- 01:02 AM
- 11/22/09
No, dfleming, you got it wrong. My point is that I don't feel "pride" at anything American in particular. I'd like the USMNT football team to do well in South Africa because I follow their matches. I feel the same way about the French side. But I don't personally know anyone on either team. Why would their accomplishments have anything to do directly with me? I like Arsenal FC, but I've never seen them play in person or been the Emirates.
Sports allegiance doesn't necessarily have to do with anything rational like where you were born. End of tangent.
posted by sbacharach at 08:14 PM on November 03
Fine he was here since he was 12. I jumped (falsely - because I did not read carefully enough) to the conclusion that he had come here more recently. His talent was developed in the US. Mea Culpa. As far as taking pride in being American, I don't tend to think in those terms much at all. I pretty much consider all of us to be citizens of the world. I'm the first person decrying medal counts at the Olympics.
posted by sbacharach at 02:39 PM on November 03
I admit thinking pretty much the same thing as Mr. Rovell when I first saw how recently Keflezighi had gained citizenship. I love that he's proud to represent the country that has given him so much. But should I feel proud because he's a US citizen (as am I)? OK, I'm glad that he thinks enough of this country to make his life here rather than Eritrea, but I don't take pride as an American in his athletic achievement. Do the Polish and Croatian (and some others) countries have great pride in the naturalized Brazilians playing on their soccer teams? They're probably glad it helps the quality of their team, but they know that talent wasn't developed in their country.
posted by sbacharach at 02:12 PM on November 03
I've always felt that the Majors in both tennis and golf were already so big that having those sports in the Olympics was a waste of a spot that could go to another sport.
posted by sbacharach at 01:12 PM on October 09
When my students wear some USC or Man United gear, I occasionally give them a little grief, but it's verbal and it's minor - I would never go as far as the Sox fan. No matter how much you love "your" team, it's indefensible to take it that far. But calling for the guy's job? Well, now that's taking it too far as well.
posted by sbacharach at 10:42 PM on September 26
Terrible is so much a matter of perspective: Cal wins (though they didn't dominate), USC loses, Arsenal wins, my kid's youth soccer team wins - pretty outstanding day all around, I'd say!
posted by sbacharach at 12:15 AM on September 20
I believe the Kramer Club in Rolling Hills Estates, CA is where Sampras blossomed.
posted by sbacharach at 04:40 PM on September 15
I didn't think it was inappropriate to list his motivators since that was the genesis of his success. However, I had to shake my head when he explained how the players are so much more important than the organization. Even in an individual sport, like say tennis, it's not truly individual - you have coaches, trainers, nutritionists, marketers, promoters, ... - people who allow you to showcase your success. He thanked some of these people but made it completely clear that he thought he was the center of the universe.
posted by sbacharach at 04:14 PM on September 12
She plays with courage, poise, and joy - three qualities that are lacking in a lot of the women at Flushing Meadows.
posted by sbacharach at 10:34 PM on September 07
I'll be interested in hearing a review of the game-watching experience with this monstrosity in front of you. Technologically, it looks amazing, but do you end up with 90% of the people in the stadium staring at the screen the whole time and not at the field, and is that necessarily a bad thing? Unless there is excellent crowd atmosphere, and seats as comfortable as my couch, I think I'd skip it and stay home.
posted by sbacharach at 02:11 PM on August 30
Within a show of any kind I am able to tune out what I don't like and derive something positive from the rest. It certainly works for news broadcasts and blogs. Or one can just tune out completely - change the channel, don't listen, etc. I will admit, however, that the sensitivity of Hillsborough is not something that I can appreciate in the visceral way that others do, so perhaps it's near impossible for them to ignore such things they find so objectionable, and they feel compelled to act.
posted by sbacharach at 03:45 PM on August 25
I, for one, will miss the show. I've listened off and on for years, and the guests (managers, players, journalists) got better and better along the way. I'm sorry to see a single issue axe what was an excellent asset to the US soccer community.
posted by sbacharach at 02:21 PM on August 25
Fair enough Owl, but is it too much to ask that one or two battery hurlers get caught on video and are hauled off to the clink? For all I know that happened, but I'm skeptical.
