2012 WRC Rally Portugal Review

Mads Østberg rounding a bend in 2012 Rally Portugal. Photo via RallyDePortugal.pt.

Round four of the 2012 World Rally Championship Season, a four day gravel event based in Faro, Portugal, was held from March 29 through April 1, 2012. Rally Portugal had more than enough drama to entertain the average fan.

Citroën Total World Rally Team driver Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) was excluded, after event stewards found a couple of his car’s parts were “not in conformity". The first place result he had earned went to the next driver, Mads Østberg (Norway) of Adapta World Rally Team. Russian M-Sport Stobart Ford World Rally Team member Evgeny Novikov landed second place, while third went to Petter Solberg (Norway) with factory Ford World Rally Team. In the end, with Hirvonen out, the top three spots were held by Ford Fiesta RS WRC drivers.

I've posted a list (in chronological order) of links to some daily review posts from WRC.com, and highlights videos.


Latvala fastest on Qualifying Stage
Posted at WRC.com on March 28, 2012

...Driving a Ford World Rally Team Fiesta RS WRC, the Finn set a time of 3m01.884s on the 4.96-kilometre Vale do Judeau stage. It means he will now be able to select his starting position for Thursday’s opening runs...


Drivers miss out in Portugal
Posted at WRC.com on March 28, 2012

...Brazilian Nobre rolled his WRC Team MINI Portugal during the Qualifying Stage for ... Rally de Portugal, while “contractual” issues have prevented Norwegian Solberg from taking part in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC...


Matton confirms Loeb exit
Posted at WRC.com on March 29, 2012

Citroen team principal Yves Matton has confirmed that Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena have retired from ... Rally de Portugal following their crash on the third stage of round four of the FIA World Rally Championship...


Thursday wrap: Latvala leads after dramatic start
Posted at WRC.com on March 29, 2012

Round four of the FIA World Rally Championship ... has got off to a dramatic start with eight-time world champion Sebastien Loeb crashing out and five seconds covering the top three after four stages of ... Rally de Portugal...


Friday midday wrap: High drama as Hirvonen leads
Posted at WRC.com on March 30, 2012

Mikko Hirvonen leads ... Rally de Portugal after Friday's opening three stages as fog, mud and rain combined to make driving conditions treacherous and transform the leaderboard on round of the FIA World Rally Championship...


Safety comes first in Portugal
Posted at WRC.com on March 30, 2012

Vodafone Rally de Portugal organisers have explained the reasons behind their decision to cancel Friday's three closing stages...


WRC 2012 | Vodafone Rally de Portugal_Day 1 and 2 Highlights
Uploaded to YouTube by sergioafonso21WRC

Saturday wrap: Hirvonen on course in Portugal
Posted at WRC.com on March 31, 2012

Mikko Hirvonen is six stages and 115.08 competitive kilometres away from his first victory in the FIA World Rally Championship ... for the factory Citroen team after he completed the penultimate day of the event leading by more than one minute...


WRC 2012 | Vodafone Rally de Portugal_Day 3 Highlights
Uploaded to YouTube by sergioafonso21WRC

BREAKING NEWS: Portugal joy for Hirvonen
Posted at WRC.com on April 1, 2012

Mikko Hirvonen has moved to the top of the FIA World Rally Championship ... after winning the fourth event of the season, ... Rally de Portugal...


Sunday wrap: Hirvonen lands first Citroen win
Posted at WRC.com on April 1, 2012

Mikko Hirvonen has claimed his first victory in the FIA World Rally Championship ... driving for Citroen following a faultless performance on ... Rally de Portugal, which ended in the Algarve region of the country this afternoon...


WRC 2012 | Vodafone Rally de Portugal_Day 4 Highlights
Uploaded to YouTube by sergioafonso21WRC

Hirvonen exclusion hands Portugal victory to Ostberg
Posted at WRC.com on April 1, 2012

Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen have been excluded from the results of ... Rally de Portugal, round four of the FIA World Rally Championship ..., elevating Mads Ostberg and Jonas Andersson to their maiden WRC wins...

Today's Tune: "I've Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)" By Saxon

The Washington Capitals are back in Boston, Massachusetts tonight, for Game 7 against the Boston Bruins. It's the last game of their quarterfinal playoff series, and if they don't come out with a win, their last game in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs (NHL).

Today, Junior's Eyes offers another Hockey Music anthem type piece for this 'Today's Tune'. The Capitals are really going to have to rock against the Bruins, who won the cup last year, to continue into the next round of the playoffs. Therefore, I chose a fitting song from the British heavy metal band Saxon. "I've Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)" (Lyrics) comes from their 2007 album 'The Inner Sanctum'.

