave the door open for upstarts Halifax seconds, who will keen to claim a shock place in the Cup proper with a squad laden with talent – both sides will meet each other on May 10th.

The Group of Death – Group 2

Goodricke 1sts, Langwith 1sts, Alcuins 2nds, Derwent 2nds, Vanbrugh 3rds, James 3rds

Even though Group 1 contains a strong Halifax seconds side who many have tipped to upset the balance of power, it’s possible that Group 2 could be where most of drama unfolds.

Goodricke are strong favourites for the group but Alcuin and Derwent seconds, both of whom have had a mixed bag this year, will relish a chance to knock off Langwith firsts, who’ve had a season to forget. In equal measure, James and Vanbrugh are two of the better thirds sides and are more than capable of snatching a result against either.

The real enigma in Group 2 is Langwith, who are seemingly a team of two halves. In a defence that should prove too much for either Alcuin or Derwent, Liam Condron provides the foundation, complimented by the much needed experience of Luke Gardener and Matt Wilcox alongside him. Despite this strength, scoring goals is still a major problem. Langwith have played talisman Bruce Starkey just about everywhere this year and word of him playing further back this year should be treated as a smokescreen – as forming a potential partnership with Matt Derry will be crucial to their chances of progressing.

Many of defending Plate champions Derwent seconds squad will look to their experience as part of the first team that demolished Langwith earlier this year as motivation and won’t be short on quality to do so. They have been astute in using their crossover players and will welcome Andy Jeffries and Steve Walwyn, two players imperative to the first team let alone the second. With the creativity of James Matthews in the middle of the park they will be a force to be reckoned with. Seemingly always involved in last-minute group stage drama, Alcuin seconds finally showed their potential in the Spring Seconds League, most notably in their 2-0 defeat of a strong Halifax seconds in the last game of the season. Traders of a neat passing game, the switch to the JLD should suit them but they will need striker Tom Hargreaves to continue find the net whereas centre backs Harry Billimore and crossover Chris Boyd will need to continue their rich vein of form if they have a chance of Cup progression.

Vanbrugh thirds finished in the top half of the Thirds League and will be a tenacious opposition, while James thirds will seek redemption against Alcuin seconds for an incident packed game in the groups last year – much of their hopes rest on striker Tim Green, who has scored some eye-popping goals in the league campaign.

5 GAMES YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

Spare time on your hands? Want a break from exam revision? Get yourself down to the JLD to watch five games crammed with potential.

James firsts vs Vanbrugh firsts – Monday Week 2 (K.O 3pm)
A corking match on opening day between two heavyweights – time to find out if James are for real.

Halifax thirds vs Goodricke seconds – Thursday Week 2 (K.O 2pm)
Halifax thirds ran away with the Thirds League and will fancy themselves to gatecrash the Plate competition. Goodricke seconds will provide a stern test of their resolve

Halifax seconds vs James fists – Tuesday Week 3 (K.O 2pm)
Time to see just how good a hyped-up Halifax 2nds are in a game that has the potential to seal James’s passage to the last eight or send them packing.

Alcuin firsts vs Halifax firsts – Tuesday Week 4 (K.O 4pm)
Halifax face their first real test with a chance to avenge their semi-final defeat of last year, a strong performance for Alcuin stakes their claim as dark horses.

Langwith firsts vs Derwent seconds – Tuesday Week 6 (K.O 4pm)
A potential decider for who advances into the cup and a derby game all rolled in to one, there is bound to be drama.

At the same time, it could also be the week that a European ends the twelve year wait to put on the Green Jacket. Six of the current world top ten come from this side of the Atlantic; Lee Westwood has come closest to being the first European since Jose Maria Olazabal to win, with a runners-up finish in 2010.

Even with the history, that isn’t a signal just to lump your money on the favourites. The wonders of online betting allow us an opportunity to bet on just about anything. For Augusta, this extends down to whether Tiger will hit the fairway with his first shot or who will shoot the lowest score out of a specific three-ball. So before you place your bets, allow Nouse to try and sway your hand with some advice and some offerings that could earn you some serious cash.

(All odds correct through oddschecker.com on 06/04/2011)

OUTRIGHT WINNER

Tiger Woods (12/1 – Betfred, William Hill)

Not only is Tiger Woods at his lowest world ranking since he turned professional, his spectacular fall from grace has also led to him to being his best price with the bookies for some time. Admittedly, Woods is still a shadow of the player that we once knew and still hasn’t notched a tournament victory since November 2009. Phil Mickelson is also, correctly, priced as the outright favourite after his win last week in Houston (your best price is 13/2 with Bluesq.com and Sportingbet). But this is Augusta, where he is at his most comfortable; Tiger has four Green Jackets and hasn’t finished outside the top ten since 2004. Forget that he’s tweaking his swing again under new coach Sean Foley, Woods knows what it takes to win here and listed at 12/1, he represents outstanding value – betting him each way is a necessity.

OUTSIDER

Stewart Cink (124/1 – Unibet)

Picking an outsider to win a major championship is always difficult and there is no tested method to guarantee success. The saving grace with The Masters is that first time entrants and those with only a year or two’s playing experience of it don’t tend to do so well.

So why Stewart Cink? A real outsider in golfing betting terms is priced at over 100-1 – top ten players still price in at about 33-1 – so Cink qualifies for that category. An outstanding short game player and putter, if he can find some form in his approach work he’ll be an intriguing prospect as the week progresses. Cink has a major to his name after winning the Open Championship in 2009, but his experiences at Augusta have been less fruitful having missed the cut in the last two years. A third place finish in 2008 is as good as it has got so far, but with a wealth of tour experience and a home crowd spuring him on (Cink lives two hours away in Duluth, GA), he is as good an option as there can be at such long odds.

