04/24/24
Archives for July 2011
July 31, 2011
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments
July 30, 2011
World Cup 2014 Qualifying Draw: Pre-qualifying has already commenced, but the qualifying groups and formats in each confederation have now been determined.
posted by owlhouse to soccer at 11:53 PM - 9 comments
Adam Dunn Having Worst Hitting Season Since 1909: Chicago White Sox designated hitter Adam Dunn is on pace for the lowest single-season batting average by any player qualified for a batting title in a century. Bill Bergen hit .139 as a starter for the 1909 Brooklyn Superbas. Dunn's hitting .165. "For sabermetricians, Dunn is the prototype of the 'three true outcomes' hitter, so named because walks, home runs and strikeouts are the only outcomes over which the opposing defense has no control," writes Neil Paine in the New York Times.
posted by rcade to baseball at 03:02 PM - 4 comments
Bucs Sign Punter to $19.5 Million Deal: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed former Atlanta Falcons punter Mike Koenen to the largest contract ever given to a player at the position. Koenen, who also is a kickoff specialist, has a $19.5 million, six-year deal with $6.5 million guaranteed.
posted by rcade to football at 02:23 PM - 11 comments
Boise State Can't Go All-Blue at Home: When it moved to the Mountain West Conference, Boise State had to agree to stop wearing all-blue uniforms in home games on its infamous blue turf. Opposing coaches complain that it makes Broncos players blend in with the field, especially on tape. "I think they ought to get rid of that blue turf. I think it's unfair," San Diego State coach Rocky Long complained in a conference call with reporters. "It takes the visiting team a quarter or two to get used to that different field." Boise State has won 32 straight at home and hasn't lost a conference home game since 1998.
posted by rcade to football at 01:16 PM - 3 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments
July 29, 2011
Nnamdi Asomugha Signs with Philadelphia: The Philadelphia Eagles have reached a five-year deal with former Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, described often as the NFL's best cover corner. The deal is reportedly for $60 million, with $25 million guaranteed.
posted by rcade to football at 08:24 PM - 11 comments
US Hires Juergen Klinsmann to Coach Men's Soccer Team: German soccer legend Juergen Klinsmann has been hired to coach the U.S. men's soccer team, replacing Bob Bradley. Klinsmann, the third-highest scorer in Germany national team history, married an American and has lived in the U.S. for years. He coached Germany's 2006 World Cup team, which reached the semi-finals. His last head coaching gig was at Bayern Munich in 2009, where they reached the Champions League quarterfinals.
posted by rcade to soccer at 12:39 PM - 10 comments
Plane Crash Killed Sports Collector, Million-Dollar Memorabilia Hoard: In February 2009, a commuter plane crashed on approach to Buffalo and killed 49 people on board and a man in a house struck by the plane. The man, 61-year-old Doug Wielinski, had a "world-class" collection of sports memorabilia that could've been worth $1 million, much of which was destroyed by the crash. His widow Karen is telling the story of the Vietnam veteran, father of four daughters and sports collector -- who was assembling a 1933 Buffalo Bisons puzzle the moment he died. "They're worth $500 or $600 apiece, if you can find them, but they're impossible to find," said his best friend, Jim Maciejewski. "I've been collecting, what, 55 years now, and I had one. Doug was exuberant on the phone: 'Macie, I found the Bisons puzzles.' That was the last time we talked."
posted by rcade to general at 11:58 AM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 15 comments
The 'Fat Toad' Hideki Irabu found dead of apparent suicide: Terrible for the guy. Robert Whiting wrote a great book about Ichiro and touches on Irabu's troubles. Irabu had an American GI father whom he never knew, and stated that his motivation for pitching in the US was so that his dad could see him on TV.
posted by mikemacman to baseball at 12:02 AM - 3 comments
July 28, 2011
Chad Ochocinco Traded to Patriots: Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has been traded from Cincinnati to New England for draft picks in 2012 and 2013, ESPN is reporting. Ochocinco had to restructure his three-year deal to make the trade happen. Ochocinco's a 10-year veteran with six Pro Bowl seasons who had a dropoff in 2010, catching 67 passes for 831 yards and four touchdowns.
posted by rcade to football at 06:16 PM - 12 comments
Kimbo Slice’s son is a rising high school football prospect in Florida: Kevin Ferguson always wanted to be an All-American linebacker for the University of Miami. It didn't work out for the man better known as Kimbo Slice, but he may have a second lease on life with his son Kevin Ferguson II.
