Rafael Nadal seals Davis Cup for Spain

Rafael Nadal beat Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in a thrilling match to secure the Davis Cup for Spain. World number two Nadal lost six games in a row in the first set but came back superbly to win a high-class encounter 1-6 6-4 6-1 7-6 (7-0) in Seville.

The victory was his 16th successive win in Davis Cup singles on clay and gave the hosts an unassailable 3-1 lead.
However Nadal said his busy schedule, which includes the Olympics, meant he would not play Davis Cup in 2012.
His success secured Spain's fifth Davis Cup title and their third in four years, while Argentina have yet to win it.

"Today is one of the most emotional days of my career," said Nadal, 25, after winning the title for the third time.
"After such a difficult year, this was a spectacular finale to the season. To win a final this way is very special.
"We are very grateful to all the people of Spain. It was the best atmosphere I have experienced in my career.
"Next year I will not play. Next year is a very complex year. It's an Olympic year. I have been, for many years, one of the players that plays the highest number of games in a year, and I don't want to over play.
"So next year, since it's an Olympic year, my participation in the Davis Cup is impossible."
A strangely out-of-sorts Nadal broke Del Potro in the first game but his opponent battled his way back into the match and dominated the Spaniard's serve to take the opening set to the delight of the Argentine fans in the 28,000 Olympic Stadium.

However, Nadal's indomitable spirit helped him halt Del Potro's run and he took the second set with a typically aggressive display that was greeted by a huge roar from the home supporters.
The 10-time Grand Slam winner took the third set in commanding style and the result looked to be a formality with Del Potro, who lost a near five-hour epic to David Ferrer on the opening day, seemingly tiring.
But, as the tension grew with each point, the 11th-ranked Argentine dug deep and produced a series of magnificent winners to keep the tie alive, taking 10 points in a row and then breaking the Spaniard in the eighth game to give himself the chance to serve for the set.

However, amid increasing noise from the crowd, Nadal went on the attack and broke Del Potro's serve to level the set again.
Nadal broke his opponent again but Del Potro was not beaten yet and broke back immediately, firing a blistering forehand winner to take the set into a tie-break, in which the left-hander was unstoppable.
"On home clay they are probably one of the best teams in history," Argentina captain Tito Vazquez said after Spain stretched their record home winning streak to 21 series.
Del Potro left the court in tears for the second time in three days, having also let slip a lead in his five-set loss in his opening singles match.

"Both my colleagues and I must be happy that we have done a good job, not only in this tie but the whole Davis Cup," said 23-year-old Del Potro.
"We could fight Spain on home turf and we could feel that we could beat them.
"But beyond the defeat, I am particularly happy because of what the team gave me and what my colleagues gave me and their support so that I could play better."
SOURCE:BBC SPORTS

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Tiger Woods ends 2-year victory drought/ AP

Tiger Woods holds his trophy after winning the Chevron World Challenge golf tournament at Sherwood Country Club, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — After going more than two years and 26 tournaments without a win, and after so much turmoil in his personal life and with his golf game, Tiger Woods stood over a 6-foot birdie putt Sunday to win the Chevron World Challenge and felt as though nothing had changed.
Finally, the outcome was familiar, too.

Woods poured in the putt to cap off a birdie-birdie finish at Sherwood, close with a 3-under 69 and beat former Masters champion Zach Johnson by one shot. The win ended a drought that lasted 749 days, and might have signaled a change that Woods is on his way back.
He swept his arm across the air, yelled through the din of the gallery and slammed his fist in a celebration that was a long time coming.
"It just feels awesome whatever it is," he said.

Trailing by one shot with two holes to play, Woods came up with two clutch putts. He holed a 15-footer for birdie on the par-3 17th to pull into a tie with Johnson, then hit a 9-iron from 158 yards that landed on the ridge behind the hole and rolled down to 6 feet.
"I've been in contention twice this year, which is not very often," Woods said. "So that's my third time with a chance to win it. I pulled it off this time."
It was his 83rd win worldwide in tournaments that award ranking points, but his first since he won the Australian Masters on Nov. 15, 2009, back when he looked as though he would rule golf for as long as he played.

But he crashed his car into a fire hydrant outside his Florida home on Thanksgiving night, and shocking revelations of extramarital affairs began to emerge, which shattered his image, led to a divorce and cost him four major sponsors. Since then, he has changed swing coaches, caddies and endured more injuries, causing him to miss two majors and fail to make the cut in another.
Now, however, it looks clear that Woods is on an upward path.
"If the man is healthy, that's paramount," Johnson said. "I mean, he's the most experienced and the best player I've ever played with. In every situation, he knows how to execute and win."
Even though those situations have been rare, Woods looked as though he had not forgotten how to win. The only other times he has been in contention this year were the Masters and the Australian Open.
"I felt normal, felt very comfortable," Woods said. "I've been here so many times that, you know, I just feel very comfortable being here in this position. Was I nervous? Absolutely. Always nervous in that position. But it's a comfortable feeling, and I enjoy being in that position. For some reason, it's kind of a comfort to be in there with a chance to win."

Woods won the Chevron World Challenge, which he hosts for his foundation, for the fifth time. He finished at 10-under 278 and donated the $1.2 million to his foundation.
The win moved him from No. 52 to No. 21 in the world ranking, and likely will send expectations soaring for 2012. Woods will not play again until starting his year in Abu Dhabi at the end of January.
If this win felt differently than the last one, Woods wasn't saying.
"They all feel good," he said. "They're not easy. People don't realize how hard it is to win golf tournaments. I've gone on streaks where I've won golf tournaments in a row, but still ... I don't think I've taken it for granted. And I know because of how hard it is."
He had a worthy adversary in Johnson, who had a one-shot lead going into the final round and trailed for only three holes. Johnson tied Woods with a birdie on the par-5 13th, made an unlikely par on the 14th by chipping from the bottom of the green, and appeared to seize control by holing a 12-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole.

Johnson thought his birdie putt on the 17th was good all the way until it burned the edge of the cup. Woods, running out of time, drained his birdie putt to force a tie and send the tournament to the 18th. Johnson missed a 15-foot birdie try, leaving the stage to Woods.
Johnson closed with a 71 and still took home $650,000 for the holidays. Paul Casey, who opened with a 79, had his third straight round in the 60s to finish alone in third at 5 under.
"Tiger can have a long career," Casey said when he finished. "We might look back in another 10 years and actually forget about the last couple of years."
Woods had a four-shot lead over Graeme McDowell a year ago, a margin that evaporated quickly when Woods showed early signs of a struggle, particularly with a pair of three-putts. There was no such evidence this time.

