Lakers-Spurs -- Game 5 Live Blog

Dave McMenamin is live blogging Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and Spurs. Boxscore Photos Aftermath:As the Lakers congregated at halfcourt after beating the Spurs 4-1 to advance to The Finals for the first time since Shaq was still a 20 and 10 guy, there was a look of unbridled joy on Kobe Bryant’s face. This is what he always wanted. His team, playing with the same vigor and passion that he does, sitting just four wins away from his fourth ring – a ring that would sure to be sweeter than the other three because this one would come on his shoulders. Anybody is happy when they win a playoff series. I don’t want to make too much of this smile, I mean, D.J. MBenga and Ira Newble had wide grins on their faces too, but Kobe’s was just a little different. To see a guy who normally wears a scowl on his face from tip-off to final buzzer like a soldier wears camouflage look that genuinely happy, was, well, unprecedented. Have we ever seen Kobe this happy? When the Lakers had their threepeat, Kobe was in his early 20s and had to look cool when L.A. won. It was the Big Aristotle’s team and he was saying things like, “Can you digggg itttttt!” at the celebration parades. For O’Neal, it was a party. For Bryant last night, it was a payoff. He had the same satisfied look on his face that I imagine a carpenter to have when he sands the last rough edge off of the wooden rocking horse he painstakingly crafted for his kid. The Lakers are Western Conference champs because Bryant upped his regular season averages of 28.3 points on .459 shooting from the floor to 31.9 points on .509 shooting in the playoffs. That’s right, folks: He won MVP and is playing even better than the regular season version of himself. TNT’s Charles Barkley quipped after Game 5 that we could all forget Kyra Sedgwick because Kobe Bryant really is The Closer, after witnessing Kobe score 26 of his 39 points in the second half, including 17 in the fourth. We’d be remised not to mention the defending champs. The Spurs proved worthy adversaries. Tim Duncan did everything he could with a triple-double (19 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists), Tony Parker had 23 and three other role players reached double digits (Finley – 13, Thomas – 11, Barry – 11). Some of the blame will be put on Manu Ginobili, who was 10-for-38 in the Spurs’ four losses and 9-for-15 in the Spurs one win. But Bryant went out and delivered the knockout punch and then went back to his corner to celebrate with his teammates who did damage of their own in the ring. Pau Gasol has 12 points, five assists, four blocks and a career-high 19 rebounds. Lamar Odom had 13 points and eight boards. Radmanovic, Fisher, Vujacic and Walton combined to hit six huge 3-pointers. And Jordan Farmar chipped in eight points off the bench, including a key personal 6-0 run to chip away at a Spurs lead that had ballooned to 17 at the time. The Lakers are four wins away from their fourth championship since 2000. If you think Kobe’s smile was big now, wait till you see him when they finish the job. Game 5 Final: Lakers 93, Spurs 91 – L.A. beats San Antonio, 4-1 Kobe opens up the fourth with a 3-pointer to lift L.A.’s lead up to four points. Usually he starts the fourth quarter on the bench, but as Doug Collins said, Phil Jackson is keeping him in there from the start so he can go for the “knockout punch” early. The Bench Mob goes on a key 5-0 run thanks to a corner three from Luke Walton and a high-off-the-glass reverse layup by Jordan Farmar. It’s only a four-point Laker lead, but with the home crowd behind them, this could start to snowball. Kobe wills a drive to the hoop, pushing the Lakers’ lead up to six. Marv Albert, owner of the “a spectacular move” call for Michael Jordan’s hand change in mid-air against the Lakers in the 1991 Finals, just serenaded Kobe’s move with an emphatic “gorgeous scoop” call. Kobe follows the gorgeous scoop with a knock-down jumper from straight away, and Vujacic follows Kobe’s jumper with a straight-away three of his own off of a broken play. The lead is seven and growing. San Antonio isn’t backing down. A jumper by Barry and a layup by Parker make it a two-point game with four minutes to play. Manu misses a wide open look from three to give the Spurs the chance to go up by one. Kobe Bryant follows with a floater that doubles the lead back to four. That could be a key sequence we look back at when the game is over. Tremendous. Kobe boosts his game-total to 33 points with a near-impossible fadeaway from the foul line with Tim Duncan draped all over him. The Lakers lead by five. Next possession, Kobe layup. Lakers by seven, and a series-high 35 for KB24. Paul, my college buddy who is a die-hard Celtics fan, just e-mailed me to ask if the Lakers are really this good. Yes, they are. Boston might beat Detroit, but stopping this L.A. team will take more than just the luck of the Irish and the ghost of Red. The Spurs playoffs start with a big made three by Duncan and ends the postseason with a mild missed three. L.A. is back in The Finals for the first time since 2004. What a year for Kobe. From the trading block to four wins from his fourth championship. As Rob Peterson just put it to me: “Kobe should have been in Glengarry Glen Ross -- Always Be Closing.” End of Third Quarter: Lakers 64, Spurs 63 The Spurs looked ready to pull away, going up 10 to start the third quarter, but a Derek Fisher steal and layup followed by a Bryant jumper got the margin back to six. Both teams are playing a little sloppy. There are missed shots galore, empty trips to the free throw line, turnovers … this is an elimination game, people! Pass some Red Bulls around or something. Almost at the exact moment I finished typing that last sentence, Kobe buried a jumper to make it a four-point game and the Spurs responded with a Tony Parker catch-and-shoot make from the wing. Now the action is starting to live up to the billing. Game 4 was a break through for L.A. because it led from wire to wire and never relinquished its lead. The Spurs couldn’t do the same tonight. Kobe Bryant hit a three to draw the Lakers to within one and on the next possession faked another triple out on the wing, bringing Bruce Bowen to his knees, and allowing Kobe to traipse into the lane for a little pull-up to give L.A. the 61-60 lead. That’s an 18-point turnaround from the beginning of the second to the end of the third. San Antonio responded after L.A. took the lead to go back up 63-61, but Mr. First Quarter ended the third quarter with a three from the corner to put the Lakers back up by one. L.A. is 12 minutes from the Finals, San Antonio has 12 minutes to keep its back-to-back bid alive. Halftime: Spurs 48, Lakers 42 Hair update: Ronny Turiaf has a ponytail. That is all. The Spurs didn’t practice on Wednesday and they cancelled their shootaround today. It looks like they wanted to save their makes for tonight. They have pushed the lead to 33-16. We had an interesting discussion in the locker room today about the NBA’s plan to discourage defenders from flopping by fining them next season. I wonder how far that will extend? What about offensive players? Vujacic just got hit in the face by Ginobili and “sold it” by covering his head with both hands in feigned pain. Isn’t that the same thing as flopping, to an extent? Michael-Howard-Fin … Nope. Back rim. False alarm. Jordan Farmar goes on a personal 6-0 run to get L.A. back in the game with Bryant, Gasol and Odom all on the bench.

Aussie stars join Scotland

Scots boost World Cup hopes with Australians
Scotland have received a boost to their hopes of lifting the Rugby League World Cup later this year with the addition of three Australian National Rugby League stars to their squad.
Manly winger Michael Robertson became the latest to join the Scottish line-up after he was given approval this week.
Robertson, who was equal top tryscorer in 27 matches last season, joins forwards Keith Galloway (Wests Tigers) and Chris Armit (Canterbury Bulldogs) in representing the Scots during the tournament down under.
Organisers, the Rugby League World Cup, confirmed that the 25-year old, whose grandfather was born in Scotland and moved to Australia, became eligible after his ancestry papers were approved by England's Rugby Football League.
Ten nations will compete across 12 venues in the competition that runs from October 25 to November 22.
Scotland will play France in Canberra on October 26 and Fiji at the Central Coast in New South Wales on November 5.
Australia have held the title of World Champions since 1975.

