RVP and Walcott to reunite - Sir Alex to....

RVP and Walcott to reunite

Sir Alex Ferguson seems to have a penchant for hurting Arsenal fans. Just months after he prised Robin van Persie away from the Emirates, he is set to raid the Gunners once more with Theo Walcott reportedly headed to Old Trafford in January, according to the Daily Mirror. With Tuesday's reports that Nani is on Arsene Wenger's wishlist, a straight swap could improve the chances of Walcott joining United. 

Brazilian midfielder Paulinho could be playing for more than a trophy if Corinthians and Chelsea meet in the Club World Cup final. The 24-year-old is on Rafa Benitez's radar, The Sun claims, and a serious injury to Oriol Romeu could increase his chances of moving to Stamford Bridge next month. Paulinho has been in Roman Abramovich's sights for a while and an impressive performance in Japan could be his ticket to England. 

Speculation over Brendan Rodgers' impending spending spree at Anfield has intensified, with the Daily Mail reporting that Liverpool have edged even closer to recruiting Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge and Blackpool's Tom Ince. Although Walcott is still in Rodgers' plans, United's interest could see the Reds focus on attaining the aforementioned attacking duo. It is believed Sturridge and Ince will cost Liverpool £18 million - not cheap considering they let Ince walk out of the club - meaning they may well look to offload some of their squad to boost the coffers.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2012/2013 CHAMPIONS REVIEW

Sports Betting Software - Cisco bets on software and services for mid-term growth

LATEST Sports Betting Software

CISCO INNOVATES

Cisco Systems laid out its mid-term growth strategy on Friday, betting on increased demand for software, services and security as it strives to become the world's leading information technology company.

Cisco, whose business roots in routers and switches that move Internet traffic still generate about 50 percent of its revenue, has been steadily expanding its other offerings including data centers, network security and video conferencing.

In five years Cisco plans to double revenue from software, which is currently at $6 billion, Chief Executive John Chambers said at the company's annual analyst day in New York, saying the growth will be mostly organic but will include some acquisitions.

Chambers is banking on Cisco's expertise in networking, which he says enables developments such as cloud computing, data centers and applications and eventually the concept of the "Internet of things," which foresees the connection of everything from traffic lights to medical devices to the power grid.

Chambers and Cisco's chief financial officer, Frank Calderoni, reiterated the company's target of 5-7 percent compound annual revenue growth in three to five years. Revenue was $46.1 billion in 2012.

ZK Research analyst Zeus Kerravala said Cisco has a "good shot" at becoming a broad IT company, but it hardly offered any surprises, especially in light of the revenue outlook.

"I think it makes them a boring company because the number is easily achievable, but in this macro it's better than what HP or Dell are putting their shareholders through," he said, referring to HP's accounting scandal and Dell's struggles with a declining PC market.

"The big question for Cisco shareholders is can they keep their margins," Kerravala said, but added that "the threat of margins has been out there for several years and they have always managed to weather the storm."

Cisco said its operating margin will remain in the high 20s. In 2012 was 28 percent.

Shares of Cisco were down 1.1 percent at $19.27 near midday.

Calderoni said he expects Cisco's cloud and unified data center business to post 20-26 percent compound annual growth in that time frame. In 2012 revenue was $1 billion.

In mobility he said the compound growth rate will be 14-17 percent. The business in 2012 had revenue of $3 billion.

"Our wireless growth has been significant," Calderoni said, adding that Cisco had benefited from the growing demand for WiFi and small cells that help offload traffic from networks.

In security, Calderoni said, the growth rate will be 5-7 percent in three to five years. Cisco, which has seen rivals take market share in the security business, generated $1 billion in revenue in that division in 2012.

On growth in emerging markets, Chambers said the company has done well in the top five emerging markets but has work to do in others.

"The challenge was the No. 6 through 20," Chambers said.

Its emerging markets business generated $9 billion revenue in 2012. In three to five years that will grow at a 7-13 percent compound annual rate, Calderoni said.

Lastly, Calderoni said, Cisco is aiming for 6-9 percent compound annual growth rate in its video business, which generated $8 billion this year.

NBA's Stern scolds Christie ....

NBA's Stern scolds Christie on sports bet effort 

NBA Commissioner David Stern scolded Gov. Christie and said New Jersey "has no idea what it's doing" by seeking to allow sports betting in the state in a deposition published Friday in the ongoing legal battle between the governor, the four major professional sports leagues and the NCAA.

Stern and the heads of Major League Baseball, the NFL, the NHL and the NCAA were questioned recently by lawyers representing the state as part of the leagues' lawsuit seeking to stop New Jersey from instituting sports gambling.

"The one thing I'm certain of is New Jersey has no idea what it's doing and doesn't care because all it's interested in is making a buck or two, and they don't care that it's at our potential loss," Stern said when asked how the advent of sports betting in New Jersey would harm the NBA.

"And wholly apart from the fact that a governor, who's a former U.S. Attorney, has chosen to attack a federal law which causes me pause for completely different reasons since I've at times sworn to similar oaths about upholding the law of the United States," Stern continued.

MLB commissioner Bud Selig said in his deposition he was "appalled" that New Jersey would look to sports gambling as a fiscal solution.

"I know states need money. I really mean that," he said. "I understand all the problems. Federal government needs money, going over a cliff, cities need money. Chris Christie needs money. But gambling is so ... the threat of gambling and to create more threat is to me — I'm stunned. I know that people need sources of revenue, but you can't — this is corruption in my opinion.

"I have to say to you I'm appalled. I'm really appalled."

A spokesman for Christie didn't immediately return a message seeking comment Friday.

The leagues and the NCAA sued Christie in August after he vowed to defy a federal ban on sports wagering. The Legislature enacted a sports betting law in January, limiting bets to the Atlantic City casinos and the state's horse racing tracks. The state plans to license sports betting as soon as January, and in October published regulations governing licenses.

A judge is expected to rule this month on the leagues' motion for an injunction to stop the law from taking effect.

In his deposition, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about holding games in England and Canada, countries with legalized sports gambling. The leagues contend allowing New Jersey to sanction sports gambling would damage their integrity.

"Well, we're playing in their country, we're coming to them," Goodell responded. "And we're only there for a short period of time; we're there for two or three days. It's not what we choose, it's not what we believe is in the best interests of sports, but we don't dictate the rules or the laws."

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the fact that New Jersey's law exempts the state's colleges and any college games played in the state shows that lawmakers recognize gambling "isn't good for our game." He sounded confident when asked if the NHL had contemplated any changes to its policies should New Jersey's law stand.

"Not to sound flip on this point but it's inconceivable to me how we could lose this lawsuit, so we haven't been doing that," he said.

New Jersey's move is seen by supporters as a way to bring new revenue to the struggling casino and racing industries and to reclaim a portion of the billions of untaxed dollars flowing to organized crime or offshore illegal gambling operations.

But in its court filing Friday opposing the state's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, the leagues and the NCAA called Christie's efforts a "blatant violation of federal law" and his constitutional challenges to the federal law "specious."

The 20-year-old federal law at the heart of the dispute, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, prohibited states from authorizing sports gambling, but exempted Nevada and three other states that already had some form of legalized sports betting — Delaware, Oregon and Montana.

New Jersey claims the law usurps the authority of state legislatures and discriminates by "grandfathering" in some states. The leagues countered Friday that Congress has the power to prevent states from enacting laws that conflict with federal policy, and that the Constitution's commerce clause doesn't require uniformity in its application to different states.

The NCAA has already announced it will relocate several championship events scheduled to be held in New Jersey next year.