Poppy flower - germination and growth of annual poppy

Simple Tips for a garden full of colorful garden plants popular around the world, with the annual poppy seeds life, give a garden, it is easy to do. With a variety of species allows for different colors, sizes and shapes of flowers are included in nfl throwback jerseys
every garden, the annual harvest is very rewarding. In addition, while many perennial gardeners samples prefer repeatedly over the years, the ease with which poppy production means that to ensure a continuous supply single. And if you blousy large flowers, small dwarf delicate and elegant do give flowers or a declaration, there is always a poppy to meet their needs. Learn to cultivate poppy poppies are easy while happily planted in the garden to surprising bursts of color, expect at least, the planting of seeds is to provide best done in peat pots. should be prudent management of the seed allows gardeners to strong, healthy plants that can grow to be set up anywhere, but from Mother Nature decides to be. Learn to cultivate the poppy is simple, quick, and ask again gardener, why they have not done before done. Fill jars without soil rich in nutrients to prevent prolific leaf growth at the expense of flowers and seeds finely dispersed on the surface. Cover with a thin layer of compost and water to ensure that the soil is moist. It is best to use a sprinkler heads with fine or spray. The small size of the annual poppy mean that heavy irrigation will be installed where they were planted. On the other side of the pot is delivered by water and with a plastic bag, allowing the moisture from the compost ascent.
poppy flower seeds should start to germinate seeds are Minnesota Vikings jersey
sown in spring after days 14 to 28, or for more resistant annuals, as recorded in the family of the California poppy in the early mid-autumn. They stay as long as they are protected and free from frost in winter, they mature earlier than their counterparts sown in spring, resulting in a fight at the beginning of flowering.
After about 14 to 28 days, depending on the variety, the rate begins to germinate the poppy seeds, sending up little green shoots spindles. At this time, when the plant is large enough to be cut off with the fingers, it important to ensure that the decrease in the number of ensuring that some plants strong and healthy, rather than the development of a variety of herbaceous plants, which finally but not flowers.
Annual poppies, moist particularly well in pots soilsKeeping poor young poppy growing quickly and once they are several inches tall will be planted in their final position when a container or bed of a flower. Annual poppies, especially in poor soil, loans that are suitable for green spaces, which may be inimical to other plants. As the flower begins to ensure that houses are just like the leaves, so drop the plant flowers. Meanwhile, the summer begins to wane, you can develop a few pods and mature, so the seeds can be collected and used for the years of beautiful flowers.
Soon it will be harder for a time without the ease and simplicity reminiscent poppiesWith annual poppy plant gardens are all welcome. Red, orange, white and pink delight all outdoor oasis offers splashes of color, easy to carry and maintain. And the seeds of Indianapolis Colts jersey
poppy flowers are easy to collect and germinate as soon as a gardener in your garden poppy be difficult to remember a time without them.

Calcio Debate: Roma, Milan & Juventus Win As New Imports Krasic, Hernanes & Ilicic Confirm Serie A As Europe’s Most Competitive League

It was yet another exciting round of Serie A action at the weekend as the new season really starts to heat up. The big game, of course, was in the Eternal City where a last-gasp header from substitute Mirko Vucinic possibly saved Claudio Ranieri his job (cough, cough Francesco Totti) - previously winless Roma defeating nfl throwback jerseys
champions Inter 1-0.
The other big guns, Milan and Juventus, also returned to winning ways after recent disappointments. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was once again the Rossoneri saviour with the winner over Genoa, while Juve fans can worship a new hero following a devastating display of dazzling wing-play by another summer signing, Milos Krasic, who tore Serie A's last unbeaten club Cagliari to pieces by grabbing a hat-trick in a 4-2 triumph.
Joining Inter at the top of the standings are the peninsula's most consistent side in these early weeks, Lazio. The Biancocelesti were very impressive as Mauro Zarate ended his seven-month goal drought by downing third-placed Chievo. Elsewhere, Fiorentina won their first game and Udinese their first point of 2010/11, Edinson Cavani-inspired Napoli thrashed Cesena 4-1 with three late strikes and Palermo recovered from two down at home to Lecce to draw. For all the results and round-up, click on this link.
What all these results helped confirm is that Serie A is currently the most competitive league in Europe. Just two points separate the top eight places, and there is only five points difference between Inter and Lazio in first, and Lecce down in 19th. In the Premier League, the new ‘Big Four’ of Chelsea, Arsenal and the Manchester clubs are already threatening to pull away from the pack, Carlo Ancelotti’s league-leaders a whopping 11 points ahead of 19th placed West Ham, with a goal-difference of +19 after just six matches. In Spain, table-toppers Valencia enjoy a 10-point cushion over second-from-bottom Deportivo, with Barcelona and Real Madrid just behind ready to compete in their own glorified two-team Scottish Premier League. Only the increasingly exciting German Bundesliga can challenge Serie A for competitiveness, with Stuttgart and Schalke holding up the rear, Bayern Munich 10 points off the pace, and Mainz the shock leaders after six matches with a 100 per cent record.
Unlike in Spain and especially England, there are no easy games in Italy. You can tune into a match at the weekend and watch a relegation-battler outplay a Champions League outfit. This season, the gap in quality between top and bottom is so small that 70-75 points could very well be enough to win the Scudetto. In particular, a handful of Steelers jersey
new imports - some with the potential to be world class - have added extra quality throughout the division and further complicated Inter’s quest to dominate as they have done since Calciopoli.
The star signing of the summer so far has undoubtedly been Brazilian playmaker Hernanes - the inspiration behind Lazio's ascent to the Serie A summit. The 25-year-old was for so long courted by Milan, but they may now regret not snapping him up. The €13.5 million arrival from Sao Paulo possesses the creativity, skill, twists, turns and left foot - just ask Alessandro Nesta after he skinned the Roman for Sergio Floccari's equaliser against the Rossoneri last Wednesday - to cause all kinds of problems for defences and some believe Lazio could challenge for a Champions League place as a result.
An unknown breakout star has been Palermo's Josip Ilicic, who arrived from Maribor along with compatriot Armin Bacinovic the day after impressing against the Sicilians in a Europa League playoff clash in August. The 22-year-old is 6ft 3in and cuts a lanky appearance, but there is nothing clumsy about him. He is graceful with a beautiful left foot shot, insightful through balls and fast free-flowing dribbling qualities. Ilicic has already scored against both Inter and Juventus, and tallied up a number of asissts. Immediately it is clear that he is a player with immense potential, and Palermo will be a great side to watch this season with Ilicic and Pastore supporting the likes of Fabrizio Miccoli and Abel Hernandez.
Hopes are not high in Turin this term, but the club at least have their hands on an explosive talent whom they can build a bright future around. Milos Krasic's hat-trick last night confirmed the brilliance of the Serbian, who has pretty much been a one-man team in these first five games. His pace and agressiveness will be too much for many full backs. While on the topic of full backs, this is the one position where Serie A is lacking. But Cesena newboy Yuto Nagatomo, who was featured extensively in Chris Paraskevas' piece on Japanese footballers starring in Europe, is having something to say about that. The final imports to shine are the Milanese newboys Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kevin-Prince Boateng. The former we already know all about through his time at Juventus and Inter, but the latter has brought some much-required Vikings jersey
physical energy to the Rossoneri. A midfield three of Pirlo, Boateng and Flamini/Ambrosini must surely be the starting trio to protect and support Milan's outrageously gifted attack.
This weekend sees Italy's two bitterest enemies Inter and Juventus battle it out at San Siro, but there will be another nine matches worth watching - such is Serie A's strength in depth this season.

