viernes, octubre 29, 2010

Renteria rediscovers World Series magic

Tomado de: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101029&content_id=15894284&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
Autor: Alden Gonzalez

Think about how much has changed for Edgar Renteria since 1997, and it will allow you to appreciate what is still so strikingly similar.

Thirteen years ago, when Renteria was the World Series hero for the Marlins, his feet were quick, his mind was young and his projections were high. Now, his production has declined, his injuries have mounted and his range has diminished.

But apparently the World Series is still his stage.


On this Thursday night -- Game 2 of the 2010 World Series and nearly the 13-year anniversary of his Game 7 walk-off single with the Marlins -- Renteria got the Giants on the board with a rare home run when it looked like the outcome would be close, and he essentially put the Rangers away with a bases-loaded two-run single when things were getting out of hand in an eventual 9-0 victory.

This was a trying year for Renteria, but even while making three separate trips to the disabled list and admittedly not being himself on the field, the 35-year-old kept believing he would be needed on this club.

Nights like Game 2 were the ones he was thinking about.

"He knows that he's almost at the end of his career, and he wanted to be in the playoffs to begin with, and once we got here, he wanted to be in the Big Dance one more time," hitting coach Hensley Meulens said after the Giants put themselves two wins away from their first World Series championship since 1954. "He doesn't know how long he's going to play, but he's the ultimate professional. He worked hard every day that he wasn't playing."

Thirteen years and two days ago, Renteria -- then a 22-year-old shortstop nicknamed "The Barranquilla Baby" in reference to where he grew up in Colombia -- had what is still considered the moment of his life: A two-out bases-loaded single in the 11th inning against the Indians' Charles Nagy to win the World Series.

"That was a long time ago," Renteria said with a grin, minutes after yet another memorable Fall Classic game.

With the nearly unhittable Matt Cain on the mound for the Giants and C.J. Wilson rolling early for the Rangers, Renteria -- whose World Series experience is a big reason why he's even in the lineup -- got a letter-high 0-1 fastball and drilled it over the left-field fence for just his second career postseason homer, and first since Game 3 of the 2001 National League Division Series, to give San Francisco a 1-0 lead.

"I've kept myself ready for anything that can happen in this game," Renteria said, "and I was ready for that pitch."

Then, with the bases loaded, two outs and the Giants holding a 4-0 lead, Renteria came through with a two-run single to stretch the advantage to six. Since being reinserted into the lineup in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series, Renteria was 2-for-19 (.105) heading into Thursday.

None of that mattered on this night.

"I couldn't be happier for Edgar," manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's been a tough year for him."

The toughest, perhaps.

In the final year of a two-year, $18.5 million contract and perhaps his final season, Renteria was limited to just 68 starts at shortstop, the least since he started 106 as a rookie in 1996.

But even while missing 14 games with a groin injury in May, 20 games with a hamstring injury in June, 19 games with a biceps injury in August and 10 games with an elbow injury in September, then losing his starting job down the stretch, Renteria kept believing he would eventually be needed.

"I was just trying to work and trying to get ready for my teammates," he said. "They deserve it. They've been playing good all year. I was getting ready for them.

"I was always ready. I was always ready for a moment like right now."

Renteria, chasing his second ring and in his third World Series, is the most playoff-seasoned member of this Giants team, so his presence goes a long way this time of year.

"He's a leader in that clubhouse," Bochy said. "Everybody looks up to him. He's been through this, and he's excited about how he feels right now. He's excited about being back in the World Series. He's a guy you look up to, and I know the players do, too. It's nice to have him out there at shortstop with the experience that he's had. I'll say this: I think the rest probably has benefited him. He's playing like he did 10 years ago."

Or, 13 years ago.

© 2001-2010 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.


jueves, octubre 28, 2010

Colombiano celebró antes y perdió al final en Mundial de Patinaje


"Fue un error de principiante y ya estoy pasando la página", contó con evidente desazón el barranquillero de 16 años de edad que levantó los brazos y redujo su velocidad en el remate de los 20 mil metros juvenil en el Mundial de Patinaje en Guarne.

