Shearer predicts season of struggle
Newcastle’s record goalscorer Alan Shearer fears his old club will spend the entire season in a relegation dogfight. One of the Magpies’ favourite sons is dismayed to see his boyhood team in the Barclays Premier League’s bottom three already and without a top-flight win since May. Manager Alan Pardew is due to take charge of the 700th game of his managerial career against Leicester this weekend but has come under heavy criticism from certain sections of the Newcastle support, as has the club’s owner Mike Ashley. He believes selling their best players year on year is finally catching up with them. Mathieu Debuchy, Yohan Cabaye and Demba Ba were the latest players to depart the club in recent seasons, and Shearer added: “It doesn’t help when you sell your best players; that’s stating the obvious. “It also doesn’t help when you’re on a poor run and confidence is very, very low. “The sooner they can get a win this season it will stop everyone talking about them trying to get their first one. They need to do it and they need to do it quickly.” Shearer, who was speaking at Manchester’s National Football Museum where he was being inducted into the English Hall of Fame, does not see a light at the end of tunnel for his old club and thinks the remainder of the campaign could be spent in the top flight’s lower reaches too. “I think it will be a long, hard season for Newcastle with the way they’ve started off,” he told Press Association Sport. “Hopefully Papiss Cisse will be able to start games, if not on Saturday then shortly after that, because it looks like he’s the only one who can score goals for them. “They’ve been on a tough run since January and their form has been pretty poor. They need results and they need them quick. “They’ve sold a lot of their top players over the past few years, which obviously doesn’t help, and the atmosphere isn’t very good at St James’ Park at the moment. “We just hope that it can change against Leicester on Saturday.” There has been much finger-pointing in the north-east with regards to where the biggest portion of blame should lie. Newcastle fan Shearer played on Tyneside for a decade and had a short stint as a manager so is better placed than most to judge where the crux of the problem is. Press Association
BLUE HILL — The last time the Ellsworth boys’ basketball team played on the Cross Insurance Center floor came when it appeared in its first state championship game in nearly three decades. In the three years since then, the Eagles have been longing to get back.Although Ellsworth made the playoffs in the two seasons following its 2016 Northern Maine title, heartbreakers in the prelims kept the Eagles from returning to the Cross Center both times. Thanks to a hard-earned win Saturday, that wait could be about to end.Ellsworth earned a season sweep of George Stevens Academy on Saturday with a 59-52 victory in Blue Hill. The win moved Ellsworth within touching distance of a bye to the Class B North quarterfinals, which are set to begin next week in Bangor.“We knew this was big for points and what that would mean for us,” junior Jackson Curtis said. “For us juniors, we’ve lost twice in the prelims. We don’t want to have to go through that again this year.”Ellsworth’s Norman Jodrey defends against GSA’s Andrew Szwez during the first half of a high school boys’ basketball game Feb. 2 in Blue Hill. Szwez led GSA in scoring with 16 points. ELLSWORTH AMERICAN PHOTO BY MIKE MANDELLThis is placeholder textThis is placeholder textAfter forcing a defensive stop to start the game, Ellsworth bookended a Hunter Curtis layup with a pair of Devin Grindle 3-pointers to jump out to an 8-0 lead. Yet GSA fought back with seven points from senior forward Percy Zentz, and the home team whittled away at Ellsworth’s lead to bring the game to a 14-all tie through the first quarter of play.That didn’t last long, though, as Grindle hit another shot from beyond the arc to open the second quarter. His fourth 3-pointer of the first half put Ellsworth (12-5) up 25-18, and the visitors padded that lead further in the half’s closing minutes to take a 30-20 lead into the locker room.“I was feeling it,” Grindle said of his first-half shooting performance. “We ran some plays that were able to get me and some of other guys some open shots, and I just felt in the zone after I drained that first one.”Although GSA (14-2) scored the first basket of the second half, Ellsworth went on a 9-0 run to stretch its lead to 17 points midway through the third quarter. GSA cut the deficit to single digits late in the game with scoring bursts from Andrew Szwez and Reece Dannenberg, but it wasn’t enough to stop Ellsworth from coming away with the victory.Grindle and Jackson Curtis scored 13 points each for Ellsworth, which swept GSA for the first time since the 2012-13 season. Also scoring for the visitors were Hunter Curtis with 10 points, Darby Barry and Austin Harris with eight apiece and Norman Jodrey with seven.