Taylor, Edwards lead Jets past Dolphins 31-23

MIAMI (AP)—To kick off the victory celebration, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan helped soak Jason Taylor(notes) by dumping a bucket of sideline refreshment on him.
Braylon Edwards(notes) happily settled for slaps on the back.
Taylor managed a sack in his homecoming game, and nfl jerseys
Edwards caught a 67-yard touchdown pass that helped the Jets beat the Miami Dolphins 31-23 Sunday night.
Mark Sanchez(notes) threw three touchdown passes for the second week in a row, and Drew Coleman’s(notes) fourth-down interception in the end zone with 27 seconds left sealed the win for the Jets, who forged a three-way tie atop the AFC East with the Dolphins and Patriots. All are 2-1.
The victory capped an emotional week for Taylor and a tumultuous one for Edwards. The star receiver was arrested in Manhattan on a drunken-driving charge around 5 a.m. Tuesday and apologized the next day.
“He worked so hard all week long,” Sanchez said. “As soon as he stepped in the building, he let everything outside the building go. … We loved him all week long, just the same as before the incident, and we’ll continue doing the same thing.”
Edwards was benched for the first quarter but made it to the end zone soon enough, turning a short pass into the score that put the Jets ahead to stay.
“I really am glad that I have teammates and an organization like the Jets,” Edwards said. “They’ve been very supportive, been there for me and they’ve allowed me to have a better week than maybe somewhere else.”
A capacity crowd included Miami Heat newcomer LeBron James, who Chicago Bears jersey
wore a Florida Marlins cap. Fans roared when he was shown on the video scoreboard, while they booed Taylor, playing against the Dolphins for the first time after 12 seasons with Miami.
Taylor drew hoots when he represented his new team for the coin toss, and again when he sacked Chad Henne(notes) in the first period.
“They booed, and I smiled,” Taylor said. “It was about what I expected. I’m the visiting team now.”
LaDainian Tomlinson’s(notes) 1-yard touchdown run with 1:55 left put the Jets up 31-23. The Dolphins then drove 64 yards to the 5 with 34 seconds remaining, but Henne’s fourth-down pass was deflected by Eric Smith(notes) and intercepted by Coleman.
Smith also blocked a punt to set up a field goal.
“We kept fighting at the end,” Henne said. “Sad how it turned out.”
Henne threw for a career-high 363 yards, while Brandon Marshall(notes) had 10 catches for 166 yards. But Miami led for only 18 seconds - after Marshall caught an 11-yard pass for his first score with the Dolphins, putting them up 17-14.
Edwards quickly struck back, catching a pass near the sideline, then sprinting the final 55 yards untouched after cornerback Jason Allen(notes) fell.
“Not a good feeling,” Allen said. “My job is to not let him catch any balls, and he New Orleans Saints jersey
caught the ball.”
It was Edwards’ longest reception since joining New York last year.
“All week we said we just want to make plays after the catch,” he said. “Anybody can throw a deep ball. For us, we just wanted yards after the catch. It was a situation where I caught it outside and Jason slipped, and I was able to go the distance.”
Sanchez hit Dustin Keller(notes) for scores of 24 and 12 yards to put the Jets ahead 14-0, which helped negate the Dolphins’ potent ground game. Ronnie Brown(notes) ran for only 54 yards, and Ricky Williams(notes) was held to 28.
“This is one of those games where you got to have it,” Marshall said. “We just didn’t get it done tonight.”

Back On the Horse Cowboys Put Talk, 0-2 Start behind Them

IRVING, Texas - Talk is cheap. But it may be subject to the same rules of supply and demand as everything else.
After the frustration of a 0-2 start left some Cowboys voicing complaints and nfl jerseys
airing them in a players-only meeting on Monday, the team is now closing ranks. Just as Coach Wade Phillips didn't want to talk about his message to the team since Sunday's 27-20 loss to Chicago, no players would share what was discussed in their meeting.
Speaking after the game, cornerback Terence Newman said he thought the Cowboys lacked intensity in practice, and didn't have identity. His right-side counterpart Mike Jenkins claimed the team had underestimated the Bears. After safety Gerald Sensabaugh slammed the hype and circus-like atmosphere surrounding the organization on Monday, Phillips said it was natural to be vocally upset during a losing streak.
Asked whether he believes players airing their grievances to one another can be productive, Phillips said they can some of the time. Following the game, Marcus Spears said words would do the team no good. On Wednesday, just before the first practice in preparation for Sunday's game at Houston, the defensive end was more hopeful.
"After that game, I was probably in a place where I didn't want to hear much," Spears said. "Talking has its advantages and disadvantages. If you're only talking and not doing anything with the action, it's irrelevant. I have a lot of family meetings at my house. That usually works. But if the talk doesn't work, you whip your kids. That's what I do."
No one is capable of bending 300-pound men over their knee for a spanking, so the admonishment must come from within.
"If you're a professional you're going to give it to yourself," Spears said. "I think we've already been doing that as players. I think whatever facet that you can get better in and whatever you need to do to be productive and start winning, that's the whipping you should be giving yourself."
Instead of talking about their problems and what's gone wrong in two upset losses, players on Wednesday were stressing only the importance of climbing out of the hole, and how crucial it is to beat the 2-0 Texans.
"You don't make it bigger than what it is," linebacker Keith Brooking Bears jersey
said. "And obviously you dang sure don't make it smaller than what it is. It's a big game because it's the next game, and our focus is getting to 1-2. If we get to 1-2 our bye week will be ahead of us and we can regroup and get ready for game four. In this time it's not a crisis. I think there's a sense of urgency."
In a reverse of what Phillips saw as a counterproductive public discussion of team business, veterans like Brooking were mum about the team meeting.
It's not known whether Newman himself called the meeting. The cornerback hasn't spoken to the media since shortly after Sunday's game.
At least some defensive players were notified of the closed-door session by linebacker Brady James, one of seven veterans elected as a team captain, along with Brooking and Demarks Ware on the defensive side of the ball, quarterback Tony Room, tight end Jason Written and running back Marion Barber offensively, and wide receiver Sam Hard for the special teams.

Whatever was said, the Cowboys were keeping it to themselves.
"You want to ask me about the Texans?" Brooking said in response to a question about the meeting. "I'll tell you what, when I walked through those doors today, that's what I was focused on. I don't want to talk about a players meeting, I don't want to talk about last week. I want to talk about right now, so let's talk about the Texans."
For a team that, according to some of its own members, went into the season overconfident, two losses to start the schedule have been quite an eye-opener. Now the Cowboys know they can't afford to look forward or backward.
That's been Phillips' message, and it's quite likely the same idea came up in the players' meeting, the success of which may not be known for some time.
"I hope they accomplished a lot," Phillips said. "I don't know. I feel like they talked about the same things I talked about with the team, on a player-to-player basis, and I think a lot of it is practice, which we talked about, more focus in practice. The only way to get better is to work at it. Practice is not the cure-all for Bills jersey
playing well, but you've got a better chance if you practice better."
According to the coach, the Cowboys' first day back together was productive.
"I thought we practiced well," Phillips said. "I think our players thought that, and that's part of it too."

Slot no comfort zone for WR Aromashodu

A year ago, Bears wide receiver Devin Aromashodu was just a guy who couldn't even make it in the NFL with Peyton Manning throwing the ball to him.
On Thursday, he was the focus of a lingering mystery from the Bears' 27-20 victory against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium last week: Why didn't Aromashodu -- the Bears' most productive wide receiver in the previous five games and a favorite target of quarterback Jay Cutler -- play on football jersey
offense?
Earl Bennett took Aromashodu's spot in the lineup against the Cowboys and caught five passes for 29 yards. That's not quite as productive as Aromashodu had been with 27 receptions for 353 yards and four touchdowns in his previous five games.
So why didn't Aromashodu play? Based on conversations with Bears coaches Thursday, there were several reasons, the most revealing from offensive coordinator Mike Martz: Aromashodu doesn't want to play in the slot.
''I don't know if we need to justify any of those things to anybody,'' Martz said after practice. ''I would just say this, and we'll let this thing go: Devin is a bit of a specialist in that he doesn't play the slot, which we asked him to do in the opener.
''He's not comfortable in there; he's not familiar with it. All four of our other receivers do play the slot and the outside. Devin just plays the outside, so his opportunities to play are reduced dramatically because of his limited knowledge of what we do at that position.
''He's not a slot or nickel guy; he's outside. It has nothing to do with Devin's performance.''
Earlier in the day, Aromashodu was nonplussed when talking with reporters about his lack of playing time against the Cowboys.
''I guess I have to play better, that's what I took from it,'' he Indianapolis Colts jersey
said. ''No one owes me anything -- at least I don't think so. If that's the decision they make, then that's [the decision] they make. All I can do is playing the next day. I'm not upset. I just keep going.''
Aromashodu has been productive as an outside receiver. He had eight receptions for 76 yards last season against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field, and then had seven receptions for 150 yards and a 39-yard touchdown from Cutler in overtime to beat the Minnesota Vikings 36-30.
Aromashodu had five catches for 71 yards in the season opener against the Detroit Lions, but he also had a pair of drops, including one in the end zone.
Wide receivers coach Darryl Drake said Aromashodu's situation was ''a match up thing'' and a result of Aromashodu not being fully recovered until late in the week after getting banged on his knee in the Lions game. It also was because of the ''flow of the game.'' And also because the Bears ran only 49 offensive plays against the Cowboys -- 21 fewer than against the Lions.
''D.A. got well on Thursday, but the plan had already been made,'' Drake said. ''We planned on playing him. But over the course of the game, I have to make a decision on who gives us the best chance of winning. And in that situation, I felt like Earl gave us the best chance to win.''
He reiterated that the Bears are not dissatisfied with Aromashodu.
''Does he have to play better? Sure, he does,'' Drake said. ''Do we accept how he played [against] Detroit? No. Because if we accept that, then we're in trouble. And he understands that. But he was not being punished.''
Drake said circumstances will determine if Dallas Cowboys jersey
Aromashodu plays Monday night against the Packers. But he couldn't even guarantee that he would be active.
''That's Lovie's decision,'' Drake said, referring to head coach Love Smith. ''I won't know until Sunday.''