Su emoción era evidente: una medalla dorada en su debut en un evento de esta magnitud, en la que su país, como local, obtenía un oro más que engrosaba el título mundial que había asegurado horas antes.

Cujavante estaba a punto de colgarse la medalla dorada, por lo que en la última curva levantó los brazos y comenzó a golpearse el pecho.

"No sé, de pronto me desconcentré porque iba a hacer historia, pues era mi primera competencia en el Mundial y me creí campeón del mundo", confesó un poco más sereno el juvenil patinador.

El colombiano se descuidó en medio de su emotiva celebración, ante la petición del narrador de la transmisión porque asegurara su triunfo que, como premonición, le pedía "apretar al final" para asegurar su victoria.

Y fue el coreano Sang Cheol Lee quien sorprendió y en el último metro apenas tuvo que estirar su pierna derecha para llevarse la medalla dorada. "Me desconecté de todo lo que estaba pasando en la prueba y el coreano me pasó en la línea", recordó.

No obstante a la anecdótica situación de carrera, Cujavante ya había sido descalificado por una falta en la curva previa al final contra el estadounidense Mario Valencia.

"Mis compañeros me dijeron que levantara la cabeza, que siguiera para adelante porque esos son errores que se cometen una vez y que no se iba a repetir. El técnico Elías (Del Valle) me dijo lo mismo", contó el juvenil, que ahora se da golpes de pecho, pero no por orgullo sino como un nuevo aprendizaje.

"Me sentí campeón del mundo. Ya no voy a volver a caer en el mismo error", advirtió el patinador colombiano, cuyo debut le deja una gran enseñanza. "A pesar de todo, la experiencia de ayer (miércoles) fue muy buena. Fue muy fuerte y soy un juvenil, así que me va a servir para el próximo Mundial"

Ahora, y luego de derramar lágrimas como desaforado ante la tristeza de perder la gloria por el exceso de confianza, quiere tomar revancha, demostrar que tiene talento y que es capaz de darle una victoria a Colombia. "Viene la competencia de maratón y allí me quiero sacar el clavo. Espero que me vaya bien".

COPYRIGHT © 2010 CEET.


lunes, octubre 25, 2010

Man City's millionaires undone by prudent Gunners

Autor: Richard Jolly

It doesn't require the master's degree in economics that Arsene Wenger possesses to know that money usually talks. Nor, indeed, does it need much insight to see that size often matters. But sometimes it is not about feet and inches, nor pounds and petrodollars.

It is about character and quality, which Arsenal possessed, about mistakes and misjudgements, which Manchester City committed. It is about moments that live long in the memory because they are utterly unexpected, such as Andrei Arshavin materialising in the left-back position to successfully tackle Carlos Tevez.

It is about the most maligned delivering on a stage where many expect them to fail and Lukasz Fabianski was pivotal with vital saves from David Silva at 0-0 and 1-0. It is about talented players crossing the great divide from entertainment to excellence, something Samir Nasri appears to have done in a seven-game spell that has brought seven goals.

"He is becoming more efficient," said Wenger, the aesthete showing a statistical streak. "You can judge a player by what he does with the numbers. Today he had a goal and an assist."

It brought a forceful affirmation of Arsenal's credentials. City, the ruthless destroyers of Chelsea, were subjected to a humbling afternoon. Depleted for 85 minutes, defeated after 65 and demoted from second place by both their conquerors and their local rivals; the world's richest club and one of the league's physically biggest teams were ultimately outmanoeuvred by their smaller, poorer opponents.

The finest management always seems to have an element of alchemy and a hint of stubbornness. Both are detectable in Wenger. Vindication for the Frenchman is invariably emphatic, simply because Arsenal rarely win ugly. Given a recent inability to overcome City, Chelsea or Manchester United, it felt a seismic step forwards. "We look like we have matured in terms of negotiating in an intelligent way the difficulties of the game," said Wenger. "It means not getting a red card, it means keeping the ball well." It also means keeping a clean sheet, not Arsenal's usual forte against top-rate opponents. A defensive axis of Fabianski, Sebastien Squillaci and Johan Djourou may not be deemed the most reassuring, but they kept Silva, Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor at bay, albeit with a few nervy moments.