McIlroy to BBC Commentator: Shut Up, You 'Failed Golfer': After Rory McIlroy played three-over on the back nine to finish at 70 in the Irish Open first round, BBC golf commentator Jay Townsend said on Twitter that McIlroy's course management was "some of the worst I have ever seen beyond under-10's boys golf competition." McIlroy's response, also over the service: "shut up.... You're a commentator and a failed golfer, your opinion means nothing!"
posted by rcade to golf at 01:16 PM - 6 comments
Summing up the Colby Rasmus trade: What the experts are saying about Alex Anthopolous's latest deal. Six-word summary: "He got Rasmus for THAT price?"
posted by DrJohnEvans to baseball at 11:06 AM - 8 comments
Washington Trades Haynesworth to Patriots: A day after trading Donovan McNabb to Minnesota, Washington dealt Albert Haynesworth to New England for a 2013 fifth round pick. "In instances like this, Belichick more often than not knows what he's bringing on," writes Eric Wilbur. "But this ... this is the Great Wall of China of attitude reclamation projects."
posted by yerfatma to football at 10:30 AM - 22 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments
July 27, 2011
Angels' Ervin Santana Throws Wild No-Hitter: After letting a run score on a wild pitch in the first inning, Ervin Santana threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians Wednesday afternoon in a 3-1 victory. It's the first complete game no-hitter for the Angels since Mike Witt's perfect game against the Texas Rangers in 1984.
posted by rcade to baseball at 03:05 PM - 2 comments
U.S. Olympian Skier Commits Suicide: Jeret "Speedy" Peterson, who won a silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in freestyle skiing, was found dead in a remote Utah canyon after committing suicide. Peterson, 29, was cited for drunken driving Friday in Idaho. He battled alcohol and depression and was troubled by being sexually abused as a child. When he won his medal, Peterson said, "I know that a lot of people go through a lot of things in their life, and I just want them to realize they can overcome anything. There's light at the end of the tunnel and mine was silver and I love it."
posted by rcade to Olympic at 02:28 PM - 3 comments
Roger Maris's Misunderstood Quest to Break the Home Run Record:
Fifty summers ago, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle were chasing Babe Ruth's record of 60 home runs in a single season, and the country was enthralled...And perhaps because of the intense interest in the season, numerous misconceptions have grown up around the race to 61.
posted by kirkaracha to baseball at 11:10 AM - 2 comments
The Bengals refuse to trade Carson Palmer: the disenfranchised QB has threatened to retire unless he is traded away from the Bengals. Mike Brown, Bengals president and owner refuses to trade Palmer on "principle" and had the following to say about the situation- “Carson signed a contract. He made a commitment. He gave his word,” Brown said. “We relied on his word. We relied on his commitment. We expected him to perform here. He’s going to walk away from his commitment. We aren’t going to reward him for doing it.”
posted by insomnyuk to football at 10:22 AM - 13 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 17 comments
July 26, 2011
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 5: Comebacks, comebacks, comebacks! Last week was full of them, and you'd better hope that this week follows suit if you hope to compete. Come on back and make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 11:39 PM - 14 comments
NFL Back in Business: The deal reached Monday between the NFL players and management starts the most frenzied preseason in league history. Rookies can sign contracts today, training camps open for 10 teams Wednesday, other free agents can sign Friday and the first preseason games kick off Aug. 11. "Depending on which side you're on, then, it's either ironic or terrifying that this year's group of free agents is pretty bad," writes Grantland's Bill Barnwell in a free agency primer. He calls Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha the only "can't-miss" among them and "arguably the best player at any position in football over the past four seasons." At a news conference yesterday, Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday hugged New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft, whose wife, Myra, died last week of cancer. "A special thanks to Myra Kraft, who even in her weakest moment allowed Mr. Kraft to come and fight this out," Saturday said. "Without him, this deal does not get done. ... He's a man who helped us save football."
posted by rcade to football at 11:47 AM - 12 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments
July 25, 2011
Nascar Pastor Gives Sponsor-Packed Invocation: Pastor Joe Nelms delivered the invocation prayer before Saturday's Nationwide Nascar race in Nashville, thanking God for "GM Performance Technology," "Sunoco racing fuel" and many other things. "I don't want to do the cookie-cutter prayer," he said later.
