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Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao

Don't hold your breath for the "Fight of the Century." The most anticipated fight to never happen won't happen again this year. Perhaps it never will. Ever.

Floyd Mayweather Jr., one of the craftiest defensive boxers in the history of the sport, has decided not to risk his undefeated record against Manny Pacquiao, the relentless Filipino fighter who has won an unprecedented seven world championships in seven different weight classes. They have never met in the ring and the sport and industry of boxing desperately wanted a gigantic moneymaker and potentially gargantuan showdown.

Fans demanded a fight. The rapper Snoop Dogg made a video pleading with the men to rumble in the ring. Michael Wilbon, a host on an ESPN commentary show, said Mayweather would be a "coward" if he didn't face Pacquiao. So, after about eight months of fits, feints, lawsuits and non-starters, the Filipino's promoter Bob Arum gave Mayweather an arbitrary two-week deadline to approve and sign the contract or he would start negotiating with other fighters. The deadline was midnight on Friday, July 16. The potential purse was $40 million — each. 

How could the fight not happen? It's never a fair fight when boxing people and logic go toe-to-toe: logic inevitably gets knocked to the canvas. Shortly after Friday passed into Saturday in Las Vegas, a weary Arum relayed the depressing news to a handful of bleary-eyed journalists. "Floyd, for whatever reason, didn't want to commit," Arum said. More accurately, he said, Mayweather had chosen to ignore the proposed contract and hadn't communicated with anyone. Or could it be that Mayweather just didn't like the unilateral nature Arum and the Pacquiao camp had taken the so-called negotiations?

The two best boxers in the world have enough personality and back-story to transcend their blood sport. Pacquiao, who grew up in a cardboard shack, sings and cuts platinum-selling albums despite having a high-pitched squeal of a voice, was just elected to the Filipino Congress. Mayweather enjoys trash talking, hanging out with rap artists, and was a contestant on the reality show Dancing With the Stars. He calls himself "Money" and carries thousands of dollars of cash in his pockets. 

As good as they are in the ring, Pacquiao and Mayweather have proved to be laughably inept at actually holding a prize fight. And fans and boxing insiders are afraid the constant build-up and let-downs for the so-called "Fight of the Century" are black eyes for a sport that has seen its audience erode. Some say last night's announcement of a non-event may be the most embarrassing thing for the sport since Mike Tyson bit off Evander Holyfield's ear in a 1997 fight — though that was painful as well as shameful.

This week's ridiculous Pacquiao-Mayweather non-starter is only the latest in a series. The men were supposed to go at each other earlier this year, but the fight negotiations broke down after Mayweather insisted on Olympic style random blood-testing. He said he was crusading for more stringent drug tests as a way to clean up the sweet science. But many people believe the blood-testing requirement was simply a way for him to duck the PacMan and preserve his perfect record, which Mayweather is supremely proud of.

Pacquiao, who is very superstitious and claims to get weak when he gives blood close to a fight, refused Mayweather's testing regime and said that his opponent didn't have the right to create his own set of rules. Then the Filipino, who has never tested positive for using performance-enhancing drugs, sued Mayweather alleging that he made false and defamatory statements. Pacquiao's entourage started wearing T-shirts that said, "100 Percent God, No Steroids." Disgusted with each other, both men fought other opponents this spring, winning decisively in fights that weren't exactly spellbinders.

Early this summer their representatives went to the negotiating table to see if they could line up a fight on November 13. A strict gag order was issued so insults weren't reproduced in the media. Arum worked through Ross Greenburg, the president of HBO Sports, who acted as a mediator and communicated with the Mayweather camp. Arum wouldn't reveal the exact terms, but he says the blood-testing issue was settled. Sources say that Pacquiao was willing to overcome his fear of blood testing so he could have a chance to beat-up his arch-nemesis. "We want to knock this bum out," says Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer. When he shadow boxes in the gym, Pacquiao says he pretends he is fighting Mayweather.

But Mayweather wouldn't play and didn't bother to call by the deadline set by Arum. In fact, the usually loquacious Mayweather probably wasn't even listening. (He didn't respond to phone calls from TIME as well.) He has good reasons for not getting into the weeds of a PR campaign right now. His uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather will go on trial early on Aug. 2 on charges of assaulting and choking a female boxer. The elder Mayweather has pleaded not guilty but could face up to 16 years in prison. He has always been a seminal influence on his nephew.

"I understand Floyd's position, regarding Roger," said Arum. "I can understand Floyd delaying until there is a resolution of the Roger situation. I don't think you guys should be too harsh on Floyd." But when asked to speculate on why Mayweather wouldn't even bother to call him and explain his reasons for bowing out of the fight of the century? "I can't figure it out," Arum admitted.

As a good showman, Arum used the occasion to talk about what's up next for Pacquiao. He said he would talk with his fighter to figure out who he wanted to meet next: the Mexican-American Antonio Margarito or a rematch with the Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, whom he defeated in a spectacular battle in November 2009. If he fights Margarito, the bout will probably be held in Las Vegas or Monterrey, Mexico. If he fights Cotto, the fight will be held in Vegas or at Dallas' Cowboy Stadium.

Arum said the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight could still happen this year if Mayweather suddenly emerged, but it would be more likely that it happens next year, if ever. But interest in the mega-fight might evaporate if the men drag it out much longer, testing the patience of beleaguered and disappearing boxing fans. And the greatest fight ever might just turn into the biggest farce in the sport's history.

Shaquille O'Neal takes a free throw on May 22, 2005. Sports-training experts believe practice that mixes tasks has better results

The next time you putt 100 balls at the range, because you know the practice will improve your short game, know this: it probably won't.

Why? Because it's not just practice that makes perfect. It's practicing intelligently that improves performance.

Such are the conclusions of a study published this week in the journal Nature Neuroscience by a group of neuroscientists at the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles. The authors compared the performance of people who tried to hone a skill through "constant practice" — that is, the rote repetition of a task, like taking 100 serves across the net — and those who underwent "variable practice," in which you work on a mix of skills during a training session. An example of variable practice: taking a serve, followed by a backhand, then mixing in a drop shot and forehand. 