But, as Roberto Mancini said: "Against Arsenal, it is difficult to play 11 against 11. Ten against 11 is the worst thing." It was uneven from the fifth minute after Dedryck Boyata was given his marching orders for bringing down Marouane Chamakh. Mancini railed implausibly against the dismissal but the young Belgian, an unexpected choice on just his third league start, was the last man.

It was an unusually speculative selection from the conservative City manager. As significant, though, was that Cesc Fabregas found a hole in the three-man blanket Mancini has flung in front of his back four to thread the pass through for Chamakh. That the Moroccan has added another dimension to the Arsenal attack with his aerial ability is becoming clear; breaching an offside trap displayed another element to his game.

Control, Mancini's mantra, could not be exerted after going first a man and then a goal down. Nasri played a deft one-two with Arshavin, reacting quicker than Gareth Barry to the return pass before providing the finish. Fabregas, who was subjected to some physical challenges, both won and missed a penalty, though that description is unfair on Joe Hart, who produced an outstanding save. He was helpless, however, when Alex Song's shot headed for the top corner. It was symbolic of the fortunes of the two clubs that, while City are renowned for fielding three defensive midfielders, the sole specialist in that role among Wenger's men delivered a goal.

Song was aided, however, by a dreadful touch by the embarrassingly one-footed Wayne Bridge to supply him. His arrival was a strange substitution by Mancini, removing a midfielder (Yaya Toure) - albeit one who had spent some of the first half deputising for Boyata at the back - for a defender at a time when his side needed to score. When Tevez limped off, their prospects were further diminished, even if Adebayor proved a highly-motivated replacement.

By the time Nicklas Bendtner latched on to Nasri's neat pass to score a third goal, there was a frayed looked to a City team that had become noted for their sense of organisation and positional discipline. They had three left-backs, three partners for Vincent Kompany in the heart of defence and three roles for James Milner in the space of 90 minutes. But Arsenal had the three goals, scored by men with a combined cost of £12 million. It is loose change for the losers - indeed Wayne Rooney's annual earnings at Eastlands could have exceeded that - but then this was a day when neither big bucks nor big men flourished.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Samir Nasri - Since scoring a match-winning brace against Manchester United two years ago, he has been a marginal presence in many major matches. Not this one. There is a new-found penetration and purpose to his game.

MANCHESTER CITY VERDICT: The contentious choice of Boyata was a vote of no confidence in Joleon Lescott. Mancini's rationale - that the Englishman had played on Thursday - made little sense, given that the Belgian also completed 90 minutes then. With Silva a lively presence, City played with spirit with 10 men but there were too many failings in their final third.

ARSENAL VERDICT: Results such as this illustrate why, despite five years without a trophy, Wenger's ways should not be questioned. But, in a perverse way, it also makes the recent defeat to West Brom still more costly; had they secured the expected win then, they would only be two points behind Chelsea.

Copyright ©2010 ESPN Internet Ventures


viernes, octubre 15, 2010

Bernie Ecclestone's never-ending Formula One season

Autor: Martin Williamson. He's managing editor of digital media ESPN EMEA

Bernie Ecclestone's never-ending season

Something's got to give

It seems barely a week goes by without Bernie Ecclestone announcing, or at the least dropping lead-weighted hints about, another new grand prix venue. On the eve of his 80th birthday he seems hell bent on leaving a legacy of a race in almost every major country. Less is more is not a term bandied round the Ecclestone household.

His actions are completely at odds with his own well-documented statement that the F1 season cannot contain more than 20 grands prix. This year we have had 19 and it's been an unrelenting eight months. Next season, thanks to the addition of an Indian GP, we have hit Bernie's magic 20.

But with the enthusiasm of Imelda Marcos in a shoe shop, Bernie just can't help himself. He has agreed to a US Grand Prix in 2012 and now a Russian Grand Prix in 2014. He's also been gushing about a Rome Grand Prix as soon as 2012. Something has to give.

