Mark Williams has admitted he was happy to beat Mark Selby in the final of the German Masters in Berlin.
The Welshman also confessed that the experience had been ‘nerve-wracking’ as he saw his 7-4 lead cut to 7-7 during the evening session.
The 15th frame was arguably the clincher as Williams edged it before defeating Selby in the next frame with a break of 82. This saw the world number two claim the
2011. Bells chime and endless resolutions are made and broken in the space of seconds. But for the clubs at the bottom of the Premiership, the outcome to any resolutions made is out of their hands unless their form improves dramatically.
With four points separating the bottom eight teams the race to beat the drop this year is as difficult to predict as ever. As most football fans who get free bets know, only once in the Premier league’s history has the drop been avoided when a club has been bottom on Christmas day, but this season could well see West Brom joined in the league history books.
Perhaps most surprising of all the clubs caught up in the relegation battle is Alex McLeish’s Birmingham. Off the back of an excellent season last time around and with the backing of Carson Yeung’s millions, most of those who Bet with Paypal predicted the Blues would be heading towards the summit of the table rather than wallowing at its foot.
Most observers would predict that the fiery Scot will soon score that elusive away win and ease them away from danger. Generously keeping Birmingham off the bottom of the table is fellow Midlands based outfit Wolves, who have yet to show any indication they will move from that position for the remainder of the season.
The obdurate Mick McCarthy is likely to think otherwise, and if Kevin Doyle can find his scoring form as he did last season, they may well avoid the drop. Completing the bottom three at the turn of the year is another surprise package
By Robert Ferringo
I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m still feeling the effects of the holiday weekend. There are the few extra disgusting pounds that I’m carrying from Thursday’s gluttony, the lingering slow-mindedness from a Friday full of binge drinking and gambling, and the sore muscles from Saturday’s annual football tournament (a five-team, four-man round robin street football tournament known as Bocci Bowl). Add all that up and one thing is for certain: it is Tuesday and I am still kind of a mess.
I think that similar lingering effects could impact tonight’s college basketball action. Whether it is the drain of playing in a high-octane tournament, the awkwardness of tough travel through one of the busiest weekends of the year, or the emotional letdown of a key nonconference clash or rivalry game, I am questioning the focus and mind frame of several teams that tip off tonight.
Here are a few teams in precarious situations that I am keeping my eyes on tonight, as well as some of the factors I considered while making my college basketball predictions:
Michigan Wolverines
I couldn’t find out definitively what Michigan’s travel itinerary was after they played on back-to-back nights in Atlantic City over the weekend in the Legends Classic. But it was one of two things. Either after their Saturday night loss they may have traveled back to Ann Arbor on Sunday. But that would have led to them having to hop back on a plane on Monday to head to South Carolina. Or they stayed over in Jersey and then went to Clemson and have been staying there the last two days. Either way, it is a somewhat trying and very unnatural schedule for a very young Wolverines team. This is also three games in five nights and after a weekend playing in a tournament (and losing both games) I wonder if the Wolverines are ready for the hostile environment that Littlejohn Coliseum produces.
Florida State Seminoles
On Sunday the Noles were upset on their home turf by in-state rival Florida in a game that I think probably meant more to them than tonight’s game against No. 2 Ohio State. Sure, FSU isn’t going to roll over for the Buckeyes. But it would have been nice to have the momentum of a big win over the Gators behind the Seminoles heading into tonight’s marquee clash. Is this team suffering a crisis of confidence? Are they just not very good? We can’t really tell.
Georgia Tech Yellowjackets
The Jackets are in a similar spot as Michigan since they both played in Atlantic City over the weekend. Tech played two games, beating UTEP before coughing up a second half lead against Syracuse in the tournament title game on Saturday. They now have to turn around quickly and head to Chicago. There a very rested and ready Northwestern team awaits. What makes Georgia Tech’s situation even more precarious is that they have a big rivalry game with Georgia up next.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Irish are suiting up less than 48 hours after winning the three-games-in-three-nights Old Spice Classic in Orlando. Their last time out they scored a comeback win over Wisconsin in the title game and now the Irish return home as conquering heroes and as a newly minted Top 25 team. But what is the motivation for them here? This is their fourth game in five days and their fifth in nine days. The Irish only play six guys, really, and only seven guys average over 12 minutes per game. That’s a lot of wear and tear.
Here are some others that maybe aren’t in as severe of a situation but are still worth keeping tabs on:
Tennessee