In the study, participants were asked to mimic a 60-degree forearm movement that was represented as a wavy line on a computer screen. They moved their forearms while holding a lever, and their results were superimposed onto the target line after each movement. The more the movement mimicked the target, the better the performance. Those who repeated the movement 120 times (constant practice) performed just as well during the practice session as those who did the 60-degree movement 60 times, and a 30-degree, 45-degree, and 75-degree movement 20 times each, in a jumbled order (variable practice). 

Of course, you can knock the cover off the ball in practice. But it's the game that counts. About 24 hours after the volunteers finished their practice sessions, the authors tested their performance again. This time, they found that those in the variable-practice group performed better on the 60-degree movement than those who trained with rote repetition. The suggestion is that during the key postpractice period when the brain processes and retains the lessons it has just learned — known by neuroscientists as the consolidation phase — mixing tasks pays off.

Why? Psychologists have long known that variable practice of motor skills leads to better retention. The current study, however, offers a neurological explanation for this phenomenon. Immediately after the practice sessions, some study participants (from both the variable- and constant-practice groups) received transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a procedure that temporarily interferes with brain activity through the application of electric coils on the primary motor cortex, the area of the brain associated with simple motor learning. "We kind of messed with the brain after practice," says Shailesh Kantak, a former Ph.D. student in the Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy at USC and the lead author of the study. Another group received TMS on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a brain region associated with higher-level cognitive functions like problem-solving and planning.

The variable-practice participants who received TMS to the prefrontal cortex did not perform as well as those who received TMS to the primary motor cortex, or the control group. Since interference, and a temporary "slowing down," of the prefrontal cortex negatively affected performance of the variable-practice subset, the authors were able to conclude that variable practice engages this problem-solving and planning area of the brain. The engagement of this more powerful part of the brain, in turn, explains why variable practice improves retention levels the next day.

Similarly, people in the constant-practice group who received TMS to the primary motor cortex performed worse on the next-day retest than those who received prefrontal-cortex TMS. This implies that the rote drills engage a lower part of the brain, and further explains why constant practice is less effective for next-day retention of motor skills.

Tedium is bad for the brain. "In constant practice, people just go into auto mode, and are just like, 'Whatever,'" says Kantak, who is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. "In variable practice, your brain is more actively engaged and actively processing information, which allows it to hold information better. Our brain is like a muscle, and when it gets a good workout, it gets stronger."

So go ahead, take those 100 serves. But don't forget to work on your drop shots. Your brain will thank you for it. And your opponent, perhaps, will rue the day you mixed up your workout.

The 2010 World Cup has pitted the best football teams against each other with star players proud to wear their country’s colours. But as the tournament continues, the number of high-paid superstars still playing has dwindled. Of the top 10 paid footballers, only one made the finals.

Here is the list of the best paid World Cup players and how they faired.

10. Xavi, Spain - $12.4 million

Xavi, short for Xavier Hernandez I Creus, started with Barcelona at age 11. And has never left. He was voted best player at UEFA Euro 2008. Internationally, the midfielder was the captain of winning team at 1999 FIFA U-20 and the runners up at the Olympics in Sydney the next year. He has not missed a major international tournament since his first for Spain in 2000.

World Cup stats: 0 goals, team in finals against Netherlands

9. Steven Gerrard, England - $13.1 million

Gerrard has only ever played for Liverpool – and England. In 2005, he led Liverpool’s surprise UEFA Champions League win. Known as Captain Fantastic, his career high scoring of 24 goals came in 2008/2009 season leading up to a runners-up spot in the Premier League. For that effort, he was voted the English Football Writers’ Player of the Year. The midfielder, who has more than 80 international caps, says despite England’s poor showing, he wants to keep playing for his country.

World Cup stats: 1 goal, team eliminated by Germany in Round of

8. John Terry, England - $14.6 million

Terry has spent his whole career with Chelsea where, as captain, he led them to two Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006. In 2005, the defender scored 8 goals and was voted English football’s player of the year. Internationally, he has played more than 50 games for England, becoming captain in 2005. The captaincy was taken from him this year after a much-publicized scandal.

World Cup stats: 1 shot, 242 passes, team eliminated by Germany

7. Samuel Eto’o, Cameroon - $18.1

Perhaps it is appropriate that the only African in the list of highest paid World Cup players is also the most decorated African footballer. Eto’o was signed to Real Madrid’s youth club at 15. After a series of moves, he hit his stride in Barcelona where the club won two UEFA Champions League titles as well as numerous Spanish titles. He is now playing with Inter Milan. Internationally, he helped Cameroon win the CAF African Cup of Nations twice and the Olympic gold in Syndney. He has also been named African Player of the Year three times and is the all-time leading scorer on the national team.

World Cup stats: 2 goals, team did not win a game, eliminated

6. Frank Lampard, England - $18.7 million

From a family with deep roots in English football, Lampard is considered one of the best scoring midfielders. He has scored more than 20 goals in each of the last five seasons with Chelsea. In 2005, he helped his club end a 50-year drought of English titles. Internationally, he has scored 20 goals in 82 games and was the leading scorer through England’s qualifying games for South Africa.

World Cup stats: 0 goals, 16 shots, team eliminated by Germany

5. Carlos Tevez, Argentina - $20.3 million

Growing up in a tough suburb of Buenos Aires, Tevez learned to fight for his success. Playing with the Sao Paulo Corinthians, he scored 31 goals in 47 games and helped them win the Brazilian league championship. After rescuing West Ham United’s season in 2006, he went to Manchester United and, after two years, to Manchester City. In his first season he scored more than 20 goals. Internationally, the 26 year old was the top scorer for the Olympic champion team in Athens in 2004.

World Cup stats: 2 goals, team eliminated by Germany in quarter-finals

4. Thierry Henry, France - $23.5 million

At 33, Henry is coming to the end of a brilliant career. His Barcelona club has confirmed that he is leaving this year and is expected to move to North America and play in Major League Soccer. The highlight of his club career was eight years spent playing with Arsenal where was the team captain, the leading goal scorer and voted the best player in the club’s history. With Henry, they won two league titles, three FA Cups and a trip to the Champions League finals. When wearing France’s colours, he became the country’s all-time leading scorer and helped propel the home team to the World Cup title in 1998.