“When you play a good team like GSA, it takes a good effort from everybody,” Jackson Curtis said. “Devin got us off to a good start with those early 3s, and then we had four or five other guys that made sure we kept it up later in the game.”Ellsworth’s Hunter Curtis looks to pass to teammate Darby Barry as GSA’s Andrew Szwez defends during the second half of a high school boys’ basketball game Feb. 2 in Blue Hill. GSA’s two losses against Ellsworth this year account for its only defeats of the season thus far. ELLSWORTH AMERICAN PHOTO BY MIKE MANDELLGrindle’s shooting effort came as he was on the tail end of a weeklong battle with a cold. The sickness made Saturday’s game one of the most tiring of his high school career, but that wasn’t going to stop the senior from making one of the his final games count.“I don’t know 100 percent why, but I sometimes feel like I play better when I’m sick,” Grindle said. “I feel crazy worn out right now, but for a win like this, it’s all worth it.”For GSA, Andrew Szwez scored a game-high 16 points in the loss. The team’s other scorers were Dannenberg and Zentz with 12 points apiece, Isaac Wardwell with 10 and Caden Mattson with two.The loss dropped GSA from third to fourth in the Class C North standings. The Eagles will face No. 3 Mattanawcook Academy (13-3) at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Feb. 5, in Lincoln.Ellsworth’s next game will be at home against Mount Desert Island (12-5) at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7. Although the Eagles are likely to receive a bye no matter what — it would take an Ellsworth loss Thursday and very specific set of results elsewhere in the state for them to drop to the sixth spot — a win against the Trojans on Senior Night would be a great way to ensure it.“We’re going to need to play a full 32 minutes,” head coach Peter Austin said. “You have to play mistake-free whenever you play MDI, and that’s what it’s going to take.” MPA approves golf, XC, field hockey, soccer; football, volleyball moved to spring – September 10, 2020 Hospice volunteers help families navigate grief and find hope – September 12, 2020 Mike MandellMike Mandell is the sports editor at The Ellsworth American and Mount Desert Islander. He began working for The American in August 2016. You can reach him via email at mmandell@ellsworthamerican.com. Latest posts by Mike Mandell (see all)
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LISBON: Paris Saint-Germain progressed to their first UEFA Champions League final after beating RB Leipzig 3-0 in the semi-final clash at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.The surprise was the presence of striker Kylian Mbappe from the beginning of Tuesday’s match, after the Frenchman’s return from injury, but the evening belonged to Argentinian midfielder Angel Di Maria, who returned after suspension to score one goal and assist the other two, reports Xinhua news agency. PSG looked to dominate the game from the outset with an early effort from Brazilian striker Neymar cannoning off the post. RB Leipzig tried to challenge, but never offered any real threat to PSG goalkeeper Sergio Rico, deputizing for the injured Keylor Navas. The French team scored their first goal in the 13th minute with Di Maria’s free-kick headed home by Brazilian midfielder Marquinhos. PSG made it 2-0 in the 42nd minute after Leipzig were caught in possession in their own half, allowing Neymar to delightfully flick the ball onto an unmarked Di Maria to slot home in the area. At the break, Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann made two changes and his side started the second half the brighter of the two sides. But the Germans’ joy was short-lived as in the 56th minute Di Maria again took advantage of some slack Leipzig defending to cross for Juan Bernat to head home PSG’s third goal. Paris Saint-Germain will now face either fellow French side Lyon or German powerhouses Bayern Munich in next Sunday’s final. (IANS) Also Watch: Tai Ahom Yuva Parishad Assam burns CM’s Effigy
