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(07/01/09 10:26pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LONDON – Murray, Murray, Murray, Murray, Murray ... is this getting old?All I’ve been hearing about for the past week has been Andy Murray. The Scottish tennis star – ranked No. 3 in the world – is Britain’s best hope for winning Wimbledon.Being in London during Wimbledon is a special experience, especially when the English have someone to support. Fred Perry was the last British man to win – in 1936.Just as baseball fans are aware of the Cubs’ search for their first World Series ring since 1908, tennis fans are reminded of the UK’s drought every summer.It’s ironic that a country that has produced the oldest tennis tournament in the world hasn’t had a champion since about the time Murray’s grandparents were born.Before Murray, the Brits rooted for Tim Henman, who never advanced to the finals before retiring in 2007.But Murray’s rise has lifted the hearts of the British, especially in June after he won the Aegon Championships at Queen’s Club. Again, he was the first Brit to win it since 1938.The possibility of Murray winning has taken over the country. Pizza Express (the British chain, not the Indiana one) has even made a pizza version of Murray. He’s been on magazine covers and dominated newspaper headlines.What’s funny to me is that Murray is Scottish, a nationality yearning to be independent from England. Just as the English have the British Museum – full of relics from other countries – their hopes rest on someone who doesn’t really belong.I can understand the British want one of their own to win their most prestigious event. But at the same time, don’t they want the best man to win? Since Rafael Nadal withdrew because of injury, Roger Federer is the highest–ranked player left in the tournament. If the final remaining two are Federer and Murray, the public will undoubtedly root for the latter.Just as in any sport, fans root for their favorite. But sometimes you need to let go of your attachment and root for the sport. It’s harder to appreciate the sport if you’re hoping the opponent will play badly. I’m not saying the British should cheer for Federer, but I hope they cheer for a good, spirited match, one that comes down to five sets and endless match points.Because despite the Pimm’s, strawberries and cream and formal attire, Wimbledon is still a game for everyone, not just those enclosed on an island.I’ll have flown home before the men’s finals Sunday. I’ll be far away from the crowded pubs as the people watch for a historic win. I won’t go into work the next morning and hear my coworkers talking about whoever wins. I won’t be handed free papers on the Tube where I can read about the results.But with my sweet tea, barbecue and hot weather, I’ll watch the match, only cheering for the game.
(06/28/09 10:15pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LONDON – I finally had a real British experience. On Sunday, I attended one of the most British – and global – events here, cricket. I’ve had experience with cricket. Last summer, I wrote a feature on cricket for the Memphis newspaper. So even though I hate baseball – the closest American analogue – I purchased tickets for a match. Five minutes after I arrived, a fan next to me asked, “You came to a cricket match and you’re not consuming alcohol? Do you want some of mine?” I laughed and said I was fine. The rest of the match was rowdy, with most fans drinking. Having been at Wimbledon on Thursday, I thought cricket would be the same. Polite, quiet, snobbish. But this wasn’t Wimbledon. This was loud, just like all the soccer games I’d heard about. If Wimbledon was a visit to a museum, cricket was a pub. One of the fans next to me, Oliver Watson of Oxford, said it best: “It’s an experience.” The two teams – the Middlesex Panthers and the Sussex Sharks – were competing in a match during an annual cricket event, the Twenty20 Cup. While Middlesex was last year’s champion, this year’s team has been “dreadful,” said one fan sitting next to me. The Panthers were in light pink, the Sharks in baby blue. Despite wearing a navy blue shirt, I cheered for both teams. The crowd mostly supported Middlesex because Sussex is near Brighton, on the coast. Lord’s Cricket Ground is the home of English cricket. The stand where I sat was dedicated by His Royal Highness Prince Phillip in 1998. This definitely wasn’t like going to a baseball game, where stadiums are dedicated by banks and Fortune 500 companies. A group of four Sussex fans sat nearby, adding color to what was already a rowdy game. They only had a few real cheers, which they repeated every few minutes, even when it seemed their team couldn’t win. One song went to the tune of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” and kept going for 10 minutes. They had changed the lyrics to “In nine years we won one trophy, we’ve won one trophy in nine years.” This progressed until they reached “nine trophies in nine years.” Another song stole the tune from “Winter Wonderland.” Another time they sang part of “Hey Jude” replacing the “Hey Jude” with “Sussex” drawn out in their drunk voices. I’ve always enjoyed attending basketball games, but I’ve never felt such a sense of camaraderie as I did at the cricket match. Cricket has a stereotype of being slow and boring. Twenty20 cricket is the fastest type of cricket, and the match lasted 3 1/2 hours. Middlesex scored 127 runs in the first half, and at the start of the second, it seemed Sussex would not be able to catch up. But as the match went on, Sussex caught fire and won 130-127 with one over (similar to an inning) remaining. This week will be my last in London. I leave for the States on Saturday – the fourth of July. Even though I’ll spend that day barbecuing, seeing my family and celebrating our independence from the country I’ve called home for two months, I’ll take a lot of memories with me. Theater performances, museum visits, city tours. But this match will be an example of how something most people assume is stale and old can be a thrilling way to spend an afternoon. Maybe I’ll even give baseball another chance.
