Slumping Kirilenko

By Marty Gitlin
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Is Andrei Kirilenko lost in Utah or have his skills suddenly and inexplicably deteriorated?

That is the question being asked both inside and outside the organization. In fact, it’s a question he’s asking himself.

The heretofore productive forward is no longer, partly because he is not utilized extensively in the offense. He’s scoring just 9.1 points a game compared to an average of about 16 over the past three years.

Yet he’s shooting a respectable 45 percent from the field, indicating he’s either become gun-shy or the emergence of Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams and Mehmet Okur as significant offensive threats has decreased his role in the offense.

Kirilenko, who missed five games with a sprained ankle early in the season, is pulling down just 5.2 rebounds a game compared to 8.1 a year ago. His blocked shots and assists have also markedly decreased.

Jazz owner Larry Miller told radio station 1280 AM that Kirilenko is “putting himself on thin ice” with his inconsistency and complaints about his role on the team.

“I’d almost like to call his bluff, say ‘OK, automatically we’re going to leave you out there. You’re going to take 20 shots a night five games in a row. And then we’ll see,’ ” Miller said. “That would resolve the issue. He’s either going to make them or he’s not.”

Kirilenko, who took just six shots in a 102-94 win Friday night at Toronto, expressed his frustrations on the court after meeting with coaches this week.

“I just go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth and I go to sleep,” he said.

The saga will continue for Kirilenko and the Jazz Saturday night in Chicago, where they are 6.5-point underdogs, according to WagerWeb.com.

MAGIC MAGIC GONE: Remember when Orlando was 13-4? That has become a more distant memory by the day.

The Magic are 9-14 since despite a five-game winning streak during that stretch. They have dropped their last four, including an alarmingly lopsided 114-93 home defeat Friday night to Washington that shoved them 1 ½-games behind the first-place Wizards in the Southeast Division.

Orlando is fine in the backcourt with Jameer Nelson and Grant Hill, and Dwight Howard is established as one of the finest centers in the NBA. But one major reason for Orlando’s struggles is starting forwards Tony Battie and Hedo Turkoglu. The pair combine to average just 16.6 points and 8.8 rebounds a game. They were outscored, 52-14, and outrebounded, 23-9, by Washington starting forwards Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison Friday night.

WagerWeb.com lists the Magic as 3.5-point underdogs Saturday night in New Jersey, which will attempt to become the first Atlantic Division team to reach .500 since it was 5-5 on Nov. 20.

DRIBBLES: Charlotte forward Gerald Wallace played his first game in nearly a month and erupted for 18 points and 15 rebounds in a 96-75 win Friday night in Atlanta. The surging Bobcats, who have won six of 10, are 2-point favorites at home Saturday night against the Hawks, whose three-game winning streak was snapped. … Chris Webber made his first start Friday night for Detroit, registering 18 points and seven rebounds in a 104-98 overtime victory at Minnesota. The Pistons could take over first place in the Central Division with a home victory Saturday night against Sacramento and a Cleveland loss in Golden State. WagerWeb.com lists Detroit as a 6-point favorite and the slumping Cavaliers as 3-point underdogs. Chicago can also forge a first-place tie by defeating the Jazz. … Boston forward Paul Pierce hopes to return from a left foot injury by the first week of February. The Celtics have collapsed without the all-star. They have lost six in a row and are likely to make it seven Saturday night in Washington, where they are 11-point underdogs, according to WagerWeb.com.

SEC Basketball Notebook

By Randy Rosetta
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

South Carolina’s hopes of a third consecutive postseason bid of any kind are quickly unraveling, and things don’t get any easier as the Gamecocks hit the road for four of the next six games.

The Gamecocks (10-6, 0-3 SEC) have dropped by consecutive games to then-No. 2 Florida and Kentucky by a combined 82 points. In fact, over the last four games, USC has been outscored by 112 points. The losses to the Gators and Wildcats are the Gamecocks’ worst since 1915.

Tennessee is also struggling with three straight losses after stubbing a toe at Auburn Wednesday. The No. 22 Volunteers seemed to have the game with the Tigers in control before AU hit an 18-0 surge to turn the tide.

UT coach Bruce Pearl picked up a costly technical foul in the closing minute, in part due to a timeout granted Auburn. But Peal was also miffed by the fact that the Tigers shot 23 second-half free throws (making 18) to three for the Vols.

