Jim Harbaugh: NFL's read-option rules flawed, biased

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.nfl.com/">http://www.nfl.com</a><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222221; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/jimharbaugh/2515790/profile" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_3378" style="color: #364c88; text-decoration: none;">Jim Harbaugh</a> didn't like <a href="http://www.nfl.com/teams/greenbaypackers/profile?team=GB" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_3379" style="color: #364c88; text-decoration: none;">Green Bay Packers</a> linebacker <a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/claymatthews/80431/profile" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_3380" style="color: #364c88; text-decoration: none;">Clay Matthews</a>' "<a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000238292/article/niners-jim-harbaugh-condemns-packers-tough-talk" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_3381" style="color: #364c88; text-decoration: none;">tough talk</a>" about hitting read-option quarterbacks, so he <a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000238827/article/niners-jim-harbaugh-nfl-exec-discuss-qb-hit-rules" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_3382" style="color: #364c88; text-decoration: none;">contacted the NFL</a> earlier this week.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222221; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px;">The <a href="http://www.nfl.com/teams/sanfrancisco49ers/profile?team=SF" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_3383" style="color: #364c88; text-decoration: none;">San Francisco 49ers</a> coach said Friday he didn't care for the answers he got.</div><table align="right" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; color: #222221; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; width: 260pxpx;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); float: right; font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; margin: 5px; padding: 10px; width: 202px;"><a href="http://fantasy.nfl.com/?icampaign=news_include_fantasy_join" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_3384" style="color: #364c88; text-decoration: none;"><img align="right" border="0" src="http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/photo/2013/07/09/0ap1000000217012.jpg" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" /></a></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="background-color: white; color: #222221; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px;">"I think it's flawed and a bit biased," Harbaugh said of the league's response to his concerns about quarterback hits.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222221; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px;">Harbaugh then went on an approximately 5-minute monologue and discussion with reporters about the rule, which included him <a href="https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/376095167050031104" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_3385" style="color: #364c88; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">miming options</a> for how QBs might have to show they don't have the ball.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222221; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px;">"I'm not advocating that they don't hit the quarterback if he has the ball, but if he's in the pocket I believe there should be a strike zone." Harbaugh said. "Same strike zone that is given to the quarterback when he's in the pocket and throwing the ball. I feel like you give a license now to players to hit quarterbacks at the knee or in the head."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222221; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px;">Harbaugh explained that he was concerned that defenders would hit quarterbacks in the knee or head with an excuse that they couldn't tell if the QB had the ball and could be considered a running back.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222221; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px;"></div><div class="nfl-video-tag nfl-video-small nfl-video-right" id="vid2" style="background-color: white; clear: right; color: #222221; float: right; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 25px 10px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="yui3-widget yui3-nfl-video" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_1662" style="background-color: black; height: 216px; margin: 0px 0px 25px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 384px;"><div class="yui3-nfl-video-content yui3-widget-content-expanded" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_1664" style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 216px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 384px; z-index: 1;"></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222221; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222221; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px;">"By definition, a fake is a deception," Harbaugh said, continuing to voice his concern. "It is a deception, deceptive maneuver....Now are they opened up to being hit in the head and the knees, treated like a running back?...It seems like they would have more of an appetite to look at that, and they've said they don't have an appetite to look at it any further."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222221; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px;">The strong ending suggests Harbaugh isn't going to let the issue fade away.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222221; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px;">He did tell reporters his game plan wouldn't change or affect how he uses quarterback <a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/colinkaepernick/2495186/profile" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_3386" style="color: #364c88; text-decoration: none;">Colin Kaepernick</a>. At the very least Harbaugh has ensured refs will be keeping a close eye on all the hits Kaepernick takes <a href="http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2013090811/2013/REG1/packers@49ers" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_3387" style="color: #364c88; text-decoration: none;">Sunday</a> against the <a href="http://www.nfl.com/teams/greenbaypackers/profile?team=GB" id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_3388" style="color: #364c88; text-decoration: none;">Packers</a>.</div><div id="yui_3_10_3_1_1378573223851_3997" style="background-color: white; color: #222221; font-family: arial, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px !important; padding: 0px;"><br /></div></div><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-4973891917352186"; /* hotnewsof_main_Blog1_ */ google_ad_slot = "6959597717"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; //--></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script>

NFL Jim Harbaugh: NFL's read-option rules flawed, biased

http://www.nfl.com Jim Harbaugh  didn't like  Green Bay Packers  linebacker  Clay Matthews ' " tough talk " about hitting ...

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Broncos WR Eric Decker has a big fan in Denver coach John Fox