TOP DEBUTANT

Rickie Fowler (5/1 – SKY Bet, Tote Sport , bet365)

22-year old Fowler, who played his College Golf at Oklahoma State and wears some of the most colourful golf gear outside on the other side of the Atlantic, is garnering a lot of media hype going into this week. A surprise wildcard pick by Corey Pavin for last year’s Ryder Cup, Fowler came to the attention of the world as his skill with the putter grabbed the headlines, notably nailing a clutch 15 foot putt on the 18th hole to half his singles match with Edorado Molinari and keep America in the running for the Ryder Cup.
He handled the pressure of golf’s biggest stage with aplomb in October and that experience should serve him well this week. Currently tied with Scotsman Martin Laird in this betting market, Fowler’s ease with the Putter puts him ahead of the Scotsman. Adding to this, the calibre of player behind Fowler and Laird drops off significantly – if there is a licence to print money this week, this bet could be it.

TOP EUROPEAN

Ian Poulter (20/1 – Stan James)

Could this finally be the year that Ian Poulter enters the major winners’ circle? A tenth place finish in last years Masters only tells half the story; leading alongside Lee Westwood at the half way stage, Poulter fell away with closing rounds of 74, 73 when he should have been challenging. Put bluntly, he has something to prove this week.

Lee Westwood rightly takes his place as the bookies favourite to be the top European after a runners-up finish last year (your best price is 6/1 with Tote Sport), but behind him, Poulter represents the best value by a long way as part of a strong contingent of Europeans who are in good form entering this week. That list includes Rory McIlory, Justin Rose and Paul Casey, the latter of whom has the excellent long game tools needed to flourish round Augusta. Luke Donald will need to break the jinx of winning the par 3 tournament (no winner of it has ever gone on to win the main event), while you should also steer clear of World Number 1 Martin Kaymer, whose price is a lot shorter than it should be due to his ranking – he has missed the cut at all of his three Masters appearances.

It’s difficult to see past any of the European Ryder Cup team members from Celtic Manor finishing as the top performer from Europe, and Poulter is as confident a player as you will find in the field this week; he even went as far to predict that Tiger Woods wouldn’t make the top ten. Thankfully, he has the game to back up his off-course talk too. With his wealth of experience at Augusta too, he’s definitely worth a flyer.

LANGWITH 1

A Bradley Wood strike was enough to spare Alcuin’s blushes as Langwith held on for a point in the final round of College Football on 22 acres.

Matt Derry opened the scoring for the yellows on twenty minutes, springing the offside trap before producing a deft right foot finish to into the bottom left corner, but his side will thank Tom Lambert for keeping parity in a game dominated by the respective midfields.

The Langwith stopper produced an inspired second half performance as Alcuin searched for an equaliser, keeping out Simon Reiss’s penalty to continue Alcuin’s misery from the spot – it is now the second penalty miss this year for Alcuin but they will once again rue a lack of potency in the final third which could have won them the game.

A nervy opening exchange saw chances limited at both ends, but it would be Alcuin who created the first real opening as Johnny Lane stayed aware to latch onto a lofted cross from the left, but the winger failed with any sort of connection on the ensuing shot, the ball falling tamely into the arms of a grateful Lambert.

Luke Holbrook and Jack Donovan’s industry in the middle of the park carved up Alcuin for the opener, exchanging a neat one-two before sending Derry clear, the striker showing cool composure to finish across Damian Pickard from ten yards out and give Langwith the lead. Reiss would try his luck with a driven thirty yard effort, which was well held by Lambert, but this was as good as it got for Alcuin who put in a tepid first half showing.

Images: Philippa Grafton

Whatever Phil Bowers said in the half-time huddle appeared to do the trick as Alcuin finally got hold of the game and, perhaps more importantly, the lion’s share of the possession. But the story of their year continued as they failed to find a cutting edge in front of goal, Langwith able to mop countless broken down attacks with ease.

Alcuin were made to wait until the seventieth minute mark for a golden opportunity; an incisive cross was firmly met by Reiss on the edge of the six yard box, but his header was smartly beaten away by a leaping Lambert. Josh Allen was brought on to add an injection of pace and his introduction made the difference for another golden chance, the winger cutting in from the left before being clumsily upended in the box to hand Alcuin a life line. But Lambert would again prove Alcuin’s tormentor, diving low to his left to deny now makeshift striker Reiss’s penalty – Langwith were hanging on.

Alcuin’s increased possession began to tell, and they would get their just deserves on eighty minutes. A failed clearance from a corner fell kindly to Wood who was in the right place at the right time, left with the easiest of finishes to equalise and set up a frantic final ten minutes.

Langwith nearly snatched all three points at the death; Alex Atkinson failing to keep his shot down with the goal gaping before Liam Condron flashed a near post header just wide, but they can have no complaints after putting in a gutsy performance which all too often typifies their better results.

Alcuin on the other hand will be keen to put the term behind them as they endeavour to win an unprecedented third straight College Cup title when the College Cup re-appears on the JLD next term.

A devastating second quarter performance from the visiting Sheffield Sabres halted York’s quest for their first ever berth in the BUAFL Northern Conference Play-offs.

Needing a win from their final game after failing to beat Manchester Tyrants in midweek, York still had a chance to create history but, perhaps suffering from a touch of stage fright, were unable to offer much resistance to a Sheffield side who dominated on the ground.

Their push for a post season playoff spot unravelled in the space of five, crazy second quarter minutes; the White Rose giving up three touchdowns for no reply as Sheffield’s bludgeoning run attack which effectively ended a fairytale run for a team that hadn’t registered a win till this season.

