Vikings Stadium Project Remains Stalled

Minnesota legislators “appeared to be making little immediate headway on a special legislative session needed to approve” a proposed Vikings stadium project one day after a “crucial report”  on a new stadium in Arden Hills, according to a report in The Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Governor Mark Dayton said that team owners, who have offered $407 million, were “going to be required to put up … probably close to a half-billion dollars when all is said and done.”

Lester Bagley, the Vikings’ vice president for public affairs and  stadium development, said the team “hopes to meet with the governor next week but that no date has been set.”

 The Star Tribune reported that the team had “made clear it wants a special session approving the Arden Hills project by the end of this year, but significant hurdles remain.”

There is “still no state funding plan, no clear political roadmap to getting the needed 102 votes at the State Capitol and continued doubts about the sprawling suburban site the Vikings have chosen for a 65,000-seat stadium,” the newspaper said.

Dayton said he would “begin meeting with legislators and others next week.”

Meanwhile, State Representative Greg Davids said  he “would insist on public hearings for any stadium subsidy plan before a special session.”

Davids added: “There’s a lot of tax implications here. I want to hear from the public.”

Angels to interview D-Backs executive Jerry Dipoto for GM job

The Angels have received permission from the Arizona Diamondbacks to interview Jerry Dipoto for their general manager's job, a major league source confirmed Friday. Dipoto, who spent parts of eight seasons as a reliever in the big leagues, is Arizona's senior vice president of scouting and player development.

Dipoto, 43, was part of the Boston Red Sox front office during the team's run to the 2004 World Series championship before joining the Colorado Rockies as director of player personnel in 2005.

Dipoto joined the Diamondbacks as their vice president of player personnel in 2006 and took over as interim GM when Josh Byrnes was fired in 2010.

It was Dipoto's call to trade pitcher Dan Haren to the Angels for a package that included pitcher Joe Saunders and highly regarded pitching prospect Tyler Skaggs. He also dealt pitcher Edwin Jackson to the Chicago White Sox for Daniel Hudson.

Dipoto interviewed for the permanent job that eventually went to Kevin Towers, but he remained with the club in the position he currently occupies.

Dipoto brings to at least three the number of candidates the Angels will interview for the job that opened when Tony Reagins was dismissed two days after the season. Two Yankees executives, Damon Oppenheimer, the team's vice president of amateur scouting, and Billy Eppler, the team's director of professional scouting, have confirmed that they will interview.

-- Mike DiGiovanna

Photo: Jerry Dipoto, left, and Kirk Gibson both got big breaks with the Arizona Diamondbacks on an interim basis, DiPoto as GM and Gibson as manager. Each took advantage of their opportunities. Credit: Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press

John Wooden, happy birthday sir

Legendary Coach John Wooden would have turned 101 today.

In honor of the man who is considered to be one of the best coaches -- and people -- of all time, here are some of his words of wisdom, according to BrainyQuote.

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

"Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."

"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes."

"Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful."

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

"Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts."

"Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

MORE:

99 things about John Wooden

John Wooden's legacy has been a great weight on his successors

John Wooden dies at 99; UCLA basketball coach won 10 national titles

-- Melissa Rohlin

Photo: John Wooden gives instructions to Greg Lee. Credit: UCLA.

Greatest sports figures in L.A. history, No. 17: Elgin Baylor

Continuing our countdown of the 20 greatest figures in L.A. sports history with No. 17, Elgin Baylor.

No. 17, Elgin Baylor (no first-place votes, 689 points)

One of the greatest and most exciting players in NBA history, Baylor was a human highlight reel who became the first star basketball player to compete in Los Angeles. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound forward displayed a combination of size and grace like no other player before him, averaging 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game over his 14-year career.

"I say without reservation that Elgin Baylor is the greatest cornerman who ever played pro basketball," former Lakers coach Bill Sharman told The Times in 1971.

Known for his signature running bank shot, Baylor's knack for mid-air acrobatics made him one of the most difficult players to defend against. He utilized his speed and maneuverability to become the first dominant small forward in league history. Baylor finished with 23,149 points, 3,650 assists and 11,463 rebounds when he retired in 1971.

