Bleacher Report - Articles by Sergei Miledin

Jets Ask Tennessee Remember the Titans? Win 24-17 |

Sergei Miledin — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:48:32 -0400

Turning back the clock was the theme for the Jets' Sunday win over the Tennessee Titans, as both teams wore their AFL colors, playing like the teams of old.

The soggy conditions couldn't rain on the Jets' parade as Gang Green pulled out a 24-17 victory over the now 0-3 Titans at the Meadowlands.

With the Titans wearing their Oilers throwbacks and Gang Green donning
their Titans jerseys, the new-look Jets would get on the scoreboard immediately after
Tennessee chose to defer.

Sanchez would lead the team flawlessly down the field with a 10-play drive before running in for the score. One drive, one touchdown.

On the ensuing kickoff the special teams managed to recover the ball
after a Ryan Mouton fumble.

With the ball on the 17, Sanchez would need just five plays before finding a wide open Ben Hartsock on a perfect play action to double the lead.

The defense picked up where the offense left when they finally got the chance to get on the field, forcing Tennessee to three and out in their first two drives.

But the Titans would score on their first drive of the second quarter after Kerry Collins conducted a 10-play drive to cut the lead in half. Running back Lendale White scored on a two-yard run for the first offensive TD allowed by the Jets defense all season.

On the next drive Collins brought his team to the Jets' 33-yard line when coach Jeff Fisher decided to go for it on fourth-and-seven. The gamble didn't work as Collins couldn't connect with Nate Washington.

But the Jets offense began to struggle as Sanchez failed to move the chains. After the turnover on downs, receiver Jerricho Cotchery was ruled out of bounds by an AFL-uniformed referee.

The Jets defense would try to regain the momentum with an Eric Smith interception, but the effort was negated by a Sanchez fumble, placing the Jets with a third-and-15 they couldn't convert.

Yet again Collins and the Titans moved the ball efficiently down the field, but
came up short after committing a delay of game penalty, followed by a sack from defensive end Shaun Ellis. Kicker Rob Bironas would cut the lead 14-10 with a 38-yard field goal.

As the teams headed for the locker room at halftime it was clear the titans had gained most of the momentum towards the latter of the half.

The Jets couldn't find any rhythm after getting off to a fast start. The issues would continue on the opening kickoff of the second half when Jay Feely's kick sailed out of bounds, placing the Titans on their own 40.

Tennessee took advantage of the field position and scored on a 12-yard reception by receiver Nate Washington. With the extra point, the Titans went up by a field goal bringing the boo birds out for the first time in two games.

Following another three and out, the Jets' special teams came to the rescue when they recovered a muffed punt by Mouton, his second fumble of the game.

With the ball on the 23, Sanchez and the offense finally woke up to regain the lead
21-17 with a six-yard reception by Cotchery.

With the crowd buzzing, the defense went to work and forced the Titans three and out.

Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer dialed up some creativity when running back Leon Washington tossed a pass to Sanchez out of the Seminole formation. However, the play was called back on a holding penalty, leaving the Jets in position for another Feely field goal to put them up 24-17.

Another three and out from Tennessee and a great punt return by Jim Leonhard gave the Jets great field position, but Sanchez was picked off by safety Chris Hope after a wide-open Chansi Stuckey let the ball bounce off his hands.

Four plays later, Collins returned the favor when he telegraphed a pass directly to linebacker David Harris.

Running back Thomas Jones found daylight for the first time, but had his run called back after a holding penalty on left guard Alan Faneca, forcing the Jets to punt. The Titans would use their two final timeouts on defense and began their drive on the 34 with 2:52 to go.

The Titans rally was stifled by an offsides call forcing them to two-and-15, followed by a Harris sack to put them to a three and 23 situation. The Titans couldn't convert and turned the ball over on downs for the second time.

Sanchez took a knee to close out the game, helping the Jets improve to 3-0 for the fifth time in franchise history. Rex Ryan becomes just the second coach along with Al Groh (2000) to win his first three games in charge.

But the schedule doesn't get any easier as the Jets head to New Orleans to take on the 3-0 Saints in what should be a top offense versus a top defense showdown next Sunday.

The Good: The Jets are off to a flying start with three convincing wins over high caliber offensive teams. The Ryan/Sanchez era seems to have no limits as the Jets came back from behind in the second half for the second straight week.

The Bad: The offensive line looked very vulnerable allowing plenty of unnecessary pressure to Sanchez and not giving the best effort in front of Thomas Jones and Leon Washington.

The Ugly: Despite starting and closing out the game on a high, the defense showed signs of it's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde self, allowing Collins to hit receivers seven times over 10 yards including two 27 yarder's on one drive in the third.

Things might have been different had cornerbacks Lito Sheppard and Donald Strickland been healthy.The near 100-rushing yards by Chris Johnson will also give Ryan and his staff plenty to think about before they head out to New Orleans.

Game Ball: Last week Coach Ryan gave the game ball to the fans, emphasizing their role as difference-makers. This week the ball goes to the special teams for their two huge recoveries and near perfect execution on both sides of the punts.

NYJ:Tampering, a San Fransico Treat as Niners Accuse Jets

Sergei Miledin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:13:07 -0400

According to multiple sources, the San Fransisco 49ers have filed charges with the NFL against the New York Jets for tampering with holdout Michael Crabtree.

The 22-year-old receiver who was the 10th overall pick has yet to sign a contract with the team holding out for a big contract similar to that of his fellow draftees.

With no signs of any agreement in the foreseeable future, Crabtree has threatened to sit out the rest of the season and re-enter the 2010 NFL Draft. Despite no official potential charges against Gang Green being released to the public, it's pretty easy to guess on why these allegations have arisen.

It was only a few weeks ago that the Denver Broncos almost cried foul over the Brandon Marshall connection to the Jets, but had no proof. This time, however, the Niners seem to have what they think is suffice evidence to possibly fine the Jets or put their future draft picks in doubt.

And while the team isn't publicly shopping the former Texas Tech star receiver, this whole ordeal could be handled better on the Jets' end if these allegations are deemed viable.

Jets head coach Rex Ryan has already refuted the allegations and only time well tell as the NFL begins their investigation in the coming days.

Whether anything detrimental will happen to the organization remains to be seen.

Jets-Patriots: Mark Sanchez and Gang Green Defense Stun Pats in 16-9 Win

Sergei Miledin — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:14:26 -0400

Not since Vinny Testaverde was the quarterback had the New York Jets defeated the New England Patriots at home.

For the past eight years, Jets fans have been tormented by the division rival New England Patriots, forced to watch their Jets stick their heads in the ground. The Patriots dominated the Jets on their own turf, outscoring them 219-108.

But that came to an end on Sunday in the Jets' 2009 home opener. Gang Green and their new attitude defense stifled Tom Brady and the once-feared Pats, snapping the skid with a 16-9 win.

Brady, who had never lost to the Jets on the road, looked rustier than he did in his Monday Night Football game against Buffalo, finishing 23-of-47 with 218 yards for a passing rating of 48.9.

The Jets sent a message to their most hated rival from the start when they sent three former Patriots—QB Kevin O'Connell, T Damien Woody, and ILB Larry Izzo—to the field as captains for the opening coin toss. The Jets won and chose to defer the ball for the second consecutive week.

It would take the Pats three drives to get on the scoreboard, settling for a Stephen Gostkowski 45-yard field goal after Leon Washington fumbled on his first carry of the game.

Gostkowski would hit his second of the day in the first drive of the second quarter before Jets kicker Jay Feely cut the lead in half with a 33-yarder of his own.

The field goal game would continue on the ensuing Pats possession, a 10-play drive that ended with Gostkowski's third and final kick to extend the Pats' lead to 9-3.

The game would go into halftime with no signs of any touchdowns in the near future. The Jets' -2 passing yards threatened their hopes for a win, but quarterback Mark Sanchez and the offense had different ideas.

After a Washington 43-yard kick return, Sanchez would need just three plays to find the end zone. He hit receiver Jerricho Cotchery for a 45-yard gain, handed off to running back Thomas Jones for a two-yard run, and found tight end Dustin Keller for an eight-yard touchdown strike, giving the Jets a 10-9 lead after Feely's extra point.

The Pats would go three-and-out, allowing the Jets an opportunity to build on their lead. Gang Green would do just that, adding another Feely field goal to make it 13-9.