Sabres Running Back Mark Maguire acted as chief executioner in banishing York’s hopes, capping two long Sheffield drives by crashing over on 5-yard and 2-yard runs respectively before York hit the self-destruct button on the very next play; fumbling the ensuing kick off at their own 30-yard line to turn the ball over with a minute to go. A short screen pass on the very next play from Sabres Quarterback Luke Shackleton should have been wrapped up, but instead reserve Running back Sam Broughton took it the distance. York were in free fall.

Much like their game against Lancaster the previous week, York were having a hard time to get anything going on the offensive side of the ball and continually struggled when reverting to the pass.

It would be a particularly rough ride for York Quarterback Tim Blades. Floored on York’s very first possession on the day and facing multiple blitz packages on almost every down as a York committed to the run, the signal caller did well to lead his team down field midway through the third quarter. Forced to chase the game, Blades had to try and convert on a fourth and nine near the Sheffield goal line, but with the ball tipped to the ground, York’s post-season hopes went with it.

That attack would represent York’s best scoring opportunity and it was in stark contrast to a first quarter in which the White Rose looked much the better side, ably flexing their defensive muscles to break up Sheffield’s use of the spread system. Sam Asfahani showed excellent awareness to pounce on a fumbled punt return, but he was usurped by Arthur Pitt; the Safety breaking his assignment to haul in an under thrown Sheffield ball to swing the momentum back to York. Both times, however, York would go three and out.

Broughton put the finishing touches on the match for Sheffield, busting in for his second touchdown of the day on two yard dive up the middle to complete the route. However disappointing the final day loss is for the Centurions, it represents a drastic improvement in fortunes this season to even be in play-off contention.

UNIVERSITY OF HULL 1

An inspired performance from York skipper Katy Ballantyne helped York ease to a comfortable victory over Hull on a drenched 22 Acres.

The game was all but ended as a contest after a devastating opening thirty minutes; York hitting three goals as Hull barely escaped their own half. It could have been plenty more as York spurned a number of good chances, but can now be satisfied with going unbeaten for the season against their East Yorkshire rivals.

Ballantyne dictated the play all day long, tucking home the first of her two goals from the penalty spot after Rose Hooks was felled by a clumsy challenge on the edge of the area. The lead was doubled moments later; Bethan “Bugz” Pugh given time to turn before finding the top right corner with a sumptuous right foot strike from twenty yards.

Image: Philippa Grafton

Hooks was left with a tap-in after a dreadful mix-up in this visitor’s backline and York should have had more, Ruth Welford and Ballantyne both guilty of spurning clear-cut chances to keep the score from becoming something more akin to Cricket.

With the half time break only momentarily slowing York down, Welford finally got her deserved goal with a right footed thunderbolt on fifty minutes before Bea Rye elegantly finished off a flying York counter two minutes later. Hull would grab a fortuitous consolation after a howler from York stopper Megan Phillips, but that couldn’t dampen York’s mood, Ballantyne capping a wonderful afternoon by notching her second goal to make it six.

Squad: Megan Phillips (GK), Jess Atkinson, Rachel Carpenter, Charlotte Bootts, Hanna Risberg, Bea Rye, Katy Ballantyne(c), Bethan Pugh, Gaby Stewart, Ruth Welford, Rose Hooks
SUBS: Lauren Caldwell, Jennie England

UNIVERSITY OF SUNDERLANDS FIRSTS 0

A well taken penalty-flick from James Wilson was enough for the men’s hockey seconds to defeat Sunderland firsts as they continue their late season push for promotion from the BUCS Northern Conference 5B.

With the season drawing to a close and every result becoming more important, York skipper Thomas Chevins was extremely pleased with his side’s determination to get a result, highlighting York’s resolute pressing defence as key in an important victory. His side’s efforts today will continue to pile the pressure on free-scoring and serial table toppers Bradford firsts , who York seconds play next week in a winner-takes-all promotion fixture.

Should they get promoted, they might look at this result as being their springboard to a closing flourish. Despite a single goal victory, York dominated possession for much of the game, Sunderland restricted to long balls in an attempt to catch York on the counter attack – but their speedy counter almost paid dividends inside the first five minutes. A hopeful drive across the York goal from Sunderland forward Duncan Stevens only required the slightest of touches to see it find the net, but with a finish lacking, this was as good as it got for the visitors as the game descended into a midfield slog for possession.

Images: Justyn Hardcastle

As a disciplined York began to ably control the exchanges, they soon started to create the better chances in what was a dour first half. James Wilson forced Sunderland keeper Glen Olsen into a smart save from close range, before Olsen produced another excellent save minutes later from a penalty corner, getting a strong hand to a Harry Bercis thunderbolt which looked destined for the roof of the net.

Despite the exceptional play of Olsen, who was keeping the visitors in the game, York would get their just reward for their relentless pressure in attack midway through the second half. James Talbot’s jinking dribble from the left wing saw him felled in the box by a clumsy challenge by Olsen, Wilson keeping his nerve to duly drill the ball into the bottom left corner to put York in front.

Even with a numerical disadvantage, Joe Walsh heading to the sin-bin for a deliberate block, York were always in total control and should have made the game safe in the closing minutes. Wilson was again given time to fire a stinging drive towards goal from just inside the area, only for it to be blocked by some last ditch Sunderland defending, before the third James in the York attack, James Lewis, was denied by an acrobatic block from Olsen from almost point blank range.