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/">http://www.denverpost.com</a><br /><br /></div><embed base="http://admin.brightcove.com" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=2652521699001&playerId=934052406&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" height="212" name="flashObj" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" seamlesstabbing="false" src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/934052406" swliveconnect="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="286"></embed> <br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="articleBody" id="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.640625px;"><div style="line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">Because his priorities are in the right place for a team mind-set, wide receiver Eric Decker left Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Thursday night in a good mood.</div><div style="line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">Decker's Broncos had won their season opener against the defending Super Bowl champion Ravens 49-27.</div><div style="line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">But of Peyton Manning's 27 completions for 462 yards, Decker caught only two for 32 yards. That led to an apologetic tweet to fans Friday morning.</div><div style="line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">"Much love to Broncos Country for reppin big last night! Big win! Def disappointed in my performance, unacceptable! Watch, learn, flush," Decker wrote on his Twitter account, @EricDecker87.</div><div style="line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">Decker ranked second in the NFL in touchdown catches last season with 13.</div><div style="line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">But in Thursday's game, Decker</div><div class="articlePosition2" style="float: left; margin: 10px 20px 10px 0px;"><div class="nestedFreeform" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 4px; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 3px; width: 200px;"><h1 style="background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgb(229, 235, 243) 0%, rgb(255, 255, 255) 50%); background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: rgb(57, 84, 122) !important; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; padding: 7px 0px 7px 10px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/broncosmailbagform" style="-webkit-transition: 0.1s ease-out; color: rgb(57, 84, 122) !important; text-decoration: none; transition: 0.1s ease-out;">SUBMIT A QUESTION</a></h1><span class="nf_content" style="display: block; font-size: 13px; padding: 10px 10px 10px 0px;"><div style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 8px; padding: 0px;">Mike Klis tackles readers' questions about the Denver Broncos and NFL.</div></span></div></div>had a drop in the end zone. Broncos coach John Fox isn't concerned.<div style="line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;"></div><div style="line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">"Eric is a heck of a player," Fox said. "As I've said many times, if you haven't been beaten or you haven't dropped a ball, you haven't played.</div><div style="line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">"None of these guys are perfect and we don't expect that, but you strive for that. Eric's that kind of competitor. I know he's disappointed, but it's a team game and people around him made plays. He'll get better. We have extreme, great confidence in Eric. I don't have any doubts he'll bounce back."</div><div style="line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;"><b>Some downtime. </b>The Broncos are taking Saturday and Sunday off, and while Fox acknowledged he has talked to them about staying out of trouble, he said he's not worried about what his players will be doing with their weekend off.</div><div style="line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;">"We feel confident they'll use (the time off) as rest," Fox said.</div><div style="line-height: 22.652px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;"><b>Footnotes. </b>Fox gave no injury updates Friday. ... He re- iterated that running back Knowshon Moreno made a start Thursday night because of his experience. "He's more seasoned. He's been in that spot more than our other guys," Fox said. "They are all very capable. I'm not slighting the others at all." <i>Christopher Dempsey, The Denver Post</i></div><br style="clear: both;" /><br style="clear: both;" /><br style="clear: both;" /><br style="clear: both;" /><br style="clear: both;" /><span fd-id="default" fd-type="end"></span></div><div class="articlePositionFooter" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.640625px;"><div id="mc-embed-container" style="width: 654px;"><div class="photo-gallery" id="mc-gallery-31685576" style="background-color: #222222; color: #222222; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto; width: 654px;"><div class="carousel slide" id="mc-embed-carousel31685576" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 23px; position: relative;"><div class="carousel-counter" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: absolute; right: 13.078125px; top: 45.765625px; z-index: 1;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 11.326px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">1</span>/5</div></div><div class="carousel-inner" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 654px;"><div class="item active" id="2747112583" style="-webkit-transition: left 0.6s ease-in-out; box-sizing: border-box; left: 0px; position: relative; transition: left 0.6s ease-in-out;"><div class="image-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 441.4375px; position: relative;"><img alt="Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas (80) celebrates a touchdown in the second quarter as the Denver Broncos took on the Baltimore Ravens in the first game of the 2013 NFL season at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver on September 5, 2013. (Photo by Joe Amon/The Denver Post)" src="http://mediacenter.smugmug.com/photos/i-MfB2sZB/0/L/i-MfB2sZB-L.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.6s ease-in-out; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0%; opacity: 1; position: relative; transition: all 0.6s ease-in-out; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" /></div><div class="carousel-caption" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.74902) !important; bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: 85px; left: 0px; padding: 15px; position: static; right: 0px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: -5px;">Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas (80) celebrates a touchdown in the second quarter as the Denver Broncos took on the Baltimore Ravens in the first game of the 2013 NFL season at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver on September 5, 2013. (Photo by Joe Amon/The Denver Post)</div></div></div></div><a class="left carousel-control" href="" id="mc-embed-prev-btn31685576" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; background-color: transparent; background-image: linear-gradient(to right, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)); background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 120px; left: 0px; line-height: 466px; opacity: 0.1; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 0px 1px 2px; top: 0px; transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; width: 98.09375px; z-index: 2;">‹</a><a class="right carousel-control" href="" id="mc-embed-next-btn31685576" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; background-color: transparent; background-image: linear-gradient(to right, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039)); background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; font-size: 120px; left: auto; line-height: 466px; opacity: 0.1; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-align: center; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 0px 1px 2px; top: 0px; transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out; width: 98.09375px; z-index: 2;">›</a></div></div></div><div class="clear" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 10px;"></div></div><span class="articleFooterLinks" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.640625px; text-align: center; width: auto;"></span><br /><div class="articleOptions" style="padding: 10px 0px 15px; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>

Eric Decker Broncos WR Eric Decker has a big fan in Denver coach John Fox

http://www.denverpost.com Because his priorities are in the right place for a team mind-set, wide receiver Eric Decker left Sports Authori...

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Costa Rica vs. USA: Final score 3-1, USMNT suffer big setback against the Ticos