(06/25/09 1:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While searching for sports stories for today’s column, I had a few ideas.Four Iranian soccer players were kicked off the national team for supporting political opposition candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi.Lakers coach Phil Jackson said if he continues with the Lakers, he might skip the road games. Manny Ramirez played in his first game back from a drug suspension.But a more intriguing, captivating story caught my attention.“Nowitzki says he’s healing from breakup.”What? A breakup story? I realize that the athlete in question – Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki – is a major NBA player. But still ... this is a headline that belongs on Perez Hilton’s blog, not Yahoo Sports.I also realize that Nowitzki’s ex–fiance is currently in jail and possibly carrying his child. But again, these are personal details that really don’t mix with news about Thursday’s NBA Draft.I understand that people typically care about the personal lives of celebrities. But Nowitzki isn’t Paris Hilton. He’s not Tom Brady. Unlike fellow Texas athletes Tony Parker and Tony Romo, he’s not even dating anyone famous enough to earn this amount of attention.Most celebrities seem to resent the press magnifying their heartache, but Nowitzki for some reason answered some personal questions for a German magazine.Really, Dirk? I don’t mind athletes who are honest – but really, is this necessary?News like this only gives more ammunition to commentators, fans and teammates who will wonder whether his personal life is affecting his focus. I can understand the natural reaction to talk about your personal life, but if writers covered every star who went through a breakup, we’d have as many heartbreak features as game stories.I guess I just don’t understand what Nowitzki wants. Is he looking for pity? Empathy? Relief?Can’t he just follow the simple ice cream–in–bed diet that works for most people?Nowitzki’s breakup is only mildly interesting because of who he is. But the news itself isn’t relevant. Thousands of people have more interesting breakup stories, but I have yet to see The New York Times have a headline “Woman finds boyfriend in bed with best friend” or “Man leaves fiance at altar.”I’m not downplaying Nowitzki’s heartache. Breakups are painful, but they’re also personal. We shouldn’t turn athletes into Britney Spears–like figures. I don’t care about Nowitzki’s relationships any more than I care whether his toenails have been clipped in the past week. (Ew.)So Dirk, please take time to heal, but decline the interview requests, ignore the press and dive into some ice cream.
(06/21/09 11:00pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LONDON – I came for Wimbledon.Well, not exactly. But one of the main reasons I made this journey was to see perhaps the most famous of all Grand Slams. But on Friday defending champion Rafael Nadal announced his withdrawal from Wimbledon because of a lingering knee injury. Not only was I looking forward to attending an actual match, but also I was hoping to see whether the drama of Rafael Nadal versus Roger Federer would play out again. I wanted to see if Nadal would again defeat the Scotsman Andy Murray, also known as Britain’s hope. I wanted to see Grand Slam fever take over this country as Federer, Nadal and Murray would compete as the top three seeds. I had expectations, ideas of what I wanted my Wimbledon experience to be. Sports, like life, is built on expectations. We expect No. 1 seeds to win, champions to repeat and superstars to succeed. When athletes, coaches and teams fail or surpass our expectations, it makes news. It doesn’t matter if it’s Sammy Sosa busted for performance-enhancing drugs, Tim Floyd resigning from University of Southern California or Tiger Woods (as of now) failing to win the U.S. Open. But surprises can be good. Nadal himself lost to Robin Soderling, ranked No. 25, during the French Open, a Grand Slam he has won four times. No one expected Sonderling to oust the current King of Clay, paving the way for Federer’s eventual victory at Roland Garros. And though a fifth consecutive French Open would have been amazing for Nadal and his fans, his upset was just another headline that will be forgotten next week.Upsets are called so because people expect “result A” and are so shocked when they get “result B” that they have to term it something different. But what if fans didn’t set expectations? Instead of expecting a defending champion to repeat, they should expect injuries, mental breakdowns and pure luck to defeat them. Expect nameless players to succeed, former champions to rise again and current favorites to falter. Fans can’t plan sports. They can’t choose weather conditions, pick referees or change game locations. They just have to accept these changes and prepare to have their expectations shaken. Sunday was a day that started off-plan. I had bought tickets to Greenwich to see the National Maritime Museum. But ticket confusion, station delays and time restraints prevented my trip. I was disappointed. The trip I had so carefully planned for two weeks was gone. So my friend Nick and I boarded the Tube and spent the afternoon walking around Leicester Square. We looked up our stars in an astrology bookshop, saw a salsa group on stage and ate Chinese food in Chinatown. Our expectations for the day changed, but they were good. Instead of the museum-hopping we usually do on the weekends, we walked where we wanted to, stopped in stores and didn’t look at the time. So when I go to Wimbledon this week, I’ll expect to wait a few hours for tickets. I’ll expect not to get tickets to see Murray. I’ll expect to spend more than my budget can afford. But I’ll try to be a good fan, ready for upsets.
