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Spurs v West Ham for Olympic Stadium takeover

LONDON (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham were confirmed Friday as being in a straight fight to take over London's Olympic Stadium after the 2012 Games.

The future of the 80,000-seater venue in Stratford, east London, has been a bone of contention, trying to match the Games organisers' pledge for an athletics legacy with the need to make the stadium viable in the long-term.

The Olympic Park Legacy Company confirmed it would enter final negotiations with the bid led by Spurs with the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), and also the bid by a consortium of West Ham and Newham Council, an east London local authority.

The English Premier League sides' rival bids will go head-to-head, with the OPLC aiming to have its preferred tenant named by early April.

"We are very pleased with the extensive and serious interest shown in the stadium," said OPLC chair Baroness Margaret Ford.

"We started this process to ensure the very best legacy for the stadium, and we are now at a point where we have selected the two strongest bids.

"We will go forward to start negotiations with the two consortia of Tottenham Hotspur and AEG, and West Ham United and Newham Council.

"Securing the most appropriate and viable solution is crucial for our long-term aspirations for the future Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park area."

The two-tier stadium was designed so that the upper tier could be removed, leaving a 25,000-seater athletics venue.

The OLPC will now choose which bid can best enhance and build on those existing, government-approved plans.

West Ham plan to convert the stadium into a 60,000-capacity arena for football, athletics, concerts and community use.

AEG have said they have no plans to retain an athletics track and do not consider it a deal breaker.

Many within British football believe a running track around the pitch spoils the atmosphere, with fans far away from the action, particularly behind the goals.

Though a common practice in continental Europe, it is a rare sight in Britain.

West Ham and Newham Council said in a joint statement they were delighted to have made the final shortlist.

They said they wanted to deliver "the best legacy for the stadium by making it a busy, iconic centre of sport, education and culture that benefits not just east London, but the nation as a whole."

West Ham have been at their Upton Park ground in east London since 1904. Since 1993 they have built three new sides to the stadium, bringing its capacity to 35,300.

Spurs have been at White Hart Lane in north London since 1899. The ground has a 36,300 capacity. They have plans to create a new 56,000-seater stadium on the present site.

Tottenham said in October it was registering an interest in the Olympic Stadium as it was prudent to "investigate all possible options for the club".

As they aspire to compete for top honours, such clubs are looking at the ticket revenue being earned at the likes of Manchester United's Old Trafford (76,200) and Arsenal's Emirates (60,350).

Bieber rocks downtown L.A. as he preps for VMAs

LOS ANGELES – Visitors to Staples Center and the adjacent L.A. Live plaza were treated to an unannounced free concert Friday when Justin Bieber took to an outdoor stage to rehearse his performance for Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards.

A crowd slowly gathered as the teen sensation and his team of dancers and musicians rehearsed for about two hours Friday afternoon. MTV representatives said they hadn't announced Bieber's outdoor rehearsal to avoid drawing the swarms of fans who have crowded the 16-year-old pop star's public appearances around the world.

Wearing a red varsity jacket with a sparkly "B" on the front, Bieber practiced his arrival to the outdoor stage in a cherry red 1957 Chevy Bel Air, chased by a pack of (precast) girls. Then, backed by a team of dancers and musicians, Bieber moonwalked and made a heart shape with his hands as he belted out his hit "Baby."

Passers-by wielded camera phones from behind barricades, and teenage admirers erupted in shrill screams anytime Bieber was within earshot. He smiled at them and flashed a peace sign with his fingers.

Though barely bigger than the troupe of pint-sized hip-hop dancers (age 9 through 13) who joined him on stage, Bieber acted like a seasoned pro.

"What's wrong with my drums? Like, I don't hear anything and it should be loud," he said after practicing a drum solo. "This has to be, like, an epic moment. It's ending the song."

Later, he complained that "the vocals are too loud in my ear and I can't hear the groove."

And when his wireless microphone pack fell to the floor, he casually gathered up the batteries and put the pack back in his pocket without missing a single lyric.

Bieber is set to perform on the same stage Sunday just outside the Nokia Theatre, where the Video Music Awards will be presented. Other performers include Drake, Kanye West and Eminem.

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On the Net:

No. 19 Stanford hosts Wake Forest

STANFORD, Calif. – The task of shoring up the defense at Stanford began soon after last season ended with the hiring of longtime NFL assistant Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator.

Fangio immediately brought in an aggressive style and pro schemes to a defense that often struggled to slow down the opposition a year ago.

The move appears to be paying off so far. The 19th-ranked Cardinal have allowed just one offensive touchdown through two games and are coming off a 35-0 win at UCLA that was their first road shutout since 1974.

"We're not getting so hyped about it," safety Michael Thomas said. "We love the face that we could pitch a shutout, especially in the Rose Bowl. It's the Rose Bowl man. We're not getting high and mighty. We feel like we're just getting started. With this defense, we feel like there's more to come."

