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February 22nd, 2012 | 
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Published: 22 Feb 2012 – 18:17:00
Zenit St Petersburg claim they are in talks with Arsenal over a possible loan deal for Gunners forward Andrey Arshavin.
Arshavin has been a bit-part player at Arsenal following the arrival of Gervinho and the rise of new signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Russian has made most of his 27 appearances this term as a substitute and has fallen out of favour with Arsenal’s fans, who booed when he came on for Oxlade-Chamberlain during the club’s home defeat to Manchester United.
Zenit general director Maxim Mitrofanov told Russian newspaper Sovietsky Sport that he is hopeful of persuading the 30-year-old to return to the club where he spent 11 years before moving to London. He said: “We talked with them. Let’s see how they themselves continue to lead.”
He added: “Andrey still wants to play in England. (But) For Andrey it is very important to play in the Euros and being at a home club would be a good option in the current situation.
“Therefore, we are discussing the possibility to loan (Arshavin).”
Any deal would have to be concluded by Thursday night when the Russian transfer window closes.
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Published: 22 Feb 2012 – 18:17:00
West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison has been fined £7,000 by the Football Association in response to a homophobic remark made on Twitter.
Morrison, who completed an undisclosed switch to Upton Park from Manchester United at the end of January, is reported to have made the comment in response to another Twitter user. The 19-year-old admitted a charge of using abusive and/or insulting words including a reference to a person’s sexual orientation.
An FA statement read: “West Ham United’s Ravel Morrison has been fined £7,000 and warned as to his future conduct after he admitted a charge of using abusive and/or insulting words including a reference to a person’s sexual orientation.”
It continued: “The charge was in relation to comments Morrison made on Twitter.”
Morrison was charged by the FA last Wednesday and quickly admitted his actions ahead of the punishment, for which he requested a non-personal hearing.
Morrison, who is yet to make his Hammers debut, has not enjoyed the smoothest of starts to his career with the npower Championship club having also been involved in various off-field controversies while at Old Trafford.
Manchester United allowed the teenager to leave despite him being rated as one of the finest prospects to come out of the club in recent years.
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Published: 22 Feb 2012 – 19:17:00
Manchester City produced a strong finish to power into the last 16 of the Europa League with a 4-0 victory (6-1 on aggregate) over 10-man holders Porto.
Sergio Aguero set up victory by extending City’s 2-1 first-leg lead after just 18 seconds at the rainswept Etihad Stadium before hitting the bar later in the first half.
Edin Dzeko came off the bench to add a second after 76 minutes before the sending off of Rolando preceded further goals from David Silva and David Pizarro in the closing minutes.
The 5pm kick-off may have been problematic for some fans but the players raced out of the blocks to make the perfect start. Aguero, who struck six minutes from time last week, started where he left off as he was played through by Yaya Toure and slipped the ball low past Helton with barely 18 seconds on the clock.
City looked comfortable for their lead and could have had a second when Silva beat the defence with a brilliant ball for Toure. Helton rushed out of goal to meet the Ivory Coast midfielder on the edge of the box and spread his body to block his shot.
Porto enjoyed some spells possession but struggled to create meaningful chances until first-leg goalscorer Silvestre Varela found space to test Joe Hart. Joao Moutinho curled a free-kick over as Porto continued to look for a way back into the tie.
The game remained open as the second half got under way with Aguero dribbling into the Porto box to tee up Silva but Maicon slid in to deny the Spaniard.
City again pressed for another with Silva winning a corner from Helton with a powerful drive, before play was held up after Nicolas Otamendi was accidentally kicked in the face by team-mate Maicon.
The hosts put the result beyond any doubt as substitute Dzeko was slipped in by a fine ball from Aguero and finished with confidence. It quickly became a double blow for Porto as Rolando, who had been booked early in the game, was shown a second yellow card as City celebrated – perhaps for protesting too much for offside – and left the field.
City then went on to wrap up the game in style as Silva added a third after 84 minutes after substitutes Pizarro and Dzeko combined to provide a tap-in. Another followed two minutes later as Pizarro again linked up with Dzeko and broke into the box to slam past Helton for his first goal for the club.
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Published: 22 Feb 2012 – 18:47:04
Cash-strapped Portsmouth have been forced to make “a number of redundancies” to help aid their battle for financial survival.