(06/18/09 12:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LONDON – News about the election protests in Iran is impossible to avoid. Major newspapers, broadcasters and even Twitter are carrying reports daily about the fake election results. While citizens rally in the streets, one group of Iranians spoke on the field. The Iranian national soccer team, in Wednesday’s World Cup qualifying match against South Korea, wore green wristbands showing its support for Mir-Hossein Mousavi, the political opponent of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. A picture of the team ended up on Twitter, which has been a popular outlet for Mousavi-supporters. Later, news outlets reported that the team had taken off the wristbands after the first half. The game was broadcast on state television, and people standing outside the stadium showed their frustration with the questionable election results. The team’s actions were brave – many protestors have been killed or beaten in the streets. The players can’t compare to the thousands of people who have refused to accept the official election results. But they are another example of a special class of athletes who care more about their country than their win-loss record. Teams are always reflections of their country. And a team that uses a game to create a stir shows even dictators cannot silence a group of resilient people. Whether it’s the Afghan soccer team in 2002 or America’s John Carlos and Tommie Smith in 1968, athletes have frequently used stadiums to reflect their political beliefs. They have the world’s attention for a short period of time, but they can create a lasting impression. Americans have the luxury of a stable country, freedom of speech and access to the media. U.S. athletes have bodyguards to protect them from obnoxious fans, but who will protect this Iranian team when it returns to Iran from South Korea? Who will make sure the citizens of Iran get the democratic election they deserve? Who will count the votes? Tragedies remind us that sports are crucial to society, but even the most ardent fan must admit when there are more pressing issues. Though the World Cup is a major event and brings prestige to the winning nation, no victory can replace a stable government. Iran tied South Korea 1-1 in Wednesday’s match. A win would’ve clinched it a spot in the 2010 World Cup. Even so, it’ll take more than 90 minutes of running on a field of grass to get a real victory.
(06/14/09 10:15pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LONDON – Athletes are not immune from personal tragedies or professional failures. But as most of the world is forced to tighten their budgets, athletes seem to be some of the few professionals not struggling to pay the bills. Former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo signed a $131 million deal with Real Madrid on Thursday, making him the most expensive player in the world. A few days earlier, midfielder Ricardo Kaka also transferred to Real Madrid for $92 million. But while the recession is affecting teams around the world, Real Madrid is resistant. Despite published statistics earlier this month showing that English football clubs are in debt, Real Madrid is safe from high-interest loans. Back in March, several Premier League teams reduced ticket prices because of the economy. But while mid-level clubs slashed prices, Real Madrid continues to outstrip their opponents in off-the-pitch negotiations.The news that athletes are continuing to break salary records only show how distant athletes are from regular people. It is the regular people, the ones affected most, who buy new jerseys, T-shirts and tickets. They are the ones who continue to fund Real Madrid’s ability to sign these athletes. The club’s two newest stars will, in theory, generate enough revenue to pay for their salaries. The economics of the deal should work. But is it just a competition to show that their budgets are not constrained by the same ties as their English counterparts? Is it similar to the New York Yankees’ quest to sign the most talented players for the highest salaries? Is it fair for teams blessed with financial prosperity to lure and scoop up the best athletes, especially at a time when their rivals make sacrifices? As fans, we like to believe that the teams with the most savvy management and coaches produce the most championship wins. But if a club can’t afford to sign a player, can it afford to win? Real Madrid is committed to winning, and if they have the financial ability, does it matter that they set a level of pay their competitors cannot meet? Though Americans criticize the Yankees, they haven’t won a World Series since 2000. Earlier this year, the Premier League was named the most profitable in the world. But it was FC Barcelona who took away the Champions League trophy. As they say in England, money can’t buy you love – or victories.
(06/11/09 12:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LONDON – I love pregame rituals.You know how athletes listen to a certain song or wear the same wristbands before each game? Well, fans have their own traditions. Being in London now, I’ve adjusted my basketball-viewing habits to fit my schedule and keep my sanity. But I’ve kept my fanaticism intact.In middle school and high school, my parents and I would sit on our gray suede couch in the living room. My dad would be on my right, my mom on the left. I always had the Lakers pillow behind my back.We didn’t sit like this for the entire game though. Throughout the 2 1/2 hours of heart-attack-inducing excitement and panic, my dad would pace up and down our living room. But if the Lakers were losing, he would sit down. Or if my mom went to the kitchen to get some tea and the Lakers went on a streak, she would stay there until the streak ended to maintain good vibes.The traditions covered all aspects. We only kept the sound on if we were watching them on the local Los Angeles station. During last year’s Finals against the Celtics, my dad said we couldn’t wear green.Eastern Europeans, especially those in the former Soviet Union, are traditionally superstitious. But though my parents have given up most of their fears, part of us genuinely believes in the power of movement.I think of it as basketball feng shui.When I went to college, my parents had a void in our living room, and I had to find my own special pattern.I finally came up with the most effective way to watch a game. I would have the TV on for the game – on mute, just like my parents – and my laptop would have ESPN.com on so I could keep track of statistics.So far I haven’t had any pregame rituals in London. Because of the time difference, I’ve been going to bed before the games begin and waking up to check the results.But now that the Lakers are up 2-1 against Orlando, I need to find some way to keep the streak going. I watched game one on gametracker, caught the fourth quarter of game two on a live streaming site and fell asleep after halftime of game three.I know that my small traditions won’t affect their field-goal percentage. These rituals are not as much for their benefit as it is for mine.These habits make me feel connected to my team. Memphis is a full-day’s drive away from Los Angeles, and Bloomington is even farther. But to sit the same way I have been sitting throughout almost 1,000 games erases the distance. Yelling at the coaches and individual players doesn’t mean they hear my four-letter word suggestions, but that I too contribute to the game plan.Even though my inconsistency hasn’t hurt the Lakers’ chances, I want some security, comfort and reassurance for the rest of the series.Time to rearrange some furniture.
