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Not sure if there is already a thread about this. Predict the scores on all 10 games each weekend. Not sure what way i will work the scores, suggestions welcome. Was thinking 1 point for a home win, 2 for away win and 3 for a draw, though don't think that will work.

After Tiger's win at the weekend hes obviously big favourite. 9/4 with Paddy Power

www.paddypower.com/bet/golf/uspga-championship

Schumacher makes shock F1 return 



Michael Schumacher will make a shock return to Formula 1 to replace injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa.

The seven-time world champion retired at the end of 2006 but will drive at the European Grand Prix on 23 August.

Ferrari said the 40-year-old will stand in for as long as Massa is sidelined by the serious head injuries he sustained in the Hungarian Grand Prix last week.

"For team loyalty reasons I can't ignore this unfortunate situation," said the former Ferrari driver.

His spokesman Sabine Kehm had told the BBC on Tuesday that although Schumacher - who was working as an advisor for Ferrari - was not willing to make a full-time return to F1, he would not rule out standing in for Massa.

And the German racing legend has now decided to come out of retirement and make a sensational return to the sport.

"It is true that the Formula 1 chapter has long been closed for me," said Schumacher, who won five world titles for Ferrari.

"The most important thing first: thank God, all news concerning Felipe is positive, and I wish him all the best again.

"This afternoon I met with team principal Stefano Domenicali and Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and together we decided that I will prepare myself to take the place of Felipe.

"As the competitor I am, I also very much look forward to facing this challenge."

SCHUMACHER'S F1 RECORD
1991: Makes F1 debut for Jordan, switches to Benetton
1992: First Grand Prix win (Belgium), finishes third in the championship
1994: Wins first world title with Benetton, winning eight races
1995: Retains world title, winning nine races
1996: Joins Ferrari
1997: Finishes season second but is disqualified from championship
1999: Breaks leg at Silverstone when leading world championship
2000: Ends Ferrari's 21-year wait for a world title, winning nine races
2001: Retains world title, again winning nine races
2002: Quickest ever world title win, with 11 race wins
2003: Breaks Juan Manuel Fangio's record of five world titles
2004: Wins seventh and final world title
2006: Retires at the end of the season
2009: Announces comeback to fill in for injured Felipe Massa
Schumacher has not driven an F1 car since April 2008 and competed in the last of his 249 grands prix in October 2006.

And the most successful F1 driver of all time now has slightly more than three weeks to prepare himself for the European Grand Prix in Valencia.

The ban on in-season testing means Schumacher will not be able to turn a wheel of the 2009 specification Ferrari before first practice on Friday 21 August.

Nevertheless, the team have chosen Schumacher - who won 91 grands prix in a glittering career - ahead of reserve drivers Marc Gene and Luca Badoer.

"Ferrari intends to entrust Michael Schumacher with Felipe Massa's car for as long as the Brazilian driver is not able to race," read a team statement.

"Michael Schumacher has shown his willingness and in the next few days he will undergo a specific programme of preparation at the end of which it will be possible to confirm his participation in the championship starting with the European Grand Prix."

There are six more races to go after Valencia, including trips to Belgium, Italy, Singapore and Japan.

Schumacher will undergo an intensive training programme to determine whether he is fit enough to return to the rigours of F1 racing.

Since retiring from the sport, Schumacher has occasionally taken part in motorcycle events but in February he suffered neck and back injuries in a bike accident.


40-year-old Schumacher has kept himself fit since retiring from F1
Those injuries could affect his ability to drive an F1 car which places huge pressures on the neck because of the varying G-forces.

Massa could be out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on a fractured skull sustained when a spring from Rubens Barrichello's Brawn hit him on the helmet when he was travelling at more than 160mph during qualifying in Hungary on Saturday.

The Brazilian is set to leave intensive care and is making progress, though there is also concern about damage to his left eye.

Schumacher is close to Massa, who was his team-mate in his final season, and has taken a close interest in the Brazilian's career.

BBC Radio 5 Live F1 commentator David Croft believes Schumacher is coming back partly because of that close relationship.

"I think he's coming back because it is to replace Felipe Massa, temporarily. He is very close to Felipe, they've had a great relationship over the years," said Croft.

"I think it's his way of doing something to help Felipe, and doing something to help Ferrari at the same time, because if you look at the alternatives Ferrari had, they weren't really alternatives.

"Who else is there who could come into Ferrari and hit the ground running, who knows the car, who knows the team, who could give them a podium?

"The European Grand Prix, which was not one we were looking forward to at the start of this year, has now got a real spice to it.