South Carolina’s struggles are across the board. The Gamecocks rank 12th in the SEC in scoring offense (62.6 points a game), field-goal shooting (41.7 percent), 3-point shooting (31.1 percent), rebounding margin (-1.7), assists (11.1 per game) and steals (4.4 per game).

Tennessee is in much better shape, topping the SEC in scoring offense at 84.2 points a game. Junior sharpshooter Chris Lofton leads the SEC with 22.5 points and 3.4 3-pointers a game with freshman JaJuan Smith also providing a boost with 14.2 points and 35.5 percent shooting (44 of 124) from outside the arc.

Tre’ Kelley has been the only consistent scoring threat for South Carolina, despite an ongoing battle with a knee injury. Kelley is the Gamecocks’ leader in scoring with 16.5 points a game (third in the SEC) and 4.5 assists a contest.

The Volunteers swept the season series with USC last year, but the Gamecocks knocked off UT in the SEC tournament quarterfinals. UT is a 15-point favorite tonight.

GEORGIA at No. 10 ALABAMA (1:30 p.m. EST): The Crimson Tide get back home where they should be safe from another blowout. Alabama has lost seven of its last eight SEC road games dating back to last season, including blowouts at Arkansas and Vanderbilt this year. At Coleman Coliseum, though, the Tide (14-3, 1-2) is 9-0 this season and has rattled off 16 wins in a row. Alabama coach will celebrate his 42nd birthday against the Bulldogs, who stunned Arkansas 67-64 on Wednesday. Georgia (11-5, 3-1) trailed the Razorbacks 62-55 and 64-58 in the closing moments but scored nine unanswered points on 3-pointers – the last on Steve Newman’s 26-footer as time expired. The Bulldogs knocked off ’Bama 88-79 last season despite Tide guard Ronald Steele’s career-high 26 points, but haven’t won in Tuscaloosa since 2003. Alabama’s frontcourt of Jermareo Davidson (14.2 points, 9.3 rebounds per game) and Richard Hendrix (14.9, 8.8) should be too much for Georgia. The Tide are 5-point favorites on WagerWeb.com.

AUBURN at MISSISSIPPI STATE (3 p.m. EST): The Tigers broke through for an 83-80 triumph against 22nd-ranked Tennessee Wednesday, Auburn’s first victory against a ranked foe since 2004. Junior Frank Tolbert led AU (12-7, 2-2) with a career-best 24 points and provided the exclamation point with a fast-break slam dunk. Quan Prowell added 21 points for the Tigers, 21 in the second half when Auburn uncorked an 18-0 blitz to stagger the Volunteers. The Tigers are off to their best SEC start since 2003. Mississippi State (10-6, 1-2) is back in action after a week off following a tough-to-swallow 64-60 loss at Kentucky last weekend. The Bulldogs have been one of the tougher defenses to shoot against, limiting opponents to 37.3 percent overall shooting (second in SEC) and 27 percent from 3-point range (first in SEC). Freshman guard Barry Stewart is coming on for State with 21 points in the last two games and is shooting 40.4 percent (36 of 89) from 3-point land.

No. 16 LSU at ARKANSAS (3:45 p.m. EST): The Tigers struggled to get past Auburn and Ole Miss at home, but stand in first place in the SEC West as they enter the first of their two annual grudge matches with the Razorbacks. LSU (13-4, 2-1) is averaging only 62.7 points a game in league play, but has offset that by beating foes on the backboards by an average of 7 rebounds a game. Sophomore swingmen Tasmin Mitchell and Terry Martin have emerged as the Tigers’ secondary scoring options behind Glen Davis (18.7 ppg). Mitchell is producing 16.7 points a game in SEC play (14.6 overall), while Martin overcame a goose egg in his SEC debut vs. Alabama with a career-best 23 points against Auburn and 15 against Ole Miss. Martin has hit 9-of-18 3-pointers in SEC play. Arkansas is reeling with three losses in a row by a total of 12 points. The Hogs (12-6, 1-3) have led in the final 35 seconds in three their losses by four points or less. Junior center Steven Hill notched a career-high 15 points against Georgia and has connected on his last 12 field goals. LSU swept the Razorbacks last season and has won seven of the last eight games with Arkansas. The last four games of the series have been settled by a total of 12 points. The Hogs are 2.5-point favorites on WagerWeb.com.

No-Name Pats D

By Tim Sullivan
WagerWeb.com contributing writer

Every year, right around this time, stories start popping up about the anonymity of the New England Patriots.