Fifa vote for 'six-plus-five'

Fifa have voted in favour of the 'six-plus-five' rule which would place restrictions on foreign players.
The president of football's world governing body, Sepp Blatter, hopes to see the initiative implemented by the 2012/13 season.
The ruling would limit the number of overseas players any one team can field in their starting XI to just five.
Fifa have grown increasingly concerned by the number of foreign stars infiltrating Europe's top leagues, with the English Premier League standing out as the most obvious example.
Despite fears from the European Union that the introduction of the rule would contravene freedom of movement regulations, Blatter insists that Fifa would proceed "within the limits of the law".
Balance
"It's to make sure that there is better balance in the competitions and not only three or four teams in a league of 18 or 20 are fighting to be the champion and all the others are just there to not be relegated," said Blatter.
"As (Newcastle manager) Kevin Keegan recently said: 'I can only start my season to fight to be fifth or sixth or seventh. It is impossible for me to go into the final four'.
"At the end of the Champions League in Europe you have in the quarter-finals four teams of the same association; in the semi-finals three of these teams.
"Then in the final you are surprised that you have two teams of the same association?
"We want to bring some remedies and this is the six-plus-five rule's objective."
Incompatible
While Fifa are keen to push on with the idea, Uefa are still calling for a rival 'home-grown' player system to be introduced.
Uefa defines 'home-grown players' as team members who, regardless of age or nationality, have been trained by their club or by another club in the National Association for at least three years between the ages of 15 and 21.
The EU have already given their backing to this concept as it contains no conditions based on nationality and would prefer to see Fifa back down with their controversial proposal.
"Compared with the intentions announced by FIFA to impose the so-called '6-plus-5 rule', which is directly discriminatory and therefore incompatible with the EU law, the 'home-grown players' rule proposed by UEFA seems to me to be proportionate and to comply with the principle of free movement of workers," said EU Commissioner Vladimir Spidla

Milan yet to agree Zam fee

Milan are being priced out of the running to sign World Cup-winning Italian full-back Gianluca Zambrotta from Barcelona, according to reports in Italy.
The Rossoneri are keen to bring the 31-year-old former Juventus full-back back to Serie A following a two-year spell in La Liga.
However, while Zambrotta is keen on joining Milan, an Italian football association spokesman claims the parties are just two million euros (£1.5million) from striking a deal.
"The difference is two million euros. The player hopes to come to Milan and the Barcelona management is aware of it," said a spokesman from an Italian football association.
"But Barca is an extremely expensive 'boutique'. They have no sooner opened the bidding than they are up 30, 40, or 50 million - figures that are not compatible with any budget

Barca may trade Eto'o for Ibra

Internazionale striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic could move to Barcelona in a swap deal involving Samuel Eto'o.
Reports have claimed that Barca president Joan Laporta met his Inter counterpart Massimo Moratti earlier this week to discuss potential transfer business.
Barca are rumoured to have pinpointed Ibrahimovic as the club's major summer signing, while Moratti is keen to bring Eto'o to the Giuseppe Meazza.
Ibrahimovic's agent Mino Raiola admits the Swedish striker could be tempted to leave Inter in favour of a move to Camp Nou.
Possibilities
"There are possibilities that Ibra could go to Barcelona to replace Eto'o, but the two clubs must find an agreement," Raiola told TV station Antenna 3.
"And, in that case, we would evaluate the proposal."
Speaking on Thursday, Ibrahimovic suggested he would not be pushing for a move away from Inter in the summer, despite the change of coach.
He told Gazzetta dello Sport: "After two Scudettos, I want to win the Champions League. I'm still happy."
Inter sacked Roberto Mancini on Thursday and former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is widely expected to take over the Serie A champions.
Moratti is keen to provide the new coach with big signings and Eto'o is one of several potential targets for Inter.

Milan open to Sheva return

Milan managing director Adriano Galliani has revealed the Italian giants remain interested in bringing Andrei Shevchenko back to the San Siro.
Shevchenko left Milan in 2006 to join Chelsea in a £30million transfer, but the Ukrainian striker has struggled for form and fitness at Stamford Bridge and is expected to leave this summer.
And Galliani has hinted that Milan, who are ready to overhaul their squad in the close-season after falling at the first knock-out hurdle in the UEFA Champions League and finishing fifth in Serie A, could offer Shevchenko an escape route.
Galliani has also suggested that manager Carlo Ancelotti was wrong not to include 31-year-old Shevchenko, who scored 127 goals in 208 appearances for Milan, in his list of transfer targets.
Speculation
"He is among the possible arrivals," Galliani told the Italian media. "Ancelotti has been wrong not to put him in the list of possible signings.
"In my opinion, Sheva could be inserted in the list of possible arrivals."
Galliani has also dismissed speculation that Milan are ready to sell striker Alberto Gilardino, who has been strongly linked with a move to Fiorentina.
"We have not yet had any negotiations," added Galliani when asked about Gilardino's status.
"We must sign a striker, but should Gilardino leave, we will sign two forwards."

Robinho - Chelsea want me

Chelsea are prepared to pay £28million to bring Real Madrid star Robinho to Stamford Bridge, according to the player and his agent.
The Brazilian forward has previously been linked with a move to Manchester United, possibly in a swap deal involving Cristiano Ronaldo, but his advisor has now revealed that he has engaged in talks with Chelsea.
Agent Wagner Ribeiro claims he met with Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon on Thursday, during which a fee for the player was discussed.
"I met Peter Kenyon, Chelsea managing director, in London on Thursday," said Ribeiro to Brazilian TV station Globo.
"He told me that they (Chelsea) were considering making an offer of 35 million euros for Robinho."
Real possibility
The 24-year-old backed his agent's claim by confirming a firm interest from Chelsea.
"What could happen is that I could go to Chelsea, as I have an offer from them," Robinho added.
Robinho continued to reveal Milan were also monitoring his situation, but talk of a switch to Manchester United was nothing more than conjecture.
"Milan are also interested in me. The Milan directors have asked to hold a meeting with Wagner," he added.
Speculation
"There is nothing from Manchester, that's all just speculation.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is not going to leave there. He's just won the Champions League and he could be crowned the best in the world."
Only last week Robinho claimed he was settled in Spain and had no intention of leaving Madrid, but news of Chelsea's interest will certainly cause a stir in the capital.
Blues owner Roman Abramovich has made no secret of his desire to see a more aesthetically pleasing style of football being played in West London, and Robinho is certainly a player that would meet such criteria.

Blues plan Drogba meeting

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck says the club will sit down with Didier Drogba to see if the striker wants to stay at Stamford Bridge.
Drogba has been tipped to leave the Blues over the summer, with Milan confirming he is on their list of transfer targets.
The Ivory Coast ace was sent off in the UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United in midweek, and Buck admits it was a 'silly' red card for the forward to pick up.
But Buck remains hopeful that Drogba will still be in West London next season and is planning to hold talks with the former Marseille man shortly.
Collective decision
''Didier is a superb player generally," Buck told Chelsea TV. "There have been some comments reported to be made by Didier over the last year that maybe he would like to leave Chelsea. On most occasions he has said that he has been misquoted.
"Now that the season is over, we have to sit down with him and see what the story is and what his future is. He is a great player, I hope he stays, but that is a decision the club and Didier will have to make collectively.
"This year he has had some niggling injuries, but we know he can change the course of a game, as he nearly did in Moscow.
"As I have said, he is a superb player, but if you are a world-class player, which he is, you have to avoid the silly red cards, the ones that come about over nothing - and I think Didier will be sorry that he got that red card."
Tweaking squad
Following Chelsea's failure to win a trophy this season, there have been widespread reports of a mass exodus from Stamford Bridge over the summer.
Buck expects Avram Grant's squad to be trimmed during the off-season, but he is not predicting wholesale changes of the playing staff.
He added: "We decided several months ago that our squad size is a few players too many. It is about 28 now and it should really be 22 plus three goalkeepers.
"So there is going to be some movement just to get the squad down to the size we think is optimum. In terms of other transfers generally, every year we want to tweak the squad a bit, so there will be some changes, but I don't expect there to be massive, wholesale changes."

