The Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy honouring Canada's outstanding athlete of the year will be awarded this month. Julian de Guzman has been included in the candidate list.
You can vote Julian de Guzman in TheStar.com's survey clicking the following link:
Vote Julian de Guzman in TheStar.com
Vote Julian de Guzman in TheStar.com
The Lou Marsh Trophy, also known as the Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy and Lou Marsh Award is a trophy that is awarded annually to Canada's top athlete, professional or amateur. It is awarded by a panel of journalists, with the vote taking place in December.
It was first awarded in 1936. It is named in honour of Lou Marsh, a prominent Canadian athlete, referee, and former sports editor of the Toronto Star. Marsh died in 1936 and the trophy was named in his honour. The trophy is made of black marble and stands around 75 centimetres high. The words "With Pick and Shovel" appear above the engraved names of the winners.
The voting panel consists of eleven registered voters including representatives from the Toronto Star, the Canadian Press, FAN590, the Globe and Mail, CBC, Rogers Sportsnet, CTV/TSN, La Presse and the National Post.
The Trophy has been awarded 68 times and won by 58 individual athletes and three pairs. Wayne Gretzky has won the trophy four times, more than any other athlete, while Barbara Ann Scott has won the trophy three times, more than any other woman. It was not awarded from 1942 to 1944 due to World War II. There were ties between different athletes in 1978 and 1983. The most recent winner is Sidney Crosby, a hockey player for the Pittsburgh Penguins who is the first hockey player to win the trophy since Mario Lemieux in 1993. Julian de Guzman would be the first canadian soccer player if he finally becomes the winner this year.
The candidate list for this year is the following:
Julian de Guzman, Martin Brodeur, Jeffrey Buttle, Ryan Cochrane, Ryan Dempster, Kristina Groves, Emilie Heymans, Carol Huynh, Jennifer Jones, Eric Lamaze, Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, Kevin Martin, Russell Martin, Steve Molitor, Justin Morneau, Steve Nash, Daniel Nestor, Chantal Petitclerc, Christine Sinclair, Adam van Koeverden, Jeremy Wotherspoon, Simon Whitfield.
You can vote Julian de Guzman in TheStar.com's survey clicking here:
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/543048
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/543048
Posted on Wednesday 03 December 2008 - 15:15:36 |
Deportivo La Coruña scored twice in the first-half and once in the second to see off a spirited challenge from Athletic Bilbao, who missed a penalty after going behind early on...
Deportivo La Coruña beat Athletic Bilbao 3-1 in an enthralling match in the Riazor, that featured two penalties and plenty of missed opportunities for either side.
The hosts took the lead early on in the first-half when Zé Castro tapped in a rebound from Joan Verdú's free-kick but they should have been pegged back just a minute later, when Andoni Iraola had the chance to score from the spot. However, the Basque saw his weak shot saved and Depor went in two nil up at the break after Verdú made no mistake with penalty, following a reckless challenge by Fernando Amorebieta on Rodolfo Bodipo.
Athletic did not let their heads drop though and despite the fact Depor had plenty of chance to kill the game, and should have had another penalty, the away side did grab a goal in the second-half. Javi Martínez got on the end of a Pablo Orbaíz cross and he headed home to give the Basque team a glimmer of hope.
Like the home side though they squandered great opportunities to score and couldn't grab the equaliser as the clock wore down. Instead Depor hit them on the break deep into injury-time as Andrés Guardado finished off a flowing move with a nice finish to seal the three points for the home side.
First-Half
Both games came to the Riazor with contrasting fortunes from their previous matches, a loss for Deportivo and a win for Bilbao, but nevertheless the game started at a great pace. The away side began the brightest too, with Fernando Llorente and David López both firing in shots that were blocked by the Depor defence. El Turco were in no mood to be bossed on their home ground though and Rodolfo Bodipo tested Gorka Iraizoz with a low shot before Ángel Lafita saw his shot fly just wide of the far post from across goal.
The home side made their pressure count in the 20th minute too when Joan Verdú curled a cheeky free-kick in from the right-flank that completely caught Iraizoz offguard at his near-post, hitting the woodwork and falling for Zé Castro to tap in. The half-empty Riazor went crazy but just minutes later Bilbao had the chance to level things from the spot when Llorente was pulled down in the box as he jostled with a defender. However, expert penalty-taker, Andoni Iraola, saw his poorly directed spot-kick saved by Daniel Aranzubía, low and down to his left.
The game was so open that nearly straight after the miss Depor went up the other end and should have scored themselves when Andrés Guardado was one-on-one with Iraizoz. The Mexican couldn't finish first time though and even when the rebound fell straight to him he simply hit it at the 'keeper again when he had the goal to aim at. Only after a couple of reckless challenges in midfield did the game slow down to a normal pace and with the half drawing in it was a needless challenge that produced the second goal, and second penalty of the game. Bodipo received the ball on the left side of the box and even though he had no support and was going nowhere, Fernando Amorebieta stuck out a leg and bought him down.
At first the referee seemed to give a corner but after consultation with the linesman he pointed to the spot and Verdú slotted past Iraizoz to give Depor a two nil lead going into the break.
Second-Half
The pace of the game was much the same after the interval as it had been for much of the first-half too, with Llorente volleying just wide from close-range from early on. Deportivo should have had their second penalty of the game when Verdú burst through into the box and skipped round Iraizoz, only to be bought down by his trailing hand. The referee gave nothing though, much to the disbelief of the home fans and players, in truth though Verdú probably could have stayed on his feet and scored.