After nearly driving into trouble to the right of the par-5 second, Woods escaped and hit wedge to 3½ feet for birdie. His lone bogey on the front nine came at the par-3 eighth, with a back right pin that requires a fade. Woods tugged it well left of the green, and his pitch at a 45-degree angle was too strong and rolled into the fringe about 15 feet away.
Johnson's chip on the third was too strong, he three-putted from about 35 feet for bogey on the fifth and he played a poor chip from below the eighth green for another bogey.
They were tied at the turn when Woods began to pull away. From the right rough, Woods hit a soft sand wedge that landed in the first cut short of the green and fed down the slope to about 4 feet. He two-putted from long range for birdie on the par-5 11th to stretch his lead to two shots when Johnson caught a buried lie in the bunker.

Woods bogeyed the 12th from a bunker, though, and Johnson's birdie on the 13th set up a final hour that was up for grabs until Woods came through in the clutch on the last two holes.
Woods' tournament, which has an 18-man field, has been a good omen for others over the years. The most recent example was Jim Furyk, who won in 2009 and then had his first three-win season the next year and captured the FedEx Cup.

No one ever imagined Woods needing a boost, but that might be the case.
"I don't think we're going to see another 2011, if that makes sense," Furyk said, alluding to Woods failing to reach the FedEx Cup playoffs this year. "If he steadily progresses, keeps getting confidence and moving forward, he's going to return and be one of the best players in the game again."

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Raikkonen returns to F1 with Renault/ CNN

Raikonnen's return to F1 was confirmed on Wednesday, with the 32-year-old signing a two-year deal with Renault.

(CNN) -- Kimi Raikkonen will return to Formula One in 2012, after Renault announced on Tuesday that the 2007 world champion has signed a two-year deal with the team.

The Finn won the drivers' championship with Ferrari in 2007 before leaving the sport in 2009, but he will return next season after spending time in the World Rally Championship and NASCAR.
"I'm delighted to be coming back to Formula 1 after a two-year break, and I'm grateful to Lotus Renault GP for offering me this opportunity," the 32-year-old told the team's official website.

"My time in the World Rally Championship has been a useful stage in my career as a driver, but I can't deny the fact that my hunger for F1 has recently become overwhelming.

"It was an easy choice to return with Lotus Renault GP as I have been impressed by the scope of the team's ambition. Now I'm looking forward to playing an important role in pushing the team to the very front of the grid."

Raikkonen entered F1 with Sauber in 2001 before going on to enjoy a successful five-season spell with McLaren between 2002 and 2006, winning nine grands prix and twice finishing runner-up in the world championship.

Speaking to CNN World Sport, Renault team principal Eric Boullier said he was delighted to have secured Raikkonen's services and insisted the Finn would soon be challenging the sport's top echelon of drivers.
"His motivation is huge and clearly the talent he has will maybe need a little bit of time to get back on track and to adapt to the new car and the new tires but I'm very confident he will get back," he said.
"I hope we push as much as we can, as much as we did at the beginning of the season. It is difficult to set up a competitive Formula One team, it takes time, but we learn every year from the experience.

The high point of Raikkonen's career-to-date arrived at the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix, where his victory helped him clinch the world championship despite entering the race third in the drivers' standings.

"Kimi's experience is huge, he has been world champion, he has won many races, he has been working and driving for great constructors like Sauber and McLaren. It will be a huge boost for us and his determination will be a big boost for the team."

Boullier said Renault, who will compete under the Lotus name in 2012, were still yet to decide who would partner Raikkonen after they were represented by three drivers last season.
Russian Vitaly Petrov initially partnered Nick Heidfeld before Brazilian Bruno Senna replaced the German in August. Polish driver Robert Kubica raced for the team in 2010, but missed all of last season following a rally crash in Italy in February.

It had been hoped Kubica would return in time for the 2012 season, but the 26-year-old announced last week that his recovery from serious arm injuries was not yet complete.
Boullier said he did not yet know if Kubica would be fit to race: "It's a little bit early to answer this question," he added. "If we can bring him back into F1 we will try our best."
The 2011 season came to an end at last Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix, with Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel finishing the race second behind teammate Mark Webber having already sealed a second consecutive championship.

The 2012 season will is see a total of six former world champions line-up on the grid, with Raikonnen and Vettel being joined by Mercedes' seven-time winner Michael Schumacher, Ferrari's two-time champion Fernando Alonso and McLaren's championship-winning duo of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

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ATP World Tour Finals: Roger Federer beats Jo-Wilfried Tsonga/BBC Sports

Roger Federer's 70th title was a record sixth in the ATP World Tour Finals

Roger Federer after winning the ATP World Tour Finals Roger Federer's 70th title was a record sixth in the ATP World Tour Finals

Roger Federer became the most successful player in season-end championship history with victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to win the ATP World Tour Finals.
Federer marked the 100th final of his career with his 70th title and an unprecedented sixth at this event, winning 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 in two hours and 18 minutes.
A set and a break up, the Swiss legend almost had his hands on the trophy - only for Tsonga to hit back and save a match point to dramatically force a decider.
But the 16-time Grand Slam champion showed all his class and experience to retain the title in front of a 17,500 capacity crowd at London's O2 Arena.

The 30-year-old becomes the oldest player to lift the trophy, joins Ivan Lendl on an unmatched 39 match wins at this tournament and replaces Britain's Andy Murray as world number three.
"I couldn't be more happy, I couldn't be more exhausted," said Federer who ended a campaign without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2002.

"Jo sapped every last bit of energy out of me. There couldn't be a better way for me to finish the season.
"I really enjoyed every minute of being here, see you next year."

Federer had won seven of their 10 previous meetings - including all three indoors after victories in the recent Paris Masters final and the opening match of the competition last Sunday.
But their most memorable encounter came in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon this year, when Tsonga came from two sets down to clinch a stunning triumph on Centre Court.
The Frenchman said beating Federer here would mean more because of the silverware at stake and that he would be prepared to "break my two ankles" to do so.

He got off to an assured start, marking his first delivery of the match with a huge ace and dropping only one point on serve while putting Federer under plenty of pressure.
But the worst position Federer faced was deuce as his plan of outmanoeuvring the big-hitting sixth seed came to fruition, and in game eight he pounced.

Two thumping backhands gave him 0-30 before he sent the crowd wild by passing Tsonga up the line to register three break points. The first was taken when Tsonga netted a forehand volley.
Federer converted his third set point to assume a commanding position, and there would be no let-up for a dejected Tsonga, who repeatedly shaped to smash his racquet before pulling away.