YORK TEAM: Thomas Chevins (GK), Alex Alonso, Thomas Harcourt, Harry Bercis, Dan Forshaw, Joe Walsh, Sam Unsworth, Duncan Sills, James Talbot, James Wilson, James Lewis, Simon Murphy, Dan Steele, Dougie McAteer

Cleveland end record-losing streak; Celtics big in the East

You can bet that Cavs fans were hiding their faces in shame after their owner wrote a certain off-season letter about a certain player bolting for warmer climbs. That very letter looks even more foolish than it did previously after the Cavaliers finally ended a 27-game losing streak, an NBA Record for consecutive losses, with a 126-119 OT victory against the Los Angeles Clippers. Meanwhile at the other end of the spectrum, he who should not be named in Cleveland’s team, (aka the Miami Heat) lost out in the big Eastern Conference battle with the Boston Celtics, Kevin Garnett putting up 19 points to top score and Rajon Rondo notching a triple double (11 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds). The Celtics remain top of the East and San Antonio (45-9) remain top of the West after an 118-94 demolition over the Washington Wizards.

Munchak takes the reigns in Tennessee

Tennessee owner Bud Adams didn’t need to look far as Jeff Fisher’s Offensive Line Co-Ordinator Mike Munchak has succeeded him as Head Coach. Munchak, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001, has never held a head coaching position and will probably be seen as the safe choice for a team that is full rebuilding mode; the Titans are set to release starting QB Vince Young and Munchak’s first task will be to find his replacement. Murmurings coming out of Nashville are suggesting that veteran Kerry Collins will be the stop-gap option next year as they search for their Quarterback of the future; the Titans hold the 8th overall pick in the upcoming draft, where they will give serious consideration to taking Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert, considered by many as the best Quarterback in this year’s draft class.

Clowney signs for Gamecocks

Jadeveon Clowney, the nation’s top High School prospect, has ended weeks of speculation about where he will play his college ball by staying close to home and signing with South Carolina. Clowney made his decision in front of Family and classmates in his High School auditorium in South Pointe, S.C and cited proximity to family as one of the biggest reasons for his decisions, his Mother flanking him close by his side during the announcement on ESPN’s Sport Center.

Clowney was courted by almost every big school program but whittled his choices down to Alabama and Clemson before sticking with his gut instinct. It is another coup for South Carolina, who secured the signature of five-star running back Marcus Lattimore (1,197yards and 17 TDs as a freshman) at the same stage last year before going onto their most successful season in years, losing to now National Champions Auburn in the SEC Championship game. Clowney is likely to be pencilled in to start immediately, where he is still a physical freak at 6-6, 240lbs with lightning speed. What is most frightening perhaps is that Clowney is likely to add another 30lbs or so to his frame by the end of his first full season, bringing him in line to the dimensions of an NFL Defensive end with at least two years of college ahead of him – he will be 19 at the close of the 2011 season.

Newton shines in media workout

Highly touted Auburn Quarterback Cam Newton put his dazzling array of skills on show in a media-only workout this past week as he prepares for the upcoming NFL Draft. Newton ran through a number of scripted drills including taking snaps from under centre, footwork and work on the play action; Newton is emerging from a basic version of the spread system which he operated in Auburn which pales in comparison to an NFL team’s playbook. While his physical skills and intangibles are unquestioned, Newton is clearly trying to convince observers that he can run a pro-style system, to read complex coverage and see whether he can make split-second adjustments to his action on the run – much of what he is doing now is similar to that of Tim Tebow, who faced the same questions coming into the NFL this time last year.

Newton is projected to anywhere from the third pick overall (held by the talent-needy Buffalo Bills) to somewhere in the middle of the second round, depending on how his draft stock is affected by his Pro Day and his performance at the Scouting Combine. For the record, Newton does not have nearly as many questions hanging over his throwing mechanics as Tebow did – Tebow was selected at the bottom of the first round – Newton is further along the process of being a legitimate NFL passer, so for that reason, it isn’t too far fetched to imagine Newton coming off the board in the middle of the first round where there is a glut of teams in search of a franchise Quarterback (Tennessee, Minnesota, Washington, Miami).

GOODRICKE 1

A brace from Jack Beadle capped an excellent day for Halifax as they finally hit top form to take down high-flying Goodricke; Halifax had to to dig in to produce a performance that was labelled as “battling” by ‘Fax Captain Tom Ragan as they put an end to Goodricke’s seven match unbeaten run.

The score line flattered Halifax as Goodricke had the better share of possession, spurning some good chances. But their wastefulness for misfiring in front of goal was pounced on as early as the ten minute mark; Beadle showing predatory instinct to score from close range after Andy Wallace’s shot had been parried by Ed Foster in the Goodricke net.

The Hes-East men were finding it difficult to create much needed width on a dreadful playing surface and were unfortunate not to level the proceedings minutes after going behind. A whipped in ball from the right hand side found its way to Luke Gutteridge whose attempt was excellent saved by the legs of ‘Fax Goalkeeper Jonny Sim, Goodricke Captain Sam Lewis desperately unlucky not to score the rebound as the ball got stuck under his feet at the crucial moment.

Halifax’s 3-5-2 formation was paying dividends as their midfield carved out the better of the chances; the trio of Beadle, Tom Day and Wallace dictating the pace of play to great effect and it would be their industry which doubled Halifax’s lead just before half time.

Images: Justyn Hardcastle

After Day was put through wide on the right to cross, the resulting clearing punch out from Foster didn’t travel far enough, falling to Wallace who gratefully dispatched the ball back across goal to carry the momentum into the half time break.