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/">http://www.sbnation.com</a><br /><img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/19109229/179768111.0_standard_709.0.jpg" /><br /><div class="has-dropcap" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em;">The USMNT were in pole position in the hex when they headed down to Costa Rica. But that was never going to be an easy game, and with key players unfit to start (ace midfielder Michael Bradley was a late scratch) the USA found themselves behind early and unable to recover, eventually suffering a 3-1 loss that sees the hosts leapfrog their guests to take the lead in the hex.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/united-states" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">United States</a> were under siege from the off. The Ticos, hoping for revenge after the snowpocalypse in Colorado, swarmed over their guests immediately after kicking. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/players/110901/tim-howard" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Tim Howard</a> was forced to claw away a mis-hit shot from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/players/149822/bryan-ruiz" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Bryan Ruiz</a> that looked destined to find the back of the net, but that was only putting off the inevitable -- Jhonny Acosta netted from the resultant corner, rising to smash header straight through<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110917/damarcus-beasley" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">DaMarcus Beasley</a> at the near post.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">That was 1-0. Costa Rica weren't satisfied with 1-0. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/la-liga/players/141770/joel-campbell" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Joel Campbell</a> should have made it two from a Bryan Oviedo cross, and a left-sided overload resulted in the second in short order. Keylor Navas released the hosts after collecting a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/players/110933/clint-dempsey" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Clint Dempsey</a> bicycle kick, and Christian Bolanos sent in a cross which Celso Borges nodded past a wrong-footed Howard to double the lead.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">The rest of the half featured a slew of Ticos chances against a backdrop of terrified, lost-looking play from the USMNT. Bolanos wasted a chance to make it 3-0 when he was set free (he attempted a dive to make up for it, to no avail), while the USA had Howard to thank for stopping Campbell one on one.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">But somehow, miraculously, the visitors only went into the break down by one. A hopeful punt forward escaped <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/149729/fabian-johnson" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Fabian Johnson</a>, but the Hoffenheim man ended up getting wiped out in the area by Keylor Navas after the ball had passed the pair by. The referee pointed to the spot; Dempsey rifled home.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">The first half was dominated by Costa Rica, but their superiority was nowhere near as distinct after the interval. Dempsey had the next good chance after some excellent work from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110934/landon-donovan" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Landon Donovan</a> -- after being fed in the centre the Seattle Sounders man weaved his way around a defender before sending a cannon of a shot off Navas' right-hand post.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">The Ticoas still had more than their fair share of good moments, and one such attack forced <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/111180/geoff-cameron" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Geoff Cameron</a> to take a suspension when the defender-cum-midfielder took a yellow for bringing down Campbell on the run. In the 76th minute, the reason Cameron was willing to take a yellow to stop Campell became obvious -- the striker gave Costa Rica their two-goal lead back.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/players/110928/jozy-altidore" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Jozy Altidore</a> was conducting what seemed like a hugely promising attack down the USA left, and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/players/111128/michael-umana" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Michael Umana</a> fired a desperate clearance downfield. Somehow, that turned into a defense-annihilating through ball, with Campbell racing clear of both <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/players/111033/matt-besler" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Matt Besler</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/players/111207/omar-gonzalez" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Omar Gonzalez</a> before slotting past Howard to make the score 3-1. Seconds later, Besler was booked for a foul on the striker, earning him a suspension for the match against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/mexico" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Mexico</a>. Considering the way he defended on that goal, that might be a positive for the USA.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">Altidore was the next to get a suspension, because Altidore is silly. What a mess this game was.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Costa Rica starting lineup (4-4-2): </b>Keylor Navas; Bryan Oviedo, Johnny Acosta, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Michael Umana; Christian Bolanos, Yeltsin Tejada (Jose Cubero, 71'), Celso Borges, Cristian Gamboa; Joel Campbell, Bryan Ruiz (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/players/111238/alvaro-saborio" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Alvaro Saborio</a>, 80').</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Goals: </b>Acosta (2'), Borges (10'), Campbell (76').</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">USA starting lineup (4-2-3-1): </b>Tim Howard; Damarcus Beasley, Matt Besler, Omar Gonzalez, Michael Orozco; <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/149731/jermaine-jones" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Jermaine Jones</a>, Geoff Cameron; Fabian Johnson (Jozy Altiore, 73'), Landon Donovan, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/players/111053/graham-zusi" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Graham Zusi</a> (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/players/151612/eddie-johnson" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Eddie Johnson</a>, 58'); Clint Dempsey.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><b style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Goals: </b>Dempsey (43', p)</div></div>

Costa Rica vs. USA Costa Rica vs. USA: Final score 3-1, USMNT suffer big setback against the Ticos

http://www.sbnation.com The USMNT were in pole position in the hex when they headed down to Costa Rica. But that was never going to be an ea...

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Aaron Hernandez pleads not guilty to murder indictment

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/">http://www.usatoday.com</a><br /><img alt="hernandez 9.6.13" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/dbdde3c9a7abcaeab77bcf36a67f8ed3ffaba6b0/c=0-112-2614-2077&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/USATODAY/test/2013/09/06/1378491982000-GTY-177211711.jpg" /><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">FALL RIVER, Mass. — Six times on Friday a Superior Court clerk read a charge against Aaron Hernandez and asked for his plea, and six times the former New England Patriots tight end answered in a clear voice:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">"Not guilty."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">Hernandez is charged with first-degree murder in the June 17 killing of his friend Odin Lloyd, 27, a former semi-pro football player, and also faces five accompanying weapons charges.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">DATABASE: </span><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/arrests/" style="color: #1990e5; text-decoration: none;" title="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/arrests/">NFL player arrests since 2004</a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">Hernandez, wearing a navy blue suit jacket and white button-down shirt without a tie, was arraigned in a hearing that lasted a little more than 10 minutes in Bristol Superior Court.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">Hernandez's lawyers will ask for bail at an Oct. 9 hearing. Until then, he will remain held at a Bristol County correctional facility, where he has been since he was arrested at his North Attleborough, Mass., home on June 26. If convicted, Hernandez, who was released by the Patriots within hours of his arrest, faces a possible sentence of life in prison.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">Hernandez's attorneys will attack the circumstantial evidence against their client at the bail hearing next month, but bail is unlikely with other shooting investigations — with possible links to Hernandez — pending.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">His attorneys asked the public not to jump to conclusions. The information and evidence that has been released on this case has all been one-sided and untested, they said.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">Hernandez attorney Charles Rankin said investigators lack the evidence to convict Hernandez.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">"In a sense this is like the opening kick-off and we have a long way to go before the trial," Rankin said. "We're confident that at the end of the trial, Aaron will be exonerated.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">"As we explained in (pleadings) before Judge (Frances) McIntyre we are not going to try the case in the media and we would encourage everyone to keep an open mind. Not one shred of evidence has been presented yet and we feel confident that when evidence is finally presented in a court of law that Aaron will be exonerated.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">POLICE BLOTTER: </span><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/09/04/arrest-aaron-hernandez-roger-goodell-dui-assault/2764291/" style="color: #1990e5; text-decoration: none;" title="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/09/04/arrest-aaron-hernandez-roger-goodell-dui-assault/2764291/">NFL arrests persist after turbulent offseason</a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">"Unnamed sources quoted in the media are not authoritative. They can't be questioned, they can't be cross-examined, they're not reliable. So, at the end of the day, we're confident that Aaron is going to be exonerated and we look forward to that process. In the meantime we would encourage people to keep an open mind, let the lawyers and the justice system do its job and we'll see you in another month."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">Rankin did not take questions from reporters.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">Bristol County district attorney Sam Sutter expressed confidence in the prosecution's evidence.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">"Everybody here heard two bail arguments on successive days on June 26 and June 27," Sutter said. "Over 500 pages of documents have been released to the press and the public. Those include applications for search warrants, returns on search warrants, still photographs from video surveillance, Trooper (Eric) Benson's comprehensive arrest warrant report. So I think that evidence speaks for itself."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">Asked specifically what the evidence reveals, Sutter replied: "That I think would be giving you my opinion about the evidence and that specifically I cannot do. There has been a tremendous amount of commentary about the evidence and, as I said, there's a tremendous amount of evidence. So I'll stand on what I said."</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">Sutter said prosecutors would "absolutely" oppose bail for Hernandez.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;"><img alt="The life of Aaron Hernandez, 23, has been checkered by tragedy, triumph and controversy." src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/f40f3606fa7f520417c0c9e02d7aa7a371d004ba/r=x513&c=680x510/local/-/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/07/09/1373404817000-xthumb-1307091721_4_3.jpg" /></div></div>