On their next possession, the Pats and Brady got the best from the rambunctious crowd, suffering two consecutive delay of game penalties. Despite earning three first downs in the drive, New England was forced to punt.

The Jets responded with their longest drive of the game, 11 plays, setting up Feely for his third field goal and extending the lead to 16-9.

Brady, who has 29 game-winning drives, could only muster an 18-yard pass to receiver Julian Edelman before missing his next four attempts.

Cornerback Dwight Lowery's fourth-down deflection of Brady's pass intended for receiver Joey Galloway sealed the Jets' win and sent the stadium into a complete euphoric state.

Upon Further Review

The Jets' first half offense was obsolete, forcing the special teams to gain all the points, whereas the defense prevented the Pats from scoring a touchdown all game.

In doing so, they snapped New England's streak of 36 games with an offensive touchdown—which was also the last time Brady lost a regular-season game.

The Jets defense backed up their big talk throughout the week. They kept the Pats under 300 total offensive yards and helped the team take an early lead in the AFC East with a 2-0 record.

Now, the Jets must prepare for a desperate 0-2 Tennessee Titans teams, whose perfect season was broken by the Jets at LP Field a year ago.

If the Jets can overcome a strong Titans team next week, spirits might be flying very high for the men in green. Don't look now, but there might be something brewing with that "other" New York team.

NYJ: Mark Sanchez and Gang Green Pass First Test of Season, Beat Texans 24-7

Sergei Miledin — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:13:12 -0400

With Joe Namath watching in the crowd, the New York Jets' newest franchise QB, Mark Sanchez, led his team to victory in his NFL debut, 24-7 over the Houston Texans. Just like last year, the Jets would start the new season on the road, with a new QB and a whole lot of optimism.

With head coach Rex Ryan also making his NFL debut, Sanchez looked strong against a sub-par Houston team, which failed to get any offensive points on the board. It would take Sanchez two series to get his team on the board, with a 16-play drive taking most of the first quarter, resulting in a 24-yard-field goal by Jay Feely.

A bit of luck would bounce the Jets' way early in the second when RB Steve Slaton would fumble on a 18-yard rush, which flew ever so gracefully into the hands of DE Mike DeVito. On the ensuing drive, Sanchez would need 10 plays to find a wide open Chansi Stuckey to put the Jets up 10-0.

With the TD, Sanchez became the first rookie in team history in almost nine years to throw one in their NFL debut. The last player to do it was Chad Pennington, now with the rival Miami Dolphins. The score would remain the same as the teams headed to the locker rooms.

The Jets would extend the lead with their first drive of the second half which saw Sanchez connect with Jerricho Cotchery for 25 yards as the biggest gain of the series, before Thomas Jones who was not getting more than a few yards prior to the drive ran in for the score. With the extra point the Jets would go up 17-0.

It wouldn't be until the fourth quarter that the Texans finally got one back. Sanchez would throw his first pick of the game to John Busing, who fumbled, but right next to teammate Dominque Barber, who returned it for 48 yards, cutting the score to 17-7.

The Jets would respond immediately, first with a Sanchez 40-yard pass, and then a 38-yard rush to the end zone for his second of the day to seal the 24-7 victory. The Jets now sit alone atop the AFC East as the Dolphins lost and the Patriots/Bills are the Monday Night showcase.

Upon Further Review

The new and improved Jets defense came up big yesterday as they allowed the Texans past midfield just once in the first three quarters. They completely shut down any form of offense Houston allegedly has, allowing just 183 total yards. While they only recorded two sacks, it appeared that Matt Schaub was on his back for the majority of the game, while his counterpart in Sanchez was hardly hit.

Leon Washington and Thomas Jones combined for 167 yards alone, with Washington getting more passes his way unlike last year. Sanchez finished with 272 yards in his debut and becomes the first Jet since Richard Todd to win his rookie career.

Next week will be a much bigger test, and possibly the last time that the Jets and Patriots battle at the Meadowlands.

9/11/09: The Day Jeter Passed the Iron Horse for All-Time Hits

Sergei Miledin — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:16:31 -0400

Eight years ago, New York City and the world stopped to watch the events that had taken place on the morning of 9/11. Humanity as a whole had been changed as thousands of lives and hundreds of towns had been turned upside forever.

On Friday night, the baseball world too stopped and watched as one of it's most prolific players snapped a 70-year-old team record and re-stamped his ballot for the hall of fame.

Amid mother nature's attempts to rain on his parade, literally, Derek Jeter needed just two at-bats to snap the tie between him and Lou Gehrig to bring his all-time hits to 2,722 one more than the man whose name is already in Cooperstown.

Jeter's third inning single which was very similar to the one which tied him with "Luckiest man on the face of the earth" brought out his teammates from the dugout to congratulate the man who will hold the record for quite some time if not forever.

Almost a year after Jeter passed Gehrig for all-time hits at the old Yankee stadium. Among his illustrious career, Jeter's newest record will be his most heralded as he knocked off legend after legend to reach the top of the list which had not been touched for over seven decades.

It has been clear for years that the No. 2 will join the ghosts of monument park when he decides to retire. When people of our generation list off the Yankees we've seen and learned about you can count on Derek Jeter's name to be there along with the Dimaggios, Mantles, Marises, Ruths, and of course Gehrigs.

While some argue that Gehrig would have exceeded the number had it not been for the disease which now carries his name it's safe to say that the Yankees' first captain would be proud that another captain now has the honor of having the most career hits in pinstripe history.

Alexander Ovechkin Invades New York City

Sergei Miledin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:10:56 -0400

On Wednesday, Alexander Ovechkin visited the NHL store in New York City and I had the pleasure being right in the thick of things. Ovechkin arrived in grand fashion as he drove a zamboni for a block which featured the cover of NHL2K10 on which he appears on.

Ovechkin then signed autographs for those lucky enough to snag a pre-order of the game which hits shelves next week. While I was able to obtain the signature and a picture I also had the greatest 15 second conversation with the man who like myself comes from Moscow.

Here is a brief translation of the conversation.
Me: What’s up?
Ovie: Not much, how you? (Ovechkin clearly has no time for formal greetings)
Me: Fine, happy birthday next week. (sounds way better in Russian)
Him: Thanks.

What a great encounter with a great player. After the autographs Ovechkin took on a winner from last week in a head-to-head game of NHL 2K10 in which he lost. He played with various other people as well before doing an interview with the NHL on Sirius Satellite Radio.

Hours before, Ovechkin along with other top NHL stars filmed promotional advertisments for the league at the Prudential Center, home of the New Jersey Devils.

This article was originally published at Fromrussiawithglove.com.

EPL: Andriy Shevchenko Returns To Dynamo Kyiv

Sergei Miledin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:00:55 -0400

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Stamford Bridge in London you will find many pictures of players past and present lining the walls of the stadium grounds. From John Terry to Peter Osgood, those who have made a name for themselves for the West London club are forever immortalized for all to see.

Right by the gate hangs a picture of Andriy Shevchenko, who at one time was the highest paid player in the club's history. The one time European Footballer of the Year who in 77 appearances for the Blues only managed to find the back of the net on 22 occasions.

It appears that this particular picture might not be left hanging there much longer as the Ukrainian international has signed a two-year-deal with his first club Dynamo Kyiv. The man they call Sheva has most likely seen out his last days as a player at one of the top European clubs as his career comes full circle.

He returns back home to the Ukraine after being told by manager Carlo Ancelotti that he did not feature regularly in the club's plans, having fallen below Salomon Kalou, Nicolas Anelka, and Didier Drogba in the Chelsea pecking order.

Shevchenko, who was a star player for AC Milan between 1999-2006 and was a key component of Ancelotti's team when he took over as manager in 2001, and was signed by Ancelotti on loan last season, may have lost his long-time trainers support when he failed to score in 18 appearances during his return to the Rossoneri.

However, despite following his manager back to London in hopes of finally cracking the Premier League, on Friday Ancelotti announced that he would not stand in the way of Shevchenko's search for first team football, thus allowing him to make his return to the club which launched his career.

Voted Ukrainian Footballer of the Year on six occasions, Shevchenko enjoyed a prolific first spell at Dynamo, scoring 60 goals in 116 league games which helped secured him a record $25 million move to AC Milan in 1999.