24 sep 10 Jets CB Revis out for Miami game

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP)—New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis(notes) will not play against the Miami Dolphins (2-0) on Sunday night because of his strained left hamstring.
“I want to be out there with them, but I can’t,” Revis said Wednesday. “I’m just going to take my time and get back to 100 percent.”
Revis did not practice, and coach Rex Ryan said the All-Pro would not even travel with the Jets (1-1) to Miami. Instead, he will stay back at the team’s facility to receive further treatment on the hamstring.
“He’s itching to get back,” Ryan said, “but it’s too risky of nfl jersey
a proposition to put him out there.”
Revis said he’s getting progressively better each day, but he and the team decided he would not be ready in time to play Sunday.
Linebacker Calvin Pace(notes) will also not play against the Dolphins after missing the first two games of the regular season with a broken right foot.
All-Pro center Nick Mangold(notes) (right shoulder) and backup offensive lineman Wayne Hunter(notes) (shin) spent practice on the stationary bikes, but Ryan expects them to play. Linebacker Jason Taylor(notes) was limited while wearing a brace on his injured left elbow, but is also expected to play against his former team.
Revis was limited in practice last week with tightness in the hamstring, but said he felt completely healthy heading into the game against New England on Sunday.
He immediately grabbed at his leg after Randy Moss(notes) made a spectacular, one-handed 34-yard touchdown catch in front of him with 53 seconds left in the first half of New York’s 28-14 win.
Revis was examined on the sideline, and then taken to the locker room for treatment. He didn’t return and watched the second half in the trainer’s room.
On Monday, Revis would not rule himself out for the Miami game, but Steelers jersey
acknowledged that it could take him a week or two to heal. He said it would be the first game he has ever missed at any level.
“I’m just relaxed,” he said. “I’m dealing with the hamstring thing right now. There’s no point in getting emotions in it. I’ll just root my team on and watch them win.”
Revis pulled the same hamstring last summer and missed two preseason games, and has said that injury was worse. So, he knows it was smart for him to sit out the second half against New England as well as this week.
“I know from previous hamstrings that if I continued to play that game, it probably would have gotten worse,” Revis said. “Then, I probably would’ve been out way more weeks than I could be coming up.”
Revis missed all of training camp while holding out for 36 days in a contract dispute, and acknowledged last week that it likely played a role in the injury.
With Revis out, Antonio Cromartie(notes) will move across the field and step into his spot while rookie Kyle Wilson(notes) draws the other starting assignment.
“I’m sure Cro’s probably going to get a pick this weekend,” Revis said with a laugh.
Cromartie, who shut down Moss after Revis went out, will primarily be Colts jersey
matched up with Brandon Marshall(notes) on Sunday. The two went up against each other several times in recent seasons when Cromartie was in San Diego and Marshall was in Denver. Cromartie was also part of a Chargers secondary that gave up 18 catches by Marshall in 2008.
“I’m definitely looking forward to that matchup,” Cromartie said. “It’s my ninth time facing him, so we know each other well. I’m just looking forward to the challenge.”

Blanc: Rebuilding France starts from bottom

MADRID (AP)—Rebuilding France after its World Cup debacle means starting from the bottom and changing selection criteria from the youngest players up while looking to Spain as a model, according to coach Laurent Blanc.
Blanc said on Tuesday that France’s current criteria would mean even cheap nfl jerseys
Spanish standouts like Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta would have trouble coming up the ranks.
“Criteria choice is important and they are not the same in Spanish football as French football. Players like Xavi and Iniesta, in France they would have a hard time getting through,” Blanc said. “Selection criteria (in France) at one time was for (physically) big players while in Spain, it’s the football that counts, the technical qualities
“The criteria is not good enough in France—we need other ones.”
Germany coach Joachim Loew and Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk agreed with Blanc that Spain was world and European champion in part to its decision to put trust in young players, and the healthy state of the country’s club football.
“It’s a good example to follow for all football nations, to have the same policies as Steelers jersey
them, and if everyone manages to have the same players as them then everyone would be happy,” said Blanc.
He reminded that France was also a model following its World Cup and Euro 2000 double. “(But) selection criteria in Spain is not the same as in France. The choice of criteria is what is important. They are not the same in Spanish football as French football.”
The three coaches were in the Spanish capital until Wednesday to participate in a UEFA European coaches conference.
Loew expected Germany World Cup standouts Mesut Oezil and Sami Khedira to grow as players—and benefit their home country—by playing in Spain under Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho.
“If you see the football here in Spain, the league here, they have a lot of high quality teams. I love the way (coach Pep) Guardiola and these Barcelona people play—very good technically, very fast, very offensive style,” said Loew, whose trust in a youthful squad took Germany to the semifinals, where it lost to Spain. “Young players are very good because they have a very good education these days … and are very strong in their mentality.”
Loew commended new Italy coach Cesare Pranelli for placing faith in a young team after a poor showing in South Africa this summer, but the coaches said patience was also key.
“You need time. There are cycles and you have to be patient,” Blanc said. “The problem is all nations want to win. Now it’s a Spanish (cycle).”
England coach Fabio Capello said success for any coach was Vikings jersey
impossible without one key ingredient: Players.
“You can’t create players,” the Italian said. “They are either born or not.”

Inter and Cesena form strange pair atop Serie A

ROME (AP)—European champion Inter Milan and Cesena make for a strange pairing as the early leaders in Serie A.
Inter is the five-time defending champion of the Italian league, while Cesena is making its first appearance in the top division in 19 years.
With a salary total of ?121.4 million ($159 million), Inter trails only football jersey
AC Milan as the biggest spending club, while Cesena has the smallest payroll of ?8.3 million ($11 million)—nearly as much as Inter pays its most expensive player, Samuel Eto’o.
Yet through three rounds, Inter and Cesena are level on seven points, one notch in front of three other clubs.
“Inter has confirmed itself while Cesena is showing that the newly promoted clubs can create problems for everyone—especially at the start—if they’re organized well and they have the right enthusiasm,” Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said.
Cesena is the only club that has not allowed a goal and its points have all been hard earned. The Emilia Romagna-based side opened with a 0-0 draw against last season’s runner-up AS Roma, then stunned Milan 2-0 before pulling out a 1-0 win over Lecce last weekend despite having to play with 10 men due to a referee’s error.
The key players so far have been 33-year-old Albania striker Erjon Bogdani, 41-year-old goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli—the oldest player in the league— and promising Italian winger Emanuele Giaccherini—who has earned Prandelli’s attention.
“The club has planned well over the last few years and hasn’t been afraid to take on players that other teams cast off as over the hill,” coach Massimo Ficcadenti said.
Cesena’s 36-year-old president Igor Campedelli pointed to the club’s youth program.
“It’s not just by chance that we’re in first place. We singled out a few players to develop and we’ve stuck by them,” he said.
The 25-year-old Giaccherini is in his third season with Cesena. He helped the team win the third division in 2008-09 and to a second-place finish in Serie B last season.
Cesena visits Catania in Wednesday’s midweek round and will have captain San Francisco 49ers jersey
Giuseppe Colucci available after the league used TV replays to repeal a yellow card that resulted in his expulsion against Lecce.
Colucci was carded for a foul actually committed by Japanese teammate Yuto Nagatomo, prompting referee Gianluca Rocchi to apologize for the error after the game.
Inter hosts Bari after coming back from a goal down to beat Palermo 2-1 with two scores from Eto’o, who has been carrying the squad while fellow striker Diego Milito has been off form.
Eto’o has scored six times in six games in all competitions and is the main reason Inter has weathered a rough start under new manager Rafa Benitez.
The Nerazzurri lost the European Super Cup to Atletico Madrid, opened Serie A with a 0-0 draw at Bologna and were held to 2-2 at FC Twente in the opening game of its Champions League defense, with Eto’o scoring the equalizer.
“Benitez is starting to see the fruits of his efforts and that has boosted our morale amid a difficult start to the season,” Inter CEO Ernesto Paolillo said. “When a business gets a new manager it takes some time to adapt and it’s the same thing with coaches. Benitez needed time to get to know the players and vice versa.”
Playmaker Wesley Sneijder could return after a foot injury kept him out against Palermo.
Juventus hosts Palermo in Thursday’s lone game, coming off its best performance thus far under its new coach, Luigi Del Neri—a 4-0 thrashing of Udinese on Sunday that resulted in new Serbia winger Milos Krasic being hailed as the new Pavel Nedved.
Milan visits Lazio still struggling to put together its new attack with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho.
Roma has also had a rough start, having given up a two-goal lead in a draw Buffalo Bills jersey
with Bologna at the weekend. Making matters worse, captain Francesco Totti and key midfielder Daniele De Rossi have been left off the squad with physical problems for a visit to Brescia, with a game against Inter looming on Saturday.
Also on Wednesday, it’s: Bologna vs. Udinese; Cagliari vs. Sampdoria; Catania vs. Cesena; Genoa vs. Fiorentina; Lecce vs. Parma; and Napoli vs. Chievo Verona.

Injured Messi almost irreplaceable - Guardiola

* Barca must carry on without Messi, Guardiola says
* Ujfalusi handed two-match ban after late tackle (adds Ujfalusi sanction)
MADRID, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Injured Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is almost irreplaceable but the Spanish champions are determined to put his nfl jerseys
temporary absence behind them, coach Pep Guardiola said on Tuesday.
Messi will miss Barca’s La Liga matches at home to Sporting Gijon on Wednesday and at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday after he was felled by a late tackle from Atletico Madrid defender Tomas Ujfalusi at the weekend and sustained ankle ligament damage.
The World Player of the Year, who scored the opening goal in Barca’s 2-1 win at the Calderon, is also doubtful for the Champions League match at Rubin Kazan on Sept. 29.
“He (Messi) has some very special talents,” Guardiola told a news conference. “He is almost irreplaceable but we’ll move on and fortunately he’s out for only a short time.”
Guardiola said Messi could return in two or three weeks but Barca would not rush him back into action.
“I don’t know if he’ll make the Rubin Kazan game. He’ll rest until he is Chicago Bears jersey
well,” the former Barca and Spain midfielder said.
The Spanish soccer federation’s disciplinary committee sanctioned Ujfalusi with a two-match ban later on Tuesday, saying he had “acted dangerously causing injury”.
The Czech, who was shown a straight red card for the challenge in added time, has apologised and said he did not deliberately hurt Messi.
“I am not a hard player,” he told a news conference on Monday. “I go in hard but always going for the ball and I give my all in every game.
“There are harder tackles than the one on Messi. The problem is that I did mine on Leo Messi.”
The former Fiorentina player was given backing on Tuesday by England’s New Orleans Saints jersey
Italian manager Fabio Capello, who was in Madrid attending a UEFA conference.
“I know Ujfalusi very well and he’s an honest player,” Capello told reporters.
“I hope Messi returns very quickly because he’s the kind of player it’s always worth watching on the pitch.”