The Cardinal (2-0) should get their stiffest test so far when they take on Wake Forest (2-0) on Saturday night. The Demon Deacons have scored 107 points in two games, putting up big numbers against both Presbyterian and Duke.

With freshman Tanner Price running the offense, Wake Forest has had a propensity for big plays. The Demon Deacons have scored eight offensive touchdowns on plays of at least 20 yards, including an 81-yard pass from receiver Marshall Williams to Chris Givens against Duke and Devon Brown's 85-yard run in the opener.

"You can't go into a football game knowing that the only way you are going to score points is through big plays," coach Jim Grobe said. "Some of the defenses we play will be more stingy, so we just have to be more consistent."

Stanford has been particularly stingy this season in a far cry from how the defense played a year ago. The Cardinal allowed 31.4 points per game last season with four of their five losses coming in games where they scored at least 27 points.

Coach Jim Harbaugh brought Fangio on after co-defensive coordinator Andy Buh left for a job at Nevada. Fangio had spent the previous 24 years in the NFL, including as linebackers coach in Baltimore under Harbaugh's brother John.

Fangio put in a 3-4 defense and wanted his players to be less passive this season after the defensive backs too often gave opponents too much room last year. The offensive players noticed the difference right away in spring ball and now the rest of the nation is getting a chance to see it.

"There's a belief in it and our players have an identity that is really forming," Harbaugh said. "You can see that out there with the confidence they're playing with and how they're executing. Vic is top shelf. I'm learning a lot of football from him."

Fangio will have a tough task against Wake Forest, which runs some triple-option, zone reads and spread passing that is much less common in the NFL.

Dealing with that offense will require plenty of discipline from a Stanford defense that has prided itself on aggressiveness this season.

"They look very explosive," Turner said. "This is the type of team that is very dangerous. One guy in the wrong spot or gap and that's when the big play busts. A team like this is very dangerous."

The game time presents another challenge, with kickoff scheduled for just after 8:15 p.m. PDT to accommodate the television broadcast on ESPN2.

This is believed to be the latest kickoff in Stanford history, with the players talking about how antsy they will get sitting around the hotel all day waiting for the game. It will be even tougher for the Wake Forest players with the game starting at 11:15 p.m. EDT.

"It's definitely going to be tough for us, but that's why we go through camp," linebacker Riley Haynes said. "That's why we do things we do. If you don't go up to Stanford mentally ready, they're going to take advantage of it because that's a great team. We're going to have to get enough sleep and be able to get hyped enough but I think we'll be ready because Coach Grobe always has us ready mentally."

The late start time perhapis a fair turnabout from last year's meeting that kicked off at noon EDT in North Carolina. The West Coast Cardinal actually started fast in that game, taking a 17-3 halftime lead.

But the Demon Deacons rallied to win it 24-17 on Riley Skinner's 2-yard run with 2 seconds left in a game that still stings for Stanford because of some questionable penalty calls.

"That was a really tough loss on the road," said receiver Ryan Whalen, who caught two TD passes. "This is one of those games we had marked on the calendar. It provides a tremendous opportunity this week to go out and get a win."

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AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard in Winston-Salem, N.C., contributed to this report.

Austin Jazz Vocalist, Dena Taylor, Returning to the Studio and the American Jazz Songbook

Jazz vocalist, Dena Taylor, is going back into the studio to record a new CD that is sure to please her fans. She is returning the her roots and recording more of the American Songbook selections that made her first CD an award winner. And, this time, she's inviting her fans to help with the selection of the songs that will be included in the album. She is hoping to have the selection process completed this Fall so that she can be back in the studioat the first of the year. Release would be anticipated for late Spring.

Austin, TX (PRWEB) September 3, 2010 -- Word is that jazz vocalist, Dena Taylor, will once again be returning to the studio and her musical roots - jazz standards from the American Songbook.

Currently, Taylor is in that mind-boggling process of selecting which song to include. Anyone knowledgeable of the music industry knows that it’s no easy chore and nothing that is done quickly particularly if the artist is as “picky” about her music as is Taylor.

However, this time she is letting her fans become part of that CD by helping her select the songs. Taylor has put a form on her website () that fans can use to nominate the song they would most like to hear her sing. She’s adding a little “incentive” onto the whole process .. the nominator of any song selected and ultimately appearing on the CD will also be included in the liner notes.

This new CD will also be more upfront about her charitable work. Taylor lost her mother to Alzheimer’s in July of 2010 so not only is she dedicating the CD to her but she’ll be setting aside a percentage of the sales specifically for donation to the Alzheimer’s Association () in her mother’s name.

Taylor lends her personal support & musical talent to a number of causes that support others who have endured adversity or are in the midst of their challenges and it is a testament to Taylor's talent, however, that her sound never seems "preachy." Rather, the adversity Taylor has faced personally lends her voice a hard, knowing edge - like that of a Gladys Knight at her prime - that gives her music a ripened maturity so many pop stars lack.