He came through a sticky position in game three of the second set, but that proved a warning for worse to come and Federer unleashed a stunning forehand winner to strike for 3-2.
Tsonga faced another break point in game seven but he managed to save it and that would prove crucial as Federer, serving for the match at 5-4, capitulated.

Out of nowhere, Tsonga was back in contention - pumping his fists, roaring with delight - and the spectators toasted the possibility of seeing a deciding set.
A tie-break beckoned and Federer crafted his way to 5-2 before reeling off an ace for 6-5. The trophy presentation party were already waiting courtside, but Tsonga was going nowhere.
He wrong-footed Federer with a forehand on match point, sent down a booming serve for set point and took it with a vicious forehand that landed at Federer's feet.
Both men gave everything they could to wear the other down in the deciding set, but it was Federer who always seemed the more capable.

He cranked up the intensity in game seven to break for 5-3 - Tsonga failing to control a forehand on break point number three - and let out an ear-piercingly joyous scream.
When Federer served out to love with a smash, it was time to party.
"Congratulations, Roger," said Tsonga. "Without you, I can maybe get some other titles. But you are here, you are the best. It's amazing to play on this court and be in London."

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New Zealand's Jesse Ryder equals innings record for most sixes/ BBC Sports

Ryder launches another huge six against Australia A

New Zealand's Jesse Ryder equalled the first-class record for most sixes in an innings when he smashed 16 against Australia A in Brisbane.

The batsman matched Australia's Andrew Symonds and England's Graham Napier in an innings of 175 off just 137 balls.

"The boys were saying it's pretty close to a world record so it's disappointing to not break it," said the 27-year-old.

Ryder also hit 11 fours on the small Allan Border Field as New Zealand scored 467-6 in their second innings.

It resulted in a lead of 495 and the tour match was declared a draw.

Ryder showed no mercy against a bowling attack that included opening batsmen David Warner and Ed Cowan, who was smashed for 28 runs in one over.

He was eventually caught by Nic Maddinson at square leg off Cowan.

"You get that close to a milestone like that, you don't get many chances and it's quite disappointing," he said.

"But I'm pretty happy with the way I went today. I got a few out of the middle and scored a few runs, so I'm pretty happy with where I'm at."

Symonds set the record for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan in 1995 and it was matched by Napier for Essex against Surrey in 2011.

MOST SIXES IN AN INNINGS

First class: 16 - Andrew Symonds (for Gloucestershire v Glamorgan, Abergavenny, 1995); Graham Napier (for Essex v Surrey, Whitgift School, 2011); Jesse Ryder (for New Zealand v Australia A, Brisbane 2011)

Test:  16-Wasim Akram (for Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Sheikhupura, 1996)

One-day: 15 - Shane Watson (for Australia v Bangladesh, Dhaka, 2011)

Twenty20: 14 - Craig Williams (for Namibia v Scotland, Windhoek, 2011)
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Football team in Togo involved in fatal bus crash/ BBC News

Nothing much was left of the bus after the crash outside Atakpame/ Images credit: Daily Mail

Six people died when a bus carrying a Togolese football team plunged into a ravine and caught fire.

The accident happened 100 miles (160km) north of the capital, Lome, as the Etoile Filante [Shooting Star] team was travelling to a match.
In addition to the six technical staff who were killed, 25 people were admitted to hospital with serious injuries or severe burns.

Tragedy: The remains of the bus were smouldering on Sunday morning /Images credit: Daily Mail

Among those killed was former Togo national goalkeeper Charles Balogoun.

Reports said that a tyre burst before the bus toppled over and fell down the ravine. The accident happened on Saturday near the city of Atakpame.
"We do not know how we managed to get out of the bus," said one of the survivors, goalkeeper Mama Souleyman, according to Associated Press.

"Most of the players got out because they were all in the front row of the bus."

Images broadcast on Togolese national television showed the smouldering wreckage of the bus, almost completely burnt.
Those injured were reportedly ordered to be taken to a military hospital in the capital, Lome, by President Faure Gnassingbe.
Last year, two members of the Togo national football squad, and an Angolan bus driver, were killed after the team bus was attacked by separatist rebels in Angola.
In 2007, Togo Sports Minister Richard Attipoe was among 22 people who died when a helicopter carrying Togolese soccer fans and officials crashed in Sierra Leone after an African Cup qualifying match.

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RELATED NEWS

• More Tragedy strikes Togo as six die in bus crash / Sydney Morning Herald
• At least 6 Togolese soccer players dead, 28 critically injured.../ Washington Post
• Six dead in football team bus crash / MSN UK

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Robin Van Persie Rivals Lionel Messi: Does 2011 Form Of Arsenal Striker Put Him In Same Class?/Huffingtonpost

PARIS -- Robin van Persie was a better soccer player than Lionel Messi in 2011. Or are statistics which suggest that misleading? Either way, this is official: It is plain absurd that the captain of Arsenal isn't a nominee with Messi for FIFA's Golden Ball award.

Seems Van Persie and injustice are bedfellows. Remember his sending off against Messi's Barcelona in the Champions League in March? Van Persie claimed he did not hear Massimo Busacca blow his whistle. Seemed plausible given the din from the 95,000-plus Nou Camp crowd. The Swiss referee didn't want to know and he ordered Van Persie off. Whether Arsenal might have won that match if Van Persie's hearing had been better and if the Dutchman had stayed on the field remains one of soccer's unanswerables.

In fact, "What if?" follows Van Persie around. That the question is posed in relation to Van Persie shows his importance to Arsenal and the London club's ambitions and future.

If the strong, reliable and intelligent scorer had not hurt his knee volleying home his strike in the League Cup final in February, forcing Arsene Wenger to replace him in the second half with Nicklas Bendtner, might Arsenal have won the trophy, instead of losing 2-1 to Birmingham?

Possibly.

If Van Persie hadn't torn ligaments in his right ankle playing for the Netherlands, forcing Wenger to muddle on without him for five months (he even resorted to the bottom-of-a-barrel measure of playing the ill-suited Andrei Arshavin as a central striker), might Arsenal have won the Premier League title in 2010, instead of Chelsea?

Maybe.

If Van Persie picks up another long-term injury now, will Arsenal finish out of the English league's top four places this season and not qualify for Champions League soccer and its financial riches next season?

Quite likely.
Will Arsenal be sorry if Wenger cannot get Van Persie to commit to a new contract before his current one expires in 2013?

Definitely.

The departure of Cesc Fabregas this summer for guaranteed trophies with his boyhood club, Barcelona, and Samir Nasri's swoon for the petrobillions of Manchester City left Van Persie, a 2010 World Cup runner-up with the Netherlands, as Arsenal's only remaining, verified world-class player. Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott are still proving themselves.