He scored 127 goals in 226 Serie A appearances at the San Siro, whilst also being voted European Footballer of the Year for 2004 and winning the Champions League in 2003 during his time there.

Shevchenko will have an early chance to return to the San Siro in October as his new team squares off against Inter Milan in this year's Champions League, a tie which will also reunite Sheva with his estranged former manager at Chelsea Jose Mourinho. Dynamo must also face Russian champions Rubin Kazan and reigning European champions FC Barcelona in their group.

With Dynamo, Sheva will also have the chance to build on his goals record in the UEFA Champions League, where he is currently ranked as the fourth highest goalscorer of all time. He will also be reunited with six of his fellow Ukraine international team mates at Dynamo, as Ukraine currently find themselves third in their World Cup qualifying group behind England and Croatia.

Sheva had nothing but great words for his now former club as he told their website "

'I feel when I played for Chelsea I received big support from the fans. I will remember for all my life this club and I hope I can come to the stadium and say "goodbye" to the fans, I want to send a message to thank them for their support and to enjoy their football and watching their team, I send my best thoughts for the team and hope that Chelsea wins many titles."

While his Chelsea career finally seems to have come to an end, here's hoping that this isn't the last time we see one of the greatest strikers of all-time have his moment of glory.

Chelsea Discover Champions League Fate

Sergei Miledin — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:59:45 -0400

On Thursday, the world's most prestigious club competition announced it's group stages pitting together Europe's elite clubs against one another. The UEFA Champions League, which has been in the qualifications stage since early summer now gains more interest as the bigger clubs have entered the fold for the following months. Prior to the draw, captain John Terry captured his second consecutive defender of the year award.

For Chelsea, who were dire minutes away from booking their second consecutive trip against Manchester United in the final last year their group stage will not be easy.The west London club have been drawn together with FC Porto, Atletico Madrid and APOEL Nicosia in group D.

While considered a fair draw since they missed out on clubs such as Real Madrid, Inter and AC Milan, Carlo Ancelotti's men will have their work cut out for them. The Italian was brought in by the club specifically to obtain the European trophy which is all that is missing in the club's museum.

Their biggest threat will most likely be FC Porto who are the reigning champions of the Liga Sagres. They also won the competition in 2003-2004 with former Chelsea boss José Mourinho who like Ancelotti was brought in to take the club to Europe's main event. Athletico Madrid who like Chelsea have only been runners-up haven't tasted finals play since 1973-1974 but have featured in the competition 16 times.

Surely the weakest link in the group is APOEL Nicosia of Cyprus who make their first ever appearance in the group stages and will host Chelsea in the opening game on September 15. Chelsea will have their work cut out for them regardless of opposition as Europe's highest honor doesn't come easily but no mistake about it, group D is surely one to watch.

Everton Sign Diniyar Bilyaletdinov from Lokomotiv Moscow

Sergei Miledin — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:38:32 -0400

Everton have become the latest Premier League club to sign a Russian national player, confirming the signature of 24-year-old Diniyar Bilyaletdinov. The midfielder comes to Goodison Park in the midst of the Russian Premier League season to help the Liverpool club secure their first points of the 2009 campaign.

The Moscow native, who debuted in the Lokomotiv system at the age of 19, has appeared in 185 games, finding the back of the net 38 times. At 20, Bilyaletdinov made his Russian national team debut and has appeared in 28 games since, sharing the field with current Russians in the EPL such as Roman Pavlyuchenko of Tottenham, Andrei Arshavin of Arsenal, and Yuri Zhirkov of Chelsea.

Bilyaletdinov is the fourth arrival in the transfer window to the club and arguably the most experienced, as the others have yet to notch any international experience despite being in the same age category. He will join Jô, who was loaned in from Manchester City, who also played in the RPL in 2005 with CSKA Moscow.

Bilyaletdinov is not the first Russian to appear in a Toffee's uniform, as Andrei Kanchelskis spent one year of his career with the club, netting 20 goals in 52 appearances in 1995-96. Bilyaletdinov is still looking to secure his work permits and will most likely make his debut against Fulham on Sept. 13 following Russia's World Cup Qualifier against Wales.

Jets Vs. Ravens: Sanchez Looks to Shine on MNF in Baltimore

Sergei Miledin — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:40:03 -0400

On the night head coach Rex Ryan returns to the place he called home for the last decade, rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez looks to win out the starting job versus one of the NFL's best defenses.

Sanchez, who featured in one series in his NFL debut coming off the bench for Kellen Clemens, looks to take advantage of the aura around the Monday Night Football lights.

In his first appearance in a Jets uniform, Sanchez went 3-for-4, including a 48-yard bomb to David Clowney on his initial throw.

The $50 million man showed signs of promise in his limited play, which was enough to give him the nod against the Baltimore Ravens.

Ryan has stated that based on the performance of both Sanchez and Clemens tonight, he may decide who the team's opening day starter will be.

Clearly, Ryan sees this start for both QB's as a huge stepping stone that will show each one handles the defense that Ryan helped build from 1999-2009, when he was the Ravens' defensive coordinator and line coach.

He won't be alone in the homecoming, as linebacker Bart Scott, safety Jim Leonhard, and tackle Marques Douglas all return to face their old pals.

Ryan has to be thinking revenge against a team that passed him up when Brian Billick was fired in 2007.

Although he won't admit it, a win in Baltimore, despite being a meaningless preseason game, could do wonders for the already big-mouthed Ryan.

A successful showing by Sanchez can end all the speculation about whether he would beat out the veteran Clemens, despite being the highest paid Jet in team history.

The only problem is that Clemens will have a shot to show up his 22-year-old counterpart, before making way for Erik Ainge in the second half.

The Jets will have Nick Mangold, who missed the first preseason game against St. Louis, in the mix, while players like Alan Feneca, Darrelle Revis, Kris Jenkins, and Damien Woody are all nursing injuries.

Tonight's game will feature similar defenses, which could make the QB battle that much more exciting to watch.

As RB Leon Washington says, "It’s the Ravens against the Ravens."

Jets-Rams: Questions Loom as New York Opens Preseason Against Lowly St. Louis

Sergei Miledin — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:06:51 -0400

Last year saw the New York Jets walk off the field dejected amidst celebration by the Miami Dolphins—who captured their first division title in eight years.

It would be the last time Jets fans would see Brett Favre, Laveranues Coles, Mike Nugent, and head coach Eric Mangini, as their once bright season had burned up right in front of their eyes.

The offseason brought many changes for Gang Green, as Favre would retire (again), Coles and Nugent signed elsewhere, and Mangini got axed for his team's dismal effort down the stretch—where they went 1-4 instead of capturing their first division crown in six years.

However, GM Mike Tannenbaum diligently worked to keep the team competitive by bringing in two-time CB Pro Bowler Lito Sheppard from Philadelphia, as well as Pro Bowler ILB Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard, both from Baltimore.

He would also court their former defensive coordinator and assistant head coach Rex Ryan to join the Jets for the next four years.

Surely the man who brought in Favre less than a year before couldn't pull off another stunning acquisition, could he?

Fortunately for Jets fans, he did just that by making the biggest draft day trade in franchise history to secure QB Mark Sanchez from USC.

The Jets would trade for the Cleveland Browns' fifth overall selection and send their first and second round selections (along with Kenyon Coleman, Brett Ratliff, and Abram Elam) to land Sanchez, who they signed to the biggest contract in team history by inking a five-year deal worth $50 million, with more than half in guarantees.

Now Sanchez will try to win the position outright from veteran Kellen Clemens, who can't seem to catch a break every time training camp opens up.

Clemens will get the start tonight against the St. Louis Rams, who the Jets manhandled 47-3 in week 10 last year. However, he will only feature in a few series before making way for Sanchez in his NFL debut.

Just like last year against the Redskins, the stadium will be filled to see the newest Jet with much hope and promise.

Ryan, who too will be making his own debut, has said that he doesn't see Sanchez's debut being too long, as he will allow Erik Ainge to play out the entire second half.

The Jets will also have a battle for the No. 1 punter job, with both Reggie Hodges (who finished the 2008 season as the Jets’ punter) and undrafted rookie free agent T.J. Conley trying to stake an early claim to the job.