Chargers 38, Jaguars 13

Cornerback Antoine Cason leaped for the ball as if he were a wide receiver, and the turnover derby was on.
Cason and the San Diego Chargers forced the Jacksonville Jaguars into six turnovers, and Philip Rivers threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-13 victory in their home opener Sunday.
The turnovers tied Jacksonville's team record and led to 17 points for the football jerseys
Chargers, who committed three turnovers and had a punt blocked.
''A lot of the time it takes the air out of the team and of course with the crowd behind us, it puts life into us,'' said Cason, who had two interceptions and forced a fumble. ''It changes momentum.''
The Chargers (1-1) bounced back from an embarrassing 21-14 loss at Kansas City on Monday night. The Jaguars (1-1) regressed following an opening win against Denver.
''It was a terrible day at the office,'' said Garrard, who threw four interceptions. ''It's a day that you don't want to have. Honestly, if I could erase my memory from today, I would, but we can't.''
The Jaguars' woes on the West Coast continued. Last year, they were outscored 61-3 in trips to Seattle and San Francisco.
Chargers rookie running back Ryan Mathews sprained his right ankle in the second quarter and didn't return. He also fumbled for the second straight game, one of San Diego's three turnovers. X-rays were negative and Mathews said he wanted to go back in, but coach Norv Turner said he wasn't comfortable having the rookie return.
Cason started the turnover fest by leaping for the ball as Garrard tried to split double coverage on the Jags' first possession. Brandon Siler and Kevin Burnett had the other picks for San Diego. Cason forced a fumble by Mike Sims-Walker that Burnett recovered. Antwan Applewhite forced a fumble by Maurice Jones-Drew that Paul Oliver recovered.
''We all know that if we give our offense the ball 15, 16, 17 times a game, they're going to put up at least three or four touchdowns,'' Burnett said. ''That's our goal. A turnover is one less possession for them and one more chance for our dangerous offense to get on the field.''
Rivers threw touchdown passes of 9 and 4 yards to tight end Antonio Gates in the first half, then hit Malcom Floyd on New Orleans Saints jersey
a 54-yarder in the fourth quarter. Mike Tolbert scored on runs of 2 and 1 yards. He gained 82 yards on 16 carries.
Rivers completed 22 of 29 passes, with two interceptions. It was his 16th career 300-yard day.
The Chargers won without their two big holdouts, Pro Bowl wide receiver Vincent Jackson and left tackle Marcus McNeill
''We've got a great group,'' Rivers said. ''Backs, tight ends, receivers. We're going to use all of them. We need all of them. Any given week, it could be their week.''
Rivers was intercepted by David Jones in the end zone and by Courtney Greene on a tipped pass.
''It was good that we were able to rebound and take control of the game,'' Rivers said. ''But had the game been close, we would have looked back at those turnovers as having been key.''
Jacksonville got its only touchdown with 37 seconds to play, a 3-yard pass from Garrard to Sims-Walker. Josh Scobee kicked field goals of 44 and 48 yards. The first was set up by a fumble by Mathews and the second was set up when Mike Scifres' punt was blocked by Rashad Jennings.
The Chargers had their miscues, too, but at least managed to find the end zone. Rivers moved San Diego 74 yards in six plays on the game's first drive, with Tolbert scoring on a 2-yard run.
The second quarter included a dizzying exchange of turnovers, plus the blocked punt. Cason's second pickoff, of a tipped pass, set up Rivers' 9-yard TD pass to a wide-open Gates for a 14-3 lead.
After Scobee kicked his second field goal, the Chargers moved 87 yards in eight plays, capped by Gates' 4-yard TD catch.
Oliver's fumble recovery set up Nate Kaeding's 41-yard field goal in the third quarter, and Burnett's interception set up Tolbert's 1-yard run early in the fourth. Burnett picked off a wobbly pass that was the result of Siler hitting Garrard.
Garrard made way for backup Luke McCown early in the fourth quarter. He came back, though, after McCown was shaken up.
Garrard was 15 of 23 for 173 yards.
''Your quarterback is your triggerman,'' coach Jack Del Rio said. ''If he has a rough day, then generally speaking, it's going to lead to a rough day for your football team.''
NOTES: Turner said he gave game balls to the families of former coach Don Coryell and former San Francisco 49ers jersey
defensive lineman Gary ''Big Hands'' Johnson, who died during the summer. ... The crowd was announced as 62,691. The Chargers' streak of sellouts was snapped at 48, including playoffs, and the game was blacked out locally. It was the first Chargers' blackout since November 2004. ... The blocked punt was only the second of Scifres' career.

Broncos 31, Seahawks 14

Who needs Brandon Marshall? Certainly not the Denver Broncos.
Their top draft pick, Demaryius Thomas, made a sensational debut in Denver's 31-14 rout of the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, catching eight passes for 97 yards and a score in limited duty.
''I knew they didn't have film on me,'' Thomas said.
The whole NFL does now.
Thomas, a big receiver in the mold of Marshall, who was traded to Miami in nfl jerseys
the offseason, missed all of the preseason and the opener after aggravating his surgically repaired left foot during a scrimmage last month.
''I'm just happy to be back and help my team out,'' said Thomas, who caught eight of the nine balls that Kyle Orton threw his way.
''He's a big, physical guy. He can really run,'' Orton said. ''There aren't a lot of things he can't do.''
And on this day, there weren't a lot of things the Broncos (1-1) couldn't do. They forced four turnovers and limited the Seahawks (1-1) to just 22 1/2 minutes of possession time.
Orton threw for 307 yards and also hit Eddie Royal with his first TD catch since 2008.
Thomas hauled in Orton's 21-yard touchdown pass after shaking cornerback Kelly Jennings to make it 31-7 and cap his smashing debut.
''Nice to have him out there finally,'' Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said. ''You saw a little bit of what we think he can do. ... He's a big man that runs fast.''
Thomas was the first receiver selected in the NFL draft in April. Despite playing in Paul Johnson's triple-option offense at Georgia Tech, a system that's considered ill-suited for the NFL, Thomas was selected two spots ahead of the more polished Dez Bryant, who went to Dallas at No. 24.
In the former Yellow Jackets' deep threat who packs 230 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame, McDaniels trusts he's found Marshall's lookalike but not act-alike.
Despite three straight 100-catch seasons, Marshall's antics on and off the field made him a chronic headache for the organization before his trade to Miami last spring. His four seasons in Denver were filled with drama and distraction along with run-ins with the front office and law enforcement.
Thomas has said he felt he was drafted ahead of Bryant because he's a good guy.
He's also a pretty good receiver.
''I definitely know who he is now,'' Seahawks cornerback Lawyer Milloy said. ''I saw him on the field a lot making big, big catches.''
The Broncos led 17-0 after a dominating first half that included a trio of San Diego Chargers jersey
takeaways.
Cassius Vaughn recovered a fumbled punt and Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins both intercepted passes from Matt Hasselbeck inside the Denver 10-yard line.
Bailey, who left the stadium on crutches with his right ankle lightly taped, also knocked away Hasselbeck's fourth-down toss to Deion Branch in the end zone in the fourth quarter.
''Sometimes you have no choice but to go at Champ,'' Hasselbeck said. ''He's a great player, we respect him, he's one of the best of all time.''
And Dawkins?
''I didn't think he could get there,'' Hasselbeck said. ''He got there.''
Hasselbeck finished 20 for 35 for 233 yards and also was intercepted by rookie Perrish Cox in waning minutes. He threw for a touchdown and ran for another.
Orton was 25 of 35 with two TDs and no interceptions.
After Vaughn's recovery of Walter Thurmond's fumbled punt at the Seattle 13, Royal caught a low pass from Orton and rolled into the end zone for his first TD catch since Nov. 30, 2008, against the Jets.
Royal set up Denver's second touchdown on a 34-yard reception to the Seahawks 1 when running back Knowshon Moreno took the pitch and then tossed back to Orton, who found Royal racing down the left sideline. Royal was tripped up by Milloy at the 1, and Correll Buckhalter took it in for a 14-0 lead.
Thomas made his NFL debut on the Broncos' fourth possession and had receptions of 20, 18, 9 and 9 yards on the drive that stalled at the Seahawks 2 and resulted in Matt Prater's 20-yard field goal.
''It felt good that coach seemed to have trust in me to make plays,'' Thomas said.
''I think there's some bigger receivers in this league that really their route tree is really limited. And we've never considered him one of those players,'' McDaniels said. ''He's still working off a little more limited menu than the other guys because he hasn't been out there as much.''
Seattle rookie Golden Tate also had an impressive debut with a 52-yard catch and a 63-yard punt return that set up Ben Obomanu's 11-yard TD reception that got Seattle on the board.
Moreno had a career-long 45-yard reception on the ensuing possession, which he capped Chicago Bears jersey
with a 1-yard dive to make it 24-7.
Notes: The 91-degree temperature tied for the warmest home opener in Broncos history. ... Seahawks LB Leroy Hill left the game with a calf injury in the third quarter. ... Broncos OLB Robert Ayers (right hip) and CB Andre Goodman (right thigh) were hurt. ... The Broncos have won 11 straight home openers.