The annual rite is easy to figure. First of all, the Patriots are usually still alive in late January. And, because of that, media types worldwide struggle to find story angles. Typically, they all come to this simple conclusion: There just aren’t any.

That’s the way New England likes it. Take away Tom Brady and this is a team without stars. They are a team in every sense of the word, mind you. And the Pats protect that identity better than any other team in NFL history. But, in the eyes of the media, for the most part, they are boring, nameless and faceless. And no unit personifies that more than this year’s defense.

“Sunday’s game is going to be about who executes the best, who plays the hardest and who makes the most plays.”

That was a generic quote from defensive back Artrell Hawkins, regarding the AFC title game against the Colts Sunday. Quick, how many of you know who Hawkins is? That’s the point.

This unit is filled with Hawkins-types. On the other side of the defensive backfield, there’s Asante Samuel. At linebacker, there’s Mike Vrabel. In the middle of the line, there’s Vince Wilfork.

Sure, there are die-hards out there who know who these guys are. But as the postseason wears on, and more and more casual fans start tuning in, these guys become more and more anonymous.

“We have to be clicking on all cylinders to have a chance.”

Another canned quote, this one from linebacker Tully Banta-Cain. Most people can’t even pronounce his name, much less know who he is.

“We’re not going in with the mentality that we can stop every play. However, when we do get our opportunities we need to make them worthwhile.”

That offering was from Ellis Hobbs. He plays cornerback, as well, by the way.

So you get the idea. The “Who Are These Guys” idea.

But the funny thing, is they don’t care. That’s the Bill Belichick way. Prepare the right way, work harder than anyone else and win at all costs. Style points mean nothing. Headlines mean nothing. Names mean nothing.

And you have to admit, it works. The Chargers and Jets sure were befuddled by the Patriots’ defensive schemes. And surely, Belichick will have another airtight plan for Peyton Manning and Co.

“Throwing the ball before they are even in their break, getting the ball out of his hands fast, changing and adapting to the routes, and knowing where the receivers are going if he has to scramble,” Hobbs said of the way Manning handles his offense. “All those little things are what makes them so good.”

We’ll find out just how good on Sunday. Indianapolis is -3 on WagerWeb.com.

FIRST-YEAR HONORS: The NFL 101, a national media committee which features 101 sportswriters and broadcasters, honored two rookie coaches this week. The group named the Jets’ Eric Mangini and the Saints’ Sean Payton the AFC and NFC Coach of the Year, respectively.

The Jets, under Mangini, went 10-6 and lost to the Patriots, 37-16, in the wild-card round. The Saints, under Payton, won the NFC South, defeated the Eagles, 27-24, in the divisional round, and will meet the Bears in the conference championship game Sunday. Chicago is -2.5 on WagerWeb.com.

EXTRA POINTS: The Giants officially promoted Kevin Gilbride to the offensive coordinator position vacated by John Hufnagel this week. … Patriots wide receiver Troy Brown has been battling the flu, but has returned to practice and will play against the Colts Sunday.

Man U-Arsenal

By Tim Robertson
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

They are no longer head-to-head battles for the title, but there is still something special about meetings between Arsenal and Manchester United.

The Premiership’s relatively short history is dominated by these two clubs, and so many times in the past has this fixture determined whether the trophy went north or south.

Given Arsenal’s position, fourth in the table 15 points adrift of United, that will not be the case on Sunday, but there is no less anticipation.

This could be a decisive weekend in the Premiership. Twenty-seven hours before Arsenal and United kick off at the Emirates Stadium, Chelsea face a tough task at Liverpool .

Conceivably by Sunday evening, Chelsea could be nine points adrift of United in the title race. Just as likely, the gap could be down to three.

Like Chelsea’s opponents Liverpool, Arsenal knocked themselves out of the title race with poor results early in the season, but the points difference to the top hides the fact that they have closed the quality gap in recent weeks.

They are surely out of the title race, but Manager Arsene Wenger, never one to give up until the fat lady has sung, isn’t so sure.

“I can understand that even if we win people still think we have no chance, but we see things differently,” he said.
“I believe that for a team which is young like my team, it is important that they get the belief that they can win the big games — game after game. They win one, they win two, they win three and suddenly that can transform a team.

“Then you say: ‘nobody can stop us’ and they can strengthen that belief.

“They have done it already — but they can strengthen that belief by beating Manchester United on Sunday.

“We want to reduce the gap on Manchester United as quickly as possible and we want to continue our run because we are in good form.

“We are involved in nearly every competition, even the championship, and you never know.”