A US race makes common as well as financial sense. There is a massive untapped market in America. But the same cannot be said for many of the newer venues. Few expect massive crowds at the remote, new and finished-by-the-seat-of-their-pants Korean Grand Prix next weekend. And why on earth do we need a street race in Rome when we already have a long-standing GP at Monza?

Nothing will get in the way of Bernie and money, so he just keeps on dealing

While TV companies would love a race pretty much every weekend, the logistics of hauling huge amounts of equipment round the world, as well as the train on teams, drivers, and dare we say it, the media, rule that out. But nothing will get in the way of Bernie and money, so he just keeps on dealing.

In the last three years the season has become a month longer. Next year it is extended by almost a fortnight and runs to the last weekend of November. Given the need for all connected with the sport to remind their families they exist, as well as pre-season testing, it's at saturation point. The only window left for another race is the four-week August break.

And while the last few seasons have been exciting, you only have to go back to the first few years of the decade to remember quite how tedious the Schumacher-Ferrari domination was. Those seasons often felt as if they would never end. Just imagine a similar scenario in a bloated calendar.

In addition, the new tracks are all designed by Hermann Tilke and as a result have a rather uniform look and feel. That's not Tilke's fault, but using the same designer will inevitably lead to a homogenised product. At least in Austin he's gone for a wild deviation from the norm. It will be anticlockwise. Or perhaps the plans were just printed the wrong way round.

If the promised races go ahead, then the real losers are likely to be the established venues, mainly in Europe. Bernie deals on the back of massive financial guarantees from the tracks. The new venues he has unveiled - some good, some appalling - have almost all had the benefit of huge funding from local or central government. The older circuits simply cannot match the money being thrown at Ecclestone.

When Bernie faced with sentimentality, or even public opinion, against cash, there will only be one winner.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.


lunes, octubre 11, 2010

La afición verdolaga otra vez fue más

Autor: Jaime Herrera Correa
 

La afición verdolaga otra vez fue másJaime Pérez | La afición verde se sobró ayer en la quinta edición del Día del Hincha. Este joven, de nombre Felipe Álvarez, se tatuó la camiseta de Nacional en su cuerpo.

La afición verdolaga otra vez fue más

NACIONAL SUFRIÓ PARA ganarle ayer 2-1 al Cortuluá en la celebración del quinto Día del Hincha. El elenco vallecaucano fue más hasta que tuvo los 11 jugadores, mientras que el verde lució discreto, atropellado y abusando del pelotazo. Entraron al estadio 35.596 personas.

Cuatro conclusiones dejó el sufrido y muy pobre triunfo 2-1 de Nacional sobre Cortuluá, por la fecha 13 de la Liga Postobón II.


La primera tiene que ver con la afición verde. Es mil veces más que el equipo al que sigue y que ayer, en la celebración de la quinta edición del Día del Hincha, la puso a sufrir para ganarle a un pobre conjunto vallecaucano que, pese a estar cerca del descenso, cuando tuvo los 11 jugadores fue superior.


Segundo está el nivel. El juego fue discreto tirando a malo y, aunque el técnico José Santa dijo que "nos costó, porque seis jugadores tuvieron una virosis en la semana", no tiene presentación el nivel individual y colectivo que presenciaron 35.596 personas en el Atanasio Girardot, donde hubo fiesta antes del juego y no se vio fútbol en la cancha.


La victoria es la tercera conclusión, ya que gracias a los goles de Edwin Cardona (de carambola en el cobro de Humberto Mendoza, 40') y Dorlan Pabón (84'), el elenco paisa llegó a 22 puntos, es séptimo del torneo con un encuentro menos y quedó a cinco unidades de la clasificación para los cuadrangulares.


Mejorar con urgencia en manejo de balón, propuesta, identidad futbolística y rendimiento individual. Esa es la cuarta conclusión. De hacerlo su hinchada podría ilusionarse con una presentación más digna.