Reds warn Blues off Torres

Liverpool have told Chelsea to forget about making a move for Fernando Torres.
Reports in Spain and England have suggested Chelsea are weighing up a £50million move for the striker after his superb first season in the Premier League last term.
The 24-year-old scored 33 goals in his debut season after arriving from Atletico Madrid last summer.
Reports have suggested Liverpool could be willing to cash-in on Torres, but Reds co-owner , Hicks insists the Reds would never contemplate selling Torres.
Denial"We would never consider it," Hicks told the Daily Telegraph.
A spokesman for Hicks added: "It is simply beyond comprehension. There is no circumstance in which Torres will be sold," Hicks' spokesman told The Mirror.
"Why would the owners invest so much money in supporting the manager, to then undermine that support? It is ludicrous."
Torres has also rejected the speculation saying he is happy to stay at Anfield.
"I am very happy at Liverpool," noted Torres. "I prefer not to think about these stories and to focus on Euro 2008.
"After the Euros I will go on holiday and then return to Liverpool.
Feel good
"This is my team, my city and Anfield is my pitch. I can't tell you how good I feel about playing for Liverpool.
"It is so important to me that the fans think so highly of me. It is fantastic to see my name on the shirts of our fans.
"This was only my first season for Liverpool, and I can say without contradiction I want to play better here for many more yet."

Latics linked with Yebda

Wigan are reported to be lining up a move for Le Mans midfielder Hassan Yebda.
Yebda is out of contract in the summer and he is available on a free transfer after turning down a new deal at Le Mans.
The news has alerted Wigan who are believed to have made contact with the player over a possible move to the JJB Stadium.
Latics boss Steve Bruce is determined to bolster his squad and Yebda's Bosman status make him an attractive proposition for Bruce.
Yebda is believed to be keen on a move to England with the 24-year-old a bid admirer of the Premier League.
Wigan could face a fight for the Frenchman as a number of clubs across Europe are thought to be monitoring his situation.

Arsenal look set to complete their first summer signing by securing a deal for Marseille's Samir Nasri.

The Gunners have been tracking the French international for some time and are believed to be closing in on a £13million transfer.
The 20-year-old has long been regarded as one of the hottest properties in Ligue 1 and it will come as no surprise that he is set to test himself at one of Europe's top clubs.
The youngster is seen as the rightful heir to Zinedine Zidane's crown for his country and is expected to make a major impact at this summer's European Championship.
Interested
Both Nasri and Arsenal are keen to get the formalities of the move sorted before Euro 2008 gets under way, and the player's agent has confirmed that the deal should go through in the next few days.
"Arsenal's offer has caught his interest from a sporting point of view," said Jean-Pierre Bernes.
"In his career plan it is something very interesting for him.
"But he will be leaving Marseille. It will be done in the coming days."
Paperwork
Despite the transfer seemingly set for imminent completion, Arsenal have been quick to play down suggestions that the deal is a forgone conclusion and insist that no formal announcement will be made until the necessary paperwork, including international clearance, is completed.
A club spokesperson said: "There has been no signing yet. In line with our usual policy, we will only announce when they are done.

Rooney tackling concerns Capello

Rooney was substituted by Capello in the win over the US

England coach Fabio Capello plans to talk to Wayne Rooney in a bid to try to channel his natural aggression.

Rooney was sent off against Portugal in the 2006 World Cup and his temper flared on several occasions in Wednesday's friendly win over the US.

He escaped a booking for a lunge on Ricardo Clark, before he was yellow carded for fouling Frankie Hejduk.

"I have to speak to Rooney and explain not to do these tackles the next time I'm with the team," Capello said.

That is likely to be when England meet up for the August friendly against the Czech Republic after Rooney was one of the seven players excused from Sunday's match in Trinidad and Tobago.

Two years ago Rooney was sent off in the World Cup quarter-final after a reckless stamp on Ricardo Carvalho, a match England subsequently lost on penalties.

"I like players who have quality but also who do not fear to tackle," added Capello as he reflected on England's 2-0 win over the US.

"He is young, he is a good player and I think the future will be better. For this reason I think I have to speak with him.

"When you play you need to tackle very hard. He did two very, very hard tackles, possibly yellow cards but not red cards."

Sania Mirza bowled over by Shoaib Akhtar

Chandigarh : Shoaib Akhtar may not have set alight the cricket series yet but the Pakistani speedster has already won an admirer in tennis ace Sania Mirza. Sania, in the city to watch the second Indo-Pak one day cricket match at Mohali on Thursday, said she liked Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi as well but the ‘Rawalpindi express’ stood apart because of his aggression.

“Shoaib Malik is good and I also liked Afridi for a while. But personally, I like Shoaib’s (Akhtar) aggression. He is a great cricketer,” Sania said at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) stadium on Wednesday.

The Hyderabadi said it would be her first India-Pakistan ODI on Wednesday.

“The last one I watched was between India and New Zealand at Hyderabad,” said Sania, whose father and some friends are accompanying her.

Sania, who spent the last weekend in Goa trying to relax during the off season, said she would re-start training at the end of this month.

“I am trying to relax during the off-season,” she said, adding coming back from injury takes a lot of physical and mental effort. Sania cut short her assignments after pulling a stomach muscle in Japan last month but is expected to be ready to play in the Hopman Cup in Perth from December 30.

Sania, currently ranked 32, said she was constantly trying to improve it.

“Though being number 32 in the world is not bad, but I am working hard. Maybe some day I will be there (in the top league),” she said. The tennis ace also said that she would do her best to win a medal in the Beijing Olympics next year.

“I have never played in the Olympics. It’s going to be my first Olympic Games and also my first event in China, where I have not played earlier,” she said.

Asked about her memories of playing at the CLTA, Sania said it has been around six years when she last played here.

“I remember that I was playing in the under-18 semi-final match when I sustained a knee injury. The scar is still there, but I went on to win that semis after being down 2-5 in the second set and eventually won the final as well,” she said.

Earlier on her arrival at the CLTA, Sania interacted with the budding tennis players. Sania told them that she felt good to see so many kids playing at the academy.

“There is a thin line between being positive and putting pressure on yourself,” she said, asking the kids to enjoy their game.

It is long known that Nagarjuna's son, Naga Chaitanya, is making his debut in a film directed by Puri Jagannath, the specialist in launching star son

It is long known that Nagarjuna's son, Naga Chaitanya, is making his debut in a film directed by Puri Jagannath, the specialist in launching star sons. At present, the young scion of the Akkineni family is taking voice modulation, dancing, martial arts and acting lessons in preparation for his debut.

According to sources close to Puri Jagannath, who is flying high on Bujjigadu's success, Sania Mirza will do a five-minute cameo appearance opposite the young debutante. In fact, Nagarjuna had approached the tennis star personally for this role. He had previously approached Sania to act in his next film, but Sania had been focussing on her career and had turned him down.

Sania Mirza's cameo is more or less confirmed in Naga Chaitanya's debut, though the lead heroine hasn't been confirmed yet.

soccer

The star and his brand

The Portuguese golden generation is gone. Luis Figo and his team-mates, who made it to the final of Euro 2004, are history. Now it’s the turn of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo... a money-making machine.

It was January, and it was cold in Old Trafford. Cristiano Ronaldo had just scored the first goal of the game, but the best was yet to come.

Free kick, three steps back and a deep breath, then an acceleration, a dry kick on the ball and an impossible flight: up, down, with a bend and in through the top corner of the goal.

“It was without doubt the best free-kick I’ve seen in the Premier League,” Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said after the game.

Like other spectators, Ferguson felt the temperature rise several degrees at the Theatre of Dreams. Ronaldo himself celebrated the goal with a gesture that mixed surprise and satisfaction, as if thinking, “What a goal I just scored!”

That is, in fact, the feeling that keeps swamping those who have watched in amazement over the past two years the explosion of a talent whose intricate play used to prompt more suspicion than expectation.