A two-time All-American and NCAA tournament most valuable player at Seattle University, Baylor was selected first overall by the Lakers in the 1958 NBA Draft. The team signed him to a $20,000 contract, a hefty sum in those days for a player who hadn't proven himself at the professional level. However, it was a move former Lakers owner Bob Short claims saved the franchise.

"If he had turned me down then, I would have been out of business," Short said in a 1971 interview with The Times. "The club would have gone bankrupt."

Hedberg Replaces Brodeur and Saves Everything

NEWARK – The backup Devils goalie Johan Hedberg knew for days that he would not be starting on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings, but he always tries to be ready just in case. The preparation paid off when Hedberg replaced an injured Martin Brodeur, stopped all 16 shots he faced in regulation and two more in a shootout to give the Devils a 2-1 win.

Brodeur, 39, left the game at Prudential Center after the first period with an injury that the Devils called “upper body soreness.” He appeared to injure his shoulder when he lunged across the  crease to make a save on Los Angeles defenseman Alec Martinez midway through the first period. After the victory, Brodeur said team doctors advised him to be cautious and sit out, but he said he was not concerned about the severity of the injury.

Devils fans could exhale over the not-so-bad news, and the praise belonged to Hedberg for saving the night. With 2 minutes 40 seconds left in overtime, Hedberg slid across his crease to stop a slap shot by defenseman Drew Doughty. In the shootout, he responded to goals by teammates Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise with stops on Simon Gagne and Anze Kopitar to earn the Devils the extra point awarded for the victory.

“I always try to stay focused on the bench,” said Hedberg, who acknowledged that playing Monday in the Devils’ 4-2 win over Carolina also helped.

It cannot be easy for a goaltender to enter a game with little time to stretch and no opportunity to warm up by facing a few shots. Hedberg began mentally preparing in the first period, when he saw Brodeur wince in pain during an injury timeout. Hedberg got the call to enter the game a few minutes into the first intermission. Surprisingly, Hedberg didn’t spend a lot of time in the dressing room stretching.

“No, for me, it’s more about preparing mentally,” he said. “I have this little routine I go through, and then I warm up. I get a little nervous, the adrenaline starts creeping in and I get ready to play the game. It felt like it was going to be a close one, so I just went out and tried to have fun.”

Brodeur stopped 15 of 16 shots in the first period, keeping the Devils in the game after they played sluggishly in the opening 10 minutes.

“We’d like to throw that out,” Devils Coach Peter DeBoer said of the poor start. “We talked through a couple of things during the injury timeout while the trainers were looking at Marty. I thought from that point on, we played a better game.”

As for Hedberg, DeBoer said, “To come in cold in that situation and pitch a game like that — both goalies did a great job for us tonight.”

Despite his strong play, Hedberg would have been tagged with a loss if the Devils had failed to win the shootout. Gagne showed Hedberg a few dekes, but Hedberg stayed with him from post to post. When Kopitar lined up at center ice for his one-on-one, Hedberg had a flashback to an earlier encounter with him.

“I remembered Kopitar beating me in L. A. and making me look really bad,” said Hedberg, who has stopped more than 80 percent of his shootout chances in his N.H.L. career. “I wanted to get him back.”

This is Hedberg’s 11th season in the league, yet he had no trouble remembering the details of Kopitar’s one-on-one goal three years ago.

“I try to keep a book on all of the shooters,” he said. “It’s funny. Sometimes I can barely remember anything, but I do remember that. I like the shootout. It’s a fun challenge.”

For Rupp, Focus Is on Families in Need

When the Rangers finally get off the road at the end of this month, Mike Rupp wants to do more than think about and play hockey.

“The game is my job,” said Rupp, who signed with the Rangers as a free agent in July after two seasons with the Penguins. “I never lose sight of that. But I don’t feel like I’m in this world just to play hockey. The N.H.L. has provided me with a great livelihood, but I also have a platform to make a difference.”

A 6-foot-5, 230-pound power forward and frequent fighter, Rupp is also one of the most civic-minded players in the league. He and his wife, Christi, are not interested in just showing up for photos opportunities for charities. Last Christmas, the Rupps wanted to do more for the families they had connected with through the Ronald McDonald House of Pittsburgh. One day after practice, they rented a bus to take 40 people to Ohio for a “Polar Express” train ride – complete with Santa, presents, dinner and Mike and Christi serving chocolate chip cookies and milk.

