Old Firm Rivalry On Foreign Soil
In an effort to match or possibly top the outdoor NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park earlier this year, the Fenway Sports Group is in talks to bring Boston sports fans one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports, Celtic v Rangers. It is the equivalent to the Yankees v Red Sox, except 10 times more intense and steeped in religious and political history. Should the good folks in Boston make this happen, it would be the first time the two clubs face each other outside of Scotland and it would be the most unfriendly ‘friendly’ ever played. With all the pre and post-season soccer friendlies coming our way, this one should be worth the price of admission.
(Via The Boston Globe)
A Threat By Any Other Name
A Serbian judge dropped charges against six soccer hooligans that chanted death threats at television reporter Brankica Stankovic. Her crime? She dared report that hooligan leaders were involved in criminal activities. The court ruled that the reporter was insulted but not threatened. Umm, why not ask the reporter in question or better yet, as news anchor Warner Wolf would say, let’s go to the videotape. Video footage showed hooligans chanting threats and disparaging remarks and to top things off, puncturing her in effigy. If that was an insult, what would a threat look like?
(Via USA Today)
The Lost Generation
As if the sex scandal that has rocked French football weren’t bad enough, French football legend Michel Platini pulled no punches in stating that this current crop of French footballers weren’t up to the task of winning the World Cup in South Africa. According to Monsieur Platini, “There are some good players in that squad, but let’s be clear, there are no great players. I simply think France have lost a great generation.” Just when French football needed a quick pick me up, the UEFA president pretty much started digging the ditch to bury them.
(Via NY Times)
Chinese Automaker Signs Leo
In a sign of China’s newfound automotive muscle (recently crowned the # 1 car market in the world), their number one domestic manufacturer, Chery Automobile, has signed Argentine football star Lionel Messi as the new face of their brand. The timing couldn’t be better; the two emerging powers in their respective areas of expertise are joining forces. Specifically, Leo will be the face of their premium brand, Riich. Got to love the name. I see that the marketing people elected to not mince words.
(Via BBC)
Florida Soccer Mom Helps Improve Lives With Hippo Rollers
Soccer mom Amy Allen created a non-profit charged with helping the world’s poor by improving access to clean water and sanitation. Her organization, Global Change Inc., recently awarded their first grant in the amount of $10,500 to folks in South Africa’s Limpopo region. The grant purchased 100 Hippo Rollers, an invention that helps transport large quantities of water that will alleviate the need for women and girls (often charged with water collection) with making multiple trips to watering holes to carry water jugs that weigh up to 45 pounds.
Click here to visit the Global Change website.
Click here to visit the Hippo Roller Project website.
(Via PR.com)
Could Have, Should Have, Would Have
Could former Nebraska Cornhuskers and recently drafted Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh have been a soccer star? Perhaps, but unfortunately, we will never know. His dad played semi-professionally in Germany and his older sister is a midfielder on the Cameroon Women’s National Team. Ndamukong could have followed in their footsteps were it not for pesky soccer officials. The college football standout played soccer up until his eighth grade year and quit because he felt referees were unfairly treating him since he was being carded too frequently (probably due to his size). Sounds to me like Claudio Reyna, Technical Director of Youth Soccer for the U.S. Soccer Federation, better get moving on his plan to get referees to chill out on the whistle blowing. If U.S. soccer is to get better, we need to retain the best athletes and not lose them to other sports due to over-officiating.
(Via Detroit Free Press)
interesting tidbits from around in world. I especially liked the Hippo roller story.