The Portuguese striker is young, handsome and glamorous. When he arrived in Manchester in 2003, he seemed to be the ideal man to fill the space left vacant by England midfielder David Beckham at the club’s busy marketing department.

However, it needed more than a nice smile and a golden earring. Now, at 23, after his fifth season in the Premiership, Ronaldo has a definite image. He is a star on the pitch: he plays vertically, he is fast and he scores many goals.

He has left Beckham behind him, and he has approached myths like George Best, whom he beat as the Manchester United player with most goals in one season. Besides, he did this in his first game as team captain.

“He is mentally strong, he is physically strong, he is a very important player for his club, he scores goals. At this moment he is the best player in the world,” Real Madrid’s Portuguese defender Pepe said in no uncertain terms.

Indeed, Ronaldo has it all. He is the great icon of a club that boasts the greatest number of fans in the world. His childlike face, his short sideburns and his metrosexual look are a money-making machine.

The Portuguese helps Nike, Banco Espirito Santo, Coca-Cola and Fuji sell their products, and his face is the visual attraction of the football video game ProEvolution Soccer.

The striker has his own brand of clothing, CR7, whose first store opened recently in his native town, under the management of his sisters Katia and Elma. “Of course, the metrosexual nature of CR7 is an act of fine balance in the market for attractive footballers,” said the Swiss magazine Goal, recalling that Ronaldo’s agents steered the careers of David and Victoria Beckham.

“A little gay is fantastic, but too gay would scare off half the market, hysterical girls in love,” the magazine explained.

Ronaldo lives in an 8-million-dollar villa on the outskirts of Manchester. In his garage there is a BMW M6 and a Porsche Cayenne Turbo. And according to British media, he gets about 12 million dollars a year from Manchester United alone, following a lucrative new contract that ties him to the club until 2012.

His life was not always like that. Ronaldo was born in Funchal, on the Portuguese island of Madeira, to a humble family that lived in an improvised, metal-roof house. His father died young, at 52, following a life marked by alcohol abuse. And his first steps in Lisbon — where he travelled after standing out at the small club Andorinha — were full of nostalgia.

Still, Ronaldo stood out at Sporting Lisbon, and he soon caught the eye of his compatriot Carlos Queiroz, Ferguson’s aide. Queiroz decided to sign him when the player was 18, although he has admitted that he did not even suspect just how great his potential was.

The Portuguese now looks like a Ballon d’Or. In 2007, the Brazilian Kaka beat him to it based on his titles and goals with Milan. But now there is little whose shine can match that of Manchester United and the Premiership.

That may well be why Cristiano Ronaldo stayed at the English club following the 2006 World Cup. In that tournament, he clashed badly with Manchester United’s England striker Wayne Rooney, who was sent off, and the Portuguese was hated by what seemed to be the whole country.

Two years later, however, England is at his feet. And the whole world could be too, if he shines at Euro 2008.

The Portuguese golden generation is gone. Luis Figo and his team-mates made it to the final in Euro 2004 and got to the semi-finals in Germany 2006. But now they are history.

It is Cristiano Ronaldo’s turn. And, as The Guardian said in a piece on the player, the best is yet to come.

Foreigners pack a wallop

CRICKET

Foreigners pack a wallop

With expectations riding high on them, the overseas players have responded very well, lighting up the Indian Premier League.

Rajasthan Royals’ Graeme Smith has donned the role of a marauder at the top of the order.

Gradually, the questions are being answered. The overseas cricketers have largely justified their billing. Shane Warne & Co. have lifted the level of competition in the Indian Premier League.

Whether it is Warne marshalling his men and bowling with great craft, Shane Watson parading his all-round ability, Glenn McGrath or Shaun Pollock operating with exemplary precision, Sanath Jayasuriya dismissing attacks ruthlessly, Graeme Smith donning the role of a marauder at the top of the order, Shaun Marsh providing a dash of youthful energy and flair opening the innings, Sohail Tanvir swinging ’em and striking with his quick arm action and fullish length, or Albie Morkel going about his cricket with heart and power, the foreign hand has been strong and visible in the IPL.

While it is debatable whether early initiation into the hectic Twenty20 cricket will help a budding player, Warne, on his part, has striven to infuse in the young cricketers of Rajasthan Royals a wealth of knowledge and self-belief as they rubbed shoulders with formidable names on a big stage.

He has led with great tactical and communication skills, his mind always alert to a possibility. The legendary Australian, both skipper and coach of the side, has created chances with pro-active captaincy.

In a largely defensive format for a fielding side, he has been attacking. He has shuffled slots for the cricketers, but the role definition has been clear. Warne’s field placements, instinctive or planned, have dripped with cricketing acumen.

Warne has built depth in the ranks, identified local talent, and blended it winningly with international stars.

The champion leg-spinner’s presence has surely played a pivotal role in Shane Watson’s laudable displays with the bat and the ball. Watson, whose career has been rocked by injuries, has batted with dash and responsibility and bowled with pace and aggression.

Watson (352 runs and 12 wickets in IPL at the time of writing) is a clean striker of the ball and can hustle a batsman with bounce and movement from an off-stump line. He is relishing the load and responsibility.

The Aussie influence would have been greater had some of the key men like Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds not been drafted in for the tour of the West Indies.

The performance of a Warne, McGrath, Pollock or a Jayasuriya has also shattered the myth about age and the shorter varieties of the game. While youth and exuberance matter, experience and strong fundamentals will score in any format.

Of course, the young Marsh struck a huge blow for the younger bunch with his confidence that stems from rare ability. Former Aussie opener Geoff Marsh’s son bats with a lot more freedom than his father did. And he is left-handed.

It’s hard to be consistent in Twenty20 but Marsh has strung together a tremendous run of scores. Kings XI Punjab could not have been smarter with a buy.

At the time of writing, Marsh had 478 runs in nine matches at 68.28 (strike rate 134.64). More than the runs, his approach to batting has caught the eye. The left-hander picks the length early, has sparkling footwork, and is decisive in his stroke-play on both sides of the wicket.

He can find the gaps, strike over the infield and clear the ground. In a compressed format, he is expansive with his strokes without appearing to take risks.

Marsh is a natural riding on his skill. Greater deeds beckon.

Jayasuriya is a lot older than Marsh, but continues to sizzle on the big stage. The wristy blows, the flick-drives, the ease with which he creates width with short-arm jabs, and the extraordinary combination of hand, eye and reflexes at 38, inspired Mumbai Indians’ revival in the competition.

Pollock has moved the ball both ways from a straight-line just outside the off-stump. The batsman, unsure about the direction of the deviation, is often opened up.

Smith, an effortless striker of the ball, has provided roaring starts. The tall and strong left-hander’s pairing with the little Swapnil Asnodkar, forced the bowlers to make adjustments in both length and direction.

Adam Gilchrist (431 runs at a strike-rate of 139.03) would have been of a far greater value to a winning side. His Australian mate McGrath, typically, has bowled with precision and commitment, getting the yorkers in at will. His pace partner Mohammad Asif, however, has been dogged by fitness concerns.

Sri Lankan Farveez Maharoof, who relishes sending the ball into the stands and is a paceman who varies his speed and length, has been value for money.

Kings XI owner Preity Zinta hugs Man of the Match Shaun Marsh following the victory over Mumbai Indians.

Indeed, all-rounders have proven valuable. Dwayne Bravo bowled and batted with zest while James Hopes, whenever given an opportunity, has contributed. Morkel, among the biggest hitters of the cricket ball, has mixed his length and pace with the ball.

Muttiah Muralitharan, his focus on containment, has been efficient. Makhaya Ntini, apart from a creditable hat-trick against Kolkata Knight Riders, has lacked consistency.

Not surprisingly, the smooth-stroking Mahela Jayawardene and the clinical and technically pleasing Kumar Sangakkara have pulled their weight for Kings XI Punjab. And David Hussey has produced crucial batting efforts at the crunch for Knight Riders.