“This is not just about social distancing,” Payton said. “It’s shutting down here for a week to two weeks. If people understand the curve, and understand the bump, we can easily work together as a country to reduce it. “Take a minute to understand what the experts are saying. It’s not complicated to do what they’re asking of us. Just that type of small investment by every one of us will have a dramatic impact.”Payton was tested soon after he returned from attending horse races Saturday at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and the coach’s announcement had a ripple effect in horse racing.New Orleans-based thoroughbred trainer Tom Amoss said he had spent time with Payton at Oaklawn Park and would immediately stop training horses that were scheduled to run at New Orleans’ Fair Grounds Race Course. On Saturday, Oaklawn remains scheduled to host the Louisiana Derby and several other graded stakes races — minus fans.“I am self quarantining immediately and will get tested at the earliest possible time,” Amoss wrote on social media. “I feel great and have had no symptoms. Wishing Coach a fast recovery.” March 19, 2020 NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wished Payton well in a statement, and urged those in the NFL community and elsewhere to focus on public safety.“Our primary concern is for Sean’s health and well-being,” Goodell said. “He did the right thing by seeking medical attention and we wish him a speedy recovery. It shouldn’t come as a surprise as this pandemic continues that members of our NFL family will be directly impacted. “This news underscores the importance of everyone following the advice from medical and public health experts to protect themselves and others.”Payton took his first head coaching job with the Saints in 2006. It was the club’s first season back in New Orleans after being displaced to San Antonio by Hurricane Katrina for the entire 2005 regular season. Payton has coached the Saints every season since — except 2012, when he was suspended for what the NFL said was his failure to stop an improper cash-for-hits bounty program run by former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and some defensive players between the 2009 and 2011 seasons.Eight of the 13 Saints squads Payton has coached have made the playoffs, advancing to the NFC title game in the 2006, 2009 and 2018 seasons, with the 2009 team winning the franchise’s lone Super Bowl title. Share This StoryFacebookTwitteremailPrintLinkedinRedditNEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton says he has tested positive for the coronavirus, is resting comfortably at home and is making his test result public in hopes he can motivate people to do more to fight the pandemic.Payton learned Thursday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus, he told ESPN before posting a photo of himself smiling as he sat on a couch next to his dog.“Appreciate the well wishes,” Payton wrote on his Twitter page. “I’m feeling better and fortunate to not have any of the respiratory symptoms. 4 more days at home.” Payton designs the offense for the most part and calls plays for the unit led by record-setting quarterback Drew Brees, whom Payton recruited to New Orleans as a free agent in 2006.With Payton at the helm, the Saints have have ranked first in the NFL in total offense yards six times, in the top four 10 times and never worse than ninth.___ More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL,Tampa Bay Lightning advance to face Dallas Stars in Stanley Cup finals, beating New York Islanders 2-1 in OT in Game 6
Saints coach Payton says he tested positive for coronavirus Payton, 56, is the first employee of either an NFL team or the league to make such a diagnosis public.Payton told ESPN that he was tested Monday for coronavirus after he began to feel ill a day earlier. He added that he has not been admitted to a hospital and does not have a fever or cough.“I was fortunate to be in the minority, without the serious side effects that some have. I’m lucky,” Payton told ESPN. “Younger people feel like they can handle this, but they can be a carrier to someone who can’t handle it. So we all need to do our part. It’s important for every one of us to do our part.”Payton said he felt it was important to be particularly vigilant in Louisiana and the New Orleans area because of international tourist traffic, especially around recently concluded Mardi Gras festivites.“So our parents, and those that are more susceptible to this virus, deserve everyone doing their best to combat it,” Payton said. “There are hundreds of people right now in tough predicaments, fighting for their lives. Let’s be part of the solution, not the problem. We can easily help reduce the numbers of those impacted. We have to do our best to beat this. Associated Press 
In the other semi final Arravale Rovers edged out a one point win against Aherlow Gaels.A tight encounter saw Aherlow Gaels lead by 0-7 to 0-3 at half time.Thanks to a strong second half performance Arravale Rovers rallied to win 1-9 to 0-11 and progress to the West final where they will meet Eire Og.foot Two vital scores late on courtesy of wing back Diarmuid Ryan and sharpshooting corner forward Daragh Mooney were enough to overcome a strong Galtee Rovers challenge.The Bansha side led by 0-5 to 0-3 at half time but Eire Og Annacarty began to dominate early in the second half and overcame the deficit.Two late points by Ryan from play and a long range effort by Mooney from a placed ball out near the wing was the difference in the end as Eire Og won on a 1-8 to 0-9 scoreline.