Band members at the time (and currently) of this recording were: Biff Byford (lead vocals), Paul Quinn (guitar), Nigel Glockler (drums, keyboards), Nibbs Carter (bass) and Doug Scarratt (guitar). Additional musicians on the studio album and single versions are Lemmy Kilmister (Hawkwind, Motörhead), Angry Anderson (Rose Tattoo) and Andi Deris (Helloween).

Saxon with Lemmy Kilmister, Angry Anderson and Andi Deris
"I've Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)" (2007)



Saxon - "I've Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)" Wacken Fest. 2007 DVD



Saxon - "I've Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)" Montreux Jazz Fest. 2008

Today's Tune: "We Can't Be Beaten" By Rose Tattoo

Today, shortly after 3:00 PM EDT, the Washington Capitals are at home facing the Boston Bruins in Game 6 of their Stanley Cup quarterfinal playoff series. Junior's Eyes continues with the Hockey Music theme for this 'Today's Tune'.

My track selection today has to do with the attitude the Capitals need to bring and the confidence they need to show in today's game. There is no sense in prolonging this series with the Bruins. It's time to move on. For this to happen, Washington has to believe they will win, with no doubt.

To reflect this feeling, I've picked a great tune by Australia's bluesy hard rock band, Rose Tattoo. Think it, believe it, shout it and sing it - "We Can't Be Beaten"!

Rose Tattoo - "We Can't Be Beaten" Live March 2001

Link For 1982 Studio Version / Music Video

If you want to be in my gang, stand up with me
We'll start a revolution and make the streets free
We'll never weaken, we'll give it our best
Can't be defeated, we're better than the rest

Shoulder to shoulder, we're gonna stand
We're gonna fight 'til the very last man
Can't be defeated, don't know the word
Shoulder to shoulder, we'll fight the world

We can't be beaten
What do we tell 'em, boys
We can't be beaten

There comes a time when every man must fight
When he believes in justice and right
He'll take so much 'til he'll take no more
They'll hear us comin', when they hear the mighty roar

Shoulder to shoulder, we're gonna stand
We're gonna fight 'til the very last man
Can't be defeated, don't know the word
Shoulder to shoulder, we'll fight the world

We can't be beaten
Let me hear ya
We can't be beaten
Sing it out loud
We can't be beaten
We'll tell the world
We can't be beaten

Now listen, everybody out there that really cares
We can't be beaten
You gotta realise that you're the real power
We can't be beaten
We can rule the streets
We can't be beaten
It's just up to you and me
We can't be beaten

Can't be defeated, don't know the word
Shoulder to shoulder, we'll fight the world

'Cause, we can't be beaten
Hey-hey, we can't be beaten
You've gotta believe it
We can't be beaten
They'll soon find out
We can't be beaten
No, we can't be beaten
We can't be beaten
When they hear our voice
We can't be beaten
They'll hear us comin'
We can't be beaten
We've got the cause to fight
We can't be beaten

Today's Tune: "Back In Business" By AC/DC

There are a couple reasons for the 'Today's Tune' song selection posted on Junior's Eyes today. They both have to do with my favorite NHL hockey team, the Washington Capitals.

After falling behind the Boston Bruins 2 - 1 in the first round of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Capitals evened up the series (2-2) by winning Game 4 on Thursday. They did this without their number one center Nicklas Backstrom, due to his one-game suspension for a crosscheck.

Everything is new, evened up, reset. The Washington Capitals play Game 5 this afternoon (3:00 PM EDT), and Backstrom is back in too.

This 1985 track, by AC/DC, really fits the situation these guys are in tonight. Nicklas Backstrom and the Capitals are definitely "Back In Business" again.

"Breaking out, about to shout
Feel the need, for one more round..."



AC/DC - "Back In Business" (1985)
YouTube Search Results List


"...Call me dirty, trash my name
Just tell the boys that I'm gonna be
Back in business again!..."

Message To Braden Holtby, Via Today's Tune: "Get It Up" By Aerosmith

I would like to send a friendly message to Braden Holtby, goaltender for the Washington Capitals. "Get It Up" is a song by Aerosmith, and it's also what you need to do with your glove, before an opponent takes a shot on your net.

Congratulations, for gaining the honor of playing goalie in the NHL's 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs. I'm very happy for you, and you're doing great. Fantastic, in fact.

However, I couldn't help but notice that on both of the game winning goals (Game 1 and Game 3) by the Boston Bruins, you didn't put your glove up until the puck was sailing by you. You actually moved it downward just before the deflected one in Game 3. The goaltending coaches have probably already pointed this out to you, but I wanted to make sure you were aware of it. You may have had a better chance at catching or blocking those shots, holding the glove up.