(06/07/09 10:39pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LONDON – My city is making headlines.For the past two weeks, my hometown of Memphis has been in the news, from ESPN.com to Sports Illustrated. A Google search of “Memphis” and “NCAA” turned up 2,927 related articles. On May 27, the Memphis Commercial Appeal announced that the University of Memphis is responding to NCAA allegations that Memphis’ former star point guard Derrick Rose had someone else take his SAT for him, among other accusations. But recently, the paper also published statistics that Memphis’ crime rate is dropping. For a city that Forbes recently named the second-most dangerous in America, the news that crime is declining was a baby step toward safety. For a city whose main source of pride is being accused of cheating, it was a comeback. It was also hope. Hope that a group of 680,000 residents can live without fear of their fellow residents. Hope that a city known for the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be known for something – anything – else. Hope that a mayor who has been in power since 1991 – before I even moved to America more than 10 years ago – might be doing something right. Memphians are used to crime just as they’re used to their college basketball team winning. But the team has recently become a fountain of disappointment.Not only did former coach John Calipari leave for Kentucky, but the possibility that its 2008 Final Four run and national title appearance will be taken away was another blow to a battered psyche. While I carry pepper spray when I’m home for protection, no weapon can defend the city’s most popular sports team from spiraling downward. Memphians agree on few things, but supporting the Tigers is one of them. Every March, the voice of the city fuses into one loud cry for salvation. Last year, former Tiger and current New Jersey Nets guard Chris Douglas-Roberts said, “That town loves basketball so much, and it has been a while since that town had something to be proud of.” Even though Memphis’ Tigers pride is in danger, their overall pleasure should be in the security of their city. The citizens can take pride in a smaller crime rate, in fewer homicides, in safer streets.Because unless potential lottery pick Tyreke Evans wants to defend not only the pick-and-roll, but also a woman walking to her car late at night, I don’t think the team will have much effect on the city’s crime rate. But that’s the effect sports has. Cities are not only measured by their safety, but by the successes and failures of their teams. Headlines are often about crime, but equally often about recruitments, transfers and coaching decisions. People care more about what happens inside a stadium for two hours than about whether people can walk freely outside afterward. But me? I’d rather have fewer wins, but fewer steals.
(06/03/09 11:38pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LONDON – I can’t afford to stay in this city much longer.The coffee is three bucks a cup, the monthly pass for the Tube costs $150 and even a postcard to a loved one adds up to about $2.50.But I’m not the only one in this city whose budget is stretched too thin.On Tuesday, newspapers published statistics showing that the 20 Premier League teams owe a total of 3.1 billion pounds (about $5.1 billion). The top two clubs – Manchester United and Chelsea – topped the list with 699 million pounds and 701 million pounds, respectively.This wasn’t the first notice of financial struggles. In October 2008, the chairman of the Football Association, Lord Triesman, announced that the Premier League was in a 3-billion-pound shortage.Out of all the revelations or surprises that have occurred since my arrival, this one was the least alarming. Members of Parliament stealing money from taxpayers? Outrageous. Susan Boyle not winning “Britain’s Got Talent”? Surprising. But football clubs not being able to afford their jerseys? Boring.I’ve been wondering ever since I got here how clubs can afford to sign Cristiano Ronaldo or Kaka for millions of pounds. How can they financially sustain their rosters? How much do their stadiums cost to build and maintain?While TV contracts, ticket sales and general marketing campaigns bring in revenue – the Champions League Final victory brought in about 100 million pounds – the demands of keeping a team not only in the Premier League, but at the top, are costly.I’m not sure what the solution is to this financial crisis. With the astronomic salaries these players receive, they could try to institute a salary cap.The NHL, NBA and NFL all have salary caps, while MLB has a luxury tax for teams that exceed the set total they are allowed to spend.But are the leagues better because of their budgets? Would baseball’s steroid problem go away if the Yankees couldn’t sign every player within their grasp? Would the NBA have fewer flagrant fouls if the owners weren’t constrained by the luxury tax?American sports leagues aren’t immune to the same problems facing the Premier League. Most sports teams do not turn a profit – even the Yankees and Red Sox reported losses in 2006. And with the recession, it’s harder to get families struggling to pay their bills to turn up for a costly two-and-a-half hour game.So how can some of the biggest sports teams in the world curb their spending, increase profits and switch from red to black?Don’t ask me. I can’t even afford the postcards.
(06/03/09 11:36pm)
LONDON – I can’t afford to stay in this city much longer.