The team will also introduce rookie Shonn Greene at the back position where, he'll spend his time learning from Thomas Jones and Leon Washington.

WR Chansi Stuckey will try to maintain the lead to be tops on the depth chart ahead of Jerricho Cotchery, as the team never made any moves to replace Coles.

Friday's game will see the Jets play their new 4-3 defense brought in by Ryan, but fans and viewers should not expect them to show their new skin the entire game.

With the preseason too hard to predict, I will take the high road and save my predictions for the regular season; this game, and their three after, are only quizzes in the test that is the NFL.

EPL: Chelsea Win Community Shield Over Manchester United on Penalties

Sergei Miledin — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 12:46:28 -0400

Chelsea opened their 2009 season just like they ended their previous one, by lifting silverware at Wembley.

After overcoming 1-0 deficit followed by an injury time goal by Wayne Rooney, Chelsea defeated Manchester United 4-1 on penalties. The win secured their fourth Community Shield.

The Blues got off to a shaky start when Petr Cech let in a soft goal by Nani, who has been tapped to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, just 10 minutes in. United would pour on the attacks testing Cech repeatedly with successful scoring opportunities. Ji Sung Park tried doubling the lead forcing the Czech international to dive to his right. Minutes later it would be Dimitar Berbatov who too would be met by the keeper.

Meanwhile Chelsea looked sluggish as their passes would easily be smothered by United and no shots would give Ben Foster any trouble. Darren Fletcher nearly scored before the interval forcing a finger tip save from Cech. The score would remain 1-0 as the teams headed for their respective changing rooms.

The second half would see Branislav Ivanovic be replaced by Jose Bosingwa after being tormented by Nani. Quickly thereafter the Blues would start to pick up momentum. Their efforts were quickly rewarded as Ricardo Carvalho would find a half empty net after Ben Foster collided with Didier Drogba. Chelsea would continue to press on testing a nervy Foster until they caught a 3-on-2 break.

With Patrice Evra being body checked by Michael Ballack, the Blues would push on with Drogba finding a wide open Frank Lampard. He would step up to fire past Foster who didn't get enough on the ball as the West London team grabbed the lead.

Chelsea would try to hang out to the comeback but an injury time (offsides) goal by Wayne Rooney would force the game into penalties as the clock expired seconds later. In the shootout Foster showed he was not Edwin van der Saar, failing to stop all four Chelsea goals as the Blues clinched their first piece of silverware for the 2009 season.

While their ultimate goal is the Champions League trophy, Carlo Ancelotti's men took a step in the right direction with a much needed win over their newest bitter rivals in Manchester United. With the Blues winning in a penalty shootout for the first time in ages, things could be looking up for the pride of London.

Russia Announces Olympic Camp Hopefuls

Sergei Miledin — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:25:01 -0400

Today, Russia announced the list of players who will be invited to participate in the tryouts for the national team in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. The team is almost split evenly between NHL players and KHL players as Russia looks for their third major title in as many years.

Most of the players who were featured in the team’s 2009 World Championship campaign were invited along with those who were in the midst of a playoff series. Notably missing from the invitees are Nikolai Khabibulin, Slava Kozlov, and Sergei Mozyakin who lead the KHL in scoring with 76 points in 56 games.

Below is the list of the players who will be invited to the CSKA facilities in Moscow for the shot to restore national pride to a country who has not captured Olympic gold since the days of the Soviet Union.

The camp will be held Aug. 29-Sep. 1. Teams have until Dec. 30 to submit final rosters, although they can make injury substitutions up until Feb. 15, the day before the Olympic tournament begins in Vancouver.

Goaltenders
Ilya Bryzgalov (Phoenix Coyotes)
Alexander Eremenko (Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL)
Evgeni Nabokov (San Jose Sharks)
Simeon Varlamov (Washington Capitals)

Defensemen
Vitali Atyushov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL)
Sergei Gonchar (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Denis Grebeshkov (Edmonton Oilers)
Dmitri Kalinin (Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL)
Maxim Kondratiev (Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL)
Konstantin Korneyev (CSKA Moscow, KHL)
Andrei Markov (Montreal Canadiens)
Ilya Nikulin (Ak Bars Kazan, KHL)
Vitali Proshkin (Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL)
Oleg Tverdovsky (Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL)
Fedor Tyutin (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Vitali Vishnevsky (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL)
Anton Volchenkov (Ottawa Senators)
Alexei Zhitnik (Dynamo Moscow, KHL)
Sergei Zubov (Dallas Stars)

Forwards
Evgeny Artyukhin (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Maxim Afinogenov (Buffalo Sabres)
Konstantin Gorovikov (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL)
Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit Red Wings)
Danis Zaripov (Ak Bars Kazan, KHL)
Sergei Zinoviev (Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL)
Alexei Kovalev (Ottawa Senators)
Ilya Kovalchuk (Atlanta Thrashers)
Viktor Kozlov (Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL)
Nikolai Kulemin (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Alexei Morozov (Ak Bars Kazan, KHL)
Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals)
Alexander Radulov (Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL)
Oleg Saprykin (Dynamo Moscow, KHL)
Alexander Semin (Washington Capitals)
Alexei Tereschenko (Ak Bars Kazan, KHL)
Sergei Fedorov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL)
Alexander Frolov (Los Angeles Kings)

Chelsea Sign Yuri Zhirkov For $29 Million

Sergei Miledin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:58:35 -0400

After months of speculation, the Russian Ronaldinho is headed to West London as Chelsea have confirmed the signing of CSKA Moscow left-back Yuri Zhirkov to a four-year $29-million-dollar deal on Monday.

The 25-year-old was captured by local media as he left Moscow to fly to England's capital to undergo a routine physical. Zhirkov gained recognition during last summer's European Football Championship with Russia as he displayed great poise and ability to play both his position as well as midfield.

While being introduced as Chelsea's fourth manager in two years, Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the signing of Zhirkov stating that he would ideally like to play him on the left flank. Zhirkov becomes the Italian's third summer signing as the team has already brought in goalkeeper Ross Turnbull of Middlesbrough and striker Daniel Sturridge of Manchester City.

Zhirkov started his professional career at 18 with minnows Spartak Tambov where he scored 26 goals in 74 appearances. He then signed with CSKA, who would become the first Russian team to ever win a major European trophy when they captured the UEFA Cup in 2005. With the Moscow club Zhirkov would net 15 goals in 139 appearances as well as appear in former Chelsea interim boss Guss Hiddink's national side.

It is believed that Hiddink suggested Zhirkov to Chelsea before leaving as owner Roman Abramovich had a strong tie to the Moscow club when he first bought the club. Abramovich is also believed to have had a hand in the negotiations.

Zhirkov becomes the third Russian national player to come to the Premier League joining teammates and countrymen Roman Pavlyuchenko of Tottenham and Andrei Arshavin of Arsenal.

Despite Loss, US Team Should Be Proud

Sergei Miledin — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:27:18 -0400

Despite losing 3-2 in Sunday's Confederations Cup Final to Brazil the U.S. should not hang their heads in disappointment. Who would have thought that after their dismal play in their group that they would have ever made it past the elimination round?

After being paired against top ranked Spain who honestly gave them any chance of winning, let alone scoring?

The heart and perseverance they showed against a team who had not lost in almost three years showed the world that the US still had something to offer. What stood behind them and their first major FIFA title was defending champions Brazil, a team with an extremely rich football history.

The US started the game with a wonderful goal by Fulham's Clint Dempsey who would redirect a Johnathon Spector cross to give his team a shock lead.

Brazil would press for the equalizer but would get little done to test Tim Howard. Landon Donovan would double the lead with some sly passing on the counter attack with Charlie Davies to give the us a commanding lead in the 27th minute.

They would carry their lead into half time surely forcing the Brazilians to reassess their game plan. At the start of the second half Brazil would waste little time getting back into the game with Luis Fabiano's tournament leading fourth goal on a turnaround shot.

Brazil, like most of the game, would play keep away from the Americans having shot after shot forcing them to sit and watch as one of the world's best offenses played their “magical” football.

Kaka would tie things up for Brazil had the scoreline been able to have video replay as his header clearly crossed the line only to be denied by the referee. The almost goal would not dampen the spirit of Brazil as they would continue to press on until. Fabiano would get his second of the game on a cross from Kaka to level things up 2-2 and put Brazil's feet on the US's throats.