With the staging of the coaches training, the much-anticipated maiden FCV Gladiators Camp opened yesterday at the University of Lagos Sports Complex.The one-week exercise has a foremost coach from the English Premier League leading some group of tacticians to the Lagos leg of the clinic.Also, the Olympic Value Education Programme (OVEP) will also be part of the exercise holding in Lagos and the Abuja camp will be hosted at Aduvie International School between April 21 and 26. The camp which is the brainchild of Dynaspro Promotion with Advanta Interactive in collaboration with United Kingdom (UK)-based FCV Academy will hold in Lagos and Abuja with special focus on football and education.According to the Director of Dynaspro Promotion, Oluseyi Oyebode, the camp would afford participants opportunity be acquainted with the modern trend in football.“It is a great beginning. For the first time, we are having a foreign partner that is so keen on education and football that has been the missing link. That is why today, we have a lot of our ex-footballers and athletes suffering by not being able to manage the successes, not being able to manage their finances while making the money.“Also, there will be mentorship programmes and for the first time, we will have school coaches, coaches from the grassroots having FA certification and that is the greatest value that you can think about. It will also enable participants the opportunity to have the same orientation that an average British coach will have in working with the youth academy.“This is going to evolve and help development of football in Nigeria,” he further noted.The Director of FCV Academy, Martin Harris, special emphasis would be laid on encouraging the participants to combine sports with education.Share this:FacebookRedditTwitterPrintPinterestEmailWhatsAppSkypeLinkedInTumblrPocketTelegram
AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to FacebookFacebookShare to TwitterTwitterShare to MoreAddThisAlpena- 141 Chinook salmon found a new home in the Thunder Bay River Monday afternoon.Thanks to the help of 87 fourth and fifth grade students from Besser Elementary, these tiny salmon will one day transform into full grown Chinook salmon.The students had been raising and taking care of the salmon all school year as part of the ‘Salmon in the Classroom’ program offered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The course teaches students to undertake conservation and instruct care for fish and the environment. They also provide classrooms with eggs to help hatch and eventually send out into the wild.Today, the students collected data from their Chinook salmon, some even naming their little fish. The young marine biologists studied different macro-invertebrates, took water samples of the river for pH levels, learned about water plants, and looked at Rotary Island wildlife.“I love it when they (the students) are so passionate in answering their questions and when they’re actually releasing the salmon. They are all so excited to let them out into their new habitat,” said Besser Elementary School Teacher Allison Elliott.This is the first time Elliott has utilized the program offered by the Michigan DNR. She learned about it during her student teaching time in California. One of the biggest topics Elliott wanted to study with her class was the introduction of Salmon to the Great Lakes. Salmon are native to the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. They serve a different purpose in the Midwest, helping control populations like the Alewife, an invasive fish from the Atlantic Ocean. Salmon adapt to fresh and salt water very well so introduction was easy for scientist. The salmon also plays a critical role in helping balance the ecosystem.“The ecosystem is very diverse, every fish has it’s own life cycle, and our salmon, thankfully, can acclimate well to anything,” said Elliott.Several community partners came together to help make the project possible including U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, Michigan State University Sea Grant, the Michigan DNR, and members of the the Department of Energy. Elliott praises all of these organizations who helped pull off an experience that the students won’t soon forget.“Just to see what I’ve taught in the classroom, it’s come full circle.”AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to FacebookFacebookShare to TwitterTwitterShare to MoreAddThisContinue ReadingPrevious Notice any student artwork around town?Next Minor Changes Coming To This Summer’s Alpena Art Walk
The legal showdown between Donald and Shelly Sterling continues Tuesday, July 8 as husband and wife argue their cases for who has the right to sell the Los Angeles Clippers franchise. Donald Sterling is expected to testify Tuesday, July 8 in Los Angeles Superior Court.See updates on mobile. Newsroom GuidelinesNews TipsContact UsReport an Error