posted by rcade to auto racing at 04:53 PM - 12 comments
Man City Pulls Striker When Backheel Backfires: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini pulled striker Mario Balotelli from a preseason friendly against the L.A. Galaxy Sunday for trying a showboating backheel shot that missed feebly and sparked accusations of "disrespect" from the ESPN announcing crew. Writers for the Guardian and Telegraph were more appreciative. Asks Rory Smith, "If a player can be hauled off by his own manager for a bit of trickery -- and, because this cannot be stressed enough, a bit of trickery in an entirely meaningless game -- what's next? A booking for a back heel? A straight red for a nutmeg?"
posted by yerfatma to soccer at 11:08 AM - 16 comments
How do you know that the NFL is back?: The Brett Favre rumors start anew.
posted by NoMich to football at 09:37 AM - 10 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments
July 24, 2011
Mariners Lose 15th-Straight Game: The Seattle Mariners have lost every game since July 6, a 15-game streak that set a franchise record. It's the worst losing streak in the majors since the Kansas City Royals lost 19 in a row in 2005. Next up: Three games in New York against the Yankees.
posted by rcade to baseball at 06:04 PM - 5 comments
FIFA Bans Top Official for Bribery: Mohamed bin Hammam has been banned for life by FIFA, months after the Qatari official helped secure soccer's 2022 World Cup for his country. Accused of paying bribes to unseat FIFA President Sepp Blatter, bin Hammam's the highest level official ever banned for corruption by the group in its 107-year history. When bin Hammam visited officials of the Caribbean Football Union, they were given envelopes stuffed with $40,000 in four piles of $100 bills in another room. A former employee of Qatar's World Cup bid claims that $1.5 million was paid to two officials to get them to choose the country.
posted by rcade to soccer at 12:51 PM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 15 comments
July 23, 2011
Cadel Evans Takes Yellow Jersey: In the next-to-last stage of the Tour de France, Australian Cadel Evans seized the yellow jersey by overcoming a 57-second deficit to Andy Schleck of Luxembourg and a four-second gap to his brother, Frank. Evans, a two-time runner up, is all-but-guaranteed to win because the final stage is largely ceremonial.
posted by rcade to other at 03:36 PM - 3 comments
NFL Player Accused of Drugging, Impregnating Woman: Denver Broncos cornerback Perrish Cox has been charged with allegedly drugging and having sex with a woman who didn't know sex had occurred until she discovered later that she was pregnant. DNA tests confirm Cox is the father. Cox, a fifth round pick in 2010, has played one season with the team. "My client suffered a sexual assault by Perrish Cox," said her attorney, Craig Silverman,. "For her, this is an intensely painful, personal and private matter."
posted by rcade to football at 01:43 PM - 7 comments
July 22, 2011
Former NFL Player Accused of Molesting Coach's Daughter: Former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Nate Webster has been arrested for allegedly having sex with the 15-year-old daughter of a Bengals assistant coach and threatening to kill her and her family if she told anyone. Webster played nine NFL seasons, also for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos. "It was two years of this violent abuse," prosecutor Megan Shanahan said. "She was tired of being robbed of her youth."
posted by rcade to football at 02:02 PM - 20 comments
Meet the Michael Jordan of Bulls: One of the top athletes in the world at the moment is a 1,600-pound bull. Since October 2009, no pro bull rider has ridden Bushwacker for even eight seconds, the minimum needed to earn a score. The average is 2.97. The bull tops the rankings. "When the gate opens he just explodes," said Shorty Gorham. If you can spare nine seconds, watch videos #1, #2, #3 to see him in action.
posted by rcade to other at 01:11 PM - 10 comments
Steve Spurrier arrested?: Earlier this spring, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier was led away in handcuffs to make a point.
posted by Demophon to football at 09:10 AM - 6 comments
New Suspects Arrested in Giants Fan Attack: Los Angeles police have arrested two new suspects in connection to the beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium on Opening Day, announcing that they no longer believe gang member Giovanni Ramirez, 31, committed the crime. Stow remains hospitalized and recently underwent emergency surgery after a setback.
posted by rcade to baseball at 08:32 AM - 3 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments
July 21, 2011
Pouting Kid Scores Free Baseball: A kid furiously pouted after losing a foul ball to an adult at the San Francisco Giants game Tuesday night, delighting TV announcers Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper. The decision to give the kid a free baseball has become a hot-button issue. "Did he deserve to get a handout from the Giants after his spoiled-brat reaction?" asks the San Francisco Chronicle, drawing more than 360 comments.