“You should have seen the faces of these children,” said Becky Magnelli, the assistant family director with Ronald McDonald House. “What Michael and Christi and their own children did for these families was one of the most beautiful things any of us had ever seen. They are special people,” she said.

In Pittsburgh, Rupp and his wife became close to a 12-year-old boy named Austin, who died last year of bone cancer. Austin’s death hit home with the hockey player, who has three children – Maddie, 8, Mason, 6, and Max, 2 – with Christi.

“Austin was such a good kid,” said Rupp. “We learned so much about what’s important from being around him.”

The Rupps sponsor nine children internationally through McDonald House. Christi leads the way in all efforts. “Mike has a level of fame as an N.H.L. player,” she said. “I don’t care about riding his coattails to help people.” They encourage their young children to participate; Maddie and Mason use birthday and holiday money to buy Silly Bandz as their contribution to care packages. When Nicole Cleland, a woman from South Park, Penn., lost her 7-year-old daughter and unborn child and suffered serious injuries when her car was struck by a drunk driver, Mike lined up members of the Penguins and Pittsburgh Pirates for an autograph session to raise money for a family fund.

The Rangers recently returned from two weeks in Europe and leave for four games over 10 days in Western Canada after facing the Islanders in Uniondale on Saturday. Because of renovations at Madison Square Garden, the team’s home opener is not until Oct. 27. Rupp, 31, is eager to immerse his family in local charities when the Rangers finally have a stretch in New York. He favors programs like the Ronald McDonald House that assist families affected by illness and injury.

“When a child is seriously ill, the last thing you want to worry about are the bills and whether there’s food on the table,” said Rupp after Rangers practice on Wednesday. “If we can help these people sleep peacefully for a few hours and not fret over other issues, we should.”

Here we go again as England are thrashed by India in India

Oh dear. A lot of fears were realised in Hyderabad today. This was just like the World Cup. This was just like England in the sub-continent since the year dot. This was all thoroughly depressing.

This was certainly the beginning of India’s Payback Plan. How the summer in England hurt them. “Wait till we get you on our own pitches,” they said. We laughed. But deep down, we knew. This was always going to be a fiendishly difficult series, especially when you lose the toss as England did today.

There was no pace and bounce to trouble the Indian batsmen, and how they loved it. There was actually a little uneven bounce, which meant that a total of 300 was way above par. England bowled reasonably well for 30 overs. For the last 20 they were awful. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, with the blades of his personalised helicopter shot whirling merrily, was quite magnificent. But England hardly bowled shrewdly at him.

At around the halfway stage England looked reasonably placed. Comparative scores were promising. But you can never rely on such an ending that the Indians managed. Alastair Cook needed to crack on. He played nicely. All the others played horribly.

The Jonathan Trott debate will be revived. And so it should be, despite the fact that is Warwickshire supporters will be enraged. He was slow again. This is not to say he should be dropped. I do not think that. He scores runs for fun. The record books are in his favour. When he scores runs, England generally win. But if he is to bat at No 4 as he surprisingly did today, then he should not play. He simply has to bat at No 3 or not at all.

And no less loud should be the Kevin Pietersen argument. He took one excellent catch, but otherwise fielded very poorly. He didn’t score runs again. What is happening, Kev? Time is running out in international one-day cricket.

What of Ian Bell? A very sound observer of the game recently told me that he thought Bell is currently the best batsman in the world. But he can’t make it into England’s one-day side. It is a curiosity.

Is Samit Patel really good enough to be a second spinner in ODIs? I’m not sure, and I was championing his cause before the World Cup, when I was lamenting his sloth as regards fitness.

These are a lot of questions that need answering. It is only one game, yes, but it is too familiar a scenario. Should we panic? How can England turn things around?

Thoughts please, especially from my Indian friends, who must be very happy again now!

NBA lockout: Which teams benefit most, least?

 
Writers from around Tribune Co. will discuss the topic. Check back throughout the day for their responses and feel free to join the conversation by leaving a comment of your own.