Arsenal is without a trophy since 2005. Wenger's Catch-22 is he needs players of Van Persie's caliber to change that, but he also needs trophies, or at least a realistic hope of winning them, to keep attract stars.

The reported $5.7 million Arsenal paid in 2004 for the Netherlands international looks like a bargain now. Healthy, the 28-year-old has proven as reliable as English rain. As Arsenal fans say: "We don't need Batman, we've got Robin." A basic rule shown to be true in 24 Premier League games is that the club doesn't lose when Van Persie scores the first goal.

So far in 2011, he has scored 31 goals in 29 league games. He is only the fifth Premier League player to score 30 in a calendar year. He is the English league's leading scorer this season, putting away 13 of Arsenal's 25 goals as it has awoken from a lumbering start that included a horrific 8-2 mauling at Manchester United in August.

Van Persie's success rate in the league is outstripping even Messi's in La Liga. The world's best player has scored 29 in 31 Spanish games for Barcelona in 2011.

Van Persie's strength, quick feet and polished technique so prized in the Netherlands are often cited as reasons for his goals. But the intelligent way he spots, creates and sprints into gaps in defenses is exceptional, too.

"He is always in the right place at the right moment and he got two goals again tonight from positions that look easy but they are not. He just understands the game so well," Wenger said Wednesday after Van Persie scored both Arsenal goals in a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund that qualified his team yet again for the Champions League knockout stage.

"We hope we can keep him fit and with us for a long time."

Messi should be player of the year for 2011, just as he was in 2010 and 2009. The FIFA Ballon d'Or winner will be announced Jan. 9. But there's no real suspense. As good as the 22 other nominees are, Barcelona's star is better.

Still, Van Persie should have been on that list, too.

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Related News:

• Column: Arsenal's van Persie rivals Messi / CBS News
• Robin van Persie is good but is still short of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's class/ The Telegraph

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Arsene Wenger might leave Arsenal at end of season

Arsene Wenger has suggested that this could be his last season at Arsenal

Wenger, 62, who has two years of his contract left to run, told L'Equipe magazine that he will review his position at the end of the season.

"What is hard is the feeling something is finishing. For me, we're now talking short term, it's obvious," he said.

"But whether it's with me or someone else, it changes nothing. My successor needs foundations on which he can be successful," added the Arsenal manager.

The Frenchman has been in charge of the Gunners since 1996, leading them to three Premier League titles and four FA Cup wins but he has not won a trophy since 2005.
In September, owner Stan Kroenke insisted Wenger's future as Arsenal boss was in his own hands, and that only he could decide when to end his stay there.

When asked whether he would still be in charge at the club next season, former Monaco coach Wenger replied: "We'll look at things at the end of this one."

The Arsenal boss also admitted that losing star players Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona and Samir Nasri to Manchester City in the summer was particularly difficult for him.

"For the first time I lost young players, who were reaching maturity. I suffered. It's painful to lose key men you have invested a lot in," he said.

"[Bad results] broke the squad. I often call it 'the season of the last minute'," he said when asked about Arsenal's poor finish to the 2010-11 campaign, which saw the Gunners finish fourth in the Premier League.

Wenger hopes his side can continue their recent improvement and finish 2011 on a high note.

"We'll see in December where we can finish," he said. "It was necessary to reconstruct the squad in a climate where we were lacking confidence. It takes time."

Wenger signed his current contract in August 2010 and it expires in summer 2014. As recently as September, he spoke of staying "another 14 years" at the club.

© BBC News
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Boxing champion Joe Frazier dies at 67

Joe Frazier, 67, the former heavyweight boxing champion who was known for his fighting spirit, powerful punch and intense rivalry with Muhammad Ali, died Monday night in a hospice in Philadelphia. He had been suffering from liver cancer.

As a heavyweight in all senses of the word, Mr. Frazier was one of the best known champions of the latter decades of the 20th century.
While at the top of the heavyweight ranks, the elite of boxing, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mr. Frazier, who went by the sobriquet of Smokin' Joe, was known for his knockout punch.

In more than two dozen fights, Mr. Frazier’s ferocious, brawling, slugging style sent his foes to the canvas for the full count.
Among boxing fans, and connoisseurs of popular culture, his bouts with Ali have become enshrined in memory. He was the first to defeat Ali in the ring. It happened in New York's Madison Square Garden, long the world’s capital of prizefighting.

The contest went the full 15 rounds, neither able to dispatch the other, in what was described in the hyperbole of the sports world as the Fight of the Century.

In all they had four fights, and in one of them, the “Thrilla in Manila,” they outdid their previous efforts for the title.
In that 1975 slugfest, Ali emerged the victor when Mr. Frazier could not answer the bell for the final round.
In addition to his legendary battles with Ali, Mr. Frazier was also known for two fights with George Foreman. In the first, Foreman took his title from him.

But the rivalry with Ali was what he was better known for, a kind of face-off in the ring and outside it, that emphasized the contrasting styles and personalities of both men.
With a less flamboyant and engaging image than Ali’s Mr. Frazier seemed far less expressive, possessed of a stolid ruggedness of a hard-working man who let his fists and his dedication speak for him.
Joseph William Frazier was born in Beaufort, S.C., in January 1944, and entered the professional boxing ranks 21 years later. Through the late 1960s, the 5 foot 11 1/2-inch fighter gained recognition as a contender, and, dispatching a series of others who wished the heavyweight title, became undisputed champion in 1970.

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Al Sadd win Asian title in dramatic shootout

Goalkeeper Mohamed Saqr was the hero as Al Sadd became the first Qatari football club to win the Asian Champions League title on Saturday.

Al Sadd goalkeeper Mohamed Saqr is lifted by his teammates after the penalty shootout win over Jeonbuk on Saturday

The 30-year-old saved two penalties as his side beat South Korea's Jeonbuk 5-4 in the deciding shootout after the final ended 2-2 following extra-time at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.