Almost inevitably, the score was tied and the momentum clearly shifted to the men in yellow. Their onslaught was rewarded on a corner that would find the captain Lucio's head to complete the comeback for the Verde e Amarelo.

Three goals in 38 mins would see off the US's second consecutive shock victory as Brazil would raise their third Confederations Cup in 12 years.

What this teaches the U.S. is that when they have a commanding lead against a top team they can not sit back and allow them to continue to attack. It will ultimately burn them just like Brazil did today.

However this tournament gives the team much more respect on the world stage and gives them a taste of the World Cup next year in South Africa if they qualify.

Up next is the CONCACAF Gold Cup which kicks off on the Fourth of July against Grenada in Seattle. If you are a U.S. fan just be thankful you won't have to hear that buzzing sound for a whole year.

Chelsea Give Guus Hiddink a Proper Sendoff in the FA Cup Final

Sergei Miledin — Sat, 30 May 2009 12:46:39 -0400

On Saturday, Chelsea won its fifth FA Cup, defeating Everton 2-1 before a crowd of 89,000 at Wembley Stadium. The win would salvage a very disappointing season after the team failed to advance to the UEFA Champions League Final for the second year in a row as well as fall short for the third consecutive year domestically.

It didn't take very long for the scoring to begin as Manchester United misfit Louis Saha hit a strong strike that beat Petr Cech just 25 seconds into the match. The goal is now the quickest all-time in a FA Cup Final. Everton would then sit back and let Chelsea do what it does best which would result in a Didier Drogba goal.

Florent Malouda walked into the box and wonderfully picked out his Ivorian teammate who headed past Tim Howard along with five defenders for his fifth goal in five domestic cup games.

Chelsea continued to press on with numerous chances as Everton hoped to catch them on the counter attack. Neither team prevailed, and they went into the half with the game 1-1.

Phil Neville picked up a yellow card quickly after the restart, becoming the second Toffee to go into the book as Tony Hibbert earned earlier in the first half. John Obi Mikel picked up the first Chelsea yellow around the 60th minute as neither team could muster a good opportunity to put their side ahead.

Saha came closest on a free kick heading just over Cech and the bar.

That is until Frank Lampard hit a lovely left-footed strike after slipping in an attempt to shake a defender in the 72nd minute. The ball found the far left corner with Tim Howard only getting his finger tips on it. It was his 20th goal of the season.

Chelsea had a chance moments later to seal the game with Malouda finally being rewarded with a shot opportunity after playing so well. He somehow stayed onside and fired a shot over both Howard and the net.

A few minutes after that he tried from 35 yards out, only to carom off the bar. Replays showed, however, the ball had crossed the line. In the 83rd, Lampard went down in the box and received a yellow card for his protest.

None of Chelsea's chances towards the end could find the back of the net but all their possessions saw them seal their first trophy since 2007.

The win was the perfect send-off for temporary manager Guus Hiddink who coached the team for the last time before returning to the Russian National side. Hiddink has now won silverware in three countries domestically and gained recognition on the world stage leading four teams farther than they've ever been.

Why I Hope Nobody Wins The Champions League Final

Sergei Miledin — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:06:32 -0400

Never did I think I would watch a meaningful game in any major sport with the hope of no victor. This potential situation has finally arrived in the form of Manchester United and Barcelona. The two football giants meet on Wednesday in Rome for the right to claim Europe's highest club football honor.

Unfortunately for me and some others, this will be the most dreadful match to watch since I have no care for either side and, in fact, I hate them both.

Being a fan of the EPL I have gotten to know United over the past couple of years. Everything from their players, to their colorful cheerleader coach, to their "we deserve everything" fans.

While the media throw around the term "best team ever" whenever the words football and Manchester United are uttered, I shake my head in despair. Nowadays it seems they win a trophy every week, while making their opponents look like children.

The image and aftermath is pretty predictable—it's the same faces and same quotes from the players and Fergie. Something to the affect of "well, we clearly played better today" or "it's a great day to be associated with Manchester United," is guaranteed any time a trophy gets within five feet of the Mancs.

Now as they close in on winning a second straight UCL trophy, there could be no better time for them to lose all the momentum that saw them clinch their third straight league crown 11 days ago.

What stands in their way is another miserable team whose passing game mesmerizes opposition while never quite challenging them. It is none other than Barcelona, or Barca as they are known to many around the world.

Here is a team that has already won the league and league cup in Spain, but whose game becomes comical when facing opposition in Europe. This was proved last time out, when they mustered one shot on goal in 90 minutes against Chelsea. If that goal had never happened this article would be slightly more positive, but I digress.

Their fancy-shmancy footwork is truly remarkable, but the fact it took them 180 mins to score against Chelsea, who had allowed 12 goals going into leg two of the semifinal is quite absurd.

Not to take anything away from the boys in blue, but to think that one team in the final got in by the skin of their teeth, not to mention a Norwegian referee with an apparent love for the Spanish, makes me sick.

The final is supposed to be the best of the best, not the luckier team who played like they wanted the UEFA Cup. Maybe I am being a bit irrational. Maybe the fact I have watched United lift more trophies than a certain blue team from London has in recent memory is part of this.

Maybe I can't get over Barcelona coming off life-support to book their ticket to Rome. Maybe I am still not over what transpired in Moscow over a year ago.

Maybe I should just suck it up and root for a good game. However, I can't and I won't. Maybe Michel Platini will read this by kick-off and scrap the whole thing.

Or maybe Arsenal and Chelsea will be invited back to face the winner, to establish the real champion once the first game is done. Whatever the case will be, here's hoping that it ends 0-0 with no one being able to make a penalty.

Yankees-Phillies: NY Outblasted By Phillies 7-3, Snap Nine Game Winning Streak

Sergei Miledin — Sat, 23 May 2009 01:32:40 -0400

On Friday night, the New York Yankees welcomed the Philadelphia Phillies for their first inter-league matchup since 2006.

The league's two best offenses didn't disappoint as the game quickly turned into a home run derby. Jimmy Rollins would start things off for the Phils with a first pitch home run to right field to put the team ahead 1-0.

The Phillies would never look back as they doubled their lead in the second with a Carlos Ruiz blast, his first since Game Three of last year's World Series. Jayson Werth would be the next to go yard, this time in the fifth to become the first player to reach the left field second deck.

Meanwhile, Brett Myers allowed three runs and eight hits in eight innings with no walks and five strikeouts. His counterpart AJ Burnett dropped 0-2 in his last of his last seven starts, giving up five runs and eight hits in six innings and tying his career high for homers allowed with three.

To be fair, Burnett got zero support from the Yankee bats who in the last three games have scored 27 runs. That is until he was already on the bench when Alex Rodriguez pulled an opposite field shot in the bottom of the sixth. It was A-Rod's sixth dinger since rejoining the team on May 8, and bringing him within four of Reggie Jackson's total for 11th all-time.

Raul Ibanez would respond in the next inning this time off of Chien-Meng Wang, who was making his first appearance off the disabled list. In his third career relief appearance Wang threw 51 pitches, allowing two runs and six hits in three innings while lowering his ERA from 34.50 to 25.00.

It wouldn't be until the eighth inning that Chase Utley got the first base-hit RBI of the night singling home Pedro Feliz to extend the lead to 7-1. Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira both went yard in the bottom of the inning to bring the Yanks within four but that would be all from the hot bats that have gone silent.

Teixeira's shot made it into the suite level, just below the upper deck. According to the Elias Sports Beaur, the 82 homeruns thus far are a record for the first 21 games at a major league park. There already have been nine games of five or more homers and three with seven or more. Fifty-one of the homers have gone to right field.

The Yanks look to rebound tomorrow by sending Andy Pettitte to the hill who has won his last two starts. He will face J.A. Happ who was just added to the Phillies rotation this week. Happ has a 2.49 ERA with a 2-0 record. He has 17 K's and 9 BB's.

Brett Favre: Here We Go Again

Sergei Miledin — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:51:52 -0400

They say there are two things guaranteed in life, death and taxes. However if you happen to be football fan you can add Brett Favre's coming out of retirement as a third to the list as it seems No. 4 is feeling the itch yet again.

Reports have surfaced the Minnesota Vikings have made contact with Favre's agent, Bus Cook, regarding the services of the NFL's all-time leading QB in just about every major category. It is reported that Favre, Cook, and Vikings coach Brad Childress will meet at some point this week to discuss details.

