In one week’s time the sporting world descends on Louisiana as San Francisco take on Baltimore in one of the most exciting Super Bowl match-ups in years. But who needs the win more?
The Ravens have only made the Super Bowl once in their history, where they beat New York Giants 34-7 in 2000. Over the last 13 years they have come close to a return to the big time but fallen in the AFC Championship twice. Their fans are right behind them and would love a second Super Bowl, especially in legendary linebacker Ray Lewis’ last season in the game.
Sometimes regular-season form counts for nothing and Baltimore – who lost four of the last five games before the playoffs – picked up a huge 24-9 win over the Colts to earn a Divisional match with Denver before overturning NFL betting news favourites Indianapolis on their own turf.
The 49ers’ winless streak goes even further back, to a 1994 victory against the Chargers. Fans have suffered badly over the last decade – recording a 2-14 record in 2004 – but under Jim Harbaugh are a completely different team.
They say you need to taste defeat before you can earn success and San Francisco, who lost 20-17 to the Giants in overtime at last season’s NFC Championship game, will want to get the job done this time around.
They came back from 17-0 down to beat Atlanta in the NFC Championship game: quarterback Colin Kaepernick proving a formidable leader in their offence to take the game 28-24.
Heading into the Super Bowl, we have one team buoyed by wins and full of confidence against a side that has shown quality and poise all season – punters who bet on NFL are still unsure who to back. Both teams have great weights of expectation on their shoulders and could make history on 3 February, where one will prove they want it just that little bit more.
Monday, 28 January 2013
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Physical power will stop Ferrer winning Grand Slam
David Ferrer’s hopes of ever winning a Grand Slam title appear to be waning after Novak Djokovic proved once again that power is the key difference between good players and great ones in their Australian Open semi-final clash on Thursday.
Ferrer headed into the tie in good form after defeating Marcos Baghdatis and 10th seed Nicolas Almagro in earlier rounds. Seeded fourth in Melbourne, Ferrer was expected to reach the semis and didn’t disappoint – proving he is the best of a league just below the ATP’s elite band.
However, he was a vast outsider in the Tennis odds and up against the physical monster that is Djokovic the world number five had no chance, losing 6-2 6-2 6-1 in just one hour and 29 minutes. It was a magnificent display of robust tennis from Djokovic, who powered down a number of love service games and hit numerous returns with venom right under Ferrer’s feet.
The Spaniard simply couldn’t handle Djokovic’s strength, consistency and sting in his forehands, the ball back in Ferrer’s court almost before he finished his follow-through.
Unfortunately, this is the level Ferrer must reach if he is ever going to win a tennis Grand Slam and at 30 years of age his body is not going to get stronger over time. His build and playing style is more like Roger Federer – graceful, angled and poised – but unlike Federer he doesn’t posses that real quality in his shot selection and cannot match the physicality of Djokovic, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal when required.
That physicality is why Federer has won so many Grand Slams while appearing the silky smooth player we all admire. Sadly Ferrer will never combine strength with technique enough to take down two powerful opponents in a Grand Slam semi and final, meaning his dreams for a maiden major will probably never be realised.
Ferrer headed into the tie in good form after defeating Marcos Baghdatis and 10th seed Nicolas Almagro in earlier rounds. Seeded fourth in Melbourne, Ferrer was expected to reach the semis and didn’t disappoint – proving he is the best of a league just below the ATP’s elite band.
However, he was a vast outsider in the Tennis odds and up against the physical monster that is Djokovic the world number five had no chance, losing 6-2 6-2 6-1 in just one hour and 29 minutes. It was a magnificent display of robust tennis from Djokovic, who powered down a number of love service games and hit numerous returns with venom right under Ferrer’s feet.
The Spaniard simply couldn’t handle Djokovic’s strength, consistency and sting in his forehands, the ball back in Ferrer’s court almost before he finished his follow-through.
Unfortunately, this is the level Ferrer must reach if he is ever going to win a tennis Grand Slam and at 30 years of age his body is not going to get stronger over time. His build and playing style is more like Roger Federer – graceful, angled and poised – but unlike Federer he doesn’t posses that real quality in his shot selection and cannot match the physicality of Djokovic, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal when required.
That physicality is why Federer has won so many Grand Slams while appearing the silky smooth player we all admire. Sadly Ferrer will never combine strength with technique enough to take down two powerful opponents in a Grand Slam semi and final, meaning his dreams for a maiden major will probably never be realised.
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Hearn - Snooker not reliant on the Rocket
Snooker chief Barry Hearn has once again insisted the sport isn’t reliant on Ronnie O’Sullivan, but maintained the former world number one is more than welcome to defend his title at the World Championships if the Rocket decides to return for the season’s showpiece tournament.
Speaking after world number one Mark Selby clinched his third snooker Masters betting title in six years with a 10-6 victory against Neil Robertson, Hearn insisted O’Sullivan would need to make a decision by the end of February whether or not he would defend his title at the Crucible in April.
"He still has a choice of entering the World Championships. The closing date is the end of February; he's got to make a decision before then," revealed Hearn.
But Hearn was adamant the sport hadn’t lost any of its appeal by O’Sullivan’s continued absence.
"If he decides to he's welcome with open arms, because he adds so much. And if he doesn't, I just want to remind him that he wasn't in the Masters, we sold more tickets and we got bigger TV ratings.”
O’Sullivan was a notable member of the audience during the semi-finals of the Betfair Masters, fuelling the growing rumours that the Snooker betting favourite could be getting the taste back for the sport he has often lost interest in.
While there is no doubt that snooker is in a good place at the moment, having O’Sullivan at the World Championships would make it one of the most interesting tournaments in recent history.
Whether or not that would lead to the former world number one returning to the game full-time would be a question that could wait until the end of the tournament.
Speaking after world number one Mark Selby clinched his third snooker Masters betting title in six years with a 10-6 victory against Neil Robertson, Hearn insisted O’Sullivan would need to make a decision by the end of February whether or not he would defend his title at the Crucible in April.
"He still has a choice of entering the World Championships. The closing date is the end of February; he's got to make a decision before then," revealed Hearn.
But Hearn was adamant the sport hadn’t lost any of its appeal by O’Sullivan’s continued absence.
"If he decides to he's welcome with open arms, because he adds so much. And if he doesn't, I just want to remind him that he wasn't in the Masters, we sold more tickets and we got bigger TV ratings.”
O’Sullivan was a notable member of the audience during the semi-finals of the Betfair Masters, fuelling the growing rumours that the Snooker betting favourite could be getting the taste back for the sport he has often lost interest in.
While there is no doubt that snooker is in a good place at the moment, having O’Sullivan at the World Championships would make it one of the most interesting tournaments in recent history.
Whether or not that would lead to the former world number one returning to the game full-time would be a question that could wait until the end of the tournament.
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