Texans WR Johnson makes key catch on hurt ankle

Texans receiver Andre Johnson will have an MRI exam on his sprained right ankle after injuring it Sunday, leaving the game, then returning to make a tying, fourth-down touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter of Houston's 30-27 victory over the Washington Redskins.
''We're going to go in, look and see what we cheap nfl jerseys
find. I don't think it's nothing real bad, because the ankle didn't swell up on me since I played on it,'' Johnson said. ''I think I should be fine.''
Johnson limped off the field late in the third quarter after getting his foot turned one way while his body went the other getting hit as he grabbed a pass.
''I was a little discouraged. I was running around on the sideline. Wasn't feeling too good at first,'' Johnson said.
But he got his ankle heavily taped, then was back in the lineup in the fourth quarter.
Johnson finished with 12 catches for 158 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown reception on 49ers jersey
fourth-and-10 with 2:03 left in regulation that made the score 27-27.
''They came and told me he was done. He had a pretty good ankle (injury). I think we were down by seven and they were fixing to kick a field goal at that time, so it didn't look good. We block the field goal. He had them re-tape him. He walked over to me and said 'I'm playing,''' Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. ''He tells me he's playing, he's playing.''
Defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth was inactive for the Washington Redskins' game against the Houston Texans on Sunday because of a sprained ankle.
Haynesworth hurt his ankle - the Redskins aren't saying which one - in practice Wednesday, the latest setback in an eventful several months for the two-time All-Pro.
''He tested his ankle and wasn't able to go,'' coach Mike Shanahan said.
Haynesworth played as a backup in the Redskins' victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, following an offseason and preseason in which he had disputes with Shanahan over the team's defensive scheme, conditioning workouts and playing time.
Also inactive for Washington was safety Kareem Moore, who's been sidelined since the Saints jersey
preseason with a sprained right knee.
Texans cornerback Antwaun Molden was out for the second consecutive game with an injured ankle.

Valencia may return to Man U team in February

MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Sir Alex Ferguson expects Antonio Valencia to return to action for Manchester United as soon as February following the winger's ankle surgery.
The Ecuador international, 25, suffered a dislocated and fractured ankle, as well as ligament damage, in the goalless draw with Rangers in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Ferguson had initially feared that the former Wigan player's season was over and football jersey
compared Valencia's injury to that suffered by Alan Smith at Liverpool in 2006.
But, following his operation,that United have now confirmed that Valencia suffered a clean break and could be on the sidelines for only five months.
The United manager thinks that the likes of Nani, Ryan Giggs, Ji-Sung Park, Gabriel Obertan and Bebe will provide adequate cover for the injured right winger.
Ferguson feels that Valencia has the right mentality to battle his way back to fitness and will not be affected psychologically.
The United manager said: "The topic from Tuesday night about Antonio is that it's been resolved in that he's had his operation, it's been successful. The break was clean which we're delighted about.
"That was a major concern for us at the time and the ligament damage will mean that, although you're never 100 percent accurate in these situations with a bad injury, we're looking at the end of February, which is better than we thought on Tuesday night.
"He's a strong boy and he's very positive about it. Being positive helps you in these situations so we're very hopeful we'll get him back.
"He had a great season last season and he was a great signing for us. He's been improving all the time and he's a young player.
"It's a blow losing good players but in the context of the kind of squad we have, we should cope with it and we have a strong squad.
"You always feel that when you have a good player out of your team it is a loss but it shouldn't be a massive loss, a loss you can't cope with.
"Having players like Nani, Giggs, Ji-Sung Park, Obertan and Bebe, there are options there and hopefully we can cope with it."
Ferguson will decide whether to keep Rio Ferdinand in his team Saints jersey
for Sunday's game against Liverpool after the defender came through his first United game of the season following a knee problem in the summer.
He added: "That was positive. He acquitted himself well and he had a good appetite for it. He was very positive in his game which is good and we'll see how he recovers because it was his first game for quite a while.
"No matter that he didn't have a lot to do, he still had to play 90 minutes."
While Ferguson has previously been critical of the way the fixtures have fallen, he insists it will not work to his advantage this weekend. United played Rangers on Tuesday, while Liverpool beat Steaua Bucharest 4-1 in the Europa League on Wednesday.
He said: "You can get breaks like that. The first game of the season we played on the Monday after the internationals so we look to take advantage of that.
"But Liverpool rested players against Steaua anyway so it doesn't really matter in respect to the fitness of both teams. Both will be well prepared for the game."
Ferguson has also confirmed that Dimitar Berbatov will start Sunday's game after being rested for the Rangers match.
The Bulgarian has often received heavy criticism since joining in a 30.75 million pounds deal from Tottenham two years ago, but has scored four goals this season.
Ferguson added: "Not everyone's questioned him. He has a lot of admirers, particularly at this club.
"The situation is that when we buy a player for a lot of money there's more focus on him and if they have a bad game, they get criticism that other players would not get.
"He's had some terrific games for us, marvellous games, and I San Diego Chargers jersey
told him to dismiss the press. I think he worried about himself.
"But he's expressed himself very well this season, he's enjoying his football and he'll play on Sunday."

Spanish Inquisition: Can We Expect Another Atletico Madrid Win Over Barcelona At The Vicente Calderon?

There is absolutely no questioning what La Liga’s stand-out fixture is this weekend: the mouth-watering, titanic tussle between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon leaps out as a high-stakes collision even at this early stage of the season.
After all, Pep Guardiola’s side were near-perfect in 2009/10, dropping only nfl jersey
15 points, but the only venue where they tasted domestic defeat was at the home of Quique Sanchez Flores’ ambitious Colchoneros.
Delve deeper, and you’ll discover that while over the past decade the likes of Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho have danced a merry jig in the white half of the capital, the Blaugrana have only triumphed once in the Primera Division since 2000 against the Rojiblancos on their own patch. That essentially makes this fixture a graveyard for Barcelona teams past and present, and is a statistic that adds extra spice to a fixture that has hardly needed an injection of incident in recent times.
High-Scoring History
As former coach of both clubs, Radomir Antic, said earlier this week, putting these foes together in the same stadium virtually guarantees an absorbing spectacle, and the proof is found in the drama; The first half of Atletico’s 2-1 triumph in February was among the finest football played anywhere in the division, from both teams, no less.
The year before, Barcelona had been 2-0 and 3-2 ahead, but the Diego Forlan – Sergio Aguero partnership truly came of age as both netted twice in a famous 4-3 win. In 2007/08, Atletico won again, this time in a six-goal thriller.
There are numerous reasons to suggest Sunday’s encounter is likely to be another action-packed, drama-laden affair, and this is re-affirmed by the recent history of their meetings. But what other aspects of these famous clubs advocate another goal glut come Sunday?
Of course, the offensive players either side are capable of fielding reads like a who’s who of Europe’s most coveted footballers. Arguably, Diego Forlan and David Villa are the two most gifted, natural strikers in world football, particularly after their scoring exploits at the World Cup for their respective nations.
hrow into the mix the Argentine phenomenons of Aguero and Messi, and the supporting cast of Jose Antonio Reyes, Simao, Andres Iniesta and Xavi, and fireworks appear to be the inevitable outcome.
Similar Philosophies
Whilst Flores has significantly strengthened his defence during the summer with the acquisitions of Chargers jersey
Diego Godin and Filipe Luis, a negative outlook has never been on his agenda, and the swaggering manner of their 4-0 win over Sporting Gijon on matchday one suggests that attack will remain Atletico Madrid’s best form of defence.
Barcelona, of course, have broken league records for their prolific exploits in front of goal, and Panathinaikos saw first hand in their Champions League meeting in midweek what they are capable of when in full flow. Their 4-3-3 formation combined with the mentality of Dani Alves and Maxwell at full-back means they are almost permanently on the front foot, and it is unlikely that either side will at any point choose to protect what they have.
The capital club have been conspicuous in their absence from a genuine championship challenge since their previous success in 1996, but after their defeat of Inter in the UEFA Super Cup, and a comprehensive one at that, the Spanish media have incessantly hypothesised as to whether this time they can justifiably be considered a threat to the supposedly superior Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Of course it is much too early to gauge whether La Liga can be deemed a legitimate ambition for Atleti, but if there is any occasion that might validate the theory, it would be to leave the champions reeling by consigning them to their second defeat in succession. The fans will be hugely motivated, and the players will feed from the electricity to create a special evening at the Vicente Calderon.
Barca Bite Back
Conversely, this match provides a chance for Guardiola’s side to quell the enthusiasm surrounding Atletico Madrid, by firmly putting their shock defeat last weekend behind them and reminding the Primera Division who remains the standard by which all others should be judged.
The Catalan giants have taken intense criticism for the lacklustre nature of their performance versus Hercules last Saturday, and calls of a crisis have been ludicrously voiced by some, after losing just a single match. Crisis is crazy, but if they fall a second time, cause for concern will definitely be legitimate. Bears jersey
Remember, only 15 points dropped in the entirety of last season – defeat number two would mean almost half that amount would have already slipped away after just three weekends.
Whatever the outcome, the statistics tell us to strap in our seatbelts and look forward to another incredible encounter - but this time the ramifications could have a greater impact on the outcome of the Primera Division campaign - yes, even as early as Jornada Three.

