NEU » said Gutknechts or

1. Why do we tend to write off the qualifying final losers?Sydney and Hawthorn confront the ignominious straight sets exit from the finals this weekend after finishing top-four, making for a tense week for the warrior teams. But since the current finals system was introduced in 2000, only five of 64 top-four teams have been booted out in that manner.The rider to all this is that it has happened three times in the past two years -- to Geelong and Fremantle in 2014 and Sydney in 2015. There is also a strong argument to suggest the AFLs pre-finals bye may have helped the teams in the bottom half of the eight, and an even stronger argument that the teams who finished fifth to seventh were much stronger this year.But Hawthorn and Sydney, both playing at home and stung by last weekends results, should make strong cases to continue this weekend.2. Is Eddie Betts the best-ever small forward?This one cropped up the other day and to be honest, there is some hyperbole in it. What is more accurate is that Betts, with 77 goals, has produced one of the best-ever seasons by a small forward.This century only two -- Brad Johnson (74 in 2006) and Jeff Farmer (76 in 2000) -- have come close to that level of output. And needless to say, Betts has become close to the best player to watch in the land. Nick Smith, his likely opponent this week at the SCG, has an enormous task ahead of him.But the best-ever? A couple of blokes named Matthews and Bartlett (and Daicos, if you consider him small) would have something to say.3. In defence vs. offence, who wins? Sydney vs. Adelaide represents the No. 1 ranked defensive team against the No. 1 attacking side. Hence, it is the duel of philosophies, in a sense.It is common for people to say in sport that defence wins championships, but it is scarcely that simple, and in any case, Sydney were fourth in the competition for scoring this season, hence have both genres covered. The problem for the Swans last weekend was they were shut down, and Lance Franklin went goalless, which they cannot afford to allow again.Don Pyke has changed the game in his first season by encouraging his players to run at the forward presses that have become the norm in recent years, and to scythe through the webs to score easy goals. All power to him for making ball movement king. But in short, both teams need to address each phase of the game to win.4. Could Luke Beveridge be a great coach? Tim Watson raised this notion during the week and it is worth pondering. On the small sample that Beveridge has offered up at this level, it is quite possible the next Alastair Clarkson has arrived.The Bulldogs will be everyones second team this weekend on the back of what they achieved at Domain Stadium last weekend and on the way they have worked through their terrible injury toll in 2016. Two factors tell you that Beveridge is really good: first, his players want to play for him, manically so as we saw in Perth. Second, players improve under his watch.He also knows Hawthorns method inside out, having spent a couple of years as an assistant to Clarkson, being one of five coaches in the competition who came through that particular school. This week, he said Hawthorn have changed so much that it would not help him. But he would say that, wouldnt he?5. Are the Hawks gone?We now know that Hawthorn have to go the long road if they are to win a fourth consecutive premiership, but it is not impossible by any stretch. As recently as last year the Hawks had backs to the wall after losing to West Coast in the first week of finals, only to hit their best in the run home. Sydney (in 2005) and West Coast (in 2006) are among other teams to take that route to a flag.It is true that Clarksons team has not played as well as in 2016, dipping to sixth in scoring in the absence of Jarryd Roughead. But aside from a crooked kick from Isaac Smith last weekend they would be premiership favorites right now. Watch this space on that one. NHL Jerseys China . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. Discount NHL Jerseys . -- Hunter Smith scored the winner with just 12 seconds remaining in the third period as the Oshawa Generals edged the host Sarnia Sting 5-4 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. https://www.chinanhljerseys.us/ . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. NHL Jerseys Sale . The Hall of Fame defenceman told Landsberg that he believes fighting still has a place in todays game, but thinks staged fighting needs be outlawed. Super middleweight Eduard Gutknecht, who remains in a coma two weeks after suffering a brain injury in a loss to George Groves, is being moved from a London hospital to Germany, promoter Wiking-Boxteam said Saturday.The entire Wiking-Boxteam fights and hopes for Eddy, the company said in a statement on Saturday. The condition of Eddy is currently stable. He is in a coma but is no longer in the acute ICU. His family is always at his side in the hospital. Eddy is currently being moved to Germany. Our thoughts are with him and wish him a full recovery.On Nov. 18, the 34-year-old Gutknecht (30-5-1, 13 KOs), a native of Kazakhstan based in Germany, squared off with longtime 168-pound contender Groves at the SSE Wembley Arena in London. Groves, who has lost three world title fights, won a near-shutout decision -- 119-109 on all three scorecards -- to put himself in position for another possible world title fight in 2017.Shortly after the fight, Gutknecht, who took a lot of punishment, collapsed in his dressing room and was rushed to the hospital, where he underwent surgery to relieve swelling on his brain.Wiking-Boxteam said doctors said Gutknechts organs are working normally.We have to be patient. Forecasts and assumptions can go in all directions, the statement said. It is very difficult for the family with this situation. TThe entire Wiking-Boxteam suffers with Eddy and is affected.dddddddddddd But we also know that we are talking about boxing and like all high-performance sports, in addition to the joy of competition and the ceremony at the victory, unfortunately, always the risk of injury is present.Eddy has his dream of boxing against George Groves and again to reach for the world champion crown. Now he has to wake up [and have] a full recovery, so he can be there for his family again. Eddy you can do it! Eddy youre strong!Like Groves, Gutknecht was on the hunt for another world title opportunity. He had lost decisions in two previous attempts, to Robert Stieglitz in 2010 and Juergen Braehmer in March.Groves said he has not made any comments about the fight or Gutknechts situation out of respect for Eduard and his familys privacy.But Groves said his team has set up a fund to help raise money to go toward Gutknechts medical expenses. Groves also said his team planned to organize an auction of celebrity items with whatever money it raises going to Gutknechts family.Hes a husband and a father and the money raised will go towards helping his family be with him at this difficult time, Groves said in a statement. ' ' '