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Considering their lame-duck status in New Jersey, the Nets would prefer the NBA calendar simply flip to 2012-13, when they become the Brooklyn Nets.

The NBA's ultimate limbo franchise, one awaiting a new location and a new arena, the Nets still are looking to add one more piece to their core, while trying to lock up Deron Williams as a component of that core.

In a perfect world, the Nets wouldn't have to bother with another game in front of sparse crowds in Newark.

By contrast, the team that least benefits from an extended lockout is the Heat, with each day without basketball meaning a day without the Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Remember, the clock is ticking, with each of the three eligible to opt out of their contracts in the 2014 offseason. Micky Arison and Pat Riley will never have as much to sell as they do now.

Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel

A prolonged lockout could deliver a one-two punch to the Orlando Magic and the city of Orlando beyond the labor dispute’s universal cost: depriving game-night workers and local businesses of badly needed income.

Superstar center Dwight Howard will be eligible to opt out of his contract during the summer of 2012. So if the entire 2011-12 season is canceled, it's possible that he already has played his last game for Orlando.

Central Florida residents also worry that the 2012 All-Star game, scheduled for Amway Center on Feb. 26, will be canceled. If the game is canceled, Orlando is all but certain to host the game in 2014 — but that's small consolation because Central Florida's economy is slumping badly right now.

The only teams that would benefit from a prolonged lockout are those that stand to lose the most money by playing games in 2011-12 under the old collective bargain agreement.

Photo: Derek Fisher, president of the NBA players union, talks to reporters about the league's labor dispute. Credit: David Karp / Associated Press.

Indian TV row causes Sky to fall in on cricket viewers

'He's broadast that like a tracer bullet'. PHOTO: AFP/GETTY

Row between Indian host broadcaster and BCCI leaves TV viewers without pictures – and then leaves them to the tender mercies of commentator Ravi Shastri and his BCCI-mandated cohorts.

British TV watchers were exposed to not one but two horrific alternate realities on Friday morning: a sporting life without TV; and the replacement of Nasser, Mike and company with Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar and Dermot Reeve.

Just a few minutes before the scheduled start of England’s ODI match at Hyderabad, it emerged that a bust-up between the BCCI and the Indian host broadcaster had seen the board withhold rights to show the match.

Sky viewers instead sampled the retro delights of David Lloyd commentating down a crackly phone line over a still photo of the deserted outfield. The forlorn sensation of a man howling into the void called to mind a Clubcall phoneline from the 1990s, or one of those 0898 numbers where a depressed middle-aged woman in a Rotherham call-centre tells you she has been a naughty schoolgirl for 50 pence a minute. With Nick Knight adding his thoughts in the background.

As if this were not unsettling enough, the telly box suddenly crackled into life in the fourth over – after God knows what ransom had been paid – just in time for Steve Finn to effect an athletic flick in his follow-through that sent PA Patel back to the pavilion, run-out at the non-striker’s end off a straight drive from his partner. But instead of the pithy insights of Hussain and Atherton, the capers of Lloyd or even – heaven help us – the familiar hell-in-a-handcart chuntering of Sir Ian and the prevaricating of Knight, British cricket fans received a vivid insight into life for their Indian cousins.

The relentless cheerleading of Shastri and Gavaskar for everything belched out by the BCCI is familiar to Indian fans, but is nonetheless a shock to the system for those Brits who don’t get to watch much of the IPL. Shastri’s trademark parade of clichés and pet-phrases, delivered in that slippery baritone, are a sure irritant. When paired with Dermot Reeve, they become unbearable. Bizarrely, Matthew Hoggard also popped up in a summariser’s role to claim that Finn’s bowling of a yorker had been “unintentional” and that the bowler had “missed his length by five yards.”

A morning of listening to what Indian fans have to put up with certainly puts one’s own viewing gripes into perspective. If only we could offload some of our football pundits onto them…

Your N.F.L. Questions Answered

Judy Battista, the N.F.L. reporter for The New York Times, answers questions from readers.

