Entries from February 2004 ↓

Arsenal were today drawn away against the winner of this Saturday’s Portsmouth v Liverpool replay.

The Sixth Round tie will take place the weekend of March 6-7.

Here’s the draw in full:

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Millwall v Tranmere Rovers

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Manchester United v Fulham or West Ham United

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Sunderland or Birmingham City v Sheffield United

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Liverpool or Portsmouth v Arsenal

Lord Of The Rings wins big at 2004 BAFTAs

From the BBC:

Rings rule at Bafta film awards

Fantasy epic The Return of the King triumphed at the Bafta film awards, in a night of surprises.

The film won five awards in total, including best film, but the best director award went to Master and Commander’s Peter Weir.

Lost in Translation stars Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray won best actor and best actress awards.

The awards are seen as an indicator of possible success at the Oscars, which take place later this month.

Master and Commander won four Baftas, but The Return of the King also won the audience award for best film giving it the edge on the night.

Jackson, collecting the overall best film award, paid tribute to The Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien.

He said: “Although we were Kiwis working with American money we were always aware we were looking after a British treasure.”

The Return of the King beat Big Fish, Cold Mountain, Lost in Translation and Master and Commander to win the best film prize.

Cold Mountain, which had received 13 nominations, walked away with just two awards, best music and best supporting actress for Renee Zellweger.

Johansson thanked her mother for “being there, taking me to auditions and buying me hotdogs afterwards”.

Lost in Translation director Sofia Coppola picked up the award on absent Bill Murray’s behalf.

In a statement written by the actor read out by Coppola, he said it was a “huge surprise” to win.

Once again, the Baftas proved it would not always follow form or predictions.

Sean Penn had been the hot favourite to win the best actor award, while Scarlett Johansson had been tipped for her other nominated role in Girl With a Pearl Earring.

Actor Paul Bettany picked up Weir’s Bafta for best director, saying: “Peter is a genius.”

“He is one of the greatest directors of all time,” he added.

Jackson had been expected to win the award and Oscar pundits will draw their own conclusions from his failure to win.

After the ceremony he said: “The party will probably be huge, there are quite a few Kiwis over here and the lager will be flowing like water.”

Zellweger appeared emotional when she walked on stage, saying: “My heart, I’m sorry.”

She thanked the crew “especially Jude (Law) and Nicole (Kidman). It was a privilege to work alongside you.”

It was a night of glamour for the Baftas with Johnny Depp, Laura Linney, Holly Hunter, Sir Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson among the stars attending.

A further surprise winner was documentary Touching the Void which beat Cold Mountain and Girl With a Pearl Earring to win the Alexander Korda prize for British film of the year.

Producer John Smithson said: “We had one hell of a cold mountain but not quite the same budget.”

Bill Nighy’s comic turn in Love Actually won him the best supporting actor Bafta.

Stephen Fry, hosting the awards, had warned winners to keep speeches short.

Referring to Janet Jackson’s now infamous faux pas, he joked: “If you carry on too long my breast might accidentally POP out.”

It was a good night too for British film maker Michael Winterbottom, whose refugee film In This World won the best foreign film award.

In the technical awards, Master and Commander won best sound and best costume design while Lost in Translation won the best editing award.

Veteran director John Boorman won the Academy Fellowship, the highest honour Bafta can give.

From ESPN.com:

The New York Knicks have completed a three-way trade involving the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks, ESPN’s Stephen Smith reports.

Atlanta center Nazr Mohammed and Bucks forward Tim Thomas will go to New York and the Knicks will send Keith Van Horn to Milwaukee. Also, New York’s Michael Doleac and Bucks center Joel Przybilla will head to Atlanta as part of the deal.

The deal is expected to be announced later Sunday.

With the two deals, Thomas continues to sever ties with the Scott Layden regime. Layden acquired Van Horn in August in a controversial trade for Latrell Sprewell. Doleac was signed last year as a free agent

 Meet the Yankees new third baseman. Take care Sori, best of luck in Texas. Just one question now; who’s gonna play second?

From ESPN.com:

The Rangers and Yankees have finalized a trade that will send shortstop Alex Rodriguez to New York for Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named, ESPN has learned.

A statement will be released at 2 p.m. ET. A news conference is scheduled for Monday, likely in New York.