Arsenal inflicted United’s only home defeat of the season so far, winning 1-0 at Old Trafford in September through Emmanuel Adebayor’s late goal.

The Gunners remain unbeaten in the league at home in their new stadium, but have dropped too many points in drawing five of 11 at the Emirates while they settle in.

“It is a big frustration because we dropped points at the beginning of the season through lack of experience and lack of form,” Wenger added.

“When you play a young player at the start of the season you know you will pay for his education with points. That is what happened to us a little bit.”

There is every chance it will happen again this weekend. Although Thierry Henry is back, the loss of the suspended Gilberto Silva in midfield leaves Arsenal looking weak as a defensive unit, and United surely have too many weapons not to expose such a weakness.

That is despite the fact that United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted they are not firing on all cylinders.

The form of Wayne Rooney is a concern, with the 20-year-old star having scored just once in the last 13 games as his teammates have run riot around him.

“Wayne just needs a break,” said Ferguson. “I am not concerned at all.

“It will come. What he needs to do is get into that one goal a game rhythm that strikers can do for you.

“If he does that it will make a big difference to our run-in.

“He is a big-game player.

“Wayne is a great example of a great player. He is prepared to work as hard as anyone.

“He is working his socks off and has a terrific attitude.”

Ferguson’s other strikers — Louis Saha, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Henrik Larsson — have more than covered for Rooney’s shortcomings of late, and with them in form, United pose Arsenal’s toughest test at the Emirates yet.
WagerWeb.com does not split the two teams, offering both at +150 with a draw at +200.

Given Arsenal’s problems at the back, it’s tough not to see yet another United win as they attempt to wrest the Premiership crown back from Chelsea .

But United-Arsenal games are never as straightforward as that.

NFC Championship Preview

By Chris Cluff
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Saints (11-6) at Bears (14-3), 3 p.m. ET Sunday (Fox)

WagerWeb.com line: Bears -2.5 (43)

The NFC is about to have a different Super Bowl representative for the seventh straight year.

Thanks to the Bears’ overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday and the Saints’ well-grounded win over the Philadelphia Eagles, the NFC held to regular-season form, and the top two seeds will play for the right to represent the conference in the Super Bowl in Miami on Feb. 4. The Bears will be trying to get back for the first time since winning the title in January 1986, while the Saints are seeking their first trip to the championship game.

One of those teams will become the latest champ in a revolving-door NFC that has seen six different teams go to the Super Bowl in the past six seasons: Seattle, Philadelphia, Carolina, Tampa Bay, St. Louis and the New York Giants.

This NFC title game pits two rising powers — Lovie Smith’s defense-driven Bears, who are 24-8 in Smith’s two seasons, and first-year coach Sean Payton’s upstart Saints, who have made it this far for the first time in the team’s 40 seasons of existence.

The Saints have become the feel-good fairy tale of the 2006 season, representing the rebirth of New Orleans a year after the city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Led by Drew Brees, Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush, Payton’s team won 10 games and then beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-24 last weekend, making New Orleans the first team in NFL history to reach a conference championship game after losing 13 games the previous season.

The Saints had the league’s No. 1 offense this season, and McAllister showed against the Eagles that he is completely back from a torn ACL that cost him 10 games last season. He ran all over the Eagles, gaining 143 yards and scoring two touchdowns.

“Our No. 1 concern is stopping Deuce McAllister,” Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “We want to stop the run every week. So he is our main concern right now, especially after what he did last week. When they throw the ball, we’ll rally to it and hopefully make the tackles. We have got to stop the run. Reggie is an explosive guy. He catches the ball well, and he’s pretty good in the open field. So we’ve just got to try and get 11 guys to the football and make some plays.

“It’s a big challenge for us, the things they do on offense,” Urlacher said. “They move the ball around a lot. They have a great quarterback, pretty good running backs, good receivers and a good offensive line. It’s a huge challenge for us.”

The Bears survived their first challenge against the Seahawks, escaping with a 27-24 win when Robbie Gould nailed a 49-yard field goal in overtime. The win was Chicago’s first in its past three home playoff games, including a 29-21 loss to Carolina last postseason.

Embattled quarterback Rex Grossman played well enough against Seattle, hitting Bernard Berrian with a 68-yard touchdown pass and throwing for 282 yards on 21-of-38 passing.

