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THE STATE OF PLAY FOR A-LEAGUE EXPANSION BIDS* TasmaniaStatus: Mega-wealthy former Victory investors Harry Stamoulis and Robert Belteky have already met with FFA, saying theyre ready to go from next year with support from all levels of government.Pros: A cheap stadium deal, as well as plenty of dollars and know-how from Stamoulis and Belteky.Cons: Football is far from the top game in this AFL-mad state, with little infrastructure and growth potential in a limited market.* AucklandStatus: Very early days to quote Auckland Citys chairman Ivan Vuksich. The New Zealand powerhouse is the only realistic option for expansion across the ditch, but would require a leap of faith from FFA.Pros: Successful football pedigree, the chance for a Kiwi derby and weekly A-League content in New Zealand, a strong catchment of 1.5 million.Cons: Questions of commitment. From the club, FFA, NZ Football and potential investors.* CanberraStatus: Up in the air. Governing body Capital Football isnt bidding and previous A-League aspirant investor Ivan Slavich is currently backing Central Coasts two-game deal in the nations capital.Pros: Solid stadium, junior numbers and lack of competition in one of Australias richest, if smaller, cities.Cons: FFA isnt keen. David Gallop pointedly rebuked the citys A-League aspirations around the time it hosted an A-League qualifer last year.* South MelbourneStatus: Ready to go, so they say. The powerhouse NSL club has been working to join the A-League since the day it was overlooked for the league and will mount a solid case.Pros: History and the chance to heal the ongoing rift between new football and old soccer. A solid stadium deal and long-term lease. History of success.Cons: Does Melbourne need another team with Citys attendances so low? Would Victory fight their admission?* GeelongStatus: Interested groups are getting organised but a Geelong bid is still in the embryonic stages.Pros: Theres room in Victoria for another team, and state and local government are likely to offer support. Geelong is a sports town with a record of producing Socceroos.Cons: Simonds Stadium might have narrow boundaries but its ultimately not a venue suitable for football. Questions over support base.* Brisbane StrikersStatus: The former NSL champions have assembled a bid team, headed by the colourful Miron Bleiberg, and will soon submit a formal bid to FFA.Pros: A strong brand, an existing structure, a successful academy and a ready-made rivalry with Brisbane Roar.Cons: Venue. If the Strikers cant find somewhere to play other than Suncorp Stadium, theyll struggle for a point of difference with the Roar.* South SydneyStatus: They were nearly ready to replace Wellington Phoenix last season, and the murmurs are continuing that FFA wants a third team in Sydney.Pros: Sydneys big enough for three teams, right? FFAs number crunchers have determined the south is an untapped market, with a big participation base.Cons: Sydney FC are dead against it, as one third of their members come from the shire, while Wollongong wants a standalone team.* WollongongStatus: The Wolves say they will have a look at FFAs expansion criteria once its released, but they could have some high-powered backers lined up.Pros: The Illawarra, a bit like the Hunter, is a true football region. WIN Stadium would be perfect.Cons: Forces outside of their control seem to prefer a southern Sydney team, based part-time in Wollongong.* AdelaideStatus: Adelaide City and West Adelaide, two former NSL stalwarts, have made noises about an A-League bid.Pros: Both are historic clubs who figure the Reds could do with a derby rival. Wests want Robbie Fowler as their inaugural coach.Cons: Does little old Adelaide really have room for two teams? Whos not supporting Adelaide United in SA?* PerthStatus: Football West is aiming for a second Perth team in the next three to five years in an audacious bid to turbo-charge the game in WA.Pros: Perths a growing city and numbers would suggest not everyone is on board with the Glory, for whatever reason.Cons: The Glory are just getting settled off-field and a rival team would chew into their market at an inopportune time.* Not happeningNorth Queensland: The Northern Fury say they wont be ready for this round of expansion, and the Hong Kong casino mogul backers of Cairns-based FNQ Heat have seemingly moved on.Gold Coast: There is a desire from some parties to revive Gold Coasts A-League presence but no action at this stage. Maybe one day. .C. at the helm of the top team in the Eastern Conference. His tenure as the GM in Vancouver was all too brief. Though he led the Canucks to what was then a franchise record-shattering campaign in just his second season, Nonis was gone and replaced one year later. . That gave fans outside Joe Louis Arena another chance to ask for autographs from the 19-year-old whose stardom in the NHL has arrived earlier than most expected. .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. Everton manager Roberto Martinez says that keeping Baines at the club is a "massive boost and exciting for the future" because he brings "maturity and football knowledge in a very specialized position on the pitch" and an "infectious and positive influence to the rest of the squad. . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. CHICAGO -- Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman is in the right city to find a good steakhouse. His manager owes him a dinner after Chapman performed a rare feat Thursday night.The lefty threw three pitches, getting three outs in the ninth inning of Thursdays 4-3, 11-inning win over the St. Louis Cardinals.?Chapman was the fifth MLB pitcher to throw a three-pitch inning this season.When youre in the minor leagues, you actually give a pitcher a steak dinner for a four-pitch inning, Joe Maddon explained after the game. He got it in three, so I have to make it a really good steak dinner.Jedd Gyorko hit a line drive on pitch No.1 right to third baseman Javier Baez for out No.dddddddddddd1. Greg Garcia did the same exact thing on pitch No. 2.Then pinch-hitter Tommy Pham grounded to second baseman Ben Zobrist on pitch No.3 from Chapman, completing his quick night of work. Maddon told his pitcher about his steak dinner as he came off the field.He didnt know what I was talking about, Maddon said, smiling. I tried to have [Miguel] Montero understand that.Maddon didnt state if there was a limit on ounces for Chapmans steak.Information from ESPN Stats & Information was used in this report. ' ' '
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