posted by sbacharach at 11:48 PM on August 15
Somehow I don't expect FIFA or CONCACAF to impose any sanctions on the Mexican FA (or whatever it's called). Not being a sore loser or anything, but this kind of behavior gets clamped down on more quickly in Europe - having to play the next game in front of an empty stadium occasionally.
posted by sbacharach at 10:04 PM on August 15
He couldv'e bought himself out of his Galaxy contract and gone to Milan full-time. Rather, he chooses to do it halfway while saying he's fully committed. Soccer fans respect that he wants to play for his country, but the manner in which he's going about it is disrespectful and dishonest.
posted by sbacharach at 04:03 PM on July 20
Tigg - the fact that it's soccer is immaterial. Suppose Kobe Bryant buggers off to play in Italy for 50 million a year, missing half the Lakers season. Meanwhile, the Lakers struggle to the 7th seed in the playoffs and go out early because of it, all the while Kobe telling the LA fans that he is fully committed to the Lakers franchise. They'd have a right to be pissed off at the player (and yes, the management too for allowing it).
posted by sbacharach at 03:28 PM on July 20
I haven't read Grant Wahl's book, but I've heard him interviewed numerous times. It sounds like Beckham still brings a large financial windfall to the league well-justifying his price tag. Also, for good press and bad, he puts soccer back on the front page, or at least in the paper. The downside, of course, is that his attitude continues to make the MLS look like a 3rd tier league, which it is.
posted by sbacharach at 02:03 PM on July 20
Perhaps, Beckham is surprised that there are a large number of US soccer fans who know enough about the game to realize his "commitment" to the Galaxy is only words, not deeds. He shouldn't be.
posted by sbacharach at 01:43 PM on July 20
As a Lakers fan, this does not worry me. Artest can obviously be a bit wild, but Jackson will get the best out of him just like he did with Rodman.
posted by sbacharach at 10:39 PM on July 02
Jordan Farmar was excellent on Aaron Brooks when Fisher was suspended against Houston for decking Scola. Of course Phil wants playoff experience and poise, and Fisher comes with plenty, but the negatives are starting to pile up. Farmar and Shannon Brown are definitely showing they can handle the pressure.
posted by sbacharach at 10:09 PM on May 22
The Nuggets should have taken Game 1 and the Lakers should have taken Game 2. The opposite results have led to a 1-1 series, but there they are all the same. Karma, I guess.
posted by sbacharach at 01:30 PM on May 22
Chelsea has a right to gripe about penalty non-calls, but I'm delighted that Barca got through. I think the Catalans were the better team over the two legs, and the Champions League definitely doesn't need the exact same teams as last year in the final.
posted by sbacharach at 07:34 PM on May 06
rodgerd nailed it. I sky-dived and bungee jumped at age 20, and now, 18 years later, when I'm asked if I'll ever do it again, I say that if I were to survive those activities my wife would kill me anyway. Seriously, when there are people in your life depending on you, you have to be there for them, particularly if you brought them into the world.
posted by sbacharach at 10:59 PM on April 30
Sorry, dyams, but the "jokes" were the reason I was looking forward to reading this thread.
posted by sbacharach at 10:06 PM on December 06
Such a precipitous drop from League Cup Winners and knocking on the door the Champions League to utter ineptitude from bottom to top of the club. Doesn't help when you sell off Berbatov and Keane. How do you expect to score if you don't replace them with capable strikers? As an Arsenal fan, though, I do kind of enjoy this.
posted by sbacharach at 09:43 PM on October 25
Sergei Bubka used to break his pole vaulting record incrementally, though it was clear to anyone watching that he was well over the bar (and had cleared higher heights in practice). It was all about breaking the record multiple times for more paydays.
posted by sbacharach at 08:21 PM on September 17
If this was Serie A, I might be concerned about some funny business, but I expect Wigan to give it their all.
posted by sbacharach at 04:26 PM on May 08
Real Salt Lake Poised to Become Biggest Loser
Yet another reason to go to a single table format.