Category: Sports

A Kiddy Shield?

usa kids.jpgYou may have noticed that whenever the players take the pitch in the World Cup, they always seem to emerge from the tunnel holding hands with innocent looking children bedecked in colorful, cheery kiddy-kits who escort their assigned player and remain with them through the playing of the respective national anthems.

So what’s up with that? I always figured it had something to do with promoting the idea of international brotherhood and goodwill, which of course is perfectly personified in the round, chubby, cherubic cheeks of little children carrying bouquets of flowers.

But then Eyegal (who always seems to see through my blindspots) came up with an interesting hypothesis: … Read the rest

The Great Equalizer

Fact: Ghana is a relatively small, west African country with a population of just over 22,000,000 (49th in the world) and a GDP of $51.8 billion (77th in the world). Yesterday, they declared a national holiday and asked that all industries cut back on power usage, thereby saving enough juice to power the nation’s TV sets so that more of its citizens could watch the USA-Ghana World Cup match.

Fact: The United States of America is the world’s premier superpower with a population of 298,217,215 (3rd in the world) and a GDP of $13.05 trillion (Number One). Yesterday, most of its citizens were not aware that their National soccer team was playing Ghana in the World Cup, and even if they did know, they didn’t care.

… Read the rest

Plan B–Anybody But Brazil

africa_worldcup_germany_2006.gifA few folks have expressed an interest in learning who I will pull for should the U.S. National Team fail to advance in this year’s World Cup.

Well, I’m glad you asked. I’ve been giving that some thought since, I regret to announce, I believe the U.S. will not defeat Ghana today and that the Italians will most likely draw vs. the Czechs (I do hope I’m proven wrong, though). After due consideration, the following list represents the top five teams I will support should the Stars and Stripes fold and go home:… Read the rest

O Say Can You See?

O say can you see,
By the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d
At the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars,
Thro’ the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watch’d,
Were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare,
The bombs bursting in air
Gave proof thro’ the night
That our flag was still there.

Playing a man down in the second half and fending off an Italian attack that in the final minutes of the match resembled a reenactment of the Battle of Fort McHenry, the Stars and Stripes did indeed survive the perilous fight which played out at Fritz-Walter Stadion in Kaiserslautern, Germany this past Saturday.… Read the rest

I Hope They Got Their Orange Slices

Kids soccer.jpgQuestion: What happens when the US brings its “best team ever” to the pitch to take on the Czech Republic on the world’s biggest soccer stage?

Answer: They hand us our “scalp.”

“Disappointed” hardly does justice to the mood of US soccer fans across the country this morning as the grizzled, Czech veterans (four starters over the age of 30) utterly dominated and dismantled the Red, White and Blue 3-0 in yesterday’s opener for both teams. For you futbol-challenged folks out there, 3-0 is the approximate equivalent of 30-0 in American football, and in this case the match wasn’t as close as the score indicated.… Read the rest

It’s a Beautiful Day for a Stomach Ache

ussoccerstore_1895_12437467.jpgDue to poor planning on my part, I’ll be working today as the United States takes on the Czech Republic in World Cup Action. Of course the DVR and computer are set to record the match, but it still won’t be the same as watching live, and I’m sure I’ll know the outcome of the match before I get off work.

Hello? What was I thinking? According to this commercial, it’s a beautiful day for a stomach ache, and as tempting as that may be, I’ll try to resist. Pray for me, please.

According to “the experts,” (the same ones that say that soccer is almost as good as…”you know”), the United States will be lucky to stay on the pitch with such Czech stars as Pavel Nedved, Jan Koller and Milan Baros.… Read the rest

Why the World Cup Matters

p1_Ronaldinho2.jpgOn this the opening day of World Cup 2006, my friend Jason Bybee at Already & Not Yet asks a pertinent question: Does anybody care?

Americans, with their provincial love of “home-grown” sports, high-scoring, slam-bam action and jiggly, twenty-something dancers in next-to-nothing outfits, for the most part have never developed a taste for the nuance and intricacy that enliven the soul of “The Beautiful Game.” Jason went on to ask, “What am I missing?”

After counting to ten and taking a short walk, I returned to my keyboard and typed this reply:

It’s an aquired taste, and when it comes to taste, most Americans don’t have very much.

… Read the rest

There They Are, Send Three!

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

—Isaiah 6:8

Shhhhh! Listen, very closely. Do you hear that sound? What sound you say? Exactly. It’s quiet…almost too quiet.