The identities of those made redundant has not been divulged, with no-one at the npower Championship club available to comment on speculation chief executive David Lampitt is one of those affected.
Pompey’s players and staff have not been paid since December and the cost-cutting measures also involve this continuing for some at the club, most likely high earners, on an “ongoing basis”, while a host of full-time staff are also being asked to go part-time.
The moves come after Portsmouth entered administration for a second time in two years last Friday, resulting in an immediate 10-point deduction which has subsequently plunged the south-coast outfit into the Championship’s bottom three.
In a statement on the club’s official website, joint administrator Trevor Birch said: “We have had no choice but to take the difficult decision to make a number of redundancies across all levels and departments within Portsmouth Football Club.
“Additionally, we are asking certain employees to defer wages on an ongoing basis and are asking several members of staff to move from a full-time to a part-time role. These measures are painful for everyone involved with the club, but they are essential for Portsmouth’s survival, which is our main objective.
“They are in no way a reflection of the performance of the club’s hard-working staff, who have remained loyal and supportive throughout this difficult time. Our initial analysis of the club’s financial position has revealed that the situation is more serious than many people had expected.”
The statement continued: “We have been brought in to try to rescue a business with significant financial problems. To put it bluntly, Portsmouth Football Club has a Premier League cost base but only Championship income. This is not a sustainable situation and one that needs to be addressed urgently if the club is to continue to exist.
“As things stand, there is a serious risk that the club could run out of cash within the next couple of months. I recognise that this is not the news that anyone wants to hear but burying our heads in the sand will not help anyone.
“Today’s redundancies will make a difference to the club’s financial position but there are sure to be further challenges ahead of us. Portsmouth’s survival depends on us being able to find a buyer for the club before the money runs out.”
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Published: 22 Feb 2012 – 18:17:00
Blackburn fans have launched a new share investment scheme in a bid to buy the club from owners Venky’s.
The Blackburn Rovers Supporters’ Investment Trust, which has been created with the aim to bring the club into community ownership, is being spearheaded by Wayne Wild, director of WEC Group, a commercial partner and sponsor of the Barclays Premier League side.
Fan groups have blamed Venky’s and manager Steve Kean for the club’s demise, and with Rovers currently one place above the relegation zone, Wild believes the newly-created trust is a viable option to bring the club under fans’ control. He said: “At some point, and maybe soon, we believe Blackburn Rovers will be put up for sale.”
He added: “We believe the best ownership model for Blackburn Rovers is to be entirely owned by the supporters through a trust.
“We are seeking to engage with the current owners to advise them of our plans and we ask that they consider our proposals seriously as a credible and respectful way to pass on ownership of the club.
“At this stage we are asking Blackburn Rovers supporters if they would be willing to buy a share in their club. The more fans who pledge to buy a share, the stronger and more credible our bid will be.
“We will raise funds to buy the club by issuing a sufficient number of shares to meet a realistic valuation at the time of purchase.
“It is clear that any fair and realistic valuation will be based on the position of the club within the league structure at the time of purchase together with a true assessment of the clubs assets and liabilities.
“It is not, therefore, possible at this stage to put an exact figure on the amount of capital we will need to raise to be successful.”
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He batted .298 with 20 homers for the Class A Advanced Modesto Nuts in the California League, recording a career-high 122 RBIs — the highest tally in the Minor Leagues.