Favre who spent last year with the New York Jets and who was taken off the reserve/retired list last week is now fair game for anyone. The Vikings were Favre's choice last year before being dealt to Gang Green setting off a media frenzy in the top sports market in the US.

After giving the Jets a 8-3 record with convincing wins over the New England Patriots and the undefeated Tennessee Titans, Favre and the Jets slumped the rest of the way eventually missing the playoffs they once seemed bound for.

Most of the blame was placed on Favre, who in the latter part of the season threw just 1 TD and 8 INT's, while costing Eric Mangini his job, leaving plenty of question marks heading into the offseason.

Despite being mostly ecstatic when the Jets landed Favre on Aug. 7 the Jets faithful had little room for forgiveness hoping the aging QB would never don a hunter green jersey again having seen the rival Dolphins and ex- QB Chad Pennington clinch the division at home.

Now it seems Favre telling the media and GM Mike Tannenbaum that "Nothing has changed. At this time, I am retired and have no intention of returning to football" is all another lie similar to the one when he first announced his retirement but with water works.

Tax day is a few weeks past, and no one knows when death will come, so it seems the one thing for us fans to look for is more news about what is sure to be another ongoing drama this off-season.

My Weekend with the NFL Department of Fandemonium

Sergei Miledin — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 01:42:24 -0400

Late last week I learned that I was one of 32 finalists to compete for the first annual position of the NFL Director of Fandemonium.

Days later, I would be on my way to New York City (all the way from north Jersey) to experience something that I may never have the opportunity to do again.

As I mentioned in my first article regarding the contest all of the finalists had already won season tickets to the team of their choice along with a custom jersey with the same criteria.

The lucky winner of the competition will get a signing bonus of $100,000, as well as key roles in the NFL Draft, International Series, Thanksgiving game, Wild card game, Pro Bowl, Super Bowl, as well as other NFL events.

Thursday marked the first day of the competition, with all the contestants and myself arriving at the Marriott Eastside from all over the US, including a Vikings fan from Hawaii.

After check-in we had a brief moment to get settled into our rooms where a few gifts awaited us such as a respective conference fandemonium jersey and a official NFL football signed by the single-season record holder for sacks, ex-New York Giants DE Michael Strahan.

Up next was an unofficial meet and greet followed by our first on-camera interview and pictures with NFL Films.

Later that evening, a reception was held where we had the opportunity to introduce ourselves and the team we represented as well as meet the people behind the competition.

A short but semi-hectic day was over as some contestants ventured out into the big city while others opted to catch up on their sleep.

Friday was by far the busiest day of the competition with all the participants being paired up into teams with their respective divisions and their conference counterpart. (i.e., NFC and AFC East)

My team faced off against the NFC/AFC West in the trivia challenge, hosted by none other than Michael Strahan, with the winning team destined for the next and final round.

The questions varied from most appearances on Thanksgiving to which conference holds the record for points in a Pro Bowl.

Of course there were also questions concerning Strahan's career, which even he himself found too easy.

Somehow the other team caught up and were forced to answer a question created by our team in order to force a tie.

Given the situation and the handsome host our team came up with "How many sacks did Strahan have in his career?"

Their answer was 141 which we too thought was the correct response, however Strahan told them they were wrong only to revoke his statement and turn to the judges/directors. The actual answer was 141.5, giving our team the win and a place in the second round.

In that round we faced off against the NFC/AFC North in the physical challenge which included a coin toss and through the gap toss inspired by none other than the gap between Strahan's teeth.

The coin toss consisted of simply making your coin land on the point board with the condition of flipping it over your shoulder. My flip was too high as it bounced of the microphone stick causing Mr. Strahan to call an interference penalty and award me a re-flip.

Our team grabbed a 9-8 lead heading into the second challenge. Since they were behind, the North were awarded the opportunity to go first in the the through the gap toss.

In this challenge each contestant was allowed five throws with each made ball counting for three points. The north would only get three balls in for a total of 20 points overall.

Our team made one ball with only three people remaining. Enter Brett Miledin, with my first three throws being way off the mark and Strahan looking to the last contestant representing the Dolphins as the savior.

I managed to get one ball in to pull within one to clinch. Even Strahan tried to ice me but to no avail, as I would sink the last throw for the win and have him and my teammate Mark jump on my back in celebration.

Afterwards I dedicated the win to Strahan for which he thanked me for and proceeded to cry into my shoulder in happiness. Up next was the locker-room challenge with Rob Riggle of SNL and Daily Show fame.

Riggle asked me questions about being Russian and my ties to NFL Europe as well as singing Iron Maiden thanks to my Trooper shoes.

He would proceed to have a fake heart attack after learning I had little time for tailgating since I never seem to have a parking pass.

Lastly we had our motivational speech challenge in front of both Riggle and Strahan where we were asked to preform either a pep-talk or celebration dance.

For whatever reason, I was chosen to dance but having a background in ballroom dancing I managed to pull off a samba meets rumba meets the Harlem shake to much of the enjoyment of the judges, Strahan in particular.

That evening, just like the previous one, ended with a reception dinner where we learned our scheduled time to meet with the NFL and Monster.com brass on Saturday.

Since many of us had later times I acted as an ambassador of NYC and showed the two handfuls of out-of-towners the sites and sounds most tourists come to see in Manhattan.

On Saturday I had the pleasure of going with the last group to the NFL headquarters and getting everyone's take on the sit-down prior to my own. While their we waited in the Lombardi room and I happened to catch a glimpse of the heralded trophy later on.

I was then mic'd up just like the previous day and entered the board room. While inside I was interviewed by Rich Eisen of the NFL Network, John Buzzeo and Mike Pereira of the NFL, and Jeff Greenler VP of Global Marketing for Monster.

The questions varied from officiating, to the draft, as well as general interview questions. Afterwards, I was driven back home with only the memories to last me a lifetime.

I would like to extend the biggest possible thank you to everyone associated with the event especially those who worked ever so diligently in arranging the little things to help us through.

MEC Acess, BBDO, Ketchum, the NFL, NFL Films, Monster.com, Avalon, and Marriott East side, a huge thank you for everything.

Good luck to all the contestants as well.

The official site can be found here. A Twitter of the events as they happened can be found here.

My Path to Becoming the NFL's Director of Fandemonium

Sergei Miledin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:08:06 -0400

Early last week I had received an email regarding a contest I had entered to become the director of the NFL's fictional department called Fandemonium.

The title read "Congratulations. You have been selected as a winner in the NFL Director of Fandemonium Contest Presented by Monster.com."

In the age of viruses and scams on the Internet, I refused to believe this email was legitimate.

I was contacted by the director of Monster.com's sports marketing agency to verify the legitimacy of the contest. Having entered countless contests, it was not until I was sent the affidavit to confirm myself as a winner.

The NFL and Monster.com selected 32 first price winners from every NFL city to represent their team in hopes of becoming the director of Fandemonium.

What the winners, myself included, have already won two tickets to all eight regular season home games for the 2009-2010 season of the team of my choice. In addition, other prizes included a merchandise bag, a custom jersey, and a trip for one to New York, NY for three days and two nights during the time period between March 26-28.

My situation is rather unique all around.

Having season tickets last year allowed me to become a community leader for the New York Jets on Bleacherreport.com, but those tickets were not renewed.

Now this competition guarantees me a place in the last season at Giants Stadium. I also will have the luxury of not dealing with jetlag since I live 35-minutes outside of the city.

While in New York, the 32 winners will compete in various stages in the competition including trivia, endzone celebrations, dealing with the media, as well as a sit down with Monster.com and NFL brass.

The lucky winner of the competition will get a signing bonus of $100,000, as well as key roles in the NFL Draft, International Series, Thanksgiving game, Wild card game, Prow bowl, and Superbowl.

You can follow my updates via a specfic Twitter throughout the weekend. I appreciate any words of encouragement.

NHL: Brodeur magnifique as he ties Roy, Devils beat Habs 3-1

Sergei Miledin — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 22:07:10 -0400

On Saturday night, Martin Brodeur equaled Patrick Roy's all-time win record with his 551st win versus his hometown, Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre.

