ick (ninth overall). "He plays hard, he plays a lot

James Wade should be taken more seriously as a title contender at this years World Matchplay Darts, says Sky Sports expert Rod Studd. Michael van Gerwen begins his defence of the title on Saturday night at Blackpools Winter Gardens, live on Sky Sports, but Studd believes last years losing finalist is being overlooked...I just find it utterly bemusing and bewildering that Wade is still being dismissed as a 25-1 underdog and outsider, considering his record at the World Matchplay. Five players are rated more likely to win the tournament by the bookmakers, which I find very surprising. He loves the format, he loves the stage, and for James Wade to be dismissed in this tournament, I find absolutely astonishing. Rod Studd There is only one man in this field that has a better World Matchplay record and thats Phil Taylor. Wade has won the tournament once in 2007, but has been in the final five other times and three of the last five finals. Hes won 35 games in 44 attempts on the Winter Garden stage. He loves the format, he loves the stage, and for James Wade to be dismissed in this tournament, I find absolutely astonishing.Hes in the opposite half to Michael van Gerwen, in a very difficult quarter of the draw, which features Raymond van Barneveld and Phil Taylor. But hes won his last two games against Taylor and he also beat Phil in the Matchplay semi-final last year, so I dont think he will fear The Power. Check out the final leg between James Wade and Phil Taylor in the semi-final of the World Matchplay Asked the most likely winner, youre going to say Michael van Gerwen, and I certainly wont be writing off Phil Taylor, thats for sure.Van Gerwen goes off favourite, but he went off favourite in the World Championship, and we know what happened then. There are no guarantees in sport and there are no guarantees in darts, with so many players so closely matched and being capable of averaging 100-105. Watch how Michael van Gerwen defeated James Wade to become the World Matchplay champion I think it will be an absolutely terrific tournament and predicting the competition with any accuracy is not easy, but I just like the way Wade is going about his business at the moment and I like the way he plays in Blackpool, so I will nail my colours to the mast of The Machine.Watch the opening night of the World Matchplay this Saturday, starting at 7pm on Sky Sports. Also See: Dellers darts: Six shocks WATCH: Lloyds winning 170 Matchplay running order WATCH: Harrington-Baxter final Rogers Hornsby Cardinals Jersey . Bowditch, the 30-year-old Australian seeking his first PGA Tour title, shot a 4-under 68 to reach 12 under at TPC San Antonio. Matt Kuchar and Andrew Loupe were tied for second. Kuchar shot 65, and Loupe had a 70. Lane Thomas Cardinals Jersey . -- Pelicans coach Monty Williams does not expect guard Eric Gordon to play in any of New Orleans final five games this season. https://www.cheapcardinalsonline.com/ . But back-up Peter Budaj has put up two wins and an overtime loss while starting three games in four nights since Price went down with a suspected groin injury. Jose Martinez Jersey . Balotelli was out at dinner with his brother Enoch and came home to discover he had been burgled. The car was later found abandoned. Balotelli wrote Saturday on Twitter: "I feel empty! No emotions . Genesis Cabrera Jersey . As if he had been rehearsing it, Vasquez looked around with a grimacing stare as he clinched two fists and flexed his muscles. What do you think of DeMar DeRozans face after he hits a big shot, he was asked moments earlier. WINNIPEG -- Loui Eriksson didnt look out of place on a line with new Boston Bruins teammates Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. And he looked even better in overtime when he sent a high shot past goalie Ondrej Pavelec to give the Bruins a 3-2 pre-season victory against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. "It was definitely nice to be able to score one, and it was one in overtime, too, so its nice," said Eriksson, who was acquired from Dallas in July in a seven-player deal. Ryan Spooner and Eriksson went down the ice together and Spooner sent a pass across to Eriksson, who moved the puck with his skate onto his stick to set up his first goal of the pre-season 1:46 in OT. Spooner and Patrice Bergeron also scored for the Bruins. Devon Setoguchi and Mark Scheifele had Winnipegs two power-play goals. Niklas Svedberg stopped 26 shots for the Bruins, who improved their exhibition record to 5-1-0. Pavelec faced 33 shots for the Jets (1-3-3). The teams play a rematch Friday in Saskatoon. Eriksson predicted chemistry can develop with Bergeron and Marchand. "Sometimes it feels really good, sometimes a little bit worse, but thats why you have these games," Eriksson said. "We had some good chances today again, but we need to step it up a little bit more." The teams were tied 1-1 heading into the third period after a scoreless second at MTS Centre. Bergeron had the games first goal when he took a feed from Marchand and put a close, low shot past Pavelec at 3:54 of the first period for his first goal of the pre-season. The veteran centre spent the off-season recovering from not one, but four injuries after Boston lost last years Stanley Cup final in six games to Chicago. During the final, Bergeron played some games with a broken rib, torn rib cartilaage and a separated shoulder.dddddddddddd He later found out he also had a collapsed lung. Winnipeg had a good chance to tie the game shortly after Bergerons goal when highly touted defensive prospect Jacob Trouba blasted a shot from just inside the blue-line. However, Bruins centre Gregory Campbell splayed on the ice to block the shot. Campbell broke his right leg in Game 3 of Bostons sweep of Pittsburgh in last years Eastern Conference final. Jets coach Claude Noel saw some positive things in the loss, especially with a pair of the teams top prospects. That included blue-liner Trouba, whos battling for a spot on the roster. "For a 19-year-old player, he makes good decisions," Noel said of the teams 2012 first-round pick (ninth overall). "He plays hard, he plays a lot of minutes and makes a lot of good decisions." Scheifele had some trouble early in the game, but picked it up and contributed with his first goal of the pre-season. "The goal was a relief for Mark and was a big play at a key time for us," Noel said of the clubs seventh overall pick in the 2011 draft. Winnipeg went up 2-1 on Scheifeles power-play goal at 4:21 of the third period. Eric Tangradi dumped in a long shot that bounced off the end boards on the glove side of Svedberg. Scheifele picked up the puck, cut in front of Svedberg and flipped a backhand shot past the netminder. Boston only let the lead stand for two minutes after Matt Fraser stood in front of Pavelec and Spooners shot went into the net at 6:22. The Bruins had outshot the Jets 30-27 after regulation. Notes: Boston scratched veterans Jarome Iginla, Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Zdeno Chara. Winnipeg sat its top line of Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler, who has a minor injury. ' ' '