Two things: One, how long will Tim Tebow last as the starting QB of Denver. And what kind of impact do you think he will have? I.E., will he win the spot for the season and win, or will he go the Cam Newton route and show flashes of brilliance yet still lose out in close games?
– Posted by Justin, Quad Cities

The Denver Broncos should only hope that Tebow looks like Newton does, because Newton has been spectacular — far beyond what anybody expected. Tebow is not Newton, though. Newton does not have throwing mechanics issues, for one, and he is a superior athletic talent to Tebow. Having said that, the spark Tebow provides the offense when he is in the game is undeniable.

I imagine that at least for the first few games, he will look a lot like he did when he went in at halftime last week: some badly misfired throws, some short completions, some thrilling running. One of the biggest concerns with his style of play is that no team wants their starting quarterback to get crushed by linebackers on a regular basis — can Tebow hold up to that week after week?

That’s why everybody wants him to become more of a pocket passer. I think he will give the Broncos a jolt and, as opponents will discover at least early on, he will be a challenge to prepare for because of the threat that he’ll run. But the Broncos’ losses have not all been Kyle Orton’s fault, so if the defense doesn’t start playing better, Tebow alone won’t be able to change the results.

Unless he is absolutely terrible or gets hurt, I expect he’ll be the starter the rest of the season. This is a move made as much for the future as for now. The Broncos have to find out if he can be a starting quarterback in the N.F.L. The coaches and John Elway clearly didn’t think he could do it at the start of the season and if they are right, they’ll have to draft a quarterback next spring.

What happened to the Jets linebackers? I don’t see them making the big plays they made the last two years, especially Bart Scott. Does this account for the run production against the Jets?–Posted by Stoli, Washington, D.C.

If you remember, Bart Scott didn’t look great at the end of the playoffs last year either. Lots of things have happened — the departure of Kris Jenkins certainly does not help the linebackers or the defense as a whole, and at least from my perspective, the defense has looked a little slower this season so far. The fact that the Jets could not stop BenJarvus Green-Ellis — a nice running back, but not exactly Adrian Peterson — last week, when they knew the Patriots wanted to run, is telling and troubling because if the Jets’ offense continues to fall behind, the Jets are going to see more running until they prove they can stop it. They are currently ranked 26th in rushing yards yielded. Last year they finished ninth

Why are the Eagles sticking with their obviously flawed wide 9 defensive scheme AND sticking Asomugha in zone coverage most of the time? It’s beyond me why anyone would bother working so hard (and spending so much money) to get a player like Nnamdi and then play him in a zone 90 percent of the time.–Posted by Rich, Atlanta

Great questions and right now unanswerable. The Eagles’ defense is a mess across the board — the linebackers are not good (and that’s being especially exposed by the Wide 9), nobody is tackling well, only Cullen Jenkins and Jason Babin are living up to their free agency hype — but it’s hard to scrap an entire defensive system midstream and start over. The Eagles are clearly hoping that some of their issues are due to lack of familiarity and that once everybody settles in and knows where they are supposed to be, the gaping holes will disappear. That may be wishful thinking, and Andy Reid could  be answering for a long time why he thought it was a good idea to make his longtime offensive line coach his defensive coordinator in the same year when there would be massive influx of new personnel and limited time to work together.

Do you think the new rule placing kickoffs at the 35 will survive after this season?–Posted by Dave, Connecticut

Yes, I do, because it is having exactly the effect the N.F.L. wanted when it voted for it: reducing the number of collisions on kickoffs. By drastically reducing the number of kickoff returns, it has definitely accomplished that. This was a move made for safety reasons — some of the biggest and most damaging collisions happen on kickoff returns — not for aesthetics. The N.F.L. knew it would greatly decrease the number of kickoff returns, and even though big returns are some of the most exciting plays in football, the league was willing to take that tradeoff if it meant cutting down on big hits.

The Chargers, who usually stumble out of the gate, are 4-1 and in first place– does that mean they won’t make the playoffs?–Posted by zb, New York

Ha! No, I think they’ll make the playoffs, and it probably helps that there hasn’t been much attention paid to them this year. Also helps that, while the Raiders are surprising, the Chiefs and Broncos have struggled early.