Europa League Team Of The Round: Matchday One

Although the Russian club won by a comfortable margin, Akinfeev had to be on his toes to make a couple of big stops to keep a clean sheet. His kick save on Rodrigo Tosi just before half-time and his denial of the Brazilian again in the dying moments of the match were the pick of the bunch.
Defenders
Ronaldo Guiaro - Aris Thessaloniki
He stood strong as Simao and Diego Forlan pulled nfl throwback jerseys
him into wide positions, but they were not able to break down the Brazilian defender, who gave a staunch defensive performance to help his club defeat the current holders.
Daniele Gastaldello - Sampdoria
Brilliant at the back, gave everything for the cause and dealt with the attacking threat from PSV admirably. The centre-back has put in a couple of sterling performances for the Blucerchiati so far this term and will hope to catch the eye of Italy coach Cesare Prandelli with these type of confident displays.
Giorgio Chiellini - Juventus
Normally a defender whose side conceded three times to a heavy underdog would have no place in the squad however Chiellini is included for two major reasons. First he scored two goals to help Juve kickstart their comeback and secondly he was paired with Nicola Legrottaglie. The hard-nosed centre-back resuscitated the Old Lady after the side looked on the verge of collapse. His two goals either side of half-time helped Juve draw level with the Polish minnows and eventually earn a draw when it could have been worse.
Zoumana Camara - Paris Saint-Germain
The French defender used his pace at the back to great effect Indianapolis Colts jersey
to neutralise Sevilla's speedy attackers and almost grabbed a goal himself before Nene scored the winner. A big reason why PSG left Spain with three points in the bag.
Midfielders
Mario Goetze - Borussia Dortmund
The prodigious talent was in scintillating form this evening as his brace powered the Germans past Karpaty Lviv in what was an enthralling affair. The Bundesliga outfit scored two goals in the dying moments of the game with the youngster netting the winner in injury time to secure a memorable win. One to watch in the future.
Finally a goal from the £24 million Spaniard and a glimpse as to why Roberto Mancini shelled out so much for the former Valencia man. He probably should have had a second as well. More of the same please.
Jorge Sammir - Dinamo Zagreb
The attacking midfielder was the architect of Dinamo's upset victory over Villarreal as he set up the first goal with a defence splitting through ball and then put the match to bed with a goal ten minutes from time.
Attackers
Patrick Helmes - Bayer Leverkusen
The first of three hat-trick heroes up front, the 26-year-old scored early and often for Bayer in his first start since returning from a thigh injury. With competition for places in Jupp Heynckes' starting line-up fierce, Helmes has made a convincing argument to feature from the get-go against Nuernburg on Sunday
Artjoms Rudnevs - Lech Poznan
Rudnevs made a name for himself on the continent with a dazzling three goal performance in Turin. Granted the Juve back line isn't what it used to be but that fails to take the gloss of what was probably the performance of his life as the Polish minnows picked up a credible draw against the Dallas Cowboys jersey
Bianconeri.
Aleksandr Kerzhakov - Zenit St Petersburg
His three goal explosion in the first half was more than enough to guide Zenit past Anderlect. If there was any question as to whether the Russians were going to take the competition seriously after failing to qualify for the Champions League group stages it was answered in resounding fashion on Thursday evening.

Jackson steps in for Grant, Packers thin at RB

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP)—Brandon Jackson(notes) doesn’t have an established track record of consistent production like the player he’s replacing. Still, the Green Bay Packers are confident he can carry the load in the wake of Ryan Grant’s(notes) season-ending ankle injury.
And if Jackson can’t stay healthy, things really get dicey.
The Packers kept only two true halfbacks, Grant and Jackson, on their 53-man roster coming out of football jersey
training camp. With Grant gone, Jackson’s main backup and the Packers’ primary third-down option for the time being is John Kuhn(notes)—a fullback who has shown enough ability with the ball in his hands to become an insurance policy.
“It’s one of those things where you work on it in the preseason as an emergency-type situation, and now it’s an emergency,” Kuhn said. “We need to go out and perform.”
Going into Sunday’s home opener against Buffalo, some might see a team with Super Bowl aspirations suddenly being one injury away from having a fullback as their No. 1 running back—especially after Jackson has missed time with injuries in each of the past three season.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy considers Kuhn more than just a fullback. McCarthy says Kuhn, who was a record-setting rusher at Division II Shippensburg University, has plenty of experience in the Packers’ one-back offensive sets.
“The one-back position carries fullback and halfback responsibilities, and we’re prepared to go forward,” McCarthy said. “So I don’t look at us as one play away from being locked into playing with a different position at the (halfback) position of our offense.”
Backup plans aside, Jackson is confident he can carry the load. A second-round pick out of Nebraska in 2007, Jackson has become an effective third-down back.
“They’ve always been telling me you’re one play away, and just be ready,” Jackson said. “Obviously I’ve been doing that for three years now, a long time coming. And it’s here, and I’m taking advantage of it.”
The Packers did add depth this week, signing relative unknown Dimitri Nance(notes) off the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad. Nance, who went undrafted out of Arizona State, describes himself as an inside runner with an ability to break tackles and catch passes.
“He is actually someone that we were looking at through training camp,” McCarthy said. “I just had a chance to watch him today. Very explosive, instinctive, definitely has a very strong, quick lower half. Everything we saw on film was validated today. He is a young player and I Dallas Cowboys jersey
think he will be a good fit for us.”
And there has been speculation that it might make sense for the Packers to trade for a running back—including a potential move for a player they’ll face Sunday, the Bills’ Marshawn Lynch(notes).
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers(notes), who played with Lynch at Cal in college, would be all for it. Asked what he would say if the Packers’ front office asked him about Lynch, Rodgers responded, “bring him on.”
“I think when you give a guy a change of scenery, and a guy like that who might feel like he has something to prove, and surround him with two guys, (linebacker Desmond) Bishop and myself, who have played with him, I think that can only help him feel comfortable and see a lot of production,” Rodgers said.
But Packers general manager Ted Thompson isn’t known for making splashy moves out of desperation and doesn’t like to part with future draft picks. So for now, it’s Jackson, Kuhn and Nance.
Grant was not present when the team’s locker room was open to reporters Wednesday. On his Twitter account, Grant said he felt like he had a chance of returning later in the season but understood that the Packers needed the roster spot.
“You can sit here and say he would have been ready for the playoffs based on someone else that went through it in the past,” McCarthy said. “You look at past injuries, but it’s all about the individual. It’s about the doctor’s opinion of the specific injury.”
And while Grant had been remarkably durable for the Packers until now, the same can’t be said for Jackson.
He missed four straight games with a shin injury in Minnesota Vikings jersey
2007, two games in 2008 with a wrist injury and the first four games of last season because of an ankle injury.
Beyond that, Jackson hasn’t carried the ball more than 75 times in a season — so how much will he have left in December, when Grant seemed to be at his best?
“This offseason I trained my body to handle the load and obviously it’s here right now,” Jackson said. “So we’ll see.”