"Lewis Hamilton against Michael Schumacher for the first time ever? Jenson Button up against Michael Schumacher? How will Kimi Raikkonen respond? It's going to be fascinating."

From managing England and Mexico to Director of football at Notts County




Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has joined Notts County as director of football.

The club's website said Eriksson would be "joining his long-term assistant Tord Grip who will assume the role of general adviser."

The club added that his remuneration would be determined by the success of the team on the pitch.

Eriksson will take up his new role with immediate effect and will also be a shareholder in the club.

Massive coup

The 61-year-old, who spent five years in charge of England, was sacked as coach of Mexico in April.

Following his dismissal as Mexico manager he had been linked with a return to the Premier League with Portsmouth.

Speaking prior to the appointment being made public, former Notts County player Craig Short said the news took him by surprise when it was broken to him on Tuesday.

"I was absolutely shocked. I thought somebody was pulling my leg, to be honest," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Signing the Swede is a massive coup for the League Two club because of his record of success across European football.


ERIKSSON'S TEAMS
Degerfors 1977-78
IFK Gothenburg 1979-82
Benfica 1982-84
Roma 1984-87
Fiorentina 1987-89
Benfica 1989-92
Sampdoria 1992-97
Lazio 1997-2001
England 2001-06
Manchester City 2007-08
Mexico 2008-09
Eriksson made a name for himself in his homeland with IFK Gothenburg before moving to Benfica where he won two Portuguese league titles, a Portuguese cup and the team finished runners-up in the Uefa Cup.

A spell in Italy followed before he returned to Benfica, leading them to the final of the European Cup in 1990 where they lost 1-0 to AC Milan.

It was at Italian side Lazio where he achieved arguably his greatest success, winning every major trophy in Italy - including the Serie A title in 2000 for only the second time in the Roman club's history - and the European Cup Winners Cup.

The Swede became the first foreign manager to take charge of the English national side when he was appointed as Kevin Keegan's successor in 2001.

He spent five years at the helm, leading England to the quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, as well as a place in the last eight at the 2004 European Championships.

Eriksson announced his decision to step down as England manager before the 2006 World Cup in Germany - two years before his contract was due to expire.

A year out of the game followed before he joined Manchester City, where he spent only one season before being replaced by Mark Hughes.

In June 2008 Eriksson replaced Hugo Sanchez in the Mexico job, the legendary striker having been sacked three months earlier, but he lasted less than a year.

Major champions lead US Open draw 

Golf's reigning major champions Tiger Woods, Padraig Harrington and Angel Cabrera will play in the same group for the first two rounds of the US Open.

The event starts on 18 June at Bethpage Black, where defending champion Woods captured the 2002 title.

Harrington won last year's Open and PGA Championship while Argentina's Cabrera won the Masters two months ago.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy is in an exciting-looking group with American Ryder Cup winner Anthony Kim.

World number two Phil Mickelson, who withdrew from the Tour last month after his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer, only decided to take part last week.

Mickelson will be with South Africa duo Ernie Els and Retief Goosen as he chases his maiden US Open triumph after four runners-up finishes.
 
"I'm not playing just to play," said Mickelson. "Bethpage is a golf course that suits my game. I love that course.

"Obviously, I'm playing because I believe I can win. That's the goal.

"My quest is to win my first US Open after four seconds, numerous close calls, me caring about this tournament so much.

"I'm just fortunate that I'm going to be able to play and I hope to play well. I know after that I've got something going on that's more important and takes my mind off it."

US Open officials decided against grouping the top three players in the world ranking, as they did last year at San Diego.

World number one Woods, going for his 15th major title, will also be hoping to match Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones and Willie Anderson as the only four-time US Open champions.

The 33-year-old limped to victory in last year's US Open at Torrey Pines, defeating Rocco Mediate on the first sudden-death hole following an 18-hole playoff, then had left knee surgery that sidelined him for the next eight months.

Not since Curtis Strange in 1989 has a player won consecutive US Opens.

Anyone watch the show? From the same creater as family guy (seth mcfarlane). Think its in the middle of series two at the minute. Good laugh but not as funny as family guy.

Anyone watch the show on itv. Think it started yesterday. Some girl just stole £9,000 without even answering a question in the whole game.

besides our own

Italy           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwVSTXn5ghw

Scotland     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5gxAEXaiAI

Top-flight 'reticent' on Old Firm 

Celtic and Rangers could play Old Firm matches in the English league
The proposal to create a two-tier English Premier League could be discussed at the league's Annual General Meeting in June.

Chairmen from England's top-flight met on Thursday but BBC Scotland has learned Bolton chairman Phil Gartside's proposal was not formally discussed.