Coach Jorge Fossati was delighted with his player after Al Sadd booked a place at the FIFA World Club Cup in December.
"When I returned to the club, many people told me that Mohamed Saqr cannot play anymore. They say he is too old," the Uruguayan told the Asian Football Confederation website.
"He played fantastic today but believe me, it was not the only game that he was fantastic in this competition. Today he had a big game: the Jeonbuk players did not miss the penalties, he saved them.
He played fantastic today but believe me, it was not the only game that he was fantastic in this competition
Jorge Fossati on his goalkeeper
"In the game he also made two or three very important saves, the one at the end was extraordinary, and he showed everybody that he can play and he can continue to play."
Fossati returned to Al Sadd this year after being sacked by Saudi club Al-Shahab in December, having last worked in Qatar as national coach in 2008.
"I could not imagine that it would go to penalties. I really was very worried especially when it went to extra-time because our physical condition to play this game was not the same as normal. When you fly 10 hours two days ago, you need to adapt to the different time zone," the 58-year-old said.
With home advantage, Jeonbuk had been seeking to add to the club's 2006 title in front of a record 41,000 fans.
Brazilian midfielder Eninho ensured the perfect start when he curled in a free-kick after only 17 minutes, but Sim Woo-yeon headed a cross by Abdulkader Keita into his own net just before the half hour.
The Ivory Coast striker put Al Sadd ahead in the 69th minute, but the hosts equalized when substitute Lee Sung-hyun headed home in stoppage time.
Jeonbuk hit the woodwork for the third time in the match during the extra period, but Al Sadd held on before Ali Afif was sent off for a second yellow card right at the end.
Saqr saved penalties from Kim Dong-chan and Park Won-jae, while Al Sadd's South Korea international defender Lee Jung-Soo hit the crossbar before Algeria's Nadir Belhadj netted the decisive spot-kick.
Jeonbuk striker Lee Dong-gook was named the competition's top player after finishing as overall leading scorer, with nine of his team's 33 goals.
"I am particularly disappointed that I became injured at a crucial time and I am very sorry to all the home fans that I could not show my full potential in this game tonight," said the 32-year-old, who started the final on the bench after picking up a knock in the first leg of the semi against Saudi side Al Ittihad.
"I feel very responsible for not being able to play to my full potential today and I want to apologize to our fans. We played to win of course but it did not happen, so I am very sad."

CNN

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Pakistan cricketers guilty of betting scam

Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif have been found guilty of their part in a "spot-fixing" scam after a trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif

Former captain Butt, 27, and fast bowler Asif, 28, were both found guilty of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments.

They plotted to deliberately bowl no-balls during a Lord's Test match against England last summer.
Another bowler, Mohammad Amir, admitted the charges prior to the trial.
The guilty pleas by the bowler, who was 18 when the scam took place, could not be reported before.
The jury was not told of these pleas.
The conspiracy theories are once again being aired here.
"The West just wants to destroy the image of Pakistan," says Zahim, a cricket fan eating at a restaurant outside Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium.
"We need to get to the real truth."
In the coming days many others, including some in the media, will say they too feel Pakistani cricketers have been unfairly victimised.
But when pushed, most will acknowledge that some of their former heroes must have been engaged in corruption.
"This involvement in betting has blackened Pakistan's name," Najam, another fan, tells me.
"They also put the whole nation through the shock. They must be punished and punished severely."
'Sordid' scandal in Pakistan's beloved cricket
Conspiracy to accept corrupt payments carries a maximum prison term of seven years.
Our correspondent also says the case "raises serious questions about the integrity of Test cricket".
A statement was read out by Amir's lawyer at the start of the trial, before any evidence had been heard.
He said: "Mohammad Amir accepts full responsibility for deliberately bowling two no-balls and, in due course, you will hear how this vulnerable 18-year-old boy was subjected to extreme pressure from those on whom he should have been able to rely.
"He recognises the damage his actions have caused Pakistan cricket."
Spot-betting involves gamblers staking money on the minutiae of sporting encounters such as the exact timing of the first throw-in during a football match or, as in this case, when a no-ball will be bowled.
After deliberating for nearly 17 hours, the jury unanimously convicted Butt and Asif of conspiracy to cheat.
Our correspondent said Butt's wife, Gul Hassan, had given birth to a baby boy one hour before he was found guilty.
Mohammad Amir Pakistan bowler Mohammad Amir pleaded guilty before the trial began
The judge, Mr Justice Cooke, extended bail for Butt and Asif until sentencing later this week.
'Rampant corruption'
They were charged after a tabloid newspaper alleged they took bribes to bowl deliberate no-balls.
The court heard the players, along with fast bowler Amir, conspired with UK-based sports agent Mazhar Majeed, 36, to fix parts of the Lord's Test last August.
Three intentional no-balls were delivered during the match between Pakistan and England from 26 to 29 August last year.
Prosecutors said Butt and Asif had been motivated by greed to "contaminate" a match watched by millions of people and "betray" their team, the Pakistan Cricket Board and the sport itself.
Aftab Jafferjee QC, for the prosecution, said the case "revealed a depressing tale of rampant corruption at the heart of international cricket".
Following the verdicts, Haroon Lorgat - chief executive of the International Cricket Council, the sport's governing body - issued a statement.
In it, he said: "We hope that this verdict is seen as a further warning to any individual who might, for whatever reason, be tempted to engage in corrupt activity within our sport."
He added that the ICC had a zero-tolerance attitude towards corruption and would use everything within its power to ensure that any suggestion of corrupt activity within cricket was "comprehensively investigated and, where appropriate, robustly prosecuted".
Sally Walsh, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said the players had "brought shame on the cricket world" through their actions and "jeopardised the faith and admiration of cricket fans the world over".
She said their actions "went against everything expected of someone in their position and they failed to take into account their fans of all ages and nationalities when deciding to abandon the values of sportsmanship so unconditionally".
  
The senior lawyer added: "The jury has decided, after hearing all of the evidence, that what happened at the crease that day was criminal in the true sense of the word."
DCS Matt Horne, of the Metropolitan Police, said what had happened was "cheating, pure and simple".
"I think we all look forward to sport being played in its truest spirit as we go forward with these types of issues," he added.
DCS Horne also acknowledged the investigative journalism that led to the trial.
Mazher Mahmood, the former News of the World journalist who uncovered the betting scam, said: "It is a sad day for cricket but a good day for investigative journalism."
He said he hoped cricketing authorities would take the opportunity to tackle illegal gambling in the sport and do everything in their power to regain the cricket fans.
Meanwhile, former Pakistan cricket captain Asif Iqbal told BBC 5Live it was a "sad day for cricket" and said the case would send out a "huge message".
Angus Fraser, a former England fast bowler, said it could be a "watershed" for the game.
"It shows young cricketers that there is a consequence to their behaviour. In the past players have been banned and then they have come back," he told BBC 5Live.
"The International Cricket Council has got to support the players, see these signs and help them out of predicaments, but also see (that) if players do commit these offences they are punished severely."
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Sebastian Vettel wins inaugural Indian Grand Prix

Red Bull's champion Sebastian Vettel was untouchable as he became the first man to win the Indian Grand Prix.