Not many will forget Brendon McCullum’s jaw-dropping hundred in the tournament opener in Bangalore.

There have been disappointments. Explosive batsmen Herschelle Gibbs and Shahid Afridi largely failed to boom. Chaminda Vaas had a forgettable tournament. Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik, the big hitters, returned smaller contributions.

Shoaib Akhtar made a dramatic entry with a red-hot spell against Delhi Daredevils at the Eden Gardens before being sidelined by yet another injury. Umar Gul, who, arguably, has the most potent yorker at the death, demanded attention.

As the competition evolves, the $5million cap on buying players is likely to go. The maximum of four foreign players in a playing XI, however, is expected to stay.

The teams will, in the seasons ahead, seek players without international commitments during the IPL. The emphasis will be on smart buys and not big names alone. Shane Watson and Shaun Marsh are cases in point.

Asnodkar our biggest gain: Warne to semi final in ipl

Of the many small-town heroes who have made it big in the IPL, none has had a bigger impact than Swapnil Asnodkar. The lad from Goa has had a stirring run in the event that has actually forced a few teams to redesign their strategies in accordance to the strength and weakness of the diminutive dynamo.
Asnodkar has cast such a spell that Rajasthan Royals’ semifinal opponents Delhi see him as one of the possible threats. "He has been such a revelation and has performed as consistently as some of the bigger stars in his team, his wicket will be extremely crucial for us," said T.A. Sekar of the Daredevils.
Rajasthan skipper Shane Warne has not grown tired of singing Asnodkar’s praises.
"The way he has adapted himself to the format has been excellent and he not let the big stage or growing expectations affect him at any point. He has it in to play even at a higher level and he has been without doubt our biggest gain with the bat," said Warne.
With encomiums pouring in and Warne reposing huge faith in his abilities it can be safely assured Asnodkar will be central to his team’s plans in the semifinals.
Asnodkar is a naturally attacking batsman who has thrived on throwing the kitchen sink at everything. In a sense his methods at the crease are tailor made for the shortest version. "I have not really changed my game for the IPL, this is the way I normally bat. Only that it is getting noticed now," said Asnodkar.
The batsmen has also struck a fine chemistry with Graeme Smith and attributes some of his success to the South African. "He takes away the pressure from me and also makes the bowler think differently and that makes my job easier. I get a lot of loose stuff to pile on to," said Asnodkar.
The fundamental challenge for any modern day batsmen is tight defence. Brought up on an over dose of limited overs cricket it is almost sacrilege to possess watertight technique. Asnodakar for his part has never tried to do anything that doesn’t suit his alignment. His short frame limits his reach but Asnodkar goes for his shots only when offered the width or rocks back quickly to make the bowler pay even if he is only fractionally short.
In short his shot selection has been aide. His innings against Chennai was proof on the distance he has traveled on the subject of shot selection. He has also been guilty of throwing it away on a few occasions but he cannot be faulted entirely, as his batting thrives on adrenaline.
Former Indian captain Kris Srikkanth who knows a thing or two about attacking batsmanship is thrilled to see a talent like Asnodkar.
"He has taken the IPL by storm. To go out and make a few runs when nothing is expected of you is easy but the youngster has been consistent without changing his style and more importantly not let the burden of expectations get to him."
When the tournament began it was only wise to note there would be a few relatively unknown names who will go on to become household names. None have made it bigger than Asnodkar.
From a batsman who plays with gay abandon in the domestic circuit to an impact player in a blue ribbon event, the journey has been quite memorable. It is time to thank him for the entertainment and wish him luck for the final stretch.

100 defining moments of the football season 2007/08

100 defining moments of the football season 2007/08By John Ley
Last Updated: 9:22am BST 30/05/2008
A remarkable 2007-08 campaign saw a prodigal son return, a city united in grief half a century on and Manchester United clinch a Premier League and Champions League double. John Ley concludes his four-day review with the top 25
100 defining moments: 100-75
100 defining moments: 74-50
100 defining moments: 49-26
25. Styles victim Top referee Rob Styles is forced into an embarrassing apology to Liverpool for wrongly awarding Chelsea a penalty for their equaliser in the 1-1 at Anfield.
24. Pay bonanza The Premier League wage bill tops £1 billion for the first time, according to Deloitte's annual review of football finance.
23. Avram grunt Avram Grant, unhappy that Sky have forced his club to play on a Thursday, offers the written press a succession of one-word answers after the game at Everton. When asked what pleased him about the 1-0 win, he pauses for eight seconds before replying: "I don't know".
22. Terry's gold John Terry's season finishes with joy. Tormented by his penalty miss in the Champions League final, he gets the England captaincy and responds with a goal in the 2-0 win over the USA.
21. Jinxed? Wayne Rooney breaks a bone in his foot in the opening game of the season, against Reading. The Manchester United striker misses five weeks, including England's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia.
20. Sven to go? Sven-Goran Eriksson takes Manchester City into the Uefa Cup but is still set to leave, with club owner Thaksin Shinawatra seemingly unhappy with the season. Mexico looks his next port of call.
19. United Manchester rivals United and City unite in tribute to the victims of the Munich air tragedy, 50 years on. Immaculately behaved City fans see their side complete their first double over United since 1970.
18. Moscow mayhem Problems on and off the pitch ahead of the Champions League final, with fans initially struggling to get visas and the pitch, a grass one replacing the plastic surface, settling badly.
17. Heaven and Hull After 108 years, Hull are up with the big boys, thanks to a 39-year-old former brickie and frozen pea packer. Dean Windass, Hull born-and-bred, nets the play-off final winner against Bristol City.
16. Harry hooked Harry Redknapp is arrested as the City of London police look into suspicions of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting. Redknapp later wins a case against the police relating to flaws in the arrest warrant.
15. Viva Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick against Portsmouth in January is, according to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, the best the Premier League has seen. Ronaldo scores 42 goals in a remarkable season for the Portuguese.
14. Omer goal Omer Golan is an unlikely English hero when the Israeli steals a last-minute goal against Russia to keep England's Euro 2008 qualifying hopes alive - briefly.
13. Pitch battle Chelsea beat Manchester United in the Premier League then, after the match, United's reserve players clash with groundstaff. United full-back Patrice Evra is alleged to have been verbally abused. An FA hearing is due.
12. Fabio's task Fabio Capello is told to take England to a major semi-final - or better - by 2012 as the Football Association announce their 'Vision 2008-12' strategy.
11. Spurs shame Spurs officials are pictured in talks with Sevilla coach Juande Ramos. Martin Jol is replaced three weeks later, after the Uefa Cup tie against Getafe.
10 Final tribute Frank Lampard takes Chelsea to the Champions League final with a 98th-minute penalty against Liverpool, in his first match back since the death of his mother.
9. Chiming success Portsmouth cap a remarkable season of FA Cup shocks by winning the trophy for the first time since 1939, beating Cardiff 1-0. But players Glen Johnson and Jamie Ashdown have their medals stolen.
8. Calm down... Liverpool's American co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett see public slanging matches, funding issues, fan protests, failed takeovers and speculation over the future of manager Rafael Benitez contribute to another disappointing season at Anfield.
7. Brolly wally The end is nigh for Steve McClaren. The 'Wally with the Brolly' stands in the rain of Wembley as England fail to reach the European Championship finals. Croatia beat them 3-2 and McClaren is sacked.
6. Simply the best Sir Alex Ferguson claims, in November, that he has the best squad of his 21 years in charge. As ever the Scot is proved right, with United winning the Premier League for a record 10th time. Oh, and they win the Champions League as well.
5. Fog on the Tyne Prodigal son Kevin Keegan is back at Newcastle. Keegan later claims the club is a "million miles" from the top four and that he would never be able to deliver Champions League football to St James' Park.
4. Italian job Just 26 days after Steve McClaren is sacked, Fabio Capello is unveiled as England manager.
3. No one special Jose Mourinho leaves Chelsea after three years and six trophies. Chelsea later admit to an "irretrievable" breakdown in relations. But replacement Avram Grant lasts just eight months, dismissed three days after the Champions League final.
2. Are you sure? The Premier League reveal a plan to extend the season by one game - to be played abroad. The "international round" idea is castigated - but it remains on the table.
1. Super Tsars Manchester United are European champions in Moscow. Frank Lampard cancels out Cristiano Ronaldo's opener for United and in the penalty shoot-out Ronaldo and John Terry miss before Edwin van der Sar saves from Nicolas Anelka.