Aaron Hernandez murder NFL player arrests Aaron Hernandez pleads not guilty to murder indictment

http://www.usatoday.com FALL RIVER, Mass. — Six times on Friday a Superior Court clerk read a charge against Aaron Hernandez and asked for h...

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Mexico vs. Honduras: Final score 1-2 as El Tri melts down

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/">http://www.sbnation.com</a><br /><img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/19109311/174123120.0_standard_709.0.jpg" /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; font-style: italic; line-height: 30px;">Will 'Chepo' Jose Manuel de la Torre even be allowed to get onto the team plane to Ohio?</span><br /><br /><div class="has-dropcap" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em;">Horrendous home performances have become the norm for Mexico under 'Chepo' Jose Manuel de la Torre, but even the most pessimistic of Mexico supporters probably didn't think they'd see as disastrous of a second half as they saw at Estadio Azteca on Friday night. El Tri were horrible in every aspect of the game, letting <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/honduras" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Honduras</a> quickly turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead, then hold onto it easily for a massive upset win.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/mexico" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Mexico's</a> only goal, scored just six minutes in, was an absolute beauty and inspired hope in fans that their team had finally brought something different to a big match. Giovani dos Santos set up the goal with a stellar solo run through the center of the pitch and a square ball for <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/141626/oribe-peralta" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Oribe Peralta</a>, who finished off the quick counter-attacking move. Unfortunately for the home fans, that was the last bit of impressive attacking they'd see in the match.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">Hondruas subbed on Jerry Bengtson for <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/players/111019/andy-najar" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; text-decoration: none;">Andy Najar</a> at halftime and began to play more direct balls to their strikers in the second half. The tactical switch turned out to be a stroke of genius.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">Bengtson netted the surprise equalizer in the 64th minute, finishing off a bit of a poacher's effort following a scramble in the box, where Jose Corona saved Carlo Costly's initial shot. Two minutes later, Costly got on the board himself with an incredibly impressive show of athleticism. He ran onto a through ball by Emilio Izaguirre, shouldered Diego Reyes off the ball and finished to the far post to give Los Catrachos a stunning lead.</div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">In a desperation move, Chepo subbed on striker 'Chicharito' Javier Hernandez for defensive midfielder Gerardo Torrado. While it gave El Tri another body in the box, it also made it easier for Honduras to relieve pressure and counter through the center. Chicharito hit the crossbar in the 88th minute, recording Mexico's only real scoring chance after the Honduras goals, and the visitors held on for a massive win that could cost Chepo his job.</div></div>

Mexico vs. Honduras: Final score 1-2 as El Tri melts down Mexico vs. Honduras: Final score 1-2 as El Tri melts down

http://www.sbnation.com Will 'Chepo' Jose Manuel de la Torre even be allowed to get onto the team plane to Ohio? Horrendous home per...

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US Open 2013: Serena Williams breaks Li Na's resistance to reach final