posted by rcade to baseball at 09:21 AM - 36 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments
July 20, 2011
Ex-NFL players file suit against league for allegedly hiding effects of concussions: Seventy-five players have filed suit against the NFL, saying the league hid its knowledge of the damage of concussions and repetitive hits to the head. The group reportedly includes former Pro Bowlers Rodney Hampton of the New York Giants and Mark Duper of the Miami Dolphins, along with former Super Bowl MVP Ottis Anderson.
posted by wfrazerjr to football at 10:40 PM - 2 comments
Woods and Williams part ways: After 12 years and 13 majors, Tiger Woods has let caddie Steve Williams go. Williams expressed "shock" on his web site and will now continue full-time with Adam Scott. Woods has not yet named a replacement.
posted by wfrazerjr to golf at 06:09 PM - 25 comments
"The Best Team I Ever Covered": Sports Illustrated has been asking writers & retired writers about the best teams they ever covered.
posted by yerfatma to culture at 05:42 PM - 8 comments
Olympic Blade Runner: Oscar Pistorius has qualified for both the Track and Field World Championships and Olympics in the 400 metre sprints, with a time of 45.07 seconds. Pistorius, who had his legs amputated below the knees at 11 months of age, races on prosthetic carbon fibre "blades". A 2008 court decision ruled his prosthetics did not give him a competitive advantage and made him eligible for the Beijing Olympics, but he was unable to make the qualifying time for those games. It now appears he will be automatically selected for the South African team sent to the 2012 London Olympics.
posted by rumple to olympics at 01:31 PM - 4 comments
Dave Duerson And The Brain Bank: Before the former American football player Dave Duerson killed himself, he asked that his brain be left to researchers studying head injuries among athletes. What it revealed shocked the scientists.
posted by Mr Bismarck to football at 08:26 AM - 8 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments
July 19, 2011
Deal Near to End NFL Lockout: Negotiators for the NFL and players are working on the final details of a multiyear labor agreement, Bloomberg reported Tuesday afternoon. The deal would give players 48 percent of the league’s projected $9.3 billion in revenue and cap payrolls at $120 million a team in 2011 -- down from $128 million in 2009. There's also a pay scale for rookies and free-agency for most veterans after four years. The Green Bay Packers have told players to be ready to show up Saturday, several team sources told the media.
posted by rcade to football at 05:25 PM - 2 comments
Got Stamkos? : All the talk – of an offer sheet, of a possible trade to the Philadelphia Flyers – all of that went up into the ether, when the Tampa Bay Lightning came to terms on a new 5-year contract with restricted free agent Steven Stamkos, one of the rising stars in the NHL. Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman had insisted all along that the 2 sides would find a way to forge an agreement, mainly because Stamkos wanted to stay in Tampa and Tampa wanted him as part of their young nucleus going forward.
posted by tommytrump to hockey at 05:10 PM - 3 comments
Boy involved in Lamar Odom’s car accident dies: By now you've no doubt heard of the SUV crash from last Thursday that saw a car service hired by Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom crash into a motorcyclist in downtown New York City. Odom wasn't driving, but it was his hired truck that crashed into a motorcyclist, which then crashed into a 15-year old boy. It turns out that the boy, a pedestrian, has died from the injuries sustained in the crash.
posted by BornIcon to basketball at 02:22 PM - 0 comments
Pittsburgh Pirates, First Place Appear in Same Sentence: The Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place in the NL Central, the latest they've been alone on top since the 1992 team won the division and reached the NLCS with Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke in the outfield and Doug Drabek and Tim Wakefield pitching. The Pirates have gone 18 years without a winning season, the longest drought in the big four U.S. pro sports. "We have home-field advantage now, too," said Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan, referring to the World Series.
posted by rcade to baseball at 01:41 PM - 4 comments
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 4: Ah, Week 4! Winners begin to separate themselves from losers, starters begin to separate themselves from reserves, and shoulders begin to separate themselves from each other. Wrap that ankle tight and make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 12:39 PM - 17 comments
Motorcross Racer May Be Indestructible: Australian motorcross racer Chad Reed flew more than 40 feet off a hill during the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Minnesota this weekend, then unbelievably got up, picked his bike up and continued racing. "I'm just happy to still be here," Reed said.