The interval seemingly galvanised Goodricke, who were much the stronger side in the second half, creating chances early on; Gutteridge and Lewis both trying their luck from distance after controlling possession for much the opening exchanges. But Halifax stood firm and underlined their considerable counter attacking threat as they added two goals against the run of play; Beadle setting up the first after finding time to fire a cross field ball into the right channel, Ben Rea controlling brilliantly to beat the final defender before neatly finishing at the nearside post. Halifax would repeat the trick again and saved their best till last, Tom Day providing a sumptuous pass for Beadle to spring the offside trap and round Foster to complete the rout.

Goodricke could have made a game of it near the end on another day, Lewis nabbing a consolation before Ben Smith and Jon Sharpe both spurned half-chances as the game drew to a close. But Lewis was honest in his post-match assessment; “We didn’t defend well…we gave away too many cheap goals. We’ll put it behind us in preparation for (Vanbrugh) next week”.

Melo Going Nowhere

The past week or so has seen the Denver Nuggets Carmelo Anthony wanting out, but the all-pro Small Forward will have to continue to eat humble pie as his proposed trade to the New Jersey Nets fell through, potentially shattering the dreams of a player who has come out publicly and said it was his “dream” to play in New York.

It appears that for Melo, this isn’t about money, but his own wellbeing; born in Brooklyn and growing up in Baltimore, Anthony has close ties to the East Coast but has somewhat surprisingly balked at the chance of playing for the struggling Nets, who are desperate for a franchise player to inject some life to turn around the franchise before their move into a new arena in Brooklyn in 2012. His reluctance to play ball in his hometown is more likely a sign a that Anthony is desperate to play for the New York Knicks: he could potentially excel next to Amare Stoudemire, giving New York two players who could drag them out of mediocrity, much in the vein of the Miami Heat have done with their acquisition of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade who have revitalised the South Beach franchise this year.

Superbowl XLV: Defence Wins Championships?

Get ready for a bruising encounter in Arlington on February 6th as two of the best defensive units in the NFL face off for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The Green Bay Packers, reaching their first Superbowl since 1998, will face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers who are aiming for their second Superbowl under Head Coach Mike Tomlin.

The Packers have been installed as early seven point favourites despite finishing as the sixth seed in the NFC – a surprise to some – but their route to Arlington should be justification enough. Not content with embarrassing the Philadelphia Eagles and two of the NFL’s most explosive players in DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick, they proceeded to beat the Atlanta Falcons, the NFC’s top seed, in their own back yard at the Georgia Dome.

To top it all, they Packers went to Soldier Field and beat Chicago, Aaron Rodgers cleaning up with 244 yards for two touchdowns and one with his feet after his defensive unit took advantage of Chicago’s woeful offensive line, knocking Chicago QB Jay Cutler out of the tie. The game also saw another 300+ pounder baffle commentators and fans alike as Green Bay Nose Tackle B.J Raji, weighing in at 338lbs, inexplicably picked off Jay Cutler before running it back for the touchdown, going one better than Offensive Tackle Dan Connolly of the New England Patriots who returned a kick-off 73 yards despite weighing in at a mere 316lbs.

Pittsburgh have also been greatly impressive on their way to the Superbowl, topping their fierce AFC North Rivals Baltimore before silencing the upstart New York Jets 24-19 at Heinz Field, establishing a twenty one point lead at half time as they made a mockery of Gang Green’s supposedly fearsome defence. Rashard Mendenhall had a huge game on the ground running for 121 yards for a touchdown against the NFL’s fourth ranked defence, leaving Jets coach Rex Ryan to ponder the Jets’ grit after they defeated the New England Patriots in the previous playoff round.

Fisher Out in Tennessee

Jeff Fisher has parted company with the Tennessee Titans after 17 years as head coach. Fisher, who first took over the then Houston Oilers back in 1994, has a had a tough few years since going 13-3 in 2008, slipping to 6-10 this year to finish bottom of the AFC to cap a miserable year in which the battle between fisher and Quarterback Vince Young hit fever pitch, resulting in Young’s placement on Injured Reserved midway through the season. The removal of Fisher and the impending trade or release of Vince Young is undoubtedly the start of a rebuilding process in Tennessee; Owner Bud Adams will now be seriously considering taking a shot at a potential franchise Quarterback in the upcoming draft, where they hold a top ten pick and the name of Blaine Gabbert is being heavily linked.

Adams might be wary of drafting Gabbert so high again after seeing Vince Young become a distraction – issues have been raised about his work ethic, while he is a few years of being a potential franchise signal corner, needing to drastically improve his awareness to be NFL Ready. Tennessee could better served taking a Quarterback in the lower rounds, as they should be able to get by with 38 year old Kerry Collins, giving the youngster a chance to learn the ropes.

For now, Fisher is out of football, but you can bet a small fortune that there will be no shortage of suitors around the league or in the broadcasting booth who will be clamouring for his services.

NFL DRAFT 2011 –Player Watch

Cam Newton may have taken all the headlines, but there’s another reason why the Tigers remained unbeaten this year.

Nick Fairley – Defensive Tackle – Auburn

Fairley has steadily risen up draft boards to become many pundits pick to go first overall since Andrew Luck returned to school, overtaking Pat Peterson in becoming the most sought after defensive prospect coming into this draft. Fairley is tough yet versatile lineman and is as powerful as much heavier nose tackles despite only weighing in at 298lbs, giving him the chance to play as a Nose Tackle in a 3-4 scheme. But it is Fairley’s ability in a 4-3 scheme, however, that has him drawing comparisons to Warren Sapp for his ability to get to the Quarterback; if you watch tape of him, he isn’t a finesse rusher, preferring a mauling, aggressive style to run over blockers with his brute force and moving straight ahead in his quest to sack the quarterback.