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Prospect Q&A ¬St. Louis’ Matt AdamsSan Diego’s Yonder AlonsoTampa Bay’s Chris ArcherColorado’s Nolan ArenadoArizona’s Trevor BauerBoston’s Bryce BrentzTampa Bay’s Tim BeckhamToronto’s Travis d’ArnaudMiami’s Matt DominguezMinnesota’s Terry DoyleSan Diego’s Robbie ErlinColorado’s Christian FriedrichPittsburgh’s Robbie GrossmanCincinnati’s Billy HamiltonSeattle’s Danny HultzenSan Diego’s Casey KellyPhiladelphia’s Trevor MayKansas City’s Jake OdorizziSan Francisco’s Joe PanikOakland’s Jarrod ParkerTexas’ Jurickson ProfarBoston’s Anthony RanaudoLA Angels’ Trevor RecklingColorado’s Wilin RosarioArizona’s Tyler SkaggsDetroit’s Drew SmylyKansas City’s Bubba StarlingWhite Sox’s Trayce ThompsonColorado’s Tim WheelerMets’ Zack WheelerSan Francisco’s Brandon BeltNY Yankees’ Dellin BetancesNY Yankees’ Andrew BrackmanMinnesota’s Billy BullockDetroit’s Nick CastellanosLA Angels’ Tyler ChatwoodArizona’s Josh CollmenterDetroit’s Casey CrosbyToronto’s Kyle DrabekHouston’s Mike FoltynewiczDetroit’s Charlie FurbushLA Dodgers’ Dee GordonArizona’s Paul GoldschmidtOakland’s Grant GreenPhiladelphia’s Jiwan JamesToronto’s Brett LawrieKansas City’s Wil MyersWashington’s Derek NorrisCleveland’s Matt PackerSeattle’s Rich PoythressMinnesota’s Ben RevereLA Angels’ Garrett RichardsPittsburgh’s Tony SanchezLA Dodgers’ Jerry SandsPittsburgh’s Jameson TaillonDetroit’s Jacob TurnerCleveland’s Nick Weglarz |
The 6-foot-1 third baseman carried his productive season into the Arizona Fall League where he hit .388 with six round-trippers and 33 RBIs in 29 appearances for Surprise, and he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Now Arenado, 20, has his sights set on something even bigger. He spoke to MiLB.com about working out with Troy Tulowitzki, winning a high school championship and fighting for a spot on the Major League roster this spring.
MiLB.com: Now that you’ve had the winter to reflect, how would you evaluate last season?
Nolan Arenado: Everything went really well. It was a fun year, I got to go to the [Arizona] Fall League and it was a lot of fun. This year coming up is a big year. I’m excited to get to Spring Training and get to work and try to make the team.
MiLB.com: You’ve batted around .300 each of your first three seasons as a pro. How would you describe your approach at the plate?
Arenado: It just comes with experience and knowing how pitchers are going to pitch to you, being patient, trying to see the ball and swinging at strikes. I want to try and swing at my pitch, and if I do that, I believe I’ll have a lot of success. I still think I can do better with that. I wouldn’t say I have different approaches; it’s more like what I want to do mentally in each situation.
I don’t do a lot of physical movement; I try to keep things simple. Mentally, I like to try and change my mindset to what I really want to do depending on whether there are people on base.
MiLB.com: How would you describe your mechanics at the plate? Does it help that you’ve been playing on a more regular basis each year?
Arenado: They’re pretty simple. I try to stay on top and strike through the ball. I don’t think about trying to get hits. My whole goal is to square the ball up and hit the ball hard. If I do that, I’m able to have a lot of success. Playing more helps a lot. It helps get your timing down and you know what’s going to come so you’re not as surprised by things. You get a chance to see pitchers multiple times so you know what they’re going to throw you.
MiLB.com: You led the Minors with 122 RBIs last year. Is it fair to say you relish those opportunities with runners on base?
Arenado: Absolutely. My goal is always just getting the runner in. I take pride in getting my RBIs and that’s what I really want. I’ve got make sure that I do whatever I can do to help the team win, a sac fly or whatever it is. I’ve got to get that run in. It doesn’t matter how, I just have to put the ball in play.
I’m developing a lot more power, but my goal out there isn’t to hit more home runs. I would obviously like to hit more, but I’m not changing my swing. I’m hoping to keep things the same, and then everything will work out from there. I’m always trying to drive in more runs.
MiLB.com: You’re developing a reputation as a guy who doesn’t strike out a lot but who doesn’t walk much either. Is this a positive or a weakness?
Arenado: Low strikeouts are great, but I believe I could have hit for a higher average if I had swung at better pitches too. I’m not striking out, but I could have walked a little more and that would probably have helped my average and helped the team out more. My goal is to walk more than I have because I know if I walk more I get on base and give my team a chance to drive me in. I don’t think that it’s a bad thing I don’t walk much as long as I don’t strike out. I’m being aggressive in the count without being overly aggressive.
MiLB.com: I know you’re always looking to improve the defensive side of your game. How’s that coming along?
Arenado: I’ve been working on my range and I have been doing a lot of footwork stuff. It’s helped me a lot. I’ve been taking ground balls constantly this offseason and I’ve been working on getting stronger and getting a little bit quicker — not just straight running speed, but laterally.