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/">http://www.theguardian.com</a><br /><h1 itemprop="name headline " style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 128, 0); border-collapse: collapse; border-left-color: rgb(0, 128, 0); border-right-color: rgb(0, 128, 0); border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 2.166em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.154; margin: 0px 0px 2px; padding: 0px; width: 460px;">US Open 2013: Serena Williams breaks Li Na's resistance to reach final</h1><div class="stand-first-alone" data-component="Article:standfirst_cta" id="stand-first" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.333em; line-height: 1.25; padding: 0px 0px 34px; width: 460px;">• Williams cruises to a 6-0, 6-3 victory despite Li's last stand<br style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />• American faces Victoria Azarenka in repeat of last year's final</div><div class="stand-first-alone" data-component="Article:standfirst_cta" id="stand-first" itemprop="description" style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.333em; line-height: 1.25; padding: 0px 0px 34px; width: 460px;"><img alt="Tennis. US Open. New York" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/pictures/2013/9/7/1378512716223/Tennis.-US-Open.-New-York-008.jpg" /><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Serena Williams celebrates her victory over Li Na in the US Open semi-final. Photograph: Tim Clayton/Corbis</span></div><div id="article-body-blocks" style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 13px; padding: 0px;"><strong style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></strong></div><div style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 13px; padding: 0px;">There comes a point in any <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/tennis" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Tennis">tennis</a> match involving <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/serena-williams" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Serena Williams">Serena Williams</a> at her rampant best when there is no point at all. Li Na struck that wall on Friday, despite a noble but doomed effort at the end, as she was led towards the exit in her first US Open semi-final.</div><div style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 13px; padding: 0px;">Williams, the four-times champion, goes into Sunday's final against Victoria Azarenka for a re-run of last year's decider positively glowing after another absolute towelling of an opponent. Li, whose hitherto solid forehand and serve let her down, at least inspired raucous support for saving six match points in her concluding service game. It lasted nearly quarter of an hour, it was brave, it brought the crowd to a pitch of excitement and it was too late. When the excitement died down, Williams took the ball in her hand, went up to the service line and rounded out a 6-0, 6-3 victory.</div><div style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 13px; padding: 0px;">Williams, who did just enough in a disappointing match, has lost only 16 games in 12 sets, inflicting five bagels on her opponents, daunting numbers for Azarenka to contemplate. "It was a good match," Williams said. "It got tough at the end, I got a little nervous but I was able to close it out eventually. To be out here and hear, 'Go Serena, go Serena', I really mean it, makes me feel so special."</div><div style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 13px; padding: 0px;">"We always have really good matches," the world No 1 said of Azarenka, with whom she is developing an interesting and amicable rivalry. "I look forward to it. She lifts her game whenever it counts, and that's the difference."</div><div style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 13px; padding: 0px;">Azarenka, the second seed, was nearly as dominant over the Italian world No83 Flavia Pennetta, winning 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 34 minutes. The first semi-final in the Arthur Ashe Stadium hit no great heights and was riddled with errors, the struggle coming in the first set rather than the second.</div><div style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 13px; padding: 0px;">On her third set point, for instance, Azarenka pushed a sloppy ground stroke wide and they remained stuck on deuce. She double-faulted on her fourth set point, again followed by a killer cross-court volley for her fifth chance to take the session, but Pennetta's power got her back to deuce.</div><div style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 13px; padding: 0px;">It took a special effort to convert the sixth opportunity, a dink into open court at the end of a see-sawing exchange close to the net. The second set got away from the Italian and Azarenka finished with a flourish, sending her by now shredded opponent the wrong way as she placed a controlled volley into an empty court.</div></div></div>

US Open 2013: Serena Williams breaks Li Na's resistance to reach final US Open 2013: Serena Williams breaks Li Na's resistance to reach final

http://www.theguardian.com US Open 2013: Serena Williams breaks Li Na's resistance to reach final • Williams cruises to a 6-0, 6-3 victo...

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What Does the Fox Say? The Viral Music Video Isn’t Totally Wrong

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">From:<a href="http://www.wired.com/">http://www.wired.com</a></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jofNR_WkoCE?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe> <br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; padding: 0px;">Prepare yourself: The latest viral music hit has arrived. It’s called “The Fox,” a hilarious and maddeningly infectious song by Ylvis, a pair of Norwegian variety show brothers. The video, which involves people dressed up as animals dancing around in the woods while Bård and Vegard Ylvisåker croon ”dog goes woof/ cat goes meow/ bird goes tweet/ mouse goes squeak,” has acquired nearly 3 million hits on YouTube in three days. If you’ve already seen “The Fox,” it’s probably left you with plenty of questions of your own. Like, “Why am I still hopelessly stuck on the insanely catchy clutches of a song about animal noises?” and “Should I be reevaluating my own understanding of animal noises? Do elephants really go … “toot”? And of course, the most important question of all: “Wait, seriously, what sound <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">does</em> a fox make?”</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; padding: 0px;">The song proposes a number of different possible fox vocalizations:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; padding: 0px;">– “Gering-ding-ding-ding-ringerdingering”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />– “Wa-po-po-po-po-po-pow”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />– “Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />– “Joff-tchoff-tchoffo-tchoffo-tchoff”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />– “Chacha-chacha-chacha-chow”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />– “Fraka-kaka-kaka-kaka-kow”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />– “A-hee-ahee ha-hee”<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />– “A-oo-oo-oo-ooo”</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; padding: 0px;">Yes,<wbr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></wbr> they’re funny — spit-take funny,<wbr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></wbr> even,<wbr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></wbr> especially when they drop right when you’re expecting a big musical breakdown (and “sung” by a Santa type telling his grandson a bedtime story),<wbr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></wbr> but could they actually be accurate? While <a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-09/what-sound-does-fox-make" style="color: #007ca5; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Popular Science has already consulted with some experts</a>, we went digging and found some field recordings from the <a href="http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/101092" style="color: #007ca5; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology</a>, an audio archive that contains over <a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/01/macaulay-animal-sounds/" style="color: #007ca5; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">9,000 different species</a>, which may definitively answer the question that burns at the heart of the Ylvis song (at least for a few varieties of fox).</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; padding: 0px;">While we were tragically unable find any evidence of foxes with the ability to funky scat, like the CGI fox that appears at the finale of the song, it turns out the “The Fox” may actually be more on-point than its mindblowingly shrill breakdowns suggest.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; padding: 0px;">Consider the red fox, a.k.a. <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">vulpes vulpes</em>. <strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">This Ontario red fox</strong>, recorded by William W. H. Gunn in 1966, is <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">clearly</em> employing a low-key version of <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Chacha-chacha-chacha-chow</em>:</div></div>

What Does the Fox Say What Does the Fox Say? The Viral Music Video Isn’t Totally Wrong

From: http://www.wired.com Prepare yourself: The latest viral music hit has arrived. It’s called “The Fox,” a hilarious and maddeningly inf...

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Welcome to my Blog!