Fairley’s dominance has been apparent all season, notching 56 tackles and 12 sacks – he is almost unblockable when offenses run the spread against him (watch the tape of the BCS Championship game for proof against #3 ranked Oregon) and ends up in the backfield often before the Quarterback has the chance to set his feet.

Now that the defensively minded Ron Rivera has taken over in Carolina, Fairley is seemingly destined to be the cornerstone of a revamped Panthers defence that has struggled to find a real front seven difference maker since Julius Peppers left for Chicago. The other option at #1 is Georgia Wide Receiver A.J Green, so if Carolina passes on Fairley, the man who brought Peppers into the league, John Fox, will be happy to take him to Denver, significantly upgrading their severe lack of ability to reach the QB; Denver managed a league low 23 sacks this year.

Keep an eye out for the Monday Night Lights preview of the Superbowl coming this week!

Just as Monday Night Lights shut down for a Christmas period filled with mulled wine and essay writing, American sport seemingly went into overdrive. Since the last volume, nearly a quarter of head coaches in the NFL have lost their jobs, MLB saw one man reject the earth for some sentimentality, college football crowned a national champion and one NBA star got busy on Twitter.

NFL PLAYOFF TEAMS LOOK TO THE SUPERBOWL

And then there were four.

We finally know who could be representing the NFC and AFC in Superbowl XLV; except nothing really went to plan.

The New York Jets, demolished 45-3 the last time they visited Gillette Stadium, rocked the NFL by beating the No.1 seed New England Patriots 28-21 to finally back up the trash talk that was almost as much as storyline as the game itself. Jets QB Mark Sanchez was clinical in passing for 194 yards and 3TD’s to cap brilliant back to back performances, leading his team downfield with less than two minutes to go against the Colts to set up a game winning field goal and keep his cool to finally beat their fiercest rivals.

The Jets will meet the Pittsburgh Steelers after they beat the Baltimore Ravens 31-24 despite being 21-0 down at the half, rolling to their eight AFC Championship game since 1994 and second under Head Coach Mike Tomlin.

In the NFC, Green Bay and Chicago will meet for a third time this year; the Pack beat No.2 Atlanta 48-21, Aaron Rodgers continuing to show why many think he could be the best QB in the NFL, delivering 366 yards for 3TDs and adding one with his feet, whereas Chicago downed the upstart Seattle Seahawks 35-24.

NFL COACHES PLAY MUSICAL CHAIRS

The ramifications of the regular season have seen a number of NFL Coaches looking for new jobs. Cleveland, Carolina, Denver, San Francisco and Oakland all pulled the trigger to take the total to seven (Minnesota and Dallas fired their coaches mid-season). The biggest surprise came from Oakland, who after their best season in years, parted company with Tom Cable, who had the support of the locker room despite some early season troubles in which he allegedly broke an assistant coach’s jaw.

The release of Cable is yet another questionable personnel decision from Davis, whose unconventional decisions are normally displayed on draft day, notably electing to take JaMarcus Russell with the first pick of the 2007 NFL Draft. At the time, Russell was a Quarterback with a lighting arm, little work ethic and character issues; Davis passing on Calvin Johnson, who was regarded as a can’t miss prospect. Russell is now out of the NFL and considered one of the biggest busts in NFL history, Johnson is considered by many as one of the best receivers in the NFL.

Oakland has filled the position by promoting Offensive Co-ordinator Hue Jackson, who called the plays this year and could well have been Davis’s man of choice for the long term all along.

Ron Rivera, who coached the NFL Leading San Diego Chargers defence, has been given the unenviable
task of resurrecting the woeful Carolina Panthers, their former head coach John Fox has landed in Denver, replacing Josh McDaniels, Jim Harbaugh has made the jump from Stanford to replace Mike Singletary in San Francisco and Cleveland will put their faith in Pat Shurmur, who leaves his position with the St Louis as offensive co-ordinator to take up his first head coaching position. The Cowboys and Vikings elevated interim coaches Jason Garrett (Dallas) and Leslie Fraizer (Minnesota) to Head Coaching positions.

CLIFF LEE RETURNS TO PHILADELPHIA

Players bolting teams for a bigger wage packet is nothing new, but players picking teams for some home comforts and stability is. Cliff Lee stunned Baseball by re-signing with the Philadelphia Phillies, the team that traded him away at the back end of 2009 for a reported $120 million dollars over five years, with an option of a sixth. While the contract is by no means small, Lee reportedly turned down the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers who reportedly were offering upwards of $160 million over seven years. Lee was quoted stating, “I never wanted to leave in the first place”. Money it seems, cannot always buy you job satisfaction.

AUBURN CLAIM BCS CROWN

The Crystal Ball is on its way back to the south as Auburn won 22-19 over Oregon, leaving the Tigers unbeaten for the year. All the talk before the game was about how points both teams explosive offenses could put up, led by Cam Newton for Auburn and LaMichael James for Oregon, but it was Auburn freshmen Michael Dyer who outshone them both. Dyer posted his second highest total of the year, running for 143 yards including a 37-yard run in the fourth quarter to put Auburn in game winning field goal range. Auburn finish no.1 in the national polls, followed by Texas Christian Union (TCU) and Oregon, but are unlikely to remain there when the new season kicks off later this year; Newton and Nick Fairley, Auburn’s stud defensive tackle, are leaving for the NFL, where both are expected to go inside the top ten.

LEBRON JAMES GETS IN A FLAP

LeBron James is a great basketball player, but sometimes you just wonder what goes through his head (see summer 2010; “taking my talents to South Beach”). Not content with sucking the life out his hometown team in his personal quest for a championship, he seems to have found ways of embarrassing them virtually too. Cavs Owner Dan Gilbert famously wrote an open letter to fans on James departure, berating James and claiming that unless he did ‘right’ by Cleveland, then bad karma would follow him. So, as the Cavs were getting hammered 112-57 by the Los Angeles Lakers LeBron hit back via Twitter.
“Karma is a b****. It’s not good to wish bad on anybody. God sees everything!”

