A few weeks back Bolton Wanderers’ Fabrice Muamba collapsed on the field during the team’s FA Cup quarterfinal match against Tottenham Hotspur. He was attended to by emergency staff on the pitch and eventually stretchered off and rushed to a hospital. Despite being “in effect, dead” for 78 minutes Muamba survived and is now recovering. Today, another elite footballer had
Read moreI have a rule that serves me well in life: Never ascribe to treachery that which can be adequately explained by mere incompetence. That said, sometimes the world of sports presents us with instances where it’s very, very hard not to suspect something sinister at work. Such was the case earlier today at Loftus Road in London, where referee Chris
Read moreFédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the governing body of world soccer, today awarded the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. The move is regarded by most as an upset – the odds-on favorite to land the event was the United States, which hosted the most successful Copa in history in 1994. Also in the running were Australia and a combined
Read moreThe US takes on Ghana in the Round of 16 today, and we realize that soccer is a game whose nuances are alien to many American sports fans. SVR offers this brief primer on the basics of the game so as to enhance our readers’ enjoyment of today’s match.
Read moreKen Gude has some thoughts on all the calls going against the US at the World Cup. It wasn’t the first time in this game that there were odd calls – all going against the US – in and around the Slovenan box. One play Dempsey was wrestled to the ground in the box, no call. On another, he was
Read moreMaradona has some words for Pele. Diego Maradona made stinging comments about fellow soccer greats Pele and Michel Platini on Wednesday after the pair criticized Maradona’s performance as Argentina coach. Maradona said he was not surprised by their comments and that “Pele has to go back to the museum.” … Earlier, Maradona had criticized Pele, who led Brazil to three
Read moreCopa Mundial 2k10 kicked off today in grand fashion, with host South Africa taking a point off of heavily favored Mexico. Tomorrow’s featured match (featured here, anyway) sees the US taking on an even more heavily favored England side that, despite having some of the best talent on the planet, has been lackluster in its pre-Cup tuneups. Of course, the
Read moreDid anybody catch this morning’s rec league match between the US and Australia? Easily the worst game between two World Cup qualifiers that I have ever seen. If the US plays this way once the tournament starts they not only won’t advance, they won’t take a point. England will beat them by 20.
Read moreThe 2010 World Cup begins on June 11 in Johannesburg, with host South Africa playing Mexico. The following day the US kicks off its campaign against mighty England. This is going to be an exciting tournament, and if the US plays to its capabilities it should advance out of group play. A lot of folks are already look past this
Read moreThey say money can’t buy happiness. The same also goes for celebrity, and even the status that accompanies being among the best in the world at your profession. We’ve had ample demonstration of this in recent days. Robert Enke, the goaltender for Hannover 96 (who currently hover in the middle of the German Bundesliga standings) and a potential member of
Read moreWow – imagine my surprise at discovering that the German language has a word for music! Ahem. As you no doubt are aware, Euro2008 crescendos tomorrow afternoon as Spain and Germany meet in the final. In honor of the summer’s premier athletic competition (well, until the Olympics start, anyway), SVR today presents the music of the four semi-final nations, along
Read moreWelcome back to another episode of SVR Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. This week, join us as Jim pushes deep into the treacherous suburban jungle in search of the elusive Scuridae carolinensis – the common yard squirrel. This specimen demonstrates the ingenuity and tenacity with which the fearsome pine gopher pursues his prey.
Read moreHi, and welcome to day four of our 2007 review. Today’s topic – the year in sports. And what a year it was – great competition, exciting on-field action, outstanding team accomplishments, and all of it trumped by off-field drama. Barry B*nds: The real homerun king is Hank Aaron, and don’t you forget it. It wasn’t a pretty summer in
Read moreThe mid-1970s were a wonderful time for music lovers. For starters, exciting and innovative new music was popping up all over the place. And when it did, it actually got played on the radio. The UK was especially fertile ground during this period, as scores of punk and New Wave acts emerged (many from the “pub rock” scene) in the
Read moreI love sports. Always have. I grew up playing all the usual sports and eagerly tried out a lot of others when I got older. I’ve always been a big spectator, too, watching everything from football, basketball and baseball to soccer, track, cycling, volleyball, water polo – whatever was on, you know? But these days I watch less sports than
Read more
lullaby pit 