<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hi! Its Scola!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lately I've been reading a lot of blogs and i must admit I've fallen in love! Blogging is so different from Vlogging (Video blogging) and though as a film student, video will forever be my favourite format, i do love a good blog too! </span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now seems like the perfect time to open up my own blog because i'm going to be back at college in the next week (not university! college in England is just your last 2 years of high school)</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know what you're thinking, if i'm going to have less time on my hands, why would this be a good time to start a blog?! well my loves, blogging is much less time consuming than producing a whole video or individually replying to you all. So when i'm tight on time but i have a ton of ideas/advice, i can do a blog post! </span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Plus this blog will enable me to give you guys so much more support!<br />Recipes, workout plans, meal plans, specific topics, fitness fashion, food reviews, product reviews and also my own little diary. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I really hope you're all as excited as i am! I can't wait to get started!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Stay healthy</span><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">x</span>

fitness blog Introduction new scola dondo vlogger welcome Welcome to my Blog!

Hi! Its Scola! Lately I've been reading a lot of blogs and i must admit I've fallen in love! Blogging is so different from Vlogging ...

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Today's Teamster News 09.07.13

<a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/hoffa-signs-agreement-brazil-union-leader" rel="nofollow">Hoffa Signs Agreement With Brazil Union Leader</a>  teamster.org   ...Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa and a top Brazilian labor leader inked an agreement today in Washington that will allow unions in the U.S. and Brazil to better work together and advocate for one another...<br /><a href="http://www.teamsters117.org/darigold_picket" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Hold “Just Practicing” Picket at Darigold</a>  Teamsters Local 117  ...Teamster production workers and lab technicians who work at Darigold participated in “just practicing” picketing actions on Thursday at the company’s facilities in Issaquah and Seattle in protest to the company’s refusal to bargain in good faith...<br /><a href="http://www.lakeconews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32924:teamsters-settle-on-contract-with-lake-transit-operator&catid=1:latest&Itemid=197" rel="nofollow">Teamsters settle on contract with Lake Transit operator</a>  Lake County News   ...On Thursday, the nonprofit that operates Lake Transit Authority reached an agreement for a new three-year contract with union-represented workers who had gone out on two separate strikes this summer...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/teamster-locals-support-aggressive-measures-protect-contract" rel="nofollow">Teamster Locals Support Aggressive Measures to Protect Contract</a>   teamster.org   ...Yesterday, Teamster Local Unions that represent more than 1,000 Allied Systems Holding workers unanimously supported informing its members on the need to take aggressive action – up to and including a lawful strike – if the current Black Diamond/Spectrum bid to buy Allied proceeds and is approved by the bankruptcy court on Tuesday, Sept. 10...<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-outline-level: 2;"><a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-rt-us-usa-districtofcolumbia-walmart-20130905,0,7843714.story" rel="nofollow">Wal-Mart and Washington D.C. in minimum wage showdown </a>  Reuters   ...District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray could decide soon whether to sign a minimum wage bill that could discourage Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's biggest retailer, from opening stores in the U.S. capital...<br /><a href="http://mynorthwest.com/76/2347776/Why-some-Walmart-workers-arent-happy" rel="nofollow">Walmart workers tell us why they're protesting</a>  KIRO Radio   ...Walmart workers were protesting in the Puget Sound region and around the country Thursday, prompting <a href="http://mynorthwest.com/category/dori_monson/" rel="nofollow">KIRO Radio's Dori Monson</a> to invite a few on the show to find out why...<br /><a href="http://citizen.typepad.com/eyesontrade/2013/09/exports-fall-short-under-korea-fta-for-16-out-of-16-months.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+eyesontrade+%28Eyes+on+Trade%29" rel="nofollow">Exports Fall Short under Korea FTA for 16 out of 16 months</a>  Public Citizen   ...<a href="http://dataweb.usitc.gov/">government trade data</a> released this week douses Obama's export promise with another bucket of cold reality. Under the Korea "free trade" agreement (FTA), a model for the TPP, U.S. exports have been steadily falling, imports have been rising, and job-displacing trade deficits have surged...<br /><a href="http://www.tradereform.org/2013/09/enormous-humongous-trade-deficit-grows/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=enormous-humongous-trade-deficit-grows" rel="nofollow">Enormous, Humongous Trade Deficit Grows</a>  Trade Reform   ...So our vast, humongous, enormous, out-of-control trade deficit continues its upward trajectory, sucking more jobs and money from our economy. Our deficit with China, of course, is the biggest factor...<br /><a href="http://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/item/16480-monsanto-and-walmart-influence-secret-tpp-negotiations" rel="nofollow">Monsanto and Walmart Influence Secret TPP Negotiations</a>  New American   ...The 12 countries involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade group<a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/kyodo-news-international/130904/tpp-countries-negotiate-tariffs-washington-late-sept" rel="nofollow"> reportedly plan to hammer out an agreement on tariffs </a>during meetings late September. Although the American people (and the people of all nations involved in the pact) are prevented from participating or even watching the various rounds of meetings, global multi-nationals Monsanto and Walmart will help draft the agreement...<br /><a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/06/3609028/us-employers-add-169k-jobs-rate.html" rel="nofollow">US employers add 169K jobs, rate falls to 7.3 pct</a>  Associated Press   ...U.S. employers added 169,000 jobs in August and much fewer in July than previously thought. Hiring has slowed from the start of the year and could complicate the Federal Reserve's decision later this month on whether to reduce its bond purchases...<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/06/ignore-the-headline-this-was-a-very-bad-jobs-report/" rel="nofollow">Ignore the headlines. This was a very bad jobs report.</a>  Washington Post   ...in almost all the particulars, you can find signs that this job market is weaker than it appeared just a few months ago, and maybe getting worse...<br /><a href="http://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/education/the-stem-crisis-is-a-myth" rel="nofollow">The STEM Crisis Is a Myth</a>  IEEE Spectrum   ...wages for U.S. workers in computer and math fields have largely stagnated since 2000. Even as the Great Recession slowly recedes, STEM workers at every stage of the career pipeline, from freshly minted grads to mid- and late-career Ph.D.s, still struggle to find employment as many companies, including Boeing, IBM, and Symantec, continue to lay off thousands of STEM workers...<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/12/us-usa-fiscal-social-idUSBRE93A19320130412" rel="nofollow">Both parties wary of Obama's proposal to cut Social Security</a>  Reuters   ...Republicans, Democrats and even the White House distanced themselves Thursday from President Barack Obama's proposal to trim Social Security and other safety-net benefits, illustrating yet again the difficulty of reaching a bargain to reduce spending and tame the deficit...<br /><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/theemploymentbeat/2013/09/05/new-osha-form-will-fan-the-flames-in-whistle-blower-filings/" rel="nofollow">New OSHA Form Will Fan The Flames In Whistle-Blower Filings</a>  Forbes   ...OSHA’s newly approved procedure for whistle-blower retaliation complaints—which allows individuals to file a claim just by completing a simple online form, available 24 hours a day—is sure to spike the already mushrooming claim rate...<br /><a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/boomerconsumer/2013/09/06/ftc-asks-court-to-shut-down-phony-payday-loan-broker/" rel="nofollow">FTC asks court to shut down phony payday loan broker</a> Seattle Post-Intelligencer   ...At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. district court has halted <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/1323055/130904vantagetro.pdf" rel="nofollow">a Tampa, Fla.-based operation</a> that promised to help consumers get payday loans. Instead of loans, the defendants used consumers’ personal financial information to debit their bank accounts in increments of $30 without their authorization, the FTC alleges...<br /><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/07/us-usa-chicago-midway-idUSBRE98601B20130907" rel="nofollow">Chicago mayor may still seek airport deal after talks called off</a>  Reuters   ...Emanuel late Thursday halted the city's efforts to privatize operations of Chicago's second-largest airport after one bidding consortium pulled out, leaving the city with only one prospective bidder...</div>