There is endless discussion about whether LeBron made the right decision moving to Miami, but it is widely accepted that he went about it wrong way; making it all about LeBron. Now for his inability to keep his fingers quiet, James has shown an incredible lack of humility for a city that adored him and has ramped up the anti-LeBron sentiments to a whole new level.

ANDREW LUCK SPURNS NFL

Stanford Quarterback Andrew Luck has committed to returning to Stanford for another season, bewildering many (including this writer) by turning down the chance to declare early for the NFL Draft, where he was the consensus favourite to be selected by Carolina with the first overall pick. The reason Luck, whose father Oliver was an NFL Quarterback for the Houston Oilers, gave for returning to the Cardinal was that he wanted to finish his degree (a major in architectural design) foregoing at least $30 million in guaranteed money, which will be decreasing substantially with the new agreement on the rookie pay scale in 2011.

In my opinion, Luck has nothing left to prove at college level, unless he thinks he can win a national championship with Stanford, which is unlikely. His head coach has left and Luck is as ready to be NFL Quarterback now as he would be in 12 months, so turning down the chance to declare early is most likely going to see his value decrease as he risks the chance of major injury, or scouts find issues with his game.

Another QB prospect in this year’s class, Jake Locker, was in a similar situation this time last year. This season, he got injured and his stock plummeted; Matt Leinart’s decision to go back to school when he was widely considered to go first overall ultimately cost him his career, landing in Arizona and never getting a chance to prove himself – only time will tell whether this decision affects Luck’s prospects in the long term.

Newton’s Law

Cam Newton, as expected, won a landslide victory in the Heisman Trophy, the prestigious award given to the best College Footballer of the year in an emotional ceremony in New York City.

It has been an excellent week for Newton, bagging the Heisman after scooping both the Davey O’Brien (Best QB) and Maxwell (Best Player in the Nation) awards early last week. Newton, who has lead Auburn to the National Championship game, has enjoyed one of the greatest college seasons in living memory, becoming the first Quarterback in the SEC to pass for 2,000 yards and run for 1,000 yards, but continuing allegations his father tried to sell his son on a pay-for-play deal still linger over his season – he was left off the writers’ All-American List this week because of it in favour of Boise State’s Kellen Moore.

Whether or not Newton has to give his Heisman trophy back, much like New Orleans Saints Running Back Reggie Bush had to do for a similar incident, is an argument for a few years’ time. In the meantime, Newton has the chance to cement his place in history as Auburn face-off with Oregon on January 10th in Phoenix for the National Championship

All I want for Christmas is….

A multi-year, $100 million deal. If you are an MLB free agent that is.

With the Winter Meetings in the books and Jayson Werth becoming the newest member of the $100 million dollar plus club, he was swiftly joined by Troy Tulowitski and Carl Crawford, both of whom signed bumper deals in mid-week.

The Boston Red Sox gave Crawford a $142 million, seven year deal to take him take him out of one of the smallest Major League markets (Tampa Bay) into one of the biggest while Tulowitski re-signed with the Colorado Rockies until 2020 for $139 million.

Despite the crazy numbers (especially in the case of Jayson Werth) being given out to free agents, it looks as though the well-known saying rings true, as the best is being saved till last.

Ever since being hit out of the park in the final game of the World Series, the whole league has been holding their breath as Cliff Lee decides where he is going to play his ball next year. For Lee, it could be his fourth club in three years as the New York Yankees are trying to tie him down after missing out in 2009, reportedly offering him a seven year deal; the sticking point for New York is that Lee might be wary of moving his family yet again as he is reportedly settled in Texas, giving the Rangers a leg-up whatever the Yankees offer. Whatever Lee decides, Rangers GM Chuck Greenberg is set for some sleepless nights as he hopes to hang on to his star pitcher.

New England continue to impress

The New England Patriots booked their place in the post-season after humiliating the Chicago Bears 36-7 at Soldier Field in a week which asserted their place as the team to beat in the NFL.

Billed as one of the toughest weeks of the season for the Patriots, they emerged triumphant, silencing mouthy divisional upstarts the New York Jets 45-3 before putting up 33 first half points for no reply in Chicago to send shockwaves through the league.

Tom Brady, on course for another stellar year (29Ttds to 4INTS so far) is League MVP in waiting. While Brady might not have had the same sort of impact as Michael Vick in Philadelphia, think about this. Vick has DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin to throw to and LeSean McCoy to take the hand offs – all have big contracts, all were high draft picks. Philadelphia couldn’t get it done and lost 26-31 in Chicago a matter of weeks ago.

It speaks volumes about an organisation, the epitome of no player being bigger than the team and how good Brady is when they Pats are content to stick with a no name offense. Brady has made the likes of Deion Branch (who had a career day in the win over Chicago), rookie Aaron Hernandez and Danny Woodhead, a player the New York Jets deemed surplus to requirements at the start of the year, stars who have all played considerable parts in the league’s highest scoring offense.

What is even more impressive is the Patriots draft policy, where they seemingly always trade down, but still get a perfect player. The most recent crop of Pats draftees are making a lot of noise; Devin McCourty, a first round pick out of Rutgers is third in the NFL with six interceptions and Hernandez, the 113th player selected, has over 500 yards and four touchdowns. Perhaps the most impressive pick up is Linebacker Brandon Spikes, high on talent but with significant character issues, who many thought was a reach in the second round. He has so far amassed 61 tackles and an interception as a rookie.