With Roy, in attendance and his jersey above the ice, Brodeur put on a show by stopping 22-of-23 shots for a chance to surpass his childhood idol on Tuesday in New Jersey.

Patrick Elias got things rolling for the Devils on a wicked slap-shot that beat Jaroslav Halak for his 28th of the season.

Brian Rolston would add another on the next Devils power play from almost the blue line, which had Halak questioning his defensemen. It would be Rolston's 300th career goal and with the assist Elias tied John Maclean for all-time points as a Devil.

The Habs would get one back courtesy of Tomas Plekanec who wristed past Brodeur who felt he was run into just moments earlier.

The teams would go into the locker rooms with the game at 2-1.

Both goalies were perfect in the second with Brodeur stopping all 11 shots while Halak getting all 18 off the Devils' sticks.

Brodeur would make a great sprawling save on Andrei Kostitsyn in latter of the period. He remained perfect throughout the third period with just five shots sent his way.

Halak would try to do the same, but was finally beaten late in the period when Jamie Langenbrunner wristed home his 23rd of the season.

Halak finished with 48 saves.

As the clock expired the once boo's by the Montreal faithful quickly turned into cheers as those who stayed applauded one of their favorite son's as he returned to the ice for his first star nod.

The Devils are now riding a three game winning streak and improve their record to 34-3-2 when scoring first under Brent Sutter. They remain six-points behind the Boston Bruins for best overall record in the eastern conference.

Brodeur hopes to make history against the Chicago Blackhawks on St.Patrick's day as he aims to surpass St.Patrick's (Roy’s) record.

Elias will too be hoping to become the team's all-time point getter, as Tuesday will hopefully be a night to remember.

Sergei Miledin's writing can also be found on his website.

Leafs' Antropov Likely Headed Out of Toronto

Sergei Miledin — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:13:20 -0500

Photo Courtesy of SportsNet.ca

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, if Christmas came in early March every year.

What does this year's NHL trade deadline hold? Will it be lackluster or full of block busters? Nothing is for certain, but one can speculate. Among the names mentioned throughout the previous weeks, none hit closer to the motherland than Toronto’s Nik Antropov.

The 29-year-old winger has spent his entire NHL career with the Leafs, putting up 291 points in 509 career games. However, the injury-plagued 6′6" Antropov might have seen his last days with the lowly Leafs, as he was not featured in tonight’s lineup against the New Jersey Devils. He, along with Dominic Moore, are expected to be shipped out of Leaf Nation by tomorrow’s 3 p.m. deadline.

While no source is too credible in this day and age, Yahoo’s Greg Wyshynski gives potential landing spotsfor Antropov including Pittsburgh, Chicago, Columbus, and Dallas. Some say the Devils are also interested in a big center, which Antropov can step into if called upon. However, this is nothing more than wishful thinking, as both coach Brent Sutter and GM Lou Lamoriello have stated their sanctification with the current roster.

Where will Big Nik land come tomorrow? Only time will tell.

NHL: Brodeur Returns as Devils Blank Colorado 4-0

Sergei Miledin — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:35:52 -0500

On Thursday night the New Jersey Devils welcomed back goaltender Martin Brodeur for the first time in four months after a torn biceps tendon kept him out since Nov. 1. Many questions loomed on how he would do after only a month’s worth of spotty practices, how his arm would feel and so on.

Brodeur came back as if he had never left, stopping all 24 shots fired at him by a quickly sinking ship that has become the Colorado Avalanche.

Jamie Langenbrunner, Patrik Elias, Zach Parise, and Travis Zajac would all light the lamp as the game quickly became one-sided.

Langenbrunner would find daylight between Andrew Raycroft’s pads just four minutes into the game receiving a pass from Zajac as he skated down the right wing. Brodeur would calmly handle the five shots against him as the Devils would take the 1-0 lead into the locker-room.

Elias would take advantage of the Ruslan Salei hooking penalty as well as a missed shot by Paul Martin which bounced off the board’s right to the Czech winger for his 24th goal of the year. He would snap Colorado’s season-high 18 consecutive penalty kills in the process. Brodeur would continue to shut the door on the one time foes stopping all 12 shots.

Parise would tie Jeff Carter for second most goals in the league with Ovechkinesque moves for his 36th. Parise would whittle the puck off the right wing boards past Avalanche defenseman Brett Clark in the neutral zone. He would use his speed to get around Clark, and dipped his left shoulder into him right circle before lifting the puck over Raycroft's shoulder. He would finish with three points on the evening.

Zajac would cap off the night with his 17th after the Devils refused to leave the Avalanche zone for over a minute. He too would finish with three points as Brodeur would see out the remaining shots for his third shutout of the season and 99th in his career. He is now just four shy of Terry Sawchuk’s once elusive 103 all time shutouts. He would be fittingly be named first star of the game.

While the game was a great turn around for the team after scoring just two goals in their last three games but it was obvious Brodeur’s return was the highlight of the win. The buzz at Prudential Center was evident from warm ups to when Brodeur received a standing ovation as he skated onto the ice for the first time.

The crowd would grow louder any time Brodeur was shown on camera, touched the puck, and of course made a save. Chants of MAR-TY would rain from the rafters as Devils fans were ecstatic to have their backbone and franchise player back in his familiar spot.

Brodeur is now also within six wins of Patrick Roy’s all-time record 551. He will get the start on Saturday against the surging Florida Panthers and possibly against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. The Flyers are just six points back of the Devils for first place in the Atlantic Division. Both games are scheduled for 1 p.m.

Devils-Bruins: Scott Clemmensen shines in 1-0 New Jersey Victory

Sergei Miledin — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 18:39:48 -0500

It took Scott Clemmensen nearly five years to record his third career shutout but only four days for his fourth.

On Friday night, the Devils entertained the league-leading Boston Bruins at Prudential Center as they looked to bridge the gap in the standings. The Bruins came in looking to snap a two game losing streak against a Devils team which had won their last two.

Clemmensen was back in net for New Jersey after sitting out Wednesday's win against the Islanders after shutting out the Rangers on Monday. He was tested early and often by the Bruins who took advantage of terrible clears and giveaways by the Devils.

All 10 shots in the first period were stopped brilliantly by Clemmensen including a paddle save off a Bergeron rebound midway through the frame.

Tim Thomas equaled Clemmensen in stopping all five of the Devils shots including a spectacular glove save on the Devils leading scorer in Zach Parise.

The two would continue to outdo the other in the second with Thomas stopping Paul Martin on a clear breakaway.

Martin attempted to go five hole but Thomas somehow prevented in from squeezing through and fell onto the puck as Jamie Langenbrunner tried poking the non existent rebound.

Minutes later the Devils would win a face-off back to Bryce Salvador who would beat Thomas five hole on a bounce for just his third goal of the season.

Clemmensen would close the door on Boston's 13 shots in the period, including a rebound that was propelled by a falling Vladimir Sobotka shortly after Salvador's goal. The Bruins outshot the Devils 13-8 in the second period and 23-13 heading into the third.

Clemmensen would continue his effort fighting off better chances created off turnovers by the Devils. Thomas too kept his team in the game stopping the remaining five Devils shots.

Even with Thomas pulled the Bruins could not put one past the Devil keeper as the defense came up big with blocks as time winded down.

Clemmensen would earn his second straight shutout stopping all 31 shots earning him the first star of the game. The Devils are now a mere 10 points away from the Bruins in second place.

Having knocked off the best team in the NHL the Devils next game will be against the best team in the west as the San Jose Sharks and Claude Lemieux visit Prudential on Sunday afternoon at the rock.

EPL: Chelsea Name Guus Hiddink as New Manager

Sergei Miledin — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:14:01 -0500

Chelsea FC have confirmed Guus Hiddink as their replacement manager for recently-sacked Felipe Scolari. Hiddink, who is also the coach for the Russian National team, will take on both roles and remain with the blues for the rest of the season. Hiddink had previously been rumored to coach the west London club in the past, but had always turned down any possible move in favor of his national-team duties.

Now, in a time of mild crisis for the blues and owner Roman Abramovich's close relationship to the 62-year-old Dutchman, Hiddink will try to salvage some hope in a rather poor season for Chelsea. Abramovich was the reason Hiddink was given the Russian job along with the salary, which is also taken care of by the Chelsea owner.