The 'keeper atoned for his error just a mintue later though as Guardado hit a great first time shot, only for Iraizoz to make a great reflex save. At the other end Llorente was looking dangerous and he should have done better with a one-on-one but he ended up chipping into the hands of Aranzubia. Bilbao were struggling for any creativity in midfield though and the home side were making chance after chance; Guardado spurned another decent opportunity as he flicked Lafita's cross just wide of the post.
The hosts were punished for their lack of finishing with twenty minutes left too, as Javi Martínez gave them a glimmer of hope with a cool finish past Aranzubia. The midfielder got on the end of a nice cross from Pablo Orbaiz and headed into the net, picking the ball up after he did so and running back to the centre-circle.
The goal seemed to spur Bilbao on and Llorente was guilty of missing a couple of great chances for the Basque team as the time ticked away. First he mis-controlled when in a good position inside the box and then the striker blasted at a team-mate when he was just 6 yards out from goal, with the 'keeper on the floor. Both Llorente and Martínez, the player who it hit, had their heads in their hands and deep into injury-time it got worse for Bilbao too as Depor sealed all three points with a clinical counter-attacking goal.
The home side burst from their own half and Sergio found Filipe, who in turn played through Guardado, and he slotted past Iraizoz to send the crowd into raptures. It was a brilliant finish to a brilliant game but for Bilbao it was a match they feel they should have taken something from.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS (from Enblanquiazul.org)
Match report from Goal.com.Posted on Thursday 27 November 2008 - 13:42:18 |
Atletico de Madrid earned absolution from their fans after thumping Deportivo de La Coruña 4-1 at the Vicente Calderon to make amends for their previous two performances this week. The Rojiblancos were whistled off by their own supporters following Wednesday's goalless home draw against Segunda Division B Orihuela in the Copa del Rey.
However, two goals from Diego Forlan and further efforts from John Heitinga and Maxi Rodriguez saw those jeers turn to cheers as Javier Aguirre's men brushed aside the challenge of Depor, whose late onslaught and consolation goal from Luis Filipe were nowhere near enough.
The feel-good factor at the end of the game was in contrast to that prior to kick-off, with the Rojiblancos under the spotlight after winning just two of their previous nine competitive games and being held 0-0 by bottom club Osasuna last weekend and then by Orihuela in midweek. The mood in the stands was not helped by a low-key start and the first signs of discontent could be heard after around 20 minutes.
However, those whistles had barely started when Heitinga put a stop to them with Atletico's opening goal. A Simao corner from the right missed everybody at the front post and the unmarked Heitinga, rushing in from around the penalty spot, bundled it into the net with his midriff.
That immediately lifted the tension both among the Atletico players and their fans, and Forlan almost made 2-0 on the half-hour mark when he unleashed a 30-yard thunderbolt that Depor goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia clawed against the far post.
Depor could have put a fly in the ointment soon after that though when Angel Lafita found himself onside, but his low shot was brilliantly tipped behind by Leo Franco. From the resulting corner Riki then headed a good chance wide.
Aside from those scares, Atletico had few problems and they probably deserved to be further in front by the break, with Simao sliding the ball wide following a one-two with Sergio Agüero, and Heitinga unintentionally deflecting Forlan's shot onto the post - albeit while standing in an offside position.
It was third time lucky for Forlan in the 51st minute when he made the most of a terrible mistake by Alberto Lopo to double Atletico's lead. Lopo's attempted pass sold his centre-backs short and Forlan nipped in to steal possession before racing through and calmly slotting underneath Aranzubia.
Simao then stabbed a half-chance wide before Maxi made it 3-0 midway through the second half, linking up well with Aguero before driving a low shot into the corner of the net. Depor were in danger of being swamped at that point, but to their credit the Galician side tried to stage a fightback with Rodolfo Bodipo twice getting in behind the Atletico backline.
The first time he was denied by a good block by Leo Franco, before a superb last-ditch tackle by Luis Perea prevented what looked a certain goal soon after. Depor would manage to get on the scoresheet, but not before Atletico had made it 4-0 through Forlan's low left-footed drive from inside the area.
That goal ensured beyond any doubt the points would be staying in Madrid, but Depor managed to get a goal back in the 87th minute when Filipe slotted into an open net after being set up by former Atletico midfielder Juan Carlos Valerón.
Filipe and Sergio also went close late on as Depor finally caused Atletico some headaches, but it was all too little too late for Miguel Angel Lotina's side, and Atletico might also have added further goals through Ever Banega and Heitinga before claiming both the points and the applause from their fans.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS (from Enblanquiazul.org)
MATCH STATISTICS
4 - Atlético de Madrid: Leo Franco; Perea, Heitinga, Ujfalusi, Pernía; Paulo Assuncao (Raúl García, m. 75); Maxi Rodríguez, Maniche (Banega, m. 75), Simao; Forlán and ´Kun´ Agüero (Sinama, m. 84).
1 - Deportivo de La Coruña: Aranzubía; Manuel Pablo, Lopo, Adrián López, Filipe; Juan Rodríguez, Sergio, Verdú (Bodipo, m. 64), Guardado; Lafita (Valerón m. 76); and Riki (Pablo Álvarez, m. 64).
Goals:
1-0, m. 26: Heitinga.
2-0, m. 50: Forlán.
3-0, m. 64: Maxi Rodríguez.
4-1, m. 86: Filipe.
Referee: Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz.
Venue: Vicente Calderón, 45.000.
Match report from SportingLife.
Posted on Sunday 16 November 2008 - 10:34:04 |
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