I have recently taken a strong liking to international soccer competition. It began actually when I lived in Germany in the summer of 2002, and was immersed in a true World Cup hysteria. But my liking intensified living in Argentina in the summer of 2003. Although Argentina wasn't even on the map after the first stage of the 2002 World Cup due to poor results, it is home to some of the fiercest soccer players in the world. Buenos Aires, the capital, is home to 20 professional socce...
This week, the biggest soccer tournament in the Americas began in Peru. Teams competing include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uraguay, and Venezuela. Argentina and Brazil are favorites to win, as usual. But Colombia is the defending champion and Mexico and Uraguay are always strong as well. The US was invited to the tournament, but they turned it down, since MLS is in full-season. I think it's a crying shame, as the tournament w...
Freddy or Eddie as Teenage Soccer Sensation Granted there is a 2.5 year age difference between the two (if you accept the validity of Adu's Ghanan-verified birthdate), but I don't understand why Freddy Adu gets dubbed teenage superstar and receives the lionshare of attention of the entire MLS, while Eddie Gaven, who is performing superbly for the NJ MetroStars (who are leading DC United by 3 points at the top of the Eastern Conference) and today earned his first cap on the USMNT is l...
Well, no one really read my last Copa America article , but I'll keep writing because, well, this is EXCITING NEWS! The teams knocked-out in the group stage were no big surprise: Ecuador, Venezuela, Boliva, and Chile. The only borderline surprise was Chile, when Costa Rica knocked them out with a goal in the final minute of their matchup. Had Costa Rica not scored that goal in the nick of time, it would have been a three-way tie in points between Chile, Costa Rica, and Bolivia. Bolivia an...
I previously stated that Brasil and Argentina are widely considered the two best teams in South America, but one should not forget about Uruguay. They are equal with Argentina in terms of championships, with two World Cups and 14 Copa America titles. Their last World Cup was in 1950 though, and most of their Copa America championships were in the early 1900's, when they truly were powerhouses. Nowadays, I would place them in a close-but-clear third place to Brasil and Argentina. Interestin...
On Sunday Argentina will face Brasil in the final of the Copa America, the oldest international soccer tournament. Argentina and Brasil are widely thought to be the best two teams in South America, and two of the best in the world. Brasil has five World Cup Championships (the most of any country) and Argentina has two. (The only other teams that have more are Germany and Italy.) In the Copa America, however, Argentina has 14 championships, while Brasil has only 6. (Note on Uruguay as th...
It was an exciting first round. Greece upset an all-star Portugal squad, but then Portugal came back to beat the all-star of all-star squads Spain. England and France passed through as expected, but both teams have weak moments and both nearly got upset by a hard fighting Croatian team. Group C was just painful. No one likes to see a three-way tie decided by goals, and in my opinion Italy got screwed (more on that later). Group D was a bit surprising with Czech Republic coming awa...
With 35 games over .500, the St. Louis Cardinals remain the best team in baseball.
today marks a great day for the cardinals. 40 wins at home, 40 away. and its only the 20th of August! also another interesting fact. for the first time in our history, we have 3 players with 30 home runs. did i mention it's only the 20th of august? go cardinals, go! this could be the best season ever!!!!!!! -rob
The Next Maradona: Carlos Tevez Continue to enjoy the article below, but also check out my new site: CarlosTevez.net ! Having watched Carlos Tevez all summer long--first in Copa Libertadores, then in Copa America, and finally in the Olympics--I am convinced that he is now on the level of the best football players in the world. At a ripe age of 20, he has already won the South American under-20 championship, the Argentine Title, the Copa Libertadores, and the Intercontinental Cup. ...
I finally saw the clip from Monday night football where Nicollette Sheridan from Desperate Houswifes jumps naked into the arms of Terrell Owens. Now I can sort of understand why people made complaints about the seen being sexually explicit, seeing as how part of our population lives in a sexually-deprived, puritan culture. There is much more sexually explicit material already on TV that goes by unnoticed, but you've got to realize that something high-profile and high-rating like Monday Night ...