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ekansekans's blog: "df"

created on 10/29/2012  |  http://fubar.com/df/b351055

Mathematics tells us the Impact are still in the playoff hunt - the law of probability says otherwise. Alex Boone Jersey . Even though his attention has begun drifting towards sophomore season improvements and all those inherent responsibilities as the Impacts Sporting Director - Nick De Santis remains the rational optimist that the clubs season can somehow extend itself through November. "Weve got 12 wins, were still in a playoff hunt where the chances are very slim but we put ourselves in position to keep fighting and keep everyone still interested," De Santis explained to TSN Radio. A defining moment occurs Saturday afternoon when MLSs newest kid on the block has the opportunity to become the very first team in the league this season to record an 11th victory at home. Standing in the way for the Impact to reach that plateau is the Eastern Conference leading Sporting KC. A team that just this past Wednesday evening knocked the New York Red Bulls off their unbeaten at home perch. Apart from bringing the likes of one of the leagues most influential young players and 2011s rookie of the year in CJ Sapong and, to many, the leagues best goalkeeper in Jimmy Nielsen for good measure Sporting KC also come packed with one of the most promising and gifted players in the entire league, Graham Zusi. More significantly than all this unbridled individual talent, no team performs better on the road than Sporting KC. Not only has the club accumulated more wins than any other team in the league this season, they have suffered just the solitary away defeat courtesy of more than the solitary goal. Zusi puts Sporting KCs road warrior status down to a club wide ethic and attitude. Explaining to TSN Radio, "Its a mentality that weve been able to establish. You see a lot of teams in this league when they go away from home and theyre pretty satisfied with playing for a draw." "A lot of the teams will bunker in and produce some damage control for the whole match. Thats something we dont do, really at all. Its something we pride ourselves on being able to go away from home and really push the tempo of the match to our liking." Zusi theorized. "I think thats really bode well for us this season especially with our record on the road and our ability to score goals on the road as well." Even though on their previous trip to la belle ville they came away with the points, Zusi scoring the eventual winner from the spot, he was highly respective of his opponent back on July 4th. "That was one with tough conditions, a tough environment to play in. For us to come out on top, especially after going down early in the 2nd half it took a pretty gutsy performance from us. It really boosted our confidence headed home." Was how MLSs most outstanding playmaker described it. De Santis echoing Zusis take. "KC have proven that theyre a team that has a certain mindset whether they are at home or on the road. There is a certain system in place that they follow and abide by it. Theres continuity, theres consistency, theres confidence and we know that were up for a big challenge. "They want to come in and for sure theyre looking at the points they have and they want to finish 1st so we know we have a big challenge ahead of us but we know as well that at home weve beaten the best." Since the Impact returned to their spiritual home in mid-June significant scalps at Saputo Stadium include Seattle, Houston, New York, Columbus and most recently DC United. Five magnificent victories at a combined rate of more than three goals a game.  Not a shabby return on the investment as the club upgraded and redefined a stadium that is one of the leagues true fortresses. Or as De Santis preferred to put it, "Weve shown that are quality of play and our mentality and with the help of our support and our fans its a difficult place to play in" Adding to Saturday afternoons occasion is Saputo Stadium; the finished article. Having arrived back on October 4th last year on the evening the club held its annual end of season awards banquet in a short ceremony club President Joey Saputo broke ground and now some 11 plus months on the hard hats have finally left the building. The match will be played out in front of the stadiums 20,341 capacity for the very first time.  Something De Santis is very much looking forward to. "Its special and I think thats why we feel that responsibility of making sure that we keep showing them [the fans] that were totally committed. I can assure you that the players are going to come out there to win the game." Charged by what is sure to be a frenzied and highly partisan home crowd. That in parts will stand and stomp for the entire 90 minutes alongside a packed out prawn sandwich brigade clapping and cheering along from their luxurious look out posts. The immovable home object going for a football dance off against the road savvy irresistible force.  The match has all the ingredients to be the most epic MLS encounter ever witnessed so far in this, Montreals latest most memorable of football seasons. GONE CURRENTLY FORGOTTEN NOT A CHANCE. Thursday afternoon over at Saputo Stadium was official MLS photo day. An event the club ordinarily would have staged much earlier in the season. Bernardo Corrardis season ending injury suffered in training back in June where he returned home for surgery put paid to that idea. The clubs early season goal scoring leader returned to the Impact fold for a flying visit earlier this week and will take in Saturdays match before returning home to continue his 6-month long recuperation period. ZUSI ON ZIZOU When asked who he models his playing style on Graham Zusi disclosed he could not get enough Zinadine Zidane as a kid growing up in Fort Lauderdale. "I was a huge Zidane fan growing up. He was a guy who I was constantly watching video of and he was by far my favorite player. I try to model my game on him as much as possible." RETURN TO SENDER SAN SIRO RUMORS In some quarters speculation is rife Alessandro Nesta would return to the San Siro for a short loan period next January. In between bouts of giggles when the question