(05/31/09 11:52pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LONDON – Friday morning began just as 18 others had. I woke up, realized what time it was and punched in the password to my laptop. I waited for Yahoo! Sports to come up, crossing my fingers and hoping the result wouldn’t make me cry. As the page began to load, I saw the photo of Kobe and then the headline: A Return Trip. The Lakers, my favorite team, had defeated the Denver Nuggets 119-92 in win Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals and advanced to the NBA Finals. I jumped. I yelped. I woke up my roommate. As happy as – I assume – she was for Kobe and co. to make it to the finals for the second consecutive year, I don’t think she wanted to be awakened at 6 a.m. to hear the score. But that’s just one of many problems I’ve had being overseas during the NBA playoffs. The five-hour time difference between London and the East Coast means every game starts between 1 and 3 a.m. Then every game ends around 4 a.m. I am a dedicated fan, but with work and classes at 8 a.m., I need to sleep. Now that the finals are starting Thursday, though, I need to change my schedule. I’ve tried waking up at 4 a.m. to check the scores, but it’s never worked. I’ve tried pulling all-nighters, but I usually fall asleep early into the third quarter. And checking my computer when I wake up at 7:30 a.m. won’t be enough.What to do instead? I could go to bed at 8 p.m., wake up at halftime and go to bed after the game’s over. I could wear my Lakers T-shirt every day, though it might violate my office’s dress code. I could make posters and proclaim my fandom near the Houses of Parliament. What makes a good fan? Is it the Chelsea supporters who were drunkenly yelling at the TV inside a pub as their team beat Everton in the Football Association Cup Final? Is it the fans who supported Manchester United on May 27 during its 2-0 loss to Barcelona? When does fandom get out of control? While I value the Lakers and how much joy they’ve given me throughout the years, I also can’t stay up to watch ESPN Gamecast for every game. Even during the school year, I’m too busy sometimes to keep track until the fourth quarter.Does that make me a bad fan? Do I not have my priorities in order, or am I just making enough time for my team? In nith grade I didn’t study for my biology final so I could watch game six of the Lakers vs. Timberwolves Western Conference Finals. The game was one of the best of the year, and I’ve never regretted the C that I got in the class. But now I have more obligations, responsibilities – all those things you’re supposed to have when you’re 30. So has my love diminished? Will I care if my team fails to bring home a title? More importantly, will I wake up to see the result or just read about it days later? As my roommate will probably guess, the mornings will begin like all the others.
(05/27/09 10:28pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>LONDON – Soccer is aggressive, competitive and passionate.It’s also deadly.Kevin McDaid, 49, a father of four and husband to wife Evelyn (who was injured), was killed Monday, when a mob of Glasgow Rangers fans went in search of a victim after the team’s win Sunday. Another man was also injured in the melee.This isn’t the first time a fan has died after a soccer match. And it’s not the most brutal, savage or extreme case of sports brutality.Just hours before the Champions League final Wednesday between Barcelona and Manchester United, a fan of the English club was stabbed in Rome, where the match was being held. Police and government officials have taken “precautions” to minimize these kind of attacks. They’ve limited the sale of alcohol, warned fans to not incite the opponent’s supporters and tried to increase a military-like presence.But what can they really do?How can they search every fan for knives or other weapons? How can they limit the amount of alcohol sold to an individual? How can a group of police officers change the culture of a sport that incites this kind of violence?When I read the article on one of London’s paper’s Web sites, it was filed under the “crime” section. That makes it sound like a random act of violence, not the aftermath of a culture brewing with underlying hostilities.I can’t explain why people kill because of something so seemingly trivial. And that’s the problem. It’s difficult for Americans to understand a continent where violence in sports is a common activity.While there have been riots in the United States after championship games, they have never come close or matched the level of European violence.Even when die-hard Hoosiers fans talk about their love for IU basketball, it can never compare to the ridiculous obsession some fans have.I’ve met a lot of crazy Indiana fans, but so far no one has taken a machete to West Lafayette to avenge the Old Oaken Bucket game.I’ll be watching the Champions League game in a pub in central London. While I hope to see a good game, I also hope to see more sportsmanship than recent events have shown.I hope when I read the game story Thursday, there aren’t mentions of stabbings, beatings or killings. I hope there aren’t photos of battered fans. And I hope people remember that sports are supposed to unite, not divide, us – that the players on the pitch are there not because they hate the opponents, but because they love the game.And maybe the fans will remember that, too.