Yankees captain Derek Jeter would remain the team’s shortstop, meaning Rodriguez would be moved from short to third base to fill the hole created when Aaron Boone hurt a knee last month in a pickup basketball game.

Rangers officials said Saturday night, prior to the deal’s completion, that they believe they’d be getting in return for the 28-year-old AL MVP something far more important than a young slugger in Soriano.

“It’s about flexibility,” Texas general manager John Hart said. “We’re trading the best player in the game and we’re getting tremendous financial flexibility.”

The framework of the deal included the agreement that the Yankees would take on much of the $179 million remaining on Rodriguez’s landmark $252 million contract.

The Yankees would pay Rodriguez an average of about $16 million a year, which translates to Texas assuming $67 million of the $179 million left on Rodriguez’s contract. Two sources told The Associated Press that Texas has agreed to those terms.

Rodriguez also has agreed to defer some money by five more years — pushing the last payment back to 2025 — and at a reduced interest rate, one of the sources said.

According to ESPN’s Peter Gammons, the Rangers would pay $40 million of the $179 million in salary that Rodriguez is owed over the final seven years of his contract and would pick up $27 million of the deferred amount of that contract, which they do not have to pay for 10-12 years.

With those moves, Texas gains about $120 million in flexibility. As for the Yankees, their already hefty payroll would continue to expand.

In addition to the salary owed Rodriguez, he is due $4 million from his signing bonus and $12 million deferred at 3 percent annual interest from salaries during his first three years with Texas.

The New York Post reported that the Yankees would likely have to include Jose Contreras as well as minor-league catcher Dioner Navarro in the trade.

Soriano, 26, will make $5.4 million this year and has two more years of salary arbitration eligibility remaining. The two-time All-Star can become a free agent after the 2006 season.

Thus, the Yankees would take on an extra $183.6 million guaranteed.

The Yankees’ payroll currently stands at $170.3 million, not including left-hander Gabe White, who remains in arbitration and will earn at least $1,825,000. A swap of Soriano for Rodriguez leaves New York’s payroll at about $190 million.

The trade proposal requires approval from the commissioner’s office and the players’ association. Although the union already scuttled a potential Rodriguez trade to Boston this offseason, the contract-restructuring issues were considered less likely to be deal-breakers this time.

“We’re in a very sensitive stage right now,” Hart said. “A deal of this magnitude, with all the moving parts, it takes time.”

The tremendous savings go a long way toward helping reshape a franchise badly in need of an overhaul.

Of course, Texas also would be without its best player, the one recently named captain. But the Rangers have finished last in their division four straight years, the past three with Rodruguez.

The losing wore on Rodriguez, prompting him to tell the club he’d waive his no-trade clause for a select few teams. Roller-coaster negotiations almost landed him in Boston for Manny Ramirez, who has five years and $97.5 million left on his contract.

Financially, the deal with New York is better for Texas.

While not quite the well-rounded hitter Ramirez is, Soriano is a two-time All-Star with a career average of .284. He’s narrowly missed having 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in each of the past two seasons, going 38-35 last season and 39-41 the year before.

“Look at Soriano’s numbers,” Hart said. “This is no stiff we’re bringing back here.”

Soriano also is strikeout prone and an average defender. Texas would consider moving him to center field.

However, trading Soriano creates a hole at second base. If the deal is made, Enrique Wilson, Miguel Cairo and Erick Almonte would be among the candidates to play second for the Yankees.

The Rangers gave the Yankees one potential replacement last week when they swapped Mike Lamb for a minor-league pitcher. Then Hart and New York general manager Brian Cashman began talking about making Rodriguez the first reigning MVP to be traded.

Hart said Texas owner Tom Hicks — who supported the deal with Boston — “was reluctant, initially” on the Yankees trade.

“But as we’ve gone along in the process, I’ve been able to make him more comfortable,” Hart said. “It’s a potential win-win-win situation for the Rangers, the Yankees and Alex Rodriguez.”

Rodriguez hit .298 last season with 47 homers, 118 RBI and 17 stolen bases, and Soriano batted .290 with 38 homers, 91 RBI and 35 steals.