World Cup stats: 0 goals, played 53 minutes during 2 games, team eliminated after first stage

3. Kaka, Brazil - $24.7 million

Kaka, whose rarely used full name is Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, began playing football at eight and signed his first professional contract at 15. In 2007, he won the Ballon d’Or as the top European footballer and the FIFA World Player of the Year. The same year, his club, AC Milan, won the Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup. He currently plays for Real Madrid. The midfielder played for the Brazilian World Cup champions in 2002 and, in the lead up to the 2010 tournament, won the Adidas Golden Ball award and man of the match during the finals of FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009.

World Cup stats: 0 goals, team eliminated by Netherlands in quarter-finals

2. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal - $39.4 million

Perhaps second in name recognition only to David Beckham, Ronaldo supplements his hefty contract with sponsorship deals starting with Nike. This enviable situation was created by Ronaldo’s play on the pitch, which is described as graceful and almost ballet-like. He was named FIFA player of the year in 2008 while playing for Manchester United. The next year he moved to Real Madrid. Well-established as a superstar, Ronaldo has not been able to bring his club success to the international stage. An image of him in tears was a hallmark of Portugal’s defeat on home soil to Greece in the UEFA Euro in 2004.

World Cup stats: 1 goal, team eliminated by Spain in round of 16

1. Lionel Messi, Argentina - $43.3 million

At only 5 foot, 6 inches, Messi is small, but packs quite a punch. Praised for his wondrous left foot and incredible technique, Messi was the highest paid and certainly considered the best player at the World Cup. Since 2008, the 23-year-old star has helped Barcelona win numerous club titles including two UEFA Champions leagues and one FIFA Club World Cup crown. In 2009, he was named FIFA World Player. On the international scene, he led Argentina to a victory at the FIFA U-20 in 2005 and an Olympic gold in Beijing.

World Cup stats: 0 goals, team eliminated by Germany in quarter-finals

Spain's captain Iker Casillas (C) lifts the World Cup trophy after the 2010 World Cup final soccer match between Netherlands and Spain at Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg July 11, 2010.

Watch Video Here:

In the 116th minute, they finally found their famous passing touch, Cesc Fabregas releasing Andres Iniesta at the corner of the net. Iniesta, who has quietly been Spain’s best player here, speared the ball into the Dutch goal.

Netherlands loses another heartbreaking final, the third in their history. Spain wins its first, and after winning the European championship two years ago, firmly establishes them as a dynastic champion.

Rivers of ink were spilled in the lead-up about the skill of these two sides. It vanished between writing and doing. The much-talked about midfield battle didn’t materialze, since both sides decide to skip that third of the game altogether, choosing instead to hoof in forward hopefully.

Again and again, men hit the deck, spiked or hip checked by their opponents. Cards flew, giving the game the illusion of incident. By the end, 14 yellows were shown, and one man – Holland’s John Heitinga – sent off.

The most exciting thing that happened was the appearance of Nelson Mandela, looking chipper as he made a 60-second pre-match circuit of the field on the back of a golf cart. An army medic trailed close behind him, highlighting the frailty of the 92-year-old South African icon.

From that emotional high, it was a long, quick journey into the doldrums.

There was one man on the field who moved with real purpose. Sadly, he was an anonymous pitch invader who somehow snuck by security and nearly had his mitts on the World Cup trophy, sitting on a podium near the touchline, before anyone noticed him. In a preview of things to come, he was roughly clotheslined by a FIFA official and then carried squirming off the field by stewards.

When the embarrassing incident took place, the teams were already lined up in the tunnel, waiting to take the field. They all shuffled over politely to let the struggling fool by. It must have decided them on the night’s tactics – studs up and angry.

There were a few half chances in the first 45 minutes, with Spain marginally assuming the upper hand.

In the 62nd minute, Arjen Robben was sent in alone – a genuine goal-scoring chance!

Up in the crowd, neighbours nudged neighbours out of their stuperous state, since Robben had half the distance of the field to cover.

Spanish keeper Iker Casillas guessed wrong, but Robben snapped the ball off Casillas’ trailing foot.

Just in case Robben felt bad, Spain’s David Villa repaid the favour ten minutes later. The ball was ripped across the face of goal, pingponged through the legs of Dutch defender John Heitinga and ended up sitting on Villa’s foot, with only the goalie to beat.

The most dangerous attacker here suddenly looked very nervy, as he thwacked the ball off goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

Perhaps sensing that they might be at this all night, the pace quickened. The stunned Dutch and Spanish fans, who’d spent the last hour cursing themselves for forking out big Euros for a last-minute, 11-hour flight, found their voice.

Still, nobody wanted to win it.

Spain’s Sergio Ramos had an open header directly in front of the Dutch goal but it slid off his noggin and over the bar. We don’t want to say ‘hair gel’, but … hair gel.

Robben tried it again on another breakaway. This time he ended up steering the ball into Casillas’ hand. After his second screw up, he tore after referee Howard Webb, showing twice the speed he had in the build-up play. He earned a yellow for his trouble, and the growing scorn of the football-watching world.

Inevitably, it went to extra time where the Dutch became very Dutch – each man trying to do it by himself – while the Spaniards could not tap into their inner-Spanishness – their control continuously letting them down at the crucial moment.

It was bungling stuff, but at least it had become watchable.

Of course, it’s hard to fault either team. World Cup finals are famously tedious affairs, and this one was no more so than the France-Italy clash of four years ago. But for those who came all this way, let’s hope they favour quantity over quality.

Cleveland fans gathered around televisions and yelled in anguish Thursday night as LeBron James announced he will leave the Cavaliers and sign with the Miami Heat.

At a shopping area in suburban Westlake, a loud "No" was heard the moment after James said on ESPN that he was going to South Beach. Hundreds of people who had clamored to see the announcement turned their backs and headed home in droves.

"I'm really stunned, I never thought he'd leave," said Tom Sheehan, 15, of Westlake, who wore a James Cavaliers jersey as he watched the announcement. "It's like we just lost a championship on the final shot at the buzzer. It's so disappointing."

Jerseys were burned by fans outside a bar in suburban Lakewood, according to WEWS-TV of Cleveland. Footage on the station's website shows a fan taking off a T-shirt reading "Please stay LBJ" and laying it atop a pile of burning No. 23 Cavaliers jerseys.

In downtown Cleveland, police had additional patrols to deal with crowds, but Patrol Officer Nancy Dominik said no problems were reported.