De lo contrario, continuaremos viviendo la misma historia y el mismo equipo, porque un elenco de la alcurnia de Nacional no puede terminar pidiendo tiempo y cuidando un paupérrimo 2-1 ante un casi descendido Cortuluá que anotó por intermedio de Donal Millán (20') y con Róbinson Aponzá pudo liquidar el juego antes de perder dos jugadores.


2 victorias ajustó el verde en la fiesta del Día del Hincha.


4 opciones de gol apenas tuvo Nacional ante Cortuluá.

» Síntesis

Nacional 2-Cortuluá 1

Estadio: Atanasio Girardot.
Árbitro:
Jorge Sierra (La Guajira).
Asistentes arbitrales:
Abraham González (Bolívar) y Hermínsul Calderón (Fuerzas Militares).
Asistencia:
35.596 personas.
Taquilla:
$372.157.000.

Nacional:
Gastón Pezzuti; Víctor Giraldo, Humberto Mendoza, Juan Carlos Mosquera, Marlon Piedrahíta; Jairo Palomino, Jairo Patiño (Estupiñán, 65'), Dorlan Pabón, Edwin Cardona; Marcos Mondaini (Motta, 46') y Ezequiel Maggiolo (Correa, 88').
Técnico:
José Fernando Santa.
Banca:
Franco Armani, Stefan Medina, Cristian Correa, Stalin Motta y Javier Estupiñán.
Goles:
Edwin Cardona (40') y Dorlan Pabón (84').
Expulsados:
no hubo.
Cortuluá:
Carlos Barahona; Anier Figueroa, Hilario Cuenú, Carlos Terranova, César Hinestroza; Alejandro Vélez, Alexis Hinestroza, Donald Millán (Henao, 78'), Camilo Giraldo (Díaz, 52'), Róbinson Aponzá y Brunet Hay Pino (Rentería, 56').
Técnico:
Hárold Morales.
Banca:
Léider Barandica, Óscar Díaz, Róbinson Rentería, William Zapata y Amardi Henao.
Gol:
Donald Millán (20').
Expulsados:
Alejandro Vélez (50'), Hárold Morales (82') y Rentería (89')
Figuras:
Jairo Palomino y Dorlan Pabón.

Copyright © EL COLOMBIANO S.A. & CIA. S.C.A.


viernes, octubre 08, 2010

En Hora 20, interesante debate sobre filtración de dineros ilícitos en el fútbol

Tomado de: http://www.caracol.com.co/oir.aspx?id=1368551




© CARACOL S.A. Calle 67 # 7-37 Bogotá - Colombia . Tel. (571) 348 76 00. Caracol es una empresa de 


miércoles, octubre 06, 2010

Liverpool agrees to sale to Boston Red Sox owners, pending resolution of board dispute


LONDON -- Liverpool's board agreed to sell the debt-riddled Premier League club to the owners of the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, but may have to take legal action to force out the existing American owners.

Current co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. have already said they will resist the bid from New England Sports Ventures, which owns the Red Sox, and a separate bid from Asia.

Hicks and Gillett said the Boston bid -- and one from an unidentified Asian investor -- "dramatically undervalue" the 18-time English champions.
John Henry
AP Photo/Steven SenneRed Sox owners John Henry, left, and Tom Werner have a deal to obtain Liverpool, one of soccer's best-known and most successful club teams.

Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton said the Red Sox owners have offered to pay $477 million, which is only likely to cover the debts and bank charges stemming from the leveraged 2007 takeover by Hicks and Gillett.

Despite the opposition of Hicks and Gillett, who own all the shares in Liverpool, Boston's offer was accepted by the three non-owner board members: Broughton -- who was hired by Hicks and Gillett in April to sell the club -- plus managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre.

The Premier League said in a statement it should be ready to approve the takeover by Friday.

Broughton is set to go to court next week to reinforce his authority over the sale and challenge the owners' attempts to remove Purslow and Ayre from the board. Broughton said he expects the sale to be completed in about a week.

Broughton said Hicks and Gillett have "flagrantly abused" written undertakings made to Royal Bank of Scotland, which holds the bulk of Liverpool's debt.