MiLB.com: You impressed a lot of people in the AFL. How did it feel to be named the league’s MVP with Surprise?
Arenado It was a great honor and a great opportunity to play with these players. I had a really good time, and I just played as hard as I can to show these guys that I can compete at the higher level. That was my goal.
MiLB.com: You worked out with Troy Tulowitzki and Jason Giambi last year. Is this going to be a regular part of your winter?
Arenado: Hopefully, they will let me work out with them again, and I’m hoping it will be a yearly thing for me in the offseason. I’d love to have the opportunity to work out with them again because it’s very beneficial for me and it helps me in my career. They want to help me get better, and that means a lot to me. I have to take advantage of that. They taught me how to handle myself mentally, and you have to work hard to be the best. These guys aren’t messing around.
You’ve got guys like Giambi, who’s a veteran who has been in the big leagues a while, who’s working as hard as anyone out there. That shows you a lot. Then you’ve got Troy, who’s accomplished a lot, but in his head he hasn’t accomplished anything because he wants to be the best and he wants to accomplish more than anyone.
MiLB.com: What memories do you have playing and watching baseball as a kid?
Arenado: It’s funny that, when you’re a kid, it’s just a different game. It’s not as serious. I remember, not so much as a kid, but in high school we won the CIF [California Interscholastic Federation] championship, and that was one of the best memories of my whole life. That was probably the best baseball experience I have had, playing in the championship with my high school teammates.
I remember playing catch with my dad out in the front and just working out on stuff from a young age and going to the fields when we were young. I wanted to become the best, and my ultimate goal was to play baseball for the rest of my life. It really meant more to me the older I got.
MiLB.com: When did you realize that pro baseball was a realistic option?
Arenado: I would say probably the end of my sophomore year in high school, going into my junior year. I knew there could be a chance. It wasn’t that I had teams or scouts talking to me; it was just that I believed in my talents and I thought I could play somewhere because of the other players I had seen that had made it. In my junior year, I was talking more to college coaches. But going into the start of my senior year was when I started talking with some pro scouts and seeing that there was a possibility that I might get drafted.
I didn’t think I was going to go in the second round, and a lot of people said I might go later, but I played well in my senior year and then I started doing pro workouts. That was when I found out there was a chance I could go a little higher.
MiLB.com: What do you remember about Draft Day itself?
Arenado: I remember hanging out with my family and being really nervous and excited that my name might get called out on the first day. That was really cool, a great experience. My name got called out on the computer, not out on the television, but it was still pretty cool. It was one of the better feelings I have ever had in my life.
It was very exciting to be with my family and get called out to the Rockies because they were the team I wanted to play with. My family and a lot of cousins and aunts were all there. My aunt had her birthday on the same day as the Draft, so we all ended up getting together to celebrate both.
MiLB.com: What was it about Colorado that interested you the most?
Arenado: It was the opportunity to play there and to play as a third baseman. There were some teams that wanted me to play as a catcher, but I knew the Rockies wanted to draft me as a third baseman, and that really got me excited. I’m pretty sure the Phillies and the Pirates were thinking about me as a catcher. I really wanted to go as a third baseman because I knew I could play.
MiLB.com: In terms of your offseason schedule, what’s a typical day look like right now?
Arenado: I’d wake up at 7:45 a.m. and have workouts at 9. After I lift and run, I have hitting at 12:30 and after that I go take ground balls at 2:30. At 4 or 5 p.m. twice a week I go to my hitting coach to work on certain things. I work on a lot of different stuff — every day’s a different day. We do a lot of different workouts, but we work on a lot of things in our body to make sure we last 160 games. I’m ready for Spring Training and I have a goal to make the team.
Ashley Marshall is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson knows that it’s a long road back to the field from knee surgery, especially when the operation is on a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Wyche: Vikings a work in progress
Steve Wyche the Vikings have a lot of work to do in rebuilding their roster before they can compete for another NFC championship. More …But with his knee gradually regaining its strength and a Feb. 28 date to begin running again, Peterson isn’t afraid to be optimistic about when he could play again.
“Right now my goal is to be back by the first, the regular-season opener,” Peterson told “The Dan Patrick Show” on Tuesday. “That’s my goal.”