At the Harry Buffalo bar across the street from the Cavs' Quicken Loans Arena, fans fell silent as the announcement was made, with some covering their faces and looking as if they were crying. Some yelled "Turn it off" and others shouted profanities aimed at James.

Within five minutes, the packed bar was nearly empty.

At The Purple Shamrock bar's two locations, owner Frank Borally had promised to pick up patrons' food tabs if James had chosen to stay with the Cavs.

"I would have paid it threefold ... if he would have stayed," Borally said. "It's bad, it's not good. We'll deal with it. It's Cleveland, it's typical Cleveland."

Bar-goers had started making reservations for tables of eight and 10 by mid-afternoon.

"We were packed, and then everybody left," he said.

He said James' presence kept his business going when Cavs' fans went to the games, especially during cold-weather months.

"I hope Mr. Gilbert has a good plan set up, but we need a miracle," he said, referring to Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert.

In Berea, at a bar about a half mile from the Cleveland Browns' training camp, fans in Browns jerseys were asked if what James did is worse than Art Modell, who took his Browns franchise to Baltimore in 1995, where the team stayed until fans in Cleveland fought to get it back.

"No way. LeBron did us a favor," said Fred Sczerpak of Berea. "He's a loser. He turned his back on us and good riddance.

"The difference is, Modell took a team everybody loved. That's why we hate him even more."

In Westlake in the minutes before James revealed his decision, Bill Lincoln of Bay Village described it as "like Christmas morning, only somebody is taking away your presents."

Fans across the northeast Ohio region had sung, danced and cheered in a campaign to keep James. On Thursday, "LeBron Watch" parties throughout the region featured dunk tanks, beer specials and poster giveaways.

The Harry Buffalo bar had painted "STAY LBJ" in white on the building. On the sidewalk were cardboard cutouts of James dunking, and several posters for the "More Than a Player" campaign were hung about.

Many fans had written messages to him on the sidewalk in chalk. One said: "We will always love LBJ, but we'll love you more if you stay."

Also making an appearance was the pleasedontleave23.com campaign's "Witness Mobile," a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme covered with signatures of fans who wanted James to stay in Cleveland.

The Positively Cleveland convention and visitors bureau estimates that Cavs' home games each net about $3.7 million in ticket sales, souvenirs, food and hotel bookings.

James has been with Cleveland since he was drafted in 2003. The team had an average home attendance of about 11,500 the season before he joined, and sold out every game in its 20,000-seat arena last season.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade played together during the All-Star game -- now, will they play together during the regular season?

Investors on Wall Street may have been betting this afternoon that LeBron James will head to the New York Knicks.

Shares of the Knicks' owner, Madison Square Garden, rose 6.41 percent, or $1.30, to $21.57 Wednesday on Nasdaq. Much of the rise happened late in the session before the trading day ended at 4 p.m. ET.

David Joyce, a media analyst with Miller Tabak & Co., told Reuters that the rise is probably because of speculation that James may announce Thursday that he'll sign with the Knicks.

The Reuters report didn't give details about the speculation. But one thing that may have fueled the hopes of Knicks fans was a Twitter post by Phoenix Suns player Jared Dudley.

At about 2 p.m. ET, Dudley tweeted the following: "Breaking News!!! My sources tell me Lebron will announce that he will be goin to the NY KNICKS tomorrow on ESPN.. This is serious.. WOW!!!!"

Later Wednesday, he tweeted this: "That's what I'm hearing.. I don't care where he goes lol.. I personally thought he would stay in Cleveland.."

The first post was retweeted widely among Twitter users, including ESPN's Trey Wingo and Dudley teammate and former NBA MVP Steve Nash.

[Posted at 11:43 a.m.] LeBron James plans to tell us all where he plans to play next season live in an hour-long special his team is calling "The Decision" on ESPN tomorrow night.  Here’s what we know already:

He’s going to likely get a contract worth between 96 million and 125 million dollars.  He gets the higher amount if he re-signs with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, takes less if he changes teams.  Those are the leagues’ salary cap rules.

The two most coveted free agents after LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh said today they are going to play together for the Miami Heat. They want LeBron to join them there.

LeBron started a twitter account yesterday. His bio says “King of Akron.” He's also got a website.

We don’t know why LeBron has decided to reveal his decision on a nationally televised hour-long special, (proceeds from the commercials are going to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America), more importantly we don’t yet know where it’s going to take place. The location could be a key indicator of what he’s decided.

He wouldn’t be expected to go on TV from his hometown Cleveland/Akron to tell the world he was going to Miami, Chicago, New York etc. And he probably wouldn’t do the show in one of those cities if he was going to stay in Cleveland.  Of course he could do it from a “neutral” site to build up the mystery.

And we don’t know if the news will hold until tomorrow night at 9 when the big show is planned.  Lots of respected NBA reporters have been following the story closely.  Here are some who might get the scoop if you want to follow along.

Brian Wyndhorst, Cleveland Plain Dealer,  @Dcavsinsider
Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo Sports, @WojYahooNBA
Chris Broussard, ESPN, @Chris_Broussard
Stephen A. Smith @stephenasmith
Chris Mannix, SI.com, @ChrisMannixSI

As LeBron’s Nike poster said “We are all witnesses”

Video: FSR: Smith talks free agency

In the initial 24 hours of the free agency frenzy, various players have either been offered or have accepted contracts worth a total of $518 million. Within the next few days, that sum will surely be doubled and will exceed a billion.

What’s going on here?

Several teams have been diligently clearing cap space in preparation for this summer’s extravaganza — with the signing of LeBron, of course, being every franchise’s fondest desire. Many of these teams were hugely disappointed when the King named only a handful of supplicants whose offerings he would deign to consider.

The snubbed franchises then undertook to offer/sign second, third, fourth and even fifth tier players to hugely inappropriate contracts.

Let’s take a gander at some of these situations:

Toronto paying Amir Johnson $34 million for five years is the most ludicrous deal. Yes, Chris Bosh is determined to go elsewhere, but do the Raptors really believe that Johnson can in any way take Bosh’s place? All throughout his previous five seasons in the NBA, Johnson’s high-end potential has been universally celebrated but, although he’s still only 23, there have been very few signs that Johnson will ever produce the returns that the Raptors' investment demands.

This is a move that smacks of sheer desperation.