Epic Games has not stated exactly when you will be able to drive cars and trucks, but did provide some clues.”As time goes on and water recedes, even more locations will be uncovered,” Epic Games states. “And as the roadways become more open, you’ll discover new ways to get around.”So at some point in Season 3, the water will die down and you’ll be able to drive around in various vehicles. The cars will be a welcome edition once they’re added. One of the biggest complaints since the launch of Chapter 2 has been the lack of mobility. Now with boats, helicopters and all these cars there will be plenty of ways to get around the map. (Epic Games) The event is being teased at the Fortnite Joy Ride update, and features a number of selection of cars.It’s not just a name. It’s a warning.Experience the #FortniteJoyRide Update on 8.5.2020 pic.twitter.com/fxgCgAMpYk— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 3, 2020Own the Road.Experience the #FortniteJoyRide Update on 8.5.2020 pic.twitter.com/tWmmTPcwGE— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 4, 2020The spirit of responsibility.Experience the #FortniteJoyRide Update on 8.5.2020 pic.twitter.com/Sn3ycMwX4P— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 4, 2020One of the teasers for the Joy Ride Update features a semi-truck, hinting that we could be able to drive the large automobile. This would be in line with the teases near the start of the game that also showed a semi-truck driving.ORIGINAL STORY:Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 3 is here after a long wait, and one of the biggest questions is if gamers will be able to drive cars.Epic Games released a pair of trailers for Fortnite to announce the start of Season 3. One was simply advancing the story of Fortnite while the other told you what was new in the game. We’ll be focusing on the second one, which is called the Battle Pass trailer.In this trailer, a voice can be heard narrating the scenes and at one point says there will be “new ways to get around” while footage shows people driving in cars.Fortnite has had driveable vehicles in the past such as the golf cart, the quadcrasher, planes and helicopters. But all of these were the same type of vehicle. In the trailer, you can see people driving all variations of cars from regular cars to trucks and even a semi-truck. But if you launch your game up right now and try to drive a car … well you can’t.MORE: How to ride and loot sharks in Season 3 of FortniteWhere are the cars in Fortnite?The cars can be located throughout the map, but unfortunately the ability to drive cars in not yet in Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 3. The trailer clearly indicates at some point this season you will be able to drive cars, you just can’t do so right away.”Throughout your adventure, there will be new areas to explore. New ways to get around and hot new surprises,” the trailer claims. UPDATE: Cars in Fortnite have finally arrived.Fortnite cars were something that was teased at the very beginning of Chapter 2, Season 3, but they took quite a while to actually arrive. Epic Games has now told us they’re getting ready to put driveable cars into the game starting Wednesday, August 5th. https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/ec/37/fortnite-cars_1hg36j1uj3u5t1evaejceqf0ux.png?t=-1035722022&w=500&quality=80
JOSE MOURINHO memorably told his players that shaving his head meant they were “ready to go to war.”But this time the Portuguese found himself in a follicle battle of his own after falling ASLEEP at the barbers.1 Jose Mourinho has lifted the lid on the decision to return to his famous Chelsea war haircutThe Special One shocked fans this week by revealing that he had opted for a three crew-cut that had proved so successful at Chelsea.After returning to his roots ahead of the 2006/7 season, the Blues went on to win nine of their opening 11 league games.But Mourinho admitted it was a failure to stop himself drifting off in the hairdressers which means he repeating the ritual at London rivals Spurs.He told Sky Sports: “Sometimes I like to [cut it short] sometimes I like to feel the cold weather, I like to change it a little bit. But this time was not the case.”This time I fell asleep [in the barber’s chair] and when I woke up it was so bad that I said to him ‘bring the one’. Hopefully, it will grow back again.”I fell asleep [in the barber’s chair] and when I woke up it was so bad that I said to him ‘bring the one’Jose MourinhoAlthough Mourinho confirmed that he does like the haircut, he may find it easier to stay awake should he be in the clippers next time, as he did during the 2012/13 season.He said: “I did it myself. I asked Fernando [Torres] to give me his machine and I did it myself in front of the mirror.”It is nice and it is cheap. In a couple of months I will have hair again. Some people can’t do it.”Mourinho has been busy during the Premier League’s winter break as he was pictured in the crowd to scout Champions League opponents RB Leipzig as they drew 0-0 with Bayern Munich.Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “It’s very important. I can see small details. Even the warm-ups. I can see what TV and video don’t give me. To see the warm-ups and to see what the players do individually.Most Read in FootballTHROUGH ITRobbie Keane reveals Claudine’s father was ’50-50’ in coronavirus battleTOP SELLERGavin Whelan has gone from League of Ireland to David Beckham’s InstagramPicturedAN EYEFULMeet Playboy model and football agent Anamaria Prodan bidding to buy her own clubI SAW ROORodallega saw Rooney ‘drinking like madman’ & Gerrard ‘on bar dancing shirtless’ExclusiveRIYAD RAIDMan City’s Riyad Mahrez has three luxury watches stolen in £500,000 raidNEXT STEPJonny Hayes set to move to English Championship having been let go by Celtic”Some skills that sometimes during the game are hidden. It’s a different intensity. It’s a different experience. I couldn’t miss the opportunity.”(Tottenham) players needed some days off. For their body and soul they needed a rest. But not for me.”I think the best way to try and help the team is to work.”Danny Rose talks about Jose Mourinho not giving him a chance at Tottenham after Newcastle loan escape