A lot of heat gets put on the Jets offensive coordinator, Schotty. But don’t you think he and Rex Ryan are simply calling the plays that they think the QB can make without turning the ball over?–Posted by Steve, Connecticut

Yes. I think the coaches know their offensive line is in transition (read: not very good right now) and therefore they can’t make Mark Sanchez spend too much time back there waiting for plays to develop. Sanchez is still not overly accurate, and at this point I’m not sure that is ever going to get better. You have to wonder if he will ever be the kind of quarterback who can consistently take over a game and win it on his own. It probably told us a lot that the Jets did not take too many shots outside the numbers and down the field last week, just to test a Patriots defense that had really been struggling in that area.

I continue to hear from everyone it seems (Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez, other current Jets, former Jets, pundits, analysts and prognosticators) that this Jets offense “isn’t built to put up huge numbers of yards or 30+ points/game.” Judy, what group in the offense ( O-Line, receivers, running backs, etc) would agree with that statement?–Posted by Steve, Connecticut

Not sure I entirely understand the question, Steve, but let me give it a shot. If the offense is built to run the ball, it’s clearly not built to be a scoring machine. Furthermore, as we’ve already discussed, the Jets seem reluctant to let Sanchez go downfield with his passes. This is not going to be a Packers/Patriots kind of offense, clearly, even though the receivers probably think they are capable of it. I don’t think saying it’s not built to put up 30 points a game is derogatory, it’s just the truth. This team is supposed to win by playing great defense and running the ball. Right now, it’s not doing either of those, and it doesn’t have a passing game capable of overcoming it, the way we saw Brady do in the first few weeks of the season.

To what extent are the Steelers’ difficulties this season due to their offensive line or the age of their defense? And what explains the dramatic increase in the number of yards rushing the defense is allowing this year? Is it regression to the mean, or something more insidious?–Posted by Carey, Pittsburgh

Well, the offensive line is a MASH unit, and the impact of that can’t be overlooked. They are getting Roethlisberger hit constantly. I haven’t seen enough of their games to know what is happening to their defense, except that their run defense is clearly giving up more yards than usual. But the defense is still ranked second in the league in yards given up. It will be interesting to see if the wallopping of the Titans marks the turning point for the Steelers.

Are the 49ers and Alex Smith for real? What is Smith’s QB rating score?–Posted by Ole Holsti, Salt Lake City

Alex Smith might be the best argument going for the value of good coaching. He was left for dead and his career looked to be over, and — presto — bring in Harbaugh. Now he’s third in quarterback rating (104.1 with seven touchdowns and one interception), behind only Brady, who is second, and Rodgers, whose rating is an absurd 122.9. Short answer: yes, the Niners are for real. They are playing well, and the rest of their division is a mess. If they don’t win it, I’d be shocked. This weekend’s game against the Lions will probably tell us a lot about them.

It’s safe to say the 49ers will win their division. They’re playing better football than anyone else in the NFC West. Can they prove that a team doesn’t need an elite QB to win big?–Posted by Greg, Silicon Valley

You’re assuming that Alex Smith — a former first pick — is not elite. I’m not sure we should do that. He has had a carousel of coaches and offensive systems and has never had a coach with the offensive mind or devotion to quarterback development that Harbaugh brings. I’m not saying Alex Smith is Aaron Rodgers, but with consistent coaching and an offense that suits him, he might be in the second tier of quarterbacks.

We see so many games plod along (see Jet offense most of last year), until crunch time then suddenly come alive in a flurry of offense, risk taking and big plays — what drives this transformation? Are the coaches inherently conservative until they have to open up? Is it really the grand chess match until inches become yards (yes, that “Any Given Sunday” reference) or the ball bounces one way or another?–Posted by BankerBoy, New York

I think it’s a combination of things. Yes, if a team is trailing and the clock is winding down, they have to take more chances going downfield. And, on the flip side, the team that holds the lead is often in some kind of a prevent defense, which allows the bigger opponent to get bigger chunks of yards, as long as the plays stay in front of the defense. In other words, force the opponent to drive down the field, but don’t give up the touchdown. You can’t say coaches are inherently conservative — how would you explain the offensive attacks of the Packers, Patriots, Saints, Colts (with Manning)? But you can say that coaches play to the strengths of their teams as long as they possibly can and deviate from that only when forced to.