Nobody, however, is more desperate than the Hawks, whose six-year, $119M offer to Joe Johnson is patently absurd. With his 29th birthday in sight, JJ’s game is already showing alarming indications that his best years are behind him, something that was increasingly evident during his embarrassing performance in the playoffs. By the time he’s 35, he won’t be able to navigate his way into the paint. Meanwhile, the maximization of Atlanta’s salary cap will prohibit them from signing any meaningful free agents until Johnson wanders off into the sunset.

Memphis exhibited the same kind of panic when they re-upped Rudy Gay for five-years and $82 million. In truth, both Zach Randolph and O.J. Mayo are better players than Gay, and within a year or two Marc Gasol will also surpass him.

And what does Gay bring to the Grizzlies' mix? Scoring. He can’t defend or pass, and his game has been static for the last two years. In a more rational basketball universe, Gay’s true value is about half of what he’ll be paid.

The Knicks' expected inking of Amar’e Stoudemire for five years and $100 million is another act that reeks of desperation. With all of their available cap space, and with LeBron indicating that he’d rather play in Chicago, Miami, Cleveland, or anywhere else but the Big Apple, the Knicks simply had to make a dramatic move just to show to their fans that they are indeed doing something.

And what are they getting in Stoudemire? A talented player with an extremely low basketball IQ, no defensive awareness, and a selfish desire to have every offensive play run through him. Plus his chronic injuries have made his contract uninsurable. Even worse for the Knick Nation, most of Stoudemire’s point-making resulted from the genius of Steve Nash. Somehow, playing with Chris Duhon (or whoever winds up pointing Mike D’Antoni’s offense) won’t come close to duplicating the numerical successes that Stoudemire enjoyed in Phoenix.

In fact, the only rationalization for bringing Stoudemire on board is if his presence can induce either LBJ or D-Wade to join forces with him. Given Stoudemire’s many shortcomings, this is a doubtful outcome.

Is Channing Frye supposed to replace Stoudemire in Phoenix? At “only” $30 million for five years, Frye certainly comes cheaper than Stoudemire, but he’s strictly a one-dimensional player. No defense, no rebounding, no passing. Given last year’s stats and equal distribution of his money, the Suns will pay Frye $34,883.72 for each successful 3-point shot.

Milwaukee’s agreements with John Salmons (five years, $40 million) and Drew Gooden (five years, $32 million) make only marginal sense. Since the Bucks will be ninth team that has employed Gooden in what will be his ninth NBA season, Gooden’s contract is way out of line for someone who’s the epitome of a journeyman player.

Also, with Corey Maggette and Michael Redd already on the roster, what’s the need for Salmons? Especially since Maggette was such a recent acquisition and Redd’s most recent injury and humongous contract make him virtually untradable.

So far, the only player who’s worthy of his new contract is Paul Pierce — four years, $61 million (the max Boston could pay him). Too bad PP will be 33 soon and is already slowing down. Signing Pierce also indicates that the Celtics believe their current roster (with only a few tweaks, most notably obtaining big men to replace Rasheed Wallace and to fill in while Kendrick Perkins recuperates) can make another serious run for the gold.

Too many of these teams will eventually come to rue their rash and desperate moves when their costly investments inevitably prove inadequate, and their stuffed salary caps prohibit any more serious free agent deals.

Instead of “Where Caring Happens,” the NBA’s new motto should be caveat emptor. Buyer beware.

They may not all be household names, but these players came up big for their teams in the Cup’s first week

Diego Forlan, Uruguay

Forlan was born to play in the World Cup—his father, Pablo, represented Uruguay in the tournament twice, in 1966 and 1974. But despite plenty of success at the club level—he won a Premier League title with Manchester United in 2003 and the Europa League crown with Atletico Madrid this year—Forlan is only now finding his World Cup footing. He scored twice against South Africa, including an early candidate for goal of the tournament, and was at the forefront of the Uruguayan attack. This may be the 31-year-old striker’s last shot at World Cup glory, and he’s looking poised to seize on it.

Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina

It’s easy to fly under the radar when you play on the same national team as Lionel Messi and the same club team as Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid). But the 22-year-old striker has been more prolific than those two stars combined so far, potting a trio of goals in Argentina’s dominant win against South Korea. It’s tough to believe now that Higuain was almost left off of Argentina’s team entirely (and that he even considered switching national soccer allegiances). But with that uncertainty long gone, the man they call “El Pepita” looks to be a long-term fixture in Argentina’s plans.

Vincent Enyeama, Nigeria

The World Cup is often the place where African stars catch the eye of big European clubs—in 2010, one of those stars might be Enyeama. The 27-year-old goalkeeper, currently with Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Israeli Premier League, made 15 saves in Nigeria’s first two matches against Argentina and Greece. Both were narrow one-goal losses, but without Enyeama’s acrobatic heroics, either game could have been a blowout. Nigeria’s chances of advancing to the Round of 16 are slim, but after surviving a 2004 car crash in which two people died, Enyeama knows quite a bit about overcoming adversity, and could be just the man to help his squad to unexpected advancement in 2010.

Asamoah Gyan, Ghana

At only 24 years of age, Gyan has already attained legendary status among his countrymen—and with good reason. In the 2006 tournament, the youngster scored the country’s first-ever World Cup goal in a famous 2-0 win against the Czech Republic. He’s also a big reason why Ghana might make the Round of 16 this year, having scored against both Serbia and Australia. Currently a member of Rennes in France’s Ligue 1, the crafty striker was also with Udinese in Italy’s Serie A for five years. With plenty of international (21 goals in 41 games) and high-level domestic experience, Gyan will carry much of the weight of the Black Stars’ expectations on his shoulders.

Robert Koren, Slovenia

With strong performances against Algeria and the USA, the Slovenians surprised many—or, at least, those who hadn’t followed them in European qualifying, where the team combined stingy defence with timely goal-scoring to qualify for South Africa. At the centre of the successful squad is their captain—midfielder Robert Koren. He’s the most experienced member of the impressive Slovenian side (48 caps) and scored the team’s winning goal against Algeria. Oddly enough, the 29-year-old finds himself without a club team at the moment, having been released by West Bromwich Albion of the English Championship. But as an integral part of his squad’s resilient performance so far in 2010, Koren could see a return to Europe quite soon.