Today's Teamster News 09.07.13

Hoffa Signs Agreement With Brazil Union Leader   teamster.org   ...Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa and a top Brazilian labor lead...

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THE CASPIAN REGION: A FUTURE WAR ZONE?

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font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style><![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOZvZleP-z9m3n6Oo2BOCbO3ulNFNqtkfi5U-pInAwx0EjF85Lt-kkOg1mzMyDOoO18CBpOEb6AmP39j0wDxl6Ha7QKjCxJFumUqvbAog31rNc-ByZN8u6XwdV2-B1GW__ukkDWFope4S/s1600/casp6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcOZvZleP-z9m3n6Oo2BOCbO3ulNFNqtkfi5U-pInAwx0EjF85Lt-kkOg1mzMyDOoO18CBpOEb6AmP39j0wDxl6Ha7QKjCxJFumUqvbAog31rNc-ByZN8u6XwdV2-B1GW__ukkDWFope4S/s400/casp6.jpg" width="316" /></a></b></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">AZERBAIJAN AND THE TRANS - ADRIATIC ENERGY PROJECT</span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Via Stratrisks</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Geopolitical importance of the CASPIAN basin is reaching new levels amid growing conflict zones throughout the world.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1szy5Z9xKXptHodh7k_jWyGmruWetBen3aaFl1uBcXTw0geGrxyQQgPNeUkfvwSrK9nX3MbXFdGQ9ga-d-sHvOmvv5b8s1NqjRegJjuCaJFnNgg8DlToTLLi86GVa7k79VRVtXE3w4ar/s1600/cap9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1szy5Z9xKXptHodh7k_jWyGmruWetBen3aaFl1uBcXTw0geGrxyQQgPNeUkfvwSrK9nX3MbXFdGQ9ga-d-sHvOmvv5b8s1NqjRegJjuCaJFnNgg8DlToTLLi86GVa7k79VRVtXE3w4ar/s400/cap9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Regional countries` are showing off their naval muscles at sea, increased military exercise activities cause several questions as regards to the future of the region. Experts analyze these processes from different aspects, with the threat of war looming in the region.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>Background Information:</b> </span> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;"><span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">THE WINNING FORMULA TO DESTABILIZE RUSSIA’S CAUCASUS AND THE MIDDLE EAST <a href="http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2012/09/dagestan-syria-comes-to-russia.html">http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.co.at/2012/09/dagestan-syria-comes-to-russia.html</a></span></b></span></span></span><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Geopolitical processes around the CASPIAN basin appear to be intensifying. The region has always been a focal point of the superpowers, in recent past however the issue has reached a new geopolitical level and it`s what attracts the attention of experts. Firstly, the battle for the region`s energy resources has in fact begun. This started after AZERBAIJAN expressed preference for the Trans-Adriatic energy project.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">AZERBAIJAN`S eco - strategic decision changed the geopolitical dynamics in the CASPIAN basin. Some countries look enviously at this project, which opens ample opportunities, including CENTRAL ASIA for energy resource distribution to the West. In reality, these entities are concerned about the fact that they have no mechanisms of pressure against AZERBAIJAN, which is pursuing its independent policy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tension caused by the struggle for energy recourses of the region was evident by the behavior of some neighboring countries one or two years ago. Last year, for example, Deutsche Welle said that “TURKMENISTAN confirmed its participation in the militarization of the CASPIAN” (by conducting exercises – Newtimes.az). The major reason behind this was “the IRANIAN crisis and contradictions among CASPIAN littoral states”.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CASPIAN BASIN: INCREASED FOCAL POINT OF WEST AND EAST</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Certainly geopolitical developments with respect to IRAN have influence of what is going on in the CASPIAN basin. However, it would not be right to link all factors to only this. Energy recourses of the USA, EUROPEAN UNION, RUSSIA and CHINA as well as their struggle for geopolitical dominance should also be taken into account, for they play a central role in the geopolitical processes taking place in the CASPIAN basin.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Western media reports have recently said that RUSSIA and IRAN plan to hold a combined naval exercise in the CASPIAN SEA. Richard Weitz, a senior fellow and director of the Center for Political-Military Affairs at Hudson Institute, believes that “Caspian complexities block RUSSIA-IRAN naval axis” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(see: Richard Weitz. Global Insights: Caspian Complexities Block Russia-Iran Naval Axis // “World Politics Review”, 2 July, 2013).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">QUARREL OVER CASPIAN SEA EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMplPhBaDQNhftut7A6yA4aCx47FsPOc0_Bptnzx2r5W8ChtrSE4Ja2IcScMIZh8FmrUPLfIMHVo9zvaMIwI2GscWoHZOsI1yXVVLcZX_F6hZRpBpM5x9gypOh55z-oOJonC-fpjJqQTs/s1600/casp5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMplPhBaDQNhftut7A6yA4aCx47FsPOc0_Bptnzx2r5W8ChtrSE4Ja2IcScMIZh8FmrUPLfIMHVo9zvaMIwI2GscWoHZOsI1yXVVLcZX_F6hZRpBpM5x9gypOh55z-oOJonC-fpjJqQTs/s400/casp5.