Given the success of Victor Cruz and the fact that Steve Smith has not been a factor in the Eagles offense (according to Sheil Kapadia of Philly.com, he played in three snaps last week and has not been targeted in the past two weeks), doesn’t Jerry Reese and the Giants front office deserve some credit for not overpaying for Smith, especially considering the backlash the front office received from the media and fans after Smith signed with the Eagles?–Posted by Matt Barbarasch, New York

I don’t think anybody thought the Giants should overpay Steve Smith. But the criticism came when the number of players that the Giants theoretically wanted to keep piled up — including Kevin Boss (who was definitely overpaid by the Raiders) and Smith. There is no question that the Eagles thought Smith would be healthier sooner than the Giants did. The Giants trusted their doctors who, after all, did the surgery on Smith. So far, it looks like the Giants made the correct bet. As for Victor Cruz, he is delightful when he makes those circus catches, but he has also made some bad mistakes. If the Giants had been able to retain Smith — and not rush him back on the field — there’s not much question who the better receiver would be, if the health of both is equal.

This Wales team skippered by Richard Burton would conquer the world

 Alternative Wales XV  – A Welsh team to take on the World

By Brendan Gallagher in Auckland

 Full back:  Tom Jones. Sex Bomb from Pontypridd Jones has spent a lifetime fielding ladies underwear, displaying great 'hands.' under pressure. Its not unusual to find him practicing on the green green grass of home.

 

Right wing: Michael Hesaltine. Swansea's finest, dashing blonde right winger and pin-up boy who has always been a hard cat to keep on the porch.  Falls out with those in charge occasionally but impressive when in full spate. Box office.

 

Centre:  Sian Williams. Communication is vital in midfield so I'm going for Sian from BBC Breakfast Time TV. Versatile, can turn on a sixpence and steams in from some unsual angles. Selfless, makes openings for others. Could do with a good nights kip though.

 

Centre: Dylan Thomas: Just when you think he is disappearing down a blind alley, this lyrical player changes pace dramatically jinking one way and then the other to wow the audience. 80 minute competitor Thomas won't ever go "gentley into that good night"

 

Left Wing:  Aneurin Bevan. Left wing has always been Wales' strongest position but Nye Bevan gets the nod. Son of a Tredegar coal miner, always talked a good game but in fairness delivered the National Health Service. No relation to brilliant Lions wing John Bevan.

 

Fly-half: David Lloyd George. Spent six years at number ten and although he outstayed his welcome was a mighty performer in his pomp, in every conceivable way as it happens.  At least thats what my father said, and he knew him.

 

Scrum-half: Richard Burton (captain): A scrum-half in real life actually who Bleddyn Williams reckoned could have played for Wales. Babe magnet and also in charge of the beer kitty. The parallels with Mike Phillips are uncanny save for the seven Oscar nominations.

 

Prop:  Tommy Cooper: Nobody can learn their trade "just like that"  and it needed years around the clubs of Wales before Caerphilly's young comedian got his act together. Frankly you need a sense of humour in the front row

 

Hooker: Don't even go there chaps, I  know what you are thinking but this is a new look, clean living Wales. Step forward Anthony Hopkins. Packing down opposite Hannibal Lecter would send even the Pontypool front row diving for cover.

 

Prop: Bryn Terfel:  No Wales team is complete without a choirmaster and farmer's son Bryn, from Pant Glas, is that man. Extra poundage, youth and vocal range seem him relegate the ever willing Harry Secombe to the bench

 

Second row: Michael Sheen. His Jesus Christ was a triumph in the Easter Passion at Port Talbot, as was his Sir David Frost in Frost/Nixon and his Tony Blair in the Queen. Gon on Michael give us your Robbie Norster or Delme Thomas impression

 

Second row: George Everest. What you need at five is somebody who glories in reaching for the Sky, none better than George Everest, from Crickhowell, who is credited with discovering the world's highest mountain.

 

Blindside flanker : Howard Marks. The world's most celebrated 'smuggler' for two decades although Australia's flanker David Pocock has recently assumed that mantle. Marks must shed his "Mr Nice" guy image now. Time to move those joints Howard.