What do you get when you combine one the NBA’s most colorful and eccentric players, a microphone and a championship victory for the Los Angeles Lakers? One hell of a post-game interview and press conference, that’s what.

Last night, Lakers forward Ron Artest couldn’t contain his excitement as his team secured the NBA championship over the Boston Celtics in a thrilling game seven. The result was a legendary post-game interview where Artest thanked “everybody in my hood,” his psychiatrist, and countless others, then exploded in joy over winning his first NBA championship.

That wasn’t the end of it though; the Artest show continued with a ridiculous press conference. You knew it wasn’t going to be a normal press conference when Artest grabbed a box of Wheaties and screamed at the random journalists “behind the laptops” to acknowledge him.

The resulting videos have gone viral on YouTube  , Twitter, and Google. They are top trends on almost every social media website. Just watch the videos and you’ll see why.

Enjoy:

Ron Artest Post-Game Interview

Ron Artest Post-Game Press Conference

GROUP A

South Africa

Manager: Carlos Alberto Parreira

Best: Round one (1998, 2002)

No host nation has ever failed to make it out of the group stages. But South Africa's fans must be concerned that Bafana Bafana (The Boys) could be the first to fall: They've not progressed from the opening round during their two previous appearances to date, when their team was comparatively stronger than it is today. South Africa failed to qualify for World Cup 2006 or even for this year's African Cup of Nations. As hosts, they were automatically qualified for this year's tournament, but their form in recent matches has been generally disappointing, with the team struggling to score goals. The fact that they reached the semi-final of last year's Confederations Cup on home turf may give some cause for optimism.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira won the World Cup in 1994 as coach of his native Brazil, a job he also undertook in 2006. Working with a far more limited talent pool in South Africa, he'll hope to harness the voices — and vuvuzelas — of the Rainbow Nation's fanatical fanbase to inspire the team. Its best players include midfielder Steven Pienaar, defensive hard-man and captain, Aaron "the Axe" Mokoena, both of whom play in the English Premier League (though Parreira surprisingly omitted the EPL striker Benni McCarthy), and also Matthew Booth, a tough-tackling defender with local side Mamelodi Sundowns. But just getting out of the group will feel akin to winning the entire tournament.

Player to watch: Coming off the back of a stellar season with Everton, Steven Pienaar provides the crucial link between midfield and attack.

Mexico

Germany

Manager: Bert van Marwijk

Best: Runners-up (1974, 1978)

Imperious in qualifying, Holland yet again enter a World Cup in fine form but facing persistent doubts over their well-established capacity for self-destruction. Surely the best side to have never won the tournament (losing finalists in both 1974 and 1978), Holland were the first European side to qualify for 2010, winning all its games.

Coach Bert van Marwijk (father in law of midfielder Mark van Bommel) oversees a not atypical group of Dutch players — rich in talent but also in egos. Anchored by Van Bommel and the enforcer Nigel De Jong, the Oranje midfield will rely on the creative powerhouses Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder to feed the deadly attacking skills of Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie. But the Dutch will sorely miss goalkeeper Edwin van der Saar (who has retired from international football) and striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, left out of the squad. The last side to reach a World Cup without dropping a single point in qualifying games was West Germany in 1982. They ended up as losing finalists, a familiar fate the Dutch will be hoping to avoid.

Player to watch: Despite coming off a frustrating, injury-ravaged season for Arsenal, Robin van Persie is a stylish striker who could light up the World Cup.

Denmark

Manager: Morten Olsen

Best: Quarter-finals (1998)

Best known for coming off the beach after being called up as late replacements for the suddenly defunct Yugoslavia in Euro 1992 and then winning the tournament, the Danes are once again making waves. They somewhat surprisingly surged through their qualification campaign, despite facing more strongly tipped rivals Portugal and Sweden. That may vindicate coach Morten Olsen's decision not to quit after failing to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

The Danes, led by strikers Jon Dahl Tomasson and Nicklas Bendtner, supported by midfielders Christian Poulsen and Dennis Rommedahl and stylish center-backs Daniel Agger and Simon Kjaer (though Kjaer is suffering from a knee injury caused in a recent friendly match), could give anyone a tough game. If they play to their potential, the Danes won't be going anywhere near South Africa's beautiful beaches.

Player to watch: Tough-tackling Juventus midfielder Christian Poulsen creates the defensive backbone that allows his teammates to express themselves. But he'll need to make sure that his proclivity for earning yellow cards for his aggressive play doesn't leave them a man short.

 

Japan

Manager: Takeshi Okada

Best: Round two (2002)

The Dutch might have been the first European side to make it through to the World Cup but Japan can go one better as they were the first team to qualify. Samurai Blue can't do much worse than in 2006 (bottom of their group with one point) and will be hoping that canny coach Takeshi Okada marshals his troops — look to playmakers Shunsuke Nakamura and Keisuke Honda to offer inspiration — in a pretty tough group. Okado believes his side can reach the semi finals: Were that to happen, he'd probably be anointed as the next Emperor.

Player to watch: The first Japanese player to score in the Champions League, Shunsuke Nakamura has punished some of Europe's top teams, particularly with his sumptuous free-kicks

Cameroon

Manager: Paul Le Guen

Best: Quarter-finals (1990)

The World Cup just wouldn't be the same without the Indomitable Lions and their sense of fun, flair and fearlessness that first exploded onto the international scene in 1990. Yet they left it until the final day of nail-biting qualifiers to get their tickets to Africa's first World Cup. Set fair for their sixth appearance in the tournament, they'll be spearheaded by the simply awesome striker Samuel Eto'o, who has had a new lease of life thanks to scoring nine goals in qualification and being handed the captaincy by French manager Paul Le Guen. The key to their prospects will be the defensive abilities of Arsenal's Alexandre Song and Tottenham's Sébastien Bassong and Benoît Assou-Ekotto, and the ability of Marseille midfield supremo Jean Makoun to tee up goals for Eto'o — or score them himself.

Player to watch: In addition to getting a second wind for his country, Cameroon's fans should thank Samuel Eto'o's recent club manager, Inter Milan's all-conquering Jose Mourinho (now at the helm at Real Madrid), for the improvement in the striker's play. On his day, simply too hot for any defense to handle.