All this has happened while they traded what many considered to be their only legitimate star in Randy Moss and shipped Richard Seymour, an elite pass rusher, to Oakland for a first rounder when he wouldn’t play ball on a new contract. New England now has a staggering six picks in the first three rounds for the 2011 NFL Draft and you would be a brave person to bet against Bill Belichick loading up with yet more talent. Whisper it, but the Pats might be building another dynasty.

Feature: Should Carolina stick with Jimmy Clausen for 2011?

YES

I think at this point of the year, barring something incredible, we can all agree that the Panthers will be picking number #1 this year, putting them in the box seat for Andrew Luck, but to take the Stanford man would be the wrong thing to do. We forget so easily that seven-and-a-half months ago, Carolina invested their top pick (albeit a second-rounder) in QB Jimmy Clausen. To give up on a guy after just one year is crazy – not every rookie can be Joe Flacco or Matt Stafford, especially considering the dearth of talent around him this year. Left tackle Jeff Otah? Injured reserve. Star back DeAngelo Williams? Out for the year. Matt Moore, who was supposed to start throughout 2010 to give Clausen a year on the sidelines to learn? Injured Reserve. Wide receiver Steve Smith? Played hurt, and then stopped trying once soon-to-be-fired coach John Fox made it clear he didn’t care anymore. Clausen has been left with unheralded backups (Running Back Mike Goodson) and little-known, rookie receivers (David Gettis, Brandon LaFell) to try and make things happen, all the while trying to stay upright behind a dire offensive line.

Clausen never stood a chance, and if the Panthers pick Andrew Luck, neither will he. The best thing Carolina can do is try to give Clausen some help. New interior linemen, a receiving weapon like A.J. Green, a tight end who is better than Dante Rosario – any of these would be an upgrade.

But if Carolina thinks Luck is the answer, the question can only be “Which QB’s career should we ruin this year?”

NO

Carolina have been dreadful this year, but injuries or not, the play of their Quarterbacks has been worse; Jimmy Clausen isn’t immune from that criticism. For a player that played in a pro-style offense at Notre Dame and could have stepped in from day one, albeit adjusting to the NFL on the job, his production has been unacceptable (one touchdown all year). I agree that there are factors outside of his control at Carolina, namely his inept and soon to be fired coach in John Fox, but the Quarterback is the most important position in Football. If your quarterback cannot lead the team- if he can’t get the job done – then you need to find someone who can.

Many questioned whether Clausen had the intangibles to be a successful NFL player and his slide down the draft might have proved them right as teams were concerned about his character; now, in my opinion at least, it is clearly apparent.

With a new regime likely to be coming in, who will have no ties with Clausen, he could well be on his way out of Carolina for the same price he came in on, a second round pick. Carolina has never truly been the right fit for Clausen from the moment he was drafted – at least if he is traded away and replaced, most likely by Andrew Luck, he will still have the chance to learn behind a veteran for a year, refine his trade and will hopefully become a successful NFL player.

NFL DRAFT 2011 – Player Watch

Ryan Mallett – Quarterback – Arkansas

2011 is shaping up to be an exceptionally deep year for Quarterbacks with three nailed on first rounders, four if Cam Newton declares, so somebody is going to slip down the first round as teams reach for him.

Ryan Mallett looks like that guy and whoever gets him might be getting an absolute steal.

Mallett, who transferred from Michigan to Arkansas after his Freshman year, has the physical tools you need to be a prototypical pocket passer in the NFL: an ability to easily sell the play fake, a massive 6ft7, 238 pound frame and an absolute cannon of an arm, but if anyone remembers JaMarcus Russell, you will know that these things alone do not make for an NFL ready Quarterback.

Mallett does need a lot of work on the finer points in his game – he isn’t very accurate at this point and tends to make bad decisions when faced with a stiff pass rush causing him to get a case of happy feet in the pocket. NFL coaches will also need to straighten out his footwork and mechanics as he has an awkward release which he won’t be able to get away with at the in NFL, but these things are details that almost all players have coming into the league – heck, even Peyton Manning had things to sort out in his first season.

If coaches can get these things fixed and, I think more importantly, that Mallett sits and learns for a year because he is still so raw, whoever drafts him will have an exceptionally good player at the Quarterback position. I don’t think that Mallett will go inside the top ten, as some mock drafts have been putting him, but he might get close depending on if someone makes a big leap up the first round to try and grab either Andrew Luck or Cam Newton.

On this week’s standings (week commencing 13th December), Arizona would be reaching for him a #7 considering they have both Max Hall and John Skelton on the roster, while I also think San Francisco at #10 are content with Alex or Troy Smith starting. Minnesota will be looking for a QB after Brett Favre retires for the umpteenth time, but I think they would be better trading for a veteran as they are equipped to win games right away with the talent on offense without the need to handle the growing pains of a rookie QB.

Mallett would be a nice fit for Seattle, where he would have chance to learn under Matt Hasselback before taking over the starting job further down the line, but they might be inclined to take local native Jake Locker instead. If he gets by the Seahawks, Kansas City will not pass on him as they can’t rely on Matt Cassel to be their franchise quarterback, simply because he doesn’t stretch the field enough. The Chiefs are assembling an explosive offense with Jamaal Charles, Dwayne Bowe and Dexter McCluster – Mallett will simply sit till Cassel is no longer a viable option, a la Aaron Rodgers with Brett Favre, before being the leader.

Special thanks go to Nathan Hughes (Tuesday Mid-Afternoon Fullback) for contributing the ‘Yes ’section of this week’s feature.