Council approves unlimited meals

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA's legislative council approved a proposal Tuesday to expand the meal allowance for all athletes.
The move occurred eight days after Connecticut guard Shabazz Napier complained during the Final Four that he sometimes went to bed "starving" because he couldn't afford food.
The proposal would allow Division I schools to provide unlimited meals and snacks to all athletes, including walk-ons. The measure still must be approved by the board of directors, which meets April 24.
"I think the end result is right where it needs to be," committee chairwoman and America East assistant commissioner Mary Mulvenna said in a statement released by the governing body.
The proposal has been debated for months, but Napier's comments following last week's national championship game brought attention to the topic. Napier was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA tournament, leading Connecticut to its fourth men's title.
Schools have been allowed to provide three meals per day or a stipend for those meals to scholarship athletes. The new rule would allow walk-ons to receive the same allowances and would allow schools to provide more meals and snacks, too.
Previously, the NCAA had a bylaw allowing schools to offer bagels, fruits and nuts to athletes. But according to an interpretation, spreads like cream cheese were prohibited, according to a February report by the Los Angeles Times. The NCAA eliminated that interpretation last year.
The committee also approved a measure that would reduce the penalty for a first positive drug test -- if the banned substance is determined to be something other than a performance-enhancing drug. Currently, players who fail the test during NCAA tournaments must sit out one full season. The proposal would cut the penalty to half a season.
Committee members said they hope the change will encourage schools to provide more rehab services.
The NCAA only tests during its championship events, though schools can implement its own drug tests throughout the school year.
In other moves, the committee approved:
• A measure requiring football players to get a three-hour break between preseason practices. Film sessions and team meetings still could be held during the break;
• require a school staff member who is certified in CPR, first aid and arterial external defibrillation to be present at all physical, countable athletic activities;
• and require strength and conditioning coaches to be certified by a nationally accredited certification organization.
If approved, the proposals, except the one regarding strength and conditioning coaches, would take effect Aug. 1. The committee has recommended giving strength and conditioning coaches until Aug. 1, 2015, to complete their certification.

FIFA pays Hillsborough tribute

FIFA asked for all its member associations to fly flags at half-mast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.









Sepp Blatter, president of the world governing body, also sent a letter to the Football Association expressing sympathy for the "innocent victims" of the tragedy in 1989 which saw 96 Liverpool fans lose their lives.
Blatter added that the disaster at an FA Cup semi-final had led to Britain taking the lead in improving stadium safety.
He said in his letter: "Twenty-five years on from this dark day in the history of the game, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the families and friends of the 96 who so tragically lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster, in remembrance of which the flags of FIFA's member associations will today be flown at half-mast.
"While it is above all important to honour and remember the innocent victims of 15 April 1989, today we can also reflect on the determination of the British political and football authorities to ensure that something so terrible never happens again by introducing the highest standards for stadiums and stadium safety.
"The football community worldwide, whilst never forgetting the tragic circumstances that led to this change, is grateful to England for taking the lead in this area."
UEFA president Michel Platini also issued a statement to mark the 25th anniversary.
Platini said: "The thoughts of UEFA and the European football family remain with the families of those who lost their lives in this tragedy, 25 years ago."

Djokovic starts defence with win

Novak Djokovic made a convincing start to the defence of his Monte Carlo Rolex Masters title with a second-round thrashing of Albert Montanes.

The world number two, who received a first-round bye, ended Rafael Nadal's eight-year winning streak by the Mediterranean last year and needed just 45 minutes to dispatch Montanes 6-1 6-0.
The first set was more competitive than the scoreline suggested but Spaniard Montanes won only five points in the second as Djokovic strolled through.
Also into the third round is ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, but the Frenchman had a much tougher time in beating Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4 1-6 6-4.
Twelfth seed Grigor Dimitrov needed three sets to beat Marcel Granollers 6-2 4-6 6-2 in the first round but there were defeats for Mikhail Youzhny and Jerzy Janowicz.
Thirteenth seed Youzhny was beaten 6-3 7-6 (7/4) by Italian Andreas Seppi, while Janowicz's miserable run continued with a 6-4 6-2 loss to Michael Llodra.
The Pole, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals last summer, has lost his last six matches.