BBC NEWS/It was a straightforward win for pole-sitter Vettel but Jenson Button battled well to take second for McLaren. Button passed Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, who finished third, and Mark Webber's Red Bull on the first lap.
Lewis Hamilton hit Felipe Massa's Ferrari as he attempted to pass for fifth but this time Massa was punished and Hamilton finished seventh.
India made a vibrant debut on the F1 calendar, with the drivers universally praising the new Buddh International Circuit, built on farmland 25 miles outside the capital, Delhi.
Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso

But despite the colour and novelty off track, there was a familiar sight on it as Red Bull's double world champion ran away with the race to notch up his 11th win of 2011.
As Button and Webber fought over second place, Vettel set about building his lead and led the entire distance on his way to the chequered flag.

"Yes boys, yes we did," he celebrated on the team radio. "New track, new challenge."
Button had taken advantage of a wobble by Alonso into the first corner to jump the Ferrari before smoothly passing Webber on the straight to move up to second on the opening lap of the race.

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61-Year-Old, Alan Moore, Kicks His Way Into College Football History

Student-athlete Alan Moore, 61, is trying out to be a place kicker for the college football team in this photo taken Aug. 26, 2011 at Faulkner University. (Ryan Bartels/The Montgomery Advertiser/Faulkner University/AP Photo)

Faulkner University jumps to a 24-to-nothing lead over Ave Maria University during an NAIA football matchup Sept.10. It was a game few were likely to remember until Alan Moore's number was called.
Moore, 61, is the oldest player to ever play college football, and on that night he stepped onto the field to kick his way into history.
"I knew I was going to do it," he said. "It was just something that I was going to do, and I didn't care if I died doing it."
Forty years ago, Moore was a kicker on his high school football team in Taylorsville, Miss.
"It just became a passion to me," Moore said. "I'm not bragging, but I was probably the most prominent kicker in the state of Mississippi."
In 1968, Moore kicked for one season at a junior college, but with the Vietnam war draft looming, he dropped out of college and enlisted.
He was 18 years old and believed he was ready to take on the world. When he returned, there was no time for football, only family.
"[I] just raised a family like everybody else would do," he said. "I worked and tried to send our kids to school and everything."
But two years ago in 2009, Moore, then 59, was laid off from his construction job and suddenly found himself with spare time on his hands.
"I went and bought a ball and a pair of shoes, and I started kicking," Moore said.
He practiced kicking every day, first on homemade goal posts in his daughter's backyard and later at a local high school.
"He just started kicking. I mean we knew he was practicing, but we didn't think it was for real," said his daughter, Brandi Welch. "It took him a couple of weeks to even get the ball off the ground."
"It was aggravating ... but every now and then one would be perfect," Moore said. "I said if I can do that every time, I'd be OK."
Moore kicked using the same straight-on style he'd mastered 40 years ago.
"It never went through my mind that it wasn't gonna work," he said. "It was gonna work. I could do it. It was gonna work."
All Moore needed was a place to play, and this July he toured the campus of Faulkner University, a small Christian college in Montgomery, Ala. He met with the coaching staff.
"I got straight to the point, I said, 'Alan, why are you doing this? What's the point in it?' Gregg Baker, told ESPN's E:60. "He said, 'I want to show people that no matter what the circumstances, what the deal, that they need to finish what it is they started.' And I said, 'Well, I can live with that. I can understand that.'"
All he needed now was a waiver that would allow him a year of eligibility. In August, the NAIA, the governing body for small colleges and universities, granted Moore's wish.
And so at 61 years old Moore moved into the dorms, for the first time since 1968.
"[It] is the Hilton, the Alan Moore Hilton," he said.
He is in many ways a typical college student, and once he gets his football pads on, Moore blends right in with his teammates.
"At first, everybody thought it was kind of weird. They didn't know how to react to him. They didn't know how to respond to him," said running back Brandon Cheatham. "But then eventually he just became one of the teammates."
Only Moore's old-school kicking shoe stands out, with "believe" written on the toe.
"I wrote that on every shoe I got as soon as I started," he said. "That was the big thing in all this, about believing you could do it."

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Marco Simoncelli dies after MotoGP crash in Sepang

Italian MotoGP rider Marco Simoncelli

Italian rider Marco Simoncelli has died after a horrific crash at the Malaysian MotoGP in Sepang.
The race was stopped on lap two when Simoncelli's bike veered across the track at turn 11 into the path of Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi.
The 24-year-old had his helmet knocked off and was hit by both other riders.
American rider Edwards also fell and dislocated his shoulder - while Simoncelli's fellow Italian Rossi was able to return to the pits.
Simoncelli lay motionless on the track after the impact, while the race was immediately red-flagged.
Medical director Michele Macchiagodena said Simoncelli suffered a "very serious trauma to the head, to the neck and the chest".
At first officials were looking to restart the race before the extent of Simoncelli's injuries became clear.
The race was cancelled amid confusion in the grandstand, with fans throwing bottles to show their initial displeasure.
The death is the first fatality in MotoGP since Japan's Daijiro Katoh died from injuries sustained at the 2003 Japanese GP while, last year, Japan's Shoya Tomizawa died in a similar crash to Simoncelli in a Moto2 race in San Marino.
Simoncelli's death comes a week after British IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon was killed in Las Vegas following a 15-car crash.
Marco was flamboyant on and off the track. When someone dies, everyone always says they loved life. But he had a very vibrant personality. He already had a huge fanbase around the world, partly down to aggressive riding - but also because he was just a cool guy. He didn't take himself too seriously and would have been a big star for next year.
A MotoGP statement read: "On Sunday, 23 October, during the MotoGP race at the Sepang International Circuit, San Carlo Honda Gresini's Italian rider Marco Simoncelli suffered a serious accident wherein he sustained critical injuries.
"The race was stopped immediately with the red flag and Simoncelli was transported by ambulance to the circuit medical centre where the medical staff worked to resuscitate him.
"Despite their efforts, Marco sadly succumbed to his injuries at 4.56pm local time [0956 BST].
"Everybody involved in MotoGP extends its deepest condolences to Marco's family, friends and team at this tragic loss."
And Sepang circuit chairman Mokhzani Mahathir added: "This is a one-of-a-kind freak incident where the helmet came off and I am sure FIM [International Federation of Motorcycling] and MotoGP will be looking into this."
Honda rider Simoncelli entered MotoGP for the 2010 season and won his first pole position at the Catalunya race in June this year.
Simoncelli's first podium finish came in the Czech Republic in August when he finished third but he bettered that with a second-place finish at the Australian GP.
World champion Casey Stoner said: "As soon as I saw the footage it just makes you sick inside. Whenever the helmet comes off that's not a good sign."
British MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow tweeted: "RIP Marco Simoncelli! A great rider and all round nice guy. My thoughts are with all his family & friends. I will never forget today."
Australian Formula 1 driver Mark Webber tweeted: "RIP Marco. A special talent that will be missed. Thinking of your loved ones and all the MotoGP paddock."
Major Italian sports events on Sunday observed a minute's silence in memory of Simoncelli, who was a big fan of football club AC Milan.
In their Serie A fixture against Lecce, Milan wore black armbands and came back from three goals behind to win 4-3.