"We need to go to the court to ... declare that we did act validly in completing the sale agreement, and then the buyers can complete the sale," Broughton said.

Broughton said the club will default on its debt if the takeover is blocked.

"We don't have the capacity to repay our loans," Broughton said. "I don't want to speak for RBS and what they plan to do at that stage.

"It would be serious. The impression I get from the fans is they would actually swallow that to get rid of the owners, but we don't want to swallow that."

Hicks is the former owner of the Texas Rangers and currently owns the NHL's Dallas Stars. The Rangers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May and were purchased at auction in August by a group headed by baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.

Hicks wants to sell for about $951 million, a figure that has forced several investors to end their interest. The owners bought the club for $275 million, taking on $71 million of liabilities.

"The owners have invested more than $270 million in cash into the club. And during their tenure, revenues have nearly doubled, investment in players has increased and the club is one of the most profitable in the [Premier League]," Hicks and Gillett said in a statement. "As such, the board has been presented with offers that we believe dramatically undervalue the club.

"To be clear, there is no change in our commitment to finding a buyer for Liverpool Football Club at a fair price that reflects the very significant investment we've made. We will, however, resist any attempt to sell the club without due process or agreement by the owners."

The turmoil comes after Liverpool lost to Blackpool on Sunday, continuing the club's worst start to a league season since 1953. Liverpool hasn't won in five matches in all competitions and is currently in the Premier League's relegation zone. The team was also recently knocked out of the League Cup by Northampton, a club struggling in the fourth tier of English football.

Broughton is encouraged by how the Red Sox ownership group revived the baseball club's fortunes after buying it in 2002 for $660 million.

The Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 and 2007 -- their first since 1918. Liverpool won its 18th English championship crown in 1990 and its fifth European Cup in 2005.

"If you look at the Boston Red Sox as a massive example of taking a major, historic team which had seen better days and restored them to glory, it is a parallel which demonstrates action," Broughton said.

The Red Sox ownership signaled its football interest last summer by hosting a friendly between Celtic and Sporting Lisbon at Boston's Fenway Park.

The ownership group is headed by financial trader John Henry, with two other principals: Tom Werner, who made his money producing hit shows on U.S. television, and Larry Lucchino, a longtime baseball executive.

One of the priorities at Liverpool will be to replace the 45,000-capacity Anfield with a newer and bigger stadium, but Broughton says the Merseyside club could emulate the Red Sox by refurbishing an existing ground.

"At Fenway they chose not to build a new stadium -- they will want to make sure that they do the right thing, [but] we will have a stadium which holds 60-odd thousand," Broughton said. "Whether that is the new stadium as designed or not, that is not a commitment, but will we have stadium development? Yes."

A finance expert in the sport said the new owners will struggle to restore Liverpool as a major soccer power unless they follow their initial purchase with heavy investment.

Joe McLean, a partner at the accounting firm Grant Thornton, said a new, larger stadium to replace Anfield would have to be a priority. That could cost as much as $635 million, but McLean said it is essential if the club is to start matching the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal in terms of match day revenue.

"It would only be a good deal if they could follow up their initial investment with more substantial investment," said McLean. "The problems didn't start with Hicks and Gillett. The whole structure is flawed. Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are pushing ahead and Liverpool is falling behind with each game they play."

Broughton acknowledged the ownership turmoil has affected the squad.

"You can see one or two of the players playing with the world on their shoulder -- there will be money for investment in the squad," Broughton said. "There has been this huge amount of negativity around Liverpool -- the fans demonstrating against the owners."

Those protests have been led by the Spirit of Shankly, a fan group named after legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly, who won three league titles, two FA Cups and the UEFA Cup from 1959-1974.

"It's just another part of the ongoing soap opera at Liverpool," Shankly spokesman James McKenna said. "We just want a resolution to it sooner rather than later. It leaves fans wondering what's going to happen next."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Dario Franchitti seals his place as the greatest Indy car driver of the modern era

Autor: John Oreovicz

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Dario Franchitti raced in America for more than a decade before he won an Indy car championship.

No disputing Franchitti's greatness now

Now he's effectively won three consecutive titles.