Now, thanks to Russia's resurgence in world football, it is no surprise that the Russian hierarchy allowed Abramovich to borrow Hiddink for his side. Hiddink will now add Chelsea to his long resume, which has included stops at PSV Eindhoven, Valencia, Real Madrid, as well as national roles for Australia, South Korea, and Russia. He has won numerous league titles, a Champions League trophy, and the Intercontinental Cup.

Hiddink will likely watch his new team from the stands as they take on Watford in the fifth round of the FA Cup. His move to England allows him to coach arguably the best team in his tenure, who currently sit fourth in the Premier league. While winning the league seems very unlikely, the FA Cup and Champions League are still a possibility.

The blues take on Juventus later this month in hopes of reaching the finals. Before that, they have a clash with Aston Villa, who currently sit two points ahead of them. Hiddink will have his work cut out for him, since Russia also have World Cup qualifiers to be played during the Chelsea campaign. It will be interesting to see how the Russian Football Union will cooperate with Hiddink's second job.

Perhaps training will now be held in England where two of Hiddink's stars are already based (Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko). Whatever the situation will be, Hiddink has his work cut out for him as Chelsea hope to salvage something out this lackluster season; and Russia hope to qualify for the World Cup for just the third time in the nation's history.

Hopefully the Dutch wizard still has some tricks left in his bag.

Andrei Arshavin Finally Completes Move to Arsenal

Sergei Miledin — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:36:14 -0500

It has been almost six months since Andrei Arshavin's name began splashing around in transfer gossip in newspapers all over Europe. Every rumor, more exciting than the last, linked him with six different clubs.

Barcelona, Chelsea, Juventus, Manchester United, Tottenham, and Real Madrid were linked to the Russian at some point or another prior to his arrival at Arsenal.

However, as the winter transfer deadline approached Arshavin was still not signed by the Gunners as the deal went into extra-time thanks to mother nature. It was reported that the agreement between the north London club and Zenit St. Petersburg was agreed upon just minutes if not seconds before the clock struck 12 midnight.

Many had gone to bed being assured the Football Association would ratify the paperwork in the morning to complete Arshavin's dream move to the Premier League. Sources in Russia had long declared it being official without any actual word from the FA but as most now know, Arshavin and Arsenal have agreed on a three-and-a-half-year with the fee around $30 million (US).

Now, as the saga has finally concluded there will be an extraordinary amount of pressure on the 27-year-old boy faced attacking midfielder as he adds a new chapter to his career in arguably the best league in the world.

He becomes the second Russian national player to have joined the Primer league this season after team mate and fellow top player in the Euro 2008, Roman Pavlyuchenko joined Spurs in September.

Like his fellow compatriot at Tottenham, Arshavin will not be allowed to participate in Arsenal's quest for European glory having already done so for Zenit before their relegation into the UEFA Cup.

It is not confirmed whether he will see any action this weekend against Spurs and Pavlyuchenko seeing how the Russian season has been finished for a few months. He will now also be off the list for Russia's training in Turkey as he begins to learn and adjust to his new home in England.

In what has been called by his agent as the most difficult transfer in his career, the tango between Arsenal and Zenit should make others weary of dealing with Russian clubs in the future as everyone in their Association has to be "taken care of" first.

What does the future hold for the newly signed Arshavin? Besides a No. 23 shirt, Arshavin will look to become the most prolific Russian born player to take his game abroad.

As a fan of Spartak Moscow (Zenit rival) nothing pleases me more than seeing the country's top players becoming associated with one of the world's top flight clubs. Not to mention never having to worry when it comes to games in Russia's Prem.

EPL: West Ham Land Czech Defender Radoslav Kovac

Sergei Miledin — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:09:27 -0500

Yesterday, West Ham United added some depth to their defense by bringing in Radoslav Kovac on loan from Spartak Moscow.

The 29-year-old Czech defender signed a deal that will keep him in the Premiership for the remainder of the 2008-2009 season. Kovac had been playing for the once-elite Russian club since 2005, where he made 80 appearances in the Krasno-Belye (Red-Whites) shirt, notching seven goals.

His move to East London and England marks the third country his talent has brought him to, after previously playing in his homeland and of course, Russia.

His ability and leadership has been recognized by the Czech National side who has capped him 25 times since 2004. Kovac's work ethic earned him the captain's armband at Spartak after long-time captain Yegor Titov moved to Khimki FC.

He is the second Spartak player to leave for the Premiership this season, after Roman Pavlyuchenko signed with Tottenham in September.

Kovac's loan seems to close the door on his career at Spartak, as his deal looks like it will most likely end in a permanent transfer. He could see his first action for the Hammers as they take on league-leading Manchester United next week at Upton Park on Feb. 8.

NHL All-Star Game Snubs: Goalie Edition

Sergei Miledin — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:41:44 -0500

On Thursday, the NHL finalized its rosters for the 57th annual All Star game to be held in Montreal on January 25th. This slide show will cover the men who should be between the pipes at the Bell Centre instead of those who were selected by clueless fans or the league's hockey operations department.

Begin Slideshow

New Jersey Devils Sink Habs and Sens at Home, Respectively

Sergei Miledin — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:22:25 -0500

2009 has been kind thus far to the New Jersey Devils as they welcomed two teams from the same division going in completely opposite directions to the Prudential Center. Friday night saw the Devils entertain a battered and bruised Montreal Canadiens team who were missing key players such as Alex Tanguay, Saku Koivu, and Carey Price.

Price went down with a day-to-day lower body injury making way for Jaroslav Halak. It would be the Devils who would get on the board first thanks to a Brian Gionta slap shot from the top of the right circle that beat Halak's blocker side and found the far corner.

Montreal would respond minutes later with a goal by Max Pacioretty in his NHL debut beating Scott Clemmensen with the wrist shot. His glory wouldn't last as Zach Parise notched his 22nd goal before the end of the period. Parise would walk in on Halak going five-hole on the Slovak keeper with a little over a minute in a half left.

Clemmensen would look strong in the second frame turning away all 10 shots and John Madden would double his team's lead midway through the period; he would finish with 33 saves. Coming down in a two-on-one, Madden would get his first goal in 24 games snapping his second longest drought.

Meanwhile, his counterpart would be pulled in favor of Marc Denis after giving up three goals on 22 shots. Meanwhile the Habs, led by their unusual number of supporters, failed to get anything past Clemmensen in the third looking to climb back into the game. Even the chants of Go Habs Go did little to rattle the depleted squad.

Jamie Langenbrunner would cap off the scoring late in the period on a feed from Parise behind the net past two defenders for his seventh of the year. Clemmensen, Parise, and Langenbrunner were awarded the three stars respectively.

On Sunday night the Devils welcomed the Ottawa Senators for the second time this year with Clemmensen getting his 11th straight start. The Senators would get on the board within the first three minutes on the power play with Nick Foligno jamming it past Clemmensen for his sixth of the year.

The Devils would tie the game in the dying seconds of the first with Dainius Zubrus cashing in on a Brian Gionta rebound past Alex Auld for his ninth of the season. Ottawa would grab the lead again in the early going with another power play goal, this one courtesy of Brendan Bell.

But where there is a Ottawa power play goal, there is Dainius Zubrus. Zubrus would get his second of the game on a redirection from Patrick Elias for his 10th of the season. The teams would go into the third period tied 2-2 when Chris Kelly snapped the deadlock with a go-ahead goal with under 10 minutes to play.

Desperation set in for the Devils as they searched for an equaliser. They would be given a chance when Bell took a penalty for hooking with six minutes to go. Langenbrunner would take a pass from Johnny Oduya and beat Auld with a hard shot, on which Ottawa defenseman Jason Smith might have either screened his goalie or touched the puck. The defenseman slammed his stick to the ice after the play.

The Devils managed to force overtime after outshooting the Sens eight-to-three, and would not wait long to clinch the game. Ottawa would take another penalty this one for holding and the puck would end up on the stick of Brian Rolston.

Rolston would use his big slap shot to seal the come from behind victory to send the Devils one point within first place in the Atlantic Division. Up next the team travels to Carolina to face off against the Hurricanes with head coach Brent Sutter facing off against his son Brandon.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, Brent and Brandon Sutter will be the fifth father-son combination in NHL history to face each other as head coach and opposing player. The puck drops tonight at 7 pm at the RBC Center.