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Dan Wheldon's final night

Bryan Herta Autosport driver Dan Wheldon of England poses with his family, wife Susie (L) holding son Oliver with older son Sebastian (R), next to the BorgWarner trophy the day after winning the Indianapolis 500 auto race in Indianapolis, Indiana, in this May 30, 2011 file photo. Wheldon was killed in a multi-car wreck during the IZOD IndyCar World Championship race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16, 2011, according to local media. REUTERS/Jeff Haynes/Files

Dan Wheldon Spent Final Night Getting His And Hers Tattoos With Wife
A report out of Las Vegas says Dan Wheldon spent the final night of his life creating a permanent bond with his wife, Susie.
The popular 33-year-old Indy Car driver died after a ghastly 15-car wreck that sent his car into the air and then into a wall on Turn 2 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday.

English driver Dan Wheldon was seriously hurt in a massive 15-car crash that sent his and several other cars airborne early in the Las Vegas 300 IndyCar series finale on Sunday

Wheldon, with 16 career wins, took home the 2005 IndyCar championship and won this year's Indy 500.
Just hours before his death, Wheldon was at the Palms casino with Susie. He ran into his friend, George Maloof, the Palms owner, as Susie pushed a stroller carrying the couple's 7-month-old son, Oliver.
Norm Clarke of the Las Vegas Review Journal reports that later that night, Wheldon and his bride had their initials tattooed on their wrists at a tattoo shop inside the Palms.

     Dan Wheldon, of England, is transported to a medical helicopter following a crash early in the IndyCar Series' Las Vegas Indy 300 auto race Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

An employee at Huntington Ink wouldn't comment on the report of the "D.W." and "S.W." tattoos.
Wife Susie, son Oliver and two-year-old Sebastian, along with two brothers and a sister, were at Wheldon's bedside when he passed away, according to the Daily Mail.
The British driver's parents reportedly saw their son's accident on television.
Clarke also reports that the last tweet on Wheldon's Twitter feed was "GREEN!!!!"

FILE - In this May 29, 2011 file photo, IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon, of England, celebrates after winning the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. Wheldon died Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011 in a fiery 15-car wreck during the Las Vegas Indy 300. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

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Exonerated inmate, 52, wins professional boxing debut

Dewey Bozella poses for photographers after defeating Larry Hopkins in their cruiserweight fight Saturday

(CNN) -- A 52-year-old cruiserweight who spent 26 years in prison for a murder he did not commit won his professional boxing debut Saturday night.
Dewey Bozella defeated Larry Hopkins by unanimous decision in the four-round match at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The pugilist served time in New York's Sing Sing prison after being found guilty of murder in 1983; his conviction was overturned two years ago.
According to a biography on his website, Bozella was offered several opportunities for an early release if he would admit guilt and show remorse.
"Anger at his imprisonment gave way to determination and instead of becoming embittered, he became a model prisoner" and earned several degrees, the site says.
The oldest world champion talks boxing
First pro fight as a free man
President Barack Obama called Bozella this week, offering him encouragement in his fight.
During his incarceration, Bozella was crowned the Sing Sing heavyweight champion.
The main event Saturday night features Bernard Hopkins, 46, who first became a world champion 16 years ago. The American boxer made history in May when he was awarded a points victory over Canadian Jean Pascal to become the sport's oldest-ever holder of a global belt.
The World Boxing Council (WBC) light heavyweight champion was to defend his title against Chad Dawson late Saturday.
Hopkins is significantly older than his opponent. Dawson, currently ranked by Ring Magazine as the fourth-best light heavyweight in the world, is 29, 17 years younger than the Pennsylvania-born Hopkins.
Bozella's story resonated with Hopkins, who served a five-year stretch in Graterford Prison in Pennsylvania between 1983 and 1988.
So impressed was Hopkins with Bozella that he trained with the newcomer ahead of his much-anticipated fight.
"It inspired me," said Hopkins of Bozella. "He chose to do what he did, and not only did he get freedom, but he got humanity. An opportunity to do something that was taken from him years and years ago. To be on a major, major fight card.
"And now that we became, I can say friends, and have understanding about that dark place that I put myself in, you know, I wasn't innocent. But we still understand that dark place. Everybody has a story, but his is beyond a story."

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Woman gives birth hours after running Chicago Marathon

Amber Miller said she was happy but called it the "longest day of my life" after giving birth to a daughter following completing the Chicago Marathon
Instead of having a rest after completing the Chicago Marathon, pregnant Amber Miller gave birth.
Mrs Miller, who was nearly 39 weeks pregnant, said "it was the longest day of my life". She gave birth to a healthy 7.7lb (3.5kg) girl, June.
The marathon was the eighth for the 27-year-old, who already had one child. On her doctor's orders she ran half and walked half the distance.
"Lots of people were cheering me on: 'Go pregnant lady'," she said.
"For me, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I was running up until that point anyway," she told Associated Press news agency.
"I am crazy about running."
Because she half-walked the race, she finished the 26.2 mile (42.16km) course in 6:25 - slower than her usual pace.
"A few minutes after finishing, the contractions became stronger than normal and I understood what was going on," she said.
"When they became more regular, we had a sandwich and then we left for hospital," Mrs Miller added.

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Vettel wins F1 title again for Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel won his second World F1 drivers championship today, and although only taking third place in the Japanese Grand Prix, he is still on track for the most dominant season in F1 history.
His third place at Suzuka gave him 324 of the 375 points on offer - a stunning 86.4% of available points and still ahead of Michael Schumacher's best during his reign with Ferrari. Like most other records in F1, Vettel is once again the youngest to achieve the feat.
For Red Bull Racing, it's the team's second drivers title and it is closing in on the constructors title with a lead of 130 points and just four races to go. Perhaps more ominously, the team it has assembled, and the relationship with both Infiniti and engine-suppliers Renault looks more than capable of sustaining the success.
Since the beginning of the season, Vettel's results in the world's most important auto race series have been first, first, second, first, first, first, second, first, second, fourth, second, first, first, first and third. That's not bad for someone who has yet to have their 25th birthday. Presumably, the best is yet to come, and
July 3, 1987 is not all that long ago - it's the day that two-time Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel was born and his remarkable achievements for such a tender age are already legend.