Second baseman Michael Young seems the most likely replacement for Rodriguez at shortstop. That would mean Soriano or Eric Young, a veteran signed to be a utility backup, would play second base.

Another scenario would be leaving Michael Young at second and letting prospect Drew Meyer take over at shortstop.

The Rangers also are high on prospect Ramon Nivar, an infielder in the minors who was converted to the outfield last season partly because of a perceived logjam in the infield.

New York opens spring training Tuesday, and Texas starts two days later.

Information from ESPN baseball analyst Peter Gammons, ESPN.com senior writer Jayson Stark, and The Associated Press was used in this report.

Here’s the episode teaser from ABC.com:

“After Six”

Upon discovering that high ranking members of The Covenant are being murdered, Sydney and Vaughn are sent to retrieve the Doleac Agenda � which contains operational plans for six of The Covenant’s cells � to gain an advantage over the rogue assassins. But unbeknownst to all, a familiar force is at work orchestrating the reorganization of The Covenant. Meanwhile Sydney and Weiss go on a mission to convince rogue security systems designer Toni Cummings (Vivica A. Fox) to help the CIA break into a Lethal Response System, Sark presents a business proposal to Lauren, Jack urges a troubled Sloane to talk with CIA psychiatrist Dr. Judy Barnett (Patricia Wettig), and Marshall can’t contain his excitement about becoming a father when Carrie goes into labor. Quentin Tarantino returns in a special guest appearance as McKenas Cole.

Jose Antonio Reyes, having only been in England for a few weeks, picked the best possible moment in which to endear himself to the Highbury faithful. With Arsenal down 1-0 to Chelski after the first forty-five minutes of today’s fifth round FA Cup tie, Reyes rose to the challenge presented by Thierry Henry’s absence through injury, and became an Arsenal hero as a result.

I found a link to an upload of the goals here:Arsenal v Chelski - FA Cup Rd 5

From the BBC:

2 - 1

Jose Antonio Reyes scored his first goals for Arsenal as they ended Chelsea’s FA Cup ambitions for the fourth successive season.

Reyes scored twice in five minutes after the interval as Arsenal came from behind to reach the last eight.

Adrian Mutu put Chelsea ahead from 20 yards after Jens Lehmann’s poor kick.

But Reyes struck from long-range after 56 minutes then beat Chelsea’s substitute keeper Neil Sullivan, on for injured Carlo Cudicini, from 12 yards.

Chelsea looked comfortable for long periods in a tempestuous encounter, but the stunning double strike from the �17m new boy from Sevilla knocked the stuffing out of Claudio Ranieri’s side.

Arsenal were without leading scorer Thierry Henry, who was ruled out with a foot injury.

Sol Campbell set the tone for a stormy opening 45 minutes that saw six yellow cards when he was booked for fouling Scott Parker.

In a furious opening exchange, John Terry needed to make a desperate saving tackle as Gilberto Silva raced ponderously on to Robert Pires’ pass after 11 minutes.

And Arsenal keeper Lehmann had to save brilliantly from William Gallas at his near post as Chelsea instantly swept to the other end.

Chelsea were unlucky not to go ahead 10 minutes before the interval when Jesper Gronkjaer headed Frank Lampard’s perfect cross past Lehmann.

The header was ruled out for offside, but replays proved the goal was legitimate.

But it was only a brief reprieve for the holders as Chelsea went ahead with a marvellous goal from Mutu after 39 minutes.

Lehmann’s poor clearance went straight to Parker, and when he fed Mutu, the Romanian raced at Kolo Toure before flashing in a 20-yard finish with his left foot.

But Arsenal were level after 56 minutes courtesy of a wonderful goal from new boy Reyes.

The Spaniard picked up the ball 25 yards out, and fired an unstoppable drive into Cudicini’s top corner.

And Chelsea suffered another blow on the hour when Cudicini limped off to be replaced by Neil Sullivan after appearing to suffer a thigh injury.

Chelsea’s day was in danger of falling apart as Sullivan’s first meaningful act was to pick the ball out of the net as Reyes struck again.

Patrick Vieira’s brilliant pass left Mario Melchiot flat-footed and Reyes stole in to beat Sullivan as Terry tried desperately to clear.

Arsenal survived in relative comfort to stay on course for a possible third successive FA Cup triumph.