If Gartside's plan did garner enough support, it could pave the way for Celtic and Rangers to play in England.

European football's governing body Uefa say they would not oppose such a move.

Gartside is preparing a plan to include both teams in a two-tier Premier League of 18 teams each.

The idea would have to overcome a number of obstacles if it was to come to fruition, and Uefa has consistently said that teams will not be allowed to play in leagues outside their own country.

But Uefa's director of communications William Gaillard told BBC Scotland on Monday the matter would be something to be decided between the leagues and associations involved.

Those bodies would be the Premier League, the Football Association, the Scottish Premier League, the Scottish Football Association and the Football League in England.

Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal are likely to be against the plan as it would reduce their income.

Others such as Aston Villa, Tottenham and Everton, who may consider it unlikely they would ever drop out of a 20-team Premier League, may also have misgivings.

Mid-table clubs might also struggle to cope with a drop in television money as the cash is spread more widely.

In theory, any addition of the Old Firm to an English league could provide a stiffer test for Scotland's top two clubs and generate more enthusiasm from broadcasters and fans.

That would make up some of the money each club would lose if the Premier League is expanded from 20 to 36 clubs.

At the moment, teams relegated to the Championship are given £11.5m a year for two years because of the lost television income when they drop out of the top flight and are not promoted back into it.

Gartside's plan, which will need the approval of 14 out of 20 Premier League chairmen, would offer more financial stability to teams in the lower half of the Premier League, who would then be able to plan for the future with greater certainty.

Watch all the episodes at www.watchfamilyguyonline.org

[A Dutch TV jury has found Osama bin Laden not guilty of the September 11 attacks.]

A Dutch TV jury has found Osama bin Laden not guilty of the September 11 attacks.
In the conclusion Wednesday night to the show "Devil's Advocate" on Dutch public broadcaster Nederland 2, the jury of two men and three women, along with the studio audience, ruled that there was no proof bin Laden was the mastermind behind the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001.

The Netherlands, home to "Big Brother" creator Endemol, is known for being on the cutting edge of format-based television. But even for Dutch standards, "Devil's Advocate," from Amsterdam production house AVRO, pushes the envelope.

The show features star defence attorney Gerard Spong standing up for some of the world's worst criminals.

In the latest show, Spong was able to convince the jury that bin Laden's connection to September 11 was a product of "Western propaganda." The jury also ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove bin Laden was the real head of terrorist network al-Qaida. The jury did rule, however, that bin Laden is a "terrorist who has misused Islam."

The show is certain to provide further ammunition in the already heated Dutch debate over immigration and the country's large Muslim minority. The Netherlands saw a sharp rise in anti-immigration and anti-Islamic sentiment after the 2004 murder of Dutch director Theo Van Gogh by a Muslim extremist.

Spong has been at the centre of the debate, supporting legal action against anti-immigrant politician Geert Wilders.

Snooker to trial shorter format 


A new shorter form of snooker is set to be trialled at the World Championship in Sheffield later this month.

The reduced version - provisionally titled 'Super6s' - will feature the same number of colours per frame as the regular format but only six reds.

It is hoped the new format will help snooker replicate the success of Twenty20 cricket.

It will be trialled with a contest between a legends team and a rising star side at the Crucible event.

"As an observer of snooker you cannot churn out the same diet year after year," said the chairman of World Snooker, Sir Rodney Walker. "Look at what Twenty20 has done for cricket.

"It has brought in a whole new audience so what we have in mind we think would be appealing to a younger audience.

"The working party who looked into this thought that a six-ball tournament with matches that take an average of six to seven minutes to play, with maybe the best of five, best of 10 frames," he added in the Guardian.

   World Snooker has come in for some criticism of late for not doing more to keep the sport fresh or appealing.

World number one Ronnie O'Sullivan branded snooker a "dying" sport and called for it's governing body to seek ways to revitalise it.

Two-time world champion John Higgins has been particularly critical of the inability of the WPBSA to promote snooker overseas.

In August last year, the sport's two biggest sponsors - World Championship backers 888.com and Saga Insurance who supported the Wembley Masters - terminated their contracts, costing the game £1.5m.

However, on Wednesday, World Snooker announced online bookmakers Betfred.com had signed a four-year deal to sponsor the World Championship.

Sven-Goran Eriksson has been sacked as Mexico boss following Wednesday's World Cup qualifying defeat against Honduras.

Mexico's 3-1 defeat to Honduras was their second in three qualifying matches and left them fourth in their six-team group.