Many Chicago fans had been concerned about his uneven performance during the season and were worried he might hurt the Bears in the postseason. He did turn the ball over twice against Seattle, throwing an interception and fumbling, but he made big throws when he had to, like the third-down, 31-yard strike to Rashied Davis in overtime that set up Gould’s field goal.

Smith has defended Grossman and stuck by him all season, and Urlacher did the same this week.

“Rex was 14-3 at the start of this year. I don’t know how many guys in the NFL can say that this season,” the All-Pro linebacker said. “I don’t care what his numbers are, what people write about him. He’s 14-3. That’s enough said for me. I’m just tired of people talking about him, especially our media around here. The dude has won 14 games at the start of this year. That’s pretty good if you ask me.”

So is Grossman’s supporting cast, which includes a strong running game. Thomas Jones ran for two touchdowns against the Seahawks, and he and Cedric Benson will need to play well against the Saints to take pressure off Grossman.

The Saints have played well on the road, going 6-2, but their defense has been prone to surrendering big plays; the Eagles struck with a 75-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Garcia to Donte’ Stallworth and a 62-yard scoring run by Brian Westbrook. With that in mind, this shapes up as a similarly offensive game.

“This is the matchup we wanted,” Chicago cornerback Nathan Vasher said. “It’s great for us, great for TV, everything. We wanted to see the highest-seeded team and beat the best.”

SAINTS AT A GLANCE
Offense: 391.5 yards per game (first in NFL). Passing: 281.4 (first). Rushing: 110.1 (19th).
Defense: 307.3 (11th). Passing: 178.4 (third). Rushing: 128.9 (23rd).
Individual leaders
QB Drew Brees: 64.3 percent, 4,418 yards, 26 touchdowns, 11 interceptions.
RB Deuce McAllister: 1,057 yards, 4.3 average, 10 touchdowns.
RB Reggie Bush: 565 yards, 3.6 average, six TDs; 88 receptions, 742 yards, two TDs.
WR Marques Colston: 70 receptions, 1,038 yards, eight TDs.
WR Devery Henderson: 32 receptions, 745 yards, five TDs.
K John Carney: 115 points, 23 of 25 field goals.
KR Michael Lewis: 24.7 average.
PR Reggie Bush: 7.7 average, one touchdown.
LB Scott Shanle: 98 tackles, four sacks.
LB Scott Fujita: 96 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defensed.
DE Will Smith: 10.5 sacks.
DE Charles Grant: Six sacks.
CB Mike McKenzie: Two interceptions, 10 passes defensed.
Injury report: TE Mark Campbell (knee), WR Joe Horn (groin) and SS Omar Stoutmire (hip) are questionable.

BEARS AT A GLANCE
Offense: 325.0 (15th). Passing: 205.1 (14th). Rushing: 119.1 (15th).
Defense: 294.1 (fifth). Passing: 194.8 (11th). Rushing: 99.4 (sixth).
Individual leaders
QB Rex Grossman: 54.6 percent, 3,193 yards, 23 touchdowns, 20 interceptions.
RB Thomas Jones: 1,210 yards, 4.1 average, six TDs.
RB Cedric Benson: 647 yards, 4.1 average, six TDs.
WR Muhsin Muhammad: 60 receptions, 863 yards, five TDs.
WR Bernard Berrian: 51 receptions, 775 yards, six TDs.
TE Desmond Clark: 45 receptions, 626 yards, six TDs.
K Robbie Gould: 143 points, 32 of 36 field goals.
RS Devin Hester: 26.4 on kickoffs with two TDs, 12.8 on punts with three TDs.
LB Brian Urlacher: 142 tackles, three interceptions.
LB Lance Briggs: 134 tackles, four forced fumbles, two interceptions.
CB Charles Tillman: 81 tackles, five interceptions, 14 passes defensed.
CB Ricky Manning Jr.: 53 tackles, two sacks, five interceptions, 10 passes defensed.
DE Alex Brown: Seven sacks, two interceptions.
DE Mark Anderson: 12 sacks.
Injury report: WR Mark Bradley (ankle) is questionable and DE Adewale Ogunleye (quadricep) is probable.

Best bet: The Seahawks gashed the Bears on the ground, and the Saints will follow suit while also forcing Grossman into key errors. New Orleans, 31-24.

Up-And-Down Newcastle

By Tim Robertson
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

On Tuesday, everything was looking up for Newcastle.

They were over the worst of a savage injury list which robbed them of virtually the entire first team for several months.

They were riding high after coming from behind to beat Tottenham away over the weekend, thanks in part to a stunning goal from Obafemi Martins.