(05/20/09 11:49pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Ledley King is an idiot.For those of you who don’t live across the pond, King is a footballer and a captain for the Tottenham Hotspurs, the 8th place team in the Barclays Premier League. On May 10, King was arrested for allegedly assaulting a doorman at a nightclub in London.After his arrest, Hotspurs coach Harry Redknapp issued a ban on alcohol for next season. Later, Redknapp also said that he doesn’t want his players going to nightclubs.He has a point.Nothing good happens when you combine athletes and alcohol.Take a player only hours removed from playing a match, give him a few drinks and put him in a dark room with blaring music. Doesn’t sound like a great idea.But the problem is global.Earlier this week, Mike Garrity, a University of Illinois football player, was charged with two counts of felony for aggravated battery outside an Illinois bar.While the details of the fight suggest the victim aggravated Garrity, there has to be some sort of connection between the bar atmosphere and the night’s end.Athletes are passionate people. They know how to pump themselves up, and as in King’s case, hours after a match, adrenaline might still be coursing through their veins. So why give a hyper individual access to more fuel? While some athletes might see Redknapp’s decree as harsh and unrealistic, it makes sense.Alcohol dehydrates your body, impairs the brain’s ability to function, changes sleep patterns, excretes calcium and affects muscle’s ability to renew itself.Yep, nothing better after a 0-0 draw to Everton than a couple of pints at the local pub.“We wouldn’t get these problems if the players weren’t drinking,” Redknapp told the British media.I can understand the desire to relax after a few hours of hard work. But not when the night’s antics result in an arrest splashed across every London newspaper.Maybe more coaches should adopt Redknapp’s rule. Perhaps former Pacers coach Rick Carlisle should’ve instituted a “no-club” rule ... although I doubt Stephen “bring-my-gun-with-me” Jackson would’ve followed it.Which brings up the point that these are grown men, of legal drinking age. Should their boss be allowed to control what they do off the pitch? Should their contracts extend to their personal lives, even if they have a direct impact on the team?Yes.These athletes get paid millions of dollars – or pounds in this case – to perform and perform well. Just as fans expect them to give 100 percent on the field, so should they expect them to perform their best out of uniform.They don’t have to go out after a match or go drinking after practice.There are other things to do.Hey, King, I hear the British Museum is free.
(05/17/09 11:59pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This whole being overseas thing is going well. I’ve sightseen. I’ve traveled. I’ve had strange British food that didn’t make me gag.But as far as sporting events, I’ve been to none. One reason I was so excited about coming to London was the chance to experience sporting events in England. Their fascination with sports, whether it’s football (soccer), rugby or cricket, is unlike anything in the United States. And I decided before my trip that I want to be a part of this unique passion. I want to be yelled at for cheering for the wrong team at a pub. I want to yell at a ref’s bad call. I want to figure out the rules of cricket. The last is probably unrealistic. But the rest? Doable. I’m considering going to a rugby final in Edinburgh, or maybe waiting in line for tickets to Wimbledon. Right now, I’m in the habit of reading the sports page every day in the free papers. British sports are in full swing. Instead of staying up until 4 a.m. to see the results of the NBA conference semifinals, I can pay 20 pounds (roughly $34) for something more interesting than another standard walking tour of the city. “I saw a museum. What did you do?” “I saw a unique cultural event that had 10,000 people cheering, singing and supporting their team for three hours.” That’s got to beat shuffling from exhibit to exhibit at the National Gallery. I have nothing against museums and art galleries. I love learning about culture and history. But attending a football match or even just walking to a nearby pub to watch people watching a football match is a living example of a country’s heritage.Sports don’t just help us pass the time or give us a hobby. They’re part of who you are. I have always considered “basketball fan” to be part of my description as a person. What better way to learn about another culture than seeing what’s important to them? Sports unite us – whether it’s a small town going to a high school basketball game in Indiana or a neighborhood cheering on its local football team.What better way to feel tied to a country than to embrace its sports? Despite the accents, slang and currency differences, nothing about English sports is too difficult to learn for an American originally from Memphis and going to school in Indiana.I can’t even wait to see the energy that happens when a group of English people come together to watch a match, whether it’s the gentlemen’s game of cricket, the almost-painful-to-watch sport of rugby or the classic “beautiful game” of football.I can’t imagine going to Wimbledon, whether it’s for an opening round doubles match or a Centre Court duel between Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer.Anyone studying or just traveling abroad should consider taking in some sporting events. Even if the sport sounds dull (like soccer does to most Americans), passion for athletics is always contagious. It’s something I can bring home that will last longer than my souvenir jam. It won’t get lost like my postcards.And that’s something that will definitely fit into my suitcase.