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But why has the situation turned so complex? The central issue here is the fact that the superpowers have failed to reach consensus with respect to the issues of regional security and the use of energy resources of the region. Against this backdrop, the situation has become tense in the CASPIAN region and the superpowers started showing off their military muscles in the basin.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Another potential for conflict is the growing competition in the region by CASPIAN bordering states` failure to define a CASPIAN SEA exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The main reason as to why the CASPIAN SEA EEZ has not yet been defined is that each littoral state has its own view of the division of the sea. Their positions have been thoroughly analyzed so far. CASPIAN bordering states have failed to reach consensus since the problem emerged. Although RUSSIA, AZERBAIJAN and KAZAKHSTAN signed some document on delimitation, TURKMENISTAN and IRAN remain opposed to it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In general there is not a shared stance on how to divide the oil-rich sea bed among the littoral states. What deters RUSSIA and IRAN is that dividing the sea into “national sectors” will give AZERBAIJAN full independence. TURKMENISTAN, which seeks the biggest share of energy resources, is opposed to Baku`s proposal.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">GEOPOLITICAL STORM IN THE CASPIAN SEA</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are two main factors causing tension in the CASPIAN SEA basin. First, certain regional states are concerned about AZERBAIJAN`S strengthening policy of independence. This is why they raise the issue of TURKMENISTAN. Secondly, RUSSIA, CHINA and the USA cannot define who will be playing the role of the regional leader. This paves the way towards a dangerous trend – namely showing off military muscles in the CASPIAN. It`s no coincidence that RUSSIAN media publishes headlines such as “A geopolitical storm in the CASPIAN SEA”. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RUSSIA and KAZAKHSTAN launched military exercises in the CASPIAN SEA. President Putin, during his visit to AZERBAIJAN, was accompanied by DAGESTAN missile ships. Military experts believe that there are three reasons why the navy ships accompanied Mr Putin to AZERBAIJAN`S capital. Firstly, RUSSIA intends to protect its geopolitical interests in the wake of the WEST`S increasing role in the region. Secondly, Moscow pursues certain economic interests in the region. Thirdly, there is a growing necessity for a joint venture in fighting terrorism.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #cc0000;">INCREASED INFILTRATION OF RADICAL ELEMENTS IN THE REGION</span> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Many political analysts believe that combating radical groups on an international scale has become a pressing issue for the region. Various sources believe that Al-Qaeda is divided into several small uncontrolled cells which are becoming an increasing threat. Interestingly to note is that one of the possible approaches to the new threat of terrorism is to try to convince local governments to fight the terrorists.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This means that the USA are not the only focal point of radical religious groups for even <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>countries with considerable amount of Muslim citizens are increasingly becoming targets themselves, a trend which could have fatal consequences. In this context it is understandable that RUSSIA is starting to take serious anti-terror measures near its southern borders. However, there is another issue worthwhile to notes:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For the West, the geopolitical aspect and anti-terror war are closely interconnected. Thus it is extremely difficult to define where to cross the line between these two notions. Furthermore, when talking about the “fight against terrorism”, the West refers mostly to Muslim radical groups, which seems to casts a shadow on a threat like the ARMENIAN terror. It appears that countries like AZERBAIJAN are unilaterally involved in the anti-terror war in the interests of Western powers which causes provoking consequences. Western as well as Eastern entities, for geopolitical reasons, want to bring young independent countries under their geopolitical umbrella under the pretext to fend off terrorism. In this sense, efforts like conducting military exercises in a region like the CASPIAN basin and provoking new controversies over energy transportation routes are becoming extremely dangerous.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-40XMcLWOJDKV6ddqdQbVwwp_avH5Va5HcNx3rDN-uG_br9jE-8Oof9g0UWboy0iFFdfbiL8gxsYzFt-XPb09BNND_ayRK1by14w8qqoF61bdrh6jAf8e1C6zRVTHASbADhI3Cbok9yG0/s1600/casp4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-40XMcLWOJDKV6ddqdQbVwwp_avH5Va5HcNx3rDN-uG_br9jE-8Oof9g0UWboy0iFFdfbiL8gxsYzFt-XPb09BNND_ayRK1by14w8qqoF61bdrh6jAf8e1C6zRVTHASbADhI3Cbok9yG0/s320/casp4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The aforementioned analysis showcases that it is well worth considering that against the background of the strengthening competition in the CASPIAN basin, showing military muscles is a priority. The region`s geopolitical importance has undoubtedly increased. And the fact that this process is taking place amid the geopolitical struggle between the USA and RUSSIA points to the existence of certain threats. Resorting to weapons can provoke serious negative impacts in the CAUCASUS-CENTRAL ASIA region. </span></div>

THE CASPIAN REGION: A FUTURE WAR ZONE?

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