At the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix, Vettel became the youngest ever Formula One driver when he drove the third BMW Sauber car in practice and remarkably set the fastest time of the day, becoming the youngest ever driver to set fastest lap in an official F1 session - he was 19 years and 53 days old.
The following year at the 2007 US Grand Prix, he took eighth place in the BMW and in so doing became the youngest driver ever to claim championship points.
Later that year in the Japanese Grand Prix, he became the youngest driver to ever lead a Formula One race at 20 years, 89 days.
After a disastrous start to the 2008 season in the Scuderia Toro Rosso car, Vettel had the first weekend that really had everyone taking notice at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix.
The first of many stellar weekends for the young German appropriately occurred at the sole remaining spiritual home circuit on the Grand Prix calendar, Monza.
If the Gods of Motorsport were to convene, it would be at Monza. Strange things happen there.
When McLaren looked likely to sweep all the wins in the 1988 F1 season, a bizarre accident at Monza cost Ayrton Senna a certain win and turned up an unlikely Ferrari victory.
Enzo Ferrari had died just a few weeks earlier and the two events will be forever linked in the superstitious world of motorsport. Despite being the most visible competition for applied technology in the world, auto racing is also a place where favourite socks/jocks, routines and unjustified belief in supernatural causation remain commonplace.
Vettel arrived at Monza in 2008 with a Toro Rosso car that was not competitive. In the rain though, Vettel's extraordinary natural talent more than made enough difference on the fast Monza circuit where cars spend a lot of time carrying large g-forces.

A varying track during qualifying saw many of the big names eliminated - the Hondas of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello went in the first cut, while Coulthard (Red Bull Renault), Räikkönen (Ferrari) and Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) also didn't make the final ten.
In wet conditions, just 72 days after his 21st birthday, Vettel became the youngest person to take pole position in the history of Formula One.
The following day, Vettel became Formula One's youngest ever winner - indeed, he was also the youngest ever driver to stand on the podium in any position.
A look through the list of Formula One records indicates there are few achievements he hasn't claimed as the youngest, and a massive list of all-time record achievements in which he already features on the top 10 leaderboard. Barring accident, he will almost certainly take a swag more records before this year is over.
You can have all the marketing brains in the world, but there is no ingredient more essential to the equation than winning - Tiger Woods at one stage looked the sportsperson most likely to earn a billion dollars in a year from sport, and now the odds would favour Vettel. He has a clear decade, maybe more, in front of him as potentially the most successful sportsperson in the world's most watched TV sport.
The success of the Red Bull-Renault-Infiniti triumvirate involves many complex variables, but appears sustainable in that all of the important parameters have success engineered in.
Red Bull owner Deiter Mateschitz has gathered an awesome team of people to Red Bull Racing apart from the prodigiously talented Vettel - primarily engineer Adrian Newey and Team Principal Christian Horner - but the all-round team is currently state-of-the-art, and it has the world's best driver behind the steering wheel.
As with Red Bull, Renault-Nissan-Infiniti and Red Bull Racing, it is the assembly of complex systems into a living sustainable business organism which characterises the success, but at the end of the day, you need a winning driver to do the business when it counts, and at 24 years of age, that driver for the foreseeable future looks like being Sebastian Vettel.

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Man City owner Mansour tops football rich List

Manchester City's billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour is top of football's Rich List, according to British magazine FourFourTwo.

Sheikh Mansour, a member of Abu Dhabi's ruling Al-Nahyan family, is believed to be worth £20 billion ($30.9 billion), putting him ahead of the likes of Chelsea owner Roman Ambramovich and Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, who has a stake in Premier League club QPR.
Mansour's vast wealth has helped City join European football's elite after years of underachievement.
He has invested over £300 million on new signings since taking over the club 2008 and has been rewarded by seeing the team qualify for this season's Champions League and win last season's FA Cup final.
FourFourTwo say that Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov is now wealthier than QPR shareholder Mittal.
Usmanov is now reported to be worth £12.4 billion, with Mittal slipping to third with a fortune of £11.8 billion.
Abramovich sits fourth on the list, with FourFourTwo reporting his fortune grew by £2.9 billion over the year to reach £10.3 billion.
Malcolm Glazer, the owner of Manchester United, has reportedly increased his fortune by £110 million to remain ninth on the list.
Liverpool owner John W Henry, whose consortium completed their buy-out of the club just over a year ago, is the highest new entry on the list, with the American going in at 20th.
Former England captain David Beckham's wealth has grown by £35 million to give him a personal fortune of £135 million according to the FourFourTwo list, making him the wealthiest player on their list and 42nd overall.
Michael Owen and Rio Ferdinand remain second and third on the players' list, with Ferdinand's United team-mates Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney fourth and fifth respectively.
England boss Fabio Capello's reported fortune of £38 million puts him top of FourFourTwo's managers list.

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Britain's Mo Farah named European Athlete of the Year

(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images Europe)

Britain's Mo Farah has been named male European Athlete of the Year after a remarkable 2011 season.
Farah, 28, won gold in the 5,000m and silver over 10,000m at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.
Farah was just beaten by Ethiopian Ibrahim Jeilan over the longer distance but recovered to claim 5,000m glory.
It was the first time a European athlete had won a major title at the distance since German Dieter Baumann at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Mo Farah's medals in 2011

•     European Indoor Championsips, Paris: 3,000m - Gold
•     New York Half-Marathon - Gold
•     World Championships, Daegu: 5,000m - Gold; 10,000m - Silver

After his double success at last year's European Championships, Somalia-born Londoner Farah moved to the United States in a bid to improve his performances even further.
Having teamed up with coach Alberto Salazar, he set a European indoor record over 5,000m at the beginning of the year and defended his European indoor 3,000m title in Paris in March.
Farah ran a European 10,000m record of 26 minutes 46.57 seconds to win at the Diamond League meeting in Oregon in June, and in July he set a new British record of 12:53.11 over 5,000m in Monaco.
Britain's 400m world champion Dai Greene came third out of 12 nominations for the award, with French sprinter Christophe Lemaitre second.
Farah will be recognised at the European Athletics awards night on 15 October in Arona, Spain, alongside the women's winner Mariya Savinova of Russia, who took 800m gold in Daegu.
The European Athletics rising star of the year winners, David Storl of Germany and Britain's Jodie Williams, will also be present to pick up their awards.

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