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments
July 18, 2011
Former NFL running back charged with stealing gas: Former Philadelphia Eagles running back Reno Mahe surrendered to authorities this week to face a criminal theft charge in Utah. Mahe and four others are charged in Utah’s 3rd District Court with stealing more than $15,000 in gasoline in 2010 from a construction company in a Salt Lake City suburb, according to court documents.
posted by BornIcon to football at 02:40 PM - 0 comments
Joe Sakic Earns $1 Million Playing Golf: Retired Colorado Avalanche player Joe Sakic sank a hole-in-one Sunday at the 17th hole of the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship, earning a special $1 million prize for the feat. "That's a shot you never imagine hitting," said Sakic. "I've never even been close before." Video.
posted by rcade to golf at 12:00 PM - 2 comments
Rangers Win 11th Straight Game: The Texas Rangers have won their 11th straight game, a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners Sunday that puts the Rangers four games up in the AL West. Rangers pitchers have a 2.09 ERA over that span and have held opponents to a .194 batting average.
posted by rcade to baseball at 08:16 AM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments
July 17, 2011
Thierry Henry is High on Grass: New York Red Bulls star Thierry Henry is not happy that some MLS teams continue to play on turf. In an interview where he groused about several subjects (including interviews), Henry said, "Turf is one of the most severe things I’ve seen for us to play on. "And the one in Seattle, I don't know if you can call it turf. It's not turf any more."
posted by rcade to soccer at 07:32 PM - 3 comments
Japan Wins World Cup Over U.S.: After going ahead 2-1 in extra time, the United States gave up a tying goal to Japan in the waning minutes and lost the World Cup 3-1 on penalty kicks. Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach scored the goals for the U.S., but the Americans couldn't hold off Japan from two comeback goals scored by Aya Miyama and Homare Sawa.
posted by rcade to soccer at 01:57 PM - 37 comments
Darren Clarke Wins British Open: Darren Clarke won the British Open by three strokes Sunday over Americans Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson. Clarke, 42, wins the second consecutive major for Northern Ireland. Holding the claret jug after his victory, Clarke made a tearful reference to his wife Heather who died in 2006 of breast cancer. "Somebody up there is watching down as well," he said.
posted by rcade to golf at 01:54 PM - 5 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
July 16, 2011
Russell Martin Accuses Blue Jays of Stealing Signs: New York Yankees catcher Russell Martin said the Toronto Blue Jays were stealing signs during their 16-7 victory over the Yankees Thursday -- and he blamed himself for letting it happen. "If they're smart enough to be able to figure it out, and use it to their advantage -- it's one of those things you don't really talk about, but it's part of baseball." Yankees manager Joe Girardi defended the practice: "If it's coming from the bullpen, or if someone's got binoculars, or if it's coming from the stands, that's out of bounds. But if it's coming from the players, that's in bounds to me."
posted by rcade to baseball at 12:24 PM - 8 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
July 15, 2011
Extreme Athlete Invents World Triathlon: In words and video, ESPN presents the story of Charlie Wittmack, an extreme sportsman who invented the World Triathlon -- swimming the English Channel; riding 9,000 miles from the spot to Calcutta, India; running 1,000 miles to Mount Everest; then climbing the mountain -- all so he could be the first person to do it. "This is the new marathon, the new Ironman. This is what people are going to strive to do," he said a year ago. "We're setting the groundwork for history." See if you think the price paid by his wife and young son is worth it.
posted by rcade to extreme at 05:00 PM - 12 comments
NFL Players Had Secret Insurance Fund: NFL players had more leverage than the owners thought. The NFL Players Association revealed Wednesday that a year ago they secured insurance to pay each player $200,000 if there were no football in 2011. This may have helped speed along a deal, which could be coming in the next 24 hours.
posted by rcade to football at 04:20 PM - 11 comments
ESPN Suspends Writer for Leach Book: ESPN has indefinitely suspended college football writer Bruce Feldman for contributing to Mike Leach's autobiography Swing Your Sword, SportsByBrooks reports. After being fired by Texas Tech following a dispute with his player Adam James, the son of ESPN analyst Craig James, Leach has sued ESPN and a public relations firm hired by Craig James for libel and slander. Though Feldman got ESPN's permission beforehand to work on the project and has not used any of his ESPN platforms to promote it, he was punished in a conference call Thursday, prompting a furious response from other sportswriters.