Law: Ronaldo's at the right club

United goalscoring legend Denis Law has told Cristiano Ronaldo that Old Trafford is the place to be to fulfil all his career aims.Ronaldo had another record-breaking season in terms of goals for a winger - he scored 42 goals, just four behind Law's record of 46 in a campaign. It's the sort of form that has United's prized asset the envy of Europe's top clubs. Real Madrid have persistently been linked - and linked themselves with - a move for the 23-year-old winger. But such a transfer doesn't make sense to Law, who says there's more to come after United's Double-winning campaign."There has been talk of Ronaldo going to Real Madrid, but you've just got to look at what he's done here at Manchester United and ask yourself, 'What's the point in him going to Real Madrid?'," he said."He's just won the Champions League and back-to-back titles, so why go anywhere else? He is at the most famous club in the world and they are not yet done with winning trophies." Law, who alongside George Best and Sir Bobby Charlton has been immortalised in the 'United Trinity' statue outside Old Trafford, also believes the Portuguese forward should be named European Footballer of the Year, an award all three United greats won in the sixties."I would think that Ronaldo is the favourite to win it this year," Law added. "The way he's going, he is one of the favourites and if he doesn't win it this year, he'll certainly win it at some point."

Ronaldinho Waste Of Money – Berlusconi Jr

Milan have been heavily linked with signing the former European and World Footballer of the Year, who is almost certain to leave Barcelona following a desperately miserable season both on-and-off the pitch.The Rossoneri are believed to have tried to negotiate a deal with the Blaugrana, only to have been put off so far by the Spanish giants' astronomical asking price.Many experts believe that Ronaldinho's best days are behind him, and that it would be a bad decision for Milan to sign him. One person who agrees with this viewpoint is the son of former Milan President Silvio Berlusconi."Beyond the waste of money, it does not make sense," stated Berlusconi Jr."I think it is necessary to focus more on young players than on very big players whose prices are crazy."Today the team is not that bad, but we must think about the future taking into account the average age of the squad."Milan have identified the signing of a world class centre forward as their primary objective in this summer's transfer market.

Ronaldinho Needs to Leave Barcelona,Admits Laporta

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has recognised that former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho needs to leave the club if he is to revive his career.
"He (Ronaldinho) needs a new challenge. When a cycle finishes it is normal that the most emblematic pieces also come to an end," Laporta told Catalan television station TV3 on Sunday night.
"I would like Ronaldinho to be given a great send-off so that he is remembered for all he has given us and that if he didn't do any more it was because the circumstances wouldn't allow it."
Laporta admitted that the club might find it difficult to sell the 28-year-old Brazilian, who suffered a series of injury and fitness problems this season and made the starting line-up in just 13 of the club's 38 league matches.
Ronaldinho last played for Barcelona in the 2-1 loss at home to Villarreal on March 9, but began complaining of muscle pain in his right leg soon afterwards and has been out of action ever since.
AC Milan expressed their interest in signing Ronaldinho and the player's brother Robert De Assis said they had reached an agreement over personal terms.
But the Serie A club later said they had been unable to agree a fee with Barcelona.
Ronaldinho joined Barcelona in 2003, immediately reviving the morale of a club that had not won a major trophy since 1999. He helped Barca win back-to-back league titles in 2005 and 2006 and the Champions League.
Laporta also said the club had decided to reject the possibility of appointing Jose Mourinho as coach and opted for former player Pep Guardiola as Frank Rijkaard's replacement because the ex-Chelsea coach would not have suited Barcelona.
"We decided that if Frank did not continue then we would choose Guardiola because Pep possessed the necessary humility," said Laporta.
"We didn't think about coaches like Mourinho or (Rafa) Benitez, who are both great coaches, but they aren't right for Barcelona. So we told Rijkaard that when he left Guardiola would take his place."
Laporta denied that former player and coach Johan Cruyff had vetoed Mourinho's appointment, but admitted that he had given his opinion about the Portuguese.
"They are private conversations between him and me and I'm not going to reveal them. What I can say is that Cruyff is a fervent supporter of Pep."
Barcelona have not won any silverware for the past two seasons. They finished third in the Primera Liga this season, 10 points behind Villarreal and 17 adrift of champions Real Madrid.

REAL MADRID, RONALDO TALK EASES

Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon seems to be backing away from his attempt to lure Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United. Calderon sought to ease the rising tensions with United over a tug-of-war for the player, telling Britain's Sky Sports News yesterday that "we are not going to start a conflict." United has threatened to report Real Madrid to FIFA over the way the Spanish champion has tried to lure Ronaldo away from Old Trafford. Although Ronaldo is only 13 months into a five-year deal, Madrid was reportedly willing to pay a world-record transfer of about 60 million pounds (C$118.8 million) and almost double the salary for the winger.
INTER MILAN FIRES MANCINI
Inter Milan announced the firing of coach Roberto Mancini, less than two weeks after the club clinched its third straight Italian Serie A title. The club had said it was upset with comments Mancini made after it lost to Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals. The coach announced he would resign at the end of the season, but changed his mind a few days later. Former Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho is being tapped to replace Mancini, now linked with the vacant Chelsea job.

PREVIEW-Soccer-Iraq pushing for points after late lifeline

BANGKOK, May 30 (Reuters) - An 11th-hour reprieve from international suspension could count for nothing if Asian champions Iraq fail to take a point against in-form Australia in their upcoming World Cup qualifier.
The beleaguered side, who have won once since their Asian Cup triumph last year, are rooted to the bottom of Group 1 with a single point and could lose sight of Qatar and China if the Socceroos win in Brisbane on Sunday.
Iraq coach Adnan Hamad said his team would be happy with a draw after the turmoil of the last few days, when the war-ravaged country was temporarily banned from international soccer because of governmental interference.
Hamad, who played for Iraq at the 1986 World Cup, believes his team still have a chance of reaching the 2010 finals in South Africa.
"Australia is an excellent team... so a point will be good for us," Hamad told reporters.
"For me, whoever reaches nine points will qualify, so there is still time."
Qatar are second in the group with three points and take on third-placed China in Doha.
The World Cup hopefuls of Asia and the Middle East have a gruelling three weeks ahead of them, with each playing four qualifiers in the space of just 20 days across a region spanning 14,000 kilometre

FIFA bars Iraq from competition for 1 year

The Associated Press
FIFA chief Sepp Blatter still believes Iraq will participate in the remainder of the Asian World Cup qualifiers.
FIFA has provisionally suspended Iraq from international soccer for one year due to a government decision to disband the sport's national organizing association.
On the first day of its meetings in Sydney, the FIFA executive committee decided Monday to suspend the Iraqi Football Association following a governmental decree last week, which dissolved the Iraqi National Olympic Committee and all national sport federations.
The executive committee said it would only revoke the suspension if it received by Thursday "written confirmation from the Iraqi government that the decree has been annulled."
Iraq was due to play Australia in a World Cup qualifier at Brisbane on Sunday and was scheduled to arrive in the Queensland state capital late Tuesday.
Earlier Monday, FIFA chief Sepp Blatter said he remained confident Iraq would be able to fulfil its commitments, but did not rule out the possibility it would be suspended.
"We have asked the government to withdraw its decision against the Iraq Football Association and we believe the IOC has also made the same request and threatened the same punishment [suspension] as FIFA," Blatter told Australian newspapers.
Blatter said he "could not imagine that this belligerent situation" would lead to Iraq not taking part in the rest of the Asian World Cup qualifiers.
"Iraq are the Asian champions and brought so much hope and joy to their country when they won the final in Malaysia last year," he told The Australian newspaper. "I am confident there is enough pressure on the government to help them change their mind."
Bonita Mersiades, Football Federation Australia's head of corporate and public affairs, said it would be "business as usual" for the Socceroos despite Iraq's provisional suspension.
She said the FFA hoped the game at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Sunday would go ahead, as well as the return leg in Dubai.
"Our strong hope is the matter is resolved as quickly as possible and the two teams can meet on the field," Mersiades said. "In the meantime the Socceroos are continuing as if it's business as usual."