I'll be cheering for you tonight, and deep into the playoffs, I'm sure. You've got a great style of playing, and you are destined to have a successful NHL career.

"Get It Up" originally appeared on Aerosmith's album 'Draw The Line', released on December 1st of 1977. It was later put out as a single in 1978. The band Aerosmith are also originally from the Boston, Massachusetts area.

"...Can't give it up
Gotta get it up, get it up..."



Aerosmith - "Get It Up" Live (Very Rare)
Dec 22, 1977 at Capital Centre in Landover (Largo), MD



Aerosmith - "Get It Up" (1977)


"...Can't give it up
Gotta get it up, get it up..."

Washington Capitals Review: March 22 - 31, 2012

Matt Hendricks makes another goalie look stupid with his shootout goal moves. This time, it was Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins, on March 29, 2012.
Photo by Elsa / Getty Images via WashingtonCaps.com.

With the list of linked game reviews, highlights videos and other Washington Capitals related stories below, Junior's Eyes revisits the last ten days of March 2012.

During this segment of six games, the Capitals once again split it evenly, winning three and losing three. It was damn hard to keep the faith, with Washington floundering toward the end of the regular season at this pace. At the same time, the Eastern Conference teams closest to the Caps in the standings, were not able to widen the gap enough to put them completely out of the running for a NHL playoff spot.

The following list is in reverse chronological order.


March 31, 2012

POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Capitals 3, Canadiens 2, SO
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Two The Hard Way – It wasn’t pretty, but on Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens at Verizon Center, the Caps authored a second straight 3-2 shootout win in a game in which they once held a 2-0 lead...


Nicklas Backstrom to return against Montreal
By Katie Carrera at Washington Post's Capitals Insider

The Washington Capitals received some welcome news on Saturday as Nicklas Backstrom will be back in the lineup after missing nearly three months with a concussion...


March 30, 2012

With Tomas Vokoun injured, Michal Neuvirth and Braden Holtby
are prepared to step up for Capitals
By Katie Carrera at Washington Post's Capitals Insider

...Based on their comments to reporters on Friday, Michal Neuvirth and Braden Holtby are preparing to shoulder responsibilities in net down the stretch for Washington...


March 29, 2012

POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Capitals 3, Bruins 2, SO
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Two Goals, Two Points – Going into Thursday night’s game with the Bruins in Boston, the Capitals knew two things. First, they knew they weren’t likely to score many goals. They were facing a hot Boston club that had won five of its previous six and had allowed two or fewer tallies in each of those half-dozen games. Second, the Caps knew they needed a strong goaltending performance of their own, and that’s a corollary of the first...


Capitals Lunchbox, Season 2, Episode 18
Posted by J.P. at Japers' Rink

In which Alan May, Kellie Cowan and I talk discuss the Caps' playoff chances, identity (or lack thereof), Nicklas Backstrom and more. Dig it.

March 28, 2012

Tomas Vokoun says he’s ready to play
By Katie Carrera at Washington Post's Capitals Insider

Tomas Vokoun has been battling a groin muscle strain off and on since late February, but after several consecutive days of practice the veteran netminder has deemed himself ready to play should the Capitals’ coaching staff want to use him on Thursday in Boston...


March 27, 2012

POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Sabres 5, Capitals 1
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

...Washington was unable to help itself on Tuesday in a significantly important game against the Sabres. Buffalo mustered all the offense it would need in the first frame, scoring twice on Washington mistakes while the Caps were unable to capitalize on some strong chances of their own...


March 25, 2012

That Was The Week That Was -- Week 24 (March 18-24)
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...What was frustrating about this week is that the Caps managed the first goal in three of the four games and lost two of them (both in extra time). What was anger-inducing was that the Caps scored five goals in each of the first and second periods of the four games this week, but only one in the third period and none in overtime. Meanwhile, the four opponents scored six second period, four third period, and an overtime goal among the 13 scored against Washington this week. That is the kind of wandering focus that has plagued this team for more than three games…more like three years...


POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Capitals 3, Wild 0
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

...with time running out on the season, the Caps sitting in ninth place to start the day, and the Wild playing their second game in as many nights, Sunday’s game was one that Washington simply had to have. And the Caps got it...


March 24, 2012

Washington Capitals teammates welcome back Nicklas Backstrom
By Katie Carrera at Washington Post's Capitals Insider

When Nicklas Backstrom stepped on to the ice Saturday morning he was greeted by a round of applause and cheers from the fans in the stands at the Capitals’ practice facility...