posted by BornIcon to general at 02:47 PM - 11 comments
July 14, 2011
Clemens trial ends abuptly: The judge presiding over Roger Clemens' perjury trial declared a mistrial over inadmissible evidence shown to jurors. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said Clemens could not be assured a fair trial after prosecutors showed jurors evidence against his orders in the second day of testimony.
posted by Demophon to baseball at 12:22 PM - 16 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 12 comments
July 13, 2011
James Harrison Blasts Goodell, Roethlisberger, Others: Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison calls NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell a "crook and a puppet" in a new interview with Men's Journal. "If that man was on fire and I had to piss to put him out, I wouldn’t do it. I hate him and will never respect him." He also tells teammate Ben Roethlisberger, "Stop trying to act like Peyton Manning. You ain’t that and you know it, man; you just get paid like he does," and he can't be fined because of the NFL lockout.
posted by rcade to football at 02:46 PM - 22 comments
U.S. Defeats France to Reach World Cup Final: Goals by Lauren Cheney, Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan led the U.S. past France 3-1 Wednesday in the World Cup semi-finals, putting the Americans in their first final since 1999. France had an enormous shot advantage through the first 70 minutes and were tied 1-1 on a mist-soaked evening in Germany.
posted by rcade to soccer at 10:36 AM - 11 comments
Minnesota Timberwolves Fire Kurt Rambis: The Minnesota Timberwolves have fired head coach Kurt Rambis, who led the team to a horrendous 32-132 record that ended with a 15-game losing streak. "Rambis appeared at times to be coaching on autopilot during that final 15-game losing streak," writes Tom Powers. "Management had to prod him to get off the bench and show some involvement during the games."
posted by rcade to basketball at 08:14 AM - 5 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
July 12, 2011
Michael Irvin Champions Equality: Former Dallas Cowboys great Michael Irvin appears shirtless on the cover of this month's gay men's magazine Out and discusses his passion for equality issues. The former Cowboy wide receiver known more for his hands, motor mouth, flashy clothes and cocaine use says he will support any current player who decides to come out... "If anyone comes out in those top four major sports, I will absolutely support him. ... When a guy steps up and says, 'This is who I am,' I guarantee you I'll give him 100 percent support."
posted by scully to culture at 04:24 PM - 8 comments
Female Soccer Players Do Less Diving: The New York Times has found a study that shows female soccer players simulate injuries much less often than their male counterparts. "We can say that men writhe on the ground looking like they’re injured more than women, almost twice as often," said Dr. Daryl Rosenbaum, the lead author of a study published this month in Research in Sports Medicine.
posted by rcade to soccer at 12:45 PM - 12 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 18 comments
July 11, 2011
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 3: Action starts to heat up as the humidex climbs over 35. Double digits beckon like the glisten of lights on a sweaty shoulder pad. Instead of visualizing that, just make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 11:23 PM - 17 comments
Ombudsman: Has ESPN Learned from The Decision?: One year later, media ethicist Kelly McBride asks whether ESPN has learned from The Decision, the LeBron James media event the network produced, funded and covered like news. Answer: Probably not. "If our goal was to get people to watch television, we succeeded," said Vince Doria, ESPN's senior vice president and director of news.
posted by rcade to basketball at 02:02 PM - 13 comments
NFL Labor Talks Stumble on Free Agency, Rookie Wage Scale: Amid speculation that a deal in the NFL labor dispute is imminent, several sources told AP that the biggest obstacles to a deal are a rookie wage scale and free agency for veterans. The revenue split, salary cap, offseason workouts and the length of a new collective bargaining agreement are close to being completed, sources said.
Kurt Warner: Tony Romo Can Win Super Bowl: "I believe Tony Romo's a Top-10 quarterback in this league. I believe he has all the tangibles to be able take that team to the Super Bowl. I just think they need to figure out the pieces within the organization. You look at them -- all kinds of talent -- but they haven't been able to put everything together." -- Kurt Warner
posted by rcade to football at 11:30 AM - 48 comments
July 10, 2011
Last-Second Goal Helps US Beat Brazil: Playing with 10 and seconds from a 2-1 loss, the U.S. tied the game against Brazil on an Abby Wambach header in the 122nd minute and went on to beat them 5-3 on penalties. Wambach's goal was set up by a terrific long-distance cross by Megan Rapinoe. The Americans advance to the semis of the women's World Cup and will meet France on Wednesday.