 

Openside flanker: T E Lawrence. The man at number seven must be a tireless, resourceful, leader who will roam incessantly looking to cause maximum carnage and discomfort to the enemy. Step forward Tremadog's Lawrence of Arabia.

 

No 8: Sian Phillips. Incredibly versatile, Sian can step into any role at short notice and steal the show, completely making it her own. Phenomenal endurance as she proved during 20 years marriage with Lawrence of Arabia, sorry Peter O'Toole.

London 2012 Olympics diary: Government clamps down on ambush advertising at Games

One in the eye: Linford Christie wore Puma contact lenses at the Atlanta Games

The Government has expanded its advertising and trading regulations during the London 2012 Olympic Games to specifically outlaw spectators from displaying any form of advertising on the human body.

The law is to prevent advertising stunts such as when Linford Christie wore contact lenses of shoe brand Puma in competition with the Olympic sponsor Reebok at the Atlanta Games, or the spectator who invaded the diving venue in Athens with a company name penned across his chest.

In a tightening of the already detailed rules designed to prevent ambush marketing during the Games, the Government said yesterday: “We will make additional changes to prohibit advertising on the human body.” Anybody who breaks the rule could face a fine of £20,000.

The Government has a raft of restrictions for individuals and groups concerning advertising and trading in and around Olympic venues and some public places like the "live sites" where big screens will broadcast Olympic competition.

Advertising industry bodies had argued to the Government that the regulations should specifically ban tattooing the body with permanent or temporary ink to help protect Olympic sponsors.

More than 40 official sponsors have paid more than £700 million to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (Locog) to help with their £2.15 billion operating budget.

Other small changes that will be made include allowing the deliveries of essential non-perishable goods like petrol as well as perishable goods during work hours. Cafes and restaurants that have outside spaces with tables and chairs will now require additional authorisation by the Olympic Delivery Authority.

The Government said: “During Games time there will be considerably more footfall and we want to provide clear routes to venues.”

*******

Katherine Endacott, who won a Commonwealth Games 100m silver medal and a 4x100m gold in Delhi, has converted her strong acceleration and speed to become a bobsleigh brakewoman in an attempt to make the TeamGB squad for the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Endacott, along with other members of the squad, has been training at the Michael Johnson centre with the Dallas Cowboys NFL team and Jeremy Wariner and will continue to use those American facilities as a summer base.

Performance Director Gary Anderson said the 12 days spent at the centre were inspiring, especially as it was during the time of the NFL lock-out and players used their own money to pay to train there.

*****

The glitzy British Olympic Ball last Friday night raised nearly £750,000 – enough to support over 30 Team GB athletes in their London Olympic Games quest.

While comedians Miranda Hart and Stephen Fry had to think quickly on their feet for the first ten minutes because of teleprompter failure, the highlight for the 2,100 strong guest list – including winners of 83 Olympic gold medals – was an energetic Sir Tom Jones and his enthusiastic backing band performing well into the early hours.

At one point, Sir Tom raised the golden Olympic torch saying how excited he was about the Games and exhorted: “We better win this bloody thing this summer.” One person paid £80,000 for hospitality packages for four people to the opening ceremony, the men’s 100m finals, the women’s gymnastic finals, a tour of the athletes’ village and adidas TeamGB kit.

***

Olympic organisers are sensitive to the security concerns of their multi-million pound Technology Operations Centre, which is mission control for the timing, results and technology systems during the Games.

At the launch this week, Locog chief information officer Gerry Pennell asked journalists not to reveal the TOC's location. Nor would he reveal where the back up system is housed in case of any ongoing security issues.

Around 450 technology specialists will man the centre, although there will be a total of 5,000 experts including staff from sponsors Atos, BT, Cisco, Acer and Samsung on hand to ensure that the technology remains glitch-free.

Ironically, the timing of the launch coincided with the beginning of Blackberry's technical woes – a timely reminder of the communications issues London faces during Games time.

Mobile phone operators across the UK have formed a consortium and are working on ensuring Wifi in London is as robust as can be.

"We have worked closely with BT and the mobile operators to make sure there is enough infrastructure to provide a good level of service during the Games," Pennell said of mobile phone coverage.

"But there will always be moments when the demand is so huge in sporting events that not everybody can get access."