If they stay fourth they will face the fifth-placed team from South America for a place in next year's World Cup.

The former England manager was hired in June following his sacking as Manchester City manager last season.

"We could not take risks with qualification for the World Cup, and we could not rely solely on results at the Estadio Azteca," Mexican Football Federation president Justino Compean said.

"We had a meeting with Mr Eriksson and - although it is a shame for me and a lot of people - we told Mr Eriksson that his spell with the national team was over.

"Personally, I want to thank Mr Eriksson."

Pressure on 61-year-old Eriksson had been lifted temporarily with a convincing 2-0 win over Costa Rica on Saturday but Wednesday's defeat resulted in his eight month reign being terminated.

Eriksson was linked with a move back to English football in February following Tony Adams' sacking as Portsmouth coach.

"I would think there will be plenty of offers for him," Eriksson's personal manager Athole Still told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He would love to work in England again, I know that for a fact. I would say yes, his first choice would be a good Premier League club in England where he has a challenge."

Mexico's poor form in their latest World Cup qualifying group came off the back of some bad results in the first phase of qualifying.

Mexico had won just once in seven matches following Wednesday's defeat to Honduras.
 
In 2001 Eriksson became the first foreign manager to take charge of the England national team having previously coached club football in Italy and Portugal.

He spent five years at the helm as England manager leading them to three quarter-finals at major competitions before leaving his post after the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

After spending a year out of football he joined Manchester City in 2007 but spent just one season at the Premier League club.

In June 2008 Eriksson replaced Hugo Sanchez in the Mexico job, the legendary striker having been sacked three months earlier.

Tiger Woods is a best price of 2/1 for the Masters at Augusta following his success at Bay Hill in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The world number one chased down Sean O'Hair in the final round to post a one-shot win and is now hot favourite ahead of Phil Mickelson (8/1, Sky Bet) to land another Green Jacket next month.

His triumph came on just his third start back after knee surgery and he is 4/11 with Paddy Power to win any major in 2009 and 15/8 not to - he is just 22/1 with the same firm to land all four.


Padraig Harrington is 150/1 with Hills to complete his own version of the 'Tiger-Slam' by adding the US Masters and US Open to the Open and US PGA titles he already holds.


"In all the hype over Tiger's return, people have forgotten that Padraig Harrington has won the last two and could have his own 'Padraig'-Slam to boast about if he collects the next two," said spokesman Graham Sharpe.


Hills make Woods 4/9 to finish ahead of Harrington at the Masters and 7/4 vice-versa - a tie is 16/1.


O'Hair has been cut to 40/1 by Paddy Power for the US Money List in the market without Woods.

Just started on TV3 now.

Frank Hadden has stepped down as head coach of the Scotland national rugby side with immediate effect.

Former Edinburgh coach Hadden was given the Scotland job in September 2005 and enjoyed success in his first Six Nations, with three victories.

However, the 2007 and 2008 campaigns were disappointing, yielding just one victory from five outings each time.

And he failed to meet the SRU's minimum target of two Six Nations victories per season in last season's campaign.

SRU chief executive Gordon McKie said: "It was agreed that a change in head coach is required to allow us to plan for the Rugby 2011 World Cup.

Scottish Rugby will begin the recruitment process for a new head coach with immediate effect.

Hadden's departure will come as no surprise to followers of Scottish rugby, although his position was under threat after another poor Six Nations tournament.

Scotland have finished in the bottom two of the Six Nations five times in the last six years, which is the same record as Italy.

Their 26-12 Calcutta Cup defeat by England in the final game of this season's competition was Scotland's 12th in their last 16 matches.

After the defeat by England, Hadden claimed his squad were capable of winning the Six Nations if he had the the preparation time as ngland, Ireland and Wales.

"I honestly believe that we can win the championship with this squad," said Hadden.

"We have a squad of players that is capable of being very competitive at the very highest level but I am frustrated we don't get the preparation time we want.

"I still believe we have a squad capable of doing something, with the proper preparation and the time to develop.

"The fact that the other teams have the control over the players they do makes life much easier for them.

"The two teams with the poorest preparation are at the wrong end of the championship. That's a fact.

"There's absolutely no doubt. England have had eight weeks' continuous preparation, whereas our guys have been going back and forward."

Wales will host its first Friday night Six Nations fixture against France in next year's championship at the Millennium Stadium on 26 February.

The two sides contested the RBS Six Nations' first Friday night game this year when France beat Wales 21-16 at Stade de France on 27 February.

Ireland start their Grand Slam defence against Italy as they kick-off the 2010 tournament in Dublin.