 

GROUP F

Italy

Manager: Marcello Lippi

Best: Winners (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006)

Both of Italy's last two World Cup triumphs — in 2006 and 1982 — underscore the fact that the Azzuri have an unrivaled ability to win the title even when they're not the best team there. Its aging squad and not-exactly-stellar attacking options might tempt punters to bet against them, but it would be foolish to write off a team with the proven defensive capabilities of Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta as well as midfield terrier Gennaro Gattuso. Gianluigi Buffon can make a compelling case for being the world's best goalkeeper, while the aristocratic midfield playmaker Andrea Pirlo often provides passes to unlock the stingiest defenses. Forwards Alberto Gilardino and Vincenzo Iaquinta may not be names that terrify the world's defenders, but underrated Italian strikers have a way of exceeding expectations when in the national team's blue shirt (see Salvatore 'Toto' Schillaci in 1990, who won the Golden Boot). While they're hardly a form team right now, it ought to surprise no one if coach Marcello Lippi takes his charges deep into the tournament.

Player to watch: Gennaro Gattuso. Winning the World Cup is as much about stopping the opposition from playing their natural game as it is about playing your own, and few are as well-versed in the art of wrecking an opponent's plans as the tough-tackling AC Milan midfielder.

Paraguay

Manager: Gerardo Martino

Best: Round two (1986, 1998, 2002)

Paraguay made it to the knockout stages in two of the last three World Cups (1998 and 2002), and they should fancy their chances of repeating that feat. Most of their players are based in Latin American leagues, although their star forwards Roque Santa Cruz (Manchester City), Oscar Cardozo (Benfica) and the Borussia Dortmund pair Nelson Valdez and Lucas Barrios are established goal scorers in some of Europe's toughest leagues. The hard-working, cohesive unit built by coach Gerardo Martino set the pace in the Latin American qualifying group, and after seeing off Uruguay, Ecuador and Chile in early fixtures, underscored their credentials with an emphatic 2-0 win over Brazil and a 1-0 defeat of Argentina. Whether they have the midfield and defensive resources to cope with Italy — or the latter stages of the tournament — remains to be seen, but they'll expect to overcome New Zealand and Slovakia and progress to the second round.

Player to watch: Oscar Cardozo. The explosive Benfica forward was top scorer in the Portuguese league this season, and he'll be hoping to impress buyers for bigger European teams.

 

New Zealand

Manager: Ricki Herbert

Best: Round one (1982)

For a tiny nation of just 4.3 million to have dominated world rugby over many decades can't have left too much of its athletic resources for soccer. The All Whites (the reverse of the rugby team known as the All Blacks, both named for the color of their jerseys) have only once previously made it to the World Cup — in 1982, where they served as whipping boys, conceding 12 goals in their three group games (though they did manage two goals against the always accommodating Scotland). And while the scorelines will be less embarrassing, they're not expected to fare much better this time around. Captain Ryan Nelsen, the Blackburn Rovers defender who is the only player on the New Zealand squad to ply his trade at a top tier club in Europe, will have a monumental task in organizing his defense to keep the likes of Antonio Di Natale at bay, while Chris Killen, a second-string striker at Middlesbrough will have it all to do up front. Still, some of the younger players such as West Bromwich Albion's 18-year-old striker Chris Wood may take the opportunity to make a name for themselves.

Player to watch: Ryan Nelsen. Like Davy Crockett at the Alamo, expect to see him marshaling an heroic defense against hopeless odds.

 

Slovakia

Manager: Vladimir Weiss

Best: No previous appearances

Slovakia may be one of Europe's Cinderella teams, but the achievement of qualifying for their first World Cup at the expense of the more fancied sides such as Poland and the Czech Republic ought not be sniffed at. Coach Vladimir Weiss has built a side that's difficult to break down, with its defensive grit personified by Liverpool hard man Martin Skrtel. But a midfield featuring Napoli playmaker Marek Hamsik, young Miroslav Stoch, who starred this season for FC Twente Enschede on their way to the Dutch league title, and prolific scorer Stanislav Sestak offers plenty of attacking threat. A young nation established in 1993, and fighting to establish a reputation on and off the football field, Slovakia are not to be underestimated.

Player to watch: Marek Hamsik. The captain and Napoli midfield supremo could well find himself on the roster of Europe's bigger teams after the World Cup.

 

GROUP G

Brazil

Manager: Dunga

Best: Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)

Brazil have long been the second-favorite side of fans of the beautiful game from all other countries. The five-time winners (and the only team to have appeared at every finals) have long been associated with the "samba" style of poetic football typified by the legendary Pelé, although that crowd-pleasing style has also sometimes been their downfall when Brazil has been reluctant to grind out ugly wins, forgoing free-flowing offense in favor of a dour defensive game.

Look for that to (partially) change, under the tutelage of coach (and former winning captain) Dunga, whose Italian-inspired tactics can upset Brazilian fans, as he promotes the efficiency and prudence typified by playing two defensive midfielders — Felipe Melo and Gilberto Silva — over the excitement associated with the likes of Ronaldinho, who didn't make the squad. Still, any side containing the likes of Real Madrid's majestic midfielder Kaká, the trickery of Robinho and the ruthless finishing of striker Luis Fabiano, won't be able to contain their natural way of playing for the entire tournament.

Player to watch: If it weren't for Argentina's Lionel Messi, Kaká might have a lock on the title of world's best player. And if his team fares better than Messi's, he'll reclaim the spotlight.

 

North Korea

Manager: Kim-Jong Hun

Best: Quarter-final (1966)

North Korea will be appearing in its first World Cup since 1966, where they famously beat Italy 1-0 before audaciously taking a 3-0 lead against Portugal in the quarter-finals, though they eventually lost 5-3. Simply making the second round from this Group of Death would rank as an equivalent achievement this time. Not too much is even known about the squad — most of whom are based on home soil — but Russian-based forward Hong Yong Jo is considered their most potent threat. Fellow striker Jong Tae Se will also hope to make his mark, midfielder Mun In Guk holds the team together and goalkeeper Ri Myong Guk is no mug. That he will be kept busy is the understatement of the year.

Player to watch: In a team of unknowns, FC Rostov striker Hong Yong Jo could cause a mild stir if he adds to his 11 goals for the national team.