posted by rcade to soccer at 03:18 PM - 29 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
July 09, 2011
Japan Knocks Germany Out of World Cup: Losing a World Cup match for the first time since 1999, Germany was defeated 1-0 by Japan Sunday in the women's World Cup quarterfinals. Substitute Karina Maruyama scored the only goal in the 108th minute. Germany won the last two World Cups and had never been beaten by Japan.
posted by rcade to soccer at 06:56 PM - 2 comments
Derek Jeter Homers to Reach 3,000 Hits: New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter homered for his 3,000th hit Saturday, becoming the 28th major league player to reach the milestone -- and the first to do it as a Yankee. At 37 years, 13 days old, Jeter is the fourth-youngest player to reach 3,000.
posted by rcade to baseball at 03:04 PM - 14 comments
Anthony Galea’s path from treating superstars to pleading guilty : There was a time when Anthony Galea was on the front lines in the war against doping in sport. When disgraced Olympic sprinter Ben Johnson made his comeback in 1991, Dr. Galea was there as a certified doping-control officer, watching over him while he peed into a vial. He once issued a public warning to Toronto parents about the torrent of steroids flowing through high-school locker rooms. He has railed against the win-at-all-costs attitude ruining sport, saying “that’s why there is an increasing use of drugs to enhance performance.” Yet this week, Dr. Galea stood before a U.S. District Court judge and uttered “guilty” to the charge that he repeatedly carried misbranded drugs across the U.S.-Canada border, and admitted in an agreed statement of facts that he smuggled restricted drugs, including human growth hormone, to professional football and baseball players. Now the 51-year-old father of seven could go to prison after acknowledging that he crisscrossed the United States, met athletes in their homes and in hotel rooms, and practised medicine without an American licence. It has threatened to ruin his career, the end of a remarkable arc that saw him go from a Toronto strip mall to the Toronto Argonauts clubhouse to making house calls for golfer Tiger Woods, former NFL rushing leader Jamal Lewis and baseball slugger Alex Rodriguez.
posted by tommytrump to culture at 09:48 AM - 0 comments
July 08, 2011
Ohio State vacates 2010 football wins, Sugar Bowl: Responding to the NCAA's investigation of a memorabilia-for-cash scandal that cost former coach Jim Tressel his job and led to star quarterback Terrelle Pryor leaving school, the university also said Friday it is waiving a $250,000 fine imposed on Tressel and changing his resignation to a retirement. The move contradicts a comment university President Gordon Gee made last month when he said Tressel "will pay the fine."
posted by billsaysthis to football at 04:18 PM - 11 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments
Fan Dies After Josh Hamilton Tosses Him Baseball: A fan attending the Texas Rangers game Thursday night died after Josh Hamilton tossed a foul ball to him in the second inning. Shannon Stone, a Brownwood, Texas, firefighter attending the game with his young son, was along the left field outfield wall and fell through an opening behind the outfield fence. Video footage from the Oakland A's broadcast shows the accident.
posted by graymatters to baseball at 02:40 AM - 17 comments
July 07, 2011
Hall of Fame Tight End John Mackey Dies: Pro Football Hall of Famer John Mackey, who revolutionized the role of the tight end, has died after suffering from dementia in recent years. He was 69. Mackey teamed with quarterback Johnny Unitas to lead the Baltimore Colts to two Super Bowls. "Previous to John, tight ends were big strong guys like Ditka and Kramer who would block and catch short passes over the middle," former Colts coach Don Shula said in a past interview. "Mackey gave us a tight end who weighed 230, ran a 4.6 and could catch the bomb. It was a weapon other teams didn't have."
posted by rcade to football at 02:38 PM - 3 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments
July 06, 2011
Why The Mets Still Owe Bobby Bonilla $30 Million: A pre-Bernie Madoff scandal article about the Mets' annual payments to Bobby Bo. Wilpon thought the Madoff train would keep paying into perpetuity.