The 37-year-old Scotsman competed in the CART-sanctioned Indy car series from 1997 through 2002, winning 10 races but contending for a championship only in 1999, when he lost out on a tiebreaker to Juan Pablo Montoya.

Since he switched to the Izod IndyCar Series in 2003, Franchitti's fortunes have improved. After winning the 2007 Indianapolis 500 and series championship while driving for Andretti Green Racing, he embarked on a new career challenge, attempting to break into NASCAR with Chip Ganassi Racing.

A lack of sponsorship and a lack of seat time (not helped by a broken ankle suffered in a Nationwide Series accident at Talladega Superspeedway) ended Franchitti's foray into NASCAR after less than half a season. But Chip Ganassi realized that his erstwhile stock car driver missed open-wheel racing and offered Franchitti a chance to take over the Target-sponsored No. 10 Indy car.

The results have been spectacular. Over the past two years, a rejuvenated Franchitti has won nine races and the past two IndyCar Series championships. An eighth-place finish in the Cafes do Brasil Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway was enough to overcome the 12-point deficit to Team Penske's Will Power he faced entering the 2010 season finale.

Franchitti led most of the first half of the Homestead race to clinch the crucial bonus point for leading the most laps, then drove conservatively to the finish after Power crashed out of the event.

"It would have been nice to find our way back up front again but we wanted to win the big prize tonight," Franchitti said.

No one in Indy car racing's current era is better at clinching the deal than Franchitti, who has come from behind in the final race to clinch all three of his IndyCar Series championships. At an age when most drivers start to show signs of losing their will or their skill, Franchitti is better than ever.

"Right now you'd have to say that he's at his peak," said Scott Dixon, Franchitti's teammate at Ganassi Racing for the past two years. "They say that about triathletes -- your mid-30s are kind of your peak.

"He's getting close to 40, so he's stretching the window. I think the determining factor for a lot of people when they get to that age is if they have the will to do it, and whether they want to get up and train and do those things and make it worthwhile. And you can still see the fire in Dario -- he's an extremely competitive person."

Added Dixon: "I think it's good for a lot of us guys that have been around for a while. Because it at least gives the team owners some hope that we can still continue to do it."

Franchitti's trump card this year was his versatility. While Power was almost unbeatable on road racing venues, Franchitti was a competitive road racer who also won the A.J. Foyt trophy for being IndyCar's top oval racer.

"I think Japan [where Franchitti finished second to Helio Castroneves] was possibly one of the most aggressive and trouble-free and mistake-free races I've ever driven -- probably in the top five races I've ever driven in my life," Franchitti said. "If I can keep operating at that level, who knows? I'm just loving it."

The fact that the once-oval-exclusive IndyCar Series races on all kinds of tracks -- road and street courses as well as short ovals, superspeedways and Indianapolis -- has played right into Franchitti's hands.

"He knows what it takes to win a championship from the first race, and that's a big advantage," Ganassi said. "And he's good at all the types of circuits we go to."

When a gearbox failure at Iowa Speedway appeared to knock Franchitti out of championship contention, he didn't panic. And when he entered the final four oval races 59 points down to Power, he simply set to work.

"That [Iowa] took a lot of points away, and from then on it was a real struggle," Franchitti said. "But nobody on the Target team gave up. At no point did I freak out. I was very aware that I might not win the championship. But that was it. I just looked at it as an obstacle and see if we could catch him [Power] again.

"The team, they just buckled down, every single person. And we find ourselves here again tonight."

With three IndyCar-sanctioned championships, Franchitti has matched Sam Hornish Jr.'s record. He still has some work to do to catch up to Sebastien Bourdais (four CART/Champ Car crowns), Mario Andretti (three USAC and one CART title) and Foyt (seven USAC titles).

But after his ultimately unsuccessful flirtation with NASCAR, Franchitti realizes his home is Indy car racing. And given his form the past few years, it's not inconceivable he could leapfrog Andretti and Bourdais, if not challenge Foyt's mark.