Peterson underwent ACL surgery on Dec. 30 — a little over eight months before the start of the 2012 season. Peterson said he understands that the injury typically requires eight to nine months of rehab, but “right now, I am ahead of schedule.”
Peterson told KFAN-FM last week that he’s starting to get his muscle tone and strength back into his legs and that the Vikings training staff has been “very pleased” with his progress.
The Vikings have worked with Peterson to make sure that he’s not trying to rush his recovery, and Peterson reiterated Tuesday that he’s making an effort to remain patient throughout the process.
“Ultimately, I’ve got to make sure I am 100 percent before I get back out there,” Peterson said, adding that he will not be conducting sprints Feb. 28. “It’s going good so far.”
There aren’t many teams in the NFL in a more precarious salary cap situation than the Pittsburgh Steelers, a position that has already dictated several offseason moves. It could also determine how the team decides to try and retain Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Wallace.
League sources have told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora that there is “real concern” within the team’s front office that they could lose Wallace, scheduled to become a restricted free agent next month.
2012′s notable free agents
Matt Flynn highlights a group of intriguing players waiting to hit the free agent market. Here’s a list of the more notable ones. More …Citing what he called “serious issues” with the salary cap, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert has said the team would not re-sign any of its own free agents, including Wallace, before the start of free agency on March 13. The Steelers would like to sign Wallace to a long-term contract after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, but the price tag could prove to be prohibitive.
The Steelers could place the highest free-agent tender on Wallace, which would require teams to surrender a first-round pick if the Steelers do not match the offer. The team could opt for the franchise tag, expected to rise to $13.7 million for receivers in 2012, which La Canfora reported would cost more than $9 million against the cap.
The Steelers have until March 3 to apply the franchise tag to Wallace.
As of Feb. 6, the Steelers were $22.5 million over the cap, according to NFL.com research. The team has since restructured a number of contracts to create cap space, including that of offensive tackle Willie Colon. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Tuesday that $3.8 million of Colon’s $4.5 million salary in 2012 has been prorated over four years.
According to the Gazette, the Steelers remain $10 million over the cap. The agents for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and linebacker James Harrison recently told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that their clients are open to restructuring their contracts.
Now that Brady Quinn has gone and got himself swept up in the 24-hour news cycle, he’s moved on to damage control.
As we documented earlier Tuesday, Quinn had some eyebrow-raising quotes in a GQ piece documenting the rise of Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. In it, Quinn bemoans the fact nobody supported him with a billboard and said that some of Tebow’s on-field behavior wasn’t “very humble to me.”
Of course, when you take Tebow’s name in vain, you better be ready to duck the lightning bolts. Quinn does this while casting blame on Michael Silver, the writer he feels deceived him.
“The comments attributed to me in a recent magazine article are in NO WAY reflective of my opinion of Tim and the Broncos,” Quinn began in a five-part rant on his Twitter page. “Tim deserves a lot of credit for our success and I’m happy for him and what he accomplished. Most importantly, he is a great teammate.
“That interview was conducted three months ago, and the resulting story was a completely inaccurate portrayal of my comments,” he went on. “I have addressed my disappointment with the writer and have reached out to Tim to clear this up. I apologize to anyone who feels I was trying to take anything away from our Team’s or Tim’s success this season.”
Other than egregious misquoting, it’s hard to imagine what Silver could have done to create a “completely inaccurate portrayal.” Of course, Quinn is about to hit the free-agent market, and he probably doesn’t want to be known as the guy who spits on the floor on his way out the door.
Tom Martinez, a celebrated quarterbacks coach who gained fame for his work with Patriots star Tom Brady, died Tuesday, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
Martinez reportedly suffered a heart attack during a dialysis session. Tuesday marked his 66th birthday.
“This is just oh, so terribly sad,” Martinez’s wife, Olivia, told the New York Daily News. “He had so much to offer so many people.”
Martinez was known as one of the most successful coaches in California community college history at College of San Mateo. Complications from diabetes led to serious health issues late in Martinez’s life and had been in need of a kidney transplant.
Last June, Brady told SI.com’s Peter King that Martinez’s influence over his career was “at the top of the list. Second to none.”
Said Brady: “There is no one who knows more about throwing the football than (Martinez). And no one has meant more to me when it comes to throwing the football than Tom.”