Conservapedia: Soccer is Socialism: "The nature and rules of soccer very much resemble socialism in many ways," claims the group-edited right-wing website Conservapedia. "The 'no hands' rule can be compared to socialist tax policies. ... The game forbids frequent stops, which can be compared to 'carbon footprint' efforts to fight supposed global warming. ... The US is often treated unfairly by other nations in the game, one reason being soccer's lack of popularity in the US -- socialism always claimed to favor the absolute will of the majority rather than personal and economic freedom of the individual."
posted by rcade to soccer at 02:04 PM - 29 comments
Thomas Levet finished 2nd in the Open Championship in 2002: losing in a play-off to Ernie Els. A week ago, he wasn't even in the field for this year's Open at Royal St George's, but on Sunday he won his home (French) Open for the first time, gaining him automatic entry to next week's Open Championship. Then he jumped into the lake [YouTube] by the 18th green at Le Golf National (which will host Ryder Cup 2018) to celebrate and broke his shin, so now he can't play in the Open. What is it with Frenchmen, water hazards and missed opportunities [YouTube - WARNING: Van de Velde] at the Open Championship?!
posted by JJ to golf at 11:44 AM - 2 comments
Roger Clemens' Perjury Trial Begins: The perjury trial of Roger Clemens began Wednesday with the selection of 12 jurors. The former baseball star is charged with six counts related to lying to a congressional committee when he said under oath that he never took performance-enhancing drugs. If convicted, federal sentencing guidelines call for up to 21 months in prison. The court wants the audio of Clemens' deposition, but Congress only provided a transcript.
posted by rcade to baseball at 11:09 AM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 9 comments
July 05, 2011
How Jose Bautista Went From Baseball Vagabond To The Game's Best Slugger: Despite being one of the more cerebral players in the game, Jose Bautista's career stalled until 2010. Bad luck, as well as injuries, were to blame.
posted by reenum to baseball at 11:58 PM - 2 comments
The Ballad of Wily Mo Pena: Wily Mo Pena has legendary power, the kind that teammates and coaches talk about in the most reverential tones.
posted by reenum to baseball at 11:55 PM - 0 comments
Swing for the Fences: a review of Scorecasting: "Even if you calculate that on average away teams only ever had a 10 per cent chance of beating one of Mourinho's sides, the odds against going unbeaten for 150 matches are more than seven million to one." David Runciman reviews Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won for the London Review of Books. The article mainly focuses on home advantage and what the reviewer thinks about the authors' hypothesis regarding its cause. via MetaFilter
posted by WalterMitty to general at 06:46 AM - 1 comment
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
July 04, 2011
CFL Pick 'Em, Week 2: Excitement on the gridiron often translates into mega points for our pick 'em players. This, however, was not one of those weeks. Redeem yourself and make your picks inside.
posted by DrJohnEvans to fantasy at 11:59 AM - 15 comments
NBC Losing Rights to Wimbledon: After 43 years, the Wimbledon tennis tournament will no longer be broadcast by NBC -- and is likely to end up on ESPN. "While we would have liked to have continued our relationship, we were simply outbid," NBC said in a statement. The network had to outbid ESPN and Fox last month to keep the Olympics.
posted by rcade to tennis at 10:31 AM - 9 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 18 comments
July 03, 2011
Dayton Dragons Sell Out 815th Straight Game: The Class A minor league Dayton Dragons have set a record with their 815th straight sellout, breaking a U.S. sports attendance record set by the Portland Trail Blazers from 1977 to 1995. "When Joey [Votto] and I played there, people told me that if you never make the majors, this is as close as you will ever come,” said former player Chris Dickerson, now with the New York Yankees. "It's no surprise they’re about to break the record."
posted by rcade to baseball at 11:29 AM - 9 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 15 comments
July 02, 2011
New York Rangers ink Brad Richards to nine-year, $60-million contract : The most anticipated decision of this year’s NHL free-agent market came late Saturday morning, a day after Richards entertained pitches from several teams. The Rangers landed him with a 9-year contract for a total of $60-million. The deal, which works out to a salary-cap friendly $6.67-million per season was a surprisingly low total given the Friday’s frenzied activity on the first day of free-agent season. It appears Richards, 31, left at least some money on the table to rejoin coach John Tortorella, with whom he won a Stanley Cup in 2004 when they were both with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
posted by tommytrump to hockey at 05:23 PM - 6 comments
A mascot for our Craigslist era: The Amarillo Sox are an American Association (independent) baseball team in the panhandle of Texas. They recently commissioned a new mascot costume. The results were unsatisfactory (also on MetaFilter).
posted by NoMich to baseball at 12:44 PM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments
July 01, 2011
Michael Vick rejoins Nike : it appears that a year off is enough for Nike.
posted by dviking to football at 04:16 PM - 8 comments
NBA Lockout begins: Question: Will the 2011-12 season be cancelled?
posted by billsaysthis to basketball at 11:57 AM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 6 comments