(05/13/09 11:49pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I am sick. But like so many Americans (and as I’ve discovered studying abroad in London, Englishmen too), I share this illness. It’s a disease that takes time to develop, strikes suddenly and can go away for months before returning. It can be genetic, inherited from generations past. Or it can develop individually, with no familial influence. It can be shared by your spouse, or it might not spread to those around you. It’s not swine flu – it’s a love for sports. My disease is genetic, inherited from my parents who grew up in Ukraine cheering for the Soviet Union and for the local teams. When we moved to America in 1992, the only familiar sport on TV was basketball. That year, Michael Jordan captured his second consecutive championship with the Chicago Bulls. We were hooked. We became avid fans, watching the NBA every time the Bulls played. I remember watching Jordan winning his sixth title and going out for Baskin-Robbins. After Jordan’s second retirement in 1999, my parents and I were lost. While we had navigated the English language, acclimated to America and adjusted to a new culture, we had basketball.See, the word for toilet has to be taught, but the pick and roll is international. In 2000, former Bulls coach Phil Jackson returned to the NBA as coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. Jackson reminded us of those years spent watching the Bulls, so we became Lakers fans. After eight years in America, we had found a team. We became obsessed, crazy and rabid fans. I saw my first Lakers game in 2000, an exhibition match against the Wizards at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis. We finally had cable so we could watch more games. “SportsCenter” replaced “The Today Show” as our morning ritual. ESPN anchors delivered our most important news. The first things my parents do when they go to work? Read the LA Times for articles about the Lakers. Lakers memorabilia became automatic presents. I got a Lakers sweatshirt for my 12th birthday. For Hanukkah, a Luke Walton T-shirt. For my 18th birthday, a set of tickets. My dad has a Lakers flask. My mom owns a Lakers jewelry box. My 10th grade English teacher once gave me her husband’s vintage Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trading cards. When I went away to college, I took my Lakers blanket. My friend Devin, who goes to the University of Southern California, gave me a Lakers Santa hat that hangs in my room. My best friend Julie, who attends Boston University, gave me a Lakers-Celtics Finals T-shirt that I wear bitterly.Being an only child, my parents miss me at school. And while they ask about grades, work and boys, our main topic is our team.While my parents can watch every game at home, I seldom have time for two and a half hours of basketball. But I always stay connected, checking scores, stats and standings and reading the same articles my parents do. When they call, we talk about the season. Last year, my parents and I watched the playoffs together as we’ve done for 16 years. But this year will be my first without them as the Lakers compete for a possible 15th championship. I can handle not being home for the summer, but not being able to see my team’s most important games is, as the Brits here say, driving me batty. I’m used to not seeing my parents for months at a time, but our game rituals are something I can’t replicate on my own. And while I can wake up at 6 a.m. to read the Lakers demolished Houston in a game 5 win, I can’t scream at Steve Javie alongside my dad. But I know my love for the Lakers won’t subside despite the time difference or the extended absence. And unlike the recent N1H1 outbreak, I know this disease will never go away.
(04/16/09 4:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>They looked like a splatter of ketchup with a small dab of mustard. A huddle of red jerseys, except for freshman goalkeeper Luis Soffner in yellow, gathered on the field before their second game of the night.Only 15 minutes divided Wednesday’s two matches for the IU men’s soccer team, which tied Cincinnati, 0-0, and returned to the field to tie IUPUI, also nil-nil.IU’s scoreless match against the Bearcats featured few shots, but the team still had reasons to be optimistic for next season.Freshman forward Will Bruin tallied three shots on goal, while Cincinnati goalkeeper Miguel Rosales recorded five saves against the somewhat hesitant IU offense.Junior defender Lee Hagedorn said the team failed to connect on the few chances it had. IU had 10 shots on goal against Cincinnati, but only eight against IUPUI.“I thought we created some good chances,” he said. “It’s kind of frustrating because I think we had the better play.”After regrouping, the team came back for another 60-minute match. The second game featured more inexperienced players, giving Freitag a chance to evaluate.Alec Purdie, Darren Yeagle, Cameron Jordan and Nick Blevins rarely, if ever, played during the regular season, but have seen considerable minutes during the Hoosiers’ spring matches.Max Weston, Joe Tolen and Tim Wylie also made appearances against the Jaguars.“I’ve been waiting a while for my chance,” Purdie said. “Overall it just feels great to just get on the field. Can’t complain.”Despite the game’s opportunity for younger players, Freitag said he didn’t see much during the match.“I would’ve liked to see a little more passion,” Freitag said. “I never saw anything special happen.”The match against IUPUI had several failed corner kicks for IU, which scored mostly from set pieces during the fall season. The two matches were IU’s last at home for the spring season. Unlike years past, IU will not compete against the Mexican national team due to schedule conflicts. They travel to Fort Wayne on Saturday to take on Akron, whom they tied 0-0 in the regular season.“I think we’ll have a good outing against Akron,” Freitag said. “The first team’s all together and playing again.”Hagedorn said the spring season has taught the young team many things, the most important being a strong work ethic.“So far it’s not going to come easy,” Hagedorn said. “We’ve had teams this past year that had a lot of talent ... We’ve really got to come out and work.”
(04/15/09 4:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In its final home games of the spring season, the IU men’s soccer team will compete today against Cincinnati and IU-Purdue University Indianapolis in two 60-minute games. The first, against the Bearcats, will begin at 7:15 p.m., and the second, against the Jaguars, will take place at 8:30 p.m. Both games will be at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The games will be the Hoosiers’ third and fourth home contests, the first two having resulted in victories against Evansville and Butler.