And they were looking forward to an FA Cup third-round replay at home to Birmingham — a game they were overwhelming favourites for.

Fast forward to Wednesday evening, and it all came crashing down as Newcastle were torn to shreds in a 5-1 defeat to their Championship opponents.

Birmingham was ahead in the opening five minutes, and Newcastle never offered a hint that they were going to turn it around.

Magpies boss Glenn Roeder, so glowing in his praise of his squad in the days leading up to the game, was as stunned as anyone after the game.

“I apologize to the fans,” he said. “I think apologies are due after such a lack of performance from everybody. I certainly had no indication there was going to be a performance like that — this was the same 11 players who beat Tottenham on Sunday.

“We never got going all night and in the end we have been badly punished. It was just a rank bad performance and a humiliating defeat at home.”

The rapid change in fortunes summarizes Newcastle’s inconsistent season so far.

Whenever things have seemed at their worst — such as their grim run of results in October — something has come along like the impressive 1-0 UEFA Cup win at Palermo to lift the gloom.

Whenever things are going well — see the rapid rise up the table in December — the balloon has been just as quickly burst, as happened in the 3-0 loss to Everton.

Roeder, an unlikely man to fill the Newcastle hot seat — few chairmen are as trigger happy as Freddy Shepherd — has done well to keep on an even keel through the chaos, and he won’t panic after this defeat — which may even help his small squad in the long run by reducing the fixture congestion.

But he knows there is much work still to be done.

Inept defending cost Newcastle dear on Wednesday, as has so often been the case in the league. It is the area where the injury problems still run the deepest and where the squad is too short on quality even when fully fit.
Roeder said after the Spurs game that he would not swap goalkeeper Shay Given for any other custodian in the Premiership, but that sentiment is of no use to anyone if the Irish international is not afforded some basic protection.

Given would probably swap his defense for anyone but equally inept West Ham right now.

Good news then that it is the hapless Hammers who are due at St. James¢ Park on Saturday.

Even coming off the humiliating loss, Newcastle should be backed to beat Alan Curbishley’s side.

The manager will demand a response from his team and should get it against his former team.

West Ham remains one of three teams — the bottom three, in fact — yet to win away, which is the quickest explanation as to why WagerWeb.com offers them as outsiders at +333.

It will be all doom and gloom in Newcastle on Thursday morning on the back of a stunning defeat, but Saturday is a whole new day. What a difference one of those can make.

Watford’s Woes

By Tim Robertson
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

It’s tough trying to sign new players when you appear to be on a one-way street to relegation, but Watford are having problems persuading their best player to go.

The Hornets are 10 points adrift of safety, with just 12 from 21 games this season, and while Aidy Boothroyd’s side has shown plenty of spirit and endeavour, there has been none of the quality needed to survive in the Premiership.

That, you would think, would give star striker Ashley Young every excuse he needed to leave Vicarage Road.
Yet the 21-year-old has rejected the chance to even talk to West Ham after Watford accepted a £9.65 million offer for the youth international on Monday.

The fact that West Ham are themselves embroiled in a relegation battle perhaps made Young’s decision a little easier, but the Hammers’ resources mean they have every chance of pulling clear. Watford do not.

It may be that Young is waiting for the likes of Tottenham or Aston Villa to make good on their reported interest, but as welcome as it might appear at first, his decision to snub West Ham does Watford no favours.

Boothroyd has repeatedly said he would not sell Young until the player told him he wanted to go.

Only last week he said: “There are players out there who have gone for £8m-plus who do not have what he has.
shley is the trump card in the Premiership. There are not many players outside the top four clubs who are better than him.”

Yet the young manager would gladly have swapped Young for a fat cheque from Upton Park.

Young has scored only four goals in 23 appearances this season. For a club which has lost Marlon King to a season-ending injury, that is not enough.

Young’s value is all in his potential, and that is a luxury a club like Watford cannot afford to invest in right now.

The nearly £10 million West Ham were offering would be of far more use spent on three or four players who could strengthen their squad and help them build, if not for a survival battle, then for another promotion campaign next season.

Whether Watford get another offer to match West Ham’s is in doubt.

Tottenham are believed to have made an approach, but offered only a fraction of the sum West Ham were ready to spend, instead including defender Calum Davenport and winger Wayne Routledge – who is on loan at Fulham – as part-exchange.

But that deal was a non-starter as neither Davenport nor Routledge were willing to climb aboard Watford’s sinking ship.