IMG_0037.JPGThe reason for the resounding silence is the lads are not in the house, having scattered to far-flung places as part of various mission teams sponsored by our church. For Number One son (the one on the left with his “intrepid explorer” face on, next to his friend Chase, the one with the Cheshire Cat grin) this means a trip to the really deep south and the hot and humid environs of Choluteca, Honduras.… Read the rest

Ole, Ole, Ole…Oh No!

field shot.JPGSeveral of us made a mad dash north on I-65 last night to Nashville to watch the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team take on the Moroccan National Team in the first of a series of “send-off” matches leading up to the World Cup in June. We were part of “history” according to the PA announcer–26,141 flag-draped, red, white and blue-painted, “USA, USA”–chanting soccer fanatics in Titan Coliseum–the largest crowd to ever watch a soccer match in the state of Tennessee. Actually that’s not quite correct since the happy throng also included about 10,000 or so red and green clad Moroccan fans who swayed and chanted to the steady beat of a well-stocked percussion section.… Read the rest

Search Me!

pat down.jpgI’m really not begging for a pat-down or anything like that. It’s just that folks who Googled a topic like “Huntsville High prank” or “Nancy Grace and Churches of Christ” are being caught up in the “rapture” and transported from my old site to Ocular Fusion 2.0.

If you’re one of those chosen ones, then rest assured that the article that you’re looking for is here. You can always use the “Search” function located at the bottom of the sidebar if need be, or just click the links above.

I’ve noticed that many are coming here looking for pictures of the Northwestern University women’s soccer team’s hazing party.… Read the rest

Grrrrrr! Lady Tigers Win State!

IMG_0321.jpgThe “thrill of victory and the agony of de feet” were everywhere apparent at this year’s 2006 Alabama State Soccer Championships this past weekend in Huntsville. Dreams were made and shattered as match after match was decided in sudden-death “golden goal” overtime or kicks from the mark. The biggest thrill was watching the Lady Tigers from Number One son’s Grissom High School take home their first blue trophy since 1999 in a thrilling 2-1 victory over arch-rival Oak Mountain. The game was dead-even at 1-1 after regulation and two hard-fought overtime periods and eventually was decided by kicks from the mark (more on that in a moment).… Read the rest

A Beautiful Day for the Beautiful Game

This morning Number Three Son and I will head over to the John Hunt Soccer Complex for the opening matches of the Alabama State Soccer Championships. Huntsville has the best soccer complex in the state and has hosted the championships since 2001. This is an annual tradition for Number Three and me. He serves as a ball boy–excuse me, ball handler–and I volunteer to be a team host. As a host I work with a couple of visiting teams just making sure that they’re comfortable, find their way around and have everything they need to compete successfully.

What’s in it for me?… Read the rest

The Great Golf Conspiracy

In a brilliant display of investigative reporting, the paper of record, The New York Times, discovered recently that the CEO of Morgan Stanley, John Mack, is maneuvering to place certain golfing buddies on the board of directors.

Coming soon: the NYT’s blockbuster report on the late Pope John Paul II’s suspected dabbling in (gasp!) Catholicism!

Obviously, the Gray Lady’s reporting of a story which is, well, so obvious, is deserving of a send-up of the highest magnitude. For that task, there’s no better person for the job than my favorite sports commentator and writer, Frank Deford. Mr. Deford is rightly concerned over this development and it’s impact on our country’s future.… Read the rest

It Was a Shell of a Game

It pains me to write it (and probably for you to read it), but the Maryland Terrapins 78-75 overtime defeat of the Duke Blue Devils in the women’s NCAA basketball final was–a “shell of a game.”

Down by 13 points in the second half, the Lady Terrapins fought their way back and tied the game with six seconds left in regulation on freshman Kristi Toliver’s tough-as-nails three pointer over the out-stretched finger tips of 6’7″ Duke center Alison Bales. They then went on to hit several crucial free throws in the overtime session to give Coach Brenda Frese her first national title as a Terrapin.… Read the rest

That’s Why They Call It a Team Sport

The Florida Gators are the 2006 NCAA mens college basketball champions after a convincing 73-57 thrashing of the UCLA Bruins. With four starters in double figures and another reserve with nine points, the Gators feasted on a little bear and demonstrated definitively that it takes a full team to run the gauntlet to an NCAA title, not one or two consensus All Americans. Congrats to Donovan and crew (I guess). I know I should be more excited about an SEC team taking home the title, but we’re talking Florida here folks. I just can’t seem to get the bad taste of Steve Spurrier out of my mouth even after all these years.… Read the rest