2007: Menomonie FFA celebrates 50 years

Past and present members of the Menomonie High FFA Chapter celebrate the golden anniversary of the organization at a banquet held in the UW-Stout Memorial Student Center. For 32 of those 50 years, Archie Abbott served as the agriculture teacher and FFA advisor. Agriculture became part of the curriculum at Menomonie High after the close of the Dunn County School of Agriculture & Domestic Economy... Members of the Menomonie Rotary Club recognized as Paul Harris Fellows through their support of the Rotary Foundation are Linda McIntyre, Brad O’Connell, Steve Arntzen, Dennis Beety, Jeff Heinzen, Dale Kastner, Ellen Ochs, Sandy Ott, Chris Smith, Gerald Leff, Ed Smith, Steve Young, Mark Kinney and Greg Lentz...Nineteen members of Menomonie High’s boys’ track and field team qualify for WIAA sectional competition at Eau Claire North at regional meet in River Falls. Pacing the team were Sean Olson, who won the 1600-meter run and the 3200-meter run, and Grant Luer, who tossed the discus 157 feet. The boys were easy winners of the regional crown with 168 points. New Richmond was a distant second with 105.5 points. Members of the girls’ squad qualified in three events at sectionals: Laura Reckard, Tena Stark, Katie Thoe and Marissa Cassellius, 4x800-meter relay; Tara McCoy, 800-meter run; and Andrea Gust, discus... Temperature range here during week of May 15-21 was 34 to 92 degrees. Precipitation totaled 0.09 inch...Laura Boehm and Sarah Miller, both of Menomonie, recognized for academic achievement when St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., holds its Honors Day convocation... Menomonie City Council approves the transfer of the liquor license held by the Old 400 Depot Cafe to the Dona Rita Mexican Restaurant... Eugene L. Weber, age 84, of Menomonie, who purchased Ed Hermann’s trucking business in 1952, and who, after conduction the business 40 years, sold it in 1992 to his sons, Dennis and Jay, died May 21 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Minn... Members of Menomonie High’s tennis team advancing to sectional competition are Nathan Fekete, Troy Bryant, Danny Martinez and John Lindsay...Jack Sampson, of Menomonie, presented a “Senior Salute” award by the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups and WQOW-TV 18 for his commitment to “making the day” of others in the community through his music, stories, jokes and attitude... Henry Schwartz, of Menomonie, awarded a $40,000 scholarship by the McKelvey Foundation to study entrepreneurship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The McKelvey Foundation grants four-year scholarships ($10,000 per year) to qualifying high school seniors who demonstrate their drive and ambition to be successful entrepreneurs by owning their own business while in high school... Competing at the regional track and field meet, Boyceville High’s Stephanie Steinberger wins four championships — 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, long jump and triple jump.
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Wednesday, May 25, 1983A new chapter in the history of Menomonie’s business community began unfolding today when Lammer’s Foods opened at 1408 Ninth St. The newly remodeled and enlarged facility is operated by Patrick and Lucy Lammer, a brother-sister team representing the fourth generation of the Lammer family associated with the grocery business in the community. The business was launched by their great-grandfather, Leonard, who was followed by grandfather, John Leonard, and father, John Francis. The new store totals 40,500 square feet, including 28,000 square feet of selling area. In contrast, the old store totaled 27,000 square feet. The extra footage was gained through construction of a 20,500 square foot addition and the incorporation of the former liquor store and bakery department into the new facility...Menomonie’s Board of Zoning Appeals grants John B. Exley, Hastings, Minn., a conditional use permit which allows him to construct a 60x80 foot Tom Thumb grocery store and service station at 1320 North Broadway... Broker Tom Harris of Realty World-Colonial Square, Menomonie, announces the addition of Mildred Halvorson to their sales organization. She is a former teacher at Glenwood City and UW-Stout and for the last 12 years was office manager at Halvorson GMC Sales & Service... Beth An Poulton of Menomonie and Leo T. Spychalla of Antigo were married April 30 at the United Methodist Church in Menomonie by the Rev. Milton Ford... Airman 1st Class Hildegard A. Kroll of Menomonie arrives for duty at Osan Air Base, South Korea...Linda M. Olson, public services/reference librarian at the UW-Stout Library Learning Center, is the 1983 vice president/president elect of the Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians, a division of the Wisconsin Library Association... Paced by the hitting and pitching of Tracy Scott, Menomonie High’s girls’ softball team begins WIAA regional competition with a 9 to 4 win over Chippewa Falls. Next opponent is Eau Claire Memorial... With Menomonie High’s Steve Dahlby taking medalist honors, the Maroons capture WIAA regional golf meet played at Spring Valley. Dahlby, who finished with a 75, was followed by Kevin Simons with an 80, Craig Anderson 82, Greg Stai 84, and Steve Wolfe 85...Sandra Engeldinger and Robert Kaufman announce their engagement. Their parents are Mike and Barbara Engeldinger of Menomonie and Clem and Mary Kaufman of Eau Galle... Junior Girl Scouts from Troop 204, East School, receiving “The Sign of the Satellite” are Corey Kell, Martha Jacobs, Lisa Young and Angela Yost... Menomonie High wide receiver Marty Peterson reports he will attend UW-Stevens Point and play football... Some specials at Dick’s Red Owl are eight hamburger buns for 85 cents; hot B.B.Q. pork sandwich and small drink for $1.19; four pieces of crispy chicken, six jo jos, eight-ounce cole slaw and two rolls for $3.09; 12-pack cans of Coke, Pepsi or Mountain Dew for $2.79; homemade potato salad for 89 cents a pound; Jacksonville pre-cooked brats for $2.69 a pound.Wednesday, May 21, 1958Menomonie City Council proposes to sell general obligation bonds not to exceed $125,000 with $85,000 earmarked for improvements at Wakanda Park. About $30,000 of that $85,000 is already spent for construction of the Wakanda Park beach area. Work under consideration includes construction and improvement of roads leading into the park and construction of a bathhouse... Stout State College and Menomonie public schools will close Friday, June 6. Stout’s summer school begins June 23... Members of Menomonie’s American Legion Auxiliary unit attending a 10th District conference in Cumberland are Mmes. O. L. Halverson, Ira O. Slocumb and Myrtle Whittier and Misses Myrtle Strand and Ada Hosford...Pete Noreen fired a steady three-hitter to defeat Elk Mound, 18 to 0, and move coach Pete Hendrikson’s Menomonie High nine into the district tournament finals today against Glenwood City. Wayne Sabatke was Menomonie’s big gun a the plate with three hits, including a triple... Army Cpl. Vernon A. Larson of Downing assigned to the 4th Calvary’s Troop B at Fort Riley, Kan... R. N. Breitzman of Menomonie’s Berg Chevrolet Co. selected top service manager from Chevrolet dealerships in this area... Annual banquet of Dunn County Teachers College Alumni Association will be held June 5 at the Evangelical United Brethren Church on Wilson Avenue, reports Mrs. Gerald Rassbach, association president...Twin daughters born to Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Leonard, Menomonie, May 13; daughters born to Rev. and Mrs. Donald Farley, Menomonie, May 14; Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Gansberg, Menomonie, May 19; Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Saxton, Route 3, May 19; Mr. and Mrs. Loren Wyss, Knapp, May 19... Leonard Kinsley, Dunn County’s clerk since 1931, says he will seek re-election on the Republican ticket... Elected officers of the Wheeler Woman’s Club are Mrs. N. J. Nichols, president; Mrs. Melvin Stevens, vice president; Mrs. Clarence Lorenz, secretary; and Mrs. Chester McIntyre, treasurer... E. J. Schoepp, business manager at Stout State College, participates in the 47th annual meeting of the Central Association of College and University Business Officers in Chicago...Eau Claire High wins both track and field and golf championships at Little Olympics held Saturday at Nelson Field and Menomonie Country Club. In track and field competition, Bob Ott scored five of Menomonie’s 19 points with a second place finish in the 440 and fifth in the high jump. Craig Halverson led Menomonie’s golf team with an 84 on rounds of 45 and 39... Valu Selected choice T-bone steak is 99 cents a pound at Don’s Super Valu; two large heads of crisp California lettuce are 29 cents; six-ounce can of Sea Mist frozen lemonade is 10 cents; two-pound package of Yorkshire skinless wieners is 99 cents; nine-ounce box of Stokely’s frozen French fries is 10 cents; five No. 303 cans of Libby’s halved or sliced peaches are $1.Thursday, May 25, 1933Wakanda Park, Menomonie’s new 80-acre recreation center, bordering the beautiful Lake Menomin on the north side, will be visited by thousands of people Sunday who will join in the dedication of western Wisconsin’s most attractive playground. The event is one important in the history of the city for it adds to the park system the largest recreational center that will be enjoyed by the public. Starting at 10:45 o’clock Sunday from the Memorial, a procession of cars will advance from the downtown to the new park. Following the parade will be the formal dedication of the flag and flagpole on Lookout Point and of the park proper through the ceremony at the unveiling of the marker. W. G. Ballentine will give the dedication address...Displaying a community interest in Wakanda Park, the Farmers Union donates all the milk and cream that will be used at the stands on the grounds on May 28, the day of dedication... Menomonie High School alumni members who are planning to attend the annual banquet are asked to make early reservations at Lee’s Drug Store. This year the banquet will be held at the Menomonie Country Club, reports Walter Wensel, association president... Son born May 23 to Mr. and Mrs. George Grutt, town of Red Cedar... Dresses made by the junior girls of the Dunn County Agricultural School will be on display in the upper Farmers Store window from May 26-29... Stout Institute seniors will present their class play, “Square Crooks,” a comedy-mystery drama, Friday evening in the Stout auditorium...Impressions of the 10th District Rotary conference held at Eagle River given today by five club members who attended the event — M. A. Mattison, J. E. Smith, W. S. Smith, B. E. Nelson and president John Carter... Williams Bros. Hardware & Food Market is selling a two-pound jar of peanut butter for 19 cents; two large heads of lettuce are 13 cents; 24-ounce loaf of white bread is six cents; pound can of Alaska Red Sockeye salmon is 17 cents; large bottle of catsup is 10 cents; Schwahn’s bologna is 10 cents a pound... In a stirring patriotic program, Menomonie will pay tribute to war dead with a special observance on Tuesday, May 30. Hosford-Chase Post is heading plans for the program...Jack Bongey, a new entry, is leading the race with 1,150 votes in Lee’s Drug Store popularity contest for the two speedboats. Bill Bailey is second with 1025 and Billy Ofstie third with 975. In the race for the two dolls, Arla Mae Curtis still leads with 1100 votes. Phoebe Pierce, a new entry, is second with 400 and Gwendolyn Kohnke is tied for third with Alice Folstad with 375 votes. Customers at Lee’s are insisting on their votes with purchases so that competition is expected to increase as the contest progresses. Twenty-five votes are given with each 25-cent cash purchase or paid on account... Miss Ada Hosford, J. W. Macauley and Ole Bradseth attend a banquet given by Orrin Russell Post No. 121, American Legion, of Colfax, and the village’s Commercial Club in honor of the Legion’s department department.Thursday, May 21, 1908The big bridge, just completed, was accepted by the city last evening. In adopting the resolution, introduced by Alderman Averill, chairman of the street and bridge committee, at its meeting last evening, the council signified unanimous acceptance. The resolution also carried an order for payment of $5,435 to the Minneapolis Steel & Machinery Co., builders of the bridge, which leaves $1,800 due the company. The contract for laying the brick walk down Wilson Avenue from Broadway to its intersection with the depot hill street was awarded to Berman Oestreich, his bid being the lowest, $275.75. A petition of 15 property owners on Broadway, between 11th and 16th avenues, asking the council to lower the grade of the street, was referred to the street committee...Joe Konkel, editor of the Superior Leader-Clarion and devout advocate of reform spelling, wins the $100 cash prize, offered by the business men of Menomonie, for the best newspaper writeup of the city by a member of the Wisconsin Press Association, who attended the state convention here in March... C. E. Mcbee of Waterloo, Iowa, will open the Fair Store about June 1 in the French building, formerly occupied by C. W. Gunnison’s Bazar. Mr. Mabee will carry a full line of notions... This year’s graduating class at the County Normal will number about 35, being the usual size of the classes of recent years. Their commencement will be on Friday, June 19. The annual reception of the junior class will be held at the Memorial Thursday evening, June 18. Following the usual costume, a fee of 10 cents will be charged for admission to the graduation exercises...Old Glory was unfurled at half mast Sunday at the Grand Army post — another old soldier had been called to the final muster. With a suddenness that was a shock to his family and many friends, Newell Burch died at his home in this city Sunday morning. Death was due to heart failure. He had attended the meeting of Wm. Evans Post the night before and appeared in exceptionally good spirit. At the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, Mr. Burch was one of the first to enlist, joining Co. E, 154th New York Volunteers. He was captured at the Battle of Gettysburg and was assigned to the Andersonville prison. He spent 600 days in prison and the horrors of the experience remained with him so vividly through the rest of his life that it was always with reluctance that he even mentioned the experience...A. E. Hofland made a business trip to Chicago last evening in the interest of the Menomonie Milling Co. The company is preparing to put barley groats, a delightful breakfast food, on the market... The Weston Baseball and Dancing Club will give a social dance Saturday evening, May 30, at the M. W. A. hall in Weston. Refreshments will be served and the best of music furnished... Inability to hit at the proper time on the part of the Blue Caps, coupled with some rotten base running and a number of very sad mistakes of the umpire, allowed Ellsworth to walk away with the game at the fair grounds Sunday by a score of 3 to 0. The work of Krueger, the umpire, was very, very poor. Both sides came in for rotten deals, but Menomonie sure got the little end.