 

Ivory Coast

Manager: Sven-Göran Eriksson

Best: Round one (2006)

The Ivory Coast must be wondering what they've done to annoy the gods of football. The tremendously talented Elephantes wound up in a Group of Death in 2006, failing to qualify against Argentina and Holland. Four years on, they'll have to overcome either Brazil or Portugal to go through to the second round.

But if they can make it to the knockout stage, don't bet against them going far, particularly because they can count on enthusiastic home-crowd support as fellow Africans. Led by Didier Drogba providing the firepower up front along with his Chelsea teammate Salomon Kalou, the Ivoirians will rely on Spain-based midfielders Didier Zokora and Yaya Toure to win the ball in midfield, while former Arsenal teammates Emmanuel Eboue and Kolo Toure (brother of Yaya) repel opposition attacks. Newly installed coach Sven-Göran Eriksson has a team arguably as talented as the England side he took to the last eight in 2008. Going that far must be the minimum hope for Sven's men in South Africa.

Player to watch: The recent African Cup of Nations inspired Didier Drogba to recapture his fearsome form of recent years. His passion, drive and sheer ability could carry Les Elephants far.

Portugal

Manager: Carlos Queiroz

Best: Fourth place (2006)

Portugal are rather fortunate to be in the finals, thanks to a play-off win over Bosnia and Herzegovina after a stuttering qualifying campaign. But any team featuring the explosive talents of talismanic playmaker Christiano Ronaldo ought not to be underestimated. And any defenders paying too much attention to Ronaldo could leave gaps for the likes of Manchester United's Nani and Chelsea's Deco though Joao Moutinho, the Sporting midfielder whose services are coveted by some of Europe's top clubs, was surprisingly omitted from the squad. At the back, the likes of Chelsea's Ricardo Carvalho and Real Madrid's Pepe provide a solid defensive foundation. If he plays to his potential, Ronaldo is a match-winner, and Queiroz will be working to get the best out of a player he nurtured in his Manchester United days, while organizing a team around him that can beat any of its rivals on the day.

Player to watch: Rated alongside Messi and Kaká as the best in the word, Cristiano Ronaldo has the skill and verve to dominate any game. But he hasn't always displayed the same form in national colors as he has done at Manchester United and Real Madrid.

 

GROUP H

Spain

Manager: Vicente del Bosque

Best: Fourth (1950)

Together with Brazil, the exceptionally talented Spanish squad goes into the World Cup as hot favorites to lift the Jules Rimet trophy on July 11. Their emphatic and stylish performances to become European champions in 2008 laid to rest their 44 year reputation as serial chokers, and they have one of the best records of any international side in recent years. And then there's the roster: Liverpool's Fernando Torres, widely rated as the world's best striker, partnered by David Villa of Valencia who tops the wish list of coaches across Europe. Midfield options that include Barcelona's Xavi and Andrés Iniesta, Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso and Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas. And defenders of the highest order, such as Sergio Ramos and Carles Puyol, which give Spain's squad a fantasy football feel. But Torres, Fabregas, Villa, Iniesta and Xavi have all been plagued by injury problems, casting doubt over their conditioning. Still, with a squad as galactic as the one available to coach Vincente del Bosque, even having just two or three of those players firing on all cylinders could be enough to make it to the final.

Player to watch: Fernando Torres. The pace, skill and power of the Liverpool hit-man is a joy to behold, except for those tasked with defending against him.

Switzerland

Manager: Ottmar Hitzfeld

Best: Quarter-final (1934, 1938, 1954)

Never a power in world soccer, the Swiss nonetheless turned in a creditable performance in 2006, making it through their group and narrowly losing the knockout showdown against Ukraine on penalties. The fact that the Swiss didn't concede a single goal in regulation time was testimony to their defensive discipline, and German coach Ottmar Hitzfeld (best known for managing Bayern Munich) will be hoping for more of the same in South Africa from the likes of Reto Ziegler and Phillippe Senderos. The creative sparks in a midfield anchored by St. Etienne's Gelson Fernandes will come from Udinese's Gokhan Inler, Bayer Leverkeusen's Tranquillo Barnetta and West Ham's Valon Behrami, while for goals they may still have to rely on the old warhorses Hakan Yakin of Lucerne and Basel's Alexander Frei.

Player to watch: Gokhan Inler. There's a reason why many of the top clubs in Europe are interested in signing the 25-year-old Udinese attacking midfielder.

Honduras

Manager: Reinaldo Rueda

Best: Round one (1982)

One of the surprise packages of World Cup 2006 was Ecuador, taking a team of comparative unknowns into the second round playing stylish attacking football. Honduras hopes to have a similar impact in what will be just its second appearance in the tournament — the previous one being 1982, where they managed to achieve honorable ties against host nation Spain and Northern Ireland. And while coach Reinaldo Rueda will rue the, if you will, eponymous injury to striker Carlos Costly that keeps him out of the tournament, he still has the spine of a great team. Watch for Tottenham Hotspur midfield anchor Wilson Palacios, supported by Wigan's pair of Hendry Thomas and Maynor Figueroa, as well as Genoa striker David Suazo and Carlos Pavon, who plays at home for Real España, to provide the goal threat.

Player to watch: Wilson Palacios. The Spurs schemer has a rare ability to run a game from midfield.

Chile

Manager: Marcelo Bielsa

Best: Third place (1962)

Long having suffered in the shadow of its more illustrious neighbors Argentina and Brazil, Chile qualified for its first World Cup since 1998 in impressive style, finishing second on the continent behind the all-conquering Brazilians. Having already given his glamorous rivals a run for their money, coach Marcelo Bielsa will be hoping to do the same in a World Cup group whose second qualifying spot seems up for grabs. Attacking midfielder Matias Fernandez is a potent goal threat, while Humberto Suazo, the striker who plies his trade with Spain's Real Zaragoza, can be a clinical finisher. Gary Medel likes to complement his defensive duties with successful forays into the opposition's penalty area, while South Africa 2010 could provide the stage for winger Mark Gonzales, who was actually born in the host country, to resurrect his once-promising reputation. He failed to deliver the goods for Liverpool after a protracted move eventually went through a few years ago but former Liverpool legend — and BBC Sport pundit — Mark Lawrenson has marked out Gonzales's Chile as his dark horses.

Player to watch: Matias Fernandez. Expect the Sporting Club de Portugal midfielder to have a hand in much of Chile's attacking play, and to bag a goal or two himself.