Aston Villa has Randy Lerner’s millions to spend, but Manager Martin O’Neill has insisted he will not be duped into paying over the odds just because selling clubs know of the financial backing he has.

O’Neill can get another look at Young on Saturday when Watford visit Villa Park. Young will no doubt be in the starting 11, but he will struggle to make much impact with quality support, and that is why WagerWeb.com has Watford as +450 outsiders to grab all three points.

The odds on Watford having added any of that much-needed quality by Saturday also lengthened on Monday when it was confirmed that Fulham striker Collins John has joined the list of players to reject a move to the Hertfordshire club.

The Cottagers accepted a £3.25 million bid for the striker, but the Dutchman promptly rejected the move even though he has been told he has no future at Craven Cottage.

Boothroyd said: “I’ve spoken to his representatives, and he said at this point in time it’s a no.

“I think there is still some hope but I’m looking at other options.”

Life isn’t easy at the wrong end of the table.

Horses To Watch

Horses worth watching compiled by handicapper/racing writer Greg Melikov won three races and finished second four times since Dec. 17.

AQUEDUCT

Ghost Mountain: Tracked pace in third more than two lengths behind after a half-mile, rallied inside for the drive, steadied in upper stretch, altered course to outside, finished gamely to make up more than 2 ½ lengths and lost by a half-length at six furlongs on Jan. 12.

FAIR GROUNDS

Thunder Mission: Lunged at break, spotted field five lengths early, trailed by 10 lengths after a half-mile, advanced on turn, steered out from fifth in stretch, closed fast to make up seven lengths and lost by 1 ½ lengths at six furlongs on Jan. 13; ran final quarter in 24.

GULFSTREAM PARK

Wild Holly: Broke last from Post 10, raced seventh early, steadied on first turn, dropped to eighth more than three lengths behind after a half-mile, angled out for drive losing ground from fifth to sixth, closed well to make up more than 3 ¾ lengths in stretch and lost by three-quarters of a length and a nose at 1 1/16 miles on the turf Jan. 14; ran final 2 ½ furlongs in 29 4/5.

LAUREL

Cole’s Player: Raced fifth early, shuffled back nearing three-eighths pole, dropped to sixth more than sixth lengths behind after a half-mile, rallied in two path in stretch, steadied when blocked late, made up five lengths and finished fourth, beaten less than 1 ¼ lengths at seven furlongs on Jan. 14.

SANTA ANITA

Firebird Sweet: Broke last, trailed by more than 11 ½ lengths after six furlongs, rallied five wide from 12th to seventh into stretch, closed gamely to make up more than 4 ½ lengths and lost by a head at 1 ¼ miles on the turf Jan. 13.

TURFWAY PARK

Hum That Tune: Raced more than 10 ½ lengths behind in seventh after a half-mile, rallied four wide on far turn to fifth entering stretch, finished fast late to make up nearly four lengths and lost by a neck at a mile on Jan. 12.

Stout Colts Defense

By Tim Sullivan
WagerWeb.com contributing writer

Larry Johnson came and went. Jamal Lewis, too. Two pretty good running backs. Two pretty good rush offenses. Two pretty good teams — Kansas City and Baltimore — headed home early.

But on Sunday, the suddenly stout Indianapolis Colts defense will face a dynamic duo at running back. New England’s Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney figure to test Indianapolis in every way imaginable. Inside, outside, running, receiving, you name it.

Still, the Colts are -3 on WagerWeb.com.

“We’re playing better,” Colts coach Tony Dungy said. “We’re tackling a little bit better. We’ve always had a pretty good rush in the long-yardage situations, but in the third-and-5, third-and-6, we’ve tackled the underneath throws a little bit better.”

As evidenced by the fact that Indianapolis’ opponents are just 3-of-22 on third-down conversions this postseason. Not bad for a defense that was simply getting gashed by non-playoff teams like Jacksonville last month.

“It’s not the people, it’s not the scheme,” Dungy said. “It’s doing your job on every play.”

But, surely, it helps that safety Bob Sanders is back on the field. After surgery on his right knee, Sanders has lit a fire under this unit. Everything he seems to do lately, he’s been doing well. When he blitzes, he gets to the quarterback. When he roams the middle, he stops the run. When he drops in coverage, he breaks up passes.

“Since I’ve been back, it seems like the guys have a lot more energy,” Sanders said. “But we’re in the playoffs, so that may be it, too.”