Nadal Faces Third Leftie, Sharapova to Resume French Open Match

By Danielle Rossingh
May 30 (Bloomberg) -- Defending-champion Rafael Nadal will face his third left-hander in as many rounds at the French Open tennis tournament today, while Maria Sharapova is scheduled to complete her second-round match at the clay-court Grand Slam.
The second-seeded Nadal, also a left-hander, plays Jarko Nieminen of Finland. Nadal eased past Nicolas Devilder of France yesterday, dropping five games in his three-set win.
The Spaniard, the only past winner left in the men's draw, is seeking to become the first player since Bjorn Borg 27 years ago to win at Roland Garros four years in a row. The 21-year-old has never lost a match at the Paris tournament.
Roger Federer, chasing the only Grand Slam title to elude him, yesterday lost an error-strewn first set against Albert Montanes of Spain before recovering to advance to the third round, where he'll meet Mario Antic of Croatia.
Russia's Sharapova will finish her match against Bethanie Mattek of the U.S. Darkness caused play to be suspended last night with the top-ranked woman leading 6-2, 2-3. The winner will play Karin Knapp of Italy, the No. 32 seed.
Second-ranked Ana Ivanovic of Serbia faces Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, while Venus Williams, a losing finalist to her sister Serena in 2002, will play Flavia Pennetta of Italy.
Serena Williams, the only past champion left in the women's draw, faces Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia.
Also among the men, Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic of Serbia will play Wayne Odesnik of the U.S.