Category: Sports

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Soccer is popular

The 2010 World Cup is taking place in South Africa. The United States men’s national soccer team failed to make it to the quarterfinals but did win its group during group play. Some critics claim that the US should drop out since we haven’t won the tournament and some people claim that soccer isn’t very popular. The critics are wrong.

The men’s team has been stronger since a reorganization took place in the 1990’s. The team failed to qualify for the World Cup from 1954 to 1986. With a majority of players getting experience in top programs in Europe, the team is real close to making it to the quarterfinals on a regular basis. Major League Soccer is providing a steady place for lower level players a chance to move up and a strong fan base that transfer to the national team.

The United States women’s national soccer team has won 2 World Cups since it got started in 1991 and is ranked number 1 by FIFA.

As for soccer not being popular, it has more kids playing than play hockey or football.

Back in the day I played for the Hancock Soccer Association in Findlay. I played through elementary school all the way up to high school. Most of my friends played too.

I was disappointed the national men’s team didn’t make it to the quarterfinals but I thought they still did a decent job in getting a draw with England and winning the group.

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Big Ben needs to grow up

Ben Roethlisberger, the Findlay Ohio homeboy who is the starting QB of the Pittsburgh Steelers was suspended 6 games today for violating the NFL personal conduct code after an incident in Georgia in March. While the punishment seems harsh for actions that didn’t result in any criminal action, hopefully it will serve as a wakeup call for Ben.

Ben is single, extremely rich, and hangs out with an entourage but it seems he forgot where he came from and that stupid decisions have consequences.

He needs to settle down, drop the gang, and grow up. Hopefully his 6 games off will help him do that before he does end up in the criminal justice system.

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Tiger’s victims – really??

There has been whacked out part of the whole Tiger Woods and now the Jesse James adultery stories that just drives me crazy. It seems the mistress’ claim they are victims in the affairs and in Wood’s case some of the women did interviews and cried about being betrayed by the men they slept with and had an affair. Hogwash, the only real victim are the women the men are married to.

This Huffington Post article is an example of the ridiculous celebrity crap we see in the news today:

Joslyn James, the busty porn star who says she was twice impregnated by Tiger Woods, spoke out Monday afternoon following the golfer’s first live press conference since his massive sex scandal was paraded before the public.

The adult actress and attorney Gloria Allred, who has also represented a host of other prominent women, criticized Woods for not apologizing to his former lovers. “He said that he’s being more respectful to the fans, and that’s good; but how about being more respectful top the women that he’s hurt,” Allred said.

Joslyn James: I Want To Talk To Tiger Woods’ Wife

Joslyn James and the other women involved with Tiger or Jesse James are utter morons.

They have to be not to know that the men were married and sleeping with them was not a good thing to do. To claim to be betrayed or a victim just shows the women’s own stupidity.

If either man promised anything to these women then the women share in the lies and went into these affairs knowing that the men are liars and so they deserve nothing – no apologies nothing. If anything they should apologize to the wives for enabling their husband’s cheating and keeping it a secret.

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Why do we need to make up Olympic Stars?

Saw an article today commenting that the injury to Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn “means [NBC] could suddenly be without its most bankable star.” But I question the need to create stars before they participate in the games.

NBC badly needs stars to emerge out of these games. It has already said it will lose money on the Olympics for the first time ever, the result of a too-generous bid to televise the Vancouver Games and false expectations that advertising prices would continue to rise. NBC also needs prime-time success to divert attention from its sagging prime-time lineup and late-night executive bungling.

Injury could deprive NBC of top star

Sure there are favorites going into the games but what if they fail to perform as expected. NBC wastes hours of video and “personal stories” covering a few “faces” as if we need an excuse to root for the team. I know they have hours to fill but it would be better to see more action rather than canned video of some “star” bagging groceries at home.

I get enjoyment out of “stars” who emerge from their performance in an unexpected way. The Turin 2006 men’s curling team comes to mind or Rulon Gardner the Greco-Roman wrestling gold medalist who came out of no where to win at the 2000 Summer games.

The best example is the 1980 men’s hockey team that beat the USSR. The slow burn of excitement is now a classic.

Sometimes I think focusing on a few “stars” causes more pressure than need be at the Olympics and just seems forced.

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