(04/09/09 3:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The practice fields are barren. Nine players are gone. One assistant coach has been swapped for another. With three additions to the IU men’s soccer team, the Hoosiers are using the spring season to integrate a new starting lineup and a former player turned coach. IU will take on regional foe Louisville at 7 p.m. today at Cardinal Park. After two home wins against Evansville and Butler, the Hoosiers have their first spring season road match against the Cardinals. They defeated Louisville 1-0 in October off a penalty kick from sophomore Andy Adlard. While the team outscored their first two opponents 5-2, they are paying more attention to individual and team unity rather than studying opponents’ game tape. “We only spoke briefly on Louisville,” said junior defender Ofori Sarkodie. “We’re focusing on us.” The “us” looks different than last year’s Hoosiers, who progressed to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, losing 3-2 to St. John’s. Both senior captain Brad Ring and junior defender Kevin Alston were taken in the MLS SuperDraft in January, and seniors Kevin Noschang, Chay Cain and John Mellencamp will also be missed. Sophomore Michael Munroe left the team, leaving it with only one goalkeeper. “It’s definitely been a building stage, just getting to know each other’s tendencies, each other’s comfort zones, seeing what each player can now bring to the team,” Sarkodie said. As one of five returning juniors, veteran midfielder Lee Hagedorn said he’s emphasized the importance of competing to the underclassmen. “Just come out and play hard every day,” he said. “Last year we didn’t always come to practice to play our hardest.” Helping the players is new assistant coach Aleksey Korol, who joined the team in February after Wisconsin hired former IU assistant coach Todd Yeagley as its head coach. Hagedorn said Korol has fit in well with the team. “He’s really active in all our practices,” he said. “He’s got a player’s perspective.” Freshman forward Will Bruin, who started all 24 matches last season, said he takes the games seriously but appreciates the spring season’s ability to allow experiments with formations. “It’s time to get other people playing time and in-game situations, so they’re not new when it comes to fall,” Bruin said. Replacing Cain, a senior first team All-Big Ten goalkeeper, is freshman Luis Soffner. Although he didn’t play during the 2008 season, Soffner said it’s been easy for him to jump in as the team’s new goalkeeper. With four spring season matches remaining, Soffner said he hopes the team will adjust to his presence. “They were probably comfortable with Chay back there,” he said. “They just got to get used to me back there.” IU coach Mike Freitag said several players have stepped up in the second semester. He listed sophomore forward Alec Purdie, freshman midfielder Nick Blevins and Bloomington High School South senior and IU recruit Caleb Konstanski as contributors. While he has seen improvement, the team’s newness has presented a challenge to the fifth-year coach. “When you take a couple pieces of the puzzle out, it’s a whole new puzzle, it’s a whole new picture,” Freitag said. Korol, who won two championships as a Hoosier in 1998 and 1999, said the adjustment period is exciting. “That’s what college is all about,” Korol said. “People come and go all the time, you just got to rebuild.”
(12/22/08 10:16pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior defender Kevin Alston has decided to turn pro, IU coach Mike Freitag confirmed Monday.The first-team All-Big Ten player will most likely sign with an MLS team. While Freitag said Alston’s loss will create a void, he is sure another Hoosier will step in for Alston.Alston was a part of a backline this season that help the Hoosiers record 10 shutouts, with eight of those coming against teams in the nation's top 25.The defender from Silver Spring, Md., also contributed offensively with three goals and an assist on the season. One score came in a 2-1 win against Duke on Aug. 29. Alston's unassisted goal came from six yards out and was a loft over the Duke keeper. The score gave IU a 1-0 lead in the season's first regular season match. Another goal came in a 3-1 upset victory against Notre Dame on Oct. 16. Alston's strike from 25 yards out opened the scoring in the victory, with senior Kevin Noschang's goal three minutes later putting the game out of reach for the Blue Devils.“I’m just so pleased to see his growth over the years, ” Freitag said. “He’s going to have great success at the next level.”Freitag said he does not expect any other players to turn professional during break. The Hoosiers will resume practice in January.
(12/18/08 9:56pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU assistant coach Todd Yeagley officially accepted the head coaching position at Wisconsin, the University announced Thursday.Yeagley will replace former Badgers coach Jeff Rohrman, who resigned Nov. 18 after seven seasons and a 61-63-12 record, with no teams ever making it to the NCAA Tournament.Earlier this year, Yeagley was named one of the top 12 assistant coaches by College Soccer News. At IU, he helped guide the Hoosiers to two national titles in 2003 and 2004. IU head coach Mike Freitag said he is happy for Yeagley, but also saddened by his departure. Freitag expressed confidence in his now-former assistant.“He has been groomed to be a head coach all his life,” Freitag said. “He’ll always be a part of IU soccer.”Yeagley is the son of legendary IU coach Jerry Yeagley who coached the Hoosiers to six of their seven total NCAA National Championships."It's hard for me to be objective because he's my son," said Jerry Yeagley, "but I've seen a lot of my former players move on to coach, and I couldn't be any more confident than I am for Todd."He has the it factor that separates championship-caliber coaches from good coaches."Todd Yeagley’s move to a conference foe means he will see his former team at least once a year.“It’ll be strange when we battle in the Big Ten,” Freitag said. “It’ll be a game where the relationship makes it more interesting.”Jerry Yeagley said he and his wife Marylin will make the trip to Madison, Wis., next season to watch the Hoosiers and Badgers battle. But he admitted he will always root for the Hoosiers, though the Badgers now have a "strong supporter.""IU soccer, just like it's in my DNA, it's in his, too," Jerry Yeagley said. "The wonderful thing is I will have two teams to cheer for now." Freitag said the Hoosiers will soon start looking for Yeagley’s replacement. Assistant coach Phil Presser will remain on staff, Freitag said.- Editor-in-Chief Michael Sanserino contributed to this report.Check back with IDSnews.com and Corner Kick for more updates.