Ah, but the latter part of that theory hasn’t held much weight in Indianapolis, Bob. The Colts didn’t have much energy in the divisional round loss to the Steelers last season, did they?

Either way, something’s going right these days. Whether it’s Sanders, whether it’s an intense playoff focus, whether it’s simply the fact that the Colts are tired of getting kicked around this time of year, Indianapolis is to reckoned with, no matter how lethal Tom Brady and Co. can be in January.

“We’re having fun,” Colts linebacker Cato June said.

How much longer that lasts remains to be seen.

FATHER AND SON: The Dolphins can do a lot worse than Mike Shula as the replacement for Nick Saban. Shula — who had to assume suspended scholarships and an overall messy situation yet still won the Cotton Bowl two seasons ago and put the Crimson Tide in the Liberty Bowl this season — got a raw deal at Alabama and may need an NFL gig to show the world he can recover.

Now, taking a job that his father, Don, made famous won’t be easy. But if he can survive a position that Bear Bryant held, he can do anything. Shula interviewed in Miami on Tuesday.

“He’s got a lot of his dad in him,” Dolphins chief executive officer Joe Bailey said, “very, very smart, very assertive, very firm.”

Very available, too.

EXTRA POINTS: New Giants general manager Jerry Reese said running back Tiki Barber would be welcomed back should he decide to unretire. Reese would be better served finding someone in the free-agent market to compete with backup Brandon Jacobs, who doesn’t seem ready to handle the full-time role just yet. Barber isn’t coming back anytime soon. … Chicago defensive end Adewale Ogunleye (quadriceps) is practicing with the team and should start in the NFC title game against New Orleans on Sunday. The Bears are -2.5 on WagerWeb.com.

Suns Lose Thomas

By Marty Gitlin
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

It seemed as if nothing could go wrong with the Phoenix Suns this season. They have, after all, won 10 consecutive games, mostly by double-digits.

But they have taken a bit of a hit. Backup center Kurt Thomas will be out for 4-6 weeks with an elbow injury. He hyperextended the elbow in the first quarter of Monday’s win at Memphis.

Thomas is averaging 5.7 points and 5.7 rebounds a game this season.

The Suns must get along without him Wednesday night in Houston. WagerWeb.com lists Phoenix as a 5-point favorite. The Rockets will be playing the second of the toughest back-to-back games one can imagine in the NBA these days. They lost to Dallas, 109-96, Tuesday night, despite a 45-point effort by guard Tracy McGrady.

WELCOME, C-WEBB: Can Chris Webber rejuvenate the Detroit Pistons?

We won’t find out much Wednesday night.

The man who returned home will emerge from the bench and is expected to play only a few minutes at home against slumping Utah, which is a 2.5-point underdog, according to WagerWeb.com.

Webber made it official Tuesday when he signed a free agent contract with Detroit. He will play center for the Pistons after spending the vast majority of his career at power forward.

“I made the decision to come here based on (Pistons president) Joe Dumars, on coach (Flip Saunders) and the team,” Webber told the Detroit News. “I just feel renewed. I haven’t felt this good about the game in a long time. You know, I’m excited to be coming home, but I am more excited to be on this team. It would have been no fun to come home and play on a bad team.”

The 34-year-old Webber averaged 20 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game in Philadelphia last season, but reduced playing time and nagging injuries have cut those numbers in half this year.

“Any time you get a guy who has something to prove, you are getting him at his best,” Dumars told the assembled media at a press conference Tuesday. “He is coming back to Detroit with a lot to prove, basketball-wise and otherwise. You know, watching him play last year, he’s not the high-flying guy he once was, but he is still so much better than most of the guys at his position.”

The Pistons, who lost to Miami in the Eastern Conference finals last season, have slipped into second place in the Central Division, 1 ½ games behind Cleveland.

DRIBBLES: The return of guard Quentin Richardson from injury has allowed New York coach Isiah Thomas to play the starting lineup he envisioned before the season began. Richardson, however, will take a seat down the stretch while highly productive Jamal Crawford plays. WagerWeb.com lists New York as an 8-point underdog Wednesday night in Washington. … Oft-injured Cleveland off-guard Larry Hughes has been shooting miserably. He has 8 of 38 (21 percent) from the field in the last three games. He hopes to break out Wednesday night in Portland, where the Cavaliers are 3-point favorites, according to WagerWeb.com. … The Phoenix-Houston game isn’t the only featured attraction Wednesday night in the NBA. WagerWeb.com lists the Los Angeles Lakers as 8.5-point favorites at San Antonio.