March 23, 2012

POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Jets 4, Capitals 3, OT
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

...After forging a 3-0 second-period lead over the Jets in a key game for Eastern Conference playoff positioning, Washington gave back two of those goals in a span of just 71 seconds in the second period, then spent virtually the entire third stanza dodging bullets in their own end. The result was a stinging and stunning 4-3 overtime loss to the plucky Jets...


March 22, 2012

POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Flyers 2, Capitals 1, SO
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Missed It By That Much – Tonight’s game against the Flyers in Philly offered the Capitals a huge opportunity. The finale of a five-game road swing, it was also the rubber match of the set as the Caps came in with a 2-2 mark in the previous four games. As the game-in-hand on both seventh-place Ottawa and ninth-place Buffalo, the contest offered Washington a chance to pull to within two points of the Senators and to put two points of distance between itself and the Sabres...

2012 F1 Malaysian Grand Prix Review

Fernando Alonso in 2012 Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix. Photo via AUSmotive.com

The second race of the 2012 Formula One Season, the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix, was run on March 25, 2012. First to lap the Sepang International Circuit in Selangor, Malaysia (near Kuala Lumpur) 56 times on this rainy (51 minute delay early on) race day were Scuderia Ferrari and Spanish driver, Fernando Alonso.

Second to finish the race was Sergio Pérez (México) of Sauber Ferrari. Pérez is the first Méxican F1 driver to manage a podium result since 1971. Lewis Hamilton (England) was third to go by the checkered flag, in his McLaren Mercedes.

Nine different teams and ten drivers gained points in this race, where all but two cars finished. Although he was one of the drivers to make it all the way through, Sebastian Vettel (Germany) failed to pick up any points, for the first time in 23 races. Near the end of the race, the reigning champion shredded a tire upon colliding with another car. By the time he got back out from pitting, he had dropped from fourth to eleventh place.

Here are a batch of links (chronological order) from Formula1.com and a couple videos for reviewing this event.



Qualifying - Hamilton beats Button to Sepang pole
Posted at Formula1.com on March 24, 2012

Even McLaren had their doubts that they could beat Mercedes in qualifying in Sepang on Saturday, but an almost perfect first-run lap by Lewis Hamilton and a great second-run lap from Jenson Button secured the front row for them...


FIA post-qualifying press conference - Malaysia
Posted at Formula1.com on March 24, 2012

Drivers: 1 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), 2 - Jenson Button (McLaren), 3 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes).

Q: Lewis, a first pole for you and McLaren here in Malaysia but a continuation of the team's fine start to the season today.
Lewis Hamilton: Yeah, it's been a good weekend so far. I think it's been a tough day to be honest with the changeable weather conditions and the temperatures climbing. Made some set up changes to the car, nonetheless we still managed to do some good times...


Race - Alonso holds off stellar Perez for Sepang victory
Posted at Formula1.com on March 25, 2012

Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix was won by Ferrari's Fernando Alonso from Sauber's Sergio Perez and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, but it was a race of two halves, and how different they were!...


FIA post-race press conference - Malaysia
Posted at Formula1.com on March 25, 2012

Drivers: 1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari); 2 - Sergio Perez (Sauber); 3 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren).

Q: Fernando, Congratulations on a victory that you probably didn't expect at the start of the week but what about in the latter stages as the young Mexican was catching you?...


Malaysia analysis - Alonso keeps Ferrari in the hunt
Posted at Formula1.com on March 26, 2012

No one - Fernando Alonso included - left Sepang believing Ferrari now have a competitive car, but in tricky conditions the Spaniard's driving skills overcame the F2012's inadequacies - and all of his rivals. Closest was Sauber's Sergio Perez, the Ferrari driver academy member tipped for a future Maranello race seat, whose performance marked him out as a rising star - and ensured Felipe Massa's future with the team becomes the subject of even closer media scrutiny. We take a team-by-team look at Sunday's performances in Kuala Lumpur...

Formula 1 2012 Malaysia Highlights Race Edit (HD)
Uploaded to YouTube by FormulaOneExpert1




F1: Malaysian GP Results - 2012
Posted at SpeedTV.com

F1: Bob Varsha, David Hobbs and Steve Matchett take a look at the results from Malaysia. Fernando Alonso drives from 8th place to the front to win in Sepang.

Washington Capitals Review: March 12 - 21, 2012

Marcus Johansson keeps puck from Detroit's Ian White
during game in Detroit, Michigan on March 19, 2012.
Photo by Dave Reginek / Getty Images via WashingtonCaps.com.

Junior's Eyes goes back to the middle of March 2012 through a sampling of Washington Capitals game reviews, highlights videos and more.