was put to him De Santis did manage to compose himself long enough to state the 5 words that will gladden the cockles and hearts of all Impact fans plus many of the top quality forwards that litter Serie A. "No substance what so ever," was all De Santis would offer as response. Over to you rumour mill. Maybe the next one will involve a Ferrari. Montreal Impact v Sporting KC Live on TSN Saturday – Kick Off 1:00pm et / 10:00am pt Ray McDonald Jersey .C. -- Bruce Irvin raced by an offensive lineman and chopped down on Cam Newtons arm as the quarterback loaded up to throw downfield. Mario Manningham Jersey . Santos will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery after he felt discomfort during a throwing session Saturday. The 29-year-old right hander is anticipated to return to the team for spring training, although a timeline wont be established until after the surgery is completed. http://www.49ersthegear.com/aldon-smith-jersey . Cole admitted bringing the game into disrepute when he reacted angrily last Friday to an FA commission questioning the evidence he gave in defending teammate John Terry against a charge of racially abusing an opponent. Frank Gore White Jersey .A. Dickey pitched a five-hit shutout for his 17th win, Ike Davis backed him with a home run and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 3-0 on Friday night. Colin Kaepernick Elite Jersey . Hawaiian sensation and BJ Penn training partner "Sugar" Shane Nelson will take on top Canadian prospect Graham Spencer at MFC 35: Explosive Encounter – a bout that will be featured on the AXS TV main card emanating live from the Mayfield Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, on Friday, Oct.PHOENIX -- For the first time in almost exactly two years the Phoenix Suns finally beat the Denver Nuggets. Goran Dragic scored 21 points, making 4 of 5 3-pointers along the way, to lead seven Phoenix players in double figures and the Suns snapped Denvers four-game winning streak 110-100 on Monday night. The Suns had lost six straight to Denver since they last beat the Nuggets on Nov. 15, 2010. "Weve obviously struggled with that team over the past couple of years," Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry said, "so to be able to get a win against them and be able to get a home was important. We had a lot of guys that stepped up." Shannon Brown added 19 points, Michael Beasley 16 and Jared Dudley 15 for Phoenix. Markieff Morris added 13 points and had a crucial steal down the stretch. Marcin Gortat and Luis Scola added 12 points apiece for the Suns, who finished the game with a 13-4 run. Andre Iguodala scored 17 for Denver. JaVale McGee added 16, pretty much all of them on thundering dunks, and Danilo Gallinari scored 15 for the Nuggets. Kenneth Faried scored 14 on 6-of-7 shooting but didnt take a shot in the second half. Denver outshot Phoenix 54 per cent to 46 per cent but committed 15 turnovers, resulting in 17 points, while the Nuggets scored nine points off the Suns six turnovers. Phoenix also prevailed at the foul line, going 17 of 21 to Denvers 11 of 18. "They just did a good job of picking us apart on defence," Iguodala said. "We really couldnt get any stops. They had a couple of guys that just had it going. Defensively weve been a lot better the last four games and tonight we just had some mental lapses and coverages. We were too lax in letting them get wherever they wanted to go and we didnt disrupt them enough." Phoenix even hung on the boards with the Nuggets, the NBAs leading rebound team. Denver outrebounded Phoenix 43-40 though the Suns had a 15-8 advantage on the offensive boards. "That was the key to the game tonight," Dragic said. "Coach was telling us that in the (pregame) meeting -- all five players, dont matter if youre a small guy, you have to go in there and get the rebound." Dragics 3-pointer from the top of the key put Phoenix aheadd 100-96 with 3:14 to play. Dashon Goldson Elite Jersey. Ty Lawsons two free throws cut it to 100-98 just 14 seconds later, then Morris made two from the line and stole the ball from Lawson, leading to Browns fastbreak layup that made it 104-98 with 2:31 remaining. Faried was called for travelling, then Dragic hit a 19-footer and the Suns led 106-98 with 1:38 to go. After Andre Miller made one of two free throws to close it to 106-100 with 1:19 left, the Suns put it away with baskets by Brown and Gortat. "We had three turnovers after we cut it to one in the fourth quarter," Denver coach George Karl said. "You cant take away your possessions by making mistakes. Fundamental things that we usually win -- we win offensive boards and they kicked us on the offensive boards, we usually create a lot of points off our defensive hands and they converted our turnovers into more points than we did." The Nuggets outshot the Suns 56 per cent to 40 per cent in the first half but led only 57-54 at the break. Phoenix stayed close by making 13 of 15 free throws in the first two quarters to Denvers 5 of 10. Denver led most of the third quarter and was ahead 76-71 when McGee dunked with just under 4 minutes left in the period. But Phoenix outscored the visitors 12-2 the rest of the quarter. Dudley and Beasley each hit a 3 during the run, then Dragics 8-footer gave the Suns an 83-78 lead entering the fourth. The Nuggets cut the lead to three early in the fourth quarter before Browns inside basket and Gortats dunk on a lob from Dragic made it 91-84 with 9:17 to play. Gallinaris driving layup over Morris cut the Phoenix lead to 97-96 with 3:58 remaining, leading Suns coach Alvin Gentry to call a timeout, and the Suns pulled away from there. NOTES: After playing Miami at home on Thursday, the Nuggets play their next three on the road. ... Phoenix improved to 3-1 at home. ... Denver lost its first three games of the season, all on the road, but had won its last two away from home. ... Dragic is the only Suns player to score in double figures in every game this season. .... Phoenixs Sebastian Telfair was initially called for a flagrant foul on Faried in the fourth quarter but it was overturned and called only a foul after officials reviewed the video. ' ' '

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