Houshmandzadeh hopes for happy return to Cincy

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP)—T.J. Houshmandzadeh(notes) doesn’t know how he will feel when he takes the field in Cincinnati or how he will be received by Bengals’ fans.
The only thing he’s sure of is that it’s going to be a blast seeing some of nfl jersey
his friends from the old days when the team was known as “The Bungles.”
Houshmandzadeh began his NFL career with the Bengals and played eight seasons in Cincinnati before signing as a free agent with Seattle last year. After being cut by the Seahawks earlier this month, the wide receiver was scooped up by the Ravens—who face the Bengals on Sunday in an AFC North showdown.
It will be Houshmandzadeh’s first game in Cincinnati since he left in a huff as a free agent following the 2008 season.
“I’m kind of eager to see how the (visiting) locker room looks, whether it’s nice or different,” Houshmandzadeh said Wednesday. “I don’t know how I’m going to feel. Emotions kind of come to you however they may. You can’t really control them. But it will very different, to say the least.”
The Bengals can’t wait to see him—as long as he stays out of the end zone.
“T.J. had a lot to do with the success of things here,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “He’s obviously well-loved here. He’s a great young man. He’s one of the guys who also helped my knucklehead receiver I got here to do better.”
That “knucklehead receiver” would be Chad Ochocinco(notes), who was known as Chad Johnson when he was Houshmandzadeh’s teammate.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve actually been able to see Housh in person. I’m looking forward to catching up with him,” Ochocinco said.
Houshmandzadeh was drafted by the Bengals in the seventh round of the 2001 draft. He battled injuries early in his career, but remained in the mix at receiver because Lewis was convinced Houshmandzadeh could excel in the NFL.
Lewis was right, and Houshmandzadeh will forever be grateful for his coach’s faith.
“Had I been on another team I probably would have been released and be at home Indianapolis Colts jersey
right now, doing Lord knows what,” Houshmandzadeh said. “Marvin stuck by me when I was hurt.”
Despite starting only six games in his first three NFL seasons, Houshmandzadeh scored 37 touchdowns and had two 1,000-yard receiving seasons with Cincinnati. For that reason, he hopes Bengals fans will treat him as an old friend.
“Expect the worst, hope for the best,” he said. “Maybe they have a little more (empathy) toward me because I was a guy that started at the bottom.”
When Houshmandzadeh’s contract expired, he had every intention of coming back. But the Bengals were slow to begin serious negotiations, giving him the impression they weren’t as interested in signing him as he was in returning.
“I wanted to stay, but I think the way they went about it initially put it in my mind I don’t need to stay,” Houshmandzadeh recalled. “It was like, you want to do something but you know it isn’t the best thing for you. Kind of like you have a woman and you really like her, but she really doesn’t like you and you don’t know when to leave her alone.”
Houshmandzadeh finally left for Seattle, where he endured one unfulfilling season. Now he’s with the Ravens, who are intent upon unseating the Bengals as division champions.
In his Baltimore debut Monday night, Houshmandzadeh caught one pass for 27 yards against the New York Jets after scrambling to absorb a new playbook.
“Monday was fun. It was kind of whirlwind,” he said. “When I was studying the playbook, I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m going to play.’ Because it was like Spanish. The Rosetta Stone. As the week progressed, though, I kind of got a grasp of it.”
He should receive more playing time this weekend, but there are no guarantees.
“I wouldn’t say I expect more,” he said. “I want more.”
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer(notes) expects that to happen sooner than later.
“They’re going to end up using him a lot and he’ll be Minnesota Vikings jersey
a tremendous player in that scheme because they know how good he is,” Palmer said. “They’ve played against him so many times and he’s beat them so many times that they know things he’s good at already. They’ll get him involved quick.”
AP Sports Writer Joe Kay in Cincinnati contributed to this report.

Premier Showdown

Another fine, fine win for the Rest of the World team last weekend as Eric Ambrosy hit double figures for our team of challengers for the second successive week.
Maybe the ROTW are on a roll? What is nfl jerseys
for sure is that the misery of the last couple of seasons could be coming to an end. Can Dale Johnson or Tommy Smyth get their first outright win of the season?
Representing the ROTW this weekend is Ruben Subramaniam who is from Perak in Malaysia.
He tells us: "Hello, Premier Showdown. It's my greatest pleasure to enroll myself here as we fight for the perfection of the greatest football game and we are sailing in the same boat of anti-racism. I am a 22-year-old, final year law degree student and I'm also working part time as a Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
bar manager in a club in Malaysia.
"I'm the craziest fan of Liverpool. Thanks once again, Premier Showdown, for giving me a chance to actually make my predictions. Greatest regards."
Flattery will get you everywhere.
Points are then awarded as follows:
• Three points for a correct result and scoreline
• One point for a correct result
After the weekend's Minnesota Vikings jersey
scores are in and the Showdown result has been worked out, the winning pundit receives three points for their season's total. Should the challenger win, the total is added to the Rest of the World tally. In the case of a draw, the points are shared.

Fabregas: We have confidence in Almunia

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas insists that goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has the complete confidence of his Gunners team-mates and backed the Spaniard to impress this season.
Almunia's future has been the subject of nfl jersey
much speculation after Wenger tried and failed to sign Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer before the end of the transfer window.
The Spanish stopper has come under intense criticism in recent seasons for a tendency to make high-profile mistakes, but Arsene Wenger has continued to back Almunia as his No. 1, even making him captain for the 1-1 draw with Liverpool on the opening weekend of Dallas Cowboys jersey
the season.
And Fabregas - who has played with Almunia for six years - stressed that, like the manager, the players have faith in the ability of their goalkeeper.
"Manuel commanded the defence very well at Blackburn - but it is not just about one game or two or three," Fabregas said.
"He is a well-loved player among everybody Minnesota Vikings jersey
here and performs well for this club. We all wish him a super season and have a lot of trust."

Benzema's agent rubbishes talk of Real Madrid exit

The agent of Karim Benzema has insisted that the striker will not be leaving Real Madrid in the January transfer window.
Benzema's future has been the subject of nfl throwback jerseys
much speculation after a disappointing first season in Spain following his move from Lyon. He started only 14 La Liga games for Real last season, scoring eight goals, and as a result missed out on a place in the France squad for the World Cup Indianapolis Colts jersey
finals.
Juventus, Liverpool and Manchester United have all been linked with a move for the 22-year-old when the transfer market re-opens, but it seems his agent is not interested in brokering a deal for his player.
"The future of Karim Benzema will be at Real Madrid," Karim Djaziri told calciomercato.com. "Are Juventus, Manchester United and Liverpool close to a deal? I categorically Minnesota Vikings jersey
deny these rumours.
"He is a Real Madrid player and will remain a Real Madrid player."

Inzaghi eyes Muller's European goal record

AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi has admitted it would be an honour to break Gerd Muller's European goalscoring record, as he closes in on the Germany striker's total of 69 goals
UEFA's official record books nfl throwback jerseys
already have Inzaghi as the all-time leading scorer in European competition, as they discount Muller's seven goals in the now defunct Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.
But the Milan frontman, who has netted 68 times across the UEFA Cup, Cup Winners' Cup and Champions League over the past 15 years, believes he will only really usurp der Bomber if he overtakes his haul of 69 goals.
"Muller is a great striker," Inzaghi said. "He deserves respect. Sooner Dallas Cowboys jersey
or later the record will come. As a Milan fan and an Italian I will be proud if this comes true soon. But don't forget there is also Raul.
"Above all, it's important to start well against Auxerre. I care about it a lot. I would like to equal Muller's record in front of my fans. I want to score to make Milan win."
Inzaghi may be afforded the opportunity to add to his goal tally when against Auxerre on Wednesday, though any appearance will likely be as a substitute with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robinho and Alexandre Pato all ahead of him in the Rossoneri's attacking pecking order.
Schalke striker Raul will also have a chance to equal Muller's record Minnesota Vikings jersey
when he lines up for his new club against Lyon. The former Real Madrid star has also scored 68 goals - with 66 coming in the Champions League - though his goal-to-games ratio is 0.52 comapred to Inzaghi's 0.62.

Ex-Eagles OG Andrews could start for Giants

Here are some of the whispers we have been hearing around the NFC East:
• The Giants are getting ex-Eagles OG Shawn Andrews(notes) caught up to speed with the idea that he could start for the team at some point this season. The team is OK with OLG Rich Seubert(notes) for now, but Andrews is knocking on the door. football jerseys
Our sources believe it's more prudent for the team to potentially replace Seubert with Andrews than to move OLT David Diehl(notes) inside to guard and elevate William Beatty(notes) to the starting lineup — changing two positions to fix one, in essence.
• Eagles rookie DE Daniel Te'o-Nesheim(notes) can play inside, and he figures to be one of the team's better interior rushers in the nickel package. The team knows it will be undersized up front, but getting better speed on the field in obvious passing situations could help free up DE Trent Cole(notes), who often gets bothered by tackle-RB double-teams.
• The Redskins kept PR-WR Brandon Banks(notes) on Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
the roster because they believe he has explosive return ability that will greatly enhance field position. If there are concerns, they are that Banks had three fumbles in the preseason, he figures to struggle as a receiver and might not be able to hold up long term as a kick returner. It could be a short leash if Banks isn't terrific on punts early on.
• The Cowboys were confident when they cut NT Junior Siavii(notes) that rookie Josh Brent(notes), whom the team acquired with a seventh-round pick through the supplemental draft, could take Siavii's snaps. Siavii was a solid backup for Jay Ratliff(notes) last season, filling in for a handful of Indianapolis Colts jersey
plays per game, but Brent represents a younger, cheaper and perhaps more active replacement. The team is intrigued by his potential.

Brady, Kraft release statements about his new deal

The New England Patriots released the following statements from quarterback Tom Brady(notes) and owner Robert Kraft in the wake of Brady receiving a four-year, $72 million deal.
“I have never been comfortable talking about my nfl jerseys
contract and certainly didn't want discussions of my contract negotiations to serve as a distraction to any of my teammates as we have been preparing for the Cincinnati Bengals and the start of the 2010 season," Brady said. "However, I do want to express my appreciation to Mr. Kraft and Jonathan Kraft for extending my opportunity to play for the New England Patriots. I am grateful for all that the Kraft family has done for me, both personally and professionally, and for all they have done for my family.
"Not only have I had the good fortune of Dallas Cowboys jersey
playing for just one franchise, I have also played for the greatest head coach and with some of the best teammates a player could ever ask for. My teammates, both past and present, are the main reason why we have accomplished so much over the years. I love playing in New England and appreciate all the support that our fans give us. I look forward to tomorrow's game and the start of another exciting season."
“We have been very fortunate to have Tom Brady as the quarterback of the New England Patriots for the past decade," Kraft said. "I am glad that this contract extension will allow his tenure to continue well into the next decade. Tom has been a terrific representative for the Patriots and a great leader for this franchise. Since he first arrived, no player has worked harder and been more driven to succeed than Tom.
"His core values have kept him grounded, despite his many successes, and he remains a consummate professional, both on and off the field. It is much easier to reward a player for his professional accomplishments when you have such respect for Indianapolis Colts jersey
him personally and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Tom and for everything he has accomplished in his life. There is no one that I would rather have leading this team and I am happy to reward him with this contract extension.”