After he won Indy in May, I wrote a column suggesting that Franchitti was one of the top Indy car racers in the modern era, which I define from 1979 to present. With another title in the bag, that assessment is more accurate than ever.

"Looking back to the start of 2007, I hadn't won a championship," Franchitti said. "I won a lot of races, but not a championship or Indy 500. Now we find ourselves with two 500s and three championships.

"So I think I'm just going to let it sink in, enjoy it. But I'm very proud of the achievement. That feeling of success is great."

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Suzuka could make title picture clearer

Autor: Tom McKean

Fernando Alonso may have the momentum, but Mark Webber has the points lead. Now they head to Suzuka, where so many indelible Formula One memories have been made.

If you were to look at the history that has happened at Suzuka, you would think it has been on the Formula One calendar since the very beginning.

In a relatively short time since the figure-eight circuit began hosting F1 events (1987), it has been home to a considerable amount of history. After all, it was the epicenter of Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna's rivalry, as the two collided on track in 1989 and again in 1990. Both clashes resulted in titles being decided.

It also witnessed Michael Schumacher clinching a record sixth world championship in 2003, edging out relative newcomer Kimi Raikkonen for the title by a narrow 2-point margin.

Suzuka has been known to provide a harsh welcome to one particular rookie. Making his F1 debut in 1993, Eddie Irvine passed leader Senna in Japan to remain on the lead lap. Senna expressed his displeasure by then punching Irvine after the race.

Five years ago this weekend, one of the greatest races in the modern era transpired as Kimi Raikkonen started 17th on the grid but made a daring move around Giancarlo Fisichella on the final lap to earn the victory. It capped one of the most entertaining and exciting races in recent memory.

The circuit has also been hospitable toward one team in particular: Ferrari. Not only does the Prancing Horse have the most wins of any constructor at the track, but it earned one very special win in the inaugural Suzuka race.

Entering that event, the most prestigious manufacturer had failed to win in its last 37 events, the longest drought in team history. But Gerhard Berger piloted his Ferrari to victory, snapping a drought that had lasted more than two years.

Perhaps it will again prove a track suited for Ferrari.

Fernando Alonso has won here before, claiming a crucial victory in the second-to-last race of the 2006 season en route to his second consecutive world championship.

The man he is chasing in the standings this season, Mark Webber, has had significantly less success at Suzuka.

In six races there, Webber has finished in the points just once, back in 2005 with Williams. Last year with Red Bull, Webber finished third from last and two laps off the pace after starting from pit lane, stemming from an accident during practice.

But teammate Sebastian Vettel won here last year, and told reporters before this year's event that things may be looking up.

"Suzuka should suit our car, but we still have to go there and prove it.," Vettel said. "I think we have a very competitive car this year on all circuits, so we can be confident.

"Last year was very good and I think we should get a good result again."

One thing is certain; Alonso's charge for the 2010 title has been remarkable. In his past five races, he's earned nearly as many points as he did in the first 10 events this season. Compared to his first 10, Alonso has also tallied more wins, podiums and poles in his past five grand prix events.

As for Webber, there is still so much to be optimistic about. He leads the championship, and has shown more consistency than most this year, especially his teammate Vettel.

But if Webber does finish runner-up -- or worse -- in the title hunt, it will fit a similar pattern of Australians suffering heartbreak in the motorsports world this season.

It began with Marcos Ambrose, who through a down season was primed to earn his first Sprint Cup win at Sonoma in June.

The Australian V8 Supercars champion was leading under caution late in the race when he momentarily failed to restart the engine. Ambrose was managing fuel, but failed to maintain pace, a move that ultimately cost him the win.

It continued just days ago, when fellow Australian Will Power, seeking his first IndyCar Series title, lost the championship by just five points in the final race of the year to Dario Franchitti. After dominating the early portion of the season, Power struggled on the oval-heavy schedule down the stretch, and ended up losing the lead in the season finale at Homestead.

In Formula One, Australia is seeking its first champion since Alan Jones was the top man 30 years ago.

No matter who you root for, it truly would be difficult to see a veteran like Webber come so close after so long and yet wind up just short.

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