Vale captain considers legal action

Port Vale captain Doug Loft is undecided whether or not he will take legal action against Daniel Jones over the facial injuries that have brought a premature end to his season.








Loft was last week involved in a training ground altercation with then-team mate Jones, who has since had his contract with the club terminated, as Vale prepared for their Sky Bet League One fixture against Notts County.
Both players were left out of the squad for the game on Saturday, which the Valiants lost 4-2, and after the match at Meadow Lane manager Micky Adams revealed the club were conducting an internal investigation into the incident.
As a result of that investigation Jones has had the remaining year of his contract cancelled.
On Tuesday morning, one tabloid newspaper printed a photograph of Loft's face under the headline 'disfigured' and went on to say that he had suffered broken bones in his nose, jaw and cheek.
Speaking about the incident, Loft told Sky Sports News: "There's a chance (of legal proceedings) but I just want to get my face right and then I will go away and talk with my family and decide about my future.
"I have never had a problem with Jonesy and he has never had one with me, as far as I know.
"We went into a tackle and as I was getting up off the floor he hit me. I fell backwards and sat on the floor, the gaffer sent him in and I went to hospital for X-rays. He texted me on the day and said sorry, that was it."
Loft will be out of contract in the summer and the 27-year-old is frustrated that the chance to possibly put himself in the shop window during the club's remaining four matches has been taken away.
He added: "At the minute I am angry. I have been playing really well and I was getting a lot of interest and I knew that people were watching me. I am annoyed and upset that I will miss the rest of the season."

Pellegrini not giving up on title

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is convinced his side are still firmly in the Barclays Premier League title race.









Pellegrini insists little has changed as a result of Sunday's defeat to leaders Liverpool.
The loss left third-placed City trailing the Reds by seven points and Chelsea by five but, with two games in hand, Pellegrini claims the battle could still be too close to call.
The Chilean said: "I think the team knows perfectly what they have to do.
"We lost that game but we have still to play six games more and we will fight to the end to win the title.
"If we don't do it, it is because Liverpool will win their four games, but I don't think some things change after the game on Sunday.
"Of course, the fans believe that we can do it.
"The two games postponed - if we win both we are just one point behind Liverpool.
"If you don't believe (when you are) just one point behind the leader, nobody can believe anything.
"We have had a very good season so far and we hope we finish in the last six games in the same way."
City's title destiny may be out of their hands but they will look to apply pressure as they play the first of their games in hand at home to bottom side Sunderland on Wednesday.
"The important thing is that we win our games," Pellegrini said.
"We can do nothing about the other teams but we can do a lot of things here.
"That is why I am sure the players know exactly what they have to do and we will try to start winning one of the two games postponed so both teams, Chelsea and Liverpool, must feel we are only three or four points behind them with one game also to play at the end of the season."
City will be without key midfielder Yaya Toure, who limped off just 19 minutes into Sunday's game with a leg injury and will be out for 10 days to a fortnight.
That means he could also miss matches against West Brom and Crystal Palace but the problem does not appear as bad as first feared.
Vincent Kompany and top scorer Sergio Aguero, who made his comeback at the weekend after five games out with a hamstring injury, are both fit.
Meanwhile, Sunderland head coach Gus Poyet has admitted he would willingly swap places with arch-rivals Newcastle as he attempts to drag the club back from the brink of relegation.
The Black Cats head into a daunting visit to the Etihad Stadium knowing their Barclays Premier League destiny could be all but decided if they emerge with a sixth successive defeat with seven points currently separating them from safety.
Poyet admitted after Saturday's 1-0 home reverse at the hands of high-flying Everton that a root and branch review of the club is required if it is to ever release itself from a seemingly perennial tailspin which is sucking it back towards the Football League.
And he has cast an envious eye along the road to Newcastle, where counterpart Alan Pardew finds himself entrenched in a battle to win over his club's fans despite the Magpies sitting ninth in the table.
Asked to characterise the challenge of managing in the north-east, Poyet said: "The most important part, which is the fans, they love it, they love football and they are desperate to do well.
"Go across the river and go to Newcastle - they are in an unbelievable situation in the table and there is a nightmare.
"Can we change over? Because that is a great problem to have, to be ninth?
"Why? Because it's that drive to get better all the time and to be always on top and it doesn't matter how many games you have won in the past because you need to win the next.
"That part of football, I love it because it's the best way to do it, to try to get better all the time.
"In terms of mentality for me, it's perfect, the north-east. It's always better if you finish ninth instead of 10th, and I am like that.
"The problem is at the moment it is so bad that it's not enjoyable, so the idea is to make sure that we don't put ourselves in this situation anymore.
"It doesn't matter who is the manager, I am talking about the club now, the club itself."
Full-back Phil Bardsley will miss the trip through suspension after collecting his 10th booking of the season against Everton.
Midfielder Liam Bridcutt will also be absent because of a personal issue, while striker Steve Fletcher (ankle) is unlikely to play again this season and goalkeeper Keiren Westwood continues his recovery from a shoulder injury.