Ms. Taylor changed more than just cities with her relocation to Austin, Texas in 2009. Her recent release, Certitude (rel. Mar, 2010), showed strong confidence in both sound and style and that confidence is well founded. Certitude has introduced a new approach and a new life to the music she sings. Says Bree Noble of Women of Substance Radio, “Although Dena has been known for putting her own hip and modern twist on jazz standards in the vein of Ella Fitzgerald, Certitude is a new, mature artistic direction for Taylor.”

The opinion of Rosana Caban, when she reviewed Taylor’s Certitude for MyMusicSuccess.com was: “Smoky, sexy, soft - the velvety voice of Dena Taylor dominates not just a corner of the room but indeed the entire wall of sound created by the "on" button of the stereo. And her voice on this new CD is the one thing that has not changed .. it's still the same singer who captivated listeners with her 2008 release, Round Midnight.”

Taylor’s return to the American Songbook will thrill long-time fans who have been hoping for another award winning repeat of her first CD, Round Midnight. As Tony Lawson of IMI Sound said, “There are many artists out there doing a splendid job with the great classics of jazz and blues, but the sensitivity, the depth of feeling and the richness of colour that Dena infuses into her performances are in a class of their own. Duly supported by a band of first-class musicians, Dena is that rare combination of outstanding talent and enchanting charisma that one cannot but feel fortunate to come across in the vast world of music.”

This vocalist’s appeal is international. Argentina’s Miquel Montez says, “eres maravillosa.” From Italy’s Daybox Record, Max Mafia comes, “Dena Taylor is without doubt a splendid surprise.” Carol Hayes of Australia’s Shoalhaven Radio said, “It is my pleasure to present Dena to the listening audience of the beautiful South Coast of New South Wales, Australia.” American songwriter, Christopher Morse, says, “You are the real deal--a classic American jazz singer!”

Taylor's road to success has been hard-won, even inspirational. Upon leaving the military, Taylor found herself in a violent car accident that left her with a severe brain injury requiring a full two years to regain her ability to speak and walk again. And, since that time, she has also waged her own personal battle against breast cancer.

Inspite of it all, this vocalist has one of the brightest smiles you could imagine and she uses it frequently. A jovial spirit with a robust laugh is what you will find if you're fortunate enough to spend any time with her.It’s that spirit combined with her talent that has seen her working with notables such as Ron Teixeira, Ron Pirtle, Dave Dunscome, John Fitzgerald, Redd Volkaert and Ernie Durawa to name just a few.

Taylor’s music can be heard on websites: ,, ,and it can be purchased on: iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby () and .

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Jazz Vocalist: Dena TaylorDA Productions(321)243-6211Trackback URL: http://prweb.com/pingpr.php/U3F1YS1NYWduLUVtcHQtRW1wdC1TcXVhLVNxdWEtWmVybw==

Spain's Alejandro Sanz among top Latin Grammy nominees

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Superstar Spaniard Alejandro Sanz and three other singer-songwriters from Mexico, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic led the field of contenders unveiled on Wednesday for the 11th annual Latin Grammys with four nominations each.

Sanz, a 14-time Latin Grammy winner considered one of the most commercially successful Spanish singers of all time, was nominated in the top category of album of the year, as well as for best male pop vocal album, for "Paraiso Express."

He also earned nominations in the key races for record of the year and song of the year for the single "Desde Cuando."

In the contest for album of the year, Sanz faces competition from Dominican merengue star Juan Luis Guerra, a nine-time Latin Grammy winner, for "A Son De Guerra," and from Mexican singer-keyboardist Mario Domm for "Dejarte De Amar" as a member of the pop-rock trio Camila.

Guerra's release also was nominated as best contemporary tropical album, and he earned nods for best tropical song and best short-form music video for his single "Bachata En Fukuoka."

Domm also shared nominations with his trio Camila for best pop album by a duo or group with vocal for "Dejarte De Amar" and for record of the year for the ballad "Mientes."

"Mientes" earned Domm his fourth bid in the race for best song, a category that recognizes the composers. In this case, Domm shared his nomination with Monica Velez.

Facing Domm and Sanz in the competition for record and song of the year is Uruguayan singer-songwriter Jorge Drexler, who was nominated in both categories for "Una Cancion Me Trajo Hasta Aqui."

Drexler also earned nods for best singer-songwriter album for "Amar La Trama," and for best long-form music video for "La Trama Circular."

He made Academy Award history in 2005 by becoming the first to win an Oscar for a Spanish-language song, his composition "Al Otro Lado del Rio," from the film "The Motorcycle Diaries" about the young Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

Two acts garnering three bids each were Camila and Puerto Rican reggaeton star Yankee Daddy, who gained one nomination for best urban music album for "Mundial" and two nods in the best urban song category for "Descontrol" and "Grito Mundial."

The Latin Grammys will be presented on November 11 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas in a show broadcast live on the Spanish-language television network Univision.