England host Wales at Twickenham on the opening weekend on 6 February.

The 2010 tournament will celebrate the centenary of the first championship between the five original members and will conclude with a Saturday night fixture between France and England in Paris at 1945 GMT.

A Six Nations statement said: "After the success of the Friday night fixture in 2009, the council have decided to host another Friday night match to be played in Cardiff on 29 February.

"The Friday night fixture in 2009 produced the biggest TV audience of any France game in France and the second highest average TV audience of all 15 games in the 2009 championship."



Saturday, 6 February

1430 GMT: Ireland v Italy
1700 GMT: England v Wales

Sunday, 7 February

1500 GMT: Scotland v France

Saturday, 13 February

1400 GMT: Wales v Scotland
1630 GMT: France v Ireland

Sunday, 14 February

1430 GMT: Italy v England

Friday, 26 February

2000 GMT: Wales v France

Saturday, 27 February

1330 GMT: Italy v Scotland
1600 GMT: England v Ireland

Saturday, 13 March

1430 GMT: Ireland v Wales
1700 GMT: Scotland v England

Sunday, 14 March

1430 GMT: France v Italy

Saturday, 20 March

1430 GMT: Wales v Italy
1700 GMT: Ireland v Scotland
1945 GMT: France v England

Former tennis champion John McEnroe was duped along with Bank of America, investment firms, art owners and collectors in a sophisticated $88 million (61 million pound) art investment scam revealed in New York on Thursday.

Art dealer Lawrence Salander, 59, was arrested at his New York home on Thursday, when he and his gallery were charged with 100 counts, including grand larceny and securities fraud, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau told a news conference.

Salander pleaded not guilty in New York's Supreme Court and his bail was set at $1 million. He faces up to 25 years in prison on the most serious charge.

"We intend to vigorously defend against these allegations in the courtroom." Salander's lawyer Charles Ross said.

So far, authorities have identified 26 victims of Salander's scheme, including McEnroe, who lost $2 million after investing a half share in two paintings, Arshile Gorky's "Pirate I and II." The share in the paintings was sold at the same time to another collector, and McEnroe never recouped the money, authorities said.

Morgenthau said the scheme, which lasted from 1994 to 2007, included luring investors who paid cash in exchange for shares of ownership of works of art.

"He sold artwork not owned by him and kept the money and lured investment money in fraudulent investment opportunities," Morgenthau said. Salander used the money to fund "an extravagant lifestyle" of lavish parties and private jets, he said.

At times, Morgenthau said, Salander inflated the value of paintings to score greater investments that were not returned to investors.

The investigation of Salander, the former owner of Salander-O'Reilly Galleries, continues. Other estates he looked after included paintings of the late father of actor Robert De Niro.

Renaissance Art Investors, a company focussed on investment in old master paintings, lost $45 million in the scheme, authorities said.

Earl Davis, the son of American abstract painter Stuart Davis, lost $6.7 million, authorities said, while Bank of America lost $2 million after Salander lied about paintings he owned to secure a loan.

Hester Diamond, the widow of late renowned New York art dealer Harold Diamond and mother of Beastie Boys' Mike D, lost $6 million, authorities said.

McEnroe was alerted to the scheme when he learned an art collector owned the same painting he had, authorities said. A spokesman for McEnroe said he was on vacation and unable to be immediately reached.

Most of the artworks, which are yet to be valued, are being held in the custody of a bankruptcy court in Poughkeepsie, New York. Many of the investors have filed civil claims against Salander and his gallery, which filed for bankruptcy and closed in 2007.

[Lance Armstrong crashed out of the Tour of Castilla y Leon on the opening day.]

Lance Armstrong crashed out of the Tour of Castilla y Leon on the opening day.

The Texan, 37, appeared to be in pain as he was helped away in an ambulance after suffering what looked to be a collarbone injury.

Armstrong was caught up in an incident involving a number of riders during the 168.3 kilometre stage between Paredes de Nava and Baltanas.

A spokesman for his Astana team said he had likely hurt his collarbone or shoulder and was being taken to hospital for checks.

Armstrong, the cancer survivor who went on to win the Tour de France seven times in a row from 1999-2005, returned to the saddle at the start of the season after more than three years in retirement.

World Cup draw 2011 
*Further details of qualification and fixtures will be included as they emerge

Pool A
New Zealand, France, Tonga, Americas 1, Asia 1

Pool B
Argentina, England, Scotland, Europe 1, play-off winner

Pool C
Australia, Ireland, Italy, Europe 2, Americas 2

Pool D
South Africa, Wales, Fiji, Oceania 1, Africa 1