Washington was in the middle of rebounding a bit in the Eastern Conference standings, at the start of this segment. Unfortunately, they faltered somewhat, with more of the 'Jekyll and Hyde' play effort inconsistency that they've been known for throughout this NHL hockey season.

In reverse chronological order, here is the review list.


March 21, 2012

Powerless
By Mike Vogel at Dump 'N Chase

...Heading into tonight’s NHL action, the Caps’ total of 221 power play opportunities this season ranks 27th in the NHL. Only Colorado (204), Dallas (215) and the New York Islanders (220) have had fewer power plays.

The Caps have been shorthanded 247 times themselves this season. Eleven teams have been shorthanded more than Washington has thus far...


March 19, 2012

POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Capitals 5, Red Wings 3
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

...A night after they flatlined their way through the first period en route to a 5-2 loss to the Blackhawks in Chicago, the Caps turned the tables on their hosts in the Motor City...


Mathieu Perreault Shows That Crashing The Net
Isn't Just For Big Guys
By Rob Parker at Japers' Rink

...Unlike their bigger-bodied brethren who get the job done with brute force, the smaller players that go to these high-traffic areas need to use guile and timing to find loose pucks in high-percentage scoring spots. After the jump, we'll take a look at how one Washington Capital - one of the smaller players in the League - has been scoring dirty goals by crashing the net...


March 18, 2012

POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Blackhawks 5, Capitals 2?
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Faulty First – By the time the Capitals recorded their first shot on goal in Sunday’s game against the Blackhawks in Chicago, their hosts already owned a 2-0 lead. The Hawks thoroughly outplayed the Caps in the game’s first 20 minutes, and while Washington has authored some thrilling comebacks of late, they haven’t done so against teams of Chicago’s caliber...


March 17, 2012

The plot thickens
By Joe Beninati (Capitals TV Play-By-Play) at CSN - Washington, DC

This will not come as a surprise to any of you, but this is going to be one crazy race in the Southeast Division and in the Eastern Conference. The Caps visited MTS Centre in Winnipeg Friday riding the confidence of a four-game win streak. Despite a gutsy effort, they would not leave victorious. When the final seconds ticked off the clock, the rabid fans in this long-forsaken, hockey-mad city sunk their teeth into a 3-2 win for the Jets which moved them to within two points of Washington on the Eastern Conference ladder...


March 16, 2012

POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Jets 3, Capitals 2
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Four-Pointer Decided in Four-on-Four – The Caps and the Winnipeg Jets hooked up in a pretty good hockey game on Friday night in Winnipeg. It wasn’t a playoff game, but it had playoff implications and both teams played it that way for the full 60 minutes...


March 14, 2012

Pep rally
By Joe Beninati (Capitals TV Play-By-Play) at CSN - Washington, DC

For the second time in as many meetings the Caps showed the Islanders they would not quit until there was a winner decided. Two weeks ago the dramatic come-from-behind win was staged in the final five minutes of regulation time. In this game Tuesday, Washington would rally back from a three-goal deficit on two different occasions, before tripping up the New Yorkers in a shootout, 5-4...


Capitals’ leaders send message, sparking rally past Islanders
By Tarik El-Bashir at Washington Post's Capitals Insider

During the second intermission of Tuesday’s 5-4 shootout win on Long Island, veterans Matt Hendricks and Mike Knuble acknowledged that more than one leader stood up to deliver a strong message to everyone in the Capitals’ dressing room...


March 13, 2012

POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Capitals 5, Islanders 4, SO
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Two The Hard Way – The Washington Capitals came out flat for the first 20-plus minutes of the first game of an important five-game road trip on Tuesday night against the New York Islanders. The Caps took minor penalties in the first minute and the last minute of the first frame, surrendering a power play goal against on the second one. Of the first two goals scored in the game by the Isles, neither was put into the net with a hockey stick, and neither touched an Islander last before entering the net...


Matt Hendricks' slick shootout winner for Caps
Posted at CSN - Washington, DC

Matt Hendricks scored in the fourth round of a shootout and Michal Neuvirth was great in OT leading the Capitals to a dramatic three-goal comeback over the Islanders.


March 12, 2012

George McPhee on Alex Ovechkin: ‘The league has adjusted to Ovi;
now it’s his turn to adjust’
Posted by Rick Maese at Washington Post's Capitals Insider

On Sunday, The Post took a closer look at how Alex Ovechkin has changed in recent years. Capitals General Manager George McPhee agreed to sit down for interview last week. He was very insightful, but we couldn't fit everything in the article. Below is a transcript with more of McPhee’s comments on his star player...