Hands off! Bayern warn Arsenal and Chelsea over Mario Mandzukic move

BAYERN MUNICH have told Arsenal and Chelsea in no uncertain terms is striker Mario Mandzukic available.

With Robert Lewandowski set to join from rivals Borussia Dortmund in the summer, there has been speculation that Mandzukic could make way for the Pole. However, despite interest from Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho, the German heavyweights are insistent Mandzukic will be going nowhere.
The 27-year-old has scored 20 goals in 37 games for Bayern this season and is considered a key component of the team by sporting director Matthias Sammer.
"Nobody even has to bother making an approach for Mandzukic," Sammer said.

"He is incredibly important to Bayern. I always affectionately say that he plays like an animal.
"It is simply amazing how much work he does for the team and how much running he does during a game.
"They always try to provoke him because he really hurts his opponents with his work-rate."
Mandzukic scored Bayern's equaliser against Manchester United last week as they went on to win 4-2 on aggregate and book their place in the Champions League semi-finals.

REVEALED: Cesar Azpilicueta explains why everyone calls him Dave!

CESAR AZPILICUETA has been one of Chelsea's surprise packages this season.

 

 

 

Having started the campaign on the bench, the Spaniard has gone on to displace England international Ashley Cole and win Jose Mourinho's trust. At left-back.
In 2012 Azpilicueta joined Chelsea for £7million with a reputation as one of the best young right-backs in Europe.
But the 24-year-old has shone on the opposite flank this season for the Blues, and could yet end the season with Premier League and Champions League medals.

Azpilicueta is not getting carried away with his impressive performances though.
The former Marseille man humbly admits he recently mistook someone shouting his nickname for the Chelsea bus driver.
It may be common knowledge that Azpilicueta is widely known as 'Dave' at the west London club, a name he shares with the team's driver.
"People are always joking with me, calling me 'Dave', so I didn't think about it, I just turned around," he recalls of one incident this campaign.

 
"And that's when I realised they were talking to the bus driver!"
Azpilicueta admits he took some stick from his team-mates who watched his slip-up, but the Pamplona-born man has got used to his new nickname.
"Even in the street, they call me Dave, so I know that it is done in a good way," he adds.
"I'm okay with it. I think they know my name really, and they probably all spell it [right], but its an affectionate nickname for me, so I don't mind."
Azpilicueta certainly won't mind whatever Chelsea fans want to call him should his side go on and win the Premier League title.
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