Percy Harvin treating sleep apena to help with migraines

Percy Harvin’s(notes) migraine issue is related to sleep apnea, according to the wide receiver.
Harvin told NBC sideline reporter Andrea cheap nfl jerseys
Kremer that recent tests to determine the nature of his migraine headaches showed that sleep apnea may be at the root of the issue.
The Minnesota Vikings wide receiver missed Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
nearly all of training camp and preseason as he battled migraine issues. The time away showed in the season opener at New Orleans. He and quarterback Brett Favre(notes) were clearly not on the same page at various points during the game.
Per Kremer’s report, was passed along in the Minneapolis Star Minnesota Vikings jersey
Tribune, Harvin wears a device that pumps air into his nose while he sleeps. He is not on any medication as it’s believed medicine led to his collapse at practice last month.

Been there, done that: Tim Salmon has advice for Padres

Tim Salmon has been there. He has felt the very doubts the Padres are dealing with as they barely cling to what is left of a 6 1/2-game lead after losing to the Giants in the first game of their NL West showdown.
Salmon's 1995 Angels fell even further and faster.
Unlike the Padres, the Angels didn't lose 10 in a row that season. But they lost nine straight games twice in the season's final six weeks. Their second skid started on Sept. 13 when they led the Mariners by six games in the AL West. By the time the Angels won again, Seattle had football jerseys
surged to a two-game lead. In 11 miserable days, the Angels lost eight games in the standings.
Salmon recalls: "We'd spend all that energy on the field, then come back in the clubhouse and watch Seattle come back to win in dramatic fashion. We'd come back the next day and listen to every reporter in the world telling you how you're going to blow the lead, that you're going down in history. You start hearing that stuff and thinking about that stuff enough and all of a sudden it starts playing out. That's what happened to us."
Even after their swoon, the Angels weren't done. Once their deficit reached three games, they started winning again. They closed the regular season with five consecutive wins to force a one-game playoff at Seattle.
Then they ran into Randy Johnson(notes), "the ace of all aces that year" says Salmon. No-hit through five innings, held scoreless until the ninth, the Angels' season ended with another disappointment.
"It really seemed like destiny was on our side the way things were going," Salmon says. "How could we get all the way down that road, get another chance and then … it was almost like a dirty trick."
Fifteen years later, the '95 Angels are remembered for one of baseball's greatest collapses.
"Nobody ever says that was the year you guys lost that (11-game) lead and forced a one-game playoff," Salmon says. "No, they say, that's the year you lost that (11-game) lead. Nobody remembers the fact you won five at the end to push a one-game playoff. The only thing that could have changed the way history views us was to win it."
Besides having been through the failure of '95, Salmon is in Pittsburgh Steelers jersey
position to offer advice to these Padres for another reason. He knows Padres manager Bud Black from their days together in Anaheim. Black was the Angels' pitching coach in 2002, the year the Angels won their only World Series.
"People all year have been saying they're not as good as their record and they've been trying to prove they are," Salmon says. "Now it's starting to slide, you have to know they have that doubt in their mind. They gotta have that positive side that Bud can give them. Bud is like Mike Scioscia, very even-keeled, very positive. He can tell them, 'You know you are that good team we've been all year.' You can't let the negative thoughts creep in."
A reserve infielder on the '95 Angels, Rex Hudler, happened to be at Petco Park the night the Padres' losing streak reached seven. He could see the negativity while on the field during batting practice.
"I didn't like the vibes," Hudler says. "I talked to a couple of the guys and they were friendly enough, but you could sense they were stressed. It was very uncomfortable to be there. It was kind of a familiar feeling. I don't miss that."
Hudler and Salmon both pointed out that the Padres have one key advantage over the '95 Angels. "We gave Seattle three games. The Padres still have a (two-game) lead," Hudler says. "The reason they will be OK is their pitching will be strong. We were the other way. Our pitching couldn't hold up our offense during the skid."
Both have advice for the Padres.
Salmon: "You have to have the blinders on. You can't read the papers, you can't watch TV. You've got three weeks to crawl as a unit into your own little world. Take care of business, one pitch at a time, one inning at a time, one game at a time."
Hudler: "Feed off each other. What can I do to right the ship? Even Minnesota Vikings jersey
someone like me, who was on the bench most of the time, would lend encouraging words and show the love when somebody did something right. Be accountable and focus on what you can do to help."
And maybe the 2010 Padres won't be remembered the way most remember the '95 Angels.

Huff, Posey lead Giants’ homer barrage vs Pads

SAN DIEGO (AP)—With four mighty swings, the San Francisco Giants tamed Petco Park and trimmed the San Diego Padres’ lead in the NL West to one game.
Aubrey Huff(notes) and Buster Posey(notes) each hit a two-run homer and Pat Burrell(notes) and Juan Uribe(notes) also went yard as the Giants beat San Diego 7-3 Thursday night in the opener of a four-game showdown.
They were the most nfl jerseys
homers ever hit by the Giants at Petco Park, where the spacious outfield normally gobbles up fly balls.
“You certainly don’t expect it in this park,” said Huff, who started the barrage with a 408-foot shot off Jon Garland(notes) into the sand play area beyond the fence in right-center. “When I hit mine, I mean that’s as good as I can hit a curveball to right-center. I hit it and I knew I got a lot of it, then I realized where I was and I started running hard.”
Matt Cain(notes) took a three-hitter into the ninth.
“We’ve had some bad times against these guys, so winning the first one is big for us,” Cain said.
It was the Giants’ third win in 12 games against San Diego this season. The Giants have two more losses than the Padres, who have played two fewer games than San Francisco.
Huff and Freddy Sanchez(notes) each had three hits for the Giants, who trail Atlanta by one game in the wild-card race.
Cain (11-10) allowed David Eckstein’s(notes) leadoff single in the ninth followed by Ryan Ludwick’s(notes) homer to straightaway center, leading manager Bruce Bochy to turn to Javier Lopez(notes) and Ramon Ramirez(notes) to finish. Cain struck out eight and walked one.
San Francisco has won eight of 11 while the Padres have lost 11 of 14. It was the 13th straight game in which the Padres were held to four or fewer runs.
Garland (13-11) took his third straight loss. His previous two defeats were during a 10-game Padres losing streak that trimmed 5 1/2 games off their lead.
The Giants hit Garland early, often and hard. He allowed three of the Giants’ homers and Kevin Correia(notes) surrendered the fourth.
“Terrible, terrible, especially to start a series,” Garland said. “I guarantee you no person in San Diego feels worse than I do and I get to go home and sleep on it. It’s going to be a fun night.
“Everything was up,” Garland said. “Big hits, a couple of Dallas Cowboys jersey
home runs, it’s pretty simple. They knocked the ball around the yard. I didn’t give the team a chance.”
Andres Torres(notes) led off the game with a triple to right-center and scored on Sanchez’s single to left.
Sanchez was aboard on a one-out single for Huff’s 24th homer in the third.
Uribe also homered into the sand, on a 3-1 pitch with two outs in the fourth, for a 4-1 lead. It was his 20th.
With Huff on after a two-out double in the fifth, Posey drove a 1-0 pitch into the second deck in left for his 12th homer.
Garland was booed as he walked off the field after getting Jose Guillen(notes) to ground out. He allowed six runs and eight hits in five innings.
The Padres turned three double plays behind Garland.
“I think they kept the beating down to a minimum,” he said.
Correia started the sixth and gave up Burrell’s towering, 421-foot shot off the facade of the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in the left-field corner. It was his 15th.
“You don’t see some of the balls hit where they hit them,” Padres manager Bud Black said.
“It got contagious,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.
Bochy, who was forced out as San Diego’s manager following the 2006 season, said it’s not quite time to consider these do-or-die games.
But, he added: “It’s great to get off to a good start here, especially in this ballpark where we’ve had our struggles. I think that was important for us to come out and play well against a club we’ve had a tough time against.”
Ludwick’s homer was his fourth with San Diego and 15th overall. Cain also allowed Will Venable’s(notes) homer leading off the third, his 12th.
NOTES: The four homers tied the Giants’ season high, as well as tying the Padres’ season high for homers allowed. … The Giants have won nine of Cain’s starts since the All-Star break. … Correia made his first relief appearance with the Padres after 59 starts. His last relief Minnesota Vikings jersey
appearance was Sept. 24, 2008, with San Francisco. … Correia had been scheduled to start Tuesday but was pushed back when illness pushed back ace Mat Latos(notes) from Monday to Tuesday. … Friday night’s pitching matchup is San Francisco’s Jonathan Sanchez(notes) versus San Diego’s Clayton Richard(notes).